bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanocomposites with Carboxy-Functionalized Graphene: An In-Depth Analysis of Mechanical, Barrier, Electrical, Antibacterial, and Chemical Properties
Authors: Shui Yu-Jie , Yao Wei-Hua , Lin Jarrn-Horng , Zhang Yingjun , Yu Yongqi , Wu Chin-San , Zhang Xuemei , Tsou Chi-Hui
Published: April 2024

To enhance the various properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), varying concentrations of carboxy-functionalized graphene (CFG) were employed in the preparation of CFG/PVA nanocomposite films. FTIR and XRD analyses revealed that CFG, in contrast to graphene, not only possesses carboxylic acid group but also exhibits higher crystallinity. Mechanical testing indicated a notable superiority of CFG addition over graphene, with optimal mechanical properties such as tensile and yield strengths being achieved at a 3% CFG concentration. Relative to pure PVA, the tensile strength and yield strength of the composite increased by 2.07 and 2.01 times, respectively. XRD analysis showed distinct changes in the crystalline structure of PVA with the addition of CFG, highlighting the influence of CFG on the composite structure. FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed the formation of ester bonds between CFG and PVA, enhancing the overall performance of the material. TGA results also demonstrated that the presence of CFG enhanced the thermal stability of CFG/PVA nanocomposite films. However, analyses using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed that a 3% concentration of CFG was uniformly dispersed, whereas a 6% concentration of CFG caused aggregation of the nanofiller, leading to a decrease in performance. The incorporation of CFG significantly enhanced the water vapor and oxygen barrier properties of PVA, with the best performance observed at a 3% CFG concentration. Beyond this concentration, barrier properties were diminished owing to CFG aggregation. The study further demonstrated an increase in electrical conductivity and hydrophobicity of the nanocomposites with the addition of CFG. Antibacterial tests against E. coli showed that CFG/PVA nanocomposites exhibited excellent antibacterial properties, especially at higher CFG concentrations. These findings indicate that CFG/PVA nanocomposites, with an optimized CFG concentration, have significant potential for applications requiring enhanced mechanical strength, barrier properties, and antibacterial capabilities.
Synchronous Sound Recognition and Energy Harvesting by Flexible Piezoelectric PLLA/VB2 Composites
Authors: Zhang Qian , Liu Qiang , Xue Weidong , Xiang Yong , Hu Xiaoran
Published: April 2024

In the present study, poling−free PLLA/VB2 piezoelectric composites are fabricated to achieve synchronous sound recognition and energy harvesting. The addition of VB2 can interact with PLLA by intermolecular hydrogen bonding, inducing the dipole orientation of C=O in PLLA. Meanwhile, VB2 can promote crystallization of PLLA through heterogeneous nucleation. The combination of the two strategies significantly improves the piezoelectric performance of PLLA/VB2 composites. The PLLA/VB2 can detect the sound frequency with an accuracy of 0.1% in the range of 0–20 kHz to recognize characteristic sounds from a specific source. PLLA/VB2 can also convert sound into electrical energy synchronously with an energy density of 0.2 W/cm−3 to power up LEDs. Therefore, PLLA/VB2 shows great potential in the field of information and energy synchronous collection.
A Computational Model for Analysing the Dry Rolling/Sliding Wear Behaviour of Polymer Gears Made of POM
Authors: Ignatijev Aljaž , Borovinšek Matej , Glodež Srečko
Published: April 2024

This study presents a computational model to determine the wear behaviour of polymer gears. Using PrePoMax finite element numerical calculation software, a proposed computational model was built to predict dry rolling/sliding wear behaviour based on Archard’s wear model. This allows the calculation of the wear depth in each loading cycle with constant mesh updating using the finite element method. The developed computational model has been evaluated on a spur gear pair, where the pinion made of POM was meshed with a support gear made of steel. The computational results obtained were compared with the analytical results according to the VDI 2736 guidelines. Based on this comparison, it was concluded that the proposed computational model could be used to simulate the wear behaviour of contacting mechanical elements like gears, bearings, etc. The main advantage of the model, if compared to the standardised procedure according to the VDI 2736 guidelines, is the geometry updating after a chosen number of loading cycles, which enables a more accurate prediction of wear behaviour under rolling/sliding loading conditions.
Amphiphilic Dendronized Copolymer-Encapsulated Au, Ag and Pd Nanoparticles for Catalysis in the 4-Nitrophenol Reduction and Suzuki–Miyaura Reactions
Authors: Liu Fangfei , Liu Xiong
Published: April 2024

