bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Label-Free Protein Detection by Micro-Acoustic Biosensor Coupled with Electrical Field Sorting. Theoretical Study in Urine Models
Authors: Mukhin Nikolay , Konoplev Georgii , Oseev Aleksandr , Schmidt Marc-Peter , Stepanova Oksana , Kozyrev Andrey , Dmitriev Alexander , Hirsch Soeren
Published: April 2021

Diagnostic devices for point-of-care (POC) urine analysis (urinalysis) based on microfluidic technology have been actively developing for several decades as an alternative to laboratory based biochemical assays. Urine proteins (albumin, immunoglobulins, uromodulin, haemoglobin etc.) are important biomarkers of various pathological conditions and should be selectively detected by urinalysis sensors. The challenge is a determination of different oligomeric forms of the same protein, e.g., uromodulin, which have similar bio-chemical affinity but different physical properties. For the selective detection of different types of proteins, we propose to use a shear bulk acoustic resonator sensor with an additional electrode on the upper part of the bioliquid-filled channel for protein electric field manipulation. It causes modulation of the protein concentration over time in the near-surface region of the acoustic sensor, that allows to distinguish proteins based on their differences in diffusion coefficients (or sizes) and zeta-potentials. Moreover, in order to improve the sensitivity to density, we propose to use structured sensor interface. A numerical study of this approach for the detection of proteins was carried out using the example of albumin, immunoglobulin, and oligomeric forms of uromodulin in model urine solutions. In this contribution we prove the proposed concept with numerical studies for the detection of albumin, immunoglobulin, and oligomeric forms of uromodulin in urine models.
Design of Minimum Nonlinear Distortion Reconfigurable Antennas for Next-Generation Communication Systems
Authors: Ramírez Arroyave Germán Augusto , Barlabé Antoni , Pradell Lluís , Araque Quijano Javier Leonardo , Cetiner Bedri A. , Jofre-Roca Luis
Published: April 2021

Nonlinear effects in the radio front-end can degrade communication quality and system performance. In this paper we present a new design technique for reconfigurable antennas that minimizes the nonlinear distortion and maximizes power efficiency through the minimization of the coupling between the internal switching ports and the external feeding ports. As a nonlinear design and validation instance, we present the nonlinear characterization up to 50 GHz of a PIN diode commonly used as a switch for reconfigurable devices in the microwave band. Nonlinear models are extracted through X-parameter measurements supported by accurate calibration and de-embedding procedures. Nonlinear switch models are validated by S-parameter measurements in the low power signal regime and by harmonic measurements in the large-signal regime and are further used to predict the measured nonlinearities of a reconfigurable antenna. These models have the desired particularity of being integrated straightforwardly in the internal multi-port method formulation, which is used and extended to account for the power induced on the switching elements. A new figure of merit for the design of reconfigurable antennas is introduced—the power margin, that is, the power difference between the fed port and the switching elements, which combined with the nonlinear load models directly translates into nonlinearities and power-efficiency-related metrics. Therefore, beyond traditional antenna aspects such as port match, gain, and beam orientation, switch power criteria are included in the design methodology. Guidelines for the design of reconfigurable antennas and parasitic layers of minimum nonlinearity are provided as well as the inherent trade-offs. A particular antenna design suitable for 5G communications in the 3.5 GHz band is presented according to these guidelines, in which the specific switching states for a set of target performance metrics are obtained via a balancing of the available figures of merit with multi-objective separation criteria, which enables good control of the various design trade-offs. Average Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) and power efficiency improvement of 12 and 6 dB, respectively, are obtained with the application of this design approach. In summary, this paper introduces a new framework for the nonlinear modeling and design of reconfigurable antennas and provides a set of general-purpose tools applicable in cases beyond those used as examples and validation in this work. Additionally, the use of these models and guidelines is presented, demonstrating one of the most appealing advantages of the reconfigurable parasitic layer approach, their low nonlinearity.
Potentiometric Performance of a Highly Flexible-Shaped Trifunctional Sensor Based on ZnO/V2O5 Microrods
Authors: Appiagyei Alfred Bekoe , Han Jeong In
Published: April 2021

A trifunctional flexible sensor was fabricated on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber surface. Synthesized ZnO and ZnO/V2O5 composite were coated on ZnO seed layer sputtered PET fiber. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques confirmed the exact formation of ZnO and ZnO/V2O5. The fabricated ZnO/V2O5 on ZnO seeds base temperature sensor recorded better electrical properties and reversibility with a maximum temperature coefficient resistance (TCR) of 0.0111 °C−1. A calibration curve (R = 0.9941) within glucose concentration of (10 µM–10 mM) was obtained at +0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl from current-voltage curves which assisted in calculating glucose sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ). The electrode achieved an outstanding performance of sensitivity (72.06 µAmM−1cm−2), LOD (174 µM), and LOQ (582 µM) at optimum deposition time. Interference from oxidation of interfering biomolecules such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and uric acid were negligible compared to glucose. Finally, the fabricated electrode was employed as a pH sensor and displayed a pH sensitivity of 42.26 mV/pH (R = 0.9922). This fabricated ZnO/V2O5 electrode exhibited high sensitivity and a stable combined temperature, glucose, and pH sensor which is promising for development of multifunctional sensors in next generation wearables.
A Comparative Study of BDS Triple-Frequency Ambiguity Fixing Approaches for RTK Positioning
Authors: Zhu Huizhong , Lu Yangyang , Tang Longjiang , Li Jun , Xu Aigong , Ge Maorong
Published: April 2021

