bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RootLogChain: Registering Log-Events in a Blockchain for Audit Issues from the Creation of the Root
Authors: López-Pimentel Juan Carlos , Morales-Rosales Luis Alberto , Monroy Raúl
Published: November 2021

Logging system activities are required to provide credibility and confidence in the systems used by an organization. Logs in computer systems must be secured from the root user so that they are true and fair. This paper introduces RootLogChain, a blockchain-based audit mechanism that is built upon a security protocol to create both a root user in a blockchain network and the first log; from there, all root events are stored as logs within a standard blockchain mechanism. RootLogChain provides security constructs so as to be deployed in a distributed context over a hostile environment, such as the internet. We have developed a prototype based on a microservice architecture, validating it by executing different stress proofs in two scenarios: one with compliant agents and the other without. In such scenarios, several compliant and non-compliant agents try to become a root and register the events within the blockchain. Non-compliant agents simulate eavesdropper entities that do not follow the rules of the protocol. Our experiments show that the mechanism guarantees the creation of one and only one root user, integrity, and authenticity of the transactions; it also stores all events generated by the root within a blockchain. In addition, for audit issues, the traceability of the transaction logs can be consulted by the root.
Spectral Diffractive Lenses for Measuring a Modified Red Edge Simple Ratio Index and a Water Band Index
Authors: Blank Veronika , Skidanov Roman , Doskolovich Leonid , Kazanskiy Nikolay
Published: November 2021

We propose a novel type of spectral diffractive lenses that operate in the ±1-st diffraction orders. Such spectral lenses generate a sharp image of the wavelengths of interest in the +1-st and –1-st diffraction orders. The spectral lenses are convenient to use for obtaining remotely sensed vegetation index images instead of full-fledged hyperspectral images. We discuss the design and fabrication of spectral diffractive lenses for measuring vegetation indices, which include a Modified Red Edge Simple Ratio Index and a Water Band Index. We report synthesizing diffractive lenses with a microrelief thickness of 4 µm using the direct laser writing in a photoresist. The use of the fabricated spectral lenses in a prototype scheme of an imaging sensor for index measurements is discussed. Distributions of the aforesaid spectral indices are obtained by the linear scanning of vegetation specimens. Using a linear scanning of vegetation samples, distributions of the above-said water band index were experimentally measured.
Regional Crustal Vertical Deformation Driven by Terrestrial Water Load Depending on CORS Network and Environmental Loading Data: A Case Study of Southeast Zhejiang
Authors: Li Wanqiu , Dong Jie , Wang Wei , Wen Hanjiang , Liu Huanling , Guo Qiuying , Yao Guobiao , Zhang Chuanyin
Published: November 2021

Monitoring regional terrestrial water load deformation is of great significance to the dynamic maintenance and hydrodynamic study of the regional benchmark framework. In view of the lack of a spatial interpolation method based on the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) elevation time series for obtaining terrestrial water load deformation information, this paper proposes to employ a CORS (Continuously Operating Reference Stations) network combined with environmental loading data, such as ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) atmospheric data, the GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation System) hydrological model, and MSLA (Mean Sea Level Anomaly) data. Based on the load deformation theory and spherical harmonic analysis method, we took 38 CORS stations in southeast Zhejiang province as an example and comprehensively determined the vertical deformation of the crust as caused by regional terrestrial water load changes from January 2015 to December 2017, and then compared these data with the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite. The results show that the vertical deformation value of the terrestrial water load in southeast Zhejiang, as monitored by the CORS network, can reach a centimeter, and the amplitude changes from −1.8 cm to 2.4 cm. The seasonal change is obvious, and the spatial distribution takes a ladder form from inland to coastal regions. The surface vertical deformation caused by groundwater load changes in the east–west–south–north–central sub-regions show obvious fluctuations from 2015 to 2017, and the trends of the five sub-regions are consistent. The amplitude of surface vertical deformation caused by groundwater load change in the west is higher than that in the east. We tested the use of GRACE for the verification of CORS network monitoring results and found a relatively consistent temporal distribution between both data sets after phase delay correction on GRACE, except for in three months—November in 2015, and January and February in 2016. The results show that the comprehensive solution based on the CORS network can effectively improve the monitoring of crustal vertical deformation during regional terrestrial water load change.
Development of an Integrated EEG/fNIRS Brain Function Monitoring System
Authors: Mohamed Manal , Jo Eunjung , Mohamed Nourelhuda , Kim Minhee , Yun Jeong-dae , Kim Jae Gwan
Published: November 2021

