bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Fairer Governance of High Sea Fishing through a Systemic Interpretation Approach
Authors: Yu Liang
Published: November 2022

The regulation of high sea fishing would not be successful without cooperation among the states in the current international society, without a world government. However, the ongoing quest for cooperation in the field of fishery governance focuses too much on the unilateral responsibility of a state to cooperate with a RFMO, overlooking the responsibility of state parties of an RFMO or the state seeking to regulate IUU fishing. This essay reveals that the equitable consideration of fishery governance is sometimes prejudiced in the name of conservation. Fishery governance involves food security, employment, free trade, and the environment. An ideal regime of high sea fishing is expected to balance the conflicting values and bring an end to the fragmentation of international law. The systemic interpretation approach, which is based on Article 31, paragraph 3(c) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, contributes to a fairer governance of high sea fishing. Such an approach revives the obligation of the state to cooperate in the fishery sector by referring to external legal sources, including human rights laws, WTO laws, and environmental laws.
Leveraging Nutrient-Rich Traditional Foods to Improve Diets among Indigenous Populations in India: Value Chain Analysis of Finger Millet and Kionaar Leaves
Authors: Downs Shauna M. , Kapoor Ridhima , Merchant Emily V. , Sullivan Tamara , Singh Geetanjali , Fanzo Jessica , Ghosh-Jerath Suparna
Published: November 2022

Many indigenous foods are nutrient-rich but are often underutilized even among populations at high risk of malnutrition. The aims of this study were to conduct value chain analysis of one cultivated crop (finger millet among the Munda tribe) and one wild green leafy vegetable (Koinaar leaves among the Sauria Paharia tribe) of two Indigenous communities in Jharkhand state, India and to identify entry points for interventions aimed at supporting production and consumption. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders among each tribal group and transcripts were open coded and organized based on key themes across the steps of the value chain for each food independently. Improved storage techniques and infrastructure, machinery for processing and improved cooking fuel would help reduce barriers across the finger millet supply chain related to postharvest losses, processing labor and safety concerns related to cooking. For Koinaar leaves, improving drying techniques to increase consumption across seasons and providing training and support to increase opportunities for selling leaves in local markets, where participants mentioned potential language barriers, could strengthen the supply chain. Improving extension services and focusing beyond production has potential to improve the production and consumption of both nutrient-rich crops among Indigenous communities in India.
Monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds in Different Pear Cultivars during Storage Using HS-SPME with GC-MS
Authors: Gao Guanwei , Zhang Xinnan , Yan Zhen , Cheng Yang , Li Haifei , Xu Guofeng
Published: November 2022

Aroma, which plays an essential role in food perception and acceptability, depends on various mixture of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Meanwhile, as a field of metabolomics, VOC analysis is highly important for aroma improvement and discrimination purposes. In this work, VOCs in pear fruits were determined via headspace solid-phase micro-extraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to study variations among different cultivars and storage stages. In 12 cultivars of pear fruits, a total of 121 VOCs were quantified, including 40 esters, 32 alcohols, 16 aldehydes, 13 alkenes, 11 ketones, 4 acids, and 5 other compounds. The types and amounts of VOCs in different cultivars varied dramatically, which were in the range of 13–71 and 3.63–55.65 mg/kg FW (fresh weight), respectively. The Dr. Guyot cultivar showed the highest level of VOCs, both in type and amount. After 21 days storage at 4 °C, total concentration of VOCs increased from initial levels of 50.76 to 101.33 mg/kg FW. Storage at 20 °C made a larger contribution to production for VOCs than that at 4 °C, resulting in the maximum content of VOCs (117.96 mg/kg FW) in fruit after 14 days storage at 4 °C plus 7 days at 20 °C. During storage, the content of esters showed a gradual increase, while the content of alcohols and aldehydes decreased. Based on the results presented, related alcohols were recognized as the intermediates of conversion from aldehydes to esters.
Effect of Pullulanase Debranching Time Combined with Autoclaving on the Structural, Physicochemical Properties, and In Vitro Digestibility of Purple Sweet Potato Starch
Authors: Bodjrenou David Mahoudjro , Li Xin , Chen Wei , Zhang Yi , Zheng Baodong , Zeng Hongliang
Published: November 2022

The effects of pullulanase debranching combined with autoclaving (PDA) at various debranching times (0 h, 5 h, 10 h, 15 h, 20 h, and 25 h) and 121 °C/20 min of autoclave treatment on the structural and physicochemical characteristics of purple sweet potato (Jinshu No.17) starch were investigated. The results indicated that the native starch (NS) was polygonal, round, and bell-shaped with smooth surfaces. After debranching treatment, the surface of the starch samples became rough and irregular. The molecular weight became smaller after treatments. X-ray diffraction C-type pattern was transformed into a B-type structure in treated samples with increased relative crystallinity. 13C NMR indicated an increased propensity for double helix formation and new shift at C1, 3, 5 region compared to NS. The apparent amylose content was 21.53% in the NS. As the swelling power decreased, the percentage of soluble solids increased and different thermal properties were observed. A higher yield of the resistant starch (RS) was observed in all treated starch except PDA 25 h. The findings of our study reveal that a combination of pullulanase debranching time (15 h) and autoclaving (121 °C for 20 min) is a great technique that can be used to produce a higher amount of resistant starch in the Jinshu No.17 starch.
Impact of Food Sustainability Labels on the Price of Rice in Online Sales
Authors: Ma Xinyu , Liu Ziqi , Meng Ting , Florkowski Wojciech J. , Mu Yueying
Published: November 2022

