bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Label Remote Sensing Image Land Cover Classification Based on a Multi-Dimensional Attention Mechanism
Authors: You Haihui , Gu Juntao , Jing Weipeng
Published: October 2023

For the multi-label classification task of remote sensing images (RSIs), it is difficult to accurately extract feature information from complex land covers, and it is easy to generate redundant features by ordinary convolution extraction features. This paper proposes a multi-label classification model for multi-source RSIs that combines dense convolution and an attention mechanism. This method adds fusion channel attention and a spatial attention mechanism to each dense block module of the DenseNet, and the sigmoid activation function replaces the softmax activation function in multi-label classification. The improved model retains the main features of RSIs to the greatest extent and enhances the feature extraction of the images. The model can integrate local features, capture global dependencies, and aggregate contextual information to improve the multi-label land cover classification accuracy of RSIs. We conducted comparative experiments on the SEN12-MS and UC-Merced land cover dataset and analyzed the evaluation indicators. The experimental results show that this method effectively improves the multi-label classification accuracy of RSIs.
Intra-Seasonal Variability of Sea Level on the Southwestern Bering Sea Shelf and Its Impact on the East Kamchatka and East Sakhalin Currents
Authors: Andreev Andrey
Published: October 2023

The East Kamchatka and East Sakhalin Currents (EKC and ESC) are the western boundary currents of the subarctic North Pacific and Okhotsk Sea. Variability in the EKC and ESC velocities could exert a substantial effect on ecosystems and fish stocks in the southwestern Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea. Using satellite-derived data (sea surface heights, geostrophic current velocities, and sea surface temperatures, 2002–2020), we demonstrate that changes in zonal wind generate sea level variations on the shelf in the southwestern Bering Sea over a period of 18–29 days and with an amplitude of 5–20 cm. The ebb/flood events on the shelf lead to changes in the velocity, direction, and position of the EKC. The sea level anomalies propagate along the western Kamchatka, northern Kuril Islands and the northern and western Okhotsk Sea and result in the variability of geostrophic current velocities in the ESC zone. The strengthening (weakening) of ESC leads to an increase (a decrease) in SST in the southern part of the Okhotsk Sea by 1–3 °C. In the northwestern Okhotsk Sea, in addition to wind-induced variability, there are temporary changes in the geostrophic currents with a period of 14 days caused by fortnightly tides.
Study on the Design and Performance of a Glove Based on the FBG Array for Hand Posture Sensing
Authors: Rao Hongcheng , Luo Binbin , Wu Decao , Yi Pan , Chen Fudan , Shi Shenghui , Zou Xue , Chen Yuliang , Zhao Mingfu
Published: October 2023

This study introduces a new wearable fiber-optic sensor glove. The glove utilizes a flexible material, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), and a silicone tube to encapsulate fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). It is employed to enable the self-perception of hand posture, gesture recognition, and the prediction of grasping objects. The investigation employs the Support Vector Machine (SVM) approach for predicting grasping objects. The proposed fiber-optic sensor glove can concurrently monitor the motion of 14 hand joints comprising 5 metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP), 5 proximal interphalangeal joints (PIP), and 4 distal interphalangeal joints (DIP). To expand the measurement range of the sensors, a sinusoidal layout incorporates the FBG array into the glove. The experimental results indicate that the wearable sensing glove can track finger flexion within a range of 0° to 100°, with a modest minimum measurement error (Error) of 0.176° and a minimum standard deviation (SD) of 0.685°. Notably, the glove accurately detects hand gestures in real-time and even forecasts grasping actions. The fiber-optic smart glove technology proposed herein holds promising potential for industrial applications, including object grasping, 3D displays via virtual reality, and human–computer interaction.
Review of Random Fiber Lasers for Optical Fiber Sensors
Authors: Tian Meng , Zhang Wentao , Huang Wenzhu
Published: October 2023

A random fiber laser does not need a traditional resonant cavity and only uses the multiple scattering of disordered media to provide feedback to achieve laser output. Therefore, it has the advantages of a simple structure, narrow linewidth, and low noise and is particularly suitable for fiber optic sensors. This paper provides an introduction to the categories and corresponding principles of random fiber lasers. The research progress of random fiber lasers in the sensing field in recent years, including various aspects of random fiber lasers as low-noise light sources or sensitive elements for fiber sensing systems, is the main focus. Finally, the future development trend of random fiber lasers for optical fiber sensors is explored.
Life Cycle Assessment of Road Pavements That Incorporate Waste Reuse: A Systematic Review and Guidelines Proposal
Authors: Medina Taísa , Calmon João Luiz , Vieira Darli , Bravo Alencar , Vieira Thalya
Published: October 2023

