Scientific Community Research Articles

An OpenStreetMap derived building classification dataset for the United States

Building classification is crucial for population estimation, traffic planning, urban planning, and emergency response applications. Although essential, such data is often not readily available. To alleviate this problem, this work presents a comprehensive dataset by providing residential/non-residential building classification covering the entire United States. We developed a dataset of building types based on building footprints and the available OpenStreetMap information. The dataset is validated using authoritative ground truth data for select counties in the U.S., which shows a high precision for non-residential building classification and a high recall for residential buildings. In addition to the building classifications, this dataset includes detailed information on the OpenStreetMap data used in the classification process. A major result of this work is the resulting dataset of classifying 67,705,475 buildings. We hope that this data is of value to the scientific community, including urban and transportation planners.

Antiviral efficacy of heparan sulfate and enoxaparin sodium against SARS‐CoV‐2

AbstractAs the world transitions from the acute phase of the COVID‐19 pandemic caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, the scientific community continues to explore various therapeutic avenues to control its spread and mitigate its ongoing effects. Among the promising candidates are heparan sulfate (HS) and enoxaparin (EX), which have emerged as potential virus inhibitors. HS, a type of glycosaminoglycan, plays a prominent role in the attachment of the virus to host cells. At the same time, EX, a low‐molecular‐weight heparin, is being investigated for its ability to disrupt the interaction between the spike protein of SARS‐CoV‐2 and the ACE2 receptor in human cells. Understanding the mechanisms through which these substances operate could lay the foundation for new strategies in the ongoing management of COVID‐19. This study aimed to examine the details of SARS‐CoV‐2's entry mechanisms and the role of HS in this process. Furthermore, it examines EX's mechanism of action, highlighting how it potentially inhibits SARS‐CoV‐2. The interactions between HS and the virus, alongside in‐vitro and in‐silico inhibition studies with HS and EX, are critically analyzed to assess their antiviral efficacy. Additionally, the antiviral activity of sulfated polysaccharides and the potential therapeutic applications of these findings are discussed.

Advances in Physics and Chemistry of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Janus Monolayers: Properties, Applications, and Future Prospects

AbstractJanus transition metal dichalcogenides (JTMDs) have garnered significant interest from the scientific community owing to their remarkable physical and chemical features. The existence of intrinsic dipoles makes them different from conventional transition metal dichalcogenides. These properties are useful in various potential applications, including energy storage, energy generation, and other electronic devices. The JTMDs are considered a hot topic in two dimensional (2D) materials research, making it necessary to understand their fundamental properties and potential use in various applications. This review covers the fundamental difference between Janus and conventional transition metal dichalcogenide‐based 2D materials. This discussion encompasses the characteristics of monolayer, bilayer, and multilayer materials, focusing on their structural stability, electronics properties, optical properties, piezoelectricity, and Rashba effects. The impact of external stimuli such as strain and electric field toward engineering the ground state properties of monolayer JTMDs is discussed. Additionally, various potential applications of Janus monolayers, including gas sensors, catalysis, electrochemical energy storage, thermoelectric, solar cells, and field effect transistors, are highlighted, emphasizing enhancing their performance. Finally, the prospects of Janus 2D materials for next‐generation electronic devices are highlighted.

Bibliometric Analysis of Publications on the Synthesis of Graphene and Reduced Graphene Oxide in the Scopus Research Platform

Objective: Conduct a bibliometric analysis of articles on the synthesis of graphene and graphene oxide, as well as their applications, from the documents in the last fourteen years. Method: The bibliometric analysis used data from the Scopus database to visualize the main keywords, countries, and journals, addressing the theme of graphene synthesis and its applications over the past 14 years, from 2010 to 2024. Results and Discussion: Using the Bibliometrix software combined with R programming, 1,485 documents published in English were analyzed, which includes articles in review and in their final version. The results demonstrated that despite being a widely explored theme in the scientific community, there is still a growing global relevance. Research Implications: The analysis provided significant data on the development and key trends in academic research. The study revealed a great interest in obtaining reduced graphene oxide and its application in solar cells, as well as the efficiency they produce. Originality/Value: The study aimed to contribute to academic research by demonstrating and analyzing the main trends in graphene synthesis and its applications. Demonstrating its relevance in recent years and the growth in applications in photovoltaic systems.