Currently, the quality and safety of agricultural products and the enhancement of the agroecological environment are widely discussed. In response to solving the problem of insufficient exploitation of the market potential regarding sustainable agricultural products, this study uses rice on e-commerce platforms as an empirical case and constructs a hedonic price model aiming to explore the impact of the sustainable label on the price premium of agricultural products. The results show that: (1) There is a significant price premium for rice with sustainable labeling over ordinary rice, which is about 47.55%. In addition, within the types of sustainable labels, the price premium for rice with an organic food label is higher than that of rice with a green food label. (2) Except for the sustainable label, factors affecting the price premium of rice products include e-commerce platforms, rice varieties, package types, and whether it is imported. The price premium indicates the actual recognition and preference of consumers for agricultural products with the sustainable label. Departments of agricultural and food management departments should cooperate to improve the agricultural certification system (i.e., the sustainable label), further unblock a positive market mechanism of “green label—high quality—good price”, and facilitate the green transformation of China’s agricultural production from the consumer side.
A Comprehensive Review of Moringa oleifera Bioactive Compounds—Cytotoxicity Evaluation and Their Encapsulation
Authors: Pop Oana Lelia , Kerezsi Andreea Diana , Ciont (Nagy) Călina
Published: November 2022

Moringa oleifera Lam. has gained a lot of attention due to its potential use as a functional food not only for human health but also for animal health. Its bioactive molecules include carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, carotenoids, fatty acids, essential amino acids, and functional peptides. Despite significant efforts to isolate and characterize bioactive metabolites with health functions, few effective metabolites are accessible. The current review aims to describe the main processes for extracting and encapsulating bioactive compounds from Moringa oleifera for potential impact on food science and public health. Researchers have shown that different extraction techniques significantly impact the Moringa polysaccharides’ molecular structure and biological activity. Encapsulation has been proposed to reduce oxidative stability and entrap active agents within a carrier material to deliver bioactive molecules into foods. Currently, polysaccharides and proteins, followed by lipids, are used for material encapsulation. Recent techniques include spray drying, cross-linking gelation, freeze-drying, nanoencapsulation, electrospinning, and electrospraying. Moreover, these encapsulations can overlap concerns regarding the Moringa oleifera compounds’ cytotoxicity. Future studies should prioritize the effect of new encapsulation materials on Moringa extract and develop new techniques that consider both encapsulation cost and efficiency.
Gluten-Free Product Contribution to Energy and Macronutrient Intakes in Spanish Children and Adolescents with Celiac Disease
Authors: González María Purificación , Ballestero-Fernández Catalina , Fajardo Violeta , Achón María , García-González Ángela , Alonso-Aperte Elena , Úbeda Natalia
Published: November 2022

Gluten-free products (GFP) are a good choice for the replacement of cereals when following a gluten-free diet due to celiac disease (CD). However, commercial GFP are made with highly refined flours and may contain more fat, sugar, and salt, and less fiber and micronutrients than gluten-containing analogues, thus challenging the nutritional adequacy of the diet. The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of GFP to the diets of children and adolescents with CD. Food intakes were assessed in a cross-sectional study on 70 children and adolescents with CD (aged four to 18, 50% females), using three 24-h dietary records. GFP consumption reached 165 g a day and comprised mostly bread and fine bakery ware, followed by pasta. GFP contributed with a high percentage (>25%) to total energy, carbohydrates, fiber, and salt daily intakes and, to a lesser extent (<20%), to fat (including saturated fat), sugars and protein. Contribution of homemade products was testimonial. GFP contribution to total energy intake is significant and, consequently, relevant to the nutritional adequacy of the diet. Children and adolescents with CD could benefit from fat, saturated fat, and salt reduction, and fiber enrichment of processed GFP.
Knowledge and Attitudes towards Vitamin D among Health Educators in Public Schools in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hamhoum Amal S. , Aljefree Najlaa M.
Published: November 2022

