bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topological Space Knowledge Distillation for Compact Road Extraction in Optical Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Geng Kai , Sun Xian , Yan Zhiyuan , Diao Wenhui , Gao Xin
Published: September 2020

Road extraction from optical remote sensing images has drawn much attention in recent decades and has a wide range of applications. Most of the previous studies rarely take into account the unique topological characteristics of the road. It is the most apparent feature of linear structure that describes the variety of connection relationships of the road. However, designing a particular topological feature extraction network usually results in a model that is too heavy and impractical. To address the problems mentioned above, in this paper, we propose a lightweight topological space network for road extraction based on knowledge distillation (TSKD-Road). Specifically, (1) narrow and short roads easily influence topological features extracted directly in optical remote sensing images. Therefore, we propose a denser teacher network for extracting road structures; (2) to enhance the weight of topological features, we propose a topological space loss calculation model with multiple widths and depths; (3) based on the above innovations, a topological space knowledge distillation framework is proposed, which aims to transfer different kinds of knowledge acquired in a heavy net to a lightweight net, while significantly improving the lightweight net’s accuracy. Experiments were conducted on two publicly available benchmark datasets, which show the obvious superiority and effectiveness of our network.
Assessment of the Catastrophic Asia Floods and Potentially Affected Population in Summer 2020 Using VIIRS Flood Products
Authors: Li Sanmei , Goldberg Mitchell D. , Sjoberg William , Zhou Lihang , Nandi Sreela , Chowdhury Nazmi , Straka William , Yang Tianshu , Sun Donglian
Published: September 2020

Since 2 June 2020, unusual heavy and continuous rainfall from the Asian summer monsoon rainy season caused widespread catastrophic floods in many Asian countries, including primarily the two most populated countries, China and India. To detect and monitor the floods and estimate the potentially affected population, data from sensors aboard the operational polar-orbiting satellites Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-20 were used. The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) with a spatial resolution of 375 m available twice per day aboard these two satellites can observe floodwaters over large spatial regions. The flood maps derived from the VIIRS imagery provide a big picture over the entire flooding regions, and demonstrate that, in July, in China, floods mainly occurred across the Yangtze River, Hui River and their tributaries. The VIIRS 5-day composite flood maps, along with a population density dataset, were combined to estimate the population potentially exposed (PPE) to flooding. We report here on the procedure to combine such data using the Zonal Statistic Function from the ArcGIS Spatial Analyst toolbox. Based on the flood extend for July 2020 along with the population density dataset, the Jiangxi and Anhui provinces were the most affected regions with more than 10 million people in Jingdezhen and Shangrao in Jiangxi province, and Fuyang and Luan in Anhui province, and it is estimated that about 55 million people in China might have been affected by the floodwaters. In addition to China, several other countries, including India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, were also severely impacted. In India, the worst inundated states include Utter Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal, and it is estimated that about 40 million people might have been affected by severe floods, mainly in the northern states of Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal. The most affected country was Bangladesh, where one third of the country was underwater, and the estimated population potentially exposed to floods is about 30 million in Bangladesh.
Classification of Ice in Lützow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica, Using Data from ASCAT and AMSR2
Authors: Hoshino Seita , Tateyama Kazutaka , Izumiyama Koh
Published: September 2020

This paper presents an ice classification algorithm based on combined active and passive microwave radiometer data in Lützow-Holm Bay (LHB), East Antarctica. The ice classification algorithm is developed based on the threshold values of an advanced scatterometer (ASCAT) and advanced microwave scanning radiometer 2 (here, AMSR2). These values are calculated via the features of various ice types, including open ice, first-year (FY) ice, multi-year (MY) ice, MY ice including icebergs (MY IB), ice shelves, coastal ice sheets, and inland ice sheets. To verify the validity of the ice classification algorithm, the algorithm results are compared with visual observation data and satellite imagery. Except for the flaw polynya and area with surface melting, the FY ice, MY ice, and the ice shelf areas estimated here using the proposed ice classification algorithm match those discernible from the verification data. Inter-annual changes in the areal extents of FY ice, MY ice, and the ice shelves are investigated here using the proposed ice classification algorithm. Investigation of MY ice and ice shelf areas revealed that the breakup of MY ice induced a breakup of an ice shelf. A comparison of the FY ice and MY ice areas showed the replacement of these ice types. The proposed ice classification algorithm can detect ice breakup events as quantitative changes in the distribution and ice type. In future work, we plan to classify sea ice in other sea ice areas, applying the proposed algorithm throughout the Antarctic region.
The Mechanism of Action of Cyclophosphamide and Its Consequences for the Development of a New Generation of Oxazaphosphorine Cytostatics
Authors: Voelcker Georg
Published: September 2020

