bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
工程测绘中无人机遥感测绘技术的应用分析
Authors: 柴 春雅
Published: April 2020

建筑工程在施工过程中通常会运用到工程测绘技术。随着科学技术的进步,无人机遥感测绘技术的应用范围变得愈加广泛,是现有遥感技术中技术水平最高的一种。在具体实践应用中,无人机遥感测绘技术在数据信息的采集和信息准确度方面具有一定优势,可与相关软件系统结合使用对采集到的图像等信息进行处理。本文分析了当下无人机遥感测图技术在我国的发展现状及其在工程测绘中的应用情况作了详尽研究,以期能为工程测图技术日后更好的应用提供有益参考。
La ciberseguridad en tiempos difíciles
Authors: Ballestero Fernando
Published: April 2020

La crisis del COVID-19 ha puesto en evidencia la vulnerabilidad de nuestras sociedades y nuestras economías. Pero el gran aumento del teletrabajo y las ventas online, sin la adecuada protección ante los virus informáticos o malware, pone sobre la mesa otro tipo de vulnerabilidad existente, el posible gran aumento de los ciberdelitos en los próximos meses. De ahí que sea necesario sensibilizarse más ante esta vulnerabilidad. Para ello se hace un repaso de la evolución de la ciberseguridad, sus tendencias y principales amenazas, y el marco institucional que regula esta actividad. Aunque tenemos un ecosistema bien desarrollado, sigue siendo insuficiente el nivel de concienciación, en especial entre pymes, muchas instituciones y ciudadanos.
Federico Chabod e il "consenso" degli intellettuali. Un itinerario tra fascismo e dopoguerra
Authors: Sullam Simon Levis
Published: April 2020

L'articolo ripercorre alcuni principali aspetti dell'itinerario dello storico Federico Chabod trafascismo e dopoguerra. Se nel 1943-45 egli militò nella Resistenza, dai primi anni Trenta finoai primi anni della Seconda guerra mondiale Chabod fu interno alle istituzioni universitarie,scientifiche e culturali del fascismo, in sedi di primaria importanza e in stretti rapporticon Gioacchino Volpe e Giovanni Gentile. Fin dai suoi scritti giovanili su Machiavelli lo storicomostrò la propria apertura verso una soluzione di Stato forte a guida autoritaria e più tardiapprovò la politica estera del regime, cedendo talora alla retorica nazionalista e imperialistadel periodo. Chabod si mostrò inoltre attivo funzionario della burocrazia universitaria eculturale del fascismo mentre, in sede di giudizio storico sul ventennio, riconobbe tra i primil'esistenza di un consenso al regime fascista.
Processi di liberalizzazione tra integrazione continentale e conflittualità internazionale. Italia, Europa, Oece (1947-1953)
Authors: Ventresca Roberto
Published: April 2020

L'articolo prenderà in esame l'esperienza dell'Italia all'interno dell'Organizzazione per la cooperazione economica europea (Oece) negli anni della prima legislatura repubblicana.A partire da una riflessione sulle motivazioni tanto economiche quanto politico-diplomatiche che si posero alla base dell'adesione italiana all'Oece, questo contributo analizzerà le misure di liberalizzazione commerciale perseguite dal paese all'interno degli organi decisionali dell'organizzazione. Si darà risalto alla dimensione europea delle iniziative che l'Italia elaborò nell'ambito della progressiva riduzione di dazi, tariffe e contingentamenti alle importazioni di beni provenienti dai mercati internazionali. Si passeranno in rassegna le principali iniziative presentate in sede Oece dalla delegazione italiana e verranno presi in considerazione i provvedimenti promossi a livello europeo da parte dei maggiori partner della Penisola: i piani Stikker e Pella (1950); la nascita dell'Unione europea dei pagamenti (Uep, 1950); il pacchetto di liberalizzazioni introdotto da La Malfa (1951); la reintroduzione delle restrizioni quantitative da parte di Regno Unito e Francia (1951-1952).Questo contributo intende perciò sondare la natura, i presupposti e gli esiti della "filosofia liberalizzatrice" sviluppata dalle classi dirigenti dello stato italiano nel più ampio contesto del processo di integrazione economica del Vecchio continente e della genesi di quello che sarebbe poi divenuto il mercato comune europeo.
Publindex y el impacto de las publicaciones científicas nacionales
Authors: Escobar Espinoza Andres , Romero Bernardo
Published: April 2020

La Política Nacional para Mejorar el Impacto de las Publicaciones Científicas Nacionales establece una serie de estrategias y acciones orientadas al fortalecimiento de las publicaciones a nivel nacional, teniendo en consideración estándares de calidad editorial y científica en términos de su impacto. Es por ello que el Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (Colciencias) definió el nuevo Modelo de Clasificación de Revistas Científicas Nacionales en el año 2016, que contempla importantes avances y ajustes con relación al proceso de indexación de dichas publicaciones.
Integridad en las publicaciones científicas
Authors: Escobar Espinoza Andres , Martinez Menco Johenis
Published: April 2020

