bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving Performance of the Human Pupil Orbit Model (HPOM) Estimation Method for Eye-Gaze Tracking
Authors: Lee Seungbong , Jeong Jaehoon , Kim Nahyun , Shin Manjae , Kim Sungmin
Published: December 2022

Eye-gaze direction-tracking technology is used in fields such as medicine, education, engineering, and gaming. Stability, accuracy, and precision of eye-gaze direction-tracking are demanded with simultaneous upgrades in response speed. In this study, a method is proposed to improve the speed with decreases in the system load and precision in the human pupil orbit model (HPOM) estimation method. The new method was proposed based on the phenomenon that the minor axis of the elliptical-deformed pupil always pointed toward the rotational center presented in various eye-gaze direction detection studies and HPOM estimation methods. Simulation experimental results confirmed that the speed was improved by at least 74 times by consuming less than 7 ms compared to the HPOM estimation. The accuracy of the eye’s ocular rotational center point showed a maximum error of approximately 0.2 pixels on the x-axis and approximately 8 pixels on the y-axis. The precision of the proposed method was 0.0 pixels when the number of estimation samples (ES) was 7 or less, which showed results consistent with those of the HPOM estimation studies. However, the proposed method was judged to work conservatively against the allowable angle error (AAE), considering that the experiment was conducted under the worst conditions and the cost used to estimate the final model. Therefore, the proposed method could estimate HPOM with high accuracy and precision through AAE adjustment according to system performance and the usage environment.
A Denoising Method Using Deep Image Prior to Human-Target Detection Using MIMO FMCW Radar
Authors: Endo Koji , Yamamoto Kohei , Ohtsuki Tomoaki
Published: December 2022

A Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar can provide a range-angle map that expresses the signal power against each range and angle. It is possible to estimate object locations by detecting the signal power that exceeds a threshold using an algorithm, such as Constant False Alarm Rate (CFAR). However, noise and multipath components often exist over the range-angle map, which could produce false alarms for an undesired location depending on the threshold setting. In other words, the threshold setting is sensitive in noisy range-angle maps. Therefore, if the noise is reduced, the threshold can be easily set to reduce the number of false alarms. In this paper, we propose a method that improves the CFAR threshold tolerance by denoising a range-angle map using Deep Image Prior (DIP). DIP is an unsupervised deep-learning technique that enables image denoising. In the proposed method, DIP is applied to the range-angle map calculated by the Curve-Length (CL) method, and then the object location is detected over the denoised range-angle map based on Cell-Averaging CFAR (CA-CFAR), which is a typical threshold setting algorithm. Through the experiments to estimate human locations in indoor environments, we confirmed that the proposed method with DIP reduced the number of false alarms and estimated the human location accurately while improving the tolerance of the threshold setting, compared to the method without DIP.
Spectral Reflectance Reconstruction of Organ Tissue Based on Metameric Black and Lattice Regression
Authors: Chen Yang , Zhang Siyuan , Xu Lihao
Published: December 2022

In this study, a new approach is proposed for the restoration of reflectance information on organ samples using a commercial camera. This novel approach is comprised of three stages. In the first stage, a color clustering method is utilized to extract the representative colors of the organ samples as well as their corresponding spectral reflectance. In the second stage, the spectral reflectance is decomposed into two separate parts, i.e., the fundamental stimulus spectrum and the metameric black following the matrix-R theory, and the latter is further utilized to form a look-up table (LUT) via a lattice regression model. Finally, the reflectance information can be easily retrieved by referring to the newly built LUT. The performance of the proposed method was investigated, along with that of six other commonly adopted methods, through a physical experiment using real, measured organ samples. The results demonstrate that the proposed method outperformed all the other methods in terms of both colorimetric and spectral metrics, indicating that it is a promising strategy for organ sample reflectance restoration.
Sensor Data Prediction in Missile Flight Tests
Authors: Ryu Sang-Gyu , Jeong Jae Jin , Shim David Hyunchul
Published: December 2022

Sensor data from missile flights are highly valuable, as a test requires considerable resources, but some sensors may be detached or fail to collect data. Remotely acquired missile sensor data are incomplete, and the correlations between the missile data are complex, which results in the prediction of sensor data being difficult. This article proposes a deep learning-based prediction network combined with the wavelet analysis method. The proposed network includes an imputer network and a prediction network. In the imputer network, the data are decomposed using wavelet transform, and the generative adversarial networks assist the decomposed data in reproducing the detailed information. The prediction network consists of long short-term memory with an attention and dilation network for accurate prediction. In the test, the actual sensor data from missile flights were used. For the performance evaluation, the test was conducted from the data with no missing values to the data with five different missing rates. The test results showed that the proposed system predicts the missile sensor most accurately in all cases. In the frequency analysis, the proposed system has similar frequency responses to the actual sensors and showed that the proposed system accurately predicted the sensors in both tendency and frequency aspects.
A Combination Approach of the Numerical Simulation and Data-Driven Analysis for the Impacts of Refracturing Layout and Time on Shale Gas Production
Authors: Zhu Chenhong , Wang J. G. , Xu Na , Liang Wei , Hu Bowen , Li Peibo
Published: December 2022

