Search Results (34,182)

Treadmill running gait differs to overland running and is commonly used to evaluate interventions. One challenge is accurately defining strike pattern and related impact kinetics. This study aimed to characterise foot-strike patterns during treadmill running using the spatial distribution of in-shoe plantar forces and to identify differences in impact kinetics through spectral analysis. Low- and high-frequency power components were analysed in heel, midfoot and forefoot strike patterns. No distinct impact peaks were identified in the force traces; however, significant spatial differences were found. Forefoot strikes exhibited lower peak impact force, average loading rate, and high-frequency power spectral density (PSD) components compared to heel and midfoot strikes, with heel also lower than midfoot. Strike pattern classification was derived from spatial force distribution, where >70% posterior and >50% anterior denote heel and forefoot strikes, while midfoot strikes demonstrate a more balanced distribution with >25% in the central zone. These findings support the integration of spatial, force-based classification with frequency-domain analysis to enhance the evaluation of impact attenuation in treadmill-based running interventions. Full article

In the process of producing ferroalloys, a large amount of secondary raw materials is formed, including slag, aspiration dusts and sludge. The recycling of secondary raw materials can create resources and bring environmental and economic benefits. Wet secondary raw materials (WSRMs) are characterized by a high chromium oxide content (averaging 24%), but due to their high moisture levels, they cannot be directly used in arc furnaces. As a strategic approach, mixing WSRMs with drier, more chromium-rich dusts (up to 45% Cr₂O₃) has been proposed. This not only reduces the overall moisture content of the mixture but also enhances the metallurgical value of the charge material. This paper presents the results of laboratory studies on the agglomeration of secondary wet raw materials using briquetting, extrusion and pelletizing methods. The main factors influencing the quality of the resulting product were analyzed, including the method of agglomeration, the composition of the mixture, as well as the type and dosage of the binder component. The strength characteristics of the finished agglomerated samples were evaluated in terms of resistance to splitting, impact loads and falling. Notably, the selected binders are organic and polymer substances capable of complete combustion under metallurgical smelting conditions. Full article

Red deer fat makes up approximately 7–10% of the animal’s weight and is not currently used. Regarding sustainability in the food industry, it is desirable to look for opportunities for its processing and use, not only in the food industry. The aim of this study is the enzymatic modification of red deer fat, leading to modification of its physicochemical properties, and the study of changes in phase transitions of modified fat, its structure, color, and texture. Hydrolysis was performed using sn-1,3-specific lipase at different water concentrations (10–30%) and reaction times (2–6 h). The results showed that there was a significant decrease in melting and crystallization temperatures with an increasing degree of hydrolysis, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry. FTIR spectra revealed a decrease in the intensity of the ester bonds, indicating cleavage of triacylglycerols. Texture analysis of the modified fats confirmed a decrease in hardness of up to 50% and an increase in spreadability. The color parameter values remained within an acceptable range. The results show that enzymatic modification is an effective tool for targeted modification of red deer fat properties, and this expands the possibilities of its application in cosmetic matrices and food applications as functional lipids. Full article

Brown algae such as Ascophyllum nodosum (AN) and Fucus vesiculosus (FV) are gaining considerable attention as functional feed additives due to their health-beneficial properties. This study evaluated the antioxidant potential of AN and FV extracts in intestinal epithelial cells and the in vivo model Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Aqueous AN and FV extracts were characterized for total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (TEAC, FRAP), and phlorotannin composition using LC-HRMS/MS. Antioxidant effects were assessed in vitro, measuring AAPH-induced ROS production in Caco-2 and IPEC-J2 cells via H₂DCF-DA, and in vivo, evaluating the effects of paraquat-induced oxidative stress and AN or FV treatment on worm motility, GST-4::GFP reporter expression, and gene expression in C. elegans. FV exhibited higher total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity (TEAC, FRAP), and a broader phlorotannin profile (degree of polymerization [DP] 2–9) than AN (DP 2–7), as determined by LC-HRMS/MS. Both extracts attenuated AAPH-induced oxidative stress in epithelial cells, with FV showing greater efficacy. In C. elegans, pre-treatment with AN and FV significantly mitigated a paraquat-induced motility decline by 22% and 11%, respectively, compared to PQ-stressed controls. Under unstressed conditions, both extracts enhanced nematode healthspan, with significant effects observed at 400 µg/g for AN and starting at 100 µg/g for FV. Gene expression analysis indicated that both extracts modulated antioxidant pathways in unstressed worms. Under oxidative stress, pre-treatment with AN and FV significantly reduced GST-4::GFP expression. In the nematode, AN was more protective under acute stress, whereas FV better supported physiological function in the absence of stressors. These findings demonstrate that AN and FV counteract oxidative stress in intestinal epithelial cells and in C. elegans, highlighting their potential as stress-reducing agents in animal feed. Full article

The fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, which causes yellow rust disease, poses a significant economic threat to wheat production not only in Uzbekistan but also globally, leading to substantial reductions in grain yield. This study aimed to develop yellow rust-resistance wheat lines by introgressing Yr10 and Yr15 genes into high-yielding cultivar Grom using the marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) method. Grom was crossed with donor genotypes Yr10/6*Avocet S and Yr15/6*Avocet S, resulting in the development of F₁ generations. In the following years, the F₁ hybrids were advanced to the BC₂F₁ and BC₂F₂ generations using the MABC approach. Foreground and background selection using microsatellite markers (Xpsp3000 and Barc008) were employed to identify homozygous Yr10- and Yr15-containing genotypes. The resulting BC₂F₂ lines, designated as Grom-Yr10 and Grom-Yr15, retained key agronomic traits of the recurrent parent cv. Grom, such as spike length (13.0–11.9 cm) and spike weight (3.23–2.92 g). Under artificial infection conditions, the selected lines showed complete resistance to yellow rust (infection type 0). The most promising BC₂F₂ plants were subsequently advanced to homozygous BC₂F₃ lines harboring the introgressed resistance genes through marker-assisted selection. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating molecular marker-assisted selection with conventional breeding methods to enhance disease resistance while preserving high-yielding traits. The newly developed lines offer valuable material for future wheat improvement and contribute to sustainable agriculture and food security. Full article

This study presents a comparison of the mechanical properties of selected high-performance concrete mixtures, some of which contained a proportion of recycled concrete aggregate (15% or 30%) as a substitute for natural aggregate. A reference mixture without recycled concrete aggregate was used for comparison. Initially, the properties of concrete containing both the natural and recycled aggregate types were characterized. This was followed by a series of mechanical tests investigating the compressive strength, flexural strength, and chemical resistance (including resistance to de-icing agents and sulfuric acid). The structural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams produced from the mixtures was assessed, and surface morphology was evaluated using a digital microscope. The results confirmed that the use of recycled aggregate had a measurable yet limited effect on the properties of hardened concrete. While the compressive strength tended to decrease slightly with an increasing degree of replacement, the flexural strength remained stable in all the mixtures. The tested mixtures demonstrated adequate resistance to de-icing agents and sulfuric acid. Interestingly, specimens subjected to a frost-resistance test showed improved flexural strength, potentially due to ongoing hydration or microcrack healing. In addition, the RC beams with partial aggregate replacement achieved a higher load-bearing capacity compared to the reference beams. The optical surface evaluation method proved to be a valuable tool, complementary to conventional strength testing. This research enhances the current understanding of recycled aggregate concrete and supports its potential for structural applications. Full article

The rhythm of epileptiform activity occurs in various brain injuries (ischemia, stroke, concussion, mechanical damage, AD, PD). The epileptiform rhythm is accompanied by periodic Ca²⁺ pulses, which are necessary for the neurotransmitter release, the repair of damaged connections between neurons, and the growth of new projections. The duration and amplitude of these pulses depend on intracellular calcium-binding proteins. The effect of the synthetic fast calcium buffer BAPTA on the epileptiform activity of neurons induced by the GABA(A)-receptor inhibitor, bicuculline, was investigated in a 14-DIV rat hippocampal culture. In the epileptiform activity mode, neurons periodically synchronously generate action potential (AP) bursts in the form of paroxysmal depolarization shift (PDS) clusters and their corresponding high-amplitude Ca²⁺ pulses. Changes in the paroxysmal activity and Ca²⁺ pulses were recorded continuously for 10–11 min as BAPTA accumulated. It was shown that during BAPTA accumulation, transformation of neuronal patch activity occurs. Moreover, GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons respond differently to the presence of calcium buffer. Experiments were performed on two populations of neurons: a population of GABAergic neurons that responded selectively to ATPA, a calcium-permeable GluK1 kainate receptor agonist, and a population of glutamatergic neurons with a large amplitude of cluster depolarization (greater than −20 mV). These neurons made up the majority of neurons. In the population of GABAergic neurons, during BAPTA accumulation, the amplitude of PDS clusters decreases, which leads to a switch from the PDS mode to the classical burst mode with an increase in the electrical activity of the neuron. In glutamatergic neurons, the duration of PDS clusters decreased during BAPTA accumulation. However, the amplitude changed little. The data obtained showed that endogenous calcium-binding proteins play a significant role in switching the epileptiform rhythm to the recovery rhythm and perform a neuroprotective function by reducing the duration of impulses in excitatory neurons and the amplitude of impulses in inhibitory neurons. Full article

