bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OQR-SC: An optimal QoS aware routing technique for smart cities using IoT enabled wireless sensor networks
Authors: D Karunkuzhali , B Meenakshi , Lingam Keerthi
Published: April 2021

Internet of things (IoT) makes a machines optimization in everyday which processing the data by very intelligently and make communication more effectively and efficiently. However, in order to decrease the harm of IoT, nearby is angrowinglonging to move en route for green IoT which is environmentally friendly. In smart city environments, the data collection and communication play an important role in defining quality. Since the research period, it has been recommending a new data acquisition and data communication software framework for IoT smart applications. For further improvements, we recommend an optimal QoS aware routing technique for smart cities using IoT enabled wireless sensor networks (OQR-SC). In data gathering phase, we introduce chaotic bird swarm optimization (CBSO) algorithm for IoT sensor cluster formation; the improved differential search (IDS) algorithm used to estimate the faith degree of each sensor node, the highest trust node act as cluster head (CH). In data transferring phase, we illustrates lightweight signcryption technique for data encryption between two IoT sensors. Then, we use optimal decision making (ODM) algorithm to compute the optimal path between source-destination in IoT platform. Finally, the proposed OQR-SC technique is implemented using network simulation (NS2) tool and analyzes the performance of proposed technique with existing state-of-art techniques.
Clinical Features, Radiological Findings and Treatment Outcome in Patients with Pulmonary Nocardiosis – A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Yadav Prakrati , Meena Durga S , Kumar Deepak , Bohra Gopal K , Jain Vidhi , Garg Pawan , Dutt Naveen , Agarwal Ashwini , Garg Mahendra K
Published: April 2021

Introduction - Lack of specific clinical features makes the diagnosis difficult in Pulmonary Nocardiosis. High index of suspicion is required for diagnosis especially in cohort pre-existing risk factors. This study aimed at describing the clinical and radiological characteristics and outcome in patients with Pulmonary Nocardiosis.Methods - This was a retrospective observational study. Data of confirmed cases with Pulmonary Nocardiosis were collected from digital patient management system. Results - Total eight cases of Pulmonary Nocardiosis were included. The mean age of patients was 50 ± 14.3 years with female preponderance (62.5%). The most common co-morbidity was chronic lung disease (37.5%). The common clinical feature of pulmonary nocardiosis was cough with expectoration (50%). The mean duration of symptoms was 18 days. The common radiological (CT thorax) finding were consolidation, bronchiectasis, mediastinal lymphdenoathy and nodularity (50% each). One patient had extension of pulmonary disease in chest wall. Microbiological detection of Nocardia spp. was done in sputum samples (50%) and in BAL samples (50%). Culture was positive in two BAL samples. Intravenous empirical antibiotics in combination with oral trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole double standard (15 mg/kg trimethoprim) was started at the time of diagnosis. Ceftriaxone and amikacin were commonly used antimicrobials.Conclusion - Nocardia spp. commonly causes disease in patients with pre-exisitng lung pathological with or without defective cell mediated immunity. A high index of suspesion is required in patients with subacute to chronic respiratory symptoms, raised inflammatory markers and absence of common respiratory pathogens in evaluation.
Sleep Quality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease With High Risk of Acute Exacerbation
Authors: Xing Chong , Shen Hui , Li Wenyang , Wang Wei
Published: April 2021

This was a prospective case-control study aimed to explore the sleep quality, especially sleep-related disorders, among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients with high risk of acute exacerbation, and to determine the risk factors. We enrolled COPD patients with acute exacerbation or health control visited the first hospital of China Medical University from October 1st, 2017 to October 28th, 2018. The subjective and objective sleep parameters were compared among them, and then the stepwise multiple regression analysis were performed. We found that COPD patients with high risk of acute exacerbation had decreased subjective and objective sleep quality. Patients with COPD-obstructive sleep apnea overlap syndrome revealed decreased slow wave sleep than patients with COPD alone. The subjective sleep parameters were correlated with the frequency of acute exacerbation, dyspnea index and Epworth sleepiness score. The objective sleep parameters were related to the degree of airflow obstruction, COPD Assessment Test score and the Modified British Medical Research Council dyspena score. So, we believe that the subjective and objective sleep quality of patients with high risk of acute exacerbations of COPD was poor, and the sleep quality of patients with overlap syndrome was worse than that of patients with COPD alone.
Ultraviolet-B induced responses of Psoralea corylifolia L. with special emphasis on: growth, anatomy, physiology, yield, essential oil content and composition
Authors: Pandey Avantika , Agrawal Madhoolika , Agrawal Shashi Bhushan
Published: April 2021

