bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deltamethrin Application on Pre-Weaned Calves Improves Feed Consumption, Stress and Fatigue Status under Heat Stress Conditions
Authors: Arsenopoulos Konstantinos V. , Triantafillou Eleftherios , Gelasakis Athanasios I. , Papadopoulos Elias
Published: January 2022

Fly infestation remains a universal problem for dairy cattle herds, affecting the animals’ health and welfare status. Pre-weaned dairy calves are significantly challenged by the direct and indirect consequences of severe fly infestation, heat-stress and their interaction, which contribute to a stressful and fatiguing environment. Among several physiological, behavioral, clinical and biochemical traits, serum cortisol (SC) and creatine kinase (CK) levels, as well as feed consumption can be used as valid indicators of potential stressful and fatiguing conditions and, therefore, can be efficiently used for stress analysis studies. Hence, the objective of the study was to assess the fly-repellency effect of deltamethrin on pre-weaned dairy calves exposed to heat stress conditions, as well as its association with SC, CK concentrations and feed consumption. Two commercial dairy cattle herds of the Holstein breed in Central Macedonia (Greece) were involved in the study during summer months and under heat stress conditions. Deltamethrin administration resulted in (i) a decreased fly population (100% Musca domestica) landing on pre-weaned dairy calves, (ii) a reduced SC (stress indicator) and CK (fatigue indicator) concentration, and (iii) an increased consumption of feedstuff in deltamethrin treated animals compared to the untreated ones.
Biological Control of Fusarium culmorum, Fusarium graminearum and Fusarium poae by Antagonistic Yeasts
Authors: Podgórska-Kryszczuk Izabela , Solarska Ewa , Kordowska-Wiater Monika
Published: January 2022

The genus Fusarium is considered to be one of the most pathogenic, phytotoxic and toxin-producing group of microorganisms in the world. Plants infected by these fungi are characterized by a reduced consumer and commercial value, mainly due to the contamination of crops with mycotoxins. Therefore, effective methods of reducing fungi of the genus Fusarium must be implemented already in the field before harvesting, especially with alternative methods to pesticides such as biocontrol. In this study we identified yeasts that inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungi Fusarium culmorum, F. graminearum and F. poae. Tested yeasts came from different culture collections, or were obtained from organic and conventional cereals. The greater number of yeast isolates from organic cereals showed antagonistic activity against fungi of the genus Fusarium compared to isolates from the conventional cultivation system. Cryptococcus carnescens (E22) isolated from organic wheat was the only isolate that limited the mycelial growth of all three tested fungi and was the best antagonist against F. poae. Selected yeasts showed various mechanisms of action against fungi, including competition for nutrients and space, production of volatile metabolites, reduction of spore germination, production of siderophores or production of extracellular lytic enzymes: chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase. Of all the investigated mechanisms of yeast antagonism against Fusarium, competition for nutrients and the ability to inhibit spore germination prevailed.
Histological and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Vascular Alterations in Meninges of Cats Infected with Gurltia paralysans
Authors: Hartung Svenja , Weyrich Angelika , Moroni Manuel , Gómez Marcelo , Herden Christiane
Published: January 2022

Gurltia paralysans, a metastrongyloid nematode, parasitizes in meningeal vessels in the thoracolumbar spinal cord of cats in South America and causes progressive paraparesis. Recently, the first report outside of South America described gurltiosis in a cat in Spain. As this parasitic disease has so far been largely neglected, especially outside of South America, the aim of the present case study was to add knowledge to the histologic and immunohistochemical characterization of central nervous lesions. To this purpose, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples from the spinal cord and brain of five cats affected by clinical signs caused by Gurltia paralysans and of three control cats without CNS lesions were histopathologically examined using hematoxylin and eosin stain (HE), Elastica van Gieson stain, as well as periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) reaction. Moreover, immuno- histochemistry for alpha smooth muscle actin and Factor VIII-related antigen were performed to characterize vascular lesions. Lesions were consistent with previous descriptions and were mainly located in the spinal cord and consisted of chronic suppurative or lymphoplasmahistiocytic meningi tis as well as suppurative vasculitis, congestion and varicosis of meningeal veins. In view of the recent detection of this parasite in Europe and the increasing inner-European transport of rescued domestic cats, veterinarians in Europe should be aware of the clinical and pathomorphological presentation of this disease.
New IMB16-4 Nanoparticles Improved Oral Bioavailability and Enhanced Anti-Hepatic Fibrosis on Rats
Authors: Niu Xia , Wang Xiaomei , Niu Bingyu , Wang Yucheng , He Hongwei , Li Guiling
Published: January 2022

