bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points (HACCP) Method to Describe Critical Points in Healthcare Waste Management of Razi Hospital in Ghaemshahr, Iran During COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020
Authors: Mousavi Seyedeh Fatemeh Erfaneh , Gholami-Borujeni Fathollah
Published: August 2021

Background: During the outbreak of COVID-19 in developing countries such as Iran, the management of healthcare waste has become a very important issue. It is necessary to investigate the risk of virus transmission through direct contact, inhalation, and environmental pollution to reduce transmission risk. The Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points framework is used to simplify quick responses of waste management for facing the novel infectious disease. Objectives: The aim of this study was to use risk analysis frameworks to describe hazard critical control points (HACCP) and make recommendations and corrective actions for staff who work in healthcare facilities and communities experiencing the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: In the present descriptive-analytical study, a team of environmental health experts identified the critical control points of healthcare waste produced in Razi Hospital and divided them into three categories and six steps. A tested and verified hazard analysis flow diagram was prepared to determine critical points in different steps of healthcare waste management. Critical control points were identified and analyzed by the team at each step. Recommendations and corrective actions were made for each control point. Results: The production rate significantly increased from 580 to 1,733 kg per day, probably caused by the increased use of disposable waste during the pandemic. Transportation, disinfection, and storage appeared to be associated with an individually high level of transmission risk of COVID-19 virus. Also, direct contact with infectious waste was often associated with a high risk of virus transmission. In the final disposal of healthcare waste, people were exposed to a lower level of risk. Conclusions: Training staff in different wards of the hospital to use proper personal protective equipment (PPE), hand washing, disinfectants, and ventilation could reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission through healthcare waste. Using the HACCP method for providing recommendations and corrective actions could simplify responses to reduce the transmission risk of COVID-19 during pandemics.
Neonatal Nasopharyngeal Bacterial Colonization: Prevalence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Concomitant Early-onset Sepsis
Authors: Dehdashtian Masoud , Moosavian Mojtaba , Boghrati Meysamreza , Arshadi Maniya , Malakian Arash , Aramesh Mohammad Reza
Published: August 2021

Background: Early-onset neonatal sepsis (ENOS) is one of the most common causes of mortality in neonates. The bacteria causing ENOS are generally transferred from the mother to the infant before or during labor. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence rate of nasopharyngeal colonization with common bacterial agents causing ENOS and their relationship with blood culture outcomes in neonates. Methods: All neonates transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit were included in the study. Posterior pharynx secretions were swabbed and cultured in blood agar and MacConkey agar. Also, a blood specimen from each neonate was inoculated into a blood culture bottle. The grown bacteria were identified by biochemical standard tests. The antibiotic sensitivity test was performed by the disk diffusion method using Mueller-Hinton agar, and the results were evaluated according to the CLSI guidelines. Results: The pharyngeal specimens collected from 114 newborns were positive in 83 (72.8%) cases. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common bacterium in all weight groups. However, the isolates of Klebsiella, Escherichia coli, S. aureus, and Streptococcus agalactiae were also high. Thirteen newborns died. Neonates’ pharyngeal specimens were positive among 11 (84.6%) cases who died and 101 (71.2%) neonates who survived. Twelve neonates had positive blood cultures. Simultaneous positive blood and pharyngeal cultures were reported in eight (7%) cases, in which the bacterial isolates from blood and pharyngeal samples were similar in three cases (37.5%). Among pharyngeal isolates, E. coli was resistant to ampicillin in 100% and gentamicin, cefotaxime, and ceftazidime in 50% of the cases. Also, S. epidermidis and Acinetobacter isolates from blood samples were resistant to ampicillin in 100% of the cases. Conclusions: Staphylococcus epidermidis accounted for 38.6% of bacteria cultured from pharyngeal swabs and 66.7% of bacteria cultured from blood samples, 37.5% of which were resistant to ampicillin and 100% were sensitive to vancomycin. One-hundred percent of E. coli cultures from neonatal pharynges were resistant to ampicillin and about 50% of them were resistant to gentamicin, cefotaxime, and ceftriaxone.
Antibiofilm and Antifungal Activities of Laurelia sempervirens (Chilean laurel) Essential Oil
Authors: Lobos Olga , Padilla Carlos , Barrera Andrea , Lopez-Cabana Zoraya , Mora Claudia , Abaca Paulina , Carrasco-Sánchez Verónica
Published: August 2021