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disorder characterized by vascular abnormalities, immune dysfunction, and progressive fibrosis. One of the most common manifestations of SSc is interstitial lung disease (ILD), known by a progressive course leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Aim: to investigate autoantibodies, cytokines, and genetic markers in SSc-ILD through a systematic review and analysis of a Kazakh cohort of SSc-ILD patients. Methods: A PubMed search over the past 10 years was performed with “SSc-ILD”, “autoantibodies”, “cytokines”, and “genes”. Thirty patients with SSc were assessed for lung involvement, EScSG score, and modified Rodnan skin score. IL-6 was measured by ELISA, antinuclear factor on HEp-2 cells by indirect immunofluorescence, and specific autoantibodies by immunoblotting. Genetic analysis was performed using a 120-gene AmpliSeq panel on the Ion Proton platform. Results: The literature review identified 361 articles, 26 addressed autoantibodies, 20 genetic variants, and 12 cytokine profiles. Elevated levels of IL-6, TGF-β, IL-33, and TNF-α were linked to SSc. Based on the results of the systemic review, we created a preliminary immunogenic panel for SSc-ILD with following analysis in Kazakh patients with SSc (n = 30). Fourteen of them (46.7%) demonstrated signs of ILD and/or lung hypertension, with frequent detection of antibodies such as Scl-70, U1-snRNP, SS-A, and genetic variants in SAMD9L, REL, IRAK1, LY96, IL6R, ITGA2B, AIRE, TREX1, and CD40 genes. Conclusions: Current research confirmed the presence of the broad range of autoantibodies and variations in IRAK1, TNFAIP3, SAMD9L, REL, IRAK1, LY96, IL6R, ITGA2B, AIRE, TREX1, CD40 genes in of Kazakhstani cohort of SSc-ILD patients. Full article

This study explores fine-tuning methods and dataset structures for multilingual neural machine translation using the No Language Left Behind model, with a case study on Kazakh, English, and Russian. We compare single-stage and two-stage fine-tuning approaches, as well as triplet versus non-triplet dataset configurations, to improve translation quality. A high-quality, 50,000-triplet dataset in information technology domain, manually translated and expert-validated, serves as the in-domain benchmark, complemented by out-of-domain corpora like KazParC. Evaluations using BLEU, chrF, METEOR, and TER metrics reveal that single-stage fine-tuning excels for low-resource pairs (e.g., 0.48 BLEU, 0.77 chrF for Kazakh → Russian), while two-stage fine-tuning benefits high-resource pairs (Russian → English). Triplet datasets improve cross-linguistic consistency compared with non-triplet structures. Our reproducible framework offers practical guidance for adapting neural machine translation to technical domains and low-resource languages. Full article

The increasing depletion of high-grade nickel sulfide deposits and the growing demand for nickel have intensified global interest in oxidized nickel ores (ONOs), particularly those located in Kazakhstan. This study presents a comprehensive review of the mineralogical and chemical characteristics of ONOs from the Shevchenkovskoye cobalt–nickel ore deposit and other Kazakhstan deposits, highlighting the challenges they pose for conventional beneficiation and metallurgical processing. Current industrial practices are analyzed, including pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, and pyro-hydrometallurgical methods, with an emphasis on their efficiency, environmental impact, and economic feasibility. Special attention is given to the potential of hydro-catalytic leaching as a flexible, energy-efficient alternative for treating low-grade ONOs under atmospheric conditions. The results underscore the necessity of developing cost-effective and sustainable technologies tailored to the unique composition of Kazakhstani ONOs, particularly those rich in iron and magnesium. This work provides a strategic framework for future research and the industrial application of advanced leaching techniques to unlock the full potential of Kazakhstan’s nickel resources. Full article

Cutting beech plywood using abrasive water jet (AWJ) technology represents a significant area of research due to increasing demands for precision, quality, and environmental sustainability in manufacturing processes within the woodworking industry. AWJ technology enables non-contact cutting of materials without causing thermal deformation or mechanical damage, which is crucial for preserving the structural integrity and mechanical properties of the plywood. This article investigates cutting beech plywood using technical methods using an abrasive water jet (AWJ) at 400 MPa pressure, with Australian garnet (80 MESH) as the abrasive material. It examines how abrasive mass flow rate, traverse speed, and material thickness affect AWJ lag, which in turn influences both cutting quality and accuracy. Measurements were conducted with power abrasive mass flow rates of 250, 350, and 450 g/min and traverse speeds of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 m/min. Results show that increasing the abrasive mass flow rate from 250 g/min to 350 g/min slightly decreased the AWJ cut width by 0.05 mm, while further increasing to 450 g/min caused a slight increase of 0.1 mm. Changes in traverse speed significantly influenced cut width; increasing the traverse speed from 0.2 m/min to 0.4 m/min widened the AWJ by 0.21 mm, while increasing it to 0.6 m/min caused a slight increase of 0.18 mm. For practical applications, it is recommended to use an abrasive mass flow rate of around 350 g/min combined with a traverse speed between 0.2 and 0.4 m/min when cutting beech plywood with AWJ. This balance minimizes jet lag and maintains high surface quality comparable to conventional milling. For thicker plywood, reducing the traverse speed closer to 0.2 m/min and slightly increasing the abrasive flow should ensure clean cuts without compromising surface integrity. Full article