The branched structures of dendronized polymers can provide good steric stabilization for metal nanoparticle catalysts. In this work, an amphiphilic dendronized copolymer containing hydrophilic branched triethylene glycol moieties and hydrophobic branched ferrocenyl moieties is designed and prepared by one-pot ring-opening metathesis polymerization, and is used as the stabilizer for metal (Au, Ag and Pd) nanoparticles. These metal nanoparticles (Au nanoparticles: 3.5 ± 3.0 nm; Ag nanoparticles: 7.2 ± 4.0 nm; Pd nanoparticles: 2.5 ± 1.0 nm) are found to be highly active in both the 4-nitrophenol reduction and Suzuki–Miyaura reactions. In the 4-nitrophenol reduction, Pd nanoparticles have the highest catalytic ability (TOF: 2060 h−1). In addition, Pd nanoparticles are also an efficient catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura reactions (TOF: 1980 h−1) and possess good applicability for diverse substrates. The amphiphilic dendronized copolymer will open a new door for the development of efficient metal nanoparticle catalysts.
Enhancing Alginate Hydrogels as Possible Wound-Healing Patches: The Synergistic Impact of Reduced Graphene Oxide and Tannins on Mechanical and Adhesive Properties
Authors: Carrasco Sebastián , González Luisbel , Tapia Mauricio , Urbano Bruno F. , Aguayo Claudio , Fernández Katherina
Published: April 2024

Hydrogels are three-dimensional crosslinked materials known for their ability to absorb water, exhibit high flexibility, their biodegradability and biocompatibility, and their ability to mimic properties of different tissues in the body. However, their application is limited by inherent deficiencies in their mechanical properties. To address this issue, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and tannins (TA) were incorporated into alginate hydrogels (Alg) to evaluate the impact of the concentration of these nanomaterials on mechanical and adhesive, as well as cytotoxicity and wound-healing properties. Tensile mechanical tests demonstrated improvements in tensile strength, elastic modulus, and toughness upon the incorporation of rGO and TA. Additionally, the inclusion of these materials allowed for a greater energy dissipation during continuous charge–discharge cycles. However, the samples did not exhibit self-recovery under environmental conditions. Adhesion was evaluated on pig skin, revealing that higher concentrations of rGO led to enhanced adhesion, while the concentration of TA did not significantly affect this property. Moreover, adhesion remained consistent after 10 adhesion cycles, and the contact time before the separation between the material and the surface did not affect this property. The materials were not cytotoxic and promoted healing in human fibroblast-model cells. Thus, an Alg/rGO/TA hydrogel with enhanced mechanical, adhesive, and wound-healing properties was successfully developed.
Spatial Trueness Evaluation of 3D-Printed Dental Model Made of Photopolymer Resin: Use of Special Structurized Dental Model
Authors: Wen Aonan , Xiao Ning , Zhu Yujia , Gao Zixiang , Qin Qingzhao , Shan Shenyao , Li Wenbo , Sun Yuchun , Wang Yong , Zhao Yijiao
Published: April 2024

(1) Background: Various 3D printers are available for dental practice; however, a comprehensive accuracy evaluation method to effectively guide practitioners is lacking. This in vitro study aimed to propose an optimized method to evaluate the spatial trueness of a 3D-printed dental model made of photopolymer resin based on a special structurized dental model, and provide the preliminary evaluation results of six 3D printers. (2) Methods: A structurized dental model comprising several geometrical configurations was designed based on dental crown and arch measurement data reported in previous studies. Ninety-six feature sizes can be directly measured on this original model with minimized manual measurement errors. Six types of photo-curing 3D printers, including Objet30 Pro using the Polyjet technique, Projet 3510 HD Plus using the Multijet technique, Perfactory DDP and DLP 800d using the DLP technique, Form2 and Form3 using the SLA technique, and each printer’s respective 3D-printable dental model materials, were used to fabricate one set of physical models each. Regarding the feature sizes of the simulated dental crowns and dental arches, linear measurements were recorded. The scanned digital models were compared with the design data, and 3D form errors (including overall 3D deviation; flatness, parallelism, and perpendicularity errors) were measured. (3) Results: The lowest overall 3D deviation, flatness, parallelism, and perpendicularity errors were noted for the models printed using the Objet30 Pro (overall value: 45 μm), Form3 (0.061 ± 0.019 mm), Objet30 Pro (0.138 ± 0.068°), and Projet 3510 HD Plus (0.095 ± 0.070°), respectively. In color difference maps, different deformation patterns were observed in the printed models. The feature size proved most accurate for the Objet30 Pro fabricated models (occlusal plane error: 0.02 ± 0.36%, occlusogingival direction error: −0.06 ± 0.09%). (4) Conclusions: The authors investigated a novel evaluation approach for the spatial trueness of a 3D-printed dental model made of photopolymer resin based on a structurized dental model. This method can objectively and comprehensively evaluate the spatial trueness of 3D-printed dental models and has a good repeatability and generalizability.
Surface Roughness, Dynamic Wettability, and Interphase of Modified Melamine Formaldehyde-Based Adhesives on Jabon Wood
Authors: Amin Yusup , Nugroho Naresworo , Bahtiar Effendi Tri , Dwianto Wahyu , Lubis Muhammad Adly Rahandi , Adzkia Ulfa , Karlinasari Lina
Published: April 2024

