bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fast Streamline Search: An Exact Technique for Diffusion MRI Tractography
Authors: St-Onge Etienne , Garyfallidis Eleftherios , Collins D. Louis
Published: June 2022

In this work, a hierarchical search algorithm is proposed to efficiently compute the distance between similar tractography streamlines. This hierarchical framework offers an upper bound and a lower bound for the point-wise distance between two streamlines, which guarantees the validity of a proximity search. The proposed streamline representation enables the use of space-partitioning search trees to increase the tractography clustering speed without reducing its accuracy. The resulting approach enables a fast reconstruction a sparse distance matrix between two sets of streamlines, for all similar streamlines within a given radius. Alongside a white matter atlas, this fast streamline search can be used for accurate and reproducible tractogram clustering.
Vaginal injuries after consensual sexual intercourse — a survey among office-based gynecologists in Hamburg, Germany
Authors: Lohner L. , Nigbur L. , Klasen C. , Witzel I. , Garland J. , Ondruschka B. , Anders S.
Published: June 2022

Studies on the occurrence of injuries following consensual sexual intercourse (CSI) among patients treated by office-based gynecologists are lacking. This survey aimed to assess the presence and medical relevance of vaginal injuries after CSI in gynecological office-based practice, associated risk factors, and their significance for forensic medical assessment practice. All office-based gynecologists in Hamburg, Germany (n = 316), were asked to fill in a one-page questionnaire via a fax survey. The questionnaire covered various aspects such as having observed CSI-related injuries, injury severity, risk factors, and concomitant factors (bleeding, need for surgical care, hospitalization). Response rate was 43.2% (n = 115). Overall, 83.5% of office-based gynecologists reported having observed vaginal injuries after CSI at least once and 59.1% repeatedly. Regarding maximum injury severity, 52.1% observed mucosal erosions, 32.3% mucosa penetrating injuries, and 14.6% injuries penetrating the vagina. Having observed bleeding was reported by 56.3%, 28.1% had to perform surgical suture care, and hospital admission was initiated by 20.8%. Menopause (37.5%), use of objects (19.8%), alcohol, and/or drug use (16.7%) were reported as the most frequently observed associated risk factors. Vaginal injuries after CSI have been observed by the majority of office-based gynecologists in Hamburg involving a wide spectrum of severity, including the necessity of surgical care and hospital admission. Complementing published work in clinical and emergency medicine, these findings are highly relevant to the forensic evaluation of injuries in an allegation of sexual assault, as the severity of a vaginal injury in this setting does not necessarily support a conclusion on the issue of consent.
Livin promotes Th2-type immune response in airway allergic diseases
Authors: Wang Yue , Xiang Zhiyu , An Miaomiao , Jia Huijing , Bu Chunyan , Xue Yanfeng , Wei Yao , Li Ruiying , Qi Xueping , Cheng Fengli , Zhao Changqing , Xue Jinmei , Yang Pingchang
Published: June 2022

Objectives

To investigate the effects of livin on the Th2 immune response in airway allergic diseases (AAD) and explore the interaction among livin, GATA3, IL-4 in peripheral blood CD4+ T cells of AAD patients.

Methods

WT mice and livin KO mice were developed for model of AAD. Th2 cell levels in the lung tissues and spleen were assessed by flow cytometry. Also, it was assessed in the culture after exposing to livin inhibitor (Lp-15); the protein and mRNA levels of livin, GATA3 and IL-4 in peripheral blood CD4+ T cells isolated from patients with or without AAD were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting, respectively. Finally, Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) was employed to identify the interaction between livin and GATA3.

Results

Compared with WT mouse, Th2 cell frequency in lung tissues and spleen was significantly decreased in livin KO mouse; after adding Lp-15, the differentiation from Naive CD4+T cells in spleen to Th2 cells was blocked; the protein and mRNA levels of livin, GATA3 and IL-4 in AAD group were higher than that in control group. The levels of livin were positively correlated with IL-4, and GATA3 was also positively correlated with IL-4 and livin. GATA3 was detected in the protein complex co-precipitated with livin antibody, and livin was also detected in the protein complex co-precipitated by GATA3 antibody.

