bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Control Charts for Monitoring the Mean of Skew-Normal Samples
Authors: Morales Víctor Hugo , Panza Carlos Arturo
Published: November 2022

The presence of asymmetric data in production processes or service operations has prompted the development of new monitoring schemes. In this article, an adapted version of the exponentially weighted moving averages (EWMA) control chart with dynamic limits is proposed to monitor the mean of samples from the skew-normal distribution. The detection ability of the proposed control chart in online monitoring was investigated by simulating the average run length (ARL) performance for different out-of-control scenarios. The results of the simulation study suggest that the proposed scheme overcomes the main drawback of the recently developed Shewhart-type control scheme. As shown in this article, the existing Shewhart-type procedure exhibits the undesirable property of taking longer to detect changes in the mean value of skewed normal observations due to increases in the shape parameter of the basic distribution than in stable conditions. The proposed control chart was shown to work fairly acceptably in all considered out-of-control scenarios.
Malware Analysis and Detection Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Akhtar Muhammad Shoaib , Feng Tao
Published: November 2022

One of the most significant issues facing internet users nowadays is malware. Polymorphic malware is a new type of malicious software that is more adaptable than previous generations of viruses. Polymorphic malware constantly modifies its signature traits to avoid being identified by traditional signature-based malware detection models. To identify malicious threats or malware, we used a number of machine learning techniques. A high detection ratio indicated that the algorithm with the best accuracy was selected for usage in the system. As an advantage, the confusion matrix measured the number of false positives and false negatives, which provided additional information regarding how well the system worked. In particular, it was demonstrated that detecting harmful traffic on computer systems, and thereby improving the security of computer networks, was possible using the findings of malware analysis and detection with machine learning algorithms to compute the difference in correlation symmetry (Naive Byes, SVM, J48, RF, and with the proposed approach) integrals. The results showed that when compared with other classifiers, DT (99%), CNN (98.76%), and SVM (96.41%) performed well in terms of detection accuracy. DT, CNN, and SVM algorithms’ performances detecting malware on a small FPR (DT = 2.01%, CNN = 3.97%, and SVM = 4.63%,) in a given dataset were compared. These results are significant, as malicious software is becoming increasingly common and complex.
Characterization of the Aspergillus flavus Population from Highly Aflatoxin-Contaminated Corn in the United States
Authors: Weaver Mark A. , Callicott Kenneth A. , Mehl Hillary L. , Opoku Joseph , Park Lilly C. , Fields Keiana S. , Mandel Jennifer R.
Published: November 2022

Aflatoxin contamination of corn is a major threat to the safe food and feed. The United States Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) monitors commercial grain shipments for the presence of aflatoxin. A total of 146 Aspergillus flavus were isolated from 29 highly contaminated grain samples to characterize the visual phenotypes, aflatoxin-producing potential, and genotypes to explore the etiological cause of high aflatoxin contamination of US corn. Five of the isolates had reduced sensitivity (43–49% resistant) to the fungicide azoxystrobin, with the remainder all being over 50% resistant to azoxystrobin at the discriminating dose of 2.5 µg/mL. Only six isolates of the highly aflatoxigenic S morphotype were found, and 48 isolates were non-aflatoxigenic. Analysis of the mating type locus revealed 45% MAT 1-1 and 55% MAT 1-2. The A. flavus population originating from the highly aflatoxin contaminated grain samples was compared to a randomly selected subset of isolates originating from commercial corn samples with typical levels of aflatoxin contamination (average < 50 ppb). Use of simple sequence repeat (SSR) genotyping followed by principal component analysis (PCoA) revealed a similar pattern of genotypic distribution in the two populations, but greater diversity in the FGIS-derived population. The noticeable difference between the two populations was that genotypes identical to strain NRRL 21882, the active component of the aflatoxin biocontrol product Afla-Guard™, were ten times more common in the commercial corn population of A. flavus compared to the population from the high-aflatoxin corn samples. The other similarities between the two populations suggest that high aflatoxin concentrations in corn grain are generally the result of infection with common A. flavus genotypes.
From Bacterial Poisons to Toxins: The Early Works of Pasteurians
Authors: Cavaillon Jean-Marc
Published: November 2022

