bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating the implementation and performance of architecture in zero energy buildings in order to producing passive energy
Authors: Azizi Ghasem , Azizi daronkolaee Fatemeh
Published: December 2023

Challenges in recent decades for humans and the rapidly changing planet. The increase in pollution and difficult access to energy despite the problems of war and political and economic disputes between countries and the rapid decrease in the amount of energy in the world, which with this growth rate, is a tangible danger for the whole world. It prompted scientists to look for new methods of energy production and consumption. In this article, we are looking for a topic of such projects, which are called zero energy buildings. As it is understood from the name of this project, the result of all energy consumption and production in these buildings must be zero or the energy production of the building should be more than its consumption, which is the concept of energy related to all the energy in the building such as thermal, electrical and ... which should be considered in the initial calculations and construction. For this purpose, this research, which is a descriptive analytical research, was conducted using library resources and electronic books and articles. We will review the execution and performance of architecture in zero energy building and concepts related to passive energy and building orientation for energy production, architectural components and materials of zero energy building, review the economic approach and leading challenges, construction and operation in connection with zero energy building. The results obtained from this research, zero energy buildings are faced with upcoming challenges such as technical knowledge, efficient and trained staff, and existing laws and regulations. Accordingly, the need to reduce energy consumption and optimize it is felt more and more. Zero energy buildings are the best solution to moderate energy consumption in housing. But reaching this goal has basic and fundamental needs that must be met.
Seismic Assessment of Combined Effects of Knee Bracing and Dog-bone Connections in Dual Moment Frame Systems for Tall Steel Structures
Authors: Zahmatkesh Ali , Seyed  Kazem Seyyedan  , Seyed Mojtaba Mosavi Nezhad
Published: December 2023

The growing population and urbanization have led to an increasing interest in constructing tall buildings, particularly in large cities. However, the frequent occurrence of earthquakes worldwide has necessitated the development of systems with high ductility and sufficient lateral stiffness. The special dual system of moment frame with bone connections and knee bracing systems are two examples of such systems. In this study, the seismic behavior of these two systems in combination with tall structures was investigated. Ten, thirteen, and sixteen-story frames with four different combinations of bone joints and knee bracing were analyzed using ETABS software. Linear and nonlinear static (pushover) analyses, as well as linear and nonlinear dynamic (time history) analyses, were conducted. Seismic parameters were then calculated for each case and compared. The results emphasized the importance of considering multiple factors and coefficients when evaluating the seismic performance of structures.
Investigating the relationship between NDVI and EVI vegetation indices with ground surface temperature in Tehran
Authors: Amir  , Nourbakhsh Mehrdad
Published: December 2023

Cities became one of the main centers for conducting research due to the fact that they are the main places where people gather. One of the problems that plague the city today, especially the big cities, is the phenomenon of the city's heat island. Many things play a role in the spatial changes of the heat island, among them are human activities and changes in the earth's surface cover, which often lead to the reduction of green space. Several vegetation indices have been developed, and in this research, NDVI and EVI indices were investigated. Earth's surface temperature for Mordad 27, 1400 was retrieved from Landsat images using a single-channel algorithm and the mentioned indices were extracted for the above date. The results showed that most of the city surface was covered by a temperature layer of 305-310 degrees Kelvin. By comparing the indices and the temperature of the earth's surface, it was found that the temperature of the earth's surface and vegetation have an opposite relationship so that in the south and east the temperature is lower and the vegetation is more; But this issue is the opposite for the south and west. Also, the relationship between the surface temperature of the earth and the EVI index was equal to -31.23%, and its relationship with the NDVI index was about -24%; This shows that these two indicators are similar with a slight difference.
Investigating the effectiveness of fluid viscous damper in reducing the effect of seismic sequence on steel bending frame designed on type c soil
Authors: Pourali Javad
Published: December 2023

Aftershocks can always cause the collapse of structures damaged by the main earthquake. In this article, the seismic performance of an 8-story steel bending frame designed in c-type soil was first subjected to the seismic sequence of an earthquake and an aftershock, and then the same building with the addition of a fluid viscous damper (Fluid Viscous Damper) was evaluated. The results showed that the seismic performance of the studied frame under the effect of severe aftershocks with the presence of a liquid viscous damper is very different from the case without FVD. For example, the maximum displacement of the structural floors was reduced by 60% compared to the case without a damper. It was also found that while most of the aftershocks in buildings without dampers cause a significant increase in the permanent displacement of the roof, in the presence of dampers, this amount has decreased significantly, although in general, the damage caused by the effect of aftershocks on the building is much more az It will be from a state in which the structure is only subjected to the main earthquake
Seismic Performance Evaluation of Friction Damper and Yielding Metallic Damper in Steel Frame
Authors: Oliaei Mohammadreza , Mashhadiyan Mahdi , Forootan Reza
Published: December 2023

