bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparing the Impacts of Sustainability Narratives on American and European Energy Shareholders: A Multi-Event Study Analysing Reactions to News before and during COVID-19
Authors: Barroso del Toro Alberto , Vivas Crisol Laura , Tort-Martorell Xavier
Published: November 2022

This study analysed how positive, neutral, and negative sustainability news impacted the share prices of American and European energy companies, focusing on short-term market reactions. Our goal was to understand whether or not the sustainability narrative had similar effects on share-holder behaviour in both markets, and whether the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way shareholders invested as they faced uncertainty. We used the event study methodology to analyse the cumulative average abnormal returns (CAAR). We gathered 2134 event studies according to the type of energy source (renewable, fossil fuel or nuclear) and news sentiments. We analysed all global and digital news on sustainability from 2017 to 2020 using the GDELT news database as a source of information, which contains 295,093 viral news stories (high-volume news). The results showed notable differences between the American and European market reactions. The American market was much more optimistic, particularly during the pandemic. At the same time, the European market was more negative, showing declines in prices even in the face of positive news about nuclear and renewable energy. Nevertheless, both markets agreed that nuclear power was still on investors’ agenda. Finally, fossil fuels were less penalised by investors following negative or neutral news than other types of energy and were equally or more rewarded following positive news. So, it could be concluded that fossil fuel investors were less impacted by negative news about the energy market before and during COVID-19. These results could be relevant for policy makers in the context of changing the current shareholders’ narratives and incentives towards an effective sustainable energy transition through the use of new incentives/legislations.
The Digital Economy and the Energy “Internal Circulation”: Evidence from China’s Interprovincial Energy Trade
Authors: Wang Zhe , Yu Ziling , Ma Lili , Li Aolei
Published: November 2022

In the context of the increasing instability and uncertainty of the world economy, China’s energy security is threatened. It is important to study how to build the energy “internal circulation” for China’s sustainable development. This paper measures the level of interprovincial energy trade and digital economy development in China through the gravity model estimation method and the entropy value method and examines the impact and mechanism of action of the digital economy on energy circulation. The findings are as follows: (1) Accelerating the development of the digital economy can significantly improve the level of energy “internal circulation” in China, which remains robust after endogeneity treatment and a series of robustness tests. (2) Digital economy has promoted the development of energy “internal circulation” from the production, distribution, exchange, and consumption of energy. (3) The higher the level of digital economy development, the more energy-rich regions and the central regions with a high degree of coupling and coordination between digital and energy systems, the more the digital economy contributes to the energy “internal circulation”. Therefore, it is proposed to accelerate the development of the digital economy, to pay attention to the in-depth integration of digital and energy, and to focus on the coordinated development of regions as effective ways to jointly promote the energy “internal circulation”.
Does Companies’ ESG Performance Make a Difference for New Zealand’s Stock Market Investors during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Authors: Białkowski Jędrzej , Sławik Anna
Published: November 2022

This paper aims to investigate whether the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) score of New Zealand-listed companies is associated with their stock performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea of socially responsible investing is commonly accepted in New Zealand, and past academic literature has argued for the positive (though often weak) relationship between companies’ stock returns and their ESG profile. The methodology of the research is threefold. First, the average daily return for 11 New Zealand Exchange (NZX) market sectors and the S&P/NZX50 index during the COVID-19 panic and rebound periods are compared. Then, the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the average daily return of 11 broad NZX sectors in relation to the average ESG score for a given sector is checked. Finally, the relationship between the daily average performance of 56 NZX-listed companies and their ESG scores proxied by Refinitiv’s ESG Combined Score is determined. The analysis reveals no support for the idea that the returns of firms with higher ESG scores are greater than those with a low ESG ranking during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results show a negative, though statistically insignificant, correlation between the ESG score and annualized stock return both on the sector and individual company levels. Even though our reported findings do not confirm the believed positive correlation of the analyzed measures (based on previous studies), they clearly show that high ESG performance does not harm financial performance even in the context of crises.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions-Based Development and Characterization of Optimal Scenarios for Municipal Solid and Sewage Sludge Waste Management in Astana City
Authors: Temireyeva Aknur , Zhunussova Khabiba , Aidabulov Madiyar , Venetis Christos , Sarbassov Yerbol , Shah Dhawal
Published: November 2022

