bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
IACRA: Lifetime Optimization by Invulnerability-Aware Clustering Routing Algorithm Using Game-Theoretic Approach for Wsns
Authors: Wang Jun , Zhang Yadan , Hu Chunyan , Mao Pengjun , Liu Bo
Published: October 2022

Energy limitation is one of the intrinsic shortcomings of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), although it has been widely applied in disaster response, battlefield surveillance, wildfire monitoring, radioactivity detection, etc. Due to the large amount of energy consumed for data transmission, how to prolong the network lifespan by designing various hierarchical routing protocols has attracted more and more attention. As a result, numerous achievements have emerged successively. However, these presented mechanisms can rarely guarantee the satisfactory quality of service (QoS), while lowering the energy cost level of WSNs. Meanwhile, invulnerability is undoubtedly an excellent quantitative index to assess QoS. Therefore, it is critical to develop a practical routing method to optimize network lifetime by considering both invulnerability and energy efficiency. Game theory is suitable for such a critical problem as it can be used in node or at network level to encourage the decision-making capabilities of WSNs. In this paper, a novel invulnerability-aware clustering routing algorithm (IACRA) using game-theoretic method is proposed to solve the predicament. The core features of the addressed game-theory-based routing protocol include integral invulnerability awareness, optimal cluster head selection in hierarchical routing, distance-aware cluster head discovery, and cluster rotation update mechanism for lifetime optimization. Particularly, the integral network invulnerability based on weighted fusion is constructed for further defining the profit model by combining the invulnerability indicators used to evaluate the local and whole network. Meanwhile, the optimal probability function of every node elected as CH in per cluster is established through the game between invulnerability and node energy consumption. In addition, the cluster update mechanism base on cluster rotation is proposed to avoid the rapid death of nodes with large energy consumption for maximizing network lifetime. The experimental results indicated a significant improvement in energy balance as well as in invulnerability compared with the other three kinds of well-known clustering routing protocols including GEEC (Game-theory-based energy efficient clustering routing protocol), HGTD (Hybrid, game-theory-based distributed clustering protocol), and EEGC (Efficient energy-aware and game-theory-based clustering protocol). Concretely, at the 400 communication rounds, the invulnerability of IACRA was higher than that of GEEC, HGTD, and EEGC by 77.56%, 29.45% and 15.90%, respectively, and the average residual energy of IACRA was 8.61%, 18.35% and 6.36% larger than that of GEEC, HGTD, and EEGC, respectively. Based on these results, the proposed protocol can be utilized to increase the capability of WSNs against deterioration of QoS and energy constraints.
Sphero-Conical Modeling for the Estimation of Very Long Baseline Interferometry Invariant Point
Authors: Bae Tae-Suk , Hong Chang-Ki
Published: October 2022

A geodetic reference frame is a fundamental element in geoinformation fields such as autonomous navigation and digital twins. The international terrestrial reference frame is established and maintained using several space-geodetic techniques, including very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) and satellite laser ranging (SLR). For several decades, geodesists have been devoted to connecting these two sensors at a site (local tie). The reference point of the VLBI antenna and SLR telescope, called invariant point (IVP), should be precisely determined to connect these two solutions. We developed an innovative integrated model to estimate the IVP, which is composed of spherical and conical models, depending on the rotational axis. In this model, all target points in 3D spaces were directly connected to the IVP; thus, the stability and robustness of the system were secured. Furthermore, all inherent errors in the coordinates were predicted by applying the total least-squares approach.
Effective Multi-Object Tracking via Global Object Models and Object Constraint Learning
Authors: Yoo Yong-Sang , Lee Seong-Ho , Bae Seung-Hwan
Published: October 2022

Effective multi-object tracking is still challenging due to the trade-off between tracking accuracy and speed. Because the recent multi-object tracking (MOT) methods leverage object appearance and motion models so as to associate detections between consecutive frames, the key for effective multi-object tracking is to reduce the computational complexity of learning both models. To this end, this work proposes global appearance and motion models to discriminate multiple objects instead of learning local object-specific models. In concrete detail, it learns a global appearance model using contrastive learning between object appearances. In addition, we learn a global relation motion model using relative motion learning between objects. Moreover, this paper proposes object constraint learning for improving tracking efficiency. This study considers the discriminability of the models as a constraint, and learns both models when inconsistency with the constraint occurs. Therefore, object constraint learning differs from the conventional online learning for multi-object tracking which updates learnable parameters per frame. This work incorporates global models and object constraint learning into the confidence-based association method, and compare our tracker with the state-of-the-art methods on public available MOT Challenge datasets. As a result, we achieve 64.5% MOTA (multi-object tracking accuracy) and 6.54 Hz tracking speed on the MOT16 test dataset. The comparison results show that our methods can contribute to improve tracking accuracy and tracking speed together.
CAVVPM: Challenge-Based Authentication and Verification of Vehicle Platooning at Motorway
Authors: Arslan Muhammad , Majeed Muhammad Faran , Abu Bakar Rana , Khan Jawad , Hussain Shafiq , Lee Youngmoon , Khan Faheem
Published: October 2022

