bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clonal diversity of the B cell receptor repertoire in patients with coronary in-stent restenosis and type 2 diabetes
Authors: Weng Ruiqiang , Liu Sudong , Gu Xiaodong , Zhong Zhixiong
Published: August 2021

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is known as a risk factor for coronary in-stent restenosis (ISR) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Evidence suggests that B cells play a functional role in the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. However, the B cell receptor (BCR) repertoire in patients with ISR remains unclear. This study aims to profile the BCR repertoire in patients with coronary ISR/T2DM. A total of 21 CAD patients with or without ISR/T2DM were enrolled. PBMCs were isolated and examined for BCR repertoire profiles using DNA-seq. Our results showed that the diversity of amino acid sequences in ISR DM patients was higher than that in ISR −DM patients. The frequencies of 21 V/J paired genes differed between ISR DM and −ISR DM patients, while frequencies of 5 V/J paired genes differed between ISR DM and ISR −DM. The −ISR −DM group presented the highest clonotype overlap rate, while ISR DM patients presented the lowest overlap rate. Our study presented the BCR repertoires in patients with ISR/T2DM. The data suggested different BCR signatures between patients with ISR and T2DM. Further analysis of BCR profiles would enhance understanding of ISR.
Invasive ductal carcinoma and small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia manifesting as a collision breast tumor: A case report and literature review
Authors: Chen Xiaowen , Chen Jianli , Liao Sihai , Cao Yuwen
Published: August 2021

Collision breast tumors, consisting of breast cancer (BC) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), are extremely rare. Here we report the case of a 64-year-old woman with a collision tumor in her left breast mass that was composed of invasive ductal carcinoma and small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In addition, we reviewed the published comparable English-language literature. Collision breast tumor composed of BC and NHL is extremely rare. For that reason, there is a lack of consensus about the underlying mechanism, and diagnosing it without delay remains a complex clinical challenge. We found that post-menopausal, age-related estrogen levels changes and Epstein-Barr virus infection are possible pathogenic factors. However, the symptoms are almost identical, and it is difficult to distinguish a simple breast tumor from a breast collision tumor. In this study, we reviewed the clinical features of all patients with BC and NHL colliding breast tumors; this information might enable early identification and prevention of misdiagnosis.
Daily monitoring of viral load measured as SARS-CoV-2 antigen and RNA in blood, IL-6, CRP and complement C3d predicts outcome in patients hospitalized with COVID-19
Authors: Brasen Claus Lohman , Christensen Henry , Olsen Dorte A. , Kahns Søren , Andersen Rikke F. , Madsen Jeppe B. , Lassen Amanda , Kierkegaard Helene , Jensen Anders , Sydenham Thomas V. , Madsen Jonna S. , Møller Jens K. , Brandslund Ivan
Published: August 2021

Objectives

We hypothesized that the amount of antigen produced in the body during a COVID-19 infection might differ between patients, and that maximum concentrations would predict the degree of both inflammation and outcome for patients.

Methods

Eighty-four hospitalized and SARS-CoV-2 PCR swab-positive patients, were followed with blood sampling every day until discharge or death. A total of 444 serial EDTA plasma samples were analyzed for a range of biomarkers: SARS-CoV-2 nuclear antigen and RNA concentration, complement activation as well as several inflammatory markers, and KL-6 as a lung marker. The patients were divided into outcome groups depending on need of respiratory support and death/survival.

Results

Circulating SARS-CoV-2 nuclear antigen levels were above the detection limit in blood in 65 out of 84 COVID-19 PCR swab-positive patients on day one of hospitalization, as was viral RNA in plasma in 30 out of 84. In all patients, complete antigen clearance was observed within 24 days. There were definite statistically significant differences between the groups depending on their biomarkers, showing that the concentrations of virus RNA and antigen were correlated to the inflammatory biomarker levels, respiratory treatment and death.

Conclusions

Viral antigen is cleared in parallel with the virus RNA levels. The levels of antigens and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the blood correlates with the level of IL-6, inflammation, respiratory failure and death. We propose that the antigens levels together with RNA in blood can be used to predict the severity of disease, outcome, and the clearance of the virus from the body.
Identities are no joke (or are they?): humor and identity in Vivek Mahbubani’s stand-up
Authors: Lam Charles
Published: August 2021

Using the lenses of humor studies and narrative analysis, this paper discusses the stand-up comedy of Vivek Mahbubani, a Hong Kong-born stand-up comedian of Indian descent. Mahbubani uses humor about ethnicity-related issues to highlight the irrationality of racial discrimination and stereotypes. Specifically, Mahbubani challenges people’s preconceived ideas about the speakerhood of Cantonese and the local identity. The present study demonstrates how this comedian has effectively built humor into his narrative as a response to oppression, thus engaging the local, ethnically Chinese audience to reflect on the social and ethnic tension felt by minorities in Hong Kong. This study further argues that Mahbubani’s comedy reflects a more general trend in stand-up comedy: humor as a vehicle for a more inclusive and progressive grand narrative across different cultures; this trend stands in stark contrast to earlier ethnic jokes that often made minorities the target of verbal humor.
Convective heat transfer in magnetized flow of nanofluids between two rotating parallel disks
Authors: Waqas Hassan , Khan Shan Ali , Muhammad Taseer , Yasmin Sumeira
Published: August 2021

