bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre-Shaped Burst-Mode Hybrid MOPA Laser System at 10 kHz Pulse Frequency
Authors: Zhang Shanchun , Yu Xin , Peng Jiangbo , Cao Zhen
Published: January 2023

A temporal pre-shaped burst-mode hybrid fiber-bulk laser system was illustrated at a 10 kHz rate with a narrow spectral linewidth. A theoretical model was proposed to counteract the temporal profile distortion and compensate for the desired one, based on reverse process of amplification. For uniformly modulated injection, amplified shapes were recorded and investigated in series for their varied pulse duration, envelope width and amplification delay, respectively. The pre-shaped output effectively realized a uniform distribution on a time scale for both the burst envelope and pulse shape under the action of the established theoretical method. Compared with previous amplification delay methods, this model possesses the capacity to extend itself for applications in burst-mode shaping with variable parameters and characteristics. The maximum pulse energy was enlarged up to 9.68 mJ, 8.94 mJ and 6.57 mJ with a 300 ns pulse duration over envelope widths of 2 ms to 4 ms. Moreover, the time-averaged spectral bandwidths were measured and characterized with Lonrentz fits of 68.3 MHz, 67.2 MHz and 67.7 MHz when the pulse duration varied from 100 ns to 300 ns.
Internet Use and the Poverty Vulnerability of Rural Households: From the Perspective of Risk Response
Authors: Zhang Shasha , Liu Qian , Zheng Xungang , Sun Juan
Published: January 2023

Alleviating the poverty vulnerability of rural households helps to resist risk shocks and maintain livelihood security. From a risk-response-ability and -strategy perspective, this paper constructs a theoretical analysis framework for the impact of internet use on the poverty vulnerability of rural households using data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to conduct an empirical analysis. The results show that internet use has a significant impact on alleviating the poverty vulnerability of rural households. After a robustness test using the IV-probit two-step method, the results remained robust and reliable. When viewed from a regional perspective, the impact of internet use on the poverty vulnerability of rural households is reduced in the regions with a lower risk of poverty and higher use of the internet. An analysis of the influence mechanism shows that risk-response ability represented by human capital, social capital, and selfefficacy and risk-response strategy represented by nonagricultural employment and commercial insurance participation have a significant mediating effect between internet use and the poverty vulnerability of rural households. Therefore, based on improving network infrastructure, the government should guide rural households to improve their risk-response ability and implement risk-response strategies to prevent them from falling into poverty in the future.
The Role of Two-Way Influences on Sustaining Green Brand Engagement and Loyalty in Social Media
Authors: Chuang Huan-Ming , Chen Chien-I
Published: January 2023

In the current era, social media is changing how people interact with each other and their perceptions of branding, marketing, and commerce. Due to the growing concern about the sustainability of the environment and the wellbeing of societies, green marketing and branding are essential to reach these aims. Leveraging the power of brand pages in social media for green branding and impact are critical issues. This study is concerned with information influence, persuasiveness, adoption, and its impact on green page use engagement, especially on social media, such as Facebook. Based on the perspective of the Information Adoption Model (IAM) and Information Acceptance Model (IACM) that integrated theories from information influence and adoption, this study advances by identifying the antecedents of information usefulness and applying information adoption in the context of Facebook brand engagement. A questionnaire survey with 416 valid responses from Facebook fan page users is used. The hypotheses of the proposed model are tested using a structural equation model with AMOS software. The results show that: (1) Information and source credibility are two critical antecedents of information usefulness with different degrees of impact. (2) Information usefulness, brand engagement, and brand loyalty are found to have a significant cause-and-effect relationship. (3) Brand engagement is found to mediate the relationship between information usefulness and brand loyalty. (4) Enhancing information usefulness would improve customers’ brand loyalty to the brand pages. The significant findings of this study could provide insightful information on how to improve the engagement and loyalty of Facebook brand page users to sustain the benefits of green marketing.
The Credit Accessibility and Adoption of New Agricultural Inputs Nexus: Assessing the Role of Financial Institutions in Sudan
Authors: Nasereldin Yasir A. , Chandio Abbas Ali , Osewe Maurice , Abdullah Muhammad , Ji Yueqing
Published: January 2023

