bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-Density Reference Fingerprinting SNP Dataset of CIMMYT Maize Lines for Quality Control and Genetic Diversity Analyses
Authors: Qu Jingtao , Chassaigne-Ricciulli Alberto A. , Fu Fengling , Yu Haoqiang , Dreher Kate , Nair Sudha K. , Gowda Manje , Beyene Yoseph , Makumbi Dan , Dhliwayo Thanda , Vicente Felix San , Olsen Michael , Prasanna Boddupalli M. , Li Wanchen , Zhang Xuecai
Published: November 2022

CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs), which represent the tropical maize germplasm, are freely available worldwide. All currently released 615 CMLs and fourteen temperate maize inbred lines were genotyped with 180 kompetitive allele-specific PCR single nucleotide polymorphisms to develop a reference fingerprinting SNP dataset that can be used to perform quality control (QC) and genetic diversity analyses. The QC analysis identified 25 CMLs with purity, identity, or mislabeling issues. Further field observation, purification, and re-genotyping of these CMLs are required. The reference fingerprinting SNP dataset was developed for all of the currently released CMLs with 152 high-quality SNPs. The results of principal component analysis and average genetic distances between subgroups showed a clear genetic divergence between temperate and tropical maize, whereas the three tropical subgroups partially overlapped with one another. More than 99% of the pairs of CMLs had genetic distances greater than 0.30, showing their high genetic diversity, and most CMLs are distantly related. The heterotic patterns, estimated with the molecular markers, are consistent with those estimated using pedigree information in two major maize breeding programs at CIMMYT. These research findings are helpful for ensuring the regeneration and distribution of the true CMLs, via QC analysis, and for facilitating the effective utilization of the CMLs, globally.
Nomenclatural Synopsis, Revised Distribution and Conservation Status of Ranunculus gracilis (Ranunculaceae) in Italy
Authors: Bartolucci Fabrizio , De Santis Enzo , Conti Fabio
Published: November 2022

Ranuculus gracilis is endemic to the SE Euro-Mediterranean area and its presence in Italy is controversial. Based on analysis of the relevant literature, field surveys and examination of herbarium specimens, a revised distribution of this species in Italy is presented and its conservation status is assessed. Ranunculus agerii, described by Antonio Bertoloni from Bologna (Emilia-Romagna, Northern Italy), and R. schowii, described by Vincenzo Tineo from Vittoria and Terranova (Sicily), usually regarded as synonyms of R. gracilis, are here lectotypified and their taxonomic status discussed. Thanks to our study, the presence of R. gracilis in Italy is confirmed and, now, it is reported in a national conservation framework.
Transcriptome Profiling in Leaves of Wheat Genotype under Heat Stress
Authors: Lamba Kavita , Kumar Mukesh , Singh Vikram , Chaudhary Lakshmi , Sharma Rajat , Yadav Samita , Yashveer Shikha , Dalal Mohinder Singh , Gupta Vijeta , Nagpal Shreya , Saini Manuj , Rai Navreet Kaur , Pati Rutuparna , Malhotra Karuna
Published: November 2022

Hexaploid wheat is the main cereal food crop for most people but it is highly influenced by climatic variations. The influence of these climatic variations was studies in wheat genotype WH -1184 in field conditions under two different environments (normal and late sown) and it was found that the genotype is less yielding under late sown conditions. To study the effects of heat stress at transcript level, it was grown under two different conditions (WH-1184 control and heat treated) in pots and transcriptome analysis based on Illumina Novoseq 6000 was carried out for the identification of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and metabolic processes or gene regulations influenced by heat stress which lead to a reduction in both quality and quantity of wheat production. These DEGs were utilized to set up a subsequent unigene assembly and GO analysis was performed using unigenes to analyze functions of DEGs which were classified into three main domains, i.e., biological process, cellular component, and molecular function. KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) ontology was used to visualize the physiological processes or to identify KEGG pathways that provide plants their ability to shield in adverse conditions of heat stress. From KEGG ontology, it was reported that genes which encoded protein detoxification and ABC1 domain-containing protein were upregulated while genes thatencoded glutathione transferase (GST), peroxidase, and chitinase enzymes were downregulated. Downregulation of these enzymes during heat stress causes oxidative damages in plants while upregulated proteins play a main role in detoxification to protect plants from heat stress. It was hypothesized that the yield of WH-1184 decreased 44% under heat stress due to the downregulation of genes that encoded GST, peroxidase, and chitinase enzymes which can protect plants from oxidative damage. Hence, upregulation of these genes might be helpful for the adaptation of this genotype under heat stress condition.
Post-Treatment of Tannic Acid for Thermally Stable PEDOT:PSS Film
Authors: Hwang In-Seong , Lee Ju-Yeong , Kim Jihyun , Pak Na-Young , Kim Jinhyun , Chung Dae-Won
Published: November 2022

