bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wider Use of Honey Plants in Farming: Allelopathic Potential of Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.
Authors: Kliszcz Angelika , Puła Joanna , Możdżeń Katarzyna , Tatoj Agnieszka , Zandi Peiman , Stachurska-Swakoń Alina , Barabasz-Krasny Beata
Published: February 2023

Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. is a melliferous, phytosanitary fodder plant. An important factor in understanding the biology of this plant is to investigate its allelopathic potential. In the experiment conducted here, ×Triticosecale Wittm. cv. Mamut was treated with water extracts from the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers of phacelia at concentrations of 10%, 12.5%, 15%, and control with 0% of extract. After 7 days of exposure, the germination of grains was assessed by analysing, seedling growth, mass parameters, water content, and electrolytes leakage. Aqueous extracts from the stalks, leaves, and flowers of phacelia significantly inhibited kernel germination at a 10% concentration, and from roots at a 12.5% concentration. The elongation growth of triticale seedlings was significantly inhibited by each of the extracts. Extracts from the leaves and flowers caused a significant reduction in fresh mass at a 10% concentration and extracts from the stalks at a 12.5% concentration. A significant reduction in water content was also found in seedlings watered with extracts of 10% from roots, stalks, and leaves and 12.5% from flowers. Extracts from phacelia roots at a 12.5% concentration and extracts from stalks, leaves, and flowers at a 10% concentration significantly increased the leakage of electrolytes. In general, phacelia exhibits allelopathic potential at higher concentrations of extracts.
A Model to Manage the Lane-Changing Conflict for Automated Vehicles Based on Game Theory
Authors: Zhu Liling , Yang Da , Cheng Zhiwei , Yu Xiaoyue , Zheng Bin
Published: February 2023

In this study, we propose a lane-changing conflict management model based on game theory for automated vehicles. When a vehicle plans to change to the adjacent lane, and if there is a closely following vehicle on that lane, the following vehicle must sacrifice its speed to make space for the lane-changing vehicle, which means there are conflicts of interest between two vehicles. So far, there is no clear answer if the following vehicle should make space for the lane-changing vehicle. These individualistic lane-changing models may lead to suboptimal traffic flow or even traffic safety issues. To solve this problem, this study designed a model based on game theory to solve lane-changing conflicts between the lane-changing vehicle and the following vehicle in the target lane. When the two vehicles enter a lane-changing conflict, the payoffs of the two vehicles under various combinations of strategies were evaluated, and the final strategy and the acceleration for each vehicle were obtained based on the principle of benefit equilibrium. The simulation is conducted to analyze the game strategy of the lane-changing vehicle (LV) and the close rear vehicle (RV) in the process of lane-changing from different initial positions. The results show that, under the hypothesis scenario in the simulation, the strategy {changing a lane, avoiding } will be chosen when the RV is initially located in the range of [0, 40 m], while {not changing a lane, not avoiding} is more appropriate when the initial position of the RV is in the range of [41 m, 90 m].
Providing Insights into the Markets for Bio-Based Materials with BioMAT
Authors: Sturm Viktoriya , van Leeuwen Myrna , Gonzalez-Martinez Ana , Verhoog David , Hark Nicolas , de Beus Niels
Published: February 2023

Knowledge-based policy making in the field of bio-based economy needs two elements: (i) a monitoring system for assessing the historical developments of bio-based industry and (ii) foresight capacities to provide prospects for the bio-based industry in the future and how it can contribute to achieving different targets. However, significant knowledge gaps in both areas exist, especially regarding the markets of bio-based materials in general and bio-based chemicals in particular. Against this background, a new consistent framework for the representation of the value chains of bio-based materials in the EU and its Member States is developed, i.e., BioMAT. This article aims to present the BioMAT database which (i) is used to track historical developments in the markets for bio-based chemicals and the demand for feedstocks and (ii) enables the construction of the BioMAT model to make future projections. The developed BioMAT database compilation procedure is described in detail. Results reveal that the production of bio-based chemicals in the EU reached 43 million tons or 14% of the total output volume of the organic chemical industry in 2018. The main application of bio-based chemicals is biofuels, followed by agrochemicals and surfactants. The main feedstocks are plant oils and starch.
Study on Wind-Induced Human Comfort of the SEG Plaza under Local Excitation Based on Wind Tunnel Test
Authors: Xu Wei , Li Renjie , Qiu Jianlei , Li Qingxiang , Yu Zhiwei
Published: February 2023

