bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Software Tool for a Stochastic Life Cycle Assessment and Costing of Buildings’ Energy Efficiency Measures
Authors: Baldoni Edoardo , Coderoni Silvia , Di Giuseppe Elisa , D’Orazio Marco , Esposti Roberto , Maracchini Gianluca
Published: July 2021

This article presents a novel software tool for the assessments of life-cycle environmental impacts and costs, which is aimed to support decision-making in the design phase of retrofit interventions in the building sector. By combining Life Cycle Costing (LCC) and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) calculations and functionalities, this tool allows evaluating the long-term trade-offs between economic and environmental performance of investment projects in energy efficiency for buildings, while accounting for uncertainties in input parameters and economic scenarios. A major novelty of the software tool is the stochastic nature of both the LCC and LCA dimensions. The LCA is implemented with Monte-Carlo methods, while the LCC accounts for the probabilistic interdependence of macroeconomic variables over time. The software also includes advanced specific tools for parametrization and sensitivity analysis. Exemplary applications are presented in order to illustrate the novelty and the functionalities of the software tool.
Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency in the Three-North Region of China Based on Long-Term Satellite Data
Authors: Zhang Qi’ao , Chen Wei
Published: July 2021

Water use efficiency (WUE), given by the ratio between organic matter production and water consumption, could be considered as a very important ecological indicator for assessing vegetation system growth conditions by combining organic matter production and water consumption. It is especially important for regional vegetation sustainable management by creating enough organic matter with restricted water supply. Furthermore, proper analysis of WUE is vital for the evaluation and future plans of ecological restoration projects in ecologically fragile regions such as the Three-North region of China. In this study, ecosystem WUE across the Three-North region of China from 2001 to 2017 was obtained, and the variation trends and major influencing factors were also analyzed. The results demonstrated that (1) the average WUE across the Three-North region of China is 0.7376 g∙C∙m−2∙mm−1 with an annual increase of 0.002 g∙C∙m−2∙mm−1∙y−1; (2) the spatiotemporal variation trends of WUE are similar to those of gross primary production (GPP); and (3) in the southeastern parts of the Three-North region, the vegetation conditions are better with sustainable improvements, while in Xinjiang Province, the sustainable degradation areas are widely spread. The results of this research reveal large spatial heterogeneity of WUE, with high WUE mainly in the southeastern region with sufficient precipitation and afforestation programs. For those areas far away from this region, WUE is not satisfactory, suggesting that, for a sustainable vegetation growth, it is important to consider the water supply to maintain suitable vegetation cover. Furthermore, the results of this research are important for future ecological restoration and sustainable management of environment.
Fuel Effects on Regulated and Unregulated Emissions from Two Commercial Euro V and Euro VI Road Transport Vehicles
Authors: Williams Rod , Pettinen Rasmus , Ziman Pauline , Kar Kenneth , Dauphin Roland
Published: July 2021

Substantial advances in European road vehicle emissions have been achieved over the past three decades driven by strengthening revisions in emissions legislation and enabled by advances in fuel, vehicle engine and emissions control technologies. As both vehicle technology and emissions legislation in Europe continue to evolve, Concawe has conducted a study to examine the effects that fuels can have on emissions, in this case from commercial road vehicles. A bus certified to Euro VI emissions level and a delivery truck certified to Euro V emissions level have been tested on a chassis-dyno over the World Harmonized Vehicle Cycle (WHVC) and Transport for London Urban Inter-Peak (TfL UIP) test cycles with six fuels: an EN590-compliant B5 (petroleum diesel containing 5% biodiesel by volume), a bioderived paraffinic diesel, a 50:50 blend of the aforementioned fuels, a low-density petroleum-derived B5, a B30 and the same B30 additized with a high dose of cetane number improver (CNI). Results show reduced NOx reductant (AdBlue) consumption with paraffinic diesel in the Euro VI bus due to lower engine-out NOx emissions. More surprisingly, higher hydrocarbon emissions were observed with some low-density hydrocarbon fuels in the Euro V truck. Compared to B5, B30 with and without CNI did not affect tank-to-wheel (TTW) CO2, volumetric fuel consumption or NOx by statistically significant margins. When considered with the findings of a complementary light-duty study, it is apparent that low-density diesel fuels could offer overall benefits to both emissions affecting local air quality and to greenhouse gas emissions on a TTW basis. The addition of higher fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) levels to fuels can be used to increase renewable fuel contribution resulting in no penalty in NOx emissions from modern technology vehicles. Compatibility of these fuels with the existing vehicle fleet would require further specific consideration. Outside of fuel properties considerations, Euro VI aftertreatment systems can increase N2O emissions at the tailpipe through chemical reactions in the catalyst. This can translate into about 10% contribution of N2O emissions to the overall GHG emissions of the vehicle.
Innovations in the Management of E-Commerce: Analysis of Customer Interactions during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pollák František , Konečný Michal , Ščeulovs Deniss
Published: July 2021