As a poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly (styrene sulfonate), PEDOT:PSS is well known for its conductive polymer in a field of organic electronics. PEDOT:PSS can be widely operated as electronics under low temperature conditions; however, the layer can be easily damaged by high temperature conditions, while in fabrication or in the operation of electronics. Therefore, enhancing the thermal stability of PEDOT:PSS can be a novel strategy for both fabrication and operating varieties. Herein, PEDOT:PSS is the surface-treated with tannic acid to increase the thermal stability. A large number of phenols in tannic acid not only provide UV absorption ability, but also thermal stability. Therefore, tannic-treated PEDOT:PSS film sustained 150 °C for 96 h because of its initial conductivity. Moreover, surface properties and its bonding nature was further examined to show that the tannic acid does not damage the electrical and film properties. The method can be widely used in the field of organic electronics, especially because of its high stability and the high performance of the devices.
Influence of Molecular Weight and Grafting Density of PEG on the Surface Properties of Polyurethanes and Their Effect on the Viability and Morphology of Fibroblasts and Osteoblasts
Authors: Abreu-Rejón Antonio David , Herrera-Kao Wilberth Antonio , May-Pat Alejandro , Ávila-Ortega Alejandro , Rodríguez-Fuentes Nayeli , Uribe-Calderón Jorge Alonso , Cervantes-Uc José Manuel
Published: November 2022

Grafting polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto a polymer’s surface is widely used to improve biocompatibility by reducing protein and cell adhesion. Although PEG is considered to be bioinert, its incorporation onto biomaterials has shown to improve cell viability depending on the amount and molecular weight (MW) used. This phenomenon was studied here by grafting PEG of three MW onto polyurethane (PU) substrata at three molar concentrations to assess their effect on PU surface properties and on the viability of osteoblasts and fibroblasts. PEG formed a covering on the substrata which increased the hydrophilicity and surface energy of PUs. Among the results, it was observed that osteoblast viability increased for all MW and grafting densities of PEG employed compared with unmodified PU. However, fibroblast viability only increased at certain combinations of MW and grafting densities of PEG, suggesting an optimal level of these parameters. PEG grafting also promoted a more spread cell morphology than that exhibited by unmodified PU; nevertheless, cells became apoptotic-like as PEG MW and grafting density were increased. These effects on cells could be due to PEG affecting culture medium pH, which became more alkaline at higher MW and concentrations of PEG. Results support the hypothesis that surface energy of PU substrates can be tuned by controlling the MW and grafting density of PEG, but these parameters should be optimized to promote cell viability without inducing apoptotic-like behavior.
Combined Magnetic Hyperthermia and Photothermia with Polyelectrolyte/Gold-Coated Magnetic Nanorods
Authors: Lázaro Marina , Lupiáñez Pablo , Arias José L. , Carrasco-Jiménez María P. , Delgado Ángel V. , Iglesias Guillermo R.
Published: November 2022

Magnetite nanorods (MNRs) are synthesized based on the use of hematite nanoparticles of the desired geometry and dimensions as templates. The nanorods are shown to be highly monodisperse, with a 5:1 axial ratio, and with a 275 nm long semiaxis. The MNRs are intended to be employed as magnetic hyperthermia and photothermia agents, and as drug vehicles. To achieve a better control of their photothermia response, the particles are coated with a layer of gold, after applying a branched polyethyleneimine (PEI, 2 kDa molecular weight) shell. Magnetic hyperthermia is performed by application of alternating magnetic fields with frequencies in the range 118–210 kHz and amplitudes up to 22 kA/m. Photothermia is carried out by subjecting the particles to a near-infrared (850 nm) laser, and three monochromatic lasers in the visible spectrum with wavelengths 480 nm, 505 nm, and 638 nm. Best results are obtained with the 505 nm laser, because of the proximity between this wavelength and that of the plasmon resonance. A so-called dual therapy is also tested, and the heating of the samples is found to be faster than with either method separately, so the strengths of the individual fields can be reduced. Due to toxicity concerns with PEI coatings, viability of human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells was tested after contact with nanorod suspensions up to 500 µg/mL in concentration. It was found that the cell viability was indistinguishable from control systems, so the particles can be considered non-cytotoxic in vitro. Finally, the release of the antitumor drug doxorubicin is investigated for the first time in the presence of the two external fields, and of their combination, with a clear improvement in the rate of drug release in the latter case.
Biological Effects and Toxicity of Compounds Based on Cured Epoxy Resins
Authors: Rudawska Anna , Sarna-Boś Katarzyna , Rudawska Adrianna , Olewnik-Kruszkowska Ewa , Frigione Mariaenrica
Published: November 2022

