Main Reason Research Articles

Experiment of contact angle hysteresis of a droplet on hydrophobic fibrous membrane

Fibrous membranes are widely used in liquid-gas filtration and separation, porous structures formed by randomly cross-layered fibers have a significant influence on interfacial free energies, showing complex changes in contact angle. The present paper aims to measure the pore structures of a hydrophobic ((C2F4)n, PTFE) fibrous membrane by Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM), and analyze the droplet contact angle hysteresis along its circumference. The capillary force of the solid-liquid interface is calculated by the surface integral of Laplace pressure on half droplet surface, and the solid-liquid and liquid-vapor interface area ratios are obtained according to the Cassie-Baxter model. The liquid penetration depth in pore structures is calculated by the quasi-equilibrium of the interface free energy. The experimental result shows that for the PTFE fibrous membrane, the liquid-vapor interface area ratio (f2The experimental result shows that for the PTFE fibrous membrane, the liquid-vapor interface area ratio (f2

The removal mechanisms of HF and HCl gases using Mg-Al adsorbent prepared by sol-gel synthesis method

In this study, a series of Mg-Al mixed oxide adsorbents have been introduced to simultaneously remove hydrogen chloride (HCl) and hydrofluoric acid (HF) in low-temperature environment (100 °C). These adsorbents prepared by the sol-gel method, the effects of Mg loading amount and calcination temperature for adsorbents on their performance were investigated. The optimal adsorbent (modified by 20 wt% Mg and calcined at 500 °C, referred to as Mg20Al80OX-500) exhibited the highest adsorption capacity among all the adsorbents tested. The role of MgO loaded on Mg-Al mixed oxide adsorbent was investigated using various analytical methods, including Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTG), temperature programmed desorption of CO2 (CO2-TPD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)， in-situ infrared (in-situ IR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These results indicated that MgO and lattice oxygen (Oα) played a crucial role in promoting the adsorption activity of the adsorbents. Mg were highly dispersed, and moderate levels of Mg content and calcination temperature could enhance the performance of adsorbents according to XRD, SEM-EDS and TG-DTG results. BET analysis showed that the modification of Mg did not change the pore type of the γ-Al2O3 largely. CO2-TPD results revealed that the calcination temperature significantly affected the number and strength of the basic sites on the surface of the adsorbent. In addition, XPS, in-situ IR and TEM analysis demonstrated that the consumption of MgO and Oα as well as the accumulation of reaction products on the surface and within the pores of the adsorbent, and they were the main reasons the deactivation. And MgF2 (MgCl2) and H2O were the main products after the inactivation of adsorbent.

A multidisciplinary diagnostic centre for early detection of cancer in patients with non-specific symptoms: a service evaluation

Background/Aims Symptoms of malignancy are often vague and non-specific, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. The multidisciplinary diagnostic centre was established in 2017 to facilitate the shortest and safest route to detecting cancer in such cases. This study aimed to evaluate the service model and work towards a business case for more widespread adoption of the multidisciplinary diagnostic centre service. Methods Data from all patients managed by the service from 2017–21 were collected contemporaneously. After 51 months, service data were examined against the aims of the service, focusing on patient demographic characteristics, main reasons for referral, main diagnostic tests performed, patient outcomes and time from referral to discharge. Results Between 2 February 2017 and 30 April 2021, 899 patients were referred to the centre. Weight loss was the most common reason for referral. During this period, 96 (10.7%) patients were diagnosed with a cancer. Of these diagnoses, 42.9% were made within 28 days of referral, improving to 60.6% in the final year of the service evaluation. Conclusions The multidisciplinary diagnostic centre demonstrates the importance and potential of having a dedicated referral pathway for patients presenting with vague, concerning symptoms.

