bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Waste to resource: use of water treatment residual for increased maize productivity and micronutrient content
Authors: Gwandu T. , Blake L. I. , Nezomba H. , Rurinda J. , Chivasa S. , Mtambanengwe F. , Johnson K. L.
Published: September 2021

Soil degradation, which is linked to poor nutrient management, remains a major constraint to sustained crop production in smallholder urban agriculture (UA) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). While organic nutrient resources are often used in UA to complement mineral fertilizers in soil fertility management, they are usually scarce and of poor quality to provide optimum nutrients for crop uptake. Alternative soil nutrient management options are required. This study, therefore, evaluates the short-term benefits of applying an aluminium-based water treatment residual (Al-WTR), in combination with compost and inorganic P fertilizer, on soil chemical properties, and maize (Zea mays L.) productivity and nutrient uptake. An eight-week greenhouse experiment was established with 12 treatments consisting of soil, Al-WTR and compost (with or without P fertilizer). The co-amendment (10% Al-WTR + 10% compost) produced maize shoot biomass of 3.92 ± 0.16 g at 5 weeks after emergence, significantly (p < 0.05) out-yielding the unamended control which yielded 1.33 ± 0.17 g. The addition of P fertilizer to the co-amendment further increased maize shoot yield by about twofold (7.23 ± 0.07 g). The co-amendment (10% Al-WTR + 10% C) with P increased maize uptake of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn), compared with 10% C + P. Overall, the results demonstrate that combining Al-WTR, compost and P fertilizer increases maize productivity and micronutrient uptake in comparison with single amendments of compost and fertilizer. The enhanced micronutrient uptake can potentially improve maize grain quality, and subsequently human nutrition for the urban population of SSA, partly addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal number 3 of improving diets.
Personal exposure levels to O3, NOx and PM10 and the association to ambient levels in two Swedish cities
Authors: Haga Susanna Lohman , Hagenbjörk Annika , Olin Anna-Carin , Forsberg Bertil , Liljelind Ingrid , Carlsen Hanne Krage , Modig Lars
Published: September 2021

Exposure to air pollution is of great concern for public health although studies on the associations between exposure estimates and personal exposure are limited and somewhat inconsistent. The aim of this study was to quantify the associations between personal nitrogen oxides (NOx), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM10) exposure levels and ambient levels, and the impact of climate and time spent outdoors in two cities in Sweden. Subjects (n = 65) from two Swedish cities participated in the study. The study protocol included personal exposure measurements at three occasions, or waves. Personal exposure measurements were performed for NOx and O3 for 24 h and PM10 for 24 h, and the participants kept an activity diary. Stationary monitoring stations provided hourly data of NOx, O3 and PM, as well as data on air temperature and relative humidity. Data were analysed using mixed linear models with the subject-id as a random effect and stationary exposure and covariates as fixed effects. Personal exposure levels of NOx, O3 and PM10 were significantly associated with levels measured at air pollution monitoring stations. The associations persisted after adjusting for temperature, relative humidity, city and wave, but the modelled estimates were slightly attenuated from 2.4% (95% CI 1.8–2.9) to 2.0% (0.97–2.94%) for NOx, from 3.7% (95% CI 3.1–4.4) to 2.1% (95% CI 1.1–2.9%) for O3 and from 2.6% (95% 0.9–4.2%) to 1.3% (95% CI − 1.5–4.0) for PM10. After adding covariates, the degree of explanation offered by the model (coefficient of determination, or R2) did not change for NOx (0.64 to 0.63) but increased from 0.46 to 0.63 for O3, and from 0.38 to 0.43 for PM10. Personal exposure to NOx, O3 and PM has moderate to good association with levels measured at urban background sites. The results indicate that stationary measurements are valid as measure of exposure in environmental health risk assessments, especially if they can be refined using activity diaries and meteorological data. Approximately 50–70% of the variation of the personal exposure was explained by the stationary measurement, implying occurrence of misclassification in studies using more crude exposure metrics, potentially leading to underestimates of the effects of exposure to ambient air pollution.
The Use of Examples in Philosophy of Technology
Authors: Bantwal Rao Mithun
Published: September 2021

This paper is a contribution to a discussion in philosophy of technology by focusing on the epistemological status of the example. Of the various developments in the emerging, inchoate field of philosophy of technology, the “empirical turn” stands out as having left the most enduring mark on the trajectory contemporary research takes. From a historical point of view, the empirical turn can best be understood as a corrective to the overly “transcendentalizing” tendencies of “classical” philosophers of technology, such as Heidegger. Empirically oriented philosophy of technology emphasizes actual technologies through case-study research into the formation of technical objects and systems (constructivist studies) and how they, for example, transform our perceptions and conceptions (the phenomenological tradition) or pass on and propagate relations of power (critical theory). This paper explores the point of convergence of classical and contemporary approaches by means of the notion of the “example” or “paradigm.” It starts with a discussion of the quintessential modern philosopher of technology, Martin Heidegger, and his thinking about technology in terms of the ontological difference. Heidegger’s framing of technology in terms of this difference places the weight of intelligibility entirely on the side of being, to such an extent that his examples become heuristic rather than constitutive. The second part of the paper discusses the methodological and epistemological import of the “example” and the form of intelligibility it affords. Drawing on the work of Wittgenstein (standard metre), Foucault (panopticism), and Agamben (paradigm), we argue that the example offers an alternative way of understanding the study of technologies from that of empirical case studies.
‘Defensive Escalations’
Authors: Lang Gerald
Published: September 2021

