bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrodynamic Analysis of the Clinical Findings in Pachychoroid-Spectrum Diseases
Authors: Nishi Okihiro , Yasukawa Tsutomu
Published: September 2022

We wish to demonstrate that theorems of fluid dynamics may be employed to hydrodynamically analyze the clinical presentations seen within the pachychoroid-spectrum diseases (PSD). Methods: We employed both the Equation of Continuity Q = A · V in which Q represents blood flow volume, A the sectional area of a vessel, and V blood flow velocity as well as Bernoulli’s Principle 1/2 V2 + P/ρ = constant where V represents blood flow velocity, P static blood pressure and ρ blood density. The Equation of Continuity states that a decrease in flow volume occurs simultaneously with a decrease in the flow velocity and/or sectional area, and vice versa. Bernoulli’s Principle states that a decrease in the velocity of a fluid occurs simultaneously with an increase in static pressure, and vice versa. Results: Hyperpermeability of the choriocapillaris, as visualized on fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), causes a fluid exudation and, therefore, a decrease in the blood flow volume Q which elicits a simultaneous decrease in the blood flow velocity V clinically observable in filling delay into the choriocapillaris on ICGA. An increase in the static blood pressure P will simultaneously occur in venules in accord with Bernoulli’s Principle. Conclusions: A decrease in the blood flow velocity in the choriocapillaris due to its hyperpermeability will hydrodynamically elicit an increase in the blood pressure in venules. This blood pressure rise may expand Sattler and Haller veins, forming pachyveins. The primary lesion of PSD can be in pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris.
Treatment and Management of Chronic Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Optimizing Present and Future Therapeutic Choices
Authors: Bertani Lorenzo
Published: September 2022

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic relapsing diseases of the gastrointestinal tract of unknown origin, resulting from an aberrant immune response to microbial and gut-specific antigens in genetically susceptible patients [...]
Repeatability of Motion Health Screening Scores Acquired from a Three-Dimensional Markerless Motion Capture System
Authors: Cabarkapa Dimitrije , Cabarkapa Damjana V. , Philipp Nicolas M. , Downey Gabriel G. , Fry Andrew C.
Published: September 2022

The purpose of the present study was to examine the repeatability of five algorithm-derived motion health screening scores (i.e., readiness, explosiveness, functionality, quality, and dysfunction) obtained from an innovative three-dimensional markerless motion capture system, composed of eight high-definition cameras recording at 60 fps. Thirteen females and six males performed two sets of three motion capture screenings, separated one week apart (six in total). The screenings consisted of 20 body movements performed in sequential order. Each screening within a testing session was separated by a 30 min rest interval to avoid the possible influence of fatigue. A trained research team member, facing the participant and standing outside of the camera capture range, was present to demonstrate each individual movement. The order in which motions were performed was identical across all participants. Repeated measures analysis of variance and intraclass correlation coefficients were used to examine statistically significant differences and measurement agreement across six testing sessions. The findings of the present study revealed no significant differences in algorithm-based motion health screening scores across multiple testing sessions. Moreover, excellent measurement reliability was found for readiness scores (ICC, 95% CI; 0.957, 0.914–0.980), good-to-excellent for functionality (0.905, 0.821–0.959) and explosiveness scores (0.906, 0.822–0.959), and moderate-to-excellent for dysfunction (0.829, 0.675–0.925) and quality scores (0.808, 0.635–0.915).
A Novel Trademark Image Retrieval System Based on Multi-Feature Extraction and Deep Networks
Authors: Jardim Sandra , António João , Mora Carlos , Almeida Artur
Published: September 2022

Graphical Search Engines are conceptually used in many development areas surrounding information retrieval systems that aim to provide a visual representation of results, typically associated with retrieving images relevant to one or more input images. Since the 1990s, efforts have been made to improve the result quality, be it through improved processing speeds or more efficient graphical processing techniques that generate accurate representations of images for comparison. While many systems achieve timely results by combining high-level features, they still struggle when dealing with large datasets and abstract images. Image datasets regarding industrial property are an example of an hurdle for typical image retrieval systems where the dimensions and characteristics of images make adequate comparison a difficult task. In this paper, we introduce an image retrieval system based on a multi-phase implementation of different deep learning and image processing techniques, designed to deliver highly accurate results regardless of dataset complexity and size. The proposed approach uses image signatures to provide a near exact representation of an image, with abstraction levels that allow the comparison with other signatures as a means to achieve a fully capable image comparison process. To overcome performance disadvantages related to multiple image searches due to the high complexity of image signatures, the proposed system incorporates a parallel processing block responsible for dealing with multi-image search scenarios. The system achieves the image retrieval through the use of a new similarity compound formula that accounts for all components of an image signature. The results shows that the developed approach performs image retrieval with high accuracy, showing that combining multiple image assets allows for more accurate comparisons across a broad spectrum of image typologies. The use of deep convolutional networks for feature extraction as a means of semantically describing more commonly encountered objects allows for the system to perform research with a degree of abstraction.
Correction: Tøttrup et al. A Real-Time Method for Time-to-Collision Estimation from Aerial Images. J. Imaging 2022, 8, 62
Authors: Tøttrup Daniel , Skovgaard Stinus Lykke , Sejersen Jonas le Fevre , Pimentel de Figueiredo Rui
Published: September 2022

