bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Collective Spaces in Achieving Social Sustainability: A Comparative Approach to Enhance Urban Design
Authors: Itma Mohammed , Monna Sameh
Published: July 2022

Achieving social sustainability is an important aim towards achieving sustainable development goals for 2030. This paper aims to evaluate the compatibility of collective spaces with the contemporary social needs in the residential areas in Palestine. It is hypothesized that collective spaces such as cul-de-sacs have the potential for a contribution towards social sustainability. A field research for urban design architectural components for cul-de-sacs and grid streets in Nablus city was conducted based on social sustainability values. Then, a questionnaire was developed to measure people’s satisfaction with living in such collective spaces in terms of social sustainability values. The results show that the satisfaction in collective spaces rises in the cul-de-sac housing compared to grid street houses. Based on these results, a cul-de-sac is a high-potential approach for enhancing social interaction in collective spaces because it provides the four values of social sustainability: privacy, security, equality, and environmental quality. Such qualities are very basic and essential human needs to be considered in housing design. Finally, proposed guidelines for designing contemporary collective spaces based on learning from traditional cul-de-sacs were introduced to enhance future social sustainability.
Occurrence, Comparison and Priority Identification of Antibiotics in Surface Water and Sediment in Urbanized River: A Case Study of Suzhou Creek in Shanghai
Authors: Li Xuhui , Yuan Yuan , Zhang Dou , Li Xiao , Li Dehuan , Wang Xiangrong
Published: July 2022

Antibiotics in water have attracted increasing attention due to their potential threat to aquatic ecosystems and public health. Most previous studies have focused on heavily polluted environments, while ignoring urbanized rivers with high population density. Taking Suzhou Creek in Shanghai as an example, this study attempted to explore the antibiotic pollution characteristics of typical urbanized rivers. Further, it screened out priority antibiotics so as to provide reference for the regular monitoring of antibiotics in urban surface water in the study’s later stage. Four classes of 27 antibiotics in surface water samples and sediment samples were detected and analyzed by SPE-UPLC-MS/MS under both wet season and dry season. Results demonstrate that the total amount of antibiotics detected reached 1936.9 ng/L and 337.3 ng/g in water samples and sediment samples, respectively. Through Pearson correlation analysis, it can be shown that there is a very significant correlation between a variety of antibiotics in water and sediment. The results of ecological risk assessment based on risk quotient (RQ) show that certain antibiotics presented high and medium risk to the surrounding ecosystem. Finally, the priority antibiotics selected by optimized priority screening method were EM, SPD, CLR and RTM. Therefore, we have proven that the antibiotics being discharged in urbanized rivers show different types of antibiotics, while presenting a toxicological risk to certain species.
Geoprocessing Applied to the Assessment of Carbon Storage and Sequestration in a Brazilian Medium-Sized City
Authors: Felix Norton Barros , Campos Priscila Celebrini de Oliveira , Paz Igor , Marques Maria Esther Soares
Published: July 2022

The emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) is a cause for concern when seeking sustainable development in view of global warming. The multiple ecosystem services associated with land use and land cover are at the center of the global climate agenda, both as a mitigation and adaptation strategy to climate change and growing urbanization. Among these services is carbon storage and sequestration (CSS). It can remove GHG carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the form of organic matter, a natural carbon stock. Thus, to design projects that guarantee sustainable development, it is necessary to use metrics that can quantify the impact of sequestration on natural carbon stocks. We aimed to implement the InVEST CSS methodology in the region of Itaperuna-RJ (Brazil) to quantify the net change in carbon storage over time (sequestration and loss) between 2015 and 2020. The obtained total difference in carbon stocks between the analyzed maps was −39,103.56 × 103 kg C, which has an equivalent social cost of carbon of USD 16,559,187.69. This social value represents the social damage caused by releasing that amount of carbon into the atmosphere. This main result brings an important application for validating the InVEST CSS methodology in Brazil. Furthermore, it points out parameters that can help elaborate sustainable development policies.
Accident Prevention Analysis: Exploring the Intellectual Structure of a Research Field
Authors: Huang Rui , Liu Hui , Ma Hongliang , Qiang Yujie , Pan Kai , Gou Xiaoqing , Wang Xin , Ye Dong , Wang Haining , Glowacz Adam
Published: July 2022