In the days leading to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, open innovations in the form of the deployment of digital marketing tools in the management portfolio were an option; in a time of forced closing of economies, they suddenly became a necessity. The aim of the comprehensive research, in which the presented study is prepared, is to describe the changes in e-consumer behavior that occurred in the market during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presented study examines the seasonal and regional specifics that characterize the markets of Central and Eastern Europe. In a sample of almost 14,000,000 Facebook users, the user interactions with ten selected representatives of the e-commerce sector were recorded daily during the 2020/2021 Christmas season lasting 49 days. By analyzing the nature and timing of interactions, it was possible to identify the geographical specifics of e-consumer behavior, as well as basic seasonality indicators based on a comparison with the reference period of the first half of 2020. The synthesis of the findings provided a knowledge base for compiling a preliminary version of the model of the COVID-19 pandemic impact on e-consumer behavior. In terms of changes in e-consumer behavior, it can be stated that the step change in e-behavior patterns caused by the pandemic merges with pre-pandemic behavior patterns. In general, it can be stated that the evolutionary process of the transition from offline to online the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be a significant acceleration factor of inevitable changes.
The Role of Embodied Carbon Databases in the Accuracy of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Calculations for the Embodied Carbon of Buildings
Authors: Mohebbi Golnaz , Bahadori-Jahromi Ali , Ferri Marco , Mylona Anastasia
Published: July 2021

Studies conducted by major national and international scientific bodies have indisputably concluded that the increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) since the mid-20th century has led to irreversible changes in the climate. Data has shown that the contribution of the building sector accounts for 39% of these emissions. Reducing GHG emissions associated with the construction phase of buildings, or embodied carbon (EC), will prevent GHG emissions from entering the atmosphere earlier, reducing the negative impacts. However, to achieve any meaningful reduction, there is a need for consistency and accuracy in the calculations. The accuracy of these calculations is primarily tied to the accuracy of embodied carbon factors (ECF) used in the calculations, values determining the environmental impact of a product or procedure per unit weight. The emissions of any product can be calculated by performing a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). While the requirements for carrying out an LCA have been standardised in ISO14044, the lack of a definitive national ECF database in the UK means that EC calculations can vary drastically based on the chosen database. An LCA has been carried out on a standard Lidl supermarket design within the A1–A3 boundary. For the calculation, the ECFs were sourced from two different databases, using the GHG conversion factor data published in 2020 by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change and data published in 2019 by the Inventory of Carbon and Energy (ICE). The latter is currently accepted as the most consistent database for carbon factors in the UK. This study showed that using a more detailed database compared to using a more general database could result in a 35.2% reduction of embodied carbon, while using more detailed data from a single database can reduce it by a further 5.5%. It is necessary to establish the most accurate baseline for embodied carbon so that any carbon reduction attempts can be as effective as possible.
RETRACTED: Research on Fatigue Prediction Model of Asphalt Mixture with High RAP Content
Authors: Ma Qingwei , Guo Zhongyin , Guo Ping , Sun Liangyu , Yang Fayong , Li Haibin
Published: July 2021

Asphalt pavement hot recycling technology can improve resource utilization efficiency, reduce energy waste and CO2 emissions, and bring huge economic and social benefits, further promoting the realization of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”. This paper uses single logarithmic regression fitting on the fatigue failure life of recycled asphalt mixture with high RAP content to characterize the influence of RAP content (R), stress ratio (C), loading frequency (H) and test temperature (T) on the fatigue life of recycled asphalt mixture. Subsequently, the relationship between fatigue life and stress ratio of recycled asphalt mixture, under the influence of different RAP content, loading frequency and test temperature was analyzed. The results showed that the fatigue life of recycled asphalt mixture decreased with an increase in RAP content, stress ratio and test temperature, and decreased as loading frequency increased. Fatigue life and stress ratio were found to be approximately logarithmic, and based on the relationship between fatigue equation parameters a, b and R, T, H, the fatigue prediction model for recycled asphalt mixtures with independent variables R, C, H, and T was established.
Effect of Online Collective Intelligence in Wine Industry: Focus on Correlation between Wine Quality Ratings and On-Premise Prices
Authors: Kwak Young-Sik , Nam Yoon-Jung , Hong Jae-Won
Published: July 2021

This study aims to explore whether wine CI (Collective Intelligence) platforms, such as Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, can provide a wine rating effect on price, as Robert Parker’s does in the Korean wine market. To achieve the purpose of the study, we collected information with wine evaluation ratings and on-premise prices from three wine evaluation sites and seven restaurants in South Korea. The researchers calculated the Pearson’s rho between the wine evaluation ratings and on-premise prices based on country, region, vintage, and type of wine. Based on the results of the study, the CI of wine ratings shows statistically the same association degree to price as wine guru Robert Parker’s score. This study can academically extend the research of CI’s application in the wine industry and provide strong support for a sustainable e-business model and pricing tactics in the wine industry.
Contemporary Challenges to the Organic Farming: A Polish and Hungarian Case Study
Authors: Mazurek-Kusiak Anna , Sawicki Bogusław , Kobyłka Agata
Published: July 2021

