bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the Physicochemical Properties and Antiaging Properties of Bitumen Mastic Modified by Layered Double Hydroxides
Authors: Zou Yingxue , Pang Ling , Chen Shuaichao , Xu Shi , Wu Shaopeng , Amirkhanian Serji , Xu Haiqin , Zhao Zenggang
Published: January 2023

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) can shield polymeric materials from UV light, which allows reducing material aging and erosion damage of bituminous pavement under physical and chemical action. In this study, the physicochemical properties, aging resistance, and erosion resistance to the aqueous solution of LDHs modified bitumen mastic (BM) were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, basic physical tests, viscosity tests, a dynamic shear rheometer, and a bending beam rheometer. The results show that few chemical reactions occurred between LDHs and BM, indicating that a physical mechanism underlay the modification of BM by LDHs. Moreover, LDHs could increase the flow activation energy of BM by 0.12%, increase the high failure temperature from 69.07 °C to 71.07 °C, and decrease the low failure temperature from −10.50 °C to −12.39 °C. Therefore, LDHs could slightly reduce the temperature sensitivity of BM, while slightly enhancing the high and low-temperature rheological properties of BM. Compared with short-term aging and long-term aging, LDHs could significantly improve the UV aging resistance of BM. The above results are consistent with previous studies of LDHs-modified bitumen. Furthermore, water and pH 3 acidic solutions had the greatest degree of erosion to BM, and LDHs could improve the resistance to aqueous solutions. Overall, this study can help to investigate the effects of various environmental factors on the performance of LDHs modified bitumen pavements during long-term use.
Sustainability Innovation in the Textile Industry: A Systematic Review
Authors: Harsanto Budi , Primiana Ina , Sarasi Vita , Satyakti Yayan
Published: January 2023

The aim of this review study is to understand the current state and practice of sustainability innovation in the textile industry. The textile industry is regarded as one of the industries that faces the biggest challenges in incorporating sustainability in its business practices. In this study, we conducted a systematic review to synthesize empirical knowledge relevant to sustainable innovation in the textile industry. From the systematic search process, 41 papers that were identified met the criteria of inclusion and were then analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. The findings showed that the attention of researchers toward sustainability innovation has increased in the recent years. Sustainability innovation practices in the textile industry were identified. Sustainability product innovation includes ecodesign, ecolabel, life cycle assessment, materials, and packaging. Sustainability process innovation includes cleaner production, ecoefficiency, waste handling, supply chain management, and enzymatic textile processing in process innovation. Sustainability organizational innovation includes the environmental management system (EMS) and corporate policy, collaboration, business model innovation, culture and knowledge management, and enzymatic textile processing. This study found that the dominant sustainability innovation practice discussed in the textile industry is more related to the ecological innovation aspect compared to social innovation. As consumer demand for ecofriendly products is growing, as are more stringent regulations, it is important for business players and policymakers to develop sustainability innovation in the textile industry together.
Fracture Behavior of AlMg4.5Mn Weld Metal at Different Temperatures under Impact Loading
Authors: Prokić Cvetković Radica , Popović Olivera , Radović Ljubica , Sedmak Aleksandar , Cvetković Ivana
Published: January 2023

This paper deals with a three-component aluminum alloy AlMg4.5Mn that was welded using a GTAW process in the shielded atmosphere of Ar+70%He+0.015%N2. The weld-metal toughness was evaluated at three different temperatures using instrumental Charpy pendulum impact testing to measure not only the total energy, but also the crack initiation energy and the crack growth energy. Fractographic analysis of the fracture surfaces and EDS analysis of large second-phase particles on fractured surfaces at each temperature were also carried out. Fractographic analysis at different temperatures indicated a clearly distinguishable fracture mechanism. It was inferred that the absorbed energy was closely correlated with the fracturing of surfaces. Moreover, it was concluded that with decrease in the amount of microscopic voids and dimples, the total energy absorbed also decreased.
The Impacts of Ecotourists’ Perceived Authenticity and Perceived Values on Their Behaviors: Evidence from Huangshan World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site
Authors: Yang Lu , Hu Xiao , Lee Hoffer M. , Zhang Yuqing
Published: January 2023

Drawn to the unique natural and geographical advantages of ecotourism scenic areas, tourists can roam the natural environment and, at the same time, promote the sustainable development of the scenic area’s ecology. As a result, ecotourism has gradually become a popular type of tourism. Tourists’ perceived authenticity, perceived values, revisit intentions, and environmentally responsible behaviors, which are important variables in understanding their cognition and behaviors, have received extensive attention from scholars. However, few studies have combined tourists’ perceived authenticity, perceived values, revisit intentions, and environmentally responsible behaviors in the context of ecotourism. Taking Huangshan World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site in Anhui, China, as a case study, this study explored the relationship between the perceived authenticity and perceived values of ecotourists, and the respective relationships of perceived authenticity and perceived values with revisit intentions and environmentally responsible behaviors. A survey research method was employed, and the structural equation modeling technique was used to determine the relationships among variables. The results indicated that the perceived authenticity of ecotourists had a significant positive impact on their perceived values. Tourists’ perceived authenticity and perceived values significantly and positively affected their revisit intentions and environmentally responsible behaviors, respectively, while their perceived values played a mediating role in the impact of perceived authenticity on revisit intentions and environmentally responsible behaviors. Theoretically, this study introduces the concept of perceived authenticity into ecotourism, expands the research scope of perceived values, and fills the gaps in the research regarding the impact of perceived authenticity on environmentally responsible behaviors. Practically, it will assist tourism managers in developing a strategic plan for protecting the unique natural resources and cultural customs of scenic spots, producing a valuable interactive experience, and enhancing the collaborative decision-making process, which will lead to the sustainable development of ecotourism destinations.
Resilient Agility: A Necessary Condition for Employee and Organizational Sustainability
Authors: Prieto Leonel , Talukder Md Farid
Published: January 2023