Conclusion

Livin increases the expression of IL-4 and facilitates naive CD4+ T cells to differentiate into Th2 cells, which triggers airway allergy.
The Effect of Thermal Stresses on the Electrical Resistance of Crimped Connections
Authors: Galliana F. , Bellavia L. , Caria S. E. , Perta A. P. , Roccato P. E.
Published: June 2022

Cables headed with crimped lugs are frequently used in test laboratories in temperature rise tests carried out to validate electrical devices. The increase in the electrical resistance of the crimped connections can cause high dissipation of power and heat during these tests, impairing their outcome. This work evaluates the effect of thermal stresses on the resistance and on the dissipated power of crimped connections. This resistance was found to be more sensitive to thermal stresses than to mechanical ones analysed in a previous work. A limit of the dissipated power from crimped connections during temperature rise tests was estimated to be about 4 W corresponding to a crimp resistance of 24 μΩ for tests made at 400 A. Respecting these limits could avoid unnecessary rejections of equipment under test.
Petrophysical analysis of well logs and core samples for reservoir evaluation: a case study of southern Issaran Field, Gulf of Suez province, Egypt
Authors: Aziz Emad A. Abd El , Gomaa Mohamed M.
Published: June 2022

Understanding basic petrophysical properties may enhance the recovery of residual oil saturation and help in reservoir management. Reservoir oil saturation is the fraction of the porosity of a zone occupied by oil. The trapping may increase with the increase of porosity. Oil reservoirs represent a significant fraction of the reservoirs in the world-wide. We try to make a reservoir evaluation using petrophysical analysis of well logs and core samples at Issaran Field, South Gharib Formation, West of the Gulf of Suez, southeast Egypt. This area was heavily influenced by the structural setting of the Gulf of Suez’s central province, which is characterized by major SW dipping faults with a regional stratigraphic dip toward the NE. The high structural blocks are located in the center of the research area, and the low structural region is located in the southwest. South Gharib Formation is primarily composed of carbonates with few sulfates that grade upwards into sulfate-rich beds in the upper part. Laminated dolomitic limestone, with evaporites grades, changes downward into laminated dolomitic limestone and marly limestone, in the lower part. The anhydrite and dolomite units near the bottom have spotty oil stains. The structural setup is continued by the spread and deposition of this formation. We try to make analytical examination, of some reservoirs, accomplished by analyzing both well log data and core rock samples, vertically and laterally. According to the study of the horizontal permeability to vertical permeability ratio (Permeability anisotropy; $$\lambda_{k}$$

λ
k

), the reservoir is laminated rock ($$\lambda_{k} = 1.1 - 5$$

λ
k

=
1.1
-
5

), with a few data samples nearly isotropic ($$\lambda_{k} = {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {1.1}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {1.1}}$$

λ
k

=

1

/

1.1

–1.1) and fractured ($$\lambda_{k} = {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 {2.5}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {2.5}}$$

λ
k

=

1

/

2.5

–1/1.1). Reservoir data histograms show that the most typical values of the data are 20–30% oil saturation and 7–10% porosity. The net-pay zone varies from four to 71 feet at different depths (897–1414 feet). Due to low shale content, water saturation, high effective porosity values, hydrocarbon saturation, may show higher net-pay thickness. These results may help to enhance the oil recovery. The area in the middle of the research area is suggested for future hydrocarbon development and using more petrophysical analysis.
Glioma extracellular vesicles for precision medicine: prognostic and theragnostic application
Authors: Marei Hany E. , Althani Asmaa , Afifi Nahla , Hasan Anwarul , Caceci Thomas , Cifola Ingrid , Caratelli Sara , Sconocchia Giuseppe , D’Agnano Igea , Cenciarelli Carlo
Published: June 2022

EV produced by tumour cells carry a diverse population of proteins, lipids, DNA, and RNA molecules throughout the body and appear to play an important role in the overall development of the disease state, according to growing data. Gliomas account for a sizable fraction of all primary brain tumours and the vast majority of brain malignancies. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a kind of grade IV glioma that has a very dismal prognosis despite advancements in diagnostic methods and therapeutic options. The authors discuss advances in understanding the function of extracellular vesicles (EVs), in overall glioma growth, as well as how recent research is uncovering the utility of EVs in glioma diagnostics, prognostic and therapeutics approaches.
Spring water quality assessment of Anantnag district of Kashmir Himalaya: towards understanding the looming threats to spring ecosystem services
Authors: Bhat Sami Ullah , Nisa Asmat Un , Sabha Inam , Mondal Nepal C.
Published: June 2022

This study reports the significance of freshwater springs primarily in meeting drinking water demands besides offering various ecosystem services. We analyzed a total of eighteen hydrochemical quality parameters using standard methods from various representative springs of Anantnag district, Kashmir Himalaya. Groundwater quality profiles were generated in a GIS environment for each parameter. Additionally, statistical methods were employed to understand the interdependence of water quality parameters. Highly variable dissolved oxygen (0.4–9.2 mg L−1) and relatively higher values of nitrate ranging from 57 to 2668 µg L−1 noticed during the study may be mostly related to contamination from agricultural waste. The findings of this study revealed that the springs are predominantly hard water type as the water samples found were calcium-rich and exhibited higher total phosphorus in a few samples owing to limestone lithology in the catchment. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to the data generated chiefly three components (VF1, VF2, and VF3) having Eigen values of 2.0 or more (2.28–5.37) contributing for 31.63%, 17.99% and 13.44% of the total variance, respectively. The water quality index (WQI) of the samples for drinking purpose ranged from good to excellent. In light of our findings, it is argued that springs offer a potential, although partial, solution to the drinking water demands of a burgeoning population in Indian Himalayan region. However, equally important is to have a thorough investigation of springs to explore the impacts of other forms of pollution, including heavy metals, pesticides and antibiotic wastes, which can diminish much-needed ecosystem services.
Enhancement of nickel laterite ore bioleaching by Burkholderia sp. using a factorial design
Authors: Carpen Hannah L. , Giese Ellen C.
Published: June 2022

