bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review on Vehicle Detection Technology for Unmanned Ground Vehicles
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Zirui , Yuan Shihua , Zhu Yuzheng , Li Xueyuan
Published: February 2021

Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) have great potential in the application of both civilian and military fields, and have become the focus of research in many countries. Environmental perception technology is the foundation of UGVs, which is of great significance to achieve a safer and more efficient performance. This article firstly introduces commonly used sensors for vehicle detection, lists their application scenarios and compares the strengths and weakness of different sensors. Secondly, related works about one of the most important aspects of environmental perception technology—vehicle detection—are reviewed and compared in detail in terms of different sensors. Thirdly, several simulation platforms related to UGVs are presented for facilitating simulation testing of vehicle detection algorithms. In addition, some datasets about UGVs are summarized to achieve the verification of vehicle detection algorithms in practical application. Finally, promising research topics in the future study of vehicle detection technology for UGVs are discussed in detail.
Determination of Adenylate Nucleotides in Amphipod Gammarus fossarum by Ion-Pair Reverse Phase Liquid Chromatography: Possibilities of Positive Pressure Micro-Solid Phase Extraction
Authors: Redžović Zuzana , Erk Marijana , Svetličić Ema , Dončević Lucija , Gottstein Sanja , Hozić Amela , Cindrić Mario
Published: February 2021

Adenine nucleotides—adenosine monophosphate, diphosphate, and triphosphate—are of utmost importance to all living organisms, where they play a critical role in the energy metabolism and are tied to allosteric regulation in various regulatory enzymes. Adenylate energy charge represents the precise relationship between the concentrations of adenosine monophosphate, diphosphate, and triphosphate and indicates the amount of metabolic energy available to an organism. The experimental conditions of adenylate extraction in freshwater amphipod Gammarus fossarum are reported here for the first time and are crucial for the qualitative and quantitative determination of adenylate nucleotides using efficient and sensitive ion-pair reverse phase LC. It was shown that amphipod calcified exoskeleton impeded the neutralization of homogenate. The highest adenylate yield was obtained by homogenization in perchloric acid and subsequent addition of potassium hydroxide and phosphate buffer to achieve a pH around 11. This method enables separation and accurate detection of adenylates. Our study provides new insight into the complexity of adenylate extraction and quantification that is crucial for the application of adenylate energy charge as a confident physiological measure of environmental stress and as a health index of G. fossarum.
Strength and Conditioning Practices and Perspectives of Volleyball Coaches and Players
Authors: Weldon Anthony , Mak Jason T. S. , Wong Sing T. , Duncan Michael J. , Clarke Neil D. , Bishop Chris
Published: February 2021

To the authors’ knowledge this is the first study to describe the strength and conditioning (S&C) practices and perspectives of volleyball coaches and players. In total, 30 volleyball coaches (mean age 34.47 ± 7.83 years and coaching experience 19.57 ± 8.28 years), and 30 volleyball players (mean age 22.03 ± 4.43 years and playing experience 10.43 ± 8.98 years) completed an online survey with six sections: (a) informed consent; (b) background information; (c) education, qualifications, and prescription; (d) views on S&C; (e) exercise selection and preferences; and (f) issues and improvements. Frequency analysis was used to report responses to fixed-response questions and thematic-analysis for open-ended questions. While only one participant possessed an S&C certification, S&C was deemed ‘important’ to ‘very important’ for volleyball skills, physical fitness, and injury parameters. However, due to a reported lack of expertise, there appeared to be a theoretical understanding to practice gap. Furthermore, the implementation of S&C was considerably hindered by a lack of time, facilities, and equipment. National sports associations, coaches, and players can use the information within this study to provide an understanding of the current practices and perspectives of S&C in volleyball. While also promoting future developments in volleyball related S&C research and practice.
A Consistent Estimator of Nontrivial Stationary Solutions of Dynamic Neural Fields
Authors: Kwessi Eddy
Published: February 2021

Dynamics of neural fields are tools used in neurosciences to understand the activities generated by large ensembles of neurons. They are also used in networks analysis and neuroinformatics in particular to model a continuum of neural networks. They are mathematical models that describe the average behavior of these congregations of neurons, which are often in large numbers, even in small cortexes of the brain. Therefore, change of average activity (potential, connectivity, firing rate, etc.) are described using systems of partial different equations. In their continuous or discrete forms, these systems have a rich array of properties, among which is the existence of nontrivial stationary solutions. In this paper, we propose an estimator for nontrivial solutions of dynamical neural fields with a single layer. The estimator is shown to be consistent and a computational algorithm is proposed to help carry out implementation. An illustrations of this consistency is given based on different inputs functions, different kernels, and different pulse emission rate functions.
Behavior Evolution of Multi-Group in the Process of Pedestrian Crossing Based on Evolutionary Game Theory
Authors: Zhang Ran , Wei Zhonghua , Gu Heng , Qiu Shi
Published: February 2021

