Formation Destruction Research Articles

Trend analysis of the current epidemic situation and analysis of factors underlying local uneven spread of covid cases

This research has been carried out by analyzing the specific processes of the local epidemic dynamics of COVID by comparing the qualitative differences in fluctuations in 2020 and 2023. Methods of nonlinear dynamics of the development of epidemic processes in a rapidly changing situation were used to identify and qualify trends and unique situations that sometimes changed extremely fast. A distinctive feature of the modern pandemic is a rather sharp change in local trends: the effect of the fading of the primary outbreak of the disease and the sudden sharp onset of a new epidemic wave after a long trend of decreasing daily infections. Minimization of the exposure to viral infections did not prevent spreading the virus but created the illusion of success. The existing experience in generating forecasts of epidemic outbreaks based on models of past epidemic processes could not help when faced with a new evolving virus. The previously obtained understanding of the development and completion of epidemic processes of influenza virus strains more likely hindered the prediction of the scenario for the completion of the spread of a new infection, which is also associated with the eventual nature of the process and a variety of dynamic situations. A victory over COVID in the phase of the minimum after the wave, which was announced by many countries, turned out to be premature. New Zealand and Japan, which opted for a strict lockdown strategy in 2020, had a surge of COVID cases in early 2023 because new strains came into circulation. Outbreaks of respiratory diseases known as the Spanish flu and swine flu pandemics, data from which were used by many countries to make predictions, had run their course naturally in two or three waves of illness. At the beginning of 2023, against the backdrop of a global positive trend, some countries have reported a record rise in both mortality and daily morbidity due to the emergence of locally circulating “alarm” strains. A current stage on isolation of stable regional strains substantiates the classification of a series of differentiated properties of the dynamics of regional epidemic situations. Among the observed epidemic effects, extreme phenomena in the form of instantaneous bifurcation destruction of established regimes such as a sharp transition from long-term damped oscillations to a new exponential outbreak in some infections are separately highlighted. The selected options for the development of epidemic transient oscillatory processes are separately introduced in equation forms with delay for local epidemic trends. Equations are proposed to describe three variants of development of the observed stages of local epidemics. The task of constructing a generalized predictive model of a pandemic to describe interrelated regional processes at this stage seems insoluble.

Recognition and Desire for Life in Multiple Epidemics: COVID-19 and Violence Against the LGBTI+ Community in Favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ABSTRACT LGBTI+ people living in favelas in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) have been submitted to several challenges. Since 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brutally has hit favelas with disproportional number of deaths. This health emergency adds to the long-term ongoing epidemic of violence, particularly police violence, in favelas. We acknowledge that this problem is at least partially a product of unconscious racism with historical roots in colonialism. The LGBTI+ community members from favelas are particularly affected by because they are both special targets of violence and ignored or even excluded from public services and policies. Civil society organizations, such as Grupo Conexão G, responded to COVID-19 with food banks and other welfare actions for LGBTI+ people in favelas—which were nevertheless impacted by police violence. Conexão G then created the Observatório de Violência LGBTI+ em Favelas (Monitoring Centre of LGBTI+ Violence in Favelas), in which both authors of this article worked in different capacities. We analyze a report produced by Observatório that shows the reality of violence against LGBTI+ people in favelas. Although we notice unconscious motifs of racism and hatred against the LGBTI+ community, we also identify resistance to violence as an expression of unconscious desires—now for life, rather than destruction. We highlight the ambivalent position of recognition, which frames the possibility for identification while also justifying protection against destruction. As we see it, though, shelter against precarity (such as exposure to harm from COVID-19 and police violence) is necessary to keep one alive, thus producing life lines or desire for life. We conclude that recognition and desire are keys to respond to the harmful effects of racism, colonialism, and hatred against LGBTI+ people; nevertheless, we also advocate for keeping alert to both established and new forms of destruction that threat the LGBTI+ community.