Health educators in schools are a very important part of the education system. Considering the significant prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is important to investigate the knowledge of and attitude towards vitamin D among health educators. This study aims to examine the knowledge of and attitude towards vitamin D among health educators in public schools in Jeddah as well as to identify the associated sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and December 2021 among 231 health educators. Data were collected via a self-administered online questionnaire. The results revealed that only 45% of health educators had good knowledge of vitamin D, and approximately 43% had a positive attitude towards vitamin D. Additionally, those who had good knowledge of vitamin D were males (58.7%) (p = 0.005) and had a bachelor’s degree (74%) (p = 0.01). Moreover, male health educators aged 45–54 years had a positive attitude towards vitamin D (3.8 ± 0.7) (p = 0.007). In addition, female health educators who were divorced (3.8 ± 0.7) and widowed (3.6 ± 0.5) (p = 0.04) and those who were administrators (3.3 ± 0.7) (p = 0.01) had a positive attitude towards vitamin D. The Ministry of Education (MOE) in the Kingdom must educate health educators through educational programmes that aim to increase the knowledge of and develop a positive attitude towards vitamin D intake.
Local Knowledge in American Archaeology: A Study in High Context Communication
Authors: Moore Lawrence E.
Published: November 2022

Over the course of twenty five years, approximately 1990 to 2015, American archaeologists grew to accept the regular use of local knowledge, in the form of Native American and local community knowledge, in their development of archaeological knowledge and in cultural resource management. This change mostly pushed archaeologists to engage with groups of people that would have been ignored previously. This transformation is part of a larger process of Modernism becoming Post Modernism via the expanded use of high context communication, a concept from Communications Studies, throughout American culture. This paper briefly describes the use of local knowledge and summarizes structural changes in cultural resource management, especially consultation practices, that highlight a wider usage of high context communication.
Aerobic and Anaerobic Fitness according to High-Intensity Interval Training Frequency in Youth Soccer Players in the Last Stage of Rehabilitation
Authors: Yan Shuren , Kim Yonghwan , Choi Yongchul
Published: November 2022

In the last stage of rehabilitation, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving physical fitness is appropriate for return-to-play; however, some youth athletes visit the rehabilitation center less frequently due to conflict with their distance to center, and academic schedule. We tested the effects of short-term low-frequency HIIT in 54 youth male soccer players, after dividing them into a low-frequency group (LFG, n = 27 players) and a high-frequency group (HFG, n = 27 players). Muscle mass and body fat were measured using a body composition test, and VO2peak and exercise duration were measured using a treadmill. Five sets of anaerobic peak power and fatigue were measured repeatedly using the Wingate test. To evaluate knee joint muscle function, 60°/s, 180°/s, and 240°/s were measured using the isokinetic muscle function equipment. HIIT sessions were conducted twice a week for LFG and five times a week for HFG for 4 weeks. In this study, Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann–Whitney U test were mainly used for analysis. Significant improvements in VO2peak, anaerobic peak power, and knee strength were observed after intervention in both groups (p < 0.05). In the post test, there were significant differences between groups in VO2peak (LFG, 56.4 vs. HFG, 57.1 mL/kg/min; p = 0.035), exercise duration (LFG, 972.3 vs. HFG, 990.4 s; p = 0.041), Wingate anaerobic peak power 5 sets (LFG, 606.3 vs. HFG, 629.3 Watt; p = 0.039), and muscle function test 240°/s (LFG, 68.5 vs. HFG, 70.2 Jouls; p = 0.010). However, neither group showed significant changes in body composition, such as muscle mass or body fat (p > 0.05). In conclusion, although it is a short-term training, the effect of HIIT was shown in the HFG as well as LFG. Although HFG improved physical fitness, significant improvement was also achieved in LFG. Therefore, in the last stage of rehabilitation, low frequency as well as high frequency HIIT would be an appropriate training method to improve physical fitness for youth soccer players.
High Anti-CoV2S Antibody Levels at Hospitalization Are Associated with Improved Survival in Patients with COVID-19 Vaccine Breakthrough Infection
Authors: Heinzl Matthias Wolfgang , Kolenchery Lisa , Resl Michael , Klammer Carmen , Black Anne , Obendorf Florian , Schinagl Lukas , Feldbauer Roland , Pohlhammer Johannes , Wagner Thomas , Berger Thomas , Dieplinger Benjamin , Clodi Martin
Published: November 2022

Background: Although vaccination against COVID-19 is highly effective, breakthrough infections occur, often leading to severe courses and death. The extent of protection provided by individual antibody levels in breakthrough infections is still unknown and cut-off levels have yet to be determined. Methods: In 80 consecutive fully vaccinated patients hospitalized between August and December 2021 with COVID-19 breakthrough infection (Delta variant), anti-CoV2S antibody levels were analyzed for the endpoint of death. Results: Ten out of the 12 patients who died (83.3%) had antibody levels < 600 U/mL; 5 (41.7%) of these had antibody levels < 200 U/mL. Only 2 patients with a level of >600 U/mL died from vaccine breakthrough infection. Correction for the number of comorbidities and age revealed that anti-CoV2S antibody levels at the time of hospitalization were a significant predictor for reduced risk of death (OR = 0.402 for every 1000 U/mL, p = 0.018). Conclusions: In this retrospective data analysis, we show that almost all patients who died from COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infection had antibody levels < 600 U/mL, most of them below 200 U/mL. In logistic regression corrected for the number of comorbidities and age, anti-CoV2S antibody levels at the time of hospitalization proved to be a significantly protective predictor against death.
Tibial Spine Height Measured by Radiograph Is a Risk Factor for Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in Males: A Retrospective Case-Control Study
Authors: Nie Shixin , Chen Jiaxing , Zhang Hua , Zhao Pei , Huang Wei
Published: November 2022