In recent decades, various control systems have been studied to reduce the vibrations of structures under dynamic forces. Generally, types of structural control systems are classified into energy dissipation systems and seismic isolation systems. Examples of energy dissipation systems include metallic yielding dampers, friction dampers, viscoelastic dampers, viscous dampers, tunable mass dampers, and tunable liquid dampers. This article investigates the seismic performance of friction dampers and metallic yielding dampers in steel frames, as well as the performance of a two-story steel frame strengthened with metallic yielding dampers and combined with friction dampers. For this purpose, five two-story steel frames with eight-story divergent braces were examined: a frame without a damper, a two-story frame with metallic yielding dampers, a two-story frame with friction dampers, a two-story frame with the first floor having friction dampers and the second floor having metallic yielding dampers, and a two-story frame with the first floor having metallic yielding dampers and the second floor having friction dampers. The results show that the use of dampers increases the energy dissipation of the structure and reduces the maximum displacements induced in the structure as well as the base shear. The effect of metallic yielding dampers on reducing the base shear is greater than that of friction dampers, while the effect of friction dampers on increasing energy dissipation and reducing displacements induced in the structure is greater compared to metallic yielding dampers
Evaluation of integrated waste management by using of Waste Reduction Model (WARM)- (Case study of Amol-Noor region, Iran)
Authors: Hosseini Seyed Mohammad , Mehrdadi Naser , Hosseini Seyed Ali
Published: December 2023

Lack of proper municipal solid management in the Northern provinces of Iran has led to damages to the natural resources, health, environment, social and economic conditions. Construction of solid waste processing plants such as compost and incineration, ignoring essential elements in waste management, cannot be as a successful strategy to solve the solid waste problems. Integrated management as a suitable and well-proved solution in many developed countries was proposed for Mazandaran province as a more reliable strategy to replace the existing conditions. In this paper, the results of study conducted for Amol and Noor region have been analyzed. Minimizing waste production, maximizing recycling and reuse, processing organic waste through digestion or composting process, producing refusing derived fuel (RDF) and using it in the waste incineration plants or Neka cement plant and finally disposing less than 10% of the waste in landfill is the proposed solution to improve the existing waste conditions. Implementing the proposed integrated management over a period of 20 years will lead to preventing from economic and environmental damages due to the loss of valuable natural resources and the release of various pollutants from landfills which is evaluated to be equivalent of about 28 billion dollars also, saving resources and energy estimated to be about 38 billion dollars.
Investigating the Mechanical and Durability Properties of Geopolymer Concrete Based on Granulated Blast Furnace Slag as Green Concrete
Authors: Mansourghanaei Mohammadhossein
Published: December 2023

Geopolymer concretes (GPCs) are known as green, environmentally friendly, sustainable concretes in the development of the structural industry with superior mechanical performance and durability compared to ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPCC). This type of concrete emits less CO2 than OPCC and aims for efficient waste management while reducing environmental impacts. In this experimental research, 5 mixed designs were made of GPC based on granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS), which contains 0-8% Nano silica (NS) and 1-2% polyolefin fibers (POFs). A mixed design was also made of OPCC to compare with GPC. The tests of compressive strength, tensile strength, drop weight impact (DWI), Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV), water permeability and microstructural examination by scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy were performed on concrete samples and the results were analyzed and compared. The results obtained in this laboratory research, while overlapping with each other, indicate the superiority of mechanical properties and durability of GPC compared to OPCC.
Pelatihan penerjemahan naskah Kidungan Jula-Juli ke dalam bahasa Inggris di SMA 12 Surabaya
Authors: Widyastuti Widyastuti , Kholidah Uci Elly , Retnaningdyah Pratiwi , Darma Diana Budi
Published: December 2023

Pengabdian Kepada Masyarakat ini yang dilakukan di masa pelaksanaan Kurikulum Merdeka Belajar dalam bentuk P5 bertujuan membekali guru dan siswa dalam menghasilkan proyek budaya yang diangkat dari kearifan lokal. Adapun pelatihan penerjemahan Kidungan Jula-Juli bertujuan meningkatkan kemampuan para guru dan siswa dalam menerjemahkan teks puitis dari bahasa Indonesia ke dalam bahasa Inggris yang sarat dengan unsur kearifan lokal. Media promosi hasil proyek penerjemahan adalah di media sosial sehingga pelatihan ini juga memperkenalkan cara tepat mengedit hasil terjemah mesin penerjemahan sebagai salah satu bentuk kecerdasan buatan yang bisa digunakan. Sasaran kegiatan pelatihan ini ialah siswa-siswi serta para guru di SMAN 12 Surabaya dengan tujuan setelah dilangsungkannya kegiatan pelatihan ini, para siswa juga guru dapat lebih mengenal tentang kebudayaan lokal dan juga lebih terampil dalam bidang alih bahasa khususnya dari bahasa Indonesia ke bahasa Inggris maupun sebaliknya dan dapat menggunakan keterampilan tersebut dalam penerjemahan tulisan kreatif lainnya, seperti tulisan mengenai makanan lokal. Metode yang diterapkan dalam kegiatan pelaksanaan pelatihan ini ialah metode tutorial penerjemahan Kidungan Jula-Juli yang dikaitkan dengan kegiatan Menulis Kreatif Puisi Kidungan Jula-Juli oleh para siswa dan guru SMAN 12 Surabaya. Hasil dari kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat di SMAN 12 adalah siswa dan guru berkolaborasi menghasilkan puisi terjemahan Kidungan Jula-Juli yang akurat dan berterima.
This Community Service occurred during the launch of Merdeka Curriculum, Freedom in Teaching Platform in the form of P5, aims to acknowledge teachers and students working with cultural projects based on local wisdom. Therefore, the Jula-Juli ballad translation training was conducted in order to encourage teachers and students to practice translating poetic texts from Indonesian into English or vice versa. Since the media for promoting translation project results is on social media, so this community service trains how to edit the translated result using machine translation results accurately and acceptability. The target of this service are the students and the teachers at SMAN 12 Surabaya. At the end of this community service, the students and the teachers will be able to translate poetic language from Indonesian to English and vice versa. Besides, these skills may have beneficial in translating other creative writings, such as writing about local food. The method in this community service applied the tutorial method where tutors help a small group of students and teachers at SMAN 12 Surabaya to improve their creative thinking as well as translation abilities in translating Jula-Juli Ballads. The result shows that the the translation projects produced by the collaboration between teachers and students have qualities.
Academic research in Cambodia: Progress, challenges, and ways forward
Authors: Heng Kimkong , Sol Koemhong
Published: December 2023

