bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Types of Argumentation in Editorials
Authors: Nikonova E. A.
Published: February 2024

This article explores argumentation in the genre of editorials. The objective was to determine the frequency of different types of argumentation used in this genre, which can shed light on the balance between objective and subjective elements. It was found that editorials exhibit a balance between strong and weak argumentation, with 41% and 55.6% respectively (3.4% accounted for insufficient argumentation). The dominance of weak argumentation can be attributed to the specific nature of editorials, which aim to present the editorial board’s opinion and influence readers. The genre under study is a powerful tool in media warfare and shaping societal beliefs and values. The minimal percentage of insufficient argumentation indicates a desire to refrain from overt manipulation. The relatively high percentage of strong argumentation in a genre categorized as ‘opinion’ is also explained by the functional aspect of editorials: since the genre transmits institutional opinions with the intention of influencing public views, it is necessary to maintain authority and a high level of credibility in the information provided. Strong arguments in this genre include references to facts, data from authoritative sources including statistics, experimental results, references to public opinion, and common sense. Weak arguments include personal opinions, speculations, predictions, intuition, references to sources that are not definitive authorities in the field, conclusions based on incomplete statistical data and facts with no obvious connection.
Rumors and Conspiracy Theories in Bulgarian Social Media During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Petkova D.
Published: February 2024

This study examines the socio-psychological phenomenon of rumors during the global pandemic of 2020-2022, focusing on the case of Bulgaria. Messages from a closed online group (254 participants) with a thematic profile related to traditional remedies were analyzed. Content analysis revealed the most prevalent beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic, such as “10% of vaccinated individuals will die within 5 years” and “the pandemic is aimed at destroying small businesses,” among others. It is argued that rumors and conspiracy theories thrive during times of social crisis and uncertainty. Moreover, it is highlighted that individuals often tend to hold onto false beliefs even when presented with evidence that contradicts them. The study concludes that four factors play a significant role in maintaining misconceptions: (1) the need to reduce stress, (2) low levels of education, (3) cultural memory and traumatic past experiences that shape present judgments, and (4) the phenomenon of mental schemas, making it harder for individuals to change their established beliefs and opinions. These four factors contribute to people’s resistance to accepting new information that contradicts their familiar mental schemas. By providing accurate information and facilitating open discussions about existing misconceptions, communication specialists can help counter conspiracy theories that undermine the efforts of governments and public institutions.
Public Discussion in Russia on Foreign Automobile Purchases and Import Substitution during First World War
Authors: Ivanov A. A.
Published: February 2024

The article examines the issue of Russian automobile transport’s dependence on foreign purchases during the First World War and the absence of a developed domestic automotive industry. For the first time, this question is explored through the prism of discussions held at public organization meetings, in the State Duma, and in the pages of periodicals. Special attention is paid to the importance of automobiles during the war, criticism of the existing situation in the automotive transport sector, the inadmissibility of its complete dependence on foreign states, and the necessity of import substitution through the creation of domestic automobile plants and related enterprises. New sources are introduced into the scholarly discourse, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of both the problems that have arisen in the field of automobile transport and their perception by Russian society. It is noted that, despite differences in approaches to organizing the domestic automotive industry, participants in the public discussion unanimously agreed on the need to overcome the situation that existed before the war, the inadmissibility of total dependence on foreign supplies in a matter of great importance to military affairs, and the urgency of developing national production of automobile transport on a state scale.
Urban Election System in Russia at End of 19th Century: Criticism in Provincial Periodicals
Authors: Sorokin A. A.
Published: February 2024

The article provides a first-time examination of the evaluations of the urban election system in the Russian Empire during the period of 1890-1892, when the preparation and implementation of the new City Regulations were taking place. The study is based on materials from private provincial periodicals. The author highlights the essence and content of the criticism of the provincial press towards the institution of urban elections. The article presents the attitudes towards the issue of social composition of urban self-government bodies as revealed in the periodical press. Positions on the issue of suffrage and proposals for its expansion through tax and educational qualifications are identified. The analysis includes assessments of the national composition of city councils and urban administrations on the outskirts and within Jewish settlements. It demonstrates how the formation of parties based on national identity in urban self-government bodies was covered in the periodicals. Discussions on the merger of powers between the heads of administrative and executive bodies of urban self-government are examined. Satirical poems, which characterize the recorded attitude towards council members and provincial assemblies in pre-revolutionary Russia, who dishonestly perform their duties and disrupt city council meetings, are introduced into scholarly circulation. Satire targeting corrupt intentions of council members is also discussed.
Pragmatic determination ofas if(akoby)in ego-related contexts
Authors: Sokolová Jana
Published: February 2024