Although cyclophosphamide (CP) has been used successfully in the clinic for over 50 years, it has so far not been possible to elucidate the mechanism of action and to use it for improvement. This was not possible because the basis of the mechanism of action of CP, which was found by lucky coincidence, is apoptosis, the discovery of which was honored with the Nobel Prize only in 2002. Another reason was that results from cell culture experiments were used to elucidate the mechanism of action, ignoring the fact that in vivo metabolism differs from in vitro conditions. In vitro, toxic acrolein is formed during the formation of the cytotoxic metabolite phosphoreamidemustard (PAM), whereas in vivo proapoptotic hydroxypropanal (HPA) is formed. The CP metabolites formed in sequence 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide (OHCP) are the main cause of toxicity, aldophosphamide (ALDO) is the pharmacologically active metabolite and HPA amplifies the cytotoxic apoptosis initiated by DNA alkylation by PAM. It is shown that toxicity is drastically reduced but anti-tumor activity strongly increased by the formation of ALDO bypassing OHCP. Furthermore, it is shown that the anti-tumor activity against advanced solid P388 tumors that grow on CD2F1 mice is increased by orders of magnitude if DNA damage caused by a modified PAM is poorly repairable.
Sports Influencers on Twitter. Analysis and Comparative Study of Track Cycling World Cups 2016 and 2018
Authors: Lamirán-Palomares José María , Baviera Tomás , Baviera-Puig Amparo
Published: September 2020

Social media has driven a sea change in the way users view and participate in sporting events through the media. In the digital medium, identifying the profiles with the greatest influential capacity is a key issue. Using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), the aim of our research was to identify the most influential Twitter accounts in a major sporting event: The Track Cycling World Cups. The competitions from the years 2016 and 2018 were analysed, downloading all the tweets that included the official hashtag of each event and drawing up the graph of mentions and retweets. After reviewing the literature, activity, authority and popularity were defined as dimensions to assess influence, and two subcriteria were chosen as measures for each of them. Activity was measured by number of tweets and outdegree, authority by retweets and PageRank, and popularity by number of followers and indegree. By consulting experts following the AHP approach, various weights were assigned to these measures, resulting in authority as the most influential. With this weighting, the accounts with the greatest influence on Twitter turned out to be those related to organisation of the event and those of the athletes taking part.
Identification of Judicial Outcomes in Judgments: A Generalized Gini-PLS Approach
Authors: Tagny-Ngompé Gildas , Mussard Stéphane , Zambrano Guillaume , Harispe Sébastien , Montmain Jacky
Published: September 2020

This paper presents and compares several text classification models that can be used to extract the outcome of a judgment from justice decisions, i.e., legal documents summarizing the different rulings made by a judge. Such models can be used to gather important statistics about cases, e.g., success rate based on specific characteristics of cases’ parties or jurisdiction, and are therefore important for the development of Judicial prediction not to mention the study of Law enforcement in general. We propose in particular the generalized Gini-PLS which better considers the information in the distribution tails while attenuating, as in the simple Gini-PLS, the influence exerted by outliers. Modeling the studied task as a supervised binary classification, we also introduce the LOGIT-Gini-PLS suited to the explanation of a binary target variable. In addition, various technical aspects regarding the evaluated text classification approaches which consists of combinations of representations of judgments and classification algorithms are studied using an annotated corpora of French justice decisions.
Forest Tourism and Recreation Management in the Polish Bieszczady Mountains in the Opinion of Tourist Guides
Authors: Janeczko Emilia , Pniewska Joanna , Bielinis Ernest
Published: September 2020

This article presents results of research carried out in 2018 that aimed to determine the opinions of Bieszczady mountain guides on the scope of development of tourism and recreational infrastructure in the Bieszczady forests, Poland. The online survey included questions regarding nature protection in the Bieszczady region, factors limiting opportunities for tourism and recreation development in the Bieszczady forests, and the needs regarding new elements of tourism and recreation management of the area. Our research results indicate that the greatest impediments to the recreational use of the forest result from temporary restrictions on forest access, which are related to hunting or forest-management works. Most the interviewed guides were against further development of the tourist and recreational infrastructure in the Bieszczady forests. They were also in favor of extending the nature protection area in Bieszczady. Statistical analyses using the Kruskal–Wallis test showed that persons who are against, in favor of and neutral on extending the nature protection area in the Bieszczady forests varied significantly in their views on issues such as hunting or restrictions on forest access related to forest-management works. Compared to the other respondents, the supporters of extending the range of protected areas were more frequently against designating new recreation spaces or bonfire places in the Bieszczady forests.
The Roles of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Coordinated Development Strategy in Industrial Energy and Related Pollutant Emission Intensities
Authors: Hu Cong , Hu Biliang , Shi Xunpeng , Wu Yan
Published: September 2020

