Method of Modelling a Tank with Ribbing using a Spatial Scanner for Optimized Control of Volume Characteristics

Increasing requirements for product quality, whether from the side of technical standards or customers, generate demands on the optimization of measurement and data evaluation processes, which include also dimensional characteristics. The paper deals with determining the volume of the tank of a railway wagon with ribbing. In practice, volume flow meters are usually used to measure the internal volumes of manufactured tanks, which measure the volume of water when filled with water. The method is not only time-consuming but also energy-consuming and generates a large amount of wastewater. Therefore, these obsolete methods are gradually being replaced by those that allow effective inspection of tank wagon dimensions according to the technical documentation. The topic of the paper is a description and verification of the design of a progressive method of determining the internal volume of the tank using a spatial 3D scanner Faro FocusS150 and software processing of measured data. At the same time, verification of compliance with the requirements for the accuracy of determining the internal volume of the tank is presented. The aforementioned methods are therefore compared in terms of accuracy, complexity and time consumption.

CHARACTERISTICS OF WHITE MATTER HYPOINTENSITY IN NORMAL COGNITIVE VIETNAMESE ADULTS USING MRI

Objectives: access the white-matter hypointensity (WMHypo) volume characteristics in relationships with age. Methods: Analysing for volumes of cerebral WMHypo volumes from cranial magnetic resonance images taken from 455 normal cognitive Vietnamese subjects (males 47,03%), and ranging in age from 17 to 87 years. Results: The volumes of WMHypo were increasing with age in both male (p< 0,001) and female (p < 0,001). And regression analyses indicated that WMHypo volume increasing in cubic manners that relatively stable with age under 40-50 y.o then sharply increase from 60s. Conclusion: White matter hypointensity had appeared since youth and boosted from middle age, since any cognitive impairment could be detected as in elders, and and its growth rate coexists with atrophy in the cerebral degeneration process such as Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.

Academic article: Trends in model changes

The article aims to determine the changes in the model of the speech genre of the Russian academic article in the field of humanities over the past 120 years. Methodologically, the analysis is focused mainly on identifying cognitive (logical-structural), pragmalinguistic (identifying the leading speech strategies) and formal (the form, article sections, text volume) characteristics of articles. The research suggests that during the analyzed time period, divided into four parts (1900–1930, 1930–1960, 1960–1990, 1990–2020), this speech genre has acquired the features of a hypergenre due to the fact that the following mandatory elements were included into the model: an Abstract, Information about the author, and Keywords. According to the analysis, one can see a specific trajectory in the formation of a model of a Russian academic article genre, the strengthening of national ways of information presentation and addressing in contrast to the enhancement of formal indicators. The obtained data is confirmed by the analysis of the frequency of speech strategies implementation (analytical, characterizing, modeling, methodological, classifying, reviewing, problem stating, descriptive, informing) and the analysis of the peripheral speech genres included into the article – affiliation (gratitude, appreciation), evaluation (criticism, approval, reproach), reflexive (justification, reference to authority), and prognostic (forecast, recommendation, suggestion) ones. Fluctuation in their frequency reflects internal trends related to historical causes and changes in scientific paradigms. Thus, the results of the research on the academic article speech genre in the field of humanities indicate that the unification of the Russian and Western European (Scopus) models of this speech genre is not inevitable.

ЛИНГВИСТИЧКИ АТЛАС НА МАКЕДОНСКИТЕ ДИЈАЛЕКТИ (СПОРЕД МАТЕРИЈАЛИТЕ НА ОПШТОСЛОВЕНСКИОТ ЛИНГВИСТИЧКИ АТЛАС – ОЛА). СКОПJE: МАНУ, 2020 / A LINGUISTIC ATLAS OF THE MACEDONIAN DIALECTS (ACCORDING TO THE DATA IN THE SLAVIC LINGUISTIC ATLAS – SLA). SKOPJE: MASA, 2020

The project for creating a three-volume Bulgarian-Slovak dictionary is presented. The attention is focused on the structure of the newly published third volume. Characteristics of the included vocabulary, as well as its way of presentation in dictionary articles, are stated.

Heterogeneity in COVID-19 patient volume, characteristics and outcomes across US Department of Veterans Affairs facilities: an observational cohort study