The impetus to write this paper was an analysis of the expressionas if(akoby) as a component of the “equivalence” principle and the determination of its legitimacy as a component of the “behavior” principle. The study is focused on the search for further connections between the verbal behavior of the speaker and the linguistic aspects ofas if(akoby) because it is used as a manifestation of motivated, ego-related and assertive verbal behavior.As if(akoby) can be viewed as: (a) a component of the principle of verbal behavior that attributes an egocentric meaning to the speaker’s behavior; (b) an egocentric expression of the hypotaxis with an implicit speaker and the semantics of circumstantial and characteristic contexts; (c) a pragmatic marker of the speaker’s ego-related interpretation of facts. Interpretation, which is grasped at the following two levels, is the methodological framework of the monitored aspects: (i) in the sense of the ego-related evaluation of a fact or event by the speaker, i.e. in the sense of participatory interpretation, and (ii) in the sense of explaining the verbal behavior of the speaker, i.e. in the sense of searching for the motives, intentions and goals that form the preconditions for his/her verbal behavior.
Heat-induced alterations in moisture-dependent repellency of water-repellent forest soils: A laboratory approach with Japanese Andosols
Authors: Perera H.T.M. , Mori Yasushi , Maeda Morihiro , Leelamanie D.A.L.
Published: February 2024

Soil water repellency (SWR) is a phenomenon that prevents the spontaneous wetting of numerous forest soils. It is a moisture-dependent characteristic, which disappears when soil moisture reaches near saturation. The heat generated during forest fires affects soil characteristics including SWR. The possibility of heat influencing moisture-dependent repellency (MDR) is not well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of different heating temperatures (HT) and exposure durations (ED) on MDR using water-repellent Japanese Cedar (CED) and Japanese Cypress (CYP) forest soils. Soil samples collected from 0–5 cm depth were exposed to heat separately at 50, 100, and 150 °C (H
T) for 1 h and 2 h durations (E
D). The MDR of heated and non-heated soils was determined using the water drop penetration time (WDPT) test in a drying process. During the drying process of the tested soils, SWR appeared and then increased with drying to reach an extreme level (WDPT ≥3600 s) that persisted for a range of decreasing moisture contents, and declined to be non-repellent again (WDPT = 0 s). The critical moisture content at which soils become water-repellent with drying (CMC), the highest and the lowest moisture contents when soils showed maximum SWR (HMCmax and LMCmax, respectively), and the integrated area below the MDR curve (SWR) decreased with increasing HT in both CED and CYP soils. The moisture content at which soils become non-repellent again during drying, MCNR, was independent of the type of soil and heat treatment. The range of moisture contents between HMCmax and LMCmax, where soils show maximum SWR during drying, decreased with increasing HT, from 50 to 150 °C in CED and from 100–150 °C in CYP. The SWR showed strong positive linear correlations with CMC and HMCmax. The heat generated during wildfires can alter the MDR and all the related repellency parameters of water-repellent forest soils. SWR prevails over a narrower range of moisture contents in heated soil compared with non-heated soils. Further investigations with higher temperature levels using different soil types would be important for a comprehensive understanding of the heat impacts on MDR.
Tree morphology dependent transpiration reduction function of Schefflera arboricola for landfill cover restoration
Authors: Bordoloi Sanandam , Liao Jia-Xin , Ng Charles Wang Wai
Published: February 2024

Changes in hydrological processes and water resources required to sustain vegetation for ecological restoration of landfill covers and post mining sites in arid environments pose challenges in the context of extended droughts. Knowledge of actual threshold and wilting suction values based on tree morphological feature or plant age is essential for understanding the variation of root water uptake with drought stress and numerically predict the pore water pressure profile in root zone. The objective of this study is to quantify the transpiration reduction function (TRF; in terms of stomatal conductance (SC) and xylem sap flow (SF)) of Schefflera arboricola, considering the effects of tree morphology. Continuous drought condition was applied on the plant quantified with leaf area index (LAI) values at 0.5, 2 and 3.5, wherein each LAI represent tree age. The soil matric suction (ψ) and volumetric water content were measured by embedded sensors in the root zone. Based on the TRF obtained from SC values, a unique threshold suction (ψ
NTR
t) ranging from 30 to 50 kPa was identified. Beyond this ψ
NTR
t, measured leaf abscisic acid concentration increased up to 35 ng/mL, indicating the start of water stress avoidance mechanism. It is evident that ψ
NTR
t is independent of tree morphological parameter- leaf area to root length ratio (LA/RL). On the contrary, a threshold suction (ψ
SAP
t), depending on LA/RL ratio, can be determined, indicating the start of xylem cavitation. This ψ
SAP
t values ranging from 80 to 500 kPa depending on the LA/RL value, imply that the plant could significantly resist xylem embolization at higher LA/RL. In contrast, the plant with low LA/RL values have less tolerance of drought stress and hence low survivability. The results from this research study can be vital for devising and predicting plant available water in water scarce arid environments by a flux-based approach which is dependent on the tree age.
Experimental investigation of scour downstream of a type A trapezoidal piano key weir under free and submerged flow conditions
Authors: Bodaghi Elnaz , Abdi-Chooplou Chonoor , Ghodsian Masoud
Published: February 2024

