bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient-reported late effects of single fraction total body irradiation for non-malignant haematological disease transplant conditioning
Authors: Griethuysen Jennifer van , Gaze Mark , Chang Yenching
Published: July 2021

Introduction: Patients with severe complications of non-malignant
haematological disease are considered as candidates for curative
treatment with an allogenic bone marrow transplant (ABMT). A
non-myeloablative conditioning regimen is used; consisting of an
alkylating agent and single fraction total body irradiation (SFTBI) at a
dose of 2-4.5 Gy (dose rate 150mu/min). This is distinct from high dose
fractionated total body irradiation (TBI) used in a myeloablative
conditioning regimen; for which the late effects are well documented.
There is however no dedicated study on the late effects associated with
low dose SFTBI. Methods: We undertook a single institution study
focusing on patient reported outcomes after SFTBI (January 2003 –
January 2019) delivered more than 1-year previously, prior to an AMBT in
patients aged under 16-years for non-malignant haematological
conditions. A 19-point questionnaire was conducted with study subjects
over the phone. The primary outcome was late effects as reported by
patients. Secondary outcomes were patient demographics. Results: Fifty
patients were screened, 31 were invited to take part and 24 consented to
participate. Pulmonary toxicity was the most common visceral effect
reported (5 patients), followed by kidney (3) and cardiac (2). No
patients reported cataracts, diabetes or secondary malignancy. Two
patients were on sex hormone replacement although no evidence of female
menstrual delay was demonstrated. The majority (21) were enrolled in
mainstream schools. Conclusion: Late effects do occur after SFTBI, but
are mild and occur less frequently compared to high dose TBI. The
consent process with children/parents prior to SFTBI should reflect
this.
Pneumocystis Pneumonia and Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hakamifard Atousa , Shokouhi Shervin , Mardani Masoud , Mosaffa Nariman , Tehrani Hamed Azhdari
Published: July 2021

Abstract: Background: Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) incidence in acute
myeloid leukemia (AML) patients have not been well described and some
studies have shown the risk of this infection in these groups of
patients. In this systematic review, we reviewed the published studies
about PCP in AML to evaluate the PCP incidence and outcomes in these
patients and then focuses on its immunological mechanism. Method: All
articles reviewed in this collection are from recruited sites: PubMed
and Embase databases. No time limit was considered for article
searching. The following keywords were used: (“Pneumonia,
Pneumocystis” OR Pneumocystis Pneumonia” OR “Pneumocystis
jirovecii”), AND (“leukemia, myeloid, acute OR acute myeloid
leukemia”). Our search strategy yielded 356 articles. After
implementing the exclusion and inclusion criteria, the final papers were
selected and reviewed. Result: By our search, 356 articles were found
(316 in PubMed and 40 in Embase). After the implementation of inclusion
and exclusion criteria, seven papers remained. A total of seven articles
with a total number of 41 patients were included. Conclusion: Affected
patients appear to have a clear resistance to PCP infection despite
chemotherapy and bone marrow suppression due to the preservation of a
specific immunological milieu in the lung. In fact, may be due to
immunological stability of the lungs that remains intact. Further
studies are needed.
Natural infection of delta mutant of SARS-CoV2 in Asiatic Lions of India
Authors: Mathesh Karikalan , Chander Vishal , Mahajan Sonalika , Deol Pallavi , Agarwal Ravikant , Nandi Sukdeb , Rai S. , Mathur A. , Pawde Abhijit , Singh K. , Sharma Gaurav
Published: July 2021

The current pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus named as SARS-CoV2
has underlined the importance of emerging diseases of zoonotic
importance. Along with human beings, several species of wild and pet
animals have been demonstrated to be infected by SARS-CoV2, both
naturally and experimentally. Additionally, with constant emergence of
new variants, the species susceptibility might further change,
warranting intensification of screening efforts. India is a vast and
second most populated country, with a habitat of a very diverse range of
animal species. In this study we are reporting infection of SARS-CoV2 in
captive Asiatic lions. Detailed characterization revealed involvement of
delta mutant (Pango lineage B.1.617.2) of SARS-CoV2 at two different
locations. Interestingly, no other feline species enclosed in the
zoo/park was found infected. The epidemiological and molecular analysis
in this study will contribute to the understanding of SARS-CoV2 emerging
mutants in wild and domesticated animals.
Moral Identity, Self-Improvement, and the Quest for Greatness: A Leadership Responsibility
Authors: Caldwell Cam , Anderson Verl
Published: July 2021

