Nature Of State Research Articles

Study of the stress-strain state of the loess soil base of an eccentrically loaded tower foundations, with taking into account the possible water saturation of the soil

This article provides the design of the tower shallow foundations using numerical simulation in the "Midas GTS NX" software. The foundations are four separate structures that perceive the bearing reactions from the tower supports. Depending on the wind load direction, the support reactions change both quantitatively and qualitatively. So, one foundation can accept a compressive force, the other one can accept a pull-out force. In this study, two variants of wind loading are considered: the wind load acts on the tower face or on the tower edge. The geological conditions of the research site are taken as simplified. The soil base consists of one engineering-geological element, which is a loess soil. Numerical simulation of the soil massif was implemented by using volumetric finite elements. An elastic-plastic deformation law and a Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion were applied for these finite elements. The design provided for the calculation of the tower foundation on a natural basis and with the arrangement of a compacted sub-base. Research was carried out for the foundations of the tower construction in four stages: 1) soil base in its natural state; 2) arranged compacted sub-base; 3) natural basis with local water saturation of the soil; 4) compacted sub-base with local water saturation of the soil massif. Simulation of the arrangement of the compacted sub-base occurs by replacing the stiffness of the finite element at a certain stage of the calculation. The soil water saturation simulation algorithm is performed in a similar way - there is a change in the physical and mechanical characteristics of certain finite elements. The localization of saturation zones was chosen from the conditions of the most unfavorable combinations of loads and vertical movements of the foundations. An analysis of the stress-strain state of the soil base of foundations under the tower on a natural base and with the arrangement of a compacted sub-base was performed. The scheme of the applied load on the foundation and the possible local water saturation of the loess soil at the base of the foundations were taken into account

HYDROLOGICAL AND HYDROCHEMICAL ASSESSMENT OF WATER STATUS OF THE SOUTHERN BUG RIVER WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF VINNICHCHINA

It is highlighted that in modern conditions, the surface waters of land are subject to significant anthropogenic influence, as a result of which their natural state is significantly changed and the possibility of using certain water bodies for economic and drinking needs is significantly limited. Since the drinking water supply of Ukraine is carried out mainly at the expense of surface water, objective information about the condition of water bodies, established on the basis of hygienic and ecological criteria, becomes extremely important and relevant. It was established that the influence of the economic and household activities of the village of Kolyukhiv, Vinnytsia region, on the pollution of the South Bug River within its borders is determined by the influx of nitrogenous substances, which lead to an increase in the concentration of ammonium nitrogen, nitrites and nitrates. The source of nitrogen input to the river water is surface runoff washing and the development of soil erosion processes from the adjacent shorelines, which are used for homestead farming and gardening. As a result of the research, it was found that in a sample of water taken from the South Bug River within the village of Kolyukhiv, Vinnytsia region, 1 km upstream in the forest plantation zone, the hydrogen pH is 7.8, the ammonium nitrogen content is 0.3 mg/l nitrite concentration – 2.7 mg/l, nitrate content – 39.6 mg/l, calcium content – 86.0 mg/l, chloride – 147.4 mg/l, and in the selected water sample 1 km downstream in the zone of intensive farming (homesteads), the hydrogen pH was 8.4, the content of ammonium nitrogen was 0.8 mg/l, the concentration of nitrites was 3.7 mg/l, the concentration of nitrates was 69.3 mg/l, the content calcium – 96.6 mg/l, chlorides – 164.2 mg/l. The main way to limit the flow of nitrogenous substances into the river is to observe sanitary protection zones along the river's perimeter. The sanitary and protective zone of the South Bug River should be 100 m, and in fact it is 10 m within the village. Therefore, the main measure is the expansion of the sanitary and protective zone to 100 m and its observance, which will allow reducing the content of ammonium nitrogen in the river water by 62% , nitrates – by 27%, nitrites – by 48%.

The Role of Intraligand Charge Transfer Processes in Iridium(III) Complexes with Morpholine-Decorated 4'-Phenyl-2,2':6',2″-terpyridine.

