bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Robust One-Step Recombineering System for Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
Authors: Peng Lang , Dumevi Rexford Mawunyo , Chitto Marco , Haarmann Nadja , Berger Petya , Koudelka Gerald , Schmidt Herbert , Mellmann Alexander , Dobrindt Ulrich , Berger Michael
Published: August 2022

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) can cause severe diarrheic in humans. To improve therapy options, a better understanding of EHEC pathogenicity is essential. The genetic manipulation of EHEC with classical one-step methods, such as the transient overexpression of the phage lambda (λ) Red functions, is not very efficient. Here, we provide a robust and reliable method for increasing recombineering efficiency in EHEC based on the transient coexpression of recX together with gam, beta, and exo. We demonstrate that the genetic manipulation is 3–4 times more efficient in EHEC O157:H7 EDL933 Δstx1/2 with our method when compared to the overexpression of the λ Red functions alone. Both recombineering systems demonstrated similar efficiencies in Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655. Coexpression of recX did not enhance the Gam-mediated inhibition of sparfloxacin-mediated SOS response. Therefore, the additional inhibition of the RecFOR pathway rather than a stronger inhibition of the RecBCD pathway of SOS response induction might have resulted in the increased recombineering efficiency by indirectly blocking phage induction. Even though additional experiments are required to unravel the precise mechanistic details of the improved recombineering efficiency, we recommend the use of our method for the robust genetic manipulation of EHEC and other prophage-carrying E. coli isolates.
A Combination of Two Probiotics, Lactobacillus sporogenes and Clostridium butyricum, Inhibits Colon Cancer Development: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Budu Oana , Banciu Christian , Pinzaru Iulia , Sarău Cristian , Lighezan Daniel , Șoica Codruța , Dehelean Cristina , Drăghici George , Dolghi Alina , Prodea Alexandra , Mioc Marius
Published: August 2022

Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide and, even though several advances have been made in terms of specific treatment, the late-stage detection and the associated side effects of the conventional drugs sustain the search for better treatment alternatives. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have been proven to possess numerous health benefits for human hosts, including anticancer effects. In the present study, the in vitro effect of the association of two probiotic strains (PBT), Lactobacillus sporogenes and Clostridium butyricum, were tested against colon (HT-29 and HCT 116), lung (A549), and liver (HepG2) cancer cell lines, alone or in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5FU). Moreover, the underlying mechanism of PBT and PBT-5FU against the HT-29 cell line was evaluated using the Hoechst 33342 staining, revealing characteristic apoptotic modifications, such as chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, and membrane blebbing. Furthermore, the increase in the expression of pro-apoptotic Bax, Bid, Bad, and Bak proteins and the inhibition of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL proteins were recorded. Collectively, these findings suggest that the two strains of probiotic bacteria, alone or in association with 5FU, induce apoptosis in colon cancer cells and may serve as a potential anticancer treatment.
Mycobacterium abscessus Mutants with a Compromised Functional Link between the Type VII ESX-3 System and an Iron Uptake Mechanism Reliant on an Unusual Mycobactin Siderophore
Authors: Bythrow Glennon V. , Farhat Manal F. , Levendosky Keith , Mohandas Poornima , Germain Gabrielle A. , Yoo Barney , Quadri Luis E. N.
Published: August 2022

The opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus subsp. abscessus (Mab) has become an emerging public health threat due to the increasing number of Mab-associated chronic pulmonary disease cases. Treatment requires multiple drug courses and is often combined with surgical resection. Cure rates are only ~50% due to treatment failure and comorbidities. Deeper understanding of the biology of Mab is required to illuminate potential avenues for the development of better therapeutics against Mab infections. The ESX-3 type VII protein secretion system of Mab has an important role in host inflammatory and pathological responses during infection. In this work, we demonstrate a functional link between ESX-3 and an iron uptake system based on an unusual mycobactin-type siderophore (designated MBT Ab) and exploit this link to implement a large screen for transposon mutants with an impaired ESX-3. Most mutants we identified carry insertions in genes encoding predicted ESX-3 secretion machinery components or potential ESX-3 substrates. The mutants overproduce MBT Ab, a trait consistent with an iron uptake defect. Our characterization of MBT Ab revealed structural features reminiscent of nocardial mycobactin-like compounds with cytotoxicity. This finding raises the possibility that MBT Ab may play roles in pathogenesis unlinked to iron homeostasis. The mutants generated herein will facilitate research to better understand the role of ESX-3 and its interplay with the siderophore system.
The Challenge of Diagnosing and Managing Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis with Interstitial Lung Disease
Authors: Zanatta Elisabetta , Marra Martina Perazzolo , Famoso Giulia , Balestro Elisabetta , Giraudo Chiara , Calabrese Fiorella , Rea Federico , Doria Andrea
Published: August 2022