Role of Surfactants on Electrocatalytic Activity of Co/Al Layered Double Hydroxides For Hydrogen and Oxygen Generation

AbstractLayered double hydroxides (LDHs) have recently attracted much attention in the scientific community as a prominent catalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) because they are economical, extremely stable, and highly active. Literature on LDH alone and their hybrids for catalyzing water oxidation are readily available, but LDH catalyzing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is meager. Here, we synthesized Co/Al‐based LDH systems that efficiently perform as bifunctional electrocatalysts for both HER and OER. Exfoliation of this layered material via anion intercalation into a few layers further enhanced its activity. In this work, we reported the synthesis of Co/Al LDHs via coprecipitation followed by hydrothermal method and different surfactant‐functionalized LDHs (with anionic surfactant: SDS, cationic surfactant: CTAB, and nonionic surfactant: PEG 4000). SDS‐modified LDH (s LDH) showed notable stability and competent results in hydrogen evolution in addition to oxygen evolution. The exfoliation of s LDH caused enhancement in the high specific surface area about 6.8 times compared to pristine LDH, as evident from BET data. The onset potential for HER as obtained from the polarization curve for s LDH is −0.41 V versus RHE, with Tafel slope of 67.4 mV/dec. Similarly, OER onset potential and corresponding Tafel slope are 1.53 V versus RHE at 10 mA/cm2 and 90.2 mV/dec, respectively.

Bibliometric analysis on physical ergonomics: A visual mapping approach.

The concept of ergonomics in health services is attracting significant attention in the scientific community. There is a need for an integrated study presenting a summary of the published literature backed by detailed bibliometric characteristics. The aim of this study is to provide a summary of the published literature supported by detailed bibliometric properties. Within the scope of this study, a total of 3008 articles on ergonomics in the health field were reviewed and analyzed using a bibliometric method. It reveals the trends of the publications conducted between 1999-2023, and defines the common citation structure between the articles, bibliographic coupling, and keyword co-occurrences. This study presents a knowledge map of ergonomics studies conducted in the health field using a bibliometric analysis method. The research results provide comprehensive information to the relevant literature, and define global research focuses and future scopes. This serves as a guide for academics to understand developments in the field of ergonomics and health more easily and quickly.

A value-of-information-based optimal sensor placement design framework for cost-effective structural health monitoring (with application to miter gate monitoring)

Structural health monitoring (SHM) involves collecting information to assess the health of a structure, typically to guide risk-informed maintenance decision-making or predict limit state behavior throughout its lifespan. Although the value of information (VoI) obtained from an SHM system can facilitate improved decision-making, it is important to estimate its overall utility by considering the costs involved in designing, developing, installing, maintaining, and operating the system. A feasible SHM system provides greater expected returns resulting from data-informed lifecycle management decisions than the cost of the SHM system design, fabrication, deployment, operation, and maintenance. That is, since data acquisition is a precursor to data-informed decision-making, the design of an SHM system governs its feasibility. Such cost-benefit analyses are a current topic of research in the SHM community. One approach that has been proposed for these analyses is a preposterior decision analysis using the VoI metric. In this paper, we propose a sensor optimization framework that maximizes the VoI over the structure’s lifecycle, constrained by a pre-decided maintenance policy. We use two different VoI metrics: the traditional expected VoI and a gambling-theory-inspired normalized expected-savings-to-investmentrisk ratio. We introduce three time-normalized, unitless VoI metrics that are valuable for evaluating the performance of an SHM design over an extended period. Furthermore, we consider the effect of different risk profiles on the overall optimal sensor design, recognizing that the cost of decision-making depends on the utility and risk perception of the decision-maker. We conduct a detailed analysis on the marginal utility gain of gathered information as we add more sensors, observing the utility to diminish in line with the law of diminishing returns as the information content increases. This framework is applied to the design of an SHM system used for monitoring miter gates.

Directions for the development of socially oriented taxation of income of Russians

Personal income tax (hereinafter referred to as PIT), in interaction with other instruments, can have a significant impact on the implementation of social goals aimed at improving the quality of life of Russians, reducing poverty, overcoming monetary inequality, and supporting low-income citizens, including families with children. The article is aimed at studying the theoretical and practical aspects of taxation of personal income regulated by Chapter 23 of the Russian Tax Code. It reveals the significant role of the PIT due to its revenue potential for the budget system of the Russian Federation and its regulatory impact on socio-economic processes in conditions of geopolitical tension, describes the current system of tax deductions, the need and directions for its improvement. The methodological basis of the study is founded on the analysis of scientific publications and open data of public authorities posted on their official websites. The analysis has been conducted using comparison methods, systemic logical and semantic analysis, synthesis of theoretical and practical material. The purpose of the study is to propose a gradual improvement of the mechanisms for providing standard and social tax deductions by increasing their sizes, introducing a subsistence minimum as a non-taxable income for all categories of payers, expanding the scope of application with consideration to the results of the ongoing socio-economic policy. The conclusions and generalisations of the study can be used when legislative and executive authorities and the scientific community develop proposals for improving the provisions of Chapter 23 of the Russian Tax Code, which will create a socially oriented domestic tax system.