El mundo de la ciencia ha presentado importantes revoluciones durante las últimas décadas: el fortalecimiento del movimiento de Acceso Abierto (AA) ha generado un incremento importante de artículos publicados y de revistas científicas (Laakso et al., 2011). Para el caso de las publicaciones seriadas, el proceso editorial y el sistema de revisión por pares adoptado, se basa en tres premisas fundamentales: a) la inexistencia de sesgos en la elección o escogencia de los revisores o pares evaluadores; b) los evaluadores cuentan con las competencias requeridas para evaluar con rigor la calidad científica de los manuscritos; c) el equipo editorial realiza una revisión y evaluación transparente de las recomendaciones de los pares evaluadores sobre la aceptación, o rechazo de los manuscritos. Aspectos como el plagio, u otro tipo de conductas inadecuadas, pueden ser elementos adicionales que pueden ser tenidos en cuenta durante el proceso de revisión para aceptar o rechazar los manuscritos.
PENGARUH PERMAINAN TRADISIONAL GOBAK SODOR DALAM BIMBINGAN KELOMPOK TERHADAP PENINGKATAN INTERAKSI SOSIAL ANAK AUTIS
Authors: Fitriyah Fifi Khoirul
Published: April 2020

Prevalensi autis baik di Indonesia maupun dunia sedang mengalami peningkatan dari tahun ke tahun. Hal ini menyebabkan masalah autisme menjadi masalah serisu bukan hanya di bidang kesehatan yang juga pendidikan. Hingga kini, penyebab autisme belum dapat dipastikan yang diterapkanpun belum optimal. Melalui implementasi bimbingan dan konseling di sekolah, guru berusaha untuk mengatasi masalah yang dialami anak autis khususnya masalah rendahnya kemampuan interaksi sosial. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mendukung permainan gobak sodor dalam kelompok untuk meningkatkan kemampuan sosial anak autis. Penelitian ini menggunakan kuantitatif dengan desain subjek tunggal tipe AB. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan adanya peningkatan kemampuan interaksi sosial anak setelah penerapan permainan gobak sodor dalam bimbingan kelompok, Selain itu, temuan baru dari penelitian ini adalah melibatkan partisipasi anak dalam membangun interaksi dengan anak autis. Hal ini benar-benar positif untuk kedua belah pihak yaitu pada anak autis dan juga anak normal yang setuju dalam permainan.
Molecular characterization of oil seed Brassica using RAPD markers
Authors: Islam M , Habib A , Khan S , Akter S , Goswami B , Khan H , Banu TA
Published: April 2020

Twelve varieties of oil seed Brassica spp. were characterized at molecular level using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers to explore genetic diversity and to find out relationship among them. Twelve random primers used in the study generated 94 RAPD fragments and 53 (56.38%) of them were considered as polymorphic indicating high level of polymorphism within the materials. The size of amplified fragments ranged between 300-3000 bp. The values of pair-wise genetic distance ranged from 0.1613 to 0.5543. To find out phylogenetic relationships among the varieties, dendrogram based on Nei’s genetic distance was constructed using Unweighted Pair Group Method of Arithmetic Means (UPGMA) separating the 12 Brassica spp into two major clusters C1 and C2. This result will be useful for designing future breeding programmes for improvement of Brassica varieties.

Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res.55(1), 1-8, 2020
“Land Shall by Law Be Built”. The Ombudsman Institution, its birth and its Role in Promoting the Rule of Law at Grass-Root Level
Authors: ORTON FRANK
Published: April 2020

Varnitsa, a small settlement on the western banks of the river Dniester, just north of the city of Bendery in today’s Moldova, can lay claim to be the simultaneous birthplace of two most important public law concepts, namely a constitution, characterized by separation of powers in government between the legislative, executive and judicial branches, i. e. the first Ukrainian constitution, commonly known as The Orlyk’s Constitution, created well before for instance Charles-Louis de Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws, as well as the ombudsman institution, i. e. The King’s Highest Ombudsman, the Swedish predecessor of The Parliamentary Ombudsman of Sweden, which in due time became the forefather of all the world’s ombudsman institutions.

These two concepts, both so significant and important for The Rule of Law, came about at the beginning of the XVIІI century when King Charles XII of Sweden and Pylyp Orlyk, hetman of the Zaporizhian Cossacks, at the same time resided in Varnitsa, both for different reasons involved in constructive constitutional deliberations.

This article focuses in particular on the role of the Ombudsman institution in promoting The Rule of Law at grass-root level, the meaning of the old Scandinavian Rule of Lawphrase Land Shall By Law Be Built and the importance for ordinary people, i. e. people at grass-root level, that this phrase and The Rule of Law in general are followed.

The article also deals with some unfortunate misconceptions, often associated with the functioning of the Ombudsman institution. In addition, it underlines that it is of utmost importance for the institution’s success and impact that it itself always follows the law. Statements outside its jurisdiction or criticism, not well founded on law and clear facts, will not only be unacceptable per se but will also undermine its authority and thereby its possibility to be obeyed not only in the situation at hand but also in general.
Daily and seasonal movements of Cape Cod gray seals vary with predation risk
Authors: Moxley JH , Skomal G , Chisholm J , Halpin P , Johnston DW
Published: April 2020