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) may stem from a variety of underlying causes, thus making a correct diagnosis and management difficult. The main challenges lie in the distinction between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH, group 1) and PH due to interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD, group 3) in patients with concomitant lung fibrosis — a very common occurrence in SSc. A consensus among experts remains elusive. Some studies have suggested that among SSc patients with PH, those with an ILD extension > 20% at high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) should be considered as affected by PH-ILD, whereas other Authors have found that a wide proportion of these patients exhibit features of both PAH and group 3 PH-ILD. We report the case of a 46-year-old male SSc patient with a stable and extensive ILD (>20%) who developed a histologically documented pulmonary vasculopathy typical of PAH and received PAH-specific treatment as bridge to transplant. Moreover, we documented PH disease course by right heart catheterization (RHC), with and without specific vasodilator therapies, which are essential in PAH but not indicated and/or harmful in PH-ILD.
Feminist Care Ethics Confronts Mainstream Philosophy
Authors: Hamington Maurice , FitzGerald Maggie
Published: August 2022

The central role of care in human history is beyond questioning [...]
Quantum Interference in Spontaneous Decay of a Quantum Emitter Placed in a Dimer of Bismuth-Chalcogenide Microparticles
Authors: Kyvelos Nikolaos , Tsigaridas Georgios , Paspalakis Emmanuel , Yannopapas Vassilios
Published: August 2022

We investigate the phenomenon of quantum interference in spontaneous emission for a three-level V-type quantum emitter placed between two bismuth-chalcogenide (Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3) microspheres. In particular, we find that the degree of quantum interference can become as high as 0.994, a value which is attributed to the strong dependence of the spontaneous emission rate on the orientation of an atomic dipole relative to the surfaces of the microspheres, at the excitation frequencies of phonon-polariton states of the bismuth-chalcogenide microspheres (anisotropic Purcell effect). As a consequence of the high degree of quantum interference, we observe the occurrence of strong population trapping in the quantum emitter. To the best of our knowledge, the reported values of the degree of quantum interference are record values and are obtained for a relatively simple geometrical setup such as that of a microparticle dimer.
Bounds on Energies and Dissipation Rates in Forced Dynamos
Authors: Proctor Michael
Published: August 2022

This paper is concerned with limits on kinetic and magnetic energies and dissipation rates in forced flows that lead to dynamo action and a finite amplitude magnetic field. Rigorous results are presented giving upper and lower limits on the values of these quantities, in a simple cubic geometry with periodic boundary conditions, using standard inequalities. In addition to the general case, results in the special case of the Archontis dynamo are presented, in which fields and flows are closely similar in much of the domain.
Reactivation of the Photosynthetic Apparatus of Resurrection Plant Haberlea rhodopensis during the Early Phase of Recovery from Drought- and Freezing-Induced Desiccation
Authors: Mihailova Gergana , Christov Nikolai K. , Sárvári Éva , Solti Ádám , Hembrom Richard , Solymosi Katalin , Keresztes Áron , Velitchkova Maya , Popova Antoaneta V. , Simova-Stoilova Lyudmila , Todorovska Elena , Georgieva Katya
Published: August 2022

Haberlea rhodopensis is a unique desiccation-tolerant angiosperm that also survives winter frost. As, upon freezing temperatures, H. rhodopensis desiccates, the taxon is proposed to survive low temperature stress using its desiccation tolerance mechanisms. To reveal the validity of this hypothesis, we analyzed the structural alterations and organization of photosynthetic apparatus during the first hours of recovery after drought- and freezing-induced desiccation. The dynamics of the ultrastructure remodeling in the mesophyll cells and the restoration of the thylakoid membranes shared similarities independent of the reason for desiccation. Among the most obvious changes in thylakoid complexes, the proportion of the PSI-LHCII complex strongly increased around 70% relative water content (RWC), whereas the proportion of Lhc monomers decreased from the beginning of rehydration. We identified enhanced levels of cyt b6f complex proteins that contributed to the enhanced electron flow. The high abundance of proteins related to excitation energy dissipation, PsbS, Lhcb5, Lhcb6 and ELIPs, together with the increased content of dehydrins contributed to the preservation of cellular integrity. ELIP expression was maintained at high levels up to 9 h into recovery. Although the recovery processes from drought- and freezing-induced desiccation were found to be similar in progress and time scale, slight variations indicate that they are not identical.
Eugenol, Isolated from the Essential Oil from Lonicera japonica Flower Buds, Could Increase the Oxidative Stability of Sunflower Oil in the Deep-Frying Procedure of Youtiao
Authors: Fan Wenchang , Yang Haoduo , Meng Yudong , Wang Dongying , Li Chenhui , Lu Suhong , Ye Ranzhi , Blasi Francesca
Published: August 2022

