bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in the Functional Traits of Populus pruinosa Leaves in Different Developmental Stages
Authors: Zhai Juntuan , Zhang Xiao , Li Zhijun , Han Xiaoli , Zhang Shanhe
Published: June 2023

Populus pruinosa Schrenk has the biological characteristics of heteromorphic leaves and is a pioneer species for wind prevention and sand fixation. The functions of heteromorphic leaves at different developmental stages and canopy heights of P. pruinosa are unclear. To clarify how developmental stages and canopy height affect the functional characteristics of leaves, this study evaluated the morphological anatomical structures and the physiological indicators of leaves at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 m. The relationships of functional traits to the developmental stages and canopy heights of leaves were also analyzed. The results showed that blade length (BL), blade width (BW), leaf area (LA), leaf dry weight (LDW), leaf thickness (LT), palisade tissue thickness (PT), net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), proline (Pro), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased with progressing developmental stages. BL, BW, LA, leaf dry weight, LT, PT, Pn, Gs, Pro, and the contents of MDA, indoleacetic acid, and zeatin riboside had significant positive correlations with canopy heights of leaves and their developmental stages. The morphological structures and physiological characteristics of P. pruinosa leaves showed more evident xeric structural characteristics and higher photosynthetic capacity with increasing canopy height and progressive developmental stages. Resource utilization efficiency and the defense ability against environmental stresses were improved through mutual regulation of each functional trait.
Genetic Mapping of Seven Kinds of Locus for Resistance to Asian Soybean Rust
Authors: Yamanaka Naoki , Aoyagi Luciano N. , Hossain Md. Motaher , Aoyagi Martina B. F. , Muraki Yukie
Published: June 2023

Asian soybean rust (ASR), caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is one of the most serious soybean (Glycine max) diseases in tropical and subtropical regions. To facilitate the development of resistant varieties using gene pyramiding, DNA markers closely linked to seven resistance genes, namely, Rpp1, Rpp1-b, Rpp2, Rpp3, Rpp4, Rpp5, and Rpp6, were identified. Linkage analysis of resistance-related traits and marker genotypes using 13 segregating populations of ASR resistance, including eight previously published by our group and five newly developed populations, identified the resistance loci with markers at intervals of less than 2.0 cM for all seven resistance genes. Inoculation was conducted of the same population with two P. pachyrhizi isolates of different virulence, and two resistant varieties, ‘Kinoshita’ and ‘Shiranui,’ previously thought to only harbor Rpp5, was found to also harbor Rpp3. Markers closely linked to the resistance loci identified in this study will be used for ASR-resistance breeding and the identification of the genes responsible for resistance.
Simulational Tests of the Rouse Model
Authors: Phillies George David Joseph
Published: June 2023

An extensive review of literature simulations of quiescent polymer melts is given, considering results that test aspects of the Rouse model in the melt. We focus on Rouse model predictions for the mean-square amplitudes ⟨(Xp(0))2⟩ and time correlation functions ⟨Xp(0)Xp(t)⟩ of the Rouse mode Xp(t). The simulations conclusively demonstrate that the Rouse model is invalid in polymer melts. In particular, and contrary to the Rouse model, (i) mean-square Rouse mode amplitudes ⟨(Xp(0))2⟩ do not scale as sin−2(pπ/2N), N being the number of beads in the polymer. For small p (say, p≤3) ⟨(Xp(0))2⟩ scales with p as p−2; for larger p, it scales as p−3. (ii) Rouse mode time correlation functions ⟨Xp(t)Xp(0)⟩ do not decay with time as exponentials; they instead decay as stretched exponentials exp(−αtβ). β depends on p, typically with a minimum near N/2 or N/4. (iii) Polymer bead displacements are not described by independent Gaussian random processes. (iv) For p≠q, ⟨Xp(t)Xq(0)⟩ is sometimes non-zero. (v) The response of a polymer coil to a shear flow is a rotation, not the affine deformation predicted by Rouse. We also briefly consider the Kirkwood–Riseman polymer model.
Super-Tough and Biodegradable Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) Transparent Thin Films Toughened by Star-Shaped PCL-b-PDLA Plasticizers
Authors: Jeong Jieun , Yoon Sangsoo , Yang Xin , Kim Young Jun
Published: June 2023

To obtain fully degradable and super-tough poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) blends, biodegradable star-shaped PCL-b-PDLA plasticizers were synthesized using natural originated xylitol as initiator. These plasticizers were blended with PLGA to prepare transparent thin films. Effects of added star-shaped PCL-b-PDLA plasticizers on mechanical, morphological, and thermodynamic properties of PLGA/star-shaped PCL-b-PDLA blends were investigated. The stereocomplexation strong cross-linked network between PLLA segment and PDLA segment effectively enhanced interfacial adhesion between star-shaped PCL-b-PDLA plasticizers and PLGA matrix. With only 0.5 wt% addition of star-shaped PCL-b-PDLA (Mn = 5000 g/mol), elongation at break of the PLGA blend reached approximately 248%, without any considerable sacrifice over excellent mechanical strength and modulus of PLGA.
Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals from Bamboos and Their Application in Cassava Starch-Based Film
Authors: Thipchai Parichat , Punyodom Winita , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Thanakkasaranee Sarinthip , Hinmo Sasina , Pratinthong Kanticha , Kasi Gopinath , Rachtanapun Pornchai
Published: June 2023