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a methodology that has been widely used to evaluate the environmental impact of products and processes throughout entire life cycles. In this context, the reuse of waste in paved road construction is a practice that has received increasing attention as a sustainable alternative to solid waste disposal. This article presents a systematic review of existing studies on the LCA of paved roads that incorporate waste reuse and proposes a guideline for LCA in this context. Several criteria were analyzed in the articles, and the results showed that only 5% of the articles followed all the recommendations set out in ISO 14040. The proposed guideline aims to provide guidance for future research and includes recommendations for each of the steps involved in LCA, from defining the objectives and scope of the study to interpreting the results.
Factors Influencing Consumers’ Behaviour towards Purchasing Organic Foods: A Theoretical Model
Authors: Yilmaz Birsen
Published: October 2023

Consumers’ interest in organic food has increased over time and this has resulted in a generally positive attitude towards organic food products. The main reasons behind these findings are that consumers generally perceive organic foods as more nutritious and healthier than non-organic foods. Recently, consumers’ concerns about the environment and animal welfare have become part of the main drivers. Hence, this paper investigated the association between stimulus factors, perceived values (health value, environmental value, animal welfare and food safety) and consumers’ organic purchasing behaviour using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) theoretical model. Also, the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and purchasing behaviour has been discussed. Data were collected via an online questionnaire from 330 organic food consumers who live in different cities in Turkey. The collected data were analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS 3. Marital status, education employment status and age were significantly related to consumer purchasing behaviour, while gender, income and chronic disease did not influence the actual buying of organic foods. Benefits of consuming organic foods, sustainable consumption attitudes and positive moral attitudes significantly affected perceived values (health value, environment value, animal welfare and food safety). Perceived values did not have a significant effect on consumer purchasing behaviour. This research allows for a better comprehension of consumers’ buying behaviour towards organic food products, which will be helpful for organic sellers in terms of developing strategies and growing the organic food market.
Improving the Biogas Production and Methane Yield in a UASB Reactor with the Addition of Sulfate
Authors: Theodosi Palimeri Dimitra , Papadopoulou Konstantina , Vlyssides Apostolos G. , Vlysidis Anestis A.
Published: October 2023

Sulfate is of great importance in anaerobic digestion as its addition can help control the microbial community. In this study, the effect of sulfuric acid addition on the performance of a UASB reactor fed with hydrolyzed starch was investigated. The total organic carbon (TOC), Fe, SO42− removal and methane production were monitored under various chemical oxygen demand (COD) to SO42− ratios, hydraulic retention times (HRTs) and organic loading rates (OLRs). When the HRT was 16 h, and the OLR was equal to 2 g COD/LUASB-day, methane production was 0.24 L CH4/LUASB-day. After the addition of sulfuric acid, TOC removal reached 95%, and the population of Ruminococcus sp. that utilize soluble carbohydrates increased by 19.7%. Nitrogen removal was less than 25%, while the population of Ignavibacterium sp. accounted for 2.3%. When the HRT, OLR and COD/SO42− ratios were equal to 16 h, 2 g COD/LUASB-d and 3.72, respectively, methane production was 0.267 L CH4/LUASB-day. When the OLR increased to 5.94 g, the COD/LUASB-day and COD/SO42− ratios were equal to 12.5, and methane production was three times higher (0.84 L CH4/LUASB-day), with a methane content in the produced biogas greater than 70% due to the increased amount of Methanosaeta sp. and direct interspecies electron transfer. Sulfate addition increased the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio sp., accounting for 9.9% and an iron accumulation exceeding 98.0%. This study indicates that appropriate sulfate concentrations in the feed in combination with the presence of iron in the UASB lead to enhanced methane yields.
Sustainable Water Management and the 2030 Agenda: Comparing Rain Forest Watersheds in Canada and Brazil by Applying an Innovative Sustainability Indicator System
Authors: Ferreira Maria Inês Paes , Sakaki Graham , Shaw Pamela , Riscado Thaís Nacif de Souza , Umbelino Luis Felipe
Published: October 2023

Watershed management varies greatly across the world. Local conditions are generally dictated by how watershed management is regulated at national, regional, and local scales. Both multisectoral and community-based participatory involvement in watershed management can positively impact the quality and effectiveness of outcomes. This localization can also be vital to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. In recent years, the term “sustainability” has become overused, has limited quantifiable meaning, and can create “fuzzy” targets. We suggest that an outcome that focuses on “thrivability” is more appropriate; this refers to the ability to not only sustain positive conditions for future generations but to create conditions that allow for all living things (present and future) to have the ability and opportunity to thrive. A thrivability approach aligns with the 2030 Agenda’s ultimate goal: prosperity for all beings on earth. This study uses a thrivability lens to compare two study sites. Primary and secondary data were collected for both the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN), Canada, and Hydrographic Region VIII (HR-VIII), Brazil, and have been input and analyzed through our Thrivability Appraisal to determine each region’s watershed thrivability score. The Thrivability Appraisal uses seven sustainability principles as the overarching framework. These are then related to four individual subcomponents of watershed health and three common interest tests based on primary environmental perception and secondary technical data as inputs. Assuming the centricity of water for prosperity, the final scoring is a culmination of the 49 total indicators. A comparison is then drawn to the regions’ capacity to achieve the eight targets for UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6. The outcome illustrates each region’s water management strengths and weaknesses, allowing for lessons to be learned and transferred to other multijurisdictional watersheds.
A Sustainable Analysis Regarding the Impact of Tourism on Food Preferences in European Capitals
Authors: Lupșa-Tătaru Florin Răzvan , Lixăndroiu Radu Constantin , Lupșa-Tătaru Dana Adriana
Published: October 2023