Psoralea corylifolia L. is a traditionally and medicinally important, endangered plant of the family Fabaceae. Seeds obtained from it widely used in treatment of skin diseases like leprosy, psoriasis, leucoderma, vitiligo. The present study was aimed to assess the growth, physiology, anatomy, yield and essential oil content and composition of P. corylifolia in response to elevated UV-B (eUV-B; ambient + 7.2 kJm− 2day− 1). The results showed reductions in the growth and physiological parameters under eUV-B treatment (except chlorophyll a/b ratio, carotenoids content and water use efficiency which showed increment) while reverse trend was observed for UV-B absorbing compounds. The total thickness of leaves decreased by 13.8% under eUV-B exposure. Due to eUV-B exposure number of racemes, flowers and seeds, and the length of racemes significantly reduced whereas length of flowers, seed size and seed mass (thousand seeds weight) showed non-significant variations. The essential oil content of seeds showed increment by 46.4% under eUV-B treatment. The GC-MS analysis of essential oil revealed 28 major compounds from control and eUV-B exposed plants. Overall the monoterpenes showed reduction whereas sesquiterpenes and meroterpene showed increment. The metabolites caryophyllene, caryophyllene oxide and bakuchiol (possess anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory activities) were identified as major metabolites of essential oil, which showed increment under eUV-B treatment. The study displayed that eUV-B enhanced the content of essential oil with improvement in the quality of seeds in terms of medicinally important compounds of seeds.
ERIL: An Algorithm for Emotion Recognition From Indian Languages Using Machine Learning
Authors: MEHRA PRAMOD , Jain Parag
Published: April 2021

For a human interaction with machine, it is important that it understand the mood of the speaker. Until now we train machines on neutral speeches or utterances. The mood of a person would affect their performances. Deciphering human mood is challenging for the machines, as human can create fourteen distinct sound in a second. For a machine to understand the human behaviour, it should understand the acoustic abilities of the human ear. Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) and Linear Prediction coefficients (LPC) can replicate human auditory system. The proposed model Emotion Recognition from Indian Languages (ERIL) extracts emotions like fear, anger, surprise, sadness, happiness, and neutral. ERIL first pre-processes the voice signal, extracts selective MFCC, LPC, pitch, and voice quality features, then classifies the speech using Catboost. ERIL is a multilingual emotion classifier, it is independent of any language. We checked it on Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi, Bangla, Tamil, Oriya, and Telugu. We recorded a speech dataset of various emotions in these languages. ERIL is compared to other benchmark classifiers.
Photonic perceptron at Giga-OP/s speeds with Kerr microcombs for scalable optical neural networks
Authors: tan mengxi , xu xingyuan , Moss David
Published: April 2021

Optical artificial neural networks (ONNs) have significant potential for ultra-high computing speed and energy efficiency. We report a novel approach to ONNs that uses integrated Kerr optical micro-combs. This approach is programmable and scalable and is capable of reaching ultra-high speeds. We demonstrate the basic building block ONNs — a single neuron perceptron — by mapping synapses onto 49 wavelengths to achieve an operating speed of 11.9 x 109 operations per second, or Giga-OPS, at 8 bits per operation, which equates to 95.2 gigabits/s (Gbps). We test the perceptron on handwritten-digit recognition and cancer-cell detection — achieving over 90% and 85% accuracy, respectively. By scaling the perceptron to a deep learning network using off-the-shelf telecom technology we can achieve high throughput operation for matrix multiplication for real-time massive data processing.
Impact of COVID-19 on personal insurance sales – Evidence from Germany
Authors: Hinrichs Gerriet , Bundtzen Henning
Published: April 2021

The occupation of insurance agent involves establishing a relationship of trust with the customer and providing personal and customized advice as a prerequisite for successful sales. This paper summarizes the scientific discussion about the occupation of an insurance salesperson. Coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions have limited face-to-face meetings and complicated large parts of this occupation. The main purpose of the research is to analyze the impact of these restrictions on the sales of 130 insurance branches, comparing the sales of 2019 and 2020 separately by insurance type. This period was chosen because it allows for the usual seasonal volatility to be taken into account. To differentiate according to the type of insurance sold is therefore of interest, because large differences with regard to demand generation and the use of existing customer relationships are to be expected. It shows that consulting-intensive new contracts in the life insurance segment declined noticeably, while the upselling of existing contracts in the non-life insurance segment increased significantly. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves the importance of personal contact with the customer in the sale of life insurance and pension plans as well as the value of technical tools in upselling non-life policies. The insights from this exceptional coronavirus disease 2019 episode can also be useful in normal times for sales managers in managing insurance premiums to be sold. Further research as well as practitioners should concentrate on shock-resistant consulting approaches and techniques.
Promotion to leadership, not just merit, but insider knowledge: What do school principals say?
Authors: Steed Kevin , De Nobile John , Waniganayake Manjula
Published: April 2021

