bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Dielectric Attached on Sweep Frequency Microwave Heating Uniformity
Authors: Liang Can , Ma Yuehao , Yang Fengming , Wang Chengzhuo , Zhu Huacheng , Yang Yang , Gao Long , Liu Jia
Published: August 2024

Traditional microwave heating faces challenges such as low efficiency and uneven heating, hindering its industrial application. Sweep frequency microwave heating is an effective way to improve uniformity. Larger cavity sizes result in better heating uniformity due to the generation of more resonant modes. However, in industrial applications, large cavities occupy significant space, making them less flexible and limiting their usability. This paper introduces a method to enhance sweep frequency microwave heating uniformity by adding a dielectric substance to cavity walls. First, the impact of increasing cavity size on the uniformity of sweep frequency microwave heating was studied, with the theoretical analysis showing that filling the cavity with dielectric materials can be equivalent to enlarging the cavity size. Subsequently, a multiphysics simulation model for sweep frequency microwave heating was established to analyze the effects of dielectric substance thickness and permittivity on heating uniformity. A high-efficiency, high-uniformity microwave multimode cavity was designed, and the accuracy of the simulation model was validated through experiments. Finally, the effects of sweep frequency range and load variations on the heating performance were analyzed. This method effectively addresses the uniformity issues in industrial microwave heating and aids in promoting the application of microwave energy in industry.
Hand Teleoperation with Combined Kinaesthetic and Tactile Feedback: A Full Upper Limb Exoskeleton Interface Enhanced by Tactile Linear Actuators
Authors: Leonardis Daniele , Gabardi Massimiliano , Marcheschi Simone , Barsotti Michele , Porcini Francesco , Chiaradia Domenico , Frisoli Antonio
Published: August 2024

Manipulation involves both fine tactile feedback, with dynamic transients perceived by fingerpad mechanoreceptors, and kinaesthetic force feedback, involving the whole hand musculoskeletal structure. In teleoperation experiments, these fundamental aspects are usually divided between different setups at the operator side: those making use of lightweight gloves and optical tracking systems, oriented toward tactile-only feedback, and those implementing exoskeletons or grounded manipulators as haptic devices delivering kinaesthetic force feedback. At the level of hand interfaces, exoskeletons providing kinaesthetic force feedback undergo a trade-off between maximum rendered forces and bandpass of the embedded actuators, making these systems unable to properly render tactile feedback. To overcome these limitations, here, we investigate a full upper limb exoskeleton, covering all the upper limb body segments from shoulder to finger phalanxes, coupled with linear voice coil actuators at the fingertips. These are developed to render wide-bandwidth tactile feedback together with the kinaesthetic force feedback provided by the hand exoskeleton. We investigate the system in a pick-and-place teleoperation task, under two different feedback conditions (visual-only and visuo-haptic). The performance based on measured interaction forces and the number of correct trials are evaluated and compared. The study demonstrates the overall feasibility and effectiveness of a complex full upper limb exoskeleton (seven limb-actuated DoFs plus five hand DoFs) capable of combined kinaesthetic and tactile haptic feedback. Quantitative results show significant performance improvements when haptic feedback is provided, in particular for the mean and peak exerted forces, and for the correct rate of the pick-and-place task.
Skip-Encoder and Skip-Decoder for Detection Transformer in Optical Remote Sensing
Authors: Yang Feifan , Chen Gang , Duan Jianshu
Published: August 2024

The transformer architecture is gradually gaining attention in remote sensing. Many algorithms related to this architecture have been proposed. However, the DEtection TRansformer (DETR) has been proposed as a new approach for implementing object detection tasks. It uses the transformer architecture for feature extraction, and its improved derivative models are uncommon in remote sensing object detection (RSOD). Hence, we selected the DETR with the improved deNoising anchor boxes (DINO) model as a foundation, upon which we have made improvements under the characteristics of remote sensing images (RSIs). Specifically, we proposed the skip-encoder (SE) module that can be applied to the encoder stage of the model and the skip-decoder (SD) module for the decoder stage. The SE module can enhance the model’s ability to extract multiscale features. The SD module can reduce computational complexity and maintain the model performance. The experimental results on the NWPU VHR-10 and DIOR datasets demonstrate that the SE and SD modules can improve DINO for better learning small- and medium-sized targets in RSIs. We achieved a mean average precision of 94.8% on the NWPU VHR-10 dataset and 75.6% on the DIOR dataset.
Super-Resolution Learning Strategy Based on Expert Knowledge Supervision
Authors: Ren Zhihan , He Lijun , Zhu Peipei
Published: August 2024

