bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic Activity as a Determinant for Customer Adoption of Social Media Marketing
Authors: Pollák František , Markovič Peter
Published: April 2021

The issue of an effective use of social media as a tool of responsible and sustainable corporate communication policy has been the subject of intensive research for more than a decade. The presented study examines the issue of customer acceptance of communication activities of organizations in the social media environment. The aim of the study is to identify, through an empirical analysis performed on a sample of 1584 Central Europeans, whether the form of economic activity of the customer has an impact on the degree of acceptance of corporate marketing communication on social media. Based on a thorough statistical analysis, it can be stated that the perception of the use of e-marketing on social media is statistically significantly related to the economic activity of the customer. Social media marketing is perceived as rather positive by customers belonging to the category of students and entrepreneurs, while this form of promotion is evaluated neutrally by customers from the category of the unemployed and retirees. Negative acceptance is recorded only insignificantly across all involved groups. Based on the similarity of the behavior of customer groups, it is possible to more precisely target the online activity of organizations, thereby increasing the efficiency of spending business resources and eliminating market risks in terms of reputational issues.
Variable Neighborhood Search for Major League Baseball Scheduling Problem
Authors: Liang Yun-Chia , Lin Yen-Yu , Chen Angela Hsiang-Ling , Chen Wei-Sheng
Published: April 2021

Modern society pays more and more attention to leisure activities, and watching sports is one of the most popular activities for people. In professional leagues, sports scheduling plays a very critical role. To efficiently arrange a schedule while complying with the relevant rules in a sports league has become a challenge for schedule planners. This research uses Major League Baseball (MLB) of the year 2016 as a case study. The study proposed the Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) algorithm with different coding structures to optimize the objective function—minimize the total travelling distance of all teams in the league. We have compared the algorithmic schedules with the 2016 and 2019 MLB regular-season schedules in the real-world case for its performance evaluation. The results have confirmed success in reducing the total travelling distances by 2.48% for 2016 and 6.02% in 2019 while lowering the standard deviation of total travelling distances by 7.06% for 2016.
Managing Herder-Community-Based Tourism: An Institutional Framework for an Integrated Social–Ecological System
Authors: Zagarkhorloo Undrakh , Heijman Wim , Dries Liesbeth , Batjargal Buyanzaya
Published: April 2021

Improving household livelihoods through tourism, while at the same time achieving the goals of conservation, remains a challenge in high-value nature areas around the world. This paper studies a herder-community-based tourism system in Mongolia in light of these challenges. The social–ecological system (SES) framework was used as a conceptual foundation. The generic SES framework was adapted to the case of the herder-community-based tourism system. The adapted framework was then used to assess the economic, ecological, and social objectives of the herder-community-based tourism system characterised by natural resources and cultural landscapes. Primary data collection included interviews with key informants in the tourism sector: tourism researchers, representatives of donor projects, managers of tour operators, and guides. Based on their responses, the study site was selected in the buffer zone of the Hustai National Park, which is a protected area. Respondents in the second stage of interviews were herders who participate in herder-based tourism and who live in the vicinity of the protected area. Results show that the SES framework is able to diagnose the sustainability of the herder-community-tourism system, but sustainability outcomes indicate an imbalance between social, economic, and environmental performance. The herder-community-based tourism system is successful in conserving wildlife and habitats; however, the distribution of revenues gained from tourism shows that only a small and inequitable share reaches the herder community.
Reduction of Plastic Deformation in Heavy Traffic Intersections in Urban Areas
Authors: Song Seungbub , Yeom Chunho
Published: April 2021

This study aims to maximize the effects of reducing plastic deformation in heavy traffic intersections in urban areas by improving the aggregates and binders of asphalt mixtures in order to verify the strength effect of SMA (Stone Mastic Asphalt) mixtures compared with that of fluid-resistant asphalt mixtures. The authors examine the pavement performance and conduct an economic analysis for sustainable urban infrastructure. Additionally, to reduce plastic deformation, the study analyzed an improvement plan through experimental research based on the existing literature. First, we determined the mixing design specifications of the general asphalt fluid-resistant mixture and SMA mixture, which is known to reduce plastic deformation. Next, we confirmed the appropriateness of the raw materials and mixing design results. Finally, a performance test was conducted on plastic deformation resistance. A wheel tracking test was also conducted as a performance experiment. The test body—with a fiber grid reinforcing material installed in the SMA mixture—showed high dynamic stability, which was the most effective for reducing plastic deformation.
Toward an Integrated and Sustainable Water Resources Management in Structurally-Controlled Watersheds in Desert Environments Using Geophysical and Remote Sensing Methods
Authors: Attwa Mohamed , El Bastawesy Mohammed , Ragab Dina , Othman Abdullah , Assaggaf Hamza M. , Abotalib Abotalib Z.
Published: April 2021

