bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring Medicine Use: Applying ATC/DDD Methodology to Real-World Data
Authors: Hollingworth Samantha , Kairuz Therése
Published: March 2021

Medicines are essential for the treatment of acute, communicable, and non-communicable diseases. The World Health Organization developed a toolkit for drug (medicine) utilization studies to assist in reviewing and evaluating the prescribing, dispensing, and use of medicines. There is a growing need for rigorous studies of medicine use in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) using standard approaches, especially in the context of universal health coverage. This commentary provides a succinct summary of how to use the WHO anatomical therapeutic chemical (ATC)/defined daily dose (DDD) methodology in pharmacoepidemiological studies, with a focus on LMIC contexts. We drew on information from WHO resources and published literature, citing examples and case studies. We encourage readers to publish their drug utilization studies, although we caution about predatory journals. We recommend the use of the RECORD-PE initiative which focuses on methods for doing pharmacoepidemiological research and evaluating the quality of published papers.
Analysis of Near-Cloud Changes in Atmospheric Aerosols Using Satellite Observations and Global Model Simulations
Authors: Várnai Tamás , Marshak Alexander
Published: March 2021

This paper examines cloud-related variations of atmospheric aerosols that occur in partly cloudy regions containing low-altitude clouds. The goal is to better understand aerosol behaviors and to help better represent the radiative effects of aerosols on climate. For this, the paper presents a statistical analysis of a multi-month global dataset that combines data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) satellite instruments with data from the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2) global reanalysis. Among other findings, the results reveal that near-cloud enhancements in lidar backscatter (closely related to aerosol optical depth) are larger (1) over land than ocean by 35%, (2) near optically thicker clouds by substantial amounts, (3) for sea salt than for other aerosol types, with the difference from dust reaching 50%. Finally, the study found that mean lidar backscatter is higher near clouds not because of large-scale variations in meteorological conditions, but because of local processes associated with individual clouds. The results help improve our understanding of aerosol-cloud-radiation interactions and our ability to represent them in climate models and other atmospheric models.
Validation of GRACE and GRACE-FO Mascon Data for the Study of Polar Motion Excitation
Authors: Śliwińska Justyna , Wińska Małgorzata , Nastula Jolanta
Published: March 2021

In this study, we calculate the hydrological plus cryospheric excitation of polar motion (hydrological plus cryospheric angular momentum, HAM/CAM) using mascon solutions based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) missions. We compare and evaluate HAM/CAM computed from GRACE and GRACE-FO mascon data provided by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), the Center for Space Research (CSR), and the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). A comparison with HAM obtained from the Land Surface Discharge Model is also provided. An analysis of HAM/CAM and HAM is performed for overall variability, trends, and seasonal and non-seasonal variations. The HAM/CAM and HAM estimates are validated using the geodetic residual time series (GAO), which is an estimation of the hydrological plus cryospheric signal in geodetically observed polar motion excitation. In general, all mascon datasets are found to be equally suitable for the determination of overall, seasonal, and non-seasonal HAM/CAM oscillations, but some differences in trends remain. The use of an ellipsoidal correction, implemented in the newest solution from CSR, does not noticeably affect the consistency between HAM/CAM and GAO. Analysis of the data from the first two years of the GRACE-FO mission indicates that the current accuracy of HAM/CAM from GRACE-FO mascon data meets expectations, and the root mean square deviation of HAM/CAM components are between 5 and 6 milliarcseconds. The findings from this study can be helpful in assessing the role of satellite gravimetry in polar motion studies and may contribute towards future improvements to GRACE-FO data processing.
Measuring the Impact of Natural Hazards with Citizen Science: The Case of Flooded Area Estimation Using Twitter
Authors: Bruneau Pierrick , Brangbour Etienne , Marchand-Maillet Stéphane , Hostache Renaud , Chini Marco , Pelich Ramona-Maria , Matgen Patrick , Tamisier Thomas
Published: March 2021

Twitter has significant potential as a source of Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), as its content is updated at high frequency, with high availability thanks to dedicated interfaces. However, the diversity of content types and the low average accuracy of geographic information attached to individual tweets remain obstacles in this context. The contributions in this paper relate to the general goal of extracting actionable information regarding the impact of natural hazards on a specific region from social platforms, such as Twitter. Specifically, our contributions describe the construction of a model classifying whether given spatio-temporal coordinates, materialized by raster cells in a remote sensing context, lie in a flooded area. For training, remotely sensed data are used as the target variable, and the input covariates are built on the sole basis of textual and spatial data extracted from a Twitter corpus. Our contributions enable the use of trained models for arbitrary new Twitter corpora collected for the same region, but at different times, allowing for the construction of a flooded area measurement proxy available at a higher temporal frequency. Experimental validation uses true data that were collected during Hurricane Harvey, which caused significant flooding in the Houston urban area between mid-August and mid-September 2017. Our experimental section compares several spatial information extraction methods, as well as various textual representation and aggregation techniques, which were applied to the collected Twitter data. The best configuration yields a F1 score of 0.425, boosted to 0.834 if restricted to the 10% most confident predictions.
Long-Term Dynamics of Different Surface Water Body Types and Their Possible Driving Factors in China
Authors: Yu Bowei , Cui Baoshan , Zang Yongge , Wu Chunsheng , Zhao Zhonghe , Wang Youxiao
Published: March 2021

