bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solubility Temperature Dependence of Bio-Based Levulinic Acid, Furfural, and Hydroxymethylfurfural in Water, Nonpolar, Polar Aprotic and Protic Solvents
Authors: Jakob Ana , Grilc Miha , Teržan Janvit , Likozar Blaž
Published: May 2021

Bio-based levulinic acid (LA), furfural (FF), and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) represent key chemical intermediates when biorefining biomass resources, i.e., either cellulose, glucose, hexoses, etc. (HMF/LA), or hemicellulose, xylose, and pentose (FF). Despite their importance, their online in situ detection by process analytical technologies (PATs), solubility, and its temperature dependence are seldom available. Herein, we report their solubility and temperature dependence by examining n-hexane, cyclohexane, benzene, toluene, 1,4-dioxane, diethyl ether, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, ethyl acetate, acetone, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, formic acid, n-butanol, n-propanol, ethanol, methanol, and water. These solvents were selected as they are the most common nonpolar, polar aprotic, and polar protic solvents. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was applied as a fast, accurate, and sensitive method to the examined solutions or mixtures. The latter also enables operando monitoring of the investigated compounds in pressurized reactors. Selected temperatures investigated were chosen, as they are within typical operating ranges. The calculated thermodynamic data are vital for designing biorefinery process intensification, e.g., reaction yield optimization by selective compound extraction. In addition to extracting, upstream or downstream unit operations that can benefit from the results include dissolution, crystallization, and precipitation.
Catholicism and the Natural Law: A Response to Four Misunderstandings
Authors: Beckwith Francis J.
Published: May 2021

This article responds to four criticisms of the Catholic view of natural law: (1) it commits the naturalistic fallacy, (2) it makes divine revelation unnecessary, (3) it implausibly claims to establish a shared universal set of moral beliefs, and (4) it disregards the noetic effects of sin. Relying largely on the Church’s most important theologian on the natural law, St. Thomas Aquinas, the author argues that each criticism rests on a misunderstanding of the Catholic view. To accomplish this end, the author first introduces the reader to the natural law by way of an illustration he calls the “the ten (bogus) rules.” He then presents Aquinas’ primary precepts of the natural law and shows how our rejection of the ten bogus rules ultimately relies on these precepts (and inferences from them). In the second half of the article, he responds directly to each of the four criticisms.
HF Radars for Wave Energy Resource Assessment Offshore NW Spain
Authors: Basañez Ana , Pérez-Muñuzuri Vicente
Published: May 2021

Wave energy resource assessment is crucial for the development of the marine renewable industry. High-frequency radars (HF radars) have been demonstrated to be a useful wave measuring tool. Therefore, in this work, we evaluated the accuracy of two CODAR Seasonde HF radars for describing the wave energy resource of two offshore areas in the west Galician coast, Spain (Vilán and Silleiro capes). The resulting wave characterization was used to estimate the electricity production of two wave energy converters. Results were validated against wave data from two buoys and two numerical models (SIMAR, (Marine Simulation) and WaveWatch III). The statistical validation revealed that the radar of Silleiro cape significantly overestimates the wave power, mainly due to a large overestimation of the wave energy period. The effect of the radars’ data loss during low wave energy periods on the mean wave energy is partially compensated with the overestimation of wave height and energy period. The theoretical electrical energy production of the wave energy converters was also affected by these differences. Energy period estimation was found to be highly conditioned to the unimodal interpretation of the wave spectrum, and it is expected that new releases of the radar software will be able to characterize different sea states independently.
Estimating the Parameters of Wind Turbulence from Spectra of Radial Velocity Measured by a Pulsed Doppler Lidar
Authors: Banakh Viktor A. , Smalikho Igor N. , Falits Andrey V. , Sherstobitov Artem M.
Published: May 2021

The strategy providing an estimation of both the mean velocity and the temporal and spatial spectra of radial velocity from data of the same pulse coherent Doppler lidar is proposed. Theoretical relations taking into account the averaging over the probing volume while estimating the spectra of fluctuations of the radial velocity measured by lidar are presented. The method of estimation of the turbulent energy dissipation rate and the variance of the vertical component of wind velocity vector from the spectra of radial velocity is carried out. The results of the comparative experiments are discussed and used in further studies of wind turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer during the formation of low-level jets and propagation of internal gravity waves.
Design Space Calculation and Continuous Improvement Considering a Noise Parameter: A Case Study of Ethanol Precipitation Process Optimization for Carthami Flos Extract
Authors: Tai Yanni , Qu Haibin , Gong Xingchu
Published: May 2021