Ressenti des femmes après traitement prophylactique par héparine de bas poids moléculaire après une césarienne

ObjectiveTo assess women's experiences with skin-related side effects following subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) injections after a cesarean section, and to analyze their impact on treatment adherence. MethodA questionnaire was developed in collaboration with Cesarine, a patients’ association, to explore various aspects of LMWH administration, including prevention methods, cutaneous side effects, treatment compliance, perceived constraints, apprehension, and understanding of treatment benefits. Additionally, women's opinions on an alternative oral administration approach were solicited, taking into consideration breastfeeding contraindication. The questionnaire was on the Facebook® page and blog of the association. ResultsOne hundred and sixty-four women participated in the survey. Among them, 139 women (84.8%) reported bruising, while 117 (71.3%) reported pruritus, erythema, or nodules at the injection site. Treatment discontinuation was observed in 36 cases (22%), decided mostly by the women themselves (77.8%). The main reasons cited for discontinuation were discomfort during injection (71.4%), skin reactions (31.4%), and a perceived lack of effectiveness (54.3%). Furthermore, 88 women (53.7%) wanted to quit the treatment prematurely, citing similar reasons. Thirty-three women (20.1%) reported oversights. For most women, the treatment was perceived as burdensome and caused apprehension. An alternative oral administration method was of interest to 131 women (79.9%). However, only 28 (17.8%) would have accepted if the medication was incompatible with breastfeeding. ConclusionCutaneous side effects of LMWH injections, as well as injection process itself, have a negative impact on adherence in the postpartum period following a c-section. These findings highlight the need to explore alternative to improve women's compliance and comfort.

How to write a “results section” in biomedical scientific research papers?: Critical review

Introduction The “Results section” is a vital organ of a scientific paper, the main reason why readers come and read to find new information in the paper. However, writing the “Results section” demands a rigorous process that discourages many researchers, leaving their work unpublished and uncommunicated in reputable journals. Therefore, this review aims to describe the content, structure, and key standards of writing the “results section” and suggest practical recommendations to reduce common errors in writing the “results section” of manuscripts. Methods We searched the literature using search terms in the PubMed database. We also traditionally searched for literature from “Google Scholars”, “Google”, and “Websites”. We narrated and summarized finding sections as the content, structure, writing and presenting of data, logical flow of, and advised on the writing of the “results section” of the scientific paper. Result The review suggests guidelines for writing the content and organization, techniques of tabular, and graphical presentation of data in the “results section”. The review also suggests experiences on how to effectively present data in numbers such as percentages, statistical measures such as p-values, and other advanced forms of statistics, Finally, the review recommends relevant points to keep language brevity and logical flow in writing the “results section” of a scientific paper. Conclusions Writing a result section of a scientific paper requires practice and it must be concisely written, logically structured, and supported by a good journal-specific standard to be published.

Questionnaire Survey on Perception and Attitude Toward of Remote Treatment by Korean Medicine Doctors

Objectives: Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, with the escalation of remote medical care formalization in Korea, there is a pressing need for objective data in the Korean medicine field to respond to remote treatment medical care policies. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and acceptance of remote treatments among Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs).Methods: After expert reviews and pilot testing, the 31-question survey covered participant characteristics, experiences, forms, intentions, and perceptions related to Remote Treatments. The survey was electronically distributed to members of the Association of Korean Medicine, and 662 clinical KMDs provided valid responses.Results: Among respondents, 76.1% engaged in remote treatments, utilizing various platforms. Those with experience in Remote Treatments showed a significantly higher willingness to continue participating during the institutionalization process (p<0.001). 49.7% of respondents stated that traditional Korean medicine is competitive in remote treatments, with the main reasons being the ability for regular management after herbal medication(26.1%) and increased patient satisfaction due to sufficient counseling compared to Western medicine(25.2%). Respondents preferred Remote Treatment conditions with a treatment time of less than 10 minutes(47.6%) and equivalent fees to in-person visits(45.6%). Regarding suitable intervention tools during Remote Treatment, respondents favored non-covered herbal prescriptions(39.0%), covered herbal granules(24.6%), and non-covered herbal granules(23.0%).Conclusion: This study investigated the perceptions and acceptance of KMDs regarding remote treatments. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to establish effective policies for Remote Treatments suitable for the Korean medicine healthcare environment.

