bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Properties of African Mahogany Wood Commercially Available in the United States
Authors: França Tamara S.F.A. , França Frederico J.N. , Arango Rachel A. , Costa Adriana , Ogunruku Mercy
Published: January 2024

The wood of African mahogany (Khaya spp.) is known for its high quality and similarity to the more expensive Brazilian mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla King). Interest in African mahogany has been increasing because of the reduced availability of native Brazilian mahogany, which has become illegal to harvest. Most African mahogany comes from managed plantations, so the increased consumption of this wood helps to alleviate issues related to illegal harvesting by reducing the trade of Brazilian mahogany. African mahogany has also been gaining popularity in the United States, particularly for use in the wood flooring market. However, there is lack of technical information on the properties of African mahogany material available in the US market, therefore, the objective of this work was to describe anatomical features, evaluate physical–mechanical properties and examine natural resistance of African mahogany wood that is commercially available in the US market. The results of this research provides an increase in knowledge on African mahogany wood properties, natural resistance, and provides technical information that is needed by industry.
Microplastics in Lagoon Ecosystems: A Review on Occurrence and Methods for Microplastic Detection
Authors: Athukorala Ashini , Amarathunga A.A.D. , De Silva D.S.M. , Bakir Adil , McGoran Alex , Sivyer Dave , De Silva R.C.L
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Lagoons are known to act as a source and a sink of microplastics in the environment. The extent of their occurrence is, however, still largely unknown. This study reports available scientific evidence on the occurrence and abundance of microplastic in lagoon ecosystems, globally. This study identified knowledge gaps as well as recommendations to overcome barriers for an effective emerging pollution management. Microplastics of various shapes, polymer types, colours and sizes have been recorded in water, sediments and biota in different lagoon environments. Sampling processing methods and differences in reporting units across different studies make it difficult to create a general picture of the current state of knowledge. This review concluded that most of the studies were mainly focused on the occurrence and fate of microplastics in water, sediment and biota of the lagoon ecosystems with a lack of studies investigating the uptake of microplastics by humans and its risks.
Holding onto Power: The Film Industry’s Stratification in the Digital Age
Authors: Nassiri Hamidreza
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: Iranian cinema scholars argue that digital production has given filmmakers the opportunity to gain independence from the state’s supervision and resource control. Using Bourdieu’s theory of capital, this article argues that the state used its economic, social, and cultural capital to challenge the film industry’s democratization. Utilizing its continued and newly gained advantages over independent producers, the state made big-budget VFX-based movies (called fakher films) and distinguished its cultural productions from independent films. In the process, the state expanded structural inequalities in the industry in favor of its own productions and laid the groundwork for further stratification to strengthen its cultural dominance.
Is Kingdom Hearts a JRPG? The Racialized Labor of a Japanese Anti-auteur’s Disney-Licensed Videogame
Authors: Wong K. T.
Published: January 2024

ABSTRACT: The premise of Kingdom Hearts (2002), a Japanese role-playing game (JRPG) produced by Square that features Disney characters, led fans to question the game’s genre and reveals the tenuous connection between JRPG and the Japanese racial identity. The irony that Kingdom Hearts both inspires doubts about the Japanese-ness of JRPG and is widely associated with the Japanese auteur Tetsuya Nomura alludes to the industrial structure that deracinates JRPGs to render them exportable. This article elucidates the racialized labor behind Kingdom Hearts by reading Nomura as an anti-auteur who subverted Disney’s control to make a game that aligns with Square’s brand of JRPG.
From Blood Quantum to Liquid Gold: Black Creeks and Oklahoma’s First Resource Curse
Authors: Cobb Russell
Published: January 2024

Abstract: This article investigates one of the most litigated and controversial court cases over Dawes enrollments in Oklahoma history from the perspective of Sally Atkins (1855–1924). Atkins, born into slavery in Missouri, married into an estelvste (African Creek) family in Indian Territory after the Civil War. Atkins migrated to Canada following statehood but was drawn back to Oklahoma by 1917. She believed her son, Tommy, to be the rightful allottee of one quarter section of the Cushing-Drumright Oilfield, the richest oilfield in the nation at the time. This claim drew Atkins into conflict with some of the most powerful oilmen in the state, who believed that another woman—a “full-blood” Muscogee—was Tommy’s mother. Who was the real mother of Tommy? State and federal officials, along with newspaper reporters, adjudicated the case based on their preconceived notions of race and “blood” in Indian Country, leading to confounding conclusions about racial categories, mineral wealth, and kinship. Many of these notions were then codified into state laws in Oklahoma. In this article, I untangle the shifting notions of bloodlines and property rights to show how the bureaucratic imperialism of the Dawes Commission fixed white supremacist notions of race for people recognized as “Black” in Indian Territory.
Squib: The Phonetic Nature of PAN *j
Authors: Sagar Laurent
Published: January 2024

This paper brings evidence from Campidanese Sardinian and other languages to support and refine the author’s earlier proposal that Proto-Austronesian *j was a palatal nasal whose modern reflexes arose through an episode of palatal glide fortition. It clarifies the evolution of *j in Formosan, responds to some criticisms, and details the circumstances leading to the loss of the nasal component after glide fortition. It concludes that where an alveolar or palatal nasal is in correspondence with [g], [ ɟ], or [d], the default historical interpretation is
of the nasal.
Error propagation in the Abel hill inverse problem
Authors: Kincanon Eric
Published: January 2024

