bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Activity Recognition Using Attention-Mechanism-Based Deep Learning Feature Combination
Authors: Akter Morsheda , Ansary Shafew , Khan Md. Al-Masrur , Kim Dongwan
Published: June 2023

Human activity recognition (HAR) performs a vital function in various fields, including healthcare, rehabilitation, elder care, and monitoring. Researchers are using mobile sensor data (i.e., accelerometer, gyroscope) by adapting various machine learning (ML) or deep learning (DL) networks. The advent of DL has enabled automatic high-level feature extraction, which has been effectively leveraged to optimize the performance of HAR systems. In addition, the application of deep-learning techniques has demonstrated success in sensor-based HAR across diverse domains. In this study, a novel methodology for HAR was introduced, which utilizes convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The proposed approach combines features from multiple convolutional stages to generate a more comprehensive feature representation, and an attention mechanism was incorporated to extract more refined features, further enhancing the accuracy of the model. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of feature combinations from multiple stages as well as in proposing a generalized model structure with CBAM modules. This leads to a more informative and effective feature extraction technique by feeding the model with more information in every block operation. This research used spectrograms of the raw signals instead of extracting hand-crafted features through intricate signal processing techniques. The developed model has been assessed on three datasets, including KU-HAR, UCI-HAR, and WISDM datasets. The experimental findings showed that the classification accuracies of the suggested technique on the KU-HAR, UCI-HAR, and WISDM datasets were 96.86%, 93.48%, and 93.89%, respectively. The other evaluation criteria also demonstrate that the proposed methodology is comprehensive and competent compared to previous works.
The Energy Efficiency Multi-Robot System and Disinfection Service Robot Development in Large-Scale Complex Environment
Authors: Chen Chin-Sheng , Lin Feng-Chieh , Lin Chia-Jen
Published: June 2023

In recent years, multi-robot control systems and service robots equipped with graphical computing have been introduced in various application scenarios. However, the long-term operation of VSLAM calculation leads to reduced energy efficiency of the robot, and accidental localization failure still persists in large-scale fields with dynamic crowds and obstacles. This study proposes an EnergyWise multi-robot system based on ROS that actively determines the activation of VSLAM using real-time fused localization poses by an innovative energy-saving selector algorithm. The service robot is equipped with multiple sensors and utilizes the novel 2-level EKF method and incorporates the UWB global localization mechanism to adapt to complex environments. During the COVID-19 pandemic, three disinfection service robots were deployed to disinfect a large, open, and complex experimental site for 10 days. The results demonstrated that the proposed EnergyWise multi-robot control system successfully achieved a 54% reduction in computing energy consumption during long-term operations while maintaining a localization accuracy of 3 cm.
A Developed Jerk Sensor for Seismic Vibration Measurements: Modeling, Simulation and Experimental Verification
Authors: Geriesh Mostafa M. , Fath El-Bab Ahmed M. R. , Khair-Eldeen Wael , Mohamadien Hassan A. , Hassan Mohsen A.
Published: June 2023

Acceleration-based sensors are widely used in indicating the severity of damage caused to structural buildings during dynamic events. The force rate of change is of interest when investigating the effect of seismic waves on structural elements, and hence the calculation of the jerk is necessary. For most sensors, the technique used for measuring the jerk (m/s3) is based on differentiating the time–acceleration signal. However, this technique is prone to errors especially in small amplitude and low frequency signals, and is deemed not suitable when online feedback is required. Here, we show that direct measurement of the jerk can be achieved using a metal cantilever and a gyroscope. In addition, we focus on the development of the jerk sensor for seismic vibrations. The adopted methodology optimized the dimensions of an austenitic stainless steel cantilever and enhanced the performance in terms of sensitivity and the jerk measurable range. We found, after several analytical and FE analyses, that an L-35 cantilever model with dimensions 35 × 20 × 0.5 (mm3) and a natural frequency of 139 (Hz) has a remarkable performance for seismic measurements. Our theoretical and experimental results show that the L-35 jerk sensor has a constant sensitivity value of 0.05 ((deg/s)/(G/s)) with ±2% error in the seismic frequency bandwidth of 0.1~40 (Hz) and for amplitudes in between 0.1 and 2 (G). Furthermore, the theoretical and experimental calibration curves show linear trends with a high correlation factor of 0.99 and 0.98, respectively. These findings demonstrate the enhanced sensitivity of the jerk sensor, which surpasses previously reported sensitivities in the literature.
Bridging Higher Education Outcomes and Labour Market Needs: A Study of Jouf University Graduates in the Context of Vision 2030
Authors: Alanazi Adel Saber , Benlaria Houcine
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between various factors that contribute to employability outcomes among graduates of Jouf University, in line with the vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and labour market needs by the year 2030. This study employed a questionnaire as the research tool, which was distributed to a sample of 220 graduates of Jouf University. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire. The results of this study showed that career services and counselling, skills and competencies, and curriculum design were positively related to employability outcomes, whereas industry partnerships and work-integrated learning were found to have no significant relationship with employability outcomes. This study’s findings suggest that enhancing career services, counselling, skills, competencies, and curriculum design can improve graduates’ employability. These results could help bridge the gap between higher education outcomes and the labour market needs, by the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Future research can build on this study to identify specific strategies that can be implemented to enhance these factors, and improve the employability outcomes of graduates.
Assessment of EMF Troubles of Biological and Instrumental Medical Questions and Analysis of Their Compliance with Standards
Authors: Razek Adel
Published: June 2023

