bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two Influential Concepts: Socialist Legality and Constitutional Identity and Their Impact on the Independence of the Judiciary
Authors: Gardos-Orosz Fruzsina
Published: October 2021

In this Article, I suggest considering linkages of a theoretical, and continuities of a sociological nature between on the one hand, the concept and the practical use of socialist legality in Socialist Hungary—with particular regard to the period following the judicial reform of 1954—and on the other hand, the concept of constitutional identity as it has developed in the Fundamental Law in Hungary, with particular regard to the period since the 2011 judicial reform. The Article highlights surprising similarities in the politically determined legislative intention in these two periods to form embracing, quasi legal concepts, which in themselves seem to differ fundamentally, although the similarities in their nature and in the specific constitutional practice are attention-grabbing. The interpretation of the role of state institutions, and especially the judicial role, lead one to think that despite the explicit rejection of the Socialist era in Article U) of the Fundamental Law in Hungary, the new constitutional regime has familiar attitudes to the understanding of the rule of law and the role of the judiciary in promoting the enforcement of the new, supra legal concepts of a transformative nature, which, however, are filled in with the ruling political ideology, whether it be socialist legality or national constitutional identity.
Inertial and non-inertial focusing of a deformable capsule in a curved microchannel
Authors: Ebrahimi Saman , Bagchi Prosenjit
Published: October 2021

A computational study is presented on cross-stream migration and focusing of deformable capsules in curved microchannels of square and rectangular sections under inertial and non-inertial regimes. The numerical methodology is based on immersed boundary methods for fluid–structure coupling, a finite-volume-based flow solver and finite-element method for capsule deformation. Different focusing behaviours in the two regimes are predicted that arise due to the interplay of inertia, deformation, altered shear gradient, streamline curvature effect and secondary flow. In the non-inertial regime, a single-point focusing occurs on the central plane, and at a radial location between the interior face (i.e. face with highest curvature) of the channel and the location of zero shear. The focusing position is nearly independent of capsule deformability (represented by the capillary number,

$Ca$

). A two-step migration is observed that is comprised of a faster radial migration, followed by a slower migration toward the centre plane. The focusing location progressively moves further toward the interior face with increasing curvature and width, but decreasing height. In the inertial regime, single-point focusing is observed near the interior face for channel Reynolds number

$Re_{C}\sim {O}(1)$

, that is also highly sensitive to

$Re_{C}$

and

$Ca$

, and moves progressively toward the exterior face with increasing

$Re_{C}$

but decreasing

$Ca$

. As

$Re_{C}$

increases by an order, secondary flow becomes stronger, and two focusing locations appear close to the centres of the Dean vortices. This location becomes practically independent of

$Ca$

at even higher inertia. The inertial focusing positions move progressively toward the exterior face with increasing channel width and decreasing height. For wider channels, the equilibrium location is further toward the exterior face than the vortex centre.
CLIMATE POLICIES: CHALLENGES, OBSTACLES AND TOOLS
Authors: van der Ploeg Frederick
Published: October 2021

A four-pronged approach to climate policy is presented consisting of carbon pricing, subsidies for renewable energies, transformative green investments and climate finance and engendering flywheel effects. Then, a variety of societal and political challenges and obstacles faced by such a climate policy and what can be done to overcome them are discussed. These range from stranded assets, the very long time scales needed to adapt and deal with global warming, intergenerational conflict, international free-rider problems, carbon leakage, green paradoxes, policy failure and capture, adverse income distributional effects and spatial scarcity to the problem of climate deniers and sceptics. The paper also discusses the various tools that are needed for the analysis of both ideal and workable climate policies, and the need to collaborate with complexity scholars, political scientists, sociologists and psychologists.
The Tutte polynomial and toric Nakajima quiver varieties
Authors: Abdelgadir Tarig , Mellit Anton , Villegas Fernando Rodriguez
Published: October 2021

For a quiver$Q$with underlying graph$\Gamma$, we take$ {\mathcal {M}}$an associated toric Nakajima quiver variety. In this article, we give a direct relation between a specialization of the Tutte polynomial of$\Gamma$, the Kac polynomial of$Q$and the Poincaré polynomial of$ {\mathcal {M}}$. We do this by giving a cell decomposition of$ {\mathcal {M}}$indexed by spanning trees of$\Gamma$and ‘geometrizing’ the deletion and contraction operators on graphs. These relations have been previously established in Hausel–Sturmfels [6] and Crawley-Boevey–Van den Bergh [3], however the methods here are more hands-on.
Higher-dimensional Auslander–Reiten theory on (d+2)-angulated categories
Authors: Zhou Panyue
Published: October 2021

