bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of the load cycle of the starter battery
Authors: Puzakov A V
Published: December 2020

During the operation of the starter battery in vehicle, its parameters may decrease, which leads to interruptions in the operation of some items, for example, a starter. To prevent the occurrence of battery failures and simplify the process of eliminating them, you need to know how its parameters change during operation. Standardized testing is required to assess the state of the battery in various states. There are currently no standardized load cycles for batteries. The aim of the article is to develop such a cycle that will allow us to evaluate the technical condition of the battery in various loading modes and draw a con-clusion about its performance. An experimentally established change in the parameters of both a workable battery, and with several simulated faults. Further research will be aimed at compiling a dataset for the system for automatically diagnosing starter batteries on board a vehicle.
Assessment of the car service services quality according to the certification system criteria
Authors: Arhirejskij A A
Published: December 2020

The Assessment of services quality is an urgent task in markets with imperfect information. Car service market refers to markets with imperfect information. Earlier, the author proposed to assess the car service quality by the voluntary services certification system criteria using the generalized principle of Edgeworth-Pareto. To implement this approach in practice, information is needed on the relative importance of the criteria, which can be obtained from regression models. The novelty of this work is the use of regression models without a constant. The information indicators analysis of the obtained models revealed the greatest importance of two of the six criteria. The information obtained is used for multicriteria assessment of the quality of the services and building a car service enterprises rating.
Issues of assessing the quality characteristics of transport-technological machines as objects of industrial design
Authors: Borodulina S V , Kuznetsova O G , Reshetnikov M K , Chekalin A A
Published: December 2020

The article considers the concept of “beauty” and defines design as the basic qualitative characteristic of a transport and technological machine. The generalized definitions of terms are given: concept, industrial design, product. On the example of BELAZ dump trucks, an analysis of the formed composition, according to its basic characteristics, is presented. The conclusion is given on the fundamental components that form a harmonious visual image.
Specifics of drives functioning in main mechanisms of open-pit excavator
Authors: Lukashuk O A , Letnev K Y , Komissarov A P
Published: December 2020

Specifics of functioning for the drives of main (lifting and thrusting) mech-anisms in an open-pit excavator were determined for their joint action during the process of excavation. It was shown that the operation forms a two-crank lever-age transmission mechanism (connecting the main mechanisms and the excavator bucket) and a common transmission mechanism of the drives (consisting of the main mechanisms and the leverage). It was also established that an initial link of the common transmission mechanism would be a «stick-bucket» link whose co-ordinates determine positions of every other link in the mechanism in relation to the stand (a boom). Dependencies were derived for finding kinematic transfer functions of the leverage, that is relations between lifting and thrusting velocities and an excavation velocity when the bucket (its cutting edge) is moved along a given trajectory in the process of pit development. The results of the research could be used for the purposes of designing a control system for the main drives of an excavator.
Strategy for optimizing the NVH parameters of the transport vehicle powertrain during its design
Authors: Taratorkin A I , Belevich A V , Taratorkin I A , Trusevich I A
Published: December 2020

The paper presents a method for predicting dynamic and vibro-acoustic loading based on a dynamic system modal representation. The method consists in determining modal parameters (natural frequencies and eigen forms, damping coefficients) knowing frequency characteristics, calculated either by using mass distribution, stiffness and damping matrices or experimentally, and characterized by taking into account the nonlinear properties of various system elements when generating perturbance source.
Structures active suspension for stabilizing vertical reactions of the road to the car wheels when driving over irregularities
Authors: Ryazantsev V I , Heng-Xu Li
Published: December 2020

The development of automotive technology is clearly characterized by the mass introduction of numerous active safety systems in the design of cars, such as anti-lock brakes, stability control systems, etc. In the conditions of a significantly increased number of motor transport, which is operated on roads of relatively low quality, the question of increasing the stability of the car when driving on uneven roads naturally arises. There are quite a lot of such roads in countries with large territories. There are numerous cases of the formation of sections with regular profiles on improved roads. Movement in such areas can cause resonant vibrations of unsprung masses, which, in turn, leads to a loss of stability of the vehicle. This article discusses the effectiveness of various structures of controlled suspensions that can be used in the stabilization system of vertical reactions of the road to the car wheels when driving on an uneven surface.
Coordination of development of transport engineering enterprises capacity with high-speed traffic volume
Authors: Romanova A T , Luzhnov Yu M , Nasonova I S
Published: December 2020

The paper presents a model of interaction between an enterprise customer of a vehicle and a national enterprise of transport engineering, which ensures coordination of the interests of consumers and the manufacturer, considering the estimated demand for passenger transportation in high-speed traffic.
Reduction of freight car wheel wear of 1520 mm gauge railways
Authors: Ushkalov V , Mokriy T , Malysheva I , Lapina L , Pasichnik S , Bezrukavyi N
Published: December 2020

