bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation and Characterization of Novel Pueroside B Isomers and Other Bioactive Compounds from Pueraria lobata Roots: Structure Elucidation, α-Glucosidase, and α-Amylase Inhibition Studies
Authors: Dai Wei , Lei Manqiu , Yin Qiuxiong , Nan Haijun , Qian Guoqiang
Published: September 2024

Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi is a traditional medicinal herb that has been extensively used in Chinese medicine for various therapeutic purposes. In this study, twelve chemical constituents were isolated from the roots of P. lobata, comprising three puerosides (compounds 1–3), six alkaloids (compounds 4–9), and three additional compounds (compounds 10–12). Notably, compound 1 (4R-pueroside B) was identified as a novel compound. The structures of all compounds were elucidated using a range of spectroscopic techniques, including CD spectroscopy for the first-time determination of the absolute configurations of pueroside B isomers (compounds 1 and 2). Enzyme inhibition assays revealed that, with the exception of compound 2, all isolated compounds exhibited varying degrees of α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activity. Remarkably, compound 12 demonstrated IC50 values of 23.25 μM for α-glucosidase inhibition and 27.05 μM for α-amylase inhibition, which are superior to those of the positive control, acarbose (27.05 μM and 36.68 μM, respectively). Additionally, compound 11 exhibited inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase comparable to the positive control, acarbose. Molecular docking studies indicated that compound 12 interacts with the active sites of the enzymes via hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions, which likely contribute to their inhibitory effects. These findings suggest that the chemical constituents of P. lobata could be potential natural sources of α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, with compound 12 being particularly promising for further investigation.
Pulmonary Administration of TLR2/6 Agonist after Allergic Sensitization Inhibits Airway Hyper-Responsiveness and Recruits Natural Killer Cells in Lung Parenchyma
Authors: Devulder Justine , Barrier Mathieu , Carrard Julie , Amniai Latiffa , Plé Coline , Marquillies Philippe , Ledroit Valérie , Ryffel Bernhard , Tsicopoulos Anne , de Nadai Patricia , Duez Catherine
Published: September 2024

Asthma is a chronic lung disease with persistent airway inflammation, bronchial hyper-reactivity, mucus overproduction, and airway remodeling. Antagonizing T2 responses by triggering the immune system with microbial components such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) has been suggested as a therapeutic concept for allergic asthma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a TLR2/6 agonist, FSL-1 (Pam2CGDPKHPKSF), administered by intranasal instillation after an allergic airway reaction was established in the ovalbumin (OVA) mouse model and to analyze the role of natural killer (NK) cells in this effect. We showed that FSL-1 decreased established OVA-induced airway hyper-responsiveness and eosinophilic inflammation but did not reduce the T2 or T17 response. FSL-1 increased the recruitment and activation of NK cells in the lung parenchyma and modified the repartition of NK cell subsets in lung compartments. Finally, the transfer or depletion of NK cells did not modify airway hyper-responsiveness and eosinophilia after OVA and/or FSL-1 treatment. Thus, the administration of FSL-1 reduces airway hyper-responsiveness and bronchoalveolar lavage eosinophilia. However, despite modifications of their functions following OVA sensitization, NK cells play no role in OVA-induced asthma and its inhibition by FSL-1. Therefore, the significance of NK cell functions and localization in the airways remains to be unraveled in asthma.
Navigating Governmental Choices: A Comprehensive Review of Artificial Intelligence’s Impact on Decision-Making
Authors: Caiza Gustavo , Sanguña Verónica , Tusa Natalia , Masaquiza Violeta , Ortiz Alexandra , Garcia Marcelo V.
Published: September 2024

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into government decision-making is rapidly gaining traction in public administration and politics. This scoping review, guided by PRISMA protocols, examines 50 articles from reputable sources like Scopus and SpringerLink to analyze the trends, benefits, and challenges of AI in governance. While AI offers substantial potential to enhance government efficiency and service delivery, significant barriers remain, including concerns about bias, transparency, public acceptance, and accountability. This review underscores the need for ongoing research and dialogue on the ethical, social, and practical implications of AI in government to ensure the responsible and inclusive adoption of AI-driven public services.
Public Involvement in Transportation Decision Making: A Comparison between Baghdad and Tehran
Authors: Darraji Rusul , Golshan Khavas Reza , Tavakoli Kashani Ali
Published: September 2024

