bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Antibiotics Treatment on the Maternal Immune Response and Gut Microbiome in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Mice
Authors: Faas Marijke , Liu Yuanrui , Wekema Lieske , Weiss Gisela , van Loo-Bouwman Carolien , Silva Lagos Luis
Published: June 2023

The gut microbiota are involved in adaptations of the maternal immune response to pregnancy. We therefore hypothesized that inducing gut dysbiosis during pregnancy alters the maternal immune response. Thus, pregnant mice received antibiotics from day 9 to day 16 to disturb the maternal gut microbiome. Feces were collected before, during and after antibiotic treatment, and microbiota were measured using 16S RNA sequencing. Mice were sacrificed at day 18 of pregnancy and intestinal (Peyer’s patches (PP) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN)) and peripheral immune responses (blood and spleen) were measured using flow cytometry. Antibiotic treatment decreased fetal and placental weight. The bacterial count and the Shannon index were significantly decreased (Friedman, followed by Dunn’s test, p < 0.05) and the bacterial genera abundance was significantly changed (Permanova, p < 0.05) following antibiotics treatment as compared with before treatment. Splenic Th1 cells and activated blood monocytes were increased, while Th2, Th17 and FoxP3/RoRgT double-positive cells in the PP and MLNs were decreased in pregnant antibiotics-treated mice as compared with untreated pregnant mice. In addition, intestinal dendritic cell subsets were affected by antibiotics. Correlation of immune cells with bacterial genera showed various correlations between immune cells in the PP, MLN and peripheral circulation (blood and spleen). We conclude the disturbed gut microbiota after antibiotics treatment disturbed the maternal immune response. This disturbed maternal immune response may affect fetal and placental weight.
The Assessment of Psychomotor Development in Full-Term Children at 12 Months of Age with Munich Functional Development Diagnostics Depending on the Feeding Method: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Pazera Grażyna , Młodawska Marta , Kukulska Kamila , Młodawski Jakub
Published: June 2023

Background: Psychomotor development is the most important outcome determining the proper growth and development of children. Optimizing childcare and modifying risk factors can provide the child with the best conditions to realize their developmental potential. The study aimed to assess the impact of the feeding method on the psychomotor development of full-term children at 12 months of age with Munich Functional Developmental Diagnostics (MFDD). Methods: The study included 242 full-term children who were examined at 12 months of age by a child neurologist using MFDD. The children were divided into two groups depending on the feeding method: breastfed (146) vs. formula-fed (93). We analysed selected obstetric and neonatal risk factors as well as MFDD scores within the groups. Results: The only axis on the MFDD scale on which we observed a difference between the groups was social skills. No differences were noted between the groups in the analysis of the gross and fine motor skills, with regard to perception or active and passive speech. Conclusions: The full-term, exclusively breastfed infants over their first 6 months of age or longer have greater social skills in comparison with the formula-fed infants when measured on the MFDD axis.
Co-Amorphous Versus Deep Eutectic Solvents Formulations for Transdermal Administration
Authors: Guinet Yannick , Paccou Laurent , Hédoux Alain
Published: June 2023

Transdermal administration can be considered as an interesting route to overcome the side-effects inherent to oral intake. Designing topical formulations with maximum drug efficiency requires the optimization of the permeation and the stability of the drug. The present study focuses on the physical stability of amorphous drugs within the formulation. Ibuprofen is commonly used in topical formulations and then was selected as a model drug. Additionally, its low Tg allows easy, unexpected recrystallization at room temperature with negative consequence on skin penetration. In this study, the physical stability of amorphous ibuprofen was investigated in two types of formulations: (i) in terpenes-based deep eutectic solvents (DES) and (ii) in arginine-based co-amorphous blends. The phase diagram of ibuprofen:L-menthol was mainly analyzed by low-frequency Raman spectroscopy, leading to the evidence of ibuprofen recrystallization in a wide range of ibuprofen concentration. By contrast, it was shown that amorphous ibuprofen is stabilized when dissolved in thymol:menthol DES. Forming co-amorphous arginine–ibuprofen blends by melting is another route for stabilizing amorphous ibuprofen, while recrystallization was detected in the same co-amorphous mixtures obtained by cryo-milling. The mechanism of stabilization is discussed from determining Tg and analyzing H-bonding interactions by Raman investigations in the C=O and O–H stretching regions. It was found that recrystallization of ibuprofen was inhibited by the inability to form dimers inherent to the preferential formation of heteromolecular H-bonding, regardless of the glass transition temperatures of the various mixtures. This result should be important for predicting ibuprofen stability within other types of topical formulations.
Macrophage Reprogramming via the Modulation of Unfolded Protein Response with siRNA-Loaded Magnetic Nanoparticles in a TAM-like Experimental Model
Authors: D’Urso Annarita , Oltolina Francesca , Borsotti Chiara , Prat Maria , Colangelo Donato , Follenzi Antonia
Published: June 2023

