bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microneedles in Action: Microneedling and Microneedles-Assisted Transdermal Delivery
Authors: Lim Dong-Jin , Kim Hong-Jun
Published: April 2022

Human skin is a multilayered physiochemical barrier protecting the human body. The stratum corneum (SC) is the outermost keratinized layer of skin through which only molecules with less or equal to 500 Da (Dalton) in size can freely move through the skin. Unfortunately, the conventional use of a hypothermic needle for large therapeutic agents is susceptible to needle phobia and the risk of acquiring infectious diseases. As a new approach, a microneedle (MN) can deliver therapeutically significant molecules without apparent limitations associated with its molecular size. Microneedles can create microchannels through the skin’s SC without stimulating the proprioceptive pain nerves. With recent technological advancements in both fabrication and drug loading, MN has become a versatile platform that improves the efficacy of transdermally applied therapeutic agents (TAs) and associated treatments for various indications. This review summarizes advanced fabrication techniques for MN and addresses numerous TA coating and TA elution strategies from MN, offering a comprehensive perspective on the current microneedle technology. Lastly, we discuss how microneedling and microneedle technologies can improve the clinical efficacy of a variety of skin diseases.
Implementation of Microwave Circuits Using Stereolithography
Authors: Torregrosa-Penalva Germán , García-Martínez Héctor , Ortega-Argüello Ángela E. , Rodríguez-Martínez Alberto , Busqué-Nadal Arnau , Ávila-Navarro Ernesto
Published: April 2022

In this work, the use of additive manufacturing techniques through stereolithography for the manufacture of high-frequency circuits and devices is presented. Both the resin and the 3D printer used in this research are general-purpose commercial materials, not specifically intended for the implementation of microwave networks. The manufacturing and metallization procedures used to produce substrates for the design of planar microwave circuits are described, introducing the characterization process carried out to determine the electrical properties of the resin used. The ultrasonic techniques that allow the structural analysis of the manufactured substrates are also described. The electrical characterization provides a relative dielectric permittivity of 3.25 and a loss tangent of 0.03 for the resin used. In addition, the structural analysis shows a homogeneity and a finish of the manufactured parts that is not achievable using fused deposition modeling techniques. Finally, as a proof of concept, the design and manufacture of a complex geometry stepped impedance filter on a multi-height substrate using stereolithography techniques is presented, which allows for reducing the size of the traditional implementation of the same filter while maintaining its high-frequency response performance.
Investigation of XLPE Cable Insulation Using Electrical, Thermal and Mechanical Properties, and Aging Level Adopting Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Selvamany Priya , Varadarajan Gowri Sree , Chillu Naresh , Sarathi Ramanujam
Published: April 2022

Hydrothermal and chemical aging tests on a 230 kV cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation cable were carried out in the present study to evaluate the degradation and aging levels qualitatively. The samples were subjected to water aging at a temperature of 80 °C, and in an aqueous ionic solution of CuSO4 at room temperature. The diffusion coefficient results indicated that the ion migration was not at the same rate in the aging conditions. The diffusion coefficient–D–of the sample immersed in an aqueous CuSO4 solution was lower than the hydrothermally aged specimens. The hydrophobicity of aged specimens decreased considerably compared to unaged samples. The distribution of trapped charges was quantitatively characterized. The presence of shallow trap energy states were observed in unaged XLPE, whereas the deep trap sites were noticed in aged specimens. In addition, the charge trap characteristics were different for positive and negative charge deposition. Various material characterization techniques, viz. dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile, contact angle, and LIBS, were further employed on the aged and virgin specimens. The tensile behavior of the hydrothermally aged specimen was degraded due to the oxidised regions, which had formed a weak spot against the mechanical stress. Reduced glass transition temperature and increased loss tangent measurements were noticed for aged specimens over their unaged counterparts. Machine learning techniques, such as the principal component analysis (PCA) and the artificial neural network (ANN) analysis, were performed on LIBS spectral data of the samples to classify the aging mechanisms qualitatively.
TiO2 Containing Hybrid Composite Polymer Membranes for Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Palanisamy Gowthami , Oh Tae
Published: April 2022

In recent years, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) have captured immense attraction in electrochemical energy storage systems due to their long cycle life, flexibility, high-energy efficiency, time, and reliability. In VRFB, polymer membranes play a significant role in transporting protons for current transmission and act as barriers between positive and negative electrodes/electrolytes. Commercial polymer membranes (such as Nafion) are the widely used IEM in VRFBs due to their outstanding chemical stability and proton conductivity. However, the membrane cost and increased vanadium ions permeability limit its commercial application. Therefore, various modified perfluorinated and non-perfluorinated membranes have been developed. This comprehensive review primarily focuses on recent developments of hybrid polymer composite membranes with inorganic TiO2 nanofillers for VRFB applications. Hence, various fabrications are performed in the membrane with TiO2 to alter their physicochemical properties for attaining perfect IEM. Additionally, embedding the -SO3H groups by sulfonation on the nanofiller surface enhances membrane proton conductivity and mechanical strength. Incorporating TiO2 and modified TiO2 (sTiO2, and organic silica modified TiO2) into Nafion and other non-perfluorinated membranes (sPEEK and sPI) has effectively influenced the polymer membrane properties for better VRFB performances. This review provides an overall spotlight on the impact of TiO2-based nanofillers in polymer matrix for VRFB applications.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Anti-Biofilm Formation Activities of Novel Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogels Reinforced with Crosslinked Chitosan and Silver Nano-Particles
Authors: Alfuraydi Reem , Alminderej Fahad , Mohamed Nadia
Published: April 2022

