bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effective Immobilization of Novel Antimicrobial Peptides via Conjugation onto Activated Silicon Catheter Surfaces
Authors: Soyhan Irem , Polat Tuba , Mozioglu Erkan , Ozal Ildenız Tugba Arzu , Acikel Elmas Merve , Cebeci Sinan , Unubol Nihan , Gok Ozgul
Published: August 2024

Antibiotic-resistant microorganisms have become a serious threat to public health, resulting in hospital infections, the majority of which are caused by commonly used urinary tract catheters. Strategies for preventing bacterial adhesion to the catheters’ surfaces have been potentially shown as effective methods, such as coating thesurface with antimicrobial biomolecules. Here, novel antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were designed as potential biomolecules to prevent antibiotic-resistant bacteria from binding to catheter surfaces. Thiolated AMPs were synthesized using solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), and prep-HPLC was used to obtain AMPs with purity greater than 90%. On the other side, the silicone catheter surface was activated by UV/ozone treatment, followed by functionalization with allyl moieties for conjugation to the free thiol group of cystein in AMPs using thiol-ene click chemistry. Peptide-immobilized surfaces were found to become more resistant to bacterial adhesion while remaining biocompatible with mammalian cells. The presence and site of conjugation of peptide molecules were investigated by immobilizing them to catheter surfaces from both ends (C-Pep and Pep-C). It was clearly demonstrated that AMPs conjugated to the surface via theirN terminus have a higher antimicrobial activity. This strategy stands out for its effective conjugation of AMPs to silicone-based implant surfaces for the elimination of bacterial infections.
Medication Reconciliation as Part of Admission Management—A Survey to Improve Drug Therapy Safety in a Urology Department
Authors: Remane Yvonne , Pfeiffer Luisa , Schuhmann Leonie , Huke Annett , Stolzenburg Jens-Uwe , Bertsche Thilo
Published: August 2024

Complete medication reconciliation during hospital admission is the rationale for further treatment decisions. A consecutive, controlled intervention study was conducted to assess discrepancies in medication reconciliation performed by nurses of the Urology Department compared to the Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) established by pharmacists. This study included pre-intervention (control group, CG), nursing training as a pharmaceutical intervention, and post-intervention (intervention group, IG) groups. The discrepancies were classified as “Missing” (not recorded but taken), “Added” (additionally recorded) “Strength” (incorrect documented dosage), “Intake” (incorrect intake time/schedule), “Double” (double prescription), and “Others” (no clear assignment). Additionally, high-risk drug subgroup discrepancies were particularly prevalent and were evaluated. Training success was compared concerning discrepancies in the CG and IG. Generally, the percentage of discrepancies per patient found was lower in the IG than in the CG (78.1% vs. 87.5%, significantly). The category most identified was “Missing” (IG, 33.3% vs. CG, 35.2%). Overall, a discrepancy of 7.4% each (discrepancies: IG, 27 vs. CG, 38) was determined for high-risk drugs while “Missing” occurred (77.8% vs. 52.6%, out of 7.4%). Despite nursing training only partially reducing discrepancies, the implementation of medication reconciliation using BPMH by pharmacists could improve the process, especially for high-risk drugs.
Optical Detection of Underwater Propeller Wake Based on a Position-Sensitive Detector
Authors: Zhou Guanlong , Liu Qin , Wang Hu , Li Liyan , Zhou Yan , Chen Xinyu
Published: August 2024

The study of underwater vehicle wake detection is of significant importance within the field of target detection, localisation, and tracking of underwater vehicles. Given that propellers are the propellers of modern ships and underwater vehicles, the propeller wake field represents the principal target source for wake detection in underwater vehicles. The objective of this paper is to propose a method for measuring the wake of an underwater propeller based on a position-sensitive detector. A theoretical model of the relationship between the laser spot displacement and the change in the refractive index of the wake field is established on the basis of the principle of laser beam deflection. A prototype experimental setup for underwater propeller wake measurement was constructed based on the aforementioned optical measurement method. Furthermore, the simulation of the propeller wake flow field with strong density stratification and linear density stratification was conducted based on the experimental setup. Furthermore, experiments were conducted to detect the flow field of a propeller wake. The experimental results indicate that the wake dissipation times of the propeller in a strong density-stratified water environment are approximately 800 s and 750 s. Following the stabilisation of the wake field density, the laser spot position is observed to be stable at 0.341 mm and 0.441 mm, respectively, with a corresponding refractive index change of 2.99 × 10−6 RIU (refractive index unit) and 3.87 × 10−6 RIU, respectively. These experimental results are found to be in general agreement with the simulation results of the propeller wake field. A comparison of the experimental wake measurements based on the device with the wake measurements based on a CTD (conductivity–temperature–depth) device reveals a consistent trend. The realisation of this detection technique is of great significance for the advancement of research in the field of optical detection of underwater vehicle wake streams.
Foreword to the Special Issue “In Honor of Professor Serge Galam for His 70th Birthday and Forty Years of Sociophysics”
Authors: Galam Serge
Published: August 2024

