bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial–Temporal Land Loss Modeling and Simulation in a Vulnerable Coast: A Case Study in Coastal Louisiana
Authors: Yang Mingzheng , Zou Lei , Cai Heng , Qiang Yi , Lin Binbin , Zhou Bing , Abedin Joynal , Mandal Debayan
Published: February 2022

Coastal areas serve as a vital interface between the land and sea or ocean and host about 40% of the world’s population, providing significant social, economic, and ecological functions. Meanwhile, the sea-level rise caused by climate change, along with coastal erosion and accretion, alters coastal landscapes profoundly, threatening coastal sustainability. For instance, the Mississippi River Delta in Louisiana is one of the most vulnerable coastal areas. It faces severe long-term land loss that has disrupted the regional ecosystem balance during the past few decades. There is an urgent need to understand the land loss mechanism in coastal Louisiana and identify areas prone to land loss in the future. This study modeled the current and predicted the future land loss and identified natural–human variables in the Louisiana Coastal Zone (LCZ) using remote sensing and machine-learning approaches. First, we analyzed the temporal and spatial land loss patterns from 2001 to 2016 in the study area. Second, logistic regression, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and random forest models with 15 human and natural variables were carried out during each five-year and the fifteen-year period to delineate the short- and long-term land loss mechanisms. Finally, we simulated the land-loss probability in 2031 using the optimal model. The results indicate that land loss patterns in different parts change through time at an overall decelerating speed. The oil and gas well density and subsidence rate were the most significant land loss drivers during 2001–2016. The simulation shows that a total area of 180 km2 of land has over a 50% probability of turning to water from 2016 to 2031. This research offers valuable information for decision-makers and local communities to prepare for future land cover changes, reduce potential risks, and efficiently manage the land restoration in coastal Louisiana.
Monitoring the Hydrological Activities of Antarctic Subglacial Lakes Using CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 Altimetry Data
Authors: Fan Yi , Hao Weifeng , Zhang Baojun , Ma Chao , Gao Shengjun , Shen Xiao , Li Fei
Published: February 2022

Monitoring the hydrological activities of subglacial lakes is critical to understanding the subglacial hydrological system and evaluating the internal mass changes of the Antarctic ice sheet. Drainage or filling events of active lakes lead to elevation changes in the ice surface. These changes can be observed by satellite altimetry, but the monitoring must be conducted continuously since the water movements in active subglacial lakes may occur frequently. We used CryoSat-2 Baseline-D and ICESat-2 data from 2010 to 2020 to obtain the time series of the ice surface elevation changes for 17 active lakes. We also evaluated the uncertainty of the time series derived from the CryoSat-2 data by cross-validation. The mean and RMS of the biases between the CryoSat-2-based and ICESat-2-based time series are generally less than 0.3 m and 1.0 m, respectively. However, the mean and RMS are greater over the lakes with rough ice surfaces, such as Whillans6, KT1, Mac3, and Slessor23. The drainage and filling events continue exhibiting in the extended period and the hydrological activities of SLW, L12, Whillans6, L78, and Mac1 occurred periodically. Furthermore, we inferred the hydrological connections between the lakes combining simulated water pathways.
Policies to Reduce Child Poverty in Norway: Can Municipalities Ensure Positive Functionings for Children through Housing Policies?
Authors: Helgesen Marit Kristine , Arvesen Petter
Published: February 2022

Child poverty is an increasing challenge for Norwegian society and its municipalities. Policies to reduce it include housing as one particularly important health determinant. The capability approach allows us to focus on determinants for health. Methods were triangulated and literature and document studies, interviews and participating observations were part of the data-gathering process. Thematic analyses were used to analyse data. Children and adults view housing as important. Housing determines families’ possibilities of consuming other goods and choosing what functionings they will convert their resources into. Municipalities can change the course of development by engaging with the Norwegian Government Housing Bank and implementing instruments such as social housing, housing allowances and starter loans giving families the possibility to become homeowners. Housing determines intra- as well as inter-generational life chances. Housing is a corrosive functioning if children live in families that have low-quality housing or high housing costs. Housing is a positive functioning for children if families own their housing. Housing is defined as a market good and a welfare asset. Policies enable some families to buy their own housing, whereas the number of poor children still increases.
Structures of Oppression in the U.S. Child Welfare System: Reflections on Administrative Barriers to Equity
Authors: Merkel-Holguin Lisa , Drury Ida , Gibley-Reed Colleen , Lara Adrian , Jihad Maleeka , Grint Krystal , Marlowe Kendall
Published: February 2022