As a result of vehicle platooning, advantages including decreased traffic congestion and improved fuel economy are expected. Vehicles in a platoon move in a single line, closely spaced, and at a constant speed. Vehicle-to-vehicle communications and sensor data help keep the platoon formation in place, and the CACC system is responsible for maintaining it. In reality, V2V transmissions are essential for reducing platooning distances while still ensuring their safety and security. It is far more difficult to confirm the veracity of a V2V message’s content than it is to verify its integrity and source authentication. Only platoon members can send and receive V2V communications by implementing a practical access control mechanism. The goal is to link a prospective platoon member’s digital identification to their actual location inside the unit. A physical challenge–response interaction is used in the CAVVPM process to verify that a prospective platoon member respects the rules. The applicant is asked to perform a series of random longitudinal movements, thus, the protocol’s name. Remote attackers cannot join the platoon or send bogus CACC communications because CAVVPM blocks them. CAVVPM is more resistant to pre-recording assaults than previous work, and it can validate that the candidate is precisely behind the verifier in the same lane compared to previous studies.
Multispectral Benchmark Dataset and Baseline for Forklift Collision Avoidance
Authors: Kim Hyeongjun , Kim Taejoo , Jo Won , Kim Jiwon , Shin Jeongmin , Han Daechan , Hwang Yujin , Choi Yukyung
Published: October 2022

In this paper, multispectral pedestrian detection is mainly discussed, which can contribute to assigning human-aware properties to automated forklifts to prevent accidents, such as collisions, at an early stage. Since there was no multispectral pedestrian detection dataset in an intralogistics domain, we collected a dataset; the dataset employs a method that aligns image pairs with different domains, i.e. RGB and thermal, without the use of a cumbersome device such as a beam splitter, but rather by exploiting the disparity between RGB sensors and camera geometry. In addition, we propose a multispectral pedestrian detector called SSD 2.5D that can not only detect pedestrians but also estimate the distance between an automated forklift and workers. In extensive experiments, the performance of detection and centroid localization is validated with respect to evaluation metrics used in the driving car domain but with distinct categories, such as hazardous zone and warning zone, to make it more applicable to the intralogistics domain.
Hydrophobic Natural Eutectic Solvents for the Gas Chromatographic Determination of Suspected Allergens in Fragrances by Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction
Authors: Bechis Gaia , Mastellone Giulia , Marengo Arianna , Sgorbini Barbara , Cagliero Cecilia , Rubiolo Patrizia
Published: October 2022

The fragrance industry plays a key role in the global economy, producing a wide range of personal care and household products. However, some fragrance ingredients have been linked to allergic reactions in sensitive people, and their concentrations are regulated at the European level. For this reason, reliable, rapid, and sustainable analytical methods are needed to rapidly detect and quantify these compounds. Recently, a new class of hydrophobic eutectic solvents (HES) has been introduced; they consist of natural terpenoids or phenolic compounds that can be used as hydrogen bond donors (HBD) and acceptors (HBA), and they are more suitable for GC applications due to their higher volatility. In this study, a dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) approach is proposed for the analysis and quantification of a range of allergens in hydroalcoholic perfumes. The optimized method requires only 50 µL of a natural HES (thymol–eugenol), which is readily dispersed by vortexing in 2 mL of sample. After centrifugation, the HES rich phase is diluted in 400 µL EtOH and directly injected into the GC-FID system. The proposed method has been successfully applied in the analysis and quantification of commercial fragrances, demonstrating good enrichment of target allergens and suitability for aqueous matrices analysis.
How Context Matters: Change and Persistence of Homophobic Attitudes among Cameroonian Migrants in Switzerland
Authors: Lyonga Frida
Published: October 2022

Debates on human rights in recent years have brought to the fore stark fault lines between African countries, where societal intolerance towards homosexuality is prevalent, and Western countries, which hold more tolerant views towards homosexuality. As contention rages around African identity and homosexuality, one interesting question calls for attention: how do the attitudes of Africans towards homosexuality evolve—or not—when they migrate from their home context to a more open society where homosexuality is widely accepted? This study draws on Herek’s ‘attitudes toward lesbians and gay men scale’ (ATLG) to investigate homophobia among Cameroonians at home compared to Cameroonian migrants in Switzerland and uses in-depth interviews to understand the reasons for any change in or persistence of attitudes. Survey data shows that Cameroonian migrants in Switzerland portray significantly less homophobia compared to Cameroonians living at home. Qualitative analysis identified four factors that contributed to change in attitudes among Cameroonian migrants: (i) experiencing racial prejudice and xenophobia prompted self-reflection about their own prejudices towards others; (ii) witnessing, first-hand, the huge infrastructure and development gap between their host and home country exposed anti-homosexuality politics back home as a needless distraction from actual development priorities; (iii) greater opportunities to meet and interact with gay people in the host country challenged long-held home-grown stereotypes about homosexuality; and (iv) non-discrimination standards and codes of conduct in the workplace in the host country encouraged conformity and shifts towards greater tolerance.
The Influence of Values and Social Environment on Parents’ Environmental Attitudes: Lithuanian Case Study
Authors: Jančius Rūtenis , Gavenauskas Algirdas
Published: October 2022