The focus of this paper is on explaining how leaders can follow the path of self-improvement by more fully understanding their moral identity. We begin by briefly reviewing excerpts from the literature about personal development and self-awareness to lay a foundation for the importance of leaders seeking to achieve their optimal effectiveness. Following that introduction, we introduce a new definition of moral identity that builds upon identity theory as developed by Peter Burke and Jan Stets (2009). We then identify nine traits that link moral identity and leadership. Integrating moral identity with the pursuit of personal excellence, we identify twelve insights about the leader’s responsibility to honor moral duties owed to those individuals whom they serve. Following that review, we then suggest six significant contributions of this paper for both academic scholars and individuals who seek to become more honorable leaders and conclude the paper with suggestions about opportunities for additional research about moral identity and its importance for leaders.
Miscanthus x giganteus as a building material - lightweight concrete
Authors: Sekler Ivana , Vjestica Suncica , Jankovic Vladimir , Stefanovic Slobodan , Ristic Vladica
Published: July 2021

A perennial plant Miscanthus x giganteus has found its habitat and multiple
applications in Europe, despite the fact that it originates from Asia. This
study presents the potential use of this plant in new lightweight concrete
materials so-called bio-concretes. The above-ground part of the plant was
harvested, dried, crushed, and mixed with binders in different proportions.
After casting and drying, the samples were characterized physical and
mechanical properties. The results have shown that the sample with a higher
content of binders while smaller miscanthus granulation and casted in molds
under higher pressure exhibited the highest values of the compressive
strength and density. In specific, the density was in the order of magnitude
of that reported for other types of lightweight concrete with organic
fillers, such as sawdust-based concrete ("Durisol"), which further justifies
the use of miscanthus for these purposes.
Subcritical water extraction of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) tree parts
Authors: Gagic Tanja , Knez Zeljko , Skerget Mojca
Published: July 2021

Subcritical water extraction of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) parts, such as seeds, seed shell, bark and leaves has been performed in a batch reactor at temperatures of 150, 200 and 250?C and extraction times of 5, 15 and 30 min. The obtained extracts were analyzed by spectrophotometric methods to determine the total phenols, total carbohydrates and antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the compounds detected in the extracts, such as triterpene saponins (escins), coumarin glycosides (esculin and fraxin), phenolic compounds (chlorogenic, neochlorogenic and gallic acids) and furfurals (5-hydroxymethyfurfural, furfural, and 5-methylfufrual) were quantified using HPLC. High amount of escins was obtained in the seed extracts, while the highest amounts of esculin and fraxin were obtained in bark extracts. The total phenol content was the highest in shell and bark extracts, which implies that these extracts gave the highest antioxidant activity.
Investigation of the thermal, mechanical and biological properties of PVC/ABS blends loaded with cobalt chloride for biomedical and electronics applications
Authors: Shakir Muhammad , Khosa Muhammad , Zia Khalid , Saif Muhammad , Bokhari Tanveer
Published: July 2021

New PVC/ABS and CoCl2 composites with various concentrations of cobalt
chloride (?10 wt. %) were synthesized by solution casting techniques and
investigated by spectro-chemical, morphological and thermal mode of
characterization. The FT-IR, XRD and SEM analyses proved the smooth
distribution and uniformity of the constituents of the composite materials.
Thermal behavior showed that the addition of CoCl2 to the PVC/ABS blends
enhanced the thermal stability and improved mechanical properties of
composites due to crosslinking between PVC/ABS blend and CoCl2. Thus based
on their remarkable morphology, thermomechanical stability and promising
bioactivities, the synthesized composites could be applied for high
performance polymeric materials in the field of biomedics and electronics.
Quantitative estimation of vegetation traits and temporal dynamics using 3-D radiative transfer models, high-resolution hyperspectral images and satellite imagery
Authors:   , Hornero Luque Alberto
Published: July 2021

Large-scale monitoring of vegetation dynamics by remote sensing is key to detecting early signs of vegetation decline. Spectral-based indicators of phys-iological plant traits (PTs) have the potential to quantify variations in pho-tosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll fluorescence emission, and structural changes of vegetation as a function of stress. However, the specific response of PTs to disease-induced decline in heterogeneous canopies remains largely unknown, which is critical for the early detection of irreversible damage at different scales. Four specific objectives were defined in this research: i) to assess the feasibility of modelling the incidence and severity of Phytophthora cinnamomi and Xylella fastidiosa based on PTs and biophysical properties of vegetation; ii) to assess non-visual early indicators, iii) to retrieve PT using radiative transfer models (RTM), high-resolution imagery and satellite observations; and iv) to establish the basis for scaling up PTs at different spatial resolutions using RTM for their retrieval in different vegetation co-vers. This thesis integrates different approaches combining field data, air- and space-borne imagery, and physical and empirical models that allow the retrieval of indicators and the evaluation of each component’s contribution to understanding temporal variations of disease-induced symptoms in heter-ogeneous canopies. Furthermore, the effects associated with the understory are introduced, showing not only their impact but also providing a compre-hensive model to account for it. Consequently, a new methodology has been established to detect vegetation health processes and the influence of biotic and abiotic factors, considering different components of the canopy and their impact on the aggregated signal. It is expected that, using the presented methods, existing remote sensors and future developments, the ability to detect and assess vegetation health globally will have a substantial impact not only on socio-economic factors, but also on the preservation of our eco-system as a whole.
A Study of SDEs Driven by Brownian Motion and Fractional Brownian Motion
Authors:   , Suo Yongqiang
Published: July 2021

