bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compact vs. Linear: Effects of Forest Structure, Patch Shape and Landscape Configuration on Black Alder Macromoth Communities
Authors: La Cava Sara , Lombardo Margherita , Bernardini Vincenzo , Fumo Federica , Rijllo Giuseppe , Turco Rosario , Bevacqua Laura , Zucco Giada , Scalercio Stefano
Published: August 2023

Landscape configuration and forest structure assume an increasing importance as determinants of animal communities. This paper focused on nocturnal lepidoptera inhabiting alder patches in the Sila National Park, Italy. According to their shape, patches were divided into linear and compact ones to disentangle the role of forest structure and landscape configuration in determining the composition of nocturnal lepidopteran communities at different observation scales. We used the Mann-Whitney test for medians to Shannon diversity, Equitability, Fisher’s alpha, and nestedness to test differences among moth communities. We found that compact patches inhabit richer and more abundant communities. The abundance-based Correspondence Analysis showed moth communities clustered according to woodlot shape, except a compact woodlot having a linear-like moth community because entirely surrounded by grasslands. Percentage of forested area and abundance and composition of communities are positively correlated at 50 and 200 m buffers, while correlations are absent at smaller and larger buffers. Our results demonstrated that a width of 50 m may not be sufficient to give proper functionality to the wooded area, at least for moths. As consequence, planning of forest restorations should consider the importance to increase structural habitat continuity at larger scales.
Application of Shannon Entropy in Assessing Changes in Precipitation Conditions and Temperature Based on Long-Term Sequences Using the Bootstrap Method
Authors: TWARÓG Bernard Stanisław
Published: August 2023

In this article, the Shannon entropy measure was used to evaluate the change in precipitation and temperature conditions. Due to the short, low-volume sequences of analyzed precipitation and temperature data, a bootstrap method was used in the procedure for calculating Shannon entropy. The analysis used minimum and maximum values of monthly precipitation totals and average monthly temperatures for 377 catchments distributed across the globe. 110-year data sequences from 1901 to 2010 were analyzed. Entropy values for the estimated parameters of the generalized extreme value distribution (GEV) were calculated for the accepted data. Entropy value calculations were performed for the left-hand constraint, based on minimum values, and for the right-hand constraint, based on maximum values. Based on the analysis of precipitation and temperature sequences, trend forms were identified for the left and right Shannon entropy values. This made it possible to obtain information on the directions of changes occurring in the area of minimum and maximum values in the field of monthly precipitation and average temperatures in the analyzed catchments. The study showed the existence of Shannon entropy trends. Evaluation of entropy trends for precipitation and temperature sequences was performed using non-parametric tests. Mann -Kendall tests at the 5% significance level were used in the trend analyses. The Pettitt test was performed to determine the point of change in trend for precipitation and temperature data. The analysis performed was supported by graphical presentations.
Biofilm and Cancer: Interactions and Future Direction for Cancer Therapy
Authors: Choi Euna , Murray Ben , Choi Sunga
Published: August 2023

There is a growing body of evidence supporting the significant role of bacterial biofilms in the pathogenesis of various human diseases including cancer. Biofilms are polymicrobial communities enclosed within an extracellular matrix composed of polysaccharides, proteins, extracellular DNA, and lipids. This complex matrix provides protection against antibiotics and host immune responses, enabling the microorganisms to establish persistent infections. Moreover, biofilms induce anti-inflammatory responses and metabolic changes in the host, further facilitating their survival. Many of these changes are comparable to those observed in cancer cells. This review will cover recent research on the role of bacterial biofilms in carcinogenesis, especially in colorectal (CRC) and gastric cancers, emphasizing the shared physical and chemical characteristics of biofilms and cancer. This review will also discuss the interactions between bacteria and the tumor microenvironment, which can facilitate oncogene expression and cancer progression. This information will provide insight into developing new therapies to identify and treat biofilm-associated cancers, such as utilizing bacteria as delivery vectors, using bacteria to upregulate immune function, or more selectively targeting biofilms and cancer for their shared traits.
Effect of Fiber Sizing Levels on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composites
Authors: Jaber Albraa A. , Abbas Sara , Farah Abdiaziz A. , Kopec Karina , Al-Salik Yahya , Tayeb Mohammed , Verghese Nikhil
Published: August 2023