Multiple unusual vibrations occurred in SEG Plaza from May 18 to 20, 2021. To investigate the causes of these vibrations, a rigidity compression wind tunnel test was applied to study the wind-induced response of the main structure, and acceleration sensitivity analysis was conducted with parameters such as wind speed, structural period and damping ratio included. Additionally, the mast vortex-induced resonance equivalent force of reaction in the bottom was exerted on the top of the structure to obtain the acceleration response of the main structure with mast. Based on the evaluation of the vibration response of the structure before and after considering the mast as per the current specifications, it is indicated that the base overturning moment of the structure is much smaller than the specification value excluding the factor of mast, and the acceleration response varies significantly with wind pressure, structural frequency and damping ratio, but the centroid acceleration and the angular acceleration meet the comfort requirements. This indicates that the wind load on the main structure is not the dominant cause of the structural vibration. With the mast taken into account, the acceleration response of the structure exceeds the limits of the comfort level to varying degrees. For a mast damping ratio of 0.3%, the maximum angular acceleration exceeds the H-90 limit and the comfort level is poor. These findings provide considerable evidence that the dominant cause of vibration in the SEG Plaza was the vortex resonance of the top mast inducing higher mode resonance in the main structure.
Sustainable Employment in Developing and Emerging Countries: Testing Augmented Okun’s Law in Light of Institutional Quality
Authors: Raies Asma
Published: February 2023

This article is motivated by the recent debate raised on Okun’s Law regarding the divergence of the magnitude of Okun’s coefficient across countries and time horizons, its asymmetry and non-linearity, and the methodological issues associated with the estimate of this law. We tested the proposition that institutional quality—as measured by governance indicators—can explain this divergence and non-linearity. We estimated an augmented version of Okun’s Law showing the non-linear responsiveness of unemployment to fluctuations in GDP in the presence of institutional quality in a sample of 88 developing and emerging countries over the 1985–2019 period. Estimates are run using the 3sls regressor. We found evidence confirming that the responsiveness of unemployment to changes in output is all the more remarkable in countries with stronger institutions. We show that improving the institutional environment—as proxied by Government Effectiveness (GE), Control of Corruption (CC), Regulatory Quality (RQ), the Rule of Law (RL), and Voice and Accountability (VA)—is as important as increased economic growth in the strategy of reducing unemployment and reaching full employment in these countries, which is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) issued by the United Nations.
The Symmetry Energy: Current Status of Ab Initio Predictions vs. Empirical Constraints
Authors: Sammarruca Francesca
Published: February 2023

Infinite nuclear matter is a suitable laboratory to learn about nuclear forces in many-body systems. In particular, modern theoretical predictions of neutron-rich matter are timely because of recent and planned experiments aimed at constraining the equation of state of isospin-asymmetric matter. For these reasons, we have taken a broad look at the equation of state of neutron-rich matter and the closely related symmetry energy, which is the focal point of this article. Its density dependence is of paramount importance for a number of nuclear and astrophysical systems, ranging from neutron skins to the structure of neutron stars. We review and discuss ab initio predictions in relation to recent empirical constraints. We emphasize and demonstrate that free-space nucleon–nucleon data pose stringent constraints on the density dependence of the neutron matter equation of state, which essentially determines the slope of the symmetry energy at saturation.
Earned Value Management Agent-Based Simulation Model
Authors: Castañón-Puga Manuel , Rosales-Cisneros Ricardo Fernando , Acosta-Prado Julio César , Tirado-Ramos Alfredo , Khatchikian Camilo , Aburto-Camacllanqui Elías
Published: February 2023

Agile project management (APM) can be defined as an iterative approach that promotes satisfying customer requirements, adjusts to change, and develops a working product in rapidly changing environments. Managers usually apply agile management as the project management approach in projects requiring extraordinary speed and flexibility in their processes. Earned value management (EVM) is a fundamental part of project management to establish practical measures. Often, managers use a task board to visually represent the work on a project and the path to completion. Still, managing an agile project can be a challenging endeavor. In this paper, we propose an agent-based model describing the management of tasks within a project using earned value assessment and a task board. Our model illustrates how EVM yields an efficient method to measure a project’s performance by comparing actual progress against planned activities, thus facilitating the formulation of more accurate predicted estimations. As proof of concept, we leverage our implementation to calculate EVM performance indexes according to a performance measurement baseline (PMB) in a task board fashion.
Systemic Risk in Banking against the Backdrop of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Huang Zijia
Published: February 2023

The aim of the study is to identify the interrelations and interdependencies of systemic risk formation in the banking sector under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis of theoretical sources resulted in the main hypotheses of this study: (H1) The number of COVID-19 cases contributes to the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector through an increase in household debt; (H2) the number of COVID-19 cases contributes to the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector through an increase in overdue loans; (H3) the number of COVID-19 cases contributes to the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector through changes in the liquidity of the capital of banking institutions; (H4) the number of fatal COVID-19 cases contributes to the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector, through an increase in household debt; (H5) the number of fatal COVID-19 cases does not have a significant impact on the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector through an increase in overdue loans; (H6) the number of fatal COVID-19 cases does not have a significant impact on the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector through changes in the liquidity of the capital of banking institutions; (H7) the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on the formation of systemic risk in the banking sector with an increase in the number of cases. The research methodology was based on a quantitative approach. The methodological basis of the study was the time-series model, analyzed using a complex of econometric and economic-statistical methods. The proposed methodological approach was tested on the example of China. As a result of the conducted research, polynomial mathematical models of the selected indicators were developed, and sustainable relations and correlations between individual indicators of the systemic risk formation in the banking sector and indicators of the COVID-19 pandemic were revealed, on the basis of which Hypotheses H1, H4, H6, and H7 were proved and Hypotheses H2 and H5 were refuted. At the same time, the H3 hypothesis was proved with a remark about the need for an individual approach since the negative effect manifests itself primarily in the medium and long term. The results of the study can be used by bank managers to implement measures that prevent the formation of systemic risk. In addition, the results of this study may be of interest to subsequent studies, including in terms of forming promising directions for future research.
Gravitational Condensate Stars: An Alternative to Black Holes
Authors: Mazur Pawel O. , Mottola Emil
Published: February 2023

