bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Touching the Earth: Buddhist (and Kierkegaardian) Reflections on and of the ‘Negative’ Emotions
Authors: Read Rupert
Published: November 2023

This article develops the philosophical work of Joanna Macy. It argues that ecological grief is a fitting response to our ecological predicament and that much of the ‘mental ill health’ that we are now seeing is, in fact, a perfectly sane response to our ecological reality. This paper claims that all ecological emotions are grounded in love/compassion. Acceptance of these emotions reveals that everything is fine in the world as it is, providing that we accept our ecological emotions as part of what is ‘in the world’. This is non-dualistic acceptance or ‘fierce’ acceptance. This paper focuses primarily on the revolutionary qualities of ecological grief: a paradoxical revolution, coming as it does from a profound process of acceptance.
Unlocking the Potential of Explainable Artificial Intelligence in Remote Sensing Big Data
Authors: Liu Peng , Wang Lizhe , Li Jun
Published: November 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and big data, the concept of explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) [...]
Characterization of Antenna Radiation Pattern and Penetration Depth in Ground Penetrating Radar Field Missions
Authors: Morozov Pavel , Morozov Fedor , Lazarev Maxim , Bogolyubov Leonid , Popov Alexei
Published: November 2023

This article discusses the methods and results of assessing the angular resolution and sounding depth of enhanced-power ground penetration radars obtained during archaeological and geographical expeditionary works in various natural areas. Elongated local objects were used as test objects to evaluate the horizontal radiation pattern of the Loza–V georadar in the upper- and lower-half spaces. The depth of operation of the Loza–N low-frequency radar was estimated during a geophysical study of a unique natural object in the Siberian taiga. The variability of the GPR antenna radiation patterns in different materials (air, dry, or wet soils) confirms the necessity of quantitative measurements with controlled electrophysical parameters.
Cross-Radiometric Calibration and NDVI Application Comparison of FY-4A/AGRI Based on Aqua-MODIS
Authors: He Xiaohui , Li Hongli , Zhou Guangsheng , Tian Zhihui , Wu Lili
Published: November 2023

To enhance the accuracy and stability of FY-4A/AGRI detection data, the MODIS, with highly accurate onboard calibration, is selected as the reference sensor for cross-radiation calibration calculations. The following are the data selection conditions: full considered time, observation geometries, field angles, cloud cover, etc. FY-4A/AGRI and Aqua-MODIS image data are selected as matching sample region locations, where the time difference between the observations for the same ground object is less than 15 min, the satellite zenith angle is less than 30°, and the field angle difference is less than 0.01. The 245 collected reflectance spectral curves are convolved with the spectral response functions of the two sensors, and the spectral band adjustment factors of the corresponding bands are calculated for spectral correction purposes. The cross-calibration coefficients for the red and near-infrared bands are calculated by linearly fitting the simulated top of the atmosphere reflectance values and digital number values from the AGRI sensor in a homogeneous area. In this paper, 16 cross-calibration calculations are performed on FY-4A/AGRI image data from August 2018 to September 2020, and the results are compared with the original calibration coefficients to test the feasibility of the proposed method. Additionally, 31 cross-calibration calculations are performed on image data from October 2020 to December 2022 to study the resulting AGRI sensor quality and performance changes. The NDVI of the FY-4A/AGRI image data was calculated before and after the cross-radiometric calibration using the maximum synthesis method. Additionally, the NDVI of the MODIS image data was compared and analyzed from three aspects: time, space, and the change trend. The results show that the spectral band adjustment factor calculated using the reflectance spectral curves of the ground objects in this paper can effectively correct for the spectral differences between the two sensors. Sixteen cross-calibration coefficients are less than 5.2% different from the original calibration coefficients, which fully proves the feasibility of the method used in this paper. All of the cross-calibration results show that the AGRI sensors have a certain degree of attenuation in the red and near-infrared bands, and the annual attenuation rates are approximately 1.37% and 2.55%, respectively. Cross-radiometric calibration has further improved the quality of the NDVI in FY-4A/AGRI imagery, enhancing the precision of its data application.
Change Detection Needs Neighborhood Interaction in Transformer
Authors: Ma Hangling , Zhao Lingran , Li Bingquan , Niu Ruiqing , Wang Yueyue
Published: November 2023

Remote sensing image change detection (CD) is an essential technique for analyzing surface changes from co-registered images of different time periods. The main challenge in CD is to identify the alterations that the user intends to emphasize, while excluding pseudo-changes caused by external factors. Recent advancements in deep learning and image change detection have shown remarkable performance with ConvNet-based and Transformer-based techniques. However, ConvNet-based methods are limited by the local receptive fields of convolutional kernels that cannot effectively capture the change features in spatial–temporal information, while Transformer-based CD models need to be driven by a large amount of data due to the lack of inductive biases, and at the same time need to bear the costly computational complexity brought by self-attention. To address these challenges, we propose a Transformer-based Siamese network structure called BTNIFormer. It incorporates a sparse attention mechanism called Dilated Neighborhood Attention (DiNA), which localizes the attention range of each pixel to its neighboring context. Extensive experiments conducted on two publicly available datasets demonstrate the benefits of our proposed innovation. Compared to the most competitive recent Transformer-based approaches, our method achieves a significant 12.00% improvement in IoU while reducing computational costs by half. This provides a promising solution for further development of the Transformer structure in CD tasks.
Historical Evolution and Future Trends of Precipitation Based on Integrated Datasets and Model Simulations of Arid Central Asia
Authors: Xie Bo , Guo Hui , Meng Fanhao , Sa Chula , Luo Min
Published: November 2023

