bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimizing Production Schedules: Balancing Worker Cooperation and Learning Dynamics in Seru Systems
Authors: Liu Weiguo , Dai Weizhe , Wang Xuyin
Published: December 2023

This paper aims to investigate the seru scheduling problem while considering the dual effects of worker cooperation and learning behavior to minimize the makespan and order processing time. Given the complexity of this research problem, an improved shuffled frog leaping algorithm based on a genetic algorithm is proposed. We design a double-layer encoding based on the problem, introduce a single point and uniform crossover operator, and select the crossover method in probability form to complete the evolution of the meme group. To avoid damaging grouping information, the individual encoding structure is transformed into unit form. Finally, numerical experiments were conducted using numerical examples of large and small sizes for verification. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model and algorithm, as well as the necessity of considering worker dual behavior in the seru scheduling problem.
Religious and Moral Attitudes of Catholics from Generation Z
Authors: Polok Grzegorz , Szromek Adam R.
Published: December 2023

This paper discusses findings of studies concerning religious attitudes of Polish Catholics belonging to the so-called Generation Z, i.e., people born during the digital revolution. The authors present religious attitudes of Generation Z representatives against the background of other European states relating to religious practices and opinions concerning the acceptability of abortion, euthanasia, divorce, contraceptives and other conduct not consistent with the Catholic Church teachings. The findings prove that even though the Polish society, including those of Generation Z, is distinguishable from European countries with its high percentage of people engaging in religious practices, the observed trends and the dominance of attitudes contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church indicate the possibility of maintaining a downward trend in the number of Catholics in Poland.
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis for the Strengthening of Solar Thermal Energy in Colombia
Authors: Betancur Stefania , Ortega-Avila Naghelli , López-Vidaña Erick César
Published: December 2023

Colombia has made different efforts to contribute to fulfilling its international commitments to curb climate change by reducing emissions and promoting technological development and project financing. However, the existing policies and regulatory framework primarily focus on promoting the photovoltaic industry for electricity production. Likewise, the energy sector has neglected the potential of solar thermal energy as a heat source. In this sense, it is necessary to redouble efforts through new public policies that integrate solar thermal energy in the residential and productive sectors. Using solar thermal energy for heating can contribute to the energy transition and meet its sustainable development goals. Therefore, the main objective of this work was to analyze Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats to determine the potential application of thermal solar heat in Colombia while considering the local context. Factors such as their environmental conditions, policies, and regulations; the existence of international agreements; and their political status in general were analyzed. The analysis revealed Colombia’s significant solar heat potential, enabling over 1.3 million cold-climate households to access hot water or reduce firewood use. Industrially, applying solar heat in 5% of the current industry could decrease fossil fuel consumption by 13 PJ. The findings highlight that Colombia’s potential in thermal solar energy necessitates collaborative efforts, legislative reinforcement, climate-adaptive measures, and the resolution of political and social challenges.
Playing Checkers with an Intelligent and Collaborative Robotic System
Authors: Fabris Giuliano , Scalera Lorenzo , Gasparetto Alessandro
Published: December 2023

Collaborative robotics represents a modern and efficient framework in which machines can safely interact with humans. Coupled with artificial intelligence (AI) systems, collaborative robots can solve problems that require a certain degree of intelligence not only in industry but also in the entertainment and educational fields. Board games like chess or checkers are a good example. When playing these games, a robotic system has to recognize the board and pieces and estimate their position in the robot reference frame, decide autonomously which is the best move to make (respecting the game rules), and physically execute it. In this paper, an intelligent and collaborative robotic system is presented to play Italian checkers. The system is able to acquire the game state using a camera, select the best move among all the possible ones through a decision-making algorithm, and physically manipulate the game pieces on the board, performing pick-and-place operations. Minimum-time trajectories are optimized online for each pick-and-place operation of the robot so as to make the game more fluent and interactive while meeting the kinematic constraints of the manipulator. The developed system is tested in a real-world setup using a Franka Emika arm with seven degrees of freedom. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the proposed approach.
Improving Radar Reflectivity Reconstruction with Himawari-9 and UNet++ for Off-Shore Weather Monitoring
Authors: Wan Bingcheng , Gao Chloe Yuchao
Published: December 2023

Weather radars play a crucial role in the monitoring of severe convective weather. However, due to their limited detection range, they cannot conduct an effective monitoring in remote offshore areas. Therefore, this paper utilized UNet++ to establish a model for retrieving radar composite reflectivity based on Himawari-9 satellite datasets. In the process of comparative analysis, we found that both satellite and radar data exhibited significant diurnal cycles, but there were notable differences in their variation characteristics. To address this, we established four comparative models to test the influence of latitude and diurnal cycles on the inversion results. The results showed that adding the distribution map of the minimum brightness temperature at the corresponding time in the model could effectively improve the model’s performance in both spatial and temporal dimensions, reduce the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the model, and enhance the accuracy of severe convective weather monitoring.
Design and Development of Large-Band Dual-MSFA Sensor Camera for Precision Agriculture
Authors: Mohammadi Vahid , Gouton Pierre , Rossé Matthieu , Katakpe Kossi Kuma
Published: December 2023

