bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of a Sustainable Last Mile in Urban Logistics—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Lauenstein Sören , Schank Christoph
Published: May 2022

This paper provides a systematic and up-to-date review and classification of 87 studies on green last-mile business for sustainable management. In particular, the most important study areas and results are highlighted and an outlook on future research opportunities in the field of sustainable stock management is given. Sustainability in logistics depends on many factors, and elementary differences in the orientation of the logistics sector can bring further challenges. This is shown by the number of published papers. This paper examines the literature that does not focus on courier, express or parcel delivery (CEP). For this purpose, a systematic literature search was conducted on the topic of sustainability in the last-mile business. Publications for the period from 2014 to 2021 were identified as significant. It becomes clear that the logistics industry must further differentiate itself to be able to act in a future-oriented manner. The effects of the logistics industry and the technologies used in it have far-reaching consequences for social coexistence and should therefore be included. Challenges lie not only with logistics companies, but also with consumers and government authorities. In the paper it becomes clear that the logistics concept of the last mile is applied in all forms, but the research area of one-person delivery or two-person delivery is on a different level. Here, the concept of two-person delivery will be pursued further, as it functions similarly to a CEP service provider, but the framework conditions differ greatly. The two-person loading system makes it possible to transport large and bulky goods such as furniture without the risk of damage during delivery. Furthermore, the specifics of sustainable management of the last mile as well as the limits of the topic are discussed. This should stimulate future research.
Responsible Carbon Resource Management through Input-Oriented Cap and Trade (IOCT)
Authors: Folkens Lukas , Schneider Petra
Published: May 2022

Fossil fuels store primary carbon. When they are combusted, CO2 is released into the atmosphere. The accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere causes the anthropogenic greenhouse gas effect, which has led to the existing climate crisis. Academic literature, international climate deliberations and most domestic climate mitigation plans have so far focused primarily on reducing emissions (output orientation) and have paid little attention to supply-side climate policies. Thus, this study shows that output-oriented literature is heavily overweighted with over 7000 publications compared to input-oriented literature with just 107 publications (equivalent to 1.5% percent). The overall scope of this review article was therefore to identify the gaps of output-oriented mechanisms such as the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), and to point out how an Input-Oriented Cap and Trade (IOCT) system might overcome those gaps. IOCT refers to limits to the carbon input into the global fossil fuel trading system instead of limiting only the emissions caused by already burned fuel. For this purpose, a global cap on the extraction of coal, gas and oil must firstly be defined. Accordingly, IOCT provides for the allocation of allowances for the extraction, processing and trading of carbon-based products. IOCT is a source-oriented approach that refers to a joint allocation of the resource consumption responsibility to the fossil fuel producer and consumer as well. This review represents a unique, comprehensive and current collection of supply-side literature that can be used as a starting point for further applied research on this topic.
Sustainable Development Ensued by Social Capital Impacts on Food Insecurity: The Case of Kibera, Nairobi
Authors: Termeer Emma E. W. , Soma Katrine , Motovska Nina , Ayuya Oscar Ingasia , Kunz Marvin , Koster Tinka
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study is to disclose the social factors of sustainable development goals by exploring the links between three types of social capital (bonding, bridging and linking) and food security in Kibera, an informal settlement located in Nairobi, Kenya. Several studies in the literature have addressed links between food security and social capital. However, a lack of theoretical approaches exist in the literature, which concern the sustainable development theory devoted to urban areas taking into account the sustainable development goals. This study applies a linear regression model on data from 385 households in Kibera to analyze the connection between food security and three types of social capital (bonding, bridging and linking). The results demonstrate that there is a positive impact between our proxies for bonding social capital (cultural diversity and the number of visits to area of origin) and food security. Bridging social capital (measured by trust in strangers) demonstrated a negative impact on food security. Finally, one indicator for linking social capital demonstrated a positive impact on food security (trust in community leaders), whereas the statistical analyses did not find any relationship of the two indicators; ‘trust in local politicians’ and ‘membership of social organisations’, with food security. The results demonstrate that insight into social capital can inform the understanding of household food insecurity in vulnerable urban settlements, by illustrating the critical impacts of social drivers in a food system.
An Exploration of the Relationship between Sustainability-Related Involvement and Learning in Higher Education
Authors: Henderson Trevion S. , Michel Jessica O. , Bryan Alex , Canosa Emily , Gamalski Clara , Jones Kelly , Moghtader Jeremy
Published: May 2022