White sharks Carcharodon carcharias and gray seals Halichoerus grypus are re-establishing their ecological roles within the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean, presenting an opportunity to understand gray seal movement and at-sea behavior under predation risk. As with other shark-seal hotspots, movements to and from terrestrial haul outs can be risky for gray seals, thereby eliciting antipredator strategies. We investigated the movement and coastal behavior of gray seals on Cape Cod (USA) in relation to seasonal and diel changes in white shark activity. Analyzing 412 trips to sea by 8 seals and more than 25000 acoustic detections from 23 individual white sharks, we observed seasonally homogeneous movements in seal behavior during months with greater shark presence. During riskier months, seal behavior manifested in near-exclusive nocturnal foraging, reduced offshore ranging, and limited at-sea activity. On these nocturnal trips to sea, seals returning to haul outs tended to avoid daybreak and traversed during diel minima in shark activity. However, seals tended to depart haul outs at dusk when shark presence was maximal. As conservation efforts succeed in rebuilding depleted populations of coastal predators, studying re-emerging predator-prey interactions can enhance our understanding about the drivers of movement and behavior.
“She dances featly”: Dance as Rhetoric in Act 4, Scene 4 of The Winter's Tale
Authors: Hudler Melissa
Published: April 2020

In The Muses' Concord, James H. Jensen observes that rhetorical theory and practice ground all the arts of the Renaissance era (47). This connection is evident in the discourse of rhetorical and dance performance shared between Classical rhetoric treatises and Renaissance dance manuals, which leads one to understand both arts equally as forms of ordered and measured language. The recognition and perspectives of dance as a form of rhetoric contribute much to our understanding of the culture's awareness and economy of nonverbal communication.

The shared elements of rhetoric and dance can be observed in the sheep-shearing festival scene of The Winter's Tale (4.4). A rhetorical reading of this scene conveys the rhetorical quality of dance, as well as its dramaturgical function. Framing this reading is a cultural and historical context that delineates the association between dance and rhetoric as it was understood by Quintilian, Sir Thomas Elyot, and Ben Jonson. Indeed, Perdita's corporeal eloquence communicates an air of nobility out of place in the rustic setting of this scene and misplaced within this assumed peasant. Because Perdita's true identity is discovered soon after (5.2), this scene, with its covert comingling of peasants and aristocrats and its graceful spectacle, can be understood as a pivotal moment that moves the play from its discordant beginning to its harmonious end.
The Taming of the Shrew and Anger
Authors: Hunt Maurice
Published: April 2020

Frances Dolan has demonstrated that few Shakespeare comedies stage both the occurrence and intensity of physical violence to the degree that The Taming of the Shrew does. Analysis of this violence has usually focused on its effects rather than its source. Almost exclusively, anger is the cause. Admittedly it is sometimes feigned, as in Petruccio's case. But often it is not pretended but radical, as in the cases of not just Petruccio but Katherina and Grumio as well. The extremity and violence of their anger is remarkable, begging explanation. Anger is a complex phenomenon in The Shrew. In fact, Shakespeare, drawing upon Aristotle, Galen, Seneca, Bacon, and others, offers in this early comedy a veritable taxonomy of the affect. In particular, the English translation of Aristotle's Greek word for anger's mean adopted by several editors of the Nicomachean Ethics is also Shakespeare's word for anger's tempering in The Shrew. Nevertheless, the playwright ultimately begs the question of whether Katherina's and Petruccio's irascible behavior is finally or only temporarily resolved. Providing an answer proves important for whether the theater audience this couple can attain relative peace in their marriage.
Democracy, State Capacity, and COVID-19 Related School Closures
Authors: Cronert Axel
Published: April 2020

This study investigates the institutional determinants of the timing of COVID-19 related school closures around the world, focusing on the role of democracy and administrative state capacity. Relying foremost on Cox proportional hazards models of up to 167 countries observed daily between late January and early April of 2020, the study finds that other things being equal, democratic countries tended to implement school closures quicker than those with a more authoritarian regime, while countries with high government effectiveness tended to take longer than those with less effective state apparatuses. A supplementary analysis that distinguishes between the two democratic dimensions of competition and participation indicates that it is the existence of competitive elections that prompts democratic leaders to respond more rapidly. Lastly, auxiliary evidence indicates that demography and family systems may also help determine countries' pandemic responses.
Evolution of SOMs’ Structure and Learning Algorithm: From Visualization of High-Dimensional Data to Clustering of Complex Data
Authors: Gorzałczany Marian B. , Rudziński Filip
Published: April 2020

In this paper, we briefly present several modifications and generalizations of the concept of self-organizing neural networks—usually referred to as self-organizing maps (SOMs)—to illustrate their advantages in applications that range from high-dimensional data visualization to complex data clustering. Starting from conventional SOMs, Growing SOMs (GSOMs), Growing Grid Networks (GGNs), Incremental Grid Growing (IGG) approach, Growing Neural Gas (GNG) method as well as our two original solutions, i.e., Generalized SOMs with 1-Dimensional Neighborhood (GeSOMs with 1DN also referred to as Dynamic SOMs (DSOMs)) and Generalized SOMs with Tree-Like Structures (GeSOMs with T-LSs) are discussed. They are characterized in terms of (i) the modification mechanisms used, (ii) the range of network modifications introduced, (iii) the structure regularity, and (iv) the data-visualization/data-clustering effectiveness. The performance of particular solutions is illustrated and compared by means of selected data sets. We also show that the proposed original solutions, i.e., GeSOMs with 1DN (DSOMs) and GeSOMS with T-LSs outperform alternative approaches in various complex clustering tasks by providing up to 20 % increase in the clustering accuracy. The contribution of this work is threefold. First, algorithm-oriented original computer-implementations of particular SOM’s generalizations are developed. Second, their detailed simulation results are presented and discussed. Third, the advantages of our earlier-mentioned original solutions are demonstrated.
Assessment of Anthropometric and Body Composition Risk Factors in Patients with both Hypertension and Stroke in the Korean Population
Authors: Kim Sang Yeob , Nam Gyeong Hee
Published: April 2020