The optimal design and construction of multispectral cameras can remarkably reduce the costs of spectral imaging systems and efficiently decrease the amount of image processing and analysis required. Also, multispectral imaging provides effective imaging information through higher-resolution images. This study aimed to develop novel, multispectral cameras based on Fabry–Pérot technology for agricultural applications such as plant/weed separation, ripeness estimation, and disease detection. Two multispectral cameras were developed, covering visible and near-infrared ranges from 380 nm to 950 nm. A monochrome image sensor with a resolution of 1600 × 1200 pixels was used, and two multispectral filter arrays were developed and mounted on the sensors. The filter pitch was 4.5 μm, and each multispectral filter array consisted of eight bands. Band selection was performed using a genetic algorithm. For VIS and NIR filters, maximum RMS values of 0.0740 and 0.0986 were obtained, respectively. The spectral response of the filters in VIS was significant; however, in NIR, the spectral response of the filters after 830 nm decreased by half. In total, these cameras provided 16 spectral images in high resolution for agricultural purposes.
Vision Measurement Method Based on Plate Glass Window Refraction Model in Tunnel Construction
Authors: Wu Zhen , Huo Junzhou , Zhang Haidong , Yang Fan , Chen Shangqi , Feng Zhihao
Published: December 2023

Due to the harsh environment of high humidity and dust in tunnel construction, the vision measurement system needs to be equipped with an explosion-proof glass protective cover. The refractive effect of the plate glass window invalidates the pinhole model. This paper proposes a comprehensive solution for addressing the issue of plane refraction. First, the imaging model for non-parallel plane refraction is established based on dynamic virtual focal length and the Rodriguez formula. Further, due to the failure of the epipolar constraint principle in binocular vision systems caused by plane refraction, this paper proposes the epipolar constraint model for independent refractive plane imaging. Finally, an independent refraction plane triangulation model is proposed to address the issue of triangulation failure caused by plane refraction. The RMSE of the depth of field errors in the independent refraction plane triangulation model is 2.9902 mm before correction and 0.3187 mm after correction. The RMSE of the positioning errors before and after correction are 3.5661 mm and 0.3465 mm, respectively.
A Survey of Sound Source Localization and Detection Methods and Their Applications
Authors: Jekateryńczuk Gabriel , Piotrowski Zbigniew
Published: December 2023

This study is a survey of sound source localization and detection methods. The study provides a detailed classification of the methods used in the fields of science mentioned above. It classifies sound source localization systems based on criteria found in the literature. Moreover, an analysis of classic methods based on the propagation model and methods based on machine learning and deep learning techniques has been carried out. Attention has been paid to providing the most detailed information on the possibility of using physical phenomena, mathematical relationships, and artificial intelligence to determine sound source localization. Additionally, the article underscores the significance of these methods within both military and civil contexts. The study culminates with a discussion of forthcoming trends in the realms of acoustic detection and localization. The primary objective of this research is to serve as a valuable resource for selecting the most suitable approach within this domain.
The LIBRA NeuroLimb: Hybrid Real-Time Control and Mechatronic Design for Affordable Prosthetics in Developing Regions
Authors: Cifuentes-Cuadros Alonso A. , Romero Enzo , Caballa Sebastian , Vega-Centeno Daniela , Elias Dante A.
Published: December 2023

Globally, 2.5% of upper limb amputations are transhumeral, and both mechanical and electronic prosthetics are being developed for individuals with this condition. Mechanics often require compensatory movements that can lead to awkward gestures. Electronic types are mainly controlled by superficial electromyography (sEMG). However, in proximal amputations, the residual limb is utilized less frequently in daily activities. Muscle shortening increases with time and results in weakened sEMG readings. Therefore, sEMG-controlled models exhibit a low success rate in executing gestures. The LIBRA NeuroLimb prosthesis is introduced to address this problem. It features three active and four passive degrees of freedom (DOF), offers up to 8 h of operation, and employs a hybrid control system that combines sEMG and electroencephalography (EEG) signal classification. The sEMG and EEG classification models achieve up to 99% and 76% accuracy, respectively, enabling precise real-time control. The prosthesis can perform a grip within as little as 0.3 s, exerting up to 21.26 N of pinch force. Training and validation sessions were conducted with two volunteers. Assessed with the “AM-ULA” test, scores of 222 and 144 demonstrated the prosthesis’s potential to improve the user’s ability to perform daily activities. Future work will prioritize enhancing the mechanical strength, increasing active DOF, and refining real-world usability.
Co-Benefits Analysis of Coal De-Capacity in China
Authors: Cui Guangyuan , Lu Shuang , Dong Donglin , Zhao Yanan
Published: December 2023

