Active Part Research Articles

PM flux-reversal machine for wind energy application

Currently, attempts are being made to harness wind energy by means of non-conventional electrical machines such as flux reversal machines (FRM). The main advantage of the FRM, when compared with existing synchronous generators (SG), is that all the active parts like PMs and armature windings are mounted on the stator part, whereas leaving the rotor has simple and robust. In this study, the three-phase 6/8-pole flux reversal generators (FRGs) are selected, sized, designed, and analyzed using finite element analysis (FEA). The working principle, choice of stator and rotor poles, and machine design dimensions evaluation (analytical sizing procedure), as well as relevant performance details are discussed in this paper. This study is used to analyze, a popular 6/8 pole, 0.8 kW, 50 Hz, and examine the suitability for the wind energy applications in terms of torque and power density, torque ripple, power factor, and cogging torque under 2D finite element analysis (FEA). The analysis provides an update on the current state-of-the-art and as well as future thrust areas of research necessary to bridge the gap on what is still desired for the practical application of FRMs for wind energy.

Influence of Raoul Husson’s neurochronaxic theory for the development of research on the physiological mechanisms of voice production in the Soviet Union (1950–1970s)

The influence of the neurochronaxic theory of phonation of the French physiologist Raoul Husson (1901–1967) on the development of research on voice formation in the Soviet Union, mainly in the 1950–1970s, is discussed. Husson contrasted the neurochronaxic theory with the traditional myoelastic theory of voice formation. The myoelastic theory considers the vocal folds as a self-oscillatory system. Vibrations are caused by the energy of the air flow. According to Husson’s concept, vibrations of the vocal cords do not depend on subglottic pressure. The frequency of vibration of the vocal cords corresponds to the frequency of impulses arriving along the recurrent nerve. To explain the high frequency of vibration of the vocal cords, Husson used Wever’s “Volley Principle”. According to this principle, the activity of each subsequent nerve fiber occurs during the refractory phase of the previous fiber. The responses of all nerve fibers are summed up into a common high-frequency oscillation. In 1950–1970s, Soviet physiologists took an active part in testing the new concept proposed by Husson. They came to the conclusion that both mechanisms, myoelastic and neurochronaxic, are involved in the functioning of the vocal apparatus. But the recurrent nerve does not directly control the vibrations of the vocal cords, but indirectly. Žhinkin called this control system the “code principle,” when a command is sent to the vocal cords to change their physical characteristics, changing the properties of the self-oscillating system.

Mapping and quantification of potato virus A RNA genomes within viral particles and polysomes in infected plant cells.

Potato virus A belongs to the genus Potyvirus, a group of single-stranded positive sense RNA viruses infecting crops worldwide. To initiate infection in a host, its genome takes part in different activities, viz., translation, replication, encapsidation during the infection cycle. Extensive research has been carried out to scrutinize the stages of potyviral infection cycle and decipher the strategies it employs to cause disease. Nonetheless, the amount of viral RNA taking part in translation and virion formation, at a given time point, is missing. In this study, we quantified the percentage of viral RNA that exists as virions and those that associates with host polysome, relative to total viral RNA in infected plant tissue. We employed a revised version of immune-capture reverse transcription PCR and polysome profiling to address our queries. We tested three different coating antibody concentrations and further optimized the immuno-capture reverse transcription PCR protocol to address its limitation of binding and retaining viral particles. Our results indicate that most of the viral RNA (69%) exists as encapsidated genomes, while 3% of total viral RNA associates with host polysomes. These findings are crucial for correct interpretation of quantitative translational studies in which correlation must be made between the number of polysome-associated transcripts and the amount of protein synthesized.

Inside the Atacama Desert: uncovering the living microbiome of an extreme environment.

