bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Results of the study on the antimicrobial activity of probiotic strains of lactobacilli and their potential application in feed formulations for aquaculture species
Authors: Sidorova N.A.
Published: January 2024

A comparative analysis of the antibacterial activity of authentic strains of lactobacilli was conducted. Primary data on the antibacterial activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. brevis, and L. plantarum were obtained, as well as the impact of L. brevis in the composition of the extruded feed «BioMar» on the physiological condition of juvenile rainbow trout. The supplement was orally introduced into the main diet at a concentration of 2×108 cells of L. brevis per milligram of feed for 30 days. The obtained results were evaluated based on changes in the growth indicators, survival rates, and the diversity of the background microflora in the intestinal contents of trout fry in the experimental and control groups. According to the experiment results, the physiological indicators of trout fry receiving the premix with lactobacilli in the feed were higher than those in the control group. In the intestinal contents of the experimental group, a high proportion of lactobacilli (9.4%) was maintained, unlike the control group, which was on a diet without any additives (average values of lactobacilli in the intestinal contents did not exceed 0.6%). The studied biological properties of the Lactobacillus brevis strain make it a potential probiotic culture for use in therapeutic and prophylactic feed formulations for aquaculture.
The country’s land potential as a key factor in ensuring its food security: Land management and legal aspect
Authors: Papaskiri Timur V. , Lipski Stanislav A.
Published: January 2024

The article analyzes the state of the country’s land resources and land management measures to optimize their use for reliable food security. According to the results of the analysis, a number of problems that arose in the post-reform period were identified: unclaimed land shares and their allocation to independent consolidated plots, termination of processing of previously developed farmland, lack of proper land management support, including due to imperfect legislation. The prolonged consequences of these processes are still underestimated. The authors point out that land management measures and the need for their implementation are a necessary condition for successfully solving these problems.
Synergizing Smart Agriculture with Hybrid Deep Learning: Predicting Crop Yields Using IoT
Authors: Haval Abhijeet Madhukar , Rahman F.
Published: January 2024

Agriculture can be defined as the systematic and intentional practice of cultivating and managing plants and animals to produce food, fiber, and other agricultural products. Agricultural practices in India hold the second position globally and encompass approximately 61.1% of the total land area in the country. The Indian economy primarily relies on agriculture and agro-industrial products. Various factors, such as soil composition (including elements like Nitrogen, phosphorus, and Potassium), crop rotation practices, soil moisture content, ambient temperatures, precipitation patterns, and other relevant variables, can significantly influence crop productivity. Smart Agriculture (SA) implementation has recently yielded significant practical benefits, establishing it as a highly significant and valuable system. Using environmental information, including wind velocity, temperature, and moisture, in outdoor plantations facilitates farming operations’ strategic management and regulation, enhancing crop yield and quality. Accurately predicting crop yield trends poses a challenge due to the intricate nature of sensing data, characterized by complexity, nonlinearity, and multiple variables. This study proposes a Hybrid Deep Learning model for Predicting Crop Yields (HDL-PCY) using the Internet of Things (IoT). The HDL-PCY system utilizes the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) technique to break down the crop yield information into distinct element groups with varying frequency attributes. Subsequently, a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network is trained for each group to serve as a sub-predictor. Finally, the predictions generated by the LSTM networks are combined to produce the overall prediction result. The obtained results demonstrate that the proposed HDL-PCY can achieve higher levels of accuracy of 97.32%, 98.03%, 98.74%, and 95.92% for precipitation, temperature, pH, and moisture content, respectively, thereby catering to the requirements of SA.
Development of a Low-Cost Livestock Sorting Information Management System Leveraging Deep Learning, AI, and IoT Technologies
Authors: Shwetabhand Kumar , Ambhaikar Asha
Published: January 2024

The implementation of effective livestock management methods is crucial to optimize agricultural operations. However, conventional livestock sorting and data management approaches encounter several obstacles regarding precision, labor requirements, and financial implications. The process exhibits inefficiency, increased labor costs, and an elevated risk of zoonotic infections. Housing livestock in extensive groups might intensify the transmission of diseases and complicate the surveillance and management of diseased animals. This study attempted to develop a Low-Cost Livestock Sorting Information Management System (LC-LSIMS) using a dataset enriched with crucial metrics and curated images collected over 24 months with the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). The design of edge-cloud computing facilitates the redistribution of computational resources, leading to enhanced computational speed. The LC-LSIMS would have a predictive module to assist agricultural practitioners in safeguarding their crops during flood occurrences. This module will empower farmers to proactively anticipate natural phenomena, including floods, during intense rainfall. LC-LSIMS presents a multi-level design plan that facilitates attaining the specified goals. The findings obtained from the execution of the implemented system demonstrate a sorting accuracy of 91.47%, computational speed of 27.42 frames per second (fps), labor cost reduction of 50.84%, production efficiency improvement of 29.59%, and an average reduction in data input errors of 37.59%.
Lending system for agricultural enterprises: Prospects for development and transformation
Authors: Loretts Olga G. , Kot Ekaterina M. , Ruchkin Aleksey V. , Kukhar Viktor S.
Published: January 2024