In order to assess the sunflower oil (SFO) oxidative stability that was added by the essential oils extracted from Lonicera japonica flower buds (LJEO) during deep-frying at 180 °C for 30 h, we clarified the compound/compounds of LJEO that improved the oxidative stability of SFO. The results displayed that the addition of LJEO (0.06 g/kg) could significantly restrict the elevation or the reduction in the levels of total polar compounds (TPC), thiobarbituric acid (TBA), conjugated dienes and conjugated trienes, and the values for polymer, viscosity and the color of SFO during the whole period. Meanwhile, the reduction in the sensory attributes, including flavor, taste, crispness and overall acceptability of the fried product, youtiao, was obviously restricted as well. After the bioassay-guided fractionation of LJEO and repeated deep-frying at 180 °C for 30 h, one of its chemical constituents, eugenol, was demonstrated to be the very compound that did significantly inhibit the oxidative rancidity of the SFO. Therefore, eugenol may be employed as potential effective natural antioxidants to inhibit the oxidative rancidity of SFO during its deep-frying procedures.
A Comparison of Three Different Group Intelligence Algorithms for Hyperspectral Imagery Classification
Authors: Wang Yong , Zeng Weibo
Published: August 2022

The classification effect of hyperspectral remote sensing images is greatly affected by the problem of dimensionality. Feature extraction, as a common dimension reduction method, can make up for the deficiency of the classification of hyperspectral remote sensing images. However, different feature extraction methods and classification methods adapt to different conditions and lack comprehensive comparative analysis. Therefore, principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and locality preserving projections (LPP) were selected to reduce the dimensionality of hyperspectral remote sensing images, and subsequently, support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) were used to classify the output images, respectively. In the experiment, two hyperspectral remote sensing data groups were used to evaluate the nine combination methods. The experimental results show that the classification effect of the combination method when applying principal component analysis and support vector machine is better than the other eight combination methods.
Research on Position Control of an Electro–Hydraulic Servo Closed Pump Control System
Authors: Wang Fei , Chen Gexin , Liu Huilong , Yan Guishan , Zhang Tiangui , Liu Keyi , Liu Yan , Ai Chao
Published: August 2022

A control strategy combining adaptive backstep sliding mode control and dead-zone inverse compensation control in a series was proposed to solve the problem of system parameter uncertainty and system dead-zone in the process of position control in an electro–hydraulic servo closed pump control system. Firstly, an adaptive backstepping sliding mode controller was designed by introducing the sliding mode control principle. Secondly, the smooth dead-zone inverse function was constructed by using the smooth continuous index function to design the dead-zone inverse compensation controller, which is combined with the adaptive sliding mode controller to form a series controller. Finally, the feasibility of the controller was verified by using the pump control servo system of a lithium battery pole strip mill. The experimental results show that, compared with traditional PID control, the control strategy displayed no excessive overshoot before the steady state, the steady-state control accuracy could reach ±0.002 mm, and the time required to reach the steady state was 1 s to 2 s shorter, which shows this method’s ability to effectively improve the position control accuracy of the pump control system, as well as its dynamic response performance.
Design and Fabrication Process Optimization of Silver-Based Inkjet-Printed Microheater
Authors: Al-Mohsin Hanadi , Ali Shawkat , Bermak Amine
Published: August 2022

This paper examines the simulation, design, and fabrication of a nano-particle silver microheater. COMSOL Multiphysics is used to simulate the microheater of an area of 720 × 720 μm2. Different stages of the microheater fabrication process are discussed. The size of the cartridge used is 10 pL and the nozzle diameter was 50 μm. The drop spacing was chosen to be 45 μm after testing several different values. Controlled printing of Ag ink was reached by setting the tickle control frequency to 8 kHz and cartridge print height to 0.4 mm. The nozzle temperature was set at ambient temperature. The inkjet printed microheater is of same area and track and gap widths of 110 μm. The measured resistance of the microheater, 119 Ω, is approximately equal to the simulated resistance of 100 Ω. It was observed that the temperature at the center of the heater reaches up to 250 °C.
“Intrusive Art” at Ajaṇṭā in the Late Middle Period: The Case of Bhadrāsana Buddhas
Authors: Revire Nicolas
Published: August 2022