The surface roughness and wettability of wood are critical aspects to consider when producing laminated wood products with adhesive applications. This study aims to investigate the surface roughness and dynamic wettability of Jabon wood in the presence of melamine formaldehyde (MF)-based adhesives. Commercial MF adhesives (MF-0) and modified MF adhesives (MF-1) were applied to Jabon wood, which includes tangential (T), radial (R), and semi-radial (T/R) surfaces. The surface roughness of Jabon wood was assessed using a portable stylus-type profilometer. The low-bond axisymmetric drop shape analysis (LB-ADSA) method was employed to identify the contact angle (θ) of the MF-based adhesives on Jabon wood. The wettability was determined by evaluating the constant contact angle change rate (K value) using the Shi and Gardner (S/G) model. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was employed to investigate the viscoelastic characteristics of the interphase analysis of the wood and MF-based adhesives. The roughness level (Ra) of the Jabon board ranged from 5.62 to 6.94 µm, with the T/R having a higher level of roughness than the R and T. MF-0 exhibited a higher K value (0.262–0.331) than MF-1 (0.136–0.212), indicating that MF-0 wets the surface of Jabon wood more easily than MF-1. The wood–MF-0 interphase reached a maximum stiffness of 957 N/m at 123.0 °C, while the wood–MF-1 had a maximum stiffness of 2734 N/m at 110.5 °C. In addition, the wood–MF-0 had a maximum storage modulus of 12,650 MPa at a temperature of 128.9 °C, while the wood–MF-1 had a maximum storage modulus of 22,950 MPa at 113.5 °C.
Advancements in Soft Robotics: A Comprehensive Review on Actuation Methods, Materials, and Applications
Authors: Wang Yanmei , Wang Yanen , Mushtaq Ray Tahir , Wei Qinghua
Published: April 2024

The flexibility and adaptability of soft robots enable them to perform various tasks in changing environments, such as flower picking, fruit harvesting, in vivo targeted treatment, and information feedback. However, these fulfilled functions are discrepant, based on the varied working environments, driving methods, and materials. To further understand the working principle and research emphasis of soft robots, this paper summarized the current research status of soft robots from the aspects of actuating methods (e.g., humidity, temperature, PH, electricity, pressure, magnetic field, light, biological, and hybrid drive), materials (like hydrogels, shape-memory materials, and other flexible materials) and application areas (camouflage, medical devices, electrical equipment, and grippers, etc.). Finally, we provided some opinions on the technical difficulties and challenges of soft robots to comprehensively comprehend soft robots, lucubrate their applications, and improve the quality of our lives.
Dopamine D1–D5 Receptors in Brain Nuclei: Implications for Health and Disease
Authors: Kawahata Ichiro , Finkelstein David I. , Fukunaga Kohji
Published: April 2024

Understanding the intricate role of dopamine D1–D5 receptors is pivotal in addressing the challenges posed by the aging global population, as well as by social stress and advancing therapeutic interventions. Central to diverse brain functions such as movement, cognition, motivation, and reward, dopamine receptors are ubiquitously distributed across various brain nuclei. This comprehensive review explores the nuanced functions of each dopamine receptor, D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5, in distinct brain regions, elucidating the alterations witnessed in several neurological and psychiatric disorders. From the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, crucial for motor control and reward processing, to the limbic system influencing emotional responses, motivation, and cognitive functions, each brain nucleus reveals a specific involvement of dopamine receptors. In addition, genetic variations in dopamine receptors affect the risk of developing schizophrenia and parkinsonism. The review further investigates the physiological significance and pathogenic impacts of dopamine receptors in critical areas like the prefrontal cortex, hypothalamus, and striatum. By unraveling the complexities of dopamine receptor biology, especially those focused on different brain nuclei, this review provides a foundation for understanding their varied roles in health and disease, which is essential for the development of targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at mitigating the impact of aging and mental health on neurological well-being.
Foundations and Implications of the Integral Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals in Catholic University Education
Authors: Sánchez-Camacho Jesús , Villegas Moreno José Luis
Published: April 2024

The Agenda provided by the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) represent an opportunity to eradicate poverty, preserve the planet, promote peace, and develop a more prosperous society. This global horizon is reinforced by the religious proposal of the Encyclical “Laudato si”, in which Pope Francis reflects on the anthropological, social, and spiritual repercussions of the interaction of human beings with their environmental reality. With the term integral ecology, the Catholic leader proposes processes to put an end of poverty, exclusion, and environmental degradation. This research aims to explore the cornerstones and application of the SDGs and integral ecology in the framework of the Catholic university. The study brings Agenda 2030 into dialogue with the Christian ethical perspective of human development and integral ecology by showing their complementarity. It develops the inclusion of the SDGs and integral ecology objectives in the mission and strategic plan of the Catholic university. For this reason, an action plan is projected in which the values of sustainability are transversally structured in the diverse areas of the university, such as governance, teaching, research, transfer of knowledge and social impact, extracurricular activity, green procurement, infrastructure, energy, waste, water, and mobility.
The Interplay of Religion and the Visual Arts: A Bibliometric Network Analysis (1991–2023)
Authors: Zhang Hong , Qian Cheryl Zhenyu
Published: April 2024