Sustainable water resources management in desert environment has yet to be reached due to the limited hydrological datasets under such extreme arid conditions. In the Eastern Sahara, the tectonic activity associated with the opening of the Red Sea adds more complexity to developing sustainable water management by creating multiple aquifers within subsided half-grabens along the Red Sea extension. To overcome these difficulties, a two-fold approach is adopted including integrated remote sensing and geoelectrical methods using Wadi Al-Ambagi watershed in the Eastern Desert of Egypt as a test site. First, the total discharge is estimated as 15.7 × 106 m3 following the application of a uniform storm of 10 mm effective precipitation, which exceeds the storage capacity of existing mitigation measures (5.5 × 106 m3), and thus additional dams are required. Second, the subsurface geometry of alluvium and sedimentary aquifers, within subsided blocks in the Arabian–Nubian shield (ANS), is delineated using 1D direct current and 2D electrical-resistivity tomography (ERT). Findings indicate that significant thicknesses of more than 80 m of permeable sedimentary units occur within the subsided blocks. Therefore, the scarce water resources can be managed by controlling the flash floods and suggesting proper dam sites at the location of thick alluvium and sedimentary rocks, where aquifers can be recharged representing a sustainable source for freshwater. The proposed approach is transferable and can be applied in similar arid rift-related watersheds in Saudi Arabia and worldwide.
Cogeneration Supporting the Energy Transition in the Italian Ceramic Tile Industry
Authors: Branchini Lisa , Bignozzi Maria Chiara , Ferrari Benedetta , Mazzanti Barbara , Ottaviano Saverio , Salvio Marcello , Toro Claudia , Martini Fabrizio , Canetti Andrea
Published: April 2021

Ceramic tile production is an industrial process where energy efficiency management is crucial, given the high amount of energy (electrical and thermal) required by the production cycle. This study presents the preliminary results of a research project aimed at defining the benefits of using combined heat and power (CHP) systems in the ceramic sector. Data collected from ten CHP installations allowed us to outline the average characteristics of prime movers, and to quantify the contribution of CHP thermal energy supporting the dryer process. The electric size of the installed CHP units resulted in being between 3.4 MW and 4.9 MW, with an average value of 4 MW. Data revealed that when the goal is to maximize the generation of electricity for self-consumption, internal combustion engines are the preferred choice due to higher conversion efficiency. In contrast, gas turbines allowed us to minimize the consumption of natural gas input to the spray dryer. Indeed, the fraction of the dryer thermal demand (between 600–950 kcal/kgH2O), covered by CHP discharged heat, is strictly dependent on the type of prime mover installed: lower values, in the range of 30–45%, are characteristic of combustion engines, whereas the use of gas turbines can contribute up to 77% of the process’s total consumption.
Spatiotemporal Evolution and the Influencing Factors of Tourism-Based Social-Ecological System Vulnerability in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, China
Authors: Tu Jun , Luo Shiwei , Yang Yongfeng , Qin Puyan , Qi Pengwei , Li Qiaoqiao
Published: April 2021

With the rapid development of global tourism, identifying the vulnerability of tourism-based social-ecological systems (SESs) has become an important topic in sustainable development research. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate the vulnerability, spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, and influencing factors of tourism-based SESs in the counties of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA). A comprehensive evaluation system containing 46 indicators was constructed using a model that combines a social–economic–ecological model and a pressure–state–response model (SEE-PSR). The entropy and composite index methods were used to calculate the vulnerability values of the indicators, and Geodetector was used to explore the factors influencing system vulnerability in the whole study area. The results showed the following: (1) The mean value of the composite vulnerability index of the TGRA from 2010 to 2018 was 0.4849, indicating a moderate vulnerability state. The system vulnerability of the study area gradually decreased from moderately high to moderately low. (2) There were obvious differences in the spatiotemporal evolution of vulnerability in different counties; high and moderately high vulnerability continued to decrease, moderately low and low vulnerability increased, and moderate vulnerability showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing. Meanwhile, the relative differences in vulnerability among counties were small but gradually increasing. (3) System vulnerability was mainly caused by the social subsystem. Six factors, including the growth rate of the number of tourists and the amount of fiscal expenditure, were more likely to contribute to system vulnerability than other factors. The interaction types were mainly nonlinear enhancement types, supplemented by two-factor enhancement. This study presents an approach for evaluating the vulnerability of tourist destinations and constructing an evaluation index system. In this way, it has reference value for reducing regional vulnerability and promoting sustainable development.
Implementing Electromobility in Public Transport in Poland in 1990–2020. A Review of Experiences and Evaluation of the Current Development Directions
Authors: Połom Marcin , Wiśniewski Paweł
Published: April 2021

