Exact Criteria Research Articles

Faculty Perspective Regarding Practical Experience of Adapted Physical Education for Undergraduate Students

Preparing future physical education professionals to teach adapted physical education (APE) is a responsibility of physical education teacher education (PETE) programs. Furthermore, there is limited literature on practicum and/or field experiences as a part of APE courses from the perspective of faculty members. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore faculty views in relation to the practical experiences in undergraduate APE courses. Structured interviews were conducted with faculty members of higher education institutions in the U.S. There were five study participants in this study. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The findings included three subthemes: (a) quality of quantity, (b) need for diversity in practical experiences, and (c) practical experience pertaining to APE courses. Practical experience in APE courses is an integral part of professional preparation for undergraduate students in kinesiology programs. There are no exact criteria for requirements across the states; however, students could maximize their learning by engaging in diverse APE practicum settings. The instructor of APE courses should provide clear guidelines and feedback for students. Instructors of APE courses must also consider the institutional and environmental context prior to planning and implementing practical experiences to provide successful learning experiences for students.

Approximate analysis of necklace coalescence

Two recent models of void coalescence in columns are revisited to provide simpler, approximate expressions for the effective yield surface. Unlike the exact criteria, these are not upper-bound preserving but provide more flexibility in numerical implementation of the models. Both models correspond to limit analysis on the same geometry, namely a cylindrical void of finite height embedded in a cylindrical cell. One model employs a continuous velocity field, the other a discontinuous, yet kinematically admissible velocity field. The approximations are assessed by direct comparison to the exact criteria for several sets of the internal parameters.

Dynamic assessment of intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy under pressure impact on peritoneal carcinomatosis in ovarian cancer (immediate results)

Purpose of the study. Dynamic assessment of the direct impact of pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) on peritoneal carcinomatosis in ovarian cancer.Patients and methods. The study involved 164 people with visually detectable and morphologically verified ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis of the peritoneum (IIIb-IIIc stages of ovarian cancer). All patients underwent combined treatment of ovarian cancer, which included primary cytoreduction and 6 courses of сhemotherapy according to the TC scheme. In the main group, the standard treatment was supplemented with 3 sessions of PIPAC. Statistical processing was carried out by analyzing the exact criterion of the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney sums, the distribution of patients in groups by age and peritoneal lesion was estimated. It was found that the distribution of the analyzed parameters was random. The distribution in the groups by stages of the disease was homogeneous, which is justified by the use of the Barnard criterion. The dynamics of the parameters of the study was evaluated by the methods of basic statistics. Used software packages: MedCals, Statistica.Results. The results obtained demonstrate a distinct positive dynamics in the group of patients receiving PIPAC in addition to standard treatment of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer: a significant decrease in the peritoneal cancer index, therapeutic pathomorphosis in peritoneal samples during treatment, reduction of ascites.Conclusion. The team of authors managed to establish that PIPAC simultaneously with standard combined treatment for newly diagnosed ovarian cancer with peritoneal carcinomatosis makes it possible to achieve a dynamic regression effect of peritoneal carcinomatosis of the peritoneum, morphological regression of carcinomatosis and complete resorption of ascites in the vast majority of treated patients. The revealed therapeutic effect was prolonged and persistent with an objective assessment 6 months after the end of treatment.

A Brief Review on Acne Vulgaris: Chronic Inflammatory Disease

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory disease rather than a natural part of the life cycle as colloquially viewed of the pilosebaceous unit (comprising the hair follicle, hair shaft and sebaceous gland) and is among the most common dermatological conditions worldwide. Some of the key mechanisms involved in the development of acne include disturbed sebaceous gland activity associated with hyperseborrhoea (that is, increased sebum production) and alterations in sebum fatty acid composition, dysregulation of the hormone microenvironment, interaction with neuropeptides, follicular hyperkeratinization, induction of inflammation and dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immunity. Grading of acne involves lesion counting and photographic methods. However, there is a lack of consensus on the exact grading criteria, which hampers the conduction and comparison of randomized controlled clinical trials evaluating treatments. Prevention of acne relies on the successful management of modifiable risk factors, such as underlying systemic diseases and lifestyle factors. Several treatments are available, but guidelines suffer from a lack of data to make evidence-based recommendations. In addition, the complex combination treatment regimens required to target different aspects of acne pathophysiology lead to poor adherence, which undermines treatment success. Acne commonly causes scarring and reduces the quality of life of patients. New treatment options with a shift towards targeting the early processes involved in acne development instead of suppressing the effects of end products will enhance our ability to improve the outcomes for patients with acne.