The Atacama Desert in Chile is one of the driest and most inhospitable places on Earth. To analyze the diversity and distribution of microbial communities in such an environment, one of the most important and challenging steps is DNA extraction. Using commercial environmental DNA extraction protocols, a mixture of living, dormant, and dead cells of microorganisms is extracted, but separation of the different DNA pools is almost impossible. To overcome this problem, we applied a novel method on soils across a west-east moisture transect in the Atacama Desert to distinguish between extracellular DNA (eDNA) and intracellular DNA (iDNA) at the cell extraction level. Here, we show that a large number of living and potentially active microorganisms, such as Acidimicrobiia, Geodermatophilaceae, Frankiales, and Burkholderiaceae, occur in the hyperarid areas. We observed viable microorganisms involved as pioneers in initial soil formation processes, such as carbon and nitrogen fixation, as well as mineral-weathering processes. In response to various environmental stressors, microbes coexist as generalists or specialists in the desert soil environment. Our results show that specialists compete in a limited range of niches, while generalists tolerate a wider range of environmental conditions. Use of the DNA separation approach can provide new insights into different roles within viable microbial communities, especially in low-biomass environments where RNA-based analyses often fail.IMPORTANCEThe novel e- and iDNA separation technique offers insights into the living community at the cell extraction level in the hyperarid Atacama Desert. This approach provides a new framework for analyzing the composition and structure of the potentially active part of the microbial communities as well as their specialization, ecological network and community assembly process. Our findings underscore the significance of utilizing alternative genomic techniques in low-biomass environments where traditional DNA- and RNA-based analyses may not be feasible. The results demonstrate the viability of the proposed study framework and show that specialized microorganisms are important in initial soil formation processes, including microbial-driven mineral weathering, as well as the fixation of carbon and nitrogen.

The Faculty of Sociology in the Russian sociological education system: 35 years of leadership.

This article reflects the achievements of the Sociology Faculty of Moscow State University, which has been a recognized leader in the Russian sociological education system for over 35 years and trains professional sociologists who are in great demand in the modern labor market. Over the past 5 years, 1,287 Russian students (816 bachelors and 471 masters), as well as 368 foreign students, whose influx is constantly growing, have received a start in professional life. The author notes that the feature of learning is a harmonious combination of fundamental and applied knowledge, theoretical and empirical skills, which is typical for classical university education. In its educational and scientific activities, the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University relies on a combination of fundamental scientific knowledge and empirical skills that allow students to be not only practitioners capable of processing and analyzing data, but also theorists who understand deep social processes. The education system of the Faculty of Sociology is constantly being modernized to meet the challenges and requirements of modernity. In this regard, special attention is paid at the Faculty of Sociology to the introduction of new educational technologies, including the network form of educational programs, project-based learning, distance learning technologies, and e-learning. The article presents in a systematic form the achievements of the departments of the Faculty of Sociology, as well as the results of the scientific activities of the entire faculty, which are reflected in numerous monographic publications, publications of articles, as well as in reports at international and all-Russian conferences. Many monographs published by faculty members have become bestsellers. Among them: a monograph by N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev “Revolutions and coups d’etat: theory, history and practice”, a monograph by N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev “Historical Russia: territories and prospects”, monographs by S.O. Elisheva “Sociology of Religion in Imperial Russia” and “Imperial Statehood — the fate and mission of Russia”, a collective monograph by the staff of the Department of Modern Sociology “Social inequality in the modern world: new forms and features of their manifestation in Russia”, collective monographs of the Department of Economic Sociology and Management “The older generation in post-industrial realities” and “Artifacts of organizational culture”. The Faculty of Sociology of Lomonosov Moscow State University takes an active part in the joint development of the Innovative Scientific and Technological Center of Moscow State University “Vorobyovy Gory”, contributed to the launch of negotiations between the INTC of Moscow State University and major representatives of the real sector of the economy. He pays great attention to the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of Russia, the popularization of traditional values for the Russian mentality. A landmark platform for the implementation of this direction was the Vvedensky Stavropol Monastery “Optina Pustyn”, in the spiritual and educational center of which professors of the faculty N.G. Osipova and S.O. Elishev gave public lectures. The author highlights in detail the directions of international cooperation of the Faculty of Sociology and activities that help attract applicants.