Various anatomic abnormalities are implicated in non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but researchers rarely deal with the relation between tibial spine height and ACL injury. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to include 96 patients with and without non-contact ACL injuries. Tibial plateau width (TPW), medial and lateral tibial spine height (MTSH and LTSH), and tibial spine width (TSW) were measured by radiographs. The parameters were compared among subgroups. Binary regression mode, receiver operating characteristic curves, and the area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the specific correlation of the parameters with ACL injury. As a result, we found that the ratio of LTSH/TPW was larger in ACL-injured patients than in ACL-intact controls (p = 0.015). In the study group, LTSH/TPW (p = 0.007) and MTSH/TPW (p = 0.002) were larger in males than in females. The ratio of LTSH/TPW had an AUC of 0.60 and a significant OR of 1.3 for ACL injury in males, but not in females. In conclusion, LTSH was larger in patients with ACL injury and is a risk factor for ACL injury in males. The impact of increased LTSH on the impingement between the grafts and lateral tibial spine during ACL reconstruction warrants further investigation.
The Link between Sleep Insufficiency and Self-Injury among In-School Adolescents: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey of Multi-Type Schools in Huangpu District of Shanghai, China
Authors: Zhang Shan , Yu Chunyan
Published: November 2022

Both insufficient sleep and self-injury are rising public health issues among middle school students. Understanding their relationship may guide the intervention and policy making to help youths gain a healthy life. Thus, we analysed the data collected from the Shanghai Students Health Risk Behavior Surveillance (2015) in the Huangpu District. Self-injury was self-reported and categorized into ever or never. Sleep duration was classified as sufficient and insufficient according to the Health China 2030 Plan and the National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations. Crude OR and adjusted OR of sleep duration and covariates were estimated for self-injury using the logistic regression models with standard error clustered on school types. Results showed that 8.42% of the participants had conducted self-injury, with girls more than boys and ordinary school students more than key school students. After full adjustment, sleep insufficiency increased the odds of conducting self-injury by approximately two folds (AOR = 2.08, 95%CI = 1.40–3.07). The odds of self-injury were higher among students studying at ordinary schools (AOR = 3.58, 95%CI = 1.25–10.27) or vocational schools (AOR = 2.00, 95%CI = 1.77–2.26), with comparison to those at key schools. Interventions seeking to solve insufficient sleep need to be multifaceted, with consideration of changing the school environment and multiple social contexts, which create stressful burdens for adolescents’ development.
Impaired Activity of Daily Living Status of the Older Adults and Its Influencing Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Gao Jin , Gao Qing , Huo Liting , Yang Jianchuang
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to explore the impaired activity of the daily living ability status and its influencing factors among older adults. A sample of 10,148 participants (≥60 years old) who met the requirements for the activity of daily living scale was used in this study, and the Health and Aging Tracking Survey was selected for data collection. The impaired activities of the daily living status of older adults and their influencing factors were analyzed by single-factor descriptive analysis and multi-factor logistic regression. The study results showed that the rate of impaired activities of the daily living ability of participants was 26.56%, among which the rate of mild impairment was 17.34% and severe impairment was 9.22%. Multi-factor binary logistic regression analysis results showed that demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and physical health status were associated with older adults’ daily living activity ability. Among them, ages ≥80 years, male, habitual smoking, physical disability, and chronic diseases had a more significant impact.
Lack of Rigour in the Review. Comment on Kuligowski et al. Manual Therapy in Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 6176
Authors: Posadzki Pawel
Published: November 2022

I read with interest the article by Kuligowski et al., 2021 published in the Journal [...]
Multimodal Imaging of a Chimney-Stenting Procedure Performed Simultaneously with a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in a Reanimated Human Heart including Post-Implant Analyses
Authors: Bielecki Michael A. , DeVos Amanda N. , Bianchini Francesco , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: November 2022

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become a popular treatment option for severe aortic stenosis for patients with a high risk for mortality with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Coronary artery occlusion (CAO) following the implantation of the device is a potential and sometimes devastating complication of this procedure, that provokes a sudden deterioration of hemodynamic status followed by cardiogenic shock and electrical instability. With patients that present a high risk for coronary obstruction, coronary protection with a chimney stenting technique is an effective strategy that can ensure coronary perfusion during TAVR in case of acute CAO. Utilizing Visible Heart® methodologies, a human heart was reanimated. A chimney stenting technique was implemented simultaneously with the deployment of a Medtronic Evolut™ Pro+ valve (Medtronic PLC; Minneapolis, MN, USA). The entire procedure was recorded utilizing endoscopic cameras, fluoroscopy, optical coherence tomography, and echocardiography. In addition to these procedural visualizations, post-procedural micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) was conducted to provide post-implantation imaging with approximately 60-micron resolution. Utilizing these imaging modalities in a reanimated human heart allows for the unique opportunity to collect data for TAVR procedures in real human anatomies for the subsequent educational uses by the physicians treating aortic valvular disease and/or the designers of future TAVR technologies and procedures.
A Validated Ontology for Metareasoning in Intelligent Systems
Authors: Caro Manuel F. , Cox Michael T. , Toscano-Miranda Raúl E.
Published: November 2022

