bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Grand Tour Algorithm: Novel Swarm-Based Optimization for High-Dimensional Problems
Authors: Meirelles Gustavo , Brentan Bruno , Izquierdo Joaquín , Luvizotto Edevar
Published: August 2020

Agent-based algorithms, based on the collective behavior of natural social groups, exploit innate swarm intelligence to produce metaheuristic methodologies to explore optimal solutions for diverse processes in systems engineering and other sciences. Especially for complex problems, the processing time, and the chance to achieve a local optimal solution, are drawbacks of these algorithms, and to date, none has proved its superiority. In this paper, an improved swarm optimization technique, named Grand Tour Algorithm (GTA), based on the behavior of a peloton of cyclists, which embodies relevant physical concepts, is introduced and applied to fourteen benchmarking optimization problems to evaluate its performance in comparison to four other popular classical optimization metaheuristic algorithms. These problems are tackled initially, for comparison purposes, with 1000 variables. Then, they are confronted with up to 20,000 variables, a really large number, inspired in the human genome. The obtained results show that GTA clearly outperforms the other algorithms. To strengthen GTA’s value, various sensitivity analyses are performed to verify the minimal influence of the initial parameters on efficiency. It is demonstrated that the GTA fulfils the fundamental requirements of an optimization algorithm such as ease of implementation, speed of convergence, and reliability. Since optimization permeates modeling and simulation, we finally propose that GTA will be appealing for the agent-based community, and of great help for a wide variety of agent-based applications.
N-Tosylcarboxamide in C–H Functionalization: More than a Simple Directing Group
Authors: Large Benjamin , Terrasson Vincent , Prim Damien
Published: August 2020

C–H activation with transition metal catalysis has become an important tool in organic synthesis for the functionalization of low reactive bonds and the preparation of complex molecules. The choice of the directing group (DG) proves to be crucial for the selectivity in this type of reaction, and several different functional groups have been used efficiently. This review describes recent advances in C–H functionalization of aromatic rings directed by a N-tosylcarboxamide group. Results regarding alkenylation, alkoxylation, halogenation, and arylation of C–H in the ortho position to the tosylcarboxamide are presented. Moreover, the advantage of this particular directing group is that it can undergo further transformation and act as CO or CON fragment reservoir to produce, in sequential fashion or one-pot sequence, various interesting (hetero)cycles such as phenanthridinones, dihydroisoquinolinones, fluorenones, or isoindolinones.
A General Review of the Current Development of Mechanically Agitated Vessels
Authors: Jaszczur Marek , Młynarczykowska Anna
Published: August 2020

The mixing process in a mechanically agitated vessel is a widespread phenomenon which plays an important role among industrial processes. In that process, one of the crucial parameters, the mixing efficiency, depends on a large number of geometrical factors, as well as process parameters and complex interactions between the phases which are still not well understood. In the last decade, large progress has been made in optimisation, construction and numerical and experimental analysis of mechanically agitated vessels. In this review, the current state in this field has been presented. It shows that advanced computational fluid dynamic techniques for multiphase flow analysis with reactions and modern experimental techniques can be used with success to analyse in detail mixing features in liquid-liquid, gas-liquid, solid-liquid and in more than two-phase flows. The objective is to show the most important research recently carried out.
Variations of Mass Balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 2002 to 2019
Authors: Mu Yaqiong , Wei Yanqiang , Wu Jinkui , Ding Yongjian , Shangguan Donghui , Zeng Di
Published: August 2020

The melting of the polar ice caps is considered to be an essential factor for global sea-level rise and has received significant attention. Quantitative research on ice cap mass changes is critical in global climate change. In this study, GRACE JPL RL06 data under the Mascon scheme based on the dynamic method were used. Greenland, which is highly sensitive to climate change, was selected as the study area. Greenland was divided into six sub-research regions, according to its watersheds. The spatial–temporal mass changes were compared to corresponding temperature and precipitation statistics to analyze the relationship between changes in ice sheet mass and climate change. The results show that: (i) From February 2002 to September 2019, the rate of change in the Greenland Ice Sheet mass was about −263 ± 13 Gt yr−1 and the areas with the most substantial ice sheet loss and climate changes were concentrated in the western and southern parts of Greenland. (ii) The mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet during the study period was at a loss, and this was closely related to increasing trends in temperature and precipitation. (iii) In the coastal areas of western and southern Greenland, the rate of mass change has accelerated significantly, mainly because of climate change.
Exploring Annual Urban Expansions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area: Spatiotemporal Features and Driving Factors in 1986–2017
Authors: Zhang Jie , Yu Le , Li Xuecao , Zhang Chenchen , Shi Tiezhu , Wu Xiangyin , Yang Chao , Gao Wenxiu , Li Qingquan , Wu Guofeng
Published: August 2020

The Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) of China is one of the largest bay areas in the world. However, the spatiotemporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of urban expansions in this region are poorly understood. Here we used the annual remote sensing images, Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques, and geographical detector method to characterize the spatiotemporal patterns of urban expansion in the GBA and investigate their driving factors during 1986–2017 on regional and city scales. The results showed that: the GBA experienced an unprecedented urban expansion over the past 32 years. The total urban area expanded from 652.74 km2 to 8137.09 km2 from 1986 to 2017 (approximately 13 times). The annual growth rate during 1986–2017 was 8.20% and the annual growth rate from 1986 to 1990 was the highest (16.89%). Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, and Shenzhen experienced the highest urban expansion rate, with the annual increase of urban areas in 51.51, 45.54, 36.76, and 23.26 km2 y−1, respectively, during 1986–2017. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), income, road length, and population were the most important driving factors of the urban expansions in the GBA. We also found the driving factors of the urban expansions varied with spatial and temporal scales, suggesting the general understanding from the regional level may not reveal detailed urban dynamics. Detailed urban management and planning policies should be made considering the spatial and internal heterogeneity. These findings can enhance the comprehensive understanding of this bay area and help policymakers to promote sustainable development in the future.
Emotion Variation from Controlling Contrast of Visual Contents through EEG-Based Deep Emotion Recognition
Authors: Yang Heekyung , Han Jongdae , Min Kyungha
Published: August 2020

Visual contents such as movies and animation evoke various human emotions. We examine an argument that the emotion from the visual contents may vary according to the contrast control of the scenes contained in the contents. We sample three emotions including positive, neutral and negative to prove our argument. We also sample several scenes of these emotions from visual contents and control the contrast of the scenes. We manipulate the contrast of the scenes and measure the change of valence and arousal from human participants who watch the contents using a deep emotion recognition module based on electroencephalography (EEG) signals. As a result, we conclude that the enhancement of contrast induces the increase of valence, while the reduction of contrast induces the decrease. Meanwhile, the contrast control affects arousal on a very minute scale.
Sustainable Food Consumption in Nursing Homes: Less Food Waste with the Right Plate Color?
Authors: Hansen Kai Victor , Derdowski Lukasz Andrzej
Published: August 2020

The problem of unsustainable food consumption among vulnerable residents of nursing homes who suffer from dementia is often multifaceted. From an individual perspective, people with dementia who do not finish their meals are likely to encounter serious health issues associated with malnutrition. Moreover, at the institutional level, nursing homes generate tons of nonrecoverable food waste each year, impairing not only their economic position but also the natural and social environment at large. The purpose of this study is to explore the possibility of reducing food waste in Norwegian nursing homes by appraising how large this reduction could be as one replaces traditional dining white porcelain with plates with diverse color combinations. A quasi-experimental method was adopted. The results of the pilot study were extrapolated to the annual amount of food wasted at the national level. The findings indicate that, on average, 26% of food was thrown away when served on white plates compared to only 9% when served on one of the colored plate options tested. Nationally, approximately 992.6 tons of food per year could potentially be saved with only a single change, ultimately ameliorating the unsustainable food consumption problem among residents of nursing homes.
Beyond Carbon Footprint Calculators. New Approaches for Linking Consumer Behaviour and Climate Action
Authors: Burgui-Burgui Mario , Chuvieco Emilio
Published: August 2020

This paper presents a carbon footprint (CF) observatory recently developed within our research group. It aims to introduce a new concept of CF accountability, which focused not just on measuring CF, but also on making users reflect about and eventually change their lifestyles to reduce their personal emissions. With this conception, the CO2web observatory includes not only a CF calculator, but also the CF of different alternative consumption scenarios. Therefore, the user may be more aware of the impact of different personal decisions, such as emissions linked to different food, cars, home appliances or pets. In addition, the CF calculator provides quantitative comparisons of the emissions linked to current habits of users with those of similar cohorts, along with specific advices for those consumption sectors where emissions are significantly higher than their cohort’s average.
Feasibility Analysis of Green Travel in Public Transportation: A Case Study of Wuhan
Authors: Zheng Junjun , Cheng Yi , Ma Gang , Han Xue , Yu Liukai
Published: August 2020

The demand to alleviate urban traffic and reduce air pollution puts forward high requirements for green travel in public transportation. Thus, study of the feasibility of urban green travel in public transportation is necessary. This study focuses on it from two aspects: City level by complex network and individual level by structural equation model. As for the former, point of interest data on the spatial distribution of urban public transportation in Wuhan city are quantitatively analyzed. Then, a complex network of public transportation in Wuhan is constructed by using the Space L method, and the network characteristics are analyzed. Results show that accessibility coverage is mainly concentrated in the central urban area, and two significant central nodes exist, namely, Linshi and Zhaohu stations. At the individual level, 354 valid questionnaires and the structural equation model were used to explore the factors affecting individual intention of public transportation. Behavioral perceptual outcome, behavioral attitudes, and subjective norms have positive influences on the behavioral intention of public transportation, among which the behavioral attitudes are the most significant, and the subjective norms had the lowest influence. Some suggestions are proposed for Wuhan to improve urban accessibility and for individuals to increase green travel in public transportation.
The Impact of Project Manager Soft Competences on Project Sustainability
Authors: Xue Jian , Rasool Zeeshan , Gillani Aqsa , Khan Ahmad Imran
Published: August 2020