Interest in low-grade Ni-laterite ores has increased in recent years; however, the laterite process has proven technically difficult and costly, and the development of alternative low-cost biotechnologies for Ni solubilization has been encouraged. In this context, for the first time, a sample of Brazilian Ni-laterite ore was subjected to microbial bioleaching using a heterotrophic Burkholderia sp. strain. Experiments were performed in a 23 two-level full factorial design by determining the influence of glucose concentration (5–15%, w/v), Ni-laterite ore concentration (0.25–0.75%, w/v), and cultivation period (14–42 days) on Ni solubilization. The variable more important for Ni-laterite bioleaching was the glucose concentration (x1). Bioleaching batch experiments demonstrated that about 87% Ni (7.5 mg Ni/g ore) were solubilized by Burkholderia sp. after 42 days. This study's significance is that it has opened up an opportunity for the potential application of potassium-solubilizing bacterial strains to process low-grade Ni-laterite ores.
Drought monitoring using the long-term CHIRPS precipitation over Southeastern Iran
Authors: Mianabadi Ameneh , Salari Khosro , Pourmohamad Yavar
Published: June 2022

Climate change and global warming are often considered the main reason for water scarcity in Iran. However, there is little evidence showing that the arid/wet regions get drier/wetter due to climate change. Some researchers believe that parts of water challenges in Iran arise from bad governance and mismanagement of water resources. To address the role of climate change on the water scarcity, this study aims to detect the drought trends in the southeast of Iran to investigate drought characteristics changes during 1981–2020. The nonparametric Mann–Kendall test was used for this purpose. CHIRPS product was collected as an alternative source of ground data for trend analysis of drought characteristics. The evaluation metrics show that the CHIRPS product performs better at monthly and annual scales (correlation higher than 0.8) than daily (correlation less than 0.4). The results also illustrate that the duration and severity of short-term droughts (3, 6, and 9 months) have decreased, while their intensity has increased. Conversely, duration, severity, and intensity changes for long-term droughts (12, 18, and 24 months) are insignificant. The trend in the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) showed that, in general, the southeast of Iran has not been getting drier during the last four decades. One may conclude that the change in precipitation is not the only reason for water challenges in this area, and both natural and anthropogenic drought might cause water scarcity. Accordingly, it is suggested that the effects of human activities and governmental plans should be considered as well.
Kinematic reverse flood routing in natural rivers using stage data
Authors: Tayfur Gokmen , Moramarco Tommaso
Published: June 2022

In many developing countries, due to economic constraints, a single station on a river reach is often equipped to record flow variables. On the other hand, hydrographs at the upstream sections may also be needed for especially assessing flooded areas. The upstream flow hydrograph prediction is called the reverse flood routing. There are some reverse flood routing pocedures requiring sophisticated methods together with substantial data requirements. This study proposes a new reverse flood routing procedure, based upon the simple kinematic wave (KW) equation, requiring only easily measurable downstream stage data. The KW equation is first averaged along a channel length at a fixed time, t, assuming that channel width is spatially constant, and then the spatially averaged equation is averaged in time, Δt. The temporally averaged terms are approximated as the arithmetical mean of the corresponding terms evaluated at time t and t + Δt. The Chezy roughness equation is employed for flow velocity, and the upstream flow stage hydrograph is assumed be described by a two parameter gamma distribution (Pearson Type III). The spatially averaged mean flow depth and lateral flow are related to the downstream flow stage. The resulting routing equation is thus obtained as a function of only downstream flow stage, meaning that the method mainly requires measurements of downstream flow stage data besides the mean values of channel length, channel width, roughness coefficient and bed slope. The optimal values of the parameters of reverse flood routing are obtained using the genetic algorithm. The calibration of the model is accomplished by using the measured downstream hydrographs. The validation is performed by comparing the model-generated upstream hydrographs against the measured upstream hydrographs. The proposed model is applied to generate upstream hydrographs at four different river reaches of Tiber River, located in central Italy. The length of river reaches varied from 20 to 65 km. Several upstream hydrographs at different stations on this river are generated using the developed method and compared with the observed hydrographs. The method predicts the time to peak with less than 5% error and peak rates with less than 10% error in the short river reaches of 20 km and 31 km. It also predicts the time to peak and peak rate in other two brances of 45 km and 65 km with less than 15% error. The method satisfactorily generates upstream hydrographs, with an overall mean absolute error (MAE) of 42 m3/s.
Urban planning in Swiss cities has been slow to think about climate change: why and what to do?
Authors: Desthieux Gilles , Joerin Florent
Published: June 2022

