bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticles as Vaccines to Prevent Arbovirus Infection: A Long Road Ahead
Authors: de Souza Gabriel Augusto Pires , Rocha Raíssa Prado , Gonçalves Ricardo Lemes , Ferreira Cyntia Silva , de Mello Silva Breno , de Castro Renato Fróes Goulart , Rodrigues João Francisco Vitório , Júnior João Carlos Vilela Vieira , Malaquias Luiz Cosme Cotta , Abrahão Jônatas Santos , Coelho Luiz Felipe Leomil
Published: January 2021

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) are a significant public health problem worldwide. Vaccination is considered one of the most effective ways to control arbovirus diseases in the human population. Nanoparticles have been widely explored as new vaccine platforms. Although nanoparticles’ potential to act as new vaccines against infectious diseases has been identified, nanotechnology’s impact on developing new vaccines to prevent arboviruses is unclear. Thus, we used a comprehensive bibliographic survey to integrate data concerning the use of diverse nanoparticles as vaccines against medically important arboviruses. Our analysis showed that considerable research had been conducted to develop and evaluate nanovaccines against Chikungunya virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus. The main findings indicate that nanoparticles have great potential for use as a new vaccine system against arboviruses. Most of the studies showed an increase in neutralizing antibody production after mouse immunization. Nevertheless, even with significant advances in this field, further efforts are necessary to address the nanoparticles’ potential to act as a vaccine against these arboviruses. To promote advances in the field, we proposed a roadmap to help researchers better characterize and evaluate nanovaccines against medically important arboviruses.
Applying RGB- and Thermal-Based Vegetation Indices from UAVs for High-Throughput Field Phenotyping of Drought Tolerance in Forage Grasses
Authors: De Swaef Tom , Maes Wouter H. , Aper Jonas , Baert Joost , Cougnon Mathias , Reheul Dirk , Steppe Kathy , Roldán-Ruiz Isabel , Lootens Peter
Published: January 2021

The persistence and productivity of forage grasses, important sources for feed production, are threatened by climate change-induced drought. Breeding programs are in search of new drought tolerant forage grass varieties, but those programs still rely on time-consuming and less consistent visual scoring by breeders. In this study, we evaluate whether Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based remote sensing can complement or replace this visual breeder score. A field experiment was set up to test the drought tolerance of genotypes from three common forage types of two different species: Festuca arundinacea, diploid Lolium perenne and tetraploid Lolium perenne. Drought stress was imposed by using mobile rainout shelters. UAV flights with RGB and thermal sensors were conducted at five time points during the experiment. Visual-based indices from different colour spaces were selected that were closely correlated to the breeder score. Furthermore, several indices, in particular H and NDLab, from the HSV (Hue Saturation Value) and CIELab (Commission Internationale de l’éclairage) colour space, respectively, displayed a broad-sense heritability that was as high or higher than the visual breeder score, making these indices highly suited for high-throughput field phenotyping applications that can complement or even replace the breeder score. The thermal-based Crop Water Stress Index CWSI provided complementary information to visual-based indices, enabling the analysis of differences in ecophysiological mechanisms for coping with reduced water availability between species and ploidy levels. All species/types displayed variation in drought stress tolerance, which confirms that there is sufficient variation for selection within these groups of grasses. Our results confirmed the better drought tolerance potential of Festuca arundinacea, but also showed which Lolium perenne genotypes are more tolerant.
Rational Design of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Using Quaternary Ammonium Cations for Glyphosate Detection
Authors: Zarejousheghani Mashaalah , Jaafar Alaa , Wollmerstaedt Hendrik , Rahimi Parvaneh , Borsdorf Helko , Zimmermann Stefan , Joseph Yvonne
Published: January 2021

Molecularly imprinted polymers have emerged as cost-effective and rugged artificial selective sorbents for combination with different sensors. In this study, quaternary ammonium cations, as functional monomers, were systematically evaluated to design imprinted polymers for glyphosate as an important model compound for electrically charged and highly water-soluble chemical compounds. To this aim, a small pool of monomers were used including (3-acrylamidopropyl)trimethylammonium chloride, [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride, and diallyldimethylammonium chloride. The simultaneous interactions between three positively charged monomers and glyphosate were preliminary evaluated using statistical design of the experiment method. Afterwards, different polymers were synthesized at the gold surface of the quartz crystal microbalance sensor using optimized and not optimized glyphosate-monomers ratios. All synthesized polymers were characterized using atomic force microscopy, contact angle, Fourier-transform infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Evaluated functional monomers showed promise as highly efficient functional monomers, when they are used together and at the optimized ratio, as predicted by the statistical method. Obtained results from the modified sensors were used to develop a simple model describing the binding characteristics at the surface of the different synthesized polymers. This model helps to develop new synthesis strategies for rational design of the highly selective imprinted polymers and to use as a sensing platform for water soluble and polar targets.
A Co-Nanoparticles Modified Electrode for On-Site and Rapid Phosphate Detection in Hydroponic Solutions
Authors: Xu Feng , Wang Peng , Bian Shiyuan , Wei Yuliang , Kong Deyi , Wang Huanqin
Published: January 2021