New therapeutic strategies are required in cancer therapy. Considering the prominent role of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the development and progression of cancer, the re-education of TAMs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) could represent a potential approach for cancer immunotherapy. TAMs display an irregular unfolded protein response (UPR) in their endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to endure environmental stress and ensure anti-cancer immunity. Therefore, nanotechnology could be an attractive tool to modulate the UPR in TAMs, providing an alternative strategy for TAM-targeted repolarization therapy. Herein, we developed and tested polydopamine-coupled magnetite nanoparticles (PDA-MNPs) functionalized with small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to downregulate the protein kinase R (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK) expression in TAM-like macrophages derived from murine peritoneal exudate (PEMs). After the evaluation of the cytocompatibility, the cellular uptake, and the gene silencing efficiency of PDA-MNPs/siPERK in PEMs, we analyzed their ability to re-polarize in vitro these macrophages from M2 to the M1 inflammatory anti-tumor phenotype. Our results indicate that PDA-MNPs, with their magnetic and immunomodulator features, are cytocompatible and able to re-educate TAMs toward the M1 phenotype by PERK inhibition, a UPR effector contributing to TAM metabolic adaptation. These findings can provide a novel strategy for the development of new tumor immunotherapies in vivo.
Topical Drug Delivery: Innovative Controlled Release Systems
Authors: de Araujo Daniele Ribeiro , Padula Cristina
Published: June 2023

One of the most innovative strategies for administrating bioactive molecules is the design of adequate drug delivery systems [...]
The Impact of Growth Years on the Medicinal Material Characteristics and Metabolites of Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge. Reveals the Optimal Harvest Age
Authors: Li Zhenkai , Feng Lu , Wang Hong , Zhang Lin , Li Haishan , Li Yanqing , Niu Pilian , Tian Gege , Yang Yan , Mei Xiangui , Peng Li
Published: June 2023

The original plant of Chinese medicine Stellariae Radix (Yin Chai Hu) is Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge (abbreviated as SDL). SDL is a perennial herbaceous plant and a characteristic crop in Ningxia. Growth years are vital factors that affect the quality of perennial medicinal materials. This study aims to investigate the impact of growth years on SDL and screen for the optimal harvest age by comparing the medicinal material characteristics of SDL with different growth years. Additionally, metabolomics analysis using UHPLC-Q-TOF MS was employed to investigate the impact of growth years on the accumulation of metabolites in SDL. The results show that the characteristics of medicinal materials and the drying rate of SDL gradually increase with the increase in growth years. The fastest development period of SDL occurred during the first 3 years, after which the development slowed down. Medicinal materials characteristics of 3-year-old SDL exhibited mature qualities with a high drying rate, methanol extract content, and the highest content of total sterols and total flavonoids. A total of 1586 metabolites were identified, which were classified into 13 major classes with more than 50 sub-classes. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated significant differences in the diversity of metabolites of SDL in different growth years, with greater differences observed in metabolites as the growth years increased. Moreover, different highly expressed metabolites in SDL at different growth years were observed: 1–2 years old was beneficial to the accumulation of more lipids, while 3–5 years old was conducive to accumulating more alkaloids, benzenoids, etc. Furthermore, 12 metabolites accumulating with growth years and 20 metabolites decreasing with growth years were screened, and 17 significantly different metabolites were noted in 3-year-old SDL. In conclusion, growth years not only influenced medicinal material characteristics, drying rate, content of methanol extract, and total sterol and flavonoid contents, but also had a considerable effect on SDL metabolites and metabolic pathways. SDL planted for 3 years presented the optimum harvest time. The screened significantly different metabolites with biological activity, such as rutin, cucurbitacin e, isorhamnetin-3-o-glucoside, etc., can be utilized as potential quality markers of SDL. This research provides references for studying the growth and development of SDL medicinal materials, the accumulation of metabolites, and the selection of optimal harvest time.
Early Sowing on Some Soybean Genotypes under Organic Farming Conditions
Authors: Petcu Victor , Bărbieru Ancuța , Popa Mihaela , Lazăr Cătălin , Ciornei Laurențiu , Străteanu Amalia Gianina , Todirică Ioana Claudia
Published: June 2023