In this paper, the scour downstream of a trapezoidal Piano key weir (PKW) is investigated under free and submerged flow conditions. For this purpose, an experimental model was used in a laboratory channel with a length of 10 m, width of 0.75 m, and height of 0.8 m at various discharges and tailwater depths. The results showed an increase and decrease in the maximum scour depth with an increase in the discharge and submergence ratio, respectively. In addition, increasing the particle Froude number enhanced the geometric features of the scour hole downstream of the PKW. The rate of bed changes slowed down over time. The average values of maximum scour depth, the distance of the maximum scour depth from the weir toe, maximum scour hole length and weir toe scour depth increased in the free flow compared to the submerged flow. The scour hole volume and scour hole area in the submerged flow were less compared to the free flow. The average maximum level of the sedimentary ridge in the free flow is less than the submerged flow. New equations for calculating the geometric characteristics of the scour hole downstream of the trapezoidal PKW are presented with acceptable accuracy.
AI and AI-powered tools for pronunciation training
Authors: Vančová Hana
Published: February 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over many spheres of human life, including language pedagogy. While some areas need to find their ground with AI and resolve ethical issues arising from its use, other spheres of education, such as pronunciation, may benefit from the system’s ability to communicate with learners and provide them with implicit feedback while carrying out different communication tasks. This technical advancement of AI then opens doors for further educational opportunities that have not existed in the past. The study aims to explore the existing use of AI-powered tools in foreign language pronunciation training by meta-analysis of 15 research papers benefiting from using AI and AI-powered tools (mobile and web applications, chatbots, intelligent virtual assistants) and provide suggestions for their future applications in educational practice. The research results also indicate that this field of study is still underrepresented in language pedagogy. The existing experience with AI-powered tools confirms a relatively good experience in developing intelligibility, increasing motivation and addressing the speaking anxiety of foreign language learners in formal and informal learning settings.
The Creation of Chartered Management Consultant: A UK Gold Standard for Consulting Competence
Authors: Tibble John P
Published: February 2024

This paper explains the creation and purpose of the Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) award in the UK, outlines the preparation and initial launch of the accreditation, describes the growth to mid-2023 and discusses how continued growth is needed not just in volume of chartered practitioners, but in the diversity of the accredited community.

The paper describes the purpose and creation of the award, reviews growth and suggests where to focus next. The first part describes the two UK organisations who have been responsible for setting up and promoting the ChMC award – Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and the Management Consultancies Association (MCA) – and how the ChMC award supports their respective organisational raison d’etre. The second part provides a timeline between 2017 and 2020, in the run-up to the global pandemic. The third part describes the promotion of ChMC and the setting of pace coming out of the pandemic. The fourth part reviews the channels and levers used to accelerate growth in the take-up of ChMC during late 2022 and early 2023; and reflects on how to balance growth in volume of uptake whilst maintaining an appropriately reflective blend of community diversity. The fifth part discusses the practical challenge of promoting an industry-wide standard in a hitherto-unregulated environment. The sixth part covers the case for a strengthened approach; and The seventh and final part covers closing comments and a possible approach to build on the success achieved by CMI/MCA to date, drawing on the CMI’s IC arm.
¿CRISIS DEL PSICOANÁLISIS?
Authors: García Valdez Ricardo
Published: February 2024

Un recurso -aprovechado por el psicoanálisis desde sus orígenes- ha sido recuperar las críticas de las que ha sido objeto, como insumo útil a sus fines epistemológicos. Este artículo apunta a establecer algunas reflexiones básicas en torno a nuevas formas de resistencia ante la teoría y la clínica que le son inherentes; cuestiones que la cultura, en el Siglo XXI, plantea a través de diversos artificios -tales como la cientificidad- para el tratamiento del sufrimiento subjetivo.
PSICOANÁLISIS Y LA CIENCIA.
Authors: Revista Psicoanalítica , Karothy Rolando
Published: February 2024

Las relaciones entre el psicoanálisis y la ciencia son ambiguas y paradojales. El psicoanálisis comparte con la ciencia un horizonte que se caracteriza por la necesidad de formalización y de ahí la importancia del matema y de la preferencia lacaniana por un “discurso sin palabras”. En este trabajo se estudian las ideas cartesianas en torno al saber y la verdad y su incidencia en los inicios de la ciencia moderna, fundada en la forclusión de la verdad y del sujeto, Lacan, por su parte, efectúa una lectura de la latencia de la división del sujeto en el cogito del filósofo francés. Se realiza una referencia a la ética kantiana según la cual cada uno está solo ante la ley, como un modo de preanunciar la ética del discurso capitalista, un discurso que propicia que cada sujeto esté solo con su plus de gozar, en un claro ataque a los lazos sociales.
EL DERECHO A LA MONEDA ESTABLE EN MÉXICO (THE RIGHT TO A STABLE CURRENCY IN MEXICO)
Authors: Ortiz Williams Samuel Gibran
Published: February 2024

