bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sacred Nature. Diverging Use and Understanding of Old Sámi Offering Sites in Alta, Northern Norway
Authors: Spangen Marte , Äikäs Tiina
Published: June 2020

This study focuses on the contemporary use of two well-known Sámi offering sites in Alta, Finnmark, Norway. Today, these are hiking destinations and sightseeing points for both the Sámi and the non-Sámi local population, as well as a few non-local visitors. Many of these visitors leave objects at the sites, such as parts of recently slaughtered reindeer, clothing, coins, toys, sweet wrappers and toilet paper. This indicates that visitors have different levels of knowledge about and reverence for the traditional significance of these places. Through repeated surveys over several years, we also observed a certain development and change in the number and character of these depositions, as well as a variation in depositions between different sites. A series of interviews with various users and key stakeholders were performed to clarify the reasons for these changing practices, as well as what individuals and groups visit these sites, their motivation for doing so and for leaving specific objects, and what potential conflict of interest there is between different users. Furthermore, we surveyed what information has been available to the public about these sites and their significance in Sámi religion and cultural history over time. The results show that a diverse group of individuals visit the sites for a variety of reasons, and that there are contrasting views on their use, even among different Sámi stakeholders. While it is difficult to limit the knowledge and use of these places because they are already well known, more information about old Sámi ritual practices and appropriate behaviour at such sites may mediate latent conflicts and promote a better understanding of the importance of offering sites in both past and present Sámi societies.
Model-Free Optimized Tracking Control Heuristic
Authors: Wang Ning , Abouheaf Mohammed , Gueaieb Wail , Nahas Nabil
Published: June 2020

Many tracking control solutions proposed in the literature rely on various forms of tracking error signals at the expense of possibly overlooking other dynamic criteria, such as optimizing the control effort, overshoot, and settling time, for example. In this article, a model-free control architectural framework is presented to track reference signals while optimizing other criteria as per the designer’s preference. The control architecture is model-free in the sense that the plant’s dynamics do not have to be known in advance. To this end, we propose and compare four tracking control algorithms which synergistically integrate a few machine learning tools to compromise between tracking a reference signal and optimizing a user-defined dynamic cost function. This is accomplished via two orchestrated control loops, one for tracking and one for optimization. Two control algorithms are designed and compared for the tracking loop. The first is based on reinforcement learning while the second is based on nonlinear threshold accepting technique. The optimization control loop is implemented using an artificial neural network. Each controller is trained offline before being integrated in the aggregate control system. Simulation results of three scenarios with various complexities demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed control schemes in forcing the tracking error to converge while minimizing a pre-defined system-wide objective function.
Impact of Stereo Camera Calibration to Object Accuracy in Multimedia Photogrammetry
Authors: Kahmen Oliver , Rofallski Robin , Luhmann Thomas
Published: June 2020

Camera calibration via bundle adjustment is a well-established standard procedure in single-medium photogrammetry. When using standard software and applying the collinearity equations in multimedia photogrammetry, the effects of refractive interfaces are compensated in an implicit form, hence by the usual parameters of interior orientation. This contribution analyses different calibration strategies for planar bundle-invariant interfaces. To evaluate the effects of implicitly modelling the refractive effects within bundle adjustment, synthetic error-free datasets are simulated. The behaviour of interior, exterior, and relative orientation parameters is analysed using synthetic datasets free of underwater imaging effects. A shift of the camera positions of 0.2% of the acquisition distance along the optical axis can be observed. The relative orientation of a stereo camera shows systematic effects when the angle of convergence varies. The stereo baseline increases by 1% at 25° convergence. Furthermore, the interface is set up at different distances to the camera. When the interface is at 50% distance assuming a parallel camera setup, the stereo baseline also increases by 1%. It becomes clear that in most cases the implicit modelling is not suitable for multimedia photogrammetry due to geometrical errors (scaling) and absolute positioning errors. Explicit modelling of the refractive interfaces is implemented into a bundle adjustment and is also used to analyse calibration parameters and deviations in object space. Real experiments show that it is difficult to separate the effects of implicit modelling, since other effects, such as poor image measurements, affect the final result. However, trends can be seen, and deviations are quantified.
Centimeter-Level Precise Orbit Determination for the Luojia-1A Satellite Using BeiDou Observations
Authors: Wang Lei , Xu Beizhen , Fu Wenju , Chen Ruizhi , Li Tao , Han Yi , Zhou Haitao
Published: June 2020