Resilient agility is a novel concept that refers to the combined resilience-agility capability that allows an actor to successfully perform in rapidly changing contexts. Change dynamics, at all levels, increase uncertainties and responsibilities for employees augmenting the need to strengthen the self via resilient agility. This study examines employee resilient agility as anteceded by supervisors’ safety, coworkers’ safety, workplace belongingness, job satisfaction, willingness to embrace organizational change, and creativity. Respondents are from multiple organizations, industries, and regions of the United States. Analyses were carried out utilizing PLS-SEM software. Findings indicate that supervisors’ safety, workplace belongingness, willingness to embrace organizational change, and creativity have substantial effects on explaining and understanding employees’ resilient agility. In contrast, the effects of coworkers’ safety were insignificant. This study (a) contributes to the nomological network of resilient agility by examining a set of its key antecedents and (b) suggests that drastic organizational restructuring (e.g., significant changes in the relative proportion of remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic) may negatively impact both relational-based constructs in organizations and employees’ ability to rapidly and effectively respond to change. Theoretical and practical implications as well as limitations and future research are discussed.
Simulation Study on Risk and Influencing Factors of Cadmium Loss in Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wang Sheng , Liu Qi , Liu Zhizong , He Jie , Bao Li , Zhang Jilai , Zhang Naiming
Published: January 2023

Cadmium (Cd) in contaminated soil not only enters surface water via rainfall runoff but also penetrates groundwater, adversely affecting human health through the food chain. This research examined three kinds of soil from Luoping County in southwestern China, with different Cd pollution levels. Simulated rainfall and soil column leaching experiments were conducted to explore the risks and factors influencing Cd loss in surface runoff and underground leaching water at different ground slopes (6°, 12°, 18°, and 24°), rainfall intensities (30, 60, and 90 mm∙h−1), and soil profile conditions. The results show that the risk of soil Cd runoff loss increased at a higher rainfall intensity or Cd pollution degree, reaching a peak at a ground slope of 18°. The main factor affecting soil Cd runoff loss was rainfall intensity followed by Cd soil pollution degree and slope. The risk of soil Cd leaching loss was mainly determined by the leaching time and soil depth. The primary factor affecting soil Cd leaching loss was leaching time, followed by soil depth. The soil organic matter (SOM) concentration and pH minimally affected soil Cd loss. The research results provide a theoretical basis for risk management and control of cadmium loss in contaminated soil, and indicate that the environment-friendly water treatment method of high concentration Cd polluted runoff deserves attention.
The Role of Non-Climate Data in Equitable Climate Adaptation Planning: Lessons from Small French and American Cities
Authors: Lioubimtseva Elena , da Cunha Charlotte
Published: January 2023

There is a growing consensus that to effectively adapt to climate change, cities need user-friendly tools and reliable high-resolution biophysical and socio-economic data for analysis, mapping, modeling, and visualization. This study examines the availability of various types of information used in climate adaptation plans of 40 municipalities with a population of less than 300,000 people in the United States and France, probing into the choice and usage of relevant information by small municipalities. We argue that non-climatic spatial data, such as population demographic and socio-economic patterns, urban infrastructure, and environmental data must be integrated with climate tools and datasets to inform effective vulnerability assessment and equitable adaptation planning goals. Most climate adaptation plans examined in this study fail to address the existing structural inequalities and environmental injustices in urban infrastructure and land use. Their challenges include methodological and ideological barriers, data quality issues, and a lack of meaningful community connections. Adaptation methodological approaches should be reassessed in the context of much-needed societal transformation. Lessons learned from our studies offer valuable insights for the potential development of national and state-level climate adaptation information services for cities.
Sustainability Impacts of Wood- and Concrete-Based Frame Buildings
Authors: Linkevičius Edgaras , Žemaitis Povilas , Aleinikovas Marius
Published: January 2023