The association of hypertension or stroke with anthropometric and body composition indices has been evaluated individually but not for patients with both conditions. Here, we compared these indices in patients with both hypertension and stroke and evaluated the best indicators for identifying patients with both diseases in the Korean population. Data were obtained from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) conducted from 2008 to 2011. Data analysis was carried out using a complex sampling design that considered the weighting for personal analysis to represent the whole population in Korea. Binary logistic regression was conducted for evaluating potential associations, and areas under the curve were calculated to compare the predictive power of all variables for identifying patients with hypertension or both hypertension and stroke. Among all hypertension-related factors, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) exhibited a strong association in men (odds ratio (OR) = 1.390 [1.127–1.714]), whereas trunk-fat mass (OR = 1.613 [1.237–2.104]) and thoracic spine bone mineral density (BMD) (OR = 1.250 [1.044–1.496]) represented the best indicators in women. Comparison of anthropometric and body composition indices in patients with both diseases revealed that left arm BMD and left leg fat mass (LLF) were strongly associated in both men (OR = 0.504 [0.320–0.793]) and women (OR = 0.391 [0.208–0.734]). However, among patients with both hypertension and stroke, WHtR (OR = 1.689 [1.080–2.641]) and LLF (OR = 0.391 [0.208–0.734]) were the best risk predictors in men and women, respectively. Our findings suggested that the best indicators among patients with hypertension or both hypertension and stroke may differ according to men and women.
Exploring Effective Chemical Indicators for Petrochemical Emissions with Network Measurements Coupled with Model Simulations
Authors: Tong Yu-Huei , Hung Pei-Yu , Su Yuan-Chang , Chang Julius S. , Wang Jia-Lin
Published: April 2020

A large petrochemical complex, dubbed Petro–complex, situated in a rather rural region of Taiwan, was used as a test bed to detect emissions from the Petro–complex to its surroundings. Hourly observations of speciated non–methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) by the photochemical assessment monitoring stations (PAMSs), as well as the total amounts of NMHCs, SO2, and NOx provided by the air quality stations (AQSs), were utilized to find useful petro–emission indication methods. The analytical aspect of NMHCs either as a speciated form or as total amounts was demonstrated through field comparison to illustrate data quality. Using ethyne to offset traffic influence, the ratios of ethene to ethyne (acetylene) (E/A) and propene to ethyne (P/A) were proven to be effective indicators of petro–emissions owing to pronounced emissions of ethene and propene, revealed as tall spikes in PAMS measurements. SO2 and NOx were also explored as petro–emission indicators mainly for stack sources. By coordinating with three–dimensional modeling, SO2 from petro–emissions could be distinguished from other prominent sources, such as coal–fired power plants. An attempt was also made to use SO2 and NOx as indicators of broader petro–emissions with stringent criteria to minimize traffic interference and increase specificity. Similar findings were observed with the three indicators, that is, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) ratios, SO2 and NOx, to identify the southwest area of the Petro–region as the most affected area, as represented by Taisi station (F2). The percent affected time of a year at F2 was 10%–14%, owing to the dominant wind field of northeast monsoonal (NEM) in the region, as compared with other sites in the east and north of 1–5%. Using VOC ratios as petro–emission indicators is more effective than using other gases, owing to the compositional advantage to minimize traffic interference.
Measurement and Prediction of Wind Fields at an Offshore Site by Scanning Doppler LiDAR and WRF
Authors: Goit Jay Prakash , Yamaguchi Atsushi , Ishihara Takeshi
Published: April 2020

LiDAR-based wind speed measurements have seen a significant increase in interest in wind energy. However, reconstruction of wind speed vector from a LiDAR-measured radial wind speed is still a challenge. Furthermore, for extensive application of LiDAR technology, it can be used as a means to validate simulation and analytical models. To that end, this study employed scanning Doppler LiDAR for assessment of wind fields at an offshore site and compared Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-based mesoscale simulations and several wake models with the measurements. Firstly, the effect of carrier-to-noise-ratio (CNR) and data availability on the quality of scanning LiDAR measurements was evaluated. Analysis of vertical profiles show that the average wind speed is higher for wind blowing from the sea than that blowing from the land. Furthermore, profiles obtained from the WRF simulation also show a similar tendency in the LiDAR measurements in general, though it overestimates the wind speeds at higher altitudes. A method for reconstruction of wind fields from plan-position indicator (PPI) and range height indicator (RHI) scans of LiDAR-measured line of sight velocities was then proposed and first used to investigate the effect of coastal terrain. An internal boundary layer with strong shear could be observed to develop from the coastline. Finally, the flow field around wind turbine was measured using PPI scan and used to validate wake models.
The Role of Weather Types in Assessing the Rainfall Key Factors for Erosion in Two Different Climatic Regions
Authors: Fernández-Raga María , Fraile Roberto , Palencia Covadonga , Marcos Elena , Castañón Ana María , Castro Amaya
Published: April 2020