Accident prevention is of great significance in avoiding or reducing all kinds of casualties and economic losses, and is one of the main challenges for social sustainable development. Hence, it has been an active research field for many decades around the world. To master the research status of accident prevention, and explore the knowledge base and hot trends, 1294 papers from the WOS retrieval platform SCIE and SSCI databases from 1990 to 2021 were selected as data samples. Co-occurrence analysis, co-citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, and keyword analysis were performed on the literature on accident prevention research with bibliometric analysis methods. The study showed that the United States ranked first in the number of publications of any country/region and Georgia Inst Technol ranked first in the number of institutional publications. System analysis and accident model establishment, analysis of construction accidents, road accident prevention, and safety culture and safety climate are the knowledge base in the accident prevention studies and the core journals in this field are Safety Science, Accident Analysis and Prevention, Pediatrics, and Reliability Engineering & System Safety. There are four major research hotspots in accident prevention studies: routine accident prevention, model-based research, systems analysis and accident prediction, and occupational safety and public health research. At present, the basic theory and structural system of accident prevention research have been basically established, with many research directions and a wide range of frontier branches. Safety management, public safety, Bayesian networks, and simulation are the research frontiers of accident prevention.
The Circular Economy Paradigm: Modification of Bagasse-Derived Lignin as a Precursor to Sustainable Hydrogel Production
Authors: Akhramez Soufiane , Fatimi Ahmed , Okoro Oseweuba Valentine , Hajiabbas Maryam , Boussetta Abdelghani , Moubarik Amine , Hafid Abderrafia , Khouili Mostafa , Simińska-Stanny Julia , Brigode Cecile , Shavandi Amin
Published: July 2022

There have been many efforts to valorise lignin to produce bio-based chemicals and advanced materials. In this study, alkaline delignification was initially employed to recover lignin from the rind, pulp, and whole bagasse fractions of Moroccan sugarcane. The lignin fractions were subsequently modified via silanization and acetylation reactions. The modified lignin and raw lignin were then characterised to assess changes in their physicochemical properties via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solubility and thermogravimetric assessment, with both salinization and acetylation modification shown to enhance the solubility properties of the raw lignin of both polar and non-polar solvents. Preliminary investigations into the suitability of employing the modified lignin in hydrogel preparation were also undertaken. The preliminary hydrogels were developed using heating and freeze-thawing methods, while polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and epichlorohydrin (ECH) were used as the matrix and the crosslinking agents, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), rheological analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis were then used to characterize the different lignin–PVA hydrogels. The study showed that the swelling behaviour of the hydrogels was mainly influenced by the nature of the lignin (i.e., modified or raw), and the morphology of the hydrogel surfaces varied depending on the preparation methods. The study showed that the hydrogel based on silanized lignin and PVA had superior mechanical performance and swelling capacity compared to the acetylated lignin–PVA and raw lignin–PVA hydrogels.
Drought-Induced Challenges and Different Responses by Smallholder and Semicommercial Livestock Farmers in Semiarid Limpopo, South Africa—An Indicator-Based Assessment
Authors: Klinck Leonhard , Ayisi Kingsley K. , Isselstein Johannes
Published: July 2022

Increased seasonal climatic variability is a major contributor to uncertainty in livestock-based livelihoods across Southern Africa. Erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged droughts have resulted in the region being identified as a climate ‘vulnerability hotspot’. Based on fieldwork conducted in the dry seasons in a semiarid region of South Africa, we present an interdisciplinary approach to assess the differential effects of drought on two types of livestock systems. Organic matter digestibility, faecal crude protein, C/N ratio and the natural abundance of faecal 15N and 13C isotopes were used as ecophysiological feed quality indicators between smallholder and semicommercial systems. These measurements were complemented with qualitative surveys. In a novel approach, we tested the potential of the isotopic signature to predict feed quality and present a significant relationship between organic matter digestibility and isotopic ratios. Indicators assessed smallholder feed quality to be significantly higher than semicommercial feed. However, animals from semicommercial farms were in significantly better condition than those from smallholding farms. Differential access to feed resources suggests that a complex feed–water–land nexus pushes smallholders into high reliance on off-farm supplements to bridge drought-induced feed deficits. The paper thus offers a contribution to intersectional work on drought effects on livestock keepers of semiarid South Africa and illustrates how ecophysiological indicators mirror socioeconomic differences.
Green Building Contractors 2025: Analyzing and Forecasting Green Building Contractors’ Market Trends in the US
Authors: Sanboskani Hala , El Asmar Mounir , Azar Elie
Published: July 2022

With population growth, the demand for building construction is continuously increasing. This comes at the price of the built environment where the building sector is contributing to large energy consumption and carbon footprint releases. To encourage sustainable construction, contractors need to see the market benefit of “going green”. Previous studies of green building contractors (GBCs) mainly relied on qualitative discussions and lacked studying the market performance which drives contractors’ decisions the most. This paper collects GBC revenue data from the Engineering News-Record magazine for the top 100 GBCs over a 13-year period and performs trend analysis to assess the market performance of GBCs and time series analysis to forecast future revenues. In addition, k-means clustering technique was used to divide the firms into subsets of similar behavior to understand growth trends for different firm sizes. The results show a continuous increase in green building revenues (GBRs), where commercial office buildings contribute the most to it. Furthermore, the firm ranks responsible for most of the growth are identified; mainly the top 9. Predictions show the expected steady increase in GBR in the upcoming years which is anticipated to reach 83 billion USD in 2025. The findings inform contractors considering executing green buildings by understanding the market trends and forecasted revenues. Moreover, contractors who are already in the green building business can use this information to increase their revenues in their respective market subset.
Life Cycle Cost and Assessment of Alternative Railway Sleeper Materials
Authors: Thompson Samuel , King Christopher , Rodwell John , Rayburg Scott , Neave Melissa
Published: July 2022

