Viewpoint Of Science Research Articles

Human iPSC-based models to evaluate COVID-19 drugs

New approaches methodologies (NAMs) have been developed to predict adverse events in humans more accurately. In vitro methods, such as human iPS cell technology, are expected to accelerate the efficiency of drug development and ensure the patients' safety and speed-up of the review process. We have evaluated the iPSC-based tools to assess safety and effectiveness of chemicals from the viewpoint of regulatory science. Based on the current COVID-19 pandemic situation and animal alternative methods, we have made various iPSC models, such as cardiomyocytes, blood-brain barrier, and intestine, to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 drugs. Here we would like to summarize the current status and future perspectives of iPSC-based system for COVID-19 in drug development.

К истокам науковедения в Индии: Профуллочондро Рай о проблемах развития науки в модернизирующемся обществе. Профуллочондро Рай. Бенгальский мозг и его неправильное примене­ние. Пер. и комм. Т.Г. Скороходовой

Modern Indian intellectual history has rich sources for research of non-Western studies of science. Genesis of Indian studies of science belongs to the colonial epoch, when the scientists attempted to study a history of indigenous scientific knowledge as well as to think the circumstances of decline and further Modern development of sciences in India. The thoughtful example of work in studies of science area is an essay ‘The Bengali Brain and Its Misuse’ (1910) by Indian chemist Prafullachandra Ray (1861–1944). The article’s aim is to present the so­cial and philosophical meanings of the essay in broad context of intellectual and cultural development of the Bengal Renaissance. Externally presenting an at­tempt to comprehend social causes of impossibility of ‘scientific revolution’ in India in comparison with Europe and ones of retardation of Bengal sociocul­tural community in the most important spheres of activity, P. Ray forms practi­cally the first approach to Indian philosophy of science. Science is interpreted as the derivative from human ‘spirit of inquiry’, and the foundation for cognitive effort is rationalism, which encourages to raise bold questions and to doubt any authority. From sociology of science point of view, a decline of science knowl­edge and misuse of intellectual efforts P. Ray treats as consequence of Brahmins’ monopoly of the knowledge, of the caste system and misunderstanding of high education value in modernizing society’s circumstances.

Organised Crime as a Political Influence Tool of the Russian Federation

The article attempts to describe the use of organised crime to achieve the political goals of the Russian Federation. This phenomenon escapes unambiguous scientific classifications and has an eminently interdisciplinary character. This is because organised crime is usually analysed in the classical criminological literature as a pathology the state fights. However, it turns out that organised crime structures can be an element of the foreign policy carried out by covert and illegal means. Therefore, the criminological perspective should be supplemented with a viewpoint of political and security sciences. The direct inspiration for this paper came from the analyses carried out by Galeotti, an expert in security and international relations. It refers to the practical manifestations of the activities of Russian special services: SVR, GRU and FSB, in which Russian-speaking criminal networks are used. The author believes it can be analysed in terms of the concept known in the Anglo-Saxon scientific circle as a so-called state crime.

Charge partitioning by intertwined metal-oxide nano-architectural networks for the photocatalytic dry reforming of methane

The photocatalytic dry reforming of methane (photoDRM: CH 4 + CO 2 = 2CO + 2H 2 ) converts greenhouse gases into valuable synthesis gas with photon energy. However, previous photoDRM catalysts comprising supported metal nanoparticles hardly avoid the recombination of photoexcited charges. Herein, we report that significant photoDRM performance can be achieved by a metal-oxide nanocomposite consisting of nanometer-thick, intertwined networks of fibrous rhodium metal and cerium dioxide, i.e., Rh#CeO 2 . The Rh#CeO 2 nanocomposite exhibits the world-highest conversion and yield in photoDRM under UV light irradiation, being accompanied with no other side reactions such as reverse water gas shift reaction. Theoretical simulations and Kelvin probe force microscopy demonstrate that the photoexcited electrons and holes in Rh#CeO 2 are efficiently partitioned into the Rh- and CeO 2 nanophases, respectively. The efficient charge partitioning in Rh#CeO 2 accounts for the selective photoDRM reaction. • Nano-architectural structure for efficient charge separation • Photocatalytic dry reforming of methane without external heater • Noble method to reduce greenhouse gas into chemical feedstock This research connects the science of nano-scale materials with the larger global problem of greenhouse gas recycling. Greenhouse gases, especially methane and carbon dioxide, are the most environmentally damaging gases, but their conversion has been done by thermal catalysis, so-called dry reforming under high temperatures of more than 800°C. In this paper, we highlight how we have achieved highly efficient conversion of greenhouse gases under non-heating conditions using light, a type of renewable energy, including sunlight. The working principle is photocatalysis, which uses electric charges generated by irradiating light on a semiconductor. The reason for the high efficiency is the creation of a structure in which nano-sized semiconductors and metals are intertwined with each other. From the viewpoint of materials science, the partitioning of charge distribution in the nanosize region was found to be the key to higher efficiency. Rh#CeO 2 , a nano-sized photocatalyst consisting of intertwined Rh and CeO 2 , is highly active and durable and has been successfully used to convert the worst greenhouse gases, CO 2 and CH 4 , into valuable syngas. The intertwined structure is very effective in partitioning the excited charges and maximizing the use of the interface as an active center.