Luojia-1A is a scientific experimental satellite operated by Wuhan University, which is the first low earth orbiter (LEO) navigation signal augmentation experimental satellite. The precise orbit is the prerequisite of augmenting existing Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) performance and improves users’ positioning accuracy. Meanwhile, LEO precise orbit determination (POD) with BeiDou-2 observations is particularly challenging since it only provides regional service. In this study, we investigated the method of precise orbit determination (POD) for Luojia-1A satellite with the onboard BeiDou observation to establish the high-precision spatial datum for the LEO navigation augmentation (LEO-NA) system. The multipath characteristic of the BeiDou System (BDS) observations from Luojia-1A satellite is analyzed, and the elevation-dependent BeiDou code bias is estimated with the LEO onboard observations. A weight reduction strategy is adopted to mitigate the negative effect of poor BeiDou-2 geostationary earth orbit (GEO) satellites orbit quality, and the Luojia-1A orbit precision can be improved from 6.3 cm to 2.3 cm with the GEO weighting strategy. The precision improvement of the radial direction, along-track, and out-of-plane directions are 53.47%, 47.29%, and 76.2%, respectively. Besides, tuning the pseudo-stochastic parameters is also beneficial for improving orbit precision. The experiment results indicate that about 2 cm overlapping orbit accuracy are achievable with BeiDou observations from Luojia-1A satellite if proper data processing strategies are applied.
Spatial Attraction Models Coupled with Elman Neural Networks for Enhancing Sub-Pixel Urban Inundation Mapping
Authors: Li Linyi , Chen Yun , Xu Tingbao , Meng Lingkui , Huang Chang , Shi Kaifang
Published: June 2020

Urban flooding is one of the most costly and destructive natural hazards worldwide. Remote-sensing images with high temporal resolutions have been extensively applied to timely inundation monitoring, assessing and mapping, but are limited by their low spatial resolution. Sub-pixel mapping has drawn great attention among researchers worldwide and has demonstrated a promising potential of high-accuracy mapping of inundation. Aimed to boost sub-pixel urban inundation mapping (SUIM) from remote-sensing imagery, a new algorithm based on spatial attraction models and Elman neural networks (SAMENN) was developed and examined in this paper. The Elman neural networks (ENN)-based SUIM module was developed firstly. Then a normalized edge intensity index of mixed pixels was generated. Finally the algorithm of SAMENN-SUIM was constructed and implemented. Landsat 8 images of two cities of China, which experienced heavy floods, were used in the experiments. Compared to three traditional SUIM methods, SAMENN-SUIM attained higher mapping accuracy according not only to visual evaluations but also quantitative assessments. The effects of normalized edge intensity index threshold and neuron number of the hidden layer on accuracy of the SAMENN-SUIM algorithm were analyzed and discussed. The newly developed algorithm in this study made a positive contribution to advancing urban inundation mapping from remote-sensing images with medium-low spatial resolutions, and hence can favor urban flood monitoring and risk assessment.
Mapping Benthic Habitats by Extending Non-Negative Matrix Factorization to Address the Water Column and Seabed Adjacency Effects
Authors: Guillaume Mireille , Minghelli Audrey , Deville Yannick , Chami Malik , Juste Louis , Lenot Xavier , Lafrance Bruno , Jay Sylvain , Briottet Xavier , Serfaty Veronique
Published: June 2020

Monitoring of coastal areas by remote sensing is an important issue. The interest of using an unmixing method to determine the seabed composition from hyperspectral aerial images of coastal areas is investigated. Unmixing provides both seabed abundances and endmember reflectances. A sub-surface mixing model is presented, based on a recently proposed oceanic radiative transfer model that accounts for seabed adjacency effects in the water column. Two original non-negative matrix factorization ( N M F )-based unmixing algorithms, referred to as W A D J U M (Water ADJacency UnMixing) and W U M (Water UnMixing, no adjacency effects) are developed, assuming as known the water column bio-optical properties. Simulations show that W A D J U M algorithm achieves performance close to that of the N M F -based unmixing of the seabed without any water column, up to 10 m depth. W U M performance is lower and decreases with the depth. The robustness of the algorithms when using erroneous information about the water column bio-optical properties is evaluated. The results show that the abundance estimation is more reliable using W A D J U M approach. W A D J U M is applied to real data acquired along the French coast; the derived abundance maps of the benthic habitats are discussed and compared to the maps obtained using a fixed spectral library and a least-square ( L S ) estimation of the seabed mixing coefficients. The results show the relevance of the W A D J U M algorithm for the local analysis of the benthic habitats.
ImaACor: A Physically Based Tool for Combined Atmospheric and Topographic Corrections of Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Palombo Angelo , Santini Federico
Published: June 2020

ImaACor is a tool for the simultaneous correction of remotely sensed data from atmospheric and topographic effects, including second-order corrections, such as adjacency effects. The implemented approach is physically based and uses MODTRAN for computation of the main radiometric quantities. A user-friendly, comprehensive, and exhaustive graphic interface allows the user to choose from different correction levels. The various panels allow one to set all the parameters to correctly characterize the atmosphere and define the acquisition and illumination geometries. The tool provides a number of facilities to easily manage the correction process for a wide range of sensor data, including the ability to process multiple data in batch mode, which is very useful for dealing with temporal series. Under the inclusion of topographic correction, this tool allows the user to select a digital elevation model that is automatically resampled to the image resolution and processed to obtain the parameters for radiometric transfer modeling and the subsequent harmonization of the surface with the model inversion. This tool also includes utilities for the pre-processing of PRISMA data.
Analysis and Assessment of BDS-2 and BDS-3 Broadcast Ephemeris: Accuracy, the Datum of Broadcast Clocks and Its Impact on Single Point Positioning
Authors: Jiao Guoqiang , Song Shuli , Liu Yangyang , Su Ke , Cheng Na , Wang Shengli
Published: June 2020