Fundamentals and Implication of Point of Zero Charge (PZC) Determination for Activated Carbons in Aqueous Electrolytes.

The point of zero charge (PZC) is a crucial parameter for investigating the charge storage mechanisms in energy storage systems at the molecular level. This paper presents findings from three different electrochemical techniques, compared for the first time: cyclic voltammetry (CV), staircase potentio electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (SPEIS), and step potential electrochemical spectroscopy (SPECS), for two activated carbons (ACs) with 0.1molL-1 aqueous solution of LiNO3, Li2SO4, and KI. The charging process of AC operating in aqueous electrolytes appears as a complex phenomenon - all ionic species take an active part in electric double-layer formation and the ion-mixing zone covers a wide potential region. Therefore, the so-called PZC should not be considered as an absolute one-point potential value, but rather as a range of zero charge (RZC). SPECS technique is found to be a universal and fast method for determining RZC, as applied here together with the EQCM. In most cases, the RZC covers a potential range from ≈100 to ≈200mV and the correlation of the range with the carbon microtexture is clear, highlighting the role of the ion-sieving effect. It is postulated that PZC for porous materials in aqueous electrolytic solutions should be considered instead as RZC.

Petrograd (Leningrad) physical and mathematical society in 1921–1930: science management, publishing activities, and international relations

Drawing on the archival materials, the article examines the activities of the Petrograd (Leningrad) Physical and Mathematical Society in the 1920s, focusing on those concerned with research, science management, publishing and international relations. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Society’s efforts proved to be very fruitful: regular meetings were held where scientific papers were presented and discussed, a dedicated scientific journal was published, and scientific links were maintained both domestically and internationally. Prominent Russian scientists took an active part in the Society’s activities, including Ya. V. Uspensky, V. I. Smirnov, B. N. Delone (Delaunay), G. M. Fikhtengol’ts (Fichtenholz), V. A. Steklov, A. A. Fridman (Friedmann), V. A. Fok (Fock), A. S. Besikovich, S. N. Bernshtein (Bernstein), Ya. D. Tamarkin, R. O. Kuzmin, N. I. Muskhelishvili, L. G. Loitsyansky, B. G. Galerkin. Society members attended international congresses and conferences, establishing and promoting important scientific contacts with foreign scientists and enhancing the worldwide authority of Soviet mathematicians and physicists. However, in 1930, the Society decided upon self-dissolution due to a number of reasons: introduction of new regulation aimed at the reorganization of scientific societies, the escalation of conflicts among the mathematical community, and the beginning of repressions against some mathematicians. Nevertheless the Petrograd (Leningrad) Physical and Mathematical Society had made a significant contribution to the advancement of physical and mathematical sciences in our country.

Undergoing Orthopaedic Day Surgery: What Factors Are Associated With patients' Feeling of Safety and Their Recovery?

The study aimed to examine factors associated with the perceived feeling of safety and postoperative recovery in patients who have undergone orthopaedic day surgery under regional anaesthesia. The design was quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional. The study participants comprised a consecutive sample (n = 209) of patients who underwent orthopaedic day surgery under regional anaesthesia. A questionnaire was sent to the home addresses of the study population approximately 3 weeks postoperatively. The questionnaire included the Feeling Safe During Surgery Scale (FSS), the Swedish version of the post-discharge surgical recovery scale (S-PSR), and questions concerning background variables. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the association of different variables with both feeling safe and postoperative recovery. The only factor associated with the feeling of safety was preoperative anxiety; higher levels of preoperative anxiety were associated with lower levels of perceived safety during surgery. The factors associated with postoperative recovery were the recovery process itself and the patient's feeling of safety. Higher levels of postoperative anxiety were associated with a lower level of postoperative recovery. Higher levels of perceived safety during surgery were associated with higher postoperative recovery. The perceived feeling of safety in the perioperative period could not be explained by factors such as age, gender, or level of education. Based on the results of this study, postoperative recovery was associated with the perceived feeling of safety in the perioperative period. Anxiety in the perioperative period was associated with patients' perceived feeling of safety and their postoperative recovery. Thus, this study's results emphasise the importance of ensuring that people undergoing surgery feel safe to promote their recovery. Based on previous research, the nurse-patient relationship seems to be an important part of making patients feel safe, which ultimately affects their recovery. This study examines the association between perceived feeling of safety in the perioperative period and patients' postoperative recovery after undergoing orthopaedic day surgery under regional anaesthesia. Previous research has shown that the nurse-patient relationship and patients' possibilities to participate in their care are important for them to feel safe. This study further emphasises the importance of fostering relationships in the perioperative period and making patients an active part in decision-making, as it may positively impact their recovery. Creating a feeling of safety for the patient should be prioritised, as it benefits their perioperative experience and postoperative recovery. This research is reported in accordance with the STROBE guidelines. No patient or public contribution.