In the United States, child welfare reform efforts have dominated three decades of landscape. With glimmers of systemic promise and innumerable individual success stories, data suggest insufficient improvements, resulting in calls for transformation and even abolition. In this article, the authors illustrate structures of oppression that bolster the system’s tentacles, in regulating family life, contributing to racial disparities, reinforcing economic hardships, and supporting policies of family separation. Some of the structures take the form of practices, policies, laws or regulations. Individually and collectively, these structures may serve to oppress and harm those that the child welfare system intends to help. In this article, we include mandated reporting, substantiation decisions, central registries, decision-making processes, background checks, ongoing service delivery frameworks, conservative interpretations of confidentiality statutes, and how immigration status interplays with child welfare. Each of these structures could warrant an individual article, delving into the inner workings of how each oppresses families and the professionals who work with them. We also recognize that there are other structures of oppression that this article will not address. We encourage other scholars to not only continue the identification of oppressive structures, but to also work collaboratively, to generate solutions that dismantle these mechanisms that continue to perpetuate harm and unnecessary family separation.
Social Media and Political Communication of Youth Political Organisations in Slovakia, Czechia and European Level: A Cross-Case Analysis
Authors: Mihálik Jaroslav , Garaj Michal , Bardovič Jakub
Published: February 2022

This is an exploratory cross-case analysis of political communication strategies of selected youth political organizations on the social network Facebook. The main objectives of this paper are to capture the topics and frequency of posting of Youth Political Organization on Facebook. Secondary, the study aims to capture the analytical approach categories/objectives: themes and actors. It focuses on the 3-month period from December 2020 to February 2021. Relevant youth political organizations in Slovakia and the Czech Republic are compared with youth political organizations operating at the European level. The organizations either belong directly to the kin political party or have the status of a supporting organization. At the European level, they are also affiliated to a European political party or are a supporting organization of a European political party. The data source is the official profiles of youth political organizations on the social network Facebook. Data processing is based on content analysis of published posts. Content analysis focuses on topics, the frequency of topics, the occurrence of keywords in the overall set of posts, and identifying attitudes to topics. The obtained data are evaluated by descriptive statistics. The presentation of the data is supplemented by tables, including graphical processing using the Voyant Tools text analysis tool. Key findings indicate that COVID-19 pandemic is the most communicated topic both on national and European level. Czech and Slovak cases seek to gain support or create conflict based on selected topics, while European level forms an area of cooperation among organizations.
Changes in Intra-to-Extra-Cellular Water Ratio and Bioelectrical Parameters from Day-Before to Day-Of Competition in Bodybuilders: A Pilot Study
Authors: Nunes João Pedro , Araújo João P. M. , Ribeiro Alex S. , Campa Francesco , Schoenfeld Brad J. , Cyrino Edilson S. , Trindade Michele C. C.
Published: February 2022

The present study analyzed the effects from day-before to day-of bodybuilding competition on intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), total body water (TBW), and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) parameters (resistance, R; reactance, Xc; and derived scores) in bodybuilding athletes. We assessed anthropometry and BIA (foot-to-hand; tetrapolar; 50 kHz) in 11 male bodybuilders (29 ± 4 year-old; 81 ± 8 kg; 172 ± 7 cm; 27 ± 2 kg/m2) both on the pre-competition day and on the contest day. Results revealed significant increases in ICW (31.6 ± 2.9 to 33.1 ± 2.8 L), with concomitant decreases in ECW (19.8 ± 1.8 to 17.2 ± 1.4 L) and TBW (51.4 ± 4.6 to 50.3 ± 4.2 L) from the day-before competition to contest day, which resulted in relatively large increases in the ICW/ECW ratio (1.60 ± 0.03 to 1.92 ± 0.01 L). Moreover, significant increases in R (391 ± 34 to 413 ± 33 ohm), Xc (64 ± 7 to 70 ± 6 ohm), and phase angle (9.3 ± 0.6 to 9.6 ± 0.7 degree) were observed between time periods. The phase angle scores reported on show-day of 9.6 and 11.2 appear to be the highest group mean and individual values observed in the literature to date. In conclusion, the strategies carried out on the final day of peak-week bodybuilding preparation lead to changes in BIA parameters and body water, with fluids shifting from the extra- to the intracellular compartment.
The Quality of Life among University of the Third Age Students in Poland, Ukraine and Belarus
Authors: Kobylarek Aleksander , Błaszczyński Kamil , Ślósarz Luba , Madej Martyna , Carmo Antonio , Hlad Ľubomír , Králik Roman , Akimjak Amantius , Judák Viliam , Maturkanič Patrik , Biryukova Yulia , Tokárová Barbora , Martin Jose Garcia , Petrikovičová Lucia
Published: February 2022