To investigate the impact of the electron-donating morpholinyl (morph) group on the ground- and excited-state properties of two different types of Ir(III) complexes, [IrCl3(R-C6H4-terpy-κ3N)] and [Ir(R-C6H4-terpy-κ3N)2](PF6)3, the compounds [IrCl3(morph-C6H4-terpy-κ3N)] (1A), 4[Ir(morph-C6H4-terpy-κ3N)2](PF6)3 (2A), [IrCl3(Ph-terpy-κ3N)] (1B) and [Ir(Ph-terpy-κ3N)2](PF6)3 (2B) were obtained. Their photophysical properties were comprehensively investigated with the aid of static and time-resolved spectroscopic methods accompanied by theoretical DFT/TD-DFT calculations. In the case of bis-terpyridyl iridium(III) complexes, the attachment of the morpholinyl group induced dramatic changes in the absorption and emission characteristics, manifested by the appearance of a new, very strong visible absorption tailing up to 600 nm, and a significant bathochromic shift in the emission of 2A relative to the model chromophore. The emission features of 2A and 2B were found to originate from the triplet excited states of different natures: intraligand charge transfer (3ILCT) for 2A and intraligand with a small admixture of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3IL-3MLCT) for 2B. The optical properties of the mono-terpyridyl iridium(III) complexes were less significantly impacted by the morpholinyl substituent. Based on UV-Vis absorption spectra, emission wavelengths and lifetimes in different environments, transient absorption studies, and theoretical calculations, it was demonstrated that the visible absorption and emission features of 1A are governed by singlet and triplet excited states of a mixed MLLCT-ILCT nature, with a dominant contribution of the first component, that is, metal-ligand-to-ligand charge transfer (MLLCT). The involvement of ILCT transitions was reflected by an enhancement of the molar extinction coefficients of the absorption bands of 1A in the range of 350-550 nm, and a small red shift in its emission relative to the model chromophore.

Current issues of animal welfare and health in pig breeding (review)

Objective. To summarise current issues related to welfare and health in pig production. Methods. Domestic and foreign sources of literature on the subject of research and their desk analytical analysis. Results. Today, animal welfare is determined by a combination of three interrelated components: the physical, mental and natural state of certain animals, as well as, of course, humane human attitude to meeting their needs. Until recently, the problems of humane treatment ofproductive animals were exclusively related to economically developed countries where intensive livestock production technologies were used. Pig farms need to have highly productive animals, adequate and balancedfeed, and use resource-saving technologies to produce breeding and marketable products at the optimum cost. Improving the efficiency of pig production primarily has a negative impact on the welfare of pigs. At the same time, it should be understood that, in general, pigs are raised to produce meat and lard products, which is directly related to their slaughter and, accordingly, the taking of their lives. Therefore, the needs of pigs will not be fully met. However, the basic needs - the so-calledfive freedoms of animals - must be met. A detailed grouping of approaches to determining animal welfare is formed in three main aspects: physical condition, mental condition and naturalness. It should be borne in mind that the satisfaction of specific needs in the natural environment does not always ensure their full satisfaction in the two aspects ofphysical and mental health. In the case of pig breeding, it is necessary to take into account the consequences of long term targeted selection of the main breeds and significant modification of their representatives compared to wild forms. The provision of air, water and feed for pigs is critical and should be provided in full. However, this is not always taken into account on Ukrainian pig farms. In addition, the welfare of pigs is inextricably linked and directly depends on the health of the animals. Conclusions. The review of literature sources to summarise current issues related to welfare in pig production indicates that there are a number of issues to be addressed in Ukraine. First and foremost, we are talking about EU legislation that should be implemented in domestic production, which is especially relevant on Ukraine's path to full EU membership. With regard to the existing pig welfare issues, the list of methods and approaches for determining certain indicators is gradually expanding, but it should be borne in mind that welfare in pig production is not limited to pig housing. These are issues related to the transport and slaughter of pigs, aspects that synergise with the subsequent safety of pig products. Of particular importance are the issues in which pig welfare intersects with biosecurity and ensuring appropriate animal health. Key words: pigs, welfare, animal health, housing, feeding, productivity, commercial pork production.

