bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The automorphism group and fixing number of the orthogonality graph of the full matrix ring
Authors: Chen Zhengxin , Wang Yu
Published: April 2022

Let [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] be the set of all [Formula: see text] matrices over a finite field [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] the subset of [Formula: see text] consisting of all rank one matrices. In this paper, we first determine the automorphism group and the fixing number of the orthogonality graph of [Formula: see text], and then characterize the automorphism group and the fixing number of the orthogonality graph of [Formula: see text].
RPfam: A refiner towards curated-like multiple sequence alignments of the Pfam protein families
Authors: Wei Qingting , Zou Hong , Zhong Cuncong , Xu Jianfeng
Published: April 2022

High-quality multiple sequence alignments can provide insights into the architecture and function of protein families. The existing MSA tools often generate results inconsistent with biological distribution of conserved regions because of positioning amino acid residues and gaps only by symbols. We propose RPfam, a refiner towards curated-like MSAs for modeling the protein families in the Pfam database. RPfam refines the automatic alignments via scoring alignments based on the PFASUM matrix, restricting realignments within badly aligned blocks, optimizing the block scores by dynamic programming, and running refinements iteratively using the Simulated Annealing algorithm. Experiments show RPfam effectively refined the alignments produced by the MSA tools ClustalO and Muscle with reference to the curated seed alignments of the Pfam protein families. Especially RPfam improved the quality of the ClustalO alignments by 4.4% and the Muscle alignments by 2.8% on the gp32 DNA binding protein-like family. Supplementary Table is available at http://www.worldscinet.com/jbcb/ .
The Construction of Data Intelligent Search Model and Music Database Management and Control System Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Liu Fen , Manoharan Pravina , Zhang Pengyuan , Li Wen , Zeng Boming
Published: April 2022

At present, machine learning can bring new research ideas to researchers on existing problems in some fields and lower the application threshold in this field, such as data mining and database fields. It has become the most cutting-edge research direction of artificial intelligence. For one, this article delves into a data mining model based on machine learning. Data intelligence combines the way of thinking that mimics the human brain with data mining theory, which has a great effect on data enhancement, and applies the theory of data intelligence search model to practical problems. The concept of the number of intelligent objects with the same data is proposed, and the intelligent search model of continuous data in this field is established to provide help to solve the intelligent search problem under the background of big data. This paper also studies the music database management and control system. Nowadays, there are many kinds and numbers of music resources, which has caused confusion in management. In addition, the existing database system is difficult to expand and reuse. In response to the above situation, this paper designs a standard-based universal custom music database system. Based on the comprehensive research and analysis of system requirements and functions, it completes the formulation of the music data element, public data element standard, and the development and realization of the universal music database management and control system. Finally, passed a complete functional test and interface test. Based on the research of machine learning, this paper examines the data intelligent mining model and the music database management and control system, respectively, creates an intelligent management and control system and a search model, and lays the foundation for the development of intelligence.
Excision of an Anovestibular Fistula with a Normal Anus Using a Biopsy Punch
Authors: Sanal Murat
Published: April 2022

Among anorectal malformations (ARM), the isolated H type anovestibular fistula (AVF) with a normal anus is a rarity, affecting only approximately 3% of patients with anorectal malformations. AVFs are abnormal, epithelial-lined connections between the anal canal and vestibulum, and their management is a challenge for surgeons. Complete excision of the entire fistula tract is the goal of treatment, but this can often be difficult. Moreover, recurrences are not so rare. Fistulas can occur as a result of a congenital malformation, but most often have an acquired etiology. Here, we report AVF with a normal anus in a newborn. The fistula repair was performed using a biopsy punch and layered closure without overlapping suture lines, when the patient was 4 months old.
Design of Basketball Player Training Action Error Correction System Based on Convolutional Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Fang Hui
Published: April 2022

With the development of industry and the progress of science and technology, more and more new technology is gradually applied to the movement of error correction. This not only relieves workers of unneeded burdens by making their task more straightforward and error-free, but it also improves production efficiency. Deep neural networks are one of these new technologies that have exploded in popularity in recent years, with applications in a variety of industries. Of course, the application in image recognition must not be less, image recognition technology based on deep neural network has become more mature, and the error rate of recognition is now much lower than human vision recognition. So at present, some industrial detection is gradually from human vision detection to computer vision detection. This study discloses a basketball action error correction method based on deep learning image recognition, which includes the following steps: receiving each frame of basketball image captured from the fitness video, recording the corresponding time of each frame of fitness image, and preprocessing each frame of fitness image; the preprocessed basketball image was fed into the human joint recognition model, and the human joint recognition model calculated each human joint in the fitness image and output its position coordinates. According to the coordinate position of each joint orderly line, the human skeleton diagram is obtained; the human skeleton diagram is compared and assessed in accordance with standard fitness action, and the nonstandard basketball image is generated to realize basketball action repair. A basketball action error correction system based on deep learning picture identification is also disclosed in the invention. The system and method are capable of efficiently addressing the difficult challenge of comparing fitness movements with and without music rhythm.
Potential Protective Effects of Antioxidants against Cyclophosphamide-Induced Nephrotoxicity
Authors: Ayza Muluken Altaye , Zewdie Kaleab Alemayehu , Yigzaw Elias Fitsum , Ayele Solomon Gashaw , Tesfaye Bekalu Amare , Tafere Gebrehiwot Gebremedhin , Abrha Muzey Gebreyohannes
Published: April 2022

