bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Tilia tomentosa Moench on Plant Species Diversity and Composition in Mesophilic Forests of Western Romania–A Potential Tree Species for Warming Forests in Central Europe?
Authors: Heinrichs Steffi , Öder Veronika , Indreica Adrian , Bergmeier Erwin , Leuschner Christoph , Walentowski Helge
Published: July 2021

Climate change challenges important native timber species in Central Europe. The introduction of non-native tree species originating from warmer climates is one option to make Central European forests compatible to global warming. This, however, requires an assessment of the species’ growth requirements, and of its impact on biodiversity in its native ranges. Silver lime (Tilia tomentosa), a moderately drought-tolerant, thermophilous tree species of South-eastern Europe is considered suitable for the future. Along three elevational transects in western Romania, we assessed the impact of changing climate and local site conditions on the abundance of this tree species and contrasted plant species diversity and composition of lime-dominated forests with mesophytic oak and beech forests. Local site conditions and disturbance histories shaped the distribution pattern of silver lime. When dominant, it reduced plant species diversity within stands due to its dense canopy. For shade-tolerant, mesophytic species, though, lime forests provided an additional habitat and extended their range into warmer environments. Thus, silver lime may have the potential as an admixed tree species forming a transitory meso-thermophilous habitat in the future. At the same time, silver lime may be limited under increasing drought frequency.
Evaluation of Target Value Delivery and Opportunity Management as Complementary Practices
Authors: Malvik Tobias Onshuus , Johansen Agnar , Torp Olav , Olsson Nils O. E.
Published: July 2021

Opportunity management and Target Value Delivery (TVD) have both been studied extensively but separately. The two approaches have been presented as solutions for increasing value in a project for the owner and users. However, it seems there has not been much research that addresses the link between the two approaches. The purpose of this study is to increase knowledge of how TVD can facilitate opportunity management. The results from a literature review are compared with the practice in two cases: TVD in a large infrastructure project and opportunity management in a large building project. The results from the building project showed a lack of inherent motivation for change and innovation in the project organization. The identified opportunities were aimed mainly at maximizing the project’s operational value and keeping costs within the approved budget. TVD seems to handle this with extensive attention to maintain value for the end-users. Besides, the target cost element of TVD seems to complement opportunity management by creating incentives to be flexible about change and innovation. This paper’s originality is to combine two well-established approaches that have many similarities but have yet to be explored in relation to each other.
A Numerical Investigation into the PAT Hydrodynamic Response to Impeller Rotational Speed Variation
Authors: Binama Maxime , Kan Kan , Chen Hui-Xiang , Zheng Yuan , Zhou Da-Qing , Su Wen-Tao , Ge Xin-Feng , Ndayizigiye Janvier
Published: July 2021

The utilization of pump as turbines (PATs) within water distribution systems for energy regulation and hydroelectricity generation purposes has increasingly attracted the energy field players’ attention. However, its power production efficiency still faces difficulties due to PAT’s lack of flow control ability in such dynamic systems. This has eventually led to the introduction of the so-called “variable operating strategy” or VOS, where the impeller rotational speed may be controlled to satisfy the system-required flow conditions. Taking from these grounds, this study numerically investigates PAT eventual flow structures formation mechanism, especially when subjected to varying impeller rotational speed. CFD-backed numerical simulations were conducted on PAT flow under four operating conditions (1.00 QBEP, 0.82 QBEP, 0.74 QBEP, and 0.55 QBEP), considering five impeller rotational speeds (110 rpm, 130 rpm, 150 rpm, 170 rpm, and 190 rpm). Study results have shown that both PAT’s flow and pressure fields deteriorate with the machine influx decrease, where the impeller rotational speed increase is found to alleviate PAT pressure pulsation levels under high-flow operating conditions, while it worsens them under part-load conditions. This study’s results add value to a thorough understanding of PAT flow dynamics, which, in a long run, contributes to the solution of the so-far existent technical issues.
Religious Participation: Does It Matter for Sustainable Culture and Entertainment Consumption?
Authors: He Yugang , Wang Jingnan , Choi Baek-Ryul
Published: July 2021

Previous research has studied the correlations between income, education, and sustainable culture and entertainment consumption. The correlation between religion as an informal institution and culture and entertainment consumption is often neglected. Based on this background, this paper attempts to explore the correlation between religious participation (as a proxy for religion) and three kinds of sustainable culture and entertainment consumption. Using the data from the Chinese General Social Survey in 2017 to perform empirical analysis, it is found that religious participation is negatively correlated with the sustainable culture and entertainment consumption. Two-stage least squares and propensity score matching method were employed, verifying the robustness of this result. Additionally, the full sample was divided into sub-samples to discuss the heterogeneous correlation between religious participation and sustainable culture and entertainment consumption. The results suggest that in the low income group and the low marketization degree group, religious participation is most relevant to the sustainable culture and entertainment consumption. This paper contributes to enriching current research.
Teaching and Learning Multiple Varieties of a Foreign Language for Sustainable Multilingual Education
Authors: Xu Hao , Shan Zhibin
Published: July 2021