Формування потенціалу організаційних трансформацій підприємства в сучасних умовах

Transformational changes, a vital part of the evolution and operations of enterprises, necessitate the development of a sound theoretical and methodological framework. This framework is essential for leveraging the potential of organizational transformations. The effectiveness of such changes is contingent on the enterprise’s formed potential, which signifies its capacity to enact impactful changes in structure, processes, culture, and strategy. This adaptability is key to thriving in the external environment, enhancing competitiveness, and achieving long-term goals. The article’s clear goal of studying the theoretical and methodological aspects of forming this potential in modern conditions keeps the focus of the audience on the purpose of the study. The factors that shape the potential of organizational transformations in enterprises under modern conditions are elucidated. These factors, including management and leadership, organizational culture, strategy and vision, existing and potential resources, business processes and technologies, and the external environment, play a significant role in determining the potential of organizational transformations. Therefore, to find ways to ensure the development of the enterprise, it became interesting from a scientific point of view to find out the natural state and prospects of organizational transformations in modern conditions. The state of the transformation process at the enterprise can be assessed based on surveys and questionnaires, SWOT analysis, analysis of key performance indicators (KPI), interviews of managers and focus groups, and audit of organizational culture. In this regard, the place of assessing the potential of organizational transformations in such methodical approaches is determined. The study substantiates the directions and list of indicators for assessing the current state of the enterprise and its readiness for organizational transformations. This research underscores the practical implications of determining the markers of the transformational process at the enterprise, a crucial step for the successful implementation of organizational changes. The composition and structure of such markers were analyzed, providing valuable insights depending on the direction of analysis and offering practical guidance for enterprises undertaking transformational changes. Keywords: potential of organizational transformations of the enterprise, development, readiness for changes, transformational process, digital technologies, efficiency.

Transient Amplification of Broken Symmetry in Elastic Snap-Through.

A snap-through bifurcation occurs when a bistable structure loses one of its stable states and moves rapidly to the remaining state. For example, a buckled arch with symmetrically clamped ends can snap between an inverted and a natural state as the ends are released. A standard linear stability analysis suggests that the arch becomes unstable to asymmetric perturbations. Surprisingly, our experiments show that this is not always the case: symmetric transitions are also observed. Using experiments, numerics, and a toy model, we show that the symmetry of the transition depends on the rate at which the ends are released, with sufficiently fast loading leading to symmetric snap-through. Our toy model reveals that this behavior is caused by a region of the system's state space in which any initial asymmetry is amplified. The system may not enter this region when loaded fast (hence remaining symmetric), but will traverse it for some interval of time when loaded slowly, causing a transient amplification of asymmetry. Our toy model suggests that this behavior is not unique to snapping arches, but rather can be observed in dynamical systems where both a saddle-node and a pitchfork bifurcation occur in close proximity.

Mathematical Model for Planning and Optimisation of Petroleum Supply Chain Under Uncertainty

This work focuses on the planning and petroleumindustry logistic and supply chains from raw materials toproduction distribution by developing a two-stage stochasticlinear programming with recourse techniques. The paperinvestigates and creates a set of mathematical models whichconsiders different parameters such as production of crudeoil, transportation plan, production levels, operatingconditions, production distribution plans, prices of rawmaterials and products under significant source ofuncertainty which represent the market demand of refineryproducts. Expected Value of Perfect Information (EVPI) iscomputed a maximum amount a decision maker that shouldpay for additional information gives a perfect signal as tothe state of nature.

Core Ethical Values Pendidikan Karakter Berdasarkan Sumber Nilai Ajaran Islam

This research is qualitative research using a library study method from various trusted references such as reputable journals, results of scientific conferences, and various other sources, and of course from the main sources of Islamic teachings, namely the Al-Qur'an and Hadith. The aim of this research is to examine and describe the core values ​​of character education based on Islamic teaching sources. The research results explain that in QS. Verse An-Nisa 9 explains the command to look after generations and not leave behind weak generations. Humans are born in a state of nature, but often due to human actions that nature changes, both due to internal and external factors. Therefore, the application of the core values ​​of character education which originate from Islamic teachings is very necessary so that students can consistently implement them in their daily lives. The core values ​​of character education based on Islamic teaching sources include character towards God Almighty, character towards oneself, character towards fellow humans, character towards the environment, character towards the nation, and other good characters completely and authentically to be applied in life. The results of this research also explain how core values ​​originating from Islamic teachings are internalized, assimilated and applied in educational character to maintain human nature and become the khaira of the ummah.