Cyclophosphamide is an alkylating antineoplastic agent, and it is one of the most successful drugs with wide arrays of clinical activity. It has been in use for several types of cancer treatments and as an immunosuppressive agent for the management of autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases. Nowadays, its clinical use is limited due to various toxicities, including nephrotoxicity. Even though the mechanisms are not well understood, cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity is reported to be mediated through oxidative stress. This review focuses on the potential role of natural and plant-derived antioxidants in preventing cyclophosphamide-induced nephrotoxicity.
Ethnography of the kitchen: The Women’s House, a space for feminist alliance and intercultural encounter
Authors: Esteban Mari-Luz , Guilló-Arakistain Miren , Luxán-Serrano Marta
Published: April 2022

In this article, we delve into a debate about whether a kitchen was to be installed in a new Women’s House in a city in the Basque Country (Hernani, Gipuzkoa). The ethnography presented here was conducted by observing the process around the creation of the House. Articulating the debate’s main points led us to examine the dominant cultural assumptions about cooking in Basque society, especially in view of the opposing feminist positions on the kitchen and the domestic sphere. To understand the changes that took place, it is essential to consider the participants’ previous experience, the shape the discussion took and the diffractions and interferences that occurred during the process, as well as the priority placed on ‘being and doing together’ and being aware of the (self-)imposed limits while also allowing, even for a short period of time, the dichotomies that characterize and delimit this intercultural encounter to be questioned.
Policy concern about university students’ online professionalism in the post-pandemic era in UK context
Authors: O’Dea X , Zhou X
Published: April 2022

The extensive and intensive online teaching and learning during the pandemic has provided good opportunities for academic staff and students to experiment with learning and teaching using synchronous communication technology and learning platforms. This experience is highly valuable for helping higher education institutions move learning and teaching practices forward after the pandemic. Indeed, many universities are considering adopting blended learning in the new era. However, it is worth noting that a number of emerging issues related to student behaviour also appeared during online learning, such as teaching to blank screens, students’ inappropriate use of social media icons, languages and their inappropriate outfits. It appears that these issues have not yet been investigated properly, and are not addressed by the existing codes of conduct, since these have been written mainly for face-to-face teaching. This study offers some important insights into students’ unprofessional online behaviour from tutors’ perspective, and also the experiences of academic tutors in managing such behaviour in formal online learning and teaching environments. It used semi-structured interviews to collect data, and analysed the narratives of 20 academic staff working in UK universities. The findings report and describe students’ unprofessional online behaviours witnessed by academic tutors in different academic disciplines. The findings also suggest that special attention needs to be paid to policymaking regarding online learning, in particular, in the area of students’ online professionalism.
Parenchyma-sparing strategy and oncological prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases
Authors: Burlaka A. A. , Makhmudov D. E. , Lisnyi I. I. , Paliichuk A. V. , Zvirych V. V. , Lukashenko A. V.
Published: April 2022

Background

Preliminary study results demonstrated parenchyma-sparing surgery (PSS) as an effective approach which allowed to remove colorectal cancer (CRC) metastatic lesions within the central liver cites and increased the probability of the liver re-resections.

Methods

The prospective analysis re-evaluation of the 185 CRC patients surgical treatment has been performed.

Results

An overall 5-year survival (OS) of the 185 enrolled patients was 43 ± 7%, and the mean and median value for OS was 48.7 ± 1.9% and 55.2 ± 5 (95% CI: 44.4–66.1) months. The 5-year OS for CRC patients whose metastatic lesions were predominantly located within peripheral and central liver segments was 56 ± 8% and 27 ± 9%, respectively (p = 0.08). A 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates of patients with peripheral and central liver cites metastatic lesions were 31 ± 7 % and 15 ± 7%, p = 0,12. And the DFS median was 34.2 and 46.5 months for R1v and R0 cohorts, respectively, p = 0.62.