THE REVIEW OF SOCIAL THEOLOGY AND SCIENCE ON THE BENEFITS OF VACCINE IN THE COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MEASURES

The negative public perception of the vaccination is one of the most important concerns that occur while dealing with Covid-19. This viewpoint is based on the belief that vaccinations include ingredients that are prohibited by religion making their usage not halal. This study investigates the benefits of vaccinations in the Covid-19 preventive measures from a theological and scientific standpoint. This study employs qualitative research methods. Primary and secondary data were gathered from a variety of sources, including literature, information media, and statistics data. This study discovered several findings applying the maqashid al-syari'ah theory as an analytical tool: First, vaccines are medical instruments that aim to strengthen the immune system so that it can increase immunity and reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission; Second, from the standpoint of social theology, the role of vaccines in protecting and preventing the body from transmitting Covid-19 is relevant to the dimensions of benefit found in maqashid al-syari'ah, which states that the purpose or objective of enforcing religious law must be oriented toward five things, one of which is the protection of the soul or self (hifzu al-Nafs); Third, the religious perspective plays a role in elucidating the reasons for the halal status of the Covid-19 vaccine from the standpoint of its value in social theology. In terms of science's viewpoint, it serves as a tool in articulating how the notion of self-preservation (hifzu al-Nafs) should be implemented through medical goods such as a vaccine. Vaccines are scientific attempts to contextualize the concept of religion so that it can be applied as a method to fight and prevent the spread of Covid-19

Матеріалознавство для паливних комірок

The words on fuel cells, especially joined with hydrogen, take more and more rooms in discussions on security, energy and ecology. The paper addresses questions concerning the structural optimization of electrolytes and electrodes applying both zirconia and proton exchange membrane. The final, optimized, chemical composition and structure of entire fuel cells would be tuned by considering the structural altering occurring during both production and long-term operation. The paper evidences undeniably that the structure of fuel cells, ceramic and polymeric ones, direct and reversible, require a deep detailed comparative study in states after both production and different time of operation. Respectively, a structural optimization of fuel cells to be related to all the complex of their properties that finally has to result in an improvement both properties themselves and their stabilization for a long term of usage is required. It is clear that up-to-date fuel cells cannot be considered more as some just chemical devices producing electricity. They have to be sointricately designed that each their atom is attached to each of its neighbors in such an optimal way in order to ensure the properties of whole the fuel cell as adevice, which produces useful energy in the best possible manner during rather long period of time. It means that from materials science point of view the structure of fuel cell must be optimized to meet a wide spectrum of requirements to cell as high temperature electrochemical device of a long-term of operation. Now, materials science concerning fuel cells is a study not only such the obvious topics as ionic or electronic conductivities, structure of dense electrolyte and both three phase porous electrodes, mechanical behavior of entire fuel cell device etc. The study of an influence of loading and gases delivery to their interaction sites on properties of entire energy system is obvious also. In general, the fuel cell technologies are rather mature already and they might be put into commercial production. Nevertheless, the opportunities for development are endless. 3D printing is imminent. Keywords: fuel cell; ceramic fuel cell; fuel cell based on proton exchange membrane; fuel cell electrolyte; fuel cell electrode; structural optimization; materials science for fuel cells.