Let
$\mathscr{C}$
be a
$(d+2)$
-angulated category with d-suspension functor
$\Sigma^d$
. Our main results show that every Serre functor on
$\mathscr{C}$
is a
$(d+2)$
-angulated functor. We also show that
$\mathscr{C}$
has a Serre functor
$\mathbb{S}$
if and only if
$\mathscr{C}$
has Auslander–Reiten
$(d+2)$
-angles. Moreover,
$\tau_d=\mathbb{S}\Sigma^{-d}$
where
$\tau_d$
is d-Auslander–Reiten translation. These results generalize work by Bondal–Kapranov and Reiten–Van den Bergh. As an application, we prove that for a strongly functorially finite subcategory
$\mathscr{X}$
of
$\mathscr{C}$
, the quotient category
$\mathscr{C}/\mathscr{X}$
is a
$(d+2)$
-angulated category if and only if
$(\mathscr{C},\mathscr{C})$
is an
$\mathscr{X}$
-mutation pair, and if and only if
$\tau_d\mathscr{X} =\mathscr{X}$
.
Do women with autonomy in the household experience less intimate partner violence in Malawi? Evidence from the 2015–16 Demographic and Health Survey
Authors: Forty James
Published: October 2021

In Malawi, the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), or closely related violence, is estimated at 42% according to the 2015–16 Malawi Demography and Health Survey (MDHS). This study investigated the association between women’s autonomy in household decision-making participation as well as sexual autonomy and IPV among married and cohabiting women aged 15–49 years in Malawi. Secondary data were taken from the 2015–16 MDHS. Multivariate analysis was performed using a stepwise forward logistic (binary) regression model to assess the association of dimensions of women’s autonomy in the household and selected control variables with IPV. No association was found between dimensions of women’s autonomy in the household and IPV. However, other variables did have an association with some form of IPV, namely women justifying wife beating, having a jealous partner, being accused of unfaithfulness by their partner, having a partner who drinks alcohol and having a partner with another woman or more. In addition, religion, ethnicity, women education level and women’s occupation were found to be associated with the risk of experiencing IPV. The study recommends policy interventions aimed at supporting youth, especially girls, to complete secondary education before they marry or cohabit; the development of accessible and affordable psycho-social counselling specialists and platforms for married and cohabiting couples; nationwide rigorous advocacy and civic education on IPV; and enforcement of Malawi’s 2006 domestic violence law.
Intermittent theta burst stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves working memory of subjects with methamphetamine use disorder
Authors: Zhang Yi , Ku Yixuan , Sun Junfeng , Daskalakis Zafiris J. , Yuan Ti-Fei
Published: October 2021

Background

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been employed to treat drug dependence, reduce drug use and improve cognition. The aim of the study was to analyze the effectiveness of intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) on cognition in individuals with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD).

Methods

This was a secondary analysis of 40 MUD subjects receiving left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC) iTBS or sham iTBS for 20 times over 10 days (twice-daily). Changes in working memory (WM) accuracy, reaction time, and sensitivity index were analyzed before and after active and sham rTMS treatment. Resting-state EEG was also acquired to identify potential biological changes that may relate to any cognitive improvement.

Results

The results showed that iTBS increased WM accuracy and discrimination ability, and improved reaction time relative to sham iTBS. iTBS also reduced resting-state delta power over the left prefrontal region. This reduction in resting-state delta power correlated with the changes in WM.

Conclusions

Prefrontal iTBS may enhance WM performance in MUD subjects. iTBS induced resting EEG changes raising the possibility that such findings may represent a biological target of iTBS treatment response.
Valuation in health and ageing innovation practices
Authors: van Hees Susan , Greubel Carla , Moors Ellen , Peine Alexander
Published: October 2021

In the development and deployment of health and ageing innovations, underlying values such as privacy or quality of life are often seen as a relatively stable starting point, if considered at all. However, values are neither stable nor singular. This paper introduces a valuation framework to explore the co-constitution of values and technological innovations. A careful and ongoing reflection on values and valuation, in particular in innovation practices targeted at older people, is crucial when aiming to increase sustainable innovations. Therefore, we include a Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) perspective to technological development and innovation, to understand better the construction and co-constitution of ageing-in-place technologies. This framework is developed following a review of literature on values and valuation in the broad field of SSH. The proposed valuation framework consists of three core elements: (a) value multiplicity, (b) value dynamism, and (c) valuation implications. To demonstrate potential applicability of the framework, we conducted a thought experiment on values and valuation practices related to the development and potential further deployment of a COVID-19 health app in the Netherlands. This experiment pays special attention to multiple values at stake and implications for older adults who age in place. We argue this valuation framework provokes reflection on dynamic and multiple values underlying technology use and non-use, and contributes to responsible health and ageing innovations.
Socrates in the fMRI Scanner: The Neurofoundations of Morality and the Challenge to Ethics
Authors: Rueda Jon
Published: October 2021

The neuroscience of ethics is allegedly having a double impact. First, it is transforming the view of human morality through the discovery of the neurobiological underpinnings that influence moral behavior. Second, some neuroscientific findings are radically challenging traditional views on normative ethics. Both claims have some truth but are also overstated. In this article, the author shows that they can be understood together, although with different caveats, under the label of “neurofoundationalism.” Whereas the neuroscientific picture of human morality is undoubtedly valuable if we avoid neuroessentialistic portraits, the empirical disruption of normative ethics seems less plausible. The neuroscience of morality, however, is providing relevant evidence that any empirically informed ethical theory needs to critically consider. Although neuroethics is not going to bridge the is–ought divide, it may establish certain facts that require us to rethink the way we achieve our ethical aspirations.
Well-Being After Severe Brain Injury: What Counts as Good Recovery?
Authors: Graham Mackenzie , Naci Lorina
Published: October 2021