Cellulose from different species of bamboo (Thyrsostachys siamesi Gamble, Dendrocalamus sericeus Munro (DSM), Bambusa logispatha, and Bambusa sp.) was converted to cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) by a chemical–mechanical method. First, bamboo fibers were pre-treated (removal of lignin and hemicellulose) to obtain cellulose. Next, the cellulose was hydrolyzed with sulfuric acid using ultrasonication to obtain CNCs. The diameters of CNCs are in the range of 11–375 nm. The CNCs from DSM showed the highest yield and crystallinity, which was chosen in the film fabrication. The plasticized cassava starch-based films with various amounts (0–0.6 g) of CNCs (from DSM) were prepared and characterized. As the number of CNCs in cassava starch-based films increased, water solubility and the water vapor permeability of CNCs decreased. In addition, the atomic force microscope of the nanocomposite films showed that CNC particles were dispersed uniformly on the surface of cassava starch-based film at 0.2 and 0.4 g content. However, the number of CNCs at 0.6 g resulted in more CNC agglomeration in cassava starch-based films. The 0.4 g CNC in cassava starch-based film was found to have the highest tensile strength (4.2 MPa). Cassava starch-incorporated CNCs from bamboo film can be applied as a biodegradable packaging material.
Lithium Iron Phosphate/Carbon (LFP/C) Composite Using Nanocellulose as a Reducing Agent and Carbon Source
Authors: Kroff Macarena , Hevia Samuel A. , O’Shea James N. , Muro Izaskun Gil de , Palomares Verónica , Rojo Teófilo , del Río Rodrigo
Published: June 2023

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) is the most promising cathode material for use in safe electric vehicles (EVs), due to its long cycle stability, low cost, and low toxicity, but it suffers from low conductivity and ion diffusion. In this work, we present a simple method to obtain LFP/carbon (LFP/C) composites with different types of NC: cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and cellulose nanofiber (CNF). Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis was used to obtain LFP with nanocellulose inside the vessel, and the final LFP/C composite was achieved by heating the mixture under a N2 atmosphere. The resulting LFP/C indicated that the NC in the reaction medium not only acts as the reducing agent that aqueous iron solutions need (avoiding the use of other chemicals), but also as a stabiliser of the nanoparticles produced in the hydrothermal synthesis, obtaining fewer agglomerated particles compared to synthesis without NC. The sample with the best coating—and, therefore, the best electrochemical response—was the sample with 12.6% carbon derived from CNF in the composite instead of CNC, due to its homogeneous coating. The utilisation of CNF in the reaction medium could be a promising method to obtain LFP/C in a simple, rapid, and low-cost way, avoiding the waste of unnecessary chemicals.
Preparation and Performance Improvement Mechanism Investigation of High-Performance Cementitious Grout Material for Semi-Flexible Pavement
Authors: Cheng Peifeng , Ma Guangtao , Li Yiming
Published: June 2023

Semi-flexible pavement material (SFPM) combines the advantages and avoids the disadvantages of asphalt concrete flexible pavement and cement concrete rigid pavement. However, due to the problem of interfacial strength of composite materials, SFPM is prone to cracking diseases, which limits the further application of SFPM. Hence, it is necessary to optimize the composition design of SFPM and improve its road performance. In this study, the effects of cationic emulsified asphalt, silane coupling agent and styrene–butadiene latex on the improvement of SFPM performance were compared and analyzed. The influence of modifier dosage and preparation parameters on the road performance of SFPM was investigated by an orthogonal experimental design combined with principal component analysis (PCA). The best modifier and the corresponding preparation process were selected. On this basis, the mechanism of SFPM road performance improvement was further analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) spectral analysis. The results show that adding modifiers can significantly enhance the road performance of SFPM. Compared to silane coupling agents and styrene–butadiene latex, cationic emulsified asphalt changes the internal structure of cement-based grouting material and increases the interfacial modulus of SFPM by 242%, allowing cationic emulsified asphalt-SFPM (C-SFPM) to exhibit better road performance. According to the results of the principal component analysis, C-SFPM has the best overall performance compared to other SFPMs. Therefore, cationic emulsified asphalt is the most effective modifier for SFPM. The optimal amount of cationic emulsified asphalt is 5%, and the best preparation process involves vibration at a frequency of 60 Hz for 10 min and 28 days of maintenance. The study provides a method and basis for improving the road performance of SFPM and a reference for designing the material composition of SFPM mixes.
Reinforced Epoxy Binder Modified with Borpolymer
Authors: Tuisov Aleksei G. , Kychkin Aisen , Kychkin Anatoly K. , Anan’eva Elena S.
Published: June 2023