Defence cases with an escalatory structure, in which the levels of violence between aggressor and defender start out as minor and then become major, even lethal, raise sharp problems for defence theory, and for our understanding of the conditions of defence: proportionality, necessity, and imminence. It is argued here that defenders are not morally required to withdraw from participation in these cases, and that defensive escalations do not offend against any of the conditions of defence, on an adequate understanding of them. No plausible interpretation of proportionality or necessity excludes defensive permissions in escalatory cases. Moreover, the structure of escalatory defensive cases also sheds useful light on permissible responses to conditional deadly threats. This is because we can analyse conditional deadly threats as disguised cases of escalation. Because defensive resistance is permissible in escalatory cases, it is also permissible in cases involving conditional deadly threats.
99mTc-HMPAO SPECT imaging reveals brain hypoperfusion during status epilepticus
Authors: Bascuñana Pablo , Wolf Bettina J. , Jahreis Ina , Brackhan Mirjam , García-García Luis , Ross Tobias L. , Bengel Frank M. , Bankstahl Marion , Bankstahl Jens P.
Published: September 2021

Status epilepticus (SE) is a clinical emergency with high mortality. SE can trigger neuronal death or injury and alteration of neuronal networks resulting in long-term cognitive decline or epilepsy. Among the multiple factors contributing to this damage, imbalance between oxygen and glucose requirements and brain perfusion during SE has been proposed. Herein, we aimed to quantify by neuroimaging the spatiotemporal course of brain perfusion during and after lithium-pilocarpine-induced SE in rats. To this purpose, animals underwent 99mTc-HMPAO SPECT imaging at different time points during and after SE using a small animal SPECT/CT system. 99mTc-HMPAO regional uptake was normalized to the injected dose. In addition, voxel-based statistical parametric mapping was performed. SPECT imaging showed an increase of cortical perfusion before clinical seizure activity onset followed by regional hypo-perfusion starting with the first convulsive seizure and during SE. Twenty-four hours after SE, brain 99mTc-HMPAO uptake was widely decreased. Finally, chronic epileptic animals showed regionally decreased perfusion affecting hippocampus and cortical sub-regions. Despite elevated energy and oxygen requirements, brain hypo-perfusion is present during SE. Our results suggest that insufficient compensation of required blood flow might contribute to neuronal damage and neuroinflammation, and ultimately to chronic epilepsy generated by SE.
Morus alba L. and Morus nigra L. Leaves as a Promising Food Source of Phenolic Compounds with Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Polumackanycz Milena , Wesolowski Marek , Viapiana Agnieszka
Published: September 2021

Bioactivity of mulberry has been widely described, but mostly related to its fruits, while studies with leaves are scarce. Herein, in this study leaves of two mulberry species (Morus albaL. andMorus nigraL.) were characterized, compared, and evaluated in terms of their phenolic composition and antioxidant activity. Aiming to valorize mulberry leaves extracts which can be included in modern diet four different extracts (infusions, decoctions, tinctures and hydromethanolic) were examined. The chemical characterization was done by quantifying total phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC) and phenolic acids (TPAC) content, L( +)ascorbic acid (ASA) and individual phenolic compounds in the extracts by HPLC technique. Moreover, DPPH and FRAP assays were used to assess the antioxidant activity of white and black mulberry leaves. Findings of these studies revealed that black mulberry leaves were richer in TFC and TPAC, while white mulberry leaves contained higher levels of individual phenolic compounds in water extracts. Gallic acid was found in the highest concentrations in two mulberry leave extracts. Correlation analysis showed strong relationships between antioxidant activity and TPC and TFC. This fact suggests the crucial role of phenolic compounds as antioxidant agents in white and black mulberry leaves. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that leaves of both white and black mulberry can be used as a valuable source of phenolic compounds with bioactive potential, which can be applied in the food sector, as foods and as promising source of natural ingredients.
Modal inferences in science: a tale of two epistemologies
Authors: Hirvonen Ilmari , Koskinen Rami , Pättiniemi Ilkka
Published: September 2021