Many studies have shown that credit is crucial for the adoption of new agricultural inputs and technologies in developing countries. Hence, the issue about how financial institutions select farmer applicants to give loans to is very important. We used primary data from 401 rural households to show what kinds of farmers can get credit from banks in Sudan. The probit model is used to examine the factors that determine both farmers’ access to credit and the adoption of new inputs, and to show the nexus of credit accessibility and the adoption of new input through other factors. The main findings show that farming experience, the number of close friends, hire labor, cultivated land, irrigation, and extension services, are the factors that significantly determine farmers’ credit accessibility from banks. Some of these determinants, such as cultivated land and irrigation, also influence the adoption of new inputs. There exists a strong correlation between credit accessibility from banks and the possibility of using new input. In addition, an IV probit model shows that farmers’ use of chemical fertilizers and improved varieties directly influences the loan decision from banks. This means farmers’ credit demand induced by the chance of using new input actually has been satisfied by the banks in Sudan. The comparison results show that, for the subsample, for the Farmer’s Commercial Bank (FCB) the nexus between credit accessibility and the adoption of new inputs is stronger than that of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan (ABS). Therefore, this study recommended that the Sudan government should choose FCB as the lender of subsidized credit to increase the banks’ contribution to the development of plant production.
Research on the Revitalization Path of Ethnic Villages Based on the Inheritance of Spatial Cultural Genes—Taking Tujia Village of Feng Xiang Xi in Guizhou Province as a Case Study
Authors: Fan Jinyu , Zheng Bohong , Zhang Boyang , Huang Zongsheng , Liu Junyou
Published: January 2023

The development of rural ethnic culture resources is conducive to protecting the cultural characteristics of traditional ethnic villages and achieving the great goal of the industrialized utilization of rural cultural heritage resources as well. Oriented by the goal of rural revitalization, this article targets the characteristics and problems of the development of the Tujia village of Feng Xiang Xi in Guizhou Province. Employing the methods of field investigation and cultural gene identification, this paper analyzes the cultural genes of the Tujia ethnic identity and summarizes the characteristics of its spatial representation. It is essential for us to summarize the current difficulties of rural protection and development and clarify the relationship between cultural revitalization, rural revitalization, and sustainable development, which then puts forward a new path for rural revitalization, especially by virtue of the inheritance of the spatial cultural genes of the Tujia village. Specifically, the “protection of the cultural genes of the Tujia ethnic identity” is determined as the principal policy for rural development, the rural spatial structure is reconstructed based on the study tour of the Tujia village, and the public cultural space is reconstructed based on the inheritance and utilization of the cultural genes of Tujia. In the meantime, attention should be paid to orderly construction, and priority should be given to the construction of transportation and service facilities. Finally, it is expected that the research can provide an implementation path for rural revitalization with distinctive ethnic cultures.
Influence of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Market Prices and Food Supply in Urban Markets in Nairobi, Kenya
Authors: Kunyanga Catherine Nkirote , Byskov Morten Fibieger , Hyams Keith , Mburu Samuel , Werikhe Grace , Bett Rawlynce
Published: January 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic caused an unprecedented disruption of food systems worldwide, with most governments taking severe containment measures to curb the spread. This resulted in unpredicted negative impacts of the agri-food supply chains coupled with food price inflations. Ultimately, this affected the food security and urban livelihoods for most households, who are dependent on urban markets for food supply. This study examined the implications of the pandemic on food prices and commodities supplies to urban markets conducted through structured interviews. A review of the secondary data was also conducted to show the trends of commodity prices over the last 5 years. The high inflation of commodity prices with a decline in sales volumes was reported by most traders (97%) with decreases in supply quantities. Changes in the consumption behaviour in households was reported by consumers (75%), with 65% experiencing reduced food diversity at home. Households adopted varied coping mechanisms, including reduced food portions (52%), reduced food varieties (44%) and skipping meals (32%). Market prices increased by an average margin of 13.8% for grains and pulses with price decline observed for cabbages (−30.8%) and Irish potatoes (−19.4%). The findings may inform policymakers of additional future shock and pandemic control protocols, whose actions would assure food protection of urban livelihoods.
An Analysis of Soil Erosion on Construction Sites in Megacities Using Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Tang Hongliang , Shi Pengkun , Fu Xiaoli
Published: January 2023

The highly intensive construction activities in the process of urbanization have led to the risk of soil loss, which is due to the disturbance of urbanization on the soil; this makes the soil more vulnerable to erosion by rain and other factors, thus causing soil loss to the urban drainage pipe network or the river channels around the city. This process is affected by both natural and human factors. Based on engineering experience and existing research, 13 influencing factors were identified and classified into four dimensions: Natural Conditions (NC), Construction Activities (CA), Conservation Measures (CM) and Management Measures (MM). Fifteen experts from Shanghai, Guangzhou and Zhengzhou, three main cities in China, were invited to assess the weight of each influencing factor through pairwise comparison. Based on the analytic hierarchy process, the soil erosion risk evaluation model of construction sites in megacities was established, and the weight of each influencing factor was determined. According to the weights, the weighted summation method can be used to calculate the comprehensive scores of these sites and the soil erosion risks of the construction sites can be ranked according to the comprehensive scores for multiple construction sites. The analysis of the model shows that MM is the most important factor, and improving the management level is the key measure to control the soil erosion of construction site in megacities. In addition, in the four dimensions, the results of the weight of each influencing factor in the NC dimension are quite different; this is due to the different cities where the experts are from, indicating that the natural conditions of the location will affect empirical judgment. By inviting many experts to evaluate, the deviation in judgment results, caused by differences in natural conditions, can be reduced.
A Resilient Intelligent Traffic Signal Control Scheme for Accident Scenario at Intersections via Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Zeinaly Zahra , Sojoodi Mahdi , Bolouki Sadegh
Published: January 2023