Advances in historical wood consolidation and conservation materials

Wood is an indispensable renewable material for national economic development. As a bio-organic material, wood is subject to deterioration due to climatic, biological, and chemical factors, which greatly limit the advantages of wood products and increase the difficulty of conserving historical wood. To preserve the historical and cultural heritage, extend the historical life of ancient wooden structures, and promote the efficient and sustainable utilization of wood resources, this paper provides an overview of the main degradation and destruction forms and biochemical changes of wood in ancient architecture, unearthed relics, and antique ship wood from the perspective of wooden structure, historical applications, and their forms of destruction. The conservation strategies and consolidation methods of ancient wood are reviewed, with emphasis on the summary and analysis of the properties and uses of different consolidation materials and their methodological characteristics for the conservation of historical wood. In the context of the development of biomaterials, polymer chemistry and nanotechnology, biomass nanocomposites are applied gradually in the field of consolidation. To provide a strong basis for the effective use of reinforced wood, this paper presents the theoretical foundation for the research and development of green, efficient, and environmentally friendly wood consolidation and protection technologies.

Alienation as a Phenomenon of Destruction of Socio-Cultural Tradition

The article considers the category of alienation in the context of tradition as a philosophical category. The purpose of the article is to analyze sociocultural alienation as a form of destruction of a person’s spiritual being, integrally represented in the form of tradition. The hypothesis is substantiated, according to which the category of tradition as reproduction of spiritual life in the forms of socio-cultural practice of a person is relevant. Alienation can be considered as a result of the rupture of a spiritual/socio-cultural tradition. The conclusion is substantiated that only the development of the socio-cultural tradition and its main spiritual and ideological “core” allows a person to become a person and consolidate the skills and abilities with which a person can overcome problems in his life, find new, effective forms of interaction with the socio-cultural environment and harmonize his inner world to prevent self-alienation. A living cultural tradition and the connection of generations is the main foundation for a harmonious personal existence. Therefore, the “key” to solving the problem of alienation is the restoration of the destroyed traditions of human spiritual existence in their specific socio–cultural forms including religion, art, morality and traditional ethics. Currently, this de facto restoration has become the state strategy of Russia, without which its survival in the modern competitive world is impossible. This opens up a new perspective of philosophical and cultural studies of both the forms of existence of tradition in culture and its spiritual and value content.

Морфометрические исследования средствами пространственного анализа на примере Днепрово-Донецкого авлакогена

The possibility of studying morphometric parameters of the Earth’s topographic surface using the ArcMap and digital elevation model SRTM3 with a resolution of 90 m to determine neotectonic structures, as well as associated ore clusters and deposits was considered using the method offered by V. P. Filosofov. The authors describe the technology of creating base and vertex surfaces for thalwegs and watersheds of different orders, with the subsequent subtraction of the former from the latter within one order to determine the amount of erosion cut (relief energy). As the object of the study, the Dnieper-Donets aulacogen was chosen, starting west of Kharkov and stretching to the Caspian Sea, wide from Rostov-on-Don to Millerovo. It was noted that the higher the potential relief energy is, the more powerful surface processes will be manifested in the form of active destruction of previously buried (hidden) geological structures with valuable components, which are later to be distributed throughout the territory. This study is proposed to be used to predict and search for latent mineralization; it enables identifying the root source of demolition, rational arranging geological work, and thereby reduces their cost.

Focused ultrasound for treatment of peripheral brain tumors.

Malignant brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children and remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout all demographics. Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are classically treated with surgical resection and radiotherapy in addition to adjuvant chemotherapy. However, the therapeutic efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents is limited due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new and promising intervention for CNS tumors, which has shown success in preclinical trials. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has the capacity to serve as a direct therapeutic agent in the form of thermoablation and mechanical destruction of the tumor. Low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) has been shown to disrupt the BBB and enhance the uptake of therapeutic agents in the brain and CNS. The authors present a review of MRgFUS in the treatment of CNS tumors. This treatment method has shown promising results in preclinical trials including minimal adverse effects, increased infiltration of the therapeutic agents into the CNS, decreased tumor progression, and improved survival rates.