Abel’s Hill considers the problem of how to determine the shape of the hill from information on the return time of a rolled ball. Though this problem has been solved for piecewise monotonic functions, the issue of error propagation has not been addressed. This paper considers how errors in time measurement correlate to errors in determining the shape of the hill.
Proximal Point Algorithm for Nonexpansive Mappings in Hadamard Spaces Based on SRJ Iteration Process
Authors: Dashputre Samir , Tiwari Rakesh , Shrivas Jaynendra
Published: January 2024

In this paper, We provide a new modified proximal point approach utilizing fixed point iterates of nonexpansive mappings in Hadamard space and show that the sequence created by our iterative process converges to a minimizer of a convex function and a fixed point of mappings. Finally, we present a numerical illustration for supporting our main result. Our results obtained in this paper improve, extend and unify results of Khan-Abbas [23], Cholamjiak et al. [10] and Dashputre et al. [11].
Closure condition of a function by the Newton-Raphson method
Authors: Pereira da Silva Jizreel
Published: January 2024

The work was developed with the purpose of briefly presenting the Newton-Raphson method for the calculation of real roots of equations. The objective was to present an experiment that would consolidate with the study in simulation format to apply the concepts developed through the root isolation procedures, definition of the initial value by the appropriate interval, as well as in the stopping criteria, by the ge-ometric observation of the tangent line of the graphs and the iteration processes, approximating the values of the reality of the zeros of the function. We also discuss the possible flaws of the simulation system presented, given the rules of the method used.
Extraction of Flavonoids from Flavedo Layers of Citrus Fruits Peels and its Expected Anti-Diabetic and Psychological Significance; a Biochemical and Family Medicine Overview
Authors: M. I Abdelgadir , H.M Suliman
Published: January 2024

This study was aimed at the Extraction of Flavonoids from Albedo layers of citrus fruits peels and its expected anti-diabetic significance. Lemon (Citrus limon) is the third most important species of citrus after orange and mandarin. Flavedo is the peel’s outer layer. It is a rich source of essential oils. Albedo extract was separated. Study results clearly showed the presence (p ≤ 0.05) of flavonoids in Albedo citrus layers; peel > pulp > seeds. Flavonoids are the major constituents of dry citrus fruits as well as citrus peels. Citrus fruit prevents free radical generation and reduces homocysteine level; it also possesses anti-carcinogenic, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory properties. Flavonoids applications in medicinal chemistry includes anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral properties. They also have neuroprotective and cardio-protective effects.
Expected adverse health influences due to exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) and its environmental outcomes using Wistar rats as experimental animals
Authors: M. I Abdelgadir , F. I Omer , M. A Omer , ElGeed B. A Awad , MM Hassan.
Published: January 2024

A sum of 32 Wistar rats were divided into four equal groups, each containing 8 rats. Study animals were freely subject to normal rodent diet and tap water. One group was put as control. The applied agents were exposed to glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH-400 mg kg–1) GSH (nmol g–1 tissue), (GBH-600 mg kg–1) GSH (nmol g–1 tissue) and (GBH-850 mg kg–1) GSH (nmol g–1 tissue) once per day as oral gavage for 6 weeks. Study results clearly revealed that (GBH) significantly (p≤0.05) decreased the levels of GSH in liver, kidney, and brain tissues, due to many reasons including poor diet, chronic disease, infection and constant stress, besides aging. Biological negative influences of glyphosate herbicide through the scientific community, including government and non-government organizations have increased their interest in detecting and controlling the environmental agents responsible for damages to the human health and sustainability of the ecosystems.
Zebrafish, a model organism
Authors: Bourin Michel
Published: January 2024

Zebrafish, a model organism
On the light deflection and perihelion precession by BBMB black holes in HPM approximation
Authors: Shchigolev Victor Konstantinovich
Published: January 2024

In this paper, the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is applied for calculating the weak deflection angle and the perihelion precession angle of planetary orbits in the gravitational field of Bocharova-Bronnikov-Melnikov-Bekenstein (BBMB) black hole. Follow the procedure of HPM, we obtain the approximate solutions for the null and time-like geodesics in the gravitational field of BBMB black hole. On the basis of these solutions and the general formulae for the angle of deflection and the perihelion precession angle, derived by the author earlier via HPM, the corresponding angles for the BBMB black hole are obtained and compared with the similar angles in Schwarzschild spacetime. Notably that if the deflection angle obtained in this article using the HPM confirms the results of other researchers, then the perihelion precession angle obtained here for the first time can be compared with those known for a classical non-rotating static black hole.
The Scottish Parliament and the Monarchy in the Context of Absentee Monarchy and the Anglo-Scottish Dynastic Union, 1603-1707
Authors: Young John R.
Published: January 2024

