bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rural tourism and local authority satisfaction: Social, economic, and environmental effects
Authors: Pantovic Danijela , Parausic Vesna , Radosavljevic Katica , Mihailovic Branko
Published: February 2025

The research examines rural tourism and local authority satisfaction and its social, economic, and environmental effects. The Republic of Serbia, with its scenic surroundings and historical sites, offers enormous potential for the growth of rural tourism. In many respects, local government is essential to the expansion of tourism. The purpose of his study is to examine how owners' opinions of the social, economic, and environmental effects in rural tourism regions are perceived. The key issue of the paper is the measurement of the effects of local authority in rural tourism and the perception of rural tourism household owners about the dimensions of sustainable development. The research was conducted using the methodology of partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The data for the SEM analysis were collected from a questionnaire among the owners of rural tourist households in the Republic of Serbia. The questions for analysis focused on three components of sustainable development: economic, environmental, and socio-cultural, as well as their impact on satisfaction with local authorities expressed by the owners of rural tourist households. The findings of the research suggest that local self-government units should pay more attention to the economic dimension of the sustainability of rural tourism. This study is one of the first to quantify the impact of local government on rural tourism from the viewpoint of rural tourist household owners using the SEM-PLS approach. For academics and stakeholders in rural tourism, the study's results and conclusions have significant implications and opportunities for the future.
The effects of energy consumption and economic growth on tourism: A path to economic diversification in GCC economies
Authors: Sattor Asrorzoda Ubaidullo , Ul-Haq Jabbar , Visas Hubert , Vishi Monju Johnson , Hye Qazi Muhammad Adnan
Published: February 2025

This research examines the effects of energy consumption and economic growth on tourism in GCC economies. Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) countries have encountered economic growth uncertainties owing to the fluctuations in oil prices and are working to diversify their economies. Reducing reliance on oil and promoting non-hydrocarbon sectors like tourism can achieve economic diversification. The tourism industry requires energy to match the demands of luxury-driven hospitality, and tourism growth contributes to GDP. Using panel data from the GCC countries, we investigate the impact of energy consumption and economic growth on tourism. We employed feasible generalized Least Squares (FGLS) for empirical analysis. We also used panel corrected standard errors (PCSEs) and Driscoll-Kraay standard errors (DKSEs) methods for further robustness checks. Tourism is linked to increased energy consumption and economic growth. Our empirical results revealed that the tourism industry is growing as energy consumption and economic growth rise. Our results hold true even when different tourism proxies and econometric techniques are used. The policy implication is that the governments of the GCC countries should develop appropriate energy policies to boost tourism that help these economies in economic diversification efforts.
The role of social safety nets for poverty reduction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Albahouth Abdulrahaman A , Elnour Khaled A I Abou
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this research paper is to assess the potential role of social safety nets (SSNs) in poverty reduction in Saudi Arabia, which has received less attention in the empirical literature. Specifically, the paper explores the influence of the “Unemployment Insurance Law (SANED)” on poverty reduction. Credible sources provide quarterly data for the period from 2016 to 2023. The study used the “Autoregressive Distributed Lag Modeling (ARDL)” approach for assessing the short-run and long-run impacts of SANED on poverty reduction. Our results show that the SANED program has significantly contributed to poverty reduction in Saudi Arabia, and its influence is evident both in the short- and the long-run. The estimated model also indicated that higher unemployment rates lead to higher poverty rates, while higher government spending and greater trade openness effectively contributed to reducing poverty burdens. Our results carry significant implications, providing valuable insights to effectively address poverty and enhance economic stability in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, we expect the current study's results to significantly benefit Saudi Arabia's policymakers. Consequently, they could formulate and implement appropriate policies to effectively address the problem of poverty.
Understanding management practices and user’s perspective on sustainable forest management in Nepal
Authors: Ghimire Pramod , Magar Lilu Kumari , Lamichhane Uchita , Ghimire Keshav , Gaire Pitamber
Published: February 2025

Sustainable forest management (SFM) plays a critical role in maintaining ecological balance, supporting livelihoods, and mitigating climate change. This study was conducted to explore the management practices and user perspectives regarding sustainable forest management in Nepal, focusing on community forestry and government-led initiatives. Using a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through surveys, interviews, focus group discussions and field observations. A total of 180 user’s opinion were collected in 9 selected forest user groups from four district of Nepal (i.e. Ilam, Jhapa, Sarlahi, and Makawanpur). The study revealed that major forest management practices applied by community users’ are thinning, pruning, and improvement felling. Majority of the users (70.56%) were unsure about the forest management practices prescribed in the Operational plans (OPs). Accordingly, most users (92.78%) were agreed with the opinions that they need to be trained about forest management practices and its implementation. Majority of the users (92.00%) also agreed that participatory forest management modalities like Community Forest (CF), Collaborative Forest Management (CFM) and Leasehold Forest (LHF) area protecting biodiversity and reducing environmental risks. However, people believe that arbitrary policy changes was the main challenges for proper implementation of sustainable forest management practices. Therefore, strengthening capacity-building programs, enhancing government support, developing a consistent guideline, and promoting adaptive management practices are essential for improving sustainable forest resource management in Nepal.
How to Make Stakeholders Living in a Perfect Harmony in a Company?
Authors: Wulandari Anis , Triyuwono Iwan , Purwanti Lilik , Adib Noval
Published: February 2025