Deep reinforcement learning methods have shown promising results in the development of adaptive traffic signal controllers. Accidents, weather conditions, or special events all have the potential to abruptly alter the traffic flow in real life. The traffic light must take immediate and appropriate action based on a reasonable understanding of the environment. In this way, traffic congestion would be prevented. In this paper, we develop a reliable controller for such a highly dynamic environment and investigate the resilience of these controllers to a variety of environmental disruptions, such as accidents. In this method, the agent is provided with a complete understanding of the environment by discretizing the intersection and modifying the state space. The proposed algorithm is independent of the location and time of accidents. If the location of the accident changes, the agent does not need to be retrained. The agent is trained using deep Q-learning and experience replay. The model is evaluated in the traffic microsimulator SUMO. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective at shortening queues when there is disruption.
Management of Postharvest Losses and Wastages in the Indian Tomato Supply Chain—A Temperature-Controlled Storage Perspective
Authors: Mohan Aishwarya , Krishnan Ramesh , Arshinder Kaur , Vandore John , Ramanathan Usha
Published: January 2023

Tomatoes are an extensively cultivated and consumed horticulture product in India. Horticulture produce undergoes a series of operations such as harvesting, storage, packaging, loading, unloading, and transportation before reaching the end customer in the food supply chain (FSC). Any inefficiencies in these operations cause postharvest losses (PHL) and affect the whole FSC. However, the focus of existing studies has been more on improving productivity than addressing PHL. Several technologies, such as cold storage and evaporative cooling, are available to address PHL, but hardly any technology has been implemented in the Indian FSC. Hence, studies need to identify technology adoption barriers and perform a feasibility analysis of the available technologies. This study addresses this gap by first identifying the cause and effect of PHL in the Indian tomato FSC, exploring different technologies to address the PHL and challenges in implementing those technologies, and finally proposing a feasible option to manage PHL. The case study approach was followed for the collection of relevant data. The findings show several reasons for PHL across the stages of the FSC, including reduced shelf life due to improper storage and long-distance transport. Based on the analysis of the available technologies, temperature-controlled storage facilities and collaboration among FSC partners are suggested as the best possible solutions to address the problem of PHL.
Construction Techniques and Detailing for Romanian Paiantă Houses: An Engineering Perspective
Authors: Dutu Andreea , Niste Mihai , Craifaleanu Iolanda-Gabriela , Gingirof Marina
Published: January 2023

Traditional houses represent landmarks of local cultures all over the world. In seismically prone countries, the traditional timber frames with different types of infills have shown quite good earthquake resilience, an essential feature considering their large number, their simplicity and their reduced cost, owing to the use of local materials and workmanship. In fact, their seismic behavior fostered the interest in further scientific research, including that addressing engineering aspects. Because of their diversity in layout and detailing, noticeable even among houses in the same area, developing general methods to preserve and strengthen such buildings is still a difficult task. This paper presents an overview of the traditional building construction techniques in Romania, focusing on the structural configuration and detailing of the so-called paiantă houses. Largely used all over the country, these houses have shown that they can generally withstand earthquakes at least without collapsing and, most frequently, with minor or repairable damage. Their preservation is nowadays a major challenge, as they are being gradually either demolished and replaced, or retrofitted by using invasive techniques. Their cultural and heritage value is undeniable, and there are still many things to be learned from the past craftsmanship and re-valuated in the future. Three case studies of rural buildings located in different areas of the country were chosen among the most widespread paiantă versions, and comprehensive engineering assessments were conducted to identify their detailing and degradations. Based on the most common degradations, the conclusions drawn from this study can be used to substantiate further research aimed at selecting the most appropriate construction and strengthening techniques.
Half-Bridge Lithium-Ion Battery Equalizer Based on Phase-Shift Strategy
Authors: Chen Wan , Ding Zujun , Liu Jun , Kan Jiarong , Nazir Muhammad Shahzad , Wang Yeqin
Published: January 2023

The energy flow is step-by-step among Lithium-ion-battery when an equalizer based on the buck-boost converter is adopted, resulting in a long energy transmission path and low equalization efficiency. First, a Lithium-ion-battery equalizer based on the dual active half-bridge is studied in this paper. Second, the key parameters of the energy flow between cells in the same group and cells in different groups in the equalizer are analyzed. Third, a phase shift control strategy is put forward according to the analysis results. The equalizer with the proposed control strategy not only can realize the energy flow between cells in the same group and different groups but also work at high frequency. Therefore, the transformer can be designed to be small in size and light in weight, greatly reducing the volume and weight of the equalizer. A prototype of the dual active half-bridge equalizer with four lithium batteries was managed. The experimental results show that the proposed Lithium-ion-battery equalizer based on phase shift control has good equalization performances.
Assessment of Mound Soils Bacterial Community of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta across Guangdong Province of China
Authors: Bamisile Bamisope Steve , Nie Lei , Siddiqui Junaid Ali , Ramos Aguila Luis Carlos , Akutse Komivi Senyo , Jia Chunsheng , Xu Yijuan
Published: January 2023

