Original Construction Research Articles

Metonymic event-based time interval concepts in Mandarin Chinese-Evidence from time interval words.

Starting from the overwhelming view that time is metaphorically conceptualized in terms of space, this study will, on the one hand, take the time interval words into minute analysis to confirm our view of event conceptualization of time at a more basic level along with space–time metaphoric conceptualization of time at a relational level. In alignment with the epistemology of the time–space conflation of the Chinese ancestors, our view is supported by the systematic examination of evidence related to the cultural origins of the conceptualization of time, through a scrutiny of the original meanings and construction of words related to intervals of time in Mandarin Chinese. This study offers a new explanation of how: (1) the conceptualization of time in Chinese is realized through metonymic cognition and (2) words related to specific intervals of time are coined based on the metonymic conceptualization of related events or a corresponding event schema. Five major types of event-based metonymies are identified, and their interactive functions are illustrated. Based on this evidence, we argue that the double nature of both metaphoric and metonymic time conceptualization in Mandarin Chinese lies in the fact that time interval words can be used in its time categorial sense or as a time entity which suggests the etymological origins of Chinese as ideograph. It is concluded therefore that the event-based metonymy conceptualization of time can provide better insights into the characteristics of Chinese modes of thinking and its influences on the perception of and interaction with the world. This study can also serve as good evidence for the shaping effect of language on cognition.

Evolution of hybrid quantum–classical wavefunctions

A gauge-invariant wave equation for the dynamics of hybrid quantum–classical systems is formulated by combining the variational setting of Lagrangian paths in continuum theories with Koopman wavefunctions in classical mechanics. We identify gauge transformations with unobservable phase factors in the classical phase-space and we introduce gauge invariance in the variational principle underlying a hybrid wave equation previously proposed by the authors. While the original construction ensures a positive-definite quantum density matrix, the present model also guarantees the same property for the classical Liouville density. After a suitable wavefunction factorization, gauge invariance is achieved by resorting to the classical Lagrangian paths made available by the Madelung transform of Koopman wavefunctions. Due to the appearance of a phase-space analogue of the Berry connection, the new hybrid wave equation is highly nonlinear and it is proposed here as a platform for further developments in quantum–classical dynamics. Indeed, the associated model is Hamiltonian and appears to be the first to ensure a series of consistency properties beyond positivity of quantum and classical densities. For example, the model possesses a quantum–classical Poincaré integral invariant and its special cases include both the mean-field model and the Ehrenfest model from chemical physics.

A simplified presentation of Specht modules

Fulton and Kraskiewicz gave a presentation of Specht modules as a quotient of the space of column tabloids by dual Garnir relations. We simplify this presentation by showing that it can be generated by a single relation for each pair of columns of a tableau with ordered columns, thereby significantly reducing the number of generators given in the original construction. Our presentation applies to all Specht modules, and is of a similar nature to a recent result by Friedmann-Hanlon-Stanley-Wachs that applies to staircase partitions. We show that our presentation implies the Friedmann-Hanlon-Stanley-Wachs presentation.

Brownian loops and the central charge of a Liouville random surface

We explore the geometric meaning of the so-called zeta-regularized determinant of the Laplace–Beltrami operator on a compact surface, with or without boundary. We relate the (−c/2)th power of the determinant of the Laplacian to the appropriately regularized partition function of a Brownian loop soup of intensity c on the surface. This means that, in a certain sense, decorating a random surface by a Brownian loop soup of intensity c corresponds to weighting the law of the surface by the (−c/2)th power of the determinant of the Laplacian. Next, we introduce a method of regularizing a Liouville quantum gravity (LQG) surface (with some matter central charge parameter c) to produce a smooth surface. And we show that weighting the law of this random surface by the (−c′/2)th power of the Laplacian determinant has precisely the effect of changing the matter central charge from c to c+c′. Taken together with the earlier results, this provides a way of interpreting an LQG surface of matter central charge c as a pure LQG surface decorated by a Brownian loop soup of intensity c. Building on this idea, we present several open problems about random planar maps and their continuum analogs. Although the original construction of LQG is well defined only for c≤1, some of the constructions and questions also make sense when c>1.