We review some of the precursor works of the Pasteurians in the field of bacterial toxins. The word “toxin” was coined in 1888 by Ludwig Brieger to qualify different types of poison released by bacteria. Pasteur had identified the bacteria as the cause of putrefaction but never used the word toxin. In 1888, Émile Roux and Alexandre Yersin were the first to demonstrate that the bacteria causing diphtheria was releasing a deadly toxin. In 1923, Gaston Ramon treated that toxin with formalin and heat, resulting in the concept of “anatoxin” as a mean of vaccination. A similar approach was performed to obtain the tetanus anatoxin by Pierre Descombey, Christian Zoeller and G. Ramon. On his side, Elie Metchnikoff also studied the tetanus toxin and investigated the cholera toxin. His colleague from Odessa, Nikolaï GamaleÏa who was expected to join Institut Pasteur, wrote the first book on bacterial poisons while other Pasteurians such as Etienne Burnet, Maurice Nicolle, Emile Césari, and Constant Jouan wrote books on toxins. Concerning the endotoxins, Alexandre Besredka obtained the first immune antiserum against lipopolysaccharide, and André Boivin characterized the biochemical nature of the endotoxins in a work initiated with Lydia Mesrobeanu in Bucharest.
Transcriptome Analysis of Human Glioblastoma Cells Susceptible to Infection with the Leningrad-16 Vaccine Strain of Measles Virus
Authors: Ammour Yulia , Susova Olga , Krasnov George , Nikolaeva Eugenia , Varachev Vyacheslav , Schetinina Yulia , Gavrilova Marina , Mitrofanov Alexey , Poletaeva Anna , Bekyashev Ali , Faizuloev Evgeny , Zverev Vitaly V. , Svitich Oxana A. , Nasedkina Tatiana V.
Published: November 2022

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) accounts for almost half of all primary malignant brain tumors in adults and has a poor prognosis. Here we demonstrated the oncolytic potential of the L-16 vaccine strain of measles virus (MV) against primary human GBM cells and characterized the genetic patterns that determine the sensitivity of primary human GBM cells to oncolytic therapy. MV replicated in all GBM cells, and seven out of eight cell lines underwent complete or partial oncolysis. RNA-Seq analysis identified about 1200 differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05) with at least two-fold expression level change between MV-infected and uninfected cells. Among them, the most significant upregulation was observed for interferon response, apoptosis and cytokine signaling. One out of eight GBM cell lines was defective in type I interferon production and, thus, in the post-interferon response, other cells lacked expression of different cellular defense factors. Thus, none of the cell lines displayed induction of the total gene set necessary for effective inhibition of MV replication. In the resistant cells, we detected aberrant expression of metalloproteinase genes, particularly MMP3. Thus, such genes could be considered intriguing candidates for further study of factors responsible for cell sensitivity and resistance to L-16 MV infection.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Decipher the Role of Phosphorylation of SARS-CoV-2 Nonstructural Proteins (nsps) in Viral Replication
Authors: Alomair Lamya , Mustafa Sabeena , Jafri Mohsin Saleet , Alharbi Wardah , Aljouie Abdulrhman , Almsned Fahad , Alawad Mohammed , Bokhari Yahya Abdulfattah , Rashid Mamoon
Published: November 2022

Protein phosphorylation is a post-translational modification that enables various cellular activities and plays essential roles in protein interactions. Phosphorylation is an important process for the replication of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To shed more light on the effects of phosphorylation, we used an ensemble of neural networks to predict potential kinases that might phosphorylate SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins (nsps) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the effects of phosphorylation on nsps structure, which could be a potential inhibitory target to attenuate viral replication. Eight target candidate sites were found as top-ranked phosphorylation sites of SARS-CoV-2. During the process of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) analysis was used to measure conformational changes in each nsps. Root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF) was employed to measure the fluctuation in each residue of 36 systems considered, allowing us to evaluate the most flexible regions. These analysis shows that there are significant structural deviations in the residues namely nsp1 THR 72, nsp2 THR 73, nsp3 SER 64, nsp4 SER 81, nsp4 SER 455, nsp5 SER284, nsp6 THR 238, and nsp16 SER 132. The identified list of residues suggests how phosphorylation affects SARS-CoV-2 nsps function and stability. This research also suggests that kinase inhibitors could be a possible component for evaluating drug binding studies, which are crucial in therapeutic discovery research.
Enhancing Immunogenicity of Influenza Vaccine in the Elderly through Intradermal Vaccination: A Literature Analysis
Authors: Quach Huy Quang , Kennedy Richard B.
Published: November 2022

