bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Uses of Wild Edible Trees by a Nahua-Origin Community in Western Mexico
Authors: Pacheco-Flores Alana , Ortega-Álvarez Rubén , Carrillo-Galván María Guadalupe , Cach-Pérez Manuel J. , Ruiz-Villarreal Emanuel , Casas Alejandro
Published: November 2024

Wild edible trees (WETs) play an important role in the diet of many rural communities. Therefore, research on their use and management is important to support both food sovereignty and local conservation of biocultural resources. We evaluated the different uses of WETs by the community of Zacualpan, Colima, in western Mexico, through 32 semi-structured interviews registering the species richness, plant parts consumed, and non-food uses. Additional information was collected on their management, availability, and forms of preparation. We used a cultural salience index to determine the food importance of the WETs mentioned. We registered 33 edible tree species (26 wild, 3 native crops, and 4 exotic crops) that were most commonly consumed as fruits or seeds. WETs were also used for fuel, live fences, timber, handicrafts, medicine, shade, fodder, poles, utensils, construction, tanning, soap, and paper. Pithecellobium dulce had the highest food salience, followed by Spondias purpurea, Leucaena esculenta, Leucaena leucocephala, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, and Jacaratia mexicana. Salient wild trees were collected in the wild and promoted in agroforestry systems. These trees provided food during the dry season and also had the highest number of additional uses. Promoting the biocultural value of WETs and their sustainable use can favor ecosystem conservation and local food sovereignty.
Physiological Mechanism of EBR for Grain-Filling and Yield Formation of Tartary Buckwheat
Authors: Liu Han , Wang Qiang , Cheng Ting , Wan Yan , Wei Wei , Ye Xueling , Liu Changying , Sun Wenjun , Fan Yu , Zou Liang , Guo Laichun , Xiang Dabing
Published: November 2024

Tartary buckwheat is characterized by its numerous inflorescences; however, the uneven distribution of resources can lead to an overload in certain areas, significantly limiting plant productivity. Plant growth regulators effectively modulate plant growth and development. This study investigated the effects of three concentrations of brassinosteroids (EBR) on the Tartary buckwheat cultivar with high seed-setting rates, specifically Chuanqiao No. 1 (CQ1), and low seed-setting rates, namely Xiqiao No. 1 (XQ1), through field experiments. The goal was to investigate how EBR regulates buckwheat grain-filling, enhancing the seed-setting rates, and to understand the physiological mechanisms behind this improvement. The results indicated that EBR treatment followed the typical “S” type growth curve of crops, resulting in an increase in the Tartary buckwheat grain-filling rate. Varieties with high seed-setting rates demonstrated a greater capacity for grain-filling. EBR was observed to regulate hormone content, enhance the photosynthetic capacity of Tartary buckwheat, and increase yield. This was accomplished by enhancing the accumulation of photosynthetic products during the grain-filling period. Specifically, EBR elevated the activity of several key enzymes, including pre-leaf sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), seed sucrose synthase (SS), late grain-filling acid invertase (AI), grain-filling leaf SPS, and grain SS. These changes led to an increased accumulation of sucrose and starch from photosynthetic products. In summary, the G2 concentration of EBR (0.1 mg/L) demonstrated the most significant impact on the seed-setting rates and yield enhancement of Tartary buckwheat.
Effects of Roasting on Antibacterial and Antioxidant Properties of Sophora japonica Buds—The Involvements of Rutin and Quercetin Constituents
Authors: Nguyen Hieu Chi , Hoang Hang Thi Thuy , Miyamoto Atsushi , Nguyen Tien Dung , Nguyen Ha Thi Thanh
Published: November 2024