Existing Super-Resolution (SR) methods are typically trained using bicubic degradation simulations, resulting in unsatisfactory results when applied to remote sensing images that contain a wide variety of object shapes and sizes. The insufficient learning approach reduces the focus of models on critical object regions within the images. As a result, their practical performance is significantly hindered, especially in real-world applications where accuracy in object reconstruction is crucial. In this work, we propose a general learning strategy for SR models based on expert knowledge supervision, named EKS-SR, which can incorporate a few coarse-grained semantic information derived from high-level visual tasks into the SR reconstruction process. It utilizes prior information from three perspectives: regional constraints, feature constraints, and attributive constraints, to guide the model to focus more on the object regions within the images. By integrating these expert knowledge-driven constraints, EKS-SR can enhance the model’s ability to accurately reconstruct object regions and capture the key information needed for practical applications. Importantly, this improvement does not increase the inference time and does not require full annotation of the large-scale datasets, but only a few labels, making EKS-SR both efficient and effective. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve improvements in both reconstruction quality and machine vision analysis performance.
A Small Maritime Target Detection Method Using Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction and Feature Sample Distance
Authors: Guan Jian , Jiang Xingyu , Liu Ningbo , Ding Hao , Dong Yunlong , Guo Zhongping
Published: August 2024

Addressing the challenge of radar detection of small targets under sea clutter, target detection methods based on a three-dimensional feature space have shown effectiveness. However, their application has revealed several problems, including high dependency on linear relationships between features for dimensionality reduction, unclear reduction objectives, and spatial divergence of target samples, which limit detection performance. To mitigate these challenges, we constructed a feature density distance metric employing copula functions to quantitatively describe the classification capability of multidimensional features to distinguish targets from sea clutter. On the basis of this, a lightweight nonlinear dimensionality reduction network utilizing a self-attention mechanism was developed, optimally re-expressing multidimensional features into a three-dimensional feature space. Additionally, a concave hull classifier using feature sample distance was proposed to mitigate the negative impact of target sample divergence in the feature space. Furthermore, multivariate autoregressive prediction was used to optimize features, reducing erroneous decisions caused by anomalous feature samples. Experimental results using the measured data from the SDRDSP public dataset demonstrated that the proposed detection method achieved a detection probability more than 4% higher than comparative methods under Sea State 5, was less affected by false alarm rates, and exhibited superior detection performance under different false alarm probabilities from 10−3 to 10−1.
Vehicular Sensing for Improved Urban Mobility
Authors: Caruntu Constantin-Florin , Comsa Ciprian-Romeo
Published: August 2024

In recent years, advancements in the automotive industry have accelerated the development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) [...]
Optimizing Camera Exposure Time for Automotive Applications
Authors: Lin Hao , Mullins Darragh , Molloy Dara , Ward Enda , Collins Fiachra , Denny Patrick , Glavin Martin , Deegan Brian , Jones Edward
Published: August 2024

Camera-based object detection is integral to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and autonomous vehicle research, and RGB cameras remain indispensable for their spatial resolution and color information. This study investigates exposure time optimization for such cameras, considering image quality in dynamic ADAS scenarios. Exposure time, the period during which the camera sensor is exposed to light, directly influences the amount of information captured. In dynamic scenarios, such as those encountered in typical driving scenarios, optimizing exposure time becomes challenging due to the inherent trade-off between Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) and motion blur, i.e., extending exposure time to maximize information capture increases SNR, but also increases the risk of motion blur and overexposure, particularly in low-light conditions where objects may not be fully illuminated. The study introduces a comprehensive methodology for exposure time optimization under various lighting conditions, examining its impact on image quality and computer vision performance. Traditional image quality metrics show a poor correlation with computer vision performance, highlighting the need for newer metrics that demonstrate improved correlation. The research presented in this paper offers guidance into the enhancement of single-exposure camera-based systems for automotive applications. By addressing the balance between exposure time, image quality, and computer vision performance, the findings provide a road map for optimizing camera settings for ADAS and autonomous driving technologies, contributing to safety and performance advancements in the automotive landscape.
Investigations into the Geometric Calibration and Systematic Effects of a Micro-CT System
Authors: Hardner Matthias , Liebold Frank , Wagner Franz , Maas Hans-Gerd
Published: August 2024

Micro-Computed Tomography (µCT) systems are used for examining the internal structures of various objects, such as material samples, manufactured parts, and natural objects. Resolving fine details or performing accurate geometric measurements in the voxel data critically depends on the precise calibration of the µCT systems geometry. This paper presents a calibration method for µCT systems using projections of a calibration phantom, where the coordinates of the phantom are initially unknown. The approach involves detecting and tracking steel ball bearings and adjusting the unknown system geometry parameters using non-linear least squares optimization. Multiple geometric models are tested to verify their suitability for a self-calibration approach. The implementation is tested using a calibration phantom captured at different magnifications. The results demonstrate the system’s capability to determine the geometry model parameters with a remaining error on the detector between 0.27 px and 0.18 px. Systematic errors that remain after calibration, as well as changing parameters due to system instabilities, are investigated. The source code of this work is published to enable further research.
Exploring Cultural Factors in the “Systemic Revictimization” of Rape Survivors in Mwenga (DRC)
Authors: Maisha Buuma , Anglin Janelle , Mwindo Timothee , Tomsine Carolanne , Florent Sandrine M’Bassé
Published: August 2024