This contribution aims to analyze compliance with the rules relating to disturbances in the domain of health due to exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). This concerns safety standards for exposed living tissue and the integrity of exposed medical devices acting on the body. This investigation is carried out by reviewing and analyzing these exposure effects. In the paper, the EMF exposure, the nature of sources and the characters of their interactions with objects are first illustrated. Then, EMF exposure restrictions accounting for living tissues safety standards as well as medical devices constancy are discussed. Exposure biological effects comprising both thermal and non-thermal effects are then detailed. The verification and control of EMF effects are next illustrated including mathematical modeling of EMF effects, governing equations and body tissues representation in the solution of these equations. At the end of the paper, two examples representing the cases of tissues and devices are given to check the rules under exposure to EMF: biological effects on exposed human tissues and integrity of a magnetic resonance imager under external disturbance.
Linking Sustainable Supplier Selection to Firm’s Sustainable Performance: The Moderated Mediating Role of Supplier Development and Leadership for Functional Integration
Authors: Fan Zhigang , Kang Tae-Won
Published: June 2023

This study aims to investigate the moderated mediation model in which leadership support for functional integration complements sustainable supplier selection to enhance a firm’s sustainability performance by promoting sustainable supplier development practices. We tested the proposed hypothesis using 289 data collected from multiple sources of manufacturing firms. Our results reveal that sustainable supplier selection indirectly enhances a firm’s sustainability performance via sustainable supplier development practices. In addition, our results highlight that leadership support for functional integration strengthens this indirect relationship. This study contributes to the sustainability management literature by providing insights into how firms promote sustainability performance by combining leadership with sustainable supplier management.
Bottled Water: An Evidence-Based Overview of Economic Viability, Environmental Impact, and Social Equity
Authors: Parag Yael , Elimelech Efrat , Opher Tamar
Published: June 2023

This paper considers bottled water with respect to the three pillars of sustainability: economic viability, environmental impacts, and social equity. Per-capita consumption of bottled water has been growing steadily and is the fastest-growing sector of the packaged beverages industry, with expected annual growth of 10% until 2026. Most bottled water is sold in PET containers, and various impacts are evident along all phases of the product lifecycle. This paper reviews market trends and forecasts, lifecycle estimates of energy consumption, associated air pollution and GHG emissions, water footprint, and waste generation. Concerns around human and ecosystem health due to pollution, land use changes, storage conditions, microplastics, and leaching from containers are described, as well as local environmental benefits from companies’ efforts to preserve the quality of their source water. Growing awareness of the cumulative negative impacts of bottled water have pushed the industry to voluntarily improve its performance. Yet, as growth continues, further actions should focus on stricter regulation and on the provision of more sustainable, affordable, available, and trusted alternatives. Gaps remain in knowledge of the effects of bottled water over its full life cycle.
Research on the Optimal Design of Community Public Space from the Perspective of Social Capital
Authors: Guan Shan , Wang Jianjun
Published: June 2023

In the process of rapid urbanization and accelerated transformation of urban community public space structures, the optimization of community space structure and the quality of the living environment has attracted the attention of academic circles. Existing research has shown that the well-being of community residents is positively correlated with community social capital. The starting point of this study was howaimed to increase residents’ social capital and enhance their sense of life happiness through a good community space environment design. This paper focuses on the analysis of the spatial perception level of community residents and the correlation between environmental space design elements and social capital and explores the environmental factors that affect the accumulation of social capital of community residents to put forward suggestions for the optimal design of community public spaces. A field survey of 30 communities in Shanghai City was conducted based on relevant theories and practical cases both at home and abroad. The six dimensions of “social cohesion”, “sense of community belonging”, “social participation”, “social network”, “social interaction”, and “neighborhood relationship” are used to assign social capital, and the six dimensions are respectively regressed with residents’ environmental perception of the community and the objective environment of the community. The correlation between the social capital of community residents and the three elements of public space (space, facilities, and social elements) was obtained. According to the public space optimization design strategy of the three elements, public space design principles for improving community social capital are proposed, including the principles of diversification, humanization, suitability, and inclusiveness, and the corresponding suggestions are proposed from three aspects: point space, line space, and surface space.
Two-Stage Robust Optimization for Prosumers Considering Uncertainties from Sustainable Energy of Wind Power Generation and Load Demand Based on Nested C&CG Algorithm
Authors: Zhou Qiang , Zhang Jianmei , Gao Pengfei , Zhang Ruixiao , Liu Lijuan , Wang Sheng , Cheng Lin , Wang Wei , Yang Shiyou
Published: June 2023