The current study suggests a different and innovative view by testing a unique combination of variables, which are unproven in a single model for the purpose of increasing the ratio of sustainable projects. The project manager can use the model to look their projects and can compose necessary changes for better outcomes. The study objects to postulate the competence breach of project managers with regard to sustainability, and to deliver direction that how to fulfill the research gap. The given work is centered on the result of project supervisor soft capabilities on project sustainability mediated by innovation. To achieve this aim, deductive approach was adopted. The sample size of the study was 242 respondents, and data were collected from software houses. The collected data were then analyzed by doing the structural equation modeling in PLS-SEM in order to examine the relationships. The outcomes demonstrate positive impact of project manager soft competences on project sustainability and mediating impact of innovation among the relationship of project manager soft competences and project sustainability. Innovation is directly linked to project sustainable development, and was accepted, which aligns with the previous studies. This research reflects the role of project manager soft competences on innovation and project sustainability. The study is unique in its scope and implications as the focus is upon empirical investigation of the project manager soft competences and project sustainability in the context of Pakistan.
Peak-Load Forecasting for Small Industries: A Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Kim Dong-Hoon , Lee Eun-Kyu , Qureshi Naik Bakht Sania
Published: August 2020

Peak-load forecasting prevents energy waste and helps with environmental issues by establishing plans for the use of renewable energy. For that reason, the subject is still actively studied. Most of these studies are focused on improving predictive performance by using varying feature information, but most small industrial facilities cannot provide such information because of a lack of infrastructure. Therefore, we introduce a series of studies to implement a generalized prediction model that is applicable to these small industrial facilities. On the basis of the pattern of load information of most industrial facilities, new features were selected, and a generalized model was developed through the aggregation of ensemble models. In addition, a new method is proposed to improve prediction performance by providing additional compensation to the prediction results by reflecting the fewest opinions among the prediction results of each model. Actual data from two small industrial facilities were applied to our process, and the results proved the effectiveness of our proposed method.
Optimizing Resources of Multimodal Transport Terminal for Material Flow Service
Authors: Naumov Vitalii , Taran Igor , Litvinova Yana , Bauer Marek
Published: August 2020

Multimodal transport terminals are the elements of transport systems that ensure the interaction of enterprises of various modes of transport. The effective functioning of transport terminals significantly affects the efficiency of the material flow servicing in a supply chain and the sustainability of the whole transport system. The paper proposes an approach to determine the optimal parameters of production resources in multimodal transport terminals, based on numerical computer simulations of technological operations in a transport terminal for the given parameters of incoming and outgoing material flows. The practical use of the proposed approach is shown on the example of the Amur Harbor cargo area of the Dnipro River Port.
Effects of Urbanization on Regional Extreme-Temperature Changes in China, 1960–2016
Authors: Qiu Junliang , Yang Xiankun , Cao Bowen , Chen Zhilong , Li Yuxuan
Published: August 2020

Urbanization in China has been expanding dramatically since 1978, significantly affecting the extreme temperature changes in cities, which is a vital indicator of urban climate change. To assess urban-related effect on regional extreme-temperature changes in China, this study employed high-resolution land use data to divide meteorological stations into rural stations, suburban stations, and urban stations, and evaluated the annual and seasonal changes in extreme minimum temperature (TNN), mean temperature (Tavg) and extreme maximum temperature (TXX) at each meteorological station. The result revealed that extreme temperature indices (TNN, TXX) and Tavg increased significantly from 1960 to 2016 with varied degrees in different seasons and different regions. Extreme temperature indices in high latitudes increased more rapidly than in low latitudes; while the trends in summer are slower than in other seasons. Urbanization effects on the trends of TNN, Tavg and TXX were all statistically significant, but urbanization effects on TNN and Tavg were more significant than TXX. The urbanization effects were more significant in low altitudes, especially in North, South, Northwest and Northeast China. In North, Northwest and Northeast China, the urban-related effects on temperature increase were mainly observed in spring and winter, but in South China, the urban-related effects were more evident in summer. This study is valuable for sustainable urban planning in China.
Global Collaboration Research Strategies for Sustainability in the Post COVID-19 Era: Analyzing Virology-Related National-Funded Projects
Authors: Lee Doyeon , Kang Jongseok , Kim Keunhwan
Published: August 2020

In the post-COVID-19 era, virology-related research, which not only depends on the governments as its main source of funding but also requires international and interdisciplinary collaborations, is recognized as an essential defense for sustainability. Few published studies have examined the trend, but only for certain viruses before the mid-2010s. Moreover, it is challenging to define generally accepted virology-related research fields due to its broad spectrum. Thus, it is time that we confront the unprecedented pandemic to understand the status of nationally supported projects in developed nations to establish international collaborative research strategies from an interdisciplinary perspective. In this study, 32,365 national-funded projects were collected from the US, EU, and Japan and assigned to five scientific fields to conduct a cluster analysis. Then, an expert-based approach was utilized to define an individual cluster. Moreover, a comparative analysis between nations was carried out to determine if there was a competitive edge for collaboration. As a result, a framework for virology-related research areas was constructed to provide the status quo and differences between nations’ research capabilities, thereby eliciting practical global research and development (R&D) cooperation to achieve a common agenda and a direction for goals in the post-COVID-19 era. These findings have implications for viral response R&D, policy, and practice for future pandemics. A systematic approach based on scientific evidence and an R&D collaboration strategy between industry and academia is essential to resolve the interdisciplinary barriers between countries and promote sustainable virus R&D collaboration.
Increase in Absolute Leaf Water Content Tends to Keep Pace with That of Leaf Dry Mass—Evidence from Bamboo Plants
Authors: Huang Weiwei , Reddy Gadi , Li Yueyi , Larsen Jørgen , Shi Peijian
Published: August 2020