It is well known that fiber sizing is one of the most important component in the manufacturing of composites, and it does affect the mechanical properties including strength and stiffness. In this work, the influence of fiber sizing levels on the mechanical properties of carbon fibers (CF) is reported at room temperature by using single fiber tensile testing (Favimat+), single fiber pullout testing (SFPO), and interfacial elemental analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Standard modulus of CF (7±0.2 μm in diameter) were sized using two Michelman commercially available sizing formulations. The average solid content for each sizing formulation is 26.3 ± 0.2% and 34.1 ± 0.2%, respectively. HEXION RIMR 135 with curing agent RIMH 137 was used as a model thermoset epoxy matrix during the SFPO measurements. A predictive engineering fiber sizing methodology is also developed. Sizing amounts of 0.5, 1, and 2 wt. % on the surface of the fiber is achieved for both sizing formulations. For each fiber sizing level, 50 single fiber tensile testing experiments and 20 single fiber pull-out tests were conducted. The ultimate tensile strength (σult) of the carbon fibers and the interfacial shear strength (τ_app) of the single fiber composite were analyzed. it is also investigated the effect of the sizing levels on the interfacial shear stress and the O/C (Oxygen/Carbon) surface composition ratio. As a result, generalized fiber sizing and characterization methods were established. The developed methods can be used to characterize the strength and interfacial shear strength of any man-made fibers with different sizing formulations and solid contents, irrespective of the matrix i.e. thermoset or thermoplastic.
Low Molecular Weight Inhibitors Targeting the RNA-Binding Protein HuR
Authors: Joseph Benjamin Philipp , Weber Verena , Knüpfer Lisa , Giorgetti Alejandro , Alfonso-Prieto Mercedes , Krauß Sybille , Carloni Paolo , Rossetti Giulia
Published: August 2023

The RNA-binding protein Human antigen R (HuR) regulates stability, translation, and nucleus-to-cytoplasm shuttling of its target mRNAs. The protein has been progressively recognized as a relevant therapeutic target for several pathologies like cancer, neurodegeneration, as well as inflammation. Inhibitors of mRNA binding to HuR might thus be beneficial against a variety of diseases. Here we present the rational identification of structurally novel HuR inhibitors. In particular, by combining chemoinformatics approaches, high throughput virtual screening and RNA–protein pull-down assays, we show that the 4-(2-(2,4,6-trioxotetrahydropyrimidin-5(2H)-ylidene)hydrazineyl)benzoate ligand exhibits dose-dependent HuR inhibition in binding experiments. Importantly, the chemical scaffold is new with respect to the so-far known HuR inhibitors, opening up a new avenue for the design of pharmaceutical agents targeting this important protein.
Innovative Burger Analogues Enriched with Novel Food: Charac-Terization and Shelf-Life
Authors: Ardila Paula , Honrado Adrián , Marquina Pedro , Beltrán José Antonio , Calanche Juan B.
Published: August 2023

Environmental concerns, among other causes, are leading to meat replacement in the diet by healthy, nutritious and tasty foods. Alternative protein sources of plant origin can be an alternative to meat, but their low biological value proteins can be a problem. Novel foods, such as insect meals, can meet currently consumer demands. Therefore, this research has developed innovative prototypes of analogue burgers with animal and vegetable proteins. Concerned about health and allergies, a prototype incorporating soya to satisfy coeliacs was developed. An iterative and heuristic process was carried out to test the product development feasibility. The main raw materials used were insect flour (Tenebrio molitor), seitan and soya. In addition, oat and sodium alginate were used as binders. Shelf-life of the new product was evaluated by physicochemical (pH, aw, moisture, colour, acidity and peroxide index) and sensory analysis (quantitative analysis -QDA-). The production of the burger analogues was feasible. Product characterisation showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among samples for organoleptic properties, highlighting texture changes. Using a multivariate model, it was established “The best before date” at 7 days for all developed prototypes, conditioned by microbial growth. Finally, the spoilage model indicated an important contribution to bacterial growth with a notable modification in the pastiness and hardness of the burger analogues developed.
Assessment of apple peel barrier effect to pesticide permeation using Franz diffusion cell and QuEChERS method coupled with GC-MS/MS
Authors: Tankiewicz Maciej
Published: August 2023

In this study, a new approach to pesticide permeation through the apple peel into the pulp is discussed. The tested compounds can be classified, based on mode of action, as systemic (boscalid, cyprodinil, pirimicarb, propiconazole and tebuconazole) or contact (captan, cypermethrin and fludioxonil) pesticides. The barrier effect was assessed using a Franz flow-type vertical diffusion cell system. Residue analysis was performed using a modified quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method coupled to gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 2.6 µg kg-1 (pirimicarb) and 17 µg kg-1 (captan), with the coefficient of variability (CV) lower than 6%, while recoveries ranged from 85% (boscalid) to 112% (captan) at 0.1 and 1 mg kg-1 spiked levels. The highest peel penetration was observed for pirimicarb, captan and cyprodinil, with cumulative permeation of 90, 19 and 17 µg cm-2, respectively. The total absorption was in the range from 0.32% (tebuconazole) to 32% (pirimicarb). Only cypermethrin was not quantitatively detected in the pulp and its use can be recommended in crop protection techniques. The obtained results indicate that molecular weight, octanol-water partition coefficient and water solubility are important parameters determining the process of pesticide absorption.
Dry Fractionation and Sourdough Fermented, Gluten-Free Bread Baking from Quinoa and Sorghum
Authors: Schoenlechner Regine , Bender Denisse , D’Amico Stefano , Kinner Mathias , Tömösközi Sandor , Yamsaengsung Ram
Published: August 2023

