bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Musical Ekprasis: Content and Form
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Yukhymuk Yanina
Published: February 2023

The aim of the monograph is to redefine the notion of ekphrasis (including musical ekphrasis) to meet the literature challenges of the late 20th – early 21st centuries. The author argues that the true nature of ekphrasis is not limited to a mere desrcription and develops a non-mimetic concept of it. Applying the theory of intersemiotic translation, introduced by Y. Lotman and developed by C. Barbetti and S. Bruhn, the author receives an opportunity to outline the main difference between ekphrasis and several similar notions (musical themes, eidolon, hypotyposis, mimesis and diegesis). The difference lies in the presence of a special message that becomes explicit when it passes from the sensual plane to verbal. Description, allusion, or metaphor found in a text do not exclude the presence of an ekphrasis there but may form a part its structure. The author cites C. Baretti (“ekphrasis is a verb, not a noun”) and insists on the accurate translation of the word ἐκφράζω (ekpraso – express) and its derivate ἔκφρασις (ekphrasis – expressive), that allows to consider the music pieces as objects of ekphrasis. The monograph defines the functions of musical ekphrasis in literary texts and distinguishes between the ekphrasis-in-a-text, that serves as a technique that enriches the text semantically, and a text-ekphrasis that is a genre variety. The detailed comparative analysis of both types of musical exphrasis reveals their basic functional similarity and allows to outline the main trait of the novel-exphrasis, the polyphony, which demonstrates the similarity of prose and complex music. The author argues that the musical exphrasis in fiction is not obligatory mimetic, but in several cases, it represents easily recognized musical pieces or may refer to explicitly presented compositions. For example, J. S. Bach’s had a special impact on the on writers of the late 20th – early 21st centuries. Bach’s music helps the authors of this period to find a proper intonation and serves as an important means of temporalization in their texts, defining the intervals of action and bringing in the feeling of a real time. The analysis of the changes that took place in the composers’ esthetic paragons in the 20th and the 21st centuries reveals that those undulatory changes reflected in literature only when they became fully completed and the public was ready to accept new musical ideas as a norm and was looking forward to see the transformation of their initial programs. The comparison of the musical novel with the novel-exphrasis realized in the monograph allows to put a question of the identification of exphrasis not only in a text but as a text within a text, taking as a basis the connotations that form an artistic image. The ekphrasis in the research is described as a means to immerse a recipient into the author’s reality and as a reliable medium able to convey even the most abstract senses enclosed in the musical pieces.
The weighted error estimates of the functional-discrete methods for solving boundary value problems
Authors:   Institute of Mathematics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Makarov Volodymyr Leonidovych ,   Institute of Mathematics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Mayko Nataliya Valentynivna ,   Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
Published: February 2023

The monograph is devoted to the construction and study of the approximate methods for solving the problems of mathematical physics. It presents obtaining the weighted accuracy estimates of these methods with taking into account the influence of boundary and initial conditions. The boundary effect means that due to the Dirichlet boundary condition for a differential equation in a canonical domain, the accuracy of the approximate solution near the boundary of the domain is higher compared to the accuracy away from the boundary. A similar situation is observed for non-stationary equations in the mesh nodes where the initial condition is given. The boundary and initial effects are quantitatively described by means of weighted estimates with a suitable weight function that characterizes the distance of a point to the boundary of the domain. The idea of such estimates was first announced by the first coauthor for the elliptic equation in the case of generalized solutions from Sobolev spaces and then expanded to quasilinear stationary and non-stationary equations. The monograph develops the aforementioned approach and presents the new research into the impact of the initial and boundary conditions on the accuracy of the finite-difference method for elliptic and parabolic equations, the grid method for solving equations with fractional derivatives, and the Cayley transform method for abstract differential equations in Hilbert and Banach spaces. The proposed methodology of obtaining weighted estimates can be further employed for investigating exact and approximate solutions of many new problems. At the same time, taking into account the boundary and initial effects is not only of theoretical but also of practical value because it justifies, for example, the use of a coarser mesh (i.e. a larger mesh step) near the boundary of the domain. Moreover, the presented discrete approximations and methods without saturation of accuracy can be utilized for solving a wide range of applied problems in physics, engineering, chemistry, biology, finance, etc. The book is intended for scientists, university teachers, graduate and postgraduate students who specialize in the field of numerical analysis.
The process of accumulation of germanium in the coal of Ukraine
Authors:   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Bulat Anatolii , Baranov Volodymyr ,   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Published: February 2023

