Part Of Instrument Research Articles

Conceptual Aspects of Quality Assurance in Higher Education

This article presents the main provisions of the Concept of Quality Assurance of Higher Education, which is considered both from the point of view of the consumer (student, employer) and from the point of view of compliance with the consumption of an educational service (product). The essence of the new paradigm of quality assurance is substantiated, based on the assertion that quality is a relative and multi-level concept. Approaches to quality assurance at different levels of management, differing in the instrumental part, are characterized. The thesis that the quality management system is understood as an organizational structure, policies, processes, procedures and resources necessary for the implementation of quality management is revealed. The authors presented Vision for the formation of a culture of quality. At the same time, the level of quality culture is determined both at the institutional and national levels. The essence of the quality assurance methodology, which is a system of principles and methods of organizing activities to support and improve quality, is revealed. The methodology of the quality assurance system is based on academic values and fundamental principles. Important elements, methods and tools of the system are presented internal quality assurance.

FlaQuM-Quickscan: an instrument to measure healthcare quality experiences across patients, kin and professionals in hospitals and primary care settings.

Background: Healthcare quality is multidimensional and should be measured from a multistakeholder perspective. Experiential knowledge from patients, kin and professionals is increasingly recognised as contributions in quality management considering the trend towards value-based, co-produced healthcare systems. To address this gap in existing research, we aimed to develop and validate a new instrument.
 Methods: Content validity was established using a multidimensional quality model validated by four focus groups with patients and kin and two with primary care professionals. To obtain face validity, a multistakeholder group (n=41), including patients, kin and professionals, pilot-tested the mirrored instrument ‘FlaQuM-Quickscan’ measuring ‘Healthcare quality for patients and kin’ (part 1) and ‘Healthcare quality for professionals’ (part 2). Each instrument part contains 15 quality items and 3 global ratings. A multicentre study with 17 Flemish (Belgian) hospitals was conducted to perform other validity tests, including construct validity by factor analyses across type of respondents, criterion validity by item-to-general-items correlations and a process evaluation by conducting semi-structured interviews.
 Results: In total, 13,615 respondents (N Patients/kin = 5,891, N Professionals = 7,724 and N Primary care = 454) completed the FlaQuM-Quickscan. The confirmatory factor analyses showed reasonable to very good fit for part 1 ‘Healthcare quality for patients and kin’ (scored by patients/kin: CFI = 0.961, TLI = 0.951 and RMSEA = 0.084, scored by professionals: CFI = 0.950, TLI = 0.938 and RMSEA = 0.080, scored by primary care: CFI = 0.948, TLI = 0.935 and RMSEA = 0.101) and for part 2 ‘Healthcare quality for professionals’ (scored by patients/kin: CFI = 0.969, TLI = 0.962 and RMSEA = 0.085, scored by professionals: CFI = 0.946, TLI = 0.932 and RMSEA = 0.091, scored by primary care: CFI = 0.922, TLI = 0.902 and RMSEA = 0.129). The configural and scalar invariance were demonstrated across type of respondents and their characteristics. Correlations supported the associations between 15 instrument items and 3 global ratings for both instrument parts. The process analyses showed that addressing individuals directly and supportive technical structures to immediately complete the instrument were most effective to motivate respondents. 
 Conclusion: The FlaQuM-Quickscan is assessed as a valid instrument to measure healthcare quality experiences from a multistakeholder perspective. Integrating different perspectives gives the opportunity to analyse and gain understanding in experiences of stakeholders and reinforces a more holistic, well-informed approach towards quality. 
 Practice implications: This new instrument offers unique and detailed data from a multistakeholder perspective to co-produce a shared quality vision in organisations, to build a future sustainable quality management system and to set priorities on managerial and board level.
 Next steps: Future research will assess the transferability to other healthcare systems, examine variation between stakeholder groups and organisations and support to set quality priorities on managerial and board levels.