Landfilling is the most applied solid waste management method in developing countries, which leads to a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It is thus imperative to develop strategies for evaluating different economically viable waste management scenarios to mitigate GHG emissions. According to the Paris Agreement, Kazakhstan planned to decrease GHG emissions by 25% by 2050 as compared to 1990 levels, while reaching carbon neutrality by 2060. In this context, we herein propose four different scenarios for municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment and three scenarios for sewage sludge (SS) treatment with the aim of evaluating the GHG potential for Astana, the capital city of Kazakhstan, using the (solid waste management) SWM-GHG calculator developed by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. The MSW treatment scenarios include: (A) 15% recycling of secondary materials and 85% landfilling of remaining MSW; (B) 30% recycling of secondary materials; 70% sanitary landfilling with biogas collection; (C) 30% recycling and 70% biological stabilization and landfilling without biogas collection; and (D) 30% recycling, 20% composting, and 50% (waste-to-energy) WtE incineration. The sewage sludge management scenarios include (1) 100% landfilling; (2) 100% WtE incineration; and (3) co-incineration of sewage sludge and coal. The results reveal that more complex scenarios lead to extensive ecological benefits; however, there are economic constraints. Based on the analysis of the proposed scenarios, we recommend the optimal strategy for MSW treatment to be 30% recycling with biological stabilization that has a total cost of EUR 16.7 million/year and overall GHG emissions of −120 kt of CO2 eq/year. In terms of sewage sludge management, the addition of coal to sewage sludge simplifies the combustion process due to the higher heat capacity. Considering lower cost and higher energy recovery, it is recommended as a favorable process.
Certain Identities Involving the General Kampé de Fériet Function and Srivastava’s General Triple Hypergeometric Series
Authors: Qureshi Mohd Idris , Choi Junesang , Baboo Mohd Shaid
Published: November 2022

Due to the great success of hypergeometric functions of one variable, a number of hypergeometric functions of two or more variables have been introduced and explored. Among them, the Kampé de Fériet function and its generalizations have been actively researched and applied. The aim of this paper is to provide certain reduction, transformation and summation formulae for the general Kampé de Fériet function and Srivastava’s general triple hypergeometric series, where the parameters and the variables are suitably specified. The identities presented in the theorems and additional comparable outcomes are hoped to be supplied by the use of computer-aid programs, for example, Mathematica. Symmetry occurs naturally in p+1Fp, the Kampé de Fériet function and the Srivastava’s function F(3)[x,y,z], which are three of the most important functions discussed in this study.
Multichannel Variational Autoencoder-Based Speech Separation in Designated Speaker Order
Authors: Liao Lele , Cheng Guoliang , Ruan Haoxin , Chen Kai , Lu Jing
Published: November 2022

The multichannel variational autoencoder (MVAE) integrates the rule-based update of a separation matrix and the deep generative model and proves to be a competitive speech separation method. However, the output (global) permutation ambiguity still exists and turns out to be a fundamental problem in applications. In this paper, we address this problem by employing two dedicated encoders. One encodes the speaker identity for the guidance of the output sorting, and the other encodes the linguistic information for the reconstruction of the source signals. The instance normalization (IN) and the adaptive instance normalization (adaIN) are applied to the networks to disentangle the speaker representations from the content representations. The separated sources are arranged in designated order by a symmetric permutation alignment scheme. In the experiments, we test the proposed method in different gender combinations and various reverberant conditions and generalize it to unseen speakers. The results validate its reliable sorting accuracy and good separation performance. The proposed method outperforms the other baseline methods and maintains stable performance, achieving over 20 dB SIR improvement even in high reverberant environments.
A Systematic Review of Applications of Machine Learning and Other Soft Computing Techniques for the Diagnosis of Tropical Diseases
Authors: Attai Kingsley , Amannejad Yasaman , Vahdat Pour Maryam , Obot Okure , Uzoka Faith-Michael
Published: November 2022

This systematic literature aims to identify soft computing techniques currently utilized in diagnosing tropical febrile diseases and explore the data characteristics and features used for diagnoses, algorithm accuracy, and the limitations of current studies. The goal of this study is therefore centralized around determining the extent to which soft computing techniques have positively impacted the quality of physician care and their effectiveness in tropical disease diagnosis. The study has used PRISMA guidelines to identify paper selection and inclusion/exclusion criteria. It was determined that the highest frequency of articles utilized ensemble techniques for classification, prediction, analysis, diagnosis, etc., over single machine learning techniques, followed by neural networks. The results identified dengue fever as the most studied disease, followed by malaria and tuberculosis. It was also revealed that accuracy was the most common metric utilized to evaluate the predictive capability of a classification mode. The information presented within these studies benefits frontline healthcare workers who could depend on soft computing techniques for accurate diagnoses of tropical diseases. Although our research shows an increasing interest in using machine learning techniques for diagnosing tropical diseases, there still needs to be more studies. Hence, recommendations and directions for future research are proposed.
Assessment Model for Rapid Suppression of SARS-CoV-2 Transmission under Government Control
Authors: Pan Lihu , Su Ya , Yan Huimin , Zhang Rui
Published: November 2022

