bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adoption of Plant-Based Diets: A Process Perspective on Adopters’ Cognitive Propensity
Authors: Canseco-Lopez Fatima , Miralles Francesc
Published: May 2023

Although there is great interest on the global stage in promoting plant-based diets (PBDs) to achieve some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the results of their adoption are unsatisfactory. Academics propose to entangle this effort by addressing the challenges of dissemination of social innovations (SIs). SIs generate different adoption attitudes, some of them related to socio-psychological aspects on the part of potential adopters. This research work aims to better understand the adoption of SIs, such as PBDs, which may induce socio-psychological concerns in potential adopters. In this sense, this research postulates that current perspectives on the dissemination and adoption of SI offer partial insights into understanding the shift to PBD. To overcome these limitations, a holistic process perspective of the adopter’s decision-making to change diet is derived and proposed. An exploratory, abductive, and theory-building effort has been carried out, based on a cross-analysis of three different adopter profiles, with a total of 69 semi-structured interviews. A new model for a comprehensive understanding from the adopter’s perspective on dietary change is outlined with new socio-psychological insights emerging from the adopter’s viewpoint. Additionally, the new model offers renewed opportunities for practitioners in terms of PBD implementation, usage, and policy.
Waste Not, Want Not: Sustainable Use of Anti-Stripping-Treated Waste Ceramic in Superpave Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Al-Kheetan Mazen J.
Published: May 2023

This research studied the sustainable utilization of waste ceramic in asphalt mixtures by substituting fine aggregate with treated and untreated waste ceramic produced from construction and demolition activities. To improve its adhesion to the asphalt binder and lower the moisture susceptibility of Superpave asphalt mixes, the waste ceramic was treated with a silane anti-stripping agent. The Marshall quotient (MQ), Marshall stability (MS), indirect tensile strength (ITS), retained Marshall stability (RMS), and tensile strength ratio (TSR) were used to assess the mechanical performance and moisture susceptibility of all mixes. The changes in the chemical composition, synergy, physical state, and microstructure of the studied composites were also investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that substituting fine aggregate with 50% silane-treated waste ceramics reduced permanent deformation by 46%. Moreover, integrating silane-treated ceramics reduced asphalt mixture moisture susceptibility, with an RMS value of 87.7% obtained for asphalt containing 75% treated ceramic particles. The application of a silane anti-stripping agent resulted in high adhesion between the ceramic particles and bitumen as well as the production of fewer air voids in the mixes due to the formation of strong CH aromatic linkages, as well as Si-O and Si-O-Si bonds. The possibility of employing waste ceramics in asphalt mixes as a sustainable alternative to virgin aggregates while decreasing environmental impacts and improving resource efficiency is highlighted in this paper.
A Review of Surrogate Safety Measures Uses in Historical Crash Investigations
Authors: Nikolaou Dimitrios , Ziakopoulos Apostolos , Yannis George
Published: May 2023

Historical road crash data are the main indicator for measuring road safety outcomes. Over the past few decades, significant efforts have been made in obtaining and exploiting Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs). SSMs have the potential to provide excellent sustainable road safety indicators and proxy measurements which can complement traditional historical crash analyses or even substitute them. By using SSMs, crash data collection demands can be bypassed and areas can be investigated before crashes occur. Due to such advantages, the objective of the present research is to provide a review of the scientific literature regarding studies exploiting SSMs for historical crash record investigations. Specifically, 34 studies were examined, providing insights on the different types of SSMs collected under real road environment conditions, the way they are collected, their connection with specific road crash types, and the type of the developed statistical models are examined and discussed. Particular focus is also placed on the temporal dimension of the collection period of both SSMs and road crashes. Finally, the overall trends deriving from the reviewed studies are summarized and future research directions are provided.
Spatial-Temporal Evolution of Land Use Change and Eco-Environmental Effects in the Chang-Zhu-Tan Core Area
Authors: Mao Shuzhen , She Jiyun , Zhang Yi
Published: May 2023

In the past 20 years, the integration process of the Chang-Zhu-Tan region has been accelerating, and land use has undergone significant changes. Land use change is a fundamental factor causing changes in the quality of the ecological environment. It is crucial to analyze land use change in the context of rapid urbanization and its impact on the ecological environment to promote sustainable and high-quality regional development. This study takes the Chang-Zhu-Tan core area, which has the highest development and construction intensity, as the study area. Based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, the land use information is extracted using Landsat remote sensing image data and the random forest method. The remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) is constructed to analyze the ecological and environmental effects of land use change based on the spatial and temporal changes of land use types and ecological and environmental quality in the Chang-Zhu-Tan core area from 2000 to 2020. The results show that the most critical land use change in the study area from 2000 to 2020 is mainly the sharp increase in construction land, accompanied by a continuous decrease in forest and cropland. During this period, the eco-environmental quality of the study area showed a declining trend, with significant differences in spatial distribution, generally showing a distribution pattern of suburban counties outperforming central urban areas. In addition, the distribution and changes in land use and ecological environment quality coincide spatially. Different land use types have different impacts on ecological environment quality, with the conversion of forest and cropland to construction land being the main reason for the deterioration of eco-environmental quality in the study area. This study provides a basis for the coordinated development of the ecological environment and social economy in the Chang-Zhu-Tan area.
Slope Runoff Process and Regulation Threshold under the Dual Effects of Rainfall and Vegetation in Loess Hilly and Gully Region
Authors: Zhang Qiufen , Lv Xizhi , Ni Yongxin , Ma Li , Wang Jianwei
Published: May 2023