Initial Neutronics Investigation of a Chlorine Salt–Based Breeder Blanket

Tritium breeding blankets within D-T-fueled fusion reactors contain lithium compounds and typically require neutron multiplier materials to achieve a tritium breeding ratio (TBR) consistent with self-sustaining operation. Liquid breeder blankets have some advantages over solid blankets, and previous blanket studies have investigated liquid metal as well as liquid salt–based blankets. Liquid salts have reduced magnetohydrodynamic effects as compared to liquid metals, but typically have a lower TBR. Recently, advanced fission reactor concepts have considered chloride-based salts in their design, and there is a significant amount of research work occurring to study these salts. Chloride salts have previously been considered for fusion reactors, but studies have typically found lower breeding ratios than for fluoride salts, such as 2(LiF)-BeF2 (flibe) so they have not been further developed. In this work, we use a one-dimensional cylindrical radiation transport model of a conceptual tokamak fusion reactor to investigate the neutronics feasibility of using a chloride salt–based blanket that uses chlorine enriched in 37Cl, which has both a low capture cross section and a substantial (n,2n) cross section. It is found that chloride salts (LiCl mixed with BeCl2 and/or PbCl2) can potentially achieve a ~3% to 5% higher TBR than fluoride molten salts, notably flibe, in the absence of a solid multiplier. Including a solid multiplier, however, does narrow this advantage, with TBRs estimated within ~1% of flibe with a 2-cm Be multiplier. Chloride salts can also reach lower melting points than flibe, potentially improving the scope for the use of reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel as a structural material. There is substantial uncertainty in the calculations driven by limited thermochemical data for the Cl salts, plus cross-section uncertainties. The production of 36Cl through 35Cl(n,g) and 37Cl(n,2n) has the potential to challenge the waste disposal rating of the blanket. Calculations indicate that, while this is not an immediate showstopper, this case depends upon the exact waste disposal rating criteria used for 36Cl. Further work could reduce these uncertainties with improved thermochemical data, higher-fidelity modeling for downselected salts, and more refined waste disposal calculations and regulatory guidance. Finally, it must be recognized that, as for all molten salts, corrosion and chemistry can present appreciable technical challenges that require further assessment in developing a practical blanket concept, and also that the enrichment of chlorine presents an additional technical and supply chain challenge.

An Application of Machine Learning to Estimate and Evaluate the Energy Consumption in an Office Room

There are no exact criteria for the architecture of openings and windows in office buildings in order to optimize energy consumption. Due to the physical limitations of this renewable energy source and the lack of conscious control over its capabilities, the amount of light entering offices and the role of daylight as a source of energy are determined by how they are constructed. In this study, the standard room dimensions, which are suitable for three to five employees, are compared to computer simulations. DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus are utilized to simulate the office’s lighting and energy consumption. This study presents a new method for estimating conventional energy consumption based on gene expression programming (GEP). A gravitational search algorithm (GSA) is implemented in order to optimize the model results. Using input and output data collected from a simulation of conventional energy use, the physical law underlying the problem and the relationship between inputs and outputs are identified. This method has the advantages of being quick and accurate, with no simulation required. Based on effective input parameters and sensitivity analysis, four models are evaluated. These models are used to evaluate the performance of the trained network based on statistical indicators. Among all the GEP models tested in this study, the one with the lowest MAE (0.1812) and RMSE (0.09146) and the highest correlation coefficient (0.90825) is found to be the most accurate.

