bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Web Portals as an Effective Means of Managing Cities to Ensure Sustainable Development and Solve Environmental Problems
Authors: Rasskasova N
Published: July 2022

This article is devoted to examining sustainable development and environmental problems in cities through analysis of open data from Russian and foreign web portals. The analysis is aimed at revealing the advantages and disadvantages of open data portals; the information obtained can be applied when creating portals for cities in the Russian Federation (specifically, the city of Chelyabinsk). Developing open data portals is an effective method of managing cities to ensure sustainable development. Actively implementing information technologies into urban management systems can improve control over the quality and promptness of city management, help manage city resources, and use resources rationally to solve a number of urban problems, including environmental ones.
Improving ecological monitoring system in the areas of oil and gas production development
Authors: Grafkina M V , Telishevskaya A L
Published: July 2022

The territory of the Russian Federation has various underground resources, among other things the largest reserves of fuel resources of oil and gas, in light of this oil and gas production is especially developed in Russia. Oil and gas production is one of the environmentally hazardous types of economic activity and has a negative impact on the natural environment, by means of disturbance of soils condition, pollution of surface watercourses and underground water, emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere (hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur oxide, carbon monoxide, solid pollutants, etc.). The chemical pollutions, as a result of the ingress of the pollutants in the time of combustion of associated gas or the seepage of oil slimes through the walls of unutilized sludge pits, are dangerous. Russia has a well-developed ecological monitoring system. However, often there are not enough investigations as to the changing state of environmental components in developing oil production centers. This is due to the need for further development of the monitoring system. Analysis of existing monitoring stations data for the environmental conditions will allow to determine the trends of pollution changes and develop recommendations for improving ecological monitoring system in oil and gas production areas.
Complex processing of wood debarking waste as a factor of environmental safety
Authors: Eskin V D , Krivorotova A I
Published: July 2022

In recent decades, the development of a modern industrial enterprise is impossible without considering the issue of complex processing or disposal of waste of the main production. This issue is very acute for the enterprises of the wood processing industry. The processing of wood waste should be considered not only as a factor of rational and environmentally safe use of forests, but also as a factor providing comprehensive processing of wood without increasing the amount of its harvesting and allowing production of new environmentally safe materials in constructing or other purposes. The paper presents the technological aspects of the production of innovative board composite materials made without binders based on debarking waste of coniferous wood raw materials and the studies` results of its operational properties. The produced composite is completely eco-friendly and biodegradable. The manufacturing technology consists of the mechanical activation of the tree bark in a hydrodynamic dispersant. Thanks to this treatment, the bark particles change their microstructure, acquire a large number of active centers and autocoherent properties, which make it possible to create slab materials based on it without introducing binding components and various types of additives into the composition.
Characteristics of sago growth and production in two sago-producing centers in the Kendari Peninsula, Southeast Sulawesi
Authors: Yusuf D N , Muhidin  , Sutariati G A K , Rakian T C , Arman  , Leomo S , Erawan D , Alam S
Published: July 2022

Sago is an alternative food source crop, especially in Southeast Sulawesi. From year to year, the area of sago crops tends to decrease due to conversion and limited cultivation levels. Therefore, to preserve sago, it is necessary to identify and characterize sago growing in Kendari Peninsula. This study aims to identify and describe morphologically the types of sago found in sago-producing centers in the Kendari peninsula, Southeast Sulawesi. Observations were made on the different types of sago growing at two locations of sago planting centers. Parameter measurements were carried out on stem height, bark thickness, leaf width, leaf length, stem diameter, harvest age, and production per stem. The results showed that there were four types of sago found, namely roe (Metroxylon sagu R.), runggamanu (Metroxylon rumphii M.), and barowila (Metroxylon longispinum M.) and sago rui (Metroxylon microcantum). There are differences in sago vegetative and generative growth due to differences in growing environmental conditions and local climate. In general, the dominant types of sago in both locations were sago roe (Metroxylon sagus R.) and sago runggamanu (Metroxylon rumphii M.).
Seed treatments to control Burkholderia glumae on rice seeds in the screenhouse
Authors: Sari S P , Safni I , Lubis L
Published: July 2022

Burkholderia glumae is a rice seed-borne pathogen that cause severe yield which have impact to the food sustainability in the future. As none of control methods was effective, seed treatment is an alternative control technique to manage the disease. This study was aimed to determine the effective control method using liquid smoke, clove oil, citronella oil and copper hydroxide fungicide against B. glumae bacteria at the screen house, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, from December 2020 to May 2021. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) non-factorial with 10 treatments, including positive control, negative control, 5% and 7% of liquid smoke, 2% of clove oil, 1% and 3% of citronella oil, 2% and 5% of copperhydroxide fungicides, with 3 replications. The results showed that the lowest percentage of disease incidence was the rice plants treated by 2% and 5% copperhydroxide fungicides (0.71%). The lowest percentage of disease severity was found in the copper hydroxide 2% and 5% of fungicide treatment (0.71%). The 5% copper hydroxide fungicide treatment had the lowest mean percentage of empty grain, (9.11%). The 5% of clove oil treatment gave the highest rice grain production, with an average of 57.50 g.
Assessment of aromatic plant resistance to cadmium heavymetal through analysis of growth and physiology
Authors: Sulastri Y S , Sabrina T , Mukhlis
Published: July 2022