The conducted research reveals the significance of parents’ values and social environment factors, and their influence on pro-ecological attitudes. Parents from Lithuania were invited to participate in the study by filling out a questionnaire that aimed to assess their personal and ecological values, as well as factors of their social environment; the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale was used to assessed the pro-ecological attitude of the respondents. The results demonstrate that, among the personal values of parents, money takes a place of priority, but this cannot be treated only in the context of materialism, because parents seek the good of their children by fulfilling their needs, while also contributing to their education regarding financial literacy and consumption. In the context of ecological values, the results reveal the values of safe food and fresh air, showing how much parents care about their own and their children’s health, as well as noting air pollution as one of the pressing eco-problems. The results also show that family and school are factors of the social environment that most significantly influence parents’ pro-ecological attitude. The results reveal the respondents’ overall support for a pro-environmental worldview, and that parents who are older, more educated and live in the city are more likely to have a pro-environmental attitude.
Reduction of Academic Burnout in Preservice Teachers: PLS-SEM Approach
Authors: Qin Le , Lu Jie , Zhou Ying , Wijaya Tommy Tanu , Huang Yongxing , Fauziddin Mohammad
Published: October 2022

Academic stress and burnout are the predominant factors that can negatively affect student performance and sustainable learning. Therefore, it is important to analyze the factors related to student academic burnout in preservice teachers in western China. 212 respondents from public universities in Guangxi Province participated, and the data were analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to check reliability, validity, and initial hypothesis testing. The results show that perfectionism, excessive self-efficacy, and workload are the main factors causing academic stress and burnout in preservice teachers. These problems can be reduced by increasing self-efficacy and coping strategies of preservice teachers. In addition, this study provides important knowledge to universities based on factors related to preservice teachers’ academic stress and burnout, as well as strategies and solutions to reduce these problems in students.
Scaffolding Matters? Investigating Its Role in Motivation, Engagement and Learning Achievements in Higher Education
Authors: Acosta-Gonzaga Elizabeth , Ramirez-Arellano Aldo
Published: October 2022

In higher education, students’ engagement plays an essential role in determining learning success. Several studies have focused on identifying the relationship between engagement and learning achievements. However, comprehensive studies that include engagement, motivation, and scaffolding have yet to be performed. This article introduced a concept of metacognitive and learning engagement based on the frontiers between metacognition and cognition previously established in the literature. A conceptual model including cognitive, behavioural, emotional, scaffolding, and motivation and the two new definitions (metacognitive and learning engagement) was proposed and validated in 220 university students using structural equation modelling. The findings support the conjecture that cognitive engagement is directly influenced by metacognitive engagement. Learning engagement is influenced by cognitive engagement, and all of them are triggered by motivation. Furthermore, scaffolding enhances emotional engagement. Teachers’ support fosters students’ emotions of being enthusiastic, interested in class, joyful in learning activities, and proud of their learning achievements.
Transitioning to Flipped Classrooms: Instructors’ Perspectives
Authors: Dalbani Hala , Eissa Safaa , Syed-Ahmad Sharifah Fatimah , Almusharraf Norah
Published: October 2022

With higher education moving more towards online education and wider adoption of more flexible models of teaching, especially during and after COVID-19, faculty members at a small private university in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia made their first attempts at flipping. Given the lack of studies that examined the transitional period that instructors go through in their initial attempts to flip, this study explored the perceptions of instructors making the transition, where traditional teacher-centered approaches to teaching have prevailed. Their insights can be detrimental to its successful delivery and continued use. To achieve its objective, this research paper investigated the initial perceptions of the requirements of flipping from thirty-seven female faculty members across six different colleges. This study employed a qualitative synthesis of quantitative and qualitative data elicited from interviews, surveys, and self-reflection reports, concluding that instructors transitioning into flipping cannot rely solely on their intuitive beliefs but need extensive training and guidance. The findings will inform instructors and institutions making the transition and will guide educators preparing for flipped classroom training workshops.
The Impact of Carbon Emissions Trading on the Profitability and Debt Burden of Listed Companies
Authors: Wang Enci , Nie Jianyun , Zhan Hong
Published: October 2022

