bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retrieval of Sea Surface Wind Fields Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Hu Tangao , Li Yue , Li Yao , Wu Yiyue , Zhang Dengrong
Published: May 2020

Timely and accurate sea surface wind field (SSWF) information plays an important role in marine environmental monitoring, weather forecasting, and other atmospheric science studies. In this study, a piecewise linear model is proposed to retrieve SSWF information based on the combination of two different satellite sensors (a microwave scatterometer and an infrared scanning radiometer). First, the time series wind speed dataset, extracted from the HY-2A satellite, and the brightness temperature dataset, extracted from the FY-2E satellite, were matched. The piecewise linear regression model with the highest R2 was then selected as the best model to retrieve SSWF information. Finally, experiments were conducted with the Usagi, Fitow, and Nari typhoons in 2013 to evaluate accuracy. The results show that: (1) the piecewise linear model is successfully established for all typhoons with high R2 (greater than 0.61); (2) for all three cases, the root mean square error () and mean bias error (MBE) are smaller than 2.2 m/s and 1.82 m/s, which indicates that it is suitable and reliable for SSWF information retrieval; and (3) it solves the problem of the low temporal resolution of HY-2A data (12 h), and inherits the high temporal resolution of the FY-2E data (0.5 h). It can provide reliable and high temporal SSWF products.
The Impact of SMOS Soil Moisture Data Assimilation within the Operational Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS)
Authors: Baugh Calum , de Rosnay Patricia , Lawrence Heather , Jurlina Toni , Drusch Matthias , Zsoter Ervin , Prudhomme Christel
Published: May 2020

In this study the impacts of Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) soil moisture data assimilation upon the streamflow prediction of the operational Global Flood Awareness System (GloFAS) were investigated. Two GloFAS experiments were performed, one which used hydro-meteorological forcings produced with the assimilation of the SMOS data, the other using forcings which excluded the assimilation of the SMOS data. Both sets of experiment results were verified against streamflow observations in the United States and Australia. Skill scores were computed for each experiment against the observation datasets, the differences in the skill scores were used to identify where GloFAS skill may be affected by the assimilation of SMOS soil moisture data. In addition, a global assessment was made of the impact upon the 5th and 95th GloFAS flow percentiles to see how SMOS data assimilation affected low and high flows respectively. Results against in-situ observations found that GloFAS skill score was only affected by a small amount. At a global scale, the results showed a large impact on high flows in areas such as the Hudson Bay, central United States, the Sahel and Australia. There was no clear spatial trend to these differences as opposing signs occurred within close proximity to each other. Investigating the differences between the simulations at individual gauging stations showed that they often only occurred during a single flood event; for the remainder of the simulation period the experiments were almost identical. This suggests that SMOS data assimilation may affect the generation of surface runoff during high flow events, but may have less impact on baseflow generation during the remainder of the hydrograph. To further understand this, future work could assess the impact of SMOS data assimilation upon specific hydrological components such as surface and subsurface runoff.
A Textural Approach to Improving Snow Depth Estimates in the Weddell Sea
Authors: Mei M. Jeffrey , Maksym Ted
Published: May 2020

The snow depth on Antarctic sea ice is critical to estimating the sea ice thickness distribution from laser altimetry data, such as from Operation IceBridge or ICESat-2. Snow redistributed by wind collects around areas of deformed ice and forms a wide variety of features on sea ice; the morphology of these features may provide some indication of the mean snow depth. Here, we apply a textural segmentation algorithm to classify and group similar textures to infer the distribution of snow using snow surface freeboard measurements from Operation IceBridge campaigns over the Weddell Sea. We find that texturally-similar regions have similar snow/ice ratios, even when they have different absolute snow depth measurements. This allows for the extrapolation of nadir-looking snow radar data using two-dimensional surface altimetry scans, providing a two-dimensional estimate of the snow depth with ∼22% error. We show that at the floe scale (∼180 m), snow depth can be directly estimated from the snow surface with ∼20% error using deep learning techniques, and that the learned filters are comparable to standard textural analysis techniques. This error drops to ∼14% when averaged over 1.5 km scales. These results suggest that surface morphological information can improve remotely-sensed estimates of snow depth, and hence sea ice thickness, as compared to current methods. Such methods may be useful for reducing uncertainty in Antarctic sea ice thickness estimates from ICESat-2.
Sampling Strategy for Detailed Urban Land Use Classification: A Systematic Analysis in Shenzhen
Authors: Su Mo , Guo Renzhong , Chen Bin , Hong Wuyang , Wang Jiaqi , Feng Yimei , Xu Bing
Published: May 2020

