bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary and Serum Antioxidants Associated with Prostate-Specific Antigen for Middle-Aged and Older Men
Authors: Lin Hui-Yi , Zhu Xiaodan , Aucoin Alise J. , Fu Qiufan , Park Jong Y. , Tseng Tung-Sung
Published: July 2023

High prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels can indicate potential prostate problems and are a warning sign of prostate cancer. The impact of antioxidants on the PSA of generally healthy men is understudied. This study aims to evaluate 14 dietary and endogenous antioxidants associated with PSA levels for United States (US) men. We assessed 7398 men using the 2003–2010 US population-based National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The PSA levels were categorized into three groups: Normal, borderline, and elevated levels. We performed analyses for middle-aged and older groups aged 40–64.9 and ≥65, respectively. The weighted multinomial regressions were performed to evaluate antioxidants associated with the PSA status. For results, 0.3% and 3.4% of middle-aged and older men, respectively, had elevated PSA (>10 ng/mL). Men with a higher serum albumin level had a lower risk of an elevated PSA, adjusting for age. The magnitude of albumin’s impact on PSA is larger in middle-aged men than in older men (OR of elevated PSA = 0.82 and 0.90, respectively, interaction p = 0.002). Other antioxidants are not associated with PSA. Our findings support men with low serum albumin tend to have an elevated PSA level, so related interventions can be considered to decrease PSA for maintaining prostate health.
Sex Related Differences in the Complex Relationship between Coffee, Caffeine and Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Coppi Francesca , Bucciarelli Valentina , Sinigaglia Giorgia , Zanini Giada , Selleri Valentina , Nasi Milena , Pinti Marcello , Gallina Sabina , Mattioli Anna Vittoria
Published: July 2023

This literature review aims to explore the data of articles published on the association between coffee, caffeine and atrial fibrillation and to analyze any differences between the two sexes. Several factors influence this complex relationship; genetic, environmental and psychosocial factors come into play in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation. These factors are expressed differently in women and men. However, the analysis of the literature has shown that comparison works between the two sexes are extremely rare. Most population-based and prospective studies either analyze aggregated data or focus on exclusively male or female populations. This results in a lack of information that could be useful in the prevention of and treatment approach to atrial fibrillation. It is necessary to deepen this issue with dedicated studies.
The Association between Melatonin-Containing Foods Consumption and Students’ Sleep–Wake Rhythm, Psychoemotional, and Anthropometric Characteristics: A Semi-Quantitative Analysis and Hypothetical Application
Authors: Borisenkov Mikhail F. , Popov Sergey V. , Smirnov Vasily V. , Martinson Ekaterina A. , Solovieva Svetlana V. , Danilova Lina A. , Gubin Denis G.
Published: July 2023

Food is an important source of melatonin (MT), which belongs to a group known as chronobiotics, a class of substances that affect the circadian system. Currently, no studies have been conducted on how the consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) is associated with indicators characterizing the human circadian system. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that FMT consumption is associated with chronotype and social jetlag. A total of 1277 schoolchildren and university students aged M (SD) 19.9 (4.1) years (range: 16–25 years; girls: 72.8%) participated in a cross-sectional study. Each participant completed an online questionnaire with their personal data (sex, age, height, weight, waist circumference, and academic performance) and a sequence of tests to assess their sleep–wake rhythm (the Munich Chronotype Questionnaire), sleep quality (the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and depression level (the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale). Study participants also completed a modified food frequency questionnaire that only included foods containing MT (FMT). They were asked how many foods containing MT (FMT) they had eaten for dinner, constituting their daily serving, in the past month. The consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) during the day (FMTday) and at dinner (FMTdinner) was assessed using this test. Multiple regression analyses were performed to assess the association between the studied indicators. We found that higher FMTday values were associated with early chronotype (β = −0.09) and less social jetlag (β = −0.07), better sleep quality (β = −0.06) and lower levels of depression (β = −0.11), as well as central adiposity (β = −0.08). Higher FMTdinner values were associated with a lower risk of central adiposity (β = −0.08). In conclusion, the data obtained confirm the hypothesis that the consumption of foods containing MT (FMT) is associated with chronotype and social jetlag in adolescents and young adults.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Mortality: Retrospective Analysis “Siena Osteoporosis” Cohort
Authors: Pirrotta Filippo , Cavati Guido , Mingiano Christian , Merlotti Daniela , Nuti Ranuccio , Gennari Luigi , Palazzuoli Alberto
Published: July 2023