The demand for soybeans in Europe motivates breeders, researchers, and growers to find suitable cultivars to adapt and extend the soybean crop to improper climate areas. Weed control is a crucial aspect of crop technology in organic agriculture, but particularly for soybean crops. In laboratory conditions, the cumulative stress index for seedlings was determined to identify the susceptible cultivars. A field experiment with 14 soybean accessions and 2 sowing dates was conducted under organic farming conditions over the course of three years, from 2020 to 2022. Plant population density was found to be significantly (p < 0.01 and p < 0.1) negatively correlated to the degree of resistance to low temperature as well as infestation degree with weeds (for p < 0.05 and p < 0.1), with the exception of early sowing in 2021. Yield was significantly (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, p < 0.1) correlated with plant population density, with the exception of optimal sowing in 2022. Early sowing variants emerged with vigor in the first two years, breeding lines and registered varieties showed low input, and organic agriculture systems showed low yields in the drought years of 2020 and 2022. Although early sowing even in the first two years proved to be a practice that increased the cultivars’ performance, in 2022, due to the long period of chilling stress in the field, this option had negative effects on yield due to the high weed frequency. Therefore, the early sowing strategy for the soybean crop in this particular case of non-irrigated conditions in a temperate continental area proved to be a risky practice.
Experimental Study and Discrete Analysis of Compressive Properties of Glass Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Bars
Authors: Zhou Zhilin , Meng Long , Zeng Feng , Guan Shuai , Sun Jiahui , Tafsirojjaman T.
Published: June 2023

Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) has superior characteristics over traditional steel, such as lightweight, high strength, corrosion resistance and high durability. GFRP bars can be a useful alternative to steel bars in structures, specifically those in highly corrosive environments, as well as structures subjected to high compressive pressure such as bridge foundations. Digital image correlation (DIC) technology is used to analyze the strain evolution of GFRP bars under compression. It can be seen from using DIC technology that the surface strain of GFRP reinforcement is uniformly distributed and increases approximately linearly, and brittle splitting failure of GFRP bars happens due to locally occurring high strain at the failure stage. Moreover, there are limited studies on the use of distribution functions to describe the compressive strength and elastic modulus of GFRP. In this paper, Weibull distribution and gamma distribution are used to fit the compressive strength and compressive elastic modulus of GFRP bars. The average compressive strength is 667.05 MPa and follows Weibull distribution. Moreover, the average compressive elastic modulus is 47.51 GPa and follows gamma distribution. In order to verify that GFRP bars still have certain strength under compressive conditions, this paper provides a parameter reference for their large-scale application.
Investigating the Effects of Al2O3 Microparticles on Wood Waste OSBs: A Study on Physical, Mechanical, and Durability Performance
Authors: Lopes Junior Wanley Eduardo , Cabral Matheus Roberto , Christoforo André Luis , de Campos Cristiane Inácio , Fiorelli Juliano
Published: June 2023

The development of new materials for the construction sector is a global trend, and products that use by-products in their composition and have also incorporated technology are commercially competitive. Microparticles have large surface areas and can modify the microstructure of materials, positively affecting their physical and mechanical properties. In this context, this study aims to investigate the effect of incorporating aluminium oxide (Al2O3) microparticles on the physical and mechanical properties of oriented strand boards (OSBs) made from reforested residual balsa and castor oil polyurethane resin and to evaluate their durability performance under accelerated aging conditions. The OSBs were produced on a laboratory scale with a density of 650 kg/m3, strand-type particles measuring 90 × 25 × 1 mm3, using castor oil-based polyurethane resin (13%) and Al2O3 microparticle content ranging from 1% to 3% of the resin mass. The physical and mechanical properties of the OSBs were determined following the EN-300:2002 recommendations. The results obtained indicated that the OSBs with 2% Al2O3 presented thickness swelling significantly lower (at the 5% significance level) after being subjected to accelerated aging and internal bonding of the particles higher than the values obtained for the references, evidencing the positive effect of including Al2O3 microparticles in balsa OSBs.
A Damage Identification Method Based on Minimum Mean Square Error Estimation for Wind Tunnel Flexible Plate Condition Monitoring System
Authors: Yun Kang , Liu Mingyao , Wang Jingliang , Li Cong
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we propose a damage identification method based on minimum mean square error estimation for a wind tunnel flexible plate condition monitoring system. Critical structural members of important equipment are large in size, and the measurement systems used to monitor their condition are often complex. The proposed damage identification method is based on the minimum mean squared error estimator and the generalized likelihood ratio test. It introduced activation function to generate the standard deviation of the data, which can then simulate the sensor output. A single sensor damage only affects a single dimension of the output data matrix of the measurement system. However, structural damage affects the output of multiple sensors. The damage identification method proposed in this paper can not only distinguish the sensor damage from the structure damage, but also locate the damaged sensor or structure damage location. This method can identify the measurement system output anomalies caused by structural damage and locate the approximate location of the damage. It can be applied to damage identification of important structural members such as flexible wind tunnel plates. The damage identification method proposed in this paper is of great significance for damage identification and localization of key components and sensor systems.
Optimization of Levenberg Marquardt Algorithm Applied to Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Huang Xinyi , Cao Hao , Jia Bingjing
Published: June 2023

