Disintegration Process Research Articles

Mitigation of Triclocarban Inhibition in Microbial Electrolysis Cell-Assisted Anaerobic Digestion.

Triclocarban (TCC), as a widely used antimicrobial agent, is accumulated in waste activated sludge at a high level and inhibits the subsequent anaerobic digestion of sludge. This study, for the first time, investigated the effectiveness of microbial electrolysis cell-assisted anaerobic digestion (MEC-AD) in mitigating the inhibition of TCC to methane production. Experimental results showed that 20 mg/L TCC inhibited sludge disintegration, hydrolysis, acidogenesis, and methanogenesis processes and finally reduced methane production from traditional sludge anaerobic digestion by 19.1%. Molecular docking revealed the potential inactivation of binding of TCC to key enzymes in these processes. However, MEC-AD with 0.6 and 0.8 V external voltages achieved much higher methane production and controlled the TCC inhibition to less than 5.8%. TCC in the MEC-AD systems was adsorbed by humic substances and degraded to dichlorocarbanilide, leading to a certain detoxification effect. Methanogenic activities were increased in MEC-AD systems, accompanied by complete VFA consumption. Moreover, the applied voltage promoted cell apoptosis and sludge disintegration to release biodegradable organics. Metagenomic analysis revealed that the applied voltage increased the resistance of electrode biofilms to TCC by enriching functional microorganisms (syntrophic VFA-oxidizing and electroactive bacteria and hydrogenotrophic methanogens), acidification and methanogenesis pathways, multidrug efflux pumps, and SOS response.

Study on Shear Failure Process and Zonal Disintegration Mechanism of Roadway under High Ground Stress: A Numerical Simulation via a Strain-Softening Plastic Model and the Discrete Element Method

Fracture expansion in rock masses can be observed by monitoring the break of contacts between the bounding particles via the discrete element method. The latter’s realization in this study via the PFC2D program tracked the evolution process of the zonal disintegration in an exemplary roadway-surrounding rock affected by mining. Besides, the damage evolution pattern in a high-stress soft rock roadway was simulated by the FLAC2D program using a strain-softening plastic model, revealing the effects of rock mass strength, stress state, and anchor support on the zonal disintegration of the roadway. Numerical simulation results show that in a roadway with high-level stress, the obvious fractures spread from the roadway surface to the depth of the surrounding rock along a series of geometric planes and cut the surrounding rock into rock mass blocks. Under high crustal stress, conjugate shear fractures occur near the roadway surfaces and form a closed-loop fractured zone after intersecting the conjugate fracture faces. The closed fractured zone becomes a free face, from which conjugate shear fractures develop, forming new closed fractured zones in the deep surrounding rock. By repeatedly generating the closed fracture zones, a fracture network appears in the roadway-surrounding rock. The development of zonal disintegration of roadway-surrounding rock mainly depends on the rock mass strength and its stress state. Zonal disintegration only occurs when the crustal stress of the roadway-surrounding rock exceeds its strength. When the horizontal stress is low and the vertical stress exceeds the rock mass strength, zonal disintegration only occurs on two sides of the roadway. When the vertical stress is low and the horizontal stress exceeds the rock’s mass strength, it only appears on the roof and floor. When the values of cohesion, internal friction angle, and tensile strength are reduced in the same proportion, cohesion has the greatest impact on the expansion of the zonal disintegration zone, followed by the internal friction angle, while the tensile strength effect is the least. In anchor-supported roadways undergoing zonal disintegration processes, the intact zone blocks slide relatively along the fracture surface during the process of loosening and deformation of the surrounding rock, making the anchor rods susceptible to tensile, shear, and bending actions.

Comprehending the surface melt characteristics, calving processes, and seasonal ice velocity of Dålk glacier in Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica

Surface melting induces hydro-fracturing and deformational changes on the ice surface, which have a substantial impact on its dynamics and stability and therefore, comprehending these processes is crucial for ice sheet mass balance and stability. The present study is an attempt to understand the surface melt characteristics, seasonal ice movement, and calving processes of the Dålk glacier located in the Larsemann Hills of East Antarctica using multi-sensor remote sensing observations from 2017 to 2023. We identified and examined several melt features across the glacier and analysed their evolution during the study period. Frontal changes, calving events, and seasonal surface ice velocities of the glacier were also investigated during the study period. We found that the evolution and drainage of the melt features over the Dålk glacier is highly dynamic in nature with a significant inter-annual variability. We report substantial morphological changes in the ice doline structure that may be driven by the surface melt patterns, ice movement, and ice deformation in the region which also, affect the drainage of the nearby connected melt ponds and features. Several minor to very major calving events observed during the period due to immense disintegration processes during the preceding melting season that also affected the ice movement. We also highlight the need of monitoring and studying such melt features over the outlet glaciers that concerns the imminent catastrophic fragmentation and deformational changes over the glacier.