For the global ordinary users, the broadcast ephemeris plays important roles in positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) services. With the construction of a new generation of the BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS), the development of BDS has entered the era of globalization. It is meaningful for global users to analyze and assess the BDS-2 and BDS-3 broadcast ephemeris. Therefore, the satellite orbits and clock offsets calculated by broadcast ephemeris are compared with the precise orbit and clock offset products provided by three analysis centers (i.e., Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ), Wuhan University (WHU) and Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHA)), and the corresponding signal-in-space range error (SISRE) and the orbit-only SISRE are analyzed to assess the accuracy of BDS broadcast ephemeris. Due to the upgrade of BDS-3 satellite hardware technology and inter-satellite links payload and the development of satellite orbit determination algorithm, the accuracy of broadcast orbit and clock offsets has been greatly improved. The root mean square (RMS) of BDS-3 broadcast orbit errors is improved by 86.30%, 89.47% and 76.86%, and the standard deviation (STD) is improved by 79.41%, 77.00% and 76.78% compared with BDS-2 in the radial, along-track and cross-track directions. The corresponding RMS and STD of all BDS-3 satellite clock offsets are improved by 40.34% and 52.49% than that of BDS-2, respectively. Meanwhile, the mean RMS and STD are 1.78 m and 0.40 m for BDS-2 SISRE, 1.72 m and 0.34 m for BDS-2 orbit-only SISRE, 0.50 m and 0.14 m for BDS-3 SISRE, and 0.17 m and 0.04 m for BDS-3 orbit-only SISRE. It is noteworthy that the average broadcast-minus-precise (BMP) clock values of BDS-2 and BDS-3 are inconsistent, which can indirectly prove that the datum of broadcast clock offsets for BDS-2 and BDS-3 are inconsistent. The inconsistency of the datum of satellite clock offsets and receiver hardware delay bias between BDS-2 and BDS-3 will result in the inter-system bias (ISB) on the receiver segment. For JAVAD TRE_3 receivers, the ISB is relatively small and thus can be ignored. However, for the TRIMBLE ALLOY, SEPT POLARX5, CETC-54-GMR-4016, CETC-54-GMR-4011, GNSS-GGR and UB4B0-13478 receivers, estimating ISB can improve the positioning accuracy of single point positioning (SPP) by 20.15%, 19.81% and 12.76% in north, east and up directions, respectively.
Upscaling from Instantaneous to Daily Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) for Satellite Products
Authors: Chen Siyuan , Liu Liangyun , He Xue , Liu Zhigang , Peng Dailiang
Published: June 2020

The fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) is an essential climate variable (ECV) widely used for various ecological and climate models. However, all the current FAPAR satellite products correspond to instantaneous FAPAR values acquired at the satellite transit time only, which cannot represent the variations in photosynthetic processes over the diurnal period. Most studies have directly used the instantaneous FAPAR as a reasonable approximation of the daily integrated value. However, clearly, FAPAR varies a lot according to the weather conditions and amount of incoming radiation. In this paper, a temporal upscaling method based on the cosine of the solar zenith angle (SZA) at local noon ( c o s ( S Z A n o o n ) ) is proposed for converting instantaneous FAPAR to daily integrated FAPAR. First, the diurnal variations in FAPAR were investigated using PROSAIL (a model of Leaf Optical Properties Spectra (PROSPECT) integrating a canopy radiative transfer model (Scattering from Arbitrarily Inclined Leaves, SAIL)) simulations with different leaf area index (LAI) values corresponding to different latitudes. It was found that the instantaneous black sky FAPAR at 09:30 AM provided a good approximation for the daily integrated black sky FAPAR; this gave the highest correlation (R2 = 0.995) and lowest Root Mean Square Error (RMSE = 0.013) among the instantaneous black sky FAPAR values observed at different times. Secondly, the difference between the instantaneous black sky FAPAR values acquired at different times and the daily integrated black sky FAPAR was analyzed; this could be accurately modelled using the cosine value of solar zenith angle at local noon ( c o s ( S Z A n o o n ) ) for a given vegetation scene. Therefore, a temporal upscaling method for typical satellite products was proposed using a cos(SZA)-based upscaling model. Finally, the proposed cos(SZA)-based upscaling model was validated using both the PROSAIL simulated data and the field measurements. The validated results indicated that the upscaled daily black sky FAPAR was highly consistent with the daily integrated black sky FAPAR, giving very high mean R2 values (0.998, 0.972), low RMSEs (0.007, 0.014), and low rMAEs (0.596%, 1.378%) for the simulations and the field measurements, respectively. Consequently, the cos(SZA)-based method performs well for upscaling the instantaneous black sky FAPAR to its daily value, which is a simple but extremely important approach for satellite remote sensing applications related to FAPAR.
An Experimental Test Proposal to Study Human Behaviour in Fires Using Virtual Environments
Authors: de Lama Carlos , González-Gaya Cristina , Sánchez-Lite Alberto
Published: June 2020