Recent years have been marked by a strong popular and political mobilization around climate change. However, to what extent does this mobilization lead to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or the vulnerability of our society to the effects of climate change? This question is at the heart of the research presented, which sought to identify the barriers and levers to the integration of climate issues into urban planning of Swiss cities. The literature review first situates the integration of climate change in Swiss cities in relation to the evolution of practices at the international level. It emerged that Swiss cities have generally been late in integrating climate issues into their public policies. Practices still focus strongly on energy policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but adaptation measures in urban planning are poorly implemented. In order to better understand the reasons for this slow and late integration of climate change into urban planning of Swiss cities, a survey was conducted among more than 200 professionals. It showed that the evolution of practices is generally driven by “pioneering” actors who are strongly mobilized by personal values and who use specialized and scientific sources of information. Finally, two focus groups with representative professionals were organized in order to deepen the barriers and levers observed and to formulate sound recommendations for integrating the climate issue into urban planning. Two lines of action emerged: prioritization (strengthening legal frameworks and organizational structures) and support (training and involvement of climate experts at all stages of urban planning).
Surgical site infections by atypical mycobacteria: prevalence and species characterization using MALDI-TOF and molecular LCD chip array
Authors: Gad Maha A. , Khairat Sahar M. , Salama Amira M. A. , Abd Elmoez Omnia A. , Soliman Noha S.
Published: June 2022

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a post-operative complication of high concern with adverse impact on patient prognosis and public health systems. Recently, SSI pathogens have experienced a change in microbial profile with increasing reports of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) as important pathogens.

Aim

of the study

The study aimed to detect the prevalence of NTM among cases with SSIs and describe their species using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and PCR-based microarray.

Methods

The study was conducted with 192 pus samples collected from patients with SSI. Mycobacterial investigations were done in the form of Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) smears for acid-fast bacilli, automated mycobacterial culture to isolate mycobacteria, followed by immunochromatography test to predict NTM. NTM-positive cultures were tested by MALDI -TOF MS and PCR-based microarray to reach species-level identification.

Results

Mycobacterial growth was found in 11/192 samples (5.7%) and identified as 4 NTM and 7 M. tuberculosis isolates with prevalence of 2.1% and 3.64%, respectively. The NTM species were described by MALDI-TOF as M. abscessus, M. porcinum, M. bacteremicum, and M. gordonae. Microarray agreed with MALDI-TOF in identifying one isolate (M. abscessus), while two isolates were classified as belonging to broad groups and one isolate failed to be identified.

Conclusions

The prevalence of NTM among SSI was found to be low, yet have to be considered in the diagnosis of mycobacteria. Employing advanced technologies in diagnosis is recommended to guide for appropriate treatment.
RST-Net: a spatio-temporal residual network based on Region-reConStruction algorithm for shared bike prediction
Authors: Tan Yanyan , Wang Bin , Yan Zeyuan , Liu Haoran , Zhang Huaxiang
Published: June 2022

As a new form of public transportation, shared bikes have greatly facilitated people’s travel in recent years. However, in the actual operation process, the uneven distribution of bicycles at each shared bicycle station has limited the travel experience. In this paper, we propose a deep spatio-temporal residual network model based on Region-reConStruction algorithm to predict the usage of shared bikes in the bike-sharing system. We first propose an Region-reConStruction algorithm (RCS) to partition the shared bicycle sites within a city into separate areas based on their geographic location information as well as bikes’ migration trends between stations. We then combine the RCS algorithm with a deep spatio-temporal residual network to model the key factors affecting the usage of shared bicycles. RCS makes good use of the migration trend of shared bikes during user usage, thus greatly improving the accuracy of prediction. Experiments performed on New York’s bike-sharing system show that our model’s prediction accuracy is significantly better than that of previous models.
Judicial authority through the experiences of crisis
Authors: Janusiene Aiste
Published: June 2022

This article is concerned with law’s experiences and making sense of crisis. When we talk about law’s response to crisis, we refer to law not as an abstract set of rules but as an embodied and animated assemblage of relations and practices. This way, law needs to make sense of any crisis to respond to it. The article draws on cultural legal studies to explore the constitution of judicial authority in the context of a democracy in flux. The article relies on fieldwork data collected in the interviews conducted by the author with Lithuanian judges in 2019. Highest in more than two decades, public trust in the judiciary in 2018 indicated a remarkable achievement for Lithuania, a country whose judicial system had been in a state of flux since the end of the Soviet era. However, after an unprecedented and highly mediated judicial corruption scandal in 2019, the rates of public trust plummeted, uncovering complex dynamics between the image of courts, mass media, and the public. Against this backdrop, the article explores how judges make sense of crisis that develops on the intersections of provocative reality judging and formal judicial institutions. It shows how judicial authority is constituted in the conditions of crisis on the tension between law and culture. Emerging from a crisis of authority is the changing face of judging. A post-colonial vantage point and theatrical jurisprudence are used to respond to a development of a desire of power under a mask of rationality, objectivity, and universality. The article concludes by contemplating how this authority shapes our lifeworlds.
Resurgence from Crisis Through Awareness of Natural Inclusion
Authors: Vass Eva , Rayner Alan
Published: June 2022