The rainfall in loess hilly and gully area is concentrated, and mostly comes in the form of rainstorms. The runoff on the slope caused by rainstorms is the main cause of serious soil and water loss in the loess hilly area, and the grassland vegetation has a good inhibitory effect on the runoff on the slope. Therefore, it is of great significance to reveal the role of grassland vegetation in the process of runoff generation, and the mechanisms for controlling soil erosion in this area. In this study, typical grassland slopes in hilly and gully regions of the loess plateau were taken as research objects. Through artificial rainfall in the field, the response rules of the slope rainfall-runoff process to different grass coverage were explored. The results show that: (1) With the increase in rainfall intensity, the inhibitory effect of grassland vegetation on slope runoff decreased, which was mainly reflected in the gradual decrease in runoff rate and runoff coefficient, and the time required to reach stability gradually shortened. (2) Under 60 mm/h rainfall intensity, the sensitivity of runoff coefficient to 31.5% of grass cover change is the lowest, and the cost performance of grass cover with 55% coverage is the highest. (3) Grass coverage inhibited slope runoff by changing the hydraulic characteristics of the slope, but this effect was only obvious in low rainfall intensity and early rainfall. Rainfall in the loess hilly area is characterized by intense rain. The regulating effect of grass cover on slope runoff is not particularly significant under high intensity rainfall. If only considering the regulation of grassland vegetation on slopes, more than 60% grassland coverage is more efficient in inhibiting slope runoff under medium and low intensity rainfall.
Debris Surveys in Three African Cities Demonstrate Influence of Local Clean-Up Efforts
Authors: Reid Tim , Schuyler Qamar , Wilcox Chris , Mofokeng Refilwe , Hardesty Britta Denise
Published: May 2023

Plastic debris is a significant problem aesthetically, environmentally, and across food chains. Hence it is important to increase understanding of the mechanisms of how this debris is distributed and potentially managed, especially in areas such as Africa with relatively large populations and poor infrastructure. Debris can be derived from local sources (such as the resident population) or from further afield via wind or ocean currents. We investigated these by systematically measuring debris density in sites on land and on coastal sites in three regions around Africa (Cape Town, Durban and Mombasa), and compared these between and within regions. We then compared them to simulated flows of debris on currents in the surrounding ocean to hypothesize likely sources of debris. Comparisons of relative quantity and makeup of inland and coastal debris suggested different patterns at different sites. We expected the Agulhas Current (coming from Indian Ocean and east coast Africa) to be a strong source of debris and therefore have a strong effect on the arrival of debris in eastern coastal sites, and the Benguela Current (from the southern Atlantic Ocean) to have a weaker effect. However, the evidence collected here seemed mixed in support of this and was greater in support of debris coming predominantly from local sources.
A Lipidomic Profile of a Sustainable Source of Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Greenshell Mussels™, Perna canaliculus
Authors: Taylor Matthew C. , Roberts Rodney D. , Miller Matthew R.
Published: May 2023

Greenshell mussel (GSM- Perna canaliculus) is the most important aquaculture species in New Zealand and produces one of the most expensive bioactive lipid extracts on the nutraceutical market. There have been numerous studies on the composition of GSM as well as pre-clinical and clinical studies on the efficacy of GSM extracts and foods. With increases in analytical capabilities, lipidomic studies using advanced mass spectral data may provide new insight into the content and activity of the lipidome, the totality of all lipids, of GSM. This study is the first reported characterisation of the GSM lipidome which may disclose important novel information regarding its nutrition, biology, physiology, and epidemiology. This study adds to the traditional lipid analytical outputs with new lipidomic capabilities to interrogate the lipid species differences between tissues rich in oil. We have identified 16 different lipid species in GSM including ceramide aminoethyl phosphonate (CAEP). Many lipid species are differentially expressed between tissues and correlation analysis demonstrates lipid species associated with the digestive gland that may be obtained from food sources, whilst other lipid species are dominant in the mantle or gonad. Linking this new information to the GSM breeding programmes may deliver functional breeding attributes to deliver premium strains for enhanced nutrition and/or extract production.
Modelling and Design of Habitat Features: Will Manufactured Poles Replace Living Trees as Perch Sites for Birds?
Authors: Holland Alexander , Gibbons Philip , Thompson Jason , Roudavski Stanislav
Published: May 2023