The mixed traffic flow has an increasingly impact on the operation of urban traffic. To study the evolution law of multi-group behaviors in pedestrian crossing, we used the evolutionary game theory to establish a multi-group behavior evolution model for pedestrian crossing. The process of concern started from the risk perception and multi-group behavior choice. The evolutionary stability strategies, evolution trends, and factors affecting the evolutionary path of multi-group behaviors are discussed in this paper. This study found that evolutionary strategy equilibrium of pedestrians, drivers, and traffic managers not only relied on their own earning, but also on those of the other two groups. The factors affecting its behavior included the revenue factor and the limiting factor. Evolutionary game theory was used to analyze the multi-group interaction behavior of pedestrians, vehicle drivers, and traffic managers in the process of pedestrian crossing, as well as to analyze the behavior of traffic subjects in the process of pedestrian crossing. This paper provides a basis for decision-making for the traffic management department to manage road traffic, offering a new idea from the perspective of evolution for solving the conflict of interest at the crosswalk of the road section.
Impact of NaOH Concentration on Deweaving of Cotton Fabric in Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Cao Hang Zhang , Yao Yiqian , Halada Gary , Jung Hye Jung , Kim Taejin
Published: February 2021

In the past decade, there has been increasing attention paid to the recycling of cotton fabric waste. In the present study, different concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) ranging from 1 M to 4 M were used to thermomechanically deweave cotton fabric. The fabrics treated with 1 M NaOH and 2 M NaOH were partially deweaved, whereas those treated with 3 M NaOH and 4 M NaOH were completely deweaved. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was applied to analyze the chemistry and structure of the cotton fabric. The FTIR spectra indicated that the structure of cotton fabrics treated with 1–2 M NaOH were similar to that of pristine fabric, while the presence of NaOH was observed. In the case of samples treated with 3–4 M NaOH, both the peak positions and the band intensities were changed, in addition to the formation of cellulose II. FTIR spectra for the recycled NaOH-treated cotton fabrics were compared, and no major structural changes were identified. A post-treatment with deionized (DI) water removed excess Na+ ions, with the sample showing a similar molecular structure to that of the pristine material. These results suggest the feasibility of recycling aqueous NaOH for post-washing treatment as a new method for recycling cellulosic fabric waste.
Picture-Frustration Test to Assess Environmental Attitudes of Residents Exposed to Aircraft Noise from Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport
Authors: Nguyen Thulan , Kuwano Sonoko , Yamada Ichiro , Yano Takashi , Morinaga Makoto
Published: February 2021

Expanding transport systems for life convenience and preserving the natural environment are essential but conflicting human activities. The operational expansion after the opening of a new terminal building at Hanoi Noi Bai International Airport was followed by changes in aircraft noise exposure. A series of socio-acoustic surveys were conducted around the airport, revealing different levels of noise annoyance responses in the surveyed sites. To clarify this discrepancy and to explore people’s true feelings, the Picture-Frustration test was conducted to assess attitudes toward the airport, aircraft noise, living environment, and awareness of environmental protection in the communities around the airport. A total of 321 responses were obtained. The results showed a significant variation in attitudes toward the airport and natural environment among residents in different areas. Urban residents preferred natural environment more than those living in rural and mixed sites, who desired harmony between nature and life convenience. Residents in rural sites raised more complaints about aircraft noise effects on sleep than those in the other sites. Factors of occupations and gardening activities did not affect residents’ attitudes toward the airport. The attitudes of the participants varied depending on the exposure noise levels. It was suggested that using multiple questioning methods is necessary to certify the true opinions and aspirations of people living in the project area and ensure sustainable development.
Adsorption Studies of Arsenic(V) by CuO Nanoparticles Synthesized by Phyllanthus emblica Leaf-Extract-Fueled Solution Combustion Synthesis
Authors: Saif Sadia , Adil Syed F. , Khan Mujeeb , Hatshan Mohammad Rafe , Khan Merajuddin , Bashir Farzana
Published: February 2021

In the present study, a simple and eco-friendly route for the synthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) using leaf extract of Phyllanthus emblica as fuel has been demonstrated, as P. emblica is a locally available abundant plant. The formation of the as-prepared CuO NPs was confirmed by using various techniques, such as UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, cold field scanning electron microscopy (CF–SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray photoelectron (XPS). The hydrodynamic size of the CuO NPs was found to be 80 nm, while the zeta potential of −28.6 mV was obtained. The elemental composition was confirmed by EDX analysis accompanied with elemental mapping, while the crystalline nature was substantiated by the XRD diffractogram. The as-synthesized CuO NPs were studied for their use as an adsorbent material for the removal of As(V) from water. It was confirmed that the CuO NPs effectively removed As(V) via adsorption, and the adsorption efficiency was found to be best at a higher pH. The maximum adsorption capacity of CuO for As(V) was found to be 1.17 mg/g calculated using the Langmuir equation.
The Journey to Gender-Responsive Budgeting: Lessons Learned from Higher Education
Authors: Oppi Chiara , Cavicchi Caterina , Vagnoni Emidia
Published: February 2021