Refracturing can alleviate the rapid decline of shale gas production with a low drilling cost, but an appropriate fracture layout and optimal refracturing time have been unclear without a heavy computation load. This paper proposes a combination approach with a numerical simulation and data-driven analysis to quickly evaluate the impacts of the refracturing layout and refracturing time on shale gas production. Firstly, a multiphysical coupling model with the creep of natural fractures is established for the numerical simulation on shale gas production. Secondly, the effects of the refracturing layout and refracturing time on the shale gas production are investigated through a single factor sensitivity analysis, but this analysis cannot identify the fracture interaction. Thirdly, the influence of fractures interaction on shale gas production is explored through a combination of a global sensitivity analysis (GSA) and an artificial neural network (ANN). The GSA results observed that the adjacent fractures have more salient interferences, which means that a denser fracture network will not significantly increase the total gas production, or will reduce the contribution from each fracture, resulting in higher fracturing costs. The new fractures that are far from existing fractures have greater contributions to cumulative gas production. In addition, the optimal refracturing time varies with the refracturing layout and is optimally implemented within 2–3 years. A suitable refracturing scale and time should be selected, based on the remaining gas reserve. These results can provide reasonable insights for the refracturing design on the refracturing layout and optimal time. This ANN-GSA approach provides a fast evaluation for the optimization of the refracturing layout and time without enormous numerical simulations.
Priority-Setting Methodology of Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses for Pedestrian Road Construction: Case Study of a National Highway in South Korea
Authors: Jeon Woo Hoon
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to propose a priority-setting methodology for the construction of pedestrian roads using a set of evaluation methods distinguished from the conventional system using social overhead capital(SOC) evaluation with a focus on economic analysis. Four evaluation indicators were selected in this study: pedestrian fatality risk, surrounding infrastructure, potential pedestrian demand, and manager’s opinion, with a total of 12 attributes across the indicators. Each attribute was designed to allow a quantitative or qualitative evaluation and had a method of estimating and scoring each attribute for set criteria. Regarding the weighting of evaluation indicators, the Analytic Hierarchy Process was applied as the most widely used method in multi-criteria decision making. The highest weightage was placed on pedestrian fatality risk and surrounding infrastructure among the evaluation indicators and traffic accidents of pedestrian fatality risk among the attributes. To determine the practical application of the proposed methodology, a single-site evaluation was conducted, followed by 385 sites in a similar manner for priority setting. The methodology of priority setting for pedestrian roads proposed in this study can be applied to the priority setting for pedestrian roads, smaller-scale SOC projects including bicycle roads.
Key Challenges in 21st Century Learning: A Way Forward towards Sustainable Higher Educational Institutions
Authors: Khahro Shabir Hussain , Javed Yasir
Published: December 2022

Educational institutes always explore new ways and trends to improve teaching and ensure learning in the classroom, especially at the higher educational level. In this fast-growing, dynamic world, the field of information technology (IT) has made huge progress in different sectors, including the education sector. Initially, the educational process and stakeholders’ resistance made it challenging to implement new information-technology-based solutions in this key sector, but the recent pandemic made it easier at different stages. Universities must allow students to play an active role in developing pedagogy and share their ideas in order to meet the 21st century learning needs of today’s students. This paper investigates the key challenges in a 21st century education. An extensive literature review was carried out for this research, followed by targeted expert feedback. The paper concludes that universities must cope with enrollment, finance and student support concerns in addition to transitioning their on-campus programs to virtual settings. Faculty must be interactive, captivating, collaborative and thought-provoking. Students should have a choice in how they learn knowledge and display it in accordance with their requirements and preferences. Technology usage should be interesting, efficient and responsible to improve the learner’s experience. Students should also be taught how their education will affect their future and global impact.
A Method of Relay Node Selection for UAV Cluster Networks Based on Distance and Energy Constraints
Authors: Chen Guangjiao , Chen Guifen
Published: December 2022

Cooperative communication is a key technology to improve the stability of UAV swarm communication. To reduce the energy consumption in cooperative communication, this study proposes a method for selecting relay nodes based on distance and energy constraints. First, a two-stage communication model was designed to explain the signal forwarding communication process. Subsequently, cluster head nodes were filtered through a competition mechanism to be used for forwarding source signals. The minimum communication capacity of the link contained the distance parameter of the relay link. Lastly, under energy and distance constraints, the optimal solution of the minimum interrupt function for the cluster head was found, and was defined as the best relay node. The experimental results show that the two parameters of network coverage and residual energy of the improved method were higher than those of other mainstream algorithms. Furthermore, the actual UAV networking test results show that the proposed relay selection method had the most residual energy. It is concluded that the relay selection method proposed in this study has good practicality and advancement in UAV cluster communication.
Sustainable Strategy Analysis: Platform Channel Configuration and Slotting Fee Design under Differentiated Quality Investment
Authors: Li Chunyu , Xing Peng , Li Yanting
Published: December 2022