This paper develops a two-stage robust optimization (TSRO) model for prosumers considering multiple uncertainties from the sustainable energy of wind power generation and load demand and extends the existing nested column-and-constraint generation (C&CG) algorithm to solve the corresponding optimization problem. First, considering the impact of these uncertainties on market trading strategies of prosumers, a box uncertainty set is introduced to characterize the multiple uncertainties; a TSRO model for prosumers considering multiple uncertainties is then constructed. Second, the existing nested C&CG algorithm is extended to solve the corresponding optimization problem of which the second-stage optimization is a bi-level one and the inner level is a non-convex optimization problem containing 0–1 decision variables. Finally, a case study is solved. The optimized final overall operating cost of prosumers under the proposed model is CNY 3201.03; the extended algorithm requires only four iterations to converge to the final solution. If a convergence accuracy of 10−6 is used, the final solution time of the extended algorithm is only 9.75 s. The case study result shows that prosumers dispatch the ESS to store surplus wind power generated during the nighttime period and release the stored electricity when the wind power generation is insufficient during the daytime period. It can contribute to promoting the local accommodation of renewable energy and improving the efficiency of renewable energy utilization. The market trading strategy and scheduling results of the energy storage system (ESS) are affected by multiple uncertainties. Moreover, the extended nested C&CG algorithm has a high convergence accuracy and a fast convergence speed.
Study on the Influence Mechanism and Adjustment Path of Climate Risk on China’s High-Quality Economic Development
Authors: Zhao Jingfeng , Sun Fan
Published: June 2023

The quantitative analysis of the economic impact of climate risk is an effective means of understanding and taking reasonable preventative steps in relation to the climate-related economic crisis. This paper takes panel data from China’s 31 provinces for 2009 to 2021, combined with a regulating intermediary effect model, to determine the climate risk faced in China and its influence mechanism on high-quality economic development, in an attempt to determine how to adjust the path. The results show that, first, when using a different regression model, we see that climate risks pose a significantly inhibiting effect on high-quality economic development in China. Secondly, when the climate risk increases by 1%, high-quality economic development drops by 0.0115%. When the climate risk increases by 1%, this leads to a 14.9672% increase in the likelihood of natural disasters, causing high-quality economic development to be indirectly reduced by 0.1300%. Thirdly, green innovation has a multidimensional effect; it can both directly and indirectly impact the negative effects of inhibition, and indirect adjustment has a greater effect than direct adjustment. Such regulation has a greater effect on the input than on the output. Therefore, we should seek to more accurately understand the dangers of climate risk, effectively improve the five aspects of development, and strengthen the input of green innovation and thus the output of high-quality economic development in China.
Impact of Amide Fertilizer on Carbon Sequestration under the Agroforestry System in the Eastern Plateau Region of India
Authors: Kumar Rikesh , Kumar Rakesh , Karmakar Sambhunath , Kumar Amit , Singh Alok Kumar , Kumar Abhay , Singh Jitendra
Published: June 2023

Carbon sequestration is an important aspect of expelling greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and decelerating the rate of global warming. Agroforestry plays an important role in carbon sequestration. Keeping this in mind, the current study was carried out between 2017 and 2021 to assess the effect of integrated nutrient management on biomass production, carbon sequestration, and carbon credit in a mango and turmeric agroforestry system. The study used randomized block design (RBD) with four treatments and five replications. According to the findings of this study, the rate of fertilizer application has a significant impact on the growth of turmeric and mango crops. The physiochemical characteristics of soil show an improvement in soil composition with the application of urea (CO(NH2)2), single super phosphate [Ca(H2PO4)2.2H2O] 226 kg ha−1, MOP [KCl] 309 kg ha−1 100 kg ha−1. The carbon density of the agrihorticulture land use system was six to seven times higher than that of the open agriculture-based land use system. The highest turmeric production (8.98 t ha−1) was reported under the mango-turmeric system rather than turmeric alone (6.36 t ha−1) in the T2-N100kg treatment. Total biomass production (61.2 t ha−1 and 64.6 t ha−1), carbon stock (38.6 t ha−1 and 41.06 t ha−1), carbon sequestration (246.5 t ha−1 and 299.5 t ha−1), and carbon credit (246.57 credits and 299.5 credits) were found to be highest in mango and turmeric-based agroforestry land use system treatments T2-N100 kg and T3-N80 Kg, respectively. The net additional profit from the agrihorticulture land use system was 299.5 carbon credits, which is equivalent to 4,49,250 INR.
What the Fire Has Left Behind: Views and Perspectives of Resin Tappers in Central Greece
Authors: Tsioras Petros A. , Giamouki Christina , Tsaktsira Maria , Scaltsoyiannes Apostolos
Published: June 2023