‘We are nature defending itself’—The Forest of Dannenrod Occupation as an Example of Contested Extractivism in the Global North

Extractive activity is not limited to mining; it also occurs in the other forms of large-scale landscape destruction, including the deforestation involved in extensive infrastructure projects. Yet while resistance to activities such as fracking and coal mining has been intensively investigated within the extractivism debate under the collective term ‘contested extractivism’, resistance to the extraction of renewable parts of nature such as woodland has, by comparison, been somewhat neglected. Likewise, the academic debate has focused mostly on case studies from the global South. We argue that opposition to the felling of more than 85 hectares of woodland in the Forest of Dannenrod (Germany) for the construction of a highway is an example of contested extractivism in the global North. We portray the protest as a clash between extractivist and anti-extractivist notions in Europe, the latter partly transitioning into post-extractivist imaginaries. And although the area was felled in 2020, we argue that this opposition marked a turning point for the German environmental justice movement and sparked a national debate, despite persistent support mechanisms for wood extraction and negative media reports.

Does Magnetic Resonance Imaging Distinguish Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis From Other Causes of Progressive Temporomandibular Joint Destruction?

Similarities in initial presentations of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), idiopathic condylar resorption, and other forms of progressive TMJ destruction in children create diagnostic confusion. Treatment pathways, however, depend on determination of etiology. The purpose of this study was to compare TMJ magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of patients with joint degeneration localized to the TMJs to those with JIA and TMJ involvement. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study including subjects younger than 18years that presented from February 2008 to October 2019 with clinical TMJ degeneration, a gadolinium-enhanced TMJ MRI and a negative pediatric rheumatologic workup ("non-JIA" group), and a series of age and sex-matched subjects with TMJ degeneration on gadolinium-enhanced MRI and JIA ("JIA group"). MRIs were evaluated in a blinded fashion by 1 pediatric radiologist. The primary outcome variable was the radiologist's accuracy in predicting study grouping, assessed in 1 randomly-selected joint per patient. Secondary outcome variables included MRI characteristics of inflammation, osseous damage and articular disc morphology. Independent samples t-tests, sensitivity/specificity, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests were computed as applicable, and P<.05 was considered significant. The sample included 34 subjects: 16 non-JIA (75% female, age 13.9±2.8years) and 18 JIA (77% female, age 13.6±2.8years) (P≥.738). The radiologist correctly classified 64.7% of subjects as non-JIA or JIA (P=.078, sensitivity=94.4%, specificity=31.3%). Inflammatory and osseous findings were similar between groups (P≥.073). The disc was anteriorly displaced in 9 non-JIA and 0 JIA joints (P<.001, sensitivity=100%, specificity=100%) and flattened in 3 non-JIA and 14 JIA joints (P=.006, sensitivity=38.9%, specificity=90.6%). Inflammatory and osseous findings on gadolinium-enhanced TMJ MRIs are insufficient to determine the etiology of progressive TMJ destruction. Disc characteristics, however, significantly differ between JIA and non-JIA etiologies and may be important in differentiating these conditions.

Spall fracture forms of high rock samples under uniaxial compression

Prof. L.I. Baron identified five forms of destruction during uniaxial compression of samples of regular geometry of rocks including truncated wedge, wedge, diagonal, longitudinal, and explosive forms. All of them are commonly characterized by the destruction of samples in their central parts showing two or more cracks, while the trajectories of crack development align with the corner points of the samples. Recently, was unexpectedly discovered a spall fracture in the form of a single crack emerged from the side wall of the specimen and propagating into it under uniaxial compression. Based on the discovery, the method for creating stress-strain diagrams for high rock samples was developed using four rock properties such as rock shear resistance limit, contact friction ratio, internal friction ratio, and modulus of elasticity. The stress-strain diagram of the spall fracture of high samples is described by a descending curve, which is typical for the diagrams of fracture created by two adjacent cracks of regular geometry samples. The maximum stresses required for the destruction of high rock samples are lower than those for the destruction of regular geometry samples of rocks with similar physical and mechanical properties.