Improvements in plastic recycling technology along with pressure to reduce emissions and waste has led to a desire to find environmentally friendly, cost competitive railway sleepers. This study conducts life cycle analyses of emissions and costs for timber, concrete, short fibre and long fibre composite railway sleepers to determine which sleepers are more environmentally friendly and cost competitive. The results clearly highlight the environmental advantages of short fibre plastic composites. The basic scenario had concrete sleepers being the most cost competitive, before factoring in the recyclability and likely future cost reductions of short fibre composite sleepers. With as little as 50% of the entirely recyclable short fibre sleepers being recycled their cost quickly becomes comparable to concrete sleepers. Further, there are several likely changes in the future that will make short fibre sleepers even more cost competitive. The short fibre industry is still growing and could substantially reduce costs through the effects of economies of scale and experience curves of production. A further driver of future cost competitiveness would be the broader use of an Australian or international carbon price, where concrete sleepers have a disadvantage. Together, these changes indicate that short fibre composites have great potential financially and environmentally.
A Comprehensive Evaluation Model on Optimal Operational Schedules for Battery Energy Storage System by Maximizing Self-Consumption Strategy and Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Zhao Yazhou , Qin Xiangxi , Shi Xiangyu
Published: July 2022

Building an energy storage system is beneficial when solar panels are not producing sufficient energy. However, there is a major issue in terms of feasibility and efficiency. These limitations could be overcome by the deployment of optimal operational strategies. In previous studies, researchers typically focused on finding problem-solving strategies in such situations with only one or two evaluation indicators, lacking a comprehensive evaluation of the integrated objective. Moreover, few studies propose a general model of battery systems suitable for forecast-based operation scenarios with different energy demand features. Therefore, this study developed a comprehensive evaluation model for the operational schedule optimization of a battery energy storage system with a detailed and holistic analysis as well as practicality in implementation. In order to consume the maximum allowable rate of PV generation as promptly and completely as possible, this model was based on a maximizing self-consumption strategy (MSC). A genetic algorithm was applied to time match PV generation and load demand with full consideration of comprehensive techno-economic indicators and total operation cost as well. The model was validated within a typical American house to select the best battery system according to techno-economic indicators for the three types of batteries analyzed. It was discovered that the three types of batteries including Discover AES, Electriq PowerPod2 and Tesla Powerwall+ could all be considered as options for energy storage, and there exist subtle differences in their technical performance during the short charging and discharging phases. Discover AES has the advantage of using PV generation in a timely manner to suit load demand during the long-term operation of a battery energy storage system. With the proper prediction of building energy demand by means of a machine learning approach, the model’s robustness and predictive performance could be further extended. The machine learning approach proved feasible for adapting our optimization model to various battery storage scenarios with different energy demand features. This study is novel in two ways. Firstly, hierarchical optimization was conducted with a genetic algorithm using the MSC strategy. Secondly, the machine learning approach was applied in conjunction with the genetic algorithm to perform online optimization for the predictive schedule. Additionally, three main advantages of the methodology proposed in this paper for producing an optimal operational schedule were identified, which are as follows: generic applicability, convenient implementation and good scalability. However, the charging and discharging performance of the battery energy storage system was simulated under short-term operation with regular solar radiation. Long-term operation considering solar fluctuation should be investigated in the future.
Role of Education, Training, and E-Learning in Sustainable Employment Generation and Social Empowerment in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Singh Ajay , Singh Harman Preet , Alam Fakhre , Agrawal Vikas
Published: July 2022

This study analyzes the role of education, training, and e-learning (ETL) in empowering Saudi society, leading to sustainable employment generation in Saudi Arabia. It applies the theory of constructivism, scoping to human aspects of teaching and learning in sustainable employment generation and social empowerment. The study primarily collects the existing variable pools from the available literature on education (EDU), training (TRA), e-learning (ELRN), government policies (GPOL), national culture (NCUL), sustainable employment generation (SUEG), and social empowerment (SEMP). The study performs second-order partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with moderation analysis. The study aims to obtain the combined effect of ETL on SUEG and SEMP in the presence of GPOL and NCUL in Saudi Arabia. Primarily, the results of the path diagram show that ETL has a significant direct impact on SEMP and SUEG. Secondly, the moderation analysis results show that GPOL has been a significant moderator between ETL and SUEG and ETL and SEMP. In contrast, the analysis results show that the NCUL is not a significant moderator between ETL and SUEG, or between ETL and SEMP. Additionally, the moderation analysis results show that NCUL directly impacts SEMP. In contrast, it does not show a significant direct relationship with SUEG. In the article, the theory of constructivism emphasizes the learners’ active role in constructing knowledge, which is significant for both individuals and society, and the validity of constructed knowledge and its realistic representation in the real world. The practical implementation of the education and e-learning approach of constructivism will help to bridge the gap between the skilled workforce in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Moreover, the students, as learners, will be able to assert their experiences by connecting with the outside world, constructing a sustainable society, leading to sustainable employment generation and social empowerment in Saudi Arabia. The study also has a broad scope for higher educational institutions, training centers, and organizations in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.
An Adaptive Multi-Level Quantization-Based Reinforcement Learning Model for Enhancing UAV Landing on Moving Targets
Authors: Abo Mosali Najmaddin , Shamsudin Syariful Syafiq , Mostafa Salama A. , Alfandi Omar , Omar Rosli , Al-Fadhali Najib , Mohammed Mazin Abed , Malik R. Q. , Jaber Mustafa Musa , Saif Abdu
Published: July 2022