In this thesis, we mainly study some properties for certain stochastic di↵er-ential equations.The types of stochastic di↵erential equations we are interested in are (i) stochastic di↵erential equations driven by Brownian motion, (ii) stochastic functional di↵erential equations driven by fractional Brownian motion, (iii) McKean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equations driven by Brownian motion,(iv) McKean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equations driven by fractional Brownian motion.The properties we investigate include the weak approximation rate of Euler-Maruyama scheme, the central limit theorem and moderate deviation principle for McKean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equations. Additionally, we investigate the existence and uniqueness of solution to McKean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equations driven by fractional Brownian motion, and then the Bismut formula of Lion’s derivatives for this model is also obtained.The crucial method we utilised to establish the weak approximation rate of Euler-Maruyama scheme for stochastic equations with irregular drift is the Girsanov transformation. More precisely, giving a reference stochastic equa-tions, we construct the equivalent expressions between the aim stochastic equations and associated numerical stochastic equations in another proba-bility spaces in view of the Girsanov theorem.For the Mckean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equation model, we ﬁrst construct the moderate deviation principle for the law of the approxima-tion stochastic di↵erential equation in view of the weak convergence method. Subsequently, we show that the approximation stochastic equations and the McKean-Vlasov stochastic di↵erential equations are in the same exponen-tially equivalent family, and then we establish the moderate deviation prin-ciple for this model.Based on the result of Well-posedness for Mckean-Vlasov stochastic di↵er-ential equation driven by fractional Brownian motion, by using the Malliavin analysis, we ﬁrst establish a general result of the Bismut type formula for Lions derivative, and then we apply this result to the non-degenerate case of this model.
FUNDAMENTOS HISTÓRICOS DA NECESSIDADE DE NOVOS MODELOS DE GESTÃO DA ESCOLA PÚBLICA NO BRASIL
Authors: Moura Nascimento Maria Isabel , Castilho Palhano Isabel , Weber Suzamara
Published: July 2021

O objetivo central deste texto é analisar os fundamentos históricos da necessidade da implantação de escolas militares no Brasil. Assim, historicizamos as origens da educação militar, problematizamos a disputa do espaço escolar na luta pela hegemonia capitalista e por fim, apresentamos e analisamos a contradição entre os princípios militares e os documentos legais da educação. Especificamente refletimos a partir do contexto de conflito que envolve dois colégios públicos no estado do Paraná, a saber: Gildo de Laranjeiras do Sul e Manoel Ribas de Guarapuava. Em ambos os colégios as manifestações de repúdio partiram de estudantes, pais, professores e funcionários, sujeitos envolvidos diretamente com o contexto escolar. Para tanto, tendo como base a perspectiva ontológica marxiana podemos afirmar que novos modelos de gestão da educação pública a partir da imposição de normas da educação militar, ou seja, a transformação da escola pública em colégio militar como se fosse a solução para os problemas da educação, representa um retrocesso para a gestão da educação pública e democrática no Brasil.
Analisis Hubungan antara Gratitude Dengan Sense of School Belonging Pada Mahasiswa Karesidenan Madiun
Authors: Dani Robik Anwar , Aryono Marcella Mariska , Cahyadi Andi
Published: July 2021

Abstrak : Mahasiswa terkadang berperilaku seperti kurang antusias dengan kegiatan kemahasiswaan yang diadakan oleh universitas, sering tidak menghadiri perkuliahan tanpa alasan, dan kadang berperilaku yang tidak sesuai dengan nilai-nilai organisasi. Hal ini dapat mengindikasikan bahwa terdapat masalah dengan rasa memiliki mahasiswa terhadap sekolah (sense of school belonging). Rasa syukur (gratitude) mahasiswa terhadap universitas dapat menjadi faktor yang mempengaruhi rasa memiliki mahasiswa terhadap universitas. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan gratitude dan sense of school belonging. Metode penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode kuantitatif korelasional. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 254 mahasiswa yang sedang menempuh pendidikan di berbagai perguruan tinggi di wilayah Madiun. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan Tes Rasa Syukur dan Apresiasi (GRAT) Bentuk Pendek dan Skala Kepekaan Psikologis Sekolah (PSSM). Hasil penelitian ini dianalisis menggunakan analisis regresi linear sederhana. Analisis data menunjukkan bahwa besar koefisien regresi standar b=0,323 dengan signifikansi p<0,05. Variabel gratitude terbukti berhubungan dan dapat memprediksi variabel sense of school belonging. Implikasi hasil penelitian ini dibahas lebih lanjut oleh peneliti.Kata kunci: Sense of school belonging, gratitude, mahasiswa Abstract: Students sometimes behave like they are not enthusiastic about student activities held by the university, absent in classes without reason, and their behavior do not fit the organizational values. These show that there is might a problem with the students' sense of school belonging. The students’ gratitude regarding their university can be a factor that affects the students' sense of school belonging. Therefore, this study aims to determine the relationship between gratitude and sense of school belonging. The research method used in this research is quantitative method. The subjects of this research were 254 students who are studying in different university in the Madiun Region. The data was collected using the Gratitude Resentment and Appreciation Test (GRAT) Short Form and the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale (PSSM). This study was analyzed using simple linear regression analysis. Data analysis showed that the standardized regression coefficient b=0.323 with a significance p<0.05. Gratitude is proven to be related and can predict the sense of school belonging. The implications of the results of this study are discussed further by the researcher.Keywords: Sense of school belonging; gratitude; college students
Evaluating entrepreneurship through the lens of institutional quality and social capital theory
Authors: QOSJA Ermira , KEÇİ Ina
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates how the structural domain of social capital and institutional quality explains the current and expected entrepreneurial behavior. Based on the literature of social capital and institutional theory this article aims to examine the strength of the relationship between the degree of trust, norms, networks, and associations within a society with governance quality. By using a quantitative methodology, the data collected through the Global Competitiveness Index for 72 businesses in Albania are processed by conducting descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The study intention is to explain the impact of perceived assessment for country institutions at entrepreneurial action in order to create a social relationship in society based on trust, norms, and networks. The results showed the significance of perceived trust and quality at public and private institutions as important predictors of entrepreneurship behaviors toward market or network orientations.
Comparison of cyclic fatigue resistance of heat-treated nickel-titanium reciprocating instruments at the intracanal temperature
Authors: Büşra Keskin , Güneç Gürkan
Published: July 2021