Public transport has undergone major changes in recent years. In particular, they relate to the issue of environmental impact. Due to the significant emission of pollutants from the economy, in particular from the transport segment, member states of the European Union have taken measures to limit its scope. Only low-emission and zero-emission vehicles are to be used in transport, and mainly those that are powered by electricity in public transport. The development of battery technologies has led to a revolution in the range and operational capabilities of electric buses in the last decade. They have become a seemingly easy alternative to traditional electric vehicles in public transport—trams and trolleybuses. This article presents the possibilities and limitations of the development of public transport in Poland based on electric buses. An attempt was made to review the literature and compare the possibility of the functioning of buses, trams and trolleybuses in the Polish socio-economic, environmental and technological conditions. The article was based on a literature query, an analysis of unpublished materials, and a qualitative analysis of national programs endorsing the idea of electromobility as well as an online survey on the perception of electric public transport. The main goal of the article was to identify and evaluate the possibilities of developing public transport in Poland with the use of electric buses. The main results of the work include the demonstration that the optics of the national and regional authorities in Poland are focused mainly on electric buses without a thorough analysis of the legitimacy of their operation, especially in small towns. The incentive in the form of subsidizing the purchase of an electric bus is sufficient for them, and the future effects of using electric buses are not investigated.
KEYme: Multifunctional Smart Toy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Cañete Raquel , López Sonia , Peralta M. Estela
Published: April 2021

The role that design engineering plays in the quality of life and well-being of people with autism spectrum disorder around the world is extremely relevant; products are highly helpful when used as “intermediaries” in social interactions, as well as in the reinforcement of cognitive, motor and sensory skills. One of the most significant challenges engineers have to face lies in the complexity of defining those functional requirements of objects that will efficiently satisfy the specific needs of children with autism within a single product. Furthermore, despite the growing trends that point toward the integration of new technologies in the creation of toys for typically developing children, the variety of specialized smart products aimed at children with autism spectrum disorder is very limited. Based on this evidence the KEYme project was created, where a multifunctional smart toy is developed as a reinforcement system for multiple needs which is adaptable to different kinds of autism for therapies, educational centers or family environments. This approach involves the knowledge transfer from the latest neuroscience, medicine and psychology contributions to the engineering and industrial design field.
Characterization of Alkanolamine Blends for Carbon Dioxide Absorption. Corrosion and Regeneration Studies
Authors: Sánchez-Bautista Alfredo , Palmero Ester M. , Moya Alberto J. , Gómez-Díaz Diego , La Rubia M. Dolores
Published: April 2021

There are a lot of research programs focusing on the development of new solvents for carbon dioxide capture. The most important priority should be reducing the energy consumption needed at the regeneration step, but minimizing solvent degradation and its corrosivity is also considered as a priority. In this research, the aqueous blends of 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP: 1 kmol·m−3) and 1-amino-2-propanol (MIPA: 0.1–0.5 kmol·m−3) are characterized in terms of density, viscosity, and surface tension. The carbon dioxide absorption rate and capacity, the regeneration capacity, and the corrosivity of these solvents are also evaluated.
The Impact of Air Quality on Effective Labor Supply: Based on the Survey Data of Zhejiang Province in China
Authors: Yang Yongliang , Fang Jing , Wang Wen , Li Yan , Li Yi
Published: April 2021

Labor is one of the most important factors of production and the basis for the development of social productivity. China’s aging population problem is serious, and the study of the labor supply is of great importance in order to achieve its second centenary goal regarding social development. In this study, four stage mixed sampling was used to conduct a questionnaire survey in the Zhejiang province of China, and 590 valid questionnaires were obtained. An ordered logit model and sample selection model were used to analyze the impact of air quality on the effective labor supply. The results show that the effective labor supply was significantly correlated with air quality. That is, the worse the air quality was, the lower the effective labor supply was, although this relationship was more explicit for people who worked indoors. When air quality impedes residents’ daily lives and even affects their health, it indirectly affects the effective supply of local labor. This paper indicates the causal relationship between economic development and the ecological environment and has enlightening significance for the realization of sustainable development.
Sediment Level Prediction of a Combined Sewer System Using Spatial Features
Authors: Ribalta Marc , Mateu Carles , Bejar Ramon , Rubión Edgar , Echeverria Lluís , Varela Alegre Francisco Javier , Corominas Lluís
Published: April 2021

The prediction of sediment levels in combined sewer system (CSS) would result in enormous savings in resources for their maintenance as a reduced number of inspections would be needed. In this paper, we benchmark different machine learning (ML) methodologies to improve the maintenance schedules of the sewerage and reduce the number of cleanings using historical sediment level and inspection data of the combined sewer system in the city of Barcelona. Two ML methodologies involve the use of spatial features for sediment prediction at critical sections of the sewer, where the cost of maintenance is high because of the dangerous access; one uses a regression model to predict the sediment level of a section, and the other one a binary classification model to identify whether or not a section needs cleaning. The last ML methodology is a short-term forecast of the possible sediment level in future days to improve the ability of operators to react and solve an imminent sediment level increase. Our study concludes with three different models. The spatial and short-term regression methodologies accomplished the best results with Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) with 0.76 and 0.61 R2 scores, respectively. The classification methodology resulted in a Gradient Boosting (GB) model with an accuracy score of 0.88 and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.909.
An Enhanced Spectral Clustering Algorithm with S-Distance
Authors: Kumar Sharma Krishna , Seal Ayan , Herrera-Viedma Enrique , Krejcar Ondrej
Published: April 2021