Исследование закономерностей изменения солевого состава буровых шламов в процессе их утилизации

Drill cuttings in their natural state have viscous-plastic properties; in a dry state they are cohesive and hard. This is due to the content of sodium ions in the absorbing complex. Features of the physical and mechanical properties of drill cuttings indicate its ability to absorb and retain dissolved salts. When gypsum is added to drill cuttings in different percentages of the waste volume, the concentration of chloride ion changes in all samples, and chloride-sulfate salinization is observed. The content of sulfate ion increases with a minimum volume fraction of gypsum application. The addition of gypsum in a volume fraction of 15 and 20% affects the reduction of phosphate and carbonate ions. A change in electrical conductivity indicates an increase in the concentration of water-soluble salts in the water extract, which is confirmed by a direct high correlation. When adding gypsum from 7–20% volume fractions, a significant reduction in the dense residue occurs. The use of gypsum increases the filtration capacity of drill cuttings. The use of gypsum makes it possible to lighten the granulometric composition of drill cuttings due to the active coagulation of colloids. As a result of the removal of water-soluble salts, optimal water-physical properties of drill cuttings are created, structuring and filtration properties of drill cuttings are increased. A mathematical model for predicting the dissolution of salts in drill cuttings allows taking into account uncontrollable factors (density, particle size distribution, filtration coefficient, content of water-soluble salts).

Associations of amyloid-β oligomers and plaques with neuropathology in the App NL-G-F mouse.

Amyloid-β pathology and neurofibrillary tangles lead to glial activation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease. In this study, we investigated the relationships between the levels of amyloid-β oligomers, amyloid-β plaques, glial activation and markers related to neurodegeneration in the App NL-G-F triple mutation mouse line and in a knock-in line homozygous for the common human amyloid precursor protein (App hu mouse). The relationships between neuropathological features were characterized with immunohistochemistry and imaging mass cytometry. Markers assessing human amyloid-β proteins, microglial and astrocytic activation and neuronal and synaptic densities were used in mice between 2.5 and 12 months of age. We found that amyloid-β oligomers were abundant in the brains of App hu mice in the absence of classical amyloid-β plaques. These brains showed morphological changes consistent with astrocyte activation but no evidence of microglial activation or synaptic or neuronal pathology. In contrast, both high levels of amyloid-β oligomers and numerous plaques accumulated in App NL-G-F mice in association with substantial astrocytic and microglial activation. The increase in amyloid-β oligomers over time was more strongly correlated with astrocytic than with microglia activation. Spatial analyses suggested that activated microglia were more closely associated with amyloid-β oligomers than with amyloid-β plaques in App NL-G-F mice, which also showed age-dependent decreases in neuronal and synaptic density markers. A comparative study of the two models highlighted the dependence of glial and neuronal pathology on the nature and aggregation state of the amyloid-β peptide. Astrocyte activation and neuronal pathology appeared to be more strongly associated with amyloid-β oligomers than with amyloid-β plaques, although amyloid-β plaques were associated with microglia activation.

Medical Scope of Biofilm and Quorum Sensing during Biofilm Formation: Systematic Review

Biofilms are accumulations of microorganisms in an extracellular polymeric substance matrix which are composed of polysaccharides, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Many bacteria can switch between a planktonic form and a biofilm form. The planktonic bacteria have relatively high cell growth and reproduction rates and have a reduced likelihood of survival but can adapt to occupy new habitats. The biofilm state appears to be a natural and predominant state of bacteria. The need for the formation of bacterial biofilm is that it enhances the tolerance of bacteria to harsh environmental conditions, thereby allowing bacteria to avoid being washed away by water flow or the bloodstream by simply attaching to a surface or tissue, and the EPS matrix protects bacteria cells, in deeper layers, against antimicrobial agents, probably by limiting the diffusion of these agents. Biofilm formation steps are initial contact/attachment to the surface, followed by micro-colony formation, maturation and formation of the architecture of the biofilm, and finally detachment/dispersion of the biofilm. Once formed, biofilm restricts bacterial mobility and increases cell density. Secretions of autoinducers into the environment are critical for cross-signaling between bacteria. This cross-talk is called quorum sensing (QS). Quorum sensing is a cell–cell communication mechanism between bacteria that allows specific processes to be controlled, such as biofilm formation and virulence factor expression. Bacterial quorum sensing signaling mainly consists of acyl-homoserine lactones (produced by Gram-negatives), autoinducing peptides (produced by Gram-positives), and autoinducer-2 (produced by both Gram-negatives and Gram-positives). Therefore, this review is aimed at how bacterial biofilms work and are formed.