Background/Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the cyclic fatigue resistance of NiTi files running with reciprocal motion and having different characteristics (RPC Blue, WOG, EndoArt Wise Reciproc Gold, EndoArt Wise Reciproc Blue) at the intracanal temperature (35°C) by using NaOCl irrigation solution. Material and Methods: Totally 60 WaveOne GOLD (Dentsply-Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland), Reciproc Blue (VDW, Munich, Germany), EndoArt Wise Reciproc Gold, and EndoArt Wise Blue (Inci Dental Productions Co, Istanbul, Turkey) (n= 15) files were used. Each of the rotary files were tested at the intracanal temperature (35°C) using a dynamic model in a stainless-steel artificial canal with an inner diameter of 1.5 mm, 60° angle of curvature, and 2mm radius of curvature until fracture occurred. The device automatically stopped at the moment of fracture and the number of cycles to the fracture was calculated as per second. The lengths of fractured parts were measured using a digital microcaliper. The One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's posthoc tests were used for intergroup comparisons. Results: In 2 mm Radius of curvature, the EndoArt Wise Reciproc Blue group had a significantly higher time to fracture followed by the EndoArt Wise Reciproc Gold, Resiproc Blue, WaveOne Gold. No significant difference was found between EndoArt Wise Reciproc Gold and Resiproc Blue groups (P>0.05). Among the groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the lengths of fractured parts of the instruments (P> 0.05). Conclusions: EndoArt Wise Reciproc Blue files exhibited significantly higher cyclic fatigue resistance compared with other files tested in a 2-mm radius of curvature and a 600 angle in an artificial canal at the intracanal temperature.
Assessment of patients' satisfaction following coverage of gingival recessions: Questionnaire-based case series
Authors: Mitsopoulos Eleftherios , Karakostas Panagiotis , Tsalikis Lazaros
Published: July 2021

Background/Aim: One of the most important goals of periodontal plastic surgery constitutes the predictable root coverage. Despite the thorough documentation that several surgical approaches can be implemented for the successful treatment of gingival recession (GR), only limited papers reported data on the evaluation according to patient's opinion. Thus, the forthcoming study is aiming in the patient-based assessment of the outcome of root coverage procedures. Material and Methods: Sixteen subjects (eight male, eight female; mean age 43.75 years, range: 23-73 years) ,with twenty one GRs, constituted the sample of this study and the root coverage procedures were executed in the period from 2011 to 2019. A patient-based questionnaire was used to assess the level of subjects' concern on various aspects related to the GR, preand post-operatively. Patient's overall post-operative satisfaction was evaluated with a VAS. Results: After a period of at least 6 months of the surgical treatment, the majority of the subjects indicated that they were not concerned for all the examined criteria. The criteria with the highest improvement (reported as improvement by at least two levels of concern preand post-operatively) were the following: 1) fear to lose the involved teeth and 2) esthetics of the area of the recession defect. With regard to esthetics' criteria, the majority of the patients indicated post-operatively the examined criteria as not important. The esthetics' criteria yielding the highest improvement were: 1) position of the teeth and 2) the fact that the teeth showed longer. Mean patient's overall post-operative satisfaction was 82,3 (range: 0-100). Conclusions: The majority of the subjects were satisfied from the implemented root coverage procedures. Few studies on the international literature have evaluated patient satisfaction following therapy. Comprehensive, multi-center studies, comprised of a large sample and a using a standardized approach are needed in future research.
Rota-type operators on 3-dimensional nilpotent associative algebras
Authors: Abdujabborov N.G. , Karimjanov I.A. , Kodirova M.A.
Published: July 2021