Conventional strategies for determining phosphate concentration is limited in efficiency due to the cost, time, and labor that is required in laboratory analysis. Therefore, an on-site and rapid detection sensor for phosphate is urgently needed to characterize phosphate variability in a hydroponic system. Cobalt (Co) is a highly sensitive metal that has shown a selectivity towards phosphate to a certain extent. A disposable phosphate sensor based on the screen-printed electrode (SPE) was developed to exploit the advantages of Co-nanoparticles. A support vector machine regression model was established to predict the concentration of phosphate in the hydroponic solutions. The results showed that Co-nanoparticles improve the detection limit of the sensor in the initial state. Meanwhile, the corrosion of Co-nanoparticles leads to a serious time-drift and instability of the electrodes. On the other hand, the coefficient of variation of the disposable phosphate detection chip is 0.4992%, the sensitivity is 33 mV/decade, and the linear range is 10−1–10−4.56 mol/L. The R2 and mean square error of the buffer-free sensor in the hydroponic solution are 0.9792 and 0.4936, respectively. In summary, the SPE modified by the Co-nanoparticles is a promising low-cost sensor for on-site and rapid measurement of the phosphate concentration in hydroponic solutions.
Noninvasive Monitoring of Dynamical Processes in Bruised Human Skin Using Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Pulsed Photothermal Radiometry
Authors: Marin Ana , Verdel Nina , Milanič Matija , Majaron Boris
Published: January 2021

We have augmented a recently introduced method for noninvasive analysis of skin structure and composition and applied it to monitoring of dynamical processes in traumatic bruises. The approach combines diffuse reflectance spectroscopy in visible spectral range and pulsed photothermal radiometry. Data from both techniques are analyzed simultaneously using a numerical model of light and heat transport in a four-layer model of human skin. Compared to the earlier presented approach, the newly introduced elements include two additional chromophores (β-carotene and bilirubin), individually adjusted thickness of the papillary dermal layer, and analysis of the bruised site using baseline values assessed from intact skin in its vicinity. Analyses of traumatic bruises in three volunteers over a period of 16 days clearly indicate a gradual, yet substantial increase of the dermal blood content and reduction of its oxygenation level in the first days after injury. This is followed by the emergence of bilirubin and relaxation of all model parameters towards the values characteristic for healthy skin approximately two weeks after the injury. The assessed parameter values and time dependences are consistent with existing literature. Thus, the presented methodology offers a viable approach for objective characterization of the bruise healing process.
Identification of the Olfactory Profile of Rapeseed Oil as a Function of Heating Time and Ratio of Volume and Surface Area of Contact with Oxygen Using an Electronic Nose
Authors: Rusinek Robert , Kmiecik Dominik , Gawrysiak-Witulska Marzena , Malaga-Toboła Urszula , Tabor Sylwester , Findura Pavol , Siger Aleksander , Gancarz Marek
Published: January 2021

The process of deep fat frying is the most common technological procedure applied to rapeseed oil. During heat treatment, oil loses its nutritional properties and its original consumer quality is lowered, which is often impossible to determine by organoleptic assessment. Therefore, the aim of the study was to correlate markers of the loss of the nutritional properties by rapeseed oil related to the frying time and the surface area of contact with oxygen with changes in the profile of volatile compounds. The investigations involved the process of 6-, 12-, and 18-h heating of oil with a surface-to-volume ratio (s/v ratio) of 0.378 cm−1, 0.189 cm−1, and 0.126 cm−1. Samples were analysed to determine changes in the content of polar compounds, colour, fatty acid composition, iodine value, and total chromanol content. The results were correlated with the emission of volatile compounds determined using gas chromatography and an electronic nose. The results clearly show a positive correlation between the qualitative degradation of the oil induced by prolonged heating and the response of the electronic nose to these changes. The three volumes, the maximum reaction of the metal oxide semiconductor chemoresistors, and the content of polar compounds increased along the extended frying time.
The Role of 8-Amidoquinoline Derivatives as Fluorescent Probes for Zinc Ion Determination
Authors: Mohamad Nur Syamimi , Zakaria Nur Hanis , Daud Nurulhaidah , Tan Ling Ling , Ta Goh Choo , Heng Lee Yook , Hassan Nurul Izzaty
Published: January 2021

Mass-spectrometry-based and X-ray fluorescence-based techniques have allowed the study of the distribution of Zn2+ ions at extracellular and intracellular levels over the past few years. However, there are some issues during purification steps, sample preparation, suitability for quantification, and the instruments’ availability. Therefore, work on fluorescent sensors based on 8-aminoquinoline as tools to detect Zn2+ ions in environmental and biological applications has been popular. Introducing various carboxamide groups into an 8-aminoquinoline molecule to create 8-amidoquinoline derivatives to improve water solubility and cell membrane permeability is also a recent trend. This review aims to present a general overview of the fluorophore 8-aminoquinoline and its derivatives as Zn2+ receptors for zinc sensor probes. Various fluorescent chemosensor designs based on 8-amidoquinoline and their effectiveness and potential as a recognition probe for zinc analysis were discussed. Based on this review, it can be concluded that derivatives of 8-amidoquinoline have vast potential as functional receptors for zinc ions primarily because of their fast reactivity, good selectivity, and bio-compatibility, especially for biological applications. To better understand the Zn2+ ion fluorophores’ function, diversity of the coordination complex and geometries need further studies. This review provides information in elucidating, designing, and exploring new 8-amidoquinoline derivatives for future studies for the improvement of chemosensors that are selective and sensitive to Zn2+.
Inhibitors of 11β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 1 as Potential Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—A Systematic Review of Clinical and In Vivo Preclinical Studies
Authors: Almeida Cristiana , Monteiro Cristina , Silvestre Samuel
Published: January 2021

