Modern Systems Research Articles

ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF DAMAGE TO REINFORCED CONCRETE BEAMS ON STRENGTH AND DEFORMABILITY

Buildings often require inspection or reconstruction of reinforced concrete elements due to new regulations, technical equipment and changes in operating conditions. During reconstruction, there is a need for through openings to lay utilities and install modern engineering systems. Studies show that such openings generally reduce the strength of reinforced concrete elements. The impact of openings depends on their location, size and shape: openings in the support areas and compression zones have the most negative impact on strength, while openings in the middle of the span or neutral axis are less harmful. Round openings have a smaller effect on stresses than square openings. However, there is still insufficient research on the impact of such openings on structures in service, which requires additional research to formulate clear recommendations and ensure the reliability of buildings in the long term.

Radiation Performance Comparison and Analysis of Ku-band Microstrip Antennas with Diamond, Octagonal, and Circular Array Configurations

Phased array antennas are essential in modern communication systems, particularly within the Ku-band, which is widely used for satellite communications and radar applications due to its high data rate capabilities. This paper explores the radiation characteristics of Ku-band microstrip antennas arranged in diamond, octagonal, and circular arrays, focusing on uniform excitation to ensure consistency across evaluations. Using CST Microwave Studio 2024 for simulations, the study found that the rectangular array provides the highest gain and narrowest beamwidth, making it suitable for applications where directional accuracy is critical. However, this configuration also resulted in higher sidelobe levels, which can be problematic in environments where minimal interference is required. The diamond array, while exhibiting lower gain, achieved superior sidelobe suppression, making it ideal for scenarios where reducing interference is prioritized over maximizing directivity. The octagonal and circular arrays provided balanced performance across all metrics, offering versatile options for various operational needs. These results provide valuable guidance for optimizing phased array designs to meet specific requirements in Ku-band applications.

Identification of Exploited Unreliable Account Passwords in the Information Infrastructure Using Machine Learning Methods

Accounts are an integral part of most modern information systems and provide their owners with the ability to authenticate within the system. This paper presents an analysis of existing methods for detecting simple account passwords in automated systems. Their advantages and disadvantages are listed. A method was developed to detect simple exploitable passwords that administrators can use to supplement other existing methods to increase the overall security of automated systems against threats from accounts potentially compromised by attackers. The method was based on the analysis of commands executed in automated or manual modes with the indication of credentials in plain text. Minimum password strength requirements are provided based on the security level. A special case was considered in which all passwords analyzed in this way were found explicitly in the system logs. We developed a unified definition of the classification of passwords into simple and strong, and also developed machine learning technology for their classification. The method offers a flexible adaptation to a specific system, taking into account the level of significance of the information being processed and the password policy adopted, expressed in the possibility of retraining the machine learning model. The experimental method using machine learning algorithms, namely the ensemble of decision trees, for classifying passwords into strong and potentially compromised by attackers based on flexible password strength criteria, showed high results. The performance of the method is also compared against other machine learning algorithms, specifically XGBoost, Random Forest, and Naive Bayes. The presented approach also solves the problem of detecting events related to the use and storage of credentials in plain text. We used the dataset of approximately 770,000 passwords, allowing the machine learning model to accurately classify 98% of the passwords by their significance levels.

Enhancing the energy and environmental efficiency of the city's infrastructure based on optimizing its fuel and energy balance