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda includes gender equality as one of its 17 goals and emphasizes the importance of supporting women’s empowerment to meet the SDGs. Gender-responsive budgeting (GRB) can help achieve gender equality in organizations, but there continue to be limitations on exploiting its full potential. Further research is needed, especially in the public sector and at higher education institutions. This paper investigates the development of the GRB process and the related reporting practices, as well as the potential to fully integrate it into the university’s strategic policies at the University of Ferrara. The paper is based on a qualitative content analysis of annual GRB reports from 2011 to 2018. The results show that, during this period, GRB at the university changed from playing an accountability role to having a performance measurement role. Although GRB has become more relevant inside the organization, the extent of the integration with the university strategy and the budgeting cycle remains limited, which hampers the strategic relevance of GRB.
A New Sustainable Warehouse Management Approach for Workforce and Activities Scheduling
Authors: Popović Vlado , Kilibarda Milorad , Andrejić Milan , Jereb Borut , Dragan Dejan
Published: February 2021

Sustainable engineering is very important for logistics systems. Nowadays, sustainable warehouse management is a key factor in market success. Workforce fluctuation and inverting the number of customers’ demands make a lot of problems in distribution warehouses. This study addresses a sustainable approach for the workforce scheduling problem recognized in a real distribution warehouse. The problem arises from the high variability of demand for workers over one workday, which causes workforce surplus in some periods of the workday and shortages in others. Engineering managers of the distribution warehouse already use different full-time and part-time shifts, and schedule workers on different activities, but they still have significant workforce surpluses or shortages in some periods. This study proposes the scheduling of activities’ execution together with workers to face that variability and decrease the cost of the workforce. This idea comes from the fact that some activities in a distribution warehouse can be done in a specific time period after the need for them occurs. In this way, the variability of demand for workers can be decreased, and a lower workforce cost may be ensured. Based on this idea, the entire problem is modeled as integer linear programming. The real example of the problem is solved, and the proposed model is tested on randomly generated instances of the problem in Python by means of the PuLP linear programming package. The results indicate different positive effects in the manner of sustainable warehouse management: lower workforce costs, time savings, better utilization of all types of resources and equipment, increased employee satisfaction, and so on. For even 61% of instances of the introduced problem, the obtained cost of the workforce is lower by more than 20% if activities’ executions are scheduled together with employees.
Gasification and Power Generation Characteristics of Rice Husk, Sawdust, and Coconut Shell Using a Fixed-Bed Downdraft Gasifier
Authors: Hoque Md. Emdadul , Rashid Fazlur , Aziz Muhammad
Published: February 2021

Synthetic gas generated from the gasification of biomass feedstocks is one of the clean and sustainable energy sources. In this work, a fixed-bed downdraft gasifier was used to perform the gasification on a lab-scale of rice husk, sawdust, and coconut shell. The aim of this work is to find and compare the synthetic gas generation characteristics and prospects of sawdust and coconut shell with rice husk. A temperature range of 650–900 °C was used to conduct gasification of these three biomass feedstocks. The feed rate of rice husk, sawdust, and coconut shell was 3–5 kg/h, while the airflow rate was 2–3 m3/h. Experimental results show that the highest generated quantity of methane (vol.%) in synthetic gas was achieved by using coconut shell than sawdust and rice husk. It also shows that hydrogen production was higher in the gasification of coconut shell than sawdust and rice husk. In addition, emission generations in coconut shell gasification are lower than rice husk although emissions of rice husk gasification are even lower than fossil fuel. Rice husk, sawdust, and coconut shell are cost-effective biomass sources in Bangladesh. Therefore, the outcomes of this paper can be used to provide clean and economic energy sources for the near future.
Tourism Development in Post-Industrial Facilities as a Regional Business Model
Authors: Jóźwiak Marek , Sieg Patrycja
Published: February 2021

In the article presented, the authors have attempted to define the development of post-industrial facilities, on the example of a thematic trail located in Bydgoszcz, as well as to assess the impact of this route on the city’s attractiveness. The TeH2O thematic trail is an example of a business model that utilizes post-industrial facilities for the development of a business partnership between the route facilities, the objects located in the vicinity, as well as the route participants. The article discusses the use of post-industrial facilities for tourist purposes and the legal aspects associated with the process of transforming such facilities. This paper presents the results of a research carried out on two groups of respondents, i.e., the residents of the city of Bydgoszcz and the tourists who have visited or are about to visit the city of Bydgoszcz. As a result of the research carried out, it has been found that the thematic trail examined affects the attractiveness of the city of Bydgoszcz. Both the respondents from the city of Bydgoszcz as well as the tourists visiting the city acknowledged it. The TeH2O thematic trail is more popular among the inhabitants of Bydgoszcz than among the visitors.
Research for Risk Management of Construction Projects in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Chien-Liang , Chen Bey-Kun
Published: February 2021

