bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A coupled impact of different management and soil moisture on yield of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in dry conditions at locality Mezőföld, Hungary
Authors: Milics Gabor
Published: March 2021

Variable rate technology (VRT) in nutrient management has been developed in order to apply crop inputs according to the required amount of fertilizers. Meteorological conditions rarely differ within one field; however, differences in soil conditions responding to precipitation or evaporation results within field variations. These variations in soil properties such as moisture content, evapotranspiration ability, etc. requires site-specific treatments for the produced crops. There is an ongoing debate among experts on how to define management zones as well as how to define the required amount of fertilizers for phosphorus and nitrogen replenishment for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. For management zone delineation, vegetation based or soil based data collection is applied, where various sensor technology or remote sensing is in help for the farmers. The objective of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the effect of soil moisture data derived from Sentinel-2 satellite images moisture index and variable rate phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizer by means of variable rate application (VRA) in winter wheat in Mezőföld, Hungary. Satellite based moisture index variance at the time of sowing has been derived, calculated and later used for data comparison. Data for selected points showed strong correlation (R2 = 0.8056; n = 6) between moisture index and yield, however generally for the whole field correlation does not appear. Vegetation monitoring has been carried out by means of NDVI data calculation. On the field level, as indicated earlier neither moisture index values at sowing nor vegetation index data was sufficient to determine yield. Winter wheat production based on VRA treatment resulted significant increase in harvested crop: 5.07 t/h in 2013 compared to 8.9 t/ha in 2018. Uniformly managed (control) areas provided similar yield as VRA treated areas (8.82 and 8.9 t/ha, respectively); however, the input fertilizer was reduced by 108 kg/ha N and increased by 37 kg/ha P.
The effects of rainfall characteristics and land use and cover change on runoff in the Yellow River basin, China
Authors: Hu CaiHong , Ran Guang , Li Gang , Yu Yun , Wu Qiang , Yan Denghua , Jian Shengqi
Published: March 2021

The changes of runoff in the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin of China have received considerable attention owing to their sharply decline during recent decades. In this paper, the impacts of rainfall characteristics and land use and cover change on water yields in the Jingle sub-basin of the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin were investigated using a combination of statistical analysis and hydrological simulations. The Levenberg Marquardt and Analysis of Variance methods were used to construct multivariate, nonlinear, model equations between runoff coefficient and rainfall intensity and vegetation coverage. The land use changes from 1971 to 2017 were ascertained using transition matrix analysis. The impact of land use on water yields was estimated using the M-EIES hydrological model. The results show that the runoff during flood season (July to September) decreased significantly after 2000, whereas slightly decreasing trend was detected for precipitation. Furthermore, there were increase in short, intense, rainfall events after 2000 and this rainfall events were more conducive to flood generation. The “Grain for Green” project was carried out in 1999, and the land use in the middle reaches of the Yellow River improved significantly, which make the vegetation coverage (Vc
) of the Jingle sub-basin increased by 13%. When Vc
approaches 48%, the runoff coefficient decreased to the lowest, and the vegetation conditions have the greatest effect on reducing runoff. Both land use and climate can change the water yield in the basin, but for areas where land use has significantly improved, the impact of land use change on water yield plays a dominant role. The results acquired in this study provide a useful reference for water resources planning and soil and water conservation in the erodible areas of the middle reaches of the Yellow River basin.
Age and seasonal pattern of contagious agalactia in small ruminants in Ukraine
Authors: Bohach Dmytro Mykolaivych , Stegniy Borys Tymofiyovych , Bohach Mykola Volodymyrovych , Pavlov Serhii Leonidovych , Bolotin Vitaliy Igorovych
Published: March 2021

Introduction

The aim of the study was to determine how the spread of contagious agalactia in sheep and goats in the Odesa region depended on the age of the animals and the season.

Material and Methods

From January 2016 to December 2018, 1,964 ewes and 1,484 nanny goats of different age groups were studied by ELISA for antibodies to Mycoplasma agalactiae.

Results

The highest incidence of contagious agalactia was registered in one-year-old animals and was 59.7‒83.0%, two-year-old ruminants showed 17.0‒40.3% prevalence, in livestock at the age of 3–4 years no serological evidence of the disease was registered and in ewes and nanny goats older than 5–6 years 1.5–3.6% were infected. The most susceptible were young animals at the age of one-month (11.6‒14.5%). The first peak of the disease was recorded in March‒April (21.0‒26.1%), in the lambing period, which coincided with the beginning of lactation and the suckling period, and the second peak occurred in June–July (28.9‒34.2%), the period of maximum lactation and of manual milking of sheep and goats.