Leaves, as the most important photosynthetic organ of plants, are intimately associated with plant function and adaptation to environmental changes. The scaling relationship of the leaf dry mass (or the fresh mass) vs. leaf surface area has been referred to as “diminishing returns”, suggesting that the leaf area fails to increase in proportion to leaf dry mass (or fresh mass). However, previous studies used materials across different families, and there is lack of studies testing whether leaf fresh mass is proportional to the leaf dry mass for the species in the same family, and examining the influence of the scaling of leaf dry mass vs. fresh mass on two kinds of diminishing returns based on leaf dry mass and fresh mass. Bamboo plants (Poaceae: Bambusoideae) are good materials for doing such a study, which have astonishingly similar leaf shapes across species. Bamboo leaves have a typical parallel venation pattern. In general, a parallel venation pattern tends to produce a more stable symmetrical leaf shape than the pinnate and palmate venation patterns. The symmetrical parallel veins enable leaves to more regularly hold water, which is more likely to result in a proportional relationship between the leaf dry mass and absolute water content, which consequently determines whether the scaling exponent of the leaf dry mass vs. area is significantly different from (or the same as) that of the leaf fresh mass vs. area. In the present study, we used the data of 101 bamboo species, cultivars, forms and varieties (referred to as 101 (bamboo) taxa below for convenience) to analyze the scaling relationships between the leaf dry mass and area, and between leaf fresh mass and area. We found that the confidence intervals of the scaling exponents of the leaf fresh mass vs. dry mass of 68 out of the 101 taxa included unity, which indicates that for most bamboo species (67.3%), the increase in leaf water mass keeps pace with that of leaf dry mass. There was a significant scaling relationship between either leaf dry mass or fresh mass, and the leaf surface area for each studied species. We found that there was no significant difference between the scaling exponent of the leaf dry mass vs. leaf area and that of the leaf fresh mass vs. leaf area when the leaf dry mass was proportional to the leaf fresh mass. The goodness of fit to the linearized scaling relationship of the leaf fresh mass vs. area was better than that of the leaf dry mass vs. area for each of the 101 bamboo taxa. In addition, there were significant differences in the normalized constants of the leaf dry mass vs. fresh mass among the taxa (i.e., the differences in leaf water content), which implies the difference in the adaptabilities to different environments across the taxa.
Limit Cycles of a Class of Polynomial Differential Systems Bifurcating from the Periodic Orbits of a Linear Center
Authors: Menaceur Amor , Boulaaras Salah , Alkhalaf Salem , Jain Shilpi
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we study the number of limit cycles of a new class of polynomial differential systems, which is an extended work of two families of differential systems in systems considered earlier. We obtain the maximum number of limit cycles that bifurcate from the periodic orbits of a center using the averaging theory of first and second order.
Do Products Respond to User Desires? A Case Study. Errors and Successes in the Design Process, under the Umbrella of Emotional Design
Authors: Alonso-García María , Pardo-Vicente Miguel-Ángel , Rodríguez-Parada Lucía , Moreno Nieto Daniel
Published: August 2020

This article introduces a methodological approach to the evaluation of different industrial products according to Norman’s approach and dimensions, focusing on a specific case study. The study also shows different possibilities to guide industrial designers during the design process in order to create products with high emotional value. For those, the case study was done with 330 target specific users, submitting nine prototypes (designed for different targets) to the user experience evaluation and product perception analysis. The evaluated proposals were selected from a total of 45. The results show the visceral, behavioural and reflective levels perceived by those users to whom each product is intended, as well as the target deviation within the design process. In this sense, the emotional response reveals the asymmetric character of perception according to Norman’s dimensions.
Phthalates, Para-Hydroxybenzoic Acids, Bisphenol-A, and Gonadal Hormones’ Effects on Susceptibility to Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Tsai Ching-Shu , Chou Wen-Jiun , Lee Sheng-Yu , Lee Min-Jing , Chou Miao-Chun , Wang Liang-Jen
Published: August 2020

