bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transfer Learning for Leaf Small Dataset Using Improved ResNet50 Network with Mixed Activation Functions
Authors: Zhang Ruolei , Zhu Yijun , Ge Zhangshangjie , Mu Hongbo , Qi Dawei , Ni Haiming
Published: December 2022

Taxonomic studies of leaves are one of the most effective means of correctly identifying plant species. In this paper, mixed activation function is used to improve the ResNet50 network in order to further improve the accuracy of leaf recognition. Firstly, leaf images of 15 common tree species in northern China were collected from the Urban Forestry Demonstration Base of Northeast Forestry University (45°43′–45°44′ N, 126°37′–126°38′ E, forest type was artificial forest), and a small leaf dataset was established. After that, seven commonly used activation functions were selected to improve the ResNet50 network structure, and the improved network was applied to the transfer learning research of the leaf small dataset. On this basis, five activation functions with better performance were selected for the study of mixed activation functions in deep learning. Two of these five activation functions are arbitrarily selected for combination, and a total of twenty combinations are obtained. Further, the first activation function was used in each combination to replace the first ReLU function after all addition operations in the ResNet50 network residual block structure, and another activation function was used to replace the other position ReLU functions. The experimental results show that in the transfer learning of the leaf small dataset using the ResNet50 deep residual network, the appropriate combination of mixed activation functions can increase the performance of the improved network to a certain extent. Among them, the ELU-Swish1 combination has the most significant improvement effect on the network performance, whose final effective validation accuracy reaches 98.17%. Furthermore, the comparison with GoogLeNet and VGG-16 also demonstrates the excellent performance of the improved ELU-Swish1 ResNet50 (ES-ResNet50) network architecture. Finally, tests on the other two small leaf datasets, Flavia and Swedish, also demonstrate the performance improvement of ES-ResNet50. The validation accuracy of the improved ES-Resnet 50 algorithm on these two datasets reaches 99.30% and 99.39%, respectively. All these experiments prove that the recognition performance of leaf transfer learning using the ES-ResNet50 network is indeed improved, which may be caused by the complementarity of the e-exponential gradient of ELU and Swish1 activation functions in the negative region.
Antioxidant Properties and Kidney Cell Protection by the Extracts of Curcuma longa, Artemisia princeps, Salicornia herbacea, and Schisandra chinesis
Authors: On Jeong-Yeon , Kim Jeong-Mee , Kothari Damini , Kim Soo-Ki
Published: December 2022

This study evaluated the antioxidant properties and kidney cell protection of medicinal plants as natural medicaments. A total of four medicinal plants including turmeric (TM), gangwha mugwort (GM), glasswort (GW), and omija (OM) were selected and fermented. Hot water extracts (HWE) and ethanol extracts (EE) of the plants were prepared before and after fermentation and tested in experiments in vitro and in vivo. Total polyphenol contents (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of GM were the highest among them. The TPC based HWE decreased after fermentation except OM; in contrast, TFC from HWE increased. The DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS value from HWE increased after fermentation, especially OM, which showed significant differences, while DPPH and ABTS from EE were decreased. The cell viability was not changed after addition of these plants extracts below 50 μg/mL; however, TM from HWE significantly decreased. The protective effect on kidney cells against cisplatin showed a 60% range of cell viability in each plant extract. In the in vivo experiment, the protective effect on kidney cells by the supplemented plant extracts was demonstrated by the serum creatinine and BUN level. During experimental periods, the serum creatinine and BUN level of GW and GM-treated mice decreased with significant differences compared to the adenine control group. As a result, these plant extracts had no cytotoxicity and maintained a protective effect as well as antioxidant activity. These results suggest that plants such as gangwha mugwort (GM) and glasswort (GW) may be good extracts for kidney cell protection and antioxidant agents.
Enhancing Dark Fermentative Hydrogen Production from Problematic Substrates via the Co-Fermentation Strategy
Authors: Policastro Grazia , Lamboglia Rosetta , Fabbricino Massimiliano , Pirozzi Francesco
Published: December 2022