Diabetes mellitus is a pathology with increasing frequency in society, being one of the main causes of death worldwide. For this reason, new therapeutic targets have been studied over the years. 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) is an enzyme responsible for reducing cortisone to its active form cortisol, which can lead to metabolic changes such as insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Therefore, 11β-HSD1 inhibition may offer a new therapeutic approach for type 2 diabetes mellitus. This work intends to systematically review the available scientific evidence on this subject. For this, a search was conducted in three databases and 15 clinical and in vivo preclinical studies were included in this review. Despite the high inhibitory and selectivity levels achieved with several molecules and the demonstrated clinical efficacy in diabetes treatment, no phase III clinical trials have yet been conducted. This is important because the long-term effects of 11β-HSD1 inhibitors including the consequences in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis must be evaluated. However, this enzyme remains a promising target for drug development, including due to its effectiveness in controlling various factors that constitute the metabolic syndrome and its potential for multiple indications in patients with diabetes, including wound healing and weight loss.
Corrosion Evaluation of Geopolymer Concrete Made with Fly Ash and Bottom Ash
Authors: Morla Priyanka , Gupta Rishi , Azarsa Peiman , Sharma Ashutosh
Published: January 2021

Environmental pollution caused by CO2 releasing from the production of cement is a great challenge for the construction industry and has triggered exploration into more sustainable alternatives. Geopolymer Concrete (GPC) is a potential sustainable solution that does not involve the use of cement as a binder. GPC is produced by mixing the alumino-silicate source materials such as fly-ash with alkali activators such as potassium hydroxide (KOH) and potassium silicate (K2SiO3). Unlike Ordinary Portland Concrete (OPC), the characteristics of GPC depend on the precursor materials and therefore vary for different mixes. Consequently, corrosion behavior needs to be evaluated separately for individual mixes. This has narrowed the scope of existing published work on corrosion behavior of GPC. In this study, GPC and OPC specimens were prepared and exposed to accelerated corrosion exposure. Half-cell potential and linear polarization resistance were used to evaluate the corrosion rate in GPC and OPC. Under accelerated conditions, the corrosion rate of the GPC specimens was between 10 µm/year and 20 µm/year exhibiting a moderate to high rate of corrosion. Meanwhile, the corrosion rate of the OPC specimens was between 40 µm/year and 60 µm/year indicating a very high corrosion activity. It can be concluded that GPC has a higher resistance to chloride-induced corrosion; with a low corrosion rate and lower mass loss percentage, compared to OPC.
Sustainability in Public Pension Funds? A Longitudinal Study of the Council on Ethics of the Swedish AP Funds
Authors: Boudin Joel , Olsson Jan
Published: January 2021

Are public pension funds taking sustainability values into serious consideration? This question is addressed by analyzing annual reports of The Council on Ethics in the Swedish public pension system, which has a clear mission from The Swedish Government to consider sustainability values. The council was established in 2007 and supports four funds with advice. This article studies empirically how the council’s expression of words connected to different values has changed over time as well as how it practically reasons in situations of value conflicts. The quantitative data shows that words indicative of “sustainability values” have considerably increased. As a contrast, the critical discourse analysis shows that the council often reasons in a general, loose way about preferable solutions, while more practical claims for action are largely lacking or are vague in relation to sustainable development. The underlying rationale is very much in line with the discourse of economic rationalism. Thus, the quantitative findings suggest an emerging sustainability discourse, while the qualitative analysis clearly indicates that an economic rationale continues to underpin the council’s practical reasoning. However, it is concluded that this is not a simple case of green washing documents but rather a slow train moving towards green institutional change.
Social Patterning and Stability of Intention to Accept a COVID-19 Vaccine in Scotland: Will Those Most at Risk Accept a Vaccine?
Authors: Williams Lynn , Flowers Paul , McLeod Julie , Young David , Rollins Lesley ,   The CATALYST Project Team
Published: January 2021

Vaccination is central to controlling COVID-19. Its success relies on having safe and effective vaccines and also on high levels of uptake by the public over time. Addressing questions of population-level acceptability, stability of acceptance, and sub-population variation in acceptability are imperative. Using a prospective design, a repeated measures two-wave online survey was conducted to assess key sociodemographic variables and intention to accept a COVID-19 vaccine. The first survey (Time 1) was completed by 3436 people during the period of national lockdown in Scotland and the second survey (n = 2016) was completed two months later (Time 2) when restrictions had been eased. In the first survey, 74% reported being willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Logistic regression analyses showed that there were clear sociodemographic differences in intention to accept a vaccine for COVID-19 with intention being higher in participants of white ethnicity as compared with Black, Asian, and minority ethnic (BAME) groups, and in those with higher income levels and higher education levels. Intention was also higher in those who had “shielding” status due to underlying medical conditions. Our results suggest that future interventions, such as mass media and social marketing, need to be targeted at a range of sub-populations and diverse communities.
Real-Time Control of the Middle Route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project
Authors: Wu Yongyan , Li Liqun , Liu Zihui , Chen Xiaonan , Huang Huiyong
Published: January 2021