Soil microbes have a wide range of distribution across the world and can be found in different agricultural and forest systems including cultivated soils, ant mounds, decaying trees, leaves, roots, and on insect bodies. Across five counties of Guangdong province of China, the assemblage of bacterial associates of red imported fire ant (RIFA) were examined. The locations were selected based on evidence of high presence of RIFA mounds in these regions. Samples were analyzed from mound soils, plant debris within mounds, and the ant body. The current study analyzed bacterial species composition and richness patterns, where 525 isolates were recovered in total, comprising 44 bacterial taxa. Taxa abundance was highest in the ant body at 35 taxa, while the values were relatively similar across soil substrate and plant debris, where 3 and 6 taxa, respectively, were recorded. The highest bacterial taxa recovery rate was recorded in Guangzhou, where a total of 17 taxa were isolated. Myroides odoratimimus was the most common across all substrates and locations among the bacterial taxa. Others with the highest isolation frequencies includes, Enterobacter cloacae, Vagococcus fluvialis, and Myroides odoratus. The understanding of the bacterial community composition of RIFA is crucial for the development of successful management techniques for these notorious social ants. In order to expand on the findings of the current study, it is imperative to understand if the associated microbial communities of the RIFA form a parasitic, antagonistic, or mutualistic relationship with their host. In this vein, further studies would examine the influence of the characterized bacterial associates of the RIFA on the social behavior, physiology, and the host response to foreign pathogens.
Treatment of Domestic Wastewater in Small-Scale Sand Filters Fortified with Gypsum, Biotite, and Peat
Authors: Martikainen Kati , Veijalainen Anna-Maria , Torvinen Eila , Heinonen-Tanski Helvi
Published: January 2023

Sand filtration is a low-cost and easy solution for household wastewater treatment in areas lacking a centralized sewage system. However, there are only a few studies about the treatment efficiencies of nutrients and enteric microorganisms and their removal or filter mass reuse potential. Sand columns with different phosphorus adsorbents, gypsum, biotite, and peat were tested in laboratory-scale filters at 4 °C to assess their performance in variable conditions and their possibility to increase the efficiency of sand filters. The columns were fed with real municipal wastewater with variable wastewater flow and phosphate load at different stages of the experiments. Phosphate and total nitrogen concentrations were low in the effluent of all columns, and they were mostly rather similar. Waste gypsum was found to greatly increase the conductivity of the effluent. The numbers of enteric microorganisms in the effluents were low, and the used filter masses achieved good hygienic quality after the tests. Phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate concentrations were low in the used masses, evidently since the columns had operated only for 21–30 weeks. Sand filtration proved to be an effective method for wastewater treatment, but changing conditions should be considered when designing these filters. The masses have reuse potential as soil improvement.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Panic-Buying Behavior during a Pandemic: Insights from COVID-19 and Recommendations
Authors: Dash Ganesh
Published: January 2023

COVID-19 is the latest pandemic form and, as usual, it also opened gates for new avenues in consumer behavior research. Panic buying among consumers due to the current pandemic is the focus of this study. This study adopts a bibliometric approach to analyze the studies published in the last three years (2020–2022) (obviously, there is no research before 2020). Seventy-nine studies are included based on the Web of Science database. First, a general analysis is conducted to understand the current state of research by mapping countries, authors, publication outlets, citations, institutions, etc. It provides the association or linkage of the mentioned variables related to the mentioned studies. Second, insights and recommendations are provided based on specific keyword analysis and deep diving. The findings indicate that panic-buying behavior is a fact during COVID-19, especially in the first year, and specific factors were responsible for the same. In the second year, it ebbed substantially. This study provides recommendations for practitioners to deal with panic buying behaviors in future pandemics.
An Exploratory Study Linking Intellectual Capital and Technology Management towards Innovative Performance in KIBS
Authors: Dinu Elena , Vătămănescu Elena-Mădălina , Stăneiu Roxana-Maria , Rusu Mihaela
Published: January 2023

This study aims to fill a gap in the sparse literature that empirically investigates the relationships between intellectual capital (IC), technology management, and innovative performance in knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS). Semi-structured interviews with middle and senior managers from KIBS have been conducted with the purpose of exploring the various strategies, policies, and practices in managing the organisational intellectual capital and technology to enhance innovation performance. Several themes related to the development of intellectual capital in KIBS have been analysed (i.e., key dimensions of human, structural, and relational capital). The findings show that all KIBS investigated place importance on either recruiting the most qualified staff or building up their competencies and skills. Moreover, KIBS allot sizable resources for creating an organisational culture that encourages employee empowerment and knowledge sharing. Technology-forward KIBS have strategies for developing dynamic technological capabilities for knowledge management, business process flexibility and efficiency, and sustaining innovation. The unfolded investigation has both theoretical and managerial implications, pointing to the noteworthiness of sustainable and strategic approaches of intellectual capital management on purpose to support innovation.
Meta-Analysis of Yields of Crops Fertilized with Compost Tea and Anaerobic Digestate
Authors: Curadelli Franco , Alberto Marcelo , Uliarte Ernesto Martín , Combina Mariana , Funes-Pinter Iván
Published: January 2023