This study develops an integrated methodology to incorporate public perspectives into the establishment and development of public transportation infrastructure systems. The approach involves surveying citizens to collect data, performing demographic analyses to identify differences between cities, and applying Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques to weight, scale, and integrate evaluation criteria in order to determine the optimal transportation option. The primary aim of this research is to incorporate public perspectives into transportation planning in developing countries and to promote stakeholder engagement for transportation initiatives in cities such as Baghdad, Iraq, and Tehran, Iran. First, an initial survey was conducted to identify the top three preferred criteria among 200 participants from both cities. The survey results revealed that the three most important criteria were safety, travel time, and reliability. Subsequently, a larger survey utilizing the Saaty scale was administered to capture citizens’ preferences, with a total sample size of 550 from Baghdad and 345 from Tehran. The weights of the criteria were then calculated using the Group Analytical Hierarchy Process (GAHP). Three transportation alternatives—monorail, Light Rapid Transit (LRT), and metrobus—were suggested by transportation experts to be evaluated and ranked using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) based on the weighted citizen preferences. The results indicate that for Baghdad residents, transportation safety is the most important priority, followed by reliability and travel time. However, LRT is rated as the most optimal transportation solution (0.721), followed by monorail (0.596) and metrobus (0.078). In Tehran, travel time represents the most preferred transportation attribute, followed by reliability and safety. The residents of Tehran are shown to prefer LRT (0.843), followed by monorail (0.370) and metrobus (0.143). Despite the similar ranking of transportation alternatives in the two cities, the performance scores differ between them, highlighting the importance of tailoring transportation planning to the unique preferences and needs of local communities. The validation of the results was conducted through sensitivity analysis to determine how variations in the criteria weights and input parameters affected the final rankings. Additionally, a stated preference survey was employed as a practical method to evaluate the robustness of the final ranking of the alternatives.
Analyzing Docker Vulnerabilities through Static and Dynamic Methods and Enhancing IoT Security with AWS IoT Core, CloudWatch, and GuardDuty
Authors: Ajith Vishnu , Cyriac Tom , Chavda Chetan , Kiyani Anum Tanveer , Chennareddy Vijay , Ali Kamran
Published: September 2024

In the age of fast digital transformation, Docker containers have become one of the central technologies for flexible and scalable application deployment. However, this has opened a new dimension of challenges in security, which are skyrocketing with increased technology adoption. This paper discerns these challenges through a manifold approach: first, comprehensive static analysis by Trivy, and second, real-time dynamic analysis by Falco in order to uncover vulnerabilities in Docker environments pre-deployment and during runtime. One can also find similar challenges in security within the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, due to the huge number of devices connected to WiFi networks, from simple data breaches such as brute force attacks and unauthorized access to large-scale cyber attacks against critical infrastructure, which represent only a portion of the problems. In connection with this, this paper is calling for the execution of robust AWS cloud security solutions: IoT Core, CloudWatch, and GuardDuty. IoT Core provides a secure channel of communication for IoT devices, and CloudWatch offers detailed monitoring and logging. Additional security is provided by GuardDuty’s automatized threat detection system, which continuously seeks out potential threats across network traffic. Armed with these technologies, we try to build a more resilient and privacy-oriented IoT while ensuring the security of our digital existence. The result is, therefore, an all-inclusive work on security in both Docker and IoT domains, which might be considered one of the most important efforts so far to strengthen the digital infrastructure against fast-evolving cyber threats, combining state-of-the-art methods of static and dynamic analyses for Docker security with advanced, cloud-based protection for IoT devices.
Progression, Management, and Outcome of Aortic Valve Stenosis in Systemic Sclerosis: A Case Series
Authors: Vergara Andrea , Orlando Antonio , Caiazza Eleonora , Vettori Serena , Cuomo Giovanna , Argiento Paola , Romeo Emanuele , Franzese Rosa , Sarubbi Berardo , D’Alto Michele
Published: September 2024

Background: In systemic sclerosis (SSc), cardiac involvement is frequent, heterogeneous, and related to a poor prognosis. Due to a longer life expectancy, the development of degenerative aortic stenosis (AS) is not uncommon. The aim of this article is to report the characteristics of AS in SSc, analyzing the rate of progression, the management, and the outcome. Methods: This is a case series conducted at the Department of Cardiology of Monaldi Hospital, Naples, Italy. Results: From January 2007 to December 2022, we analyzed 234 patients with SSc. Ten/234 patients (4.3%) showed severe AS and were included in the analysis (age 75.5 years [IQR 58–84], nine females). Nine had limited and one diffuse SSc. Two patients were in NHYA/WHO II and eight in NYHA/WHO III. All had degenerative three-leaflet AS. Two patients showed severe AS at the first evaluation, and eight developed severe AS during the follow-up, with a time progression from moderate to severe AS of 3.2 ± 1.1 years (progression rate −0.190 ± 0.012 cm2/year for aortic valve area, 8.6 ± 6.1 mmHg/year for mean aortic gradient, 16 ± 7 mmHg/year for peak aortic gradient, and 0.5 ± 0.3 m/s/year for aortic peak velocity). Seven out of 10 patients underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), one underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR), one was left untreated, and one was on a waiting list for TAVI. No major complications after TAVI or SAVR occurred. At a mean follow-up of 5.9 ± 3.9 years, eight patients are alive and two died. Conclusion: Severe AS is a relevant cardiac complication of SSc and must be considered in the screening and during the follow-up. Its rapid progression rate may tentatively be due to autoimmunity, degenerative burden, and chronic inflammation.
Assessment of the Aorto-Septal Angle Post-Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair through Segmentation and the Semi-Automatic Analysis of Cardiosynchronized Computed Tomography Angiography Images
Authors: Magliocco Marco , Conti Michele , Pane Bianca , Canepa Marco , Seitun Sara , Morganti Simone , Pratesi Giovanni , Spinella Giovanni
Published: September 2024