Calculating and monitoring customer churn metrics is important for companies to retain customers and earn more profit in business. In this study, a churn prediction framework is developed by modified spectral clustering (SC). However, the similarity measure plays an imperative role in clustering for predicting churn with better accuracy by analyzing industrial data. The linear Euclidean distance in the traditional SC is replaced by the non-linear S-distance (Sd). The Sd is deduced from the concept of S-divergence (SD). Several characteristics of Sd are discussed in this work. Assays are conducted to endorse the proposed clustering algorithm on four synthetics, eight UCI, two industrial databases and one telecommunications database related to customer churn. Three existing clustering algorithms—k-means, density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise and conventional SC—are also implemented on the above-mentioned 15 databases. The empirical outcomes show that the proposed clustering algorithm beats three existing clustering algorithms in terms of its Jaccard index, f-score, recall, precision and accuracy. Finally, we also test the significance of the clustering results by the Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test, Wilcoxon’s rank-sum test, and sign tests. The relative study shows that the outcomes of the proposed algorithm are interesting, especially in the case of clusters of arbitrary shape.
Threat Defense: Cyber Deception Approach and Education for Resilience in Hybrid Threats Model
Authors: Steingartner William , Galinec Darko , Kozina Andrija
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to explore the cyber-deception-based approach and to design a novel conceptual model of hybrid threats that includes deception methods. Security programs primarily focus on prevention-based strategies aimed at stopping attackers from getting into the network. These programs attempt to use hardened perimeters and endpoint defenses by recognizing and blocking malicious activities to detect and stop attackers before they can get in. Most organizations implement such a strategy by fortifying their networks with defense-in-depth through layered prevention controls. Detection controls are usually placed to augment prevention at the perimeter, and not as consistently deployed for in-network threat detection. This architecture leaves detection gaps that are difficult to fill with existing security controls not specifically designed for that role. Rather than using prevention alone, a strategy that attackers have consistently succeeded against, defenders are adopting a more balanced strategy that includes detection and response. Most organizations deploy an intrusion detection system (IDS) or next-generation firewall that picks up known attacks or attempts to pattern match for identification. Other detection tools use monitoring, traffic, or behavioral analysis. These reactive defenses are designed to detect once they are attacked yet often fail. They also have some limitations because they are not designed to catch credential harvesting or attacks based on what appears as authorized access. They are also often seen as complex and prone to false positives, adding to analyst alert fatigue. The security industry has focused recent innovation on finding more accurate ways to recognize malicious activity with technologies such as user and entity behavioral analytics (UEBA), big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and deception.
Kinematic Analysis of Lower Limb Joint Asymmetry During Gait in People with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Pau Massimiliano , Leban Bruno , Deidda Michela , Putzolu Federica , Porta Micaela , Coghe Giancarlo , Cocco Eleonora
Published: April 2021

The majority of people with Multiple Sclerosis (pwMS), report lower limb motor dysfunctions, which may relevantly affect postural control, gait and a wide range of activities of daily living. While it is quite common to observe a different impact of the disease on the two limbs (i.e., one of them is more affected), less clear are the effects of such asymmetry on gait performance. The present retrospective cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the magnitude of interlimb asymmetry in pwMS, particularly as regards the joint kinematics, using parameters derived from angle-angle diagrams. To this end, we analyzed gait patterns of 101 pwMS (55 women, 46 men, mean age 46.3, average Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score 3.5, range 1–6.5) and 81 unaffected individuals age- and sex-matched who underwent 3D computerized gait analysis carried out using an eight-camera motion capture system. Spatio-temporal parameters and kinematics in the sagittal plane at hip, knee and ankle joints were considered for the analysis. The angular trends of left and right sides were processed to build synchronized angle–angle diagrams (cyclograms) for each joint, and symmetry was assessed by computing several geometrical features such as area, orientation and Trend Symmetry. Based on cyclogram orientation and Trend Symmetry, the results show that pwMS exhibit significantly greater asymmetry in all three joints with respect to unaffected individuals. In particular, orientation values were as follows: 5.1 of pwMS vs. 1.6 of unaffected individuals at hip joint, 7.0 vs. 1.5 at knee and 6.4 vs. 3.0 at ankle (p < 0.001 in all cases), while for Trend Symmetry we obtained at hip 1.7 of pwMS vs. 0.3 of unaffected individuals, 4.2 vs. 0.5 at knee and 8.5 vs. 1.5 at ankle (p < 0.001 in all cases). Moreover, the same parameters were sensitive enough to discriminate individuals of different disability levels. With few exceptions, all the calculated symmetry parameters were found significantly correlated with the main spatio-temporal parameters of gait and the EDSS score. In particular, large correlations were detected between Trend Symmetry and gait speed (with rho values in the range of −0.58 to −0.63 depending on the considered joint, p < 0.001) and between Trend Symmetry and EDSS score (rho = 0.62 to 0.69, p < 0.001). Such results suggest not only that MS is associated with significantly marked interlimb asymmetry during gait but also that such asymmetry worsens as the disease progresses and that it has a relevant impact on gait performances.
The Cosmological OTOC: A New Proposal for Quantifying Auto-Correlated Random Non-Chaotic Primordial Fluctuations
Authors: Choudhury Sayantan
Published: April 2021