Novel hydrogels were prepared by blending chitosan and poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA, then crosslinking the resulting blends using trimellitic anhydride isothiocyanate at a concentration based on chitosan content in the blends. The weight ratios of chitosan: PVA in the blends were 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1 to produce three hydrogels symbolized as H13, H11, and H31, respectively. For a comparison, H10 was also prepared by crosslinking pure chitosan with trimellitic anhydride isothiocyanate. For further modification, three H31/silver nanocomposites (AgNPs) were synthesized using three different concentrations of silver nitrate to obtain H31/AgNPs1%, H31/AgNPs3% and H31/AgNPs5%. The structures of the prepared samples were emphasized using various analytical techniques. PVA has no inhibition activity against the tested microbes and biofilms. The antimicrobial and anti-biofilm formation activities of the investigated samples was arranged as: H31/AgNPs5% ≥ H31/AgNPs3% > H31/AgNPs1% > H10 > H31 > H11 > H13 > chitosan. H31/AgNPs5% and H31/AgNPs3% were more potent than Vancomycin and Amphotericin B against most of the tested microbes. Interestingly, H31 and H31/AgNPs3% were safe on the normal human cells. Consequently, hydrogels resulting from crosslinked blends of chitosan and PVA loaded with AgNPs in the same structure have significantly reinforced the antimicrobial and inhibition activity against the biofilms of PVA.
Facile Preparation of Cellulose Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Using Hybrid Filler Method
Authors: Mustapha Safarul , Lease Jacqueline , Eksiler Kubra , Sim Siew Teng , Ariffin Hidayah , Andou Yoshito
Published: April 2022

Dried hybrid fillers comprised of silica/CNF were successfully synthesized in ethanol/water mixed solvents at room temperature without the usage of any precursor. The as-prepared fillers were incorporated with polypropylene (PP) as a polymer matrix through a twin-screw extruder. From surface morphology analysis, the agglomeration of the silica/CNF hybrid fillers was prevented in the PP matrix and they exhibited moderate transparency, around 17.9% and 44.6% T at 660 nm. Further, the chemical structures of the polymer composites were identified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis. According to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the insertion of silica as a co-filler to the PP matrix resulted in an increase in its degradation onset temperature and also thermal stability. In addition, the mechanical properties of the PP composites also increased after the blending process with the hybrid fillers. Overall, sample PP-SS/CNF exhibited the highest tensile strength, which was 36.8 MPa, or around 73.55% compared to the pristine PP. The improvements in tensile strength were attributed to good dispersion and enhanced efficiency of the stress transfer mechanism between the silica and the cellulose within the PP matrix. However, elongation of the sample was reduced sharply due to the stiffening effect of the filler.
A Comparison of Numerical and Actual Measurements of Large-Scale Rib-Structured Pallet Flatness Using Recycled Polypropylene in Injection Molding
Authors: Liao Yi-Ling , Tsai Hsi-Hsun
Published: April 2022

Many challenges are associated with the injection molding process for forming a rib-structured pallet (1100 mm × 1100 mm × 140 mm, length × width × height) because greater flowing resistance through the rib channels within the pallet can induce insufficient filling. Essentially, multi-gate filling involves a sequential valve gate system, which helps to spread the filling front with fewer weld lines. Based on the presetting of the sequential scheme of the valve gates, actual measurements of pallet flatness using the ATOS scan system were compared to numerical warpage measurements of a pallet derived by Moldex3D 2020. In this study, we propose a sequential scheme by actuating the valve gates to open once the flow front spreads towards them; then, actual warpage measurements of a pallet are compared with numerical measurements. The results show that the warpage of the top surface of the pallet is 5.144 mm in actual measurements and 5.729 mm in simulation. The results all indicated small warpage with respect to the pallet size. The simulation and actual measurements of flatness are in excellent agreement; the difference in top flatness between the simulated and actual pallet is 0.59 mm, while the bottom flatness difference is 0.035 mm. By adjusting the cooling water temperature, increasing the mold temperature, and decreasing the material temperature, overall flatness and warpage displacement can be reduced.
Evaluating Atmospheric Correction Algorithms Applied to OLCI Sentinel-3 Data of Chesapeake Bay Waters
Authors: Windle Anna E. , Evers-King Hayley , Loveday Benjamin R. , Ondrusek Michael , Silsbe Greg M.
Published: April 2022