The rapid suppression of SARS-CoV-2 transmission remains a priority for maintaining public health security throughout the world, and the agile adjustment of government prevention and control strategies according to the spread of the epidemic is crucial for controlling the spread of the epidemic. Thus, in this study, a multi-agent modeling approach was developed for constructing an assessment model for the rapid suppression of SARS-CoV-2 transmission under government control. Different from previous mathematical models, this model combines computer technology and geographic information system to abstract human beings in different states into micro-agents with self-control and independent decision-making ability; defines the rules of agent behavior and interaction; and describes the mobility, heterogeneity, contact behavior patterns, and dynamic interactive feedback mechanism of space environment. The real geospatial and social environment in Taiyuan was considered as a case study. In the implemented model, the government agent could adjust the response level and prevention and control policies for major public health emergencies in real time according to the development of the epidemic, and different intervention strategies were provided to improve disease control methods in the simulation experiment. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed model is widely applicable, and it can not only judge the effectiveness of intervention measures in time but also analyze the virus transmission status in complex urban systems and its change trend under different intervention measures, thereby providing scientific guidance to support urban public health safety.
Evaluation of Rapid Lateral-Flow Tests Directed against the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein Using Viral Suspensions Belonging to Different Lineages of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Pillet Sylvie , Courtieux Julien , Gonzalo Sylvie , Bechri Issam , Bourlet Thomas , Valette Martine , Bal Antonin , Pozzetto Bruno
Published: November 2022

Within the successive waves that occurred during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, recommendations arose to test symptomatic and contact subjects by using rapid antigen devices directed against the viral nucleocapsid protein with the aim to isolate contagious patients without delay. The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of four rapid lateral-flow tests (RLFT) that were commercially available on the French market in 2022 to recognize various strains of SARS-CoV-2. Series of five-fold dilutions of seven viral suspensions belonging to different lineages of SARS-CoV-2 (19A, 20A, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron) were used to evaluate the analytical sensitivity of four commercially available RLFTs (manufacturers: Abbott, AAZ, Becton-Dickinson and Biospeedia). Cell culture and quantitative RT-PCR were used as references. Excellent correlations were observed for each lineage strain between the viral titer obtained via cell culture and the number of RNA copies measured by quantitative RT-PCR. Although the four tests were able to recognize all the tested variants, significant differences in terms of sensitivity were observed between the four RLFTs. Despite the limitation represented by the small number of devices and clinical isolates that were tested, this study contributed by rapidly comparing the sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 RLFTs in the Omicron era.
Long-COVID Symptoms in Individuals Infected with Different SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Notarte Kin Israel , Peligro Princess Juneire , Velasco Jacqueline Veronica , Ocampo Miguel Joaquín , Henry Brandon Michael , Arendt-Nielsen Lars , Torres-Macho Juan , Plaza-Manzano Gustavo
Published: November 2022

The association of SARS-CoV-2 variants with long-COVID symptoms is still scarce, but new data are appearing at a fast pace. This systematic review compares the prevalence of long-COVID symptoms according to relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants in COVID-19 survivors. The MEDLINE, CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases, as well as the medRxiv and bioRxiv preprint servers, were searched up to 25 October 2022. Case-control and cohort studies analyzing the presence of post-COVID symptoms appearing after an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection by the Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2) or Omicron (B.1.1.529/BA.1) variants were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. From 430 studies identified, 5 peer-reviewed studies and 1 preprint met the inclusion criteria. The sample included 355 patients infected with the historical variant, 512 infected with the Alpha variant, 41,563 infected with the Delta variant, and 57,616 infected with the Omicron variant. The methodological quality of all studies was high. The prevalence of long-COVID was higher in individuals infected with the historical variant (50%) compared to those infected with the Alpha, Delta or Omicron variants. It seems that the prevalence of long-COVID in individuals infected with the Omicron variant is the smallest, but current data are heterogeneous, and long-term data have, at this stage, an obviously shorter follow-up compared with the earlier variants. Fatigue is the most prevalent long-COVID symptom in all SARS-CoV-2 variants, but pain is likewise prevalent. The available data suggest that the infection with the Omicron variant results in fewer long-COVID symptoms compared to previous variants; however, the small number of studies and the lack of the control of cofounders, e.g., reinfections or vaccine status, in some studies limit the generality of the results. It appears that individuals infected with the historical variant are more likely to develop long-COVID symptomatology.
Alphavirus Particles Can Assemble with an Alternate Triangulation Number
Authors: Kaelber Jason T. , Chmielewski David , Chiu Wah , Auguste Albert J.
Published: November 2022

Alphaviruses are spherical, enveloped RNA viruses primarily transmitted by mosquitoes, and cause significant arthritogenic and neurotropic disease in humans and livestock. Previous reports have shown that—in contrast to prototypical icosahedral viruses—alphaviruses incorporate frequent defects, and these may serve important functions in the viral life cycle. We confirm the genus-wide pleomorphism in live viral particles and extend our understanding of alphavirus assembly through the discovery of an alternate architecture of Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) particles. The alternate T = 3 icosahedral architecture differs in triangulation number from the classic T = 4 icosahedral organization that typifies alphaviruses, but the alternate architecture maintains the quasi-equivalence relationship of asymmetric units. The fusion spike glycoproteins are more loosely apposed in the T = 3 form with corresponding changes in the underlying capsid protein lattice. This alternate architecture could potentially be exploited in engineering alphavirus-based particles for delivery of alphaviral or other RNA.
Bovine Papillomavirus Type 1 or 2 Virion-Infected Primary Fibroblasts Constitute a Near-Natural Equine Sarcoid Model
Authors: Hainisch Edmund K. , Jindra Christoph , Reicher Paul , Miglinci Lea , Brodesser Daniela M. , Brandt Sabine
Published: November 2022