In multilingual education for sustainable personal development, compared with that of multiple languages, the teaching and learning of multiple varieties of a language has been underexplored as a special and important form of multilingualism. In this article, we examine the linguistic, psychological, and social characteristics of multiple variety learning, as compared with multiple language learning. Linguistically, acquisition of language varieties is a process of assimilating variants from a new variety into an earlier variety, which serves as a prototype system. Such assimilation is a psychological project of form-meaning interface development, which may follow the patterns of structural multiplication, conceptual involution, conceptual evolution, or/and conceptual transfer. When multiple language varieties are actually used in social contexts, multilingual individuals’ selected language practices may be supported by their combined linguistic resources from multiple varieties rather than depend on a single variety despite its dominance in a given situation. These characteristics carry pedagogical implications for sustainable multilingual education, particularly for the teaching and learning of foreign languages that have multiple varieties.
Adoption of Satellite Offices in Response to a Pandemic: Sustainability and Infection Control
Authors: Kim Seungbeom , Lee Yooneun , Choi Byungchul
Published: July 2021

The office environment has changed rapidly due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. Companies consider various types of remote work environments to contain the spread of the virus. Among them, a satellite office is a type of remote work environment where a number of employees are allocated to their nearest office. The benefits from satellite offices are twofold: The significant reduction of travel distance also reduces the amount of carbon emission and fuel consumption. In addition, dividing employees into smaller groups significantly reduces the potential risks of infection in the office. This paper addresses a satellite office allocation problem that considers social and environmental sustainability and infection control at work. In order to evaluate the effect of different satellite office allocation, quantitative measures are developed for the following three criteria: carbon emission, fuel consumption, and the probability of infection occurrence at work. Simulation experiments are conducted to investigate different scenarios of regional infection rate and modes of transportation. The results show that adopting satellite offices not only reduces carbon emission and fuel consumption, but also mitigates business disruption in the pandemic.
A Systems Approach of Topology Optimization for Bioinspired Material Structures Design Using Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Ryan-Johnson William Patrick , Wolfe Larson Curtis , Byron Christopher Roder , Nagel Jacquelyn Kay , Zhang Hao
Published: July 2021

Bioinspired design has been applied in sustainable design (e.g., lightweight structures) to learn from nature and support material structure functionalities. Natural structures usually require modification in practice because they were evolved in natural environmental conditions that can be different from industrial applications. Topology optimization is a method to find the optimal design solution by considering the material external physical environment. Therefore, integrating topology optimization into bioinspired design can benefit sustainable material structure designers in meeting the purpose of using bioinspired concepts to find the optimal solution in the material functional environment. Current research in both sustainable design and materials science, however, has not led to a method to assist material structure designers to design structures with bioinspired concepts and use topology optimization to find the optimal solution. Systems thinking can seamlessly fill this gap and provide a systemic methodology to achieve this goal. The objective of this research is to develop a systems approach that incorporates topology optimization into bioinspired design, and simultaneously takes into consideration additive manufacturing processing conditions to ensure the material structure functionality. The method is demonstrated with three lightweight material structure designs: spiderweb, turtle shell, and maze. Environmental impact assessment and finite element analysis were conducted to evaluate the functionality and emissions of the designs. This research contributes to the sustainable design knowledge by providing an innovative systems thinking-based bioinspired design of material structures. In addition, the research results enhance materials knowledge with an understanding of mechanical properties of three material structures: turtle shell, spiderweb, and maze. This research systemically connects four disciplines, including bioinspired design, manufacturing, systems thinking, and lightweight structure materials.
Properties of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Alkali-Activated Slag Concrete Made with Recycled Concrete Aggregates and Dune Sand
Authors: El-Hassan Hilal , Medljy Jamal , El-Maaddawy Tamer
Published: July 2021

Reutilizing industrial by-products and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) to replace cement and natural aggregates (NA) in concrete is becoming increasingly important for sustainable development. Yet, experimental evidence is needed prior to the widespread use of this sustainable concrete by the construction industry. This study examines the performance of alkali-activated slag concrete made with RCA and reinforced with steel fibers. Natural coarse aggregates were replaced with RCA. Steel fibers were added to mixes incorporating RCA at different volume fractions. Desert dune sand was used as fine aggregate. The mechanical and durability properties of plain and steel fiber-reinforced concrete made with RCA were experimentally examined. The results showed that the compressive strength did not decrease in plain concrete mixes with 30 and 70% RCA replacement. However, full replacement of NA with RCA resulted in a 20% reduction in the compressive strength of the plain mix. In fact, 100% RCA mixes could only be produced with compressive strength comparable to that of an NA-based control mix in conjunction with 2% steel fiber, by volume. In turn, at least 1% steel fiber, by volume, was required to maintain comparable splitting tensile strength. Furthermore, RCA replacement led to higher water absorption and sorptivity and lower bulk resistivity, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and abrasion resistance. Steel fiber incorporation in RCA-based mixes densified the concrete and improved its resistance to abrasion, water permeation, and transport, thereby enhancing its mechanical properties to exceed that of the NA-based counterpart. The hardened properties were correlated to 28-day cylinder compressive strength through analytical regression models.
The Adoption of Robotic Process Automation Technology to Ensure Business Processes during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Siderska Julia
Published: July 2021