Liver fibrosis is challenging to treat because of the lack of effective agents worldwide. Recently, we have developed a novel compound, N-(3,4,5-trichlorophenyl)-2(3-nitrobenzenesulfonamido) benzamide referred to as IMB16-4. However, its poor aqueous solubility and poor oral bioavailability obstruct the drug discovery programs. To increase the dissolution, improve the oral bioavailability and enhance the antifibrotic activity of IMB16-4, PVPK30 was selected to establish the IMB16-4 nanoparticles. Drug release behavior, oral bioavailability, and anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of IMB16-4 nanoparticles were evaluated. The results showed that IMB16-4 nanoparticles greatly increased the dissolution rate of IMB16-4. The oral bioavailability of IMB16-4 nanoparticles was improved 26-fold compared with that of pure IMB16-4. In bile duct ligation rats, IMB16-4 nanoparticles significantly repressed hepatic fibrogenesis and improved the liver function. These findings indicate that IMB16-4 nanoparticles will provide information to expand a novel anti-hepatic fibrosis agent.
Transduction of Signals during Somatic Embryogenesis
Authors: Elhiti Mohamed , Stasolla Claudio
Published: January 2022

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is an in vitro biological process in which bipolar structures (somatic embryos) can be induced to form from somatic cells and regenerate into whole plants. Acquisition of the embryogenic potential in culture is initiated when some competent cells within the explants respond to inductive signals (mostly plant growth regulators, PRGs), and de-differentiate into embryogenic cells. Such cells, “canalized” into the embryogenic developmental pathway, are able to generate embryos comparable in structure and physiology to their in vivo counterparts. Genomic and transcriptomic studies have identified several pathways governing the initial stages of the embryogenic process. In this review, the authors emphasize the importance of the developmental signals required for the progression of embryo development, starting with the de-differentiation of somatic cells and culminating with tissue patterning during the formation of the embryo body. The action and interaction of PGRs are highlighted, along with the participation of master regulators, mostly transcription factors (TFs), and proteins involved in stress responses and the signal transduction required for the initiation of the embryogenic process.
Comprehensive In Silico Analysis and Transcriptional Profiles Highlight the Importance of Mitochondrial Dicarboxylate Carriers (DICs) on Hypoxia Response in Both Arabidopsis thaliana and Eucalyptus grandis
Authors: Barreto Pedro , Arcuri Mariana L. C. , Lima Rômulo Pedro Macêdo , Marino Celso Luis , Maia Ivan G.
Published: January 2022

Plant dicarboxylate carriers (DICs) transport a wide range of dicarboxylates across the mitochondrial inner membrane. The Arabidopsis thalianaDIC family is composed of three genes (AtDIC1, 2 and 3), whereas two genes (EgDIC1 and EgDIC2) have been retrieved in Eucalyptus grandis. Here, by combining in silico and in planta analyses, we provide evidence that DICs are partially redundant, important in plant adaptation to environmental stresses and part of a low-oxygen response in both species. AtDIC1 and AtDIC2 are present in most plant species and have very similar gene structure, developmental expression patterns and absolute expression across natural Arabidopsis accessions. In contrast, AtDIC3 seems to be an early genome acquisition found in Brassicaceae and shows relatively low (or no) expression across these accessions. In silico analysis revealed that both AtDICs and EgDICs are highly responsive to stresses, especially to cold and submergence, while their promoters are enriched for stress-responsive transcription factors binding sites. The expression of AtDIC1 and AtDIC2 is highly correlated across natural accessions and in response to stresses, while no correlation was found for AtDIC3. Gene ontology enrichment analysis suggests a role for AtDIC1 and AtDIC2 in response to hypoxia, and for AtDIC3 in phosphate starvation. Accordingly, the investigated genes are induced by submergence stress in A. thaliana and E. grandis while AtDIC2 overexpression improved seedling survival to submergence. Interestingly, the induction of AtDIC1 and AtDIC2 is abrogated in the erfVII mutant that is devoid of plant oxygen sensing, suggesting that these genes are part of a conserved hypoxia response in Arabidopsis.
Role of Phaseolus vulgaris L. in the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases—Cardioprotective Potential of Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Rodríguez Lyanne , Mendez Diego , Montecino Hector , Carrasco Basilio , Arevalo Barbara , Palomo Iván , Fuentes Eduardo
Published: January 2022

In terms of safe and healthy food, beans play a relevant role. This crop belongs to the species of Phaseolusvulgaris L., being the most consumed legume worldwide, both for poor and developed countries, the latter seek to direct their diet to healthy feeding, mainly low in fat. Phaseolus vulgaris L. stands out in this area—an important source of protein, vitamins, essential minerals, soluble fiber, starch, phytochemicals, and low in fat from foods. This species has been attributed many beneficial properties for health; it has effects on the circulatory system, immune system, digestive system, among others. It has been suggested that Phaseolus vulgaris L. has a relevant role in the prevention of cardiovascular events, the main cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Conversely, the decrease in the consumption of this legume has been related to an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. This review will allow us to relate the nutritional level of this species with cardiovascular events, based on the correlation of the main bioactive compounds and their role as cardiovascular protectors, in addition to revealing the main mechanisms that explain the cardioprotective effects regulated by the bioactive components.
Saracura-Mirá, a Proposed Brazilian Amazonian Adaptogen from Ampelozizyphus amazonicus
Authors: Leitão Suzana Guimarães , Leitão Gilda Guimarães , de Oliveira Danilo Ribeiro
Published: January 2022