A heavy workload is required for sample collection for urban land use classification, and researchers are in urgent need of sampling strategies as a guide to achieve more effective work. In this paper, we make use of an urban land use survey to obtain a complete sample set of a city, test the impact of different training and validation sample sizes on the accuracy, and summarize the sampling strategy. The following conclusions are drawn based on our systematic analysis in Shenzhen. (1) For the best classification accuracy, the number of training samples should be no less than 40% of the total number of parcels or no less than 5500 parcels. For the best labor cost performance, the number should be no less than 7% or no less than 900. (2) The accuracy evaluation is stable and reliable and requires validation sample numbers of no less than 10% of the total or no less than 1200. (3) Samples with a purity of 60–90% are preferred, and the classification effectiveness is better in samples with a purity greater than 90% under the same number. (4) If spatial equilibrium sampling cannot be carried out, sampling areas with complex land use patterns should be preferred.
RAIM-NET: A Deep Neural Network for Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring
Authors: Sun Yuan
Published: May 2020

With the continuous popularization of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in various applications, the performance requirement for integrity is also increasing, especially in the field of safety-of-life. Although the existing Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) algorithm has been embedded in the GNSS receiver as a standard method, it might still suffer from small fault detection and delay alarm problem for time series fault models. In an effort to solve this problem, a Deep Neural Network (DNN) for RAIM, named RAIM-NET, is investigated in this paper. The main idea of RAIM-NET is to propose a combination of feature vector extraction and DNN model to improve the performance of integrity monitoring, with a problem specifically designed for loss function, obtaining the model parameters. Inspired by the powerful advantages of Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) in time series data processing, a multilayer RNN is applied to build the DNN model structure and improve the detection rate for small faults and reduce the alarm delay for the time series fault event. Finally, real GNSS data experiments are designed to verify the performance of RAIM-NET in fault detection and time delay for integrity monitoring.
Research on the Influence of Vehicle Speed on Safety Warning Algorithm: A Lane Change Warning System Case Study
Authors: Fu Rui , Zhang Yali , Wang Chang , Yuan Wei , Guo Yingshi , Ma Yong
Published: May 2020

Speed has an important impact on driving safety, however, this factor is not included in existing safety warning algorithms. This study uses lane change systems to study the influence of vehicle speed on safety warning algorithms, aiming to determine lane change warning rules for different speeds (DS-LCW). Thirty-five drivers are recruited to carry out an extreme trial and naturalistic driving experiment. The vehicle speed, relative speed, relative distance, and minimum safety deceleration (MSD) related to lane change characteristics are then analyzed and calculated as warning rule characterization parameters. Lane change warning rules for a rear vehicle in the target lane under four-speed levels of 60 ≤ v < 70 km/h, 70 ≤ v < 80 km/h, 80 ≤ v < 90 km/h, and v ≥ 90 km/h are established. The accuracy of lane change warning rules not considering speed level (NDS-LCW) and ISO 17387 are found to be 87.5% and 79.8%, respectively. Comparatively, the accuracy rate of DS-LCW under four-speed levels is 94.6%, 93.8%, 90.0%, and 92.6%, respectively, which is significantly superior. The algorithm proposed in this paper provides warning in the lane change process with a smaller relative distance, and the accuracy rate of DS-LCW is significantly superior to NDS-LCW and ISO 17387.
Creating Interactive Learning Environments through the Use of Information and Communication Technologies Applied to Learning of Social Values: An Approach from Neuro-Education
Authors: Espino-Díaz Luis , Alvarez-Castillo Jose-Luis , Gonzalez-Gonzalez Hugo , Hernandez-Lloret Carmen-Maria , Fernandez-Caminero Gemma
Published: May 2020

In order to link learning and the brain, it is necessary to carry out a restructuring of pedagogical practice so that it can be linked to the contributions of Neurosciences. In this sense, Neuro-education is emerging as a new science that has as its main objective the synergy of Pedagogy, Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, and with this, being able to bring the different educational agents the necessary resources in terms of the brain and learning binomial This article focuses on the importance of education in values, and the acquisition of prosocial behavior and how this educational field can be developed from the use of information and communication technologies (ICT). The challenge before us is to build the map of values, which make the individual a fulfilled being and, in turn, a collaborator of the social environment. On the other hand, ICTs offer enormous potential in terms of their application in the field of education. In this article we will show the role that this type of tools can play in the learning and assimilation of values, bearing in mind the contributions of neuro-education.
Autogenous Eutrophication, Anthropogenic Eutrophication, and Climate Change: Insights from the Antrift Reservoir (Hesse, Germany)
Authors: Weber Collin J. , Weihrauch Christoph
Published: May 2020