Metareasoning suffers from the heterogeneity problem, in which different researchers build diverse metareasoning models for intelligent systems with comparable functionality but differing contexts, ambiguous terminology, and occasionally contradicting features and descriptions. This article presents an ontology-driven knowledge representation for metareasoning in intelligent systems. The proposed ontology, called IM-Onto, provides a visual means of sharing a common understanding of the structure and relationships between terms and concepts. A rigorous research method was followed to ensure that the two main requirements of the ontology (integrity based on relevant knowledge and acceptance by researchers and practitioners) were met. The high accuracy rate indicates that most of the knowledge elements in the ontology are useful information for the integration of multiple types of metareasoning problems in intelligent systems.
Sneaking into a Hotspot of Biodiversity: Coverage and Integrity of a Rhodolith Bed in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Maggio Teresa , Perzia Patrizia , Pazzini Alfredo , Campagnuolo Silvana , Falautano Manuela , Mannino Anna Maria , Allegra Alessandro , Castriota Luca
Published: November 2022

Habitat mapping, physical characteristics and benthic community of a rhodolith bed in the Pelagie Islands (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea) were studied through Multi–Beam Echo–Sounder (MBES), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and grab samples. The geomorphological analysis revealed an articulated and wide rhodolith bed; video inspections highlighted a bed with high coverage, few sandy patches and with a prevalence of the boxwork morphotype. A total of 207 taxa with 876 specimens were identified, and Polychaeta was the dominant taxon. Linguimaera caesaris, a Lessepsian benthic amphipod, was recorded in all sampling sites, and its presence represents an input to deepen the benthic assemblage research on the rhodolith bed. In terms of morphotype composition, dead/live ratio and species variability, the bed variability indicated a good status of health, although trawling signs were detected through ROV videos. The present study broadens the knowledge on Mediterranean rhodolith beds and supports the importance of survey and monitoring activities for the conservation and management of this important habitat.
Risk Assessment of Wave Over-Topping Based on Smoothed-Particle Hydrodynamics Method
Authors: Wang Lei , Zhang Li , Xie Yanshuang , Zhong Yaozhao , Sun Yuan , Wang Zhiyuan , Zhang Feng , Shang Shaoping
Published: November 2022

FETSWCM-SWAN and DualSPHysics models are used to study the storm flooding process of Dazuo Seawall in Quanzhou city, Fujian province, China. Firstly, a storm over-topping assessment method is proposed. Secondly, the water level and storm wave at the foot of Dazuo Seawall calculated by FETSWCM-SWAN during the process of Typhoon Usagi in 2013 and Typhoon Dujuan in 2015. Finally, the typical wave and storm run-up processes at Dazuo Seawall are modeled by DualSPHysics. The results show that the typical wave run-up of Dazuo Seawall is less than 2 m, but the storm wave run-up can reach 6.85 m under Usagi. The risk is high when high tide is encountered. The risk of storm flooding is classified into three grades. This risk assessment could provide decision-making support to government departments in warning against storm flooding threats.
Determinants of Dividend Policy: The Case of the Casablanca Stock Exchange
Authors: Louziri Reda , Oubal Khadija
Published: November 2022

This article investigates the determinants of dividend policy on the Casablanca stock exchange. The variables tested were based on the main theories of dividend policy, and the fixed effect model was used to test panel data over a period of 16 years from 2003 to 2018. The eight independent variables tested were profitability, firm size, retained earnings, firm age, leverage, growth opportunities, price to earnings (P/E) and a dummy variable introduced for financial companies. To corroborate the results, two proxies were used to test the dependent variable: dividend yield and payout ratio. The results led to the identification of three significant determinants of dividend policy, which are firm age, growth opportunities and firm size. The negative correlation between the variables of firm size and firm age with dividend policy is explained by signaling theory. On the other hand, the negative correlation between growth opportunities and dividend payments is predicted by different theories, such as agency theory, financial flexibility theory and life cycle theory. This study provides insights for investors, analysts and researchers into dividend policy determinants on the Casablanca stock exchange based on firms’ characteristic variables.
Changes in a Bird Community in an Agricultural Landscape in Northeast Germany between 1999 and 2015
Authors: Schultz Alfred , Glemnitz Michael , Stachow Ulrich , Schwierz Friederike
Published: November 2022