PUSHKIN’S JUBILEE OF 1937 IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA

The article is devoted to the characteristics of the celebrations dedicated to the hundredth anniversary of death of A.S. Pushkin, which took place not only in the USSR, but also in the Russian exile. According to the decree of the Soviet government in 1935, the All-Union Pushkin’s Committee was established under the chairmanship of A.M. Gorky. The Committee was allocated significant funds for various events, which made it possible to publish a scientific collection of Pushkin’s works. The Russian émigré organizations also took an active part in the preparation of the festive events, organized own committees and began implementing its own publishing program. The analysis suggests comparison of the activities of the committees in Paris and Prague, while emphasizing that they were not related to the work of the Soviet committees created both in the USSR and abroad under the auspices of the All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries. Documents are cited confirming that in Czechoslovakia, in the conditions of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the USSR and the signing of a Mutual Assistance Agreement, local authorities, yielding to the insistence of the Soviet side, refused to support the émigré celebrations. As a result, the Union of Russian Writers and Journalists in Prague was forced to abandon its broad program of Pushkin’s celebrations. Thereby, in 1937 parallel celebrations were held in Prague, as in Paris, not comparable in scale, but nevertheless equally important for perpetuating the heritage of Pushkin and popularizing his work abroad.

Education to Promote Healthy and Sustainable Eating Habits: A Bibliometric Analysis

Food production accounts for a substantial part of human activities’ negative impact on planetary environmental stability. Although environmental education and education for sustainable development could both promote changes in this area, research often does not focus on their potential to build healthy and sustainable eating habits. Here, a bibliometric map of the scientific literature is outlined, revealing trends and opportunities for research on this topic. The SPAR-4-SLR protocol was used to collect a large sample (RQ1 sample: n = 2067) and, subsequently, a narrow sample (RQ2 sample: n = 256) of research works on this topic. The sampling process and data treatment were undertaken in RStudio. The bibliometric analysis shows that scientific research in this area is increasing exponentially in quantity (R2 = 0.926). However, the model also indicates that quality standards have been decreasing (β = −0.951 p < 0.001), with a high adjustment (R2 = 0.803). Cross-statistical corroboration points in the same direction (r = −0.541 p < 0.01). Authorship quality has low consistency among publications focused on eating-habit education from an environmental sustainability perspective. The emerging topics are meat consumption, behavior, attitudes, and the Mediterranean diet. This research unveils gaps to be explored in future research on education for sustainable development (and environmental education) to foster healthy and sustainable eating habits, and contributes to the discussion on the quality standards of scientific research.

Simulating the onset of damage in DCDC tests using a novel gradient‐extended damage model for tension‐compression asymmetry

AbstractIn the present work, an existing framework for gradient‐extended damage is extended to simulate the damage onset in double cleavage drilled compression (DCDC) tests. The main idea is to consider the different evolution of the damage variable under tensile and compressive loading. More specifically, the star‐convex decomposition is exploited to split the strain energy into an active part and an inactive part, and only the active part drives the evolution of the damage variable in the compressive regime. A parameter adopted in the star‐convex decomposition is applied to calibrate the compressive strength independently from the tensile strength, such that the current model can simulate different types of the damage onset. Furthermore, the strengthening effect induced by damage hardening is discussed in this work.