The authors wish to make the following corrections to the article [...]
Review of Biological Processes in a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR): Effects of Wastewater Characteristics and Operational Parameters on Biodegradation Efficiency When Treating Industrial Oily Wastewater
Authors: Bhattacharyya Anisha , Liu Lei , Lee Kenneth , Miao Jiahe
Published: September 2022

Oily wastewater is generated from various sources within the petrochemical industry, including extraction, refining and processing, storage, and transportation. Over the years, large volumes of oily wastewater from this industry have made their way into the environment, negatively affecting the environment, human health, and the economy. The raw waters from the petrochemical industry can differ significantly and have complex features, making them difficult to treat. Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are a promising treatment option for complex wastewater; it is a combined physical and biological treatment. The biological component of the MBR is one of the main contributing factors to its success. It is important to know how to control the parameters within the bioreactor to promote the biodegradation of hydrocarbons to improve the treatment efficiency of the MBR. There have been many reviews on the effects of the biological factors of membrane fouling; however, none have discussed the biodegradation process in an MBR and its impact on effluent quality. This review paper investigates the hydrocarbon biodegradation process in an aerobic MBR system by gathering and analyzing the recent academic literature to determine how oily wastewater characteristics and operational parameters affect this process.
Experimental Study on Gas–Liquid–Solid Interaction Characteristics in the Launch Tube
Authors: Zhang Xinwei , Yu Yonggang , Hu Yubo
Published: September 2022

In the present study, a visual experimental system was built to explore the multiphase hydrodynamic features in the underwater launching process. The whole processes of gas-curtain generation produced by multichannel jet convergence, gas-curtain expansion, and projectile movement were captured using direct photography. The experimental results show that as the area of a single groove grows from 6.25 mm2 to 11.25 mm2, the gas-curtain displacement grows by 47.5%, and the projectile’s speed reduces by 34.1%. The expansion of the gas curtain can be aided by 36.0% by increasing the number of sidewall grooves within a specified range (4 to 8), but the vehicle’s speed is reduced by 53.8%. While increasing the maximum injection pressure from 9.9 MPa to 18.2 MPa, the gas curtain’s draining capability is improved by 29.6%, and the projectile speed increment diminishes (only 10.0%) as the amount of gas flowing into the front of the projectile grows. The impact of jet parameters on gas-curtain displacement and projectile speed is revealed in this study, which is of utmost significance to the parameter-matching design of underwater low-resistance launchers.
Explaining the Flood Behavior for the Bridge Collapse Sites
Authors: Ashraf Fahmidah , Tyralis Hristos , Papacharalampous Georgia
Published: September 2022

Given the increasing intensity and frequency of flood events, and the casualties and cost associated with bridge collapse events, explaining the flood behavior for the collapse sites would be of great necessity. In this study, annual peak flows of two hundred and five watersheds, associated with two hundred and ninety-seven collapse sites, are analyzed. Generalized Extreme Value distribution together with other statistical analyses are used to derive and analyze the shape parameters of the distributions which represent the extremeness of flood events. Random forest mechanism is employed in order to identify the predictor variables (and the associated importance levels) for the shape parameters. Peak flows are also classified in order to find the extremes and the associated return periods. The results indicate that most of the bridge collapse sites across different physiographic regions, i.e., Appalachian Highland, Central Lowland, Coastal Plain, and Interior Highlands, exhibit common characteristics such as (a) variation of important predictor variables, (b) human interference, (c) extremeness of flood events similar to the regions with hydrologic heterogeneity, and (d) frequent occurrence of extreme flows. These results indicate a commonality in flood behavior, as stems from specific settings, for the collapse sites studied. The findings instigate the revisiting of the bridge design practices and guidelines and provide some basis to assess the risk of future collapse.
Numerical Simulation and Analysis of Water and Suspended Sediment Transport in Hangzhou Bay, China
Authors: Huang Ju , Yuan Rui , Zhu Jianrong
Published: September 2022