Roller milling of sorghum and quinoa seeds into flour fractions (course, middle, and fine) was investigated, chemically analysed and applied in the baking of gluten-free sourdough bread. Gap settings were adjusted to 0, 5, 8 and 10 for quinoa and 3, 5, and 7 for sorghum. The fine fractions reached values of up to about 41% (gap 8) for quinoa and around 20% for sorghum (gap 5). SEM pictographs illustrated clear separation of each fraction with chemical analysis showing high contents of protein, TDF (total dietary fibre) and IDF (insoluble dietary fibre) in the course fraction. Up to 77% starch content was obtained in the fine fraction with significant amounts of SDF (soluble dietary fibre) which has good health benefits. Increasing the dough moisture up to 90% helped in decreasing the bread crumb firmness, while low Avrami parameters and RVA pasting behaviour indicated slow bread staling rate for both sourdough breads.
ALGORITHMS FOR CONTROL ENFORCEMENT OF THE IMPERMEABILITY CONDITION FOR THE METHOD OF DISCRETE SINGULARITIES
Authors: Vasin Pavlo
Published: August 2023

A system of algorithms is presented for determining the position of the marked particle within the band of the boundary element, with subsequent correction of its position (taking into account the requirements of the mathematical model of the problem). The algorithm for finding the closest point on the boundary contour, at a distance of no more than a given value, for the sought point is presented. Individual cases arising from the interaction of different boundary elements or when the position of a marked particle changes through the boundary contour by a distance twice the thickness of the boundary element is considered. According to the logic of the construction of the above algorithms, the above algorithms have a better speed estimate than the full search algorithm. The memory limitation of existing computers requires an increase in the efficiency of data processing algorithms for the formation and preservation of sparse matrices. The improvement in the estimate of amount of used memory is due to the increase in the speed estimate, which is in its turn due to the increase in the number of operations required to find the desired element in the matrix. A number of different methods aimed at improving the performance estimates are presented. The system of algorithms for impermeability control during the interaction of impermeable moving free boundaries with impermeable fixed boundaries is intended for the improvement of discretized mathematical models of detachment aerodynamic processes in region with a boundary of complex geometry.
ACCURACY OF CALCULATIONS OF THE VELOCITY FIELD FROM THE SYSTEM OF VORTEX SEGMENTS USING GRAPHIC PROCESSORS
Authors: Dovgiy Stanislav , Bulanchuk Galyna , Bulanchuk Oleh , Lystopadova Valentyna
Published: August 2023

The paper explored the possibility of using graphics processors to calculate the velocity field from a system of vortex segments in the ideal fluid three-dimensional simulation. This study is important in view of the large number of methods that use discrete vortex structures in modeling of three-dimensional flows. When simulating numerically urban buildings by vortex methods, a huge number of vortex segments are generated. At the same time, the algorithm complexity for calculating such systems is proportional to the square of the number of elements. This requires significant computing resources, especially over a long time or with a large number of fluid-affected objects. Graphics processors have long been actively used to speed up this kind of calculations, in particular, for vortex structures modeling. However, it should be noted that the maximum simulation speed is achieved when using float type variables and this leads to an increase in calculation errors. Therefore, when using the GPU in methods where it is necessary to calculate the velocity field from a set of vortex elements, for example, point vortices in the method of discrete vortices or vortex segments in the method of discrete vortex frames, we must be sure that we do not lose the accuracy of calculations.

Two systems of vortex segments were considered: segments located along a straight line and segments leaving the plate during flow separation. The main attention is paid to the study of the accuracy of calculations, the formation of data structures and their transfer to the graphics processor. The results indicate that the correct organization of data transfer from the central processor to the graphic processor and vice versa allows to significantly improve the speed of calculations without substantial loss of calculations accuracy.
MODELING GASEOUS CAVITY IN FLUID FLOW
Authors: Koval Serhii , Voropaiev Gennadii , Korobov Vitalii , Dimitrieva Natalia
Published: August 2023

The paper considers the formation of a ventilated cavity in a flow of water behind a streamlined body. Numerical modeling of the two-phase flow is based on the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method. The system of equations for the water-air mixture consists of the Navier-Stokes equation, continuity equation, energy conservation equation, and diffusion equation, and the equations of state (ideal gas equation, Boussinesq approximation). This system is closed by the Smagorinsky model of turbulence (the model of large eddies). The geometry was designed in accordance with the experimental cavitator using the SALOME open package. The calculation mesh was built by the method of cutting out the geometry from the calculation domain and step-by-step densification near the streamlined body using the snappyHexMesh utility. The results of the simulation of the formation of the air cavity behind the disk cavitator are presented. The influence of the parameters such as air injection velocity, water flow velocity on the formation of the air cavity, its size and stability is illustrated. An approximation dependence is proposed that describes the main parameters of the system. Numerical simulation of the non-stationary problem of the two-phase flow of two compressible fluids without a phase change was done using the compressibleInterFoam numerical model of the open-source package OpenFOAM. The obtained results were analyzed and compared with experimental data. The perspectives of subsequent studies related to the development of a three-phase numerical model using open source packages of programs for accounting for natural cavitation are ilustrated.
THE GREEN-RVACHOV QUASI-FUNCTION METHOD IN THE NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF MICROELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEMS USING TWO-SIDED APPROXIMATIONS
Authors: Konchakovska Oksana , Sidorov Maxim
Published: August 2023