In this study, a fully integrated electroencephalogram/functional near-infrared spectroscopy (EEG/fNIRS) brain monitoring system was designed to fulfill the demand for a miniaturized, light-weight, low-power-consumption, and low-cost brain monitoring system as a potential tool with which to screen for brain diseases. The system is based on the ADS1298IPAG Analog Front-End (AFE) and can simultaneously acquire two-channel EEG signals with a sampling rate of 250 SPS and six-channel fNIRS signals with a sampling rate of 8 SPS. AFE is controlled by Teensy 3.2 and powered by a lithium polymer battery connected to two protection circuits and regulators. The acquired EEG and fNIRS signals are monitored and stored using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). The system was evaluated by implementing several tests to verify its ability to simultaneously acquire EEG and fNIRS signals. The implemented system can acquire EEG and fNIRS signals with a CMRR of −115 dB, power consumption of 0.75 mW/ch, system weight of 70.5 g, probe weight of 3.1 g, and a total cost of USD 130. The results proved that this system can be qualified as a low-cost, light-weight, low-power-consumption, and fully integrated EEG/fNIRS brain monitoring system.
Connecting Crises: Young People in Nepal Reflecting on Life Course Transitions and Trajectories during Times of Uncertainty
Authors: Khan Adrian A.
Published: November 2021

During certain crises, displacement of populations seeking safe refuge elsewhere can occur without the certainty of a return, if at all. Children and young people in such contexts often face the additional challenge of restrictions or disregard towards engaging their agency in migration decision-making processes. Through 60 in-depth interviews with 30 trans-Himalayan participants (ages of 16–23) and multi-sited ethnography throughout Nepal, this paper investigates multiple experiences of crises experienced by young people and the effects on their life course trajectories. From focusing on the Civil War in 1996–2006, the 2015 earthquake, and most recently the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper proposes that initial displacements from the Civil War, when connected with other crises later on in a participant’s life course, better prepared them to deal with crises and enabled them to create a landscape of resilience. Furthermore, a landscape of resilience that connects past and present life course experiences during crises prepared some participants for helping their larger communities alleviate certain crises-related tension. Overall, this paper extends analysis on an under-researched group of young migrants by connecting crises that shaped their (im)mobility and life trajectories, rather than approaching crises as singular, isolated experiences.
Costs and Consequences of Traffic Fines and Fees: A Case Study of Open Warrants in Las Vegas, Nevada
Authors: Kamanga Foster , Smercina Virginia , Brents Barbara G. , Okamura Daniel , Fuentes Vincent
Published: November 2021

Traffic stops and tickets often have far-reaching consequences for poor and marginalized communities, yet resulting fines and fees increasingly fund local court systems. This paper critically explores who bears the brunt of traffic fines and fees in Nevada, historically one of the fastest growing and increasingly diverse states in the nation, and one of thirteen US states to prosecute minor traffic violations as criminal misdemeanors rather than civil infractions. Drawing on legislative histories, we find that state legislators in Nevada increased fines and fees to raise revenues. Using descriptive statistics to analyze the 2012–2020 open arrest warrants extracted from the Las Vegas Municipal Court, we find that 58.6% of all open warrants are from failure to pay tickets owing to administrative-related offenses—vehicle registration and maintenance, no license or plates, or no insurance. Those issued warrants for failure to pay are disproportionately for people who are Black and from the poorest areas in the region. Ultimately, the Nevada system of monetary traffic sanctions criminalizes poverty and reinforces racial disparities.
Optimal Sizing and Assessment of a Renewable Rich Standalone Hybrid Microgrid Considering Conventional Dispatch Methodologies
Authors: Ishraque Md. Fatin , Shezan Sk. A. , Rana Md. Sohel , Muyeen S. M. , Rahman Akhlaqur , Paul Liton Chandra , Islam Md. Shafiul
Published: November 2021

This paper presents an evaluation of the optimized design of an off-grid hybrid microgrid for alternative load dispatch algorithms with the determination of the most optimal sizing of each equipment, analyzing the voltage and frequency outputs and various costs of the proposed microgrids. Kushighat and Rajendro Bazar, two geographical locations in Bangladesh have been taken as test sites. The proposed microgrids incorporating diesel generator, renewable resources, storage device, and 23.31 kW of demand have been optimized for five conventional load dispatch methodologies: HOMER predictive dispatch, Load Following, Generator Order, Cycle Charging, and Combined Dispatch to reduce the system’s net present cost, gas discharge and cost of energy. HOMER (Hybrid Optimization of Multiple Electric Renewables) software has been used for the analysis to determine the optimal sizes and costing and the voltage-frequency performances of the microgrids are analyzed using MATLAB/Simulink. From our analysis, load following is determined as the superior approach with a minimum operating cost of 3738 USD, net present cost of 152,023 USD, CO2 discharge of 3375 kg/year and cost of energy of 0.208 USD /kWh along with a steady voltage-frequency output. Combined dispatch is determined as the worst strategy for the proposed microgrids with the highest energy cost of 0.532 USD /kWh, the operational cost of 15,394 USD, net present cost of 415,030 USD, and high CO2 discharge. At the end of this work, a comparative analysis between the proposed design, another hybrid, and traditional generation plant is also presented. The findings of this work will be appropriate for any location with an identical demand profile and meteorological estate.
Diminishing Heavy Metal Hazards of Contaminated Soil via Biochar Supplementation
Authors: Awad Mahrous , El-Sayed Mahmuod M. , Li Xiang , Liu Zhongzhen , Mustafa Syed Khalid , Ditta Allah , Hessini Kamel
Published: November 2021