A brief description is given of the comprehensive modernization of standard freight car trucks through the use of devices of American companies adapted for railways with a 1520 mm gauge and wheels with ITM-73 specially developed wear-resistant profile, which allows several times to increase the resource of problematic running gears. An approximate method is proposed for solving the wheel–rail interaction problem with determining the position and size of non-elliptic contact patches, including with conformal contact. Using this method, new profiles have been developed for turning worn wheels (ITM-73-01), as well as new wheels for cars with an axial load on rails of 23.5 tf (ITM-73-02) and 25 tf (ITM-73-03). The data of experimental studies showed that the average wear rate of the wheel flanges of freight cars with complex modernized trucks equipped with wheels with ITM-73-01 profile is 3.5-5 times lower than that of a standard car with a standard wheel profile. According to forecast estimates, the use of wheels with profiles ITM-73-02, ITM-73-03 will allow to achieve even greater increase in the resource indicators of wheelsets for wear of the flanges.
Accumulation of solar energy to heat greenhouses
Authors: Savytskyi M , Danishevskyy V , Bordun M
Published: December 2020

The primary task of a greenhouse is to create optimal microclimate, which doesn’t depend on external climatic conditions, to grow plants. We can observe significant air temperature and humidity difference in a traditional greenhouse during 24 hours. The stable microclimate in greenhouses is provided by different engineering systems such as heating, ventilation, lighting, etc. These systems require a lot of energy. Saving energy and reducing the mode of temperature amplitude inside the operating greenhouse during exploitation period can be achieved by using solar energy in the greenhouse heating system, namely, by using heat accumulators. However, the test method of optimal heat accumulator to equalize the temperature amplitude inside the greenhouse wasn’t described in any research. The purpose of this research is to determine the optimal heat accumulator for equalizing temperature amplitude inside the greenhouse under atmospheric effects in spring. The experimental research of the heat-humid regime was carried out for the greenhouse without any heat accumulation. Relationship between the volume and the surface area of the accumulator and its efficiency was identified.
Analytical method of determining the movement resistance of a tip for forming rectangular technological hole in the lower structure tracks
Authors: Posmitiukha O , Hlavatskyi K , Kravets S , Suponyev V , Koval A
Published: December 2020

The aim of this work is to theoretically determine the total resistance to soil pricking with a wedge-shaped tip to create a rectangular cavity and to determine the influence of the size of the working equipment and soil environment in the repair of earthenware or areas where trench technology can-not be used. To determine the forces of the recess of the replaceable pilot, the law of change of soil pressure on the working surfaces of the working equipment was first determined, which is based on the idea of the change of the soil elastic state at its compaction was determined, which is determined by the compression module of deformation of the soil. The processes occurring during the formation of wells and new approaches to the improvement of calculations have been described. On the basis of the pro-posed model of the piercing process, the laws of change of the normal pressure of soil resistance on the surface of the wedge working equipment are established. Based on its value, the results of theoretical studies have received a rational form and parameters of the tip of the work equipment.
Improvement of the open wagon for cargoes which imply loading with a “hat”
Authors: Reidemeister A , Muradian L , Shaposhnyk V , Shykunov O , Kyryl’chuk O , Kalashnyk V
Published: December 2020

The goal of the article is to evaluate the possibility of improving the design of an open wagon body in order to improve traffic safety when transporting cargoes whose height is beyond the upper belt of the side wall (cargo loading with a “hat”). To achieve it, the authors have proposed a variant of a pull-out bar in a wall rack. In lazy state such bars located inside racks, but during transportation of timber, pipes etc they are pulled out above the wall upper belt to prevent cargo from rolling out. These bars are quite light (mass of one pull-out bar is equal to 3 kg, that corresponds to 36 kg of an additional equipment per a wagon), but they considerably facilitate fixing cargo in an open wagon replacing additional wooden fixing racks. It also makes the transportation more reliable due to elimitation the possibility of skew and jamming of fixing equipment. Strength of the proposed element and the entire wagon side wall is estimated with the finite element method. The proposed bars withstand normative loads, and holes in the upper belt for them do not lead to desrease of the wall carrying capacity.
Energy-efficient excavation of the soil of the lower track structure by bulldozers with a combined knife system
Authors: Hlavatskyi K , Raksha S , Gorbenko Y
Published: December 2020