Local leadership in Kashmir: navigating the issues of diversity and compatibility

PurposeThis study explores the diversity and compatibility of leadership in a local context. It aims to understand the interface between traditional and democratic leadership in local governance.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a qualitative approach, the researchers collected data through unstructured interviews and utilised thematic analysis for data interpretation.FindingsThe study demonstrated that the emergence of democratic local leadership has not supplanted traditional leaders but rather gained legitimacy and effectiveness by collaborating with them. This study illustrated how traditional and modern democratic leadership can coexist and effectively manage community affairs.Practical implicationsThe study emphasises the potential for traditional leaders to take part in local governance activities, offering a practical tool to improve the effectiveness of local governance. Its findings also underscore the need for collaborative governance to deal with local issues.Originality/valueThis research study contributes to the literature on collaborative governance at the local level. It helps us understand the different types of leaders and their collective efforts in meeting local challenges. It is the first study of its kind in South Asia.

A study of the enablers and barriers to the collection of sociodemographic data by public health units in Ontario, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundCollection and use of sociodemographic data (SDD), including race, ethnicity and income, are foundational to understanding health inequities. Ontario’s public health units collected SDD as part of COVID-19 case management and vaccination activities. This research aimed to identify enablers and barriers to collecting SDD during COVID-19 case management and vaccination.MethodsAs part of a larger mixed-method research study [1], qualitative methods were used to identify enablers and barriers to SDD collection during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants from Ontario’s 34 public health units. Sixteen focus groups and eight interviews were conducted virtually using Zoom. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed using inductive and deductive qualitative description.ResultsSDD collection enablers included: legally mandating SDD collection and having dedicated data systems, technological and legal supports, senior management championing SDD collection, establishing rapport and trust between staff and clients, and gaining insight from the experiences from local communities and other jurisdictions. Identified barriers to SDD collection included: provincial data systems being perceived as lacking user-friendliness, SDD collection “was not a priority,” time and other constraints on building staff and client rapport, and perceived discomfort with asking and answering personal SDD questions.ConclusionA combination of provincial and local organizational strategies including supportive data systems, training, and frameworks for data collection and use, are needed to normalize and scale up SDD collection by local health units beyond the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘People of the barracks’: Meta-beliefs of a migrant community in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Literature discussing contents of meta-beliefs, or beliefs about other beliefs, and what effects they have on intergroup relationships, specifically among disadvantaged groups are rare. Our study aims to explore meta-beliefs among the resettled Sambas Madurese community, in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, who were affected by the 1999 Sambas Conflict. We adopted an ethnographic approach, with a three-month live-in duration, conducting interviews, casual conversations, and taking part in community activities. Our findings reveal two important contents of meta-belief held by the Sambas Madurese migrants: ‘people of the barracks’, and ‘evil and criminal’. As a disadvantaged group, the Sambas Madurese resort to more covert and subtle forms of resistance, mainly through reappropriation and daily life changes to disprove meta-beliefs. Here, reappropriation of those negative meta-beliefs, mainly linked to moral superiority, is employed. It is observed that the contents of meta-belief go beyond cognitive aspects, including strong emotive components and behavioral responses. Our study hopes to contribute to a discussion on intergroup relationships among host and disadvantaged migrant communities from ethnic conflict backgrounds.