The aim of the present paper is the improvement of dark fermentative hydrogen production from problematic substrates. In detail, the study is aimed at (i) investigating the inhibiting effect of two problematic biomasses (i.e., of olive mill wastewater, containing recalcitrant/toxic compounds and cheese whey, lacking pH buffering capacity) on the dark fermentation process, (ii) as well as verifying the possibility to apply a co-fermentation strategy to enhance the process. To investigate the inhibiting effect of the substrates, two experimental sets were conducted using olive mill wastewater and cheese whey alone, under different food-to-microorganism ratios (i.e., 1, 2.5, and 5). Further experiments were conducted to verify the possibility of improving hydrogen production via the co-fermentation strategy. Such experiments included two tests conducted using different volumetric percentages of olive mill wastewater and cheese whey (90% olive mill wastewater + 10% cheese whey and 80% olive mill wastewater + 20% cheese whey). Results show that using olive mill wastewater alone, the inhibiting effect increased at a higher food-to-microorganism ratio. Moreover, because of the occurrence of a metabolic shift, hydrogen was not produced using 100% cheese whey. Interestingly, compared to the 100% olive mill wastewater condition, the use of 20% cheese whey allowed to double the hydrogen yield, reaching the high cumulative hydrogen production of 2.08 LL−1. Obtained results confirm that the two investigated substrates exert inhibiting effects on microorganisms. Nevertheless, co-fermentation is an effective strategy to improve the dark fermentation process of problematic biomass.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Music Industry
Authors: Hu Yuechu , Kim Jong-Min
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the world, not only threatening people’s health but also impacting various industries. This paper will focus on the impact of the pandemic on the music industry, specifically on live and recorded music. To help determine how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted both live and recorded music, we will analyze the log-returns of stock data of three companies representative of the music industry: Live Nation Entertainment, Tencent Music Entertainment, and Warner Music Group. We also provide descriptive statistics related to the log-returns of stock data of the three companies and calculate the correlation coefficients of the log returns for these companies using three correlation methods (Pearson correlation test, Kendall correlation test, and Spearman correlation) before and after the pandemic. From stock price charts, we observed a negative relationship between the stock indices of both live and recorded music during the early pandemic period. However, we found that there was no correlation in the log-returns of both live and recorded music company stocks after the COVID-19 vaccination became widely available, despite their being a slight positive correlation from the results.
Thermal Properties of Energetic Materials—What Are the Sources of Discrepancies?
Authors: Stolarczyk Agnieszka , Jarosz Tomasz
Published: December 2022

Thermal analysis is widely used to investigate the properties of a variety of energetic materials, including the mutual compatibility of components of energetic material mixtures. Although thermal analysis methods are a valuable source of information about energetic materials, their use requires careful consideration of the employed methodology, as well as an understanding of the thermally induced processes taking place within energetic materials. Several case studies involving the study of energetic materials are presented, in order to highlight some of the most relevant issues in the application of thermal analysis methods. Some recommendations about the application of thermal analysis methods and accompanying methodologies for estimating other properties of energetic materials are also included.
Collective Effects of Fire Intensity and Sloped Terrain on Wind-Driven Surface Fire and Its Impact on a Cubic Structure
Authors: Ghodrat Maryam , Edalati-Nejad Ali , Simeoni Albert
Published: December 2022

The combined effects of percent slope and fire intensity of a wind driven line fire on an idealized building has been numerically investigated in this paper. The simulations were done using the large eddy simulation (LES) solver of an open source CFD toolbox called FireFOAM. A set of three fire intensity values representing different heat release rates of grassland fuels on different inclined fuel beds have been modeled to analyze the impact of factors, such as fuel and topography on wind-fire interaction of a built area. An idealized cubic structure representing a simplified building was considered downstream of the fire source. The numerical results have been verified with the aerodynamic measurements of a full-scale building model in the absence of fire effects. There is a fair consistency between the modeled findings and empirical outcomes with maximum error of 18%, which acknowledge the validity and precision of the proposed model. The results show that concurrent increase of fire intensity and terrain slope causes an expansion of the surface temperature of the building which is partially due to the increase of flame tilt angle upslope on the hilly terrains. In addition, increasing fire intensity leads to an increase in the flow velocity, which is associated with the low-pressure area observed behind the fire front. Despite limitations of the experimental results in the area of wind-fire interaction the result of the present work is an attempt to shed light on this very important problem of fire behavior prediction. This article is a primary report on this subject in CFD modeling of the collective effects of fire intensity and sloped terrain on wind driven wildfire and its interaction on buildings.
A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis of Wildland Fire Behavior Modeling
Authors: Silva João , Marques João , Gonçalves Inês , Brito Rui , Teixeira Senhorinha , Teixeira José , Alvelos Filipe
Published: December 2022

Wildland fires have become a major research subject among the national and international research community. Different simulation models have been developed to prevent this phenomenon. Nevertheless, fire propagation models are, until now, challenging due to the complexity of physics and chemistry, high computational requirements to solve physical models, and the difficulty defining the input parameters. Nevertheless, researchers have made immense progress in understanding wildland fire spread. This work reviews the state-of-the-art and lessons learned from the relevant literature to drive further advancement and provide the scientific community with a comprehensive summary of the main developments. The major findings or general research-based trends were related to the advancement of technology and computational resources, as well as advances in the physical interpretation of the acceleration of wildfires. Although wildfires result from the interaction between fundamental processes that govern the combustion at the solid- and gas-phase, the subsequent heat transfer and ignition of adjacent fuels are still not fully resolved at a large scale. However, there are some research gaps and emerging trends within this issue that should be given more attention in future investigations. Hence, in view of further improvements in wildfire modeling, increases in computational resources will allow upscaling of physical models, and technological advancements are being developed to provide near real-time predictive fire behavior modeling. Thus, the development of two-way coupled models with weather prediction and fire propagation models is the main direction of future work.
Green/Roasted Coffee and Silverskin Extracts Inhibit Sugar Absorption by Human Intestinal Epithelial (Caco-2) Cells by Decreasing GLUT2 Gene Expression
Authors: Peixoto Juliana A. Barreto , Andrade Nelson , Machado Susana , Costa Anabela S. G. , Oliveira Maria Beatriz P. P. , Martel Fátima , Alves Rita C.
Published: December 2022