The 1603 Union of the Crowns marked a diplomatic, dynastic and political triumph for the Scottish royal family, the House of Stewart. James VI, King of Scotland, succeeded Elizabeth I as the monarch of England as James I of England. The Anglo-Scottish dynastic union came into existence, but Scotland and England remained independent kingdoms with their own respective institutional infrastructures. The mother of James VI, Mary, Queen of Scots, had a strong dynastic claim to succeed to the English throne instead of Elizabeth I and she remained a perennial thorn in the side of the English body politic until her execution in England in 1587. Her stubborn adherence  to her devout personal Catholicism, her legitimate right to succeed to the English throne in the eyes of many English Catholics and Catholic Spain, and her perceived involvement in international Catholic plots to assassinate Elizabeth ultimately ensured that her removal as a political and dynastic threat could only be implemented by her execution. What took place in 1603, therefore, was a Stewart succession in England, but this was a Protestant male succession as opposed to a Catholic female succession.
"Caesarism without Caesars": Representation, Autonomy and the Democratization of the Law in the Late Habsburg Empire
Authors: Douglass Larissa
Published: January 2024

In The Question of Nationalities and Social Democracy (1907), Otto Bauer sought to reconcile nationalism and socialism while anticipating the introduction of universal suffrage in Austria. To this end, he referred to Friedrich Naumann’s suggestion that imperial sovereignty could be wedded to the power of the people through the concept of “Caesarism.” Caesarism, a fairly well-known idea by the early twentieth century, has been most simply defined as imperial monarchical authoritarianism or as a military dictatorship. However, Caesarism also possessed debatable democratic qualities. Scholars and theorists ranging from Theodor Mommsen to Oswald Spengler to Max Weber defined and redefined Caesarism. Weber particularly associated Bismarck’s role in German politics with classic characteristics of Caesarism. The latter included: a charismatic leader; a broadening of suffrage and growth of mass politics; plebiscitary elections paradoxically combined with a weak parliament and courts; legislation passed by emergency decree; and daily governance managed by a bureaucracy, concealed behind the legitimacy of the imperial leader or monarch. Following Naumann, Bauer defined Caesarism as “the alliance of the old imperial power resting on the force of arms with the force of ... universal suffrage and national freedom.”
...
this article explores connections Austria-Hungary’s Cisleithanian bureaucrats and parliamentarians drew between suffrage reform and federalism. With reference to their studies and proposals, I argue here that democratization via broadened representation in fact sparked a two-tiered decentralization and centralization of the state along lines respectively determined by national and ‘sub-national’ aspects of citizens’ identities. To locate the causal connections between democratic representation and federalism, I define representation as a legal association between identity and state power.
Liechtensteins Weg vom Konstitutionalismus zum Dualismus - Die Aufwertung des Landtags mit der Verfassung von 1921
Authors: Quaderer Rupert
Published: January 2024

Unter Fürst Johann I. wurde Liechtenstein 1806 von Napoleon in den Rheinbund (1806-1813) aufgenommen und erlangte dadurch die Souveränität. Die von Johann I. erlassenen Dienstinstruktionen von 1808 bewirkten durch ihre österreichisch-josefinische Ausrichtung einen Umsturz von oben. Das Fürstentum galt als Objekt des obrigkeitlichen Willens, und die gesamte Staatsgewalt wurde in der Person des Fürsten vereinigt. Die Regierungsgeschäfte wurden durch das Oberamt im Auftrage des Fürsten ausgeübt. Das Oberamt setzte sich aus Landvogt (ab 1848 Landesverweser), Rentmeister und Landschreiber zusammen. Die Mitglieder des Oberamtes wurden vom Fürsten ernannt. Bis 1921 wurden als Landvogt/Landesverweser ausschliesslich Ausländer berufen. Das Oberamt (ab 1848 Regierungsamt) stellte die allein dem Fürsten verantwortliche Regierung Liechtensteins dar und war gleichzeitig Gerichtsbehörde erster Instanz. Direkte vorgesetzte Behörde des Oberamtes war die fürstlich-liechtensteinische Hofkanzlei in Wien.
Gelebter Parlamentarismus - die ABGB-Reform im liechtensteinischen Landtag
Authors: Berger Elisabeth
Published: January 2024