Organic inputs constitute an alternative way to replace or reduce the use of agrochemicals in order to increase sustainability and reduce negative impacts of agriculture on the environment. A consistent determination of average yields obtained with organic fertilizers in comparison to synthetic fertilizers is necessary to assess their potential in both commercial and organic agriculture. To achieve this goal, a meta-analysis of existing scientific data of yields obtained with digestate or compost tea fertilization was performed. After a systematic bibliographic search of scientific publications, 35 final papers remained from >1000 initial results. Data of crop yield with digestate or compost tea fertilization, as well as control and synthetic fertilizer treatments, were extracted from the selected articles and used to calculate response ratios (ratios of means), obtaining 106 observations. The meta-analysis showed that digestate fertilization produced yields 80% higher than the control. Yields were statistically similar to those obtained with conventional treatments with chemical fertilization (only 2% lower in average). The results for digestate are considered robust as the significance did not change after conducting publication bias analyses. However, the high heterogeneity observed suggests the existence of explanatory variables accounting for part of the observed dispersion. Subgroup analyses were conducted to determine the variation of the results of digestate across crop species and field or greenhouse experiments, while compost teas did not present adequate data quantity to obtain reliable results. According to this meta-analysis, anaerobic digestate had an acceptable performance as fertilizer for several crops at a reported application rate ranging from 100 to 480 kg N ha−1. Regarding compost tea, yields were 92% higher than the control and 10% lower than synthetic fertilization treatments, although more information is required to draw a conclusive result due to the low number of observations of this fertilizer. Further investigation is necessary to understand yield variations under different scenarios to study the influence of secondary variables and to propose management measures for producers.
Consumer Attitudes towards Fish and Seafood in Portugal: Opportunities for Footprint Reduction
Authors: Murthy Adeline , Galli Alessandro , Madeira Catarina , Moreno Pires Sara
Published: January 2023

Fish and seafood are central to the Portuguese diet, comprising a significant portion of Portugal’s Ecological Footprint. Diversifying dietary preferences is important because it has the potential to reduce pressure on marine ecosystems. We explored this opportunity by coupling (1) an Ecological Footprint assessment of Portugal to quantify the environmental impacts of Portugal’s food consumption choices (particularly fish and seafood), with (2) a consumer survey to assess attitudes towards fish and seafood of Portuguese residents and their willingness to modify their preferences, thus shedding light on the potential for sustainable dietary choices in Portugal and the best strategies by which to achieve them. Ecological Footprint results confirm that Portugal is unique in the Mediterranean region in that its food Footprint is driven by fish and seafood consumption, while, for most other countries, the main driver is meat. Results from the consumer survey show that Portuguese fish and seafood preferences are characterized by a high frequency of consumption and a preference for high trophic level species. Age was the primary demographic factor influencing consumption habits in Portugal. Moreover, Portuguese consumers lack knowledge on sustainable fishing practices. Actions and strategies to increase sustainable dietary choices in Portugal will need to consider these factors. We recommend targeted outreach messaging for different age groups, more and better information on sustainable options, together with efforts to protect marine biodiversity. Future research needs to better understand the whole value chain and all relevant stakeholders of the fish and seafood sector for more effective incentives for Footprint reduction.
Study on the Interaction between Green Competitiveness of Coastal Ports and Hinterland Economy
Authors: Kuang Haibo , Zhu Jiayu , Bai Zhizhen
Published: January 2023

Accelerating the construction of green ports and promoting the green transformation of the economy and society are important trends in port and regional development today. This research explores the interaction between the green competitiveness of coastal ports and the hinterland economy from 2007 to 2019 by taking the 10 largest coastal ports in China as the research object and combining the Super-SBM Model with the panel data model. The results show that the green competitiveness of coastal ports is fluctuating, and the green competitiveness of Qingdao and Shanghai ports is stronger in the production frontier surface. Compared with the size of ports, the level of port technology is an important factor to improve the green competitiveness of ports. In terms of interaction, the total economic volume of the hinterland, the proportion of the added value of the tertiary industry, and the waterway transportation between the port and the hinterland have a significant positive impact on the green competitiveness of the port, and the improvement of the green competitiveness of the port and the waterway transportation between the port and the hinterland effectively drive the economic development of the hinterland. This study provides an important basis for the rational use of the port–hinterland interaction and promotes the coordinated and healthy development of both.
Illicit and Corruption Mitigation Strategy in the Financial Sector: A Study with a Hybrid Methodological Approach
Authors: Zafeiriou Eleni , Garefalakis Alexandros , Passas Ioannis , Ragazou Konstantina
Published: January 2023