The autonomous landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on a moving platform is an essential functionality in various UAV-based applications. It can be added to a teleoperation UAV system or part of an autonomous UAV control system. Various robust and predictive control systems based on the traditional control theory are used for operating a UAV. Recently, some attempts were made to land a UAV on a moving target using reinforcement learning (RL). Vision is used as a typical way of sensing and detecting the moving target. Mainly, the related works have deployed a deep-neural network (DNN) for RL, which takes the image as input and provides the optimal navigation action as output. However, the delay of the multi-layer topology of the deep neural network affects the real-time aspect of such control. This paper proposes an adaptive multi-level quantization-based reinforcement learning (AMLQ) model. The AMLQ model quantizes the continuous actions and states to directly incorporate simple Q-learning to resolve the delay issue. This solution makes the training faster and enables simple knowledge representation without needing the DNN. For evaluation, the AMLQ model was compared with state-of-art approaches and was found to be superior in terms of root mean square error (RMSE), which was 8.7052 compared with the proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller, which achieved an RMSE of 10.0592.
Sequential Formation of CO2 Hydrates in a Confined Environment: Description of Phase Equilibrium Boundary, Gas Consumption, Formation Rate and Memory Effect
Authors: Gambelli Alberto Maria , Filipponi Mirko , Rossi Federico
Published: July 2022

Since 1980, one of the most promising solutions for the exploitation of natural gas hydrate reservoirs was found to be the replacement of methane with carbon dioxide in order to improve the efficiency of methane recovery and, at the same time, permanently store carbon dioxide. However, the process efficiency is still too low and far from reaching technical maturity and becoming economically competitive. In this sense, studying the intrinsic properties of CO2 hydrates formation and dissociation processes may help in better defining the reasons for this low efficiency and finding feasible solutions. This work deals with carbon dioxide hydrates formation in a natural silica-based porous medium and in fresh water. A lab-scale apparatus was used for experiments, which were carried out consecutively and with the same gas–water mixture in order to detect the possible occurrence of the “memory effect”. Six tests were carried out: the quantity of gas available for the formation of hydrates led to an initial pressure equal to 39.4 bar within the reactor (the initial pressure was 46 bar; however, the dissolution of CO2 in water during the first test caused a reduction in the quantity of gas available for the process). Each experiment started and ended at temperatures equal or higher than 20 °C. Considering the local pressures, these temperatures ensured the complete dissociation of hydrates. Besides thermodynamic parameters, the gas consumption and the rate constant were evaluated throughout the whole of the experiments. Conversely to what is asserted in the literature, the results demonstrated the weak persistence of the memory effect at a temperature slightly above 25 °C. As expected, ice formation competed with hydrates; however, during tests, it caused the partial release of carbon dioxide previously trapped into hydrates or dissolved in water. Finally, the rate constant completely agreed with the labile Cluster Theory and proved that primordial clusters and hydrate crystals formed and dissociated during the whole test. The first phenomenon was predominant during the formation phase, while the opposite occurred during the following step. The rate constant was found to be an effective parameter to quantify differences between measured and real equilibrium conditions for the system.
Segmentation by Motivations in Sustainable Coastal and Marine Destinations: A Study in Jacó, Costa Rica
Authors: Carvache-Franco Mauricio , Víquez-Paniagua Ana Gabriela , Carvache-Franco Wilmer , Pérez-Orozco Allan , Carvache-Franco Orly
Published: July 2022

Coastal and marine tourism offers a wide variety of activities that can be sustainable due to the characteristics of its natural and cultural attractions. The present study was carried out in Jacó, a sustainable destination with coastal and marine characteristics of Costa Rica, with the objectives (i) of identifying the motivations of tourist demand; (ii) segmenting the tourist demand; (iii) establishing a relationship between the segments and sociodemographic aspects; and (iv) determining the relationship between segments of demand and satisfaction and loyalty. This quantitative study collected a sample of 304 valid questionnaires on-site in June 2021. For data analysis, a factorial analysis and non-hierarchical K-means segmentation were performed. The results show five motivational dimensions: “Learning and coastal experience”; “Nature”; “Rest and safety”; “Water sports”; and “Nightlife”—and three segments of tourists: “Multiple motives”; “Passive tourists”; and “Eco-Coastal”. The “Eco-Coastal” segment was the most satisfied in terms of enjoying the coastal nature of the destination. The “Multiple motives” group showed the highest intentions to return, recommend, and spread positive word of mouth. These findings will serve as management guides for coastal and marine destination managers and will help adapt these tourism sites to the new demand instigated by the global health crisis.
Supervisory Control of Automated Manufacturing Systems Based on State-Tree Structures
Authors: Gu Chan , Zhao Junbo , He Zhou
Published: July 2022