Background: Laurelia sempervirens, better known as Chilean laurel, is endemic to Chile. For many years, the leaves and branches of this plant have been popularly used as medicinal agents. However, its antifungal properties and antibiofilm activity against bacterial strains have not been studied. Objectives: To determine antibiofilm and antimicrobial properties of Chilean laurel essential oil on human pathogenic strains. Methods: The antifungal and antibacterial activities of Chilean laurel essential oil were evaluated through the agar diffusion method, and its minimum inhibitory concentration was determined using the standard microdilution method. Antibiofilm activity was examined based on the formation and disruption of bacterial biofilms and evidenced by the crystal violet technique. Results: The results showed important antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic yeast strains, and the minimum inhibitory concentration of Chilean laurel essential oil was 64 µg mL-1 against Candida albicans. The essential oil also showed an important inhibitory effect against the formation of biofilms produced by Staphylococcus aureus, since it inhibited the formation of biofilms by over 50% at the concentration of 64 µg mL-1. With increasing the essential oil’s concentration to 128 µg mL-1, its antibiofilm activity increased by 60%. Conclusions: These results approve the domestic use of Chilean laurel essential oil as an antimicrobial agent and provide knowledge about the antibiofilm and antifungal properties of L. sempervirens.
Recent Trends of Syndromic Sexually Transmitted Infections at a Tertiary Care Center in Maharashtra, India: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Chavan Ravindranath Brahmadeo , Belgaumkar Vasudha Abhijit , Deshmukh Nitika S. , Krishnegowda Ranjitha
Published: August 2021

Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) constitute a major public health problem in both developed and developing countries. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and STIs are linked in their similar mode of transmission, with STIs facilitating the acquisition and transmission of HIV. The prevalence pattern of individual STIs may evolve over time necessitating a corresponding change in management strategies. Objectives: The study was conducted to determine the burden and any change in the etiological trend among attendees of an STIs clinic at a tertiary care hospital. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data retrieved from consecutive patients attending an STIs clinic over two years (July 2018 to July 2020). Results: Overall, 1916 patients were diagnosed with STIs. The predominant age group was 25 - 44 years (59.23%). Genital ulcer disease was the foremost syndrome (1213, 63.3%). Overall, herpetic genital ulcer was the most common (682, 35.6%), followed by non-herpetic ulcers (531, 27.7%). Vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, and urethritis were found in 461 (24%), 219 (11.43%), and 23 (1.27%) of the patients, respectively. Amongst 237 (12.36%) In HIV seropositive attendees, genital ulcer disease (herpetic) was the most common syndrome (179, 75.53%), followed by vaginal discharge (42, 17.72%), lower abdominal pain (9, 3.8%), and urethritis (7, 2.9%). Conclusions: A definite change in the profile of STIs was observed with ulcerative STIs (particularly herpes genitalis) constituting the major burden against a discernible back drop of decreasing non-herpetic STIs. A systematic, regional, periodic synopsis would not only help to follow and document the dynamic trends, but also can help to assess the effectiveness of control programs.
An Interdependence between Estrogen Receptor 1 Gene Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Breast Cancer
Authors: Saneipour Maryam , Sheikhi Abdolkarim , Moridnia Abbas
Published: August 2021

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor in women around the world. Genetic factors do play a vital role in the development and progression of BC. Genetic alterations in the ESR1 (estrogen receptor 1) gene can lead to estrogen dysfunction and increased risk for BC. Nevertheless, due to genetic diversity, the information from different studies is contradictory and controversial. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between the rs1801132 and rs2234693 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of the ESR1 gene with susceptibility to BC in the Iranian population. Methods: The genotyping of the rs2234693 and rs1801132 SNPs was assessed in 63 BC patients referred to Imam Hasan Mojtaba Center, which is a charity-based foundation for cancer care in Dezful, Iran, from March 2018 to November 2019. Also, 65 healthy women were selected as a control group. The genotyping of the SNPs was performed using the high-resolution melting (HRM) technique and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Results: The genotype distribution and allele frequency of the rs2234693 SNP were significantly different in BC patients compared to the control group (genotype frequency with P = 0.018 and allele frequency with P = 0.004, OR = 2.085, 95% CI = 1.253 -3.468). In genetic models, rs2234693 increased BC risk in recessive model (P = 0.005, OR = 2.813, 95% CI = 1.363 - 5.802). However, there was no significant difference regarding genotype distribution of the rs1801132 SNP between the BC patients and controls. Conclusions: Our results showed that the CC genotype of the rs2234693 SNP is significantly associated with BC. Accordingly, it can be suggested that the rs2234693 SNP be considered for susceptibility to BC.
Which Way Down the Slippery Slope: Arkangel or Digital Pacifier?
Authors: Yeung Lorraine K. C. ,   Society for the Philosophic Study of the Contemporary Visual Arts
Published: August 2021

