bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technological Trends and Engineering Issues on Vertical Farms: A Review
Authors: Kabir Md Shaha Nur , Reza Md Nasim , Chowdhury Milon , Ali Mohammod , Samsuzzaman  , Ali Md Razob , Lee Ka Young , Chung Sun-Ok
Published: November 2023

Vertical farming has emerged as a promising solution to cope with increasing food demand, urbanization pressure, and limited resources and to ensure sustainable year-round urban agriculture. The aim of this review was to investigate the evolving technological landscape and engineering considerations, with a focus on innovative developments and future prospects. This paper presents technological trends in vertical farming, covering advances in sensing technologies, monitoring and control systems, and unmanned systems. It also highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in contributing to data-driven decision-making and the optimization of vertical farms. A global perspective on vertical farming is presented, including the current status and advanced technological trends across regions like Asia, the USA, and Europe. Innovative concepts and upcoming enterprises that could shape the future of vertical agriculture are explored. Additionally, the challenges and future prospects of vertical farming are also addressed, focusing on crop production limitations, environmental sustainability, economic feasibility, and contributions to global food security. This review provides guidance on the state of vertical farming, technological advancements, global trends, challenges, and prospects, offering insights into the roles of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers in advancing sustainable vertical agriculture and food security.
Deep Learning Approach for Human Action Recognition Using a Time Saliency Map Based on Motion Features Considering Camera Movement and Shot in Video Image Sequences
Authors: Alavigharahbagh Abdorreza , Hajihashemi Vahid , Machado José J. M. , Tavares João Manuel R. S.
Published: November 2023

In this article, a hierarchical method for action recognition based on temporal and spatial features is proposed. In current HAR methods, camera movement, sensor movement, sudden scene changes, and scene movement can increase motion feature errors and decrease accuracy. Another important aspect to take into account in a HAR method is the required computational cost. The proposed method provides a preprocessing step to address these challenges. As a preprocessing step, the method uses optical flow to detect camera movements and shots in input video image sequences. In the temporal processing block, the optical flow technique is combined with the absolute value of frame differences to obtain a time saliency map. The detection of shots, cancellation of camera movement, and the building of a time saliency map minimise movement detection errors. The time saliency map is then passed to the spatial processing block to segment the moving persons and/or objects in the scene. Because the search region for spatial processing is limited based on the temporal processing results, the computations in the spatial domain are drastically reduced. In the spatial processing block, the scene foreground is extracted in three steps: silhouette extraction, active contour segmentation, and colour segmentation. Key points are selected at the borders of the segmented foreground. The last used features are the intensity and angle of the optical flow of detected key points. Using key point features for action detection reduces the computational cost of the classification step and the required training time. Finally, the features are submitted to a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) to recognise the involved action. The proposed method was tested using four well-known action datasets: KTH, Weizmann, HMDB51, and UCF101 datasets and its efficiency was evaluated. Since the proposed approach segments salient objects based on motion, edges, and colour features, it can be added as a preprocessing step to most current HAR systems to improve performance.
New Mitogenomes of the Green Lacewing Tribe Ankylopterygini (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae: Chrysopinae) and Phylogenetic Implications of Chrysopidae
Authors: Tian Shuo , Jiang Yunlan , Lai Yan , Wang Shutong , Liu Xingyue , Wang Yuyu
Published: November 2023

Chrysopidae (green lacewings) are a cosmopolitan and species-rich family of Neuroptera, with remarkable significance of biological control against various agricultural and forestry pests. However, the phylogenetic position of Chrysopidae in Neuroptera and the internal relationships within the family remain equivocal among previous studies based on different types of data and sampling. Here we sequenced the mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of two species of the genus Ankylopteryx in the chrysopine tribe Ankylopterygini for the first time. The characteristics of these mitogenomes were analyzed in comparison with other green lacewing mitogenomes published to date. In the phylogeny herein reconstructed based on mitogenomes, Chrysopinae were recovered as the sister group to Apochrysinae + Nothochrysinae. Within the subfamily of Chrysopinae, Nothancylini were recovered as the sister group to (Leucochrysini + Belonopterygini) + (Ankylopterygini + Chrysopini). The divergence time estimation suggested an Early Cretaceous initial divergence within the extant Chrysopidae. Within Chrysopinae, the four tribes except Nothancylini diverged around mid-Cretaceous.
Integrin β Expression as a New Diagnostic Marker for Arteriovenous Thrombosis: A Single-Center Prospective Study
Authors: Xi Yan , Mao Yu , Yang Fan , Xi Peng , Zhu Wei , Song Yanli , Yan Wenwen , Liao Xudong , Zhou Lin
Published: November 2023