China is the world’s largest carbon emitter and coal de-capacity is a policy with immediate and substantial CO2 reduction effects. However, the carbon emission reduction and health co-benefits arising from the coal de-capacity are often ignored. Here, we assessed the carbon emission reductions and quantified the health co-benefits from coal de-capacity based on an analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the mine closures and phase out during 2016–2022. Our findings show that China had closed/phased out a total of 4027 mines with a total de-capacity of 8.75 × 108 t, spatially concentrated in Southwest and North China from 2016 to 2022. The coal life cycle emitted 1859 million t of carbon during the coal de-capacity. Importantly, 11,775 premature deaths were avoided during 2016–2022 due to reduced PM2.5 exposure as a result of coal mining. This study highlights the significant effects of coal de-capacity on carbon reduction and health co-benefits in China and provides scientific evidence and data to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals and the ‘dual carbon goals’.
Sustainable Manufacturing: A Review and Framework Derivation
Authors: Scharmer Valerie M. , Vernim Susanne , Horsthofer-Rauch Julia , Jordan Patrick , Maier Maria , Paul Magdalena , Schneider Daniel , Woerle Markus , Schulz Julia , Zaeh Michael F.
Published: December 2023

As sustainability in manufacturing becomes increasingly important, numerous concepts, new technologies, and use cases for improving and assessing sustainability in manufacturing environments are emerging. However, there is a lack of a framework that shows an easy way to identify relevant topics for action in the field of sustainable manufacturing. The purpose of this publication is to provide a structure for the topic of sustainable manufacturing, to contribute to the understanding and classification of ongoing activities, and to identify starting points for future research and development. Within this publication, an extensive literature review is presented. A framework for sustainable manufacturing that acts as a call for action for academia and operations management in the industry alike is derived from this literature review. The framework is intended for Western countries, as, within this framework, aspects such as the elimination of enslaved persons and child labor in production are assumed to be implemented through legal regulations already. Details of the framework are elaborated, and its application is discussed. This publication contributes to a common, clear understanding of sustainability and the different aspects of sustainability in manufacturing.
How Does the Historic Built Environment Influence Residents’ Satisfaction? Using Gradient Boosting Decision Trees to Identify Critical Factors and the Threshold Effects
Authors: Ji Xian , Du Yu , Li Qi
Published: December 2023

Historic cities, rich in heritage values and evocative of collective memories and meanings, also constitute crucial living environments for urban residents. These cities increasingly face challenges from urbanization and globalization, leading to cultural discontinuities and the homogenization of cityscapes. Such developments can diminish residents’ sense of belonging and identification with their cities. Emphasizing local residents’ satisfaction is thus essential to urban conservation. This study, using data from Dandong, China, employs Gradient Boosting Decision Trees (GBDT) to identify factors affecting residents’ satisfaction in historic built environments. The analysis reveals that over half of the variability in satisfaction is linked to distinct features of the historic environment. Among the fourteen key influencers identified, contextual order emerges as the most impactful factor, notable for its significant effects and interactions with other variables. This study also uncovers pronounced non-linear effects and thresholds for physically measured characteristics. For instance, open space markedly boosts satisfaction when exceeding 34%, satisfaction diminishes with travel times to heritage sites longer than 6.7 min, and satisfaction decreases when the entropy index for diversity surpasses 0.758. These findings provide critical insights for guiding urban conservation strategies and promoting a data-driven approach to enhance residents’ satisfaction in historic urban settings.
Sustainable Approaches to Medical Tourism: Strategies for Central Macedonia/Greece
Authors: Tsekouropoulos Georgios , Vasileiou Anastasia , Hoxha Greta , Dimitriadis Avraam , Zervas Ioannis
Published: December 2023

The study of health and medical tourism is a multifaceted and intricate field. Nevertheless, it is a swiftly expanding global industry with considerable economic prospects. This sector involves the exchange of services, blending two of the world’s major domains: healthcare and tourism. This research aims to evaluate the strengths of medical tourism service providers in the Central Macedonia Region while shedding light on various challenges that could impede the sector’s growth. Additionally, it investigates crucial sustainability factors and opportunities within the Greek medical tourism industry that can effectively address obstacles, both domestic and international, to enhance sustainable medical services. The study delves into the reasons why the Central Macedonia Region can attract both local and international medical travelers seeking healthcare solutions. With this aim in mind, both Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and primary quantitative research methods were employed. The SLR aimed to locate pertinent scientific literature, which, when integrated with the outcomes of the quantitative research, facilitated the analysis, description, and interpretation of data for the formulation of conclusive findings. In brief, this article aims to contribute scientific value by engaging in interdisciplinary research and demonstrating originality through innovative approaches to sustainable development. It seeks to make a significant contribution to the field by presenting practical strategies and insights that strike a balance between the economic advantages of medical tourism and the crucial considerations of environmental and social impact.
Spatiotemporal Patterns and Quantitative Analysis of Factors Influencing Surface Ozone over East China
Authors: Ma Mingliang , Liu Mengjiao , Liu Mengnan , Xing Huaqiao , Wang Yuqiang , Meng Fei
Published: December 2023