Conclusions

Parenchyma-sparing surgery should be a priority pathway for complex treatment of patients with deeply located lesions of the right liver lobe.

Trial registration

The study is registered in https://www.researchregistry.com/browse-the-registry#home/registrationdetails/5ed9f60863e9bf0016624456/, no. 5679.
Comprehensive validation of a wearable foot sensor system for estimating spatiotemporal gait parameters by simultaneous three-dimensional optical motion analysis
Authors: Homan Kentaro , Yamamoto Keizo , Kadoya Ken , Ishida Naoki , Iwasaki Norimasa
Published: April 2022

Background

Use of a wearable gait analysis system (WGAS) is becoming common when conducting gait analysis studies due to its versatility. At the same time, its versatility raises a concern about its accuracy, because its calculations rely on assumptions embedded in its algorithms. The purpose of the present study was to validate twenty spatiotemporal gait parameters calculated by the WGAS by comparison with simultaneous measurements taken with an optical motion capture system (OMCS).

Methods

Ten young healthy volunteers wore two inertial sensors of the commercially available WGAS, Physilog®, on their feet and 23 markers for the OMCS on the lower part of the body. The participants performed at least three sets of 10-m walk tests at their self-paced speed in the laboratory equipped with 12 high-speed digital cameras with embedded force plates. To measure repeatability, all participants returned for a second day of testing within two weeks.

Results

Twenty gait parameters calculated by the WGAS had a significant correlation with the ones determined by the OMCS. Bland and Altman analysis showed that the between-device agreement for twenty gait parameters was within clinically acceptable limits. The validity of the gait parameters generated by the WGAS was found to be excellent except for two parameters, swing width and maximal heel clearance. The repeatability of the WGAS was excellent when measured between sessions.

Conclusion

The present study showed that spatiotemporal gait parameters estimated by the WGAS were reasonably accurate and repeatable in healthy young adults, providing a scientific basis for applying this system to clinical studies.
The development of a guide to borderline orthodontic need
Authors: Sampson Ariane , Jeremiah Huw G. , Lai Nicholas N. , Kirschen Robert
Published: April 2022

Objective

To produce a guide for dentists and orthodontists to determine orthodontic treatment need in borderline cases (dental health component DHC 3) and to compare views of different panels of judges on treatment need.

Materials and methods

Prospective, observational study. Photographs of one hundred subjects displaying borderline occlusal traits (DHC3) were collected. Three panels of judges consisting of 25 orthodontists, 25 dentists and 25 lay persons assessed photographs based on orthodontic treatment need on aesthetic grounds.

Results

Spearman’s correlation coefficient showed no statistical difference between the panels of judges (p < 0.001). The judges identified a ‘high need’ for treatment on aesthetic grounds for those with anterior open bites and reverse overjets. Kappa analysis showed moderate intra-rater agreement for the orthodontic and dental panels of judges (k = 0.47 and 0.45, respectively) and fair agreement (k = 0.26) for the lay panel, highlighting the intrinsic difficulty of assessing borderline malocclusions.

Conclusion

There was no statistical difference in the way the orthodontic, dental and lay panels of judges perceived treatment need for DHC 3 cases. Anterior open bites and reverse overjets were predominantly found to be in high need of treatment by all panels of judges. A ‘Guide to Borderline Orthodontic Need’ (GBON) is proposed consisting of 8 photographs of subjects with borderline occlusal traits (DHC3) determined unambiguously by lay, dental and orthodontic panels as either ‘needing’ or ‘not needing’ orthodontic treatment on aesthetic grounds. It is anticipated that this will assist users to make judgments on aesthetic grounds on the need for treatment in borderline cases.
Artificial intelligence applications in Latin American higher education: a systematic review
Authors: Salas-Pilco Sdenka Zobeida , Yang Yuqin
Published: April 2022

Over the last decade, there has been great research interest in the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in various fields, such as medicine, finance, and law. Recently, there has been a research focus on the application of AI in education, where it has great potential. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature on AI in education is therefore necessary. This article considers its usage and applications in Latin American higher education institutions. After identifying the studies dedicated to educational innovations brought about by the application of AI techniques, this review examines AI applications in three educational processes: learning, teaching, and administration. Each study is analyzed for the AI techniques used, such as machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, the AI tools and algorithms that are applied, and the main education topic. The results reveal that the main AI applications in education are: predictive modelling, intelligent analytics, assistive technology, automatic content analysis, and image analytics. It is further demonstrated that AI applications help to address important education issues (e.g., detecting students at risk of dropping out) and thereby contribute to ensuring quality education. Finally, the article presents the lessons learned from the review concerning the application of AI technologies in higher education in the Latin American context.
Synergistic effect of entomopathogens against Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) under laboratory and greenhouse conditions
Authors: Thakur Neelam , Tomar Preety , Sharma Sakshi , Kaur Simranjeet , Sharma Sushma , Yadav Ajar Nath , Hesham Abd El-Latif
Published: April 2022

Background

Entomopathogens such as nematodes, bacteria and fungi are well recognized for their biocontrol potential. This study was carried out to examine the insecticidal properties of the Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar, Beauveria bassiana Balsamo-Crivelli, Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner,
individually and in combination against 3rd instar larvae of Spodoptera litura Fabricius (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) under controlled laboratory and greenhouse conditions at Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Sirmaur, Himachal Pradesh.