Following the apparent chaos that ensued at Ajaṇṭā during the so-called “period of disruption” in the wake of King Hariṣeṇa’s death (ca. 478–480 CE), local monks and residents in the caves continued to sponsor the donation of what we term “intrusive” images after the late Walter Spink. These new donations consisted of hundreds of Buddha images, a few of which retain today painted or incised dedicatory inscriptions in Sanskrit. Many of these images represent the Buddha preaching and seated in the “auspicious pose” (bhadrāsana) on the conventional lion throne with his legs down. In this article, the author focuses on the images accompanied by inscriptions since they provide a better understanding of the reuse of consecrated caves, and of the nature of this new and brief iconographic development implemented by local Buddhist residents. The sudden appearance of Bhadrāsana Buddhas seems indeed to correlate with a rise to prevalence of Mahāyāna Buddhist practices at Ajaṇṭā during the late Middle Period.
Is an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Suitable for Extracting the Stand Parameters of Inaccessible Underground Forests of Karst Tiankeng?
Authors: Shui Wei , Li Hui , Zhang Yongyong , Jiang Cong , Zhu Sufeng , Wang Qianfeng , Liu Yuanmeng , Zong Sili , Huang Yunhui , Ma Meiqi
Published: August 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing technology is gradually playing a role alternative to traditional field survey methods in monitoring plant functional traits of forest ecology. Few studies focused on monitoring functional trait ecology of underground forests of inaccessible negative terrain with UAV. The underground forests of tiankeng were discovered and are known as the inaccessible precious ecological refugia of extreme negative terrain. The aim of this research proposal is to explore the suitability of UAV technology for extracting the stand parameters of underground forests’ functional traits in karst tiankeng. Based on the multi-scale segmentation algorithm and object-oriented classification method, the canopy parameters (crown width and densities) of underground forests in degraded karst tiankeng were extracted by UAV remote sensing image data and appropriate features collection. First, a multi-scale segmentation algorithm was applied to attain the optimal segmentation scale to obtain the single wood canopy. Second, feature space optimization was used to construct the optimal feature space set for the image and then the k-nearest neighbor(k-NN) classifier was used to classify the image features. The features were classified into five types: canopy, grassland, road, gap, and bare land. Finally, both the crown densities and average crown width of the trees were calculated, and their accuracy were verified. The results showed that overall accuracy of object-oriented image feature classification was 85.60%, with 0.72 of kappa coefficient. The accuracy of tree canopy density extraction was 82.34%, for which kappa coefficient reached 0.91. The average canopy width of trees in the samples from the tiankeng-inside was 5.38 m, while that of the outside samples was 4.83 m. In conclusion, the canopy parameters in karst tiankeng were higher than those outside the tiankeng. Stand parameters extraction of karst tiankeng underground forests based on UAV remote sensing was relatively satisfactory. Thus, UAV technology provides a new approach to explore forest resources in inaccessible negative terrain such as karst tiankengs. In the future, we need to consider UAVs with more bands of cameras to extract more plant functional traits to promote the application of UAV for underground forest ecology research of more inaccessible negative terrain.
An Assessment of SNPP and NOAA20 VIIRS RSB Calibration Performance in NASA SIPS Reprocessed Collection-2 L1B Data Products
Authors: Wu Aisheng , Xiong Xiaoxiong , Bhatt Rajendra , Haney Conor , Doelling David R. , Angal Amit , Mu Qiaozhen
Published: August 2022

Two VIIRS sensors onboard the SNPP and NOAA20 satellites have been successfully operating for over 10 and 4 years, respectively, providing the worldwide user community with high-quality imagery and radiometric measurements of the land, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans. This study provides a temporal radiometric stability and calibration consistency assessment of the SNPP and NOAA20 VIIRS reflective solar bands using the latest NASA SIPS C2 L1B products. Several independent vicarious approaches are used to examine the stability of SNPP VIIRS and consistency of the at-sensor reflectance between the two VIIRS instruments. These approaches include observations from simultaneous nadir overpasses, the Libya-4 desert and Dome C snow/ice sites, and deep convective clouds. The impact of existing band spectral differences on the reflectance measurements is accounted for utilizing scene-specific hyperspectral observations provided by the SCIAMACHY sensor onboard the ENVISAT platform. Results indicate that both SNPP and NOAA20 VIIRS reflectances are stable within 1% over their mission periods for all bands, except for a few bands in the visible range from SNPP VIIRS that show more upward drifts at high radiances. NOAA20 VIIRS reflectances are systematically lower than SNPP by 2 to 4% for most bands, with the exception of few short wavelength bands where it is seen to be up to 7%.
Influence of Radar Parameters and Sea State on Wind Wave-Induced Velocity in C-Band ATI SAR Ocean Surface Currents
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zhang Jie , Zhang Xi , Cao Chenghui , Wang Xiaochen , Gao Gui , Liu Genwang , Bao Meng
Published: August 2022

Wind wave-induced artifact surface velocity (WASV) is an important component of the sea surface motions detected by synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. Understanding the characteristics of the interference of WASV on SAR current velocity estimates is necessary to improve the accuracy of retrievals. In this study, we assessed and analyzed the sensitivity of WASV in C-band along-track interferometric (ATI) SAR to radar configuration, wind field, swell field, and a wave spectrum model. Results showed that the influence of wind speed on WASV increased with the current velocity. The swell also affected WASV, especially at higher wind speeds; WASV was more strongly influenced by swell amplitude than by swell wavelength. In terms of radar configurations, results showed that VV polarization was more suitable than HH polarization in the estimation of WASV. The interference of WASV was minimal at moderate incidence angles (around 40°), and an appropriate ATI baseline selection was also given. The WASV was more strongly influenced by sea states than by the wave spectrum model or by a spreading function. The findings of this study improve our understanding of WASV and provide a reference for the design of future ATI SAR current measurement instruments and projects.
Monitoring Subsidence over the Planned Jakarta–Bandung (Indonesia) High-Speed Railway Using Sentinel-1 Multi-Temporal InSAR Data
Authors: Luo Qingli , Li Jian , Zhang Yuanzhi
Published: August 2022

