Educational Games for Learning Programming Languages

A concept of educational game for learning programming languages is presented. The idea of learning programming languages and improving programming skills through programming game characters’ behavior is described. The learning course description rules for using in games are suggested. The concept is implemented in a game for learning C# programming language. A common game architecture is modified for using in the educational game. The game engine is built on the base of the graphical engine Ogre3D and extended with game logic. The game has been developed as an industry level commercial product and is planned for sale to educational institutions

High-level laser therapy versus scalpel surgery in the treatment of oral lichen planus: a randomized control trial

Objective: To compare the clinical effectiveness of various types of high-level laser therapy (HLLT) toward scalpel excision for the surgical treatment of erosive oral lichen planus (OLP). Materials and methods: The total number of 128 individuals were enrolled in the study. The 35 did not meet the inclusion criteria due to malignancy signs and presence of diabetes mellitus. In total, 8 were lost to follow-up, and 10 were excluded from the analysis, due to analgesics intake. This way 75 patients with the erosive form of OLP were analyzed in three intervention groups (Er:YAG, n = 19; Nd:YAG, n = 15; Er:YAG + Nd:YAG combination, n = 20) and one control group with scalpel excision (n = 21). The therapy effectiveness has been assessed based on the comparison of salivary interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6 and interferon (IFN)-gamma preoperative levels to 14, 30 days, and 2 years postoperation, as well as pain level and time of epithelization. Results: All HLLT groups demonstrated a significantly (p > 0.05) higher IL-1 beta, IL-6, IFN gamma and pain level reduction and quicker epithelization toward the control group on the 30th day, except Nd:YAG in case of IFN gamma level. The highest IL-1 beta, IFN gamma and pain level reduction and quicker epithelization on the 30th day was observed in Er:YAG group, followed by Er:YAG + Nd:YAG combination, Nd:YAG respectively. However no significant difference was observed between the HLLT groups with regard to IL-6 level reduction. After a 2-year follow-up, no significant difference was observed between all study groups with regard to all variables. Conclusion: HLLT yields a superior clinical outcome compared to the scalpel excision for the surgical treatment of oral lichen planus, whereby the Er:YAG has been proposed as the most effective laser type at the end of the first postoperative month. Clinical relevance: For the surgical treatment of erosive OLP the Er:YAG laser may be a preferable treatment option compared to Nd:YAG and scalpel surgery. Trial registration: The present trial was registered retrospectively in the German Clinical Trials Register, as a member of WHO international clinical trials registry platform, on the 18.03.2020 with the following number: DRKS00020986

Magnetic behaviour of perovskite compositions derived from BiFeO3

The phase content and sequence, the crystal structure, and the magnetic properties of perovskite solid solutions of the (1−y)BiFeO3–yBiZn0.5Ti0.5O3 series (0.05 ≤ y ≤ 0.90) synthesized under high pressure have been studied. Two perovskite phases, namely the rhombohedral R3c and the tetragonal P4mm, which correspond to the structural types of the end members, BiFeO3 and BiZn0.5Ti0.5O3, respectively, were revealed in the as-synthesized samples. The rhombohedral and the tetragonal phases were found to coexist in the compositional range of 0.30 ≤ y ≤ 0.90. Magnetic properties of the BiFe1−y [Zn0.5Ti0.5]yO3 ceramics with y < 0.30 were measured as a function of temperature. The obtained compositional variations of the normalized unit-cell volume and the Néel temperature of the BiFe1−y [Zn0.5Ti0.5]yO3 perovskites in the range of their rhombohedral phase were compared with the respective dependences for the BiFe1−yB 3+yO3 perovskites (where B 3+ = Ga, Co, Mn, Cr, and Sc). The role of the high-pressure synthesis in the formation of the antiferromagnetic states different from the modulated cycloidal one characteristic of the parent BiFeO3 is discussed.publishe

High-level laser therapy versus scalpel surgery in the treatment of oral lichen planus: a randomized control trial