Conclusion

The results of serological investigations indicate the circulation of M. agalactiae in small ruminants in the south of Ukraine. To avoid greater dissemination of the pathogen, appropriate measures should be applied and strategies for its control need to be drawn up.
Comparative Study on Micromechanical Properties of ZnO:Ga and ZnO:In Luminiscent Ceramics
Authors: Muktepavela F. , Zolotarjovs A. , Zabels R. , Kundzins K. , Gorokhova E. , Tamanis E.
Published: March 2021

Indium (0.038 at.%) and gallium (0.042 at.%) doped ZnO ceramics were prepared by hot pressing. Ceramics were investigated to determine their structural and mechanical characteristics for the prospective use in scintillators. Based on results of nanoindentation, atom force and scanning electron microscopy as well as energy dispersive X-ray spectra measurements, locations of gallium within grain, indium at grain boundaries (GBs) and their different effect on the mechanical properties of ZnO ceramics were detected. Doping of gallium led to the increased modulus of elasticity in grain, decreased hardness near GBs, stabilization of micropores and brittle intercrystalline fracture mode. ZnO:In ceramic has modulus of elasticity and hardness values close to ZnO characteristics, the increased fracture toughness and some plasticity near GBs. Differences in the micromechanical properties of the ceramics correlate with the location of dopants. Results demonstrate that the ZnO:In ceramic has a greater stress relaxation potential than the ZnO:Ga.
The non-substitutability of local news?Advertising and the decline of journalism's umbrella market model
Authors: Sjøvaag Helle , Owren Thomas
Published: March 2021

This article addresses the challenges facing local newspapers as the digital economy transitions to artificial intelligence (AI). We interview five CEOs of Scandinavian newspaper corporations, representing small, mid-sized, and large newspaper chains. The analysis focuses on three main factors emerging from the interviews – technological transformations, digital advertising markets, and corporate enrolment – and how they relate to business model disruption and the non-substitutability of local news. The analysis is set within the framework of the digital transformation, which, for the purpose of this study, we argue consists of two phases: getting online (until about 2014), and algorithmic adaptation (the introduction of programmatic advertising and audience metrics from about 2014). The analysis concludes that as non-substitutability is lost on the advertising side of the market, this challenges the umbrella model of newspaper publishing.
“I just want to be the friendly face of national socialism”
Authors: Askanius Tina
Published: March 2021

This article is based on a case study of the media narratives of the neo-Nazi organisation Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) and situates this particular actor within the broader landscape of violent extremism in Sweden today. Drawing on a qualitative content analysis informed by narrative inquiry, I examine various cultural expressions of neo-Nazi ideology in NRM's extensive repertoire of online media. Theoretically, I turn to cultural perspectives on violent extremism to bring to centre stage the role of popular culture and entertainment in the construction of a meaningful narrative of community and belonging built around neo-Nazism in Sweden today. The analysis explores the convergence between different genres, styles, and content into new cultural expressions of national socialism which bleed into mainstream Internet culture and political discourse in new ways. In the online universe of NRM, the extreme blends with the mainstream, the mundane and ordinary with the spectacular and provocative, and the serious with the silly. In this manner, the analysis lays bare the strategies through which NRM seeks to soften, trivialise, and normalise neo-Nazi discourse using the power and appeal of culture and entertainment.
Recontextualising the news
Authors: Haanshuus Birgitte P. , Ihlebæk Karoline Andrea
Published: March 2021

This study explores how an extreme far-right alternative media site uses content from professional media to convey uncivil news with an antisemitic message. Analytically, it rests on a critical discourse analysis of 231 news items, originating from established national and international news sources, published on Frihetskamp from 2011–2018. In the study, we explore how news items are recontextualised to portray both overt and covert antisemitic discourses, and we identify four antisemitic representations that are reinforced through the selection and adjustment of news: Jews as powerful, as intolerant and anti-liberal, as exploiters of victimhood, and as inferior. These conspiratorial and exclusionary ideas, also known from historical Nazi propaganda, are thus reproduced by linking them to contemporary societal and political contexts and the current news agenda. We argue that this kind of recontextualised, uncivil news can be difficult to detect in a digital public sphere.
Who are you, the people?
Authors: Tuomola Salla
Published: March 2021

One of the cornerstones of right-wing populist websites is their challenge to traditional mainstream media to give voice to “the people”. In Finland, one of the best known of these websites is MV-lehti [WTF-Magazine], which claims to exist for this reason. In this article, I investigate how MV-lehti constructs the people, in particular in texts about refugees. I approach the research data by using the concepts of right-wing populist rhetoric. The results show that, in MV-lehti, the people is a constructed and politicised concept reflecting ideas of ethnonationalism and antidemocratic values, illustrating the connection between uncivility, racism, and populism.
“The new extreme right”
Authors: Nilsson Per-Erik
Published: March 2021

Contemporary France is a prolific arena for post-fascist actors, parties, and movements. Self-proclaimed alternative news outlets and publishing houses serve as forums for information and mobilisation, through various strategies, to resist an alleged onslaught by the enemies of the nation and its people: multiculturalism, feminism, political correctness, political corruption, and civilisational decay. In this article, I explore uncivility as a discursive logic within the French post-fascist media-ecology, focusing on the conspicuous use of irony and discursive displacement. More specifically, I discuss how sardonic irony as an uncivil discursive strategy is employed to navigate the legal boundaries of free speech and how discursive displacement, coupled with irony, is used as an affective identificatory technique in post-fascist discourse.
Unpacking uncivil society
Authors: Oh Dayei , Elayan Suzanne , Sykora Martin , Downey John
Published: March 2021