Peculiarities of Using the Non-Procedural Forms of Special Knowledge During Investigations of Destruction or Damage of Forest Plantations

The purpose of the research is to study and highlight peculiarities of using the non-procedural forms of special knowledge during investigations of destruction or damage of forest plantations. Practice shows that success in investigation of any crime is achieved, including at the expense of comprehensive scientific and technical accompaniment of subjects of investigation activities. In turn, special knowledge, applied in a non-procedural form, in some cases, can play a decisive role in the investigation. The paper presents peculiarities of using non-procedural forms of destruction or damage of forest plantations. Particular attention is paid to consulting as the main non-procedural form of using special knowledge. The research described typical investigative situations during investigation of destruction or damage of forest plantations, in which it is possible to obtain advisory assistance by the subjects of the investigation. It also considered the possibilities of using special knowledge by the defense, the purpose of which is to identify procedural and methodological violations in the collection of evidence.

A Newly Designed High-Strength Tool Steel with High Wear and Corrosion Resistance

In this study, a newly developed high-strength cast Fe81Cr15V3C1 (wt%) steel with a high resistance against dry abrasion and chloride-induced pitting corrosion is presented. The alloy was synthesized through a special casting process that yielded high solidification rates. The resulting fine, multiphase microstructure is composed of martensite, retained austenite and a network of complex carbides. This led to a very high compressive strength (>3800 MPa) and tensile strength (>1200 MPa) in the as-cast state. Furthermore, a significantly higher abrasive wear resistance in comparison to the conventional X90CrMoV18 tool steel was determined for the novel alloy under very harsh wear conditions (SiC, α-Al2O3). Regarding the tooling application, corrosion tests were conducted in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. Potentiodynamic polarization curves demonstrated a similar behavior during the long-term testing of Fe81Cr15V3C1 and the X90CrMoV18 reference tool steel, though both steels revealed a different nature of corrosion degradation. The novel steel is less susceptible to local degradation, especially pitting, due to the formation of several phases that led to the development of a less dangerous form of destruction: galvanic corrosion. In conclusion, this novel cast steel offers a cost- and resource-efficient alternative to conventionally wrought cold-work steels, which are usually required for high-performance tools under highly abrasive as well as corrosive conditions.

Sister R.S. Subbalakshmi's Role in the Renaissance of Hindu Community : A special study based on the Educational standard of Tamil Nadu women in 19th and 20th Centuries

The rise and fall of Hindu Community in India is a historical phenomenon. There are various personalities who dedicated themselves to the renaissance of them, regardless of victory or defeat in their efforts. Though the Hindu community seemed to advance in a number of fields in Tamil Nadu especially during the 19th and 20th centuries despite various forms of oppression and destruction. Under- age marriage was among many other factors that resulted in the backwardness of the society. In such a backdrop, the role played by a number of female personalities was immensely commendable for the reawakening activities. R.S. Subbalakshmi, Dr. Muthulatchumi Rettiyar, Sarojini Naidu, etc are a few to be added to the list of the reformers who tirelessly put all their efforts for the reawakening of Tamil women. Most notably, R.S. Subbalakshmi successfully carried out her mission towards the educational renaissance of widows. Her service has to be specially noted for her careful forward without getting caught into the clutches of the British rulers, instead obtaining their cooperation and support. She carried out her educational activities adopting the modern educational reforms of the British, while preserving the national heritage of India. The Institutions such as Saratha Ashram, Sri Saratha United Women Society, Sri Saratha Vidyalayam, which played a major role in the educational renaissance of the South Indian women, were established by her. She had to encounter untold hardships to operate those Institutions which brought a turning point in a number of educated women. Since she undertook her activities irrespective of societal differences, the rulers, philanthropists and well wishers offered their fullest support and assistance. Her activities were pioneer for the creation of other social organizations and Institutions. She is to be regarded as a forward thinker who always thought of the well being of not only the women of Tamil Nadu but of the whole South India.