Study on Mudcake disintegration in clayey strata during shield tunneling: Effects of dispersants and bentonite slurry

While tunnel boring machines (TBMs) tunneling in clayey strata, the adhered excavated soil on the cutterhead and cutting tools tends to form mudcake after compaction and consolidation. Mudcake can obstruct the cutterhead openings and rendering the cutting tools ineffective, leads to a substantial reduction in advance rate. Dispersants are recognized as an effective method for the disintegration of mudcakes. A novel set of equipment, comprising a mudcake compression device and a mudcake disintegration apparatus, is developed for assessing mudcake disintegration properties. The results showed that mudcakes underwent a tripartite disintegration process in water, including an initial stage, a rapid disintegration stage, and a stable stage. In the initial stage, the mudcakes absorbed water before disintegration, resulting in marginal changes in the weight of the disintegrated mudcakes. In the rapid disintegration stage, the weight of the disintegrated mudcakes increased quickly. During the stable stage, the weight of the disintegrated mudcakes remained relatively constant. The submersion of mudcakes in a dispersant solution substantially increased the rate of disintegration. Greater dispersant concentration corresponded to an increase in the disintegration rate. No weight gain was observed in mudcakes during the initial disintegration stage. When mudcakes disintegrated in a bentonite slurry, the weight of the disintegrated mudcakes initially decreased and then stabilized. The weight of the disintegrated mudcakes turned negative, indicating an increase in the weight of mudcakes. This suggested that bentonite significantly hindered mudcake disintegration.

Enhanced norfloxacin removal from sludge by dielectric barrier discharge plasma synthesis with Fe3O4/g-C3N4

The excess sludge adsorbed with antibiotics poses a huge threat to the ecological environment and human health, and the removal of antibiotics from sludge was focused on. The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) coupled with Fe3O4/g-C3N4 to degrade norfloxacin (NOR) in excess sludge of wastewater treatment plant was studied, where Fe3O4/g-C3N4 was prepared through high-temperature calcination. At an input voltage of 90 V and at a current of 0.5 A, NOR concentration of 100 mg/kg total suspended solids (TSS), Fe3O4/g-C3N4 dosing of 100 mg/g TSS, and pH 6.94, the NOR degradation efficiency was 89.2 %, the energy yield was 1.98 mg/kWh, and the synergy factor of DBD with Fe3O4/g-C3N4 was 1.85. In this system, •OH, •O2−, h+, H2O2 and O3 played an important role in the degradation of NOR in sludge, and Fe3O4/g-C3N4 induced Fenton-like reactions using H2O2 generated by DBD and facilitated photocatalytic reactions with ultraviolet and visible light. There was a positive correlation between the NOR degradation efficiency and the sludge disintegration, and the sludge disintegration process released NOR from the solid phase to the liquid phase. Three possible degradation pathways and the toxicity evaluation of the intermediates were proposed based on the results of DFT and HPLC-MS. Additionally, the DBD/Fe3O4/g-C3N4 system improved the sludge disintegration and dewatering performance effectively.

Inselbergs shaped by collapse: considerations on the structural control on granitic scarps

Inselbergs characterised by fracturing features correspond to the geomorphological manifestation of break-up of the rock mass and collapse. The steep slopes partially covered by angular boulders scattered chaotically reveal, in evolutionary terms, the predominance of the morphostructural controls, given by the presence of veins/dikes, sheeting joints, and vertical fractures. These structural planes in turn create anisotropies guiding fracturing directions and rockfall. In this work, we propose a model of geomorphological evolution of granitic inselbergs subjected to a structural propensity to fracturing. For this purpose, we analysed the Pedra da Galinha Choca inselberg (PGC) and Pedra Faladeira (Quixadá, NE of Brazil) inselbergs, whose morphologies attest to mechanical disintegration processes. Data extraction and interpretation were based on fieldwork and UAV photogrammetry, which provided products such as high-resolution models, orthomosaic, and DEM. Networks of multidirectional fractures were observed to promote an arrangement of interlocking blocks, allowing the maintenance of steep slopes (>60°), in which solutional features tend to be incipient due to the structural instability promoting collapse. Thus, the main features on the hillslopes are cavities like collapse tafone (CT) and large collapsed boulders (LCB). As a result of this structural setting, the inselberg displays sharp outlines, steep slopes, and wide talu deposits.

