bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control of negative gain nonlinear processes using sliding mode controllers with modified Nelder-Mead tuning equations
Authors: E. Govinda Kumar , J. Arunshankar
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a sliding mode controller (SMC) with modified Nelder-Mead tuning, for the control of nonlinear chemical processes, which are represented as first order plus dead time process with negative gain (FOPDT-NG). In the controller design, the SMC controller parameter in continuous part is obtained based on the time constant and dead time of the process, and controller parameters in the discontinuous part is obtained using Nelder-Mead tuning equations. Even though the controller parameters of conventional SMC are tuned using Nelder-Mead tuning, zero dynamics are noticed in the closed loop response of few FOPDT-NG processes and, with few other FOPDT-NG processes tracking of set-point is unachievable. This work proposes modification in the Nelder-Mead tuning equations using Nelder-Mead optimization to overcome the above disadvantages. Four different types of FOPDT-NG processes are considered in this work, and for every type the Nelder-Mead tuning equations are modified, for the design of proposed controllers. The performances of proposed controllers are evaluated for FOPDT-NG processes and also for three different chemical processes taken from literature. A simulation results demonstrate that, the proposed controller prevailed the performance of the conventional SMC in tracking the set-point and the elimination of zero dynamic behavior of FOPDT-NG processes. Hence, the proposed controllers provide improved closed loop performances as compared to the conventional SMC.
Foliar applications of plant-based titanium dioxide nanoparticles to improve agronomic and physiological attributes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants under salinity stress
Authors: Mustafa Nilofar , Raja Naveed Iqbal , Ilyas Noshin , Ikram Muhammad , Mashwani Zia-ur-Rehman , Ehsan Maria
Published: April 2021

The present study was carried out to investigate the beneficial and toxicological effect of plant-based titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) on the morphophysiological attributes of wheat plants under salinity stress. The biogenesis of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was accomplished by using the extract of Buddleja asiatica L. leaves followed by characterization through UV visible spectroscopy, SEM, FTIR, and EDX. NaCl salt was applied in two different concentrations after 21 days of germination followed by foliar applications of various concentrations of TiO2 NPs (20, 40, 60, 80 mg/L) to salinity-tolerant (Faisalabad-08) and salinity-susceptible (NARC-11) wheat varieties after 10–15 days of application of salt stress. Salinity stress showed remarkable decrease in morphophysiological attributes of selected wheat varieties. Magnificent improvement in plant height, dry and fresh weight of plants, shoot and root length, root and shoot fresh and dry weight, number of leaves per plant, RWC, MSI, chlorophyll a and b, and total chlorophyll contents has been observed when 40 mg/L of TiO2 NPs was used. However, the plant morphophysiological parameters decreased gradually at higher concentrations (60 and 80 mg/L) in both selected wheat varieties. Therefore, 40 mg/L concentration of TiO2 NPs was found most preferable to increase the growth agronomic and physiological attributes of selected wheat varieties under salinity.
Ernst Cassirer in Japanese Philosophy
Authors: Lofts Steve
Published: April 2021

The primary goal of this paper is not to argue for the “influence” of Cassirer, but rather to make known the reception of Cassirer in Japanese philosophy, illustrate the interconnection between Cassirer’s critique of culture and that of Japanese philosophy, and hopefully spark interest in what might be a fruitful dialog between Cassirer scholars and those working in Japanese philosophy. Historically, the paper defines Japanese philosophy and makes known its engagement with Western philosophy and the Marburg school of neo-Kantianism and its project of a critique of culture during its own self-development. Systematically, the paper points to the possible interconnection between Cassirer’s critique of culture and that of Japanese philosophy and makes the case for a mutually productive dialog between Cassirer scholars and those working in Japanese philosophy. Implicitly, the paper attempted to show that an engagement with Japanese philosophy from the perspective of a critique of culture forces us to question the Western dichotomy between philosophy and religion and the importance of this for the further development of a non-Eurocentric critique of culture. And by extension, that a critique of culture must be cognitive of the historicity of the culture from which it speaks.
Slime control in paper mill using biological agents as biocides
Authors: Pathak Puneet , Kumar Varun , Bhardwaj Nishi Kant , Sharma Chhavi
Published: April 2021