A new final endpoint of complete gravitational collapse is proposed. By extending the concept of Bose–Einstein condensation to gravitational systems, a static, spherically symmetric solution to Einstein’s equations is obtained, characterized by an interior de Sitter region of p=−ρ gravitational vacuum condensate and an exterior Schwarzschild geometry of arbitrary total mass M. These are separated by a phase boundary with a small but finite thickness ℓ, replacing both the Schwarzschild and de Sitter classical horizons. The resulting collapsed cold, compact object has no singularities, no event horizons, and a globally defined Killing time. Its entropy is maximized under small fluctuations and is given by the standard hydrodynamic entropy of the thin shell, which is of order kBℓMc/ℏ, instead of the Bekenstein–Hawking entropy, SBH=4πkBGM2/ℏc. Unlike BHs, a collapsed star of this kind is consistent with quantum theory, thermodynamically stable, and suffers from no information paradox.
An Application of the Node–Place Model to Explore the Land Use–Transport Development Dynamics of the I-287 Corridor
Authors: Baghestani Amirhossein , Najafabadi Shirin , Salem Azarakhsh , Jiang Ziqi , Tayarani Mohammad , Gao Oliver
Published: February 2023

A sustainable development plan should identify future urban development sites to maintain a balanced condition between transportation systems and land use. Most commonly used for Transit Oriented Development (TOD), the node–place model checks the balance between transportation systems and land use. While previous node–place research focused mostly on rail transportation, this research focuses on highway accessibility to assess future growth and urban development. To gain insight into the development dynamics, the node–place model is utilized with a focus on the I-287 Corridor located in New York, U.S. The node function describes the transport activity and connectedness of the area to other places of interest, which measures the accessibility of the locations, the type of connections, and the number of directions connected. In addition, population, number of workers in the labor force, and degree of a functional mix are also considered for place values. According to the results, four exits are in balanced areas with stable traffic and customer flow support and strong support from local government departments. This case study contributes to a deeper understanding and evaluation of highway accessibility and provides an exciting assessment tool for sustainable development planning. While node–place models cannot predict development, they can be used to understand development dynamics better.
Stability of APOBEC3F in the Presence of the APOBEC3 Antagonist HIV-1 Vif Increases at the Expense of Co-Expressed APOBEC3H Haplotype I
Authors: Yousefi Maria , Annan Sudarsan Arun Kumar , Gaba Amit , Chelico Linda
Published: February 2023

The seven human APOBEC3 enzymes (APOBEC3A through H, excluding E) are host restriction factors. Most of the APOBEC3 enzymes can restrict HIV-1 replication with different efficiencies. The HIV-1 Vif protein combats APOBEC3-mediated restriction by inducing ubiquitination and degradation in the proteasome. APOBEC3F and APOBEC3G can hetero-oligomerize, which increases their restriction capacity and resistance to Vif. Here we determined if APOBEC3C, APOBEC3F, or APOBEC3G could hetero-oligomerize with APOBEC3H haplotype I. APOBEC3H haplotype I has a short half-life in cells due to ubiquitination and degradation by host proteins, but is also resistant to Vif. We hypothesized that hetero-oligomerization with APOBEC3H haplotype I may result in less Vif-mediated degradation of the interacting APOBEC3 and stabilize APOBEC3H haplotype I, resulting in more efficient HIV-1 restriction. Although we found that all three APOBEC3s could interact with APOBEC3H haplotype I, only APOBEC3F affected APOBEC3H haplotype I by surprisingly accelerating its proteasomal degradation. However, this increased APOBEC3F levels in cells and virions in the absence or presence of Vif and enabled APOBEC3F-mediated restriction of HIV-1 in the presence of Vif. Altogether, the data suggest that APOBEC3 enzymes can co-regulate each other at the protein level and that they cooperate to ensure HIV-1 inactivation rather than evolution.
Homologous and Heterologous Prime-Boost Vaccination: Impact on Clinical Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Infection among Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Belgium
Authors: Meurisse Marjan , Catteau Lucy , van Loenhout Joris A. F. , Braeye Toon , De Mot Laurane , Serrien Ben , Blot Koen , Cauët Emilie , Van Oyen Herman , Cuypers Lize ,   Belgian Collaborative Group on COVID-19 Hospital Surveillance,   COVID-19 Genomics Belgium Consortium, Robert Annie , Van Goethem Nina
Published: February 2023