The Black Mirror episode “Arkangel” tells a disturbing story of over-parenting driven by technology. The single mother Marie’s adoption of the Arkangel system has invited overwhelmingly negative moral evaluation from philosophers. But what accounts for the moral failure of a loving and concerned parent? Is it all about her flawed character, or are there situational factors at work? In the article, I first foreground the slipperiness of technology implicated in Albert Borgmann’s notion of the “device paradigm” and Hans Jonas’s analysis of modern technology. Then I analyze the character of the Arkangel system in the light of the two philosophers’ works and show how the technology turns Marie into a failing parent. In the end, I offer tentative answers to the two questions; the answers shall also shed light on the problem of under-parenting driven by digital technology.
The development of protections for the right to marry guaranteed by Article 12 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms
Authors: Vojvodić Jovana
Published: August 2021

Starting from the 21st century, the European Court of Human Rights has changed the approach regarding the interpretation of the right to marry protected under Article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The new liberal attitude towards the content of this right has opened up opportunities for new categories of persons to enter into marriage and start a family. The question arises whether the European Court of Human Rights will continue with this trend of interpretation and what consequences that could cause for the international understanding of marriage and family.
The attitudes of future pedagogists to sustainable development
Authors: Kalmar Laura , Pinter-Krekić Valerija , Major Lenke
Published: August 2021

Sustainable development is an essential precondition, and also the ultimate goal, of the organization of numerous human activities, with particular emphasis on education. One of the key dimensions of sustainable development is the social dimension, which refers to citizens' comprehension of its importance. The aim of the study presented in this paper was to establish the attitudes of future pedagogists towards sustainable development. The sample consisted of 240 respondents. The study used the descriptive method, and the data collection technique used was the questionnaire survey-the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Attitudes to Sustainable Development. The results of the survey confirm the general research hypothesis that students regard sustainable development as extremely important. Students of teacher training faculties are aware of the concept and importance of sustainable development for the present and the future, but are insufficiently prepared to educate future generations about it. The pedagogical implications of this study would be that university teachers should implement more content dealing with sustainable development as part of the curriculum, particularly at faculties educating future pedagogists. This is particularly important for these students so that they can act with the future in mind-the future of young generations.
Modernism suited to the (traditional and contemporary) doll and the child as its alter ego
Authors: Marković Tatjana
Published: August 2021

This paper looks at the doll through the uneasy relationship between "tradition" and "contemporaneity". The traditional doll, both as a concept and as an artefact, belongs to the real world. It is defined as an object, an immobile figure controlled by a child. The traditional doll has no pretensions to be alive, and thus bears little resemblance to a human being. It is simple, unobtrusive, direct, mysterious, dependent on the child that gives it life during play. It has two fundamental virtues: silence, which is at the same time its most important means of communication, and submissiveness, which is based on fellowship and which implies the leaving of space to the "other", more precisely, to the child who is in fact "the first" and whom the doll "follows". Contemporary dolls can be material and non-material. Material dolls are most commonly made of inorganic materials, while non-material dolls are made of shadows, reflections, projections of symbolic form. Both have convincing human characteristics that they achieve thanks to various programs and "mechanisms". Contemporary dolls are seductive, talkative and ready to build "parasocial" and "postbiological" relationships in the digital world. Their supreme values are entertainment, noise, surprise, saturation of the senses, few demands on the mind. They aspire to be "first", and "demand" that the child should be in "second" position. A comparative study of these two dolls through a circle of ontological questions situated within the animate-inanimate opposition contributes to a better understanding of the status of the traditional/contemporary doll, the boundaries between man/the child and the doll, and relationships between people. The triumph of contemporary dolls threatens the status and the continued existence of the traditional doll. Due to the "humanization" of dolls and the "dollization" of people, the boundaries between people and dolls have been blurred. Increased intimacy with contemporary dolls leads to changes in social patterns based on greater distance between people.
The use of oral history in researching education in Serbia on the eve of World War II
Authors: Vujisić-Živković Nataša
Published: August 2021

This paper presents the results of a study carried out with pedagogy students in the academic year 2013-14. The subject of the study was education in Serbia on the eve of World War II from the perspective of its immediate participants, i.e. persons who were students at the time. The method of oral history was used, with students conducting structured interviews, which we analyzed and interpreted. The interviewees were aged between 75 and 89. The sample consisted of 12 women and 8 men, 13 from rural and 7 from urban environments. The aim of the study was to collect testimony about education in Serbia on the eve of World War II from immediate participants, those who were students at the time. The focus of the study was on the social dimension of education and on the pedagogical process in schools in that period. We conducted a narrative analysis of obtained data, sought to identify similarities and differences in schooling, particularly between children in urban and rural environments. The paper is intended to contribute to the picture of school life on the eve of World War II, to present the voices of "those who have not been heard" in the textbooks on the history of education, and thus shed additional light on this period of our educational past.
The professional work of pedagogists in educational practice: The path to achieving sustainable development goals
Authors: Vračar Maja , Jović Jelena , Stojanović Nataša
Published: August 2021