Climate change is projected to aggravate water quality impairment and to endanger drinking water supply. The effects of global warming on water quality must be understood better to develop targeted mitigation strategies. We conducted water and sediment analyses in the eutrophicated Antrift catchment (Hesse, Germany) in the uncommonly warm years 2018/2019 to take an empirical look into the future under climate change conditions. In our study, algae blooms persisted long into autumn 2018 (November), and started early in spring 2019 (April). We found excessive phosphorus (P) concentrations throughout the year. At high flow in winter, P desorption from sediments fostered high P concentrations in the surface waters. We lead this back to the natural catchment-specific geochemical constraints of sediment P reactions (dilution- and pH-driven). Under natural conditions, the temporal dynamics of these constraints most likely led to high P concentrations, but probably did not cause algae blooms. Since the construction of a dammed reservoir, frequent algae blooms with sporadic fish kills have been occurring. Thus, management should focus less on reducing catchment P concentrations, but on counteracting summerly dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion in the reservoir. Particular attention should be paid to the monitoring and control of sediment P concentrations, especially under climate change.
Effects of the Barbell Load on the Acceleration Phase during the Snatch in Elite Olympic Weightlifting
Authors: Sandau Ingo , Granacher Urs
Published: May 2020

The load-depended loss of vertical barbell velocity at the end of the acceleration phase limits the maximum weight that can be lifted. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze how increased barbell loads affect the vertical barbell velocity in the sub-phases of the acceleration phase during the snatch. It was hypothesized that the load-dependent velocity loss at the end of the acceleration phase is primarily associated with a velocity loss during the 1st pull. For this purpose, 14 male elite weightlifters lifted seven load-stages from 70–100% of their personal best in the snatch. The load–velocity relationship was calculated using linear regression analysis to determine the velocity loss at 1st pull, transition, and 2nd pull. A group mean data contrast analysis revealed the highest load-dependent velocity loss for the 1st pull (t = 1.85, p = 0.044, g = 0.49 [−0.05, 1.04]) which confirmed our study hypothesis. In contrast to the group mean data, the individual athlete showed a unique response to increased loads during the acceleration sub-phases of the snatch. With the proposed method, individualized training recommendations on exercise selection and loading schemes can be derived to specifically improve the sub-phases of the snatch acceleration phase. Furthermore, the results highlight the importance of single-subject assessment when working with elite athletes in Olympic weightlifting.
Monitoring Air Quality and Estimation of Personal Exposure to Particulate Matter Using an Indoor Model and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Oh Hyeon-Ju , Kim Jongbok
Published: May 2020

Exposure to particulate materials (PM) is known to cause respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Respirable particles generated in closed spaces, such as underground parking garages (UPGs), have been reported to be a potential threat to respiratory health. This study reports the concentration of pollutants (PM, TVOC, CO) in UPGs under various operating conditions of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems using a real-time monitoring system with a prototype made up of integrated sensors. In addition, prediction of the PM concentration was implemented using modeling from vehicle traffic volumes and an artificial neural network (ANN), based on environmental factors. The predicted PM concentrations were compared with the level acquired from the real-time monitoring. The measured PM10 concentrations of UPGs were higher than the modeled PM10 due to short-term sources induced by vehicles. The average inhalable and respirable dosage for adult was calculated for the evaluation of health effects. The ANN predicted PM concentration showed a close correlation with measurements resulting in R2 ranging from 0.69 to 0.87. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the use of the air quality monitoring system for personal-exposure to vehicle-induced pollutant in UPGs and the potential application of modeling and ANN for the evaluation of the indoor air quality.
Success in Mathematics and Academic Wellbeing in Primary-School Students
Authors: Rodríguez Susana , Regueiro Bibiana , Piñeiro Isabel , Valle Antonio , Sánchez Benigno , Vieites Tania , Rodríguez-Llorente Carolina
Published: May 2020

The main aim of this study was to analyse possible differences in academic wellbeing on the basis of prior academic achievement in mathematics. We conceptualised wellbeing as a multidimensional construct covering both negative indicators, namely, anxiety and negative feelings, and positive indicators, namely, perceived competence, perceived utility, and mastery motivation. Success in mathematics is expected to be associated with better academic wellbeing. The sample consisted of 897 students from the fifth and sixth years of primary school (50.2% boys and 49.8% girls). Results suggested that success in mathematics is linked to a student’s academic wellbeing, in such a way that perceived competence in the subject, perception of usefulness of mathematical content, and mastery motivation was higher in students with better previous performance. Anxiety and negative feelings were also lower when success in mathematics increased. Considering the particular anxiety–self-efficacy interaction suggested by previous research, we concluded that a good way to change negative academic wellbeing would be to increase successful experiences to foster perceived competence, especially in students with high academic anxiety.
Pursuing Sustainable Happiness through Participation in Exercise for South Korean Students: Structural Relationships among Exercise, Mental Health Factors, School Satisfaction, and Happiness
Authors: Cheon HangUk , Lim Seijun
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore the possibility that exercise participation can be an important factor in the pursuit of sustainable happiness. For this purpose, this study focused on the causal relationships among the frequency of exercise, self-esteem, stress, depression, school satisfaction and degree of happiness in elementary, junior high and high school students (n = 11,132) in South Korea. The data used for this study were collected in 2016 by the National Youth Policy Institute (NYPI) for the “UN convention on the rights of the child.” The results were as follows; firstly, the exercise frequency had a significant causal relationship with self-esteem, stress, school satisfaction and happiness but not with depression. However, it was found that exercise frequency had an indirect effect on depression through stress. In detail, exercise frequency could positively reduce stress, and less stress affects depression. Secondly, there were significant direct or indirect effects on self-esteem, stress, depression, degree of happiness and school satisfaction. Lastly, only depression did not affect school satisfaction and happiness.
Development of Stand-Alone Green Hybrid System for Rural Areas
Authors: Kiros Solomon , Khan Baseem , Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar , Haes Alhelou Hassan , Leonowicz Zbigniew , Mahela Om Prakash , Holm-Nielsen Jens Bo
Published: May 2020