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a key role in bone metabolism, particularly concerning the regulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Knowledge of the role of vitamin D in CVD arose from evidence of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) inside the cardiovascular system. In this retrospective analysis, we investigated the relationships between vitamin D status and hospitalization for heart failure (HF), overall mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Between 2004 and 2009, age-stratified, random sampling of elderly men and postmenopausal women in the primary care registers of Siena residents was performed. In total, 174 males (mean ± SD, 65.9 ± 6 years) and 975 females (62.5 ± 6 years) were enrolled in the study. We investigated the association between 25OHD status and hospitalization for HF or causes of mortality. A total of 51 subjects (12 males and 39 females) had been hospitalized for acute HF. At the end of the survey, 931 individuals were alive, while 187 had died (43 males and 144 females). A greater proportion of deceased patients showed low 25OHD (particularly patients with levels below 20 ng/mL). A similar trend was observed concerning the prevalence of patients with 25OHD levels below 20 ng/mL who died from stroke (RR = 2.15; 95% CIs 0.98–4.69; p = 0.06). Low 25OHD levels may be predictive of cardiovascular mortality. Whether vitamin deficiency represents a primitive cause or is a simple bystander in increased cardiovascular mortality should be further investigated in prospective large cohort studies specifically designed to assess CVD risk, including a detailed assessment of cardiac dysfunction and the characterization of atherosclerotic lesions.
Investigation of Hybrid Remote Fiber Optic Sensing Solutions for Railway Applications
Authors: Boynukalin Serhat , Paker Selçuk , Atieh Ahmad
Published: July 2023

Fiber optic sensing (FOS) has become a well-known technology in response to the rising demands of the railway transportation field despite the abundance of electronic sensing systems in the market. FOS application boasts an all-in-one solution that is both efficient and versatile. In order to enhance the understanding of the capabilities of FOS, this paper presents a hybrid fiber optic sensing system with an improved sensing ability to facilitate transportation applications for primary or secondary security interfaces. The hybrid sensing scheme incorporates two different sensing systems designed for long-distance applications. The first system employs a coding technique for the transmitted pulses, which provide information on train location through cross-correlation with the reflected pulses from fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors located along the railway. The proposed system can accurately predict the train’s location up to a precision of one cm. The second system examines the wavelength drift of the reflected signal from the FBG sensor affected by the train using a tunable optical filter and photodetector. It determines essential parameters such as the train’s location, speed, and direction by measuring the Bragg wavelength shift and its direction. The effect of the train movement and speed on the applied strain on the FBG sensor is calculated in this work and applied to the simulation to determine the train’s location, speed, and direction. A calibration table facilitates the correlation between the train speed and the shift in the FBG center wavelength, which helps ensure accurate results. The hybrid fiber optic sensing system is designed to facilitate railway transportation applications’ sustainability and security.
Special Packaging Materials from Recycled PET and Metallic Nano-Powders
Authors: Ciobanu Romeo C. , Aradoaei Mihaela , Caramitu Alina R. , Ion Ioana , Schreiner Cristina M. , Tsakiris Violeta , Marinescu Virgil , Hitruc Elena Gabriela , Aflori Magdalena
Published: July 2023

The European methodology for plastics, as a feature of the EU’s circular economy activity plan, ought to support the decrease in plastic waste. The improvement of recycled plastics’ economics and quality is one important part of this action plan. Additionally, achieving the requirement that all plastic packaging sold in the EU by 2030 be recyclable or reusable is an important objective. This means that food packaging materials should be recycled in a closed loop at the end. One of the most significant engineering polymers is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is widely used. Due to its numerous crucial qualities, it has a wide variety of applications, from packaging to fibers. The thermoplastic polyolefin, primarily polyethylene and polypropylene (PP), is a popular choice utilized globally in a wide range of applications. In the first phase of the current experiment, the materials were obtained by hot pressing with the press machine. The reinforcer is made of Al nanopowder 800 nm and Fe nanopowder 790 nm and the quality of the recycled polymer was examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From DSC variation curves as a function of temperature, the values from the transformation processes (glass transition, crystallization, and melting) are obtained. SEM measurements revealed that the polymer composites with Al have smooth spherical particles while the ones with Fe have bigger rough spherical particles.
A Study of Carbon Emission Driving Factors of a Metal Chemical Enterprise in China Based on the LMDI Model
Authors: Tan Li , Feng Zao , Zheng Guangfa , Li Chaoqun
Published: July 2023

The chemical industry is a typical high-carbon emitting industry, and achieving the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 is challenging. Therefore, metal chemical enterprises have to explore a special path of low-carbon development. This article conducted a case study on a Chinese metal chemical production enterprise with a processing scale of 28,000 t/year. Starting from the analysis of energy consumption carbon emissions, this article used available statistical data at the enterprise level to build a carbon emission estimation model for the enterprise combining different emission categories. Moreover, we also calculated the carbon emissions and carbon emission intensity of the enterprise from 2014 to 2022. Further quantitative analyses on the impact of production scale, energy efficiency, energy structure, and emission coefficient on carbon increment were also conducted using a logarithmic mean divisia index (LMDI) model. The results showed that the reduction in carbon emissions of the enterprise during the research period was due to the improvement of energy efficiency, while the production scale and energy structure served as important driving factors. Based on the results, this article proposes some policy suggestions on the future direction and focus of the enterprise’s carbon reduction work.
Study on the Effect of Surface Properties of Non-Metallic Materials on the Growth Mechanism of Crystallization Fouling
Authors: Jiang Huayi , Sun Nana , Ju Yiyi , Li Jin , Chen Zilin
Published: July 2023