The aim of this study was to inviestigate cardiac and arterial remodelling before and after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) by measuring the Aorto-Septal Angle (AoSA) and the geometric characteristics of the aorta. Five patients were prospectively included. Pre- and post-operative cardio-CTA scans were used to create patient-specific 3D models to calculate the AoSA, defined by the intersection of the aortic and left ventricular axes. Additionally, geometric parameters and the inclination of the ascending aorta (AA) were measured. The results demonstrated a variation between pre- and post-operative AoSA in all patients, with an increase in the case of an aneurysmal disease from 112.36° ± 8.21° to 117.16° ± 9.65° (+4.1%, p = 0.041) and a decrease in the case of aortic dissection from 113.62° ± 0.96° to 107.83° ± 1.45° (−5.1%). Additionally, an increase in the length of both the outer and inner curvatures of the AA was observed from 102.21 ± 10.17 mm to 105.73 ± 11.2 mm (+ 3.33% p = 0.016) and from 55.55 ± 9.53 mm to 58.35 ± 9.96 mm (+4.8%, p = 0.04), respectively. This study introduced a new repeatable and reproducible method for assessing the AoSA using cardiac-CTA images. Thoracic stent deployment changes the AoSA, potentially impacting long-term left ventricle hemodynamics.
Sarcoidosis and Cancer: The Role of the Granulomatous Reaction as a Double-Edged Sword
Authors: Di Francesco Angela Maria , Pasciuto Giuliana , Verrecchia Elena , Sicignano Ludovico Luca , Gerardino Laura , Massaro Maria Grazia , Urbani Andrea , Manna Raffaele
Published: September 2024

Background/Objectives: The relationship between sarcoidosis and the occurrence of neoplasia deserves to be investigated, but this relation has been observed in different and heterogeneous populations, leading to conflicting data. To clarify the causal relationship between these two diseases, different risk factors (e.g., smoking), concurrent comorbidities, corticosteroid therapy, and metastasis development—as an expression of cancer aggressiveness—were investigated. Methods: In a retrospective study on 287 sarcoidosis outpatients at the Pneumological Department of the Gemelli Foundation (Rome, Italy) between 2000 and 2024, the diagnosis of cancer was recorded in 36 subjects (12.5%). Results: The reciprocal timeline of the diseases showed three different scenarios: (1) cancer preceding sarcoidosis or sarcoid-like reactions (63.8%); (2) cancer arising after sarcoidosis diagnosis (8.3%); and (3) sarcoidosis accompanying the onset of malignancy (27.8%). Only two subjects with sarcoidosis and cancer showed metastasis, and one of them was affected by lymphoma. Conclusions: These data suggest that granulomatous inflammation due to sarcoidosis may assume an ambivalent role as a “double-edged sword”, according to the M1/M2 macrophage polarization model: it represents a protective shield, preventing the formation of metastasis through the induction of immune surveillance against cancer while, on the other hand, it can be a risk factor for carcinogenesis due to the persistence of a chronic active inflammatory status. Low-dose steroid treatment was administered in only 31.6% of the cancer–sarcoidosis subjects for less than six months to control inflammation activity, with no promotive effect on carcinogenesis observed.
Muscle Strength and Phase Angle Are Potential Markers for the Efficacy of Multidisciplinary Weight-Loss Program in Patients with Sarcopenic Obesity
Authors: Brunani Amelia , Brenna Ettore , Zambon Antonella , Soranna Davide , Donini Lorenzo Maria , Busetto Luca , Bertoli Simona , Capodaglio Paolo , Cancello Raffaella
Published: September 2024