Inspired by several implementations (metal mining, turbine disc, spinning disk, mechanical engineering and drawing of plastic film) of nanoliquid flow between rotating disks, we have reported a theoretical analysis on magnetohydrodynamic flow of kerosene base liquid containing three different nanoparticles namely manganese-zinc ferrite, cobalt ferrite and nickel-zinc ferrite between two parallel rotating-disks. Thermal radiation and convection thermal-conditions are considered. Furthermore, the significant properties of induced magnetic field are accounted to control the flow and thermal transport phenomenon. Furthermore, the temperature distribution is improved by employing Cattaneo-Christov heat flux. This communication is critical in the engineering sector due to different implementations including power technology, cooling reactors, fuel cells etc. The system of nonlinear higher order dimensionless equations is found by applying appropriate similarities-transformations. The exact solution of such strong nonlinear equations is not possible therefore we construct the numerical solution by employing bvp4c (shooting approach) in the MATLAB. Physical trends of velocities, pressure and thermal fields are discussed in detail. The outcomes indicate that stretching parameter of lower disk causes improvement in axial and radial fluid velocity. Fluid radial velocity near the lower disk is improved for growing Reynolds number. Moreover, the thermal field is enhanced for growing thermal Biot parameter at lower disk.
The Sino–US trade war in political cartoons: A synthesis of semiotic, cognitive, and cultural perspectives
Authors: Zhang Cun
Published: August 2021

Economic globalization has resulted in more frequent trading frictions, some of which have escalated into trade wars such as the one between China and the US. Drawing on the same corpus built by Zhang and Forceville (Zhang, Cun & Charles Forceville. 2020. Metaphor and metonymy in Chinese and American political cartoons (2018–2019) about the Sino–US trade conflict.Pragmatics and Cognition27(2). 476–501), and complementing insights of that paper, this paper investigates how the Sino–US trade war is metaphorically and metonymically constructed in 129 Chinese and American political cartoons respectively from a synthesized perspective. Based on comparative analyses, cross-cultural similarity and uniqueness in the semiotic, cognitive, and cultural aspects can be concluded as follows: (a) at the expression level, the shared dominant mode configuration pattern of metaphor and metonymy requires extra-textual knowledge to identify the target domain/concept while the source domain/vehicle concept is pinpointed through pictorial resources; (b) at the cognition level, “us” and “them” are distinctively evaluated by using the metonymy BODILY REACTION FOR EMOTION, cultural symbols, and the Great Chain metaphor. The Chinese cartoons converge on disapproving of “them” while the American cartoons converge on disapproving of “us” and diverge on conceptualizing “them”; (c) a variety of cross-cultural default scenarios are employed in the Chinese cartoons whereas the American cartoons utilize non-default scenarios influenced by only American cultures. Both aim for persuasiveness by employing emotionally charged source domains/vehicle concepts, but to different audiences.
Language and dialogue in philosophy and science
Authors: Weigand Edda
Published: August 2021

This article gives an overview of how ‘language’ and ‘dialogue’ are dealt with in recent approaches of philosophy, science and dialogue analysis. The philosophy of language is outlined by referring to a few selected examples. Linguistic science is mainly addressed from the perspective of attempts to structure pragmatics. The basic premise is that dialogue is the key to pragmatics. The goal of this article is to demonstrate how a theory of dialogue can be developed as a complex whole, which requires the transition from classical science to New Science. The basic guideline is the desire to arrive at the unity of philosophy and science, which can be achieved by considering philosophy as a normative component in the study of the meaning of our existence.
A high speed all optical half adder using photonic crystal based nonlinear ring resonators
Authors: Shamsi Alireza
Published: August 2021

In this paper a high speed optical half adder is designed. The working mechanism of the proposed structure is based on optical threshold switching. Three nonlinear ring resonators are used for this purpose. These nonlinear ring resonators are created by adding doped glass based rods inside the resonant rings. The proposed structure works with optical waves with central wavelength and optical intensity equal to 1550 nm and 1 W/μm2 respectively. The rise time is 2 ps.
On primitive solutions of the Diophantine equation x
2 + y
2 = M
Authors: Busenhart Chris , Halbeisen Lorenz , Hungerbühler Norbert , Riesen Oliver
Published: August 2021

We provide explicit formulae for primitive, integral solutions to the Diophantine equation

x

2

+

y

2

=
M

{x}^{2}+{y}^{2}=M

, where

M

M

is a product of powers of Pythagorean primes, i.e., of primes of the form

4
n
+
1

4n+1

. It turns out that this is a nice application of the theory of Gaussian integers.
AI and Phronesis
Authors: Eisikovits Nir , Feldman Dan
Published: August 2021