In the era of rising populist sentiment, deep social and political polarisations, and a growing crisis of online harms, numerous scholars share concern about the impact of such uncivil populist forces on the health of liberal democracy. This article argues that we should first normatively distinguish between incivility and intolerance. We contend that the core problem of uncivil society is intolerance, not incivility. We then empirically analyse incivility and intolerance during the 2018 Irish abortion referendum and its discussions on Twitter by conducting a content analysis and qualitative textual analysis of 3,000 tweets posted between April and June 2018. The results show that despite selecting a highly emotive and polarised issue, incivility and intolerance do not dominate the Twittersphere. Furthermore, gender and political position of users were found to be associated with use of incivility and intolerance, which increased as the referendum approached.
Towards streaming as a dominant mode of media use?A user typology approach to music and television streaming
Authors: Lüders Marika , Sundet Vilde Schanke , Colbjørnsen Terje
Published: March 2021

Music and television streaming services present users with abundant catalogues of content available on demand. We investigate whether users respond by narrowing or widening the diversity of content they consume. Further, we examine how the different logics characterising music and television streaming are mirrored in the number of streaming services people use. To do so, we compare non-, sporadic, regular, and frequent users of television and music streaming services. Findings from a cross-sectional survey in Norway show that frequent streamers consume a wider variety of genres and rely on more services. Our results also indicate that streaming has gone from a first-mover activity to a standard consumer mode. This study indicates that we can expect continued growth in television streamers, whereas the music streaming industry seems more consolidated.
Renegotiating quality TV in the Swedish pressAmerican serial television and Sweden's post-monopoly television landscape
Authors: Frykholm Joel
Published: March 2021

In this article, I explore the reception of American “quality” serial television in Sweden from 1999 to the mid-2010s. My analysis includes how cultural critics and journalists writing for Sweden's leading newspapers conceptualised American serial television as “quality TV” and as legitimate “art”, and it charts the ways in which these discourses relate to the reconfiguration of Swedish television from public service monopoly to niche-oriented multichannel system. The analysis uncovers a process of cultural consecration that was based on comparisons with already consecrated art forms, applications of authorship discourses that promote certain individuals as genius television auteurs, and deployment of critical protocols borrowed from literary criticism – all in service of pre-established cultural hierarchy and “good taste”. This article also highlights the ubiquity of American quality serial television across the Swedish television landscape, which suggests that such programmes represent both a niche product and a mass phenomenon with extensive reach and multidimensional appeal.
Hand hygienic disinfection of nurses – knowledge and its practical use
Authors: Václavíková Klára , Marková Iva , Kopecký Michal , Ochtinská Hana , Jeřábková Veronika
Published: March 2021

Aim. To find out the level of theoretical knowledge of nurses working in the internal medicine and surgical wards about hygienic hand disinfection and to evaluate its application during work performance.

Material and methods. A questionnaire was conducted, supplemented by observations with records in the observation sheets. The group of respondents consisted of 60 nurses working in the internal medicine and surgical wards.

Results. The theoretical knowledge of a selected sample of nurses reaches an average level. The observations have proved that nurses do not put emphasis on hygienic hand disinfection during everyday activities and the level of quality of hygienic hand disinfection is low.

Conclusions. Hygienic hand disinfection is one of the important indicators of the quality of the health care provided. It is necessary to increase the level of the theoretical knowledge of healthcare professionals and, at the same time, to enable healthcare professionals to practise hygienic hand disinfection and to provide efficient feedback.
Validation of NANDA international nursing diagnoses at postoperative intensive care unit: quasi-experimental study
Authors: Serkova Dagmar , Mareckova Jana
Published: March 2021

Aim. 1. Implement repeated validation of three NANDA International nursing diagnoses before and after their experimental classification in daily nursing practice at an intensive care unit for adults, at a medium-sized hospital. 2. Identify statistically significant differences in Diagnostic Content Validation (DCV) values between the two validations.

Material and methods. Fehring’s DCV model was used for validation of NANDA International diagnoses. The sample of assessors consisted of 33 experts in the first stage and of 31 experts in the second stage, the experts were in both cases ICU nurses. Nursing diagnoses were experimentally applied in practice for 3 months. The data were processed using descriptive statistics, Wilcoxon matched pairs test and paired t-test.

Results. Total DCV scores of diagnoses after the first validation: Impaired gas exchange 00030 with DCV 0.67; Risk for disuse syndrome 00040 with DCV 0.69 and Risk for aspiration 00039 with DCV 0.73. The DCV values after the second validation were as follows: 0.63; 0.64 and 0.78 respectively.