The high-quality development of China’s green finance is driven by the aims of reaching peak carbon and carbon neutrality, leading to an important impact of emissions trading policies on the profitability and debt burden of China’s listed companies. This paper uses propensity score matching (PSM) and the difference in differences (DID) method to study the impact of carbon emissions trading policies on the profitability and debt burden of listed companies in seven carbon emissions trading pilots from 2010 to 2019. The empirical evidence shows that the implementation of carbon emissions trading policies has increased the profitability and reduced the debt burden of listed companies: (1) Mechanism test shows that this policy can increase the profitability and debt burden of state-owned listed companies by increasing innovation investment. (2) The negative effects of this policy on the profitability and debt burden of state-owned listed companies are more obvious than that of the others. (3) The policy has also significantly reduced the debt burden of competitive companies and the profitability of monopolies. (4) The policy yields a more intense reduction in the debt burden of listed companies in high-carbon emission industries. Finally, this paper suggests that listed companies’ participation in the carbon emissions trading policy be expanded and that monopoly conditions among listed companies are reduced.
Mandatory Environmental Regulation and Green Technology Innovation: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Xingshuai , Elahi Ehsan , Zhang Lianggui
Published: October 2022

Faced with the severe situation of high energy consumption and major pollutant emissions, the Chinese government has adopted various mandatory environmental regulations (MERs) to improve the binding force of environmental protection policy implementation. In 2006, the environmental protection target responsibility system was implemented, and the energy conservation and emission reduction targets were linked to the performance assessment of government officials as a binding indicator. What is the impact of this policy on green technology innovation activities? Based on this, this paper identifies the relevant indicators of green technology innovation activities. It uses the difference-in-differences (DID) method to investigate the impact of mandatory environmental regulation on the quantity and quality of green technology innovation activities. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The implementation of MERs promoted the expansion of the number of green patent applications. (2) MERs also led to the decline of the quality and the emergence of the foaming phenomenon. (3) Enterprises with weak innovation ability are the main group causing the decline of green technology innovation quality, and they are concentrated in independent innovation and low-level pollution industries. The conclusion of this paper helps provide a theoretical basis and countermeasures for deepening the reform of the MER policy, strengthening the coordination of different environmental regulation tools, and establishing a market-oriented green technology innovation system and environmental protection science and technology policy.
Assessing the Relationship between English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Teachers’ Self-Efficacy and Their Acceptance of Online Teaching in the Chinese Context
Authors: Gao Yanjun , Wong Su Luan , Khambari Mas Nida Md. , Noordin Nooreen bt , Geng Jingxin
Published: October 2022

This quantitative study investigated the relationship between EFL teachers’ self-efficacy and their acceptance of online teaching in the Chinese context. One online questionnaire, including a self-efficacy scale and behavioral intention scale, was administrated to 293 university-level EFL teachers in China. The descriptive results indicated that EFL teachers at Chinese universities possessed a positive intention to adopt online teaching and relatively high self-efficacy in embracing online teaching. Correlational analyses showed that all four aspects of the self-efficacy of EFL teachers—student engagement, instructional strategies, classroom management, and computer ability—had significant correlations with their acceptance of online teaching. Meanwhile, based on the results of multiple linear regression analyses, EFL teachers’ efficacy in student engagement and instructional strategies were predictors of their intention to teach online. Self-efficacy in classroom management and computer ability did not influence EFL teachers’ acceptance of online teaching. An in-depth understanding of the relationship between self-efficacy and EFL teachers’ behavior and intentions can allow teachers and educators to improve their self-confidence and engagement in online teaching at a pedagogical level and identify patterns in teacher efficiency with respect to language at a theoretical level.
Policy and Strategies of Tariff Incentives Related to Renewable Energy: Comparison between Indonesia and Other Developing and Developed Countries
Authors: Supriyanto Eko , Sentanuhady Jayan , Hasan Wisnu Hozaifa , Nugraha Ariyana Dwiputra , Muflikhun Muhammad Akhsin
Published: October 2022

The transition from conventional fossil fuels to renewable energy is necessary, along with the increase in energy consumption and the decline in national energy production. In its application, increasing the renewable energy mix has many challenges, especially cost-efficiency. Thus, to make renewable energy competitive and achieve a significant acceleration of the mix, massive energy incentive policies are being studied and developed. This study provided a specific overview of policies and strategies for tariff incentives related to renewable energy, particularly in developing and developed countries. An essential section of this study discusses the comparison between Indonesia and other countries, as well as the current status and an ideal policy related to renewable energy for this country. The implementation of energy incentive policies in each country is quite different, depending on the potential, technological readiness, and political and economic conditions. Compared with other policy mechanisms such as RPS, FIT policies are more efficient at increasing capacity and stimulating R&D inputs to reduce costs. In terms of the stage of economic development and characteristics of the electricity system, the price adjustment model, such as that used in East Asia, is more suitable for application in Indonesia than other models.
Exploration and Prediction of the Elderly Travel Behavior Based on a Novel GR-GA-BP Hybrid Model
Authors: Li Zhihong , Wang Zinan , Wen Yanjie , Zhao Li
Published: October 2022