I am deeply moved and honored by this Special Issue of the journal Physics celebrating my seventieth birthday and forty years of sociophysics [...]
Design of Biodegradable PU Textile Coating
Authors: De Smet David , Verjans Jente , Bader Miriam , Mondschein Anke , Vanneste Myriam
Published: August 2024

Polyurethane (PU) coatings are used in diverse applications such as textile coating. Up to today, landfilling is still the most occurring way of processing PU waste. Biodegradation is an alternative route for processing PU waste and decreases the amount of microplastics in the case of landfilling. In this study, a biodegradable PU textile coating was developed. The PU was characterized via Fourier-transformed infrared (FT-IR) thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The PU was thermoplastic and had a melting point of approximately 33 °C. The performance of the coating was studied by assessing the water barrier and mechanical properties. The PU coating completely disintegrated, and the biodegradation of PU was assessed in soil and was almost 60%. Furthermore, the plant toxicity was examined by evaluating seedling emergence and growth.
Effects of the Amylose/Amylopectin Ratio of Starch on Borax-Crosslinked Hydrogels
Authors: Lu Kai , Folkersma Rudy , Voet Vincent S. D. , Loos Katja
Published: August 2024

Herein, we simultaneously prepared borax-crosslinked starch-based hydrogels with enhanced mechanical properties and self-healing ability via a simple one-pot method. The focus of this work is to study the effects of the amylose/amylopectin ratio of starch on the grafting reactions and the performance of the resulting borax-crosslinked hydrogels. An increase in the amylose/ amylopectin ratio increased the gel fraction and grafting ratio but decreased the swelling ratio and pore diameter. Compared with hydrogels prepared from low-amylose starches, hydrogels prepared from high-amylose starches showed pronouncedly increased network strength, and the maximum storage modulus increased by 8.54 times because unbranched amylose offered more hydroxyl groups to form dynamic borate ester bonds with borate ions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds, leading to an enhanced crosslink density. In addition, all the hydrogels exhibited a uniformly interconnected network structure. Furthermore, owing to the dynamic borate ester bonds and hydrogen bonds, the hydrogel exhibited excellent recovery behavior under continuous step strain, and it also showed thermal responsiveness.
“You Will Do Well”: But How, Exactly? A Curious Ending to the Apostolic Letter of Acts 15
Authors: Moxon John R. L.
Published: August 2024

In this paper, I focus on the puzzling ending of the apostolic letter in Acts 15 in which the addressees are told that if they hold to four “essential” prohibitions, they will “do well” (εὖ πράξετε, v. 29). The question as to how, exactly, can destabilise some understandings of the decree, with alternative translations creating different problems, and particularly so where theological commitments are at play. Following Danker’s call for greater attention to this phrase, I undertake a fresh, stratified survey of Greek usage across corpora ranging from the arguably less to the more proximate and bring this into dialogue with the senses given in various literary and social approaches to the decree involving epistolary rhetoric, reciprocity theory, and intertextuality. This reveals how purely linguistic data can stand in tension with compositional arguments in different ways and require a more complex arbitration between possibility, likelihood and coherence when both lexical- and discourse-level constraints are applied. Whilst not solving the problem of the decree outright, observing the impacts of different readings of εὖ πράξετε on the delicate balances involved presses some oblique but productive questions into the interpretive task.
Love and Emotions in Pietist Hymnography—From the Past to Us: Musical Examples
Authors: Annarilli Alberto
Published: August 2024

This study aims to analyze, through religious hymns in the German-speaking area from the early 18th century, the influence that the Pietist theological movement, starting from Philipp Jacob Spener’s Pia Desideria, had on the centralization of the self in the Protestant religious world, through the introduction of personal feelings of love towards God. On the one hand, the origins of Pietism can already be traced back to the late 16th century in areas affected by the radical reforms of the Anabaptists. On the other hand, it is from the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century that this theological and spiritual movement destabilized orthodox Lutheranism in some symbolic cities of Protestant Germany, such as Frankfurt am Main, Halle, and the Duchy of Westphalia, up to Moravia. The extensive publication of hymnals and musical compendia for the use of individuals, lay groups (collegia pietatis), faith communities, and churches denotes a fervor and a desire to preach their way of “practicing” spirituality, which greatly contrasts with both orthodox Lutheranism and the prevailing rationalism in the religious and philosophical sphere in Germany of the mid-18th century. For the first time since the Reformation, Lutheranism saw the use, in the theology of the preached and sung Word, of personal feelings and emotions that connect the individual with God, who is made an object of individual as well as collective worship. This was one of the most significant accusations that came from the University of Wittenberg against Pietism, namely the shift of theological and spiritual focus from the centrality of God to the centrality of the self, which manifests its faith through the most intimate emotions and feelings. Through the analysis of some examples taken from hymnographic and theological production, centered on the individual feelings of the believer, this article focuses on how this influenced the religious revival movements that would pervade England and the United States of America for more than two centuries (from the First Great Awakening in the late 18th century to the Pentecostal movements of the 20th century), with a spotlight on Italian hymnody during the Risorgimento.
The Climatology of Gravity Waves over the Low-Latitude Region Estimated by Multiple Meteor Radars
Authors: Wang Jianyuan , Yi Wen , Li Na , Xue Xianghui , Wu Jianfei , Ye Hailun , Li Jian , Chen Tingdi , Tian Yaoyu , Chang Boyuan , Ding Zonghua , Chen Jinsong
Published: August 2024