Disorders of consciousness (DOC) continue to profoundly challenge both families and medical professionals. Once a brain-injured patient has been stabilized, questions turn to the prospect of recovery. However, what “recovery” means in the context of patients with prolonged DOC is not always clear. Failure to recognize potential differences of interpretation—and the assumptions about the relationship between health and well-being that underlie these differences—can inhibit communication between surrogate decisionmakers and a patient’s clinical team, and make it difficult to establish the goals of care. The authors examine the relationship between health and well-being as it pertains to patients with prolonged DOC. They argue that changes in awareness or other function should not be equated to changes in well-being, in the absence of a clear understanding of the constituents of well-being for that particular patient. The authors further maintain that a comprehensive conception of recovery for patients with prolonged DOC should incorporate aspects of both experienced well-being and evaluative well-being.
MRI-Diagnostik in der Proktologie
Authors: Christe Andreas
Published: October 2021

Zusammenfassung. Die MRI-Bildgebung eignet sich ausgezeichnet 1) zum Staging des Rektumkarzinoms, 2) zur Abklärung von chronisch-entzündlichen Darmkrankheiten und 3) zur Defäkographie. 1) Die MRI-Accuracy bezüglich richtigem T-Stadium beziehungsweise N-Stadium liegt bei 75 – 95 % und 71 – 85 %, insbesondere die Tumorinfiltration ins mesorektale Fettgewebe ist im MRI sehr gut beurteilbar. 2) Durch den hohen Weichteilkontrast des MRIs können perirektale und perianale Abszesse, Fisteln und deren Bezug zu den Analsphinkteren und dem M. levator ani, sowie der Therapieerfolg einfach eingesehen werden. Zudem lässt sich auch die Aktivität der Grundkrankheit im Rektum einfach bestimmen. 3) MRI-Movie-Sequenzen erlauben die Beurteilung der Dynamik in der Defäkographie. Damit lässt sich die paradoxe Kontraktion der puborektalen Schlinge beim Anismus (Dyskinesie) darstellen. Auch ein Beckenbodendeszensus, eine Inkontinenz, eine Rektozele oder Enterozele kann mit den Movie-Sequenzen detektiert werden.
Sexuell übertragbare anorektale Infektionen
Authors: Surial Bernard , Essig Manfred , Furrer Hansjakob
Published: October 2021

Zusammenfassung. Die Inzidenz an sexuell übertragbaren Infektionen hat in den letzten Jahren in der Schweiz aus verschiedenen Gründen deutlich zugenommen. Sie manifestieren sich häufig mit anorektalen Beschwerden und können als lokalisierte Läsionen, Proktitis oder Enteritis auftreten. Um Fehldiagnosen zu vermeiden und Infektionsketten zu unterbrechen, ist eine Abklärung auf sexuell übertragbare Krankheiten bei den meisten Personen mit anorektalen Beschwerden indiziert. Dieser Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die Diagnostik und Therapie von sexuell übertragbaren anorektalen Infektionen.
Validation of a Short and Generic Qualitative Job Insecurity Scale	(QUAL-JIS)
Authors: Fischmann Gabriel , De Witte Hans , Sulea Coralia , Elst Tinne Vander , De Cuyper Nele , Iliescu Dragos
Published: October 2021

Abstract. The Qualitative Job Insecurity Scale (QUAL-JIS) has been used in job insecurity (JI) research for the past 9 years, without formal validation. The goal of the current study was to test the scale’s psychometric properties. We checked the scale’s reliability, as well as its validity, investigating evidence based on the scale’s content, internal structure, and relations to other variables (convergent and discriminant, predictive and concurrent, as well as incremental predictive evidence). We additionally evaluated its cross-country and longitudinal invariance over three measurement times (6 months apart) in two countries (Romania and Belgium; NRO = 388, NBE = 1,992). We found evidence for the scale’s reliability and validity, QUAL-JIS showing partial scalar invariance across time and between the two countries. Interestingly, qualitative JI measured with QUAL-JIS explained additional variance in the employees’ need for recovery above and beyond another popular qualitative JI scale.
Māori Arrival in New Zealand Revealed in Antarctic Ice Cores
Authors: Evans Kate
Published: October 2021

A new study shows smoke from fires set by the first inhabitants of Aotearoa from around 1300 left a mark in the ice 6,000 kilometers away, on an island off the Antarctic Peninsula.
Constraining Low‐Altitude Lunar Dust Using the LADEE‐UVS Data
Authors: Sharma H. , Hedman M. M. , Wooden D. H. , Colaprete A. , Cook A. M.
Published: October 2021