The paper begins by considering the profession of pedagogist and then looks at the challenges faced by pedagogists in educational practice, with a focus on the activities to which pedagogists want to devote more time in conditions of change, and on the ways in which pedagogists obtain information on the results of their work in schools. The paper presents part of the findings of a study on the the views of pedagogists-educationalists in primary and secondary schools in Serbia. The aim of the research was to identify the professional activities to which pedagogists want to devote their activities in educational practice, and the ways they are informed about the results of their work at the level of the school, noting the differences related to the type of school in which pedagogists are employed. The findings of the research are indicative and suggest that the activities to which pedagogists want to devote more time at work are primarily professional development and student counselling, while the findings concerning the way in which pedagogists are informed about the results of their work point to the need for more enterprising, active and effective action by school pedagogists in educational practice which will also affect the work of pedagogists in the contemporary education system
Constitutional position of the President of the Republic of Srpska in the light of comparative law
Authors: Golić Darko
Published: August 2021

Although the Constitution of the Republic of Srpska was created in extremely complex circumstances, exposed to multiple, often violent changes, the underlined constitutional concept of the organization of power and the position of the President of the Republic remained unchanged. Thanks to that fact, the Constitution of the Republic of Srpska confirmed its vitality, and enabled the stable functioning of the state government. Although the semi-presidential system (of power) implies certain elements common to all variants, there are numerous specifics of its different manifestations. In this regard, one can observe the position of the President of the Republic of Srpska, who, in addition to immediate legitimacy, has vast and independent powers, which make him the true head of the executive branch. In light of these characteristics of the position of the President of the Republic, one can speak of a stronger semi-presidential form of government. Having in mind determinism of existing solutions, the similarity with comparative models, and bearing in mind certain specifics, the author is of the opinion that established solution should not be changed.
Significance of the case of Urgenda for the development of climate litigations in Europe
Authors: Tintor Ljubomir
Published: August 2021

The article comprehensively analyses the case of Urgenda v. the Netherlands as the first successful climate litigation in Europe. The article analyses the arguments on which the Dutch courts established state responsibility for human rights violations caused by the failure of the state in the implementation of policies to combat climate change. The significance of this case is pointed out not only for Dutch, but also for international law. The second part of the article will show how the Urgenda case affected climate litigation that began to appear before national courts across Europe. Through a comparative analysis of cases, it will be pointed out that there is uneven case law in climate litigation before national courts. It will be seen how the Urgenda case had an impact on the initiation of climate disputes and before the European Court of Human Rights. Particular attention is paid to the issue of the connection between the impact of climate change and the torture caused by the harmful effects of global warming, which was initiated before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. At the end of the article, the perspective of climate litigation is considered.
(Un)justified application of labour law rules of dismissal protection on self-employed persons
Authors: Vidanović Katarina
Published: August 2021

In this paper the rights of employees and self-employed persons and the distinction between them are analysed, with the special focus on dismissal protection. Using the comparative and normative method, the author analyses these legal questions in legal systems in Spain, Austria, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Nothern Ireland, and the United States of America, including the existence of the mid-category of semi-dependent self-employed persons in the first three abovementioned jurisdictions and practical consequences of their existence. Dismissal protection of self-employed persons represents a legal question that is not sufficiently researched in comparison to the dismissal protection of employees. The hypothesis of the author in this paper has been based on the opinion that self-employed persons who work for others are justifiably deprived of dismissal protection, unlike semi-dependent self-employed persons who are unjustifiably deprived of it, especially because the second mentioned category does not experience entrepreneurial risks and chances. Also, the question of dismissal protection of self-employed persons is very relevant when we consider the amount of misuse of this occurrence and cost savings which employers often have when employing them. In the end, de lege ferenda solutions and their implications for other legal systems are proposed by the author of the paper.
Legal features of market risks management in investment companies
Authors: Sovilj Ranko , Stojković-Zlatanović Sanja
Published: August 2021

The issue of market risks management in investment companies is being updated and gaining importance in recent years, due to frequent crises and shocks in the financial markets. The application of the normative and comparative method in work analyzes the exposure of investment companies business to market risks. The paper points out the importance of determining market risks, as well as the types of market risks to which investment companies are exposed, and the importance of introducing new solutions adopted in the European legislation. The application of the proposed solutions based on qualitative and quantitative measures should enable both investment companies surviving on the capital market and providing adequate legal protection to investors. Therefore, the paper emphasizes the need for identifying and early recognition of market risks in investment companies, proposing appropriate measures, assessments and models for managing market risks in the investment companies.
The extension of collective agreements as a way to promote collective bargaining
Authors: Urdarević Bojan
Published: August 2021