Investigation of subsidence situations is important for the design of railway lines. Traditional geological investigations are expensive. Multi-temporal InSAR (MT-InSAR) analysis has shown great potential for detecting subsidence areas along large-scale manmade linear features (LMLFs). The disadvantage of applying high-resolution SAR data such as that from TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed data is the high cost. By contrast, the free and open data from Sentinel-1 A/B offer an unprecedented opportunity for InSAR applications. Despite these advantages, research investigating the potential for monitoring subsidence along LMSFs using multi-temporal Sentinel-1 InSAR data at the design stage of LMSFs is limited. This paper explores the monitoring ability of MT-InSAR analysis with Sentinel-1 A/B multi-temporal data in an experiment along the planned Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway in Bandung, Indonesia. Subsidence patterns along the route of the planned high-speed railway were analyzed in detail. By means of validation using 12 leveling points, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the average displacement velocity that was obtained from the MT-InSAR results was found to be 10.31 mm/yr. This paper demonstrates the potential of Sentinel-1 multi-temporal INSAR data to detect potential subsidence areas along planned LMLFs (e.g., the planned high-speed railway that is the focus of this study), serving as a reference for further planning of monitoring subsidence over planned LMLFs.
SW-GAN: Road Extraction from Remote Sensing Imagery Using Semi-Weakly Supervised Adversarial Learning
Authors: Chen Hao , Peng Shuang , Du Chun , Li Jun , Wu Songbing
Published: August 2022

Road networks play a fundamental role in our daily life. It is of importance to extract the road structure in a timely and precise manner with the rapid evolution of urban road structure. Recently, road network extraction using deep learning has become an effective and popular method. The main shortcoming of the road extraction using deep learning methods lies in the fact that there is a need for a large amount of training datasets. Additionally, the datasets need to be elaborately annotated, which is usually labor-intensive and time-consuming; thus, lots of weak annotations (such as the centerline from OpenStreetMap) have accumulated over the past a few decades. To make full use of the weak annotations, we propose a novel semi-weakly supervised method based on adversarial learning to extract road networks from remote sensing imagery. Our method uses a small set of pixel-wise annotated data and a large amount of weakly annotated data for training. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can achieve a maintained performance compared with the methods that use a large number of full pixel-wise annotations while using less fully annotated data.
Editorial: Applications of Remote Sensing in Glaciology
Authors: Bhardwaj Anshuman , Sam Lydia
Published: August 2022

Contemporary and significant spatiotemporal changes in glaciers are a result of rapidly evolving regional and global climate, and continuous monitoring is imperative for understanding the complexities of glacio–climatic interactions [...]
Piezoresistance Characterization of Silicon Nanowires in Uniaxial and Isostatic Pressure Variation
Authors: Fakhri Elham , Plugaru Rodica , Sultan Muhammad Taha , Hanning Kristinsson Thorsteinn , Örn Árnason Hákon , Plugaru Neculai , Manolescu Andrei , Ingvarsson Snorri , Svavarsson Halldor Gudfinnur
Published: August 2022

Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are known to exhibit a large piezoresistance (PZR) effect, making them suitable for various sensing applications. Here, we report the results of a PZR investigation on randomly distributed and interconnected vertical silicon nanowire arrays as a pressure sensor. The samples were produced from p-type (100) Si wafers using a silver catalyzed top-down etching process. The piezoresistance response of these SiNW arrays was analyzed by measuring their I-V characteristics under applied uniaxial as well as isostatic pressure. The interconnected SiNWs exhibit increased mechanical stability in comparison with separated or periodic nanowires. The repeatability of the fabrication process and statistical distribution of measurements were also tested on several samples from different batches. A sensing resolution down to roughly 1m pressure was observed with uniaxial force application, and more than two orders of magnitude resistance variation were determined for isostatic pressure below atmospheric pressure.
Antenna Excitation Optimization with Deep Learning for Microwave Breast Cancer Hyperthermia
Authors: Yildiz Gulsah , Yasar Halimcan , Uslu Ibrahim Enes , Demirel Yusuf , Akinci Mehmet Nuri , Yilmaz Tuba , Akduman Ibrahim
Published: August 2022

Microwave hyperthermia (MH) requires the effective calibration of antenna excitations for the selective focusing of the microwave energy on the target region, with a nominal effect on the surrounding tissue. To this end, many different antenna calibration methods, such as optimization techniques and look-up tables, have been proposed in the literature. These optimization procedures, however, do not consider the whole nature of the electric field, which is a complex vector field; instead, it is simplified to a real and scalar field component. Furthermore, most of the approaches in the literature are system-specific, limiting the applicability of the proposed methods to specific configurations. In this paper, we propose an antenna excitation optimization scheme applicable to a variety of configurations and present the results of a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based approach for two different configurations. The data set for CNN training is collected by superposing the information obtained from individual antenna elements. The results of the CNN models outperform the look-up table results. The proposed approach is promising, as the phase-only optimization and phase–power-combined optimization show a 27% and 4% lower hotspot-to-target energy ratio, respectively, than the look-up table results for the linear MH applicator. The proposed deep-learning-based optimization technique can be utilized as a protocol to be applied on any MH applicator for the optimization of the antenna excitations, as well as for a comparison of MH applicators.
Thermal Analysis and Prediction Methods for Temperature Distribution of Slab Track Using Meteorological Data
Authors: Zhang Qiangqiang , Dai Gonglian , Tang Yu
Published: August 2022