The aim of this work was to investigate selected biological and toxicity properties of cured epoxy resin-based compounds based on a bisphenol A epoxy resin, cold-cured by a polyamide and containing two types of metal powders (aluminum and copper). This study involved cytotoxicity analysis, pH measurements, absorbance measurements and sterilization. The cytotoxicity analysis was conducted to determine the harmful degree of the cured epoxy resin. Aimed at identifying toxic agents in cured compounds, the cytotoxicity analysis involved absorbance measurements in an entire wavelength range. Cytotoxicity and absorbance results demonstrated that the extracts of all the tested resin samples had no cytotoxic effects on the cells of living organisms. The absorbance values obtained over the entire wavelength range did not point to the formation of aggregations, which proved that no toxic agents harmful to living organisms were extracted from the resin samples. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that all tested compounds, based on epoxy resins, which are also used as adhesives in various applications, are essentially safe materials when using such formulations in a cured state.
Mechanism Analysis of Ethanol Production from Cellulosic Insulating Paper Based on Reaction Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Fan Yufan , Li Yi , Zhang Yiyi , Shi Keshuo
Published: November 2022

The paper/oil system is the main component of transformer insulation. Indicator plays a vital role in assessing the aging condition of local hot spots of transformer insulation paper. The cellulosic insulating paper is mainly composed of cellobiose. This study uses the molecular dynamics method based on reactive force field (ReaxFF) to pyrolyze the insulating paper. Various production paths of ethanol were studied at the atomic level through ReaxFF simulations. A model consisting of 40 cellobioses was established for repeated simulation at 500 K–3000 K. Besides, to explore the relationship between the intermediate products and ethanol, the combination model of intermediate products (levoglucosan, acetaldehyde, 2,2-dihydroxyacetaldehyde) was established for repeated simulation. The simulation results showed that the increase in temperature can accelerate the production of ethanol from insulating paper and its pyrolysis intermediate products, which matched the related experimental results. This study can provide an effective reference for the use of ethanol as an indicator to assess the aging condition of the local hot spots of transformers.
Self-Healing and Reprocessable Oleic Acid-Based Elastomer with Dynamic S-S Bonds as Solvent-Free Reusable Adhesive on Copper Surface
Authors: Pettazzoni Luca , Leonelli Francesca , Marrani Andrea Giacomo , Migneco Luisa Maria , Vetica Fabrizio , Celio Lorenzo , Napoleone Valerio , Alfano Sara , Colecchia Andrea , Amato Francesco , Di Lisio Valerio , Martinelli Andrea
Published: November 2022

In the last decade, the application of dynamic covalent chemistry in the field of polymeric materials has become the subject of an increasing number of studies, gaining applicative relevance. This is due to the fact that polymers containing dynamic functions possess a structure that affords reprocessability, recyclability and peculiar self-healing properties inconceivable for “classic” polymer networks. Consequently, the synthesis of a dynamic covalent chemistry-based polymer and its chemical, thermal, and mechanical characterizations are reported in the present research. In particular, oleic acid has been used as starting material to follow the founding principles of the circular economy system and, thanks to the aromatic disulfide component, which is the foundation of the material dynamic characteristics, the obtained polymer resulted as being reprocessable and self-healable. Moreover, the polymer can strongly interact with copper surfaces through the formation of stable Cu-S bonds. Then, the application of the polymer as a solvent-free reusable adhesive for copper was investigated by lap joint shear tests and comparisons with the properties of an analogous material, devoid of the disulfide bonds, were conducted.
Synthetic Heparan Sulfate Mimetic Polymer Enhances Corneal Nerve Regeneration and Wound Healing after Experimental Laser Ablation Injury in Mice
Authors: Alcalde Ignacio , Sánchez-Fernández Cristina , Del Olmo-Aguado Susana , Martín Carla , Olmiere Céline , Artime Enol , Quirós Luis M. , Merayo-Lloves Jesús
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: Abnormal corneal wound healing compromises visual acuity and can lead to neuropathic pain. Conventional treatments usually fail to restore the injured corneal tissue. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a synthetic heparan sulfate mimetic polymer (HSmP) in a mouse model of corneal wound healing. (2) Methods: A surgical laser ablation affecting the central cornea and subbasal nerve plexus of mice was used as a model of the wound-healing assay. Topical treatment with HSmP was contrasted to its vehicle and a negative control (BSS). Corneal repair was studied using immunofluorescence to cell proliferation (Ki67), apoptosis (TUNEL assay), myofibroblast transformation (αSMA), assembly of epithelial cells (E-cadherin) and nerve regeneration (β-tubulin III). (3) Results: At the end of the treatment, normal epithelial cytoarchitecture and corneal thickness were achieved in HSmP-treated animals. HSmP treatment reduced myofibroblast occurrence compared to eyes irrigated with vehicle (p < 0.01) or BSS (p < 0.001). The HSmP group showed 50% more intraepithelial nerves than the BSS or vehicle groups. Only HSmP-treated corneas improved the visual quality to near transparent. (4) Conclusions: These results suggest that HSmP facilitates the regeneration of the corneal epithelium and innervation, as well as restoring transparency and reducing myofibroblast scarring after laser experimental injury.
Recent Advances in Biodegradable Polymers and Their Biological Applications: A Brief Review
Authors: Alaswad Saleh O. , Mahmoud Amira S. , Arunachalam Prabhakarn
Published: November 2022