„Rezeption ist ein Faktum!” Mit diesen Worten argumentierte der Leiter des Justizressorts Walter Kieber 1971 im liechtensteinischen Landtag, der damals am Beginn einer umfassenden Justizrechtsreform stand. Er verwies damit auf eine zu diesem Zeitpunkt bereits mehr als 150-jährige Rezeptionsgeschichte, die als Beweis dafür dienen sollte, dass an der Rezeption ausländischen Rechts auch in Zukunft kein Weg vorbeiführen werde.
Die Rezeptionsgeschichte begann mit der Rezeption3 des österreichischen Allgemeinen bürgerlichen Gesetzbuchs von 1811 sowie weiterer österreichischer Gesetze mittels Fürstlicher Verordnung vom 18. Februar 1812. Mit diesem Schritt vertiefte das seit 1806 souveräne Fürstentum Liechtenstein seine Beziehungen zu seinem östlichen Nachbarland, die zu einem Gutteil auf der engen Verbindung seines Fürstenhauses mit dem österreichischen Kaiserhaus beruhten. Auf die 1819 veranlasste „automatische” Übernahme österreichischen Rechts - d.h. dass alle zu den rezipierten Gesetzen erlassenen Erläuterungen und Nachtragsverordnungen ohne weiteren Rechtsakt auch in Liechtenstein in Kraft traten - folgte ab 1843 die „autonome” Rezeption österreichischen Rechts. Das bedeutete, dass zwar weiterhin rezipiert wurde, aber nicht mehr wie bisher pauschal und unverändert, sondern mit Modifikationen und Anpassungen und zudem oft erst mit erheblicher zeitlicher Verzögerung. Zu der mit der Rezeption der wichtigsten Justizgesetze geschaffenen engen Anbindung Liechtensteins an Österreich kamen noch weitere verbindende Elemente hinzu. Mehr als ein Jahrhundert lang - von 1818 bis 1922 - fungierte das für Tirol und Vorarlberg zuständige Appellationsgericht und spätere Oberlandesgericht in Innsbruck als Höchstgericht in liechtensteinischen Zivilund Strafsachen und sorgte solchermaßen für die Aufrechterhaltung der Rechtsübereinstimmung. Mehr als ein halbes Jahrhundert lang - von 1852 bis 1919 - schuf die zwischen den beiden Nachbarländern bestehende Zollunion ein enges wirtschaftliches Naheverhältnis, das durch eine gemeinsame Währung und ein einheitliches Postwesen ergänzt wurde. Diese engen rechtlichen und wirtschaftlichen Verflechtungen zwischen den beiden  Nachbarstaaten ließen Liechtenstein nach außen nicht wie einen souveränen Staat, sondern eher wie eine „österreichische Provinz” erscheinen.
La bulle « Coelestis pater familias » du pape Boniface VIII et le parlement d'une ville des Marches
Authors: Bernardi Simonetta
Published: January 2024

Le panorama institutionnel des Marches entre le XIIIe et le XIVe siècle est dans une phase de plein développement comme le démontre de façon évidente la riche documentation qui nous reste. Des inventaires des archives de nombreuses communes nous constatons, en effet, combien à partir du début du XIIIe siècle les fonds de parchemins sont de plus en plus importants. C’est le signe indubitable que dans la culture commune s’était manifestée la nécessité de documenter, enregistrer, donner une trace légale à chaque manifestation, chaque activité : régler, en bref, selon des schémas officiels tout acte de la vie publique et privée.

La législation de Cingoli au XIVe siècle est composée de deux rédactions statutaires complètes datant de 1325 et de 1364 et également d’une série de fragments et additiones qui répondent aux situations contingentes qui caractérisèrent la vie de la commune durant le premier siècle de son existence. De 1307 datent 52 normes qui règlent et restreignent l’exercice des pouvoirs nobiliaires: ces normes furent communément définies comme le premier statut de Cingoli qui nous soit parvenu, mais on peut plus précisément les lire comme des additiones à un statut en vigueur à l’époque, écrites à la suite des évènements contingents qui avaient mis en danger les normes juridiques de la cité. La législation statutaire de la commune de 1325 à 1356 est contenue dans un code dit « Livre rouge » qui renferme outre le statut de 1325 - l’un des plus anciens textes statutaires des Marches parvenus complets - les additiones de 1328 et de 1330 relatives à l’exploitation des forêts, au cadastre et à l’imposition de collectes et d’amendes. En 1334 furent rédigés de vrais statuts qui règlent les aspects fiscaux et administratifs de tels moyens de production.
The Warmian Dietine in the 16th–18th Centuries
Authors: Bogdan Danuta
Published: January 2024

Warmia, within the Teutonic State, functioned as a separate judicial area administered by the “Landrichter” as well as four to twelve elected land assessors (“Landschöffen”) originating from nobility, freemen (“Freie”) and village administrators. They were, in fact, the officials constituting the core of the estate representation of the Bishopric.

The formation of the Warmian estate representation was a long-lasting process, however, it was the first quarter of the 15th century that marked its real beginning. After a defeat of the Order at Grunwald, the Teutonic State, seeking financial support, started to summon delegates from its territories to make them agree to impose taxes. It was not until 1412 that the Warmian estates appeared at all-Prussian representative forums. The first written mention of a purely Warmian estate assembly can be traced to the year 1425; however, the debate concerned matters of all the Teutonic States. It took place on the initiative of the Warmian bishop Franciszek Kuhschmalz and was thought to pass a tax to strengthen the value of the Prussian coin. The Warmian estates gave their consent under the condition that in the future Grand Masters would not be allowed to make similar demands on the bishop.
Dependency and Subservience: The Irish Parliament as a 'Small-State Parliament'
Authors: Dennehy Coleman A.
Published: January 2024