Roasting is the most common thermal processing method established for Sophora japonica (SJ) buds applied as traditional medicines, and it has also been reported to alter several of their therapeutic functions. However, there have been no studies investigating the influences of roasting on the effects of these materials against bacteria. Therefore our study was performed to examine the alterations that this process would induce in SJ buds’ antibacterial properties. Fresh buds were subjected to hot air drying or different roasting methods, as described in Materia Medica, including yellow-, dark yellow-, scorched-, and charred-roasting conditions. Antibacterial effects, total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities, as well as rutin and quercetin concentrations in methanol extracts obtained from those materials, were then measured and compared. The results showed that dark yellow-roasted SJ buds exerted the strongest antibacterial and antioxidant activities and were also the richest in polyphenol contents. Analysis of rutin and quercetin revealed that, following the increment in heating temperatures up to 240 °C, the reduction in rutin content occurred in a parallel manner to the increment in quercetin content. However, overheating at 300 °C reduced both concentrations. Among the five tested samples, dark yellow-roasted SJ had the highest amounts of quercetin. Furthermore, the comparison of rutin and quercetin in antibacterial effects and antioxidant activities showed that the latter was significantly stronger in both of these functions, suggesting that the increment in quercetin content as a result of heat treatment was responsible, at least in part, for the potentiation of the two therapeutic effects.
Herbal Medicine in Three Different Mediterranean Living Areas During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Polyphenolic-Rich Thyme-like Plants
Authors: Khalil Mohamad , Abdallah Hala , Calasso Maria , Khalil Nour , Daher Ahmad , Missaoui Jihen , Diab Farah , Zeaiter Lama , Vergani Laura , Di Ciaula Agostino , Portincasa Piero
Published: November 2024

Despite herbal medicine being popular across the Mediterranean basin, there is no evidence in favor of COVID-19 infection. This study investigates the utilization and effects of medicinal plants in Italy, Lebanon, and Tunisia during COVID-19 and its effects on post-COVID-19 pandemics. We used a tailored, web-based “Google Form” questionnaire with the random sampling method. We gathered 812 complete responses (Italy: 116, Lebanon: 557, and Tunisia: 139), revealing diverse demographics and symptom experiences. Fatigue prevailed across all groups (89.0–94.2%), while psychological impacts ranged from 20.1% to 30.9%, with higher rates in Lebanon. Post-COVID-19 symptoms affected 22.4% (Italy), 48.8% (Lebanon), and 31.7% (Tunisia). General use of herbs was consistent (41.4–50.4%), with 23.3% (Italy), 50.2% (Lebanon), and 65.5% (Tunisia) employing herbs for COVID-19 therapy. Notably, in Lebanon, Za’atar, a thyme-like plant, correlated with reduced symptoms, suggesting potential protective effects that are likely due to its polyphenol richness. This study underscores the persistent reliance on traditional medicinal plants remedies in the Mediterranean area, with regional variations. Further exploration of herbal compounds for COVID-19-like symptoms is warranted.
Research Progress of Application and Interaction Mechanism of Polymers in Mineral Flotation: A Review
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Yang Siyuan , Huang Lingyun , Liu Shuo , Liu Cheng , Xu Jinyue
Published: November 2024

Polymers are composed of many smaller units connected by covalent bonds, with higher molecular weight and larger molecular structure. Due to their economical efficiency and easy modification, researchers have discovered the potential of polymers as the flotation reagent in mineral processing, including the roles of depressant, flocculant, and frother. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the utilization of polymers in mineral flotation, emphasizing their current applications and mechanistic investigations. The study categorizes polymers into three types: natural polymers, modified polymers, and synthesized polymers. Detailed discussions include the polymers structures, functional properties, adsorption mechanisms and specific application examples of each reagent are shown in the main text, which will provide a vital reference for the development of highly efficient and environmentally friendly reagents in mineral flotation.
Study of the Influence of Bamboo Suspension Water-Removal Processes on the Properties of Bamboo-Based Molding Materials
Authors: Zhuang Xiaowei , Li Weichen , Pan Xin , Qiao Hui , Liu Baoyong , Yang Weiming , Feng Yongshun
Published: November 2024