The article examines the current situation of using lending, leasing and factoring instruments for agricultural producers in modern Russia. The authors note that the current lending and leasing system requires transformation to take into account the conditions for the activities of agricultural enterprises, taking into account seasonality and the delayed effect of obtaining results. A transformation system for leasing is also proposed to make the instrument more flexible through the introduction of commercial instruments and the abandonment of exclusively government regulation of the activity in question. The authors note the effectiveness of the transformation of the proposed methods of lending, leasing and factoring by increasing demand and reducing the risk of repayment for both enterprises and participants in the banking sector.
Strategic directions of state support of agriculture in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Gabdualiyeva Raushan , Esbulatova Altyn , lMelekova Assel , Tapalova Assel , Jakupova Assel
Published: January 2024

Agriculture in the context of geopolitical challenges faced by the economies of many countries, including Kazakhstan, needs state support. The state implements a number of measures aimed at regulating the development of agriculture, information centers are opened, grants and subsidies are allocated to support beginning farmers. However, new conditions require not only financial and economic measures, but also the revision of existing theoretical and methodological mechanisms for the implementation of state aid both at the national and regional levels. The article studies the mechanisms of agricultural support through the application of both direct and indirect methods of economic impact of the state. The state support of agriculture covers various directions and the results of the study may be interesting for representatives of both republican and regional levels of government, whose activities are related to the allocation of funds in the form of state support. The need for state support of agriculture is objective, and this objectivity lies in the economic nature of the difference between the position of the agricultural producer and the position of all other market participants, because due to objective reasons agriculture in the free market is not competitive in comparison with other sectors of the economy.
Determination of species of entomophages in reducing the number of pests in agro-biocenosis of Karakalpakstan
Authors: Toreniyazova Lalakhan E. , Toreniyazova Saltanat E.
Published: January 2024

The article presents the results of studies on determining the importance of species of entomophages spread in the field in the development of pests in the agrobiocenosis biotope of Karakalpakstan. The important processes of carrying out biological control measures in the effective protection of agricultural crops from pests have been identified. The scientific basis of the effective use of entomoacarifage species of biotic factors in controlling pest species and numbers has been proven and recommended for introduction into production.
The potential of using plant-growth-stimulating bacteria in phytoremediation of coal dumps
Authors: Borodina Ekaterina , Asyakina Lyudmila , Proskuryakova Larisa , Osintseva Maria , Milentyeva Irina , Prosekov Aleksandr
Published: January 2024

The process of phytoremediation holds great promise for repairing soils damaged by coal mining. Due to the extreme conditions typical of coal dumps, plants face undesirable consequences, which inevitably entail a decrease in the effectiveness of soil restoration. Research in the area of enhancing plant survival has demonstrated that the use of plant growth-promoting microorganisms can be effective. These microorganisms must exhibit resistance to heavy metals in order to sustain their viability in polluted soils. The objective of this investigation was to identify growth-stimulating microorganisms that exhibit resistance to heavy metals and to examine their impact on plants under laboratory conditions. The investigation yielded the identification of 11 isolates from technogenic soils in the Kuzbass region. One of the strains demonstrated a low resistance to copper, zinc, iron, and manganese, thus excluding it from further investigation. The remaining 10 strains were examined for their growth-stimulating properties, including gibberellic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, kinetin, cytokinin, and antioxidant activity. Based on the results of biological compatibility testing, two consortium variants were formed from the five most promising isolates. The utilization of these consortiums for the treatment of coal mine waste soils resulted in a higher survival rate of the grass mixture under laboratory conditions. Consortium № 1, which had isolates 1, 4, and 6 in a ratio of 1:1:1 at a concentration of 1:50, was the most effective. The microorganisms that were included in this consortium were identified based on their cultural, morphological, and biochemical characteristics as Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter geminorum, and Lelliottia amnigena. The strains obtained in this study have the potential to restore vegetation and soil fertility in coal mine waste areas. Further research will be conducted to investigate the impact of these strains on the accumulation of heavy metals. The consortium and the biopreparation developed on its basis will be examined under field conditions.
Evaluating Local Community and Government Authority engagement in developing the Tourism business in Uzbekistan
Authors: Oppokkhonov Nurmukhammad , Amonboev Mahammadsidik , Matyakubov Umidjon , Chuponov Sanat , Ermetova Ikbol
Published: January 2024