A Review on the Recovery and Separation of Gallium and Indium from Waste

Gallium and indium are crucial metals in various industries, such as the medical and telecommunication industries. They can find applications as pure metals, alloys and alloy admixtures, oxides, organometallic compounds, and compounds with elements such as nitrogen or arsenic. Recovery of these two metals from waste is an important issue for two main reasons. First, gallium and indium are scattered in the Earth’s crust and their minerals are too rare to serve as a primary source. Second, e-waste contributes to the rapidly growing problem of Earth littering, as its amount increased significantly in recent years. Therefore, it is essential to develop and implement procedures that will enable the recovery of valuable elements from waste and limit the emission of harmful substances into the environment. This paper discusses technological operations and methods that are currently used or may be used to produce pure gallium and indium or their oxides from waste. The first step was described—waste pretreatment, including disassembly and sorting in several stages. Then, mechanical treatment as well as physical, chemical, and physicochemical separations were discussed. The greatest emphasis was placed on the hydrometallurgical methods of gallium and indium recovery, to be more precise on the extraction and various sorption methods following the leaching stage. Methods of obtaining pure metals or metal oxides and their refining processes were also mentioned.

Formulation and Evaluation of Invasomal and Ethosomal Gel for Curcumin and Determination of Anti- Fungal Activity

Background: Despite exhibiting anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-cancer properties, curcumin is not exhibiting the same efficacy as that other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and anti-cancer drugs. The main reason is its poor solubility and poor permeability. To improve the solubility the particle size has to be reduced to the nano level and to improve the permeability vesicular drug delivery approaches have to be adapted. By developing invasomal and ethosomal gels the bioavailability of curcumin can be enhanced. Aim and Objective: The main aim of the study is to develop Invasomal and Ethosomal drug delivery systems for curcumin by various techniques. Methods: Curcumin loaded invasomes were prepared by using a thin film hydration method. Six formulations were prepared by varying drug to lipid ratios (INV1 to INV6). Soya lecithin was used as a phospholipid, span60 was used as a surfactant, limonene was used as terpene, ethanol and chloroform were used as solvents. Curcumin-loaded ethosomes were prepared by using a hot method. Five formulations were prepared by increasing lipid concentration (E1 to E5). Soya lecithin as lipid, propylene glycol, and ethanol as solvent. The prepared formulations were evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, drug content, entrapment efficiency. and in vitro drug release studies. Results: Among all the formulations of Invasomes, INV3 formulation containing a 1:5 ratio of the drug (40 mg) to lipid (200 mg) was considered as best formulation because of its particle size of 327. A total of 1nm, zeta potential of -32.6 mV, highest drug content of 97.5%, entrapment efficiency of 96%, and in vitro drug release of 95% in a time period of 12 hrs. Among all the formulations of ethosomes, the E3 formulation was considered as best formulation due to its particle size of 697.5 nm, zeta potential of - 28.0 Mv, highest drug content of 97.3%, entrapment efficiency of 90%, and in vitro drug release of 94.6% in a time period of 12 hrs. Conclusion: The best invasomal and ethosomal formulations were incorporated into gel and evaluated for pH, viscosity, Spreadability, drug content, in vitro drug release studies, and ex vivo studies. INV3 and E3 were incorporated into gel and comparative studies were made with plain gel. Among the three gels (PG, INV3G, E3G), invasomal gel (INV3) exhibited the highest content drug content of 81%, pH of 6.6, spreadability 14.8g cm/sec, in vitro drug release of 90.6%, ,and ex vivo drug release of 97% in a time period of 12 hrs with the release rate of 32.53 microgram/cm2/hr-1/2, the flux of 0.346 μg/cm2/hr and permeation coefficient of 42.71 cm/hr.