The environmental conditions of paper mills are suitable for the growth of slime-forming microorganisms due to the supply of nutrients, favorable temperature, and moisture. The slime formation causes the spoilage of raw materials & additives, breaks in the paper during papermaking, loss of production, reduces the hygienic quality of the end products, produces off-spec and rejected products, creates microbiological corrosion, and produces harmful gases. The main microorganisms are Bacteria (mainly Bacillus spp., Achromobacter spp., Enterobacter spp., Pseudomonas spp., Clostridium, etc.), Fungi (Aspergillus, Penicillium, Saccharomyces, etc.), and Algae. Besides the use of conventional toxic chemical biocides or slimicides, slime formation can also be controlled in an eco-friendly way using enzymes, bacteriophages, biodispersants, and biocontrol agents alone or along with biocides to remove the slime. Enzymes have shown their effectiveness over conventional chemicals due to nontoxic and biodegradable nature to provide clean and sustainable technology. Globally enzymes are being used at some of the paper mills and many enzymatic products are presently being prepared and under the trail at laboratory scale. The specificity of enzymes to degrade a specific substrate is the main drawback of controlling the mixed population of microorganisms present in slime. The enzyme has the potential to provide the chemical biocide-free solution as a useful alternative in the future with the development of new technologies. Microorganisms control in the paper mill may appear as a costly offer but the cost of uncontrolled microbial growth can be much higher leading to slime production and large economic drain.
Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin method for Baer–Nunziato model with ‘simple WENO’ limiting of conservative variables
Authors: Alekseev Mikhail , Savenkov Evgeny
Published: April 2021

The work is devoted to the application of Runge–Kutta discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG) method for solving Baer–Nunziato hyperbolic model for nonequilibrium two-phase flows. The approach is based on the application of the simple WENO limiter directly to the conservative variables. Mathematical model and the corresponding numerical algorithm are described. The results of numerical simulations for 1D and 2D tests are presented and discussed.
Influence of unbroken clouds stochastic structure on the solar radiation transfer with results of Monte Carlo simulation
Authors: Kablukova Evgeniya G. , Prigarin Sergei M.
Published: April 2021

The paper is focused on construction of computational models of stratus clouds using remote sensing data and on Monte Carlo analysis of optical radiation transfer peculiarities caused by stochastic structure of clouds.
Computation of periodic solutions to models of infectious disease dynamics and immune response
Authors: Khristichenko M. Yu. , Nechepurenko Yu. M.
Published: April 2021

The paper is focused on computation of stable periodic solutions to systems of delay differential equations modelling the dynamics of infectious diseases and immune response. The method proposed here is described by an example of the well-known model of dynamics of experimental infection caused by lymphocytic choriomeningitis viruses. It includes the relaxation method for forming an approximate periodic solution, a method for estimating the approximate period of this solution based on the Fourier series expansion, and a Newton-type method for refining the approximate period and periodic solution. The results of numerical experiments are presented and discussed. The proposed method is compared to known ones.
Analysis of the predictability of stratospheric variability and climate indices based on seasonal retrospective forecasts of the INM RAS climate model
Authors: Vorobyeva Vasilisa V. , Volodin Evgenii M.
Published: April 2021

Ensemble numerical experiments for winter seasons of 1980–2014 were carried out with the use of the mathematical climate model of the Institute of Numerical Mathematics (INM) of the Russian Academy of Sciences developed initially for multi-year climate forecasts. Based on the results obtained in this research, a qualitative assessment of the reproduction of the North Atlantic (NAO) and Pacific-North American (PNA) oscillation indiceswas obtained. It was shown that the INM-CM5-0 climate model has a very high predictability of the winter NAO index and one, but not unique reason for this is the predictability of the stratospheric variability in the INM RAS model. The analysis of the quality of reproduction of the PNA index on a seasonal time scale for the INM-CM5-0 model has shown an acceptable result.
Parallel- vs. Wechselflexion im dat sg mask/neutr – Ein Erklärungsansatz zur Persistenz der Variation
Authors: Sahel Said
Published: April 2021

This paper deals with the variation of adjective inflection in nominal phrases with two consecutive adjectives in the dative singular masculine/neuter (e. g.mit größerem politischem[strong inflection]Einfluss vs. mit größerem politischen[weak inflection]Einfluss‚with greater political influence‘). Only the second adjective is affected by the variation; it can show strong or weak inflection (parallel inflection vs. alternating inflection). In Standard German, both uses coexist without any difference in meaning or function. This phenomenon is analyzed using corpus data. The focus is on the question why this variation persists almost exclusively in the dative singular masculine/neuter. After the discussion of different explanations available, a phonological approach to explain the persistence of the variation is presented. It is argued that the low phonological contrast between the strong inflection -mand its weak counterpart -nis the reason why the variation is still persistent in the dative singular masculine/neuter. The role of grammar reference works in the persistence of the concerning variation is also discussed.
Crystal structure of the new silicide LaNi11.8–11.4Si1.2–1.6
Authors: Belan Bohdana , Bednarchuk Tamara J. , Kinzhybalo Vasyl , Dzevenko Mariya , Pukas Svitlana , Gladyshevskii Roman
Published: April 2021

The intermetallic compound LaNi11.8–11.4Si1.2–1.6 was synthesized by arc-melting and its crystal structure was determined using powder and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The compound adopts the cubic CaCu6.5Al6.5-type structure (space group Fm