Information about the resistance of aromatic plants to heavy metals is still little, so related research is needed. This study uses Factorial Block Random Design; Factor I: aromatic plant type {T1=vetiver grass, T2=citronella grass, T3=lemongrass, T4=patchouli, T5=basil}; Factor II: concentration of Cd (K0=0 ppm, K1=85 ppm, K2=170 ppm, K3=255 ppm, K4=340 ppm) where each treatment is repeated 3 times. The observed parameters are root dry weight, shoot dry weight, the substance of chlorophyll a/b, and total chlorophyll. As the results, citronella grass can be selected as candidates for cadmium heavy metal phytoremediation plants because citronella grass has root dry weight and shoot dry weight highest than the others. In addition, vetiver grass can be proposed as a means of phytoremediation because it shows growth physiology responses better under Cd pressure where the dry weight of the roots and shoots increases by 32.48% and 37.95%; total chlorophyll increases by 5.80%. Basil can also be selected because it shows growth and physiology responses better under Cd pressure where the dry weight of the roots and shoots increases by 18.90% and 97.92%; chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll increases by 4.08%, 4.36%, 5.88% respectively.
Karyotype analysis of shallot (Allium cepa L.) cultivars from Southeast Sulawesi for breeding programs and sustainable food availability
Authors: Ramadhani S A , Suaib  , Wijayanto T
Published: July 2022

This research was motivated by the potential sources of genetic diversity of shallot cultivars, originated from several districts in Southeast Sulawesi. Sources of genetic diversity are one of the defining factors of the success of plant breeding programs to develop new cultivars with the desired traits. The purpose of this study was to identify the genetic characteristics of several shallot cultivars from Southeast Sulawesi through Karyotype Analysis. This research was conducted at the Agrotechnology Laboratory, In Vitro Unit, Agriculture Faculty, Halu Oleo University.This research used methods which were according to Carnoy I in fixating, Gertsel in hydrolysing and La Cour in staining the chromosome. The observed variables in this study were chromosome size, centromere index and chromosome shape. Data analysis was determined based on the results of chromosome length measurements using ImageJ software, Photoshop CS3 and Inkscape. The result showed Wakatobi, Konawe and Buton cultivars had different karyotype formulas, while Bombana and Bau-bau cultivars had similar karyotype formulas.
Inclusive crowdfunding scheme as capital source alternative for rural agriculture in Indonesia
Authors: Suasih N N R , Budhi M K S , Wijaya P Y
Published: July 2022

Fundraising through crowdfunding has great potential for agriculture sector capital, considering that the agriculture sector plays an important role in the economy and public welfare. The purpose of this study is to capture the existing condition of inclusive crowdfunding in Indonesia, and also aims to develop an inclusive crowdfunding scheme as an alternative capital for the rural agriculture sector in Indonesia. The slow development and participation of the public in crowdfunding in Indonesia is allegedly due to the low level of public literacy related to crowdfunding. A survey of financial literacy and inclusion in Indonesia states that people in Indonesia have low financial literacy index. The crowdfunding scheme recommended for the rural agriculture sector in Indonesia is combination of donation and debt-based crowdfunding (prosocial lending based), where crowd-investors will provide soft loans (zero interest). Meanwhile, the debtor who receives the funds must submit the participation funds to the crowdfunding platform, where it will be returned after the soft loans are paid off (adopting cooperation). Based on the results and discussions, it is recommended to the relevant stakeholders (government, academics, and further researchers) to support and make efforts to improve public financial literacy through their respective capacities.
Strategy for the development and sustainability of sugar palm farming (Case: Juhar Tarigan Village, Juhar District, Karo Regency)
Authors: Pinem N F , Barus M B , Putra A N
Published: July 2022

The aim of this study is to identify internal and external factors in palm farming and to determine business development strategies located in Desa Juhar Kecamatan Binanga Kabupaten Karo. The location of the study was determined deliberately based on the consideration that the area under study is one of the centres of the palm farming. The method used in this research is purposive sampling that the sampling method is based on criteria or goals (intentional). The sample of this research is the owner of the palm sugar farming Data analysis was carried out by means of descriptive analysis and SWOT analysis. The results showed that the internal factors that influence the development and sustainability of sugar palm farming in Juhar Village, Tigabinanga District, Karo Regency, namely land availability and suitable agro-climate, farmer experience, availability of labour, availability of production inputs, quality of palm sugar. External factors that influence the development and sustainability of sugar palm farming in Juhar Village, Tigabinanga District, Karo Regency, namely high sugar demand, Ease of selling production, Training from the Government, Producer Level Prices, Supporting Institutions, Transportation Facilities, Marketing Reach, Labour Skills while the development strategy and the sustainability of sugar palm farming in Juhar Village, Tigabinanga District, Karo Regency is the ST Strategy (Strengths-Threats).
Potential of landfill microbes in hydrocarbon degradation
Authors: Munir E , Lutfia A , Hartanto A , Fazri A A N , Herdiyanti C , Pratama R , Sinaga O B I , Ramadani Z A , Hasanah P
Published: July 2022