Equine sarcoids are common, locally aggressive skin tumors induced by bovine papillomavirus types 1, 2, and possibly 13 (BPV1, BPV2, BPV13). Current in vitro models do not mimic de novo infection. We established primary fibroblasts from horse skin and succeeded in infecting these cells with native BPV1 and BPV2 virions. Subsequent cell characterization was carried out by cell culture, immunological, and molecular biological techniques. Infection of fibroblasts with serial 10-fold virion dilutions (2 × 106-20 virions) uniformly led to DNA loads settling at around 150 copies/cell after four passages. Infected cells displayed typical features of equine sarcoid cells, including hyperproliferation, and loss of contact inhibition. Neither multiple passaging nor storage negatively affected cell hyperproliferation, viral DNA replication, and gene transcription, suggestive for infection-mediated cell immortalization. Intriguingly, extracellular vesicles released by BPV1-infected fibroblasts contained viral DNA that was most abundant in the fractions enriched for apoptotic bodies and exosomes. This viral DNA is likely taken up by non-infected fibroblasts. We conclude that equine primary fibroblasts stably infected with BPV1 and BPV2 virions constitute a valuable near-natural model for the study of yet unexplored mechanisms underlying the pathobiology of BPV1/2-induced sarcoids.
Would Zika virus Infection in Pregnancy Be a Sentence of Poor Neurological Prognosis for Exposed Children? Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in a Cohort from Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Abtibol-Bernardino Marília Rosa , Peixoto Lucíola de Fátima Albuquerque de Almeida , Castilho Marcia da Costa , Bôtto-Menezes Camila Helena Aguiar , Benzecry Silvana Gomes , Otani Rodrigo Haruo , Rodrigues Gabriela Ribeiro Ivo , Chaves Beatriz Caroline Soares , Oliveira Geruza Alfaia de , Rodrigues Cristina de Souza , Martinez-Espinosa Flor Ernestina , Alecrim Maria das Graças Costa
Published: November 2022

Infections with Flavivirus in pregnant women are not associated with vertical transmission. However, in 2015, severe cases of congenital infection were reported during the Zika virus outbreak in Brazil. More subtle infections in children born to mothers with ZIKV still remain uncertain and the spectrum of this new congenital syndrome is still under construction. This study describes outcomes regarding neurodevelopment and neurological examination in the first years of life, of a cohort of 77 children born to pregnant women with ZIKV infection in Manaus, Brazil, from 2017 to 2020. In the group of normocephalic children (92.2%), most showed satisfactory performance in neuropsychomotor development, with a delay in 29.6% and changes in neurological examination in 27.1%, with two children showing muscle-strength deficits. All microcephalic children (5.2%) evolved with severe neuropsychomotor-development delay, spastic tetraparesis, and alterations in the imaging exam. In this cohort, 10.5% of the children had macrocephaly at birth, but only 2.6% remained in this classification. Although microcephaly has been considered as the main marker of congenital-Zika-virus syndrome in previous studies, its absence does not exclude the possibility of the syndrome. This highlights the importance of clinical follow-up, regardless of the classification of head circumference at birth.
Rapid Protocol Development, Study Startup and Enrolment of a Prospective Study of COVID-19 Vaccination for Patients with Cancer: A Collaborative Approach
Authors: Body Amy , Milch Vivienne , McSorley Lynda , Lal Luxi , Ahern Elizabeth , Ryan Regina , Jones Gayle , Keefe Dorothy , Segelov Eva
Published: November 2022

Background: COVID-19 is an unprecedented global health emergency. It has been highly disruptive for patients with cancer, both due to an increased burden of severe illness and due to pressure on healthcare systems. COVID-19 vaccination has been an important public health measure for this patient group. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the rapid design and startup of a multicentre study of COVID-19 vaccine response for vulnerable patients with cancer. Study startup: We set up a multicentre prospective observational study of COVID-19 vaccination response for Australian patients with cancer. Due to intensive collaboration between health services, the funding body and laboratories, we were able to develop a protocol and enrol the first patient within 52 days of the initial study proposal. Rapid startup was further enabled by prompt availability of funding and by high-level engagement of institutional review boards, allowing expedited review. Study enrolment: We rapidly enroled more than 500 patients, 80% within 4 months of study opening. Engagement and follow-up were maintained throughout the course of up to five serial vaccination doses. Conclusion: Our study is an example of intensive collaboration inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic and may serve as an example of an agile research response to real-time public health challenges.
Influence of LINE-Assisted Provision of Information about Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer Prevention on HPV Vaccine Intention: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Ota Yu , Nomura Kyoko , Fujita Nozomi , Suzuki Tomoya , Kamatsuka Makoto , Sakata Natsuya , Nagashima Kengo , Hirayama Junko , Fujita Naoko , Shiga Kuniko , Oyama Noriaki , Terada Yukihiro
Published: November 2022