Since the emergence of digital media in the 1990s, a new realm of interaction between the visual arts and religion has been forged and evolved. The spread of visual media technologies has significantly influenced the study of religious visual art worldwide after the 1990s. Despite this, the field of religious visual art during the digital era is still relatively uncharted, with a notable absence of comprehensive theoretical frameworks. To address this gap, the present paper employs bibliometric methods, conducting a thorough review and analysis of 2544 pieces of international academic literature in the domain of religion and visual arts post-1990s. The analytical framework is structured into three primary sections, each dedicated to answering key questions: (1) what constitutes the inherent relationship in the study of religion and visual art?, (2) what disciplinary context do these interplays occur within?, and (3) in which domains and regions does this interplay predominantly unfold? The outcomes of this rigorous analysis offer valuable insights into interdisciplinary influences and evolving research trends within the realm of religious visual art. These findings stand to benefit art researchers and practitioners, providing a comprehensive overview of potential avenues for the exploration of visual arts with religious themes. Through a systematic investigation, this research endeavors to heighten scholars’ awareness of the significance of visual arts in the field of religion and illuminate the interdisciplinary trends at the intersection of religion and visual arts.
Quantum Computing Approach to Realistic ESG-Friendly Stock Portfolios
Authors: Catalano Francesco , Nasello Laura , Guterding Daniel
Published: April 2024

Finding an optimal balance between risk and returns in investment portfolios is a central challenge in quantitative finance, often addressed through Markowitz portfolio theory (MPT). While traditional portfolio optimization is carried out in a continuous fashion, as if stocks could be bought in fractional increments, practical implementations often resort to approximations, as fractional stocks are typically not tradeable. While these approximations are effective for large investment budgets, they deteriorate as budgets decrease. To alleviate this issue, a discrete Markowitz portfolio theory (DMPT) with finite budgets and integer stock weights can be formulated, but results in a non-polynomial (NP)-hard problem. Recent progress in quantum processing units (QPUs), including quantum annealers, makes solving DMPT problems feasible. Our study explores portfolio optimization on quantum annealers, establishing a mapping between continuous and discrete Markowitz portfolio theories. We find that correctly normalized discrete portfolios converge to continuous solutions as budgets increase. Our DMPT implementation provides efficient frontier solutions, outperforming traditional rounding methods, even for moderate budgets. Responding to the demand for environmentally and socially responsible investments, we enhance our discrete portfolio optimization with ESG (environmental, social, governance) ratings for EURO STOXX 50 index stocks. We introduce a utility function incorporating ESG ratings to balance risk, return and ESG friendliness, and discuss implications for ESG-aware investors.
Variability Assessment of Global Extreme Coastal Sea Levels Using Altimetry Data
Authors: Lobeto Hector , Menendez Melisa
Published: April 2024

This study assesses the variability of coastal extreme sea levels globally by utilizing nearly three decades of along-track, multi-mission satellite altimetry data. An altimetry-based global coastal database of the non-tidal residual sea level component has been produced. The climate variability of extremes is modeled through a parametric, non-stationary statistical model. This model captures intra-annual, inter-annual and long-term variations in non-tidal residual return levels. Comparisons with tide gauge data demonstrate the ability of altimetry data to capture the variability of coastal extreme sea levels. Our findings reveal a greater complexity in the monthly variability patterns of non-tidal residual extremes in tropical latitudes, often exhibiting multiple storm periods, contrasting with coasts in extratropical latitudes, which are mostly controlled by a winter–summer pattern. This study also highlights the significant influence of established climate circulation patterns on sea level extremes. The positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation pattern leads to increases of over 25% in non-tidal residual return levels in Northwestern Europe with respect to a neutral phase. Furthermore, return levels in the western coast of Central America could be 50% higher during El Niño compared to La Niña. Our results show a robust increasing trend in non-tidal residual return levels along most global coastlines. A comparative analysis shows that variations during the 1995–2020 period were primarily driven by intra-annual variations.
Unsupervised Change Detection in HR Remote Sensing Imagery Based on Local Histogram Similarity and Progressive Otsu
Authors: Shen Yuzhen , Wei Yuchun , Zhang Hong , Rui Xudong , Li Bingbing , Wang Junshu
Published: April 2024

Unsupervised change detection of land cover in multispectral satellite remote sensing images with a spatial resolution of 2–5 m has always been a challenging task. This paper presents a method of detecting land cover changes in high-spatial-resolution remote sensing imagery. This method has three characteristics: (1) Extended center-symmetric local binary pattern (XCS-LBP) is used to extract image features to emphasize spatial context information in initial change detection. Then, spectral information is combined to improve the accuracy of change detection. (2) The local histogram distance of XCS-LBP features is used as the change vector to improve the expression of change information. (3) A progressive Otsu method is developed for threshold segmentation of the change vector to reduce the false detection rate. Four datasets with different landscape complexities and seven state-of-the-art unsupervised change detection methods were used to test the performance of the proposed method. Quantitative results showed that the proposed method reduced the false detection rate and improved the accuracy of the detection of land cover changes. The F1 score achieved by the proposed method reached 0.8688, 0.8867, 0.7725, and 0.6634, respectively, which are higher than the highest corresponding F1 score achieved by the benchmark methods (0.8533, 0.8549, 0.6545, and 0.5895, respectively).
A Google Earth Engine Platform to Integrate Multi-Satellite and Citizen Science Data for the Monitoring of River Ice Dynamics
Authors: Abdelkader Mohamed , Bravo Mendez Jorge Humberto , Temimi Marouane , Brown Dana R. N. , Spellman Katie V. , Arp Christopher D. , Bondurant Allen , Kohl Holli
Published: April 2024