The study provides knowledge on the adoption of the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) technology during the COVID-19 pandemic in 110 Polish service companies. As this research was the first of its kind in Poland, the objectives of the CAWI survey were to identify the technology features of the RPA technology and the related determinants and barriers influencing the adoption of the RPA as well as to determine correlations between them. Moreover, the statistical analyses involved considering whether there were differences in the evaluation of individual RPA technology features, mainly in terms of perceived usefulness, ease of use, security and functionality. The results of the study show that almost 60% of the respondents indicated that robotization tools allowed maintaining continuity of business processes during the pandemic. The highest rated were features related to usefulness of the RPA technology. Furthermore, the analysis pointed to the most frequently indicated barriers to technology implementation that were related to nonoptimized, nonstandardized and non-digitized processes with a large number of exceptions. The study contributes to scientific knowledge and has practical implications for process automation decision-makers concerned with the adoption of the Robotic Process Automation technology. The obtained results can help them to understand the potential drivers of and barriers to the adoption of software robots by enterprises and may be an important determinant for companies’ managers in the field of implementing such solutions.
Green Logistics Service Supply Chain Games Considering Risk Preference in Fuzzy Environments
Authors: Wang Shuna , Hu Zhi-Hua
Published: July 2021

The increasing pressures from environmental crises are responsible for the green and sustainable choices made in supply chain management. Green logistics service supply chain (LSSC) operations play a significant role in reducing the environmental burden of the supply chain, and the risk preferences of logistics enterprises lead to more uncertainties in the green management of LSSC. Much research has been limited to case studies of green LSSC, and the different combinations of risk preferences among LSSC participants have generally been ignored. This paper investigates the impact of the risk preference on the equilibrium behavior of an LSSC composed of one logistics service integrator (LSI) and one logistics service provider (LSP) under fuzzy decision environments. Considering the fact that the greening innovation cost and the parameters of the demand function are all characterized as fuzzy variables, the games between the LSI and LSP with different risk preferences were comprehensively proposed under three scenarios. Then, the optimal decisions of the LSP and LSI were drawn, and numerical examples are presented. The results show that an optimistic risk attitude can appropriately improve the greening level, price, and green innovation cost of logistics services, while both risk appetite and risk aversion can lead to an increase in the outsourcing price. Moreover, when the decision maker is risk neutral, the partner’s risk attitude has a significant effect on the value of the decision variables and the cost. Finally, the optimal profits of different risk preference behaviors between the LSI and LSP vary among the game models under fuzzy environments. Subsequently, we obtained three management insights. Total involvement and cooperation among participants were vital factors for an improvement in green management in the LSSC. Additionally, risk preference plays a key role in how LSSC participants make decisions under fuzzy environments. Additionally, a dominant position in the LSSC plays a crucial role in generating profit.
Sustainability Opportunities for Mediterranean Food Products through New Formulations Based on Carob Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.)
Authors: Issaoui Manel , Flamini Guido , Delgado Amélia
Published: July 2021

Carob flour is increasingly popular in innovative functional foods. Its main producers are Mediterranean countries, facing health and nutrition challenges, and difficulties in tackling climate change. This study aims at formulating innovative sustainable bakery products of high nutritional value while pleasing the consumer and addressing regional challenges. Hence, carob flour was obtained by grinding sun-dried carob pods, thus reducing the environmental impact, and preserving carob’s high nutraceutical value. Different bread formulations resulted from the blend of wheat flour with carob pulp (5, 10, 20, and 30%) and/or seed powder (5 and 10%), with no added fats, additives, or processing aids. New products were evaluated for their textural, chromatic, nutritional, aromatic, and hedonic properties. Carob is rich in aroma, antioxidants, and prebiotic fibers, and does not contain gluten, so when combined with wheat, the proportion of gluten in bread is reduced. Carob is also rich in minerals (4.16% and 2.00% ash, respectively in seed and pulp), and breadmaking seems to generate lesser furane derivatives than in white bread. In short, carob is typically Mediterranean and is a valuable local resource in the formulation of sustainable foods with high nutritional value, low carbon footprint, safe, healthy, tasty, and affordable, all at once.
Study on Evolution Mechanism of Structure-Type Rockburst: Insights from Discrete Element Modeling
Authors: Zhang Chenxi , Li Diyuan , Wu Shunchuan , Chen Long , Peng Jun
Published: July 2021