EMPOWERING THE COMMUNITY TO OVERCOME COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN TAIWAN AND THE SCIENCE - AN EXAMPLE OF ELECTROLYZED WATER

Serve Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) outbreak from the December 2019 in China has brought over 220 million infected cases and caused over 4.55 million of death. COVID-19 pandemic till now destroy the human health, communication and economics, uncountable loss and huge influence greatly impact this world. In the past period, many cities were locked down in most countries. The status significantly change the life style and business condition. Available alert systems for the prevention of COVID-19 infection are very critical for a country, and reduce the threat to life. Fortunately, Taiwan empowers the management and control of immigration to stop the outbreak of COVID-19 effectively. No lock down or any influence for this society until the middle of May 2021. A missing point from the flight crews brought a wave of local transmission on 15th May. The highest infected cases were 550 per day (total population of Taiwan is 23 million). Fortunately, this outbreak is well controlled under the self-awareness of all citizens, wearing face mask, sanitary behavior promotion (proper cleaning and washing hands), vaccination, and quick and correct pandemic investigation and proper isolation successfully reduce the infected cases to 1-3 per day in two months. Till today, 16103 infected cases and 839 cases are found (15th September). From the past experience, community empowering is very important to prevent the outbreak and continuous transmission of COVID-19. From the science view point, except vaccine, some technology materials could show great potential on this pandemic. Electrolyzed water (EW) is a new type of cleaning and disinfecting agent obtained by electrolysis with dilute sodium chloride solution, it has low cost and harm to the human body and is also environmentally friendly. The anode produces acid electrolyzed water (AEW) and is mainly used to inhibit bacterial growth and disinfect. The cathode provides basic electrolyzed water (BEW), which is implemented to clean the surface of objects. EW is a powerful multifunctional antibacterial agent with a wide range of applications in the medicine, agriculture, and food industry. Studies in vitro and in vivo show that it has an inhibitory effect on pathogenic bacteria and viruses. Therefore, EW is used for the prevention of chronic diseases, and in recent years it has been discovered can be used to against infectious viruses. Not only animal experiments, but also clinical trials have also obtained more and more relevant research results, such as accelerating wound healing, oral health care, anti-obesity, lowering blood sugar, anti-cancer and anti-infectious viral diseases, etc. This chapter will summarize the application of EW in treating bacteria, viruses and the prevention of infectious and chronic diseases.

Thickness and birefringence of thin films assessed by interferometry using a low-cost spectrometer

The interference has significant importance from the viewpoints of fundamental science and applications. Though the experimental exercise and assessment based on numerical data are inevitable to understand the interference, it is challenging to perform classwork using spectrometers in a large teaching room due to the high-cost problems. In this work, the authors assessed low-cost spectrometers' availability and analysis methods for transmittance/reflectivity measurements for polymer films and their educational applications. The results show the accuracy and convenience of the apparatus and the methods.

Change sign detection with differential MDL change statistics and its applications to COVID-19 pandemic analysis

We are concerned with the issue of detecting changes and their signs from a data stream. For example, when given time series of COVID-19 cases in a region, we may raise early warning signals of an epidemic by detecting signs of changes in the data. We propose a novel methodology to address this issue. The key idea is to employ a new information-theoretic notion, which we call the differential minimum description length change statistics (D-MDL), for measuring the scores of change sign. We first give a fundamental theory for D-MDL. We then demonstrate its effectiveness using synthetic datasets. We apply it to detecting early warning signals of the COVID-19 epidemic using time series of the cases for individual countries. We empirically demonstrate that D-MDL is able to raise early warning signals of events such as significant increase/decrease of cases. Remarkably, for about 64% of the events of significant increase of cases in studied countries, our method can detect warning signals as early as nearly six days on average before the events, buying considerably long time for making responses. We further relate the warning signals to the dynamics of the basic reproduction number R0 and the timing of social distancing. The results show that our method is a promising approach to the epidemic analysis from a data science viewpoint.

Operating Airborne Precautions in Clinical Context: From the View Point of Behavioral Science

Operating Airborne Precautions in Clinical Context: From the View Point of Behavioral Science

Discussions on the Nature of the Scientific Management Approach in the Early Times of U.S. Industry

When the American Civil War ended in 1865, industrial organizations proliferated at an unpredictable rate. With the ascending number of industrial organizations, new problems emerged that the production process and management problems in the U.S. The discussion platforms were created and set up by owners, managers, and consultants of U.S. industry organizations to seek solutions to the joint problems. Management and production process problems had been discussed on these platforms. This study highlights the significance of science, art, and philosophical concepts related to the scientific management (S.M.) movement in the early period of U.S. industry organizations by focusing on these concepts’ similarities and dissociations. The articles, books, and proceedings of the S.M. movement pioneers have revealed the root causes of the different opinions about the S.M. movement. Science, art, and philosophical viewpoints of scientific management have discussed S.M.’s pioneers and its period conditions. Different viewpoints indeed created an excellent ground for the development of S.M. However, the early phases of S.M. were opponents to the S.M. movement, and those who criticized the S.M. did so for it being an uncompleted and interest group related movement. 

Existe diversidade de letramento digital sem reflexão crítica sobre a leitura?