We give the description of Rota–Baxter operators, Reynolds operators, Nijenhuis operators and average operators on 3-dimensional nilpotent associative algebras over ℂ.
RF energy harvesting using a compact rectenna with an antenna array at 2.45 GHz for IoT applications
Authors: Pramono Subuh , Shidiq Dwiki Dimas , Ibrahim Muhammad Hamka , Adriyanto Feri , Hikmaturokhman Alfin
Published: July 2021

This work addresses the design, fabrication, and implementation of an RF energy harvester 2.45 GHz using a compact rectenna. Our proposed rectenna focuses on development of an antenna array and rectifier circuit. The proposed rectenna is fabricated using FR4 substrate with its overall size of 12.24 cm × 18.17 cm with a thickness of 1.6 mm. The measured results show that a 10 dB bandwidth covering in 2374-2549 MHz (175 MHz) with center frequency 2415 MHz at S
11 of −18.2 dB. There is a bandwidth enhancement of 57.6% compared to the single antenna. Gaining of the antenna array is 6 dB that is double a single antenna gain. Spatial diversity technique in antenna array yields a bigger antenna gain thereby increasing the received power level. Experimental measurements are carried out that the rectenna is placed indoor (LOS) at 5 m and outdoor (NLOS) at 15 m. Furthermore, we also explore the rectifier circuit that to maximize the output voltage. The received RF power that transmitted from WiFi router is −55 dBm (0.15 nW/cm2) at 5 m and −59 dBm (0.06 nW/cm2) at 15 m, respectively. The output voltages are achieved that 1092.5 mV at a distance of 5 m (LOS) and 5.48 mV at a distance of 15 m (NLOS). The highest RF-DC conversion efficiency of our proposed rectenna reaches 77.6%. The rectenna potentially meets all requirements to power up the IoT applications.
Measuring environmental and landscape-related potential for tourism development in rural areas and assessment of its co-occurrence with tourist movement: The case of Poland
Authors: Mazur Marcin , Bednarek-Szczepańska Maria , Bański Jerzy , Mazurek Damian
Published: July 2021

The assessment of assets regarding their potential for tourism development is a well-recognised aspect of quantitative geographic research. This paper confines such matters to environmental and landscape-related attributes. The methodological objective is to propose a synthetic index for holistic measurement of a complex system of assets at the local level for Poland’s rural areas, followed by its empirical verification. The natural and landscape-related potential of a given area is perceived broadly, as the aspects involved are diverse and complementary: the quality of the landscape, the value of the environment, forest cover, relief, accessibility to surface waters and local bioclimate. The cognitive advantage of this research project is attained by confronting this index against a measure of tourist movement, as well as classifying rural areas by means of combining both dimensions. A considerable number of communes in Poland are characterised by relatively high potential, albeit they are not being exploited for tourism development to a correspondingly large degree.
Update of the Ventilation Network Related to Livezeni Mine
Authors: Biro Eva , Radu Sorin Mihai , Cioclea Doru , Gherghe Ion
Published: July 2021

The ventilation networks are associated with the set of underground mining works used for the extraction of useful mineral substances. Over time, the ventilation networks involve a change in the structure due to either the expansion or restriction of the mining works structure. For the establishment of air flows at the level of each active mining work, specialized programs are used at international level. These programs allow the modelling and solving of complex ventilation networks. The most advanced specialized programs are those from the VENTSIM range. The paper presents the updating of the ventilation network related to Livezeni mine, with the help of the VENTSIM program.
Energy Analysis of the Propulsion Shaft Fatigue Process in a Rotating Mechanical System Part III Dimensional Analysis
Authors: Korczewski Zbigniew , Marszałkowski Konrad
Published: July 2021

This article presents the third and last part of the problem of diagnosing the fatigue of marine propulsion shafts in terms of energy with the use of the action function, undertaken by the authors. Even the most perfect physical models of real objects, observed under laboratory conditions and developed based on the results of their research, cannot be useful in diagnostics without properly transferring the obtained results to the scale of the real object. This paper presents the method of using dimensional analyses and the Buckingham theorem (the so-called π theorem) to determine the dimensionless numbers of the dynamic similarity of the physical model of the propulsion shaft and its real ship counterpart, which enable the transfer of the results of the research on the energy processes accompanying the ship propulsion shaft fatigue from the physical model to the real object.
Evaluation of the Impact of International Trade Using Regression and Correlation Models
Authors: Čarný Štefan , Zitrický Vladislav
Published: July 2021