This research examines the interrelationships among the scope of tourism, travellers’ food choices, and the restaurant business in European capitals. It employs a sustainable and electronic tool, Octoparse 8, to gather and analyse a substantial volume of data. The study utilises computerised data including a total of 10 million reviews pertaining to 21,885 eateries located in 27 European cities. The findings of the research indicate that a significant majority of travellers exhibit a preference for dining establishments that provide vegetarian-friendly and vegan alternatives, as well as gluten-free choices. Furthermore, these individuals tend to gravitate towards European and Mediterranean cuisine when selecting restaurants. There are a limited number of capital cities, like Madrid, Paris, and Rome, where visitors tend to choose local cuisine due to the renowned reputation and longstanding culinary traditions associated with these respective nations. When evaluating a restaurant, visitors do not rely on pricing as a determining factor. Additionally, when discussing captivating scenarios, it is important to examine the cities of Roma and Valetta.
Green Spaces in Urban Environments: Network Planning of Plant Species Composition
Authors: Mityagin Sergey , Kopyt Nikita , Shmeleva Irina A. , Malysheva Sofia , Malysheva Ekaterina , Antonov Aleksandr , Sokol Aleksey , Zakharenko Nikita , Churiakova Tatiana , Budennyy Semen A. , Boukhanovsky Alexander V.
Published: October 2023

The article deals with the problem of automation and decision-making support in forming sustainable assortments of plant species for landscaped areas of cities, taking into account environmental factors, conditions of growing, properties of plant species, and landscaping practices adopted in the region. The automation of plant species and composition planning for planted territories requires formation of a knowledge base and output algorithms, as well as consideration of specific landscaping practices and techniques adopted in the region. It also requires the application of new modeling methods in combination with methods of spatial analysis, which together with the database of available regional plant species forms a recommendation system and provides decision support in the tasks of landscaping for city planners. The feature of the proposed method based on network analysis is the combination and composition of plant species, as well as the properties of invasive species, which require the use of graph models to form a knowledge base. The proposed method can be useful for forming sustainable assortments of plant species for landscaping squares, boulevards, small courtyards in the city, technical areas and other cases that do not involve the creation of individual complex landscape design. As part of the testing of the proposed method, the authors have formed a unique information base of species. The use of such a database, together with the method of selecting the species composition based on their resistances and interspecies compatibility will ensure the expansion of the diversity of species in the created ecosystem, which will make green areas more resistant to external anthropogenic factors and diseases, as well as preventing the spread of species invasive to the region.
District Heating for Poorly Insulated Residential Buildings—Comparing Results of Visual Study, Thermography, and Modeling
Authors: Chicherin Stanislav , Zhuikov Andrey , Junussova Lyazzat
Published: October 2023

Newer buildings have a lower but smoother profile of indoor temperature, while older buildings are less energy efficient. Sometimes, the indoor temperature is unreasonably high, being 25–30 °C. There are buildings where the indoor temperature does not correlate with the outdoor one. Correction factors adjusting convective heat transfer coefficients are suggested. Energy demand is defined using the rate of heat loss and internal heat gains for the given building construction and design consumption profile. We suggest adjusting the setpoints of the secondary supply temperature to keep indoor and return temperatures lower. Correcting a traditional approach when designing a building may minimize energy consumption by 23.3% and increase the annual performance by up to 14.1%. The reductions of thermal peak resulting from a new type of controller adjustment (for instance, discrete) compared to the traditional operation range from roughly 10 to 30%, respectively. A better understanding of the system operation is a necessary step to switch to fourth-generation district heating (4GDH). This methodology is especially helpful in shaving daily peaks of heat demand. Building envelopes ease the charging, maximum storage capacity, and balance of the given generation and demand profiles, which are key factors in achieving the reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Once the heat demand is covered according to the maximum storage capacity for the given generation and demand profile, fewer efforts to modernize a district heating network are required.
Sustainability Assessment in Infrastructure Projects
Authors: Más-López María Isabel , García-del-Toro Eva M. , Alcala-Gonzalez Daniel , García-Salgado Sara
Published: October 2023

We present an easy-to-apply method for assessing the sustainability of infrastructure projects. The proposed methodology consists of determining the evaluation criteria to be applied to the projected infrastructure, considering the three fundamental pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social), quantified according to impact values, in a range from zero to five. Once these were determined and assessed according to the range of impact, we established the sustainability limits or admissible impact limits for each type of infrastructure. The interaction between the sustainability limits assessed for each of the sustainability pillars and the evaluation criteria gives rise to the total influence factor (TIF), which is a value that represents the level of sustainability of the project analysed, according to which it can be classified into one of the five categories included, ranging from minor impact to unfeasible. It also allows for the local identification of criteria to which corrective actions can be applied, with corresponding scores calculated based on a rubric system. The result of the assessment of these corrective measures is the average of the scores of these three aspects. The corrective measures applied to the affected criteria will reduce the TIF and, therefore, increase the sustainability of the evaluated infrastructure.
Synthesis and Characterization of MnWO4-CNT for Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Askari Mohammad Bagher , Jamali Fatemeh , Tourchi Moghadam Mohammad Taghi , Azizi Sadegh , Seifi Majid
Published: October 2023