This summer, the state program "Critical and Strategic Mineral Resources of Ukraine in the Context of Globalization and Climate Change" was formulated. A significant group of minerals is classified as a critical raw material, including copper, lithium, cadmium, magnesium, nickel, graphite, aluminum, germanium and other metallic and non-metallic elements. If we look at the raw material base of germanium in the world in general and in our country, in particular, it can be noted that at the present stage one of the important sources for the extraction of germanium is coal, from which this element was additionally extracted in the form of metal earlier at the coking stage. The high geochemical mobility of germanium salts and the ability to concentrate at different stages and substages of lithogenesis have become the reason for the appearance of accompanying raw materials, which attracted the attention of many specialists. The task of this article is to focus on less known facts, and to determine the main regularities in the formation and transformation of accompanying germanium in coal seams at various stages and substages of lithogenesis in general and catagenesis, in particular. Since germanium, as well as other rare (small, accompanying, trace) elements are contained in this substance, when the temperature rises, it leaves the coals, along with lipids. But before leaving completely, the complex of lipids (hydrocarbons), together with rare elements, undergoes a cycle of hydrothermal transformations. As a result, we observe the enrichment of hydrocarbons with rare elements in coal seats and interlayers as they move upward. The downward movement of fats and small elements leads to their accumulation in the roof of coal seams and interlayers. Ultimately, at temperatures of about 1400-1600C, germanium, together with hydrocarbons and other small elements, goes into the fractured zones, where the pressure and temperatures are lower.
Justification of the parameters for safe blasting of floor rocks in the roadway driven through the hazardous by outbursts sandstones
Authors:   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Minieiev Serhii , Kostrytsia Oleksandr ,   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Prusova Alla ,   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Skachko Roman ,   PJSC "Mine Administration" Pokrovske", Dykan Oleksandr ,   PJSC "Mine Administration" Pokrovske", Maltseva Vira ,   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
Published: February 2023

In this article, the authors provide the substantiation of the parameters for safe floor rocks ripping by drilling-and-blasting technique in the roadway driven through the hazardous by outburst sandstones by way of forming an unloaded (nonhazardous by outburst) zone from the side of previously driven roadway. The nomogram of numerical values of stresses is given for the conditions of the Pokrovskoe Mine, 1st northern belt road, panel No. 11. From the given calculations, radius of the unloaded nonhazardous by outburst zone in the vertical and horizontal planes around the driven experimental roadway of the 1st northern belt road, panel No. 11, was obtained with accounting anisotropy, depth of mining operations and rate of deformation. The analysis of the material presented in the article allows to conclude that the unloading effect of the driven roadway predetermines the safety of mining operations conducted in the hazardous by outburst sandstone, and drilling-and-blasting operations within the calculated protected zone can be performed as in the nonhazardous by outburst zone. In this research, regularities of the unloading effect of the roadways were established, and dependences were obtained to determine boundaries of the unloading zones in specific mining and geological conditions, which should be determined for each concrete roadway to perform the blasting operations. The presented justifications come to the fact that drilling-and-blasting operations used for ripping hazardous by outburst rocks in the roadway floor are carried out in the already unloaded (i.e. nonhazardous by outburst) zone, which is created from the same, previously driven, roadway. That is, it follows that drilling-and-blasting operations will be carried out in sandstone with no outburst hazard. This makes it possible to perform the drilling-and-blasting operations without making the forecast of the mine outburst hazard and without introducing the shock blasting mode, which, in turns, cut the time and labor costs and lead to significant savings of material and technical means. A further research is needed for establishing dependence between the size of the formed unloaded (nonhazardous by outburst) zone around the working roadway in sandstone and depth of mining operations, section of the roadway and time passed since the roadway was driven.
Further improvements of the shock-wave control equipment
Authors:   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Skipochka Serhii , Serhiienko Victor ,   Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics named by N. Poljakov of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Krasovskyi Ihor
Published: February 2023

The equipment for operational non-destructive testing by the shock-wave method developed by the Institute for Geotechnical Mechanics under the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, was successfully tested in mine conditions and confirmed the results of theoretical and experimental studies on the possibility of using the relaxation time of free oscillations of a metal-polymer anchor to assess the quality of its fastening. At the same time, some drawbacks of the equipment were identified, which can be eliminated by improving both the data processing unit and the sensor part. The areas of improvements, considered in this work, will improve the stability, speed, mobility and ergonomics of the equipment. It is possible to improve the data processing unit by implementing modern 32/64 bit ARM microprocessors with higher computing power and with greater variability of circuitry solutions. It is possible to develop a new circuit based on these microprocessors or to use available mini-solutions based on the ARM core. It will also improve the oscillator-receiver unit, potentially making it completely wireless. For both options, it will be necessary to develop software, which, due to the increased computing power, can be improved with additional algorithms for data processing. The increased speed and a larger number of I/O ports will also allow transferring the functionality of the analog part to the ARM microprocessor, which, in turn, will reduce the board size, and the freed space can be occupied by additional batteries to increase the battery life. The introduction of ARM microprocessors will also allow, thanks to a large number of libraries and circuits for wireless data transmission, the development of anchor vibration sensor with Wi-Fi/Bluetooth data transmission to the processing unit, which, in turn, will increase mobility and ease of use. For maximum ergonomics, it is possible to develop a combined design with an automatic stabilized hammer and oscillation sensor.
Phase stability of spherical Ferrum nanoparticles under radiation saturation with vacancies
Authors:   Institute of Applied Physics, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Sumy, Ukraine, Shirinyan A.S. , Bilogorodskyy Yu.S. , Krit O.M.
Published: February 2023