The Amazon Forest is known all over the world for its diversity and exuberance, and for sheltering several indigenous groups and other traditional communities. There, as well as in several other countries, in traditional medical systems, weakness, fatigue and debility are seen as limiting health conditions where medicinal plants are often used in a non-specific way to improve body functions. This review brings together literature data on Ampelozizyphus amazonicus, commonly known in Brazil as “saracura-mirá” and/or “cerveja de índio”, as an Amazonian adaptogen, including some contributions from the authors based on their ethnographic and laboratory experiences. Topics such as botany, chemistry, ethnopharmacological and pharmacological aspects that support the adaptogen character of this plant, as well as cultivation, market status and supply chain aspects are discussed, and the gaps to establish “saracura-mirá” as an ingredient for the pharmaceutical purposes identified. The revised data presented good scientific evidence supporting the use of this Amazonian plant as a new adaptogen. Literature data also reveal that a detailed survey on natural populations of this plant is needed, as well as agronomical studies that could furnish A. amazonicus bark as a raw material. Another important issue is the lack of developed quality control methods to assure its quality assessment.
Reader Comments Agentive Power in COVID-19 Digital News Articles: Challenging Parascientific Information?
Authors: Suau-Jiménez Francisca , Ivorra-Pérez Francisco
Published: January 2022

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an enormous stream of information. Parascientific digital communication has pursued different avenues, from mainstream media news to social networking, at times combined. Likewise, citizens have developed new discourse practices, with readers as active participants who claim authority. Based on a corpus of 500 reader comments from The Guardian, we analyse how readers build their authorial voice on COVID-19 news as well as their agentive power and its implications. Methodologically, we draw upon stance markers, depersonalisation strategies, and heteroglossic markers, from the perspective of discursive interpersonality. Our findings unearth that stance markers are central for readers to build authority and produce content. Depersonalised and heteroglossic markers are also resorted, reinforcing readers’ authority with external information that mirrors expert scientific communication. Conclusions suggest a strong citizen agentive power that can either support news articles, spreading parascientific information, or challenge them, therefore, contributing to produce pseudoscientific messages.
Rethinking Mindfulness in Education within Two Frameworks: Articulating the “Threefold Model of Mindful Wisdom” with the “Theory of Mental Interference”
Authors: Klebanova Kamala
Published: January 2022

The existent trend of implementing mindfulness-based programs (MBPs) into public education came along with an increasing scientific record regarding the definitional construct of mindfulness, effects of various mindfulness-based interventions and their basic mechanisms. In terms of the rising definitional discourse in the interdisciplinary field of mindfulness, the “threefold model of mindful wisdom” (TMMW) was proposed. In the present paper’s quest of rethinking mindfulness in education, the relevance of the TMMW for didactics in modern Western educational systems (with special interest on the region of Germany) is examined, affirmed in several points and—with the aid of the “Theory of Mental Interference” (TMI)—methodically linked to individual learners’ needs. The TMI has been developed at the University of Hamburg since 1984 by Wagner and colleagues. This is compatible with the TMMW with regard to the concept of self and basic psychological mechanisms of “mindful exercises”. Its basic approach conceives the epistemic level of cognitive processes (1) to be unbiased by affect and (2) to be different from a level of mental interference, which in case of an arising default habitually interferes with the cognitive processes. Implications for further research, for modern educational systems and for MBPs in education are discussed.
Changes in Terrestrial Evaporation across Poland over the Past Four Decades Dominated by Increases in Summer Months
Authors: Somorowska Urszula
Published: January 2022

Given the importance of terrestrial evaporation (ET) for the water cycle, a fundamental understanding of the water quantity involved in this process is required. As recent observations reveal a widespread ET intensification across the world, it is important to evaluate regional ET variability. The specific objectives of this study are the following: (1) to assess annual and monthly ET trends across Poland, and (2) to reveal seasons and regions with significant ET changes. This study uses the ET estimates acquired from the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) dataset allowing for multi-year analysis (1980–2020). The Mann–Kendall test and the Sen’s slope were applied to estimate the significance and magnitude of the trends. The results show that a rising temperature, along with small precipitation increase, led to the accelerated ET of 1.36 mm/y. This was revealed by increased transpiration and interception loss not compensated by a decrease in bare soil evaporation and sublimation. The wide-spread higher water consumption especially occurred during the summer months of June, July, and August. Comparing the two subperiods of 1980–2020, it was found that in 2007–2020, the annual ET increased by 7% compared to the reference period of 1980–2006. These results can serve as an important reference for formulating a water resources management strategy in Poland.
Non-Performing Loans and Macroeconomics Factors: The Italian Case
Authors: Foglia Matteo
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this work is to investigate the influence of macroeconomics determinants on non-performing loans (NPLs) in the Italian banking system over the period 2008Q3–2020Q4. We mainly contribute to the literature by being the first empirical article to study this relationship in the Italian context in the recent period, thus providing fresh evidence on the macroeconomic impact on NPLs, i.e., on the credit risk of Italian banks. By employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) cointegration model, we are able to investigate the short and long-run effects of macroeconomic factors on NPLs. The empirical findings show that gross domestic product and public debt have a negative impact on NPLs. On the other hand, we find that the unemployment rate and domestic credit positively influence impaired loans. Finally, we find evidence of the “gamble for resurrection” approach, i.e., Italian banks tend to support “zombie firms”.
Effects on Trajectory of a Spear Using Movement of Robotic Fish Equipped with Spear Shooting Mechanism
Authors: Kawasaki Naoki , Tonomura Kazuki , Ohara Masashi , Shinojima Ayane , Takada Yogo
Published: January 2022