Background: Aging and immunosenescence lead to a gradual decline in immune responses in the elderly and the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in this age group is sub-optimal. Several approaches have been explored to enhance the immunogenicity of influenza vaccines in the elderly, including incorporating vaccine adjuvant, increasing antigen dosage, and changing the route of vaccine administration. Method: We systematically compared the immunogenicity and safety of influenza vaccines administered by intradermal (ID) route and either intramuscular (IM) or subcutaneous (SC) routes in older adults aged ≥ 65. Results: Of 17 studies included in this analysis, 3 studies compared the immunogenicity of ID vaccination to that of SC vaccination and 14 studies compared ID and IM vaccinations. ID vaccination was typically more immunogenic than both IM and SC routes at the same dosage. Importantly, a minimum of 3 µg of hemagglutinin antigen could be formulated in an ID influenza vaccine without a significant loss of immunogenicity. ID administration of standard-dose, unadjuvanted influenza vaccine was as immunogenic as IM injection of adjuvanted influenza vaccine. Waning of influenza-specific immunity was significant after 6 months, but there was no difference in waning immunity between vaccinations in ID, IM, or SC routes. While ID vaccination elicited local adverse reactions more frequently than other routes, these reactions were mild and lasted for no more than 3 days. Conclusions: We conclude that ID vaccination is superior to IM or SC routes and may be a suitable approach to compensate for the reduced immunogenicity observed in elderly adults. We also conclude that the main benefit of ID influenza vaccine lies in its dose-sparing effect. Additional research is still needed to further develop a more immunogenic ID influenza vaccine.
Secondary School Teachers and Outpatient Physicians: Differences in Attitudes towards Vaccination against COVID-19 in Slovakia
Authors: Tatarkova Maria , Ulbrichtova Romana , Svihrova Viera , Zibolenova Jana , Novak Martin , Svihra Jan , Hudeckova Henrieta
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences in attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 among secondary school teachers and outpatient physicians. A cross-sectional study was realised using anonymous questionnaires. The EPI Info 7 program and R software, version 4.0.2 were used for statistical analysis. The questionnaire was completed by 868 respondents (teaching staff N = 451; outpatient physician N = 417). The number of employees vaccinated against COVID-19 was 742 (85.5%). The number of those vaccinated against COVID-19 and influenza (last season) was 192 (21.9%). The statistically significant predictors were the level of fear of COVID-19 (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.29–1.52), profession—outpatient physicians (OR 2.56; 95% CI 1.55–4.23), history of COVID-19 (OR 0.34; 95% CI 0.22–0.54), gender (OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.33–0.89) and influenza vaccination at any time in the past (OR 3.52; 95% CI 1.10–11.31). The strongest motivation for vaccination against COVID-19 among physicians was the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 during the performance of their profession (N = 336; 87%); among teachers, it was the protection of family members (N = 258; 73%). The most common reason for vaccine hesitancy was concern about vaccine safety (N = 80; 63.5%).
Internet of Vehicles and Real-Time Optimization Algorithms: Concepts for Vehicle Networking in Smart Cities
Authors: Adelantado Ferran , Ammouriova Majsa , Herrera Erika , Juan Angel A. , Shinde Swapnil Sadashiv , Tarchi Daniele
Published: November 2022

Achieving sustainable freight transport and citizens’ mobility operations in modern cities are becoming critical issues for many governments. By analyzing big data streams generated through IoT devices, city planners now have the possibility to optimize traffic and mobility patterns. IoT combined with innovative transport concepts as well as emerging mobility modes (e.g., ridesharing and carsharing) constitute a new paradigm in sustainable and optimized traffic operations in smart cities. Still, these are highly dynamic scenarios, which are also subject to a high uncertainty degree. Hence, factors such as real-time optimization and re-optimization of routes, stochastic travel times, and evolving customers’ requirements and traffic status also have to be considered. This paper discusses the main challenges associated with Internet of Vehicles (IoV) and vehicle networking scenarios, identifies the underlying optimization problems that need to be solved in real time, and proposes an approach to combine the use of IoV with parallelization approaches. To this aim, agile optimization and distributed machine learning are envisaged as the best candidate algorithms to develop efficient transport and mobility systems.
Characteristics of Nitrifying and Denitrifying Microbes in the Bioretention Cell with Submerged Zone during a Dry Period
Authors: Li Xiaoyue , Xia Chenxi , Sun Yuhang , Ding Wei , Qin Huapeng
Published: November 2022

Microbial transformation is a vital mechanism to internally treat nitrogen (N) within bioretention cells (BRCs); nitrifying and denitrifying microorganisms are the main drivers of permanent nitrogen removal. The limited research of the characteristics of nitrifying and denitrifying microbes in different layers during dry periods has prevented further understanding of nitrogen behavior in bioretention cells. In this paper, high-throughput sequencing technology and qPCR were used to analyze the microbial community and the abundance of six functional genes in soil and water samples of a layered BRC. This study found that the microbial community structure of the gravel layer was distinguished from that of the other three layers. With the extension in the dry period, the amount of microbial species shared by all four layers increased, showing a convergent succession of microorganisms. The nitrification and denitrification functional genes mainly existed in the upper layer of the bioretention cell; in addition, the abundance of the functional genes in the sand layer increased after rainfall and peaked at about 24–48 h, after which the abundance decreased and became steady. Correlation analysis indicated that the abundance of nitrification and denitrification functional genes was significantly affected by TOC, ammonia nitrogen concentration and nitrate nitrogen concentration.
Developments of Dynamic Shoreline Planform of Crenulate-Shaped Bay by a Novel Evolution Formulation
Authors: Tao Hung-Cheng , Hsu Tai-Wen , Fan Chia-Ming
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a simple evolution formulation, based on polar coordinate, is proposed to efficiently and accurately simulate the dynamic movement of sandy shoreline in a crenulate-shaped bay. The consistent actions by seasonal waves and swell usually result in severe erosion or deposition along sandy shoreline, so some mathematical formulations and numerical models, based on the concept of headland control, have been recently proposed to forecast and protect the shoreline planform. A simple and general formulation is derived in this study by considering the balance of longshore sediment transport, since the accurate prediction of dynamic movements of high planform-curvature shoreline in the shadow zone behind a headland is essential and critical to the headland control. The proposed formulation can be directly adopted to accurately and simply simulate the temporal variations of shoreline in both of the hooked zone, where is protected by a headland, and the unhooked zone, where is straight attacked by incident waves. Numerical results and comparisons of temporal variation of shoreline between two headlands are provided in this paper to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed evolution formulation. Besides, different time increments and different numbers of control volume are adopted to examine the merits of the proposed numerical model.
Risk Assessment of Nonpoint Source Pollution in the Huaihe River Basin
Authors: Zhao Huiling , Zheng Jiaxiao , Zhu Yuke , Li Luyi , Cai Xitian
Published: November 2022