Earth system models (ESMs) are important tools for assessing the historical characteristics and predicting the future characteristics of precipitation, yet the quantitative understanding of how these land–atmospheric coupling models perform in simulating precipitation characteristics remains limited. This study conducts a comprehensive evaluation of precipitation changes simulated by 43 ESMs in CMIP5 and 32 ESMs in CMIP6 in Arid Central Asia (ALL) and its two sub-regions for 1959–2005 with reference to Climate Research Unit (CRU) data, and predicts precipitation changes for 2054–2100. Our analyses suggest the following: (a) no single model consistently outperformed the others in all aspects of simulated precipitation variability (annual averages, long-term trends, and climatological monthly patterns); (b) the CMIP5 and CMIP6 model simulations tended to overestimate average annual precipitation for most of the ALL region, especially in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China (XJ); (c) most model simulations projected a stronger increasing trend in average annual precipitation; (d) although all the model simulations reasonably captured the climatological monthly precipitation, there was an underestimation; (e) compared to CMIP5, most CMIP6 model simulations exhibited an enhanced capacity to simulate precipitation across all aspects, although discrepancies persisted in individual sub-regions; (f) it was confirmed that the multi-model ensemble mean (MME) provides a more accurate representation of the three aspects of precipitation compared to the majority of single-model simulations. Lastly, the values of precipitation predicted by the more efficient models across the ALL region and its sub-regions under the different scenarios showed an increasing trend in most seasons. Notably, the strongest increasing trend in precipitation was seen under the high-emission scenarios.
Remote Sensing-Based Outdoor Thermal Comfort Assessment in Local Climate Zones in the Rural–Urban Continuum of eThekwini Municipality, South Africa
Authors: Mushore Terence , Odindi John , Slotow Rob , Mutanga Onisimo
Published: November 2023

Due to the need to continuously monitor and understand the thermal environment and its socioeconomic implications, this study used remotely sensed data to analyze thermal comfort variation in LCZs, including along the rural to urban gradient of the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. LCZs were mapped using multi-temporal and multi-spectral Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 data using the approach by World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT), while thermal data were used to retrieve land surface temperatures (LSTs). Data for training classification of LCZs and accuracy assessment were digitized from GoogleEarth guided by knowledge gained and data collected during a field survey in March 2022 as well as pre-existing maps. LCZs were mapped using the random forest classifier in SAGA GIS software while a single channel algorithm based on band 10 was used to compute LST for different scenes. The LSTs were adjusted and further used to derive thermal comfort based on the Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI) categories as an indicator for outdoor thermal comfort on the extremely low- and extremely high-temperature periods in the cool and hot seasons, respectively. LCZs were mapped with high accuracy (overall accuracy of 90.1% and kappa of 0.88) while inter-class separability was high (>1.5) for all LCZ pairs. Built-up LCZs dominate the eastern parts of the municipality, signifying the influence of the sea on development within the area. Average LST was coolest in the dense forest, open low-rise and water LCZs in the cool and hot seasons, respectively. The compact high-rise LCZ was the warmest in both the hot (36 °C) and the cool (23 °C) seasons. The sea sands were among coolest regions in both seasons due to their high water content, attributed to their high water table and close proximity to the ocean. There was no thermal stress during the cool season, while most areas recorded moderate to strong heat stress in the hot season. Some areas in the densely built-up LCZs recorded very strong heat stress in the hot season. The findings suggest that policies and strategies should enhance heat mitigation capacities in strong-heat-stress areas during the hot season. Municipal authorities and citizens must work together to build strategies to minimize temperature extremes and associated socioeconomic pressures. Urban development policies, plans and strategies should consider implications on the thermal environment as well as the value of conservation of LCZs with high-heat mitigation value such as dense forests and expansion of built-up LCZs with low-heat absorption levels such as open low-rise. The study was based mainly on remotely sensed temperatures with some ground data used to validate results, which may limit the assessment. Overall, the study provides insights towards achievement of global sustainable and climate-smart development targets.
Transfer Learning for Indoor Localization Algorithm Based on Deep Domain Adaptation
Authors: Wang Jiahao , Fu Yifu , Feng Hainan , Wang Junxiang
Published: November 2023