This study aimed to examine whether endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates, para-hydroxybenzoic acids, and bisphenol-A (BPA), affect gonadal hormones and further link to the susceptibility to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We recruited 98 boys with ADHD, 32 girls with ADHD, 42 boys without ADHD and any other psychiatric disorders, and 26 girls without ADHD and any other psychiatric disorders. Urine levels of EDCs, including mono-methyl phthalate (MMP), monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP), monoethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), methylparaben (MP), ethylparaben (EP), propylparaben (PP), butylparaben (BP), and bisphenol A (BPA), were examined. Endocrine systems were evaluated by using the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), and prolactin. We found that boys with ADHD had higher levels of MnBP and EP than control boys. There were no significant differences regarding EDCs between the females with ADHD and control groups. No significant differences in testosterone, free testosterone, FSH, LH, estradiol, progesterone, or SHBG were found between the ADHD group and controls among either boys or girls. Among boys with ADHD, urine MBzP and MEHP levels were positively correlated with serum testosterone levels. Among girls, urine MEP levels were positively correlated with serum LH, testosterone, and free testosterone levels. The findings suggest that the possibility of an adverse impact of EDCs on gonadal hormones and neurodevelopment may exist. However, the results could be subject to potential selection bias, and the findings in this study should be interpreted with caution.
Silencing and Transcriptional Regulation of Endogenous Retroviruses: An Overview
Authors: Geis Franziska K. , Goff Stephen P.
Published: August 2020

Almost half of the human genome is made up of transposable elements (TEs), and about 8% consists of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). ERVs are remnants of ancient exogenous retrovirus infections of the germ line. Most TEs are inactive and not detrimental to the host. They are tightly regulated to ensure genomic stability of the host and avoid deregulation of nearby gene loci. Histone-based posttranslational modifications such as H3K9 trimethylation are one of the main silencing mechanisms. Trim28 is one of the identified master regulators of silencing, which recruits most prominently the H3K9 methyltransferase Setdb1, among other factors. Sumoylation and ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling factors seem to contribute to proper localization of Trim28 to ERV sequences and promote Trim28 interaction with Setdb1. Additionally, DNA methylation as well as RNA-mediated targeting of TEs such as piRNA-based silencing play important roles in ERV regulation. Despite the involvement of ERV overexpression in several cancer types, autoimmune diseases, and viral pathologies, ERVs are now also appreciated for their potential positive role in evolution. ERVs can provide new regulatory gene elements or novel binding sites for transcription factors, and ERV gene products can even be repurposed for the benefit of the host.
The Age of Cyclic Dinucleotide Vaccine Adjuvants
Authors: Gogoi Himanshu , Mansouri Samira , Jin Lei
Published: August 2020

As prophylactic vaccine adjuvants for infectious diseases, cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) induce safe, potent, long-lasting humoral and cellular memory responses in the systemic and mucosal compartments. As therapeutic cancer vaccine adjuvants, CDNs induce potent anti-tumor immunity, including cytotoxic T cells and NK cells activation that achieve durable regression in multiple mouse models of tumors. Clinical trials are ongoing to fulfill the promise of CDNs (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02675439, NCT03010176, NCT03172936, and NCT03937141). However, in October 2018, the first clinical data with Merck’s CDN MK-1454 showed zero activity as a monotherapy in patients with solid tumors or lymphomas (NCT03010176). Lately, the clinical trial from Aduro’s CDN ADU-S100 monotherapy was also disappointing (NCT03172936). The emerging hurdle in CDN vaccine development calls for a timely re-evaluation of our understanding on CDN vaccine adjuvants. Here, we review the status of CDN vaccine adjuvant research, including their superior adjuvant activities, in vivo mode of action, and confounding factors that affect their efficacy in humans. Lastly, we discuss the strategies to overcome the hurdle and advance promising CDN adjuvants in humans.
The Association of Media and Environmental Variables with Transit Ridership
Authors: Mendoza Daniel L. , Buchert Martin P. , Benney Tabitha M. , Lin John C.
Published: August 2020

Transportation systems are central to all cities, and city planners and policy makers take special interest in assuring these systems are efficient, functional, sustainable, and, increasingly, that they have a positive impact on human health. In addition, vehicular emissions are increasingly costly to cities due to congestion and its impact on public health. This study aims to show the associations between the media and environmental variables and associated transit ridership. By tracking media influence, we illustrated how media coverage and attention to an issue over time may impact public opinion and ridership outcomes, especially at the local level where the issues are most salient. The relationship between air quality and transit ridership shown can be generally explained through a combination of infrastructure and human behavior. The media key terms examined in this analysis show that ridership is associated with favorable weather conditions and air quality, suggesting that ridership volume may be influenced by an overall sense of comfort and safety. Based on this analysis, we illustrated the role of media attention in both increased and decreased transit ridership and how such effects are compounded by air quality conditions (e.g., green, yellow, orange, and red air quality days).
Evolution of Main Water Cycle Fluxes in the Karst Mountain Region of Southwest China
Authors: Liu Huan , Jia Yangwen , Niu Cunwen , Hu Peng , Du Junkai , Su Huidong , Zeng Qinghui
Published: August 2020