Bioprospecting study of indigenous microbial community is still being approached especially for some microbial strains in bioremediation aspect. The objective of this study was to obtain a collection of indigenous bacterial and fungal isolates capable of growing on hydrocarbon medium. Soil samples were collected from Terjun Landfill located in Medan City, North Sumatra. Mineral salt agar medium supplemented with 10% (v/v) of hydrocarbon sources (diesel oil, pesticide, dye wastewater) was used to screen the microbial capacity in utilizing the hydrocarbon compounds as sole carbon source. Each isolate was categorized based on their growth performance or colony diameter on agar medium namely none (-), slow (+), moderate (++), and rapid (+++). The results obtained a total of 27 bacterial isolates and 6 fungal isolates. Majority of microbial isolates showed a better growth on pesticide medium than in diesel oil and dye wastewater which indicated their capability in converting the pesticide as nutrient. It is worthwhile to investigate the further application of our indigenous strains in contaminated areas in order to ensure the environmental sustainability.
Ethnobotany of plants used in traditional ceremonies in Tanjung Botung Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Rambey R , Lubis A S J
Published: July 2022

Indonesia is a country that has various ethnic groups and cultures. Each tribe in Indonesia has its own special series, one of which is Tanjung Botung Village which still applies local local culture in daily life. This research was conducted in the village of Tanjung Botung, North Sumatra with a qualitative method and the selection of respondents was carried out by snowball sampling. From the results of the study obtained 10 species of plants that are commonly used in traditional ceremonial activities. The plant species included Benincasa hispida, Musa paradisiaca L., Kalanchoe pinnata syn, Saccharum officinarum L., Areca catechu, Piper betle, Citrus hystrix, Imperata cylindrica, Artocarpus heterophyllus and Cocos nucifera. These species are usually planted in the yard or in the garden.
Shade tree pattern of highland coffee plantation and coffee production in Aceh Tengah, Indonesia
Authors: Samsuri  , Rizkana  , Zaitunah A , Ahmad A G
Published: July 2022

Coffee is one commodity has high economics market that cultivated by farmer mainly in the high elevation area. The economics and ecological function of coffee plantations have to be worked in the area plantation, so formulation combination between coffee and forest tree is important. The research aimed to identify the tree species composition of a shade tree in a coffee plantation. Some plot sized 50 m x 50 m was distributed based on lands properties of farmers. Density, frequency, and tree spacing were measured to get basal area, relative density, relative frequency, and important value index. A more in-depth statistical analysis was performed using SPPS to determine the significance of the relationship between density and frequency with coffee productivity. The relationship between tree spacing planting, basal area, and shade trees’ density with Arabica coffee production is a strong enough relationship is the density variable. While the relationship between regular and disordered planting spacing variables with coffee production is strong. The relationship between basal area, density, and coffee production is very weak.
The distribution of Siombak lake sediments, a tropical tidal lake in Indonesia
Authors: Leidonald R , Harahap Z A , Muhtadi A
Published: July 2022

Siombak Lake is one of Indonesia’s tropical tidal lakes located in Medan City, North Sumatra Province. This lake is very dynamic because the lake water level is fluctuating according to the Belawan waters’ tidal (Malacca Strait). This study aims to determine the distribution of sediments in Siombak Lake. The research was conducted from December 2018 - August 2019. The observation locations were taken at 8 points representing all depth layers. The technique used was the filtering analysis using the wet sieve method with stratified sediment filters in different diameters (4.75 mm, 1.7 mm, 250 μm, 850 μm, 150 μm). The data analyzed were weight percentage, texture type, C-organic, the content of nitrogen and phosphorus. The results of the analysis of sediment samples show that there are 3 sediment textures, namely loam, silt loam, and sandy loam. The C- Organic content in the sediments of Siombak Lake ranges from 1.73 - 5.10% at high tide and 1.91-4.40% at low tide. Nitrogen levels in the sediments range from 0.15 - 2.40% at high tide and 0.14-2.35% at low tide. Meanwhile, phosphorus levels in the sediments range between 5.95 - 19.86 ppm at high tide and 1.27-16.35 ppm at low tide.
Growth analysis and exploitation rate of Kawakawa (Euthynnus affinis) at TPI Tanjung Beringin Serdang Bedagai Regency, North Sumatera
Authors: Hasibuan J S , Wulandari S , Manurung V R
Published: July 2022