Polymer binders based on epoxy resins have unique properties that contribute to their use in many composite industries. The potential of using epoxy binders is due to their high elasticity and strength characteristics, thermal and chemical resistance, and resistance to climatic aging. This is the reason for the existing practical interest in modifying the composition of epoxy binders and understanding the strengthening mechanisms in order to form reinforced composite materials with a required set of properties based on them. This article presents the results of a study of the process of dissolving the modifying additive of polymethylene-p-triphenyl ether of boric acid in the components of an epoxyanhydride binder applicable to the production of fibrous composite materials. The temperature and time conditions for the dissolution of polymethylene-p-triphenyl ether of boric acid in anhydride-type isomethyltetrahydrophthalic anhydride hardeners are presented. It has been established that the complete dissolution of the borpolymer-modifying additive in iso-MTHPA occurs at a temperature of 55 ± 2 °C for 20 h. The effect of the modifying additive of polymethylene-p-triphenyl ether of boric acid on the strength properties and structure of the epoxyanhydride binder has been studied. Increases in transverse bending strength up to 190 MPa, elastic modulus up to 3200 MPa, tensile strength up to 0.8 MPa, and impact strength (Charpy) up to 5.1 kJ/m2 are observed when the content of the borpolymer-modifying additive in the composition of the epoxy binder is 0.50 mass. %.
A Comparison of the Effect of Cellulose Nanocrystals (CNCs) and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) as Additives in Ultrafiltration Membranes (PES-UF): Characterization and Performance
Authors: Adeniyi Amos , Odo Gerald Oke , Gonzalez-Ortiz Danae , Pochat-Bohatier Celine , Mbakop Sandrine , Onyango Maurice Stephen
Published: June 2023

This work demonstrated the potential of CNC as a substitute for PEG as an additive in ultrafiltration membrane fabrication. Two sets of modified membranes were fabricated using the phase inversion technique, with polyethersulfone (PES) as the base polymer and 1-N-methyl-2 pyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent. The first set was fabricated with 0.075 wt% CNC, while the second set was fabricated with 2 wt% PEG. All membranes were characterized using SEM, EDX, FTIR, and contact angle measurements. The SEM images were analyzed for surface characteristics using WSxM 5.0 Develop 9.1 software. The membranes were tested, characterized, and compared for their performance in treating both synthetic and real restaurant wastewater. Both membranes exhibited improved hydrophilicity, morphology, pore structure, and roughness. Both membranes also exhibited similar water flux for real and synthetic polluted water. However, the membrane prepared with CNC gave higher turbidity removal and COD removal when raw restaurant water was treated. The membrane compared well with the UF membrane containing 2 wt% PEG in terms of morphology and performance when synthetic turbid water and raw restaurant water were treated.
An Investigation on Optimized Performance of Voluteless Centrifugal Fans by a Class and Shape Transformation Function
Authors: Zhu Meijun , Li Zhehong , Li Guohui , Ye Xinxue , Liu Yang , Chen Ziyun , Li Ning
Published: June 2023

Class and shape transformation functions are proposed to carry out the parametric design of the blade profiles because fan efficiency is closely related to the shape of blade profiles. An optimization with the objectives of fan efficiency and static pressure based on the Kriging models was established, and numerical simulation data were applied to construct the Kriging models. The dissipation function was used to analyze the fan energy loss. The prediction results show that the maximum accuracy error between the Kriging model and the experimental data is approximately 0.81%. Compared with the prototype fan, the optimized fan was able to ameliorate the distribution of the flow field pressure and velocity; the outlet static pressure increased by 9.03%, and the efficiency increased by 2.35%. The dissipation function is advantageous because it can intuitively indicate the location and amount of energy loss in the fan, while effectively obtaining the total energy loss as well. The situation of energy loss was mutually validated with the density of the static pressure contours and the streamline distribution. The flow fields at the leading edge of the optimized fans were improved by analysis of the dissipation function, and the leading edges of the three impellers selected from the Pareto front were narrower and flatter than those of the prototype fan.
Research on Electromagnetic Adsorption Technology Based on Composite Shaft Lining Structure
Authors: Xu Ying , Fu Wenjun
Published: June 2023

The working conditions and environment of coal mine shafts are intricate and special. Currently, manual inspections or fixed-point monitoring is generally applied for daily safety monitoring, and intelligent and automated inspection equipment and its supporting technologies are not available. Starting from the technical requirements of the electromagnetic adsorption device of the wall-climbing robot for safety monitoring of the coal mine shaft, based on the structural characteristics and chemical composition of the composite shaft lining of the coal mine, the fundamental structure of the electromagnetic array and the electromagnetic unit are clarified, and a multi-layer matrix simulation point overlap mapping analysis method is proposed. Based on the system modeling and simulation calculations in MATLAB software, the number and distribution law of effective mapping points between the endpoints of the electromagnetic array and the reinforced frame in the shaft lining are inferred, which leads to the establishment of a calculation model of the equivalent adsorption area. The NSGA-II algorithm, a non-dominant elite strategy based on a genetic algorithm, is used to calculate the optimum combination scheme of various genetic parameters of individual electromagnetic units. Through the statistical analysis of the optimal individual data of each generation in the iterative process, the accuracy of the algorithm process and constraints, as well as the fitness function, are verified. Based on the research results of this paper, the electromagnetic adsorption issue of the mine shaft wall-climbing robot on the composite shaft lining structure has been effectively solved, which has theoretical significance and practical value for improving the autonomous ability and monitoring level of coal mine shaft safety monitoring.
Antimicrobial Potential of Tara Hydroalcoholic Extract (Caesalpinia spinosa) against Streptococcus Associated with Strep Throat
Authors: De La Cruz-Noriega Magaly , Benites Santiago M. , Rodríguez-Haro Icela M. , Salazar-Castillo Marco L. , Rojas-Villacorta W. , Otiniano N. M. , Becerra-Gutiérrez Lizzie Karen , Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis , Mendoza-Villanueva K. , Rojas-Flores S.
Published: June 2023

Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat infections caused by group B Streptococcus; however, inappropriate use of antibiotics can develop resistance. Because of this, the research was carried out with the aim of evaluating the in vitro effect of the hydroalcoholic extract of Caesalpinia spinosa (Molina) Kuntze known as Taya or Tara on the viability of β-hemolytic streptococci; an experimental investigation of increasing stimulation was carried out. The hydroalcoholic extract of C. spinosa pods was worked in concentrations of 250, 500, 750, and 1000 mg/mL, which were placed on filter paper discs to perform the sensitivity test following the Kirby–Bauer method. The greatest inhibition of bacterial viability was observed in the penicillin control group (GPT-01) followed by the TCT-04 group (hydroalcoholic Tara extract 1000 mg/mL). In addition, it was found that these groups are statistically different from the rest (p < 0.05), while the lowest bacterial inhibition was obtained for the erythromycin group and the TCT-01 group (250–1000 mg/mL). It was concluded that the hydroalcoholic extract of the pods of C. spinosa (Molina) Kuntze affects the viability of β-hemolytic streptococci associated with strep pharyngitis and that this antimicrobial activity is due to the presence of tannins, steroidal flavonoid, and alkaloids. Likewise, the tested concentrations of hydroalcoholic Tara extract were found to have better antibacterial activity than erythromycin (15 µg/mL) against β-hemolytic streptococci. These results are hopeful for the traditional or herbal medicine field. However, future in vivo research is needed to determine its effectiveness in humans.
Simulation of Rock Electrical Properties in Deep Reservoirs Based on Digital Rock Technology
Authors: Shang Suogui , Gao Qiangyong , Cui Yunjiang , Wang Peichun , Zhang Zhang , Yuan Yadong , Yan Weichao , Chi Peng
Published: June 2023

Deep reservoirs are in a high-pressure and high-temperature (HPHT) environment, while the experimental conditions for rock electrical properties that meet the deep reservoir conditions are harsh and costly. Although digital rock technology can simulate the electrical properties of rocks, it is limited to electrical simulation studies under normal temperature and pressure conditions (NPT), which limits their ability to capture the electrical characteristics of deep hydrocarbon reservoirs. This limitation affects the accuracy of saturation prediction based on resistivity logging. To simulate the rock electrical properties under HPHT conditions, we proposed a low-cost and high-efficiency HPHT digital rock electrical simulation workflow. Firstly, samples from deep formations were CT-scanned and used to construct multi-component digital rocks that reflect the real microstructure of the samples. Then, mathematical morphology was used to simulate the overburden correction under high-pressure conditions, and the changes in the conductivity of formation water and clay minerals at different temperatures were used to simulate the conductivity changes of rock components under high-temperature conditions. To carry out the electrical simulation of digital rock in deep reservoirs, a numerical simulation condition for HPHT in deep layers was established, and the finite element method (FEM) was used. Finally, based on the equivalent changes in the conductivity of different components, the effects of clay minerals and formation water under HPHT conditions on rock electrical properties were studied and applied to predict the water saturation based on well logging data. We found that considering the influence of temperature, salinity, and clay type, the saturation index (n) of the rock depends on the ratio of the clay conductivity to the formation water conductivity. The larger the ratio is, the smaller the value of n. In addition, the average relative error between the predicted water saturation under HPHT conditions and the sealed coring analysis was 6.8%, which proved the accuracy of the proposed method. Overall, this method can effectively simulate the pressure and temperature environment of deep formations, reveal the electrical conductivity mechanisms of rocks under formation pressure and temperature conditions, and has promising prospects for the study of rock physical properties and reservoir evaluation in deep formations.
The Association between Social Determinants of Health and Depressive Disorders: A 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Analysis
Authors: Wilkinson Larrell L. , Long-Daniels Alexis , Appah Mary , Zhai Yusen , Watson Dayna M. , Walker Kiera , Young-Bilbo Kourtney , Aboagye Anita , Tucker Chelsea , McCarthy Shannon
Published: June 2023