Collective bargaining is a process of joint decision-making in which the social partners, representing the interests of their membership, try, in good faith, to determine the content and conclude the collective agreement. In this sense, collective bargaining is a way to resolve many issues related to the work process, to the satisfaction of all parties. In a context in which labour markets are characterized by inequality and uncertainty, the extension of the collective agreement is a key public policy instrument for the promotion of collective bargaining in general. However, certain principles must be represented to allow as many workers as possible to be covered by the extended effect of the collective agreement. These principles are set out in Collective Agreements Recommendation no. 91 of International Labour Organization and need to be followed to ensure respect for the free and voluntary nature of collective bargaining. With the fourth industrial revolution, the world of work changed radically, but the institute of the extended effect of the collective agreement can offer some answers to new circumstances, such as the increase of flexible forms of work and employment, migrant workers, or posted workers.
Dynamic spectrum access with deep Q-learning in densely occupied and partially observable environments
Authors: Tomović Slavica , Radusinović Igor
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we propose a new Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) method for multi-channel wireless networks. We assume that DSA nodes do not have prior knowledge of the system dynamics, and have only partial observability of the channels. Thus, the problem is formulated as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) with exponential time complexity. We have developed a novel Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) based DSA method which combines a double deep Q-learning architecture with a recurrent neural network and takes advantage of a prioritized experience buffer. The simulation analysis shows that the proposed method accurately predicts a channel state based on the fixed-length history of partial observations. Compared with other DRL methods for DSA, the proposed solution can find a near-optimal policy in a smaller number of iterations and suits a wider range of communication environments, including dynamic ones, where channel occupancy pattern changes over time. The performance improvement increases with the number of channels and with a channel state transition uncertainty. To boost the performance of the algorithm in densely occupied environments, multiple DRL exploration strategies are examined and evaluation results are presented in the paper.
Designing a downsized quadrature directional coupler
Authors: Letavin Denis
Published: August 2021

To miniaturize directional couplers, the replacement of their quarter-wave sections with electrodynamic structures with equivalent characteristics at smaller physical dimensions is used. It is shown that the structures used have filtering properties and act as low-pass filters. It is set at what cutoff frequency the low-pass filters must be calculated to obtain a phase shift of 90 degrees.
Advanced high-gain slot antenna arrays for 5G and radar applications
Authors: Milijić Marija , Jokanović Branka
Published: August 2021

This paper presents an advanced design of high-gain slot antenna array at K-band using slots as radiating elements serially fed by coplanar waveguide (CPW). The arrays consist of identical slots of rectangular shape positioned symmetrically relative to the CPW feeding line. Firstly, the linear arrays of 14 slots are examined considering mainly their bandwidth and radiation characteristics. In addition, two identical linear sub - arrays of 14 slots are investigated when they have separate feeding in the form of two generators for each sub - array. Last, a CPW T-junction is employed to feed the antenna consisting of 2 x 14 slots which resulted in a wide operating bandwidth and maximum gain of 21.0 dBi which proved to be 2.25 dB less gain than with independent feeding. In order to enhance the antenna gain, both arrays are terminated with open-circuited stubs, so that the energy remaining after the last array element is reflected from the stub and re-radiated through the slot arrays. The length of the stubs is optimized to provide that the reflected wave is in phase with the forward-traveling waves at all the slot locations. In that way, very little energy is wasted and consequently the antenna gain is increased. The feed simplicity and uniplanar configuration of the slot arrays, designed for the frequency range 24.25-27.5 GHz, makes them attractive for radar sensors and high capacity 5G technology applications.
Quality assessment experiment for 4k SVT-AV1 video format
Authors: Gavrovska Ana , Milivojević Milan , Zajić Goran
Published: August 2021

The industrial consortium AOMedia has recently developed the AV1 (AOMedia Video 1) format considered as a successor of VP9. One of the main goals with the video coding and compression format is to enable efficient Web based video content delivery, as in the case of OTT (Over-the-top) services. Nowadays, there are different AV1 software implementations available for experimental analysis besides the reference tool libaom. The Scalable Video Technology for AV1, or SVT-AV1 CODEC, is oriented towards further optimizations for specific Intel hardware. In this paper, we have performed a video quality assessment experiment with some of the SVT-AV1 implementations using 4k like video. The results show the advantages of SVT-AV1 format, as well as its performance for different quantization factors.
Model of identification of motivational factors for work of the Serbian Armed Forces professional members and their hierarchical organization
Authors: Kovačević Milan
Published: August 2021