Taking the “11.28” rockburst occurred in the Jinping II Hydropower Station as the engineering background, the evolution mechanism of structure-type rockburst was studied in detail based on the particle flow code. The results indicate that the failure mechanism of structure-type rockburst includes a tensile fracture induced by tangential compressive stress and a shear fracture caused by shear stress due to overburdened loadings and shear slip on the structural plane. In addition, it is found that the differences between structure-type rockburst and strainburst mainly include (a) the distribution of the local concentrated stress zone after excavation, (b) the evolution mechanism, and (c) the failure locations. Finally, the influence of four factors on the structure-type rockburst are explored. The results show that (1) when the friction coefficient is greater than 0.5, the effect of structural plane is weakened, and the rock near excavation tends to be intact, the structural-type rockburst intensity decreases; (2) the dissipated and radiated energy in structural-type rockburst reduces with rockmass heterogeneity m; (3) the lateral pressure coefficient has a significant effect on the intensity of deep rock failure, specifically in the form of the rapid growth in dissipative energy; (4) and the structural-type rockburst is more pronounced at a structural plane length near 90 mm.
A BERT-Based Multi-Criteria Recommender System for Hotel Promotion Management
Authors: Zhuang Yuanyuan , Kim Jaekyeong
Published: July 2021

Numerous reviews are posted every day on travel information sharing platforms and sites. Hotels want to develop a customer recommender system to quickly and effectively identify potential target customers. TripAdvisor, the travel website that provided the data used in this study, allows customers to rate the hotel based on six criteria: Value, Service, Location, Room, Cleanliness, and Sleep Quality. Existing studies classify reviews into positive, negative, and neutral by extracting sentiment terms through simple sentimental analysis. However, this method has limitations in that it does not consider various aspects of hotels well. Therefore, this study performs fine-tuning the BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) model using review data with rating labels on the TripAdvisor site. This study suggests a multi-criteria recommender system to recommend a suitable target customers for the hotel. As the rating values of six criteria of TripAdvisor are insufficient, the proposed recommender system uses fine-tuned BERT to predict six criteria ratings. Based on this predicted ratings, a multi-criteria recommender system recommends personalized Top-N customers for each hotel. The performance of the multi-criteria recommender system suggested in this study is better than that of the benchmark system, a single-criteria recommender system using overall ratings.
Applying User-Perceived Value to Determine Motivators of Electricity Use in a Solar Photovoltaic Implementation in a Philippine Island
Authors: Lozano Lorafe , Taboada Evelyn
Published: July 2021

The most practical solution for over 70% of the world’s unelectrified population is decentralized electrification, usually with renewable energy integration. The sustainability of these systems has been a central issue with studies looking at its multidimensional nature. However, perhaps the most overlooked aspect is the ability of the consumers to proactively use electricity. This paper addresses this urgent need to understand not just the sustainability from exogenous factors but, more importantly, from the factors that motivate the end-users to consume electricity. Applying the concept of user-perceived value (UPV) in electrification, a proposed multidimensional assessment framework, consisting of 12 motivators, was grouped according to UPV categories. Using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, 29 beneficiaries in Gilutongan Island, Cordova, Cebu, Philippines, were asked to evaluate their motivation to consume electricity, six months after they were provided with increased electricity access through a 7.92 kWp solar photovoltaic installation. Analysis showed that the households regarded 9 of the 12 factors as moderate to strong motivators, with better social standing compared to other households without electricity and the ability to engage in productive uses of electricity emerging as the strongest influencers. The proposed framework is deemed beneficial to policy-makers to pragmatically understand what drives rural households to proactively consume electricity and implement developments and policies to stimulate an increase in demand.
Performance Investigation of a Solar Photovoltaic/Diesel Generator Based Hybrid System with Cycle Charging Strategy Using BBO Algorithm
Authors: Chauhan Anurag , Upadhyay Subho , Khan Mohd. Tauseef , Hussain S. M. Suhail , Ustun Taha Selim
Published: July 2021

In the current scenario, sustainable power generation received greater attention due to the concerns of global warming and climate change. In the present paper, a Solar Photovoltaic/Diesel Generator/ Battery-based hybrid system has been considered to meet the electrical energy demand of a remote location of India. The cost of the energy of hybrid system is minimized using a Biogeography-based Optimization (BBO) algorithm under the constraints of power reliability, carbon emission and renewable energy fraction. Load following and cycle charging strategies have been considered in order to investigate the performance analysis of the proposed hybrid system. Further, different component combinations of specifications available on the market are presented for detail analysis. The minimum cost of energy of the proposed hybrid system is obtained as 0.225 $/kWh.
Sustainable Campus: The Experience of the University of Lisbon at IST
Authors: Ferreira João Gomes , Matos Mário de , Silva Hugo , Franca Afonso , Duarte Pedro
Published: July 2021