Higher education institutions are charged with developing civically engaged leaders to address the pressing issues facing the country and the world. While existing literature suggests institutional practices, such as promoting co-curricular involvement, hold promise for fostering key learning outcomes, educational literature suggests the benefits of participation may not be shared by all students. Using structural equation modeling, we examine the role of background characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity and gender) and co-curricular participation in sustainability-related activities in fostering climate change leadership development and sustainability activism. We find that women reported significantly higher systems thinking, futures thinking, leadership development, and activism. Additionally, our results suggest systems thinking and futures thinking are key learning outcomes related to students’ climate change leadership development and activism. Moreover, we find a small negative relationship between sustainability literacy and leadership development and activism, suggesting there might exist an inflection point at which more knowledge about climate change and sustainability issues makes students less likely to engage in leadership and activism behaviors. We discuss the implications of this work for sustainability education pedagogy in higher education.
Clustering Sustainable Destinations: Empirical Evidence from Selected Mediterranean Countries
Authors: Glyptou Kyriaki , Kalogeras Nikos , Skuras Dimitrios , Spilanis Ioannis
Published: May 2022

Within the globalized tourism market, tourism destinations have the option to turn to sustainability as a conceptual and management framework for their unique branding and identity proposition. This research highlights the importance and utility of sustainability branding that stems from clustering tourism destinations based on the similarities of their tourism performance attributes. The study builds on secondary data from 11 coastal destinations in 8 Mediterranean countries. The analysis leads to the formulation of three main sets of evaluation indicators: (a) environmental footprint; (b) destination dependency on tourism; and (c) locals’ prosperity, incorporating elements of social and psychological carrying capacity. Findings identify three to four distinct destination clusters based mainly on the attributes of destinations’ cultural and natural attributes, seasonality of supply, typology of prevailing accommodation and tourist profile. From a theoretical perspective, the research identifies key clustering attributes of sustainable destinations that could inform management interventions around destination branding and competitive sustainability performance positioning.
The Effect of Self-Sacrifice Leadership on Social Capital and Job Performance in Hotels
Authors: Shin JaeWon , Shin HyoungChul
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-sacrifice leadership and social capital or job performance in the hotel industry. Four hypotheses have been proposed to accomplish this. First, self-sacrifice leadership positively affects social capital. Second, social capital has a positive impact on job performance. Third, self-sacrifice leadership has a positive effect on job performance. Fourth, self-sacrifice leadership positively affects job performance through the mediation of social capital. Further, eligible respondents (n = 371; 282 male and 89 female) were recruited from hotels with a three-star or above rating in metropolitan areas and then evaluated for the online survey method. Results showed that self-sacrifice leadership had significant positive effects on social capital and job performance. Moreover, social capital significantly improved job performance and mediated the interaction between self-sacrifice and job performance. Therefore, building social capital for employees is critical, which implies that hotels require education and training to promote self-sacrificing leadership. In particular, self-sacrificing leadership has a decisive influence on employees’ job performance; thus, a system that improves the working environment must be established.
Feasibility Study of Bio-Sludge Hydrochar as Blast Furnace Injectant
Authors: Liang Wang , Nanou Pavlina , Wray Heather , Zhang Jianliang , Lundstrom Ingemar , Lundqvist Stefan , Wang Chuan
Published: May 2022

Hydrothermal treatment can convert paper mill biological (bio-) sludge waste into more energy-dense hydrochar, which can achieve energy savings and fossil CO2 emissions reduction when used for metallurgical applications. This study assesses the basic, combustion and safety performance of bio-sludge hydrochar (BSHC) to evaluate its feasibility of use in blast furnace injection processes. When compared to bituminous and anthracite coals, BSHC has high volatile matter and ash content, and low fixed carbon content, calorific value and ignition point. The Ti and Tf values of BSHC are lower and the combustion time longer compared to coal. The R0.5 value of BSHC is 5.27 × 10−4 s−1, indicating a better combustion performance than coal. A mixture of BSHC and anthracite reduces the ignition point and improves the ignition and combustion performance of anthracite: an equal mixture of BSHC and anthracite has a R0.5 of 3.35 × 10−4 s−1. The explosiveness of BSHC and bituminous coal is 800 mm, while the explosiveness of anthracite is 0 mm. A mixture of 30% BSHC in anthracite results in a maximum explosiveness value of 10 mm, contributing to safer use of BSHC. Mixing BSHC and anthracite is promising for improving combustion performance in a blast furnace while maintaining safe conditions.
Mopane Worm (Gonimbrasia belina Westwood) Meal as a Potential Protein Source for Sustainable Quail Production: A Review
Authors: Mnisi Caven Mguvane , Oyeagu Chika Ethelbert , Ruzvidzo Oziniel
Published: May 2022