Background/Objectives: Traditional weight-loss methods often result in the loss of both fat and muscle mass. For individuals with sarcopenic obesity (SO), additional muscle loss can exacerbate sarcopenia, leading to further declines in muscle strength and function, ultimately worsening quality of life. To mitigate this risk, weight-loss strategies should emphasize the preservation and building of muscle mass through adequate protein intake and tailored resistance training. This study aimed to evaluate changes in SO status following a 4-week multidisciplinary weight-loss intervention program in hospitalized patients with obesity. Methods: This study included adult patients with obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2, aged 18–90 years). The SO diagnosis was performed using the handgrip strength (HGS) test and skeletal muscle mass (SMM) by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) according to ESPEN/EASO-2022 guidelines. Results: A total of 2004 patients were enrolled, 64.8% female, with a mean age of 56 (±14) years and a BMI of 40.7 (±6.48) kg/m2. SO was present in 9.38% (188 patients) at baseline. At discharge, 80 patients (42.55%) were no longer classified as sarcopenic and showed significant improvements in HGS. The likelihood of resolving SO was not modified in patients with only phase angle (PhA) improvement (p-value = 0.141). Patients with HGS increment had a 65% probability to be No-SO at discharge and this probability, with the concomitant PhA increment, rose to 93% (p-value < 0.0001), indicating that functional changes and good nutrition status are crucial in improvement of SO. Muscle mass (MM) and SMMI remained unchanged in the studied cohort. Conclusions: Improvements in HGS and the PhA are potential markers for the efficacy of weight-loss programs tailored to patients with SO. These findings suggest that specific interventions focusing on these markers could be beneficial in managing SO patients.
Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Stage III Melanoma Patients with Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy: A Real-Life Experience
Authors: Roccuzzo Gabriele , Macagno Nicole , Grignani Pietro , Astrua Chiara , Brizio Matteo Giovanni , Cavaliere Giovanni , Picciotto Franco , Caliendo Virginia , Fruttero Enrico , Ribero Simone , Fava Paolo , Quaglino Pietro
Published: September 2024

Background: Advancements in managing stage III melanoma have involved the implementation of adjuvant therapies alongside a simultaneous decrease in the utilization of completion lymph node dissection (CLND) following positive sentinel node biopsy (SLNB). Methods: This retrospective study from the University of Turin’s Dermatology Clinic analyzed relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) among stage III melanoma patients (n = 157) who underwent CLND after positive SLNB versus those who did not receive such procedure. Results: Patients without CLND had a median RFS of 49 months (95% CI 42-NA), while CLND recipients showed 51 months (95% CI 31-NA) (p = 0.139). The 48-month OS for non-CLND patients was 79.8% (95% CI 58.2–91.0) versus 79.2% (95% CI 67.5–87.0) for CLND recipients (p = 0.463). Adjusted Hazard Ratios through inverse probability treatment weighting revealed the impact of CLND to be insignificant on RFS (aHR 0.90, 95% CI 0.37–2.22) and marginal on OS (aHR 0.41, 95% CI 0.13–1.21). Conversely, adjuvant therapy significantly reduced the risk of relapse (aHR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25–0.84), irrespective of CLND. Conclusions: This study corroborates the growing evidence that CLND after positive SLNB does not enhance RFS or OS, while emphasizing the crucial role of adjuvant therapy, be it immunotherapy or targeted therapy, in reducing the risk of relapse in melanoma patients with positive SLNB.
Feasibility and Safety of 3D-Navigated Trans-Sacral Bar Osteosynthesis for Fragility Fractures of the Sacrum: FIRST Clinical Experiences
Authors: Regenbogen Stephan , Barbari Jan El , Vetter Sven Y. , Franke Jochen , Grützner Paul Alfred , Swartman Benedict
Published: September 2024

Background: There has been an increasing number of fragility fractures of the sacrum in the recent decade. With rates of up to 28%, the complication rates after surgical treatment are still at an unacceptably high level, and new treatment strategies are urgently needed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of 3D-navigated trans-sacral bar osteosynthesis in the surgical treatment of fragility fractures of the sacrum. Methods: Retrospectively, from 2017 to 2023, all cases with confirmed fragility fractures of the sacrum in patients > 65 years of age that were surgically treated with navigated 3D-navigated trans-sacral bar osteosynthesis were included, and epidemiological data and the course of treatment analyzed in comparison to a matched control group. Results: Finally, 21 patients (18 women and 3 men) were included in this study. The average age of the patients was 82.6 (SD 6.3) in the intervention group and 79.4 (SD 6.7) in the control group. There were postoperatively detected complications in two cases (18%) in the intervention group and in four cases (40%, p = 0.362) in the control group. The postoperative in-hospital stay was 10 days (SD 3.8) vs. 11.4 days (SD 3.8) in the control. None of the patients in the intervention group and two in the control group needed revision surgery. Conclusions: Overall, 3D-navigated trans-sacral bar osteosynthesis seems to be a promising technique, enabling an accurate implant positioning while offering a low complication rate with an excellent short-term outcome in elderly patients with fragility fractures of the sacrum.
Split-Voltage Configuration Improves Integrated Amplifier Power-Efficiency
Authors: Simmich Sebastian , Rieger Robert
Published: September 2024

A split-voltage amplifier architecture is proposed which improves the power efficiency compared to a conventional implementation. The approach is verified with a prototype fabricated in 0.35 µm CMOS technology using lateral bipolar input transistors. It achieves a measured DC gain of 105 V/V, a differential AC gain of 40.3 dB with a bandwidth of 55 kHz, a CMRR of approximately 75 dB, and a PSRR of 55 dB. The input-referred noise is 7 nV/√Hz and 923 nVrms integrated from 100 Hz to 10 kHz, resulting in a Noise Efficiency Factor (NEF) of 2.84 and a Power Efficiency Factor (PEF) of 18.3. The split-voltage configuration improves power efficiency by nearly 25% compared to a full voltage supply and maintains a small area design. Action potentials of the medial and lateral giant fiber of an earthworm are recorded as an example application.
A Prediction Method and Model Experiments on Surf-Riding and Broaching in Stern-Quartering Waves
Authors: Chu Jilong , Gu Min , Lu Jiang , Zhang Peijie
Published: September 2024