From year to year, there is an increasing demand for agricultural produce from certified organic farms. However, Poland and Hungary’s demand for this product is almost twenty times smaller than in Western European countries. The greater the demand by consumers for organic farming products, the more agricultural producers decide to switch from conventional farming to organic farming, and this farming is more environmentally friendly because it uses energy and natural resources responsibly, maintains biodiversity, maintains regional ecological balance, improves soil food, and maintains good water quality. This research aimed to compare the motives and barriers to running organic farms in Poland and Hungary, and the challenges farmers must face to undertake the trouble of running an organic farm. The research was carried out among 400 Polish and 400 Hungarian farmers running organic farms. For statistical calculations, discriminant analysis, as well as single-base and chain indices, were used. The main barriers for establishing organic farms: the necessity to adapt one’s farm to the EU requirements, using only natural fertilizers, low yields, the lack of proper advice, and a high degree of bureaucracy. Therefore, for organic farming to develop, further education is needed, both for farmers and consumers. An important aspect is improving the quality of the regulations and simplifying the administrative burden related to organic farming.
Values and Environmental Knowledge of Student Participants of Climate Strikes: A Comparative Perspective between Brazil and Germany
Authors: Barbosa Renan , Randler Christoph , Robaina José Vicente Lima
Published: July 2021

Climate change and its consequences have called for actions to mitigate it, triggering society to act and speak out about sustainability policies. Movements like Fridays for Future (FFF) spread beyond the young people pressed for action to combat climate change. The present study aimed to (1) assess the environmental attitudes (EA) and knowledge (EK) of Brazilian and German students and (2) verify whether the frequency of participation in climate strikes changes according to these EA and EK. A total of 658 students participated in our study, 327 from Germany and 331 from Brazil (mean age 25.21 ± 7.91). We applied the Two Major Environmental Values (2-MEV) model and three-dimensional questionnaires to measure EA and EK, respectively. We applied a multivariate general linear model to assess the influence of the variables simultaneously. FFF participation is affected by EA, with strikers showing higher Preservation (PRE) and lower Utilization (UTL) scores; furthermore, our findings suggest that EK affects FFF participation, specifically system-related knowledge. The study adds to the increasing number of validations of the 2-MEV model in different languages and cultures and discusses the differences of EA and EK in student strikers and non-strikers between both countries.
Microscopic Modeling of Pedestrian Movement in a Shida Night Market Street Segment: Using Vision and Destination Attractiveness
Authors: Chiou Yun-Shang , Bayer Ailyne Yap
Published: July 2021

Research has shown that night markets play a positive role in improving urban sustainability. In Taiwan, many people go to night markets for leisurely strolling and to eat out with family and friends. The variety of food choices is a major reason for visiting. This preference and the shops’ locations affect not only how pedestrians move around but also the business of the night market. Pedestrian vision has been considered in only a minority of studies regarding pedestrian movement in shopping environments. Although some studies have focused on the impulse stops of pedestrians, few have considered “destination attractiveness” and its influence on surrounding shops. This paper aims to improve the pedestrian movement model in night markets with the incorporation of the “destination attractiveness” factor. The proposed microscopy agent-based model, implemented in NetLogo, uses “field of vision” as the possible destinations of the pedestrian’s next movement. Inside the “field of vision”, each shop competes for the pedestrian’s attention based on its “destination attractiveness”. The model’s parameter values were calibrated and the simulation results were verified with real-world observed data with good agreement. The proposed pedestrian movement model can benefit the retail sector by improving customer satisfaction and profitability by enhancing the layout of the facilities.
Rodent Virus Diversity and Differentiation across Post-Katrina New Orleans
Authors: Peterson Anna C. , Sharma Himanshu , Kumar Arvind , Ghersi Bruno M. , Emrich Scott J. , Vandegrift Kurt J. , Kapoor Amit , Blum Michael J.
Published: July 2021

