bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Word” to “Book”: Canonical Consciousness in Deuteronomistic History and Selected Prophetic Texts
Authors: Ezeokeke Gregory Ekene
Published: April 2024

Abstract: The idea of public reading and the mandate of obedience to a written document are the backbone of most scriptural ideologies. Some texts of the Deuteronomistic History and the Prophets display a consciousness that the written words of their texts have acquired the status of Scripture and are, therefore, to be read publicly with a mandate to obey them. Inner-biblical evidence suggests that scribes sought to project this idea through connections established between texts of the Deuteronomistic History and the prophetic books. The fulcrum of this entire system is Deuteronomy 31, which clearly underlines the transformation of Mosaic laws from spoken commands to written law. Moreover, by emphasizing the writtenness of the law, Deuteronomy 31 ensures its permanence and the possibility of its being transferred to a new custodian, Joshua, who succeeds Moses after the latter’s death. The motif of a book as a witness to rebellion in Deuteronomy 31 is an Isaian motif adopted to express the relationship between divine judgment and the disregard for the law in Deuteronomy 31. This Deuteronomic chapter is also connected to Jeremiah 36, which mimics the former by presenting Jeremiah’s prophecy as a complete book meant for public reading. The scheme of Jeremiah 36 is again fully understood in the prophetic role of Huldah as an interpreter of the book of the law. The connections underscore the traditional conception of Scripture as the Law and the Prophets.
Hume’s Hedonism
Authors: Crisp Roger
Published: April 2024

Abstract: This paper seeks critically to elucidate Hume’s views on pleasure and the good, in particular his evaluative hedonism, and to show that evaluative hedonism is in certain respects at least as significant a component of his philosophical ethics as sentimentalism. The first section explains his notion of pleasure, and how it is, in an important sense, prior to desire. The following two sections show how this conception of pleasure and its relation to desire leads Hume to accept evaluative hedonism, as well as a form of psychological hedonism, and to give pleasure a key role in his metaethics. The paper ends, as do both the Treatise and the second Enquiry , with the distinction—a false one, according to Hume—between virtues and natural abilities, and an attempt to bring out the implicit challenge Hume is making to non-hedonist accounts of value, especially those that postulate “moral” value.
Simondon and Novalis: Notes for a Romantic Mechanology
Authors: Norton Bryan
Published: April 2024

Abstract: German Romanticism plays a central role in Gilbert Simondon's writings. In Mode of Existence , Simondon draws on Goethe and E. T. A. Hoffmann to illustrate the tragic consequences of failing to attend to the individuated relationship between landscape and tool. While Novalis is only mentioned in passing, his work presents the most radical form of what might be called Romantic mechanology. With the stated aim of achieving the ideal of perpetual motion, Novalis's poetics highlight the central role literary experimentation plays in technological thinking, revealing how Simondon may shed new light on several key aspects of romantic poetry and philosophy.
Theorematics, Problematization, and Axiomatics in the Work of Deleuze and Guattari
Authors: Underwood Alex
Published: April 2024

Abstract: This article explores three distinct approaches to politics identified by Deleuze and Guattari. I argue that they consistently privilege a 'problematic' approach entailing individuals and associations establishing norms on the basis of the potential they possess within a concrete situation, and that this implies resistance to both the 'theorematic' politics they associate with statist philosophy and struggles aiming to alter the 'axiomatic' determination induced by global forces of capital. While this resistance necessarily proceeds in relation to established notions of identity and value, it must also do more than aim for the establishment of particular institutional 'constants,' including particular democratic procedures and human rights.
Saturation of anisoplanatic error in Kolmogorov and non-Kolmogorov turbulence
Authors: Bos Jeremy P.
Published: April 2024

This work explores the conditions resulting in the saturation of angular anisoplanatic error. When turbulence is modeled with a von Kármán outer scale or when the piston and aperture tilt are compensated the anisoplanatic error can saturate to less than one squared radian. In Kolmogorov turbulence anisoplanatic error is limited to values smaller than one when the ratio of the Fried parameter to the outer scale is 0.349. To understand the effect of compensation on saturation both a first-order asymptotic approach and numerical integration are considered for both plane and spherical wave sources and in non-Kolmogorov turbulence. Asymptotic expressions are found to agree with the numerical results as long as the ratio of the outer scale to aperture size is less than five. For a plane wave propagating in Kolmogorov turbulence, the compensated anisoplanatic error is found to saturate when D/r0=3.9, and the outer scale is equal to the aperture size. When a spherical wave source is considered D/r0 increases to 5.8; as expected these values are related by a factor of 1.8. This work also formulates the anisoplanatic error in terms of an integrated strength parameter and the mean turbulence height allowing extension to arbitrary path geometries and power law exponents. Using this approach I find smaller power law exponents increase the mean turbulence height, thereby decreasing the isoplanatic angle; the opposite applies as the power law exponent is increased relative to Kolmogorov turbulence.
Towards high-performance polarimeters with large-area uniform chiral shells: a comparative study on the polarization detection precision enabled by the Mueller matrix and deep learning algorithm
Authors: Ren Liangke , Yang Xiu , Huang Shanshan , Zhong Zheqiang , Peng Jialong , Ye Luyao , Hou Yidong , Zhang Bin
Published: April 2024