Integrin β plays an important role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis and inflammation, and it may be a shared pathogenic mechanism between arterial and venous thromboses. With the goal of identifying new treatment targets for thrombotic diseases and specific diagnostic markers for venous thromboembolism (VTE), this prospective clinical study was performed to clarify the relationship between integrin and thrombosis. The levels of integrin β1–3, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein were significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI; n = 44) and acute VTE (n = 43) compared to healthy controls (n = 33). The IL-6 and integrin β1–3 levels were also significantly higher in the AMI group compared to the VTE and control groups. Logistic regression analysis identified IL-6 and integrin β1–3 levels as independent risk factors for thrombotic disease. Based on the receiver-operating characteristic curve, Youden index, sensitivity, and specificity, the diagnostic accuracy value for VTE was greater than 0.8 when integrins β1, β2, and β3 were combined. Overall, these results suggest that integrin β levels can contribute to improving the diagnosis and treatment of arteriovenous thrombosis.
Constructal Design Applied to an Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Converter Device under Realistic Sea State Conditions
Authors: Maciel Rafael Pereira , Oleinik Phelype Haron , Dos Santos Elizaldo Domingues , Rocha Luiz Alberto Oliveira , Machado Bianca Neves , Gomes Mateus das Neves , Isoldi Liércio André
Published: November 2023

In this work, we conducted a numerical analysis of an oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter (WEC) device. The main objective of this research was to conduct a geometric evaluation of the device by defining an optimal configuration that maximized its available hydrodynamic power while employing realistic sea data. To achieve this objective, the WaveMIMO methodology was used. This is characterized by the conversion of realistic sea data into time series of the free surface elevation. These time series were processed and transformed into water velocity components, enabling transient velocity data to be used as boundary conditions for the generation of numerical irregular waves in the Fluent 2019 R2 software. Regular waves representative of the sea data were also generated in order to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance of the device in comparison to the realistic irregular waves. For the geometric analysis, the constructal design method was utilized. The hydropneumatic chamber volume and the total volume of the device were adopted as geometric constraints and remained constant. Three degrees of freedom (DOF) were used for this study: H1/L is the ratio between the height and length of the hydropneumatic chamber, whose values were varied, and H2/l (ratio between height and length of the turbine duct) and H3 (submergence depth of hydropneumatic chamber) were kept constant. The best performance was observed for the device geometry with H1/L= 0.1985, which presented an available hydropneumatic power Phyd of 29.63 W. This value was 4.34 times higher than the power generated by the worst geometry performance, which was 6.83 W, obtained with an H1/L value of 2.2789, and 2.49 times higher than the power obtained by the device with the same dimensions as those from the one on Pico island, which was 11.89 W. When the optimal geometry was subjected to regular waves, a Phyd of 30.50 W was encountered.
Electrophoretic Deposition of One- and Two-Layer Compacts of Holmium and Yttrium Oxide Nanopowders for Magneto-Optical Ceramics Fabrication
Authors: Kalinina Elena G. , Kundikova Nataliya D. , Kuznetsov Dmitrii K. , Ivanov Maxim G.
Published: November 2023

In this work, the possibility of fabricating composite magneto-optical ceramics by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of nanopowders and high-temperature vacuum sintering of the compacts was investigated. Holmium oxide was chosen as a magneto-optical material for the study because of its transparency in the mid-IR range. Nanopowders of magneto-optical (Ho0.95La0.05)2O3 (HoLa) material were made by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis. Nanopowders of (Y0.9La0.1)2O3 (YLa) were made by laser synthesis for an inactive matrix. The process of formation of one- and two-layer compacts by EPD of the nanopowders from alcohol suspensions was studied in detail. Acetylacetone was shown to be a good dispersant to obtain alcohol suspensions of the nanopowders, characterized by high zeta potential values (+29–+80 mV), and to carry out a stable EPD process. One-layer compacts were made from the HoLa and YLa nanopowders with a density of 30–43%. It was found out that the introduction of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) into the suspension leads to a decrease in the mass and thickness of the green bodies deposited, but does not significantly affect their density. The possibility of making two-layer (YLa/HoLa) compacts with a thickness of up to 2.6 mm and a density of up to 46% was demonstrated. Sintering such compacts in a vacuum at a temperature of 1750 °C for 10 h leads to the formation of ceramics with a homogeneous boundary between the YLa/HoLa layers and a thickness of the interdiffused ion layer of about 30 μm.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hematite, Magnetite and Maghemite Supported on Silica Gel
Authors: Chernavskiy P. A. , Novakova A. A. , Pankina G. V. , Pankratov D. A. , Panfilov S. I. , Petrovskaya G. A.
Published: November 2023