Satellite remote sensing permits large-scale monitoring of coastal waters through synoptic measurements of water-leaving radiance that can be scaled to relevant water quality metrics and in turn help inform local and regional responses to a variety of stressors. As both the incident and water-leaving radiance are affected by interactions with the intervening atmosphere, the efficacy of atmospheric correction algorithms is essential to derive accurate water-leaving radiometry. Modern ocean color satellite sensors such as the Ocean and Land Colour Instrument (OLCI) onboard the Copernicus Sentinel-3A and -3B satellites are providing unprecedented operational data at the higher spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution that is necessary to resolve optically complex coastal water quality. Validating these satellite-based radiance measurements with vicarious in situ radiometry, especially in optically complex coastal waters, is a critical step in not only evaluating atmospheric correction algorithm performance but ultimately providing accurate water quality metrics for stakeholders. In this study, a regional in situ dataset from the Chesapeake Bay was used to evaluate the performance of four atmospheric correction algorithms applied to OLCI Level-1 data. Images of the Chesapeake Bay are processed through a neural-net based algorithm (C2RCC), a spectral optimization-based algorithm (POLYMER), an iterative two-band bio-optical-based algorithm (L2gen), and compared to the standard Level-2 OLCI data (BAC). Performance was evaluated through a matchup analysis to in situ remote sensing reflectance data. Statistical metrics demonstrated that C2RCC had the best performance, particularly in the longer wavelengths (>560 nm) and POLYMER contained the most clear day coverage (fewest flagged data). This study provides a framework with associated uncertainties and recommendations to utilize OLCI ocean color data to monitor the water quality and biogeochemical dynamics in Chesapeake Bay.
Integrated Remote Sensing to Assess Disease Control: Evidence from Flat Island Quarantine Station, Mauritius
Authors: Cianciosi Alessandra , Čaval Saša , Calaon Diego , Seetah Krish
Published: April 2022

This article presents an integrated approach used in archaeology and heritage studies to examine health and disease management during the colonial period in the Indian Ocean. Long-distance labor migrations had dire health consequences to both immigrants and host populations. Focusing on the quarantine station on Flat Island, Mauritius, this study analyzes a historical social setting and natural environment that were radically altered due to the implementation of health management. Using aerial and satellite imagery, digital elevation models, RTK and total station raw data, 3D modeling, and GIS mapping, we reconstructed the spatial organization and the built landscape of this institution to assess the gap between the benefits claimed by European colonizers and the actual effects on immigrant health conditions through the promotion of public health practices.
Environmental and Biophysical Effects of the Bowen Ratio over Typical Farmland Ecosystems in the Loess Plateau
Authors: Ren Xueyuan , Zhang Qiang , Yue Ping , Yang Jinhu , Wang Sheng
Published: April 2022

The Bowen ratio (β) comprehensively reflects physical characteristics of the land-surface climate. In this study, eddy covariance systems installed at Dingxi and Qingyang were used to conduct energy distribution measurements and observations characteristic of semi-arid and semi-humid farmland ecosystems on the China Loess Plateau. We studied mechanisms by which eco-environmental factors influence β. Additionally, we investigated responses of physiological and ecological factors to water and heat exchange under seasonally dry and wet conditions within each farmland ecosystem. Our results showed that sensible heat flux in the semi-arid farmland was the main consumer of available energy. In the semi-humid area, latent heat flux in summer had the dominant role in energy distribution (mean β 0.71). The β in the semi-arid region was 1.5 times higher than that in the semi-humid region during the growing season. β increased with an increase in the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and ground–air temperature difference (Ts − Ta), and decreased significantly with an increase in effective precipitation and soil moisture. The change in β with environmental factors was more clear-cut in semi-arid areas than in semi-humid areas. The Priestley–Taylor coefficient (α) and β satisfied a power function law in the growing season. There was a strong correlation between them, with the coefficients of determination for semi-humid and semi-arid areas being 0.62 and 0.72, respectively. β decreased with an increase in the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), with this phenomenon being more obvious in the semi-humid zone (R2 = 0.40). β responded more rapidly to NDVI in the semi-arid area than in the semi-humid area. There was a negative exponential relationship between canopy stomatal conductance (Gs) and β, which displayed a stronger declining trend with the increase in Gs in the semi-arid area than in the semi-humid area. This study provides an important reference for the determination of land-surface characteristics of semi-arid and semi-humid farmland ecosystems on the Loess Plateau and for improving parameterization of land-surface processes.
Detection of Solar Flares from the Analysis of Signal-to-Noise Ratio Recorded by Digisonde at Mid-Latitudes
Authors: de Paula Victor , Segarra Antoni , Altadill David , Curto Juan José , Blanch Estefania
Published: April 2022