This study investigates the different impacts of coordinated development in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region on industrial energy and pollution intensities based on the difference-in-difference (DID) method and the quantile DID method. The panel data cover industrial energy consumption and three wastes, which are industrial wastewater, sulfur dioxide, and dust emissions, from all 13 cities in the BTH region and 17 cities in Henan Province for the period 2007–2017. The study finds that China’s BTH coordinated development strategy, on average, tends to restrain regional industrial energy intensity, especially in lower quantile level (0.1–0.4) cities. However, it tends to promote industrial energy intensity in higher quantile level (0.7–0.9) cities. The impacts on pollution intensities vary among industrial wastewater, sulfur dioxide, and dust emissions. The results suggest that, in addition to paying attention to dust pollution caused by transportation integration in the BTH region, China should also pay more attention to green relocation of industries from Beijing to Hebei and strengthen coordinated environmental regulation while maintaining corporate interests.
Investigation of the Relationship between Rainfall and Fatal Crashes in Texas, 1994–2018
Authors: Han Zhongyu , Sharif Hatim O.
Published: September 2020

Understanding how crash factors are impacted by rain is critical to road safety planning and management. This study assesses the impact of rain on traffic safety by conducting an analysis of the fatal crashes related to rain in Texas from 1994 to 2018. The fatal crash data was gathered from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Environmental variables used in the analysis include month of the year, time of the day, temperature, and weather condition. The roadway-related factors identified include the posted speed limit, the number of lanes, route sign, and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT). The driver-related factors identified include age, gender, and the number of licensed drivers in total. Relative risk analysis was performed to statistically quantify the impact of rainy conditions at the hourly and monthly time scales. On average, rain-related fatal crashes represented about 6.8% of the total fatal crashes. However, the proportion shows higher variability at the annual, monthly, and hourly time scales and seems to be influenced by other factors such as the age and gender of the driver, type of the road, and posted roadway speed limit. Total and rain-related crashes show statistically significant decreasing trends when normalized by the total number of licensed drivers or vehicle miles travelled. The relative risk of a fatal crash during rainy conditions was always greater than 1.0 at hourly, monthly, and annual time scales. However, it shows significant variability at the monthly (1.07 to 2.78) and hourly scales (1.35 to 2.57). The relative risk is higher in less urbanized and drier counties, in general. Gender and age analysis reveals that male and young drivers are more likely to be involved in a fatal crash but less likely to be killed in the crash.
A General Outline of a Sustainable Supply Chain 4.0
Authors: Cañas Héctor , Mula Josefa , Campuzano-Bolarín Francisco
Published: September 2020

This article presents a literature review to identify the current knowledge of supply chains 4.0 from the sustainability perspective. Reviewed papers were classified in terms of objectives, results, and sustainability approaches. Additionally, a critical discussion with the main results and recommendations for further research was carried out. Manufacturing supply chains have been contemplated but agri-food supply chains and chains related to diversified cropping systems have been also considered. In this way, 54 articles were identified and revised, and were classified according to the three main aspects of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental. The classification of articles indicated that more attention has been paid to the environmental aspect in the industry 4.0 (I4.0) context in the literature, while the social aspect has been paid less attention. Finally, reference frameworks were identified, along with the I4.0 models, algorithms, heuristics, metaheuristics, and technologies, which have enabled sustainability in supply chains.
Intensity of the Process Gas Emission from the Thermal Treatment of the 60–340 mm MSW Fraction under Steam
Authors: Szczepaniak Włodzimierz , Zabłocka-Malicka Monika , Wysokiński Rafał , Rutkowski Piotr
Published: September 2020

Gasification under steam excess of the residual from mechanical treatment of municipal solid waste (RMT-MSW, refuse derived fuel (RDF)-type) was investigated in a laboratory batch reactor, equipped with a section for high-temperature gas equilibration. Experiments were performed with recirculation of the condensate and residual tars/oils, for closing of the process loop. Gas emissions were registered at 300–500 °C (pyrolysis; maximum at 390 °C) and 650–800 °C (gasification; maximum at 740 °C). Peak areas, equivalent to the gas volume, were in a general proportion of 55:45. Mass of tars and oils collected together with condensing steam was only equal to 0.15% of the average weight loss of the RMT-MSW. Ninety-seven percent of organic compounds, mainly naphthalene, phenanthrene and derivatives, was separable by a simple filtration. Concentration of metals in aqueous condensate was equal to 135 mg/dm3, 98.5% by mass was potassium and sodium ions. Concentration of NH4+ was equal to 2.49 g/dm3 (mostly carbonate). According to the thermodynamic evaluation, volume of the process gas was equal to 2.11 m3 (dry, 25 °C, 1 bar) per 1 kg of the dry waste. Standard enthalpy of the gas combustion was 24.6 MJ/kg of the dry waste; approximately 16% of this energy was due to endothermicity of the process.
Effects of Tensile Stress and Soil Burial on Mechanical and Chemical Degradation Potential of Agricultural Plastic Films
Authors: Han Yanan , Wei Min , Shi Xiaoyan , Wang Dong , Zhang Xulong , Zhao Yangyang , Kong Meng , Song Xin , Xie Zhongkui , Li Fengmin
Published: September 2020