After years of treatment, the water pollution situation in the Huaihe River Basin (HRB) is still grim, and agricultural nonpoint source pollution has become the leading cause of the problem. However, agricultural nonpoint source pollution in the HRB is complicated due to the compounding effects of multiple factors. In this study, we first applied the export coefficient model to estimate the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) loads used as two pollution source indicators in HRB. Then we constructed an index evaluation system of nonpoint source pollution risk by coupling the two source indicators with five additional indicators: rainfall erosion, river network distribution, soil erodibility, slope length, and land use. The primary source of TN and TP loads is fertilizer application (81.96%), followed by livestock and poultry breeding (16.3%) and rural domestic wastes (1.74%). The risk assessment results indicate that 66.43% of the HRB is at medium to high risk of nonpoint source pollution, 12.37% is at high risk, and 11.20% is at low risk. Moreover, the medium-to-high-risk areas are mainly concentrated in the Henan and Anhui provinces. In contrast, the medium-risk regions are mainly distributed along the mainstream of the Huaihe River. Finally, the observed water quality categories were used to verify our findings. The controlling areas of nonpoint source pollution in HRB are identified. This study could provide a scientific basis for effectively preventing and treating water pollution in the HRB.
Effect of Mangrove on Nitrogen Removal in the Intertidal Zone of Shenzhen’s Deep Bay: From 15N Isotope Tracing to Microbial Analysis
Authors: Jin Xinwei , Fu Jingjing , Yang Juan , Guo Jing , Guo Wenrui , Chen Yahui
Published: November 2022

This study focuses on the nitrogen removal capability of the mangrove wetland system towards resolving the excessive inorganic nitrogen content in the marine water of Shenzhen’s Deep Bay. The nitrogen distribution characteristics, biological nitrogen removal processes, nitrogen removal functional genes, and bacterial community characteristics were investigated in five wetland sites in the intertidal zone of the Deep Bay, viz. the Kandelia candel, Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, Sonneratia apetala, Aegiceras corniculatum, and mud flat sites. The results showed that ammonia and nitrate in the marine water were significantly removed in the five wetlands sites, with respective removal efficiencies of 70.9–75.5% and 89.5–94.0%. The concentration of ammonia and nitrate in pore water remained significantly unchanged with depth. Denitrification and anammox were each system’s main biological nitrogen removal processes, and their rates were 1.70–3.22 and 0.07–0.36 μmol/(kg·h), respectively. The denitrification rates in the mangroves were higher than in the mud flat site, unlike the anammox rates. The denitrifying functional genes (nirS, nosZ) and anammox functional gene (hzsB) showed an excellent linear relationship with the relevant process rates. Bacillus and Pseudomonas were the main heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria genera identified. The autotrophic denitrifying bacteria genus Sulfurovum was also identified in the systems, while Candidatus Scalindua was the only anammox genus identified in this study. The results of this study improve our understanding of the nitrogen removal characteristics of coastal wetlands and the role of mangrove plants in the biological nitrogen removal processes.
Distribution and Physiology of Juniperus seravschanica Trees in the Genow—The Southernmost and Arid Habitat of Iran
Authors: Rahimian Boogar Abdolrahman , Salehi Hassan , Seyedabadi Esmaeel
Published: November 2022

Juniperus seravschanica is the southernmost population of Juniperus that has a limited habitat in the world near the equator. In Iran, the lone habitat of this species in the Genow mountains has been endangered with thin foliage, abscissing needles, and dried shoots. The current study investigated the effects of climatic, genetic factors, and physiologic indices on the distribution of J. seravschanica. Distribution was evaluated for 450 ha and physiological indices were evaluated for two groups: (A) trees with dried branches and (B) trees without dried branches. Results showed that the distribution of J. seravschanica in the Genow habitat was influenced by elevation, slope degree, aspect, and distance to stream. Results also indicated that max temperature and precipitation are two effective factors that have the highest effects on falling needles and drying branches of J. seravschanica. Chlorophyll, relative water content (RWC), and relative turgidity (RT) are significantly influenced by max temperature. Endangered trees with dried branches had a lower chlorophyll content, RWC, and RT than trees without dried branches. Vulnerability of J. seravschanica was significantly influenced by its genetic structure. Results of AMOVA showed 83% genetic variability between two groups of J. seravschanica trees.
Statistical Model for the Sizing of a Prototype Solar Still Applicable to Remote Islands
Authors: Samuel Alinford , Chang Keh-Chin
Published: November 2022