This study builds on past research noting the psychosocial challenges women face in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as survivors of rape. There is an interpretation of rape in these communities as a sexual taboo and as a danger to the families and communities of the survivors. The participants in this study described how these social norms and beliefs lead to isolation, feelings of shame, interpersonal difficulties, and hesitancy to seek medical and psychological treatment. In this study, we used a qualitative research methodology to investigate the subjective experiences of survivors and what support they thought to be the most useful in their families and communities. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: general social practices and beliefs, social reactions and consequences of rape, and the ideal social reaction to rape. The participants shared insights into two sets of values. On the one hand, there are relationship-focused values with the potential to influence revictimizing social reactions. On the other hand, there are person-focused values with the potential to rally the community in solidarity and support for survivors. These results suggest that local communities and families are key stakeholders in creating a safe and supportive social environment necessary for the survivors’ journey to recovery. Prioritizing efforts to mitigate the conflict between relationship-focused and person-focused values is recommended.
Erased, Displaced, Misplaced: Reclaiming [Chinese Canadian] National Identity through Co-op Radio
Authors: Wong Rachel
Published: August 2024

This paper explores some of the conversations currently taking place within Asian Canadian studies as they relate to coalitional spaces and community building. Specifically, I look at a co-op radio program from Vancouver called Pender Guy which aired in the 1970s. The members of Pender Guy were comprised of artists and activists from the Asian Canadian community attempting to establish and solidify their own collective identity during a time when minority communities and people of color were often sidelined or else considered as “surplus” to a national narrative that privileged Anglo- and Franco-Canadian identities.
Ethnic Residential Segregation: Evidence from Two Italian Functional Urban Areas
Authors: Daconto Luca , Montesano Maria Grazia
Published: August 2024

This article aims to update the analysis of the residential segregation of the foreign population in European cities by considering the most recent 2021 census data for two different Italian metropolitan areas, Milan and Bologna. The diachronic analysis (2001–2021) of several indices of residential segregation (i.e., dissimilarity index, two group and multigroup; location quotient; and kernel density estimation) at the metropolitan scale (i.e., functional urban area) will contribute to the debate on the residential settlement patterns of foreign populations, highlighting the specificities of Southern European cities. Despite the significant differences between the two cities considered, the same desegregation trends (i.e., reduction in segregation indices) are identified in both cases. The results show a decrease in residential segregation over time in both core and commuting areas. Furthermore, phenomena of peripheralisation related to overrepresentation in metropolitan municipalities emerge, although core areas remain where the foreign population is most concentrated. The complexity and ambivalence of residential dynamics in the two cases suggest that residential segregation can also take “unusual forms” in Southern European cities that are not always related to the macro-concentration phenomena. In this sense, the “urban diaspora” hypothesis seems to be a suitable concept for capturing the new distributional trend of the foreign population in the Southern European context.
Differential Value of Cash Holdings According to Ownership–Control Disparity
Authors: Choi Hyunjung
Published: August 2024

This study verifies investor perceptions of cash holdings in companies with ownership–control disparities in the Korean stock market. The value of the cash held by a company varies with the level of information asymmetry. A high level of information asymmetry suggests a strong possibility of the controlling shareholder using the company’s cash to obtain private utility and harming other shareholders’ interests. Hence, investors evaluate the value of the company’s cash negatively. Greater disparity between ownership and control indicates a higher level of information asymmetry and the likelihood of agency problems, resulting in capital market investors evaluating the cash held negatively. This study uses Faulkender and Wang’s model to examine the value of the cash held by applying it to large corporations belonging to large corporate groups and their affiliates from 2011 to 2019. The level of disparity between the ownership and control of the controlling shareholder showed a significant negative relationship with the value of the cash held by the company. This suggests that in the capital market, investors evaluate the companies with a high disparity of ownership and control as having a higher possibility of agency problems and operating cash less efficiently. Therefore, these companies are unlikely to be properly valued.
Metagoverning the Co-Creation of Green Transitions: A Socio-Political Contingency Framework
Authors: Torfing Jacob , Ansell Christopher , Sørensen Eva
Published: August 2024

While the planet Earth will survive the accelerating climate and nature crisis, humankind may not. As part of its work to halt the global climate and nature crisis, while generating a distributed prosperity, the United Nations has unanimously agreed on sustainable development goals. The achievement of these goals depends on the mobilization of local knowledge and resources, and the creation of a sense of joint ownership over new and bold solutions. Co-creation that brings together relevant and affected actors in emergent processes of collaboration, learning, and innovation offer a path to localized green transitions. However, little is known about how public governance can prompt, support, and scaffold the local co-creation of green solutions. Bridging extant literatures in the field of collaborative and networked governance, this theory-building article aims to identify a number of governance factors conducive for the local co-creation of green transitions. The resulting theoretical framework allows us to conjecture about which governance factors will be critical in different socio-political contexts, thus facilitating future studies of contrasted governance paths to local green co-creation.
Assessing the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Anaerobic Digestion for Municipal Organic Waste: A Case Study of Minamisanriku Town, Japan
Authors: Liu Chen , Moon Dami , Watabe Atsushi
Published: August 2024