Conclusions. Nursing diagnoses: Impaired gas exchange 00030, Risk for disuse syndrome 00040 and Risk for aspiration 00039 are valid for nursing diagnostics of adult lucid postoperative intensive care unit patients at a medium-sized hospital.
The functioning of new legal regulations on health care for pupils in the practice of an educational setting nurse
Authors: Pluta Agnieszka , Marzec Alicja
Published: March 2021

Introduction. Recently, much attention and interest have been devoted to the health care of school children in Poland. The current status was critically assessed and new legal regulations were prepared to bring about improvement.

Aim. The aim of this paper is to present the functioning of current legal regulations in the field of health care for school children in the practice of an educational setting nurse.

Discussion. The new law gives every student of public and private, primary and secondary schools the right to seek the care of a nurse and a dentist. It specifies the principles of cooperation and exchange of information between medical staff, parents, school management and authorities running the facility. Health care for a student in a school environment is preventive, focused on maintaining health, early detection of diseases, treatment, care and prevention of disability.

Conclusions. The nurse is a direct health care provider and is also assigned the role of coordinator of preventive care over the school student. However, school nursing practice entails many organizational difficulties on the part of the school environment, parents/ legal guardians, as well as the students themselves. New regulations, their frequent updates and amendments, and inconsistencies in various documents force nurses to keep track of the revisions in order not to exceed their competence in practice. The nurse is prepared for professional practice in terms of expertise and direction and is able to competently fulfill the difficult role of a child care coordinator in a school environment.
COVID-19 vaccine – technical aspects of vaccination
Authors: Jaciubek Marzena , Prasek Karolina
Published: March 2021

Introduction. All over the world the fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has already begun. Very quick development and testing of medicinal preparations with such a high efficiency (94-95%), which can be administered to adult patients for mass immunization, makes this fight possible. The production and delivery of a huge number of vaccines remains a challenge, but an undoubtedly important aspect is the safe and compliant administration of medicinal preparations. People currently authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines are doctors, paramedics, nurses, midwives, and school hygienists. However, there is a lot of conflicting information on how to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. Should the skin be folded or stretched? To aspire or not?

Conclusion. Nurses have administered vaccination since many years, having proper education and experience. Nowadays available vaccines against COVID-19 are administered intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle. The recommendations say that administering of the vaccine must be performed with 90 degrees to the surface of the skin simultaneously stretching the skin with index finger and thumb, without aspiration after injection. This article presents basic information about the vaccine and the algorithm for administering the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the authors.
Intercultural Competence: Applications in Military Domain
Authors: Matei Florentina-Lavinia , Lincă Florentina-Ionela
Published: March 2021

This study investigates gender differences, differences by years of study, in terms of intercultural competence of military students, before an internship in international mobility. On the other hand, we have also shown that there is a causal relationship between intercultural attitudes and knowledge. The results of our study can be used in the realization of an intercultural competence training program.
Understanding the Challenge of Cybersecurity in Critical Infrastructure Sectors
Authors: Dawson Maurice , Bacius Robert , Gouveia Luis Borges , Vassilakos Andreas
Published: March 2021

The cybersecurity of critical infrastructures is an essential topic within national and international security as 16 critical infrastructure sectors touch various aspects of American society. Because the failure to provide adequate cybersecurity controls within the critical infrastructure sectors renders the country open to an attack that could have a debilitating effect on security, national public health, safety, and economic security, this matter is so vital that there is the Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) 21 Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience advances a national policy to strengthen and maintain secure, functioning and resilient critical infrastructure. An organization identified as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the mission to be the risk advisor for the United States (US). Other organizations, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), have approved a specific Knowledge Unit (KU) to address cybersecurity for critical infrastructures associated with doctoral-level granting programs. To address this challenge, it is necessary to identify threats better and defend against them while mitigating risks to an acceptable level. Only then can a nation build a more secure and resilient infrastructure for the future while defending against present-day bad actors as cyberwarfare, cyber espionage, and cybersecurity attacks are the modern-day threats that need to be addressed in planning, designing, implementation, and maintenance. Therefore, the researchers developed a case study reviewing threats against different sectors defined in the PPD.
Surgical treatment and fertility perservation in endometrial cancer
Authors: Kovacevic Nina
Published: March 2021

Background

Endometrial cancer (EC) represents a high health burden in Slovenia and worldwide. The incidence is increasing due to lifestyle and behavioural risk factors such as obesity, smoking, oestrogen exposure and aging of the population. In many cases, endometrial cancer is diagnosed at an early stage due to obvious signs and symptoms. The standard treatment is surgery with or without adjuvant therapy, depending on the stage of the disease and the risk of recurrence. However, treatment modalities have changed in the last decades, considerably in the extent of lymphadenectomy.

Conclusions

The gold standard of treatment for is surgery, which may be the only treatment modality in the early stages of low-grade tumours. In recent years, a minimally invasive approach with sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has been proposed. A conservative approach with hormonal treatment is used if fertility preservation is desired. If EC is in advance stage, high-risk histology, or high grade, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of both is recommended.
Covid-19 infection in cancer patients: the management in a diagnostic unit
Authors: Granata Vincenza , Fusco Roberta , Izzo Francesco , Venanzio Setola Sergio , Coppola Michele , Grassi Roberta , Reginelli Alfonso , Cappabianca Salvatore , Grassi Roberto , Petrillo Antonella
Published: March 2021

Background

COVID-19 infection is particularly aggressive in frail patients, as cancer patients. Therefore, the more suitable management of the oncological patient requires a multidisciplinary assessment, to identify which patients should be treated, as inpatients or outpatients, and which treatments can be procrastinated.