In Japan, the disruption of ecosystems caused by alien fish in lakes and ponds is a major issue. To address this problem, we propose that the robotic fish COMET can assist in alien fish extermination by adding the function of spear shooting. The way of extermination is that when COMET finds an alien fish, let COMET approach an alien fish without being wary it and spear it. In this study, we investigated the spear shooting process under different movement conditions to determine the impact on the accuracy of the trajectory of the spear. The results confirmed that a certain set of conditions can improve the accuracy of hitting the target with a spear using specific movements of the robotic fish.
Comparison of Classical Methods and Mask R-CNN for Automatic Tree Detection and Mapping Using UAV Imagery
Authors: Yu Kunyong , Hao Zhenbang , Post Christopher J. , Mikhailova Elena A. , Lin Lili , Zhao Gejin , Tian Shangfeng , Liu Jian
Published: January 2022

Detecting and mapping individual trees accurately and automatically from remote sensing images is of great significance for precision forest management. Many algorithms, including classical methods and deep learning techniques, have been developed and applied for tree crown detection from remote sensing images. However, few studies have evaluated the accuracy of different individual tree detection (ITD) algorithms and their data and processing requirements. This study explored the accuracy of ITD using local maxima (LM) algorithm, marker-controlled watershed segmentation (MCWS), and Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (Mask R-CNN) in a young plantation forest with different test images. Manually delineated tree crowns from UAV imagery were used for accuracy assessment of the three methods, followed by an evaluation of the data processing and application requirements for three methods to detect individual trees. Overall, Mask R-CNN can best use the information in multi-band input images for detecting individual trees. The results showed that the Mask R-CNN model with the multi-band combination produced higher accuracy than the model with a single-band image, and the RGB band combination achieved the highest accuracy for ITD (F1 score = 94.68%). Moreover, the Mask R-CNN models with multi-band images are capable of providing higher accuracies for ITD than the LM and MCWS algorithms. The LM algorithm and MCWS algorithm also achieved promising accuracies for ITD when the canopy height model (CHM) was used as the test image (F1 score = 87.86% for LM algorithm, F1 score = 85.92% for MCWS algorithm). The LM and MCWS algorithms are easy to use and lower computer computational requirements, but they are unable to identify tree species and are limited by algorithm parameters, which need to be adjusted for each classification. It is highlighted that the application of deep learning with its end-to-end-learning approach is very efficient and capable of deriving the information from multi-layer images, but an additional training set is needed for model training, robust computer resources are required, and a large number of accurate training samples are necessary. This study provides valuable information for forestry practitioners to select an optimal approach for detecting individual trees.
Improved Use of Drone Imagery for Malaria Vector Control through Technology-Assisted Digitizing (TAD)
Authors: Hardy Andy , Oakes Gregory , Hassan Juma , Yussuf Yussuf
Published: January 2022

Drones have the potential to revolutionize malaria vector control initiatives through rapid and accurate mapping of potential malarial mosquito larval habitats to help direct field Larval Source Management (LSM) efforts. However, there are no clear recommendations on how these habitats can be extracted from drone imagery in an operational context. This paper compares the results of two mapping approaches: supervised image classification using machine learning and Technology-Assisted Digitising (TAD) mapping that employs a new region growing tool suitable for non-experts. These approaches were applied concurrently to drone imagery acquired at seven sites in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. Whilst the two approaches were similar in processing time, the TAD approach significantly outperformed the supervised classification approach at all sites (t = 5.1, p < 0.01). Overall accuracy scores (mean overall accuracy 62%) suggest that a supervised classification approach is unsuitable for mapping potential malarial mosquito larval habitats in Zanzibar, whereas the TAD approach offers a simple and accurate (mean overall accuracy 96%) means of mapping these complex features. We recommend that this approach be used alongside targeted ground-based surveying (i.e., in areas inappropriate for drone surveying) for generating precise and accurate spatial intelligence to support operational LSM programmes.
ShadowDeNet: A Moving Target Shadow Detection Network for Video SAR
Authors: Bao Jinyu , Zhang Xiaoling , Zhang Tianwen , Xu Xiaowo
Published: January 2022