A new thermodynamic approach for phase stability of a nanoscale material under irradiation taking into account Gibbs free energy of phase formation and nucleation is proposed. The influence of powder dispersion and vacancy saturation on the radiation stability and phase changes of spherical Ferrum nanoparticles during irradiation is determined. The paper shows the possibility of a radiation-induced α-Fe → γ-Fe polymorphic transition, and also defines the radiation stability zones of Ferrum nanoparticles. It is shown that the competition between the energy of the accumulated vacancies in the particle, the bulk energy of the phase transformation, and the surface energy of the particle is responsible for the specific behavior of irradiated nanocrystalline Ferrum.
Radioecological studies on the drained bed areas of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant cooling pond
Authors: Lypska A.I. , Nikolaev V.I. , Shytiuk V.A. , Burdo O.O. , Vyshnevskyi D.O.
Published: February 2023

The results of radioecological monitoring of the research sites located on the drained areas and the coastal of the ChNPP cooling pond are presented. The features of the spatial distribution of the exposure dose rate, the density of soil radionuclide contamination by the emergency radionuclides were determined. The content of incorporated radionuclides in representatives of the genera Myodes and Sylvaemus were studied, the individual and interspecies variability of 137Cs and 90Sr levels in animals within the limits of one research site was determined. Currently, the indicators of radioactive contamination of biota in the drained areas of the cooling pond are within the variation of those values that are characteristic of most areas of the Chornobyl exclusion zone.
Needs Analysis to Design an English Blended Learning Program: Teachers’ and Administrators’ Voices
Authors: Tamayo Cano Luis Hernando , Riascos Gómez Andrés Felipe , Pineda Hoyos Jorge Eduardo
Published: February 2023

This needs analysis study sought to identify the contextual requirements to design and implement a blended learning program in English at a Colombian public university. Data on teachers’ and administrators’ perceptions were gathered through a questionnaire, interviews, and focus groups and analyzed using grounded theory. Findings revealed the need to invest considerably in new personnel and e-infrastructure. Likewise, students’ context should be considered to design EFL blended programs. Teachers and students should be offered ICT and methodological professional development. Finally, the program should carefully balance the integration of face-to-face and online modalities. This investigation can help the academic community of language educators and curriculum designers carry out needs analysis studies for creating contextualized blended learning programs.
Pedagogical Relationships and Identities in Research Incubators: Reconceptualizing Research Training for Language Teachers
Authors: Abad José V. , Regalado Chicaiza Jennifer Daniela , Acevedo Tangarife Isabel Cristina
Published: February 2023

This article reports on a case study that analyzed pedagogical relationships and teacher identities in research incubators. Conducted over two years in an English teaching program at a Colombian private university, the study included semi-structured interviews with four research incubator coordinators and two focus groups with eight students. We found that mentoring in research incubators nurtures attitudes and competencies crucial to the students’ construction of their identity as teacher researchers. From the results of our research, we built a theoretical model that describes pedagogical relationships in research education around the axes of power and affect. Finally, we draw some implications about an epistemological shift from knowledge-centered to knower-centered pedagogical relationships in collaborative approaches to research training.
EFL Writing Studies in Colombia Between 1990 and 2020: A Qualitative Research Synthesis
Authors: Guapacha Chamorro María Eugenia , Chaves Varón Orlando
Published: February 2023

This article provides a comprehensive qualitative synthesis of EFL writing studies published in Colombian journals between 1990 and 2020. We synthesised 63 research reports regarding authorship, publication year, focus, methodology (context, participants, research paradigm, design, and data collection methods and analyses), validity, reliability, ethics, findings, limitations, and further research. Our findings reveal that EFL writing is a developing research area in Colombia, characterised as a predominantly qualitative inquiry into adult writing instruction and learning at universities. From the findings, we propose a research agenda and some guidelines for authors and reviewers to enhance and evaluate research reports.
Professional Demotivating Factors Among High School, Institute, and University EFL Teachers: A Comparative Study
Authors: Honarparvaran Maryam , Khaghaninejad Mohammad Saber
Published: February 2023