Human behavior in an emergency situation is the starting point for all evacuation planning projects. A better understanding of the decisions made by the occupants during an emergency can help to develop calculation tools that can create more efficient forms of visual and audio communication and implement better procedures for evacuating people. The difficulty in studying human behavior lies in the very nature of emergencies, as they are unpredictable, somewhat exceptional and not reproducible. Fire drills play a role in training emergency teams and building occupants, but they cannot be used to collect real data on people’s behavior unless the drill is so realistic that it could endanger the occupants’ safety. In the procedure described here, through the use of a Virtual Reality device that encompasses all critical phases, including user characterization data before the virtual experience, building design parameters and fire scenario, key variables of human behavior can be recorded in order to evaluate each user’s experience satisfactorily. This research shows that the average delay in starting an evacuation is greater than one minute, that anxiety levels and heart rates increase during a fire and that people do not pay attention to evacuation signals. Further analysis of the quantitative data may also provide the causes for decision-making. The use of devices that create realistic virtual environments is a solution for conducting “what if” tests to study and record the decisions taken by the users who undergo the experience in a way that is completely safe for them.
Emerging Wireless Sensor Networks and Internet of Things Technologies—Foundations of Smart Healthcare
Authors: Gardašević Gordana , Katzis Konstantinos , Bajić Dragana , Berbakov Lazar
Published: June 2020

Future smart healthcare systems—often referred to as Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) – will combine a plethora of wireless devices and applications that use wireless communication technologies to enable the exchange of healthcare data. Smart healthcare requires sufficient bandwidth, reliable and secure communication links, energy-efficient operations, and Quality of Service (QoS) support. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions into healthcare systems can significantly increase intelligence, flexibility, and interoperability. This work provides an extensive survey on emerging IoT communication standards and technologies suitable for smart healthcare applications. A particular emphasis has been given to low-power wireless technologies as a key enabler for energy-efficient IoT-based healthcare systems. Major challenges in privacy and security are also discussed. A particular attention is devoted to crowdsourcing/crowdsensing, envisaged as tools for the rapid collection of massive quantities of medical data. Finally, open research challenges and future perspectives of IoMT are presented.
Assessment of Empirical Troposphere Model GPT3 Based on NGL’s Global Troposphere Products
Authors: Ding Junsheng , Chen Junping
Published: June 2020

Tropospheric delay is one of the major error sources in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) positioning. Over the years, many approaches have been devised which aim at accurately modeling tropospheric delays, so-called troposphere models. Using the troposphere data of over 16,000 global stations in the last 10 years, as calculated by the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory (NGL), this paper evaluates the performance of the empirical troposphere model GPT3, which is the latest version of the GPT (Global Pressure and Temperature) series model. Owing to the large station number, long time-span and diverse station distribution, the spatiotemporal properties of the empirical model were analyzed using the average deviation (BIAS) and root mean square (RMS) error as indicators. The experimental results demonstrate that: (1) the troposphere products of NGL have the same accuracy as the IGS (International GNSS Service) products and can be used as a reference for evaluating general troposphere models. (2) The global average BIAS of the ZTD (zenith total delay) estimated by GPT3 is −0.99 cm and the global average RMS is 4.41 cm. The accuracy of the model is strongly correlated with latitude and ellipsoidal height, showing obviously seasonal variations. (3) The global average RMS of the north gradient and east gradient estimated by GPT3 is 0.77 mm and 0.73 mm, respectively, which are strongly correlated with each other, with values increasing from the equator to lower latitudes and decreasing from lower to higher latitudes.
A Novel Vehicle Tracking ID Switches Algorithm for Driving Recording Sensors
Authors: Zhao Yun , Zhou Xiang , Xu Xing , Jiang Zeyu , Cheng Fupeng , Tang Jiahui , Shen Yuan
Published: June 2020

The main task for real-time vehicle tracking is establishing associations with objects in consecutive frames. After occlusion occurs between vehicles during the tracking process, the vehicle is given a new ID when it is tracked again. In this study, a novel method to track vehicles between video frames was constructed. This method was applied on driving recorder sensors. The neural network model was trained by YOLO v3 and the system collects video of vehicles on the road using a driving data recorder (DDR). We used the modified Deep SORT algorithm with a Kalman filter to predict the position of the vehicles and to calculate the Mahalanobis, cosine, and Euclidean distances. Appearance metrics were incorporated into the cosine distances. The experiments proved that our algorithm can effectively reduce the number of ID switches by 29.95% on the model trained on the BDD100K dataset, and it can reduce the number of ID switches by 32.16% on the model trained on the COCO dataset.
Advanced Intelligent Control through Versatile Intelligent Portable Platforms
Authors: Vladareanu Luige
Published: June 2020