In order to alleviate the serious problem of scaling in oilfield water injection pipelines, we developed a scale collection device and applied it in the field based on the idea to “change passive descaling to active descaling”, but the effect is not stable, so we need to improve the descaling effect. Firstly, this paper analyzed the effect of surface physical properties of eight non-metallic materials on CaCO3 scale growth and their mechanisms through shear experiments. Then, the influence of surface properties (roughness, contact angle, surface energy) on the scale growth characteristics was investigated. Finally, the influence of material surface properties on the friction coefficient was studied by a cyclic experiment. The results showed that except for PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), the fouling amount of the other seven materials changed abruptly at 18 h, and the maximum fouling amount of FRP was 2.05 g/m3. It was found by scanning electron microscopy that the fouling particles on the surface of FRP were interconnected and presented in the form of flakes, which was related to the larger surface wettability, surface energy, and roughness. At the same time, the surface properties of the material have a certain relationship with the friction coefficient, and the influence of the contact angle on the friction coefficient is greater than the surface energy and roughness.
Relevance of Meat Juice Seroprevalence and Presence of Yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella spp. in Pig Tonsils for Risk Management at Slaughter
Authors: Kiš Marta , Fuštin Dunja , Zdolec Nevijo
Published: July 2023

Salmonella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica are priority bacteriological public health hazards in pork safety. For more successful control, it is necessary to collect data on their prevalence throughout the meat chain using the concept of harmonized epidemiological indicators. The aim of this study was to determine their prevalence in fattening pigs under different housing conditions by recovering the pathogen from tonsils and by serological testing of diaphragm meat juice at slaughterhouses. The overall prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Y. enterocolitica in tonsils was 9.8% and 6.5%, respectively, with no significant differences between large and small farms (p > 0.05). In general, seroprevalence of Salmonella spp. was 48.35% and of Yersinia 13.18% (p < 0.05) but without significant differences of individual seroprevalence between farm types. No association was found between detection of Salmonella spp. or Y. enterocolitica in tonsils and seroprevalence (φc = 0.121, p = 0.420; φc = 0.027, p = 0.718, respectively). Significantly higher seroprevalence of Salmonella spp. was found on farms with lower biosecurity status (p < 0.05). A higher recovery rate of Salmonella spp. and Y. enterocolitica from the tonsils may be expected in seropositive pigs (OR 1.56–2.36), but without statistical significance. The results showed that Salmonella and Yersinia meat juice serology can be considered for risk categorization of pig farms as a less-time consuming and more sensitive method compared to microbiological testing of tonsils but must be combined with analyses of other risk factors relevant to infection or contamination in the pork chain.
Effect of Fracture Geometry Parameters on the Permeability of a Random Three-Dimensional Fracture Network
Authors: Zhang Bochao , Wang Lixin , Liu Jianming
Published: July 2023

In numerous subterranean projects, the impact of groundwater on the safety of the engineering undertaking is of paramount significance. Fractures, functioning as the primary channels for seepage within subterranean rock masses, necessitate the complex and challenging task of accurately characterizing seepage patterns and quantitatively investigating the effect of fissure parameters on fluid dynamics within the rock masses. This article presents a stochastic fissure model incorporated within a finite element framework, which captures the probabilistic distribution of fissures found in nature. It provides a comprehensive analysis of the distribution of pore water pressure and Darcy velocity fields. It unveils the permeation patterns of fissured rock masses and establishes a series of fissure models, quantitatively investigating the correlations between matrix permeability, water pressure, fissure density, fissure length, the length power law, fissure angle, the dispersion coefficient, fissure aperture, and the aperture power law, as well as their influence on the equivalent permeability of the rock mass. The findings reveal that in a discrete fissured rock mass, the greater the matrix permeability, the higher the equivalent permeability, and vice versa. Under water pressures of less than 10 MPa, gravity significantly impacts equivalent permeability, and permeability linearly increases with a rise in fissure density. Longer fractures result in higher permeability, and fractures parallel to the direction of water pressure contribute most significantly to the speed of seepage. Moreover, permeability markedly increases with an increase in aperture. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the impact of matrix permeability and fissure parameters on equivalent permeability and calculates the permeability of each model. We also propose a set of predictive formulas based on fissure geometric parameters to anticipate the permeability of rock masses.
Moral Cultivation and Divine Revelation: James Legge’s Religious Interpretation of the Yijing (Book of Changes)
Authors: Lai John T. P.
Published: July 2023