This paper compares two different geographical sites, Aveiro and León, from different climatic regions, oceanic and continental, but which share the same type of weather (according to Lamb’s classification). The analysis was carried out over one year, and has revealed that rainfall in Aveiro is heavier and more abundant, with a higher number of raindrops and a longer duration of rain events (on average, 10 min longer than in Leon). Mean raindrop size is 0.45 mm in Aveiro and slightly smaller (0.37 mm) in Leon; in addition, the kinetic energy and linear momentum values in Aveiro are three times higher than those in Leon. A comparison of raindrop size distributions by weather type has shown that for both locations westerly weather presented a higher probability of rainfall, and the gamma distribution parameters for each weather type were independent of the study zone. When the analysis is done for the characteristics of rain related with erosion, the westerly cyclonic weather types (cyclonic west (CW) and cyclonic south-westerly (CSW)) are among the most energetic ones in both locations. However, comparing their five weather types with higher kinetic energy, in Aveiro a westerly component implies higher kinetic energy, while in Leon a southerly component involves more energy in the rain.
Nonlocal Inverse Problem for a Pseudohyperbolic- Pseudoelliptic Type Integro-Differential Equations
Authors: Yuldashev Tursun K.
Published: April 2020

The questions of solvability of a nonlocal inverse boundary value problem for a mixed pseudohyperbolic-pseudoelliptic integro-differential equation with spectral parameters are considered. Using the method of the Fourier series, a system of countable systems of ordinary integro-differential equations is obtained. To determine arbitrary integration constants, a system of algebraic equations is obtained. From this system regular and irregular values of the spectral parameters were calculated. The unique solvability of the inverse boundary value problem for regular values of spectral parameters is proved. For irregular values of spectral parameters is established a criterion of existence of an infinite set of solutions of the inverse boundary value problem. The results are formulated as a theorem.
Theory of Mind Performance Predicts tDCS-Mediated Effects on the Medial Prefrontal Cortex: A Pilot Study to Investigate the Role of Sex and Age
Authors: Cotelli Maria , Manenti Rosa , Gobbi Elena , Enrici Ivan , Rusich Danila , Ferrari Clarissa , Adenzato Mauro
Published: April 2020

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has become an increasingly promising tool for understanding the relationship between brain and behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the magnitude of sex- and age-related tDCS effects previously found in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during a Theory of Mind (ToM) task correlates with social cognition performance; in particular, we explored whether different patterns of activity would be detected in high- and low-performing participants. For this, young and elderly, male and female participants were categorized as a low- or high-performer according to their score on the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task. Furthermore, we explored whether sex- and age-related effects associated with active tDCS on the mPFC were related to cognitive functioning. We observed the following results: (i) elderly participants experience a significant decline in ToM performance compared to young participants; (ii) low-performing elderly females report slowing of reaction time when anodal tDCS is applied over the mPFC during a ToM task; and (iii) low-performing elderly females are characterized by lower scores in executive control functions, verbal fluency and verbal short-term memory. The relationship between tDCS results and cognitive functioning is discussed in light of the neuroscientific literature on sex- and age-related differences.
Freshwater Mussel Bed Habitat in an Alluvial Sand-Bed-Material-Dominated Large River: A Core Flow Sediment Refugium?
Authors: Christian Alan D. , Peck Andrew J. , Allen Ryan , Lawson Raven , Edwards Waylon , Marable Grace , Seagraves Sara , Harris John L.
Published: April 2020

Habitat degradation, organismal needs, and other effects influencing freshwater mussel declines have been subject to intense focus by conservationists for the last thirty plus years. While researchers have studied the physical habitat requirements and needs of mussels in small- to medium-sized rivers with variable levels of success, less research has been conducted on mussel habitat in larger non-wadeable rivers, especially at the reach scale, where core flow environmental conditions provide and maintain habitat for freshwater mussels. We designed a quasi-experimental observational field study to examine seven hydrologic energy and material variables laterally and longitudinally at Current and Extirpated mussel bed habitat reaches in lower White River, Arkansas, a large non-wadeable, sand-bed-material-dominated river. As expected, lateral and longitudinal hydrologic variable differences were identified within a reach. Mean velocity, bed velocity, the Froude number, and stream power were all significantly lower at Current mussel bed habitat stations within a sampling reach. Energy regime differences in shear stress and, marginally, stream power were higher at Extirpated mussel bed habitat reaches. Several factors emerged as important to mussel habitat in the White River. First, bed velocity warrants further exploration in terms of both flow strength and flow direction. Second, bedload appears to be the primary contributor to mussel habitat but requires additional exploration within the context of core and secondary flow pathway interactions. The combined empirical evidence from our study supports the flow refugium concept identified for mussel habitats in smaller systems but expands the concept to large non-wadeable streams and includes reach-scale refuge from sediment transport conditions.
Derivation of the Critical Point Scaling Hypothesis Using Thermodynamics Only
Authors: Romero-Rochín Víctor
Published: April 2020