This study reveals, for the first time, the excellent capability of MnWO4-CNT as a supercapacitor electrode compared to MnWO4. In previous research conducted on this compound, RGO was used to enhance its electrochemical properties. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of CNT on the electrochemical properties of the compound, which also yielded promising results. The physical and morphological analysis of MnWO4 and MnWO4-CNT was conducted using Raman, XRD, BET, and SEM-EDX techniques. The electrochemical performance of the samples was assessed through cyclic voltammetry (CV), impedance electrochemical spectroscopy (EIS), and galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD). Notably, MnWO4-CNT exhibited a significant specific capacitance of 1849.14 F·g−1 at a scan rate of 10 mV·s−1. The stability evaluation of the samples demonstrated a high capacitance retention of 81.2% and 89.4% for MnWO4 and MnWO4-CNT, respectively. The substantial specific capacity, along with the favorable stability of MnWO4-CNT, positions it as a highly promising material for utilization in supercapacitor electrodes.
Evolutionary System Design for Virtual Field Trip Platform
Authors: Ha Hyodong , Mun Changbae
Published: October 2023

This study proposes a systematic design methodology for supporting field trips in software education. Various attempts have been made to enhance the educational effects of field trips, but it is difficult to continue them due to the limitations of educational resources. Virtual field trips (VFT) have emerged to supplement this, but they are still in need of development. This study designed a platform that integrates the VFT functions of each school’s educational system into one, which guarantees each system’s unique activities and supports the course of technological progression. This proposes a structure in which these processes continue to evolve, and the platform learns from this data to facilitate the evolution of the technological ecosystem. The system design methodology derived from this research can be applied not only to the educational domain but also to various industrial fields.
Challenges to Female Engineers’ Employment in the Conservative and Unstable Society of Taiz State, Yemen: A Survey Study
Authors: Abdalnour Halah , Abdulkhaliq Laila , Ghaleb Atef M. , Amrani Mokhtar Ali , Alduais Fahd
Published: October 2023

Typically, the underrepresentation of female engineers in education, employment, and leadership is a worldwide social issue. The present study investigates the critical employment challenges and barriers for female engineers in Yemeni’s unstable, conservative, and poor society. The quantitative methodology was based on two constructed questionnaires targeting female engineering graduates from 2012 to 2021 at Taiz University and executive HR managers. The results indicated that the ongoing civil war, employability attributes, personal attitudes, low wages, the conservative society, and marriage–family beliefs are the most apparent barriers to female engineers’ employment in Yemen. Nearly 40% of female engineers are frustrated with not having a job, almost the same percentage stopped seeking a job, and about two-thirds did not register with government employment offices. This study prompts engineering colleges to frequently update their programs to cope with rapid developments and to include employability courses in their curricula. Furthermore, this study advises female engineers to consult experts before enrolling in engineering programs and to practice training and employability skills immediately after graduation. We want to encourage such social studies in Yemen that are concerned with female issues to underpin their participation in society and to make use of unutilized resources.
Shaking Table Tests on Seismic Capacity Assessment of Basic Unit of Mineral Wool Ceilings Supported by Iron Sheet-Backed Painted Runners
Authors: Wang Duozhi , Wang Yixing , Lu Weikang , Xie Li , Wang Tao
Published: October 2023

Mineral wool ceilings supported by iron sheet-backed painted runners are commonly used in public buildings without specific seismic design intensity requirement, which is not good for resilient civil infrastructure. However, standard and fundamental seismic capacity data concerned with the use of mineral wool ceilings are lacking. Accordingly, in this study, nine groups of prototype specimens of basic ceiling units were designed based on construction requirements, and 90 different test scenarios were conducted. The PGAx input increased from 0.10 g to 1.50 g over ten runs for each group of specimens. Two failure processes and six types of damage phenomena as well as their corresponding repair measures were identified. Moreover, the influence of suspension devices, panel specifications, boundary conditions, and other construction features on the seismic response was investigated. When peak floor acceleration (PFA) was low, the hanger rod and hanger rod–diagonal wire effectively reduced the percentage of fallen ceiling panels. However, when the PFA was high, the hanger rod–diagonal wire aggravated the damage. The use of an additional wire hanger on the main runners, a large lightweight ceiling panel, a high suspension height, and a fixed boundary effectively reduced the percentage of panels falling from the basic ceiling unit and improved the seismic capacity. The use of a large panel in which the amount of material was increased by 1.7% effectively reduced the percentage of fallen ceiling panels. Moreover, fixing the boundary joints with adhesive was a convenient method for improving seismic capacity at a low cost. The results contribute to enhancing resilient civil infrastructure and sustainability.
Field-Scale Constructed Floating Wetland Applied for Revitalization of a Subtropical Urban Stream in Brazil
Authors: Sergio Djesser Zechner , Finotti Alexandra Rodrigues
Published: October 2023