Влияние однонуклеотидных полиморфизмов генов свертывающей системы крови и фолатного цикла на тяжесть течения и исходы COVID-19

Objective. To characterize the relationship of alleles of single nucleotide genetic polymorphisms in the genes of the hemostasis system and folate cycle with the severity of the course and outcomes of the COVID-19 coronavirus infection. Patients and methods. The study conducted on the basis of the Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital of Izhevsk in 2020–2021 included 40 patients with COVID-19. The study of alleles of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of 12 genes encoding factors of the blood coagulation system was performed in patients. Biological analysis of genomic DNA was performed using a set of reagents "Real-Best-Genetics Hemostasis (12)". A CFX96 amplifier (Bio-Rad, USA) was used to carry out the polymerase chain reaction. The significance level of differences between the groups was determined using the criteria χ2, Mann–Whitney and Fisher's exact criterion. Results. The C allele of SNP of ITGB3:1565 β3 integrin gene (T/C) tends to be associated with a more severe course of the disease (p = 0.048). The C allele of SNP of β3 integrin gene ITGB3:1565 (T/C), the T allele of SNP of α2 integrin gene ITGA2:807 (C/T), and the T allele of SNP of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene MTHFR:677 (C/T) tend to be associated with higher mortality with COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Conclusion. The minor allele of SNP of ITGB3:1565 (T/C) gene can be considered as a predictor of the severe course of COVID-19, minor alleles of SNP of ITGB3:1565 (T/C), ITGA2:807 (C/T), and MTHFR:677 (C/T) genes can be considered as predictors of a higher risk of a lethal outcome. Key words: COVID-19, single nucleotide gene polymorphisms, blood coagulation system, folate cycle

MODERN TRENDS OF CHANGES IN THE MICROBIOTA OF UROGENITAL SYSTEM IN PATIENTS WITH UROLITHIASIS.

Aim: Analysis of trends in the microbial communities of the genitourinary system in patients with urolithiasis. Materials and Methods: 165 urine samples from patients with urolithiasis was examined. The quantitative isolation of microflora was carried out using the bacteriological method. Microorganisms were identified using API biochemical test systems (bioMerieux, France). The percentage of the various types of microorganisms was determined. The reliability of differences in the frequency of various types of microorganisms isolation in a monoculture and the composition of microbial associations was determined by two-field tables with Fisher's Exact criterion. The GraphPad Prism 7 software was used. Results: 198 bacterial cultures of various types were isolated. In one case, a Candida culture was isolated. E. faecalis was the most frequently isolated culture (29.1% of the isolated strains number); E. coli (18.1% of the total number of isolated cultures; K. pneumoniae (11.1%). There were no significant differences in the rate of E. faecalis compared to E. coli. K. pneumonia was isolated significantly less frequently than E. faecalis. These types of microorganisms were also leaders in the formation of bacterial mixes. In addition, these species are involved in the urease activity of bacteria (directly or indirectly), which contributes to the formation of stones in the genitourinary system. Conclusions: E. faecalis is the species most often isolated from patients with purulent-inflammatory processes in patients with urolithiasis, both in the case of mono-infection and as part of mixed bacterial cultures.

Ko šalje novac kući - fiskalne posledice teritorijalne reprezentativnosti narodne skupštine

The practice of political representatives trying to provide benefits to voters in their local communities is not new. The phenomenon is most often operationalized through financing of public works, projects, subsidies, direct transfers or social benefits, provided in order to increase the political ratings and ultimately ensure reelection. Although the practice is more pronounced in candidate-oriented electoral systems consisting of single-member districts, it can also be identified within the countries employing the proportional list system. The authors' intention is to examine a correlation between the local representation in the Serbian parliament and budgetary transfers and moreover a general level of local financing. For this purpose, data on the residence of MPs was compared with the levels of transfers, subsidies and amount of local expenditures, while the models are additionally controlled with various variables including size of municipality, development level, unemployment rate, share of elderly population, as well as other developmental and societal factors. The sample covered 145 cities and municipalities in Serbia, for a period from 2013 to 2021. The empirical results indicate that pork barrel practices are indeed present even in the environment of closed electoral lists with at-large single district, which does not create institutional incentives for the cultivation of personal vote. But even in Serbia, it seems that local politicians favor their places of residence by increasing the level of public investments. Consequently, municipalities without deputies will remain without financial benefits that parliamentary representation provides. We found that these practices are primarily accomplished through central level subsidies, but can also be identified in the amounts of local budgets and local expenditures. On the other hand, direct annual transfers from the higher levels of government are mostly fixed due to the exact legal criteria, exempting the interference of elected deputies on this particular financing mechanism.