Polarization detection and imaging technologies have attracted significant attention for their extensive applications in remote sensing, biological diagnosis, and beyond. However, previously reported polarimeters heavily relied on polarization-sensitive materials and pre- established mapping relationships between the Stokes parameters and detected light intensities. This dependence, along with fabrication and detection errors, severely constrain the working waveband and detection precision. In this work, we demonstrated a highly precise, stable, and broadband full-Stokes polarimeter based on large-area uniform chiral shells and a post-established mapping relationship. By precisely controlling the geometry through the deposition of Ag on a large-area microsphere monolayer with a uniform lattice, the optical chirality and anisotropy of chiral shells can reach about 0.15 (circular dichroism, CD) and 1.7, respectively. The post-established mapping relationship between the Stokes parameters and detected light intensities is established through training a deep learning algorithm (DLA) or fitting the derived mapping-relationship formula based on the Mueller matrix theory with a large dataset collected from our home-built polarization system. For the detection precision with DLA, the mean squared errors (MSEs) at 710 nm can reach 0.10% (S1), 0.41% (S2), and 0.24% (S3), while for the Mueller matrix theory, the corresponding values are 0.14% (S1), 0.46% (S2), and 0.48% (S3). The in-depth comparative studies indicate that the DLA outperforms the Mueller matrix theory in terms of detection precision and robustness, especially for weak illumination, small optical anisotropy and chirality. The averaged MSEs over a broad waveband ranging from 500 nm to 750 nm are 0.16% (S1), 0.46% (S2), and 0.61% (S3), which are significantly smaller than those derived from the Mueller matrix theory (0.45% (S1), 1% (S2), and 39.8% (S3)). The optical properties of chiral shells, the theory and DLA enabled mapping-relationships, the combination modes of chiral shells, and the MSE spectra have been systematically investigated.
Nondestructive measurement of terahertz optical thin films by machine learning based on physical consistency
Authors: Ming Ziwei , Liu Defeng , Xiao Long , Yang Le , Cheng Yuehuan , Yang Haoming , Zhou Jiahao , Ding Hao , Yang Zhengang , Wang Kejia
Published: April 2024

Optical scattering measurement is one of the most commonly used methods for non-contact online measurement of film properties in industrial film manufacturing. Terahertz photons have low energy and are non-ionizing when measuring objects, so combining these two methods can enable online nondestructive testing of thin films. In the visible light band, some materials are transparent, and their thickness and material properties cannot be measured. Therefore, a method based on physical consistency modeling and machine learning is proposed in this paper, which realizes the method of obtaining high-precision thin film parameters through single-frequency terahertz wave measurement, and shows good performance. Through the experimental measurement of organic material thin films, it is proved that the proposed method is an effective terahertz online detection technology with high precision and high throughput.
Time-domain slicing optical frequency domain reflectometry
Authors: Bai Qing , Shen Zhen , Wu Luxuan , Liang Changshuo , Wang Yu , Liu Xin , Jin Baoquan
Published: April 2024

A time-domain slicing (TDS) optical frequency domain reflectometry is proposed for large strain sensing with better spatial resolution. Compared with the conventional frequency domain slicing (FDS) method, the TDS with a Burg spectrum estimation is capable of enhancing the similarity of a local spectrum under large strain and mostly suppressing the fake peaks during the strain resolving. The experimental results demonstrated that it enables measurements of strain ranging from 600 to 4200 µε with a spatial resolution of 2.4 mm and a narrow optical frequency scanning range of only 10 nm. Moreover, the measurement accuracy is improved by six times by decreasing the root mean square error (RMSE) from 8.6611 to 1.3396 µε without any hardware modification.
High-precision frequency-controlled optical phase shifter with acousto-optic devices
Authors: Esquivel-Ramírez Eduardo , Uhthoff-Rodríguez Leonardo , Giovanni Alonso-Torres Edgar , Hernández-López Alberto , Gardea-Flores Carlos , Paris-Mandoki Asaf
Published: April 2024

A fundamental parameter to determine how electromagnetic waves interfere is their relative phase, and achieving a fine control over it enables a wide range of interferometric applications. Existing phase control methods rely on modifying the optical path length either by changing the path followed by the light or by altering the thickness or index of refraction of an optical element in the setup. In this Letter, we present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, method, based on acousto-optic modulators (AOMs), which allows adjusting the phase by shifting the frequency of the light in a segment of its path. Since the amount of phase shift depends on the length of the segment, an optical fiber is used to realize a 2π shift. Two experimental implementations are described which deal with different sources of phase fluctuations. The first addresses fluctuations resulting from the optical fiber, while the second tackles unwanted variations originating from the AOMs.
Convergence and accuracy of FDTD modelling for periodic plasmonic systems
Authors: Rassinfosse L. , Müller J. , Deparis O. , Smeets S. , Rosolen G. , Lucas S.
Published: April 2024