3
‾

$\bar{3}$

c, Pearson code cF112, Z = 8), which is a partially ordered ternary derivative of the NaZn13 type: a = 11.256(4) Å, V = 1426.1(15) Å3, R = 0.0133, wR = 0.0285 for 93 reflections with I > 2 σ(I) for LaNi11.4Si1.6; a = 11.25486(8) Å, V = 1425.68(2) Å3, R
p = 4.17%, R
wp = 5.85%, R
B = 3.44% for LaNi11.8Si1.2. One of its crystallographic positions (96i) is occupied by a mixture of Ni and Si atoms. The structure of this new silicide can be represented as a packing of Ni-centered icosahedra and La-centered snub cubes, which are packed in a CsCl-related manner.
Multimodal treatments and outcomes for anaplastic thyroid cancer before and after tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy: a real-world experience
Authors: Park Jun , Jung Hyun Ae , Shim Joon Ho , Park Woong-Yang , Kim Tae Hyuk , Lee Se-Hoon , Kim Sun Wook , Ahn Myung-Ju , Park Keunchil , Chung Jae Hoon
Published: April 2021

Background

Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) has dismal prognosis and there is no effective treatment. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy in real-world clinic and to suggest the most effective treatment modality according to the combination of treatments.

Methods

This retrospective study evaluated clinical outcomes and cause of death with multimodal treatments in patients with ATC at Samsung Medical Center.

Results

A total of 120 patients received anti-cancer treatment for ATC. Seventy-seven (64.2%) patients underwent surgery, 64 (53.3%) received radiotherapy, 29 (24.2%) received cytotoxic chemotherapy, and 19 (15.8%) received TKI therapy. In the TKI therapy group, eight achieved partial response (three with lenvatinib and five with dabrafenib plus trametinib), and two patients with lenvatinib showed stable disease. Median progression-free survival (PFS) of the TKI therapy group was 2.7 months (range: 0.1–12.7) and their median overall survival (OS) was 12.4 months (range: 1.7–47.7). Patients who received surgery or radiotherapy for local control showed superior OS than those who did not. In a multivariate analysis, surgery, TKI therapy, younger age, and no distant metastasis were associated with favorable OS. The combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and TKI therapy (median OS: 34.3 months, 6-month survival rates: 77.8%) was the most effective. Compared to the era without TKI therapy, distant metastasis has recently become the major cause of death in ATC over airway problems.

Conclusions

Multimodality treatment including TKI therapy demonstrated prolonged survival with dabrafenib plus trametinib as the most effective therapeutic option demonstrated for BRAF mutant ATC patients.
Formation of fibrin at sites of conceptus adhesion in the ewe
Authors: Matsuno Yuta , Amin Yahia A , Kusama Kazuya , Imakawa Kazuhiko
Published: April 2021

In ruminants, various molecules are involved in regulating conceptus attachment and adhesion; however, molecules that maintain the conceptus adhesion have not been well characterized. We hypothesized that conceptus must produce a molecule(s), yet uncharacterized or overlooked, which maintain conceptus adhesion to the uterine epithelium. In this study, we aimed to identify new candidate(s) in conceptus secretory proteins responsible for maintaining conceptus adhesion in sheep. We performed RNA-sequence analysis with ovine conceptuses, followed by endometria obtained from pregnant animals on day 15 (P15: pre-attachment), 17 (P17: right after attachment), and 21 (P21: post-attachment; adhesion) and iTRAQ analysis of uterine flushing on P15 and P17. To identify the proteins secreted from conceptuses, we cross-referenced the transcriptome and proteome data. These analyses identified 16 and 26 proteins as conceptus secretory proteins on P15 and P17, respectively. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the conceptus secretory proteins were enriched in those categorized to fibrinolysis and coagulation. RT-qPCR analysis verified that the expression levels of transcripts in conceptuses encoding coagulation factors, fibrinogen subunits, and fibrinolysis factors were significantly higher on P21 than on P15 or P17, which were supported by those through in situ hybridization, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Histology analysis confirmed that fibrin protein was present at the conceptus adhesion region on P21. These results suggest that in addition to the numerous adhesion molecules so far characterized, fibrin is a new candidate molecule for maintaining conceptus adhesion for pregnancy continuation in ruminants.
Improving IT Service Management in Customer Service Business: A Case Study
Authors: Žilinskienė Inga , Norkus Justinas
Published: April 2021

Organisations that provide information technology services mostly set goals for improving the quality and management of services. The ability to remain competitive is one of the most critical factors in any modern organisation's success. For business processes to be successful, it is necessary to rely on rational and well-thought-out solutions. In many cases, data-based solutions create conditions to avoid or reduce significant risks. The article examines the possibilities of applying IT processes to improve customer service and presents its improvement outcomes. Customer satisfaction with the services provided is directly correlated with the quality of services. The research investigates and empirically evaluates the existing IT incident management processes of the selected company and provides opportunities for their improvement. After analysing incident management processes in the selected company, an improvement of the incident management processes was presented to eliminate the identified deficiencies. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvements. The results obtained show that the improved process had a statistically significant positive impact on improving the customer service quality. Therefore, it can be stated that the implemented changes are effective and useful in the context of the company's operations.
Beethoven’s Symphonies in the Musical Life of Nineteenth-Century Laibach
Authors: Bogunović Hočevar Katarina
Published: April 2021