“POLITICALLY MATURE AND EXPERIENCED ONE...”: SOME MODELS OF ROTATION OF THE FIRST SECRETARIES OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY REGIONAL COMMITTEE IN THE 2ND HALF OF THE 1940S TO THE 50S (based on the materials of the Upper Volga regions)

The article analyses the models of rotation of regional leadership in the Upper Volga regions at the end of Stalin’s period and in the beginning of Khrushchev’s one. The focus is on the 3 first secretaries of the Communist Party regional committee in the 1940–50s - Pavel Alfyorov, Vladimir Luk’yanov, Fyodor Titov, who at different times were Party leaders of Vladimir, Ivanovo, and Yaroslavl regions. Attention is paid to quantitative and institutional characteristics associated with personnel rotations of late Stalinism and Khrushchev Thaw. The methodological basis of the study was the principles of historicism and systematicity, the prosopographic method, a combination of analysis of archival documents and sources of personal origin. The theoretical basis of the article is based on the ideas of Yelena Zubkova, Aleksandr Konovalov, Aleksey Fyodorov, Oleg Khlevniuk, Yoram Gorlizki. The source base is represented by documents from the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History, materials from documentary publications and reference publications, and personal sources (memoirs, interviews). The article concludes, that the biographies of the first secretaries of the regional committees of the Upper Volga regions (Pavel Alfyorov, Vladimir Luk’yanov, Fyodor Titov) demonstrate 3 different models of rotation of regional leadership personnel of Stalin and Khrushchev periods, but do not exhaust the diversity of personnel movements in the post-war USSR. It is noted that the first rotation model “From region to region”, inherent in Vladimir Luk’yanov, can be considered typical of the group of successful Stalinist promoters of the late 1930s. It is emphasised that the second model “Region-centre-region”, inherent in Pavel Alfyorov, reflects a move across the regions with a short-term return to the central apparatus of an experienced but not quite successful Party functionary. It is stated that the third model “Second-First-Second”, inherent in Fyodor Titov, was more rare, characterised by alternating the position of first secretary of the regional committee in the regions of the Russian Soviet Republic and second secretary in the republican communist parties of the USSR. The significance for career growth in the 1940-50s is noted considering the positions of second secretary of the regional committee, chairman of the regional executive committee, inspector of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, structures of the central apparatus. As the finishing point in the nomenclature career of Party functionaries of the 1950–60s, the Party Control Committee is indicated. The publication is an invitation to discussion for representatives of the scientific community regarding the typification and classification of regional Party leaders of the Soviet era.

Attention-based hand pose estimation with voting and dual modalities

Hand pose estimation has recently emerged as a compelling topic in the robotic research community, because of its usefulness in learning from human demonstration or safe human–robot interaction. Although deep learning-based methods have been introduced for this task and have shown promise, it remains a challenging problem. To address this, we propose a novel end-to-end architecture for hand pose estimation using red-green-blue (RGB) and depth (D) data (RGB-D). Our approach processes the two data sources separately and utilizes a dense fusion network with an attention module to extract discriminative features. The features extracted include both spatial information and geometric constraints, which are fused to vote for the hand pose. We demonstrate that our voting mechanism in conjunction with the attention mechanism is particularly useful for solving the problem, especially when hands are heavily occluded by objects or are self-occluded. Our experimental results on benchmark datasets demonstrate that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art methods by a significant margin.

Report on the Second International Workshop on DataSystems Education (DataEd '23)

This report summarizes the outcomes of the second international workshop on Data Systems Education: Bridging Education Practice with Education Research (DataEd '23). The workshop was held in conjunction with the SIGMOD '23 conference in Seattle, USA on June 23, 2023. The aim of the workshop was to provide a dedicated venue for presenting and and discussing data management systems education experiences and research by bringing together the database and the computing education research communities to share findings, to crosspollinate perspectives and methods, and to shed light on opportunities for mutual progress in data systems education. The program featured two keynote talks, eight research paper presentations, and a discussion session. In this report, we present the workshop's main results, observations, and emerging research directions.