The aim of this research was to compare the quality of life among University of the Third Age (U3A) students in Poland, where a novel method of educating seniors is being developed, with the quality of life among students at newly established U3As in Belarus and Ukraine, which have copied the Polish model. The research was also conducted to connect a range of socio-demographic variables with two explanatory ones: satisfaction with participation in U3A activities and the overall quality of life. A total of 515 U3A (N13) students from three Eastern European countries—Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus—took part in the research. The overall quality of life of U3A students was researched and expressed in the form of three components: stress level, sense of self-efficacy, and level of satisfaction with life. The following tools were used: PPS10 (Perceived Stress Scale), GSES (General Self-Efficacy Scale), and SWLS (Satisfaction with Life Scale). The research showed a statistically significant difference between the country of residence and the level of satisfaction with life, sense of self-efficacy, and the overall indicator of the quality of life. Polish seniors obtained higher results in all these areas when compared to their counterparts in Ukraine and Belarus.
Sharing Economies’ Initiatives in Municipal Authorities’ Perspective: Research Evidence from Poland in the Context of Smart Cities’ Development
Authors: Jonek-Kowalska Izabela , Wolniak Radosław
Published: February 2022

The emergence and dynamic development of the sharing economy as a socio-economic phenomenon was triggered by the subprime crisis of 2007–2009 and the consequent need to rationalize the use of resources. Cities (especially those generally recognized as a Smart City) have become a natural environment for the sharing economy, due to the spatial accumulation of both potential users and available goods and services. Adopting the point of view that urban conditions are advantageous for the development of the SE, the authors of the article assess the scope of implementation of solutions typical for the sharing economy and the scale of support of municipal authorities for their implementation in 287 Polish cities. For this purpose, they use representative surveys carried out in January 2020. When analyzing the results, they consider the following aspects of a sharing economy: carpooling, coworking, co-housing, room sharing, couch surfing clothes swap/toy swap and crowdfunding. In their research, they also identify relationships between the degree of development of the sharing economy in Polish cities and their size (expressed as the number of inhabitants) and wealth (expressed as the level of budget revenues per capita), trying to answer the question asked in the title: how do cities use and support sharing economy initiatives? The research results indicate a low level of SE development in Polish cities and a low involvement of municipal authorities in supporting this development. Individual forms of SE function best in large cities that have successfully aspired to be smart for many years. In other administrative units, the obstacle to the development of the SE is probably the low availability and quality of free housing resources and the reluctance to share, resulting from reluctance in a centrally planned economy related to the non-market allocation of goods and services and the associated strong attachment to private property.
Influence of Different Single Factors on the Spatial-Temporal Distribution Law of Phosphorus in the Generalized River
Authors: Hu Pengjie , Xu Jin , Wang Lingling , Tang Hongwu , Wu Mengtian , Xu Pengcheng
Published: February 2022

Phosphorus is the main limiting factor in river eutrophication, whose distribution law is affected by sediment and hydrodynamics. Based on the sediment of Wujiadu Hydrological Station in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River, a physical experiment of phosphorus adsorption onto sediment in a dynamic environment was carried out in this paper to obtain two important parameters of the water quality model. By considering the effect of adsorption and desorption, diffusion, sedimentation and suspension, a numerical model of a three-dimensional periodic flume was established, verified and then applied to the generalized river according to the shape of the cross section in the Bengbu reach of the Huaihe River. The spatial-temporal distribution law of phosphorus was obtained with different single inflow factors. When DP or AP changed, the overall trend of downstream DP was consistent with that of incoming DP/AP; however, it became more complex when SS or Q changed, which aggravated the sedimentation and re-suspension process. When incoming DP changed, DPmax decreased with the distance, while when incoming AP or SS changed, DPmax increased at first and then decreased. The relationship between ΔDPmax and ΔTPin was fitted into a straight line with a slope of 0.9951, while it was 0.2154 with the change of incoming SS. The effect of the not-constant time of the inflow on the peak concentration of phosphorus along the river was much weaker than that of the peak concentration.
Evaluation of Citizen–Student Cooperative Urban Planning and Design Experience in Higher Education
Authors: Oh Jooseok , Seo Minho
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study is to explore the implementation and evaluation of cooperative education, which is emphasized as a means of developed citizen participation in the areas of urban planning and design, and to present implications by analyzing and discussing the results thereof. To this end, this study observed three cooperative education classes in which general citizens and students participated to learn how to cooperate planning processes for fostering experts in relevant fields in higher education courses. Additionally, the study established a research model through multiple educational performances and monitoring to review participants’ opinions. The results were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed based on a questionnaire, and the methodology was compliant with prior research. The analysis demonstrated statistical differences in communication between students and citizens going through the same curriculum, as well as differences in the satisfaction of the two groups. Citizens and students found difficulties in coordinating opinions and reaching a consensus with counterparties. Nevertheless, all the participants expressed satisfaction over their collaboration to produce the results and ensured that related attempts were continuously made thereafter. Based on these results, this study proposed methods to enhance cooperative education for citizens in the future.
Sharing Platform Ontology Development: Proof-of-Concept
Authors: Derave Thomas , Princes Sales Tiago , Gailly Frederik , Poels Geert
Published: February 2022