The rising significance of the field of biopolymers has driven the rapid progress of this distinctive class of polymeric materials in the past decades. Biodegradable polymers have acquired much attention because they play an essential role in humans’ lives due to their specific tunable electrical conductivity and biodegradability characteristics, making them fascinating in many applications. Herein, we debated the recent progress in developing biodegradable polymers and their applications. Initially, we introduce the basics of conducting and biodegradable polymers, trailed by debates about the effective strategies currently used to develop biopolymers. Special importance will focus on the uses of biodegradable polymers in drug delivery and tissue engineering, as well as wound healing, demonstrating the recent findings, and uses of several biodegradable polymers in modern biological uses. In this review, we have provided comprehensive viewpoints on the latest progress of the challenges and future prospects involving biodegradable polymers’ advancement and commercial applications.
Characteristics and Driving Mechanism of Regional Ecosystem Assets Change in the Process of Rapid Urbanization—A Case Study of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Cao Yanni , Kong Lingqiao , Ouyang Zhiyun
Published: November 2022

Land urbanization has reduced the amount of area for natural ecosystem assets. However, with the development of the social economy, will the quality of natural ecosystem assets be improved? If one comprehensively considers the changes in the area and quality of natural ecosystem assets, is the dominant impact of urbanization on natural ecosystem assets positive or negative? In this study, detailed research is conducted on the area, pattern, quality, and overall situation of the ecosystem assets in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration during the rapid urbanization process. The impact of urbanization on the overall situation of ecosystem assets is also analyzed. The research methods used to generate statistics, accounting, and analysis of the ecosystem assets include ArcGIS, satellite remote sensing images, R language programming, and other data analysis tools. The research results show that: (1) The ecosystem area was dominated by degradation, and the landscape pattern became increasingly fragmented, with the exception of farmland and wetland areas. (2) However, the quality of the natural ecosystem assets was significantly improved, and the overall situation of the natural ecosystem assets was optimized. (3) In addition to the population urbanization rate, the growth in the population density, land urbanization rate, and GDP per unit area had a significant negative impact on the overall situation of natural ecosystem assets. This reminds people that the improvement in asset quality can compensate for the reduction in area to some extent, and, in addition to the population urbanization rate, the levels of population density, land urbanization, and economic density should be appropriately controlled.
Quantitative Assessment of the Spatial Scale Effects of the Vegetation Phenology in the Qinling Mountains
Authors: Ma Minfei , Liu Jianhong , Liu Mingxing , Zhu Wenquan , Atzberger Clement , Lv Xiaoqing , Dong Ziyue
Published: November 2022

Vegetation phenology reflects the temporal dynamics of vegetation growth and is an important indicator of climate change. However, differences consistently exist in land surface phenology derived at different spatial scales, which hinders the understanding of phenological events and integration of land surface phenology products from different scales. The Qinling Mountains are a climatic and geographical transitional region in China. To better understand the spatial scale effect issues of land surface phenology in mountainous ecosystems, this study up-scaled vegetation start of season (SOS) and end of season (EOS) in the Qinling Mountains derived from three different Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) products to four scales (i.e., 2 km × 2 km, 4 km × 4 km, 6 km × 6 km, and 8 km × 8 km) using the spatial averaging method. Then, similarities and differences between the up-scaled SOSs/EOSs were examined using the simple linear regression, cumulative distribution function, and absolute difference. Finally, the random forest model was used to reveal the major factors influencing the spatial scale effect of land surface phenology in Qinling Mountains. Results showed that the derived basic SOS/EOS datasets using the same filtering method from the 250 m and 500 m NDVI datasets were consistent in spatial distribution, while the results from the 1000 m NDVI dataset differed. For both the basic and the up-scaled datasets, the land surface phenology derived from the Savitzky-Golay-filtered NDVI showed an advance in SOS, but a delay in EOS, compared to those derived from the asymmetric Gaussian- and double logistic-filtered NDVI. The up-scaled SOS was greatly impacted by both NDVI resolution and the filtering methods. On the other hand, EOS was mostly impacted by the filtering methods. Moreover, up-scaled SOSs usually had larger differences compared to up-scaled EOSs. While different filtering methods sometimes amplified the absolute differences between different SOS/EOS across scales, the upscaling reduced the differences. Influence factor analysis showed that spatial variations observed in SOS in Qinling Mountains were mainly caused by forest cover, uneven distribution of spring precipitation, and annual precipitation, while spatial variations in aspect, winter temperature, and autumn precipitation all strongly influenced the observed EOS across scales in the study area. These findings enhance our understanding of the effects of observational scale on vegetation phenology in mountain ecosystems and provide a reference for phenology modeling in mountainous areas.
CSCE-Net: Channel-Spatial Contextual Enhancement Network for Robust Point Cloud Registration
Authors: Wang Jingtao , Yang Changcai , Wei Lifang , Chen Riqing
Published: November 2022