Enhancing the lubrication performance of the oil films in piston/cylinder pairs by textures

The long-term wear of the piston/cylinder pair is the main failure reason for axial piston pumps. In this paper, the dynamics of textured films to enhance the lubrication performance of piston/cylinder pairs is investigated systematically. The oil film is divided into three regions: the head region, the texture region, and the tail region. The Reynolds equation is used to predict the dynamics, which includes the carrying capacity and the friction. Influences of the texture geometries and the working conditions are presented in sequence. The results show that the texture enhances the lubrication performance by the collective effect. A shorter head length and a larger area ratio always benefit the lubrication performance, while increasing the texture region length does not always lead to positive effects, and the cell length is found to have negligible influences. The texture effect is found to be enhanced with larger shearing velocities and to be restrained with higher inlet pressures. It is also shown that the texture is effective for small inclination angles. Furthermore, a one-dimensional model is performed to unravel the mathematical mechanism, and an explicit expression is given for the texture region length.

Study on the Effects of Wettability and Pressure in Shale Matrix Nanopore Imbibition during Shut-in Process by Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Shut-in after fracturing is generally adopted for wells in shale oil reservoirs, and imbibition occurring in matrix nanopores has been proven as an effective way to improve recovery. In this research, a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was used to investigate the effects of wettability and pressure on nanopore imbibition during shut-in for a typical shale reservoir, Jimsar. The results indicate that the microscopic advancement mechanism of the imbibition front is the competitive adsorption between "interfacial water molecules" at the imbibition front and "adsorbed oil molecules" on the pore wall. The essence of spontaneous imbibition involves the adsorption and aggregation of water molecules onto the hydroxyl groups on the pore wall. The flow characteristics of shale oil suggest that the overall push of the injected water to the oil phase is the main reason for the displacement of adsorbed oil molecules. Thus, shale oil, especially the heavy hydrocarbon component in the adsorbed layer, tends to slip on the walls. However, the weak slip ability of heavy components on the wall surface is an important reason that restricts the displacement efficiency of shale oil during spontaneous imbibition. The effectiveness of spontaneous imbibition is strongly dependent on the hydrophilicity of the matrix pore's wall. The better hydrophilicity of the matrix pore wall facilitates higher levels of adsorption and accumulation of water molecules on the pore wall and requires less time for "interfacial water molecules" to compete with adsorbed oil molecules. During the forced imbibition process, the pressure difference acts on both the bulk oil and the boundary adsorption oil, but mainly on the bulk oil, which leads to the occurrence of wetting hysteresis. Meanwhile, shale oil still existing in the pore always maintains a good, stratified adsorption structure. Because of the wetting hysteresis phenomenon, as the pressure difference increases, the imbibition effect gradually increases, but the actual capillary pressure gradually decreases and there is a loss in the imbibition velocity relative to the theoretical value. Simultaneously, the decline in hydrophilicity further weakens the synergistic effect on the imbibition of the pressure difference because of the more pronounced wetting hysteresis. Thus, selecting an appropriate well pressure enables cost savings and maximizes the utilization of the formation's natural power for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).

Reflecting the Cold War in “Atomic Heart”

Introduction. The present study is devoted to the study of the influence of artifacts of the symbolic politics of the USA and the USSR on the positioning of the respective socio-political systems in modern video games. The article includes the content of the “Atomic Heart” video game studies and analysis from the point of view of the theory of social memory and symbolic politics. Methods and materials. A certain number of methods were used to solve the actual tasks in the article. In particular, case-study methods and elements of structural and comparative analysis were used. Analysis. The game “Atomic Heart” was chosen as a research case. The choice of the case is due to the high popularity of this game both within Russia and internationally, as well as the connection of the plot to the topic of the confrontation between the USSR and the United States after World War II and the presence of a wide representation of the symbolism of this conflict inside the game (up to the reproduction of real campaign materials). On the one hand, the ways of representing the USA in Soviet propaganda and their interpretation by video game developers are studied. On the other hand, the positioning of the Soviet Union by game designers and screenwriters by exploiting the images and stereotypes of perception that were formed in Western culture during the Cold War is examined. Results. The author concludes that, when forming the in-game symbols, the developers actively exploited the resource of Soviet aesthetics; however, Cold War narratives in Western mass culture works played a significant role in shaping the project’s emotional, semantic, and value content. The main reason for this decision was most likely economic, as the game was created with the expectation of generating the main profit in foreign markets as a commercial product. However, this decision actually contributed to the resuscitation of the functional qualities of the symbolic legacy of the Cold War and the use of its narratives to correct the perceptions of the target audience about the USSR and its role in the confrontation between the two blocs.