A sharing platform is a digital platform that facilitates access to underutilized goods by renting or lending them to others. Users become less dependent on ownership which improves efficiency, sustainability, and the sense of community. The Sharing Economy (SE) is considered a complex domain because value co-creation can occur between multiple types of platform users. Developing platform software that offers the right functionality for the intended digital platform is therefore challenging. To address this complexity, an ontology can be utilized, which is an explicit specification of a conceptualization that provides a controlled vocabulary and shared meaning regarding a domain. The use of a sharing platform ontology allows for more effective communication and knowledge sharing amongst stakeholders in platform development and eventually drives the platform software development process. However, currently, it is not known how to develop such an ontology. In previous research, we developed the Digital Platform Ontology (DPO) and an extension of the DPO for describing platform business model choices. The DPO describes the digital platform domain in terms of digital platform types, including sharing platforms. However, a method to use the DPO and its business model extension for developing an organization-specific ontology that describes the functionality and business model of a specific existing or intended sharing platform was lacking. In this paper, we develop such a method using the Design Science Research Methodology (DSRM) and demonstrate it using a proof-of-concept based on the BlaBlaCar and Couchsurfing platforms.
Use of Universal Simulation Software Tools for Optimization of Signal Plans at Urban Intersections
Authors: Bindzar Peter , Macuga Daniel , Brodny Jaroslaw , Tutak Magdalena , Malindzakova Marcela
Published: February 2022

Intersections in cities are important transport hubs, where traffic flows from all roads meet, connect, disconnect or intersect. This research is dedicated to the creation of simulation models of intersections and is based on real observations of two crossroads in a city. The principle is based on observing traffic flows using real traffic counting at peak times. The aim is to reduce traffic congestion by adjusting signal plans on the monitored section using computer simulation and modelling in ExtendSim8 software, which is a universal tool allowing the user to simulate any system or process by creating a logical representation in an easy-to-use format. According to our preliminary literature research, the ExtendSim software has never before been used before to create an intersection simulation to optimize the signal plan. There are several specialized software products for simulating traffic and intersections, but not everyone has access to these, or else they require lengthy user training. Therefore, it is very advantageous to use a universal simulation tool that is not used for traffic simulation at intersections in the city. The article points out that a universal simulation program such as ExtendSim can also be used in the design or assessment of signal plans at intersections.
An Analysis of the Worldwide Research on the Socio-Cultural Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services
Authors: Velasco-Muñoz Juan F. , Aznar-Sánchez José A. , Schoenemann Marina , López-Felices Belén
Published: February 2022

The socio-cultural valuation of forest ecosystem services is a useful tool to generate knowledge and help balance the different interests of stakeholders with respect to the management of these services. The aim of this study is to analyse the evolution of global research on the economic valuation of forest ecosystem services through a review of the existing literature on this topic. The results show that socio-cultural valuation has gained importance in recent years. There is a wide disparity between the countries conducting the research and those being studied. Inconsistency has been observed in the definition and classification of services provided by forests, as well as a lack of unanimity on the reference framework to be applied. The main methodological approaches in the socio-cultural valuation of forest services are participatory mapping, social media analysis, the Q method and free listing. For the collection of primary information, the dominant methodologies are focus groups, semi-structured interviews and online surveys. Finally, this study demonstrates that socio-cultural valuation has great potential to improve the legitimacy of forest ecosystem management decisions and to promote consensus building.
Luxury in Emerging Markets: An Investigation of the Role of Subjective Social Class and Conspicuous Consumption
Authors: Chen Jiajia , Gao Jingke , Liu Ziyuan , Luo Yang , Chen Mengge , Bu Lingxue
Published: February 2022