The underlying physical concept of computing out-of-time-ordered correlation (OTOC) is a significant new tool within the framework of quantum field theory, which now-a-days is treated as a measure of random fluctuations. In this paper, by following the canonical quantization technique, we demonstrate a computational method to quantify the two different types of cosmological auto-correlated OTO functions during the epoch when the non-equilibrium features dominates in primordial cosmology. In this formulation, two distinct dynamical time scales are involved to define the quantum mechanical operators arising from the cosmological perturbation scenario. We have provided detailed explanation regarding the necessity of this new formalism to quantify any random events generated from quantum fluctuations in primordial cosmology. We have performed an elaborative computation for the two types of two-point and four-point auto-correlated OTO functions in terms of the cosmological perturbation field variables and its canonically conjugate momenta to quantify random auto-correlations in the non-equilibrium regime. For both of the cases, we found significantly distinguishable non-chaotic, but random, behaviour in the OTO auto-correlations, which was not pointed out before in this type of study. Finally, we have also demonstrated the classical limiting behaviour of the mentioned two types of auto-correlated OTOC functions from the thermally weighted phase-space averaged Poisson brackets, which we found to exactly match the large time limiting behaviour of the auto-correlations in the super-horizon regime of the cosmological scalar mode fluctuation.
Ab Initio Spectroscopic Investigation of Pharmacologically Relevant Chiral Molecules: The Cases of Avibactam, Cephems, and Idelalisib as Benchmarks for Antibiotics and Anticancer Drugs
Authors: Molteni Elena , Onida Giovanni , Ceccarelli Matteo , Cappellini Giancarlo
Published: April 2021

The ability to accurately measure or predict several physicochemical properties of molecules which play a role as active substances in drugs can be of strategic importance for pharmacological applications, in addition to its possible interest in fundamental research. Chirality is a relevant feature in the characterization of drug molecules: enantiomers can show different pharmacological activity and adverse effects. The ability to separate stereoisomers and to assign their absolute configuration can thus be crucial. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra are a useful tool to distinguish between enantiomers. In this work we apply an in-house developed code, based on an efficient DFT approach for circular dichroism, to fully characterize the molecular optical properties in the case of few selected fundamental molecules for current medical and pharmaceutical research, namely avibactam, as representative of non β-lactam inhibitors, two cephems (cefepime and cefoxitin), as examples of β-lactam antibiotics, and idelalisib, as a recent relevant anticancer active substance to treat major leukemias. For the above molecules, in addition to their optical absorption spectra, we calculate their CD spectra within state-of-the-art computational techniques. We then investigate both the conformational and chemical sensitivity of absorption and CD spectra for the chosen molecules. The outcomes of the present research could be of fundamental importance to gain additional information on molecules involved in therapeutic protocols for severe diseases or in drug design.
Composition and Acute Inflammatory Response from Tetraponera rufonigra Venom on RAW 264.7 Macrophage Cells
Authors: Naephrai Suwatjanee , Khacha-ananda Supakit , Pitchakarn Pornsiri , Jaikang Churdsak
Published: April 2021

Tetraponera rufonigra (Arboreal Bicoloured Ant) venom induces pain, inflammation, and anaphylaxis in people and has an increased incident in Southeast Asia regions. The bioactive components and mechanism of action of the ant venom are still limited. The aim of this research was to identify the protein composition and inflammatory process of the ant venom by using RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The major venom proteins are composed of 5’ nucleotidase, prolyl endopeptidase-like, aminopeptidase N, trypsin-3, venom protein, and phospholipase A2 (PLA2). The venom showed PLA2 activity and represented 0.46 μg of PLA2 bee venom equivalent/μg crude venom protein. The venom induced cytotoxic in a dose- and time-dependent manner with IC20 approximately at 4.01 µg/mL. The increased levels of COX-2 and PGE2 were observed after 1 h of treatment correlating with an upregulation of COX-2 expression. Moreover, the level of mPGES-1 expression was obviously increased after 12 h of venom induction. Hence, our results suggested that the induction of COX-2/mPGEs-1 pathway could be a direct pathway for the ant venom-induced inflammation.
Cyanotoxin Screening in BACA Culture Collection: Identification of New Cylindrospermopsin Producing Cyanobacteria
Authors: Cordeiro Rita , Azevedo Joana , Luz Rúben , Vasconcelos Vitor , Gonçalves Vítor , Fonseca Amélia
Published: April 2021