Plastic film mulching is widely practiced in arid and semiarid farming systems, but the accumulation of plastic residues in soils can negatively affect soil properties. Therefore, efficient means of plastic film degradation are urgently needed to mitigate its unfriendly environmental impacts for sustainable land use. Here, we characterized the effects of tensile stress (TS) and soil burial (SB) on potential degradation properties of three film types: Polyethylene film (PEF), oxo-biodegradable film (OBDF), and biodegradable film (BDF). Weight loss, mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, functional groups, and crystallinity were recorded after TS and SB treatments. The results indicated that: (1) Weight loss of plastic films was associated with SB, although the extent of weight loss depended on film type and was highest in BDF, (2) application of TS before SB weakened the mechanical properties of the films and increased their hydrophilicity, creating favorable conditions for the settlement of microorganisms on the film surface, (3) PEF treated with TS and SB had higher functional group indices and lower crystallinity. Our results highlighted that the combination of TS and SB has the potential to accelerate plastic film degradation.
Smart Specialisation as a Strategy for Implementing the Regional Innovation Development Policy—Poland Case Study
Authors: Kogut-Jaworska Magdalena , Ociepa-Kicińska Elżbieta
Published: September 2020

Regional Innovation and Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3) are treated as one of the key tools in implementing the concept of smart and sustainable growth. The strategies make it possible to focus investments on research, development and innovation (RD & I) in the areas showing the greatest economic and competitive potential of the regions. The article is based on the assumption that innovativeness on the one hand determines and on the other hand is determined by smart and sustainable growth. The aim of the analysis is to present new research assumptions and the results of the regional benchmarking based on a synthetic measure of development, and verification of the relationships between the level of innovative development and the economic development in the regions. This article presents the results of a research study covering all the sixteen regions of Poland, the outcome of which is an indicator of regional innovativeness based on 17 features, which means that the study considered a total of 2992 features. The methods applied in the study included the zero unitarisation method, the linear ordering method, and the Pearson correlation coefficient. The completed research study has shown the stability of positions held by the individual regions and the considerable, persisting disproportions in the innovation development between the regions taking the positions at both ends of the ranking. Moreover, a moderate positive correlation was identified between the GDP per capita level and the value of the synthetic measure of regional innovation development in 2009. The completed analyses made it possible to formulate the conclusions that show the benefits, weaknesses and dilemmas related to the introduction of smart specialisations for sustainable and innovative regional development in Poland over the past decade.
PET-Bottled Water Consumption in View of a Circular Economy: The Case Study of Salento (South Italy)
Authors: Gambino Isabella , Bagordo Francesco , Coluccia Benedetta , Grassi Tiziana , Filippis Giovanni De , Piscitelli Prisco , Galante Biagio , Leo Federica De
Published: September 2020

Polyethylenterephtalate (PET) is the preferred packaging material in the bottled water industry and represents the main cause of waste production. This work investigated the drinking water consumption habits, with particular reference to PET-bottled water, of people living in the province of Lecce (Apulia Region, Southern Italy) by age and geographical groups. Their perception about the quality of tap water was also explored. The survey was performed by the administration of a questionnaire to 4137 citizens. Bottled mineral water was consumed by about the 90.4% of respondents with an average consumption of 387.7 L/year per capita (375.2 L/year in PET-bottles, 12.5 L/year in glass bottles). Public supply system was used by the 61.5% of respondents with an average consumption of 169.4 L/year per capita. The consumption of tap water was negatively related to the perception of its bad quality and the residence in a big city (Lecce); while it was positively associated with the age group ≤16 years old. Effective communications strategies must be developed in order to promote the consumption of tap water and implement good practice of circular economy.
Maritime Cargo Prioritisation during a Prolonged Pandemic Lockdown Using an Integrated TOPSIS-Knapsack Technique: A Case Study on Small Island Developing States—The Rodrigues Island
Authors: Kontovas Christos A. , Sooprayen Krishna
Published: September 2020

Many remote areas, such as island states, are highly dependent on the transportation of cargo, and any disruptions similar to the 2020 pandemic lockdowns can negatively affect their respective supply chains. These disruptions could lead to a severe humanitarian crisis. It is therefore imperative to develop a cargo prioritisation process to ensure that essential commodities are transported. We propose a decision-aid tool that integrates two methods: (a) the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and (b) the knapsack problem. Containers are prioritised based on attributes such as their importance and their economic value. TOPSIS is used to calculate a score for each container and the knapsack problem determines the containers to be imported respecting the transportation capacity constraints. The practical applicability of the model is demonstrated by a case study on a Small Island Developing State. The proposed decision-aid tool could also be extended to be used in disaster relief situations.
Psychosocial Interventions for the Enhancement of Psychological Resources among Dyslexic Adults: A Systematic Review
Authors: Costantini Arianna , Ceschi Andrea , Sartori Riccardo
Published: September 2020