Risks inevitably exist in all stages of a project. In a construction project, which is highly dynamic and complex, risk factors affect the expected achievement rates of the three main performance goals, namely schedule, cost, and quality. A comprehensive risk management procedure requires three crucial steps: risk confirmation, analysis, and treatment. Risk analysis is the core of risk management. Through structural equation modeling, this study developed a risk analysis model that takes a different perspective and considered the occurrence probability of risk events and the extent to which these events affect a project. The contractor dimension was discovered to exert the strongest influence on an overall project, followed by the subcontractor and design dimensions. This paper proposes a novel construction project risk analysis model, which considers the entire project. The proposed model can be used as a reference for risk managers to make decisions about project risks, so as to achieve the ultimate goal of saving resources and the sustainable operation of the construction project.
Energy and Quality Aspects of Freeze-Drying Preceded by Traditional and Novel Pre-Treatment Methods as Exemplified by Red Bell Pepper
Authors: Rybak Katarzyna , Parniakov Oleksii , Samborska Katarzyna , Wiktor Artur , Witrowa-Rajchert Dorota , Nowacka Małgorzata
Published: February 2021

Freeze-drying is one of the most expensive and most energy intensive processes applied in food technology. Therefore, there have been significant efforts to reduce the freeze-drying time and decrease its energy consumption. The aim of this work was to analyze the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF), ultrasound (US), and hybrid treatment (PEF-US) and compare them with the effect of blanching (BL) on the freeze-drying kinetics, energy consumption, greenhouse gasses emission, and physical quality of the product. The freeze-drying process was applied to red bell peppers after pretreatment operations. Results showed that application of BL, PEF, US, or PEF-US reduces freeze-drying time and decreases energy consumption. Among the tested methods, the combination of PEF performed at 1 kJ/kg and US was the most effective in reduction of greenhouse gas emission. BL samples exhibited the highest porosity, but from a statistical point of view, most of the PEF-US treated materials did not differ from it. The smallest color changes were noted for US pre-treated bell peppers (ΔE = 9.4), whereas BL, PEF, and PEF-US material was characterized by ΔE of 15.2–28.5. Performed research indicates the application of pre-treatment may improve the sustainability of freeze-drying process and quality of freeze-dried bell pepper.
Traditional versus Modern? Perceptions and Preferences of Urban Park Users in Iran
Authors: Bahriny Fariba , Bell Simon
Published: February 2021

This study involved four parks in Iran—two modern ones located in Tehran and two historical, traditional examples, one in Kashan and one in Esfahan—in order to ask what are the key factors contributing to the satisfaction of visitors to the two types of park and also to compare user’s perceptions and values of the different types. An extensive questionnaire survey was conducted in each park, with a target of 300 responses, using a random sampling technique. Respondents were asked to rate the importance of a number of factors, while thinking about the park they were visiting, using a 5-point Likert scale. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was undertaken. The results of the scores revealed differences between the two types of park. A factor analysis of the pooled results revealed that the key aspects contributing to a visit were named as ‘having fun and enjoying oneself’, in a place with ‘no barriers to using the park’ and ‘leaving one’s cares behind’ followed by ‘relaxing in the presence of natural beauty’. A further Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling analysis was undertaken to determine the main factors affecting the differences in preference for each type of park in relation to the key demographic variables. This revealed that the modern parks were preferred over the traditional ones for three significant sets of factors—recreation, accessibility and culture—and that there was a tendency for the historical parks to been favoured by more educated people. The conclusions are that the modern parks support the main preferred activities to support the quality of life of the population—not through their design per se but because they offer many more recreational opportunities. There is potential to include traditional elements such as water features more into parks. Park planners can take the findings and use them to help improve the quality of the parks over time.
Museum-Authorization of Digital Rights: A Sustainable and Traceable Cultural Relics Exhibition Mechanism
Authors: Wang Yun-Ciao , Chen Chin-Ling , Deng Yong-Yuan
Published: February 2021

The digital rights management of museums is a mechanism that protects digital content from being abused by controlling and managing its usage rights. Traditional museums attach importance to the collection, display, research, and education functions of “objects”. In response to natural or man-made disasters, people are often caught off guard, destroying material, intangible assets, and spiritual symbolism. Therefore, with the advancement of digital technology, this research is based on the mechanism of blockchain, through the authorization of cryptographic proxy re-encryption, and proposes a new method for the preservation and authorization of digital content in museums, which can effectively display, store, and promote “important cultural relics and digital archives”. In this research, the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), blockchain, and smart contracts are used to design a sustainable and traceable cultural relic exhibition mechanism. The proposed scheme achieves publicly verifiable, transparency, unforgeability, traceability, non-repudiation, standardization of stored data, timeliness, etc., goals. It is the museum’s preservation and innovation approach for the unpredictable future. Through appropriate preservation and management mechanisms, it has extremely important practical significance for the protection of museum collections, the inheritance of historical and cultural heritage, and the expansion of social education.
Amalgamation of Export with Import Information: The Economic Complexity Index as a Coherent Driver of Sustainability
Authors: Cakir Benjamin , Schluep Isabelle , Aerni Philipp , Cakir Isa
Published: February 2021