Results

The results demonstrated that the combined applications of the tested entomopathogens resulted in 100% insect mortality under the laboratory conditions. Among the individual concentrations, applications of 200 IJs/ml were noticed highly virulent with (98%) mortality, followed by B. thuringiensis (96%) and then by B. bassiana (92%). However, single treatments were also evaluated that further showed a highest mortality in the target pest by H. bacteriophora, followed by B. thuringiensis. Among the combined treatments by H. bacteriophora plus B. thuringiensis (200 IJs + 1 × 1012 CFU/cm2) more effective caused (100%) mortality were noticed in the laboratory and (28%) under the greenhouse conditions than H. bacteriophora plus B. bassiana (200 IJs + 1 × 1010 conidia/cm2) that caused (100%) mortality and (34%) damage under both,
laboratory and greenhouse conditions.

Conclusion

Laboratory bioassay and greenhouse evaluation tests demonstrated that the combined sprayed treatments showed reliable and fast synergism. This study could be recommended to the farmers to control the pest.
Recommendation System Issues, Approaches and Challenges Based on User Reviews
Authors: Benabbes Khalid , Housni Khalid , Mezouary Ali El , Zellou Ahmed
Published: April 2022

With the ever-increasing volume of online information, recommender systems have been effective as a strategy to overcome information overload. They have a wide range of applications in many fields, including e-learning, e-commerce, e-government and scientific research. Recommender systems are search engines that are based on the user’s browsing history to suggest a product that expresses their interests. Being usually in the form of textual comments and ratings, such reviews are a valuable source of information about users’ perceptions. Recommender systems (RSs) apply various approaches to predict users’ interest on information, products and services among a huge amount of available items. In this paper, we will describe the recommender system, discuss ongoing research in this field, and address the challenges, limitations and the techniques adopted. This paper also discusses how review texts are interpreted to solve some of the major problems with traditional recommendation techniques. To assess the value of a recommender system, qualitative evaluation measures are discussed as well in this research. Based on a series of selected articles published between 2008 and 2020, the study allowed us to conclude that the efficiency of RSs is strongly centered on the control of information context, the operated exploration algorithm, the method, and the type of processed data in addition to the information on users’ trust.
Automatic Evaluation and Comparison of Pub/Sub Systems Performance Improvements
Authors: Rampérez Víctor , Soriano Javier , Lizcano David , Miguel Carlos
Published: April 2022

Event-driven architectures are becoming more prevalent recently in multiple technological paradigms, especially in web applications, with message brokers being the cornerstone of these architectures. One of the most relevant implementations of these message brokers are content-based publish/subscribe systems. The performance of these systems is a critical factor for web engineering, since the web applications they support need to be reactive despite increases and fluctuations in workloads. However, an obstacle to the research of these systems is the lack of real and publicly available workloads, due to the privacy issue involved in disclosing the interests (subscriptions) of users and other commercial interests of the companies. In this paper we present a parameterizable automated system designed to syntactically translate workloads from different content-based publish/subscribe systems as a means to increase the availability of public workloads to solve the aforementioned problem. As a case study, we describe the evolution of a context-aware content-based publish/subscribe system (i.e. E-SilboPS) designed by the authors, which improves up to 5 times the performance of its previous version by reaching the maximum throughput limited by the physical resources of the hardware where it is deployed, as demonstrated by the conducted quantitative evaluation. Then, we validate the utility of the proposed automated workload generation system by using it to make the performance comparison between this new version E-SilboPS and one of the most cited publish/subscribe systems called PADRES, through a real trace of a massively multiplayer online game (MMOG) generated by the latter.
Potentials of kawayang tinik (Bambusa blumeana) as new source antimicrobial agents
Authors: Saducos Abegail G
Published: April 2022