El peso mexicano como muchas otras monedas del orbe ha perdido poder adquisitivo pero esta pérdida en su poder adquisitivo tiene entre otras cosas que ver con la evolución del dinero. El dinero ha pasado por muchas fases, desde el metálico hasta lo meramente digital.
La pérdida del poder adquisitivo que vivimos actualmente es porque la naturaleza misma del dinero ha cambiado no importando que sean dólares, yuanes, pesos mexicanos, rublos, rupias, euros, etcétera.
Este mismo cambio en la naturaleza intrínseca del dinero ha provocado que el peso mexicano se haya vuelto mucho más volátil para retener su poder adquisitivo, generado por ende más pobreza entre los ciudadanos de este país.
El poder adquisitivo del peso en el Siglo XX no fue el mismo que el que ahora tiene el peso en pleno Siglo XXI entre otras cosas por los errores económicos cometidos desde la década de los 70´s del siglo pasado.
LA CALIDAD DE LOS PROGRAMAS DE MAESTRÍA EN LAS UNIVERSIDADES ANTE EL NUEVO SISTEMA NACIONAL DE POSGRADOS (THE QUALITY OF MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMS IN UNIVERSITIES BEFORE THE NEW NATIONAL POSTGRADUATE SYSTEM)
Authors: Chávez Marín Sandra , Fragoso Miranda Martín , Blanco Rodríguez Eduardo
Published: February 2024

El presente documento contiene un análisis sobre la evolución que han tenido las políticas públicas en materia de educación superior en el ámbito internacional, nacional y particularmente en la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, específicamente en los programas de estudio de grado de maestría en el campo del conocimiento del derecho; el objetivo principal estriba en evidenciar la necesidad de crear y ofertar un nuevo programa de estudios de maestría con una orientación profesionalizante al interior de la Facultad de Derecho de esta universidad, para lograr el objetivo fue necesario hacer un estudio de interpretación, comparación y análisis del sistema normativo y de los estándares orientadores para la creación de estos programas, además se hizo un muestreo que permitió robustecer la afirmación de que sí es viable pero además necesario crear una nueva maestría en derecho legislativo al interior de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México.
Guía de alimentación saludable en “La Escuela es Nuestra” en Veracruz
Authors: Ramírez-González Issa María , Bolado-García Victoria Eugenia , Romero-Valdés Luz Del Carmen , Zamora-Contreras Livia Natalia , Olalde-Libreros Guadalupe Jacqueline , Arcos-García Ana María , Castillo-Hernández José Luis
Published: February 2024

La Delegación de Bienestar en Veracruz, se dio a la tarea de diseñar, una guía que facilite proporcionar una alimentación saludable a los escolares del Programa “La Escuela es Nuestra” (LEEN), y cumplir con el artículo 75 de la Ley General de Educación en Materia de Salud. Objetivo: Elaborar una Guía Alimentaria que contribuya a proporcionar una alimentación saludable a la población escolar en el marco de la Estrategia Nacional de Alimentación Saludable, Justa y Sostenible. Metodología: investigación aplicada, descriptiva, cuali-cuantitativa, y transversal. Resultados: Se identificaron problemas de malnutrición, alimentos regionales de mayor consumo, técnicas de preparación, y el consumo de Productos Ultraprocesados (PUP); lo cual permitió elaborar una guía alimentaria con 10 recomendaciones. Conclusiones: La guía alimentaria basada en la cultura alimentaria de la población, la disponibilidad regional de alimentos y la problemática nutricional, facilitará proporcionar una alimentación saludable a los escolares del Programa LEEN.
 
Guide to healthy eating in the program "The School is Ours" in Veracruz
Abstract: The Delegation of Welfare in Veracruz, was given the task of designing, a guide that facilitates providing a healthy diet to schoolchildren of the Program "The School is Ours" (LEEN), and comply with article 75 of the General Law of Education in Health Matters. Objective: To develop a Food Guide that contributes to providing a healthy diet to the school population within the framework of the National Strategy for Healthy, Fair and Sustainable Eating. Methodology: applied, descriptive, qualitative-quantitative, and cross-sectional research. Results: Problems of malnutrition, regional foods of higher consumption, preparation techniques, and consumption of Ultra-Processed Products (PUPs) were identified; This allowed the development of a food guide with 10 recommendations. Conclusions: The food guide based on the food culture of the population, the regional availability of food and the nutritional problem, will facilitate providing a healthy diet to the schoolchildren of the LEEN Program.
Analyzing credit card fraud cases with supervised machine learning methods: logistic regression and Naive Bayes
Authors:   Computer Science Department, Khazar University, Baku, Azerbaijan, Habibullayeva Naila , Kalejahi Behnam ,   Computer Science Department, Khazar University, Baku, Azerbaijan
Published: February 2024