In application, training data and test data collected via indoor positioning algorithms usually do not come from the same ideal conditions. Changes in various environmental conditions and signal drift can cause different probability distributions between the data sets. Existing positioning algorithms cannot guarantee stable accuracy when facing these issues, resulting in dramatic reduction and the infeasibility of the positioning accuracy of indoor location algorithms. Considering these restrictions, domain adaptation technology in transfer learning has proven to be a promising solution in past research in terms of solving the inconsistent probability distribution problems. However, most localization algorithms based on transfer learning do not perform well because they only learn a shallow representation feature, which can only slightly reduce the domain discrepancy. Based on the deep network and its strong feature extraction ability, it can learn more transferable features for domain adaptation and achieve better domain adaptation effects. A Deep Joint Mean Distribution Adaptation Network (DJMDAN) is proposed to align the global domain and relevant subdomain distributions of activations in multiple domain-specific layers across domains to achieve domain adaptation. The test results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed method outperforms the comparison algorithm in indoor positioning applications.
A Cell State Monitoring System with Integrated In Situ Imaging and pH Detection
Authors: Li Zening , Zhang Rongtao , Xu Fangliang , Yang Jian , Zhou Lin , Mao Hongju
Published: November 2023

Cell models are one of the most widely used basic models in biological research, and a variety of in vitro cell culture techniques and models have been developed recently to simulate the physiological microenvironment in vivo. However, regardless of the technique or model, cell culture is the most fundamental but crucial component. As a result, we have developed a cell culture monitoring system to assess the functional status of cells within a biochip. This article focuses on a mini-microscope made from a readily available camera for in situ continuous observation of cell growth within a biochip and a pH sensor based on optoelectronic sensing for measuring pH. With the aid of this monitoring system, scientists can keep an eye on cell growth in real time and learn how the pH of the culture medium affects it. This study offers a new approach for tracking cells on biochips and serves as a valuable resource for enhancing cell culture conditions.
What Makes Parents Consider Shared Autonomous Vehicles as a School Travel Mode?
Authors: Aboutorabi Kashani Mahsa , Kamyab Salehe , Mamdoohi Amir Reza , Sierpiński Grzegorz
Published: November 2023

The integration of shared mobility and autonomous vehicles (AVs) could potentially change the way parents decide to transport their children to and from school. A better understanding of the factors influencing parents’ intentions to use shared autonomous vehicles (SAVs) for school transportation is necessary to enhance their children’s mobility. Unlike prior research, this paper significantly contributes to the literature by exploring the impacts of socioeconomic, travel-related, and psychological factors and their interactions. Using Google Forms for an online survey, the authors collected 1435 valid responses from parents in Kerman city schools in Iran. The estimation results of the generalized ordered logit model indicate the significant impact of parents’ socioeconomic status (occupation, education, income), travel behavior (accident experience, crash severity, travel cost), and attitude (innovativeness, perceived usefulness, environmental concern, pro-driving, safety), and their children-related factors (gender, the most frequently used travel mode, the possibility of tracking the child). The findings show that an increase in parents’ education, perceived usefulness, and environmental concern increase the likelihood of their intentions to use SAVs. Finally, based on the findings, several implications are suggested to increase parents’ intentions to use SAVs for transporting their children and to make SAVs a safe, affordable, and sustainable transport solution.
Utilizing Social Media Data for Estimating Transit Performance Metrics
Authors: Kamga Camille , Kish Richard , Mudigonda Sandeep , Tchamna Rodrigue
Published: November 2023

In this paper, a methodology using text and sentiment analysis of social media data is proposed to determine performance metrics that customers frequently mentioned when riding the New York Transit system and how they compare to those reported by the transit agency. This method is carried out by analyzing Twitter data collected from users mentioning their transit experience and recognizing trends regarding sentiment. The results show that customers mostly express negative over positive experiences about their transit services in terms of perceptions and expectations. Transit users are more critical about wait times and delays and notice the positive factors during service, such as system aesthetics, train speed, station cleanliness, and safety (in that order). The data analyzed also provides insights on locations and transit lines where there are frequent occurrences of customer issues. The proposed methodology provides a relevant contribution from a practical viewpoint because performance metrics are important factors to consider by transit operators which are exploring new practices to retain and attract ridership, given that transit systems are generally considered among the sustainable modes of transportation.
Inertia and Primary Frequency Response Requirement Assessment for High-Penetration Renewable Power Systems Based on Planning Perspective
Authors: Hu Sile , Yang Jiaqiang , Wang Yuan , Zhao Yucan , Chao Chen
Published: November 2023