At present, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued interim guidelines for the direct stability assessment of surf-riding and broaching for the second-generation intact stability criteria. Accurately and efficiently predicting surf-riding and broaching remains a key problem to be solved for the direct stability assessment of surf-riding and broaching. Therefore, a six-degree-of-freedom(6DOF) coupled mathematical model is established in this paper. Firstly, the four-degree-of-freedom(4DOF) coupled equations of surge–sway–roll–yaw motions are built based on the traditional MMG maneuvering mathematical model by considering Froude–Krylov forces, diffraction forces and restoring forces, and the heave and pitch are approximately calculated by iteratively solving improved static equilibrium equations in real-time, effectively solving the divergence problem in direct time-domain seakeeping calculations of high-speed ships in stern-quartering waves. Secondly, the hydrodynamic lift forces due to the coexistence of wave particle velocity and ship forward velocity are taken into account in the propeller-thrust and rudder-force models. In addition, the real-time emersion of twin rudders in waves is considered in the rudder-force models. At the same time, the free-running model experiments with a ONR tumblehome vessel are carried out in stern-quartering waves, and the pure loss of stability and broaching motions are observed. Finally, comparative validations between the calculations and the experiments of surf-riding and broaching in stern-quartering waves are carried out, and the effects of the ship speed, the instantaneous wetted surface of the hull, rudder exposure, heave and pitch motions on predicting surf-riding and broaching motions are investigated. The computation results show that the established 6DOF mathematical model has enough accuracy to be used for the direct stability assessment of the surf-riding and broaching failure modes.
Recent Advances in Aluminum Welding for Marine Structures
Authors: Chen Bai-Qiao , Liu Kun , Xu Sheng
Published: September 2024

This review explores the recent advancements in welding techniques for aluminum plates utilized in ships and offshore structures, with a particular focus on minimizing weld-induced deformation and residual stress to improve structural performance. Given the critical role of welding in the construction and repair of marine structures, understanding the influence of these factors is paramount. This article synthesizes current research findings, evaluates the effectiveness of various welding methods, and highlights innovative approaches to reduce adverse effects. Through a comprehensive analysis of experimental and simulation studies, this review identifies key strategies for optimizing welding processes, thereby contributing to the durability and integrity of marine structures. This synthesis not only highlights successful strategies for optimizing welding processes but also offers guidance for researchers and practitioners in the field. This review also identifies previously unaddressed gaps in the literature, particularly focusing on the underexplored interactions between specific welding parameters and the long-term durability of marine structures, offering new perspectives and directions for future research. It delineates critical challenges faced in the welding of aluminum alloys for marine applications and offers targeted suggestions to address these issues, thereby paving the way for advancements in welding practices and technology. The findings aim to guide researchers and industry practitioners in selecting and developing welding techniques that ensure the safety, reliability, and longevity of marine infrastructure.
Optimization of Integrated Tugboat–Berth–Quay Crane Scheduling in Container Ports Considering Uncertainty in Vessel Arrival Times and Berthing Preferences
Authors: Chu Liangyong , Zhang Jiawen , Chen Xiuqian , Yu Qing
Published: September 2024

Influenced by the dynamics of supply and demand, the demand for maritime transport has been increasing annually, putting significant pressure on container ports. To alleviate this pressure, a new mixed-integer programming model for the integrated scheduling of tugboats, berths, and quay cranes has been established. This model considers the uncertainties in vessel arrival times, vessel berthing preferences, time-varying quay crane availability, and the constraint that quay cranes cannot cross each other. The objective is to minimize the total costs including fuel consumption during port stays, delays and waiting times for berthing and departure, berthing deviation costs, tugboat assistance costs, and quay crane handling costs. To obtain high-quality solutions, an adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS) algorithm was employed to solve the model. The algorithm incorporated five destruction operators and five repair operators that were specifically designed to enhance the solution accuracy and efficiency for the integrated scheduling problem. Several case studies of varying scales, based on a port in China, were used to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm. The experimental results demonstrate the model’s validity and show that the ALNS algorithm designed for the integrated scheduling problem outperformed CPLEX and other algorithms in terms of the accuracy and efficiency. Finally, a sensitivity analysis of the key parameters provides recommendations for the integrated scheduling of tugboats, berths, and quay cranes, offering valuable insights for port operations.
Paleogeomorphology Restoration of Post-Rift Basin: Volcanic Activity and Differential Subsidence Influence in Xihu Sag, East China Sea
Authors: Yu Xiongbiao , Liu Qianghu , Zhu Hongtao , Li Zhiyao , Qin Lanzhi , Xu Donghao
Published: September 2024