Frauds involving credit cards are simple and effortless to target. With the rise of online payment credit cards have had a huge role in our daily life and economy for the past two decades and it is an important task for companies to identify fraud and non-fraud transactions. As the number of credit cards grows every day and the volume of transactions increases quickly in tandem, fraudsters who wish to exploit this market for illegitimate gains have come to light. Nowadays, it’s quite easy to access anyone’s credit card information, which makes it simpler for card fraudsters to do their crimes. Thanks to advances in technology, it is now possible to determine whether information gained with malicious intent has been used by looking at the costs and time involved in altering account transactions. The Credit Card Fraud analysis data set, which is obtained from the Kaggle database, is used in the modeling process together with The Logistic regression method and Naive Bayes algorithms. Using the Knime platform, we are going to apply machine learning techniques to practical data in this study. The goal of this study is to identify who performed the transaction by examining the periods when people use their credit cards. The Logistic regression approach and the Naive Bayes method both had success rates of 99.83%, which is the highest. The two methods’ results are based on Cohen’s kappa, accuracy, precision, recall, and other metrics.
Empoderamiento de la mujer en el turismo. Caso Municipio y Parque Nacional Torotoro en Potosí - Bolivia
Authors:   Universidad Católica Boliviana San Pablo (Bolivia), Merida Coímbra Gonzalo , Zambrana Fátima ,   Universidad Mayor de San Simón  (Bolivia)
Published: February 2024

This study is an initial contribution to research on women in tourism in the municipality of Potosí and the Torotoro, National Park, a tourist area protected by the Pluri‑national State of Bolivia. The objective is to analyze the current state of the political, social, economic and individual empowerment of women in community tourism in the area. Following a quantitative methodology, the main results show that there are advances in the empowerment indicators and that women have gained important spaces in the public and private spheres. However, there are still pending challenges to be fully incorporated into administrative, public areas and valorisation of their products or services, among others. The study concludes the lines along which work must continue to achieve the empowerment of women in tourism in a more sustainable way over time
Mechanical behaviour and microstructure of methane hydrate-bearing sandy sediment observed at various spatial scales
Authors: Le Thi Xiu , Bornert Michel , Aimedieu Patrick , Broseta Daniel , Chabot Baptiste , King Andrew , Tang Anh Minh
Published: February 2024

Methane hydrates (MHs) are considered an alternative energy resource but also a potential source of geo-hazards and climate change. The physical/mechanical properties of gas hydrate-bearing sandy sediments are strongly dependent on the distribution of hydrates within the pore space. The purpose of this study is to investigate morphologies and pore-habits of MHs formed in sandy sediments by means of experiments that probe a wide range of scales, from the pore scale – using Synchrotron X-Ray Computed Tomography (SXRCT) and optical microscopy – to the core scale, through mechanical property measurements. The same synthetic sands are used, in which MHs are generated successively under excess gas and excess water conditions. At the macroscopic (core) scale, MH pore habits are inferred by comparing the measured sonic wave velocities to velocities calculated from rock physics models and further assessed via triaxial compression tests. Furthermore, Magnetic Resonance Imaging is used to investigate the kinetics of MH formation and distribution along the core height. The pore habits and MH morphologies are directly visualized at the pore (grain) scale by SXRCT and, with still better spatial and temporal resolution, by transmission optical microscopy, revealing some more complex morphologies than in the hydrate pore habits commonly admitted.
Rock Sanctuaries of Apollo in Southern Pisidia: Traditional and “Author’s”
Authors: Prikhodko E. V.
Published: February 2024

Most rock sanctuaries founded in the mountains of Taurus in the 1st – 3rd century AD had a votive character. These sanctuaries belonged to different deities. In southern Pisidia, three traditional rock sanctuaries of Apollo are known: in Perminus, near the city of Pednelissos, and near the ancient city, whose ruins are located near Kocaaliler. The iconography of Apollo in these sanctuaries differs from the image of a naked god familiar to the Greeks. On the votive stelae from Perminus, Apollo is represented as a rider-god, and in two other sanctuaries the image of the god reproduces the basic principles of the idea of the local god of the Pamphylian city of Side, the so-called Apollo Sidetes. But in the 2nd half of the 2nd century AD, a resident of the city of Adada named Leontianos founded near the road in Yazılı kanyon his “author’s” sanctuary. Based on the traditional votive principle, Leontianos carved on the rock his own verses containing hortations in Stoic philosophy and presented his walking stick as a gift to Apollo. This walking stick symbolized the rejection of reliance on everything material and the achievement of inner freedom, which was taught by Epictetus. The author provides a comparative description of these sanctuaries and points out how the idea of erecting an “author’s” sanctuary arose from the tradition of founding votive sanctuaries and how this new sanctuary differed from the traditional ones.
The Status and the Role of the Cabinet Secretary A. V. Makarov in the Process of Forming the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty as a State Institution
Authors: Nakishova M. T.
Published: February 2024