Concerning the triple-frequency ambiguity resolution, in principle there are three different realizations. The first one is to fix all the ambiguities of the original frequencies together. However, it is also believed that fixing the combined integer ambiguities with longer wavelength, such as extra-wide-lane (EWL), wide-lane (WL), should be advantageous. Also, it is demonstrated that fixing sequentially EWL, WL and one type of original ambiguities provides better results, as the previously fixed ambiguities increase parameters’ precision for later fixings. In this paper, we undertake a comparative study of the three fixing approaches by means of experimental validation. In order to realize the three fixing approaches from the same information in terms of adjustment, we developed a processing strategy to provide fully consistent normal equations. We first generate the normal equation with the original undifferentiated carrier phase ambiguities, then map it into that with the combined and double-differenced ambiguities required by the individual approach for fixing. Four baselines of 258 m, 22 km, 47 km and 53 km are selected and processed in both static and kinematic mode using the three ambiguity-fixing approaches. Indicators including time of first fixed solution (TFFS), the correct fixing rate, positioning accuracy and RATIO are used to evaluate and investigate results. We also made a preliminary theoretical explanation of the results by looking into the decorrelation procedure of the ambiguity searching algorithm and the intermediate results. As conclusions, integrated searching of original ambiguities or combined ambiguities has almost the same fixing performance, whereas the sequential fixing of EWL, WL and B1 ambiguities overperforms the integrated searching. By the way, the third-frequency data can shorten the TFFS significantly but can hardly improve the positioning.
Gas Damping in Capacitive MEMS Transducers in the Free Molecular Flow Regime
Authors: Boom Boris A. , Bertolini Alessandro , Hennes Eric , van den Brand Johannes F. J.
Published: April 2021

We present a novel analysis of gas damping in capacitive MEMS transducers that is based on a simple analytical model, assisted by Monte-Carlo simulations performed in Molflow+ to obtain an estimate for the geometry dependent gas diffusion time. This combination provides results with minimal computational expense and through freely available software, as well as insight into how the gas damping depends on the transducer geometry in the molecular flow regime. The results can be used to predict damping for arbitrary gas mixtures. The analysis was verified by experimental results for both air and helium atmospheres and matches these data to within 15% over a wide range of pressures.
Aging in Place with Age-Related Cognitive Changes: The Impact of Caregiving Support and Finances
Authors: Wagner Alexandra
Published: April 2021

In the United States, aging in place is a common concept that refers to older adults’ desire to remain in their homes as they age. However, this ability to age in place is a complex process that is not only impacted by the home’s accessibility or individual functional abilities. This paper aims to examine different factors, such as home environment and home modification, caregivers, finances, and other supports present in the participants’ lives, that impact older adults with age-related cognitive changes (ARCC) (in)ability to age in place. Qualitative interviews with older adults with ARCC (n = 5) and their caregivers (n = 5) were conducted. The participants’ experiences while aging in place indicate that finances and caregiving support greatly impacted their lives at home and ability to age in place. Personal finances dictated where some of the participants could age and the support, they could afford from home health aides. Additionally, informal and formal caregivers were an important source of support that aided in the older adults’ ability to remain home. As researchers, we need to continue to address personal finances and the support that the individual has in their lives to most effectively promote aging in place and their life at home.
Meaningful Work, Job Resources, and Employee Engagement
Authors: Albrecht Simon L. , Green Camille R. , Marty Andrew
Published: April 2021

Meaningful work and employee engagement have been the subject of increasing interest in organizational research and practice over recent years. Both constructs have been shown to influence important organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction, wellbeing, and performance. Only a limited amount of empirical research has focused on understanding the relationship within existing theoretical frameworks. For this study, meaningful work is proposed as a critical psychological state within the job demands-resources (JD-R) model that can therefore, in part, explain the relationship between job resources and employee engagement. Survey data collected from 1415 employees working in a range of organizations, across a number of industries, were analyzed with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM). In support of expectations, job variety, development opportunities, and autonomy, each had a significant and positive direct association with meaningful work. These job resources also had a significant and positive indirect effect on employee engagement via meaningful work. Although job variety, development opportunities, autonomy, and feedback had significant positive direct associations with engagement, contrary to expectations, supervisor support had a negative association with engagement. The final model explained a sizable proportion of variance in both meaningful work (49%) and employee engagement (65%). Relative weights analyses showed that job variety was the strongest job resource predictor of meaningful work, and that meaningful work was more strongly associated with employee engagement than the job resources. Overall, the results show that meaningful work plays an important role in enhancing employee engagement and that providing employees with skill and task variety is important to achieving that goal. Practical implications, study limitations, and future research opportunities are discussed.
Hydro-Mechanical Effects of Several Riparian Vegetation Combinations on the Streambank Stability—A Benchmark Case in Southeastern Norway
Authors: Capobianco Vittoria , Robinson Kate , Kalsnes Bjørn , Ekeheien Christina , Høydal Øyvind
Published: April 2021