James Legge (1815–1897), arguably the most prominent missionary sinologist in the nineteenth century and the founding Professor of Chinese in Oxford in 1876, produced an English translation of the Yijing (Book of Changes), the prominent Chinese classic, in 1882. This translation was included in Max Müller’s monumental Sacred Books of the East series. While existing scholarship has outlined some background and features of Legge’s Yijing translation, this version deserves more in-depth textual analysis to unearth Legge’s primary sources of reference and theological positions behind his interpretive approach. Perceiving the Yijing as a Confucian classic with profound moralistic connotations, Legge even revered it as a “sacred book” containing certain elements of divine revelation. He asserted that the Chinese term Shangdi (Supreme Ruler) referred to the Christian God, insisting that “God” was the “correct” translation of Shangdi, and that the operations of nature in the different seasons are the work of Shangdi. This paper examines Legge’s pioneering attempt of translating the Yijing to the West, with special reference to his religious interpretation of the seminal Chinese classic. This endeavor engendered profound inter-religious encounters and dialogues between Confucianism and Christianity.
Gaia and Religious Pluralism in Bruno Latour’s ‘New-Materialism’
Authors: Suárez Müller Fernando
Published: July 2023

In his works on ecological philosophy, Bruno Latour develops an interesting perspective on religion and pluralism. He proposes a new worldview, in which religion is reinterpreted in view of a Gaian philosophy. He extends ‘pluralism’ beyond the anthropocentrism that dominates modern humanism. In his book Facing Gaia Latour includes nonhuman beings in a larger community and works towards a larger concept of eco-humanism. In this paper, I try to reconstruct his position by showing that the philosophical foundation for his interpretation of religion could be called ‘terrarism’ and is to be classified as a form of new materialism. This new interpretation of materialism has postmodernist origins (inspired by Gilles Deleuze), but it is not identical to it, because Latour distances himself from ‘postmodernism’. He wants to positively contribute to a new ontology. My point is that Latour’s ‘terrarist’ grounding of religious pluralism obstructs any foundation of transcendence and, finally, congests a really pluralistic ecumene because he still adheres to the postmodernist idea that we should renounce to a unitary principle of being. His ideas on eco-humanism and pluralistic ecumene could gain momentum if we opened ourselves to a more holistic and spiritual way of thinking, retaking Lovelock’s conception of Gaia. However, Latour’s new-materialistic interpretation of ‘animism’ can be seen as a positive contribution to a new perspective of the world that definitively sets ‘materialism’ aside.
Transformative Diaconia in China: The Amity Foundation as a Case Study
Authors: Carino Theresa
Published: July 2023

The last decade has seen keen interest among governments, businesses, academe, and the nonprofit sector in the role religions can play in the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030. In China, until the outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020, there were conferences and debates about this that increasingly involved the religious sector. This study looks at Christian social practice among faith-based organizations in China, especially its transformative potential, in contributing to sustainable development. It will highlight some of the best practices of the Amity Foundation, a Chinese FBO headquartered in Nanjing, to illustrate how, through a combination of service delivery and advocacy (Chinese style), FBOs in China can help shift official and religious perspectives and attitudes toward a more participatory and sustainable approach to development. Although the term “transformative diaconia” has not been explicitly used by Amity to describe its work, the values embedded in its practice and the impact it has made on stakeholders and policies can be considered transformative. The UN SDGs 2030, which have been strongly supported by Amity’s ecumenical partners and the Chinese government, provide an important frame of reference for Amity’s advocacy work as well as help to identify some of the content for diaconal capacity building for churches in China. Some of the opportunities and challenges confronting FBOs as they transition from service delivery to advocacy will be explored.
Civilizational Fantasies in Populist Far Right and Islamist Discourses
Authors: De Groot Heupner Susan
Published: July 2023

The article examines the affective potential of populist civilizational discourse. It reflects on two prevalent, opposing, civilizational identities to render visible their shared fantasmatic grounding. With reference to far right and Islamist configurations, the article aims to reveal the hidden and disguised elements of civilizational discourse that I contend give it affective power. Drawing on populist theory that centralizes antagonism in social identification, it examines the use of civilizational discourse in the performances of far right and Islamist parties, organizations, and individuals. I argue these civilizationist identities are defined by an obsession with a fantasmatic closure and homogeneity of social identities and civilization.
The Duration of Menstrual Blood Loss: Historical to Current Understanding
Authors: Habiba Marwan , Benagiano Giuseppe
Published: July 2023