Resin tapping has long been an important traditional economic activity in less advantaged areas that serves as a source for income to local populations as well as an important management tool intricately linked with ecosystem services. In Greece, the majority of the remaining resin tappers are located in communities close to Pinus halepensis stands in the northern part of Evia Island. However, on 3 August 2021, a wildfire burned more than 50,000 Ha in the region, bringing the remaining resin tappers to a standstill. This paper aims to examine the views of 89 resin tappers in N. Evia and their perspectives on their profession as expressed during personal interviews. According to the participants’ replies, resin production is expected to bounce back to pre-fire levels in 40 years. A considerable portion of those interviewed (39.3%) were forced to work in other professions near their communities during the period that followed the fire. They were very dissatisfied by the fire management and initial mitigation actions, and fairly satisfied by the ecosystem recovery works that followed. However, they have high expectations for employment in a seven-year long government-funded support program which will allow them to continue living in their communities, and in this context they are willing to make a professional shift to forest operations work. In this context, the role of state authorities is expected to be crucial. The provision of vocational training and financial incentives could be decisive in preventing them from transitioning to alternative production sectors.
Probability Assessment of the Seismic Risk of Highway Bridges with Various Structural Systems (Case Study: Tehran City)
Authors: Mogheisi Meisam , Tavakoli Hamidreza , Peyghaleh Elnaz
Published: June 2023

Considering the development of urban transportation systems and the importance of highway bridges in a city’s resilience against earthquakes, it is critical to pay special attention to the seismic risk evaluation of highway bridges. The most significant issue to consider is the assessment of possible direct and indirect damages imposed on bridges before an earthquake. After this, the best practices for bridge rehabilitation can be adopted to minimize the induced damage. In this paper, we assessed the seismic risks associated with all 713 highway bridges in Tehran province (the capital of Iran). These bridges were initially divided into six categories according to their structural system and construction year and were also classified by whether or not seismic design was included. Among the 84,000 earthquakes recommended by the researchers’ ten-thousand-year catalog, a set of 50 ground motion records was selected in the course of a probabilistic approach via the Optimization-based Probabilistic Scenarios (OPS) algorithm in an attempt to obtain the least amount of error compared to the original catalog in the final hazard curve in different regions of Tehran province. Afterward, the seismic fragility curves were plotted in four damage states of slight, moderate, extensive, and complete for the six bridge structural systems of simple, steel, concrete slab box, concrete slab–steel box, concrete slab, and steel girder–concrete slab. The results of the fragility curves extracted from the decision tree analysis were validated with those developed from incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) for a bridge case study modeled in the OpenSEES software V2.5.0. Later, using logical relationships, seismic risk curves were drawn for each structural system. The results show that, in general, the average seismic damage of bridges over ten years old is 0.88 times the average damage of bridges less than ten years old. The highest level of vulnerability is associated with the simple bridge system with a median vulnerability of 0.44. Moreover, the lowest level of vulnerability is related to the steel girder–concrete slab bridge system with a median vulnerability of 0.98, showing an increase of approximately 2.2 times in the median vulnerability. In addition, based on the sensitivity analysis results, the indirect and total risk levels increase almost exponentially with increasing the reconstruction index.
Architecture and Application of Traffic Safety Management Knowledge Graph Based on Neo4j
Authors: Yuan Danling , Zhou Keping , Yang Chun
Published: June 2023

A large amount of traffic safety information has been generated. This will further promote the sustainable development of transport. However, its content, form, and structure are complex and scattered, lacking effective information integration and a comprehensive framework. Combined with the concept of safety analysis, a traffic safety management knowledge graph was designed for structured data, which include 54 types of node entities and 14 types of relationship entities. Six types of information were collected and imported, including illegal acts, vehicle failure, emergency response, legal norms, organization information, and road-related information. Ultimately, a knowledge query function was realized using Cypher, and an automatic Q&A function was created based on rule matching. A traffic accident knowledge graph was constructed for unstructured data, with people and institutions involved, vehicles involved, and accidents as the core, including 21 types of node entities and 22 types of relationship entities. Comparing the node entity extraction performance of Bert, Bert-CRF, Bert-BiLSTM, and Bert-BiLSTM-CRF models, Bert BiLSTM-CRF performs the best. The Bert model was used for relationship entity extraction. The traffic accident knowledge graph can structurally display accident information and support a query function to facilitate safety analysis.
On the Substitution and Complementarity between Robots and Labor: Evidence from Advanced and Emerging Economies
Authors: Li Jing , An Zidong , Wang Yan
Published: June 2023

This paper aims to empirically study the short-term relationship between robot adoption and the labor market across a diverse set of advanced and emerging economies. Additionally, it seeks to analyze the impact of macroeconomic and institutional factors on this relationship. This study reveals robot adoption promotes employment growth in advanced economies, while it has a negative effect on employment in emerging economies. This heterogeneity can be attributed to both direct and indirect linkages between robots and labor in production. Directly, robots can either substitute or complement human labor. Indirectly, robot adoption stimulates output growth, leading to increased labor demand. We also show that the robot–labor relationship is influenced by macroeconomic variables such as development stage, unemployment rate, and education level, as well as institutional variables such as business regulation and structural reforms. These findings suggest the need for a more inclusive and sustainable approach to the advancement of robot adoption and automation.
Digital Sustainability of Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Example of the “Wu Leno” Weaving Technique in Suzhou, China
Authors: Yu Lan
Published: June 2023