This study is based on the relationship between the anxiety of social groups (especially the young) in today’s social environment and the increasingly younger and more sociable consumer groups in China’s luxury market. In combination with the new consumption characteristics of sustainable luxury goods, we rethink the factors that contribute to conspicuous consumption behavior in which social groups exhibit differences. In order to test our research hypothesis, two questionnaires were conducted through online channels. In the first survey, data from 135 valid subjects showed a significant negative correlation between subjective social class and conspicuous consumption behavior. In the second survey, data obtained from 255 valid subjects again verified the main effect hypothesis of this study, which is that subjective social class has a significant negative influence on conspicuous consumption. Additionally, it is verified that status anxiety plays a mediating role in the influence mechanism of subjective social class on conspicuous consumption, and the social comparison orientation of individual consumers moderates the influence of subjective social class on status anxiety. This study reveals the applicability of subjective social class to Chinese scenarios and finds that individuals of different social classes have different conspicuous consumption behaviors, which expands the research on the antecedents of conspicuous consumption and enriches the research on consumer psychology and social behavior. In practice, the results of this study will play a positive guiding role in rationally regulating psychology, dispelling social anxiety, reshaping the moral concept of conspicuous consumption, and promoting the sustainable development of luxury consumption at the individual or social level.
Using Real Options Thinking to Value Investment Flexibility in Carbon Capture and Utilization Projects: A Review
Authors: Lamberts-Van Assche Hanne , Compernolle Tine
Published: February 2022

Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) is one of the key technologies that may help to reduce industrial emissions. However, the deployment of CCU is hampered by various barriers, including high levels of technical, policy and market uncertainty. The real options theory (ROT) provides a method to account for these uncertainties and introduce flexibility in the investment decision by allowing decisions to be changed in response to the evolution of uncertainties. ROT is already being applied frequently in the evaluation of renewable energy or carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, e.g., addressing the uncertainty in the price of CO2. However, ROT has only found a few applications in the CCU literature to date. Therefore, this paper investigates the specific types of uncertainty that arise with the utilization of CO2, identifies the types of real options present in CCU projects and discusses the applied valuation techniques. Research gaps are identified in the CCU literature and recommendations are made to fill these gaps. The investment decision sequence for CCU projects is shown, together with the uncertainties and flexibility options in the CCU projects. This review can support the real options-based evaluations of the investment decisions in CCU projects to allow for flexibility and uncertainty.
When Local Trade-Offs between SDGs Turn Out to Be Wealth-Dependent: Interaction between Expanding Rice Cultivation and Eradicating Malaria in Rwanda
Authors: Rulisa Alexis , van Kempen Luuk , Koch Dirk-Jan
Published: February 2022

Interactions between SDGs are increasingly mapped and mediating factors that determine whether existing synergies or trade-offs can be identified. However, if and how the wealth status of the concerned population shapes whether SDG interaction constitutes a vicious or virtuous circle is largely overlooked. This article focuses on interaction between SDG2 (nutrition) and SDG3 (health), in particular, the relationship between rice production intensification and the fight against malaria, and thus the role of wealth in explaining the trade-off. This study employed a large-scale survey of rural households (n = 3968) in eastern Rwanda, conducted at a time when a rapid expansion of rice fields co-existed with a strong resurgence of malaria. Logistic regression shows that rice-cultivating households faced significant higher malaria risk, as proxied by fever incidence, confirming the negative externality of agricultural intensification on public health through offering a habitat for vector-borne diseases. Even though rice-cultivating households tend to be higher up the local wealth distribution than those outside the rice sector, its distributional effects are generally biased against the poor. Poorer households outside the rice sector hardly share in the benefits from increased rice production but suffer the consequences in terms of increased malaria risk. The case thus draws attention to the importance of using a distributional lens when analyzing interaction between SDGs locally.
Research on Dynamic Cooperative Replenishment Optimization of Shipbuilding Enterprise Inventory Control under Uncertainty
Authors: Xiang Ziquan , Yang Jiaqi , Naseem Muhammad Hamza , Ge Wenjie
Published: February 2022

Aiming at the problem of high inventory control costs of shipbuilding enterprises under uncertain conditions, this paper constructs and optimizes a dynamic collaborative replenishment model of shipbuilding enterprises inventory control. This model adopts integrated supply chain management theory and collaborative theory to analyze the inventory control principle in shipbuilding enterprises, and its goal is to minimize the cost and maximize the service level. The dynamic replenishment strategy from two types of suppliers is given by using mathematical knowledge, such as optimization theory, probability theory, and mathematical statistics to solve the model. Finally, shipbuilding enterprises take paint inventory control as an example to test and verify the validity and correctness of the model by using numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis. The results show that the dynamic collaborative replenishment model of shipbuilding enterprises inventory control can make full use of the advantages of two types of suppliers. Additionally, it cannot only quickly respond to demand changes, but can also maintain low operating costs. Therefore, the dynamic collaborative replenishment model could effectively solve the problem of high inventory control costs of shipbuilding enterprises under uncertain conditions and has great application value and practical significance.
Characteristic Analysis of the Built Environment of Ferry Terminals: A Case Study of Mokpo, South Korea
Authors: Kim Hwayoung , Choi Jungyeon , Nam Yunwoo , Youn Jong-Hoon
Published: February 2022