This paper addresses the research problem of determining if relevant energy and water savings may be obtained in university campuses without significant investments, based mainly on “surgical” technical and organizational measures. With the creation of the “Sustainable Campus” project, in 2011, IST has been implementing a sustainability policy. A resource management policy has been accompanied by a permanent project team, which proposes the implementation of technical measures. This activity is performed in articulation with the operational management through integrated actions in a collective effort to reduce consumption. Without significant investments, the energy-saving measures implemented have consistently achieved a value of more than 20% in energy consumption when compared to the average annual consumption values of the past decade. Additionally, in 2018, water consumption was 58% lower than the reference baseline value of 2011. In 2018, specific projects were implemented in the area of sustainable mobility, with a focus on smooth mobility and sharing. This paper presents the “Sustainable Campus” project, its operational lines, and the results achieved in energy and water consumption and sustainable mobility.
Teaching and Learning in Survival Mode: Students and Faculty Perceptions of Distance Education during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Meccawy Maram , Meccawy Zilal , Alsobhi Aisha
Published: July 2021

(1) This study demonstrates how a Saudi university has responded to the COVID-19 lockdown in order to examine the success factors and highlight any challenges. The main purpose was to determine the perceptions of students and faculty towards emergency online distance learning from a teaching and learning perspective; (2) A cross-faculty study was conducted: two different self-administered questionnaires were developed for students and faculty, respectively. In addition, data was collected from official reports; (3) The results show that students had a more positive perception of e-Learning despite the difficulties that they may have faced, while faculty results leaned slightly towards a negative perception. However, there was not a definite positive or negative perception, depending on the aspect of teaching that was being evaluated. The study also indicated that faculty and students’ gender had no significant effect on their perceptions. Overall results showed that the university performed well in accordance with three of the five pillars of online learning quality framework in terms of student satisfaction, access and scalability. On the other, improvements are needed to achieve better results for faculty satisfaction and learning effectiveness; (4) The findings present a number of suggestions for increasing satisfaction to improve the online learning experience post COVID-19.
A Study on the Perception Change of Passengers on Sustainable Air Transport Following COVID-19 Progress
Authors: Song Ki-Han , Choi Solsaem
Published: July 2021

We investigate whether air transport passengers changed their perceptions on the resumption of air transport use as the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic have changed. We surveyed 1200 Koreans, and then six months later re-surveyed 840 people among those who participated in the first survey. We built a structural equation model that was configured of five latent variables: COVID-19-related, self-isolation, destination condition, level of preventive measures in the airport/aircraft, and social perception. We performed paired sample t-test, multi-group analysis, and latent mean analysis for two divided groups, based on the survey period. We found that the perception structure on resuming air transportation use over time during the COVID-19 pandemic has not changed, though a significant change has occurred in the responses to the measured and latent variables. In particular, a high variation was found in the awareness of COVID-19-related factors and social perceptions, and we suggest continuous monitoring of the related factors to preemptively respond to the recovery of air transport demand. On the other hand, we propose proactive level setting and the maintaining of sanitary conditions of the destination and preventive measures in the airport/aircraft. We expect that this study will provide effective implications for the recovery of air transport demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Oscillation Criteria for Neutral Delay Differential Equations of Fourth-Order
Authors: Althubiti Saeed , Bazighifan Omar , Alotaibi Hammad , Awrejcewicz Jan
Published: July 2021

New oscillatory properties for the oscillation of solutions to a class of fourth-order delay differential equations with several deviating arguments are established, which extend and generalize related results in previous studies. Some oscillation results are established by using the Riccati technique under the case of canonical coefficients. The symmetry plays an important and fundamental role in the study of the oscillation of solutions of the equations. Examples are given to prove the significance of the new theorems.
From Total Roman Domination in Lexicographic Product Graphs to Strongly Total Roman Domination in Graphs
Authors: Almerich-Chulia Ana , Cabrera Martínez Abel , Hernández Mira Frank Angel , Martin-Concepcion Pedro
Published: July 2021