Studying lunar dust is vital to the exploration of the Moon and other airless planetary bodies. The Ultraviolet and Visible Spectrometer on board the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer spacecraft conducted a series of Almost Limb activities to look for dust near the dawn terminator region. During these activities the instrument stared at a fixed point in the zodiacal background off the Moon's limb while the spacecraft moved in retrograde orbit from the sunlit to the unlit side of the Moon. The spectra obtained from these activities probe altitudes within a few kilometers of the Moon's surface, a region whose dust populations were not well constrained by previous remote‐sensing observations from orbiting spacecraft. Filtering these spectra to remove a varying instrumental signal enables constraints to be placed on potential signals from a dust atmosphere. These filtered spectra are compared with those predicted for dust atmospheres with various exponential scale heights and particle size distributions to yield upper limits on the dust number density for these potential populations. For a differential size distribution proportional to s−3 (where s is the particle size) and a scale height of 1 km, we obtain an upper limit on the number density of dust particles at the Moon's surface of 142 m−3.
Metafabrics for cooling under a scorching sun
Authors: Zhang Shuang
Published: October 2021

Engineering the spectral response of composite materials in a broad range from ultraviolet to infrared can lead to a significant passive cooling functionality. This principle is applied to the design of a novel type of metafabric for cooling the human body under direct sunlight. Besides cooling effect, the metafabric features other merits including superior mechanical and wetting properties.
RBM15 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by regulating N6-methyladenosine modification of YES1 mRNA in an IGF2BP1-dependent manner
Authors: Cai Xianlei , Chen Yunhao , Man Da , Yang Beng , Feng Xiaode , Zhang Deguo , Chen Junru , Wu Jian
Published: October 2021

The function of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase RNA-binding motif protein 15 (RBM15) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been thoroughly investigated. Here we determined the clinical value, biological functions, and potential mechanisms of RBM15 in HCC. Expression of RBM15 was identified using tissue microarrays and online databases. A risk-prediction model based on RBM15 was developed and validated. We determined the biological role of RBM15 on HCC cells in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing was used to screen candidate targets of RBM15. Subsequently, the m6A dot blot assay, methylated RNA immunoprecipitation qPCR, dual-luciferase reporter assays, RNA decay assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation qPCR were employed to explore the mechanisms of RBM15. Our study showed that RBM15 was highly expressed in HCC, and overexpression of RBM15 indicated a worse outcome. A new nomogram combining RBM15 with age and TNM stage was developed and validated to predict the outcome of HCC patients; our nomogram increased the prediction accuracy of the TNM system. Functionally, RBM15 facilitates the proliferation and invasiveness of HCC. RBM15-mediated m6A modification contributed to a post-transcriptional activation of YES proto-oncogene 1 (YES1) in an insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1)-dependent manner. In addition, YES1 was confirmed as an oncogene in HCC cells by activating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. In conclusion, RBM15-mediated m6A modification might facilitate the progression of HCC via the IGF2BP1–YES1–MAPK axis. RBM15 may be a promising biomarker in the outcome prediction of HCC.
The effects of high-monosaccharide diets on development and biochemical composition of white-eyed mutant strain of house cricket (Acheta domesticus)
Authors: Francikowski Jacek , Potrzebska Marta , Szulińska Elżbieta , Tarnawska Monika , Radai Zoltan , Łozowski Bartosz , Baran Bartosz , Krzyżowski Michał
Published: October 2021

Tryptophan (TRP) is one of the essential amino acids in the animal body. Its exogenicity and low concentrations mean that it can be regarded as one of the key regulatory molecules at the cellular as well as physiological level. It has been shown to have a number of essential functions, such as in the production of other biologically active molecules. The main objective of this project was to investigate the effects of a high monosaccharide diet (HMD) on a hemimetabolic insect—house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and a mutant strain with impaired visual pigment synthesis (closely related to the tryptophan and kynurenine (KYN) metabolic pathway)—white eye. This study was aimed at determining the effects of glucose and fructose on cricket development and biochemical composition. A parallel goal was to compare the response of both cricket strains to HMD. ELISA assays indicated dysfunction of the TRP-KYN pathway in white strain insects and an elevated KYN/TRP ratio. Biochemical analyses demonstrated the effects of HMD mainly on fat and glycogen content. A decrease in food intake was also observed in the groups on HMD. However, no changes in imago body weight and water content were observed. The results of the study indicate a stronger response of the white strain to HMD compared to the wild-type strain. At the same time, a stronger detrimental effect of fructose than of glucose was apparent. Sex was found to be a modulating factor in the response to HMD.
Regression discontinuity of blood culture contamination rate after changing of disinfectants: retrospective observational study
Authors: Ota Koshi , Nishioka Daisuke , Ito Yuri , Hamada Emi , Mori Naomi , Nishii Tomonobu , Ota Kanna , Shibata Yuriko , Takasu Akira
Published: October 2021