The need to support life in degraded landscapes is a pressing challenge of our time. Models from ecology, computing, architecture, and engineering can support the design and construction of habitat features in contexts where human intervention is necessary and urgent. For example, anthropogenic change is causing many arboreal habitats to disappear due to diminishing populations of large old trees. Current management approaches can provide artificial replacements in the shape of poles for perching and boxes for nesting. However, their large-scale long-term impacts are rarely assessed and often unclear. Along with benefits, these structures can result in ecological traps, waste, and pollution. Although computer-aided design and fabrication can provide more sophisticated solutions, limited understanding of tree structures and their use by arboreal wildlife constrain the formulation of clear goals for engineering. In response, this research examines long-term implications at a restoration site that already features a variety of living and manufactured habitat structures. To do so, we build a computational simulation that uses high-fidelity lidar scans of trees in combination with field observations of bird interactions with branches. This simulation models landscape-scale dynamics of habitat supply over hundreds of years. It can account for many types of structures, including trees, snags, and utility poles, irrespective of the processes that led to their availability. We use this understanding of integrated supply to generate quantitative comparisons of design strategies that can inform design decisions in application to arboreal habitats and other modified ecosystems.
Some Stochastic Aspects of Safety Work of Steel Wire Ropes Used in Mining-Shaft Hoists
Authors: Tytko Andrzej , Olszyna Grzegorz , Kocór Grzegorz , Szot Mariusz
Published: May 2023

In most rope transport devices, the used steel wire ropes are replaced with new ones after working for a certain period of time, or after reaching the acceptable level of wear. The operational safety of the entire system depends on the correct diagnosis of the condition of the working wire rope. This is not easy, because the working lives of the ropes are varied, and their wear depends on many factors, including random ones. This article presents three different aspects of the work of steel ropes in mining-shaft hoists. What they have in common is a stochastic approach to interpreting the level of rope wear. The process of progressive wear due to fatigue breaking of wires is presented as the first example. This process is non-linear with a strong upward trend, which, in the final stage, turns into a phase often referred to as “explosive”. The rate at which subsequent wire breaks appear is influenced by numerous random factors, e.g., in the form of different methods and materials from which a given rope is constructed. However, the character of the progressing wear process is most affected by the random distribution of stresses experienced by individual wires and the randomly variable nature of the working environment. The second aspect presented in this article is an attempt to determine the probability of wire breaks of the rope. This was presented on the example of wear of the hoisting rope of a mining-shaft hoist. The last aspect of a stochastic nature, which is discussed in the article, is the issue of separating individual components of this distribution from the multimodal distribution describing the tensile strength of the rope wires, possibly of a normal character. Modern methods of analysis allow such distributions to be assigned to specific structural elements of the wire rope. This gives information about which structural elements of the rope wear faster or unusually and, consequently, determine its strength. This was presented on the basis of the results of strength tests of the wires of the mining-shaft hoist rope, which broke due to excessive corrosion wear of the inner strands. The presented examples explain only a short part of randomness in the description of working ropes, but the intention of the authors is to draw the attention of the personnel responsible for their safe operation to unavoidable random factors.
Bioremediation of Heavy Metals from Industrial Effluents Using Bacillus pakistanensis and Lysinibacillus composti
Authors: Ali Ramzan , Bashir Kashif , Ahmad Saeed , Ullah Amin , Shah Said Farooq , Ali Qurban , Yasmin Humaira , Ahmad Ajaz
Published: May 2023

Aquatic pollution is one of the main problems due to rapid development in industrialization. The remediation of industrial wastewater (IWW) by microorganisms is an environmentally friendly technique. This study was conducted to assess pollution load in IWW and to use Bacillus pakistanensis and Lysinibacillus composti individually and in a consortium for bioremediation. The IWW was obtained from Hayatabad Industrial Estate and evaluated for physicochemical parameters and metal concentration. The pH, color, electrical conductivity (EC), turbidity, temperature, sulfide, fluoride, chloride, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, and total hardness were noted as 6.82, 440 TCU, 1.195 mS/cm, 54.65 mg/L, 26.8 °C, 5.60 mg/L, 3.6 mg/L, 162 mg/L, 85.5 mg/L, 921 mg/L, 232 mg/L, 794 mg/L, 590 mg/L, 395 mg/L, and 985 mg/L, respectively. The metals such as manganese, copper, chromium, cadmium, cobalt, silver, nickel, calcium, magnesium, and lead were also analyzed as 1.23 mg/L, 0.81 mg/L, 2.12 mg/L, 0.18 mg/L, 0.151 mg/L, 0.24 mg/L, 1.12 mg/L, 0.113 mg/L, 14.5 mg/L, and 0.19 mg/L, respectively. A pot experiment was performed for two weeks to evaluate the efficiency of the selected species. The IWW and tap water (control) were treated with selected species, individually and in a consortium. After treatment, a considerable reduction was noted in the color 87.3%, EC 46.5%, turbidity 84.1%, sulfide 87.5%, fluoride 25.0%, chloride 91.3%, BOD 96.4%, COD 86.5%, TSS 90%, TDS 45.0%, Ca hardness 42.3%, Mg hardness 77.2%, and total hardness 52.2%. After the experiment, samples of water were also analyzed for metal concentrations by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The selected species removed 99.3% of Mn, 99.6% of Cu, 97.8% of Cr, 94.4% of Cd, 46.3% of Co, 85.1% of Ag, 88.4% of Ni, 98.8% of Ca, 91.5% of Mg, and 90.5% of Pb. The t-test analysis showed that the treatment with the selected species significantly decreased the metal concentrations in the IWW (p ≤ 0.05).
Prediction of Sodium Hazard of Irrigation Purpose using Artificial Neural Network Modelling
Authors: Gautam Vinay Kumar , Pande Chaitanya B. , Moharir Kanak N. , Varade Abhay M. , Rane Nitin Liladhar , Egbueri Johnbosco C. , Alshehri Fahad
Published: May 2023