Seeking reliable correspondences between two scenes is crucial for solving feature-based point cloud registration tasks. In this paper, we propose a novel outlier rejection network, called Channel-Spatial Contextual Enhancement Network (CSCE-Net), to obtain rich contextual information on correspondences, which can effectively remove outliers and improve the accuracy of point cloud registration. To be specific, we design a novel channel-spatial contextual (CSC) block, which is mainly composed of the Channel-Spatial Attention (CSA) layer and the Nonlocal Channel-Spatial Attention (Nonlocal CSA) layer. The CSC block is able to obtain more reliable contextual information, in which the CSA layer can selectively aggregate the mutual information between the channel and spatial dimensions. The Nonlocal CSA layer can compute feature similarity and spatial consistency for each correspondence, and the CSA layer and Nonlocal CSA layer can support each other. In addition, to improve the distinguishing ability between inliers and outliers, we present an advanced seed selection mechanism to select more dependable initial correspondences. Extensive experiments demonstrate that CSCE-Net outperforms state-of-the-art methods for outlier rejection and pose estimation tasks on public datasets with varying 3D local descriptors. In addition, the network parameters of CSCE-Net are reduced from 1.05M to 0.56M compared to the recently learning-based outlier rejection method PointDSC.
Society and Its Challenges: The Teacher’s Perspective on Students at Risk
Authors: Torres Soto Ana , García Hernández María Luisa , Vallejo Mónica
Published: November 2022

(1) This study focuses on exploring and characterising the beliefs of Spanish teachers in relation to their attitudes and professional practice concerning students who may be at risk at school. A generational perspective is adopted and the stages of pre-school, primary, and secondary education are considered in order to analyse these beliefs. (2) This is a descriptive study with a qualitative methodology. The information was collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 60 teachers belonging to publicly funded schools at pre-university levels. The data collected were subject to a thematic analysis and analysed with the qualitative data analysis tool ATLAS.ti (version 22). (3) The results show the diversity of student needs referred to by the teachers, positive relationships and attitudes towards them, and a favourable predisposition to the adaptation and adjustment of teaching practices. (4) The conclusions of the study highlight the importance of teachers’ beliefs for the development of educational processes based on justice, democracy, and equity, and how these beliefs can be used to offer the most appropriate responses to the needs presented by the students.
Type I Social Life Cycle Assessments: Methodological Challenges in the Study of a Plant in the Context of Circular Economy
Authors: Tsalidis Georgios Archimidis
Published: November 2022

Policymakers need to know where the social externalities of products occur in order to act at the macro level. The Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) method can contribute to the assessment of the social externalities of products; a necessary method supporting the European Union while they transitioning to a circular economy. This study follows the type I approach that explores how the S-LCA results of products manufactured by circular systems can be interpreted. A hypothetical case of industrial water production was designed comprising two product systems: a linear and a circular one. The S-LCA results are calculated using the Subcategory Assessment Method and aggregated or normalized to the number of organizations involved. Furthermore, allocation and weighting were applied to the circular system. The results show that the number of organizations involved in the system boundaries is crucial for the social performance score. Circular systems are expected to comprise more organizations than the existing linear systems. When the results are normalized by the number of organizations, the circular system provides social benefits, but the score values of each involved organization fall outside the score value range of the Subcategory Assessment Method, and they become challenging to interpret. Weighting the contribution of organizations to S-LCA results provides valuable insights, but it is unclear whether it should be performed on characterized inventory data or aggregated results. The application of the type I approach requires development, especially now that the circular economy systems are designed and constructed. The type I approach can be useful to organizations when selecting suppliers, but it is unclear how it can provide useful information to policymakers.
A Biopsychosocial Approach to Examining Alcohol Consumption among Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Shapiro Orit , Tesler Riki , Barak Sharon , Ben-Meir Lilach , Giladi Ariela , Nissanholtz-Gannot Rachel , Green Gizell , Zwilling Moti , Zigdon Avi , Harel-Fisch Yossi
Published: November 2022

This study investigated the relationship between biopsychosocial characteristics (age, sex, self-rated health, mental health, parental socio-economic status, family support, teacher support, peer support) and alcohol consumption (weekly alcohol consumption in the past three months, drunkenness in the past three months, and binge drinking in the past month) in adolescents during a crisis event. The study consisted of 1019 Israeli students aged 11–18. Questionnaires were distributed to the students between May and July 2021 during school. Teacher support among those who presented weekly alcohol consumption and drunkenness in the past three months was lower than in those who did not present such behavior. The effects of parental support differed only for drunkenness behavior, with those who engaged in drunken behavior presenting significantly less parental support. Our findings suggest that teacher support and mental health are the two major factors in preventing risky alcohol consumption behavior during a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, among adolescents.
Air Quality and Environmental Effects Due to COVID-19 in Tehran, Iran: Lessons for Sustainability
Authors: Tondelli Simona , Farhadi Ebrahim , Akbari Monfared Bahareh , Ataeian Mehdi , Tahmasebi Moghaddam Hossein , Dettori Marco , Saganeiti Lucia , Murgante Beniamino
Published: November 2022