The motivation of the research and further development of the new type combined knife system on the non-return bulldozer blade and the results of the first series of laboratory studies of the process of the soil digging with the non-return blade of the bulldozer with the first set of its physical models, which indicate the feasibility of continuing research in this direction is given. The proposed combined knife system makes it possible to realize oblique digging of the soil on the non-return blade of the bulldozer and maximally complete its orientation in the prism of the soil before the blade in order to increase the productivity of the bulldozer with non-return blade by decreasing soil losses in the side rollers, decreasing the time of filling and digging the soil by decreasing the coefficient of specific soil resistance to digging. The paper substantiates the technology of more efficient use of bulldozers with non-return blade compared to their traditional counterparts, which is possible due to the use of the new combined knife system, and argues in favor of expanding the technological capabilities of the bulldozer with non-return blade, equipped with the proposed engineering solutions of the new type knife system with different digging angles and spatial inclination of cutting edges.
RETRACTED: CNN based framework for identifying the Indian currency denomination for physically challenged people
Authors: Rajendran P. Selvi , Anithaashri Dr. T. P.
Published: December 2020

One of the premier issues confronting the visual hindered individual is money, acknowledgment especially for cash. Be that as it may, the outwardly weakened individual may not think about the estimation of cash, and they endure part in cash trade related issues in their normal life. To address this issue, we have built up a framework for acknowledgment of money, notes, which might be the helpful device for an outwardly debilitated individual. Investigation and trials were done on the money informational collection, which encouraged CNN dependent on the key highlights, for example, watermarks, pictures printed on cash, esteemed composed as words and numbers and the total cash. This paper deals with the utilization of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) for solving this society issues and investigations about the exhibition and evaluation of different CNN models. Here, Alexnet, Googlenet, and Vgg16 models have been considered for assessment. All the models were adjusted as far as preparing and testing the individuals of data sets. Among these three models, Alexnet accomplished better in preparing fulfillment, Vgg16 model indicated the better execution and accomplished 100%, Google net arrives at 88% as far as productivity.
Tribological activity of ultradisperse organic lubricant additives for cam mechanisms subject to abrasive wear
Authors: Parfenov A S , Berezina E V , Berezin I V , Volkov A V , Godlevsky V A
Published: December 2020

The effect of nanodispersed triboactive additive introducing into the oil suspension of model abrasive is considered. The influence of the concentrations both additive and abrasive, as well as the dispersion of the solid phase on the wear of steel-steel pair friction, is determined. It has been suggested that carbon nano-particle additives under these conditions can shield the level of abrasive wear.
Computer model of contact of rough surfaces of friction material in the friction nodes of lifting and transport machines
Authors: Romasko A M , Do X T
Published: December 2020

In this paper, there is proposed computer model of the contact of friction materials in the brake devices of building road machines and lifting transport machines. The contact surface is modelled by a microrelief composed of a set of elements in the form of rods. As a result of modelling, there are such contact characteristics as rapprochement, distribution of contact pressure, real contact area and the gap between the surfaces. The obtained dependencies are compared with the finite element method (FEM).
Influence of charge emission behaviors of semi-conductive shielding layer on charge accumulation properties of insulation layer for HVDC cable
Authors: Wang Tingting , Li Xuejing , Liu Mingyue , Li Guochang , Xiao Wei , Chen Shaojie , Hao Chuncheng , Wei Yanhui , Fu Mingli , Lei Qingquan
Published: December 2020

Space charge accumulation is one of the key factors restricting the manufacture and application of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. Semi-conductive shielding layer plays an important role in uniform electric field in HVDC cable, and its own emission properties directly affect the space charge behaviours in the insulation material. In the paper, charge injection property from semi-conductive layer to insulation layer have been focused emphatically based on experiment and simulation. The charge injection characteristics of semi-conductive layer under two typical electrode configurations of ‘Metal-Insulation layer-Metal’ (M-I-M) and ‘Semi-conductive layer-Insulation layer-Metal’ (S-I-M) have been studied. The conductive current and depolarization current of the insulation layer are compared. Finally, effect of particle size and concentration of carbon black (CB) in the semi-conductive layer on the interfacial electric field has been studied by electric field simulation. The experimental results show that the charge injection from the semi-conductive layer is more obvious under the action of low electric field of 5 kV mm−1 due to effect of CB particles. It can be seen from the depolarizing current curve that the charge injection quantity with S-I interface is greater than that of M-I interface. Further calculation results show that the maximum distortion electric field increases slightly with the increase of CB size. When CB content is 25%, the electric field distortion caused by interface CB particles is about twice of the average electric field (5 kV mm−1), increasing from 9.61 kV mm−1 at 10 nm to 10.15 kV mm−1 at 50 nm. The reduction of CB size in the semi-conductive layer within a certain range is conducive to the reduction of the interface electric field. The maximum distortion field gradually decreases with the increase of CB content at a certain range.
Selective pollination by fungus gnats potentially functions as an alternative reproductive isolation among fiveArisaemaspecies
Authors: Matsumoto Tetsuya K , Hirobe Muneto , Sueyoshi Masahiro , Miyazaki Yuko
Published: December 2020

Background and Aims

Interspecific difference in pollinators (pollinator isolation) is important for reproductive isolation in flowering plants. Species-specific pollination by fungus gnats has been discovered in several plant taxa, suggesting that they can contribute to reproductive isolation. Nevertheless, their contribution has not been studied in detail, partly because they are too small for field observations during flower visitation. To quantify their flower visitation, we used the genus Arisaema (Araceae) because the pitcher-like spathe of Arisaema can trap all floral visitors.