Despite the widespread use of the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for modeling plasmonic systems, there is a lack of detailed convergence and accuracy studies for periodic nanoparticle systems in which both particle radius and interparticle distance are critical parameters. Using an in-house parallelized 3D-FDTD code for which we implemented interface field averaging, convergence and accuracy were evaluated for various spherical particle radii, inter-distances, and radius-to-mesh size ratios. We found that Interface Field Averaging (IFA) FDTD improved accuracy and convergence with respect to per-component (Per-C) meshing. In the worst case of this study, the convergence error decreased from 4.9% to 2.6% only by using IFA. Accuracy was verified by benchmarking our simulation results with COMSOL Multiphysics software. Furthermore, we notice that there exists no general rule for choosing the mesh size. Careful convergence testing should therefore be carried out systematically.
Building our journal on a strong foundation: editorial
Authors: Dawes Judith M.
Published: April 2024

The new Editor-in-Chief pays tribute to the Founding Editor-in-Chief, and sets a vision to serve authors and readers from all parts of the Optics and Photonics community.
Laboratory soft X-ray setup for transient absorption experiments in the liquid phase using a laser-produced plasma source
Authors: Gnewkow Richard , Stiel Holger , Jonas Adrian , Schönfelder Silvana , Probst Jürgen , Krist Thomas , Kanngiesser Birgit , Mantouvalou Ioanna
Published: April 2024

With time-resolved soft X-ray spectroscopy, the element-specific dynamics of the electronic structure of disordered systems can be investigated. Measurements of species in dilute liquid solutions are particularly challenging and require high photon flux combined with low experimental noise. This mostly limited these experiments to large-scale facilities, especially for energies above the water window (533 eV). Based on a laser-produced plasma source, our system enables, to the best of our knowledge, the first static and transient experiments in the liquid phase to be performed in the laboratory for energies up to 1400 eV and with a time resolution of 500 ps. We benchmark the system with static investigations of [Ni(CN)4]2− and transient experiments on the widely used model complex [Fe(bpy)3]2+, both in an aqueous solution. The introduced self-referencing concept ensures that the measurements are photon noise limited. Our results form the basis for further liquid-phase experiments investigating the dynamics in diluted solutions.
Screening COVID-19 from chest X-ray images by an optical diffractive neural network with the optimized F number
Authors: Wang Jialong , Chai Shouyu , Gu Wenting , Li Boyi , Jiang Xue , Zhang Yunxiang , Liao Hongen , Liu Xin , Ta Dean
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to significantly impact people’s lives worldwide, emphasizing the critical need for effective detection methods. Many existing deep learning-based approaches for COVID-19 detection offer high accuracy but demand substantial computing resources, time, and energy. In this study, we introduce an optical diffractive neural network (ODNN-COVID), which is characterized by low power consumption, efficient parallelization, and fast computing speed for COVID-19 detection. In addition, we explore how the physical parameters of ODNN-COVID affect its diagnostic performance. We identify the F number as a key parameter for evaluating the overall detection capabilities. Through an assessment of the connectivity of the diffractive network, we established an optimized range of F number, offering guidance for constructing optical diffractive neural networks. In the numerical simulations, a three-layer system achieves an impressive overall accuracy of 92.64% and 88.89% in binary- and three-classification diagnostic tasks. For a single-layer system, the simulation accuracy of 84.17% and the experimental accuracy of 80.83% can be obtained with the same configuration for the binary-classification task, and the simulation accuracy is 80.19% and the experimental accuracy is 74.44% for the three-classification task. Both simulations and experiments validate that the proposed optical diffractive neural network serves as a passive optical processor for effective COVID-19 diagnosis, featuring low power consumption, high parallelization, and fast computing capabilities. Furthermore, ODNN-COVID exhibits versatility, making it adaptable to various image analysis and object classification tasks related to medical fields owing to its general architecture.
High-resolution mid-infrared single-photon upconversion ranging
Authors: Jiang Shuhong , Huang Kun , Yu Tingting , Fang Jianan , Sun Ben , Liang Yan , Hao Qiang , Wu E. , Yan Ming , Zeng Heping
Published: April 2024

Single-photon laser ranging has widespread applications in remote sensing and target recognition. However, highly sensitive light detection and ranging (lidar) has long been restricted in the visible or near-infrared bands. An appealing quest is to extend the operation wavelength into the mid-infrared (MIR) region, which calls for an infrared photon-counting system at high detection sensitivity and precise temporal resolution. Here, we devise and demonstrate an MIR upconversion lidar based on nonlinear asynchronous optical sampling. Specifically, the infrared probe is interrogated in a nonlinear crystal by a train of pump pulses at a slightly different repetition rate, which favors temporal optical scanning at a picosecond timing resolution and a kilohertz refreshing rate over ∼50  ns. Moreover, the cross-correlation upconversion trace is temporally stretched by a factor of 2×104, which can thus be recorded by a low-bandwidth silicon detector. In combination with the time-correlated photon-counting technique, the achieved effective resolution is about two orders of magnitude better than the timing jitter of the detector itself, which facilitates a ranging precision of 4 μm under a low detected flux of 8×10−5 photons per pulse. The presented MIR time-of-flight range finder is featured with single-photon sensitivity and high positioning resolution, which would be particularly useful in infrared sensing and imaging in photon-starved scenarios.
System of Government: The Parliamentary Democracy in Malaysia
Authors: Yang Yu , Khalid Nur Ajrun
Published: April 2024