Whilst extensive research has been undertaken concerning educational leadership and management, there is a paucity of scholarship regarding the merit-selection of school leaders other than principals. This is especially true of principal-led merit selection panels convened to recruit middle-level school leaders, namely deputy principals, assistant principals and head teachers. Meritocratic discourse holds that merit-based selection should, ostensibly be an objective, fair and equitable process enabling applicants to compete on a level playing field via a comparative assessment of their capabilities, talents and attitudes. This paper explores the extent to which government school principals in the state of New South Wales Australia, consider the school-based merit selection process they lead is objective and bias-free. Hence, the findings reported here reveal that despite the New South Wales Department of Education (NSWDE) promulgating the primacy of merit in its school-based selection paradigm, non-merit variables (factors having little to do with merit) exert considerable influence over the appointment decisions made by NSWDE principals when assembling their respective school leadership teams.
Progress in Clinical Neurosciences, Cognitive Neurosciences, Clinical Psychology, Neurotechnology and Brain Mapping in Malaysia
Authors: Abdullah Jafri Malin
Published: April 2021

Last year, there was an increase in the amount of manpower in Malaysia, especially in terms of the numbers of neurosurgeons, cognitive neuroscientists and clinical psychologists. One way to increase the number of cognitive neurotechnologists in the country in 2021 is to allow neuroscientists to register as neurotechnologists with the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT). The Malaysian Brain Mapping project has risen from its humble beginnings as an initiative of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Brain Mapping Group in 2017. There is currently a proposal for its entry into the national arena via the Precision Medicine Initiative with the Academy Science Malaysia, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of Health. The current Malaysian Government’s Science, Technology, Innovation and Economy (STIE) plan was launched in 2020, leading to the establishment of neurotechnology as one of 10 STIE drivers.
Knowledge of Pre-Pregnancy Care Among Men Attending the Outpatient Clinics of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia
Authors: Ishak Siti Hartini , Yaacob Lili Husniati , Ishak Azlina
Published: April 2021

Background: Men’s involvement in pre-pregnancy care is important to ensure a positive pregnancy outcome. The objective of this study is to determine the level of knowledge of pre- pregnancy care among men and the factors associated with poor knowledge.

Methods: This work is a cross-sectional study conducted at the outpatient clinics of Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia involving 235 married men. A self-administered questionnaire was used and it consisted of four sections: socio-demographic data, reproductive characteristics of couples, clinical characteristics and knowledge of pre-pregnancy care.

Results: More than half of the men (51.9%) had poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care, mostly on high-risk pregnancy, consequences of poor birth spacing and effect of maternal anaemia on a baby. The mean (SD) knowledge was 11.86 (3.85). Poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care was significantly associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.94, 0.99, P = 0.002) and education level (AOR = 2.61; 95% CI: 1.49, 4.57; P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The men in our study had poor knowledge of pre-pregnancy care. Further health promotion and education are needed to be focused on men to increase their knowledge and share the responsibilities in maternal health.
Voluntary Termination of Limited Property Rights to Residential Premises
Authors:   Irkutsk Institute (Branch), All-Russian State University of Justice, Suslova S.I. , Sheremeteva N.V. ,   Vladivostok State University of Economics and Service Vladivostok
Published: April 2021

The article describes the voluntary termination of property rights to residential premises. These are the features common to all restricted property rights to residential premises that determine the qualification of actions to waive these rights. Attention is drawn to the almost complete legislative regulation procedure absence for renouncing these rights, as well as the legal consequences that it entails. The authors conclude that the absence of provisions on refusal in the housing and civil legislation calls into question the fact that the will of the owner of a limited property right leads to its termination. The article analyzes the arguments expressed in the legal literature in favor of the need to obtain the consent of the owner to waive the limited property rights, justifies the inadmissibility of their use in relation to the limited property rights to residential premises, and illustrate the approach of the enforcement authorities, allowing the analogy of the law in waiving the right of a family member of the owner of the premises and of the legatee of the dwelling. According to the authors` opinion at the present time there is the lack of sufficient judicial practice on refusal in relation to the rent recipient. The authors criticize the application of Article 83 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation, which regulates relations arising from the contract of residential premises social rental to relations in the sphere of limited property rights to residential premises. Attention is drawn to a small number of court decisions on the refusal of the annuity recipient`s subjective right.
Managerial Functions and the Concept of an Official as a Corruption Crime Subject
Authors:   Kutafin Moscow State Law University, Sorochkin R.A.
Published: April 2021

The subject of the research within the framework of the article is the criminal and legal characteristics of the managerial functions of an official as a corruption crime subject. The author presents the main doctrinal positions on this issue that were formed in the post-soviet historical period in the Russian criminal law science; defends the thesis that the managerial functions of an official as a corruption crime subject have common features dictated by the unity of their content; such a uniform managerial function is mandatory, including the activities of legal entities that protect the interests of public authorities, and therefore it has a public significance and practical prevalence, which means that the relations for its implementation require criminal protection. The article formulates the general features of managerial functions of officials as corruption crimes subjects and the classification of such functions, which has criminal legal significance. Based on the theses and arguments concerning the content of the managerial functions under study, the author proposes a new theoretical concept of an official as a corruption crime subject, which, according to the author`s opinion, more accurately reflects the social relations that require criminal-legal protection from corruption at the current historical stage of Russia's development.
Kişilerarası Duygu Düzenleme Yaklaşımına Dayalı Geliştirilen Grup Psikoeğitim Programının Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Kişilerarası Duygu Düzenleme Becerilerine Etkisi
Authors: SARICAOĞLU Ayşe Özlem , AVCI Raşit
Published: April 2021