Methods

We evaluated floral visitor assemblage in an altitudinal gradient including five Arisaema species. We also examined interspecific differences in altitudinal distribution (geographic isolation) and flowering phenology (phenological isolation). To exclude the effect of interspecific differences in altitudinal distribution on floral visitor assemblage, we established ten experimental plots including the five Arisaema species in high- and low-altitude areas and collected floral visitors. We also collected floral visitors in three additional sites. Finally, we estimated the strength and contribution of these three reproductive barriers using a unified formula for reproductive isolation.

Key Results

Each Arisaema species selectively attracted different fungus gnats in the altitudinal gradient, experimental plots and additional sites. Altitudinal distribution and flowering phenology differed among the five Arisaema species, whereas the strength of geographic and phenological isolations were distinctly weaker than those in pollinator isolation. Nevertheless, the absolute contribution of pollinator isolation to total reproductive isolation was weaker than geographic and phenological isolations, because pollinator isolation functions after the two early-acting barriers in plant life history.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that selective pollination by fungus gnats potentially contributes to reproductive isolation. Since geographic and phenological isolations can be disrupted by habitat disturbance and interannual climate change, the strong and stable pollinator isolation might compensate for the weakened early-acting barriers as an alternative reproductive isolation among the five Arisaema species.
Land Restitution in Postconflict Burundi
Authors: Mbazumutima Theodore
Published: December 2020

With the end of the civil war in Burundi, the government began a transitional justice process to consolidate peace and deal with the legacies of past violations. Part of the transitional justice work in the country has been restitution of land and other property – a process that has provoked further violence and, to some extent, threatened national unity. Political elites have hijacked the land restitution process in a way that has shaped land conflicts on the ground and affected national politics. Based on action research carried out in Nyanza-lac Commune, Makamba Province, between May and December 2017, this article discusses return-related land conflicts and dialogue as a means of settling such conflicts. The research findings indicate that dialogue can help affected communities resolve and transform complex conflicts in a context where the law has failed to address them.
Investigating the young AU Mic system with SPIRou: large-scale stellar magnetic field and close-in planet mass
Authors: Klein Baptiste , Donati Jean-François , Moutou Claire , Delfosse Xavier , Bonfils Xavier , Martioli Eder , Fouqué Pascal , Cloutier Ryan , Artigau Étienne , Doyon René , Hébrard Guillaume , Morin Julien , Rameau Julien , Plavchan Peter , Gaidos Eric
Published: December 2020

We present a velocimetric and spectropolarimetric analysis of 27 observations of the 22-Myr M1 star AU Microscopii (AU Mic) collected with the high-resolution YJHK (0.98–2.35 μm) spectropolarimeter SPIRou from 2019 September 18 to November 14. Our radial velocity (RV) time-series exhibits activity-induced fluctuations of 45 m s−1 rms, ∼3 times smaller than those measured in the optical domain, that we filter using Gaussian Process Regression. We report a 3.9σ detection of the recently discovered 8.46 -d transiting planet AU Mic b, with an estimated mass of 17.1$^{+4.7}_{-4.5}$ M⊕ and a bulk density of 1.3 ± 0.4 g cm−3, inducing an RV signature of semi-amplitude K = 8.5$^{+2.3}_{-2.2}$ m s−1 in the spectrum of its host star. A consistent detection is independently obtained when we simultaneously image stellar surface inhomogeneities and estimate the planet parameters with Zeeman–Doppler imaging (ZDI). Using ZDI, we invert the time-series of unpolarized and circularly polarized spectra into surface brightness and large-scale magnetic maps. We find a mainly poloidal and axisymmetric field of 475 G, featuring, in particular, a dipole of 450 G tilted at 19° to the rotation axis. Moreover, we detect a strong differential rotation of dΩ = 0.167 ± 0.009 rad d−1 shearing the large-scale field, about twice stronger than that shearing the brightness distribution, suggesting that both observables probe different layers of the convective zone. Even though we caution that more RV measurements are needed to accurately pin down the planet mass, AU Mic b already appears as a prime target for constraining planet formation models, studying the interactions with the surrounding debris disc, and characterizing its atmosphere with upcoming space- and ground-based missions.
A new channel to form IMBHs throughout cosmic time
Authors: Natarajan Priyamvada
Published: December 2020