The article considers the direction of increasing the energy and environmental efficiency of the city's energy infrastructure through the modernization of existing thermal power plants (TPP) and combined heat and power (CHP) plants using combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plants. Fuel and energy balances of electric power plants have been constructed, and the energy and environmental effects of the use of CCGT have been assessed. The modeling of energy and environmental indicators for the thermal circuits of the CCGT was conducted using the Thermoflex, GT PRO software (Thermoflow) and the ISC Manager program developed at the National Research University "Moscow Power Engineering Institute (MPEI)". The analysis of CCGT efficiency in urban energy applications is based on modeling and optimizing the city’s fuel and energy balance (FEB). For this purpose, the OptiTEB program developed at the Department of PTS at the National Research University "MРEI" is used. Constructing fuel and energy systems in cities and regions is a pressing task that enables the planning of a strategy for the development of the urban fuel and energy complex (FEC), with an assessment of the magnitude of harmful emissions, including greenhouse gases. The article presents the results of work on establishing scientific foundations for modern heat supply systems, exemplified by a mathematical model of the Moscow thermal power plant and its optimization, taking into account the projected development of electric transport infrastructure over the coming decades, improving the thermal protection characteristics of newly constructed buildings, and the potential increase in the use of renewable energy sources (RES). The growth in the share of electric transport should be linked to an increase in the share of renewable energy sources (RES). Simply increasing the number of electric vehicles without a significant rise in renewable energy usage in the city's energy balance will not result in a reduction of carbon dioxide and harmful substance emissions. Expanding electricity generation through CCGT, alongside the growth of renewable energy use in the city, can lead to a significant decrease in carbon dioxide emissions.

Impact of integrating traditional care with the modern healthcare system in reducing tuberculosis diagnosis delays in Ethiopia: a clustered randomized controlled study.

Diagnosis and treatment initiation delays for tuberculosis (TB) are significant challenges in resource-limited settings. These delays can result in poor treatment outcomes, disease transmission, and increased costs. This study aimed to assess the effect of integrating traditional care with modern healthcare systems on reducing TB diagnosis delay. A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among TB patients, with 510 participants, 255 individuals were assigned to the intervention group and 255 to the control group. Training in the intervention group was provided for both traditional and modern healthcare providers in three rounds to enhance their knowledge, attitudes, and skills in TB screening and referral. A non-parametric independent sample test was used to compare the baseline and end-line data. The effect size was determined using Cohen's d. To account for individual and cluster-level variations, a mixed-effect parametric survival model was employed. Furthermore, conditional (fixed only) and marginal (random effects) graphs were used to compare between the intervention and control groups. A total of 510 participants were included in the baseline study, with a similar number of participants included in the endline study. In the intervention group, the delay in diagnosis was 4.185 per 1000 person-days post-intervention, compared to 4.608 per 1000 person-days pre-intervention. In the control group, the delay for diagnosis was 4.759 per 1000 person-days pre-intervention and 5.031 per 1000 person-days post-intervention. The median time to diagnosis was 135days. The non-parametric comparison showed that the intervention significantly reduced patient delays in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.006), with a Cohen's d effect size of 0.246. The intervention also significantly reduced diagnosis delay in the intervention group compared to the control group (p = 0.036), with a Cohen's d effect size of 0.187. The diagnosis of TB was accelerated by 1.076 times due to the integration of traditional care with the modern healthcare system in the intervention group compared to the control group (δ: 1.076; 95% CI 1.021, 1.134). The involvement of traditional care providers in TB control programs significantly reduced diagnosis delays in Ethiopia. These findings suggest the need for integrating traditional care with modern healthcare systems for the effective prevention of TB in high-burden countries. Clinical trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05236452.

Time Series Analysis in Electrical Load Forecasting

Time series analysis in electricity load projection is a key part of the energy sector because it makes it possible to control and distribute energy more efficiently. It is important to have accurate load forecasts in order to balance supply and demand, make power systems run more efficiently, and lower operating costs. This essay covers a wide range of ways that time series analysis can be used to guess how much electricity will be used. The study looks at a number of different models, such as the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), exponential smoothing, and machine learning methods like Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks. These models are judged by how well they can show the patterns and time relationships that are common in electricity load data. A lot of attention is paid to the problems that come up because of non-stationarity, timing, and outside factors like weather that cause load changes. The study talks about how feature selection, data pre-processing, and model evaluation can help make forecasts more accurate. The study shows the trade-offs between model interpretability and forecasting power by comparing how well standard statistical methods and new machine learning techniques work. The study also talks about how mixed models, which take the best parts of more than one method and combine them, might help make forecasts more accurate. The results make it clear how important time series analysis is for building accurate load predicting models, which are needed to keep modern power systems reliable and efficient.