The connection of international economies in the world represents an important role for the development of modern economies of countries. This phenomenon is known as globalization. The article describes in more detail the dependence of the Slovak Republic on the economies of East Asia, where mathematical research was performed on macroeconomic indicators of imports and exports. The Slovak Republic is experiencing an increase in GDP for the entire reference period. The growth of economic indicators in the Slovak Republic is ensured mainly due to the strong integration of our economy into international logistics chains and the strongly developed automotive industry. However, assuming the COVID-19 crisis, several studies suggest a sharp decline in economic indicators, as international trade has had to be significantly reduced for some time. The countries we examined in the article have a significant impact on these areas, so our research was focused on the main sectors of the Slovak economy. The automotive industry, the metallurgical industry and the electronics industry were evaluated. Data from world statistics were evaluated using mathematical and statistical models. The result of the study was the confirmation of dependence in all the categories.
The macroregional integration, new level of global cross-country exploitation, and opportunities for Russia
Authors: ZAKHAROV Valerii K.
Published: July 2021

Subject. The article describes the current exhaustion of the imperial power ecumene of the human population and the transition to the following supraconstructive phase of the national amalgamation, i.e. the establishment of macroregional integration units (macros). The establishment of macros is assumed to drive the world into a new geopolitical reality with a new hierarchy of the global cross-country exploitation.
Objectives. The study determines strategic and tactic goals of the sub-American macros and the entire Pan-American geopolitical world in the Pan-American project of exploiting hegemony.
Methods. The study draws upon the author's historical and remembered representation of the human life order. According to this concept, the present and the future of the human life get adjusted (get reproduced and renewed) by human memory reflecting on the overall past life, whether conscious and unconscious.
Results. I pointed out the archetype of the global continuity of nature and people. The existence of the above archetype means that the humankind cannot become wealthy by progressively exploiting the nature. This explains the existence and inescapability of the cross-community exploitation archetype, which does not depend on the archetype of cross-rank and cross-class intracommunity exploitation. The article demonstrates the historical development of the hierarchy (subordination) of amalgamation levels of the global cross-community exploitation. I describe the current exhaustion of the imperial power ecumene and the start of the transition to the establishment of macroregional integration units (macros). The sub-American and European macros were spotlighted. The article unveils the Pan-American project of exploiting hegemony implying that the Pan-American geopolitical world has to strategically deter the European Union and China as its macroregional geopolitical rivals.
Conclusions and Relevance. Independent Russia historically prevents the Pan-American world from putting the deterring pressure. Therefore, the Pan-American world needs to take undermining efforts against Russia in order to take over the total control over its natural resources and supranatural infrastructure as soon as possible. Russia is stated to be able to stand against the threat, only if it resorts to the amalgamation specialization and combination as part of its own closest integration and far cooperation projects.
The position of borderline areas of Southern Siberia in socio-economic ratings of the Russian regions
Authors: OIDUP Tana M. , POLULYAKH Yurii G. , CHUPIKOVA Svetlana A.
Published: July 2021

Subject. The article discusses the position of borderline areas of Southern Siberia in terms of the socio-economic development and geographical position.
Objectives. We perform the comparative analysis of the regions’ position, determine the place and status of each borderline area, find identical regions in Russia in terms of the economic situation and difficulties.
Methods. The study addresses the multivariate classification of data through the method of grouping and cluster analysis.
Results. We suggest using the methodological approach to determining the status of the regions from three dimensions, i.e. social, economic and geographical, and apply some indicators, such as the ratio of average income per capita and the subsistence level for the social view, the real fiscal capacity for the economic view, and the density of the population (man per km2) for the spatial view. To present the data conveniently and clearly, we conducted the cluster analysis, set the dendrogram of the borderline areas of Southern Siberia.
Conclusions. Determining the regions’ status by three anchors is more beneficial than traditional types of ranking and grouping, since it provides an unbiased view of the region, helps analyze the current socio-economic difficulties.
The evolution of economic systems: The dialectics of regress
Authors: GRECHKO Mikhail V. , KOBINA Larisa A.
Published: July 2021

Subject. We herein examine, sort out and integrate economic knowledge to analyze systemic contradictions, which constitute necessary and sufficient conditions for the evolution of macrosystems. In this research, we draw upon the cognitive potential of the dialectical systemic-historical approach.
Objectives. We examine the gradual transformation of complex subjects with weak structure and the qualitative representation of the regress dialectics in terms of the logic of the evolution of economic systems.
Methods. The study draws upon the cognitive potential of the dialectical method, the method of ascending from the abstract to the concrete, with some elements of the formation approach added, which helped definitely determine and capture systemic traits and principles of the regress dialectics of old systems, and their possible development trajectories.
Results. The article sets forth systemic contradictions, qualities and traits of the regress dialectics, referring to the evolutionary phases of economic systems. To display the regress dialectics properly, we formulated respective principles for studying mutated forms, demonstrating the inevitability of their self-reproduction, and revealing the real, though concealed, substance.
Conclusions. The article sorts out key conclusions. The findings may underlie the scientific basis for comprehending the evolution of complex subjects with weak structure and macrosystems.
Gold production in the Russian Federation: The analysis and forecast
Authors: CHANG Chi , ZAERNYUK Viktor M.
Published: July 2021