Depending on the geochemical forms, heavy metal (HM) accumulation is one of the most serious environmental problems in the world and poses negative impacts on soil, plants, animals, and humans. Although the use of biochar to remediate contaminated soils is well known, the huge quantities of waste used and its recycling technique to sustain soil in addition to its use conditions are determinant factors for its characteristics and uses. A pot experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design to evaluate metal forms and their availability under the application of garden waste biochar (GB) pyrolyzed at different temperatures, and a sequential extraction procedure was designed to fractionate Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu of the contaminated soil. The results show that the TCLP-extractable Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu were significantly decreased depending on the biochar addition rate, pyrolysis temperature, and tested metal. The acid extractable fraction was significantly decreased by 51.54, 26.42, 16.01, and 74.13% for Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cu, respectively, at the highest application level of GB400 compared to untreated pots. On the other hand, the organic matter bound fraction increased by 76.10, 54.69, 23.72, and 43.87% for the corresponding metals. The Fe/Mn oxide bound fraction was the predominant portion of lead (57.25–62.84%), whereas the acid fraction was major in the case of Cd (58.06–77.05%). The availability of these metals varied according to the application rate, pyrolysis temperature, and examined metals. Therefore, the GB is a nominee as a promising practice to reduce HM risks, especially pyrolyzed at 400 °C by converting the available fraction into unavailable ones.
Prioritizing the Solutions to Reverse Logistics Barriers for the E-Commerce Industry in Pakistan Based on a Fuzzy AHP-TOPSIS Approach
Authors: Naseem Muhammad Hamza , Yang Jiaqi , Xiang Ziquan
Published: November 2021

In the past few years, reverse logistics practices have successfully managed to gain more attention in various industries and among supply chain researchers and experts. This is due to globalization, environmental concerns, and customer requirements, which have asserted industries’ concerns for reverse logistics management. In E-commerce, the process of reverse logistics originates with parcel refusal, undelivered goods, and exchanges. In developing countries like Pakistan, the adoption and implications of reverse logistics are still at their early stages. E-commerce companies give more attention to forward logistics and ignore logistics’ upstream flow in the supply chain. This study aims to identify, as well as list, the barriers and obtain the solutions to those identified barriers, and rank the barriers and their solutions so that logisticians and experts can solve them as per their priority. From the extensive literature review and experts’ opinions, we have found 14 barriers in implementing effective reverse logistics. Eight solutions to those barriers were also found from the literature review. This paper proposed the methodology based on fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (fuzzy-AHP), which used to get the weights of each barrier by using pairwise comparison, and fuzzy technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution (fuzzy-TOPSIS) method, which was adopted for the final ranking of solutions to reverse logistics. The case of the Pakistan E-commerce industry is used in the proposed method.
Accuracy and Predictive Power of Sell-Side Target Prices for Global Clean Energy Companies
Authors: Lohrmann Christoph , Lohrmann Alena
Published: November 2021

Target prices are often provided as a support for stock recommendations by sell-side analysts which represent an explicit estimate of the expected future value of a company’s stock. This research focuses on mean target prices for stocks contained in the Standard and Poor’s Global Clean Energy Index during the time period from 2009 to 2020. The accuracy of mean target prices for these global clean energy stocks at any point during a 12-month period (Year-Highest) is 68.1% and only 46.6% after exactly 12 months (Year-End). A random forest and an SVM classification model were trained for both a Year-End and a Year-Highest target and compared to a random model. The random forest demonstrates the best results with an average accuracy of 73.24% for the Year-End target and 81.15% for the Year-Highest target. The analysis of the variables shows that for all models the mean target price is the most relevant variable, whereas the number of target prices appears to be highly relevant as well. Moreover, the results indicate that following the rare positive predictions of the random forest for the highest target return groups (“30% to 70%” and “Above 70%”) may potentially represent attractive investment opportunities.
Appropriate Housing Typologies, Effective Land Management and the Question of Density in Muscat, Oman
Authors: Scholz Wolfgang
Published: November 2021

The Sultanate of Oman has been undergoing massive changes in the last 50 years. The Gulf State transformed from a very traditional and isolated country into a wealthy and modern state. After Sultan Said was enthroned in 1970, the young Sultan Qaboos, who passed away in 2020, began to modernise Oman’s economy and society. Today, widespread, single-family houses are the prevailing residential building type, with an urban sprawl characterised by mono-functional zoning and a dependency on motorized individual transport with long commuting distances. All these conditions have been strongly supported by governmental planning policies. Since this urban sprawl causes unsustainable land consumption, this study addresses options for urban development and housing typologies aiming at a compact city with a higher density. However, the term density has to reflect local cultural and climatic conditions and, in time of the pandemic as special focus of this issue, has to be critically discussed and reviewed. Thus, this study identifies, as a base line study in Muscat Capital Area, Omani residents’ housing needs by an online questionnaire survey focusing on housing layouts, features and locational preferences, exploring alternatives to the current situation. Findings are that housing needs do not necessarily demand a single-family building but can be achieved better by different housing layouts, at the same time supporting social distances measures via outdoor options during the pandemic.
Factors Affecting Wind Power Efficiency: Evidence from Provincial-Level Data in China
Authors: Sun Xiaoyan , Lian Wenwei , Duan Hongmei , Wang Anjian
Published: November 2021