Scientific and effective operation control of the Middle Route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project (MRP) is crucial to ensure water conveyance safety. As the longest water transfer project in China, its operation is confronted with unprecedented difficulties since it is controlled by a large number of check gates and diversion gates, subject to multiple constraints, and has no online regulation reservoirs. No automatic control models have been successfully put into use yet. This paper firstly introduced an expanded downstream depth operation method, and then scheduled the delivery using the volume balance principle and chartography according to the possible combination of flow change of the check gate, water volume change of the pool and flow change of diversions. Next, an improved real-time control model was established on the basis of PI controller, and the models were integrated into an automatic system for daily operation. Finally, a case study was carried out. Results showed that water level variations could be controlled within the target interval (0.25 m), and users’ demands could be met five times more rapidly. In addition, the total times of check gate operation could be reduced almost two times. The findings could promote the intelligent operation of the MRP.
Effects of Different Normalization, Aggregation, and Classification Methods on the Construction of Flood Vulnerability Indexes
Authors: Moreira Luana Lavagnoli , de Brito Mariana Madruga , Kobiyama Masato
Published: January 2021

Index-based approaches are widely employed for measuring flood vulnerability. Nevertheless, the uncertainties in the index construction are rarely considered. Here, we conducted a sensitivity analysis of a flood vulnerability index in the Maquiné Basin, Southern Brazil, considering distinct normalization, aggregation, classification methods, and their effects on the model outputs. The robustness of the results was investigated by considering Spearman’s correlations, the shift in the vulnerability rank, and spatial analysis of different normalization techniques (min-max, z-scores, distance to target, and raking) and aggregation methods (linear and geometric). The final outputs were classified into vulnerability classes using natural breaks, equal interval, quantiles, and standard deviation methods. The performance of each classification method was evaluated by spatial analysis and the Akaike’s information criterion (AIC). The results presented low sensitivity regarding the normalization step. Conversely, the geometric aggregation method produced substantial differences on the spatial vulnerability and tended to underestimate the vulnerability where indicators with low values compensated for high values. Additionally, the classification of the vulnerability into different classes led to overly sensitive outputs. Thus, given the AIC performance, the natural breaks method was most suitable. The obtained results can support decision-makers in reducing uncertainty and increasing the quality of flood vulnerability assessments.
Flood Mapping Proposal in Small Watersheds: A Case Study of the Rebollos and Miranda Ephemeral Streams (Cartagena, Spain)
Authors: Betancourt-Suárez Valentina , García-Botella Estela , Ramon-Morte Alfredo
Published: January 2021

Anthropogenic landscape changes cause significant disturbances to fluvial system dynamics and such is the case of the watersheds studied near the Spanish Mediterranean coast (Cartagena). Economic growth resulted in the addition of external water resources from the Tajo River (1979) as part of the National Water Plan (1933). Irrigation water has caused the water table to rise since 1979. Furthermore, water resources have boosted urban touristic expansion, industrial estates, and road infrastructures. This study presents a diagnosis of the official flood hazard maps by applying remote sensing techniques that enable the identification of (i) areas flooded during recent events; and (ii) the possible effects of anthropogenic actions on fluvial processes affecting flooding (land use and land cover change—LULCC). The flooded areas were identified from a multispectral satellite image taken by a sensor on Sentinel-2. A multi-temporal analysis of aerial photographs (1929, 1956, 1981, 2009, and 2017) showing the fluvial and anthropic environment at a detailed scale (1:25,000) was used to define the fluvial geomorphology and the main anthropic alterations on the Rebollos ephemeral stream. Official inputs from geographical information repositories about land use were also gathered (LULC). The result was compared to the official flood hazard maps (SNCZI) and this revealed floodable areas that had not been previously mapped because official maps rely only on the hydraulic method. Finally, all the recent changes that will have increased the disastrous consequences of flooding have been detected, analyzed, and mapped for the study area.
Land Application of Biosolids in Europe: Possibilities, Con-Straints and Future Perspectives
Authors: Gianico Andrea , Braguglia Camilla , Gallipoli Agata , Montecchio Daniele , Mininni Giuseppe
Published: January 2021

The agricultural use of good quality sludge represents a value-added route to ensure growth sustainability in Europe, where raw material availability, for example, for phosphorus, is insufficient to meet demand. However, the possible presence of pathogens, pharmaceuticals and heavy metals requires specific regulations to minimize sludge-related health issues and environmental risks. The current regulation on sludge agricultural use applied by many EU countries is here presented and compared, highlighting scarce harmonization of the legislative framework among Member States. Actual issues, such as the fate of emerging micropollutants and microplastics in sludge-amended soils, and public health concerns regarding sludge spreading during the COVID-19 epidemic, are considered, too.
A Data-Driven Surrogate Approach for the Temporal Stability Forecasting of Vegetation Covered Dikes
Authors: Jamalinia Elahe , Tehrani Faraz S. , Steele-Dunne Susan C. , Vardon Philip J.
Published: January 2021