The automated manufacturing systems (AMS) can be regarded as a resource allocation system which can be abstracted as discrete event systems (DES) for analysis. Once an effective computational method is put forward to the DES, the corresponding real AMS, connected by networks or sensors, can be indirectly controlled. Supervisory control theory (SCT) of DES is developed with the intention of discovering the maximally permissible supervisor of AMS. The state-tree structure (STS) is an extension of SCT, whose application is mainly to solve the SCT state explosion of complicated AMS. The nonblocking supervisory control is investigated on the foundation of predicates in STS, of which the synthesis focuses on the states of the system but ignores the transition between events. In order to effectively solve the above problems, this paper puts forward a novel method based on state feedback control (SFBC) in the STS framework, by which the relation among events is discussed. First, following the definition of the SFBC for predicates, the algorithms to compute the SFBC under reachability, coreachability, and weak controllability are introduced. Second, it is proved that the nonblocking SFBC obtained by the proposed algorithm is equivalent to the one by computing predicates first, which ensures the satisfactory controllers for the supervisory control problems. To demonstrate the contribution of the proposed approach, which is designed considering the symmetry of the system behavior between the real system and its STS model, three examples are illustrated.
Joint-Prior-Based Uneven Illumination Image Enhancement for Surface Defect Detection
Authors: Qiu Yuanhong , Niu Shuanlong , Niu Tongzhi , Li Weifeng , Li Bin
Published: July 2022

Images in real surface defect detection scenes often suffer from uneven illumination. Retinex-based image enhancement methods can effectively eliminate the interference caused by uneven illumination and improve the visual quality of such images. However, these methods suffer from the loss of defect-discriminative information and a high computational burden. To address the above issues, we propose a joint-prior-based uneven illumination enhancement (JPUIE) method. Specifically, a semi-coupled retinex model is first constructed to accurately and effectively eliminate uneven illumination. Furthermore, a multiscale Gaussian-difference-based background prior is proposed to reweight the data consistency term, thereby avoiding the loss of defect information in the enhanced image. Last, by using the powerful nonlinear fitting ability of deep neural networks, a deep denoised prior is proposed to replace existing physics priors, effectively reducing the time consumption. Various experiments are carried out on public and private datasets, which are used to compare the defect images and enhanced results in a symmetric way. The experimental results demonstrate that our method is more conducive to downstream visual inspection tasks than other methods.
Effect of Different N:P Ratios on the Growth, Toxicity, and Toxin Profile of Gymnodinium catenatum (Dinophyceae) Strains from the Gulf of California
Authors: Hernández-Sandoval Francisco E. , Bustillos-Guzmán José J. , Band-Schmidt Christine J. , Núñez-Vázquez Erick J. , López-Cortés David J. , Fernández-Herrera Leyberth J. , Poot-Delgado Carlos A. , Moreno-Legorreta Manuel
Published: July 2022

The harmful microalgae Gymnodinium catenatum is a unique naked dinoflagellate that produces paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins (PSTs). This species is common along the coasts of the Mexican Pacific and is responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning, which has resulted in notable financial losses in both fisheries and aquaculture. In the Gulf of California, G. catenatum has been related to mass mortality events in fish, shrimp, seabirds, and marine mammals. In this study, the growth, toxin profiles, and toxin content of four G. catenatum strains isolated from Bahía de La Paz (BAPAZ) and Bahía de Mazatlán (BAMAZ) were evaluated with different N:P ratios, keeping the phosphorus concentration constant. All strains were cultivated in semi-continuous cultures (200 mL, 21.0 °C, 120 µmol photon m−2s−1, and a 12:12 h light-dark cycle) with f/2 + Se medium using N:P ratios of: 4:1, 8:1, 16:1, 32:1, and 64:1. Paralytic toxins were analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Maximum cellular abundance and growth were obtained at an N:P ratio of 64:1 (3188 cells mL−1 and 0.34 div day−1) with the BAMAZ and BAPAZ strains. A total of ten saxitoxin analogs dominated by N-sulfocarbamoyl (60–90 mol%), decarbamoyl (10–20 mol%), and carbamoyl (5–10 mol%) toxins were detected. The different N:P ratios did not cause significant changes in the PST content or toxin profiles of the strains from both bays, although they did affect cell abundance.
Determinants of Patients’ Adherence to Malaria Treatment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Ntamabyaliro Nsengi Y. , Burri Christian , Lula Yves N. , Nzolo Didier B. , Engo Aline B. , Ngale Mireille A. , Situakibanza Hippolyte N. , Mukomena Eric S. , Mesia Gauthier K. , Mampunza Samuel M. , Tona Gaston L.
Published: July 2022