Flexible modelling of the dissolution performance of directly compressed tablets

In this study, a compartmental disintegration and dissolution model is proposed for the prediction and evaluation of the dissolution performance of directly compressed tablets. This dissolution model uses three compartments (Bound, Disintegrated, and Dissolved) to describe the state of each particle of active pharmaceutical ingredient. The disintegration of the tablet is captured by three fitting parameters. Two disintegration parameters, β0 and βt,0, describe the initial disintegration rate and the change in disintegration rate, respectively. A third parameter, α, describes the effect of the volume of dissolved drug on the disintegration process. As the tablet disintegrates, particles become available for dissolution. The dissolution rate is determined by the Nernst-Brunner equation, whilst taking into account the hydrodynamic effects within the vessel of a USP II (paddle) apparatus. This model uses the raw material properties of the active pharmaceutical ingredient (solubility, particle size distribution, true density), lending it towards early development activities during which time the amount of drug substance available may be limited. Additionally, the strong correlations between the fitting parameters and the tablet porosity indicate the potential to isolate the manufacturing effects and thus implement the model as part of a real-time release testing strategy for a continuous direct compression line.

Effect of different buried depth on the disintegration characteristic of red-bed soft rock and the evolution model of disintegration breakage under cyclic drying-wetting

The disintegration of red-bed soft rock exhibits a strong correlation with various geological disasters. However, the investigation into the evolutionary mechanisms underlying disintegration breakage has not yet received extensive exploration. In order to comprehensively examine the disintegration characteristics of red-bed soft rock, the slake durability tests were conducted to red-bed soft rocks of varying burial depths. Subsequently, an investigation was carried out to examine the disintegration characteristics and the evolution of disintegration parameters, including the coefficient of uniformity (Cu), coefficient of curvature (Cc), disintegration rate (DRE), disintegration ratio (Dr), and fractal dimension (D), throughout the disintegration process. Finally, employing the energy dissipation theory, an energy dissipation model was developed to predicate the disintegration process of samples at various burial depths. The findings demonstrate a decrease in the abundance of large particles and a concurrent increase in the abundance of small particles as the number of drying-wetting cycles increases. Furthermore, as the number of drying-wetting cycles increases, a significant alteration is observed in the content of particles larger than 10 mm, whereas the content of particles smaller than 10 mm undergoes only minor changes. The disintegration parameters, including the curvature coefficient, non-uniformity coefficient, disintegration rate, and fractal dimension, exhibit a positive correlation with the number of drying-wetting cycles. Conversely, the disintegration index demonstrates a decreasing trend with the increasing number of cycles. Nevertheless, as the burial depth increases, a notable trend emerges in the disintegration process, characterized by a gradual increase in the content of large particles alongside a progressive decrease in the content of small particles. Concurrently, the curvature coefficient, non-uniformity coefficient, disintegration rate, and fractal dimension exhibit a gradual decline, while the durability index experiences a gradual increase. In addition, based on the principle of energy dissipation, it is revealed that the surface energy increment of red-bed soft rock increases with the increase of the number of drying-wetting cycles, but decreases with the increase of burial depth. Ultimately, by leveraging the outcomes of energy dissipation analyses, a theoretical model is constructed to elucidate the correlation between surface energy and both the number of drying-wetting cycles and burial depth. This model serves as a theoretical reference for predicting the disintegration behavior of samples, offering valuable insights for future research endeavors.