Ferry terminals are an essential facility for those frequently commuting between islands or towns ashore. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure a smooth and efficient flow of passengers and vehicles while guaranteeing safety and convenience at the ferry terminal. This study investigates and evaluates the walking path environment and determines the passengers’ walkability and walking satisfaction of ferry terminals in Korea. As a case study, to measure the passenger’s overall perception and satisfaction of the built environment of the ferry terminal, we conducted an importance–performance analysis for two ferry terminals located in Mokpo city of Korea. The segments of the poor built environment in terms of walking were found. Furthermore, the ANOVA and t-test results confirmed that the satisfaction level of the built environment varied by age and residential location of passengers. There was a significant difference in satisfaction between the groups (age and residential location) in the walking path segments while embarking and disembarking the ferry. Passengers’ perceptions and walking satisfaction were different depending on the features of the built environment, including public transport accessibility, layout, distance, and surface condition of the walking path of the ferry terminal. As a limitation of the study, the case study was conducted only in the Mokpo region due to the impact of COVID-19, and the sample survey was also conducted in a short period of time. In addition, further studies are needed on the generalization of passengers’ walkability in ferry terminals.
Immigrant Diversity, Institutional Quality, and GVC Position
Authors: Zhou Ying , Anwar Sajid
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the effect of immigrant diversity on a country’s position in global value chains (GVCs) and how this effect depends on the institutional quality of destination countries. We investigate this issue using data on 19 manufacturing sectors of 18 OECD countries over the 2000–2014 period. Fixed effects estimation results show that the impact of immigrant diversity on the GVC position is significantly influenced by the institutional quality of destination countries. Specifically, in countries with high (low) institutional quality, immigrant diversity is positively (negatively) associated with the GVC position. Moreover, the interaction effect of immigrant diversity and institutional quality on the GVC position is heterogeneous across immigrant groups and institutional dimensions. This study not only enriches the literature on the relationship between immigrant diversity and GVC position but also discusses new ideas that can promote GVC positions of real economics, which is essential for sustainable economic development.
How the Seed of Participatory Plant Breeding Found Its Way in the World through Adaptive Management
Authors: Colley Micaela R. , Tracy William F. , Lammerts van Bueren Edith T. , Diffley Martin , Almekinders Conny J. M.
Published: February 2022

Participatory plant breeding (PPB), where farmers and formal breeders collaborate in the breeding process, can be a form of agricultural niche innovation. In PPB, new varieties are commonly adopted by the farmers involved and shared through seed networks, but few are released and commercialized; thus, the variety remains a niche innovation, used within a limited network of beneficiaries. PPB is increasingly emerging to address the needs of organic farmers in the Global North, yet barriers to implementation and institutionalization limit the ability to embed PPB into commercial channels of seed distribution. This case study of a PPB project in the US explores, through the lens of adaptive management, critical points in the commercial release of an organic sweet corn variety, which expanded the innovation beyond the niche environment. The authors show how evolving the actors’ roles, expanding the network of participants, and leveraging opportunities that emerged during the process aided in shifting institutional and market norms that commonly restrict the ability to embed PPB varieties in the formal seed system. They further demonstrate that distribution through the formal seed system did not limit access through informal networks; instead, it created a ripple effect of stimulating additional, decentralized breeding, and distribution efforts.
Selection of Representative General Circulation Models for Climate Change Study Using Advanced Envelope-Based and Past Performance Approach on Transboundary River Basin, a Case of Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Tenfie Hailu Wondmageghu , Saathoff Fokke , Hailu Dereje , Gebissa Alemayehu
Published: February 2022

For the selection of global climate models in the upper basin of the Blue Nile, an advanced envelope-based approach was used. Currently, the number of general circulations models (GCM) has increased extremely. The reliability of any general circulation model in a particular region is confronted, so the selection of the appropriate climate models that can predict the climate variable is essential. Representative concentration pathways RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 were taken into account. For RCP4.5 105 GCMs were used and for RCP8.5 78 GCMs were used to select the best performance models for the Upper Blue Nile Basin for a climate change impact study. Three steps were followed to derive the best performing models in the study area based on their range of projected mean temperature and precipitation changes, the range of projected extreme changes, and the ability to reproduce past climates between 1971 and 2000 and 2071–2100. Five corners of the spectrum were used, e.g., wet-warm, wet-cold, dry-warm, dry-cold, and the 50th percentile of the temperatures. For RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, a total of 25 GCMs were chosen based on the range of anticipated mean temperature and rainfall change. Based on the range of extreme changes, 10 GCMs were chosen. Finally, for each RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, five GCMs were chosen by combining all three stages.
Frame Identification of Object-Based Video Tampering Using Symmetrically Overlapped Motion Residual
Authors: Kim Tae Hyung , Park Cheol Woo , Eom Il Kyu
Published: February 2022