A research study was carried out to investigate the extent to which local communities and government authorities are involved in tourism development, with the objective of promoting sustainable practices that are mutually beneficial. Although attempts have been made to incorporate local communities in the tourism sector, there is insufficient research on their viewpoints and level of participation, particularly in Uzbekistan. The purpose of this research is to appraise the perceptions of local government authorities regarding the progress of tourism, gauge their current participation in the field, comprehend their thoughts on the government’s responsibility in tourism development, and investigate their stance on contributing funds to the local community. This study focuses on Uzbekistan as the research area and aims to investigate the views of local communities and government authorities on tourism development. Additionally, the study seeks to identify opportunities for enhancing local community engagement in tourism in Uzbekistan regions. The objectives of this research are as follows: 1) to evaluate the viewpoints of government officials in Uzbekistan regions regarding the progress of tourism; 2) to examine the level of involvement of local government in the tourism sector; and 3) to scrutinize the perspectives of local authorities on the role of the government in the development of tourism and 4) examine the perspectives of local authorities on contributing revenue to the local community.
The formation of destination image of Khorezm region
Authors: Matniyozov Murodjon , Turaev Ogabek , Kalandarov Feruzbek , Egamberdiyev Oybek
Published: January 2024

This paper provides an analysis and conversation concerning the notion and assessment of destination image from a marketing perspective that encompasses various fields within the discipline. The main goal of the current study is to look at the structural relationships between destination image, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty, with a particular emphasis on the role that tourist satisfaction plays as an intermediary in the relationship between destination image and loyalty, particularly in the circumstances of cultural and historical tourism in the Khorezm region. The results show that the cognitive image directly influenced the affective image, affirming the process through which the destination image is formed. Furthermore, both cognitive and affective images had favorable impacts on satisfaction, which, in turn, emerged as a predictor of tourist loyalty. Moreover, Khiva’s reputation as a tourist destination in Uzbekistan is mostly based on the city’s extensive cultural history and allusions to prehistoric local practices.
The mechanism of municipal public-private partnership as a driver of ethnic tourism development in the Krasnodar territory
Authors: Klochko Elena , Kovalenko Lidia , Ollanazarov Bekmurod , Mirzaev Abdullajon , Ruzmetov Bakhodir
Published: January 2024

The purpose of the present research is to study the potential for ethnic tourism development in the Krasnodar Territory and to identify the ways of enhancing the quality of operation of the tourist industry in the region through the mechanism of municipal public-private partnership. Methodology: the research is based on statistical data analysis and the survey conducted among 30 entrepreneurs engaged in ethnic tourism. Conclusions: the competitive ability of ethnic tourism in the region remains rather low, which is due to a number of constraints, including the lack of variety of tourism services provided, strongly marked seasonality of demand on services, and the low provision of infrastructural facilities. Meanwhile, the Krasnodar Territory has unique natural and socio-cultural resources that prepare the ground for the introduction of modern instruments for ethnic tourism development. Practical significance: the algorithm for the implementation of municipal public-private partnership adjusted by the authors to ethnic tourism development is expected to attract additional investments, which in turn will increase the competitive ability of the industry in the long run. When introducing this mechanism, it is essential to take into account the need to expand the range of services to be provided to potential consumers.
Minimizing the maximum tardiness for a permutation flow shop problem under the constraint of sequence independent setup time
Authors: Elissaouy Oualid , Allali Karam
Published: January 2024

In this work, we will study a permutation flow shop scheduling problem under the constraint of sequence independent setup time. In our case, each machine requires a certain setup time to process all the different jobs assigned to it. Hence, this setup time will be independent of sequence of jobs, but will depend only on the nature of machine. The optimization objective is to minimize the maximum tardiness criterion. To solve this optimization problem, an exact method, heuristics and metaheuristics are the three main resolution methods that we have used. The exact method is represented by the mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. In terms of the second category of resolution methods, we have been focused on two methods, the first is a modified heuristic based on Johnson rule (HBJR) while the second is based on the Nawaz–Enscore–Ham (NEH) algorithm. Finally, three metaheuristics have been used, namely the iterated local search (ILS) method, the iterated greedy (IG) algorithm and the genetic algorithm (GA). Our numerical results indicate that for the problems with small size instances, the NEH heuristic outperforms HBJR approach, while for relatively large size instances, the developed IG algorithm gives best results than both other metaheuristics ILS and GA.
Ultrasound Changes in Salivary Glands after Radioactive Iodine Treatment in Benign Diseases and Differentiated Cancer of Thyroid Glands in Consideration of Dose and Time Dependency
Authors: Koch Michael , Fauck Vanessa , Sievert Matti , Mantsopoulos Konstantinos , Iro Heinrich , Mueller Sarina
Published: January 2024

Purpose To assess ultrasound (US) features observed in salivary glands after radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT) in relation to the dose and time interval after RAIT.

Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis of US findings regarding the salivary glands of patients presenting after RAIT due to thyroid cancer (Group 1, n=99) or benign thyroid diseases (Group 2, n=25). The control group consisted of randomly selected patients (no RAIT, Group 3, n=100). Groups were compared regarding RAIT dose, symptoms, and US findings (duct dilation, hypoechoic/heterogeneous parenchyma, parenchymal loss). The association of the presence of US parameters after RAIT with various dose levels (2000–15000MBq) and time intervals (24, 60, 120 months) and the differences between the groups was evaluated.