Fast-growing and highly adaptable avian birds such as quail (Coturnix coturnix) possess great potential to meet the growing demand for animal protein by the rapidly increasing human population, and would contribute immensely to global food production and nutritional security. However, overreliance on conventional protein sources such as fish and soybean meals during the formulation of quail diets is economically and environmentally unsustainable. Alternatively, insect-based protein sources such as Gonimbrasia belina, commonly known as mopane worm (MW), can be used to increase quail production due to their high biological value and low feed-food competition. Indeed, MW is highly nutritious, with an average protein content of 55% and a well-balanced amino acid profile. Thus, its incorporation in quail diets could provide great potential to alleviate nutritional deficiencies in quail production and allow for their sustainable intensification. However, there are limited studies on the effect of partial or complete replacement of conventional protein sources with mopane worm meal (MWM) in quail diets. This paper reviews the nutritional profile and use of the MW as a protein source, as well as its potential future prospects in poultry diets. Finally, we postulate that mass production of this insect-based protein source and its sustainability would be an inventive strategy to develop a profitable quail business.
Landowner Satisfaction with Conservation Programs in the Southern United States
Authors: Adhikari Ram K. , Grala Robert K. , Grado Stephen C. , Grebner Donald L. , Petrolia Daniel R.
Published: May 2022

Landowner satisfaction with conservation programs affects their participation decisions and subsequently effectiveness of these programs in improving environmental quality. This study determined the influence of landownership goals, environmental concerns, frequency of contacts with federal agencies, and socioeconomic factors on landowner satisfaction with available conservation programs in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and East Gulf Coastal Plain sub-geographies of the Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks Landscape Conservation Cooperative. A generalized ordered logit model for each conservation program was constructed to analyze factors influencing landowner satisfaction levels with these programs. Of the 14 federal conservation programs assessed, the top programs, based on a satisfaction level, included Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Technical Assistance (CTA), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The size of agricultural land owned, landownership goals including profit-making and personal recreation, concerns about wildlife habitat losses, and frequent contacts with federal agencies were positively related to landowner satisfaction levels. Better strategies addressing landowner’s environmental concerns, communicating technical knowledge, clarifying contract terms, and supporting financial resource leveraging will help reach the enrolled and non-enrolled landowners to increase their participation in conservation efforts.
Biomass Potential and Utilization in Worldwide Research Trends—A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Sertolli Ardit , Gabnai Zoltán , Lengyel Péter , Bai Attila
Published: May 2022

Biomass, as a part of renewables, is a resource found in large quantities and is a basis for many different industries. This paper presents the most important trends and characteristics of research in biomass potential and biomass utilization on a world scale. The main objective of this work is to analyze the state of research and trends in biomass potential and biomass utilization from 1974 to 2021, including 7117 relevant documents. The methodology part comprised two main stages: obtaining data from Scopus and then exporting the data into Excel. The VOSviewer bibliometric tool was used to analyze clusters of countries and groups of keywords. Research on this topic experienced significant development after 2000; moreover, the global trend of publications marked a significant increase after 2012. China and India have shown exponential growth, followed by USA, Germany, and UK. An important trend globally is that energy topics are gaining more importance and percentage annually, especially in photovoltaics and new generations of biofuels in terms of keywords. The paper aims to provide a tool for the scientific community by introducing the current state and potential tendencies in this special field, including the various sides of biomass use.
Harmonization of Sustainability Reporting Regulation: Analysis of a Contested Arena
Authors: Afolabi Hammed , Ram Ronita , Rimmel Gunnar
Published: May 2022

This paper presents the case for the sustainability reporting field as a contested arena and examines the behavior and the influence of the various actors, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), and the European Commission, including the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) and the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation in influencing the shape of the regulation in the arena. Drawing on the arena concept and documentary analysis, this study explores the dynamic in which each actor is attempting to change the rules within the arena and how this contributes to the harmonization and future direction of sustainability reporting. The findings of this study show that the actions and behavior of the various actors are premeditated and strategically calculated to maintain their influence, relevance, and defend their technical authority in the arena. The findings also suggest that sustainability reporting regulation is still far away from harmonization due to the perceived hegemony in the arena, and diversity in the overarching objective of the various actors and the inability of each actor to renounce its particular perspective and orientation. Insights are provided for policy makers on the urgent need to decide and reclassify the specific rules required in upholding the sustainability reporting arena.
Sustainable Transport and Mobility—Oriented Innovative Startups and Business Models
Authors: Skala Agnieszka
Published: May 2022

Sustainability-oriented transport and mobility solutions hunt for engineering and management innovations. Both are primarily adopted by startups—ambitious and dynamic forms of organization stimulated by technical and technological progress. In this paper, the original definition of a startup as the new organizational form has been proposed, and the most relevant trends in green transportation and mobility solutions have been discussed. The paper also seeks knowledge about new business models of sustainable transport and mobility-oriented innovative startups. For this purpose, descriptive statistics of about 200 transport-oriented startups have been produced, based on the results of quantitative research in 2016–2019 in Poland, and the most appealing solutions are presented. Business models of sustainability-oriented transport and mobility startups have been mapped and analyzed. Green innovations in transport concern mainly products and business models. The studied startups can be divided into responding to challenges in designing new equipment, vehicles, and infrastructure (including electromobility) and those offering solutions in managing transport processes, fleet, and passenger transport—especially micro-mobility in cities public transport. Analyzing the profitability of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-oriented startups, we concluded that startups related to “hardware” projects (vehicles, infrastructures, drones) need more financial support or strategic partnership than service-oriented projects. We also hypothesized that “hardware” startups contribute more to “greening” transportation and mobility sector processes than startups offering services, which requires further in-depth research.
Mutual Information-Based Variable Selection on Latent Class Cluster Analysis
Authors: Riyanto Andreas , Kuswanto Heri , Prastyo Dedy Dwi
Published: May 2022