Recent epistemology of modality has seen a growing trend towards metaphysics-first approaches. Contrastingly, this paper offers a more philosophically modest account of justifying modal claims, focusing on the practices of scientific modal inferences. Two ways of making such inferences are identified and analyzed: actualist-manipulationist modality (AM) and relative modality (RM). In AM, what is observed to be or not to be the case in actuality or under manipulations, allows us to make modal inferences. AM-based inferences are fallible, but the same holds for practically all empirical inquiry. In RM, modal inferences are evaluated relative to what is kept fixed in a system, like a theory or a model. RM-based inferences are more certain but framework-dependent. While elements from both AM and RM can be found in some existing accounts of modality, it is worth highlighting them in their own right and isolating their features for closer scrutiny. This helps to establish their relevant epistemologies that are free from some strong philosophical assumptions often attached to them in the literature. We close by showing how combining these two routes amounts to a view that accounts for a rich variety of modal inferences in science.
Changes of urine isolates of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilm affect monocytes’ response
Authors: Daca Agnieszka , Gołębiewska Justyna , Bronk Marek , Jarzembowski Tomasz
Published: September 2021

The Gram negative rods as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae belong to the most common etiology agents of urinary tract infections. The aim of our study was to assess the diversity of biofilm formed in different urinary tract diseases and their impact on monocytes’ adherence and activation. The bacteria were obtained from patients with different kidney problems. Some of the patients were after renal transplantation, some of them were not. Changes in the size and granularity of monocytes, as well as their adherence to biofilm, were assessed using FACSVerse flow cytometer after 1 h co-incubation of monocytes and bacterial biofilm in 37 °C. The obtained results were validated against monocytes incubated without bacteria. The isolates from patients with chronic kidney disease formed the most adherent biofilm regardless the presence or absence of inflammatory reaction. Adherence of monocytes also increased during therapy with immunosuppressive agents, but monocytes’ response was different when cyclosporine or tacrolimus were used. Additionally the presence of inflammatory reaction in patients with kidney disease modified the monocytes response when the immunosuppressive drugs were used. Considering the obtained results, we conclude that the changes of monocytes’ morphology in response to biofilm formed by Gram negative rods could become a tool to detect urinary tract infection, especially in those groups of patients, where the knowledge of ongoing inflammation is important and the standard tools fail to detect it.
Ethnic Disparities and the Psychological Trauma of Maltreated Children: Evidence from Three Multi-ethnic Counties in China
Authors: Wan Guowei , Gong Huihui
Published: September 2021

This study aims to discuss the effect of ethnicity on child maltreatment trauma in China and to contribute to international knowledge on the quality of life of children. The data come from a survey of 1763 rural children (Mage = 12.34, 50.0% boys) in three multi-ethnic counties in western China that was conducted from November 2019 to January 2020 with the modified versions of the “Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire” Scale. There are three important findings of this study. First, child maltreatment is significantly related to child depression in China. The depression score and rate of severe depression symptoms (SDS) are 2.09 times and 3.82 times higher, respectively, for maltreated children than children without maltreatment. Second, the effects of maltreatment on child depression differ significantly among the ethnic groups. The negative effect of maltreatment is most influential among the Han population and least influential among the Zhuang population. Third, ethnic disparities are also found in the effects of the influencing factors on child depression. The effect of intergenerational relationships on child depression is significant only in the Han and Tibetan populations, while the negative effect of peer support is found only among Han, Tibetan, and Miao children. Based on the confirmation of ethnic disparities in trauma due to maltreatment, this study suggests that it is necessary to establish a high-quality psychological intervention system in China’s multi-ethnic counties.
The influence of snuff and smoking on bone accretion in late adolescence. The Tromsø study, Fit Futures
Authors: Nilsen Ole Andreas , Emaus Nina , Christoffersen Tore , Winther Anne , Evensen Elin , Thrane Gyrd , Furberg Anne-Sofie , Grimnes Guri , Ahmed Luai Awad
Published: September 2021

Summary

Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) predicts future fracture risk. This study explores associations between use of tobacco and bone accretion in Norwegian adolescents. Our results indicate that use of snuff is negatively associated with accretion of aBMD in adolescence and may be a signal of increased future fracture risk.

Purpose

Bone mineral accrual in childhood and adolescence is a long-term primary preventive strategy of osteoporosis. Areal bone mineral density (aBMD) is a surrogate measure of bone strength and a predictor of fracture risk. The aim of this population-based 2-year follow-up cohort study was to explore associations between use of snuff and smoking and changes (∆) in aBMD in Norwegian girls and boys aged 15–17 years at baseline.

Methods

The first wave of the Tromsø study, Fit Futures was conducted from 2010 to 2011. Femoral neck (FN), total hip (TH), and total body (TB) bone mineral content (BMC) and aBMD were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Information on use of snuff, smoking habits, and other lifestyle related variables were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Two years later, during 2012–2013, the measurements were repeated in the second wave. The present study included 349 girls and 281 boys and compared “non-users” (n = 243 girls, 184 boys) with “users” (n = 105 girls, 96 boys) of snuff and “non-smokers” (n = 327 girls, 249 boys) with “smokers” (n = 21 girls, 31 boys) using linear regression adjusted for age, baseline height and weight, change in height and weight, pubertal maturation, physical activity, ethnicity, alcohol consumption, diagnosis known to affect bone, and medication known to affect bone. The influence of “double use” on bone accretion was also explored.