This work explores the system of government in Malaysia, specifically focusing on its parliamentary democracy framework. The analysis commences by elucidating the fundamental characteristics of parliamentary democracy as a form of representative government wherein executive authority is vested in the cabinet and drawn from and accountable to the elected legislature. Malaysia practices parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy and His Majesty the King as the Paramount Ruler. The Federal Constitution was legislated to set up conditions for this system to exist. One of the characteristics of parliamentary democracy is the separation of powers into three parts, which are the legislative, the judicial, and the executive.The discussion then delves into the unique features of Malaysia's parliamentary democracy, highlighting key elements such as the role of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King), the bicameral legislature consisting of the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representatives) and the Dewan Negara (Senate), and the intricate interplay between these institutions. In conclusion, emphasising the necessity for governments to recognise that the citizens are the driving force that drives the democratic and electoral systems of each country. Better cooperation and greater citizen participation are necessary to ensure the continued existence of this democratic process.
Rates of Recurrent Intestinal Metaplasia and Dysplasia After Successful Endoscopic Therapy of Barrett's Neoplasia by Endoscopic Mucosal Resection vs Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection and Ablation: A Large North American Multicenter Cohort
Authors: Vantanasiri Kornpong , Joseph Abel , Sachdeva Karan , Goyal Rohit , Garg Nikita , Adoor Dayyan , Kamboj Amrit K. , Codipilly D. Chamil , Leggett Cadman , Wang Kenneth K. , Harmsen William , Hayat Umar , Chak Amitabh , Bhatt Amit , Iyer Prasad G.
Published: April 2024

INTRODUCTION:

Endoscopic eradication therapy (EET) combining endoscopic resection (ER) with endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) followed by ablation is the standard of care for the treatment of dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (BE). We have previously shown comparable rates of complete remission of intestinal metaplasia (CRIM) with both approaches. However, data comparing recurrence after CRIM are lacking. We compared rates of recurrence after CRIM with both techniques in a multicenter cohort.

METHODS:

Patients undergoing EET achieving CRIM at 3 academic institutions were included. Demographic and clinical data were abstracted. Outcomes included rates and predictors of any BE and dysplastic BE recurrence in the 2 groups. Cox-proportional hazards models and inverse probability treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis were used for analysis.

RESULTS:

A total of 621 patients (514 EMR and 107 ESD) achieving CRIM were included in the recurrence analysis. The incidence of any BE (15.7, 5.7 per 100 patient-years) and dysplastic BE recurrence (7.3, 5.3 per 100 patient-years) were comparable in the EMR and ESD groups, respectively. On multivariable analyses, the chances of BE recurrence were not influenced by ER technique (hazard ratio 0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.51–1.49; P = 0.62), which was also confirmed by IPTW analysis (ESD vs EMR: hazard ratio 0.98; 95% confidence interval 0.56–1.73; P = 0.94). BE length, lesion size, and history of cigarette smoking were independent predictors of BE recurrence.

DISCUSSION:

Patients with BE dysplasia/neoplasia achieving CRIM, initially treated with EMR/ablation, had comparable recurrence rates to ESD/ablation. Randomized trials are needed to confirm these outcomes between the 2 ER techniques.
Sustainable transitions in age-friendly communities in Europe: a participatory approach
Authors: Chen Lijun , Marji Noor , Isik Gülbahar Emir , Kumar Akshatha Ravi , Kočí Vladimír , Tichý David
Published: April 2024

The ageing European population is driving the demand for age-friendly communities that support older individuals’ health and well-being. As communities navigate this transition, Transition Design emerges as a promising approach for addressing complex social and environmental challenges. This study explores the potential of Transition Design to create age-friendly communities in Europe. Drawing on examples from several European countries, this paper describes the key principles of Transition Design and how they can be applied to the development of age-friendly communities. This article highlights the importance of participatory processes in involving older people and other stakeholders in the design process, and discusses the role of technology in creating more accessible and inclusive environments. It also considers some of the challenges of implementing a transition design approach in a European context. In conclusion, this study asserts that Transition Design offers a promising approach for creating sustainable, inclusive, and responsive age-friendly communities.
Cities in transition: Krakow‘s social, economic and spatial transformation within the last thirty years (selected aspects)
Authors: Karwińska Anna , Jopek Dorota , Kudłacz Michał , Wiśniewski Michał
Published: April 2024