Nineteenth-century concert life in Laibach (Ljubljana), capital of the Habsburg Carniola, was shaped and led by the local Philharmonic Society. Until the establishment of the Musical Society in 1872, it was the only musical institution in Carniola. Even after the establishment of the Musical Society, the Philharmonics remained the principal and representative leader of concert life. In the mid-nineteenth century, the main European centers had their own operatic and concert civil orchestras, however, Laibach did not have a concert symphony orchestra. In order to lead and perform regular symphonic concerts, the Philharmonic Society had to hire musicians from the military chapel, which also collaborated with the Opera and, at the end of the nineteenth century, participated in the concerts of the Music Society. The history of the Philharmonics exhibits not only a rich tradition but also illustrates the program endeavors of the artistic leaders, the musical trends of the time and social circumstances, which sometimes encouraged and at other times hindered its work. The first preserved program notes indicate that at that time (1816) challenging symphonic works were already played and in this regard Beethoven’s role was evident. In 1808 the Society already attempted to elect Beethoven as an honorary member of the society, but this happened only in 1819. A year before the local premiere of his Symphony No. 6, and for this opportunity, the composer sent a manuscript with his own corrections. Until then his Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 7 and probably 4 were already performed there. The program notes of the Society indicate that Beethoven’s works were played at least (but usually more than) once in a season. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the appeal and the interest in the composer’s creative output grew even stronger, alongside the appreciation of the memory of the composer. It is also significant to note that his chamber works became regularly performed in the chamber concerts of the Philharmonics. Even though from the very beginning the composer’s overtures had a stable and regular place within the repertoire, the first full performance of his Symphony No. 9 took place only in 1902 (the first three movements were already performed a decade earlier).
Untying the “Musical Sphinx:” Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Nineteenth-Century Pest-Buda
Authors: Horváth Pál
Published: April 2021

It is well known that Beethoven’s Ninth was followed by a temporary crisis in the genre of the symphony: the next generation found it difficult to get away from the shadow of this monumental piece. The Ninth was first performed in Hungary in 1865, more than 40 years after the world-premiere. We should add, however, that during the first half of the nineteenth century, no professional symphonic orchestra and choir existed in Pest-Buda that would have coped with the task. Although the Hungarian public was able to hear some of Beethoven’s symphonies already by the 1830s – mainly thanks to the Musical Association of Pest-Buda – in many cases only fragments of symphonies were performed. The Orchestra of the Philharmonic Society, founded in 1853, was meant to compensate for the lack of symphonic concerts. This paper is about the performances of Beethoven’s symphonies in Pest-Buda in the nineteenth century, and it especially it focuses on the reception of Symphony No. 9 in the Hungarian press, which cannot be understood without taking into consideration the influence of the Neudeutsche Schule (New German School).
The Memory About Skopje and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9
Authors: Papazova Julijana
Published: April 2021

In 2013, the International Skopje Summer Festival (founded in 1980) was traditionally opened on June 21, the World Day of Music, with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. The opening ceremony had a symbolic message: the performance of the symphony marked the 50th anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Skopje in 1963. This musical event was the starting-point of the research which is aimed at presenting a contemporary redefinition of Beethoven’s musical legacy and to analyze the meaning of the composition in the context of memory about a particular urban environment. At the same time the primary topic for analysis was expanded with the recent cultural-political project titled “Skopje 2014,” realized in the last decade, with purpose to obtain a more dynamical level of discussion that marks the relationship between music and memory in the urban history of Skopje.
From Propagandistic Exploitation to Post-Communist Sensationalism: Beethoven Reception in Twentieth- and Twenty-First-Century Romania
Authors: Popa Florinela
Published: April 2021

This paper mainly investigates the way Beethoven’s image was turned, during the totalitarian political regimes of twentieth-century Romania, into a tool of propaganda. Two such ideological annexations are striking: one took place in the period when Romania, as Germany’s ally during World War II and led by Marshall Ion Antonescu, who was loyal to Adolf Hitler, to a certain extent copied the Nazi model (1940–1944); the other, much longer, began when Communists took power in 1947 and lasted until 1989, with some inevitable continuations. The beginnings of contemporary Romanian capitalism in the 1990s brought, in addition to an attempt to depoliticize Beethoven by means of professional, responsible musicological enquiries, no longer grounded in Fascist or Communist ideologies, another type of approach: sensationalist, related to the “identification” of some of Beethoven’s love interests who reportedly lived on the territory of present-day Romania.
Accountability of the media as seen by Spanish citizens
Authors: Suárez-Villegas Juan-Carlos , Rodríguez-Martínez Ruth , Díaz-Campo Jesús
Published: April 2021