Deep research and communicating new trends in the design, control and applications of the real time control of intelligent sensors systems using advanced intelligent control methods and techniques is the main purpose of this research. The innovative multi-sensor fusion techniques, integrated through the Versatile Intelligent Portable (VIP) platforms are developed, combined with computer vision, virtual and augmented reality (VR&AR) and intelligent communication, including remote control, adaptive sensor networks, human-robot (H2R) interaction systems and machine-to-machine (M2M) interfaces. Intelligent decision support systems (IDSS), including remote sensing, and their integration with DSS, GA-based DSS, fuzzy sets DSS, rough sets-based DSS, intelligent agent-assisted DSS, process mining integration into decision support, adaptive DSS, computer vision based DSS, sensory and robotic DSS, are highlighted in the field of advanced intelligent control.
CellCountCV—A Web-Application for Accurate Cell Counting and Automated Batch Processing of Microscopic Images Using Fully Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Antonets Denis , Russkikh Nikolai , Sanchez Antoine , Kovalenko Victoria , Bairamova Elvira , Shtokalo Dmitry , Medvedev Sergey , Zakian Suren
Published: June 2020

In vitro cellular models are promising tools for studying normal and pathological conditions. One of their important applications is the development of genetically engineered biosensor systems to investigate, in real time, the processes occurring in living cells. At present, there are fluorescence, protein-based, sensory systems for detecting various substances in living cells (for example, hydrogen peroxide, ATP, Ca2+ etc.,) or for detecting processes such as endoplasmic reticulum stress. Such systems help to study the mechanisms underlying the pathogenic processes and diseases and to screen for potential therapeutic compounds. It is also necessary to develop new tools for the processing and analysis of obtained microimages. Here, we present our web-application CellCountCV for automation of microscopic cell images analysis, which is based on fully convolutional deep neural networks. This approach can efficiently deal with non-convex overlapping objects, that are virtually inseparable with conventional image processing methods. The cell counts predicted with CellCountCV were very close to expert estimates (the average error rate was < 4%). CellCountCV was used to analyze large series of microscopic images obtained in experimental studies and it was able to demonstrate endoplasmic reticulum stress development and to catch the dose-dependent effect of tunicamycin.
The Application of Sector-Scanning Sonar: Strategy for Efficient and Precise Sector-Scanning Using Freedom of Underwater Walking Robot in Shallow Water
Authors: Baek Hyuk , Jun Bong-Huan , Noh Myounggyu D.
Published: June 2020

In this paper, we discuss underwater walking robot technology to improve the quality of raw data in sector-scanning sonar images. We propose a strategy for an efficient and precise sector-scanning sonar image acquisition method for use in shallow, strong tidal water with a curved and sloped seabed environment. We verified the strategy by analyzing images acquired through a sea trial using the sector-scanning sonar installed on the CRABSTER (CR200). Before creating this strategy, an experiment was conducted to acquire the seabed image near a pier using a tripod and vertical pole. To overcome the problems and limitations revealed through image analysis, we established two technical strategies. In conclusion, we were able to achieve those technical strategies by using the CR200, which is resistant to strong current, and its six legs provide freedom of movement, allowing for a good sonar attitude.
Chagas Disease Infection Reactivation after Heart Transplant
Authors: Moreira Maria da Consolação Vieira , Renan Cunha-Melo José
Published: June 2020

Chagas disease, caused by a Trypanosona cruzi infection, is one of the main causes of heart failure in Latin America. It was originally a health problem endemic to South America, predominantly affecting residents of poor rural areas. With globalization and increasing migratory flows from these areas to large cities, the immigration of T. cruzi chronically-infected people to developed, non-endemic countries has occurred. This issue has emerged as an important consideration for heart transplant professionals. Currently, Chagas patients with end-stage heart failure may need a heart transplantation (HTx). This implies that in post-transplant immunosuppression therapy to avoid rejection in the recipient, there is the possibility of T. cruzi infection reactivation, increasing the morbidity and mortality rates. The management of heart transplant recipients due to Chagas disease requires awareness for early recognition and parasitic treatment of T. cruzi infection reactivation. This issue poses challenges for heart transplant professionals, especially regarding the differential diagnosis between rejection and reactivation episodes. The aim of this review is to discuss the complexity of the Chagas disease reactivation phenomenon in patients submitted to HTx for end-stage chagasic cardiomyopathy.
Parton Distribution Functions and Tensorgluons
Authors: Kirschner Roland , Savvidy George
Published: June 2020

We derive the regularised evolution equations for the parton distribution functions that include tensorgluons.
Gravitational Waves in Axion Dark Matter
Authors: Chu Chong-Sun , Soda Jiro , Yoshida Daiske
Published: June 2020

Axion dark matter is interesting as it allows a natural coupling to the gravitational Chern–Simons term. In the presence of an axion background, the gravitational Chern–Simons term produces parity violating effects in the gravitational sector, in particular on the propagation of gravitational waves. Previously, it has been shown that the coherent oscillation of the axion field leads to a parametric amplification of gravitational waves with a specific frequency. In this paper, we focus on the parity violating effects of the Chern–Simons coupling and show the occurrence of gravitational birefringence. We also find deviation from the speed of light of the velocity of the gravitational waves. We give constraints on the axion-Chern–Simons coupling constant and the abundance of axion dark matter from the observation of GW170817 and GRB170817A.
Infection of Ruminants, Including Pregnant Cattle, with Bungowannah Virus
Authors: Read Andrew J. , Finlaison Deborah S. , Kirkland Peter D.
Published: June 2020