Krakow is a city that has undergone an immense transformation in recent years. At the end of the 1980s, the period of communism ended and Polish local governments began to operate based on the principles of subsidiarity, decentralisation and independence. In 2004, Poland joined the European Union, which opened up new prospects for development, including in regional and local terms. The world has become a networked and digitized entity susceptible to the influence of innovation. Due to metropolitisation processes, cities, especially those offering above-average earnings, a diversification of economic resources and a relatively high quality of life, began to develop even more dynamically, which had and still has negative consequences. In Poland, there are five cities in which development dynamics have a highly specific dimension. Apart from the capital city of Warsaw, these are Krakow, Wrocław, Poznań and the agglomeration of the so-called Tri-city (Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia). The aim of this study is to show how Krakow, the second-largest city in Poland, has evolved over the last three decades at the level of demographics, urban development and economy; how it changed in the historical “milestones” indicated above. Therefore, depending on the availability of statistical data, several time periods were selected and compared with each other in the most important areas of Krakow’s functioning. The research hypothesis is as follows: Krakow’s development policy in key areas optimally uses the opportunities resulting from contextual conditions (social, economic and cultural changes that have taken place in recent decades). The study focuses on the three main problems of the city’s development (the abovementioned key areas of the city’s functioning and development): socio-demographic, spatial and economic changes. The analysis assessed data from the literature, city reports and other available sources, as well as public quantitative data (assessment of data from the National Census for the years 1988, 2002, 2011, 2022; Local Data Bank of Statistics Poland and otherrepositories and reports).
AI-enabled transition to smart European cities
Authors: Marji Noor , Kohout Michal , Chen Lijun , Isik Gülbahar Emir , Kumar Akshatha Ravi
Published: April 2024

Smart cities continue to be discussed throughout Europe as a result of the continent’s rising urbanization and the need for sustainable development. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to significantly promote this shift by assisting cities in becoming more effective, sustainable, and receptive to the requirements of their residents. The goal of this study is to examine the potential and difficulties of AI in urban development and present a framework for incorporating AI into city planning and management in European cities. This is done by analyzing case study examples from European cities and examining primary and secondary data sources, with the aim of providing a comprehensive framework for the sustainable integration of AI systems. This study presents a set of ethical and inclusive AI criteria, such as transparency, inclusion, and accountability, to enable responsible AI research and implementation. It continues by emphasizing the need for efficient AI integration in smart cities and pushing for a holistic AI-enabled transition to inclusive and sustainable smart cities.
Reflections on the crisis management of selected municipal and city authorities during the coronavirus pandemic
Authors: Šikýř Martin , Tomešková Kateřina , Bureš Radim
Published: April 2024

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2020 had a significant impact on the operation of all aspects of society, including public administration institutions. This article aims to examine the most challenging issues encountered by selected municipal and city authorities, how they responded to these issues, and how the experience gained has been reflected in crisis plans for managing similar future events. This aim is accomplished through a literature review of public sources and scientific papers on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on public administration, as well as the results of interviews with representatives of the selected authorities. The results confirmed that the selected authorities were able to rapidly overcome the initial lack of relevant information and unpreparedness to implement anti-coronavirus measures and maintain the standard level of public services provided, albeit in a limited capacity.
The influence of steam sterilization on the deflection of 3D printing shapes
Authors: Zaborniak Małgorzata , Budzik Grzegorz , Grzywacz-Danielewicz Katarzyna , Józwik Jerzy , Dziedzic Krzysztof , Magniszewski Marek , Rak Danuta
Published: April 2024

The impact of testing loads and deflection of samples made of polymeric materials used in the field of medical engineering after the steam sterilization process were investigated. The research was carried out on samples with standard geometry, according to PN-EN ISO 179-1, which were produced in two different printing configurations relative to the coordinate system of 3D printers using the extrusion additive process. Polymers used are polyether ether ketone (PEEK), MED610, polylactide acid and photocurable resin. The results regarding strength properties were analysed based on measurements of the deflection arrow during straight bending. The photocurable resin showed the smallest deformation, polylactic acid the highest. It is worth noting, each material had a different dependencies during the load test. From results it is concluded, that print orientation, material type and sterilization have significant impact on strength and deformation of polymers.
South Africa’s migration policy mess
Authors:   Nelson Mandela School of Governance, Hirsch Alan
Published: April 2024

Alan Hirsch comments on the draft White Paper on Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection issued by the South African government in November 2023. The government wants to make laws still tighter when it is unable to implement existing laws. He finds that what is proposed simply won’t help and suggests what could be done to fix the urgent need for better migration policy.
Lessons for South Africa: China during the era of ‘reform and opening up’
Authors: Scott Douglas Ian
Published: April 2024

China’s four decades of spectacular economic growth may now be slowing down, but the lessons for South Africa – with its own development challenges – remain important. DOUGLAS IAN SCOTT argues South Africa should re-orientate its relationship with China so as to learn from, and recreate, the successes of China’s “reform and opening up” era.
Farming support must switch to black smallholders: Focus on urban elite amounts to rural State Capture
Authors: Matisonn John
Published: April 2024