МЕТОДЫ ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЯ КОЛИЧЕСТВА И СОСТАВА РЕМОНТНЫХ БРИГАД ПРИ ВОССТАНОВЛЕНИИ ТЕХНИКИ

Energy resources (ES) that are part of the machine and tractor fleet, agricultural enterprise (Agricultural Enterprise), subject to intensive use, constantly need to maintain their working condition. The main problems of maintenance and repair of electrical systems and methods for solving them have been identified. A scheme for planning repairs at agricultural storage facilities has been determined. In conditions of limited time, medium and major repairs are proposed to be carried out by reassembly or by the aggregate-sectional method. It has been established that the main technical characteristics of the quality of repair bodies are the following indicators: the complexity of performing a certain type of repair on a given type of electrical system; repair cycle; repair intensity; working time fund. They are determined analytically and make it possible to evaluate the quality characteristics of repair bodies, determine the number and composition of repair teams at the enterprise, the list of repair work, etc. The norms for time expenditure (labor intensity) for performing each individual repair operation, which are also the norms for the production of repairmen, are determined in the process of repairing equipment by timing. When statistically processing the results of timing the time of repair work, the estimated norms of labor costs for individual types of work and the total costs of performing current, medium and major repairs for each type of electrical system are determined. Then the following is determined: lists of necessary equipment, instrumentation, equipment, tools and spare parts; technology of repair work; the required number of repair teams, workshops, workshops, sites, work areas and repair specialists; duration of the repair cycle; production standards for repair specialists; intensity of repairs; list of specialties, qualification level and productivity of each repairman. The implementation of theoretically based methods for determining the number and composition of repair teams when restoring power supply systems will expand the capabilities of the enterprise's repair bodies to restore equipment with faults of various types.

Development of a Practical Tool for Linear Momentum Collisions Using a Microcontroller

Purpose of the study: This research aims to develop a linear momentum collision practical tool with a microcontroller so that the results obtained are more accurate, the time used is more efficient and the experiments carried out are more varied.
 Methodology:This research is R & D research with development procedures, namely the potential and problem stages, data collection, product design, design validation, product design revision, product testing, final product. The subjects in this research were 2 media expert lecturers, 2 material expert lecturers, 20 pre-research students, 4 limited test students and 38 broad test students. Data collection techniques use observation, documentation and questionnaire techniques. The data analysis technique used is descriptive qualitative and quantitative .
 Main Findings: The results of research on the development of linear momentum collision practical equipment with a microcontroller obtained a value from material expert tests of 3.8 with an ideal percentage of 94%, from media expert tests of 3.91 with an ideal percentage of 97.5%, from limited field tests of 3.93 with an ideal percentage of 78.75% and from tests The wide field is 3.85 with an ideal percentage of 77%.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The novelty of this research is the development of a linear momentum collision practical tool whose instrument part is for measuring the speed of objects determined using an ATmega 16 microcontroller and an ultrasonic sensor as a distance sensor. This learning media can be useful in improving the physics learning process to be more meaningful

Measuring in-hospital quality multidimensionally by integrating patients’, kin’s and healthcare professionals’ perspectives: development and validation of the FlaQuM-Quickscan

BackgroundMeasuring quality is essential to drive improvement initiatives in hospitals. An instrument that measures healthcare quality multidimensionally and integrates patients’, kin’s and professionals’ perspectives is lacking. We aimed to develop and validate an instrument to measure healthcare quality multidimensionally from a multistakeholder perspective.MethodsA multi-method approach started by establishing content and face validity, followed by a multi-centre study in 17 Flemish (Belgian) hospitals to assess construct validity through confirmatory factor analysis, criterion validity through determining Pearson’s correlations and reliability through Cronbach’s alpha measurement. The instrument FlaQuM-Quickscan measures ‘Healthcare quality for patients and kin’ (part 1) and ‘Healthcare quality for professionals’ (part 2). This bipartite instrument mirrors 15 quality items and 3 general items (the overall quality score, recommendation score and intention-to-stay score). A process evaluation was organised to identify effective strategies in instrument distribution by conducting semi-structured interviews with quality managers.ResultsBy involving experts in the development of quality items and through pilot testing by a multi-stakeholder group, the content and face validity of instrument items was ensured. In total, 13,615 respondents (5,891 Patients/kin and 7,724 Professionals) completed the FlaQuM-Quickscan. Confirmatory factor analyses showed good to very good fit and correlations supported the associations between the quality items and general items for both instrument parts. Cronbach’s alphas supported the internal consistency. The process evaluation revealed that supportive technical structures and approaching respondents individually were effective strategies to distribute the instrument.ConclusionsThe FlaQuM-Quickscan is a valid instrument to measure healthcare quality experiences multidimensionally from an integrated multistakeholder perspective. This new instrument offers unique and detailed data to design sustainable quality management systems in hospitals. Based on these data, hospital management and policymakers can set quality priorities for patients’, kin’s and professionals’ care. Future research should investigate the transferability to other healthcare systems and examine between-stakeholders and between-hospitals variation.