The structural temperature distribution, especially temperature difference caused by solar radiation, has a great impact on the deformation and curvature of the concrete slab tracks of high-speed railways. Previous studies mainly focused on the temperature prediction of slab tracks, while how the temperature distribution is affected by environmental conditions has been rarely investigated. Based on the integral transformation method, this work presents an analytical method to determine and decompose the temperature distribution of the concrete slab track. A field temperature test of a half-scaled specimen of concrete slab track was conducted to validate the developed methodology. In the proposed method, we decompose the temperature distribution of the slab track into an initial temperature component and a boundary temperature component. Then, the boundary temperature components caused by solar radiation and atmospheric temperature are investigated, respectively. The results show that the solar radiation plays a significant role in the nonlinear temperature distribution, while the atmospheric temperature has little effect. By contrast, the temperature change in the slab surface resulting from the atmospheric temperature accounts on average for only 5% in the hot weather condition. The proposed method establishes a relation between the structural temperature and meteorological parameters (i.e., the solar radiation and atmospheric temperature). Consequently, the temperature distribution of the concrete slab track is predicted via the meteorological parameters.
A Statistical Analysis of Response and Recovery Times: The Case of Ethanol Chemiresistors Based on Pure SnO2
Authors: Ponzoni Andrea
Published: August 2022

Response and recovery times are among the most important parameters for gas sensors. Their optimization has been pursued through several strategies, including the control over the morphology of the sensitive material. The effectiveness of these approaches is typically proven by comparing different sensors studied in the same paper under the same conditions. Additionally, tables comparing the results of the considered paper with those available in the literature are often reported. This is fundamental to frame the results of individual papers in a more general context; nonetheless, it suffers from the many differences occurring at the experimental level between different research groups. To face this issue, in the present paper, we adopt a statistical approach to analyze the response and recovery times reported in the literature for chemiresistors based on pure SnO2 for ethanol detection, which was chosen as a case study owing to its available statistic. The adopted experimental setup (of the static or dynamic type) emerges as the most important parameter. Once the statistic is split into these categories, morphological and sensor-layout effects also emerge. The observed results are discussed in terms of different diffusion phenomena whose balance depends on the testing conditions adopted in different papers.
Critical Success Factors for Competitiveness of Egyptian Construction Companies
Authors: Mohamed Hany Abd Elshakour , Eltohamy Ahmed Ibrahim
Published: August 2022

Advancing construction company competitiveness is a tremendous challenge. In approaching this challenge, it is useful to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) that impinge upon company competitiveness. This research aims to determine the CSFs for the competitiveness of Egyptian construction companies. The research deployed the relative importance index (RII) and the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) to determine the importance of and screen out the success factors for company competitiveness. The results of the two methods are demonstrated and discussed, and then the CSFs are obtained by taking the intersection of the results of the two methods. This research finds that a sustainable organization and leadership structure and governance system; stating a mission, vision and values; key types of suppliers and partners; reporting relationships among the different parts of the organization; and using technology as a support to achieve strategies are the five top-ranked CSFs for company competitiveness in the Egyptian construction market. The least important factors that influence company competitiveness include having indicators to assess the image of the organization and having positive trends for indicators measuring societal performance. The identification of the CSFs is useful for helping contractors to utilize their limited resources more efficiently to improve their competitive advantage.
The Influence of Fake News on Social Media: Analysis and Verification of Web Content during the COVID-19 Pandemic by Advanced Machine Learning Methods and Natural Language Processing
Authors: Nistor Andreea , Zadobrischi Eduard
Published: August 2022

The purpose of this research was to analyze the prevalence of fake news on social networks, and implicitly, the economic crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the identification of solutions for filtering and detecting fake news. In this context, we created a series of functions to identify fake content, using information collected from different articles, through advanced machine learning methods with which we could upload and analyze the obtained data. The methodology proposed in this research determined a higher accuracy of fake news collected from Facebook, one of the most powerful social networks for the dissemination of informative content. Thus, the use of advanced machine learning methods and natural language processing code led to an improvement in the detection of fake news compared to conventional methods.
Formal Micro-Credit for Refugees: New Evidence and Thoughts on an Elusive Path to Self-Reliance
Authors: Dhawan Swati M. , Wilson Kim , Zademach Hans-Martin
Published: August 2022