We conducted a prospective, randomized two-arm, parallel group, and open label trial to investigate whether the use of LINE would increase HPV vaccine intention among not completely vaccinated university students. In June 2020, we recruited students aged between 18 and 35 years from four universities in Japan. Among the 357 enrollees (female, 53%), 178 and 179 participants were randomized into the LINE and Mail groups, respectively. At baseline, within three years, vaccine intention was observed in 40% vs. 42% of participants, respectively. At the first intervention, which provided similar PDF leaflets about HPV vaccine and cervical cancer prevention, there was no significant difference in vaccine intention between the two groups. However, at the second intervention of LINE-assisted knowledge intervention for 5 days per week for 7 weeks, the LINE group had a higher proportion of vaccine intention than the no intervention group (66% vs. 44%, OR: 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.59–4.35) in per-protocol analysis. The significance remained in the intention-to-treat analysis of multiply imputed datasets. Although LINE did not directly increase HPV vaccine intention compared to conventional posts, the LINE-assisted provision of information was effective in improving HPV vaccine intention among Japanese university and college students.
Perception of Availability, Accessibility, and Affordability of COVID-19 Vaccines and Hesitancy: A Cross-Sectional Study in India
Authors: Ayappan Akshay , Padhi Bijaya Kumar , L. Ananthesh , Chaudhary Raushan Kumar , Mateti Uday Venkat , Kellarai Adithi , Unnikrishnan Mazhuvanchery Kesavan , Dsouza Jaclyn Drishal , Parsa Ali Davod , Kabir Russell , Sah Ranjit
Published: November 2022

Background: The current study aimed to identify the perceptions and issues regarding the affordability, availability, and accessibility of COVID-19 vaccination and determine the extent of vaccine hesitancy among non-vaccinated individuals. Methods: A Prospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 575 individuals for a period of six months. All the relevant information was collected using the peer-validated survey questionnaire. An independent t-test was applied to check the association between variables. Results: Among 575 participants, 80.8% were vaccinated, and 19.2% were non-vaccinated. Among the vaccinated, 35.1% were vaccinated in private centres and 64.9% in public health centres (PHC). In total, 32% had accessibility issues and 24.5% had availability issues. However, responders vaccinated at PHC were having more issues in comparison to other groups which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Among the 163 privately vaccinated participants, 69.9% found it completely affordable. Another 26.9% and 3.1% found vaccines partly affordable and a little unaffordable. Among the 110 non-vaccinated, 38.1% were found to be vaccine-hesitant. Conclusions: Individuals vaccinated at PHC experienced issues such as long waiting times, unavailability of doses, and registration. Further, a significant level of hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccines was observed. The safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines contributed to negative attitudes.
Marine Heat Waves over Natural and Urban Coastal Environments of South Florida
Authors: Androulidakis Yannis S. , Kourafalou Vassiliki
Published: November 2022

Marine Heat Wave (MHW) events are increasingly recognized as an important factor in the sustainability of coastal environments (both natural and urban), in the context of climate change. They are related to increasing trends of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) at the adjacent ocean waters. SST is an important parameter of the earth’s climate and increasing SST trends have been associated with adverse effects on coastal ecosystems, with important environmental and socioeconomic implications. This study focuses on the SST interannual variability over the coastal marine environment of South Florida, which contains several fragile ecosystems, and draws associate effects with adjacent large urban coastal settlements. The methodology is based on high-resolution satellite-derived SST data during a 40-year period (1982–2021), augmented by recent high-resolution model simulations (2012–2020). A generally increasing trend has been detected in the observations over the entire region (0.19 °C/decade). The unusual temperature levels have been associated with the formation of extensive MHW events, which showed interannual positive trends (0.75 events/decade) during the 40-year study period. Specifically, the six most recent years (2015–2021) were characterized by the strongest formation of MHWs with a peak in 2015, 2019 and 2020, with more than 8 events/year and approximately 70 to 110 days/year duration in total. The Florida Keys, especially along the Straits of Florida (southern island coasts), revealed very strong increasing trends. Miami Beach is also characterized by strong interannual trends (1.1 events/decade and 10 days/decade) compared to the enclosed basin of Biscayne Bay. In addition to the influence of atmospheric conditions over all regions around South Florida, the formation of MHWs near the eastern Florida coasts was also controlled by ocean dynamics, related to the warm Florida Current (FC). The evolution of the FC close to the eastern coasts (e.g., Miami Beach) was found to be a pre-condition of MHW formation. Several disastrous events on the biotic environment of South Florida near large urban settlements have been related to the formation of MHWs. The detected positive trends, and especially the recent high peaks of MHW events, may enhance the loss of specific heat-sensitive species, damaging the biodiversity of this tropical coastal environment and weakening the natural coastal protection against tropical storms. Urban planning for sustainable development in South Florida’s coastal cities must take into account MHW trends.
Field-Monitoring Sediment Basin Performance during Highway Construction
Authors: Schussler Jaime C. , Perez Michael A. , Whitman Jarrell Blake , Cetin Bora
Published: November 2022