Bamboo is a fast-growing lignocellulosic plant in nature. It is an abundant and renewable resource with wide applications. The processing of bamboo results in a large amount of residue. In this paper, we developed a method to utilize bamboo residue to prepare a novel lightweight porous molding material. A hydrated thermochemical grinding process was proposed to disintegrate bamboo fibers and activate bamboo’s own binding components. The influence of the water removal by pressure from bamboo suspension and subsequent different drying methods on the product’s properties was evaluated. The two-step drying ensured a low production cost and high product quality. The bamboo molding material was characterized based on thermal stability, morphology, functional groups, particle size distribution, crystallinity, and mechanical strength. A lightweight porous material was obtained with a density of 0.23–0.35 g/cm3 by freeze-drying. A high mechanical strength was obtained with a tensile strength of 0.62 MPa and a compressive strength of 10.31 MPa by oven drying. The auto-adhesive mechanisms, including fiber anchorage, polymerization, water plasticization, and heat plasticization, were discussed. The bamboo molding material is a reconstruction of bamboo cell wall components and is easy to recycle. It has potential applications in construction and buildings, packaging, and indoor furnishings.
Self-Assembly of the Block Copolymer Containing Discotic Mesogens Driven by Liquid Crystalline Ordering Effect
Authors: Hou Xiaojian , Hu Lingjuan , Yang Huanzhi , Jin Bixin , Luo Yunjun , Li Xiaoyu
Published: November 2024

Block copolymers (BCPs) have attracted considerable attention due to their ability to form a variety of complex assemblies with diverse morphologies and functions in solution. By incorporating liquid crystalline (LC) moieties, the LC side chains significantly affect the morphologies and sizes of BCP assemblies. In this study, we synthesized the copolymer with an LC block containing triphenylene (HAT) discotic mesogen and short methylene side chains. By enhancing the π–π interaction between triphenylene discotic mesogens, and doping the discotic mesogens, the LC orderedness was significantly enhanced and able to dictate the self-assembly behaviors of the BCP in solution. Additionally, the lengths of resultant fibrillar micelles were easily tuned by adjusting the dopant content. More interestingly, two growth modes, nucleation growth and coupling, were observed during the formation of fibrils. Consequently, with long-term aging and sufficient concentration, a large portion of these fibrils underwent end-to-end coupling to form long fibrils, allowing the formation of organogel via inter-fibrillar entanglement.
Comment on Khan et al. Impact of Thermal Radiation on Magnetohydrodynamic Unsteady Thin Film Flow of Sisko Fluid over a Stretching Surface. Processes 2019, 7, 369
Authors: Pantokratoras Asterios
Published: November 2024

Many errors exist in the above paper.
Saturation Calculation for Low-Resistivity Reservoirs Caused by Pyrite Conductivity
Authors: Feng Meng , Zhang Zhishang , Song Zhitong , Gan Renzhong , Hu Guangwen , Li Guoli , Dou Haiquan , Deng Rui
Published: November 2024

In the current petroleum industry, as oil and gas resources are continuously developed, easily accessible reservoirs are gradually diminishing, making complex reservoirs, especially low-resistivity reservoirs, key exploration targets. By analyzing the main geological factors contributing to the formation of low-resistivity reservoirs in the LN oilfield clastic rock formations and through the integrated use of logging and petrophysical data for property modeling, we considered the impact of pyrite content on low-resistivity reservoirs and reconstructed a low-resistivity reservoir density-volume model. Using a parallel conductivity model, a saturation calculation method was established to account for the conductivity induced by pyrite in low-resistivity reservoirs, which was able to accurately identify oil layers in practical applications. This pyrite-conductivity-based method for calculating saturation in low-resistivity reservoirs effectively addresses key issues in the identification of such reservoirs, significantly improving identification accuracy. It provides a new technical approach for the evaluation and development of complex reservoirs and holds important theoretical and practical significance for enhancing the efficiency of unconventional oil and gas resource development.
Performance Analysis of Effective Methylene Blue Immobilization by Carbon Microspheres Obtained from Hydrothermally Processed Fructose
Authors: Krstić Sanja S. , Čokeša Đuro , Vujasin Radojka T. , Kaluđerović Branka V. , Momčilović Milan Z. , Jaćimovski Darko , Gurikov Pavel , Dodevski Vladimir M.
Published: November 2024