Hangzhou Bay is a large, high-turbidity shallow bay located on the southern side of the Changjiang Estuary, China. The process and dynamic mechanisms of water and sediment transport in the bay are not yet clear. An improved three-dimensional sediment numerical model that combined various dynamic factors was established to simulate and analyze these mechanisms. The residual current cannot properly represent the net water and sediment transport, and the residual unit width water flux (RUWF) and residual unit width sediment flux (RUSF) were used to explain the water and sediment transport. The results of numerical simulations indicate that in summer, the surface RUWF from the Changjiang Estuary near Nanhui Cape flows westward along the coast, in which the major part flows southward to the Zhenhai area, and the small part flows further westward along the north coast and then turns to the south coast and eastward, forming the water transport pattern of north-landward and south-seaward, which is stronger in the spring tide than in the neap tide. The bottom RUWF near Zhenhai flows northward to Nanhui Cape in the neap tide, which is larger in the neap tide than in the spring tide. In the middle and western parts of the bay, the RUWF has the same pattern as the surface water transport and is stronger in the spring tide than in the neap tide. The pattern of RUSF is roughly similar to the water flux transport. During the spring tide, the water and sediment transport fluxes near Nanhui Cape are from the Changjiang Estuary into Hangzhou Bay, but from Hangzhou Bay into the Changjiang Estuary during the neap tide. In the winter, the distributions of RUWF, RUSF, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are similar to those in the summer. In addition, the distance of surface water transport westward along the north coast is shorter than that in the summer, the magnitude of the bottom RUWF is smaller than that in the summer due to the weaker salinity gradient, and the bottom RUSF near Nanhui Cape is weaker than that in the summer during the neap tide. The net transect water flux (NTWF) and the net transect sediment flux (NTSF) near Nanhui Cape are from the Changjiang Estuary into Hangzhou Bay during the spring tide; during the neap tide, the NTWF is still from the Changjiang Estuary into Hangzhou Bay, but the NTSF is from Hangzhou Bay into the Changjiang Estuary because the SSC is much higher in the bottom layer than in the surface layer. The dynamic reason for the temporal and spatial variation in RUWF and RUSF is that the barotropic pressure gradient force is larger than the baroclinic pressure gradient force during the spring tide and is the opposite during the neap tide.
Solitary Wave Interaction with a Floating Pontoon Based on Boussinesq Model and CFD-Based Simulations
Authors: Mohapatra Sarat Chandra , Islam Hafizul , Hallak Thiago S. , Soares C. Guedes
Published: September 2022

A mathematical model of solitary wave interaction with a pontoon-type rigid floating structure over a flat bottom is formulated based on Boussinesq-type equations under weakly nonlinear dispersive waves. Based on the higher-order Boussinesq equations, the solitary wave equation is derived, and a semi-analytical solution is obtained using the perturbation technique. On the other hand, brief descriptions of the application of wave2Foam and OceanWave3D on the aforementioned problem are presented. The analytical solitary wave profiles in the outer region are compared with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and OceanWave 3D model simulations in different cases. The comparison shows a good level of agreement between analytical, wave2Foam, and OceanWave3D. In addition, based on the wave2Foam and coupled OceanWave3D model, the horizontal, vertical wave forces, and the pressure distributions around the pontoon are analysed. Further, the effect of the Ursell number, pontoon length, and water depth on the solitary wave profiles are analysed based on the analytical solution. The paper validates each of the three models and performs intercomparison among them to assess their fidelity and computational burden.
Mitochondrial Porin Is Involved in Development, Virulence, and Autophagy in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Han Xueqin , Li Qingyi , Li Xuenan , Lv Xiang , Zhang Li , Zou Shenshen , Yu Jinfeng , Dong Hansong , Chen Lei , Liang Yuancun
Published: September 2022

Mitochondrial porin, the voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC), is the most abundant protein in the outer membrane, and is critical for the exchange of metabolites and phospholipids in yeast and mammals. However, the functions of porin in phytopathogenic fungi are not known. In this study, we characterized a yeast porin orthologue, Fgporin, in Fusarium graminearum. The deletion of Fgporin resulted in defects in hyphal growth, conidiation, and perithecia development. The Fgporin deletion mutant showed reduced virulence, deoxynivalenol production, and lipid droplet accumulation. In addition, the Fgporin deletion mutant exhibited morphological changes and the dysfunction of mitochondria, and also displayed impaired autophagy in the non-nitrogen medium compared to the wild type. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays indicated that Fgporin interacted with FgUps1/2, but not with FgMdm35. Taken together, these results suggest that Fgporin is involved in hyphal growth, asexual and sexual reproduction, virulence, and autophagy in F. graminearum.
Control Efficiency and Yield Response of Chemical and Biological Treatments against Fruit Rot of Arecanut: A Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Patil Balanagouda , Sridhara Shankarappa , Narayanaswamy Hanumappa , Hegde Vinayaka , Mishra Ajay Kumar
Published: September 2022