As science and technology advance, industrial manufacturing processes get more complicated. Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) convergence is comparatively slower for processing nonlinear systems. The nonlinear system used in this study to evaluate the optimization of BPNN based on the LM algorithm proved the algorithm’s efficacy through a MATLAB simulation analysis. This paper examined the application impact of the enhanced approach using the Continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) control system as an example. The study’s findings demonstrate that the LM optimization algorithm’s identification error exceeds 10-5. The research’s suggested control approach for reactant concentration CA in CSTR systems provides a better tracking effect and a stronger anti-interference capacity. Compared to the PI control method, the overall control effect is superior. As a result, the optimization model for nonlinear systems has a greatly improved processing accuracy. With some data support for the accuracy study of neural network models and the application of nonlinear systems, the suggested LM-BP optimization algorithm is evidently more appropriate for nonlinear systems.
COVID-19, State Intervention, and Confucian Paternalism
Authors: Zhang Ellen Y.
Published: June 2023

For many in the West, paternalism manifest as state interference carries a pejorative connotation, as it is often taken to entail unjustified restrictions on autonomy and self-determination and frequently believed to precipitate bureaucracy, corruption, and inefficiency. Meanwhile, uncritical deference to policies in which individual liberties remain essentially unchecked by state oversight has faced renewed scrutiny since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many across the globe are now coming to believe that we must accept greater governmental intervention in our lives, particularly during times of widespread health crises. This paper explores normative considerations justifying state intervention with respect to public health policies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of Confucian paternalism, which is distinguished from a more general concept of paternalism widely used in contemporary philosophical discourse. It argues that the “soft” paternalism apropos to Confucianism has pragmatic benefits for the development of healthcare policies due to which it is not only morally warranted but even preferable to alternatives in terms of safeguarding population health.
Radar Echo Reconstruction in Oceanic Area via Deep Learning of Satellite Data
Authors: Yu Xiaoqi , Lou Xiao , Yan Yan , Yan Zhongwei , Cheng Wencong , Wang Zhibin , Zhao Deming , Xia Jiangjiang
Published: June 2023

A conventional way to monitor severe convective weather is using the composite reflectivity of radar as an indicator. For oceanic areas without radar deployment, reconstruction from satellite data is useful. However, those reconstruction models built on a land dataset are not directly applicable to the ocean due to different underlying surfaces. In this study, we built reconstruction models based on U-Net (named STR-UNet) for different underlying surfaces (land, coast, offshore, and sea), and evaluated their applicability to the ocean. Our results suggest that the comprehensive use of land, coast, and offshore datasets should be more suitable for reconstruction in the ocean than using the sea dataset. The comprehensive performances (in terms of RMSE, MAE, POD, CSI, FAR, and BIAS) of the Land-Model, Coast-Model, and Offshore-Model in the ocean are superior to those of the Sea-Model, e.g., with RMSE being 5.61, 6.08, 5.06, and 7.73 in the oceanic area (Region B), respectively. We then analyzed the importance of different types of features on different underlying surfaces for reconstruction by using interpretability methods combined with physical meaning. Overall, satellite cloud-related features are most important, followed by satellite water-related features and satellite temperature-related features. For the transition of the model from land to coast, then offshore, the importance of satellite water-related features gradually increases, while the importance of satellite cloud-related features and satellite temperature-related features gradually decreases. It is worth mentioning that in the offshore region, the importance of satellite water-related features slightly exceeds the importance of satellite cloud-related features. Finally, based on the performance of the case, the results show that the STR-UNet reconstruction models we established can accurately reconstruct the shape, location, intensity, and range of the convective center, achieving the goal of detecting severe convective weather where a radar is not present.
A Novel Filtering Method of 3D Reconstruction Point Cloud from Tomographic SAR
Authors: Dong Shuhang , Jiao Zekun , Zhou Liangjiang , Yan Qiancheng , Yuan Qianning
Published: June 2023

With the development of airborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology, the 3D SAR point cloud reconstruction has emerged as a crucial development trend in the current SAR community. However, due to measurement errors, environmental interference, radar decoherence, and other noises associated with the SAR system, the reconstructed tomogram is often deteriorated by numerous noisy scatterers. As a result, it becomes challenging to obtain high-quality 3D point clouds of the observed object, making it difficult to further process the point cloud and realize target identification. To address these issues, we propose a K nearest neighbor comprehensive weighted filtering algorithm. The filtered point cloud is evaluated quantitatively using three-dimensional entropy. In this study, we adopted various filtering methods for simulated data, P-band data of Genhe, and Ku-band data of Yuncheng to refine the tomogram and compare their performances. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses demonstrate the superiority of the filtering algorithm proposed in this paper.
Ice Velocity Variations of the Cook Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, from 2017 to 2022 from Sentinel-1 SAR Time-Series Offset Tracking
Authors: Lee Siung , Kim Seohyeon , An Hyunjun , Han Hyangsun
Published: June 2023