Various surface water bodies, such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs, provide water and essential services to human society. However, the long-term spatiotemporal dynamics of different types of surface water bodies and their possible driving factors over large areas remain very limited. Here, we used unprecedented surface water data layers derived from all available Landsat images and further developed two databases on China’s lakes and reservoirs larger than 1 km2 to document and understand the characteristics of changes in different water body types during 2000 to 2019 in China. Our results show that China is dominated by permanent water bodies. The areas of permanent and seasonal water bodies in China increased by 16,631.02 km2 (16.72%) and 16,994.95 km2 (25.14%), respectively, between 2000 and 2019, with permanent and seasonal water bodies exhibiting divergent spatial variations. Lakes and artificial reservoirs larger than 1 km2, which collectively represent a significant proportion of the permanent water bodies in China, displayed net increases of 6884.52 km2 (10.71%) and 4075.13 km2 (36.10%), respectively, from 2000 to 2019; these increases accounted for 41.40% and 24.50%, respectively, of the total permanent water body increment. The expanding lakes were mainly distributed on the Tibetan Plateau, whereas the rapidly growing reservoirs were mainly located on the Northeast Plain and Eastern Plain. Statistical analyses indicated that artificial reservoirs were an important factor controlling both permanent and seasonal water body changes in most of provinces. Climate factors, such as precipitation and temperature, were the main influencing factors affecting the changes in different water bodies in the sparsely populated Tibetan Plateau.
Design and Validation of Computerized Flight-Testing Systems with Controlled Atmosphere for Studying Flight Behavior of Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier)
Authors: Mohammed Maged , El-Shafie Hamadttu , Alqahtani Nashi
Published: March 2021

Understanding the flight characteristics of insect pests is essential for designing effective strategies and programs for their management. In this study, we designed, constructed, and validated the performance of modern flight-testing systems (flight mill and flight tunnel) for studying the flight behavior of red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) under a controlled atmosphere. The flight-testing mill consisted of a flight mill, a testing chamber with an automatically controlled microclimate, and a data logging and processing unit. The data logging and processing unit consisted of a USB digital oscilloscope connected with a laptop. We used MATLAB 2020A to implement a graphical user interface (GUI) for real-time sampling and data processing. The flight-testing tunnel was fitted with a horizontal video camera to photograph the insects during flight. The program of Image-Pro plus V 10.0.8 was used for image processing and numerical data analysis to determine weevil tracking. The mean flight speed of RPW was 82.12 ± 8.5 m/min, and the RPW stopped flying at the temperature of 20 °C. The RPW flight speed in the flight tunnel was slightly higher than that on the flight mill. The angular deceleration was 0.797 rad/s2, and the centripetal force was 0.0203 N when a RPW tethered to the end of the rotating arm. The calculated moment of inertia of the RPW mass and the flight mill’s rotating components was 9.521 × 10−3 N m2. The minimum thrust force needed to rotate the flight mill was 1.98 × 10−3 N. Therefore, the minimum power required to rotate the flight mill with the mean revolution per min of 58.02 rpm was approximately 2.589 × 10−3 W. The designed flight-testing systems and their applied software proved productive and useful tools in unveiling essential flight characteristics of test insects in the laboratory.
Efficient Reject Options for Particle Filter Object Tracking in Medical Applications
Authors: Kummert Johannes , Schulz Alexander , Redick Tim , Ayoub Nassim , Modabber Ali , Abel Dirk , Hammer Barbara
Published: March 2021

Reliable object tracking that is based on video data constitutes an important challenge in diverse areas, including, among others, assisted surgery. Particle filtering offers a state-of-the-art technology for this challenge. Becaise a particle filter is based on a probabilistic model, it provides explicit likelihood values; in theory, the question of whether an object is reliably tracked can be addressed based on these values, provided that the estimates are correct. In this contribution, we investigate the question of whether these likelihood values are suitable for deciding whether the tracked object has been lost. An immediate strategy uses a simple threshold value to reject settings with a likelihood that is too small. We show in an application from the medical domain—object tracking in assisted surgery in the domain of Robotic Osteotomies—that this simple threshold strategy does not provide a reliable reject option for object tracking, in particular if different settings are considered. However, it is possible to develop reliable and flexible machine learning models that predict a reject based on diverse quantities that are computed by the particle filter. Modeling the task in the form of a regression enables a flexible handling of different demands on the tracking accuracy; modeling the challenge as an ensemble of classification tasks yet surpasses the results, while offering the same flexibility.
Using the Negative Soil Adjustment Factor of Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) to Resist Saturation Effects and Estimate Leaf Area Index (LAI) in Dense Vegetation Areas
Authors: Zhen Zhijun , Chen Shengbo , Yin Tiangang , Chavanon Eric , Lauret Nicolas , Guilleux Jordan , Henke Michael , Qin Wenhan , Cao Lisai , Li Jian , Lu Peng , Gastellu-Etchegorry Jean-Philippe
Published: March 2021