Low Baseline but Not Delta Cortisol Relates to 28-Day Transplant-Free Survival in Acute and Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure.

The clinical, prognostic, and therapeutic impact of adrenal insufficiency in acute liver failure (ALF) and acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) remains controversial and exact diagnostic criteria are lacking. We sought to determine the diagnostic and therapeutic value of cortisol measurement and glucocorticoid (GC) treatment in ALF and ACLF. 28-day transplant-free survival (TFS) was studied in relation to absolute cortisol concentrations and to GC treatment in ALF (n= 30) and ACLF (n= 34) patients. Cortisol concentrations and short synacthen test were assessed by chemiluminescence immunoassay and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Clinicians decided independently on GC treatment. In relation, phenotypic and functional characteristics of circulating monocytes were assessed. In ALF, baseline cortisol concentrations <387 nmol/L predicted TFS (sensitivity 83%, specificity 53%). In ACLF, baseline cortisol <392 nmol/L correlated with TFS (sensitivity 80%, specificity 61%). In both, ALF and ACLF, GC treatment did not influence 28-day TFS in patients with low baseline cortisol. However, in patients with baseline cortisol exceeding 387 and 392 nmol/L, respectively, TFS was higher if they had been treated with GC. High baseline cortisol was associated with low HLA-DR expression on monocytes. Our data suggest a prognostic value of baseline cortisol measurement in ALF and ACLF. Overall, strong activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis indicated poor prognosis. Furthermore, baseline cortisol deserves prospective evaluation as a guide for GC treatment decision-making.

Initial social-policy responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the Global North – A scoping review

PurposeThe purpose of this scoping review is to analyse comparative studies on social-policy measures implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic in Global North welfare states. The authors also consider the potential influence of the regimes on the responses.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a scoping review of six databases including peer-reviewed comparative studies. In an iterative process with exact inclusion criteria, the authors screened 699 titles/abstracts/articles and found 16 comparative research articles to be included in the review and analysis. The review summarises the main themes of the comparative articles and the articles' typical features.FindingsThe results show that social-policy measures were directed specifically at working-age people to minimise income loss and to save jobs. The pandemic also increased care-related responsibilities, necessitating the expansion of current policies and the implementation of new instruments. Despite the differences in responses between universalistic and residual welfare states, the influence of welfare regimes on COVID-19 social-policy measures remains unclear. The emergency responses in the different regimes varied widely in terms of coverage.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this review provide a basis on which to conduct future studies, identify new research topics and knowledge gaps and inspire new research questions and hypotheses. Given the accumulation of scientific knowledge in the area of social-policy measures, the need for systematic reviews will grow in the future.Originality/valueThe authors identified three main themes: changes in employment protection, changes in care-related income protection and the potential influence of welfare-state regimes on COVID-19-related measures.

ОЦЕНКА ВЗАИМОСВЯЗИ МЕЖДУ ВОЗМУЩЕНИЯМИ ГЕОМАГНИТНОГО ФОНА И ОТВЕТОМ СО СТОРОНЫ СЕРДЕЧНО-СОСУДИСТОЙ СИСТЕМЫ С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ СТАНДАРТНЫХ СТАТИСТИЧЕСКИХ РЕШЕНИЙ

The purpose of this work is to present the mechanism of statistical data processing necessary to assess the sensitivity of the human cardiovascular system to geomagnetic disturbances. However, the approach proposed by us can be used not only to identify the relationship between the daily level of geomagnetic disturbance and the performance of the cardiovascular system, but also to solve other similar problems. Materials and methods, namely, standard statistical techniques, such as χ2, and Fisher’s exact test, allowed us to find the solution necessary to establish the relationship between the level of disturbance of the geomagnetic background (Kp-index) and indicators of the functional activity of the cardiovascular system (T-wave symmetry coefficient), when registering an ECG signal in the phase space of coordinates. This paper considers a case in which the data obtained from the study of the values o f the symmetry coefficient of the T wave of an anonymous patient appear, as well as a series of data reflecting fluctuations in the daily index of geomagnetic disturbance recorded daily for 24 days of the study. The result of the work carried out is a working and sufficiently original data processing algorithm that makes it possible to distinguish between people who are sensitive to geomagnetic background disturbances and those who are insensitive to this factor. In the case described as an example in this paper, a significant relationship was found between the presence of geomagnetic disturbance and deviations of the indicators of the activity of the cardiovascular system from normal values, of a functional nature, as evidenced by the significance level p&lt;0.05 obtained for the χ2 criterion, and the exact criterion Fisher, whose value was 0.04977.