Conclusions

The role of radiologist is crucial, and, all cancer patients who need an imaging evaluation will need to be studied, using the most appropriate imaging tools related to the clinical question and paying a special attention to preserve public health. Guidelines are necessary in the correct organization of a radiology unit to manage patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection, and whenever possible, a satellite radiography center with dedicated equipment should be used to decrease the transmission risk.
Performance and work of nasal breathing
Authors: Bergmane Anita , Vogt Klaus , Sloka Biruta
Published: March 2021

OBJECTIVE. To evaluate performance (Q) and work (W) of nasal breathing as potential parameters in functional diagnostic of nasal obstruction.

MATERIAL AND METHODS. We included in our study 250 patients and we measured by 4-phase-rhinomanometry with decongestion test. We calculated performance Q of the “representative breath” in inspiration and expiration and in total breath, maximal performance Q (Qmax), Work W of nasal breathing in mJ and in mJ/litre and Q in J/min.

RESULTS. The interquartile range of Win for representative breath before decongestion is 356 mJ/l, Wex 308 mJ/l, while after decongestion Win is 264 mJ/l and Wex 220 mJ/l. There is no significant difference between work before and after decongestion (p<0.001). Interquartile range for nasal breathing Q before decongestion is 19.2 J/min and after – 14.3 J/min. A significant correlation exists between logarithmic vertex resistance for inspiration and expiration and Qmax for inspiration and expiration (p<0.001). That means that the performance required by breathing depends in the first line on nasal resistance.

CONCLUSION. Inspiratory work is 1.2 times higher than expiration work. Increase in nasal airway resistance is followed by increase in maximal nasal performance.
Pneumatization and extensions of the sphenoid sinus: a CT overlook
Authors: Budu Vlad , Crac Silviu , Goanta Cristina , Farcasanu Patricia Delia , Decuseara Tatiana , Lupoi Daniel
Published: March 2021

The sphenoid bone has a specific development during fetal life, until it reaches its complete dimensions. The sphenoid cavities are usually undeveloped at birth and they reach their full volume only after puberty. Pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus is unpredictable and different for each person.

The authors do not intend to develop a literature review or to compare their experience with data already published. The paper is not an original imagistic study of the authors, it only represents a short communication on the imagistic anatomy of the sphenoid sinus, in order to avoid complications during surgery in the area.

Based on their patients own CT-scan examination, the authors try to classify the anterior, lateral and posterior extensions in close connection with the surgical endoscopic approach of the sphenoid sinus.
Mandibular Advancement Device use for therapy of simple snoring: mini review
Authors: Cetinkaya Erdem Atalay
Published: March 2021

Oral devices that treat obstructive sleep apnea are an easy and influential option to protect the upper airways from sleep obstructions. One example is the mandibular advancement device (MAD), which is a non-invasive apparatus specified in adults with simple snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea. Recently, due to the constraints of other therapies, like positive airway pressure treatment and surgical methods, there has been growing interest in the use of oral appliance for simple snoring patients. MAD is managed to improve the upper airway volume, minimize upper airway collapse and reduce snoring. On the other hand, it remains inferior to CPAP in the reduction of the apnea-hypopnea scores, with therapy success varying from 24% to 72%. The treatment modalities include skilled physicians and multidisciplinary strategies to treat patients with snoring and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) effectively. Some researchers also suggest potential predictors of progress in care, but specific criteria for patient selection and predictive clinical principles for effectiveness in all treatment modalities are still needed. The aim of this brief clinical Study is to review MAD brief history, design, indications, contraindications, therapy efficiency, side effects, and current perspectives.
GIS-Based Urban Road Network Accessibility Modeling Using MLR, ANN and ANFIS Methods
Authors: Sahitya K. Sai , Prasad Csrk
Published: March 2021

A sustainable transportation system is possible only through an efficient evaluation of transportation network performance. The efficiency of the transport network structure is analyzed in terms of its connectivity, accessibility, network development, and spatial pattern. This study primarily aims to propose a methodology for modeling the accessibility based on the structural parameters of the urban road network. Accessibility depends on the arrangement of the urban road network structure. The influence of the structural parameters on the accessibility is modeled using Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) analysis. The study attempts to introduce two methods of Artificial Intelligence (AI) namely Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Adaptive network-based neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) in modeling the urban road network accessibility. The study also focuses on comparing the results obtained from MLR, ANN and ANFIS modeling techniques in predicting the accessibility. The results of the study present that the structural parameters of the road network have a considerable impact on accessibility. ANFIS method has shown the best performance in modeling the road network accessibility with a MAPE value of 0.287%. The present study adopted Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to quantify, extract and analyze different features of the urban transportation network structure. The combination of GIS, ANN, and ANFIS help in improved decision-making. The results of the study may be used by transportation planning authorities to implement better planning practices in order to improve accessibility.
A Vision-Based Real-Time Adaptive Traffic Light Control System Using Vehicular Density Value and Statistical Block Matching Approach
Authors: Trivedi Janak D. , Devi Mandalapu Sarada , Dave Dhara H.
Published: March 2021