In recent decades, experts from all around the world have been increasingly interested in illegal conduct and corruption in financial organizations. Utilizing the illegal and corruption hypothesis, we investigate the core traits and trends of this phenomenon in European financial institutions. We also examined how specific aspects are incorporated into financial firms’ anti-corruption strategies. The current study makes an effort to comprehend the afore-mentioned challenges using the tools of scientometrics and data analysis. More precisely, our empirical analysis was based on 336 European financial institutions for the years of 2018–2020, and our study also employed bibliographic data from 687 scientific documents indexed in the Scopus database in 2010–2021. The R language’s Bibliometrix tool was applied to analyze the body of the existing literature. A binary logistic regression approach was used to analyze the data. While the goal of our empirical study is to unveil the factors causing or mitigating illegal activity and corruption in the financial sector, the bibliographic analysis revealed the determinants validated in previous work. Our results highlight the need of policy makers to implement measures to limit illegal activity and reduce corruption in financial institutions to improve reputations and customers’ fidelity, which are necessary for the achievement of the sustainable development goals concerning financial institutions. Another conclusion is the emergence of a new source of corruption, which South Africa’s experience has confirmed. Our findings also support two components of the contemporary approach for reducing corruption and illicit activity, namely, the usage of new technology specialists and the incorporation of ESG factors.
Nearly Forgotten Cosmological Concept of E. B. Gliner
Authors: Yakovlev Dmitry , Kaminker Alexander
Published: January 2023

E. B. Gliner started his scientific career in 1963 at the age of 40. In 1965, when the existence of the cosmological constant λ seemed unnecessary to most cosmologists, he renewed interest in the problem by emphasizing a material interpretation of de Sitter space (i.e., the space curved in the presence of λ). According to that interpretation, the curvature is produced by a cosmological vacuum (now identified as dark energy of the universe). In 1970, Gliner proposed a description of exponential expansion (or contraction) of the universe at the early (or late) evolution stage dominated by cosmological vacuum. In 1975, Gliner (with I. G. Dyminikova) suggested a model of the early universe free of Big Bang singularity, and developed a scenario of nonsingular Friedmann cosmology. Many of these findings were used in the modern inflation scenarios of the universe, first proposed by A. A. Starobinsky (1979) and A. Guth (1981) and greatly multiplied later. However, these inflation scenarios differ from the scenario of Gliner and Dymnikova, and Gliner’s contribution to cosmology is nearly forgotten. The history and the essence of this contribution are outlined, as well the difference from the inflation theories.
Broadly Protective Neuraminidase-Based Influenza Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies: Target Epitopes and Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Abbadi Nada , Mousa Jarrod J.
Published: January 2023

Neuraminidase (NA) is an important surface protein on influenza virions, playing an essential role in the viral life cycle and being a key target of the immune system. Despite the importance of NA-based immunity, current vaccines are focused on the hemagglutinin (HA) protein as the target for protective antibodies, and the amount of NA is not standardized in virion-based vaccines. Antibodies targeting NA are predominantly protective, reducing infection severity and viral shedding. Recently, NA-specific monoclonal antibodies have been characterized, and their target epitopes have been identified. This review summarizes the characteristics of NA, NA-specific antibodies, the mechanism of NA inhibition, and the recent efforts towards developing NA-based and NA-incorporating influenza vaccines.
Safety and Pharmacokinetics of the Substance of the Anti-Smallpox Drug NIOCH-14 after Oral Administration to Laboratory Animals
Authors: Shishkina Larisa N. , Mazurkov Oleg Yu. , Bormotov Nikolai I. , Skarnovich Maksim O. , Serova Olga A. , Mazurkova Natalia A. , Skarnovich Maria A. , Chernonosov Alexander A. , Selivanov Boris A. , Tikhonov Alexey Ya. , Gamaley Svetlana G. , Shimina Galina G. , Sysoyeva Galina M. , Taranov Oleg S. , Danilenko Elena D. , Agafonov Alexander P. , Maksyutov Rinat A.
Published: January 2023