Background: Major Depressive Disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide and one of the most common disorders in the United States. Contributors to an individual’s risk for experiencing depressive disorders include individual and social factors. Although the social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions that contribute to healthy functioning, health outcomes, and quality of life, it is unclear to what extent adverse SDOH experiences are associated with self-reporting depressive disorder (DD). Methods: Data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a population-based telephone survey of noninstitutionalized U.S. adults, was employed in this study. Lifetime diagnosis of DD was self-reported among survey participants who also completed the Social Determinants of Health optional module within 17 participating BRFSS states and entities. Rao-Scott chi-square analysis was used to determine the association of individual and SDOH measures with DD. Results: The prevalence of DD among participating states was 19.85%. Among respondents, significant proportional differences were observed for each SDOH indicator regarding DD status. However, significant differences in health insurance coverage were not observed. Conclusion: Survey respondents with a lifetime diagnosis of DD experienced adverse SDOH conditions in greater proportion than individuals not reporting DD. Individual and community-based approaches to address the contextual influences of depressive disorders should be aggressively implemented.
Effect of Virgin PP Substitution with Recycled Plastic Caps in the Manufacture of a Product for the Telephony Sector
Authors: de Sá Teles Beatriz Arioli , Cunha Isadora Luiza Clímaco , da Silva Neto Manoel Lisboa , Wiebeck Hélio , Valera Ticiane Sanches , de Souza Simara Silveira , de Oliveira Schmitt Alfredo Felipe , Oliveira Vinicius , Kulay Luiz
Published: June 2023

This study investigated the effects of partial and total substitutions of fossil polypropylene (PP) for recycled plastic cap equivalents in the manufacture of signage labels used by the telephone industry. Four alternative scenarios to using virgin PP were evaluated considering recycled material in flake and pellet forms based on environmental performance, degree of circularity, and technical behavior. The environmental analysis was performed by the life cycle assessment (LCA) technique, and for all impact categories evaluated, using recycled material to replace the virgin reduced adverse effects on the environment. The most significant results in this dimension, with gains of 81% in the Global Environmental Indicator, occurred when recycled PP flakes entirely replaced the fossil polymer. Once again, the highest values of the Materials Circularity Indicator (MCI) were achieved by scenarios with full recycled resin in processing the tags; however, this product must also be reused. The mechanical behavior of the tags measured technical performance, and in this case, the product made with virgin PP outperformed the recycled options except for elongation. An analysis that integrated the three dimensions into a single performance index pointed to the complete substitution of virgin material for recycled as the most balanced option.
Thy Kingdom Come? Visualizing (Post)Colonial Futures in the German Southwest
Authors: Krause Katharina , Pittl Sebastian
Published: June 2023

The future of colonial pasts still haunts Christian imagination and theology. This is especially true in the field of eschatology, which is dedicated to Christian ways of conceiving the future. This article examines the manifold entanglements that collude in the fabrication of Christian imaginaries of time, future, and global community within (post)colonial conditions. At the center of the article resides the case study of a lithograph distributed by missionary networks in the second half of the 19th century and passed down over three generations in a German Swabian craftsman’s family. The first part of the article offers a detailed image analysis of the lithograph, paying special attention to its ways of religious and colonial worlding. The second examines the social milieu of the addressees of the lithograph and analyzes its embeddedness in intersectional webs of religious, aesthetic, and social disciplining. It draws attention to the complex, often ambiguous dynamics involved in producing colonial inferiority. Against this background, the third part explores, in the form of a provisional thought experiment, ways of a decolonial revision of the lithograph, which bring the aforementioned ambivalences “into view” and interrupt its temporal hierarchization.
When Religious Folk Practice Meet Karl Marx: Courts’ Response to Ghost Marriage in Modern China
Authors: Zhou Wenzhang , Feng Yang
Published: June 2023

As religious folk practice is regarded as a radical departure from Marxist atheism, the abnormal existence of ghost marriages under the Chinese socialist regime has attracted wide scholarly attention in anthropology and sociology. However, few scholars have focused on how Chinese courts treat religious folk practices, such as ghost marriages, despite the official socialist ideology. Based on the typological analysis and case study involving 260 ghost marriage cases, the authors argue about the judicial activism of Chinese courts towards atheist ideology in religious folk practices. The findings of this study are twofold. First, the Chinese courts’ attitudes toward ghost marriage cases are pluralistic, reflecting the Chinese legal system’s selective obedience to the socialist ideology. Through the application of different legal interpretations of relevant laws, Chinese courts have shown three attitudes towards ghost marriages: encouragement, tolerance, and suppression. The first two attitudes can be regarded as supportive supervision of religious folk practice. Three factors tended to affect the courts’ attitudes towards ghost marriages: courts’ hierarchical level, parties’ claims, and whether ghost marriage rituals are performed. Second, further analysis suggests that RPC’s guerrilla-style governance strategy in the Chinese legal system allows it to deal with ghost marriage with more flexibility, even overriding its fundamentalist ideology. The guerrilla-style tactic is often used by the Chinese courts to handle matters of religious folk practices in a pluralistic manner. Overall, the courts’ pluralistic attitudes towards ghost marriage is that of modest tolerance and cooperation of religious folk practices based on the RPC’s model of governance.
An Ante Litteram Critique of Orientalism: The Case of Abu’l-Faḍā’il-i-Gulpāyigānī and E.G. Browne
Authors: Yazdani Mina , Ghaemmaghami Omid
Published: June 2023