Countries that achieve economic complexity in a holistic way are well-prepared to respond to external shocks through internal processes that may also improve their resilience. This article suggests that the Economic Complexity Index (ECI) can capture this ‘resilience dimension’ of complex economies and assesses their contribution to sustainable change through the amalgamation of export and import information. This novel methodological approach incorporates import information by applying amalgamation on a pre S-Level, which is based on the Lie-Trotter methodology, inducing a Random Walk on a Graph. In the empirical part, this procedure is examined. It shows that the ECI ranking may not always reflect the underlying internal economic complexity of a country, and with it, the country’s resilience and contribution to sustainable change. The novel approach is to some extent comparable with the degree of eligibility criteria of the original ECI and consistent with the organic evolutionary character of complex economies. After translating the ECI framework into its stochastic counterpart, the proofs of its interpretation in statistic and probabilistic terms, and its relationship to the Shannon Entropy are conducted. Coherency conditions of sustainability as further eligibility criteria are formulated and the degree of coherency of the ECI is investigated. In view of the challenges related to data preparation, we suggest applying the approach to a broader set of data including import information in order to gain additional insights in a country’s internal economic complexity and resilience.
Against Cyberbullying Actions: An Italian Case Study
Authors: Grifoni Patrizia , D’Andrea Alessia , Ferri Fernando , Guzzo Tiziana , Felicioni Maurizio Angeli , Vignoli Andrea
Published: February 2021

The paper aimed to analyse cyberbullying knowledge and awareness among students, teachers, and parents of 22 Italian primary schools to extract elements to consider for defining successful cyberbullying prevention and management strategies in coherence with some sustainable development goals defined in the 2030 Agenda. Four different research questions have been addressed to analyse: what the level of cyberbullying diffusion is, its triggering factors, its knowledge and awareness, and how the problem is addressed. The study highlighted both the importance of adopting a collaborative perspective among the students, teachers and parents, and to prevent and solve cyberbullying problems stimulating a collective awareness about cyber safety in schools. Some generalisable lessons emerged from the study.
Sustainability Assessment and Agricultural Supply Chains Evidence-Based Multidimensional Analyses as Tools for Strategic Decision-Making—The Case of the Pineapple Supply Chain in Benin
Authors: Desclee Doriane , Sohinto David , Padonou Freddy
Published: February 2021

Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030 is a shared objective of all institutions and people. The challenges differ according to the characteristics of every context. In developing countries, strongly dependent on the agricultural sector, agricultural supply chains are recognized as crucial for economic growth and enablers for livelihood improvement. Moreover, sustainable development issues are correlated and can meet in agricultural supply chains. For several decades, parallel to decision-makers, the research community has elaborated sustainability assessment tools. Such tools evolved to fit with actuality, but it is challenging to find decision-making support tools for sustainable development adequate in agricultural supply chains and developing countries contexts. There is a necessity to define evidence-based tools and exhaustive analytical frameworks according to sustainability multidimensionality and strategical tradeoffs necessity. The VCA4D method aims to go beyond the limits of previous methods. It proposes a combination of multidisciplinary analytical tools applied empirically to analyze agricultural supply chains in their context. It provides evidence-based analytical results allowing to identify enablers for strategic sustainable and inclusive interventions. However, to even better meet contextual exhaustiveness’s expectations and indicators’ robustness to lead to relevant interventions, we should insist on a stricter framing of contextual data collection processes.
Up-To-Date Challenges for the Conservation, Rehabilitation and Energy Retrofitting of Higher Education Cultural Heritage Buildings
Authors: Dias Pereira Luisa , Tavares Vanessa , Soares Nelson
Published: February 2021

In higher-education world heritage sites, the conservation and energy retrofitting of heritage buildings (HBs) is an important vector for their development, competitiveness and welfare. To guarantee their ongoing use, these buildings must be adapted to face current and emerging societal challenges: (i) the conservation of cultural heritage and the maintenance of their original characteristics and identity; (ii) the transformation of heritage sites into tourist centers that energize the local economy, generating revenue and jobs; (iii) the adaptation of the buildings to new uses and functions that demand energy retrofitting strategies to satisfy today’s standards of thermal comfort, indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and energy efficiency; (iv) tackling impacts of climate change, particularly global warming and extreme weather events; and finally, (v) the implementation of strategies to mitigate the impact of a growing number of tourists. The combined implications of these challenges require a comprehensive approach with interrelated measures strongly reliant on the use of technology and innovation. This work aims to discuss how higher-education cultural HBs can be rethought to serve these expectations. Moreover, a multidisciplinary intervention framework is provided to discuss how HBs can respond to the challenges and risks of rehabilitation, energy retrofitting, climate change and increasing tourism.
On the Solvability of ℤ3-Graded Novikov Algebras
Authors: Zhelyabin Viktor , Umirbaev Ualbai
Published: February 2021