Vegetation can be used as a nature-based solution (NBS) to restore rivers and mitigate water-triggered processes along streambanks. Roots are well known to improve the overall stability of slopes through hydro-mechanical reinforcement within the rooted zone. Vegetation-based solutions require the selection of species that are most suitable for specific locations, and they are aimed at restoring the natural state and function of river systems in support of biodiversity, flood management, and landscape development. Selecting a combination of different species along different zones of the riverbank can improve the conditions for the river system with regard to biodiversity and stability. Therefore, more studies are needed to investigate how the combination of a variety of different plant species can improve the stability of the riverbank. This paper presents a methodological approach for slope stability modeling including vegetation as well as the results obtained from a series of slope stability calculations adopting the proposed methodology. The analyses were carried out for critical shallow (≤3 m deep) shear planes of ideal benchmark slopes covered with four different plant combinations—(i) only grass, (ii) grass and shrubs, (iii) only trees, and (iv) trees, shrubs, and grass—for species typically found along streams in southeastern Norway. In this desk study, two types of tree species were selected, namely Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Downy birch (Betula pubescens). The Goat willow (Salix caprea) was selected as a shrub, while a common mixed-grass was chosen as grass. Vegetation features were obtained from the literature. The methodology was used for two main cases: (1) considering only the mechanical contribution of vegetation and (2) considering both the hydrological and mechanical reinforcement of vegetation. The main outcome of the numerical modeling showed that the purely mechanical contribution of vegetation to slope stability could not be decoupled from the hydrological reinforcement in order to have a realistic assessment of the roots improvement to the stability. The most critical shear surfaces occurred below the rooted zone in all cases, and the best performance was obtained using the combinations including trees. Considering the typical climate conditions in Norway, the hydro-mechanical reinforcement was most effective in the spring and for combinations including low height vegetation (i.e., grass and shrubs). The study concludes that a mixed combination of vegetation (trees, shrubs, and grass) is the most suitable for reaching the highest hydro-mechanical reinforcement of streambanks, together with erosion protection and boosting the ecosystem biodiversity. The current study can help practitioners determine which vegetation cover combination is appropriate for improving the current stability of a streambank with restoration practices.
Empirical Analysis of Factors Affecting the Bilateral Trade between Mongolia and China
Authors: Ganbaatar Bayarmaa , Huang Juan , Shuai Chuanmin , Nawaz Asad , Ali Madad
Published: April 2021

This study analyzes the factors influencing the bilateral trade between Mongolia and China using the trade gravity model, principle component analysis (PCA), unit root test, bound test, and the estimation of coefficients in a panel data set from 1996–2019. A total of 9 variables including exports, gross domestic product (GDP), population, geographical distance, cultural distance, trade agreements, tariffs, trade facilitation index of China and Mongolia-China trade cost were considered for all models. The results indicate that the cultural distance between Mongolia and China and the population of Mongolia are stationary at level. The coefficient of GDP (income) of both countries is positive and statistically significant with exports. Moreover, trade facilitation has significant positive impact on exports of both countries. These findings reveal that efforts in improving excellence of border administration, arrangements would make a positive contribution in trade of goods. Another major influencing factor is tariffs, which was negatively significant for exports, suggesting that if China imposes 1% tariffs on Mongolian exports, it will result in 24% decrease of Mongolian exports. The results of regression coefficients show that there is long run association between variables. This indicates that China adopted a more restrictive trade policy on the flow of goods from Mongolia with an increase population of China. The study suggests a free trade agreement and relaxation of export/import procedures for Mongolia in order to increase the GDP of Mongolia.
Does Debt Financing Affect the Sustainability of Transparent Accounting Information?
Authors: Jung Hyun-Uk , Mun Tae-Hyoung , Roh Taewoo
Published: April 2021