SCIENTIFIC OR ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT THAT CONSTITUTES A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SPECIFIC DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ACT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

The conditions for awarding the degree of habilitated doctor are set out in Art. 219 of the Act of July 20, 2018, Law on Higher Education and Science. One of them is scientific or artistic achievements that make a significant contribution to the development of a specific discipline. The legislator indicated in para. 1 point 2 lit. a, b, c, that at least one of these achievements must take the form of an appropriately published monograph, or a series of properly published, thematically related scientific articles or an original design, construction, technological or artistic achievement. However, he did not refer to other scientific or artistic achievements. In this study, an in-depth analysis of the term ‘scientific or artistic achievement’ which makes a significant contribution to the development of a specific discipline has been carried out. This is because the legislator, contrary to the previously binding regulations, did not include in the act an explicitly expressed definition of this phrase.

Study of possibility of magnetic hydrocyclone use in concentration cycles of oxidized ferriferous quartzites

Iron role is very essential in the up-to-date economics. Magnetite quartzites are the main source of iron making in Russia. Oxidized ferriferous quartzites are also used for accumulation of the Russian mineral and raw material base. Substantial composition and concentration capacity of the represented sample of oxidized iron ore are examined. Ore sample was ground during two stages in a ball mill and IsaMill mill. Comminuted material was classified in magnetic hydrocyclone of original construction. Magnetic system, which was mounted on the hydrocyclone, had been designed using computer software ANSYS Maxwell for simulation of electromagnetic fields and had been manufactured with use of permanent magnets made of Nd–Fe–B alloys on the base of rare earth elements. Classifying products in magnetic hydrocyclone were concentrated consequently in low- and high-intensive magnetic fields. Technological scheme for concentration of oxidized ferriferous quartzites was developed. This scheme allows to produce high-quality magnetite concentrate, hematite concentrate and mixed hematite – magnetite concentrate. The research was conducted at the expense of the grant for execution of the State assignment № FSRW-2020-0014 in the field of scientific activity on 2021.

DIMENSIONAL CALCULATION OF A MAST OF A MAST TYPE JIB CRANE FOR SLUDGE PUMPS HANDLING

This paper represents a continuation of the issue of the technical solution of the mast-type jib crane for handling sludge pumps. It is situated and used in building no. 900, block V2 of Jaslovské Bohunice nuclear power plant. It accounts for an optimization of the original, in operation damaged handling equipment with manual control of lift and rotation. The overload of the equipment has a negligible effect on the lifting force on a crank. It was ascertained that the lifting force still belongs to the recommended range of 120 N to 160 N for comfortable operation by one worker. Due to the fact that in the original design there is a complete absence of bearings in the rotating mechanism, it is the solution to this problem that is on the subject of the paper. The difficulties with lifting the pumps from sludge ambient, which occurred during the use of the mast jib crane, in a way opened the door to further design modifications to the original structure. As a solution, it is proposed to cancel the original construction of the carrier inserted into the support and replace it with a fixed mast on which the jib would rotate. In this way, on the one hand it would potentially be conceivable to increase the load capacity and thus solve the problem of lifting pumps attached to the bottom of a tank. On the other hand, it is also attainable to amplify the scope of action of this crane.

Pulsed electrocatalysis enables the stabilization and activation of carbon-based catalysts towards H2O2 production

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) electrosynthesis through oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) provides an environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional anthraquinone process. While most studies focus on the original construction of active sites in electrocatalysts, it is also necessary to optimize the microenvironment in the dynamic catalytic process. Here, we proposed a pulse-induced strategy to achieve the in-situ regulation of active sites and interface microenvironment in ORR process, enabling a 210 % leap in H2O2 yield and a 74 % increase in Faraday efficiency. A series of operando measurements revealed the stabilization effect on the catalyst morphology and oxygen-containing functional groups distribution, and the activation effect on the basal defect sites to strengthen the interaction with *O2 and *OOH. Density functional theory calculations were further employed to reveal a unique ORR reaction pathway which decoupled the proton transfer and electron transfer process in pulsed electrocatalysis, providing new insights into the origin of ORR activity and selectivity.