Microcystins (MCs), Saxitoxins (STXs), and Cylindrospermopsins (CYNs) are some of the more well-known cyanotoxins. Taking into consideration the impacts of cyanotoxins, many studies have focused on the identification of unknown cyanotoxin(s)-producing strains. This study aimed to screen strains from the Azorean Bank of Algae and Cyanobacteria (BACA) for MCs, STX, and CYN production. A total of 157 strains were searched for mcy, sxt, and cyr producing genes by PCR, toxin identification by ESI-LC-MS/MS, and cyanotoxin-producing strains morphological identification and confirmation by 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis. Cyanotoxin-producing genes were amplified in 13 strains and four were confirmed as toxin producers by ESI-LC-MS/MS. As expected Aphanizomenon gracile BACA0041 was confirmed as an STX producer, with amplification of genes sxtA, sxtG, sxtH, and sxtI, and Microcystis aeruginosa BACA0148 as an MC-LR producer, with amplification of genes mcyC, mcyD, mcyE, and mcyG. Two nostocalean strains, BACA0025 and BACA0031, were positive for both cyrB and cyrC genes and ESI-LC-MS/MS confirmed CYN production. Although these strains morphologically resemble Sphaerospermopsis, the 16S rRNA phylogenetic analysis reveals that they probably belong to a new genus.
Broken Scale Invariance, Gravity Mass, and Dark Energy inModified Einstein Gravity with Two Measure Finsler like Variables
Authors: Stavrinos Panayiotis , Vacaru Sergiu I.
Published: April 2021

We study new classes of generic off-diagonal and diagonal cosmological solutions for effective Einstein equations in modified gravity theories (MGTs), with modified dispersion relations (MDRs), and encoding possible violations of (local) Lorentz invariance (LIVs). Such MGTs are constructed for actions and Lagrange densities with two non-Riemannian volume forms (similar to two measure theories (TMTs)) and associated bimetric and/or biconnection geometric structures. For conventional nonholonomic 2 + 2 splitting, we can always describe such models in Finsler-like variables, which is important for elaborating geometric methods of constructing exact and parametric solutions. Examples of such Finsler two-measure formulations of general relativity (GR) and MGTs are considered for Lorentz manifolds and their (co) tangent bundles and abbreviated as FTMT. Generic off-diagonal metrics solving gravitational field equations in FTMTs are determined by generating functions, effective sources and integration constants, and characterized by nonholonomic frame torsion effects. By restricting the class of integration functions, we can extract torsionless and/or diagonal configurations and model emergent cosmological theories with square scalar curvature, R2, when the global Weyl-scale symmetry is broken via nonlinear dynamical interactions with nonholonomic constraints. In the physical Einstein–Finsler frame, the constructions involve: (i) nonlinear re-parametrization symmetries of the generating functions and effective sources; (ii) effective potentials for the scalar field with possible two flat regions, which allows for a unified description of locally anisotropic and/or isotropic early universe inflation related to acceleration cosmology and dark energy; (iii) there are “emergent universes” described by off-diagonal and diagonal solutions for certain nonholonomic phases and parametric cosmological evolution resulting in various inflationary phases; (iv) we can reproduce massive gravity effects in two-measure theories. Finally, we study a reconstructing procedure for reproducing off-diagonal FTMT and massive gravity cosmological models as effective Einstein gravity or Einstein–Finsler theories.
A Comparative Study of Urban Spatial Characteristics of the Capitals of Tang and Song Dynasties Based on Space Syntax
Authors: Yin Liran , Wang Tao , Adeyeye Kemi
Published: April 2021

Space syntax has been widely used in studies with historical components to developing a common analytical language for the comparative study of urban morphology across time and space by visual diagrams. This paper uses space syntax to analyse the inner and outer city parts of the daily life of residents in the capital cities of two dynasties, Tang and Song, to reveal the impact of changes in urban planning on the overall spatial structure of the city, the structure of commercial space, and the role of urban squares in the two dynasties under centralised rule. Based on the quantitative analysis, the results show significant differences between the Tang and Song dynasties in all three aspects of comparison. The changes in the Tang and Song dynasties’ capital cities result from the interaction between the materiality of the ancient Chinese capital city form and the spatial function of the city, and the analysis of space syntax is useful for interpreting their relevance.
Exploring the Relationship between Preprocessing and Hyperparameter Tuning for Vibration-Based Machine Fault Diagnosis Using CNNs
Authors: Hendriks Jacob , Dumond Patrick
Published: April 2021