With the classification of debt financing into private debt (borrowing) and public debt (bond), this study aims to figure out the relationship between corporate debt financing and transparent accounting information sustainability. Debt financing of a firm was measured as a ratio of private debt to sum of private and public debt while sustainability of transparent accounting information was measured as a matching level. The sample is selected from corporations listed on the stock market in the Republic of Korea, except for the financial industry, from 2011 to 2018. As a result, the ratio of private debt of a firm was found to have a negative relationship with the matching level. It indicates that the ratio of high-private debt of a firm reduces the matching level. These results were found to be consistent even using various methodologies (e.g., Prais–Winsten, and Newey–West). This study confirmed the negative sustainability of transparent accounting information when the ratio of borrowings in corporate financing is high. Our implications that different financing methods can have different effects on the sustainability of corporate transparent accounting information.
The Effect of Music Tempo and Volume on Acoustic Perceptions under the Noise Environment
Authors: Liang Ping , Guan Hongyu , Wang Yuezhen , Chen Han , Song Pengfei , Ma Haonan , Hu Songtao
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to investigate the distracting or masking effects of music tempo and volume, based on subjective evaluation under noise conditions. Two experiments were conducted with 32 participants. In the first one, the experimental conditions were set as follow: (1) the sound pressure levels of music are 45 dB, 60 dB, and 75 dB; (2) music tempos are 70 beats per minute (BPM), 110 BPM, and 150 BPM; (3) sound pressure levels of noise are 45 dB, 60 dB, and 75 dB; and (4) the noise types are talkers’ babble, traffic noise, and construction noise. All conditions on human acoustic perception were analyzed by orthogonal experiment. Based on part one, the second experiment was conducted. Sound pressure levels (50 dB, 60 dB, and 70 dB) of noise and sound pressure levels (50 dB, 60 dB, and 70 dB) of music and music tempo (70 BPM, 110 BPM, and 150 BPM) were assessed by subjective evaluation. The results showed although different types of noise had different effects on human perceptions, noise types had a small effect on acoustic comfort considering the superimposed music. Music can improve the acoustic environment. The sound pressure levels had significant effects on acoustic sensation. The tempo of the music affected the acoustic sensation insignificantly. Sound pressure levels of noise, music tempo, and sound pressure levels of music significantly affect acoustic comfort. The best acoustic environment in this study utilized superimposed 70 BPM, 60 dB music in a 50 dB noise environment. These results suggest that music can enable new strategies to improve indoor environmental satisfaction. Based on the findings, the effect of music on acoustic perceptions under the noise environment should be taken into account when aiming to enhance comfort in noisy environments.
Forging Political Cadres for Re-Peasantization: Escuela de Acción Campesina (Spain)
Authors: Gallar-Hernández David
Published: April 2021

Bolstering the political formation of agrarian organizations has become a priority for La Vía Campesina and the Food Sovereignty Movement. This paper addresses the Spanish case study of the Escuela de Acción Campesina (EAC)—(Peasant Action School), which is a tool for political formation in the Global North in which the philosophical and pedagogical principles of the “peasant pedagogies” of the Training Schools proposed by La Vía Campesina are put into practice within an agrarian organization in Spain and in alliance with the rest of the Spanish Food Sovereignty Movement. The study was carried out over the course of the 10 years of activist research, spanning the entire process for the construction and development of the EAC. Employing an ethnographic methodology, information was collected through participant observation, ethnographic interviews, a participatory workshop, and reviews of internal documents. The paper presents the context in which the EAC arose, its pedagogical dynamics, the structure and the ideological contents implemented for the training of new cadres, and how there are three key areas in the training process: (1) the strengthening of collective union and peasant identity, (2) training in the “peasant” ideological proposal, and (3) the integration of students as new cadres into the organizations’ structures. It is concluded that the EAC is a useful tool in the ideological re-peasantization process of these organizations.
Assessment of the Local and Global Stability of the Luzzone Arch Dam Including Visualisation of the Data Analysis
Authors: Tahmasebinia Faham , Doskey Rowan , Elrich Omar , Kelly David , Sepasgozar Samad , Marroquin Fernando Alonso
Published: April 2021

This study investigates the local and global stability of the Luzzone Dam. Two finite element models were built; one with foundation rock, the other without. The purpose of this was to demonstrate a potential gulf between rigid connection modelling, and rock–structure interaction (RSI). Strand7 is not a traditional geotechnical finite element model (FEM) program, though performed well when modelling radial displacement on the Luzzone Dam. Generally, the percentage between a rigid base and RSI model displacement was 10%. This result was validated against previous numerical models on the structure. Static loads produced a radial displacement on the crown structure of 9.01 cm. Uneven stress distributions at the base of the structure were shown to be the most unpredictable result. With rigid base connections, these loads produced peak tensile stresses of 10.7 MPa. This was greater than its dynamic counterpart, asking questions about fully fixed restraints. It is noted that this is above yield and should be investigated further. Special attention will be devoted to determining the failure criteria in the simulated dams to suggest better practical guide lines for the practical engineers on site.
Comparison between Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods and Evaluating the Quality of Life at Different Spatial Levels
Authors: Vakilipour Samira , Sadeghi-Niaraki Abolghasem , Ghodousi Mostafa , Choi Soo-Mi
Published: April 2021

Achieving a good urban form has been a problem since the formation of the earliest cities. The tendency of human populations toward living in urban environments and urbanization has made the quality of life more prominent. This article aimed to calculate the quality of life in an objective way. For this purpose, the technique for order preferences by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS), vlseKriterijumsk optimizacija kompromisno resenje (VIKOR), simple additive weighted (SAW), and elimination and choice expressing reality (ELECTRE) have been utilized. Quality of life was assessed at three spatial levels. In this regard, socioeconomic, environmental, and accessibility dimensions were considered. As a result, in the first level of comparison, sub-districts in District 6 were ranked higher than that of District 13. On the second level, for District 6, vicinity sub-districts had higher rankings than the center, and for District 13, sub-districts near the center of the city had higher rankings. In the third level, District 6 had a higher quality of life. The results of the comparison between research methods showed that the SAW method performs better in terms of stability. Based on the results of correlation tables, there was a strong and direct relationship between each pair of methods at three spatial levels. In addition, as the study area became smaller, the similarity between the methods increased.
Analysis of Ink/Toner Savings of English and Thai Ecofonts for Sustainable Printing
Authors: Imjai Thanongsak , Wattanapanich Chirawat , Madardam Uhamard , Garcia Reyes
Published: April 2021