Surface ozone pollution in China has been persistently becoming worse in recent years; therefore, it is of great importance to accurately estimate ozone pollution and explore the spatiotemporal variations in surface ozone in East China. By using S5P-TROPOMI-observed NO2, HCHO data (7 km × 3.5 km), and other surface-ozone-influencing factors, including VOCs, meteorological data, NOX emission inventory, NDVI, DEM, population, land use and land cover, and hourly in situ surface ozone observations, an extreme gradient boosting model was used to estimate the daily 0.05° × 0.05° gridded maximum daily average 8 h ozone (MDA8) in East China during 2019–2021. Four surface ozone estimation models were established by combining NO2 and HCHO data from S5P-TROPOMI observations and CAMS reanalysis data. The sample-based validation R2 values of these four models were all larger than 0.92, while their site-based validation R2 values were larger than 0.82. The results revealed that the coverage ratio of the model using CAMS NO2 and CAMS HCHO was the highest (100%), while the coverage ratio of the model using S5P-TROPOMI NO2 and CAMS HCHO was the second highest (96.26%). Furthermore, the MDA8 estimation results of these two models were averaged to produce the final surface ozone estimation dataset. It indicated that O3 pollution in East China during 2019–2021 was susceptible to anthropogenic precursors such as VOCs (22.55%) and NOX (8.97%), as well as meteorological factors (27.35%) such as wind direction, temperature, and wind speed. Subsequently, the spatiotemporal patterns of ozone pollution were analyzed. Ozone pollution in East China is mainly concentrated in the North China Plain (NCP), the Pearl River Delta (PRD), and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD). Among these three regions, ozone pollution in the NCP mainly occurs in June (summer), ozone pollution in the YRD mainly occurs in May (spring), and ozone pollution in the PRD mainly occurs in April (spring) and September (autumn). In addition, surface O3 concentration in East China decreased by 3.74% in 2020 compared to 2019, which may have been influenced by the COVID-19 epidemic and the implementation of the policy of synergistic management of PM2.5 and O3 pollution. The regions mostly affected by the COVID-19 epidemic and the policy of the synergistic management of PM2.5 and O3 pollution were the NCP (−2~−8%), the Middle and Lower of Yangtze Plain (−6~−10%), and the PRD (−4~−10%). Overall, the estimated 0.05° × 0.05° gridded surface ozone in East China from 2019 to 2021 provides a promising data source and data analysis basis for the related researchers. Meanwhile, it reveals the spatial and temporal patterns of O3 pollution and the main influencing factors, which provides a good basis for the control and management of O3 pollution, and also provides technical support for the sustainable development of the environment in East China.
ESG Performance, Auditor Choice, and Audit Opinion: Evidence from an Emerging Market
Authors: Diab Ahmed , Eissa Aref M.
Published: December 2023

This study examines the effect of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance on auditor choice and audit opinion for Egyptian-listed firms. We use univariate and multivariate analyses of 612 firm-year observations for a sample of 68 firms listed on EGX100 over 2014–2022 using binary logistic regression models. Consistent with the ethical perspective of corporate social responsibility, we found that firms listed in the ESG index are more likely to assign one of the Big4 auditors, and less likely to receive a qualified opinion. Through an additional analysis, we found that COVID-19 moderates the relationship between ESG performance, auditor choice, and audit opinion. Our results confirm the value of ESG performance for audit practices in emerging economies. This research indicates that ESG performance can enhance financial reporting quality. Further, it ensures that binding guidelines and regulations are crucial to oversee corporate ESG performance, especially during crisis times, and enhance investors’ protection and firms’ sustainability.
A Systematic Literature Review of Sustainable Consumer Behaviours in the Context of Industry 4.0 (I4.0)
Authors: Korkmaz Ayten Nahide , Altan Meral Uzunöz
Published: December 2023

Sustainability and related issues are widely accepted as vital themes in contemporary fields. These include the idea of developing products and services necessary for individuals to lead sustainable lives into the future in Industry 4.0 (I4.0), the main focus of which is digitalization. Also, the notion of Sustainable Consumption (SC) is related to the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), which comprise SC and production motives. The methodology of this study involved analysing data from a bibliometric review, which was obtained from different themes within environmentally friendly and ecofriendly consumption sources. We searched a key theme, SC, in the Web of Science (WoS) database and obtained 1451 documents. A total of 1005 documents were selected. In the next stage, we searched for two key words, “environmentally consumer behaviour” and “eco-friendly consumer behaviour”; 258 studies were obtained from the WoS database. This paper represents a thorough literature review of the line between consumers and SC. The aim of this study is to underline the level of awareness of environmentally friendly and ecofriendly consumption in the I4.0 period by selecting and examining articles published over the past 10 years. The final aim of this work is to provide suggestions based on gaps in the literature.
Evaluation of a Calcium Carbonate-Based Container for Transportation and Storage of Fresh Fish as a Sustainable Alternative to Polystyrene Boxes
Authors: Basdeki Evgenia , Mpenetou Eleni , Papazoglou Polyxeni , Ladakis Dimitrios , Flemetakis Emmanouil , Koutinas Apostolos , Tsironi Theofania
Published: December 2023