(1) Background: Malaria heavily affects the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) despite the use of effective drugs. Poor adherence to malaria treatment may contribute to this problem. (2) Methods: In one rural and one urban health area in each of the 11 former provinces of the DRC, all households with a case of malaria in the 15 days preceding the survey were selected and the patients or caregivers were interviewed. Adherence to malaria treatment was assessed by self-declaration about its completion. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors. (3) Results: 1732 households participated. Quinine was the most used drug; adherence to artesunate–amodiaquine was the lowest and the main reason for treatment discontinuation was adverse reactions. Predictors of adherence were residence in an urban area, university education, catholic religion, and adoption of recommended behaviour towards a malaria case. Adherence was significantly lower for responders who obtained information on antimalarials from Community Health Workers (CHW). (4) Conclusions: Usage of recommended drugs and adherence to malaria treatment need to be promoted, especially in rural areas, and CHW involvement needs to be improved. Awareness messages need to be made accessible and comprehensible to poorly educated populations and churches need to be involved.
Probing Spacetime Foam with Extragalactic Sources of High-Energy Photons
Authors: Ng Y. Jack , Perlman Eric S.
Published: July 2022

Quantum fluctuations can endow spacetime with a foamy structure. In this review article, we discuss our various proposals to observationally constrain models of spacetime foam. One way is to examine if the light wave-front from a distant quasar or GRB can be noticeably distorted by spacetime-foam-induced phase incoherence. As the phase fluctuations are proportional to the distance to the source but inversely proportional to the wavelength, ultra-high energy photons (>1 TeV) from distant sources are particularly useful. We elaborate on several proposals, including the possibility of detecting spacetime foam by observing “seeing disks” in the images of distant quasars and active galactic nuclei. We also discuss the appropriate distance measure for calculating the expected angular broadening. In addition, we discuss our more recent work in which we investigate whether wave-front distortions on small scales (due to spacetime foam) can cause distant objects become undetectable because the phase fluctuations have accumulated to the point at which image formation is impossible. Another possibility that has recently become accessible is to use interferometers to observe cosmologically distant sources, thereby giving a large baseline perpendicular to the local wave vector over which the wave front could become corrugated and thus distorted, reducing or eliminating its fringe visibility. We argue that all these methods ultimately depend on the availability of ways (if any) to carry out proper averaging of contributions from different light paths from the source to the telescope.
Evidence to Inform Resilience Policy in the SADC: Current Limitations and Future Research Areas
Authors: Pretorius Ockert Rudolf , Drewes Johannes Ernst , Gumbo Trynos
Published: July 2022

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and its member countries are potentially vulnerable to external disturbances, including environmental, economic, and social shocks. Regional policy emphasizes interventions to ensure long-term growth and development in the face of potential disturbance. Current emphasis is placed on mitigating the impact of climate change, including the creation of the SADC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan. However, the need for long-term adaptation and associated policy is evident to reduce regional vulnerabilities. Research is an important source of evidence to support policymaking, with specific importance to institutions in developing regions such as the SADC and during times of global change and disruption. SADC development policy related to resilience outcomes ought to be informed by research. This paper investigates the extent to which existing research supports regional resilience policymaking. Objectives include investigating available research on resilience in the SADC, identifying potential limitations, and delineating areas of future research to be considered by researchers that contribute to knowledge and evidence creation. A bibliometric review and selective content review of existing research were utilized. Relevant publications for the aforesaid analysis were delineated using the source concepts “resilience”, “adaptation”, “adaptability”, and “Southern African Development Community” (or “SADC”). Using the SCOPUS database, bibliometric data of 65 publications were imported into the VOSviewer application (v.1.6.17). Keyword occurrences and network and overlay visualizations were applied to identify the research themes underlying current research. The findings, which were supported by the selective content review, indicate that existing research focuses primarily on environmental and social disturbances, while the applicable regional planning scale and development policy are considered to a limited extent. Areas of future research ought to create evidence that is thematically relevant to policy areas and applicable to policy interventions, which necessitates increased research on economic disturbances, a broadening of existing themes to the appropriate regional planning scale, and consideration of explicit regional development objectives and policy. Transdisciplinarity ought to be central to future research on the diverse disturbances facing the region, while researchers ought to leverage knowledge-creation opportunities catalyzed by SDG implementation.
Feasibility study for remote psychoacoustic testing of human response to urban air mobility vehicle noise
Authors: Krishnamurthy Siddhartha , Rizzi Stephen
Published: July 2022