The present study was carried out using artificial neural network (ANN) model for predicting the sodium hazardness, i.e., sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), percent sodium (%Na) residual, Kelly’s ratio (KR), and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) in the groundwater of the Pratapgarh district of Southern Rajasthan, India. This study focuses on verifying the suitability of water for irrigational purpose, wherein more groundwater decline coupled with water quality problems compared to the other areas are observed. The southern part of the Rajasthan State is more populated as compared to the rest of the parts. The southern part of the Rajasthan is more populated as compared to the rest of the Rajasthan, which leads to the industrialization, urbanization, and evolutionary changes in the agricultural production in the southern region. Therefore, it is necessary to propose innovative methods for analyzing and predicting the water quality (WQ) for agricultural use. The study aims to develop an optimized artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the sodium hazardness of groundwater for irrigation purposes. The ANN model was developed using ‘nntool’ in MATLAB software. The ANN model was trained and validated for ten years (2010–2020) of water quality data. An L-M 3-layer back propagation technique was adopted in ANN architecture to develop a reliable and accurate model for predicting the suitability of groundwater for irrigation. Furthermore, statistical performance indicators, such as RMSE, IA, R, and MBE, were used to check the consistency of ANN prediction results. The developed ANN model, i.e., ANN4 (3-12-1), ANN4 (4-15-1), ANN1 (4-5-1), and ANN4 (3-12-1), were found best suited for SAR, %Na, RSC, and KR water quality indicators for the Pratapgarh district. The performance analysis of the developed model (3-12-1) led to a correlation coefficient = 1, IA = 1, RMS = 0.14, and MBE = 0.0050. Hence, the proposed model provides a satisfactory match to the empirically generated datasets in the observed wells. This development of water quality modeling using an ANN model may help to useful for the planning of sustainable management and groundwater resources with crop suitability plans as per water quality.
Fiscal Expenditure on Sports and Regional Carbon Emissions: Evidence from China
Authors: Xi Muwei , Wang Dingqing , Xiang Ye
Published: May 2023

Due to the problems of economic structure and the ways of industrial development, many countries have accumulated many ecological problems in the process of economic development, especially the increase in carbon emissions, the greenhouse effect, and the emergence of a series of problems, which makes the global ecosystem suffer severe challenges. Achieving green sustainable development has become a strategic development arrangement for all countries, and as the sports economy is closely linked to regional green development, it has become an important channel to influence regional green development by promoting sports development. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper empirically analyzes and tests the impact of government fiscal support for sports on regional carbon emissions and its mechanisms based on provincial panel data using baseline regressions, a mediated effects model, and a threshold model. We argue that the development of green and healthy sports can have a significant impact on regional green development and that government fiscal support for sports plays an important role in this process. We found that government fiscal support for sports can significantly reduce regional carbon emissions and thus promote regional green development. From the perspective of mechanism analysis, the government’s fiscal support for sports leads to the orderly development of the sports industry and its associated industries, which improves the rationalization of the regional industrial structure and thus reduces regional carbon emissions. Moreover, as the carbon productivity of the region continues to rise, the impact of fiscal support for sports on regional low-carbon development gradually deepens. This paper confirms the important role of the government’s emphasis on sports development in the process of achieving carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, verifies the mediating effect of industrial structure rationalization, and further quantifies the correlation through the threshold effect, extending the study of the influencing factors affecting regional carbon emissions.
Effects of Individualism, Collectivism, Materialism, and Willingness to Pay for Environmental Protection on Environmental Consciousness and Pro-Environmental Consumption Behavior in Korea
Authors: Cho So Yeon , Jung Joowon
Published: May 2023