Atmospheric gravity waves (GWs) can strongly modulate middle atmospheric circulation and can be a significant factor for the coupling between the lower atmosphere and the middle atmosphere. GWs are difficult to resolve in global atmospheric models due to their small scale; thus, GW observations play an important role in middle atmospheric studies. The climatology of GW variance and momentum in the low-latitude mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region are revealed using multiple meteor radars, which are located at Kunming (25.6°N, 103.8°E), Sanya (18.4°N, 109.6°E), and Fuke (19.5°N, 109.1°E). The climatology and longitudinal variations in GW momentum fluxes and variance over the low-latitude region are reported. The GWs show strong seasonal variations and can greatly control the mesospheric horizontal winds via modulation of the quasi-geostrophic balance and momentum deposition. The different GW activities between Kunming and Sanya/Fuke are possibly consistent with the unique prevailing surface winds over Kunming and the convective system over the Tibetan Plateau according to the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) data, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) data. These findings provide insight for better understanding the coupling between the troposphere and mesosphere.
Optimized Landslide Susceptibility Mapping and Modelling Using the SBAS-InSAR Coupling Model
Authors: Wu Xueling , Qi Xiaoshuai , Peng Bo , Wang Junyang
Published: August 2024

Landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) can accurately estimate the location and probability of landslides. An effective approach for precise LSM is crucial for minimizing casualties and damage. The existing LSM methods primarily rely on static indicators, such as geomorphology and hydrology, which are closely associated with geo-environmental conditions. However, landslide hazards are often characterized by significant surface deformation. The Small Baseline Subset-Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technology plays a pivotal role in detecting and characterizing surface deformation. This work endeavors to assess the accuracy of SBAS-InSAR coupled with ensemble learning for LSM. Within this research, the study area was Shiyan City, and 12 static evaluation factors were selected as input variables for the ensemble learning models to compute landslide susceptibility. The Random Forest (RF) model demonstrates superior accuracy compared to other ensemble learning models, including eXtreme Gradient Boosting, Logistic Regression, Gradient Boosting Decision Tree, and K-Nearest Neighbor. Furthermore, SBAS-InSAR was utilized to obtain surface deformation rates both in the vertical direction and along the line of sight of the satellite. The former is used as a dynamic characteristic factor, while the latter is combined with the evaluation results of the RF model to create a landslide susceptibility optimization matrix. Comparing the precision of two methods for refining LSM results, it was found that the method integrating static and dynamic factors produced a more rational and accurate landslide susceptibility map.
Improving Soybean Gross Primary Productivity Modeling Using Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence and the Photochemical Reflectance Index by Accounting for the Clearness Index
Authors: Chen Jidai , Shi Jiasong
Published: August 2024

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been widely utilized to track the dynamics of gross primary productivity (GPP). It has been shown that the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), which may be utilized as an indicator of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), improves SIF-based GPP estimation. However, the influence of weather conditions on GPP estimation using SIF and PRI has not been well explored. In this study, using an open-access dataset, we examined the impact of the clearness index (CI), which is associated with the proportional intensity of solar incident radiation and can represent weather conditions, on soybean GPP estimation using SIF and PRI. The midday PRI (xanthophyll de-epoxidation state) minus the early morning PRI (xanthophyll epoxidation state) yielded the corrected PRI (ΔPRI), which described the amplitude of xanthophyll pigment interconversion during the day. The observed canopy SIF at 760 nm (SIFTOC_760) was downscaled to the broadband photosystem-level SIF for photosystem II (SIFTOT_FULL_PSII). Our results show that GPP can be accurately estimated using a multi-linear model with SIFTOT_FULL_PSII and ΔPRI. The ratio of GPP measured using the eddy covariance (EC) method (GPPEC) to GPP estimated using SIFTOT_FULL_PSII and ΔPRI exhibited a non-linear correlation with the CI along both the half-hourly (R2 = 0.21) and daily scales (R2 = 0.25). The GPP estimates using SIFTOT_FULL_PSII and ΔPRI were significantly improved by the addition of the CI (for the half-hourly data, R2 improved from 0.64 to 0.71 and the RMSE decreased from 8.28 to 7.42 μmol•m−2•s−1; for the daily data, R2 improved from 0.71 to 0.81 and the RMSE decreased from 6.69 to 5.34 μmol•m−2•s−1). This was confirmed by the validation results. In addition, the GPP estimated using the Random Forest method was also largely improved by considering the influences of the CI. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that GPP can be well estimated using SIFTOT_FULL_PSII and ΔPRI, and it can be significantly enhanced by accounting for the CI. These results will be beneficial to vegetation GPP estimation using different remote sensing platforms, especially under various weather conditions.
A Reflected-Light-Mode Multiwavelength Interferometer for Measurement of Step Height Standards
Authors: Litwin Dariusz , Radziak Kamil , Czyżewski Adam , Galas Jacek , Kryszczyński Tadeusz , Błocki Narcyz , Szumski Robert , Niedziela Justyna
Published: August 2024