Bungowannah virus is a pestivirus known to cause reproductive losses in pigs. The virus has not been found in other species, nor is it known if it has the capacity to cause disease in other animals. Eight sheep, eight calves and seven pregnant cows were experimentally infected with Bungowannah virus. It was found that sheep and calves could be infected. Furthermore, it was shown that the virus is able to cross the bovine placenta and cause infection of the foetus. These findings demonstrate the potential for species other than pigs to become infected with Bungowannah virus and the need to prevent them from becoming infected.
Distinct New York City Aedes albopictus Mosquito Populations Display Differences in Salivary Gland Protein D7 Diversity and Chikungunya Virus Replication
Authors: Kaczmarek Maria E. , Herzog Nora L. , Noval Maria G. , Zuzworsky John , Shah Zahir , Bajwa Waheed I. , Stapleford Kenneth A.
Published: June 2020

In an increasingly interconnected world, the exposure and subsequent spread of emergent viruses has become inevitable. This is particularly true for Aedes (Ae.) mosquito-vectored viruses, whose range has increased over the past decade from tropical to temperate regions. However, it is unclear if all populations of Ae. mosquitoes in temperate New York City are able to successfully replicate and transmit arboviruses. To answer this question, we reared Ae. albopictus mosquitoes living in a temperate climate from three locations in New York City. We first sequenced the salivary antiviral protein D7 from individual mosquitoes in each population and found single nucleotide variants that are both shared and unique for each Ae. albopictus population. We then fed each population chikungunya virus (CHIKV) via an artificial blood meal. All three mosquito populations could be infected with CHIKV, yet viral titers differed between populations at 7 days post infection. Moreover, we found that these mosquitoes could transmit CHIKV to mice, and that virus RNA reached the saliva as early as two days post infection. Upon sequencing of the saliva CHIKV genomic RNA, we found mutations at sites correlated with increased transmission and virulence. These studies show that NYC Ae. albopictus populations can be infected with and transmit CHIKV, CHIKV is able to evolve in these mosquitoes, and that host salivary factors display population-specific diversity. Taken together, these studies highlight the need to study how distinct mosquito populations control viral infections, both at the virus and host level.
Extracellular Vesicles in Viral Infections of the Nervous System
Authors: Kutchy Naseer A. , Peeples Eric S. , Sil Susmita , Liao Ke , Chivero Ernest T. , Hu Guoku , Buch Shilpa
Published: June 2020

Almost all types of cells release extracellular vesicles (EVs) into the extracellular space. EVs such as exosomes and microvesicles are membrane-bound vesicles ranging in size from 30 to 1000 nm in diameter. Under normal conditions, EVs mediate cell to cell as well as inter-organ communication via the shuttling of their cargoes which include RNA, DNA and proteins. Under pathological conditions, however, the number, size and content of EVs are found to be altered and have been shown to play crucial roles in disease progression. Emerging studies have demonstrated that EVs are involved in many aspects of viral infection-mediated neurodegenerative diseases. In the current review, we will describe the interactions between EV biogenesis and the release of virus particles while also reviewing the role of EVs in various viral infections, such as HIV-1, HTLV, Zika, CMV, EBV, Hepatitis B and C, JCV, and HSV-1. We will also discuss the potential uses of EVs and their cargoes as biomarkers and therapeutic vehicles for viral infections.
Grippenet: A New Tool for the Monitoring, Risk-Factor and Vaccination Coverage Analysis of Influenza-Like Illness in Switzerland
Authors: Richard Aude , Müller Laura , Wisniak Ania , Thiabaud Amaury , Merle Thibaut , Dietrich Damien , Paolotti Daniela , Jeannot Emilien , Flahault Antoine
Published: June 2020