Climatic conditions and vegetation cover influence water flux in a dike, and potentially the dike stability. A comprehensive numerical simulation is computationally too expensive to be used for the near real-time analysis of a dike network. Therefore, this study investigates a random forest (RF) regressor to build a data-driven surrogate for a numerical model to forecast the temporal macro-stability of dikes. To that end, daily inputs and outputs of a ten-year coupled numerical simulation of an idealised dike (2009–2019) are used to create a synthetic data set, comprising features that can be observed from a dike surface, with the calculated factor of safety (FoS) as the target variable. The data set before 2018 is split into training and testing sets to build and train the RF. The predicted FoS is strongly correlated with the numerical FoS for data that belong to the test set (before 2018). However, the trained model shows lower performance for data in the evaluation set (after 2018) if further surface cracking occurs. This proof-of-concept shows that a data-driven surrogate can be used to determine dike stability for conditions similar to the training data, which could be used to identify vulnerable locations in a dike network for further examination.
Hygienic-sanitary conditions of food sold in the public market and open market in the municipality of Arapiraca-AL
Authors: Santos da Silva Lucineide , Santos Claudimary Bispo dos
Published: January 2021

As feiras e mercados públicos oferecem diversos produtos e serviços em um único local, revelam hábitos e manifestações culturais, sendo de grande importância sócio-econômico-cultural para o município. Porém, os alimentos muitas vezes são comercializados em condições que propiciam a contaminação por microrganismos quando não são adotadas práticas adequadas de manipulação e exposição. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as condições higiênico-sanitárias dos alimentos perecíveis comercializados na feira livre e no mercado público do município de Arapiraca-AL. Foram realizadas duas visitas semanais em dezembro/2018, uma visita no Mercado Público, e a outra na feira livre, que ocorre no dia de segunda-feira, localizada nas ruas próximas ao Mercado Público. Os alimentos avaliados foram frutas e hortaliças, carnes e pescados, através de um roteiro de inspeção (check-list) baseado na Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada – RDC nº 216/2004 da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária – ANVISA, cujos itens selecionados foram condições de comercialização, condições de armazenamento, condições de higiene dos manipuladores e das instalações. Na maioria dos aspectos avaliados, principalmente na feira livre, os resultados foram insatisfatórios, devido ao não cumprimento das normas vigentes. Conclui-se que a feira livre não possui estrutura mínima para que possam ser aplicadas as normas higiênico-sanitárias na venda de carnes e pescados e o mercado público apesar de ter uma melhor infraestrutura, os feirantes desrespeitam essas normas.
Nice, 14 juillet 2016. Collecte des hommages déposés au kiosque à musique : les Archives sous tension
Authors: Duvigneau Marion
Published: January 2021

S’emparant très tôt de la question de l’hommage aux victimes de l’attentat du 14 juillet 2016 sur la promenade des Anglais, la Ville de Nice a réuni un «comité pour la mémoire des victimes du 14 juillet ». La collecte des hommages laissés au kiosque à musique du jardin Albert Ier par le service des Archives a été très médiatisée, mais laisse à l’archiviste des regrets : collecte trop tardive, non sélective, conservation très coûteuse, difficile valorisation dans un contexte polémique. Hasard du destin, l’attentat a eu lieu au beau milieu du cycle de commémorations du centenaire de la Première Guerre mondiale, et cette collecte renvoie à l’archiviste la question de son utilité sociale et de son rôle dans les commémorations nationales et municipales.
A Framework for Categorising and Evaluating Tools for
e‑Democracy
Authors: Danielson Mats , Ekenberg Love
Published: January 2021

The design of tools and interfaces for e‑democracy systems
takes place in a highly multidisciplinary context.However, the
inter‑contextual understanding of democracy is still immature. This
article presents a framework suitable forevaluating tools for
e‑democracy. The framework has been developed based on earlier
theories and frameworks and thenfurther evaluated against two test
cases: Twitter and BottenAda. The evaluation model builds on the
inclusion of differentviews of e‑democracy, not seeing them as
conflicting per se but rather making it possible for e‑democracy
tool users anddevelopers to understand the varying degree of support
a tool can display for several aspects of democracy. The model
alsoprovides a visualization of complex theories and can thus
contribute to a more informed discussion on what types ofdemocratic
values are being supported in a particular e‑democracy
tool.
A OFICIALIZAÇÃO DA FEIRA DO APRAZÍVEL, SOBRAL (CE) E AS NOVAS LINGUAGENS DA COMUNICAÇÃO
Authors: Parente Analine Maria Martins
Published: January 2021