As a significant energy consumer, China is under tremendous pressure from the international community to address climate change issues by reducing carbon emissions; thus, the use of clean energy is imperative. Wind power is an essential source of renewable energy, and improving the efficiency of wind power generation will contribute substantially to China’s ability to achieve its energy-saving and emission reduction goals. This paper measured the wind power efficiency of 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2017 using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. Moran’s I index and the spatial Durbin model were applied to analyse the spatial distribution of the wind power efficiency and the spatial effects of influencing factors. The results show obvious differences in the spatial distribution of wind power efficiency in China; specifically, the wind power efficiency in the eastern and western regions is higher than that in the central areas. Moreover, wind power efficiency has a significant positive spatial correlation between regions: the eastern and western regions show certain high-high clustering characteristics, and the central area shows certain low-low clustering characteristics. Among the influencing factors, the fixed asset investment and carbon emission intensity of the wind power property have a negative impact on the efficiency of regional wind power production, while the urbanization process and carbon emission intensity have significant spatial spillover effects. The optimization of the economic structure, technological innovation and the construction of energy infrastructure are expected to improve the regional wind power efficiency. The results present a new approach for accurately identifying the spatial characteristics of wind power efficiency and the spatial effects of the influencing factors, thus providing a reference for policymakers.
A Field Study on Thermal Comfort in Multi-Storey Residential Buildings in the Karst Area of Guilin
Authors: Gong Xinzhi , Meng Qinglin , Yu Yilei
Published: November 2021

It is important to consider reducing energy use while improving occupants’ indoor thermal comfort. The actual thermal comfort needs and demands should be considered to determine the indoor thermal environment design. In previous studies, research has not been carried out on thermal comfort in karst areas. Thus, a long-term field investigation was carried out on multi-storey residential buildings in the karst area of Guilin city centre during summer (from August 2019 to September 2019) and winter (from December 2019 to January 2020). In this study, the indoor thermal environments of three categories of dwellings were analysed. A total of 77 residential buildings with 144 households were randomly selected, and 223 occupants from 18 to 80 years old participated. A total of 414 effective questionnaires were collected from the subjects. The results show that there was an obvious conflict between the predicted mean vote (PMV) and the thermal sensation vote (TSV). The neutrality temperatures calculated by the regression method were 24.2 °C in summer and 16.2 °C in winter. The thermal comfort range was observed at operative temperatures of 20.9–27.5 °C in summer and 12.2–20.1 °C in winter. The desired thermal sensation for people in the Guilin karst area was not always reflected in the thermal neutrality range. A preference for warmness was identified in the survey.
#ProtectNature—How Characteristics of Nature Conservation Posts Impact User Engagement on Facebook and Twitter
Authors: Miller Annika , Heiland Stefan
Published: November 2021

Social networks expand the communication tools of nature conservation. Nonetheless, to date there is hardly any scientific literature on nature conservation communication in social networks. For this reason, this paper examines 600 Facebook and Twitter posts of three German nature conservation organizations: Federal Agency for the Conservation of Nature (Bundesamt für Naturschutz, BfN), Naturschutzbund Deutschland e. V. (NABU), and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Germany. Using the Mann–Whitney U method and Spearman’s rank correlation analysis, it reveals how post design affects communication success and provides respective recommendations for German conservation organizations. Communication success was divided into four indicators: reactions, comments, shares, and overall engagement as a synthesis of the three. On Facebook, the use of hashtags, images, and many characters (up to 1500) leads to higher success, whereas emojis and videos can reduce it. On Twitter, links, images, and longer posts promote user interactions. Emojis have a positive influence on comments and overall engagement, but a negative influence on reactions and shares. In addition, hashtags reduce overall engagement on Twitter. These results are discussed with reference to similar studies from other political fields in order to provide recommendations for conservation organizations. A validation and expansion of the presented results is recommended due to the growing relevance of digital nature conservation communication.
Research on Accelerated Testing of Cut-In Condition of Electric Automated Vehicles Based on Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Xia Qin , Chai Yi , Lv Haoran , Shu Hong
Published: November 2021

Electric automated vehicles are zero-emission, energy-saving, and environmentally friendly vehicles, and testing and verification is an important means to ensure their safety. Because of the scarcity of dangerous scenarios in natural driving roads, it is required to conduct accelerated tests and evaluations for electric automated vehicles. According to the scenario data of the natural road in cut-in conditions, we used the kernel density estimation method to calculate the probability distribution of the scenario parameters. Additionally, we used the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm to sample based on the probability distribution of the parameters, and the Euclidean distance was combined with the paired combination to accelerate the simulation test process. The critical scenarios were screened out by the safety indicator, and the feature distribution of the critical scenario parameters was analyzed based on the Euclidean distance clustering method, so as to design importance sampling parameters and carry out importance sampling. The study obtained the distribution characteristics of critical scenario parameters under cut-in conditions and found that the importance sampling method can accelerate the test under the condition of ensuring that the relative error is small, and the improved accelerated simulation method makes the overall calculation amount smaller.
Combining Genetic Gain and Diversity in Plant Breeding: Heritability of Root Selection in Wheat Populations
Authors: Timaeus Johannes , Weedon Odette Denise , Finckh Maria Renate
Published: November 2021