Moderate coffee ingestion has been associated with a decrease in type 2 diabetes risk, mainly due to its richness in chlorogenic acids (CGA). To explore this, extracts of green beans, roasted beans, and silverskin were prepared by aqueous ultrasound-assisted extraction and characterized by a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array detector (RP-HPLC-DAD). The effects on the uptake of glucose and fructose by human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells and the influence on the expression of sugar transporter genes (by RT-qPCR) were investigated and compared. The uptake of 3H-deoxy-D-glucose and 14C-fructose by Caco-2 cells was significantly reduced by all the extracts, with green coffee (which also contained higher amounts of CGA) achieving the highest efficiency. Although silverskin presented the lowest amounts of CGA and caffeine, it promoted an inhibitory effect similar to the effects of green/roasted beans. In the case of glucose uptake, the effect was even higher than for roasted coffee. This activity is explained by the ability of the extracts to markedly decrease GLUT2, but not GLUT5 gene expression. In addition, a decrease in SGLT1 gene expression was also found for all extracts, although not at a statistically significant rate for silverskin. This study also revealed a synergistic inhibitory effect of caffeine and 5-CQA on the uptake of sugars. Thus, silverskin appears as an interesting alternative to coffee, since the valorization of this by-product also contributes to the sustainability of the coffee chain.
Preparation and Taste Profiling of the Enzymatic Protein Hydrolysate from a by-Product of Red Snow Crab Processing as a Natural Seasoning Compound
Authors: Lee Ga-Yang , Jung Min-Jeong , Nam Jong-Woong , Han Ah-Ram , Kim Byoung-Mok , Jun Joon-Young
Published: December 2022

The red snow crab (Chionoecetes japonicus) is the most industrially processed in the Republic of Korea, and the meat is very popular, owing to its savory taste and flavor. Its body meat production comprises a two-step separation to increase meat yield. However, during the secondary separation, broken shell debris is occasionally entrained in the meat products, which is a concern for manufacturers. As the residues from first separation contain 39.9% protein, it can be utilized as an enzymatic protein hydrolysate (FPH) rich in free amino acids (FAAs). A combination of flavourzyme and alcalase (1:1) superiorly hydrolyzed the protein of the residues, and the best hydrolysis condition was suggested at 60 °C for 15 h with fourfold water and 2% enzyme addition, achieving a 57.4% degree of hydrolysis. The EPH was mostly composed of FAAs containing most essential amino acids; however, bitter-tasting amino acids accounted for 46.4% of the FAAs. To reduce the bitter taste, different nonvolatile organic acids were considered as masking agents, and citric and malic acids were effective, though the umami taste is slightly decreased. In conclusion, the crab processing residues can be utilized as an FAA-based natural seasoning compound through enzymatic hydrolysis and organic acid treatment.
Food Security Review Based on Bibliometrics from 1991 to 2021
Authors: Li Junfang , Song Wei
Published: December 2022

Food security is related to human wellbeing and sustainable development and an important guarantee for world peace. In the context of global climate change, increased food demand, resource depletion, conflicts, and frequent public health emergencies, food security is widely seen as one of the top challenges. Food security research has obvious interdisciplinary characteristics, involving a wide range of fields. We analyzed the literature on food security in the Web of Science core collection from 1991 to 2021, using bibliometric methods with the aid of the Biblioshiny software package. By collecting, screening, analyzing, and visually expressing the literature data, the following conclusions were drawn: (1) In the past 30 years, the annual number of publications on food security increased. The period can be divided into three stages: 1991–2003 as the budding period, 2004–2012 as the development period, and 2013–2020 as the high-yield and active period. The top three journals discussing food security issues are Food Security, Sustainability, and Food Policy, and these journals focus on the publication of comprehensive views from interdisciplinary perspectives. (2) Studies on food security cover 138 countries or regions. The top three countries in terms of the number of published articles are the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. Among the top 20 countries in terms of the number of published articles, European countries are highlighted. (3) Climate change, food security, agriculture, policy, and management are the other high-frequency keywords in the field of food security; climate change occurred 321 times. The word sub-Saharan Africa also occurred more frequently, indicating that food security in sub-Saharan Africa has attracted wide attention. (4) The food security theme mapping clearly showed the research status and future development trends of various topics in the field. Currently, food production, climate change, and sustainable development are the most popular themes. Research on food sovereignty, ecological agriculture, child obesity, and other aspects is an emerging field. (5) We predict that in the future, the field of food security may focus on the expansion and improvement of the food security evaluation system, the balance between sustainable development and food security goals, the improvement of agricultural production and management efficiency, and the research on government policies and strategies. Our results provide a reference for grasping the current situation, key research direction, and development trend in the field of food security.
Bifurcation of Exact Solutions for the Space-Fractional Stochastic Modified Benjamin–Bona–Mahony Equation
Authors: Elmandouh Adel , Fadhal Emad
Published: December 2022