The Malaysian Social Contract: A Historical Perspective

This paper delves into the concept of social contract, a framework rooted in the diverse theories pioneered by Western philosophers, to expound on the unique facets of the Malaysian social contract. This concept elucidates different forms of agreement between the people and the ruler in establishing an organised society. Unique and central to Malaysia, this contract involves traditional elements integral to the Malay establishment, encompassing Islam, the Malay language, the special position of the natives and the institution of Malay rulers in addition to citizenship rights for qualified individuals. To comprehend the distinctiveness of the Malaysian social contract, it is imperative to explore its historical context, tracing back the compromise forged among the inter-ethnic groups towards the independence of the Federation of Malaya. This historical narrative reveals that the post-World War II is Malaysia’s state of nature. However, the Malaysian social contract extends beyond understanding and consensus of inter-ethnic groups namely the Malays and the non-Malays. It also incorporates the agreement between the populace as a whole and the sovereign Malay rulers. Enshrined in the Federal Constitution, traditional elements and balancing provisions ensure compliance with the mutually agreed-upon social contract for both the Malays and the non-Malays.

Mathematical biases in the calculation of the Living Planet Index lead to overestimation of vertebrate population decline

The Living Planet Index (LPI) measures the average change in population size of vertebrate species over recent decades and has been repeatedly used to assess the changing state of nature. The LPI indicates that vertebrate populations have decreased by almost 70% over the last 50 years. This is in striking contrast with current studies based on the same population time series data that show that increasing and decreasing populations are balanced on average. Here, we examine the methodological pipeline of calculating the LPI to search for the source of this discrepancy. We find that the calculation of the LPI is biased by several mathematical issues which impose an imbalance between detected increasing and decreasing trends and overestimate population declines. Rather than indicating that vertebrate populations do not substantially change, our findings imply that we need better measures for providing a balanced picture of current biodiversity changes. We also show some modifications to improve the reliability of the LPI.

The Catalytic Potential of Modified Clays: A Review

The need for innovative catalysts and catalytic support materials is continually growing due to demanding requirements, stricter environmental demands, and the ongoing development of new chemical processes. Since about 80% of all industrial processes involve catalysts, there is a continuing need to develop new catalyst materials and supports with suitable qualities to meet ongoing industrial demands. Not only must new catalysts have tailored properties, but they must also be suitable for large-scale production through environmentally friendly and cost-effective processes. Clay minerals, with their rich history in medicine and ceramics, are now emerging as potential catalysts. Their transformative potential is exemplified in applications such as hydrogenating the greenhouse gas CO2 into carbohydrate fuel, a crucial step in meeting the rising electrical demand. Moreover, advanced materials derived from clay minerals are proving their mettle in diverse photocatalytic reactions, from organic dye removal to pharmaceutical pollutant elimination and photocatalytic energy conversion through water splitting. Clay minerals in their natural state show a low catalytic activity, so to increase their reactivity, they must be activated. Depending on the requirements of a particular application, selecting an appropriate activation method for modifying a natural clay mineral is a critical consideration. Traditional clay mineral processing methods such as acid or alkaline treatment are used. Still, these have drawbacks such as high costs, long processing times, and the formation of hazardous by-products. Other activation processes, such as ultrasonication and mechanical activation routes, have been proposed to reduce the production of hazardous by-products. The main advantage of ultrasonication and microwave-assisted procedures is that they save time, whereas mechanochemical processing is simple and efficient. This short review focuses on modifying clay minerals using various new methods to create sophisticated and innovative new materials. Recent advances in catalytic reactions are specifically covered, including organic biogeochemical processes, photocatalytic processes, carbon nanotube synthesis, and energy conversion processes such as CO2 hydrogenation and dry reforming of methane.

Combined Effect of the Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Lateritic Soils in the Instability of a Road Cut Slope in Rwanda