This article focuses on the evolution of functionality of the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty Peter the Great during his reign. Based on an analysis of materials from the collection of documents of the Cabinet stored in the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts it indicates the scope of competence of the Cabinet Secretary A. V. Makarov (1674–1740) and the Cabinet of Peter the Great. The Cabinet of Peter the Great was engaged in financial support of administrative projects, building activities all-around Russia, military companies, diplomatic missions and many other things. In fact, it replaced and duplicated the functions of other institutions of central or local governments, more effectively solving the tasks since its head, Cabinet Secretary A. V. Makarov, had direct access to the monarch and had stable business ties with all state institutions without exception. The author also investigates how the role of this institution in the administrative system changed over time. The study shows the evolution from one clerk position, intended to be a personal royal secretariat, to an independent state institution with a broad scope of competence. The article concludes by arguing that the political significance of the Cabinet of Peter the Great directly depended on the place of A. V. Makarov in the system of public administration. Around the turn of the 1710s and 1720s, A. V. Makarov completely monopolized the intermediary function, through which the ruler was connected with other figures and institutions.
Peter the Great’s Project to Defend the Philadelphia Metropolitanate
Authors: Yastrebov A. O.
Published: February 2024

The article uses the materials of the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire to study the mission of Hegumen Gerasim Foca, who in 1722 came to ask Emperor Peter the Great for help to the Orthodox of Venice. For the first time, the Greek community appealed to the head of the Russian state, delegating a cleric of St. George’s Church to do so. Correspondence between the College of Foreign Affairs and the Holy Synod provides details of the case and the project of assistance to the Orthodox of Venice. From the case files, we also learn about the decision of the Russian government to open a diplomatic mission in the republic. The documents contain information about the personality of Gerasim Foca, as well as about the circumstances of his life in Russia. At the same time, the project, aimed at helping the faithful of Italy and strengthening Russia's influence in the Apennines and the Balkans, remained unrealized.

However, during the 18th century, the cooperation of the Russian government with the Greeks was successful, which led not only to the opening of the consulate and the restitution of the orthodox church but later to the establishment  of the regular embassy and the Russian chapel. The Russian consulate, which Greeks invariably leaded, co-existed  in parallel with the Russian embassy and continued its activities after the abolition of the Venetian Republic.
Interaction of the Diocesan Authorities with Local Administrations in the New Samara Province in the 1850s – 1870s: On the Question of the Nature of Church-State Relations
Authors: Smirnov Yu. N.
Published: February 2024

The article studies the relationship between the secular and spiritual authorities in the first decades of Samara province (from the 1850s until the 1880s). The study utilizes various sources, both newly discovered and previously published, to shed light on this topic. It employs methods such as “local history”, “history of everyday life”, and interdisciplinary practices. Many works related to different aspects of state-church relations indicate the significance and social relevance of studying this topic. In the 19th century, the diocesan authorities at the local level had goals consistent with the intentions of the imperial administration. Due to modernization, elements of civic society were also involved in cooperating with these authorities. Even though the provincial secular and spiritual supervisors were rigidly subordinated vertically to the higher authorities at the imperial level, they were practically independent. Still, they interacted and “collaborated” in solving common problems in the fields such as education, upbringing, culture, charity, economics, and law. These authorities were united in their opposition to anything that would undermine social stability and in their desire to achieve positive cultural and social changes within the existing state orders.
“I am your companion on earth, fight for me!”: Mutuality in Ancient Egyptian Letters to the Dead in the End of 3rd – the Beginning of 2nd Millennium BC
Authors: Demidchik A. E. , Khaprova A. V.
Published: February 2024

Although the ideological foundation of mutual aid within ancient Egyptian small social groups (family, neighbors, etc.) is mostly clear, very few written sources reveal such customs and practices of the Old and Middle Kingdoms. This gap is to some extent filled by Letters to the Dead – written requests for help addressed to deceased relatives, often mentioning mutual obligations of the living “sender” and the deceased “recipient”. Most “senders” of such letters require the “addressees” to follow the principle of reciprocity, a kind of do ut des: since the living contribute to the well-being of the dead by performing cult actions, the latter must now help the living. The rule of mutual assistance was so strict and pervasive that it transcended the boundary of life and death. The Letters to the Dead imply that deceased relatives remained firmly embedded in social networks of mutual aid. However, the most valued was not  a strictly fixed “return” of the once received assistance, but the confidence that the person who received support will not fail to come to the aid of his “benefactor” if trouble happens to the latter. At the same time, the Letters to the Dead show that Egyptians considered it not too petty to refer to their former merits in desperate times: for example, to mention an offering of a bull leg and seven quails in a letter to the deceased parents.
Thermal disposal of waste oils
Authors:   Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), Semenov V. V. , Zhdanov V. I. ,   Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), Sinyukov I. A. ,   Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), Grafkina M. V. ,   Moscow Polytechnic University
Published: February 2024