The use of Ecofonts in printing can result in economic savings and lower environmental impact. However, most of the research on the use of Ecofonts focuses on Latin alphabets. Moreover, texts printed with Ecofonts can be perceived as being less legible than those printed with the original typefaces. This study (a) assesses toner use reductions in documents printed with English and Thai Ecofonts, and (b) studies the observers’ perception of texts printed either with Ecofonts or with original typefaces. To achieve this, black pixels were removed from 10 English and 13 Thai typefaces widely used in academia and other media. Visibility and legibility tests, as well as mass analyses tests, were then performed on texts printed with some such typefaces. Results from instrumental measurements and digital image analyses show that the use of Ecofonts reduces toner use of an inkjet printer by up to 28%. The study also proposes a new Ecofont typeface for the Thai language. Visual tests showed that the visual experience of text printed using this Thai Ecofont is satisfactory. Awareness of the benefits of using Ecofonts changes the users’ attitudes towards the printing quality of Ecofont. The removal of black pixels can lead to more sustainable printing, and this simple solution can be extended to other non-Latin languages as part of the global Green Information Technology efforts in South-East Asia.
Spatiotemporal Change and Coordinated Development Analysis of “Population-Society-Economy-Resource-Ecology-Environment” in the Jing-Jin-Ji Urban Agglomeration from 2000 to 2015
Authors: Ji Jianwan , Wang Shixin , Zhou Yi , Liu Wenliang , Wang Litao
Published: April 2021

Measuring the regionally coordinated development degree quantitively at an urban agglomeration scale is vital for regional sustainable development. To date, existing studies mainly utilized statistical data to analyze coordinated development degrees between different subsystems, which failed to measure the development gap of subsystems between cities. This study integrated remote sensing and statistical data to evaluate the development degree from six subsystems. The coordinated index (CI) and coordinated development index (CDI) were then promoted to assess the coordinated degree and coordinated development degree. The main findings were: (1) The coordinated development degree of Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ) had increased from 0.4616 in 2000 to 0.6099 in 2015, with the corresponding grade improvement from “moderate” to “good”; (2) JJJ and six subsystems’ development degree showed an increasing trend. JJJ’s whole development degree had improved from 0.34 to 0.52, and the grade had changed from “fair” to “moderate”; (3) The coordinated degree of JJJ displayed a “V” shape. However, the coordinated degree was lower in 2015 than in 2000.
Controllable CaF2 Nanosized Stripe Arrays on Si(001) Studied by X-ray and Electron Diffraction
Authors: Suturin Sergey M. , Fedorov Vladimir V. , Korovin Alexander M. , Valkovskiy Gleb A. , Tabuchi Masao , Sokolov Nikolai S.
Published: April 2021

Adding uniaxial in-plane anisotropy to the otherwise four-fold Si(001) surface has for a long time been known to be possible via epitaxial deposition of a single atomic layer of calcium fluoride (CaF2), which forms an array of micron-long (110) oriented parallel stripes when the substrate temperature during the growth is kept in the range of 700–800 °C. As shown in the present paper, a fine control over dimensions and periodicity of the stripe array is possible through the introduction of a two-stage growth process at which the (110) orientation of the fluorite layer is settled at the high-temperature nucleation stage, while the stripes of controllable dimensions are formed at the second stage. By varying the substrate temperature at the second growth stage in the range of 800–400 °C, the stripe arrays with a periodicity from above 30 nm to below 10 nm can be fabricated with the height variation changing accordingly. Such variability can be of use in the applications in which the striped fluorite surface is used to influence the anisotropy of other functional (e.g., magnetically ordered or organic) materials grown on top. While large CaF2 stripes can be easily characterized by direct space techniques such as atomic force microscopy, the study of the shape and in-plane correlation between the stripes of a much smaller size is most effectively achieved through the use of grazing incidence reciprocal space techniques applied in the present paper. The discussed universal approach to 3D reciprocal space mapping utilizing scattering of X-rays and high-energy electrons offers a complementary way to study samples with arrays of long and narrow one-dimensional stripes at their surface.
The Irregularity and Modular Irregularity Strength of Fan Graphs
Authors: Bača Martin , Kimáková Zuzana , Lascsáková Marcela , Semaničová-Feňovčíková Andrea
Published: April 2021