This article analyses the opinions of citizens on the core values of the so-called Media accountability: truthfulness, independence, transparency, public participation and respect for peoples’ rights. It also analyses citizens’ perceptions of various deontological instruments to measure the effectiveness of compliance with these ethical values. The qualitative methodology used to carry out this analysis is part of the R+D+I research project “Accountability and Journalistic Cultures project in Spain. Impact and proposal of good practices in the Spanish media” (MediaACES), which has been achieved through six focus groups in different Spanish cities. The results of the analysis reflect the critical spirit of citizens towards the media due to the following factors: the absence of objectivity, the mixture of economic interests with their editorial line and an ambiguous participation of the public, which requires a better definition of their role within the information process. The conclusions derived from this analysis allow us to reflect on several aspects: among others, the competition in a deregulated market leads to infotainment and affects the quality of information, as well as the rights of people affected by the news. At the same time, the excess of information channels leads to greater disinformation, under the appearance of a spontaneous pluralism that is superfluous. Ethics, therefore, seems to be a necessary requirement to differentiate professional journalism from other inappropriate information channels and to guarantee the right to information of citizens.
From the handshake to the kiss: Visual motifs of affect in representations of politics in the Spanish press
Authors: Salvadó Alan , Oliva Mercè , Tedesco-Barlocco Brunella
Published: April 2021

In the last few years, affect has entered the field of politics through both the media and political actors themselves. This article is based on the hypothesis that the images of affect that illustrate contemporary political narratives in the media reflect different visual motifs which are linked to an iconographic tradition that began in the art world. Through the iconographic analysis of images published in the three newspapers in Spain with the largest general readership (El País, El Mundo, and La Vanguardia) from 2011 to 2017, this article identifies three visual motifs of affect: the handshake, the hug, and the kiss. The study of these motifs highlights the survival of certain forms of emotion that are easily recognisable and engage with a longstanding iconographic tradition. At the same time, the article inquiries into the meanings derived from these iconographies and their implications on the representation of politics and of political leaders. The proliferation of motifs of affect in politics then connects with both the mediatisation of politics and an affective turn, which invites us to re-examine the role of emotion in the contemporary public sphere.
Scientific power in the Spanish press during the pandemic: a portrait of new leaders while explaining its risk
Authors: Iranzo-Cabrera María , López-García Guillermo
Published: April 2021

This work is based on the mediatisation of society theory, which establishes more attached importance and the presence of the mass media as mediators in various social processes, as well as on Production Studies, that analyse creative skills to draw an audience, to apply these theories to the media representation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective is to analyse how the generalist media have represented male/female scientists, who have become social benchmarks during the first COVID-19 wave in Spain. Our initial hypothesis considers that the purpose of the mediatisation of scientific discourse was to contribute answers to, and to keep society calm, in an uncertainty context. By content and discourse analyses with a sample formed by 172 pieces of work published between 25 January and 5 July 2020 in four Spanish digital newspapers, we observed how these specialists not only became the usual sources of journalistic information but were also the main leading figures in them. The mass media pay attention to their statements, but also to their aesthetics and communication style, which are singular compared to conventional power to date. Science enters the national section with its own image and explanatory intentionality. Nonetheless, constant overexposure and its link with governments making controversial decisions influence the image held by the public opinion of scientists with time, which dissociates them from its knowledge and identifies them with political power.
Pandemic/Screen. The visual motif of police violence in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Alarcón-Zayas Violeta , Bouhaben Miguel-Alfonso
Published: April 2021

In the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, various forms of digital surveillance have been globally, established. Despite many of these forms of surveillance already existed, now, they have increased their range and have been legitimized and imposed daily. The logic of surveillance has allowed the universalization of surveillance, denunciation between citizens, and protests through mobile phone screens and social networks. In this state of exception, crossed by the rise of vigilantism, we propose to analyze the visual motif of police brutality in public spaces during the confinement. We will base the analysis on three categories of subjective enunciation: a witness-gaze, where the observer remains silent, recording the image; a protest-gaze, in which the observer reproaches the police for their violent action; and a lynching-gaze, where, on the contrary, the observer encourages police brutality and denounces the subject who transgresses confinement and goes for a walk on public roads. These types of gaze will allow us to demonstrate a settlement in the popular imagination of trust in the use of digital technologies and media to empower citizens in political and social praxis, and citizen journalism.
Images and visual motifs of Spanish economic power: the IBEX court and the banking crisis (2011–2013)
Authors: Garin Manuel , Fernández Ana-Aitana
Published: April 2021

The media help to construct the visual and iconographic imagery of economic power in the dialectical tension between what they show and what they leave out of view. Images such as unemployment queues, graphs, and portraits of the powerful appear assiduously on the front pages of the press, revealing different visual motifs essential to understanding the narrative of the economy, with its inheritances, mutations and hierarchies, which point to its relationship with other spheres of power such as the monarchy or politics. This article attempts to decipher the codes of visual representation of the economic sphere in Spain through the qualitative analysis of front-page photographs published in El País, El Mundo and La Vanguardia from 2011 to 2013, a period marked by the banking and financial crisis, civil protests, or the judicial prosecution of figures such as Rodrigo Rato. The methodology used combines visual analysis and comparative iconography with theoretical foundations of social semiotics and visual communication, as well as interviews with photojournalists and chiefs of staff. Finally, the results conclude that both economic leaders and the media codify their photographs using specific visual motifs to project a distant and proactive image of the banking elite, which is only disrupted when previously revered figures of the economic elite fall from grace in corruption cases. And also, that in the dialectic of the visible and the invisible of economic power there are hidden historical moments that can never be photographed.
Legitimation of hate and political violence through memetic images: the Bolsonaro campaign
Authors: Fernández-Villanueva Concepción , Bayarri-Toscano Gabriel
Published: April 2021