Despite the tremendous efforts exhibited by various utilities around the world during the past few years, there are still exceedingly many remote regions unreached by the electrical grid. For those regions, the enormous available potential of renewable energy resources is believed to be useful for the development of a stand-alone power supply system. This paper presents the modeling of a stand-alone hybrid system for the remote area of Ethiopia. A comparison of the economic performance of various scenarios of a stand-alone photovoltaic (PV)-wind hybrid system, with battery storage and diesel as a backup for electrifying remote rural areas, is presented. Therefore, a practical example, Kutur village of Awlio kebele of the Axum district, Ethiopia (which is 30 km away from the closest national grid) is considered for this research. Two electric load scenarios are estimated by considering the set of incandescent and efficient lamps for lighting for the 120 existing households. The above-mentioned solar radiation and wind speed are then used as an input to simulate the hybrid set-up for the high and low load estimation using HOMER software. The simulation result shows that the net present costs (NPC) corresponding to the high and low load scenarios is $262,470 and $180,731, respectively. Besides, an essential load forecasting is performed to see the effect of the increase in electric demand of the community on the required investment to install a stand-alone hybrid set-up. The NPC after load forecasting is found to be more than three folds of the NPC required for the reference year. In both cases, the simulation results indicate that using a stand-alone PV-wind hybrid system with battery storage and a diesel generator as a backup for electrifying Kutur village is cost-effective and comparable against the cost required for electrifying the village by extending the grid.
Youth Labor Market Integration in European Regions
Authors: Cefalo Ruggero , Scandurra Rosario , Kazepov Yuri
Published: May 2020

Countries’ institutional configurations and structural characteristics play an important role in shaping transitions from school to work. Recent empirical evidence shows significant regional and territorial differences in youth unemployment and labor market participation. Along this research strand, we argue in favor of a place-sensitive approach to youth labor market integration in order to address the regional disparities of young people’s opportunities. In order to investigate the synergic effect of different contextual configurations, we construct a composite measure, namely, the youth labor market integration (YLMI) index. This considers a wide range of indicators of the access, exclusion, and duration of the transition into employment at the regional level. The YLMI index allows cross-regional and longitudinal comparisons of the European Union (EU) local labor markets and youth employment opportunities.
The Model of Diffusion of Knowledge on Industry 4.0 in Marshallian Clusters
Authors: Pawłyszyn Irena , Fertsch Marek , Stachowiak Agnieszka , Pawłowski Grzegorz , Oleśków-Szłapka Joanna
Published: May 2020

Industry 4.0 is perceived as the innovative approach to manufacturing management, thanks to which enterprises gain efficiency and improve competitiveness. The research on Industry 4.0 carried and published refer to the scope of solutions recognized as Industry 4.0 and the level of recognition and implementation of solutions within Industry 4.0. The conclusion from the latter is that enterprises, though striving for innovation and improvement, have no knowledge on solutions available. Hence, the research goal of the paper was to identify the level of knowledge on Industry 4.0 among enterprises and analyze the mechanism of knowledge diffusion. The subjects of research were enterprises in Marshallian clusters, as they are linked, which may contribute to knowledge diffusion and Industry 4.0 solutions dissemination. Research methodology implemented included three stages, namely knowledge level recognition, Industry 4.0 knowledge diffusion model development, and validation of the model with case-based simulation. The conclusions, based on simulation results, refer to mechanism and the most important parameters of knowledge on Industry 4.0 diffusion.
Territorial Cohesion in Rural Areas: An Analysis of Determinants in the Post-Economic Crisis Context
Authors: Sánchez-Zamora Pedro , Gallardo-Cobos Rosa
Published: May 2020

One of the main consequences of the impacts of the past economic and financial crisis, which began in 2007–2008, has been the increase in inequalities between countries, regions, and territories of the EU. In the rural sphere, these disparities are not only observed in an urban–rural dichotomy, but are also evident between rural–rural territories. In this context, it is relevant to develop research based on the concept of territorial cohesion aimed at overcoming the development challenges faced by different types of rural territories. This paper addresses the empirical analysis of territorial cohesion in the rural areas of Andalusia (Spain), one of the European regions most affected by the economic crisis. To this effect, a methodology was designed that measures the level of territorial cohesion of different types of rural territories and identifies the factors that influence this cohesion in each case. The results show that factors such as employment and innovation, economic diversification, availability of natural resources and environmental quality, or information and communication technologies (ICTs) contribute to territorial cohesion in rural areas.
Meat Reduction Practices in the Context of a Social Media Grassroots Experiment Campaign
Authors: Pohjolainen Pasi , Jokinen Pekka
Published: May 2020