Most published research focuses on the amount of menstrual blood loss and, to a lesser extent, on cyclicity. Little attention has been paid to the duration of bleeding, the factors that enable its cessation within a ‘normal’ timeframe, or to patterns that entail interruption and resumption of blood loss. The definition of what constitutes normal remains arbitrary and there is no therapy specifically designed to shorten the duration of bleeding. Here, we critically review the literature that addresses the duration of bleeding and the factors that trigger endometrial breakdown and repair. Available reports used population averages which mask inter- and intra-individual variations. The duration of bleeding is not necessarily linked to the amount of loss but may be influenced by age, ethnicity, habitus, region and altitude of residence, dieting and stress. The onset of bleeding has been linked to declining steroid production by the corpus luteum. There remains considerable controversy around the extent of endometrial shedding at menstruation. This is likely to vary within and between women. The significance of a change from previous patterns, very short or prolonged bleeding, days of light loss or spotting before or after days of bleeding, or of bleed-free days that punctuate flow, remain poorly understood.
Mapping Photovoltaic Panels in Coastal China Using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Images and Google Earth Engine
Authors: Zhang Haitao , Tian Peng , Zhong Jie , Liu Yongchao , Li Jialin
Published: July 2023

Photovoltaic (PV) panels convert sunlight into electricity, and play a crucial role in energy decarbonization, and in promoting urban resources and environmental sustainability. The area of PV panels in China’s coastal regions is rapidly increasing, due to the huge demand for renewable energy. However, a rapid, accurate, and robust PV panel mapping approach, and a practical PV panel classification strategy for large-scale applications have not been established. Here, we developed a new approach that uses spectral and textural features to identify and map the PV panels there were in coastal China in 2021 using multispectral instrument (MSI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, and the Google Earth Engine (GEE), to differentiate PV panels according to their underlying surface properties. Our 10-m-spatial-resolution PV panel map had an overall accuracy of 94.31% in 2021. There was 510.78 km2 of PV panels in coastal China in 2021, which included 254.47 km2 of planar photovoltaic (PPV) panels, 170.70 km2 of slope photovoltaic (SPV) panels, and 85.61 km2 of water photovoltaic (WPV) panels. Our resultant PV panel map provides a detailed dataset for renewable layouts, ecological assessments, and the energy-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Active Navigation System for a Rubber-Tapping Robot Based on Trunk Detection
Authors: Fang Jiahao , Shi Yongliang , Cao Jianhua , Sun Yao , Zhang Weimin
Published: July 2023

To address the practical navigation issues of rubber-tapping robots, this paper proposes an active navigation system guided by trunk detection for a rubber-tapping robot. A tightly coupled sliding-window-based factor graph method is proposed for pose tracking, which introduces normal distribution transform (NDT) measurement factors, inertial measurement unit (IMU) pre-integration factors, and prior factors generated by sliding window marginalization. To actively pursue goals in navigation, a distance-adaptive Euclidean clustering method is utilized in conjunction with cylinder fitting and composite criteria screening to identify tree trunks. Additionally, a hybrid map navigation approach involving 3D point cloud map localization and 2D grid map planning is proposed to apply these methods to the robot. Experiments show that our pose-tracking approach obtains generally better performance in accuracy and robustness compared to existing methods. The precision of our trunk detection method is 93% and the recall is 87%. A practical validation is completed in robot rubber-tapping tasks of a real rubber plantation. The proposed method can guide the rubber-tapping robot in complex forest environments and improve efficiency.
Reporting and Help-Seeking among Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Victims of Stalking
Authors: Fleming Jessica C. , Fansher Ashley K. , Randa Ryan , Reyns Bradford W.
Published: July 2023

Given the disproportionately higher rates of stalking among sexual minority individuals, the present study aimed to explore factors that influence these victims’ help-seeking behaviors. Employing data from the United States’ 2019 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Supplemental Victimization Survey (SVS), this study explores various demographic and psychological factors impacting help-seeking among sexual minority and heterosexual victims. Results indicate that sexual minority individuals are significantly more likely to seek help than heterosexual victims of stalking. Further exploration through logistic regression, limited to the sexual minority group, shows significant associations between help-seeking and age, sex, and emotional distress from stalking, but not race. Indicating that younger respondents, female respondents, and those experiencing an emotional impact are more likely to seek help for stalking victimization among sexual minority victims. These findings emphasize the importance of sexual orientation in understanding help-seeking behaviors among stalking victims, suggesting a need for more tailored support services for the sexual minority community.
Admixture of Holothurian Species in the Hellenic Seas (Eastern Mediterranean) as Revealed by RADseq
Authors: Gkafas Georgios A. , Sarantopoulou Joanne , Apostologamvrou Chrysoula , Antoniadou Chryssanthi , Exadactylos Athanasios , Fleris Georgios , Vafidis Dimitris
Published: July 2023