Saturation effects limit the application of vegetation indices (VIs) in dense vegetation areas. The possibility to mitigate them by adopting a negative soil adjustment factor X is addressed. Two leaf area index (LAI) data sets are analyzed using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) for validation. The first one is derived from observations of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) from 16 April 2013, to 21 October 2020, in the Apiacás area. Its corresponding VIs are calculated from a combination of Sentinel-2 and Landsat-8 surface reflectance products. The second one is a global LAI dataset with VIs calculated from Landsat-5 surface reflectance products. A linear regression model is applied to both datasets to evaluate four VIs that are commonly used to estimate LAI: normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), transformed SAVI (TSAVI), and enhanced vegetation index (EVI). The optimal soil adjustment factor of SAVI for LAI estimation is determined using an exhaustive search. The Dickey-Fuller test indicates that the time series of LAI data are stable with a confidence level of 99%. The linear regression results stress significant saturation effects in all VIs. Finally, the exhaustive searching results show that a negative soil adjustment factor of SAVI can mitigate the SAVIs’ saturation in the Apiacás area (i.e., X = −0.148 for mean LAI = 5.35), and more generally in areas with large LAI values (e.g., X = −0.183 for mean LAI = 6.72). Our study further confirms that the lower boundary of the soil adjustment factor can be negative and that using a negative soil adjustment factor improves the computation of time series of LAI.
Quantifying Circadian Aspects of Mobility-Related Behavior in Older Adults by Body-Worn Sensors—An “Active Period Analysis”
Authors: Fleiner Tim , Trumpf Rieke , Hollinger Anna , Haussermann Peter , Zijlstra Wiebren
Published: March 2021

Disruptions of circadian motor behavior cause a significant burden for older adults as well as their caregivers and often lead to institutionalization. This cross-sectional study investigates the association between mobility-related behavior and subjectively rated circadian chronotypes in healthy older adults. The physical activity of 81 community-dwelling older adults was measured over seven consecutive days and nights using lower-back-worn hybrid motion sensors (MM+) and wrist-worn actigraphs (MW8). A 30-min and 120-min active period for the highest number of steps (MM+) and activity counts (MW8) was derived for each day, respectively. Subjective chronotypes were classified by the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire into 40 (50%) morning types, 35 (43%) intermediate and six (7%) evening types. Analysis revealed significantly earlier starts for the 30-min active period (steps) in the morning types compared to the intermediate types (p ≤ 0.01) and the evening types (p ≤ 0.01). The 120-min active period (steps) showed significantly earlier starts in the morning types compared to the intermediate types (p ≤ 0.01) and the evening types (p = 0.02). The starting times of active periods determined from wrist-activity counts (MW8) did not reveal differences between the three chronotypes (p = 0.36 for the 30-min and p = 0.12 for the 120-min active period). The timing of mobility-related activity, i.e., periods with the highest number of steps measured by hybrid motion sensors, is associated to subjectively rated chronotypes in healthy older adults. The analysis of individual active periods may provide an innovative approach for early detecting and individually tailoring the treatment of circadian disruptions in aging and geriatric healthcare.
Testing a Model of Pacific Oysters’ (Crassostrea gigas) Growth in the Adriatic Sea: Implications for Aquaculture Spatial Planning
Authors: Bertolini Camilla , Brigolin Daniele , Porporato Erika M. D. , Hattab Jasmine , Pastres Roberto , Tiscar Pietro Giorgio
Published: March 2021

Assessing the potential biomass yield is a key step in aquaculture site selection. This is challenging, especially for shellfish, as the growth rate depends on both trophic status and water temperature. Individual ecophysiological models can be used for mapping potential shellfish growth in coastal areas, using as input spatial time series of remotely sensed SST and chlorophyll-a. This approach was taken here to estimate the potential for developing oyster (Crassostrea gigas) farming in the western Adriatic Sea. Industry relevant indicators (i.e., shell length, total individual weight) and days required to reach marketable size were mapped using a dynamic energy budget model, finetuned on the basis of site-specific morphometric data collected monthly for a year. Spatially scaled-up results showed that the faster and more uniform growth in the northern Adriatic coastal area, compared with the southern one, where chlorophyll-a levels are lower and summer temperatures exceed the critical temperature limit for longer periods. These results could be used in planning the identification of allocated zones for aquaculture, (AZA), taking into account also the potential for farming or co-farming C. gigas. In perspective, the methodology could be used for getting insights on changes to the potential productivity indicators due to climatic changes.
Specific and Cumulative Exhaust Gas Emissions in Micro-Scale Generators Fueled by Syngas from Biomass Gasification
Authors: Puglia Marco , Morselli Nicolò , Pedrazzi Simone , Tartarini Paolo , Allesina Giulio , Muscio Alberto
Published: March 2021