As a medium for matching supply and demand, platforms are changing industrial structures and consumption patterns to achieve sustainable operations. The platform establishes a self-operated channel on the basis of the present agent channel, which generates new conflicts and pollution problems. Considering the competition and quality investment, we investigate the platform’s optimal strategies, i.e., pricing, quality investment, channel format and slotting fee contract. The result shows that the platform adopting a dual channel structure contributes to sustainable operations because it can increase selling prices, sales volumes and consumers’ willingness when the channel introduction cost is lower. Meanwhile, the supplier always prefers the dual-channel structure because it can increase sales volume, profits and consumer surplus. Meanwhile, contrary to the commission rate, the emergence of competition promotes quality investment and guarantees consumer satisfaction. Under the intense channel conflicts, a variable slotting fee contract (VFC) is more profitable than a unit fixed slotting fee contract (UFC) owing to alleviating the competition; otherwise, the UFC has a larger improvement effect on profits. Meanwhile, with the increase in consumer quality sensitivity, UFC gradually cannibalizes VFC and occupies the core position in the operation.
Urban Growth Boundaries Delineation under Multi-Objective Constraints from the Perspective of Humanism and Low-Carbon Concept
Authors: Yu Yan , Zhang Chenhe , Ma Weilin , Xu Yaxin , Gao Xinxin
Published: December 2022

Urban growth boundaries (UGBs) play an important role in controlling urban sprawl and protecting natural ecosystems. Traditional methods mainly focus on the heterogeneity of regional resources and environment rather than residents’ behavioral activities. However, residents’ behavioral activities are one of the most important factors influencing urban spatial form. Fortunately, the emergence of big data, especially phone signaling data, provides alternative data sources to understand the dynamic resident behavior activity space, which is significant for people-oriented urban development. Therefore, we propose a novel framework for UGB delineation based on multi-source big data and multi-objective constraints, which emphasizes humanism and the low-carbon concept in urban expansion simulation. The multi-objective constraints are constructed from the evaluation of resident activity space expansion potential, the evaluation of urban construction suitability, the evaluation of ecological conservation importance, and the human survival materials limitation. We apply the framework to Ningbo, and the results show that the framework under multi-objective constraints from a people-oriented and low-carbon perspective is more reliable and comprehensive than that without constraints. The findings also show that the UGB delineation based on multi-source big data has higher accuracy and better performance. The conceptual and methodological advances of this study are also applicable to other cities to help UGBs delineation.
Improving Energy Efficiency in China Based on Qualitative Comparative Analysis
Authors: Liu Cong , Tian Zhendong , Sun Bingyue , Qu Guoli
Published: December 2022

Currently, in China, the influence of energy efficiency problems on economic and social development is increasingly prominent. The factors influencing energy efficiency and improving them have become the focus of academics. In this study, the effects of allocation on technical progress, industrial structure, energy consumption structure, and economic levels of energy efficiency are discussed based on a sample of 30 provinces in China using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). The results show that three paths could simulate high energy efficiency. The first path is dominated by economic level and energy consumption structure, with the assistance of industrial structure. The second path is dominated by economic level and energy consumption structure, with the assistance of technical progress. The third path is dominated by technical progress and industrial structure, with the assistance of economic level. None of the proposed four factors were required for high energy efficiency. Path 1 and path 2 formed the second-order equivalent configuration. In most provinces, high energy efficiency is stimulated through the path dominated by technical progress and industrial structure, assisted by economic level.
FUSION: Measuring Binary Function Similarity with Code-Specific Embedding and Order-Sensitive GNN
Authors: Gao Hao , Zhang Tong , Chen Songqiang , Wang Lina , Yu Fajiang
Published: December 2022

Binary code similarity measurement is a popular research area in binary analysis with the recent development of deep learning-based models. Current state-of-the-art methods often use the pre-trained language model (PTLM) to embed instructions into basic blocks as representations of nodes within a control flow graph (CFG). These methods will then use the graph neural network (GNN) to embed the whole CFG and measure the binary similarities between these code embeddings. However, these methods almost directly treat the assembly code as a natural language text and ignore its code-specific features when training PTLM. Moreover, They barely consider the direction of edges in the CFG or consider it less efficient. The weaknesses of the above approaches may limit the performances of previous methods. In this paper, we propose a novel method called function similarity using code-specific PPTs and order-sensitive GNN (FUSION). Since the similarity of binary codes is a symmetric/asymmetric problem, we were guided by the ideas of symmetry and asymmetry in our research. They measure the binary function similarity with two code-specific PTLM training strategies and an order-sensitive GNN, which, respectively, alleviate the aforementioned weaknesses. FUSION outperforms the state-of-the-art binary similarity methods by up to 5.4% in accuracy, and performs significantly better.
Geometrical Visual Illusions Revisited: The Curse of Symmetry, the Cure of Sighting, and Taxing Task Demands
Authors: Landwehr Klaus
Published: December 2022