Blood cultures are indispensable for detecting life-threatening bacteremia. Little is known about associations between contamination rates and topical disinfectants for blood collection in adults. We sought to determine whether a change in topical disinfectants was associated with the rates of contaminated blood cultures in the emergency department of a single institution. This single-center, retrospective observational study of consecutive patients aged 20 years or older was conducted in the emergency department (ED) of a university hospital in Japan between August 1, 2018 and September 30, 2020. Pairs of blood samples were collected for aerobic and anaerobic culture from the patients in the ED. Physicians selected topical disinfectants according to their personal preference before September 1, 2019; alcohol/chlorhexidine gluconate (ACHX) was mandatory thereafter, unless the patient was allergic to alcohol. Regression discontinuity analysis was used to detect the effect of the mandatory usage of ACHX on rates of contaminated blood cultures. We collected 2141 blood culture samples from 1097 patients and found 164 (7.7%) potentially contaminated blood cultures. Among these, 445 (20.8%) were true bacteremia and 1532 (71.6%) were true negatives. Puncture site disinfection was performed with ACHX for 1345 (62.8%) cases and with povidone-iodine (PVI) for 767 (35.8%) cases. The regression discontinuity analysis showed that mandatory ACHX usage was significantly associated with lower rates of contaminated blood cultures by 9.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 5.0%–14.2%, P < 0.001). Rates of contaminated blood cultures were significantly lower when ACHX was used as the topical disinfectant.
Population-level laterality in foraging finless porpoises
Authors: Amano Masao , Kawano Yudai , Kubo Taketo , Kuwahara Tsuyoshi , Kobayashi Hayao
Published: October 2021

Laterality has been reported in many vertebrates, and asymmetrical cerebral hemisphere function has been hypothesized to cause a left-bias in social behavior and a right-bias in feeding behavior. In this paper, we provide the first report of behavioral laterality in free-ranging finless porpoises, which seems to support the aforementioned hypothesis. We observed the turning behavior of finless porpoises in Omura Bay, Japan, using land-based and unmanned aerial system observations. We found a strong tendency in finless porpoises to turn counterclockwise with their right side down when pursuing and catching fish at the surface of the water. Our results suggest that this population of finless porpoises shows consistent right-biased laterality. Right-biased laterality has been observed in various foraging cetaceans and is usually explained by the dominance of the right eye-left cerebral hemisphere in prey recognition; however, right-biased laterality in foraging cetaceans may have multiple causes.
Multi-stimuli-responsive Zn(ii)-Schiff base complexes adjusted by rotatable aromatic rings
Authors: Zheng Han-Wen , Yang Dong-Dong , Liang Qiong-Fang , Zheng Xiang-Jun
Published: October 2021

Three Zn(ii)-Schiff base complexes showed mechanochromic and acidochromic luminescence properties. ZnL12 could undergo crystal phase transformation into ZnL1a2 by grinding/fuming cycles.
An AIE material with time-dependent luminescence conversion obtained by 2D coordination polymer modification via covalent post-synthetic modification
Authors: He Liancheng , Wang Rui-dong , Wang Shuyu , Zhu Rong-Rong , Li Zhihao , Wu Yuan-yuan , Ma Jie , Du Lin , Zhao Qi-Hua
Published: October 2021

A new aggregation-induced emission (AIE) material with time-dependent luminescence conversion was obtained by luminescence coordination polymer modification via covalent post-synthetic modification, and its fluorescent properties were investigated.
Photochromism and photoswitchable luminescence in a Zn7 cluster-based metal–organic framework with an organic guest
Authors: Liu Jian-Jun , Fu Jia-Jia , Liu Teng , He Chi-Xian , Cheng Feixiang
Published: October 2021

A Zn7 cluster-based host–guest MOF material was prepared by encapsulating an organic cation into an anionic framework, which exhibits reversible photochromism and photoswitchable luminescence properties with two-color luminescence emissions.
New approach for the synthesis of water soluble fac-[MI(CO)3]+ bis(diarylphosphino)alkylamine complexes (M = 99Tc, Re)
Authors: Kama Dumisani V. , Frei Angelo , Brink Alice , Braband Henrik , Alberto Roger , Roodt Andreas
Published: October 2021

A new approach for the synthesis of water soluble fac-[MI(CO)3]+ bis (diarylphosphino)alkylamine complexes (M = 99Tc, Re) is presented.
Comparison of Fe-enhanced oxygen evolution electrocatalysis in amorphous and crystalline nickel oxides to evaluate the structural contribution
Authors: Bak Jumi , Yun Tae Gyu , An Ji-Sang , Bae Hyung Bin , Chung Sung-Yoon
Published: October 2021

By comparison between amorphous and crystalline phases, we elucidate that the local structural factor of Fe–O has an impactful contribution to the electronic states of Fe boosting of OER catalytic activity in perovskite-type nickel oxides.
Functional liquid metal nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
Authors: Chiew Cerwyn , Morris Maria J. , Malakooti Mohammad H.
Published: October 2021

Sonication and mechanical shearing are scalable processes for creating liquid metal nanoparticles. Optimizing the involved processing parameters is crucial for achieving the desirable structure, surface properties and applications of these nanoparticles.
A hybrid hydrochromic molecular crystal applicable to invisible ink with high reversibility
Authors: Huang Yao , Zhang Tie , Chu Lu-Lu , Zhang Yi , Ge Jia-Zhen , Fu Da-Wei
Published: October 2021

Highly reversible hydrochromic behavior is realized in a novel hybrid molecular crystal by controlling the gain and loss of coordinated water.
A Chan–Evans–Lam approach to trisubstituted vinyl ethers
Authors: Sader Jonathan K. , Molder Bryce A. , Wulff Jeremy E.
Published: October 2021