Constructed floating wetland (CFW) is an ecotechnology used to improve water quality using emergent macrophytes on a floating mat structure. The goals of this research were to design and evaluate a low-cost field-scale CFW for revitalization of a polluted lentic section of an urban stream, located in the subtropical coastal region of South Brazil. To attain these goals (i), the design parameters were selected from field-scale applications in the literature, and (ii) the influence of the meteorologic and hydraulic data over the CFW performance to improve water quality were analyzed during five months. Macrophyte leaves grew 1 cm·day−1. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) (72%), total phosphorus (TP) (52%), turbidity (53%), total solids (TS) (60%), dissolved oxygen (DO) (39%) and water temperature (WT) (0.4 °C) showed statistically significant reductions. The HRT was sufficient to reduce dissolved carbonaceous organic matter. HRT and solid particles-related parameters showed reductions both on high and low HRT. The resulting loading rates can be used for the design purposes of similar CFW field applications. The CFW promoted water quality improvement, attractiveness of fauna, temperature regulation, carbon sequestration, and is a potential ecotechnology towards the depollution of river basins in urban areas.
Experimental Investigation and Numerical Model for Chloride Diffusivity of Long-Age Fly Ash Cement Slurry
Authors: Chen Jian , Qi Feng-Yan , Jia Meng-Yan , Song Wen-Bing , Zhang Jian , Zheng Jian-Jun
Published: October 2023

Fly ash is a by-product of coal-fired thermal power plants and offers great potential for the use of resources. To effectively improve the durability of reinforced concrete structures in marine environment and achieve waste to treasure, fly ash is widely used as a pozzolanic material due to its long-hydration characteristics and effects of micro-aggregate, micro-filling and secondary hydration. In this study, both the experimental investigation and numerical simulation are carried out to study the chloride transport characteristics of fly ash cement paste. The variation in chloride diffusivity with fly ash content, water-to-binder ratio and curing age up to 360 days is studied via accelerated conductivity measurement, and it is found that the above three experimental variables have a significant impact on the chloride diffusivity. For the influence of the dosage of fly ash, the optimum dosage is 30%. By introducing specific rules for the particle distribution, the fresh fly ash cement paste is first made. Based on the volume change characteristics of fly ash and cement particles after hydration, the vector hydration model of fly ash cement paste is established by considering the water shortage effect caused by hydration layer interference. After the accuracy of this hydration model is verified by the results from third-party experiments, the random walk algorithm is proposed to calculate the diffusion coefficient of the reconstructed mineral admixture cement paste. By comprehensive comparison with the experimental results from the third-party and self-conducted experiments, the numerical model for predicting the chloride diffusivity of fly ash cement paste is verified.
Sustainable Approaches for Wastewater Treatment: An Analysis of Sludge-Based Materials for Heavy Metal Removal from Wastewater by Adsorption
Authors: Rajakaruna R. M. A. S. Dhananjana , Sewwandi B. G. N. , Najim Mohamed M. M. , Baig Mirza Barjees , Alotaibi Bader Alhafi , Traore Abou
Published: October 2023

A comprehensive study incorporating results from different findings related to heavy metal removals from wastewater using sludge as an absorbent will assist researchers and practitioners in planning wastewater treatment processes. This study aims to provide a comprehensive foundation on the potential of using sludge-based materials to remove heavy metals from wastewater based on recent studies. The physicochemical properties of sludge and the nature of metal ions have significantly contributed to the adsorption of heavy metals into sludge-based materials. Many researchers found the effects of pH, temperature, initial heavy metal concentrations, contact time, and adsorbent dose on the adsorption characteristics of heavy metals into sludge-based materials. Isotherm, kinetic, and thermodynamic studies have explained the mechanism of heavy metal adsorption by sludge-based materials. The effectiveness of regeneration of sludge-based adsorbents has been investigated by some researchers, providing an environmentally friendly solution to remove heavy metals from wastewater. It was found that less attention has been paid to metal recovery and recycling of sludge-based adsorbents, which indicates the need for future studies to enhance the reusability of sludge in wastewater treatment. Moreover, many studies have been conducted as lab-scale experiments on heavy metal adsorption from aqueous solutions using sludge-based adsorbents, leaving a research gap for future studies to focus on the removal of heavy metals from actual wastewater at field scale.
Gait Deviations of the Uninvolved Limb and Their Significance in Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Tsitlakidis Stefanos , Campos Sarah , Mick Paul , Doll Julian , Hagmann Sébastien , Renkawitz Tobias , Götze Marco , Hetto Pit
Published: October 2023