Symmetries of algebraic systems are called automorphisms. An algebra admits an automorphism of finite order n if and only if it admits a Zn-grading. Let N=N0⊕N1⊕N2 be a Z3-graded Novikov algebra. The main goal of the paper is to prove that over a field of characteristic not equal to 3, the algebra N is solvable if N0 is solvable. We also show that a Z2-graded Novikov algebra N=N0⊕N1 over a field of characteristic not equal to 2 is solvable if N0 is solvable. This implies that for every n of the form n=2k3l, any Zn-graded Novikov algebra N over a field of characteristic not equal to 2,3 is solvable if N0 is solvable.
Design and Analysis of Slotted Waveguide Antenna Radiating in a “Plasma-Shaped” Cavity of an ECR Ion Source
Authors: Mauro Giorgio Sebastiano , Torrisi Giuseppe , Leonardi Ornella , Pidatella Angelo , Sorbello Gino , Mascali David
Published: February 2021

The design of a microwave antenna sustaining a high-energy-content plasma in Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRISs) is, under many aspects, similar to the design of a conventional antenna but presenting also peculiarities because of the antenna lying in a cavity filled by an anisotropic plasma. The plasma chamber and microwave injection system design plays a critical role in the development of future ECRISs. In this paper, we present the numerical study of an unconventionally shaped plasma cavity, in which its geometry is inspired by the typical star-shaped ECR plasma, determined by the electrons trajectories as they move under the influence of the plasma-confining magnetic field. The cavity has been designed by using CST Studio Suite with the aim to maximize the on-axis electric field, thus increasing the wave-to-plasma absorption. As a second step, an innovative microwave injection system based on side-coupled slotted waveguides is presented. This new launching scheme allows an uniform power distribution inside the plasma cavity which could lead to an increase of ion source performances in terms of charge states and extracted currents when compared to the conventional axial microwave launch scheme. Finally, the use of both the “plasma-shaped” cavity and the microwave side coupled scheme could make the overall setup more compact.
Highly Sensitive and Specific Detection of Staphylococcal Enterotoxins SEA, SEG, SEH, and SEI by Immunoassay
Authors: Féraudet Tarisse Cécile , Goulard-Huet Céline , Nia Yacine , Devilliers Karine , Marcé Dominique , Dambrune Chloé , Lefebvre Donatien , Hennekinne Jacques-Antoine , Simon Stéphanie
Published: February 2021

Staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) is one of the most common foodborne diseases worldwide, resulting from the ingestion of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), primarily SE type A (SEA), which is produced in food by enterotoxigenic strains of staphylococci, mainly S. aureus. Since newly identified SEs have been shown to have emetic properties and the genes encoding them have been found in food involved in poisoning outbreaks, it is necessary to have reliable tools to prove the presence of the toxins themselves, to clarify the role played by these non-classical SEs, and to precisely document SFP outbreaks. We have produced and characterized monoclonal antibodies directed specifically against SE type G, H or I (SEG, SEH or SEI respectively) or SEA. With these antibodies, we have developed, for each of these four targets, highly sensitive, specific, and reliable 3-h sandwich enzyme immunoassays that we evaluated for their suitability for SE detection in different matrices (bacterial cultures of S. aureus, contaminated food, human samples) for different purposes (strain characterization, food safety, biological threat detection, diagnosis). We also initiated and described for the first time the development of monoplex and quintuplex (SEA, SE type B (SEB), SEG, SEH, and SEI) lateral flow immunoassays for these new staphylococcal enterotoxins. The detection limits in buffer were under 10 pg/mL (0.4 pM) by enzyme immunoassays and at least 300 pg/mL (11 pM) by immunochromatography for all target toxins with no cross-reactivity observed. Spiking studies and/or bacterial supernatant analysis demonstrated the applicability of the developed methods, which could become reliable detection tools for the routine investigation of SEG, SEH, and SEI.
Toxic Animal-Based Medicinal Materials Can Be Effective in Treating Endometriosis: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hwang Su-In , Yoon Young-Jin , Sung Soo-Hyun , Ha Ki-Tae , Park Jang-Kyung
Published: February 2021