Dual disintegration of microalgae biomass for cost-effective biomethane production: Energy and cost assessment

The present study aims to enhance the biomethane production potential of microalgae via a dual disintegration process. During this process, the microalgae biomass was firstly subjected to cell wall weakening by thermochemical disintegration (TC) (50 to 80 °C), pH adjustment with alkali, NaOH (6 to 10) and time (0 to 10 min) and, secondly, by bacterial disintegration (BD). TC-BD disintegration was comparatively higher (33 %) than BD (24 %), TC (8.5 %), and control (7 %). A more significant VFA accumulation of 2816 mg/L was recorded for TC-BD. Similarly, a greater substrate anaerobic biodegradability was achieved in TC-BD (0.32 g COD /g COD) than BD (0.21 g COD /g COD), TC alone (0.09 gCOD/g COD) and control (0.08 g COD /g COD), respectively. The TC-BD achieves a positive net profit and an energy ratio of + 0.12 GJ/d and 1.03. The proposed dual disintegration has a promising future for commercialization.

Experimental study on the disintegration behavior and mechanism of red-bed mudstone in guangxi, China

Red-bed mudstone (RBM) has the characteristics of being easily softened and disintegrated under dry and wet cycles. To investigate the weakening and disintegration characteristics of the RBM, typical mudstone from Guangxi highway slope was taken as the research object in this study. Disintegration tests, water chemistry tests, and microscopic tests were performed to investigate the disintegration mechanism of this RBM. The results indicate that the RBM exhibits strong disintegration, releasing soluble salts such as potassium chloride and sulfates during the disintegration process. The hydrolysis of clay minerals is the main cause of changes in ion concentration in the solution. Throughout the dry and wet cycles, the proportion of macro-pores and meso-pores significantly increases, while the percentage of small and micro-pores gradually decreases. Under the influence of dry and wet cycles, the contact area between particles gradually decreases, transitioning from face-to-face contact to face-edge contact and finally to edge-to-edge contact. These research findings provide a basis for the stability analysis and prevention of landslide hazards in the red-bed soft rock areas.

Applications of the Natural Polymers for Fast Dissolving Tablets

Oral route is the safest, most convenient, and economical route for administration of different drugs. Oral disintegrating tablets becoming very popular in the current scenario, as they facilely disintegrated in mouth within fewseconds of the time after its administration withoutthe need of water. Conventional dosage form has a limitations like dysphagia (arduousness in swallowing), in pediatric and geriatric patients, which have been overcome by oral disintegrating tablets. To prepare the same super disintegrating agents plays vital role. Natural Super disintegrants gained an advantage over the synthetic super disintegrants since they are chemicallyinert, non-toxic, less expensive, easily available, biodegradable in nature. Natural polymers such as locust bean gum, banana powder, pectin from mango peels, as well as the mucilageofHibiscus rosa-sinenses improve tablet qualities and are used as superdisintegrants, binder, and diluents to speed up the disintegration process as well as improve the solubilityofpoorlysoluble drugs. Natural super disintegrants are obtained from various sources of natural origin, as well as being affordable, nontoxic, biodegradable, environmentally benign, free of negative effects, as well as renewable. From the different extensive literature review, It is observed that based on research showing that natural polymersare more effectiveandsafe than synthetic ones. Thegoal ofthe current reviewpaper is to examine the natural polymersthat have FDAapproval and are used in fast dissolving tablets.

Assessment of Engineering Behavior and Water Resistance of Stabilized Waste Soils Used as Subgrade Filling Materials

Urban construction has generated substantial amounts of waste soils, impeding urban ecological development. With the aim of promoting waste recycling, waste soils possess a high potential for sustainable utilization in subgrade construction. However, these waste materials exhibit inadequate engineering properties and necessitate stabilization for an investigation into their long-term performance as subgrade filling materials. Initially, a thorough assessment and comparison were conducted to examine the key mechanical properties of lime- and cement-stabilized soils with mixed ratios (total stabilizer contents ranging from 2% to 8%). The results indicated that these soils met the requirements of subgrade materials except for the 2% lime-treated soil. Subsequently, to reveal the improvement in water resistance of stabilized waste soil (e.g., under conditions of rainfall or elevated groundwater table), the effects of soil densities and stabilizer contents on the disintegration characteristics were investigated using a range of disintegration tests. An evolutionary model for the disintegration ratio of stabilized soils was then developed to predict the process of disintegration breakage. This model facilitates the quantification of the lower disintegration rates and elevated disintegration time attributed to higher levels of compactness and stabilizer contents during a three-stage disintegration process. This enhances the understanding and evaluation of sustainable applications in stabilized waste soils used as subgrade filling materials.