This mixed-methods study investigated and compared the professional demotivating factors for EFL teachers in three contexts: high schools, language institutes, and universities. Consequently, a validated questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were employed to gather data from 189 Iranian EFL teachers. The results indicated that the most prominent demotivating factors were financial issues, students’ demotivation, facilities and course books, and neglecting teachers for educational decision-making. However, financial issues and facilities and course books were less demotivating for university teachers. During the qualitative phase, it was also revealed that supervisors’ feedback and attitudes, relationships with colleagues, and preferential treatments negatively affect EFL teachers’ motivation. Furthermore, unlike high school teachers, language institutes and university EFL teachers perceive job insecurity as incredibly demotivating.
EFL Teachers’ Beliefs About Listening and Their Actual Listening Instructional Practices
Authors: Abad Mónica
Published: February 2023

This paper reports a mixed-method study on listening instructional practices and beliefs of 50 EFL teachers of public and private universities in Cuenca, Ecuador. The study aimed to provide empirical evidence of listening teaching practices and determine teachers’ beliefs about listening. Data were gathered through a questionnaire and structured class observations. Results evidenced that instructional practices emphasize task completion rather than listening development, are oriented towards the product rather than the process and lack decoding.
Potters at the World’s End? Pottery Production and Resilience in Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain) during the Bronze Age
Authors: Albero Santacreu Daniel J , Trias Manuel Calvo
Published: February 2023

Human communities that inhabit small islands often express some kind of fragility and ‘islandness’ that requires the development of certain strategies to minimize the risks involved in occupying hazardous environments. In this paper, we interpret the technological choices developed by Bronze Age potters’ communities from the small island of Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain) by studying certain features of pottery pastes and some typological aspects of the vessels. Our aim is to explore the way certain technological choices played a key role in the construction of group social memory, the strengthening of community cohesion and the establishment of bonds with other groups from the same island and from other nearby and larger islands of the archipelago. The technological practices observed in pottery production allowed a greater capacity for resilience in the human communities from Formentera, which in turn permitted the stable and long-term occupation of the territory.
Finding Sites in Mediterranean Survey
Authors: Meyer Nathan
Published: February 2023

As survey methods around the Mediterranean matured from extensive to more intensive modes of discovery, a form of ‘siteless’ survey emerged, characterized by high-intensity field walking with a correlated trend towards reduced areal coverage. The resulting practice evoked external criticism: ‘Mediterranean myopia’ precluded true regional-scale investigation. Our discipline can benefit from a reckoning with this criticism, together with a frank acknowledgement of the methodological challenges inherent in field survey and the resulting difficulty in comparing artifact-level data from different surveys. This paper recounts some of the main methodological difficulties and the degree to which these have or have not been fully addressed by Mediterranean survey practitioners. I argue that siteless survey methods produce data that - although necessary for analysis within a project - do not provide correct external deliverables. I also argue that the notion ‘site’ (i.e., places made by and interpretable as human activity) continues to be of fundamental importance to archaeology. The paper concludes that our methods can benefit from an integrated approach combining extensive and intensive methods, characterized by predictive modeling, quality assurance programs and carefully calibrated intensity, with site definition and discovery at its core.
Funerary Ritual, Bodily Performance, and Memory
Authors: Taşçıoğlu Beeby Çiçek
Published: February 2023

Standing archaeological definitions of mortuary space identify it as the location of burials and interments, limiting our capacity to understand broader ‘deathscapes’ within the ancient city. Building upon anthropological and sociological theories of the concept of deathscapes (as opposed to ‘burialscapes’), this paper offers an expanded category of archaeological mortuary space that includes not only interment locations but also mobile and temporary spaces of funerary ritual, performance, and commemoration. Proposed key amendments to the archaeological reconstruction of mortuary landscapes within current models of ancient Greek urban environments are a reconsideration of various temporal scales (including short-lived processes and archaeologically invisible acts), bodily performance, and patterns in remembering and forgetting through funerary behavior. This revised view of mortuary space is applied to select case studies (Athens, Argos, Corinth) in order to take our existing paradigms from the conceived city (i.e., space of planning, logic, cosmological order) to the lived city (i.e., humanistic city of paradoxical, relative, and embodied ontologies).
On the Conceptualisation of LIFE in the melodrama “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (2008)
Authors:   Kazimierz Pułaski University of Technology and Humanities, Radom, Poland, Dale Inga
Published: February 2023