High meat consumption appears regularly in sustainability discourses but finding practical tools for reduction has proven to be challenging. The rise of social media has opened up new pathways to structure political spaces where grassroots initiatives for experiments can take place. Our paper examines how consumer-citizens started experimenting with vegetarian foods in the context of an innovative Finnish meat reduction social media campaign called Meatless October during its kick-off year in 2013. The focus is on participants’ perceptions of the campaign and reflections of the experiment process. We analyzed participants’ blog posts by using a qualitative content analysis. Our results show that the participants were often strongly motivated by the campaign’s sustainability frame. They also saw the campaign both as a communal challenge and an opportunity for political action, sharing know-how and experiences with the other participants. In everyday life, participants’ main focus and worry were in being able to prepare tasty and healthy vegetarian foods, and they were positively surprised by their ability to learn these skills. Participants typically attributed both success and failure in experimenting to their individual capabilities. Overall, our study suggests that the campaign’s public context pushed private practices towards change by facilitating the experimenting process.
Virtual Reality Nature Experiences Involving Wolves on YouTube: Presence, Emotions, and Attitudes in Immersive and Nonimmersive Settings
Authors: Filter Elin , Eckes Alexander , Fiebelkorn Florian , Büssing Alexander Georg
Published: May 2020

As some nature experiences, such as viewing wild animals, may be difficult to implement in science education, immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies have become a promising tool in education. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the effectiveness of nature experiences in VR. In this study, 50 German university students (M = 23.76 years, SD = 3.73 years) from diverse disciplines were randomly assigned to an immersive (head-mounted display; Oculus Quest) or a nonimmersive setting (external computer screen; desktop computer) and individually watched two 360° videos from the social media site YouTube about wolves in their natural habitat. Besides measuring participants’ attitudes towards wolves, we investigated their feeling of presence in the virtual environments with the Spatial Presence Experience Scale (SPES) and the retrospective emotions of interest, joy, and fear with the Differential Affect Scale (M-DAS). The immersive head-mounted display induced higher levels of presence and interest compared to the nonimmersive external computer screen. While higher interest in the screen setting was associated with more positive attitudes towards wolves, such a correlation could not be found in the head-mounted display setting. Thus, our study found that immersive technology could induce interest in a nature experience related to the tested socio-scientific issue, even among people who did not already hold positive attitudes toward the issue. Overall, our findings suggest that 360° videos using immersive technology provide nature experiences with positive affective learning outcomes, even though the study focused on nature experiences in VR and was not an educational experience per se. As we were unable to assess the role of novelty of VR experiences, the application of VR technologies and its effects in larger teaching and learning settings needs to be evaluated in further studies.
Potential of Virtual Design Construction Technologies to Improve Job-Site Safety in Gulf Corporation Council
Authors: Shafiq Muhammad Tariq , Afzal Muneeb
Published: May 2020

With the advancement of digital design practices in the global construction industry, different aspects related to the project lifecycle are extracting their benefits, including making improvements in safety. The objective of this paper is to ascertain the awareness of these technologies, their potential, and any barriers related to the use of different virtual design construction (VDC) tools, such as building information modeling, virtual reality, augmented reality, and geographic information systems, to improve job-site safety in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The paper presents an overview of the GCC construction industry and highlights current safety management practices and problems in the region. The potential of VDC tools for improving job-site safety is discussed and presented. The study has used a questionnaire survey to identify the drivers and barriers of using VDC tools in improving job-site safety management in the GCC region. The results indicated that “designing emergency and evacuation plans” and “fall-hazard prevention strategies” are the two best safety applications of these tools if used proactively. Similarly, “lack of knowledge about return on investment for VDC tools” was considered as the predominant barrier, preventing stakeholders from using these technologies to improve construction safety. These results will help the GCC construction industry to build a strategy for the digitalization of proactive constructability analysis techniques for improving job-site safety. Overall, due to the multilingual dynamics of this region, it is recommended that VDC tools should become more prevalent so that the transfer of safety information and hazard prevention becomes easier, mitigating safety risks.
Social Uncertainty Evaluation of Social Impact Bonds: A Model and Practical Application
Authors: Rania Francesco , Trotta Annarita , Carè Rosella , Migliazza Maria Cristina , Kabli Abdellah
Published: May 2020