An exact criterion space search method for a bi-objective nursing home location and allocation problem

A health care system will be survived if it is economically affordable and elderly people can receive its services in case of availability. Hence, a network should be designed for home nursing of elderly people considering both economic and well-fare objectives. Finding optimal solutions to both mentioned objectives in health care systems, especially for elderly people, is challenging nowadays. Hence, it is necessary to find near-optimal solutions in action. This paper presents a new criterion space search algorithm for achieving all non-dominated points in a bi-objective nursing home location–allocation problem. Concepts of Box and Balanced Box methods and modified e-constraint are used in designing the proposed algorithm. The main focus of the research is to decrease potential areas that could involve non-dominated points by defining Minimum Feasible Rectangles during the search procedure. The performance of the proposed algorithm is analyzed by using two real data sets taken from the literature in the field of nursing home location–allocation problems. The proposed algorithm can outperform previous recently developed exact methods based on obtained results, especially from a computational time viewpoint.

On the status of securities in the philosophical history of philosophy H. Grasija

Historical-philosophical debates, which owe their origin to the historical-philosophical context, begin not only with the formulation of certain points of view, but also with the examination of their value, as well as moving towards those that seem acceptable. The attention of our research is focused on issues of value and evaluation of the philosophical past through the given issues within the work „Philosophy and its history“ by Jorge Gracia, while the subject of our attention will be the legitimacy of value statements in the history of philosophy. dealing with truth value. Namely, in addition to careful attention in relation to philosophical sources on the basis of which accurate explanations from the past are obtained, the historical context of positive contribution, not only historical-philosophical, but also historical task, is unavoidable. The historian of philosophy thus makes a strong contribution to historical-value truths that rise from the haze of margins of historical thought, while codifying the points of convergence of scientific-methodological mechanisms and epistemic-axiological interventions - on the one hand - through cognitive-theoretical use of event history. and on the other, - by historical-philosophical reflection on philosophically valued given discourses, to build together the true, - scientifically valuable. If historical truth excludes values that are contrary to its achievement and duration, then the very course and approach to historical and philosophical heritage should be treated through harmonized procedures and norms in solving very complex historical-philosophical and meta-historical-philosophical requirements and tasks inherent only in philosophy, at the same time, - in the value sense, - indeterminate by historical science. In that convergent dialogue, which is often necessary, the methodological paradigm of valuing substantial truths seeks the passability of axiological-value litmus tests of agreement - as much philosophical as historical knowledge and truth. Truth as the objectivity of the validity of a value attitude in the historical-philosophical sense, therefore, can show how a certain value statement is based on the experience of value. This tells us that the quality of value judgments is reflected in the fact that we take a stand with them in relation to historical-cognitive forms of opinion. While in science there are generally accepted criteria for verifying truthfulness, there are no such exact criteria in the domain of values, while it is important to point out that an objective and correct explanation of the past requires certain value statements throughout history, and judgments about true value in the history of philosophy. the significance and role of valuation and truth values within the philosophically oriented hermeneutization of philosophical-historical expressive truths and the possibility that the continuity in the search for truth cannot and should not be interrupted, whereby the theorist Jorge Gracia makes a strong contribution to the interpretation and understanding of these relations, which is the subject of this paper. Searching for reasons for a better understanding of ideas and philosophical views from the past H. Gracia points to the knowledge of what is taken for their truthful value. This refers to the consideration of the validity and correctness of the arguments on which certain teachings are based, and this refers to the texts. Texts are, therefore, the basic means we have for accessing philosophical ideas from the past. Without texts, an approach to ideas from the past is inconceivable, while the job of a historian is to re-establish the indefinite meaning of a text. The most expedient interpretation is the one that makes the most sense from the standpoint of both philosophy and history, because the historian must rely on philosophical teachings from the past that have more meaning. Although it is pointed out that historians and historians consider some masked value statements to be descriptive, with the recognition that many of them include descriptions; what is more important is reflected more in the fact that the historical explanation of the philosophical past necessarily includes and implies value statements, then the task of history implies and encompasses evaluation.