This work proposes a new indirect method to detect the impact of solar flares on ionospheric sounding measurements, i.e., on the signal-to-noise ratio of ionospheric reflected radio signals. The method allows us to detect and characterize the ionospheric absorption of high-frequency radio waves as a product of these energetic events. The detection is based on the estimation of the quiet conditions signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) pattern of the month and the subsequent comparison of this pattern with the SNR for the analyzed day. The method has been tested by using data from Ebro Observatory ionospheric station (DPS4D, EB040), but it can be applied to any other ionospheric station. At EB040, it can provide observational data to the international Service of Rapid Magnetic Variations (SRMV) to help confirm Sfe (Solar Flare Effects). To set up the method, we considered a data set of 262 solar flares that occurred during 2011–2014 and were observed during daylight hours at EB040 (17 X-class, 124 M-class, and 121 C-class). This led to impose a threshold of −20 dB in the SNR for at least four consecutive frequencies to confirm that a solar flare took place. The method is particularly sensitive for the detection of X-class solar flares, performs quite well with M-class events, and is even able to detect some C-class flares with high solar altitude angles. Furthermore, we studied some constraints that affect the detection of solar flares from the analysis of GOES-15 hard X-ray flux data about the considered events. For each flare, we computed its solar altitude angle at the time of the ionospheric sounding to get an estimation of its geoeffective irradiance, which had an effect on the local ionosphere. We can confirm that the method of detection is more effective with flares that present a solar elevation angle higher than 18.94°, a geoeffective hard X-ray irradiance above 3.30 × 10−6 W/m2, and a geoeffective hard X-ray radiant exposure higher than 1.61 × 10−3 J/m2, computed during the 5 min preceding the ionospheric sounding.
SST Anywhere—A Portable Solution for Wide Field Low Earth Orbit Surveillance
Authors: Danescu Radu Gabriel , Itu Razvan , Muresan Mircea Paul , Rednic Ana , Turcu Vlad
Published: April 2022

The low-Earth orbit (LEO) is filled with active satellites, but also with space debris, which need constant observation. The orbiting objects may be affected by collisions or by atmospheric drag, and therefore they can change their orbit or even fall to the ground, a process known as reentry. The low altitude of these objects (below 2000 km, usually even below 1000 km) means that at given time they can be observed from a limited range of locations on the Earths’ surface, and therefore having multiple, easy to set up observation stations can be extremely useful. This paper presents a portable hardware solution for on-demand wide-field surveillance of the LEO region, the image processing algorithms for detecting the satellite streaks and for joining these streaks into tracklets, and the solution for astrometrical reduction and generating the result file for each tracklet. An automatic validation solution that is able to automatically identify the detected satellites and compute the measurement angular errors is also presented. The acquisition and processing system is built with commercially available items of low and moderate costs and is capable of on-site acquisition and real-time processing of images. The acquired images are processed by background subtraction, analysis of the difference between frames, extraction of elongated objects corresponding to the satellite streaks, and forming trajectories (tracklets) from consecutive detections. The pixel coordinates of the tracklets are converted to angular coordinates using the tools from Astrometry.net, subsequently filtered for improving the accuracy. The results are validated by using daily updated orbital parameters (TLEs), which are used to predict the angular positions that are subsequently matched with the detection results.
A Lightweight Position-Enhanced Anchor-Free Algorithm for SAR Ship Detection
Authors: Feng Yun , Chen Jie , Huang Zhixiang , Wan Huiyao , Xia Runfan , Wu Bocai , Sun Long , Xing Mengdao
Published: April 2022

As an active microwave device, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) uses the backscatter of objects for imaging. SAR image ship targets are characterized by unclear contour information, a complex background and strong scattering. Existing deep learning detection algorithms derived from anchor-based methods mostly rely on expert experience to set a series of hyperparameters, and it is difficult to characterize the unique characteristics of SAR image ship targets, which greatly limits detection accuracy and speed. Therefore, this paper proposes a new lightweight position-enhanced anchor-free SAR ship detection algorithm called LPEDet. First, to resolve unclear SAR target contours and multiscale performance problems, we used YOLOX as the benchmark framework and redesigned the lightweight multiscale backbone, called NLCNet, which balances detection speed and accuracy. Second, for the strong scattering characteristics of the SAR target, we designed a new position-enhanced attention strategy, which suppresses background clutter by adding position information to the channel attention that highlights the target information to more accurately identify and locate the target. The experimental results for two large-scale SAR target detection datasets, SSDD and HRSID, show that our method achieves a higher detection accuracy and a faster detection speed than state-of-the-art SAR target detection methods.
Effects of Increasing C4-Crop Cover and Stomatal Conductance on Evapotranspiration: Simulations for a Lake Erie Watershed
Authors: Senevirathne Chathuranga Kumara , Simic Milas Anita , Liu Ganming , Yacobucci Margaret Mary , Marambe Yahampath Anuruddha
Published: April 2022