Breaking the hydrophilic limitation of polyphenylene sulfide through the introduction of bulky polar monomers

Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is widely used in electrical accessories, instrument parts, dust filter materials, and separation membranes, but its hydrophobicity restricts its applications, especially in biomaterials and medical devices. To endow PPS with hydrophilicity from molecular structure, here a strategy is proposed of linking bulky polar monomers to the main chain of the PPS by copolymerization. Although the polarity and bulkiness of the monomers can collaboratively promote the hydrophilicity of PPS, they have opposite effects on improving the thermal properties of PPS. Meanwhile, these monomers did not alter the semi-crystalline nature of PPS. The synthesized PPS copolymers have water contact angles ranging from 68 to 86° (Neat-PPS, ∼100°). The greater the polarity and bulkiness of the monomers, the lower the water contact angle of the copolymers. Moreover, the best hydrophilic copolymer combines structural stability and cytocompatibility. Importantly, it is more conducive to cell adhesion than Neat-PPS. The improved hydrophilicity of PPS copolymers can be harvested for bone scaffold materials and broaden the application of PPS in bone biomaterials.

TRUMPET IN THE ORCHESTRAL SCORE OF "ODE ON ST. CECILIA`S DAY" (1692) BY HENRY PURCELL

The subject of this research is the trumpet parts in Henry Purcell’s "Ode on St. Cecilia`s Day" (1692). The author analyses the role of the trumpet in the context of the general content of the work and its poetic symbolism. In this regard, the issue of using special compositional techniques, in particular sound visualisation and musical rhetoric, is analysed. In addition, questions of trumpet tonality semantics are considered. A large amount of background information on the history of the music holiday origin is provided in the article; opinions of scientists who put forward hypotheses about the fruitfulness of the English cultural soil for the rooting and development of such celebrations are given. The author mentions the names of outstanding trumpeters for whom trumpet parts were created, and whose art served as the foundation for the development of the trumpet style in England in the 17th-18th centuries. Along with the performers who made Purcell's art famous, information on fellow composers, Blow and Draghi, is provided; they also created musical offerings to St. Cecilia and undoubtedly influenced the style of young Purcell. The author believes that a new approach to this instrument’s capabilities and the presence of qualified performers broadened the area for the composer's fantasies and experiments. It was reflected not only in the creation of countless motifs based on fanfare and trumpet trill, expansion of the sound range and the use of “imperfect” harmonics of the natural scale but also made it possible to assign to the trumpet repertoire a certain intonation vocabulary, easily perceived, recognizable and freely used in vocal and various instrumental parts. The author comes to the conclusion that Purcell perceived the trumpet as an instrument with great virtuoso and cantilena potential; he used it in climactic moments, maintaining absolute balance with the winds and strings. With Purcell's work, the future of trumpet music became more distinct. Keywords: natural trumpet, Ode to St. Cecilia, English Baroque.

How to measure field soil water balance parameters?

The article provides a methodological, computational, and instrumental assignment that aids in identifying the various elements that makeup soil water balance. Reputable publications have published a large number of studies in the last ten years that discuss the computation of the soil water balance under various cropping patterns using various establishment procedures and Resource Conservation Technologies (RCTs). However, the computational and instrumental aspects of this work have received little attention. Because they lack the necessary fundamental (instrumental/methodological) competence, prospective scientists and students are unwilling to take on soil water balance calculation problems at the master's or doctoral levels, which generates misunderstandings. A thorough analysis of all the elements of soil water balance-irrigation, precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, drainage, seepage, and changes in the soil moisture profile-was included in this collection. To determine the soil water balance, all the factors are important. Although the instrumental part is well known, the computational and methodological parts are equally important. Scientists are currently attempting to find ways to save water and increase water productivity, as well as to better understand current patterns of water usage and the repercussions of activities. If one is fully versed in the instrumental, methodological, and computational aspects required to ascertain the components of soil water balance, one may also discuss the effects of a particular RCT on raising water and land productivity in a region with differing agroclimatic conditions.