This study discusses the use of reading as an instrument for the appropriation of knowledge and for critical reflections from the epistemological viewpoint of Information Science. The authors investigate how the act of reading, when viewed from the perspective of the ecology of literacy diversity, can contribute to confronting and resisting the mechanisms of oppression and discrimination manifested in digital networks. The theoretical approach adopted in this paper finds inspiration in the works of Paulo Freire and Nicolas Roubakine on the acts of reading as a mode of interaction between individuals and their environments. Ultimately, this research infers that the knowledge acquired through reading, as well as the critical reflections provoked by it, may be employed to change how individuals perceive, connect and act upon their social world.

Magnetocapacitance based magnetoelectric coupling behavior of multiferroic BiFeO3 nanocrystals: An empirical investigation

BiFeO3 is an attractive multiferroic ceramic for device application. The magnetoelectric coupling coefficient (αE ~ 2.2 mV/cm-Oe) of single-phase BiFeO3 ceramic is denominated here, which is calculated by theoretical method (by using the numerical value of capacitance) in place of direct measurement of voltage. An applied magnetic field raises the capacitance of the pellet of BiFeO3; analogous change in voltage gives the values of magnetoelectric coupling coefficient. Moreover, using the Ginzburg-Landau theory, the magnetoelectric interaction constant (γ) was calculated around ~ 9.3 × 10−1, which is numerically two times lower than the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient. This theoretical cum experimental study is very important in the view point of science and devices.

100th Anniversary of Macromolecular Science Viewpoint: Opportunities for Liquid Crystal Polymers in Nanopatterning and Beyond.

Liquid-crystal polymers (LCPs) integrate at a molecular level the characteristics of two important material classes, i.e., liquid crystals (LCs) and polymers. As a result, they exhibit a wide variety of intriguing physical phenomena and have useful properties in various settings. In the nearly 50 years since the discovery of the first melt-processable LCPs, there has been a remarkable expansion in the field encompassing the development of new chain architectures, the incorporation of new classes of mesogens, and the exploration of new properties and applications. As engineering materials, LCPs are historically best known in the context of high strength fibers. In a more contemporary study, the pairing of LC mesophase assembly with block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly in LC BCPs has resulted in a fascinating interplay of ordering phenomena and rich phase behavior, while lightly cross-linked networks, LC elastomers, are extensively investigated as shape memory materials based on their thermomechanical actuation. As this Viewpoint describes, these and other examples are active areas of research in which new, compelling opportunities for LCPs are emerging. We highlight a few selected areas that we view as being potentially significant in the near future, with a particular emphasis on nanopatterning. Here, the ability to readily access small feature sizes, the fluidity of the LC mesophase, and LC-based handles for achieving orientation control present a compelling combination. Opportunities for LCPs are also presented under the broad rubric of "beyond nanopatterning", and we discuss relevant challenges and potential new directions in the field.

Additive manufacturing of functionally graded metallic materials: A review of experimental and numerical studies

Abstract Inspired by nature, advanced functionally graded materials (FGMs) are an appropriate response to high-performance multi-functional applications. The introduction of modern additive manufacturing technology to the processing of gradient metallic materials opened up a great opportunity for further development of this class of engineering materials owing to several advantages of this technology, e.g., high manufacturing flexibility. The phenomena prevailing in the additive manufacturing of gradient metallic materials, such as melting and solidification, have drawn special attention to this field from the viewpoint of materials science and engineering to the extent that many experimental and numerical research studies have been done in this regard in recent years. After briefly introducing FGMs and providing a brief overview of manufacturing methods with a focus on additive manufacturing processes, this paper discusses experimental studies in three sections: metal–metal, metal-ceramic, and metal-intermetallic gradient materials. Then, numerical studies are reviewed from the perspective of materials science and engineering. In the end, important results achieved so far are summarized and an outlook is provided for further research in the future.

Gendering algorithms in social media

Social media platforms employ inferential analytics methods to guess user preferences and may include sensitive attributes such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and political opinions. These methods are often opaque, but they can have significant effects such as predicting behaviors for marketing purposes, influencing behavior for profit, serving attention economics, and reinforcing existing biases such as gender stereotyping. Although two international human rights treaties include express obligations relating to harmful and wrongful stereotyping, these stereotypes persist both online and offline, and platforms often appear to fail to understand that gender is not merely a binary of being a 'man' or a 'woman,' but is socially constructed. Our study investigates the impact of algorithmic bias on inadvertent privacy violations and the reinforcement of social prejudices of gender and sexuality through a multidisciplinary perspective including legal, computer science, and queer media viewpoints. We conducted an online survey to understand whether and how Twitter inferred the gender of users. Beyond Twitter's binary understanding of gender and the inevitability of the gender inference as part of Twitter's personalization trade-off, the results show that Twitter misgendered users in nearly 20% of the cases (N=109). Although not apparently correlated, only 8% of the straight male respondents were misgendered, compared to 25% of gay men and 16% of straight women. Our contribution shows how the lack of attention to gender in gender classifiers exacerbates existing biases and affects marginalized communities. With our paper, we hope to promote the online account for privacy, diversity, and inclusion and advocate for the freedom of identity that everyone should have online and offline.