Disintegration Characteristics of Highly Weathered Granite under the Influence of Scouring

In South China, due to climatic factors, highly weathered granite is distributed across a large area and easily disintegrates after encountering water, causing many geological disasters and other problems. To determine the disintegration mechanism of highly weathered granite in South China, disintegration tests were carried out on highly weathered granite in the Fuzhou area under different immersion durations, cycle times, and flow rates, with the help of a self-designed disintegration test device. Moreover, the disintegration mechanism of the highly weathered granite was revealed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. The results demonstrated an increase in the cumulative relative disintegration with prolonged immersion time and the number of dry-wet cycles. Beyond a certain flow rate, the cumulative relative disintegration amount stabilized. There was a strong correlation between the steady disintegration rate and immersion time (or dry-wet cycles). The disintegration process of the highly weathered granite was divided into three stages: rapid, moderate, and stable disintegration. Notably, disintegration primarily occurred around the large pores. This study revealed that the variation in the immersion time (or wet-dry-scouring cycles) was fundamentally linked to changes in the relative volume of the large pores in the rock samples. These findings provide valuable insights for predicting and mitigating surface disasters on highly weathered granite slopes.

Advanced analysis of disintegrating pharmaceutical compacts using deep learning-based segmentation of time-resolved micro-tomography images

The mechanism governing pharmaceutical tablet disintegration is far from fully understood. Despite the importance of controlling a formulation's disintegration process to maximize the active pharmaceutical ingredient's bioavailability and ensure predictable and consistent release profiles, the current understanding of the process is based on indirect or superficial measurements. Formulation science could, therefore, additionally deepen the understanding of the fundamental physical principles governing disintegration based on direct observations of the process. We aim to help bridge the gap by generating a series of time-resolved X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) images capturing volumetric images of a broad range of mini-tablet formulations undergoing disintegration. Automated image segmentation was a prerequisite to overcoming the challenges of analyzing multiple time series of heterogeneous tomographic images at high magnification. We devised and trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) based on the U-Net architecture for autonomous, rapid, and consistent image segmentation. We created our own μCT data reconstruction pipeline and parameterized it to deliver image quality optimal for our CNN-based segmentation. Our approach enabled us to visualize the internal microstructures of the tablets during disintegration and to extract parameters of disintegration kinetics from the time-resolved data. We determine by factor analysis the influence of the different formulation components on the disintegration process in terms of both qualitative and quantitative experimental responses. We relate our findings to known formulation component properties and established experimental results. Our direct imaging approach, enabled by deep learning-based image processing, delivers new insights into the disintegration mechanism of pharmaceutical tablets.

FORESIGHT AS A TOOL FOR RESPONSIBLE PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND ADJUSTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC POLICY IN THE FOCUS OF GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS

The purpose of the article is to study strategic long-term planning tools that allow timely identification of the latest risks, challenges and threats to international economic development that make it difficult to solve global problems that are a consequence of failures in the coordination of international economic policy. It has been determined that strategic forecasting allows politicians to increase the efficiency of government decision-making by identifying opportunities and threats that may arise in the coming years and decades, and also involves the development of possible strategies to counter them by taking into account the characteristics of the identified trends. The phenomenon of the new economy is characterized. The influence of technological development on the asymmetry of international economic development is determined. It has been established that the problems of international economic development in foresight strategizing include geopolitical rivalry, resource confrontation, energy dependence, deglobalization, disintegration processes, trade fragmentation, gaps in value and supply chains, reinstitutionalization of the system of international economic relations, recession, population aging, unemployment. Foresight forecasting tools that are not aimed at predicting a single “correct future” include: analysis of long-term trends and uncertainties; horizon scanning); scenario planning; shaping a normative future; political games; futures wheels; causal multilevel analysis. Research into long-term trends and uncertainties reveals key factors in different possible futures. The comprehensive observation carried out allows us to identify risks for the macroeconomic environment and proactively formulate a pool of measures to minimize the destructive impact of instability on socio-economic development. Improving foresight research as a critical element of strategic forecasting for solving problems of long-term development affects both theoretical aspects (conceptual approach, conceptual apparatus) and applied aspects (technologies and methods of development) of the development and use of this tool. Strategic planning allows you to develop adequate tools to achieve goals and proactively respond to the challenges of modern development, minimizing costs and compensating for the losses that arise for this reason, which lead to the loss of existing competitive advantages. The difference between forecasts and foresights is noted: forecasts are usually associated with uncontrollable events, while foresights most often deal with events and processes that are clearly controllable, therefore they assess the probability of not only one or another outcome of future events, but also the adoption of certain strategic and management decisions. The ability to distinguish normative approaches (what we want) from pragmatic approaches (what we should) is an important component of thinking in terms of alternative futures