Background: Since most of the modern human population has no anti-smallpox immunity, it is extremely important to develop and implement effective drugs for the treatment of smallpox and other orthopoxvirus infections. The objective of this study is to determine the main characteristics of the chemical substance NIOCH-14 and its safety and bioavailability in the body of laboratory animals. Methods: The safety of NIOCH-14 upon single- or multiple-dose intragastric administration was assessed according to its effect on the main hematological and pathomorphological parameters of laboratory mice and rats. In order to evaluate the pharmacokinetic parameters of NIOCH-14 administered orally, a concentration of ST-246, the active metabolite of NIOCH-14, in mouse blood and organs was determined by tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography. Results: The intragastric administration of NIOCH-14 at a dose of 5 g/kg body weight caused neither death nor signs of intoxication in mice. The intragastric administration of NIOCH-14 to mice and rats at doses of 50 and 150 µg/g body weight either as a single dose or once daily during 30 days did not cause animal death or critical changes in hematological parameters and the microstructure of internal organs. The tissue availability of NIOCH-14 administered orally to the mice at a dose of 50 µg/g body weight, which was calculated according to concentrations of its active metabolite ST-246 for the lungs, liver, kidney, brain, and spleen, was 100, 69.6, 63.3, 26.8 and 20.3%, respectively. The absolute bioavailability of the NIOCH-14 administered orally to mice at a dose of 50 µg/g body weight was 22.8%. Conclusion: Along with the previously determined efficacy against orthopoxviruses, including the smallpox virus, the substance NIOCH-14 was shown to be safe and bioavailable in laboratory animal experiments.
Plant-Produced Mouse-Specific Zona Pellucida 3 Peptide Induces Immune Responses in Mice
Authors: Ghasemian Khadijeh , Broer Inge , Schön Jennifer , Kolp Nadine , Killisch Richard , Huckauf Jana
Published: January 2023

Contraceptive vaccines are designed to stimulate autoimmune responses to molecules involved in the reproductive process. A mouse-specific peptide from zona pellucida 3 (mZP3) has been proposed as a target epitope. Here, we employed a plant expression system for the production of glycosylated mZP3 and evaluated the immunogenicity of plant-produced mZP3-based antigens in a female BALB/c mouse model. In the mZP3-1 antigen, mZP3 fused with a T-cell epitope of tetanus toxoid, a histidine tag, and a SEKDEL sequence. A fusion antigen (GFP-mZP3-1) and a polypeptide antigen containing three repeats of mZP3 (mZP3-3) were also examined. Glycosylation of mZP3 should be achieved by targeting proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression of antigens resulted in successful production of mZP3 in Nicotiana benthamiana. Compared with mZP3-1, GFP-mZP3-1 and mZP3-3 increased the production of the mZP3 peptide by more than 20 and 25 times, respectively. The glycosylation of the proteins was indicated by their size and their binding to a carbohydrate-binding protein. Both plant-produced GFP-mZP3-1 and mZP3-3 antigens were immunogenic in mice; however, mZP3-3 generated significantly higher levels of serum antibodies against mZP3. Induced antibodies recognized native zona pellucida of wild mouse, and specific binding of antibodies to the oocytes was observed in immunohistochemical studies. Therefore, these preliminary results indicated that the plants can be an efficient system for the production of immunogenic mZP3 peptide, which may affect the fertility of wild mice.
Efficient Uptake of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II Inhibitor Employing Graphene Oxide-Based Magnetic Nanoadsorbents
Authors: de Oliveira Miguel Pereira , Schnorr Carlos , da Rosa Salles Theodoro , da Silva Bruckmann Franciele , Baumann Luiza , Muller Edson Irineu , da Silva Garcia Wagner Jesus , de Oliveira Artur Harres , Silva Luis F. O. , Rhoden Cristiano Rodrigo Bohn
Published: January 2023

This paper reports a high efficiency uptake of captopril (CPT), employing magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) as the adsorbent. The graphene oxide (GO) was produced through an oxidation and exfoliation method, and the magnetization technique by the co-precipitation method. The nanomaterials were characterized by FTIR, XRD, SEM, Raman, and VSM analysis. The optimal condition was reached by employing GO·Fe3O4 at pH 3.0 (50 mg of adsorbent and 50 mg L−1 of CPT), presenting values of removal percentage and maximum adsorption capacity of 99.43% and 100.41 mg g−1, respectively. The CPT adsorption was dependent on adsorbent dosage, initial concentration of adsorbate, pH, and ionic strength. Sips and Elovich models showed the best adjustment for experimental data, suggesting that adsorption occurs in a heterogeneous surface. Thermodynamic parameters reveal a favorable, exothermic, involving a chemisorption process. The magnetic carbon nanomaterial exhibited a high efficiency after five adsorption/desorption cycles. Finally, the GO·Fe3O4 showed an excellent performance in CPT removal, allowing future application in waste management.
Investigation of the Leachate Effect on Permeability and Geotechnical Characteristics of Fine-Grained Soil Modified Using Nanoclay–Nanofiber Composites
Authors: Nikbakht Mehdi , Sarand Fariba Behrooz , Dabiri Rouzbeh , Hajialilue Bonab Masoud
Published: January 2023