Concern about elevated disease risk following disasters has been growing with the progression of global trends in urbanization and climate, in part because shifts in socioecological conditions can promote greater human contact with pathogen reservoirs in cities. Remarkably little is known, however, about the diversity and distributions of pathogens carried by commensal reservoirs across disaster-affected urban landscapes. To address this deficit, we characterized the assemblage structure of viruses in the serum of three widespread commensal rodents (Rattus norvegicus, Rattus rattus, and Mus musculus) that were trapped in New Orleans (LA, USA) following Hurricane Katrina. We assessed virus diversity and differentiation according to host species identity, co-occurrence and abundance, as well as prevailing landscape features known to shape urban rodent assemblages. We detected ≥34 viruses in total, including several pathogens of concern, through metagenomic analysis of serum taken from ≥149 individuals of each host species. We found that virus richness as well as assemblage composition and spatial differentiation differed by host species. Notably, we detected associations with host species co-occurrence and abundance, and while we found that assemblage structure varied by study area, we did not detect strong associations with landscape features known to influence rodent hosts. Evidence that virus diversity and assemblage structure reflect host identity more so than other factors indicates that biotic benchmarks might serve as prognostic indicators of post-disaster pathogen exposure risk in cities worldwide.
Impact of Information Sources on Promoting Tourism in a Rural Region: The Case of the Roman Villa of Noheda
Authors: Huete-Alcocer Nuria , Valero-Tévar Miguel Ángel
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the tools provided by the internet (social networks, websites, etc.) and traditional media (television, newspapers, word of mouth, etc.) in terms of their impact on the promotion of a tourism resource in a rural area: the Roman villa of Noheda (Cuenca). Both of the aforementioned sources of information play a relevant role in promoting such archaeological destinations and influencing tourists’ decision-making when planning their visit. The literature suggests that social networks as well as other electronic channels can attract large numbers of tourists; however, this has not happened in the case of the archaeological site under study. It has become known through coverage in more traditional media such as television and the national and international press. Knowledge of the use of internet tools to promote these heritage sites is still very limited; thus, this study collected information through a questionnaire on the different sources of information (traditional and online) that tourists used when deciding to visit this site. An ANOVA analysis has been used to determine the relationship between the different sources of information and the place of residence and between said information sources and the overnight stays near Noheda. The results point to strategies that can be developed to promote these cultural resources in order to achieve the economic development of rural regions such as the Alcarria of Cuenca.
A Review of Modeling Rotating Packed Beds and Improving Their Parameters: Gas–Liquid Contact
Authors: Ghadyanlou Farhad , Azari Ahmad , Vatani Ali
Published: July 2021

The aim of this review is to investigate a kind of process intensification equipment called a rotating packed bed (RPB), which improves transport via centrifugal force in the gas–liquid field, especially by absorption. Different types of RPB, and their advantages and effects on hydrodynamics, mass transfer, and power consumption under available models, are analyzed. Moreover, different approaches to the modeling of RPB are discussed, their mass transfer characteristics and hydrodynamic features are compared, and all models are reviewed. A dimensional analysis showed that suitable dimensionless numbers could make for a more realistic definition of the system, and could be used for prototype scale-up and benchmarking purposes. Additionally, comparisons of the results demonstrated that Re, Gr, Sc, Fr, We, and shape factors are effective. In addition, a study of mass transfer models revealed that the contact zone was the main area of interest in previous studies, and this zone was not evaluated in the same way as packed beds. Moreover, CFD studies revealed that the realizable k-ε turbulence model and the VOF two-phase model, combined with experimental reaction or mass transfer equations for analyzing hydrodynamic and mass transfer coefficients, could help define an RPB system in a more realistic way.
Law-Driven Innovation in Cereal Varieties: The Role of Plant Variety Protection and Seed Marketing Legislation in the European Union
Authors: Mariani Serena
Published: July 2021

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of EU legislation in shaping innovation in cereal varieties. The research focuses on two fields of law and their relationship, i.e., intellectual property and agricultural law. More specifically, the normative legal investigation concerns the role played by Community plant variety protection and the EU legislation on the marketing of seed and plant propagating material in shaping innovation and stimulating plant breeding of new cereal varieties. The focus is on cereal varieties because innovation in this field has a great socio-economic impact, as well as strategic scientific and environmental implications. Breeding new cereal varieties is essential for the competitiveness of the seed and agricultural sector of the EU, and it can contribute to food security and the achievement of sustainable development goals. The study finds that it is necessary to simplify the existing legal framework by coordinating intellectual property and agricultural law, providing for legislative review and better coherence in order to effectively shape innovation and meet the changing demands of society and the sustainability challenges.
Urban Nature: Does Green Infrastructure Relate to the Cultural and Creative Vitality of European Cities?
Authors: Kumar Vishal , Vuilliomenet Aude
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic severely upended cultural and creative production, consumption, and interactions in cities. Open green spaces, parks, forests, and gardens—green infrastructure—were instead utilized by citizens as a substitute for stimulating social interactions, sustainable tourism, and green growth. (1) The purpose of this research is to understand whether the availability of green infrastructure relates to the Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor (CCCM) benchmarking project developed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission performance. Does new evidence suggest revising the CCCM conceptual framework and related urban policies, especially in relation to the EU Green Deal? (2) Data from OpenStreetMap was used to count the amount of green infrastructure in 184 European Cities covered by the CCM and was then correlated with the sub-indices of the CCCM. (3) We found a moderately positive correlation of green infrastructure with the cultural vibrancy of a city and a weak positive correlation with the enabling environment of a city. (4) In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU Green Deal and several other policy initiatives aimed at urban greening, we recommend that the CCCM include an Urban Nature sub-index as one of the performance indicators of the CCCM. An Urban Nature sub-index will broaden the goal of the CCCM by providing policymakers with a better understanding of actions and strategies to allow culture to contribute to social inclusion and green growth strategies in cities.
Carbon Nanotube/Pt Cathode Nanocomposite Electrode in Microbial Fuel Cells for Wastewater Treatment and Bioenergy Production
Authors: Ghasemi Mostafa , Sedighi Mehdi , Tan Yie Hua
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we reported the fabrication, characterization, and application of carbon nanotube (CNT)-platinum nanocomposite as a novel generation of cathode catalyst in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for sustainable energy production and wastewater treatment. The efficiency of the carbon nanocomposites was compared by platinum (Pt), which is the most effective and common cathode catalyst. This nanocomposite is utilized to benefit from the catalytic properties of CNTs and reduce the amount of required Pt, as it is an expensive catalyst. The CNT/Pt nanocomposites were synthesized via a chemical reduction technique and the electrodes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, electronic dispersive X-Ray analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposites were applied as cathode catalysts in the MFC to obtain polarization curve and coulombic efficiency (CE) results. The catalytic properties of electrodes were tested by linear sweep voltammetry. The CNT/Pt at the concentration of 0.3 mg/cm2 had the highest performance in terms of CE (47.16%), internal resistance (551 Ω), COD removal (88.9%), and power generation (143 mW/m2). In contrast, for the electrode with 0.5 mg/L of Pt catalyst, CE, internal resistance, COD removal, and power generation were 19%, 810 Ω, 96%, and 84.1 mW/m2, respectively. So, it has been found that carbon nanocomposite cathode electrodes had better performance for sustainable clean energy production and COD removal by MFC.
Morphological and Biochemical Diversity in Fruits of Unsprayed Rosa canina and Rosa dumalis Ecotypes Found in Different Agroecological Conditions
Authors: Bozhuyuk Mehmet Ramazan , Ercisli Sezai , Karatas Neva , Ekiert Halina , Elansary Hosam O. , Szopa Agnieszka
Published: July 2021