Bu çalışmanın amacı Kişilerarası Duygu Düzenleme yaklaşımına dayalı geliştirilen grup psikoeğitim programının, üniversite öğrencilerinin kişilerarası duygu düzenleme becerisine etkisini incelemektir. Bu araştırmada, karma araştırma yöntemlerinden iç içe desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, Muğla Sıtkı Koçman Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesine devam eden 9’u deney, 9’u kontrol grubunda yer alan 18 üniversite öğrencisi oluşmaktadır. Çalışmanın verileri kişisel bilgi formu, Kişilerarası Duygu Düzenleme Ölçeği (KDDÖ) ve grup psikoeğitim değerlendirme formu ile toplanmıştır. Deney grubunda yer alan öğrencilere sekiz oturumluk grup psikoeğitim programı uygulanmış, kontrol grubunda yer alan öğrencilere ise herhangi bir uygulama yapılmamıştır. Araştırma bulgularına göre; KDDÖ’nün tüm boyutlarında son test puanları açısından deney grubu puanlarının kontrol grubundan anlamlı bir şekilde yüksek olduğu ve ortaya çıkan bu farkın izleme testinde de devam ettiği bulunmuştur. Araştırmanın nitel bulguları; uygulanan grup psikoeğitim programının öğrencilerin kişilerarası duygu düzenleme becerilerini geliştirdiği, aynı zamanda empati ve kişilerarası iletişim becerilerini de geliştirdiği görülmektedir. Elde edilen bulgular ışığında, kişilerarası duygu düzenleme yaklaşımına dayalı geliştirilen grup psikoeğitim programının üniversite öğrencilerinin kişilerarası duygu düzenleme becerilerini geliştirmede etkili olduğu söylenebilir.
Public-private partnership in Russia: Problems of regional development
Authors:   Faculty of Management, Russian State Social University, Moscow, Russia, et al. Medvedeva
Published: April 2021

Social infrastructure provides the development of the territory of regions and countries. Public-private partnership is currently one of the most important tools for modernizing social infrastructure. A modern analysis of publications on infrastructure development shows a high interest of scientists in this issue: The relationship between quantitative and qualitative indicators of infrastructure functioning and socio-economic development of territories, and the dysfunction of management practices are studied. At the same time, the scientific literature does not sufficiently study issues related to a comprehensive assessment of the level of development of public-private partnership, restrictions, and prospects for interaction between government and business on the development of social infrastructure at the regional level. The purpose of this article is to identify the limitations and prospects of interaction between government and business on the development of social infrastructure at the regional level in the Russian Federation based on an integrated assessment of the level of PPP development. The main method of this research is an expert survey of civil servants and representatives of the business community in the Moscow region. The results of the study revealed a low level of mutual trust between business and government, and an average level of PPP development at the regional level. It is concluded that to assess the depth of development of the PPP mechanism in the region, it is necessary to include criteria that demonstrate the evaluation of these projects by the PPP participants themselves. Assessment of the level of PPP in the region should be integral, contain both quantitative indicators (financial and economic) and qualitative (assessment of PPP participants). The strategic direction of PPP development should be to increase the involvement of all stakeholders, taking into account their views in making management decisions in this area. This will help to increase the transparency and openness of the relevant procedures and will allow timely identification of dysfunctions that arise as a result of interaction between government and business.
Admiral Nurse Case Management within Enhanced Health in Care Homes
Authors:   Dementia UK, 7thFloor, One Aldgate, London EC3N 1RE, UK, Aldridge Zena ,   De Montfort University, Gateway House, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK, Dening Karen Harrison ,   Dementia UK, 7thFloor, One Aldgate, London EC3N 1RE, UK,   De Montfort University, Gateway House, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
Published: April 2021