Since the late 1970s, the term Orientalism has been closely associated with Edward Said (d. 2003) and his influential monograph of the same name. First published in 1978, Orientalism advanced a number of critiques about the discipline of “Oriental Studies”, its frequently condescending portrayal and depiction of the Eastern world, and the complex relationship between knowledge and power in the context of the Middle East. As revolutionary as a number of Said’s theses have been, in his critique of Orientalism and in particular his penetrating analysis of the relationship between knowledge and power, Said was not breaking entirely new ground. In fact, seven decades earlier, a voice from the Orient itself, the Persian Bahā’ī scholar Mīrzā Abu’l-Faḍā’il-i Gulpāyigānī (d. 1914), expressed a similar, albeit embryonic, critique of Orientalism. Abu’l-Faḍā’il’s analysis, presented in the opening chapters of his final book Kashfu’l-Ghiṭā’, focused on one of the foremost Orientalists of his time, the Cambridge scholar Edward Granville Browne (d. 1926). Rather than studying the extent to which Browne fits the paradigm of Orientalism (a topic some scholars have previously expressed views on), this article explores ways in which Abu’l-Faḍā’il’s critique of Browne’s study of the Orient can be viewed as a nascent prefiguration of some of the theses developed and advanced by Said decades later. Gulpāyigānī’s precedence as a Bahā’ī scholar in discerning and addressing the link between Western scholars’ knowledge production and the colonial power relations of their respective governments with the countries or areas they studied, helps correct a misconception forged about Bahā’īs. Historical narratives produced in anti-Bahā’ī polemics decades after Gulpāyigānī’s death created a master-narrative that cast Bahā’īs as agents of colonial powers, sweeping under the rug counterarguments such as those posed by Gulpāyigānī’s critique. The authors of this article have been motivated by this corrective goal.
Three Early Russian Documents about the Daodejing: An Analysis
Authors: Zhang Hongyan , Luo Jing
Published: June 2023

It has been nearly 200 years since the Daodejing and Daoist thought was first introduced to Russia in the first half of the 19th century. Although the study of Daoist philosophy and Laozi in Russia started relatively late, the Daodejing has been the most translated classic of Chinese culture in Russia. The early dissemination of the Daodejing in Russia was deeply influenced by the government and religion, and there were some controversial and neglected materials that were difficult to verify due to the lack of documents and manuscripts. For example, the first translation manuscript of the Daodejing in Russia has almost become a rare book that is nearly impossible to find and inconvenient to read; the authorship of the first article introducing Laozi’s thought in Russia remains a mystery; the first complete translation was completed by a Japanese theologian living in Russia, but it has not received enough research attention. The insufficient research on the early dissemination of Laozi studies in Russia has had a negative impact on the studies of Laozi in Russia. Therefore, this paper, on the basis of various documentary and manuscript references, aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the early dissemination of Laozi studies in Russia, paying particular attention to the three early Russian documents in the 19th century about the Daodejing, namely, the first translation manuscript of the Daodejing, the first article introducing Laozi’s thought in Russia, and the first complete Russian translation of the Daodejing. A detailed review of these three documents can help to correct some misconceptions and misunderstandings of the early dissemination of the Daodejing in Russia, and, to some extent, reveal the early dissemination characteristics of Laozi studies in Russia.
Embracing the Unknowable: Paradigm of Ineffability
Authors: Piilola Antti
Published: June 2023

Ineffability is a long-time partner of the philosophy of religion and mysticism. Through apophatic conceptions of the divine, it can act to guarantee the transcendence of the divine, elevate it to something beyond our conceptions. It has also held the central role in defining if not the nature, then at least the characteristics of mystical experience. Sometimes it is that which affirms the unique nature of mystical experience, and sometimes it is what challenges the concept of mysticism as incoherent and paradoxical. In this article, I will explore if there could be a Being Ineffable that unites both the mystical experience and its (purportedly) transcendent object, while acknowledging the problem of coherence that ineffability entails. I will do so by forming an argument for ineffability that attempts to both validate and define absolute ineffability as the point of convergence between three meanings of Being Ineffable: as a definition of absolute (ineffability), as a mystical experience of it, and finally, as the Ineffable, that is, the God/Absolute/Ultimate; all the meanings are held together by an argument from ineffability—a permeating and silently expressed attempt to turn ineffability from its usual role of a negation into a necessary affirmation.
On the Stochastic Volatility in the Generalized Black-Scholes-Merton Model
Authors: Ivanov Roman V.
Published: June 2023

This paper discusses the generalized Black-Scholes-Merton model, where the volatility coefficient, the drift coefficient of stocks, and the interest rate are time-dependent deterministic functions. Together with it, we make the assumption that the volatility, the drift, and the interest rate depend on a gamma or inverse-gamma random variable. This model includes the models of skew Student’s t- and variance-gamma-distributed stock log-returns. The price of the European forward-start call option is derived from the considered models in closed form. The obtained formulas are compared with the Black-Scholes formula through examples.
Retrieving Soil Moisture at the Field Scale from Sentinel-1 Data over a Semi-Arid Mediterranean Agricultural Area
Authors: Graldi Giulia , Zardi Dino , Vitti Alfonso
Published: June 2023