Let G be a graph with no isolated vertex and let N(v) be the open neighbourhood of v∈V(G). Let f:V(G)→{0,1,2} be a function and Vi={v∈V(G):f(v)=i} for every i∈{0,1,2}. We say that f is a strongly total Roman dominating function on G if the subgraph induced by V1∪V2 has no isolated vertex and N(v)∩V2≠∅ for every v∈V(G)\V2. The strongly total Roman domination number of G, denoted by γtRs(G), is defined as the minimum weight ω(f)=∑x∈V(G)f(x) among all strongly total Roman dominating functions f on G. This paper is devoted to the study of the strongly total Roman domination number of a graph and it is a contribution to the Special Issue “Theoretical Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics” of Symmetry. In particular, we show that the theory of strongly total Roman domination is an appropriate framework for investigating the total Roman domination number of lexicographic product graphs. We also obtain tight bounds on this parameter and provide closed formulas for some product graphs. Finally and as a consequence of the study, we prove that the problem of computing γtRs(G) is NP-hard.
Some Properties Concerning the JL(X) and YJ(X) Which Related to Some Special Inscribed Triangles of Unit Ball
Authors: Ahmad Asif , Fu Yuankang , Li Yongjin
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we will make some further discussions on the JL(X) and YJ(X) which are symmetric and related to the side lengths of some special inscribed triangles of the unit ball, and also introduce two new geometric constants L1(X,▵), L2(X,▵) which related to the perimeters of some special inscribed triangles of the unit ball. Firstly, we discuss the relations among JL(X), YJ(X) and some geometric properties of Banach spaces, including uniformly non-square and uniformly convex. It is worth noting that we point out that uniform non-square spaces can be characterized by the side lengths of some special inscribed triangles of unit ball. Secondly, we establish some inequalities for JL(X), YJ(X) and some significant geometric constants, including the James constant J(X) and the von Neumann-Jordan constant CNJ(X). Finally, we introduce the two new geometric constants L1(X,▵), L2(X,▵), and calculate the bounds of L1(X,▵) and L2(X,▵) as well as the values of L1(X,▵) and L2(X,▵) for two Banach spaces.
General Norm Inequalities of Trapezoid Type for Fréchet Differentiable Functions in Banach Spaces
Authors: Dragomir Silvestru Sever
Published: July 2021

In this paper we establish some error bounds in approximating the integral by general trapezoid type rules for Fréchet differentiable functions with values in Banach spaces.
Perturbative and Non-Pertrubative Trace Anomalies
Authors: Bonora Loriano
Published: July 2021

We study the definition of trace anomalies for models of Dirac and Weyl fermions coupled to a metric and a gauge potential. While in the non-perturbative case the trace anomaly is the response of the effective action to a Weyl transformation, the definition in a perturbative approach is more involved. In the latter case, we use a specific formula proposed by M.Duff, of which we present a physical interpretation. The main body of the paper consists in deriving trace anomalies with the above formula and comparing them with the corresponding non-perturbative results. We show that they coincide and stress the basic role of diffeomorphism invariance for the validity of the approach.
Research Risk Factors in Monitoring Well Drilling—A Case Study Using Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Islamov Shamil , Grigoriev Alexey , Beloglazov Ilia , Savchenkov Sergey , Gudmestad Ove Tobias
Published: July 2021

This article takes an approach to creating a machine learning model for the oil and gas industry. This task is dedicated to the most up-to-date issues of machine learning and artificial intelligence. One of the goals of this research was to build a model to predict the possible risks arising in the process of drilling wells. Drilling of wells for oil and gas production is a highly complex and expensive part of reservoir development. Thus, together with injury prevention, there is a goal to save cost expenditures on downtime and repair of drilling equipment. Nowadays, companies have begun to look for ways to improve the efficiency of drilling and minimize non-production time with the help of new technologies. To support decisions in a narrow time frame, it is valuable to have an early warning system. Such a decision support system will help an engineer to intervene in the drilling process and prevent high expenses of unproductive time and equipment repair due to a problem. This work describes a comparison of machine learning algorithms for anomaly detection during well drilling. In particular, machine learning algorithms will make it possible to make decisions when determining the geometry of the grid of wells—the nature of the relative position of production and injection wells at the production facility. Development systems are most often subdivided into the following: placement of wells along a symmetric grid, and placement of wells along a non-symmetric grid (mainly in rows). The tested models classify drilling problems based on historical data from previously drilled wells. To validate anomaly detection algorithms, we used historical logs of drilling problems for 67 wells at a large brownfield in Siberia, Russia. Wells with problems were selected and analyzed. It should be noted that out of the 67 wells, 20 wells were drilled without expenses for unproductive time. The experiential results illustrate that a model based on gradient boosting can classify the complications in the drilling process better than other models.
Oxygen Deficient (OD) Combustion and Metabolism: Allometric Laws of Organs and Kleiber’s Law from OD Metabolism?
Authors: Annamalai Kalyan
Published: July 2021