The United Kingdom’s (UK) older population is higher than the global average. Over the next 20 years, England will see an increase in the number of older people who have higher levels of dependency, dementia, and comorbidity many of whom may require 24-hour care. Currently it is estimated that 70% of residents in nursing and residential care homes either have dementia on admission or develop it whilst residing in the care home. The provision of high-quality care for this population is a challenge with a lack of consistency in the provision of primary care and specialist services and a known gap in knowledge and skills. The NHS Long Term Plan aims to move care closer to home and improve out of hospital care which includes people who live in care homes by introducing Enhanced Health in Care Homes (EHCH). However, such services need to be equipped with the correct skill mix to meet the needs of the care home population. Admiral Nurses are specialists in dementia care and are well placed to support the delivery of EHCH and improve access to specialist support to care home residents, their families, care home staff and the wider health and social care system. This paper discusses current gaps in service provision and how both the EHCH framework, and the inclusion of Admiral Nurses, might redress these and improve outcomes.
Applications of Energy Psychology in Addressing the Psychological Roots of Illness
Authors:   777 East Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520, Feinstein David
Published: April 2021

he impact of psychological factors on illness is, in recent years, being biochemically mapped. The subspecialties of psychosomatic medicine, health psychology, psychoneuroimmunology, and integrative medicine work with mind and body in concert to promote health and healing. A specialized set of mind-body approaches, collectively called “energy psychology,” is being utilized within these and related clinical frameworks to facilitate beneficial changes in the neurological underpinnings of (1) mental states that impede immune function, (2) emotional influences that contribute to illness, and (3) inner resources that promote healing. Combining practices from time-honored healing traditions, particularly acupressure, with concepts and techniques drawn from contemporary psychology, practitioners using one of the most popular variations of the approach teach patients to tap on a prescribed series of acupuncture points while repeating phrases that activate areas of the brain that are involved with the issue receiving attention. Preliminary evidence supports speculation, which is consistent with more than a hundred peer-reviewed clinical trials, that the procedure can send deactivating signals to areas of the limbic system that are in hyperarousal and can send activating signals to regions of the prefrontal cortex that support executive functions such as planning and managing stressful situations. Ways of utilizing the approach for addressing emotional and cognitive aspects of physical illness are discussed. While utilizing the best medical interventions available remains the first line of treatment, the potential value of working with the psychological aspects of disease is frequently underestimated. Energy psychology is proving to be a powerful tool for addressing this dimension of illness and healing. The paper closes with a detailed case history.
Ketogenic Diet and Health
Authors:   Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA, Lane Jordin , Fontaine Kevin R. ,   Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
Published: April 2021

Carbohydrate-restricted ketogenic diets (KD) were introduced in the mid-19th century as a weight loss method with a resurgence of its use in epilepsy treatment in the 1920’s. Research conducted over the last several years provides evidence that KD’s can confer beneficial effects for several chronic metabolic diseases, including obesity, type-2 diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndrome. In recent years, emerging evidence suggests KD’s may also have therapeutic benefits for some cancers and for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's' disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. Finally, as the physiological mechanisms by which a KD operates become increasingly understood, we speculate that several other health conditions (e.g., autism, cystic fibrosis, COVID-19) that may improve from consuming a KD. The potential to reduce or eliminate long-term pharmaceutical treatments and their potential adverse effects by modifying diet patterns justifies additional research, particularly rigorously conducted clinical trials with long-term follow-up. This brief review describes a selection of the recent studies of KD as applied to chronic metabolic diseases, and provides an estimate of the quality of the evidence for KD’s effects. We also describe and appraise some of the risks and misconceptions attributed to KD which may limit the widespread use of KD’s among physicians and healthcare providers.
The Role of Computer Skills in Personal Health Record Adoption Among Patients With Heart Disease: Multidimensional Evaluation of Users Versus Nonusers
Authors: Clarke Martina A , Fruhling Ann L , Lyden Elizabeth L , Tarrell Alvin E , Bernard Tamara L , Windle John R
Published: April 2021

Background

In the era of precision medicine, it is critical for health communication efforts to prioritize personal health record (PHR) adoption.

Objective

The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of patients with heart disease that choose to adopt a PHR.

Methods

A total of 79 patients with chronic cardiovascular disease participated in this study: 48 PHR users and 31 nonusers. They completed 5 surveys related to their choice to use or not use the PHR: demographics, patient activation, medication adherence, health literacy, and computer self-efficacy (CSE).

Results

There was a significant difference between users and nonusers in the sociodemographic measure education (P=.04). There was no significant difference between users and nonusers in other sociodemographic measures: age (P=.20), sex (P=.35), ethnicity (P=.43), race (P=.42), and employment (P=.63). There was a significant difference between PHR users and PHR nonusers in CSE (P=.006).