This paper studies the influence of space-fractional and multiplicative noise on the exact solutions of the space-fractional stochastic dispersive modified Benjamin–Bona–Mahony equation, driven in Ito’s sense by a multiplicative Wiener process. The bifurcation of the exact solutions is investigated, and novel fractional stochastic solutions are presented. The dependence of the solutions on the initial conditions is discussed. Due to the significance of the fractional stochastic modified Benjamin–Bona–Mahony equation in describing the propagation of surface long waves in nonlinear dispersive media, the derived solutions are significantly more helpful for and influential in comprehending diverse, crucial, and challenging physical phenomena. The effect of the Wiener process and the fractional order on the exact solutions are studied.
A Novel Poly(vinyl alcohol)–tetraethylorthosilicate Hybrid Gel Electrolyte for Lead Storage Battery
Authors: Chikkatti Bipin S. , Sajjan Ashok M. , Kalahal Prakash B. , Banapurmath Nagaraj R. , Khan T. M. Yunus , Khadar Shaik Dawood Abdul , Shamsudeen Shaik Mohamed , Raju A. B.
Published: December 2022

The gel electrolyte significantly influences gel valve-regulated lead acid battery performance. To address this, the paper describes the preparation of novel polymer gel electrolytes using poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) for valve-regulated lead–acid batteries. FTIR technique is used to confirm the chemical reaction between PVA and TEOS. Electrochemical analyses such as cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were applied to optimize the concentration of PVA-TEOS polymer gel electrolyte. The optimum concentration of polymer gel electrolyte was determined as 20 wt% of TEOS in PVA (PE-1) with higher anodic peak and lower Rs and Rct values. The Galvanostatic charge–discharge tests were performed on the optimized gel system prototype battery. The highest capacity of 6.86 × 10−5 Ah at a current density of 0.2 mA cm−2 was achieved with an excellent capacity retention ratio of 85.7% over 500 cycles. The exceptional cycle performance and high capacity make PVA-TEOS gel electrolyte a promising candidate for practical battery application.
Hairy Gels: A Computational Study
Authors: Uhlik Filip , Rud Oleg V. , Borisov Oleg V. , Zhulina Ekaterina B.
Published: December 2022

We present results of MD and MC simulations of the equilibrium properties of swelling gels with comb-like or bottlebrush subchains and compare them to scaling-theory predictions. In accordance with theory, the simulation results demonstrate that swelling coefficient of the gel increases as a function of the polymerization degree of the main chains and exhibits a very weak maximum (or is virtually constant) as a function of the polymerization degree and grafting density of side chains. The bulk osmotic modulus passes through a shallow minimum as the polymerization degree of the side chains increases. This minimum is attributed to the onset of overlap of side chains belonging to different bottlebrush strands in the swollen gel.
Performance of Dye Removal from Single and Binary Component Systems by Adsorption on Composite Hydrogel Beads Derived from Fruits Wastes Entrapped in Natural Polymeric Matrix
Authors: Grigoraș Cristina-Gabriela , Simion Andrei-Ionuț , Favier Lidia , Drob Cătălin , Gavrilă Lucian
Published: December 2022

The treatment of contaminated water is currently a major concern worldwide. This work was directed towards the preparation of a composite hydrogel by entrapping cherry stones powder on chitosan, which is known as one of the most abundant natural polymers. The synthesized material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and by the point of zero charge determination. Its ability to remove two azo dyes models (Acid Red 66 and Reactive Black 5) existing in single form and in binary mixture was evaluated. Response Surface Methodology–Central Composite Design was used to optimize three parameters affecting the process while targeting the lowest final contaminant concentrations. The best results were obtained at pH 2, an adsorbent dose of 100 g/L, and a temperature of 30 °C, when more than 90% of the pollutants from the single component systems and more than 70% of those of the binary mixtures were removed from their aqueous solutions. The adsorption process was in accordance with Elovich and pseudo-second-order kinetic models, and closely followed the Freundlich and Temkin equilibrium isotherms. The obtained results led to the conclusion that the prepared hydrogel composite possesses the ability to successfully retain the target molecules and that it can be considered as a viable adsorbent material.
Chitosan Aerogel Particles as Nasal Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Menshutina Natalia , Majouga Alexander , Uvarova Anastasia , Lovskaya Daria , Tsygankov Pavel , Mochalova Maria , Abramova Olga , Ushakova Valeria , Morozova Anna , Silantyev Artemiy
Published: December 2022