A new method for obtaining nanosized particles of iron oxides using porous silica gel is proposed. In situ magnetometry was used to study the reduction of hematite deposited on silica gel during the thermolysis of glucose. The formed magnetite and maghemite obtained by subsequent oxidation of the magnetite were studied using X-ray diffraction and Mossbauer spectroscopy. It was shown that both the size of the oxide particles and the phase composition significantly depended on the porous structure of the silica gel. In particular, the formation of superparamagnetic maghemite particles on silica gels with pore sizes of 30, 15 and 10 nm was demonstrated.
Relative Orderings of Modified Proportional Hazard Rate and Modified Proportional Reversed Hazard Rate Models
Authors: Shrahili Mansour , Kayid Mohamed , Mesfioui Mhamed
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we identify several relative ordering properties of the modified proportional hazard rate and modified proportional reversed hazard rate models. For this purpose, we use two well-known relative orderings, namely the relative hazard rate ordering and the relative reversed hazard rate ordering. The investigation is to see how a relative ordering between two possible base distributions for the response distributions in these models is preserved when the parameters of the underlying models are changed. We will give some examples to illustrate the results and the conditions under which they are obtained. Numerical simulation studies have also been provided to examine the examples presented.
Stability Conditions for Linear Semi-Autonomous Delay Differential Equations
Authors: Malygina Vera , Chudinov Kirill
Published: November 2023

We present a new method for obtaining stability conditions for certain classes of delay differential equations. The method is based on the transition from an individual equation to a family of equations, and next the selection of a representative of this family, the test equation, asymptotic properties of which determine those of all equations in the family. This approach allows us to obtain the conditions that are the criteria for the stability of all equations of a given family. These conditions are formulated in terms of the parameters of the class of equations being studied, and are effectively verifiable. The main difference of the proposed method from the known general methods (using Lyapunov–Krasovsky functionals, Razumikhin functions, and Azbelev W-substitution) is the emphasis on the exactness of the result; the difference from the known exact methods is a significant expansion of the range of applicability. The method provides an algorithm for checking stability conditions, which is carried out in a finite number of operations and allows the use of numerical methods.
Maximising Affordability of Real-Time Colorimetric LAMP Assays
Authors: Strachan Simon , Chakraborty Moutoshi , Sallam Mohamed , Bhuiyan Shamsul A. , Ford Rebecca , Nguyen Nam-Trung
Published: November 2023

Molecular diagnostics have become indispensable in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. This diagnostic form can offer rapid and precise identification of pathogens and biomarkers. However, traditional laboratory-based molecular testing methods can be expensive and require specialised training, limiting their accessibility in resource-limited settings and on-site applications. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes an innovative approach to reducing costs and complexity in portable colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) devices. The research evaluates different resistive heating systems to create an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and compact device to heat a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) block for precise temperature control during LAMP reactions. By combining this novel heating system with an off-the-shelf red-green-blue (RGB) sensor to detect and quantify colour changes, the integrated system can accurately detect Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli, the bacteria responsible for ratoon stunting disease (RSD) in sugarcane. The experimental validation of this system demonstrates its ability to detect the target pathogen in real time, making it an important development for low cost, portable, and easy-to-use molecular diagnostics in healthcare, agriculture, and environmental monitoring applications.
Paleoenvironmental Characteristics of Lacustrine Shale and Its Impact on Organic Matter Enrichment in Funing Formation of Subei Basin
Authors: Zhu Feng , Li Chuxiong , Leng Junying , Jia Mengyao , Gong Houjian , Wang Bo , Zhang Fan , Jiang Zhenxue , Wang Zipeng
Published: November 2023

Organic matter in depositional environment is the essential material for oil and gas generation. Total organic carbon (TOC) is one of the important parameters for estimating the hydrocarbon generation potential of shale oil and predicting sweet spots. The TOC of the second member of the Funing Formation (Ef2) ranges from 0.25% to 2.30%. TOC is higher in the upper shale and lower in the lower shale of the Funing Formation, showing a significant enrichment difference. However, there have been few reports on the study of the main controlling factors for the differential enrichment of organic matter in Ef2. This study aims to reconstruct the paleoenvironment of lacustrine shale in Ef2. Additionally, this study aims to clarify the influence of the paleoenvironment on the differential enrichment of organic matter in Ef2. For this purpose, systematic mineralogical and geochemical analyses were conducted on 72 samples from a representative well. The results indicate that, based on parameters such as paleoclimate (chemical index of alteration, CIA), paleosalinity (Sr/Ba), paleoredox conditions (Cu/Zn), paleoproductivity (P/Ti), water depth (Rb/K), and terrigenous clastic input (Al, Ti), the paleoenvironment during the deposition of the Ef2 shale clearly exhibited significant changes. During the early stage, the climate was hot and dry, with shallow water, weak chemical weathering, low productivity, and salinity ranging from saline to brackish. In the later stage, the climate became warm and humid, with deeper water, moderate chemical weathering, high productivity, and salinity ranging from brackish to freshwater. There are significant errors in directly using the Sr/Ba index to evaluate the paleosalinity of Ef2 shale. Carbonate minerals and calcium-rich bioclasts may increase the Sr/Ba ratio, and the corrected Sr element content is only 44.29% of the original sample. The enrichment of organic matter is clearly controlled by productivity levels and climatic conditions. The higher the paleoproductivity and the warmer and more humid the climate, the more enriched the organic matter becomes. Fundamental differences in paleoproductivity govern the enrichment of organic matter during the deposition process of the Ef2 shale. The organic matter enrichment pattern in the Ef2 shale represents a typical productivity model.
Safety of Immunomodulatory Systemic Therapies Used in the Management of Immune-Related Cutaneous Adverse Events
Authors: Gu Stephanie L. , Nath Sandy , Markova Alina
Published: November 2023