Based on the foundations of thermodynamics and the equilibrium conditions for the coexistence of two phases in a magnetic Ising-like system, we show, first, that there is a critical point where the isothermal susceptibility diverges and the specific heat may remain finite, and second, that near the critical point the entropy of the system, and therefore all free energies, do obey scaling. Although we limit ourselves to such a system, we elaborate about the possibilities of finding universality, as well as the precise values of the critical exponents using thermodynamics only.
Simulation of Immiscible Water-Alternating-CO2 Flooding in the Liuhua Oilfield Offshore Guangdong, China
Authors: Hu Gang , Li Pengchun , Yi Linzi , Zhao Zhongxian , Tian Xuanhua , Liang Xi
Published: April 2020

In this paper, the immiscible water-alternating-CO2 flooding process at the LH11-1 oilfield, offshore Guangdong Province, was firstly evaluated using full-field reservoir simulation models. Based on a 3D geological model and oil production history, 16 scenarios of water-alternating-CO2 injection operations with different water alternating gas (WAG) ratios and slug sizes, as well as continuous CO2 injection (Con-CO2) and primary depletion production (No-CO2) scenarios, have been simulated spanning 20 years. The results represent a significant improvement in oil recovery by CO2 WAG over both Con-CO2 and No-CO2 scenarios. The WAG ratio and slug size of water affect the efficiency of oil recovery and CO2 injection. The optimum operations are those with WAG ratios lower than 1:2, which have the higher ultimate oil recovery factor of 24%. Although WAG reduced the CO2 injection volume, the CO2 storage efficiency is still high, more than 84% of the injected CO2 was sequestered in the reservoir. Results indicate that the immiscible water-alternating-CO2 processes can be optimized to improve significantly the performance of pressure maintenance and oil recovery in offshore reef heavy-oil reservoirs significantly. The simulation results suggest that the LH11-1 field is a good candidate site for immiscible CO2 enhanced oil recovery and storage for the Guangdong carbon capture, utilization and storage (GDCCUS) project.
Combined Analyses of Phenotype, Genotype and Climate Implicate Local Adaptation as a Driver of Diversity in Eucalyptus microcarpa (Grey Box)
Authors: Jordan Rebecca , Prober Suzanne M. , Hoffmann Ary A. , Dillon Shannon K.
Published: April 2020

Trees are a keystone species in many ecosystems and a critical component of ecological restoration. Understanding their capacity to respond to climate change is essential for conserving biodiversity and determining appropriate restoration seed sources. Patterns of local adaptation to climate between populations within a species can inform such conservation decisions and are often investigated from either a quantitative trait or molecular genetic basis. Here, we present findings from a combined analysis of phenotype (quantitative genetic analysis), genotype (single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) trait associations), and climate associations. We draw on the strength of this combined approach to investigate pre-existing climate adaptation and its genetic basis in Eucalyptus microcarpa (Grey box), an important tree for ecological restoration in south-eastern Australia. Phenotypic data from a 26-year-old provenance trial demonstrated significant genetic variation in growth and leaf traits at both the family and provenance levels. Growth traits were only associated with temperature, whilst leaf traits were associated with temperature, precipitation and aridity. Genotyping of 40 putatively adaptive SNPs from previous genome-wide analyses identified 9 SNPs associated with these traits. Drawing on previous SNP–climate association results, several associations were identified between all three comparisons of phenotype, genotype and climate. By combining phenotypic with genomic analyses, these results corroborate genomic findings and enhance understanding of climate adaptation in E. microcarpa. We discuss the implication of these results for conservation management and restoration under climate change.
Trajectory of Psychosocial Measures Amongst Informal Caregivers: Case-Controlled Study of 1375 Informal Caregivers from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Smith Toby , Saunders Amanda , Heard Jay
Published: April 2020

Informal caregivers provide vital support for older adults living in the community with chronic illnesses. The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial status of informal caregivers of community-dwelling adults over an eight-year period. Informal caregivers of adult care-recipients were identified from Wave 1 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort. Multivariate regression analysis models were constructed to assess the association between participant’s psychosocial characteristics and informal caregiving. Multilevel modelling explored the psychosocial changes between caregivers and non-caregivers over eight years. 1375 informal caregivers and 2750 age-matched non-caregivers were analyzed. Self-reported loneliness (Odd Ratio (OR): 0.26; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.01–0.51) and relationship status (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16–0.46) were independently associated with caregiving. Caregivers were more socially isolated with less holidaying abroad (OR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.35–0.66), attendance to church (OR: 0.30; 95% CI: 0.11–0.49), or charity groups (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14–0.55). On multilevel analysis, over time (eight-years), caregivers reported greater loneliness (p < 0.01), change in relationship status (p = 0.01) and reduced control, autonomy, and pleasure (p ≤ 0.01) compared to non-caregivers. Given the deleterious effects caregiving can place on health and wellbeing, further interventions are required to improve these psychosocial factors.
How Equine-Assisted Activities Affect the Prosocial Behavior of Adolescents
Authors: Pelyva Imre Zoltán , Kresák Réka , Szovák Etelka , Tóth Ákos Levente
Published: April 2020