Motivation and work motivation are multidisciplinary topics important for the successful functioning of modern organizations. Opportunities to improve the effects and performance of all types of organizations by influencing employee motivation have resulted in a number of studies aimed at identifying motivational factors, their impact and hierarchy. Work motivational factors are numerous, and their impact and hierarchy are changeable and depend on socio-economic conditions, cultural determinants, as well as the individual characteristics of employees. In order to improve the motivation for work, there is a need to identify factors and their impact on the motivation and effects of the work of the Serbian Armed Forces professional members in their own cultural environment and the current set of socio-economic conditions. The objective of this paper is to develop a model for identifying motivational factors of the Serbian Armed Forces professional members and determine their impact and hierarchy. The paper will use the method of document content analysis in order to identify a list of motivational factors that will then be confirmed or rejected, depending on the results of research conducted using the research method, survey technique and statistical method. The paper presents a model for identifying work motivational factors and the results of a survey of the attitudes of a quota sample of 1401 Serbian Armed Forces professional members. The hierarchy of factors is presented and it has been concluded that good interpersonal relationships and salary amount have the most significant impact on the motivation for work of the Serbian Armed Forces professional members. The results of the research can be used for improving the motivation for work, normative acts, organizational structure and instruments for future research.
Battalion tactical groups of the Russian Armed Forces in the altered physiognomy of modern conflicts
Authors: Mitrović Miroslav , Bojanić Dragan
Published: August 2021

The altered setting of current conflicts, its hybridity and nonlinearity affect the justification of the assumption that operations in several domains will become a new method of conducting operations of the Russian Armed Forces. The Russian Armed Forces battle groups are in practice known as battalion tactical groups (BTG). They have arisen in response to the problems regarding the deployment of the Russian Armed Forces units in local and small wars, and within the general transformation of the Russian Armed Forces, based on altered geopolitical and strategic circumstances. The basis of BTG consists of units from active brigades of the Russian Armed Forces, which are established modularly in accordance with the expressed needs and expected characteristics of operations. The first deployment of the Russian Armed Forces BTG was in the conflict in Ukraine, which has significantly improved their organization and deployment following the experiences from the mentioned conflict. The current deployment in the conflict in Syria greatly contributes to the maturing of the concept of BTG implementation in the expeditionary operations of the Russian Armed Forces. It can be expected that the Russian Armed Forces BTG will also play an increasingly important role in the future hotspots, in response to practical demands of modern hybrid wars.
Paper on the modelling of operational costs calculation in the defence system
Authors: Mitić Vlada , Saković Radiša , Kovač Mitar
Published: August 2021

The defence system of the Republic of Serbia has a complex organizational structure that is constantly in the process of exploiting its own resources, among which spending funds deserves special attention. Considering the achieved level in the process of building a stable manner of financing the defence system of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the current limitations encountered by the authors, the paper emphasizes a special research problem aimed at determining a more rational way of calculating the defence system costs. Considering the complexity of the mentioned research problem and the current level of the defence system structure of the Republic of Serbia, the subject of the research is based on the proposal of a certain model that will enable more precise calculation of operational costs of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. In this regard, the paper starts from the hypothetical view that the existing model of calculating the defence system costs can be improved, above all in the part of the calculation of operational costs of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. The objective of this paper is to point out the need to evaluate the current practice in spending funds and propose new solutions that will enable better mechanisms for monitoring expenditure and income, i.e. better calculation of operational costs at all levels of financing in the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces. The research results have confirmed the set hypothetical framework by implementation of the method of content analysis, with focus on the comparative analysis of the calculation of operational costs of personnel, weapons and military equipment and infrastructure. The paper concludes that there are objective possibilities for improving the model of calculating operational costs of the defence system.
Evaluación de un programa piloto de promoción de la salud sexual para personas con diagnóstico de trastorno mental crónico
Authors: López de la Llave Andrés , Castaño María , Pérez Llantada María del Carmen
Published: August 2021

Los objetivos de este estudio fueron: a) explorar las actitudes sexuales y el nivel de conocimientos sexuales, en personas con y sin un diagnóstico de trastorno mental crónico, y b) examinar un programa para fomentar actitudes sexualmente saludables e incrementar los conocimientos sobre sexualidad. Participaron 53 personas (23 con diagnóstico de enfermedad mental y 30 sin este diagnóstico). Las personas con diagnóstico de enfermedad mental (PCDEM) se asignaron a dos grupos (13: asistencia al programa y 10: lista de espera). Las PCDEM mostraron actitudes sexuales más saludables (t = –5.535; p < .001) pero las personas sin este diagnóstico obtuvieron mejores resultados en conocimientos adecuados sobre sexualidad (t = –2.057; p < .05). El programa aplicado mostró efectos positivos en las dos variables objetivo (conocimientos y actitudes sexuales), siendo el grupo de participantes en el programa el que mostró más conocimientos y actitudes más saludables.
Pengaruh metil eugenol block plus terhadap tangkapan lalat buah Bactrocera spp. pada tanaman cabai di Desa Lembang, Kecamatan Lembang, Kabupaten Bandung Barat
Authors: Susanto Agus , Agus Dana Permana  , Sri Hartati  , Tohidin  , Desy Natalia Br. Saragih
Published: August 2021