In this time where health is priority and surges of microbial resistance is highly observed within the society, discovering new, effective and sustainable sources of potential pharmacologic products is highly significant. The study explored the antimicrobial potentials of the different parts of Bambusa blumeana (kawayang tinik), a common Philippine bamboo species, against selected pathogenic bacterial and fungal species utilizing minimum inhibitory concentration via agar well diffusion method. Results of the study showed that extracts of B. blumeana, specifically the leaf, rhizome, roots, inner and outer culms, are capable of inhibiting microbial growth at 0.06 to 0.98 mg/ml concentrations. Specifically, the aqueous outer culm extract of B. blumeana proved to be most effective in inhibiting the growth of Pasteurella multocida at 0.24 mg/ml while Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were most susceptible to ethanolic outer culm extracts at 0.06 mg/ml and 0.12 mg/ml respectively. Bacillus subtilis, on the other hand, was observed to be the most sensitive to ethanolic root extracts at 0.06 mg/ml. Furthermore, Aspergillus niger was observed to be susceptible to ethanolic rhizome extract (0.24 mg/ml) while the ethanolic leaf, roots, inner and outer culms were equally effective in inhibiting Penicillium chrysogenum at 0.98 mg/ml extract concentration. Phytochemical testing further revealed the presence of phenols and flavonoids in the different parts of the bamboo species which further support its potential as a new source of pharmaceutical biocompounds.
The Concept of Democracy in U.S. Foreign Policy in a Post-Bipolar System
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University, Eremina Natalia , Ignatjeva Olga ,   Saint Petersburg State University
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Democracy nowadays means not only specific parameters of domestic political, social and economic development, but has also become a tool for identifying “friends” and “strangers” for the USA and a number of other states of the so-called Western world. In addition, international law, calling the problem of human rights the most important one for the democratization of the world, denotes the possibility of interference of the states concerned in the internal affairs of other countries. Methods and materials. The study was conducted in accordance with the epistemological orientations of social constructivism using the case-study method. Analysis. The logic of analysis assumes considering a concept of democracy from the position of the theory of the democratic world with its verification on USA political practice including their participation in contemporary local and regional conflicts. Results. Thus, democracy becomes a complex tool that allows the USA to solve several problems at once: to divide between states, to influence the domestic politics of other states, to change its position in the international arena, to spread its values, to conceal its foreign policy goals by dressing them up in “democratic” clothes. The U.S., considering itself a model democratic state, identifying other countries as its allies or enemies, at the same time gives them the status of “democratic” or “non-democratic”, or, if necessary, avoiding such a designation (in the case of Saudi Arabia).
The United States Policy Towards un Peacekeeping Operations Under the Trump Administration
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University, Pushkina Darya , Khazanova Anna ,   University of Edinburgh, School of Health in Social Science
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The United States has always been one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the largest financial donor to the UN System and peacekeeping operations. American policy towards the organization and peacekeeping operations has varied from harsh critique to active support. While in the office, President Trump criticized UN PKO missions for their inefficiency and pointed out the need for reforms both in the field of peacekeeping and the entire UN system. This led some American scholars to conclude that the Trump administration was an entirely special phenomenon in American policy towards the United Nations. This article analyzes United States policy towards UN peacekeeping under the Trump administration and attempts to respond to the question: does President Trump’s policy regarding UN peacekeeping operations represent a fundamentally new phenomenon, or is it a continuation of trends that emerged during previous administrations? Methods and materials. The article analyses U.S. State Budgets, State Department Congressional Budget Justifications, official speeches by President Trump, Trump Administration foreign policy doctrine ‘America First’, official UN documents related to funding issues and troop contributions. The authors also conducted expert interviews. Analysis. President Trump administration policy towards UN peacekeeping is analyzed to identify its main trends and determine their similarities with the policies of previous presidents towards UN peace operations. Results. The article concludes that, although President Trump’s policy on UN peacekeeping operations was more critical than that of many of his predecessors, it is essentially a continuation of long-standing trends in U.S. politics. Authors’ contributions. D. Pushkina defined research focus of the article, examined academic literature on USA administrations’ policies towards the United Nations, selected research methods, defined the main vectors of the research, organized interviews with experts and made general conclusions. A. Khazanova researched and analyzed official U.S. documents with special focus on U.S. policy towards United Nations and UN peacekeeping, examined relevant UN documents, gathered budgetary data, conducted interviews with experts, made conclusions.
China’s and Russia’s Growing Footprint in Latin America As a Challenge to American Interests
Authors:   Institute for the U.S. and Canadian Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yevseenko Andrey
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The Trump administration defined China and Russia as a “revisionist powers”, which challenge to American power, influence and interests. Such a perception affected the U.S. policy in Latin America. Major alarmist sentiments come from the U.S. military, which regularly notes the growth of foreign presence in the region. Methods and materials. The author conducted a critical analysis of Chinese and Russian footprint aspects in Latin America, which cause U.S. establishment concerns. Information was gathered from doctrinal documents, economic statistics and indicators of arms exports. Analysis. President Trump administration hasn’t created a credible barrier against the rise of foreign influence in this region. The causes lie in the specifics of the current U.S. foreign policy, which lacks positive incentives and representativeness. As a result, foreign influence is constrained by three main factors. First, the investment climate in Latin America continues to deteriorate. Second, most governments of the Latin American countries don`t intend to spoil relations with the United States. Thirdly, today there are no alternatives to the United States in the military-strategic aspect. Results. Washington involuntarily promotes expanding and strengthening of other world powers’ footprint in Latin America. It happens not just because of Trump administrations’ protectionism and its skepticism about multilateral formats. Latin American continue to be considered in the context of Monroe Doctrine. American establishment doesn’t seek to invest its political capital in expanding the U.S. influence in the region. That’s why a high level of representativeness in promoting initiatives and new formats of cooperation has become an advantage of foreign actors.
The Transformation of Argentine-U.S. Relations at the Turn of the Decade
Authors:   Institute of Latin American Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Gritsenko Ilona
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The paper examines Argentina-U.S. relations during the administrations of Mauricio Macri and Alberto Fernandez, as well as the transformation of the bilateral ties character at the turn of the decade. The author analyzes the changes paying attention to the challenges that the economic crisis posed to the Argentine leaders, and taking into account the motives of both countries. The study identified the risks for the successful interaction between Washington and Buenos Aires, as well as the leverage of the potential influence of the White House on the Argentine authorities. Methods. The study is based on extensive factual data from the period of the latest two Argentine administrations (2015–2021), the new sources, including documents of the U.S. Department of State. An integrated systematic approach allowed to consider the interaction of Buenos Aires and Washington in the dynamics of Argentine domestic political and economic processes, taking into account global and regional factors. When analyzing changes in the character of bilateral ties, a comparative approach was applied. Analysis. The relations between Washington and the government of Mauricio Macri in 2017–2019 were allied. The main areas of interaction were trade and investment, security and political cooperation. To support his ally and the continuity of government in Argentina, D. Trump facilitated the IMF’s approval of the largest standby to Argentina for the period of Macri’s administration. The problem of payment became a burden for the elected A. Fernandez. Results. The willingness of the White House to help resolve the debt issue and the American investments needed by Argentina deterred A. Fernandez from developing an autonomist foreign policy pushing him to choose a more balanced course. Both topics constitute the points of potential pressure from Washington on the Argentine leader. Bilateral relations became more restrained, but showing no signs of confrontation. Risks for Argentine-American cooperation are posed by the deepening partnership of the South American country with China and by the position of the Argentine authorities on resolving the Venezuelan crisis. Given its desire to be Argentina’s partner of choice, the U.S. is unlikely to firstly use pressure. With the beginning of Joseph Biden’s presidency, the climate agenda became a new area of cooperation.
Evolution of the U.S. Arctic Strategy’s Conceptual Basis
Authors:   Saint Petersburg State University, Konyshev Valery , Sergunin Alexander ,   Saint Petersburg State University
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The article examines the features of the main stages in the evolution of the U.S. Arctic strategy in the period after the end of the Cold War that helps to understand the future of American regional policy. The United States is one of the main participants in the Arctic policy, on which the state of security and cooperation in the region largely depends. Methods and materials. The empirical basis for the study was the documents of various institutions and departments involved in the planning, implementation and control of the U.S. Arctic policy. These documents include the directives and public papers of the president, documents of the Department of Defense, the Arctic strategies of ministries and departments, reports of the Congressional Research Service, documents of “think tanks”. Analysis. The article concludes that the Arctic became a priority of U.S. policy only in the early 2000s after the revival of Russia’s activity in the Far North. The U.S. strategy was finalized only under President Barack Obama. It directed to achieving American dominance in all spheres by combining political, diplomatic, economic, military instruments. If B. Obama considered international cooperation in the Arctic productive, then the next President D. Trump shifted the American strategy towards nationalism and isolationism, curtailing many cooperation projects. Results. The development of the American strategy was inconsistent, and so far it does not represent a coherent, consistent vision of American policy in the Arctic. Relations between the United States and Russia in the Arctic decreased in the aftermath of the Ukrainian crisis, but objective conditions for cooperation remain. The scenario for the further evolution of bilateral relations remains uncertain under J. Biden. Authors’ contribution. Valery Konyshev: introduction, contours of the Arctic policy after the end of the Cold War: strategic interests, development of the U.S. Arctic Doctrine: limited cooperation. Alexander Sergunin: methods and materials, revision of the Arctic doctrine: from cooperation to rivalry, results.
Memory of American Civil War in the Historical Imagination of Consumer Society
Authors:   Voronezh State University, Kyrchanov Maksim
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The author analyzes the features of the historical memory of the American Civil War in American pop culture as a form of historical memory that dominates in the consumer society. Methods and materials. The problems of imagination and invention of images of the civil war are analyzed in the contexts of cultural history, as well as intellectual history and the history of ideas. Analysis. The author presumes that 1) the historical memory of the U.S. Civil War in modern American identity is heterogeneous; 2) various forms of culture, including “high”, “mass” and “popular”, actualize the images of the civil war; 3) “high” culture became the first form of imagination of the civil war in American identity; 4) in the 20th century, various forms of consumer society culture (“mass” and “popular”) assimilated images of the civil war; 5) “popular” culture presents a “transitional” (from “high” to “mass”) version of the memory of the war. Results. Analyzing the transformation of the Civil War memory in the pseudo-documentary film “C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America” (directed by Kevin Willmott), the author presumes that 1) popular culture reduced the civil war to a minor event in the history of the Confederation; 2) the film offers an alternative version of American historical memory, actualizing the possible trajectories of the “invention” of images of the civil war in the reality where South won; 3) the film is integrated into the intellectual history and archeology of American mass-cult ideas; 4) some texts by American intellectuals belonging to the discourse of alternative history, became cultural stimuli for the project of Kevin Willmott; 5) the transformation of the memory of the Civil War in American pop-culture actualizes the crisis of memory in society, which wasn’t successful in its attempts to overcome the historical trauma of racism and racial discrimination.
The USA’s Impact in Solving Border Disputes in the Transcaucasia in 1919–1920
Authors:   Volgograd State University, Arkhipova Ekaterina
Published: April 2022