For nine popular geometrical visual-illusion figures, a mathematical analysis is provided along with a characterization of the figures’ psychological effectiveness. Supported by graphical illustrations, for the L and the T, it is shown how mathematical singularities of these figures can be isolated, and the illusions annihilated. For the Poggendorff, the Hering, and the Zöllner figures, building on observations from Kennedy and Portal (1990), sighting the figures from specific vantage points at a shallow angle is proposed as a means to overcome these illusions. For the T, the Oppel–Kundt, the Müller–Lyer, and the Ebbinghaus figures, a new experiment demonstrated that observers were able to find a slant of the stimuli at which the illusory impressions vanished. Task demands on part of the beholders comprise discrimination and identification. The observed independence of response bias and sensitivity in psychometric functions can possibly be explained by the intrusion of identifying responses into discrimination tasks.
Typical Structure of Oriented Graphs and Digraphs with Forbidden Blow-Up Transitive Triangles
Authors: Liang Meili , Liu Jianxi
Published: December 2022

Transitive tournament (including transitive triangle) and its blow-up have some symmetric properties. In this work, we establish an analogue result of the Erdös-Stone theorem of weighted digraphs with a forbidden blow-up of the transitive tournament. We give a stability result of oriented graphs and digraphs with forbidden blow-up transitive triangles and show that almost all oriented graphs and digraphs with forbidden blow-up transitive triangles are almost bipartite, which reconfirms and strengthens the conjecture of Cherlin.
Comprehensive Review of Aflatoxin Contamination, Impact on Health and Food Security, and Management Strategies in Pakistan
Authors: Ajmal Maryam , Bedale Wendy , Akram Abida , Yu Jae-Hyuk
Published: December 2022

Aflatoxins (AFs) are the most important toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic fungal toxins that routinely contaminate food and feed. While more than 20 AFs have been identified to date, aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), B2 (AFB2), G1 (AFG1), G2 (AFG2), and M1 (AFM1) are the most common. Over 25 species of Aspergillus have been shown to produce AFs, with Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius being the most important and well-known AF-producing fungi. These ubiquitous molds can propagate on agricultural commodities to produce AFs in fields and during harvesting, processing, transportation, and storage. Countries with warmer climates and that produce foods susceptible to AF contamination shoulder a substantial portion of the global AF burden. Pakistan’s warm climate promotes the growth of toxigenic fungi, resulting in frequent AF contamination of human foods and animal feeds. The potential for contamination in Pakistan is exacerbated by improper storage conditions and a lack of regulatory limits and enforcement mechanisms. High levels of AFs in common commodities produced in Pakistan are a major food safety problem, posing serious health risks to the population. Furthermore, aflatoxin contamination contributes to economic losses by limiting exports of these commodities. In this review, recent information regarding the fungal producers of AFs, prevalence of AF contamination of foods and feed, current regulations, and AF prevention and removal strategies are summarized, with a major focus on Pakistan.
The Effect of Event Prestige on Event Participation Intention: The Case of the FISU World University Summer Games
Authors: He Daogang , Chen Xi
Published: December 2022

Mega sports events play an important role in the development of the host city. This study examined the relationship between event prestige, city image, place attachment, and event involvement intention of the host community. Data were obtained using questionnaires distributed to college students in Chengdu, China 2022, when it was the host of the World University Games. The results show that the event’s prestige as perceived by college students had a significant positive impact on the intention to participate in the event, and the event’s prestige had a significant positive impact on the image of the city but had no effect on the place attachment of college students. City image and place attachment has a chain mediating effect between the event prestige and the participation intention. Moreover, hosting an event can form a positive image of the host city, thus further enhancing the place attachment of college students, and providing talent protection for urban development. The implications of these findings for the event’s organization strategies as well as future research directions are discussed.
EBV Association with Lymphomas and Carcinomas in the Oral Compartment
Authors: Ward B. J. H. , Schaal Danielle L. , Nkadi Ebubechukwu H. , Scott Rona S.
Published: December 2022

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is an oncogenic human herpesvirus infecting approximately 90% of the world’s population. The oral cavity serves a central role in the life cycle, transmission, and pathogenesis of EBV. Transmitted to a new host via saliva, EBV circulates between cellular compartments within oral lymphoid tissues. Epithelial cells primarily support productive viral replication, while B lymphocytes support viral latency and reactivation. EBV infections are typically asymptomatic and benign; however, the latent virus is associated with multiple lymphomas and carcinomas arising in the oral cavity. EBV association with cancer is complex as histologically similar cancers often test negative for the virus. However, the presence of EBV is associated with distinct features in certain cancers. The intrinsic ability of EBV to immortalize B-lymphocytes, via manipulation of survival and growth signaling, further implicates the virus as an oncogenic cofactor. A distinct mutational profile and burden have been observed in EBV-positive compared to EBV-negative tumors, suggesting that viral infection can drive alternative pathways that converge on oncogenesis. Taken together, EBV is also an important prognostic biomarker that can direct alternative therapeutic approaches. Here, we discuss the prevalence of EBV in oral malignancies and the EBV-dependent mechanisms associated with tumorigenesis.
Emergence of Salmon Gill Poxvirus
Authors: Tartor Haitham , Dahle Maria K. , Gulla Snorre , Weli Simon C. , Gjessing Mona C.
Published: December 2022