Admixture and hybridization may play a key role in population dynamics and speciation with respect to habitat, demographic history, and adaptive selection. The present study examines the genetic diversity of two congeneric—but in different subgenera—holothurians that live in sympatry in mixed populations. Strong evidence of admixture was provided by analyzing RAD sequencing data from 90 and 67 individuals of Holothuria (Holothuria) tubulosa and Holothuria (Roweothuria) poli, respectively, from various areas of the Hellenic Seas (eastern Mediterranean). Coalescent demographic analysis revealed a recent directional gene flow from H. poli to H. tubulosa. The two species populations diverged around 13.5 thousand years ago, just after the Last Glacial Maximum. According to the pairwise sequential Markovian coalescent approach, the historical population effective sizes for both species declined during the last Pleistocene glaciations, probably due to population decline, followed by a relative rapid recovery as it is calculated using LD methods. The presented results imply a role for admixture upon secondary contact and are consistent with the recent suggestion that the genomic underpinning of ecological speciation often has an older, allopatric origin.
The High-Value Product, Bio-Waste, and Eco-Friendly Energy as the Tripod of the Microalgae Biorefinery: Connecting the Dots
Authors: Rodrigues Dias Rosangela , Deprá Mariany Costa , Ragagnin de Menezes Cristiano , Queiroz Zepka Leila , Jacob-Lopes Eduardo
Published: July 2023

A bio-based circular economy is fundamental to catalyzing the transition to a new economic model that thrives well within the planet’s ecological limits. The microalgae biorefinery, which consists of converting biomass into multiple products, operates in light of the principles of a circular economy. Therefore, as the pivot of a new economic paradigm that aims to promote ecological robustness, the main scope and motivation of this article are to use life cycle assessment to scrutinize the environmental sustainability of a microalgae-based biorefinery system. We assume β-carotene as the flagship of the microalgae industry and evaluate the sustainability metrics and indicators of two residual products: bulk oil and defatted biomass. The role of the use of renewable energy in the unit operations of the biorefinery was also evaluated. The results of this study show that waste products contribute an almost insignificant fraction of the ecological footprint and the cost and energy demand of the microalgae-based biorefinery. It is also confirmed from the results that the transition from coal-based energy to renewable is the most realistic path to production with significantly lower emissions. In sum, the consolidation of the microalgae biorefinery seems to be just around the corner, and our highlights can help make this a successful route.
The Response of Retisol’s Carbon Storage Potential to Various Organic Matter Inputs
Authors: Mockevičienė Ieva , Karčauskienė Danutė , Repšienė Regina
Published: July 2023

Organic carbon sequestration and its quality in soil is a crucial aspect in maintaining the productivity of the soil and the whole ecosystem. The study examined the changes in soil organic carbon (SOC), its sequestration potential, and the mean effect size under various long-term organic matter inputs in acid soil (Dystric Retisol). Cattle manure (CM 60 t ha−1) and various plant residues were used for the fertilization of acid and limed soil. The following treatments were included in the experimental design: (1) natural Retisol; (2) natural Retisol + CM; (3) natural Retisol + various plant residues; (4) calcium carbonate (CaCO3) at a 1.0 rate every five years); (5) CaCO3 + CM; (6) CaCO3 + various plant residues. The data demonstrated that the treatments including the use of organic material (CM and various plant residues) showed a greater SOC content accumulation with a storage of up to 0.2–0.6% more carbon in the topsoil. Alternative organic fertilizers had a detrimental impact when applied to unlimed soil, with a loss of 0.59 g kg−1 C per year. All the fertilization treatments significantly increased the SOC level with the mean effect size of 0.02–0.28, and the increase varied from 1.89% to 32.89%. This result suggested that liming, together with organic fertilizers, proved to be a relatively efficient approach to improving the soil’s health and quality.
How to Maintain Sustainable Research Productivity: From Talents Mobility Perspective
Authors: Bao Chuang , Zhao Xinmeng , Li Yong , Li Zhong
Published: July 2023

Maintaining sustainable progress in knowledge and technology is essential in building a sustainable society. The transnational or transregional mobility of talents is one of the important channels for the flow and sustainability of knowledge and technology. Based on the social network theory, we attempt to investigate whether scholars’ mobility experience will effectively improve their future scientific research productivity. Empirical studies were conducted based on the academic curriculum vitae of faculties in a leading research university in China from 2008 to 2023. The results suggest that the mobility experience of scholars does not have a significant influence on the total number and quality of papers when we consider both domestic and international publications due to diversified publication channels in the social science disciplines. However, in terms of the number of papers published in international journals and international collaborations, the existence of mobility experiences in their past education or working experience has a significant positive impact on scholars’ later research productivity. In addition, scholars flowing through joint training programs at their doctoral phase tend to produce more co-authored papers. This research provides a reference for the wellbeing and sustainable productivity of university scholars, which is essential in higher education and social environments, and provides universities in developing countries with inspiration for building a sustainable academic talent flow system. It is important to note that this empirical study mainly focuses on researchers and publications in the social sciences, and the behavioral pattern and impact on research outputs might be different for scholars in the natural science disciplines. Due to the limitations with regard to data acquisition, this paper has not further discussed building an international academic network, which needs more in-depth research in the future.
Fusion of Remotely-Sensed Fire-Related Indices for Wildfire Prediction through the Contribution of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Ntinopoulos Nikolaos , Sakellariou Stavros , Christopoulou Olga , Sfougaris Athanasios
Published: July 2023