We argue that the growing prevalence of statistical machine learning in everyday decision making – from creditworthiness to police force allocation – effectively replaces many of our humdrum practical judgments and that this will eventually undermine our capacityfor making such judgments. We lean on Aristotle’s famous account of howphronesisand moral virtues develop to make our case. If Aristotle is right that the habitual exercise of practical judgment allows us to incrementally hone virtues, and if AI saves us time by taking over some of those practical judgments, or if its pattern recognition capacities are very good at learning that kind of behavior – we risk innovating ourselves out of moral competence with the introduction of AI.
Comprehensive performance analysis and optimal design of smart light pole for cooperative vehicle infrastructure system
Authors: Zhang Ronghui , Liu Cong , Gou Wanting , Liu Qiang
Published: August 2021

On the basis of the finite element theory, in this study, a theoretical design and simulation practice to carry out steady-state static analysis, structural dynamics analysis, and electromagnetic interferencecharacteristics analysis on smart light poles, is combined. On this basis, a design of modular weight reduction and cost reduction was proposed, which realized the multi-objective parameter optimization of the smart light pole. The simulation results show that the mass of the optimized light pole can be reduced by 14.2%, and the material cost can be reduced by 14.7%. At the same time, the comprehensive performance of the optimized smart light pole can still meet the design requirements of the industry standards. The research results provide a reference for the lightweight design and the comprehensive analysis of the smart light pole in the future.
Decorated or Undecorated: Analysis of the Early-Middle Neolithic Transition in Western Iberia Through the Ceramic’s Stylist Techniques and Decorative Motifs
Authors: Neves César
Published: August 2021

In this article, we study the role played by pottery production in the transition from Early Neolithic to Middle Neolithic in Western Iberia (∼4500–3300 cal BC) based on a critical analysis of the available empirical data. We establish a chronological and cultural sequence for this period, regarding which the historical problematic is still poorly defined due to a lasting absence of scientific discussion about the long Neolithisation process. During the evolved Early Neolithic (∼5200–4500 cal BC), archeological record shows regional specificities and cultural identities in human groups occupying a vast territory. Pottery collections evidence the strong social importance of decorative grammars, marked by a wide variety of techniques and decorative patterns. In quantitative terms, decorated vessels largely prevail over undecorated vessels. However, in the following chrono-cultural phase, the Initial Middle Neolithic (∼4500–3700 cal BC), it starts an increasing prevalence of undecorated vessels over decorated. Decorative systems prefer the incision technique to impression (dominant in the Early Neolithic). Recurrent use of an incised motif called incised line below the rim. In this period, this type of decoration prevails in the set of decorated pottery and is found in different geographic contexts. This adds consistency to the interpretation according to which the same artifact collections are found in all settlements of the initial Middle Neolithic. Finally, by the time of the first-known Megalithic burials – Full Moment of the Middle Neolithic (3700–3300 cal BC) – the decorative grammars almost disappear from pottery sets, which became more “common” and missed some of their symbolic and social meaning. Undecorated vessels prevail even more strongly than in the previous period.
Animist Ontologies in the Third Millennium BCE? Hunter-Gatherer Persistency and Human–Animal Relations in Southern Norway: The Alveberget Case
Authors: Mansrud Anja , Berg-Hansen Inger Marie
Published: August 2021

This article aims to contribute novel data and perspectives into the long-standing debate about economic strategies in the fourth and third millennium in South Norway, by introducing novel results from a Pitted Ware coastal site in Agder County, southern Norway. The analysis of artifactual and faunal assemblages as well as lipid analysis from ceramics indicate a varied subsistence economy with terrestrial hunting, gathering, and specialized marine fishing strategies, targeting Atlantic bluefin tuna and seals. These procurement strategies were maintained throughout the middle and into the late Neolithic period (c. 3300–2200 BCE). No unequivocal evidence of cultivation was documented before the early Bronze Age, around 1700 BCE. This article maintains that exploring and explaining long-time continuity, and the environmental, cultural, and social mechanisms, which underwrite enduring traditions, remains a pertinent issue in Neolithic archeology. To broaden our understanding of the causes underlying cultural persistence, we need to move beyond a view of foraging peoples as either ecologically adapted or as economically optimized and employ a perspective that acknowledges the fundamental importance of human–animal relations in prehistoric lives and worldviews. Drawing on insights from relational anthropology and multi-species archaeology, we maintain that an animist ontology endured among the Pitted Ware groups and endorsed the foraging persistency characterizing the third millennium in Southern Norway.
Colorants in cosmetic applications
Authors: Lanzendörfer-Yu Ghita
Published: August 2021

The color cosmetic market, even though highly dependent on color, is driven by texture. Pigment and color innovation are predominantly taking place in the field of inorganic effect pigments, as colorants are regulated within the different cosmetic directives and toxicological profiles have to be established prior to use. Therefore, the formulation and the packaging are the relevant innovative factors. Nevertheless, color cosmetics are driven by fashion and trends. One of the main drivers for sales is social networks. They are image based and therefore the ideal platform to spread these trends, boosting sales of color cosmetics recently.