According to Conceptual Metaphor Theory (hereafter: CMT), conceived by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson (1980), metaphors are not merely rarely occurring poetic or stylistic features of language. On the contrary, as the scholars point out, conceptual metaphors have their origins in our bodily experiences of the world around us. Hence, they are ubiquitous and have a consequently profound influence on our thoughts and actions. This paper aims to show that people, life, love, romance, birth, life stages, life goals, progress made, obstacles along the way, successes and failures, emotions experienced, as well as time, death and the afterlife are conceptualized in modalities of a SOURCE-PATH-GOAL schema, JOURNEY and MOTION IN SPACE domains in accordance with CMT. This is achieved by analysing a monomodal discourse using the Pragglejaz Group (2007) method and an online Cambridge English Dictionary. For the study, I have used a selection of monologues and dialogues of Benjamin Button, the protagonist, together with the characters who have the greatest impact on his life in the Eric Roth screenplay of a melodrama entitled: “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, directed by D. Fincher and based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, featuring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett.
The Influence of Motivation Strategies on Student’s Self-efficacy in Second Language Acquisition
Authors:   University of Rzeszow, Poland, Mindowicz Katarzyna
Published: February 2023

Motivation and self-efficacy are fundamental factors that influence second language acquisition and are increasingly considered a significant concern in psychology and foreign language didactics. For an in-depth exploration of the subject, action research was conducted to learn whether the motivation strategies proposed by Dörnyei (2001) influence learners' self-efficacy in SLA. The study focused on introducing selected motivational techniques to the research group and measuring the impact of the application of these strategies in the classroom on learners' levels of self-efficacy and motivation. All the data needed to answer the research questions were collected using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. The most valuable conclusion that emerges from the research results is that selected motivational techniques increase students' level of self-efficacy in second language acquisition.
Zamach na sędziego Giovanniego Falcone
Authors: Waszkiewicz Izabela
Published: February 2023

This year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Giovanni Falcone’s death. This prosecuting magistrate, who was killed in the bomb attack organized by Cosa Nostra on 23 May, 1992 in Capaci in Sicily, is famous for his uncompromising fight with the Italian mafia. The round anniversary is a good occasion to remind the figure of the man merited for the European justice administration and also to return to those tragic events once again. The presented text is a continuation of the article entitled “The man who challenged Italian Cosa Nostra. The anti-Mafia activity of judge Giovanni Falcon.” published in the previous issue of ‘Textus et Studia’. In the previous text a reader will find all preliminary problems concerning the discussed issue which have been omitted in the present publication because of obvious reasons.
Green Belt Road jako jeden z komponentów chińskiej Inicjatywy Pasa i Szlaku 2.0
Authors:   Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu, Tomaszewska Paula
Published: February 2023

The aim of the article is (1) to describe the evaluation during the RDI initiative; (2) analysis of Chinese documents on “greening” projects under the Belt and Road initiative; (3) describe the impact of the initiative on the environment; (4) describing the role of socio-economic factors influencing the environment of RDI and sustainable development policy; (5) issuing recommendations and recommendations for the PRC. The article may contribute to intensifying the discussion on the environmental impact of the Belt and Road Initiative and to carrying out further interdisciplinary research – taking into account the multifaceted nature of this cross-border initiative. This is crucial as the impact of BRI is likely to be felt for generations after it is completed worldwide.
A Deep Learning Approach for Efficient Anomaly Detection in WSNs
Authors: S Arul Jothi , Venkatesan R
Published: February 2023

Data reliability in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has a substantial influence on their smooth functioning and resource limitations. In a WSN, the data aggregated from clustered sensor nodes are forwarded to the base station for analysis. Anomaly Detection (AD) focuses on detecting outlier data to ensure consistency during data aggregation. As WSNs have critical resource limitations concerning energy consumption and sensor node lifetime, AD is supposed to provide data integrity with minimum energy consumption, which has been an active research problem. Hence, researchers are striving for methods to improve the accuracy of data handled with a concern on the constraints of WSNs. This paper introduces a Feed-forward Autoencoder Neural Network (FANN) model to detect abnormal instances with improved accuracy and reduced energy consumption. The proposed model also acts as a False Positive Reducer intending to reduce false alarms. It has been compared with the other dominant unsupervised algorithms over robustness and other significant metrics with real-time datasets. Relatively, our proposed model yields an improved accuracy with fewer false alarms thereby supporting a sustainable WSN.
THERMAL INSTABILITY OF BLOOD-COPPER CASSON NANOFLUID SATURATED POROUS MEDIUM UNDER LTNE, ROTATION, AND THROUGH-FLOW
Authors: Srivastava Anurag , Bhadauria Beer S.
Published: February 2023