Conclusions

In this study, we demonstrate that sociodemographic characteristics were not an important factor in patients’ use of their PHR, except for education. This study had a small sample size and may not have been large enough to detect differences between groups. Our results did demonstrate that there is a difference between PHR users and nonusers related to their CSE. This work suggests that incorporating CSE into the design of PHRs is critical. The design of patient-facing tools must take into account patients’ preferences and abilities when developing effective user-friendly health information technologies.
Economic Consequences of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Economic Ability of a Government as a Factor of Production
Authors: Papava Vladimer , Chkuaseli Mikheil
Published: April 2021

The article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. The features of the economic crisis caused by the pandemic have been studied. The features of how this crisis differs from the economic crisis caused by the Spanish flu are presented. The main function of the economic ability of a government, as a factor of production, during the current pandemic economic crisis is analyzed.
HIGH SKY – LOW TENSION: CAN INDIA AND CHINA FIND COMMON INTEREST IN OUTER SPACE?
Authors: Saha Rushali , Filijovic Marko
Published: April 2021

Cold War rivalry spilled into space when the Soviets launched Sputnik in 1957, leading to space being recognised as the fourth domain of warfare. As the monopoly of the US and former Soviet Union eroded, it created space for new actors to emerge from Asia, where China and India due to their investemnts in space technology as early as 1950’s had a significant headstart. The paper traces the evolution of the space programs of both the Asian countries and identifies how they are tailored to meet their aspirations to become global space powers. Against the backdrop of competitve cooperation which charecterises their overall bilateral relations, the paper assesses the trends in their national space programs to predict whether Sino-Indian relations will shift towards confrontation or cooperation. In view of the similar ambitions of both these countries in space, the paper conlcudes that there is scope for cooperation as well as competiton and which path will be adopted depends largely on their national strategic interests and further development of their fututre projects.
SPONA IZMEĐU IDEOLOGIJE I ORGANIZOVANOG KRIMINALITETA
Authors: Stevanovic Kosara
Published: April 2021

Spona između terorizma i organizovanog kriminaliteta je jedna od najvećih pretnji globalnoj bezbednosti od kraja 20. veka, što je najvidljivije u saradnji između terorističkih grupa i grupa koje se bave ilegalnom trgovinom drogom. Glavni teorijski problem u istraživanju ovog spoja je objasniti razliku u različitim motivacijama terorističkih grupa i organizovanih kriminalnih grupa. Naime, motivacija za terorizam je uvek ideološke prirode i on je orijentisan na izazivanje dubinskih političkih i društvenih promena. S druge strane, motivacija za organizovani kriminalitet je materijalna dobit koja se ostvaruje pomoću ilegalne aktivnosti. Pitanje koje izvire iz ove konceptualne razlike je – kako ove grupe, koje se toliko razlikuju u orijentacijama i ciljevima, uspeju da uspostave uspešnu saradnju? U ovom radu, autor će probati da ponudi odgovor na to pitanje iz pozicije teorije racionalnog izbora. Iz perspektive racionalnog izbora, akteri se ponašaju na takav način, koji će im doneti najviše koristi, uz što manji trošak. S obzirom na to, autor smatra da i pripadnici terorističkih i organizovanih kriminalnih grupa donose svoje odluke na osnovu analize dobiti i troška. Da bismo testirali ovu hipotezu, u radu smo najpre usmereni na dekonstrukciju koncepta ideologije i osvetljavanje njenih glavnih funkcija u racionalizaciji i motivisanju aktera na delanje. Ideologija je kontroverzan termin, čije značenje varira od skupa uverenja u generalnom smislu, do lažne svesti čiji je cilj da održava interese vladajuće društvene klase. Naš cilj ovde je da osvetlimo ove funkcije ideologije i da pokažemo da je ideologija uvek bila, i ostala, alat za ostvarivanje interesa neke društvene grupe, bilo vladajuće ili neke manjinske političke grupe. S druge strane, smatra se da je organizovani kriminalitet ilegalna aktivnost vođena od strane racionalnih aktera radi ostvarivanja materijalne dobiti pomoću ilegalnih metoda kao što su nasilje, pretnje nasiljem i korupcija. Nakon analize koncepata ideologije i organizovanog kriminaliteta, rad osvetljava prirodu i tipove veza između terorističkih i organizovanih kriminalnih grupa u praksi. Autor smatra da oba tipa ovih grupa, posmatrani kao racionalni akteri, imaju mnogo razloga i interesa za saradnju, kao što su razmena znanja i dobara, ali i istih transportnih ruta.
Algumas notas sobre o ensino de Paleografia no Brasil
Authors: Lennertz Marcotulio Leonardo , Martins do Monte Vanessa
Published: April 2021

En este texto presentamos algunas notas para la construcción de un panorama de la enseñanza de Paleografía en Brasil —tema muy poco tratado en textos científicos nacionales— tanto a nivel de grado y posgrado como en cursos libres, conocidos comúnmente como talleres de Paleografía. Además, debido a la ausencia de bibliografía específica sobre la enseñanza de Paleografía en portugués, nuestro objetivo será también fomentar la divulgación de métodos extranjeros, de poca circulación en Brasil. Finalmente, a partir de un análisis de talleres presenciales de Paleografía, elaboramos una propuesta sobre metodologías de lectura de textos manuscritos.
Quality parameters of pink pepper seeds as sustainability indicators
Authors: Rodrigues Aline Nahanna , Palermo Gilmara , Braz Madelon , Tiago Böer Breier
Published: April 2021