This paper demonstrates the differences between popular transformation-based input representations for vibration-based machine fault diagnosis. This paper highlights the dependency of different input representations on hyperparameter selection with the results of training different configurations of classical convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with three common benchmarking datasets. Raw temporal measurement, Fourier spectrum, envelope spectrum, and spectrogram input types are individually used to train CNNs. Many configurations of CNNs are trained, with variable input sizes, convolutional kernel sizes and stride. The results show that each input type favors different combinations of hyperparameters, and that each of the datasets studied yield different performance characteristics. The input sizes are found to be the most significant determiner of whether overfitting will occur. It is demonstrated that CNNs trained with spectrograms are less dependent on hyperparameter optimization over all three datasets. This paper demonstrates the wide range of performance achieved by CNNs when preprocessing method and hyperparameters are varied as well as their complex interaction, providing researchers with useful background information and a starting place for further optimization.
Effectivity and Efficiency of Best Management Practices Based on a Survey and SWAPP Model of the Xiangxi River Basin
Authors: Liu Ruimin , Miao Yuexi , Wang Qingrui , Jiao Lijun , Wang Yifan , Li Lin , Cao Leiping
Published: April 2021

A questionnaire survey was conducted among farmers in the Xiangxi River Basin to investigate the local livestock situation and the farmers’ understanding of and attitude towards pollution. The results showed that local farmers lacked environmental awareness and few livestock and poultry pollution treatment measures had been implemented. However, once farmers understood that livestock pollution would greatly influence their lives and interests, they would act to prevent Agricultural non–point source (ANPS) pollution. The farmers’ education level and satisfaction with the environment were the main factors affecting their awareness regarding ANPS pollution. The “Comprehensive Environmental Optimization Tool SWAT–APEX Interface” model (SWAPP) was used to simulate the reduction of ANPS by different best management practices (BMPs) and the construction cost was calculated. The results showed that compound bedding and piping systems and ponds were the most effective and economic measures for reducing ANPS pollution. Spatially, implementing BMPs in the upstream region was better for improving water quality. The nitrate reduction rate in upstream sub–basins reached 90%, which is 30% larger than that in downstream sub–basins with combined bedding and piping systems. Combining the farmers’ awareness of and engagement in livestock pollution with cost–effective BMPs can improve the BMPs’ effectivity and efficiency.
Radiocarbon Dating of Marine Samples: Methodological Aspects, Applications and Case Studies
Authors: Quarta Gianluca , Maruccio Lucio , D’Elia Marisa , Calcagnile Lucio
Published: April 2021

Radiocarbon dating by AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) is a well-established absolute dating technique widely used in different areas of research for the analysis of a wide range of organic materials. Precision levels of the order of 0.2–0.3% in the measured age are nowadays achieved while several international intercomparison exercises have shown the high degree of reproducibility of the results. This paper discusses the applications of 14C dating related to the analysis of samples up-taking carbon from marine carbon pools such as the sea and the oceans. For this kind of samples relevant methodological issues have to be properly addressed in order to correctly interpret 14C data and then obtain reliable chronological frameworks. These issues are mainly related to the so-called “marine reservoirs effects” which make radiocarbon ages obtained on marine organisms apparently older than coeval organisms fixing carbon directly from the atmosphere. We present the strategies used to correct for these effects also referring to the last internationally accepted and recently released calibration curve. Applications will be also reviewed discussing case studies such as the analysis of marine biogenic speleothems and for applications in sea level studies.
Comparison anti-oxidant and neuroprotective effects of extra-virgin olive oil, donepezil and rosmarinic acid on aluminum chloride-induced Alzheimer’s in rat models
Authors: KANDİŞ Sevim , ALTINTAŞ Levent , KIZILDAĞ Servet , SİMSEK Fatma , ATEŞ Mehmet , ALAÇAM Hasan , UYSAL Nazan
Published: April 2021

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of EVOO, rosmarinic acid and donepezil in Alzheimer's model to be created with AlCl3 in rats. For this reason, administration of 100 mg/kg aluminum chloride (AlC3) for 15 days to Sprague Dawley adult male rats; donepezil, Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and rosmarinic acid were administered to three different groups for 21 days by applying treatment protocols. With this study, we were able to demonstrate that cognitive impairment has been occurred after 15 days of AlCl3 administration by oral gavage and treatment protocols prevented the occurrence of AD pathology histopathologically. We also showed that oxidative damage findings which are positively Congo-red stained cell cytoplasm and impaired cell integrity have been observed in serum and hippocampus. Besides, treatment groups showed better cognitive and motor performance, and there was no damage to the cells in control and treatment groups. In the rotarod motor performance test, a significant increase was observed in the donepezil group compared to the AlCl3 group at speeds of 26 and 30 rpm. In MVM, on the 5th day of the experiment, a significant increase was observed in the donepezil group compared to the AlCl3 group, as they were spending more time in the hidden platform area. These results show that 15 days of aluminum exposure is effective in creating a moderate Alzheimer’s pathology, but further chronic research is necessary to explain the efficiencies of rosmarinic acid and EVOO in treatment.
ДУХОВНО-ІНТЕЛЕКТУАЛЬНЕ ВИХОВАННЯ МАЙБУТНІХ ІНОЗЕМНИХ ЛІКАРІВ
У ЗАКЛАДАХ ВИЩОЇ МЕДИЧНОЇ ОСВІТИ ЯК ОСНОВА МІЖКУЛЬТУРНИХ ВІДНОСИН
Authors: Гепенко Л. О.
Published: April 2021

