Estimation of a minimum laser power with wavelengths of 1.47, 1.56, and 1.68 μm for efficient obliteration of varicose veins

Experiments modelling endovenous laser obliteration (EVLO) are performed. As a result, laser radiation powers Pc at which collagen denaturation, tissue necrosis, and vasa vasorum destruction occur throughout the entire venous-wall thickness and, at the same time, the surrounding tissues are not subjected to unnecessary heating, are found. The main criterion for determining Pc is the achievement of 100% denaturation of venous-wall proteins, confirmed by morphological and calorimetric analysis. The Pc values for laser wavelengths of 1.47, 1.56, and 1.68 mm are found to be 6.0 ± 0.2, 5.0 ± 0.2, and 6.0 ± 0.2 W, respectively. It is established for all wavelengths in use that the temperature of the external venous-wall surface reaches 91 plusmn; 2 deg;C at the corresponding power Pc. We relate the dependence of Pc on the radiation wavelength to the formation of a coagulum on the optical fibre tip moving through a blood-filled vessel. The achievement of temperature necessary for coagulum formation is determined by the simultaneously occurring processes of energy absorption and its dissipation in the form of heat. These processes become more intense with an increase in the absorption coefficient of the medium. A mechanism is proposed to explain the relationship between the Pc value and laser wavelength, based on the influence of the absorption coefficient of medium (blood) on the temperature near the fibre tip.

A Study on Priority of Classification System for Agro-healing Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process

Background and objective: As the ‘Healing Agriculture Research and Development and Promotion Act’ came into effect on March 25, 2021, social interest in agro-healing has been increasing exponentially. This study was conducted to analyze the priorities of agro-healing classification system and to provide basic data to inform policy directions and related research for the development and activation of agro-healing.Methods: The survey data collected from 18 experts were analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method in determine the relative weights of the main and sub-criteria for the classification system. There were three main criteria identified: agro-healing input industry, agro-healing service industry, and agro-healing-related/derived industry. There were also 11 sub-criteria.Results: The top three sub-criteria with the highest complex weights include “community service,” “social rehabilitation” and “treatment and rehabilitation,” all of which correspond to the main criterion “agro-healing service industry”. In addition, the complex weights of the sub-criteria corresponding to the main criterion “agro-healing related/derived industry” are as follows: “other agro-healing support service,” which ranked 4th, and “training and education institutions for agro-healing experts,” which ranked 5th when prioritizing the criteria.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the main criterion to be considered first in establishing a classification system is “agro-healing service industry”. Therefore, it is necessary to continue research on detailed service classifications and systems with verified validity to ensure expertise in human resources, and organization related to social purpose services in agro-healing.

Improving the productivity of Pini-Kay fuel briquettes by modernizing the working part of the PSH-250 press

The research related to the productivity of production of fuel briquettes of the "Pini-Kay" type, due to the modernization of the working part of the press line for the production of fuel briquettes with a capacity of 250 kg / h (LVB - 250) was carried out. It is known that the press used on this line is PSH-250, it is the main working equipment of this line, as it serves to press the briquette under temperature and is the closing link in the whole briquette process. In the presented study, the main criterion of productivity was considered to be the number of manufactured products before the break of the splined auger, because the breakdown forces to stop the equipment and replace it. This in turn reduces the number of manufactured products. The paper states that the modernization was carried out as follows: the slot screw, which is the main working body of the press PSH - 250, made of structural steel (steel 45) by casting, was replaced by a slotted screw made by machining on CNC machines, high-quality structural alloy steel 40HMFA. This steel is used to make splined shafts, connecting rods and rods, and is best suited for making a splined auger. In addition, to increase the structural strength, the workpiece of the auger, was made heat treatment - normalization. The proposed technological solution allowed to increase the productivity of fuel briquettes, by reducing the downtime of equipment for repair and replacement of working parts of the press PSH-250. This in turn reduced the company's financial costs for spare parts and affected the cost of finished products. The obtained results show that the slotted augers proposed by the authors allowed to increase the productivity of fuel briquettes production almost 10 times in comparison with the previous results.

Ceramic and Stone Bread Stamps of Taurica. To the Question of the Allocation of Stylistic Groups

Introduction. Among the liturgical objects of the Byzantine Christian cult, liturgical bread stamps make up a special category. Despite the fact that they have become widespread on the territory of the Byzantine Empire since late antique and early medieval times, for medieval Crimea they remain a rare find. The source base of the work consists of 34 ceramic and limestone bread stamps, discovered in different years in almost all regions of medieval Taurica. Of these, only 3 copies were not introduced into scientific circulation, which greatly simplifies the work and avoids unnecessary repetitions. Bronze and wooden bread stamps, which have a pronounced originality, are not considered in this work. Methods and materials. The standard methods, which usually involved for the study of archaeological materials, are used in the work: stratigraphic, typological, and comparative. Analysis. Despite the fact that each bread stamp found on the peninsula has individual features, the work for the first time made an attempt to distinguish several stable stylistic groups. The main criterion is the design features of the objects and the arrangement of the elements forming the composition. Results. The data obtained made it possible to conclude that today we can talk about 8 groups in which stamps of different morphology are presented. The chronological scope of the occurrence and the period of existence of each of these groups is different. Archaeological complexes are also different, where products of a particular group were recorded. In quantitative terms, the groups are also not uniform. Some of them form single specimens of prosphores, others are more numerous.