Corruption and economic growth in the Republic of Serbia

Corruption is a phenomenon that causes strong economic, political, social and moral deviations in modern society, and for these reasons it represents a very relevant topic of research. Economic science is a powerful tool for analysing corruption, and the economic approach is of fundamental importance for understanding where the incentive for corruption is the greatest and where its influence is the most pronounced. Opposing all forms of economic destruction would facilitate the functioning of the economic system, simultaneously generating fiscal revenues, and a true commitment to the fight against corruption, strengthening the rule of law, improving the efficiency of institutional reforms and the judicial system would encourage long-term economic growth. The transition is also one of the significant factors that initiates the expansion of corruption in numerous young transitional states, including the Republic of Serbia. Therefore, the essential goal of this paper is to collect and offer a wider range of information and knowledge about the genesis of the problem. Proceeding from the previously defined problem, the hypothesis on which this work is based is as follows: so far, theoretical and practical research on the impact of corruption on economic growth confirms that the relationship between corrupt practices in our country and basic macroeconomic and microeconomic indicators is inversely proportional.

Odwieczny model dziejów Rosji

The eternal model of Russia’s historyThe article discusses a dual model of the history of Russia presented in the speeches of Polish Romantics included in the Russian studies texts of the following epochs and in the works of Russian authors, e.g. Yuri Lotman and Boris Uspensky. The author proves that the Gnostic-Manichaean influence on the religiousness of Russians is the source of their accumulation of rebellion against the world and the human fate predicted in it. This rebellion on the basis of a radical anti-world dualism gives rise to the destructive desires of Russians, which explode in various forms of historical destruction. They push the Russians into wars, partitions, revolutions and invasions.

Layering by Double‐Diffusive Convection in the Subsurface Oceans of Europa and Enceladus

AbstractSubsurface oceans rich in salts may be prevalent in the icy worlds of the outer solar system. Surface observations have led to various hypotheses for the transport of materials from the seafloor to the surface by hydrothermal plumes, and raise questions about heat transfer mechanisms. Chemical heterogeneity affects the vigor of convection, the forms of plumes, the generation and destruction of stratified or finger structures in the ocean, and thus the transport of heat and materials from the interior to the surface. Here, we investigate the layering phenomenon in a double‐diffusive convection system, which can occur when both the temperature and concentration influence the density of the fluid. The persistence of layers may depend on the buoyancy ratio, the Rayleigh number, boundary conditions, and initial conditions, which alter the chemical distribution and thus the balance between thermal and chemical buoyancies. Our simulations suggest that the layering could exist for a longer duration if the buoyancy ratio is raised with boundary conditions that maintain a large concentration difference. When the layers are present, heat and material transport are significantly inhibited through the subsurface ocean from the silicate interior to the base of the icy shell.

The Violation of Environmental Ethics Principles in Korrie Layun Rampan’s Poetry Collection

This study aims to examine the form of violation of environmental, ethical principles and the impact that occurs if environmental ethics is not applied properly in the poetry collection Korrie Layun Rampan's. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with an ecocritic approach. The data was obtained through a reading and writing technique of 7 poems contained in the poetry collection by Korrie Layun Rampan. Next, the data are analyzed in depth about the form and impact of violations of the principles of environmental ethics. The results of this study show that there are forms of violations of environmental ethics in the form of looting, poaching, forest destruction, pollution, and neglect of natural rules in the Kalimantan region. The impacts are the extinction of animal habitats, the depletion of natural resources, and extreme climate change that triggers natural disasters. The principles of environmental ethics violated in the book of poems are the principles of respect for nature, responsibility, cosmic solidarity, compassion/concern for nature, moral integrity, no harm, and justice, as well as living simply and in harmony with nature.

The Role of The Media in Combating the Phenomenon of Terrorism and Extremism: Empirical Study

The study aimed to identify the role of the media in fighting the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, through enlightening Arab public opinion that the terrorism aims at terrorizing and shedding the blood of innocent people and the destruction of vital establishments, and creating a general opinion against hyperbole and extremism in their different forms. The study also aimed to achieve the unity of the Arab media work and integration in the field of combating terrorism and extremism, and finally to detect whether there is a statistically significant differences with respect to the views of respondents about the role of the media in fighting against the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism due to the variable of academic rank. The descriptive analytical method was used in this study, where the researcher monitored the role of the media in fighting against the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, from the viewpoint of the faculty members in some Jordanian universities. The study sample was a deliberate-composed sample of (25) faculty members. The study results concluded that there was no statistically significant differences between the responses of faculty members according to the variable of academic rank towards the role of the media in fighting against the phenomenon of terrorism and extremism, and this can be attributed to the one true Islamic intellectual vision from which all faculty members head on in their quest to discard all kinds of violence, extremism and terrorism, as well as their rejection of all forms of killing and destruction that will bring ruin and destruction of communities. Keywords: Media - terrorism - extremism