The optimization of process parameters in the pharmaceutical industry is often carried out according to the Quality by Design (QbD) concept. QbD also emphasizes that continuous improvement should be performed in life cycle management. Process parameters that are difficult to control in actual production can be regarded as noise parameters. In this study, based on the QbD concept, the ethanol precipitation process of Carthami Flos extract was optimized, considering a noise parameter. The density of the concentrated extract, ethanol concentration, the volume ratio of ethanol to concentrated extract, stirring time after ethanol addition, and refrigeration temperature were selected as critical process parameters (CPPs), using a definitive screening design. The mathematical models among CPPs and evaluation indicators were established. Considering that the refrigeration temperature of industrial ethanol precipitation is often difficult to control with seasonal changes, refrigeration temperature was treated as a noise parameter. A calculation method for the design space in the presence of the noise parameter was proposed. The design space was calculated according to the probability of reaching the standards of evaluation indicators. Controlling parameters within the design space was expected to reduce the influence of noise parameter fluctuations on the quality of the ethanol precipitation supernatant. With more data obtained, the design space was updated. In industry, it is also recommended to adopt a similar idea: that is, continuing to collect industrial data and regularly updating mathematical models, which can further update the design space and make it more stable and reliable.
A Review on the Medicinal and Pharmacological Properties of Traditional Ethnomedicinal Plant Sonapatha, Oroxylum indicum
Authors: Jagetia Ganesh Chandra
Published: May 2021

Oroxylum indicum, Sonapatha is traditionally used to treat asthma, biliousness, bronchitis, diarrhea, dysentery, fevers, vomiting, inflammation, leukoderma, skin diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, wound injury, and deworm intestine. This review has been written by collecting the relevant information from published material on various ethnomedicinal and pharmacological aspects of Sonapatha by making an internet, PubMed, SciFinder, Science direct, and Google Scholar search. Various experimental studies have shown that Sonapatha scavenges different free radicals and possesses alkaloids, flavonoids, cardio glycosides, tannins, sterols, phenols, saponins, and other phytochemicals. Numerous active principles including oroxylin A, chrysin, scutellarin, baicalein, and many more have been isolated from the different parts of Sonapatha. Sonapatha acts against microbial infection, cancer, hepatic, gastrointestinal, cardiac, and diabetic disorders. It is useful in the treatment of obesity and wound healing in in vitro and in vivo preclinical models. Sonapatha elevates glutathione, glutathione-s-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase levels and reduces aspartate transaminase alanine aminotransaminase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and lipid peroxidation levels in various tissues. Sonapatha activates the expression of p53, pRb, Fas, FasL, IL-12, and caspases and inhibited nuclear factor kappa (NF-κB), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), interleukin (IL6), P38 activated mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), sterol regulatory element-binding proteins 1c (SREBP-1c), proliferator-activated receptor γ2 (PPARγ2), glucose transporter (GLUT4), leptin, and HPV18 oncoproteins E6 and E7 at the molecular level, which may be responsible for its medicinal properties. The phytoconstituents of Sonapatha including oroxylin A, chrysin, and baicalein inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) in in vitro and in vivo experimental models, indicating its potential to contain COVID-19 infection in humans. The experimental studies in various preclinical models validate the use of Sonapatha in ethnomedicine and Ayurveda.
Assessing the Environmental Performance of Municipal Solid Waste Collection: A New Predictive LCA Model
Authors: Bala Alba , Raugei Marco , Teixeira Carlos , Fernández Alberto , Pan-Montojo Francisco , Fullana-i-Palmer Pere
Published: May 2021

Most existing life cycle assessment models of waste management have so far underplayed the importance of the waste collection phase, addressing it only in a simplified fashion, either by requesting the total amount of fuel used as a direct user input or by calculating it based on a set of input parameters and fixed diesel consumption factors. However, if the main purpose of the study is to improve the efficiency of the collection system itself, a more detailed analysis of the collection phase is required, avoiding oversimplified and potentially misleading conclusions. The new LCA collection model presented here relies on a large number of parameters (number and type of containers, collection frequency, distances for the various legs of transport, etc.) and allows the detailed predictive analysis of alternative collection scenarios. The results of applying this newly developed model to a number of experimental case studies in Portugal are analyzed, discussed, and compared to those produced by a selection of pre-existing, more simplified models such as ORWARE and MSW-DST. The new model is confirmed as being the most accurate and, importantly, as the only one capable of predicting the consequences of a range of possible changes in the collection parameters.
“Trees Are Our Relatives”: Local Perceptions on Forestry Resources and Implications for Climate Change Mitigation
Authors: Chanza Nelson , Musakwa Walter
Published: May 2021