The Salmon gill poxvirus (SGPV) has emerged in recent years as the cause of an acute respiratory disease that can lead to high mortality in farmed Atlantic salmon presmolts, known as Salmon gill poxvirus disease. SGPV was first identified in Norway in the 1990s, and its large DNA genome, consisting of over 206 predicted protein-coding genes, was characterized in 2015. This review summarizes current knowledge relating to disease manifestation and its effects on the host immune system and describes dissemination of the virus. It also demonstrates how newly established molecular tools can help us to understand SGPV and its pathogenesis. Finally, we conclude and ask some burning questions that should be addressed in future research.
Neutralizing and Epitope-Specific Antibodies against Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Maternal and Cord Blood Paired Samples
Authors: Mashiyama Fumi , Hashimoto Koichi , Norito Sakurako , Okabe Hisao , Sato Akiko , Kume Yohei , Maeda Ryo , Sato Maki , Sato Masatoki , Kyozuka Hyo , Fujimori Keiya , Nishigori Hidekazu , Shinoki Kosei , Yasumura Seiji , Sakuma Hiroko , Hosoya Mitsuaki
Published: December 2022

Only a few qualitative studies of neutralizing antibody titers (NATs) against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have focused on epitope-specific antibody (ESA) levels. Here, NATs against RSV in sera were measured using the blood of 412 mothers and cord blood (CB) of 95 of the 412 mother–child pairs. ESA levels against sites zero (Ø) and IIa of the F protein of RSV were measured in 87 of the 95 mother–child pairs. The median gestational age was 39 weeks. The NATs and ESA levels in CB were slightly higher than those in maternal blood (MB). The NATs for RSV subtype A (RSV-A) in MB and CB showed a positive correlation (r = 0.75). The ESA levels against sites Ø and IIa in MB and CB showed positive correlations, r = 0.76 and r = 0.69, respectively. In MB, the NATs and ESA levels against RSV were positively correlated, more significantly against site Ø (RSV-A: r = 0.70, RSV-B: r = 0.48) than against site IIa (RSV-A: r = 0.19, RSV-B: r = 0.31). Sufficient amounts of ESAs against sites Ø and IIa of RSV were transferred from mothers to term infants. ESA levels against site Ø contribute to NATs.
Advancements in the Use of Bacteriophages to Combat the Kiwifruit Canker Phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae
Authors: Luo Jinyan , Dai Dejiang , Lv Luqiong , Ahmed Temoor , Chen Lei , Wang Yanli , An Qianli , Sun Guochang , Li Bin
Published: December 2022

Over the last several decades, kiwifruit production has been severely damaged by the bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa), resulting in severe economic losses worldwide. Currently, copper bactericides and antibiotics are the main tools used to control this bacterial disease. However, their use is becoming increasingly ineffective due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance. In addition, environmental issues and the changes in the composition of soil bacterial communities are also concerning when using these substances. Although biocontrol methods have shown promising antibacterial effects on Psa infection under in vitro conditions, the efficiency of antagonistic bacteria and fungi when deployed under field conditions remains unclear. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a phage-based biocontrol strategy for this bacterial pathogen. Due to the specificity of the target bacteria and for the benefit of the environment, bacteriophages (phages) have been widely regarded as promising biological agents to control plant, animal, and human bacterial diseases. An increasing number of studies focus on the use of phages for the control of plant diseases, including the kiwifruit bacterial canker. In this review, we first introduce the characteristics of the Psa-induced kiwifruit canker, followed by a description of the diversity and virulence of Psa strains. The main focus of the review is the description of recent advances in the isolation of Psa phages and their characterization, including morphology, host range, lytic activity, genome characterization, and lysis mechanism, but we also describe the biocontrol strategies together with potential challenges introduced by abiotic factors, such as high temperature, extreme pH, and UV irradiation in kiwifruit orchards. The information presented in this review highlights the potential role of phages in controlling Psa infection to ensure plant protection.
Comparative Benefits and Risks Associated with Currently Authorized COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: Albers Jacob R. , Brown Jeffrey B. , Charkowick Shaun V. , Ram Natasha , Klocksieben Farina A. , Kumar Ambuj
Published: December 2022

This article provides a systematic assessment of the efficacy, risks, and methodological quality of evidence from five major publicly available vaccine trials. Results from Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA, Moderna-US NIH mRN-1273, AstraZeneca-Oxford ChAdOx1 nCov-19, Gamaleya GamCovidVac (Sputnik V), and Ad26.COV2.S Johnson & Johnson vaccines were included. Extracted benefits and risks data from each trial were summarized using the GRADE approach denoting the overall certainty of evidence along with relative and absolute effects. Relative risk reduction across all five vaccine trials ranged from 45% to 96%. Absolute risk reduction in symptomatic COVID-19 ranged from 6 to 17 per 1000 across trials. None of the vaccines were associated with a significant increase in serious adverse events compared to placebo. The overall certainty of evidence varied from low to moderate. All five vaccines are effective and safe, but suggest room for improvement in the conduct of large-scale vaccine trials. Certainty of evidence was downrated due to risk of bias, which can be mitigated by improving transparency and thoroughness in conduct and reporting of outcomes.
Multi-Sensor Data Analysis of an Intense Weather Event: The July 2021 Lake Como Case Study
Authors: Mascitelli Alessandra , Petracca Marco , Puca Silvia , Realini Eugenio , Gatti Andrea , Biondi Riccardo , Anesiadou Aikaterini , Brocca Luca , Vulpiani Gianfranco , Torcasio Rosa Claudia , Federico Stefano , Oriente Antonio , Dietrich Stefano
Published: December 2022