ObjectiveStudies describe COVID-19 patient characteristics and outcomes across populations, but reports of variation across healthcare facilities are lacking. The objectives were to examine differences in COVID-19 patient volume and mortality across facilities, and understand whether facility variation in mortality was due primarily to differences in patient versus facility characteristics.DesignObservational cohort study with multilevel mixed effects logistic regression modelling.SettingThe Veterans Health Administration (VA) is the largest healthcare system in the USA.ParticipantsPatients with COVID-19.Main outcomeAll-cause mortality within 45 days after COVID-19 testing (March–May, follow-up through 16 July 2020).ResultsAmong 13 510 patients with COVID-19, 3942 (29.2%) were admitted (2266/3942 (57.5%) ward; 1676/3942 (42.5%) intensive care unit (ICU)) and 679/3942 (17.2%) received mechanical ventilation. Marked heterogeneity was observed across facilities in median age (range: 34.3–83.9 years; facility mean: 64.7, SD 7.2 years); patient volume (range: 1–737 at 160 facilities; facility median: 48.5, IQR 14–105.5); hospital admissions (range: 1–286 at 133 facilities; facility median: 11, IQR 1–26.5); ICU caseload (range: 1–85 at 115 facilities; facility median: 4, IQR 0–12); and mechanical ventilation (range: 1–53 at 90 facilities; facility median: 1, IQR 0–5). Heterogeneity was also observed in facility mortality for all patients with COVID-19 (range: 0%–29.7%; facility median: 8.9%, IQR 2.4%–13.7%); inpatients (range: 0%–100%; facility median: 18.0%, IQR 5.6%–28.6%); ICU patients (range: 0%–100%; facility median: 28.6%, IQR 14.3%–50.0%); and mechanical ventilator patients (range: 0%–100%; facility median: 52.7%, IQR 33.3%–80.6%). The majority of variation in facility mortality was attributable to differences in patient characteristics (eg, age).ConclusionsMarked heterogeneity in COVID-19 patient volume, characteristics and mortality were observed across VA facilities nationwide. Differences in patient characteristics accounted for the majority of explained variation in mortality across sites. Variation in unadjusted COVID-19 mortality across facilities or nations should be considered with caution.

The Capabilities of Haematology Analysers for Assessing the Bodyʼs Physiological and Pathological Conditions (Review)

Haematology analysers have become an intrinsic part of contemporary medical practice and are used by specialists in various fields of medicine to diagnose diseases and predict their course and outcome. Moreover, the readings of these devices are currently in demand in experimental biology and medicine, toxicology, and veterinary medicine. This review examines the capabilities of modern models of haematology analysers and prospects for their use. New technical approaches combined with already known methods and statistical calculation parameters allow us to significantly expand the range of analyser output. It is shown that the introduction of programs for statistical calculations of a large number of indices and parameters of the distribution of cell populations by their volumes opens up new prospects for describing and evaluating not only pathological, but also physiological states of the body. We analysed both Russian and foreign literature on the use of erythrocyte and platelet indices to diagnose cardiovascular and other pathologies. Taking into account the indicators of corpuscular volume based on histograms and analysing statistical parameters of blood cell distribution enhance our understanding of the structure of blood cell populations, significantly increase the information content of research and can serve as an additional criterion for quantitative assessment of the bodyʼs conditions and diagnosis of diseases. Statistical characteristics such as asymmetry coefficient, kurtosis, and standard deviation of empirical erythrograms and leukograms allow us to assess the degree of anisocytosis and cellular heterogeneity, as well as the ratio of different populations. Studying the volume characteristics of blood cells based on histogram analysis significantly improves the effectiveness of using haematology analysers in evaluating various pathological and physiological conditions of the body.

Internal pressure driven finite element model of a single pulmonary acinus

A computer simulated, poroelastic, hyperelastic model was developed to replicate the pressure-volume response of a single pulmonary acinus (15th branch of the respiratory tree and daughter branches) with air flow at its core. An internal pressure driven approach was taken upon a small spherical geometry (99.2 mm3 in volume) representing this small segment of lung parenchyma. A reference porcine tracheal pressure at tidal breathing was adjusted from 1471 Pa to 998 Pa to accommodate for pressure drop, and the pressure of 998 Pa was applied to the model for parametric analysis of its pressure-volume characteristics. In targeting a proportional tidal volume change of approximately 15% while also inducing a pressure-volume hysteresis, material parameters of Young’s modulus of 4 kPa, Poisson’s ratio of 0.4, and a permeability of 5×10-5 cm3s-1cm-2 were identified as suitable. The energy loss over a single pressure-volume cycle for a pulmonary acinus was found to be 6.3×10-6 J. This model was qualitatively compared to the pressure-volume relationship of the original porcine data source, and then with experimental findings of the material parameters for lung parenchyma in medical literature, demonstrating same-order agreement.

Astrocyte-secreted chordin-like 1 regulates spine density after ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke occurs when the brain is deprived of blood flow, preventing cells from receiving nutrients necessary to perform basic vital functions. In the peri-infarct area neurons undergo an acute loss of dendritic spines along with morphological alterations, which ultimately modify synaptic plasticity and determine neuronal survival. Astrocytes have been shown to play protective or detrimental roles in neuronal survival post-stroke, depending on the specific stage, yet we lack a clear understanding of the underlying mechanisms triggered at these different time points. Recently chordin-like 1 (Chrdl1) was identified as an astrocyte-secreted protein that promotes synaptic maturation and limits experience-dependent plasticity in the mouse visual cortex, leading us to ask if Chrdl1 regulates spine density and recovery from stroke. Using photothrombosis to model ischemic stroke, we studied Chrdl1 KO mice during the acute and subacute phases post-stroke (1 and 7 days after injury, respectively) to assess the potential of Chrdl1 to regulate spine density, glial reactivity and injury volume, characteristics that are involved in functional recovery after ischemia. We find that the absence of Chrdl1 prevents ischemia-induced spine loss in the peri-infarct area, a feature that indicates an important role of astrocytes in recovery from ischemic stroke.