In post-rift basins, the thickness center, fine-grained deposit center, and subsidence center rarely converge. Clearing the three centers with the thickest center is difficult. In the Huangyan district of Xihu Sag, the East China Sea Shelf Basin, an Oligocene post-rift basin beneath major potential igneous provinces, has inconsistent thickness and composition. Analysis of core samples, drilling, and 3D seismic data corroborated this finding. This means that the formation thickness center does not match the lithology center, which indicates water depth. Gravity and magnetic measurements in the studied region show that significant magmatic activity is responsible for the difference between the center of thickness and the fine-grained deposit. Thermal sinking must be restored to fix this. Therefore, we propose (1) recreating the early Oligocene residual geomorphology in Huangyan using 3D seismic data. (2) Software computing quantitative subsidence. (3) Paleogeomorphology is verified by normal and trace element paleowater depths. (4) Reconstruct the paleogeomorphology and analyze how volcanic activity affected them and the three centers in the basin formed after tectonic plates separated. A shallow water delta and thermal subsidence show that magmatic activity is persistent in the north. With less thermal subsidence and deeper water, the southern area features a shallow lake sedimentary system. The thickness and fine-grained deposition centers were in the north and south, respectively. Geophysical and geological methods were used to reproduce the post-rift paleogeomorphology shaped by magmatic processes.
Analysis of Fluid Suction Characteristics of Polyhedral Particles in Deep-Sea Hydraulic Collection Method
Authors: Jiang Min , Chen Bingzheng , Li Kaihui
Published: September 2024

Deep-sea hydraulic collection is a key technology for seabed mineral resource extraction, offering higher efficiency and environmental protection compared to other collection methods. However, due to their complex characteristics, the suction properties and influencing factors of polyhedral particles in hydraulic suction collection remain elusive. This study utilized dimensionless methods and conducted experiments to analyze the flow characteristics in cone-shaped collection hoods and the distribution of suction force on polyhedral particles, and researched the effect of various parameters, such as Φ, H/R, R/S, and H/dp (referring to the nomenclature given in the last part of this paper), on the suction force coefficients of polyhedral particles based on the suction force coefficients of spheres by acquiring the suction coefficient ratio (kc). The results indicate the following: (1) the presence of suction and coherent vortices in the horizontal positions of 0.1R to 0.2R within the central region, which move with changes in pump suction or cove height, benefiting particle collection; (2) the particle suction force (Fd) decreases with increasing sphericity (Φ), with a more pronounced decline in high-speed flow fields, exhibiting two peaks and one trough in the Fd curve within the hood’s flow field; (3) the kc generally increases with decreasing Φ at the same collection position, showing increasingly stable fluctuations, and kc is sensitive to surrounding flow velocities with a rapid growth trend at higher speed, revealing that the suction coefficient (Cd) of polyhedral particles is significantly larger than that of spherical particles with increasing flow speed in high-speed flow fields; (4) Fd decreases with increasing H/dp, with a noticeable slowdown when H/dp exceeds 3.5. This study reveals the force characteristics and influencing factors of non-spherical coarse particles in hydraulic suction collection flow fields, providing insights for the development of collection technologies and equipment for deep-sea solid mineral resources, particularly irregular coarse particles.
Design of a Trajectory Tracking Controller for Marine Vessels with Asymmetric Constraints Using a New Universal Barrier Function
Authors: Zhang Tan , Zhang Gang , Zhang Jinzhong
Published: September 2024

This article introduces an innovative trajectory tracking control methodology for a marine vessel with disturbances. The vessel is driven to track a predetermined trajectory while preventing the constraint violation of the position error. A universal barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is, for the first time, established to resolve the variable constraint. It should be emphasized that the devised barrier function can handle constraint types including time-varying, time-invariant, symmetric, and asymmetric forms, and it can be employed to devise control schemes for unconstrained systems. Consequently, in comparison to the current BLF-based techniques for vessels, it can be flexible for dealing with practical control issues with or without constraints. A simplified disturbance observer performs estimations of ocean disturbances. It is proven that all the error variables can be exponentially stabilized to a small neighborhood close to the equilibrium point, while violations of the constraints on the position error never occur. The feasibility of the theoretical discoveries is shown by the outcomes of the final simulation.
Digital News Bundles: Analyzing Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Cross-Publisher Journalistic Bundles
Authors: Erbrich Lukas
Published: September 2024

The landscape of journalism is rapidly evolving, with bundled subscription offerings from the New York Times, Apple and Schibsted becoming increasingly important. These offerings allow consumers to access a wide variety of content in multiple formats, representing a significant shift in how news and information are consumed. However, the impact of these offerings on publishers’ revenues remains underexplored in journalism and media research. The results suggest that bundled offers generate higher revenues for publishers than individual offers. This supports the introduction of internal “all-access” bundles within the European journalism sector, as well as external collaborations between unaffiliated publishers. However, the relatively small differences in revenues suggest that there is limited strong evidence to support the adoption of a centralized, cross-publisher “Spotify for News” model.
Liquidity Spillover between Exchange-Traded Funds: Variations across News Regimes
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhao Yongchen
Published: September 2024