Stormwater regulations require erosion and sediment control practices to be implemented during construction to prevent discharging polluted water offsite and mitigate downstream effects. Sediment basins are a common practice used to detain suspended sediment from stormwater runoff by providing residence time and storage to promote gravitational settling. Sediment basin design, and thus pollutant removal efficiency, vary regionally due to local design standards and preferences. This manuscript presents the results of a case study from Highway U.S. 30 construction in Tama County, Iowa, USA where two sediment basin systems were created within a conveyance channel by constructing an earthen berm across the channel to detain sediment-laden stormwater. A dewatering riser pipe was routed through the earthen berm to provide primary dewatering. The in-channel sediment basin was constructed with a 3% slope and a 10 ft. bottom width. The first system consisted of one basin created by a single earthen berm damming sediment-laden runoff, whereas the second system included two earthen berms, creating two in-channel sediment basins in series. Field monitoring was conducted on in-situ basins by deploying a rain gauge and automated water samplers positioned at the inflow and discharge points of a (a) single basin and (b) two basins in series within a roadside channel. During the monitoring period, no maintenance or dredging was recorded. Water samples were taken from the monitored basins at regular time intervals and analyzed for turbidity. Inflow turbidities often reached magnitudes up to the 103 NTU and discharge samples indicated negligible turbidity reduction after residence. On several occasions, the in-channel sediment basins acted as a sediment source, with discharge turbidities measuring higher than inflow. Despite their initial performance, there was interest in improving the in-channel basin design due to the potential to maximize length-to-width flow ratios, and use of existing infrastructure, which reduced the amount of right of way needed for basin construction, installation time and cost. As a result, several potential design improvements and techniques were recommended to enhance in-channel sediment basin performance.
Shallow Water Bathymetry Mapping from ICESat-2 and Sentinel-2 Based on BP Neural Network Model
Authors: Guo Xiaozu , Jin Xiaoyi , Jin Shuanggen
Published: November 2022

Accurate shallow water bathymetry data are essential for coastal construction and management, marine traffic, and shipping. With the development of remote sensing satellites and sensors, the satellite-derived bathymetry (SDB) method has been widely used for bathymetry in shallow water areas. However, traditional satellite bathymetry requires in-situ bathymetric data. Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) with the advanced high-resolution topographic laser altimeter system (ATLAS) provides a new technical tool and makes up for the shortcomings of traditional bathymetric methods in shallow waters. In this study, a new method is proposed to automatically detect photons reflected from the shallow seafloor with ICESat-2 altimetry data. Two satellite bathymetry models were trained, to obtain shallow water depth from Sentinel-2 satellite images. First, sea surface and seafloor signal photons from ICESat-2 were detected in the Oahu (in the U.S. Hawaiian Islands) and St. Thomas (in the U.S. Virgin Islands) sampling areas, to obtain water depths along the surface track. The results show that the RMSE is between 0.35 and 0.71 m and the R2 is greater than 0.92, when compared to the airborne LiDAR bathymetry (ALB) data in the field. Second, the ICESat-2 bathymetric points from Oahu Island are used to train the Back Propagation (BP) neural network model and obtain the SDB. The RMSE is between 0.97 and 1.43 m and the R2 is between 0.90 and 0.96, which are better than the multi-band ratio model with RMSE of 1.03–1.57 m and R2 of 0.89–0.95. The results show that the BP neural network model can effectively improve bathymetric accuracy, when compared to the traditional multi-band ratio model. This approach can obtain shallow water bathymetry more easily, without the in-situ bathymetric data. Therefore, it extends to a greater extent with the free ICESat-2 and Sentinel-2 satellite data for bathymetry in shallow water areas, such as coastal, island and inland water bodies.
Development of Novel Microcomposite Materials from Coal Fly Ash and Incense Sticks Ash Waste and Their Application for Remediation of Malachite Green Dye from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Yadav Virendra Kumar , Singh Bijendra , Gacem Amel , Yadav Krishna Kumar , Gnanamoorthy Govindhan , Alsufyani Taghreed , Hussein Hany S. , Awwad Nasser S. , Verma Rajesh , Inwati Gajendra Kumar , Swain Krishna , Choudhary Nisha
Published: November 2022

Coal fly ash (CFA) is one of the major pollutants around the whole world. At the same time, incense stick ash (ISA) is another waste that is generated in huge amounts in Southeast Asia. Both of these wastes are rich in different types of minerals; for instance, CFA is rich in alumina, silica, and ferrous, while incense sticks ash is rich in calcium and silica. ISA has intermediate to trace amounts of ferrous, alumina, and magnesium. The addition of alkali-rich materials with high Al and Si-containing CFA helps in the formation of zeolites or geopolymers. So, in the current research work, the authors have prepared a CFA: ISA mixture in the ratio of 1:1, followed by mixing them with NaOH, CaOH2, and KOH in a dry state in a crucible. Further, all these mixtures were then calcined at 600 °C for six hours in a muffle furnace. Further, the developed products were analyzed by various sophisticated instruments for detailed information. Finally, the developed material’s potential was assessed for the remediation of malachite green from the aqueous solution by batch adsorption study. The developed adsorbents efficiently removed the dye from the aqueous solutions within one hour. The kinetic study revealed that the dye removal followed a pseudo-second-order reaction. Finally, the developed material was also assessed for its suitability as an adsorbent by observing the effect of leaching of potassium, aluminum, and silica from the adsorbent surface into the water systems. Such approaches will solve the problem of solid waste disposal arising from both the ashes.
Comparison of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal between Two Typical Processes under Low Temperature in a Full-Scale Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Authors: Liu Zhigang , Zhang Ying , Zhou Wei , Wang Wei , Dai Xiaohu
Published: November 2022