OS DESAFIOS DA PROTEÇÃO DO CONSUMIDOR NO COMÉRCIO ELETRÔNICO

With technological advances, a large part of everyday activities have migrated to the virtual environment, causing legislation to adapt to ensure citizens' rights in all situations. Consequently, e-commerce has grown exponentially in recent decades, bringing numerous benefits but also significant challenges for consumer protection. Considered vulnerable and, therefore, insufficient, consumers have been even more exposed to risky situations when concluding electronic contracts, which is why this article aims to present the biggest challenges to consumer protection in the virtual environment. To this end, the research uses the deductive method of study, carried out through bibliographical consultation of legislation, doctrine and jurisprudence, aiming to protect consumers in the face of online transactions, data security and quality of products and services contracted via the internet. Furthermore, it is intended to examine existing regulations at national level aimed at protecting consumers in the digital environment and the application of CDC articles in these cases, while there is no specific legislation for these contracts.

A Case Study: Implementation of Innovative Educational Strategies on Teaching Nuclear Chemistry at the College of Engineering Laguna State Polytechnic University – Sta. Cruz Campus

The outcome of the evaluation shows the level of students’ consistency with the expected learning outcomes and identifies the weaknesses that are present in them for training rationale. As a result, the data highlight the necessity of the creation of certain instructional techniques that would help the students confront the challenges that arise due to nuclear chemistry. Probably this would improve the understanding p of nuclear structure and properties when jigsaw and practical strategies are used to teach. A noticeable growth of homogeneity between subjects around the engineering specialization spectrum provides an idea of what works best. High marks achieved early may indicate deficits within the domain while progressing uniformly points towards learning needs being unaddressed. Learners’ interests and the perception of their knowledge may be enhanced by employing diverse tasking and assessment strategies within the instructional applications. Nuclear chemistry may remain a challenging science that does not motivate students to learn or retain information if its delivery does not change. The action plan is part of follow-up activities like conducting active learning through group work and experiments. Such procedures are reasonable as they provide and support evidence of understanding through feedback. Adjust the existing curriculum as a pedagogical strategy for generating credible new information supported by practical benefits. Impart additional learning and teaching in a way that assists challenged or struggling learners in adapting. Be open and discuss positive outcomes so that students become more self-assured and confident. As the above recommendations and action plans were also suggested by them, it is expected that engineering students who adopt nuclear chemistry will have their education experiences enhanced. This strategic approach does more than solve the challenges noted but also employs the resources and opportunities available to promote understanding of the subject. It is also expected that these strategies will be subjected to constant evaluation to improve their effectiveness and the students’ addresses.

Determinants of Doctor-Patient Communication in Terms of Patient Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Today, the public does not want to be just a passive consumer of health services. Patients often expect to be informed and involved in decisions about their health. With better doctor-patient communication, patients are more likely to follow treatment recommendations. The study was conducted using a face-to-face survey method on a group of 203 adult, independent patients from 2021 to 2022 at a medical facility, i.e., a rehabilitation clinic. The purpose of this study was to assess the determinants of doctor-patient communication in terms of patient rights. One of patients' rights is the right to information about their health condition and treatment methods and the right to ask questions when the doctor does not provide details about the treatment or diagnosis or when it is not understandable. Doctors providing information to the patient and the opportunity for the patient to ask questions are key elements in the process of making informed decisions regarding further medical treatment. Therefore, patients were divided into two groups: active (+) and passive in communication (-) with doctors. Patients who were active in communication (33%) wanted to ask questions or had the opportunity to ask the doctor questions, and thus, they were able to take an active part in the discussion with the doctor. In contrast, patients who were passive in communication (67%) did not want to ask questions or did not have the opportunity to ask the doctor questions, and therefore, their active participation in the discussion and thus their right to ask questions may have been limited. The authors' survey shows that respondents with active communication were significantly more likely than patients with passive communication (almost 100% vs. 86%) to obtain information about their condition (p = 0.002), diagnostic methods (p = 0.003), therapeutic methods (p = 0.00007), treatment results, and prognosis (p = 0.0008). Moreover, almost all respondents with active communication as opposed to respondents with passive communication (95% vs. 52%) rated communication with doctors highest (on a scale from 0 to 5), including credible and professional approach to patients (p < 0.0001), providing information in clear and simple language (p < 0.0001), answering questions asked by patients (p < 0.0001), openness and kindness (p < 0.0001), maintaining professional confidentiality (p < 0.0001), or emotional support (p < 0.0001). Hence, the primary key element of the medical consultation is appropriate amount and content of information given to the patient, providing explanations and answering questions. Also importantly, according to the results, active communication between patients and doctors was significantly influenced by female gender, higher education, and a positive evaluation of communication with doctors.