Using Language Games to Enhance EFL Students’ Speaking Skill in Indonesia

This research aims at enhancing EFL students’ speaking skill through the use of language games. The research was designed in the form of Classroom Action Research. It was conducted in two cycles and six meetings. Each cycle consisted of plan, implementation, observation, and Reflection. The researchers employed an observation checklist, field notes, questionnaire, and test to collect the data. The main criterion of success of this research was that the students’ scores on the speaking test should achieve a score of 70, and it must be achieved by 75% of the total number of students. The second criterion was that the lecturer’s classroom performance should meet the “Success” category. The results of the first speaking test showed that from 24 students in the classroom, 15 students got scores of 70 or higher. It was equal to 62.5 %. In cycle 2, the total number of students who got scores of 70 or higher was 21. It was equal to 87.5 %. The result of this research indicated that the use of language games can develop the students’ speaking skills

THE CONCEPT OF “TOLERANCE” IN LEXICO-SEMANTIC, COGNITIVE-DISCURSIVE, SEMIOTIC AND LINGUOCULTURAL ASPECTS

The article is devoted to the study of lexico-semantic, cognitive-discursive, semiotic and linguocultural aspects of the concept “TOLERANCE”. The aim of the study is to analyze the features of the concept in the above-mentioned aspects in modern political discourse. Analyzing the concept of “TOLERANCE” in lexical and semantic aspects of dictionary definitions, we can determine that there are mainly four ways to understand it: 1) indifference to the existence of different views; 2) the impossibility of mutual understanding; 3) indulgence to the weakness of others in combination with a certain dose of contempt for them; 4) expanding one's own experience and critical dialogue. In our opinion, the first three methods have negative connotations. The concept “TOLERANCE” reveals the cognitive side of language, which expresses the diverse characteristics of human beings, their qualities, cognitive abilities, humanism in terms of ethnocultural relations. However, the position of the ambiguity and emotional coloring of this phenomenon is unique, often depending on the perception in a particular cultural conceptosphere. The typology of tolerance is based on the main criterion - moral potential, the presence or absence of a moral basis in a particular direction of tolerance. The vector of tolerance allows to attribute the components of the concept of “TOLERANCE” from a semiotic point of view to palliative or constructive. Based on the study, we can conclude that the three components of the concept “TOLERANCE” have a negative connotation and a palliative vector that closes the way to dialogue (tolerance as indifference, tolerance as impossibility of understanding, tolerance as indulgence), and only one component can be characterized as a such that has a constructive orientation, moral potential - tolerance as an extension of one's own experience and critical dialogue. The linguistic and cultural aspect of the concept “TOLERANCE“ is that in different languages ​​this concept is different and has its own specifics of verbalization. In modern English and Ukrainian, the concept of “TOLERANCE” retains an ambivalent meaning: it can be replaced by the word “acceptable” (to someone else's way of life, behavior, customs, feelings, thoughts, ideas, beliefs). Tolerance is the willingness to accept and acknowledge the behavior, beliefs, and attitudes of others that are different from one's own, even if the beliefs are not shared but are accepted as having a right to exist.

Prevalence of sarcopenia and associated factors in patients in hemodialysis

Objective: To assess the prevalence of sarcopenia and associated factors in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis (HD). Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated patients with CKD undergoing HD from January to October 2016 in two dialysis centers located in Recife, Pernambuco. For the diagnosis of sarcopenia, the criteria proposed by the 2019 European Consensus on Sarcopenia, which advocates low muscle strength as the main criterion, were considered. Demographic, clinical, anthropometric, and behavioral covariates were evaluated. Results: 108 patients were included, with a mean age of 51.4 ± 17.0 years and homogeneous distribution between the sexes.Sarcopenia was present in 38.9% of the population, of which 69% had severe sarcopenia. A higher prevalence of sarcopenia was observed among men (60% vs. 17%; p < 0.001), in those without a partner (48.1% vs. 30.4%; p < 0.045), in smokers (50% vs. 30%; p < 0.034), with low weight (underweight 73.3%, eutrophic 33.9%, overweight 32.4%; p = 0.001) and those with normal albumin levels (47.5% vs. 28.6%; p = 0.045). Conclusion: Approximately one in three nephropathic patients on hemodialysis presented sarcopenia and, among these, most had the severe form of this condition.Uremic sarcopenia was more prevalent in males, in individuals without partners, underweight, in smokers, and among those with normal albumin levels.