Climate change, environmental degradation, and biodiversity loss are prompting production systems to shift from a fossil-based economy to a circular bio-based one. In this context, biomass gasification is a promising alternative to fossil fuels that can contribute to power generation in rural communities and remote areas as well as provide a sustainable source of energy for developed countries. In this work, exhaust gas emissions (CO, NOx, and SO2) of two syngas-fueled micro-scale generators were measured. The first system is a commercial biomass gasifier genset, whereas the second is composed of a laboratory-scale gasifier prototype and a portable petrol generator. For this second facility, emissions were measured both running on gasoline and on syngas. The comparison was performed both on the pollutant concentration and on their cumulative amount. This comparison was made possible by calculating the exhaust gas flow by knowing the combustion stoichiometry and fuel consumption. The results showed a much lower pollutant concentration running on syngas compared to gasoline. In particular, considering the best configurations, every cubic meter of exhaust gas released running on syngas contains about 20 times less CO and almost one-third less NOx compared to gasoline. Moreover, the cumulative amount of emissions released was also considerably lower due to the lower exhaust gas flow (about 25%) released running on syngas.
A Systemic View on Circular Economy in the Water Industry: Learnings from a Belgian and Dutch Case
Authors: Mbavarira Tanaka Mandy , Grimm Christine
Published: March 2021

Water is fundamental to our existence and has increasingly been put under pressure by soaring population growth, urbanization, agricultural farming and climate change; all, of which impact the quantity and quality of our water resources. Water utilities (WUs) are challenged to provide clean, safe drinking water when faced with aging, costly infrastructure, a price of water that is not reflective of its true value and the need for infrastructure to remain resilient in a time when threats of floods and droughts are pervasive. In the linear take-use-discharge approach, wastewater is treated only to be returned to waterways and extracted again for treatment before drinking. This can no longer sustain our water resources as it is costly, energy-intensive and environmentally unsound. Circular economy (CE) has been gaining attention in the water industry to tackle this. It follows the 6Rs strategy of reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim, recover and restore to keep water in circulation for longer and reduce the burden on natural systems. The aim of this study is to determine what the economic and operational system effects of CE are on WUs, informing them of CE’s potential to change their business operations and business model while highlighting its associated challenges. Based on a review of literature, input from expert interviews (Q4 2019) and case studies, an economic view of the urban water system is qualitatively modeled, on top, of which a circular water economy system is designed using a causal loop-diagramming system mapping tool. Digitalization, water reuse and resource recovery were determined to underpin circularity in water, providing operational benefits through efficiencies and diversification of revenue streams. However, issues of investment and a missing enabling legal framework are slowing the rate of uptake. On this basis, CE represents both a challenge and an opportunity for the water industry.
Safety Barriers Identification, Classification, and Ways to Improve Safety Performance in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) Industry: Review Study
Authors: Maliha Mohammed N. , Abu Aisheh Yazan I. , Tayeh Bassam A. , Almalki Ali
Published: March 2021

The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is one of the most dangerous industries due to its unique nature. Safety is a critical issue in developed and developing countries. The main objective of this paper was to identify and classify the barriers that hinder the implementation of safety in projects and ways to improve safety performance. The method used in this paper includes a heavy review of many sources related to the safety barriers in the AEC industry, including a process of identification and classification of these barriers, after which we discuss the most popular methods between them, based on the appearance of it in the sources which were reviewed. Then, the ways to improve safety performance were viewed in AEC industry. Based on that, it was found that there are the following 4 categories associated with safety barriers: (1) Behavior Barriers; (2) Management Barriers; (3) Awareness Barriers; and (4) Culture Barriers. At the same time, the most popular barriers are based on appearance in sources: lack of safety training, lack of commitment, work pressure is high when deadlines are approaching, and low level education, lack of experience, and lack of knowledge. The many ways to improve safety performance are illustrated in the end of this paper. The results of this paper show the importance of safety and that the actual safety of the projects should be focused on in order to reduce injuries, accidents, and reduce barriers of applying safety, which will enhance the sustainability and development of safe environments within in AEC industry.
How Do the Population Structure Changes of China Affect Carbon Emissions? An Empirical Study Based on Ridge Regression Analysis
Authors: Pan Chulin , Wang Huayi , Guo Hongpeng , Pan Hong
Published: March 2021