To increase the resilience of agroecological farming systems against weeds, pests, and pathogens, evolutionary breeding of diversified crop populations is highly promising. A fundamental challenge in population breeding is to combine effective selection and breeding progress while maintaining intraspecific diversity. A hydroponic system was tested for its suitability to non-destructively select root traits on a population level in order to achieve genetic gain and maintain diversity. Forty wheat progenies were selected for long seminal root length (SRL) and 40 for short SRL from a wheat composite cross population grown in a hydroponic system. Wheat progenies were multiplied, and a subset evaluated again in a hydroponic system. Preliminary tests in soil and competition experiments with a model weed were performed. The hydroponic selection for long SRL led to an increase of SRL by 1.6 cm (11.6%) in a single generation. Heritability for selection of SRL was 0.59. Selecting for short SRL had no effect. The preliminary soil-based test confirmed increased shoot length but not increased SRL. Preliminary competition experiments point to slightly improved competitive response of wheat progenies but no improved competitive effect on mustard. These results indicate a heritable selection effect for SRL on a population level, combining genetic gain and intraspecific diversity.
How Does Spring Phenology Respond to Climate Change in Ecologically Fragile Grassland? A Case Study from the Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Yang Xin , Hao Yuanyuan , Cao Wenxia , Yu Xiaojun , Hua Limin , Liu Xin , Yu Tao , Chen Caijin
Published: November 2021

Vegetation phenology is an important indicator of global climate change, and the response of grassland phenology to climate change is particularly sensitive in ecologically fragile areas. To enhance the ecological security of the Tibetan Plateau, it is crucial to determine the relationship between fluctuations in the start of the growing season (SOS) and the response to environmental factors. We investigated the trends of the intra-annual (ten-day) and interannual spatiotemporal dynamics of the SOS on the Northeast Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (NQTP) from 2000–2020 with MOD09GA data. We identified the response relationships with environmental factors (climate, terrain) using the maximum value composite method and the Savitzky–Golay filtering and dynamic threshold method. The SOS was concentrated from the 110th to 150th days; the average annual SOS was on the 128th day, with a spatial pattern of “early in the east and late in the west”. The overall trend of the SOS was advanced (45.48%); the regions with the advanced trend were mainly distributed in the eastern part of the NQTP. The regions with a delayed SOS were mainly concentrated in the higher-altitude regions in the southwest (38.31%). The temperature, precipitation and SOS exhibited a reverse fluctuation trend around the midpoint of 2010. Precipitation affected the SOS earlier than temperature. When temperature became a limitation of the SOS, precipitation had a more significant regulatory effect on the SOS. The SOS and aspect, slope and altitude were distributed in axisymmetric, pyramidal and inverted pyramidal shapes, respectively. The SOS on shaded slopes was earlier and more intensive than that on sunny slopes. With increasing slope, the area of the SOS decreased, and it occurred later. The SOS area was largest at 4500–5000 m and decreased at lower and higher altitude intervals. The SOS occurred later as altitude increased.
Global Comfort Indices in Indoor Environments: A Survey
Authors: Riffelli Stefano
Published: November 2021

The term “comfort” has a number of nuances and meanings according to the specific context. This study was aimed at providing a review of the influence (or “weight”) of the different factors that contribute to global comfort, commonly known as indoor environmental quality (IEQ). A dedicated section includes the methodologies and strategies for finding the most relevant studies on this topic. Resulting in 85 studies, this review outlines 27 studies containing 26 different weightings and 9 global comfort indices (GCIs) with a formula. After an overview of the main concepts, basic definitions, indices, methods and possible strategies for each type of comfort, the studies on the IEQ categories weights to reach a global comfort index are reviewed. A particular interest was paid to research with a focus on green buildings and smart homes. The core section includes global indoor environmental quality indices, besides a specific emphasis on indices found in recent literature to understand the best aspects that they all share. For each of these overall indices, some specific details are shown, such as the comfort categories, the general formula, and the methods employed. The last section reports IEQ elements percentage weighting summary, common aspects of GCIs, requisites for an indoor global comfort index (IGCI), and models adopted in comfort category weighting. Furthermore, current trends are described in the concluding remarks pointing to a better IGCI by considering additional aspects and eventually adopting artificial intelligence algorithms. This leads to the optimal control of any actuator, maximising energy savings.
Geochemical Behavior of Different Chemical Elements during Weathering of the Basalts in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China
Authors: Lan Tian , Hao Libo , Lu Jilong , Yin Yechang , Chen Xiaoqing , Fan Yuchao , Zhao Wei , Hou Yaru
Published: November 2021