Digital technology can be used to enable the living preservation and heritage innovation of the intangible cultural heritage of Chinese traditional textile skills for sustainable development. Taking the “Wu Leno” weaving technique in Suzhou as the research object, we first elaborated on the origin, development, and evolution of “Wu Leno” through documentary research and case study methods. Second, considering the inheritance of the Leno weaving technique, we used digital technology to establish the pattern. The study showed that a digital database and virtual reality technology can be used to build a loom model and create a simulation library to realize innovative applications and interactive experiences in apparel design. The study also showed that the digital database and the interactive technology of virtual reality can provide practical pathways and explore experiences for the preservation, inheritance, cross-border communication, and sustainable innovation development of Suzhou “Wu Leno” weaving techniques in modern times.
Influence of Green Investment on China’s Sustainable Development
Authors: Li Lihui , Wang Huimin
Published: June 2023

Promoting green investment and green industry development is necessary to transform from the traditional crude economic model to a high-quality and high-efficiency economic model. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2007 to 2021, this paper uses the entropy method to measure the level of sustainable development, examines the direct and spillover effects of green investment on the level of sustainable development in China through the spatial Durbin model, explores the heterogeneous characteristics of the spatial effects, and reveals the specific path of green investment to promote sustainable development in China. The level of sustainable development in China has an apparent spatial correlation: green investment can simultaneously improve the level of sustainable development in the region and nearby regions, has a prominent intermediary role in promoting the level of sustainable development in the region, has apparent heterogeneity in promoting the level of sustainable development in China, and, in the east and regions with high urbanization rates, green investment has apparent spillover effects on the level of sustainable development. There is a significant heterogeneity of green investment in promoting sustainable development in China, with green investment in eastern and highly urbanized regions having a significant spillover effect on sustainable development, i.e., green investment in eastern and highly urbanized regions can significantly promote the development of sustainable levels in neighboring regions. Recommendations: Eastern regions and regions with high urbanization rates should actively make use of their resources, location, and technological advantages to enhance the spatial spillover effect of sustainable development to lead the development of the region, gradually form a regional collaborative development trend, and drive overall sustainable development.
Computational Techniques for Solving Mixed (1 + 1) Dimensional Integral Equations with Strongly Symmetric Singular Kernel
Authors: Alhazmi Sharifah E. , Mahdy Amr M. S. , Abdou Mohamed A. , Mohamed Doaa Sh.
Published: June 2023

This paper describes an effective strategy based on Lerch polynomial method for solving mixed integral equations (MIE) in position and time with a strongly symmetric singular kernel in the space L2(−1,1)×C[0,T],(T<1). The Quadratic numerical method (QNM) was applied to obtain a system of Fredholm integral equations (SFIE), then the Lerch polynomials method (LPM) was applied to transform SFIE into a system of linear algebraic equations (SLAE). The existence and uniqueness of the integral equation’s solution are discussed using Banach’s fixed point theory. Also, the convergence and stability of the solution and the stability of the error are discussed. Several examples are given to illustrate the applicability of the presented method. The Maple program obtains all the results. A numerical simulation is carried out to determine the efficacy of the methodology, and the results are given in symmetrical forms. From the numerical results, it is noted that there is a symmetry utterly identical to the kernel used when replacing each x with y.
A New Species of Terrestrial-Breeding Frog, Genus Pristimantis (Anura: Strabomantidae), from the Peruvian Yungas of Central Peru
Authors: Venegas Pablo J. , García-Ayachi Luis A. , Marchelie Axel , Ormeño Jesús R. , Catenazzi Alessandro
Published: June 2023

We describe a new species of terrestrial-breeding frog of the genus Pristimantis from the Peruvian Yungas ecoregion of central Peru, Junin Department. The description is based on the observation of morphological features, color patterns of fourteen specimens, bioacoustic traits of the advertisement calls, and a phylogenetic analysis using a sequence fragment of 16S rRNA. The new species is mainly characterized by having a rounded or truncate snout in dorsal view, presence of dorsolateral folds, tympanic membrane and annulus distinct, absence of flash marks on the hidden surfaces of flanks and hindlimbs, and a small size (maximum SVL 15.6 mm in males and 19.3 mm in females). We provide diagnostic traits to differentiate the new species from phylogenetically close relatives, as well as morphologically similar and sympatric species of Pristimantis.
An Extensive Critique on Smart Grid Technologies: Recent Advancements, Key Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Dorji Sonam , Stonier Albert Alexander , Peter Geno , Kuppusamy Ramya , Teekaraman Yuvaraja
Published: June 2023