Results Significant differences between US parameters were noted when comparing Group 1 with Group 2 or 3. Nothing of relevant significance was noted when Groups 2 and 3 were compared. US features indicating a slight or moderate sialadenitis showed the most significant associations with doses <4000MBq and time intervals <24 months after RAIT. US changes indicating a serious sialadenitis or even gland atrophy showed the most significant association at doses between >7000–9000MBq and when US was performed >60 months after RAIT.

Conclusion Our results point to a dose and time dependency of pathologic US findings in RAIT-induced effects on the major salivary glands. Based on the US findings, a better estimation of the current impact of RAIT on the salivary glands and the further prognosis appears possible.
Sensitivity of the Neuroendocrine Stress Axis in Metabolic
Diseases
Authors: Cozma Diana , Siatra Panagiota , Bornstein Stefan R. , Steenblock Charlotte
Published: January 2024

Metabolic diseases are prevalent in modern society and have reached pandemic
proportions. Metabolic diseases have systemic effects on the body and can lead
to changes in the neuroendocrine stress axis, the critical regulator of the
body’s stress response. These changes may be attributed to rising
insulin levels and the release of adipokines and inflammatory cytokines by
adipose tissue, which affect hormone production by the neuroendocrine stress
axis. Chronic stress due to inflammation may exacerbate these effects. The
increased sensitivity of the neuroendocrine stress axis may be responsible for
the development of metabolic syndrome, providing a possible explanation for the
high prevalence of severe comorbidities such as heart disease and stroke
associated with metabolic disease. In this review, we address current knowledge
of the neuroendocrine stress axis in response to metabolic disease and discuss
its role in developing metabolic syndrome.
Quantitative Characterization of Ectopic Adrenal Gene Expression in
Fetal Testes in 21-Hydroxylase Deficient Mice
Authors: Weniger Maximilian , Mattes Maria , Grünewald Thomas G.P. , Köhler Katrin , Hübner Angela , Beuschlein Felix , Reisch Nicole
Published: January 2024

Testicular adrenal rest tumors (TART) are a frequent and fertility impairing
long-term complication in males with classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Due
to lack of clear experimental data on their origin, they are hypothesized to be
derived from ectopic adrenocortical cells within testicular tissue mainly
growing upon stimulation by chronically elevated levels of adrenocorticotropin
(ACTH). Alternatively, a more totipotent embryological origin has been discussed
as the potential source of these tumors. The aim of this study was to quantify
alterations of ectopic expression of adrenocortical genes (CYP11B1, CYP11B2,
CYP21, MC2R) and the Leydig cell specific marker (INSL3) in testicular tissue of
fetal 21-hydroxylase deficient (21OHD) mice. Timed-pregnancy studies were
performed using H-2aw18 (aw18)-mice. Testes and adrenals of E15.5 and E18.5
mouse fetuses were used for real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Gene
expression levels were analyzed for genotype-dependent alterations and compared
with immunohistochemistry. While enzymes of steroidogenesis showed a significant
increased expression in adrenals of 21OHD mice at both E15.5 and E18.5 compared
to wild-type (WT) mice, expression levels were unaltered in testes of 21OHD
mice. When compared to WT adrenals a significant increase of INSL3 expression in
adrenals of 21OHD mice at E15.5 and E18.5 was detected. Cells with
adrenocortical properties in mice fetal testis differ from in situ
adrenocortical cells in gene expression and growth at E15.5 and E18.5. These
findings suggest that the different local regulation and different local niche
in adrenals and testes influence growth of aberrant adrenal cells.
Low temperature recovery of OFF-state stress induced degradation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors
Authors: Al-Mamun Nahid Sultan , Sheyfer Dina , Liu Wenjun , Haque Aman , Wolfe Douglas E. , Pagan Darren C.
Published: January 2024

Thermal annealing is a widely used strategy to enhance semiconductor device performance. However, the process is complex for multi-material multi-layered semiconductor devices, where thermoelastic stresses from lattice constant and thermal expansion coefficient mismatch may create more defects than those annealed. We propose an alternate low temperature annealing technique, which utilizes the electron wind force (EWF) induced by small duty cycle high density pulsed current. To demonstrate its effectiveness, we intentionally degrade AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with accelerated OFF-state stressing to increase ON-resistance ∼182.08% and reduce drain saturation current ∼85.82% of pristine condition at a gate voltage of 0 V. We then performed the EWF annealing to recover the corresponding values back to ∼122.21% and ∼93.10%, respectively. The peak transconductance, degraded to ∼76.58% of pristine at the drain voltage of 3 V, was also recovered back to ∼92.38%. This recovery of previously degraded transport properties is attributed to approximately 80% recovery of carrier mobility, which occurs during EWF annealing. We performed synchrotron differential aperture x-ray microscopy measurements to correlate these annealing effects with the lattice structural changes. We found a reduction of lattice plane spacing of (001) planes and stress within the GaN layer under the gate region after EWF annealing, suggesting a corresponding decrease in defect density. Application of this low-temperature annealing technique for in-operando recovery of degraded electronic devices is discussed.
Comparative analysis of THz signal emission from bilayer heterostructures: Wideband and high-frequency THz signal advantage of PtBi-based emitter
Authors: Winkel Tristan Joachim , Parvini Tahereh Sadat , Stiewe Finn-Frederik , Walowski Jakob , Moradi Farshad , Münzenberg Markus
Published: January 2024