Distributed hydrological simulation in karst regions has always been a challenging task because of their unique hydrogeological characteristics. The karst mountain region of southwest China (KMRSC), one of the largest continuous karst areas in the world, contributes to about 54 percent of water supply in the basins. In spite of its importance, we have a poor understanding of the evolution laws of hydrological cycle and water resources in KMRSC. We developed a physically-based, distributed hydrological model, called Water and Energy transfer Processes (WEP)-karst model, for KMRSC by introducing the equivalent porous medium approach to the WEP-L model, and dividing the modelling domain into 2021 sub-watersheds. The area of sub-watersheds ranges from 55 to 920 km2, with an average value of 170 km2. The model showed a good performance in simulating the monthly discharge at 18 representative hydrological stations, with the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values ranging from 0.71 to 0.94, and the relative error (RE) values from −9.8% to 8.3% during the validation period (1980–2000). Then, we employed an in-depth analysis of the temporal and spatial variation of main water cycle fluxes, including precipitation, infiltration, evapotranspiration, blue water (i.e., river runoff), and green water (i.e., vegetation transpiration) over 1956–2015. In addition, the impact of climate change on these fluxes was evaluated under the median emission scenario (RCP4.5). The results showed that: (1) annual average precipitation of KMRSC reached 1506 mm, which is 2.4 times of the national average level, and about 47% (701 mm) of it contributed to river runoff. The infiltration and evapotranspiration were 862 and 870 mm, respectively. The transpiration from plants and trees accounted for 51% of the evapotranspiration. (2) Except for the green water, other fluxes experienced a significant decrease over the past 60 years. Blue water showed the largest interannual fluctuation and the strongest sensitivity to climate change. (3) Both precipitation and infiltration concentrated from May to August, and blue water increased notably from May to June and peaked in June. Blue water and precipitation were more likely to decrease in the future over 2021–2050 due to the climate change.
Determination of Volatile Fuel Oxygenates in Water by Gas Chromatography–Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry: Effect of Automated Sample Preparation Techniques
Authors: Zhu Kai , Liu Yucan , Sun Qing , Zhao Min , Huang Lihua
Published: August 2020

Considering the adverse effects of gasoline additives and aromatic compounds on the quality of the water supply and the ecological environment of the water, a methodology, with short chromatographic separation time (22.5 min) and high separation quality, was optimized for the determination of 11 common gasoline additives and aromatic compounds using gas chromatograph coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC–QqQ–MS/MS) system. The extraction procedure of analytes was performed by headspace solid–phase microextraction (HS–SPME) and purge and trap (P&T), respectively. Both of the two extraction methods provided excellent chromatographic resolution in subsequently GC–QqQ–MS/MS detection system, with the coefficients of linear regression of the calibration curves with HS–SPME and P&T pretreatments were 0.9965~0.9998 and 0.9961~0.9999, respectively, n = 7. The limit of detections (LODs) of these selected oxygenate compounds were discovered to be 0.52~32 ng/L in the P&T–GC–QqQ–MS/MS detection system and 0.11~151 ng/L in the HS–SPME–GC–QqQ–MS/MS detection system. For benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX), the HS–SPME–GC–QqQ–MS/MS system provided outstanding detection performance because of the lower LOD obtained. However, for other selected compounds, the P&T–GC–QqQ–MS/MS system offered lower LODs. The proposed extraction–detection procedure is a simple and sensitive analytical approach for the detection of gasoline additives and aromatic compounds in water.
Characteristics of Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Role in Lake Eutrophication at the Early Stage of Algal Blooms—A Case Study of Lake Taihu, China
Authors: Wang Shuhang , Wang Wenwen , Chen Junyi , Zhang Bo , Zhao Li , Jiang Xia
Published: August 2020

Decaying algal blooms in eutrophic lakes can introduce organic matter into the water and change nutrient concentrations in the water column. The spatial distribution and composition characteristics, sources, and contribution to eutrophication of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in the overlying water of Lake Taihu, a typical eutrophic lake in China, were analyzed by ultraviolet–visible spectra and three-dimensional fluorescence excitation–emission matrix spectra combined with the statistical decomposition technique, parallel factor analysis. The concentration of DOM was represented by dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and DOC in overlying water of Lake Taihu was 2.86–11.83 mg/L. The colored DOM (CDOM) was characterized by an absorption coefficient at 280 nm (a280) and 350 nm (a350), which were 6.63–29.87 and 1.84–10.41 m−1, respectively. These values showed an increasing trend from southeast to northwest, and the high values were concentrated in the northwest and northern lake areas. The parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) identified two protein-like (C1: tyrosine-like and C2: tryptophan-like) and one humic-like (C3: humic acid and fulvic acid) fluorescence components for fluorescent DOM (FDOM). The most dominant components were protein-like components (C1 + C2), whose fluorescence intensity contributed 87.55% ± 3.39% to the total fluorescence intensity (Ft) of FDOM (3.38 R.U.). The mean value of the fluorescence index (FI) and index of recent autochthonous contribution (BIX) of DOM was 1.77 and 0.92, and DOC, a280 and fluorescence intensities of FDOM components were all significantly and positively correlated with chl. a, indicating that DOM, CDOM, and FDOM were all mainly derived from algal activities and metabolites. The average humification index of the DOM was 0.66, which indicated a low humification degree. The protein-like DOM was correlated with DON and DOP, and might make great contributions to the continuous occurrence of algal blooms.
Джерела адміністративно-деліктного права України: становлення та сучасний стан
Authors: Панасюк О.
Published: August 2020