Anaerobic digestion (AD), or biogas technology, is an optimal method for municipal organic waste (MOW) treatment, recovering both material and energy. This study takes a life cycle assessment perspective and examines the economic and environmental impacts of a BIO facility in Minamisanriku Town, Japan, which has utilized MOW (kitchen/food waste and surplus sludge from sewage) as local biomass resources since 2012. Stakeholder interviews were conducted to gather data on material flows and impacts. Scenario analysis considered various conditions, such as pre- and post-operation of the BIO facility, the use and non-use of digestate as liquid fertilizer, and the facility’s 100% operational efficiency. The results indicate that full operation of the BIO facility and marketing of value-added products, such as branded rice grown using liquid fertilizer, could significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, lower integrated environmental costs, improve the regional economy, and increase net income. In the business as usual (BAU) scenario with a 56% operation rate of the BIO facility, there is an over 10% improvement in economic and environmental impacts compared to the pre-operation baseline. This study underscores the importance of maximizing biomass utilization to develop value-added uses by enhancing, extending, and expending stakeholder collaboration.
Research on Air Quality in Response to Meteorological Factors Based on the Informer Model
Authors: Tian Xiaoqing , Zhang Chaoqun , Liu Huan , Zhang Baofeng , Lu Cheng , Jiao Pengfei , Ren Songkai
Published: August 2024

The quality of the air exerts considerable effects on human health, and meteorological factors affect air quality. The relationships between meteorological factors and air quality parameters are complex dependency correlations. This article is based on the air quality monitoring data and meteorological monitoring data obtained from a monitoring station in Binjiang District, Hangzhou City, China, spanning from 01:00 on 14 April 2021 to 23:00 on 31 December 2021. The Informer model was used to explore the air quality parameters’ response to meteorological factors. By analyzing 12 different kinds of 2-Minute Average Wind Speed (2-MAWSP), 10-Minute Average Wind Speed (10-MAWSP), and Maximum Wind Speed (MXSPD); 16 different kinds of Hourly Precipitation (HP) and Air Temperature (AT); 11 different kinds of Relative Humidity (RH); and 8 different kinds of Station Pressure (STP), the following results were obtained: (1) The influence of wind speed on various air quality parameters is multifaceted and lacks a standardized form, potentially influenced by factors like wind direction and geographical location. One clear effect of wind speed is evident in the levels of particulate matter 10 (with an aerodynamic diameter smaller than 10 μm, PM10), as the values of this parameter first decrease and then increase with increasing wind speed. (2) HP has an evident reducing effect on most air quality parameters, including particulate matter (including PM2.5 and PM10), ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), as well as nitrogen oxides (NOx). (3) The increase in AT has a clear reducing effect on the concentration of NO2, while the trend for the concentrations of PM10 and NOx is one of initial decrease followed by a gradual rise. (4) RH only reduces the concentrations of SO2 and PM10. (5) With the rise in STP, the concentrations of most air quality parameters generally rise as well, except for the decrease in NOx concentration. This can give some indications and assistance to meteorological and environmental departments for improving air quality. This model can be used for a performance analysis and the forecasting of multi-parameter non-correlated systems.
Analysis of Tendencies, Change and Strength of Barriers Limiting the Development of BIM: A Novelty Assessment Method
Authors: Szafranko Elżbieta , Czyż Magdalena
Published: August 2024

BIM technology is a design approach recommended by EU directives that started to gain momentum in the years 2012–2014. This technology enables the user to create building plans and designs more quickly while avoiding many errors. In addition, by entering certain data into BIM models, it is easier to complete consecutive steps connected to the construction, use and demolition of buildings. It has also been noticed that BIM is not as popular in practice as it might appear, despite the many unquestionable benefits arising from its application. This article presents the results of a study of barriers that have constrained the development of BIM technology in recent years all over the world. The strength of factors defined on the basis of the literature was assessed. The analyses were carried out using the author’s own evaluation method, which allowed the power of the most important barriers to be assessed. This study shows that financial barriers, mentioned by many authors as the most important factor, still remain a serious problem, and their strength is the highest among the analyzed barriers. Barriers associated with the shortage of knowledge and specialists also feature prominently in assessments, and their importance continues to display a tendency to increase.
Geophysical Mapping of Cemented Subsoils for Agricultural Development in Southern Peru
Authors: Gonzales Edgard , Ticona Javier , Minaya Armando , Krahenbuhl Richard , Shragge Jeffrey , Low Jared , Flamme Hanna
Published: August 2024