The objective of this research is to examine how to enable stakeholders to live in perfect harmony in a company. To achieve this, the research employs a literature review with an integrative or critical review approach. The data used is secondary data collected through documentation techniques. The findings of this research indicate three ways to ensure that stakeholders can live in perfect harmony in a company: 1) increasing the transparency of financial reporting by enhancing information disclosure; 2) establishing the most efficient contracts using optimal incentive schemes; and 3) creating a mechanism that aligns the goals of principals and agents, referred to as corporate governance (CG), by monitoring and controlling all management decisions to ensure that these decisions align with the interests of shareholders and motivate managerial behavior to enhance the company’s wealth.
Economic Growth in East Java: How Significant is the Role of the Non-agricultural Sector?
Authors: Satriawan Bondan , Utomo Slamet Joko , Sari Ayu Novita
Published: February 2025

This study seeks to analyze the impact of the non-agricultural sector on economic growth in East Java over the last decade (2013-2023). Utilizing panel data regression analysis on 38 regencies and cities within East Java Province for the period of 2013-2023, the research identifies the leading economic sector for each district/city, distinguishing between the non-agricultural and agricultural sectors. The variables incorporated in this study include: (i) the leading economic sector of each district/city, (ii) the leading labor sector, (iii) the average years of schooling of the population, and (iv) the total labor force in each district/city. The findings indicate that districts/cities where the non-agricultural sector is dominant are more likely to experience higher rates of economic growth compared to those where agriculture constitutes the primary economic activity.
Analysis of Stakeholders for Marine Fisheries Cultivation Through Floating Cages in Sumenep Regency's The Archipelagic Region
Authors: Sadik Jakfar , Titik Crisanty Sutristyaningyas , Sukartini Ni Made , Revananda Akhmad Ricky
Published: February 2025

The research objectives of this study are: 1) knowing the variety of stakeholders in marine fisheries cultivation, 2) knowing the role and profile of marine fisheries cultivation stakeholders, and 3) the level of importance and influence of stakeholders in marine fisheries cultivation. The method used in this research is stakeholder analysis. Stakeholder analysis is used to identify all parties that meet the definition of stakeholders including parties that may be influenced or affect the results of marine fisheries cultivation activities in Sapeken District. The results showed various stakeholders namely fishing communities (actors), government, entrepreneurs and academics with their level of interest and influence in aquaculture through floating cages. This research is expected to contribute to the development of the concept of coastal and small island economies.
Model for Participatory Planning Digital Transformation of Local Economic Development
Authors: Indahsari Kurniyati , Listiana Yufita
Published: February 2025

Planning process digitization is widely used in Indonesia’s national and regional development. However, the local economic development, characterized by participation and empowerment, has not matched the implementations. This study argues that the participatory planning process for local economic development should be standardized and digitized. The argument is based on the results of the literature regarding development stages, procedures, the characteristics and cycles of information system designs, and various digitizing participatory planning practices in various countries. In-depth interviews were conducted with local economic development planners/facilitators and other parties involved in planning, such as information system analysts and designers. The results showed that the stages and instruments in the participatory local economic planning process could be standardized and digitized. However, digital systems cannot replace all stages due to the varied contexts of action plans’ problems.
Green Building and Cost Efficiency: Life Cycle Cost Study at ITSB Campus
Authors: Subkhania Nurul
Published: February 2025

This study examines the implementation of the green building concept at ITSB campus using life cycle cost (LCC) analysis. The focus of the research is to determine cost efficiency in the use of energy and water, as well as to identify the proportion of costs incurred throughout the building’s operational period. The results indicate that the initial investment dominates the total project cost, accounting for 92%. Despite the high initial investment, the application of environmentally friendly technologies in the building successfully reduced operational costs, particularly energy usage, resulting in savings of Rp 678,890,260. This study provides important insights for project planning in Indonesia, especially regarding sustainability, cost efficiency, and environmental impact.
Does Financial Inclusion Influence Tourism Performance? An Empirical Study in Indonesia
Authors: Nugroho Ris Yuwono Yudo , Adiyanto Mochamad Reza , Faizza Shaba Nada
Published: February 2025