Machine learning techniques are becoming indispensable tools for extracting useful information. Among many machine learning techniques, variable selection is a solution used for converting high-dimensional data into simpler data while still preserving the characteristics of the original data. Variable selection aims to find the best subset of variables that produce the smallest generalization error; it can also reduce computational complexity, storage, and costs. The variable selection method developed in this paper was part of a latent class cluster (LCC) analysis—i.e., it was not a pre-processing step but, instead, formed part of LCC analysis. Many studies have shown that variable selection in LCC analysis suffers from computational problems and has difficulty meeting local dependency assumptions—therefore, in this study, we developed a method for selecting variables using mutual information (MI) in LCC analysis. Mutual information (MI) is a symmetrical measure of information that is carried by two random variables. The proposed method was applied to MI-based variable selection in LCC analysis, and, as a result, four variables were selected for use in LCC-based village clustering.
A Multi-Scale and Lightweight Bearing Fault Diagnosis Model with Small Samples
Authors: Gao Shouwan , He Jianan , Pan Honghua , Gong Tao
Published: May 2022

Currently, deep-learning-based methods have been widely used in fault diagnosis to improve the diagnosis efficiency and intelligence. However, most schemes require a great deal of labeled data and many iterations for training parameters. They suffer from low accuracy and over fitting under the few-shot scenario. In addition, a large number of parameters in the model consumes high computing resources, which is far from practical. In this paper, a multi-scale and lightweight Siamese network architecture is proposed for the fault diagnosis with few samples. The architecture proposed contains two main modules. The first part implements the feature vector extraction of sample pairs. It is composed of two lightweight convolutional networks with shared weights symmetrically. Multi-scale convolutional kernels and dimensionality reduction are used in these two symmetric networks to improve feature extraction and reduce the total number of model parameters. The second part takes charge of calculating the similarity of two feature vectors to achieve fault classification. The proposed network is validated by multiple datasets with different loads and speeds. The results show that the model has better accuracy, fewer model parameters and a scale compared to the baseline approach through our experiments. Furthermore, the model is also proven to have good generalization capability.
Learning Multifeature Correlation Filter and Saliency Redetection for Long-Term Object Tracking
Authors: Liu Liqiang , Feng Tiantian , Fu Yanfang
Published: May 2022

Recently due to the good balance between performance and tracking speed, the discriminative correlation filter (DCF) has become a popular and excellent tracking method in short-term tracking. Computing the correlation of a response map can be efficiently performed in the Fourier domain by the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the input, where the DFT of an image has symmetry in the Fourier domain. However, most of the correlation filter (CF)-based trackers cannot deal with the tracking results and lack the effective mechanism to adjust the tracked errors during the tracking process, thus usually perform poorly in long-term tracking. In this paper, we propose a long-term tracking framework, which includes a tracking-by-detection part and redetection part. The tracking-by-detection part is built on a DCF framework, by integrating with a multifeature fusion model, which can effectively improve the discriminant ability of the correlation filter for some challenging situations, such as occlusion and color change. The redetection part can search the tracked object in a larger region and refine the tracking results after the tracking has failed. Benefited by the proposed redetection strategy, the tracking results are re-evaluated and refined, if it is necessary, in each frame. Moreover, the reliable estimation module in the redetection part can effectively identify whether the tracking results are correct and determine whether the redetector needs to open. The proposed redetection part utilizes a saliency detection algorithm, which is fast and valid for object detection in a limited region. These two parts can be integrated into DCF-based tracking methods to improve the long-term tracking performance and robustness. Extensive experiments on OTB2015 and VOT2016 benchmarks show that our proposed long-term tracking method has a proven effectiveness and high efficiency compared with various tracking methods.
ST-DEVS: A Methodology Using Time-Dependent-Variable-Based Spatiotemporal Computation
Authors: Cho Taeho
Published: May 2022