Dilation Characteristics of 3D PBF-LB/M AlSi10Mg Alloy

Application deployment of 3D-printed products represents a progressive area of industrial use of specific metal alloys. In parallel with starting points based on mechanical characteristics in the static and cyclic areas, dilation behavior is an important parameter. A typical application is, for example, components in the aerospace sector, where the components are exposed for a short period to a significant temperature difference in both positive and negative values. Current industrial trends lead to the deployment of additive technologies for producing aircraft system components and instrument parts. Testing of AlSi10Mg alloy samples prepared by direct metal laser sintering, in the past DMLS, now according to the standard laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) method, is carried out by measuring dilation during a controlled temperature course. The AlSi10Mg alloy is used for mechanically less stressed components, from which a high accuracy of functional dimensions is usually required, which can be affected by dilation characteristics in a wide temperature range. Additively produced components have different dilation characteristics within an identical alloy, often dependent on the production method and orientation during 3D printing. The article presents the testing results and subsequent application characteristics of an additively produced aluminum alloy, considering dilation characteristics.

Obturator inlet and iliac oblique technique for safe, convenient, and reliable iliac screw placement

BackgroundThere are many described techniques for the placement of posterior iliac screws for extension of lumbar posterior spinal instrumentation to the pelvis. However, each one has its limitations. We describe our technique for fluoroscopic guidance of iliac screw placement utilizing the obturator inlet (OI) and iliac oblique (IO) views as well as a detailed review of how to obtain and interpret these views for safe iliac screw placement. MethodsRetrospective chart review of patients undergoing iliac screw placement utilizing the obturator inlet (OI) and iliac oblique (IO) views as part of spine instrumentation between January 2019 and March 2022. Screw length and bony breaches are reported utilizing this technique Results12 patients underwent posterior lumbopelvic fixation with a total of 23 screws placed via either open or percutaneous technique. The mean screw length was 96.5 mm (Range 80 - 110, standard dev 7.75). There were no recorded breaches or recannulation attempts. ConclusionsWe show how this technique is a much more convenient alternative to placement of iliac screws under the obturator outlet oblique (“teardrop” view) which necessitates that the C-arm be in line with instruments being placed. These described views can be used to place screws with either open or percutaneous techniques and with either the posterior superior iliac spine (PSIS) or S2 alar iliac (S2AI) starting points.

Environmental Justice at the Environmental Regulation in Indonesia and Uzbekistan

Justice theory, which emphasizes the fair and equitable allocation of risks and benefits, has significantly influenced the idea of environmental justice. Indonesia and Uzbekistan have made it mandatory for laws and regulations to implement the concept of environmental justice. Still, in practice, the rules created give birth to social-environmental conflict dimensions that are increasingly prevalent and far removed from environmental justice. This research aims to understand and analyze environmental justice regulation in Indonesia and Uzbekistan. This research uses a normative juridical approach with a literature review involving primary and secondary legal sources. The results show that the provisions of the Job Creation Bill in the forestry and environmental sectors negate access to justice via litigation at the State Administrative Court (PTUN) so that there is no public space to continue an AMDAL decision or environmental approval as part of an environmental licensing instrument in the realm of administrative law. Regulatory problems that co-occur and are followed by implementation problems at a later date relating to the legitimacy and protection of people's constitutional rights will harm the community's sense of justice. At the same time, the issue of environmental injustice in Uzbekistan arises from the ecological crisis beginning with green space, waste management, and the water crisis that has afflicted the nation, as indicated by the preceding explanation. The government must establish national policies, institutional instruments, and central and regional environmental management authorities to facilitate development with an eye toward environmental justice.