The article is dedicated to measuring the thickness of step height standards using the author’s version of the variable wavelength interferometer (VAWI) in the reflected-light mode, where the interference pattern is created by the combination of two Wollaston prisms. The element of novelty consists in replacing the traditional search for the coincidence of fringes in the object and background with a continuous measurement of their periods and phases relative to the zero-order fringe. The resulting system of sinusoids is then analyzed using two methods: the classical one and the second utilizing the criterion of uniform thickness. The theory is followed by simulation and experimental parts, providing insight to the metrological potential of the VAWI technology.
An Explainable Deep Learning Approach for Stress Detection in Wearable Sensor Measurements
Authors: Moser Martin Karl , Ehrhart Maximilian , Resch Bernd
Published: August 2024

Stress has various impacts on the health of human beings. Recent success in wearable sensor development, combined with advancements in deep learning to automatically detect features from raw data, opens several interesting applications related to detecting emotional states. Being able to accurately detect stress-related emotional arousal in an acute setting can positively impact the imminent health status of humans, i.e., through avoiding dangerous locations in an urban traffic setting. This work proposes an explainable deep learning methodology for the automatic detection of stress in physiological sensor data, recorded through a non-invasive wearable sensor device, the Empatica E4 wristband. We propose a Long-Short Term-Memory (LSTM) network, extended through a Deep Generative Ensemble of conditional GANs (LSTM DGE), to deal with the low data regime of sparsely labeled sensor measurements. As explainability is often a main concern of deep learning models, we leverage Integrated Gradients (IG) to highlight the most essential features used by the model for prediction and to compare the results to state-of-the-art expert-based stress-detection methodologies in terms of precision, recall, and interpretability. The results show that our LSTM DGE outperforms the state-of-the-art algorithm by 3 percentage points in terms of recall, and 7.18 percentage points in terms of precision. More importantly, through the use of Integrated Gradients as a layer of explainability, we show that there is a strong overlap between model-derived stress features for electrodermal activity and existing literature, which current state-of-the-art stress detection systems in medical research and psychology are based on.
Advancements in Flexible Sensors for Monitoring Body Movements during Sleep: A Review
Authors: Jiang Zongyi , Lee Yee Sum , Wang Yunzhong , John Honey , Fang Liming , Tang Youhong
Published: August 2024

Sleep plays a role in maintaining our physical well-being. However, sleep-related issues impact millions of people globally. Accurate monitoring of sleep is vital for identifying and addressing these problems. While traditional methods like polysomnography (PSG) are commonly used in settings, they may not fully capture natural sleep patterns at home. Moreover, PSG equipment can disrupt sleep quality. In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of sensors for sleep monitoring. These lightweight sensors can be easily integrated into textiles or wearable devices using technology. The flexible sensors can be designed for skin contact to offer continuous monitoring without being obtrusive in a home environment. This review presents an overview of the advancements made in flexible sensors for tracking body movements during sleep, which focus on their principles, mechanisms, and strategies for improved flexibility, practical applications, and future trends.
Handgrip Strength in Health Applications: A Review of the Measurement Methodologies and Influencing Factors
Authors: Quattrocchi Antonino , Garufi Giada , Gugliandolo Giovanni , De Marchis Cristiano , Collufio Domenicantonio , Cardali Salvatore Massimiliano , Donato Nicola
Published: August 2024

This narrative review provides a comprehensive analysis of the several methods and technologies employed to measure handgrip strength (HGS), a significant indicator of neuromuscular strength and overall health. The document evaluates a range of devices, from traditional dynamometers to innovative sensor-based systems, and assesses their effectiveness and application in different demographic groups. Special attention is given to the methodological aspects of HGS estimation, including the influence of device design and measurement protocols. Endogenous factors such as hand dominance and size, body mass, age and gender, as well as exogenous factors including circadian influences and psychological factors, are examined. The review identifies significant variations in the implementation of HGS measurements and interpretation of the resultant data, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of these factors when using HGS as a diagnostic or research tool. It highlights the necessity of standardizing measurement protocols to establish universal guidelines that enhance the comparability and consistency of HGS assessments across various settings and populations.
A Lightweight Double Compression Detector for HEIF Images Based on Encoding Information
Authors: Furushita Yoshihisa , Fontani Marco , Bianchi Stefano , Piva Alessandro , Ramponi Giovanni
Published: August 2024