Cemented subsoils, commonly referred to as caliche, pose a regular challenge for agricultural development in arid and semi-arid regions like coastal southern Peru. These subsurface features restrict root penetration, limit water infiltration and hinder essential soil processes, ultimately reducing crop yields and agricultural productivity. Accurate and efficient mapping of caliche is important for optimizing land-use planning and implementing sustainable agricultural practices. This study presents the application of near-surface geophysical techniques for mapping caliche deposits in the context of agricultural development at the future Majes II site in the Arequipa region of southern Peru. Specifically, we employed high-frequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and frequency-domain electromagnetics (FDEM) at a testbed on the Majes II site to evaluate their ability to delineate the extent, thickness, and depth of caliche within the local geology. GPR offers high-resolution imaging, effectively capturing sharp contrasts between caliche and surrounding materials, providing detailed information on the thickness (approximately 0.4 m) and the depth (up to 1.5 m) of the caliche layers. FDEM provides valuable insights into the presence of caliche at a faster rate of data acquisition and processing, enabling rapid assessment of the extent of caliche deposits, although with the tradeoff of lower resolution and depth information. We demonstrate that these two geophysical methods can be used separately or in an integrated manner for collaborative interpretation at the Majes II site to inform land management decisions, including identifying areas with favorable conditions for crop production and implementing targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of caliche on agricultural productivity.
Does Extreme Weather Impact Performance in Capital Markets? Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Xinqi , Luo Yilei , Yan Qing
Published: August 2024

No form of economic activity is unaffected by climate change, which has emerged as a new risk factor impacting financial market stability and sustainable development. This study examines the impact of extreme weather on the stock returns of A-share listed companies in China. Utilizing a decade-long dataset, we construct monthly proportions of extreme high-temperature days and extreme humid days using a percentile comparison approach. The findings reveal a significant negative impact of extreme weather on stock returns. Specifically, each standard deviation increase in the monthly proportion of extreme high-temperature days and extreme humid days corresponds to a decrease in annualized returns by 0.09% and 0.15%, respectively. The mediation analysis suggests that extreme weather primarily affects stock returns through its influence on investor sentiment, impacting economic decision making, with minimal direct effects on corporate performance. Additionally, the sensitivity of stock returns to extreme weather varies notably among different types of companies. Larger, more profitable, and less risky firms show lower sensitivity to extreme weather. The impact is observed not only in heat-sensitive industries but also in non-heat-sensitive industries and remains significant even after excluding company announcement days. This study offers new insights and relevant recommendations for businesses and policymakers on sustainable development and financial stability.
An Enhanced Active Access-Point Configuration Algorithm Using the Throughput Request Satisfaction Method for an Energy-Efficient Wireless Local-Area Network
Authors: Wu Bin , Funabiki Nobuo , Kong Dezheng , Wang Xuan , Seto Taishiro , Fan Yu-Cheng
Published: August 2024

Wireless Local-Area Networks (WLANs), as a popular internet access solution, are widely used in numerous places, including enterprises, campuses, and public venues. As the number of devices increases, large-scale deployments will cause the problem of dense wireless networks, including a lot of energy consumption. Thus, the optimization of energy-efficient wireless AP devices has become a focal point of attention. To reduce energy consumption, we have proposed the active access-point (AP) configuration algorithm for WLANs using APs with a dual interface. This uses the greedy algorithm combined with the local search optimization method to find the minimum number of activated APs while satisfying the minimum throughput constraint. However, the previous algorithm basically satisfies only the average throughput among the multiple hosts associated with one AP, wherein some hosts may not reach the required one. In this paper, to overcome this limitation, we propose an enhanced active AP configuration algorithm by incorporating the throughput request satisfaction method that controls the actual throughput at the target value (target throughput) for every host by applying traffic shaping. The target throughput is calculated from the single and concurrent communicating throughput of each host based on channel occupancy time. The minimum throughput constraint will be iteratively adjusted to obtain the required target throughput and achieve the fair throughput allocation. For evaluations, we conducted simulations using the WIMNET simulator and experiments using the testbed system with a Raspberry Pi 4B for APs in four topology cases with five APs and ten hosts. The results show that the proposed method always achieved the required minimum throughput in simulations as well as in experiments, while minimizing the number of active APs. Thus, the validity and effectiveness of our proposal were confirmed.
A Review of Stable, Traversable Wormholes in f(R) Gravity Theories
Authors: Radhakrishnan Ramesh , Brown Patrick , Matulevich Jacob , Davis Eric , Mirfendereski Delaram , Cleaver Gerald
Published: August 2024

It has been proven that in standard Einstein gravity, exotic matter (i.e., matter violating the pointwise and averaged Weak and Null Energy Conditions) is required to stabilize traversable wormholes. Quantum field theory permits these violations due to the quantum coherent effects found in any quantum field. Even reasonable classical scalar fields violate the energy conditions. In the case of the Casimir effect and squeezed vacuum states, these violations have been experimentally proven. It is advantageous to investigate methods to minimize the use of exotic matter. One such area of interest is extended theories of Einstein gravity. It has been claimed that in some extended theories, stable traversable wormholes solutions can be found without the use of exotic matter. There are many extended theories of gravity, and in this review paper, we first explore f(R) theories and then explore some wormhole solutions in f(R) theories, including Lovelock gravity and Einstein Dilaton Gauss–Bonnet (EdGB) gravity. For completeness, we have also reviewed ‘Other wormholes’ such as Casimir wormholes, dark matter halo wormholes, thin-shell wormholes, and Nonlocal Gravity (NLG) wormholes, where alternative techniques are used to either avoid or reduce the amount of exotic matter that is required.
Adaptation of Tourism Transformation in Rural Areas under the Background of Regime Shift: A Social–Ecological Systems Framework
Authors: Chen Jia , Chen Wenqian , Wang Fei , Deng Mengqi
Published: August 2024

