bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reproducible lung protective effects of a TGFβR1/ALK5 inhibitor in a bleomycin‐induced and spirometry‐confirmed model of IPF in male mice
Authors: Petersen Asbjørn Graver , Korntner Stefanie H. , Bousamaki Jamal , Oró Denise , Arraut Alba Manresa , Pors Susanne E. , Salinas Casper Gravesen , Andersen Maja Worm , Madsen Martin Rønn , Nie Yaohui , Butts Jordan , Roqueta‐Rivera Manuel , Simonsen Ulf , Hansen Henrik H. , Feigh Michael
Published: October 2024

This study comprehensively validated the bleomycin (BLEO) induced mouse model of IPF for utility in preclinical drug discovery. To this end, the model was rigorously evaluated for reproducible phenotype and TGFβ‐directed treatment outcomes. Lung disease was profiled longitudinally in male C57BL6/JRJ mice receiving a single intratracheal instillation of BLEO (n = 10–12 per group). A TGFβR1/ALK5 inhibitor (ALK5i) was profiled in six independent studies in BLEO‐IPF mice, randomized/stratified to treatment according to baseline body weight and non‐invasive whole‐body plethysmography. ALK5i (60 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (n = 10–16 per study) was administered orally for 21 days, starting 7 days after intratracheal BLEO installation. BLEO‐IPF mice recapitulated functional, histological and biochemical hallmarks of IPF, including declining expiratory/inspiratory capacity and inflammatory and fibrotic lung injury accompanied by markedly elevated TGFβ levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue. Pulmonary transcriptome signatures of inflammation and fibrosis in BLEO‐IPF mice were comparable to reported data in IPF patients. ALK5i promoted reproducible and robust therapeutic outcomes on lung functional, biochemical and histological endpoints in BLEO‐IPF mice. The robust lung fibrotic disease phenotype, along with the consistent and reproducible lung protective effects of ALK5i treatment, makes the spirometry‐confirmed BLEO‐IPF mouse model highly applicable for profiling novel drug candidates for IPF.
Analyzing the existing programs on promoting women scientists in chemistry
Authors: Fung Fun Man , Markic Silvija , Mamlok-Naaman Rachel , Cesa Mark , Chiu Mei-Hung
Published: October 2024

Gender imbalance in science has been well documented. Possible explanations include a lack of systematic strategies or policies to support women in science in general and chemistry in particular. This article aims to analyze selected programs that advocate gender equity and inclusion in chemistry. Forty-eight initiatives were selected via several steps of screening. Following a pilot study using systematic review as a research method, the named initiatives were analyzed considering their strategies, goals, and impact. The findings reveal that acknowledging women scientists and providing funding to enable and sustain networking (such as through conferences) are crucial for women scientists to become visible and recognized in academia. In this paper, we offer recommendations for other entities who would like to develop initiatives to encourage suitable environments for gender equity.
Tracing Sanna kvinnor across the Nordic Theatre Landscape: Intermediaries and Forces of Circulation
Authors: Lindh Estelle Birgitta
Published: October 2024

Established historiographical accounts suggest that, following Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, plays by women playwrights made Swedish theatre into a feminist tribune for a brief period in the early 1880s but that their relevance had diminished by the latter half of the decade. By examining the circulation of Anne Charlotte Leffler’s Sanna kvinnor [True Women], 1883, in Nordic theatre between 1883 and 1925, this article critically evaluates these prevalent accounts by inclusively and comprehensively exploring previously overlooked empirical sources in now-digitized newspaper databases. This return to the archives aims at mapping the circulation of Sanna kvinnor, investigating the crucial forces driving its dissemination across the Nordic theatrical landscape, by considering the most important intermediaries: Danish playwright and priest Jens Christian Hostrup and his wife Elisabeth, and Swedish actor Emil Hillberg.
Efficacy for aspiration prevention through thickening of liquid foods evaluated using a swallowing model apparatus
Authors: Yoshida Masanori , Takako Yuichiro , Ono Haruka , Suzuki Ryota
Published: October 2024

An apparatus simulating the swallowing process of liquid foods was constructed using a flow channel. In the channel, a circular cylindrical obstruction was fixed to serve as an epiglottis in the mesopharynx. The apparatus was designed with an adjustable gate for flow control to represent the processes of healthy swallowing and dysphagia. The parameters considered were the holding time and flow resistance controlled by the gate, which were assumed to indicate the swallowing reflex and power, respectively. When a Newtonian liquid with relatively low viscosity was used, the flow experiment performed using the apparatus under conditions of shorter holding time and larger flow resistance successfully reproduced a phenomenon similar to aspiration in a patient with dysphagia. In addition to a Newtonian liquid with high viscosity, non-Newtonian liquids thickened to various concentrations using commercially available thickeners were used. In flow experiments with these test liquids, the efficacy for aspiration prevention was inferred based not only on the viscosity of the liquid but also its elasticity, depending on its viscosity.
Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of lncRNA regulation and screening for pathogenic genes in NF2-related schwannomatosis
Authors: Chen Zhuming , Li Kai , Mofatteh Mohammad , Guo Weitao , Pan Lei , Wang Qingsong
Published: October 2024

Objectives

NF2-related Schwannomatosis (NF2-SWN) is an autosomal dominant disease with full penetrance. Increasing data shows that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) can act as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNA), regulating target gene expression. This study aims to investigate lncRNAs in NF2-SWN that may be involved in regulating NF2 pathogenic genes.