Because of the antibacterial characteristics of copper, the thermal instability of blood-copper (B-Cu) nanoliquid plays a crucial role in the field of medical science, specifically in the cardiovascular system. In this article, the convective instability of B-Cu nanoliquid filled in a porous medium is investigated using a Casson model. A thermal nonequilibrium condition is taken for the nanoliquid and porous matrix. The Brinkman model is used because of the high porosity of the material. The influence of rotation and through-flow (both positive and negative) over the instability has also been examined. The amount of through-flow and rate of rotation are respectively governed by Peclet number and Taylor number. A comparison between the impacts of through-flow and rate of rotation is done, and it is found that through-flow is more effective than the rate of rotation to delay the onset of convection. Both steady and unsteady weakly nonlinear analyses are performed to understand the heat transport in the system. It is concluded that the Casson nanofluid parameter has both stabilizing and destabilizing impact depending upon the rate of rotation and therefore the current work can be possibly utilized in both places where heat removal and heat conservation is required. One more important thing is observed: the effect of local thermal nonequilibrium (LTNE) can also be regulated using the Casson nanofluid parameter.
Cold Plasma as a Practical Approach to Cancer Treatment
Authors: Shakya Aavash , Baniya Hom Bahadur , Pradhan Suman Prakash , Basnet Niroj , Adhikari Rameshwar , Subedi Deepak Prasad , Regmi Sagar
Published: February 2023

The application of cold plasma therapy for the treatment of cancer is one promising field of study. This therapy can target and kill cancer cells while sparing healthy cells. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), produced during plasma treatment is responsible for the cancer cells death. The research on cold plasma therapy is underway and has the potential to enhance current cancer treatments. Breast, lung, and skin cancer have all been treated with excellent success with cold plasma treatment. Cold plasma therapy has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and immunomodulatory properties in addition to its capacity to target cancer cells specifically, which may further increase its therapeutic potential. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that the efficiency of cold plasma therapy combined with other cancer therapies like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy enhance the overall success of cancer treatment. Despite the positive outcomes of cold plasma treatment, additional studies are required to completely comprehend its mechanisms of action and improving its application in clinical settings. We entail further research on the ideal therapy variables, such as the kind of plasma used, the amount of energy given, the length of the procedure, and the creation of new, more effective plasma devices. In general, cold plasma therapy promises to revolutionize cancer treatment and prolong the lives of many cancer patients. The mechanisms of cold plasma treatment are examined in this review, along with its uses in oncology, including in vitro and in vivo investigations.
Organ Protection by Caloric Restriction Depends on Activation of the De Novo NAD+ Synthesis Pathway
Authors: Späth Martin R. , Hoyer-Allo K. Johanna R. , Seufert Lisa , Höhne Martin , Lucas Christina , Bock Theresa , Isermann Lea , Brodesser Susanne , Lackmann Jan-Wilm , Kiefer Katharina , Koehler Felix C. , Bohl Katrin , Ignarski Michael , Schiller Petra , Johnsen Marc , Kubacki Torsten , Grundmann Franziska , Benzing Thomas , Trifunovic Aleksandra , Krüger Marcus , Schermer Bernhard , Burst Volker , Müller Roman-Ulrich
Published: February 2023

Significance Statement

AKI is a major clinical complication leading to high mortality, but intensive research over the past decades has not led to targeted preventive or therapeutic measures. In rodent models, caloric restriction (CR) and transient hypoxia significantly prevent AKI and a recent comparative transcriptome analysis of murine kidneys identified kynureninase (KYNU) as a shared downstream target. The present work shows that KYNU strongly contributes to CR-mediated protection as a key player in the de novo nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide biosynthesis pathway. Importantly, the link between CR and NAD+ biosynthesis could be recapitulated in a human cohort.

Background

Clinical practice lacks strategies to treat AKI. Interestingly, preconditioning by hypoxia and caloric restriction (CR) is highly protective in rodent AKI models. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this process are unknown.

Methods

Kynureninase (KYNU) knockout mice were generated by Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) and comparative transcriptome, proteome and metabolite analyses of murine kidneys pre- and post-ischemia-reperfusion injury in the context of CR or ad libitum diet were performed. In addition, acetyl-lysin enrichment and mass spectrometry were used to assess protein acetylation.

Results

We identified KYNU as a downstream target of CR and show that KYNU strongly contributes to the protective effect of CR. The KYNU-dependent de novo nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) biosynthesis pathway is necessary for CR-associated maintenance of NAD+ levels. This finding is associated with reduced protein acetylation in CR-treated animals, specifically affecting enzymes in energy metabolism. Importantly, the effect of CR on de novo NAD+ biosynthesis pathway metabolites can be recapitulated in humans.

Conclusions

CR induces the de novo NAD+ synthesis pathway in the context of IRI and is essential for its full nephroprotective potential. Differential protein acetylation may be the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship of NAD+, CR, and nephroprotection.
Multiomics Analyses Reveal Sex Differences in Mouse Renal Proximal Subsegments
Authors: Chen Lihe , Chou Chung-Lin , Yang Chin-Rang , Knepper Mark A.
Published: February 2023

Significance Statement

Sex-dependent differences in kidney function are recognized but the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unexplored. Advances in genomics and proteomic technologies now allow extensive characterization of differences between the same cell types of males and females. Multiomics integrating RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, and proteomics data to investigate differences in gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and protein expression in proximal tubules of male and female mice identified many sex-biased genes and proteins associated with kidney functions, including metabolic and transport processes. Sex differences may also arise from variations of the interaction between transcription factors and accessible chromatin regions. A comprehensive web resource is provided to advance understanding of sex differences in cells of the proximal tubule.