Most existing SAR moving target shadow detectors not only tend to generate missed detections because of their limited feature extraction capacity among complex scenes, but also tend to bring about numerous perishing false alarms due to their poor foreground–background discrimination capacity. Therefore, to solve these problems, this paper proposes a novel deep learning network called “ShadowDeNet” for better shadow detection of moving ground targets on video synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. It utilizes five major tools to guarantee its superior detection performance, i.e., (1) histogram equalization shadow enhancement (HESE) for enhancing shadow saliency to facilitate feature extraction, (2) transformer self-attention mechanism (TSAM) for focusing on regions of interests to suppress clutter interferences, (3) shape deformation adaptive learning (SDAL) for learning moving target deformed shadows to conquer motion speed variations, (4) semantic-guided anchor-adaptive learning (SGAAL) for generating optimized anchors to match shadow location and shape, and (5) online hard-example mining (OHEM) for selecting typical difficult negative samples to improve background discrimination capacity. We conduct extensive ablation studies to confirm the effectiveness of the above each contribution. We perform experiments on the public Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) video SAR data. Experimental results reveal the state-of-the-art performance of ShadowDeNet, with a 66.01% best f1 accuracy, in contrast to the other five competitive methods. Specifically, ShadowDeNet is superior to the experimental baseline Faster R-CNN by a 9.00% f1 accuracy, and superior to the existing first-best model by a 4.96% f1 accuracy. Furthermore, ShadowDeNet merely sacrifices a slight detection speed in an acceptable range.
Lava Volume from Remote Sensing Data: Comparisons with Reverse Petrological Approaches for Two Types of Effusive Eruption
Authors: Verdurme Pauline , Carn Simon , Harris Andrew J. L. , Coppola Diego , Di Muro Andrea , Arellano Santiago , Gurioli Lucia
Published: January 2022

Five effusive eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion) are analyzed to investigate temporal trends of erupted mass and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions. Daily SO2 emissions are acquired from three ultraviolet (UV) satellite instruments (the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), and the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI)) and an array of ground-based UV spectrometers (Network for Observation of Volcanic and Atmospheric Change (NOVAC)). Time-averaged lava discharge rates (TADRs) are obtained from two automatic satellite-based hot spot detection systems: MIROVA and MODVOLC. Assuming that the lava volumes measured in the field are accurate, the MIROVA system gave the best estimation of erupted volume among the methods investigated. We use a reverse petrological method to constrain pre-eruptive magmatic sulfur contents based on observed SO2 emissions and lava volumes. We also show that a direct petrological approach using SO2 data might be a viable alternative for TADR estimation during cloudy weather that compromises hot spot detection. In several eruptions we observed a terminal increase in TADR and SO2 emissions after initial emission of evolved degassed magma. We ascribe this to input of deeper, volatile-rich magma into the plumbing system towards the end of these eruptions. Furthermore, we find no evidence of volatile excess in the five eruptions studied, which were thus mostly fed by shallow degassed magma.
Structure Analysis of the Sea Breeze Based on Doppler Lidar and Its Impact on Pollutants
Authors: Liu Jiaxin , Song Xiaoquan , Long Wenrui , Fu Yiyuan , Yun Long , Zhang Mingdi
Published: January 2022

The Doppler lidar system can accurately obtain wind profiles with high spatiotemporal resolution, which plays an increasingly important role in the research of atmospheric boundary layers and sea–land breeze. In September 2019, Doppler lidars were used to carry out observation experiments of the atmospheric wind field and pollutants in Shenzhen. Weather Research and Forecasting showed that the topography of Hongkong affected the sea breeze to produce the circumfluence flow at low altitudes. Two sea breezes from the Pearl River Estuary and the northeast of Hong Kong arrived at the observation site in succession, changing the wind direction from northeast to southeast. Based on the wind profiles, the structural and turbulent characteristics of the sea breeze were analyzed. The sea breeze front was accurately captured by the algorithm based on fuzzy logic, and its arrival time was 17:30 on 25 September. The boundary between the sea breeze and the return flow was separated by the edge enhancement algorithm. From this, the height of the sea breeze head (about 1100 m) and the thickness of the sea breeze layer (about 700 m) can be obtained. The fluctuated height of the boundary and the spiral airflow nearby revealed the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability. The influence of the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability could be delivered to the near-surface, which was verified by the spatiotemporal change of the horizontal wind speed and momentum flux. The intensity of the turbulence under the control of the sea breeze was significantly lower than that under the land breeze. The turbulent intensity was almost 0.1, and the dissipation rate was between 10−4 and 10−2 m2·s−3 under the land breeze. The turbulent intensity was below 0.05, and the dissipation rate was between 10−5 and 10−3 m2·s−3 under the sea breeze. The turbulent parameters showed peaks and large gradients at the boundary and the sea breeze front. The peak value of the turbulent intensity was around 0.3, and the dissipation rate was around 0.1 m2·s−3. The round-trip effect of sea–land breeze caused circulate pollutants. The recirculation factor was maintained at 0.5–0.6 at heights where the sea and land breeze alternately controlled (below 600 m), as well as increasing with a decreasing duration of the sea breeze. The factor exceeded 0.9 under the control of the high-altitude breeze (above 750 m). The convergence and rise of the airflow at the front led to collect pollutants, causing a sharp decrease in air quality when the sea breeze front passed.
Detecting the Presence of Electronic Devices in Smart Homes Using Harmonic Radar Technology
Authors: Perez Beatrice , Mazzaro Gregory , Pierson Timothy J. , Kotz David
Published: January 2022