Results

In girls, no associations between use of snuff and ∆aBMD were found. In boys, use of snuff was associated with reduced bone accretion in all ∆aBMD models. Sensitivity analysis with exclusion of “sometimes” users of snuff strengthened associations at femoral sites in girls and attenuated all associations in boys. In girls, no associations between smoking and ∆aBMD were found. In boys, only the association with TB ∆aBMD was significant in the fully adjusted models. In girls, “double users” analyses showed similar association to smoking. In boys, nearly all models showed statistically significant associations with a difference of ~ 1–2% in ∆aBMD between “non-users” and “double users” during 2 years of follow-up.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that tobacco use in late adolescence could be detrimental to bone accretion and may be a signal of increased fracture risk in adult life.
Biosensor-based assay of exosome biomarker for early diagnosis of cancer
Authors: Deng Ying , Sun Zhaowei , Wang Lei , Wang Minghui , Yang Jie , Li Genxi
Published: September 2021

Cancer imposes a severe threat to people’s health and lives, thus pressing a huge medical and economic burden on individuals and communities. Therefore, early diagnosis of cancer is indispensable in the timely prevention and effective treatment for patients. Exosome has recently become an attractive cancer biomarker in noninvasive early diagnosis because of the unique physiology and pathology functions, which reflects remarkable information regarding the cancer microenvironment, and plays an important role in the occurrence and evolution of cancer. Meanwhile, biosensors have gained great attention for the detection of exosomes due to their superior properties, such as convenient operation, real-time readout, high sensitivity, and remarkable specificity, suggesting promising biomedical applications in the early diagnosis of cancer. In this review, the latest advances of biosensors regarding the assay of exosomes were summarized, and the superiorities of exosomes as markers for the early diagnosis of cancer were evaluated. Moreover, the recent challenges and further opportunities of developing effective biosensors for the early diagnosis of cancer were discussed.
Evidence That HFE H63D Variant Is a Potential Disease Modifier in Cluster Headache
Authors: Papasavva Maria , Vikelis Michail , Katsarou Martha-Spyridoula , Siokas Vasileios , Dermitzakis Emmanouil , Papademetriou Christoforos , Karakostis Konstantinos , Lazopoulos George , Dardiotis Efthimios , Drakoulis Nikolaos
Published: September 2021

Cluster headache (CH) is a primary headache disorder with a complex genetic background. Several studies indicate a potential link between iron homeostasis and the pathophysiology of primary headaches. The HFE gene encodes for a protein involved in iron metabolism, while genetic variants in HFE have been associated with hereditary hemochromatosis (HH), an iron overload disorder. The objective of the current study was to examine the association of the more common HFE H63D variant, with the susceptibility to develop CH and diverse clinical phenotypes in a population of Southeastern European Caucasian (SEC) origin. Genomic DNA samples from 128 CH patients and 294 neurologically healthy controls were genotyped for the HFE rs1799945 (H63D) variant. H63D genotypic and allelic frequency distribution did not differ significantly between patients and controls (p > 0.05). Subgroup analysis revealed a significantly more frequent occurrence of the variant G allele in chronic compared to episodic CH patients, indicative for a possible correlation of the HFE gene with the susceptibility for disease chronification. Although homozygosity for the less prevalent H63D variant G allele was minimal in the CH cohort, the results of the present study are in accordance with previous studies in CH and migraine patients, suggesting that HFE H63D variant modifies the disease clinical characteristics. Hence, despite the absence of a per se association with CH susceptibility in the current SEC cohort, variability in HFE gene may be potentially regarded as a disease modifier genetic factor in CH.
The Effect of Odour Valence and Odour Detection Threshold on the Withholding and Cancellation of Reach-to-Press Responses
Authors: Albayay Javier , Castiello Umberto , Parma Valentina
Published: September 2021

Introduction

Withholding uninitiated actions and cancelling ongoing ones are two main components of response inhibition, a key element of the executive control. Inhibitory performance is sensitive to emotional contexts elicited by subliminal and supraliminal visual material. However, whether stimuli from other sensory modalities, such as odours, would equally modulate response inhibition remains unclear. Here, we aimed to assess the effect of task-irrelevant odours as a function of their valence and threshold on both action withholding and action cancellation of reach-to-press movements.

Method

Thirty-two healthy participants performed a Go/No-Go task that included the presentation of pleasant (orange) and unpleasant (trimethyloxazole) odour primes at supra- and sub-threshold levels; clean air was included as a control condition. The reach-to-press responses were composed of an initial release phase and a subsequent reaching phase.

Results

Only the supra-threshold pleasant (vs. control) odour impaired action withholding. Moreover, the pleasant (vs. control) odour—presented at both sub- and supra-threshold levels—elicited more accurate Go responses, whereas the sub- and supra-threshold pleasant and unpleasant (vs. control) odours triggered faster responses in the release phase. Additionally, only the supra-threshold pleasant (vs. unpleasant) odour impaired action cancellation in the reaching phase. Furthermore, reaching responses were slower following the supra-threshold unpleasant (vs. control) odour.