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) global pandemic spread can be considered a disastrous crisis that, in a given geographical area, significantly affects the increase in mortality rate with direct and indirect impacts on different scales and social, economic, political, and ecological factors. The effects of this crisis can be more intense in urban areas with high population density. Due to the more significant presence of vulnerable groups, the risk of death increases significantly. This research describes the environmental impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the city of Tehran, the 37th most populated city in the world. The concentration of six air pollutants (carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter with a diameter of 10 microns (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) and the Air Quality Index (AQI) were measured in 22 urban regions of Tehran before (20 March) and from (21 March to 10 February) the lockdown, in air pollution evaluation stations. In order to conduct this research, first, the values of the air pollutant indices of the 22 districts of Tehran in the two previous periods (before 20 March) and during quarantine (21 March to 10 February) were obtained from the air pollution measurement stations of the 22 districts of Tehran, together with the results. After the operationalization and quantification of the indicators according to the research objectives, they were entered into the ArcGIS environment, and the spatial analysis of each pollutant was performed, before and during the quarantine. Finally, it was found that the AQI was reduced from 74.95 to 54.15.
Influence of Digital Accounting System Usage on SMEs Performance: The Moderating Effect of COVID-19
Authors: Lutfi Abdalwali , Alkelani Saleh Nafeth , Al-Khasawneh Malak Akif , Alshira’h Ahmad Farhan , Alshirah Malek Hamed , Almaiah Mohammed Amin , Alrawad Mahmaod , Alsyouf Adi , Saad Mohamed , Ibrahim Nahla
Published: November 2022

In the literature, studies have evidenced the efforts adopted by firms to develop digital technology with the hope of achieving sustainable decisions and competitive performance. However, studies have yet to provide an extensive explanation of the mechanisms used by firms in their digital technology adoption to impact and enhance value, particularly among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In this regard, accounting information has served as a fundamental basis for business decision-making and the extensive use of digital technology has paved the way for the efficiency and effectiveness of accounting functions in modifying information relating to such functions. More specifically, a digital accounting system (DAS) enables the reporting and processing of large transaction amounts and generates the data required for analysis. However, despite these advantages, SMEs have been slow in their adoption and usage of DASs. Accordingly, this study drew upon resource-based view theory and the technology-organization-environment framework to propose an integrated model for examining the determinants and impact of using DAS among SMEs. The proposed model encapsulates the use and performance aspect of DAS. The study utilized a self-administered survey questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. Data from 183 SMEs in Jordan were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that compatibility, organizational readiness, top management support and government support all had significant effects on DAS usage, which, in turn, had a positive and significant effect on DAS performance. With regard to the moderating effects, COVID-19 was found to have a moderating role on the DAS usage–DAS performance relationship. The study findings explain the way firms can enhance their DAS use to obtain optimum performance, thereby contributing to the literature on the antecedents and effects of using current information technology/information systems. The study recommends that the government of Jordan prepare and carry out a campaign concerning the importance of DASs for SMEs.
Gridding Effects on CO2 Trapping in Deep Saline Aquifers
Authors: Suriano Alessandro , Peter Costanzo , Benetatos Christoforos , Verga Francesca
Published: November 2022

Three-dimensional numerical models of potential underground storage and compositional simulation are a way to study the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide in the existing geological formations. However, the results of the simulations are affected by many numerical parameters, and we proved that the refinement of the model grid is one of them. In this study, the impact of grid discretization on CO2 trapping when the CO2 is injected into a deep saline aquifer was investigated. Initially, the well bottom-hole pressure profiles during the CO2 injection were simulated using four different grids. As expected, the results confirmed that the overpressure reached during injection is strongly affected by gridding, with coarse grids leading to non-representative values unless a suitable ramp-up CO2 injection strategy is adopted. Then, the same grids were used to simulate the storage behavior after CO2 injection so as to assess whether space discretization would also affect the simulation of the quantity of CO2 trapped by the different mechanisms. A comparison of the obtained results showed that there is also a significant impact of the model gridding on the simulated amount of CO2 permanently trapped in the aquifer by residual and solubility trapping, especially during the few hundred years following injection. Conversely, stratigraphic/hydrodynamic trapping, initially confining the CO2 underground due to an impermeable caprock, does not depend on gridding, whereas significant mineral trapping would typically occur over a geological timescale. The conclusions are that a fine discretization, which is acknowledged to be needed for a reliable description of the pressure evolution during injection, is also highly recommended to obtain representative results when simulating CO2 trapping in the subsurface. However, the expedients on CO2 injection allow one to perform reliable simulations even when coarse grids are adopted. Permanently trapped CO2 would not be correctly quantified with coarse grids, but a reliable assessment can be performed on a small, fine-grid model, with the results then extended to the large, coarse-grid model. The issue is particularly relevant because storage safety is strictly connected to CO2 permanent trapping over time.
Can the Resource Curse for Well-Being Be Morphed into a Blessing? Investigating the Moderating Role of Environmental Quality, Governance, and Human Capital
Authors: Elmassah Suzanna , Hassanein Eslam A.
Published: November 2022