In order to ensure the sustainable development of energy, the development of new power systems with a high penetration of renewable energy has become a key research direction in the field of power systems. This paper studies the system frequency response process and key indicators from the perspective of high-penetration renewable power systems and proposes an inertia and primary frequency response requirement assessment method for power system planning under high renewable penetration. First, by analyzing the frequency dynamic response process, the key parameters affecting frequency stability are determined, and the evolution trend of system inertia with increasing renewable penetration is analyzed. Second, based on the real-system data, the inertia and primary frequency response parameters for each generator are obtained. With the planning generation mix and load as the goal, whether the synchronous generators in the target system can meet the frequency stability requirements is determined. Finally, with the system inertia demand under the maximum rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) constraint as the starting point, we iteratively increase inertia and the primary frequency response capacity until the minimum matching configuration is found. The simulation results verify the correctness of the proposed assessment method. This method considers various processes in frequency response and multiple influencing factors, providing a practical evaluation tool for the inertia and primary frequency response requirements of high-penetration renewable power systems.
Self-Reporting of Teacher–Student Performance in Virtual Class Interactions in Biological Sciences during the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Bazán-Ramírez Aldo , Ango-Aguilar Homero , Cárdenas-López Víctor , Anaya-González Roberta B. , Capa-Luque Walter , Bazán-Ramírez Miguel A.
Published: November 2023

We used an interbehavioral model of teacher–student didactic performance with six pairs of criteria, as follows. Exploration of competencies and precurrent for learning, explicitness of teacher criteria and identification of student criteria, teacher illustration and illustration—student participation, supervision of the practice by the teacher and pertinent student practice, teacher feedback and feedback—student improvement, and teacher evaluation and evaluation—student application. The objective was to determine the level of covariation, divergence and convergence between the constructs of teacher didactic performance and student didactic performance in virtual classes as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, in November 2020. Three hundred-thirty undergraduate students of biological sciences from a public university in Peru completed two self-report scales in virtual modality through Google forms, one on the performance of their teachers and the other on their own performance. By means of confirmatory factor analysis and an analysis of the covariance of teacher–student performance constructs, three models were obtained with good fits for the convergent and divergent validities of six constructs of the two teaching performance scales. Adequate models of functional correspondence in each pair of the six teacher–student didactic performance criteria were obtained. Likewise, didactic performances related to the identification of teaching–learning criteria and to the evaluation—application criteria were the most frequent during teaching–learning, according to the students’ self-report.
The Potential Contribution of Modular Volumetric Timber Buildings to Circular Construction: A State-of-the-Art Review Based on Literature and 60 Case Studies
Authors: Li Jiayi , Andersen Lars Vabbersgaard , Hudert Markus Matthias
Published: November 2023

When facing the increasing demands of the housing market and balancing the requirements of sustainable development in the construction sector, building design methods should practise material conservation and adopt carbon reduction measures to alleviate the current environmental burden through the implementation of a circular economy approach. Volumetric modular timber design is recognised as a practical application to test the feasibility of a waste-reduced approach. Driven by the aim of further improving volumetric modular timber construction and increasing its use in a circular economy framework, this paper presents a case study review of 60 modular timber building projects constructed using volumetric modules. The dimensions, the architectural and structural design, and the manufacturing and assembly processes of the three-dimensional modular units were assessed to explore their potential for contributing to a circular built environment. The results show that the similarly sized modular volumetric timber units have the potential to serve different functions, and to be reused in subsequent projects. The stacking design allows modular volumetric units to be reused in a way that supports function conversion and satisfies project coordination criteria. The case studies illustrate that modular timber buildings are increasingly used for flexible design solutions, and to meet carbon emission reduction targets. The analysis results can address prevalent misconceptions regarding modular wood construction, provide interested parties with a better understanding, and promote the use of modular volumetric timber units in general.
Characterization of Cold Recycled Asphalt Mixtures including Reinforcing Fibers
Authors: Carpani Carlo , Bocci Edoardo , Bocci Maurizio
Published: November 2023

In recent years, cold recycling techniques have been widely used all over the world thanks to their huge environmental advantages. However, their performances are lower than the traditional hot-mix asphalt, both for the longer time to develop the final mechanical properties, which leads to delays in the reopening to road traffic, and for the lower fatigue resistance. The present paper deals with the characterization of cold recycled asphalt mixtures (CRAM), made with 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement, where synthetic fibers were included to improve the fatigue performance. The investigation involved the analysis of the curing time, volumetric properties, stiffness, strength, rheological behavior and resistance to cyclic loading. The results showed that the use of synthetic fiber, with the optimum dosage, determined a higher CRAM performance, especially in terms of fatigue resistance.
Mechanism Underlying Bacillus subtilis BS-Z15 Metabolite-Induced Prevention of Grain Contamination by Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Zhao Jingjing , Yang Jun , Li Haoran , Ning Huanchen , Chen Jiayi , Chen Zhihui , Zhao Heping , Zhao Huixin
Published: November 2023