Image and video manipulation has been actively used in recent years with the development of multimedia editing technologies. However, object-based video tampering, which adds or removes objects within a video frame, is posing challenges because it is difficult to verify the authenticity of videos. In this paper, we present a novel object-based frame identification network. The proposed method uses symmetrically overlapped motion residuals to enhance the discernment of video frames. Since the proposed motion residual features are generated on the basis of overlapped temporal windows, temporal variations in the video sequence can be exploited in the deep neural network. In addition, this paper introduces an asymmetric network structure for training and testing a single basic convolutional neural network. In the training process, two networks with an identical structure are used, each of which has a different input pair. In the testing step, two types of testing methods corresponding to two- and three-class frame identifications are proposed. We compare the identification accuracy of the proposed method with that of the existing methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method generates reasonable identification results for both two- and three-class forged frame identifications.
MGPS: Midpoint-Series Group Preserving Scheme for Discretizing Nonlinear Dynamics
Authors: Xu Zhenxing , Wu Jinzhao
Published: February 2022

In this article, we propose a new computational method for initial value problems in ordinary differential equations. The algorithm combines the merits of the group preserving scheme (GPS), which has the ability of avoiding possible spurious solutions utilizing the inherent symmetry group, the cone structure of the nonlinear dynamical system, and the classic midpoint rule. The error and stability analysis are included to demonstrate the convergence properties of the presented method. From the numerical experimental results we obtained, the algorithm can be said to be computationally effective and possesses better simulation ability generally. Meanwhile, it works well with the periodic Hamiltonian system.
Numerical Investigation of the Automatic Air Intake Drag Reduction Strut Based on the Venturi Effect
Authors: An Hai , Hu Zhenyu , Pan Haozhe , Yang Po
Published: February 2022

Drag reduction by injecting air is a promising engineering method for improving ship performance. A novel automatic air intake drag reduction strut structure based on the Venturi effect is proposed for the high-speed small water-plane area twin hull vessels in the present study. The drag reduction strut can achieve the function of automatic air intake when the vehicle is moving at high speed, and the air inhaled and the incoming flow form bubbly flows to cover the strut surface, effectively reducing the drag of the strut. Considering the longitudinal symmetry of the strut structure, a two-dimensional single-chip drag reduction strut structure is designed to facilitate analysis and a solution. The volume of fluid model is combined with the k-ω SST turbulence model, and a numerical simulation is carried out to investigate the variation of the air inflow, the air volume fraction in the bubbly flows of the strut and the drag reduction rate of the strut for different sailing speeds. The analysis result shows that when the proposed model reaches a certain speed, the external air is inhaled by the strut intake duct, and the bubbly flows are formed with the incoming flow covering the surface of the strut, thereby reducing the drag coefficient. Meanwhile, it is found that as the sailing speed increases, the drag reduction rate of the strut gradually rises and its maximum value reaches about 30%. For high sailing speeds, the drag reduction rate is affected by wave-making resistance so that it gradually declines.
Research on Control Strategy of Design Change Cross-Module Propagation
Authors: Ren Haibing , Li Ting , Li Yupeng , Ni Yongbo , Zhang Jingna
Published: February 2022

In the process of product design, design changes are unavoidable due to the diversification of customer requirements and the advancement of key technologies. Although modules are supposed to be functionally independent and “low-coupling” in modular products, the design change in a module can still propagate into other modules due to the interfaces among them, and this propagation increases the product development lead-time and costs. This study aims to solve the problem of cross-module propagation in design change. First, the dependence of modules on interfaces is analyzed from the perspectives of complex network characteristics, change propagation characteristics, and cost dependence, and then the correlation between modules is determined. Second, the cross-module change propagation impact is evaluated considering node importance, change cost, and propagation path length. The control strategies of cross-module design change propagation are proposed from the aspects of increasing the tolerance of interface and reducing the dependence of modules on interface, etc. Finally, a certain type of sanitation vehicle cab is utilized as an example to demonstrate the assessment process of the cross-module propagation impact of design change and to verify the feasibility of the proposed method and control strategies.
The Laplace Transform of Quantum Gravity
Authors: Gamboa Jorge , Méndez Fernando , Tapia-Arellano Natalia
Published: February 2022

Following analogies with relativistic point particles and Schild strings, we show that the Einstein gravity and its strong coupling regime (or the Planck mass going to zero) are related to each other through a Laplace transform. The Feynman propagator of gravity in the strong coupling regime satisfies a functional diffusion equation in the three-metric space with the evolution parameter being the volume of spacetime. We conjecture that the relationship between both regimes is consistent with the existence of an evolution operator in which time is replaced by the volume of spacetime.
RR Lyrae and Type II Cepheid Variables in Globular Clusters: Optical and Infrared Properties
Authors: Bhardwaj Anupam
Published: February 2022