Wildfires are a natural phenomenon, which nowadays, due to the synergistic effect of increased human intervention and the escalation of climate change, are displaying an ever-increasing intensity and frequency. The underlying mechanisms present increased complexity, with the phenomenon itself being characterized by a significant degree of stochasticity. For the above reasons, machine learning models and neural networks are being implemented. In the current study, two types of neural networks are implemented, namely, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Radial Basis Function Networks (RBF). These neural networks utilize information from the Fire Weather Index (FWI), Fosberg Fire Weather Index (FFWI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Moisture Index (NDMI), aiming to predict ignitions in a region of Greece. All indices have been developed through the Google Earth Engine platform (GEE). In addition, a new index is proposed named “Vegetation-Enhanced FWI” (FWIveg) in order to enhance the FWI with vegetation information from the NDVI. To increase the robustness of the methodology, a genetic algorithm-based approach was used in order to obtain algorithms for the calculation of the new index. Finally, an artificial neural network was implemented in order to predict the Mati wildfire in Attica, Greece (23 July 2018) by applying the new index FWIveg, aiming to assess both the effectiveness of the new index as well as the ability to predict ignition events using neural networks. Results highlight the effectiveness of the two indices in providing joint information for fire prediction through artificial intelligence-based approaches.
Save Myself or Others? The Influence of Attitude toward FMCG Products from Recycled Material on the Intention to Buy Them: Hidden Motives and the Role of Income
Authors: Grigaliūnaitė Viktorija , Pažėraitė Aušra , Račkauskas Mantautas
Published: July 2023

Buying products made from recycled materials is an important way to support sustainability, especially in the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) context. Because these are the products that make up a very large part of consumer spending, it is very important to encourage consumers to buy them when they are made from recycled materials. Therefore, this research aimed to determine the relationship between income, egoistic and altruistic motives, attitude toward FMCG products from recycled material, and intention to buy them. To reach the research aim, questionnaire research was applied and structural equation modeling was carried out to analyze the research results. Based on the analysis of research results, income negatively influenced egoistic motives regarding buying recycled FMCG. Moreover, egoistic motives influenced attitude but did not directly or indirectly influence intention. Altruistic motives were not influenced by income but directly influenced attitude and intention to buy FMCG from recycled materials. When communicating about the benefits of recycled FMCG, altruistic motives should be highlighted, including rationalization of these aspects with specific calculations supporting these statements. Based on research results, such communication could facilitate the highest possibility of developing a sustainable FMCG market from recycled materials.
Variations of Extreme Temperature Event Indices in Six Temperature Zones in China from 1961 to 2020
Authors: Xin Jiajie , Zhan Mingjin , Xu Bin , Li Haijun , Zhan Longfei
Published: July 2023

In this study, eight extreme temperature event indices were calculated based on daily maximum, minimum, and mean temperature data recorded at 699 National Reference Stations in China during 1961–2020. The yearly change of mean temperature and the magnitude, frequency, and duration of extreme temperature events in six temperature zones were evaluated. All temperature zones had a trend of an increase in mean temperature (rate: 2.1–3.3 °C per 10 years), and the warming was more significant in the warm temperate zone and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau zone (QPZ). For extreme temperature events, the extreme maximum and minimum temperatures in most temperature zones showed significant trends of increase, and the rates of increase were greater in the northern zones and QPZ. The rate of increase in extreme minimum temperature was substantially (up to three times) higher than the rate of increase in extreme maximum temperature in the same temperature zone; however, the finding was the opposite for the cold temperate zone (CTZ), which is the northernmost region of China. The rate of increase in extreme maximum temperatures was the greatest (0.35 °C per 10 years), whereas the rate of increase in extreme minimum temperatures was the smallest (0.17 °C per 10 years). The number of warm days/nights and the warm spell duration index also showed significant trends of increase that were most obvious in the southern zones and QPZ. In the tropical zone (TZ), which is the southernmost part of mainland China, the number of warm nights was only 15.3 days in 1961–1970, whereas it increased to 61.9 days in 2011–2020 (an increase of 303.9%). The rate of increase in warm nights in TZ (8.8 days per 10 years) was four times that in CTZ (2.2 days per 10 years). The number of cold days/nights and the cold spell duration index showed significant trends of decrease, with the greatest rates of reduction in QPZ and TZ. In evaluating the frequency of extreme temperature events, the amplitude of warming of the night index was found to be greater than that of the day index. In evaluating the duration of extreme temperature events, the variation of the cold index was found to be greater than that of the warm index. The notable asymmetries found in the variations of the minimum/maximum temperatures, day/night indices, and cold/warm spell durations in China are direct manifestations of global warming.
Symmetric Phase Portraits of Homogeneous Polynomial Hamiltonian Systems of Degree 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with Finitely Many Equilibria
Authors: Benterki Rebiha , Llibre Jaume
Published: July 2023