Dyslexic employees are likely to be more at risk of low levels of personal resources because of their cognitive makeup compared to their non-dyslexic counterparts. Low personal resources, in turn, may lead to low employability because of difficulties in positively facing transitions. This research aimed to systematically review evidence on interventions for improving psychological resources in dyslexic adults. We searched Scopus, ERIC EBSCOhost, PsycINFO, Social Science Citation Index Web of Science, and Universe up to May 2020. We also examined the reference lists of published studies. We included studies that compared any intervention format against no intervention, any other intervention considered as a comparator by the authors, or that had no control group. Participants were dyslexic adults aged minimum 18 years old. We included four studies with 278 participants. Studies were run in the UK, Sweden, and Finland. Two studies involved a control group, and two studies were observational. Interventions varied between studies in intensity, duration, and format (individual and small groups). Risk of bias was unclear for most risk criteria. Findings from this review show that there is initial evidence suggesting initiatives can be effective in supporting a set of personal resources, i.e., self-confidence, organization, time, and stress-management, which are important in allowing dyslexic adults’ positive adjustment in the workplace. Yet, more studies are needed to improve outcome assessment and study design.
Hybrid Physical Education Teaching and Curriculum Design Based on a Voice Interactive Artificial Intelligence Educational Robot
Authors: Yang Dapeng , Oh Eung-Soo , Wang Yingchun
Published: September 2020

In order to promote the development of individualized, accurate and intelligent physical education teaching, combined with artificial intelligence technology, the current physical education teaching mode has been improved. Through the establishment of an artificial intelligence educational robot based on voice interaction, a hybrid physical education teaching mode is constructed to realize personalized education for students. First, the speech recognition system is designed from three aspects of speech recognition, interaction management and speech synthesis, and the accuracy of recognition is improved by algorithm. Second, a new mode of hybrid physical education teaching is constructed. Through intelligent information technology, the advantages of traditional physical education teaching are combined to improve the classroom efficiency of physical education teaching and personalized education ability for students. Finally, the relevant experimental scheme and questionnaire are designed, and the actual situation of an educational robot introduced into physical education teaching is investigated and evaluated. The results show that the recognition accuracy of the artificial intelligence speech recognition system can reach more than 90%. It can communicate well with students and answer students’ questions. An educational robot is introduced into physical education teaching, and students’ learning attitude and interest are evaluated. The results show that before and after the introduction of an educational robot in physical education teaching, the average score of students’ learning interest increases by 21 points, and the average score of learning attitude increases by 9.8 points. Therefore, the introduction of an artificial intelligence educational robot based on voice interaction in physical education teaching can help to improve the classroom efficiency of physical education teaching and students’ interest. This study provides a reference for the development of artificial intelligence teaching and promoting the development of artificial intelligence.
Looking for the Optimal Location of an Eco-District within a Metropolitan Area: The Case of Tricity Metropolitan Area
Authors: Kurek Julia , Martyniuk-Pęczek Justyna
Published: September 2020

Compact housing structures located in city centers are considered to be the most energy and environmentally effective, mainly due to the access to services, transport networks and municipal infrastructures. There is the question of why so many of the acknowledged ecological housing complexes are located on the outskirts of cities or suburbs. Numerous cities decide to introduce strategies either to densify city centers, hoping to improve energy efficiency. The Tricity metropolitan area is a special case undergoing dynamic transformation, and its development overlaps with the processes of both planned densification of the center as well as uncontrolled suburbanization. The goal of this study was to find the correlation between optimal location of an eco-district from the functional center of the Tricity metropolitan area, allowing for the most favorable energy and environmental parameters related both to the architectural and urban scale. The research was conducted in four different scenarios, concerning present and future development. In these scenarios, specific locations were examined, and the following were compared: total energy consumption, ecological footprint and CO2 lifecycle emissions. This study shows the possibility for suburban housing complexes with appropriate parameters in an edge city model to have the same or better results than complexes situated closer to the functional center of the city. This is mainly due to the building’s energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, municipal infrastructure and relevant service access. The research proves the importance of implementing sustainable energy-saving and environmentally oriented activities at both an architectural and urban scale planning process.
Organizational Structure, Public-Private Relationships, and Operational Performance of Large-Scale Stadiums: Evidence from Local Governments in China
Authors: Dong Honggang , Yim Brian , Zhang James J.
Published: September 2020