Environmental consciousness is linked to pro-environmental consumption behavior; however, the consequences of variations in the level of environmental consciousness have not been fully investigated. Therefore, we evaluated differences in individualism, collectivism, materialism, willingness to pay (WTP) for environmental protection, and pro-environmental consumption between groups with varying levels of environmental consciousness. After evaluating the factors that differentiate these groups, we identified the determinants of pro-environmental consumption for each group. For the study, an online survey was conducted, including 472 adults aged 20–69 years. Groups with low and high levels of environmental consciousness differed significantly with respect to all factors except individualism. The group with a high environmental consciousness exhibited higher collectivism, WTP for environmental protection, and pro-environmental consumption behavior, and lower materialism than the group with a low environmental consciousness. For the group with low environmental consciousness, collectivism was the main factor affecting pro-environmental consumption behavior (i.e., purchase, use, and disposal). In the group with high environmental consciousness, WTP for environmental protection and collectivism were the main determinants of pro-environmental consumption behavior. These results provide a basis for a systematic approach to improve pro-environmental consumption behavior based on environmental consciousness.
Chemical, Anatomical, and Productivity Responses of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) to Integrated Biofertilizer Applications with PGPR, Cyanobacteria, and Yeast
Authors: Omer Rihab M. , Hewait Heba M. , Mady Emad , Yousif Sawsan K. M. , Gashash Ebtesam A. , Randhir Reena , Ashmawi Ashmawi E. , El-Taher Ahmed M. , Al-Harbi Nadi A. , Randhir Timothy O.
Published: May 2023

Integrated biofertilizers such as Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs), cyanobacteria, and yeast can considerably improve the growth, integrity, and overall health of crops, including cowpea. In this study, we assess the benefits of applying microbial fertilizers as an eco-friendly approach to partially substitute chemical fertilizers while maintaining growth and yield characteristics in cowpea plants. We investigated the role of the three microorganisms, Bacillus amyloliquefacien (B), Nostoc mucorum (C), and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Y), individually and in four possible combinations (B + C, B + Y, C + Y, and B + C + Y) as integrated bio-fertilizers on the microbial enzyme activities, plant growth parameters, and yield characteristics of cowpea. Plants inoculated with B + C + Y mixture resulted in significant improvement in dehydrogenase enzyme activity by 390%, chlorophyll by 180%, plant dry weight by 130%, and in the pod length and dry weight by 68% and 190%, respectively, compared to non-inoculated plants. The grain total carbohydrates increased by 170% over the control due to treatment with B + C + Y. The B + C + Y treatment also positively influenced the anatomy of the terminal leaflet with a 16.6% higher thickness of the midrib zone, 22.6% increase in vascular bundle length, and 42.4% and 33.5% increases in upper and lower epidermal leaf layers, respectively. Additionally, palisade and spongy tissues increased by 36.9% and 26.5%, respectively, compared to the control. An integrated nutrient management program using biofertilizers is recommended for achieving higher yields and environmentally safe cowpea production.
Scheduling and Controlling Production in an Internet of Things Environment for Industry 4.0: An Analysis and Systematic Review of Scientific Metrological Data
Authors: Tan Lingye , Kong Tiong Lee , Zhang Ziyang , Metwally Ahmed Sayed M. , Sharma Shubham , Sharma Kanta Prasad , Eldin Sayed M. , Zimon Dominik
Published: May 2023

To review the present scenario of the research on the scheduling and control of the production process in the manufacturing industry, this comprehensive article has extensively examined this field’s hotspots, boundaries, and overall evolutionary trajectory. This paper’s primary goal is to visualize and conduct an organized review of 5052 papers and reviews that were published between 2002 and 2022. To reveal the “social, conceptual, and conceptual framework” of the production area, identify key factors and research areas, highlight major specialties and emerging trends, and conduct research, countries, institutions, literature keywords, etc., are all used. Additionally, research methodologies are always being improved. The aim of this work is to explore more references for research implementation by analyzing and classifying the present research status, research hotspots, and potential future trends in this field of research.
Modelling Climate Using Leaves of Nothofagus cunninghamii—Overcoming Confounding Factors
Authors: Hill Kathryn E. , Brown Stuart C. , Jones Alice , Fordham Damien , Hill Robert S.
Published: May 2023

Fossil leaf anatomy has previously been used as a proxy for paleoclimate. However, the exposure of leaves to sun or shade during their growth can lead to morphotype differences that confound the interpretation of fossil leaf anatomy in relation to climate and prevent reliable paleoclimate reconstruction. This work aims to model the differences in leaf anatomy that are due to various climatic drivers and differences attributable to sun or shade positions, using Nothofagus cunninghamii as the model species. Leaves from the sun and shade parts of three trees have been sampled from each of 11 sites in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. The gross morphological and cuticular features have been scored and modelled with climate data from the sites. Random forest models can accurately predict Nothofagus cunninghamii contemporary climatic conditions of the spring temperature and summer rainfall based on leaf anatomical measurements. Leaf area, stomatal density and epidermal cell density are the most accurate predictors of whether a leaf grew in the sun or shade. Leaf area is also the strongest predictor of the maximum and minimum spring temperatures and rainfall. The models have implications for the use of fossilised leaves in paleoclimate reconstruction. The models we have built can be used to effectively predict whether a fossil leaf was from a sun or shade position on the tree and thus enable more reliable inference of paleoclimate by removing the confounding issues of variable leaf anatomy due to sun exposure during growth. Finally, these models could conceivably be used to make predictions of past paleoclimatic conditions provided suitable training and validation data on climatic conditions are available.
Integrating OCBE Literature and Norm Activation Theory: A Moderated Mediation on Proenvironmental Behavior of Employees
Authors: Ostertag Felix
Published: May 2023