Methods

Data were collected from three patients with NF2-SWN, including medical records, physical examination, imaging, pathology, and RNA from the tumor and adjacent tissues. differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the two groups were screened by conducting gene differential analysis on the sequenced data. Next, GO & KEGG enrichment analysis was performed on DEGs, and an association network between lncRNA and NF2 was established to identify regulatory lncRNA. Finally, qRT-PCR was used to substantiate the expression patterns of critical lncRNAs and NF2 in NF2-SWN.

Results

Sequencing revealed 6433 DEGs involved in key biological processes and pathways, such as axon guidance, intracellular signal transduction, cell migration, phosphorylation, cell adhesion molecules, taste transduction, axon guidance, and ErbB signaling pathways, etc. The ceRNA correlation network identified four lncRNAs (CADM3-AS1, MTMR9LP, LOC101929536, PRDM16-DT) that may regulate the NF2 gene. As expected, qRT-PCR results revealed that compared with the control group, the expression levels of L0C10929536 and PRDM16-DT in the tumor group were significantly increased. In contrast, the expression levels of MTMR9LP and CADM3-AS1 genes were decreased.

Conclusions

Four identified lncRNAs could be crucial for NF2-SWN development, potentially serving as diagnosis biomarkers or therapeutic targets. This study contributes to the understanding of NF2-SWN’s molecular mechanism.
Microstructure-mechanical property relationships of polymer nanocomposite reinforced with lyophilized montmorillonite/carbon nanotubes hybrid particles
Authors: Benelfellah Abdelkibir , Sanusi Olawale Monsur , Gratton Michel , Aït Hocine Nourredine
Published: October 2024

Introducing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and montmorillonite (MMT) simultaneously into a polymer can significantly enhance its properties. Meanwhile, choosing the best technique to homogeneously disperse these nanohybrid particles in polymers, without agglomerates, is still a challenge. In this study, a hybrid MMT/MWCNT, prepared by lyophilization process, is introduced in polylactide (PLA). Morphology of the resulting nanocomposites displays synergistic relationships of the MMT/MWCNT, facilitating dispersion in PLA. The analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specific particle densities of PLA0.5hyb, PLA1.0hyb, and PLA2.0hyb shows values of 77, 64, and 35 µm⁻2, respectively. This suggests that MMT platelets are significantly more exfoliated in PLA0.5hyb compared to the other nanocomposites. It also indicates that filler aggregation increases as the MMT/MWCNT concentration increases. Compared to neat PLA, elastic modulus of nanocomposites increased by up to 46 %, demonstrating the reinforcing effect of MMT/MWCNT hybrid nanofillers. The nanocomposites exhibit viscosity, plasticity and damage phenomena, which are significantly decreased because of the MMT/MWCNT incorporation, compared to neat PLA. Furthermore, the viscoelastic properties, analyzed by dynamic thermal-mechanical analysis, record about 27 % increase in the storage modulus of the nanocomposites compared to PLA, indicating the effectiveness of the hybrid MMT/MWCNT in increasing the resistance of PLA/MMT/MWCNT nanocomposite against thermomechanical aggression.
Issues in systematizing the elicitation and analysis of syllable structure
Authors: Macaulay Benjamin
Published: October 2024

This reply explores issues with documenting prosodic structures given their unique relationship with metalinguistic knowledge. New evidence and perspectives are incorporated into a deeper investigation of Budai Rukai and the analytical decisions that underlie its reanalyzed prosodic system. This case study is then taken as a basis for discussion of a possible standardized protocol for the documentation of prosodic structures, in which diverse types of phonological evidence are integrated and contextualized.
A student-partnered approach to design a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in biological sciences
Authors: Hawco Olivia , Sutanto Erynne , Alsafar Haider , Dave Eshal , Bansal Aditi , Ratnayake Ayuni , Bell Emily , Ashok Aarthi
Published: October 2024