Technology for Obtaining the Approximate Value of Moving Singular Points for a Class of Nonlinear Differential Equations in a Complex Domain

In previous studies, the authors formulated precise criteria for finding moving singular points of one class of nonlinear differential equations with a second degree polynomial right-hand side for a real domain. In this paper, the authors generalize these exact criteria to a complex one by using phase spaces. The proposed technology for obtaining an approximate value of moving singular points is necessary for developing PC programs. This technology has been tested in a manual version based on a numerical experiment.

VOTING RIGHTS LIMITATIONS IN EUROPE AND CASE LAW OF THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: CONCLUSIONS FOR UKRAINE

The primary purpose of this article is to extrapolate the main conditions for the voting rights limitations and restrictions and to find out their application across the European Union, based on the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, and compare them to pre-war Ukraine. The authors pay particular attention to the differences in the voting rights limitations related to different categories of people: in-country citizen-resident, in-country non-citizen-resident (domiciled or not ), and citizen-non-resident. Voting rights limitations may occur because of the declaration of a state of emergency, when voting rights may be postponed and scrutinized regarding proportionality. On the contrary, voting rights restrictions are related to different types of elections. At the same time, everyone who wants to vote or be elected should satisfy exact criteria (minimum voting age, mode of citizenship acquisition and quantity of citizenships, residency, legal capacity, etc.). The authors seek to generalize the common and distinctive features of those restrictions; otherwise, they might be disproportionate and discriminative, causing the pleading before the European Court of Human Rights. Here we examine legal and political narratives and relevant case law of the European Court of Human Rights regarding the voting rights limitations (and restrictions) related to age, legal capacity, citizenship, and residency, keeping in mind challenges for post-war Ukraine. The absolute character of the right to vote and be elected as declared internationally should not be considered as an electoral trompe-l'oeil but suitable for every democracy.

Přínos vysokofrekvenční tónové audiometrie – retrospektivní studie

Summary Introduction: High-frequency audiometry is not usually carried out during routine hearing examinations. It is a frequently used method at the ENT Clinic of the University Hospital Motol (especially in patients being treated for tumours of the pontocerebellar angle), although the exact indicative criteria for this have not been determined. We aimed to characterize a group of patients, using a method which improved the accuracy of the diagnostics. Material and methodology: We analysed 1,515 audiograms retrospectively. These audiograms were performed by using audiometer MADSEN Astera of GN Otometrics during 2011–2018 in 773 adults, aged 16–80 (47.79 ±13.54). They all underwent high-frequency audiometry comprising of all commonly examined frequencies up to 8 kHz, and also at higher frequencies of – 9 kHz, 10 kHz, 11.2 kHz, 12.5 kHz, 14 kHz a 16 kHz. The indication was very diverse – subjective hypacusis/hyperacusis, tinnitus, vestibulopathy, acutrauma, or an already known diagnosis of a pontocerebellar tumour. Results: We identifi ed a clinically signifi cant asymmetry or pathological elevation of the hearing threshold, which was only detectable at frequencies above 8 kHz in 52 patients (6.73%). This group consisted of patients with vestibular schwannoma (48.08%), other tumours and vascular malformations of the temporal region (11.53%), vestibulopathy (3.85%), and patients that had never developed a serious pathology (23.08%). They were mostly patients with straightforward hypacusis or tinnitus. Conclusion: In clinical practice, there are cases of patients with a hearing defect that can only be detected when HFA is performed. HFA clarifi es the diagnosis of hearing disorders and can lead to the detection of potentially life-threatening conditions such as tumours and vascular malformations of the otological area. Key words high-frequency audiometry – hearing loss – tinnitus