Tales of woe: farmers–herders conflict and victimisation experiences in Nigeria

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the victimisation experiences of farmers, herders and community members within the context of the persistent conflict between farmers and herders across Nigeria, with specific focus on Anambra, Benue and Oyo states in south-east, north-central and south-west geopolitical zones of the country, respectively.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the cross-sectional survey to elicit quantitative data from 725 respondents made up of 256 farmers, 225 herders and 244 community members aged 18 years and above, in six purposively sampled local government areas in the three states, while 16 in-depth interviews, 19 key informant interviews and 18 focus group discussions were conducted to extract qualitative data from purposively sampled farmers, herders, community leaders and members of the study communities.FindingsThe results show that farmers, herders and other community members in the study suffered losses in the form of destruction of farmlands and livelihood, internal displacement and human fatalities, for the farmers and community members; and destruction of livelihood, loss of money and human fatalities, for the herders. The paper predicts a worsening of the feud between these groups and the attendant reprisal attacks and victimisation if the current binary narrative of victimhood that privileges the needs and experiences of one group over the other persists, and urges stakeholders to put in place enduring structures that will minimise nomadic herding and ensure proactive security.Originality/valueThe focus on the issue of the “victimisation experiences” of herders and farmers and the invitation to researchers and policymakers to examine the role of the prevailing binary construction of victimhood in the conflict is a refreshing addition to other works on this subject.

Peran Masyarakat dalam Pengendalian Kebakaran Hutan di KPH Cepu, Jawa Tengah

Forest Fire is one form of forest destruction. The cause of forest fires is usually due to the clearing of forest areas used for agricultural land. There are 2 factors for forest fires namely natural and human factors. Natural factors are caused by volcanic and lightning eruptions, then human factors due to the clearing of forest areas for agricultural areas. This study aims to examine the efforts and role of the community in controlling forest fires at KPH Cepu, Central Java. The highest incidence of forest fires occurred in 2015 with a frequency of 40 times with a total area of land that burned 140.0 Ha. Forest fires in 2015 were the largest forest fires in the Cepu KPH, costing Rp38.292.909. The form of control carried out by the KPH Cepu itself is through counseling or socialization related to fire and how to deal with it in the event of a fire. The form of direct counseling is given to the LMDH community association, RT association, and other unspecified associations. Community participation is very high in prevention and blackout activities at KPH Cepu, Central Java.&#x0D; Keywords: Factors, participation, control of forest fires

Bearing Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Beams with Initial Cracks Reinforced with Polymer Composite Materials.

The use of polymer-composite materials for strengthening the reinforcing of concrete structures represents a current scientific trend. The article is devoted to experimental studies of the strength of inclined sections of bent concrete elements, reinforced with transverse polymer reinforcement with initial inclined cracks, with different shear spans and transverse reinforcement options. The characteristics of reinforced concrete specimens with initial inclined cracks and the test results of 22 experimental beams, each of which was tested twice, are given. A significant influence of all eight variable factors was established: three spans of the section, equal to 1.5 ; 2 and 2.5 ; two types of compound clamps and their layout; and opening width of oblique cracks from 0.6 to 0.9 mm. It is shown that the strengthening of the beams supporting sections with external polymer reinforcement using three-sided U-shaped and vertical double-sided stirrups significantly changes their stress-strain state (SSS) and the form of destruction. SSS transforms from the classical destruction of the compressed zone above the end of the inclined crack to the destruction of the beam zone of average height at α = 2.0 and brittle crushing of concrete in the tension zone. Unfavorable combinations of force and geometric factors are revealed. Recommendations are proposed that can be used for structures operated in all weather conditions.