The financial sustainability of large-scale sport stadiums has become a challenging issue for sport organizations in China due to increasing market competition, lack of professional sport franchises to tenant the facilities, and gradual slow-down in Chinese GDP growth. Previous findings about operational performance of sport organizations identify organizational structure and public-private partnership (PPP) as important predictors. The aim of the current study was (a) to propose a predictive model for operational performance of large-scale stadiums in China and (b) to examine the relationships among organizational structure, PPP, and operational performance. We conducted a literature review to establish a theoretical framework for the proposed model, selected Yangzhou Sports Park and Xuzhou Olympic Sports Center to examine the relationships, and conducted expert interviews to examine the research questions. We found that Xuzhou’s operational performance was more effective due to several mechanisms related to both organizational structure and PPP: incentive, supervision, and assessment. Notably, using built-in benchmark monitoring procedures, Xuzhou managers identified a variety of constraints early on to address onsite problems while maintaining efficient communication among key PPP stakeholders.
Profile of Coffee Crops and Management of the Neotropical Coffee Leaf Miner, Leucoptera coffeella
Authors: Leite Suzany Aguiar , Guedes Raul Narciso Carvalho , Santos Mateus Pereira dos , Costa Daniela Ribeiro da , Moreira Aldenise Alves , Matsumoto Sylvana Naomi , Lemos Odair Lacerda , Castellani Maria Aparecida
Published: September 2020

The Neotropical coffee leaf miner is a key coffee pest and in the state of Bahia, one of the major coffee-producing states in the country. The insect finds favorable conditions for its development, causing production losses and intensive use of insecticides. Thus, the objective of the study was to analyze aspects of the profile of coffee crops and the management of the leaf miner, including the use of insecticide for the western and highland regions of Bahia. Data were obtained through questionnaires applied to coffee growers and/or production technicians and included information on the total area, area with coffee, and native vegetation, type of cultivation, cultivars, pest monitoring, methods of control and use, insecticide rotation, and doses used. Descriptive statistical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and canonical correlations indicated differences between farm size, and areas with coffee and native vegetation. Chemical pest control prevails as a management strategy in all farms. The results are important for managing the coffee leaf miner while providing an overview and diagnosis of insecticide use in coffee production in the state of Bahia. An increase in the application of systemic insecticides took place in recent years, similarly (same active ingredients) among most coffee growers. This fact increases the risk of selecting populations resistant to insecticides, compromising the management of the leaf miner in the regions.
A Structural Model for the Antecedents of Sustainable Project Management in Pakistan
Authors: Ullah Mehfooz , Khan Muhammad Waris Ali , Kuang Lee Chia , Hussain Ammar , Rana Faisal , Khan Asadullah , Sajid Mirza Rizwan
Published: September 2020

Sustainable development is the core agenda item of the 21st century to be addressed simultaneously by societies, businesses, and academia. Likewise, sustainability research in the project context is fragmented and still at a nascent stage with less attention directed towards the key antecedents particularly in developing countries. Using institutional theory, this paper analyzes the role of normative and mimetic isomorphic pressures as external enablers for integrating sustainability in project processes. Additionally, it aims to empirically validate a structural model for predictors of sustainable project management (SPM). Data were collected from 146 large construction firms in Pakistan which were then analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results show that mimetic isomorphic pressures assert more influence than normative pressures in predicting the sustainability performance of construction projects. The inferred implications suggest that large construction firms will tend to improve their sustainable performance under isomorphic pressure from professional bodies and from those competitors who are early adopters of sustainable project practices. This paper contributes to the literature by explaining the role of non-coercive isomorphism as an important enabler of SPM in developing countries. The model presented will enrich our current understanding of SPM by studying its juxtaposition with institutional theory and sustainable development research.
Distributed Deep Features Extraction Model for Air Quality Forecasting
Authors: Mengara Mengara Axel Gedeon , Kim Younghak , Yoo Younghwan , Ahn Jaehun
Published: September 2020

Several studies in environmental engineering emphasize the importance of air quality forecasting for sustainable development around the world. In this paper, we studied a new approach for air quality forecasting in Busan metropolitan city. We proposed a convolutional Bi-Directional Long-Short Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) autoencoder model trained using a distributed architecture to predict the concentration of the air quality particles (PM2.5 and PM10). The proposed deep learning model can automatically learn the intrinsic correlation among the pollutants in different location. Also, the meteorological and the pollution gas information at each location are fully utilized, which is beneficial for the performance of the model. We used multiple one-dimension convolutional neural network (CNN) layers to extract the local spatial features and a stacked Bi-LSTM layer to learn the spatiotemporal correlation of air quality particles. In addition, we used a stacked deep autoencoder to encode the essential transformation patterns of the pollution gas and the meteorological data, since they are very important for providing useful information that can significantly improve the prediction of the air quality particles. Finally, in order to reduce the training time and the resource consumption, we used a distributed deep leaning approach called data parallelism, which has never been used to tackle the problem of air quality forecasting. We evaluated our approach with extensive experiments based on the data collected in Busan metropolitan city. The results reveal the superiority of our framework over ten baseline models and display how the distributed deep learning model can significantly improve the training time and even the prediction accuracy.
Farmer Awareness and Implementation of Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Different Types of Farms in Poland
Authors: Gebska Monika , Grontkowska Anna , Swiderek Wiesław , Golebiewska Barbara
Published: September 2020