Animal toxins and venoms have recently been developed as cancer treatments possessing tumor cell growth-inhibitory, antiangiogenesis, and proapoptotic effects. Endometriosis is a common benign gynecological disorder in reproductive-age women, and no definite treatment for this disorder is without severe side effects. As endometriosis and malignant tumors share similar characteristics (progressive, invasive, estrogen-dependent growth, and recurrence), animal toxins and venoms are thought to be effective against endometriosis. The objective of this study was to outline studies using toxic animal-based medicinal materials (TMM) as endometriosis treatment and to explore its clinical applicability. Preclinical and clinical studies using TMM were searched for in four databases from inception to October 2020. A total of 20 studies of TMM on endometriosis were included. In eight clinical studies, herbal medicines containing TMM were effective in relieving symptoms of endometriosis, with no side effects. In twelve experimental studies, the main therapeutic mechanisms of TMM against endometriosis were proapoptotic, antiangiogenesis, estrogen level-reducing, and possible anti-inflammatory effects. TMM are thus considered promising sources for the development of an effective treatment method for endometriosis. Further studies are needed to clarify the therapeutic mechanism of TMM against endometriosis and to provide sufficient grounds for clinical application.
How Lack of Knowledge and Tools Hinders the Eco-Design of Buildings—A Systematic Review
Authors: Ipsen Kikki Lambrecht , Pizzol Massimo , Birkved Morten , Amor Ben
Published: February 2021

The building sector is responsible for extensive resource consumption and waste generation, resulting in high pressure on the environment. A way to potentially mitigate this is by including environmental considerations during building design through the concept known as eco-design. Despite the multiple available approaches of eco-design, the latter is not easily achieved in the building sector. The objective of this paper is to identify and discuss what barriers are currently hindering the implementation of eco-design in the building sector and by which measures building designers can include environmental considerations in their design process. Through a systematic literature review, several barriers to implementation were identified, the main ones being lack of suitable legislation, lack of knowledge amongst building designers, and lack of suitable tools for designers to use. Furthermore, two specific tools were identified that allow the inclusion of environmental consideration in building design, along with nine design strategies providing qualitative guidance on how to potentially minimize energy and material consumption, as well as waste generation. This paper contributes a holistic overview of the major barriers to and existing tools and method for the eco-design of buildings, and provides guidance for both future research and practice.
Entry of Phenuiviruses into Mammalian Host Cells
Authors: Koch Jana , Xin Qilin , Tischler Nicole D. , Lozach Pierre-Yves
Published: February 2021

Phenuiviridae is a large family of arthropod-borne viruses with over 100 species worldwide. Several cause severe diseases in both humans and livestock. Global warming and the apparent geographical expansion of arthropod vectors are good reasons to seriously consider these viruses potential agents of emerging diseases. With an increasing frequency and number of epidemics, some phenuiviruses represent a global threat to public and veterinary health. This review focuses on the early stage of phenuivirus infection in mammalian host cells. We address current knowledge on each step of the cell entry process, from virus binding to penetration into the cytosol. Virus receptors, endocytosis, and fusion mechanisms are discussed in light of the most recent progress on the entry of banda-, phlebo-, and uukuviruses, which together constitute the three prominent genera in the Phenuiviridae family.
A Study of Varicella Seroprevalence in a Pediatric and Adolescent Population in Florence (Italy). Natural Infection and Vaccination-Acquired Immunization
Authors: Zanella Beatrice , Bechini Angela , Bonito Benedetta , Del Riccio Marco , Ninci Alessandra , Tiscione Emilia ,   Working Group DHS,   Working Group AOUMeyer,   Working Group AUSLTC, Bonanni Paolo , Boccalini Sara
Published: February 2021

Background: Varicella is a well-known infectious disease that can have severe complications, also in young children. The Universal Varicella Vaccination (UVV) program was introduced in Tuscany (Italy) in 2003, with a two-dose vaccine schedule given to children between their 13th and 15th month, and at 5–6 years old, as a monovalent for varicella (V) or tetravalent (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV)) formulation. Although varicella notifications have dramatically fallen in the last two decades, varicella disease underreporting remains a challenge. Methods: A qualitative immunoenzymatic test (ELISA) was used to measure the presence of anti-varicella antibodies in 165 sera of subjects aged 1–18 years residing in the province of Florence (Italy). Information regarding the anamnestic and vaccination status (including disease notification) was also collected. Results: Our study showed an overall varicella seropositivity of 75.8% (reaching the maximum at 96.3% in the 15–18 years age group). We found that varicella disease notification had been recorded for only 7/165 subjects; however, since 42/165 recalled having had the disease, we can hypothesize that some of them must have been underreported. Furthermore, our study showed that the presence of antibodies after the varicella vaccination remained over time, lasting up to 12 years. Conclusions: Although varicella seroprevalence is <95% in almost all our age groups (except for the 15–18 years age group), our data are encouraging and reflect the success of the introduction of the UVV program and the vaccination campaigns promoted in the Tuscany region.
A Case Study of the Effects of Management Interventions on the Phosphorus Dynamics at a Coastal, Eutrophic, Caribbean lagoon (Laguna Cartagena, Puerto Rico)
Authors: Sánchez Colón Yashira Marie , Schaffner Fred Charles
Published: February 2021