A comprehensive analysis of the July 2021 event that occurred on Lake Como (Italy), during which heavy hailstorms and floods affected the surroundings of Lake, is presented. The study provides a detailed analysis of the event using different observation sources currently available. The employed techniques include both conventional (rain gauges, radar, atmospheric sounding) and non-conventional (satellite-based Earth observation products, GNSS, and lightning detection network) observations for hydro-meteorological analysis. The study is split in three main topics: event description by satellite-based observations; long-term analysis by the ERA5 model and ASCAT soil water index; and short-term analysis by lightning data, GNSS delays and radar-VIL. The added value of the work is the near-real-time analysis of some of the datasets used, which opens up the potential for use in alerting systems, showing considerable application possibilities in NWP modeling, where it can also be useful for the implementation of early warning systems. The results highlight the validity of the different techniques and the consistency among the observations. This result, therefore, leads to the conclusion that a joint use of the innovative techniques with the operational ones can bring reliability in the description of events.
Environmental Contamination with Micro- and Nanoplastics Changes the Phototaxis of Euryhaline Zooplankton to Paired Photostimulation
Authors: Morgalev Yuri , Dyomin Victor , Morgalev Sergey , Davydova Alexandra , Morgaleva Tamara , Kondratova Oksana , Polovtsev Igor , Kirillov Nikolay , Olshukov Alexey
Published: December 2022

Our earlier studies showed that paired photostimulation allows the detection of pollutants in an aqueous medium according to the behavioral responses of freshwater Crustacea. The first stimulus initiated and stabilized the behavioral response. The increase in response to the second stimulus made it possible to assess the responsiveness of the zooplankton community. This paper studies the validity of this method for the detection of micro- and nanoplastic contamination of saltwater reservoirs according to the behavioral response of Artemia salina and Moina salina crustaceans. The studies were conducted in laboratory conditions using a submersible holographic camera developed by us, which ensures the in situ detection of the concentration and speed of crustaceans in a volume of up to 1 dm3, as well as makes it possible to change the intensity and duration of the attracting light. It was established that the phototropic response of crustaceans decreases in seawater at the cumulative dose of exposure to microplastics—0.15 mg∙dm−3∙h and nanoplastics—0.3 mg∙dm−3∙h. The paired photostimulation reveals the altering effect of micro- and nanoplastics in the saltwater medium no later than 3 h after their appearance, which indicates the promising potential of this method for the alarm response in monitoring the environmental well-being of water bodies.
Mass Variations in Terrestrial Water Storage over the Nile River Basin and Mega Aquifer System as Deduced from GRACE-FO Level-2 Products and Precipitation Patterns from GPCP Data
Authors: Elsaka Basem , Abdelmohsen Karem , Alshehri Fahad , Zaki Ahmed , El-Ashquer Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Changes in the terrestrial total water storage (TWS) have been estimated at both global and river basin scales from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission and are still being detected from its GRACE Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission. In this contribution, the sixth release of GRACE-FO (RL06) level-2 products applying DDK5 (decorrelation filter) were used to detect water mass variations for the Nile River Basin (NRB) in Africa and the Mega Aquifer System (MAS) in Asia. The following approach was implemented to detect the mass variation over the NRB and MAS: (1) TWS mass (June 2018–June 2021) was estimated by converting the spherical harmonic coefficients from the decorrelation filter DDK 5 of the GRACE-FO Level-2 RL06 products into equivalent water heights, where the TWS had been re-produced after removing the mean temporal signal (2) Precipitation data from Global Precipitation Climatology Project was used to investigate the pattern of change over the study area. Our findings include: (1) during the GRACE-FO period, the mass variations extracted from the RL06-DDK5 solutions from the three official centers—CSR, JPL, and GFZ—were found to be consistent with each other, (2) The NRB showed substantial temporal TWS variations, given a basin average of about 6 cm in 2019 and about 12 cm in 2020 between September and November and a lower basin average of about −9 cm in 2019 and −6 cm in 2020 in the wet seasons between March and May, while mass variations for the MAS had a relatively weaker temporal TWS magnitude, (3) the observed seasonal signal over the NRB was attributed to the high intensity of the precipitation events over the NRB (AAP: 1000–1800 mm yr−1), whereas the lack of the seasonal TWS signal over the MAS was due to the low intensity of the precipitation events over the MAS (AAP:180–500 mm yr−1).
Physiological Response of Two Typical Plant Species under Combined Pb and Cd Stress in Bioretention Facilities
Authors: Gong Yongwei , Lu Xiaoxiao , Zhou Zhihua , Li Zhuolun , Li Yanhong
Published: December 2022