In the last years, Social Impact Bonds (SIBs) have gained popularity in the impact investing space. A number of scholars and practitioners are debating—in theory and practice—the opportunities, challenges and obstacles of these financial models. Amongst others, social uncertainty evaluation metrics appear as a critical factor for the future development of the SIB market. The present work aims to shed some light on this issue, by realizing a practical application of a model—which is an extension of a framework previously proposed—for social uncertainty evaluation in SIBs. In our exploratory analysis, 34 SIBs were selected for the empirical tests. We combined the Analytic Hierarchical Process (AHP) with the creation of aggregate measure, deriving by suitable indicators at the end of the tree. Our findings open new avenues for future research in the field of uncertainty factors in the SIB landscape. Finally, our results represent a basis for implementing a prediction model for social uncertainty evaluation.
Agreement Between Dribble and Change of Direction Deficits to Assess Directional Asymmetry in Young Elite Football Players
Authors: Trecroci Athos , Bongiovanni Tindaro , Cavaggioni Luca , Pasta Giulio , Formenti Damiano , Alberti Giampietro
Published: May 2020

This study aimed to examine the agreement between asymmetries of dribble and change of direction (COD) deficits and to determine their potential difference to each other. Sixteen young elite football players were recruited and tested for sprint (over 10 m), dribbling (90°CODdribbling) and COD (90°CODrunning) performance in dominant (fastest) and non-dominant (slowest) directions. Dribble and COD deficits were computed to express dribbling and COD ability without the influence of acceleration. The asymmetric index (AI%) of both dribble and COD deficits were obtained for both directions. The level of agreement between dribble and COD deficits was assessed by Cohen’s kappa statistic (κ). Results showed that AI% measured by dribble and COD deficits presented a poor level of agreement (κ = −0.159), indicating their imbalance did not favor the same direction. Moreover, AI% of the dribble deficit was significantly higher than those of the COD deficit. This study demonstrated that asymmetries in dribbling and change of direction performance (measured by dribble and COD deficit) were not in agreement to favor the same direction, also displaying a significant difference to each other. Practitioners should consider the task-specificity of asymmetry to reduce the imbalance in dribbling and COD performance.
Homomorphic Comparison for Point Numbers with User-Controllable Precision and Its Applications
Authors: Chung Heewon , Kim Myungsun , Badawi Ahmad Al , Aung Khin Mi Mi , Veeravalli Bharadwaj
Published: May 2020

This work is mainly interested in ensuring users’ privacy in asymmetric computing, such as cloud computing. In particular, because lots of user data are expressed in non-integer data types, privacy-enhanced applications built on fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) must support real-valued comparisons due to the ubiquity of real numbers in real-world applications. However, as FHE schemes operate in specific domains, such as that of congruent integers, most FHE-based solutions focus only on homomorphic comparisons of integers. Attempts to overcome this barrier can be grouped into two classes. Given point numbers in the form of approximate real numbers, one class of solution uses a special-purpose encoding to represent the point numbers, whereas the other class constructs a dedicated FHE scheme to encrypt point numbers directly. The solutions in the former class may provide depth-efficient arithmetic (i.e., logarithmic depth in the size of the data), but not depth-efficient comparisons between FHE-encrypted point numbers. The second class may avoid this problem, but it requires the precision of point numbers to be determined before the FHE setup is run. Thus, the precision of the data cannot be controlled once the setup is complete. Furthermore, because the precision accuracy is closely related to the sizes of the encryption parameters, increasing the precision of point numbers results in increasing the sizes of the FHE parameters, which increases the sizes of the public keys and ciphertexts, incurring more expensive computation and storage. Unfortunately, this problem also occurs in many of the proposals that fall into the first class. In this work, we are interested in depth-efficient comparison over FHE-encrypted point numbers. In particular, we focus on enabling the precision of point numbers to be manipulated after the system parameters of the underlying FHE scheme are determined, and even after the point numbers are encrypted. To this end, we encode point numbers in continued fraction (CF) form. Therefore, our work lies in the first class of solutions, except that our CF-based approach allows depth-efficient homomorphic comparisons (more precisely, the complexity of the comparison is O ( log κ + log n ) for a number of partial quotients n and their bit length κ , which is normally small) while allowing users to determine the precision of the encrypted point numbers when running their applications. We develop several useful applications (e.g., sorting) that leverage our CF-based homomorphic comparisons.
COVID-19 in Patients with Solid Organ Transplantation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hage René , Steinack Carolin , Benden Christian , Schuurmans Macé
Published: May 2020

The novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is causing a pandemic of unknown precedent, with huge healthcare challenges and worldwide disruptions to economic and social life. Lung transplant recipients and other solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients are immunosuppressed, and therefore are generally considered at an increased risk for severe infections. Given the current gap in knowledge and evidence regarding the best management of these patients, we conducted a systematic review of studies on SARS-CoV-2 infections and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in SOT recipients, to evaluate the association between immunosuppression in these patients, SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 outcomes. The focus was the severity of the disease, the need for mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and rate of death. The literature search was conducted repeatedly between 16 March and 8 April 2020. We searched original papers, observational studies, case reports, and meta-analyses published between 2019 and 2020 using two databases (PubMed, Google Scholar) with the search terms: [transplant OR immunosuppression] AND [COVID-19 OR SARS-CoV-2]. Further inclusion criteria were publications in English, French, German and Italian, and reference to humans. We also searched the reference lists of the studies encountered. From an initial search of PubMed and Google Scholar, 19 potential articles were retrieved, of which 14 were excluded after full-text screening (not being case reports or case series), leaving 5 studies for inclusion. No further studies were identified from the bibliographies of retrieved articles. Based on the limited research, no firm conclusions can be made concerning SOT recipients, but the current evidence suggests that immunosuppression is most likely associated with a better outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 because it prevents hyperinflammation (cytokine storm) in this particular population. There is a need for further research that would allow results to be adjusted for other factors potentially impacting COVID-19 severity and outcome.
Evidence of Time Evolution in Quantum Gravity
Authors: Cherkas Sergey , Kalashnikov Vladimir
Published: May 2020