We investigated effectiveness of (1) mRNA booster vaccination versus primary vaccination only and (2) heterologous (viral vector–mRNA) versus homologous (mRNA–mRNA) prime-boost vaccination against severe outcomes of BA.1, BA.2, BA.4 or BA.5 Omicron infection (confirmed by whole genome sequencing) among hospitalized COVID-19 patients using observational data from national COVID-19 registries. In addition, it was investigated whether the difference between the heterologous and homologous prime-boost vaccination was homogenous across Omicron sub-lineages. Regression standardization (parametric g-formula) was used to estimate counterfactual risks for severe COVID-19 (combination of severity indicators), intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and in-hospital mortality under exposure to different vaccination schedules. The estimated risk for severe COVID-19 and in-hospital mortality was significantly lower with an mRNA booster vaccination as compared to only a primary vaccination schedule (RR = 0.59 [0.33; 0.85] and RR = 0.47 [0.15; 0.79], respectively). No significance difference was observed in the estimated risk for severe COVID-19, ICU admission and in-hospital mortality with a heterologous compared to a homologous prime-boost vaccination schedule, and this difference was not significantly modified by the Omicron sub-lineage. Our results support evidence that mRNA booster vaccination reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 disease during the Omicron-predominant period.
Understanding COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness against Death Using a Novel Measure: COVID Excess Mortality Percentage
Authors: Atanasov Vladimir , Barreto Natalia , Whittle Jeff , Meurer John , Weston Benjamin W. , Luo Qian (Eric) , Franchi Lorenzo , Yuan Andy Ye , Zhang Ruohao , Black Bernard
Published: February 2023

COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives; however, understanding the long-term effectiveness of these vaccines is imperative to developing recommendations for booster doses and other precautions. Comparisons of mortality rates between more and less vaccinated groups may be misleading due to selection bias, as these groups may differ in underlying health status. We studied all adult deaths during the period of 1 April 2021–30 June 2022 in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, linked to vaccination records, and we used mortality from other natural causes to proxy for underlying health. We report relative COVID-19 mortality risk (RMR) for those vaccinated with two and three doses versus the unvaccinated, using a novel outcome measure that controls for selection effects. This measure, COVID Excess Mortality Percentage (CEMP), uses the non-COVID natural mortality rate (Non-COVID-NMR) as a measure of population risk of COVID mortality without vaccination. We validate this measure during the pre-vaccine period (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.97) and demonstrate that selection effects are large, with non-COVID-NMRs for two-dose vaccinees often less than half those for the unvaccinated, and non-COVID NMRs often still lower for three-dose (booster) recipients. Progressive waning of two-dose effectiveness is observed, with an RMR of 10.6% for two-dose vaccinees aged 60+ versus the unvaccinated during April–June 2021, rising steadily to 36.2% during the Omicron period (January–June, 2022). A booster dose reduced RMR to 9.5% and 10.8% for ages 60+ during the two periods when boosters were available (October–December, 2021; January–June, 2022). Boosters thus provide important additional protection against mortality.
Past and Future of Vaccinations: From Jenner to Nanovaccinology
Authors: Facciolà Alessio , Visalli Giuseppa
Published: February 2023

Undoubtedly, vaccines are the most effective and safe weapons available to public health for the primary prevention of infectious diseases [...]
Influenza Virus Carrying a Codon-Reprogrammed Neuraminidase Gene as a Strategy for Live Attenuated Vaccine
Authors: Dong Ji , Dong Zhenyuan , Feng Pei , Gao Yu , Li Jiashun , Wang Yang , Han Lujie , Li Zhixia , Wang Qian , Niu Xuefeng , Li Chufang , Pan Weiqi , Chen Ling
Published: February 2023

Live attenuated influenza vaccines offer broader and longer-lasting protection in comparison to inactivated influenza vaccines. The neuraminidase (NA) surface glycoprotein of influenza A virus is essential for the release and spread of progeny viral particles from infected cells. In this study, we de novo synthesized the NA gene, in which 62% of codons were synonymously changed based on mammalian codon bias usage. The codon-reprogrammed NA (repNA) gene failed to be packaged into the viral genome, which was achievable with partial restoration of wild-type NA sequence nucleotides at the 3′ and 5′ termini. Among a series of rescued recombinant viruses, we selected 20/13repNA, which contained 20 and 13 nucleotides of wild-type NA at the 3′ and 5′ termini of repNA, respectively, and evaluated its potential as a live attenuated influenza vaccine. The 20/13repNA is highly attenuated in mice, and the calculated LD50 was about 10,000-fold higher than that of the wild-type (WT) virus. Intranasal inoculation of the 20/13repNA virus in mice induced viral-specific humoral, cell-mediated, and mucosal immune responses. Mice vaccinated with the 20/13repNA virus were protected from the lethal challenge of both homologous and heterologous viruses. This strategy may provide a new method for the development of live, attenuated influenza vaccines for a better and more rapid response to influenza threats.
Feline Uroepithelial Cell Culture as a Novel Model of Idiopathic Cystitis: Investigations on the Effects of Norepinephrine on Inflammatory Response, Oxidative Stress, and Barrier Function
Authors: Hatala Patrícia , Lajos Andrea , Mackei Máté , Sebők Csilla , Tráj Patrik , Vörösházi Júlia , Neogrády Zsuzsanna , Mátis Gábor
Published: February 2023

Feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC) is one of the most common urinary tract disorders in domestic cats. As stress is suggested to play a key role in the pathogenesis of FIC, the effects of norepinephrine (NE) as a stress mediator were investigated on a novel feline primary uroepithelial cell culture, serving as an in vitro model of the disease. The uroepithelial cells gained from the mucosa of the bladder of a euthanized cat were cultured for 6 days and were acutely exposed to NE (10, 100, and 1000 µM) for 1 h. NE increased the metabolic activity of the cultured cells and elevated the extracellular concentrations of the pro-inflammatory mediators interleukin-6 (IL-6) and stromal cell derived factor 1 (SDF-1), confirming that NE can trigger an inflammatory response in the uroepithelium. Cellular protein carbonyl levels were increased by NE exposure, while malondialdehyde and glucose regulated protein 78 concentrations remained unchanged, indicating that NE may provoke the oxidative damage of proteins without inducing lipid peroxidation or endoplasmic reticulum stress. Further, it can be strongly suggested that an acute NE challenge might diminish the barrier function of uroepithelial cells, as reflected by the decreased glycosaminoglycan concentration, claudin-4 protein expression, and reduced TER values of the NE-treated cell cultures. Based on these results, short-term NE exposure mimicking acute stress can provoke an inflammatory response and decrease the barrier integrity of cultured feline uroepithelial cells. Hence, it is highly expected that stress-associated NE release may play an important mediatory role in the pathogenesis of FIC.
Effects of Within-Storm Variability on Allochthonous Flash Flooding: A Synthetic Study
Authors: Khosh Bin Ghomash Shahin , Bachmann Daniel , Caviedes-Voullième Daniel , Hinz Christoph
Published: February 2023

Rainfall is a spatiotemporally variated process and one of the key elements to accurately capture both catchment runoff response and floodplain extents. Flash floods are the result of intense rainfall, typically associated to highly variable rain in both space and time, such as convective storms. In this work, the extent within-storm variability affects runoff and flooding is explored. The Kan catchment (Tehran, Iran) is used as base topography for the simulations. The allochthonous nature of floods in the catchment and how they interact with the effects of storm variability are further investigated. For this, 300 synthetic rainfall signals with different hyetograph variabilities are generated and imposed on a 1D/2D hydrodynamic model. Additionally, a set of simulations with different levels of spatial variability are performed. The results suggest that temporal and spatial variability affect the runoff response in different degrees. Peak discharge and hydrograph shapes, as well as flooded areas, are affected. The effect of storm temporal variability is shown to be significantly higher than storm spatial variability and storm properties such as return period, duration, and volume. Further on the influence of storm spatiotemporal variability on stream discharge and flood response is seen to be strongly dependent on the location within the drainage network at which it is assessed.
Production, Application, and Efficacy of Biodefoamers from Bacillus, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Comamonas spp. Consortium for the Defoamation of Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater
Authors: Dlangamandla Cynthia , Ntwampe Seteno K. O. , Basitere Moses , Chidi Boredi S. , Okeleye Benjamin I. , Mukandi Melody R.
Published: February 2023

Activated sludge (AS) treatment systems’ major limitation is the nuisance foaming at the surface of the aeration basin in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This foam can be stabilized by biofoamers and surfactants in the wastewater to be treated. In order to control foam, synthetic defoamers are used; however, these defoamers are toxic to the environment. This study aimed to optimize the production of biodefoamers by quantifying foam reduction efficiency and foam collapse by the isolate pervasive to poultry slaughterhouse wastewater (PSW). Before their identification and characterization, nine bacterial isolates were isolated and assessed for foam reduction efficiency. These organisms produced minute biodefoamers under various conditions generated on the response surface methodology (RSM). The isolates that produced biodefoamers with high foam reduction efficiency and at a lower foam collapse rate were Bacillus, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, and Commamonas spp. consortia. At 4% (v defoamer/v PSW), the crude defoamers produced by the consortium had 96% foam reduction efficiency at 1.7 mm/s foam collapse rate, which was comparable to 96% foam reduction efficiency and 2.5 mm/s foam collapse rate for active silicone polymer antifoam A/defoamer by Sigma-Aldrich, a synthetic defoamer. At 2.5 mm/s, all of which were achieved at pH 7 and in less than 50 s. The application of the biodefoamer resulted in sludge compacted flocs, with filament protruding flocs observed when a synthetic defoamer was used. The biodefoamer showed the presence of alkane, amine, carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, which indicated a polysaccharide core structure. The 1H NMR analysis further confirmed that the biodefoamers were carbohydrate polymers. This study reports for the first time on the efficiency and comparability of a biodefoamer to a synthetic defoamer.
How to Cross the Chasm for the Electric Vehicle World’s Laggards—A Case Study in Kuwait
Authors: Ottesen Andri , Banna Sumayya , Alzougool Basil
Published: February 2023