Implemented in Switzerland in November 2016, Grippenet provides Internet-based participatory surveillance of influenza-like illness (ILI). The aim of this research is to test the feasibility of such a system and its ability to detect risk factors and to assess ILI-related behaviors. Participants filled in a web-based socio-demographic and behavioral questionnaire upon registration, and a weekly symptoms survey during the influenza season. ILI incidence was calculated weekly, and risk factors associated to ILI were analyzed at the end of each season. From November 2016 to May 2019, 1247 participants were included. The crossing of the Sentinel System (Sentinella) epidemic threshold was associated with an increase or decrease of Grippenet ILI incidence, within the same week or earlier. The number of active users varied according to ILI incidence. Factors associated with ILI were: ages 0–4 compared with 5–14 (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.19–0.99), 15–29 (AOR 0.29, 95% CI 0.15–0.60), and 65+ (AOR 0.38, 95% CI 0.16–0.93); female sex (male AOR 0.81, 95% CI 0.7–0.95); respiratory allergies (AOR 1.58, 95% CI 1.38–1.96), not being vaccinated (AOR 2.4, 95% CI 1.9–3.04); and self-employment (AOR 1.97, 95% CI 1.33–3.03). Vaccination rates were higher than those of the general population but not high enough to meet the Swiss recommendations. Approximately, 36.2% to 42.5% of users who reported one or more ILIs did not seek medical attention. These results illustrate the potential of Grippenet in complementing Sentinella for ILI monitoring in Switzerland.
Mental disorders in the clinical picture of craniopharyngiomas in adults
Authors: Sidneva Yu. , Astafyeva L. , Zaytsev O. , Urakov S. , Kalinin P. , Kutin M. , Kadashev B. , Shkarubo A. , Fomichev D. , Sharipov O. , Voronina I. , Andreev D.
Published: June 2020

The clinical picture of craniopharyngiomas (CPs) is diverse and polymorphic in its manifestations, including endocrine, neurological disorders, visual and mental impairment. Mental disorders in the clinical picture of CPs are detected from 6 to 100 %, according to the literature. But more often one can find a description of individual syndromes only — memory impairment, disorders of the emotional sphere and/or behavior. There is not enough information about mental disorders in different topographic and anatomical variants of craniopharyngioma, possible pathognomonic psychopathological symptoms and/or syndromes. Objective of the article is to describe mental disorders in the clinical picture of craniopharyngioma with different topographic and anatomical variants in adults. Materials and methods. The study included 120 adult patients (18–68 years old, mean age 39 ± 2; 59 women and 61 men) who were first admitted for treatment to the National Medical Research Center for Neurosurgery named after academician N. N. Burdenko with the diagnosis of craniopharyngioma (2007–2015). The clinical-psychopathological method was the main in the research. Results. Mental disorders in the clinical picture of CPs were detected in 103 (85.8 %) patients before surgery in the form of the main syndromes: asthenic syndrome was found in 83 (69 %) patients, emotional-volitional disorders in 79 (65,8 %), amnestic disorder in 71 (59,1 %), personality changes in 71 (59,1 %), paroxysmal conditions in 55 (45,8 %), sleep and dream disorders in 54 (45 %), consciousness disorders in 24 (20 %) patients. Mental disorders did not appear separately, but in combination with each other, prevailing in the clinical picture to one degree or another in various topographic and anatomical variants of craniopharyngioma, respectively. Conclusion. Mental disorders in the clinical picture of CPs were detected in 85,8 % of patients before surgery, they were determined by the location of the tumor lesion — topographic and anatomical variant of CP, the spread and influence of the tumor on the structures of the diencephalic region, limbic system, and third ventricle: in 65 % of cases with endosuprasellar craniopharyngioma, in 86 % of cases with stem craniopharyngioma, in 100 % of cases with extra- and intraventricular CPs.
Role conflicts and role overloads in the doctor's activity as a socio-psychological problem
Authors: Katkova Anastasia , Andriyanova Elena
Published: June 2020

Currently, the leading socio-psychological problem in modern health care is role overloads and role conflicts among medical professionals. Role-based problems can lead to neuropsychiatric stress and become a source of professional stress for doctors. Therefore, in order to provide social assistance and support to doctors, it is necessary to study the sociopsychological factors that determine role conflicts in the professional activity of a doctor and further implement a socially oriented approach in the conditions of modernizing the modern healthcare system.
On the issue of evaluation of vertebrogenic pathology in professional drivers at the stage of outpatient visit
Authors: Shaykhlislamova E. , Vagapova D. , Churmantayeva S. , Berg A.
Published: June 2020

Truck drivers represent one of numerous occupational groups employed in many economic sectors. Their work is characterized by a complex of adverse occupational factors. The greatest risk for the development of musculoskeletal diseases, including vertebral pathology, is associated with vibration, adverse environment, and work stress. Analysis of the state of health in 65 male drivers from trucking industry is carried out on the basis of results of outpatient examination. It included medical history, assessment of the severity of pain according to a visual analog scale, and instrumental methods of diagnosis. Vertebrogenic diseases of the cervical spine (cervicalgia, cervicobrachialgia) were detected according to the results of examination in 73.8% of drivers and diseases of the lumbosacral region (low back pain, lumbar ischialgia, radiculopathy) in 89.2% of drivers. Increase in the length of service negatively affects the course of the disease, leading to an increase in neurologic impairment from the reflex stage in the group of people with work experience of up to 9 years to the stage of radicular compression in the group with work experience of more than 20 years. Presented data indicate the need to develop a set of targeted measures of sanitary and hygienic and therapeutic and preventive nature.
Scientific substantiation of the influence of educational environment on adaptive processes in the body of adolescents
Authors: Voytovich А.
Published: June 2020