Various real systems are being replicated in cyberspace to solve complex and difficult problems, as exemplified by the digital twin. Once such a software system is implemented, an effective computational method should be applied to the system so that the corresponding real system, connected by networks or sensors, can be indirectly controlled. Considering that all behaviors in real systems occur in space−time, the behavior-related computation in the corresponding software system should adopt both time and space as essential elements to ensure a valid representation of the real system and to effectively perform subsequent computations. Therefore, applying a spatiotemporal computation consisting of time-dependent variables and temporal statements that use such variables is a natural approach to solving problems encountered in the target real system. In this study, the ST-DEVS (spatiotemporal computation DEVS) formalism is proposed to define time-dependent variables and an execution algorithm on temporal logic statements whose arguments are the time-dependent variables; the ST-DEVS is an extension of the discrete event system specification (DEVS). To control real systems with a certain level of autonomy, at least two basic capabilities must be ensured: monitoring and action execution. In this study, action-type temporal logic with time-dependent variables and an action execution algorithm are proposed to illustrate the effectiveness of the spatiotemporal computation process. The previously defined monitoring capability is integrated into ST-DEVS so that monitoring and action execution can be processed uniformly. The proposed approach is designed considering the symmetry between the real world and the cyber world, in that both worlds are influenced by time and space.
Character Varieties and Algebraic Surfaces for the Topology of Quantum Computing
Authors: Planat Michel , Amaral Marcelo M. , Fang Fang , Chester David , Aschheim Raymond , Irwin Klee
Published: May 2022

It is shown that the representation theory of some finitely presented groups thanks to their SL2(C) character variety is related to algebraic surfaces. We make use of the Enriques–Kodaira classification of algebraic surfaces and related topological tools to make such surfaces explicit. We study the connection of SL2(C) character varieties to topological quantum computing (TQC) as an alternative to the concept of anyons. The Hopf link H, whose character variety is a Del Pezzo surface fH (the trace of the commutator), is the kernel of our view of TQC. Qutrit and two-qubit magic state computing, derived from the trefoil knot in our previous work, may be seen as TQC from the Hopf link. The character variety of some two-generator Bianchi groups, as well as that of the fundamental group for the singular fibers E˜6 and D˜4 contain fH. A surface birationally equivalent to a K3 surface is another compound of their character varieties.
Chiral Analysis of Linalool, an Important Natural Fragrance and Flavor Compound, by Molecular Rotational Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Sonstrom Reilly E. , Cannon Donald M. , Neill Justin L.
Published: May 2022

The chiral analysis of terpenes in complex mixtures of essential oils, necessary for authentication, has been further developed using chiral tagging molecular rotational resonance (MRR) spectroscopy. One analyte that is of particular interest is linalool (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3-ol), a common natural chiral terpene found in botanicals with its enantiomers having unique flavor, fragrance, and aromatherapy characteristics. In this MRR demonstration, resolution of the enantiomers is achieved through the addition of a chiral tag, which creates non-covalent diastereomeric complexes with distinct spectral signatures. The relative stereochemistry of the complexes is identified by the comparison of calculated spectroscopic parameters with experimentally determined parameters of the chiral complexes with high accuracy. The diastereomeric complex intensities are analyzed to determine the absolute configuration (AC) and enantiomeric excess (EE) in each sample. Here, we demonstrate the use of chiral tagging MRR spectroscopy to perform a quantitative routine enantiomer analysis of linalool in complex essential oil mixtures, without the need for reference samples or chromatographic separation.
Generalization of Some Fractional Integral Operator Inequalities for Convex Functions via Unified Mittag–Leffler Function
Authors: Nonlaopon Kamsing , Farid Ghulam , Yasmeen Hafsa , Shah Farooq Ahmed , Jung Chahn Yong
Published: May 2022

This paper aims to obtain the bounds of a class of integral operators containing Mittag–Leffler functions in their kernels. A recently defined unified Mittag–Leffler function plays a vital role in connecting the results of this paper with the well-known bounds of fractional integral operators published in the recent past. The symmetry of a function about a line is a fascinating property that plays an important role in mathematical inequalities. A variant of the Hermite–Hadamard inequality is established using the closely symmetric property for (α,m)-convex functions.
Monitoring of the Behaviour and State of Nanoscale Particles in a Gas Cleaning System of an Ore-Thermal Furnace
Authors: Bazhin Vladimir , Masko Olga
Published: May 2022

The aim of this paper is to define and select stable zones in the off-gas duct of an ore-thermal furnace using a mathematical model. This is needed to increase the effectiveness of exhaust gas composition control in metallurgical silicon production. Methods. The goals of this study were achieved by means of computational fluid dynamics. A model with a water-cooled furnace roof as well as a model comprising steel gas passes with a sliding shutter was developed using ANSYS Fluent software. Both models were symmetrical to ensure a uniform gas-dust distribution, which allowed us to test the adequacy of the obtained models. The models were based on the Navier–Stokes equations system as well as on a discrete phase model (DPM) that was developed using the Euler–Lagrange method. Results. As a result of the modelling, a transition flow mode (Re 0-7437) was revealed behind the sliding shutter. As such, it can be assumed that the most suitable place for measuring equipment to be installed is directly behind the closed part of the sliding shutter.
Topological Excitations in Neutral–Ionic Transition Systems
Authors: Sunami Keishi , Takehara Ryosuke , Miyagawa Kazuya , Okamoto Hiroshi , Kanoda Kazushi
Published: May 2022