The link between nature and society is vital for climate change mitigation and sustainable natural recourse management. Based on a case study of the indigenous people of Mbire in Zimbabwe, we argue that perceptions of indigenous people about forestry resources provide useful pointers toward framing climate mitigation interventions. This interest was necessitated by the growing call to address the suppression of forest-rich indigenous communities in climate change science. Accordingly, the aim of the study was to understand how indigenous people can contribute to the abatement of climate change. The study engaged 32 purposively selected elderly participants in focus group discussions; these participants had long histories of staying in the villages studied and were figures whom the locals regarded as “experts” in giving credible inferences about their environment. The participants corroboratively perceived forests and trees as their own “relatives”, who should not be harmed because of the support they continue to generously give to the people. Their construct of climate change relates to the gradual but continuing trivialization of cultural beliefs and abandonment of traditional practices, which they believe offend the spirits who have powers to influence the climate system. Although their attribution view on climate change is in contrast with that of mainstream climate scientists, we argue that their profound acknowledgement of climatic change, coupled with their scientific understanding of the intrinsic relationship between people’s wellbeing and the environment, are key entry points to design sustainable climate mitigation programs at community scales. The sustainability of such programs should not ignore local belief systems and strategies that communities use in preserving their forests.
Energy Harvesting on Airport Pavements: State-of-the-Art
Authors: Correia Diogo , Ferreira Adelino
Published: May 2021

Society is dependent on transport systems, not only to meet its daily needs with short journeys but also to meet their arising needs with longer distances. The ability to connect remote regions and the trip duration makes the aircraft a mode of transport for distant travel. However, it impacts greenhouse gas production. The survey for new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions emerges from the contribution of energy harvesting systems. Energy harvesting technology has been presenting prosperous solutions and applications in road pavements. Due to the similarity between road pavements, this paper addresses state-of-the-art technologies for airport pavements and road pavements, aiming to analyze which ones can be developed for application in airport pavements. An analysis is presented not only for the density, efficiency, and energy generation, but also for each energy harvesting technology’s implementation and technology readiness level. The photovoltaic technology, to be incorporated into airport pavements, will allow sustainable energy generation dependent on the airport location. The hydraulic/pneumatic technology, to be incorporated into the airport pavements, will generate electrical energy based on aircraft movement.
The Evaluation of Experimental Variables for Sustainable Virtual Road Safety Audits
Authors: Jun Yeonsoo , Park Juneyoung , Yeom Chunho
Published: May 2021

This paper evaluates experimental variables for virtual road safety audits (VRSAs) through practical experiments to promote sustainable road safety. VRSAs perform road safety audits using driving simulators (DSs), and all objects in the road environment cannot be experimental variables because of realistic constraints. Therefore, the study evaluates the likelihood of recommendation of VRSA experimental variables by comparing DSs experiments and field reviews to secure sustainable road safety conditions. The net promoter score results evaluated “Tunnel”, “Bridge”, “Underpass”, “Footbridge”, “Traffic island”, “Sign”, “Lane”, “Road marking”, “Traffic light”, “Median barrier”, “Road furniture”, and “Traffic condition” as recommended variables. On the contrary, the “Road pavement”, “Drainage”, “Lighting”, “Vehicle”, “Pedestrian”, “Bicycle”, “Accident”, and “Hazard event” variables were not recommended. The study can be used for decision making in VRSA scenario development as an initial effort to evaluate its experimental variables.
Simulation of Biocapacity and Spatial-Temporal Evolution Analysis of Loess Plateau in Northern Shaanxi Based on the CA–Markov Model
Authors: Wang Hao , Hu Yunfeng
Published: May 2021

Biocapacity evaluation is an important part of sustainable development research, but quantitative and spatial evaluation and future scenario analysis still have model and methodological difficulties. Based on the high-resolution Globeland30 dataset, the authors analyzed the characteristics of land use/cover changes of the Loess Plateau in Northern Shaanxi from 2000 to 2020. Then, comprehensively considering the driving factors of social development, topography, climatic conditions, and spatial distance, the logistic regression method and the CA–Markov model were used to simulate the land use scenario in 2030. Finally, the biocapacity model was used to describe the spatial distribution and spatial-temporal evolution of the regional biocapacity in detail. The results showed the following: (1) Biocapacity was jointly restricted by land use types, yield factors, and equivalence factors. The high values were mainly distributed in the riparian areas of the central and eastern regions, the ridges and valleys of the central and western regions, and the farmland patches of the southern valleys; the median values were mainly distributed in the forest of the southern mountains; the low values were mainly distributed in the grassland and unused land in the hilly and gully areas of the central and northern regions. (2) The biocapacity of Loess Plateau in Northern Shaanxi increased by 9.98% from 2000 to 2010, and decreased by 4.14% from 2010 to 2020, and the total amount remained stable. It is predicted that by 2030, the regional biocapacity will continue to increase by 0.03%, reaching 16.52 × 106 gha.
Archaeometry and Analysis of Ceramic Materials from Ávila (Spain): Late-Vetton Evidence
Authors: de Soto García Isabel Sonsoles , de Soto García María de los Reyes , González Blas Cabrera , Giménez Rosario García
Published: May 2021