Purely virtual particles versus Lee-Wick ghosts: Physical Pauli-Villars fields, finite QED, and quantum gravity

We reconsider the Lee-Wick (LW) models and compare their properties to the properties of the models that contain purely virtual particles. We argue against the LW premise that unstable particles can be removed from the sets of incoming and outgoing states in scattering processes. The removal leads to a non-Hermitian classical limit, besides clashing with the observation of the muon. If, on the other hand, all the states are included, the LW models have a Hamiltonian unbounded from below or negative norms. Purely virtual particles, on the contrary, lead to a Hermitian classical limit and are absent from the sets of incoming and outgoing states without implications on the observation of long-lived unstable particles. We give a vademecum to summarize the properties of most options to treat abnormal particles. We study a method to remove the LW ghosts only partially, by saving the physical particles they contain. Specifically, we replace a LW ghost with a certain superposition of a purely virtual particle and an ordinary particle, and drop only the former from the sets of the external states. The trick can be used to make the Pauli-Villars fields consistent and observable, without sending their masses to infinity, or to build a finite QED, by tweaking the original Lee-Wick construction. However, it has issues with general covariance, so it cannot be applied as is to quantum gravity, where a manifestly covariant decomposition requires the introduction of a massive spin-2 multiplet.

Application of a PID-like control to the problem of triaxial electrodynamic attitude stabilization of a satellite in the orbital frame

The problem of triaxial attitude stabilization of a satellite in the orbital frame is considered. The problem is raised about the possibility of implementing such a system of electrodynamic attitude control by the type of a PID controller in which the restoring component of the control torque contains a distributed delay. A constructive analytical approach to the nonlinear stability analysis in the problem of triaxial attitude stabilization of a satellite is presented. A theorem on the asymptotic stability of the stabilized angular position of the satellite is proved. The theorem substantiates the possibility of constructing the indicated control system. Nonlinear analysis is based on the Lyapunov direct method and an original construction of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. The effectiveness of the designed attitude control with a distributed delay is confirmed by a computer modeling.

Girth, oddness, and colouring defect of snarks

The colouring defect of a cubic graph, introduced by Steffen in 2015, is the minimum number of edges that are left uncovered by any set of three perfect matchings. Since a cubic graph has defect 0 if and only if it is 3-edge-colourable, this invariant can measure how much a cubic graph differs from a 3-edge-colourable graph. Our aim is to examine the relationship of colouring defect to oddness, an extensively studied measure of uncolourability of cubic graphs, defined as the smallest number of odd circuits in a 2-factor. We show that there exist cyclically 5-edge-connected snarks (cubic graphs with no 3-edge-colouring) of oddness 2 and arbitrarily large colouring defect. This result is achieved by means of a construction of cyclically 5-edge-connected snarks with oddness 2 and arbitrarily large girth. The fact that our graphs are cyclically 5-edge-connected significantly strengthens a similar result of Jin and Steffen (2017), which only guarantees graphs with cyclic connectivity at most 3. At the same time, our result improves Kochol's original construction of snarks with large girth (1996) in that it provides infinitely many nontrivial snarks of any prescribed girth g≥5, not just girth at least g.

Microwave-Assisted Water Extraction of Aspen (Populus tremula) and Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) Barks as a Tool for Their Valorization.

The barks of aspen (Populus tremula) and pine (Pinus sylvestris) are byproducts of wood processing, characterized by their low economic value. In the present study, microwave-assisted one-cycle water extraction was explored as a tool for the valorization of this biomass as a source of biologically active compounds. The microwave extractor of the original construction equipped with a pressurized extraction chamber and a condenser section was used. The microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), specially including dynamic dielectric heating up to 70 °C followed by 30 min of isothermal heating, promoted the isolation of salicin from aspen bark, allowing for the obtention of a two-times-higher free salicin concentration in water extracts (−14% vs. 7%) reached by multi-cycle accelerated solvent extraction (ASE), which is an advanced technique used as a reference. The MAE of pine bark with dynamic heating up to 90–130 °C, avoiding the isothermal heating step, allowed for the obtention of a 1.7-times-higher concentration of proantocyanidin dimers-tetramers, a 1.3-times-higher concentration of catechin and a 1.2-times-higher concentration of quinic acid in water extracts in comparison to a more time- and solvent-consuming ASE performed at the same temperature. The biological activity of the obtained extracts was characterized in terms of their ability to inhibit xahntine oxidase enzyme, which is a validated target for the therapeutic treatment of hyperuricemia.

From Pareto to Weibull – A Constructive Review of Distributions on ℝ+

SummaryPower laws and power laws with exponential cut‐off are two distinct families of distributions on the positive real half‐line. In the present paper, we propose a unified treatment of both families by building a family of distributions that interpolates between them, which we call Interpolating Family (IF) of distributions. Our original construction, which relies on techniques from statistical physics, provides a connection for hitherto unrelated distributions like the Pareto and Weibull distributions, and sheds new light on them. The IF also contains several distributions that are neither of power law nor of power law with exponential cut‐off type. We calculate quantile‐based properties, moments and modes for the IF. This allows us to review known properties of famous distributions on and to provide in a single sweep these characteristics for various less known (and new) special cases of our Interpolating Family.