Optimized conditions deliver trisubstituted vinyl ethers via Chan–Evans–Lam coupling of vinyl trifluoroborates and primary aliphatic alcohols.
Spatial reactant distribution in CO2 electrolysis: balancing CO2 utilization and faradaic efficiency
Authors: Subramanian Siddhartha , Middelkoop Joost , Burdyny Thomas
Published: October 2021

The production of value added C1 and C2 compounds within CO2 electrolyzers has reached sufficient catalytic performance that system and process performance – such as CO2 utilization – have come more into consideration.
Automating Bayesian inference and design to quantify acoustic particle levitation
Authors: Dhatt-Gauthier Kiran , Livitz Dimitri , Bishop Kyle J. M.
Published: October 2021

Bayesian inference and design guides automated experiments to enable accurate and efficient characterization of resonant acoustic fields used to levitate colloids and propel nanomotors.
Pressure-tensor method evaluation of the interfacial tension between Gay–Berne isotropic fluid and a smooth repulsive wall
Authors: Kaur Jagroop , Deb Debabrata
Published: October 2021

The interfacial-tension between isotropic Gay–Berne liquid crystal and soft-smooth WCA wall increases with bulk density until the wall gets wetted by smectic layers and then decreases until isotropic–nematic transition in bulk. It also depends on the wall-GB interaction.
Individual Hearing Outcomes in Cochlear Implant Users Influence Social Engagement and Listening Behavior in Everyday Life
Authors: O'Neill Erin R. , Basile John D. , Nelson Peggy
Published: October 2021

Purpose:

The goal of this study was to assess the listening behavior and social engagement of cochlear implant (CI) users and normal-hearing (NH) adults in daily life and relate these actions to objective hearing outcomes.

Method:

Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) collected using a smartphone app were used to probe patterns of listening behavior in CI users and age-matched NH adults to detect differences in social engagement and listening behavior in daily life. Participants completed very short surveys every 2 hr to provide snapshots of typical, everyday listening and socializing, as well as longer, reflective surveys at the end of the day to assess listening strategies and coping behavior. Speech perception testing, with accompanying ratings of task difficulty, was also performed in a lab setting to uncover possible correlations between objective and subjective listening behavior.

Results:

Comparisons between speech intelligibility testing and EMA responses showed poorer performing CI users spending more time at home and less time conversing with others than higher performing CI users and their NH peers. Perception of listening difficulty was also very different for CI users and NH listeners, with CI users reporting little difficulty despite poor speech perception performance. However, both CI users and NH listeners spent most of their time in listening environments they considered “not difficult.” CI users also reported using several compensatory listening strategies, such as visual cues, whereas NH listeners did not.

Conclusion:

Overall, the data indicate systematic differences between how individual CI users and NH adults navigate and manipulate listening and social environments in everyday life.
Scenario forecasting of the economic effects of agricultural modernization in digital economy
Authors: Amirova Elmira , Gubanova Elena , Krivoshlykov Vladimir , Zhakhov Nikolay
Published: October 2021

This paper studies the international models of digital development of the agricultural sector of economy and its structural elements used in the emerging models of innovative development of the Russian Federation. Various scenarios of forecasting of the economic effects of agricultural production development are presented. It allowed drawing a conclusion about the low level of compliance of digital economy with the necessary science-intensive indicator of gross domestic product, which requires radical government intervention and the reorganization of economy as a whole. It is possible to state that, first of all, it is necessary to create an appropriate theoretical knowledge base, using which it would be possible to carry out the process of training the necessary skills and competencies in the development of digital economy in Russian universities. International exchange of students and post graduate students is also extremely productive in terms of the development of new technologies. This is illustrated by the US agrarian statistical analysis in the field of modernization effects. Thus, the problem of scenario forecasting of the economic effects of agricultural modernization in digital economy is quite relevant and requires additional scientific research in this direction.
Optimization of productivity and quality of cucumber plants in protected ground
Authors: Oliva Tamara , Kolesnichenko Elena , Morozova Tamara
Published: October 2021

The paper studies the effect of growth stimulants on morphometric indicators of cucumber plant growth and development in the phase of intensive vegetation and transition to fruiting. The study was carried out at LLC Agricultural Enterprise “Teplitsy Belogorya” on the parthenocarpic hybrid of cucumber Tristan F1. Within the scientific and production experiment the grown cucumber plants on cotton-mineral cubes with drip watering were additionally vegetatively treated with a humic fertilizer solution and Azosol 36 microfertilizer. Phenological observations were carried out and morphometric parameters were determined: plant height, stem and leaf weight, leaf area, root system weight. Under the influence of treatments, the leaf area and weight of cucumber leaves increased by an average of 20 and 17%, respectively. It was established that vegetative treatment with the studied solutions allows partially controlling physiological processes and organogenesis of the greenhouse cucumber plant. The vegetative organs of the cucumber plant leaf, stem and root were found to exhibit different abilities to accumulate chemical elements within the two experiments. The series of element distribution in the natural substance of the plant vegetative organs are shown (in a decreasing amount, total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium for a series: leaf – stem – root; calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, manganese and copper for the series: root – leaf – stem). The use of the studied fertilizers increased the commercial quality of cucumber fruits. Button contained a higher amount of total sugar and vitamin C, were environmentally safe in terms of the content of nitrates and heavy metals (cadmium, lead, arsenic, mercury). The optimization of productivity and quality improvement of cucumber plants using biological humic fertilizer and chelate microfertilizer increased the average yield by 5.5% and the profitability of ecologically safe greenhouse vegetables by 3.3%.
Development of multistage plowing method that involves subsurface loosening
Authors: Erzamaev Maxim P. , Sazonov Dmitry S. , Kurmanova Leila S. , Nesterov Evgeny S. , Shlykov Alexey E.
Published: October 2021