Using low permeability soils in landfill liners is a guaranteed leachate control and prevents leakage which causes environmental pollution. In this matter, the application of new technologies such as nano provides more capable filters that are used for reducing leachate pollutants and modifying the geotechnical properties of liners. The presented study attempted to conduct experimental research on nanoclay–nanofiber composite usage to control landfill liner permeability and observe its impact on the geotechnical characteristics of liners which provide a strong barrel for leachate leakage prevention and increase the liner durability for crack generations. In this regard, a total of 120 different geotechnical experiments were performed on mixed improved fine-grained soil samples which were categorized into four groups including nanoclay additives, nanofiber additives, nanocomposite additives, and control samples (without additives). According to the experimental results, permeability decreased, and geotechnical properties (e.g., Atterberg limits, unconfined compressive strength, cohesion, and friction) were increased with increasing nanocomposite content in the soil.
Long-Term Changes in and Conservation Guidelines for Water Caltrop (Trapa natans L.) in Two Reservoirs in Poland
Authors: Jusik Szymon , Bryl Łukasz , Staniszewski Ryszard , Achtenberg Krzysztof
Published: January 2023

Climate change, worsening freshwater quality, and anthropogenic factors have caused water caltrop to lose approximately 80% of its habitat in Poland since the early 1980s. The presence of this plant species has substantially changed since the end of the 19th century. Our aim in this study was to examine the habitat and conservation status of Trapa natans in the Szumirad reservoir and Nowokuźnicki pond reserve in Poland and to indicate sources of potential hazards for the analyzed population. To achieve this aim, we spatially analyzed the changes in the total reservoir area, dynamics of species population, physico-chemical parameters of water, and climatic data. For the Szumirad reservoir, we observed substantial changes in water caltrop quantity and condition. For the Nowokuźnicki pond reserve, we found a serious threat to the Trapa habitat posed by the developing Nupharo–Nymphaeetum albae association, which is a strong competitor of nymphaeids. The obtained results indicated that surface waters localized in protected areas might play an important role in maintaining the population of water caltrop. On the basis of our analyses of selected populations, we emphasize that present protection procedures should be supplemented with the active protection of the species.
Key to interpreting the exit
Authors: Szikora Tamás Attila
Published: January 2023

Péter Halmai (ed.): A brexit forgatókönyvei és hatásai [Brexit scenarios and effects]. Budapest, 2020. Dialóg Campus Kiadó
Artificial intelligence in the banking sector
Authors: Prisznyák Alexandra
Published: January 2023

[László Kiss – László Dobák] Robot Vision 2035. Quantum Boosted Business in the Artificial Intelligence (AI). London, 2023. Age – Business5.0
A nemzeti fejlesztési bankok szerepe a mikro-, kis- és középvállalkozások versenyképességének és ellenálló képességének erősítésében
Authors: Baracsi Mária
Published: January 2023

A visegrádi országok válságkezelése számos hasonló jegyet mutat, alapjait a 2008/2009-es válságkezelés intézkedései adják. Jelen publikáció célja annak a bemutatása, hogy miként alakította át a koronavírus-járvány hatására bekövetkező gazdasági válság a visegrádi országok nemzeti (szintű) fejlesztési bankjainak pénzügyi intézményrendszerükön belül betöltött szerepét, különös tekintettel az MFB Magyar Fejlesztési Bank Zártkörűen Működő Részvénytársaság tevékenységére.
Kulcs a kilépés értelmezéséhez
Authors: Szikora Tamás Attila
Published: January 2023

Halmai Péter (szerk.): A brexit forgatókönyvei és hatásai. Budapest, 2020. Dialóg Campus Kiadó
Advantages of digital power supply monitoring systems
Authors: Ryabchitskii Maksim , Vorontsov Kirill
Published: January 2023

In this paper, the technological situation in the world was analyzed, which contributes to a change in the production process of various organizations, the key role of the electric power industry was established in many industries. The article indicates the main problems that need to be solved in order to provide high-quality and reliable power supply to consumers. As a solution to these situations, it is proposed to put into operation a digital monitoring system of electric power parameters. In the presented article, a plan is laid for the development of a methodology for organizing digital monitoring systems in the electric power industry, positive effects are noted from the application of this approach. In addition, the advantages of digital monitoring systems are indicated, which will affect the cost of electrical energy for industrial enterprises, as well as ordinary consumers. The presented work indicates the current situation in the market of electric power companies that are interested in developing a digital monitoring system and are ready to invest in this direction. The performed analysis proves the relevance of developing such a system and allows us to outline possible ways for its implementation.
Verification of a computational model of a voltage transformer for the study of ferroresonance processes in distribution electrical networks
Authors: Gusev Oleg , Gusev Yury , Yuzhanin Andrey
Published: January 2023

Methodology for parameterization of voltage transformer model was developed. Verification of the model is carried out by comparing the nameplate data of the transformer with the results of computer calculations. The magnetization branch parameters are determined by the nameplate values, such as magnetization current and the residual magnetization of the voltage transformer’s magnetic circuit. In conclusion voltage error and the angular error are estimated in terms of the amplitude values and the root-mean-square values of voltage curve for transformer type «NOL-SECH-20». Calculations were carried out with the help of EMTP-RV software.