Multiple studies have investigated the positive effects of human–animal interactions and showed that animal-assisted activities can be successfully used to better human physical and mental health. Equine-assisted activities have also raised considerable attention within the field. Our research focuses on healthy students (aged 14–18) without deviations or special educational needs. We analyze the occurrence of behavior problems and prosocial behavior among adolescents who regularly have interactions with horses, and those who have no connection to horses at all. The subjects of our investigation completed the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ), and we use a ‘quasi’ 2 × 2 before-after control-impact design to analyze the data. Students studying equine-related vocations and students of other vocations are compared, at the beginning and at the end of their studies. Our results indicate that students of equine-related vocations are more helpful and empathetic, and have fewer behavior problems, than those studying other vocations. There is a negative correlation between prosocial behavior and behavior problems. The development of the prosocial behaviors of students with regular horse–human interactions is more remarkable than of those who have no connection to horses. With these results, we are going to confirm the hypothesis that equine-assisted activities correlate with positive behavioral traits among healthy adolescents.
Psychological and Behavioral Responses in South Korea During the Early Stages of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Authors: Lee Minjung , You Myoungsoon
Published: April 2020

Background: The psychological and behavioral responses during the early stage of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in South Korea were investigated to guide the public as full and active participants of public health emergency preparedness (PHEP), which is essential to improving resilience and reducing the population’s fundamental vulnerability. Methods: Data were collected through an online survey four weeks after the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) confirmed the first case in South Korea; 973 subjects were included in the analysis. Results: Respondents’ perceived risk of COVID-19 infection; the majority of respondents reported that their perceived chance of infection was “neither high nor low” (51.3%). The average perceived severity score was higher than perceived susceptibility; 48.6 % reported that the severity would be “high,” while 19.9% reported “very high.” Many respondents reported taking precautions, 67.8% reported always practicing hand hygiene, and 63.2% reported always wearing a facial mask when outside. Approximately 50% reported postponing or canceling social events, and 41.5% were avoiding crowded places. Practicing precautionary behaviors associated strongly with perceived risk and response efficacy of the behavior. Conclusions: Our study confirmed the significance of the psychological responses, which associated with behavioral responses and significantly influenced the public’s level of public health emergency preparedness regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. This result has consequences not only for implementing public health strategies for the pandemic but also for understanding future emerging infectious diseases.
Impact of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles on Cd Phytotoxicity and Bioaccumulation in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Zhang Wei , Long Jinghua , Geng Jianmin , Li Jie , Wei Zhongyi
Published: April 2020

The impact of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) on the migration and toxicity of coexisting pollutants is still unclear, especially in soil media. This study aims to evaluate the impact of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) on the phytotoxicity of cadmium (Cd) to Oryza sativa L., and the migration of cadmium (Cd) in the soil-rice system. Three different Cd stress groups (C1 group: 1.0 mg kg−1, C2 group: 2.5 mg kg−1 and C3 group: 5.0 mg kg−1) were set in the pot experiment, and the target concentration of TiO2 NPs in each group were 0 mg kg−1 (T0), 50 mg kg−1 (T1), 100 mg kg−1 (T2) and 500 mg kg−1 (T3). Plant height and biomass decreased with the increasing of Cd content in paddy soil. TiO2 NPs could lower the phytotoxicity of Cd in terms of the changes in the morphological and biochemical characteristics, especially in the tillering and booting stage. In the tillering stage, TiO2 NPs addition caused a significant increase in plant height, biomass and the total chlorophyll content in the leaves of Oryza saliva L. In the booting stage, TiO2 NPs addition caused a 15% to 32% and 24% to 48% reduction of malondialdehyde (MDA) content for the C2 and C3 group, respectively, compared to that of the respective control treatment (T0). TiO2-NPs addition reduced the activity of peroxidase (POD) in the leaves in the booting and heading stage, and the activity of catalase (CAT) in the tillering stage. In the C1 and C2 group, the grain Cd content in the 100 and 500 mg kg−1 TiO2 NPs treatments reached 0.47–0.84 mg kg−1, obviously higher than that of the treatment without TiO2 NPs (0.27–0.32 mg kg−1), suggesting that TiO2-NPs could promote Cd migration in the soil-rice system.
Assessing the Knowledge of Environmental Risk Factors for Cancer among the UAE Population: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ahmed Samrein B.M. , Amer Sara , Hussein Amal , Kampani Drishti D. , Al Hasham Nour , Assker Mohamed M. , Shawa Nour , Saleh Dima , Alfarouk Khalid O.
Published: April 2020

The incidence of cancer is increasing worldwide as well as in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Currently, researchers are advocating not only for prevention programs but also for early detection. In this study, we aimed to assess the general awareness of cancer among the UAE population, with a focus on environmental risk factors. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and a structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 385 participants. A total of 91.2% of the study population identified cancer as the leading cause of death, while 64.6% of the subjects were able to identify the key causes of cancer. A total of 87.3% and 70.5% of the participants were able to define tobacco and alcohol, respectively, as cancer-causing agents. Most of the study population failed to identify cancer-related infectious agents and incense smoke as carcinogens. Respondents in the medical professions had the highest knowledge score when compared with respondents with a non-medical profession and unemployed participants (p < 0.0005). To fill the gaps in cancer-related knowledge, participants were asked about their preferred method for cancer education, and 83.9% of the participants favored the media as a source of information. Conclusively, our findings indicated a gap in cancer knowledge among UAE residents, which highlights the importance of educational campaigns by health authorities; a follow-up study evaluating the success of educational campaigns is also warranted.
Mother–Infant Co-Sleeping and Maternally Reported Infant Breathing Distress in the UK Millennium Cohort
Authors: Waynforth David
Published: April 2020