This article highlights the significant role that financial services play in enhancing economic growth, particularly in the context of tourism, which is a vital contributor to the Indonesian economy. The study reveals that while the tourism sector has shown resilience and recovery post-COVID-19, with domestic tourist trips surpassing pre-pandemic levels, there remains a critical gap in the literature regarding the interplay between tourism and financial inclusion. This research employs a quantitative methodology and employs a dynamic panel method to conduct an analysis of data gathered from 33 provinces between the years 2019 and 2023. In addition to concentrating on important factors like the utilisation of electronic money and the proportion of third-party funds that contribute to GDP, we will also be looking at regional macroeconomic data, namely per capita income and economic growth. The results of this research indicate that there is a considerable connection between the use of e-money, which is a component of the digital payment system, and the impact of macroeconomic factors on the expansion of domestic tourism.
Developing Halal Tourism in Madura: In the Context Sharia Cooperation Model in Batik Creative Industry
Authors: Kurniasari Widita , Amaliyah Barokatul
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of Sharia cooperation in the batik creative industry can support the development of halal tourism in the Sumenep district of Madura. The approach used in this research is qualitative, which is a field research study. The development of the batik creative industry is expected to encourage the welfare of local communities through the provision of employment for the community. The tourism sector is an important entity for economic progress in the village, which makes the village the basis of the future economic backbone. One form of effort in supporting the development of the batik creative industry is through the development of a cooperation model with sharia contracts. This research implies that the impact of Sharia cooperation can support the development of better halal tourism so that it will increase the economic empowerment of rural communities and create tourist facilities for Muslim consumers that can be a means of recreation and worship.
Local Wisdom to Support the Development of Batik Creative Industry in Pamekasan
Authors: Listiana Yufita , Indahsari Kurniyati , Zahrah Kinnatus
Published: February 2025

The creative industry is a form of economic activity that can encourage development like through the absorption of labor. Pamekasan is one of the regencies that has local wisdom, namely batik tulis, because it was designated as a Batik Regency by UNESCO in 2009. Batik industry is expected to help improve the regional economy and the welfare of batik craftsmen. However, in fact, batik craftsmen in Pamekasan have not felt a significant impact. The purpose of this research is to examine the contribution of the creative batik industry to economic growth and the role of the batik industry in welfare of craftsmen. This method used a qualitative method. The data was obtained from the results of interviews with informants, namely batik craftsmen. The results of the study show that the creative industry is able to have a positive impact on improving people’s welfare and reducing unemployment. This can be seen from the absorption of labor in the batik industry. Creative industries that can develop cannot be separated from local culture. Thus, local wisdom is one of the factors that supports the increase in creativity in producing certain works in the form of written batik.
Estetyka brzydoty w liryce Gottfrieda Benna – zarys pracy doktorskiej
Authors: Janowska Aleksandra
Published: February 2025

Motyw brzydoty w liryce Gottfrieda Benna jest nieodzowny w jego twórczości, tymczasem badania koncentrują się przede wszystkim na poglądach ideologicznych oraz na medycznych aspektach z życia autora. Estetyka brzydoty w liryce Benna wydaje się być traktowana drugorzędnie, mimo ze miała ogromny wpływ na jego twórczość oraz życie. Zadaniem niniejszego artykułu jest przybliżenie roli motywu brzydoty w liryce autora oraz przedstawienie obecnego staniu badań nad tym tematem. Mimo iż kategoria estetyczna brzydoty w szczególności rozpowszechniona była w modernizmie, należy dodać, że była obecna również przed nim. Rozważania na temat kategorii brzydoty sięgają starożytności, kiedy to dla greckich filozofów i myślicieli ważna była próba zdefiniowania piękna oraz stojącej do niego w opozycji, brzydoty. Kategoria estetyczna brzydoty w literaturze ukazywana jest jako przeciwieństwo do piękna, niewinności, dobra. Często zestawiana jest ze złem, demonami lub ludzkimi tragediami. Brzydota nie tylko stoi w opozycji do piękna, lecz także jest nieodzownym jego elementem, dzięki któremu jesteśmy w stanie stwierdzić, co tak naprawdę nas zachwyca, a co w naszym mniemaniu dalekie jest od indywidualnego ideału.
Teaching English Language Learners Who Have Trauma Experiences: Healthy Boundaries, Happy Teachers
Authors: Crossman Katherine , Ibrahim Eman H. , Kostouros Patricia , Wang Haimei
Published: February 2025

English language teachers, especially those working with refugees and vulnerable populations, are at risk of empathy-based stress (e.g., burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma). Due to conditions prevalent in the English language teaching context and relationships of trust that develop classrooms, instructors may inadvertently be exposed to and impacted by learner trauma. Over time, empathetic engagement and hearing troubling stories can result in vicarious trauma. One key factor that puts instructors at risk of vicarious trauma and other empathy-based stress is unclear boundaries. In this article, we draw on data from 44 semi-structured ethnographic interviews with language instructors who self-identified as being negatively impacted by their work with learners who have had trauma experiences. We report specifically on themes related to boundaries that emerged from the data. The findings focus on factors that contribute to crossed boundaries, such as overfamiliarity, role misperception, a saviour mentality, and dual relationships. We also describe benefits of and strategies for setting and maintaining boundaries. The article concludes with implications and recommendations for policy makers, organizational decision makers, and English language instructors.
Análise do saneamento básico e as doenças relacionadas em Mato Grosso do Sul
Authors: Bilck Kharlla Franco dos Santos , Morato Priscila Neder
Published: February 2025