For millennia, the Western mindset has been predisposed to the inherited custom to split mind and matter, emotion and cognition, art and science, the spiritual and the intellectual, the inner and outer, contemplation and objective inquiry. Our contemporary sense of dislocation from nature has arisen from this objectivistic perception. The current societal, economic and environmental crises urge us to break down the pervasive conceptual boundaries and binary distinctions and rethink what science is or what it can become. Covid 19 has exposed the iniquities and deep fault lines in the political and economic structure of globalized modern society founded on false division or unification of individual from or with group. We see Natural Inclusionality as the path to begin to resurrect and cultivate a new normal of co-creative community from the wreckage of the old normal of cultural tyranny (Rayner, 2020). The most ground-breaking dimension of the NI perception lies in its rejection of both extremes of dualism: the narrow objectivistic view of the world as dividable into discrete entities and the equally limiting monistic view of the world as some sort of uniform oneness. We propose to unpack these insights through dialogue: an ongoing professional dialogue between two authors, between two philosophical orientations, between natural and social sciences and between science and art. Our intentions are to show Natural Inclusional awareness as humanity’s ultimate resource for a resurgence from crisis—breaching the Great Lie that isolates individual from common good. In particular, we discuss the significance of these considerations in the context of educational science and practice.
A Sociomaterial Lens on Crowdsourcing for Learning
Authors: Tyrrell Jessica , Shalavin Courtney
Published: June 2022

Crowdsourcing is increasingly being applied in educational contexts to explore the ideation and problem-solving capacity of large, networked groups. Research is emerging on the use of crowdsourcing in education, yet little is known about how the particular affordances of crowdsourcing platforms facilitate student learning. This paper applies sociomaterial theory to analysing a case study of a crowdsourcing experiment undertaken at the University of Sydney. It reflects on the crowdsourcing experiment as an assemblage of different relations, dynamics and materials, building on a recent typology for analysing social learning software through a sociomaterial lens. We contribute to the growing discourse around sociomaterial approaches by exploring how the material affordances of a unique online learning environment participate to produce certain kinds of learning experiences. This supports future research into the potentialities of crowdsourcing pedagogies at a time when increased online and blended learning brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic has galvanised educators’ interest in exploring different online environments and approaches.
Interface dynamics and flow fields’ structure under thermal heat flux, thermal conductivity, destabilizing acceleration and inertial stabilization
Authors: Ilyin Dan V. , Abarzhi Snezhana I.
Published: June 2022

Interfaces and interfacial mixing are omnipresent in fluids, plasmas, materials in vastly different environments. A thorough understanding of their fundamentals is essential in many areas of science, mathematics, and technology. This work focuses on the classical problem of stability of a phase boundary that is a subject to fluxes of heat and mass across it for non-ideal thermally conducting fluids. We develop a rigorous theory resolving challenges not addressed before, including boundary conditions for thermal heat flux, structure of perturbation waves, and dependence of waves coupling on system parameters in a broad range of conditions. We discover the novel class of fluid instabilities in the three regimes—advection, diffusion, and low Mach—with properties that were never earlier discussed and that are defined by the interplay of the thermal heat flux, thermal conductivity and destabilizing acceleration with the inertial stabilization. We reveal the parameter controlling transitions between the regimes through varying the initial conditions. We find that the interface stability is set primarily by the macroscopic inertial mechanism balancing the destabilizing acceleration. The thermal heat flux and the microscopic thermodynamics create vortical fields in the bulk. By linking micro to macro scales, the interface is the place where balances are achieved.

Article highlights

This work yields the general theory of interface dynamics in a broad range of conditions.

The interplay is explored of inertial stabilization, destabilizing acceleration, thermal conductivity and heat flux.