Immune-related cutaneous adverse events (ircAEs) commonly occur in patients on treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors and can significantly reduce patient quality of life. These are often treated with immunomodulatory agents, including glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants, and biologics. While often effective at managing symptoms, these therapies can cause several adverse events which may limit their use. In addition, immunomodulatory agents should be used with particular caution in patients receiving immunotherapy, as the efficacy of the oncologic regimen may potentially be undermined. In this review, we summarize the safety of systemic therapies that are used in the management of ircAEs, with a particular focus on the resultant risk of secondary tumor progression in patients with active cancer.
Micro-Finned Nanocomposite Films for Enhanced Transport Properties: Graphite Nanoplatelet-Filled Linear Low-Density Polyethylene
Authors: Kanhere Sagar V. , Güzdemir Özgün , Ogale Amod A.
Published: November 2023

Metals are being replaced with high-performance and lightweight polymers, but their low thermal conductivity and poor electrostatic dissipative properties are significant problems. For the protection of sensitive electronic circuitry in automotive and aerospace parts, some device housing materials must provide electrostatic discharge and dissipate heat generated at higher rates as electronic circuits are increasingly miniaturized. Micro-texturing on the film surface can greatly enhance the heat dissipation area and was investigated in this study using low-cost graphite nanoplatelet (GNP)-filled LLDPE films. Micro-finned films (30 vol% GNP) having a 51 ± 10% larger heat-dissipation area were successfully produced using a continuous extrusion process. The through-thickness thermal conductivity of 30 vol% GNP-filled LLDPE was measured at 1.3 W/m·K, which represents a 200% improvement over that of pure LLDPE. For a GNP content of 30 vol%, the surface and volume electrical conductivity of the composite films also increased by 8 orders of magnitude (resistivity down from ≈1015 to 107 Ω·cm) and electrostatic decay time reduced to a below-resolution limit of 0.01 s, at par with military standard requirements. Thus, micro-fin textured GNP-LLDPE offers a unique combination of electrical and thermal transport desired for the protection of electronic encapsulation materials.
Living Well Together in a Climate-Changed Future: Religious Imaginaries on the Cutting Edge of Genetic Technology
Authors: Sideris Lisa H.
Published: November 2023

This essay focuses on the emotional and relational investments of scientists and others engaged in and supportive of genetic technologies used in conservation efforts, with particular attention to the different moral and religious imaginaries that fuel endeavors to save species threatened by climate change and extinction. I argue that two distinct visions and competing religious repertoires can be discerned in the secular landscape of genetic technologies deployed in coral restoration and de-extinction. Each endeavor brings forth its own forms of magic, myth- and meaning-making. At the heart of coral protection is the symbol of the holobiont, suggestive of cooperative endeavors, collective labor, networking, and distributed and embodied knowledge. Central to de-extinction imaginaries are motifs of individual competition, machine metaphors, “selfish” genetic components, and a spirit of entrepreneurial excitement and profiteering. The essay contrasts these two visions as competing accounts of relationality—or the lack thereof—and asks which religious and moral imaginaries we should embrace as we move into an era marked by intensified technological intervention and high-risk efforts to address the effects of climate change. I suggest that the values that drive de-extinction technologies are largely at odds with environmental and social goals of living well together, as humans and more-than-humans, in a present and future world transformed by climate change and species death.
Sea Clutter Suppression Using Smoothed Pseudo-Wigner–Ville Distribution–Singular Value Decomposition during Sea Spikes
Authors: Li Guigeng , Zhang Hao , Gao Yong , Ma Bingyan
Published: November 2023

The detection of small targets within the background of sea clutter is a significant challenge faced in radar signal processing. Small target echoes are weak in energy, and can be submerged by sea clutter and sea spikes, which are caused by overturning waves and breaking waves. This severely affects the radar target detection performance. This paper proposes a smoothed pseudo-Wigner–Ville distribution–singular value decomposition (SPWVD-SVD) method for sea clutter suppression. This method determines the instantaneous frequency range of the target by contrasting the time–frequency characteristics of the sea spike and the target. Subsequently, it employs a singular value difference spectrum to reduce the rank of the Hankel matrix, thereby reducing the computational burden of the instantaneous frequency estimation step in the experiment. Based on the instantaneous frequency range of the target in the time–frequency domain, the singular values of the target signal are retained, while the singular values of clutter are set to zero. This process accomplishes the reconstruction of radar echo signals and effectively achieves the suppression of sea clutter. The suppression effect is verified using simulation data alongside ten sets of Intelligent Pixel processing X-band (IPIX) radar data against the background of sea spikes. By contrasting the clutter amplitudes before and after suppression, the SPWVD-SVD algorithm demonstrated an average clutter suppression of 15.06 dB, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in suppressing sea clutter.
Nanostructure-Based Oil–Water Separation: Mechanism and Status
Authors: Wang Bao , Feng Shaotong , Wang Caihua , Liu Xiaoyan , Chen Lei , Yan Dayun
Published: November 2023