From the archaeological excavations carried out during 2019/2020 in the walled Ávila city (Spain), numerous ceramic fragments of different chronologies have appeared that have allowed us to find settlement sequences in this city that place its beginnings before Romanization. The latest interventions allow us to know that the wall of Ávila has a Roman origin, and it was developed on an indigenous nucleus from the 1st century BC that received the Romanizing influence during the 1st century AD. In addition, it was possible to establish that the materials used for their preparation are consistent with the materials of the geological environment, which suggests a local origin. This paper presents the study of a set of ceramic samples using XRD, ICP/MS, SEM/EDX, and linescan analysis. A statistical analysis of the samples using the minor elements concentrations has suggested that even though the local origin, there were several production centers within painted ceramics that until now were always included as a single set. Finally, due to the importance of the “late-Vetton” or “late Iberic” ceramics (mid-1st century BC—middle of the 1st century AC) from the archaeological aspect, for the first time, these ceramics are studied in detail from chemical and mineralogical tests. It was discovered that these samples had been made in an oven that had not exceeded 800 °C due to the persistence of different phases after cooking.
Public Administration and Governance for the SDGs: Navigating between Change and Stability
Authors: Meuleman Louis
Published: May 2021

This article highlights four key reform challenges regarding the quality of public administration and governance (PAG), aimed at increasing ‘SDG-readiness’ at all levels of administration, in a nexus characterized by complexity, volatility, pluriformity and uncertainty. Based on others’ research into how EU Member States institutionalize the implementation of the SDGs, a critical review of SDG-governance approaches, as well as a review paper on the management of the SDGs, it is concluded that that four priority areas could guide research and policy development to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda. Firstly, to recognize that creating an effective public administration and governance is an important strategic policy area. Secondly, to begin with mission-oriented public administration and governance reform for SDG implementation, replacing the efficiency-driven public sector reform of the past decades. Thirdly, to apply culturally sensitive metagovernance to design, define and manage trade-offs and achieving synergies between SDGs and their targets. Fourthly, to start concerted efforts to improve policy coherence with a mindset beyond political, institutional, and mental ‘silos’.
Impacts of NO2 Impurities on the Indigenous Microbial Community Structure and Diversity in CO2-Saline-Sandstone Interaction System
Authors: Li Chenyang , Song Yunpeng , Zhu Yongjuan , Meng Qingwei , Lyu Ying
Published: May 2021

Laboratory experiments (150 days) were performed to analyze the influence of NO2 impurities on indigenous microbial communities and diversity with 16S rRNA sequence at real GCS site (Geological CO2 Sequestration, ordos, China) conditions (pressure: 15 MPa, temperature: 55 °C). The possible impact of metabolic activity on the GCS process was investigated through the BLASTn search. Compared with the pure CO2, results demonstrate that the biomass and biodiversity were lower, due to the lower pH, within 60 days after the co-injection of 0.1% NO2. Subsequently, the pH was quickly buffered through the corrosion of feldspar and clay, and the impact of NO2 had almost no obvious effect on the microbial structure except the abundance of phylum and genus after 90 days. In addition, acid-producing bacteria appeared after 60 days, such as Bacillus, Acinetobacter, and Lactococcus, etc., lower the pH in the solution and accelerate the dissolution of minerals. The Fe (III)-reducing microbes Citrobacter freundii reduce the Fe (III) released from minerals to Fe (II) and induce siderite (FeCO3) biomineralization through biogeochemical processes. Therefore, the co-injection of trace NO2 will not significantly affect the growth of microorganisms on long timescale.
Fostering the Sustainability of Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) of Barite in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Authors: Otoijamun Itohan , Kigozi Moses , Abdulraman Sikiru Ottan , Adetunji Adelana Rasak , Onwualu Azikiwe Peter
Published: May 2021

The exploration and mining of Nigerian barite are primarily by artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM) whose operations are characterized by poor productivity. As a result, the quantity and quality of barites produced do not satisfy the nation’s oil sector demands and other industries that require the mineral. This situation leads to massive importation of the mineral with negative impact on the country’s drive toward increasing the contribution of solid minerals to the gross domestic product (GDP). This study reviews the existing policies and government interventions on ASM of Nigerian barite; evaluates the operations of ASM through a survey of mines in Nasarawa state, Nigeria; identifies factors that affect sustainability of the sector and proffers solutions to foster sustainability of ASM of barite in the region. The study adopted the 4Is optimization technique (Information gathering, Interpretation, Implication, and Implementation) through personal interactions with the stakeholders at the barite mining sites, and government agencies, regarding policies and interventions specific to ASM of barite. Challenges identified include: weak implementation and enforcement of mining laws; inadequate support from government and development partners; poor access to mining equipment and technology; poor infrastructure (access road, water, electricity); poor pricing of products (marketing challenges); poor remuneration of mine workers; poor mining skills; inadequate formal education; limited awareness on environmental health and safety hazards; fragility and conflict; insufficient information and data on mines and miners; security issues; lack of access to finance; lack of formalization of operations and poor legal framework for operations. The strategies suggested for fostering the sustainability of ASM of barites include: enhanced policy and legislation formulation and implementation, strengthening of institutions, formalization of ASM operations, training of miners, awareness campaign, improvement in environmental and safety of operations, empowerment and support by government and development partners for individual miners and processors and organized groups within the sector (such as Miners Association of Nigeria, Association of Miner and Processors of Barite, AMAPOB). Implementation of these strategies will lead to sustainable operations of the sector and hence improved rural livelihoods, stimulation of entrepreneurship in an environmentally responsible manner, and improvement in the contribution of the mineral sector to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), and hence national development.
Is Consumer Overchoice a Reason for Decision Paralysis?
Authors: Manolică Adriana , Guță Andreea-Sînziana , Roman Teodora , Dragăn Lorin Mircea
Published: May 2021