With the aging trend in megacities, the travel behaviors of the elderly have attracted much attention. Accurate prediction of the travel behaviors of the elderly is a key link to meet the traffic demand and public facilities’ optimization. The aim of this paper was to explore the link between the travel characteristics and variables of the daily activities of the elderly. Based on a stratified sampling survey, the internal relationship between the characteristics of the elderly and their travel behavior was studied and discussed in this work. A novel grey correlation degree–genetic algorithm–back propagation (GR-GA-BP) hybrid model was proposed to predict the travel behavior of the elderly. Then, a grey correlation degree module was established and used to analyze the correlation between the individual elderly characteristics and their travel behavior. The results showed the following: (1) Both the times of weekly trips (y1) and average round-trip travel time (y2) were highly sensitive to the external environment, especially buses, subway stations, and recreational facilities. The size of the family was less sensitive to the travel behavior. (2) Referring to prediction of the times of weekly trips, the MRE of the proposed model was 23.12%, which was 15.22% less than the baseline models. (3) In terms of the prediction of round-trip travel time, the MRE of the proposed model was 7.13%, which was 14.00–69.41% lower than the baseline models. (4) The times of trips per week were 3.5. In summary, this paper provides technical support for formulating traffic demand policies and facilitates the configuration of cities for an aging society.
Supply Chain Finance and Blockchain in Operations Management: A Literature Review
Authors: Gong Yu , Zhang Yun , Alharithi Mohammed
Published: October 2022

The emerging blockchain technology is believed to be a disruptive innovation in the fields of both supply chain management and financial management. Yet, little is known on the interaction of the two domains. In this paper, we conducted a thematic literature review in the novel field of blockchain and supply chain finance (SCF), which is based on 52 papers published from 2017 to 2021 in academic journals, proceedings and books. Based on thematic analysis, the current status of this field is concluded and presented in this research, including the challenges in traditional SCF, factors influencing blockchain adoption in SCF, blockchain-based SCF solutions, and the blockchain adoption mechanism and system design in SCF. Furthermore, a conceptual framework of blockchain adoption in SCF is developed, which combines the emerged themes. Finally, three future research directions are proposed for further research, including cost optimization of blockchain adoption in SCF, risk management of blockchain operations in SCF, and blockchain and sustainable SCF. This research presents a timely and useful summary on existing research and points out the future research directions on blockchain and SCF.
Can Agroecology Provide a Panacea for Sustaining the Adoption of Soil Erosion Control Measures? A Case of Smallholder Coffea arabica Production in the Rwenzori Mountain Region, Uganda
Authors: Tibasiima Thaddeo Kahigwa , Ekyaligonza Deous Mary , Bwambale Bosco
Published: October 2022

Agroecological approaches can provide context-specific and sustainable solutions to issues confronting farming communities, by enabling consorting of the socioeconomic and ecological constraints on the farm. This study is the first attempt to test this argument, based on the challenge of sustaining the adoption of soil erosion control measures among smallholder farmers producing Coffea arabica on the Rwenzori Mountain in Uganda. Here, the adoption of soil erosion control measures remains a challenge, despite the efforts of conventional agricultural advisory services in local governments. Using a qualitative research approach, we contrasted the elements of agroecology with the local discourses, to identify if they would provide a panacea for sustaining the adoption of soil erosion control measures. The results indicated that, generally, the agroecology elements harmonized with the local-context discourses on soil erosion control, in contrast to the conventional approach promoted through the agricultural advisory services. For example, the local discourse on a participatory process in developing soil erosion control measures linked with the Co-creation and Knowledge-Sharing element of agroecology; the discourse on concurrent and joint implementation of soil erosion control measures matched with the Synergy and Diversity elements of agroecology; and the argument for sustaining soil erosion control adoption through rewarding adopters and penalizing non-adopters, in line with the Responsible Governance and the Circular and Solidarity Economy elements of agroecology. Drawing conclusions on the implications of these findings, we argue that consideration of the Agroecology Elements at all stages in the process of soil erosion control would foster the sustained adoption of soil erosion control measures.
Spatial and Temporal Variability of Precipitation Complexity in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Silva Antonio Samuel Alves da , Barreto Ikaro Daniel de Carvalho , Cunha-Filho Moacyr , Menezes Rômulo Simões Cezar , Stosic Borko , Stosic Tatijana
Published: October 2022

In this work, we analyze the regularity of monthly rainfall temporal series during the period 1953 to 2012, recorded at 133 gauging stations in the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. We use sample entropy method (SampEn), which is suitable for short and noisy data and recently attracted the attention of hydrologists as promising for rainfall studies. By comparing the SampEn values of the analyzed series, we find that for both the original and deseasonalized series entropy increases (regularity decreases) in the west–east direction from the inland Sertão region towards the coastal Zona da Mata. SampEn values for the semiarid Sertão region are significantly different from the humid coastal Zona da Mata and subhumid transition Agreste regions. By comparing two 30 year subperiods (1953–1982 and 1983–2012), we found that in the second period, the rainfall amount decreases in Sertão and Agreste, and increases in Zona de Mata, and that the Agreste and Zona da Mata regions become more similar in respect to the regularity of rainfall dynamics. In the second subperiod, the rainfall regime changes the most in Zona da Mata (both original and anomalies series show a significant difference in SampEn values). By analyzing time dependent SampEn, we identified several periods of increasing entropy, which are related to specific climatic phenomena such as subsequent El Niño and La Niña episodes. This work represents a contribution to establishing the use of information theory-based methods in climatological studies.
Jensen-Mercer Type Inequalities in the Setting of Fractional Calculus with Applications
Authors: Bin-Mohsin Bandar , Javed Muhammad Zakria , Awan Muhammad Uzair , Mihai Marcela V. , Budak Hüseyin , Khan Awais Gul , Noor Muhammad Aslam
Published: October 2022