The provision of formal micro-credit for refugees has been promoted as a dignified way to improve their ability to generate income through small-scale enterprises and reduce poverty. As humanitarian funding declines in protracted displacement situations, such approaches are sought to transform refugees into self-reliant, resilient, entrepreneurial agents who are no longer dependent on aid and can overcome a crisis with their own resources and financial confidence. The paper in hand questions this claim on the basis of new, comprehensive empirical insights on the financial lives of refugees in non-camp settings in Jordan. By applying the perspective of the credit users, not the suppliers, our evidence shows that the pervasive use of debt (mostly informal) does not signify latent demand for formal micro-credit. In a context where refugees face restrictions on right to work, move, set up businesses, and imagine a future in the host country, formal credit cannot improve self-reliance. The paper sheds light on a larger variety of sources of debt that are crucial for refugees to manage their lives. In conclusion, the paper argues that the rhetoric around micro-credit as a path to refugee self-reliance has to be re-visited as problematic, even damaging, and humanitarian actors should push this agenda with caution.
Strategies for Alleviating Spatial Disadvantage: A Systems Thinking Analysis and Plan of Action
Authors: Tucker Richard , Johnson Louise , Liang Jian , Allender Steven
Published: August 2022

Within Australian cities there is significant socioeconomic disparity between communities, which is an obstacle to sustainable urban development. There is a voluminous amount research into the causes and some of the ameliorative actions to address socio-spatial disadvantage, though many studies do not localize or systematize their analyses. This paper presents the results of a co-design process conducted with community stakeholders using innovative realist inquiry and system mapping to answer the question: what are the impacts and drivers of socioeconomic and spatial disadvantage in a regional city in Victoria, Australia, and what actions might ameliorate these in three localities? Participants identified 24 separate causes and impacts of acute socioeconomic disadvantage. Using system maps, these community members developed 13 intervention ideas for action with potential to positively impact health and wellbeing, education, housing, employment, and livability, and be translatable to policy positions. The paper therefore presents a unique method of enquiry into spatial disadvantage and a grounded set of strategies for positive action.
Spatial Equity Assessment of Bus Travel Behavior for Pilgrimage: Evidence from Lhasa, Tibet, China
Authors: Cheng Gang , Guo Leishan , Zhang Tao
Published: August 2022

Travel equity has always been an important but difficult topic in urban traffic research, especially for different groups. Firstly, based on bus operation, this paper constructs the ride change network using the ArcGIS platform. Secondly, through network analysis and based on the transfer network, the time measurement model of bus stops and the time accessibility measurement model of the traffic zones are used to measure and analyze bus stops and traffic zones, respectively. Finally, combined with the global and local spatial autocorrelation model, the travel space allocation equilibrium of pilgrimage is quantified. This case study shows that the time accessibility index reflects the fairness of pilgrimage resource allocation well. According to the overall and local Moran’s I index, the spatial distribution of the configuration equilibrium of the traffic zone is obtained. This paper offers two contributions to the literature: an assessment of the travel fairness of pilgrimage and conclusions that fill the research gaps on the travel equity of vulnerable groups. In this paper, the spatial fairness of pilgrimage behavior is studied, which reflects the fairness and balance of the public transportation system for pilgrimage, as well as the travel fairness of pilgrimage in various regions. The presented knowledge can promote the fairness of residential travel and achieve social equity.
Investigating the Influence of Fly Attractant on Food Waste Recovery through Fly Larvae Production
Authors: Meiramkulova Kulyash , Devrishov Davud , Kakabayev Anuarbek , Marzanov Nurbiy , Kurmanbayeva Aigul , Adilbektegi Gulmira , Marzanova Saida , Kydyrbekova Assel , Mkilima Timoth
Published: August 2022

The food industry is one of the sectors that produces considerable amounts of solid waste on a daily basis. Handling such waste has been a significant issue of worldwide concern. As a result, research into developing low-cost and effective technology for the recovery of food waste is critical in order to keep pace with the rapidly developing world. This research investigated the potential of maggot production on the recovery of food waste. Four different food waste materials (banana, starch, pineapples, and oranges) were taken into consideration. Additionally, the effect of the fly attractant on the production system’s overall performance was assessed; the fly attractant was a mixture of cattle blood and meat waste. With a correlation index of 0.96 (without fly attractant) and 0.87 (with fly attractant), the number of days before harvesting and the average maggot weight had a very high (positive) correlation. Moreover, it was observed that using a fly attractant increased maggot yield substantially. For instance, the banana materials produced up to 94 g/kg of maggot weight on the eighth day, which is approximately a 32.4% increase from the same material without fly attractant. On the other hand, the trials’ relative dry weight reduction ranged from 52.5% to 82.4%. The results of this study also showed that producing maggots can be a practical method for recovering food waste, particularly when combined with the use of a fly attractant. The residue from the maggot production process can be applied as an organic fertilizer.
A Systematic Review of Radon Risk Perception, Awareness, and Knowledge: Risk Communication Options
Authors: Cori Liliana , Curzio Olivia , Donzelli Gabriele , Bustaffa Elisa , Bianchi Fabrizio
Published: August 2022