Review of load frequency control in modern power systems: a state-of-the-art review and future trends

Review of load frequency control in modern power systems: a state-of-the-art review and future trends

Telemedicine technologies in combat settings: efficiency and prospects (literature review)

Relevance. Large-scale military conflicts involving a technically well-equipped peer enemy are associated with a higher risk of delayed evacuation of the wounded which therefore requires extended medical care at advanced medical evacuation stages, especially amid absence or shortage of skillful medical professionals. Telehealth can offer solutions to overcome the difficulties in medical care provision amid combat settings. The objective is to study the prospects and efficiency of telemedicine technologies in enhancing availability of medical care during modern military operations.Methods. The PubMed database and the Scientific Electronic Library (eLIBRARY.ru) were used to collect research papers published from 2014 to 2024 studying the development and implementation of telemedicine technologies to backup combat operations.Results and discussion. Consultations by phone together with transfer of photos and text messaging remain the most common technology to provide telehealth assistance in combat settings. Teleconference connection allowing for two-way audio and video communication involving real-time data transfer is a most promising telecommunication format. Telehealth capacities can be expanded by augmented and mixed reality technologies, AI, drones, or robotic surgery. In combat environments, however, using telemedicine is limited by cybersecurity concerns and the signal bandwidth of modern communications systems. An efficient military telemedicine requires an integral centralized system involving multidisciplinary teams of experienced medical consultants providing round-the-clock emergency and routine telemedicine care to military units, including those engaged in combat operations.Conclusion. In combat settings telemedicine technologies have great untapped potential and can contribute largely in terms of evidence-based decision-making in process of medical triage and evacuation, thus optimizing the distribution of medical capacities and resources and improving the results of injury treatment. Although unfit to replace advanced combat medicine training, telemedicine can reinforce existing capacities by providing specialized medical advice to combat medics.

Analysis of the effectiveness of two-stage and one-stage surgical treatment for idiopathic scoliosis in children using various methods for deformity mobilization

Introduction. The correction potential of modern systems is limited by the natural mobility of scoliotic deformities, which sometimes require multiple discectomy and osteotomy. Choosing the optimal method of treatment for scoliosis in the thoracic and lumbar regions is difficult due to the variety of approaches and options available for osteotomies. There is no single algorithm for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis, making it necessary to develop a differentiated approach and treatment strategies. Purpose of the study. To optimize the choice of surgical treatment tactics for children with idiopathic scoliosis based on a compa­rative analysis of the use of one-stage and two-stage surgical treatment. Materials and methods. The study subjects were ninety four patients with idiopathic scoliosis (Lenke type 1–4), operated on between 2017 and 2023. They were divided into three groups: group I (control) — 30 patients underwent one-stage dorsal correction with G1 osteotomy, group II — 31 patients who received two-stage treatment, and group III — 33 patients who underwent a one-stage correction with apical G2 osteotomy. Depending on the initial thoracic kyphotic angle, subgroups were defined as A (hypokyphosis), B (normokyphosis) and C (hyperkyphosis). The minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Results. The frontal balance in all examined patients was in a state of relative compensation, both before surgical treatment and in the postoperative period. When comparing the results in patients from the second and third groups, we found no significant differences (p > 0.05). The second group showed a higher degree of correction of the main arch of spinal deformity (p < 0.05) in the frontal plane compared to the control and third group patients. When analyzing the results of thoracic kyphosis formation, we obtained reliable results in formation more significant indices in patients after surgery in Group II (subgroups A and B), for whom a two-stage applied surgical method was supplemented with anterior release and halo pelvic traction. In Group III (subgroup C), we obtained significant results in thoracic kyphosis indices when using single-stage surgery performed from the dorsal approach supplemented with G2 osteotomy. Conclusion. The condition of the sagittal profile, including the severity of thoracic kyphosis, is an important criterion for choosing the tactics of surgical treatment of scoliotic deformities of the thoracic and lumbar spine. Two-stage treatment, including ventral release and halo-pelvic traction, is recommended for rigid deformities of the thoracic or thoracolumbar spine, under conditions of initial normal kyphosis or hypokyphosis. Severe deformities with initial hyperkyphosis should be corrected preferably in a single stage using posterior surgery, supplemented by G2-osteotomy. The use of G2-osteotomies in patients with initial normal- or hypokyphoses is impractical due to the risk of neurological complications, development of pseudoarthroses, and increase in volume of perioperative bleeding.