The biology literature presents allometric relations for the specific metabolic rate (SMRk) of an organ k of mass mk within the body of mass mB: SMRk ∝ mBfk (body mass allometry, BMA). Wang et al. used BMA, summed-up energy from all organs and validated Kleiber’s law of the whole body: SMRM ∝ mBb’, b’ = −0.25. The issues raised in biology are: (i) why fk and b’ < 0, (ii) how do the organs adjust fk to yield b’? The current paper presents a “system” approach involving the field of oxygen deficient combustion (ODC) of a cloud of carbon particles and oxygen deficient metabolism (ODM), and provides partial answers by treating each vital organ as a cell cloud. The methodology yields the following: (i) a dimensionless “group” number GOD to indicate extent of ODM, (ii) SMRk of an organ in terms of the effectiveness factor; (iii) curve fitting of the effectiveness factor to yield the allometric exponents for the organ mass-based allometric laws (OMA); (iv) validation of the results with data from 111 biological species (BS) with mB ranging from 0.0075 to 6500 kg. The “hypoxic” condition at organ level, particularly for COVID-19 patients, and the onset of cancer and virus multiplication are interpreted in terms of ODM and glycolysis.
An Integrated Investigation of Atmospheric Gaseous Elemental Mercury Transport and Dispersion Around a Chlor-Alkali Plant in the Ossola Valley (Italian Central Alps)
Authors: Fantozzi Laura , Guerrieri Nicoletta , Manca Giovanni , Orrù Arianna , Marziali Laura
Published: July 2021

We present the first assessment of atmospheric pollution by mercury (Hg) in an industrialized area located in the Ossola Valley (Italian Central Alps), in close proximity to the Toce River. The study area suffers from a level of Hg contamination due to a Hg cell chlor-alkali plant operating from 1915 to the end of 2017. We measured gaseous elemental Hg (GEM) levels by means of a portable Hg analyzer during car surveys between autumn 2018 and summer 2020. Moreover, we assessed the long-term dispersion pattern of atmospheric Hg by analyzing the total Hg concentration in samples of lichens collected in the Ossola Valley. High values of GEM concentrations (1112 ng m−3) up to three orders of magnitude higher than the typical terrestrial background concentration in the northern hemisphere were measured in the proximity of the chlor-alkali plant. Hg concentrations in lichens ranged from 142 ng g−1 at sampling sites located north of the chlor-alkali plant to 624 ng g−1 in lichens collected south of the chlor-alkali plant. A north-south gradient of Hg accumulation in lichens along the Ossola Valley channel was observed, highlighting that the area located south of the chlor-alkali plant is more exposed to the dispersion of Hg emitted into the atmosphere from the industrial site. Long-term studies on Hg emission and dispersion in the Ossola Valley are needed to better assess potential impact on ecosystems and human health.
Botulinum Toxin Type A for Glabellar Frown Lines: What Impact of Higher Doses on Outcomes?
Authors: Kaufman-Janette Joely , Cox Sue Ellen , Dayan Steven , Joseph John
Published: July 2021

Botulinum toxin serotype-A (BoNT-A) preparations are widely used to improve the appearance of wrinkles. While effective and well tolerated, patients require retreatment over time to re-establish the effects. There is growing interest from patients as to whether higher doses can prolong response without significantly increasing side effects. We reviewed the efficacy and safety evidence for high-dose BoNT-A treatment of glabellar lines, by evaluating high-dose studies published since 2015. Toxins approved for glabellar line treatment in the US or Europe were considered. “High-dose” indicated doses above the licensed dose for each BoNT-A preparation. Five studies met the inclusion criteria and most were randomized, double-blind trials; designs and population sizes varied. Findings suggested that higher-dose BoNT-A treatment is feasible and may improve response duration without increased safety issues. Around 9 months’ median duration was achieved with a 2–2.5-fold increase of the abobotulinumtoxinA on-label dose, or with a 5-fold increase in incobotulinumtoxinA dose. A 2–4-fold increase of the onabotulinumtoxinA on-label dose yielded a median duration of around 6 months. Importantly, patient satisfaction and natural look remained with increasing abobotulinumtoxinA doses. While more data are needed, these findings may lead to more effective, individually tailored treatment plans to meet patient expectations.
Tetrodotoxin: A New Strategy to Treat Visceral Pain?
Authors: Campos-Ríos Ana , Rueda-Ruzafa Lola , Herrera-Pérez Salvador , Rivas-Ramírez Paula , Lamas José
Published: July 2021

Visceral pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Although the origin of these symptoms has not been clearly defined, the implication of both the central and peripheral nervous systems in visceral hypersensitivity is well established. The role of several pathways in visceral nociception has been explored, as well as the influence of specific receptors on afferent neurons, such as voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs). VGSCs initiate action potentials and dysfunction of these channels has recently been associated with painful GI conditions. Current treatments for visceral pain generally involve opioid based drugs, which are associated with important side-effects and a loss of effectiveness or tolerance. Hence, efforts have been intensified to find new, more effective and longer-lasting therapies. The implication of VGSCs in visceral hypersensitivity has drawn attention to tetrodotoxin (TTX), a relatively selective sodium channel blocker, as a possible and promising molecule to treat visceral pain and related diseases. As such, here we will review the latest information regarding this toxin that is relevant to the treatment of visceral pain and the possible advantages that it may offer relative to other treatments, alone or in combination.
Dietary Supplements Based on Red Yeast Rice—A Source of Citrinin?
Authors: Twarużek Magdalena , Ałtyn Iwona , Kosicki Robert
Published: July 2021