The present study aimed to assess the effect of alternative packaging materials on the quality retention and shelf-life of whole fish under low and abuse temperature conditions. Red sea bream (Pagrus major) was harvested and stored in different packaging containers, i.e., a conventional polystyrene (PS) box, a CaCO3-based box and a cardboard box (tested as a simple alternative container for transportation and short-term storage of food). After harvesting and transportation, fish was stored in the tested containers at 2 °C for 11 days and periodically kept at room temperature (25 °C) to simulate potential temperature fluctuations in the actual supply chain. The effect of temperature fluctuations and packaging materials on the quality and remaining shelf-life of fish was determined by microbial enumeration (total viable counts, Pseudomonas spp. and Enterobacteriaceae). PS retained fish quality and maintained a low temperature of fish for longer periods of time during storage at ambient conditions. The CaCO3-based containers also showed satisfactory performance, resulting in a similar microbial load in fish flesh to the samples stored in PS boxes after 11 days of simulated transportation and storage (TVC load 7.8–8.0 logcfu/g). Cardboard resulted in a rapid increase in the internal temperature during the temperature fluctuations at ambient conditions, resulting in higher microbial loads of fish flesh at all stages of the simulated cold chain. The replacement of conventional plastic packaging materials with alternative, environmentally friendly packaging systems without affecting the shelf-life of fish may reduce plastic waste while ensuring the high quality and shelf-life of perishable food products.
How Do Uncertainties Affect Supply-Chain Resilience? The Moderating Role of Information Sharing for Sustainable Supply-Chain Management
Authors: Coşkun Artuğ Eren , Erturgut Ramazan
Published: December 2023

Uncertainties caused by many internal and external factors can lead to supply-chain disruptions, increasing the vulnerability and cost of operations. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic, whose worldwide emergence was not foreseen, has become a major threat to supply-chain resilience and has caused the disruption of global network connections. The purpose of this study is to examine in depth the impact of uncertainty on supply-chain resilience and to determine whether information sharing has a moderating effect on this interaction. The relationships proposed in the research model are tested through empirical analyses in SEM applied to 244 survey data points from internationally operating manufacturing firms in Turkey. The findings reveal several key insights. First, it is concluded that all dimensions of uncertainty, except technological uncertainty, negatively affect supply-chain resilience. Second, although no direct effect of technological uncertainty on supply-chain resilience is found, technological uncertainty has a negative effect on resilience when the moderating role of internal and supplier information sharing is taken into account. Low-level information sharing, as opposed to high-level, creates variation in the severity of supply-chain resilience at different levels of technological uncertainty. In addition, it is worth noting that a high level of information sharing with suppliers under high-uncertainty conditions negatively affects supply-chain resilience. The results of this study, conducted within the framework of the Contingent Resource-Based Theory, demonstrate compatibility with the theory. Based on all the findings, this study suggests that managers should adopt proactive strategies to maintain high supply-chain resilience, considering today’s highly uncertain conditions.
A Selected Survey of Game Theory Models with Government Schemes to Support Circular Economy Systems
Authors: De Giovanni Pietro , Ramani Vinay
Published: December 2023

This paper reviews the public schemes and mechanisms available for firms to activate and successfully organize circular economy settings. Because of the nature of such negotiated incentives, we focus this survey on game theory models and emphasize three main fields: (1) analysis of public schemes proposed by governments to sponsor the formation of circular economy systems; (2) investigation of government actions in sponsoring these schemes, which can either be active or passive; and (3) analysis of circular economy options used in game theory with government interventions, linked to the waste pyramid framework. Within these fields, we identify six research gaps that future research can address to contribute to this domain’s knowledge. Furthermore, by crossing these three dimensions, we derive 200 possible fields that can be populated with future research and emphasize the ones that require more contributions from researchers in the future.
New Possibilities for Women’s Empowerment through Agroecology in Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Behl Punam , Osbahr Henny , Cardey Sarah
Published: December 2023

In 2018, the state of Himachal Pradesh in north India launched an initiative to convert all its farmers to natural farming (NF), an agroecological approach. The aim was to address multiple challenges related to rural livelihoods, high input costs, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. This paper is based on a qualitative case study of the state programme to transition farmers to NF. It seeks to understand how its mechanisms support and empower small and marginal women farmers. In addition to identifying mechanisms that facilitate the effective uptake of NF, the case study sought women’s views on whether these mechanisms increased spaces for decision making and developed capabilities and autonomy. Framed within the vision of reclaiming food sovereignty, various mechanisms such as training in villages, participating in NF groups and networks, visits to model farms, and adopting leadership roles offered new pathways for women farmers to gain confidence and capabilities. Women began to participate in spaces that had been culturally and structurally denied to them. This case study demonstrates how agroecology initiatives, with a particular emphasis on gender, can offer women various opportunities for decision making, income generation, and creative expression. These initiatives also expand community agency and enable the acquisition of knowledge necessary for sustainable ecosystems.
Reliability-Centered Preventive Maintenance Optimization for a Single-Component Mechanical Equipment
Authors: Liu Yaojun , Tang Yuhua , Wang Ping , Song Xiaolin , Wen Meilin
Published: December 2023