Carbon microspheres have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method with fructose and a phosphoric acid solution at two different concentrations, which were used as precursors. The obtained materials were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Batch sorption experiments were performed to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions by varying the initial concentration of MB (C0) from 50 to 500 mg/dm3, contact period, solution pH value, and temperature. Prepared sorbents consisted of microsphere particles with diameters in the range of 0.6–2.7 µm. The synthetic route was found to govern the microporous–mesoporous structure and surface acidic functional groups of the final product. A phosphoric acid concentration of 40 wt.% gave carbon material with a specific surface area of 932 m2/g and a total pore volume of 0.43 cm3/g. It was found that the extent of MB sorption by the obtained carbon microspheres increased with initial dye concentration, contact time, and especially solution pH but slightly decreased with increasing temperature. Kinetic studies showed that the dye sorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics.
Copper Anode Slime Processing with a Focus on Gold Recovery: A Review of Traditional and Recent Technologies
Authors: Moosavi-Khoonsari Elmira , Tripathi Nagendra
Published: November 2024

Copper anode slime (CAS) contains high concentrations of precious metals, particularly gold, which can reach up to 11 wt%. During copper anode electrorefining, 5–10 kg of CAS is generated per ton of copper cathode. Processing CAS is crucial for economic reasons, as gold significantly contributes to revenue for both miners and custom copper smelters. This paper provides a comprehensive review of industrial processes and technologies for CAS treatment, with a focus on gold recovery, covering studies from the early 1930s to the present. It documents traditional and recent trends and analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of existing methods. Key factors affecting revenue, such as gold production lead time, in-process inventory, and first-pass recovery rate, are discussed to mitigate losses in fluctuating gold markets. CAS processing routes are categorized into two main groups: traditional hybrid routes (involving hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, and electrorefining/electrowinning) and rather recent purely hydrometallurgical routes. Traditional methods can take up to 45 days, with gold recovery occurring late in the process and losses arising in the anode, cathode, electrolyte, or slag. In contrast, purely hydrometallurgical routes have total processing times of 7–8 days, achieve early gold recovery, and can attain first-pass recovery rates as high as 99%. Additionally, the hydrometallurgical routes are more environmentally friendly, with lower pollution levels and reduced energy consumption compared to hybrid routes. These findings indicate that purely hydrometallurgical routes outperform traditional hybrid methods. This paper aims to serve as a guideline for industrial CAS processing, assisting custom copper smelters in navigating challenging market conditions marked by low treatment and refining charges, with an emphasis on enhancing gold recovery to promote sustainability.
General Methodology for Laser Welding Finite Element Model Calibration
Authors: Urretavizcaya Uranga Gaizka , Areitioaurtena Oiartzun Maialen , Cabello Mario Javier , Molpeceres Carlos , Morales Miguel
Published: November 2024

Laser welding has become increasingly popular in recent decades due to its high processing speed and minimal heat-affected zone, which contribute to extended component lifetimes. However, the adoption of this advanced technique is often hindered by a lack of skilled personnel associated with traditional welding and limited awareness of its potential. This study proposes a straightforward methodology for developing a finite element-based thermal model for laser welding, incorporating a two-step experimental calibration process. Using temperature measurements from thermocouples and data from a welding spot test, the numerical model was calibrated to optimize combinations of welding speed and power. The study focuses on S275JR structural steel, involving initial spot weld followed by a linear welding trajectory. The results demonstrate the precision of the proposed calibration approach, as numerical predictions closely align with experimental data from all three thermocouples. The findings validate the effectiveness and accuracy of this methodology, highlighting its ability to adapt spot calibration results to more complex linear welding scenarios. Moreover, the simplicity of the process ensures it is accessible and broadly applicable across different materials and welding configurations. This work offers a reliable and resource-efficient framework for laser welding process optimization in industrial applications.
Special Issue on “Catalysis in Advanced Oxidation Processes for Environmental Remediation”
Authors: Tomašić Vesna
Published: November 2024

Current industrial development and other anthropogenic activities are leading to a dramatic increase in the concentration of pollutants in the environment and a strong dependence on non-renewable energy sources [...]
Multievent Correlation with Neutron Volume Detectors
Authors: Nachtigall Noah , Houben Andreas , Dronskowski Richard
Published: November 2024