Research plays a critical role in advancing knowledge, stimulating innovation, and driving socioeconomic development. In the context of a knowledge-based economy, the role of research in supporting knowledge production, dissemination, and utilization is indispensable. Drawing on secondary sources, this article examines the development of academic research in Cambodia. It focuses on three aspects: recent progress, challenges, and ways forward. The article first shows that there is hope for the development of a research culture in Cambodia. However, there remain many challenges, including limited state and institutional funding for research, low academic salaries, heavy teaching loads, limited research knowledge, unclear research policies, inadequate research infrastructure, and lack of well-defined academic career pathways. The article then discusses ways forward that focus on the role of key stakeholders, including the Cambodian government, the private sector, higher education institutions, and academic staff, in supporting research development. It is argued that active stakeholder involvement and collaboration are key to promoting academic research in Cambodia.
Nonparametric Estimation of
Conditional Expected Shortfall
Authors: Scaillet Olivier
Published: December 2023

We consider a nonparametric method to estimate conditional expected shortfalls, i.e.
conditional expected losses knowing that losses are larger than a given loss quantile. We
derive the asymptotic properties of kernel estimators of conditional expected shortfalls in
the context of a stationary process satisfying strong mixing conditions. An empirical
illustration is given for several stock index returns, namely CAC40, DAX30, S&P500,
DJ1, and Nikkei225.
La cessation de l’indemnisation du criminel
de la route : une analyse constitutionnelle
Authors: Fournier Lisa
Published: December 2023

La question de l’indemnisation des « criminels de la route » au Québec fait l’objet
de plusieurs critiques depuis ces dernières années. Avant même que le nouveau
ministre de la Justice, Me Marc Bellemarre, ne soit élu, celui-ci faisait des représentations
à la Commission parlementaire des Transports afin que soit modifié le
régime d’indemnisation pour empêcher que le « criminel de la route » ne reçoive
d’indemnité de la Société d’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) et qu’il soit
permis aux victimes de poursuivre le responsable de leur dommage corporel.

La présente étude vise à démontrer qu’une disposition législative qui refuserait
l’indemnité de remplacement du revenu aux « criminels de la route » serait inconstitutionnelle.
En effet, l’auteure prétend qu’une telle exclusion du régime constituerait
une atteinte au droit à l’égalité protégé par l’article 15 de la Charte canadienne des
droits et libertés. Néanmoins, consciente des objectifs poursuivis par les défenseurs
de cette approche, elle propose dans ses conclusions une disposition qui, semble-t-il,
constituerait une solution envisageable et équitable.
L’analyse de risque dans les décisions financières – partie 2
Authors: Frénois Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2023

La première partie de ce texte proposait une méthode systématique d’analyse du risque dans les décisions financières et mettait l’accent sur la formulation
du problème et la conception d’un modèle de simulation. Dans cette deuxième partie, nous nous attachons à l’analyse et à l’interprétation des résultats obtenus : représentation graphique, classement du risque des projets par utilisation de la
notion de dominance stochastique, analyses de sensibilité, conséquences de la corrélation entre variables exogènes, proposition d’une méthode de détermination simultanée du taux d’actualisation et de la distribution de probabilité de la valeur actuelle nette du projet.
OPENNESS TO TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSITION ECONOMIES
Authors: Trivić Jelena
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the connection between countries' openness to international trade and economic development, i.e. the standard of living of итс citizens. Given that this is a frequently researched question among economists with still open conclusions, research on this topic always sheds some new light and contributes to new conclusions on that aspect. The methodology used in the paper is a correlation analysis, where we compared different measures of openness with economic development measured by GDP per capita expressed in purchasing power parity. The sample on which we performed the analysis is 16 countries, some of which have completed the transition process like the countries of so-called New Europe, and some are still stuck in transition, such as our countries of our region. Each of these countries continues to be subject of an analysis of transition progress in the EBRD’s Transition Report. The results clearly show a strong and positive correlation between openness to international trade flows and economic development, with this relationship being stronger if we look at export flows than import flows. The conclusion is that openness has no alternative, and that the countries of the region must strengthen their export base and export performance in order to reduce the gap in relation to the countries of New Europe, for which we can easily say that have successfully completed the transition process.
THE INFLUENCE OF COLONIALISM ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEWLY INDUSTRIALIZED ASIAN COUNTRIES
Authors: Gajinov Dejana
Published: December 2023