Mother–infant co-sleeping or bed sharing is discouraged by health organisations due to evidence that it is associated with unexplained sudden infant death. On the other hand, there is evidence that it should theoretically be beneficial for infants. One line of this evidence concerns breathing regulation, which at night is influenced by the rocking movement of the mother’s chest as she breathes. Here, the hypothesis that mother–infant co-sleeping will be associated with a lower probability of infant breathing distress is tested in the UK Millennium Cohort Study (n = 18,552 infants). Maternal, infant, family, and socio-economic covariates were included in logistic regression analysis, and in a machine learning algorithm (Random Forest) to make full use of the number of variables available in the birth cohort study data. Results from logistic regression analysis showed that co-sleeping was associated with a reduced risk of breathing difficulties (OR = 0.69, p = 0.027). The Random Forest algorithm placed high importance on socio-economic aspects of infant environment, and indicated that a number of maternal, child, and environmental variables predicted breathing distress. Co-sleeping by itself was not high in the Random Forest variable importance ranking. Together, the results suggest that co-sleeping may be associated with a modest reduction in risk of infant breathing difficulties.
Searching for SARS-COV-2 on Particulate Matter: A Possible Early Indicator of COVID-19 Epidemic Recurrence
Authors: Setti Leonardo , Passarini Fabrizio , De Gennaro Gianluigi , Barbieri Pierluigi , Pallavicini Alberto , Ruscio Maurizio , Piscitelli Prisco , Colao Annamaria , Miani Alessandro
Published: April 2020

A number of nations were forced to declare a total shutdown due to COVID-19 infection, as extreme measure to cope with dramatic impact of the pandemic, with remarkable consequences both in terms of negative health outcomes and economic loses. However, in many countries a “Phase-2” is approaching and many activities will re-open soon, although with some differences depending on the severity of the outbreak experienced and SARS-COV-2 estimated diffusion in the general population. At the present, possible relapses of the epidemic cannot be excluded until effective vaccines or immunoprophylaxis with human recombinant antibodies will be properly set up and commercialized. COVD-19-related quarantines have triggered serious social challenges, so that decision makers are concerned about the risk of wasting all the sacrifices imposed to the people in these months of quarantine. The availability of possible early predictive indicators of future epidemic relapses would be very useful for public health purposes, and could potentially prevent the suspension of entire national economic systems. On 16 March, a Position Paper launched by the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA) hypothesized for the first time a possible link between the dramatic impact of COVID-19 outbreak in Northern Italy and the high concentrations of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) that characterize this area, along with its well-known specific climatic conditions. Thereafter, a survey carried out in the U.S. by the Harvard School of Public Health suggested a strong association between increases in particulate matter concentration and mortality rates due to COVID-19. The presence of SARS-COV-2 RNA on the particulate matter of Bergamo, which is not far from Milan and represents the epicenter of the Italian epidemic, seems to confirm (at least in case of atmospheric stability and high PM concentrations, as it usually occurs in Northern Italy) that the virus can create clusters with the particles and be carried and detected on PM10. Although no assumptions can be made concerning the link between this first experimental finding and COVID-19 outbreak progression or severity, the presence of SARS-COV-2 RNA on PM10 of outdoor air samples in any city of the world could represent a potential early indicator of COVID-19 diffusion. Searching for the viral genome on particulate matter could therefore be explored among the possible strategies for adopting all the necessary preventive measures before future epidemics start.
Exploring Spatially Non-Stationary and Scale-Dependent Responses of Ecosystem Services to Urbanization in Wuhan, China
Authors: Zhang Yan , Liu Yanfang , Pan Jiawei , Zhang Yang , Liu Dianfeng , Chen Huiting , Wei Junqing , Zhang Ziyi , Liu Yaolin
Published: April 2020

Ecosystem services (ESs) are facing challenges from urbanization processes globally. Exploring how ESs respond to urbanization provides valuable information for ecological protection and urban landscape planning. Previous studies mainly focused on the global and single-scaled responses of ESs but ignored the spatially heterogenous and scale-dependent characteristics of these responses. This study chose Wuhan City in China as the study area to explore the spatially varying and scale-dependent responses of ESs, i.e., grain productivity, carbon sequestration, biodiversity potential and erosion prevention, to urbanization using geographically weighted regression (GWR). The results showed that the responses of ESs were spatially nonstationary evidenced by a set of local parameter estimates in GWR models, and scale-dependent indicated by two kinds of scale effects: effect of different bandwidths and effect of grid scales. The stationary index of GWR declined rapidly as the bandwidth increased until reaching to a distance threshold. Moreover, GWR outperformed ordinary least square at both grid scales (i.e., 5 km and 10 km scales) and behaved better at finer scale. The spatially non-stationary and scale-dependent responses of ESs to urbanization are expected to provide beneficial guidance for ecologically friendly urban planning.