The paper proposes a new method for multistage plowing that implies loosening bottom soil and subsoil horizon simultaneously, followed by overturning the bottom soil without cutting, which improves the quality of soil cultivation, softens a plow sole and reduces energy costs. Experimental studies confirmed the theoretical relationship for determining the plowing resistance, both of certain working bodies of a section, and of a whole plow. The method proposed for multistage plowing that implies loosening the subsoil provides a decrease in plowing resistance by 8.3-9.8% compared to the existing double-depth plowing followed by loosening the subsoil.
Justification of the parameter that determines the ability of turbochargers of agricultural machinery engines to function
Authors: Galimov Robert , Galiev Ilgiz , Kulakov Alexander , Galimov Engel
Published: October 2021

As a result of the analysis of statistics on the main failures of the turbocharger of tractor engines in agricultural production, it can be concluded that it is the condition of its bearing node, in the first place, determines the performance of the entire turbocharger. This ultimately affects the duration of the turbocharger rotor after the engine stops. The article considers the method of determining the rotation time of the turbocharger rotor by inertia depending on the following factors: the time of the pressure drop in the turbocharger grease system, the gap in the turbocharger bearing node, the frequency of rotation of the rotor before the engine stops. The results of experimental studies on the timing of the turbocharger rotor rotation after the engine stop for the regular mode of greasing the bearing node and when using an individual lubricant system are presented. Based on the experimental values obtained, it is concluded that the main indicator of the performance of the turbocharger is the duration of rotation of its rotor after the engine stops and the application of the individual system of lubrication of the bearing node of the turbocharger reduces the cost of bearing resource and increases the resource of the entire turbocharger of agricultural machinery engines at least twice.
Automatic Syringe for Farm Animals Vaccination
Authors: Grinchenko Vitaly , Nikitenko Gennady , Konoplev Evgeny , Konoplev Pavel , Yanovskiy Alexander , Devederkin Igor
Published: October 2021

Existing injectors use the manual, mechanical or pneumatic drive. These types of drive do not allow making mass vaccination of farm animals automatic. In case of large livestock herd, vaccination is a labour intensive and complicated process. In the livestock sector, mass vaccination is carried out with intervals from several days to several months and depends on the type of animals, their breed and age. If vaccination is not provided or done incorrectly; then the weight gain of animals decreases, and the loss of livestock increases, which causes direct losses to farmers and to livestock enterprises. Therefore, special attention should be given to animals vaccinations, and scientific and technical developments for the vaccination process improvement are relevant worldwide. The developed automatic injector is a stand-alone small hand electric tool. It has an ergonomic design with a convenient location in the hand of a veterinarian and allows you to automate the process of farm animals vaccinations. A distinctive feature of the developed automatic injector is the use of linear electric motor which moves the syringe without the efforts from a veterinarian. The electric drive expands the functionality of the injector, makes the vaccination process less costly and more informative for the veterinary services using RFID identification of farm animals.
Derivative financial instruments in the activity of enterprises of the agrarian sphere of economy
Authors: Klychova G.S. , Ostaev G.Y. , Zakirova A.R. , Nikitenko I.G. , Ugurchiev O.B.
Published: October 2021

The article presents the ways of strengthening the financial state, solvency, investment attractiveness and financial stability of agricultural organizations by expanding existing and finding new markets for products, additional sources of funding, wide use of derivative financial instruments and hedging in the practice of management. The subject of the research is the consideration of modern ways of bringing agricultural products from the producer to the end consumer. The purpose of the study is to reflect the possibilities of using derivative financial instruments in settlements of agricultural organizations with counterparties. In the course of the study, the concept of derivative financial instruments, which are widely used in the world stock exchange practice, but at present in Russia have not yet found wide application, is given. The economic efficiency of agricultural organizations is largely determined by the organization of sales of agricultural products, the choice of distribution channels in order to reduce the delivery time of products to consumers, improve its quality and reduce the cost of its implementation. It is concluded that in the current economic situation successful sales of agricultural products can be held through the exchange market through forward (futures) contracts for the immediate transfer of rights and obligations to perform the real delivery of agricultural products in the future on a certain date.
The role of the state in ensuring food import substitution at the regional level in a pandemic
Authors: Solovyova Tatyana , Zyukin Danil
Published: October 2021