Flexible and effective methods for oil–water separation are crucial for reducing pollutant emissions and safeguarding water and fuel resources. In recent years, there has been growing interest in fundamental research and engineering applications related to water and fuel purification, especially oil–water separation. To date, filter materials with special wetting characteristics have been widely used in oil–water separation. Nanostructured materials are one of the most attractive candidates for next-generation oil–water separation. This review systematically summarizes the mechanisms and current status of oil–water separation using nanostructured materials. Basically, this can be achieved by using nanostructured materials with specific wettability and nanostructures. Here, we provide a detailed discussion of two general approaches and their filtration mechanisms: (1) the selective filtration technique, based on specific surface wettability, which allows only oil or water to penetrate while blocking impurities; (2) the absorption technique, employing porous sponges, fibers, or aerogels, which selectively absorbs impure oil or water droplets. Furthermore, the main failure modes are discussed in this review. The purposes of this article are: (1) to summarize the methods of oil–water separation by nanotechnology; (2) to raise the level of environmental protection consciousness of water pollution by using nanotechnology; (3) to tease out the features of different approaches and provide a pivotal theoretical basis to optimize the performance of filtering materials. Several approaches for oil and water separation are compared. Furthermore, the principle and application scope of each method are introduced.
Effects of Cycling on Spine: A Case–Control Study Using a 3D Scanning Method
Authors: Patti Antonino , Giustino Valerio , Messina Giuseppe , Figlioli Flavia , Cataldi Stefania , Poli Luca , Belmonte Giacomo , Valenza Alessandro , Amato Alessandra , Thomas Ewan , Rutkowska Izabela , Esteban-García Paula , Palma Antonio , Bianco Antonino
Published: November 2023

Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of adopting a specific and prolonged posture on cyclists. This study aimed to evaluate the upright spine in a sample of recreational cyclists and compare it with a sample of non-cyclists, though still athletes, through a 3D scanning method. Methods: Forty-eight participants were enrolled in this observational study. The sample consisted of 25 cyclists for the cycling group and 23 non-cyclist athletes for the control group. The Spine3D device (Sensor Medica, Guidonia Montecelio, Rome, Italy) was used to evaluate the spine of the participants in both groups. Results: The results showed significantly greater spine inclination in the cycling group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in lumbar lordosis in the cycling group compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: This case–control study raises the possibility that the onset of lower back pain in cyclists may be due to a reduction in lumbar lordosis. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the Spine3D device can be used in sports to monitor the spine of athletes to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal deficits.
Study on the Evolutionary Characteristics of Acoustic–Magnetic–Electric Signals in the Entire Process of Coal and Gas Outburst
Authors: Ou Jianchun , Wang Enyuan , Li Zhonghui , Li Nan , Liu He , Wang Xinyu
Published: November 2023

In recent years, with the continuous increase in the depth and intensity of coal mining, coal and gas outburst disasters pose a severe threat to the safe production of coal mines. Thus, this experiment studied the characteristics of electromagnetic radiation, acoustic emission, and electric potential signals during gas adsorption, stress loading, and the entire outburst process. The results indicate that during the adsorption process, different parts of the coal body exhibit variations in electric potential signals, electromagnetic radiation, and acoustic emissions. During the loading process, the consistency between the acoustic–electric signals and the load change rate is good, and at the moment of outburst, the acoustic–electric signals significantly increase with the ejection of coal and gas. Outbursts generally occur during the decline in electromagnetic radiation and acoustic emission signals, with the internal electric potential signal strength first decreasing then rapidly increasing and the surface electric potential directly rising. The closer to the outburst opening, the greater the change in signal amplitude. Based on the above experimental results, the outburst can be monitored through the acoustic–magnetic–electric precursory signal changes during the adsorption and loading processes, which is of great significance to the safety production and rapid excavation of coal mines.
Transition in Architecture Education? Exploring Socio-Technical Factors of Curricular Changes for a Sustainable Built Environment
Authors: Kastner Fabian , Langenberg Silke
Published: November 2023