Understanding liquidity and liquidity risk is essential for effective risk management. We investigate liquidity spillover effects among ETFs that track the S&P sectors. In particular, using COVID-related news shocks as a natural experiment, we estimate the direction and magnitude of two-way net spillovers and their asymmetry across good and bad news regimes, where liquidity is measured by the daily quoted bid–ask spread and the Amihud illiquidity ratio. Our results confirm the liquidity links amongst ETFs and suggest that liquidity spillovers are more pronounced during bad news periods compared to good news periods. In addition, we document the variations in the results obtained using the bid–ask spread and the Amihud ratio, which provide insights into different dimensions of liquidity and liquidity risk, including volatility and trading volume.
Twin Agency Problems and Debt Management around the World
Authors: Salikhova Tatiana , Orlova Svetlana V. , Sun Li
Published: September 2024

This study examines the impact of twin agency problems (political corruption and minority shareholders’ expropriation) on corporate debt management policies across a large number of countries. Our results show that in more corrupt countries, managers are more likely to shield liquid assets from potential political extraction by maintaining a higher level of leverage. This effect is magnified by the protection of shareholders’ rights. We further show that twin agency problems influence not only the level of debt in capital structures but also other aspects of debt management, including debt maturity, deviation from optimal leverage, capital structure stability, and the leverage speed of adjustments. The findings are robust due to their inclusion of different measures of corruption and a wide range of firm-level and country-level characteristics. Our study has implications for policymakers, as we show that the improvement of the country-level institutional environment and, particularly, addressing corruption can lead to more effective debt management by firms, ultimately resulting in higher firm values.
The Main Drivers of E-Commerce Adoption: A Global Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Paun Cristian , Ivascu Cosmin , Olteteanu Angel , Dantis Dragos
Published: September 2024

Digitalization has become more and more important for economic activities and economic development. E-commerce, as a part of local and international trade, is of increasing importance and is highly correlated with technological progress and innovation. Our research investigates the relevance of selected drivers that could explain the latest e-commerce adoption at global level. In our analysis, we used the UNCTAD B2C E-commerce Index (2014–2020, yearly data, covering 133 countries, 931 observations) which can be considered relevant to express an economy’s readiness to support e-commerce. E-commerce adoption is assessed in our research by the following six factors: (i) wealth, economic freedom, and economic development; (ii) access and sophistication of the financial sector; (iii) education; (iv) regulations; (v) development of ICT infrastructure; and (vi) frontier drivers (such as AI, cryptocurrencies, and blockchain technologies). In our research, we used a panel data analysis framework using hard data provided by different databases (UNCTAD, World Bank, etc.). The results we obtained confirmed that developed countries with a higher income level are higher adopters of e-commerce, financial development and the accessibility of financial services significantly help e-commerce adoption, a regulatory system (particularly economic freedom and property rights) strongly supports e-commerce adoption, education has a positive impact on e-commerce adoption, ICT infrastructure increases the adoption of e-commerce and the readiness and use of AI, and frontier technologies generate an increased adoption of e-commerce. The results we obtained are consistent with the findings of similar studies (most of them using different research methodologies) and opens the ground for interesting discussions and further research developments. The novelty of our research consists in the exhaustive perspective on e-commerce adoption drivers (including frontier technologies such as AI or blockchain) based on hard country data collected from various sources for a consistent panel of countries and a relevant number of years, providing an alternative approach to the mainstream studies on e-commerce adoption that process data from surveys, interviews, or focus groups.
Geochemical Behavior of Rare Earth Elements in Tidal Flat Sediments from Qidong Cape, Yangtze River Estuary: Implications for the Study of Sedimentary Environmental Change
Authors: Zhang Yunfeng , Zhang Zhenke , Stephenson Wayne , Chen Yingying
Published: September 2024