While the formation of the first black holes (BHs) at high redshift is reasonably well understood though debated, massive BH formation at later cosmic epochs has not been adequately explored. We present a gas accretion driven mechanism that can build-up BH masses rapidly in dense, gas-rich nuclear star clusters (NSCs). Wind-fed supraexponential accretion in these environments under the assumption of net zero angular momentum for the gas, can lead to extremely rapid growth, scaling stellar mass remnant seed BHs up to the intermediate mass black hole (IMBH) range. This new long-lived channel for IMBH formation permits growth to final masses ranging from 50 to 105 M⊙. Growth is modulated by the gas supply, and premature termination can result in the formation of BHs with masses between 50 and a few 100 M⊙ filling in the so-called mass gap. Typically, growth is unimpeded and will result in the formation of IMBHs with masses ranging from ∼100 to 105 M⊙. New detections from the LIGO–VIRGO source GW190521 to the emerging population of ∼105 M⊙ BHs harboured in low-mass dwarf galaxies are revealing this elusive population. Naturally accounting for the presence of off-centre BHs in low-mass dwarfs, this new pathway also predicts the existence of a population of wandering non-central BHs in more massive galaxies detectable via tidal disruption events and as gravitational wave coalescences. Gas-rich NSCs could therefore serve as incubators for the continual formation of BHs over a wide range in mass throughout cosmic time.
Towards a self-consistent analysis of the anisotropic galaxy two- and three-point correlation functions on large scales: application to mock galaxy catalogues
Authors: Sugiyama Naonori S , Saito Shun , Beutler Florian , Seo Hee-Jong
Published: December 2020

We establish a practical method for the joint analysis of anisotropic galaxy two- and three-point correlation functions (2PCF and 3PCF, respectively) on the basis of the decomposition formalism of the 3PCF using tripolar spherical harmonics. We perform such an analysis with MultiDark-Patchy mock catalogues to demonstrate and understand the benefit of the anisotropic 3PCF. We focus on scales above $80\, h^{-1}\, {\rm Mpc}$, and use information from the shape and the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) signals of the 2PCF and 3PCF. We also apply density field reconstruction to increase the signal-to-noise ratio of BAO in the 2PCF measurement, but not in the 3PCF measurement. In particular, we study in detail the constraints on the angular diameter distance and the Hubble parameter. We build a model of the bispectrum or 3PCF that includes the non-linear damping of the BAO signal in redshift space. We carefully account for various uncertainties in our analysis including theoretical models of the 3PCF, window function corrections, biases in estimated parameters from the fiducial values, the number of mock realizations to estimate the covariance matrix, and bin size. The joint analysis of the 2PCF and 3PCF monopole and quadrupole components shows a $30{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and $20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ improvement in Hubble parameter constraints before and after reconstruction of the 2PCF measurements, respectively, compared to the 2PCF analysis alone. This study clearly shows that the anisotropic 3PCF increases cosmological information from galaxy surveys and encourages further development of the modelling of the 3PCF on smaller scales than we consider.
Proximity effect of pair correlation in the inner crust of neutron stars
Authors: Okihashi Toshiyuki , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: December 2020

We study the proximity effect of pair correlation in the inner crust of neutron stars by means of the Skyrme–Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov theory formulated in coordinate space. We describe a system composed of a nuclear cluster immersed in neutron superfluid confined in a spherical box. Using a density-dependent effective pairing interaction that reproduces both the pair gap of neutron matter obtained in ab initio calculations and that of finite nuclei, we analyze how the pair condensate in a neutron superfluid is affected by the presence of the nuclear cluster. It is found that the proximity effect is characterized by the coherence length of the neutron superfluid measured from the edge position of the nuclear cluster. The calculation predicts that the proximity effect has a strong density dependence. In the middle layers of the inner crust with baryon density $5 \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^{-3} \mathop < \limits_ \sim \ \rho_b \mathop < \limits_ \sim \ 2\times 10^{-2}$ fm$^{-3}$, the proximity effect is strongly limited in the vicinity of the nuclear cluster, i.e., in a sufficiently smaller area than the Wigner–Seitz cell. In contrast, the proximity effect is predicted to extend to the whole volume of the Wigner–Seitz cell in shallow layers of the inner crust with $\rho_b \mathop < \limits_ \sim \ 2 \times 10^{-4}$ fm$^{-3}$, and in deep layers with $\rho_b \mathop > \limits_ \sim \ 5 \times 10^{-2}$ fm$^{-3}$.
NICE public health guidance update
Authors: Blagden Sarah , Austin Catrin , Richey Roberta , Desai Monica
Published: December 2020