Fruit rot disease (FRD) in arecanut has appeared in most of the arecanut growing regions of India in the last few decades. A few comprehensive studies on the management of FRD under field conditions have examined various treatment combinations for disease control and yield response analysis. This study aimed to compare the control efficiencies and yield responses of treatments applied over multiple locations and compute the probable returns of investment (ROIs) for treatment costs. Data were gathered from 21 field trials conducted across five main arecanut growing regions of India in the period 2012–2019. The collected data were subjected to analysis with a multivariate (network) meta-analytical model, following standard statistical protocols. The quantitative, synthesized data were evaluated for the estimated effects of disease pressure (DPLow ≤ 35% of FRDInc in the treatments > DPHigh), mean disease control efficiencies (treatment mean, C), and yield responses (R) corresponding to the tested treatments. Based on disease control efficacy, the evaluated treatments were grouped into three efficacy groups (EGs): higher EGs were observed for the Bordeaux mixture (C, 81.94%) and its stabilized formulation (C, 74.99%), Metalaxyl + Mancozeb (C, 70.66%), while lower EGs were observed in plots treated with Biofight (C, 29.91%), Biopot (C, 25.66%), and Suraksha (C, 29.74%) and intermediate EGs were observed in plots to which microbial consortia (bio-agents) had been applied. Disease pressure acted as a significant moderator variable, influencing yield response and gain. At DPLow, the Bordeaux fungicide mixture (102%, 22% of increased yield) and Metalaxyl + Mancozeb (77.5%, +15.5%) exhibited higher yield responses, with absolute arecanut yield gains of 916.5 kg ha−1 and 884 kg ha−1, while, under DPHigh, Fosetyl-AL (819.6 kg ha−1) showed a yield response of 90.5%. To ensure maximum yield sustainability, arecanut growers should focus on the spraying of fungicides (a mixture of different active ingredients or formulations or products) as a preventative measure, followed by treating palms with either soil microbial consortia or commercial formulations of organic fungicides.
Multifarious Translational Regulation during Replicative Aging in Yeast
Authors: Zhao Tianyu , Chida Asaka , Shichino Yuichi , Choi Dongwoo , Mizunuma Masaki , Iwasaki Shintaro , Ohya Yoshikazu
Published: September 2022

Protein synthesis is strictly regulated during replicative aging in yeast, but global translational regulation during replicative aging is poorly characterized. To conduct ribosome profiling during replicative aging, we collected a large number of dividing aged cells using a miniature chemostat aging device. Translational efficiency, defined as the number of ribosome footprints normalized to transcript abundance, was compared between young and aged cells for each gene. We identified more than 700 genes with changes greater than twofold during replicative aging. Increased translational efficiency was observed in genes involved in DNA repair and chromosome organization. Decreased translational efficiency was observed in genes encoding ribosome components, transposon Ty1 and Ty2 genes, transcription factor HAC1 gene associated with the unfolded protein response, genes involved in cell wall synthesis and assembly, and ammonium permease genes. Our results provide a global view of translational regulation during replicative aging, in which the pathways involved in various cell functions are translationally regulated and cause diverse phenotypic changes.
Risk Factors for Hypertension in Hospitalised Patient Mortality with Laboratory-Confirmed SARS-CoV-2: A Population-Based Study in Limpopo Province, South Africa
Authors: Mphekgwana Peter M. , Matlala Sogo F. , Tshitangano Takalani G. , Ramalivhana Naledzani J. , Sono-Setati Musa E.
Published: September 2022

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has recently impacted and destabilised the global community. The healthcare systems of many countries have been reported to be partially or entirely interrupted. More than half of the countries surveyed (53%) have partially or completely disrupted hypertension treatment services. A population-based retrospective cohort study approach was used to determine the prevalence of hypertension and related risk factors for mortality in COVID-19 hospitalised patients in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Hierarchical logistic regression was applied to determine the determinants of hypertension. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of mortality among individuals with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 were elderly persons aged 60 years and above admitted to a person under investigation (PUI) ward (52%), and 66% had hypertension. Among the hospitalised COVID-19 patients who died, prominent risk factors for hypertension were advanced age, the presence of co-morbidities, such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS. There was no evidence to establish a link between hypertension and COVID-19 case severity. More cohort and systematic studies are needed to determine whether there is a link between hypertension and COVID-19 case severity.
Personalized Approach in Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Kirkova Radina , Murgova Snezhana , Kirkov Vidin , Tanev Ivan
Published: September 2022