Kawakawa is landed at TPI Tanjung Beringin, it belongs to the Scombridae family. The purpose of Kawakawa’s research is to investigate information and data such as growth analysis, mortality, and exploitation rates. The study was conducted in July-September 2021 in TPI Tanjung Beringin. Kawakawa (Eythynnus affinis) observed by the weight-length were 101 fishes with total length (TL) distribution ranged from 300-577 mm and total weight (TW) ranged from 334-3184 g. Analysis length-weight relationshis showed the growth pattern is an isometric (b = 3.0033) were analyzed with FISAT II. The results showed that asymptotic length was 579.6 mm, growth rates was 0.85/yr and estimated tmax 3.45 years. The total mortality was 1.88/yr, the natural mortality was 0.73/yr and fishing mortality was 1.15/yr. The Kawakawa’s exploitation rate is overfishing.
The willingness of beef cattle farmers to adopt vaccination from the animal health service unit in Bone regency, South Sulawesi province
Authors: Lestari V S , Rahardja D P , Sirajuddin S N
Published: July 2022

Vaccination is one way to prevent disease transmission in livestock. This study was conducted to know the willingness of Balinese cattle farmers to adopt vaccinations from the animal health service unit. The research location was conducted in the Bone district in 2021. The number of samples was 115 farmers who were taken randomly. The primary data came in the form of characteristics of beef cattle farmers and their farms, such as gender, age, education, experience in raising livestock, family size, herd size, contact with veterinarians, and contact with extension workers. The dependent variable was the willingness to adopt vaccination which was measured by dichotomous variables: Yes, if farmers were willing to have their cattle vaccinated, and no, if farmers were not willing to have their cattle vaccinated. The data were processed using SPSS version 23 using the Logit regression model. The results showed that 47.2% of the independent variables affected the dependent variable. The remaining 52.8% was influenced by other factors outside the model. Simultaneously, the dependent variable was affected by the independent variables (P<0.05). Partially, farmers’ age, education, and family size had a significant effect (P<0.05) on whether farmers adopted vaccination from the animal husbandry service unit.
Antiprotozoal properties of potato peels and linseed oil and their effect on in vitro gas production
Authors: Huda A N , Sumitro A M , Hanifah N A , Aprodita  , Lana R B , Dja’far S M , Aprilia R M , Sabarudin A , Soetanto H
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the antiprotozoal activity of potato peels and linseed oil. The material used were complete feed, potato peel and linseed which was experimented in vitro with four treatments and one control, T0; T1 (complete feed + linseed oil 0.15%); T2 (complete feed + 0.15% potato peel); T3 (complete feed + linseed oil 0.075% + potato peel 0.075%); T4 (complete feed). The results obtained showed a significantly different (P<0.01) on protozoa defaunation, total gas and degradable Dry Matter (DM), and Organic Matter (OM). The addition of potato peel and linseed had the same defaunation effect but tended to decrease, while the total gas production and DM and OM degradability differed. The addition of 0.075% potato peel and 0.075% linseed oil in the complete feed (T3) resulted in the most efficient treatment for gas production, DM, and OM degradability value. In conclusion, the use of plant bioactive compounds as biomarkers in the manipulation of rumen fermentation needs to consider several things, especially the condition of the rumen microflora, instead of focusing on the final results of the manipulation.
The effect of milk replacer containing black soldier fly on preweaned ettawa crossbreed goats on performance and physiological response
Authors: Sepriadi S , Hanafi N D , Sadeli A
Published: July 2022