Sediment transport to the sea by rivers is crucial for the stability of estuaries and coasts. The Yangtze River, the largest river in China, like many large rivers worldwide, is experiencing a decrease in sediment load reaching the coast. However, the tidal flat around Qidong Cape, located at the entrance of the North Branch of the Yangtze Estuary, is undergoing extensive siltation. The source of this sediment is unclear. In this study, a sediment core was collected and the geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results indicate the following: (1) The average content of REE is 178.57 μg/g, and the average ratio between LREE and HREE is 8.66, which is comparable to sediments from the South Yellow Sea. The chondrite-normalized and UCC-normalized patterns resemble those of the Yangtze River and the South Yellow Sea, indicating a negative gradient, a weak Ce-negative anomaly, and a distinct Eu-negative anomaly. (2) The continental shelf deposits in eastern China are primarily derived from sediment flux delivered by rivers. The sediments in the South Yellow Sea mainly originate from the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, exhibiting characteristics of a mixed source due to long-term geological processes, namely geochemical processes. The REEs in the tidal flat around Qidong Cape inherit the source area’s characteristics and originate from the weathering of upper continental rock in mainland China. Moreover, the tidal flat around Qidong Cape is influenced by both runoff and tidal actions, leading to strong land–sea interactions and reducing the environment, explaining the Eu-negative anomaly. (3) Hydrodynamic forces in the North Branch of the Yangtze River have shifted from runoff to tidal dominance since the 1930s. However, marine hydrodynamics outside the estuary have remained unchanged. Consequently, the Subei coastal current plays a key role in sediment transport and diffusion. Sediments from the south wing of the Radiative Sand Ridge in the South Yellow Sea are transported southward by the Subei coastal current, and under tidal influence, suspended sediment is deposited in the tidal flat around Qidong Cape. Therefore, the sediment source has gradually shifted from the Yangtze River to the South Yellow Sea.
A Robust Dual-Mode Machine Learning Framework for Classifying Deforestation Patterns in Amazon Native Lands
Authors: Rodrigues Julia , Dias Mauricio Araújo , Negri Rogério , Hussain Sardar Muhammad , Casaca Wallace
Published: September 2024

The integrated use of remote sensing and machine learning stands out as a powerful and well-established approach for dealing with various environmental monitoring tasks, including deforestation detection. In this paper, we present a tunable, data-driven methodology for assessing deforestation in the Amazon biome, with a particular focus on protected conservation reserves. In contrast to most existing works from the specialized literature that typically target vast forest regions or privately used lands, our investigation concentrates on evaluating deforestation in particular, legally protected areas, including indigenous lands. By integrating the open data and resources available through the Google Earth Engine, our framework is designed to be adaptable, employing either anomaly detection methods or artificial neural networks for classifying deforestation patterns. A comprehensive analysis of the classifiers’ accuracy, generalization capabilities, and practical usage is provided, with a numerical assessment based on a case study in the Amazon rainforest regions of São Félix do Xingu and the Kayapó indigenous reserve.
Leveraging Geospatial Information to Map Perceived Tenure Insecurity in Urban Deprivation Areas
Authors: Dufitimana Esaie , Wang Jiong , Kohli-Poll Jonker Divyani
Published: September 2024

Increasing tenure security is essential for promoting safe and inclusive urban development and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. However, assessment of tenure security relies on conventional census and survey statistics, which often fail to capture the dimension of perceived tenure insecurity. This perceived tenure insecurity is crucial as it influences local engagement and the effectiveness of policies. In many regions, particularly in the Global South, these conventional methods lack the necessary data to adequately measure perceived tenure insecurity. This study first used household survey data to derive variations in perceived tenure insecurity and then explored the potential of Very-High Resolution (VHR) satellite imagery and spatial data to assess these variations in urban deprived areas. Focusing on the city of Kigali, Rwanda, the study collected household survey data, which were analysed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis to capture variations of perceived tenure insecurity. In addition, VHR satellite imagery and spatial datasets were analysed to characterize urban deprivation. Finally, a Random Forest regression model was used to assess the relationship between variations of perceived tenure insecurity and the spatial characteristics of urban deprived areas. The findings highlight the potential of geospatial information to estimate variations in perceived tenure insecurity within urban deprived contexts. These insights can inform evidence-based decision-making by municipalities and stakeholders in urban development initiatives.
Change Patterns of Desertification and Its Dominant Influencing Factors in China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor Based on MODIS and Feature Space Model
Authors: Wang Longhao , Guo Bing , Zhang Rui
Published: September 2024

The desertification of the China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor (CMREC), one of the six major economic corridors in the Belt and Road Initiative, has posed a great challenge to the ecological environment protection and sustainable economic development of the region. In this work, two categories of feature space models based on point–point mode and point–line mode were constructed. The optimal feature space model was used to establish the spatial–temporal change patterns of desertification in the CMREC from 2001 to 2020, and then the dominant driving factors were quantitatively determined. The conclusions demonstrated the following: (1) the monitoring accuracy of the Albedo–MSAVI desertification model based on point–point mode was the highest, at 86.47%, followed by that of the TGSI–MSAVI model based on point–line mode, at 85.71%; (2) from 2001 to 2020, the spatial distribution of desertification in the China–Mongolia–Russia Economic Corridor region showed a decreasing trend radiating outwards from the Inner Mongolia Plateau and Gobi Desert; (3) the gravity center of desertification in Chinese parts in the CMREC migrated toward the northeast, while the Mongolia and Russia parts migrated toward the southwest and southeast, respectively; and (4) from 2001 to 2020, precipitation and land use change had the greatest impacts on the evolution patterns of desertification in China and Mongolia, while topography and land use contributed greatly to the change process of desertification in Russia. The research results could provide data support for desertification control in the CMREC.