Rock weathering is the main source of element geochemical cycle, which has a very important impact on the environment. Three well-developed basalt weathering profiles in Changbai Mountain area are selected in this study, and the samples of parent rock, parent material layer, sedimentary layer, and leaching layer are systematically collected. The systematic study showed that the basalt in the study area experienced moderate chemical weathering under warm and humid climate conditions, with leaching of some major elements such as silicon and aluminum. The distribution of the rare earth elements (REE) in the weathering products recalls that of an alkali-basalt, with an evident fractionation between light- and heavy-REE. Such a feature is therefore referable to the parent volcanic rock, although with some degree of leaching.
Optimized Energy Management Schemes for Electric Vehicle Applications: A Bibliometric Analysis towards Future Trends
Authors: Miah Md. Sazal , Hossain Lipu Molla Shahadat , Meraj Sheikh Tanzim , Hasan Kamrul , Ansari Shaheer , Jamal Taskin , Masrur Hasan , Elavarasan Rajvikram Madurai , Hussain Aini
Published: November 2021

Concerns over growing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and fuel prices have prompted researchers to look into alternative energy sources, notably in the transportation sector, accounting for more than 70% of carbon emissions. An increasing amount of research on electric vehicles (EVs) and their energy management schemes (EMSs) has been undertaken extensively in recent years to address these concerns. This article aims to offer a bibliometric analysis and investigation of optimized EMSs for EV applications. Hundreds (100) of the most relevant and highly influential manuscripts on EMSs for EV applications are explored and examined utilizing the Scopus database under predetermined parameters to identify the most impacting articles in this specific field of research. This bibliometric analysis provides a survey on EMSs related to EV applications focusing on the different battery storages, models, algorithms, frameworks, optimizations, converters, controllers, and power transmission systems. According to the findings, more articles were published in 2020, with a total of 22, as compared to other years. The authors with the highest number of manuscripts come from four nations, including China, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, and five research institutions, with these nations and institutions accounting for the publication of 72 papers. According to the comprehensive review, the current technologies are more or less capable of performing effectively; nevertheless, dependability and intelligent systems are still lacking. Therefore, this study highlights the existing difficulties and challenges related to EMSs for EV applications and some brief ideas, discussions, and potential suggestions for future research. This bibliometric research could be helpful to EV engineers and to automobile industries in terms of the development of cost-effective, longer-lasting, hydrogen-compatible electrical interfaces and well-performing EMSs for sustainable EV operations.
Retrospection of Outbreaks of Spodoptera mauritia Boisduval in NER India: The Solution Lies in Ecological Engineering, Not in Insecticides
Authors: Sarma Arup Kumar , Damgaard Christian , Neog Prasanta
Published: November 2021

Rice cultivation in North East India is organic by tradition; however, the recent outbreaks of the rice-swarming caterpillar, Spodoptera mauritia Boisduval, have compelled rice-farmers to use synthetic insecticides. The outbreak in 2016 affected more than 56,768 ha of winter rice in 28 districts of Assam. About 25,545–42,576 L insecticide was applied in the state to combat the outbreak. This is one of the highest insecticide loads ever to be added to the rice ecosystem of Assam. Such a load, if added repeatedly with the reoccurrence of outbreaks, may affect the innate resilience of the rice ecosystem in the long run. In this paper, the outbreak of RSC has been analysed from an ecological perspective in order to replace the existing policy of exclusive dependence on insecticide. The review will help the researchers, extension workers and policy makers of the rice producing countries, more specifically in Asian countries, which together account for more than 91% of the world’s rice production.
Robust and Nonrobust Linking of Two Groups for the Rasch Model with Balanced and Unbalanced Random DIF: A Comparative Simulation Study and the Simultaneous Assessment of Standard Errors and Linking Errors with Resampling Techniques
Authors: Robitzsch Alexander
Published: November 2021

In this article, the Rasch model is used for assessing a mean difference between two groups for a test of dichotomous items. It is assumed that random differential item functioning (DIF) exists that can bias group differences. The case of balanced DIF is distinguished from the case of unbalanced DIF. In balanced DIF, DIF effects on average cancel out. In contrast, in unbalanced DIF, the expected value of DIF effects can differ from zero and on average favor a particular group. Robust linking methods (e.g., invariance alignment) aim at determining group mean differences that are robust to the presence of DIF. In contrast, group differences obtained from nonrobust linking methods (e.g., Haebara linking) can be affected by the presence of a few DIF effects. Alternative robust and nonrobust linking methods are compared in a simulation study under various simulation conditions. It turned out that robust linking methods are preferred over nonrobust alternatives in the case of unbalanced DIF effects. Moreover, the theory of M-estimation, as an important approach to robust statistical estimation suitable for data with asymmetric errors, is used to study the asymptotic behavior of linking estimators if the number of items tends to infinity. These results give insights into the asymptotic bias and the estimation of linking errors that represent the variability in estimates due to selecting items in a test. Moreover, M-estimation is also used in an analytical treatment to assess standard errors and linking errors simultaneously. Finally, double jackknife and double half sampling methods are introduced and evaluated in a simulation study to assess standard errors and linking errors simultaneously. Half sampling outperformed jackknife estimators for the assessment of variability of estimates from robust linking methods.
Integrable Nonlocal PT-Symmetric Modified Korteweg-de Vries Equations Associated with so(3, \({\mathbb{R}}\))
Authors: Ma Wen-Xiu
Published: November 2021