Given its strict discharge standards for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), China focuses on improving the removal effect of nitrogen and phosphorus in biological treatment processes under low temperatures. The variations in nitrogen and phosphorus during the anaerobic–anoxic-oxic (AAO) and AAO-sequencing batch reactor (SBR) processes in a full-scale WWTP were compared by sampling. Results showed that the removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in both processes exceeded 85% and 91%, respectively, when the water temperature was lower than 15 °C. The wastewater treatment potential capacity of the AAO process was larger than that of AAO-SBR, indicating that the AAO process could realize the subjective demand of nitrogen or phosphorus removal by adjusting its operation mode. The anaerobic phosphorus release of the AAO process was affected when part of the internal reflux entered the anaerobic tank. Thus, the biological phosphorus removal of the AAO process was worse than that of the AAO-SBR process. Since the nitrification and denitrification rates of the AAO process were all higher than that of the AAO-SBR process, the TN removal efficiency of AAO was higher than that of AAO-SBR. These results could provide some advice for the upgrade, operation optimization, and process selection of both processes in the future.
Simulation of Heat Flow in a Synthetic Watershed: The Role of the Unsaturated Zone
Authors: Morway Eric D. , Feinstein Daniel T. , Hunt Randall J.
Published: November 2022

Future climate forecasts suggest atmospheric warming, with expected effects on aquatic systems (e.g., cold-water fisheries). Here we apply a recently published and computationally efficient approach for simulating unsaturated/saturated heat transport with coupled flow (MODFLOW) and transport (MT3D-USGS) models via a synthetic three-dimensional (3D) representation of a temperate watershed. Key aspects needed for realistic representation at the watershed-scale include climate drivers, a layering scheme, consideration of surface-water groundwater interactions, and evaluation of transport parameters influencing heat flux. The unsaturated zone (UZ), which is typically neglected in heat transport simulations, is a primary focus of the analysis. Results from three model versions are compared—one that neglects UZ heat-transport processes and two that simulate heat transport through a (1) moderately-thick UZ and (2) a UZ of approximately double thickness. The watershed heat transport is evaluated in terms of temperature patterns and trends in the UZ, at the water table, below the water table (in the groundwater system), and along a stream network. Major findings are: (1) Climate forcing is the product of infiltration temperatures and infiltration rates; they combine into a single heat inflow forcing function. (2) The UZ acts as a low-pass filter on heat pulses migrating downward, markedly dampening the warming recharge signal. (3) The effect of warming on the watershed is also buffered by the mixing of temperatures at discharge points where shallow and deep flow converge. (4) The lateral extent of the riparian zone, defined as where the water table is near land surface (<1 m), plays an important role in determining the short-term dynamics of the stream baseflow response to heat forcing. Runoff generated from riparian areas is particularly important in periods when rejected infiltration during warm and wet periods generates extra runoff from low-lying areas to surface water.
The Optimal Deployment of the Entry and Exit Gates of Electric Vehicles Wireless Charging Transmitters on Highways
Authors: Bourzik Mohammed , Elbaz Hassane , Elhilali Alaoui Ahmed
Published: November 2022

Dynamic wireless charging (DWC) facilitates the travel of electric vehicles (EVs) on highways because it can charge EVs without contact and it does not have a recharging time as it can charge vehicles in motion by a set of power transmitters on the road. This work considers a highway road with DWC and a fleet of electric vehicles with heterogeneous batteries to begin a trip from the origin of the highway noted by O to the destination noted by S. As the usage of DWC is not free, this study seeks to install entry gates to the DWC if the vehicles need to charge their batteries and exit gates to the main road if the vehicles wish to stop the recharge. For this purpose, the first objective is to minimize the usage cost paid by each vehicle type to use the DWC during the trip on the highway. The second objective is to find the lower installation cost of the gates on the road. This work proposes to model the problem as a mathematical problem and validate it with the CPLEX optimizer using limited instances and, finally, solves the problem using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II).
Programa “Viva a Palavra” como espaço de desaprendizagem:
Authors: Magalhães Brito Gílian Gardia , Oziêlton de Brito Sousa Antonio , Santos Silva Bruna , Nogueira de Alencar Claudiana
Published: November 2022