The nasal drug delivery route has distinct advantages, such as high bioavailability, a rapid therapeutic effect, non-invasiveness, and ease of administration. This article presents the results of a study of the processes for obtaining chitosan aerogel particles that are promising as nasal or inhalation drug delivery systems. Obtaining chitosan aerogel particles includes the following steps: the preparation of a chitosan solution, gelation, solvent replacement, and supercritical drying. Particles of chitosan gels were obtained by spraying and homogenization. The produced chitosan aerogel particles had specific surface areas of up to 254 m2/g, pore volumes of up to 1.53 cm3/g, and porosities of up to 99%. The aerodynamic diameters of the obtained chitosan aerogel particles were calculated, the values of which ranged from 13 to 59 µm. According to the calculation results, a CS1 sample was used as a matrix for obtaining the pharmaceutical composition “chitosan aerogel—clomipramine”. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of the pharmaceutical composition determined the presence of clomipramine, predominantly in an amorphous form. Analysis of the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data showed that the mass loading of clomipramine was 35%. Experiments in vivo demonstrated the effectiveness of the pharmaceutical composition “chitosan aerogel—clomipramine” as carrier matrices for the targeted delivery of clomipramine by the “Nose-to-brain” mechanism of nasal administration. The maximum concentration of clomipramine in the frontal cortex and hippocampus was reached 30 min after administration.
Highly Stretchable, Transparent and Adhesive Ionogel Based on Chitosan-Poly(acrylic acid) Double Networks for Flexible Strain Sensors
Authors: Zhu Yuan , Li Xuemei , Zhao Zhenjie , Liang Yongri , Wang Limin , Liu Yingdan
Published: December 2022

A stretchable double-network (DN) ionogel composed of a physically crosslinked network of chitosan (CS) and a chemically crosslinked network of polyacrylic acid (PAA) was prepared in an ionic liquid ([EMIM][OAc]) using a one-step polymerization method. In this ionogel (CS/PAA), the CS and the PAA polymer chains served as backbones, which constructed an interpenetrating DN structure via numerous hydrogen bonds formed through the hydroxyl, amino and carboxyl groups on the polymer chains. The DN structure improves the mechanical properties of the ionogel. Therefore, the CS/PAA DN ionogel exhibited outstanding mechanical performance in many ways: tensile strength up to 2.04 MPa, strain range up to 1046% and the value of toughness up to 8.52 MJ/m3. The ionogel also showed good self-recovery performance, fatigue resistance, ability to work in a broad temperature range (−20~80 °C) and adhesion properties. As a flexible sensor, the CS/PAA DN ionogel showed high strain sensitivity (gauge factor = 6.235). It can sensitively detect human motion (such as joint-bending, vocal fold vibration, walking gait and other human body motions), revealing the practical application potential of flexible electronic devices.
EpiReSIM: A Resampling Method of Epistatic Model without Marginal Effects Using Under-Determined System of Equations
Authors: Shang Junliang , Cai Xinrui , Zhang Tongdui , Sun Yan , Zhang Yuanyuan , Liu Jinxing , Guan Boxin
Published: December 2022

Simulation experiments are essential to evaluate epistasis detection methods, which is the main way to prove their effectiveness and move toward practical applications. However, due to the lack of effective simulators, especially for simulating models without marginal effects (eNME models), epistasis detection methods can hardly verify their effectiveness through simulation experiments. In this study, we propose a resampling simulation method (EpiReSIM) for generating the eNME model. First, EpiReSIM provides two strategies for solving eNME models. One is to calculate eNME models using prevalence constraints, and another is by joint constraints of prevalence and heritability. We transform the computation of the model into the problem of solving the under-determined system of equations. Introducing the complete orthogonal decomposition method and Newton’s method, EpiReSIM calculates the solution of the underdetermined system of equations to obtain the eNME model, especially the solution of the high-order model, which is the highlight of EpiReSIM. Second, based on the computed eNME model, EpiReSIM generates simulation data by a resampling method. Experimental results show that EpiReSIM has advantages in preserving the biological properties of minor allele frequencies and calculating high-order models, and it is a convenient and effective alternative method for current simulation software.
Using EM Induction and ERI Geophysical Methods in Undergraduate Teaching: A Case-Centered, Discussion-Based Approach
Authors: Alte-da-Veiga Nuno M. S. , Sánchez-Sastre Luis Fernando , Martín-Gil Jesús , Hernández-Navarro Salvador , Martín-Ramos Pablo
Published: December 2022

In the last decades, the application fields of exploration geophysics have considerably broadened, reinforcing the relevance of exploration geophysics courses both within geosciences and non-geosciences degrees. Among these courses, those with a hands-on, place-based pedagogical approach and aligned with problem-based and case-based learning methodologies have proven to be particularly successful in regard to addressing the recognized difficulty that students experience in transferring their classroom knowledge to the field environment. In this article, we report a theoretical–practical module for the teaching of exploration geophysics methods to undergraduate non-geoscience major students, and in particular, to forestry engineering students. The in-field activity, based on a combination of Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) and electromagnetic induction (EM) methods, was complemented with in-class sessions covering the fundamentals of these methods and Archie’s equation, software usage, data analysis and interpretation, and critical in-group discussions. This situated, context-rich teaching and learning example may be reproduced in other teaching institutions to provide technology-driven educational experiences in their curricula, helping students recognize the relevance of the abovementioned geophysical methods to address research questions beyond geology.
Statistical Analysis of Heavy Rains and Floods around the French Mediterranean Basin over One Half a Century of Observations
Authors: Nouaceur Zeineddine , Murarescu Ovidiu , Muratoreanu George
Published: December 2022