Accurate quantification of evapotranspiration (ET) is crucial for surface water resources and best agricultural management practices in watersheds. The aim of this study was to better understand ET changes caused by the rapid expansion of C4 (corn) cover and rapid changes in stomatal conductance, which may be amplified in the future due to environmental and human-contributing factors, such as climate change and agricultural practices. Linking the enlargement of agricultural land with the physiological properties of crops, such as photosynthetic adaptations and stomatal conductance, is necessary to explore the magnitude of these impacts. This study examined the effects of increased C4 (corn) crop cover and stomatal conductance on evapotranspiration (ET) rates in the Lower Maumee River Watershed, Ohio, USA, during the 2018 growing season. Simulation results using a modified-for-crops version of the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) showed that a hypothetical increase of corn cover by as much as 100% would not significantly impact the watershed ET rate, with a 5.05% overall increase in ET in July and a 3.96% increase in August. Changes in the stomatal conductance of crops, however, impacted ET more. The results showed a significant increase in the ET rate (up to 24.04% for corn and 5.10% for soybean) for the modeling scenario that integrated high stomatal conductance, which agreed with the thermal-based ECOSTRESS ET product derived over the study area (+/−0.9 mm day−1) for the same period. We suggest that the alteration of the crop stomata mechanism, caused largely by rapid climate change and intensive farming practices, should be carefully quantified, and its impact on hydrology at the ecosystem level further explored.
Improved Ionosonde Monitoring of the Sporadic E Layer Using the Frequency Domain Interferometry Technique
Authors: Liu Tongxin , Yang Guobin , Zhou Chen , Jiang Chunhua , Xu Wei , Ni Binbin , Zhao Zhengyu
Published: April 2022

The sporadic E (Es) layer is a thin layer of ion plasma enhancement in the E-region ionosphere, typically at altitudes of 90–120 km with vertical and horizontal extent of several or several tens of kilometers. As the transition region between the lower and upper atmosphere, this layer is of critical importance for ionospheric studies. The most economical but effective method to observe this layer is using ionosonde, which, however, is incapable of capturing the finer structure or the internal inhomogeneity of the Es layer as the range resolution is on the order of kilometers. To overcome this limitation, we employ the frequency domain interferometry (FDI) technique, a technique that has been successfully applied to the analysis of some radar and sonar measurements. Here, we use the Es layer measurements near Wuhan, China (114°22′E, 30°30′N) on 8 June 2021 as examples to showcase the capability of this technique. Our results show that the spatial resolution of ionosonde imaging is remarkably increased: the complexity of the internal fine structure in the Es layer can be well observed in the FDI-processed ionograms, whereas the intrinsic range resolution is several kilometers. Moreover, by comparing the ionograms obtained with and without the FDI technique, it is found that the FDI-processed ionogram is particularly suitable for the observation of evolutional processes in the Es layer, as well as the identification of different types of Es layer. With this level of spatial resolution, ionosonde, in combination with the FDI technique, opens the possibility for more refined observations of the Es layer.
Range-Ambiguous Clutter Suppression via FDA MIMO Planar Array Radar with Compressed Sensing
Authors: Wang Yuzhuo , Zhu Shengqi , Lan Lan , Li Ximin , Liu Zhixin , Wu Zhixia
Published: April 2022

Range-ambiguous clutter is an inevitable issue for airborne forward-looking array radars, especially with the high pulse repetition frequency (PRF). In this paper, a method to suppress the range-ambiguous clutter is proposed in an FDA-MIMO radar with a forward-looking planar array. Compressed sensing FDA technology is used to suppress the range-ambiguous clutter and the forward-looking non-uniformity short-range clutter of radar. Specifically, first, the range ambiguous clutter in different regions is separated by the characteristics of the planar array radar elevation dimension and FDA radar range coupling. Meanwhile, regarding the issue of the FDA radar main lobe moving between coherent pulses, a main lobe correction (MLC) algorithm proposes a solution for the issue, where the FDA radar cannot coherently accumulate signals in the case of non-full angle illumination. Finally, compressed sensing technology and elevation dimension filtering are utilized to suppress the range ambiguous clutter at the receiver, with the approach alleviating the range dependence of clutter in the observation region. A small number of clutter snapshots can obtain an approximately ideal clutter covariance matrix through compressed sensing sparse recovery. The method not only reduces the number of training samples, but also overcomes the problem of clutter non-uniformity in the forward-looking array. Therefore, the clutter suppression problems faced by the high repetition frequency airborne radar forward-looking array structure are solved. At the analysis stage, a comparison among the conventional MIMO and FDA methods is carried on by analyzing the improvement factor (IF) curves. Numerical results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method in range-ambiguous clutter suppression.
Earth Observation to Investigate Occurrence, Characteristics and Changes of Glaciers, Glacial Lakes and Rock Glaciers in the Poiqu River Basin (Central Himalaya)
Authors: Bolch Tobias , Yao Tandong , Bhattacharya Atanu , Hu Yan , King Owen , Liu Lin , Pronk Jan B. , Rastner Philipp , Zhang Guoqing
Published: April 2022