The existence and physical properties of topological excitations in ferroelectrics, especially mobile topological boundaries in one dimension, are of profound interest. Notably, topological excitations emerging in association with the neutral–ionic (NI) phase transition are theoretically suggested to carry fractional charges and cause anomalous charge transport. In recent years, we experimentally demonstrated mobile topological excitations in a quasi-one-dimensional (1D) ferroelectric, tetrathiafulvalene-p-chloranil [TTF-CA; TTF (C6H4S4) and CA (C6Cl4O2)], which shows the NI transition, using NMR, NQR, and electrical resistivity measurements. Thermally activated topological excitations carry charges and spins in the NI crossover region and in the ionic phase with a dimer liquid. Moreover, free solitons show a binding transition upon a space-inversion symmetry-breaking ferroelectric order. In this article, we review the recent progress in the study of mobile topological excitations emerging in TTF-CA, along with earlier reports that intensively studied these phenomena, aiming to provide the foundations of the physics of electrical conductivity and magnetism carried by topological excitations in the 1D ferroelectric.
Electronic Dislocation Dynamics in Metastable Wigner Crystal States
Authors: Kranjec Andrej , Karpov Petr , Vaskivskyi Yevhenii , Vodeb Jaka , Gerasimenko Yaroslav , Mihailovic Dragan
Published: May 2022

Metastable states appear in many areas of physics as a result of symmetry-breaking phase transitions. An important challenge is to understand the microscopic mechanisms which lead to the formation of the energy barrier separating a metastable state from the ground state. In this paper, we describe an experimental example of the hidden metastable domain state in 1T-TaS2, created by photoexcitation or carrier injection. The system is an example of a charge density wave superlattice in the Wigner crystal limit displaying discommensurations and domain formation when additional charge is injected either through contacts or by photoexcitation. The domain walls and their crossings in particular display interesting, topologically entangled structures, which have a crucial role in the metastability of the system. We model the properties of experimentally observed thermally activated dynamics of topologically protected defects—dislocations—whose annihilation dynamics can be observed experimentally by scanning tunnelling microscopy as emergent phenomena described by a doped Wigner crystal. The different dynamics of trivial and non-trivial topological defects are quite striking. Trivial defects appear to annihilate quite rapidly at low temperatures on the timescale of the experiments, while non-trivial defects annihilate rarely, if at all.
Entropy and Semi-Entropies of Regular Symmetrical Triangular Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Variables
Authors: Zhang Meixi , Wang Zhiyi
Published: May 2022

Fuzzy entropy has a wide range of applications in uncertainty problems. Due to the dual-complexity of its characteristics and calculation, the study on type-2 fuzzy entropy is rare, let alone the semi-ones. Given this, the paper takes the lead in proposing the credibility-based type-2 entropy and semi-entropies delivered around a specific symmetric type-2 fuzzy variable. After presenting the relevant theorems and definitions, we give the corresponding examples of linear entropy and semi-entropies to illustrate and verify the favorable property of our study. This series of formulas on type-2 entropy proposed has a strong advantage in reducing computational complexity. It can be commonly applied to measure fuzziness and solve return-oriented and cost-oriented problems in the business field. A sequence of measures on type-2 fuzzy entropy developed in this paper delivers fresh insights into this field. It also provides a new reasonable tool for the decision-making on cost and investment control in companies.
Spin Sum Rule of the Nucleon in the QCD Instanton Vacuum
Authors: Zahed Ismail
Published: May 2022

We briefly review some essential aspects of the QCD instanton vacuum in relation to the quantum breaking of conformal symmetry, the spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry, and the axial U(1) anomaly. The anomaly causes the intrinsic nucleon spin to transmute to the vacuum topological charge by quantum tunneling. We use Ji′s invariant spin decomposition to discuss the spin budget of the nucleon as a quark–diquark state in the QCD instanton vacuum. A measure of the intrinsic quark spin of the nucleon is a measure of the quenched topological susceptibility of the QCD instanton vacuum.
Research on the Control Method for the Reasonable State of Self-Anchored Symmetry Suspension Bridge Stiffening Girders
Authors: Duan Maojun , Suo Xiaocan , Dong Fenghui , Li Jianhui , Li Guofen
Published: May 2022

Most existing methods for the determination of the reasonable finished state of self-anchored symmetry suspension bridges were based on the stress state of the stiffening girders used in the construction. A simple and practical control method for the reasonable completion state of stiffened beam based on double control indexes of deformation and stress was proposed. In this paper, the long-term effects of shrinkage and creep were taken into consideration, and a finite element model was built to study the change in the stiffening girder stress during operation. The mid-span deflection of the middle span sustained increasing and the compression stress in the bottom slab of the stiffening girder consistently decreased under the effects of shrinkage and creep. The speed changes from fast to slow and tends to become stable in 50 years. Furthermore, stiffening girders under the action of hanger force, dead weight, cable force, and pre-stress were investigated to study the mechanism of the stress change during operation. Based on the safety stress state of stiffening girders after 50 years, a new control method for the reasonable finished state was proposed. Moreover, the total cross-section of stiffening girders maintained the compression stress state during the developing processes of shrinkage and creep in 50 years. Finally, the utilization in the Hunan Road self-anchored symmetry suspension bridge verified the simplicity and practicality of this new control method and confirms that the method can be implemented to guide the design and construction of the similar bridges.
Research on Supply and Demand of Aged Services Resource Allocation in China: A System Dynamics Model
Authors: Zhang Yijie , Zhang Mingli , Hu Haiju , He Xiaolong
Published: May 2022