Исследование обводненности добывающих скважин Демьяновского месторождения

The article is devoted to the problem of waterlogging of borehole products during the extraction of hydrocarbon raw materials, which arises for various reasons. This may be due to the geological structure of the field, non-compliance with the operating modes of wells, poor-quality cementing of backwater spaces, etc. Waterlogging leads to undesirable consequences: reduction of oil and gas production and occurrence of emergency situations. The problems of waterlogging of borehole products are solved using various methods: the use of chemical reagents to reduce the viscosity of water, the use of technical solutions for separating oil and water, repair and insulation works, etc. The Demyansk oil field is considered: its geological features, geological exploration, the main indicators of well operation. The analysis of the dynamics of well flooding and a comparison of the design and actual indicators of the development of the Demyanovskoye field as of 01.01.2017 are presented. The actual dynamics of well flooding is also presented, the reasons for the rapid flooding of the production of wells of the Demyanovsky place of birth are considered. As a result of the analysis of the actual data obtained during the operation of the field, it was established that the main reason for the rapid flooding of the reservoir production of the field is the transfer of wells to a mechanized method of operation, which, in turn, leads to an increase in depression on the formation. It is concluded that the forecast indicators of well flooding calculated on the hydrodynamic model differ significantly from the real ones, and attention is also drawn to the need to select the optimal depression when transferring wells to a mechanized production method to prevent rapid product flooding.

Two-phase flow investigation of sewage pumps with different tip clearance via computational fluid dynamics and multi-factor ANOVA

Sewage pumps are widely utilized in various applications, including municipal wastewater treatment plants, industrial processes, and residential sewage systems. These pumps are specifically designed to handle the transportation of mixtures consisting of solid and liquid components, commonly observed as two-phase flow. In this study, semi-open sewage pumps with varying clearance sizes have been examined through adjustment of the geometrical model. Multi-factor analysis of variance is employed to investigate the combined influence of different two-phase flow conditions and tip clearance sizes on the performance of sewage pumps. The results show that the performance of the pump decreases significantly as the clearance size increases. Also, the sensitivity of pump efficiency to variations in tip clearance size is contingent upon the flow rate. Under part-load conditions, both particle concentration and clearance size exhibit a notable effect on efficiency. The two-phase flow will greatly enhance the intensity of the unsteady flow near the inlet and outlet of the semi-open impeller, which is the main reason for the performance degradation of the sewage pump. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for enhancing the hydraulic performance and operational stability of semi-open sewage pumps operating under two-phase flow conditions.

Martensitic transformation in rolled 301 stainless steel induced by cryogenic treatment

The martensitic transformation in rolled 301 stainless steel induced by cryogenic temperature was investigated in the present work. The methods of magnetization, thermoelectric potential combined with microscopes were adopted for revealing the microstructure evolution from the global and local scale. Hardness and tensile tests were performed at room temperature to evaluate the variation of properties. The results showed that deep cryogenic treatment improved the tensile strength of 301 steel rolled with the reduction of 10%, 20% and 30% by 93.7 MPa, 71 MPa and 125.5 MPa, and the yield strength by 131 MPa, 65.2 MPa and 208.9 MPa, respectively. The improvement in tensile strength caused by deep cryogenic treatment are equivalent to that induced by the higher rolling reduction rate, which could achieve higher strength-plasticity balance of 301 ASS at relatively low deformation. Deep cryogenic treatment promoted the formation of martensitic in the rolled microstructure, which was considered to be the main reason for the strengthening. The volume fraction of martensite in 301 ASS rolled with the reduction rate of 20% and 30% was increased by 44.5% and 28.2% after cryogenic treatment, respectively. The martensitic transformation caused by deep cryogenic treatment corresponded to the principle of conventional strain-induced martensitic transformation, which nucleated in the intersections of shear bands and formed from the transition ε-martensite. Under cryogenic temperature, the decrease of stacking fault energy (SFE) and increase of lattice internal stress reduced the critical stress of shear bands formation, as a result of increasing the amount of shear bands and nucleation sites for martensitic transformation.