The work is devoted to developing a bilateral iterative method of numerical analysis of one electrostatic microelectromechanical system based on the use of the Green – Rvachev quasi-function. Microelectromechanical systems are miniature devices that combine electronic and mechanical components of micron size. Electrostatically activated microelectromechanical systems have certain disadvantages that limit the range of their operation. One of these is the pull-in instability of the functional components of the system, which occurs if the applied voltage difference is above a particular critical value. The mathematical model of the system under consideration in the work is a semi-linear elliptic equation with the Laplace operator and the Dirichlet condition. To construct an approximate solution of the problem, it is proposed to use the methods of nonlinear analysis in semi-ordered spaces, particularly the results of V. I. Opoitsev on the solvability of nonlinear operator equations with a heterotonic operator. The boundary value problem simulating the most straightforward microelectromechanical system under the action of external pressure is reduced to the Urison integral equation using the Green – Rvachev quasi-function method, which makes it possible to expand the application of the method of two-sided approximations for problems in areas of somewhat arbitrary geometry. The paper substantiates the possibility of constructing iterative sequences with two-sided convergence to a positive solution of the problem: the computational scheme is given, the conditions for its convergence to the desired solution are obtained, and the a posteriori error estimate is derived. The method is illustrated by a computational experiment for a problem considered in a rectangular area. The computational experiment results are presented in the form of the surface and lines of the level of the approximate solution, and the two-sided nature of the convergence of the proposed method is also graphically illustrated.
PERIODIC MODES IN THE MODEL OF A MATHEMATICAL PENDULUM WITH IMPULSE EFFECT
Authors: Sobchuk Valentyn , Nedbailo Viktoriya
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to establishing the conditions for the existence of periodic regimes of the model of a mathematical pendulum with impulse effect. An important aspect is that such a system is subjected to the action of instantaneous forces at the moments when the moving point passes some fixed position. In addition, it is subjected to impulse action at unfixed moments of time, whereby its amount of movement is increased by a certain amount. The paper presents some theoretical aspects, as well as a description of the sequence of moments of time, which describes the mechanism of reducing the problem with impulse action at unfixed moments of time to the problem of finding fixed points of the interval within itself. The relevance and degree of research of the problem is revealed by comparing existing solutions to the problem and finding and adding new ones. Actually, this is the main task of this work. The resulting problem involves investigating the existence of conditions that ensure the existence of cycles to which periodic solutions correspond. In the work, a second-order differential equation with impulse action is investigated in a specific case with a fixed value of the position of the impulse action depending on the values of the parameters in the impulse action function. As a result, two cycles of period three were found. It is also demonstrated by verification that the given cycles form periodic solutions. The obtained results are recorded as detailed and informative as possible. In the work, a clear view of the points that guarantee the existence of periodic regimes in the system of the mathematical pendulum with impulse action is obtained and two graphs are given, that demonstrate the results of the experiment. It is illustrated in colors how the trajectories change after each action of impulse forces. Using a corollary from Sharkovsky's theorem, it is shown that if a function is continuous and has a periodic point of period three, then it has periodic points of any natural period. Therefore, in the system there are such periodic regimes in which the phase point undergoes impulse action exactly n times per period, where n is a natural number.
Two-step modification of sepiolite (SDS/isep) and its performance for remediation of Pb contaminated water
Authors: Gu Yiming , Feng Huixia , Wang Bin , Zhang Liang , Liang Sijie , Chen Nali , Tan Lin
Published: August 2023

To enhance the remediation capability of lead (Pb) polluted water, our approach involved a two-step modification of the initial sepiolite (sep) through inorganic mixed solutions and sodium dodecanesulfonate (referring as SDS/isep), and then the modified sepiolite (SDS/isep) is used to remove Pb2+ in Pb-contaminated water. Adsorption experiments showed that the SDS/isep had a significantly higher adsorption capacity for Pb2+ than natural sepiolite (the adsorption capacities before and after modification were 19.04 and 49.10 mg g− 1). A series of characterizations combined with adsorption kinetics and thermodynamics analysis revealed the adsorption mechanism of SDS/isep for Pb2+. The analysis results show that the monolayer adsorption of SDS/isep to Pb2+ is mainly carried out by ion exchange, surface hydroxyl complexation, chemical precipitation, and electrostatic attraction, and this adsorption reaction is a spontaneous exothermic process. The above positive results indicate the superiority of the two-step modification strategy of natural sepiolite proposed in this study.
Deriving a Measure for the Environmental Quality of Life of an Ultra-Dense Urban Setting
Authors: CHEN Si
Published: August 2023