Due to the high failure rates of mechanical equipment with complex structures and numerous moving parts, devising an effective preventive maintenance (PM) plan and avoiding the influence brought by failure is crucial. However, some PM efforts are disorganized, unpractical, and unscientific, leading to prolonged downtime and significant cost losses. The challenge in creating PM plans is exacerbated by the asymmetry between maintenance and failure data. Therefore, focusing on single-unit mechanical equipment, the reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) idea is put forward to find out the key parts to implement preventive maintenance, and PM models are built to draw up a more reasonable PM plan. Such strategies aim to lower maintenance costs and enhance economic performance. Data on past maintenance and failures are analyzed to determine the life distribution and maintenance effect functions, helping to quantify the uncertainty caused by data asymmetry. Two PM optimization models considering time-varying failure rates are proposed: one focuses on minimizing costs, while the other aims to maximize availability. A PM plan example is demonstrated using a component from a tire-building machine including six parts, which proves the validity of the models. The availability results of two parts corresponding to the maintenance strategy obtained by the availability maximization model are above 0.99, and the results of total costs per unit time of the remaining four parts obtained by the cost minimization model are under 5.69.
Smart Detection System of Safety Hazards in Industry 5.0
Authors: Bourou Stavroula , Maniatis Apostolos , Kontopoulos Dimitris , Karkazis Panagiotis A.
Published: December 2023

Safety management is a priority to guarantee human-centered manufacturing processes in the context of Industry 5.0, which aims to realize a safe human–machine environment based on knowledge-driven approaches. The traditional approaches for safety management in the industrial environment include staff training, regular inspections, warning signs, etc. Despite the fact that proactive measures and procedures have exceptional importance in the prevention of safety hazards, human–machine–environment coupling requires more sophisticated approaches able to provide automated, reliable, real-time, cost-effective, and adaptive hazard identification in complex manufacturing processes. In this context, the use of virtual reality (VR) can be exploited not only as a means of human training but also as part of the methodology to generate synthetic datasets for training AI models. In this paper, we propose a flexible and adjustable detection system that aims to enhance safety management in Industry 5.0 manufacturing through real-time monitoring and identification of hazards. The first stage of the system contains the synthetic data generation methodology, aiming to create a synthetic dataset via VR, while the second one concerns the training of AI object detectors for real-time inference. The methodology is evaluated by comparing the performance of models trained on both real-world data from a publicly available dataset and our generated synthetic data. Additionally, through a series of experiments, the optimal ratio of synthetic and real-world images is determined for training the object detector. It has been observed that even with a small amount of real-world data, training a robust AI model is achievable. Finally, we use the proposed methodology to generate a synthetic dataset of four classes as well as to train an AI algorithm for real-time detection.
Triphenyltin Influenced Carotenoid-Based Coloration in Coral Reef Fish, Amphiprion ocellaris, by Disrupting Carotenoid Metabolism
Authors: Zhang Yan , Cai Xingwei , Hou Yu , Chen Wenming , Zhang Jiliang
Published: December 2023

Triphenyltin (TPT), a kind of persistent pollutant, is prevalent in the aquatic environment and could pose a threat to coral reef fish. However, little is known about the toxicity of TPT on coral reef fish, especially regarding the representative characteristics of body coloration. Therefore, this study chose the clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) in order to investigate the effects of TPT exposure on its carotenoid-based body coloration under the environmentally relevant concentrations (0, 1, 10 and 100 ng/L). After TPT exposure for 60 d, the carotenoid contents were decreased and histological damage in the liver was found, shown as nuclear pyknosis and shift, lipid deposition and fibrotic tissue hyperplasia. Liver transcriptomic analysis showed that TPT exposure interfered with oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid metabolism pathways, which related to carotenoids uptake and metabolism. Furthermore, TPT exposure led to oxidative damage in the liver, which is responsible for the changes in the antioxidant capacity of enzymes, including GSH, MDA, POD, CAT and T-SOD. TPT exposure also affected the genes (Scarb1, CD36, Stard3 and Stard5) related to carotenoid absorption and transport, as well as the genes (GstP1 and Bco2) related to carotenoid deposition and decomposition. Taken together, our results demonstrate that TPT influenced carotenoid-based coloration in coral reef fish by disrupting carotenoid metabolism, which complements the ecotoxicological effects and toxic mechanisms of TPT and provides data for the body color biology of coral reef fishes.
Isolation and Pathogenicity Analysis of a G5P[23] Porcine Rotavirus Strain
Authors: Gao Liguo , Shen Hanqin , Zhao Sucan , Chen Sheng , Zhu Puduo , Lin Wencheng , Chen Feng
Published: December 2023