Background

Sex differences have been increasingly recognized as important in kidney physiology and pathophysiology, but limited resources are available for comprehensive interrogation of sex differences.

Methods

RNA-seq and ATAC-seq of microdissected mouse proximal tubules and protein mass spectrometry of homogenized perfused mouse kidneys reveal differences in proximal tubule cells of males and females.

Results

The transcriptomic data indicated that the major differences in the proximal tubules between the sexes were in the S2/S3 segments, and most of the sex-biased transcripts mapped to autosomes rather than to the sex chromosomes. Many of the transcripts exhibiting sex-biased expression are involved in monocarboxylic acid metabolic processes, organic anion transport, and organic acid transport. The ATAC-seq method on microdissected tubules captured chromatin accessibility. Many of the more than 7000 differentially accessible DNA regions identified were in distal regions. Motif analyses revealed a lack of direct involvement of estrogen receptors or the androgen receptor (absence of canonical hormone response elements), suggesting an indirect regulatory role of sex hormones. Instead, analyses identified several transcription factors (TFs) (Tead1, Nfia/b, and Pou3f3) whose interplay with proximal tubule-specific TFs (e.g., Hnf1b, Hnf4a) may contribute to sex differences. Finally, the whole-kidney proteome was correlated with the transcriptome, and many sex-biased proteins (e.g., Cyp2e1, Acsm2/3) were identified.

Conclusions

Sex-dependent cis-regulatory elements interact with TFs in ways that lead to sex-biased gene expression in proximal tubule cells. These data are provided as a user-friendly web page at https://esbl.nhlbi.nih.gov/MRECA/PT/.
The Engineering and geological substantiation of the resource potential of the bed of the South China
Authors: Kirichenko Yu. V. , Ngo T. T. Q. , Shchyokina M. V.
Published: February 2023

The program for the development of the national economy based on own mineral raw materials as adopted in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam requires an increase the volumes of minerals. This includes both liquid hydrocarbons, and non-traditional solid minerals. This paper examines the resource base of mineral deposits in the South China Sea. The objective was to determine and scientifically establish classification criteria for zoning (regionalization), as well as to identify prospective areas with deposits of ferromanganese formations and other solid minerals. An analysis was undertaken of placers on the shelf and deposits of ferromanganese formations in the deep areas of the Vietnam Sea. A multiparameter analysis of the hydrological, geophysical, engineering and geological, environmental conditions of the deposit positions was conducted. In addition, criteria for the prospects of the formation and development of deposits of ferromanganese formations were established. These criteria enabled areas with different prospectivity ratings to be identified. Within the South China Sea, zones (areas) with a high, medium, and low potential for the presence of nodules were identified. Similar zoning for the crusts was also identified. The areas of these zones were determined. The results of the research established that the total potential area of ferromanganese nodules is 91,480 km2. The area with the potential of ferromanganese crusts is 2,421.6 km2, while the area of coexistence of nodules and crusts is 18,777 km2. Furthermore, priority regions for future exploration are those with high nodule potential covering an area of 18,110 km2 and the regions of high crust potential with an area of 882.6 km2. Based on the materials obtained, the bed of the Vietnamese Exclusive Zone of the South China Sea was zoned. Maps of the resource and predictive prospects of the seabed were drawn, and the prospecting and exploration operations can be established within this framework.
Preparing multiplexed WGS/MetaG libraries with the Illumina DNA Prep kit for the Illumina NextSeq or MiSeq v1
Authors: M Comeau André
Published: February 2023

The preparation of (meta)genomic libraries using the Illumina Nextera Flex (now "DNA Prep") kit with CD/UDI indices at the IMR. Based upon Illumina protocol 10000000254 16 v10 (Aug.2021).
TaME-seq2 v1
Authors: not provided jean-marc
Published: February 2023

Tagmentation-assisted multiplex PCR enrichment sequencing for viral genomic profiling (TaME-seq2). Viral genome and integration enrichment library preparation protocol. Manuscript: TaME-seq2: Tagmentation-assisted multiplex PCR enrichment sequencing for viral genomic profiling. Alexander Hesselberg Løvestad, Milan S. Stosic, Jean-Marc Costanzi, Irene Kraus Christiansen, Hege Vangstein Aamot, Ole Herman Ambur, Trine B. Rounge medRxiv 2022.12.22.22283851 doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.22.22283851 Before starting: Prepare samples consisting of extracted DNA or reverse transcribed cDNA. The method consists of three main parts: Part 1: Tagmentation of samples using the Illumina DNA Prep kit. Part 2: Multiplex PCR reaction of tagmented DNA/cDNA, using virus-specific primers and i5/i7 indexes. Part 3: Clean-up and size selection using purification beads/Ampure XP beads.
Hybrid Process for Bio-hydrogen and Methane Production from Hydrogenic Effluent: A Mini Review
Authors:   Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand, Jomnonkhaow Umarin , Sittijunda Sureewan ,   Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand, Reungsang Alissara ,   Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
Published: February 2023