We discover that interface is the place where balances are achieved through linking micro to macro scales.
Measuring When a Music Generation Algorithm Copies Too Much: The Originality Report, Cardinality Score, and Symbolic Fingerprinting by Geometric Hashing
Authors: Yin Zongyu , Reuben Federico , Stepney Susan , Collins Tom
Published: June 2022

Research on automatic music generation lacks consideration of the originality of musical outputs, creating risks of plagiarism and/or copyright infringement. We present the originality report—a set of analyses that is parameterised by a “similarity score”—for measuring the extent to which an algorithm copies from the input music. First, we construct a baseline, to determine the extent to which human composers borrow from themselves and each other in some existing music corpus. Second, we apply a similar analysis to musical outputs of runs of MAIA Markov and Music Transformer generation algorithms, and compare the results to the baseline. Third, we investigate how originality varies as a function of Transformer’s training epoch. Fourth, we demonstrate the originality report with a different “similarity score” based on symbolic fingerprinting, encompassing music with more complex, expressive timing information. Results indicate that the originality of Transfomer’s output is below the 95% confidence interval of the baseline. Musicological interpretation of the analyses shows that the Transformer model obtained via the conventional stopping criteria produces single-note repetition patterns, resulting in outputs of low quality and originality, while in later training epochs, the model tends to overfit, producing copies of excerpts of input pieces. Even with a larger data set, the same copying issues still exist. Thus, we recommend the originality report as a new means of evaluating algorithm training processes and outputs in future, and question the reported success of language-based deep learning models for music generation. Supporting materials (data sets and code) are available via https://osf.io/96emr/.
A Fully Automated Methodology for the Selection and Extraction of Energy-Relevant Features for the Energy Consumption of Battery Electric Vehicles
Authors: Petersen Patrick , Sax Eric
Published: June 2022

Compared to traditional vehicles, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have a limited driving range. Therefore, accurately estimating the range of BEVs is an important requirement to eliminate range anxiety, which describes the driver’s fear of getting stranded. However, range estimators used in currently available BEVs are not accurate enough. To overcome this problem, more precise energy estimation techniques have been investigated. Modeling the energy consumption of BEVs is essential to obtaining an accurate estimation. For accurately estimating the energy consumption, many non-deterministic influencing factors such as weather and traffic conditions, driving style, and the travel route need to be considered. Thus, reducing the possible feature space to improve estimation is necessary. In consequence, we propose a fully automatic methodology to select and extract a subset of energy-relevant features. Utilizing existing real-world data to investigate all types of influencing factors. Taking into account different segmentation methods, data scalers, feature selection, and extraction techniques, our methodology uses the full range of combinations to identify the combination that yields the best subset of features.
Improving the local climate zone classification with building height, imperviousness, and machine learning for urban models
Authors: Fung Kwun Yip , Yang Zong-Liang , Niyogi Dev
Published: June 2022

The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) classification is already widely used in urban heat island and other climate studies. The current classification method does not incorporate crucial urban auxiliary GIS data on building height and imperviousness that could significantly improve urban-type LCZ classification utility as well as accuracy. This study utilized a hybrid GIS- and remote sensing imagery-based framework to systematically compare and evaluate different machine and deep learning methods. The Convolution Neural Network (CNN) classifier outperforms in terms of accuracy, but it requires multi-pixel input, which reduces the output’s spatial resolution and creates a tradeoff between accuracy and spatial resolution. The Random Forest (RF) classifier performs best among the single-pixel classifiers. This study also shows that incorporating building height dataset improves the accuracy of the high- and mid-rise classes in the RF classifiers, whereas an imperviousness dataset improves the low-rise classes. The single-pass forward permutation test reveals that both auxiliary datasets dominate the classification accuracy in the RF classifier, while near-infrared and thermal infrared are the dominating features in the CNN classifier. These findings show that the conventional LCZ classification framework used in the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools (WUDAPT) can be improved by adopting building height and imperviousness information. This framework can be easily applied to different cities to generate LCZ maps for urban models.
Deciphering dissolved organic matter by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS): from bulk to fractions and individuals
Authors: Qi Yulin , Xie Qiaorong , Wang Jun-Jian , He Ding , Bao Hongyan , Fu Qing-Long , Su Sihui , Sheng Ming , Li Si-Liang , Volmer Dietrich A. , Wu Fengchang , Jiang Guibin , Liu Cong-Qiang , Fu Pingqing
Published: June 2022

Exploring the source, transformation pathways, and the fate of natural organic matter (NOM) is critical to understanding the regional/global carbon cycle and carbon budget. The dissolved fraction of NOM, i.e., dissolved organic matter (DOM), is a complex mixture resulting from the transformation of plant, animal and microbial matter and plays a crucial role in many biogeochemical processes at the land-ocean-atmosphere interfaces. The advance of Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) makes the detailed characterization of DOM at the molecular level possible. On the other hand, elucidation of complex DOM sample also presents significant analytical challenges, and these challenges also act as a driving force for the instrumentation and methodology development on FT-ICR MS. This review article has been written to aid those working in biogeochemistry, environmental and atmospheric chemistry, and related areas which investigate elemental cycles and DOM transformations. First, the fundamental theory, historical perspective, and recent advances in the field have been introduced. The detailed molecular characterization of environmental and geological samples continues to present significant analytical challenges, and it also has become a driving force for the development of the instrumentation and experimental methods. These achievements in DOM analysis have had an impact upon the fields of environmental science, geochemistry, and analytical chemistry. Next, varieties of applications of FT-ICR MS have also been described, followed by our view of the future of this technique in earth science research. We believe that this review covers the essential pairing of FT-ICR MS and collectively offers environmental and geochemical scientists a substantial resource for their research.