Aspergillus flavus can cause mildew in corn, peanuts, and other foods as well as animal feed, which seriously endangers human and livestock health; thus, preventing A. flavus contamination is imperative. Previous studies have found that the secondary metabolites of Bacillus subtilis BS-Z15 have broad-spectrum-inhibiting fungal activity, further confirming that the main active inhibiting fungal substance is Mycosubtilin (Myco). In this paper, corn and peanuts were treated with 0, 100, and 200 μg/mL BS-Z15 secondary metabolites (BS-Z15-SMA) for 7 days, and the aflatoxin contamination prevention effect was examined. The results showed that with increasing BS-Z15-SMA concentration, the aflatoxin contamination prevention effect was significantly enhanced. The above toxicity phenomena became more significant with extended BS-Z15-SMA treatment time. Scanning electron microscopy showed that 4 μg/mL Myco treatment resulted in a dented A. flavus surface and breakage of both the conidial stem and the mycelium. Transcriptome results showed that Myco significantly affected gene expression in A. flavus spores. The downregulated genes were significantly enriched in cell wall synthesis, transcription and translation, transmembrane transport pathways, and pathways related to key enzymes for aflatoxin synthesis. These results suggest that Myco could be used as a new bioactive material to prevent aflatoxin synthesis and contamination.
Alginate-Encapsulated Mycobacteriophage: A Potential Approach for the Management of Intestinal Mycobacterial Disease
Authors: O’Connell Laura Michelle , Coffey Aidan , O’Mahony Jim
Published: November 2023

Encapsulated medication is a common method of administering therapeutic treatments. As researchers explore alternative therapies, it is likely that encapsulation will remain a feature of these novel treatments, particularly when routes of delivery are considered. For instance, alginate-encapsulation is often favoured where gastric digestion poses an obstacle. When exposed to cations (namely Ca2+), alginate readily forms gels that are resilient to acidic conditions and readily dissociate in response to mid-range pH. This action can be extremely valuable for the encapsulation of phages. The efficient delivery of phages to the intestine is important when considering mycobacteriophage (MP) therapy (or MP prophylaxis) for disseminated mycobacterial infections and chronic gastroenteritis conditions. This study presents the design and in vitro validation of an alginate-encapsulated MP capable of releasing phages in a pH-dependent manner. Ultimately, it is shown that encapsulated phages pretreated with simulated gastric fluid (SGF) are capable of releasing viable phages into simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) and thereby reducing the mycobacterial numbers in spiked SIF by 90%. These findings suggest that alginate encapsulation may be a viable option for therapeutic and prophylactic approaches to the management of intestinal mycobacterial disease, such as Johne’s disease.
Physicochemical Characteristics and Antimicrobial Efficacy of Plasma-Activated Water Produced by an Air-Operated Coaxial Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma
Authors: Miranda F. S. , Tavares V. K. F. , Gomes M. P. , Neto N. F. Azevedo , Chiappim W. , Petraconi G. , Pessoa R. S. , Koga-Ito C. Y.
Published: November 2023

In this study, Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) was synthesized using a coaxial Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) reactor, benefiting from the elevated capacity of air-flow-assisted DBD discharges to enhance nitrogen-based species concentration. By manipulating operational parameters, including gas flow rate, activation time, and DI water volume, we achieved significant concentrations of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). As a result, the PAW obtained displayed pronounced physicochemical attributes: a pH of 2.06, an ORP of 275 mV, conductivity of 3 mS/cm, and TDS of 1200 mg/L. A pivotal aspect of this research was the evaluation of the reactor’s efficiency, as indicated by metrics like the specific input energy and ozone efficiency yield. The antimicrobial potential of the PAW was also assessed against pathogenic microbes, with remarkable reductions in viability for both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (99.99%) and a more moderate decrease for Candida albicans (37%). These findings underscore the capability of coaxial DBD reactors in crafting high-quality PAW with significant antimicrobial properties, necessitating further studies to validate its broad-spectrum and safe applications.
Hydrogeochemical Characteristics and Genetic Analysis of Karst Groundwater in the Fengfeng Mining Area
Authors: Sun Hui , Bian Kai , Wang Tieji , Jin Zidong , Niu Zhiqiang
Published: November 2023

The karst water resources in the Fengfeng mining area are an important water supply source in the region. In recent years, due to the influence of external environment changes, the hydrochemical environment of karst groundwater has changed. In order to scientifically understand karst groundwater and rationally develop groundwater resources, it is necessary to study the hydrochemical characteristics and evolution laws of groundwater in this area. In this study, major elements in karst groundwater of different years and hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in 2022 were analyzed. The hydrochemical types of the study area were analyzed by using the Piper trilinear diagram drawn with Aquachem10.0 software. D and 18O were used to analyze the source and elevation of groundwater recharge. Origin software was used to draw Gibbs diagrams, three-terminal diagrams, ion ratio diagrams, etc., to analyze the influencing factors of groundwater chemical components. The research results show that: (1) The groundwater in the study area is mainly HCO3-Ca(Mg) type water; (2) The main supply source of karst water in the study area is atmospheric precipitation, and the supply elevation ranges from 1166.7 to 1533.3 m; (3) Most of the karst groundwater in the study area is affected by the dissolution of carbonate and silicate rocks; (4) With the influence of human activities, mainly agricultural activities, with the passage of time, the impact of industrial activities on groundwater has been weakening.
Water Balance and the Moist Planetary Boundary Layer Driven by Land Use and Land Cover Change across the Amazon Basin
Authors: Ribeiro Celso Bandeira de Melo , Mohanty Binayak P. , Rotunno Filho Otto Corrêa , Filgueiras Eduarda Trindade , Xavier Luciano Nobrega Rodrigues , Araújo Afonso Augusto Magalhães de
Published: November 2023