The topography and location of many remote islands limit the available freshwater resources present for use by the inhabitants. However, the abundance of solar and seawater resources and small population size makes them ideal candidates for solar still application. A prototype solar still was designed and fabricated for use on such applications; however, for its implementation, a statistical model was developed to assess its productive performance at a pilot location, Dongji Islet. Experiments were conducted to collect data and construct a multivariable regression model by means of the jack-knife procedure and best subsets technique. The model was then used to size the solar still for implementation by applying the TMY data of Dongji Islet. The daily total global solar radiation, average ambient temperature, and extent of cloud cover were found to be the most suitable predictor variables for the model based on their correlation to the productivity of the protype solar still and their p-value. The model predicted a maximum daily yield of 5.88 L/day in July and a minimum of 1.97 L/day in December. In relation to the annual predicted yield, the length of the solar still can be increased by 88.6% in order to satisfy the daily minimum requirement of 7.5 L per day per person.
A Sequential Anammox Zeolite-Biofilter for the Removal of Nitrogen Compounds from Drinking Water
Authors: Eberle Stephan , Börnick Hilmar , Stolte Stefan
Published: November 2022

The ever-increasing consumption of ammonium fertilizer threatens aquatic environments and will require low-power water treatment processes. With a focus on the treatment of drinking water, the scope of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a sequential Anammox zeolite-biofilter with an anaerobic river and tap water mixture (NH4+: 4.3 mg/L; NO2−: 5.7 mg/L). When the filter velocity was set to 0.032 m/h, NH4+ and NO2− were removed with efficiencies of 86% and 76%, respectively. Remarkably, lowering the substrate concentrations and operating temperatures only resulted in a minor reduction in the efficiencies of nitrogen removal compared to wastewater treatment plants. The coupling of the zeolite and Anammox processes influenced the NO2−/NH4+-ratio as the zeolites removed NH4+ at a higher rate. Reliable process monitoring can be achieved by correlating the electrical conductivity and the removal of nitrogen compounds (R2 = 0.982). The WHO threshold values of all nitrogen compounds could be met using this setup, and thus, it could lead to a significant improvement in drinking water quality around the world. Thus, the Anammox zeolite-biofilter is promising as a cost-effective and low-power technology, especially for decentralized use in threshold and developing countries, and should therefore be the subject of further investigation.
Aging Process of Microplastics in the Aquatic Environments: Aging Pathway, Characteristic Change, Compound Effect, and Environmentally Persistent Free Radicals Formation
Authors: Li Cong , Jiang Bo , Guo Jiaqi , Sun Chunmeng , Shi Changjie , Huang Saikai , Liu Wang , Wu Chengzhang , Zhang Yunshu
Published: November 2022

Plastic wastes are becoming one of the most serious environmental pollutants because of their high antidegradation properties and the damage they cause to human health. More seriously, plastics can become smaller in size and form microplastics (MPs), attributing to the oxidation, weathering, and fragmentation processes. The influx of MPs into water bodies seriously affects the quality of the aquatic environment. Therefore, it is necessary to summarize the aging process of MPs. In this review, we first provided an overview of the definition and source of MPs. Then we analyzed the potential aging pathways of MPs in the current aquatic environment and elaborated on the changes in the physicochemical properties of MPs during the aging process (e.g., particle size, crystallinity, thermodynamic properties, and surface functional groups). In addition, the possible synergistic contamination of MPs with other pollutants in the environment is illustrated. Finally, the mechanisms of generation and toxicity of environmental persistent free radicals (EPFRs) that may be generated during the photoaging of MPs were described, and the feasibility of using photoaged MPs as photosensitizers to catalyze photoreactive degradation of organic pollutants is proposed. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive and objective evaluation of the behavior of MPs in the aquatic environment.
Species Composition and Distribution in the Mangrove Ecosystem in the City of Bengkulu, Indonesia
Authors: Soeprobowati Tri Retnaningsih , Anggoro Sutrisno , Puryono Sri , Purnaweni Hartuti , Sularto Raden Bambang , Mersyah Rohidin
Published: November 2022

Most of the cities of Bengkulu are coastal areas (71.87%) under substantial pressure due to infrastructure development. This condition has affected the mangrove ecosystem and ecological degradation and has induced abrasion. In this study, we aimed to analyze the existing conditions of the mangrove ecosystems in the city of Bengkulu, particularly the composition and distribution of the mangrove species and the determination of the water quality. We collected vegetation data using exploratory methods and direct observation at 13 research sites. We measured the water quality in situ in terms of the temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) at the sites, performed a vegetation analysis, and analyzed the turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDSs), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), nitrate, nitrite content, ammonia, and phosphate concentrations ex situ in the laboratory. We found 52 vegetation species in the research sites, which included 11 true mangrove species, 9 associated mangrove species, and 31 coastal and land flora. A total of 24 species are categorized under the least-concern (LC) category of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List, and one species is in the data-deficient (DD) category. We categorized the water quality of the mangrove ecosystems in the city of Bengkulu as relatively good, with all the parameters below the national water quality threshold, except for the nitrite concentration in the Bengkulu River estuary. Proper management needs to be developed for the conservation and restoration of mangrove ecosystems to sustain their functions.
Bacterial Community Dynamics along a River-Wetland-Lake System
Authors: Farkas Milán , Szoboszlay Sándor , Vörös Lajos , Lovász Zsófia , Méhes Nikoletta , Mátyás Kálmán , Sebők Rózsa , Kaszab Edit , Háhn Judit , Tóth Gergő , Harkai Péter , Ferincz Árpád , Táncsics András , Kriszt Balázs
Published: November 2022