Conclusions

Our findings extend the sparse literature on the impact of odour stimuli on goal-directed behaviour, highlighting the role of both odour valence and threshold in the modulation of response inhibition.

Implications

Determining the mechanisms by which odour stimuli modulate response inhibition lays the foundations for research on odour-triggered disinhibition.
Die Lausitz als Modellregion einer nachhaltigen Transformation
Authors: Retkowski Alexandra
Published: September 2021

Seit dem im Jahre 2019 beschlossenen Kohleausstieg ist die Lausitz als eine der drei bundesrepublikanischen Kohlereviere ins Bewusstsein einer breiteren Öffentlichkeit gerückt. Es handelt sich um eine Region, die sich nach dem dreißigjährigen Transformationsprozess im Zuge des Einheitsprozesses dadurch erneut in einem tiefgreifenden Strukturwandel befindet. Der Beitrag geht auf Basis einer qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse von Positionspapieren verschiedener Lausitzer Akteur*innengruppen aus Politik, Wirtschaft und Zivilgesellschaft der Frage nach, wie sich in diesen Stellungnahmen Forderungen und Zielvorstellungen eines sozialökologischen Wandlungsprozesses abbilden. Als Kategoriensystem wird auf die 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) der von der Bundesrepublik unterzeichneten AGENDA 2030 der United Nations (UN) zurückgegriffen, die mit den fünf Kernbotschaften People, Prosperity, Planet, Partnership und Peace ein Programm zur ökonomischen, ökologischen und sozialen Nachhaltigkeit im Sinne eines integrativen Nachhaltigkeitskonzepts entwickelt hat. Das empirische Vorgehen verfolgt ein doppeltes Ziel: Es werden die Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen den Perspektiven der Lausitzer Positionspapiere und den 17 SDGs herausgearbeitet, sodass auf dieser Basis das Profilbild eines möglichen Lausitzer Transformationsprozesses entlang der AGENDA 2030 entsteht. Zum anderen wird die Bedeutung der Sozialen Arbeit innerhalb dieses Profilbilds ausgelotet und im Anschluss diskutiert, welche Potenziale die Nachhaltigkeitsorientierung der 17 SDGs für die Soziale Arbeit hat.
Age and Growth of Southern Bluefin Tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, Based on Otolith Microstructure
Authors: Ku Jeong Eun , Lee Sung Il , Kim Doo Nam
Published: September 2021

Age and growth of southern bluefin tuna (SBT, Thunnus maccoyii) were estimated based on otoliths collected by Korean tuna longline vessels in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans from 2015 to 2019. A total of 739 specimens were used to estimate age and growth of SBT, with sizes ranging from 66 to 181 cm in fork length. It was confirmed that the otolith is a suitable aging characteristic for determining SBT age, and otolith annuli can be used as an annual ring. The relationship between fork length (FL) and total weight (W) was W = 7.7e − 05FL2.722 (R2 = 0.874). The von Bertalanffy’s growth parameters estimated from the non-linear method using length-at-age data were L∞ = 170.0 cm, K = 0.200/year, t0 = − 1.615 years, with 95% confidence intervals between 166 and 175 cm for L∞, 0.17–0.23/year for K, and − 2.27 to − 1.09 years for t0 from bootstrapping. The Kimura’s likelihood ratio test results of the models under assumptions of common and different parameters between female and male concluded that the growth of SBT has no difference between genders.
A Latent Topic Analysis and Visualization Framework for Category-Level Target Promotion in the Supermarket
Authors: Sun Yi , Hayashi Teruaki , Ohsawa Yukio
Published: September 2021

Deciding when and which products to recommend to whom is always an essential issue for retailers. In this study, we propose a mixed framework with two components to capture customer buying behavior and its changes over time and visualize these results to better help retailers choose and target products strategically for marketing. In this framework, a topic model is first used to extract customer’s purchase behavior instead of association rules or K-means as mainly used in market field. To automatically choose the optimal number of topics, we implement an approach proposed by Koltcov et al. on point-of-sale (POS) data in the supermarket. Meanwhile, to grasp the change of topics over time, we divided monthly POS data in half and applied the topic model with Renyi entropy separately. The results suggest that splitting data might be a better way to understand customer behavior. Second, we consider how to develop an effective way to visualize the results of the topic model, which is essential, because in a supermarket context, simply knowing which product categories are included under which topics is not enough to support how a supermarket promotes their products. To address this, we design a three-layer visualization approach to better interpret the topic model results and to help retailers design target promotion strategies. The design of visualization was overlooked by studies related to the use of topic models on supermarket data. Finally, to demonstrate the usefulness of our proposed framework, we conduct a simple scenario-based analysis between our framework and other models, such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) and the Dynamic Topic Model (DTM). The results show that for most periods, our proposed framework outperforms LDA and DTM.
A comprehensive research in chemical consolidator/stabilizer agents on sand production control
Authors: Tabar Mohammad Azadi , Bagherzadeh Hadi , Shahrabadi Abbas , Dahim Sadegh
Published: September 2021