The Role of Healthcare Workers in Modern Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Challenges, Contributions, and Future Directions

Healthcare workers are essential to the functioning and sustainability of modern healthcare systems. This review explores the diverse roles, contributions, and challenges faced by healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, and support staff. Each role contributes uniquely to patient care quality, system efficiency, and overall health outcomes. However, healthcare workers encounter numerous obstacles, including high workloads, resource shortages, mental health strain, and interdisciplinary coordination challenges. This review also highlights significant contributions that healthcare workers make toward enhancing patient safety, operational efficiency, and public trust. Through case studies and analysis, we examine strategies for supporting healthcare workers, including training, mental health resources, and improved resource allocation. Finally, we provide recommendations for future directions to bolster healthcare worker resilience and efficiency, ensuring that healthcare systems remain adaptable and capable of delivering quality care. This article emphasizes the need for holistic support systems to sustain a resilient and effective healthcare workforce.

Minimally Processed Foods Have a Higher Total Antioxidant Content Compared to Processed and Ultra-processed Foods: Results from an Analysis of 1,946 Food Items.

Ultra-processed foods (UPF), per the NOVA Classification, provide a major source of calories within modern food systems and are associated with poor health outcomes related to chronic inflammation. Dietary antioxidants play a key role in preventing disease, however, the relationship between the NOVA Classification and the total antioxidant content (TAC) of foods is not well-characterized. We hypothesized that TAC would be highest in Minimally Processed (MPF), lower in Processed (PRF), and lowest in UPF. TAC data for 3,137 animal-based, mixed, and plant-based food items were obtained from a published data set. After data cleaning, 1,946 food items and their TAC values were analyzed using two hierarchal linear models (alpha: p<0.05). MPF had the highest mean TAC (10.79 ± 0.87 mmol/100g) and were 11.31-fold and 10.72-fold higher than PRF and UPF, respectively (p=0.023). Plant-based and Mixed foods had a higher mean TAC (8.55 ± 0.68 and 1.12 ± 0.11 mmol/100g, respectively) and were 22.67-fold and 2.98-fold higher compared to animal-based foods (p<0.001). Food processing did not change mean TAC in Mixed and Animal-based foods; however, plant-based MPF had a higher mean TAC (11.49 ± 0.93 mmol/100g) and were 9.88-fold and 15.12-fold higher compared to plant-based PRF and UPF, respectively (p<0.001). Mean TAC differed between NOVA processing groups for three categories of food: Vegetables, Beverages, and Beans, Nuts & Seeds (p<0.001). Across all food items, and especially plant-based foods, mean TAC decreased with food processing. The lower TAC of UPFs may at least partially explain why their consumption promotes inflammatory chronic disease.

Vehicle Trajectory Prediction Using Residual Diffusion Model Based on Image Information

In automatic driving, accurate prediction of vehicle trajectory is the key to achieve automatic driving, and multi-vehicle joint trajectory prediction has become an important part of modern human-computer interaction systems such as automatic driving. In order to better predict vehicle trajectories, we propose a new residual diffusion model to infer the joint distribution of future multi-vehicle trajectories. This approach has several major advantages. First, the model is able to learn multiple probability distributions from trajectory data to obtain potential outcomes for vehicles to multiple future trajectories. Secondly, in order to integrate the motion characteristics of multiple vehicles in the same scene, we use the method of combining the reference denoising and multiple residual denoising to improve the model performance and prediction speed. Finally, on this basis, a general trajectory constraint function is introduced, so that the generated trajectories of multiple vehicles will not collide with each other. We perform a rich experimental comparison of various existing methods on the NGSIM dataset and demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves a 26% improvement on mAP.

Surveying, mapping, and translating: how property rights were created in Shanghai, 1860–1900?