Research lacks a solid understanding of the relational patterns between intrapersonal and organizational determinants to promote proenvironmental behavior. In this study, I investigated the effects of employees’ intrapersonal and perceived organizational determinants on voluntary proenvironmental behavior of employees (VPBE) from an integrative moral perspective. While primarily building on insights from norm activation theory and research on organizational citizenship behavior for the environment (OCBE), I developed a framework and empirically analyzed how interactions between ascriptions of environmental responsibility, perceptions of proenvironmental work climates, and affective organizational commitment influence VPBE. The findings show that even employees (in this study: student workforce) with little sense of responsibility towards nature can be subtly encouraged to practice VPBE. I discuss the findings against the backdrop of integrated and introjected norms and provide managerial advice. The study contributes to a theoretical broadening of the norm activation theory in workplace contexts and advances our knowledge of conditional effects and normative mechanisms underlying VPBE.
Stability Analysis of the Tailings Dam for the Purpose of Closing, Greening, and Ensuring Its Safety—Study Case
Authors: Toderaș Mihaela , Florea Vlad Alexandru , Itu Răzvan Bogdan
Published: May 2023

Tailings dams are special constructions that are part of a complex of works related to the installations for preparing mining masses. These constructions play a role in the mechanical treatment of wastewater and the safe storage of sterile material resulting from ore processing. The closing and greening of tailings dams is achieved taking into account the general stability of the pond and its related constructions, as well as the integration into the surrounding environment of the surfaces occupied by mining waste deposits (tailings dams). This study presents the results of the hydrogeotechnical and stability study carried out on the Gura Roşiei tailings dam location. This analysis aims to evaluate the stability degree of the three compartments that comprise the tailings deposit in order to carry out the closing and greening works of the tailings dam, and to conclude whether the idea of raising them by 1.5–2 m with tailings is feasible. This study was based on field observations, geotechnical drilling, and physical–chemical analyses of the collected samples. Due to the shallow depth, the drilling could not highlight a hydrostatic level except for the areas with excess humidity, areas represented by certain lenticular intercalations of sandy dust that yield water very slowly. These areas are not continuous and cannot define a reference hydrostatic level. All situations were analyzed by four different methods that satisfy the static equilibrium of forces or moments (Bishop and Janbu) or simultaneously of forces and moments (Spencer and Morgenstern–Price). From the point of view of the stability calculations performed in the hypothesis in which the three ponds become active for the storage of tailings, assuming a corresponding piezometric level, the resulting safety factors are relatively close to the standard values (Fs ≥ 1.4) for the static analysis, and in seismic conditions, they are at the limit of equilibrium. The NE slope of pond No. 2 shows values below the standard safety limit for this type of work. Moreover, tailings dam No. 3 presented from the calculations as being totally inadequate for the elevation. From the obtained results, it was found that the location formed by the three compartments that comprise the Gura Roşiei tailings dam presents major disadvantages for a future storage of flotation tailings, being at the same time an imminent danger to the environment. Due to its reduced capacity to release water from its pores, the settled material is still in a saturated state, and it is assumed that the foundation land, comprised of the terrace deposits of the Abrudel River, is clogged at the interface with the settled material and unable to naturally drain the excess moisture from the dam’s body.
A High-Reliable Wireless Sensor Network Coverage Scheme in Substations for the Power Internet of Things
Authors: Lin Yiteng , Zhou Tao , Wang Zekai
Published: May 2023

With the construction of the Power Internet of Things (PIoT) in full swing as well as the development of wireless communication technology, the deployment of wireless sensor networks is the key to the intelligent transformation of power systems. This paper proposes an asymmetric double-layer wireless sensor network coverage scheme for the intelligent substation. We conducted field measurements in the substation to record the received power at different locations, which were compared with the prediction results of the simulation model established by Winprop to verify the effectiveness of the simulation method. Based on the simulation platform, two different simulation models of substation scenarios are built, including a 220 kV outdoor substation and a 110 kV GIS room. The coverage of received power and line-of-sight (LOS) transmission are analyzed for various nodes of different layers. Several node distribution planning methods are proposed and proven to be feasible according to the simulation results. The wireless coverage scheme can provide useful references for the implementation of PIoT in substations.
On Several Results Associated with the Apéry-like Series
Authors: Jayarama Prathima , Lim Dongkyu , Rathie Arjun K.
Published: May 2023