The European Commission adopted a long-term strategic vision aiming for climate neutrality by 2050. Lithuania ratified the Paris agreement, making a binding commitment to cut its 1990 baseline GHG emissions by 40% in all sectors of its economy by 2030. In Lithuania, the main construction material is cement, even though Lithuania has a strong wood-based industry and abundant timber resources. Despite this, approximately twenty percent of the annual roundwood production from Lithuanian forests is exported, as well as other final wood products that could be used in the local construction sector. To highlight the potential that timber frame construction holds for carbon sequestration efforts, timber and concrete buildings were directly compared and quantified in terms of sustainability across their production value chains. Here the concept of “exemplary buildings” was avoided, instead a “traditional building” design was opted for, and two- and five-floor public buildings were selected. In this study, eleven indicators were selected to compare the sustainability impacts of wood-based and concrete-based construction materials, using a decision support tool ToSIA (a tool for sustainability impact assessment). Findings revealed the potential of glue-laminated timber (GLT) frames as a more sustainable alternative to precast reinforced concrete (PRC) in the construction of public low-rise buildings in Lithuania, and they showed great promise in reducing emissions and increasing the sequestration of CO2. An analysis of environmental and social indicators shows that the replacement of PRC frames with GLT frames in the construction of low-rise public buildings would lead to reduced environmental impacts, alongside a range of positive social impacts.
Public Acceptance towards Emerging Autonomous Vehicle Technology: A Bibliometric Research
Authors: Ho Jen Sim , Tan Booi Chen , Lau Teck Chai , Khan Nasreen
Published: January 2023

In the current challenging and competitive dynamic business world today, automotive companies have been rapidly developing and promoting autonomous vehicles (AVs), which aim to reduce crashes, energy consumption, pollution, and congestion and increase transport accessibility. To ensure the successful adoption of AVs, an increasing number of studies have been conducted to understand public acceptance. This paper used the bibliometric technique to understand the distribution, emerging trend, and the research cluster in the context of AV technology acceptance through knowledge mapping. The Web of Science database was used to retrieve 401 scientific articles from 2000 to June 2022. The findings reported that the previous studies mainly focused on the research clusters related to the domains of attitude, trust, technology, impact, and models. Finally, this study added to the existing body of literature by providing the current knowledge landscape to guide the future research.
Firm-Level Innovations in an Emerging Economy: Do Perceived Policy Instability and Legal Institutional Conditions Matter?
Authors: Dunyo Samuel Kwesi , Odei Samuel Amponsah
Published: January 2023

Innovation has become a key factor of production, driving and sustaining firms’ productivity and competitiveness. Despite the growing importance attached to innovations, existing studies have produced different results on the factors driving firm-level innovations. This study investigates the factors driving innovations in the service and manufacturing sector firms in Thailand. The study tests proposed hypotheses using cross-sectional data on a sample of 613 firms from the World Bank enterprise survey of 2016. Our empirical results show that specific aspects of the business environment, such as policy instability, legal institutions, corruption, and informal competition, negatively influence non-technological innovations. Contrarily, we find that formal training, foreign technology licenses, research and development have marginal and additionality effects that positively enhance both technological and non-technological innovations. We provide practical implications for firm managers and policymakers in Thailand on adaptive measures to improve the business environment to make it conducive for firm-level innovations.
Spatial and Temporal Variation Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of Multidimensional Socio-Economic Development Levels in Resource-Based Cities
Authors: Su Yiting , Li Jing , Yin Shouqiang , Yue Jiabao , Jiang Zhai , Ma Tianyue , Han Zhangqian
Published: January 2023

As resources are depleted, resource-based cities face unique challenges in the process of socio-economic development. We constructed a multidimensional socio-economic development level model by adopting Entropy Value Method, Analytical Hierarchy Process, time series weighting method, and Game Theory approach for the data of 10 indicators in 4 dimensions of 115 resource-based cities in China from 2004 to 2019 to explore the spatial and temporal divergence characteristics of multidimensional socio-economic development level and the driving mechanism of its pattern of evolution. The results show that: (1) the overall socio-economic development level of resource-based cities has improved from 2004 to 2019, but the overall level is low. Large differences exist in the spatial distribution of socio-economic development levels between cities with more significant regional spatial aggregation characteristics. (2) Secondary industry, tertiary industry, retail trade goods sales, urban construction land area, and total freight transport have a significant positive impact on socio-economic development; the correlation coefficient between the number of schools and the socio-economic development level index is negative. (3) Retail trade merchandise sales contribute the most to the Gini coefficient, where the percentage of secondary industry and urban construction land area have a higher cumulative contribution to growing cities (55.02%), the percentage of secondary industry has the lowest contribution to regenerating cities (10.94%), and the percentage of tertiary industry has an increasing contribution to declining cities year by year. Based on the above findings, some specific suggestions are provided to provide reference for resource-based city development planning.
Using Real Building Energy Use Data to Explain the Energy Performance Gap of Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings: A Case Study from the Hot Summer and Cold Winter Zone in China
Authors: Wang Xia , Yuan Jiachen , You Kairui , Ma Xianrui , Li Zhaoji
Published: January 2023