Spintronic THz emitters have attracted much attention due to their desirable properties, such as affordability, ultra-wideband capability, high efficiency, and tunable polarization. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of THz signals, including their frequency, bandwidth, and amplitude, emitted from a series of heterostructures with ferromagnetic (FM) and nonmagnetic (NM) materials. The FM layer consists of a wedge-shaped CoFeB layer with a thickness of 0 to 5 nm, while the NM materials include various metals such as Pt, Au, W, Ru, Pt%92Bi%8, and Ag%90Bi%10 alloys. Our experiments show that the emitter with the Pt-NM layer has the highest amplitude of the emitted THz signal. However, the PtBi-based emitter exhibits a higher central THz peak and wider bandwidth, making it a promising candidate for broadband THz emitters. These results pave the way for further exploration of the specific compositions of Pt1−x Bix for THz emitter design, especially with the goal of generating higher frequency and wider bandwidth THz signals. These advances hold significant potential for applications in various fields such as high-resolution imaging, spectroscopy, communications, medical diagnostics, and more.
Radiation effects of high-fluence reactor neutron on Ni/
β
-Ga2O3 Schottky barrier diodes
Authors: Zhou Leidang , Chen Hao , Xu Tongling , Ruan Jinlu , Lai Yuru , Deng Yuxin , Chen Jiaxiang , Zou Xinbo , Lu Xing , Chen Liang , Ouyang Xiaoping
Published: January 2024

This study investigates the broad-energy-spectrum reactor-neutron irradiation effects on the electrical characteristics of Ni/β-Ga2O3 Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs), where the irradiated neutron fluence was up to 1 × 1016 cm−2. On the one hand, the high neutron fluence of 1016 cm−2 resulted in a reduction in forward current density by two orders of magnitude and an extremely high on-resistance property due to the radiation-generated considerable series resistance in the SBD. On the other hand, the irradiation brought little influence on the Ni/β-Ga2O3 Schottky contact, since the extracted ideality factor and barrier height from temperature-dependent current–voltage (I–V–T) characteristics showed no significant changes after the radiation. Moreover, the capacitance–voltage (C–V) characterization revealed that the net carrier density in the β-Ga2O3 material was only reduced by 25% at the neutron fluence of 1015 cm−2 but a significant reduction by 2–3 orders at 1016 cm−2. Within the neutron fluence range of 2 × 1014 cm−2 up to 1016 cm−2, the carrier removal rates trended to be saturated with the increased fluences, following an exponential regular. In addition, the C–V measurement on the 1016 cm−2 irradiated sample exhibited an obvious frequency dispersion, and the extracted carrier distribution was not uniform.
Six-dimensional quantum dynamics study for the dissociative chemisorption of H2 on pure and alloyed AgAu surfaces
Authors: Liu Tianhui , Peng Tianze , Fu Bina , Zhang Dong H.
Published: January 2024

The 6D time-dependent wave packet calculations were performed to explore H2 dissociation on Ag, Au, and two AgAu alloy surfaces, using four newly fitted potential energy surfaces based on the neural network fitting to density functional theory energy points. The ligand effect resulting from the Ag–Au interaction causes a reduction in the barrier height for H2+Ag/Au(111) compared to H2+Ag(111). However, the scenario is reversed for H2+Au/Ag(111) and H2+Au(111). The 6D dissociation probabilities of H2 on Ag/Au(111) surfaces are significantly higher than those on the pure Ag(111) surface, but the corresponding results for H2 on Au/Ag(111) surfaces are substantially lower than those on the pure Au(111) surface. The reactivity of H2 on Au(111) is larger than that on Ag(111), despite Ag(111) having a slightly lower static barrier height. This can be attributed to the exceptionally small dissociation probabilities at the hcp and fcc regions, which are at least 100 times smaller compared to those at the bridge or top site for H2+Ag(111). Due to the late barrier being more pronounced, the vibrational excitation of H2 on Ag(111) is more effective in promoting the reaction than on Au(111). Moreover, a high degree of alignment dependence is detected for the four reactions, where the H2 dissociation has the highest probability at the helicopter alignment, as opposed to the cartwheel alignment.
Augmented near-room-temperature power factor of homogenously grown thermoelectric ZnO films
Authors: Zhou Zhifang , Zheng Yunpeng , Yang Yueyang , Liu Chang , Wei Bin , Zhang Wenyu , Lan Jin-Le , Nan Ce-Wen , Lin Yuan-Hua
Published: January 2024