Job creation in South Africa is an urgent and paramount project and one of the target areas has to be the agricultural sector. Other targeted economic sectors can deliver jobs for urban matriculants and graduates, but JOHN MATISONN argues farming and agro-processing have the potential to provide hundreds of thousands of new jobs for black citizens in rural areas without advanced education as well as for graduates.
Dateline Africa: 1 December 2023 to 29 February 2024
Authors: Nicol Martin
Published: April 2024

1 December 2023 to 29 February 2024
Book Review: A Practical Guide to Levitation: Stories
Authors: Nyathi Jacqueline
Published: April 2024

Mozambique-based writer José Eduardo Agualusa and his wonderful translator, Daniel Hahn, have a way with words, the fantastical and the surreal. They bring ghosts to life with dry humour, and immerse us in alternate cosmologies, showing us other ways the world might be.
Notes from the Editors, April 2024
Authors: Editors -
Published: April 2024

buy this issueIn a December 2023 interview with the Wall Street Journal, Richard Haass, former special assistant to H. W. Bush, declared that the world has descended into a "new world disorder," lamenting the long-lost dream of unending U.S. hegemony. This month's "Notes from the Editors" reflects on not only Haass's recent statements, but his longstanding advocacy of an "Imperial America" designed to ensure U.S. domination on the world stage.
Educar en ciencias: un pretexto perfecto para educar para la vida
Authors: Mora Cubillos Ximena
Published: April 2024

La educación ha sido considerada durante siglos como un pilar en la construcción de los procesos sociales. Su impacto, más allá de la temporalidad, ha marcado los horizontes de la historia que como humanidad hemos construido y que hoy en día vemos sus frutos. Ese legado de generaciones en generaciones parece, hoy en día, sentarnos al orden, llamarnos a la reflexión, acción y transformación, en búsqueda de horizontes hacia un devenir más esperanzador que el que estamos transitando actualmente.
RESILIENCE FACTORS OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEMS OF THE BRICS COUNTRIES DURING THE PANDEMIC
Authors:   South Ural State University, Khudyakova Tatyana , Slukina Polina ,   Trust Technologies – Audit
Published: April 2024

In recent years, society has faced an unforeseen crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Under conditions of adverse impacts, the problem of the stability of the economic system, which determines the quality of the functioning of the economy, becomes actualized. The article analyzes the BRICS countries, the most dynamic segment of the modern world, characterized by emerging markets and high growth rates. The paper aims to analyze the sustainability of the socio-economic development of the BRICS countries during the pandemic, a serious shock that can significantly impact the stability of the economic system. The study focuses on the socio-economic systems of the BRICS countries located on different continents, with different levels of development and economic structure. The purpose of the article is to determine the differences in the reaction of the economies of the BRICS countries in terms of the ability to withstand the impact of the pandemic and adapt to new conditions. The methodological basis consisted of statistical comparisons of data, factor and correlation-regression analysis. Econometric analysis of panel data made it possible to assess the influence of a set of factors on gross domestic product, which is taken as a variable characterizing the stability of the economy. The problems of studying resilience have a practical orientation: the further development and well-being of the population of developing countries depends on the reaction of socio-economic systems.
FACTOR MODEL OF INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGIONS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN
Authors:   E.A. Buketov Karaganda University, Abzalbek Gulnara
Published: April 2024

The article formulates a system of criteria for selecting factors of innovative development of regions for the Republic of Kazakhstan. Taking into account the specifics of the economy of Kazakhstan, the article highlights the factors of innovative development of its regions. It considers the indicators that improve the regional cluster in the Internet environment. These indicators are factors of innovative development of the region. Based on mathematical modeling, the research shows the relationship of these factors with the volume of production of innovative products. Due to the significant internal correlation between independent variables, the author carried out the normalization of volume and cost indicators of innovative development of regions, which makes it possible to cover a larger set of parameters under consideration, establish a causal relationship between the parameters under consideration, and based on this determine the directions of innovative development of regions. It was found that only large enterprises have sufficient funds to develop and create competitive massproduced products. In Kazakhstan, the number of large enterprises capable of producing innovative products is limited, and their funds for the development and creation of innovative products are also limited. Therefore, in order to increase the volume of innovative products, Kazakhstan's large innovative enterprises need to cooperate with similar foreign enterprises, primarily Russian and Belarusian ones.
DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRIAL REGIONS: DIFFERENTIATION OF TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN CONDITIONS OF EXTERNAL ECONOMIC INSTABILITY
Authors:   South Ural State University, Danilova Irina , Nesytykh Ksenia ,   South Ural State University, Mikhailova Irina ,   South Ural State University
Published: April 2024