The Rosa is one of the most diverse genera in the plant kingdom and, in particular, its fruits have been used for multiple purposes in different parts of the world for centuries. Within the genus, Rosa canina and Rosa dumalis are, economically, the most important species and dominate Rosa fruit production. In this study, some important fruit and shrub traits of ten Rosa canina and ten Rosa dumalis ecotypes collected from rural areas of Kars province, located in the east Anatolia region of Turkey were investigated. We found significant differences among ecotypes in most of the morphological and biochemical traits. The ecotypes were found between 1446–2210 m altitude. Fruit weight and fruit flesh ratio ranged from 2.95 g to 4.72 g and 62.55% to 74.42%, respectively. SSC (Soluble Solid Content), Vitamin C, total phenolic, total flavonoid, total carotenoid, and total anthocyanin content of the ecotypes ranged from 16.9–22.7%, 430–690 mg per 100 g FW (fresh weight), 390–532 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g FW, 0.88–2.04 mg per g FW, 6.83–15.17 mg per g FW and 3.62–7.81 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside equivalent per kg, respectively. Antioxidant activity was determined to be between 19.7–34.7 mg ascorbic acid equivalent per g fresh weight. Rosa ecotypes contained chlorogenic acid and rutin the most as phenolic compound. Our results indicated great diversity within both R. canina and R. dumalis fruits.
Customers’ Intentions to Switch to Internet-Only Banks: Perspective of the Push-Pull-Mooring Model
Authors: Yoon Cheolho , Lim Dongsup
Published: July 2021

The advent of fintech is blowing a new wind into the financial industry. New business models have been created and consumers’ access to financial services is higher than ever. Internet-only banks based on advanced information technologies have emerged as a leader in the fintech industry, and these banks are fiercely competing with large banks using internet banking as a weapon to attract new customers. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that influence customers’ intention to switch to internet-only banking services from traditional internet banking services in Korea. To this end, a research model was developed based on the push-pull-mooring model (PPM), which is a migration theory. The research model was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings will provide the practitioners of the new internet-only bank with strategic guidance for attracting new customers and help practitioners of traditional banks to retain current customers.
Domination in Join of Fuzzy Incidence Graphs Using Strong Pairs with Application in Trading System of Different Countries
Authors: Nazeer Irfan , Rashid Tabasam , Hussain Muhammad Tanveer , Guirao Juan Luis García
Published: July 2021

Fuzzy graphs (FGs), broadly known as fuzzy incidence graphs (FIGs), are an applicable and well-organized tool to epitomize and resolve multiple real-world problems in which ambiguous data and information are essential. In this article, we extend the idea of domination of FGs to the FIG using strong pairs. An idea of strong pair dominating set and a strong pair domination number (SPDN) is explained with various examples. A theorem to compute SPDN for a complete fuzzy incidence graph (CFIG) is also provided. It is also proved that in any fuzzy incidence cycle (FIC) with l vertices the minimum number of elements in a strong pair dominating set are M[γs(Cl(σ,ϕ,η))]=⌈l3⌉. We define the joining of two FIGs and present a way to compute SPDN in the join of FIGs. A theorem to calculate SPDN in the joining of two strong fuzzy incidence graphs is also provided. An innovative idea of accurate domination of FIGs is also proposed. Some instrumental and useful results of accurate domination for FIC are also obtained. In the end, a real-life application of SPDN to find which country/countries has/have the best trade policies among different countries is examined. Our proposed method is symmetrical to the optimization.
Fault Diagnosis of Main Pump in Converter Station Based on Deep Neural Network
Authors: Zhao Qingsheng , Cheng Gong , Han Xiaoqing , Liang Dingkang , Wang Xuping
Published: July 2021