O artigo apresenta uma síntese dos resultados obtidos na dissertação de mestrado, a qual estuda as transformações do espaço urbano de Aprazível após a chegada de uma feira de confecção no ano de 2001, objetivando compreender a dinâmica da feira e conhecer os aspectos relevantes da oficialização desta e as formas de marketing adotadas pela Associação dos Feirantes de Aprazível (AFA). Os procedimentos metodológicos basearam-se em levantamento bibliográfico; observação e contato com os processos e os atores; realização de entrevistas e aplicação de questionários, revelando-nos que a oficialização da feira ocorre por meio do seu reconhecimento pela Prefeitura Municipal de Sobral e da criação da AFA, entidade que, além de cuidar da estrutura, é responsável pelos instrumentos de publicidade, enaltecendo o comércio local e, consequentemente, o distrito.
Relaxed Naturalism and Caring About the Truth
Authors: McLeod-Harrison Mark
Published: January 2021

Can our caring about truth be rooted in “relaxed” naturalism? I argue that it cannot. In order to care about truth we need the universe to be capable of providing non-adventitious good, which relaxed naturalism cannot do. I use Michael Lynch’s work as a springboard to showing this claim.
Józef Bremer: Wprowadzenie do filozofii umysłu
Authors: Werner Konrad
Published: January 2021

The article reviews the book Wprowadzenie do filozofii umysłu [Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind], by Józef Bremer.
Thomas Nagel: Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False
Authors: Bremer Józef
Published: January 2021

The article reviews the book Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False, by Thomas Nagel.
A Century of Separation
Authors: Podbielski Marcin
Published: January 2021

Russian Philosophy has long been studied and admired in countries of what may broadly be termed the West. Translations into English, German, or French, of authors like Semyon Frank, Nikolai Berdayev, and Vladimir Solovyov, and of writers like Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Mikhail Bulgakov, are readily available these days. It is only natural that the works of these figures should have attracted the interest of Christian thinkers, who are able to see in them an excellent example of reflection being not only inspired by faith but also applied to areas rarely at the focal point of theology—such as, for instance, proposals for organizing societies on the basis of personal ties, as advocated by Frank. Moreover, thinkers who have grown up in a Christian environment may find in their texts an important example of how faith can serve as an inspirational source of ideas that carry a significant appeal for non-believers, too. In this issue of Forum Philosophicum, we offer our readers some papers in which ideas of this kind, such as the kenotic theory of freedom of Berdayev, are discussed by scholars, and various influences in Russian philosophy are traced back to their antecedent influences.
Can Causal Chains Extend Back Infinitely?
Authors: Dumsday Travis
Published: January 2021

I develop a new argument to the effect that past causal chains cannot extend back infinitely, but must instead terminate in a first uncaused cause (or causes). It has the advantage of sidestepping a historically prominent objection to cosmological arguments of this general type, one leveled by Aquinas and various other Scholastics.
Is Panentheism Naturalistic?
Authors: Leidenhag Mikael
Published: January 2021

This paper will argue that panentheism fails to avoid ontological dualism, and that the naturalistic assumption being employed in panentheism undermines the idea of God acting in physical reality. Moreover, given panentheism’s lack of success with respect to avoiding dualism, it becomes unclear to what extent panentheism represents a naturalistic approach in the dialogue between science and religion.
A Note from the Editor on the Forthcoming 20th Anniversary of the Journal
Authors: Podbielski Marcin
Published: January 2021

Almost four years ago, a new editorial team took over working on Forum Philosophicum. We were given the task of editing a journal whose character and status were already well established, even though its history has been much briefer than that of many Polish and international philosophical periodicals. We hope we have managed to preserve this legacy, while trying to modernize the editorial process and bring the journal into compliance with an increasingly rigorous set of international standards.
How to Be a Very Friendly Atheist Indeed
Authors: Jonbäck Francis
Published: January 2021

Friendly atheists hold atheism to be true, and believe that theists may be rational when holding theism to be true. Theists may be rational, they claim, either because they lack the evidence for atheism, or because they are mistaken regarding the evidential force of the arguments for theism. Both these reasons can be interpreted as suggesting that theists are making a mistake, and perhaps even that they are blameworthy for having made that mistake. In this paper, I argue that friendly atheists might even say that the most intellectually oriented theists are rational and blameless for holding theism to be true. I give two reasons for this. The first reason is based on the denial of doxastic voluntarism regarding at least some of our beliefs. Theists might not have voluntary control with respect to their belief that God exists. The second reason is based on a meta-epistemological consideration. Often, we choose our epistemology by looking at paradigm examples of knowledge. Growing up in a theistic context might lead one to regard the belief that God exists as a paradigm example of knowledge, and a theist could be considered perfectly rational and blameless for doing so, even though they may be aware of reasonable arguments for atheism. With these modifications, I suggest that Friendly Atheism is very friendly indeed.
Editorial Note
Authors: Podbielski Marcin
Published: January 2021

This special volume of Forum Philosophicum makes available five papers selected from those presented at the conference “Maximus the Confessor as a European Philosopher,” held at the Freie Universität, Berlin, from the 26ᵗʰ to the 28ᵗʰ of September, 2014. We are happy to open up our journal to the contributions of a number of scholars who all share a specific methodological stance when it comes to reading Patristic texts. Rather than discussing the philosophy of Maximus the Confessor, they seek out the philosophical involvements and implications of Maximus’ theology. They respect the distinction between philosophical and theological modes of thinking, while recognizing how those modes of thinking influence and complete each other. Furthermore, this particular approach conforms with a perspective on the relationship between faith and reason already adopted by many Christian thinkers since Justin Martyr: one that acknowledges the fruitful dialogue between faith and reason, but reveres God the Logos as the Creator and ultimate source of all truth.
The Ontology of Virtue as Participation in Divine Love in the Works of St. Maximus the Confessor
Authors: Brown Dewhurst Emma
Published: January 2021