Sustainability has been an emerging issue for years in the economy and agriculture. Making agriculture sustainable has become so essential that it has become part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). However, producers ultimately decide individually the practices they implement. This is why farmers play a central role in ensuring a sustainable agricultural system, which results from farmers’ knowledge and expectations. Although numerous studies address sustainability issues, little is known about farmers’ knowledge and implementation of sustainable practices at different types of farms, especially in central and eastern Europe. This study aimed to determine Polish farmers’ awareness of sustainability with regards to animal and crop production. This paper also shows how farmers value the advantages arising from sustainable production. The study was carried out among 300 farms classified by type (dairy, beef cattle, pork, and crop production). The research instrument used was a questionnaire, with the Likert scale. The results show that dairy farmers and pork farmers declared higher knowledge and better implement sustainable practices than other farmers. The producers’ views on the benefits coming from sustainable agriculture varied. However, the two most significant advantages were recognized—the protection of water against pollution and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Multi-Integral Representations for Associated Legendre and Ferrers Functions
Authors: Cohl Howard S. , Costas-Santos Roberto S.
Published: September 2020

For the associated Legendre and Ferrers functions of the first and second kind, we obtain new multi-derivative and multi-integral representation formulas. The multi-integral representation formulas that we derive for these functions generalize some classical multi-integration formulas. As a result of the determination of these formulae, we compute some interesting special values and integral representations for certain particular combinations of the degree and order, including the case where there is symmetry and antisymmetry for the degree and order parameters. As a consequence of our analysis, we obtain some new results for the associated Legendre function of the second kind, including parameter values for which this function is identically zero.
The Application of a Hybrid Model Using Mathematical Optimization and Intelligent Algorithms for Improving the Talc Pellet Manufacturing Process
Authors: Buntam Dussadee , Permpoonsinsup Wachirapond , Surin Prayoon
Published: September 2020

Moisture is one of the most important factors impacting the talc pellet process. In this study, a hybrid model (HM) based on the combination of intelligent algorithms, self-organizing map (SOM), the adaptive neuron fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and metaheuristic optimizations, genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) is introduced, namely, HM-GA and HM-PSO. The main purpose is to predict the moisture in the talc pellet process related to symmetry in the aspect of real-world application problem. In the combination process, SOM classifies the suitable input data. The GA and PSO, as the training algorithms of ANFIS, are investigated to compare the prediction skill. Five factors, including talc powder, water, temperature, feed speed, and air flow of 52 experiment cases designed by central composite design (CCD), are the training set data. Three different measures evaluate the capacity of moisture prediction. The comparison results show that the HM-PSO can provide the smallest difference between train and test datasets under the condition of the moisture being less than 5%. As a result, the HM-PSO model achieves the best result in predicting the moisture for the talc pellet process with R = 0.9539, RMSE = 1.0693, and AAD = 0.393, compared to others.
Steady Solitary and Periodic Waves in a Nonlinear Nonintegrable Lattice
Authors: Andrianov Igor , Zemlyanukhin Aleksandr , Bochkarev Andrey , Erofeev Vladimir
Published: September 2020

In this paper, stationary solitary and periodic waves of a nonlinear nonintegrable lattice are numerically constructed using a two-stage approach. First, as a result of continualization, a nonintegrable generalized Boussinesq—Ostrovsky equation is obtained, for which the solitary-wave and periodic solutions are numerically found by the Petviashvili method. In the second stage, discrete analogs of the obtained solutions are used as initial conditions in the numerical simulation of the original lattice. It is shown that the initial perturbations constructed in this way propagate along the lattice without changing their shape.
Construction of Stable Reporter Flaviviruses and Their Applications
Authors: Baker Coleman , Shi Pei-Yong
Published: September 2020

Flaviviruses are significant human pathogens that cause frequent emerging and reemerging epidemics around the world. Better molecular tools for studying, diagnosing, and treating these diseases are needed. Reporter viruses represent potent tools to fill this gap but have been hindered by genetic instability. Recent advances have overcome these hurdles, opening the way for increased use of stable reporter flaviviruses to diagnose infections, screen and study antiviral compounds, and serve as potential vaccine vectors.
Neurological Development, Epilepsy, and the Pharmacotherapy Approach in Children with Congenital Zika Syndrome: Results from a Two-Year Follow-up Study
Authors: Quilião Maria Eulina , Venancio Fabio Antonio , Mareto Lisany Krug , Metzker Sahra de Almeida , Nascimento Ana Isabel do , Vitorelli-Venancio Daniele Cristina , Santos-Pinto Cláudia Du Bocage , de Oliveira Everton Falcão
Published: September 2020