Despite the protestations of the so called ‘Aristocratic Home-Rulers’ of the parliament of 1460 and those later such as Molyneux in 1699, the Irish parliament more often than not had a relationship with the executive in Dublin and London, and indeed the Westminster parliament which usually saw it fulfil a roll as an inferior and submissive institution within the system of government, legislation and legal jurisdiction in British and Irish government in the early modern parliament. Irish historiography has been   reasonably well served by historians eager to understand what the bold declarations of Darcy, the patriot parliament of 1689, Molyneux, and indeed the Yorkist dominated parliamentarians of 1460 meant, both at the time and what it could mean in the struggle for a parliamentary independence later in the eighteenth century and afterwards. This paper will attempt to instead look at the practical development of the Irish parliament, or what Tadhg Ó hAnnracháin terms ‘the grubby actuality’, and look at where it sits in the context of Irish political development and also what role it played in the parliamentary developments of a three kingdoms history. There will be a particular focus on attempting to determine to what extent the Irish parliament can be considered a small-state parliament, or in other words to consider and evaluate to what extent there was a narrow focus of the Irish parliament in the medieval and early modern period.
Existence of normalized peak solutions for a coupled nonlinear Schrödinger system
Authors: Yang Jing
Published: January 2024

In this article, we study the following nonlinear Schrödinger system

−
Δ

u

1

+

V

1

(

x

)

u

1

=
α

u

1

u

2

+
μ

u

1

,

x
∈

R

4

,

−
Δ

u

2

+

V

2

(

x

)

u

2

=

α

2

u

1

2

+
β

u

2

2

+
μ

u

2

,

x
∈

R

4

,

\left\{\begin{array}{ll}-\Delta {u}_{1}+{V}_{1}\left(x){u}_{1}=\alpha {u}_{1}{u}_{2}+\mu {u}_{1},& x\in {{\mathbb{R}}}^{4},\\ -\Delta {u}_{2}+{V}_{2}\left(x){u}_{2}=\frac{\alpha }{2}{u}_{1}^{2}+\beta {u}_{2}^{2}+\mu {u}_{2},& x\in {{\mathbb{R}}}^{4},\end{array}\right.

with the constraint

∫

R

4

(

u

1

2

+

u

2

2

)

d
x
=
1

{\int }_{{{\mathbb{R}}}^{4}}\left({u}_{1}^{2}+{u}_{2}^{2}){\rm{d}}x=1

, where

α
>
0

\alpha \gt 0

and

α
>
β

\alpha \gt \beta

,

μ
∈
R

\mu \in {\mathbb{R}}

,

V

1

(

x

)

{V}_{1}\left(x)

, and

V

2

(

x

)

{V}_{2}\left(x)

are bounded functions. Under some mild assumptions on

V

1

(

x

)

{V}_{1}\left(x)

and

V

2

(

x

)

{V}_{2}\left(x)

, we prove the existence of normalized peak solutions by using the finite dimensional reduction method, combined with the local Pohozaev identities. Because of the interspecies interaction between the components, we aim to obtain some new technical estimates.
Sensitivity-based distributed model predictive control: synchronous and asynchronous execution compared to ADMM
Authors: Pierer von Esch Maximilian , Völz Andreas , Graichen Knut
Published: January 2024

This paper presents synchronous and asynchronous formulations of a sensitivity-based algorithm for solving distributed continuous-time nonlinear optimal control problems with a neighbor-affine structure. Sensitivities are defined in an optimal control context and utilized to ensure coordination between agents. By using delayed data in the asynchronous formulation, idle times of agents are reduced and faster execution of the algorithm is achieved. The convergence behavior w.r.t. topology and coupling strength is investigated in a numerical simulation and the execution time is evaluated on distributed hardware with communication over TCP in comparison to the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm.
Strategien für den optimalen Betrieb von Pumpspeicherkraftwerken
Authors: Jukić Domagoj-Krešimir , Kugi Andreas , Kemmetmüller Wolfgang
Published: January 2024

In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden optimierungsbasierte Strategien vorgestellt, um einen effizienten, hochdynamischen und sicheren Betrieb von Pumpspeicherkraftwerken zu erzielen. Als Aufgabenstellungen werden der dynamische Betrieb mit einer modellprädiktiven Regelungsstrategie, die Berechnung einer optimalen Steuerung für den Notstopp, sowie die Betriebsoptimierung im Energiemarkt betrachtet. Die Resultate zeigen, dass optimierungsbasierte Strategien eine wichtige Rolle für den Betrieb von Pumpspeicherkraftwerken spielen, insbesondere für Anlagen, die aus verschiedenen Generatortypen bestehen.
Disaster resilience hybrid ring-mesh topology basics integrated PON/FSO system incorporating 2D-MFRS code
Authors: Kumari Meet , Arya Vivek
Published: January 2024

This work proposes a hybrid ring-mesh topology basics bidirectional 4 × 40/40  Gbps integrated passive optical network/free space optics (PON/FSO) system. The system incorporates two-dimensional modified fixed right shifting (2D-MFRS) code with enhanced disaster resilience and fault protection capability especially in remote places where the primary fibre may be destroyed. The obtained results depict that proposed system supporting 250 subscribers can provides faithful hybrid 100 km fiber and 1 km FSO transmission. Also, maximum FSO range of 21 km with fixed 50 km fiber distance can be obtained concerning weak-to-strong turbulent and rain with fog weather conditions. In addition, it also offers −39 dB m receiver sensitivity and the proposed design is superb over other work.
THz quantum gap: exploring potential approaches for generating and detecting non-classical states of THz light
Authors: Todorov Yanko , Dhillon Sukhdeep , Mangeney Juliette
Published: January 2024