Graphical abstract
Biochar mitigates allelopathy through regulating allelochemical generation from plants and accumulation in soil
Authors: Chen Quan , Lan Pinyao , Wu Min , Lu Meng , Pan Bo , Xing Baoshan
Published: June 2022

Soil health is a key factor for the global food security. One of the main bottlenecks for the efficient utilization of farmland soil is the accumulation of allelochemicals excreted by plant roots, leached and volatilized from plants, and released during the decomposition of plant residues. The negative impacts derived from allelochemicals include: decreasing soil fertility, breaking the balance of soil microbial community, reducing seed germination rate and crop yield, and interfering with the growth of neighboring or successive plants. Recently, biochar, a soil amendment with low cost and high performance, is extensively studied on its functions and effects on farmland systems. In this review, we focused on the potential role of biochar in controlling the environmental fate and risk of allelochemicals in soils. The source and potential toxicity of allelochemicals in farmland and the deficiencies in current methods for alleviating the allelopathy were summarized first, followed by the discussion on their sorption and degradation by biochar as well as the impact of biochar properties on the performance and mechanism. At the same time, the generation of allelochemicals regulated by biochar through improving plant growth conditions was analyzed. The modification of biochar for alleviating the allelopathy and then overcoming the obstacles of agricultural production was also addressed. Future research directions, such as targeted biochar production, the interactions between different allelochemicals and biochar investigated by simulations and modeling, negative effects and stability of biochar or modified biochar, were then proposed. This review will provide useful theoretical and technical supports for targeted biochar applications in soils with allelopathy.

Graphical abstract
Engineered biochar for environmental decontamination in aquatic and soil systems: a review
Authors: Chen Hanbo , Gao Yurong , Li Jianhong , Fang Zheng , Bolan Nanthi , Bhatnagar Amit , Gao Bin , Hou Deyi , Wang Shengsen , Song Hocheol , Yang Xing , Shaheen Sabry M. , Meng Jun , Chen Wenfu , Rinklebe Jörg , Wang Hailong
Published: June 2022

Contamination of aquatic and soil systems by organic and inorganic pollutants has become a serious issue of concern worldwide. Viable and cost-effective solutions are urgently needed to mitigate the negative impacts of diverse pollutants on the environment and human health. Biochar has emerged as an effective and green material for the remediation of a wide spectrum of (in)organic pollutants. However, applications of pristine biochar in decontamination have encountered bottlenecks due to its limited properties which cannot meet the desired remediation requirements. Therefore, multiple modification methods have been developed for tailoring the physicochemical properties of biochar to enhance its effectiveness in environmental decontamination. This work provides a holistic review on the recent advances on the synthesis of engineered biochar using physical, chemical, and biological methods. Further applications and related mechanisms of engineered biochar in the field of environmental decontamination in aquatic and soil systems have also been summarized and discussed. In addition, existing challenges and research gaps are outlined, and future research needs are proposed. This review summarizes the scientific opportunities for a comprehensive understanding of using engineered biochars as effective materials for the remediation of contaminated water and soil.

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Thermal stabilization effect and oxygen replacement reaction together regulate N/S co-doped microporous carbon synthesis
Authors: Shi Shanshan , Jia Chao , Huo Xiaoyu , Zhang Shicheng , Xu Qunjie , Zhu Xiangdong
Published: June 2022

Potassium thiocyanate (KSCN) activation showed great potential to prepare N/S co-doped microporous carbon for environmental remediation, however, predictable preparation for targeted application was a challenge. This study suggested that thermal stabilization effect and oxygen replacement reaction during KSCN activation could together regulate pore formation and N/S co-doping. Results showed that carbonaceous precursor with high thermal stability (expressed by high R50 index) could support stable carbon matrix for KSCN pore-forming. Meanwhile, carbonaceous precursor with high polarity (expressed by high O/C) was more prone to occur oxygen replacement reaction, promoting N/S co-doping. N/S co-doped microporous carbon with high micropore surface area can promote BPA adsorption via the pore-filling mechanism. However, reaction induced by S contained groups can enhance heavy metal (Pb2+) adsorption while prepared material with S doping. In summary, a carbonaceous precursor with high R50 index was conducive to preparing carbon material for organic pollutant adsorption, while the carbonaceous precursor with high O/C was suit to fabricate carbon material with high adsorption capacity for Pb2+ immobilization. This study provided important insights into the directional synthesis of optimized N/S doped microporous carbon.