An analysis of microstructural morphology, surface topography, surface integrity, recast layer, and machining performance of graphene nanosheets on Inconel 718 superalloy: Investigating the impact on EDM characteristics, surface characterizations, and optimization

Inconel 718 finds extensive applications in the aviation and aerospace industries, particularly in the manufacturing of jet engines and high-speed airframe components like fasteners, bolts, buckets, instrumentation parts, wheels, and spacers. It is also utilised in the production of cryogenic tankage and gas turbine blades. The present study focuses on investigating the machining performance of graphene nanosheets on Inconel 718. Various aspects of Inconel 718's machinability through electrical discharge machining (EDM) have been examined, including material removal rate (MRR), surface roughness, surface morphology, tool rear Rate (TWR), residual stresses on the machined surface, Vickers hardness, and recast layer thickness. The investigation reveals a significant impact of process parameters on these machining characteristics. The effects of graphene nanosheets have been observed using several analytical instruments such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), particle size analyzer, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, optimization of the response data with respect to input parameters has been performed in this study. TEM analysis is used to determine the size of individual debris particles in deionised water and mixed graphene nanosheet dielectric mediums. To verify that the debris particles are the same as the parent material, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) is used. To determine the compounds and crystal structures present in the base metal and machined surfaces, XRD analysis is used. A high-resolution X-ray diffractometer (HRXRD) is used to measure the residual stresses on the machined surface. EDX composition testing is used to analyze surface modification. Due to the rapid heating and quenching that takes place in the dielectric medium, the machined surface becomes harder. Deposited materials, microholes, and surface textures can all be observed through FESEM microstructure observation. Comparing conventional EDM to nanosheets mixed dielectric, the thickness of the recast layer is reduced. To recapitulate, the study explores how various machining parameters and dielectric mediums affect EDM processes. It examines debris particle size, compound formation, residual stresses, surface modification, hardness, microstructure, and recast layer thickness. The addition of graphene nanosheets to the dielectric medium produces promising results, reducing the thickness of the recast layer and improving surface quality. The results offer suggestions for improving Inconel 718 material surface properties and EDM machining effectiveness.

Folk Song "Sorrow After Sorrow" In The Works Of Borys Liatoshynsky: Intonation And Semantic Analysis

Relevance of research. Borys Lyatoshynsky (1895–1968) is one of the most outstanding composers of the last century. Many studies have been devoted to the study of his work in various aspects, although this topic remains incomplete and relevant. A manifestation of the composer's national thinking is, among other things, his use of folk melodies as the basis of thematism. A comparison of the composer's methods of working with folk song material in different genres has not yet been the subject of a special scientific study.
 The purpose of the study: to investigate the process of rethinking the folk song "Sorrow after Sorrow" in Lyatoshynsky's works, to consider and compare the principles of the composer's work on the folk melody in the genres of arrangement and symphony.
 Methods. The comparative, historical methods, as well as methods of genre-style, semantic and intonation analysis were used.
 The results and conclusions. The article analyses B. Liatoshynsky's approaches to working with folk song material using examples of works in which the composer refers to the folk song "Sorrow after Sorrow". The principles of processing this folklore sample in the genre of folk song arrangement for voice and piano are highlighted in the context of the evolution of the genre and in relation to the traditions established in Ukrainian music. The commonality of the basic methods of folk song arrangement in the works of M. Leontovych and B. Liatoshynsky is substantiated—the inviolability of the chant as a carrier of the intonation-semantic idea of the work, the usage of the latest compositional techniques of harmonic and textural variation, the development of the most expressive motifs in the accompanying voices or instrumental part, the construction of a through(endto-end) musical dramaturgy that pushes the limits of the original strophicity, the introduction of conceptuality and symphonic thinking into the genre. The place and role of the folk song melody "Sorrow after Sorrow" in the Third Symphony of B. Liatoshynsky is considered, the process of its involvement into the complex symphonic development is characterized: the inclusion of the theme into the leitmotif system of the symphonic cycle, the usage of intonational variation techniques, methods of timbral dramaturgy, polyphonic and motivic development in relation to the theme, due to which the theme appears in various figurative and emotional gradations, undergoes significant changes up to its transformation (the principle of monothemism).
 Conclusions are made regarding the continuity of the stages of working with the folklore primary source in the researched works of Liatoshynsky: in the genre of arrangement, a peculiar adaptation of the folk song sample to the field of academic music takes place, in the process of its compositional development, the intonational-semantic core—the motif of regret—is distinguished. At the next stage, this motif becomes the basis for a complex figurative and thematic development and author’s reinterpretation in works of other genres, an impetus for the implementation of significant symphonic concepts.