The main objective of this paper is to establish some new variants of the Jensen–Mercer inequality via harmonically strongly convex function. We also propose some new fractional analogues of Hermite–Hadamard–Jensen–Mercer-like inequalities using AB fractional integrals. In order to obtain some of our main results, we also derive new fractional integral identities. To demonstrate the significance of our main results, we present some interesting applications to special means and to error bounds as well.
On the Solutions of Quaternion Difference Equations in Terms of Generalized Fibonacci-Type Numbers
Authors: Gül Kübra
Published: October 2022

The aim of this paper is to investigate the solution of the following difference equation zn+1=(pn)−1,n∈N0,N0=N∪0 where pn=a+bzn+czn−1zn with the parameters a, b, c and the initial values z−1,z0 are nonzero quaternions such that their solutions are associated with generalized Fibonacci-type numbers. Furthermore, we deal with the solutions to the following symmetric system of difference equations given by zn+1=(qn)−1,wn+1=(rn)−1,n∈N0 where qn=a+bwn+czn−1wn and rn=a+bzn+cwn−1zn. We provide the solution to the third-order quaternion linear difference equation in terms of the zeros of the characteristic polynomial associated with the linear difference equation.
Emission Factors of CO2 and Airborne Pollutants and Toxicological Potency of Biofuels for Airplane Transport: A Preliminary Assessment
Authors: Gualtieri Maurizio , Berico Massimo , Grollino Maria , Cremona Giuseppe , La Torretta Teresa , Malaguti Antonella , Petralia Ettore , Stracquadanio Milena , Santoro Massimo , Benassi Barbara , Piersanti Antonio , Chiappa Andrea , Bernabei Manuele , Zanini Gabriele
Published: October 2022

Aviation is one of the sectors affecting climate change, and concerns have been raised over the increase in the number of flights all over the world. To reduce the climate impact, efforts have been dedicated to introducing biofuel blends as alternatives to fossil fuels. Here, we report environmentally relevant data on the emission factors of biofuel/fossil fuel blends (from 13 to 17% v/v). Moreover, in vitro direct exposure of human bronchial epithelial cells to the emissions was studied to determine their potential intrinsic hazard and to outline relevant lung doses. The results show that the tested biofuel blends do not reduce the emissions of particles and other chemical species compared to the fossil fuel. The blends do reduce the elemental carbon (less than 40%) and total volatile organic compounds (less than 30%) compared to fossil fuel emissions. The toxicological outcomes show an increase in oxidative cellular response after only 40 min of exposure, with biofuels causing a lower response compared to fossil fuels, and lung-deposited doses show differences among the fuels tested. The data reported provide evidence of the possibility to reduce the climate impact of the aviation sector and contribute to the risk assessment of biofuels for aviation.
Heterotopic Ossification after a Prolonged Course of COVID-19: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Milner Jacob E. , Schwartz Ean C. , Geller Joseph S. , Constantinescu David , Allegra Paul R. , Trapana Justin E. , Vilella Fernando E.
Published: October 2022

We report the case of a 20-year-old male who developed severe HO of the left hip secondary to a prolonged course of COVID-19 pneumonia. Upon extubation, he was found to have debilitating left hip pain and significant functional deficits with regard to his range of motion and functional status. There are numerous known causes of heterotopic ossification (HO), including trauma, surgery, and traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries. An increased incidence of HO has also been reported in patients who undergo prolonged intubation. While the COVID-19 virus has many known respiratory and medical complications, it has also resulted in unforeseen complications that present long-term challenges for patients. When treating patients with coronavirus, physicians should be aware of HO as a possible complication and consider it as a cause of musculoskeletal pain.
Space–Time Clustering and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Mortality from Diarrhea in Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil: A 20-Year Population-Based Study
Authors: Lima Deanna dos Santos , da Paz Wandklebson Silva , Lopes de Sousa Álvaro Francisco Lopes , de Andrade Denise , Conacci Beatriz Juliana , Damasceno Flávia Silva , Bezerra-Santos Márcio
Published: October 2022