Immersive research opportunities allow students to take ownership of their learning, explore based on curiosity, and engage in the scientific process while developing confidence and skills. However, research positions for biology undergraduates are limited, and conventional teaching labs are often restricted to pre-designed experiments without opportunities for curiosity-driven research. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are discovery-based research experiences that provide students with accessible avenues to explore research. Here we describe a unique student-partnered approach to the design of a foundation-level CURE in biological sciences (BIO-CURE). As student partners, we were mentored by faculty as we designed CURE projects that considered the interests and abilities of our peers to create a course structured around student-driven scientific exploration. We anticipate that this case study of our approach and experiences as the student partners of the CURE design team will serve as a helpful resource for other departments and institutions.
Information model for assessing the impact of tactical material procurement risks on order fulfillment in make-to-order manufacturing
Authors: Mrykhin Andrew L. , Antoshchuk Svitlana G.
Published: October 2024

Manufacturing businesses are showing increased interest in the issue of supply risks for materials and components. In recent decades, numerous studies and reviews have been published on the subject of supply chain risks. However, most research examines the global impact of risks on business as a whole and proposes a multi-level procedure for identifying, assessing, and developing risk mitigation measures, which should be carried out in advance with the involvement of specialists and experts. Nevertheless in maketo-order manufacturing, it is important to assess the risks of material supply for individual production orders, at the same time taking into account constant changes in production state and supply chains. The problem of assessing the risks of material supply gets even more complicated at enterprises with a high mix of manufactured products. To solve the above-mentioned problems, the authors propose an automated model for risks evaluation. The model is implemented as a component of the enterprise's information system (ERP) and uses data from the technological, production, inventory, and logistics modules to calculate the probability of deviation in order fulfillment time from the planned schedule due to potential disruptions in material supply chains. When executing the model, it analyzes the production's material requirements in both volumetric and calendar terms, inventory levels, and the condition of supply channels. The risks of delayed delivery for each material are expressed as the standard deviation of the delivery date from the planned date and are calculated by composing the risks for segments (elements) of the supply chain, the risks for which are, in turn, calculated based on performance data accumulated in the logistics module, with the possibility of introducing correction coefficients and expert evaluations. The overall risk of order material supply is determined by summing up the delivery risks of individual materials, expressed as the corresponding standard deviations. The model's results can be used for managerial decision-making in production and procurement or for communicating expected order fulfillment times to customers. The model has been tested at an enterprise in the electrical engineering industry.
Accurate crowd counting for intelligent video surveillance systems
Authors: Dobryshev Ruslan Y. , Maksymov Maksym V.
Published: October 2024

The paper presents a novel deep learning approach for crowd counting in intelligent video surveillance systems, addressing the growing need for accurate monitoring of public spaces in urban environments. The demand for precise crowd estimation arises from challenges related to security, public safety, and efficiency in urban areas, particularly during large public events. Existing crowd counting techniques, including feature-based object detection and regression-based methods, face limitations in high-density environments due to occlusions, lighting variations, and diverse human figures. To overcome these challenges, the authors propose a new deep encoder-decoder architecture based on VGG16, which incorporates hierarchical feature extraction with spatial and channel attention mechanisms. This architecture enhances the model’s ability to manage variations in crowd density, leveraging adaptive pooling and dilated convolutions to extract meaningful features from dense crowds. The model’s decoder is further refined to handle sparse and crowded scenes through separate density maps, improving its adaptability and accuracy. Evaluations of the proposed model on benchmark datasets, including Shanghai Tech and UCF CC 50, demonstrate superior performance over state-of-the-art methods, with significant improvements in mean absolute error and mean squared error metrics. The paper emphasizes the importance of addressing environmental variability and scale differences in crowded environments and shows that the proposed model is effective in both sparse and dense crowd conditions. This research contributes to the advancement of intelligent video surveillance systems by providing a more accurate and efficient method for crowd counting, with potential applications in public safety, transportation management, and urban planning.
Method of reference models for synthesis of intellectual systems of nonlinear dynamic objects identification
Authors: Fomin Oleksandr O. , Speranskyy Viktor O. , Orlov Andrii A. , Tataryn Oleksii V. , Kushchevyi Denys V.
Published: October 2024

The paper is devoted to resolving the contradiction between the accuracy of modeling nonlinear dynamic objects and the speed of models building under conditions of limited computing resources. The purpose of the work is to reduce the time for building models of nonlinear dynamic objects with continuous characteristics while ensuring a given modeling accuracy. This goal is achieved by further developing the method of synthesing intelligent systems based on the superposition of pre-trained reference models in the form of neural networks reflecting the basic properties of the object. The scientific novelty of the work novelty consists in the development of a method for identifying nonlinear dynamic objects in the form of neural networks with time delays based on a set of pre-trained neural network models that reflect the basic properties of the subject area. In contrast to the traditional approach based on pre-trained neural networks the developed method allows building models of lower complexity and with shorter training time while ensuring the required accuracy. To determine the initial parameters of the model, expressions based on the superposition of reference models in the form of neural networks are proposed. The practical usefullness of the work consists in the development of an algorithm for the method of reference models for training neural networks with time delays in the tasks of identifying nonlinear dynamic objects with continuous characteristics, which can significantly reduce the training time of neural networks without losing the accuracy of the model. The value of the study lies in determining the area of effective use of the proposed method, namely, in the availability of a sufficient amount of qualitative data for the building of reference models. Insufficient data or poor data quality can significantly reduce the accuracy of reference models and, as a result, significantly reduce the training time of the target model.
CIPerf: a benchmark for continuous integration services performance and cost analysis
Authors: Obrizan Volodymyr I.
Published: October 2024