NASA will remotely administer a psychoacoustic test in late summer of 2022 as the first of two phases of a cooperative Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicle noise human response study. This study relies on the cooperation of multiple government agencies, academia, and industry to assemble
a wide range of UAM vehicle sounds. This database of sounds will be used to create a rich database of human response to UAM noise that would be challenging for a single organization to acquire. The development of the remote test method to study human response to aviation noise was prompted
by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The feasibility portion of the study described in this work will demonstrate and refine the remote test method for use in the implementation phase. This paper details the method for remotely administering the psychoacoustic test and the sound stimuli to be
used in the Feasibility Test. Comparisons of annoyance response data from previous in-person tests will be used to demonstrate the viability of the remote test method. The paper also describes an effort to determine if providing a contextual cue to test subjects influences the annoyance response.
Prediction of flow properties of granular porous materials for acoustic applications
Authors: Kenchappa Bharath , Shivakumar Kunigal
Published: July 2022

Johnson-Champoux-Allard, Johnson-Champoux-Allard-Lafarge, and Johnson-Champoux-Allard-Pride-Lafarge are commonly used acoustic models for cellular, fibrous, and granular materials. These models treat the material as homogenous and require non-acoustic fluid flow properties through the
porous media. These flow properties can either be directly measured or calculated by inverse techniques. A simple inverse method based on a pore size distribution model developed by Horoshenkov et al, is used. All these acoustic models are programmed in MATELYS AlphaCell code, and once the
flow properties are estimated, MATELYS code could be used to predict the acoustic response of a porous material. A new method of fabricating a shaped micro-porous material was developed, prepared several specimens, impedance tested, and test results were used to validate the predictions from
MATELYS. The calculated results from the flow properties reported in the literature agree well with the experiment. Results also showed that the ratio of minimum specimen dimension to particle diameter of about 10 or more will provide specimen independent flow properties. This study was conducted
for solid spherical beads; for lightweight and multifunctional applications we must use lightweight hollow microbubbles.
Automotive OEM acoustics - the ideal application for carbon neutral solutions
Authors: Brouckaert Richard
Published: July 2022

The Automotive acoustics arena is rich with application opportunities for carbon neutral or climate positive parts. Designing possible "green" NVH solutions however must never compromise the intended acoustical performance of the parts. This paper investigates the acoustical
needs of OEM vehicles with an emphasis on applying green solutions. Furthermore, it demonstrates that vehicular acoustic performance need not be compromised as the industry moves down the road towards more climate friendly initiatives. This paper details that the traditional NVH treatment
packages can easily be modified to create NVH solutions that quiet the vehicle without negatively affecting the planet. Lastly, the paper will identify what the writer considers to be ideal applications for planet friendly, carbon neutral NVH solutions using acoustical barrier applications
specifically, that are production ready and commercially available today.
Development of an Administrative Data-Based Frailty Index for Older Adults Receiving Dialysis
Authors: Hall Rasheeda K. , Morton Sarah , Wilson Jonathan , Kim Dae Hyun , Colón-Emeric Cathleen , Scialla Julia J. , Platt Alyssa , Ephraim Patti L. , Boulware L. Ebony , Pendergast Jane
Published: July 2022

Key Points

Accounting for comorbidity, this frailty index demonstrates an independent association with mortality and hospitalizations.

This frailty index has potential application for both observational studies and population health management.

Background

Frailty is present in ≥50% of older adults receiving dialysis. Our objective was to a develop an administrative data–based frailty index and assess the frailty index’s predictive validity for mortality and future hospitalizations.

Methods

We used United States Renal Data System data to establish two cohorts of adults aged ≥65 years, initiating dialysis in 2013 and in 2017. Using the 2013 cohort (development dataset), we applied the deficit accumulation index approach to develop a frailty index. Adjusting for age and sex, we assessed the extent to which the frailty index predicts the hazard of time until death and time until first hospitalization over 12 months. We assessed the Harrell’s C-statistic of the frailty index, a comorbidity index, and jointly. The 2017 cohort was used as a validation dataset.

Results

Using the 2013 cohort (n=20,974), we identified 53 deficits for the frailty index across seven domains: disabilities, diseases, equipment, procedures, signs, tests, and unclassified. Among those with ≥1 deficit, the mean (SD) frailty index was 0.30 (0.13), range 0.02–0.72. Over 12 months, 18% (n=3842) died, and 55% (n=11,493) experienced a hospitalization. Adjusted hazard ratios for each 0.1-point increase in frailty index in models of time to death and time to first hospitalization were 1.41 (95% confidence interval, 1.37 to 1.44) and 1.33 (95% confidence interval, 1.31 to 1.35), respectively. For mortality, C-statistics for frailty index, comorbidity index, and both indices were 0.65, 0.65, and 0.66, respectively. For hospitalization, C-statistics for frailty index, comorbidity index, and both indices were 0.61, 0.60, and 0.61, respectively. Data from the 2017 cohort were similar.