Hydrogenic effluent is the effluent from the bio-hydrogen production process via dark fermentation. It mainly consists of volatile fatty acids, residual sugars, and organic solid residues with a high carbon oxygen demand (COD), which prohibits direct discharge to the environment. Therefore, a post-process after dark fermentation to utilize the organic substances in the hydrogenic effluent is needed to complete the organic conversion and reduce the COD load. This review discussed the use of organic substances in the hydrogenic effluent to produce bioenergy, including bio-hydrogen, through photo fermentation and microbial electrolysis cells, and to produce methane by anaerobic digestion. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of using hydrogenic effluent to generate bio-hydrogen and methane and the challenges and future perspectives on utilizing the hydrogenic effluent are discussed.
Correlation Analysis and Multilinear Regression Model for Prediction on Solid Waste Generation in Malaysia
Authors:   Faculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perak Branch, Tapah Campus, 35400 Tapah Road, Perak, Malaysia, Zulkipli Faridah , Mohd Nopiah Zulkifli ,   Department of Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Ahmad Basri Noor Ezlin ,   Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Jack Kie Cheng ,   Faculty of Industrial Management, Universiti Malaysia Pahang,Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 23600 Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
Published: February 2023

Increased volumes of solid waste generation continue unabated due mainly to rapid population increase, urban migration, economic enhancements, and modern lifestyles. Two significant factors contributing directly to the higher volumes of solid waste generation are population and gross domestic product (GDP). In Phase 1 of this study, a correlation analysis with a Pearson coefficient of more than 93% (r > 0.93) shows a strong positive linear relationship between the amount of solid waste generation and population and GDP. Phase 2 provides a multilinear regression analysis and the development of a regression model. They indicate that a 1-unit increment in the amount of solid waste generation is caused by 0.06 of the population and 0.119 of GDP while ßo remains constant at 124.449. Therefore, the multilinear regression model in this study can be applied by solid waste management authorities in Malaysia to accurately forecast future solid waste generation volumes. However, further investigation on other significance factors are suggested for future work in order to develop a holistic model for solid waste management in Malaysia.
Critical Risk Factors of Joint Venture Projects in the Oil and Gas Industry
Authors:   Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, Baradari Fatemeh , Mohd Nopiah Zulkifli ,   Department of Engineering Education, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UKM 43600, Bangi, Selangor, bin Ja’afar Sabirin ,   Prevention of Terrorism (POTA) Board, Ministry of Home Affairs,Pusat Pentadbiran Kerajaan Persekutuan, 62546 Putrajaya, Malaysia, Wan Dahlan Wan Siti Adibah ,   Faculty of Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.
Published: February 2023

The Oil and Gas (O&G) industry is one of the riskiest, most dynamic and challenging industries and plays a vital role in every nation’s economy. Like any other major industry, O&G is exposed to a host of both predictable and unpredictable risks. Joint venture projects (JVP) are often regarded as a risky business as there is a high failure rate among them because of the complexities involved. This paper aims to identify the critical risk factors (CRFs) of JVPs for O&G between Malaysia and Thailand. Via systematic literature review (SLR) the risk factors for O&G and JVPs around the globe are identified and a set of questions relating to them were designed and used in a pilot study. A total of 15 respondents from different background experiences working in O&G JVPs were requested to answer the designed questionnaire during the pilot study. The questionnaire survey passed the required Cronbach Alpha value of 0.6 with a score of 0.98. The data collected involved 170 respondents currently working or have worked in O&G JVPs. The relative importance index (RII) for each risk factor’s (RF) value was quantified and the RFs ranked based on the value. A RII value exceeding 60% is considered to have agreement and of importance to the respondents. The RII value can be used as an indicator to rank the RFs from the most to the least critical. The CRF categories determined in this study are environmental, cultural and social, and organisation. Under environmental, the main CRFs are losses due to fluctuations in exchange rates/interest rates. For cultural and social, the main CRFs are problems associated with cultural differences and cooperation. Organisational issues related to organisational fit, incompetent project management team, difficulty in finding and keeping skilled workers, and low worker productivity. All the listed RFs underwent a comprehensive study on their impact and probability of occurrence to determine the best processes, methods, and tools for managing the risks. It is recommended that key players in the O&G industry consider all the RFs of JVPs during the risk management evaluation stage.