Curricular changes in architecture can support to meet the increased demand for sustainability in higher education (HE). Identifying their associated factors is necessary to understand ongoing and future transitions in architecture education. Transition management (TM) frameworks have been frequently used to analyze structural changes in various institutions but have received little attention in architecture education. This study explores the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) as a case study, focusing on its architecture curricula within 32 years from 1990 to 2022, corresponding to multiple generations of academic careers. A multiple-level perspective (MLP) document analysis on curricular changes is conducted in three steps, drawing on a specific perspective on sustainability in architecture. First, generic characteristics that may influence curricular changes are identified from the literature. Second, shifts in the undergraduate curriculum of ETH Zurich are systematically mapped. Third, a classification of implemented curricular shifts results in seven nuanced variations in generic factors. These socio-technical factors involve the development and dissemination of new disciplinary (1) and interdisciplinary (2) approaches to a sustainable built environment (SBE), a relocation of the viewpoint on sustainability from physiology/hygiene to building physics (3), experimentation with inquiry-based learning in niches (4), extended spheres of influence in teaching (5), early committed intra-faculty opinion leaders (6), and the formation of educational networks (7). The proposed approach based on longitudinal curriculum mapping offers a way to locate structural curricular changes, identify hidden educational trends, and inform institutional changes.
Social Comparisons and Compensatory Consumption: The Art of Buying a Superior Self
Authors: Reid-Partin Kristi , Chattaraman Veena
Published: November 2023

This paper examines how consumers’ body satisfaction, beliefs about the malleability of their appearance, and incidental comparisons with upward vs. lateral social media influencers interact to affect the type of consumption behaviors they engage in. Based on propositions of the compensatory consumption behavior (CCB) model and the social comparison theory, this study employs an online experiment with a 2 (social comparison: upward/lateral) × 2 (body satisfaction: low/high) × 2 (implicit theory: entity/incremental) × 2 (product type: head- and body-related) mixed-factorial design among a sample of 192 women (19–35 years). The appearance of the influencers was manipulated (upward: thinner, primped models; lateral: average weight, natural models), as were the products being advertised, whereas body satisfaction and consumers’ implicit theory were measured. The results indicated that consumers were more persuaded to purchase products from lateral compared to upward influencers. Further, lateral influencers were more persuasive for head-related (vs. body-related) products, whereas upward influencers were more successful in promoting body-related (vs. head-related) products. A significant (p < 0.05) interaction between body satisfaction, implicit theory of appearance, and product type also emerged, supporting the proposals of the CCB model on how consumption behaviors are affected by felt discrepancies. These findings indicate that marketers can access more effective marketing results by collaborating with influencers that have a similar appearance to that of their target audience.
Demographic Aspects of Urban Shrinkage in Serbia: Trajectory, Variety, and Drivers of Shrinking Cities
Authors: Djurkin Danica , Antić Marija , Djordjević Dejan Ž.
Published: November 2023

Many European countries have faced the process of urban shrinkage in recent decades. Due to the various theoretical aspects of urban shrinkage, there are numerous approaches to the interpretation of this process. The most widely accepted of these refers to the demographic component as the starting point for defining this phenomenon, with the decline of the total population as the main indicator. The demographic shrinkage of cities in Serbia is a process that has been in place since the 1960s, with the dynamics of spatial-demographic and socioeconomic transformation during the post-socialist transition having exacerbated urban shrinkage. As a result, over 80% of urban settlements are affected by it. This paper identifies the trajectory and spatio-temporal patterns of the intensity and dynamics of urban shrinkage for the period from 1961 to 2022. The aim of this work is to show the diversity of shrinking cities and to explore the driving forces behind this process in Serbia. In this study, we conducted an analysis of population trends in 167 urban settlements in Serbia. Further analysis included the identification of contrasting spatio-temporal and demographic dynamic patterns characterized by either natural losses or out-migration. Due to the complex urban trajectories, a typology was created that distinguishes four different types of shrinking cities: continuously shrinking cities, episodically shrinking cities, recently shrinking cities, and resurgent cities. The results are important to achieving a better understanding of how patterns of local population trends change over time and space. The result will thus be a step towards explaining the main demographic factors causing population change and inter- and intra-regional differences between shrinking cities in Serbia, as well as towards examining urban renewal opportunities in the future.
The Relationship between Resilience and Sustainability in the Organizational Context—A Systematic Review
Authors: Weber Max M.
Published: November 2023

Crises such as the global COVID-19 pandemic and crisis-related factors such as the continued rise in commodity prices continue to have a tremendous impact on organizations. Organizational sustainability, understood as the ability of organizations to survive and thrive in the short and long term, depends on organizational resilience. This study bridges the literature on resilience and sustainability in the organizational context, covering the last 35 years of research, to provide a broader understanding of how organizations, adverse events, and organizational sustainability interrelate. In this paper, we perform a systematic review of the literature from 1985 to 2021, which we supplement with a content analysis, recent empirical findings, and a citation network analysis. We investigate connections between these two fields and identify studies on how the measures of or actions associated with organizational resilience and sustainability can complement or substitute for each other with regard to organizational performance. In addition, we develop an extended framework for categorizing the studies we consider here and the relationships between resilience and sustainability they examine. Our analysis identifies works that bridge the streams of research on organizational resilience and sustainability but also reveals gaps in the literature that open avenues for future research. Overall, most of the ‘bridging’ studies emphasize that the two fundamental concepts are interdependent and regard organizational resilience as a component of organizational sustainability.
Bank Digital Transformation and Enterprise Innovation—Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Hui , Xu Lin
Published: November 2023