Pollution of the environment with petroleum products is a serious environmental problem. There are several ways to dispose of used oils: regeneration, burial and incineration. The burning of waste oils is widespread both in Russia and abroad. One of the significant disadvantages of the method is the entry of harmful substances into the atmosphere. The results of research on the development of a more advanced installation of thermal utilization of waste oils, ensuring the completeness of combustion and reduction of harmful emissions, are presented. The unit for thermal disposal of waste oils consists of a furnace and an emulsion nozzle. The furnace from the furnace chamber and the afterburning chamber of the flue gas provides two-zone, two-stage oil gorenje. Oil is burned in the combustion chamber (1st gorenje zone with t ≈ 600–700 оC). Then the smoke enters the afterburning chamber, where it is completely burned due to the supply of additional air (2nd gorenje zone with t ≈ 1200–1300 оC), due to the increase in temperature, toxic substances contained in the smoke are transformed into harmless due to their complete oxidation. The emulsion nozzle consists of intersecting grooves, which, when air and heated oil are fed into it, provide finely dispersed oil spraying by forming gas-liquid vortices in the oncoming grooves. Using the ANSYS program, the calculation of the flame angle of the emulsion nozzle was carried out. It is established that to change the range of the spraying torch and the use of emulsion nozzles in furnaces of different volume and power, it is necessary to change the angle of the screw direction. This research contributes to the development of the industry of processing of production and consumption waste. The proposed solution allows the installation to be used not only in industrial centers where significant volumes of waste oils accumulate, but also in sparsely populated areas, and also ensures the completeness of combustion of oil waste and reduces the negative impact on the environment.
Study of the efficiency of water treatment from ammonium ions by a calcined sorbent from ash-and-slag waste
Authors:   The Kuban State Technological University, Korotkova T. G. , Zakolyukina A. M. ,   The Kuban State Technological University, Bushumov S. A. ,   The Kuban State Technological University
Published: February 2024

Experimental studies of sorption on water treatment from ammonium ions by a calcined sorbent based on ash-and-slag waste from thermal power engineering have been carried out. The calcined sorbent was obtained by calcining samples of ash-and-slag from coal combustion at the Novocherkassk State District Power Plant at a temperature of 600 оC for 30 min. The sorption capacity of a sorbent with a dose of 2.0 g per 50 mL of a model solution, a stirrer speed of 200 rpm, pH 7, and sorption time from 10 to 180 minutes was studied. The influence of the initial concentration of model solutions with the content of ammonium ions 5, 20, 50 and 100 mg/L on the amount of adsorption and treatment efficiency was studied. The highest treatment efficiency of 60% was obtained for an initial concentration of ammonium ions in a solution of 20 mg/L. Processing of experimental data was carried out according to the models of pseudo-first, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion kinetics. The best description of the experimental data was obtained using the pseudo-first order model, which has the highest value of the coefficient of determination. The adsorption equilibrium in the system ammonium ions – calcined sorbent was studied for the initial concentration of ammonium ions in solution: 5, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 300 mg/L. Processing of experimental data on equilibrium was carried out on the basis of two-parameter adsorption isotherms: Langmuir, Freindlich and Temkin. The value of the coefficient of determination according to the Langmuir isotherm is the largest R2 = 0.9904. Dependences between the cleaning efficiency at adsorption equilibrium and the initial concentration of ammonium ions in solution for the system ammonium ions – calcined sorbent are obtained. With an increase in the initial concentration of ammonium ions in the solution, the treatment efficiency at low initial concentrations increases, and decreases with increasing concentration.
Utilization of industrial wastes for sorption of toxic gases
Authors:   Vyatka State University, Fuks S. L. , Devyaterikova S. V. ,   Vyatka State University
Published: February 2024