The rural transformation driven by regime shift is obvious around the world, and there is still insufficient research exploring related effective analytical frameworks and ideas. Transformation adaptation is widely used in the field of disaster research as a concept of dynamic systems’ evolutionary development, emphasizing fundamental changes in the structure or function of systems and promoting equity and justice for communities in social–ecological systems. This paper critically reviews and synthesizes the literature on adaptation to construct an evaluation framework of transformative adaptation of social–ecological systems. This framework is applied to the analysis of the adaptive process, capacity, and outcomes of rural tourism transformation in different cases of Shaanxi Province, China. The results were as follows: (1) The shift of regime state in the process of rural transformation adaptation has diversified, while the tourism regime shift with active adaptation has better adaptive capacity and outcomes; (2) a strong community foundation and benefit-sharing tourism development model can promote adaptation in the rural system; and (3) social relationship networks, farmers’ collective interests and discourse power, and rural economic and material conditions are the key factors affecting the adaptation of rural tourism transformation. This study provides practical analytical tools and opportunities for improving adaptation of the rural tourism transformation at the global level.
A Model-Based Systems Engineering Approach for Effective Decision Support of Modern Energy Systems Depicted with Clean Hydrogen Production
Authors: Lawrence Svetlana , Herber Daniel R.
Published: August 2024

A holistic approach to decision-making in modern energy systems is vital due to their increase in complexity and interconnectedness. However, decision makers often rely on narrowly-focused strategies, such as economic assessments, for energy system strategy selection. The approach in this paper helps considers various factors such as economic viability, technological feasibility, environmental impact, and social acceptance. By integrating these diverse elements, decision makers can identify more economically feasible, sustainable, and resilient energy strategies. While existing focused approaches are valuable since they provide clear metrics of a potential solution (e.g., an economic measure of profitability), they do not offer the much needed system-as-a-whole understanding. This lack of understanding often leads to selecting suboptimal or unfeasible solutions, which is often discovered much later in the process when a change may not be possible. This paper presents a novel evaluation framework to support holistic decision-making in energy systems. The framework is based on a systems thinking approach, applied through systems engineering principles and model-based systems engineering tools, coupled with a multicriteria decision analysis approach. The systems engineering approach guides the development of feasible solutions for novel energy systems, and the multicriteria decision analysis is used for a systematic evaluation of available strategies and objective selection of the best solution. The proposed framework enables holistic, multidisciplinary, and objective evaluations of solutions and strategies for energy systems, clearly demonstrates the pros and cons of available options, and supports knowledge collection and retention to be used for a different scenario or context. The framework is demonstrated in case study evaluation solutions for a novel energy system of clean hydrogen generation.
Perceptions of Exposure and Mask Use in Wildland Firefighters
Authors: Zadunayski Tanis , Broznitsky Natasha , Lichty Drew , Cherry Nicola
Published: August 2024

Wildland firefighters are exposed to airborne particulates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other hazardous substances. Respiratory protection is indicated, but information is lacking on the tasks and conditions for which mask wearing should be advised. Studies to assess respiratory protection in wildland firefighters were carried out in western Canada in 2021 and 2023. Sampling pumps measured airborne exposures and urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP) was assayed to indicate PAH absorption. Participants in 2021 reported the time for which they wore the mask during each task. In 2023, the use of masks was reported, and firefighters rated the smoke intensity. In 2021, 72 firefighters were monitored over 164 shifts and, in 2023, 89 firefighters were monitored for 263 shifts. In 2021, mask wearing was highest for those engaged in initial attack and hot spotting. Urinary 1-HP at the end of rotation was highest for those reporting initial attack, working on a prescribed fire and mop-up. In 2023, firefighter ratings of smoke intensity were strongly associated with measured particulate mass and with urinary 1-HP, but masks were not worn more often when there was higher smoke intensity. The data from the literature did not provide a clear indication of high-exposure tasks. Better task/exposure information is needed for firefighters to make informed decisions about mask wearing.
A Systematic Review of Uremic Toxin Concentrations and Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Dalpathadu Heshini , Salim Aly Muhammad , Wade Andrew , Greenway Steven C.
Published: August 2024