BOSNIAN CHARDAKLIA HOUSE: ABAZOVIC FAMILY HOUSE IN DONJA KOPRIVNA NEAR CAZIN

In the wide range of vernacular architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnian chardaklia house is one of those achievements that with its spatial organization, materialization and external appearance most vividly reflects the nature of Bosnian people, the nature of his family and worldview. This house is an objectified history of man and his family, at the same time as modern a museum whose content testifies to the past and predicts the future. The Bosnian chardaklia house, especially the one realized in the area of Central Bosnia, stands out by the fact that its disposition at the time of the original construction perceives the future, sometimes four generations of the human generation that follow each other. It is a building designed in the way of the functioning of a living organism, so by its nature it is an example of understanding flexibility in architecture and the forerunner of modern understanding of bioclimatic, that is, sustainable architecture.The Abazovic family house is located in the Donja Koprivna village, about 6 km away from the center of Cazin (geographical coordinates: 44º59'32.13''N, 15º58' 48.15'' E, Elevation: 396 m). The house was built (1937) by Bajram Abazovic (1892-?), a native of Buzim, who was appointed local imam in Donja Koprivna.It is interesting that this house was „transferred“ from the Hodzici village near Krzalic, where it was built and used for several years.

The Construction Date of the Misis Bridge

The Cilicia Region, which stretches between Korakesion and Alexandria Kat'Isson, is bordered by the Taurus Mountains in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. Defined as Cilicia by the sources, the region serves as a natural bridge between Eastern and Western societies, and a significant route that provides communication between different cultures also passes through the region. Crossing the Gülek Pass, the route reaches Misis via Tarsus, then heads towards Mesopo-tamia. The nine-arch Misis Bridge is situated in Mopsu(h)estia (= Misis), which represents one of the important stops of this route. Even though the original construction of the bridge is associated with the Roman period, when and under which emperor it was built is controversial. Some resear¬chers relate the construction to the Valerian period, whereas others attribute it to the period of Constantius II. The aim of the study is to put forward a new view on the construction date of the Misis bridge. The ancient sources concerning the route, on which the bridge is located, reveal the significance of the road here. Additionally, it is also known that from the beginning of the Imperial period, Rome adopted a sensitive attitude in intervening in the turmoil in the east. It is understood that this route is of particular importance for Rome in relation to both the movements of the legions and the logistical support. Accordingly, it is seen that both views suggested as the construction date of the bridge are disputable and the suggested dates are too late for the bridge. Therefore, considering the early historical records, archaeological findings and the historical process, a new proposal has been developed regarding the chronological problems of the bridge.

Re-examining the quantum volume test: Ideal distributions, compiler optimizations, confidence intervals, and scalable resource estimations

The quantum volume test is a full-system benchmark for quantum computers that is sensitive to qubit number, fidelity, connectivity, and other quantities believed to be important in building useful devices. The test was designed to produce a single-number measure of a quantum computer's general capability, but a complete understanding of its limitations and operational meaning is still missing. We explore the quantum volume test to better understand its design aspects, sensitivity to errors, passing criteria, and what passing implies about a quantum computer. We elucidate some transient behaviors the test exhibits for small qubit number including the ideal measurement output distributions and the efficacy of common compiler optimizations. We then present an efficient algorithm for estimating the expected heavy output probability under different error models and compiler optimization options, which predicts performance goals for future systems. Additionally, we explore the original confidence interval construction and show that it underachieves the desired coverage level for single shot experiments and overachieves for more typical number of shots. We propose a new confidence interval construction that reaches the specified coverage for typical number of shots and is more efficient in the number of circuits needed to pass the test. We demonstrate these savings with a QV=210 experimental dataset collected from Quantinuum System Model H1-1. Finally, we discuss what the quantum volume test implies about a quantum computer's practical or operational abilities especially in terms of quantum error correction.