As the core component of the valve cooling system in a converter station, the main pump plays a major role in ensuring the stable operation of the valve. Thus, accurate and efficient fault diagnosis of the main pump according to vibration signals is of positive significance for the detection of failure equipment and reducing the maintenance cost. This paper proposed a new neural network based on the vibration signals of the main pump to classify four faults and one normal state of the main pump, which consisted of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM). Multi-scale features were extracted by two CNNs with different kernel sizes, and temporal features were extracted by LSTM. Moreover, random sampling was used in data processing for imbalanced data, which is meaningful for data symmetry. Experimental results indicated that the accuracy of the network was 0.987 obtained from the test set, and the average values of F1-score, recall, and precision were 0.987, 0.987, and 0.988, respectively. It was found that the proposed network performed well in a multi-label fault diagnosis of the main pump and was superior to other methods.
On the Qualitative Behavior of Third-Order Differential Equations with a Neutral Term
Authors: Bazighifan Omar , Mofarreh Fatemah , Nonlaopon Kamsing
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we analyze the asymptotic behavior of solutions to a class of third-order neutral differential equations. Using different methods, we obtain some new results concerning the oscillation of this type of equation. Our new results complement related contributions to the subject. The symmetry plays a important and fundamental role in the study of oscillation of solutions to these equations. An example is presented in order to clarify the main results.
Feature Ranking and Differential Evolution for Feature Selection in Brushless DC Motor Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Lee Chun-Yao , Hung Chen-Hsu
Published: July 2021

A fault diagnosis system with the ability to recognize many different faults obviously has a certain complexity. Therefore, improving the performance of similar systems has attracted much research interest. This article proposes a system of feature ranking and differential evolution for feature selection in BLDC fault diagnosis. First, this study used the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) to extract the features of four different types of brushless DC motor Hall signal. When there is a fault, the symmetry of the Hall signal will be influenced. Second, we used feature selection based on a distance discriminant (FSDD) to calculate the feature factors which base on the category separability of features to select the features which have a positive correlation with the types. The features were entered sequentially into the two supervised classifiers: backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and the identification results were then evaluated. The feature input for the classifier was derived from the FSDD, and then we optimized the feature rank using differential evolution (DE). Finally, the results were verified from the BLDC motor’s operating environment simulation with the same features by adding appropriate signal-to-noise ratio magnitudes. The identification system obtained an accuracy rate of 96% when there were 14 features. Additionally, the experimental results show that the proposed system has a robust anti-noise ability, and the accuracy rate is 92.04%, even when 20 dB of white Gaussian noise is added to the signal. Moreover, compared with the systems established from the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and a variety of classifiers, our proposed system has a higher accuracy with fewer features.
Geometric Constants in Banach Spaces Related to the Inscribed Quadrilateral of Unit Balls
Authors: Ahmad Asif , Liu Qi , Li Yongjin
Published: July 2021

We introduce a new geometric constant Jin(X) based on a generalization of the parallelogram law, which is symmetric and related to the length of the inscribed quadrilateral side of the unit ball. We first investigate some basic properties of this new coefficient. Next, it is shown that, for a Banach space, Jin(X) becomes 16 if and only if the norm is induced by an inner product. Moreover, its properties and some relations between other well-known geometric constants are studied. Finally, a sufficient condition which implies normal structure is presented.
Dual Attention Network for Pitch Estimation of Monophonic Music
Authors: Ma Wenfang , Hu Ying , Huang Hao
Published: July 2021

The task of pitch estimation is an essential step in many audio signal processing applications. In this paper, we propose a data-driven pitch estimation network, the Dual Attention Network (DA-Net), which processes directly on the time-domain samples of monophonic music. DA-Net includes six Dual Attention Modules (DA-Modules), and each of them includes two kinds of attention: element-wise and channel-wise attention. DA-Net is to perform element attention and channel attention operations on convolution features, which reflects the idea of "symmetry". DA-Modules can model the semantic interdependencies between element-wise and channel-wise features. In the DA-Module, the element-wise attention mechanism is realized by a Convolutional Gated Linear Unit (ConvGLU), and the channel-wise attention mechanism is realized by a Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) block. We explored three kinds of combination modes (serial mode, parallel mode, and tightly coupled mode) of the element-wise attention and channel-wise attention. Element-wise attention selectively emphasizes useful features by re-weighting the features at all positions. Channel-wise attention can learn to use global information to selectively emphasize the informative feature maps and suppress the less useful ones. Therefore, DA-Net adaptively integrates the local features with their global dependencies. The outputs of DA-Net are fed into a fully connected layer to generate a 360-dimensional vector corresponding to 360 pitches. We trained the proposed network on the iKala and MDB-stem-synth datasets, respectively. According to the experimental results, our proposed dual attention network with tightly coupled mode achieved the best performance.
Effects of Urbanization on Ecosystem Services in the Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration, in China: The Case of Weifang City
Authors: Yang Yuejuan , Zhang Hao , Zhao Xinquan , Chen Zhizhang , Wang Aiguo , Zhao Enlai , Cao Hui
Published: July 2021