Bioretention facilities reduce stormwater runoff and pollutants, but there is a concern that plants in bioretention facilities may absorb heavy metal pollutants from stormwater runoff, which might impair the growth of the plant species. To investigate this issue, stormwater runoff containing various amounts of Pb and Cd heavy metals was used as the irrigation water in a bioretention facility. The low concentrations of Pb and Cd were 0.08 and 0.04 mg/L, and the high values were 0.68 and 0.32 mg/L. The plant heavy metal content and physiological indicators were measured. The indicators were chlorophyll content (CC), net photosynthetic rate (NPR), and transpiration rate (TR). The results showed that the changes in plant chlorophyll content (CC) were highly correlated with changes in the plants’ Pb. Low concentrations of Pb and Cd slightly inhibited the Ginkgo biloba L. and Ligustrum × vicaryi NPRs, the effect was more obvious at high concentrations and the Ligustrum × vicaryi’s NPR decreased from the initial 8.97 μmol CO2/(m2s) to 5.77 μmol CO2/(m2s) under high concentration conditions. Pb and Cd increased the Ginkgo biloba L. and Ligustrum × vicaryi’s TRs, and the effect at low Pb and Cd concentrations was more significant. Under low concentrations of Pb and Cd stress, the Ginkgo biloba L.’s TRs reached 0.63 mmol H2O/(m2s), Ligustrum × vicaryi’s TRs reached 1.30 mmol H2O/(m2s). The TRs of the two plants in the experimental groups remained high throughout the experiment, and there was no significant inhibition. The study found that Pb and Cd in stormwater runoff did affect the physiological function of species to some extent. Different plant species behaved differently in bioretention facilities, but the stormwater runoff did not lead to the death of species. Our study may provide a better understanding of the development of typical plant species in bioretention facilities.
Long-Term Variations in Spring Water Mean Transit Time in a Forested Headwater Catchment in Japan
Authors: Silveira Baptista Isabela , Tsujimura Maki , Onda Yuichi
Published: December 2022

In this study, we applied a new methodology that utilized stable isotopic concentrations of water and SF6 concentrations of the air to investigate temporal variations in the spring water mean transit time (MTT) of a forested headwater catchment in Japan. We monitored the area from June 2010 to November 2021, including the forest thinning that occurred in October 2011. The SF6 concentrations were used to estimate the apparent age of the spring water, which was used to initiate a parameter calibration that determined the best possible MTT for each study period. The MTT was evaluated by estimating the d-excess variations of the spring water stable isotopes using the exponential piston flow model. The MTT ranged from 40 to 55 months and tended to increase soon after the forest was thinned. In contrast, the MTT was shorter by approximately 6 years after thinning occurred. The results indicate that the characteristics of the hydrological processes in the catchment underwent long-term changes after the forest was thinned. This study demonstrates that using combined tracer methods to investigate the hydrological response to forest management practices improved the results and can be used for better forest and subsurface water resource management.
How to Create a Regional Diatom-Based Index: Demonstration from the Yuqiao Reservoir Watershed, China
Authors: Liu Yufei , Fang Jing , Mei Pengyu , Yang Shuo , Zhang Bo , Lu Xueqiang
Published: December 2022

Diatom-based indices derived from the percentage of diatom taxa groups can be used to assess water quality. As some diatoms are location-dependent, such diatom indices are correspondingly location-dependent and the regional classification of taxa group is thereby needed. This study aims to demonstrate how to create a regional diatom assemblage index (YRDAI) based on a case study from the Yuqiao Reservoir watershed, China. Herein, we proposed a simple taxa classification approach based on the correlation between pollutant concentration and diatom abundance, and compared it with the traditional approach based on the coexistence index. Using the two approaches, a total of 34 diatom taxa groups were reclassified for localization of the well-known DAIpo index. The YRDAI was then derived from the reclassified diatom taxa groups. The results in the Yuqiao Reservoir watershed showed that the correlation-based YRDAIcor scores could better reflect the pollution levels of COD and TP than the coexistence-based YRDAIco scores and the original DAIpo scores with the unreclassified taxa groups. It can be expected that the precision of YRDAI can be improved with the accumulation of the diatom data, and the above approaches can be applied to other watersheds for making their own regional indices.
Aquatic Carbon Dynamics in a Time of Global Change
Authors: Brothers Soren
Published: December 2022

Inland waters are globally significant sites of carbon cycling [...]
Hayreddin er-Remlî’nin Risâle fi’l-cevâb an mes’eleti men kâle in ef’al kezâ fe-hüve kâfir Adlı Risâlesi: İnceleme ve Tahkik
Authors: AKGÜNDÜZ Said Nuri
Published: December 2022