Quality of life (QOL) is a multidimensional term that encompasses all social, economic, and environmental aspects. While social and economic indicators are readily available in standard census statistics, there is no consensus on environmental indicators due to the broad range of measures available. Environmental aspects of QOL vary depending on the physical setting (spatial), satisfaction (rating), and preference (value). Physical settings can be objectively measured, but rating and value involve personal judgment. This study proposes a measure of the physical environment that allows for flexibility in adjusting personal preferences. The study area consisted of 89 neighborhoods in Hong Kong, representing different degrees of urbanization, that were spatially spread out. The spatial unit of a neighborhood was fixed at 800m x 800m to ensure consistent and meaningful comparisons. The study utilized Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) methods to process four domains of urban morphological characteristics at the neighborhood level from digital maps, aerial photographs, and satellite images: (i) education-health-recreation facilities, (ii) street patterns, (iii) compatible land use diversity, and (iv) building density. Principal Component Analysis was used to further reduce the dimensionality of each domain and derive an Environmental Quality Sub-index (EQ-I) that can be standardized and adjusted based on personal value and preference. The neighborhood EQ-I enables both quantitative and qualitative comparisons through visual graphics. This study illustrates a methodological approach to collapsing multiple variables into a single index and accounting for the differential contribution of weights based on value preference. The method employs direct and objective measures that can be adapted and replicated in other cities to offer standardized yet personalized scores for regional and international comparisons.
Novel non-toxic technology of sperm selection for ICSI comply with WHO strict normal criteria for stained sperm cells
Authors: Michailov Yulia , Nemerovsky Luba , Ghetler Yehudith , Finkelstein Maya , Schonberger Oshrat , Wiser Amir , Raziel Arie , Saar-Ryss Bozhena , Ami Ido Ben , Kaplanski Olga , Miller Netanella , Herzberger Einat Haikin , Friedler Yardena Mashiach , Levitas-Djerbi Tali , Amsalem Eden , Umanski Natalia , Tamadaev Valeria , Ovadia Yaniv S. , Peretz Aharon , Sacks Gilat , Naava Dekel , Odelya Zaken , Levi Mattan
Published: August 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
A Size Filter Regulates Apical Protein Sorting
Authors: Macara Ian , de Caestecker Christian
Published: August 2023

Despite decades of research, apical sorting of epithelial membrane proteins remains incompletely understood. We noted that apical cytoplasmic domains are smaller than those of basolateral proteins; however, the reason for this discrepancy is unknown. We investigated whether a size barrier at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) might hinder apical sorting of proteins with large cytoplasmic tails. We focused on Crb3 and Ace2 as representative apical proteins with short cytoplasmic tails. By incorporating a streptavidin-binding peptide, these proteins can be trapped in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) until addition of biotin, which triggers synchronous release to the Golgi and subsequent transport to the apical cortex. Strikingly, departure from the Golgi could be significantly delayed simply by increasing cytoplasmic bulk. Moreover, large and small Crb3 segregated into spatially distinct Golgi regions as detected by super resolution imaging. Biologically, Crb3 forms a complex through its cytoplasmic tail with the Pals1 protein, which could also delay departure, but although associated at the ER and Golgi, we found that Pals1 disassociates prior to Crb3 departure. Notably, a non-dissociable mutant Pals1 hampers the exit of Crb3. We conclude that an unexpected mechanism involving a size filter at the TGN facilitates apical sorting of proteins with small cytoplasmic domains and that timely release of Pals1, to reduce cytoplasmic domain size, is essential for the normal kinetics of Crb3 sorting.
Genetic link between celiac disease and autoimmune liver diseases: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhou Zhiyi , Mou Xuanting , Chen Jun , Zhou Yujie , Xu Xiao
Published: August 2023

Objective: Although previous epidemiological studies have reported an association between Celiac disease (CeD) and Autoimmune liver disease (AILD), the causal relationship between them remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the bidirectional causal relationship between CeD and AILD using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods: We obtained genome-wide association study (GWAS) datasets of CeD, PBC and PSC of thoroughly European ancestry from the IEU GWAS database and GWAS of AIH from GWAS Catalog. MR analyses were performed with inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger and weighted median methods.
Results: Positive causal effects of genetic predisposition to CeD on PSC (IVW OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.04-1.29, p = 0.0095) and AIH (IVW OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.02-1.17, p = 0.0126) were derived, with no causal effect on PBC. The results of reverse MR analysis demonstrated that genetic susceptibility to PBC was associated with an increased risk of CeD (IVW OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.01-1.17, p = 0.0267).
Conclusion: This study reveals a causality of CeD on PSC and AIH and PBC on CeD among patients of European descent. It differs slightly from previous observational studies, suggesting that the mechanisms of interaction between AILD and CeD needs further exploration.
Formation of chirality in propagating spin waves
Authors: Trevillian Cody , Tyberkevych Vasyl
Published: August 2023

A general approach to quantify chirality, or absence of parity symmetry, of spin waves has been developed and applied to spin waves propagating in obliquely magnetized ferromagnetic films. Using theoretical arguments and numerical calculations, it is shown that, upon increasing spin wave wavevector, initially achiral spin waves develop chiral properties through the “parity exchange” mechanism, which implies, in particular, that chiral spin waves appear in pairs. The most striking example of the parity exchange mechanism is the simultaneous formation of two chiral waves: the magnetostatic surface wave and the recently discovered heterosymmetric spin wave, which were previously considered independent of each other. Another manifestation of the parity exchange is the formation of strongly chiral waves near the anti-crossings of spin wave branches of unequal symmetry. These findings illustrate viable paths to engineering spin wave systems with prescribed chiral spectra that had not previously been considered.
Unleashing the Relationship Between Financialization and Natural Resource Wealth in India: Evaluating the Blessing or Curse Paradigm
Authors: SINGH SONALI
Published: August 2023