(1) Background: Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are the primary cause of severe intestinal diseases in piglets. Porcine rotaviruses (PoRVs) are widely prevalent in Chinese farms, resulting in significant economic losses to the livestock industry. However, isolation of PoRVs is challenging, and their pathogenicity in piglets is not well understood. (2) Methods: We conducted clinical testing on a farm in Jiangsu Province, China, and isolated PoRV by continuously passaging on MA104 cells. Subsequently, the pathogenicity of the isolated strain in piglets was investigated. The piglets of the PoRV-infection group were orally inoculated with 1 mL of 1.0 × 106 TCID50 PoRV, whereas those of the mock-infection group were fed with an equivalent amount of DMEM. (3) Results: A G5P[23] genotype PoRV strain was successfully isolated from one of the positive samples and named RVA/Pig/China/JS/2023/G5P[23](JS). The genomic constellation of this strain was G5-P[23]-I5-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T1-E1-H1. Sequence analysis revealed that the genes VP3, VP7, NSP2, and NSP4 of the JS strain were closely related to human RVAs, whereas the remaining gene segments were closely related to porcine RVAs, indicating a reassortment between porcine and human strains. Furthermore, infection of 15-day-old piglets with the JS strain resulted in a diarrheal rate of 100% (8 of 8) and a mortality rate of 37.5% (3 of 8). (4) Conclusions: The isolated G5P[23] genotype rotavirus strain, which exhibited strong pathogenicity in piglets, may have resulted from recombination between porcine and human strains. It may serve as a potential candidate strain for developing vaccines, and its immunogenicity can be tested in future studies.
The Antiviral Potential of AdipoRon, an Adiponectin Receptor Agonist, Reveals the Ability of Zika Virus to Deregulate Adiponectin Receptor Expression
Authors: El Safadi Daed , Lebeau Grégorie , Turpin Jonathan , Lefebvre d’Hellencourt Christian , Diotel Nicolas , Viranaicken Wildriss , Krejbich-Trotot Pascale
Published: December 2023

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a pathogenic member of the flavivirus family, with several unique characteristics. Unlike any other arbovirus, ZIKV can be transmitted sexually and maternally, and thus produce congenital syndromes (CZS) due to its neurotropism. This challenges the search for safe active molecules that can protect pregnant women and their fetuses. In this context, and in the absence of any existing treatment, it seemed worthwhile to test whether the known cytoprotective properties of adiponectin and its pharmacological analog, AdipoRon, could influence the outcome of ZIKV infection. We showed that both AdipoRon and adiponectin could significantly reduce the in vitro infection of A549 epithelial cells, a well-known cell model for flavivirus infection studies. This effect was particularly observed when a pre-treatment was carried out. Conversely, ZIKV revealed an ability to downregulate adiponectin receptor expression and thereby limit adiponectin signaling.
Molecular Epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and Clinical Manifestations among Organ Transplant Recipients with COVID-19
Authors: Alshukairi Abeer N. , Al-Qahtani Ahmed A. , Obeid Dalia A. , Dada Ashraf , Almaghrabi Reem S. , Al-Abdulkareem Maha A. , Alahideb Basma M. , Alsanea Madain S. , Alsuwairi Feda A. , Alhamlan Fatimah S.
Published: December 2023

RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, rely on genetic mutation as a major evolutionary mechanism, leading to the emergence of variants. Organ transplant recipients (OTRs) may be particularly vulnerable to such mutations, making it crucial to monitor the spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in this population. This cohort study investigated the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 by comparing the SARS-CoV-2 whole genome, demographic characteristics, clinical conditions, and outcomes of COVID-19 illness among OTRs (n = 19) and non-OTRs with (n = 38) or without (n = 30) comorbid conditions. Most patients without comorbidities were female, whereas most OTRs were male. Age varied significantly among the three groups: patients with comorbidities were the oldest, and patients without comorbidities were the youngest. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that OTRs with mild disease had higher numbers of unusual mutations than patients in the other two groups. Additionally, OTRs who died had similar spike monoclonal antibody resistance mutations and 3CLpro mutations, which may confer resistance to nirmatrelvir, ensitrelvir, and GC37 therapy. The presence of those unusual mutations may impact the severity of COVID-19 illness in OTRs by affecting the virus’s ability to evade the immune system or respond to treatment. The higher mutation rate in OTRs may also increase the risk of the emergence of new virus variants. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring the genetic makeup of SARS-CoV-2 in all immunocompromised populations and patients with comorbidity.
Protective Efficacy Induced by the Common Eimeria Antigen Elongation Factor 2 against Challenge with Three Eimeria Species in Chickens
Authors: Mi Yuxuan , Ding Wenxi , Xu Lixin , Lu Mingmin , Yan Ruofeng , Li Xiangrui , Song Xiaokai
Published: December 2023