For a simple graph G with no isolated edges and at most, one isolated vertex, a labeling φ:E(G)→{1,2,…,k} of positive integers to the edges of G is called irregular if the weights of the vertices, defined as wtφ(v)=∑u∈N(v)φ(uv), are all different. The irregularity strength of a graph G is known as the maximal integer k, minimized over all irregular labelings, and is set to ∞ if no such labeling exists. In this paper, we determine the exact value of the irregularity strength and the modular irregularity strength of fan graphs.
The Magnetic Hooke-Newton Transmutation in Momentum Space
Authors: Lin De-Hone
Published: April 2021

The magnetic Hooke-Newton transmutation, which emerges from the transformation design of the quadratic conformal mapping for the system of charged particles moving in the uniform magnetic field, is investigated in the momentum space. It is shown that there are two ways to turn the linear interaction force of the system into the inverse square interaction. The first one, which involves simply applying the mapping to the system, has the spectrum with the Landau levels of even angular momentum quantum number. The second one considers the geometric structure of the mapping as an effective potential which leads us to the transmuted Coulomb system with the novel quantum spectrum. The wave functions of momentum for the bound and scattering states of the transmutation system are given. It is also shown that the effective potential due to the geometric structure can be generalized to a general 2D surface, and the Schrödinger equation of a particle moving on the surface while under the action of the potential can be solved by the form-invariant Schrödinger equation of the free particle. The solution of a particle moving on the hyperbolic surface under the potential is given with the conclusion. The presentation manifests the transformation design of the quantum state, depending mainly on the geometric structure of the representation space, not on the action of the specific potential field. This characteristic makes it possible for us to use the geometric structure of different representation spaces to explore some novel behaviors of quantum particles.
Susceptibility of Oocytes from Gilts and Sows to Beauvericin and Deoxynivalenol and Its Relationship with Oxidative Stress
Authors: Schoevers Eric J. , Santos Regiane R. , Roelen Bernard A. J.
Published: April 2021

Beauvericin (BEA) and deoxynivalenol are toxins produced by Fusarium species that can contaminate food and feed. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of these mycotoxins on the maturation of oocytes from gilts and sows. Furthermore, the antioxidant profiles in the oocytes’ environment were assessed. Cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) from gilts and sows were exposed to beauvericin (BEA) or deoxynivalenol (DON) and matured in vitro. As an extra control, these COCs were also exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS). The maturation was mostly impaired when oocytes from gilts were exposed to 0.02 μmol/L DON. Oocytes from sows were able to mature even in the presence of 5 μmol/L BEA. However, the maturation rate of gilt oocytes was already impaired by 0.5 μmol/L BEA. It was observed that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of gilt oocytes was higher than that from sows. However, the expression of SOD1 and glutathione synthetase (GSS) was higher in the oocytes from sows than in those from gilts. Although DON and BEA impair cell development by diverse mechanisms, this redox imbalance may partially explain the vulnerability of gilt oocytes to these mycotoxins.
Phytotoxic Secondary Metabolites from Fungi
Authors: Xu Dan , Xue Mengyao , Shen Zhen , Jia Xiaowei , Hou Xuwen , Lai Daowan , Zhou Ligang
Published: April 2021

Fungal phytotoxic secondary metabolites are poisonous substances to plants produced by fungi through naturally occurring biochemical reactions. These metabolites exhibit a high level of diversity in their properties, such as structures, phytotoxic activities, and modes of toxicity. They are mainly isolated from phytopathogenic fungal species in the genera of Alternaria, Botrytis, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Helminthosporium, and Phoma. Phytotoxins are either host specific or non-host specific phytotoxins. Up to now, at least 545 fungal phytotoxic secondary metabolites, including 207 polyketides, 46 phenols and phenolic acids, 135 terpenoids, 146 nitrogen-containing metabolites, and 11 others, have been reported. Among them, aromatic polyketides and sesquiterpenoids are the main phytotoxic compounds. This review summarizes their chemical structures, sources, and phytotoxic activities. We also discuss their phytotoxic mechanisms and structure–activity relationships to lay the foundation for the future development and application of these promising metabolites as herbicides.
Antivirals Targeting the Surface Glycoproteins of Influenza Virus: Mechanisms of Action and Resistance
Authors: Bai Yaqin , Jones Jeremy C. , Wong Sook-San , Zanin Mark
Published: April 2021

Hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which constitute the glycoprotein spikes expressed on the surface of influenza A and B viruses, are the most exposed parts of the virus and play critical roles in the viral lifecycle. As such, they make prominent targets for the immune response and antiviral drugs. Neuraminidase inhibitors, particularly oseltamivir, constitute the most commonly used antivirals against influenza viruses, and they have proved their clinical utility against seasonal and emerging influenza viruses. However, the emergence of resistant strains remains a constant threat and consideration. Antivirals targeting the hemagglutinin protein are relatively new and have yet to gain global use but are proving to be effective additions to the antiviral repertoire, with a relatively high threshold for the emergence of resistance. Here we review antiviral drugs, both approved for clinical use and under investigation, that target the influenza virus hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins, focusing on their mechanisms of action and the emergence of resistance to them.
Intervention Strategies for Seasonal and Emerging Respiratory Viruses with Drugs and Vaccines Targeting Viral Surface Glycoproteins
Authors: Tripp Ralph A. , Stambas John
Published: April 2021