An investigation into the stability and degradation of plastics in aquatic environments using a large-scale field-deployment study

The fragmentation of plastic debris is a key pathway to the formation of microplastic pollution. These disintegration processes depend on the materials' physical and chemical characteristics, but insight into these interrelationships is still limited, especially under natural conditions. Five plastics of known polymer/additive compositions and processing histories were deployed in aquatic environments and recovered after six and twelve months. The polymer types used were linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), oxo-degradable LLDPE (oxoLLDPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), polyamide-6 (PA6), and poly(lactic acid) (PLA). Four geographically distinct locations across Aotearoa/New Zealand were chosen: three marine sites and a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Accelerated UV-weathering under controlled laboratory conditions was also carried out to evaluate artificial ageing as a model for plastic degradation in the natural environment. The samples' physical characteristics and surface microstructures were studied for each deployment location and exposure time. The strongest effects were found for oxoLLDPE upon artificial ageing, with increased crystallinity, intense surface cracking, and substantial deterioration of its mechanical properties. However, no changes to the same extent were found after recovery of the deployed material. In the deployment environments, the chemical nature of the plastics was the most relevant factor determining their behaviours. Few significant differences between the four aquatic locations were identified, except for PA6, where indications for biological surface degradation were found only in seawater, not the WWTP. In some cases, artificial ageing reasonably mimicked the changes which some plastic properties underwent in aquatic environments, but generally, it was no reliable model for natural degradation processes. The findings from this study have implications for the understanding of the initial phases of plastic degradation in aquatic environments, eventually leading to microplastics formation. They can also guide the interpretation of accelerated laboratory ageing for the fate of aquatic plastic pollution, and for the testing of aged plastic samples.

One-step synthesis of sludge-derived MnOx catalysts for highly efficient removal of gaseous ozone from industrial flue gas

A series of sludge-derived MnOx catalysts were successfully obtained by a one-step sludge disintegration process using KMnO4. The obtained S-MnOx-1.2 catalyst exhibited excellent activity and superior water resistance under industrial flue gas conditions (5 vol% H2O, 40–80 ℃, 300,000–600,000 mL/(g·h) of GHSV). β‐MnOOH was the predominant component generated on the sludge surface by a redox reaction between KMnO4 and organic matter. The superior ozone decomposition performance was mainly ascribed to its large surface area, plentiful oxygen vacancies and interlayer hydroxyl groups. There were two types of surface oxygen vacancies, denoted as ozone-friendly and hydrophilic oxygen vacancies, participated in the ozone elimination process. Surface hydroxyl groups physically adsorbed abundant water molecules and hindered the chemisorption of water on ozone-friendly oxygen vacancies, thereby increasing the water resistance of the catalyst. The present work produced a potential catalyst in favor of ozone elimination, and promoted the high value-added utilization of waste sludge.

ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИЕ И СОЦИАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ СОВРЕМЕННОГО ЭТАПА РАЗВИТИЯ ЕС КАК ИСТОЧНИК ДЕЗИНТЕГРАЦИОННЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ

The aim of the research is to analyse the political and social problems of the modern stage of the European Union development as a source of disintegration processes. In the course of the research the content of the interpretation of ‘disintegration process’ is revealed, the characteristic of the forms of disintegration processes in the European Union is given, their manifestations, tendencies and regularities are revealed. The main political and social problems that increase the degree of entropy of integration of the association and significantly enhance the development of disintegration processes in the European Union are outlined. According to the results of the analysis of political and social problems of the modern stage of development of the European Union as a source of disintegration processes, it is revealed the strengthening of conflict confrontation between the supranational level of power of the integration structure and the national levels of power of the member states in the conditions of transition to a new ‘era of uncertainty’, characterised by different-speed integration of the member states of the association and the growth of inter-institutional tension, the unwillingness of the EU member states to follow the principles of the European Union. Disintegration processes, the source of which are the political and social problems of the European Union member states, are characterised by high dynamics of manifestations and by their nature they belong to complex one-stage or multi-stage phenomena, which are represented by the regressive transformation of the integration structure of the association within one form of integration. Disintegration processes, the source of which are political and social problems of the European Union member states, are characterised by a specific manifestation (a quantitative or qualitative characteristic of disruption of the integral structure of integration), a trend (a disintegration manifestation stable over time, of a certain direction) and a pattern of disintegration development (a set of manifestations and trends of disintegration of a new quality, allowing to predict the state of the integration structure in the future).