This study focuses on the impact of population structure changes on carbon emissions in China from 1995 to 2018. This paper constructs the multiple regression model and uses the ridge regression to analyze the relationship between population structure changes and carbon emissions from four aspects: population size, population age structure, population consumption structure, and population employment structure. The results showed that these four variables all had a significant impact on carbon emissions in China. The ridge regression analysis confirmed that the population size, population age structure, and population employment structure promoted the increase in carbon emissions, and their contribution ratios were 3.316%, 2.468%, 1.280%, respectively. However, the influence of population consumption structure (−0.667%) on carbon emissions was negative. The results showed that the population size had the greatest impact on carbon emissions, which was the main driving factor of carbon emissions in China. Chinese population will bring huge pressure on the environment and resources in the future. Therefore, based on the comprehensive analysis, implementing the one-child policy will help slow down China’s population growth, control the number of populations, optimize the population structure, so as to reduce carbon emissions. In terms of employment structure and consumption structure, we should strengthen policy guidance and market incentives, raising people’s low-carbon awareness, optimizing energy-consumption structure, improving energy efficiency, so as to effectively control China’s carbon emissions.
Green Infrastructures and the Consideration of Their Soil-Related Ecosystem Services in Urban Areas—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Minixhofer Pia , Stangl Rosemarie
Published: March 2021

Although urban soils are strongly influenced by human activities, they provide a wide range of Ecosystem Services (ES) as long as they are not sealed off. This is a major sustainability issue as the loss of soil functions directly impacts ES and further on the possibility to adapt to the effects of the climate crisis. Green Infrastructure (GI) measures can be utilized to restore previously covered soil surfaces and compensate for lost soil functions. We conducted a systematic literature review to investigate the extent of peer-reviewed publications on GI measures in (peri-) urban areas covering soil-related ES. After identifying the relevant publications (n = 284), we generated an overview of the annual, spatial, and thematic distribution of the publications. Then, we employed an extended content analysis of the published focus topics to assess the representation of soil-related ES provided by GI. The content analysis revealed that the representation of soil-related ES in GI measures focused heavily on the contribution of soil to stormwater management. Detailed assessment of the interconnection of GI measures with key soil-related ES were missing. So far, the assessment of the loss of soil-related ES is not covered extensively in GI research publications.
The Water Management Regime in Western Iran: A Retrospective Analysis through a Hybrid Transitions Framework
Authors: Karimi Nishtman , Azadi Hossein , Boussauw Kobe
Published: March 2021

Continuously changing conditions of sociotechnical systems are the basis of structural changes in communities. Relationships between transition contexts and regime transformation processes and their driving factors in sociotechnical regimes are poorly understood. Moreover, not all changes in multilevel governance regimes are geared towards sustainability, as demonstrated by the case of the water management regime in Sanandaj county in the west of Iran between 1962 and 2018. The current study shows how the management regime of water resources in the case study has changed over time and identifies the institutional arrangements through a retrospective analysis. The analysis is based on three stages of data collection which included a discussion group, a Delphi survey, and a focus group survey among various types of stakeholders. The “Hybrid Transitions” framework is introduced in order to denote processes of regime change that take place in a range of different transition contexts. The findings do not identify a single transition pathway but show that a number of parallel transition pathways have occurred in the context of groundwater and surface water management and their respective institutional arrangements. The study provides a better understanding of the complexity of transition pathways that were devised at the management regime level.
Correction: Wang, C.; et al. Postgraduate Education of Board Members and R&D Investment—Evidence from China. Sustainability 2019, 11, 6524
Authors: Wang Chuanyi , Yang Jiale , Cheng Zhe , Ni Chaoqun
Published: March 2021

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the published paper [...]
Exploring the Relationship between Safety Climate and Worker Safety Behavior on Building Construction Sites in Taiwan
Authors: Chen Wei Tong , Merrett Hew Cameron , Huang Ying-Hua , Bria Theresia Avila , Lin Ying-Hsiu
Published: March 2021

Construction occupational accidents are often attributed to workers’ having an insufficient perception of how their actions influence safety in the construction site. This research explores the relationship between safety climate (SC) and personnel safety behavior (SB) of construction workers operating on building construction sites in Taiwan. The study discovered a significant positive relationship between SC and SB of Taiwan’s building construction sites, and in turn SC level had a positive impact on SB participation and overall safety perceptions. The higher the SC cognition of Taiwan’s building construction workers, the better the performance of SB was found to be. The dimension of "safety commitment and safety training" had the greatest relationship with SB. Safety training also had a deep impact on the cognition of SB. Therefore, the organizational culture and attitudes to safety coupled with the successful implementation of safety education and training can effectively enhance SC and worker SB on building construction sites in Taiwan, thereby potentially reducing the impacts of the underlying organizational factors behind safety related incidents.
Structural and Efficiency Effects of Land Transfers on Food Planting: A Comparative Perspective on North and South of China
Authors: Leng Zhihua , Wang Yana , Hou Xinshuo
Published: March 2021