Despite the overall extension of the Amazon Basin (approximately 6,000,000 km2),which encompasses such a complex ecosystem and territories belonging to seven different nations, it is worth mentioning that environmental assessments related to changes in land use and land cover (LULC) in this region are often conducted respecting geopolitical boundaries associated with each country or taking into account the so-called Amazon biome. With the purpose of prospecting the intricate and hidden hydrological patterns, we undertake an in-depth evaluation of the water balance along the 2001–2021 time span across the whole basin, whose behavior depends on the features deriving from the metamorphoses in land use and land cover. To accomplish that task, the influence of the components of the water balance, namely rainfall and evapotranspiration, jointly with the terrestrial topographic mapping, are examined to investigate the interactions among the physical mechanisms that make up the hydrological cycle and the corresponding physical hydrological processes triggered by deforestation and reforestation in the region. More specifically, the modeling approach was rigorously designed to also consider, separately or not, Negro, Solimões, Madeira, Tapajós and Xingu hydrographic sub-basins, which are the most important ones of the Amazon Basin. The results highlight that in the southern region of the Amazon, specifically within the Madeira river sub-basin, the lowest forest coverage is observed (56.0%), whereas in the northern Negro river sub-basin, the most notable forest coverage is observed (85.0%). The most preserved forest areas, such as the Negro and Solimões river sub-basins, with percentages of 81.9% and 74.2%, respectively, have higher annual rates of precipitation and evapotranspiration over time. On the other hand, regions that suffered the most intense deforestation along the time period studied, such as the Madeira, Tapajós and Xingu sub-basins, have lower annual rates of precipitation and evapotranspiration, with preservation percentages of 54.6%, 62.6% and 70.7%, respectively. As the pace of deforestation slowed between 2003 and 2013, annual precipitation rates increased by 12.0%, while evapotranspiration decreased by 2.0%. The hydrological findings of this paper highlight th predominant role of the forest in the context of the global water balance of the Amazon Basin and the potential to also produce distinct impacts within different parts of the basin in terms of having more or less rainfall and evapotranspiration. In addition, those variabilities in the hydrological operational components and mechanisms due to changes in land cover and land use also reveal the potential impacts that could be expected in the surrounding areas, closer or farther, notably beyond the limits of the Amazon Basin.
Stress Path Efforts on Palm Fiber Reinforcement of Clay in Geotechnical Engineering
Authors: Liu Xue-Yan , Ye Yu , Li Ke , Wang Yun-Qi
Published: November 2023

Sixteen Reduced Triaxial Compression (RTC) triaxial tests were conducted to investigate the reinforcement effect of fibered clay in this paper. Palm fiber with four different fiber lengths (5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm, and 20 mm) and four different fiber contents (0.3%, 0.5%, 0.7%, and 0.9% in mass) were utilized. Accordingly, three additional groups of triaxial tests were performed to analyze the stress path effects with four different stress paths, including RTC, Conventional Triaxial Compression (CTC), Reduced Triaxial Extension (RTE), and isotropic Triaxial Compression (TC). Three samples were tested, including fibered clay with a fiber length of 10 mm and a fiber content of 0.7% (referred to as 10 mm 0.7%), fibered clay with a fiber length of 20 mm and a fiber content of 0.5% (referred to as 20 mm 0.5%), and bare clay, which was used to reveal the fiber reinforcement of clay. All samples were tested under consolidated undrained conditions. The test results showed that in RTC conditions, the deviator stress increased to a greater extent with 0.3% mass content of fibers according to the same higher confining pressures of bare clay. Fibers primarily increased the cohesion of fibered clay, a shear strength parameter, in terms of total stress, whereas they also increased the friction angle of fibered clay in terms of effective stress. For short fibers, the coefficient of strength reinforcement of the fibered clay increased with fiber content. However, for long fibers, this reinforcement may lead to a weakening of the clay’s strength, as the long fibers may cluster or weaken along their longitude. Among the four stress paths (CTC, TC, RTC, and RTE) examined, the reinforcement took effort mainly in the CTC condition. In contrast, in unloading conditions, the fibers had little contribution to reinforcement. Consequently, in unloading conditions, such as deep excavating and slope cutting, the stress path should be considered to obtain a reliable parameter for geotechnical engineering applications.
Sex and Gender Differences in AKI
Authors: Curtis Lisa M.
Published: November 2023