Lack of mothering ability or motherhood in post-parents parturition to Etawa crossbreeds. Insect protein sources are expected to be one of the alternative protein as sustainable and eco-friendly raw material in the preparation of milk replacer ingredients The purpose of this study was examine effect of maggot flour utilization as milk replacer to goat performance (nutrient consumption, and average daily gain) and physiological status of kids. This research used 10 goat kids, four weeks old with 6.23 ± 0.87 kg body weight. The treatment consists of milking by commercial milk replacer (P0) and milking by milk replacer containing maggot (P1). This study used a completely randomized design. The variables observed were milk consumption, average daily gain, weaning weight, and physiological response of kids. The results showed that dry matter (DM) consumption was higher in P1 than the P0 (P<0.05). The daily weight gain in pre weaned goat fed with milk replacer containing maggot meal was not significantly different with control treatment (commercial milk replacer) (P>0.05). The physiological responses of the goats were not affected by the treatments and did not negatively affect to the physiological response of the kids.
Understanding the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Small Businesses and Workers Using Quantitative and Qualitative Methods
Authors: Honan Jenna , Ingram Maia , Quijada Carolina , Chaires Marvin , Fimbres Jocelyn , Ornelas Catherine , Sneed Sam , Stauber Leah , Spitz Rachel , Sandoval Flor , Carvajal Scott , Billheimer Dean , Wolf Ann Marie , Beamer Paloma
Published: July 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has simultaneously exacerbated and elucidated inequities in resource distribution for small businesses across the United States in terms of worker health and the financial stability of both owners and employees. This disparity was further intensified by the constantly changing and sometimes opposing health and safety guidelines and recommendations to businesses from the local, state, and federal government agencies. To better understand how the pandemic has impacted small businesses, a cross-sectional survey was administered to owners, managers, and workers (n = 45) in the beauty and auto shop sectors from Southern Arizona. The survey identified barriers to safe operation that these businesses faced during the pandemic, illuminated worker concerns about COVID-19, and elicited perceptions of how workplaces have changed since the novel coronavirus outbreak of 2019. A combination of open-ended and close-ended questions explored how businesses adapted to the moving target of pandemic safety recommendations, as well as how the pandemic affected businesses and workers more generally. Almost all the beauty salons surveyed had to close their doors (22/25), either temporarily or permanently, due to COVID-19, while most of the auto repair shops were able to stay open (13/20). Beauty salons were more likely to implement exposure controls meant to limit transmission with customers and coworkers, such as wearing face masks and disallowing walk-ins, and were also more likely to be affected by pandemic-related issues, such as reduced client load and sourcing difficulties. Auto shops, designated by the state of Arizona to be ‘essential’ businesses, were less likely to have experienced financial precarity due to the pandemic. Content analysis of open-ended questions using the social-ecological model documented current and future worker concerns, namely financial hardships from lockdowns and the long-term viability of their business, unwillingness of employees to return to work, uncertainty regarding the progression of the pandemic, conflict over suitable health and safety protocols, and personal or family health and well-being (including anxiety and/or stress). Findings from the survey indicate that small businesses did not have clear guidance from policymakers during the pandemic and that the enacted regulations and guidelines focused on either health and safety or finances, but rarely both. Businesses often improvised and made potentially life-changing decisions with little to no support. This analysis can be used to inform future pandemic preparedness plans for small businesses that are cost-efficient, effective at reducing environmental exposures, and ultimately more likely to be implemented by the workers.
Adverse Events of Soft Tissue Coagulation Using a Helium-Based Plasma Technology Alone and in Combination With Ultrasound-Assisted Liposuction
Authors: Ruff Paul G , Vanek Paul , Nykiel Matthew
Published: July 2022

Background

Protein denaturation and collagen contraction occur when living tissue is heated to well-defined temperatures. The result is reduced volume and surface area of the heated tissue.

Objectives

To evaluate the adverse events of procedures in which a helium-based plasma technology (HPT) was used with and without ultrasound-assisted liposuction for the coagulation of soft tissue.

Methods

A multicenter retrospective chart review was performed in which patients (n = 192) were divided into 2 groups: one that received only soft tissue coagulation and the other that received both soft tissue coagulation and liposuction. Each of the 2 groups was subdivided into patients with and without adverse events, including seroma. Odds ratios for adverse events were calculated for both demographic and surgical subgroups. Seroma data were analyzed separately.

Results

No serious adverse events were observed. Forty-six (24.0%) patients reported 51 total adverse events. Seroma was the most frequently occurring adverse event with 13 patients (6.8%) reporting 17 (33.3%) events in 12 body areas. In these cases, all areas were treated with both liposuction and soft tissue coagulation. Seroma was not observed in patients receiving soft tissue coagulation alone. Patients aged 61 to 76 years and males were more likely to experience seroma or other adverse event than younger patients or females, respectively.

Conclusions

The use of the HPT for soft tissue coagulation in combination with ultrasound for liposuction is associated with nonserious adverse events. The most frequently occurring adverse event, seroma, was not observed in patients treated with HPT alone.

Level of Evidence: 3
Spatial transcriptomics prediction from histology jointly through Transformer and graph neural networks
Authors: Zeng Yuansong , Wei Zhuoyi , Yu Weijiang , Yin Rui , Yuan Yuchen , Li Bingling , Tang Zhonghui , Lu Yutong , Yang Yuedong
Published: July 2022

The rapid development of spatial transcriptomics allows the measurement of RNA abundance at a high spatial resolution, making it possible to simultaneously profile gene expression, spatial locations of cells or spots, and the corresponding hematoxylin and eosin-stained histology images. It turns promising to predict gene expression from histology images that are relatively easy and cheap to obtain. For this purpose, several methods are devised, but they have not fully captured the internal relations of the 2D vision features or spatial dependency between spots. Here, we developed Hist2ST, a deep learning-based model to predict RNA-seq expression from histology images. Around each sequenced spot, the corresponding histology image is cropped into an image patch and fed into a convolutional module to extract 2D vision features. Meanwhile, the spatial relations with the whole image and neighbored patches are captured through Transformer and graph neural network modules, respectively. These learned features are then used to predict the gene expression by following the zero-inflated negative binomial distribution. To alleviate the impact by the small spatial transcriptomics data, a self-distillation mechanism is employed for efficient learning of the model. By comprehensive tests on cancer and normal datasets, Hist2ST was shown to outperform existing methods in terms of both gene expression prediction and spatial region identification. Further pathway analyses indicated that our model could reserve biological information. Thus, Hist2ST enables generating spatial transcriptomics data from histology images for elucidating molecular signatures of tissues.
Neural-Aided Statistical Attack for Cryptanalysis
Authors: Chen Yi , Shen Yantian , Yu Hongbo
Published: July 2022