The French region adjacent to the Mediterranean basin is vulnerable to hydrological risks generated by convective precipitation in the form of heavy rainfall and conditioned by the configuration of the relief. These risks are driven by the increase in sea water temperature over the last half century, which itself has been more pronounced since 1990. The statistical analysis on the frequency of rainfall intensity in a 24 to 48 h interval, correlated with the NAO, WMOI and SSTMED indices shows a recrudescence of rainfall amounting to more than 100 mm, which leads to the genesis of floods and flash floods. Furthermore, there has been a higher frequency of floods and disasters in this period. The intensity of material and human damage recorded following such local Cévennes-type phenomena is also due to urban development and population growth.
Trauma, Diasporic Consciousness, and Ethics in Nicole Krauss’s Forest Dark
Authors: Bal Tiasa , Neelakantan Gurumurthy
Published: December 2022

Dislocation, expatriation, and the attendant loss of homeland are concerns at the heart of Jewish literature. The dialectical relationship between identity and the sense of homeland informing the Jewish diasporic consciousness, in particular, has often culminated in nostalgic depictions of Israel in post-war American Jewish literature. In focusing on such a literary representation, this essay unravels the multidimensionality of diasporic Jewish identity. Critically analyzing Nicole Krauss’s Forest Dark (2017), it evaluates the trauma of exile and the psychic dilemma of third-generation American Jewish writers. The novelist brings about a confluence of nostos and nostalgia in Forest Dark. In evoking the visceral sense of loss, dislocation, and a painful yearning for the lost homeland, the author succeeds in tracing the lives of two protagonists, Jules Epstein, a retired New York lawyer, and Nicole, a Jewish American novelist struggling with a deep marital crisis. The text foregrounds the theme of self-discovery exemplified in the homecoming of its two central characters. Following his parents’ death and haunted by the anguish and horror of the Shoah, Jules unmoors himself from his current life and flies to Tel Aviv on a whim. Nicole, who suffers from creative blockage on account of her failing marriage, undertakes the trip to Tel Aviv hoping to recover from her soul-sickness, as it were. If Jules and Nicole do not cross paths, it still remains that their Jewish identities stem from the originary tragedy of the Holocaust. Although removed from the horrific sights and scenes of the tragic event, intergenerational trauma resonates with certain aspects of the diasporic Jewish existence. Using theoretical interventions of memory studies and the Freudian concept of Unheimlich or the uncanny, this essay explores the ethical implications that undergird Nicole Krauss’s diasporic depiction of Israel.
Clenched and Empty Fists: Trauma and Resistance Ethics in Han Kang’s Fiction
Authors: Finck Shannon
Published: December 2022

Broadly speaking, the literary history of human–nonhuman metamorphoses conveys certain ethics regarding human-to-human relations by mediating these relations through metaphors of inhumanity. Where such transformations appear in the literature of the present, however, the human is often decentered, fostering an uneasy consort between human and nonhuman beings and ways of being. Taking the fiction of South Korean author, Han Kang, as a case study, this essay examines the political or civic value of reinvigorating vegetal or arboreal transformation in contemporary stories that unfold against a backdrop of global climate change and ecological collapse. I argue that Han’s work depicts the mimicry of or engagement with nonhuman forms of life as both passive strategies for resisting human acts of violence and exploitation and alternative models of sociality and care. Drawing especially on the unruliness of plants and non-animal organic matter, Han’s translated works invite readers to consider what human subjects can learn about both individual and networked, interspecies modes of protest from green subjectivity.
Event History Analysis of Factors Affecting Survival of Older Adults in Taiwan
Authors: Lo Yuan-Chen , Hsu Wei-Chung , Weng Shao-Jen , Tsai Yao-Te , Liu Shih-Chia , Lin Cheng-Hsiang
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: Due to rapidly increasing average age of Taiwan’s population, it is very important to analyze the factors affecting the survival of older adults. (2) Methods: In this study, the 1989 Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging, which lasted 22 years and consisted of seven surveys, was used. Furthermore, Cox and Aalen’s time-dependent frailty models were used to analyze factors that affect the survival of older adults. (3) Results: Based on past literature, we selected 15 important factors that were closely associated with the survival of older adults and constructed six models based on these factors. The study results showed that, in addition to background characteristics, physical and mental conditions, activities of daily living (ADL), physical performance, and self-rated health had a huge association with the survival of older adults. (4) Conclusions: We selected ten variables (age, gender, population, education level, ADL status, physical performance, self-rated health, smoking, chewing betel nut, and the presence of a spouse), and their combinations were used to generate reduced models, which could be considered as important markers that affect and predict the survival of older adults.
Racial Differences in Breastfeeding on the Mississippi Gulf Coast: Making Sense of a Promotion-Prevalence Paradox with Cross-Sectional Data
Authors: Bartkowski John P. , Kohler Janelle , Xu Xiaohe , Collins Tennille , Roach Jacinda B. , Newkirk Caroline , Klee Katherine
Published: December 2022