In India, traffic control management is a difficult task due to an increment in the number of vehicles for the same infrastructure and systems. In the smart-city project, the Adaptive Traffic Light Control System (ATLCS) is one of the major research concerns for an Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) development to reduce traffic congestion and accidents, create a healthy environment, etc. Here, we have proposed a Vehicular Density Value (VDV) based adaptive traffic light control system method for 4-way intersection points using a selection of rotation, area of interest, and Statistical Block Matching Approach (SBMA). Graphical User Interface (GUI) and Hardware-based results are shown in the result section. We have compared, the normal traffic light control system with the proposed adaptive traffic light control system in the results section. The same results are verified using a hardware (raspberry-pi) device with different sizes, colors, and shapes of vehicles using the same method.
РОЗМЕЖУВАННЯ «НАУК ПРО ПРИРОДУ» ТА «НАУК ПРО ДУХ» У ФІЛОСОФІЇ ПОЧАТКУ ХХ СТОЛІТТЯ ЯК ПІДҐРУНТЯ ФОРМУВАННЯ ЄДНОСТІ ГУМАНІТАРНОГО ТА ПРИРОДНИЧОГО ЗНАННЯ
Authors: КИРИЛЕНКО Катерина
Published: March 2021

Розмежування наук на «науки про при- роду» та «науки про дух», яке було здійснене в межах філософської традиції кінця ХІХ – поч. ХХ ст., в науково- му дискурсі традиційно аналізують із метою обґрунтування самобутності як предмета дослідження, так і методології гуманітарних наук. Метою статті є висвітлення поглядів теоретиків цього розмежування в контексті обґрунтування ними основоположної єдності зазначених наук. Завдан- ня дослідження полягає в аналізі творів В. Віндельбанда, В. Дильтея і Г. Риккерта, в яких йдеться про відмінність гуманітарного та природничого знання як таких, що обґрунтовують засадничу єдність зазначених видів знань. Методологічну основу дослідження формують основи гер- меневтичного та голістичного аналізу в поєднанні з мето- дами рефлексивного та критичного прочитання. Наукова новизна дослідження полягає у вивченні філософських творів В. Віндельбанда, В. Дильтея і Г. Риккерта в контексті обґрунтування філософами засадничої єдності природничих та гуманітарних наук, відповідних їм форм знання та культури як нагальної потреби в умовах формування інноваційної куль- тури як світоглядно-методологічної основи інноваційного суспільства. Висновки. В межах проведеного дослідження було встановлено, що в творах В. Віндельбанда, В. Дильтая і Г. Риккерта немає доведення принципового протиставлен- ня природничих та гуманітарних наук. Виокремлення двох типів наукового знання – природничого та гуманітарного – здійснюється з метою обґрунтування збіжності наукового пошуку, що зумовлена буттєвою цілісністю світу та люди- ни. Встановлення єдності гуманітарного та природничого знання та відповідних їм форм культури є нагальною потре- бою в умовах формування інноваційного суспільства, що засвідчує актуальність цієї студії.
Epinephrine autoinjector prescription filling after pediatric emergency department discharge
Authors: Cohen Joanna S. , Agbim Chisom , Hrdy Michael , Mottla Mary E. , Goyal Monika K. , Breslin Kristen
Published: March 2021

Background:There are known racial and socioeconomic disparities in the use of epinephrine autoinjectors (EAI) for anaphylaxis.Objective:To measure the rates of EAI prescription filling and identify patient demographic factors associated with filling rates among patients discharged from the pediatric emergency department.Methods:This was a retrospective observational cohort study of all patients discharged from a pediatric emergency department who received an outpatient prescription for an EAI between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2019. The rates of prescription filling were calculated, and multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify sociodemographic factors associated with prescription filling.Results:Of 717 patients included in the analysis, 54.8% (95% confidence interval {CI}, 51.1%‐58.5%) filled their prescription. There were no significant associations between EAI fill rates and patient age or sex. In bivariable analysis, non-Hispanic white patients were more likely to fill EAI prescriptions compared with non-Hispanic Black patients (odds ratio [OR] 1.89 [95% CI, 1.11‐3.20]), and patients with in-state Medicaid were significantly less likely to fill EAI prescriptions compared with those patients with private insurance (OR 0.69 [95% CI, 0.48‐0.98]). However, after multivariable adjustment, there was no significant difference in filling by age, insurance status, or race or ethnicity.Conclusions:Only approximately half the patients had their EAI prescriptions filled after discharge. Filling rates did not vary by sociodemographic characteristics.
Productivity in the US Housing Industry: Total Factor and Public Firms
Authors: Michael S. Puddicombe
Published: March 2021