Temporal changes in the bird community of an agricultural landscape in northeast Germany were analysed covering three different analytical foci (landscape-wide, habitat types, sample plots) and two aggregation levels of bird observation data (whole bird community, bird guilds). The analyses are based on a systematic data sampling over two multi-year campaigns (1999–2002; 2013–2015). Our analyses address the question of how changes in the occurrences of agricultural birds (numbers of species and of individuals) at local spots manifest themselves in the landscape as a whole. By summarizing all findings concerning single variables (number of species, observation frequencies, abundances, different habitat types, bird guilds), a dramatic, systematic decline of the bird community at sample plots was discovered between the campaigns, which is not yet recognisable across the whole landscape in terms of species richness. Furthermore, we found that landscape-wide, the birds’ use of habitat changed; the variability between single sample plots increased strongly and most species occurred at fewer sample plots over the whole landscape. Obviously, sample plots with high bird occurrences are becoming more relevant for maintaining bird communities over the whole landscape. Bird community composition changed significantly within the observation period.
Errors of Commission in Constructions Involving Movement to the CP Domain
Authors: Grolla Elaine
Published: November 2022

In this overview paper, I discuss data from child languages available in the literature that instantiate errors of commission. I focus on three constructions involving movement to the left periphery of the clause: the production of aux-doubling (where more than one auxiliary verb, either followed by neg or not, is produced in yes/no and Wh-questions), medial Wh-questions (where two Wh-phrases are produced in long-distance Wh-questions), and the production of full resumptive DPs in the relativized position of the relative clause. I claim that these extra elements are not produced at random places, but precisely at the locations where copies (or traces) of the moved elements are claimed to occur. This is taken as an indication of children’s abstract grammatical knowledge.
Density Functional Studies on the Atomistic Structure and Properties of Iron Oxides: A Parametric Study
Authors: Zhang Shujie , Li Kejiang , Ma Yan , Guo Feng , Jiang Chunhe , Liang Zeng , Bu Yushan , Zhang Jianliang
Published: November 2022

With the aim to find the best simulation routine to accurately predict the ground−state structures and properties of iron oxides (hematite, magnetite, and wustite) using density functional theory (DFT) with Hubbard-U correction, a significant amount of DFT calculations were conducted to investigate the influence of various simulation parameters (energy cutoff, K-point, U value, magnetization setting, smearing value, etc.) and pseudopotentials on the structures and properties of iron oxides. With optimized simulation parameters, the obtained equation of state, lattice constant, bulk moduli, and band gap is much closer to the experimental values compared with previous studies. Due to the strong coupling between the 2p orbital of O and the 3d orbital of Fe, it was found that Hubbard-U correction obviously improved the results for all three kinds of iron oxides including magnetite which has not yet been tested with U correction before, but the U value should be different for different oxides (3 ev, 4 ev, 4 ev for hematite, magnetite, and wustite, respectively). Two kinds of spin magnetism settings for FeO are considered, which should be chosen according to different calculation purposes. The detailed relationship between the parameter settings and the atomic structures and properties were analyzed, and the general principles for future DFT calculation of iron oxides were provided.
Influence of Tempering Temperature and Time on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured H13 Tool Steel
Authors: Bae Kichang , Moon Hyoung-Seok , Park Yongho , Jo Ilguk , Lee Junghoon
Published: November 2022

Among various processes for manufacturing complex-shaped metal parts, additive manufacturing is highlighted as a process capable of reducing the wastage of materials without requiring a post-process, such as machining and finishing. In particular, it is a suitable new manufacturing technology for producing AISI H13 tool steel for hot-worked molds with complex cooling channels. In this study, we manufactured AISI H13 tool steel using the laser power bed fusion (LPBF) process and investigated the effects of tempering temperature and holding time on its microstructure and mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of the sub-grain cell microstructure of the AISI H13 tool steel manufactured using the LPBF process were superior to that of the H13 tool steel manufactured using the conventional method. These sub-grain cells decomposed and disappeared during the austenitizing process; however, the mechanical properties could be restored at a tempering temperature of 500 °C or higher owing to the secondary hardening and distribution of carbides. Furthermore, the mechanical properties deteriorated because of the decomposition of the martensite phase and the accumulation and coarsening of carbides when over-tempering occurred at 500 °C for 5 h and 550 °C for 3 h.
Phyllanthus emblica Seed-Derived Hierarchically Porous Carbon Materials for High-Performance Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Shrestha Lok Kumar , Shahi Sabina , Gnawali Chhabi Lal , Adhikari Mandira Pradhananga , Rajbhandari Rinita , Pokharel Bhadra P. , Ma Renzhi , Shrestha Rekha Goswami , Ariga Katsuhiko
Published: November 2022