This study introduces a new automated system that blends multi-satellite information and citizen science data for reliable and timely observations of lake and river ice in under-observed northern regions. The system leverages the Google Earth Engine resources to facilitate the analysis and visualization of ice conditions. The adopted approach utilizes a combination of moderate and high-resolution optical data, along with radar observations. The results demonstrate the system’s capability to accurately detect and monitor river ice, particularly during key periods, such as the freeze-up and the breakup. The integration citizen science data showed added values in the validation of remote sensing products, as well as filling gaps whenever satellite observations cannot be collected due to cloud obstruction. Moreover, it was shown that citizen science data can be converted to valuable quantitative information, such as the case of ice thickness, which is very useful when combined with ice extent derived from remote sensing. In this study, citizen science data were employed for the quantitative assessment of the remote sensing product. Obtained results showed a good agreement between the product and observed river status, with a Critical Success Index of 0.82. Notably, the system has shown effectiveness in capturing the spatial and temporal evolution of snow and ice conditions, as evidenced by its application in analyzing specific ice jam events in 2023. The study concludes that the developed system marks a significant advancement in river ice monitoring, combining technological innovation with community engagement.
Separation of Multicomponent Micro-Doppler Signal with Missing Samples
Authors: Ren Jianfei , Wang Huan , Li Kai-Ming , Luo Ying , Zhang Qun , Chen Zhuo
Published: April 2024

The problem of separating multicomponent micro-Doppler (m-D) signals is common in the field of radar signal processing. In some implementations, it is necessary to separate the multicomponent m-D signal that contains missing samples. To address this issue, an optimization model has been developed to recover and decompose multicomponent m-D signals with missing samples. To solve the underlying optimization problem, a two-algorithm-based alternate iteration framework is proposed. This method uses three techniques—the null space property, ridge regression method, and matching pursuit principle—to estimate the individual component, complex-valued differential operator, and regularization parameter. Finally, as shown by both simulation and measured data processing results, the proposed method can accurately separate the multicomponent m-D signal from incomplete data.
Hydrogen-Bond Acidic Materials in Acoustic Wave Sensors for Nerve Chemical Warfare Agents’ Detection
Authors: Grabka Michał , Jasek Krzysztof , Witkiewicz Zygfryd
Published: April 2024

The latest trends in the field of the on-site detection of chemical warfare agents (CWAs) involve increasing the availability of point detectors to enhance the operational awareness of commanders and soldiers. Among the intensively developed concepts aimed at meeting these requirements, wearable detectors, gas analyzers as equipment for micro- and mini-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and distributed sensor networks can be mentioned. One of the analytical techniques well suited for use in this field is surface acoustic wave sensors, which can be utilized to construct lightweight, inexpensive, and undemanding gas analyzers for detecting CWAs. This review focuses on the intensively researched and developed variant of this technique, utilizing absorptive sensor layers dedicated for nerve CWAs’ detection. The paper describes the mechanism of the specific interaction occurring between the target analyte and the sensing layer, which serves as the foundation for their selective detection. The main section of this paper includes a chronological review of individual achievements in the field, largely based on the peer-reviewed scientific literature dating back to the mid-1980s to the present day. The final section presents conclusions regarding the prospects for the development of this analytical technique in the targeted application.
The Strong Coupling Effect between Metallic Split-Ring Resonators and Molecular Vibrations in Polymethyl Methacrylate
Authors: Liu Ya , Maqbool Esha , Han Zhanghua
Published: April 2024

We propose and study a nanoscale strong coupling effect between metamaterials and polymer molecular vibrations using metallic split-ring resonators (SRRs). Specifically, we first provided a numerical investigation of the SRR design, which was followed by an experimental demonstration of strong coupling between mid-infrared magnetic dipole resonance supported by the SRRs fabricated on a calcium fluoride substrate and polymethyl methacrylate molecular vibrations at 1730 cm−1. Characterized by the anti-crossing feature and spectral splitting behaviors in the transmission spectra, these results demonstrate efficient nanoscale manipulation of light–matter interactions between phonon vibrations and metamaterials.
Double-Clad Antiresonant Hollow-Core Fiber and Its Comparison with Other Fibers for Multiphoton Micro-Endoscopy
Authors: Szwaj Marzanna , Davidson Ian A. , Johnson Peter B. , Jasion Greg , Jung Yongmin , Sandoghchi Seyed Reza , Herdzik Krzysztof P. , Bourdakos Konstantinos N. , Wheeler Natalie V. , Mulvad Hans Christian , Richardson David J. , Poletti Francesco , Mahajan Sumeet
Published: April 2024