Given the various aspects of climate change and the growing demand for energy, energy efficiency and environmental protection have become major concerns worldwide. If not taken care of, energy demand will become unmanageable due to technological growth in cities and nations. The solution to the global energy crisis could be an advanced two-way digital power flow system that is capable of self-healing, interoperability, and predicting conditions under various uncertainties and is equipped with cyber protections against malicious attacks. The smart grid enables the integration of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and energy storage into the grid. Therefore, the perception of the smart grid and the weight given to it by researchers and policymakers are of utmost importance. In this paper, the studies of many researchers on smart grids are examined in detail. Based on the literature review, various principles of smart grids, the development of smart grids, functionality of smart grids, technologies of smart grids with their characteristics, communication of smart grids, problems in the implementation of smart grids, and possible future studies proposed by various researchers have been presented.
Biocontrol Potential of Antagonistic Yeasts on In Vitro and In Vivo Aspergillus Growth and Its AFB1 Production
Authors: Dikmetas Dilara Nur , Özer Hayrettin , Karbancıoglu-Guler Funda
Published: June 2023

Aspergillus flavus is a major aflatoxin B1, posing significant health concerns to humans, crops, and producer fungi. Due to the undesirable consequences of the usage of synthetic fungicides, biological control using yeasts has gained more attention. In this study, eight isolates of epiphytic yeasts belonging to Moesziomyces sp., Meyerozyma sp. and Metschnikowia sp., which have been identified as antagonists, were isolated from different plants, including grapes, blueberries, hawthorns, hoşkıran, beans and grape leaf. While volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by Moesziomyces bullatus DN-FY, Metschnikowia aff. pulcherrima DN-MP and Metschnikowia aff. pulcherrima 32-AMM reduced in vitro A. flavus mycelial growth and sporulation, only VOCs produced by Metschnikowia aff. fructicola 1-UDM were found to be effective at reducing in vitro AFB1 production. All yeasts reduced the mycelial growth of A. flavus by 76–91%, while AFB1 production reduced to 1.26–10.15 ng/g and the control plates’ growth was 1773 ng/g. The most effective yeast, Metschnikowia aff. Pulcherrima DN-HS, reduced Aspergillus flavus growth and aflatoxin B1 production on hazelnuts. The AFB1 content on hazelnuts reduced to 333.01 ng/g from 536.74 ng/g. To our knowledge, this is the first report of yeasts isolated from plants being tested as potential biological control agents to reduce AFB1 production on hazelnuts.
Microcystin-LR-Exposure-Induced Kidney Damage by Inhibiting MKK6-Mediated Mitophagy in Mice
Authors: Yao Xueqiong , Liu Ying , Yang Yue , Li Yafang , Hu Na , Song Fengmei , Yang Fei
Published: June 2023

Previous studies have reported that microcystin-LR (MC-LR) levels are highly correlated with abnormal renal function indicators, suggesting that MC-LR is an independent risk factor for kidney damage. However, the evidence for the exact regulation mechanism of MC-LR on kidney damage is still limited, and further in-depth exploration is needed. In addition, the mitochondria-related mechanism of MC-LR leading to kidney damage has not been elucidated. To this end, the present study aimed to further explore the mechanism of mitophagy related to kidney damage induced by MC-LR through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Male C57BL/6 mice were fed with a standard rodent pellet and exposed daily to MC-LR (20 μg/kg·bw) via intraperitoneal injections for 7 days. Moreover, HEK 293 cells were treated with MC-LR (20 μM) for 24 h. The histopathological results exhibited kidney damage after MC-LR exposure, characterized by structurally damaged nephrotomies, with inflammatory cell infiltration. Similarly, a significant increase in renal interstitial fibrosis was observed in the kidneys of MC-LR-treated mice compared with those of the control group (CT) mice. MC-LR exposure caused impaired kidney function, with markedly increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (Cr), and uric acid (UA) levels in mice. Ultrastructural analysis exhibited obviously swollen, broken, and disappearing mitochondrial crests, and partial mitochondrial vacuoles in the MC-LR-treated HEK 293 cells. The Western blotting results demonstrated that exposure to MC-LR significantly increased the protein expressions of MKK6, p-p38, and p62, while the expression of mitophagy-related proteins was significantly inhibited in the kidneys of mice and HEK293 cells, including parkin, TOM20, and LC3-II, indicating the inhibition of mitophagy. Therefore, our data suggest that the inhibition of MKK6-mediated mitophagy might be the toxicological mechanism of kidney toxicity in mice with acute exposure to MC-LR.
Influence of Live Attenuated Salmonella Vaccines on Cecal Microbiome Composition and Microbiota Abundances in Young Broiler Chickens
Authors: Lyimu Wilfred Michael , Leta Samson , Everaert Nadia , Paeshuyse Jan
Published: June 2023