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a progressive, degenerative disease of the central retina. AMD is subdivided into “dry” (atrophic), “wet” (exudative), and neovascular (nAMD) forms. In recent years, the concepts about nAMD changed with the development of optical coherence tomography–angiography (OCT-A) and intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. The aim of this study was to define the morphologic type of the neovascular membrane (NVM) before treatment with OCT-A and to register vascular remodeling after treatment with anti-VEGF. We also analyzed the relationship between NVM and visual acuity. Methods: The study was retrospective and included 119 patients with newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve nAMD. All the patients underwent full ophthalmic examination and also fluoresceine angiography and optical coherence tomography–angiography (OCT-A). Results: Based on the collected data, we found repetitive regularities. Conclusion: The analysis of our results could be used as prognostic markers for the evolution of the disease and as a basis for new treatment strategies, depending on the naïve NVM morphologic type.
Goals, Expectations, and the Definition of Success for Neuromodulation for Pain According to Representatives of Neuromodulation Device Manufacturers
Authors: Moens Maarten , Alliet William , Billot Maxime , De Smedt Ann , Flamée Panagiotis , Vanhonacker Domien , Roulaud Manuel , Rigoard Philippe , Goudman Lisa
Published: September 2022

Representatives of neuromodulation device manufacturers are expected to facilitate the relationship between patients and healthcare providers. Nevertheless, the goals, expectations, and definition of success for neuromodulation for pain have not yet been explored. Representatives present at the 2nd Joint Congress of the INS European Chapters in September 2021 completed a survey to ascertain their opinions about the goals to achieve with neuromodulation, the factors that they expect to change, and their definition of success for neuromodulation. In total, 39 representatives completed the survey. To provide excellent service for patients (22.4%), to become a trusted partner for physicians (21.5%), and to provide excellent service for physicians (20.7%) were the highest ranked goals. The most frequently reported factors that were expected to change were pain intensity (23.1%), patient satisfaction (19.7%), mobility/functioning (14.5%), and capacity to return to work (13.7%). Within the definitions of success, increased quality of life of the patient was stated in 21% of the definitions, closely followed by pain control (19.3%) and happiness/patient satisfaction (15.8%). The goals of representatives of neuromodulation device manufacturers seem to focus on ensuring a good relationship with physicians on the one hand and providing good service towards patients on the other hand, whereby pain control, quality of life, and patient satisfaction seem to be important for company representatives.
A Quantitative and Qualitative Clinical Validation of Soft Tissue Simulation for Orthognathic Surgery Planning
Authors: Gutiérrez Venturini Alessandro , Guiñales Díaz de Cevallos Jorge , del Castillo Pardo de Vera José Luis , Alcañiz Aladrén Patricia , Illana Alejandro Carlos , Cebrián Carretero José Luis
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study was to perform a quantitative and qualitative validation of a soft tissue simulation pipeline for orthognathic surgery planning, necessary for clinical use. Simulation results were retrospectively obtained in 10 patients who underwent orthognathic surgery. Quantitatively, error was measured at 9 anatomical landmarks for each patient and different types of comparative analysis were performed considering two mesh resolutions, clinically accepted error, simulation time and error measured by means of percentage of the whole surface. Qualitatively, evaluation and binary questions were asked to two surgeons, both before and after seeing the actual surgical outcome, and their answers were compared. Finally, the quantitative and qualitative results were compared to check if these two types of validation are correlated. The quantitative results were accurate, with greater errors corresponding to gonions and lower lip. Qualitatively, surgeons answered similarly mostly and their evaluations improved when seeing the actual outcome of the surgery. The quantitative validation was not correlated to the qualitative validation. In this study, quantitative and qualitative validations were performed and compared, and the need to carry out both types of analysis in validation studies of soft tissue simulation software for orthognathic surgery planning was proved.
Interventional Management of a Rare Combination of Nutcracker and Wilkie Syndromes
Authors: Ober Mihai-Claudiu , Lazăr Florin-Leontin , Achim Alexandru , Tirinescu Dacian Călin , Leibundgut Gregor , Homorodean Călin , Olinic Maria , Onea Horea Laurențiu , Spînu Mihail , Tătaru Dan , Săbiescu Bogdan , Olinic Dan-Mircea
Published: September 2022