Even though, color cosmetics seem to be very simple in composition, the development, production and quality control are far from that. In color cosmetics, all cosmetic disciplines cumulate: dispersion strategies, emulsion technologies, molding and extruding of sticks and pencil leads, mixing and compressing of powders, liquid inks and so on. And almost every discipline requires separate production vessels, resulting in a rather complex manufacturing process.
COUNTRYSIDE IN THE AREA OF INFLUENCE OF THE KYIV METROPOLIS (STRENGTHENING OF AGRO-FOOD FUNCTION IN THE CONDITIONS OF SOCIAL TRANSFORMATIONS)
Authors:   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kyiv, Rudenko L.H. , Nahirna V.P. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2021

The research examines the changes that have taken place in rural areas in the area of influence of the Kyiv metropolis. Based on a comparative analysis of agricultural development (under the command-administrative system of management and the current state of the industry in market conditions) revealed the peculiarities of the formation and trends of changes in the agri-food function of suburban rural areas. At one time, a suburban agro-industrial complex was formed around the city of Kyiv in order to meet the needs of the urban population in low-transport products - meat and dairy products, vegetables and fruits. As a result, the agri-food function of the suburban area has strengthened. Subsequently, under the influence of changes in the agricultural system, the intensification of exports, preference was given to high-intensity agriculture, the production of export-oriented crops ‒ cereals, sunflower, canola, soybeans, corn. Production of products for the needs of the metropolis (vegetables, cereals, potatoes, fruits and berries) has significantly decreased, the role of the agri-food function of suburban rural areas has decreased. As a result of the research the directions of strengthening of agro-food function in the conditions of social transformations are offered. The main ones are: application of new approaches to the food supply of the metropolis with an emphasis on strengthening the role of suburban rural areas; change in the structure and specialization of agriculture; a significant increase in the level of industrial processing of agricultural raw materials; improvement of the marketing sphere taking into account market conditions, consumer demands; restricting the activities of agricultural holdings, increasing the role of farms; transition from soil-depleting agriculture to conservation, rational use of land resources, introduction of energy-saving technologies.
HUMAN-GEOGRAPHICAL ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES OF UKRAINE: PERCEPTIVE COMPONENT
Authors:   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Maruniak Eu.O. , Lisovskyi S.A. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Gukalova I.V. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Mozghovyi A.A. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Pokliatskyi S.A. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Gormiz O.V. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Torushanko V.R. ,   Institute of Geography of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2021

The problem of inclusive development has recently taken into account in Ukraine, although at the global level and in the EU such discussions have been going on for a long time, as well as key concepts were included in the documents shaping the international policy agenda. The paper aims to identify local markers of inclusion and/or exclusion within the capital post-socialist city, verify participatory approaches within the context of sustainable urban development research, and create a basis for developing recommendations for further improvement of urban policy in Ukraine. The example of the capital, Kyiv, a city that has been integrated into the global economic landscape for several decades, is the most indicative from the point of view of current and anticipated changes. The article outlines the main features of modern discourse in the field of inclusiveness and integrated urban development. On the case of Kyiv and a few urban neighborhoods, based on a survey and expert assessment, local features of the spatial measurement of inclusiveness, such as accessibility and openness of different types of infrastructural objects, organization of urban space, have been analyzed. The surveys, in addition to positive assessments of the availability of urban infrastructure for residents, and high quality of construction of individual facilities, simultaneously have been revealed significant shortcomings, especially for people with disabilities. The role of urban governance and international projects outcomes to achieve new goals of urban environment quality in Ukraine has been emphasized. The scientific novelty of the article is to identify local signs of inclusiveness and exclusivity in the capital city of a post-socialist country in the context of improving urban policy in Ukraine.
METHODOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES OF THE TERRITORIES’ CLASSIFICATION WITH PARAMETERS OF THE RECREATIONAL NATURE USE
Authors:   Institute of Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ilina Maria , Shpyliova Yulia ,   Institute of Environmental Economics and Sustainable Development of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2021