Introduction. The Transcaucasian states waged war with each other and desperately wanted to find some disinterested party to resolve their territorial disputes in 1918–1921. The territory was first occupied by the countries of the Triple Alliance, then by the Entente countries, and each of them contributed to the formation or resolution of territorial disputes. Methods and materials. Based on the historical-systemic and historical-genetic approaches, the author determines which territorial changes were proposed in the region by representatives of the United States and why. The documents collected in the State Archive of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Archive of Political Documents of the Office of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the National Archive of Armenia were involved for analysis. Analysis. The influence of the United States on the solution of territorial issues was determined by the general approach to the territory as passing into a mandate state. During the discussion of this issue, the understanding of the American representatives about the borders of this zone expanded first from Armenia in a general sense to Transcaucasia, and then narrowed to the borders of Turkish Armenia, which brought them back to the issue of the borders of the Republic of Armenia. At the same time, representatives working in the region proposed a plan for interstate disengagement, different from the British plan, and tried to introduce a governor-general in the disputed territory. Results. The remoteness from the region, the presence of a single channel of information about it through the Armenian Diaspora in the United States affected the narrow perception of the situation in the region by American representatives. The issue of the adoption of a mandate over Armenia or Transcaucasia and Armenia somehow got connected with the issue of costs for its effective implementation. The failed attempt to create an American governor-general in the disputed territories recorded a lack of understanding of the situation in the region and the possibilities of its control and provoked more conflicts between Armenians and Azerbaijani.
Development by RAND Corporation of Practical Guidelines for the U.S. Armed Forces in Vietnam Based on Analysis of Japanese Experience with the Manjuri Rebels
Authors:   Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education, Malkin Stanislav , Buranok Sergey ,   Samara State University of Social Sciences and Education
Published: April 2022