Regional food markets of the Western borderlands of Russia: adaptation to integration and disintegration processes

The paper reveals the mechanisms of adaptation of food markets in the western borderland of Russia to the integration and disintegration processes that have been taking place on the external and internal borders of the Eurasian Economic Union since 2014. Using the example of the Kaliningrad and Smolensk oblasts, the authors identified changes in the regional food base under conditions of active import substitution, assessed the changes in food preferences of the population, as well as the role of cross-border practices in meeting the population's food needs. Based on the analysis of regional and federal statistics and field research, it was possible to establish that against the background of active investment in agriculture and food production there were three parallel processes: the spatial contraction of agricultural production, the expansion of its production capacity by large agricultural holdings in strictly defined areas (around regional capitals and important transport routes), and the expansion of holdings in selected peripheral areas with the lowest land value. Despite the commonality of the processes, the performance in agriculture and food production and activity in obtaining state support in Smolensk and Kaliningrad oblasts are radically different. Visual inspection of retail outlets, discourse analysis and representative surveys of the population allowed us to conclude that import substitution only partially allowed to provide raw materials and final products to regional food markets in both regions, since most holdings are oriented to meet the demand in high-margin markets inside and outside the country. Food markets in border regions are characterized, on the one hand, by greater vulnerability to integration and disintegration processes, and, on the other hand, by the variability of choice and opportunities for cross-border shopping trips. However, empirical data obtained by sociological methods show that the widespread perceptions of high cross-border mobility of the population of border regions are highly overestimated. The populations of Smolensk and Kaliningrad oblasts are similar in the level of mobility and conservatism with regard to shopping for goods of specific manufacturers of a suitable price segment. The “network” (through intermediaries) penetration of “sanctioned” goods in the Kaliningrad oblast covered a much larger share of the population than that which directly traveled abroad for shopping, so the adaptation of the population to external challenges to the food market was more noticeable.

Kinetic energy distributions of atomic ions from disintegration of argon containing nanoclusters in moderately intense nanosecond laser fields: Coulomb explosion or hydrodynamic expansion.

We report kinetic energies (KE) of multiply charged atomic ions (MCAI) from interactions of moderately intense nanosecond lasers at 532 nm with argon containing clusters, including neat and doped clusters with a trace amount of trichlorobenzene. We develop a mathematical method to retrieve speed and thereby kinetic energy information from analyzing the time-of-flight profiles of the MCAI. This method should be generally applicable in detections of energetic charged particles with high velocities, a realm where velocity map imaging is inadequate. From this analysis, we discover that the KE of MCAI from doped clusters demonstrates a quadratic dependence on the charge of the atomic ions, while for neat clusters, the dependence is cubic. This result confirms the nature of the cluster disintegration process to be dominated by Coulomb explosion. This result bears more similarity to reports from extreme vacuum ultraviolet (EUV) fields with similar intensities, than to reports from near infrared (NIR) intense laser fields. However, the charge state distribution from our experiment is the opposite: we observe more higher charge state ions than reported in EUV fields, and our charge state distribution is actually similar to those reported in NIR fields. We also report a significant effect of the external electric field on the charge state distribution of the atomic ions: the presence of an electric field can significantly increase the charge from the atomic ions, as shown by a three-fold reduction in the average kinetic energy per charge. Although molecular dynamics simulations have been implemented for experiments in the EUV and NIR, our results allude to the need of a concerted effort in this regime of moderately intense nanosecond laser fields. The significant decrease in charge state distribution and the significant increase in KE from doped clusters, compared with neat clusters, is a telltale sign that the true interaction time between the laser field and the cluster may be substantially shorter than the duration of the laser, a welcome relief for molecular dynamics simulations.