Sand or fine is a typical product in many processing of oil production from unconsolidated and weakly consolidated formations. High variation of in situ stress, fluid production rate above maximum sand-free rate, and water production are main primary sources of the sand production. Sand production can cause hazardous operational problems to the facilities, pipes, and wellbore. Hence, it is a significant problem that requires to be managed and studied. To minimize the operational impacts of particle migration, chemical consolidators/stabilizers can be utilized to alter surface properties of sand and formation particles. The decreasing zeta potential besides increasing the cohesion between sand and formation particles could result in controlled sand production. However, understanding the mechanism and application of chemical methods to alleviate sand production is not well-discussed. This study presents and discusses chemical consolidator/stabilizer agents, which may be applied for managing sand production in the petroleum industry. This was achieved through a comprehension review of the literature and the application of chemical consolidators/stabilizers in other fields such as bauxite residue (red mud and red sand) control, desert sand, mine reclamation, wind erosion control, unpaved road modification, and enhancement of water retention and soil infiltration properties that are similar to formation sand. Standard experimental methods in various fields, for performance analysis of chemical consolidator/stabilizer agents, are compared and summarized. The consolidation/stabilization mechanisms of various types of chemical consolidator/stabilizer agents are discussed and compared. This review potentially can be used to inhibit blind usage of chemicals and functions as a reference to additional research in sand production control in petroleum engineering. The results are appropriate for extending quantitative approaches for performance evaluation of sand consolidator/stabilizer agents.
Cardinal estimates involving the weak Lindelöf game
Authors: Aurichi Leandro , Bella Angelo , Spadaro Santi
Published: September 2021

We show that if X is a first-countable Urysohn space where player II has a winning strategy in the game $$G^{\omega _1}_1({\mathcal {O}}, {\mathcal {O}}_D)$$

G
1

ω
1

(
O
,

O
D

)

(the weak Lindelöf game of length $$\omega _1$$

ω
1

) then X has cardinality at most continuum. This may be considered a partial answer to an old question of Bell, Ginsburg and Woods. It is also the best result of this kind since there are Hausdorff first-countable spaces of arbitrarily large cardinality where player II has a winning strategy even in the weak Lindelöf game of countable length. We also tackle the problem of finding a bound on the cardinality of a first-countable space where player II has a winning strategy in the game $$G^{\omega _1}_{fin}({\mathcal {O}}, {\mathcal {O}}_D)$$

G

fin

ω
1

(
O
,

O
D

)

, providing some partial answers to it. We finish by constructing an example of a compact space where player II does not have a winning strategy in the weak Lindelöf game of length $$\omega _1$$

ω
1

.
Sensitivity analysis of queueing models based on polynomial chaos approach
Authors: Ameur Lounes , Bachioua Lahcene
Published: September 2021

Queueing systems are modeled by equations which depend on a large number of input parameters. In practice, significant uncertainty is associated with estimates of these parameters, and this uncertainty must be considered in the analysis of the model. The objective of this paper is to propose a sensitivity analysis approach for a queueing model, presenting parameters that follow a Gaussian distribution. The approach consists in decomposing the output of the model (stationary distribution of the model) into a polynomial chaos. The sensitivity indices, allowing to quantify the contribution of each parameter to the variance of the output, are obtained directly from the coefficients of decomposition. The proposed approach is then applied to M/G/1/N queueing model. The most influential parameters are highlighted. Finally several numerical and data examples are sketched out to illustrate the accuracy of the proposed method and compare them with Monte Carlo simulation. The results of this work will be useful to practitioners in various fields of theoretical and applied sciences.
Angekündigter assistierter Suizid in der Schweiz – Ein Fallbericht
Authors: Vyssoki Benjamin , Stich Michaela , Eder-Pissarek Elisabeth , Jez Ingrid , Dobias Stefan , Unger Annemarie , Kautzky Alexander , Psota Georg
Published: September 2021

Aktive Sterbehilfe ist aktuell in Österreich noch gesetzlich verboten. Aufgrund einer Entscheidung des Verfassungsgerichtshofs wäre assistierter Suizid ab dem Jahr 2022 gänzlich legal. Eine gesetzliche Regelung, die Grenzen zwischen legalen Formen einer Assistenz sowie deren Voraussetzungen und weiterhin unerlaubten Assistenzleistungen zieht, ist derzeit noch nicht in Sicht. Ein Suizid, der auf Verlangen des Suizidenten von fremder Hand herbeigeführt wird, bleibt jedenfalls weiterhin strafbar; dies auch dann, wenn der Suizident physisch nicht mehr in der Lage ist, bei seiner Tötung mitzuwirken. In mehreren europäischen Ländern wurde aktive Sterbehilfe bereits legalisiert und in manchen Ländern, wie zum Beispiel der Schweiz, kann assistierter Suizid auch ohne lebenszeitlimitierende Grunderkrankung, bei unerträglichem Leid und insuffizient vorhandenen weitere Behandlungsmöglichkeiten in Anspruch genommen werden. In diesem Fallbericht wird die Kasuistik einer Patientin geschildert welche, als Grunderkrankung an einer Persönlichkeitsstörung leidend, einen assistierten Suizid in der Schweiz geplant hatte. Es werden die ethischen und juristischen Hintergründe dieses Fallberichts diskutiert.