With the rapid growth of the elderly population of China in recent years, the service demands of older Chinese people continue to increase. The increasingly severe situation with respect to the elderly population is an important social problem that China will face for a long time into the future. It is urgent to solve the problem of how to scientifically carry out allocation planning of service resources for the aged and guide the effective supply of service resources. This paper analyzes the factors affecting service resources for the aged, divides China’s service resource supply and demand system into a supply subsystem, a demand subsystem, and a population and economy subsystem. Using system dynamics methods to analyze the causal relationship between variables and the state space method to build a mathematical model and perform simulation analysis, we research the the current situation of China’s service resources supply and demand balance for the aged. In addition, we put forward resource configuration optimization measures for the future allocation of service resources for the aged, providing a practical basis for future decision-making.
Modelling the Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Air Pollution in Makkah Saudi Arabia with a Supervised Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Habeebullah Turki M. , Munir Said , Zeb Jahan , Morsy Essam A.
Published: May 2022

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, lockdowns were implemented in almost every single country in the world including Saudi Arabia. In this paper, the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on O3, NO2, and PM10 in Makkah was analysed using air quality and meteorology data from five sites. Two approaches were employed: (a) comparing raw measured concentrations for the lockdown period in 2019 and 2020; and (b) comparing weather-corrected concentrations estimated by the machine learning approach with observed concentrations during the lockdown period. According to the first approach, the average levels of PM10 and NO2 decreased by 12% and 58.66%, respectively, whereas the levels of O3 increased by 68.67%. According to the second approach, O3 levels increased by 21.96%, while the levels of NO2 and PM10 decreased by 13.40% and 9.66%, respectively. The machine learning approach after removing the effect of changes in weather conditions demonstrated relatively less reductions in the levels of NO2 and PM10 and a smaller increase in the levels of O3. This showed the importance of adjusting air pollutant levels for meteorological conditions. O3 levels increased due to its inverse correlation with NO2, which decreased during the lockdown period.
Anxiety and Gene Expression Enhancement in Mice Exposed to Glyphosate-Based Herbicide
Authors: Ait bali Yassine , Kaikai Nour-eddine , Ba-M’hamed Saadia , Sassoè-Pognetto Marco , Giustetto Maurizio , Bennis Mohamed
Published: May 2022

Growing evidence demonstrates that serotonin (5-HT) depletion increases activity in the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), ultimately leading to anxiety behavior. Previously, we showed that glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) increased anxiety levels and reduced the number of serotoninergic fibers within the mPFCs and amygdalas of exposed mice. However, the impact of this 5-HT depletion following GBH exposure on neuronal activity in these structures is still unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of GBH on immediate early gene (IEG) activation within the mPFCs and amygdalas of treated mice from juvenile age to adulthood and its subsequent effects on anxiety levels. Mice were treated for subchronic (6 weeks) and chronic (12 weeks) periods with 250 or 500 mg/kg/day of GBH and subjected to behavioral testing using the open field and elevated plus maze paradigms. Then, we analyzed the expression levels of c-Fos and pCREB and established the molecular proxies of neuronal activation within the mPFC and the amygdala. Our data revealed that repeated exposure to GBH triggers anxiogenic behavior in exposed mice. Confocal microscopy investigations into the prelimbic/infralimbic regions of the mPFC and in basolateral/central nuclei of the amygdala disclosed that the behavioral alterations are paralleled by a robust increase in the density and labelling intensity of c-Fos- and pCREB-positive cells. Taken together, these data show that mice exposed to GBH display the hyperactivation of the mPFC–amygdala areas, suggesting that this is a potential mechanism underlying the anxiety-like phenotype.
Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values (HBM-GVs) for Bisphenol S and Assessment of the Risk Due to the Exposure to Bisphenols A and S, in Europe
Authors: Meslin Matthieu , Beausoleil Claire , Zeman Florence Anna , Antignac Jean-Philippe , Kolossa-Gehring Marike , Rousselle Christophe , Apel Petra
Published: May 2022