Balaton is the largest shallow lake in Central Europe. It is one of the few lakes where eutrophication processes have been successfully reversed. The creation of a wetland area on the lower part of the main inflow river played a major role in the re-oligotrophication processes. After several decades of operation and multiple transformations, an attempt was made to explore the microbial community of the water reservoir and its relationship with algal groups and environmental parameters. In the main inflow river, floods had the greatest effect on the microbial community composition, while in the open water areas of the wetland system, the algae production that develops due to external nutrient load was the main driver of the bacterial community. In the high-macrophyte-covered areas, the decomposition processes of the dying algae biomass were the most decisive. Finally, in the large open water areas of Lake Balaton, the external and internal nutrient loads together determined the algal production and thus the bacterial community composition.
Water Infrastructure Performance in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Investigation of the Drivers and Impact on Economic Growth
Authors: Dangui Kokou , Jia Shaofeng
Published: November 2022

There is a strong link between water infrastructure and development outcomes. As such, water infrastructure challenges could have an adverse effect on the economy at large. This study investigates the drivers of water infrastructure performance and analyzes how investment in water infrastructure affects economic growth, focusing on a panel of thirty-one Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. An integrative theoretical framework using panel regressions was developed. The result showed that an increase in water infrastructure performance due to a 1% increase in per-capita income growth and trade openness was 0.2% and 0.03%, respectively, and the constraint on water infrastructure performance due to a 1% increase in population density was 0.76%. The result showed that the impact is mostly driven by the effect of per-capita income growth and population density on lower- and middle-income countries. Our results also revealed that one additional increase in water infrastructure investment leads to a higher impact on economic growth. We further complement our study by investigating the policy interventions that the support water infrastructure outcome effect. We found that investment in water infrastructure along with the provision of credit to the private sector is a strong driver of economic growth; however, access to credit beyond a certain threshold—relative to the level of investment in water infrastructure in these countries—investment in water infrastructure would lead to an adverse negative macroeconomic effect. The policy implications of this study are discussed.
Advancing and Mobilizing Knowledge about Youth-Initiated Mentoring through Community-Based Participatory Research: A Scoping Review
Authors: Dantzer Ben , Perry Nancy E.
Published: November 2022

The core purpose of Youth-Initiated Mentoring (YIM) is to adopt a more collaborative approach to mentoring by inviting youth to nominate and select their own mentors. This article performs a scoping review of research on YIM to identify common methodologies and emerging evidence from available studies. Six online research databases were used to identify peer-reviewed academic articles published in English. No date restrictions were applied. In total, nine peer-reviewed articles were identified and reviewed. The main findings from these studies indicate that collaborating with youth during the mentor nomination process offers several benefits to youth in mentoring relationships. Based on the knowledge gained from this scoping review, a secondary purpose of this article is to encourage researchers to adopt a more participatory approach to their future investigations of YIM. Despite YIM’s recent exploration into more collaborative approaches to practice, the model has yet to fully embrace more collaborative approaches to research. To address this limitation, this article begins a productive dialogue between YIM and Community-Based Participatory Research. Specifically, this article reviews four of the principles within Community-Based Participatory Research and surfaces helpful strategies that researchers can use to begin celebrating the local knowledge and expertise of youth and their communities.
Behavior of the Commercial Sand Crab Portunus pelagicus (L.) at Trap Entrances
Authors: SMITH GLEN S. , SUMPTON WAYNE D.
Published: November 2022

Time lapse video recordings were used to study the trap entrance behavior of the sand crab (Portunus pelogicus L.) in the laboratory. The trap used was cylindrical with two opposite entrance funnels, as commonly used in the Australian commercial fishery. Crabs usually made several entrance attempts (i • 2), and 66% and 72% of males and females, respectively, searched less than one-quarter of the trap circumference before entry. It was not uncommon for sand crabs to miss the entrances: for crabs that made an entrance attempt, males missed funnels an average of 2.2 times as compared to females 1.7 times. Entry success rates were 30% and 25% for males and females, respectively, although there was no significant difference in the number of entries between the sexes. Entry order into the baited trap by sex or size was not significant. Antagonistic interactions rarely prevented a crab from entering the trap, but occasionally (<5% of entries} trapped crabs inside the trap prevented newcomers from entering the trap. Crabs also occasionally backed out of a funnel for no apparent reason. The trap was not considered efficient at catching crabs. A more efficient trap would require more entrance space presented to an approaching crab.
Detoxification of Linseed and Sesame Meal and Evaluation of their Nutritive Value in the Diet of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)
Authors: HOSSAIN M.A.
Published: November 2022