A very common hazard in Rwanda is represented by the instability of steep road cut slopes in lateritic soil. In its natural state, this material appears as a fine-grained weak and altered rock, generally in unsaturated conditions. Steep cut slopes made by this material could remain stable for a long time unless weathering weakens its mechanical behavior and heavy rainfall provokes a rapid landslide. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation on the microstructural, petrophysical, and geotechnical properties of lateritic soil from a road cut slope located in Kabaya (Ngororero District—Rwanda), which was recently subjected to a landslide. The mechanical properties of the material are strictly related to the geological origin and history of the deposits, their formation environment, and weathering processes. These characteristics were revealed by peculiar microstructural features (micro-texture, porosity, and degree of alteration of original mineral paragenesis). The experimental investigations included identification and classification tests, direct shear tests on saturated samples, and swelling tests. This multidisciplinary approach provided insights into the relationship between geotechnical properties and the microstructural, petrophysical, and chemical characteristics of the altered rocks. This study showed how different levels of chemical alteration operated by weathering processes, in conjunction with brittle deformation related to the tectonic history, formed in the same site two shallow rock layers with similar macro-scale features and mechanical behaviors but markedly different microstructural and chemical properties. The innovative aspect of this research suggests an integrated multidisciplinary approach to considering microstructural aspects in addition to mechanical behavior in the slope stability analyses in lateritic soil. In particular, this study demonstrates the importance of such an approach since the failure mechanism is better explained if it is based on microstructural observations instead of considering the soil shear strength parameters only. This research helped to explain the formation of the landslide failure mechanism in a specific road cut slope, which could be assumed as representative of many other similar slopes subjected to landslides in Rwanda.

Fish assemblage and functional trait responses to small‐dam removal

Abstract Dams are one of the greatest threats to freshwater biodiversity and efforts to remove dams to restore riverine systems are increasing. However, dam‐removal studies have primarily focused on taxonomic responses to large dam removals with little work on the functional trait responses of fish to small‐dam removals; such a focus limits the application of results in regions with different taxonomic compositions. We explored taxonomic and functional trait responses of fish assemblages to two small‐dam removals over 10 years using a Multiple Before After Control Impact design at a dammed and an undammed river. Eight life‐history traits were used to calculate functional diversity (RaoQ) and determine the position of each fish species within a multivariate life‐history space relative to three life‐history strategy endpoints: opportunistic, periodic, and equilibrium. The distance of each species relative to these endpoints was used to calculate community weighted means (CWM), allowing us to examine the shift in life‐history strategy of a given assemblage after dam removal. Based on life‐history theory, we predicted a decrease in the CWM of equilibrium strategists and an increase in the CWM opportunistic strategists after dam removal. For the dammed river, we observed changes in assemblage structure at both the control and impact sites driven primarily by shifts from a lentic to lotic assemblage, with the most apparent change occurring in the formerly impounded sites. These changes tended to occur within 1 year, suggesting rapid colonization by lotic species after habitat change. By contrast, no change in assemblage structure was found for the undammed river, suggesting that dam removal was the primary driver of the shifts in assemblage structure observed in the dammed river. We found no change in the CWM of periodic strategists or RaoQ of all life‐history traits at any site after dam removal. Based on CWM, life‐history strategies shifted in response to dam removal at impounded sites where equilibrium strategists decreased and opportunistic strategists tended to increase after the impounded sites changed from a stable lentic environment to an unstable lotic environment, supporting predictions made by life‐history theory. Our results suggest that small‐dam removal may provide ecological benefits by restoring fish assemblages to a more natural riverine state and reversing the negative effects of dam construction on the ecosystem. We demonstrate that combining both trait‐based and taxonomic approaches can improve our ecological understanding of the impacts of dam removal on fish assemblages and provide relevant data for local management.

ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH AND RUPTURE OF CAROTID ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND PLAQUE WITH DIFFERENT DEGREES OF STENOSIS

In this study, the growth and rupture of plaque were investigated to predict the development of carotid atherosclerosis and plaque. Realistic 3D models of multi-component plaque and carotid artery were established in healthy, mild, moderate, and severe stenosis. Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulations were performed on these models, and the wall shear stress (WSS), time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), relative residence time (RRT), and wall tensile stress (WTS) in a natural cardiac cycle were analyzed to assess the epidermal rupture, growth tendency, and internal rupture of plaques in a natural state. Results show that in severe stenosis, the WSS at the stenosis sites exceeds the threshold of rupture during almost the entire cardiac cycle, thus causing an epidermal injury, bringing about plaque detachment and thrombosis. TAWSS decreased and OSI and RRT increased in the bifurcation region and the downstream region of the plaque. The deposition is more likely to occur in these regions. A higher degree of stenosis will increase the OSI and RRT in the downstream region of the plaque, leading to continuous deterioration of the plaque, while the degree of stenosis has little effect on the upstream region of the plaque. The fibrous cap is the starting point for rupture within the plaque, and calcification increases the stress on the fibrous cap, thereby increasing the risk of rupture.