Abstract From 1860 to 1900, a modern system of property rights emerged in the International Settlement in Shanghai. This paper examines the largely overlooked process by which the Shanghai Municipal Council (SMC) brought about a system of well-functioning property rights through land surveys, mapping, and assessments. These methods worked hand-in-hand with road planning and construction in facilitating the expansion of the International Settlement to the Chinese-controlled area. Colonial officials, merchants, and Chinese intellectuals worked collectively and sometimes separately to generate knowledge about land and property by translating terms in the Chinese tradition. It argues that the efforts in institution-building and translation helped normalize the definition of property rights as things exclusively owned, strengthening the SMC's control over the land in Shanghai. These processes illuminate the relationship between empire-making and property rights by showing how property rights emerged and functioned in a semi-colonial context where multiple foreign authorities coexisted with the local government. The relatively secure system of property rights, which both foreign and Chinese merchants exploited, formed the foundation of a prosperous Shanghai in the twentieth century.

Design of a quad-band bandpass filter based on 13-mode resonator

ABSTRACT A quad-band microstrip bandpass filter (BPF) based on a 13-mode resonator is proposed in this article with compact size, high band‐to‐band isolation, and multiple transmission zeros (TZs). The proposed filter is constructed by two transmission paths from the input to the output port, which employs the transversal cancellation mechanism of two transition paths to introduce extra nine TZs. Therefore, a total of 12 TZs are located at 0.2, 1.8, 2, 3.88, 4.61, 5.24, 5.9, 9.26, 9.51, 12.32, 12.75, and 13.27 GHz, respectively, realizing high selectivity. Moreover, the designed filter can achieve quad passbands with centered frequency at 0.95, 2.78, 7.32, and 10.63 GHz for the requirement of multi-service in modern communication systems, with wide bandwidth of 235, 790, 2200, and 1540 MHz, respectively. The measured results agree well with the simulation results, which proves the feasibility of the design method.

A Comparative Study of Electronic and Paper Ballot Systems in Modern U.S. Elections

A Comparative Study of Electronic and Paper Ballot Systems in Modern U.S. Elections

Energy budget and economic analysis of modern and traditional wheat production systems in Kurdistan province of Iran

This study was conducted to analyze input-output energies and economic analysis of modern and traditional wheat production systems of Kurdistan province, Iran. Data were collected from 100 dryland and 100 irrigated wheat fields. The fields were selected randomly, and inquiries conducted in a face-to-face interview from May up to August next year. The results showed that total energy inputs, energy use efficiency, and specific energy were 49,956 MJ ha-1, 2.4, and 4.9 MJ kg-1 in modern irrigated wheat system, respectively, 19,064 MJ ha-1, 3.4, and 3.4 MJ kg-1 in traditional irrigated wheat system, 16,598 MJ ha-1, 1.7, and 6.7 MJ kg-1 in modern dryland wheat system, and 14,471 MJ ha-1, 1.99 and 5.75 MJ kg-1 in traditional dryland wheat system, respectively. The economic analysis revealed that the total cost of production and net return were 546.5 and 1,448.6 USD ha-1 in modern irrigated wheat, 206.4 and 844.7 USD ha-1 in traditional irrigated wheat, 230.5 and 237.6 USD ha-1 in modern dryland wheat and 185.2 and 266.1 USD ha-1 in traditional dryland wheat systems, respectively. The results of this study showed that the modern wheat production system uses more energy compared to that by the traditional wheat production system. Thus, the wheat producers are advised to adopt modern wheat production systems with some caution.

Exploring Ethnomedicine: An Anthropological Perspective on Traditional and Modern Healthcare

Ethnomedicine, the complex tradition of medical practices, has always been an important component of human societies. The purpose of this paper is to focus on ethnomedicine from an anthropological perspective, discuss its significance, and describe the interaction between tribal medicine and the modern healthcare system and the innumerable avenues and problems that arise due to their integration. These highlight the holistic nature of traditional medicine, which often contradicts the scientific basis of modern biomedicine. A comprehensive approach that embraces both systems has the potential to improve service delivery, especially in culturally diverse and resource- constrained settings. Drawing from anthropological insights and experiences documented in case studies worldwide, this paper highlights why cultural competence and ethical engagement are essential to effective health practice. The integration of these systems poses challenges but also opens powerful opportunities for enhanced solutions.