With the rapid advancement of digital technology, the banking industry has embarked on a journey of digital transformation. While existing literature primarily examines how these changes impact the banks themselves, our study focuses on a relatively unexplored aspect: the direct influence of bank digital transformation on the performance and behavior of borrowing enterprises. The research objective of this study is to explore the influence of bank digital transformation on the innovation performance of borrowing enterprises and the underlying mechanisms. Leveraging data from Chinese listed companies and commercial banks, we find a positive effect of bank digital transformation on enterprise innovation output as measured by firms’ patent applications. The findings remain robust across alternative model specifications, controls for regional digital economy development levels, and bank financial performance, as well as alternative measures of bank digital transformation. Mechanism tests show that bank digital transformation contributes to corporate innovation by alleviating corporate financial constraints and improving corporate governance. Further research demonstrates that bank digital transformation also helps promote corporate innovation efficiency as measured by the proportion of patent output to total R&D input and corporate innovation output as measured by firms’ invention patent applications and patent grants. Additionally, borrowing firms’ own digital transformations may substitute for bank digital transformation in their effect on innovations.
Spatial–Temporal Patterns of Carbon Sequestration Benefits and Identification of County-Level Compensation Orders in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Ecosystems
Authors: Yan Feng , Li Chenyang , Lu Zhixue , Miao Zihan , Han Qianrou , Huang Xuehan , Zhao Meng , Li Jiayi , Pang Jiao , Chen Yaheng
Published: November 2023

The role of ecosystems in sequestering carbon is becoming increasingly important as China’s “dual-carbon” strategy and the construction of an ecological civilisation continue to be promoted and implemented. The rapid economic development of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region is accompanied by the problem of excessive carbon emissions. Focusing on enhancing the carbon sequestration benefits of ecosystems and coordinating regional development, this paper adopts the model construction method, spatial correlation analysis, and centre of gravity migration analysis to study the spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystems’ carbon sequestration benefits in the counties of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, spatial and spatial aggregation, the pattern of centre of gravity migration, and the sequence of county compensation differentials in the period from 2000 to 2020. The results show (1) the carbon account of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region before the revision shows an overall distribution pattern of “low in the north and high in the south”. However, it is important to take into account the differences in the regional area, regional population, and regional GDP and the fact that the analysis of the amount of ecological compensation does not mechanically take into account the absolute magnitude of each value but rather takes into account all the values and then makes a trade-off for the difference in the value of the difference in the background. The spatial distribution of corrected carbon accounts is more even. (2) The high–high aggregation area of ecological compensation from 2000 to 2020 is mainly distributed in a dozen counties, such as Lulong County and Luan County in the eastern part of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, while the low–low aggregation area is mainly concentrated in counties such as Weichang County and Longhua County in the western and northern parts of the country, and the scope has a tendency to expand. (3) The centre of gravity of the ecological compensation amount moves roughly within the range of 116°17′30″ E–116°30′30″ E, 38°40′ N–38°50′ N, and the overall change rule of northwest to southeast migration is observed, with reciprocal movement in some years. (4) The top 15 lists of eco-compensation pay areas and payment areas have basically remained stable, with only some internal sorting changes, and the overall amount of payment areas is larger than that of payee areas, with sufficient surplus funds to ensure the smooth implementation of eco-compensation work at the county level in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei. The findings of this paper are important for coordinating the integrated development of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei and, at the same time, contributing positively to the realisation of China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals.
Assessing the Impact of Pollution on Urban Scale in China: A New Perspective from Residents’ Health
Authors: He Li , Zhang Xukun
Published: November 2023

Environmental pollution significantly impacts the urbanization process. Despite the well-documented influence of urban scale on pollution, understanding of the specific effects of pollution at the urban scale remains limited. This study aims to further the understanding of the impact of pollution on urban scales by analyzing pollution variations and mechanisms. This study investigated city-level panel data in China, specifically assessing different pollutant emissions and their linkage to resident health. This study found that pollution has contrasting effects on urban land and population scales. It leads to expansion in urban land but has crowding-out effects on population scales. Notably, pollution from haze was found to increase urban mortality to a greater extent than pollution from industrial sources. Furthermore, this research found that increasing healthcare expenditures for urban residents can offset the negative impact of pollution on population growth and promote coordinated urbanization. This study emphasizes the importance of local government investment in medical services and public expenditures to mitigate the harmful effects of pollution on health, which can substantially prevent population outflows. Furthermore, stronger environmental protection measures can prevent urban land development sprawl resulting from pollution. In conclusion, this study highlights the need for a balanced approach to pollution control and urban development to achieve sustainable and high-quality urbanization.
High Seroprevalence of IgG Antibodies to Multiple Arboviruses in People Living with HIV (PLWHIV) in Madagascar
Authors: Rakotomalala Fetra Angelot , Bouillin Julie , Randriarimanana Santatriniaina Dauphin , Thaurignac Guillaume , Maharavo Luca , Raberahona Mihaja , Razafindrakoto Lucien , Rasoanarivo Jasmina , Rakoto-Andrianarivelo Mala , Rakoto Danielle Aurore Doll , Babin François Xavier , Rasamoelina Tahinamandranto , Delaporte Eric , Samison Luc Hervé , Peeters Martine , Nerrienet Eric , Ayouba Ahidjo
Published: November 2023