Sex differences in AKI continue to be identified. Generally, women are protected from AKI when compared to men. Much of the protection exhibited in women is diminished after menopause. These sex and age effects have also been noted in animal models of AKI. Gonadal hormones, as modifiers of incidence, severity, and progression of AKI, have been offered as likely contributors to this sex and age effect. In animal models of AKI, estrogen and testosterone seem to modulate susceptibility. Questions remain however regarding cellular and molecular changes that are initiated by modulation of these hormones because both estrogen and testosterone have effects across cell types that play a role in AKI. Although findings have largely been informed by studies in males, molecular pathways that are involved in the initiation and progression of AKI may be modulated by gonadal hormones. Compounding the hormone-receptor effects are developmental effects of sex chromosomal complement and epigenetic influences that may confer sex-based baseline differences in gene and protein expression, and gene dosage effects of X inactivation and escape on molecular pathways. Elucidation of sex-based protection may afford a more complete view of AKI and potential therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, the effect on susceptibility to AKI in transgender patients, who receive life-altering and essential gender-affirming hormone therapy, requires greater attention. In this review, several potential contributors to the sex differences observed in humans and animal models are discussed.
Educación sanitaria a la persona con diabetes mellitus: recomendaciones generales
Authors: Reina Bueno María , Vázquez Bautista María del Carmen , Palomo Toucedo Inmaculada Concepción , González López José Rafael
Published: November 2023

Serie de vídeos didácticos dedicados a la educación sanitaria de la persona con Diabetes Mellitus. El objetivo del recurso es favorecer la transmisión de los conocimientos al paciente en el autocuidado de los pies para potenciar conductas que potencien su autoprotección y aumentar su motivación y habilidades que faciliten la adherencia a este tipo de actuaciones. Orientado a las personas con diabetes, a los profesionales y estudiantes del ámbito de la Salud.
Estudio del fraccionamiento de diversos alquitranes obtenidos en la destilación destructiva de maderas argentinas a distintas temperaturas
Authors:   , Franzese Tomás A.
Published: November 2023

Plan de tesis - Alquitrán de madera; composición y fraccionamiento. - Datos botánicos del algarrobo (Prosopis alba Griseb); aplicaciones y zonas de distribución. - Datos botánicos del urunday (Astronium balancae Engl.) Aplicaciones y zonas de distribución» - Datos botánicos del quebracho blanco (Aspidosperma queb. blanco Schlecht). Aplicaciones y zonas de distribución. - Datos botánicos del guayacán (Caesalpinia melanocarpa Griseb). Aplicaciones y zonas de distribución. Parte experimental - Destilación de la madera. Descripción de la planta e instalaciones accesorias - Marcha de la destilación. Método seguido. Realización de una corrida - Procedimientos y métodos de análisis - Análisis de las maderas - Análisis del alquitrán Bibliografía Conclusiones
Acción de la formamida sobre los arilacetonitrilos
Authors:   , Meseri Jacobo
Published: November 2023

La formamida reacciona con los arilacetonitrilos. Esta interesante reacción fue descubierta por Novelli y deseando generalizarla decidimos ensayarla sobre algunos derivados detoxilados del fenilacetonitrilo.
Specifics of Epidemiological Anamnesis of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
in High-Risk Groups
Authors: Ufimtseva Marina A. , Gurkovskaya Evgenia P. , Anatoliy А. Komarov  , Kosova Anna A. , Nikolayeva Kristina I. , Struin Nikolay L. , Bochkarev Yuri M. , Sin Artem V.
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections induce inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs in women, infertility, infant and maternal mortality, and remain a global health challenge. Current studies are focused on examination and treatment of risk groups, including men who have sex with men, among whom the highest incidence rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and other socially significant infections are usually registered.
Objective: To establish epidemiological features of the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases in men who have sex with men as representatives of a high-risk group.
Material and methods: Snowball sampling was used in our questionnaire-based survey that involved 136 men of reproductive age (18 to 49 years). The case study group included 79 men who have sex with men and the control group consisted of 57 heterosexual men. For statistical data analysis, we used Pearson’s chi-squared test and Fisher’s exact test.
Results and discussion: The median age of the cases was 32 years and 25.3 % of them noted having bisexual relationships.
Compared to the controls, the proportion of men who reported having more than 10 sexual partners over the previous year was statistically higher among the men having sex with other men (63.3 %). 81.0 % of the cases and 57.9 % of the controls reported having casual sexual relations. 50 % of the men who have sex with men had one or more sexually transmitted infections in the medical history, while this percentage was significantly lower in the controls.
Conclusion: Men who have sex with men are typical representatives of groups at risk of sexually transmitted diseases due to numerous sexual partners and inherent risky sexual behavior.
Adaptação cultural e equivalência semântica do Incivility in Nursing Education – Revised Survey
Authors: Ribeiro Vanessa dos Santos , Zamarioli Cristina Mara , Garbuio Danielle Cristina , Miyazaki Margareth Yuri , Santos Claudia Benedita dos , Carvalho Emilia Campos de
Published: November 2023