The article presents theoretical and methodological principles of researching the system of recreational nature resources use on different areas. Definition of the system, assessment of the resources, the territories’ recreational potential and their following differentiation are the paper’s tasks. Several academician and scientific methods have been applied: the structural analysis (composition of recreational resources), generalization (assessment of the industry’s status), mathematical (evaluation of the territories’ recreational potential), statistical analysis (classification of the territories by economic indicators), grouping the territories, and synthesis (elaboration of the multilevel algorithm of their differentiation). Recreational natural resources use is the part of the general system of the nature use. It is broader term than the recreational industry, since it includes protection and restoration of the resources. The multiplicative economic effect and joint use of recreational resources with other users are key features of the industry. Significant discrepancy between the scope of available recreational resources and intensity of their use are inherent for all Ukraine’s regions. The multilevel algorithm of the complex classification of the territories according to models of recreational nature use is to differentiate territories by type of settlements (urban, rural, intermediate), their proximity to urban centres (urbanized and peripheral), recreational potential (high, medium, low), and economic efficiency of industry (effective, moderately effective, inefficient). Accordingly three types of a territory’s development strategy have been identified: recreational specialization, major recreational industry, and internal recreations. The novelty of the research are the approach to determine essence, structure and functions of the system of recreational nature use, the set of criteria and indicators to evaluate recreational potential of the regions, and multilevel algorithm to classify territories and define models of their recreational use.
Os Institutos Federais e o seu Código Técnico
Authors: Chiarelli Alexandre , Lopes Amorim Mário
Published: August 2021

Este trabalho realiza uma discussão através da gênese dos Institutos Federais, criados em 2008 pela lei n° 11.892. Para realizar o diálogo torna-se necessário traçar, mesmo que brevemente, o processo histórico da rede de educação profissional brasileira, das origens em 1909 até a atualidade, para apresentar o embate de concepções hegemônicas que resultaram na consonância de forças sociais para criação dos Institutos Federais. O objetivo do trabalho consiste em apresentar como os Institutos Federais se delinearam no contexto das políticas de Ciência e Tecnologia hegemônicas, o procedimento metodológico consiste na Teoria Crítica da Tecnologia de Feenberg (2010, 2015). Dentre os resultados pode-se apontar a compreensão de que o código técnico dos Institutos Federais, apesar de caracterizar-se enquanto um instrumento capaz de nortear uma nova concepção de instituição de ensino, também possibilita a manutenção de instituições tecnicistas, pois a formatação do código tem redação ambígua em vários pontos de interpretação.
impact of COVID-19 on music venues in regional South Australia
Authors: Roberts Rosie , Whiting Sam
Published: August 2021

As spaces of social, cultural and economic production, small regional music venues are an under-explored research area that can offer insights into changing music and performance practices, place-making, and the connections between urban and regional communities. Within the context of the COVID-19 crisis, the state of precarity in which such venues operate is emphasized and exacerbated. This article will present preliminary findings from our case study of a small, regional music venue in the mid-north of South Australia that has been heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated government restrictions. The pandemic has dramatically changed the way that live music is both performed and experienced, and a case study such as this offers an opportunity to discuss its impact on niche cultural and community spaces that are geographically and socially removed from the urban milieu and its policy settings. Preliminary findings suggest COVID-19 brought about both challenges (capacity restrictions and disruption of interstate travel for audiences and artists) as well as opportunities (strengthening the presence of rural voices in policy settings). The case study also highlights the need for further research on strategies for developing and sustaining regional touring pathways throughout South Australia.
‘It Was COVID-19’
Authors: Carfoot Gavin
Published: August 2021

In this article I interview musician and songwriter Keir Nuttall about his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nuttall reflects on a number of key professional and personal issues that have affected his work and everyday life, starting with a discussion of his parody song ‘It Was COVID-19’, based on the song ‘I Was Only 19’ by Redgum. Nuttall discusses the role that the song played in coming to terms with the pandemic, and the reaction from the song’s original writer John Schumann. Nuttall reflects on how cancelled performances and opportunities have impacted his life as a creative professional, including cancelled tours and the postponed Broadway development of Muriel’s Wedding: The Musical, the musical that he wrote with his wife and creative partner Kate Miller-Heidke. Finally, Nuttall discusses how the lockdown in Melbourne and enforced periods of interstate quarantine have affected his creativity, his family life, the impacts on the broader music industry, and some of the rewarding personal and musical experiences that have also arisen at this time.
Pre-existing conditions
Authors: Strong Catherine , Cannizzo Fabian
Published: August 2021

Prior to 2020, while the music industries in the Australian state of Victoria were gaining in strength and were world-renowned in many respects, they were also characterized as a sector that runs largely on luck and public good will, where many places that had previously offered some security were eroding. This luck ran out in a spectacular fashion with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. This research, based on surveys and interviews conducted during the extended Victorian lockdown, describes the experiences and responses of music workers across the sector to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mark Banks’s concept of ‘creative justice’ is used to examine how the precarious nature of much music-related work prior to COVID-19 created a situation where workers were acutely vulnerable to a crisis of this nature, and where the harms they experienced during this time were compounded by how precarity positions them both financially and discursively. The understanding of precarity as a pre-existing problem in the industry discussed here makes it clear that although the pandemic was experienced as an unprecedented and unique event, the impact that it had on many in the music industries represented an exacerbation and continuation of already-existing issues. Suggestions from participants about how they can be supported in a rebuilding music sector show that questions of justice are forefront in their minds, and should be considered in decisions around rebuilding to prevent talent loss and maintain a diverse music scene.
Probabilistic Temporal Networks with Ordinary Distributions: Theory, Robustness and Expected Utility
Authors: Saint-Guillain Michael , Vaquero Tiago , Chien Steve , Agrawal Jagriti , Abrahams Jordan
Published: August 2021