O saneamento básico é o conjunto de serviços públicos, infraestruturas e instalações operacionais relacionados ao abastecimento de água; esgotamento sanitário; limpeza urbana e manejo de resíduos sólidos; e drenagem e manejo das águas pluviais urbanas. O objetivo desta pesquisa é compreender a situação em que se encontra o sistema de saneamento básico e o impacto sobre as doenças relacionadas em Mato Grosso do Sul, identificando a dimensão do acesso que os sul-mato-grossenses possuem quanto a esses serviços e/ou a falta e precariedade desses e a relação com a ocorrência de doenças na população. Com os resultados encontrados, observa-se que os investimentos em saneamento tiveram um desenvolvimento, mas ainda falta muito para a universalização no estado, tendo em vista que é extremamente importante o acesso a condições sanitárias básicas a toda população e que a falta e/ou precariedade pode acarretar doenças.
A cachaça como ativo na propriedade industrial e seu impacto na proteção ambiental na Região de Salinas, Minas Gerais
Authors: Gomes Yuri Pereira
Published: February 2025

Salinas é reconhecida por sua cachaça de qualidade. O processo de obtenção da Indicação Geográfica (IG) para a Cachaça de Salinas iniciou-se nos anos 1990, culminando com o registro IG200908, concedido em 2012. O objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar os instrumentos legais, bem como as práticas sustentáveis adotadas pelos produtores de cachaça na Região de Salinas, conforme seu caderno de especificações. O estudo adotou uma abordagem teórica, utilizando pesquisa bibliográfica sobre a temática de Indicações Geográficas, caracterizando-se assim, de forma descritiva e exploratória, e apropriando-se de uma pesquisa documental. Assim, pode-se concluir que a busca pela IG Cachaça de Salinas transcende a preservação dos recursos naturais no semiárido mineiro, representando um compromisso abrangente com o desenvolvimento sustentável. Ao estabelecer diretrizes rigorosas para a produção de cachaça, a Região de Salinas não apenas assegura a excelência de seus produtos, mas também contribui significativamente para o equilíbrio entre os aspectos econômicos e ambientais.
Sub-2 nm PtBi alloy nanoparticles on Bi-N-C single-atom catalyst for selective oxidation of glycerol to 1,3-dihydroxyacetone
Authors: Tang Tongyu , Zhang Hai , Wang Hao-Fan , Wang Hongjuan , Cao Yonghai , Zhou Lingyun , Yu Hao
Published: February 2025

Nanoscale metal particle-decorated single-atom catalysts (SACs) have been widely used in the fields of photocatalysis, electrocatalysis and thermal catalysis due to the combination of the advantages of nanoparticles and SACs. Herein, a strategy based on Pt-Bi atomic exchange is proposed for the formation of ultrafine (sub-2 nm) PtBi nanoclusters on single atomic Bi-N-C. The dynamic structural evolution between single atomic Bi-N-C on nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets and Pt nanoclusters on the reconfiguration of stable PtBi alloy nanoparticles was demonstrated through a spherical aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope, X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. By our synthesis strategy, the Bi-N-C sites significantly improve the dispersion of PtBi alloy nanoparticles, resulting in a high turnover frequency of up to 224.4 h-1 and the 1,3-dihydroxyacetone selectivity of 77.4%, 3.5 times higher than that of commercial 5Pt/C. On the other hand, the strong interaction between SAC and nanoparticles enhanced the catalytic stability by preventing leaching of Bi. It opens new avenues toward the rational design of high-performance nanoparticle-SACs, enabled by the in-depth understanding of the interaction between nanoparticles and SACs, which determines the structure of real active sites.
Conductive PDA@HNT/rGO/PDMS aerogel composites with significantly enhanced durability and stretchability for wearable electronics
Authors: Hu Hailong , Ma Yalun , Hassan Yusuf Abdullahi , Chen Lei , Ouyang Jing , Yang Huaming , Zhang Fan
Published: February 2025

Conductive polymer composites used to develop stretchable strain sensors have great potential for a wide range of applications, but engineering such a sensor with high sensitivity and durability remains very challenging. In this study, we propose a hydrothermal approach coupled with a freeze-drying technique to fabricate durable and stretchable strain sensors based on polydopamine-functionalized halloysite nanotube/reduced graphene oxide/polydimethylsiloxane (PDA@HNT/rGO/PDMS) aerogel composites. These sensors exhibit exceptional sensing performance, enhanced stretchability, linearity range, and stability. A comparative analysis of graphene oxide at different concentrations demonstrates that the flexible PDA@HNT/rGO/PDMS composites exhibit a significantly broader sensing range when the graphene oxide concentration is reduced to 2.5 mg/mL, in contrast to the higher concentration of 5.0 mg/mL. Specifically, the synergistic effect of both PDA and natural fiber HNTs results in aerogel composite strain sensors with a desirable gauge factor and a linearity sensing range as evidenced by the theoretical analysis, which demonstrates great potential for wearable electronics and human motion detection. The synergy between PDA and HNTs enhances the properties of aerogel composite strain sensors by improving interfacial adhesion, uniformly dispersing reinforcing agents, and maintaining conductive pathways, resulting in a highly sensitive, broad-range, and durable device. The development of conductive PDA@HNT/rGO/PDMS aerogel composites for flexible strain sensors represents an important advancement in the field of wearable technology and has the potential to revolutionize the way we monitor and respond to mechanical stress in various applications.
Grapevine rootstocks in K- and Ca-rich volcanic soils: The effect of mineral assemblage on nutrient uptake efficiency
Authors: Gaeta Mario , Pacheco Paula , Aldega Luca , Astolfi Maria Luisa , Giannessi Eugenio , Perinelli Cristina
Published: February 2025