Acute diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children in developing countries and is strongly related with the socioeconomic conditions of the population. In Brazil, data show a drop in the diarrhea mortality rate. Nevertheless, the northeastern region still has the most deaths. Considering this, we analyze high-risk areas for diarrhea- and gastroenteritis-related deaths, and their association with social determinants of health (SDH) in the state with one of the worst human development indicators in Brazil (Alagoas) between 2000 and 2019. We applied temporal, spatial, and space–time risk modelling. We used a log-linear regression model to assess temporal trends and the local empirical Bayesian estimator, the global and local Moran indices for spatial analysis. Spearman’s correlation was used to correlate mortality rates with SDH. A total of 3472 diarrhea-related deaths were reported during this period in Alagoas. We observed a decreasing time trend of deaths in the state (9.41/100,000 in 2000 to 2.21 in 2019; APC = −6.7; p-value < 0.001), especially in children under one year of age. However, there was stability among adults and the elderly. We identified two high-risk spatiotemporal clusters of mortality in inland municipalities. Lastly, mortality rates correlated significantly with 90% of SDH. Taken together, these findings indicate that diarrhea diseases remain a serious public health concern in Alagoas, mainly in the poorest and inland municipalities. Thereby, it is urgently necessary to invest in measures to control and prevent cases, and improve the living conditions of the poorest populations and those with the highest social vulnerability index.
Quantum Clones inside Black Holes
Authors: ’t Hooft Gerard
Published: October 2022

A systematic procedure is proposed for better understanding the evolution laws of black holes in terms of pure quantum states. We start with the two opposed regions I and II in the Penrose diagram, and study the evolution of matter in these regions, using the algebra derived earlier from the Shapiro effect in quantum particles. Since this spacetime has two distinct asymptotic regions, one must assume that there is a mechanism that reduces the number of states. In earlier work we proposed that region II describes the angular antipodes of region I, the ‘antipodal identification’, but this eventually leads to contradictions. Our much simpler proposal is now that all states defined in region II are exact quantum clones of those in region I. This indicates more precisely how to restore unitarity by making all quantum states observable, and in addition suggests that generalisations towards other black hole structures will be possible. An apparent complication is that the wave function must evolve with a purely antisymmetric, imaginary-valued Hamiltonian, but this complication can be well-understood in a realistic interpretation of quantum mechanics.
COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptors, Refusers, and the Moveable Middle: A Qualitative Study from Central Texas
Authors: Litaker John R. , Lopez Bray Carlos , Tamez Naomi , Durkalski Wesley , Taylor Richard
Published: October 2022

COVID-19 has caused excessive morbidity and mortality worldwide. COVID-19 vaccines, including the two mRNA vaccines, were developed to help mitigate COVID-19 and to move society towards herd immunity. Despite the strong efficacy and effectiveness profile of these vaccines, there remains a degree of vaccine hesitancy among the population. To better understand hesitancy associated with COVID-19 vaccines and to delineate between those who are vaccine acceptors, vaccine refusers, and the moveable middle, we conducted a cross-sectional survey to understand respondents’ decision to receive, or not, a COVID-19 vaccine at the onset of mRNA vaccine availability in Central Texas. A total of 737 individuals responded, with 685 responses classified to one of eight domains: A: End to the Pandemic (n = 48); B: Trust in Medical Community (n = 27); C: Illness-Focused Perceptions (n = 331); D: Social Motivation (n = 54); E: Vaccine-Focused Perceptions (n = 183); F: Knowledge Gap (n = 14); G: Underlying Health Concern (n = 9); and H: Undecided (n = 19). Vaccine acceptors (n = 535) were primarily represented in domains A–E, while vaccine refusers (n = 26) were primarily represented in domains C, E, G, and H. The moveable middle (n = 124) was primarily represented by domains C–H. These findings show clear delineations between vaccine acceptors, vaccine refusers, and the moveable middle across eight domains that can assist public health professionals in addressing vaccine hesitancy.
Third BNT162b2 Vaccine Booster Dose against SARS-CoV-2-Induced Antibody Response among Healthcare Workers
Authors: Hussein Khetam , Dabaja-Younis Halima , Szwarcwort-Cohen Moran , Almog Ronit , Leiba Ronit , Weissman Avi , Mekel Michal , Hyams Gila , Horowitz Nethanel A. , Gepstein Vardit , Cohen Saban Hagar , Tarabeia Jalal , Halberthal Michael , Shachor-Meyouhas Yael
Published: October 2022