Ever since the discovery of oil in 1938, the State of Kuwait has increasingly sought out international brands in the car market due to the high purchasing power of Kuwaiti nationals. However, the makers of electric vehicles (EVs) have not been able to penetrate this market, with the exception of innovators and early adopters. The phenomenon in disruptive innovation theory—called “Crossing the Chasm”—regarding a mass market appeal has not yet occurred in Kuwait. Through deep interviews with 12 Kuwaiti owners of EVs and automotive dealers who sold either EVs or Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), 10 key reasons for this phenomenon have been previously revealed, which were used to develop an extensive questionnaire. A total of 472 car drivers aged from 18 to 30, identified as the “early majority”, completed the questionnaire to achieve the objective of identifying the factors required to create a mass market for EVs in Kuwait. The results demonstrated that potential customers highly preferred three different types of attributes of EVs: environmental, financial, and technological. There were significant differences in the identified attributes preferred by Kuwaiti individuals for EVs in terms of the number of cars owned and the sector of employment. Moreover, the results of our study indicate that potential customers are very willing to buy EVs in the future, considering both their financial and infrastructure attributes. There were further significant differences in the identified necessary conditions to buy EVs in terms of educational level and monthly income. This study discusses a variety of valuable promotional tactics, which may be implemented in conjunction with public incentives and policy changes in the State of Kuwait. This information is considered useful for marketers and designers who wish to tap into this lucrative market, which is significantly different from that in the global North.
Hardware methods for dynamic stereotype gait training in patients of older age groups
Authors:   Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation, FSAEI HE I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University), Russian Federation, Litvina L. D. , Konev S. M. ,   Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation, FSAEI HE I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University), Russian Federation, Koneva E. S. ,   Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation, FSAEI HE I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University), Russian Federation; АO GC «Medsi», Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region, Shapovalenko T. V. ,   АO GC «Medsi», Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region, Mikhailova A. A. ,   АO GC «Medsi», Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region; FSBSI Petrovsky National Research Centre of Surgery; 2 Abrikosovskiy lane, Moscow, Lyadov K. V. ,   Department of Sports Medicine and Medical Rehabilitation, FSAEI HE I. M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University), Russian Federation
Published: February 2023

Purpose of the study: to evaluate the effectiveness of the hardware biofeedback video gait reconstruction for training balance and dynamic stereotype in patients of the older age group, in order to prevent the risk of falls. The study included 40 participants, aged 78.2±9.4 years. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1, main (n=20), and group 2, control (n=32). All patients received a standard course of treatment, including group therapeutic exercises and massage according to the relaxing method of the classical therapeutic collar zone massage. The duration of the rehabilitation course in a round-the-clock hospital was 10 days. In addition to the basic course of rehabilitation, the patients of the main group had training using the C–Mill biofeedback sensor treadmill. As a result of the study, a significant improvement in the submetric indicators of the dynamic gait stereotype and the degree of mobility was noted in the patients of the main group, compared to the control group. The obtained results of the effective use of the method of hardware balance training indicate the prospect of including this technology in the rehabilitation programs for elderly patients to improve the dynamic stereotype and increase stability during walking.
A few words about the story
Authors:   poet, literary critic, culturologist, Kolymagin B.F.
Published: February 2023

A continuation of the discussion on the scientific and cultural status of storytelling that began in #11 last year. The poet, prose writer, bachelor of theology, author of many articles on literature and problems of church life addresses this topic.
Culture in the optics of modern science
Authors:   Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after Kh.M. Berbekov, Tkhagapsoev Kh.G. , Astafyeva O.N. ,   Scientific and Educational Center “Civil Society and Social Communications” of the Institute of Public Administration and Сivil Service of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Dokuchaev Ilya I. ,   Department of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge, St. Petersburg State University, Leonov I.V. ,   St. Petersburg State Institute of Culture
Published: February 2023