This study examines element mobility in volcanic soils to evaluate the relationships between mineral assemblage and the uptake capacity of rootstocks. The Gravesac rootstock, which appears to have a low capacity to selectively absorb K, Ca, Mg, and Na relative to one another, was used for this study. We analysed the chemical composition of rootstocks and the adhering soils. These soils were also mineralogically characterised and subjected to leaching using water over variable time periods and ammonium acetate. Chemical weathering of minerals significantly controls the mobility of base cations in vineyard soils and this should strongly impact root absorption and plant nutrient content. In the scarcely evolved volcanic soils (hereafter pozzolanic soils), where clinopyroxene is not significantly weathered, Ca has low availability in soil solution compared to evolved volcanic soils (hereafter clay-bearing volcanic (CBV) soils), despite higher Ca content in pozzolanic soils. This indicates that in pozzolanic soils, Ca and Mg are less mobile due to the minimal weathering of clinopyroxene. Rootstock absorption of Ca and Mg mirrors these findings, with lower uptake in pozzolanic soils despite higher total element content. Leaching experiments show that the bioavailability of Ca and Mg obtained in H2O and ammonium acetate is inversely correlated with the uptake efficiency of rootstocks, which is instead positively correlated with the removal of Ca and Mg from the soils. In CBV soils, the intense chemical weathering of clinopyroxene increases the mobility and subsequent uptake of Ca and Mg by roots. On the contrary, leaching tests show that K bioavailability in pozzolanic soils, derived from leucite weathering, is higher than in CBV soils, which is consistent with their higher K content. The rapid dissolution of K in pozzolanic soils contrasts with its slower and more sustained release in CBV soils, linked to the weathering of phlogopite. This leads to higher K uptake in CBV soils despite their lower K content. The mineral assemblage in CBV soils, particularly the extent of phlogopite alteration, maintains high K activity in the soil solution, enhancing K bioavailability. The effect of mineral speciation (i.e., the solid solution range and weathered form of a particular mineral) on the uptake efficiency of rootstocks is confirmed by the distinct chemical compositions of musts from Merlot grapes grown in the two soils. Our results highlight the pivotal role of mineral assemblage in shaping nutrient availability and rootstock uptake dynamics in viticultural systems.
Long term analysis of the link between practices and vineyard decline in relation to abiotic factors
Authors: Merot Anne , Thiollet-Scholtus Marie , Sladeczek Marc , Hossard Laure , Smits Nathalie
Published: February 2025

Vineyard decline is one of the main challenges viticulture now faces, especially in the current context of climate change. While decline is often attributed to grapevine trunk diseases and climate change, it also involves a myriad of other interconnected factors, including agricultural practices, whose role in decline remains unclear. This study explored for the first time how various planting conditions and agricultural practices implemented over an extended period of time affect the intensity and dynamics of decline. We analysed a large dataset obtained from 107 plots in the Cognac wine-growing region in western France from 1988 to 2018. The dataset included data on soil and climate conditions, genetic material at planting, annual agricultural practices, and information on annual mortality and yield. This study comprised six steps: dataset building, characterisation of decline categories, selection of explanatory variables to be studied, creation of plot trajectories based on agricultural practices, linking of decline categories and plot trajectories, and analysis of plot characteristics and practices. Using data from 43 plots and 58 variables, we showed that vineyard plots can be classified into three stages of decline depending on the dynamics and intensity of mortality and yield dynamics. We then established 11 trajectories over the plot lifespans (16 to 30 years). A detailed analysis of these trajectories revealed that plots associated with certain trajectories were more subject to decline, which helped us identify strategies that could limit or even prevent decline. We concluded that preventing decline requires adopting an integrated approach from planting to grubbing up, finding the right match between genetic material and soil–climate conditions, ensuring optimal water management, and managing potentially competing vegetation, like cover cropping. By identifying key practices over the vineyard lifespan, this study opens up new avenues for preventing decline by putting the focus on vigour management, water and mineral status of the plant.
Catheter Ablation of Septal Accessory Pathways in Children: A 12- Year Experience at a Tertiary Care Center
Authors: Turan Ozlem , Akdeniz Celal , Tuzcu Volkan
Published: February 2025