Meltwater from the cryosphere contributes a significant fraction of the freshwater resources in the countries receiving water from the Third Pole. Within the ESA-MOST Dragon 4 project, we addressed in particular changes of glaciers and proglacial lakes and their interaction. In addition, we investigated rock glaciers in permafrost environments. Here, we focus on the detailed investigations which have been performed in the Poiqu River Basin, central Himalaya. We used in particular multi-temporal stereo satellite imagery, including high-resolution 1960/70s Corona and Hexagon spy images and contemporary Pleiades data. Sentinel-2 data was applied to assess the glacier flow. The results reveal that glacier mass loss continuously increased with a mass budget of −0.42 ± 0.11 m w.e.a−1 for the period 2004–2018. The mass loss has been primarily driven by an increase in summer temperature and is further accelerated by proglacial lakes, which have become abundant. The glacial lake area more than doubled between 1964 and 2017. The termini of glaciers that flow into lakes moved on average twice as fast as glaciers terminating on land, indicating that dynamical thinning plays an important role. Rock glaciers are abundant, covering approximately 21 km2, which was more than 10% of the glacier area (approximately 190 km2) in 2015. With ongoing glacier wastage, rock glaciers can become an increasingly important water resource.
On Turbulent Features of E × B Plasma Motion in the Auroral Topside Ionosphere: Some Results from CSES-01 Satellite
Authors: Consolini Giuseppe , Quattrociocchi Virgilio , Benella Simone , De Michelis Paola , Alberti Tommaso , Piersanti Mirko , Marcucci Maria Federica
Published: April 2022

The recent Chinese Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01) provides a good opportunity to investigate some features of plasma properties and its motion in the topside ionosphere. Using simultaneous measurements from the electric field detector and the magnetometers onboard CSES-01, we investigate some properties of the plasma E × B drift velocity for a case study during a crossing of the Southern auroral region in the topside ionosphere. In detail, we analyze the spectral and scaling features of the plasma drift velocity and provide evidence of the turbulent character of the E × B drift. Our results provide an evidence of the occurrence of 2D E × B intermittent convective turbulence for the plasma motion in the topside ionospheric F2 auroral region at scales from tens of meters to tens of kilometers. The intermittent character of the observed turbulence suggests that the macro-scale intermittent structure is isomorphic with a quasi-1D fractal structure, as happens, for example, in the case of a filamentary or thin-tube-like structure. Furthermore, in the analyzed range of scales we found that both magnetohydrodynamic and kinetic processes may affect the plasma dynamics at spatial scales below 2 km. The results are discussed and compared with previous results reported in the literature.
A Fabrication of Multichannel Graphite Electrode Using Low-Cost Stencil-Printing Technique
Authors: Kongkaew Supatinee , Tubtimtong Suowarot , Thavarungkul Panote , Kanatharana Proespichaya , Chang Kah Haw , Abdullah Ahmad Fahmi Lim , Limbut Warakorn
Published: April 2022

Multichannel graphite electrodes (MGrEs) have been designed and fabricated in this study. A template was cut from an adhesive plastic sheet using a desktop cutting device. The template was placed on a polypropylene substrate, and carbon graphite ink was applied with a squeegee to the template. The size of the auxiliary electrode (AE) as well as the location of the reference electrode (RE) of MGrEs design were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine the thickness of the ink on the four working electrodes (WEs), which was 21.9 ± 1.8 µm. Cyclic voltammetry with a redox probe solution was used to assess the precision of the four WEs. The intra-electrode repeatability and inter-electrode reproducibility of the MGrEs production were satisfied by low RSD (<6%). Therefore, the MGrEs is reliable and capable of detecting four replicates of the target analyte in a single analysis. The electrochemical performance of four WEs was investigated and compared to one WE. The sensitivity of the MGrEs was comparable to the sensitivity of a single WE. The MGrEs’ potential applications were investigated by analyzing the nitrite in milk and tap water samples (recoveries values of 97.6 ± 0.4 to 110 ± 2%).
Evaluation of Feature Selection Methods for Classification of Epileptic Seizure EEG Signals
Authors: Sánchez-Hernández Sergio E. , Salido-Ruiz Ricardo A. , Torres-Ramos Sulema , Román-Godínez Israel
Published: April 2022

Epilepsy is a disease that decreases the quality of life of patients; it is also among the most common neurological diseases. Several studies have approached the classification and prediction of seizures by using electroencephalographic data and machine learning techniques. A large diversity of features has been extracted from electroencephalograms to perform classification tasks; therefore, it is important to use feature selection methods to select those that leverage pattern recognition. In this study, the performance of a set of feature selection methods was compared across different classification models; the classification task consisted of the detection of ictal activity from the CHB-MIT and Siena Scalp EEG databases. The comparison was implemented for different feature sets and the number of features. Furthermore, the similarity between selected feature subsets across classification models was evaluated. The best F1-score (0.90) was reported by the K-nearest neighbor along with the CHB-MIT dataset. Results showed that none of the feature selection methods clearly outperformed the rest of the methods, as the performance was notably affected by the classifier, dataset, and feature set. Two of the combinations (classifier/feature selection method) reporting the best results were K-nearest neighbor/support vector machine and random forest/embedded random forest.
Data Intelligence in Public Transportation: Sustainable and Equitable Solutions to Urban Modals in Strategic Digital City Subproject
Authors: Fumagalli Luis André Wernecke , Rezende Denis Alcides , Guimarães Thiago André
Published: April 2022