In this work, superficial soil moisture is estimated from SAR data at the field scale on agricultural fields over which the relationship between the co-polarized backscattering coefficient (γ0VV) and the measured soil moisture (SSMv) is both direct and inverse. An inversion algorithm is adapted to the charateristics of the single field and applied to SAR signal differences. The differences of SAR signal are obtained from a change detection (CD) method applied on the VV band of the Sentinel-1 SAR mission. In the CD method, the variations of the total backscattered signal due to sharp changes in vegetation and soil roughness are excluded from the dataset by using a machine learning algorithm. The retrieval method is applied on a low vegetated agricultural area in Spain, characterized by a semi-arid mediterranean climate and where in situ soil moisture data are available. Good results are obtained not only over fields characterized by direct γ0VV/SSMv relationship, reaching values of correlation coefficient and RMSE up to r=0.89 and RMSE=0.042 m3/m3, but also over fields with inverse relationship, obtaining in this case values up to r=0.84 ad RMSE=0.026 m3/m3. Although the inverse relationship between the backscattering coefficient and the measured soil moisture is not yet well understood in the field of soil moisture estimation from radar data, for the present case, checking the nature of this relationship was fundamental in order to accordingly adapt the soil moisture retrieval algorithm to the dataset characteristics.
Assimilating All-Sky Infrared Radiance Observations to Improve Ensemble Analyses and Short-Term Predictions of Thunderstorms
Authors: Zhang Huanhuan , Xu Qin , Jones Thomas A. , Ran Lingkun
Published: June 2023

The experimental rapid-cycling Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) in the convection-allowing ensemble-based Warn-on-Forecast System (WoFS) at the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) is used to assimilate all-sky infrared radiance observations from the GOES-16 7.3 μm water vapor channel in combination with radar wind and reflectivity observations to improve the analysis and subsequent forecast of severe thunderstorms (which occurred in Oklahoma on 2 May 2018). The method for radiance data assimilation is based primarily on the version used in WoFS. In addition, the methods for adaptive observation error inflation and background error inflation and the method of time-expanded sampling are also implemented in two groups of experiments to test their effectiveness and examine the impacts of radar observations and all-sky radiance observations on ensemble analyses and predictions of severe thunderstorms. Radar reflectivity observations and brightness temperature observations from the GOES-16 6.9 μm mid-level troposphere water vapor channel and 11.2 μm longwave window channel are used to evaluate the assimilation statistics and verify the forecasts in each experiment. The primary findings from the two groups of experiments are summarized: (i) Assimilating radar observations improves the overall (heavy) precipitation forecast up to 5 (4) h, according to the improved composite reflectivity forecast skill scores. (ii) Assimilating all-sky water vapor infrared radiance observations from GOES-16 in addition to radar observations improves the brightness temperature assimilation statistics and subsequent cloud cover forecast up to 6 h, but the improvements are not significantly affected by the adaptive observation and background error inflations. (iii) Time-expanded sampling can not only reduce the computational cost substantially but also slightly improve the forecast.
Editorial for Special Issue “Ground and Structural Deformations Monitoring Systems Integrating Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Data”
Authors: Fabris Massimo , Floris Mario
Published: June 2023

Ground deformations due to landslides [...]
Multi-Sensor and Multi-Scale Remote Sensing Approach for Assessing Slope Instability along Transportation Corridors Using Satellites and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems
Authors: Zocchi Marta , Kasaragod Anush Kumar , Jenkins Abby , Cook Chris , Dobson Richard , Oommen Thomas , Van Huis Dana , Taylor Beau , Brooks Colin , Marini Roberta , Troiani Francesco , Mazzanti Paolo
Published: June 2023

Rapid slope instabilities (i.e., rockfalls) involving highway networks in mountainous areas pose a threat to facilities, settlements and life, thus representing a challenge for asset management plans. To identify different morphological expressions of degradation processes that lead to rock mass destabilization, we combined satellite and uncrewed aircraft system (UAS)-based products over two study sites along the State Highway 133 sector near Paonia Reservoir, Colorado (USA). Along with a PS-InSAR analysis covering the 2017–2021 interval, a high-resolution dataset composed of optical, thermal and multi-spectral imagery was systematically acquired during two UAS surveys in September 2021 and June 2022. After a pre-processing step including georeferencing and orthorectification, the final products were processed through object-based multispectral classification and change detection analysis for highlighting moisture or lithological variations and for identifying areas more susceptible to deterioration and detachments at the small and micro-scale. The PS-InSAR analysis, on the other hand, provided multi-temporal information at the catchment scale and assisted in understanding the large-scale morpho-evolution of the displacements. This synergic combination offered a multiscale perspective of the superimposed imprints of denudation and mass-wasting processes occurring on the study site, leading to the detection of evidence and/or early precursors of rock collapses, and effectively supporting asset management maintenance practices.
Forest Area and Structural Variable Estimation in Boreal Forest Using Suomi NPP VIIRS Data and a Sample from VHR Imagery
Authors: Häme Tuomas , Astola Heikki , Kilpi Jorma , Rauste Yrjö , Sirro Laura , Mutanen Teemu , Parmes Eija , Rasinmäki Jussi , Imangholiloo Mohammad
Published: June 2023

