3R Blackboard: A platform for animal and organ sharing

Since the embedding of the principles of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction and Refinement) in national and international regulations on the use of animals, scientists have been challenged to find ways to reduce the number of animals in their research. Here, we present a digital platform, called ‘3R Backboard’, linked to a laboratory animal management system, which facilitates sharing of surplus biological materials from animals (e.g. tissues, organs and cells) to other research teams. Based on information provided, such as genotype, age and sex, other animal workers were able to indicate their interest in collecting specific tissues and to communicate with the person providing the animals. A short pilot study of this approach conducted in a limited academic environment presented strong evidence of its effectiveness and resulted in a notable reduction of the number of mice used. In addition, the use of 3R Blackboard led to resource saving, knowledge exchange and even establishment of new collaboration.

Analysis of the Increase in Femicide Following Its Classification as a Crime in the Digital World

Femicide, or feminicide as it is known in some Latin American jurisdictions, is the murder of a woman because of her gender. National and international regulations agree that this constitutes a hate crime, rather one of habitual violence since femicide is motivated by more complex factors than those of mere physical assault. Violence has become a social problem that has changed the dynamics of the family and associated elements, leading to implications in the psychological, personal, and social spheres, among others. With this perspective, the study carried out a normative analysis of the current situation in Ecuador following the separate classification of the crime of femicide in the General Organic Penal Code (GOPC). The research drew heavily on interviews with active members of Ecuadorian legal institutions in order to build a taxonomy of inconsistencies that determine the reasons for the increase in these murders after the change to the law, at the same time as the stiffening of the state's resolve to prevent them.

Evaluation of the mechanical resistance of rheophores of the means of initiation for explosive’s materials, on the basis of the resistance to abrasion determined with the OPVA 10 specialized equipment

The scientific paper presents the synthesis of research results undertaken to develop the technical and methodological infrastructure for assessing the safety of means of initiating explosives, on the abrasion resistance of rheophores of electric detonators, in order to increase the safety of their use. The state-of-the-art OPVA 10 equipment is used to test the ability of rheophores insulation to withstand the abrasion forces that may occur during normal use. This equipment with a programmable automatic ensures the testing of the rheophores of the electric detonating staples to determine the abrasion resistance under the operating conditions provided by the harmonized European standard EN 13763-4 and the technical specification of the manufacturer, the operating temperature of this equipment being between 10 ÷ 30 °C ensuring at the highest level the fulfillment of the technical requirements imposed by the European and international regulations in the field.

Characterization and experimental comparison of commercial PEMFC stacks for marine applications

PEM Fuel Cells are considered among the most promising technologies for hydrogen utilization in both stationary and automotive applications. The number of FC installations on board ships – alone or in hybrid configuration with batteries – is increasing significantly, although international regulations that drive their installation are still missing. In this scenario, the project TecBia aims to identify a dedicated test protocol and the best commercial PEMFC technology for marine applications, assessing the integration of a 140 kW PEMFC system on the Zero Emission Ultimate Ship (ZEUS) vessel. The system design and technology provider has been chosen after a technical comparison based on a dedicated experimental campaign. The experimental campaign had two goals: (i) analyse the performance of the different PEMFC systems to define the best characteristics for maritime applications; (ii) verify the compliance with naval requirements with reference to current and future standards. The present study shows the resulting test protocol for FC Systems (FCS) for maritime applications, defined starting from the existing international regulations on FCS installations and on naval environment requirements; the results of its application on the commercial system chosen for the installation on ZEUS are reported.

THE ISSUES OF EVIDENCE FACILITATION IN THE REGULATION OF PACKAGE TRAVEL AND HOTEL SERVICES IN THE CONTEXT OF PROTECTING TRAVELLERS AND TOURISTS

Purpose. The aim of the article is to show the significance and diversity of legal constructions concerning the facilitations of proof in provisions regulating package travel and hotel services in the context of protecting travellers and tourists. Method. Analysis regarding the regulation of package travel and hotel services including the facilitations of proof are carried out using the formal-dogmatic and legal comparison method. The comparative method has a significant meaning for the proper interpretation of provisions regulating package travel and hotel services due to the interpenetration of national and international regulations. In the process of recreating norms from legal provisions, it is therefore helpful to analyse their similarities and differences. Findings. The provisions regulating package travel and hotel services include the facilitations of proof which improve the legal situation of travellers and tourists, as well as ensuring their protection. Research and conclusions limitations. There is no comprehensive study on facilitations of proof in the regulation of package travel and hotel services in literature on the subject. Practical implications. Conclusions resulting from the article will allow to determine the proper nature of the provisions referring to the facilitations of proof in the regulation of package travel and hotel services, which will enable their proper application in practice. Originality. The issue of the facilitations of proof in the regulation of package travel and hotel services has not been comprehensively researched so far. Type of work. Problem article.