The poor management and marketing of rose pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) in São Pedro D'Aldeia - RJ called the local governments’ attention to adopt measures that favor the value chain, increase income, train rural producers, and launch the first Simplified Forest Management Plan. All of this, to authorize the sustainable management of this species. This study aimed to evaluate the quality parameters of pink pepper as sustainability indicators. The following was measured: the moisture content, purity, uniformity in the sieve, and the weight of one thousand seeds in samples obtained from three different batches. The germination test was only carried out for samples from lot 3. The results showed that the high moisture content of the seeds (22.99%) has a negative effect on their quality, facilitating the action of spoilage organisms. The degree of purity was satisfactory (97.1%). The seeds from lot 1 were larger and more uniform than the seeds from lots 2 and 3. Only lot 1 presented the weight of seeds compatible with that required by MAPA. The germination rate was 72%, which did not vary between seeds of different sizes. The settlement’s extractive activity is moving towards sustainability, which can be improved by incorporating good seed collection, processing and storage practices.
Climatic Changes of Thermal Conditions in the Pacific Subarctic at the Modern Stage of Global Warming
Authors: Rostov I. D. ,   V. I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia, Dmitrieva E. V. ,   V. I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia, Rudykh N. I. ,   V. I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
Published: April 2021

Purpose. The study is aimed at identifying the regional features of the surface air temperature in the coastal zone and over the Pacific Ocean (to the north of 40° N) manifested as a result of global climate changes at the turn of the XX–XXI centuries, and at assessing their trends and possible causal relationships with the processes in the atmosphere and on the ocean surface. Methods and Results. Based on the Global Meteorological Network and NOAA reanalysis data, the regional features of interannual fluctuations of the surface air temperature and their relationship with variations in the fields of pressure, wind and water temperature on the ocean surface, and with climate indices over the past 4 decades were identified. In order to determine the temperature field spatialtemporal structure and to zone the water area according to the features of climate changes, the methods of cluster, correlation analysis and the apparatus of empirical orthogonal functions were used. The results obtained made it possible to characterize the degree of heterogeneity of the studied area response to the ongoing global changes, to identify different domains and to assess quantitatively the warming rate in these water areas. Conclusions. The tendencies of modern warming are manifested in the trends of interannual air temperature variability, on the average, by ~0.20°C/10 years in the subarctic, and indicate significant regional differences (1.5–2 times) in the ongoing changes. In the west of the region, the warming rate is higher than in the east, where the temperature trends are minimal or statistically insignificant. In the warm period of a year, their values are higher than those in the cold period. The alternation phases of the warm and cold periods are consistent with the variation tendencies in the characteristics both of the atmospheric action centers and various climatic parameters. The corresponding correlations are most widely manifested in variations in the empirical orthogonal functions modes of the H500 geopotential field, and the PDO, NP, SOI, PTW, AD and EP/NP indices. Stable anomalies and trends of the ocean surface temperature in the North Atlantic also play an important role in formation of the Та anomalies in the western subarctic.
Managing the Balance of Consumption and Reproduction of Marine Resources in the “Coast – Sea” Ecological-Economic System
Authors: Timchenko I. E. ,   Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Science, Sevastopol, Russia, Igumnova E. M. ,   Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastopol, Russia, Svishchev S. V. ,   Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastopol, Russia
Published: April 2021

Purpose. The work is aimed at constructing an adaptive model of the ecological-economic system of the sea coastal zone intended to control the volume of consumption of marine assimilation and biological resources by the coastal socio-economic system. Methods and Results. The model based on tracking the integral balance of the rates of marine environment pollution and its purification due to the natural physical and biogeochemical processes and to the environmental actions is proposed. The average multi-year values of the ecosystem variables are used in the applied concept of stationary state of the marine ecosystem. To describe the conditions forming the polluted area in the coastal marine environment, proposed is the algorithm taking into account the ratio between the rate of growth of concentration of the pollutants inflowing from the coastal sources and the rate of their destruction resulting from natural purification of marine environment. Coastal pollution runoff was managed by the penalties imposed on the economic system, which was forced to reduce the generalized product output simultaneously increasing its prime cost. In the marine ecosystem model, the main lower links of the food chain were used: concentrations of phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacterioplankton. Their weighted sum constituted the marine biodiversity index, which was taken as a concentration of bio-resource consumed by the coastal economic system. It was believed that there was an inverse relationship between the biodiversity index and the pollution concentration. Therefore, the maximum permissible pollution concentration was assessed based on the permissible values of the biodiversity index. Along with control of the economic efficiency of marine resource consumption, the model provided for the biodiversity index monitoring so that it did not fall below its permissible vales. In this case, the management agent included in the model, limited production. The model equations are constructed by the method of adaptive balance of causes, which preserved the material balances resulting from the interaction between the environmental and economic processes. The modular equations of the method permitted to use the known stationary state of the ecosystem to obtain the estimates of the influence coefficients. It is shown that the forecasted scenarios provide the compromises between the efficiency of the coastal economic system and the ability of marine ecosystem to restore the consumed assimilation and biological resources. Conclusions. The proposed model makes it possible to forecast the scenarios of the ecological and economic processes that provide a balance of consumption and reproduction of marine resources
Influence of Currents and Atmospheric Circulation on the Efficiency of European Anchovy Fishing during its Wintering off the Black Sea Coast of the Krasnodar Territory
Authors: Panov B. N. ,   Azov-Black Sea Branch of the FSBSI “VNIRO” (“AzNIIRKH”), Rostov-on-Don, Russia, Spiridonova E. O. ,   Kerch State Maritime Technological University, Kerch, Russia
Published: April 2021