In Crypto’19, Gohr proposed the first deep learning-based key recovery attack on 11-round Speck32/64, which opens the direction of neural-aided cryptanalysis. Until now, neural-aided cryptanalysis still faces two problems: (i) the attack complexity estimations rely purely on practical experiments; (ii) it does not work when there are not enough neutral bits. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to solve these two problems. In this paper, we propose a Neural-Aided Statistical Attack (NASA) that has the following advantages: (i) NASA supports estimating the theoretical complexity. (ii) NASA does not rely on any special properties including neutral bits. Moreover, we propose three methods for reducing the complexity of NASA. One of the methods, which is based on a newly proposed concept named Informative Bit that reveals an important phenomenon, makes NASA applicable to large-size ciphers. We have performed a series of experiments on round reduced Speck32/64, DES, and Speck96/96. These experiments do not only verify the correctness of NASA, but also further highlight the advantage and potential of NASA. Our work arguably raises a new direction for neural-aided cryptanalysis.
From Sweden to America: migrant selection in the transatlantic migration, 1890–1910
Authors: Dribe Martin , Eriksson Björn , Helgertz Jonas
Published: July 2022

We examine selection by class origin and gender in the emigration from Sweden to the United States during the age of mass migration. We use full-count census data linked to emigration lists to create a panel of over one million men and women. Class selection was similar for men and women, with children from medium-skilled backgrounds being most likely to leave. Selection on class origin was most pronounced in poorer and less industrialized regions, but similar in rural and urban areas. These patterns suggest that not only returns to skill determined migrant selection but also class-specific costs of migration.
Nocturnal pain, is the pain different compared with pain during the day? An exploratory cross-sectional study in patients with hip and knee osteoarthritis
Authors: van Berkel Annemaria C , Ringelenberg Robin , Bindels Patrick J E , Bierma-Zeinstra Sita M A , Schiphof Dieuwke
Published: July 2022

Objective

To explore characteristics of nocturnal pain and to identify differences in participants’ characteristics and osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms between hip and knee OA participants with and without nocturnal pain.

Methods

Data for this exploratory cross-sectional study were obtained from an online survey, distributed through social media and patient associations in the period from April 2020 until May 2020, which was conducted in 101 participants with (self-reported) hip or knee OA. Descriptive statistics were used to provide insight into the characteristics of the study population. Pain intensity, localization, dimension, and impact of (nocturnal) pain on sleep were described and compared with daytime pain.

Results

Nocturnal pain was reported by 76/101 (75%) participants. Participants with nocturnal pain scored higher visual analogue scale (VAS) scores for their nocturnal pain compared with their pain at the moment (respectively: median VAS score 49.5 vs. 40.0). Their day pain rating indexes of sensory-discriminative dimension were higher compared with their nocturnal pain. Comparison between participants with and without nocturnal pain showed that participants with nocturnal pain were affected by intermittent, constant, and radiating pain. Pain had more impact on their sleep and they scored their pain at its worst higher compared with participants without nocturnal pain.

Conclusion

In participants with nocturnal pain (75%), we found that their VAS pain scores were not in harmony with their pain expressed in words. This study increases awareness of nocturnal pain in OA patients in general practice. More research is needed to provide general practitioners possible interventions for patients with OA and nocturnal pain.
The Hundred Horses Chestnut: a model system for studying mutation rate during clonal propagation in superior plants
Authors: Nunziata Angelina , Ferlito Filippo , Magri Anna , Ferrara Elvira , Petriccione Milena
Published: July 2022

The Hundred Horses Chestnut is a monumental European chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) of an estimated age of 2000–3000 years living in Sicily (Italy). Its value as a model plant was here explored by ascertaining its genetic uniformity. Two different kinds of molecular markers, already in use for chestnut varieties identification, were used in the present work for analysing the DNA isolated from eight different points of its foliage. Results document that the three trunks that now form the monumental tree originated from the same seed, and could came, therefore, by the radial fragmentation of a main trunk as hypothesized and argued since 1815. A detailed genetic fingerprint of the tree is provided that can be used for tracking its clones worldwide. The confirm of the genetic uniformity of the tree also corroborates the hypothesis concerning its age and confirms that the plant is a good model system for studying genetic intra-varietal variability deriving from the accumulation of somatic mutations. In fact, chestnut cultivars, that are vegetatively propagated, have more recent origin and can therefore be considered at least as homogeneous as the different parts of the Hundred Horses Chestnut foliage. First results are discussed, and perspectives are pointed out for studies about somatic mutations in monumental trees.
Allied Aerial Imagery of the Jasenovac Concentration Camp and Killing Center
Authors: Hutinec Goran
Published: July 2022