The International Energy Agency (IEA) emphasizes that using real building energy use data (RBEUD) to reflect the actual condition of buildings and inform policy-making is the most effective way to reduce buildings’ carbon emissions. However, based on IEA’s evaluation, regional and national building stock data are limited and lacking. Especially for China, the lack of RBEUD in buildings has limited our ability to address the energy performance gap (EPG). In this research, EPG refers to the difference between regulated energy consumption by design standards and actual energy usage. EPG makes it difficult to develop buildings that are energy-efficient. Therefore, this study aims to gather and analyze RBEUD in order to understand the role of occupants’ behavior in explaining the EPG of energy-efficient residential buildings in China. The results suggest that the actual consumption of residential buildings is less than 1/5–1/3 of the theoretical limits. The heat pump and air conditioner’s actual schedules and setpoint settings are the significant drivers that explain the EPG. In addition, the presentation of a database of 1128 households provides actual usage behavior parameters for policy-makers to improve the accuracy of building energy forecasting models.
A Novel Control Method for Active Power Sharing in Renewable-Energy-Based Micro Distribution Networks
Authors: Abdallah Wael J. , Hashmi Khurram , Faiz Muhammad Talib , Flah Aymen , Channumsin Sittiporn , Mohamed Mohamed A. , Ustinov Denis Anatolievich
Published: January 2023

The microgrid is an emerging trend in modern power systems. Microgrids consist of controllable power sources, storage, and loads. An elaborate control infrastructure is established to regulate and synchronize the interaction of these components. The control scheme is divided into a hierarchy of several layers, where each layer is composed of multi-agents performing their dedicated functions and arriving at a consensus of corrective values. Lateral and horizontal interaction of such multi-agents forms a comprehensive hierarchical control structure that regulates the microgrid operation to achieve a compendium of objectives, including power sharing, voltage, and frequency regulation. The success of a multi-agent-based control scheme is dependent on the health of the communication media that is used to relay measurements and control signals. Delays in the transmission of control signals result in an overall deterioration of the control performance and non-convergence. This paper proposes novel multi-agent moving average estimators to mitigate the effect of latent communication links and establishes a hierarchical control scheme incorporating these average estimators to accurately arrive at system values during communication delays. Mathematical models are established for the complete microgrid system to test the stability of the proposed method against conventional consensus-based methods. Case-wise simulation studies and lab-scale experimental verification further establish the efficacy and superiority of the proposed control scheme in comparison with other conventionally used control methods.
Factors Influencing Human Attitudes towards Wolves in Northwest Spain
Authors: Janeiro-Otero Andrea , Rivas Paula , Acuña-Alonso Carolina , de la Torre-Rodriguez Natalia , Novo Ana , Álvarez Xana
Published: January 2023

Surveys have been used to study the current perception towards wolves by different stakeholders such as ranchers, landowners, hunters, experts in the field, and employees of the environmental administration in the provinces of Pontevedra and A Coruña, in the northwest of Spain. The main objective of this study is the evaluation and further discussion of the compensation offered to affected people for damages caused by wolf attacks and whether such compensations represent an improvement in the degree of tolerance towards these animals. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found among the different sectors interviewed, with the hunters being the least tolerant sector, followed by ranchers. The number of attacks in the area was proven to influence their perspective toward wolves and the need for preventive measures. There was unanimity among hunters, ranchers, and locals, who do not consider the tools provided by the Galician administration sufficient to palliate the damages produced by wolves. However, 53.8% of ranchers, the group whose livelihood will most likely be affected by wolf attacks, and 60% of the wolf experts believe that compensation does not help to reduce tolerance towards wolves. Losing an animal makes people more likely to agree to the use of lethal and non-lethal methods.
Event-Triggered Sliding Mode Impulsive Control for Lower Limb Rehabilitation Exoskeleton Robot Gait Tracking
Authors: Liu Yang , Peng Shiguo , Zhang Jiajun , Xie Kan , Lin Zhuoyi , Liao Wei-Hsin
Published: January 2023

Lower limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots (LLRERs) play an important role in lower limb rehabilitation training and assistance walking for patients with lower limb movement disorders. In order to reduce and eliminate adverse effects on the accuracy of human motion gait tracking during walking with an LLRER, which is caused by the gravity and friction, the periodic ground shock force, and the human–exoskeleton interaction force, this paper proposes a feedforward–feedback hybrid control strategy of sliding mode impulsive control with gravity and friction compensation, based on the event-triggered mechanism of Lyapunov function. Firstly, to realize high-precision gait tracking with bounded error, some constraints on controller parameters are deduced by analyzing the Lyapunov-based stability. Secondly, the Zeno behavior of impulsive event triggers is excluded by the analysis of three different cases of the triggering time sequence. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid controller is verified by the numerical simulation of the LLRER human–exoskeleton integrated system based on a three-link simplified model. It shows that an event-triggered sliding mode impulsive control strategy with gravity and friction compensation can achieve complete gait tracking with bounded error and has excellent dynamic performance under the constraints.
(β,γ)-Skew QC Codes with Derivation over a Semi-Local Ring
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad , Alali Amal S. , Asim Mohd , Mohammad Ghulam
Published: January 2023