This article introduces the recently published National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidance on ‘Behaviour change: digital and mobile health interventions’. It provides an insight into the supporting evidence base, some of the key recommendations and issues that the NICE committee faced in guideline development. Particular focus is given to the impact on health inequalities.
Spine MRI: A Review of Commonly Encountered Emergent Conditions
Authors: Winn Aaron , Martin Adam , Castellon Ivan , Sanchez Allen , Lavi Efrat Saraf , Munera Felipe , Nunez Diego
Published: December 2020

Over the last 2 decades, the proliferation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) availability and continuous improvements in acquisition speeds have led to significantly increased MRI utilization across the health care system, and MRI studies are increasingly ordered in the emergent setting. Depending on the clinical presentation, MRI can yield vital diagnostic information not detectable with other imaging modalities. The aim of this text is to report on the up-to-date indications for MRI of the spine in the ED, and review the various MRI appearances of commonly encountered acute spine pathology, including traumatic injuries, acute non traumatic myelopathy, infection, neoplasia, degenerative disc disease, and postoperative complications. Imaging review will focus on the aspects of the disease process that are not readily resolved with other modalities.
Comparison of porcine corneal decellularization methods and importance of preserving corneal limbus through decellularization
Authors: Isidan Abdulkadir , Liu Shaohui , Chen Angela M. , Zhang Wenjun , Li Ping , Smith Lester J. , Hara Hidetaka , Cooper David K.C. , Ekser Burcin
Published: December 2020

Background

The aim of this study is to compare the three previously applied, conventional porcine corneal decellularization methods and to demonstrate the importance of preserving the corneal limbus through decellularization.

Methods

Fresh, wild-type (with or without) limbus porcine corneas were decellularized using three different methods, including (i) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), (ii) hypertonic saline (HS), and (iii) N2gas (NG). Post-treatment evaluation was carried out using histological, residual nuclear material, and ultrastructural analyses. Glycerol was used to help reduce the adverse effects of decellularization. The corneas were preserved for two weeks in cornea storage medium.

Results

All three decellularization methods reduced the number of keratocytes at different rates in the stromal tissue. However, all methods, except SDS, resulted in the retention of large numbers of cells and cell fragments. The SDS method (0.1% SDS, 48h) resulted in almost 100% decellularization in corneas without limbus. Low decellularization capacity of the NG method (<50%) could make it unfavorable. Although HS method had a more balanced damage-decellularization ratio, its decellularization capacity was lower than SDS method. Preservation of the corneoscleral limbus could partially prevent structural damage and edema, but it would reduce the decellularization capacity.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that SDS is a very powerful decellularization method, but it damages the cornea irreversibly. Preserving the corneoscleral limbus reduces the efficiency of decellularization, but also reduces the damage.
Senescence and the SASP: many therapeutic avenues
Authors: Birch Jodie , Gil Jesús
Published: December 2020

Cellular senescence is a stress response that elicits a permanent cell cycle arrest and triggers profound phenotypic changes such as the production of a bioactive secretome, referred to as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Acute senescence induction protects against cancer and limits fibrosis, but lingering senescent cells drive age-related disorders. Thus, targeting senescent cells to delay aging and limit dysfunction, known as “senotherapy,” is gaining momentum. While drugs that selectively kill senescent cells, termed “senolytics” are a major focus, SASP-centered approaches are emerging as alternatives to target senescence-associated diseases. Here, we summarize the regulation and functions of the SASP and highlight the therapeutic potential of SASP modulation as complimentary or an alternative to current senolytic approaches.
Attaching Suspension Cells to Slides for Staining
Authors: Rodig Scott J.
Published: December 2020

Suspension cells can be prepared for staining by several different methods. A simple method for detecting intracellular antigens in cells that grow in suspension is to attach the cells to a solid substrate before fixation. This can be achieved by the use of a cytocentrifuge. For surface staining, suspension cells can be attached to slides by cross-linking with poly-l-lysine. Lysine can be polymerized to any desired length, and poly-l-lysine will bind to most solid supports through its charged side chains. The positively charged polymer will provide a site for binding of cells (which carry an overall negative charge). Although this cross-link is not covalent, it is sufficiently strong for most cell-staining techniques.
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis
Authors: Green Michael R. , Sambrook Joseph
Published: December 2020

Cross-linked chains of polyacrylamide can be used as electrically neutral gels to separate double-stranded DNA fragments according to size and single-stranded DNAs according to size and conformation. Polyacrylamide gels have the following three major advantages over agarose gels: (1) Their resolving power is so great that they can separate molecules of DNA whose lengths differ by as little as 0.1% (i.e., 1 bp in 1000 bp). (2) They can accommodate much larger quantities of DNA than agarose gels. Up to 10 µg of DNA can be applied to a single slot (1 cm × 1 mm) of a typical polyacrylamide gel without significant loss of resolution. (3) DNA recovered from polyacrylamide gels is extremely pure and can be used for the most demanding purposes (e.g., microinjection of mouse embryos). However, polyacrylamide gels have the disadvantage of being more difficult to prepare and handle than agarose gels. Methods are presented here for preparing and running nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels and for detection of DNA in these gels by staining.
Competing diversity indices and attitudes toward cultural pluralism in Europe
Authors: Németh Ádám , Sümeghy Dávid , Trócsányi András , Pirisi Gábor
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this analysis is to collect and classify the most important diversity indices, outline the logical connections between them and answer the following question: How much will the results differ if the authors use different indices for explaining the same dependent variable (attitude toward cultural pluralism), and what kind of relationships are observable in the European societies?

