Modernization of government management in empires of new time: comparative political analysis

The article deals with the issues related to the modernization of public administration in the imperial states of modern times. Russian, British and Ottoman empires as states implementing various strategies of modernization and improvement of public administration were chosen as examples. The success of modernization reforms of the administration is one of the essential conditions for maintaining stability and development of the imperial political system, formalizing the domination of the center in relation to the periphery. The Ottoman Empire failed to implement the policy of modernization of public administration in a timely and consistent manner. The British Empire was combined the strategies of centralization and decentralization of state management of its overseas colonies. The Russian Empire - a special imperial system -implemented, within the framework of the unitary state, the principle of centralization of the system of management, but its implementation in the development of the central bureaucratic apparatus of the empire was limited by the autocratic monarchy. At the same time, the Russian Empire was flexible in terms of differentiation of the management approaches. The article substantiates the conclusion that the imperial administration was an expression of centripetal political processes in the imperial system provided them and was an expression of the political power of the center which has an autocratic character in relation to the periphery. The processes associated with the administration of the Empire are concentrated in its center and implemented in addition to the will of the periphery. In institutional terms, the center of the empire is represented by general imperial authorities and management, in functional terms, the imperial power has exclusive administrative prerogatives associated with the concentration of resources of power and their distribution over the imperial hierarchy. The differentiation of administrative approaches shows the administrative and political specificity of the empire-state. In general the modernization of management empire became a significant factor in allowing the empire to most effectively carry out the concentration of political resources

Reduction in ionic permeability of a silicone hydrogel contact lenses after one month of daily wear

[EN] Purpose. To compare the ionic permeability using the ionoflux method of new and worn samples of a silicone hydrogel contact lens material. Methods. An ionoflux experimental setup was established to measure the ionic permeability (NaCl) of soft contact lenses. Samples of a silicone hydrogel lens (Comfilcon A, Coopervision, Pleasanton, CA) with optical powers of -1.00, -1.50 and -4.75 diopters (D) were used in this study. Three samples of each power were measured after being worn for one month on a daily wear basis. Lenses were cleaned and disinfected every night using multipurpose disinfecting solutions. Three samples of new lenses from the same batch and the same optical power were also measured to evaluate the effect of lens wear on the ionic permeability of the lens material. Before measurement, the lenses were equilibrated with a 1 M NaCl solution during one week before of each measurement. Results. Lens power had minimal effect on the ionic permeability of a modern silicone hydrogel contact lens with the -1.00 lens having a 15% lower permeability compared to the other two lenses. After one month of lens wear the apparent ionic permeability for lenses with -1.50 D decreased by 15%. In the case of -1.00 and -4.75 D lenses there was a decrease of 26%. Conclusions. The ionic permeability of silicone hydrogel lenses of different optical powers was not significantly different. Worn lenses present a significant reduction of the ionic permeability after a month of wear. The potential effect this reduction on lens movement and discomfort associated to lens wear should be further evaluated.The authors have no proprietary interest in any of the materials mentioned in this article. This work was funded in part by FEDER through the COMPTETE Program and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of projects PTDC/SAU-BEB/098391/2008, PTDC/SAU-BEB/098392/2008 and the Strategic Project PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011.Ferreira Da Silva, AR.; Compañ Moreno, V.; Gonzalez-Meijome, JM. (2015). Reduction in ionic permeability of a silicone hydrogel contact lenses after one month of daily wear. Materials Research Express. 2(6). https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/2/6/065007S26Yoon, S. C., & Jhon, M. S. (1982). The transport phenomena of some model solutes through postcrosslinked poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) membranes with different tactic precursors. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 27(8), 3133-3149. doi:10.1002/app.1982.070270834Yasuda, H., Lamaze, C. E., & Ikenberry, L. D. (1968). Die Makromolekulare Chemie, 118(1), 19-35. doi:10.1002/macp.1968.021180102MURPHY, S., HAMILTON, C., & TIGHE, B. (1988). Synthetic hydrogels: 5. Transport processes in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate copolymers. Polymer, 29(10), 1887-1893. doi:10.1016/0032-3861(88)90407-7Nicolson, P. C., & Vogt, J. (2001). Soft contact lens polymers: an evolution. Biomaterials, 22(24), 3273-3283. doi:10.1016/s0142-9612(01)00165-xMonticelli, M. V., Chauhan, A., & Radke, C. J. (2005). The Effect of Water Hydraulic Permeability on the Settling of a Soft Contact Lens on the Eye. Current Eye Research, 30(5), 329-336. doi:10.1080/02713680590934085Guan, L., Jiménez, M. E. G., Walowski, C., Boushehri, A., Prausnitz, J. M., & Radke, C. J. (2011). Permeability and partition coefficient of aqueous sodium chloride in soft contact lenses. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 122(3), 1457-1471. doi:10.1002/app.33336Cheng, M.-L., & Sun, Y.-M. (2005). Observation of the solute transport in the permeation through hydrogel membranes by using FTIR-microscopy. Journal of Membrane Science, 253(1-2), 191-198. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2005.01.017CHHABRA, M., PRAUSNITZ, J., & RADKE, C. (2007). A single-lens polarographic measurement of oxygen permeability (Dk) for hypertransmissible soft contact lenses. Biomaterials, 28(30), 4331-4342. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.06.024González-Méijome, J. M., López-Alemany, A., Almeida, J. B., & Parafita, M. A. (2009). Surface AFM microscopy of unworn and worn samples of silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 88B(1), 75-82. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.31153González-Méijome, J. M., López-Alemany, A., Almeida, J. B., & Parafita, M. A. (2008). Dynamic in vitro dehydration patterns of unworn and worn silicone hydrogel contact lenses. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part B: Applied Biomaterials, 90B(1), 250-258. doi:10.1002/jbm.b.31279Pozuelo, J., Compañ, V., González-Méijome, J. M., González, M., & Mollá, S. (2014). Oxygen and ionic transport in hydrogel and silicone-hydrogel contact lens materials: An experimental and theoretical study. Journal of Membrane Science, 452, 62-72. doi:10.1016/j.memsci.2013.10.010Wolffsohn, J. S., Hunt, O. A., & Basra, A. K. (2009). Simplified recording of soft contact lens fit. Contact Lens and Anterior Eye, 32(1), 37-42. doi:10.1016/j.clae.2008.12.00