Modeling and performance analysis of diesel engine considering the heating effect of blow-by on cylinder intake gas

Recently, the stringent international regulations on ship energy efficiency and NOx emissions from ocean-going ships make energy conservation and emission reduction be the theme of the shipping industry. Due to its fuel economy and reliability, most large commercial vessels are propelled by a low-speed two-stroke marine diesel engine, which consumes most of the fuel in the ship. In the present work, a zero-dimensional model is developed, which considers the blow-by, exhaust gas bypass, gas exchange, turbocharger, and heat transfer. Meanwhile, the model is improved by considering the heating effect of the blow-by gas on the intake gas. The proposed model is applied to a MAN B&W low-speed two-stroke marine diesel engine and validated with the engine shop test data. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The accuracy of the model is greatly improved after considering the heating effect of blow-by gas. The model accuracy of most parameters has been improved from within 5% to within 2%, by considering the heating effect of blow-by gas. Finally, the influence of blow-by area change on engine performance is analyzed with considering and without considering the heating effect of blow-by.

Features of radiation protection equipment for the staff of X-ray operating rooms

This survey is devoted to the staff radiation protection in X-ray operating rooms. For self-safety staff must regularly and correctly use the protective equipment, which is ensured by their availability, convenience and manoeuvrability during procedures performing. The rapid development of interventional radiology led to the fact that the staff work in this area have one of the highest levels of occupational exposure. Unfortunately, domestic radiation protection system does not keep pace with such a rapid development of this branch of medicine. The article shows the basic principles of the distribution of scattered radiation in the X-ray operating room during the procedures performing. The distribution of scattered radiation around the patient for various modes of C-arm angiographic systems is shown. Graphical examples of scattered radiation distribution in X-ray operating rooms are given. Collective and individual protective equipment specifically designed for staff radiation protection in X-ray operating room are considered in detail. The common data on the protection features of the recommended staff protection equipment are presented. Most of the considered protection equipment is mandatory in many European countries, but not mentioned in domestic regulatory documents yet. The proposals for the modernization of the domestic radiation protection system for staff of X-ray operating rooms have been made. These recommendations focused on providing X-ray operating rooms with relevant radiation protection equipment, including eye protection, following the accumulated world experience and international regulations.

Local Route Planning for Collision Avoidance of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships in Compliance with COLREGs Rules

A maritime autonomous surface ship (MASS) ensures safety and effectiveness during navigation using its ability to prevent collisions with a nearby target ship (TS). This avoids the loss of human life and property. Therefore, collision avoidance of MASSs has been actively researched recently. However, previous studies did not consider all factors crucial to collision avoidance in compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) Rules 5, 7, 8, and 13–17. In this study, a local route-planning algorithm that takes collision-avoidance actions in compliance with COLREGs Rules using a fuzzy inference system based on near-collision (FIS-NC), ship domain (SD), and velocity obstacle (VO) is proposed. FIS-NC is used to infer the collision risk index (CRI) and determine the time point for collision avoidance. Following this, I extended the VO using the SD to secure the minimum safe distance between the MASS and the TS when they pass each other. Unlike previous methods, the proposed algorithm can be used to perform safe and efficient navigation in terms of near-collision accidents, inferred CRI, and deviation from the course angle route by taking collision-avoidance actions in compliance with COLREGs Rules 5, 7, 8, and 13–17.

An Efficient Ship Automatic Collision Avoidance Method Based on Modified Artificial Potential Field

A novel collision avoidance (CA) algorithm was proposed based on the modified artificial potential field (APF) method, to construct a practical ship automatic CA system. Considering the constraints of both the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) and the motion characteristics of the ship, the multi-ship CA algorithm was realized by modifying the repulsive force model in the APF method. Furthermore, the distance from the closest point of approach-time to the closest point of approach (DCPA-TCPA) criterion was selected as the unique adjustable parameter from the perspective of navigation practice. Collaborative CA experiments were designed and conducted to validate the proposed algorithm. The results of the experiments revealed that the actual DCPA and TCPA agree well with the parameter setup that keeps the ship at a safe distance from other ships in complex encountering situations. Consequently, the algorithm proposed in this study can achieve efficient automatic CA with minimal parameter settings. Moreover, the navigators can easily accept and comprehend the adjustable parameters, enabling the algorithm to satisfy the demand of the engineering applications.

Tłumacz ustny w postępowaniu karnym

Interpreter in Criminal Proceeding This article presents the role of an interpreter in criminal proceedings, Polish and international regulations governing the obligation to appoint an interpreter for criminal procedural activities, the problems of interpreters’ cooperation with justice authorities, and the results of a survey on the experiences of sworn interpreters who provide interpreting services to the Police, the prosecutor’s office, and the courts in criminal proceedings in the following aspects: ensuring safety in the course of the activities, expectations of foreigners and authorities’ representatives towards the interpreter, preparing the interpreter’s work station and ensuring appropriate working conditions, as well as agreeing upon an appropriate remuneration for interpreters. A total of fifty-five sworn interpreters who regularly provide interpreting services to justice authorities took part in the survey. Their task was to complete a questionnaire consisting of fourteen questions, half of which were closed single-choice questions and the rest were open-ended questions.