The development of advanced volume detectors for neutron time-of-flight diffractometers offers exciting new possibilities. This work takes advantage of these advances by implementing a novel data preprocessing algorithm, exemplified for the first time with data acquired during the operation of a singular mounting unit of the POWTEX detector placed at the POWGEN instrument (SNS, ORNL, Oak Ridge, TN, USA). Our approach exploits the additional depth information provided by the volume detector needed to correlate multiple neutron events to neutron trajectories of similar origin and probability. By comparing the properties of these trajectories with the expected physical behavior, one may first identify, then label, and ultimately remove unwanted events due to phenomena such as secondary scattering within the sample environment. This capability has the potential to significantly improve the quality and information content of data collected with neutron diffractometers.
Pentecostalisation, the American Christian Right, and Civil Religion in Ghana
Authors: Haynes Jeffrey
Published: November 2024

Christianity’s political prominence in Ghana has attracted the attention of scholars interested in the wider issues of religion and politics in sub-Saharan Africa. Analyses of the political influence of Christianity in Ghana generally focus on domestic factors, without considering external actors’ involvement. This article examines the political impact of the leading form of Christianity in Ghana, Pentecostalism, in relation to both domestic and external factors. The aims of the article are, first, to explain and account for Pentecostals’ political impact in Ghana. The second aim is to explain and account for the links between elements of the American Christian Right and prominent Pentecostals in Ghana. Both support normatively conservative, even regressive, policies which, the article argues, encourages the breakdown of Ghana’s civil religion. Ghana is the first west African nation to be subject to sustained attention from elements of the US Christian Right, following similar efforts in east Africa, particularly in relation to Kenya and Uganda. This novelty makes the American Christian Right’s focus on Ghana both noteworthy and an important topic of research in the context of the internationalisation of the former. The article is divided into four sections. The introductory section presents the main sections of the article, and provides a thorough account of the background of the study. The second section surveys what has been called the ‘pentecostalisation’ of Christianity in Ghana, which aligns with similar processes in other sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria. The third section examines the links between Ghana’s Pentecostals and elements of the American Christian Right and explains how this helps to fuel a breakdown Ghana’s longstanding allegiance to civil religion. The final section describes the main political result: the scapegoating and criminalisation of Ghana’s numerically small, beleaguered gay community.
The Formation of Young People to Faith in God: An Evaluation of the “Youth on the Threshold” Programme Based on a Survey in the Diocese of Tarnów, Poland
Authors: Przygoda Wiesław , Chrupek Tomasz
Published: November 2024

The process of moving away from faith in God has taken place in Europe with varying dynamics in individual countries at least since the end of the Second World War. In Poland, secularisation slowed down significantly during the Communist period; however, it gained momentum after the changes initiated in 1989 and after Poland’s accession to the European Union in 2004. The process of departing from faith in God was strongly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and this trend was particularly noticeable among young Poles. In the context of cultural change, the formation of young people to faith in God has become a major challenge for Christian churches. The Catholic Church—not only in Poland—is searching for new forms, ways and programmes of religious formation for young people. Fourteen dioceses in Poland are implementing a three-year formation programme titled “Youth on the Threshold” (Polish: “Młodzi na Progu”). It was initiated in the Diocese of Gliwice in 2004, has its own website and is constantly being developed. In 2021, a youth survey was conducted in the Diocese of Tarnów to evaluate this programme. The results of this evaluation, when compared with surveys of religiousness in youth in general, show its positive effects on the continuation of and even the development of faith in God. This article first presents the main assumptions of the “Youth on the Threshold” programme and then the results of its evaluation based on a survey about faith in God conducted among those who completed the programme.
The Impact of Hard Coal Mining on the Long-Term Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Land Subsidence in the Urban Area (Bielszowice, Poland)
Authors: Machowski Robert , Solarski Maksymilian , Rzetala Martyna A. , Rzetala Mariusz , Hamdaoui Abderrahman
Published: November 2024