Our objective was to develop a method for the assessment of forest area and structural variables for cases in which the availability of representative ground reference data is poor and these data are not collected from the whole area of interest. We implemented two independent approaches to the estimation of the forest variables of a European boreal forest: (i) the computation of wall-to-wall estimates using moderate- to low-resolution VIIRS imagery from the Suomi NPP mission; and (ii) the visual interpretation of plots of samples from very high resolution (VHR) satellite data obtained via a two-stage design. Our focus was on the statistical comparison of forest resources at a country or larger level. The study area was boreal forest ranging from Norway to the Ural Mountains in Russia. We computed a seamless mosaic from 111 VIIRS images. From the mosaic, we computed predictions for the forest area, growing stock volume, height of the dominating tree layer, proportion of conifers and broadleaved trees, site fertility class, and leaf area index. The reference data for the VIIRS imagery were national forest inventory (NFI)-based raster maps from Finland. The first stage sample of VHR data included 42 images; of these, a second stage sample of 2690 plots was visually interpreted for the same variables. The forest area prediction from VIIRS for the whole study area was 1.2% higher than the VHR-based result. All other structural variable predictions using VIIRS fitted within the 95% confidence intervals computed from the VHR sample except for estimates of the main tree species groups, which were outside the limits. A comparison of VIIRS-based forest area estimates using Finnish and Swedish NFI data indicated overestimations of 10.0% points and 4.6% points, whereas the total growing stock volumes were overestimated by 8% and underestimated by 3.4%, respectively. The correlation coefficients between the VIIRS and VHR image predictions at the 42 VHR image locations varied from 0.70 to 0.85. The VIIRS maps strongly averaged the local predictions due to their coarse spatial resolutions. Based on our findings, the approach using two independent estimations yielded similar figures for the central forest variables for the European boreal forest. A model computed using reference data from a small part of the area of interest can provide satisfactory predictions for a much larger area with a similar biome. Therefore, our concept is applicable to the estimation and overall mapping of a forest area and central structural variables at regional to national levels.
The Spatial Patterns of the Crime Rate in London and Its Socio-Economic Influence Factors
Authors: Zhou Yunqi , Wang Fengwei , Zhou Shijian
Published: June 2023

This paper analyses the spatial trends and patterns of the crime rates in London and explores how socio-economic characteristics affect crime rates with consideration of the geographic context across London. The 2015 London Crime Statistics and Socio-economic Characteristics datasets were used. First, we investigated the spatial patterns of crime rates through exploratory spatial analysis at the ward level. In addition, both the ordinary least square (OLS) model and geographically weighted regression (GWR) model, which allow the effects of factors to vary in spatial scales, were adopted and compared to explore the potential spatially varying effect across London. The results showed that there exists obvious spatial clustering for the crime rate in central London. Both global and local Moran’s I values indicated the spatial dependence of crime at the ward level. The GWR model performed better in explaining crime rates than the OLS model. Only two factors, namely, the percentage of children aged from 0 to 15 and employment rates, had significant spatial variability in London. The influences of the percentage of children aged 0 to 15 on crime rates are constantly negative over a spatial scale; however, employment rates positively affect crime rates in the north-western areas near the centre of London. Therefore, this paper focuses more on the spatial perspective, which fills the gap in traditional crime analysis, especially on the spatially varying influence of socio-economic status.
What Is Your Legacy? A Pilot Study of Naming Practices of Legacy Hawker Stalls in a Singaporean Hawker Center
Authors: Lim Shaun Tyan Gin , Cacciafoco Francesco Perono
Published: June 2023

Hawker food is a cherished element of Singapore’s cultural identity. For much of Singapore’s history, hawkers were itinerant salespersons who sold their dishes from place to place via pushcarts. The situation changed in the 1970s when hawkers were shifted to hawker centers, and they had to name their businesses overtly. The present research focuses on naming practices in older hawker centers which comprise many stalls with itinerant pasts. More work remains to be done on the names of hawker stalls in newer hawker centers. This communication studies the naming practices of hawker stalls at Fernvale Hawker Center and Market, a new hawker center that was opened in August 2022. It finds that the naming strategy, which combines a name and food/cuisine sold, is the most common naming pattern. The authors also study how “legacy” stalls name themselves. These stalls enjoyed great success at their original outlets and hence, opened another branch at this hawker center. “Legacy” stall names allude to the geographical location where the stall’s business took off, index culinary authenticity, and/or index the hawkers’ cultural heritage. The last pattern is observed most notably among Chinese hawkers who use auspicious Chinese characters to articulate their desire for a thriving business.