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking, and research on individual risk perception of radon is crucial to prevent its health effects. In this work, we aimed to systematically review the scientific literature that has analyzed radon risk perception, awareness, and knowledge to provide insight on communication actions. For this purpose, following the PRISMA 2020 statement, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, focusing on articles published since 2010. After the screening process, we included 40 articles, of which 5 explored only knowledge, 11 added risk perception, 11 further investigated the willingness to make radon measurements, and 13 examined the full cycle of prevention, including risk mitigation actions. Many articles performed a quantitative assessment of the relationship between knowledge/awareness/perception and actions such as radon testing and remediation, showing positive associations and providing interesting elements for evaluating interventions. Furthermore, citizen science actions described by some studies could be crucial for enhancing community self-sufficiency, responsibility, and the quality of preventive actions. To conclude, risk communication can play a key role in making risk prevention possible by reducing exposure, and a multidisciplinary approach, involving constant collaboration with different experts, is essential.
Association between Contact with Nature and Anxiety, Stress and Depression Symptoms: A Primary Survey in Brazil
Authors: Bressane Adriano , Negri Rogério Galante , de Brito Junior Irineu , Medeiros Liliam César de Castro , Araújo Isabela Lopes Lima , Silva Mirela Beatriz , Galvão Amanda Louisi dos Santos , Rosa Graziele Coraline Scofano da
Published: August 2022

Mental health benefits have been linked to human interaction with nature. However, most studies have been carried out in developed countries, limiting the generalizability of empirical findings to other parts of the world. To address this gap, this study was conducted in Brazil. The objective of the study was to assess whether the frequency of contact with nature affects the occurrence of anxiety, stress, and depression. Data were collected between June and July 2022 through an online survey (n = 1186, 1 − α = 0.95, p = 0.05, 1 − β = 0.85, rho = 0.1). Thus, the public online survey made it possible to carry out voluntary response sampling suitable for an exploratory study, with the purpose of an initial understanding of an under-researched population. First, a logistic regression was performed for quantifying the association between contact with nature and mental symptoms. In addition, three groups of people having different frequencies (low, medium, and high) of contact with nature and a reference group, comprised of those who reported no contact, were compared using Kruskal–Wallis and Dwass–Steel–Chritchlow–Fligner tests. This study employs a cross-sectional design and relies on retrospective recall. As a result, the research hypothesis was confirmed. People who very rarely have contact with nature had a 97.95% probability of moderate occurrence of stress, which decreases to 20.98% for people who have contact with nature frequently. Furthermore, in the same comparison, the probability of occurrence was 3.6 times lower for anxiety and 4.8 times lower for depression. In conclusion, the evidence indicates that the greater the frequency of contact with nature, the lower the occurrence of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Nevertheless, the benefits of this contact were significant only when its frequency was moderate (about once or twice a week) or higher.
Walking in the Era of Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Pettigrew Simone , Booth Leon , Farrar Victoria , Godic Branislava , Brown Julie , Karl Charles , Thompson Jason
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: The emergence of autonomous vehicles (AVs) is likely to have substantial implications for walking behaviours due to the availability of new transport options and altered physical environments within cities. The aim of this exploratory study was to identify AV-related factors that could affect walking at the population level and strategies to ameliorate any negative effects. (2) Methods: A total of 46 Australian expert stakeholders were interviewed about their perceptions of the potential impacts of AVs on walking behaviours. The interviewees represented government departments (state and federal), non-government organisations (NGOs), private sector companies, peak bodies, and academia. (3) Results: Interviewees expected AVs to have different effects on individuals’ ability and motivation to engage in planned versus incidental walking. While those with innate motivation to walk as a form of exercise or leisure may experience enhanced participation opportunities, it appears that incidental walking could be adversely impacted through the availability of convenient AV door-to-door transport options and automated home delivery services that reduce walking related to commuting and shopping. (4) Conclusions: Proactive policy actions are needed to optimize the potential positive impacts of AVs on walking and circumvent the potential negative impacts on valuable incidental walking that constitutes a key component of many people’s total physical activity.
Individual Low-Cost Travel as a Route to Tourism Sustainability
Authors: Włodarczyk Bogdan , Cudny Waldemar
Published: August 2022

The article discusses the issues of individual low-cost and sustainable tourism and its main goal is to confirm that individual low-cost travel is in fact a form of tourism within which the principles of sustainable tourism are implemented. It is a theoretical article based on desk research involving literature analysis. The study has confirmed that individual low-cost tourism and various other types related to it show relevant relationships with the ideas of sustainable development. These affinities are visible concerning economic, sociocultural, and environmentally balanced growth. However, the research results presented in the article are theoretical and need further empirical verification. Therefore, the authors treat this study as a work provoking discussion on the issue of the relationship between individual low-cost and sustainable tourism.