Reasons for past abortions among women in treatment for opioid use disorder.

The main reasons women in the general population seek abortion are financial, timing, and partner-related reasons. While women with opioid use disorder (OUD) appear to use abortion services more than women in the general population, reasons for abortion in this group have not been examined to our knowledge. Female patients aged 18-50 years in OUD treatment at 22 randomly selected facilities in Michigan were surveyed. The survey included items assessing reproductive health history. Women who reported having one or more abortions were asked to think back to that time and their reasons for choosing abortion. Twenty potential reasons and a write-in option were offered; women could endorse as many as applied. Of 260 women surveyed, 84 reported having an abortion. Of these, most (77.4%) reported multiple reasons for having an abortion. The most common reasons for having an abortion were not having money to take care of a baby (54.8%), feeling too young to have a child and not feeling ready to be a mother (both 42.9%), not loving the father and other partner-related concerns (25.0%-32.1%), and having concerns about the effects of their drug use (28.6%). No combination of reasons for abortion emerged as more prevalent than any other. Like women in the general population, women in treatment for OUD had not only abortions because of financial, timing, and partner-related reasons but also concerns about the effects of their drug use. These results underscore the multiple and often interrelated reasons that lead women to seek abortion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effect of Carbonization Temperature on the Structure of Pitch Carbon and Its Low-temperature Lithium Storage Properties

Introduction:: Lithium-ion batteries were one of the most promising battery systems for electric vehicles. Currently, lithium-ion batteries are required to have higher energy density and cycle stability. The traditional graphite negative electrode cannot meet the requirements. Pitch has many advantages such as wide source, low cost, high carbon residue rate and easy graphitization, as a carbon precursor has been widely used in lithium-ion battery anode and anode materials. Method:: In this paper, pitch carbon was prepared by carbonization at different temperatures and studied. Result:: The results showed that with the increase of carbonization temperature, the interlayer spacing decreased gradually, the degree of amorphousness decreases gradually, the specific surface area and pore volume also decrease gradually, the initial coulombic efficiency and capacity retention increased, and the discharge-specific capacity decreased. Galvanostatic Intermittent Titration Technique (GITT) tests show that there are two main mechanisms of lithium ions intercalation in the material, surface adsorption and interlayer intercalation. Conclusion:: The difficulty of diffusion of lithium ions between pitch carbon layers at low temperatures is the main reason for the decrease of its capacity at low temperature. The carbon material obtained by carbonization of pitch at 800℃ has the best low temperature performance, with discharge specific capacities of 335, 272, 232 and 187mAh/g at 25, 0, -20 and -40℃, of which 55.8% of the discharge specific capacity at room temperature can be retained at -40℃. The amorphous carbon material has certain low temperature charge-discharge performance.

The strengthening role of post-welded cryogenic treatment on the performance and microstructure of 304 austenitic stainless steel weldments