In this paper, we argue that the problem of time is not a crucial issue inherent in the quantum picture of the universe evolution. On the minisuperspace model example with the massless scalar field, we demonstrate four approaches to the description of quantum evolution, which give similar results explicitly. The relevance of these approaches to building a quantum theory of gravity is discussed.
The Lived Experience of Chronic Hepatitis B: A Broader View of Its Impacts and Why We Need a Cure
Authors: Tu Thomas , Block Joan M. , Wang Su , Cohen Chari , Douglas Mark W.
Published: May 2020

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is one of the most widespread liver diseases in the world. It is currently incurable and can lead to liver cirrhosis and cancer. The considerable impacts on society caused by CHB through patient mortality, morbidity, and economic loss are well-recognised in the field. This is, however, a narrow view of the harms, given that people living with CHB can be asymptomatic for the majority of their life-long infection. Of less-appreciated importance are the psychosocial harms, which can continue throughout an affected person’s lifetime. Here we review the broad range of these impacts, which include fear and anxiety; financial loss and instability; stigma and discrimination; and rejection by society. Importantly, these directly affect patient diagnosis, management, and treatment. Further, we highlight the roles that the research community can play in taking these factors into account and mitigating them. In particular, the development of a cure for hepatitis B virus infection would alleviate many of the psychosocial impacts of CHB. We conclude that there should be a greater recognition of the full impacts associated with CHB to bring meaningful, effective, and deliverable results to the global community living with hepatitis B.
Opsonic Activity of Conservative Versus Variable Regions of the Group A Streptococcus M Protein
Authors: Dai Chuankai , Khalil Zeinab G. , Hussein Waleed M. , Yang Jieru , Wang Xiumin , Zhao Lili , Capon Robert J. , Toth Istvan , Stephenson Rachel J.
Published: May 2020

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) and GAS-associated infections are a global challenge, with no licensed GAS vaccine on the market. The GAS M protein is a critical virulence factor in the fight against GAS infection, and it has been a primary target for GAS vaccine development. Measuring functional opsonic antibodies against GAS is an important component in the clinical development path for effective vaccines. In this study, we compared the opsonic activity of two synthetic, self-adjuvanting subunit vaccines containing either the J8- or 88/30-epitope in Swiss outbred mice using intranasal administration. Following primary immunization and three boosts, sera were assessed for IgG activity using ELISA, and opsonization activity against seven randomly selected clinical isolates of GAS was measured. Vaccine constructs containing the conservative J8-epitope showed significant opsonic activity against six out of the seven GAS clinical isolates, while the vaccine containing the variable 88/30-epitope did not show any significant opsonic activity.
Battery Electric Vehicle Fast Charging–Evidence from the Norwegian Market
Authors: Figenbaum Erik
Published: May 2020

Norway is the largest Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) market in the world per capita. The share of the passenger vehicle fleet passed 9.4% at the end of 2019, and users have access to 1500 Combined Charging System (CCS)/Chademo standard fast chargers located in more than 500 different locations. This paper analyses the usage pattern of these fast chargers using a dataset from two large operators covering most of their charging events between Q1 2016 and Q1 2018. The target of the analysis was to understand the fundamental factors that drive the demand for fast charging and influences the user experience, so that they can be taken into account when dimensioning charge facilities, and when designing vehicles. The data displays clear variations in charge power, charge time and charged energy between winter and summer, and a large spread of results due to the BEV models different technical characteristics. The charge power is clearly reduced in the winter compared to the summer, while the charge time is longer. Some charge events have a particularly low charge power which may be due to users fast charging a cold battery at a high State of Charge (SOC) in a vehicle with passive battery thermal management.
COVID-19 Perspective from a Hemodialysis Patient
Authors: Allon Michael
Published: May 2020

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A New Species of Anthurium sect. Cardiolonchium (Araceae) from the Cordillera Oriental (Napo Province), Ecuador
Authors: Croat Thomas B. , Freire Efraín , Bleiweiss Robert , Sornoza Molina Francisco
Published: May 2020