Most existing works in Probabilistic Simple Temporal Networks (PSTNs) base their frameworks on well-defined, parametric probability distributions. Under the operational contexts of both strong and dynamic control, this paper addresses robustness measure of PSTNs, i.e. the execution success probability, where the probability distributions of the contingent durations are ordinary, not necessarily parametric, nor symmetric (e.g. histograms, PERT), as long as these can be discretized. In practice, one would obtain ordinary distributions by considering empirical observations (compiled as histograms), or even hand-drawn by field experts. In this new realm of PSTNs, we study and formally define concepts such as degree of weak/strong/dynamic controllability, robustness under a predefined dispatching protocol, and introduce the concept of PSTN expected execution utility. We also discuss the limitation of existing controllability levels, and propose new levels within dynamic controllability, to better characterize dynamic controllable PSTNs based on based practical complexity considerations. We propose a novel fixed-parameter pseudo-polynomial time computation method to obtain both the success probability and expected utility measures. We apply our computation method to various PSTN datasets, including realistic planetary exploration scenarios in the context of the Mars 2020 rover. Moreover, we propose additional original applications of the method.
Accounting firms and their relationship with clients in the face of the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Souza Fabiana Frigo , Kachenski Ricardo Biernaski , Costa Flaviano
Published: August 2021

Management support can be understood as the area that assists in decision-making related to management (organizational performance, financial planning, and control). It is suggested that the changes brought about by COVID-19 have impacted the way accounting – especially in terms of management – has been used by companies and accounting firms. In this context, the research aimed to identify how the crisis caused by COVID-19 has affected the management support offered by accountants. The study is characterized as a descriptive research, with a qualitative focus, whose operationalization was conducted by means of a previously defined script, with six accounting firms located in the states of Santa Catarina, Parana and Sao Paulo (Brazil). As for the data analysis, the content analysis technique was used. The results revealed that the COVID-19 crisis presented, in its first months, the potential to generate changes in the relationship between accounting firms and their clients, impacting the management support offered by accountants. Furthermore, it was observed that the consequences of the crisis led to a process of broadening the understanding of the role of accounting in the decision-making process. In this sense, the study contributes not only to the understanding of the ways in which the pandemic of COVID-19, in its initial stage, has influenced and continues to influence human relationships and, especially, professional relationships in the field of accounting, but also to show the opportunities arising from the moment experienced, so that accounting firms get closer to their clients.
Prospects for using boron in metallurgy. Report 1
Authors: Zhuchkov V. I. , Zayakin O. V. , Akberdin A. A.
Published: August 2021

On the basis of literature and our own data, the effect of boron on characteristics of all stages of metallurgical processes (from sintering, smelting of cast iron and ferroalloys, to steel production) and on the properties of the resulting slag and metal was studied. To intensify the pellets hardening at the stage of liquid-phase sintering and to improve their metallurgical properties, it is sufficient to have 0.20 – 0.35 % of boron oxide in them. According to the laboratory studies, the presence of boron oxide in pellets increases their compressive strength by 1.5 – 1.7 times and hot strength by 3 – 4 times. While studying the mechanism and kinetics of sulfur removal, it was shown that the presence of boric anhydride significantly intensifies processes of pellets desulfurization. Their intensive progress goes to the zones of lower temperatures of 1050 – 1100 °С. To increase the sinter strength characteristics, it is possible to add B2O3 to the charge. The introduction of 0.44 % of B2O3 does not affect the sinter abrasion. The content of fines (0 – 5 mm) in comparison with the base sample is reduced by 1.5 times. The use of boron pellets in blast-furnace smelting makes it possible to increase the basicity of the final slag from 1.10 to 1.16. In this regard, the sulfur distribution coefficient increases from 48 to 74. The sulfur content in cast iron decreases by 0.005 %. The possibility of using boron and its compounds to improve the technical and economic indicators of production and the quality of pellets, sinter and cast iron is shown on the base of the presented theoretical, laboratory-experimental and industrial data.
Accounting method for residual technological stresses in modeling the stress-deformed state of a railway wheel disk. Report 2
Authors: Snitko S. A. , Yakovchenko A. V. , Gorbatyuk S. M.
Published: August 2021