The electrical double-layer supercapacitance performance of the nanoporous carbons prepared from the Phyllanthus emblica (Amala) seed by chemical activation using the potassium hydroxide (KOH) activator is reported. KOH activation was carried out at different temperatures (700–1000 °C) under nitrogen gas atmosphere, and in a three-electrode cell set-up the electrochemical measurements were performed in an aqueous 1 M sulfuric acid (H2SO4) solution. Because of the hierarchical pore structures with well-defined micro- and mesopores, Phyllanthus emblica seed-derived carbon materials exhibit high specific surface areas in the range of 1360 to 1946 m2 g−1, and the total pore volumes range from 0.664 to 1.328 cm3 g−1. The sample with the best surface area performed admirably as the supercapacitor electrode-material, achieving a high specific capacitance of 272 F g−1 at 1 A g−1. Furthermore, it sustained 60% capacitance at a high current density of 50 A g−1, followed by a remarkably long cycle-life of 98% after 10,000 subsequent charging/discharging cycles, demonstrating the electrode’s excellent rate-capability. These results show that the Phyllanthus emblica seed would have significant possibilities as a sustainable carbon-source for the preparing high-surface-area activated-carbons desired in high-energy-storage supercapacitors.
A New Insight into High-Aspect-Ratio Channel Drilling in Translucent Dielectrics with a KrF Laser for Waveguide Applications
Authors: Smetanin Igor V. , Shutov Alexey V. , Ustinovskii Nikolay N. , Veliev Polad V. , Zvorykin Vladimir D.
Published: November 2022

A new insight into capillary channel formation with a high aspect ratio in the translucent matter by nanosecond UV laser pulses is discussed based on our experiments on KrF laser multi-pulse drilling of polymethyl methacrylate and K8 silica glass. The proposed mechanism includes self-consistent laser beam filamentation along a small UV light penetration depth caused by a local refraction index increase due to material densification by both UV and ablation pressure, followed by filamentation-assisted ablation. A similar mechanism was shown to be realized in highly transparent media, i.e., KU-1 glass with a multiphoton absorption switched on instead of linear absorption. Waveguide laser beam propagation in long capillary channels was considered for direct electron acceleration by high-power laser pulses and nonlinear compression of excimer laser pulses into the picosecond range.
p-ZnO/n-ZnMgO Nanoparticle-Based Heterojunction UV Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Shafiqul Islam Mohammad , Yoshida Toshiyuki , Fujita Yasuhisa
Published: November 2022

Heterojunction light-emitting diodes (LEDs), based on p-type ZnO and n-type ZnMgO nanoparticles, have been demonstrated. ZnMgO nanoparticles were prepared by the thermal diffusion of Mg onto ZnO nanoparticles. p-ZnO/GZO homostructure LEDs and p-ZnO/n-ZnMgO/GZO heterostructure LEDs have been fabricated using ZnO and ZnMgO nanoparticles. By comparing the characteristic results of these diodes, it can be seen that LEDs with the p-ZnO/n-ZnMgO/GZO structure showed better I–V characteristics with a lower current density leakage than those with the p-ZnO/GZO LED structure. Moreover, the emission intensity was improved by adding the ZnMgO NP layer to the LEDs. These results show that the ZnMgO NP layer acts as a hetero-barrier layer that suppresses the diffusion of holes into the n-type layer and confines holes to the p-type layer.
Durability of Reinforced Concrete with Additions of Natural Pozzolans of Volcanic Origin
Authors: Santana Juan J. , Rodríguez-Brito Natalia , Blanco-Peñalver Concepción , Mena Vicente F. , Souto Ricardo M.
Published: November 2022

In this work, the properties of concrete modified with dosages of natural pozzolans (NP) in substitution of cement or superfine aggregates were evaluated. Proportions of 20/80 pozzolan/cement or pozzolan/superfine aggregates were selected for the additions of quarry and tuff pozzolans. Pozzolanic activity, durability, compressive strength, characteristic resistance, settling consistency, density, electrical resistivity, depth of water penetration, accessible porosity, and carbonation and chloride penetration were determined for the resulting concrete mixtures, and they were subsequently compared to the values obtained for the reference concrete batches without additions. The results of the cementitious mixtures supplemented with tuff (PZT) and quarry (PZQ) pozzolans, expressed in mmol/L, are consistent with the pozzolanism test, with [Ca(OH)2]/[OH−] ratios at 7 days are 6.03/60.19 for PZQ and 1.78/92.78 PZT. In addition to the pozzolanic activity at these dosages, the characteristic resistance and durability parameters required by EHE-08 were verified. Particular attention was given to the determination of the diffusion of chloride ions, introducing an instrumental modification of the accelerated integral method. The modification provides values of diffusion coefficients similar to those obtained by the other methods with the advantage of greater stability and quality of the measurement.
Mechanical Properties Evaluation of Polymer-Binding C-S-H Structure from Nanoscale to Macroscale: Hydroxyl-Terminated Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Modified C-S-H
Authors: Zhu Zheyu , Zhou Yue , Huang Zhishan , Wang Zhongping , Chen Yuting
Published: November 2022