У сфері охорони здоров’я людини можна спостерігати певні зміни, що стосуються відкритого вітчизняного
й зарубіжного досвіду лікування пацієнтів, права вибору кваліфікованого лікаря й доступності медичних послуг,
незважаючи на те, що вони платні. За таких обставин висуваються певні вимоги до особистості лікаря та його
функціональних обов’язків. Як зазначає А. Варданян [1], сучасний лікар має володіти не лише українською
мовою, але й іноземними мовами, а це, своєю чергою, забезпечить ознайомлення фахівця й використання ним
інноваційних медичних досягнень, отриманих у різних країнах. Доцільно зазначити, що таку думку висловлюють
й інші дослідники, котрі звужують проблему до вивчення лікарями іноземних мов. У нашому дослідженні дотримуємося іншої точки зору — міжкультурна вихованість лікаря є поняттям ширшим, аніж його комунікативна
й мовленнєва компетенції у виконанні професійних обов’язків. Феномен міжкультурної вихованості медичних
працівників означає їхню здатність сприймати та розуміти потреби людини незалежно від її приналежності до
релігії, звичаїв, традицій іншої країни, будувати міжособистісні взаємини на засадах довіри й партнерства, створювати спільні проекти, спрямовані на поліпшення діагностування й лікування пацієнтів.
ПРОБЛЕМИ ОСВІТИ, ВИХОВАННЯ І РОЗВИТКУ
ОСОБИСТОСТІ НА СУЧАСНОМУ ЕТАПІ
Authors: Трусей Л. Г. , Рубльова Р. І.
Published: April 2021

Стаття присвячена аналізу теперішнього стану системи освіти
в Україні, виявленню основних недоліків в навчанні та вихованні підростаючого покоління. Критика охоплює такі питання як мета,
складові системи освіти, мотивації, стимули та їх генезис, цілі та
результати виховання. Особлива увага приділяється змістовності
в системі освіти і розглядаються напрямки створення іншої системи
освіти, яка направлена на створення людини відповідної до вимог цивілізованого світу в ХХI сторіччі.
О СМЫСЛЕ ЖИЗНИ, ЖИЗНЕННЫХ ЦЕЛЯХ
И ИСТОЧНИКАХ СЧАСТЬЯ
Authors: Хвостиченко А. Н.
Published: April 2021

В статье предлагается ноосферно-онтологический подход к отношению и формированию наиболее значимых для человека понятий —
смысл жизни и жизненные цели, понимание счастья и его источников.
Опираясь на работы А. Маслоу, его последователей и авторские исследования представлена пирамида жизненных потребностей человека, и на этой основе сформулированы обобщенные группы жизненных
целей с выходом на смысл жизни через японское понятие Икигай.
Также кратко проанализированы основные составляющие состояния
счастья человека, источники радости и духовные чувства.
МОРАЛЬНІСТЬ ЛЮДИНИ
В ЗАГАЛЬНІЙ СИСТЕМІ ДУХОВНОСТІ
Authors: Гаврилович Трусей Леонід
Published: April 2021

В доповіді розглянуті питання взаємодії культур в моральній області, які найбільш важливі для появи такого феномену, як глобальна
культура, що неминуче настане у наслідок об’єктивного процесу глобалізації
Conflict of Interest Policies at Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals: A Systematic Review of Cross-sectional Studies
Authors: Fabbri Alice , Hone Kristine Rasmussen , Hróbjartsson Asbjørn , Lundh Andreas
Published: April 2021

Background: This systematic review aims to estimate the proportion of medical schools and teaching hospitals with conflicts of interest (COI) policies for health research and education, to describe the provisions included in the policies and their impact on research outputs and educational quality or content. Methods: Experimental and observational studies reporting at least one of the above mentioned aims were included irrespective of language, publication type or geographical setting. MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and the Cochrane Methodology Register were searched from inception to March 2020. Methodological study quality was assessed using an amended version of the Joanna Briggs Institute’s checklist for prevalence studies. Results: Twenty-two cross-sectional studies were included; all were conducted in high-income countries. Of these, 20 studies estimated the prevalence of COI policies, which ranged from 5% to 100% (median: 85%). Twenty studies assessed the provisions included in COI policies with different assessment methods. Of these, nine analysed the strength of the content of medical schools’ COI policies using various assessment tools that looked at a range of policy domains. The mean standardised summary score of policy strength ranged from 2% to 73% (median: 30%), with a low score indicating a weak policy. North American institutions more frequently had COI policies and their content was rated as stronger than policies from European institutions. None of the included studies assessed the impact of COI policies on research outputs or educational quality or content. Conclusion: Prevalence of COI policies at medical schools and teaching hospitals varied greatly in high-income countries. No studies estimated the prevalence of policies in low to middle-income countries. The content of COI policies varied widely and while most European institutions ranked poorly, in North America more medical schools had strong policies. No studies were identified on impact of COI policies on research outputs and educational quality or content.