Das zur Verfügung stellen assistierter Suizidmöglichkeiten birgt die große Gefahr, dass Menschen mit psychischer Erkrankung, insbesondere bei schweren depressiven Episoden, Behandlungsangebote ablehnen und anstelle Suizid durch einen professionellen Sterbehilfeanbieter wählen könnten. Insbesondere gewarnt werden muss vor der Tatsache, dass Menschen in aktuell schwer depressivem Zustandsbild aufgrund dessen zumeist unter eingeschränkter Entscheidungsfähigkeit leiden und nur bedingt über die Möglichkeit der freien Willensentscheidung verfügen.
A critical reflection on the Commission on Religious Education’s proposed National Entitlement to Religion and Worldviews in England and Wales
Authors: Salter Emma
Published: September 2021

This paper responds to the Commission on Religious Education’s proposed National Entitlement to Religion and Worldviews in England and Wales. Qualitative data were collected from nine English primary Religious Education (RE) teachers to establish their responses to the proposed National Entitlement from their perspectives as RE practitioners. Findings show that teachers were supportive of the high ambitions the National Entitlement has for RE, that they saw opportunities for pupils’ social and personal development as well as advancement in substantive knowledge, but that they were concerned about content-heavy curricula and structural barriers to implementing the National Entitlement. In response, the paper examines ‘cumulatively sufficient’ curricular design and ‘pedagogical reduction’ as strategies to activate the National Entitlement, and raises questions about ‘instrumental purposes’ in the conceptualisation of Religion and Worldviews. The paper recommends sharper account of the originality of Religions and Worldviews in order to advance the cause of the National Entitlement.
A Novel Bionic Piezoelectric Actuator Based on the Walrus Motion
Authors: Li Jianping , Cai Junjie , Wan Nen , Hu Yili , Wen Jianming , Kan Junwu , Chen Song , Zhao Hongwei
Published: September 2021

A novel bionic piezoelectric actuator based on the walrus motion to achieve high performance on large working stroke for micro/nano positioning systems is first proposed in this study. The structure of the proposed walrus type piezoelectric actuator is described, and its motion principle is presented in details. An experimental system is set up to verify its feasibility and explore its working performances. Experimental results indicate that the proposed walrus type piezoelectric actuator could realize large working stroke with only one driving unit and one coupled clamping unit; the maximum stepping displacement is ΔLmax = 19.5 μm in the case that the frequency f = 1 Hz and the voltage U = 120 V; the maximum speed Vmax = 2275.2 μm · s−1 when the frequency f = 900 Hz and the voltage U = 120 V; the maximum vertical load mmax = 350 g while the voltage U = 120 V and the frequency f = 1 Hz. This study shows the feasibility of mimicking the bionic motion of the real walrus animal to the design of piezoelectric actuators, which is hopeful for the real application of micro/nano positioning systems to achieve large working stroke and high performance.
Evaluation of nano-confined catalytic oxidation air purification technology on eliminating marijuana chemicals and odour
Authors: Kwok Abiel , Hong Christopher , Kwok Ezra
Published: September 2021

The novel air purification technology, Nano-Confined Catalytic Oxidation (NCCO), has been proven to be effective at eliminating air pollutants. With the increasing legalization and decriminalization of medicinal and recreational cannabis and related products, respectively, in many countries and jurisdictions around the world, concerns have been raised about indoor air quality from smoking cannabis products, such as marijuana, which produce gaseous pollutants and intense odour. In this study, NCCO technology has been evaluated for its effectiveness in reducing key marijuana concentrations in polluted indoor air by direct measurements and odour intensity assessments by human volunteers. For the odour intensity measurements, 20 non-cannabis adults participated in the odour assessment. The results are remarkable and statistically significant. The reduction in Dronabinol, a pharmaceutical form of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabinol, averages 93.4%, whereas that in airborne marijuana compounds with no air purification only averages 6.2%. The technology also demonstrates statistically significant reductions in PM2.5, PM10 and total volatile organic compounds generated from marijuana smoke. The technology was able to restore high levels of harmful particulate matter to normal baseline levels. Furthermore, the odour assessment conducted by a group of 20 volunteers also confirmed statistically significant reductions in marijuana odour by 55.6% after 50 min of air purification.
Meteorology and climatology of historical weekly wind and solar power resource droughts over western North America in ERA5
Authors: Brown Patrick T. , Farnham David J. , Caldeira Ken
Published: September 2021