Russian fishermen harvest European anchovy primarily off the Black Sea coast of the Krasnodar Territory during its wintering and wintering migrations. At wintering grounds, temperature conditions become a secondary factor in determining the behaviour of commercial concentration of European anchovy, with wind and currents being the primary factors. Therefore, the aim of this work is to determine the potential use of daily data on water circulation and local atmospheric transport in short-term (1–7 days) forecasting of European anchovy fishing in the Black Sea. The research used the European anchovy fishery monitoring materials for January – March 2019, as well as daily maps of the Black and Azov Seas level anomalies (from satellite altimetry data) and surface atmospheric pressure and temperature in Europe (analysis) for the mentioned period. The dynamics of the catch rate and its relation to altimetry and atmospheric transport indicators in the north-eastern part of the Black Sea were investigated using graphical and correlation methods. This analysis showed that the main factor contributing to increased catches is intensification of northwest currents in the coastal 60-km zone. The effect of atmospheric transport on fishing efficiency depends on the mesoscale eddy structure of the nearshore current field. In the presence of an intense northwest current in the fishing area, southwest atmospheric transports have a positive effect on fishing, while in the presence of an anticyclonic meander of currents, northeast atmospheric transports become effective. The presence of maximum significant relationships when the determinants of fishing performance are shifted by 1–7 days allows making short-term predictions of fishing efficiency.
Similarities and Differences of Small Bay-Bars of the North-Eastern Part of the Black Sea
Authors: Krylenko V. V. ,   Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russian Federation, Goryachkin Yu. N. ,   Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastopol, Russia, Kosyan R. D. ,   Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russian Federation, Krylenko M. V. ,   Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russian Federation, Kharitonova L. V. ,   Marine Hydrophysical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Sevastopol, Russia
Published: April 2021

The accumulative coastal forms of the Azov-Black Sea region are a valuable recreational resource experiencing an increasing anthropogenic impact. The paper analizes the current state of two similar natural objects: small bay-bars of the Lake Bogaily (Crimean Peninsula) and the Lake Solenoe (Taman Peninsula). The materials of long-term monitoring observations were used (echo-sounding measurements, geodetic and aerial photography, air laser scanning, particle size analysis of sediments, etc.). The data of satellite imagery, materials of mathematical modeling of hydrological and lithodynamics processes, literary and archival sources were used. Both common and regional features of the development and structure of accumulative forms have been identified. The common features include similar transverse surface profiles (excluding anthropogenic transformation) and a set of natural factors. The most important differences are the genesis and composition of the bedrocks and accumulative deposits. These parameters determine the current sediment budget, configuration of the beach and underwater slope, and the relief dynamics. Displacement of accumulative bodies toward the lagoons is observed, the rate of this displacement depends on retreat of the adjacent bedrock coasts. The morphological and dynamical features of these bay-bars have not changed fundamentally over the past decades. The bay-bar of the Lake Solenoe has undergone a greater technogenic transformation in comparison with the bay-bar of the Lake Bogaily. However, the self-healing processes confirming that the geosystem has not been brought out of the dynamic equilibrium are clearly in evidence. It is concluded that the considered natural objects do not require construction of coast protection structures.
Compreensão do nível de sustentabilidade de uma indústria de pequeno porte através da Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão Construtivista
Authors: Lago Nicole Cecchele , Kolling Camila , Dos Santos Jaiane Maldaner
Published: April 2021

O estudo teve por objetivo compreender o nível da sustentabilidade de uma pequena indústria de transformação nas dimensões ambiental, econômica e social aliadas aos valores e objetivos dos atores no contexto decisório, por meio da Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão Construtivista (MCDA-C). A pesquisa teórica sobre a metodologia proporcionou o delineamento das etapas, tendo em vista o entendimento e a resolução do problema em estudo. As descobertas revelam que a empresa possui dificuldades em contemplar a sustentabilidade corporativa de forma equilibrada, visto que lacunas foram identificadas entre o atual cenário e o cenário desejado pelos atores. Dessa forma, considerando os aspectos mais discrepantes, ações foram propostas para orientar a organização na estruturação e manutenção dos pilares da sustentabilidade em seu modelo de gestão.