This study assessed humoral response to the third BNT162b2 dose among healthcare workers (HCW). This prospective cohort study of HCW tested for anti-spike antibodies (LIAISON SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay) at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after receiving the second BNT162b2 vaccine dose (tests 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively). A third (booster) vaccination dose was introduced before test 4. Linear regression model was used to determine the humoral response following vaccine doses. For each serology test, changes in log-transformed antibody concentrations over time, adjusted for age, sex, underlying diseases, steroid treatment, and smoking were described using the general linear mix model. Serology tests were performed at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after the second vaccine dose in 1113, 1058, 986, and 939 participants, respectively. The third dose was received by 964 participants before the 9-month tests, 797 of whom participated in the 9- and 12-month serology tests. A significant inverse correlation was noted between time from third dose and antibody concentrations (Spearman correlation −0.395; p < 0.001). Age (p < 0.0001; CI 95% −0.005–−0.004), heart disease (p < 0.0001; CI 95% −0.177–−0.052), immunodeficiency (p < 0.0001; CI 95% 0.251–−0.106), and smoking (p < 0.0001; CI 95% −0.122–−0.040) were significantly associated with decreased antibody concentrations. Female sex (p = 0.03; CI 95% 0.013–0.066) was associated with increased antibody concentrations. The third booster dose had a better effect on immunogenicity, with higher antibody concentrations among tested HCW. Heart disease, smoking, and other known risk factors were associated with decreased antibody concentrations.
Intolerance of Uncertainty and Attitudes towards Vaccination Impact Vaccinal Decision While Perceived Uncertainty Does Not
Authors: Brun Clémence , Akinyemi Alexis , Houtin Laurène , Zerhouni Oulmann , Monvoisin Richard , Pinsault Nicolas
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated that intolerance of uncertainty (IU) can hinder problem-solving and lead to avoidance of ambiguous situations. Furthermore, people tend to lack confidence in decisions made in ambiguous contexts. We wanted to investigate the impact of IU on intentions to get vaccinated, to vaccinate one’s children, and to recommend the vaccine in situations with varying degrees of perceived uncertainty. We first conducted a pretest to select six scenarios with different levels of perceived uncertainty. In the core study, 485 participants answered for each of the six scenarios whether they would get vaccinated, vaccinate their children (or imagine doing so, for individuals without children), and whether they would recommend the vaccine. They also completed the IUS-12 (Intolerance of Uncertainty scale) and the VAX (Vaccination Attitudes Examination). Results showed that perceived uncertainty did not influence our measures, but the IUS-12 and VAX predicted the difference in score between the most and least uncertain scenarios. An indirect effect of the IUS-12 on decision confidence through the VAX was found, but with no direct effect. We conclude that, even if future studies should refine these results, Public Policies should be more focused on factors such as IU and attitudes toward vaccination.
Vergence and Accommodation Cues in Stereo-Localization during the Small-In Large-Out (SILO) Effect
Authors: Argilés Marc , Cardona Genis , Hosa-Vila Sandra , Sunyer-Grau Bernat
Published: October 2022

A typical procedure in vision therapy is the use of Quoits vectograms to train fusional vergence ranges by improving stereo-localization, which is the ability to correctly locate the target stimulus in space. With this procedure, the Small-In Large-Out (SILO) effect is usually reported in patients with normal binocular vision and accommodation. In this study, the influence of vergence and accommodation cues, as determined with the accommodative-convergence over accommodation (AC/A) ratio, to correctly locate the Quoits vectograms in space was investigated. Twenty participants, aged 29.2 ± 2.8 (mean ± standard deviation) years, without amblyopia or strabismus, were recruited. A geometrical formula was obtained to calculate the theoretical distance to the target stimulus for different vergence demands. Theoretical values were compared with measured distances to the perceived stimuli and stereo-localization accuracy was determined. Stereo-localization accuracy was significantly worse at 10∆ Base In vergence demand (p < 0.001). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between AC/A ratio and stereo-localization accuracy (i.e., worse accuracy) at 10Δ Base Out vergence demand (rho = 0.446, p = 0.049). These findings highlight that AC/A ratio may be a secondary cue for stereo-localization when using vectograms in which the SILO effect is manifest. These results assist in the understanding of the physiological basis of vision therapy procedures.
Spatial Variation of Soil Organic Carbon from Bamen Bay Mangrove in Southern China
Authors: Wen Wanyu , Zhu Yaojun , Guo Jia , Pan Xu , Li Jing , Guo Yanru , Guo Julan , Wu Gaojie , Wang Yuhang , Gong Minghao
Published: October 2022

Mangrove forests are large pools of soil organic carbon (SOC) found across the world, and play a vital role in global carbon (C) cycling. In this study, to investigate the effects of spatial factors on SOC in mangrove forests, soil samples at different depth layers from upper estuary (UE), lower estuary (LE), and tidal inlet (TI) in the Qinglangang mangrove forest in Southern China were collected and the differences in SOC among the layers and geomorphological settings were compared. The mean SOC content showed a pattern of LE (4.63 ± 1.28%) > UE (2.94 ± 0.73%) > TI (1.44 ± 0.33%). SOC content and storage decreased with soil depth in TI, but increased in UE. The total SOC storages (0–80 cm) of sites TU, UE, and LE, were 104.41 ± 16.63, 207.14 ± 44.83, and 228.78 ± 19.37 Mg/ha, respectively. The results suggested that top- and subsoil organic C content and storage were largely dependent on their specific location, which underwent different river-sea interactions and human activities. The SOC of the soil profile varied at different sites, implying that the current C storage of mangrove ecosystems can be accurately estimated by quantifying the C of sediments at sites.