Roughly speaking, the Poincaré disc D2 is the closed disc centered at the origin of the coordinates of R2, where the whole of R2 is identified with the interior of D2 and the circle of the boundary of D2 is identified with the infinity of R2, because in the plane R2, we can go to infinity in as many directions as points have the circle. The phase portraits of the quadratic Hamiltonian systems in the Poincaré disc were classified in 1994. Since then, no new interesting classes of Hamiltonian systems have been classified on the Poincaré disc. In this paper, we determine the phase portraits in the Poincaré disc of five classes of homogeneous Hamiltonian polynomial differential systems of degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with finitely many equilibria. Moreover, all these phase portraits are symmetric with respect to the origin of coordinates. We showed that these polynomial differential systems exhibit precisely 2, 2, 3, 3, and 4 topologically distinct phase portraits in the Poincaré disc. Of course, the new results are for the homogeneous Hamiltonian polynomial differential systems of degrees 3, 4, and 5. The tools used here for obtaining these phase portraits also work for obtaining any phase portrait of a homogeneous Hamiltonian polynomial differential system of arbitrary degree.
Secure Data Management Life Cycle for Government Big-Data Ecosystem: Design and Development Perspective
Authors: Zahid Reeba , Altaf Ayesha , Ahmad Tauqir , Iqbal Faiza , Vera Yini Airet Miró , Flores Miguel Angel López , Ashraf Imran
Published: July 2023

The rapid generation of data from various sources by the public sector, private corporations, business associations, and local communities is referred to as big data. This large and complex dataset is often regarded as the ‘new oil’ by public administrations (PAs), and data-driven approaches are employed to transform it into valuable insights that can improve governance, transparency, digital services, and public engagement. The government’s big-data ecosystem (GBDE) is a result of this initiative. Effective data management is the first step towards large-scale data analysis, which yields insights that benefit your work and your customers. However, managing big data throughout its life cycle is a daunting challenge for public agencies. Despite its widespread use, big data management is still a significant obstacle. To address this issue, this study proposes a hybrid approach to secure the data management life cycle for GBDE. Specifically, we use a combination of the ECC algorithm with AES 128 BITS encryption to ensure that the data remain confidential and secure. We identified and analyzed various data life cycle models through a systematic literature review to create a data management life cycle for data-driven governments. This approach enhances the security and privacy of data management and addresses the challenges faced by public agencies.
Arsenic Impairs Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Cholinergic Motor Neurons
Authors: Perego M. Chiara , McMichael Benjamin D. , McMurry Nicholas R. , Ventrello Scott W. , Bain Lisa J.
Published: July 2023

Arsenic exposure during embryogenesis can lead to improper neurodevelopment and changes in locomotor activity. Additionally, in vitro studies have shown that arsenic inhibits the differentiation of sensory neurons and skeletal muscle. In the current study, human-induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were differentiated into motor neurons over 28 days, while being exposed to up to 0.5 μM arsenic. On day 6, neuroepithelial progenitor cells (NEPs) exposed to arsenic had reduced transcript levels of the neural progenitor/stem cell marker nestin (NES) and neuroepithelial progenitor marker SOX1, while levels of these transcripts were increased in motor neuron progenitors (MNPs) at day 12. In day 18 early motor neurons (MNs), choline acetyltransferase (CHAT) expression was reduced two-fold in cells exposed to 0.5 μM arsenic. RNA sequencing demonstrated that the cholinergic synapse pathway was impaired following exposure to 0.5 μM arsenic, and that transcript levels of genes involved in acetylcholine synthesis (CHAT), transport (solute carriers, SLC18A3 and SLC5A7) and degradation (acetylcholinesterase, ACHE) were all downregulated in day 18 early MNs. In day 28 mature motor neurons, arsenic significantly downregulated protein expression of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) and ChAT by 2.8- and 2.1-fold, respectively, concomitantly with a reduction in neurite length. These results show that exposure to environmentally relevant arsenic concentrations dysregulates the differentiation of human iPS cells into motor neurons and impairs the cholinergic synapse pathway, suggesting that exposure impairs cholinergic function in motor neurons.