Tirana National Theatre: chronicle of an announced demolition

ABSTRACT Tirana National Theatre was demolished on 17 May 2020. For the previous eighty years and up to that moment, it had maintained its public and societal function, documenting the changes of twentieth-century Albanian history. The Theatre was inaugurated in 1938, during the Italian Protectorate, as part of the Italian-Albanian Circolo Scanderbeg, a multifunctional complex conceived for entertainment as well as for Fascist propaganda. The construction, by the Italian company PATER, used a prefabricated system that well-exemplified the new building technologies and material research developed under the Fascist autarchy restrictions. This paper deals with the construction history of this building approaching questions around fabrics which significance is neglected in favour of new developments. Even if time-specific, architecture is often characterized by a lifespan that is longer if compared to its original construction purpose. Hence, despite the denial of any possible conservation or reuse, the Theatre’s cultural resilience and architectural, historic, and societal significance will continue to reverberate in the void created by its demolition. Unpretentiously, this paper honours the memory of a disappeared twentieth-century architecture, which ambiguous protection history was overcome by a much more sincere guardianship by the civil society and conservation community.

Review: Religions of Beijing, edited by You Bin and Timothy Knepper and Photography by Bob Blanchard

Religions of Beijing is a long photo essay on seventeen of Beijing’s most prominent and historically significant Buddhist, Daoist, Christian, Confucian, and folk religion places of worship. While far from encyclopedic in its coverage of these select sites, the text provides more information and cultural context than most tourist guidebooks, and could effectively be used as one. All of the religious sites examined are approved and regulated by the government of the Peoples Republic of China, of course.This attractively produced book is the end-product of an obviously intense, high budget faculty-student collaborative research project. The bilingual text, Chinese on the left-hand pages and English on the right, was written in short formulaic sections by Chinese students from Minzu University and then professionally translated into English. Drake University students subsequently edited the entries in collaboration with the Chinese student authors. Many of the Drake student-editors visited the sites as well. While artifacts of the original Chinese wording and construction are discernable in the text—as well as subtle signs of Chinese governmental indoctrination and analytical categories—the effect is mostly charming, and intelligibility is never a problem. Occasional normative passages reveal the students’ awkward efforts to sound sympathetic to traditions they do not follow. Again, this is part of the appeal. The more than one hundred color photos accompanying the entries were taken by Bob Blanchard, a professional photographer. They’re beautiful and bring the descriptions to life, but they undermine the students’ role in the collaboration, at least in my opinion. Surely many students possess the camera skills to document a project like this.In structure and design, Religions of Beijing is modeled on A Spectrum of Faith, a 2017 book exploring the temples and places of worship of major world religions in greater Des Moines, Iowa, also written by Drake students, edited by Knepper, and with photographs by Bob Blanchard. Both books demonstrate the value of faculty-student collaborative research and publication. Religions of Beijing, in particular, stands out as the most impressive outcome of a faculty-student research project I have ever seen.Given the ongoing suppression of religion in the PRC, student travel groups might wish to boycott the country, so this is a project unlikely to be duplicated, either in Beijing or in other communities within the country. As a stimulus for similar projects elsewhere, however, the book has solid value, both suggesting a format and serving as an inspiration.

Synthetic money: Addressing the budget‐constraint issue

AbstractA synthetic currency attempts to mimic a target currency with an optimal portfolio of other currencies, without having a position in the target currency. The original construction methodology of a synthetic currency imposed a budget constraint such that the portfolio weights sum to a non‐zero value, say. However, a synthetic currency is a portfolio of invariant currency indexes, rather than a portfolio of currency positions. In this article, we show that invariant currency indexes are tradable multilateral exchange rates. Consequently, the sum‐to‐x budget constraint unintentionally creates a non‐zero position in the target currency. We address this budget‐constraint issue by replacing the sum‐to‐x budget constraint with a sum‐to‐zero budget constraint, which correctly enforces a zero position in the target currency. Once the budget‐constraint issue is addressed, investors are faced with the fact that synthetic money is unable to mimic significant currency‐specific movements in target currencies.

Training to make use of tourniquet in case of injuries of extremities — reason and methodology

This research is dedicated to special training the methods to make use tourniquet in case of injuries of extremities with external bleeding during first aid and medical care in prehospital phase. Clinical experience say insufficient compression during making of tourniquet accompanied by bad haemostasis, over compression accompamied by lesion of tissue. Result of clinical experience with volunteers (kids and adults) gave the middle level of arterial pressure which stop arterial circulation in extremites. In view of result this experience we performed special training for production of «muscle memory» for stop arterial circulation on exerciser original construction.