New stage of scientific understanding of homeopathic phenomenon

Statements that homeopathy failed scientific testing and that it is a mock-science based on placebo effect are frequent in modern mass media. Their authors disregard not only results of many studies but also the effect of homeopathy in coma patients, infants, animals, germs and plants. Homeopathy is criticised due to lack of statistically acceptable studies and an accepted effect mechanism laid out in principles of modern science. However, homeopathy not only stood the time test but also showed potential for further implementation. Scientific studies, active use of homeopathy in medical practice help to resolve crisis in modern therapy by of treatment and prevention cost efficiency

Non-equilibrium thermal fluctuations of flow in thermal systems

Fouling is detrimental to the heat transfer performance of concentrated solar power (CSP) plant components where heat exchange takes place with the cooling tower water. Wave elements cause an expression of deep insight of the fouling formation. A wave element is the wave interface between two molecule groups with different temperatures in flow; it is generated by density difference, which results from temperature difference. Tiny temperature differences always exist everywhere in a fluid. When a fluid is in motion, wave elements are generated among molecule groups. Wave motion and Brownian motion can be the two basic forms of motion of the molecules in flow. Temperature controls Brownian motion. Temperature differences and the fluid's motion cause the wave elements. Non-equilibrium thermal fluctuations present as wave elements in a flow. A wave element appears as wave behavior along the space and time dimensions that are based on the continuity relation. The direct experimental evidence for wave elements cannot be directly established at the present scientific testing capability because the temperature difference of two molecule groups adjoining each other in a flow is infinitesimal. A series of “enlarged size” experiments are conducted involving the cooling tower water fouling to show the wave elements' behaviors by tracing the molecules' movement. The experimental study presents that the wave interface along the space and time dimensions simultaneously exists between two densities due to fluid motion. The experimental evidence and theoretical analysis support each other.

Research on the remote treatment of nearsightedness with External Qi by Pangu Shengong

Practicing Pangu Shengong not only heals and strengthens the body, but also sends external qi to others through the mind to help them cure various diseases. There have been many successful cases, but there is a lack of rigorous scientific testing in this area. Therefore, it is important to devise an easier way to certify to test the remote effects and healing power of Pangu Shengong: (1) Methods: Two classes of the same grade with similar number of students were selected in an elementary school . One was the experimental group and the other was the control group. The Qi sender sends Qi to the students in the experimental group regularly from a distance of 25.6 kilometers away from the school by Pangu Shengong.

The Significance of Phenotyping and Quantification of Plasma Extracellular Vesicles Levels Using High-Sensitivity Flow Cytometry during COVID-19 Treatment

New investigation results point to the potential participation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the pathogenesis of coronavirus infection, its progression, and mechanisms of the therapy effectiveness. This dictates the necessity to transfer scientific testing technologies to medical practice. Here, we demonstrated the method of phenotyping and quantitative analysis of plasma EVs based on differential centrifugation, immunostaining, and high-sensitivity multicolor flow cytometry. We used EV markers that were potentially associated with SARS-CoV-2 dissemination via vesicles and cell-origination markers, characterizing objects from different cell types that could influence clinical manifestation of COVID-19. Plasma levels of CD235a+ and CD14+ EVs in patients with moderate infection were significantly increased while CD8+ and CD19+ EVs were decreased comparing with HD. Patients with severe infection had lower levels of CD4+, CD19+, and CD146+ EVs than HD. These findings demonstrate that EV concentrations in COVID-19 are severity related. Moreover, the three-point dynamic assessment demonstrated significant loss of CD63+ and CD147+ plasma EVs. The used method can be a convenient tool for vital infection pathogenesis investigation and for COVID-19 diagnostics.

ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF TESTING FACILITIES FOR THE SCIENTIFIC TEST-ING CENTER OF THE ROCKET AND SPACE INDUSTRY FOR DEVELOPMENTAL TESTING OF ADVANCED CRYOGENIC PROPULSION SYSTEMS

The paper provides a review of materials on the development of testing facilities in the Scientific Testing Center of the Rocket and Space Industry and the issues involved in raising the efficiency and safety of experimental development of advanced cryogenic propulsion systems for launch vehicles intended for exploration of the near and deep space. It shows that the most dangerous tests are those that are conducted on engines and propulsion systems that use oxygen, methane and hydrogen as propellant components. They may involve containment failure in the propellant system in off-nominal situations — emergency releases of propellant components, explosions and fires. It provides calculation results for overpressure in the shock-wave front depending on the mass of the released hydrogen and the factor of its contribution to the explosion. It formulates special and additional safety measures for engine and propulsion system tests in a test facility. Key words: test facility (test stand), propulsion system, safety, off-nominal situation, cryogenic propellant components.