Ecosystem services are the material basis of economic and social development, and play essential roles in the sustainable development of ecosystems. Urbanization can remarkably alter the provision of ecosystem services. Most studies in this area have focused on densely populated metropolises with poor ecological environments, while comparatively few studies have focused on cities with low ecological pressures. Therefore, to avoid continuing to engage in the repetitive pattern of destroying first and rehabilitating later, quantitative analyses of urbanization and ecosystem services should be carried out in representative cities. In this study, based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis, kernel density estimation, and correlation analysis, we quantitatively evaluated the impact of urbanization on ecosystem services in Weifang city. The Data Center for Resources and Environmental Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research provided remote sensing data on land use, the gross domestic production (GDP), population data, and ecosystem services. The results were as follows: (1) The variation in population, GDP, and built-up areas consistently increased throughout the study period, whereas the ecosystem service values (ESVs) decreased; (2) food production, raw material production, nutrient cycle maintenance, and soil conservation were decisive ecosystem services that led to vast reductions in ESVs during the process of urbanization; and (3) the negative correlation coefficient between built-up areas and ecosystem services was greater than that between the population or GDP and ecosystem services, which indicated that the impacts of population and economic urbanization on ecosystem services lagged behind the impact of land urbanization. This study provides references for fully recognizing the ecological effects of urbanization, and make suggestions regarding the application of ecosystem services in sustainable development.
Antigenic Characterization of ORF2 and ORF3 Proteins of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV)
Authors: Pezzoni Giulia , Stercoli Lidia , Pegoiani Eleonora , Brocchi Emiliana
Published: July 2021

To evaluate the antigenic properties of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Open Reading Frame 2 and 3 (ORF2 and ORF3) codified proteins, we expressed different portions of ORF2 and the entire ORF3 in E. coli, a truncated ORF2, was also expressed in baculovirus. A panel of 37 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) was raised against ORF2 (1–660 amino acids) and MAbs were mapped and characterized using the ORF2 expressed portions. Selected HEV positive and negative swine sera were used to evaluate ORF2 and ORF3 antigens’ immunogenicity. The MAbs were clustered in six groups identifying six antigenic regions along the ORF2. Only MAbs binding to the sixth ORF2 antigenic region (394–608 aa) were found to compete with HEV positive sera and efficiently catch the recombinant antigen expressed in baculovirus. The ORF2 portion from 394–608 aa demonstrated to include most immunogenic epitopes with 85% of HEV positive swine sera reacting against the region from 461–544 aa. Only 5% of the selected HEV sera reacted against the ORF3 antigen.
Antibody Responsiveness to Influenza: What Drives It?
Authors: Lin Xia , Lin Fangmei , Liang Tingting , Ducatez Mariette F. , Zanin Mark , Wong Sook-San
Published: July 2021

The induction of a specific antibody response has long been accepted as a serological hallmark of recent infection or antigen exposure. Much of our understanding of the influenza antibody response has been derived from studying antibodies that target the hemagglutinin (HA) protein. However, growing evidence points to limitations associated with this approach. In this review, we aim to highlight the issue of antibody non-responsiveness after influenza virus infection and vaccination. We will then provide an overview of the major factors known to influence antibody responsiveness to influenza after infection and vaccination. We discuss the biological factors such as age, sex, influence of prior immunity, genetics, and some chronic infections that may affect the induction of influenza antibody responses. We also discuss the technical factors, such as assay choices, strain variations, and viral properties that may influence the sensitivity of the assays used to measure influenza antibodies. Understanding these factors will hopefully provide a more comprehensive picture of what influenza immunogenicity and protection means, which will be important in our effort to improve influenza vaccines.
Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccination in Cancer Patients in Hong Kong: Approaches to Improve the Vaccination Rate
Authors: Chan Wing-Lok , Ho Yuen-Hung Tricia , Wong Carlos King-Ho , Choi Horace Cheuk-Wai , Lam Ka-On , Yuen Kwok-Keung , Kwong Dora , Hung Ivan
Published: July 2021