Testing of Shoreline Erosion Monitoring Methodologies for Heritage at Risk Sites: Pockoy Island, South Carolina, USA

Abstract We review shoreline monitoring methodologies used by members of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) Archaeology, Geology, and Wildlife Biology teams from February 2021 to December 2022 on Pockoy Island in Charleston County, South Carolina, USA. Our project objectives were to better understand the driving forces behind the landward movement of the shoreline (transgression), to apply new understanding to the rate of shoreline erosion of the island that directly impacts the Pockoy Island Shell Ring Complex (38CH2533), and to establish best practice for future community science monitoring efforts. Each member of our team used a different shoreline monitoring methodology (a nested methodology approach). Multiple unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived orthoimagery datasets, on-the-ground transect measurements, and Arrow Gold real-time kinematic (RTK) unit measurements have been collected monthly following significant storms or king (perigean) tide events. Moving forward, the erosion transect approach tested within this project will serve as the foundation for community science monitoring at heritage at-risk sites in South Carolina. In this article, we introduce initial efforts in establishing a community science monitoring program in South Carolina that will influence future research, land management, and policy, and we propose how our research might be adapted for other sites at risk.

Looks Can Be Deceiving: Diagnostic Power of Exome Sequencing in Debunking 15q11.2 Copy Number Variations

Background/Objectives: The pathogenetic role of 15q11.2 Copy Number Variations (CNVs) remains contentious in the scientific community, as microdeletions and microduplications in this region are linked to neurodevelopmental disorders with variable expressivity. This study aims to explore the diagnostic utility of Exome Sequencing (ES) in a cohort of pediatric patients with 15q11.2 CNVs. Methods: We enrolled 35 probands with 15q11.2 microdeletions or microduplications from two genetic centers between January 2021 and January 2023. Chromosomal Microarray Analysis (CMA) and ES were performed with written consent obtained from all parents. Pathogenic variants were classified according to ACMG guidelines. Results: CMA identified additional pathogenic CNVs in 3 of 35 children (9%). Subsequent ES revealed likely pathogenic or pathogenic variants in 11 of 32 children (34%). Notably, a higher percentage of isolated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnoses was observed in patients without other CNVs or point mutations (p = 0.019). Conclusions: The ES analysis provided a diagnostic yield of 34% in this pediatric cohort with 15q11.2 CNVs. While the study does not dismiss the contribution of the CNV to the clinical phenotype, the findings suggest that ES may uncover the underlying causes of neurodevelopmental disorders. Continuous monitoring and further genetic testing are recommended for all 15q11.2 CNV carriers to optimize clinical management and familial counseling.

The dominant mechanisms of nutrient cycling in high-dam reservoirs: retention, transport or transformation?

Abstract High-dam reservoirs can significantly affect nutrient cycling processes across the globe. However, the research community now has two contradictive views (i.e. retention versus transformation) about the impact of high-dam reservoirs on nutrient cycling due to incomplete information obtained from limited field samplings. To resolve this issue, we develop a physically-based, three-dimensional water quality model to examine the spatiotemporal distributions of biogenic elements (nitrogen and phosphorus) in high-dam reservoirs with high spatial and temporal details. We apply the model to the Xiaowan Reservoir, a representative high-dam reservoir in the Lancang River Basin. By scrutinizing the spatiotemporal distributions of biogenic elements across space and over time, we find a unique ‘retention-transformation-transportation’ process of nitrogen and phosphorus in the high-dam reservoir, with dominant transformation occurring in the water zone before the dam during non-flood period while dominant retention occurring in the middle part of a reservoir during flood period. We further find that transformations of biogenic elements are enhanced only in low-temperature and low-oxygen environments. Our findings show solid scientific basis to resolve the contradictive views about nutrient cycling mechanisms in high-dam reservoirs, and provide important policy implications for the operation of high-dam reservoirs to achieve improved water quality while maintaining clean energy supply.

THE EFFECT OF STRATEGIC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE WITH THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INNOVATION (CASE STUDY: MIANDOAB CITY EDUCATION DEPARTMENT)

This study aimed to explore the effect of strategic human resource management practices on organizational performance with the mediating role of organizational innovation in the Miandoab City education department. This research is practical, in terms of purpose, and among descriptive studies in terms of data collection method. The statistical population of the research was all the experts of the Miandoab city education department, who were selected by simple random sampling method number of 218 people. To collect data, three questionnaires on strategic human resource management by Chen and Hong (2009), organizational performance by Ahmadi (2012), and organizational innovation by Shoham et al., (2012) were used. The validity of the questions was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis, and the results showed that strategic human resource management has a significant effect on organizational performance with a factor of 44%, and on organizational innovation with a factor of 76%. Organizational innovation significantly affects organizational performance with a factor of 59%. The results also confirmed the mediating role of organizational innovation in the research community. The study emphasizes the necessity of paying more attention to the strategic methods of human resource management and strengthening innovation to cope with scientific and technological advances.