The federal elections were held in Brazil in 2018. The ballot resulted in a victory for the far-right candidate, Jair Messias Bolsonaro. The question that arose after the victory of the far-right was: How could this have happened? One of the instruments that undoubtedly contributed to this unexpected victory was a peculiar aspect of his political campaign: memetic communication. Through the use of memes in the social media (above all WhatsApp), Bolsonaro’s project transformed these violent discourses against political opponents, feminism, racialised persons and poverty into a series of discourses legitimised through humour and irony. It was a simplification through the memes affecting the static system of cognitive and metaphorical frameworks. During the pre-election period in 2018, we carried out digital ethnographic research in the WhatsApp groups of supporters of Bolsonaro’s project (“Bolsonarism”). In this period, we collected a sample of 132 memes belonging to WhatsApp groups composed of up to 256 members, who did not know each other and were geographically dispersed. The analysis we carried out demonstrates the trivialisation and legitimisation of violence against political opponents and other social groups. Much of this legitimisation was camouflaged under the mask of supposed humour and irony, which in reality was insulting, prejudicial and dehumanising.
Les premières épitaphes dans la vallée de l’Ebre : retour sur la mort de Bucco, fils d’Eusadansis (ERZ 34)
Authors: Sergues Víctor
Published: April 2021

Cet article est la révision d’une inscription funéraire romaine remployée comme bloc de construction à Sofuentes (Saragosse). Les données épigraphiques, onomastiques et tracéologiques permettent de restituer ce monument et de le situer dans son contexte : celui de l’apparition des premières épitaphes latines populaires en Hispanie citérieure, qui sont le résultat de mutations socio–culturelles
Assessment of the capabilities of orbital optical devices for obtaining information about space objects
Authors: Prorok Valeriy , Karytko Anatoliy , Goryanskiy Alexander , Emelyanova Ekaterina
Published: April 2021

The purpose of the study is to select the optimal conditions for collecting non-coordinate information about a spacecraft by a space optical-electronic means at the time objects pass the vicinity of the points of the minimum distance between their orbits. The quantitative indicator is proposed that characterize the measure of the possibility of obtaining non-coordinate information about space objects with the required level of quality. The arguments of the function characterizing the indicator are the distance between spacecraft; their relative speed; phase angle of illumination of a spacecraft by the Sun in relation to the optical-electronic means; the length of the time interval during which both objects are in the vicinity of the point of a minimum distance between their orbits. The value of the indicator is computed by solving three particular research problems.

The first task is to search for neighborhoods that include the minimum distances between the orbits of the controlled spacecraft and optical-electronic means. To solve it, a fast algorithm for calculating the minimum distance between orbits used. Additionally, the drift of the found neighborhoods is taken into account on the time interval up to 60 hours.

The second task is to estimate the characteristics of motion and the conditions of optical visibility of a controlled spacecraft in the vicinity of the minimum points of the distance between the orbits of spacecraft. The solution to this problem is carried out by using the SGP4 library of space objects motion forecast.

The third task is justification and calculation of an index characterizing the measure of the possibility of obtaining an optical image of a spacecraft for given conditions of optical visibility. To solve the problem, the developed system of fuzzy inference rules and the Mamdani algorithm is used.

The presented method is implemented as a program. In the course of a computational experiment, an assessment was made of the possibility of obtaining non-coordinate information on low-orbit and geostationary space objects. The proposed indicator provides an increase in the efficiency of the procedure for collecting non-coordinate information about space objects by choosing the most informative alternatives for monitoring space objects from the available set of possible observations at a given planning interval for collecting information about space objects.
Depoimento Especial a partir de Opiniões de Psicólogos Brasileiros Atuantes nessa Prática
Authors: Sanson Janaina Alessandra da Silva , Hohendorff Jean Von
Published: April 2021