Nutcracker and Wilkie syndromes are rare mesoaortic compression entities, and their association is even less common. Data on interventional treatment of these pathologies are still scarce, but results from limited case series are encouraging. We report the case of a previously healthy 45-year-old woman diagnosed with nutcracker and Wilkie syndromes who presented with macroscopic hematuria, intermittent pain in the left flank and hypogastric region, postprandial nausea, and unexplained significant weight loss. A successful endovascular approach with stent implantation in the left renal vein was performed, but the stent migrated toward the left kidney, and this acute complication was managed through an interventional strategy as well. At the three-month follow-up, the patient described a marked improvement in all symptoms, except for the macroscopic hematuria. As it was our strong belief that the approach was efficient, we further investigated the “hematuria”, which eventually led to the diagnosis of endometrial carcinoma. A hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy were planned, and chemoradiotherapy was initiated with the goal of preoperative tumor reduction. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which both Wilkie and nutcracker syndromes were effectively treated by stent implantation in the left renal vein, complicated with very early stent migration due to inadequate apposition to the less compliant venous lumen. The treatment of the duodenal compression was indirectly included in the stenting of the left renal vein, as reclaiming the venous lumen widened the aortomesenteric angle. The aim of this review is to discuss our center’s transcatheter experience with these rare disorders and explore the literature in order to establish the benefits and limitations of such an approach.
The Determinants of Immigrants’ Skill Composition
Authors: Karapınar Kocağ Esra , Li Yutong , Popescu Cristina Raluca Gh.
Published: September 2022

Movements of labor across the world is an ongoing debate in the literature in terms of its drivers and results in sending and receiving areas. Skill composition of immigrant labor has been discussed by several papers, although they generally focused on visa policies or firm level productivity. However, this paper focuses on the relationship between immigrants’ educational attainment and government budgeting on research and development (R&D). Panel data analysis is applied for European countries, along with instrumental variable approach as a robustness check. Findings reveal that higher budget allocation for R&D is associated with higher skill level of immigrants within overall immigrant population. This finding is driven by young immigrants whose ages are between 25 and 34 and female immigrants in these countries, suggesting that this relationship varies among sub-groups of immigrants, which would have significant policy implications. Hence, the novel and original approach of the paper resides in the deciding factors of immigrants’ skill composition.
Season Ticketing as a Risk Management Tool in Professional Team Sports: A Pricing Analysis of German Soccer and Basketball
Authors: Huth Christopher , Kurscheidt Markus
Published: September 2022

Ticket sales remain a significant source of revenue in professional team sports. However, season ticket revenue, as an effective risk-reducing instrument, is rarely analyzed in the literature. This study aims to determine, from a price and product perspective, the extent to which different factors affect season ticket prices. Using three different professional German sports leagues, a ticket-pricing model was developed as the empirical model. Consistent with other pricing studies, an ordinary least-squares (OLS) model and a Tobit model were fit. The results indicate that different season ticket rights, type of season ticket, club league membership, fan club membership, club stadium utilization rate, club sporting performance, and club market size have significant negative or positive impacts on season ticket price. Whereas, for example, a reserved seat in the stadium has a positive impact, the population of the club’s city has a negative impact. Based on the results, club managers should consider all traditional season ticket rights and season ticket discounts when calculating season ticket pricing. These and further implications are discussed with respect to the risk management issues of season ticket pricing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and differences in local market constellations of professional team sports clubs.
The Impact of Microfinance Institutions on Poverty Alleviation
Authors: Chikwira Collin , Vengesai Edson , Mandude Petronella
Published: September 2022

Microfinancing has been targeted as a tool to address Poverty through the provision of credit to the poor and marginalised economic functions. However, the main objective upon which these institutions are founded is yet to manifest primarily in developing economies. This study examined the role of microfinancing in poverty alleviation by employing a Vector Error Correction Model on quarterly time-series data. The results reveal a significant long-run relationship among the variables poverty, microfinancing, SMEs, and agricultural growth. Contrary to expectations, Microfinancing was found to increase poverty in the long run. SMEs and agricultural development were found to reduce the level of poverty in the long run. In the short run, regression results reveal that SMEs’ growth alleviates poverty, and poverty increases the growth of microfinance loans in the country. The increase in SMEs is a tool for alleviating poverty, and the growth in microfinance institutions is also being driven by poverty. This suggests that continued improper microfinancing can escalate the poverty levels to undesired heights. The findings imply that the growth of microfinance loans is not being put to its intended and efficient use. These findings bring to the fore that it is not only the provision of funds that matters.
Board Characteristics and Earnings Management: Evidence from the Vietnamese Market
Authors: Cho Sangjun , Chung Chuneyoung
Published: September 2022

This study empirically analyzes the relationship between Vietnamese firms’ earnings management, board characteristics, and ownership structures. I use board size and the proportion of outside directors to reflect board characteristics, and the ownership percentages of the board of directors, outside directors, and the chief executive officer (CEO) to reflect the ownership structures. I use discretionary accruals, measured by the modified Jones model, to proxy for earnings management. From analyzing firms listed on the Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi Stock Exchanges from 2012 to 2017, I find that board size and the ownership percentages of outside directors and CEOs are negatively related to earnings management, whereas the board of directors’ ownership percentage is positively related. The proportion of outside directors is not significantly associated with earnings management. This study provides policy insights for improving Vietnamese firms’ financial transparency. Specifically, corporate laws regulating board composition should be enacted to ensure that all firms meet a minimum number of board members. Moreover, a policy mandating boards to include independent outside directors is necessary, as establishing an independent outside director system within Vietnam’s corporate law can strengthen the sustainability of the board of directors.
Carbon Futures and Clean Energy Stocks: Do They Hedge or Safe Haven against the Climate Policy Uncertainty?
Authors: Hoque Mohammad Enamul , Batabyal Sourav
Published: September 2022