Transport infrastructure investments must be linked to the public transport demand strategically. User behavior and decision-making process bring several possible alternative transportation options due to a series of factors that define it. Municipalities must manage these factors to promote equal and sustainable transport solutions through urban infrastructure, public transport competitiveness, and attractiveness, and fossil fuels use and pricing policy. The research objective is to determine these factors to monitor and use them for citizens’ benefit by means of analytical tools and methods to gain a superior knowledge of reality with a focus on improving investments and services in an agile and efficient manner. Methodologically, the number of passengers of main Curitiba’s (Brazil) bus rapid transit (BRT) lines is operated in two linear regression models combined with the number of private vehicles, public transport fare, and fuel price for the period between January/2010 and December/2019. Research analysis indicates direct causal relationships between the studied factors and that the necessary data for decision-making is available in the government information systems. In conclusion, urban management and strategic digital city project can be more balanced and assertive in transport infrastructure investments and citizen services provision.
Effect of Managerial Compensation and Ability on the Relationship between Business Strategy and Firm Value: For Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Park Won , Byun Chung-gyu
Published: April 2022

This study examines the effect of managerial ability and compensation on the relationship between business strategy and firm value for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Managers determine, plan, implement, and maintain a firm’s business strategy. Therefore, the characteristics of a manager are an important factor in the selection and success of a business strategy. We believe that managerial abilities are important factors in determining that success. If the managerial ability is good, the manager is more likely to implement a strategy suitable for the firm, significantly affecting the firm’s value. Managers are also more motivated to work harder if their compensation level is high. Therefore, the manager will make efforts to successfully lead the firm’s business strategy. In small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the role of managers is important for carrying out strategies due to the lack of internal resources and difficulties in external funding. Therefore, we examine whether managerial ability and compensation affect the relationship between business strategy and firm value for SMEs. The analysis period is from 2011 to 2017, and the analysis was based on 1615 (firm/year), due to some of the listed SMEs being non-financial businesses with a December settlement of accounts. As a result of the analysis, managerial compensation and ability demonstrated different effects depending on the type of strategy, in terms of the relationship between business strategy and firm value. We suggest that managerial ability and compensation affect the value of a firm and moderate the relationship between business strategy and firm value.
Heavy Metals Contaminants in Watercress (Nasturtium officinale R. BR.): Toxicity and Risk Assessment for Humans along the Swat River Basin, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Nasrullah , Khan Jawad , Ullah Rafi , Ali Kishwar , Jones David Aaron , Khan Muhammad Ezaz Hasan
Published: April 2022

This research aimed to investigate the bioaccumulation and health risk associated with absorption of the selected heavy metals (HMs) i.e., lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in a wild leafy vegetable Nasturtium officinale that grows along the Swat River in swampy areas. The areas were categorized using the ecological risk index (RI), which indicates how heavy metal concentrations in soil and plants change over time. The bioaccumulation factor was greater than that at the 400 ≤ RI sites, indicating a probable health risk of these metals from N. officinale consumption. Furthermore, the health risk index for Cd and Pb was more significant, i.e., greater than one in the majority of the samples, indicating health concerns associated with consuming N. officinale from the study site. However, Zn and Cu levels were lower than the nutritionally needed levels, raising the risk of deficiency in the population. Plants cultivated in Pb and Cd-polluted sites were nutrient deficient in Cu and Zn. Intake of such plants can expose people to HM contamination and nutritional deficiencies. The results concluded that the plants accumulated significant HM contents and may have health concerns but are safe for consumption in children and adults.
The Impact of Sustainable Bond Issuances in the Economic Growth of the Latin American and Caribbean Countries
Authors: Bernabé Argandoña Lorena Carolina , Cruz Rambaud Salvador , López Pascual Joaquín
Published: April 2022

There is beyond any doubt that Latin America is one of the most important emerging markets in the world, which has increased its importance in the last decades. In effect, the issues of green, social, and sustainability (GSS) bonds are gaining more and more importance in the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) financial markets. They are specifically focused on raising funding for public expenditure programs that contribute to achieving several objectives, such as climate and environmental projects, energy efficiency, pollution prevention, sustainable agriculture, fishery and forestry, etc. The main objective of this paper is to provide a literature revision of the evolution of the issuance of GSS bonds in the LAC region and to analyze the economic growth of the countries which issue this type of bond. We will apply multiple linear regression to relate the economic growth of some countries of the LAC region with the variables proposed by the IFC Emerging Market Green Bonds Report (2019). It has been shown that the economic growth of the countries in the LAC region that are issuing GSS bonds is significantly related to the Sovereign Green Issuance (Total Planned), the ratio of Private Credit/GDP, and the Rule of Law Index. However, this research has had the limitation of the scarcity of available data in the LAC markets.
Exploration of Lean Management Methods Used in Shared Services Centers, Drivers and Barriers to Process Selection for Improvements in the Light of Risk Management and ESG Reporting
Authors: Zaporowska Zuzanna , Szczepański Marek
Published: April 2022