Extensive research has been conducted in image forensics on the analysis of double-compressed images, particularly in the widely adopted JPEG format. However, there is a lack of methods to detect double compression in the HEIF format, which has recently gained popularity since it allows for reduced file size while maintaining image quality. Traditional JPEG-based techniques do not apply to HEIF due to its distinct encoding algorithms. We previously proposed a method to detect double compression in HEIF images based on Farid’s work on coding ghosts in JPEG images. However, this method was limited to scenarios where the quality parameter used for the first encoding was larger than for the second encoding. In this study, we propose a lightweight image classifier to extend the existing model, enabling the identification of double-compressed images without heavily depending on the input image’s quantization history. This extended model outperforms the previous approach and, despite its lightness, demonstrates excellent detection accuracy.
Pseudobulbar Affect in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chiereghin Silvia , Purpura Giulia , Riva Anna , Nacinovich Renata , Cavanna Andrea Eugenio
Published: August 2024

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with a high prevalence of emotional disorders affecting the health-related quality of life of patients and their families. Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), also referred to as pathological laughing and crying, is an under-recognized and under-treated co-morbidity. We conducted a systematic literature review of 16 studies to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of PBA in patients with MS of all ages. Based on conservative figures available from 8/16 studies, the prevalence of PBA in the context of MS was found to range between 2% and 10% (median 10%), with higher percentages in the female population. Possible reasons for the observed variability in the prevalence data include heterogeneity of the diagnostic methodologies and common presence of confounding factors, such as co-morbid affective disorders. The clinical presentation was found to be comparable to that of PBA in the context of other neurological disorders, as it reflected the location of underlying lesions (especially in the brainstem) rather than the associated pathology. Clinicians should be prompted to consider PBA in the differential diagnosis of emotional disorders in the context of MS by using both clinical criteria and psychometric instruments. Further studies should be conducted to develop standardized diagnostic protocols and to optimize therapeutic approaches for the clinical management of this patient population.
Sexting among College Students in Africa: A Scoping Review of Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Impact
Authors: Commey Isaac Tetteh , Amoadu Mustapha , Obeng Paul , Okantey Christiana , Boso Christian Makafui , Agyare Dorcas Frempomaa , Druye Andrews Adjei , Opoku-Danso Rita , Ninnoni Jerry Paul K. , Nsatimba Frederick , Abraham Susanna Aba , Hagan John Elvis
Published: August 2024

Sexting has become a common mode of expression within the digital realm. Understanding sexting in the context of African college campuses is crucial, as it reflects the impact of technological advancements and the interplay of cultural norms, values, and societal factors. This review seeks to provide evidence to inform context-specific initiatives and policies aimed at promoting responsible digital communication and enhancing the well-being of college students within the continent. This scoping review followed the guidelines by Askey and O’Malley. The search for records was conducted in four main electronic databases including PubMed, PsycINFO, Central, and JSTOR. Additional searches were conducted using Google Scholar, Google, and ProQuest. A total of 11 articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Results: The findings of this review are grouped under the following four main headings: type of sexting, prevalence, predictors of sexting, and outcomes of sexting. The main types of sexting were sending and receiving nude pictures and sexually explicit messages and posting explicit videos and photos on social media. The prevalence rates for general sexting ranged from 9.9% to 74.4%. Positive outcomes of sexting included increased condom negotiation skills and sexual communication that contribute to safer sexual practices. Negative sexual outcomes included high-risk-taking sexual behaviour such as multiple sexual partners. This review highlights the intricate facets of sexting among African college students, and emphasises the interplay between digital communication, societal norms, and individual behaviours. Policies should prioritise cyberbullying prevention, privacy protection, and ethical technology use.
Future Directions of Sustainable Resource Utilization of Residual Sewage Sludge: A Review
Authors: Zheng Weicheng , Shao Yuchao , Qin Shulin , Wang Zhongquan
Published: August 2024