The article is devoted to the presentation of the ideas of the information-semiotic theory of culture and the outline of the conceptual and methodological prerequisites and contextual conditions for its emergence. The key idea of the theory is that culture is a form of human existence, an expression of the features and facets of its existence. And the unique feature of a person, his being lies in the ability to create and use various forms and types of information in increasing volumes and at an increasing speed — in the ability for effective information creativity, which should be taken into account and reflected in any theory of culture. It is emphasized that the emergence of the information-semiotic theory of culture is also a consequence of the developing processes of reorientation of social and humanitarian knowledge to the ideas and principles of the information approach, which is especially important for cultural science, which is associated with almost the entire spectrum of human sciences. The ideas of the presented theory expand the ideas not only about the essence, but also about the mechanisms of development and functioning of culture, and on the basis of these ideas, new principles and criteria for the typology of culture, a new interpretation of the category “cultural form” and the resulting (interpretation) typology have been developand proposed. cultural forms, which creates the preconditions for the theoretical and methodological arsenal of cultural studies to reach a qualitatively new level. This theory also provides a combination in the methodology of cultural science of a synergetic approach in the cognition of culture with an informational approach, including by equipping the interdisciplinary plan with analytical categories — frame, hierarchy, instability, nonlinearity, order parameter, reference, emergence. And as the most important feature of the presented theory, the unification and synthesis within its framework of the existing theoretical and methodological concepts and approaches in cultural studies (systemic, activity, synergetic) is noted, since culture in this theory is thought and interpreted not only as a form of human existence based on activity as such, and on information activities and information processes, in particular, which are characterized by complex multi-level systemicity, instability, spontaneity, systemic synergistic patterns, thus bringing the process of learning culture to a post-classical paradigm new level.
GNN-LS: A Learning Style Prediction in Online Environments using Graph Neural Networks
Authors: Muhammad Bello Ahmad , Liu Bo , Ahmad Hafsa Kabir , Umar Mubarak , Qin Kenan
Published: February 2023

Prediction of learners’ learning styles in online environments has several advantages, including steering learners on the proper path, motivating and engaging them while learning, and improving their learning results. It also helps instructors in the formation of personalized resource recommendations. As a result, predicting learners learning styles is necessary to aid in the personalization process. Existing approaches use either conventional or automatic approaches for learning style identifications. However, the large volume of data stored in online platforms has become a challenge in analyzing the behavior of learners and predicting their learning styles in the real world. Also, most of the existing approaches rely on a particular learning platform and can not be used in other platforms without technical assistance. In this paper, we propose GNN-LS, a new approach to identify and predict learners learning styles using a graph neural network. First, the graph embedding technique is used to capture the representation of learners and resources as a bipartite graph and encode them into low-dimensional representation. The encoded L-R sequences were given as input to the K-means clustering algorithm to identify and obtain labels as per FSLSM dimensions. Then, Graph neural network is trained to predict the learner’s learning style in the real world. The GNN-LS technique can be applied in a variety of educational systems and adapted to fit a variety of learning style models. Extensive experiments are run using the 2015 KDD Cup public available dataset to demonstrate the capabilities of GNN-LS. 5.31-15.68% improvements are achieved across all four FSLSM dimensions in accuracy.
Telehealth‘s future in Australian primary health care: a qualitative study exploring lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ashley Christine , Williams Anna , Dennis Sarah , McInnes Susan , Zwar Nicholas A , Morgan Mark , Halcomb Elizabeth
Published: February 2023

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth emerged as a means of safely providing primary healthcare (PHC) consultations. In Australia, changes to telehealth funding led to the reconsideration of the role of telehealth in the ongoing provision of PHC services.

Aim

To investigate GPs’, registered nurses‘ (RNs), nurse practitioners‘ (NPs), and allied health (AH) clinicians perceptions of the sustainability of telehealth in PHC post-pandemic.

Design & setting

Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 33 purposively selected clinicians, including GPs (n= 13), RNs (n= 5), NPs (n= 9), and AH clinicians (n= 6) working in PHC settings across Australia. Participants were drawn from responders to a national survey of PHC providers (n= 217).

Method

The thematic analysis approach reported by Braun and Clarke was used to analyse the interview data.

Results

Data analysis revealed that the perception of providers was represented by the following two themes: lessons learnt; and the sustainability of telehealth. Lessons learnt included the need for rapid adaptation to telehealth, use of technology, and the pandemic being a catalyst for long-term change. The sustainability of telehealth in PHC comprised four subthemes around challenges: the funding model, maintaining patient and provider safety, hybrid service models, and access to support.

Conclusion

Providers required resilience and flexibility to adapt to telehealth. Funding models must reward providers from an outcome focus, rather than placing limits on telehealth’s use. Hybrid approaches to service delivery will best meet the needs of the community but must be accompanied by support and education for PHC professionals.
L’arco di Ulisse. Osservazioni sul riconoscimento dell’eroe
Authors: Cucuzza Nicola , Mari Francesco
Published: February 2023

L’articolo esamina i modi in cui, nell’Odissea, avviene il riconoscimento di Ulisse. L’analisi dei dati testuali ed il loro confronto con la documentazione archeologica dell’Egeo fra Tardo Età del Bronzo e Antica Età del Ferro, in particolare, permettono di cogliere alcuni interessanti aspetti dell’episodio della gara del canto XXI, al termine della quale l’eroe uccide i Proci. L’arco, infatti, presenta una simbologia complessa su piani diversificati : arma da caccia,

avatar di Penelope, “ doppio” della cetra e, in quanto tale, attributo della regalità.
L’analyse synchronique des composés nominaux du latin hier et aujourd’hui
Authors: Oniga Renato , Re Alessandro
Published: February 2023