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) can lead to cardiac dysfunction in a condition known as cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). It is postulated that the accumulation of uremic toxins in the bloodstream, as a consequence of declining kidney function, may contribute to these adverse cardiac effects. While CRS in adults has been extensively studied, there is a significant knowledge gap with pediatric patients. Uremic toxin levels in children remain inadequately characterized and quantified compared to adults. This review aims to systematically evaluate the association between uremic toxin concentrations and cardiac changes in pediatric CRS and to examine the impact of different dialysis modalities, specifically hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, on uremic toxin clearance and cardiovascular parameters. To address this, we conducted a systematic literature search of PubMed, following PRISMA guidelines. We used the terms “uremic toxins” and “cardiorenal syndrome” with variations in syntax to search for studies discussing the relationship between uremic toxin levels in CKD, the subsequent impact on cardiac parameters, and the emergence of cardiac dysfunction. Full-text articles written in English, conducted on humans aged from birth to 18 years, and published until December 2021 were included. A comprehensive literature search yielded six studies, and their risk of bias was assessed using JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists. Our systematic review is registered on PROSPERO, number CRD42023460072. This synthesis intends to provide an understanding of the role of uremic toxins in pediatric CRS. The findings reveal that pediatric patients with end-stage CKD on dialysis exhibit elevated uremic toxin levels, which are significantly associated with cardiovascular disease parameters. Additionally, the severity of CKD correlated with higher uremic toxin levels. No conclusive evidence was found to support the superiority of either hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis in terms of uremic toxin clearance or cardiovascular outcomes. More pediatric-specific standardized and longitudinal studies are needed to develop targeted treatments and improve clinical outcomes and the quality of life for affected children.
Ahmedî, Mihrî Hâtun ve Şeyhî Divanlarında Atasözlerinin Kullanımı
Authors: Özlük Işılay Pınar
Published: August 2024

Atasözleri ait oldukları toplumun değer yargılarını, ahlâk anlayışını, inanışlarını, hayat ve tabiatla alâkalı tecrübelerini ortaya koyan sözlü kültür unsurlarıdır. Bu unsurlar günlük hayatta konuşma dilinin ayrılmaz birer parçasıdır. Atasözünde asıl olan bir durumla ilgili öğüt vermek, kişiyi doğru yola sevk etmek ve öngörüde bulunmaktır. Malzemesini hayattan alan edebiyat metinleri ait oldukları milletlerin yeme-içme kültürüne, giyim-kuşam özelliklerine, eğlencelerine, âdet ve inanışlarına dair birçok unsuru ihtiva eder. Yapı taşı dil olan edebî metni oluşturan unsurlar arasında dil ile ilgili hususiyetlerin olmaması düşünülemez. Döneme ve coğrafyaya has yerel söyleyişler, atasözleri ve deyimler, kalıp ifadeler edebî metinlerle günümüze kadar ulaşmıştır. Türk kültüründe Orhun Yazıtları’ndan itibaren varlığını takip edebildiğimiz atasözleri en önemli kültür miraslarımızdan biridir. Tezkire yazarlarının verdikleri bilgiler ışığında Klasik Türk Edebiyatı’nda atasözlerinin ilk defa XV. yüzyıl şairlerinden Sâfî’nin Divan’ında tespit edildiğini söylemek mümkündür. Klasik Türk edebiyatı geleneğinin yerleşmeye başladığı bu dönemde atasözlerinin Necâtî Bey başta olmak üzere pek çok şair tarafından kullanıldığı dikkat çekmektedir. Çalışmada XV. yüzyılda eser vermiş üç şairin divanlarından hareketle döneme ait atasözleri söz varlığı üzerinde durulmaktadır. Ahmedî, Şeyhî ve Mihrî Hatun’un çağdaşları gibi divanlarında atasözlerine yer verdikleri görülmektedir. Atasözlerinin birçoğu vezne uydurmak yahut döneme ait dil hususiyetleri sebebiyle günümüzdeki kullanımlarından farklı olduğu görülmektedir. Bazı beyitlerde de atasözlerinin bir kısmı mana bakımından beyitlerde yer almakla birlikte söz varlığı olarak görülmemektedir. Adı anılan divanlarda veri taraması sonucu toplam 40 atasözünün varlığı tespit edilmiş, örnek beyitlerle birlikte dikkatlere sunulmuştur.
دور اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين بوصفها مدخلاً لدعم إدارة معرفة العملاء بالبنوك التجارية في مصر
Authors: العماوي أماني حسين
Published: August 2024