Визначено, що адміністративно-деліктне право будучи підгалуззю адміністративного права виконує схожі функції з врахуванням предмету правового регулювання та відносин пов’язаних з притягнення до адміністративної відповідальності. До функцій джерел адміністративно-деліктного права можна віднесено наступні: охоронна, регулятивна, виховна, пізнавальна, відновлювальна,  ідеологічна, вирішення правових конфліктів, політична. Виділено види джерел адміністративного-деліктного права. Наведено основні етапи кодифікації історії розвитку вітчизняного адміністративно-деліктного права. Визначено основні напрямків реформування інституту адміністративної відповідальності в Україні з огляду на формування адміністративно-деліктного права в Україні. Визначено, що кодифіковані джерела адміністративно-деліктного права потребують розвитку. Виходячи з основних джерел адміністративного права країн Європейського Союзу визначено напрямок розвитку кодифікованих джерел адміністративно-деліктного права України.
Порнографічні фейки: проблеми протидії
Authors: Денисов С. , Філей Ю.
Published: August 2020

У статті досліджується проблематика протидії створенню та розповсюдженню сфальсифікованих порнографічних фотографій та відеороликів з накладенням зображень облич людей, які не брали участі в їх зйомці. Наголошується, що діпфейк – це аудіо- та відеозаписи, створені або змінені таким чином, що запис помилково сприймається як автентичний запис реальної мови або дій індивідуума.
ANN Based Execution Time Prediction Model and Assessment of Input Parameters through ISM
Authors: Shukla Anju , Kumar Shishir , Singh Harikesh
Published: August 2020

Cloud computing is on-demand network access model which provides dynamic resource provisioning, selection and scheduling. The performance of these techniques extensively depends on the prediction of various factors e.g., task execution time, resource trust value etc., As the accuracy of prediction model absolutely depends on the input data that are fed into the network, Selection of suitable inputs also plays vital role in predicting the appropriate value. Based on predicted value, Scheduler can choose the suitable resource and perform scheduling for efficient resource utilization and reduced makespan estimates. However, precise prediction of execution time is difficult in cloud environment due to heterogeneous nature of resources and varying input data. As each task has different characteristic and execution criteria, the environment must be intelligent enough to select the suitable resource. To solve these issues, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based prediction model is proposed to predict the execution time of tasks. First, input parameters are identified and selected through Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) approach. Second, a prediction model is proposed for predicting the task execution time for varying number of inputs. Third, the proposed model is validated and provides 21.72% reduction in mean relative error compared to other state-of-the-art methods
PREDIKSI KEBANGKRUTAN PT ASURANSI JIWASRAYA DAN PT PRUDENTIAL LIFE INSURANCE : APLIKASI METODE ALTMAN Z-SCORE
Authors: Amanda Elsie Zandra , Rambu Atahau Apriani Dorkas
Published: August 2020

Insurance companies are non-bank financial institutions engaged in services to overcome the risks that will occur in the future so that it is expected not to go bankrupt. The purpose of this study was to compare the potential bankruptcy of PT Asuransi Jiwasraya and PT Prudential Life Insurance for the period 2010 to 2017 using the Altman Z-Score method. Bankruptcy itself is a condition in which a company does not have sufficient funds to run its business again. The initial symptoms of bankruptcy are financial distress, which is characterized by uncertainty about the company's profitability in the future. Based on the research results of PT Asuransi Jiwasraya in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 are in the gray zone or have the potential to go bankrupt. In 2013, 2014 and 2017 were in danger zones or bankrupt companies. While the results of research at PT Prudential Life Insurance show during the period 2010-2017 included in the gray zone or the potential for bankruptcy.
Tingkat Kerentanan Tepian Sungai Kayan Terhadap Bencana Banjir
Authors: Julianto Hendra , Harviyanti Enny
Published: August 2020

Bencana Banjir bukan hal luar biasa bagi warga Bulungan, terutama yang menetap di sekitar DAS (Daerah Aliran Sungai) Kayan. Namun Banjir 9 Februari 2015 ini benar-benar mengubah paradigma masyarakat kota Tanjung selor tentang banjir. Banjir ini diakibatkan oleh luapan Sungai Kayan ditambah kiriman banjir dari Sabah, Malaysia yang mencapai ketinggian satu hingga tujuh meter. Banjir yang mengakibatkan kerugian-kerugian bagi warga kabupaten bulungan terutama di lima kecamatan, yakni Kecamatan Peso, Kecamatan Peso Hilir, Kecamatan Tanjung Palas Barat, Kecamatan Tanjung Palas dan Kecamatan Tanjung Selor.

Banjir ini menjadi pengingat kuat betapa kerusakan akibat dampak perubahan iklim serta perubahan tata guna lahan yang bisa menimpa Kota Tanjung Selor dan kedepan ancaman ini menjadi fenomena yang akan biasa terjadi. Dampak dan peran dari fenomena diatas akan menjadi fokus dari identifikasi tingkat kerentanan ini. Tujuannya adalah untuk mengetahui tingkat kerentanan tepian sungai kayan terhadap bencana banjir didasarkan pada kerentanan yang dikemukakan oleh IPCC 2014.
Pemanfaatan Limbah Beton Sisa Pengujian Sebagai Substitusi Agregat Pada Campuran AC-WC
Authors: Maulana Ahmad , Amaliah Megah , Utami Retno
Published: August 2020