Resumo O Depoimento Especial (DE) é uma prática de oitiva de crianças e adolescentes no âmbito judiciário, normalmente acompanhado por psicólogos. Objetivou-se conhecer opiniões de psicólogos brasileiros que atuavam no DE sobre essa prática. Foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa exploratória transversal on-line, por meio de ferramentas digitais (e.g., Skype, Whatsapp). Dez psicólogos brasileiros, de seis diferentes estados, atuantes no DE, responderam a uma ficha de dados sociodemográficos e a uma entrevista semiestruturada. As entrevistas foram estudadas a partir da análise temática. Evidenciaram-se seis temas, sendo eles: papel profissional, trabalho interdisciplinar, sentimentos, agilidade, proteção e legislação. Tomados em conjunto, esses temas indicam o DE como ágil e protetivo para as crianças e adolescentes vítimas de violência sexual, salientando possíveis desafios à sua efetivação. Os resultados obtidos possibilitam maior conhecimento sobre a prática do DE e podem ser utilizados em futuras revisões dessa prática.
Mass Loss of Platinum-Rhodium Thermocouple Wires at 1324°C
Authors: Uthayakumaar Sivahami , Davidson Stuart , Pearce Jonathan
Published: April 2021

It is known that platinum-rhodium thermocouples exhibit mass loss when in the presence of oxygen at high temperatures due to the formation of volatile oxides of platinum and rhodium. The mass losses of platinum, Pt-6%Rh and Pt-30%Rh wires, commonly used for thermocouples, were considered in this paper to characterise the mass loss of wires of the three compositions due to formation and evaporation of the oxides PtO2and RhO2under the conditions that would be seen by thermocouples used at high temperature. For the tests, the wires were placed in thin alumina tubes to emulate the thermocouple format, and the measurements were performed in air at a temperature of 1324°C, i.e. with oxygen partial pressure of 21.3 kPa. It was found that the mass loss of the three wires increases linearly with elapsed time, consistent with other investigations, up to an elapsed time of about 150 h, but after that, a marked acceleration of the mass loss is observed. Remarkably, previous high precision studies have shown that a crossover after about 150 h at 1324°C is also observed in the thermoelectric drift of a wide range of platinum-rhodium thermocouples, and the current results are compared with those studies. The mass loss was greatest for Pt-30%Rh, followed by Pt6%Rh, then platinum.
A Cadaveric study on Rectus Sternalis muscle and its clinical significance in Western part of Tamilnadu state (Kongunadu region)
Authors:   Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India., Vijaianand M  , Sakthivel M  ,   Tutor, Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India., Jeevamani Sheela  Grace ,   Professor and Head, Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India., Anasuya D Geeta ,   Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, KMCH Institute of Health Sciences and Research, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India.
Published: April 2021

Background: Rectus sternalis is considered as an unusual accessory or supernumerary muscle which appears either unilateral or bilateral in the anterior thoracic wall of human beings. It varies in length, breadth, thickness and incidence among different races and in both sexes. Regarding its origin and insertion still a clear conclusion has not been reached because some authors says it originates and ascends for insertion while some of them opines it originates and descends for insertion. Clinically, its presence also leads to false diagnosis such as Breast tumours, lipoma etc. Aim of the study: To find out the presence of Rectus sternalis muscle in the anterior chest wall during routine dissection. Materials and Methods: 37 well embalmed and preserved cadavers of both sexes which is used for routine dissection to Phase-I MBBS students were taken into condideration. The pectoral region on either side of sternum was dissected in layers and visualised for the presence of Rectus sternalis. Results: Among 37 cadavers dissected, Rectus sternalis was found in the pectoral region of a male and a female cadaver. In male it appeared bilateral, whereas in female it is unilateral. In both the cases it lie superficial to pectoralis major. Conclusion: The incidence of Rectus sternalis reported from our study was 5.4%. In the earlier days it lead to misdiagnosis and made great challenge to radiologists and surgeons, but now-a days with advancement in imaging techniques its presence can be detected clearly thus avoiding unnecessary expenditure and invitro techniques. Clinically it is also used as pedicle flap in breast reconstructive surgeries. KEY WORDS: Cadaver, Dissection, Pectoral region, Rectus sternalis, sternocleidomastoid.
Gender Differences in Smoking Behaviour: Analysing the Changes for the 2008-2014 Period in Turkey
Authors: BAŞAR Dilek , ÖZTÜRK Selcen , ARA AKSOY Shihomi
Published: April 2021

The motivations and reasons for smoking initiation, continuation, and cessation for women are different from men. This paper investigates the differences in smoking rate and intensity by gender in Turkey from 2008 to 2014. The results indicate significant differences in the decision to smoke and how much to smoke by gender. Results further indicate that the positive effects of the anti-smoking policies are fading away over time. Especially for women, the smoking and consumption levels are higher in 2014 than in 2008. This study argues that policies designed to combat the initialization and the intensity of smoking should account for the behavioural differences observed across genders.
Relationship between Political and Financial Risks in Turkey: Evidence from Fourier Cointegration Analysis Regarding Institutional Structures
Authors: ÇİÇEN Yıldırım Beyazıt
Published: April 2021