Little is known about the impact of the impaired limb on the uninvolved side, which might influence the overall functional outcome in individuals with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). The objective of this work was to perform an assessment considering the kinematics/joint moments and ground reaction forces (GRFs). Eighty-nine individuals with unilateral CP were included and classified according to their functional impairment. Level-specific differences according to the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), including pelvic and trunk movements, were analyzed using instrumented 3D gait analysis (IGA). Anterior trunk and pelvic tilt, trunk lean/pelvic obliquity, pelvic internal rotation, hip adduction, and external hip rotation, as well as pronounced flexion (ankle dorsiflexion), at all joint levels were significant kinematic alterations. Concerning joint moments, the most remarkable alterations were hip and ankle flexion, hip abduction, knee varus/valgus, and transversal joint moments at all levels (external rotation moments in particular). The most remarkable differences between GMFCS levels were at proximal segments. The kinematics and joint moments of the sound limb in patients with unilateral CP differ significantly from those of healthy individuals—partially concomitant to those of the involved side or as motor strategies to compensate for transversal malalignment and leg-length discrepancies (LLDs). GRF showed almost identical patterns between GMFCS levels I and II, indicating an unloading of the involved limb. Compensatory motor strategies of the sound limb do not influence functional outcomes.
Harnessing the Potential of Emerging Technologies to Break down Barriers in Tactical Communications
Authors: Concha Salor Laura , Monzon Baeza Victor
Published: October 2023

In the realm of military communications, the advent of new technologies like 5G and the future 6G networks holds promise. However, incorporating these technologies into tactical environments presents unique security challenges. This article delves into an analysis of these challenges by examining practical use cases for military communications, where emerging technologies can be applied. Our focus lies on identifying and presenting a range of emerging technologies associated with 5G and 6G, including the Internet of things (IoT), tactile internet, network virtualization and softwarization, artificial intelligence, network slicing, digital twins, neuromorphic processors, joint sensing and communications, and blockchain. We specifically explore their applicability in tactical environments by proposing where they can be potential use cases. Additionally, we provide an overview of legacy tactical radios so that they can be researched to address the challenges posed by these technologies.
New Localization Method of Abelian Gauge Fields on Bloch Branes
Authors: Zhong Yi , Du Yun-Zhi
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we study the localization of the five-dimensional U(1) gauge field coupled with a background scalar potential on symmetric and asymmetric degenerate Bloch branes. By decomposing the U(1) gauge field AM into its vector part (A^M) and scalar components, we found that the Lagrangian of the five-dimensional U(1) gauge field can be rewritten as two independent parts: one for the vector field and the other for two scalar fields. Regarding the vector part, the effective potential exhibits a volcano-like shape with finite depth. We obtain a massless vector field on both types of Bloch branes and a set of massive KK resonances. For the scalar part, their massless modes are coupled with each other, while two sets of massive scalar KK modes are independent. Similar to the vector effective potential, the scalar potentials create infinite wells for both types of degenerate Bloch brane solutions. Therefore, there is only one independent massless scalar mode and two sets of massive scalar Kaluza–Klein resonances. Furthermore, we also observed that, for the two types of Bloch brane solutions, the asymmetric parameter c0 has different effects on the localization of scalar modes.
Lessons Learned from the Pandemic in the UAE: Children COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Its Impact on the Choice of Distance versus Face-to-Face Learning Modalities: An In-Depth Analysis of a National Study
Authors: Kharaba Zelal , Alfoteih Yassen , Alzoubi Karem H. , Al-Azzam Sayer , Al-Azayzih Ahmad , Al-Obaidi Hala J. , Awad Ahmed Bahaaeldin , Dallal Bashi Yahya H. , Ahmed Rahaf , Khalil Alaa M. , Al Ahmad Raneem , Aldeyab Mamoon A. , Jirjees Feras
Published: October 2023

This study addresses the crucial aspect of childhood COVID-19 vaccination and its impact on parental decisions concerning learning modalities during the pandemic. This study aimed to gauge parental hesitancy towards vaccinating their children and its influence on choosing between distance and face-to-face learning options. Following STROBE guidelines for cross-sectional studies, this study surveyed 1973 parents in the United Arab Emirates using Google Forms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results revealed that while more than half of the parents (51.6%) were willing to vaccinate their children if the COVID-19 vaccine was accessible and affordable, a significant majority (91.2%) expressed concerns about the rapid vaccine development process, which was the primary reason for vaccine rejection. Interestingly, a sizable portion (55.3%) had experienced online learning in the previous academic term, and, of those, 59.6% believed it negatively influenced their children’s academic performance. Consequently, 66.4% expressed intent to shift their children back to face-to-face learning once feasible. Significantly, parents with medical backgrounds were more inclined (91.6%) to opt for face-to-face schooling compared to those without such backgrounds. Logistic regression analysis indicated associations between sociodemographic characteristics, educational level and background, and the decision to return children to face-to-face learning. Interestingly, when it comes to vaccine hesitancy, a noteworthy connection exists between the parents’ reluctance to vaccinate their children and their preference for distance learning. In fact, parents who responded negatively to vaccinating their children against COVID-19, if the vaccine was available, showed a clear preference for the distance learning modality (p-value < 0.0001). This study underscores the complex interplay of factors and community perspectives shaping parental acceptance of childhood COVID-19 vaccination. The development pace of vaccines significantly influences parents’ attitudes and beliefs about vaccination programs. Parents’ medical backgrounds exhibit a clear correlation with their perceptions of sending children back to school safely. This highlights the potential impact of parental medical knowledge on decision making, emphasizing the need to consider parents’ professional backgrounds when devising education- and vaccination-related policies.
Advancing Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Using Enhanced Membrane Oil Flux and Separation Efficiency through Experimental-Based Chemometric Learning
Authors: Usman Jamilu , Abba Sani I. , Muhammed Ibrahim , Abdulazeez Ismail , Lawal Dahiru U. , Yogarathinam Lukka Thuyavan , Bafaqeer Abdullah , Baig Nadeem , Aljundi Isam H.
Published: October 2023