Since the 1980s, a widespread view has arisen in the literature that the economic success, known as the Economic Miracle, of Taiwan and the Republic of Korea since the 1960s has been due, in part at least, to the legacy of Japanese colonialism, but also that the region of East/Southeast Asia was generally more fortunate than other colonized countries, because especially Japanese, even Dutch and American, and British colonialism were more or less developmental. That is, they laid the foundations for the future growth and development of the newly industrialized Asian countries. This paper attempts to determine the actual extent of the contribution of each, comparing the Japanese economic achievements in both Taiwan and Korea with those of (primarily) the Dutch, then Americans, British, Spanish and Portuguese in their East/Southeast Asian colonies. The paper examines the record of economic growth, development of agriculture and industry, infrastructure and all structural changes across the colonies and dependent territories. It also discusses policies related to government revenue and expenditure, and trade. The paper also looks at some nonmonetary indicators related to living standards, including education. The main conclusion is that the facts do not wholly support the case of Japanese developmental colonialism but that there are drastic differences in the colonial legacy among the colonizing countries of the East/Southeast Asian region. Also, what is indisputable is that every colonizer, including Japan, primarily thought about their interests and not about the development interests of their colony.
Analysis of the educational needs of foreign students in the context of educational design
Authors: Kukuev Evgenii Anatol'evich , Dzida Natal'ya Nikolaevna , Buzolina Anastasiya Nikolaevna , Volosnikova Lyudmila Mikhailovna
Published: December 2023

The subject of this study is the educational needs of foreign students, the consideration of which should determine the design of education. Special attention is paid to cultural, educational, pedagogical, social, household and communicative aspects. The differences between the samples of first- and second-year foreign students for the construction of individual educational trajectories are analyzed. Special attention is paid to the relationship with a female teacher and a male teacher. The nature of relations among students is analyzed. The groups of needs of first- and second-year foreign students are structured. In the empirical part of the study, a survey in the form of a questionnaire was used. The questions were formulated in accordance with the chosen theoretical model of adaptation. In order to increase the objectivity of the results obtained, the question of nationality was removed from the questions about personal data. The questionnaire was written in Russian and English. The results were processed using the statistical software package SPSS-23.0. The main conclusions of the study are: in the second year of study, it is necessary not to reduce, but to activate tutor support. Insufficient awareness of students about the country of study is noticed. The urgency of the need for closer communication with your family is revealed. A high level of evaluation of relationships with teachers is needed. Foreign students are positive about interaction, but psychologically they do not fully realize it. For first-year students, the Russian language is important and therefore the sphere of communication and possible problems due to differences are updated. For foreign students of the second year of study, the fact of integration into the socio-cultural and educational environment of Russia is relevant.
Heinrich’s Law for Traffic Incidents – Using the Digital Tachograph Data to Identify Traffic Accident Hotspots
Authors: Cho Sunghwan , Kim Dohyeong , Khan Hiba , Lee Chang Kil
Published: December 2023

Heinrich’s Law indicates an empirical ratio between serious accidents, minor accidents and near misses in industrial sites, but has not been discussed in the context of road traffic accidents. Digital tachographs (DTG), a type of IoT device collecting spatiotemporal big data of vehicle trajectories, allow0 for examining a linkage between abnormal driving behaviours and the prevalence of road traffic incidents. According to the Traffic Safety Act implemented in 2011, DTG has been mandatorily pre-installed on most commercial vehicles in South Korea. The data have been analysed to evaluate the data processing method or promote eco-driving or safe driving, but only a few studies have examined an association between driving behaviours and actual traffic accidents using the limited data. We obtained 7,785,124 DTG sensing records from 1,523 commercial taxis driving within the city limits of Seoul at least once in 2013 and integrated them with 57,139 traffic accident cases during the same period. Using the integrated GIS database, we performed a grid-based spatiotemporal mapping and analysis to calculate a ratio among abnormal driving events, minor and major traffic accidents by road type. The findings suggest a potential for enhancing road safety by monitoring and controlling abnormal driving patterns as a precursor for accidents.
Enhancing Public Health Safety and Transportation Efficiency – A Comprehensive RFID-Based System for Vaccination and Testing Verification
Authors: Baláž Martin , Vaculík Juraj
Published: December 2023