Breastfeeding is less prevalent among African American women than their white peers. Moreover, breastfeeding rates in the South lag behind those in other regions of the U.S. Consequently, various efforts have been undertaken to promote breastfeeding among groups for which this practice is less common. This study examines African American and white racial disparities concerning (1) exposure to breastfeeding promotional information and (2) reported prevalence of breastfeeding in primary social networks. The survey combines a randomly selected sample of adults representative of the population and a non-random oversample of African Americans in a predominantly rural tri-county area on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. An initial wave of 2019 Mississippi REACH Social Climate Survey data collected under the auspices of the CDC-funded REACH program (Mississippi’s Healthy Families, Mothers, and Babies Initiative; 2018–2023) is used to examine racial disparities in these two key outcomes for Mississippians in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson counties. The results show that African American respondents are more likely to be exposed to breastfeeding promotional messages than their white counterparts. However, the reported prevalence of breastfeeding in African American respondents’ primary social networks is significantly lower than that indicated by their white peers. These paradoxical results underscore the limitations of promotional efforts alone to foster breastfeeding. While breastfeeding promotion is important, the reduction of racial disparities in this practice likely requires a multi-pronged effort that involves structural breastfeeding supports (e.g., lactation spaces, peer networking groups, and pro-breastfeeding employment policies and workplaces). This study provides a promising model of innovative methodological approaches to the study of breastfeeding while underscoring the complex nature of racial disparities in lactation prevalence.
Analysing Researchers’ Engagement in Research Hospitals: A Pilot Study in IRCCS—Italian Research Hospitals
Authors: Mollica Giulia , Caruso Rosario , Conte Gianluca , Ambrogi Federico , Boveri Sara
Published: December 2022

Despite universities in the UK, USA and Australia having developed tools and strategies to enhance academic engagement, there is a paucity of information from universities and research hospitals where conceptual and theoretical research still appears more heterogeneous. In Italy, there is a growing recognition that more needs to be done to define strategies to improve research engagement. Italian research hospitals are represented by the Scientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization and Healthcare (named IRCCS from the Italian acronym of these organisations), representing the best of Italian research and the National Health Service System. This article provided a pilot description of research engagement in a representative Italian IRCCS hospital for the first time. A pilot study was developed, and a brief questionnaire was validated to explore research engagement. The identified clusters of researchers’ engagement were provided to describe an initial theory-grounded framework. Based on the perspective of research administrators and the Ministry of Health during round tables, the developed questionnaire identified two clusters of researchers’ engagement and measured “Project-oriented” and “Organisation-oriented” engagement. Among the responders, IRCCS senior researchers tended to have higher project-oriented engagement, while young researchers had slightly higher organisation-oriented engagement. The contribution of this article is a hypothesised two-level theory-grounded framework to study and improve research engagement activities and strategies in a research hospital, with the potential for an overlap with other European research institutions.
Ataxia Rating Scales: Content Analysis by Linking to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
Authors: Etoom Mohammad , Jahan Alhadi M. , Alghwiri Alia , Lena Francesco , Modugno Nicola
Published: December 2022

Ataxia management is mainly based on rehabilitation, symptomatic management, and functional improvement. Therefore, it is important to comprehensively assess ataxic symptoms and their impact on function. Recently, the movement disorders society recommended four generic ataxia rating scales: scale for assessment and rating of ataxia (SARA), international cooperative ataxia rating scales, Friedreich’s ataxia rating scale (FARS), and unified multiple system atrophy rating scale (UMSARS). The aim of the study was to analyze and compare the content of the recommended ataxia rating scales by linking them to the international classification of functioning, disability and health (ICF). A total of 125 meaningful concepts from 93 items of the four included scales were linked to 57 different ICF categories. The ICF categories were distributed in body structure (n = 8), body function (n = 26), activity and participation (n = 20), and environmental factors (n = 3) components. UMSARS and FARS were the only ones that have addressed the body structure or environmental factors component. The content analysis of ataxia rating scales would help clinicians and researchers select the most appropriate scale and understand ataxic symptoms and their impact on function. It seems that SARA is the optimal scale for rapid assessment of ataxia or in busy clinical settings. UMSARS or FARS are more appropriate for the investigating the impact of ataxia on overall health, and monitoring ataxia progression and disability.
Contributions to the Characterization of Chromogenic Dyes in Color Slides
Authors: Silva Joana , Parola António Jorge , Oliveira Maria Conceição , Lavédrine Bertrand , Ramos Ana Maria
Published: December 2022