هدف الدراسة: الكشف عن الاختلاف في مستوى اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين، وكذلك مدى قدرتهم على إدارة عمليات معرفة العملاء في البنوك الخاضعة للدراسة تبعاً لاختلاف نوع ملكية البنك (عام- خاص)، وتعرّف مدى اختلاف مستوى اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين وقدرتهم على إدارة عمليات معرفة العملاء في البنوك الخاضعة للدراسة تبعاً لاختلاف خصائصهم الديموغرافية (النوع- العمر- الخبرة)، والكشف عن قوة واتجاه التأثير لمستوى اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين في قدرتهم على إدارة عمليات معرفة العملاء (اكتساب- مشاركة- استغلال) في البنوك الخاضعة للدراسة. تصميم/منهجية/طريقة الدراسة: اعتمدت الدراسة على المدخل الوصفي في البحوث الإنسانية؛ وذلك بغرض وصف الخصائص والمتغيرات المتعلقة بمشكلة الدراسة. عينة وبيانات الدراسة: تم تطبيق الدراسة على العاملين بالخط الأول في البنوك التجارية بمصر، و تم توزيع 247 قائمة استقصاء، تم الحصول على 193 استمارة صالحة للتحليل، بمعدل ردود (%78). نتائج الدراسة: توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود اختلاف جوهري في مستوى اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين بالبنوك الخاضعة للدراسة تبعاً لاختلاف نوع الملكية (عام- خاص)، كما وجد اختلاف ذو دلالة إحصائية في مستوى اليقظة الذهنية للعاملين بالبنوك الخاضعة للدراسة وفقاً لخصائصهم الديموغرافية (العمر- الخبرة)، ولم يوجد اختلاف جوهري بين العاملين في القطاع العام والخاص وفقاً لقدرتهم على إدارة عمليات معرفة العملاء في البنوك الخاضعة للدراسة، في حين وجد اختلاف ذو دلالة إحصائية في قدرة العاملين على إدارة عمليات معرفة العملاء في البنوك الخاضعة للبحث وفقاً لخصائصهم الديموغرافية (العمر- والخبرة)، كما توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود تأثير ذي دلالة إحصائية لليقظة الذهنية للعاملين في قدرتهم على إدارة عمليات إدارة معرفة العملاء في البنوك الخاضعة للدراسة، ويشمل التأثير جميع عمليات إدارة معرفة العملاء (اكتساب- استغلال- مشاركة) على التوالي. أصالة الدراسة: تسعى الدراسة إلى محاولة الاستفادة من نتائج البحوث التي تناولت مفهوم اليقظة الذهنية في بحوث علم النفس والاجتماع للاستفادة منها في بيئة عمل المنظمات لرفع مستوى أداء العاملين وتحسين قدرتهم الذاتية في التعامل مع العملاء من ناحية والمعلومات من ناحية أخرى وكيفية استغلال تلك المعلومات ومعالجتها بما يفيد المنظمة والعميل، وهو بشكل عام مجال بحثي جديد وبخاصة في بيئة عمل البنوك المصرية. حدود و تطبيقات الدراسة: اقتصرت الدراسة على جميع العاملين في الصف الأول المتعاملين مباشرة مع العملاء بالمراكز الرئيسة للبنوك التجارية العاملة ضمن الجهاز المصرفي المصري، كما اقتصرت الدراسة على المراكز الرئيسة بمنطقة القاهرة الكبرى، واقتصر مجتمع الدراسة على البنوك التي تطبق نظاماً واضحاً لإدارة معرفة العملاء.
PERHITUNGAN HARGA OPSI EROPADENGAN METODE TRINOMIAL PADA PERUSAHAAN MITSUBISHI
Authors: Paiz Jalaludin  , Alrafiful Rahman  , Ani Nuraini  , Royyan Amigo
Published: August 2024

Investment is an important instrument in the financial market. The investment objective is to obtain large profits with minimum capital. The trend that is currently developing is that investors are not only interested in investing in real assets, but they have great attention to investing in financial assets such as shares. However, to gain profits, investors must face risk and uncertainty. Among the solutions to reduce these risks are derivatives. Stock options are one of the widely used derivative products. An important instrument in stock options is the method of determining option prices according to the type of option. European option prices can be determined using several methods, namely the Black-Scholes method, binomial method, and trinomial method. This research aims to implement the trinomial method in determining European option prices, both Call options and Put options on Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) shares. The results of determining option prices using the trinomial method are then compared with the results of the Black-Scholes method which aims to analyze the convergence of the two. The research results show that the trinomial method can be used to determine stock option prices for the Mitsubishi company more flexibly than the Black-Scholes method. In addition, the results show that the trinomial model converges to the Black-Scholes method.
True Binary Random Number Generator Based On A Double Scroll Attractor For Encryption
Authors:   ,   Cork Institute of Technology, Blaszczyk Marta
Published: August 2024

"Random binary sequences play an important role in modem digital communication systems. Their usage for providing secure communication between parties became indelible in cryptosystems. In increased access to the Internet network, random sequences are employed for ensuring that personal information remains confidential. To provide completely unpredictable keys in encipherment the usage of a true random number generator is necessary. True random bit streams are required to assure the security provided by the one-time pad encryption algorithm which is provably unbreakable. The central objective of this research is the production of such random sequences for short key generation in data encryption applications with the usage of a true random binary number generator based on a double scroll chaotic attractor. The proposed random binary sequence generators in this thesis are based on the electrical nonlinear Chua diode circuit. Several topologies for the proposed TRBG are introduced. The bit streams obtained with the usage of each TRBG topology are evaluated for their randomness properties with the usage of statistical tests. The core circuit implemented here for double scroll attractor behaviour is based on sinusoidal oscillations modified by the usage of a nonlinear component for chaotic signal generation. For the usage in cryptography generated bit streams must be unbiased in order to provide high unpredictability in the output sequence. Several decorrelators are proposed and tested in this thesis for this purpose. Some of TRBG topologies presented here exhibit excellent randomness attributes and the resultant generated binary sequences are shown to have the randomness attribution for usage in cryptographic applications. Two statistical test suites were selected and used for the output from the proposed in this TRBG designs analysis. Both the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Diehard Battery of Tests expose the generated bit streams to a series of stiff statistical tests. The proposed novel TRBG design and its hardware implementation passed both afore mentioned test suites yielding excellent results and allowing them to be considered in the field of cryptography."