Countries in their early phases of development rely heavily on natural resources. This study employs consistent data from 1971 to 2019 to test India's “Financial Resource Curse” utilizing various rent generated from natural resources, trade openness, domestic investment, and subsequent influence on financial growth. The study employs three structural breaks of 1991,2008,2016, which are expected to affect the Indian economy. The study uses an ARDL bounding test to achieve its objective, which works well in different-order integrated variables; it estimates long-run and short-run estimates. Additionally, “Impulse Response Function (IRF)” and “Variance Decomposition Analysis” were generated using “VAR Decomposition Analysis (VDA)”. According to the findings, trade openness contributes to financial progress in the short run. Initial levels of OR, TOT, MIR, and MR tend to increase FD with time. The results support the idea that a country's “Forest Resource Blessing” boosts economic activity while retaining income. CR decreases FD, initially reassuring the FRC hypothesis. Long-term trade openness declines and gross fixed capital formation adversely affect India's financial growth, as shown by the financial resource curse and the adverse effects of NR rents on that development. The NARDL model is additionally employed in this study to examine the asymmetries between natural resource development and financial development. The results show that natural resource adverse shocks positively impact financial development, confirming that financial growth rises in tandem with increased natural resource adverse shocks in the short period “Resource-Positive” shocks boost a nation's financial progress over time.
Synergistic effect of carbon nanotube on improving thermal stability, flame retardancy and electrical conductivity of poly(butylene succinate)/piperazine pyrophosphate composites
Authors: Wang Yiming , Meng Fanjing , Zhu Junling , Ba Zhaotian , Jiang Dayong , Wen Xin , Tang Tao
Published: August 2023

Biodegradable poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) is considered as promising material for replacing conventional nondegradable polymers in various engineering fields, but its applications are limited by inherent flammability and low electrical conductivity. In this study, the synergistic effect of carbon nanotube (CNTs) on improving thermal stability, flame retardancy and electrical conductivity of poly(butylene succinate)/piperazine pyrophosphate (PBS/PAPP) composites was investigated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the addition of CNTs could improve the thermal stability of PBS/PAPP composites, where the maximum mass loss temperature (Tmax) of PBS/18PAPP-2CNT increased by 9.1 oC in comparison with that of PBS/20PAPP. Meanwhile, PBS/18PAPP-2CNT exhibited the optimal flame retardancy with limited oxygen index (LOI) of 30.1%, V0 rating in UL-94 vertical burning test and 79.6% reduction on the peak of heat release rate (PHRR) in cone calorimeter test. The synergistic effect of CNTs and PAPP was beneficial to form high-quality char layer, resulting in the enhanced flame retardancy of PBS. Furthermore, the CNTs could improve the electrical conductivity of PBS/PAPP composites with low percolation threshold of 1.75 wt%, which was ascribed to the “volume excluded effect” of PAPP. Thus, the current work provided an efficient strategy to prepare multifunctional PBS composites to meet various engineering applications.
Program Operators Sit, tS, S1e, Set1
Authors: Danilishin Oleksander , Danilishin Illia
Published: August 2023

The purpose of the article is to create new program operators for a fundamentally new type of neural network with parallel computing, and not with the usual parallel computing through sequential computing.
Current Design of Rectangular Steel Silos: Limitations and Improvement
Authors: Hilal AlHussein , Sanad A. M. , Abdelbarr Mohamed H. , Ramadan Osman M. O. , Abdalla Hany A.
Published: August 2023

This study proposes a modification for the current design approach for rectangular silos that accounts of silos’ wall flexibility. First, the authors investigated the effect of wall stiffness, symbolized by the wall width-to-thickness ratio (a/t), on the wall-filling pressure using a recently validated 3D finite element model (F.E.M.). The model was then employed to predict the pressures acting on flexible-wall silos accounting for the stress state in stored granular materials. Most design formulas and guidelines assume silos’ walls to be rigid. This assumption is acceptable for the case of thick-wall concrete silos; it is questionable for thin-wall, metal silos, however. Consequentially, it is crucial to determine the minimum wall stiffness necessary to secure the applicability of the current design rigid wall assumption, and to propose a way to deal with more flexible walls. To this end, several wall pressure distributions that correspond to filling steel silos with varied wall thicknesses were studied. A new adjustment to the Janssen technique was proposed for a better estimate of the wall-filling pressures for square or rectangular silos. In the case of square silos, the Eurocode uses the Janssen equation together with an equivalent radius of a corresponding circular silo (with the same hydraulic radius) to determine the wall pressure. This method predicts pressure values that are practically accurate for rigid-wall silos, but its accuracy decreases for flexible-wall silos. As a remedy, the Janssen equation was modified in this research to generate more accurate pressure estimates based on the equivalent volume concept. The finite element results of several developed models with the same granular material were compared to the estimations of the newly established approach to verify the broad range of its applicability.
Book Review: Childscape, Mediascape: Children and Media in India
Authors:   Centre for the Study of Social Systems, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Biswas Kanchan
Published: August 2023