Salmonellosis is a global food safety challenge caused by Salmonella, a gram-negative bacterium of zoonotic importance. Poultry is considered a major reservoir for the pathogen, and humans are exposed through consumption of raw or undercooked products derived from them. Prophylaxis of Salmonella in poultry farms generally mainly involves biosecurity measures, flock testing and culling, use of antibiotics, and vaccination programs. For decades, the use of antibiotics has been a common practice to limit poultry contamination with important pathogenic bacteria such as Salmonella at the farm level. However, due to an increasing prevalence of resistance, non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animal production has been banned in many parts of the world. This has prompted the search for non-antimicrobial alternatives. Live vaccines are among the developed and currently used methods for Salmonella control. However, their mechanism of action, particularly the effect they might have on commensal gut microbiota, is not well understood. In this study, three different commercial live attenuated Salmonella vaccines (AviPro® Salmonella Vac T, AviPro® Salmonella DUO, and AviPro® Salmonella Vac E) were used to orally vaccinate broiler chickens, and cecal contents were collected for microbiomes analysis by 16S rRNA next generation sequencing. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to study the cecal immune-related genes expression in the treatment groups, while Salmonella-specific antibodies were analyzed from sera and cecal extracts by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We show that vaccination with live attenuated Salmonella vaccines had a significant influence on the variability of the broiler cecal microbiota (p = 0.016). Furthermore, the vaccines AviPro® Salmonella Vac T and AviPro® Salmonella DUO, but not AviPro® Salmonella Vac E, had a significant effect (p = 0.024) on microbiota composition. This suggests that the live vaccine type used can differently alter the microbiota profiles, driving the gut colonization resistance and immune responses to pathogenic bacteria, and might impact the overall chicken health and productivity. Further investigation is, however, required to confirm this.
Developing Vaccines to Improve Preparedness for Filovirus Outbreaks: The Perspective of the USA Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
Authors: Parish Lindsay A. , Stavale Eric J. , Houchens Christopher R. , Wolfe Daniel N.
Published: June 2023

Outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever caused by filoviruses have become more prevalent in recent years, with outbreaks of Ebola virus (EBOV), Sudan virus (SUDV), and Marburg virus (MARV) all occurring in 2022 and 2023. While licensed vaccines are now available for EBOV, vaccine candidates for SUDV and MARV are all in preclinical or early clinical development phases. During the recent outbreak of SUDV virus disease, the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), as part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, implemented key actions with our existing partners to advance preparedness and enable rapid response to the outbreak, while also aligning with global partners involved in the implementation of clinical trials in an outbreak setting. Beyond pre-existing plans prior to the outbreak, BARDA worked with product sponsors to expedite manufacturing of vaccine doses that could be utilized in clinical trials. While the SUDV outbreak has since ended, a new outbreak of MARV disease has emerged. It remains critical that we continue to advance a portfolio of vaccines against SUDV and MARV while also expediting manufacturing activities ahead of, or in parallel if needed, outbreaks.
Role of Magnesium in the Intensive Care Unit and Immunomodulation: A Literature Review
Authors: Saglietti Francesco , Girombelli Alessandro , Marelli Stefano , Vetrone Francesco , Balzanelli Mario G. , Tabaee Damavandi Payam
Published: June 2023

Both the role and the importance of magnesium in clinical practice have grown considerably in recent years. Emerging evidence suggests an association between loss of magnesium homeostasis and increased mortality in the critical care setting. The underlying mechanism is still unclear, but an increasing number of in vivo and in vitro studies on magnesium’s immunomodulating capabilities may shed some light on the matter. This review aims to discuss the evidence behind magnesium homeostasis in critically ill patients, and its link with intensive care unit mortality via a likely magnesium-induced dysregulation of the immune response. The underlying pathogenetic mechanisms, and their implications for clinical outcomes, are discussed. The available evidence strongly supports the crucial role of magnesium in immune system regulation and inflammatory response. The loss of magnesium homeostasis has been associated with an elevated risk of bacterial infections, exacerbated sepsis progression, and detrimental effects on the cardiac, respiratory, neurological, and renal systems, ultimately leading to increased mortality. However, magnesium supplementation has been shown to be beneficial in these conditions, highlighting the importance of maintaining adequate magnesium levels in the intensive care setting.
Modeling of Distributed Control System for Network of Mineral Water Wells
Authors: Pershin Ivan M. , Papush Elena G. , Kukharova Tatyana V. , Utkin Vladimir A.
Published: June 2023

The article is devoted to solving the problem of designing a distributed control system for a network of production wells on the example of mineral water deposits in the Caucasus Mineral Waters region, Russia. The purpose was to determine the set of parameters of the control system to ensure technologically effective and safe operating modes of mineral water deposits. A mathematical model of the deposit was developed taking into account the given configuration and production rate of the network of the wells. The detailed algorithm is presented for designing the control system under consideration based on the frequency concept of analysis and synthesis for distributed control systems. The experimental tests and model validation were performed at the production wells facility of “Narzan”, Kislovodsk, Russia. The results of modeling and field experiments confirmed the adequacy of the mathematical model and the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The authors came to the conclusion that the adapted mathematical model can be used to create a regional automated field cluster management system for monitoring, operational management and forecasting the nature of real hydrogeological processes and ensuring their stability.
Premenstrual Syndrome and Exercise: A Narrative Review
Authors: Sanchez Barbara N. , Kraemer William J. , Maresh Carl M.
Published: June 2023