Data about users is collected constantly by phones, cameras, Internet websites, and others. The advent of so-called ‘Smart Things’ now enable ever-more sensitive data to be collected inside that most private of spaces: the home. The first step in helping users regain control of their information (inside their home) is to alert them to the presence of potentially unwanted electronics. In this paper, we present a system that could help homeowners (or home dwellers) find electronic devices in their living space. Specifically, we demonstrate the use of harmonic radars (sometimes called nonlinear junction detectors), which have also been used in applications ranging from explosives detection to insect tracking. We adapt this radar technology to detect consumer electronics in a home setting and show that we can indeed accurately detect the presence of even ‘simple’ electronic devices like a smart lightbulb. We evaluate the performance of our radar in both wired and over-the-air transmission scenarios.
Earth Observation via Compressive Sensing: The Effect of Satellite Motion
Authors: Oggioni Luca , Sanchez del Rio Kandel David , Pariani Giorgio
Published: January 2022

In the framework of earth observation for scientific purposes, we consider a multiband spatial compressive sensing (CS) acquisition system, based on a pushbroom scanning. We conduct a series of analyses to address the effects of the satellite movement on its performance in a context of a future space mission aimed at monitoring the cryosphere. We initially apply the state-of-the-art techniques of CS to static images, and evaluate the reconstruction errors on representative scenes of the earth. We then extend the reconstruction algorithms to pushframe acquisitions, i.e., static images processed line-by-line, and pushbroom acquisitions, i.e., moving frames, which consider the payload displacement during acquisition. A parallel analysis on the classical pushbroom acquisition strategy is also performed for comparison. Design guidelines following this analysis are then provided.
Fires Drive Long-Term Environmental Degradation in the Amazon Basin
Authors: Silva Junior Carlos Antonio da , Lima Mendelson , Teodoro Paulo Eduardo , Oliveira-Júnior José Francisco de , Rossi Fernando Saragosa , Funatsu Beatriz Miky , Butturi Weslei , Lourençoni Thaís , Kraeski Aline , Pelissari Tatiane Deoti , Moratelli Francielli Aloisio , Arvor Damien , Luz Iago Manuelson dos Santos , Teodoro Larissa Pereira Ribeiro , Dubreuil Vincent , Teixeira Vinicius Modolo
Published: January 2022

The Amazon Basin is undergoing extensive environmental degradation as a result of deforestation and the rising occurrence of fires. The degradation caused by fires is exacerbated by the occurrence of anomalously dry periods in the Amazon Basin. The objectives of this study were: (i) to quantify the extent of areas that burned between 2001 and 2019 and relate them to extreme drought events in a 20-year time series; (ii) to identify the proportion of countries comprising the Amazon Basin in which environmental degradation was strongly observed, relating the spatial patterns of fires; and (iii) examine the Amazon Basin carbon balance following the occurrence of fires. To this end, the following variables were evaluated by remote sensing between 2001 and 2019: gross primary production, standardized precipitation index, burned areas, fire foci, and carbon emissions. During the examined period, fires affected 23.78% of the total Amazon Basin. Brazil had the largest affected area (220,087 fire foci, 773,360 km2 burned area, 54.7% of the total burned in the Amazon Basin), followed by Bolivia (102,499 fire foci, 571,250 km2 burned area, 40.4%). Overall, these fires have not only affected forests in agricultural frontier areas (76.91%), but also those in indigenous lands (17.16%) and conservation units (5.93%), which are recognized as biodiversity conservation areas. During the study period, the forest absorbed 1,092,037 Mg of C, but emitted 2908 Tg of C, which is 2.66-fold greater than the C absorbed, thereby compromising the role of the forest in acting as a C sink. Our findings show that environmental degradation caused by fires is related to the occurrence of dry periods in the Amazon Basin.
Comparison of Winter Wheat Extraction Methods Based on Different Time Series of Vegetation Indices in the Northeastern Margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: A Case Study of Minhe, China
Authors: Huang Fujue , Xia Xingsheng , Huang Yongsheng , Lv Shenghui , Chen Qiong , Pan Yaozhong , Zhu Xiufang
Published: January 2022

The northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is an agricultural protection area in China’s new development plan, and the primary region of winter wheat growth within QTP. Winter wheat monitoring is critical for understanding grain self-sufficiency, climate change, and sustainable socioeconomic and ecological development in the region. However, due to the complex terrain and high altitude of the region, with discontinuous arable land and the relatively low level of agricultural development, there are no effective localization methodologies for extracting and monitoring the detailed planting distribution information of winter wheat. In this study, Sentinel-2A/B data from 2019 to 2020, obtained through the Google Earth Engine platform, were used to build time series reference curves of vegetation indices in Minhe. Planting distribution information of winter wheat was extracted based on the phenology time-weighted dynamic time warping (PT-DTW) method, and the effects of different vegetation indices’ time series and their corresponding threshold parameters were compared. The results showed that: (1) the three vegetation indices—normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized differential phenology index (NDPI), and normalized difference greenness index (NDGI)—maintained high mapping potential; (2) under the optimal threshold, >88% accuracy of index identification for winter wheat extraction was achieved; (3) due to improved extraction accuracy and resulting boundary range, NDPI and its corresponding optimal parameter (T = 0.05) performed the best. The process and results of this study have certain reference value for the study of winter wheat planting information change and the formulation of dynamic monitoring schemes in agricultural areas of QTP.
Remote-Sensing Evaluation and Temporal and Spatial Change Detection of Ecological Environment Quality in Coal-Mining Areas
Authors: Nie Xinran , Hu Zhenqi , Ruan Mengying , Zhu Qi , Sun Huang
Published: January 2022

The large-scale development and utilization of coal resources have brought great challenges to the ecological environment of coal-mining areas. Therefore, this paper has used scientific and effective methods to monitor and evaluate whether changes in ecological environment quality in coal-mining areas are helpful to alleviate the contradiction between human and nature and realize the sustainable development of such coal-mining areas. Firstly, in order to quantify the degree of coal dust pollution in coal-mining areas, an index-based coal dust index (ICDI) is proposed. Secondly, based on the pressure-state-response (PSR) framework, a new coal-mine ecological index (CMEI) was established by using the principal component analysis (PCA) method. Finally, the coal-mine ecological index (CMEI) was used to evaluate and detect the temporal and spatial changes of the ecological environment quality of the Ningwu Coalfield from 1987 to 2021. The research shows that ICDI has a strong ability to extract coal dust with an overall accuracy of over 96% and a Kappa coefficient of over 0.9. As a normalized difference index, ICDI can better quantify the pollution degree of coal dust. The effectiveness of CMEI was evaluated by four methods: sample image-based, classification-based, correlation-based, and distance-based. From 1987 to 2021, the ecological environment quality of Ningwu Coalfield was improved, and the mean of CMEI increased by 0.1189. The percentages of improvement and degradation of ecological environment quality were 71.85% and 27.01%, respectively. The areas with obvious degradation were mainly concentrated in coal-mining areas and built-up areas. The ecological environment quality of Pingshuo Coal Mine, Shuonan Coal Mine, Xuangang Coal Mine, and Lanxian Coal Mine also showed improvement. The results of Moran’s Index show that CMEI has a strong positive spatial correlation, and its spatial distribution is clustered rather than random. Coal-mining areas and built-up areas showed low–low clustering (LL), while other areas showed high–high clustering (HH). The utilization and popularization of CMEI provides an important reference for decision makers to formulate ecological protection policies and implement regional coordinated development strategies.
Detection of Escherichia coli by Combining an Affinity-Based Method with Contactless Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Sari Juli , Kandasamy Karthikeyan , Chen Yu-Chie
Published: January 2022

Escherichia coli are common pathogens, whereas E. coli O157:H7 is the most notorious E. coli strain, owing to its high virulence that can cause serious adverse effects and death. E. coli contains abundant peroxidases. Thus, the presence of E. coli can be determined by mixing E. coli with its substrate such as 3,5,3′,5′ tetramethylbenzidines (TMB) for endogenous peroxidase reactions. Under the presence of a high concentration of E. coli, colorless TMB turned to bluish, owing to the generation of the complexity of TMB and its oxidized TMB. To further reduce the detectable cell concentration, we developed an affinity-based method combined with an endogenous peroxidase reaction and mass spectrometric detection to detect E. coli. Affinity probes (diameter: ~20 µm) modified with maltose were generated for the enrichment of E. coli from sample solutions. E. coli trapped by the affinity probes was reacted with TMB in the presence of hydrogen peroxide for endogenous peroxidase reactions. Contactless atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry was used for the detection of the reaction product, oxidized TMB (TMB cationic radical), to indicate the presence of target bacteria. The results showed that the developed method can be used to rapidly determine the presence of E. coli from a sample solution based on the detection of the TMB cationic radicals. The lowest detectable concentration of our method against E. coli O157:H7 in buffers and in complex juice samples was as low as ~100 cfu mL−1.
“There Are Stereotypes for Everything”: Multiracial Adolescents Navigating Racial Identity under White Supremacy
Authors: Jones Courtney Meiling , Rogers Leoandra Onnie
Published: January 2022