Exploring and modifying the C-S-H structure at a micro–nano level is an effective solution to improve the performance of Portland cement. Compared with organics inserting C-S-H, the research on the performance of a polymer-binding C-S-H structure from nanoscale to macroscale is limited. In this work, the mechanical properties of a modified C-S-H, using hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as the binders, are evaluated. The PDMS-modified C-S-H structures are introduced into macro-defect-free cement to obtain stress–strain curves changes at a macro scale. The AFM–FM was adopted to measure the morphology and elastic modulus of C-S-H at a nano scale. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was performed to assess the toughness, tensile properties, and failure mechanism. The results show that the PDMS-modified C-S-H powders change the break process and enhance ductility of MDF cement. The elastic modulus of PDMS-modified C-S-H is lower than pure C-S-H. When PDMS molecules are located between the stacking crystal units, it can enhance the toughness of C-S-H aggregates. The PDMS-modified C-S-H stacking structure has better plasticity, and its tensile strains are higher than the pure C-S-H. PDMS molecules hinder the initial crack expansion, leading to the branching of the initial crack. In addition, the measurement of AFM–FM can identify and obtain the mechanical properties of basic units of C-S-H. This paper enhances the understanding of cement strength sources and modification methods.
Vibration Image Representations for Fault Diagnosis of Rotating Machines: A Review
Authors: Ahmed Hosameldin Osman Abdallah , Nandi Asoke Kumar
Published: November 2022

Rotating machine vibration signals typically represent a large collection of responses from various sources in a machine, along with some background noise. This makes it challenging to precisely utilise the collected vibration signals for machine fault diagnosis. Much of the research in this area has focused on computing certain features of the original vibration signal in the time domain, frequency domain, and time–frequency domain, which can sufficiently describe the signal in essence. Yet, computing useful features from noisy fault signals, including measurement errors, needs expert prior knowledge and human labour. The past two decades have seen rapid developments in the application of feature-learning or representation-learning techniques that can automatically learn representations of time series vibration datasets to address this problem. These include supervised learning techniques with known data classes and unsupervised learning or clustering techniques with data classes or class boundaries that are not obtainable. More recent developments in the field of computer vision have led to a renewed interest in transforming the 1D time series vibration signal into a 2D image, which can often offer discriminative descriptions of vibration signals. Several forms of features can be learned from the vibration images, including shape, colour, texture, pixel intensity, etc. Given its high performance in fault diagnosis, the image representation of vibration signals is receiving growing attention from researchers. In this paper, we review the works associated with vibration image representation-based fault detection and diagnosis for rotating machines in order to chart the progress in this field. We present the first comprehensive survey of this topic by summarising and categorising existing vibration image representation techniques based on their characteristics and the processing domain of the vibration signal. In addition, we also analyse the application of these techniques in rotating machine fault detection and classification. Finally, we briefly outline future research directions based on the reviewed works.
Pattern-Multiplicative Average of Nonnegative Matrices: When a Constrained Minimization Problem Requires Versatile Optimization Tools
Authors: Protasov Vladimir , Zaitseva Tatyana , Logofet Dmitrii
Published: November 2022

Given several nonnegative matrices with a single pattern of allocation among their zero/nonzero elements, the average matrix should have the same pattern as well. This is the first tenet of the pattern-multiplicative average (PMA) concept, while the second one suggests the multiplicative nature of averaging. The concept of PMA was motivated in a number of application fields, of which we consider the matrix population models and illustrate solving the PMA problem with several sets of model matrices calibrated in particular botanic case studies. The patterns of those matrices are typically nontrivial (they contain both zero and nonzero elements), the PMA problem thus having no exact solution for a fundamental reason (an overdetermined system of algebraic equations). Therefore, searching for the approximate solution reduces to a constrained minimization problem for the approximation error, the loss function in optimization terms. We consider two alternative types of the loss function and present a general algorithm of searching the optimal solution: basin-hopping global search, then local descents by the method of conjugate gradients or that of penalty functions. Theoretical disadvantages and practical limitations of both loss functions are discussed and illustrated with a number of practical examples.
An Aggregation Rule Based on the Binomial Distribution
Authors: Freixas Josep
Published: November 2022

Many decision-making situations require the evaluation of several voters or agents. In a situation where voters evaluate candidates, the question arises of how best to aggregate evaluations so as to compare the candidates. The aim of this work is to propose a method of aggregating the evaluations of the voters, which has outstanding properties and serve as a potential evaluative tool in many contexts. Ordered weighted averages is a family of rules appropriate for studying this problem. In this paper, I propose as a solution an ordered weighted average that satisfies compelling properties and whose weights are derived from the binomial distribution.
On Solvability of Fractional (p,q)-Difference Equations with (p,q)-Difference Anti-Periodic Boundary Conditions
Authors: Agarwal Ravi P. , Al-Hutami Hana , Ahmad Bashir
Published: November 2022

We discuss the solvability of a (p,q)-difference equation of fractional order α∈(1,2], equipped with anti-periodic boundary conditions involving the first-order (p,q)-difference operator. The desired results are accomplished with the aid of standard fixed point theorems. Examples are presented for illustrating the obtained results.