Productivity is widely recognized as one of the main contributors to increased economic and societal wellbeing. Unfortunately, productivity has been extremely difficult to operationalize in a repeatable context in the construction sector. The result is a lack of consensus on the basic question of whether there has been improvement or decline in the productivity of the sector. This study focuses on productivity in the housing industry. Productivity is especially important in this industry, as in addition to providing shelter, the housing market is the primary source of wealth accumulation in the US. An individual’s ability to enter this market will be a function of affordability which will be effected by the productivity of the industry. The combination of academic and societal impacts suggests that there is a need to address a fundamental question: what is the status of productivity in the housing industry. In order to address this question a data base was compiled from the 10- Ks of the largest, long lived, US companies in the single family housing industry. The result is a panel data set that consists of information on 11 firms over a 15- year period. These 11 firms were responsible for approximately 25% of all new home sales in any given year. The data set was analysed with random effects GLS time series regression. The results indicate that, at best, the housing industry has seen negligible total productivity growth.
Quantum lower bounds for fanout
Authors: Fang M. , Fenner S. , Green F. , Homer S. , Zhang Y.
Published: March 2021

We consider the resource bounded quantum circuit model with circuits restricted by the number of qubits they act upon and by their depth. Focusing on natural universal sets of gates which are familiar from classical circuit theory, several new lower bounds for constant depth quantum circuits are proved. The main result is that parity (and hence fanout) requires log depth quantum circuits, when the circuits are composed of single qubit and arbitrary size Toffoli gates, and when they use only constantly many ancill\ae. Under this constraint, this bound is close to optimal. In the case of a non-constant number $a$ of ancill\ae\ and $n$ input qubits, we give a tradeoff between $a$ and the required depth, that results in a non-constant lower bound for fanout when $a = n^{1-o(1)}$. We also show that, regardless of the number of ancill\ae\, arbitrary arity Toffoli gates cannot be simulated exactly by a constant depth circuit family with gates of bounded arity.
The Solovay-Kitaev algorithm
Authors: Dawson C.M. , Nielsen M.A.
Published: March 2021

This pedagogical review presents the proof of the Solovay-Kitaev theorem in the form of an efficient classical algorithm for compiling an arbitrary single-qubit gate into a sequence of gates from a fixed and finite set. The algorithm can be used, for example, to compile Shor's algorithm, which uses rotations of $\pi / 2^k$, into an efficient fault-tolerant form using only Hadamard, controlled-{\sc not}, and $\pi / 8$ gates. The algorithm runs in $O(\log^{2.71}(1/\epsilon))$ time, and produces as output a sequence of $O(\log^{3.97}(1/\epsilon))$ quantum gates which is guaranteed to approximate the desired quantum gate to an accuracy within $\epsilon > 0$. We also explain how the algorithm can be generalized to apply to multi-qubit gates and to gates from SU(d).
Mixing and decoherence in quantum walks on cycles
Authors: Fedichkin L. , Solenov D. , Tamon C.
Published: March 2021

We prove analytical results showing that decoherence can be useful for mixing time in a continuous-time quantum walk on finite cycles. This complements the numerical observations by Kendon and Tregenna (Physical Review A 67 (2003), 042315) of a similar phenomenon for discrete-time quantum walks. Our analytical treatment of continuous-time quantum walks includes a continuous monitoring of all vertices that induces the decoherence process. We identify the dynamics of the probability distribution and observe how mixing times undergo the transition from quantum to classical behavior as our decoherence parameter grows from zero to infinity. Our results show that, for small rates of decoherence, the mixing time improves linearly with decoherence, whereas for large rates of decoherence, the mixing time deteriorates linearly towards the classical limit. In the middle region of decoherence rates, our numerical data confirms the existence of a unique optimal rate for which the mixing time is minimized.
On the security of $\alpha\eta$: response to 'some attacks on quantum-based cryptographic protocols'
Authors: Yuen H.P. , Nair R. , Corndorf E. , Kanter G.S. , Kumar P.
Published: March 2021

Lo and Ko have developed some attacks on the cryptosystem called $\alpha \eta$}, claiming that these attacks undermine the security of $\alpha\eta$ for both direct encryption and key generation. In this paper, we show that their arguments fail in many different ways. In particular, the first attack in [1] requires channel loss or length of known-plaintext that is exponential in the key length and is unrealistic even for moderate key lengths. The second attack is a Grover search attack based on `asymptotic orthogonality' and was not analyzed quantitatively in [1]. We explain why it is not logically possible to "pull back'' an argument valid only at $n=\infty$ into a limit statement, let alone one valid for a finite number of transmissions n. We illustrate this by a `proof' using a similar asymptotic orthogonality argument that coherent-state BB84 is insecure for any value of loss. Even if a limit statement is true, this attack is a priori irrelevant as it requires an indefinitely large amount of known-plaintext, resources and processing. We also explain why the attacks in [1] on $\alpha\eta$ as a key-generation system are based on misinterpretations of [2]. Some misunderstandings in [1] regarding certain issues in cryptography and optical communications are also pointed out. Short of providing a security proof for $\alpha\eta$, we provide a description of relevant results in standard cryptography and in the design of $\alpha\eta$ to put the above issues in the proper framework and to elucidate some security features of this new approach to quantum cryptography.
Estimation of the heating rate of ions due to laser fluctuations when implementing quantum algorithms
Authors: Fujiwara S. , Hasegawa S.
Published: March 2021