Synchronical Analysis of the Nominal Compounds in Latin : Yesterday and Today – The study of nominal compounds in classical antiquity shows some similarities with contemporary linguistics, especially generative grammar. Ancient grammarians wished to develop a synchronic typology based on the inflectional features of the two members of the compound and the presence of the derivation. The introduction of syntactic criteria and the identification of the special characteristics of bahuvrīhi compounds are the main achievements of the Indian grammarians. Starting from a fundamentally Sanskrit typology, Latin linguistics in the 19th and 20th century attempted to develop new theories.
M. Aemilius Scaurus et P. Plautius Hypsaeus: Pompée et ses questeurs entre 67 et 61
Authors: Ioannidopoulos Grégory
Published: February 2023

M. Aemilius Scaurus (pr. 56) et P. Plautius Hypsaeus (pr. 55) furent des proches de Pompée, auquel ils doivent une bonne partie de leur cursus, notamment une questure orientale qui ouvrit la voie à leurs carrières politiques, dont Pompée n’était jamais absent. En examinant en détail la vie de ces deux hommes et les pratiques de leur époque, plusieurs éléments ont été dégagés qui suggèrent de dater leurs questures non seulement de façon concomitante, mais surtout un peu plus tôt que généralement admis. Car elles pourraient bien être tombées en 67, en vertu de la lex Gabinia. Ainsi, Scaurus et Hypsaeus illustrent la façon dont Pompée concevait ses rapports avec ses questeurs, préférant la sélection extra sortem. En la matière, une rapide comparaison avec les pratiques de Sylla et César suggère une évolution majeure au Ier s. av. J.-C., marquée par le mépris des règles républicaines de la sortitio.
El poeta y la representación de la historia en Aen. I, 223- 296 y Met. XV, 761-842
Authors: Martínez Astorino Pablo
Published: February 2023

El marco literario del Bellum Punicum de Nevio y la construcción de la imagen de un César-Augusto en el diálogo entre Júpiter y Venus de Eneida se vislumbran como la fase preliminar de la transformación que opera Ovidio en Metamorfosis XV, con su inserción del diálogo, ahora a propósito de César, en una historia universal mitologizada y su elaboración de una representación ficcional a partir del uso o transformación de dos pasajes de Virgilio (Aen. I, 223 ss ; Georg. I, 474 ss). Este mayor grado de construcción está estrechamente vinculado con el grado de autocelebración del poeta, que, de referencias indirectas a su inmortalidad (Aen. IX, 446-447 ; Aen. I, 379), llega, con Ovidio, al anuncio de una elevación super alta…/ astra (XV, 875-876), poniéndose por encima de la materia representada.
Quelques observations sur le commentaire de Servius au livre VII de l’Énéide
Authors: Scafoglio Giampiero
Published: February 2023

L’article propose un examen critique du commentaire de Servius au livre VII de l’Énéide afin de distinguer et de classer les différentes approches, les sujets et les méthodes de travail que nous pouvons trouver dans une telle richesse d’informations. Une attention particulière est portée aux témoignages donnés par Servius sur les sources littéraires et les modèles de Virgile, dont certains sont aujourd’hui perdus. Une lecture attentive du commentaire de Servius enrichit donc notre connaissance de l’Énéide, ainsi que de la littérature et de la culture romaines en général.
COVID-19 diagnosis and SARS-CoV-2 viral load in hospitalized patients versus people with Flu-Like Syndrome
Authors: Furtado Fabiana Barcelos , Schnepper Amanda Piveta , Ribeiro Lucas Gabriel , De Almeida Lauana Fogaça , Fortaleza Carlos Magno Castelo Branco , Guimarães Raul Borges , Ferreira Claudia Pio , De Almeida Gabriel Berg , Ferrari Anna Paula , De Campos Elisângela Cristina , Grotto Rejane Maria Tommasini
Published: February 2023

At the beginning of the pandemic, the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS) did not to test all suspects cases of COVID-19, thus, hospitalized individuals, health professionals, and symptomatic contacts were prioritized. Contrary to the criteria adopted by the government, the municipality of Botucatu chose to test all people who manifested flu-like syndrome. We aimed to investigate whether positive cases for COVID-19 were more frequent in patients seeking diagnosis via SUS or in the group of people seeking diagnosis via Municipal Health Center and whether the viral load was expressed differently in hospitalized patients (HP) compared to mild symptoms (MHC). Results showed that there were no differences in the percentage between the groups. Regarding the viral load, significant differences were found between the samples from HP and MHC (3-10 days of symptoms), with HP presenting a lower viral load. The results provide significant information about the viral load at different time-lapses.