Forensic significance of X-ray data in the definition prescription of diaphyseal fractures: a case from expert practice

BACKGROUND: Determining the prescription of fractures is important when conducting a forensic medical examination of victims, accused persons, etc. This allows the expert to immediately determine the causal relationship of the skeletal injury found in the sub-expert with the events described in the decision on the forensic medical examination, especially in cases when the conducted examination according to medical documents may be concealed or distorted of the incidental circumstances; thus the investigating authorities need to decide on the case and establish the truth. Often, medical documents, especially in cases of a single request for medical help, do not contain enough information about the clinical picture of the fracture, with limited or missing descriptions of the local status. In such cases, one of the most important sources of information for the expert is radiography data (radiographs in electronic form or on X-ray film and computed tomograms), which the study allows the expert to conclude the mechanism of injury and the prescription of fractures. The study of literary sources on this topic did not reveal the exact criteria for determining the prescription of fractures based on the study of the X-ray examination results in the forensic aspect.&#x0D; CASE PRESENTATION: The description of a case from practice was provided. In our practice, a case with fractures that did not correspond to the events of the described incident in the resolution as found by the sub-expert, and these fractures were not regarded by the surgeon as old and unrelated to the specified circumstances of the case. The presented radiograph examination allowed the forensic medical expert to determine the time frame of the detected fractures and establish the absence of a causal relationship of this injury with the events specified in the resolution.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: The analysis of this expert case allows us to conclude the importance of examining the radiography data by the forensic medical expert to determine the description of fractures.&#x0D; SIGNIFICANCE FOR FORENSIC MEDICINE: The presented case from the practice demonstrates the need for a critical approach of the forensic expert, both to the presented medical data and the information contained in the materials of the preliminary examination or criminal case, as well as the importance of an independent study of the X-ray examination results of the subject.

Empirical Study on Characteristics of Angled Spoke-Based Wheels on Granular Media

In this study, the optimal design parameters of angled spoke-based wheels(ASWs) was evaluated to maximize the driving speed of a mobile robot with ASWs on granular media. As a search and rescue mobile robot, it is required to locomote various terrains agilely. When granular media behave as fluids, slippage occurs, and the mobile robot slows down compared with when the media behave similarly to a solid ground. There are no exact criteria to explain the behavior of granular media. Therefore, the Taguchi method and \(L_9 (3^4)\) orthogonal array were employed to empirically optimize the shape of the ASW. Base on the geometry feature of precedent design of ASWs design parameters were selected. The design variables evaluated were the motor input velocity, width–height proportion of the foot, radius of curvature, and toe angle of the foot. Grain size of granular media was adopted as the user condition. An orthogonal array and signal-to-noise(S/N) ratio were used to analyze the validity of the design variables. The optimal design variables of the ASW were a motor velocity of 5000 rpm, width–height proportion of 3:7, radius of curvature of 1.0×h, and toe angle of 15°. Verification experiments were performed to evaluate the improved driving speed of the ASW. The angular velocity of the ASW increases by 2.79% for \(\diameter\)1 mm and 10.50% for \(\diameter\)6 mm. Therefore, an optimized ASW design is expected to improve the driving speed of a mobile robot with ASWs.

Reducing Pumping Power Consumption by Pulsed Operation?

Abstract A computational study, based on exact solutions for transient laminar flow in pipes and on an empirical correlation for transition to turbulence in the presence of temporal acceleration, shows that, provided certain conditions are met, pumping an incompressible fluid at a prescribed flow rate by a series of consecutive pressure gradient pulses may require less mechanical power consumption than pumping the same flow rate under steady-state turbulent flow conditions. The reason is that, in the former case, the fluid is pumped under conditions of accelerated laminar flow, for which the onset of turbulence occurs at Reynolds numbers much larger than the steady-state critical value of ∼2,100. The conclusions of this study rest crucially on the exact criterion for transition to turbulence in accelerated laminar flow, for which, unfortunately, existing experimental results exhibit a large scatter and general consensus is still lacking. Also, this study adopts a simplified description of the problem, and further model refinements, design efforts, and supporting experimental tests will have to be performed before the hypothesis that pulsed pumping can provide energetic advantages can be demonstrated in “real-world” situations.