Conclusions

We developed a novel frailty index for older adults receiving dialysis. Further studies are needed to improve on this frailty index and validate its use for clinical and research applications.
Endothelial Cell-Specific Molecule-1 Inhibits Albuminuria in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Zheng Xiaoyi , Higdon Lauren , Gaudet Alexandre , Shah Manav , Balistieri Angela , Li Catherine , Nadai Patricia , Palaniappan Latha , Yang Xiaoping , Santo Briana , Ginley Brandon , Wang Xiaoxin X. , Myakala Komuraiah , Nallagatla Pratima , Levi Moshe , Sarder Pinaki , Rosenberg Avi , Maltzman Jonathan S. , de Freitas Caires Nathalie , Bhalla Vivek
Published: July 2022

Key Points

Circulating endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (Esm-1) inversely correlates with diabetic kidney disease.

Addition of Esm-1 in susceptible mice reduces albuminuria, and deletion of Esm-1 in resistant mice mildly worsens albuminuria.

Esm-1 attenuates podocyte injury and select IFN signaling, highlighting innate immunity as a potential mechanism of kidney disease.

Background

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of kidney failure in the world, and novel predictive biomarkers and molecular mechanisms of disease are needed. Endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (Esm-1) is a secreted proteoglycan that attenuates inflammation. We previously identified that a glomerular deficiency of Esm-1 associates with more pronounced albuminuria and glomerular inflammation in DKD-susceptible relative to DKD-resistant mice, but its contribution to DKD remains unexplored.

Methods

Using hydrodynamic tail-vein injection, we overexpress Esm-1 in DKD-susceptible DBA/2 mice and delete Esm-1 in DKD-resistant C57BL/6 mice to study the contribution of Esm-1 to DKD. We analyze clinical indices of DKD, leukocyte infiltration, podocytopenia, and extracellular matrix production. We also study transcriptomic changes to assess potential mechanisms of Esm-1 in glomeruli.

Results

In DKD-susceptible mice, Esm-1 inversely correlates with albuminuria and glomerular leukocyte infiltration. We show that overexpression of Esm-1 reduces albuminuria and diabetes-induced podocyte injury, independent of changes in leukocyte infiltration. Using a complementary approach, we find that constitutive deletion of Esm-1 in DKD-resistant mice modestly increases the degree of diabetes-induced albuminuria versus wild-type controls. By glomerular RNAseq, we identify that Esm-1 attenuates expression of kidney disease–promoting and interferon (IFN)-related genes, including Ackr2 and Cxcl11.

Conclusions

We demonstrate that, in DKD-susceptible mice, Esm-1 protects against diabetes-induced albuminuria and podocytopathy, possibly through select IFN signaling. Companion studies in patients with diabetes suggest a role of Esm-1 in human DKD.
Helper T Cell (CD4+) Targeted Tacrolimus Delivery Mediates Precise Suppression of Allogeneic Humoral Immunity
Authors: Shen Jia , Liu Chang , Yan Pengpeng , Wang Meifang , Guo Luying , Liu Shuaihui , Chen Jianghua , Rosenholm Jessica M. , Huang Hongfeng , Wang Rending , Zhang Hongbo
Published: July 2022

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is a major cause of dysfunction and loss of transplanted kidney. The current treatments for ABMR involve nonspecific inhibition and clearance of T/B cells or plasma cells. However, the prognosis of patients following current treatment is poor. T follicular helper cells (Tfh) play an important role in allograft-specific antibodies secreting plasma cell (PC) development. Tfh cells are therefore considered to be important therapeutic targets for the treatment of antibody hypersecretion disorders, such as transplant rejection and autoimmune diseases. Tacrolimus (Tac), the primary immunosuppressant, prevents rejection by reducing T cell activation. However, its administration should be closely monitored to avoid serious side effects. In this study, we investigated whether Tac delivery to helper T (CD4+) cells using functionalized mesoporous nanoparticles can block Tfh cell differentiation after alloantigen exposure. Results showed that Tac delivery ameliorated humoral rejection injury in rodent kidney graft by suppressing Tfh cell development, PC, and donor-specific antibody (DSA) generation without causing severe side effects compared with delivery through the drug administration pathway. This study provides a promising therapeutic strategy for preventing humoral rejection in solid organ transplantation. The specific and controllable drug delivery avoids multiple disorder risks and side effects observed in currently used clinical approaches.
Intervention in family conflicts through mediation from the comparative perspective of Brazil and Portugal legislation
Authors: Coelho Silva Kelly , Martingo Costa Serra Cruz Rossana , Passon Picoretti Francischetto Gilsilene
Published: July 2022

The jurisdictional function of a country plays an important role in the resolution of family conflicts, causing a high number of lawsuits. However, the ability to resolve conflicts of this nature is not exclusive to the judiciary, it being possible for other ways, with help of a third party other than the State. Given the growing number of disputes that can be resolved extra judicially, the need for more investment in the development of other means of conflict resolution, such as mediation, to achieve social peace remains evident. This article aims to compare some aspects of mediation in Brazil and Portugal, seeking to focus especially on family conflicts, investigating similarities, equivalences and differences between the family mediation guiding principles in Brazil and Portugal. For this effect, it was privileged bibliographical and legislative research, with qualitative comparative analysis, which led to the conclusion that, despite the differences, the two diplomas are very similar, showing equivalences and few absences, which do not compromise the basis of mediation.