Allied aerial imagery of the Jasenovac concentration camp and killing site taken between 1944 and 1945 contributes to our understanding of the camp’s topography and function. These images, previously unknown to the scholarly community, provide insight into the daily life of Jasenovac’s inmates, and show traces of mass murder and genocide. They provide evidence of the Allied bombing of the camp in 1945, and corroborate testimonies detailing the Ustaša attempts to eradicate the traces of mass murder in the final weeks of the war.
Early Deportations of Jews in Occupied Poland (October 1939–June 1940): The German and the Soviet Cases
Authors: Pulvermacher Alexandra
Published: July 2022

After the division of Poland in September 1939 following the Soviet-German Non-Aggression Pact, deportations of Polish citizens were part of the Nazis’ plan to “Germanize” western and northern Poland, though the Jewish dimension of these events has hardly been investigated. Beyond the organized deportations by the German Security Police, there were local initiatives to expel Jews to the Soviet Zone of partitioned Poland. In the Soviet-occupied Polish territories, many Jews were deported in 1940 to remote areas of the USSR either as “unreliable” or “class alien elements,” or because of their refusal to accept Soviet citizenship. While the brutal Soviet policies unintendedly saved the majority of deported Jews from German extermination, the German deportations were the precursors to total mass murder. This article describes and compares the deportations on both sides, reconstructs the German transports, and concludes that the USSR’s deportations were part of its ongoing war against political opponents and “alien elements,” whereas the Germans’ were stepping stones on Karl A. Schleunes’s “twisted road to Auschwitz.”
Power, Partnership, and Youth as Norm Entrepreneurs: Getting to UN Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security
Authors: Berents Helen
Published: July 2022

Advocates have long worked within and outside the United Nations (UN) to institutionalize recognition of youth as positive participants in peace and security. However, despite the disproportionate impact of conflict on youth, attention to constructive role of youth in peacebuilding has been largely neglected. In 2015, a convergence of efforts and events saw the UN Security Council pass a groundbreaking thematic resolution, Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security (SCR2250), which recognizes for the first time youth's positive role in responding to peace and security challenges. This article draws on analysis of civil society and UN documents, and interviews with key members of the coalition of UN and civil society actors who advocated for this resolution. It demonstrates that partnership with youth in the case of Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) advocacy offers an opportunity to extend understandings of agenda setting in new ways. It examines the issue framing as well as the actors, access, and allies that enabled the success of a coalition of diverse actors working toward normative change. Efforts toward SCR2250 were unique because of the key role of youth-led advocacy, making youth themselves central not only as beneficiaries but also as creators of a new principle for the norm of youth participation in peace and security.
Effect of a Probiotic-Enriched Diet on Sexual Competitiveness, Pheromone Emission, and Cuticular Hydrocarbons of Sterile and Fertile Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Caravantes-Villatoro Luis A , Liedo Pablo , Guillén-Navarro Karina , Rojas Julio C
Published: July 2022

The sterile insect technique has been used for the eradication or control of numerous tephritid fruit flies. However, mass-rearing and sterilization can affect the microbiota and sexual performance of male tephritid fruit flies. Despite the addition of postteneral protein food which contributes to the enhancement of the sexual performance of mass-reared males, in some cases, they are less competitive than their wild counterparts. Alternatively, the addition of probiotics may improve the sexual performance of mass-reared sterile males. In this study, we evaluated the effect of a postteneral Lactobacillus casei-enriched diet on the sexual competitivity, pheromone emission, and cuticular hydrocarbons of mass-reared sterile and fertile Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) males. Flies were fed either with sugar, standard diet (sugar and protein, 3:1), sugar + probiotic, or standard diet + probiotic. The addition of the probiotic improved the sexual competitivity of fertile and sterile males that were devoid of protein but led to a negative effect on males fed with a standard diet. As compared to males that were fed with the standard diet + probiotic/only sugar, the males fed with the standard diet or those fed on sugar + probiotic displayed a higher number of mating instances. Sterile males that fed on sugar + probiotic had a higher relative amount of anastrephine, epianastrephine, n-methyl octacosane, and 2-methyl triacontane than those fed on sugar only. Overall, these compounds were common in the treatments where males had the best sexual performance. Our results suggest that the probiotics offer nutritional advantages to males whose food lacks protein.
Detection of Wolbachia in Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the State of Maranhão, Brazil
Authors: Chaves Erick Barros , Nascimento-Pereira Agostinho Cardoso , Pinto Jorge Luiz Moraes , Rodrigues Bruno Leite , de Andrade Marcelo Souza , Rêbelo José Manuel Macário
Published: July 2022