Background: Septal accessory pathways (APs) are challenging ablation targets. The study aims to contribute to the pediatric literature by presenting our long-term experience of septal AP ablations with limited fluoroscopy. Methods: This is a retrospective study of all patients who underwent septal AP ablations from July 2012 to July 2023 at a single center. Results: We identified 298 septal AP connections in 291 (11.8 ± 4.9 years) patients. Seventy-nine (27%) cases were diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, and 225 (73%) cases were diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). The AP locations were posteroseptal (n=159;54%), anteroseptal (n=86;30%), and midseptal (n=46;16%). Of those diagnosed with WPW, 61 (28%) had high-risk AP and 90 (40%) were adenosine responsive. Cryoablation was used in 190 (66%), radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was used in 36 (12.5%), and both were used in 62 (21.5%) patients. The overall acute success rate of initial procedures was 89.6% (The acute success rate of cryoablation=86.6%; RFA=94.1%). During a mean follow-up of 88.5±33.0 months, the overall recurrence rate was 11.3%, with the highest at the right-posteroseptal location. An irrigated-tip RFA was preferred during redo procedures in 20 (45%) cases. The long-term success rate was 99% when the repeat procedures were considered. No complications were observed. Conclusions: Due to the higher recurrence rates in septal AP ablations compared to other locations, repeated procedures might be needed to achieve definitive long-term success. This study indicates that similar acute and long-term success rates can be achieved with cryoablation compared to RFA, with the significant benefit of increased safety.
Rice Disease Recognition Based on Improved Residual Network
Authors: Chen Ming , Yu Zihao
Published: February 2025

The diagnosis of rice leaf diseases is of great significance to agricultural production and crop yield. With the rapid development of deep learning technology, deep learning has become an effective tool to solve crop disease diagnosis. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale convolutional neural network that combines improved CBAM attention mechanism with deep separable convolution to effectively diagnose common rice leaf diseases such as yellow dwarf, rice thrips, leaf char, brown spot, rice blast and bacterial leaf blight. The network structure combines CBAM module and ResNeXt50 residuals to accurately extract complex features of rice diseases. The experimental results show that the identification accuracy of the model on the rice leaf disease data set is as high as 99.66%, which is obviously better than the traditional model, and the diagnosis speed and accuracy are significantly improved. At the same time, the lightweight design of the model ensures a fast response and performs equally well on other publicly available crop leaf disease datasets, further verifying its good generalization ability and applicability. By adding CBAM module, the model can capture disease characteristics more efficiently and keep the parameter number low, providing a fast and efficient solution for rice disease diagnosis in actual agricultural environment.
Epidemiology of West Nile Virus in New York City: Trends and Transmission Dynamics (2000–2019)
Authors: Bajwa Waheed Ibrahim , Zhou Liyang
Published: February 2025

The 1999 West Nile Virus (WNV) outbreak in NYC marked the first introduction of the virus into the Western Hemisphere. This study examines two decades (2000-2019) of surveillance data, analyzing human cases (381 cases, 35 fatalities) and mosquito pools (6,632 positive pools). Findings highlight the dominant role of Culex species, particularly Cx. salinarius, in human transmission, with 69% of cases occurring near infected mosquito pools. Spatial analyses reveal transmission hotspots, emphasizing the importance of species-specific mosquito control. These insights contribute to refining urban vector management and public health strategies against WNV outbreaks.
Multi-Feature Lightweight DeeplabV3 Network for Polarimetric SAR Image Classification with Attention Mechanism
Authors: Shi Junfei , Ji Shanshan , Jin Haiyan , Zhang Yuanlin , Gong Maoguo , Lin Weisi
Published: February 2025

Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PolSAR) is an advanced remote sensing technology that provides rich polarimetric information. Deep learning methods have been proved an effective tool for PolSAR image classification. However, relying solely on source data input makes it challenging to effectively classify all land cover targets, especially heterogeneous targets with significant scattering variations, such as urban areas and forests. Besides, multiple features can provide more complementary information, while feature selection is crucial for classification. To address these issues, we propose a novel attention mechanism-based multi-feature lightweight deeplabV3+ network for PolSAR image classification. The proposed method integrates feature extraction, learning, selection, and classification into an end-to-end network framework. Initially, three kinds of complementary features are extracted to serve as inputs to the network, including polarimetric original data, statistical and scattering features, textural and contour features. Subsequently, a lightweight DeeplabV3+ network is designed to conduct multi-scale feature learning on the extracted multidimensional features. Finally, an attention mechanism-based feature selection module is integrated into the network model, adaptively learning weights for multi-scale features. This enhances discriminative features but suppresses redundant or confusing features. Experiments are conducted on five real PolSAR data sets, and experimental results demonstrate the proposed method can achieve more precise boundaries and smoother regions than the state-of-the-art algorithms.
Integration of Owl Password-Authenticated Key Exchange Protocol to Enhance IoT Application Protocols
Authors: Rivera Julio Yair , Pinto Mangones Angel , Torres Tovio Juan , Gómez María Clara , Salcedo Dixon
Published: February 2025