Objetivo: realizar a adaptação cultural e a equivalência semântica do Incivility in Nursing Education –      Revised Survey para a cultura brasileira. Método: pesquisa metodológica      realizada em uma escola paulista de enfermagem e que contou com as      seguintes etapas: tradução, síntese das traduções, retrotradução, análise por comitê de especialistas, teste na população-alvo e apresentação da versão final à autora. A avaliação semântica para o idioma português do Brasil com a população-alvo seguiu o método DISABKIDS®. Resultados: obteve-se uma versão traduzida com poucas divergências da versão original. A      equivalência semântica apontou poucos itens de dificuldade, e as sugestões dos 21 estudantes de enfermagem que participaram dessa etapa foram essenciais para ajustes em três itens. A versão brasileira é composta por      24 itens referentes a comportamentos de estudantes e outros 24 a comportamentos de professores, representando os níveis alto e baixo de incivilidade. A versão final também conta com      questões de múltipla escolha e questões descritivas para caracterizar o      fenômeno na instituição e propor      alternativas de enfrentá-lo. Esta versão apresenta grande similaridade à versão original e foi  aprovada pela autora original. Conclusão: a adaptação à cultura brasileira e a equivalência semântica foram concluídas satisfatoriamente, resultando numa      versão com      condições de ser submetida à análise de propriedades psicométricas e      contribuir para identificação e manejo do fenômeno incivilidade nas instituições brasileiras de ensino de Enfermagem.
Projetos de Extensão Universitária e Experiências de Lazer para Pessoas Idosas nas Universidades Públicas Brasileiras
Authors: Costa Alisson Vieira , Dias Marcela Fabiani Silva
Published: November 2023

O objetivo foi investigar as experiências de lazer ofertadas às pessoas idosas nos projetos e programas existentes nas universidades públicas brasileiras. Realizou-se uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva. O universo do estudo foi composto por 113 universidades públicas brasileiras, os dados foram coletados por meio de instrumento online com uma amostra de 54 coordenadores. Os programas e projetos ofertam atividades de lazer de acordo com as condições de espaço, material e pessoal. Nem todas as regiões possuem programas bem estruturados. Há carência de recursos, materiais em boa parte deles; faltam estruturas construídas e locais para a realização das atividades. A oferta de atividades de lazer para pessoas idosas nas universidades públicas brasileiras ainda é um campo em expansão. A maior parte dos programas surge por meio da extensão universitária e tem sido ela, uma das mantenedoras da continuidade dos mesmos.
MONETARY POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK IN THE CONTEXT OF COUNTERACTION TO CRISES IN THE FINANCIAL MARKET
Authors: DZIUBLIUK Oleksandr
Published: November 2023

Introduction. During the crisis monetary policy acts as the most important tool of influence on the economy through monetary levers, and therefore the functioning of the central bank serves as the institutional basis and foundation of the entire anti-crisis architecture within the framework of the state economic policy. The emergence of objective limitations to the effectiveness of traditional instruments of monetary regulation determines the need to compensate them with other levers of monetary influence aimed at maintaining proper economic activity and stimulating economic growth. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the work of the European Central Bank as the leading eurozone regulatory institution, whose monetary policy, despite all the problematic aspects, proves the success of its conventional and unconventional instruments.

The purpose of the article is to study the experience of the European Central Bank in the construction of an effective mechanism of monetary regulation as an essential component of the state policy to overcome the consequences of crisis on financial markets and stabilize economic and social development.

Results. The key aspects of functioning of the European Central Bank as the main eurozone regulator of economic processes are analyzed. The main periods of the implementation of the ECB's monetary policy are considered and systematized, characterizing a sequence of applying certain tools of monetary regulation at each of them and setting priorities for choosing the appropriate goals of monetary influence on the economy. Particularly noted are the trends that emerged during financial crisis and pandemic crisis in the eurozone and determined the need to expand the mandate of the European Central Bank by influencing not only price dynamics, but also maintaining the financial stability of the banking sector and facilitating the functioning of businesses and households. Objective economic preconditions are determined under which the ECB was forced to resort to the use of new instruments of monetary regulation.

Conclusions. Based on the experience of the ECB's monetary policy, the need to expand the mandate of monetary regulation and the optimal combination of traditional and non-traditional central bank instruments for the implementation of large-scale measures of financial support for the banking system and the real sector of the economy is substantiated.

Perspectives. As an important direction of future scientific researches should be considered the analysis of further ways to expand and optimize the monetary regulation tools at the disposal of central banks in order to successfully counteract the crises in the economy.
Autofocusing in off-axis digital Fresnel holography using S-th power weighted neighborhood correlation coefficient
Authors: Zhang Yupei , Song Xuhui , Qiu Peizhen
Published: November 2023

Accurately determining the focus plane of the reconstructed image is crucial for obtaining high-quality reconstructed images in the process of digital hologram reconstruction. In this paper, a focusing evaluation function based on S-th power weighted neighborhood correlation coefficient (SPWNCC) is proposed to realize automatic focusing of the reconstructed image in off-axis digital Fresnel holography. The Fresnel transform method is utilized as the off-axis digital holographic reconstruction algorithm. Both the numerical simulation and optical experiment results are given to verify the validity of the proposed autofocusing method. The obtained focusing curve can maintain good unimodality and noise immunity performance over a large search range (approximately 800 mm). The proposed SPWNCC based focusing evaluation function has a certain guiding significance on the automatic focusing of off axis digital holographic reconstructed images of long distance recorded objects.