Over the past few decades, THz technology has made considerable progress, evidenced by the performance of current THz sources and detectors, as well as the emergence of several THz applications. However, in the realm of quantum technologies, the THz spectral domain is still in its infancy, unlike neighboring spectral domains that have flourished in recent years. Notably, in the microwave domain, superconducting qubits currently serve as the core of quantum computers, while quantum cryptography protocols have been successfully demonstrated in the visible and telecommunications domains through satellite links. The THz domain has lagged behind in these impressive advancements. Today, the current gap in the THz domain clearly concerns quantum technologies. Nonetheless, the emergence of quantum technologies operating at THz frequencies will potentially have a significant impact. Indeed, THz radiation holds significant promise for wireless communications with ultimate security owing to its low sensitivity to atmospheric disturbances. Moreover, it has the potential to raise the operating temperature of solid-state qubits, effectively addressing existing scalability issues. In addition, THz radiation can manipulate the quantum states of molecules, which are recognized as new platforms for quantum computation and simulation with long range interactions. Finally, its ability to penetrate generally opaque materials or its resistance to Rayleigh scattering are very appealing features for quantum sensing. In this perspective, we will discuss potential approaches that offer exciting prospects for generating and detecting non-classical states of THz light, thereby opening doors to significant breakthroughs in THz quantum technologies.
Advances in the synthesis of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) of proteins extracted from nature
Authors: Zhang Renyin , Wang Xuejing , Ma Xiaoyu , Xu Zhihua , Ma Mingze , Zhang Tieying , Shi Feng
Published: January 2024

Over the past few decades, nanotechnology has developed rapidly and has been applied to various fields. Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), which are composed of several hundred atoms, are a new type of nanomaterial. AuNCs are often synthesized using ligands or templates. The interaction between the gold atoms and the groups of the ligands or templates results in unexpected physical and chemical properties. In recent studies, natural proteins have often been used as templates to synthesize AuNCs. The unique structure of natural proteins endows AuNCs with biological functions, such as biocompatibility and enzymatic activity. The unique properties of these natural protein-AuNCs have been verified and applied in various fields. In this article, the synthetic strategies used to produce AuNCs have been divided into two categories: animal-derived and plant-derived protein synthesis. The protein types and synthesis strategies used in the current mainstream research are reviewed, and their applications in detection and biological imaging are summarized. Finally, the problems and future development directions of AuNCs synthesized from natural proteins are discussed, laying a foundation for the biological application of protein-AuNCs.
Effect of the axial compression ratio on the seismic behavior of resilient concrete walls with concealed column stirrups
Authors: Yuan Weiguang , Zhang Yingda , Xiao Qiang , Liu Zuowei
Published: January 2024

The axial compression ratio is one of the important factors affecting the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) walls. Thus, the axial compression ratio is critical in the seismic design of RC walls. In addition to the axial compression ratio, the other significant experimental parameter is the stirrup form of the boundary elements. To study the effect of the axial compression ratio and the stirrup form on the seismic behavior of ductile RC walls reinforced by prestressed concrete strands, four full-scale concrete walls were constructed and subjected to reversed cyclic lateral loading while experiencing constant axial compression, with axial load ratios set at 0.17 and 0.26. The considered stirrup forms of the boundary elements are circular and compound, respectively. All specimens exhibit significant drift-hardening capability with a small residual drift and a small crack width. The ultimate capacity, ductility, stiffness and attenuation process, hysteretic characteristics, energy dissipation capacity, residual deformation, and maximum and residual crack width of the shear walls are compared and analyzed. The experimental results and comparisons between the two groups of shear walls with different axial compression ratios and stirrup forms of concealed columns are presented. The characteristics of the envelope curve are also analyzed, and a simplified bilinear envelope curve model is proposed to better fit the test results.
Metal and metalloid monitoring in water by passive sampling – A review
Authors: Senila Marin
Published: January 2024

Passive sampling methodologies offer a series of advantages, providing time-averaged contamination levels in the field, separating the analyte from complex matrices, lowering the limits of quantification, and offering the possibilities of chemical fractionation and speciation. This review surveys the recent developments in passive samplers (PSs) tools such as diffusive gradients in thin films, polymer inclusion membranes, stabilized liquid membrane devices, “octopus” samplers, and active PSs. This article also discusses some challenges in the on-site utilization of these techniques and presents the latest on-site application of PSs to assess metals and metalloids in aquatic systems. Passive sampling is becoming a recognized practice, confirmed by numerous articles published in this field. Advances were made to increase the robustness, accuracy, and precision of the method, and collaborative studies were used for on-site validation. Chemical fractionation, speciation, and bioavailability of elements received special attention in recent years. This review provides a comprehensive update on the latest progress in passive sampling techniques. It brings together for the first time the newest developments of the most used PSs for metal and metalloid monitoring, speciation, and fractionation in aquatic systems. The potential contribution of passive sampling for metal and metalloid determination in water samples in achieving the analytical chemistry green and white analytical concept is also discussed.
Reduction of Ivory Product Purchase in China: The Role of Cultural Values on Ethical Consumption
Authors: Xiao Ge , Ma Han , Lee HyeRyeon
Published: January 2024