The effect of two processing methods, aqueous extraction and autoclaving (120°C, 1 kg.cm·2, 2 hours) for detoxifying linseed (Linum usitatissimum.) and sesame meals (Sesamum indicum) on their nutritive value as a protein source for common carp was evaluated. Growth and feed utilization of carp fed diets with 25% of the total protein replaced by linseed or sesame seeds, which are either untreated, heat treated or aqueous extracted, were compared to a control diet with fishmeal as the sole protein source. The s even diets were made isonitrogenous (40% protein) and isocaloric (4.4 KcaJ.g·1) and were fed to carp initially weighing 3.3 g in three replicate tanks. Both methods of processing did not alter significantly the proximate and amino acid composition of the meals. Phytic acid contents were reduced by 48.2-71.8% and 50.8- 7 4.0% in linseed .and sesame meals, respectively with heat treatment resulting in greater reduction. Hydrocyanic acid content in linseed meal was reduced by 34.4-53.1%, with aqueous treatment resulting in the greater reduction. The results of the feeding trial showed that use of detoxified meals in diets significantly (P < 0.05) improved growth performance and food utilization of carp compared to those fed untreated meals but not to a level of performance obtained with a fishmeal based control diet.
On the Measurement of Cointegration Relations Between the Indicators of the Time Series of the Current Account of the Balance of Payments and GDP (On the Example of the Republic of Azerbaijan)
Authors: Ayyubova N. S.
Published: November 2022

The article solves the problem of constructing an econometric model (based on time series of macroeconomic indicators) that reflects the relationship between changes in the current account of the balance of payments and GDP dynamics (on the example of the Republic of Azerbaijan).In order to assess the correctness of the application of mathematical and statistical methods for analyzing the impact of foreign economic activity on the final results of the country's economic activity, the constructed model was tested. So, to test the hypotheses about the normal distribution of the series, the Jarque–Bera test, the augmented Dickey–Fuller test (ADF), the Kwiatkowski–Phillips–Schmidt–Shin (KPSS) test were used, and histograms and correlograms were constructed.In the process of studying the time series of the indicators under consideration, their non-stationarity was revealed both according to the results of descriptive statistics, the Jarque–Bera test, histograms, plots of the sample autocorrelation function (ACF) and partial autocorrelation function (PACF), and according to the Dickey–Fuller test. The transition to absolute increments, that is, to the first differences, was applied. In addition, the Johansen test was performed to identify cointegration relationships. Based on its results, when comparing linear and quadratic trends with similar characteristics, a linear one was chosen, indicating the presence of a cointegration relationship. After carrying out the Trace and Maximum Eigenvalue tests, an alternative hypothesis about the presence of one cointegration vector was accepted.The results obtained allow us to conclude that the relationship between the indicators of the current account of the balance of payments and Azerbaijan's GDP is of a long-term nature. They can also serve as a basis for building an error correction model.
Sample Surveys and Population Censuses as Data Sources on the Second Generation of Migrants: Foreign Experience
Authors: Denisenko M. B. , Smirnova M. A. , Stepanova A. V.
Published: November 2022

The increasing role of migration in the world makes the integration of migrants into host societies a crucial social process. In the long run, integration is closely related to the topic of the second generation of migrants and their relative well-being in society. In Russia, which attracts a large number of migrants, the integration of the second generation is also very important but the understanding of it is fragmented due to the small number of relevant studies. The task of obtaining relevant data on migrants' descendants and their participation in social and economic life requires taking into account the wealth of foreign experience in studying this topic.This paper provides an overview of approaches to the study of the second generation of migrants in the United States, Canada and Western European countries. The review is based on analytical and methodological publications of national statistical agencies and international organizations (UN, OECD, Eurostat), metadata from special sample surveys and a number of academic articles. The authors discusses the main data sources used to estimate the number of second-generation migrants and to provide information on their socio-economic characteristics, such as censuses and microcensuses, regular labour force surveys and ad hoc sample surveys. The article describes nuances in the definition and evolution of the concept of «second generation» in the national statistical systems. The results of studies on the social mobility of descendants of immigrants are summarised.In conclusion, we offer practical recommendations for modernizing the system of statistical recording of migration in Russia based on the long-term foreign experience of studying the second generation of migrants.
Methods of Multivariate Statistical Analysis in the Study of the Efficiency of Initiative Budgeting at the Regional Level
Authors: Zarova E. V. , Kovalenko N. N.
Published: November 2022