Label-free and multiphoton micro-endoscopy can transform clinical histopathology by providing an in situ tool for diagnostic imaging and surgical treatment in diseases such as cancer. Key to a multiphoton imaging-based micro-endoscopic device is the optical fiber, for distortion-free and efficient delivery of ultra-short laser pulses to the sample and effective signal collection. In this work, we study a new hollow-core (air-filled) double-clad anti-resonant fiber (DC-ARF) as a high-performance candidate for multiphoton micro-endoscopy. We compare the fiber characteristics of the DC-ARF with a single-clad anti-resonant fiber (SC-ARF) and a solid core fiber (SCF). In this work, while the DC-ARF and the SC-ARF enable low-loss (<0.2 dBm−1), close to dispersion-free excitation pulse delivery (<10% pulse width increase at 900 nm per 1 m fiber) without any induced non-linearities, the SCF resulted in spectral broadening and pulse-stretching (>2000% of pulse width increase at 900 nm per 1 m fiber). An ideal optical fiber endoscope needs to be several meters long and should enable both excitation and collection through the fiber. Therefore, we performed multiphoton imaging on endoscopy-compatible 1 m and 3 m lengths of fiber in the back-scattered geometry, wherein the signals were collected either directly (non-descanned detection) or through the fiber (descanned detection). Second harmonic images were collected from barium titanate crystals as well as from biological samples (mouse tail tendon). In non-descanned detection conditions, the ARFs outperformed the SCF by up to 10 times in terms of signal-to-noise ratio of images. Significantly, only the DC-ARF, due to its high numerical aperture (NA) of 0.45 and wide-collection bandwidth (>1 µm), could provide images in the de-scanned detection configuration desirable for endoscopy. Thus, our systematic characterization and comparison of different optical fibers under different image collection configurations, confirms and establishes the utility of DC-ARFs for high-performing label-free multiphoton imaging-based micro-endoscopy.
Low-Cost Approach to an Instream Water Depth Sensor Construction Using Differential Pressure Sensors and Arduino Microcontrollers
Authors: Pearce Reagan H. , Chadwick Michael A. , Main Bruce , Chan Kris , Sayer Carl D. , Patmore Ian R.
Published: April 2024

Accurate hydrological data with high spatial resolution is important for flood risk and water resource management, particularly under the context of climate change. The cost of monitoring networks, as well as the characteristics of the hydrological environment itself, can be a barrier to meeting these data requirements, however. This study covers the design and testing of a low-cost, “build-it-yourself”, instream water depth sensor providing an assessment of its potential in future hydrological monitoring projects. The low-cost sensor was built using an Arduino microcontroller, a differential pressure sensor and a thermistor, a real-time clock, and an SD card module. The low-cost logger was deployed in tandem with a factory-calibrated Solinst®LevelLogger® 5 Junior for 6 months in the River Wissey, UK. We found the mean absolute error of the Arduino-based logger relative to the commercial setup to be ±0.69 cm for water depth and ±0.415 °C for water temperature. Economically, the Arduino-based logger offers an advantage, costing a total of £133.35 (USD 168.26 at time of publication) comparative to the industrial comparison’s cost of £408 (USD 514.83 at time of publication). This study concludes that the low cost of the Arduino-based logger gives a strong advantage to its incorporation in hydrological data collection, if the trade-offs (i.e., time investment and accuracy) are considered acceptable and appropriate for a project.
A Multi-Modal Egocentric Activity Recognition Approach towards Video Domain Generalization
Authors: Papadakis Antonios , Spyrou Evaggelos
Published: April 2024

Egocentric activity recognition is a prominent computer vision task that is based on the use of wearable cameras. Since egocentric videos are captured through the perspective of the person wearing the camera, her/his body motions severely complicate the video content, imposing several challenges. In this work we propose a novel approach for domain-generalized egocentric human activity recognition. Typical approaches use a large amount of training data, aiming to cover all possible variants of each action. Moreover, several recent approaches have attempted to handle discrepancies between domains with a variety of costly and mostly unsupervised domain adaptation methods. In our approach we show that through simple manipulation of available source domain data and with minor involvement from the target domain, we are able to produce robust models, able to adequately predict human activity in egocentric video sequences. To this end, we introduce a novel three-stream deep neural network architecture combining elements of vision transformers and residual neural networks which are trained using multi-modal data. We evaluate the proposed approach using a challenging, egocentric video dataset and demonstrate its superiority over recent, state-of-the-art research works.
Exploring Landscape Values and Willingness to Pay for Perceived Ecosystem Services: The Case of Malampaya Sound, a Socio-Ecological Production Landscape and Seascape
Authors: Uchiyama Christmas , Ichikawa Kaoru , Saito Osamu
Published: April 2024