Lalat buah Bactrocera spp. merupakan salah satu hama penting pada tanaman cabai. Penggunaan metil eugenol (ME) block plus sebagai atraktan dalam perangkap merupakan salah satu cara pengendalian lalat buah. Percobaan bertujuan untuk mengetahui formulasi ME block plus yang tepat dalam meningkatkan tangkapan lalat buah pada lahan tanaman cabai. Percobaan dilaksanakan dari bulan Januari sampai April 2018 di Desa Lembang, Kecamatan Lembang, Kabupaten Bandung Barat. Percobaan menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok yang terdiri atas delapan perlakuan dan tiga ulangan. Perlakuan yang diuji, yaitu ME 2 ml diaplikasikan di seluruh perlakuan pada kapas; block; esens cabai 4 ml block; esens jambu 4 ml block; esens jeruk 4 ml block; esens belimbing 4 ml block; esens mangga 4 ml block; produk atraktan block berbahan aktif ME. Walaupun hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa seluruh perlakuan yang diuji tidak dapat menarik lalat buah betina, akan tetapi formulasi esens berhasil menarik lalat buah jantan sebesar 87%. Esens cabai 4 ml pada formulasi ME block 2 ml merupakan perlakuan yang paling efektif meningkatkan tangkapan lalat buah jantan sebanyak 377 individu lalat buah/perangkap/minggu pada spesies Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), Bactrocera carambolae Drew & Hancock, Bactrocera umbrosa Fabricius, dan lalat buah hibrida B. dorsalis x B. carambolae.
How To Refuse Research from The Ruins of Its Own Production
Authors: Andersen Christian Ulrik , Cox Geoff
Published: August 2021

Writing in 1965, Mario Tronti’s claim was that the greatest power of the working class is refusal: the refusal of work, the refusal of capitalist development, and the refusal to bargain within a capitalist framework. One can see how this "strategy of refusal" has been utilised in all sorts of instances by social movements, but how does this play out now in the context of wider struggles over autonomy today – not just in terms of labour power and class struggles; but also intersectional feminism and queer politics; race and decolonialism, geopolitics, populism, environmental concerns; and the current pandemic? In what ways does a refusal of production manifest itself in contemporary artistic, political, social, cultural, or other movements? And, how might a refusal of certain forms of production come together with a politics of care and "social closeness" – also when thinking of how research itself might be refused?
Refusing the Burden of Computation: Edge Computing and Sustainable ICT
Authors: De Valk Marloes
Published: August 2021

This paper asks what we can learn from edge computing about the commitment of Big Tech to diminish its ecological footprint. The text starts with the COVID-19 pandemic being framed as opportunity for more sustainability and unpacks edge computing as one of the elements proposed as a solution, next to working from home. It interrogates the discourse behind these solutions, one of technological fixes that allow ‘business as usual’ to continue, undisturbed by government regulations, outsourcing the burden of environmental responsibility to citizens. The paper draws parallels between edge computing, Big Tech’s approach to sustainability and the history of the Sustainable ICT discourse and proposes that to truly diminish ICT’s footprint, a refusal of the burden of computation and digital enclosure (vendor lock-in) is needed, by collectively building and financing network services.
Nothing Re-Fused: Performing the Neo-Institution
Authors: NOTHING HAPPENING HERE  , Brod Kelsey , Schwerzmann Katia , Sjol Jordan , Strecker Alexander , Tapson Kristen
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we outline the shape of a new institutional structure born of neo-liberal precariousness that we call the neo-institution. The neo-institution is immune to refusal, while at the same time an expert in extracting labor, time, knowledge, and attention. Because there is no way out of the aporia that is the neo-institution—no practical way to re-shape or refuse it—we propose to partly subtract ourselves from it by instigating another way to assemble. We advance the theoretical practice of stitching as a form of assembling that does not erase traces of labor and fight and that eludes any totalizing tendency. Understood as a way of assembling and writing, stitching is a practice of repairing, repurposing, and holding together. Finally, while fatigue, exhaustion, burnout, and depression are the inescapable result of neo-liberal precariousness, we praise the entropic ability of the body to refuse to be treated like refuse.
Ultra-narrow linewidth characteristics of 795-nm subwavelength grating-coupled cavity vertical cavity surface emitting laser
Authors: Zhang Fu-Ling , Fu Li-Shan , Hu Pi-Li , Han Wen-Jie , Wang Hong-Zhuo , Zhang Feng , Guan Bao-Lu ,   The 27th Institute of CETC, Zhengzhou 450047, China,   Laboratory of Opto-electronics Technology, College of Electronic Information and Control Engineering, Faculty of Information Technology, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124
Published: August 2021