The actual problem of increasing the service life of stamped-rolled railway wheels is a complex problem. Residual technological stresses, which cannot be completely eliminated, have a significant effect on the stress-strain state of the wheel as a whole and its disk in particular. At different stages of roughing wheels machining, the residual stress field is continuously changing. This makes it difficult to take into account the residual stresses in the wheels strength calculations. In Report 1 of this work, an accounting method for residual technological stresses was proposed, the essence of which is to set the value of interference between hub and axle when modeling is greater than the actual one. This approach made it possible to obtain additional stresses in the wheel, which adequately reflect the effect of residual technological stresses. In this part of the work, the authors have carried out practical implementation of the developed method and assessment of the degree of residual technological stresses influence on stress-strain state of the wheel disk under the action of operational loads. With regard to the design of a 957 mm diameter wheel with a flat-conical disk (GOST 10791 – 2011), calculations of stress-strain state of the disk under the action of mechanical types of load have been performed. The 60 % increase in the interference between hub and axle realized in the calculations made it possible to establish that the presence of residual technological stresses in the wheel causes an increase of 5 – 38 % in maximum equivalent stresses in the disk zones most loaded during operation. Thus, the proposed method for residual technological stresses accounting allows obtaining an upper estimate of the wheels strength characteristics, and, therefore, more adequately predicting their service life.
Thermodynamic modeling of iron and zinc reduction from B2O3 ‒ CaO ‒ Fe2O3 ‒ ZnО melt by СО ‒ CO2 and H2 ‒ Н2О mixtures
Authors: Vusikhis A. S. , Leont’ev L. I. , Selivanov E. N.
Published: August 2021

The paper presents the thermodynamic modeling results of zinc and iron reduction from B2O3 ‒ CaO ‒ Fe2O3 ‒ ZnО melts by CO ‒ CO2 and H2 ‒ H2O mixtures containing 0 – 60 % CO2 (H2O) at 1273 – 1673 K using a technique describing the reduction of metals from an oxide melt by gas in bubbling processes, under conditions that provide an approximation to real systems. Its originality is equilibrium determination for each individual portion of gas supplied into the working fluid. The reducible metals oxides content in each calculation cycle is taken from the previous data. During the calculations, changes in the content of zinc (СZnO ) and iron (СFe2O3 , СFe3O4 and СFeO ) oxides in the melt and the degree of their reduction were estimated. When using CO or H2 as a reducing agent, this process proceeds in three stages. In the first stage, Fe2O3 is reduced to Fe3O4 and FeO. CFe2O3 values decrease to almost zero, while CFe3O4 and CFeO increase simultaneously. By the end of the stage, СFe3O4 reaches its maximum value. At the second stage, the Fe3O4 → FeO transition occurs, when СFeO values reach its maximum. At these stages, there is a slight increase in the CZnO . At the third stage, the values CFeO and CZnO decrease, and iron and zinc are reduced. An increase in temperature dramatically reduces the gas consumption for zinc reduction by 2 – 3 times, and the replacement of CO with H2 reduces it by less than 20 %. In the presence of oxidizing agents (CO or H2O), only zinc is reduced. The process ends when the final content of zinc oxide in the melt corresponds to the equilibrium with the initial gas composition. The higher the temperature, the less CZnO is. The obtained data are useful for the development of technologies for the selective recovery of metals.
Predicting multi-species bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) occurrence in Alaska: First use of open access big data mining and open source GIS to provide robust inference and a role model for progress in forest conservation
Authors: Zabihi Khodabakhsh , Huettmann Falk , Young Brian
Published: August 2021

Native bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) are a multi-species complex that rank among the key disturbances of coniferous forests of western North America. Many landscape-level variables are known to influence beetle outbreaks, such as suitable climatic conditions, spatial arrangement of incipient populations, topography, abundance of mature host trees, and disturbance history that include former outbreaks and fire. We assembled the first open access data, which can be used in open source GIS platforms, for understanding the ecology of the bark beetle organism in Alaska. We used boosted classification and regression tree as a machine learning data mining algorithm to model-predict the relationship between 14 environmental variables, as model predictors, and 838 occurrence records of 68 bark beetle species compared to pseudo-absence locations across the state of Alaska. The model predictors include topography- and climate-related predictors as well as feature proximities and anthropogenic factors. We were able to model, predict, and map the multi-species bark beetle occurrences across the state of Alaska on a 1-km spatial resolution in addition to providing a good quality environmental dataset freely accessible for the public. About 16% of the mixed forest and 59% of evergreen forest are expected to be occupied by the bark beetles based on current climatic conditions and biophysical attributes of the landscape. The open access dataset that we prepared, and the machine learning modeling approach that we used, can provide a foundation for future research not only on scolytines but for other multi-species questions of concern, such as forest defoliators, and small and big game wildlife species worldwide.
Canadian Collaborations: Library Communications and Advocacy in the time of COVID-19
Authors: Winter Christina , Swartz Mark , Owen Victoria , Ludbrook Ann , Selman Brianne , Tiessen Robert
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic forced libraries to unexpectedly and suddenly close their physical locations, necessitating a remote working environment and a greater reliance on digital and virtual services. While libraries were in a better position than most sectors due to decades of experience in licensing and acquiring digital content and offering virtual services such as chat reference, there still were some services and resources that traditionally had only been offered in a face-to-face environment, or were available in print only. There were questions in the Canadian library community about how, and if these programs could be delivered online and comply with Canadian copyright law. This article will describe the access and copyright challenges that Canadian libraries faced during the first nine months of the pandemic and will outline the collaborative efforts of the Canadian library copyright community to respond to these challenges.
La creencia en fake news y su rol en el acatamiento de medidas contra COVID-19 en México
Authors: Galarza Molina Rocío , Muñiz Carlos
Published: August 2021