The Influence of Tiken Jah Fakoly’s Reggae Music in Post-independence Côte d’Ivoire

Tiken Jah Fakoly, a prominent Ivoirian reggae artist, has played an important role in the social and political development of post-independence Côte d’Ivoire. This paper explores the impact and influence of Tiken Jah Fakoly’s music on the socio-political dynamics of the country, especially as these relate to national unity, political awareness, and social movements. To assess Fakoly’s influence on the social fabric of Côte d’Ivoire, we administered a questionnaire-based survey to a diverse sample of participants. The questions included information on demographics, music consumption habits, familiarity with Fakoly’s music, perceptions of his recordings, his influence of their sense of identity, and their impressions of the impact his music has on social and political issues. The results show that Tiken Jah Fakoly’s music has had a significant effect on the attitudes of Ivoirians and has helped shape the unique character of Ivorian reggae. His music has fostered a sense of unity and solidarity among Ivorians, and it has inspired numerous individuals to take part in advocacy and activism-related activities. The outcomes of this research have broad implications for the role African music plays in nation-building processes, in the creation of a sense of cultural identity, and in the capacity to motivate political and social movements.

Oxygen Consumption in Filamentous Pellets of Aspergillus niger: Microelectrode Measurements and Modeling.

Filamentous fungi cultivated as biopellets are well established in biotechnology industries. A distinctive feature of filamentous fungi is that hyphal growth and fungal morphology affect product titers and require tailored process conditions. Within the pellet, mass transfer, substrate consumption, and biomass formation are intricately linked to the local hyphal fraction and pellet size. This study combined oxygen concentration measurements with microelectrode profiling and three-dimensional X-ray microtomography measurements of the same fungal pellets for the first time. This allowed for the precise correlation of micromorphological information with local oxygen concentrations of two Aspergillus niger strains (hyperbranching and regular branching). The generated results showed that the identified oxygen-penetrated outer pellet regions exhibited a depth of 90-290 µm, strain-specific, with the active part percentage in the pellet ranging from 18% to 69%, without any difference between strains. Using a 1D continuum diffusion consumption model, the oxygen concentration in the pellets was computed depending on the local hyphal fraction. The best simulation results were achieved by individually estimating the oxygen-related biomass yield coefficient of the consumption term within each examined pellet, with an average estimated value of 1.95 (± 0.72) kg biomass per kg oxygen. The study lays the foundation for understanding oxygen supply in fungal pellets and optimizing processes and pellet morphologies accordingly.

Shades of party activism: understanding ZANU-PF youth activists

This article contributes to debates on authoritarian renewal and youth party activism in Africa, based on case study research with youth who are active in the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF). While youth activism and electoral politics is a subject of rich scholarship, there is limited knowledge on the motivations and agency of the party youth of hegemonic ruling parties. The study engaged a diverse group of ZANU-PF youth to understand their journeys into party activism, how they negotiate the discourses and authoritarian practices promoted by ZANU-PF, and their political agency on behalf of and within the party. The article analyses the everyday ways through which youth activists take part in ZANU-PF structures and activities, noting the dimensions of class and gender. The findings demonstrate the existing ‘shades in activism’, with some youth being born into the party and others joining in search of opportunities, but this does not exclude the possibility of some wanting to promote the prosperity of others. Some self-proclaimed loyalists embrace ZANU-PF narratives, while most are highly critical of the ruling party. We argue that everyday forms of youth activism may constitute authoritarianism from below. Whether ‘at the front’ or ‘at the back’, all ZANU-PF youth contribute to the reproduction of the systems and networks of ZANU-PF, and thus authoritarian renewal, especially because the room for contestation and change from within the ruling party is limited.