With the simultaneous increase in wastewater generation and wastewater treatment rates in China, the annual production of residual sewage sludge (RSS) has been steadily rising, exceeding 70 million tons with an 80% moisture content. The sustainable resource utilization of RSS will be the predominant disposal method instead of sanitary landfilling in China. This review aimed to systematically analyze the major sustainable resource utilization technologies for RSS. Firstly, the basic characteristics of RSS in China were analyzed. A comparative analysis was conducted to assess the advantages, disadvantages, and applicability of three primary sustainable resource utilization technologies for RSS: building materials, energy utilization, and phosphorus recovery, aiming to provide clear insights for the development of future strategies. The research findings revealed that no single method can economically and environmentally address all challenges in the utilization of RSS resources. It is necessary to adopt appropriate resource utilization technologies according to the characteristics of RSS from wastewater treatment, achieving integration of pollution control and resource utilization. This review can provide scientific guidance for future sustainable utilization of RSS resources.
Party Branch Embeddedness and Urban–Rural Environmental Inequality: Self-Regulation or Pollution Shelter?
Authors: Zhang Hongzhen , Yu Jingyang , Chen Yakun
Published: August 2024

With the deepening of environmental governance, the overall environmental quality of the region has been improved. However, internal environmental inequality, especially urban–rural environmental inequality, has continued to come to the fore. Nevertheless, there are still few studies on how to mitigate the increasing urban–rural environmental inequality. On the basis of examining the urban–rural environmental inequality in China’s environmental emission reduction investment dimension, this research verified the impact and mechanism of informal regulatory forces (grassroots party organizations) in alleviating urban–rural environmental inequality. In particular, based on an empirical analysis of data from the Chinese Private Enterprise Survey (CPES) 2006–2014, this study found that (1) investment in environmental management of polluting enterprises in rural areas is significantly lower than in urban areas, and the trend of urban–rural environmental inequality is intensifying; (2) urban–rural environmental inequality is more pronounced at the enterprise level in areas with larger enterprises and greater environmental enforcement and that urban-centered environmental regulatory policies continue to exacerbate urban–rural environmental inequality; and (3) the embeddedness of regional party organizations can narrow the gap between urban and rural environmental protection investment by private enterprises and alleviate urban–rural environmental inequality. The specific pathway is to improve rural enterprises’ social responsibility awareness and policy implementation. Based on the above findings, this paper argues that a gradual break with “urban-centered environmentalism” is the fundamental solution to urban–rural environmental inequality. However, in the current context of limited resources for formal environmental regulation, the power of informal environmental regulation can still mitigate these effects.
Street Community-Level Urban Flood Risk Assessment Based on Numerical Simulation
Authors: Li Cailin , Wang Yue , Guo Baoyun , Lu Yihui , Sun Na
Published: August 2024

Urban waterlogging is a serious urban disaster, which brings huge losses to the social economy and environment of the city. As an important means of urban rainfall inundation analysis, numerical simulation plays an important role in promoting the risk assessment of urban waterlogging. Scientific and accurate assessment of waterlogging disaster losses is of scientific significance for the formulation of disaster prevention and mitigation measures and the guidance of post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. In this study, the SCS-CN hydrological model and GIS coupling numerical simulation method were used to simulate the inundation of urban waterlogging under four different rainfall return periods and to realize the visualization of the inundation range and waterlogging depth in Zhengzhou. At the same time, based on the numerical simulation results, the building is used as the basic assessment unit to construct a refined assessment framework for urban waterlogging risk at the street community level based on hazard, exposure, and vulnerability analysis. The refined risk assessment results have an important reference value for optimizing the working ideas of waterlogging control and providing a reference for local management departments to effectively deal with waterlogging disasters.
Application of In-House Xylanases as an Addition to a Commercial Cellulase Cocktail for the Sustainable Saccharification of Pretreated Blue Agave Bagasse Used for Bioethanol Production
Authors: Montiel Carmina , Hernández-Meléndez Oscar , Marques Susana , Gírio Francisco , Tavares João , Ontañon Ornella , Campos Eleonora , Bárzana Eduardo
Published: August 2024

The study involves the use of commercial cellulase Cellic CTec2 in combination with two in-house xylanases, PxXyn10A (XynA), a recombinant purified enzyme from Paenibacillus xylanivorans A59, and a xylanase enzymatic extract from native Moesziomyces aphidis PYCC 5535T (MaPYCC 5535T), for the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated blue agave bagasse (BAB) at the high solids load of 20% (w/v). Three different combinations of cellulase and xylanases were evaluated. When Cellic® CTec2 was used at a dosage of 10 FPU/g oven-dried solids (ODS) supplemented with XynA or MaPYCC 5535T at an endo-xylanase dosage of 100 U/g ODS, increases in the xylose yield of 30% and 33%, respectively, were obtained. When applying in-house xylanases alone (at an endo-xylanase dosage of 100 U/g ODS), xylan in BAB was selectively hydrolyzed into xylose with 5% yield with MaPYCC 5535T, while no xylose was detected with XynA. Interestingly, a synergic effect of Cellic® CTec 2 with both xylanases was observed when using a low dosage of 1 FPU/g ODS (allowing for some liquefaction of the reaction mixture), promoting xylose and glucose release by either xylanase. A higher concentration of monomeric sugars was obtained with 10 FPU/g ODS of Cellic® Ctec 2 supplemented with 100 U/g ODS of MaPYCC 5535T, followed by XynA. The improvement in saccharification through the synergistic combination of in-house xylanases and commercial cellulases allows for the obtention of sugar-rich hydrolysates, which enhances the technical sustainability of the process. Hydrolysates were then fermented using recombinant Cellux 4TM yeast to yield 45 g/L ethanol, representing an increase of about 30% with respect to the control obtained with only the commercial cellulase cocktail. The surface modification of agave biomass with the different combinations of enzymes was evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Analyzing Managerial Skills for Employability in Graduate Students in Economics, Administration and Accounting Sciences
Authors: Andino-González Patricia , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Salazar-Sepúlveda Guido
Published: August 2024