The development of regional industry, structural changes, industry diversification, and the transition to a new industrial level in modern conditions are limited by the strict conditions of external investment, trade, and financial sanctions. The paper aims to analyze changes in the technological effectiveness and innovativeness of regional industry, identifying trends that contribute to economic dynamics in conditions of external uncertainty and economic instability. The objectives of the study include the development and testing of a system of indicators for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of industrial and innovative development of regions with different levels of technological structure (the ratio between high/medium/low technology sectors; aggregated – HT, HMT, LMT- and LT-sectors), allowing for comparative studies of regional parameters contributing to the development of the industry in the regime of external restrictions. Research methods include comparative analysis, economic and statistical methods, the use of correlation analysis, etc. The research hypothesis of the study is to substantiate different formats for the development of industrial regions, distinguished by the differentiation of the technological structure of industry, the complementarity of the economic advantages of technological sectors, which allows the region in the conditions of external destabilization to ensure the effectiveness of industrial development and innovative dynamics. As a result of the study, it was revealed that industrial regions have different technological structures and are developing at different rates; the technological competencies of the LMT sector ensure sustainable industrial dynamics in all analyzed regions, and the HT, HMT sectors ensure the preservation of innovative intensity of development. The technological and logical advantages of industries and the combination of technologically heterogeneous sectors are one of the factors that allow the region, under conditions of external restrictions, to simultaneously ensure both effectiveness and promotion of industrial and innovative development. The proposed conclusions and analytics can be used in developing regional industrial policies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
ANALYSIS AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE EXCISE POLICY OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION WITH RESPECT TO ALCOHOL PRODUCTS
Authors:   Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin, Iadrennikova Elena , Savchenko Natalya ,   Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin
Published: April 2024

The article analyses the measures of the state anti-alcohol policy of modern Russia in the field of taxation and assessment of their impact on the receipt of excise taxes in the budget of the Russian Federation and the level of consumption of alcoholic beverages by the adult population of the country. Particular attention is paid to the study of the excise policy of the Russian Federation in relation to alcoholic beverages. Excise taxation is one of the effective instruments of state regulation of the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The purpose of the study is, based on the analysis, to develop recommendations for changing excise tax rates on various types of alcoholic products to enhance the fiscal potential of excise taxes and regulate alcohol consumption by the country's population. The study was carried out using methods of systematic comparative analysis of domestic and foreign literature and statistical data, as well as generalization and synthesis. It highlights the structure and dynamics of excise tax revenues to the budget of the Russian Federation by type of alcoholic beverages. It also considers restrictive measures relating to the production, sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Russia, as well as options for tax support for domestic producers of low-alcohol drinks. A study of the dynamics of the volume and structure of consumption of alcoholic beverages by the population showed the high effectiveness of government regulatory measures, including excise taxation instruments. However, despite the identified reduction, the level of alcohol consumption by the population of the Russian Federation remains high, which raises the need to improve excise policy in the field of taxation of alcoholic products. The increase in excise tax rates on strong alcohol and a change in the method of levying excise tax on beer proposed by the authors will ensure annual additional excise tax revenues to the budget, will lead to a reduction in the consumption of alcoholic beverages and a shift in consumer preferences towards low-alcohol drinks that cause less harm to human health.
Tortuosity and Pulsatility of the Tibial Artery – Two Case Reports of a Rare Etiology of Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Authors: Duarte Márcio Luís , da Silva Mayara Oliveira , Soares Ocacir de Souza Reis
Published: April 2024

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a neuropathic compression of the tibial nerve and its branches on the medial side of the ankle. It is a challenging diagnosis that constitutes symptoms arising from damage to the posterior tibial nerve or its branches as they proceed through the tarsal tunnel below the flexor retinaculum in the medial ankle, easily forgotten and underdiagnosed. Neural compression by vascular structures has been suggested as a possible etiology in some clinical conditions. Tibial artery tortuosity is not that rare, but only that it affects the nerve can cause tarsal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, a study care must be taken to avoid false-positive errors.
Methods of Blood Loss Quantification in Major Abdominal Surgery: A Narrative Review
Authors: Zajak Ján , Páral Jiří , Sirový Miroslav , Odložilová Šárka , Vinklerová Kateřina , Balík Michal , Čečka Filip
Published: April 2024

Blood loss in major abdominal surgery is an essential parameter in the evaluation of strategies aimed at reducing perioperative bleeding. It is also an important parameter of quality of the surgical procedure, along with postoperative morbidity and mortality, radicality of the surgical resection, etc. However, blood loss quantification remains unreliable and inaccurate. The methods used to measure blood loss can be categorized as visual estimation, gravimetric method, direct measurement, spectrophotometry, calculation methods, colorimetric analysis, and miscellaneous. The aim of this work is to review up-to-date knowledge about the various methods of blood loss quantification and then to introduce study, which should compare more methods of blood loss quantification in a real surgical setting.
High Quality and Purified DNA Extraction Protocol from Transplastomic Potato Lines by Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB)-Based Method
Authors: Hossain Dr. Md. Jakir , Bakhsh Allah , Joiya Faiz Ahmad , Aksoy Emre , Gökçe Neslihan Zahide Özturk , Khan Muhammad Sarwar
Published: April 2024