Bu makalede, XVII. yüzyılda yaşamış Hanefî fıkıh âlimi Hayreddin er-Remlî’nin (ö. 1081/1671) yeminle ilgili bir risâlesi incelenecek ve metninin tenkitli neşri yapılacaktır. Risâle, yeminle ilgili bir meseleye dair Osmanlı şeyhülislâmı Minkârîzâde Yahya Efendi’den (ö. 1088/1678) gelen soru, bu soruya Remlî’nin verdiği cevap ve Yahya Efendi’nin ikinci mektubundan oluşmaktadır. Yazışmalar, yemine dair bir mesele üzerinde gerçekleşmiştir. Yemin çeşitleri ve lafızlarıyla ilgili fıkıh kitaplarında yer verilen “kişinin bir işi yapması halinde İslam’dan çıkacağını çeşitli şekillerde dile getirmesi durumunda bu sözüyle dinden çıkıp çıkmayacağı” olarak özetleyebileceğimiz meselenin çözümü ve yorumu üzerine verilen hükümler ve değerlendirmelerden oluşan konu, bahsi geçen mektuplarda ele alınmıştır. Makalemizin temel amacı, bu yazışmaların arka planına ışık tutmak ve muhtevada öne çıkan hususları değerlendirmektir. Diğer bir amaç ise risâlenin özgün metnini tahkikli olarak neşretmektir. Makalemizde, nitel araştırma yöntemleri kullanılmış ve metnin bize sunduğu açık ve örtük veriler değerlendirilmiştir. Metnin ve müelliflere dair mevcut bilgilerin elverdiği ölçüde kanaat ve yorumlar da ifade edilmiştir. Girişte konunun Hanefî mezhebindeki geçmişine kısaca temas edildikten sonra iki müellifin hayatı ve kesiştikleri noktalar öne çıkarılmış, ardından risâlenin muhtevası tetkik edilmiştir. Son olarak, metnin tahkikli neşrine yer verilmiştir.
ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY ASSESSMENT BY ABTS OF 9'Z-BIXIN, 9'Z-NORBIXIN, 9'ZMETHYLBIXIN AND ALL EMETHYLBIXIN FROM BIXA ORELLANA SEEDS
Authors:   Department of Biochemistry. Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and Technology. University of Panama, Panama City 0824, Panama - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Ancon. Panama City 0843-03092. Republic of Panama., González-Araúz Alexander P. , Torres-Mendoza Daniel ,   Laboratory of Tropical Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural, Exact Sciences and Technology, University of Panama - Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado, Universidad de Panamá, Panamá 0824, Panamá., Ríos-Carrera Nivia ,   Department of Microbiology. Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and Technology. University of Panama, Panama City 0824, Panama., Durant-Archibold Armando A. ,   Department of Biochemistry. Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and Technology. University of Panama - Biochemistry and Biomedical Research Unit. Department of Biodiversity and Drug Discovery. Institute of Scientific Research and High Technology Services (INDICASAT AIP). City of Knowledge. Panama City. Panama., Solano Godofredo ,   Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Unit. Natural Product Investigation Center. University of Costa Rica. San Jose 11501. Costa Rica., Tamayo-Castillo Giselle ,   Center of Natural Products Research (CIPRONA). University of Costa Rica. San Jose 11501-2060. Costa Rica., Molinar-Toribio Eunice ,   Department of Biochemistry. Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and Technology. University of Panama, Panama City 0824, Panama., Murillo Enrique ,   Department of Biochemistry. Faculty of Natural and Exact Sciences, and Technology. University of Panama, Panama City 0824, Panama.
Published: December 2022

The 9´Z-bixin is the major pigment present in the annatto (Bixa orellana L.) seeds. Other carotenoids present in the seeds of annatto are 9´Z-norbixin and 9´Z-methylbixin. Annatto seeds extract is used as a food colorant. In this study, we extracted and isolated 9´Z-bixin from annatto seeds. 9’Z-norbixin was obtained and purified by saponification of annatto seeds extract. Then, 9’Z-methylbixin was obtained by Steglich esterification of 9´Z-bixin with EDC/DMAP. Also, all E-methylbixin was obtained by esterification of 9’Z-bixin in acid conditions with hydrochloric acid in methanol. The antioxidant capacity of 9´Z-bixin and bixin derivatives was measured in ABTS assay to determine their structure–activity relationship. We observed that the esterification of 9´Z-bixin decreases its antioxidant capacity and that the presence of the free carboxyl group is important in the antioxidant capacity of bixin derivatives.
Implications of Mobile Learning for Sustainable Inclusive Education: A Systematic Review
Authors: Pegalajar Palomino Mcpegala
Published: December 2022

The evolution of wireless technology and the development of mobile applications cover more and more areas of human activity. These can be used not only for communication, but also for educational purposes. This research aims to analyze implications of Mobile Learning as a didactic strategy for the development of an inclusive education that is committed to improving education for sustainable development. Following the quality standards of the PRISMA statement, a systematic review of research focused on didactic experiences that use Mobile Learning for the attention of students with educational needs in the context of education for sustainable development has been carried out. The Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases have been used during the period 2010-2020, obtaining a sample of 21 publications. Results reveal the growing interest of the international scientific community in this research. It is a didactic strategy that facilitates the teaching-learning process for students with functional diversity, a tool to support the teaching task and a promoter of an inclusive education that is committed to sustainable learning. Among its limitations, aspects related to the teacher, the implementation of mobile technology in the teaching-learning process or its use as a learning tool stand out. Mobile Learning has become a new educational paradigm, which establishes a binomial between technology and education to respond to the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. It has become a new educational paradigm in line with our model of society based on information and knowledge and access to Information and Communication Technologies. In this way, a binomial has been established between technology and education that aims to implement benefits for the agents involved at a quantitative and qualitative level for the implementation of an inclusive education that caters to students with functional diversity and is committed to improving education for sustainable development.