Durante la pandemia por la COVID-19, las fake news proliferaron y con ello la preocupación de que estas afecten el comportamiento ante la enfermedad. Mediante una encuesta semi-representativa en México (N=1211), este estudio analiza un proceso mediacional para determinar el impacto del uso de medios tradicionales y sociales en el acatamiento de medidas de prevención de contagio, a través de la percepción de veracidad de fake news sobre COVID-19. Como se anticipaba, los resultados indican que creer en noticias falsas conduce a un menor cumplimiento de medidas preventivas. Asimismo, el análisis indica que, en congruencia con nuestra hipótesis, usar redes sociales lleva a creer más en fake news, pero contrario a lo esperado, consumir medios tradicionales también deriva en mayor creencia de noticias falsas. Particularmente, el estudio exploró el rol mediador de la creencia en fake news en el efecto del uso de medios tradicionales y sociales en el seguimiento de medidas preventivas. Se encontró evidencia de este efecto indirecto: el uso de medios tradicionales y sociales es un predictor de creer fake news sobre COVID-19, lo cual resulta en un menor acatamiento de medidas. En cambio, el efecto directo de usar medios tradicionales y sociales sobre el acatamiento de medidas tiene una dirección positiva. Así, este trabajo evidencia que las fake news pueden obstaculizar la resolución de la crisis sanitaria, desincentivando el cumplimiento de estrategias precautorias.
Análisis semiótico y de discurso del programa infantil PJ Mask o Héroes en pijamas
Authors: Vega-Barriga Briggette Dayanna , Maldonado-Espinosa Mónica
Published: August 2021

Este trabajo investigativo analiza el discurso de la serie infantil PJ Masks o Héroes en pijamas. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es determinar los recursos visuales y lingüísticos utilizados en la construcción del mensaje. Este análisis nos permitirá reconocer las características discursivas recurrentes, respecto al lenguaje utilizado y los elementos de la semiótica visual, que permiten una respuesta positiva del público infantil. Se propuso una metodología cualitativa a través de fichas de observación y análisis de discurso y se identificaron las características lingüísticas y gráficas presentes en las dos temporadas de la serie infantil. En la serie reconocemos un lenguaje sencillo, palabras y frases que se repiten en todos los episodios. El mensaje gira en relación con un problema que debe enfrentar uno de los héroes, los conflictos que este le crean y cómo con el apoyo de sus amigos lo supera. La parte semiótica visual refuerza el discurso, permite que las niñas y los niños identifiquen los colores del vestuario y los lugares especiales. Las estrategias discursivas empleadas en la serie PJ Mask responden a una serie de mensajes que buscan reforzar valores en las niñas y los niños, a través de la fórmula de repetición continua de un mensaje cambiando lo negativo a positivo. Con respecto a lo semiótico se trabajan colores saturados e intensos, locaciones únicas y símbolos que identifican a cada personaje, cada héroe tiene un color y un símbolo.
Tratamiento de datos personales y acceso a la información. Visiones a partir de la academia
Authors: Nieves-Lahaba Yadira Rosario , Ponjuan-Dante Gloria
Published: August 2021

Hoy en día, el acceso y uso de datos ocupa un lugar destacado en cualquier actividad humana. Cada vez hay más atención no solo a su uso, sino también a la necesidad de estudiar cómo se obtienen, cómo se comparten, cómo se protegen, tanto en el plano personal como en lo institucional, ya que la comunicación social se magnifica y ocupa un altísimo lugar en el comportamiento humano empleando no solo lo presencial. Este trabajo sintetiza una investigación realizada en la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León en México con el objetivo de describir el comportamiento de una muestra de más de 300 estudiantes en relación con el tratamiento de los datos personales destacando las preocupaciones más significativas que tienen sobre estos temas. Se presenta el análisis de los resultados de la encuesta, técnica de investigación empleada. El principal resultado fue que los estudiantes conceden gran importancia a tener derechos sobre los datos personales y en especial a poder oponerse o cancelar que estos se obtengan o se usen, pero por otra parte no son muy cuidadosos con la privacidad de estos pues comparten en su mayoría datos personales con amigos y conocidos. Se concluye que este tipo de comportamiento hacia el tratamiento de los datos es poco congruente, lo que advierte de la necesidad de un mejor y mayor conocimiento sobre el tratamiento de los datos personales