Vaccines and therapeutics targeting viral surface glycoproteins are a major component of disease prevention for respiratory viral diseases. Over the years, vaccines have proven to be the most successful intervention for preventing disease. Technological advances in vaccine platforms that focus on viral surface glycoproteins have provided solutions for current and emerging pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, and our understanding of the structural basis for antibody neutralization is guiding the selection of other vaccine targets for respiratory viruses like RSV. This review discusses the role of viral surface glycoproteins in disease intervention approaches.
Lietuvių draugijų veiklos atspindžiai Vytauto Civinskio (1887–1910) Dienoraštyje
Authors: Girininkaitė Veronika
Published: April 2021

ACTIVITY OF THE LITHUANIAN SOCIETIES IN THE DIARY (1904 – 1910) OF VYTAUTAS CIVINSKIS

The egodocuments (letters and diaries) provide historians and linguists with the rare
opportunity to observe the everyday life of generations, who lived long ago. The Diary of
Vytautas Civinskis (1887–1910), a young nobleman, tells about the years he spent abroad
while studying in Leipzig, Berlin, and Dorpat in the first years of the 20th century. Along
with other information, one can find rather scarce, but nevertheless valuable data about the societies of Lithuanians in Moscow, Berlin, and Dorpat which he described. In Moscow Civinskis attended Lithuanian parties, in Berlin he joined some meetings and a picnic, arranged by the local society of Lithuanians. Most closely he observed the life of the Society of Lithuanian Students of Dorpat. Civinskis became an active member of this society, and temporarily worked as a secretary, a librarian, and even one of its leaders. Spending his vacations in the Lithuanian estate Mituva, which belonged to his family, Civinskis also helped to establish the Agricultural Society of Skapiškis, arranged a theatrical performance and founded its library. This Diary, previously practically unknown, adds some interesting new details and trivia about all the mentioned societies, their activities and members. Many surnames of members are mentioned, the printed program of the party in Moscow adds to our knowledge of the cultural life of Lithuanians there, and previously unknown facts about women studying in Tartu are also published. This article includes some good quality photographs, taken by the diarist in Tartu.
La importancia de los elementos descriptivos en el relato de los hechos en Expeditio Persica de Jorge de Pisidia (III. 225-280)
Authors: Silventi María Cristina
Published: April 2021

En la sociedad bizantina la lectura en público era algo común. Quien estaba a cargo de esta era consciente de su influencia en el auditorio. El texto bien elaborado y la expresividad del orador eran fundamentales. En este trabajo nos enfocamos en el empleo que hace de la ἔκφρασις Jorge de Pisidia (610?-632?) en un fragmento de Expeditio Persica, (vv. 225-280), en donde relata la parte final de la primera campaña del emperador Heraclio (610?-641), con el propósito de cautivar la atención de la elite cortesana que lo rodeaba enalteciendo su figura como representante de la fe cristiana.
Industria 4.0 en México, la administración inteligente en sistemas productivos
Authors: Pintor-Corona Maura , Gonzalez-Monzon Ana Lilia , Mendoza-Santiago Esther
Published: April 2021

Industry 4.0 in Mexico, intelligent management in productive systems A disruptive business model is that scheme that has changed according to the new consumer trends of the customers, turning a physical production industry into a form of electronic production, opening new opportunities for the industry in Mexico and becoming an element economic and social transformer that have allowed to change the rules of the game, through implementation of technological developments, which are creating an impact on the way of doing business, through technologies such as artificial intelligence (with machines capable of learning), Robotics (enhancing Automation), Internet of Things (with an interconnected world), Digital Manufacturing (with new forms of design and manufacturing), R-FID (Satellite Tracking, Logistic) in production chains, VAT (Drones with a variety of industrial uses ) fostering an improvement through the implementation of Intelligent Management, which serves as an strategy to consolidate the technological and knowledge society in Mexican productive systems.
Aplicación de Metodología SCRUM para el Desarrollo de Aplicación Móvil
Authors: Cortés-García Alicia , Hernández-Trejo Abril Alyse
Published: April 2021

Currently, young people have a strong attraction for games and social networks developed for mobile devices, so much is the demand that in 2017 the count of mobile Internet users was made; This survey showed that there are more than 3.5 billion users spending an average of 69% of their time a day on their smartphone, that is equivalent to more than 16 hours a day on the Internet. The previous statistics guided us to develop a Mobile Application in Android, with a game-like interface, since it is sought to be the closest thing to what a user with access to a smartphone frequents in their day to day; The project aims to help all students of the public institution, generating skills among themselves on the knowledge acquired throughout their stay at the University. The development of the Mobile Application was carried out under the SCRUM Agile Methodology; It is standing out above the others thanks to its easy implementation and obtaining the expected results. This work shows the process of implementing the methodology and the favorable results that were obtained when using it.
Simulación de la dinámica del motor de inducción trifásico en una tarjeta de desarrollo
Authors: Torres-Del Carmen Felipe de Jesús , Capilla-González Gustavo , Ocampo-Fernández Víctor Manuel , Mota-Cruz Juan Esteban , Alanís-Cantú Reynaldo
Published: April 2021