Numerous forms of electronic media are intricately woven into the fabric of a child’s existence nowadays with television, movies, videos, music, video games, and computers vital to both learning and play. The way youngsters react to interactive technology and instructional content supplied through it has an immediate and long-term impact on them. Corresponding to these benefits of media is an unfortunate reality that young children are more susceptible to the adverse effects of media usage, resulting in problems such as corpulence, aggressive behaviour, nervousness, and insomnia, among others, which have lately become an existential danger.
Effectiveness of the Reading Strategies Used by Engineering Students at the Undergraduate Level
Authors:   Velammal College of Engineering & Technology, Surendran K. R. , Bojiah Janaki ,   Department of English, Velammal College of Engineering & Technology
Published: August 2023

Communication skills consist of four primary skills namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. This study tries to investigate the effectiveness of the reading strategies used by undergraduate technical students with diverse backgrounds at the intermediate level of learning English. A total of 371 Tamil-speaking Indian students of second-year and third-year of an engineering institute in South India participated in this study. They were provided with a list of questions that were five-point Likert scale closed-ended. The survey was conducted in the presence of the researchers for effective collection of data. To measure the reliability of the data collected, the Cronbach alpha test was conducted and the coefficients were derived. IBM SPSS and the data analysis tools of MS Excel were used for data analysis. The items presented in the questionnaire were divided into three sub-scales and the effectiveness of the same was interpreted. The results showed that the global understanding strategy is predominantly used by the participants followed by problem-solving strategy and supporting strategy. This lays the scope for the enhancement of the items clubbed under the problem-solving strategy and supporting strategy. The study also suggests training the instructors and the students to evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies and compare them with their peers’ strategies for better investigation and learning experience.
Book Review: The Collected Works of Jim Morrison: Poetry, Journals, Transcripts, and Lyrics
Authors:   Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology Mizoram, Chaltlang, Aizawl, Mizoram, Roy Dwaipayan
Published: August 2023

A musical enigma or a poet? Jim Morrison seems to fit both quite easily. There are several biographies of Jim Morrison and his cult rock band, “Doors”. But no other book offers a treat to Jim Morrison fans across the globe like The Collected Works of Jim Morrison. This anthology is the result of a collaboration between Harper Design (an imprint of Harper Collins publication) and the Jim Morrison Estate. An engaging combination of 160 photographs and Morrison’s own comments on the work accompany the text throughout the book. These include fragments from his 28 secretly owned journals. This book is like an archive for all Jim Morrison lovers; it contains manuscripts, drafts, diaries, lyrics, poetry, and a script written by the legend in his own handwriting, which has never been printed previously.
Narrative Perspective and Imagined Space: Understanding Japanese-American Experience in Hawaii through Murayama’s Fiction
Authors:   Faculty of Teacher Training and Education: Universitas Prima Indonesia, Indriyanto Kristiawan , Perangin-angin Esra ,   Faculty of Teacher Training and Education: Universitas Prima Indonesia, Chandra Tan Michael ,   Vocational College: Universitas Pignatelli Triputra
Published: August 2023

This paper contextualizes the intricate relationship between language, culture, and place in Milton Murayama’s All I am Asking for is My Body, underlining the dynamic of the Japanese-American diasporic experience in Hawaii. The econarratological analysis delves into the spatial representation and homodiegetic narration employed by Murayama to immerse readers in the plantation labor experience and the linguistic landscapes of Hawaii. The study examines the complex dynamics between Standard English and Hawaiian Creole English (HCE) in Murayama’s work, highlighting their role in shaping the cultural and linguistic identity of the characters. By employing immersive textual cues, such as vivid descriptive imagery and the strategic use of language styles, Murayama creates a mental model of narratives that accurately depicts the historicity of the Nikkei community, focusing on the plantation labor experience. This paper argues that the deliberate blending of Standard English and HCE in Murayama’s fiction enhances readers’ engagement and understanding of the Nikkei experience and contributes to broader discussions on language, culture, and identity within the context of diaspora literature.
Reminiscences of Kothas: Exploring Spatial Intimacies in Ruth Vanita’s Memory of Light
Authors:   Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, Chatterjee Ankita , Banerjee Sutanuka
Published: August 2023