The study analyzes how graduate students in economics, administration and accounting perceive their managerial skills for employability, with the aim of determining its associated variables to improve the educational processes of future managerial leaders. It focuses on the importance of developing transferable skills that meet current and future job demands. To measure the perception of skills, a structured and duly validated questionnaire (Employability Skills 2000+) was used, answered by 225 graduate students in Economics, Administrative and Accounting Sciences in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The data obtained from the application were analyzed using the Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) method with the FACTOR software. The CFA generated an adaptation of the original scale with 21 variables. The resulting scale determined three predominant factors: personal management skills, fundamental skills and teamwork skills, which presented good consistency and validity, allowing us to make conclusions regarding employability skills in the context studied. The findings show the existence of a correlation between fundamental skills and variables such as work experience, employment status and gender, as well as a high correlation between teamwork skills, work experience and employability conditions.
Research on Water Ecological Resilience Measurement and Influencing Factors: A Case Study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China
Authors: Yang Li , Xu Yue , Zhu Junqi , Sun Keyu
Published: August 2024

Industrial development and population expansion has had serious negative impacts on the water ecological environment, and enhancing water ecological resilience (WER) has become a new sustainable development goal. Current research on WER is mostly about ecological resilience assessment including water systems. In order to explore the WER of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), ecological resilience and water ecology were combined to form the concept of WER. Based on the “social-ecological” resilience perspective, a DCSMI (Driving Force—Carrying Capacity—State—Management—Innovation) WER evaluation index system was constructed, which consists of five subsystems. The WER of the YREB from 2011 to 2022 was measured by using game-theoretic combination weights and the comprehensive evaluation method, which were then combined with the kernel density (KD) estimation, the Thiel index, and the center of gravity-standard deviation ellipse (SDE) method to reveal the WER differences and spatial evolution characteristics of the YREB. Finally, the key factors influencing WER were explored using the BP-DEMATEL model. It was found that (1) the average value of WER in the YREB has declined from 0.4562 to 0.4442, the polarization of WER is obvious, the overall gap is on a widening trend, and the gap between different basins is the main reason for the differences in WER in the YREB. (2) The WER of the YREB presents an asymmetric U-shaped distribution pattern with the downstream optimal, upstream medium, and midstream worst, and the spatial evolution presenting a northwestern–southeastern pattern. (3) The key factors of the top-ranked provinces in the WER index are concentrated in the layer of the State (S) indicators, the middle-ranked provinces and the back-ranked provinces are more influenced by the Driving Force (D) and the Carrying Capacity (C) indicators, respectively, and the Management (M) and Innovation (I) indicators are distributed in several provinces. These results can provide theoretical support for the construction of “resilient cities” and water ecology optimization in the YREB.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Plankton Communities in the Chongqing Section of the National Nature Reserve for Rare and Endemic Fishes in the Upper Yangtze River
Authors: Shen Yanjun , Zhou Xinxin , Li Qinghua , Zhang Jiaming , Zhang Yufeng , Dong Xiaohan , Huang Jiaxin , Cheng Ruli , Luo Yang
Published: August 2024

In order to understand the community structure of plankton and environmental factors in the Chongqing section of the National Nature Reserve for Rare and Endemic Fishes (referred to as the “Reserve”) along the upper Yangtze River, this study investigated phytoplankton and zooplankton in the water body from 2021 to 2022. The results revealed a diverse phytoplankton community with 243 species from 105 genera and 8 phyla, dominated by Bacillariophyta and Chlorophyta. Phytoplankton showed average densities of 1.7 × 106 cells/L and biomass of 2.6221 mg/L, following a seasonal pattern of summer > spring > winter. Zooplankton analysis identified 141 species from 77 genera and 4 phyla, with rotifers most abundant, followed by protozoa. Zooplankton displayed average densities of 0.17 × 104 ind./L and biomass of 0.3226 mg/L, also following a seasonal pattern of summer > spring > winter. Total phosphorus (TP) emerged as the primary environmental factor influencing plankton community structure, positively correlating with phytoplankton density and zooplankton biomass. Plankton biodiversity indices classified water quality in the Chongqing section of the “Reserve” as oligo-/mesotrophic. Overall, plankton diversity in this section is notably rich, with similar species composition between mainstems and tributaries but seasonal variations in community structure. While mainstem water quality generally meets standards, some tributaries exhibit varying degrees of pollution, underscoring the need for improved ecological management and protection measures. This is crucial for maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem.
A Life Cycle and Economic Assessment of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice for Environmental and Economic Sustainability
Authors: Onofri Laura , Ojeda Cristina , Ruiz-Gauna Itziar , Greno Francisco , Markandya Anil
Published: August 2024