Design/methodology/approach

The diversity indices are good for compressing information on the number and shares of ethnic groups in a given setting into single numbers in order to use them as independent variables. However, it matters which index the authors choose because it can make a meaningful difference in the assessment of the potential impacts of diversification. Our empirical study (based on 43 European countries and 160 regions) concluded that the correlation coefficients between the most important indices are above 0.8. Thus, in practice, none of them gives a fundamentally different answer to the question: how does diversity/diversification influences people's attitudes toward multiculturalism.

Findings

By linking these results with the European Social Survey database the authors concluded that the more diverse a population in 2014 was, a more positive attitude toward multiculturalism was expressed. However, if the authors focus on the dynamics of diversification, the spread of points is much greater and polynomial (U-shaped curvilinear) trendlines are better suitable to grasp the relationships. It means that people tend to react very differently to similar societal changes in those regions where a moderate degree of diversification took place.

Originality/value

International migration and ethno-cultural diversification are hotly debated issues in contemporary Europe, and there is a growing interest in understanding their possible social, economic and political outcomes. A question of key importance for the social sciences to adequately answer the challenges is the capability to measure these processes in a quantitative way as well. This paper helps decide which diversity index might be the optimum solution for a given research project.
The impact of the institutional environment on green consumption in India
Authors: Sreen Naman , Yadav Rambalak , Kumar Sushant , Gleim Mark
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to develop an institutional framework to examine the role of governmental and social pressures on green product purchase intentions. Because of the increased focus on environmental issues in emerging markets, an examination of the institutional environment in India can provide unique insights into the drivers of green consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

A large-scale data collection is conducted via an online survey to test the validity of the theorized model. A survey methodology is used to collect responses from a sample of 400 consumers in India and analyzed via Smart PLS 3.0.

Findings

The findings suggest moral norms, injunctive and descriptive, have varying influences on consumers. Further, governmental influence, at least in India, may not have a positive impact one would expect. The results indicate the institutional framework developed in this research has a good predictive ability in green marketing settings and offers insights for businesses and policymakers to enhance consumers’ motivations to purchase green products.

Originality/value

From a theoretical perspective, this research is the first to examine the institutional environment on green consumption in India and provides unique insights into the influences of green consumption. The results suggest the institutional environment in India presents unique opportunities for practitioners and policymakers.
Understanding the robotic restaurant experience: a multiple case study
Authors: Seyitoğlu Faruk , Ivanov Stanislav
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the robotic restaurant experience of travellers around the world and understand the components of robotic restaurant experience.

Design/methodology/approach

Travellers who had experienced a robotic restaurant were purposefully selected as a sample group for the study. As the robotic restaurants are limited around the world, multiple case study method has been chosen to gather richer data. A user-generated content technique which is a form of qualitative case study method has been benefited to gather data from travellers’ reviews.

Findings

The results reveal a model of components of robotic restaurant experience that include six main themes: attraction for kids, robotic system, memorable experience, ambience related attributes, food related attributes (economic value and gastronomic aspects) and deficiencies (in robotic system, in ambience related attributes and in food related attributes).

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first to investigate the robotic restaurant experience of travellers around the world. Moreover, it contributes to the research on restaurant experience and offers a model of components of the robotic restaurant experience.
R&D investment, ESG performance and green innovation performance: evidence from China
Authors: Xu Jian , Liu Feng , Shang Yue
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impacts of research and development (R&D) investment and environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance on green innovation performance. This paper also investigates the moderating effect of ESG performance between R&D investment and green innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses the data of 223 Chinese listed companies over the period 2015–2018. The ESG indices issued by SynTao Green Finance are used to measure ESG performance. Green innovation performance is measured by the total number of green patents, the number of green invention patents and the number of green non-invention patents. Finally, multiple regression analysis is applied to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

The results show that R&D investment has a positive impact on green innovation performance and ESG performance can increase the number of green invention patents. In addition, ESG performance moderates the relationship between R&D investment and green innovation performance.