The exponential growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized connectivity, generating vast amounts of data, and introducing significant challenges in security and privacy. Traditional security protocols often fail to meet the demands of IoT environments due to the limited computational and energy capacities of devices, as well as the need for scalability and adaptability in dynamic networks. This study evaluates IoT application protocols to identify those lacking native key-exchange mechanisms and examines the integration of Owl, a password-authenticated key-exchange protocol, to improve security from the initial stages of communication. By focusing on lightweight and resource-efficient designs, this research demonstrates how Owl addresses critical security gaps, reinforces authentication, and ensures robust session establishment in IoT systems. The findings provide a road-map for incorporating Owl into IoT architectures, offering practical solutions to achieve seamless, scalable, and secure communication in constrained environments.
Harmonious Multi-Grained Integration for Robust Multimodal Emotion Analysis
Authors: Sinclair Dorian , Marwood Emily , George Caspian , Beaumont Elodie
Published: February 2025

In this paper, we introduce \textbf{HarmoFusion}, a comprehensive framework that seamlessly integrates multi-granular information for robust multimodal emotion analysis. Traditional approaches in emotion recognition often rely solely on either holistic, pre-trained utterance-level embeddings or isolated fine-grained features, which can result in suboptimal performance when dealing with the subtle and dynamic nature of emotional expression. HarmoFusion bridges this gap by unifying pre-trained global representations with detailed interactions at the phoneme and word levels. Inspired by advancements in transformer-based text-to-speech systems, our model employs a hierarchical attention mechanism to capture intricate cross-modal dependencies. More specifically, our architecture fuses phonetic details and lexical semantics via a novel transformer module that computes interactions. Additionally, we introduce further formulations to model the integration of word-level and phoneme-level embeddings. Extensive experiments conducted on the IEMOCAP dataset demonstrate that HarmoFusion not only surpasses current state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy and robustness but also exhibits enhanced performance when incorporating fine-grained interactions. Our ablation studies further highlight the importance of each component in capturing the complex nuances of multimodal emotional signals, ultimately paving the way for more effective human-computer interaction systems.
How to Assess Environmental Etiological Factors of Mental Disorders: A Narrative Review
Authors: Hosak Ladislav , Hosakova Jirina , Hurdova Kristyna , Koncelikova Dana , Latalova Klara
Published: February 2025

Background: Clarifying the etiology of mental disorders should lead to significant therapeutic and preventive measure improvements. Mental disorders are caused by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. A valid assessment of environmental etiological factors is complicated due to a lack in methodologies. We aim to demonstrate how to optimally assess the environmental etiological factors with a special focus on stress. Methods: We searched the PubMed database up to December 2024 for relevant state-of-the-art references. Results: The most frequently used stress assessment method involves self-reporting questionnaires, but the usefulness of the answers may be diminished, for example by recall bias. Blood or salivary cortisol, heart rate, respiratory rate, plethysmography readings, and electrodermal activity are biological markers of acute stress. Biological markers such as hair and nail cortisol levels, telomere length, mitochondrial DNA copy number, and epigenetic markers are indicative of a history of stress. Conclusion: A quantitative prospective assessment of environmental etiological factors including their frequency, severity, total exposure length, timing, and possible accumulation is still needed. In addition, protective environmental factors of mental disorders should not be neglected. The computation of a polyenviromic risk/protective score is an innovative research approach into the etiology of psychiatric disorders.
Effectiveness of Electrical Muscle Elongation and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Programs on Muscle Flexibility and Stiffness in Young Adults with Functional Hamstring Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial with 4-Week Follow-Up
Authors: Jiménez-Sánchez Carolina , Fortún-Rabadán Rocío , Carpallo-Porcar Beatriz , Cordova-Alegre Paula , Espejo-Antúnez Luis , Ortiz-Lucas María
Published: February 2025

Background: Adequate hamstring flexibility is crucial for musculoskeletal health, as increased muscle tone can lead to stretch-type injuries, muscle weakness, dysfunctional neuromuscular control, postural changes, and lower back pain. The aim was to compare the effectiveness of a program based on Electrical Muscle Elongation (EME), Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), and no intervention in improving flexibility and viscoelastic properties of hamstring and quadriceps muscles in active young adults with functional hamstring disorder (type 2B according to the Munich Consensus). Methods: Sixty-five participants (45 male, 20 female) were randomly assigned to three groups: the EME group (n=21) received a simultaneous combination of interferential current and stretching, the PNF group (n=22) underwent active stretching, and the Control group (n=22) received no intervention. Hamstring and quadriceps flexibility and muscle stiffness were measured in both limbs at baseline, post-intervention, and at the 4-week follow-up. Results: The EME group showed significant improvements in hamstring flexibility in the left limb compared to the Control group and in some myotonometric variables of the quadriceps muscle compared to the PNF and Control groups (p<0.05). Within-group differences indicated higher improvements in the EME group. Conclusions: This study suggests that EME may offer greater benefits than PNF stretching in young adults with functional hamstring disorder.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Land Use Change and Urban Heat Island Effects in Akure and Osogbo, Nigeria Between 2014 and 2023
Authors: Oyeniyi Moruff Adetunji , Odunsi Oluwafemi Michael , Rienow Andreas , Edler Dennis
Published: February 2025