Efficient oil–water separation using membranes directly aligns with removing oil pollutants from water sources, promoting water quality. Hence, mitigating environmental harm from oil spills and contamination and fostering ecosystem health for sustainable development. Computational learning, such as artificial intelligence (AI), enhances membrane oil flux and separation efficiency by optimizing process parameters, leading to improved oil–water separation and aligning AI with sustainable environmental protection and resource efficiency solutions. This study employed phase-inversion coupled with sintering to create the ceramic membrane. The Stöber method was adopted to prepare the superhydrophobic silica sol-gel solutions. The data from the mentioned experiment were imposed into regression models, namely, multilinear regression analysis (MLR), support vector regression (SVR), and robust linear regression (RLR), to simulate three different scenarios (oil flux, separation efficiency, and oil flux and separation efficiency). The outcomes were validated and evaluated using several statistical (R2, MSE, R, and RMSE) and graphical visualizations. For oil flux, the results show that the most effective simulation was achieved in SVR-M2 and the statistical criteria for the testing phase were R2 = 0.9847, R = 0.9923, RMSE = 0.0333, and MSE = 0.0011. Similarly, SVR-M2 was superior to other modeling techniques for the separation efficiency in the testing phase (R2 = 0.9945, R = 0.9972, RMSE = 0.0282, MSE = 0.0008). Reliability outcomes promise to revolutionize how we model and optimize membrane-based oil–water separation processes, with implications for various industries seeking sustainable and efficient solutions.
Improving Hydrological Simulation Accuracy through a Three-Step Bias Correction Method for Satellite Precipitation Products with Limited Gauge Data
Authors: Liu Xing , Yong Zhengwei , Liu Lingxue , Chen Ting , Zhou Li , Li Jidong
Published: October 2023

Satellite precipitation products (SPPs) have advanced remarkably in recent decades. However, the bias correction of SPPs still performs unsatisfactorily in the case of a limited rain-gauge network. This study proposes a new real-time bias correction approach that includes three steps to improve the precipitation quality with limited gauges and facilitate the hydrological simulation in the Min River Basin, China. This paper employed 66 gauges as available ground observation precipitation, Asian Precipitation—Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources (APHRODITE) as the historical precipitation to correct Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation NOW (GNOW) and Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation NRT (GNRT) in 2020. A total of 1020 auto-rainfall stations were used as the benchmark to evaluate the original and corrected SPPs with six criteria. The results show that the statistic and dynamic bias correction method (SDBC) improved the SPPs significantly and the cumulative distribution function matching method (CDF) could reduce the overcorrection error from SDBC. The inverse error variance weighting method (IEVW) integrations of GNOW and GNRT did not have noticeable improvement as they use similar hardware and software processes. The corrected SPPs show better performance in hydrological simulations. It is recommended to employ different SPPs for integration. The proposed bias correction approach is significant for precipitation estimation and flood prediction in data-sparse basins worldwide.
Phenotypic Divergences in Growth and Reproduction Underpin the Invasion of Suckermouth Armored Catfish Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus (Loricariidae) into Lotic and Lentic Habitats in Vietnam
Authors: Dien Tran Duc , Ha Vo Thi , Dang Mai , Sang Huynh Minh , Hieu Nguyen Trinh Duc , Stolbunov Igor Anatolievich
Published: October 2023