Avian coccidiosis arises from co-infection involving multiple Eimeria species, which could give rise to substantial economic losses in the global poultry industry. As a result, multivalent anticoccidial vaccines containing common Eimeria antigens offer considerable promise for controlling co-infection in clinical practice. In our previous study, Elongation factor 2 (EF2) was deemed as an immunogenic common antigen across various Eimeria species. This current investigation aimed to further assess the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of EF2 in recombinant subunit vaccine format against three Eimeria species. The EF2 gene cloned from Eimeria maxima (E. maxima) cDNA was designated as EF2 of E. maxima (EmEF2). The immunogenicity of the recombinant protein EmEF2 (rEmEF2) was assessed through Western blot analysis. The evaluation of the vaccine-induced immune response encompassed the determination of T lymphocyte subset proportions, cytokine mRNA transcription levels, and specific IgY concentrations in rEmEF2-vaccinated chickens using flow cytometry, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Subsequently, the protective efficacy of rEmEF2 was evaluated through vaccination and challenge experiments. The findings demonstrated that rEmEF2 was effectively recognized by the His-tag monoclonal antibody and E. maxima chicken antiserum. Vaccination with rEmEF2 increased the proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, elevated IL-4 and IFN-γ mRNA transcription levels, and enhanced IgY antibody levels compared to the control groups. Moreover, compared to the control groups, vaccination with rEmEF2 led to decreased weight loss, reduced oocyst outputs, and alleviated enteric lesions. Furthermore, in the rEmEF2-immunized groups, challenges with E. maxima and E. acervulina resulted in anticoccidial index (ACI) scores of 166.35 and 185.08, showing moderate-to-excellent protective efficacy. Nevertheless, challenges with E. tenella and mixed Eimeria resulted in ACI scores of 144.01 and 127.94, showing low protective efficacy. In conclusion, EmEF2, a common antigen across Eimeria species, demonstrated the capacity to induce a significant cellular and humoral immune response, as well as partial protection against E. maxima, E. acervulina, and E. tenella. These results highlight EmEF2 as a promising candidate antigen for the development of multivalent vaccines targeting mixed infections by Eimeria species.
Research on the Evolution of Snow Crystal Necks and the Effect on Hardness during Snowpack Metamorphism
Authors: Wei Jie , Lu Peng , Hu Shengbo , Zhao Qiuming , Yuan Shunqi , Huo Puzhen , Wang Qingkai
Published: December 2023

To study the snow microstructure at various metamorphism times and extract the snow neck area, a constant density (200 kg/m3) snow metamorphism experiment was conducted. The findings show that the neck region is mostly influenced by temperature, sun radiation, snow density and specific humidity, with wind speed having little effect. Additionally, we developed a multiple linear regression equation for the neck area under atmospheric forcing: “S = 288T + 2E + 189ρ + 12,194V − 20,443RH − 42,729”. This equation accounts for solar radiation (E), temperature (T), snow density (ρ), specific humidity (RH) and wind speed (V). Notably, the above five factors can account for 84% of the factors affecting the neck area, making it a crucial factor. The relationship between snow hardness and neck area is correlated at 71%, and in later stages of metamorphism, the correlation may increase to 91%. Based on the neck area, the following hardness value prediction is made: “H = 0.002764S + 67.922837”. This study documents the growth variations in the neck region of the metamorphic snow cover and elucidates the process by which outside factors impact the microstructure and macroscopic physical characteristics of the snow cover.
Bias Correction of Hourly Satellite Precipitation Products and Their Application in Hydrological Modeling in a Hilly Watershed, China
Authors: Ye Jinyin , Lu Yang , Yang Xiaoying , He Zhixin , Huang Pengnian , Zheng Xinxin
Published: December 2023

Correcting the bias of satellite precipitation products (SPPs) based on ground rainfall observations is one effective approach to improve their performance. To date, there have been limited efforts in correcting the bias of hourly SPPs with mixed results. In this study, ratio bias correction (RBC) and probability density matching (PDF) are used to correct the bias of four hourly SPPs (GSMaP_NRT, IMERG_E, IMERG_L, and IMERG) based on ground rainfall observations in a hilly watershed, China. Furthermore, SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) models are developed using ground rainfall observations, original SPPs, and bias-corrected SPPs to simulate the daily streamflow at the Yuetan Hydrological Station so as to comprehensively compare the performance of the two bias correction methods and evaluate the potentials of the four hourly SPPs in hydrological modeling applications. Our study results show that both RBC and PDF could improve the accuracy of hourly SPPs to various degrees, with PDF outperforming RBC considerably. After being corrected by PDF, the CC values of the four SPPs all reached 0.65. In addition, the SWAT models utilizing the PDF-corrected SPPs simulated the daily streamflow at the Yuetan Station better than those utilizing the RBC-corrected SPPs. Specifically, PDF-corrected IMERG_F performed the best among the four hourly SPPs, with a R2 of 0.89, NSE of 0.89, and RB of −8.14%. After bias correction, hourly satellite precipitation products can be well applied to hydrological modeling in the region.