The emergence of global health crises has emphasised the need for efficient and secure methods to verify the individuals’ vaccination and testing status. The research paper proposes an innovative application of the Radio Frequency Identification technology to develop a comprehensive system that ensures the controlled entry of vaccinated and tested individuals into buildings and extends its use to transportation networks. By combining tags, readers and a centralised database, with the extension of using Message Queuing Telemetry Transport, this solution aims to enhance public health safety, restore confidence in public spaces and optimise transportation operations.
Challenges of the Integration of Micromobility Vehicles into Modern Traffic and Transportation Systems
Authors: Milovanović Branko , Trpković Ana , Jevremović Sreten , Živanović Predrag , Bajčetić Stanko , Nađ Andrea
Published: December 2023

This paper presents the main challenges of integrating micromobility vehicles into modern traffic and transportation systems. Although micromobility seems to be an effective concept for the first and last mile, the reality points to the potential problems that the integration of micromobility vehicles can create and that must be resolved appropriately. Micromobility vehicles are characterised by extensive development, which is not accompanied by appropriate legal regulations. The street design has its spatial limitations and usually separates non-motorised and motorised users, which is a notion that could be disrupted by new micromobility options. When it comes to Serbia, the existing legislation does not recognise the majority of micromobility vehicles, which results in the lack of safety of these participants and their place in the street profile. The aim of this paper is to provide guidelines for improving the existing regulations and integrating these vehicles into the traffic system of Serbia, with special reference to general recommendations through which micromobility vehicles can be treated in other countries. The results of this paper can be useful to decision-makers but also to all other participants in the process of developing effective policies and strategies for the integration of micromobility vehicles into traffic and transportation systems.
La fondazione di Nicopoli tra ideologia e politica
Authors: Russo Federico
Published: December 2023

Abstract Nicopolis foundation betwenn ideology and politics The paper aims at analyzing the multiple meanings that the foundation of Nicopolis by Octavianus implied. Whereas the modern scholarship commonly focuses on the ideological function of the foundation – namely the celebration of Octavianus’ victory over Antonius in the battle of Actium– it will be shown that Octavianus, by means of the foundation of the city, also aimed at conveying precise political messages both to those that supported him against Antonius and to the allies of the latter. The analysis of literary sources and epigraphic documents will also permit to explore some examples of responses among Greek communities to Octavianus’ victory at Actium and to the subsequent foundation of Nicopolis.
Core PCP mutations affect short-time mechanical properties but not tissue morphogenesis in the Drosophila pupal wing
Authors: Piscitello-Gómez Romina , Gruber Franz S , Krishna Abhijeet , Duclut Charlie , Modes Carl D , Popović Marko , Jülicher Frank , Dye Natalie A , Eaton Suzanne
Published: December 2023

How morphogenetic movements are robustly coordinated in space and time is a fundamental open question in biology. We study this question using the wing of Drosophila melanogaster, an epithelial tissue that undergoes large-scale tissue flows during pupal stages. Previously, we showed that pupal wing morphogenesis involves both cellular behaviors that allow relaxation of mechanical tissue stress, as well as cellular behaviors that appear to be actively patterned (Etournay et al., 2015). Here, we show that these active cellular behaviors are not guided by the core planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, a conserved signaling system that guides tissue development in many other contexts. We find no significant phenotype on the cellular dynamics underlying pupal morphogenesis in mutants of core PCP. Furthermore, using laser ablation experiments, coupled with a rheological model to describe the dynamics of the response to laser ablation, we conclude that while core PCP mutations affect the fast timescale response to laser ablation they do not significantly affect overall tissue mechanics. In conclusion, our work shows that cellular dynamics and tissue shape changes during Drosophila pupal wing morphogenesis do not require core PCP as an orientational guiding cue.
University campus as a smart technology-supported active learning arena
Authors: Barken Tina Lien , Bonacina Stefano , Bostad Rune , Gabarron Elia , Garcia Beate , Haddeland Kristine , Hanssen Øyvind , Hartvigsen Erlend , Hartvigsen Gunnar , Hejlesen Ole , Henriksen André , Horsch Alexander , Iversen Anita , Jaccheri Letizia , Johannessen Erlend , Johnsen Hege Mari , Martinez Santiago Gil , Martinez Millana Antonio , Pelagatti Susanna , Pfuhl Gerit , Robstad Anja Nastasja , Sato Keiichi , Saus Merete , Grøm Sæle Rannveig , Årsand Eirik
Published: December 2023

Universities are facing many challenges as they are expected to prepare their students in the best possible way to contribute to sustainable societal- and industrial development. Students will become researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and role models, and should be able to contribute in the transition to a greener and smarter future. The task is almost impossible. It requires full attention from both students and their teachers. To successfully complete this task, universities explore different approaches, including developing smart technology-supported active learning arenas.
This report provides an insight into the technological development of the learning environment and presents wish lists for organizing a smart technology-supported learning environment, both in the physical and in the virtual environment, on campus and online (virtual). In addition, the report presents possibilities for appropriate development of competencies. The infrastructure for teaching, research, and administration must be as good as possible. Universities and other educational institutions around the world are experimenting with various technological solutions to establish a learning and working environment that is adapted to increased expectations and demands from students, employees, and society in general.
An active learning arena must consider both physical, hybrid and virtual aspects and might address design and organization of physical and hybrid classrooms on campus, offices on campus, home offices, meeting places on campus, lounges and meeting rooms on campus, collaboration opportunities on campus, virtual rooms and virtual campuses, laboratories, social media, and biophilic areas.
Modulation of attention to pain by goal-directed action: a somatosensory evoked potentials approach
Authors: Pinto Eleana A. , Van Damme Stefaan , Torta Diana M. , Meulders Ann
Published: December 2023