Keterbatasan sumber daya alam dalam menyediakan material membentuk beton merupakan sebuah persoalan yang penting. Oleh karena itu, lebih baik dimanfaatkan sebagai campuran aspal AC-WC seperti limbah beton pengujian praktik di POLBAN. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan limbah beton sebagai   pengganti agregat kasar terhadap kinerja karakteristik campuran aspal AC-WC. Material limbah beton yang digunakan adalah agregat kasar ukuran 12,5 mm dan 9,5 mm dan kadar limbah beton yang digunakan dalam campuran yaitu 0%, 50%, dan 100%. Tujuan dibuat 3 jenis campuran dengan kadar yang berbeda adalah agar didapatkan pengaruh limbah beton dan kadar limbah beton optimum yang dapat digunakan sebagai subtitusi agregat kasar pada campuran aspal AC-WC. Metodologi campuran yang digunakan adalah dengan metode kepadatan mutlak sampai mendapatkan kadar aspal optimum. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah dengan kadar limbah 50% nilai stabilitas naik  18,34%, nilai flow turun 45,43%, nilai stabilitas sisa turun 20,75%, nilai VIM naik 14,78%, nilai VMA naik 18,26%, dan nilai VFB turun 0,90%. Sedangkan dengan kadar limbah 100% nilai stabilitas naik  18,62%, nilai flow turun 47,21%, nilai stabilitas sisa turun 30,19%, nilai VIM naik 36,02%, nilai VMA naik 23,66%, dan nilai VFB turun 2,09%. Kadar limbah beton optimum yang dapat digunakan adalah 50%.
Peramalan Indeks Kekeringan Kelayang Menggunakan Metode Sarima dan SPI
Authors: Rahmalina Widdya , Novreta
Published: August 2020

Kekeringan adalah salah satu bencana alam yang terjadi secara perlahan berlangsung lama hingga musim hujan tiba yang mempunyai dampak yang luas. Salah satu dampak kekeringan pada bidang pertanian pernah terjadi pada kabupaten Indragiri Hulu pada tahun 2015. Daerah irigasi (D.I) Kelayang merupakan daerah irigasi potensial yang mengairi wilayah pertanian di Kabupaten Indragiri Hulu. Untuk menanggulangi dampak kekeringan untuk masa yang akan datang  perlu dilakukan peramalan indeks kekeringan. Indeks kekeringan sangat bergantung pada curah hujan. Untuk itu dilakukan peramalan curah hujan D.I Kelayang menggunakan metode Seasonal Autogressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) karena diduga curah hujan merupakan data yang mengandung pola musiman. Kemudian dilakukan analisis indeks kekeringan menggunakan metode Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI). Hasil penelitian diperoleh model SARIMA (2,0,1)(0,1,1)12 merupakan model yang layak digunakan untuk peramalan karena telah melewati uji kerandoman dan kenormalan residual dengan mean squared dari residual yang terkecil yakni 4111,51. Setelah data peramalan curah hujan tahun 2019 didapatkan, dilakukan analisa indeks kekeringan dan diperoleh indeks SPI bernilai negatif yang tertinggi terjadi pada bulan Januari yaitu -0,252, sedangkan SPI bernilai positif tertinggi terjadi pada bulan Juli yaitu sebesar 0,169. Indeks kekeringan di D.I Kelayang bersifat “Normal”. Peramalan indeks kekeringan ini dapat menjadi informasi tambahan bagi Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana.
Analisis Numeris Menggunakan Agent Based Modelling Untuk Evakuasi Bencana Tsunami Gedung I Universitas Bengkulu, Indonesia
Authors: Nabila Fitria , Hardiansyah  , Mase Lindung Zalbuin
Published: August 2020

Penelitian ini dilakukan pada Gedung I, Universitas Bengkulu, yang bertujuan untuk memodelkan pergerakan pengguna gedung dalam melakukan evakuas tsunami menggunakan Pemodelan Berbasis Penlitian diawali dengan melakukan survei kendaraan parkir pada halaman Gedung I untuk mendapatkan waktu puncak kendaraan parkir. Selanjutnya dilakukan penyebaran kuisioner untuk mendapatkan informasi perjalanan harian dan ketika proses evakuasi bencana tsunami menuju pintu keluar bagian belakang. Hasil observasi dan kuesioner selanjutnya dianalisis lebih lanjut, khususnya untuk mengetahui validitas data, derajat kejenuhan, volume, kapasitas. Penelitian ini mempertimbangkan beberapa ruas jalan dan rute alternatif. Analisis data menunjukkan kondisi ruas jalan yang ditinjau dari hasil permodelan konsisten dengan hasil pengamatan langsung di lapangan. Secara umum, Rute alternatif evakuasi yang banyak dipilih responden adalah rute yang sering dilalui pada waktu harian dan akses yang mudah pada saat evakuasi. Hasil penelitian juga menunjukkan bahwa nilai derajat kejenuhan serta kapasitas yang tinggi. Ini mengindikasikan bahwa perlu adanya pengembangan kinerja jaringan jalan lokal. Ini dapat menjadi rekomendasi dalam memudahkan proses evakuasi tsunami.