No presente artigo, delineamos a perspectiva da “desaprendizagem” no âmbito do Programa de extensão “Viva a Palavra”, da Universidade Estadual do Ceará, com enfoque nas ações que promovem o diálogo e a integração entre extensão, pesquisa e ensino. Nesse sentido, objetivamos mostrar como as práticas do Programa denotam novas possibilidades de tratar a linguagem, como uma trama movente (FABRÍCIO, 2006). Para tal, tomamos como base a Pragmática Cultural (ALENCAR, 2014; 2015), entendida como um modo de fazer Linguística Aplicada Indisciplinar (MOITA LOPES, 2006) partindo, assim, da possibilidade de uma “desaprendizagem” (FABRÍCIO, 2006). Essa perspectiva tem contribuído para a construção de novas abordagens para os estudos críticos da linguagem ao nos voltarmos de modo mais dinâmico e “palpável” para as problemáticas cotidianas de sujeitos reais. Assim, considerando que as ações do “Viva a Palavra” se configuram com base no método cartográfico, que acompanha processos em curso, entendemos que essas ações constroem pesquisa (extensão e ensino) participante em um processo político e ético. Concluímos, dessa forma, que a “desaprendizagem” consiste, justamente, em aprender outros modos de gerar conhecimento com e para os sujeitos no mundo moderno capitalista, fortalecendo práticas decolonizadoras (SOUSA E MENEZES, 2010, GROSFOGUEL, 2010, QUIJANO, 2005, FREIRE, 2006) de reexistência (SOUSA, 2011) na e pela linguagem, ao produzir epistemologias decoloniais.
“Sai do meu país!” x “não vou embora”: Análise de práticas discursivas de ataque e de resistência a partir da ótica dos estudos da fala-em-interação social
Authors: CAMILLO PEREIRA CARLOS GUSTAVO
Published: November 2022

Este artigo apresenta uma análise de uma interação xenófoba entre um refugiado no Brasil e outros três cidadãos brasileiros. Assim, intenta-se compreender como as relações de poder, as hegemonias, as apresentações de si são materializadas na referida durante a interação social. Para a condução da análise, são utilizados os pressupostos da Análise da Conversa Etnometodológica e da Análise Crítica do Discurso. Os resultados apontam as práticas de ataques são realizadas por meio de recursos macrodiscursivos, ao passo que a defesa é feita a partir de uma perspectiva microdiscursiva. Além disso, evidencia-se a existência de crenças preconceituosas sobre a pessoa em situação de refúgio, a qual é discursivamente construída como um indivíduo cuja finalidade é aumentar a competição no mercado de trabalho ou, até mesmo, roubar direitos sociais.
Técnicas experimentais e a pesquisa sobre linguagem
Authors: Martins Alves Salgado Ana Paula , Rie Ichijo Karen
Published: November 2022

A psicolinguística experimental, por meio de uma série de procedimentos metodológicos apropriados ao tipo de fenômeno estudado, busca evidenciar hipóteses que expliquem como o processamento linguístico se estrutura na mente dos indivíduos, considerando os vários níveis gramaticais envolvidos em tal processamento (fonológico, morfológico, sintático e semântico). Nessa perspectiva, realizamos um estudo bibliográfico a respeito de técnicas experimentais que atualmente têm sido utilizadas em pesquisas sobre aquisição, desenvolvimento e processamento da linguagem no panorama dos estudos linguísticos brasileiro. Desse modo, apresentamos cinco técnicas experimentais (leitura automonitorada, priming, fixação preferencial do olhar, rastreamento ocular e o eletroencefalograma) descrevendo suas principais características e contribuições para a área de investigação em questão. Para fomentar nosso debate, apresentamos exemplos de pesquisas realizadas a partir da utilização de tais técnicas. No âmbito dos estudos linguísticos desenvolvidos no Brasil, a pesquisa experimental ainda é algo relativamente novo. Todavia, é cada vez mais crescente o número de linguistas adeptos a essa nova metodologia de investigação sobre os fenômenos da linguagem. Ademais, acreditamos que ainda há bastante espaço para debates que possam esclarecer a utilização de técnicas experimentais nos estudos de linguagem.
Subjetividade e causalidade
Authors: Luisa Pereira Alves Bruna , Amaral Vitral Hollerbach Athayde Igor , Gabriel Ferreira Tavares Lucas , Pinheiro Barcelos Pamella
Published: November 2022

Neste trabalho, perscrutamos os efeitos de sentido produzidos pelo uso dos conectivos causais “portanto”, “por isso” e “consequentemente” em dissertações argumentativas redigidas no contexto do Exame Nacional do Ensino Médio (ENEM). Ancorados em estudos desenvolvidos por Ferrari (2015; 2019) sobre o uso de conectivos causais no português brasileiro, examinamos a perspectivação conceptual construída nos enunciados que compõem nosso corpus, procedendo a uma investigação da emergência do fenômeno da subjetividade - a inserção que o autor faz de si mesmo na cena enunciativa descrita - diante das relações de causalidade enunciadas. Dessa maneira, foi possível compreender as diferenças nos níveis de subjetividade instanciados pelo uso de cada um dos conectivos analisados. Com esses resultados, pretendemos fornecer os fundamentos para futuras reflexões sobre o ensino dos recursos coesivos na educação básica, visando o planejamento de práticas pedagógicas capazes de formar leitores críticos e falantes/autores conscientes dos efeitos produzidos por suas escolhas lexicais.