In this paper, the simulation of the highly non-linear dynamics of a Three-Phase Induction Motor in both: the a-b-c phase coordinates and \alpha-\beta stator fixed reference frame has been developed, by the use of the GNU-Octave free software on a development board or minicomputer, Raspberry Pi. The results of this approach have been compared with those attained by taking out the same simulations on the commercial software MatlabTM, which is executed on a personal computer with great hardware capacity. The performance of the proposed simulation tool has shown that it is possible to take out simulations of non-linear dynamics, owing to this fact, the use of this approach might achieve a major access to the information and communication technologies to encourage the engineering teaching in marginal zones.
Features of morphology and chemical compositionof native gold from the Murtykty deposit, South Urals
Authors: Chukhareva N.S. , Belogub E.V. , Ryzhkova Yu.A. , Blinov I.A. , Rassomakhin M.A. , Novoselov K.A.
Published: April 2021

The morphology and chemical composition of native gold from the Murtykty deposit (South Urals) are discussed in the paper. Native gold is subdivided into fve types: 1) inclusions in sulfdes, 2) grains in fractures and interstices of pyrite and other sulfdes, 3) grains at the boundaries of sulfdes and gangue minerals, 4) inclusions in gangue minerals and their interstices and 5) «free¬ grains from heavy concentrates. The chemical composition of 128 gold grains is studied. In accordance with Ag content (from 6.49 to 30.8 wt. %), native gold from the deposit varies from high- to low-fneness (rare grains). Native gold in sphalerite contains Cu (0.85–2.27 wt. %)., The morphological features of 264 gold grains are quantifed using Image Tool software. The morphological characteristics of native gold from types 1–4 are similar. The data on morphology and size of native gold grains can be used for improvement of technology of gold extraction.
A Pre-Modern Defense of the Hadiths on Sodomy
Authors: Brown Jonathan
Published: April 2021

This article provides an annotated translation of a treatise written by the famous scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) in defense of the hadiths condemning sodomy (liwāṭ). The article situates such a defense within the current discourse on Islam and homosexuality, summarizing the main arguments for and against the prohibition of liwāṭ as well as how the “traditionalist” and "Progressive” camps have constructed their arguments.This article provides an annotated translation of a treatise written by the famous scholar Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911/1505) in defense of the hadiths condemning sodomy (liwāṭ). The article situates such a defense within the current discourse on Islam and homosexuality, summarizing the main arguments for and against the prohibition of liwāṭ as well as how the “traditionalist” and "Progressive” camps have constructed their arguments.
Fabrication of slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces for anti-fouling applications
Authors: Atthi Nithi , Suwan Mantana , Sangwong Nuchjarin , Pattamang Pattaraluck , Sripumkhai Witsaroot , Meananeatra Rattanawan , Saengdee Pawasuth , Thongsook Oraphan , Ranron Norabadee , Pankong Krynnaras , Uahchinkul Warinrampai , Jeamsaksiri Wutthinan , Supothina Sitthisuntorn
Published: April 2021

Lubricant-infused textured surfaces have gained much attention as liquid-repellent surfaces owing to high surface stability compared to their superhydrophobic counterparts. In this study, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) micro-structures (width: 20 μm, height: 80 μm), were fabricated using soft lithography. Effects of micro-structural geometry, including pillar-type (pillar, discrete ridge) and hole-type (hole, continuous ridge, circular rings with eight stripe supporters), on infiltration capability of the lubricants with different viscosity (Krytox-103; η: 0.131 Pa.s, Krytox-105; η: 0.737 Pa.s, paraffin oil; η: 0.112 Pa.s) were investigated. Partial infiltration was observed on the pillar-type micro-structures, while more completed infiltration was obtained on the hole-type micro-structures. More viscous Krytox-105 resulted in completed infiltration for all micro-structures, thus creating a slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS). The best SLIPS, signified by a low sliding angle and a fast speed of water droplet, prepared from the hole pattern infused with Krytox-105 exhibited good anti-fouling performance against chlorophyll and milk yogurt.
ANAESTHETIC MANAGEMENT OF A CASE OF PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA - A CASE REPORT
Authors: Parasmani Parasmani , Yadav Ankita , Kumar Mukesh
Published: April 2021

Pheochromocytoma is a rare catecholamine secreting tumour originating usually from adrenal medulla and produces [4,5] [4] signs and symptoms due to excessive catecholamine secretion. Pheochromocytoma is called '10% tumour' because 10 percent are bilateral, malignant, extra-adrenal, multiple and familial. Pheochromocytoma is one of [4] the few causes of hypertension that can be treated surgically. Detection is mandatory for the potential cure of hypertension and to avoid the lethal effects. Pheochromocytoma has an overall good prognosis, with a 5-year [5] survival greater than 95% in benign tumours and recurrences below 10% for malignant tumours.