Mechanisms for Promoting and Monetizing Accounts of Commercial Organizations on Instagram

The authors analyzed and explored the promotion mechanisms as well as looked at the ways of monetizing multimedia content on Instagram. We discovered that organizations are using both the classic techniques for creating communication channels with their audience and most modern ones. The analysis was carried out during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Eight Russian and foreign Instagram accounts of commercial organizations were taken for the study. The main criterion for choosing blogs was the number of subscribers as of 04/02/20–05/04/2020. We analyzed the marketing strategy of the following accounts: “kingarthurflour”, “intel”, “dictionarycom”, “pyaterochka_official”, “magnitkrd”, “traderjoes”, “respublica_ru”, “sberbank”. This sample is purposefully compiled in such a way as to comprehensively study how old and new Internet marketing tools are used to promote blogs specializing in different goods and services. We described in detail the techniques for promoting audiovisual and textual content. The reasons for the erroneous SMM marketing strategies are explained and examples of effective ones are shown. The main methods of monetization of media production are also presented and typologized. The relevance of this work lies in the need to show the advantage of SMM tools and discover previously unknown ones — for successful marketing in one of the most massive social networks. The study found that the appropriate selection and competent use of SMM technologies have a positive effect on promotion and monetization.

Scientific-methodical and practical principles for assessment of the key territories of the Eastern Podillya's econetwork based on the main criteria of their formation

The article presents scientific-methodical and practical principles for assessment of key territories of the ecological network of Eastern Podillya based on the main criteria of their formation. It offers the system of appropriate approaches and principles to be applied for formation of the key territories of the region's ecological network. The principle of representativeness should serve as a main criterion for selection of the key territories, however, we still advise to consider three types of such territories – biotic (botanical, zoological, mycological); geographical (landscape; biogeographical); geozoological (object; categorical; functional). Such aspects as area, size, configuration, state of internal ecological balance should play a significant role in creating the key territories, however, the qualitative and quantitative composition of protected objects, degree of anthropogenic impact on natural and man-made ecosystems and types of conservation regimes are also extremely important. Matrix representativeness, which is widely used in EU countries, should be also of great importance in forming a network of key territories. It is based on the landscape-zonal principle, where the systems of natural zoning units (biogeographical, geobotanical, floristic, forest typological, zoogeographical, physical-geographical) form the matrix of biodiversity species and landscapes. According to this principle, the basis for creation of key territories should by all means include typical (indicator) species of biodiversity, landscapes of all natural zones, subzones, regions, provinces, sub-provinces, districts. The field surveys of Eastern Podillya led us to a conclusion that a significant number of key territories do not perform a function of preserving biotic and landscape diversity. The conducted field researches allowed establishing the fact that there is a risk of losing such diversity under current ecological conditions of the region. Therefore, using the principle of representativeness, we presented a method of assessing the key territories of the Eastern Podillya's ecological network based on the main criteria of their formation. The main criteria include degree of naturalness of a certain key territory, its floristic and faunistic significance, landscape-coenotic and specific (relating to species) representativeness, purpose of a key territory, and its protected status (regime).

Assessment of the bioelectric activity of the masticatory muscles in orthopedic treatment with partial removable plate prostheses

Relevance. According to a number of authors, it is known that full adaptation to complete removable dentures occurs within 3 months [3–5, 9]. The main criterion for patients getting used to removable dentures is the synchronization of the work of the masticatory muscles and, as a consequence, the normalization of the chewing function.The aim of the study was to evaluate the bioelectrical activity of the masticatory muscles in patients using the CSPP.Materials and methods. In patients of the control (n = 23) and main (n = 63) groups, electromyographic examination was performed using the electroneuromyographic system "Synapsis" (Neurotechnology, Russia). Registration of the bioelectric activity of the chewing muscles was carried out directly on the day of applying the prostheses, after 1 and 3 months, respectively.Results and discussion. The electromyographic indices of the masticatory muscles in the patients of the control group decreased within one month after the treatment and amounted to 231 ± 18.2 μV for the right and 229 ± 16.1 μV for the left proper chewing muscles. The values were also reduced for the right and left temporal muscles – 228 ± 15.2 μV and 225 ± 24.1 μV (p < 0.05). It should be noted that the electromyographic parameters in patients of the main group were comparable to the lower limit of the norm and amounted to 269 ± 16.5 μV and 256 ± 20.4 μV, respectively, after one month of treatment.Conclusions. In the treatment of dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint with the use of thermoplastic prostheses, an increase in the biopotentials of the masticatory muscles is observed. In the orthopedic treatment of patients with terminal dentition defects using thermoplastic prostheses, the electromyographic parameters of the masticatory muscles are most close to normal after 3 months of using these prostheses.