Laguna Cartagena is a coastal, eutrophic, shallow lake and freshwater wetland in southwestern Puerto Rico, managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. This ecosystem has been impacted by phosphorus loading from adjacent agricultural areas since the 1950s, causing eutrophication and deteriorating wildlife habitats. Herein, we describe phosphorus input and export during September 2010–September 2011 (Phase One) and October 2013–November 2014 (Phase Two). These two phases bracket a period of intensified management interventions including excavation and removal of sediment and vegetation, draining, and burning during the summers of 2012 and 2013. Results indicate that Laguna Cartagena retains a phosphorus (sink) in its sediments, and exhibits nutrient-releasing events (source, mainly total phosphorus) to the lagoon water column, which are associated with rainfall and rising water levels. External factors including water level fluctuations and rainfall influenced phosphorus export during Phase One, but after management interventions (Phase Two), internal processes influenced sink/source dynamics, releasing elevated phosphorus concentrations to the water column. When exposed sediments were re-flooded, phosphorus concentrations to the water column increased, releasing elevated P concentrations downstream to an estuarine wetlands area and the Caribbean Sea. Herein we offer management recommendations to optimize wildlife habitat without elevating phosphorus concentrations.
Nutrient Load Mitigation with Wintertime Cover as Estimated by the INCA Model
Authors: Rankinen Katri , Turtola Eila , Lemola Riitta , Futter Martyn , Cano Bernal José Enrique
Published: February 2021

Increased nutrient loading causes deterioration of receiving surface waters in areas of intensive agriculture. While nitrate and particulate phosphorus load can be efficiently controlled by reducing tillage frequency and increasing vegetation cover, many field studies have shown simultaneously increased loading of bioavailable phosphorus. In the latest phase of the Rural Programme of EU agri-environmental measures, the highest potential to reduce the nutrient loading to receiving waters were the maximum limits for fertilization of arable crops and retaining plant cover on fields with, e.g., no-till methods and uncultivated nature management fields. Due to the latter two measures, the area of vegetation cover has increased since 1995, suggesting clear effects on nutrient loading in the catchment scale as well. We modeled the effectiveness of agri-environmental measures to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen loads to waters and additionally tested the performance of the dynamic, process-based INCA-P (Integrated Nutrients in Catchments—Phosphorus) model to simulate P dynamics in an agricultural catchment. We concluded that INCA-P was able to simulate both fast (immediate) and slow (non-immediate) processes that influence P loading from catchments. Based on our model simulations, it was also evident that no-till methods had increased bioavailable P load to receiving waters, even though total P and total N loading were reduced.
Incomplete Mixing Model at Cross-Junctions in Epanet by Polynomial Equations
Authors: Hernández Cervantes Daniel , López-Jiménez P. Amparo , Arciniega Nevárez José Antonio , Delgado Galván Xitlali , Jiménez Magaña Martín Rubén , Pérez-Sánchez Modesto , Mora Rodríguez José de Jesús
Published: February 2021

In Water Distribution Networks (WDN), the water quality could become vulnerable due to several operational and temporal factors. Epanet is a hydraulic and water quality simulation software, widely used, to preserve the control of chemical disinfectants in WDN among other capabilities. Several researchers have shown that the flow mixing at Cross-Junctions (CJs) is not complete as Epanet assumes for the cases of two contiguous inlets and outlets. This paper presents a methodology to obtain the outlet concentrations in CJs based on experimental scenarios and a validated Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model. In this work, the results show that the Incomplete Mixing Model (IMM) based on polynomial equations, represents in a better way the experimental scenarios. Therefore, the distribution of the concentration could be in different proportions in some sectors of the network. Some comparisons were made with the complete mixing model and the Epanet-Bulk Advective Mixing (BAM), obtaining relative errors of 90% in some CJs.
Modelling of the Discharge Response to Climate Change under RCP8.5 Scenario in the Alata River Basin (Mersin, SE Turkey)
Authors: Yıldırım Ümit , Güler Cüneyt , Önol Barış , Rode Michael , Jomaa Seifeddine
Published: February 2021

This study investigates the impacts of climate change on the hydrological response of a Mediterranean mesoscale catchment using a hydrological model. The effect of climate change on the discharge of the Alata River Basin in Mersin province (Turkey) was assessed under the worst-case climate change scenario (i.e., RCP8.5), using the semi-distributed, process-based hydrological model Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE). First, the model was evaluated temporally and spatially and has been shown to reproduce the measured discharge consistently. Second, the discharge was predicted under climate projections in three distinct future periods (i.e., 2021–2040, 2046–2065 and 2081–2100, reflecting the beginning, middle and end of the century, respectively). Climate change projections showed that the annual mean temperature in the Alata River Basin rises for the beginning, middle and end of the century, with about 1.35, 2.13 and 4.11 °C, respectively. Besides, the highest discharge timing seems to occur one month earlier (February instead of March) compared to the baseline period (2000–2011) in the beginning and middle of the century. The results show a decrease in precipitation and an increase in temperature in all future projections, resulting in more snowmelt and higher discharge generation in the beginning and middle of the century scenarios. However, at the end of the century, the discharge significantly decreased due to increased evapotranspiration and reduced snow depth in the upstream area. The findings of this study can help develop efficient climate change adaptation options in the Levant’s coastal areas.