One of the most pressing global concerns is ensuring high levels of human well-being without overburdening natural resources. The impact of natural resource abundance on the economy’s monetary dimensions has long been controversial, with researchers debating whether it is a blessing or a curse. Recently, focus has shifted to its impact on non-monetary attributes (i.e., human well-being), with conflicting empirical evidence with respect to existence of the resource curse. However, studies on the indirect impact of natural resources on well-being are rare. This inquiry extends previous research by investigating the effect of natural resource abundance on human well-being and the underlying mechanisms that may clarify the convoluted link between the two variables in the UAE from 1990 to 2019. The novel contribution of this research is the evaluation of the resource curse concept from a broader perspective by considering how resource endowments indirectly affect human well-being via environmental quality, human capital, and governance channels. To this end, in the present study, we utilized the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique for cointegration and deployed the vector error correction model (VECM) for causality investigation. The ARDL results indicate cointegrated variables with diverse integration orders, signifying a long-term bond. Furthermore, the outcomes endorse the notion that resource endowment is inversely related to well-being as calibrated by the Human Development Index (HDI), corroborating the “Resource Curse Concept”, whereby large resource endowments impede human well-being. In terms of transmission channels, natural resources improve human well-being through environmental quality. In contrast, both human capital and governance have insignificant impacts on the influence of natural resources on well-being. Therefore, resource endowments improve human well-being as long as they do not harm the environment. The present analysis also resulted in the development of a feedback hypothesis between natural resource endowments and human well-being. The findings of this study provide several insights into the control of the direct and indirect adverse effects of natural resources on human well-being, the foremost being the provision of incentives for low-carbon energy use, reducing energy intensity, and assisting businesses engaged in R&D to minimize the cost of employing renewables, as well as investments in low-carbon technologies/cleantech and environmental technologies.
Economic Impact of Organic Agriculture: Evidence from a Pan-India Survey
Authors: Reddy Anugu Amarender , Melts Indrek , Mohan Geetha , Rani Ch Radhika , Pawar Vaishnavi , Singh Vikas , Choubey Manesh , Vashishtha Trupti , Suresh A , Bhattarai Madhusudan
Published: November 2022

The demand for organic foods is increasing worldwide due to health and environmental benefits. However, there are several unanswered questions, such as: Do organic farmers generate higher profits? Will the cost of cultivation reduce to compensate for low yields? Can farmers practice as per the organic agriculture protocols and obtain certification? The literature on organic agriculture varies widely in terms of profitability, yields and costs of organic products. A few studies have researched site-specific organic agriculture, but none have compared organic with conventional agriculture at larger scale in India. The Indian government has promoted organic agriculture since 2015 through its pan-India scheme—Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY). Under this program, there were 13.9 million certified organic farmers in 29,859 organic clusters, covering 0.59 million hectares (about 0.4% of the cropped area in India). This study assessed the implementation process of PKVY and the impact at the farmer level using the Difference-in-Difference approach. An economic surplus model was employed to observe the macro scale using data from an all-India representative sample from 576 clusters for the crop year 2017. The results identified that organic farmers experienced 14–19 percent less costs and 12–18 percent lower yields than conventional farmers. The net result is a marginal increase in profitability compared to traditional agriculture. The economy-wide economic surplus model indicates that there will be a reduction in producer and consumer surplus due to reduced crop yields. However, if the shift from conventional to organic is confined to rainfed, hilly and tribal areas, there will be an increase in both consumer and producer surplus.
Cooling Potential of Ship Engine Intake Air Cooling and Its Realization on the Route Line
Authors: Yang Zongming , Radchenko Roman , Radchenko Mykola , Radchenko Andrii , Kornienko Victoria
Published: November 2022

A fuel efficiency of a ship engine increases with cooling inlet air. This might be performed by the chillers, which transform the heat of engine exhaust gas and scavenge air for refrigeration. The effect gained due to cooling depends on the intake air temperature drop and the time of engine operation at decreased intake air temperature. Thus, the cooling degree hour (CDH) number, calculated as air temperature depression multiplied by the duration of engine operation at reduced intake air temperature, is used as a primary criterion to estimate the engine fuel efficiency enhancement due to intake air cooling over the ship routes. The engine intake air cooling potential is limited by its value, available according to engine exhaust heat and the efficiency of heat conversion to refrigeration in the chiller, evaluated by the coefficient of performance (COP). Therefore, it should be determined by comparing both the needed and available values of CDH. The ejector chiller (ECh) was chosen for engine exhaust gas heat recovery to refrigeration as the simplest and cheapest, although it has a relatively low COP of about 0.3 to 0.35. However, the ECh generally consists of heat exchanges which are mostly adapted to be placed in free spaces and can be mounted on the transverse and board side bulkheads in the ship engine room. The values of sucked air temperature depression and engine fuel consumption reduction at varying temperatures and humidity of ambient air on the route were evaluated.
Theoretical Study on the Mechanism of Asymmetrical Large Deformation of Heading Roadway Facing Mining
Authors: Liu Huaidong , Liu Changyou , Dong Ya’nan
Published: November 2022