On the development of testing facilities for the scientific testing center of the rocket and space industry for developmental testing of advanced cryogenic propulsion systems

The paper provides a review of materials on the development of testing facilities in the Scientific Testing Center of the Rocket and Space Industry and the issues involved in raising the efficiency and safety of experimental development of advanced cryogenic propulsion systems for launch vehicles intended for exploration of the near and deep space. It shows that the most dangerous tests are those that are conducted on engines and propulsion systems that use oxygen, methane and hydrogen as propellant components. They may involve containment failure in the propellant system in off-nominal situations — emergency releases of propellant components, explosions and fires. It provides calculation results for overpressure in the shock-wave front depending on the mass of the released hydrogen and the factor of its contribution to the explosion. It formulates special and additional safety measures for engine and propulsion system tests in a test facility. Key words: test facility (test stand), propulsion system, safety, off-nominal situation, cryogenic propellant components.

COLLECTIBLE EXPOSITIONS IN THE STRUCTURE OF BOTANICAL GARDENS: A SCIENTIFIC TESTING GROUND AND AESTHETICS OF TERRITORIES

The article is devoted to the creation of an exposition-collection of flowering shrubs on the territory of the Main Botanical Garden Russian Academy of Sciences (MBG RAS), which allows for scientific research and at the same time is a highly decorative site of the botanical garden, created according to a previously developed project. This approach made it possible to present the largest collections of two genera Philadelphus L. and Spiraea L. in one place, selecting the most resistant, to adverse environmental factors, decorative and modern species, and varieties. The compositions of this site are based on the use of the external characteristics of plants and their adaptive capabilities in the conditions of the Moscow region, such as color, height, shape, texture, duration, and timing of flowering, flower aroma, and winter hardiness of plants. The project was developed with the participation of three scientific divisions of the MBG RAS. The exposition was created on the site of the MBG RAS, vacated after the completion of the construction of the New Stock Greenhouse, and, in fact, is a land reclamation project. In the project of the collection exposition, the data of long-term observations of this group of plants in the nursery conditions were used. The exposition includes 45 species and varieties of mock orange, and spirea with high winter hardiness and the best decorative characteristics. At present, the introduction testing continues, the selection of new species and varieties with the aim of further replenishing the exposition.

Applying evolutionary methods in economics: progress or pitfall?

The Darwinian theory of evolution has arguably become an important building block for experimental and theoretical economists. According to Burnham (J Econ Behav Org 90:S113–S127, 2013), it is possible to formulate novel hypotheses and predictions about human preferences, on the basis of what patterns of behavior would have been adaptive in the ancestral environment. After clarifying two theoretical concepts, the Adaptively Relevant Environment and fitness maximization, I argue that multiple scientifically plausible hypotheses about human preferences are compatible with evolutionary models that target behavior. Moreover, I propose a refinement of Burnham’s method based on theoretical resources provided by the indirect evolutionary approach. Economists apply or build evolutionary models of their own that target particular features of human psychology and cognition. Such models may reduce the number of plausible hypotheses to allow for rigorous scientific testing in laboratory or field experiments.

Non-Equilibrium Thermal Fluctuation in Flow

Non-equilibrium thermal fluctuations present as wave elements in a flow. A wave element is the wave interface between two molecule groups with different temperature; it is generated by density difference which results from temperature difference. Tiny temperature differences always exist everywhere in a fluid. When the fluid is in motion, wave elements are generated among molecule groups. Wave motion and Brownian motion may be the two basic forms of motion of molecules in flow. Brownian motion is controlled by temperature. Wave elements are caused by temperature differences and the motion of the fluid. Wave motion maybe the physical mechanism of convective heat transfer. Non-equilibrium thermal fluctuations exist everywhere among molecule groups in a flow. The theoretical analysis presents that a wave element presents oscillatory behavior along the space and time dimensions simultaneously. The experimental evidence for wave elements can not be directly established at present scientific testing capability because the temperature difference of two molecule groups adjoining to each other in a flow is very small. A series of “enlarged size” experiments of fouling to show the behaviors of wave elements by tracing the movement of molecules are conducted. The experimental study of fouling presents that oscillatory interface along the space and time dimensions simultaneously exists between two densities due to motion of the fluids. The experimental and theoretical analyses are supported to each other.

Methodological reporting quality of randomized controlled trials in three leading sports medicine journals over 10 years

Background Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are the gold standard scientific testing for medical interventions. However, low-quality RCTs may provide misleading evidence. This research elucidated the methodological reporting quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in three sports medicine journals over 10 years following the CONSORT statement. Methods and Findings In this study, we evaluated the methodological reporting quality of RCTs in three major sports medicine journals, including Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, British Journal of Sports Medicine and Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine from 2008 to 2017. The methodological reporting quality, including the allocation sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding, type of analysis, handling of dropouts were revealed. Number of patients, funding source, type of intervention and country were retrieved. The methodological reporting quality was descriptively reported. A total of 475 trials were involved and 166 (34.9%) trials reported adequate allocation generation, 124 (26.1%) trials reported adequate allocation concealment, 262(55.2%) trials reported adequate blinding, 122 (25.7%) trials reported type of analysis and 100 (21.1%) trials reported handling of dropouts. Conclusions This study shows that the methodological reporting quality of RCTs in the three major sports medicine journals were unsatisfactory and it can be further improved.