Comparative Fiscal Federalism and the Post‐Covid EU: Between Debt Rules and Borrowing Power

This thematic issue examines two main research questions: What are the features, the determinants, and the implications of fiscal integration in a system of multilevel governance like the EU? And, what can the post-pandemic EU learn from established federations when it comes to fiscal integration? We attempt to conceptualize the patterns of EU fiscal integration. In so doing, we identify eight instruments of fiscal integration in a federal or multilevel polity, equally divided between fiscal capacity and fiscal regulation, depending on the side of the budget and the mode of integration (autonomous or dependent). For instance, as part of the fiscal capacity instrument of integration, we propose to distinguish between revenue and expenditure capacity. Revenue capacity is then further divided into tax capacity, based on EU/federal taxes, and budgetary capacity, based on non-independent sources, for instance, contributions from the member states. Expenditure capacity is divided into autonomous spending capacity, meaning direct spending by the EU, and a dependent transfer capacity, where the EU merely distributes resources (both grants and loans) to the member states.

Writing on steroids? Accuracy of automatic corrective feedback in L2 competence development

The article examines the use of written corrective feedback by online grammar checkers as a tool for L2 competence development. While feedback on students’ writing is considered an instrumental part in their learning process, providing comprehensive feedback may not always be possible. Grammar checkers can therefore become an interesting tool to scaffold the students’ learning process as they promote self-directed learning. For the purposes of this study, a set of authentic EFL compositions in English (n=91; C1 CEFR) was subjected to a popular Automated Writing Evaluation (AWE) system, Grammarly, in order to analyse the feedback provided, namely the types and frequency of errors and the level of accuracy in error detection. The findings determine that, while grammar checkers may be useful as a complementary tool, they are developed with native speakers in mind, so the feedback does not always meet the EFL learners’ needs.

Sparse convolutional autoencoder‐based fault location for drive circuits in nuclear reactors

AbstractDrive circuit is a critical part of instrumentation and control systems in nuclear reactors, and its performance directly influences the operation of nuclear reactors. However, comparing with the open circuit IGBT faults, soft faults caused by the degradation of electronic components present much slighter fluctuations to the performance of drive circuits. If the two fault modes co‐exist, traditional fault diagnosis models are prone to misclassify soft faults as the normal condition. To improve the accuracy of fault diagnosis of drive circuits, it necessitates to accurately locate the faults of drive circuits, while effectively extracting the distinguishable fault features is one of the critical factors for fault location. In this article, a fault location method combining the empirical modal decomposition (EMD) algorithm and sparse convolutional autoencoder (SCAE) is proposed. The EMD algorithm is applied to decompose the three‐phase current signals of drive circuits. An SCAE‐based feature extractor is constructed to capture high‐dimensional and sparse fault feature data with the aid of the powerful feature autonomic extraction capability of deep learning. A deep classifier is designed to locate faults in the driver circuit. A fault simulation model of the drive circuit is developed and the monitor data is collected. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated via a real case of drive circuit in nuclear reactors.

Eddy Current Flow Meter Measurements in Liquid Sodium at High Temperatures

Abstract We present measurement results for the flow rate of liquid sodium at temperatures up to 700 °C that were obtained with a high-temperature prototype of an immersed eddy current flow meter. The experimental campaign was conducted at the SOLTEC-2 sodium loop at KIT. The main objective of the experiments is the high-temperature qualification of the Eddy Current Flow Meter as part of the safety instrumentation of generation IV liquid metal-cooled fast reactors. There it is intended to be used for monitoring the flow rate of the coolant and to detect possible blockages of subassemblies. Due to the large liquid metal volume, the sensor has to be located close to the subassemblies, therefore measurements from outside of the vessel are not possible and an immersed sensor is required. We demonstrate the successful application of the immersed eddy current flow meter (ECFM) at such high temperatures and identify the relevant effects with impact on the sensor performance.