Time and responses are vital to the process of decision-making. It is a common assumption that having a wide array of options from which to choose is a good thing, but is that truly the case? This research aims to investigate the consumer’s reaction to the increasing number of choices available (which will be referred to as choice overload, or overchoice); more precisely, if it is related to paralysis concerning decision-making. To obtain structured and relevant results, the study is an intergenerational one, endeavoring to compare the outcomes across three different generations (Generations X, Y, and Z) and across their genders. It also aims at identifying trends, if any should arise, pertaining to the matter of overchoice. A survey was conducted among 396 respondents from Iasi, Romania, and the questionnaire is presented in the annex. The main results indicate that product overchoice is real but is more significant in terms of generational point of view rather than that of gender. The findings fill a knowledge gap on the relationship between choice overload and decision paralysis.
Institutional and Non-Institutional Governance Initiatives in Urban Transport Planning: The Paradigmatic Case of the Post-Collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa
Authors: Delponte Ilaria
Published: May 2021

The relationship between the institutional (established in law) and non-institutional initiatives (not supported by law) that improve the public transport system is currently a debated topic. The purpose of this paper is to identify the most relevant aspects of this relationship during an emergency event, namely the paradigmatic case study of the collapse of the Morandi Bridge in Genoa, which occurred in August 2018. The investigation, according to a consistent methodology widely used in the literature, is made up of a selection of interviews with professional figures particularly involved in institutional structures, drawing on qualitative results, and compared with official statistics. The events that occurred in Genoa, during the phase of reorganization of the urban transport service and the circulation in the city, underlined how the response of citizenship is a crucial element, including from the governance point of view. Analytic and observational findings reveal that non-institutional initiatives smooth major criticalities where formal institutions can only produce sub-optimal transport solutions (because of the limited means they own by virtue of the moment of emergency), providing evidence that the two modes of governance are absolutely complementary.
University Teaching Planning in Times of COVID-19: Analysis of the Catalan Context and Proposal for a Future Model from ESIC Business and Marketing School Experience
Authors: Bustos Díaz Javier , Mellen Vinagre Teodor , Nicolas-Sans Ruben
Published: May 2021

On 14 March 2020, Spain came to a standstill and the movement of people was restricted with the publication of Royal Decree (RD) 463/2020 and the education sector had to reinvent itself with new rules and procedures. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the impact of the different government regulations and their effect on university teaching planning. Since the approval of RD 555/2020, educational competences were returned to the autonomous communities and each of them implemented different public policies. We will analyse the specific impact on teaching planning and models applied in Catalonia and their development, which vary according to the evolution of the number of COVID-19 infections and which has been marking the political, economic and social agenda since the beginning of the pandemic. The university has moved from teaching in a face-to-face environment to a virtual or semi-virtual or blended learning environment. This change implies a paradigmatic transformation in communication, education, organisation, evaluation and planning, among others. At ESIC Business & Marketing School (ESIC) these pedagogical paradigm shifts have contributed to transform the learning processes in a context of pedagogical innovation.
Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise with Convolution Based Gated Recurrent Neural Network: A New Deep Learning Model for South Asian High Intensity Forecasting
Authors: Peng Kecheng , Cao Xiaoqun , Liu Bainian , Guo Yanan , Tian Wenlong
Published: May 2021