For the advanced molecular techniques high quality and pure DNA is important requirement where a quick and cost-effective extraction method is a crucial factor. Commonly, prolong incubation period, multiple precipitations, and highly expensive commercial kits are remaining basic barrier to introduce swift and easiest method of DNA extraction from transgenic plants. Non-cellulose components present in the leaf and elevated level of starch content as well as protein content also makes this extraction procedure challenging and difficult. Present study was conducted to establish a unique DNA isolation method with some modification of existing CTAB method to ensure high-quality and purified genomic DNA from the potato plants. Through the implementation of solution based and selective DNA precipitation method, 100 mg of potato leaves from every transplastomic potato lines was applied to extract genomic DNA. Ethanol (70%) was used as elution buffer where maximum DNA yield was 3415.500 ng/µl and the ranges of DNA purity (A260/A280 nm) was recorded as 1.954-2.048, respectively. Compared to existing methods, this modified CTAB mediated procedure is swift (at least one hour can be saved ) and proficient enough for high quality DNA yield, free from the selective precipitation, regents and laboratory equipment’s are cost-effective and non-toxic to human health.
Study of temperature and food-grade preservatives affecting the in vitro stability of phycocyanin and phycoerythrin extracted from two Nostoc strains
Authors: Nowruzi Bahareh , Porzani Samaneh Jafari
Published: April 2024

Cyanobacteria have many bioactive compounds. In the present study, we investigated the degree of purification and free radical scavenging ability of phycocyanin (PC) and phycoerythrin (PE), and compare their stability against selected preservatives at different temperatures with the aim of achieving the best and most stable preservative in increasing shelf life of PC and PE. After collecting and culturing Nostoc sp. strains FSN and ASN in BG-110 medium, the pigments phycocyanin and phycoerythrin were extracted and purified with 56% ammonium sulfate followed by dialysis. The antioxidant activity of pigments was evaluated by DPPH and ABTS assays. Their stability was compared with food-grade preservatives citric acid, sodium chloride, sucrose, and calcium chloride at two temperatures of 5 °C and 35 °C over time period from 3 to 30 days of cultivation. The results showed that the concentration and purity of the pigments increased after the dialysis, the pigments had antioxidant properties and were more stable at 5 °C. In addition, among different preservatives, citric acid caused more stability over time.
Exploring challenges of alarm root-cause analysis across varying production process types
Authors: Vogel-Heuser Birgit , Fay Alexander , Rupprecht Bernhard , Kunze Franz C. , Hankemeier Victoria , Westermann Tom , Manca Gianluca
Published: April 2024

Alarm management systems in the process industry use root-cause analysis methods to reduce alarm logs. To enable the application of these methods in different plant types, the alarm characteristics of a continuous, two discrete, and a hybrid plant are examined. The main contribution is threefold. First, root-cause analysis requirements, posed by different plant types, are revealed. Next, existing approaches are assessed against the requirements. Since the root-cause is not necessarily the first alarm in time, its justification requires further plant knowledge. Thus, engineering documents and the necessary formalized knowledge to justify root-causes are identified.
Effect of short heat treatment on mechanical properties and shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloy
Authors: Adnan Raad Suhail Ahmed , Annon Iman Adnan , Noori Sundus M. , Dauod Dauod Selman
Published: April 2024

The transformation of shape-memory alloys to high-temperature shape-memory alloys can be achieved through either the addition of alloying elements or heat treatment. However, heat treatment is more effective in improving the properties of the alloys. This research paper explores the impact of annealing on the mechanical and shape memory properties of Cu–Al–Ni shape memory alloys. The alloys were first cast, homogenized, and then machined before being aged at temperatures of 250, 300, and 350°C, and finally air-cooled. The results showed an increase in transformation temperature and recovery strain, as well as shape memory effect, and a decrease in hardness. Moreover, there was an increase in yield stress and strain. In conclusion, aging was found to improve the shape memory properties and mechanical properties better than thermomechanical treatment and some alloying elements.
Twisted conjugacy in residually finite groups of finite Prüfer rank
Authors: Troitsky Evgenij
Published: April 2024

Suppose 𝐺 is a residually finite group of finite upper rank admitting an automorphism 𝜑 with finite Reidemeister number

R
⁢

(
φ
)

R(\varphi)

(the number of 𝜑-twisted conjugacy classes).
We prove that such a 𝐺 is soluble-by-finite (in other words, any residually finite group of finite upper rank that is not soluble-by-finite has the

R
∞

R_{\infty}

property).
This reduction is the first step in the proof of the second main theorem of the paper: suppose 𝐺 is a residually finite group of finite Prüfer rank and 𝜑 is its automorphism.
Then

R
⁢

(
φ
)

R(\varphi)

(if it is finite) is equal to the number of equivalence classes of finite-dimensional irreducible unitary representations of 𝐺, which are fixed points of the dual map

φ
̂

:

[
ρ
]

↦

[

ρ
∘
φ

]

\hat{\varphi}\colon[\rho]\mapsto[\rho\circ\varphi]

(i.e. we prove the TBFT𝑓, the finite version of the conjecture about the twisted Burnside–Frobenius theorem, for such groups).