Taliban’s PSYOP – strategic enabler for the 2021 offensive

ABSTRACT The paper focuses primarily on the Taliban’s psychological operations (PSYOP) during their offensive in 2021. The unexpected rapidity of the Taliban’s advance led to a question about the role of the Taliban’s PSYOP during the offensive, which is the primary research problem. The paper is not only an intrinsic case study, but also an instrumental part of a broader research of PSYOP of non-state armed actors. The analysis showed that PSYOP played a key role primarily before and after the offensive, while during the Taliban’s advance, their role was secondary to the use of conventional warfare.

Inpainting surgical occlusion from laparoscopic video sequences for robot-assisted interventions.

Medical technology for minimally invasive surgery has undergone a paradigm shift with the introduction of robot-assisted surgery. However, it is very difficult to track the position of the surgical tools in a surgical scene, so it is crucial to accurately detect and identify surgical tools. This task can be aided by deep learning-based semantic segmentation of surgical video frames. Furthermore, due to the limited working and viewing areas of these surgical instruments, there is a higher chance of complications from tissue injuries (e.g., tissue scars and tears). With the aid of digital inpainting algorithms, we present an application that uses image segmentation to remove surgical instruments from laparoscopic/endoscopic video. We employ a modified U-Net architecture (U-NetPlus) to segment the surgical instruments. It consists of a redesigned decoder and a pre-trained VGG11 or VGG16 encoder. The decoder was modified by substituting an up-sampling operation based on nearest-neighbor interpolation for the transposed convolution operation. Furthermore, these interpolation weights do not need to be learned to perform upsampling, which eliminates the artifacts generated by the transposed convolution. In addition, we use a very fast and adaptable data augmentation technique to further enhance performance. The instrument segmentation mask is filled in (i.e., inpainted) by the tool removal algorithms using the previously acquired tool segmentation masks and either previous instrument-containing frames or instrument-free reference frames. We have shown the effectiveness of the proposed surgical tool segmentation/removal algorithms on a robotic instrument dataset from the MICCAI 2015 and 2017 EndoVis Challenge. We report a 90.20% DICE for binary segmentation, a 76.26% DICE for instrument part segmentation, and a 46.07% DICE for instrument type (i.e., all instruments) segmentation on the MICCAI 2017 challenge dataset using our U-NetPlus architecture, outperforming the results of earlier techniques used and tested on these data. In addition, we demonstrated the successful execution of the tool removal algorithm from surgical tool-free videos that contained moving surgical tools that were generated artificially. Our application successfully separates and eliminates the surgical tool to reveal a view of the background tissue that was otherwise hidden by the tool, producing results that are visually similar to the actual data.

Gamelan Selonding as Part of an Essential Instrument in the Sustainment of the Sacred Art Activities of the Batur Indigenous People in Kintamani, Bali

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the gamelan selonding, which has become an important part of the structure of the sacred arts of the people in the Batur customary environment, Bali. In general, gamelan selonding is not an essential instrument in Balinese sacred art activities. In contrast to the sacred art activities of the Batur indigenous people, gamelan selonding seems to be something essential.
 
 Method: Both of the problems have been resolved by using qualitative methods. All primary data was successfully collected through observation, FGD, and interviews with informants in Kintamani, Bali. Some of the data classified as secondary was successfully collected through literature studies on Balinese culture. All data were analysed qualitatively using practise theory, symbol theory, and reception theory. Practical theory with the help of symbol theory and reception theory is used in analysing the contribution of gamelan selonding to the sacred art activities of the Batur customary villager, while symbol theory and reception theory with the help of practical theory are used in analysing the form of gamelan selonding.
 
 Results: Gamelan selonding is an essential part of the continuation of the sacred arts of the Batur indigenous people due to the existence of religious benefits, social benefits, artistic benefits, and cultural capital. As an essential instrument, the gamelan selonding is often used by the indigenous people of Batur for artistic activities in the sacred area of Kintamani, Bali. The gamelan selonding is a type of traditional Balinese musical instrument with a seven-tone pelog barrel. The shape of this gamelan physically consists of two pelvises and a wide blade made of iron, which is placed on a pelawah wooden.
 
 Conclusion: The gamelan selonding holds significant importance among the sacred arts of the indigenous Batur community, since it encompasses various dimensions including religious, social, aesthetic, and cultural aspects. This gamelan ensemble under consideration comprises two resonating chambers and a broad metallic blade positioned above a hardwood resonator.