Mathematical modeling of bulk and directional crystallization with the moving phase transition layer

This paper is devoted to the mathematical modeling of a combined effect of directional and bulk crystallization in a phase transition layer with allowance for nucleation and evolution of newly born particles. We consider two models with and without fluctuations in crystal growth velocities, which are analytically solved using the saddle-point technique. The particle-size distribution function, solid-phase fraction in a supercooled two-phase layer, its thickness and permeability, solidification velocity, and desupercooling kinetics are defined. This solution enables us to characterize the mushy layer composition. We show that the region adjacent to the liquid phase is almost free of crystals and has a constant temperature gradient. Crystals undergo intense growth leading to fast mushy layer desupercooling in the middle of a two-phase region. The mushy region adjacent to the solid material is filled with the growing solid-phase structures and is almost desupercooled. © 2021 The Authors. Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Russian Science Foundation, RSF: 21-79-10012The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 21-79-10012). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL

Разработка мер для метрологического обеспечения спектроскопии комбинационного рассеяния

The method of Raman spectroscopy (RS) is widely used for timely metrological support of technological lines of the industrial sector in the chemical, medical and pharmaceutical, food, as well as criminalistics and forensic examinations. The wide application of the Raman spectroscopy method requires the use of specific metrological support tools, namely, measures for calibrating Raman spectrometers and microscopes according to the spectrum shape (i. e. relative spectral sensitivity).The purpose of the research was to develop prototype measures designed to calibrate Raman spectrometers and microscopes on a scale of relative intensities provided with metrological traceability to the SI base units.Prototype measures were made from inorganic glasses based on an oxide matrix, each of the glasses was activated with metal ions selected to excite a broad fluorescence line with radiation at a given wavelength: 532 nm (manganese ions), 633 nm (bismuth ions) and 785 nm (chromium ions). Metrological characteristics were established for prototype measures, where the certified characteristic is the relative intensity of the reproduced fluorescence radiation. The maximum expanded measurement uncertainty of the relative fluorescence intensity at a coverage factor k = 2 was determined, which is 9.4 %, 5.2 % and 2.8 % for prototype measures designed to reproduce the relative fluorescence intensity when excited at wavelengths of 532 nm, 633 nm and 785 nm, respectively.Certification of measures performed on the laser Raman confocal microscope Confotec NR500, which is part of the GET 196-2015 standard, allows establishing metrological traceability through the scale of relative intensities of the GET 8 6-2017 microscope, providing traceability to SI units of the “(light) energy flux” value. Thus, it is possible to find the spectral correction function for determining the Raman spectra traceable to the State Primary Standard GET 196-2015 for calibrated devices using certified measures.The practical significance of the results of the research makes it possible to expand the possibility of establishing and monitoring the stability of the calibration characteristics of microscopes and Raman spectrometers, namely, it allows calibration on a scale of relative intensities.Для своевременного метрологического обеспечения технологических линий промышленного сектора в химической, медико-фармацевтической, пищевой, а также криминалистической и судебной экспертизы широко применяется метод спектроскопии комбинационного рассеяния (КР). Широкое применение метода спектроскопии КР требует использования специальных средств метрологического обеспечения, а именно: мер для калибровки спектрометров и микроскопов КР по форме спектров, т. е. по относительной спектральной чувствительности.