Continuous Integration is a crucial practice in modern software development, enabling teams to automate the process of building, testing, and merging code increments to ensure continuous delivery of high-quality software. Despite its growing adoption, the cost and performance of Continuous Integration services often go unexamined in sufficient detail. This paper presents CIPerf, a comprehensive benchmark designed to analyze both the performance and cost of cloud-based and self-hosted Continuous Integration services. The study centers on a comparison between two specific services: Bitbucket Pipelines, a cloud-based offering by Atlassian, and Hetzner, a self-hosted solution. By focusing on these platforms, the research aims to provide practical insights into the real-world costs and execution performance of Continuous Integration services. To achieve this, CIPerf conducted automated tests on an hourly basis over a two-month period, measuring critical timeframes such as resource provisioning, environment setup, and the actual test execution times. The results showed significant differences in both the cost efficiency and the consistency of performance between the two services. For instance, Bitbucket Pipelines, while convenient in its cloud-based offering, demonstrated higher variability in provisioning times compared to the stable, predictable performance of Hetzner’s self-hosted environment. The analysis also explored how these performance metrics influence key software development metrics, including deployment frequency and developer productivity. CIPerf provides a clear methodology for developers and organizations to objectively assess their Continuous Integration service options, ultimately helping them optimize their workflows. Moreover, this benchmark can serve as an ongoing tool to monitor service performance over time, identifying potential degradations or improvements in service quality, thus offering longterm value for teams that rely on Continuous Integration for their development processes.
Diversidad y conservación de los murciélagos de Cusco, Perú
Authors: Portillo Alejandro , Cordova Yngrid , Clavijo Joaquin , Zuniga Villafuerte Roselvira , Pacheco Víctor
Published: October 2024

In this work, we present an updated list of bats from the Cusco department, based on the review of scientific collections, databases, and published research. Our data show that Cusco is one of the regions with the highest bat diversity in the country, recording seven families, 55 genera, and 114 species, nearly 60% of those recorded for Peru. This diversity includes two of the nine endemic species registered in Peru: Mormopterus phrudus and Anoura javieri. According to Peruvian legislation, five species are categorized as threatened, while six species are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Additionally, 10 species are considered common, and 27 are classified as rare. The density map of records indicates that the highest concentration of records is in the La Convención province and identifies four areas with information gaps: 1) Southeast of Cusco, 2) Southwest, encompassing the provinces of Chumbivilcas and Espinar, 3) Northwest of La Convención, and 4) Northeast of La Convención. The list provides species data at the provincial level, highlighting information gaps and updates on species distribution across ecoregions, besides is included the distribution maps of all species.
The unity of Newton’s worldview: anthropological aspect
Authors: Regulskiy Ivan
Published: October 2024

The problem of the unity of Newton's worldview has a three-century-long history. Newton himself claimed that the creation of the «Principia» was motivated by theological considerations, and he believed that the figure of God the Almighty, acting in the world, was necessary for a correct doctrine of nature. However, his legacy was perceived in a different light; for example, J.-B. Biot believed that Newton's occupation with theology was the result of a decline in his mental powers. However, Biot did not have access to Sir Isaac's private theological manuscripts. 20th-century researchers gained access to them, and the trend changed, giving rise to the thesis that theology is an integral element of Newton’s thought, unifying it at the paradigmatical, conceptual, and methodological levels. However, this thesis has not been fully proven, as researchers have not fully understood the soteriological significance of theology—and, as a consequence, that Christian theology speaks not simply of God but of His relationship with man. If Newton’s thought is unified, and this unity is provided by theology, then it must be based on a certain understanding of the relationship between God and man. This raises the question of Newton's anthropology and the role it plays in his theology and natural philosophy. The reconstruction of Newton's anthropology shows that one of the cornerstones of his thought is the functional-relational understanding of the Image of God in man. Being understood in this way, the image implies the impossibility of any interiority in cognition and its limitation to the sphere of the phenomenal. Attempts to move along the interior path turn out to be idolatry for Newton, stemming from the uncontrolled ability of the imagination, which forces man to retreat from the divine will; one such retreat is the philosophical hypotheses arising from the same ability. A correctly constructed natural philosophy, according to Newton, turns out to be a form of religion since it has soteriological significance, clarifying the paths of salvation for mankind.
Ancestral funerary knives: why did flint knives enter the funerary realm?
Authors: Ahmed Mona Akmal M
Published: October 2024