Within the European Joint Programme HBM4EU, Human Biomonitoring Guidance Values (HBM-GVs) were derived for several prioritised substances. In this paper, the derivation of HBM-GVs for the general population (HBM-GVGenPop) and workers (HBM-GVworker) referring to bisphenol S (BPS) is presented. For the general population, this resulted in an estimation of the total urinary concentration of BPS of 1.0 µg/L assuming a 24 h continuous exposure to BPS. For workers, the modelling was refined in order to reflect continuous exposure during the working day, leading to a total urinary concentration of BPS of 3.0 µg/L. The usefulness for risk assessment of the HBM-GVs derived for BPS and bisphenol A (BPA) is illustrated. Risk Characterisation Ratios (RCRs) were calculated leading to a clear difference between risk assessments performed for both bisphenols, with a very low RCR regarding exposure to BPA., contrary to that obtained for BPS. This may be due to the endocrine mediated endpoints selected to derive the HBM-GVs for BPS, whereas the values calculated for BPA are based on the temporary Tolerable Daily Intake (t-TDI) from EFSA set in 2015. A comparison with the revised TDI recently opened for comments by EFSA is also discussed. Regarding the occupational field, results indicate that the risk from occupational exposure to both bisphenols cannot be disregarded.
Six Main Contributing Factors to High Levels of Mycotoxin Contamination in African Foods
Authors: Nji Queenta Ngum , Babalola Olubukola Oluranti , Ekwomadu Theodora Ijeoma , Nleya Nancy , Mwanza Mulunda
Published: May 2022

Africa is one of the regions with high mycotoxin contamination of foods and continues to record high incidences of liver cancers globally. The agricultural sector of most African countries depends largely on climate variables for crop production. Production of mycotoxins is climate-sensitive. Most stakeholders in the food production chain in Africa are not aware of the health and economic effects of consuming contaminated foods. The aim of this review is to evaluate the main factors and their degree of contribution to the high levels of mycotoxins in African foods. Thus, knowledge of the contributions of different factors responsible for high levels of these toxins will be a good starting point for the effective mitigation of mycotoxins in Africa. Google Scholar was used to conduct a systemic search. Six factors were found to be linked to high levels of mycotoxins in African foods, in varying degrees. Climate change remains the main driving factor in the production of mycotoxins. The other factors are partly man-made and can be manipulated to become a more profitable or less climate-sensitive response. Awareness of the existence of these mycotoxins and their economic as well as health consequences remains paramount. The degree of management of these factors regarding mycotoxins varies from one region of the world to another.
Probing the Mechanism of Action of Cry41Aa on HepG2 through the Establishment of a Resistant Subline
Authors: Souissi Wided , Alistair Tweedie , Domanska Barbara , Fortea Eva , West Michelle J. , Schwartz Jean-Louis , Crickmore Neil
Published: May 2022

Cry41Aa, also called parasporin-3, belongs to a group of toxins from the entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis that show activity against human cancer cells. Cry41Aa exhibits preferential cytocidal activity towards HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukaemia cells) and HepG2 (human liver cancer cells) cell lines after being proteolytically activated. To better understand the mechanism of action of Cry41Aa, we evolved resistance in HepG2 cells through repeated exposure to increasing doses of the toxin. Concentrations of Cry41Aa that killed over 50% of the parental HepG2 cells had no significant effect on the viability of the resistant cells and did not induce either pore formation or p38 phosphorylation (both characteristic features of pore-forming toxins). Preliminary RNA sequencing data identified AQP9 as a potential mediator of resistance, but extensive investigations failed to show a causal link and did not support an enhanced cell repair process as the resistance mechanism.
Attempt for a Recombinant Thrombomodulin Alpha Treatment in a Rat Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation Model Using Yamakagashi (Rhabdophis tigrinus) Venom
Authors: Yamamoto Akihiko , Ito Takashi , Hifumi Toru
Published: May 2022

Yamakagashi (Rhabdophis tigrinus) inhabits Japan widely, and incidents involving its bites occur every year. Its bite causes disseminated intravascular coagulation when the amount of infused venom is high, and it can be fatal if treatment with Yamakagashi antivenom is delayed. Although Yamakagashi antivenom is used for treating Yamakagashi bites, it is an unapproved drug and its capacity for storage is limited. Hence, it is difficult to administer to patients promptly. As a therapeutic agent for this bite, we investigated the application of recombinant thrombomodulin alpha, a commercially available disseminated intravascular coagulation therapeutic agent. Its therapeutic effect on Yamakagashi venom was confirmed in a coagulation system of human plasma using in vitro Yamakagashi venom as well as a rat experimental model of disseminated intravascular coagulation using in vivo Yamakagashi venom. The administration of recombinant thrombomodulin alpha induced an effect that prolonged the blood coagulation time of Yamakagashi venom in vitro, and the drug was administered in vivo within 0.5 h after the administration of Yamakagashi venom to save rats. Blood coagulation markers such as platelet count, prothrombin time, fibrinogen concentration, and D-dimer levels recovered to normal values in rats. Therefore, recombinant thrombomodulin alpha may be used as a therapeutic agent for Yamakagashi bites.