In this article, we consider a semi-local ring S=Fq+uFq, where u2=u, q=ps and p is a prime number. We define a multiplication yb=β(b)y+γ(b), where β is an automorphism and γ is a β-derivation on S so that S[y;β,γ] becomes a non-commutative ring which is known as skew polynomial ring. We give the characterization of S[y;β,γ] and obtain the most striking results that are better than previous findings. We also determine the structural properties of 1-generator skew cyclic and skew-quasi cyclic codes. Further, We demonstrate remarkable results of the above-mentioned codes over S. Finally, we find the duality of skew cyclic and skew-quasi cyclic codes using a symmetric inner product. These codes are further generalized to double skew cyclic and skew quasi cyclic codes and a table of optimal codes is calculated by MAGMA software.
A Computational Study of the Immobilization of New 5-Nitroisatine Derivatives with the Use of C60-Based Functionalized Nanocarriers
Authors: Czeleń Przemysław , Szefler Beata , Skotnicka Agnieszka
Published: January 2023

Isatin-based compounds are a large group of drugs used as competitive inhibitors of ATP. The 5-nitroisatin derivatives studied in this work are inhibitors of the CDK2 enzyme, which can be used in the development of new anti-cancer therapies. One of the basic activities that often allows for an increase in biological activity while reducing the undesirable effects associated with the toxicity of medicinal substances is immobilization based on carriers. In this work, fifty nanocarriers derived from C60 fullerene, containing a bound phenyl ring on their surfaces, were used in the process of the immobilization of isatin derivatives. Based on flexible docking methods, the binding capacities of the drugs under consideration were determined using a wide range of nanocarriers containing symmetric and asymmetric modifications of the phenyl ring, providing various types of interactions. Based on the data collected for each of the tested drugs, including the binding affinity and the structure and stability of complexes, the best candidates were selected in terms of the type of substituent that modified the nanoparticle and its location. Among the systems with the highest affinity are the dominant complexes created by functionalized fullerenes containing substituents with a symmetrical location, such as R2-R6 and R3-R5. Based on the collected data, nanocarriers with a high potential for immobilization and use in the development of targeted therapies were selected for each of the tested drugs.
A Class of Smoothing Modulus-Based Iterative Methods for Solving the Stochastic Mixed Complementarity Problems
Authors: Guo Cong , Liu Yingling , Li Chenliang
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we present a smoothing modulus-based iterative method for solving the stochastic mixed complementarity problems (SMCP). The main idea is that we firstly transform the expected value model of SMCP into an equivalent nonsmooth system of equations, then obtain an approximation smooth system of equations by using a smoothing function, and finally solve it by the Newton method. We give the convergence analysis, and the numerical results show the effectiveness of the new method for solving the SMCP with symmetry coefficient matrices.
Multi-Targeting Approach in Selection of Potential Molecule for COVID-19 Treatment
Authors: Velagacherla Varalakshmi , Suresh Akhil , Mehta Chetan Hasmukh , Nayak Usha Y. , Nayak Yogendra
Published: January 2023

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a pandemic that started in the City of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, caused by the spread of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Drug discovery teams around the globe are in a race to develop a medicine for its management. It takes time for a novel molecule to enter the market, and the ideal way is to exploit the already approved drugs and repurpose them therapeutically. We have attempted to screen selected molecules with an affinity towards multiple protein targets in COVID-19 using the Schrödinger suit for in silico predictions. The proteins selected were angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), main protease (MPro), and spike protein. The molecular docking, prime MM-GBSA, induced-fit docking (IFD), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to identify the most suitable molecule that forms a stable interaction with the selected viral proteins. The ligand-binding stability for the proteins PDB-IDs 1ZV8 (spike protein), 5R82 (Mpro), and 6M1D (ACE2), was in the order of nintedanib > quercetin, nintedanib > darunavir, nintedanib > baricitinib, respectively. The MM-GBSA, IFD, and MD simulation studies imply that the drug nintedanib has the highest binding stability among the shortlisted. Nintedanib, primarily used for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, can be considered for repurposing for us against COVID-19.
Next Generation Sequencing for the Analysis of Parvovirus B19 Genomic Diversity
Authors: Bichicchi Federica , Guglietta Niccolò , Rocha Alves Arthur Daniel , Fasano Erika , Manaresi Elisabetta , Bua Gloria , Gallinella Giorgio
Published: January 2023

Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a ssDNA human virus, responsible for an ample range of clinical manifestations. Sequencing of B19V DNA from clinical samples is frequently reported in the literature to assign genotype (genotypes 1–3) and for finer molecular epidemiological tracing. The increasing availability of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) with its depth of coverage potentially yields information on intrinsic sequence heterogeneity; however, integration of this information in analysis of sequence variation is not routinely obtained. The present work investigated genomic sequence heterogeneity within and between B19V isolates by application of NGS techniques, and by the development of a novel dedicated bioinformatic tool and analysis pipeline, yielding information on two newly defined parameters. The first, α-diversity, is a measure of the amount and distribution of position-specific, normalised Shannon Entropy, as a measure of intra-sample sequence heterogeneity. The second, σ-diversity, is a measure of the amount of inter-sample sequence heterogeneity, also incorporating information on α-diversity. Based on these indexes, further cluster analysis can be performed. A set of 24 high-titre viraemic samples was investigated. Of these, 23 samples were genotype 1 and one sample was genotype 2. Genotype 1 isolates showed low α-diversity values, with only a few samples showing distinct position-specific polymorphisms; a few genetically related clusters emerged when analysing inter-sample distances, correlated to the year of isolation; the single genotype 2 isolate showed the highest α-diversity, even if not presenting polymorphisms, and was an evident outlier when analysing inter-sample distance. In conclusion, NGS analysis and the bioinformatic tool and pipeline developed and used in the present work can be considered effective tools for investigating sequence diversity, an observable parameter that can be incorporated into the quasispecies theory framework to yield a better insight into viral evolution dynamics.
An Adenovirus-Based Recombinant Herpes Simplex Virus 2 (HSV-2) Therapeutic Vaccine Is Highly Protective against Acute and Recurrent HSV-2 Disease in a Guinea Pig Model
Authors: Wan Mingming , Yang Xiao , Sun Jie , Ding Xue , Chen Zhijun , Su Weiheng , Cai Linjun , Hou Ali , Sun Bo , Gao Feng , Jiang Chunlai , Zhou Yan
Published: January 2023

Genital herpes (GH) has become one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases worldwide, and it is spreading rapidly in developing countries. Approximately 90% of GH cases are caused by HSV-2. Therapeutic HSV-2 vaccines are intended for people already infected with HSV-2 with the goal of reducing clinical recurrences and recurrent virus shedding. In our previous work, we evaluated recombinant adenovirus-based vaccines, including rAd-gD2ΔUL25, rAd-ΔUL25, and rAd-gD2, for their potency as prophylactic vaccines. In this study, we evaluated these three vaccines as therapeutic vaccines against acute and recurrent diseases in intravaginal challenged guinea pigs. Compared with the control groups, the recombinant vaccine rAd-gD2ΔUL25 induced a higher titer of the binding antibody, and rAd-gD2 + rAd-ΔUL25 induced a higher titer of the neutralizing antibody. Both rAd-gD2ΔUL25 and rAd-gD2 + rAd-ΔUL25 vaccines significantly enhanced the survival rate by 50% compared to rAd-gD2 and reduced viral replication in the genital tract and recurrent genital skin disease. Our findings provide a new perspective for HSV-2 therapeutic vaccine research and provide a new technique to curtail the increasing spread of HSV-2.
The Impact of Vegan Diets on Indicators of Health in Dogs and Cats: A Systematic Review
Authors: Domínguez-Oliva Adriana , Mota-Rojas Daniel , Semendric Ines , Whittaker Alexandra L.
Published: January 2023

There has been an increase in vegetarianism and veganism in human populations. This trend also appears to be occurring in companion animals, with guardians preferring to feed their animals in accordance with their own dietary values and choices. However, there has been controversy amongst vets and online commentators about the safety of feeding vegan diets to carnivorous species, such as cats and dogs. In spite of this controversy, to date there has been no systematic evaluation of the evidence on this topic. A systematic search of Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science was performed, identifying 16 studies on the impact of vegan diets on cat and dog health. Studies were appraised for quality using established critical appraisal tools or reporting guidelines. There was considerable heterogeneity in the outcomes measured, and study designs employed, with few studies evaluating key outcomes of interest. Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) was utilized for assessment of certainty in the evidence, with the evidence for most outcomes being assessed as low or very low. Whilst the quality and amount of evidence needs to be considered in formulating recommendations, there was no overwhelming evidence of adverse effects arising from use of these diets and there was some evidence of benefits. It is, however, recommended that future high-quality studies, with standardized outcome measures and large sample sizes, be conducted. At the current time, if guardians wish to feed their companion animals vegan diets, a cautious approach should be taken using commercially produced diets which have been formulated considering the nutritional needs of the target species.
Phenology-Based Remote Sensing Assessment of Crop Water Productivity
Authors: Gao Hongsi , Zhang Xiaochun , Wang Xiugui , Zeng Yuhong
Published: January 2023

The assessment of crop water productivity (CWP) is of practical significance for improving regional agricultural water use efficiency and water conservation levels. The remote sensing method is a common method for estimating large scale CWP, and the assessment errors in CWP by remote sensing originate mainly from remote sensing inversion errors in crop yield and evapotranspiration (ET). The phenological period is the important factor in crop ET and yield estimation. The crop coefficient (Kc) and harvest index (HI), which are closely related to different phenological periods, are considered during the processes of crop ET and yield estimation. The crop phenological period is detected from enhanced vegetation index (EVI) curves using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and Sentinel-2 data. The crop ET is estimated using the surface–energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) model and Penman‒Monteith (P-M) equation, and the crop yield is estimated using the dry matter mass–harvest index method. The CWP is calculated as the ratio of the crop yield to ET during the growing season. The results show that the daily ET and crop yield estimated from remote sensing images are consistent with the measured values. It is found from the variation in daily ET that the peaks appear at the heading period of wheat and maize, which are in good agreement with the rainfall and growth characteristics of the crop. The relationship between crop yield and ET shows a negative parabolic correlation, and that between CWP and crop yield shows a linear correlation. The average CWPs of wheat and maize are 1.60 kg/m3 and 1.39 kg/m3, respectively. The results indicate that the phenology-based remote sensing inversion method has a good effect on the assessment of CWP in Lixin County.
Spatial–Temporal Distribution and Ecological Risk Assessment of Microplastic Pollution of Inland Fishing Ground in the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand
Authors: Kasamesiri Pattira , Panchan Ruamruedee , Thaimuangphol Wipavee
Published: January 2023