The tradition of using stone tools as grave goods is believed to have originated in the Paleolithic period. However, due to limited evidence of earlier burials, this practice becomes more apparent primarily from the Neolithic period onwards. During this time, various types of stone tools began transitioning from domestic to non-domestic contexts. Among these, flint knives stand out as a distinct class, with their presence in funerary context emerging as early as the Neolithic in Egypt, predating the luxurious forms characteristic to the Predynastic period. This paper explores the earliest stages in the transition of flint knives from domestic to non-domestic contexts, analyzing the ancestral types found in both contexts and investigating the early processes that imbued these tools with symbolic significance.
Evaluation of Website Performance and Usability Using GTMetrix, Usability Testing, and System Usability Scale (SUS) Methods
Authors: Puspito Toto Andri
Published: October 2024

This study was conducted to measure the performance of IAIN Metro's website in terms of performance and user perception to ensure that the campus website can adequately support visitors' needs. This study aims to determine things that need to be improved to improve the performance of the IAIN Metro website. To get comprehensive results from the performance of the website, this research uses GTMetrix to analyse the technical performance of the IAIN Metro website, and then, to test user perceptions, researchers use Usability Testing and System Usability Scale methods. In usability testing, several aspects will be measured to determine usability problems, namely learnability and efficiency, while the System Usability Scale questionnaire will be used to test the satisfaction level. Based on the test results using GTMetrix, after testing, several aspects of the access speed of the IAIN Metro website need to be improved. Although, in general, from the test results, Usability Testing and System Usability Scale users still consider the performance of the website to be acceptable, the results of the first task on Time Based Efficiency testing show that initial access to the main page metrouniv.ac.id, takes a relatively long time compared to other tasks. This is also evident from the GTMetrix score on the performance aspect, which has a low presentation of 25%. Therefore, optimisation is needed on the main page to improve website performance.
Optimizing the Learning Rate Hyperparameter for Hybrid BiLSTM-FFNN Model in a Tourism Recommendation System
Authors: Mustofa Aufa Ab'dil , Setiawan Erwin Budi
Published: October 2024

Indonesia, with its abundant natural resources, is rich in captivating tourist attractions. Tourism, a vital economic sector, can be significantly influenced by digitalization through social media. However, the overwhelming amount of information available can confuse tourists when selecting suitable destinations. This research aims to develop a tourism recommendation system employing content-based filtering (CBF) and hybrid Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Feed-Forward Neural Network (BiLSTM-FFNN) model to assist tourists in making informed choices. The dataset comprises 9,504 rating matrices obtained from tweet data and reputable web sources. In various experiments, the hybrid BiLSTM-FFNN model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an accuracy of 93.36% following optimization with the Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) algorithm at a learning rate of about 0.193. The accuracy, after applying Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) and fine-tuning the learning rate hyperparameter, showed a 14.3% improvement over the baseline model. This research contributes by developing a recommendation system method that integrates CBF and hybrid deep learning with high accuracy and provides a detailed analysis of optimization techniques and hyperparameter tuning.
Twórczość Wanga Guangyi i jej wpływ na rozwój pop-artu w Chinach
Authors:   Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Dzehtsiarova Dar’ya
Published: October 2024

Since the late 1970s, profound changes have been underway across all spheres of Chinese society, encompassing the arts, thereby giving rise to new artistic trends and transformative shifts within the entire artistic tradition. Chinese artists have increasingly asserted themselves on the international stage. Concurrently, as the West became intrigued by Chinese art, two prominent trends – political pop art and cynical realism – were notably burgeoning. Notably, political pop art emerged as a foremost artistic movement in China during the early 1990s. Central to this trend is a predilection for symbolism, serving as a conduit for artists to articulate their sentiments and societal perspectives. Wang Guangyi is widely acknowledged as the seminal figure behind this movement in China. This article delves into Wang Guangyi’s creative evolution and the genesis of political pop art, exploring the antecedents of this novel artistic trajectory, its conceptual underpinnings, and stylistic hallmarks.
Paralellism with common word and non-common word in Azerbaijani proverbs and sayings
Authors:   Baku Slavic University, Azerbaijan, Alizade Gunel I.
Published: October 2024

As a result of many years of observation and testing, proverbs are a collection of words that have been shaped into a certain pattern, reflecting the causes of natural and social phenomena. Proverbs and sayings, as short, laconic means of speech, reveal the origin of events and have a reminiscent feature. In Azerbaijani language, proverbs related to then national customs and beliefs explain certain truths to the younger generations and call them to the right path. The article talks about proverbs as complex syntactic whole, parallelisms with common words and non-common words in Azerbaijani proverbs. Parallel conjunctions play an important role in proverbs and sayings. Although these valuable sayings are short and concise, consisting of several sentence members, the syntactic constructions in them can be attributed to different types of syntactic parallels. These parallels are of great importance in the formation of proverbs by connecting the components of the text with each other.
Ewolucja stosunków rosyjsko(radziecko)-japońskich w latach 1699–1941
Authors:   Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, Jakimowicz Robert
Published: October 2024