The intensity variation of the South Asian high (SAH) plays an important role in the formation and extinction of many kinds of mesoscale systems, including tropical cyclones, southwest vortices in the Asian summer monsoon (ASM) region, and the precipitation in the whole Asia Europe region, and the SAH has a vortex symmetrical structure; its dynamic field also has the symmetry form. Not enough previous studies focus on the variation of SAH daily intensity. The purpose of this study is to establish a day-to-day prediction model of the SAH intensity, which can accurately predict not only the interannual variation but also the day-to-day variation of the SAH. Focusing on the summer period when the SAH is the strongest, this paper selects the geopotential height data between 1948 and 2020 from NCEP to construct the SAH intensity datasets. Compared with the classical deep learning methods of various kinds of efficient time series prediction model, we ultimately combine the Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) method, which has the ability to deal with the nonlinear and unstable single system, with the Permutation Entropy (PE) method, which can extract the SAH intensity feature of IMF decomposed by CEEMDAN, and the Convolution-based Gated Recurrent Neural Network (ConvGRU) model is used to train, test, and predict the intensity of the SAH. The prediction results show that the combination of CEEMDAN and ConvGRU can have a higher accuracy and more stable prediction ability than the traditional deep learning model. After removing the redundant features in the time series, the prediction accuracy of the SAH intensity is higher than that of the classical model, which proves that the method has good applicability for the prediction of nonlinear systems in the atmosphere.
Asymptotic Properties of Discrete Minimal s,logt-Energy Constants and Configurations
Authors: Loesatapornpipit Nichakan , Bosuwan Nattapong
Published: May 2021

We investigated the energy of N points on an infinite compact metric space (A,d) of a diameter less than 1 that interact through the potential (1/ds)(log1/d)t, where s,t≥0 and d is the metric distance. With Elogts(A,N) denoting the minimal energy for such N-point configurations, we studied certain continuity and differentiability properties of Elogts(A,N) in the variable s. Then, we showed that in the limits, as s→∞ and as s→s0>0,N-point configurations that minimize the s,logt-energy tends to an N-point best-packing configuration and an N-point configuration that minimizes the s0,logt-energy, respectively. Furthermore, we considered when A are circles in the Euclidean space R2. In particular, we proved the minimality of N distinct equally spaced points on circles in R2 for some certain s and t. The study on circles shows a possibility for the utilization of N points generated through such new potential to uniformly discretize on objects with very high symmetry.
Microsatellites as Agents of Adaptive Change: An RNA-Seq-Based Comparative Study of Transcriptomes from Five Helianthus Species
Authors: Ranathunge Chathurani , Pramod Sreepriya , Renaut Sébastien , Wheeler Gregory L. , Perkins Andy D. , Rieseberg Loren H. , Welch Mark E.
Published: May 2021

Mutations that provide environment-dependent selective advantages drive adaptive divergence among species. Many phenotypic differences among related species are more likely to result from gene expression divergence rather than from non-synonymous mutations. In this regard, cis-regulatory mutations play an important part in generating functionally significant variation. Some proposed mechanisms that explore the role of cis-regulatory mutations in gene expression divergence involve microsatellites. Microsatellites exhibit high mutation rates achieved through symmetric or asymmetric mutation processes and are abundant in both coding and non-coding regions in positions that could influence gene function and products. Here we tested the hypothesis that microsatellites contribute to gene expression divergence among species with 50 individuals from five closely related Helianthus species using an RNA-seq approach. Differential expression analyses of the transcriptomes revealed that genes containing microsatellites in non-coding regions (UTRs and introns) are more likely to be differentially expressed among species when compared to genes with microsatellites in the coding regions and transcripts lacking microsatellites. We detected a greater proportion of shared microsatellites in 5′UTRs and coding regions compared to 3′UTRs and non-coding transcripts among Helianthus spp. Furthermore, allele frequency differences measured by pairwise FST at single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indicate greater genetic divergence in transcripts containing microsatellites compared to those lacking microsatellites. A gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that microsatellite-containing differentially expressed genes are significantly enriched for GO terms associated with regulation of transcription and transcription factor activity. Collectively, our study provides compelling evidence to support the role of microsatellites in gene expression divergence.
Decoupled Embedding Class-One Strange Stars in Self-Interacting Brans–Dicke Gravity
Authors: Sharif Muhammad , Majid Amal
Published: May 2021

This work aims to extend two isotropic solutions to the anisotropic domain by decoupling the field equations in self-interacting Brans–Dicke theory. The extended solutions are obtained by incorporating an additional source in the isotropic fluid distribution. We deform the radial metric potential to disintegrate the system of field equations into two sets such that each set corresponds to only one source (either isotropic or additional). The system related to the anisotropic source is solved by employing the MIT bag model as an equation of state. Further, we develop two isotropic solutions by plugging well-behaved radial metric potentials in Karmarkar’s embedding condition. The junction conditions at the surface of the star are imposed to specify the unknown constants appearing in the solution. We examine different physical characteristics of the constructed quark star models by using the mass and radius of PSR J1903+327. It is concluded that, in the presence of a massive scalar field, both stellar structures are well-behaved, viable and stable for smaller values of the decoupling parameter.
Factors Influencing Public Attitudes towards COVID-19 Vaccination: A Scoping Review Informed by the Socio-Ecological Model
Authors: Al-Jayyousi Ghadir Fakhri , Sherbash Mohamed Abdelhady Mabrouk , Ali Lamees Abdullah Mohammed , El-Heneidy Asmaa , Alhussaini Nour Waleed Zuhair , Elhassan Manar Elsheikh Abdelrahman , Nazzal Maisa Ayman
Published: May 2021