Using the GARCH model and quantile regression with dummy variables, we investigate the hedging and safe haven properties of carbon futures and clean energy stocks against the U.S. climate policy uncertainty (CPU). We discover that carbon futures and clean energy stocks have a weak hedge and a semi-strong safe haven in different market conditions. Carbon futures exhibit a strong safe haven in both bull and bear markets, depending on the degree of uncertainty. Clean energy stocks, on the other hand, possess a weak hedge across market conditions and a strong safe haven in bull markets. Sub-sample analyses of prior- and post-Paris Agreement of 2016 also exhibit consistent results for safe haven properties of carbon futures and clean energy stocks.
A Trusted Security Key Management Server in LoRaWAN: Modelling and Analysis
Authors: Ntshabele Koketso , Isong Bassey , Gasela Naison , Abu-Mahfouz Adnan M.
Published: September 2022

The traditional Long-Range Wide-Area Network (LoRaWAN) uses an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128 bit symmetric key to secure entities and data against several attacks. However, due to the existence of heterogeneous applications, designing a globally accepted and resilient LoRaWAN security model is challenging. Although several security models to maximize the security efficiency in LoRaWAN exist using the trusted key server to securely manage the keys, designing an optimum LoRaWAN security model is yet to be fully realized. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed two LoRaWAN security algorithms, A and B, for a trusted key management server (TKMS) to securely manage and distribute the keys amongst the entities. Algorithm B is an enhanced version of Algorithm A, which utilizes the security shortcomings of Algorithm A. We employed two formal analysis methods in the modelling, results analysis, and verification. The Scyther security verification tool was used for algorithm modelling and analysis against all possible attacks, while BAN logic was used to prove the logical correctness of the proposed algorithms. The results indicate that BAN logic feasibly proves the model logic correctness and the security claims employed in Scyther are reliable metrics for assessing the algorithms’ security efficiency. The security claims proved that the security algorithm is more secure and reliable as no attacks were detected across all entities in the enhanced-Algorithm B, unlike in Algorithm A. Moreover, the application of hashing minimizes computation cost and time for authentication and message integrity as compared to symmetric and asymmetric encryption. However, the proposed algorithm is yet to be verified as completely lightweight.
Public Service Delivery and the Livelihood Adaptive Capacity of Farmers and Herders: The Mediating Effect of Livelihood Capital
Authors: Zhong Fanglei , Ying Caoji , Fan Di
Published: September 2022

Improving the provision and equitable accessibility of public services is an important aspect of poverty alleviation and necessary for rural revitalization. Farmers’ livelihood adaptive capacity is an important foundation for rural revitalization, and the mechanism by which it is influenced by public service delivery requires clarification. In this study, we construct a theoretical framework of public service delivery–livelihood capital–livelihood adaptive capacitiy of farmers and herders to measure the level and quality of public service delivery, based on the level of satisfaction of 334 farmers and herders we surveyed. The relationship between the three elements was verified using mediated effects analysis, which helped to accurately identify the key shortcomings of public service delivery and improve the delivery of public services to enhance the sustainable livelihood adaptive capacity of farmers and herders. We found that public service delivery has a significant positive impact on the livelihood adaptive capacity of farmers and herders, while livelihood capital plays an important mediating role, enhancing the direct impact of public service delivery. Thus, the government should pay attention to this transfer mechanism and actively cultivate farmers’ and herders’ livelihood capital to optimize the effects of rural public service delivery.
Analysis of the Space and Design of Chinese, Japanese and Korean Academy Gardens
Authors: Zhu Yirui , Lee Sang-Hae , Choi Kyung-Ran
Published: September 2022

Although the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean academy gardens in East Asia are of the same origin, they have gradually followed different paths owing to the influence of natural and cultural environments. This paper introduces in detail the site selection, enclosure, architecture, plants, water system, and stone building of the Yuelu Academy in China, Katsura Imperial Villa in Japan, and Pingshan Academy in Korea and compares and analyzes the differences between the three countries’ academy gardens, thus helping us to better understand and appreciate East Asian academy gardens.
The Use of Cultivated Land for Multiple Functions in Major Grain-Producing Areas in Northeast China: Spatial-Temporal Pattern and Driving Forces
Authors: Gao Jia , Zhu Yaohui , Zhao Rongrong , Sui Hongjun
Published: September 2022