Russian(Soviet)-Japanese contacts have a tradition of over 300 years. The author focuses in the article on a brief exemplification and analysis of unofficial Russian-Japanese contacts since the 18th century and their official relations until the signing of the Treaty of Neutrality between the Soviet Union and Japan in April 1941. In total, four parts of the article are devoted to the analysis, apart from the introduction and conclusion. The first part of the article covers the period of unofficial relations between the two countries, which was characterized by two contradictory tendencies. Russia is pursuing territorial expansion towards the Pacific Ocean, while Japan maintains a policy of voluntary closure to the outside world. The second part deals with the official relationship between them from the Treaty of Shimoda to the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905. During this period, both countries are guided by a policy of territorial expansion, which led to a war between them. The third part is related to the period from the signing of the Portsmouth Peace Treaty in 1905 to the fall of the Romanov dynasty in 1917. This was the only period of mutual friendship between Russia and Japan. The last part was the years from the February and October Revolutions in Russia to the conclusion of the neutrality pact in April 1941. At that time, one of the external interventions against Soviet Russia was Japan. However, after the Japanese troops were driven out of Soviet territory in the Far East, the two countries establish official diplomatic relations. In the 1930s, mutual relations deteriorated, and in the complicated international situation that existed at the time, Moscow and Tokyo signed the Neutrality Pact in April 1941. At the end of the article, several conclusions were formulated.
Analiza korelacji w stosunkach międzynarodowych na przykładzie wybranych aspektów stosunków polsko-niemieckich
Authors:   Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie, Chaim Arkadiusz , Łukasik Norbert ,   Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie
Published: October 2024

Correlation analysis is one of the tools that can be used when examining the relationship between quantitative and qualitative variables in international relations. To carry it out, it is important to meet the necessary assumptions regarding a given correlation coefficient. Several of the most used coefficients are presented, broken down into quantitative, ordinal, and nominal variables. The aim of the study was to present the use of correlation analysis on the example of selected economic and non-economic aspects of Polish-German relations. Trade and the structures of the two countries’ European trade partners were shown to be strongly correlated using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. In turn, using the chi-square test of independence, it was also found that there is no statistically significant relationship between Germans residing in one of the former German states and maintaining contacts with Poland. A model for subjective analysis of relationships and influences was also proposed. Consequently, it is suggested that statistical methods should be used more frequently in the study of international relations as a complement to classical descriptive methods.
Asystent sędziego de lege lata i de lege ferenda. Problemy praktyczne pomocy orzekającym
Authors:   Uniwersytet Komisji Edukacji Narodowej w Krakowie, Wójcik Paulina
Published: October 2024

This article draws attention to the modern, practical problems of the justice system, taking into account the profession of a judge’s assistant. Defines its tasks and unclear grounding in Polish law. Points out disproportion of requirements. Presents the problem of staff shortages and their consequences, and shows a potential remedy. Highlights the growing problem of inefficiency and lengthiness of the justice system.
Wzorce i eksperymenty: struktury kompozycyjne w muzyce popularnej Japonii
Authors:   Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu, Szewczyk Karolina
Published: October 2024

This work is a study of Japan’s popular music and its theoretical aspects, as well as an analysis of the influence of jazz music on its development. It begins by defining Japanese music, then the history of music in Japan in the 20th century is outlined. Subsequent chapters are devoted to music theory, with particular emphasis on comparing the use of intervals and scales in Western and Japanese music. The work discusses the theory of Japanese scales, analyzing their structure and function in the context of modern Japanese music. The next chapter focuses on the popular music in Japan in the 21st century, while identifying its characteristic features. Special attention is given to the influence of jazz on the development of Japanese popular music and its presence in today’s musical culture. The final chapter compares mainstream popular music from Japan, Poland and the USA, showing the differences and similarities in styles, structure and use of musical elements. The paper ends with conclusions emphasizing the importance of understanding cultural and theoretical context in music research.
Composite PLA films incorporated with micro/nano boron nitride for sustainable food packaging
Authors: Ara Ilknur , Haskaraca Guliz , Yildiz Semanur , Ayhan Zehra
Published: October 2024