Future applications in power generation for wearable and portable electronics or active cooling for chips will benefit from near-room-temperature thermoelectric performance enhancement. Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films are potential thermoelectric materials as they have the advantages of high cost-effectiveness, low toxicity, excellent stability, and high optical transparency. Inserting a ZnO buffer layer between the sapphire substrate and GZO thin films could contribute to optimizing carrier mobility and further improving electrical transport properties. However, thermoelectric performance at near-room-temperature ranges still needs to be promoted for practical applications. In this present study, ZnO single-crystal slices were directly selected as substrates for homogenously growing GZO thin films to further modify the substrate–film interface. The high Hall mobility of 47 cm2 V−1 s−1 and weighted mobility of 75 cm2 V−1 s−1 could be realized, resulting in better electrical transport performance. Consequently, the homogenously grown GZO thin films possessed competitively prominent power factor values of 333 μW m−1 K−2 at 300 K and 391 μW m−1 K−2 at 373 K. This work offers an effective avenue for optimizing the thermoelectric properties of oxide-based thin films via homogenous growth.
Structural basis of σ
54
displacement and promoter escape in bacterial transcription
Authors: Gao Forson , Ye Fuzhou , Zhang Bowen , Cronin Nora , Buck Martin , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: January 2024

Gene transcription is a fundamental cellular process carried out by RNA polymerase (RNAP). Transcription initiation is highly regulated, and in bacteria, transcription initiation is mediated by sigma (σ) factors. σ recruits RNAP to the promoter DNA region, located upstream of the transcription start site (TSS) and facilitates open complex formation, where double-stranded DNA is opened up into a transcription bubble and template strand DNA is positioned inside RNAP for initial RNA synthesis. During initial transcription, RNAP remains bound to σ and upstream DNA, presumably with an enlarging transcription bubble. The release of RNAP from upstream DNA is required for promoter escape and processive transcription elongation. Bacteria sigma factors can be broadly separated into two classes with the majority belonging to the σ
70
class, represented by the σ
70
that regulates housekeeping genes. σ
54
forms a class on its own and regulates stress response genes. Extensive studies on σ
70
have revealed the molecular mechanisms of the σ
70
dependent process while how σ
54
transitions from initial transcription to elongation is currently unknown. Here, we present a series of cryo-electron microscopy structures of the RNAP-σ
54
initial transcribing complexes with progressively longer RNA, which reveal structural changes that lead to promoter escape. Our data show that initially, the transcription bubble enlarges, DNA strands scrunch, reducing the interactions between σ
54
and DNA strands in the transcription bubble. RNA extension and further DNA scrunching help to release RNAP from σ
54
and upstream DNA, enabling the transition to elongation.
Tailoring chemical bonds to design unconventional glasses
Authors: Raty Jean-Yves , Bichara Christophe , Schön Carl-Friedrich , Gatti Carlo , Wuttig Matthias
Published: January 2024

Glasses are commonly described as disordered counterparts of the corresponding crystals; both usually share the same short-range order, but glasses lack long-range order. Here, a quantification of chemical bonding in a series of glasses and their corresponding crystals is performed, employing two quantum-chemical bonding descriptors, the number of electrons transferred and shared between adjacent atoms. For popular glasses like SiO
2
, GeSe
2
, and GeSe, the quantum-chemical bonding descriptors of the glass and the corresponding crystal hardly differ. This explains why these glasses possess a similar short-range order as their crystals. Unconventional glasses, which differ significantly in their short-range order and optical properties from the corresponding crystals are only found in a distinct region of the map spanned by the two bonding descriptors. This region contains crystals of GeTe, Sb
2
Te
3
, and GeSb
2
Te
4
, which employ metavalent bonding. Hence, unconventional glasses are only obtained for solids, whose crystals employ theses peculiar bonds.
Maintaining political authority and credibility during the Covid-19 crisis
Authors: Berrocal Martina
Published: January 2024

This article explores how communicative influence is instantiated through the analysis of
situational settings, pragmatic means, and discursive strategies at the press conferences held by the Czech government
during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis to maintain political authority and credibility. The analysis is informed by the
rhetorical approach used in crisis communication studies and follows the tenets of corpus-assisted discourse studies
(Taylor and Marchi 2018). It combines quantitative insights with qualitative close reading. The results point to the
fact that the building and maintenance of authority and credibility is achieved by a positive depiction of one’s
crisis management performance and by intensive blame management. In addition, there is a tendency towards strategic
overcommunication which can hinder the understanding and critical scrutiny on the part of the audience.
News media’s epistemological framings of the Covid-19 ‘lab leak’ hypothesis
Authors: Deschrijver Cedric
Published: January 2024

Despite a continuing lack of conclusive evidence on the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has
been a reassessment of the likelihood of various explanations, including the ‘lab leak’ hypothesis. This chapter
analyses selected UK, US, and Chinese media articles’ usage of ‘conspiracy theory’ in relation to the lab leak
hypothesis. It argues that the concept’s use was inseparable from local political contexts, as well as mainly
metapragmatic: Chinese media’s use of the concept is contradictory under an orthodox definition, while UK/US media
explicitly characterize it as a description of certain discourses, rather than indicating the factual likelihood of a
hypothesis. The chapter argues that the implication of ‘conspiracy theory’ in metapragmatics makes it particularly
vulnerable to (counter-)manipulation strategies.
Strategic communication in the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Macagno Fabrizio , Trevisan Ana Carolina
Published: January 2024