This paper uses a multi-period PSM-DID model to explore the impact of land transfers on food production from a spatial perspective and analyses the income effects, scale effects, and structural effects of such transfers. The empirical results are as follows. (1) Land transfers have reduced the proportion of food crops planted by farmers, and the planting structure has shifted towards cash crops, which has obvious structural effects. (2) The impact of land transfers on the planting structure is spatially heterogeneous. Land transfers are more common in the south than in the north. Land transfers have reduced wheat planting in the north, while rice planting has been reduced in the south. (3) Land transfers have increased the operating income of farmers and have an income effect, but the income of farmers in the north is higher than that of farmers in the south. (4) Land transfers do not have scale effects. Current land transfers among farmers are mainly conducted on a small scale and do not improve farmers’ efficiency in planting food. The following suggestions are proposed. (1) A market mechanism for land transfers should be established to promote large-scale land transfers. (2) The trend towards non-grain cultivation due to land transfers should be halted to ensure food security. (3) The different impacts of urbanization in the northern and southern regions should be considered, and the division of labour in grain-producing areas should be strengthened. (4) Land transfer models should be developed, and the development of smart agriculture should be explored.
How to Support Start-Ups in Developing a Sustainable Business Model: The Case of an European Social Impact Accelerator
Authors: Bergmann Thorsten , Utikal Hannes
Published: March 2021

Sustainability-oriented start-ups are fundamental to developing solutions for, and to fostering, a societal transition towards a low carbon society. In this context, social impact accelerators (SIAs) are organizations specializing in accelerating the progress of sustainability-oriented start-ups. In order to design their accelerator elements (e.g., training, coaching, and funding) effectively, SIAs must be aware of the knowledge needs of start-ups to support them in developing a sustainable business model (SBM). Using a case study approach, we present one of the largest cleantech accelerator programs in Europe, the EIT Climate-KIC RIS Accelerator. Based on the program’s curriculum and manual in 2019, we analyze from the perspective of the program how cleantech start-ups could be supported in the development of their SBMs by presenting accelerator elements that are intended to support start-ups in reducing their knowledge needs by (1) providing new knowledge to start-ups (e.g., trainings, workshops, and e-learning), (2) supporting start-ups’ assimilation of new knowledge (e.g., coaching), and (3) supporting start-ups’ application of new knowledge (e.g., documentation of planning and reporting as part of the program’s contract design). Further, we discuss the knowledge needs of 63 European start-ups before and their progress as a result of accelerator participation in developing a SBM based on qualitative and quantitative data. All 63 start-ups participated in the same batch of the accelerator in 2019. Regarding the development of a SBM, knowledge needs are described considering the triple bottom line including the economic, ecological, and social layer of a business model. Based on the start-ups’ evaluation, we reflect—with a focus on the environmental layer—about the most promising content and support elements of our SIA case to address the different layers, discuss their combination, and present improvement potentials to reduce start-ups’ knowledge needs. With our findings, we claim to contribute to theory development in the emerging literature on SIAs and give practitioners working with sustainability-oriented start-ups insights into the usefulness of start-up support programs and different accelerator elements for developing a SBM.
Evaluating Conscious Consumption: A Discussion of a Survey Development Process
Authors: Venkatesan Madhavi , Dreyfuss-Wells Fenner , Nair Anjali , Pedersen Astrid , Prasad Vishnu
Published: March 2021

This paper is the outcome of a course project for Economics of Sustainability (Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts). Facilitated and under the direction of the instructor, course participants designed a survey instrument where questions and responses were developed to be indicators of behavioral bias related to the environment. The consumer good targeted in the survey was convenience-based coffee consumption, and convenience was defined by the use of single-use disposable coffee cups. The discussion highlights the survey development process including literature review-based expectations specific to each question. The paper concludes with next steps, which involve the administration of the instrument and evaluation of the survey results.
Biophysical and Fluoride Release Properties of a Resin Modified Glass Ionomer Cement Enriched with Bioactive Glasses
Authors: Vicente Ascensión , Rodríguez-Lozano Francisco Javier , Martínez-Beneyto Yolanda , Jaimez María , Guerrero-Gironés Julia , Ortiz-Ruiz Antonio J.
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bond strength, microleakage, cytotoxicity, cell migration and fluoride ion release over time from a resin-modified glass-ionomer cement (RMGIC) enriched with bioactive glasses (BAGs) and a nanohybrid restorative polymer resin agent used as adhesion material in the cemented brackets. One hundred and twenty bovine lower incisors were divided into three groups: (Transbond Plus Self Etching Primer (TSEP)/Transbond XT (TXT), TSEP/ACTIVA, orthophosphoric acid gel/ACTIVA) and brackets were bonded. A bond strength test and microleakage test were applied. A fluoride release test was applied after 60 days for the TXT and ACTIVA group. To evaluate cytotoxicity and cell migration, a cell viability and scratch migration assay were done for each group. p values < 0.05 were considered significant. Regarding bond strength and microleakage test, no significant differences were found between TSEP/TXT and TSEP/ACTIVA. At 6.4 pH, ACTIVA showed a higher degree of fluoride ion release, which increased with acid pH (3.5), with a maximum fluoride secretion at 30 days. MTT assay revealed that TXT reduces the viability of gingival cells with significant differences (p < 0.001) compared to the untreated cells (control group). ACTIVA provides optimal adhesive and microfiltration properties, releases substantial amounts of fluoride ions in both acid and neutral media, and its biocompatibility is greater than that of traditional composite resin adhesive systems.
Biomarkers of Deoxynivalenol Toxicity in Chickens with Special Emphasis on Metabolic and Welfare Parameters
Authors: Riahi Insaf , Pérez-Vendrell Anna Maria , Ramos Antonio J. , Brufau Joaquim , Esteve-Garcia Enric , Schulthess Julie , Marquis Virginie
Published: March 2021