Subject. The article discusses possible lines for improving the methodological framework of the long-term economic forecast of gold production in the Russian Federation, relying upon the mathematical apparatus of econometric models.
Objectives. We devise an economic-mathematical model for predicting the gold production with respect to the specifics of the economic development in Russia’s gold mining industry.
Methods. The study is based in the correlation and regression methods for analyzing publicly available statistical data on the gold market. The least square method is taken as the methodological approach to designing the economic-mathematical model for forecasting.
Results. Each gold deposit is found to be distinctive, having its own qualities, which seriously differ from those of other gold deposit. As a result of the analysis, we discovered key factors, which significantly influence the gold production, such as demand and price for gold, the amount and quality of geological reserves of gold, the amount of investment to be made in geological prospecting, national exchange rate and key rate of the Bank of Russia. We substantiated the use of the linear three-factor model, which involves gold production volumes in Russia, demand for gold, national exchange rate and price for gold as regressors. According to our estimates, in the Russian Federation, gold production will have reached 370–380 tons by 2025.
Conclusions. Based on the least square method, the structural forecast apparatus does not account for geological and geographic-economic distinctions of gold deposits due to their unique nature. Therefore, determining regressors for the model, we predominantly focuses on open access data.
The analysis of structural relations in the Russian economy
Authors: SMIRNOV Valerii V.
Published: July 2021

Subject. The article investigates structural relations in Russia’s economy.
Objectives. I delve into the basis for structural relations in Russia’s economy.
Methods. The study is based on the systems approach and the method of statistical, neural network and cluster analysis.
Results. I spotlight the establishment of optimal structural relations in the Russian economy. The article presents a set of material properties of the Russian economy, which hamper the emergence of optimal structural relations, sustainable growth and constructive development in the modern circumstances. What underlies structural relations in Russia is that its growth can be fed with domestic borrowings and paid services for the public, retail turnover, which depend on salaries and investment in capital stock, while changes in the foreign exchange rate are pegged to the turnover of foreign trade and deficit (surplus) of the consolidated budget.
Conclusions and Relevance. Maintained with domestic borrowings and variation of the foreign exchange rate, economic growth, as the basis for structural relations in the Russian economy, is a sufficient indicator to evaluate the performance of the Russian government. The findings contribute to the knowledge and competence of the Russian government to set up consistent goals for creating optimal structural relations in the Russian economy.
Caracterización y redimensionamiento de sistema de bombeo de agua para cultivos acuícolas en finca el Rubí en Aipe-Huila
Authors: Arias Ramos Luis Fernando , Olaya Idarraga Fredy , Ardila Marín Juan Gonzalo
Published: July 2021

Los sistemas de bombeo permiten la captación y transporte de agua para su uso. Con el estudio de este campo se redujo el gasto energético en su operación. No obstante, no todas las instalaciones tienen en cuenta los criterios técnicos, generando pérdidas económicas y fallas en servicio. El departamento del Huila es el mayor productor de tilapia nacional, en jaulas flotantes o en estanques en tierra en riveras de ríos, siendo necesarios sistemas de bombeo. La finca el Rubí en Aipe, cultiva 120 ton/año de tilapia niloticus, cuenta con 19 estanques abastecidos por el río Bache. El presente proyecto logró la caracterización y el redimensionamiento del sistema de bombeo de la finca. Se determinó el porcentaje de recambio de agua, el caudal y la velocidad en la tubería existente y se calculó la velocidad óptima en succión e impulsión, el Reynolds en cada sección y las pérdidas por fricción en tubería y en accesorios, para determinar la carga total de la bomba y el NPSH disponible. Se encontró que el sistema actual posee instalaciones rudimentarias y obsoletas, y genera pérdidas por desalineación, mal estado de la calza, altas vibraciones y sedimentos que entran por succión. El sistema actual entrega 12405 m3/día con pérdidas de 10.33 m de cabeza. El redimensionamiento consistió en el rediseño de tuberías, selección de transformador, junta de expansión, acople, y filtro, y el análisis estático y dinámico de la calza, con análisis de resonancia y frecuencia natural, y de cimentación, anclajes y lechada, para finalizar con el presupuesto de implementación. Con el nuevo sistema se espera reducir las pérdidas un 41.77% bajándolas a 6.02 m. El nuevo sistema podría disminuir el tiempo de operación de 24 a 11 horas, implicando un ahorro de 20000 kWh/mes (10’000000 COP/mes). 110’072500 COP de implementación retornarían en 12 meses.
Evaluación de la remoción de nitrógeno y materia orgánica a través de humedales artificiales de flujo subsuperficial, acoplados a reactores de lecho fijo con microalgas en la Institución Universitaria Colegio Mayor de Antioquia
Authors: Quintero García Kelly Leani , Rodríguez Zúñiga Diana Patricia , González Duque María Elena , Arroyave Rojas Joan Amir
Published: July 2021