This paper aims to study how processes are selected for improvements in shared services centers (SSCs), and if the risk management aspect is considered during process improvements. Lean management has become a highly regarded platform for process improvement within organizations with the focus being on waste reduction and value added at the customer level. As a leading destination of SSCs, Poland has been seen implementing this approach since at least 2015 with the main benefit being cost reduction. This philosophy opens the door to identifying potential waste reduction and ongoing efficiencies of processes that have been migrated to SSCs. With the identification of the research need, firstly, a targeted literature review on tools and models of process selection for improvements was performed. The second step entails in-depth interviews with lean management experts, surveys with detailed questions in the area of lean management implementation, and finally a case study on measurements of testing the effectiveness of applying lean management methodology. The findings present drivers and barriers to selecting of processes subject to lean management. Although lean management activities are strongly supported by risk management experts, there is no synergy between the two streams causing the need for further research in SSCs.
Optimization of Passenger-like Container Train Running Plan Considering Empty Container Dispatch
Authors: Song Wennan , Liu Di , Rong Wenyu
Published: April 2022

Railway container transportation plays an important role in the sustainable development of transportation. In order to improve the efficiency of container transportation and maximize the transportation revenue of railway enterprises, taking the passenger-like container train running plan as the research object, we established an optimization model. The model considers the transportation requirements of empty and heavy containers, aiming at the maximum revenue of railway transportation enterprises, the conservation of container flow, train stops, container reloading, and other constraints. It is a mixed-integer linear programming optimization model. First, the shortest path between nodes was solved by the Floyd algorithm as the candidate set of the train to be run, and then the particle swarm algorithm was designed to solve the model. Numerical experiments were carried out by taking a container network with 34 nodes as an example to verify the validity of the model and algorithm. The experimental results showed that when the minimum average loading rate of trains is 70%, 47 lines need to be run, which is 163 less than the candidate lines. The running cost of all trains is 31,901,200 yuan, and total revenue of the transportation enterprise is 10,930,568 yuan. Compared with the existing container transportation mode, the passenger-like container transportation mode has a higher average number of trains and faster velocity. However, it has a lower average loading rate and proportion of direct container flow. The results were compared in three different minimum average loading rate values: 50%, 60%, and 70%. It was found that with the increase of the minimum average loading rate of trains, the number of lines to be opened decreases, the cost of running decreases, and the revenue of transportation enterprises increases.
The Clean Your Plate Campaign: Resisting Table Food Waste in an Unstable World
Authors: Wang Lingfei , Yang Yuqin , Wang Guoyan
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens global food security and has created an urgent need for food conservation. This article presents a review of clean plate campaigns around the world. It aims to fight food waste and reveal the factors that may influence food waste. The Clean Plate Club in the US developed during wartime and relied heavily on political power for compliance, whereas the Clean Plate movement in South Korea was based on religion. China’s Clean Your Plate Campaign (CYPC) has gone through two stages: CYPC I and CYPC II. The latter occurred during the unstable period of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was large-scale and more strongly enforced than CYPC I. In China, CYPC has relied more on personal virtue than on politics or religion. Culture, policy, COVID-19, and behavior are all important social factors that influence food waste. Specifically, two cultural values are drivers of food waste in China: hospitality and face-saving (mianzi). In terms of policy, China’s food waste law mainly relies on persuasion; it lacks any power of enforcement. Laws in France and Italy, by contrast, focus on re-using food and involve both coercion and incentives. COVID-19 may have led to panic purchasing and stockpiling, but, in general, it has resulted in a reduction in food waste.
Nonlinear Rail Accessibility and Road Spatial Pattern Effects on House Prices
Authors: Chen Kaida , Lin Hanliang , Liao Lingyun , Lu Yichen , Chen Yen-Jong , Lin Zehua , Teng Linxi , Weng Aifang , Fu Tianqi
Published: April 2022

The continuous change process in the impact of differences in public transport accessibility has not been explained specifically in previous studies. This study reveals that the interaction between two continuous explanatory variables has a significant impact on the explained variable in the hedonic model. The study takes the accessibility variable in the house price model as an instance, dividing the accessibility variable of the residential community into two parts. The first part is the rail accessibility defined by the Euclidean distance from the residential community to the nearest rail transportation station. The second part is the road accessibility defined by two Space Syntax indicators, connectivity and carrying capacity, according to the spatial pattern of the road network. As demonstrated by the spatial interactive regression model, this research finds that road connectivity has a significant regulating effect on the impact of the distance to the closest rail station on house prices based on the empirical evidence from Fuzhou, China.