Objective!#!To compare the clinical effectiveness of various types of high-level laser therapy (HLLT) toward scalpel excision for the surgical treatment of erosive oral lichen planus (OLP).!##!Materials and methods!#!The total number of 128 individuals were enrolled in the study. The 35 did not meet the inclusion criteria due to malignancy signs and presence of diabetes mellitus. In total, 8 were lost to follow-up, and 10 were excluded from the analysis, due to analgesics intake. This way 75 patients with the erosive form of OLP were analyzed in three intervention groups (Er:YAG, n = 19; Nd:YAG, n = 15; Er:YAG + Nd:YAG combination, n = 20) and one control group with scalpel excision (n = 21). The therapy effectiveness has been assessed based on the comparison of salivary interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and interferon (IFN)-γ preoperative levels to 14, 30 days, and 2 years postoperation, as well as pain level and time of epithelization.!##!Results!#!All HLLT groups demonstrated a significantly (p &amp;gt; 0.05) higher IL-1β, IL-6, IFNγ and pain level reduction and quicker epithelization toward the control group on the 30th day, except Nd:YAG in case of IFNγ level. The highest IL-1β, IFNγ and pain level reduction and quicker epithelization on the 30th day was observed in Er:YAG group, followed by Er:YAG + Nd:YAG combination, Nd:YAG respectively. However no significant difference was observed between the HLLT groups with regard to IL-6 level reduction. After a 2-year follow-up, no significant difference was observed between all study groups with regard to all variables.!##!Conclusion!#!HLLT yields a superior clinical outcome compared to the scalpel excision for the surgical treatment of oral lichen planus, whereby the Er:YAG has been proposed as the most effective laser type at the end of the first postoperative month.!##!Clinical relevance!#!For the surgical treatment of erosive OLP the Er:YAG laser may be a preferable treatment option compared to Nd:YAG and scalpel surgery.!##!Trial registration!#!The present trial was registered retrospectively in the German Clinical Trials Register, as a member of WHO international clinical trials registry platform, on the 18.03.2020 with the following number: DRKS00020986

Autonomous power supply using solar energy in Russian Far East regions

The most useful application of PV solar power in Russia are autonomous power systems in regions with high costs of organic fuels (due to transportation problems). Effective application of PV power needs comprehensive data analysis for solar energy resources, electric and heat load graphs and fuel costs. This paper is devoted to climate and power load data analysis for Russian Far East regions (in connection with PV application) and PV-based power plant mathematical modeling for several locations

Autonomous power supply using solar energy in Russian Far East regions

The most useful application of PV solar power in Russia are autonomous power systems in regions with high costs of organic fuels (due to transportation problems). Effective application of PV power needs comprehensive data analysis for solar energy resources, electric and heat load graphs and fuel costs. This paper is devoted to climate and power load data analysis for Russian Far East regions (in connection with PV application) and PV-based power plant mathematical modeling for several locations

Finite Element Analysis of Customized Acetabular Implant and Bone after Pelvic Tumour Resection throughout the Gait Cycle

The aim of this paper is to investigate and compare the stress distribution of a reconstructed pelvis under different screw forces in a typical walking pattern. Computer-aided design models of the pelvic bones and sacrum made based on computer tomography images and individually designed implants are the basis for creating finite element models, which are imported into ABAQUS software. The screws provide compression loading and bring the implant and pelvic bones together. The sacrum is fixed at the level of the L5 vertebrae. The variants of strength analyses are carried out with four different screw pretension forces. The loads equivalent to the hip joint reaction forces arising during moderate walking are applied to reference points based on the centres of the acetabulum. According to the results of the performed analyses, the optimal and critical values of screw forces are estimated for the current model. The highest stresses among all the models occurred in the screws and implant. As soon as the screw force increases up to the ultimate value, the bone tissue might be locally destroyed. The results prove that the developed implant design with optimal screw pretension forces should have good biomechanical characteristics

Cold engine cranking by means of modern energy storage devices - physical simulation

Diesel or gasoline engine cold cranking is a serious problem for different vehicle operation in northern countries. The engine starting torque is usually provided by an on-board electrochemical battery represented by a lead-acid unit. Modern energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors (SCs), lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries react differently on low temperatures. Moreover, capacity losses also occur. Considering wide applications of such storage devices in electrical vehicles, their behaviour at low temperatures is of interest. Physical simulation of storage battery cold cranking was carried out using a climate chamber. Lithium-ion, NiCd, NiMH and lead-acid batteries were tested individually and paired with a SC unit to generate a power impulse for engine cranking. A number of experiments (up to five) for each type of storage devices were taken. The best performance results both for direct and hybrid cranking simulation were showed by LiFePO4-based and Ni-Cd batteries. The SC module itself showed the best performance, but its specific energy capacity cost is too high to have a large battery system based on SCs only. In this case a combined storage could give enough power to fulfill cranking demands