Recently, the endobacteria Wolbachia has emerged as a biological tool for the control of arboviruses. Thus, we investigated the rate of natural infection by Wolbachia in Culicidae species from Maranhão, Brazil. For this, we amplified the Wolbachia surface protein gene (wsp) from mosquitoes collected in six localities of Maranhão, and positive samples were subjected to new analysis using group-specific primers. In total, 448 specimens comprising 6 genera and 18 species of mosquitoes were analyzed. Wolbachia DNA was PCR-detected in 7 species, three of which are new records: Aedes scapularis (Rondani, 1848), Coquillettidia juxtamansonia (Chagas, 1907) and Cq. venezuelensis (Theobald, 1912), in addition to Ae. albopictus (Skuse, 1894) and Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823, which are commonly described as permissive to maintain this bacterium in natural environments, and two species of the subgenera Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) Blanchard, 1902 and Culex (Melanoconion) Theobald, 1903 which could not be identified at species level. The infection rate of all species ranged from 0 to 80%, and the average value was 16.5%. This study increases the knowledge about the prevalence of Wolbachia in the culicid fauna and may help in selecting strains for biological control purposes.
Diversification of heat shock transcription factors expanded thermal stress responses during early plant evolution
Authors: Wu Ting-Ying , Hoh Kar Ling , Boonyaves Kulaporn , Krishnamoorthi Shalini , Urano Daisuke
Published: July 2022

The copy numbers of many plant transcription factor (TF) genes substantially increased during terrestrialization. This allowed TFs to acquire new specificities and thus create gene regulatory networks (GRNs) with new biological functions to help plants adapt to terrestrial environments. Through characterizing heat shock factor (HSF) genes MpHSFA1 and MpHSFB1 in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, we explored how heat-responsive GRNs widened their functions in M. polymorpha and Arabidopsis thaliana. An interspecies comparison of heat-induced transcriptomes and the evolutionary rates of HSFs demonstrated the emergence and subsequent rapid evolution of HSFB prior to terrestrialization. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses of M. polymorpha HSF-null mutants revealed that MpHSFA1 controls canonical heat responses such as thermotolerance and metabolic changes. MpHSFB1 also plays essential roles in heat responses, as well as regulating developmental processes including meristem branching and antheridiophore formation. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements revealed development- and stress-related TFs that function directly or indirectly downstream of HSFB. Male gametophytes of M. polymorpha showed higher levels of thermotolerance than female gametophytes, which could be explained by different expression levels of MpHSFA1U and MpHSFA1V on sex chromosome. We propose that the diversification of HSFs is linked to the expansion of HS responses, which enabled coordinated multicellular reactions in land plants.
When indicators fail: SPAR, the invisible measure of pandemic preparedness
Authors: Fukuda-Parr Sakiko
Published: July 2022

Recent literature on indicators as technology of global governance has shown the power of numbers in shaping knowledge and policy priorities. But not all indicators have powerful effects; some remain invisible. Are such indicators an obverse of powerful indicators? Are the same process of indirect exercise of power to indirectly achieve social and economic effects at work? This paper explores the case of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 3.d.1 for the target to build national capacity for pandemic preparedness (target 3d) as a case study of invisible indicators. This indicator has had little traction, despite its relevance in the context of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The paper explores the reasons that explain this paradox through the framework of epistemic infrastructures. It argues that the indicator—the State Party Self-Assessment Report (SPAR) score—was an inconvenient tool for the powerful actors in the global health community as it turned out to be an extremely poor predictor of COVID-19 response performance. It would have exposed not only the failings of the powerful countries that lead the policy agenda for pandemic preparedness but also the legitimacy of their expertise and the paradigm of global health security as an approach to governing health risks. The analysis highlights the tight relationship between power and the use of indicators in global governance. While indicators are increasingly used by powerful actors to reframe policy narratives, the indicator of pandemic preparedness has been kept invisible to maintain their existing framing. It thus illustrates the resilience of power structures in epistemic infrastructures.
Regulatory Decentralization and Stringency: The Case of Comparative Minimum Wage and Renewable Energy Policies
Authors: Sorens Jason
Published: July 2022

This article investigates the concept and measurement of regulatory decentralization with a focus on minimum wages and renewable electricity standards. These two policy areas are chosen because they admit of a clear interpretation in continuous terms and vary substantially across jurisdictions. Concurrent central and subcentral regulatory competencies have a straightforward quantitative interpretation in these two policy areas. The article presents data on the effective autonomy of subcentral governments to determine their own minimum wage rates and renewable energy standards. It then tests whether more decentralized minimum wage and renewable energy regulatory regimes yield a consistently lower level of regulation and higher degree of interregional policy variation. I find that central governments are more likely to set regulatory minimums than maximums in these areas, and that therefore regulatory centralization does promote a higher level of regulation, but likely not through a competitive dynamic, and less policy variance.
Evaluation of the arts in performance-based research funding systems: An international perspective
Authors: Lewandowska Kamila , Kulczycki Emanuel , Ochsner Michael
Published: July 2022

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the evaluation of the arts within performance-based research funding systems (PRFSs). Previous literature on PRFSs has overlooked the arts and focussed primarily on outputs in relation to the sciences and humanities. We develop a typology of how artistic outputs are evaluated within 10 countries’ PRFSs, operating in Australia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Lithuania, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, and the UK, and identify three different types of artistic evaluation systems. The study compares evaluation methods and provides a classification of quality criteria used by evaluation panels. We conclude with a discussion of the challenges specific to different types of systems.