Wind and solar electricity generation is projected to expand substantially over the next several decades due both to rapid cost declines as well as regulation designed to achieve climate targets. With increasing reliance on wind and solar generation, future energy systems may be vulnerable to previously underappreciated synoptic-scale variations characterized by low wind and/or surface solar radiation. Here we use western North America as a case study region to investigate the historical meteorology of weekly-scale “droughts” in potential wind power, potential solar power and their compound occurrence. We also investigate the covariability between wind and solar droughts with potential stresses on energy demand due to temperature deviations away human comfort levels. We find that wind power drought weeks tend to occur in late summer and are characterized by a mid-level atmospheric ridge centered over British Columbia and high sea level pressure on the lee side of the Rockies. Solar power drought weeks tend to occur near winter solstice when the seasonal minimum in incoming solar radiation co-occurs with the tendency for mid-level troughs and low pressure systems over the U.S. southwest. Compound wind and solar power drought weeks consist of the aforementioned synoptic pattern associated with wind droughts occurring near winter solstice when the solar resource is at its seasonal minimum. We find that wind drought weeks are associated with high solar power (and vice versa) both seasonally and in terms of synoptic meteorology, which supports the notion that wind and solar power generation can play complementary roles in a diversified energy portfolio at synoptic spatiotemporal scales over western North America.
The impact of anode materials on the performance of electrochemical CO2 reduction to carbon monoxide
Authors: Hika Wasihun Abebe , Woldu Abebe Reda
Published: September 2021

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR) has been investigated for decades. CO2RR to value-added products is an indispensable option to address climate change and energy storage needs. We believed that CO2RR performance can be influenced by the anode materials employed for the oxidation half-reaction. Although H2O oxidation near-neutral solution does not being received greater attention, there is also an idea that it plays an important role not only in completing CO2reduction cycle, but also to significantly influence the cathode during reduction. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of three different anode materials (platinum, glassy carbon, and hematite) on the activity and selectivity of the gold cathode in an electrochemical CO2reduction reaction. Linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been used to study electrocatalytic properties. In the meantime, x-ray diffraction is used to investigate the crystal planes of the as-prepared electrodes, while the work function and morphology of Au films were measured by atomic force microscope. Similar activity and selectivity to CO formation were observed when platinum and hematite were used as counter electrodes, while the least CO formation was recorded on the glassy carbon counter electrode.

Graphic abstract

The protons (H+) obtained from the oxidation of H2O onto these three different anodic materials (platinum, glassy carbon, hematite) are moving faster through the bulk of the solution to the working electrode. Consequently, the reaction occurred on the working electrode can be influenced by the number of protons coming from the anode.
Smart learning strategy for predicting viscoelastic surfactant (VES) viscosity in oil well matrix acidizing process using a rigorous mathematical approach
Authors: Mahdaviara Mehdi , Rostami Alireza , Shahbazi Khalil
Published: September 2021

This piece of study attempts to accurately anticipate the apparent viscosity of the viscoelastic surfactant (VES) based self-diverting acids as a function of VES concentration, temperature, shear rate, and pH value. The focus not only is on generating computer-aided models but also on developing a straightforward and reliable explicit mathematical expression. Towards this end, Gene Expression Programming (GEP) is used to connect the aforementioned features to and the target. The GEP network is trained using a wide dataset adopted from open literature and leads to an empirical correlation for fulfilling the aim of this study. The performance of the proposed model is shown to be fair enough. The accuracy analysis indicates satisfactory Root Mean Square Error and R-squared values of 7.07 and 0.95, respectively. Additionally, the proposed GEP model is compared with literature published correlations and established itself as the superior approach for predicting the viscosity of VES-based acids. Accordingly, the GEP model can be potentially served as an efficient alternative to experimental measurements. Its obvious advantages are saving time, lowering the expenses, avoiding sophisticated experimental procedures, and accelerating the diverter design in stimulation operations.

Article Highlights

The Gene Expression Programming evolutionary algorithm is proposed for modeling the viscosity of Viscoelastic Surfactant-based self-diverting acids.

The viscoelastic surfactant viscosity correlation presents high accuracy which is demonstrated through multiple analyses.

The Gene Expression Programming algorithm is a reliable tool expediting the diverter design phase of each stimulation operation.
Portolankarten – Aufnahme und Abbildung
Authors: Mesenburg Peter
Published: September 2021

Maps are flat images of the earth‘s surface. The basis and prerequisite for their production is the relative spatial definition of the map content on the earth‘s surface, and this is usually done in the context of surveying recording processes. The particular accuracy of the portolan charts, which have passed on since the thirteenth century, suggests that these were also created on the basis of specific measurements, although details of their creation have not yet been clarified. Questions about the data base and especially about the projection of the maps have been the subject of scientific research for over 100 years (Kretschmer 1909; Campbell 2021). Here, for the first time, a method is presented that makes it possible to construct maps of the Mediterranean with simple aids (compasses and ruler) in such a way that they correspond to the accuracy and other properties of the portolan charts. A map projection is used for which there are no mapping equations, but at most a mapping description. As a surveying basis for the mapping, distances are used that have been determined with a high degree of probability since ancient times. Triangles are constructed from these lines and transferred directly to the plane without any reduction in the image. The result is a geometrically unambiguous field of support points of known ports. The missing coastal structures can be supplemented after the construction of the field of support points on the basis of traditional coastal descriptions (Portolani/Periploi).