The paper presents a methodology of statistical analysis to assess efficiency of initiative budgeting at the regional level, which is one of the most urgent areas for improvement of the mechanism for managing socio-economic development of territories. The introductory part of the article explains the relevance of applying mathematical and statistical methods of analysis to improve the efficiency of initiative budgeting in the regions, and also describes theoretical and methodological provisions and information sources implemented in the author's own methodological studies designed to assess the efficiency of initiative budgeting on the example of the Stavropol Territory – pilot region for the implementation of the Local Initiatives Support Program (LISP). While analyzing structural and dynamic relationships of indicators associated with financing and results of LISP implementation, the authors applied two versions of cluster analysis:– clustering of municipal units of the studied region by the values of indicators of financing and LISP performance, ensuring the allocation of statistically homogeneous groups of administrative and territorial entities;– clustering of indicators characterizing the volume of funding and LISP performance at the municipal level, which gave an idea of the multi-level interdependence of these indicators and was taken into account when building multi-factor models of the effectiveness of initiative budgeting programs in the region.The article concludes that the indicators of infrastructure development using LISP funds are very important from the standpoint of socio-economic development of the territories, but are dependent on the living standards of the population, which provides the necessary degree of public initiative for «inclusion» of the LISP mechanism. In addition, the identified and assessed patterns, although they are common for the considered pilot region for the implementation of LISP, have specific manifestations in certain groups of municipalities, which requires finer targeted “tuning” of LISP by substantiating its projects to obtain socio-economic results, most relevant to each municipality.
Study of the Impact of the Pandemic on the Stability of the Russian Banking Sector
Authors: Khasyanova S. Yu.
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the stability of Russian banks. To achieve this goal, an economic and statistical analysis of the risk and liquidity indicators of the Russian banking sector for the period 2008–2020 was performed. The analysis was based on the methodology for assessing the financial stability of deposit institutions developed by the International Monetary Fund.The analysis includes the following steps: determining the level and dynamics of sustainability indicators in 2020 in comparison to the pre-pandemic levels in 2019; constructing historical trends of the indicators over the last 12 years, including the pandemic crisis, applying the Hodrick – Prescott method used in macroeconomics to filter time series; identifying deviations of the indicators’ actual values from the trends, which made it possible to detect cyclicity in the indicators’ dynamics.The findings revealed that the pandemic crisis of 2020 did not lead to a deterioration in the stability of the Russian banking sector, moreover, the liquidity risk indicators improved in comparison to the pre-crisis period. At the same time, the historical trends for the period 2008–2020 showed an increase in risks in the banking sector, however, this was caused by a sharp "outlier" of risk indicators during the previous crises of 2009 and 2015. The identified deviations of the indicators from the trends allowed us to conclude that the risk raises and the liquidity increases in the sector during recession of the credit cycle and crises, and vice versa during the cycle expansion and credit boom, with the exception of 2016–2018 and 2020, which is explained, respectively, by the structural changes in the banking sector and the pandemic crisis. The results of this study could be valuable for analysts and regulators in the course of macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, as well as for banks when improving internal risk management procedures to address the economic cyclicity concern.
L'aménagement des plages du pays de Guérande. Front baulois et Grande Falaise.
Authors: Vigarié André
Published: November 2022

lm Küstengebiet um Guérande herrscht dringender Redarf an zusätzlichen Einrichtungen für den Fremdenverkehr , vor allem infolge der Ausdelmung der Doppelstadt Nantes-St-Nazaire . Durch diese wird eine neue Art von Freizeitgestaltung und Fremdenverkehr nahegelegt, in welcher Wochenendzeitvertreib und Wassersport an Bedeutung gewinnen.

Es gilt also einerseits, die Aufnahmefähigkeit der bereits für den Fremdenverkehr erschlossenen Gebiete zu erhöhen, andererseits die noch ungenutzten Gebiete in vernünftiger Weise zu erschlieBen. So ist das Hauptproblem in La Baule die begrenzte Aufnahmefähigkeit des Strandes : inwieweit ist es möglich, das Strandgebiet zu erweiter ? Und wie kann die Strandzunge bei La Grande Falaise, die bis heute merkwürdigerweise ungenutzt ist, der Benutzung zugeführt werden ?

Fine Beantwortung dieser Fragen wurde mit den Mitteln einer ktlstenmorphologischen Untersuchung versucht ; dabei wurden natürlich nur einige llauptlinien herausgearbeitet , die bei einer unfassenderen Neuordnung des Küstengehiets zu berücksichtigen wären.
Étude géographique de quelques villages en Loire Atlantique
Authors: Renard Jean
Published: November 2022

L'analyse géographique de la dynamique des hameaux ou villages des bocages de Loire Atlantique montre que le déclin des activités agricoles, la disparition de nombreuses borderies, s'accompagnent d'une perte de dynamisme et du vieillissement de la population mais aussi des structures. Les évolutions, permises par les techniques agricoles modernes se font difficilement ; le poids du passé pèse lourdement tant au point de vue des contraintes foncières que de la vétusté du bâti. Les villages réagissent différemment selon leurs origines et leurs situations actuelles mais les hameaux à gagnerie paraissent défavorisés. Le développement des résidences de week-end ou de l'habitat permanent non agricole provoque la spéculation et bloque les évolutions foncières. Un aménagement des villages est possible mais il est délicat et il faudrait faire appel à des spécialistes venus d'horizons différents.