In this paper, the 795-nm vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) with sub-wavelength grating coupled cavity is proposed and designed based on the theory of resonant coupled cavity, and the mechanism of multi-cavity coupling linewidth narrowing and influencing factors are analyzed in detail by using the COMSOL software finite element method. The analysis results show that when photonic resonance takes place in a multi-coupled cavity, the grating-coupled cavity with reasonable design parameters and the multi-coupled cavity formed by precisely controlled lasers are phase-matched, which greatly strengthens the narrowing effect of the spectral linewidth resonance, and a 795-nm VCSEL laser with high beam quality and ultra-narrow linewidth output is obtained, finally. Theoretical results display that the reflection spectrum cold cavity linewidth Δλc of the coupling cavity with a thickness of 180nm of the spacer layer can reach 7 pm, which lays a theoretical foundation for achieving a kHz-level spectral linewidth output of VCSEL lasers.
Deep-sea in-situ laser Doppler velocity measurement system
Authors: Sun Jing-Jing , Zhang Lei , Zhen Sheng-Lai , Cao Zhi-Gang , Zhang Guo-Sheng , Yu Ben-Li ,   Key Laboratory of Photoelectric Information Acquisition and Control of Ministry of Education, Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, School of Physics and Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
Published: August 2021

A set of 4000-meter laser Doppler hydrothermal velocity measurement prototype suitable for deep sea in-situ measurement is developed in this work. In the system, an integrated design is adopted. The system is composed of a light source module, an optical module, and a Doppler signal processing module. The system is encapsulated in a pressure chamber with L500 mm × Φ205 mm to form an integrated optical measuring probe. An optical path of two-beam laser Doppler velocity measurement with strong local oscillator is proposed. The prototype is used to measure the simulated velocity in the laboratory. The measurement range is 0.01–10 m/s, and the flow velocity measurement resolution is 0.001 m/s. The experimental results preliminarily prove the feasibility of the laser Doppler velocity measurement system. After that, a withstanding voltage test on the system is conducted at the Qingdao Deep Sea Base, and the system obtains a normal signal under a high pressure of 40 MPa. A speed comparison measurement is carried out at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research. In a low speed range from 0.01 m/s to 0.2 m/s, comparing with the acoustic Doppler velocity meter, the maximum measurement relative error is –9.43%. In a high speed range from 0.8 m/s to 9.6 m/s, comparing with the nozzle standard flow rate system, the maximum relative measurement error is –1.65%. The prototype system is tested in a shallow sea in Lingshui, Hainan. The sinking speed of the prototype system that sinks together with a crane down to a water depth of 50 m, and the towing speed of the system together with the ship at a depth of 2 m are tested. The test proves that the prototype system works normally in a shallow sea environment.
Multi-segment lymphatic vessel model based on lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Zhang Qian-Yi , Wei Hua-Jian , Li Hua-Bing ,   School of Material Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin 541004, China
Published: August 2021

The lymphatic system plays an important part in the body’s immunity and cell’s internal environment homeostasis. Like a blood circulatory system, the lymphatic system is a piping system throughout the body, which is composed mainly of lymphatic fluid and lymphatic vessels. The spontaneous contraction of the lymphatic vessels drives the flow of lymphatic fluid in the vessels. The spontaneous contraction-relaxation mechanism of lymphatic vessels is determined by the oscillating feedback of Ca2+ concentration and NO concentration. The distribution of NO in the vessels plays an important role in the contraction cycle of lymphatic vessels. The shear force acting on the lymphatic valves due to the flow of fluid is the main source of NO. In a real system, the distribution of NO in a certain section of lymphatic vessel will be affected by other lymphanion connected to it, especially the upstream connecting fragments. Through the lattice Boltzmann method, a multi-segment lymphatic vessel model with valve structure is established, which reproduces the feedback mechanism of Ca2+ and NO, valve change and fluid flow. There are three types of lymphatic vessels in the model, namely the initial lymphatic vessel, the collecting lymphatic vessel, and the outlet lymphatic vessel. The number of lymphatic vessels can be unlimited and inputted by the parameters. The number of lymphatic vessels is 3－5, and there are two pairs of valves in each lymphatic vessel. In this paper studied are the distribution of NO and pressure in multi-segment lymphatic vessel, and the change in the flow of each vessel in the three-segment vessel model over time.