Peculiarities of professional training of penal institution personnel during the Great Patriotic War

The research subject is the actualization of organizational and pedagogic peculiarities of professional training of penal institutions personnel during the Great Patriotic War. Professional training of penitentiary personnel in today’s Russia, aimed at the formation of competent professionals, traditionally deals with the question of continuity of education fundamentals at particular time line.   The research is based on archive materials of the State Archive of the Russian Federation. The research methodology includes the method of historicism, and the system approach, the chronological method (historical periodisation), the methods of historical retrospective and historical comparison, which help to analyze archive sources from the viewpoint of contemporary historical and pedagogical science.  The authors study the historical and pedagogical materials and analyze the experience, as well as theoretical and practical results of the search for new approaches, means and methods of professional training and improvement of conceptual background of the educational sphere of penal service of Russia.  During the period under study (the years of the Great Patriotic War), the most effective organizational and pedagogical models were searched for, as well as their orientation towards school education with prevailing in-service training.   

When to stop testing software: economic approach

When should we stop testing software and release it? Many software engineering papers attempt to answer this question—from the computer science viewpoint. However, the ultimate objective of every company—and software companies are not an exception—is to bring profit. In view of this fact, in this paper, we analyze the problem of when to stop testing from the economic viewpoint. For the simplified first-approximation model, we provide an explicit answer, and we describe how this answer can be made more accurate by using more adequate models.

Investigation and intelligence characteristics of crimes from the viewpoint of forensic science and the theory of investigation and intelligence activities

The research subject is the essence of investigation and intelligence characteristics of crimes from the viewpoint of forensic science and the theory of investigation and intelligence activities. The research object is social relations emerging in the process of detection and investigation of crimes, theoretical substantiation and law-enforcement practice revealing the essence, components and parts of the mechanism of formation of investigation and intelligence activities. The author considers the correlation between theory and practice of forensic science and investigation and intelligence activities, and the feasibility of use of the term «investigation and intelligence characteristics of a crime». Based on the study of different opinions of the leading researchers in the field of forensic science and theory of investigation and intelligence activities about the definition of the essence, contents, classification and elements of the concept of «investigation and intelligence characteristics of a crime», and using different methods of scientific cognition, the author considers the feasibility and legitimacy of use of the esencial definition and its practical application. The main conclusion of the research is based on the viewpoints of well-known scholars, who have divided into two opposite camps. The representatives of one deny the concept under study, while the others, as well as the author, prove their opinion and state that the concept «investigation and intelligence characteristics of a crime» exists in the theory of investigation and intelligence activities. The author attempts to substantiate the feasibility of this definition. 

Teksty narracyjne – analiza strukturalno-funkcjonalna

<p><span>Istnieje związek między językiem, myślą a rzeczywistością. Język jest głównym czynnikiem wpływającym na kształt naszych spostrzeżeń, sądów, wiedzy i zwyczajów, a narracja umożliwia ludziom opowiedzenie o sensie konstruowanej przez siebie rzeczywistości. W narracji liczy się nie tylko treść, ale i konstrukcja, która stała się podstawą rozważań w niniejszym artykule. Artykuł rozpoczyna się od ustaleń terminologicznych (<em>tekst narracyjny</em>, <em>narracja</em>, <em>narratologia</em>, <em>swoistość narracyjnej struktury</em>), rozpatrywanych z punktu widzenia różnych nauk, a także od przedstawienia założeń dotyczących analizy strukturalno-funkcjonalnej tekstów narracyjnych w świetle teorii de Saussure’a, Rosner, Barthes’a i Todorova. W opracowaniu położono nacisk na analizę struktur narracyjnych zaproponowaną przez Proppa, twórcę ogólnych wzorców budowania opowieści. Jest ona przydatna do badań nad różnymi systemami kultury, w tym kultury masowej. Ponadto stanowi podstawę do analiz narracji filmowych czy też różnego typu narracji ustnych i pisanych. Morfologię Proppa wykorzystano również w badaniach wybranych tekstów narracyjnych w szkole.</span></p>