This paper aims to study the representation of same-sex desire in Ruth Vanita’s Memory of Light (2020) and analyze how the socio-spatial dynamics of the kotha helps to reconstruct female-to-female intimacy and convey a different idea of community and a sense of belonging in history. The novel, which traces the relationship between two courtesans, is also a recreation of the pre-modern Lucknow and its vibrant kothas with distinct architectural features. Beyond its overt function of entertaining the male patrons, the kothas as all-female establishments also served as a space of security and intimacy for women. The paper outlines the politics of situating same-sex desire in the historical backdrop of pre-colonial era. It uses concepts from Feminist Theory, Cultural Geography and Memory Studies, to examine the importance of kothas as a material and an ideological space, in facilitating discourses on gender variance, intimacy, and friendship that entered the cultural production of the time. In particular, the analysis intends to emphasize the frequent entanglement between the spatial features and women’s intimate practices as a distinct way of articulating same-sex desire that dissolves the binary understanding of hetero/homosexuality. Therefore, by insisting on the remembrance of kothas, the paper delineates how the ‘memory of places’ carves out two functions in the context of lesbian politics. On the one hand, it generates a ‘symbolic continuum’ to the history of women loving women to reframe postcolonial categorical understanding of ‘lesbian’ in contemporary times, and on the other, by infusing strategic use of metafictional elements, it emerges as a subversive mode of narrating stories of same-sex love while negotiating with the historical erasure of spaces of female-to female desire.
Vietnamese Teachers’ Beliefs About Fostering Learner Autonomy in English Teaching and Learning
Authors:   Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics and Finance, Vietnam, N. T. Ngo Duyen. , T. M. Luu Vy.
Published: August 2023

Driven by rapid technological developments together with social and economic changes, the demand for flexible education has grown in a way that the cultivation of learner autonomy (LA) has become a worldwide phenomenon, especially in language learning and teaching. In this sense, the study reported here makes further contributions to the understanding of teachers’ beliefs in fostering LA in English learning and teaching at the tertiary level in Vietnam. The study adopted a complete qualitative approach to exploring how 10 Vietnamese teachers perceive LA based on their previous teaching experiences. Data analysis from an in-depth interview reveals that participants gave multiple interpretations of LA and admitted that Vietnam’s deep-rooted traditional teaching culture causes the main constraints on developing autonomous learning. Besides, these teachers seem fully aware of the significance of LA but not the “how” in assisting learners with exercising LA both within and beyond educational settings. The findings also propose some pedagogic implications for teacher development as well as curriculum development in English learning and teaching at tertiary levels.
Global streamflow modelling using process-informed machine learning
Authors: Magni Michele , Sutanudjaja Edwin H. , Shen Youchen , Karssenberg Derek
Published: August 2023

We present a novel hybrid framework that incorporates information from the process-based global hydrological model PCR-GLOBWB, to reduce prediction errors in streamflow simulations. In addition to catchment attributes and meteorological data, our methodology employs simulated streamflow and state variables from PCR-GLOBWB as predictors of observed river discharge. These outputs are used in a random forest, trained on a global database of streamflow measurements, to improve estimates of simulated river discharge across the globe. PCR-GLOBWB was run for the years 1979–2019 at 30 arcmin and its inputs and outputs were upscaled from daily to monthly time steps. A single random forest model was trained with these state variables, meteorological data and catchment attributes, as predictors of observed streamflow at 2,286 stations worldwide. Model performance was evaluated using Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE). Results based on cross-validation show that the model is capable of discerning between a variety of hydroclimatic conditions and river flow dynamics, improving KGE of PCR-GLOBWB simulations at more than 80% of testing locations and increasing median KGE from −0.03 in uncalibrated runs to 0.51 after post-processing. Performance boosts are usually independent of the availability of streamflow data, making our method a potential candidate in addressing prediction in poorly gauged and ungauged basins.
Panorama de distribuição das Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em saúde no cenário da Atenção Básica do Brasil
Authors: Santos Mona , Martins Filho Ismar Eduardo
Published: August 2023

Introdução: a inserção das PICS no sistema público do país é insuficiente e difusa, com limitações na expansão, oferta e qualidade. Nesse sentido, o presente estudo tem o objetivo de apresentar e discutir a distribuição e cobertura das PICS no cenário da atenção básica entre os estados e regiões brasileira. Materiais e métodos: estudo descritivo quantitativo, com os dados do terceiro ciclo do Programa Nacional de Melhoria do Acesso e da Qualidade da Atenção Básica (PMAQ) do ano de 2017. Resultados: o estado do Rio Grande do Norte (63,55%) apresenta a maior proporção de Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) que ofertam PICS, seguido do Rio de Janeiro (43,35%), Santa Catarina (41,22%) e São Paulo (41,06%). Já no tocante a proporção de Núcleo de Apoio à Saúde da Família (NASF) que ofertam PICS, destacam-se de forma positiva os estados do Rio Grande Norte (80,11%), Amapá (77,78%) e Paraíba (65,14%). Discussão: nota-se que o estado brasileiro que oferece a melhor cobertura na oferta de PICS aos usuários da Atenção Básica do sistema público de saúde é o Rio grande Norte, seguido pelos estados de Santa Catarina, Tocantins e Piauí. Considerações finais: conclui-se que, embora alguns estados tenham avançado no processo de implantação e sustentabilidade da política, ainda existe uma pobre estrutura, evidenciada pela baixa oferta e desigualdade na distribuição de práticas integrativas no âmbito da atenção básica.
Palavras-chave: Atenção Primária à Saúde; Oferta; Terapias Complementares; Unidade Básica de Saúde.