Clinical outcomes related to congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) include microcephaly accompanied by specific brain injuries. Among several CZS outcomes that have been described, epilepsy and motor impairments are present in most cases. Pharmacological treatment for seizures resulting from epilepsy is performed with anticonvulsant drugs, which in the long term are related to impairments in the child’s neuropsychomotor development. Here, we describe the results from a two-year follow-up of a cohort of children diagnosed with CZS related to the growth of the head circumference and some neurological and motor outcomes, including the pharmacological approach, and its results in the treatment of epileptic seizures. This paper is part of a prospective cohort study carried out in the state of Mato Grosso Sul, Brazil, based on a Zika virus (ZIKV)-exposed child population. Our data were focused on the assessment of head circumference growth and some neurological and motor findings, including the description of seizure conditions and pharmacological management in two periods. Among the 11 children evaluated, 8 had severe microcephaly associated with motor impairment and/or epilepsy. Seven children were diagnosed with epilepsy. Of these, 3 had West syndrome. In four children with other forms of epilepsy, there was no pharmacological control.
Characterization of Avian Influenza Virus H10–H12 Subtypes Isolated from Wild Birds in Shanghai, China from 2016 to 2019
Authors: Tang Ling , Tang Wangjun , Ming Le , Gu Jianming , Qian Kai , Li Xiaofang , Wang Tianhou , He Guimei
Published: September 2020

H10, H11 and H12 (H10–H12) subtypes of the avian influenza virus (AIV) are associated with waterfowl. Although these subtypes of AIV are infrequently detected in nature, they can undergo reassortment with other AIV subtypes. Few H10–H12 subtypes of AIV have been isolated from wild birds in China. In this study, 12 AIV isolates of H10–H12 subtypes were identified via routine surveillance of wild birds in Shanghai, China from 2016 to 2019, including two H10, three H11 and seven H12 isolates. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genomic segments of the 12 isolates are highly diverse. These 12 isolates are closely related to those in the Eurasian lineage and share a high degree of sequence identity with those from wild birds and domestic ducks in countries in the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, including Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Vietnam and China. However, parts of the genomic segments of two H12N2 isolates (NH112319-H12N2 and NH101807-H12N2) belong to the North American lineage, suggesting intercontinental reassortment among H12 AIVs in Eurasia and North American. To better understand the ecological and phylodynamic features of H10–H12 subtypes in wild birds, a large-scale surveillance of AIVs in wild birds is warranted.
Network Controllability-Based Prioritization of Candidates for SARS-CoV-2 Drug Repositioning
Authors: Ackerman Emily , Shoemaker Jason
Published: September 2020

In a short time, the COVID-19 pandemic has left the world with over 25 million cases and staggering death tolls that are still rising. Treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infection are desperately needed as there are currently no approved drug therapies. With limited knowledge of viral mechanisms, a network controllability method of prioritizing existing drugs for repurposing efforts is optimal for quickly moving through the drug approval pipeline using limited, available, virus-specific data. Based on network topology and controllability, 16 proteins involved in translation, cellular transport, cellular stress, and host immune response are predicted as regulators of the SARS-CoV-2 infected cell. Of the 16, eight are prioritized as possible drug targets where two, PVR and SCARB1, are previously unexplored. Known compounds targeting these genes are suggested for viral inhibition study. Prioritized proteins in agreement with previous analysis and viral inhibition studies verify the ability of network controllability to predict biologically relevant candidates.
Host Gene Regulation by Transposable Elements: The New, the Old and the Ugly
Authors: Enriquez-Gasca Rocio , Gould Poppy A. , Rowe Helen M.
Published: September 2020

The human genome has been under selective pressure to evolve in response to emerging pathogens and other environmental challenges. Genome evolution includes the acquisition of new genes or new isoforms of genes and changes to gene expression patterns. One source of genome innovation is from transposable elements (TEs), which carry their own promoters, enhancers and open reading frames and can act as ‘controlling elements’ for our own genes. TEs include LINE-1 elements, which can retrotranspose intracellularly and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) that represent remnants of past retroviral germline infections. Although once pathogens, ERVs also represent an enticing source of incoming genetic material that the host can then repurpose. ERVs and other TEs have coevolved with host genes for millions of years, which has allowed them to become embedded within essential gene expression programmes. Intriguingly, these host genes are often subject to the same epigenetic control mechanisms that evolved to combat the TEs that now regulate them. Here, we illustrate the breadth of host gene regulation through TEs by focusing on examples of young (The New), ancient (The Old), and disease-causing (The Ugly) TE integrants.