The purification of exhaust gases of some industries by solid wastes of other enterprises is promising and up-to-date in environmental protection. This paper presents the research results on purification of waste gases from ammonia and benzene by wastes from thermal power engineering (fly ash) and chemical industry (secondary polytetrafluoroethylene). Operation of heat power industry plants, which are powered by bituminous coal, results in producing fly ash which is to be stored in special ash ponds. Ash ponds occupy large areas and significantly burden the local ecosystem. Using ash in building, sound-absorbing, and heat insulating materials’ production reduces the volumes of ahs ponds. Fly ash can be used as a base for heterogeneous catalysts. Fly ash can also be used in zeolite production and for soil structure improvement. A number of studies provide positive results of wastewater treatment from oil products and heavy metal ions, as well as absorption of air sulfur(IV) oxide. We propose fly ash using as a sorbent for ammonia adsorbing from exhaust gases in nitric acid and nitrogen fertilizers production. The adsorbate can be applied as a fertilizer for acid soils. Secondary polytetrafluoroethylene is a co-product of polytetrafluoroethylene production. It can be converted into ultradisperse powder with particle sizes of 0.20–1.35 µm by method of exhaustive fluoridation; the powder applies to a sponge material. The resulting sorbent can be used to extract benzene vapors from the exhaust gases of industries using benzene, for example, as a solvent. Compared to activated carbon, the developed sorbent effectively removes benzene vapors from exhaust gases. Over time, the purification efficiency of heated gases decreases to almost zero. Presumably this is due to liquid benzene fraction condensation on the sorbent surface.
Diversity of active bacterial communities in the disposal sites of liquid waste of a chemical enterprise
Authors:   Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Shirokikh I. G. ,   Vyatka State University, Bokov N. A. ,   Vyatka State University, Dabakh E. V. ,   Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kondakova L. V. ,   Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences,   Vyatka State University, Ashikhmina T. Ya. ,   Institute of Biology of Komi Scientific Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences,   Vyatka State University
Published: February 2024

The composition and taxonomic structure of the phylum Actinobacteria were studied on the example of technosols formed on the territory of the former tailings of liquid waste of a chemical enterprise in the floodplain of the Vyatka River. The diversity of actinobacteria in soil samples taken from three spatially remote monitoring sites (SG, SU1 and SU2), differing in the complex of physico-chemical properties and the nature of the vegetation cover, was studied. The results were compared with the background soil (BS) – alluvial soil selected on the territory of the Nurgush State Nature Reserve. The studies were carried out using high-performance sequencing using Illumina technology and the culture method (seeding). The culture method revealed representatives of the genera Streptomyces, Micromonospora, Streptosporangium and a number of oligospore forms in the actinobacterial complexes. The total number of actinomycetes in the samples of technosols varied from 2.4·104 to 1.8·105 CFU/g, and in the background soil was 8.5·103 CFU/g. Families of actinomycetes established by the seeding method were also detected using the amplicon sequencing of the V4 section of the 16S rRNA gene, but the molecular method made it possible to identify a number of other taxa in the studied samples, including those that do not have cultured representatives or are not yet classified. Using amplicon sequencing, it was found that representatives of the phylum Actinobacteria in samples of technogenically disturbed soils are absolute dominants in relative abundance in the total bacterial diversity. The proportion of actinobacteria in disturbed soils ranges from 33 to 41%, while in the background soil it is only 22%. Actinobacteria in the samples of technosols were represented by the families Micromonosporaceae, Micrococcaceae, Nocardioidaceae, Microbacteriaceae, Thermomonosporaceae, Pseudonocardiaceae, Actinosynnemataceae, and Intrasporangiaceae, etc. The taxonomic spectrum of actinobacteria in the BS sample was similar to technosols, but the proportion of taxa was different. The results obtained will be used in further studies of soil actinobiota in connection with changes in ecosystems disrupted by human economic activity, and are also of interest for the search and isolation of natural strains of actinobacteria for biotechnology purposes.
FMOe: Preprocessing and visualizing package of the fragment molecular orbital method for Molecular Operating Environment and its applications in covalent ligand and metalloprotein analyses
Authors: Moriwaki Hirotomo , Kawashima Yusuke , Watanabe Chiduru , Kamisaka Kikuko , Okiyama Yoshio , Fukuzawa Kaori , Honma Teruki
Published: February 2024

The fragment molecular orbital (FMO) method is an efficient quantum chemical calculation technique for large biomolecules, dividing each into smaller fragments and providing inter-fragment interaction energies (IFIEs) that support our understanding of molecular recognition. The ab initio fragment MO method program (ABINIT-MP), an FMO processing software, can automatically divide typical proteins and nucleic acids. In contrast, small molecules such as ligands and hetero systems must be manually divided. Thus, we developed a graphical user interface to easily handle such manual fragmentation as a library for Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) that preprocesses and visualizes FMO calculations. We demonstrated fragmentation with IFIE analyses for the two following cases: 1) covalent cysteine–ligand bonding inside the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid) complex, and 2) the metal coordination inside a zinc-bound cyclic peptide. IFIE analysis successfully identified the key amino acid residues for the molecular recognition of nirmatrelrvir with Mpro and the details of their interactions (e.g., hydrogen bonds and CH/π interactions) via ligand fragmentation of functional group units. In metalloproteins, we found an efficient and accurate scheme for the fragmentation of Zn2+ ions with four histidines coordinated to the ion. FMOe simplifies manual fragmentation, allowing users to experiment with various fragmentation patterns and perform in-depth IFIE analysis with high accuracy. In the future, our findings will provide valuable insight into complicated cases, such as ligand fragmentation in modality drug discovery, especially for medium-sized molecules and metalloprotein fragmentation around metals.