The Cook Glacier drains a significant portion of the Wilkes Subglacial Basin, the largest subglacial basin in East Antarctica—which feeds the Cook Ice Shelf. The ice velocity of the Cook Ice Shelf needs to be monitored precisely and accurately, as it plays a critical role in determining the ice discharge from the Wilkes Subglacial Basin. In this study, we measured the annual ice velocities of the Cook Ice Shelf using the offset tracking technique on Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar images obtained from 2017 to 2022. Time-series offsets in the range and azimuth directions were determined from the offset tracking pairs with a temporal baseline of 36 days obtained from January to December of each year. Statistical evaluations of the spatiotemporal variations of the time-series offsets effectively eliminated the erroneous offsets in the original offset fields; the remaining offsets were then used to produce two-dimensional annual ice velocities. The direction of the ice flow of the Cook Ice Shelf was almost constant during the period 2017–2022, and the variations in the magnitude of annual ice velocities were investigated. The annual ice velocities of the Cook East Ice Shelf (CEIS) stayed constant and showed a gradual increase from the grounding line to the ice front, except in the western part. Ice velocities of the western part of the CEIS have not changed much at the grounding line during the 6-year period, while in the dynamic shelf ice zone, ice velocities accelerated by up to 22% because of the development of numerous crevasses and fractures. The ice velocities of the Cook West Ice Shelf (CWIS) were about two times higher than those of the CEIS and tended to increase rapidly from the grounding line to the ice front. The annual ice velocities at the grounding line of CWIS increased rapidly from 1330 to 1450 m/a over 6 years, with 70% of this acceleration observed after 2021. This was attributed to a reduction in the ice shelf volume because of the evolution of surface crevasses and rifts, leading to a decrease in the ice shelf’s buttressing potential. In particular, the loss of a portion of the dynamic shelf ice zone due to a series of ice front collapses in February 2022 likely caused the rapid speed-up of the ice shelf. The results of this study indicate that the buttressing potential of the CWIS and the western part of the CEIS has been significantly reduced, which could mean serious instability of the marine ice sheet in this region.
Improved Dynamic Event-Triggered Robust Control for Flexible Robotic Arm Systems with Semi-Markov Jump Process
Authors: Zhang Huiyan , Chen Zixian , Ao Wengang , Shi Peng
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we investigate the problem of a dynamic event-triggered robust controller design for flexible robotic arm systems with continuous-time phase-type semi-Markov jump process. In particular, the change in moment of inertia is first considered in the flexible robotic arm system, which is necessary for ensuring the security and stability control of special robots employed under special circumstances, such as surgical robots and assisted-living robots which have strict lightweight requirements. To handle this problem, a semi-Markov chain is conducted to model this process. Furthermore, the dynamic event-triggered scheme is used to solve the problem of limited bandwidth in the network transmission environment, while considering the impact of DoS attacks. With regard to the challenging circumstances and negative elements previously mentioned, the adequate criteria for the existence of the resilient H∞ controller are obtained using the Lyapunov function approach, and the controller gains, Lyapunov parameters and event-triggered parameters are co-designed. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed controller is demonstrated via numerical simulation using the LMI toolbox in MATLAB.
Device-Free Tracking through Self-Attention Mechanism and Unscented Kalman Filter with Commodity Wi-Fi
Authors: Nkabiti Kabo Poloko , Chen Yueyun
Published: June 2023

Recent advancements in target tracking using Wi-Fi signals and channel state information (CSI) have significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of tracking mobile targets. However, there remains a gap in developing a comprehensive approach that combines CSI, an unscented Kalman filter (UKF), and a sole self-attention mechanism to accurately estimate the position, velocity, and acceleration of targets in real-time. Furthermore, optimizing the computational efficiency of such approaches is necessary for their applicability in resource-constrained environments. To bridge this gap, this research study proposes a novel approach that addresses these challenges. The approach leverages CSI data collected from commodity Wi-Fi devices and incorporates a combination of the UKF and a sole self-attention mechanism. By fusing these elements, the proposed model provides instantaneous and precise estimates of the target’s position while considering factors such as acceleration and network information. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated through extensive experiments conducted in a controlled test bed environment. The results exhibit a remarkable tracking accuracy level of 97%, affirming the model’s ability to successfully track mobile targets. The achieved accuracy showcases the potential of the proposed approach for applications in human-computer interactions, surveillance, and security.
Drone–Robot to Clean Power Line Insulators
Authors: Gonçalves Rogério Sales , De Oliveira Murilo , Rocioli Murilo , Souza Frederico , Gallo Carlos , Sudbrack Daniel , Trautmann Paulo , Clasen Bruno , Homma Rafael
Published: June 2023