Introduction. Recently, the interest of representatives of the expert and scientific community has been growing in the transformations of one of the most famous practices of rebel activity after the Second World War – the Maoist model of people’s war. Its interpretations in the framework of expert support for the foreign policy activities of the USA are prompted with great attention and caution not only to the role of methodological restrictions, disciplinary filters, the intellectual climate and relations with customers of analytic products of this kind. No less important, as this article shows, are the transfers of ideas and practical experience – the usual debate about the export of democratic and socialist models of development during the Cold War often consists of a scientific discussion on the periphery of the question of the importance of exporting the Chinese model of people’s war in the history of international relations after 1945. Methods and materials. Interdisciplinarity is the feature of research. The search for the political connotations in the RAND reports wrote during the Cold War and devoted to the experience of counterinsurgency in Manchuria during the 1930s demanded the use of the methods practiced by the historical and political sciences simultaneously. Analysis. Accordingly, particular attention was paid to the peculiarities of expert support for decision-making in the United States at the initial stage of the Cold War in the context of the RAND activities, which in the framework of cooperation with the Ministry of Defense practically monopolized the analytical support of American politics in Vietnam and South-East Asia as a whole in the organization of counterinsurgency in the 1960s. The focus of the research is the study by RAND experts of the historical experience of previous powers on the example of forms and methods of anti-insurgency activities of the leadership of the Manchukuo and Kwantung army in Manchuria which reveals both the phenomenon and the causes of the distortion of historical realities of the Interbellum era during the Cold War. Results. The RAND experts thought that the Chinese case of the Interbellum offered the answers on two major questions of tactics and strategy of counterinsurgency in the “Third world”: on the enemy, as well as on the ways and methods to crush him. But methodological self-containment lessened critical value of that memorandum and made it more easer the infiltration of the key ideas about the Chinese model of the people’s war widely presented in the government, military and political circles of the USA during the 1960s into the research made by the RAND Corporation experts.
Classification of Sentinel-2 satellite images of the Baikal Natural Territory
Authors:   ISDCT SB RAS – Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Bychkov I.V. , Ruzhnikov G.M. ,   ISDCT SB RAS – Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Fedorov R.K. ,   ISDCT SB RAS – Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Popova A.K. ,   ISDCT SB RAS – Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory of the Siberian Branch of the RAS, Avramenko Y.V. ,   ISDCT SB RAS – Matrosov Institute for System Dynamics and Control Theory of the Siberian Branch of the RAS
Published: April 2022