This paper demonstrates the ontological status of virtue as an instance of love within the cosmology of St. Maximus the Confessor. It shows that we may posit the real existence of a “virtue” in so far as we understand it to have its basis in, and to be an instance of love. Since God is love and the virtues are logoi, it becomes possible and beneficial to parallel the relationship between love and the virtues with Maximus’ exposition of the Logos and the logoi. In particular, Vladimir Cvetković’s interpretation of the circle and radii analogy will be utilized. It will be shown that when one practices a virtue, one is practicing and participating in love, and, by extension, partaking in God. Within the context of Maximus’ cosmology, this means that practicing virtue and love is the ultimate purpose of humanity in its journey to gather all creation to communion with God. This paper is primarily an exposition of primary sources from St. Maximus, but discussion of the ontology of virtue is made with a view to bringing it into dialogue with modern theories of virtue ethics. This paper arises in part as a response to the August 2013 papers by Andrew Louth and Paul M. Blowers on the need for increased scholarship on Maximus and virtue ethics.
Reading Heidegger through the Cross
Authors: Casewell Deborah
Published: January 2021

This article is concerned with how a particular concept of ontology switched from theistic to atheistic to theistic again due to the influences and disciples of Martin Heidegger. It is agreed that Heidegger took aspects of Christian thought, namely from Augustine of Hippo, Martin Luther, and Søren Kierkegaard, stripping them of their relation to God and instead orientating them to nothingness. Despite Heidegger’s methodological atheism, his ontology was taken up by a number of theologians such as Ernst Fuchs and Rudolf Bultmann, who in their turn influenced Eberhard Jüngel, who in turn mentioned the direct influence that Heidegger has on his thought. Whilst Jüngel acknowledges his debts to Heidegger in the area of ontology, Jüngel also seeks to incorporate the history of God into ontology, where the history of God as Trinity is defined by the passivity of Christ on the cross, and how that event redefines evil’s work in nothingness. This article initially explores how Heidegger formulated his account of ontology, then explores how Jüngel re-Christianized Heidegger’s ontology; evaluating what can be drawn from these shifts about the relationship between ontology and history.
Paul Ricœur’s Hermeneutics of the Beauty of Unpredictability
Authors: Wiercinski Andrzej
Published: January 2021

Thinking with Paul Ricœur is a great pleasure and an even greater challenge. The more we seem to understand his life project, the more perplexed we are when facing the inescapability of the incompleteness, incomprehensibility, and impenetrability of what calls for thinking. Ricœur remains a faithful companion on the way to understanding oneself and reaching the inaccessible, despite the unprecedented progress of psychology, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and religion.
Bauman on Moral Blindness
Authors: Chuwkuebuka Ohaekwusi Anthony
Published: January 2021

This article analyzes Zygmunt Bauman’s notion of moral blindness against the backdrop of his designation of modern culture as a dynamic process of liquefaction constantly dissolving every paradigm and subject to the flexible and indeterminate power of individual choice. Bauman argued that the social conditions of this radically individualistic liquid modernity result in a kind of moral insensitivity that he calls adiaphorization. Adiaphorization for him places certain human acts outside the “universe of moral obligations.” It defies the entire ortho- dox theory of the social origins of morality as it reveals that some dehumanizing monstrous atrocities like the holocaust and genocides are not exclusively reserved for monsters, but can be attributable to “frighteningly normal” moral agents. The present text therefore attempts to discuss the various moral implications of Bau- man’s analysis of moral blindness, with a view to highlighting its weaknesses. It moves on to explore Bauman’s recourse to Emmanuel Levinas’ ethics of the “face of the Other” as a viable ethical remedy that trumps the uncanny effects of this whole adiaphorization effect. Finally, the paper further advances his call for a rediscovery of the sense of belonging, by appealing to some major insights originating from African traditions of ethical communalism in order to propose a possible route towards the avoidance and amelioration of this moral challenge.
Longitudinal and transverse spatial beam profile measurement of relativistic electron bunch by electro-optic sampling
Authors: Ota Masato , Kan Koichi , Komada Soichiro , Arikawa Yasunobu , Shimizu Tomoki , Mag-usara Valynn Katrine , Sakawa Youichi , Matsui Tatsunosuke , Nakajima Makoto
Published: January 2021

Electro-optic (EO) sampling is employed to measure the electric field profiles generated by a relativistic electron bunch along the propagation and in the radial directions. The longitudinal (temporal) profile is investigated by changing the time delay between the electron bunch and the pulsed probe laser, while the transverse (radial) profile is acquired by laterally shifting the path of the electron bunch. Experimental results show good agreement with three-dimensional particle-in-cell calculations. We demonstrated a promising method to simultaneously obtain the longitudinal and transverse beam sizes by utilizing the detected spatio-temporal electric field distribution around the electron bunch.
Electron spin contrast of high-density and perfectly aligned nitrogen-vacancy centers synthesized by chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Mizuno Kosuke , Nakajima Makoto , Ishiwata Hitoshi , Hatano Mutsuko , Iwasaki Takayuki
Published: January 2021