To estimate the prevalence of IgG antibodies against six arboviruses in people living with HIV-1 (PLWHIV) in Madagascar, we tested samples collected between January 2018 and June 2021. We used a Luminex-based serological assay to detect IgG antibodies against antigens from Dengue virus serotypes 1–4 (DENV1–4), Zika virus (ZIKV), West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and O’nyong nyong virus (ONNV). Of the 1036 samples tested, IgG antibody prevalence was highest for ONNV (28.4%), CHIKV (26.7%), WNV-NS1 (27.1%), DENV1 (12.4%), USUV (9.9%), and DENV3 (8.9%). ZIKV (4.9%), DENV2 (4.6%), WNV-D3 (5.1%), and DENV4 (1.4%) were lower. These rates varied by province of origin, with the highest rates observed in Toamasina, on the eastern coast (50.5% and 56.8%, for CHIKV and ONNV, respectively). The seroprevalence increased with age for DENV1 and 3 (p = 0.006 and 0.038, respectively) and WNV DIII (p = 0.041). The prevalence of IgG antibodies against any given arborvirus varied over the year and significantly correlated with rainfalls in the different areas (r = 0.61, p = 0.036). Finally, we found a significant correlation between the seroprevalence of antibodies against CHIKV and ONNV and the HIV-1 RNA plasma viral load. Thus, PLWHIV in Madagascar are highly exposed to various arboviruses. Further studies are needed to explain some of our findings.
Effects of Deformed Wing Virus-Targeting dsRNA on Viral Loads in Bees Parasitised and Non-Parasitised by Varroa destructor
Authors: Smeele Zoe E. , Baty James W. , Lester Philip J.
Published: November 2023

The Varroa destructor mite is a devastating parasite of honey bees; however the negative effects of varroa parasitism are exacerbated by its role as an efficient vector of the honey bee pathogen, Deformed wing virus (DWV). While no direct treatment for DWV infection is available for beekeepers to use on their hives, RNA interference (RNAi) has been widely explored as a possible biopesticide approach for a range of pests and pathogens. This study tested the effectiveness of three DWV-specific dsRNA sequences to lower DWV loads and symptoms in honey bees reared from larvae in laboratory mini-hives containing bees and varroa. The effects of DWV-dsRNA treatment on bees parasitised and non-parasitised by varroa mites during development were investigated. Additionally, the impact of DWV-dsRNA on viral loads and gene expression in brood-parasitising mites was assessed using RNA-sequencing. Bees parasitised during development had significantly higher DWV levels compared to non-parasitised bees. However, DWV-dsRNA did not significantly reduce DWV loads or symptoms in mini-hive reared bees, possibly due to sequence divergence between the DWV variants present in bees and varroa and the specific DWV-dsRNA sequences used. Varroa mites from DWV-dsRNA treated mini-hives did not show evidence of an elevated RNAi response or significant difference in DWV levels. Overall, our findings show that RNAi is not always successful, and multiple factors including pathogen diversity and transmission route may impact its efficiency.
Optimization of Critical Factors Affecting Dynamic Membrane Formation in a Gravity-Driven Self-Forming Dynamic Membrane Bioreactor towards Low-Cost and Low-Maintenance Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Tang Luhe , Zhang Jingyu , Zha Lulu , Hu Yisong , Yang Yiming , Zhao Yunsheng , Dong Xinglong , Wang Zhanjiu , Deng Weihang , Yang Yuan
Published: November 2023

Self-forming dynamic membrane (SFDM) formation is affected by a variety of operating conditions. However, previous studies have only focused on individual influencing factors and a systematic analysis of important factors is lacking. In this study, an aerobic self-forming dynamic membrane bioreactor (SFDMBR) was developed for the treatment of domestic wastewater with the critical factors that affect the effective formation of SFDM optimized, and the operational performances under optimized formation conditions confirmed. The results indicated that SFDM could be formed within 5 min using 48 μm stainless-steel mesh as the supporting material at a sludge concentration of 5–6 g/L and a gravity waterhead of 15 cm. And the SFDM formed could maintain a stable flux of 30–50 LMH, and the removals of COD, SCOD, and NH4+-N were 93.28%, 82.85%, and 95.46%, respectively. Furthermore, the cake layer resistance (reversible fouling) contributed to 95.93% of the total filtration resistance, thus a simple physical cleaning can effectively restore the flux indicating a low-maintenance requirement. This study provides valuable insights into the optimization and application of the SFDMBR process.