We analyze numerically the heating of trapped ions due to laser intensity and phase fluctuations when implementing Grover's algorithm and the Quantum Fourier Transform. For a simpler analysis we assume that the stochastic processes are white noise processes and average over each noise as in [Phys. Rev. A. \textbf{57}, 3748, (1998)]. We investigate the fidelity and the heating rate for these algorithms using parameters estimated from experiments, and we can see the order of magnitude difference in the heating rate depending on the quantum algorithms.
High-fidelity single-qubit gates using non-adiabatic rapid passage
Authors: Li R. , Hoover M. , Gaitan F.
Published: March 2021

Numerical simulation results are presented which suggest that a class of non-adiabatic rapid passage sweeps first realized experimentally in 1991 should be capable of implementing a set of quantum gates that is universal for one-qubit unitary operations and whose elements operate with error probabilities $P_{e}<10^{-4}$. The sweeps are non-composite and generate controllable quantum interference effects which allow the one-qubit gates produced to operate non-adiabatically while maintaining high accuracy. The simulations suggest that the one-qubit gates produced by these sweeps show promise as possible elements of a fault-tolerant scheme for quantum computing.
Asymmetric quantum teleclonging of multiqubit states
Authors: Chen L. , Chen Y.-X.
Published: March 2021

A scheme of 1$\rightarrow$2 optimal universal asymmetric quantum telecloning for pure multiqubit states is proposed. We first investigate the telecloning of arbitrary 2-qubit states and then extend it to the case of multiqubit system. We discuss the scheme in terms of the quantum channels and fidelities of clones, as well as the entanglement of states in the telecloning.
Macroscopic displaced thermal field as the entanglement catalyst
Authors: Zheng S.-B.
Published: March 2021

We show that entanglement of multiple atoms can arise via resonant interaction with a displaced thermal field with a macroscopic photon-number. The cavity field acts as the catalyst, which is disentangled with the atomic system after the operation. Remarkably, the entanglement speed does not decrease as the average photon-number of the mixed thermal state increases. The atoms may evolve to a highly entangled state even when the photon-number of the cavity mode approaches infinity.
On the Pauli graphs on N-qudits
Authors: Planat M. , Saniga M.
Published: March 2021

A comprehensive graph theoretical and finite geometrical study of the commutation relations between the generalized Pauli operators of $N$-qudits is performed in which vertices/points correspond to the operators and edges/lines join commuting pairs of them. As per two-qubits, all basic properties and partitionings of the corresponding {\it Pauli graph} are embodied in the geometry of the generalized quadrangle of order two. Here, one identifies the operators with the points of the quadrangle and groups of maximally commuting subsets of the operators with the lines of the quadrangle. The three basic partitionings are (a) a pencil of lines and a cube, (b) a Mermin's array and a bipartite-part and (c) a maximum independent set and the Petersen graph. These factorizations stem naturally from the existence of three distinct geometric hyperplanes of the quadrangle, namely a set of points collinear with a given point, a grid and an ovoid, which answer to three distinguished subsets of the Pauli graph, namely a set of six operators commuting with a given one, a Mermin's square, and set of five mutually non-commuting operators, respectively. The generalized Pauli graph for multiple qubits is found to follow from symplectic polar spaces of order two, where maximal totally isotropic subspaces stand for maximal subsets of mutually commuting operators. The substructure of the (strongly regular) $N$-qubit Pauli graph is shown to be pseudo-geometric, i.\,e., isomorphic to a graph of a partial geometry. Finally, the (not strongly regular) Pauli graph of a two-qutrit system is introduced; here it turns out more convenient to deal with its dual in order to see all the parallels with the two-qubit case and its surmised relation with the generalized quadrangle $Q(4,3)$, the dual of $W(3)$.
Three-qubit Groverian measure
Authors: Jung E.-L. , Hwang M.-R. , Park D. , Tamaryan L. , Tamaryan S.
Published: March 2021

The Groverian measures are analytically computed in various types of three-qubit states. The final results are also expressed in terms of local-unitary invariant quantities in each type. This fact reflects the manifest local-unitary invariance of the Groverian measure. It is also shown that the analytical expressions for various types have correct limits to other types. For some types (type 4 and type 5) we failed to compute the analytical expression of the Groverian measure in this paper. However, from the consideration of local-unitary invariants we have shown that the Groverian measure in type 4 should be independent of the phase factor $\varphi$, which appear in the three-qubit state $|\psi \rangle$. This fact with geometric interpretation on the Groverian measure may enable us to derive the analytical expressions for general arbitrary three-qubit states in near future.