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a complex physiological and psychological condition that affects a significant number of women during their reproductive years. Although the exact etiology of PMS remains unclear, its symptoms, including mood swings, bloating, irritability, and fatigue, can significantly impair the quality of life for affected individuals. The management of PMS traditionally involves pharmacological interventions; however, emerging evidence suggests that exercise may offer a valuable non-pharmacological approach to alleviate PMS symptoms. This narrative review aims to explore the proposed etiology, prevalence, and impact PMS has on women as well as examine the literature through which exercise can positively influence PMS symptoms. While the existing literature on exercise and PMS is limited and inconclusive, several studies have reported promising results. Regular exercise has been associated with a reduction in physical and psychological symptoms of PMS including pain, fatigue, mood disturbances, and water retention. Furthermore, exercise has demonstrated its potential to enhance overall well-being and mitigate the negative effects of PMS on daily functioning. Further research is warranted to elucidate the optimal exercise prescription, duration, and intensity required to maximize the benefits and improve the understanding of exercise mechanisms on PMS symptomatology.
Using Meteorological Early Warning System (MEUS) and Meteorological Indices for Assessment of Manavgat Forest Fires Occurred in Turkiye July-August 2021
Authors: ÇAMALAN Gülten , AKIL Sercan , PEKİN Muhammet Ali
Published: June 2023

Forest fires are one of the natural disasters that severely affect ecosystems, damage property and threat human life. An early warning system helps people respond to dangers promptly and appropriately. In the scope of this study, the forest fires occurred in Manavgat province of Antalya in Turkiye between 28 July 2021 and 6 August 2021 was analyzed using the meteorological early warning system (MEUS), which is developed by the Turkish State Meteorology Service. The performance of the model products was assessed and the association between the weather conditions in the region and the forest fire was evaluated. To examine the synoptic models, hourly meteorological data and MEUS warnings data were obtained two days before the Manavgat forest fire, and the probabilities generated by the meteorological variables that may be effective in the preparation of fire conditions in the region were evaluated in the study.
Pemanfaatan Desain Parametrik Dalam Perancangan Produk Keramik Dengan Visual Motif Tradisional (Studi Kasus: Hotel Best Western Premier La Grande)
Authors: Abdurrahman Syaldilah Rizki
Published: June 2023

Peningkatan yang begitu pesat di bidang pariwisata Indonesia membuat banyak bidang usaha yang berhubungan dengan pariwisata seperti hotel melakukan berbagai inovasi di bidang kreatif karena adanya peningkatan persaingan yang tinggi. Kebiasaan masyarakat yang menggunakan hotel pada saat berwisata membuat fungsinya tidak lagi hanya sebagai sebuah penginapan saja¸ melainkan sebagai bagian dari kegiatan berwisata. Ciri khas desain interior beserta elemen di dalamnya sangat mempengaruhi minat masyarakat yang mengutamakan estetika dan kenyamanan dalam memilih penginapan. Penelitian ini mengimplementasikan metode Practice-led Research dengan alur pengembangan ide, pemilihan ide, pengumpulan data, dan pengaplikasian teknik sebagai proses penerapan teori dan metode yang dipilih untuk membuat produk baru. Perancangan produk keramik ini dilakukan dengan mengadaptasi bentuk dasar dari motif batik kawung hasil analisis karakter ruangan pada studi kasus lalu diimplementasikan ke dalam visual desain parametrik pada software Grasshopper Rhinoceros 3D. Output dari penelitian ini berupa rekomendasi desain produk interior berupa wall hanging bermaterial keramik yang menggunakan konsep modular dengan pendekatan visual desain parametrik yang diambil dari motif batik kawung
Les ateliers de production d’amphores ovoïdes du Nord-Est d’Hispania Citerior (Tarraconensis) aux époques tardo-républicaine et augustéenne précoce
Authors: Miró Canals Jordi , Jarrega Domínguez Ramón
Published: June 2023

Ce travail est une synthèse des recherches concernant les amphores romaines Tarraconaise 1, produites en Catalogne, que nous classons en deux groupes, ovoïdes et fusiformes. Nous nous occupons ici du premier, pour lequel la chronologie est assez bien déterminée (second Triumvirat) et nous en proposons le vin comme contenu. On connait une quinzaine d’installations productives, la plupart en Léetanie (Layetania), qui produisaient aussi d’autres amphores vinaires, notamment Pascual 1 et Dressel 2-3. Ces ateliers sont surtout associés à la pars rustica de villae, situées près de la côte et faisaient partie du territoire d’un centre urbain. Cependant, les vestiges connus (fours, pressoirs, dépotoirs, cuves, dolia) ne sont pas très nombreux.