Results of a study of the adaptive potential in adolescents in terms of the functional condition of cardiovascular system, vegetative nervous system and psycho-emotional condition are presented in the article. Dependence of changes in indicators of adaptation on the level of influence of environmental factors is revealed. Preventive measures to reduce negative impact of educational environment on the students' body have been developed.
ON DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF PRIORITY MEASURES FOR ADAPTATION
OF ST. PETERSBURG TO CLIMATE CHANGES
Authors: A.A. Pavlovskii I.I.
Published: June 2020

The adverse effects of climate change are a critical threat to sustainable urban development in the twenty-first century. The article discusses the possible impacts of climate change on St. Petersburg and adaptation measures for them. Special attention is paid to the directions specified in the Strategy of Social and Economic Development of St. Petersburg for the long term: formation of an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, protection of the coast from flooding and erosion. Available estimates of greenhouse gas emissions in St. Petersburg are analyzed. Comparative estimates
of changes in emissions of harmful substances from the main thermal power plants of St. Petersburg in the 1980s and in the 2020 are presented in the article, total emission from main energy plants having decreased more than 4 times. Achievements of St. Petersburg energy complex in transition to gas fuel are shown. Global warming can affect almost all anthropogenic and natural components of the metropolis St. Petersburg. In addition, they can be significantly strengthened by the urban heat island, which has become a characteristic of St. Petersburg in the late 19th century. Trends of St. Petersburg population growth and density of urban development make it possible to say that the development of the island of heat will continue in the next decades.
The author proposes boundary delimitation of the maritime zone of St. Petersburg, determined on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the various zones related to the protection of the eastern Gulf of Finland. Practically all climatic normals of St. Petersburg presented in normative documents have changed at present. This circumstance requires updating of these documents. Extreme estimates of sea level rise pose a major threat to the security for the coast and population of St. Petersburg in the 21st century under global warming. Estimates of global warming impacts should be taken when planning urban development for the long-term.
THE CHALLENGES OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
Authors: Kolbanev M.O. , Tatarnikova T.M.
Published: June 2020

The problem of transforming the economy into a digital one is discussed. The main challenges the digital economy poses to society, the state and business in the technological field are given. The characteristics of the digitalization of the economy are presented, including the rapid accumulation of digital data, the creation of a global information infrastructure, the formation of a new information sphere of people’s lives, the exponential increase in the rate of introduction of digital technologies and the emergence of new scientific and technical directions, the radical change in social relations, the transformation of old models of activity, wide geoinformatization. Examples of digital economy projects of developed countries - Germany, USA,
Great Britain, Japan - are given. The conclusion is drawn about the main emphasis of the digital economy programs adopted by the developed countries. The stages of industrial revolutions, showing a change in technological waves from the advent of a steam engine in Industry 1, the automotive industry and electrification in Industry 2, the development of cybernetics in Industry 3, to the advent of digital production and the merging of the virtual and real worlds in Industry 4.0, are presented. The end-to-end technologies defined in the “Digital Economy of the Russian Federation” national program are listed. Four groups of new scientific and technical areas serving as the basis for the planned transformation of the economy into the digital one (digitalization, geoinformatization, datification and materialization) are identified. Digitalization helps create a digital environment to support all activities. Geoinformatization allows building more effective models of activity due to the addition of spatial positioning technologies to the functional areas of information systems. Datification allows the introduction of new adoption models based on big data analysis. Materialization implements digital production of objects without direct human participation and traditional material technologies.
SPATIAL-TEMPORARY REGULARITIES OF THE SURFACE AND UNDERGROUND FLOWS
OF THE RIVERS OF THE GREAT CAUCASUS
Authors: Alieva I.S.
Published: June 2020

The analysis of the statistical structure of the ranges is carried out, the degree of synchronism of fluctuations in runoff characteristics is estimated, and linear trends are identified. The annual values of groundwater runoff have been determined as the arithmetic average of the monthly average minimum winter and summer-autumn water discharges, the surface runoff being calculated as the difference between the annual and groundwater runoff. The stationarity of most of the considered ranges proves to be violated by dispersion or average value. For underground runoff, the number of such ranges according to the Fisher and student criteria is 9 and 12, and for surface runoff, 7 and 9, respectively. For 15 rows of underground runoff and 9 rows of surface runoff, autocorrelation coefficients are statistically significant at a 5 % level of significance. Differential integral curves have been drawn according to the data of each river, the temporal indicators of various phases of water content being determined from them. For the long-term, fluctuations of the underground flow of all the studied rivers are characterized by the presence of a prolonged low-water phase. To quantify the degree of synchronism of long-term fluctuations in the underground flow of rivers, the pair correlation coefficients between all the analyzed series have been calculated. In the long-term fluctuations of both the underground and surface runoff of the rivers of the Greater Caucasus, asynchrony has not been detected. Over the long-term observation period, the underground runoff of the vast majority of rivers is shown to be increasing. For ranges of surface runoff, multidirectional trends have been found. Most of the linear trends in groundwater flow and half of the trends in surface runoff are statistically significant. The significance of linear trends has been estimated by the values of the pair correlation coefficient and its standard error. The data on the runoff of 17 hydrological observation points covering 1934—2017 period have been used