The consumption of ivory has been a significant subject in both sustainable consumption and (un)ethical consumption studies, as it not only poses a threat to endangered species but also to environmental biodiversity and sustainability. The purpose of this study is to investigate how individual cultural values influence the behavior of ivory consumption in the Chinese context. This research first reviewed recent studies on ivory purchases in China to gain an understanding of this topic. Then, theoretical frameworks, including Hofstede’s (1984. “Cultural Dimensions in Management and Planning.” Asia Pacific Journal of Management 1 (2): 81–99, 1998. Masculinity and Femininity: The Taboo Dimension of National Cultures. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2001. Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations, 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.) cultural dimensions and the theory of planned behavior (TPB; Ajzen 1991. “The Theory of Planned Behavior.” Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 50 (2): 179–211.), were applied for conceptual model and hypotheses development. To test the hypotheses, a total of 600 responses were collected in China using the Qualtrics market research service, and 575 usable responses were employed for the Structural Modeling Analysis (SEM) data analysis. Our findings suggest that ivory purchase intention is impacted by both power distance and collectivism, whether through a direct path or indirect influence on attitude towards ivory purchasing. Our findings suggest that both power distance and collectivism are negatively associated with negative attitudes toward ivory purchase and positively associated with purchase intention. Moreover, uncertainty avoidance is positively related to negative attitudes toward ivory purchase, but is not directly linked to ivory purchase intention. The research identified the main factors driving ivory purchases in China and developed behavior change strategies through targeted interventions. These strategies can be implemented across different cultures and in other sustainable conservation initiatives.
ASSESSMENT OF THE POSSIBILITY OF USING POLYMERS IN THE BODIES OF PROMISING LAUNCH VEHICLES BASED ON THE HEAT RESISTANCE FACTOR
Authors:   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, DREUS А. Yu. , DRON М. М. ,   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, DUBOVIK L. G. ,   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, STREMBOVSKY V. V. ,   Oles Honchar Dnipro National University
Published: January 2024

One of the possible ways to solve the problem of quick and low-cost payloads to low Earth orbits is the creation of ultralight rockets that use new construction materials, in particular, synthetic polymers. A promising approach to creating a launch vehicle of this type is the concept of a burnt rocket, the body of which is made of thermoplastic polymer materials. At the same time, the practical implementa- tion of such a launch vehicle requires additional research, in particular, the possible process of premature destruction of the structure due to aerodynamic heating. In this work, the heat resistance of polymer bodies of a new type of ultralight launch vehicles during flight in the atmospheric part of the trajectory was evaluated. For mathematical modeling of heating processes, we used the results of experimental studies of the thermodynamics of polyethylene and polypropylene during heating. These results allowed us to propose a mathematical model for calculating the process of heating polymer shells. The dynamics of the temperature fields during movement along the given trajectory of the launch vehicle in the atmospheric stage have been determined. It was established that under the given trajectories, both considered materials satisfy the conditions of heat resistance. The influence of temperature on the reduction of the strength characteristics of polymer bodies is shown, and the necessary thicknesses of the walls of the body shells, which should prevent deformation of the structure during aerodynamic heating, are determined. So, for the first time, the possibility of making rocket bodies from thermoplastic polymer materials has been theoretically substantiated.
METHOD OF ESTIMATING THE DANGEROUS RANGE OF TRANSONIC NUMBERS M OF THE FLIGHT OF SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT AND AEROSPACE SYSTEMS
Authors:   The National Defence University of Ukraine, Safronov O. V. , Semon B. Y. ,   The National Defence University of Ukraine, Nedilko O. M. ,   The National Defence University of Ukraine, Bodryk Y. G. ,   The National Defence University of Ukraine
Published: January 2024

Ensuring flight safety of supersonic aircraft and aerospace systems in the transonic range of flight M numbers still remains an ac- tual scientific and applied problem. This is due to the occurrence of various dangerous aeroelasticity phenomena in these flight modes. Such phenomena include transonic flutter, the occurrence of which has repeatedly resulted in the destruction of aircraft structural elements and, first of all, of aerodynamic control surface structural elements. Many publications are devoted to the theoretical and experimental research of this phenomenon, in which various approaches are proposed to substantiate the causes of intense oscillations of the aerodynamic control surfaces of modern supersonic aircraft in these flight modes, the conditions of their occurrence, the influence of various factors on the level of oscillations. It is noted that there are still no reliable theoretical methods for estimating the non-stationary forces of aerodynamic control surfaces that oscillate in a transonic flow, so the use of linear mathematical similarity models does not always allow transferring the results of blowing models in wind tunnels to full-scale aircraft designs. The paper proposes a method for estimating the dangerous range of M numbers in which transonic flutter of the aerodynamic control surfaces of supersonic aircraft and aerospace systems is possible. The method is based on the analysis of regularities of the adiabatic expansion of the local supersonic air flow on the surface of the airfoil in the range of transonic numbers M. Calculations have proven that for typical aerodynamic surfaces of modern supersonic aircraft, the occurrence of transonic flutter is possible in a narrow range of numbers M = 0.9…0.94. The obtained results can be used to substantiate the safe flight modes of supersonic aircraft both at the stage of flight tests and at the stage of operation. Further studies of this problem should be devoted to the analysis of methods for reducing the level of oscillations of aerodynamic control surfaces when transonic flutter occurs.
Accuracy of Selective Laser Melted Bar Retaining Mandibular Implant-Assisted Overdenture: An In Vitro Comparison of Different Impression Materials and Techniques
Authors: El-Asfahani Iman A. , Ramdan Amr S. , Agamy Emad M. T. M.
Published: January 2024