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamonds provide a high-sensitivity magnetometer. We investigated the spin properties of high-density and perfectly aligned NV centers grown using the chemical vapor deposition method by varying the nitrogen concentration. Basically, the optical initialization and spin-dependent fluorescence are determined by intersystem crossing (ISC) in the excited state. In this study, we found that nitrogen impurities lead to a non-radiative and spin-mixing decay working as a competitive pathway against the ISC, using time-resolved fluorescence analysis. Our results will elucidate NV–defect interaction, which significantly contributes to the quality of the quantum material.
The Application of an Expansion Turbine in the Production of Expanded Aggregates
Authors: Hlinčík Tomáš , Ciahotný Karel , Buryan Petr
Published: January 2021

The research into the expansion of Cypris clay from the overburden rocks of the Družba brown coal open-pit mine in North Bohemia has proven that targeted expansion enables good use of the thermal energy of hot aggregates, which has not yet been fully exploited. The integration of an electricity production expansion turbine into the production line and the use of residual gas heat in the turbine cycle can reduce production costs. The article assesses two possible solutions for the integration of the expansion turbine into the technological line, namely with an open and closed working cycle using various gaseous media. In both cases, the proportion of the energy usable for electricity generation in the expansion turbine cycle has been calculated along with the possible fuel savings in the rotary kiln by using combustion air preheated to a high temperature by the residual heat of the gas from the turbine gas cycle.
Oxy-fuel combustion of natural gas: A review
Authors: Hlinčík Tomáš , Ciahotný Karel , Buryan Petr
Published: January 2021

The article compares newly developed methods of natural gas combustion through oxy-fuel technologies. It describes in detail the basic technological differences and ordering of technological parts for five different cycles using carbon dioxide and steam as a working medium in expansion turbines in electricity production. Among the procedures using steam as the working medium, attention is focused on GRAZ and CES cycles. In oxy-fuel procedures utilising carbon dioxide produced by natural gas combustion, the focus is on COOLCEP, MATIANS and COOPERATE cycles. For each cycle described, the respective operating conditions and principles are given. Additionally, detailed process diagrams are also provided. Important advantages of all of these cycles include the possibility of the combustion of not only liquefied natural gas but also other gaseous fossil fuels, whose introduction into production is not very time-consuming, and the possibility of connection to power distribution network within a relatively short period of time.
VISUMINĖ SVEIKATA IR DARNA ŠIAURIETIŠKOS KULTŪROS KONSTRUKTO STRUKTŪROJE
Authors: Strukčinskienė Birutė , Griškonis Sigitas
Published: January 2021

Pastaruoju metu Lietuva ir kitos Baltijos šalys priskiriamos Šiaurės šalių regionui. Tad nestebina siekis atsigręžti į artimiausių kaimynių ir tautų patirtį, tradicijas, nuostatas ir gyvenimo stilių, ieškant darnos sveikatos-gamtos-žmogaus dimensijose ir pritaikant tautinio tapatumo konstruktą mūsiškame kontekste. Straipsnyje aptariami suomiško kultūrinio tapatumo komponentai, analizuojamas šiaurietiškas kultūrinis konstruktas sisu, jo sąlytis su visumine sveikata ir harmonija, diskutuojama, kaip ugdomas sisu.

Sisu – tai suomių kultūros fenomenas, originalios gyvensenos pavyzdys, tradicinės ideologijos konceptas. Tai šiaurietiškas kultūrinis konstruktas, tautinio tapatumo išraiška, savita ilgaamžė tradicinė ideologija, unikalus gyvenimo būdas. Sisu – tai nuoseklus ir drąsus požiūris į iššūkius, kurie iš pirmo žvilgsnio atrodo viršijantys žmogaus galias ir pajėgumus. Tai energijos rezervas, skirtas iššūkiams nugalėti, savita drąsa ir atkaklumas, papildomų jėgų sutelkimas ir pasireiškimas, siekiant užsibrėžto tikslo. Pastangos sukaupti papildomą atsarginę energiją, išsiugdyti, surasti savo sisu ir taip sustiprinti savo fizinę ir psichikos sveikatą bei harmonizuoti visuminę žmogaus sveikatą – siektinas iššūkis individui ir visuomenei. Konstruktyvaus sisu ugdymas padeda didinti atsparumą, atkaklumą, ištvermę bei stiprinti visapusišką sveikatą ir darną. Sisu ugdymui svarbūs komponentai yra: sąveika su gamta, gamtos bei miško terapija, pozityvumas, poilsis, atsiribojimas ir atsitraukimas, naštos sumažinimas (fragmentizacija), išėjimas iš komforto zonos (maži iššūkiai), perdavimas ir plitimas, fizinė veikla bei fizinis aktyvumas, apdovanojimas, įveikus užduotį.