In 1979, Apéry proved the irrationality of ζ(2) and ζ(3). Since then, there has been much research interest in investigating the Apéry-like series for values of Riemann zeta function, Ramanujan-like series for π and other infinite series involving central binomial coefficients. The purpose of this work is to present the first 20 results related to the Apéry-like series in the form of 4 lemmas, each containing 5 results. The Sherman’s results are applied to attain this. Thereafter, these 20 results are further used to establish up to 104 results pertaining to the Apéry-like series in the form of 4 theorems, with 26 results each. These findings are finally been described in terms of the generalized hypergeometric functions. Symmetry occurs naturally in the generalized hypergeometric functions.
A Genetic Algorithm-Based Virtual Machine Allocation Policy for Load Balancing Using Actual Asymmetric Workload Traces
Authors: Naz Insha , Naaz Sameena , Agarwal Parul , Alankar Bhavya , Siddiqui Farheen , Ali Javed
Published: May 2023

Load balancing is a very important concept in cloud computing. In this work, studies are conducted on workload traces at Los Alamos National Lab (LANL). The jobs in this trace are asymmetric in nature as most of them have small time limit. Two hybrid algorithms, a Genetic Algorithm combined with First Come First Serve (GA_FCFS) and Genetic Algorithm combined with Round Robin (GA_RR), are proposed here. The results obtained are compared with the existing First Come First Serve (FCFS), Round Robin (RR) and Genetic Algorithm (GA). Makespan and Resource Utilization are used for the comparison of results. In terms of Makespan, it is observed that GA_RR outperforms the other methods for all the batch sizes. Although the performance of GA_FCFS is much better than that of the other three well-established algorithms FCFS, RR and GA, it is still worse than that of the GA_RR algorithm for all the cases. GA_RR performs best in terms of Resource Utilization also and GA_FCFS is a close competitor. Overall, GA_RR outperforms all the other algorithms.
Rural Culinary Tourism in Southern Europe: Emerging Educational Needs of a Growing Sector
Authors: Fontefrancesco Michele Filippo , Boscolo Amedeo , Zocchi Dauro Mattia
Published: May 2023

Rural culinary tourism is a growing sector in European tourism and is a key resource for rural development, in particular in Southern Europe. The boom of the sector that followed the COVID-19 pandemic, however, poses important questions concerning the actual capacity of local actors to grasp this opportunity. The paper investigates the main trends in rural tourism in Southern Europe and the specific educational needs entrepreneurs express based on extensive research conducted in seven Southern European countries (France, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey) within the Erasmus + project “The European Network for the Promotion of Culinary and Proximity Tourism in Rural Areas” in 2022. Specifically, the research was conducted through focus group discussions with professionals and stakeholders of the project carried out in the target countries involving 76 respondents. Based on the data collected, this paper indicates a way forward for the new gastronomes to understand this sector and invest their professionality in it.
Multiplexed Host-Induced Gene Silencing of Aspergillus flavus Genes Confers Aflatoxin Resistance in Groundnut
Authors: Prasad Kalyani , Yogendra Kalenahalli , Sanivarapu Hemalatha , Rajasekaran Kanniah , Cary Jeffrey W. , Sharma Kiran K. , Bhatnagar-Mathur Pooja
Published: May 2023

Aflatoxins are immunosuppressive and carcinogenic secondary metabolites, produced by the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus flavus, that are hazardous to animal and human health. In this study, we show that multiplexed host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) of Aspergillus flavus genes essential for fungal sporulation and aflatoxin production (nsdC, veA, aflR, and aflM) confers enhanced resistance to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin contamination in groundnut (<20 ppb). Comparative proteomic analysis of contrasting groundnut genotypes (WT and near-isogenic HIGS lines) supported a better understanding of the molecular processes underlying the induced resistance and identified several groundnut metabolites that might play a significant role in resistance to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin contamination. Fungal differentiation and pathogenicity proteins, including calmodulin, transcriptional activator-HacA, kynurenine 3-monooxygenase 2, VeA, VelC, and several aflatoxin pathway biosynthetic enzymes, were downregulated in Aspergillus infecting the HIGS lines. Additionally, in the resistant HIGS lines, a number of host resistance proteins associated with fatty acid metabolism were strongly induced, including phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase, lysophosphatidic acyltransferase-5, palmitoyl-monogalactosyldiacylglycerol Δ-7 desaturase, ceramide kinase-related protein, sphingolipid Δ-8 desaturase, and phospholipase-D. Combined, this knowledge can be used for groundnut pre-breeding and breeding programs to provide a safe and secure food supply.
The Elasticity of the Neutron Star Mantle: The Improved Compressible Liquid Drop Model for Cylindrical Phases
Authors: Zemlyakov Nikita A. , Chugunov Andrey I.
Published: May 2023