Since the 1990s, the Philippines has established numerous protected areas aimed at preserving regions with distinct biological and ecological characteristics. However, transitioning towards a more comprehensive approach to managing these protected areas, one that effectively conserves biodiversity while also supporting the welfare of local communities, remains a formidable task. Understanding the sources of the goods and services upon which communities rely, whether directly or indirectly, and their perceptions of ecosystem services (ESs) is a crucial aspect that can inform decision-making for both protected area managers and policymakers. This research specifically examines the mapping of landscape values as perceived by local communities within Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape (MSPLS) in the Philippines. Using survey questionnaires administered to 114 randomly selected participants, the study identifies the ESs within MSPLS and maps the associated landscape values. The respondents were tasked with assigning values to the ESs using a typology of 14 landscape values, and their willingness to pay (WTP) to enhance the ESs within MSPLS was also investigated. Analysis of socio-demographic data, the identified ESs, and the perceived landscape values was conducted to uncover significant relationships between the variables. Our findings reveal that the respondents prioritize provisioning services, particularly fisheries, agriculture, and agroforestry. Regarding landscape value preferences, economic value is most prominently perceived (37.4%), followed by subsistence value (30.8%) and life-sustaining value (6.8%). This study further unveils the socio-economic factors influencing the ranking of ESs and trends in WTP for ES improvements in Malampaya. Additionally, a potential payment for ecosystem services scheme in MSPLS is estimated at PHP 532,000, approximately USD 10,600.
The Influence of Online Reviews on the Purchasing Decisions of Travel Consumers
Authors: Wu Qin-Min
Published: April 2024

In this study, we investigate the impact of online review characteristics on consumers’ purchasing decisions in the context of spatial distance. We consider the product experience of online travel routes, geographical location characteristics, and price adjustment factors, as well as the dynamics between consumers and businesses during the booking of travel routes. Through empirical research and large-scale data simulation experiments, we have found that the variability in attributes of tourist routes significantly influences the user recommendation rate, while the overall rating has a positive moderating effect. Furthermore, the number of reviews negatively moderates the relationship between them. Additionally, the product information and service quality of tourist routes also significantly affect the recommendation rate. Finally, we propose a management strategy for tourism route managers to enhance user recommendation rates and achieve greater benefits.
Promoting Waterbird Conservation Behavior: The Effects of Internet Memes and Co-Creation Engagement on Biodiversity-Led Sustainability
Authors: Kong Sining
Published: April 2024

Waterbird plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystem services and serves as a bioindicator of ecological conditions. However, people are not fully aware of the benefits waterbirds bring to ecosystem and how biodiversity conservation contributes to sustainability. This study aims to promote waterbird conservation behavior by using participatory internet memes. The internet memes feature humor and participatory culture, and they have been used to promote environmental campaigns. This study explores how co-creation engagement interacts with different types of memes regarding the online civic engagement in an animal conservation campaign and the underlying mechanisms in that process. A 3 (meme types: high humor meme without text vs. low humor meme without text vs. typical high humor meme with text) X 2 (engagement: co-creation engagement vs. non-co-creation engagement) between subject online experiment was used in this study. The results showed three causal routes—absorption, perceived humor, and perceived cuteness—that mediated the effect between high humor memes and online civic engagement. Furthermore, this study revealed under what circumstance low humor memes are effective in promoting civic engagement in environmental communication.
Improving Physical and Chemical Properties of Saline Soils with Fly Ash Saline and Alkaline Amendment Materials
Authors: An Changcong , Han Fenglan , Li Ning , Zheng Jintao , Li Maohui , Liu Yanan , Liu Haipeng
Published: April 2024

Studies have demonstrated that the physicochemical properties of saline soils can be improved, and crop growth can be promoted by fly ash saline and alkaline soil amendment materials. Herein, the effects of fly ash saline and alkaline soil amendment materials on the physical and chemical properties of saline soil and growth conditions of Arrhenatherum elatius at room temperature were evaluated. Meanwhile, planting experiments of Zea mays L. were conducted in the demonstration field of saline–alkaline land amendment in Yinchuan, Ningxia. The results showed that the application of amendment materials significantly (p < 0.05) improved saline soil’s physical and chemical properties. The saline soil pH decreased from an average of 10.51 to 8.89; the Na+ content decreased from an average of 2.93 g·kg−1 to 0.7 g·kg−1 after 25 days of action. In addition, the soil bulk density decreased from an average of 1.49 g·cm−3 to 1.36 g·cm−3, and the total porosity increased by 15.60%. Soil available phosphorus and available potassium content also increased significantly, with mean values increasing from 6.74 mg·kg−1 and 173 mg·kg−1 to 58.30 mg·kg−1 and 330.76 mg·kg−1, respectively. In addition, the plant height and stem thickness of Arrhenatherum elatius increased from an average of 11.76 cm, 1.28 mm to 21.72 cm, 1.59 mm with the application of 2.5 wt% amendment material. The plant height and stem thickness of Zea mays L. increased from mean values of 210 cm and 21.94 mm to 315.7 cm and 26.75 mm, respectively, when 0.07 t·hm−2 of amendment material was applied in the field. Overall, it was concluded that applying fly ash saline and alkaline soil amendment materials improves the physicochemical properties of saline soils, reducing saline stress and promoting the growth of Arrhenatherum elatius and Zea mays L.
The Relationship between Leadership and Performance in Enhancing the Sustainability of Social Enterprises
Authors: Jeong Mugoan
Published: April 2024