This study aims to develop polylactic acid (PLA) based composite films with improved mechanical and barrier properties through incorporation of micro boron nitride (BN) and nano boron nitride (NBN). PLA-based films were produced using BN and NBN at varying concentrations (1 – 10% (w/w)), and characterized in terms of physical (color and thickness), mechanical (tensile strength, elongation at break, and heat seal strength), barrier (water vapor transmission rate (WVTR)), antimicrobial, and morphological properties. ΔE and whiteness of the composite PLA films increased, while transparency decreased with increased BN and NBN concentrations. Compared to the control PLA films, the tensile strength of the 1% BN or NBN added films increased by 28% or 40%, respectively. Adding BN and NBN to the PLA matrix significantly reduced the WVTR (p ≤ 0.05). Antimicrobial activity against S. aureus and E. coli was not detected. Multivariate data analysis enabled discrimination of composite PLA films based on simultaneous evaluation of their specific film characteristics. This study reveals the ideal film formulation to produce boron nitride incorporated composite PLA films with proper properties, holding potential to be used as an alternative biodegradable material for sustainable packaging of foods to replace petroleum-based materials.
Critical thermal maxima differ between groups of insect pollinators and their foraging times: Implications for their responses to climate change
Authors: López-Uribe Margarita M , Appert Maren K. , Delgado Alonso X. , Herrera-Motta Andrés F. , Jimenez Abigail , Martín-Rojas Ruben D. , Ramos-Abensur Victor M. , Riaño-Jimenez Diego A. , Cure José R. , Fuentes Jose D. , Duque Luis O. , Gonzalez Victor H.
Published: October 2024

Insects perform essential roles within ecosystems and can be vulnerable to climate change because of their small body size and limited capacity to regulate body temperature. Several groups of insects, such as bees and flies, are important pollinators of wild and cultivated plants. However, aspects of their thermal biology remain poorly studied, which limits predictions of their responses to climate change. We assessed the critical thermal maximum (CTMax) of bees and flies visiting flowers in urban and periurban areas in tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas. We also assessed the effect of the foraging time of the day on CTMax. Overall, we found that bees displayed higher CTMax than flies. Flies foraging in the morning and afternoon displayed similar CTMax while bees in the morning displayed a higher CTMax than in the afternoon. The results of this study suggest differences in the vulnerability to climate change between these two major groups of pollinators, with flies being more at risk.
On a mathematical model of the interaction of a high-temperature plasma flow with a wood surface
Authors:   Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, Cheremnykh Vladimir A. , Volokitin Gennadiy G. ,   Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, Goldin Viktor D. ,   Tomsk State University, Basalaev Sergey A. ,   Tomsk State University, Klopotov Anatoliy A. ,   Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building, Tsvetkov Nikolay A. ,   Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building
Published: October 2024

In this study, the processes of thermal decomposition of wood during its treatment with a plasma flow are considered. To develop a mathematical model of these processes, a differential thermogravimetric analysis of the heating of larch samples in an argon atmosphere at a rate of 10–20 degrees/min is carried out. Based on the results obtained, a mathematical model of thermal decomposition is proposed, including four stages. The wood during heating is represented by a mixture of six components. At each stage, the kinetic parameters of the reactions are determined by processing measurements at a heating rate of 20 degrees/min. The equations of chemical kinetics describing changes in the mass of wood components are numerically solved using the finite-difference implicit Euler method and the obtained reaction parameters. The numerical solution to the equations of chemical kinetics with these parameters shows satisfactory agreement with the data from the corresponding experiment. The calculation performed at a heating rate of 10 degrees/min with the same kinetic parameters also shows satisfactory agreement with the measurements. Thus, the obtained reaction parameters do not depend on the heating rate in the considered range. The proposed model can be used in the mathematical description of changes in the structure and thermal state of wood samples exposed to high-temperature plasma flow treatment.
About the integral approach using the collocation method
Authors:   Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Germider Oksana V. , Popov Vasilii N. ,   Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov
Published: October 2024

The article describes a matrix method of polynomial Chebyshev approximation using an integral approach to construct a solution to a nonhomogeneous fourth-order differential equation with mixed boundary conditions of the first kind. The proposed method is based on the expansion of the fourth-order derivative of the desired function into a series in terms of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind and the representation of the partial sum of this series as a product of matrices whose elements are, respectively, the Chebyshev polynomials and the coefficients in this expansion. In this paper, using analytical formulas for calculating integrals of Chebyshev polynomials, we obtain a representation of the desired function in terms of the product of the matrices defined above. The use of points of extrema and zeros of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind as nodes, as well as the properties of the sums of products of Chebyshev polynomials at these points, made it possible to reduce the boundary value problem by the collocation method to a system of inhomogeneous linear algebraic equations with a sparse matrix of this system. It is shown that the solution constructed in this way satisfies the differential equation at all nodes, including the boundary ones, in contrast to the approximate solution obtained by approximating the exact solution in the form of a finite sum of the Chebyshev series. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by considering a boundary value problem with a known analytical solution. The convergence analysis of the constructed solution is carried out.
Automorphisms of nil-triangular subrings of Chevalley algebras of type G2 over the field of characteristic 2
Authors:   Siberian Federal University, Kazakova Alyona V.
Published: October 2024