We construct integrable PT-symmetric nonlocal reductions for an integrable hierarchy associated with the special orthogonal Lie algebra so(3,R). The resulting typical nonlocal integrable equations are integrable PT-symmetric nonlocal complex reverse-spacetime and real reverse-spacetime modified Korteweg-de Vries equations associated with so(3,R).
Biodegradation of Nodularin by a Microcystin-Degrading Bacterium: Performance, Degradation Pathway, and Potential Application
Authors: Yuan Mengxuan , Ding Qin , Sun Rongli , Zhang Juan , Yin Lihong , Pu Yuepu
Published: November 2021

Currently, studies worldwide have comprehensively recognized the importance of Sphingomonadaceae bacteria and the mlrCABD gene cluster in microcystin (MC) degradation. However, knowledge about their degradation of nodularin (NOD) is still unclear. In this study, the degradation mechanism of NOD by Sphingopyxis sp. m6, an efficient MC degrader isolated from Lake Taihu, was investigated in several aspects, including degradation ability, degradation products, and potential application. The strain degraded NOD of 0.50 mg/L with a zero-order rate constant of 0.1656 mg/L/d and a half-life of 36 h. The average degradation rate of NOD was significantly influenced by the temperature, pH, and initial toxin concentrations. Moreover, four different biodegradation products, linear NOD, tetrapeptide H-Glu-Mdhb-MeAsp-Arg-OH, tripeptide H-Mdhb-MeAsp-Arg-OH, and dipeptide H-MeAsp-Arg-OH, were identified, of which the latter two are the first reported. Furthermore, the four mlr genes were upregulated during NOD degradation. The microcystinase MlrA encoded by the mlrA gene hydrolyzes the Arg-Adda bond to generate linear NOD as the first step of NOD biodegradation. Notably, recombinant MlrA showed higher degradation activity and stronger environmental adaptability than the wild strain, suggesting future applications in NOD pollution remediation. This research proposes a relatively complete NOD microbial degradation pathway, which lays a foundation for exploring the mechanisms of NOD degradation by MC-degrading bacteria.
Individual Variability in Bothrops atrox Snakes Collected from Different Habitats in the Brazilian Amazon: New Findings on Venom Composition and Functionality
Authors: Sousa Leijane F. , Holding Matthew L. , Del-Rei Tiago H. M. , Rocha Marisa M. T. , Mourão Rosa H. V. , Chalkidis Hipócrates M. , Prezoto Benedito , Gibbs H. Lisle , Moura-da-Silva Ana M.
Published: November 2021

Differences in snake venom composition occur across all taxonomic levels and it has been argued that this variation represents an adaptation that has evolved to facilitate the capture and digestion of prey and evasion of predators. Bothrops atrox is a terrestrial pitviper that is distributed across the Amazon region, where it occupies different habitats. Using statistical analyses and functional assays that incorporate individual variation, we analyzed the individual venom variability in B. atrox snakes from four different habitats (forest, pasture, degraded area, and floodplain) in and around the Amazon River in Brazil. We observed venom differentiation between spatially distinct B. atrox individuals from the different habitats, with venom variation due to both common (high abundance) and rare (low abundance) proteins. Moreover, differences in the composition of the venoms resulted in individual variability in functionality and heterogeneity in the lethality to mammals and birds, particularly among the floodplain snakes. Taken together, the data obtained from individual venoms of B. atrox snakes, captured in different habitats from the Brazilian Amazon, support the hypothesis that the differential distribution of protein isoforms results in functional distinctiveness and the ability of snakes with different venoms to have variable toxic effects on different prey.
The Missing Lead: Developments in the Lead (Pb) Discrepancy in Intrinsically s-Process Enriched Single Post-AGB Stars
Authors: Kamath Devika , Van Winckel Hans
Published: November 2021

Lead (Pb) is predicted to have large over-abundances with respect to other s-process elements in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, especially of low metallicities. However, our previous abundance studies of s-process enriched post-Asymptotic Giant Branch (post-AGB) stars in the Galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds show a discrepancy between observed and predicted Pb abundances. For the subset of post-AGB stars with low metallicities the determined upper limits based on detailed chemical abundance studies are much lower than what is predicted. Recent theoretical studies have pointed to the occurrence of the i-process to explain the observed chemical patterns, especially of Pb. A major development, in the observational context, is the release of the GAIA EDR3 parallaxes of the post-AGBs in the Galaxy, which has opened the gateway to systematically studying the sample of stars as a function of current luminosities (which can be linked to their initial masses). In this paper, we succinctly review the Pb discrepancy in post-AGB stars and present the latest observational and theoretical developments in this research landscape.
A Rat Model of Prenatal Zika Virus Infection and Associated Long-Term Outcomes
Authors: Sherer Morgan L. , Lemanski Elise A. , Patel Rita T. , Wheeler Shannon R. , Parcells Mark S. , Schwarz Jaclyn M.
Published: November 2021