The study analyzes the aspects that determine the change in the role of the state and the form of its impact on the agricultural sector in the context of the impact of the pandemic on all socio-economic processes in the country. The article reveals the importance of implementing the import substitution program from social and economic positions for Russia. A complex of adverse consequences brought by the pandemic to the public life and economy of the country is given, which determines the change in the role of the state in matters of regulation and direct financial support of agricultural production. The article discusses the advisability of using "helicopter money" as a way to help the population in difficult social conditions and at the same time as a way to stimulate effective demand for essential domestic products, including food products. In the context of a pandemic, the necessity of payments to support direct agricultural producers to maintain their financial stability is substantiated, the calculation of which is recommended to be tied to the arable land area and livestock population. The study provides a list of basic principles that are recommended to be applied when using instruments of direct financial support and regulation from the state. It is important to ensure not only the survival of agribusiness in the current conditions, but also to create opportunities for maintaining investment activity in the implementation of large projects, as well as to ensure the maintenance of the level of intensification in the current production cycle.
Effect of the Anolyte ANK-SUPER detergent agent on the vegetative microflora
Authors: Bannikova D.A. , Popov P.A.
Published: October 2021

Nowadays the provision of the safety of food products for human health, including of animal origin, is extremely important in the world. Since 2007, the Russian Federation has been monitoring the safety of food and feed in order to protect public health, assess the veterinary safety of imported and domestic food raw materials, products of its processing and feed, as well as to develop measures to prevent the entry of dangerous veterinary products into the market in relation to products of animal origin and feed. One of the main factors in production of high sanitary quality is compliance with the high sanitary level of their production, storage and sale. In this regard, it is necessary to pay attention to the choice of disinfectants. They must meet the following requirement and have such properties as a wide range of disinfecting action; detergency property and minimal corrosiveness. In addition they must effectively destroy bacteria, viruses, fungi and spore, be safe for humans, animals and the environment and be as simple as possible in use and relatively inexpensive. In Russia, the use of more than 400 chemicals of domestic and foreign production is allowed and their number is constantly growing. The agents used for disinfection, such as formaldehyde, QAC, aldehydes, etc., are highly volatile, toxic and environmentally unfriendly. The development of new disinfectants is mainly connected with the creation of new compositions of chemical agents, which increases their cost.
Use of Disposed Agricultural Lands in LLC “Alliance-Agro” in the Sengileevsky District of the Ulyanovsk Region
Authors: Tsapovskaya Olga , Provalova Elena , Ermoshkin Yuri , Khvostov Nikolay , Khamzina Oksana
Published: October 2021

The paper studies the issue of the use of disposed agricultural land through the example of LLC “Alliance-agro in Sengileevsky district of the Ulyanovsk region. The authors consider the grounds for cultural and technical work and provide the results of a survey of unused arable land on the farm. A technology for the development of disposed agricultural land is proposed. Everyone knows that agricultural land is of particular importance as a means of agricultural production and is the second largest category of land in the unified land fund of the Russian Federation in terms of area, which includes the best and fertile lands making up the heritage of the country. Despite the fact that the schemes for the use of agricultural land are developed, many questions of a theoretical, methodological and applied nature need to be improved, since this is associated with incessant changes in the legal and organizational systems of land use. As a result of irrational use of land, degradation, littering, overgrowing with trees and shrubs of agricultural areas occurs. These processes lead to the fact that fertile lands are withdrawn from circulation. Our research is aimed to solve the problems in the field of the improvement of the cadastral registration of lands, the process of the organization of rational land use, as well as the most effective use of unused lands overgrown with trees and shrubs. The solution to this problem will help the rational transformation of the agricultural land use system and increase in their efficiency. Moreover it will help to solve the problem of the involvement of unused land in agricultural production and increase the efficiency of cadastral registration of agricultural land. As a result of the land clearing proposed by the authors, the sites of this object will be put into agricultural circulation, where any zoned agricultural crop can be grown from the first year of development in case of a favorable water-air regime in the root layer and complex agrochemical cultivation.
Simulation and experimental approach for optimal path planning of UAV using A* and MEA* algorithms
Authors: Esakki Balasubramanian , Marreddy Gayatri , Ganesh M. Sai , Elangovan E.
Published: October 2021

Over the past decades, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) have been effectively adapted to perform disaster missions, agricultural and various societal applications. The path planning plays a crucial role in bringing autonomy to the UAVs to attain the designated tasks by avoiding collision in the obstacles prone regions. Optimal path planning of UAV is considered to be a challenging issue in real time navigation during obstacle prone environments. The present article focused on implementing a well-known A* and variant of A* namely MEA* algorithm to determine an optimal path in the varied obstacle regions for the UAV applications which is novel. Simulation is performed to investigate the performance of each algorithm with respect to comparing their execution time, total distance travelled and number of turns made to reach the source to target. Further, experimental flight trails are made to examine the performance of these algorithms using a UAV. The desired position, velocity and yaw of UAV is obtained based on the waypoints of optimal path planned data and effective navigation is performed. The simulation and experimental results are compared for confirming the effectiveness of these algorithms.