Anthurium bustamanteae Croat, E. Freire, R. Bleiweiss & F. Sornoza Molina is here described and illustrated. The species is an Ecuadorean member of section Cardiolonchium Schott and has a reddish inflorescence that is visited by birds and arthropods. The species is most similar to A. sanguineum Engl., another bird-visited species.
Limbic System Associated Membrane Protein Mutation in an Iranian Family Diagnosed with Ménière’s Disease
Authors: Mehrjoo Zohreh , Kahrizi Kimia , Mohseni Marzieh , Akbari Mojdeh , Arzhangi Sanaz , Jalalvand Khadijeh , Najmabadi Hossein , Farhadi Mohammad , Mohseni Mohammad , Asghari Alimohamad , Mohebbi Saleh , Daneshi Ahmad
Published: May 2020

Background: Ménière’s disease (MD) is a common inner ear disorder which is characterized by recurrent attacks of vertigo, fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), tinnitus, and a sense of fullness in the affected ear. MD is a complex disorder; although six genes have been linked to familial autosomal dominant form of the disease, in many cases, the exact genetic etiology remains elusive. Methods: To elucidate the genetic causes of MD in an Iranian family, we performed exome sequencing on all members of the family: consanguineous parents and four children (two affected and two unaffected). Variant filtering was completed using a customized workflow keeping variants based on segregation with MD in autosomal recessive (AR) inheritance pattern, minor allele frequency (MAF), and in-silico prediction of pathogenicity. Results: Analysis revealed that in this family, 970 variants co-segregated with MD in AR pattern, out of which eight variants (one intergenic, four intronic, and three exonic) were extremely rare. The exonic variants included a synonymous substitution in USP3 gene, an in-frame deletion in ZBED2 gene, and a rare, highly conserved deleterious missense alteration in LSAMP gene. Conclusion: The phenotype observed in the proband described here, i.e. vertigo, poor sense of smell, tinnitus, and borderline hearing ability, may originate from aberrant changes in the cerebellum and limbic system due to a deleterious mutation in the LSAMP gene; hence, LSAMP mutation is a possible candidate for the etiology of MD in this family.
Lazer e Políticas Públicas na Bahia
Authors: Freire Danilo Raniery Alves , Rocha Junior Coriolano Pereira da
Published: May 2020

As políticas públicas podem ser vistas como ações que buscam lidar com problemas sociais, históricos e culturais em determinada localidade, a partir de suas realidades. Dentre outras coisas, as políticas públicas devem visar a efetivação dos direitos sociais. O lazer, assim como a saúde e a educação, é um direito social previsto na Constituição Brasileira de 1988, que afirma ser sua oferta um dever do estado. Neste sentido, este projeto objetiva investigar as políticas públicas de lazer elaboradas pelo Governo Estadual da Bahia e Prefeitura Municipal de Salvador, sua modulação teórica, e os possíveis impactos na sociedade baiana.
Elementos sobre a Configuração do Campo das Atividades Físicas para Idosos no Brasil
Authors: Telles Silvio de Cassio Costa , Reis Rômulo Meira , Alves Junior Edmundo de Drummond , Mourão Ludmila
Published: May 2020

Com o passar dos anos, a relação entre o idoso e a atividade física se tornou extremamente comum na sociedade. A mídia, o saber médico e o Estado propagam a importância de um estilo de vida ativo, afeto ao lazer, que potencializa as chances de longevidade. Este estudo buscou compreender como o campo das práticas de atividades físicas para os idosos se configurou no Brasil. Através de quatro entrevistas não estruturadas, do tipo guiada, construímos uma versão para o processo de gênese das práticas de atividades físicas para idosos. A Teoria do Campo de Pierre Bourdieu possibilitou analogias e interpretações das prováveis influências entre diversos campos sociais, primordialmente com o campo internacional. O período compreendido entre 1960 e 1980 foi o recorte temporal utilizado. Observou-se que a influência dos campos econômico, político, da saúde e educacional, em maior ou menor escala, acabou por forjar o campo da prática de atividade física pelo idoso na sociedade brasileira.
Lazer, Educação Física Escolar e Adolescência
Authors: Conceição Vagner Miranda da , Souza Luciana Karine de
Published: May 2020

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a percepção de 18 adolescentes de uma escola pública de Ribeirão das Neves sobre lazer, educação física e da relação entre estas áreas. A fundamentação teórica teve como base a ciência interdisciplinar do desenvolvimento humano, os estudos do lazer e trabalhos empíricos sobre adolescência, educação física e lazer. A coleta de dados envolveu entrevista semiestruturada individual e, posteriormente, grupo focal com nove dos 18 estudantes. As respostas foram analisadas e geraram categorias temáticas semelhantes em sentido. O lazer para estes escolares é fazer o que gosta, diversão e liberdade. Críticas e anseios acerca da educação física foram referenciados, assim como a associação desta disciplina com atividade física. A relação lazer e educação física se dá pela diversão, fazer o que gosta e esportes/jogos. A vivência do lazer na escola pode promover o desenvolvimento do adolescente.