Las importantes cargas de materia orgánica y nitrógeno en las aguas residuales de instituciones educativas, han llevado a la búsqueda de sistemas de depuración eficientes, económicos, fáciles de operar y que permitan considerar el agua residual como un recurso que se pueda evaluar y tratar para que su descarga a fuentes hídricas naturales no tenga un alto impacto y genere alteraciones a los ecosistemas acuáticos. Los humedales artificiales son sistemas de tratamiento promisorios que trabajan por biofiltración, en estos se dan procesos físicos, químicos y microbiológicos que permiten la eliminación de materia orgánica, bioindicadores de contaminación fecal y turbidez del agua residual, permitiendo que esta sea utilizada en actividades que no impliquen el uso de agua potable (Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá, 2015). Los humedales artificiales de flujo subsuperficial acoplados a reactores de lecho fijo con microalgas, se convierte en una opción promisoria para la remoción de nitrógeno y materia orgánica procedente del efluente tratado en los humedales, con el fin de continuar el proceso de degradación, debido a que las microalgas captan nutrientes inorgánicos que se aprovechan para producir biomasa, y a la vez, se reduce la capacidad del efluente de provocar eutrofización en los cuerpos de agua (Candela, 2016). En este proyecto se presentan los resultados de la evaluación de la remoción de nitrógeno y materia orgánica a través de un sistema de humedales artificiales de flujo subsuperficial horizontal, plantados con Heliconia psittacorum y acoplados a reactores de lecho fijo con microalgas, inoculados con cepas de Chlorella vulgaris, donde se encontró una eficiencia en la transformación de nitrógeno de 73,4%, materia orgánica entre el 30-40%, coliformes totales del 87% y coliformes fecales (E.coli) del 88%.
An Experimental and Simulation Study of Early Flame Development in a Homogeneous-charge Spark-Ignition Engine
Authors: Shekhawat Y. , Haworth D.C. , d'Adamo A. , Berni F. , Fontanesi S. , Schiffmann P. , Reuss D.L. , Sick V.
Published: July 2021

An integrated experimental and Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) study is presented for homogeneous premixed combustion in a spark-ignition engine. The engine is a single-cylinder two-valve optical research engine with transparent liner and piston: the Transparent Combustion Chamber (TCC) engine. This is a relatively simple, open engine configuration that can be used for LES model development and validation by other research groups. Pressure-based combustion analysis, optical diagnostics and LES have been combined to generate new physical insight into the early stages of combustion. The emphasis has been on developing strategies for making quantitative comparisons between high-speed/high-resolution optical diagnostics and LES using common metrics for both the experiments and the simulations, and focusing on the important early flame development period. Results from two different LES turbulent combustion models are presented, using the same numerical methods and computational mesh. Both models yield Cycle-to-Cycle Variations (CCV) in combustion that are higher than what is observed in the experiments. The results reveal strengths and limitations of the experimental diagnostics and the LES models, and suggest directions for future diagnostic and simulation efforts. In particular, it has been observed that flame development between the times corresponding to the laminar-to-turbulent transition and 1% mass-burned fraction are especially important in establishing the subsequent combustion event for each cycle. This suggests a range of temporal and spatial scales over which future experimental and simulation efforts should focus.
Lower Limb Amputation Rates in Patients With Diabetes and an Infected Foot Ulcer: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Chaudhary Natasha , Huda Farhanul , Roshan Ravi , Basu Somprakas , Rajput Deepak , Singh Sudhir
Published: July 2021

BACKGROUND: Lower extremity amputation is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus and occurs most commonly in persons who have a foot ulcer. PURPOSE: To examine variables that affect the rate of lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetes and infected foot ulcers. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed including all consecutive patients who were 18 to 65 years, had a diagnosis of diabetes, and a foot ulcer showing clinical signs of infection. Patients were followed for 6 months or until ulcer healing, minor, or major amputation. A total of 81 persons were enrolled. Demographic variables were obtained, and clinical assessments, blood tests, and radiological investigations were performed. Ulcers were categorized using the Perfusion, Extent, Depth, Infection and Sensation classification system. Differences between variables and outcomes were assessed using the Wilcoxon test, Fisher’s exact test, Chi-square test, and t-test. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 54.58 ± 9.04 years, and the majority (61, 75%) were male. After 6 months, 33 (41%) were healed, 2 patients died, and 17 (21%) underwent major and 24 (30%) minor amputations. Major amputation rates were significantly higher in patients with a high Perfusion, Extent, Depth, Infection and Sensation score (6.92 ± 1.36; P = .005), elevated HbA1c (%) (9.43 ± 2.19; P = .049), presence of growth on wound culture (41 [64.1%]; P = .016), culture sensitivity to beta lactam (20 [31.2%]; P = .012), and presence of peripheral arterial disease seen on arterial Doppler ultrasound (P < .001). Minor amputation rates were higher in men (P = .02) and in the presence of peripheral arterial disease (P = .01). CONCLUSION: The presence of the above factors in persons with diabetes and foot ulcer with clinical signs of infection should alert the clinician to the need for focused and individualized treatment to attempt to prevent amputation.