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a trichothecene mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, is the most widespread mycotoxin in poultry feed worldwide. Long term-exposure from low to moderate DON concentrations can produce alteration in growth performance and impairment of the health status of birds. To evaluate the efficacy of mycotoxin-detoxifying agent alleviating the toxic effects of DON, the most relevant biomarkers of toxicity of DON in chickens should be firstly determined. The specific biomarker of exposure of DON in chickens is DON-3 sulphate found in different biological matrices (plasma and excreta). Regarding the nonspecific biomarkers called also biomarkers of effect, the most relevant ones are the impairment of the productive parameters, the intestinal morphology (reduction of villus height) and the enlargement of the gizzard. Moreover, the biomarkers of effect related to physiology (decrease of blood proteins, triglycerides, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, and lymphocytes and the increase of alanine transaminase (ALT)), immunity (response to common vaccines and release of some proinflammatory cytokines) and welfare status of the birds (such as the increase of Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and the stress index), has been reported. This review highlights the available information regarding both types of biomarkers of DON toxicity in chickens.
Insights into the Structures and Multimeric Status of APOBEC Proteins Involved in Viral Restriction and Other Cellular Functions
Authors: Chen Xiaojiang S.
Published: March 2021

Apolipoprotein B mRNA editing catalytic polypeptide-like (APOBEC) proteins belong to a family of deaminase proteins that can catalyze the deamination of cytosine to uracil on single-stranded DNA or/and RNA. APOBEC proteins are involved in diverse biological functions, including adaptive and innate immunity, which are critical for restricting viral infection and endogenous retroelements. Dysregulation of their functions can cause undesired genomic mutations and RNA modification, leading to various associated diseases, such as hyper-IgM syndrome and cancer. This review focuses on the structural and biochemical data on the multimerization status of individual APOBECs and the associated functional implications. Many APOBECs form various multimeric complexes, and multimerization is an important way to regulate functions for some of these proteins at several levels, such as deaminase activity, protein stability, subcellular localization, protein storage and activation, virion packaging, and antiviral activity. The multimerization of some APOBECs is more complicated than others, due to the associated complex RNA binding modes.
Effect of Repeated Freeze–Thaw Cycles on Influenza Virus Antibodies
Authors: Torelli Alessandro , Gianchecchi Elena , Monti Martina , Piu Pietro , Barneschi Irene , Bonifazi Carolina , Coluccio Rosa , Ganfini Luisa , La Magra Luciano Michele , Marconi Silvia , Marzucchi Ginevra , Pace Ramona , Palladino Laura , Biagi Bernardo , Montomoli Emanuele
Published: March 2021

Background: Vaccine effectiveness relies on various serological tests, whose aim is the measurement of antibody titer in serum samples collected during clinical trials before and after vaccination. Among the serological assays required by the regulatory authorities to grant influenza vaccine release there are: Hemagglutination inhibition (HAI), microneutralization (MN), and Single Radial Hemolysis (SRH). Although antibodies are regarded to be relatively stable, limited evidences on the effect of multiple freeze–thaw cycles on the stability of antibodies in frozen serum samples are available so far. In view of this, the present paper aimed to evaluate the impact of multiple freeze–thaw cycles on influenza antibody stability, performing HAI, MN and SRH assays. Methods: Ten serum samples were divided into 14 aliquots each, stored at −20 °C and taken through a total of 14 freeze–thaw cycles to assess influenza antibody stability. Each assay measurement was carried out following internal procedures based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Results: No statistically significant effect of 14 freeze–thaw cycles on antibody stability, measured through three different assays, was observed. Conclusions: Collectively, these data demonstrated that specific influenza antibody present in serum samples are stable up to 14 freeze–thaw cycles.
Italian Adults’ Likelihood of Getting COVID-19 Vaccine: A Second Online Survey
Authors: Biasio Luigi Roberto , Bonaccorsi Guglielmo , Lorini Chiara , Mazzini Daniela , Pecorelli Sergio
Published: March 2021