Practical implications

The findings may help managers and policymakers in developing countries to make ecological innovation strategies to achieve corporate sustainability.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine the impacts of R&D investment and ESG performance on green innovation performance in the context of China, an emerging market.
The macro-level determinants of user entrepreneurship in healthcare: an explorative cross-country analysis
Authors: Schiavone Francesco , Rivieccio Giorgia , Paolone Francesco , Rocca Antonella
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This article analyses the new venture creation by patient innovators in 40 countries examining the effects of the four macro-level factors on entrepreneurship, adding a fifth sector-specific (healthcare) factor.

Design/methodology/approach

By applying the statistical tool of principal component analysis, we find a clustering behavior of health user entrepreneurs across countries, indicating that common macro-level conditions affect this phenomenon in a nonlinear way.

Findings

Healthy user innovators are more likely to become entrepreneurs in those countries where creativity, economic opportunities and business environment are increasing from the lower level until a certain threshold. After that level, user entrepreneurship seems to be not relevant.

Originality/value

We contribute to the extant literature about macro-level determinants of entrepreneurship by exploring how much such conditions impact on the decision to create new firm by user innovators.
Lady mosquito at NPS Mumbai
Authors: Chauhan Vinit Singh
Published: December 2020

Theoretical basis

The term emotional intelligence was coined by the researchers Peter Salavoy and John Mayer. The concept was popularized by Daniel Goleman through his book Emotional Intelligence published in 1996. According to Salavoy and Mayer (1990), emotional intelligence consists of a set of skills hypothesized to contribute to the accurate appraisal and expression of emotion in oneself and in others, the effective regulation of emotion in self and others and the use of feelings to motivate, plan and achieve in one’s life.

Research methodology

The case study uses two sources of information, namely, primary and secondary. Dr Dev, a senior training and development manager with a multinational company constituted the primary source. The secondary source consisted of information publicly available on various websites. The case has been disguised for various reasons.

Case overview/synopsis

Lady mosquito at NPS Mumbai is a case study on emotional intelligence, a much sought-after concept in management education, but not many case studies have been written on the topic. This case involves an interaction that took place between a facilitator and a learner, and it highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in day-to-day communication. The use of emotional intelligence will manifold improve the ability of the facilitator to understand the learners’ behavior in the classroom. This will further enhance the effectiveness of learning, as the motivated facilitator/trainer will be more committed to engaging the learners in their educational activities.

Complexity academic level

This case has been developed to be used in postgraduate and undergraduate management programs. This case can also be used in management development programs for executives. As the case provides a basic understanding of human behavior and thereby teaches to manage others just by managing oneself. As the case revolves around a facilitator and the learner, it can also be used in the trainer program for facilitators who desire to conduct training programs or want to take teaching as a full-time career.
‘Toxic worldings’: Introduction to toxic flows
Authors: GEISSLER P. WENZEL , PRINCE RUTH J.
Published: December 2020

In the course of recent world history, humans have permanently changed the chemical composition of the planet, as human‐made chemical substances become part of the air, water and soil, pervading human and non‐human bodies and upsetting linear imaginaries of past and future. The slow violence of toxic exposure associated with industrial activity and economic growth is a particularly insidious dimension of inequality and exploitation, woven into global and post‐colonial relations of race, class and gender. Yet industrial chemicals underlie and support modern forms of life, and livelihoods, as well as our unsustainable economic system. Such tensions shape how toxicity may be located or ignored, resisted or made habitable, how it may congeal into matters of concern or dissipate into modes of ‘unknowing’. In this introduction, the authors review how recent scholarship imagines and engages with toxic flows. Inspired by research in environmental humanities, geography, history and science and technology studies, as well as scientific disciplines such as eco‐toxicology, anthropologists are searching to grasp the ambivalent ways in which humans ‐ and our non‐human companions ‐ recreate, inhabit, make use of, are exposed to and resist toxic worldings.
Living with toxic development: Shipbreaking in the industrializing zone of Sitakunda, Bangladesh
Authors: DEWAN CAMELIA
Published: December 2020

Based on ethnographic fieldwork among local communities and shipbreaking workers, this essay focuses on the lived experiences of toxicity in the rapidly industrializing zone of Sitakunda, Bangladesh. Shipbreaking is receiving attention as a zone of toxic exposure. There is pressure for increased regulation and protection for workers. In contrast, other forms of pollution in the industrial zone of Sitakunda, such as water, air and noise pollution, are neglected or ignored. Worries about pollution and health highlight the unevenness of promises of development to come, also expressed by marginalized fishing communities structurally excluded from industrialization. My interlocutors describe unnayan (economic development) as bishakto (poisonous, toxic). I conceptualize this as ‘toxic development’ to draw attention to how ‘ordinary people’ (migrant workers, fishing and agricultural communities, shipbreaking workers and manual labourers) without capital, land or social networks of influence endure poisonous industrial activities that both create livelihoods and destroy them.