The paper considers a problem of classifying Sentinel-2 multispectral satellite images for environmental monitoring of the Baikal Natural Territory (BNT). The specificity of the BNT required the creation of a new set of 12 classes, which takes into account current problems. The set was formed in such a way that the areas corresponding to these classes completely covered the BNT. A training dataset was formed using a web interface based on Sentinel-2 satellite images. The classification of satellite images was carried out using Random Forest algorithms and the ResNet50 neural network. The accuracy of the calculations showed that the classification results can be used to solve actual problems of the Baikal natural territory, in particular, to analyze changes in the forestland, assess the impact of climate change on the landscape, analyze the dynamics of development activities, create farmland inventory, etc.
Generation of linearly polarized modes using a digital micromirror device and phase optimization
Authors:   Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Metropolitan Technological Institute, Correa-Rojas N.A. , Gallego-Ruiz R.D. ,   Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications University of Antioquia, Álvarez-Castaño M.I. ,   Faculty of Engineering, Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Metropolitan Technological Institute
Published: April 2022

Linearly polarized modes were generated from the fundamental LP01 using Lee holograms displayed on a digital micromirror device. The phase in the holograms was optimized using simulated annealing algorithm and complex amplitude correlation to improve the quality of the converted modes. The correlation measurements, and comparisons between numerical and experimental results, show the fidelity of the obtained modes and the effectiveness of the optimization. Furthermore, the optimized holograms can be combined to generate multiple modes spatially addressed with individual control. The results, and the use of a digital micromirror device instead of the most common liquid crystal modulators, make this method suitable for Modal Division Multiplexing systems and compatible with other optical telecommunication techniques like Wavelength and Polarization Division multiplexing, and reconfigurable optical networks.
wEscore: quality assessment method of multichannel image visualization with regard to angular resolution
Authors:   Institute for Information Transmission Problems of Russian Academy of Sciences (Kharkevich Institute), Sidorchuk D.S.
Published: April 2022

This work considers the problem of quality assessment of multichannel image visualization methods. One approach to such an assessment, the Escore quality measure, is studied. This measure, initially proposed for decolorization methods evaluation, can be generalized for the assessment of hyperspectral image visualization methods. It is shown that Escore does not account for the loss of local contrast at the supra-pixel scale. The sensitivity to the latter in humans depends on the observation conditions, so we propose a modified wEscore measure which includes the parameters allowing for the adjustment of the local contrast scale based on the angular resolution of the images. We also describe the adjustment of wEscore parameters for the evaluation of known decolorization algorithms applied to the images from the COLOR250 and the Cadik datasets with given observational conditions. When ranking the results of these algorithms and comparing it to the ranking based on human perception, wEscore turned out to be more accurate than Escore.
Towards energy-efficient neural network calculations
Authors:   Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Noskova E.S. , Zakharov I.E. ,   Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Shkandybin Y.N. ,   Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Rykovanov S.G. ,   Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology
Published: April 2022

Nowadays, the problem of creating high-performance and energy-efficient hardware for Artificial Intelligence tasks is very acute. The most popular solution to this problem is the use of Deep Learning Accelerators, such as GPUs and Tensor Processing Units to run neural networks. Recently, NVIDIA has announced the NVDLA project, which allows one to design neural network accelerators based on an open-source code. This work describes a full cycle of creating a prototype NVDLA accelerator, as well as testing the resulting solution by running the resnet-50 neural network on it. Finally, an assessment of the performance and power efficiency of the prototype NVDLA accelerator when compared to the GPU and CPU is provided, the results of which show the superiority of NVDLA in many characteristics.