The inspection and maintenance of transmission systems are necessary for their proper functioning. In this way, among the line’s critical points are the insulator chains, which are responsible for providing insulation between conductors and structures. The accumulation of pollutants on the insulator surface can cause failures in the power system, leading to power supply interruptions. Currently, the cleaning of insulator chains is performed manually by operators who climb towers and use cloths, high-pressure washers, or even helicopters. The use of robots and drones is also under study, presenting challenges to be overcome. This paper presents the development of a drone–robot for cleaning insulator chains. The drone–robot was designed to identify insulators by camera and perform cleaning through a robotic module. This module is attached to the drone and carries a battery-powered portable washer, a reservoir for demineralized water, a depth camera, and an electronic control system. This paper includes a literature review on the state of the art related to strategies used for cleaning insulator chains. Based on this review, the justification for the construction of the proposed system is presented. The methodology used in the development of the drone–robot is then described. The system was validated in a controlled environment and in field experimental tests, with the ensuing discussions and conclusions formulated, along with suggestions for future work.
Digital Image Correlation with a Prism Camera and Its Application in Complex Deformation Measurement
Authors: Hu Hao , Qian Boxing , Zhang Yongqing , Li Wenpan
Published: June 2023

Given the low accuracy of the traditional digital image correlation (DIC) method in complex deformation measurement, a color DIC method is proposed using a prism camera. Compared to the Bayer camera, the Prism camera can capture color images with three channels of real information. In this paper, a prism camera is used to collect color images. Relying on the rich information of three channels, the classic gray image matching algorithm is improved based on the color speckle image. Considering the change of light intensity of three channels before and after deformation, the matching algorithm merging subsets on three channels of a color image is deduced, including integer-pixel matching, sub-pixel matching, and initial value estimation of light intensity. The advantage of this method in measuring nonlinear deformation is verified by numerical simulation. Finally, it is applied to the cylinder compression experiment. This method can also be combined with stereo vision to measure complex shapes by projecting color speckle patterns.
A Decade of Decision Making: Prosecutorial Decision Making in Sexual Assault Cases
Authors: Fansher Ashley K. , Welsh Bethany
Published: June 2023

In the United States, it is estimated that fewer than 30% of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement, less than 5% will result in an arrest, and approximately 3% will result in a felony conviction. The present study examines a census of sexual assault reports from 2012 to 2020 in a large police department in the Midwest region of the United States, considering only those cases presented to the district attorney’s office for consideration (n = 700). Victim characteristics, suspect characteristics, and incident characteristics were examined as relating to a prosecutor accepting a case for charges. Further, a series of “ideal victim” characteristics were identified and used to create an additive scale based on prior research. The most significant predictors of prosecutor acceptance in the full sample were a lack of “date rape” drugs, continued cooperation from the victim, the suspect having a prior arrest for sexual assault, and the assault being reported within 24 h of occurring. A separate model was conducted for only those cases with continued cooperation from the victim. The researchers discuss the implications of these significant factors and suggest training to change false perceptions of victims among criminal justice officials and to increase victim reporting/cooperation in cases of sexual assault.
Critical Environmental Education in Latin America from a Socio-Environmental Perspective: Identity, Territory, and Social Innovation
Authors: Florencio da Silva Rodrigo , Torres-Rivera Alma Delia , Alves Pereira Vilmar , Regis Cardoso Luciano , Becerra Melgris José
Published: June 2023

The objective of this study was to contemplate the role of critical environmental education in Latin America from a socio-environmental perspective and explore how environmental problems associated with justice in territories and communities face the dynamics of the complexity of the effects of climate change. They modify the economic and social dynamics that little by little strip communities of their identity and deepen inequality. Selection and recovery of the articles in the bibliographic review, published between 2018 and 2022, used to determine the state of the question were carried out with the search chain integrated by the following keywords: critical environmental education, territory, and social innovation, which make up an analysis carried out using hermeneutic phenomenology from a socio-environmental perspective. The main finding is that critical environmental education in Latin America reveals historical distortions, forms of colonization, and modes of production associated with the exploitation of nature that deepen extreme poverty. On the other hand, the region’s contradictions contribute to understanding the territory and identifying processes of social innovation that favor community life, recognizing new ways of being and living together in Latin America, whose cultural dimension and belonging follow the logic governed by the principles of binomial biodiversity and economy.
Outbound, Inbound and Domestic Tourism in the Post-COVID-19 Era in OECD Countries
Authors: Ansarinasab Moslem , Saghaian Sayed
Published: June 2023