This paper applies selected methodologies for the measurement of the environmental and economic sustainability of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection (PGC) in Venice with a view to assessing the PGC’s sustainability and commitment to implementing selected SDGs. To assess environmental sustainability, a life cycle assessment (LCA) has been carried out. The museum is conceptualized as a “firm” that produces several outputs and needs several inputs. The results provide the number of annual CO2e (and other pollutants) emissions linked to the regular activity of the museum. The environmental cost (in EUR), linked to the impacts obtained from LCA, has been calculated. To assess economic sustainability, a survey and econometric methods were used to value services directly generated by the museum, and input/output methods were used to compute the direct and indirect impacts on the local economy. Nonetheless, PGC visitors (those who travel to Venice with the main objective of visiting the PGC) contribute to around 1.2%/1.4% of Venice’s GDP. The results from input–output tables show that, although the final demand generated by the PGC’s own activities amounted to about EUR 620 million in 2022, the economic benefits of the PGC beyond this final demand are significant and very positive due to carry-over effects. Specifically, the PGC leads to an increase in GDP of around EUR 1.200 million, with a multiplier of 1.9. In terms of employment, around 8200 jobs are associated with the presence of the PGC. The net public finance revenue also clearly benefits, with a net income of around EUR 150 million in 2022. Comparing both the environmental and economic impacts of the PGC, one can conclude that the annual activities performed by the museum are highly sustainable, with the economic pillar strongly offsetting the costs generated using natural resources. The creation of economic value, therefore, is generated in respect of environmental boundaries, even if some minor flaws can be highlighted. The connection between museums and sustainable development goals is highly recognized. The findings show the PGC’s commitment to achieving and implementing selected SDGs, including SDG 4, SDG 11, and SDG 16, by implementing actions and strategies that are aligned with these goals.
Large-Scale Satisfaction Rating-Driven Selection of New Energy Vehicles: A Basic Uncertain Linguistic Information Bonferroni Mean-Based MCGDM Approach Considering Criteria Interaction
Authors: Yang Yi , Hua Lei , Jie Mengqi , Shi Biao
Published: August 2024

The continuous revolution of new energy technologies and the introduction of subsidy policies have promoted green consumers’ willingness to purchase new energy vehicles and automotive online service platforms have disclosed vehicle reputation and consumer satisfaction ratings information. However, due to issues such as uncertain data quality, large data volumes, and the emergence of positive reviews, the cost for potential car buyers to acquire useful decision-making knowledge has increased. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a scientific decision-making method that leverages the advantages of large-scale consumer satisfaction ratings to support potential car buyers in efficiently acquiring credible decision-making knowledge. In this context, the Bonferroni mean (BM) is a prominent operator for aggregating associated attribute information, while basic uncertain linguistic information (BULI) represents both information and its credibility in an integrated manner. This study proposes an embedded-criteria association learning BM operator tailored to large-scale consumer satisfaction ratings-driven scenarios and extends it to the BULI environment to address online ratings aggregation problems. Firstly, to overcome the limitations of BM with weighted interaction (WIBM) when dealing with independent criteria, we introduce an adjusted WIBM operator and extend it to the BULI environment as the BULIWIBM operator. We discuss fundamental properties such as idempotence, monotonicity, boundedness, and degeneracy. Secondly, addressing the constraints on interaction coefficients in BM due to subjective settings, we leverage expert knowledge to explore potential temporal characteristics hidden within large-scale consumer satisfaction ratings and develop a method for learning criteria and interaction coefficients. Finally, we propose a conversion method between user credibility-based ratings and BULI. By combining this method with the proposed adjusted BM operator, we construct a multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) approach for product ranking driven by large-scale consumer satisfaction ratings. The effectiveness and scientific rigor of our proposed methods are demonstrated through solving a new energy vehicle selection problem on an online service platform and conducting comparative analysis. The case analysis and comparative analysis results demonstrate that the interaction coefficients, derived from expert knowledge and 42,520 user ratings, respectively, fell within the ranges of [0.2391, 0.7857] and [0.6546, 1.0]. The comprehensive interaction coefficient lay within the range of [0.4674, 0.7965], effectively mitigating any potential biases caused by subjective or objective factors. In comparison to online service platforms, our approach excels in distinguishing between alternative vehicles and significantly impacts their ranking based on credibility considerations.