Citrinin (CIT) is secondary metabolite of filamentous molds. This mycotoxin has nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, embryocidal, and fetotoxic properties. It is also produced by several species of the three genera Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Monascus spp., which are used to make red yeast rice (RYR). The material for this study consisted of 15 dietary supplements containing an extract of fermented red rice, available on the Polish market. Samples were extracted using a MeOH–H2O mixture, cleaned-up with an immunoaffinity CitriTest HPLC column, and quantified by HPLC–FLD. None of the analyzed samples contained CIT above the established limit of detection (LOD). Studies on the presence of toxic metabolites in red yeast rice show the importance of regulating this product and of clear information on the label regarding the standardized amounts of monacolin.
Biosensors for Deoxynivalenol and Zearalenone Determination in Feed Quality Control
Authors: Majer-Baranyi Krisztina , Adányi Nóra , Székács András
Published: July 2021

Mycotoxin contamination of cereals used for feed can cause intoxication, especially in farm animals; therefore, efficient analytical tools for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of toxic fungal metabolites in feed are required. Current trends in food/feed analysis are focusing on the application of biosensor technologies that offer fast and highly selective and sensitive detection with minimal sample treatment and reagents required. The article presents an overview of the recent progress of the development of biosensors for deoxynivalenol and zearalenone determination in cereals and feed. Novel biosensitive materials and highly sensitive detection methods applied for the sensors and the application of these sensors to food/feed products, the limit, and the time of detection are discussed.
Efficient Adsorption of Deoxynivalenol by Porous Carbon Prepared from Soybean Dreg
Authors: Ying Zhiwei , Zhao Di , Li He , Liu Xinqi , Zhang Jian
Published: July 2021

A novel porous carbon adsorbent for the removal of deoxynivalenol was prepared from soybean dreg (SD). The new material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis, N2 adsorption/desorption measurement techniques, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The specific surface area of the SDB-6-KOH was found to be 3655.95 m2 g−1, the pore volume was 1.936 cm3 g−1 and the average pore size was 2.125 nm. The high specific surface area and effective functional groups of the carbon material promoted the adsorption of deoxynivalenol. By comparing the adsorption effect of SDB-6-X prepared with different activators (X: KOH, K2CO3, KHCO3), SDB-6-KOH had the highest adsorption capacity. The maximum adsorption capacity of SDB-6-KOH to deoxynivalenol was 52.9877 µg mg−1, and the removal efficiency reached 88.31% at 318 K. The adsorption kinetic and isotherm data were suitable for pseudo-second-order and Langmuir equations, and the results of this study show that the novel carbon material has excellent adsorptive ability and, thus, offers effective practical application potential for the removal of deoxynivalenol.
Proteo-Trancriptomic Analyses Reveal a Large Expansion of Metalloprotease-Like Proteins in Atypical Venom Vesicles of the Wasp Meteorus pulchricornis (Braconidae)
Authors: Gatti Jean-Luc , Belghazi Maya , Legeai Fabrice , Ravallec Marc , Frayssinet Marie , Robin Stéphanie , Aboubakar-Souna Djibril , Srinivasan Ramasamy , Tamò Manuele , Poirié Marylène , Volkoff Anne-Nathalie
Published: July 2021

Meteorus pulchricornis (Ichneumonoidea, Braconidae) is an endoparasitoid wasp of lepidopteran caterpillars. Its parasitic success relies on vesicles (named M. pulchricornis Virus-Like Particles or MpVLPs) that are synthesized in the venom gland and injected into the parasitoid host along with the venom during oviposition. In order to define the content and understand the biogenesis of these atypical vesicles, we performed a transcriptome analysis of the venom gland and a proteomic analysis of the venom and purified MpVLPs. About half of the MpVLPs and soluble venom proteins identified were unknown and no similarity with any known viral sequence was found. However, MpVLPs contained a large number of proteins labelled as metalloproteinases while the most abundant protein family in the soluble venom was that of proteins containing the Domain of Unknown Function DUF-4803. The high number of these proteins identified suggests that a large expansion of these two protein families occurred in M. pulchricornis. Therefore, although the exact mechanism of MpVLPs formation remains to be elucidated, these vesicles appear to be “metalloproteinase bombs” that may have several physiological roles in the host including modifying the functions of its immune cells. The role of DUF4803 proteins, also present in the venom of other braconids, remains to be clarified.