The relationship between COVID-19 and the tourism industry has important lessons for the post-pandemic period. The tourism industry is undergoing major changes after the pandemic. Analyzing the impact of tourism on the spread of coronavirus around the world may help us to understand how it could be a catalyst for spreading epidemics. To investigate the impact of the tourism industry on the spread of coronavirus, tourism data, as well as cases of coronavirus in the year 2020–2021, were used for OECD countries. The quantile regression method was used to estimate the effects of different types of tourism on the spread of coronavirus. The results showed that, in the first season of 2020, all types of tourists had an impact on the spread of the coronavirus. However, until the end of 2020, only outbound tourism had a significant impact on total deaths caused by the coronavirus, and in 2021, the tourism industry did not have any significant effect on the total deaths caused by the coronavirus. The findings of this article show that prior preparedness, comprehensive guidelines and roadmaps, and the establishment of international travel monitoring agencies are required to assess global constraints in critical situations. Advanced systems for controlling domestic travel in a country at a time of contagious diseases are essential.
Co-Simulation of Electric Power Distribution Systems and Buildings including Ultra-Fast HVAC Models and Optimal DER Control
Authors: Jones Evan S. , Alden Rosemary E. , Gong Huangjie , Ionel Dan M.
Published: June 2023

Smart homes and virtual power plant (VPP) controls are growing fields of research with potential for improved electric power grid operation. A novel testbed for the co-simulation of electric power distribution systems and distributed energy resources (DERs) is employed to evaluate VPP scenarios and propose an optimization procedure. DERs of specific interest include behind-the-meter (BTM) solar photovoltaic (PV) systems as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. The simulation of HVAC systems is enabled by a machine learning procedure that produces ultra-fast models for electric power and indoor temperature of associated buildings that are up to 133 times faster than typical white-box implementations. Hundreds of these models, each with different properties, are randomly populated into a modified IEEE 123-bus test system to represent a typical U.S. community. Advanced VPP controls are developed based on the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) 2045 standard to leverage HVAC systems as generalized energy storage (GES) such that BTM solar PV is better utilized locally and occurrences of distribution system power peaks are reduced, while also maintaining occupant thermal comfort. An optimization is performed to determine the best control settings for targeted peak power and total daily energy increase minimization with example peak load reductions of 25+%.
Identifying ESG Trends of International Container Shipping Companies Using Semantic Network Analysis and Multiple Case Theory
Authors: Lee Jeongmin , Lee Jinwoo , Lee Changhee , Kim Yulseong
Published: June 2023

Strengthened International Maritime Organization environmental regulations, the Poseidon principles, and other environmental changes require shipping companies to expand their Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments. ESG management is evolving as an essential requirement to enhance the competitiveness of global liner shipping companies. Under these circumstances, this study aims to provide policy guidelines and future directions for the development of ESG management in Korean shipping companies. Accordingly, we selected four companies under THE Alliance, which is an ESG standard leader in shipping. Based on each shipping company’s sustainability reports from 2019 to 2021, we analyzed the major ESG performance factors required for a company to achieve its sustainability goals, developing four research questions. Based on multiple case study theory, we compared each company’s ESG management status and main characteristics using the quadruple helix model, proposing three measures to improve the ESG management of Korean shipping companies: 1. Cultivate ESG experts specialized in the maritime field; 2. Strengthen support for small- and medium-sized companies; 3. Construct a maritime-specialized ESG evaluation system and introduce voluntary management culture. Our findings contribute to the maritime industry’s development by identifying necessary factors and proposing improvement directions that will help Korean shipping companies to secure global competitiveness.
Effect of Municipal Solid Waste Compost on Yield, Plant Growth and Nutrient Elements in Strawberry Cultivation
Authors: Sayğı Hülya
Published: June 2023

In terms of sustainable economic activities, environmental and production costs of plant nutrition material in agricultural production and wastes that harm the environment, humans and living beings are two important problems. This study, which combines these two problems into a common denominator, aimed to obtain plant nutrition input with low environmental and production costs by using the wastes generated during the domestic consumption process in strawberry cultivation. Municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) for plant nutrition input and an Albion strawberry variety as a trial plant were used as research materials. In the study, where the random block trial design method was used, the effects of MSWC on plant growth, fruit quality characteristics and plant nutrient parameters were investigated. According to the results of the study, it was concluded that the examined parameters (number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit taste, macro and micronutrient content in plant leaves) were positively affected according to the rate of use of MSWC. In the parameters evaluated within the scope of the study, 4 tons of MSWC applications in fruit weight, stem number, root length, plant width, leaf area, K and Ca parameters; 1.2 tons of MSWC applications in the number of fruits per plant and TA parameters; all MSWC applications in fruit yield per plant, pH, plant height, N, Mn and Cu parameters; 2 tons of MSWC applications in the TSS parameter and 1, 2 and 4 tons of MSWC applications in P and number of leaves per plant parameters gave better results compared to the control. Research findings support the idea that the use of MSWC as a plant nutrition input will provide both the production of plant nutrition input with low environmental and production costs and the prevention of the harms of waste to the environment, humans and living creatures.
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Cause Analysis of Innovation Ecosystem Niche Fitness: A Case Study of the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Zhang Xuhong , Hu Haiqing , Zhou Cheng
Published: June 2023