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that became widely recognized due to the epidemic in Brazil in 2015. Since then, there has been nearly a 20-fold increase in the incidence of microcephaly and birth defects seen among women giving birth in Brazil, leading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to officially declare a causal link between prenatal ZIKV infection and the serious brain abnormalities seen in affected infants. Here, we used a unique rat model of prenatal ZIKV infection to study three possible long-term outcomes of congenital ZIKV infection: (1) behavior, (2) cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation in the brain, and (3) immune responses later in life. Adult offspring that were prenatally infected with ZIKV exhibited motor deficits in a sex-specific manner, and failed to mount a normal interferon response to a viral immune challenge later in life. Despite undetectable levels of ZIKV in the brain and serum in these offspring at P2, P24, or P60, these results suggest that prenatal exposure to ZIKV results in lasting consequences that could significantly impact the health of the offspring. To help individuals already exposed to ZIKV, as well as be prepared for future outbreaks, we need to understand the full spectrum of neurological and immunological consequences that could arise following prenatal ZIKV infection.
Top Three Strategies of ss(+)RNA Plant Viruses: Great Opportunists and Ecosystem Tuners with a Small Genome
Authors: Oberemok Volodymyr V. , Puzanova Yelizaveta V. , Kubyshkin Anatoly V. , Kamenetsky-Goldstein Rina
Published: November 2021

ss(+)RNA viruses represent the dominant group of plant viruses. They owe their evolutionary superiority to the large number of mutations that occur during replication, courtesy of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Natural selection rewards successful viral subtypes, whose effective tuning of the ecosystem regulates the interactions between its participants. Thus, ss(+)RNA viruses act as shuttles for the functionally important genes of the participants in symbiotic relationships within the ecosystem, of which the most common ecological triad is “plant–virus–insect”. Due to their short life cycle and large number of offspring, RNA viruses act as skillful tuners of the ecosystem, which benefits both viruses and the system as a whole. A fundamental understanding of this aspect of the role played by viruses in the ecosystem makes it possible to apply this knowledge to the creation of DNA insecticides. In fact, since the genes that viruses are involved in transferring are functionally important for both insects and plants, silencing these genes (for example, in insects) can be used to regulate the pest population. RNA viruses are increasingly treated not as micropathogens but as necessary regulators of ecosystem balance.
Analyses of Leishmania-LRV Co-Phylogenetic Patterns and Evolutionary Variability of Viral Proteins
Authors: Kostygov Alexei Y. , Grybchuk Danyil , Kleschenko Yulia , Chistyakov Daniil S. , Lukashev Alexander N. , Gerasimov Evgeny S. , Yurchenko Vyacheslav
Published: November 2021

Leishmania spp. are important pathogens causing a vector-borne disease with a broad range of clinical manifestations from self-healing ulcers to the life-threatening visceral forms. Presence of Leishmania RNA virus (LRV) confers survival advantage to these parasites by suppressing anti-leishmanial immunity in the vertebrate host. The two viral species, LRV1 and LRV2 infect species of the subgenera Viannia and Leishmania, respectively. In this work we investigated co-phylogenetic patterns of leishmaniae and their viruses on a small scale (LRV2 in L. major) and demonstrated their predominant coevolution, occasionally broken by intraspecific host switches. Our analysis of the two viral genes, encoding the capsid and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP), revealed them to be under the pressure of purifying selection, which was considerably stronger for the former gene across the whole tree. The selective pressure also differs between the LRV clades and correlates with the frequency of interspecific host switches. In addition, using experimental (capsid) and predicted (RDRP) models we demonstrated that the evolutionary variability across the structure is strikingly different in these two viral proteins.
The Functional Network of the Visual Cortex Is Altered in Migraine
Authors: Huang Jie , Wilkins Arnold
Published: November 2021

Migraine is a common neurological disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of headache, frequently accompanied by various reversible neurological disturbances. Some migraine patients experience visually triggered migraine headache, and most attacks of migraine with aura are associated with the disturbance of vision and photophobia, suggesting an abnormal neural activity in the visual cortex. Numerous studies have shown a large cortical hemodynamic response to visual stimulation and an altered intrinsic visual functional connectivity network in patients with migraine. In this interictal study, we applied a novel data-driven method with fMRI to identify the functional network in the visual cortex evoked by visual stimulation and investigated the effect of migraine on this network. We found that the distribution of the functional network along both the ventral and dorsal visual pathways differed between migraine patients and non-headache healthy control participants, providing evidence that the functional network was altered in migraine between headaches. The functional network was bilateral in the control participants but substantially lateralized in the migraine patients. The results also indicated different effects of colored lenses on the functional network for both participant groups.