Frequentist belief update under ambiguous evidence in social networks

In this paper, we study a frequentist approach to belief updating in the framework of Dempster-Shafer Theory (DST). We propose several mechanisms that allow the gathering of possibly ambiguous pieces of evidence over time to obtain a belief mass assignment. We then use our approach to study the impact of ambiguous evidence on the belief distribution of agents in social networks. We illustrate our approach by taking three representative situations. In the first one, we suppose that there is an unknown state of nature, and agents form belief in the set of possible states. Nature constantly sends a signal which reflects the true state with some probability but which can also be ambiguous. In the second situation, there is no ground truth, and agents are against or in favor of some ethical or societal issues. In the third situation, there is no ground state either, but agents have opinions on left, center, and right political parties. We show that our approach can model various phenomena often observed in social networks, such as polarization or bounded confidence effects.

Theory in Second Language Acquisition (Recognition of Concepts Toward Krashen's Second Language Acquisition Theory for Five Main Hypotheses)

This research aims to understand the concept of second language acquisition theory according to Krashen and provide information about criticisms of Krashen's theory of second language acquisition. This research method employs a qualitative approach to delve into the concept of second language acquisition theory according to Krashen and criticisms thereof. The subjects of the study include literature sources encompassing theories of second language acquisition, works by Krashen, critical research on his theories, as well as insights from experts and practitioners. Data collection techniques involve literature analysis and expert interviews. Data will be thematically analyzed, involving steps such as identifying key concepts, reviewing criticisms, identifying components, analyzing main hypotheses, and searching for patterns in the data. The goal is to provide an in-depth understanding of Krashen's theory and its implications in second language education. The research findings indicate that Krashen's Theory of Second Language Acquisition consists of five main components that form five primary hypotheses. Firstly, the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis distinguishes between the acquisition and learning systems in understanding language acquisition. Secondly, the Natural Order hypothesis states that children acquire grammar structures in a natural order. Thirdly, the Monitor hypothesis explains the relationship between acquisition and learning and their influence on each other. Fourthly, the Input hypothesis emphasizes the importance of comprehensible input for language acquisition. Lastly, the Affective Filter hypothesis highlights the role of attitude towards language speakers in the second language acquisition process. However, there are several criticisms of these hypotheses. Firstly, the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis is questioned for its lack of evidence-based support. Secondly, the Natural Order hypothesis is criticized for neglecting the significant influence of the first language on second language acquisition. Thirdly, criticisms of the Monitor hypothesis include the impossibility of proving the role of the learning system as a monitor. Fourthly, the Input hypothesis faces criticism due to the lack of a clear definition of comprehensible input. Lastly, the Affective Filter hypothesis fails to address questions about the role of affect in individual variations in second language acquisition.

Multi-objective integrated decision method of cascade hydropower stations based on optimization algorithm and evaluation model

The establishment and functioning of cascade hydropower stations have significantly altered the natural state of rivers, leading to increasingly severe ecological impacts downstream. To mitigate the adverse effects of cascade reservoir impoundment on river ecosystems and achieve the multi-objective goals of hydropower development and environment protection, this study presents an integrated decision model for optimizing the operation of cascade hydropower stations, utilizing the lower Jinsha River as a case illustration. The proposed model comprises three main components: ecological flow calculation, establishment of a multi-objective optimization model, and scheme evaluation. The ecological flow threshold for the river was determined using the Tennant method. The multi-objective optimization model was formulated with objectives including power generation, ecological flow shortage, and navigation disruption days. The NSGA-II algorithm was employed to resolve the optimization framework. The improved TOPSIS method was adopted for evaluating the operation schemes. The case study conducted in the downstream region of the Jinsha River revealed significant conflicts between the objectives of power generation and ecological conservation. Moreover, different typical years exerted a considerable influence on determining the optimal operation scheme. The proposed integrated decision model provides a scientific framework for guiding the water resource dispatching of cascade hydropower stations and achieving the harmonization of economic and ecological benefits. Overall, this research contributes to the academic field by addressing the complex difficulties related to optimizing the operation of cascade hydropower stations while considering ecological concerns. The findings underscore the importance of adopting a comprehensive decision-making approach that integrates multiple objectives and utilizes advanced algorithms for sustainable river management.