The metallurgical changes and micro defects after welding can influence the mechanical property, corrosion resistance and dimensional stability of the stainless steel wielding joints. It is necessary to explore an effective post-welded method to improve the service performance for stainless steel welding joints. Furthermore, the essential mechanism between microstructure changes and macro-property variation during this process needs deep reveal. Therefore, this paper aims at investigating the effects of different post-weld treatments including naturally aging, artificial aging and cryogenic treatment on the residual stress and mechanical properties of 304 stainless steel weldments. The microstructure evolution was also studied to reveal and establish the microstructure-performance relationship. The results showed that the distribution of residual stress was most uniform with lowest magnitude (decreased by up to 49%) after cryogenic treatment. At room temperature, weldments subjected to the three post treatments showed similar mechanical properties. At cryogenic temperature, cryogenic treatment exhibited an outstanding role on maintaining the mechanical properties of weldments. By contrast, the mechanical properties were obviously reduced by artificial aging. The transformation of δ-ferrite and the carbide precipitation in grain boundaries are the main reasons for the decrease of mechanical properties after artificially aging. Welding process was able to cause the transfer of the alloying elements and decrease the stability of austenite. Consequently, martensitic transformation can be induced during cryogenic treatment. The new formed martensite resulted in the refined microstructure and high mechanical properties of weldments, and also the release of residual stress after welding.

Экспериментальное исследование гидравлических характеристик сферических насадок для массообменных аппаратов

A critical analysis of the trends in the development of nozzles for mass transfer devices is given, some designs are described in which the transfer of heat and mass is organized from the standpoint of today technically the most perfect. It is shown that the specific surface, the free specific volume of the nozzle and the hydraulic resistance of the layer are determined as the main characteristics of irregular type packing bodies. The scheme and description of an experimental setup for determining the hydrodynamic characteristics of nozzles in laboratory conditions are given. The results of studies of the hydrodynamic parameters of a layer consisting of a spherical hollow irregular nozzle for a dry and irrigated column are presented. The singular velocities of the gas flow corresponding to the transition points (points of deceleration, suspension, inversion or choking) to different hydrodynamic modes of operation of the filling mass transfer columns (film, intermediate, turbulent) and corresponding pressure drops have been experimentally determined. The dependences of the hydraulic resistance of the nozzle layer on the gas velocity in the column for dry and irrigated nozzles with a 1 m high layer are determined. The main reasons for the decrease in gas pressure in the layer of the irrigated nozzle are indicated. The singular gas flow velocities and their corresponding pressure drops are calculated using known empirical dependencies for dry and irrigated nozzles. The results of experimental studies and engineering calculations were compared, thereby proving the possibility of using computational equations with satisfactory accuracy (up to 15%). The study of the hydrodynamics of the layer and its hydraulic characteristics has shown that the spherical, hollow nozzle design with evenly spaced holes on the surface provides an effective redistribution of working phases in the mass transfer apparatus.

Why Do Real Wages Stagnate in Japan and Korea?

Abstract This study investigates the reasons behind the slowdown in real wages for Japan and Korea based on the aggregate and industry-level data for the respective countries. The findings suggest the following. First, both at the aggregate and industry level, there is a significant slowdown in both countries in the post-1995 period regarding labor productivity, which explains the overall slowdown in real wages. Second, the main reason for the gap between the growths in real wages and labor productivity is found to be the changes in the labor's terms of trade, which is defined as the consumer price index to GDP deflator ratio. Thus, the wage–labor productivity gap is not systematically connected to changes in labor income shares. Finally, the fall in the labor's terms of trade may be potentially related to an emphasis on exports and strong technological upgrading toward higher productivity growth products in both countries’ economic development.

Use of Lignite Processing Products as Additives to Road Petroleum Bitumen

It is known that there are significant deposits of lignite (brown coal) in Ukraine, particularly in categories A + B + C1. At the same time, certain technical and legal obstacles limit its use as an energy carrier. Therefore, new methods of using lignite and processing its products are necessary. The latter includes humic acids. It was suggested that these acids could be used to stop road bitumens from breaking down. This is because they are antioxidants that contain functional phenolic and carboxyl groups. In particular, this article analyses the nature of the influence of humic acids on the physical and mechanical properties of road petroleum bitumen and its resistance to technological aging. It was found that at a modification temperature of 120 °C (duration-60 min., consumption of humic acids-2.0 wt.%), this additive has a slight negative effect (changes are within permissible limits) on the plastic properties of bitumen and slightly improves its elasticity. The main reason for adding humic acids to road bitumen under the specified conditions is to improve its resistance to technological aging compared to the original binder.