As social enterprises are established for the purpose of solving local problems, the sustainability of social enterprises is also important for local development. In order to increase the sustainability of social enterprises, performance improvement is necessary, and research on finding leadership styles suitable for social enterprises continues to be an important method of performance improvement. However, despite considerable interest in social enterprises over the past few decades, no consistent conclusion has been reached about what leadership style is appropriate for social enterprises. The present study aimed to find a suitable leadership style for social enterprises within the major leadership styles recognized in commercial enterprises. This study investigated the impact of the three major leadership styles in commercial enterprises on satisfaction and performance in social enterprises. Based on prior research, transformational leadership, with its capacity to promote change and support the achievement of goals, was considered appropriate for social enterprises, and entrepreneurship was also considered as challenge is important for balancing economic and social purposes. Servant leadership also focused on the importance of providing support for employees on the basis that employees’ success is the success of social enterprises. In this study, in order to broadly understand the performance of different leadership styles, job satisfaction and leader satisfaction were considered at the individual level, and economic performance and social performance were considered at the firm level. To support the argument of this study, the researcher aimed to survey employees who perceive a leader as possessing leadership qualities in social enterprises. For this purpose, a survey on transaction leadership was conducted among employees who participated in a three-week training session related to social enterprises. And on the last day of training, three leadership and four outcome variables were surveyed. Analyzing data form 170 respondents in 52 social enterprises whose evaluation of their leader’s transactional leadership was higher than the average, the present study found that transformational leadership had a positive relationship with all four variables considered as leadership outcomes. And this study found evidence that entrepreneurship had a positive relationship with job and leader satisfactions, but the impact of entrepreneurship on economic and social performance was insignificant. However, servant leadership had a positive relationship with leader satisfaction and social performance, but the impact of servant leadership on job satisfaction and economic performance was insignificant. These results contribute to confirming that the emphasis on leadership styles in commercial enterprises can effectively operate in social enterprises as well, and that the effectiveness of leadership can vary depending on the desired outcomes.
Distributed Optimization of Multi-Microgrid Integrated Energy System with Coordinated Control of Energy Storage and Carbon Emissions
Authors: Shi Linjun , Cen Zimeng , Li Yang , Wu Feng , Lin Keman , Yang Dongmei
Published: April 2024

The mutual optimization of a multi-microgrid integrated energy system (MMIES) can effectively improve the overall economic and environmental benefits, contributing to sustainability. Targeting a scenario in which an MMIES is connected to the same node, an energy storage coordination control strategy and carbon emissions management strategy are proposed, and an adaptive step-size method is applied to improve the distributed optimization of MMIESs based on the alternating direction multiplier method (ADMM). Firstly, the basic framework of MMIESs is established, and a coordinated control strategy limiting the time of charge and the discharge of the battery storage system (BSS) is proposed. Then a multi-objective optimization model based on operating and environmental cost is formulated. Considering that different microgrids may be managed by different operators and a different convergence speed of multi-objective optimization iteration, an adaptive step-size distributed iterative optimization method based on ADMM is used, which can effectively reduce the cost and protect the privacy of each microgrid. Finally, a system composed of three microgrids is taken as an example for simulation analysis. The results of distributed optimization are accurate, and the proposed coordinated control strategy can effectively enhance the revenue of ESS, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Rural Industrial Integration and New Urbanization in China: Coupling Coordination, Spatial–Temporal Differentiation, and Driving Factors
Authors: Wu Yunqing , Tang Yuying , Sun Xuesong
Published: April 2024

Understanding the coupling coordination status between rural industrial integration (RII) and new urbanization (NU) is critical for the Chinese government to optimize policies that promote the synergetic and sustainable development of RII and NU. Based on constructing evaluation index systems, this paper uses the entropy value method, coupling coordination degree model, exploratory spatial analysis method, gravity center model, and geographical detector model to reveal the characteristics of the spatial–temporal differentiation of the coupling coordination and its driving factors in China. The results show that: (1) The regional differences in the coupling coordination degree between RII and NU are obvious, and the coupling coordination degree of China’s three economic regions are all in an increasing trend, but the mean values in the central and western regions are always below the national average. (2) The coupling coordination degree has significant spatial agglomeration characteristics, but the regional differences are gradually decreasing. The whole country is still dominated by the low–low agglomeration, and the provinces with the high–high agglomeration are mainly located in the eastern region. (3) The gravity center of the coupling coordination degree has moved in both the east–west and north–south directions from 2011 to 2021, but the movement trend in the north–south direction is more obvious. (4) The economic development level, industrial structure, transportation conditions, government support capacity, financial support level, and agricultural mechanization level are important factors driving the spatial–temporal variation, and their interactions will enhance the differentiation. The results can provide a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for relevant government departments in China to promote the sustainable development of RII and NU.