A Comprehensive Review of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Control Theory

Abstract: Traditional control methods, such as proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controllers and linear-quadratic regulators (LQRs), have proven effective for linear and well-modeled systems. However, these methods often perform poorly in nonlinear, complex and dynamic environments. The paper aims to investigate the modern control systems by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, such as machine learning (ML), reinforcement learning (RL), deep learning, and fuzzy logic, to enhance their adaptive, robust, and predictive capabilities. And it reviews the literature and analyzes AI integration in control systems. The proposed strategies include supervised learning for trajectory optimization and fault detection, reinforcement learning for optimal control in dynamic environments, neural networks for complex nonlinear function approximation, and fuzzy logic for handling uncertainty and imprecise inputs. AI techniques significantly enhance the ability to tackle nonlinear problems and dynamic changes, demonstrating superior performance in applications like self-driving cars adapting to various road conditions and optimal energy distribution in smart grids. Despite the challenges of computational complexity, scalability, and the safety and reliability in the implementation of interpretable AI models, this paper suggests that hybrid approaches combining traditional control and AI techniques, along with the evolution of interpretable AI and convergence with quantum control, hold great promise for advancing AI-driven control systems.

“Cultural In-Betweenness” in Borderland Films of Malaysian and Indonesian Cinemas

ABSTRACT This paper examines cinematic representations of the borderlands between Malaysia-Thailand and Malaysia-Indonesia in the twenty-first century. The films focusing on the region explore problematic issues such as the intersection of traditions, issues of identity and belonging, the modern nation-state system, and the citizens in these peripheral areas. This paper employs film discourse analysis, and the ideas discussed herein are crucial to the national cinemas of the region, as they operate in a manner akin to Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of the war machine, the smooth space, and nomadology. These representations raise questions about uneven power dynamics between the hegemonic center and the peripheral other. This investigation analyses two films: Batas (Rudi Soedjarwo, 2011) from Indonesia and Bunohan: Return to Murder (Dain Said, 2012) from Malaysia. This paper argues that the portrayal of borderlands and borders challenges the stability of inwardly focused and ethnocentric national cultural identities by presenting the borderlands of this island region as nomadic spaces, conveying a nomadic ethos and a sense of “in-betweenness” among its people.

Research of Options for Constructing Information Management Systems Based on Network Models of Queuing Systems

The use of information management systems (IMSs) for the management of technical facilities is currently one of the directions for further improvement and increase in the effectiveness of the use of technical facilities in solving their target tasks. The existing modern IMSs are a set of hardware and software tools designed for collecting, processing and storing information and management. In the presence of a large amount of information and contradictory factors affecting the quality of management, making informed and timely decisions in the management process is impossible without the use of IMSs. The IMSs currently being developed are, for the most part, specialized systems and are designed to solve specific tasks. In this regard, the development and design of IMSs should be carried out taking into account the relationship with the target indicators and features of the management facilities, the results of a comprehensive analysis of information about the IMS elements in the process of functioning, and structural and algorithmic parameters that affect performance indicators. The use of mathematical models for the study of options for the construction of an IMS is the basis for the design and development of devices and subsystems of an IMS. The IMS models currently being developed make it possible to conduct research for single-stage management processes with the presence of similar service facilities in the system. At the same time, modern technical facilities and control systems are complex complexes with cyclically repeating control processes of various types of means. As a rule, such complexes have a set of parallel operating devices (control channels) that provide control of different types of objects at various stages of information processing. In this case, the structure of the IMS must be represented as a multiphase multichannel technical system in which the process of simultaneous management of several objects of various types takes place. In this regard, the purpose of the article is to develop a mathematical model of an IMS with two phases of management and the presence of an arbitrary number of serviced different types of management facilities. The basis of the model is a multiphase CFR network model with a limited waiting time for an application in the service queue. The study on the model allows choosing an option for building an IMS, in particular, choosing the optimal number of control channels for various types of objects according to the criterion of optimality and restrictions on the cost and time of management. An algorithm for selecting an option for building an IMS has been developed, and an example of calculating the number of control channels for managing three types of objects is given.