Background

Attentional processes are modulated by current goal pursuit. While pursuing salient cognitive goals, individuals prioritize goal-related information and suppress goal-irrelevant ones. This occurs in the context of pain too, where nonpain cognitive goal pursuit was found to have inhibitory effects on pain-related attention. Crucially, how pursuing nonpain motor goals affects pain-related somatosensory attention is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether nonpain motor goal pursuit would attenuate pain-related somatosensory attention.

Methods

Healthy volunteers (N = 45) performed a robotic arm conditioning task where movements were paired with conflicting (pain and reward), threatening (only pain) or neutral (no pain and no reward) outcomes. To increase the motivational value of pursuing the nonpain motor goal, in the conflicting condition participants could receive a reward for a good motor performance. To examine somatosensory attention during movement, somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs; N120 and P200) were obtained in response to innocuous tactile stimuli administered on a pain-relevant or pain-irrelevant body location. We expected that the threat of pain would enhance somatosensory attention. Furthermore, we expected that the possibility of getting a reward would inhibit this effect, due to pain-reward interactions.

Results

Against our predictions, the amplitude of the N120 did not differ across movement types and locations. Furthermore, the P200 component showed significantly larger SEPs for conflicting and threat movements compared to neutral, suggesting that the threat of pain increased somatosensory attention. However, this effect was not modulated by nonpain motor goal pursuit, as reflected by the lack of modulation of the N120 and P200 in the conflicting condition as compared to the threat condition. This study corroborates the idea that pain-related somatosensory attention is enhanced by threat of pain, even when participants were motivated to move to obtain a reward.
International Factor Mobility, Rural Development Policies and Wage Inequality in the Presence of Industrial Goods as Intermediate Input in Agriculture
Authors: Wang Dianshuang
Published: December 2023

The paper develops a three-sector small open economy model with two final good sector and a non-trade good sector producing industrial intermediate goods in agriculture. It is shown that an increase in either type of labour endowment (capital endowment) raises (lowers) the unemployment rate of either type of labour if the scale elasticity of output is very low. On the other hand, if the industrial sector is more capital intensive than the agricultural sector and if efficiency functions of both types of labour are identical, then an increase in either type of labour endowment (capital endowment) lowers (raises) the skilled–unskilled wage ratio. However, the effect of a change in capital endowment on the Gini Coefficient of wage income distribution is ambiguous in sign.
Characterization of Groundwater Physico-chemical Parameters in Lake Chad Polders: The Case of the Bol-bagassola Polder
Authors: Abdallah Mahamat Nour , Roger Touna , Yaya Idriss Mahamat , Nguérassem Djoueingue , Mardochée Dingamadji , Hamit Abderamane
Published: December 2023

Located southwest of Lake Chad (Bol-Bagassola), the study area is characterized by a Sahelian-type climate underlain by more recent sedimentary cover. The aim of this manuscript is to assess the overall impact of agricultural activities on groundwater quality in the polders (Bol and Bagassola), in order to gain a better understanding of agricultural pollution. To achieve this objective, a water sampling campaign was carried out to study hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry. As a result of this study, piezometric levels are not sufficiently heterogeneous. The pH is around neutral with an average of 7.68, and water temperatures vary between 25.3°C and 32.5°C. Conductivities ranged from 334µS/cm to 9800µS/cm, exceeding the maximum WHO/Chad standards limit of 2500µS/cm. Most of the variables (chemical parameters) are below the drinking water quality limits defined by WHO/Chad standards, with the exception of the open wells (P1, P2) at Malkoura, which show very high concentrations of potassium, sulfate, sodium, chloride, ammonium and magnesium, and the high iron signature observed in boreholes F9 and F12 at Talia. These variables (chemical parameters) enabled us to define the bicarbonate calcic and magnesian facies, followed by chloride sodium and potassium or sulfate sodium for the single F9 borehole at Malkoura. The predominance of bicarbonate facies can be explained by the dissolution of evaporites in the reservoir.
Biochemical Studies on Evaluation of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Genotypes for Heat Stress
Authors: Aparna V.  , Prayaga Lakshmi , Meena, H. P.  , Sarada, C.  , Guhe Arti
Published: December 2023