Rapid urbanization and climate impacts have raised concerns about the emergence and aggravation of urban heat island effects. In Africa, studies have focused more on big cities due to their growing populations and high socio-economic functions, while mid-sized cities remain understudied, with limited comparative insights into their distinct characteristics. This study therefore provided a spatiotemporal analysis of land use land cover change (LULCC) and surface urban heat islands (SUHI) effects in the Nigerian mid-sized cities of Akure and Osogbo from 2014 to 2023. This study used Landsat 8 and 9 imagery (2014 and 2023) and analyzed data via Google Earth Engine and ArcGIS Pro 3.4. Results showed that Akure increased significantly from 164.026 km² to 224.191 km² in the built areas while Osogbo witnessed a smaller expansion from 41.808 km² to 58.315 km² in built areas. This study identified Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and emissivity patterns associated with vegetation and thermal emissions and a positive association between LST and urbanization. The findings across Akure and Osogbo cities established that the LULCC had a different impact on SUHI effects. As a result, evidence from a mid-sized city might not be extended to other cities of similar size and socioeconomic characteristics without caution.
Pathways for Ukraine’s Post-War Recovery: Forest Socio-Ecological System in the Focus
Authors: Melnykovych Mariana , Nijnik Maria , Soshenskyi Oleksandr , Zibtsev Sergiy , Lobchenko Ganna , Sarkki Simo , Voloshyna Natalia , Soloviy Ihor , Kravets Pavlo , Khan Yevhenii , Yaroshchuk Roman , Keeton William S. , Rosset Christian , Pauli Bernhard , Garcia Claude A. , Waeber Patrick O.
Published: February 2025

Forests today face significant challenges from climate change, biodiversity loss, and increasing socio-economic and political pressures, all of which intensify with the impacts of military conflicts. This paper focuses on Ukraine and examines the root causes and impacts of the ongoing war in Ukraine on forest socio-ecological systems to identify potential recovery pathways. We use a multi-method approach to examine the socio-economic, environmental, and governance factors affecting Ukraine’s forest socio-ecological systems and to assess the impacts of the war. Through a review of relevant literature and interviews with forest sector experts, we identify key pathways for post-war recovery. Pathway 1 emphasises increased forest use for sustainable low-carbon recovery, using timber for housing reconstruction and green small-scale energy production. Pathway 2 suggests `close-to-nature and close-to-people` approach leveraging digital tools and innovations for climate-resilient management. Pathway 3 highlights anticipatory governance, refining policies, enhancing transparency, and fostering socio-ecological innovations to ensure sustainable forest management aligned with environmental and socio-economic goals. Relying on a single recovery pathway risks long-term vulnerability, yet integrating multiple recovery pathways and anticipatory governance creates synergies. We emphasise the importance of integration of innovative approaches into co-designed sustainable management practices. Our findings emphasise that addressing the ongoing crisis in Ukraine requires coordinated efforts from all levels of Ukraine’s stakeholders and international policy actors. We believe that the findings shared in this paper, aligned with the "build back better" principles, could not only support the post-war recovery in Ukraine but also offer valuable insights potentially useful for other conflict-affected regions worldwide.
Preliminary Assessment of Air Pollution in the Archaeological Museum of Naples (Italy): Long Term Monitoring of Nitrogen Dioxide and Nitrous Acid
Authors: Valentini Federica , Allegrini Ivo , Colasanti Irene , Zaratti Camilla , Macchia Andrea , Barandoni Cristiana , Neri Anna
Published: February 2025

A project to assess air pollution at the National Archeological Museum in Naples was carried out. The main goal of the project was to develop and test a reliable, yet simple, monitoring system to be adopted at the same time in several exposition rooms. Nitrogen dioxide, hydrogen chloride, nitrous acid, and sulphur dioxide were the chemical species addressed by the technique. Monitoring was simultaneously performed in five rooms and pollutant concentrations were determined using two passive samplers. The sampling time was approximately one month per period. In addition to passive samplers, environmental data loggers were used to obtain temperature and relative humidity data. Results show high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide inside rooms, consistent with those found in outdoor environments and are close to the values calculated considering the air exchange rates, estimated through time gradients of ambient temperature. The minimum values were recorded in a basement room, having a low ventilation rate. The conversion of nitrogen dioxide to real surfaces produces nitric acid and nitrous acid. Large amounts of nitrous acid were found in exposition rooms up to 15 µg/m3, with maximum values in the basement room, where the air exchange rate is limited and the surface-to-volume ratio is the highest among the monitored rooms. Data analysis demonstrate that the system could discriminate between nitrous acid and nitrogen dioxide. The results show that, for the first time, passive samplers can overcome the problem of mutual interference between nitrogen-containing species. It was found that the nitrates and nitrites found in the alkaline passive sampler is not due to the interference of nitrogen dioxide. Nitric acid was also found in the gas phase, likely generated by dissociation of ammonium nitrate in particulate matter. Hydrogen chloride and sulphur dioxide are present at few µg/m3. Nitrous acid is the most relevant acidic species found indoors. The presence of pollutants was discussed in terms of the reliability of the analytical procedure and its significance for indoor air pollution.