A multi-method feasibility trial of a multi-component behaviour change intervention to reduce sedentary behaviour and increase physical activity among ethnically diverse older adults

IntroductionEvidence suggests that sedentary behaviour (SB) and physical activity (PA) are important indicators of well-being and quality of life in older adults (OAs). However, OAs are the least active and...

A roadmap for a middleware as a federation service for integrative data retrieval of agricultural data.

Agriculture is confronted with several challenges such as climate change, the loss of biodiversity and stagnating productivity. The massive increasing amount of data and new digital technologies promise to overcome them, but they necessitate careful data integration and data management to make them usable. The FAIRagro consortium is part of the National Research Data Infrastructure (NFDI) in Germany and will develop FAIR compliant infrastructure services for the agrosystems science community, which will be integrated in the existing research data infrastructure service landscape. Here we present the initial steps of designing and implementing the FAIRagro middleware infrastructure to connect existing data infrastructures. The middleware will feature services for the seamless data integration across diverse infrastructures. Data and metadata are streamlined for research in agrosystems science by downstream processing in the central FAIRagro Search and Inventory Portal and the data integration and analysis workflow system "SciWIn".

Artificial intelligence correctly classifies developmental stages of monarch caterpillars enabling better conservation through the use of community science photographs

Rapid technological advances and growing participation from amateur naturalists have made countless images of insects in their natural habitats available on global web portals. Despite advances in automated species identification, traits like developmental stage or health remain underexplored or manually annotated, with limited focus on automating these features. As a proof-of-concept, we developed a computer vision model utilizing the YOLOv5 algorithm to accurately detect monarch butterfly caterpillars in photographs and classify them into their five developmental stages (instars). The training data were obtained from the iNaturalist portal, and the photographs were first classified and annotated by experts to allow supervised training of models. Our best trained model demonstrates excellent performance on object detection, achieving a mean average precision score of 95% across all five instars. In terms of classification, the YOLOv5l version yielded the best performance, reaching 87% instar classification accuracy for all classes in the test set. Our approach and model show promise in developing detection and classification models for developmental stages for insects, a resource that can be used for large-scale mechanistic studies. These photos hold valuable untapped information, and we’ve released our annotated collection as an open dataset to support replication and expansion of our methods.

High voltinism, late-emerging butterflies are sensitive to interannual variation in spring temperature in North Carolina

Abstract Climate change has been repeatedly linked to phenological shifts in many taxa, but the factors that drive variation in phenological sensitivity remain unclear. For example, relatively little is known about phenological responses in areas that have not exhibited a consistent warming trend, making it difficult to project phenological responses in response to future climate scenarios for these regions. We used an extensive community science dataset to examine changes in the adult flight onset dates of 38 butterfly species with interannual variation in spring temperatures in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, a region that did not experience a significant overall warming trend in the second half of the 20th century. We also explored whether voltinism, overwintering stage, and mean adult flight onset dates explain interspecific variation in phenological sensitivity to spring temperature. We found that 12 out of 38 species exhibited a significant advance in adult flight onset dates with higher spring temperatures. In comparison, none of the 38 species exhibited a significant advance with year. There was a significant interaction between mean onset flight date and voltinism, such that late-emerging, multivoltine species tended to be the most sensitive to spring temperature changes. We did not observe a significant correlation between phenological sensitivity and the overwintering stage. These results suggest that butterfly arrival dates may shift as temperatures are projected to rise in the southeastern United States, with late-emerging, multivoltine species potentially exhibiting the greatest shifts in adult flight onset dates.

The sustainable challenge: Where does social psychology stand in achieving the sustainable development goals?

The United Nations Agenda 2030, inclusive of its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), serves as the global blueprint for sustainability for both present and future generations. Scientific research is entrusted with the responsibility of contributing by informing the current situation and future challenges in achieving the SDGs. This paper investigates the role of social psychology in contributing to the SDGs and the environmental, economic and social pillars of the UN Agenda. We analysed 4808 papers using Natural Language Processing to identify (i) the relevance of social psychology within the SDG-related literature and (ii) the current and potential contribution of social psychology to the SDGs. Results highlight that social psychology contributes to the SDGs by addressing typical social issues, primarily those related to health and gender, while noting its under-representation in some environmental and economic areas, despite social psychology well-established research on these topics. This paper introduces a novel approach for assessing the SDGs, fostering a critical reflection on the SDG framework and social psychology to guide less explored research paths. This approach could potentially enhance the evaluation and advancement of the 2030 Agenda, facilitating a deeper dialogue between the scientific community and policymakers, driving social change.