Major hindrances to getting a COVID-19 vaccine include vaccine hesitancy, skepticism, refusal, and anti-vaccine movements. Several studies have been conducted on attitudes of the public towards COVID-19 vaccines and the potential influencing factors. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize the data available on the various factors influencing public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccination. This scoping review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Statement. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central were searched without restrictions to reclaim all publications on the factors that shape individuals’ attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines from 1 January 2020 to 15 February 2021. Fifty studies were included. The scoping review revealed that the factors influencing public attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccines were embedded within the different levels of the socio-ecological model. These factors included the sociodemographic characteristics of the individuals, individual factors, social and organizational factors. In addition, certain characteristics of COVID-19 vaccines themselves influenced public attitudes towards accepting the vaccines. Understanding various population needs and the factors shaping public attitudes towards the vaccines would support planning for evidence-based multilevel interventions in order to enhance global vaccine uptake.
Population (Antibody) Testing for COVID-19—Technical Challenges, Application and Relevance, an English Perspective
Authors: Maple Peter A. C.
Published: May 2021

In the UK, population virus or antibody testing using virus swabs, serum samples, blood spots or oral fluids has been performed to a limited extent for several diseases including measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis and HIV. The collection of population-based infection and immunity data is key to the monitoring of disease prevalence and assessing the effectiveness of interventions such as behavioural modifications and vaccination. In particular, the biological properties of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its interaction with the human host have presented several challenges towards the development of population-based immunity testing. Measuring SARS-CoV-2 immunity requires the development of antibody assays of acceptable sensitivity and specificity which are capable of accurately detecting seroprevalence and differentiating protection from non-protective responses. Now that anti-COVID-19 vaccines are becoming available there is a pressing need to measure vaccine efficacy and the development of herd immunity. The unprecedented impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the UK in terms of morbidity, mortality, and economic and social disruption has mobilized a national scientific effort to learn more about this virus. In this article, the challenges of testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly in relation to population-based immunity testing, will be considered and examples given of relevant national level studies.
A Riemannian Geometry Theory of Synergy Selection for Visually-Guided Movement
Authors: Neilson Peter D. , Neilson Megan D. , Bye Robin T.
Published: May 2021

Bringing together a Riemannian geometry account of visual space with a complementary account of human movement synergies we present a neurally-feasible computational formulation of visuomotor task performance. This cohesive geometric theory addresses inherent nonlinear complications underlying the match between a visual goal and an optimal action to achieve that goal: (i) the warped geometry of visual space causes the position, size, outline, curvature, velocity and acceleration of images to change with changes in the place and orientation of the head, (ii) the relationship between head place and body posture is ill-defined, and (iii) mass-inertia loads on muscles vary with body configuration and affect the planning of minimum-effort movement. We describe a partitioned visuospatial memory consisting of the warped posture-and-place-encoded images of the environment, including images of visible body parts. We depict synergies as low-dimensional submanifolds embedded in the warped posture-and-place manifold of the body. A task-appropriate synergy corresponds to a submanifold containing those postures and places that match the posture-and-place-encoded visual images that encompass the required visual goal. We set out a reinforcement learning process that tunes an error-reducing association memory network to minimize any mismatch, thereby coupling visual goals with compatible movement synergies. A simulation of a two-degrees-of-freedom arm illustrates that, despite warping of both visual space and posture space, there exists a smooth one-to-one and onto invertible mapping between vision and proprioception.
Consecutive Extratropical Cyclones Daniel, Elsa and Fabien, and Their Impact on the Hydrological Cycle of Mainland Portugal
Authors: Stojanovic Milica , Gonçalves Ana , Sorí Rogert , Vázquez Marta , Ramos Alexandre M. , Nieto Raquel , Gimeno Luis , Liberato Margarida L. R.
Published: May 2021

The extratropical cyclones that originate in the North Atlantic and propagate towards Europe are one of the major natural hazards in mid-latitudes. In December 2019, three consecutive extratropical cyclones named Daniel, Elsa, and Fabien affected Portugal. In this study, the synoptic and upper-level dynamic conditions associated with these systems during their impact in mainland Portugal are evaluated. The persistent intense zonal flow that crossed the entire Atlantic revealed by the integrated vapor transport and the vertically integrated moisture flux favored these hydro-meteorological systems. The patterns of mean sea level pressure, geopotential, potential vorticity, total column water, and convective available potential energy were used to characterize the influence of every system over mainland Portugal. A cluster analysis of monthly precipitation permitted the classification of the country into four main regions named the Northwest, Centre West, Northeast and Centre East, and South region on which the analysis was focused. The three storms affected every region on consecutive days by the middle of December, producing extreme precipitation events and significant effects on the accumulated rainfall and runoff, particularly in the Northwest, Centre West, Northeast and Centre East regions. As consequence, multiple incidences of damage were reported along mainland Portugal. However, an assessment of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation–Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) on time scales of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months revealed a positive impact of rainfall increase on the attenuation of short and long term accumulated drought conditions, particularly in the center and north regions.
Science-Based Reading and its Effect on the Development of Reading Comprehension Skills in Teaching Turkish as a Foreign Language
Authors:   Ronakihawler Nilufer Girls SecondarySchoo, Miyanyedi Ertan
Published: May 2021