Institutional structure and quality of management are the main elements that form the political risks. Political threats are directly linked to the institutional structure and the institutional design. Political risks increase if the government mechanisms fail. Increasing institutional quality reduces the political risks and positively impacts the financial risks. Monthly data from different indices are used to analyse the relationship between Turkey's political risks and financial risks between 2002 and 2015. According to the Fourier analysis of cointegration, there is a long-term relationship between the political and financial risks. Besides, as per the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) findings and the Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) models, an increase in the political risk increases the financial risk.
Kayıt Dışı İstihdama Neden Olan Faktörlerin DEMATEL Tabanlı Analitik Ağ Süreci Yöntemi ile Değerlendirilmesi
Authors: KOCA Gözde , EĞİLMEZ Özüm , GÜLER Suna
Published: April 2021

Uzun yıllardır kayıt dışı istihdam Türkiye’nin önemli sorunlarından biridir. Özellikle de son yıllarda bu sorunun önlenmesi / azaltılması için çeşitli yaptırımlar ve teşvikler uygulanmaya başlanmıştır. Bu çalışmada kayıt dışı istihdama neden olan faktörler, ÇKKV (Çok Kriterli Karar Verme) yöntemleri ile Sosyal Güvenlik Kurumu’nda kayıt dışı istihdamla mücadele eden beş sosyal güvenlik denetmeninin uzman görüşüne başvurularak incelenmiştir. Yöntem olarak faktörlerin birbirleri ile olan ilişkilerini belirleyen DEMATEL (The Decision Making Experiment and Evaluation Laboratory) ile bu ilişkileri kullanarak faktörleri ağırlıklandıran Analitik Ağ Süreci (AAS) kullanılmıştır. Kayıt dışı istihdama yol açan makro faktörlerden “ekonomik faktörler” en önemli ana faktör; “işsizlik” en önemli faktör olarak belirlenmiştir.
Dış Ticaret Verileri İçin Kümeleme Analizi: Türkiye, Azerbaycan ve Kazakistan Örneği
Authors: ÇILGIN Cihan , KURT Aslı Seda
Published: April 2021

Dış ticaret refahın en önemli kaynaklarından biridir. Ülkelerin nüfusları, kişi başına düşen gelir düzeyleri, ülkeler arasındaki uzaklık gibi faktörler ise dış ticaretin önemli belirleyenlerindendir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye ve Türk Cumhuriyetleri’nin ihracat ve ithalata ilişkin 2017 yılına ait veri setlerini, dış ticaretin temel belirleyenlerini de dikkate alarak kümelemektir. Çalışmada Türkiye’nin yanı sıra veri seti açısından uygun durumda bulunan Kazakistan ve Azerbaycan ülkeleri dikkate alınmıştır. Çalışmanın amacı doğrultusunda K-ortalama, Ward hiyerarşik kümeleme ve kendi kendini düzenleyen haritalar yöntemlerinden yararlanılmıştır. Uygulama sonuçları, ele alınan ülkelerin ihracat ve ithalatındaki kümelere ilişkin detaylı tespitler sunmaktadır.
Investigating Invalid DOIs in COCI v1
Authors: Shahidzadeh Nooshin , Cioffi Alessia , Moretti Arianna , Coppini Sara
Published: April 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to find the publishers responsible for the missing citations in COCI (the OpenCitations Index of Crossref open DOI-to-DOI citations) by sending incorrect metadata to Crossref, the publishers to whom such invalid citations point to, and the number of previously invalid citations which are currently valid. Study design/methodologyIn order to find the invalid citations, we use an already generated CSV file, containing the DOIs of invalid citations and their correct form, which is available online. These DOIs along with the COCI REST API can lead us to the responsible and referenced publishers. FindingsWe found for each individual publisher 1) the number of incorrect given citations metadata sent, and 2) the number of invalid citations received. We also extracted the total number of invalid citations that have since been corrected. Originality/valueThe results of this research may point us to publishers who generally send out incorrect citation metadata and, inversely, those who generally receive invalid citations. These findings can first of all raise awareness of the accuracy of certain publishing houses in managing their metadata (or lack thereof). Moreover, finding these trends and showcasing the labor of the corrections may lead to increasingly valid citations if the proper measures are taken. Research limitations/implicationsBased on the available data for the COCI, there may be a slight bias in our sample, causing some publishers to be incorrectly represented.
Is seminal pH and liquefaction time effective on motility and morphology?
Authors: DEMİRKOL Mehmet Kutlu , RESİM Sefa , TEMİZ Neslihan , HAMARAT Mustafa Bilal , BARUT Osman
Published: April 2021

Objective

There are not enough reports about whether liquefaction time and semen pH values are related to sperm functions. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether there is a relationship between pH and liquefaction time and major semen parameters.

Material and Methods

The data were divided into groups as normal and abnormal and compared in terms of pH and liquefaction times. The samples were also grouped according to semen pH as acidic (8.0) and liquefaction time as normal liquefying (≤30 min.) and slow liquefying (> 30 min.), and then were compared in terms of the normal/abnormal status of concentration, motility and morphology.

Results

Of the 600 semen samples, 400 (66.7%) were grouped as abnormal and 200 (33.3%) as normal. The median pH and liquefaction time of the abnormal group were statistically higher than the normal group (both, p