Microplastic pollution has been identified as a potential threat to the aquatic environment and humans globally, with widespread occurrence in ecosystems, including reservoirs that constitute a key role in ecosystem services for humans. However, the evaluation of microplastic pollution in reservoirs is limited, especially in inland fishing ground reservoirs. The spatial and temporal distributions of microplastics in surface water and sediment at 13 stations of the Ubolratana Reservoir, Thailand, were assessed during the wet and dry seasons. The abundance and morphological characteristics of the microplastics were identified and classified by color, shape, size and polymer type. Microplastic abundance in surface water and sediment ranged between 25 and 3363 particles/m3 and 6 and 81 particles/kg, respectively. Seasonal variations impacted microplastic abundance in surface water, while tourism activity in the reservoir also influenced the abundance and morphological characteristics of microplastics. A microplastic risk assessment showed that the pollution load index reached extremely high levels in surface water during the dry season in tourist areas. The results provide a database to assess the risk of microplastic contamination and to monitor plastic pollution in lentic ecosystems, including preserving the health of aquatic habitats.
Spatial Mapping of Groundwater Potentiality Applying Geometric Average and Fractal Models: A Sustainable Approach
Authors: Echogdali Fatima Zahra , Boutaleb Said , Abioui Mohamed , Aadraoui Mohamed , Bendarma Amine , Kpan Rosine Basseu , Ikirri Mustapha , El Mekkaoui Manal , Essoussi Sara , El Ayady Hasna , Abdelrahman Kamal , Fnais Mohammed S.
Published: January 2023

Water scarcity affects all continents, with approximately 1.2 billion people living in areas where water is physically lacking. This scarcity is more accentuated in countries with an arid climate, and its impact becomes more threatening when the economy depends mainly on it. The Kingdom of Morocco, with its agricultural vocation, is one of them, especially in its southern regions. Therefore, mapping areas with high groundwater potential based on available geospatial data allows for optimizing the choice of a future well in such areas. Geometric average and fractal models were used to assess and delineate potential groundwater areas in the Tissent basin, Southeast Morocco. Eight factors, including topography, geology, hydrology, and hydrogeology, influencing the distribution of water resources was used. The formation permeability factor presents the most significant impact among the others, although it is directly related to most of them. The areas located in the central and downstream part of the basin are characterized by a high water potentiality due to increased geological formations’ permeability near the drainage system, which constitutes a recharge zone, and a low slope allowing a prolonged water-formation contact time favoring a gradual infiltration of the water towards the deep aquifers. The groundwater potential map has been edited and validated by comparing it with data from 52 wells scattered throughout the basin. The favorable potential sectors cover 15.81% of the basin’s total area. The moderate ones account for 21.36% while the unfavorable areas cover 62.83%. These results aim to provide policymakers and managers with a guide map for groundwater research and reduce hydrogeological investigation costs.
Plateau Lake Water Quality and Eutrophication: Status and Challenges
Authors: Zhang Hucai , Chen Jingan , Haffner Douglas G.
Published: January 2023

The continuous and widespread deterioration of lake water quality and eutrophication is not only a local problem, but also a global phenomenon [...]
Kénezettnövényolaj-alapú kenőanyag-adalékok alapanyagainak vizsgálata
Authors: Nagy Gábor Zoltán , Lázár Nikoletta , Nagy Roland
Published: January 2023

A berágódásgátló (röviden: EP-) adalékok a kenőanyagokban megtalálható adalékok, amelyeknek célja a kopás csökkentése és a berágódás megakadályozása nagy hőmérsékleten és nyomáson. Hatásmechanizmusukat tekintve kemiszorpcióval hoznak létre a felületen egy filmet, ezáltal a fémszerkezeti anyagok érintkezését meg tudják akadályozni. Legnagyobb mennyiségben az autóiparban és fémmegmunkálási segédanyagokban használják fel ezen adalékokat. Kenőanyagok EP-adalékaként alkalmazhatók kénezett növényi olajok. Az ilyen típusú EP-adalékok előnye a nem növényolaj-alapú EP-adalékokkal szemben, hogy hamumentesek, megújuló forrásból származnak és hulladékként kisebb környezeti terhelést jelentenek. Az EP-adalékként felhasználható növényi olajokkal szemben támasztott kritériumoknak, illetve a gazdaságossági és rendelkezésre állási viszonyokat is figyelembe véve a repceolaj és a szójaolaj felel meg a legjobban.
Novas tecnologias da educação: uma perspectiva na construção do saber e no desenvolvimento da aprendizagem
Authors: Machado Conceição do Socorro Monteiro
Published: January 2023