Emerging efficacy and safety data have led to the authorization of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide, but most trials excluded patients with active malignancies. This study evaluates the intended acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination in cancer patients in Hong Kong. Methods: 660 adult cancer patients received a survey, in paper or electronic format, between 31 January 2021 and 15 February 2021. The survey included patient’s clinical characteristics, perceptions of COVID-19 and vaccination, vaccine knowledge, cancer health literacy, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS). The primary outcome was the intended acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine in cancer patients. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify factors associated with intended acceptance. Results: The intended acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination was 17.9%. A total of 487 (73.8%) believed that vaccination could prevent them from infection. Over 70% worried about vaccine negative effects on cancer and its side effects. Factors associated with intended acceptance included higher level of “belief in vaccine on preventing them from getting COVID-19”, less worry about long-term side effects of vaccine, lower level of cancer health literacy, and normal HADS (Depression scale). Conclusions: To improve vaccine acceptance rate, public education campaigns specific to cancer patients to gain their trust in efficacy and relieve their worries are needed.
Next Generation of Computationally Optimized Broadly Reactive HA Vaccines Elicited Cross-Reactive Immune Responses and Provided Protection against H1N1 Virus Infection
Authors: Huang Ying , França Monique S. , Allen James D. , Shi Hua , Ross Ted M.
Published: July 2021

Vaccination is the best way to prevent influenza virus infections, but the diversity of antigenically distinct isolates is a persistent challenge for vaccine development. In order to conquer the antigenic variability and improve influenza virus vaccine efficacy, our research group has developed computationally optimized broadly reactive antigens (COBRAs) in the form of recombinant hemagglutinins (rHAs) to elicit broader immune responses. However, previous COBRA H1N1 vaccines do not elicit immune responses that neutralize H1N1 virus strains in circulation during the recent years. In order to update our COBRA vaccine, two new candidate COBRA HA vaccines, Y2 and Y4, were generated using a new seasonal-based COBRA methodology derived from H1N1 isolates that circulated during 2013–2019. In this study, the effectiveness of COBRA Y2 and Y4 vaccines were evaluated in mice, and the elicited immune responses were compared to those generated by historical H1 COBRA HA and wild-type H1N1 HA vaccines. Mice vaccinated with the next generation COBRA HA vaccines effectively protected against morbidity and mortality after infection with H1N1 influenza viruses. The antibodies elicited by the COBRA HA vaccines were highly cross-reactive with influenza A (H1N1) pdm09-like viruses isolated from 2009 to 2021, especially with the most recent circulating viruses from 2019 to 2021. Furthermore, viral loads in lungs of mice vaccinated with Y2 and Y4 were dramatically reduced to low or undetectable levels, resulting in minimal lung injury compared to wild-type HA vaccines following H1N1 influenza virus infection.
Digital Lesions in Dogs: A Statistical Breed Analysis of 2912 Cases
Authors: Grassinger Julia Maria , Floren Andreas , Müller Tobias , Cerezo-Echevarria Argiñe , Beitzinger Christoph , Conrad David , Törner Katrin , Staudacher Marlies , Aupperle-Lellbach Heike
Published: July 2021

Breed predispositions to canine digital neoplasms are well known. However, there is currently no statistical analysis identifying the least affected breeds. To this end, 2912 canine amputated digits submitted from 2014–2019 to the Laboklin GmbH & Co. KG for routine diagnostics were statistically analyzed. The study population consisted of 155 different breeds (most common: 634 Mongrels, 411 Schnauzers, 197 Labrador Retrievers, 93 Golden Retrievers). Non-neoplastic processes were present in 1246 (43%), tumor-like lesions in 138 (5%), and neoplasms in 1528 cases (52%). Benign tumors (n = 335) were characterized by 217 subungual keratoacanthomas, 36 histiocytomas, 35 plasmacytomas, 16 papillomas, 12 melanocytomas, 9 sebaceous gland tumors, 6 lipomas, and 4 bone tumors. Malignant neoplasms (n = 1193) included 758 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 196 malignant melanomas (MM), 76 soft tissue sarcomas, 52 mast cell tumors, 37 non-specified sarcomas, 29 anaplastic neoplasms, 24 carcinomas, 20 bone tumors, and 1 histiocytic sarcoma. Predisposed breeds for SCC included the Schnauzer (log OR = 2.61), Briard (log OR = 1.78), Rottweiler (log OR = 1.54), Poodle (log OR = 1.40), and Dachshund (log OR = 1.30). Jack Russell Terriers (log OR = −2.95) were significantly less affected by SCC than Mongrels. Acral MM were significantly more frequent in Rottweilers (log OR = 1.88) and Labrador Retrievers (log OR = 1.09). In contrast, Dachshunds (log OR = −2.17), Jack Russell Terriers (log OR = −1.88), and Rhodesian Ridgebacks (log OR = −1.88) were rarely affected. This contrasted with the well-known predisposition of Dachshunds and Rhodesian Ridgebacks to oral and cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms. Further studies are needed to explain the underlying reasons for breed predisposition or “resistance” to the development of specific acral tumors and/or other sites.