Suckermouth armored catfish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus) is one of the most widespread invasive species in Vietnam. However, it is relatively unknown how the species underwent its divergent adaptations to varying local conditions and habitat types, an understanding of which is essential for managing its invasion in Vietnam. We addressed this by analyzing a large number of fish (662 samples) collected in lotic (Dinh River) and lentic (Suoi Trau Reservoir) habitats in southern Vietnam during one year. The allometric growth patterns estimated by von Bertalanffy growth functions were Lt=4831−e−0.71(t−0.40) in Dinh River and Lt=3461−e−1.01(t−0.62) in Suoi Trau Reservoir. The estimated fish ages were 2.9 to 4.2 years old with an average total length from 206.10 ± 2.09 mm in Suoi Trau Reservoir to 319.22 ± 3.29 mm in Dinh River. The percentage of fish with matured ovaries peaked in August (100%) and was lowest in February (<10%), indicating that these fish breed nearly all year round. The main reproductive season is April–October, with a peak in July–August, as indicated by the gonado-somatic index and monthly changes in the percentage of matured fish. The lengths at 50% maturity were 234.3 and 179.7 mm for females from lotic and lentic habitats, respectively. Lotic fish had a fecundity (4812 ± 383 oocytes/ind.) which was five times greater than that of lentic fish (841 ± 91 oocytes/ind.); however, the relative fecundity of the fish was not statistically different between the two habitats (≈13 oocytes/g). This result was consistent with the larger oocytes: 2.95 ± 0.04 and 2.58 ± 0.01 mm for fish from Dinh River and Suoi Trau Reservoir, respectively. The faster growth and bigger fish with higher fecundity in the lotic habitats suggest that their population growth can accelerate more quickly, potentially affecting local communities more than those in lentic habitats. Our study sheds light on substantial phenotypic divergences in the reproduction and growth of the suckermouth armored catfish between lotic and limnetic habitats in Vietnam.
Improving Forecasting Accuracy of Multi-Scale Groundwater Level Fluctuations Using a Heterogeneous Ensemble of Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Roy Dilip Kumar , Munmun Tasnia Hossain , Paul Chitra Rani , Haque Mohamed Panjarul , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: October 2023

Accurate groundwater level (GWL) forecasts are crucial for the efficient utilization, strategic long-term planning, and sustainable management of finite groundwater resources. These resources have a substantial impact on decisions related to irrigation planning, crop selection, and water supply. This study evaluates data-driven models using different machine learning algorithms to forecast GWL fluctuations for one, two, and three weeks ahead in Bangladesh’s Godagari upazila. To address the accuracy limitations inherent in individual forecasting models, a Bayesian model averaging (BMA)-based heterogeneous ensemble of forecasting models was proposed. The dataset encompasses 1807 weekly GWL readings (February 1984 to September 2018) from four wells, divided into training (70%), validation (15%), and testing (15%) subsets. Both standalone models and ensembles employed a Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (MRMR) algorithm to select the most influential lag times among candidate GWL lags up to 15 weeks. Statistical metrics and visual aids were used to evaluate the standalone and ensemble GWL forecasts. The results consistently favor the heterogeneous BMA ensemble, excelling over standalone models for multi-step ahead forecasts across time horizons. For instance, at GT8134017, the BMA approach yielded values like R (0.93), NRMSE (0.09), MAE (0.50 m), IOA (0.96), NS (0.87), and a-20 index (0.94) for one-week-ahead forecasts. Despite a slight decline in performance with an increasing forecast horizon, evaluation indices confirmed the superior BMA ensemble performance. This ensemble also outperformed standalone models for other observation wells. Thus, the BMA-based heterogeneous ensemble emerges as a promising strategy to bolster multi-step ahead GWL forecasts within this area and beyond.
The role of the district nurse in maintaining men»s health
Authors:   SBHI SR Novokuibyshevsk Central City Hospital, Novokuibyshevsk, Samara Region, Russia, Lazareva O. Yu.
Published: October 2023

The article tells about the role of an outpatient nurse in maintaining men's health.
A new tool in the work of a senior nurse is the matrix of professional competencies of nurses. Experience of application in practical activity
Authors:   SBHI Samara Regional Clinical Hospital named after V. D. Seredavin, Samara, Russia, Kazakova S. A. , Golysheva O. A. ,   SBHI Samara Regional Clinical Hospital named after V. D. Seredavin, Samara, Russia
Published: October 2023

Nursing specialists from a regional clinical hospital shared their experience of effectively distributing the workload and forming a development plan for subordinates using a competency matrix.
Analysis of enamel hypoplasia causes and risk factors in children
Authors: Karpova L. S. , Tkachenko T. B. , Savushkina N. A. , Omirova N. I. , Kordina A. A. , Kotyurova O. L.
Published: October 2023

Relevance. Enamel hypoplasia is one of the most common defects of a child's hard dental tissue. Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is one of the systemic hypoplasia forms. MIH is defined as a qualitative defect of enamel development in children and adolescents affecting at least one permanent molar with or without the involvement of the incisors. As for the causes, MIH, as a form of enamel hypoplasia, proved to be a multifactorial disease.

Material and methods. Conducted in dental clinics of St. Petersburg, an empirical study surveyed 90 respondents with the anonymous original questionnaire developed by us. The report summarized the results of descriptive statistics on measurements related to the data of the three groups on existing disorders of the hard dental tissues in children.

Results. The average age of women whose children are not diagnosed with caries and enamel hypoplasia was 35.52 years, while the average age of mothers of children with MIH was 40.17 years. The study of the number of previous pregnancies and childbirths revealed no signs of MIH and pitting enamel hypoplasia (PET) in children of the first pregnancy. The analysis of the past medical history impact in women during pregnancy on the development of enamel defects provided statistically significant results for such illnesses as URTI and VURTI, as well as chronic endocrine diseases. According to the data obtained, influenza, past respiratory diseases and antibiotic intake during the first year of a child's life led to the development of various types of enamel hypoplasia.