The Covid-19 pandemic underscored the crucial importance of arguments in developing citizens’ trust
and the social risks of manipulation. However, how to assess and describe the argumentative and manipulative
strategies of institutional actors? In this paper, the institutional argumentation of the governing leaders and the
Health Ministries of Brazil and Portugal are coded and analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively through the use
of argumentation profiles, which are used for classifying and capturing the types of arguments, the fallacies, and the
emotive language of each speaker. The results show how the different approaches to the crisis of the two countries are
mirrored by distinct argumentative strategies indicating distinct communicative goals, namely pandemic campaigning and
joint decision-making.
Constructional changes in Brazilian Portuguese in the 20th century
Authors: Soares da Silva Augusto
Published: January 2024

This chapter analyzes two constructional changes by deletion of linguistic elements in Brazilian Portuguese (BP) in
the 20th century, namely, the null clitic se constructions (specifically, reflexive, reciprocal, middle,
anticausative, passive, and impersonal constructions) and the chopping relative construction, as two relevant manifestations
of the recent standardization of the BP variety diverging from European Portuguese (EP). Based on a usage-feature and
profile-based analysis and adopting a sociocognitive view of language, especially Cognitive Grammar, this study shows that the
deletion of the clitic se conveys a shift to a nonenergetic, absolute construal of the event, and that the
deletion of the preposition correlates with the grammaticalization of the relative pronoun que and highlights
the accessibility of the nominal antecedent. Three contributions to research on language change are stressed: changes by
deletion generate new constructions with their own meanings; synchronic constructional alternation, such as the one existing
in BP between overt and null se constructions and the one already nonexistent in BP but existing in EP
between pied-piping and chopping constructions, allows simulation of the diachronic constructional change in real time; and
successful media from the mid-20th century onward, such as TV Globo for the huge Brazilian population, play a
central role in language change and standardization.
Repertory grids
Authors: Grogan Myles
Published: January 2024

Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) derives from
Personal Construct Psychology. The technique aims to understand
how participants view objects, events, or people chosen as a
kind of thematic sample by comparing them against each other,
revealing the participant’s constructs. After introducing the
“fundamental postulate” and corollaries developed by its
founder, George Kelly, the chapter explores how this technique
may be applied in the field of SLA or language education. After
discussing how this highly adaptable technique has been used,
the chapter shows how researchers can gain qualitative and
quantitative data on research questions relating to change over
time or how different members of a group perceive a phenomenon.
Although this technique presents some challenges for
generalization, the chapter concludes by showing how data may be
analyzed and used productively.
On the sign of the linear magnetoelectric coefficient in Cr2O3
*
Authors: Bousquet Eric , Lelièvre-Berna Eddy , Qureshi Navid , Soh Jian-Rui , Spaldin Nicola A , Urru Andrea , Verbeek Xanthe H , Weber Sophie F
Published: January 2024

We establish the sign of the linear magnetoelectric (ME) coefficient, α, in chromia, Cr2O3. Cr2O3 is the prototypical linear ME material, in which an electric (magnetic) field induces a linearly proportional magnetization (polarization), and a single magnetic domain can be selected by annealing in combined magnetic (H) and electric (E) fields. Opposite antiferromagnetic (AFM) domains have opposite ME responses, and which AFM domain corresponds to which sign of response has previously been unclear. We use density functional theory (DFT) to calculate the magnetic response of a single AFM domain of Cr2O3 to an applied in-plane electric field at zero kelvin. We find that the domain with nearest neighbor magnetic moments oriented away from (towards) each other has a negative (positive) in-plane ME coefficient,

α

⊥

, at zero kelvin. We show that this sign is consistent with all other DFT calculations in the literature that specified the domain orientation, independent of the choice of DFT code or functional, the method used to apply the field, and whether the direct (magnetic field) or inverse (electric field) ME response was calculated. Next, we reanalyze our previously published spherical neutron polarimetry data to determine the AFM domain produced by annealing in combined E and H fields oriented along the crystallographic symmetry axis at room temperature. We find that the AFM domain with nearest-neighbor magnetic moments oriented away from (towards) each other is produced by annealing in (anti-)parallel E and H fields, corresponding to a positive (negative) axial ME coefficient,

α

∥

, at room temperature. Since

α

⊥

at zero kelvin and

α

∥

at room temperature are known to be of opposite sign, our computational and experimental results are consistent.
Influencing factors and uncertainty analysis for Kerr electro-optic effect based electric field measurements in transformer oil under impulse voltage
Authors: Gao Chunjia , Zhao Xiaolin , Zhang Shuqi , Wang Ke , Qi Bo , Li Chengrong
Published: January 2024