Neutron stars are the densest objects in the Universe. They have a microscopically homogeneous core and heterogeneous crust. In particular, there may be a specific layer inside neutron stars, the mantle, which consists of substantially non-spherical nuclei immersed in a background of relativistic degenerate electrons and quasi-free neutrons. In this paper, we reconsider the transverse shear modulus for cylindrical phases of the mantle within the framework of the compressible liquid drop model. We demonstrate that transverse shearing affects the shape of nuclear clusters: their cross-section becomes elliptical. This effect reduces the respective elastic constant. Using a simple model, we perform all derivations analytically and obtain the expression for the transverse shear modulus, which can be useful for astrophysical applications.
Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 Virus Aggravates Pathology of Blood Vessels in Wistar Rats with Premorbid Acute Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Marchenko Vladimir , Zelinskaya Irina , Toropova Yana , Podyacheva Ekaterina , Martynov Mikhail , Mukhametdinova Daria , Lioznov Dmitry , Zhilinskaya Irina N.
Published: May 2023

Influenza virus can infect the vascular endothelium and cause endothelial dysfunction. Persons at higher risk for severe influenza are patients with acute and chronic cardiovascular disorders; however, the mechanism of influenza-induced cardiovascular system alteration remains not fully understood. The aim of the study was to assess the functional activity of mesenteric blood vessels of Wistar rats with premorbid acute cardiomyopathy infected with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. For this, we determined (1) the vasomotor activity of mesenteric blood vessels of Wistar rats using wire myography, (2) the level of expression of three endothelial factors: endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in the endothelium of mesenteric blood vessels using immunohistochemistry, and (3) the concentration of PAI-1 and tPA in the blood plasma using ELISA. Acute cardiomyopathy in animals was induced by doxorubicin (DOX) following infection with rat-adapted Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus. The functional activity of mesenteric blood vessels was analyzed at 24 and 96 h post infection (hpi). Thus, the maximal response of mesenteric arteries to both vasoconstrictor and vasodilator at 24 and 96 hpi was significantly decreased compared with control. Expression of eNOS in the mesenteric vascular endothelium was modulated at 24 and 96 hpi. PAI-1 expression increased 3.47-fold at 96 hpi, while the concentration of PAI-1 in the blood plasma increased 6.43-fold at 24 hpi compared with control. The tPA concentration in plasma was also modulated at 24 hpi and 96 hpi. The obtained data indicate that influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus aggravates the course of premorbid acute cardiomyopathy in Wistar rats, causing pronounced dysregulation of endothelial factor expression and vasomotor activity impairment of mesenteric arteries.
Functional Profiling and Evolutionary Analysis of a Marine Microalgal Virus Pangenome
Authors: Lobb Briallen , Shapter Anson , Doxey Andrew C. , Nissimov Jozef I.
Published: May 2023

Phycodnaviridae are large double-stranded DNA viruses, which facilitate studies of host–virus interactions and co-evolution due to their prominence in algal infection and their role in the life cycle of algal blooms. However, the genomic interpretation of these viruses is hampered by a lack of functional information, stemming from the surprising number of hypothetical genes of unknown function. It is also unclear how many of these genes are widely shared within the clade. Using one of the most extensively characterized genera, Coccolithovirus, as a case study, we combined pangenome analysis, multiple functional annotation tools, AlphaFold structural modeling, and literature analysis to compare the core and accessory pangenome and assess support for novel functional predictions. We determined that the Coccolithovirus pangenome shares 30% of its genes with all 14 strains, making up the core. Notably, 34% of its genes were found in at most three strains. Core genes were enriched in early expression based on a transcriptomic dataset of Coccolithovirus EhV-201 algal infection, were more likely to be similar to host proteins than the non-core set, and were more likely to be involved in vital functions such as replication, recombination, and repair. In addition, we generated and collated annotations for the EhV representative EhV-86 from 12 different annotation sources, building up information for 142 previously hypothetical and putative membrane proteins. AlphaFold was further able to predict structures for 204 EhV-86 proteins with a modelling accuracy of good–high. These functional clues, combined with generated AlphaFold structures, provide a foundational framework for the future characterization of this model genus (and other giant viruses) and a further look into the evolution of the Coccolithovirus proteome.
The Impact of COVID-19 on People Living with HIV-1 and HIV-1-Associated Neurological Complications
Authors: Dutta Debashis , Liu Jianuo , Xiong Huangui
Published: May 2023

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative pathogen of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a fatal respiratory illness. The associated risk factors for COVID-19 are old age and medical comorbidities. In the current combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) era, a significant portion of people living with HIV-1 (PLWH) with controlled viremia is older and with comorbidities, making these people vulnerable to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-associated severe outcomes. Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 is neurotropic and causes neurological complications, resulting in a health burden and an adverse impact on PLWH and exacerbating HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity on neuroinflammation, the development of HAND and preexisting HAND is poorly explored. In the present review, we compiled the current knowledge of differences and similarities between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1, the conditions of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 and HIV-1/AIDS syndemic and their impact on the central nervous system (CNS). Risk factors of COVID-19 on PLWH and neurological manifestations, inflammatory mechanisms leading to the neurological syndrome, the development of HAND, and its influence on preexisting HAND are also discussed. Finally, we have reviewed the challenges of the present syndemic on the world population, with a particular emphasis on PLWH.