A language is a living tool that allows people to communicate. Human beings learn a foreign language while preserving their language tomaintain their vitality. S/he teaches his/her language on one hand while s/he learns a foreign language.Teaching Turkish as a foreign language needs to be reconsidered in the light of new developments. In this study, while introducing the“science-based reading approach,” the contribution of this approach to students’ reading comprehension skills and its effect on academic achievement were examined. Experimental and control groups were formed, and pre-test and post-test were administered to these groups in this study. Microsoft Excel and SPSS-21 software programs were used in the analysis of the data obtained from the achievement tests. While there was no differencebetween the experimental and control groups in pre-tests, a significant difference was found in the post-test achievement test of the experimental and control groups in favor of the experimental group. Based on this result, it can be said that the science-based reading approach has a positive effect on students’ reading comprehension skills. It is expected from Turkish language teachers to conduct new researches with different groups to obtain moreaccurate results and to compare the results.
BRAGANÇA E A MARUJADA: PEDAÇOS DE IMANÊNCIA
Authors: Dos Santos Helane Súzia Silva , De Brito Maria Dos Remédio
Published: May 2021

BRAGANÇA E A MARUJADA: PEDAÇOS DE IMANÊNCIA
MINHA BUCETA É O PODER! [ENSAIO RITMADO PARA UM CORPO PENSANTE]
Authors: Cunha Michelle Bastos da , Oliveira Raphaella Marques de
Published: May 2021

MINHA BUCETA É O PODER! [ENSAIO RITMADO PARA UM CORPO PENSANTE]MINHA BUCETA É O PODER![1][ENSAIO RITMADO PARA UM CORPO PENSANTE][1] Pixo assinado por MiC, bairro da Campina, Belém-PA. Tornou-se domínio público na internet. Refere-se à música My Pussy é o Poder, Gaiola das Popozudas.
OS DISCURSOS DE CRIANÇAS SOBRE AS QUESTÕES DE GÊNERO NO TRABALHO DOCENTE E NO MAGISTÉRIO
Authors: Pacheco Tatiana Do Socorro Corrêa
Published: May 2021

OS DISCURSOS DE CRIANÇAS SOBRE AS QUESTÕES DE GÊNERO NO TRABALHO DOCENTE E NO MAGISTÉRIO
The Reading Strategy Use Profile of EFL Learners
Authors: CANER Mustafa , VURAL Ersen , YALÇIN Işıl
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore foreign language reading strategy use profile of the prep-school students at a Turkish university with reference to the proficiency levels,genders, and the majors of the participants. The participants were 186 Turkish students enrolled in various levels of intensive English courses at a prep-school in a Turkishuniversity. The present study adopted a cross sectional quantitative research design and its data was gathered by means of a foreign language reading strategy questionnaire. Theanalysis of the findings indicated that focal participants of this study generally use global reading strategies (x̅ 4.52), problem-solving strategies (x̅ 3.67), and support strategies (x̅3.16) respectively. In terms of gender, and the majors of the participants, it was found that the difference is not significant in both variables. As for the proficiency levels of theparticipants, it was found that low proficient students use more reading strategies than the high proficient students do in general.
ANALISIS PENGARUH SIKAP GENERASI MILENIAL TERHADAP MINAT MELAKUKAN USAHA TANI DI DESA LAPODI KECAMATAN PASAR WAJO KABUPATEN BUTON
Authors: Suriadi Suriadi , Jasiyah Rabiyatul
Published: May 2021

This study aims to determine the effect of the attitude of the millennial generation on the interest in farming in Lapodi village. This research was conducted in Lapodi village, Pasarwajo sub-district, Buton regency from February to March 2020. The sample of this research is all millennial farmers in Lapodi village with a total of 44 people. The technique of collecting data is using a questionnaire. The data analysis technique uses multiple linear regression analysis, with the help of the SPSS 16.0 application. In the SPSS application, the analysis used is the validity test, reliability test, normality test, t-sample test, ANOVA, coefficients, and r-square test. The results showed that the attitude of the millennial generation had a significant effect on the interest in doing agricultural business, this can be seen from the results of the SPSS printout where T count = 2,850 > T table (0,05) = 2,000. Thus H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted, which states that the higher the attitude of the millennial generation to do agricultural business. The influence of the attitude of the millennial generation on the interest of agricultural enterprises of 40.3% while 59.7% is influenced by other factors that are not included in this research model.

 

Keywords: Millennial generation, attitudes, interests farming