This study aimed to assess the accuracy of the marginal fit of 2 implant-supported overdenture bars fabricated with selective laser melting technology, using polyvinyl siloxane and vinyl siloxane ether impression materials and different impression techniques. Two implants with multi-unit abutments were inserted in a 3D-printed mandibular model and used as a reference model, then duplicated into a stone cast to fabricate custom trays for obtaining impressions with polyvinyl siloxane and vinyl siloxane ether impression materials, using both open and closed-tray techniques. This resulted in a total of 4 groups, each with 8 specimens. The impressions were poured and scanned, and 32 cobalt-chromium bars were fabricated using selective laser melting technology. Each bar was screwed onto one abutment of the reference model, and a standardized digital periapical radiograph of the opposite unscrewed side was taken; this process was repeated to the other abutment. The vertical misfit was measured at 3 predetermined positions on the unscrewed side, and 6 values per bar were recorded. The mean gap distance was measured, and the data were subjected to statistical analysis; the present study found that the open-tray technique with vinyl polyether siloxane impression material may offer improved accuracy for obtaining impressions for 2 implant-supported bars. The open-tray technique groups also showed better marginal fit than the closed-tray groups. However, further clinical research is required to confirm these findings.
Query-driven Qualitative Constraint Acquisition
Authors: Belaid Mohamed-Bachir , Belmecheri Nassim , Gotlieb Arnaud , Lazaar Nadjib , Spieker Helge
Published: January 2024

Many planning, scheduling or multi-dimensional packing problems involve the design of subtle logical combinations of temporal or spatial constraints. Recently, we introduced GEQCA-I, which stands for Generic Qualitative Constraint Acquisition, as a new active constraint acquisition method for learning qualitative constraints using qualitative queries. In this paper, we revise and extend GEQCA-I to GEQCA-II with a new type of query, universal query, for qualitative constraint acquisition, with a deeper query-driven acquisition algorithm. Our extended experimental evaluation shows the efficiency and usefulness of the concept of universal query in learning randomly-generated qualitative networks, including both temporal networks based on Allen’s algebra and spatial networks based on region connection calculus. We also show the effectiveness of GEQCA-II in learning the qualitative part of real scheduling problems.
A longitudinal perspective of climate adaptation from the UK water sector, 2013–2023
Authors: Crossfield Amanda , Ferranti Emma Jayne Sakamoto
Published: January 2024

Yorkshire Water provides clean water and waste water treatment for over 5 million customers in the north of England, UK. Weather and climate determine water supply, and extreme weather, particularly flooding, can severely alter their operations and ability to process waste water. This paper provides a unique longitudinal (2013–2023) perspective of how an infrastructure owner and operator has responded to changing policy contexts and embedded climate adaptation within operational processes. The uptake in adaptation measures was driven by a combination of factors, including the Adaptation Reporting Power mandated by the Climate Change Act 2008 ; increased availability of climate data; the need to recover from extreme weather events, particularly flooding; and changes to water-management policies. The latter have instigated greater partnership working to reduce risk associated with flood events and placed more emphasis on managing water through landscape-led natural processes such as natural flood management, with actions delivered through partnership working. This paper describes Yorkshire Water’s leadership in the early days of adaptation within the UK, and discusses the changing policy frameworks, business needs, climate knowledge and societal context that have led to more holistic and sustainable water resource management.
Observing inclusivity in a crowded London underground station using service design methods
Authors: Harding John
Published: January 2024

Accessibility is a considerable and growing issue in the design of many public buildings and vital infrastructure. This research study uses video diaries to explore how service design methods were used to observe user experiences of inclusivity within a crowded island platform station at Canary Wharf station during a November evening rush hour. Auto-ethnography is discussed as part of a broader methodological debate about how to explore and consider inclusive design issues from a user's perspective, and in the context of empathetic design. The study concludes that this method of enquiry is appropriate to investigate the movement of people within crowded underground stations and, identifies actionable insights into how spatial factors and congestion impact the mobility requirements of station users.
An Inconvenient Truth: What the Bible Says about God’s Way with the Animals
Authors: Slootweg Pieter
Published: January 2024

At first sight, the philosophical concept of a God characterized by omnipotence, omniscience, and benevolence is incompatible with a creation in which animals suffer. One possible way out is to assume that to God different moral standards apply than to humans. Whether this really offers a solution is the subject of much debate in which the ideas about God’s character determine one’s position. The grounds on which the authors participating in this discussion determine their thoughts about the character of God are rarely made explicit. In this article I discuss what the Bible says about God’s ways to the animals and what that could mean for our ideas about his moral character. Do the same moral principles apply to him as to us, or are they different? The answer to this question appears to depend on the status we assign to the animals. 