The problem of asymmetric large deformation of surrounding rock of heading roadways is prominent due to the superposition of mining stress in the mining intersection area. Therefore, on the basis of the background of 18,106 tailentry in the Xiegou Coal Mine, this paper establishes a mechanical model of surrounding rock deformation of mining roadways under the effect of advanced abutment pressure. In the model, we deduce the theoretical calculation formula of roadway full-section deformation and discuss the influence factors of roadway surrounding rock deformation. Accordingly, the deformation mechanism of surrounding rock of mining roadways and the engineering suggestions and measures are revealed. The main results and finding are threefold. Firstly, the increase of the stress concentration factor of the coal pillar rib and the increase of the width of the failure zone are the fundamental reasons leading to the aggravation of the surrounding rock deformation on the side of the coal pillar in the heading roadway. Secondly, the deformation of the coal pillar rib increases with the increase of stress concentration factor and decreases with the increase of coal cohesion, internal friction angle, elastic modulus, and roadway rib support resistance. Additionally, the deformation of the roadway roof and floor decreases with the increase of roadway rib support resistance and is inversely proportional to the cubic power of rock beam thickness and elastic modulus. The deformation rate of the roadway roof and floor increases with the increase of vertical stress concentration factor of the coal pillar rib, and the maximum deformation position shifts to the side of the coal pillar. Therefore, increasing the strength and stiffness of the roadway surrounding rock and the supporting resistance of surrounding rock can reduce the deformation of roadway surrounding rock and the influence of advanced abutment pressure on roadway deformation. In the end, the rationality and feasibility of the theoretical analysis is verified through an engineering example. Under the influence of advanced abutment pressure, the deformation of roadway floor heave is the most severe, the asymmetrical deformation on both sides of the roadway is remarkable, and the deformation of coal pillar side is about twice that of solid coal side.
A Sustainable Approach to Study on Antimicrobial and Mosquito Repellency Properties of Silk Fabric Dyed with Neem (Azadirachta indica) Leaves Extractions
Authors: Jahan Nusrat , Arju Sharfun Nahar
Published: November 2022

The present research work was conducted on developing sustainable production of mulberry filament silk fabric dyed with different extracted dye solutions based on extraction ratios of 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10 from neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves. The research work focused on evaluating the antimicrobial and mosquito repellent properties of dyed silk fabric. In the experiment, the samples were dyed using the exhaust method at different dye bath concentrations i.e., 15 g/L, 20 g/L, and 25 g/L in the presence and absence of mordant at 80 °C maintaining 1:60 dyeing liquor ratio. The absorbance of the extracted dye solutions was determined with a UV/VIS spectrophotometer, which detected the highest absorbance of 7.73 at the peak 490 nm of λmax of 1:4 extracted dye solution. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to investigate the chemical structure of dyed fabrics; however, no chemical changes or bond formation occurred; instead, dye particles were deposited on the fabric layer, indicating the presence of bioactive components. Allergy test was also performed to confirm allergic reactions of neem extract on human skin. The antimicrobial activity of extracted dye solutions and dyed samples was estimated against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria using the agar diffusion method and mosquito repellency of fabrics were examined by the cage method. The results emphasized that dyed fabric with the highest concentrated dye solution, 1:4 extraction, and highest dye bath concentration, 25 g/L along with mango bark mordant solution, possesses the highest antimicrobial activity in terms of an inhibition zone of 0.67 mm against Gram-negative bacteria and 0.53 mm against Gram-positive bacteria obtained after incubation, and the highest mosquito repellent of 75% due to the absorption of active bio constituents. The experimental results also determined that the dyed fabric with 1:4 extracted dye solution exhibited good antimicrobial (inhibition zone, 0.65 mm against E. coli and 0.52 mm against S. aureus) and mosquito repellent property (66.67%). The experimental study also revealed that Potassium dichromate mordant reduced the antimicrobial (inhibition zone, 0.05 mm against E. coli and no inhibition against S. aureus) and mosquito repellent action (33.33%). In conclusion, the data revealed that the increase in the extraction ratio of dye solution and dye bath concentration has no impact on the silk fibroin; it only impacts what is deposited on the fabric layer that improves its antimicrobial and mosquito repellency. The current research showed that neem leaves were found to have a beneficial effect in controlling microorganisms and mosquitoes through a sustainable approach.