Chromogenic reversal films (or color slides) are first-generation positive transparencies. These were used for various purposes, namely as an artistic medium, especially from the 1960s onwards. However, these materials are intrinsically vulnerable to chemical degradation and have poor long-term stability. Although over time significant improvements have been achieved in the stability of chromogenic products, chromogenic dyes are highly susceptible to oxidation and hydrolysis, both induced by light and/or relative humidity and temperature, leading to the fading and shift in the original color balance of the images. During the present investigation, a gap of knowledge regarding chromogenic materials in general, and chromogenic reversal films specifically, was detected. Today, there is still no methodology to identify the dyes present in a specific work and, therefore, to study their chemical mechanism of degradation. From this premise and focused on case studies from the Portuguese artist Ângelo de Sousa (1938–2011), a research study was carried out seeking the characterization of chromogenic dyes. Based on the isolation of the different dyes composing a chromogenic material, several procedures were tested to describe the dyes found in chromogenic reversal films, such as Raman spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) and coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS). Promising results were achieved with this approach, opening new paths for the understanding of these materials.
Quantitative Risk Assessment Methodology for Hydrogen Tank Rupture in a Tunnel Fire
Authors: Kashkarov Sergii , Dadashzadeh Mohammad , Sivaraman Srinivas , Molkov Vladimir
Published: December 2022

This study presents a methodology of a quantitative risk assessment for the scenario of an onboard hydrogen storage tank rupture and tunnel fire incident. The application of the methodology is demonstrated on a road tunnel. The consequence analysis is carried out for the rupture of a 70 MPa, 62.4-litre hydrogen storage tank in a fire, that has a thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) failed or blocked during an incident. Scenarios with two states of charge (SoC) of the tank, i.e., SoC = 99% and SoC = 59%, are investigated. The risks in terms of fatalities per vehicle per year and the cost per incident are assessed. It is found that for the reduction in the risk with the hydrogen-powered vehicle in a road tunnel fire incident to the acceptable level of 10−5 fatality/vehicle/year, the fire-resistance rating (FRR) of the hydrogen storage tank should exceed 84 min. The FRR increase to this level reduces the societal risk to an acceptable level. The increase in the FRR to 91 min reduces the risk in terms of the cost of the incident to GBP 300, following the threshold cost of minor injury published by the UK Health and Safety Executive. The Frequency–Number (F–N) of the fatalities curve is developed to demonstrate the effect of mitigation measures on the risk reduction to socially acceptable levels. The performed sensitivity study confirms that with the broad range of input parameters, including the fire brigade response time, the risk of rupture of standard hydrogen tank-TPRD systems inside the road tunnel is unacceptable. One of the solutions enabling an inherently safer use of hydrogen-powered vehicles in tunnels is the implementation of breakthrough safety technology—the explosion free in a fire self-venting (TPRD-less) tanks.
Partial Desalination of Saline Groundwater, including Flowback Water, to Produce Irrigation Water
Authors: Antia David
Published: December 2022

Globally, more than 50 million ha of arable land is irrigated with saline water. The majority of this saline irrigation water is derived from saline groundwater. Global irrigation requirements may increase from 270 million ha in 2014 to about 750 million ha by 2050 as the global population increases to 9.1 billion people. The majority of this additional irrigation water is likely to come from saline groundwater sources. Desalination of irrigation water increases crop yield. A combination of high water volume requirements and low crop yields requires that, for widespread usage, the desalinated irrigation water product will require a delivery price of <USD 0.5 m3. This study considers five passive desalination routes (n-Fe0; n-Fe3O4; Fe0:Fe(b)@C0 polymer; n-Fe0:Fe(b) polymer; n-Fe(b) polymer) that may potentially achieve this goal: A common desalination mechanism is identified for the Fe0:Fe(b)@C0 polymer; n-Fe0:Fe(b) polymer; and n-Fe(b) polymer routes. The analysis establishes that the n-Fe(b) polymer route may be able to achieve (with a reaction time of 1 h) an 80% to 90% desalination of saline groundwater or flowback water (12.3 g NaCl L−1; EC = 17.6 dSm−1), to form partially desalinated irrigation water (1.2 to 2.4 g NaCl L−1; EC = 2 to 3.4 dSm−1) with an associated reduction in the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) from 125 to between 1.2 and 2.5, for a potential material (n-Fe(b) polymer) treatment cost of <USD 0.01 m−3, after considering polymer reuse and recycle, but excluding all other plant and other operating costs. The examples demonstrate that the polymers can be used to create: (i) a desalinated stationary hydrodynamic plume, containing 47,123 m3 water (1 to 2.5 g NaCl L−1), within 157,080 m3 porous rock forming a confined, saline aquifer (18.59 g NaCl L−1), to act as a reservoir of desalinated water (96 m3 d−1) for irrigation, with the potential to produce >960 m3 d−1 as required; (ii) a desalinated, perched, stationary, shallow groundwater mound, located above the regional water table, containing >200 m3 of desalinated water.