Globular clusters are both primary fossils of galactic evolution and formation and are ideal laboratories for constraining the evolution of low-mass and metal-poor stars. RR Lyrae and type II Cepheid variables are low-mass, radially pulsating stars that trace old-age stellar populations. These stellar standard candles in globular clusters are crucial for measuring their precise distances and, in turn, absolute ages, and for the calibration of the extragalactic distance scale. Herein, the evolutionary stages of RR Lyrae and type II Cepheids are discussed, and their pulsation properties, including the light curves, color–magnitude and period–amplitude diagrams, and period–luminosity relations in globular clusters at optical and infrared wavelengths are presented. The RR Lyrae visual magnitude–metallicity relation and the multiband period–luminosity–metallicity relations in globular clusters covering a wide metallicity range are also discussed in detail for their application to the RR Lyrae-based distance scale.
Low Energy Antimatter Physics
Authors: Giammarchi Marco , Vinelli Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

We will review the motivations and the general features of experiments devoted to testing fundamental laws with antimatter at low energies, namely the study of CPT invariance and the Weak Equivalence Principle. A summary of the recent experimental results will be presented.
Performance of NeQuick-2 and IRI-Plas 2017 Models during Solar Maximum Years in 2013–2014 over Equatorial and Low Latitude Regions
Authors: Iluore Kenneth , Lu Jianyong , Okeke Francisca , Ozegin Kesyton Oyamenda
Published: February 2022

This paper carries out a comparative investigation of the Total Electron Content (TEC) values calculated by using the NeQuick-2 and IRI-Plas 2017 models. The investigation was carried out for the solar maximum year of 2013–2014 with data from eight GPS stations within the equatorial and low latitude regions. The results show that both models agree quite well with the observed TEC values obtained from GPS measurements in all the stations, although with some overestimations and underestimations observed during the daytime and nighttime hours. The NeQuick-2 model, in general, performed better in months, seasons, and in most of the stations when the IRI-Plas overestimates the GPS-TEC. However, it is interesting to know that with an increase in solar activity in some seasons, the quality of forecasting IRI-Plas can improve, whereas for the NeQuick-2 model, it decreases, but this is not true for all the seasons and all the stations. Factors causing the discrepancies in the IRI-Plas data model might be caused by the plasmaspheric part included in the IRI, and it is found to be maximum at the MBAR (34%) station, whereas that of the NeQuick-2 data model is found to be maximum at the ADIS (47.7%) station. There is a latitudinal dependence for both models in which the prediction error decreases with the increasing latitudes.
Targeting Viral Methyltransferases: An Approach to Antiviral Treatment for ssRNA Viruses
Authors: Ramdhan Peter , Li Chenglong
Published: February 2022

Methyltransferase enzymes have been associated with different processes within cells and viruses. Specifically, within viruses, methyltransferases are used to form the 5′cap-0 structure for optimal evasion of the host innate immune system. In this paper, we seek to discuss the various methyltransferases that exist within single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses along with their respective inhibitors. Additionally, the importance of motifs such as the KDKE tetrad and glycine-rich motif in the catalytic activity of methyltransferases is discussed.
ADAM17 Is an Essential Factor for the Infection of Bovine Cells with Pestiviruses
Authors: Zaruba Marianne , Chen Hann-Wei , Pietsch Ole Frithjof , Szakmary-Braendle Kati , Auer Angelika , Mötz Marlene , Seitz Kerstin , Düsterhöft Stefan , Workman Aspen M. , Rümenapf Till , Riedel Christiane
Published: February 2022

The entry of BVDV into bovine cells was studied using CRIB cells (cells resistant to infection with bovine viral diarrhea virus [BVDV]) that have evolved from MDBK cells by a spontaneous loss of susceptibility to BVDV. Recently, larger genetic deletions were reported but no correlation of the affected genes and the resistance to BVDV infection could be established. The metalloprotease ADAM17 was reported as an essential attachment factor for the related classical swine fever virus (CSFV). To assess whether ADAM17 might be involved in the resistance of CRIB-1 cells to pestiviruses, we analyzed its expression in CRIB-1 and MDBK cells. While ADAM17 protein was detectable in MBDK cells, it was absent from CRIB-1 cells. No functional full-length ADAM17 mRNA could be detected in CRIB cells and genetic analysis revealed the presence of two defective alleles. Transcomplementation of functional ADAM17 derived from MDBK cells in CRIB-1 cells resulted in a nearly complete reversion of their resistance to pestiviral infection. Our results demonstrate that ADAM17 is a key cellular factor for the pestivirus resistance of CRIB-1 cells and establishes its essential role for a broader range of pestiviruses.