The design of insulating structures for transformers under impulse voltage relies predominantly on simulation software due to the absence of experimental validation. This underscores the pressing need for comprehensive research into the spatial electric field and charge properties of oil-paper/pressboard insulation systems. In response to this imperative, a suite of specialized instruments leveraging the Kerr electro-optic effect to meticulously measure the spatial electric field within oil-pressboard structures under impulse voltage was established. As the precision of measurements hinges upon a multitude of influencing factors, this study embarks on a multifaceted examination, centering its focus on four pivotal dimensions: incident laser beam angle, electrical noise, temperature and non-ideal optical elements. A quantitative calculation method for electric field measurement errors was presented, and on the basis of which, suppression methods are proposed for the error sources having the largest impacts on the experimental results. Finally, the overall measurement uncertainty of the device is systematically evaluated.
Quasioptical modeling of the electron cyclotron emission diagnostic
Authors: Yanagihara K , Kubo S
Published: January 2024

We report the first applications of the quasioptical (QO) code PARADE (PAraxial RAy DEscription) for modeling the electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostic. Geometrical optics (GO) has been exploited to predict the ECE intensity received by an antenna, but is not sufficient since GO drops the information lying on the transverse cross section of the antenna sensitivity. Hence, we studied a QO model of ECE measurement based on the PARADE code. By introducing a weighting operatorWˆ,induced by the envelope profile of a wave beam virtually injected from an ECE receiving antenna, an integral equation, formally identical to the conventional GO model, is newly derived from the wave-action conservation law. A QO ECE prediction module −E3is also newly developed, is applied to the JT-60SA tokamak, and shows that radiation temperature is corrected from conventional GO prediction. The −E3module and the PARADE code are applicable to any fusion plasma devices. By using this ECE prediction package, more realistic calculations of radiation temperature are expected by taking the actual structure of an ECE receiving antenna and plasma parameters as well.
Realizing quantum speed limit in open system with a
PT
-symmetric trapped-ion qubit
Authors: Lu Pengfei , Liu Teng , Liu Yang , Rao Xinxin , Lao Qifeng , Wu Hao , Zhu Feng , Luo Le
Published: January 2024

Quantum speed limit (QSL), the lower bound of the time for transferring an initial state to a target one, is of fundamental interest in quantum information processing. Despite that the speed limit of a unitary evolution could be well analyzed by either the Mandelstam–Tamm or the Margolus–Levitin bound, there are still many unknowns for the QSL in open systems. A particularly exciting result is about that the evolution time can be made arbitrarily small without violating the time-energy uncertainty principle, whenever the dynamics is governed by a parity-time (

P
T

) symmetric Hamiltonian. Here we study the QSLs with both

P
T

and anti-

P
T

Hamiltonians, and pose the QSL as a brachistochrone problem on a non-Hermitian Bloch sphere. We then use dissipative trapped-ion qubits to construct the Hamiltonians, where the state evolutions reach the QSL governed by a generalized Margolus-Levitin bound of the non-Hermitian system. We find that the evolution time monotonously decreases with the increase of the dissipation strength and exhibits chiral dependence on the Bloch sphere. These results enable a well-controlled knob for speeding up the state manipulation in open quantum systems, which could be used for quantum control and simulation with non-unitary dynamics.
Some applications of a lemma by Hanes and Huneke
Authors: Miranda-Neto Cleto
Published: January 2024

Our main goal in this note is to use a version of a lemma by Hanes and Huneke to provide characterizations of when certain one-dimensional reduced local rings are regular. This is of interest in view of the long-standing Berger’s Conjecture (the ring is predicted to be regular if its universally finite differential module is torsion-free), which in fact we show to hold under suitable additional conditions, mostly toward the G-regular case of the conjecture. Furthermore, applying the same lemma to a Cohen-Macaulay local ring which is locally Gorenstein on the punctured spectrum but of arbitrary dimension, we notice a numerical characterization of when an ideal is strongly non-obstructed and of when a given semidualizing module is free.
From pixels to phenotypes: Integrating image-based profiling with cell health data as BioMorph features improves interpretability
Authors: Seal Srijit , Carreras-Puigvert Jordi , Singh Shantanu , Carpenter Anne E. , Spjuth Ola , Bender Andreas
Published: January 2024

Cell Painting assays generate morphological profiles that are versatile descriptors of biological systems and have been used to predict in vitro and in vivo drug effects. However, Cell Painting features extracted from classical software such as CellProfiler are based on statistical calculations and often not readily biologically interpretable. In this study, we propose a new feature space, which we call BioMorph, that maps these Cell Painting features with readouts from comprehensive Cell Health assays. We validated that the resulting BioMorph space effectively connected compounds not only with the morphological features associated with their bioactivity but with deeper insights into phenotypic characteristics and cellular processes associated with the given bioactivity. The BioMorph space revealed the mechanism of action for individual compounds, including dual-acting compounds such as emetine, an inhibitor of both protein synthesis and DNA replication. Overall, BioMorph space offers a biologically relevant way to interpret the cell morphological features derived using software such as CellProfiler and to generate hypotheses for experimental validation.