O estudo incorpora em sua estrutura abordagens sobre a era da informática e o processo educativo com ênfase aos dispositivos digitais e a construção do conhecimento. O objetivo do estudo é caracterizar o processo de educação e a sua conexão com a era virtual com vislumbre à evolução do conhecimento e ao desenvolvimento do ensino-aprendizagem. O percurso metodológico do estudo é de natureza exploratório-descritiva com aporte da pesquisa documental acerca dos sistemas educacionais e visão global da tecnologia digital no contexto da educação, além do amparo da pesquisa bibliográfica aonde a partir dos referenciais que buscou-se como referência para a construção do marco teórico, se pode desenvolver de forma sistematizada os aspectos mais relevantes da literatura acerca do tema em questão. Com o estudo constatou-se a importância da evolução do processo educacional e do ensino-aprendizagem com a inserção dos ambientes virtuais e das novas tecnologias da educação no contexto da construção do conhecimento do aluno além das inúmeras possibilidades da aprendizagem através da interatividade digital.
O movimento da empresa junior Promat na contribuição da aprendizagem de alunos das escolas publicas
Authors: da Silva Gian Carlos , De Freitas Emilly Vicente , Carvalho Guilherme de Bem , Martinello Luiz Otávio
Published: January 2023

O Movimento Empresa Júnior (MEJ) teve seu início na França em meados dos anos 60 e chegou no Brasil, a partir de uma primeira empresa júnior fundada em 1988 pela Fundação Getúlio Vargas – São Paulo. Essas empresas juniores estreitam a distância entre o mercado de trabalho e o ambiente acadêmico e possibilitam aos estudantes a oportunidade de vivenciar e aplicar os conhecimentos teóricos adquiridos durante a graduação. Sua finalidade é contribuir no aprendizado e na capacitação desses estudantes para desenvolver competências empreendedoras e autônomas no intuito de integrar a sociedade (LIMA, CANTAROTTI, 2010);
A estatística nos livros didáticos de matemática dos anos finais do ensino fundamental
Authors: S. Queiroz José Carlos , Dos Santos Viviane Mendonça
Published: January 2023

Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar como o conteúdo de estatística é abordado nos livros didáticos de matemática do 8º ano do Ensino Fundamental. Apresentação bem construída das medidas de tendência central contribui para interpretar e analisar dados e apresentar resultados consistentes e favoráveis à tomada de decisões, nas diferentes áreas do conhecimento. Tais fatos contribuem para uma formação cidadã e crítica. Fundamentados na abordagem da Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC, 2017), da teoria das situações didáticas de Gerard Vergnaud (1996a) e das discussões pautadas pela educação matemática, apresenta-se um arcabouço teórico para sustentar as análises do conteúdo nos livros. A partir da análise qualitativa foram elaborados os critérios metodológicos para subsidiaram a análise de dois livros didáticos de matemática aprovados pelo Programa Nacional do Livro Didático (PNLD, 2020). Observa-se que os conteúdos desta área da matemática são apresentados por meios de problemas contextualizados, porém com vieses distintos, o que acarretará em compreensões distintas da maemática. Em seguida a apresentação formal dos aspectos teóricos fundamentados nos problemas apresentados. Por fim, constatou-se que ambas as obras contemplam alguns parâmetros da BNCC (2017), da teoria dos campos conceituais e os pressupostos da educação estatística. Porém, no que tange ao uso dos tópicos analisados, os livros não trazem uma discussão sobre o uso de um conceito em detrimento do outro.
Methods for semantic processing of unstructured textual information
Authors:   MIREA – Russian Technological University, Ogarok A.L., , Zhavoronkova O.G.
Published: January 2023

Scientific and methodological approaches to the semantic processing of unstructured textual information based on heuristic and neuromathematical approaches are considered. The results of a conceptual analysis of heuristic and neuromathematical methods for the semantic processing of unstructured textual information are presented. The basic provisions for the implementation of a complete linguistic analysis of unstructured textual information based on the complex application of heuristic and neuromathematical approaches are outlined.
About the method of increase of accuracy of measurements characteristics of complexsystems at presence duplicating measuring devices
Authors:   Starovoytov Center of Information Technologies and Systems for Executive Power Authorities, Mikhailov J.B.
Published: January 2023

The method of increase of accuracy of quantitative estimations of characteristics of complex systems is considered at use of duplicating sources of the information.
The сomment to the generalised integration of the information systems’s models
Authors:   Starovoytov Center of  Information Technologies and Systems for Executive Power Authorities, Simonov V.M.
Published: January 2023

in this article the comment to abstract-algebraic results for generalized integration of information systems’s models is stated. The comment has form of solution of generalised integration’s specific problem for two models: the first has congruence’s index 7 and four-operational type, the second – congruence’s index 5 and three-operational type. The availability of commutative chart allows to spend the formal identification of construction’s correctness for final model.