In this study, we explore the evolution and formation mechanism of innovation ecosystem niche fitness from three perspectives: theoretical analysis, model construction, and empirical testing. Based on the niche theory, a theoretical framework for the innovation ecosystem is constructed. Spatiotemporal analysis and qualitative comparison methods are employed to estimate the innovation niche fitness of nine provinces located in the Yellow River Basin, and their spatiotemporal characteristics and differences in terms of formation mechanism differences are then explored. The results show that: (1) temporally, from 2000 to 2017, the innovation niche fitness in the Yellow River Basin experienced minor fluctuations. However, since 2017, there has been a considerable increase. Spatially, the midstream and downstream regions, particularly in the provinces of Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan, have a higher innovation fitness. Conversely, the upstream regions of Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia display a lower fitness because of the lack of advantages in innovation elements. (2) The innovation niche fitness is heavily influenced by several factors, including the number of industrial enterprises above designated size, R&D personnel, higher education institutions, scientific research institutions, expenditure for technical renovation, sales revenue of new products, total expenditure on R&D, and the total retail sales of consumer goods. (3) Four mechanisms explain high innovation niche fitness, each of which corresponds to different regions. The formation mechanisms of low innovation niche fitness can be categorized into two paths, which have an asymmetric relationship with the formation mechanisms of high innovation niche fitness. Therefore, provinces and regions should focus on these advantages to enhance the innovation niche fitness. Our research will serve as a theoretical reference to enhance the overall innovation capacity of the Yellow River Basin in the future.
Study on the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors on Green Building Development of City Clusters in the Yangtze River Delta Region in China
Authors: Zhu Wenxi , Zhang Jing , Dai Jinfei , Wang Da , Ma Chongsen , Xu Yufang , Chen Yun
Published: June 2023

This paper explores the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and spatial correlation patterns of green building development differences in 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2012 to 2020 by means of the gravity center analysis model and spatial autocorrelation analysis. In addition, it further clarifies the impact factors of the spatial differentiation pattern of green building development in combination with GeoDetector based on four dimensional factors of population and economy, market environment, policy, and other factors. The results showed that: (1) According to the analysis of the number of green buildings in each city from 2012 to 2020 and the natural discontinuity method, the development pattern of green buildings in the Yangtze River Delta region city clusters shows an imbalance, being highly concentrated in the eastern coastal areas with Suzhou (1) and Shanghai as the core. The overall trajectory of the center of gravity shows the development from southeast to northwest. (2) The global Moran’s I of green buildings in the Yangtze River Delta region city clusters is greater than 0, and all passed the significance test (Z > 1.96, p < 0.01), indicating that the green buildings in the Yangtze River Delta region city clusters show typical spatial aggregation characteristics. By using the local LISA index, it is found that in the H-H spatial autocorrelation distribution pattern with Suzhou (1) and Shanghai as the core, the core city has a strong attraction ability and relatively low radiation ability. (3) Based on the explanatory power mean, the main driving factors of the spatial differentiation pattern of green building development in the Yangtze River Delta region city clusters are education level (0.6656), technical level (0.6269), and the gross domestic product (0.6091). The factor interaction shows a two-factor enhancement and nonlinear enhancement effect, and there is neither a weakening nor an independent relationship.
Further Development of the Law of the Sea Convention in the Anthropocene Era: The Case of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise
Authors: Maruf  , Chang Yen-Chiang
Published: June 2023

Anthropogenic underwater noise (AUN) is a growing concern for governments and international institutions around the world. This emerging issue signifies a rapid environmental change and raises questions about the applicability and effectiveness of current instruments. A key question to be addressed is whether the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) can address the challenges posed by AUN. While AUN is not explicitly mentioned in the UNCLOS, this article argues that some of its provisions are applicable to the problem. Part XII of the UNCLOS is proposed as a governing framework for protecting the marine environment from AUN. As a result, several options are presented to strengthen the regulation of AUN under the UNCLOS, including the adoption of a new implementing agreement, addressing AUN through the existing implementation agreement, and regulating through the rules of references.