Rapid online surveys are an important tool for tracking the public’s knowledge and perceptions during infectious disease outbreaks. In June 2020, during the early phases of COVID-19 vaccines development, we conducted a survey in 885 Italian adults that aimed at assessing their attitudes and opinions about vaccination, in addition to their vaccine literacy levels (i.e., skills in finding, understanding, and using information about vaccines). In January 2021, the same questionnaire was administered to a similar population (n = 160). Interactive vaccine literacy was significantly higher in January 2021 than in June 2020 (mean score 3.38 vs. 3.27 respectively, p = 0.0021). The percentage of participants willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 assessed by either-or questions, was equally high in both surveys (>90%), which is quite reassuring, although metrics based on categorical scales cannot identify hesitant subjects.
Phenotype of the Aging-Dependent Spontaneous Onset of Hearing Loss in DBA/2 Mice
Authors: Seo Min-Soo , Lee Byeonghyeon , Kang Kyung-Ku , Sung Soo-Eun , Choi Joo-Hee , Lee Si-Joon , Kim Young-In , Jung Young-Suk , Kim Un-Kyung , Kim Kil Soo
Published: March 2021

DBA/2 mice are a well-known animal model for hearing loss developed due to intrinsic properties of these animals. However, results on the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice have been mainly reported at an early stage in mice aged ≤7 weeks. Instead, the present study evaluated the hearing ability at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age using DBA/2korl mice. Auditory brainstem response test was performed at 8–32 KHz at 5, 13, and 34 weeks of age, and hearing loss was confirmed to be induced in a time-dependent manner. In addition, histopathological evaluation at the same age confirmed the morphological damage of the cochlea. The findings presented herein are the results of the long-term observation of the phenotype of hearing loss in DBA/2 mice and can be useful in studies related to aging-dependent hearing loss.
Hydrodynamic Forces Exerting on an Oscillating Cylinder under Translational Motion in Water Covered by Compressed Ice
Authors: Stepanyants Yury , Sturova Izolda
Published: March 2021

This paper presents the calculation of the hydrodynamic forces exerted on an oscillating circular cylinder when it moves perpendicular to its axis in infinitely deep water covered by compressed ice. The cylinder can oscillate both horizontally and vertically in the course of its translational motion. In the linear approximation, a solution is found for the steady wave motion generated by the cylinder within the hydrodynamic set of equations for the incompressible ideal fluid. It is shown that, depending on the rate of ice compression, both normal and anomalous dispersion can occur in the system. In the latter case, the group velocity can be opposite to the phase velocity in a certain range of wavenumbers. The dependences of the hydrodynamic loads exerted on the cylinder (the added mass, damping coefficients, wave resistance and lift force) on the translational velocity and frequency of oscillation were studied. It was shown that there is a possibility of the appearance of negative values for the damping coefficients at the relatively big cylinder velocity; then, the wave resistance decreases with the increase in cylinder velocity. The theoretical results were underpinned by the numerical calculations for the real parameters of ice and cylinder motion.
How Organization Models Impact the Governing of Industrial Symbiosis in Public Wastewater Management. An Explorative Study in Sweden
Authors: Södergren Karolina , Palm Jenny
Published: March 2021

The industrial symbiosis (IS) landscape is evolving rapidly. While previous studies have argued for the importance of municipalities participating in the governing of IS, research on the implications of different forms of municipal organization is still lacking. This paper aims to investigate how municipal administration and municipally-owned corporations, as two forms of organization, impact the governing of IS in the water and sewage sector. This is explored in relation to the Swedish municipality Simrishamn, which recently underwent changes in the form of organization. Results show that municipal administration contributes to a more inclusive process where many actors can influence and bring ideas and perspectives on how to develop an IS. The risk, however, is that other issues within the municipality are seen as more pressing and, therefore, get prioritized before IS. In corporate form, the development of IS becomes more business-like as the focus is kept on core business. Technology development is strengthened as skills and competencies are promoted through the expertise of the employees. Drawbacks include processes becoming less transparent and political goals, such as citizen welfare not receiving the same level of priority as within municipal administration. There is also a risk that fewer perspectives are included in the process of developing IS, which may inhibit innovation, even if the results also indicate that an increased business focus of the corporate form strengthens the innovation capacity.
Characterization of tertiary flints by geochemistry: application to the French territory
Authors: Surmely Frédéric
Published: March 2021

In present-day France, tertiary flints have played an important part in the supply of prehistoric populations, due to their abundance, quality and presence in areas without marine flint. From the Upper Paleolithic until the end of the use of flint, they were transported over far distances, especially in the center of the Central Massif. In this article the geochemical method is preferred for attributing of precise geographical origin to an archaeological artifact. To form the geological repository, a very large geographical field was taken, encompassing a large part of France, from the Marne county to the Gard county, and most of the major French sedimentary basins (Bassin Parisien, Cantal, Gard). The archaeological corpus includes pieces from sites of the Upper Paleolithic and the Epipaleolithic of Auvergne. The geochemical study does not provide a comprehensive answer to the question of the geographical origin of tertiary flints, but nevertheless allows for certain and significant advances in knowledge.