Despite the enduring popular view that the rise in the multiracial population heralds our nation’s transformation into a post-racial society, Critical Multiracial Theory (MultiCrit) asserts that how multiracial identity status is constructed is inextricably tied to systems and ideologies that maintain the white supremacist status quo in the United States. MultiCrit, like much of the multiracial identity literature, focuses predominantly on the experiences of emerging adults; this means we know little about the experiences of multiracial adolescents, a peak period for identity development. The current paper uses MultiCrit to examine how a diverse sample of multiracial youth (n = 49; Mage = 15.5 years) negotiate racial identity development under white supremacy. Our qualitative interview analysis reveals: (a) the salience of socializing messages from others, (b) that such messages reinforce a (mono)racist societal structure via discrimination, stereotyping, and invalidation, and (c) that multiracial youth frequently resist (mono)racist assertions as they make sense of their own identities. Our results suggest that multiracial youth are attentive to the myriad ways that white supremacy constructs and constrains their identities, and thus underscores the need to bring a critical lens to the study of multiracial identity development.
Chronic Kidney Disease of Uncertain Etiology in Sri Lanka: Curing between Medicine and Traditional Culture
Authors: Liyanage Chandani
Published: January 2022

Chronic Kidney Disease of unknown origin (CKDu) has appeared across Sri Lanka’s North Central Province (NCP) since the 1990s as an epidemic, unexplained by conventional associated risk factors. During the past few decades, a large number of studies attempted to determine the unknown etiology of CKDu. Despite these investigations, no concrete conclusions were developed, though a number of contradictory hypotheses emerged. The present ethnographic study was carried out in two endemic areas, labelled as “CKDu hotspots”, and illuminates how curing takes place between biomedicine and traditional cultural practices. Our ethnographic study thoroughly scrutinized three decades of lived experience, lay-perceptions and local discourses on CKDu. We used a qualitative study design with a transcendental phenomenological approach and employed a mixture of ethnographic methods. Data collection techniques included participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Data was analysed by using an interpretive thematic analysis model. Findings revealed that lay people have constructed a popular discourse on CKDu, and we explored their views on the origin, etiology and prevalence of CKDu in their locality over the past few decades. Patients’ narratives revealed that there were currently a number of gaps in service delivery. These were mainly due to distant relationships between healthcare providers and CKDu patients. Lay people in affected communities were marginalized throughout the investigation process to determine the unknown etiology, their involvement marginalized to merely acting as objects for scientific instigation. The affected communities strongly believed that CKDu was a recent phenomenon resulting from the mismanagement of the natural environment due to social and lifestyle changes. These findings highlight local dynamics of healthcare seeking behaviours which demand complementary medicine system, particularly given the number of limitations in the biomedical system. Empirical evidence generated from this study suggests a conceptual shift to an ethno-medical model to address CKDu. Improving cultural competency and communication skills among healthcare providers in public health are crucial in order to apply a “bio-psychosocial perspective” in healthcare delivery system and bridging the gap between hospital and the community.
A Way to Europe: New Refugees’ Migration Patterns Revealed
Authors: Manafi Ioana , Roman Monica
Published: January 2022

The final destination country for refugees heading to Europe may be a changing one depending on various factors, such as the relocation program at the EU level, their ability to make decisions, geographic factors, finances, available routes, visa options, networks, chance, labor markets, etc., but for many of them their choices are limited. The purpose of this paper is to show how refugees select their destination countries, by looking at similarities across European countries. We aim to explain how country-specific factors may relate to the magnitude of migration flows, employing cluster and network analysis, and connecting meso- and macro-levels. The variables considered in our analysis fall under the four types of factors for host countries described by Van Hear, Bakewell, and Long (2012). Our analysis reveals that host countries in Europe can be grouped into four clusters: (i) Top Destination Economically Performing Countries; (ii) Emergent Destination Countries; (iii) Periphery and Less Economically Performing Countries; and (iv) Outlier Countries.
Improving the Customs Regulation Framework in the Eurasian Economic Union in the Context of Sustainable Economic Development
Authors: Vovchenko Natalia , Ivanova Olga , Kostoglodova Elena , Khapilin Stanislav , Sapegina Karina
Published: January 2022

The formation of a customs administration framework based on the digital economy in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) requires the application of fundamentally new technologies. The successful implementation of digital technologies in the information space of the EAEU presupposes the solution of a number of problems associated with the ensuring the implementation of the concept of sustainable development of the EEU member states in the new economic reality and transition to a new paradigm of customs administration based on the digitalization of the processes of regulation of foreign economic activity. Based on this paradigm, we set the following tasks: to identify trends and substantiate the need for digitalization of the customs administration mechanism in the Eurasian Economic Union based on the use of new technologies; to reveal the meaningful features of digital technologies that are promising for the development of the mechanism of customs administration of the EAEU; consider the applied aspects of the latest information technologies used in the course of EAEU customs administration system digitalization; and assess the prospects for their use, analyze the prospects of organizational, legal and managerial support of this process in the EAEU at the supranational and national levels. The article concludes that within the framework of the digital transformation of the EAEU, new opportunities are opening up for the customs regulation framework, based on the introduction of technologies for analyzing large amounts of data, immersive technologies, blockchain, the use of innovative methods for obtaining and processing customs information (satellite tracking, radio frequency identification), and the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies in customs control processes.