The increasing scarcity of cultivated land resources necessitates the continuous change in cultivated land functions. Cultivated land has gradually changed from being used for a single function to multiple functions. The use of cultivated land for multiple functions has become an important way to achieve the sustainable use, management, and protection of cultivated land. In this, the development of different functions of cultivated land must be coordinated. Thus, clarifying the evolution trend of the use of cultivated land for various functions, calculating the coupling and coordination degrees of these multiple functions, and identifying the driving factors in these uses play important roles in realizing the orderly development of cultivated land multifunctionality. This paper defined multifunctioning cultivated land as containing a production function, a social function, and an ecological function. Based on the socioeconomic panel data and geospatial data of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, which are the major grain-producing areas of northeast China, in the years 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020 we calculated the multiple function coupling coordination degree of cultivated land using the Coupling Coordination Degree Model and identified the driving forces in the evolution of the spatial-temporal pattern of cultivated land multifunctionality using Geodetector. The results show that from 2005 to 2020, there were significant regional differences in terms of the production, social, and ecological functions of cultivated land in the research areas. The multifunctional coupling coordination degree of cultivated land in the study areas was gradually improved. The spatial-temporal evolution of the multifunctional coupling coordination degree of cultivated land was found to mainly be influenced by the level of agricultural development, such as the level of per capita disposable income and the rate of effective irrigation of cultivated land. The government should attempt to guarantee the comparative benefits of agricultural production to increase the income level of farmers; increase investment in agricultural infrastructure construction to improve the level of agriculture development; and implement a strict farmland protection policy to achieve the continuous improvement of the productivity of cultivated land, realize the ordered development of coupling, and improve the coordination of the use of cultivated land for multiple functions. The results of this study are applicable not only to northeast China but also to other major grain-producing areas that are under pressure to protect their cultivated land and achieve the suitable use of cultivated land.
Productivism and Post-Productivism: An Analysis of Functional Mixtures in Rural China
Authors: Huang Yaofu , Chen Luan , Li Xun
Published: September 2022

Existing studies have attempted to explain the transformation of rural China from a single productive or post-productive perspective. However, regarding the two development paradigms as binary opposites brings contradictions: Is China’s countryside evolving towards productivism or post-productivism? To answer this question, we transcend the binary opposition and instead propose an analytical framework based on rural value, driving actors, and rural land-use functions. Based on the location quotient analysis method, we measure the functional hybridity of rural areas using 7345 POIs (points of interest) representing the land-use types of productive and post-productive activities. We discuss the formation mechanism of functional hybridity considering two typical spaces: modern agriculture demonstration districts and “Tesecun”. We find that the government, the market, and villagers collectively promote the formation of functional hybridity in rural China. The government prefers to strengthen productivity in order to ensure state food security, while villagers prefer to make their villages more multi-functional in order to attract citizens. This study can be seen as a contribution supplementing research issues associated with rural China from the novel dualistic perspective of productivism and post-productivism.
Solutions for the Spatial Organization of Cropland with Increased Erosion Risk at the Regional Level: A Case Study of Belgorod Oblast, European Russia
Authors: Buryak Zhanna A. , Narozhnyaya Anastasiya G. , Gusarov Artyom V. , Beylich Achim A.
Published: September 2022

Among the reasons for soil degradation, runoff-induced erosion causes the greatest damage to agriculture in European Russia. One of the effective tools for regulating soil erosion is changing the structure of sown areas and the composition of crops with a focus on soil conservation and rehabilitation land use. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the impact of the program on river-basin nature management and the adaptive landscape agriculture system (ALAS) on changes in soil losses due to storm erosion in one of the agriculturally most developed and, at the same time, most eroded administrative regions of European Russia—Belgorod Oblast. In this study, the calculation of potential soil washout was carried out for three cropland models: (1) The maximum erosion potential of the territory, expressed in terms of soil washout from bare (clean) fallow areas; (2) soil washout, considering the actual structure of sown areas over the past 10 years; and (3) soil washout, considering the full implementation of projects for the erosion-control organization of cropland within the framework of ALAS. The calculation of erosion-induced soil losses was carried out according to the USLE model adapted to regional environmental conditions, while the C-factor values were set separately for each model. For model 1, the average soil loss is 11.3 t/ha per year; for model 2, it is 3.5 t/ha per year; and for model 3, it is 2.2 t/ha per year. It was found that the current programs for the biologization of agriculture and the contour-reclamation organization of cropland would have a noticeable erosion-control effect. It is noteworthy that the greatest efficiency was modeled for areas with unfavorable relief conditions, with up to 40% reduction in soil losses as compared to actual ones.