Crops are facing heat stress because of rapid climate change caused by global warming. We examined these issues in sunflower by exposing the plants growing with mean maximum temperature of 32.2oC (sowing to flowering) and 36.1oC (flowering to harvest) at normal temperature (S1) and 35.3oC (sowing to flowering) and 38.3 oC (flowering to harvest) at high temperatures (S2) by staggered sowings. Antioxidative responses of sunflower were also explored by studying the Superoxide dismutase, Catalase, Peroxidises and Ascorbate peroxidise activities. A significant increase was observed in antioxidant enzyme activities under high temperature stress. The final oil composition proved to be sensitive to the timing of heat stress and reduced (13%) by high temperatures. Some innovative steps should be taken on an emergency basis to prepare plants for such stressful conditions.
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Castor Oil as a Biopesticide in the Treatment of Leucinodes orbitalis Guenee L., A Pest of Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
Authors: Mariame Camara Mamadi , Windinpsidi Savadogo Paul , Lanciné Sangaré
Published: December 2023

Leucinodes orbonalis Guenée L. is a pest of Aubergine. It is currently managed using synthetic chemical pesticides. However, certain plants with insecticidal properties can be used to control Leucinodes orbonalis in aubergines. To study the effectiveness of the castor oil solution, a trial was carried out at the ISAV in Faranah from 08/05 to 20/08/2023. Castor oil was extracted using a press machine with a yield of 0.41 l/kg. Under field conditions, the study involved 80 aubergine plants. The parameters monitored were: incidence of attack, number of plants leafed out and productivity. The survival of Leucinodes orbonalis larvae after treatment was also estimated in vitro. The doses used were: D0 = 0 l/ha (control); D1 = 2.5 l/ha; D2 = 5 l/ha and D3 = 7.5 l/ha. The results showed that the incidence of attack after treatment was 68% for the control. However, this incidence was 10, 4 and 2% respectively for doses D1, D2 and D3. With regard to the number of plants thinned out, the rates were 68% for the control, 33% for D1, 17% for D2 and 8% for D3. Productivity was: 3.0 t/ha for the control; 5 t/ha for D1; 8 t/ha for D2 and 11.02 t/ha for D3. Survival of Leucinodes orbonalis larvae after application of the castor oil solution was 92%, 20%, 10% and 0% respectively for the D1, D2 and D3 controls. Analysis of the results shows that the 7.5 l/ha dose of castor oil is a good biopesticide for controlling Leucinodes orbonalis.
Reversible Host–Guest Crosslinks in Supramolecular Hydrogels for On‐Demand Mechanical Stimulation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Linke Philipp , Munding Natalie , Kimmle Esther , Kaufmann Stefan , Hayashi Kentaro , Nakahata Masaki , Takashima Yoshinori , Sano Masaki , Bastmeyer Martin , Holstein Thomas , Dietrich Sascha , Müller‐Tidow Carsten , Harada Akira , Ho Anthony D. , Tanaka Motomu
Published: December 2023

Stem cells are regulated not only by biochemical signals but also by biophysical properties of extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM is constantly monitored and remodeled because the fate of stem cells can be misdirected when the mechanical interaction between cells and ECM is imbalanced. A well‐defined ECM model for bone marrow‐derived human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) based on supramolecular hydrogels containing reversible host–guest crosslinks is fabricated. The stiffness (Young's modulusE) of the hydrogels can be switched reversibly by altering the concentration of non‐cytotoxic, free guest molecules dissolved in the culture medium. Fine‐adjustment of substrate stiffness enables the authors to determine the critical stiffness levelE* at which hMSCs turn the mechano‐sensory machinery on or off. Next, the substrate stiffness acrossE* is switched and the dynamic adaptation characteristics such as morphology, traction force, and YAP/TAZ signaling of hMSCs are monitored. These data demonstrate the instantaneous switching of traction force, which is followed by YAP/TAZ signaling and morphological adaptation. Periodical switching of the substrate stiffness acrossE* proves that frequent applications of mechanical stimuli drastically suppress hMSC proliferation. Mechanical stimulation acrossE* level using dynamic hydrogels is a promising strategy for the on‐demand control of hMSC transcription and proliferation.
A Biodegradable “One‐For‐All” Nanoparticle for Multimodality Imaging and Enhanced Photothermal Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: Hsu Jessica C. , Barragan Diego , Tward Alexander E. , Hajfathalian Maryam , Amirshaghaghi Ahmad , Mossburg Katherine J. , Rosario‐Berríos Derick N. , Bouché Mathilde , Andrianov Alexander K. , Delikatny Edward J. , Cormode David P.
Published: December 2023

Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag2S‐NP) hold promise for various optical‐based biomedical applications, such as near‐infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging, photoacoustics (PA), and photothermal therapy (PTT). However, their NIR absorbance is relatively low, and previous formulations are synthesized using toxic precursors under harsh conditions and are not effectively cleared due to their large size. Herein, sub‐5 nm Ag2S‐NP are synthesized and encapsulated in biodegradable, polymeric nanoparticles (AgPCPP). All syntheses are conducted using biocompatible, aqueous reagents under ambient conditions. The encapsulation of Ag2S‐NP in polymeric nanospheres greatly increases their NIR absorbance, resulting in enhanced optical imaging and PTT effects. AgPCPP nanoparticles exhibit potent contrast properties suitable for PA and NIRF imaging, as well as for computed tomography (CT). Furthermore, AgPCPP nanoparticles readily improve the conspicuity of breast tumors in vivo. Under NIR laser irradiation, AgPCPP nanoparticles significantly reduce breast tumor growth, leading to prolonged survival compared to free Ag2S‐NP. Over time, AgPCPP retention in tissues gradually decreases, without any signs of acute toxicity, providing strong evidence of their safety and biodegradability. Therefore, AgPCPP may serve as a “one‐for‐all” theranostic agent that degrades into small components for excretion after fulfilling diagnostic and therapeutic tasks, offering good prospects for clinical translation.
Aggregation‐Induced Emission Photosensitizer‐Engineered Anticancer Nanomedicine for Synergistic Chemo/Chemodynamic/Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Yu Bentong , Liu Mingshan , Jiang Lei , Xu Chuan , Hu Huoli , Huang Tong , Xu Dunwu , Wang Ning , Li Qianying , Tang Ben Zhong , Huang Xiaolin , Zhang Wan
Published: December 2023

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers (PSs) is a promising therapeutic strategy to achieve better anticancer results. However, eradicating solid tumors completely by PDT alone can be difficult owing to the inherent drawbacks of this treatment, and the combination of PDT with other therapeutic modalities provides opportunities to achieve cooperative enhancement interactions among various treatments. Herein, this work presents the construction of a biocompatible nanocomposite, namely CaO2@DOX@ZIF@ASQ, featuring light‐responsive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and tumor‐targeting oxygen and hydrogen peroxide discharge, as well as controlled doxorubicin (DOX) and copper ion release, thus allowing the combined PDT/CT/CDT effect by AIE PS‐enhanced PDT, DOX‐based chemotherapy (CT), and copper‐involved Fenton‐like reaction‐driven chemodynamic therapy (CDT). In vitro and in vivo studies verify that the generation of both ROS and O2 by this nanomedicine, stimulated by light, exhibits superior anticancer efficacy, alleviating tumor hypoxia and achieving synergistic PDT/CT/CDT therapeutic effect. This multifunctional nanomedicine remarkably suppresses the tumor growth with minimized systemic toxicity, providing a new strategy for constructing multimodal PDT/CT/CDT therapeutic systems to overcome hypoxia limitations, and potentially increase the antitumor efficacy at lower doses of PSs and chemotherapeutic drugs, thus minimizing potential toxicity to non‐malignant tissues.
A Study of Contact Electrification Process on PVDF–Metal Interface: Effect of β Phase Composition
Authors: Amangeldinova Yerkezhan , Oh Jin‐Woo , Lee Wonho , Shin Dong‐Myeong , Hwang Yoon‐Hwea
Published: December 2023

Recently, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) are getting considerable attention as an energy harvesting tool that can convert random mechanical energy into electricity due to the wide material selection, low cost, and easy fabrication. TENGs work by contact electrification on the interface and electrostatic induction on the electrodes when two surfaces contact and separate. Herein, the study of the contact electrification process on the metal–polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) interface is conducted focusing on the effect of β phase content on the electrical properties of the PVDF films. It is found through the EFM and KPFM surface electrical studies that a higher β phase promotes stronger electrostatic interactions and enhances electron‐cloud overlap with the metal coated cantilever tip that leads to higher amount of charge transfer. Additionally, there is overall enhancement of the TENGs electric output performance for a higher β phase containing PVDF films and the maximum electric output of 8.1 V and 12.2 nA is obtained for the TENG made with 79% β phase PVDF film.
Bio‐Templated Silver Nanopatterns for Photothermal and Antifogging Coatings
Authors: De Swarnalok , Nguyen Hoang M. , Zou Fangxin , Basarir Fevzihan , Mousavi Maryam , Mäkinen Kristiina , Kostiainen Mauri A. , Vapaavuori Jaana
Published: December 2023

Transparent photothermal coatings based on plasmonic noble metals often face a trade‐off between achieved temperatures and transmittances. This challenge arises from the fact that plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs), which rely on their size and structures, selectively absorb light of various wavelengths and convert it into heat. In the cases of randomly arranged plasmonic NPs, absorbances are predominantly in the visible range, leading to lowered transmittances. In this work, the self‐assembly behavior of a biotemplate containing flexible potato virus A (PVA) is used to produce network‐like surface patterns with controllable intermittent vacancies. These templates effectively anchor silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), forming dense arrays of plasmonic hotspots interspersed with vacant regions. With this approach, a temperature increase of 21 °C above ambient temperature under 1‐sun radiation is achieved while maintaining a visible light transmittance as high as 78% measured at 550 nm wavelength. The PVA biotemplated AgNPs show excellent potential as antifogging coating, exhibiting 2–3 times faster defogging rates compared to uncoated samples in both indoor and outdoor conditions. Overall, a platform is presented for biotemplating metal NPs, the development of long‐range surface patterns with controlled vacancies, and the demonstration of transparent photothermal activity with an antifogging application.