Цель настоящего исследования –  разработка прототипов мер, предназначенных для калибровки спектрометров и микроскопов КР по шкале относительных интенсивностей, обеспеченных метрологической прослеживаемостью к основным единицам SI.Прототипы мер изготовили из неорганических стекол на основе оксидной матрицы, каждое из стекол активировано ионами металла, подобранного для возбуждения широкой линии флуоресценции излучением на заданной длине волны: 532 нм (ионы марганца), 633 нм (ионы висмута) и 785 нм (ионы хрома). Для прототипов мер установлены метрологические характеристики, где аттестованной характеристикой является относительная интенсивность воспроизводимого излучения флуоресценции. Определена максимальная расширенная неопределенность измерения относительной интенсивности флуоресценции при коэффициенте охвата k = 2, которая составляет 9,4 %, 5,2 % и 2,8 % для прототипов мер, предназначенных для воспроизведения относительной интенсивности флуоресценции при возбуждении на длинах волн 532 нм, 633 нм и 785 нм, соответственно.Аттестация мер, произведенная на лазерном рамановском конфокальном микроскопе Confotec NR500, входящем в состав эталона ГЭТ 196-2015, позволит установить метрологическую прослеживаемость через шкалу относительных интенсивностей микроскопа ГЭТ 86–2017, обеспечивая прослеживаемость к единицам SI величины «поток энергии» (световой). Таким образом, для калибруемых приборов с помощью аттестованных мер возможно нахождение функции спектральной коррекции для определения спектров КР, прослеживаемых к государственному первичному эталону ГЭТ 196-2015.Полученные результаты исследования позволят расширить возможность установления и контроля стабильности градуировочной (калибровочной) характеристики микроскопов и спектрометров комбинационного рассеяния, в частности, позволят производить калибровку по шкале относительных интенсивностей

Phenomenology of Quantum Gravity and its Possible Role in Neutrino Anomalies

New phenomenological models of Quantum Gravity have suggested that a Lorentz-Invariant discrete spacetime structure may become manifest through a nonstandard coupling of matter fields and spacetime curvature. On the other hand, there is strong experimental evidence suggesting that neutrino oscillations cannot be described by simply considering neutrinos as massive particles. In this manuscript we motivate and construct one particular phenomenological model of Quantum Gravity that could account for the so-called neutrino anomalies.Comment: For the proceedings of "Relativity and Gravitation: 100 Years after Einstein in Prague" (June 2012, Prague

Environmental Mortality and Long-Run Growth

There is emerging evidence that environmental degradation increases human mortality. This paper provides a long-run consumer optimization model in which mortality is endogenous to emissions generated by production. Emissions are assumed to follow the EKC path, first rising and then falling along with ouput. In the optimum, some deaths are accepted as an exchange for consumption. The model is estimated for the European outdoor air pollution data, showing that Europe has reached the downward sloping sement of the EKC. Economic growth will thus decrease rather than increase air pollution and the associted deaths in most countries in Europe

Effect of a sweeping conductive wire on electrons stored in the Penning trap between the KATRIN spectrometers

The KATRIN experiment is going to search for the mass of the electron antineutrino down to 0.2 eV/c^2. In order to reach this sensitivity the background rate has to be understood and minimised to 0.01 counts per second. One of the background sources is the unavoidable Penning trap for electrons due to the combination of the electric and magnetic fields between the pre- and the main spectrometer at KATRIN. In this article we will show that by sweeping a conducting wire periodically through such a particle trap stored particles can be removed, an ongoing discharge in the trap can be stopped, and the count rate measured with a detector looking at the trap is reduced.Comment: Final version published in EPJ A, 14 pages, 19 figures (21 files