Let NΦ(K) be the nil-triangular subalgebra of the Chevalley algebra over an associative commutative ring K with the identity associated with a root system Φ (The basis of NΦ(K) consists of all elements er ∈ Φ+ of the Chevalley basis). This paper studies the well-known problem of describing automorphisms of Lie algebras and rings NΦ(K). Automorphisms of the Lie algebra NΦ(K) under restrictions K = 2K = 3K on ring K are described by Y. Cao, D. Jiang, J. Wang (Intern. J. Algebra and Computation, 2007). When passing from algebras to Lie rings, the group of automorphisms expands. Thus, the subgroup of central automorphisms is extended, i.e. acting modulo the center, ring automorphisms induced by automorphisms of the main ring are added. For the type An, a description of automorphisms of Lie rings NΦ(K) over K was obtained by V.M. Levchuk (Siberian Mathematical Journal, 1983). Automorphisms of the Lie ring NΦ(K) are described by V.M. Levchuk (Algebra and Logic, 1990) for type D4 over K, and for other types by A.V. Litavrin (Thesis for: Cand. Sc. (Physics and Mathematics) – 01.01.06. Siberian Federal University, 2017), excluding types G2 and F4. The author (2022) obtained a description of automorphisms of Lie rings NΦ(K) of type G2 when K is an integrity domain and K = 2K = 3K or 3K = 0. In this paper we describe automorphisms of a niltriangular Lie ring of type G2 over a field K under restriction 2K = 0. To study automorphisms, the upper and lower central series described in this work are essentially used. A new non-standard automorphism was found, called an S-automorphism.
Some properties of topological hedgehogs
Authors:   N.N. Krasovskii Institute of Mathematics and Mechanics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lyakhovets Daniil Yu. ,   Ural Federal University, Osipov Alexander V. ,   Ural Federal University
Published: October 2024

The topological spaces called Euclidean hedgehogs are considered. These are subspaces of the Euclidean spaces R n with the following property: together with each of their points, they contain the entire segment connecting the given point with the point of origin. It is proved that for all n ≥ 2 there exist pairwise non-homeomorphic Euclidean hedgehogs in Rn . It is also proved that for every countable Euclidean hedgehog there exists a flat hedgehog homeomorphic to it. We also consider two topological spaces: the quasimetric hedgehog and the quotient hedgehog, which have the following cardinal and hereditary invariants: weight, character, density, spread, extent, cellularity, tightness, number of open sets, and Lindelöf number. Finally, sequential hedgehogs are considered that are topologically embedded in function spaces. Criteria are given for the topological embedding of sequential hedgehogs in the space of continuous functions and in the space of Baire functions.
On some features of the spectrum of longitudinal vibrations and sound emission of a rod
Authors:   Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, Azarov Аrtur А. , Popov Aleksandr L. ,   Moscow State University of Civil Engineering; Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chelyubeev Dmitriy A. ,   Ishlinsky Institute for Problems in Mechanics of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: October 2024

This study is devoted to the correlation of theoretical models of the impact and post-impact longitudinal vibrations of a rod with the corresponding experimental data. A solution to the problem of longitudinal vibrations of a cylindrical rod is obtained using the Saint-Venant wave model with free ends in the presence of friction. The friction coefficient is determined by a set of multi-frequency damped vibrations of the rod after impact. The amplitude-frequency dependences of the displacements and velocities of the rod ends for free post-shock vibrations are determined and analyzed together with their relationship with the acoustic pressure emitted by the ends at different ratios between the masses of the striker and rod. The shift of the amplitude maximum of acoustic pressure from the frequency of the fundamental tone to the overtone is shown to depend on the parameters determining the oscillation period and the mass ratio of the striker and rod. This is inconsistent with the longitudinal vibration spectrum of the rod, whose maximum corresponds to the frequency of the fundamental tone at any mass ratio of the striking pair. The obtained data are experimentally validated.
Electromagnetic coupling coefficients of "piezoelectric / ferrite" composite accounting for the real structure and initial stresses
Authors:   Perm National Research Polytechnic University, Pan’kov Andrey A.
Published: October 2024

New improved analytical solutions are obtained for tensors of effective pyro– electro–magneto–elastic properties of a piezoactive composite at initial stress-strain state (resulting from initial loading) that account for real two-point correlation functions of an irregular quasi-periodic random structure. The calculations of effective coefficients of electromagnetic and magnetoelectric coupling of the transversal isotropic unidirectional fibrous composite "PZT-4/ferrite" with an axisymmetric tensor of initial strain of the composite are presented. An increase in the absolute values of the effective coefficients is observed at negative (compressive) values of the initial strain tensor components of the composite.