This study investigates the wear performance of 20CrMnTi steel, a commonly used material for spiral bevel gears, after heat treatment, with a focus on the microstructural evolution and wear behavior in both the surface and gradient direction of the carburized layer. The results show that the microstructure composition in the gradient direction of the carburized layer gradually transitions from martensite and residual austenite to a martensite–bainite mixed structure, and eventually transforms to fully bainitic in the matrix. With the extension of carburizing time, both the effective carburized layer depth and the hardened layer depth significantly increase. Wear track morphology analysis reveals that the wear track depth gradually becomes shallower and narrower, and the wear rate increases significantly with increasing load. However, the friction coefficient shows little sensitivity to changes in carburizing time and load. Further investigations show that as the carburized layer depth increases, the carbon concentration and hardness of the samples gradually decrease, resulting in an increase in the average wear rate and a progressive worsening of wear severity. After the wear tests, different depths of plowing grooves, spalling, and fish-scale-like features were observed in the wear regions. Additionally, with the increase in load and carburized layer depth, both the width and depth of the wear tracks significantly increased. The research results provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the surface carburizing process of 20CrMnTi steel and improving its wear resistance. Full article

Motivation remains a central concern in second language (L2) and English as a foreign language (EFL) education, yet its underlying mechanisms are insufficiently understood. This study employs the theory of Directed Motivational Currents (DMCs) to explore periods of intense, sustained L2 motivation among Chinese adolescent EFL learners across secondary and tertiary levels. Through in-depth interviews with ten participants, this research identified the conditions (e.g., collaborative peer dynamics, vivid goal visualization) that triggered their DMC experiences. The data also highlighted how facilitative elements—such as clear starting points, personalized goal alignment, behavioral routines, and timely feedback—played a crucial role in initiating and sustaining these motivational currents. These findings contribute to DMC theory by revealing how intrinsic and extrinsic factors jointly foster and maintain high levels of motivation over time, offering valuable insights for designing targeted interventions to enhance EFL motivation and learning among Chinese adolescents. Full article

Accurate forecasting of energy consumption in buildings is essential for achieving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions. However, many existing models rely on limited input variables and overlook the complex influence of indoor environmental quality (IEQ). In this study, we assess the performance of hybrid machine learning ensembles for predicting hourly energy demand in a smart office environment using high-frequency IEQ sensor data. Environmental variables including carbon dioxide concentration (CO₂), particulate matter (PM_2.5), total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), noise levels, humidity, and temperature were recorded over a four-month period. We evaluated two ensemble configurations combining support vector regression (SVR) with either Random Forest or LightGBM as base learners and Ridge regression as a meta-learner, alongside single-model baselines such as SVR and artificial neural networks (ANN). The SVR combined with Random Forest and Ridge regression demonstrated the highest predictive performance, achieving a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.20, a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 8.92%, and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.82. Feature importance analysis using SHAP values, together with non-parametric statistical testing, identified TVOCs, humidity, and PM_2.5 as the most influential predictors of energy use. These findings highlight the value of integrating high-resolution IEQ data into predictive frameworks and demonstrate that such data can significantly improve forecasting accuracy. This effect is attributed to the direct link between these IEQ variables and the activation of energy-intensive systems; fluctuations in humidity drive HVAC energy use for dehumidification, while elevated pollutant levels (TVOCs, PM_2.5) trigger increased ventilation to maintain indoor air quality, thus raising the total energy load. Full article

Skin disorders are common and often chronic conditions with significant therapeutic challenges. Limitations of conventional treatments, such as adverse effects and antimicrobial resistance, have increased interest in plant-based alternatives. This article presents the phytochemical composition and pharmacological potential of several medicinal plants traditionally used in the treatment of skin diseases, including Rubus vulgaris, Plantago major, Artemisia terrae-albae, and Eryngium planum. Based on an analysis of scientific literature, the presence of bioactive compounds—including flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, tannins, and sesquiterpenes—is summarized, along with their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects. Emphasis is placed on the correlation between traditional ethnomedicinal applications and pharmacological mechanisms. The findings support the potential of these species as sources for dermatological phytotherapeutics. Further research is needed to standardize active constituents, assess safety, and conduct clinical validation. Full article