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Modified biochar: synthesis and mechanism for removal of environmental heavy metals
Authors: Liu Zhixin , Xu Ziyi , Xu Linfeng , Buyong Faeiza , Chay Tay Chia , Li Zhuang , Cai Yawen , Hu Baowei , Zhu Yuling , Wang Xiangke
Published: June 2022

With social progress and industrial development, heavy metal pollution in water and soils environment is becoming more serious. Although biochar is a low-cost and environmentally friendly adsorbent for heavy metal ions, its adsorption and immobilization efficiency still need to be improved. As an upgraded version of biochar, modified biochar has attracted extensive attention in the scientific community. This review summarized the recent research progress on the treatment methods on heavy metal pollutants in water and soils using biochar. The features and advantages of biochar modification techniques such as physical modification, chemical modification, biological modification and other categories of biochar were discussed. The mechanism of removing heavy metals from soil and water by modified biochar was summarized. It was found that biochar had better performance after modification, which provided higher surface areas and more functional groups, and had enough binding sites to combine heavy metal ions. Biochar is a very promising candidate for removing heavy metals in environment. Furthermore, some high valent metal ions could be reduced to low valent metals, such as Cr(VI) reduction to Cr(III), and form precipitates on biochar by in-situ sorption-reduction-precipitation strategy. However, it is still the direction of efforts to develop high-efficiency modified biochar with low-cost, high sorption capacity, high photocatalytic performance, environmentally friendly and no secondary pollution in future.
Towards a better understanding of the role of Fe cycling in soil for carbon stabilization and degradation
Authors: Song Xuxin , Wang Pei , Van Zwieten Lukas , Bolan Nanthi , Wang Hailong , Li Xiaomin , Cheng Kuan , Yang Yang , Wang Milan , Liu Tongxu , Li Fangbai
Published: June 2022

Iron (Fe) minerals play an important role in stabilizing soil organic carbon (SOC). Fe-mediated SOC protection is mainly achieved through adsorption, co-precipitation, or aggregation. However, newly emerging evidence indicates that the electron transfer role of Fe exerts a crucial influence upon SOC turnover. In this review, we address the pathways of Fe mineral-associated soil organic carbon (Fe-SOC) formation and decomposition, and summarize the Fe-mediated biogeochemical, including redox reactions, and physical processes that control SOC cycling. The reduction of Fe can release SOC from Fe-SOC coprecipitates and Fe(III) cemented micro-aggregates, with the process also releasing CO2from the metabolic coupling of SOC oxidation and Fe reduction. The abiotic oxidation of Fe(II) by oxidants can also oxidize SOC to produce CO2due to reactive oxygen species production. Therefore, the functional roles of Fe on SOC sequestration may be a double-edged sword, and these processes are rarely explored concurrently. We conclude that the roles of Fe minerals in SOC stability depend on the properties of the Fe mineral, edaphic properties, and anthropogenic influence. We highlight knowledge gaps and promising directions of future research in redox-dynamic environments to optimize carbon storage in soil.

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Through Thin and Thick
Authors: Oquendo Ángel R.
Published: June 2022

The book launches with examples, concrete cases, or political confrontations to explain how to conceive the safeguards at stake. It portrays these as embodying principles requiring particular actions and the implementation of policies. For instance, free speech demands permitting seemingly offensive expression plus promoting a diverse and open public debate. The work scrutinizes specific guaranties, such as those pertaining to asylum, citizenship, abortion, due process, self-determination, or the environment. It presents them as engendering problems peculiar to them. Next, the discussion dissects how precepts, like human rights and democracy, may contingently clash despite their overall commensurability. Finally, it underscores the interconnection of negative, substantive, and national entitlements with their positive, procedural, and international counterparts. Throughout, ruminations on the following questions unfold: How may courts and governments respectively contribute to actualizing the liberties at issue? How do these bear upon social justice? How may ideologically opposed states nonetheless collaborate on them?
The Lexical and Metrical Phonology of English
Authors: Jensen John T.
Published: June 2022

This is the first full-scale discussion of English phonology since Chomsky and Halle's seminal The Sound Pattern of English (SPE). The book enphasizes the analysis using ordered rules and builds on SPE by incorporating lexical and metrical and prosodic analysis and the insights afforded by Lexical Phonology. It provides clear explanations and logical development throughout, introducing rules individually and then illustrating their interactions. These features make this influential theory accessible to students from a variety of backgrounds in linguistics and phonology. Rule-ordering diagrams summarize the crucial ordering of approximately 85 rules. Many of the interactions result in phonological opacity, where either the effect of a rule is not evident in the output or its conditions of application are not present in the output, due to the operation of later rules. This demonstrates the superiority of a rule-based account over output oriented approaches such as Optimality Theory or pre-Generative structuralist phonology.