This article presents the results of long-term monitoring of land subsidence in the Bielszowice area (Upper Silesian Coal Basin) using archival maps from the late 19th and 20th centuries, as well as contemporary LIDAR models from 2012 and 2022. The research work conducted included an analysis of subsidence caused by mining activities based on four terrain models: a historical terrain model obtained by digitizing Messtischblätter topographic maps, showing the land surface in 1883, a terrain model obtained by vectorizing Polish topographic maps from 1993, and LIDAR digital terrain models from 2012 and 2022. The study shows that over a period of 139 years, the study area subsided by an average of 9.5 m, which translated into an anthropogenic land subsidence rate of 68 mm/year and a subsidence volume of 100.5 million m3. The greatest subsidence occurred in the northern part of the study area, where basins with depths exceeding 30 m (the maximum subsidence amounted to 36 m) emerged. During the 139 years studied, land subsidence affected the entire area that was built up until 2022. Overall, 38.9% of built-up areas subsided by less than 10 m, 54.0% was subject to subsidence ranging between 10 and 20 m, and subsidence of more than 20 m affected 7.1% of the areas. Such large-scale subsidence in an urbanized area resulted in mining damage to houses and other infrastructure (e.g., railroads, roads); in extreme cases, some structures had to be demolished. Bielszowice is a good example of an area where spatial conflicts have emerged that have been related to the activities of industrial plants on the one hand and the development of urban areas on the other.
The Impact of Consecutive Tropical Cyclones on Changes in Environmental Factors and Phytoplankton Distributions in Overlapping Areas
Authors: Chen Ying , Zhao Hui , Gao Hui
Published: November 2024

Tropical cyclones are known to have significant ecological impacts, particularly on marine productivity. This study investigates the effects of two tropical cyclones (TC “MARIA” and TC “AMPIL”) on changes in environmental factors and phytoplankton in overlapping marine areas during August 2024. Our findings indicated that TC “MARIA”, despite its lower wind speeds, resulted in significant increases in surface chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) due to its prolonged duration, while depth-integrated Chl-a showed a declining trend, suggesting limitations on phytoplankton growth due to water column instability and reduced light availability. In contrast, TC “AMPIL”, with its higher wind speeds and faster translation speed, caused more immediate disturbances, leading to increases in surface Chl-a. However, the depth-integrated Chl-a did not significantly increase, as phytoplankton growth was hindered by the succession of the two typhoons. Additionally, we observed a pronounced cooling in sea surface temperature after both typhoons, likely linked to ongoing mixing processes and atmospheric influences. This study can provide us with more insights into the interaction between tropical cyclone dynamics and marine ecology.
Generalized Extraction of Bolts, Mesh, and Rock in Tunnel Point Clouds: A Critical Comparison of Geometric Feature-Based Methods Using Random Forest and Neural Networks
Authors: Weidner Luke , Walton Gabriel
Published: November 2024

Automatically identifying mine and tunnel infrastructure elements, such as rock bolts, from point cloud data improves deformation and quality control analyses and could ultimately contribute to improved safety on engineering projects. However, we hypothesize that existing methods are sensitive to small changes in object characteristics across datasets if trained insufficiently, and previous studies have only investigated single datasets. In this study, we present a cross-site training (generalization) investigation for a multi-class tunnel infrastructure classification task on terrestrial laser scanning data. In contrast to previous work, the novelty of this work is that the models are trained and tested across multiple datasets collected in different tunnels. We used two random forest (RF) implementations and one neural network (NN), as proposed in recent studies, on four datasets collected in different mines and tunnels in the US and Canada. We labeled points as belonging to one of four classes—rock, bolt, mesh, and other—and performed cross-site training experiments to evaluate accuracy differences between sites. In general, we found that the NN and RF models had similar performance to each other, and that same-site classification was generally successful, but cross-site performance was much lower and judged as not practically useful. Thus, our results indicate that standard geometric features are often insufficient for generalized classification of tunnel infrastructure, and these types of methods are most successful when applied to specific individual sites using interactive software for classification. Possible future research directions to improve generalized performance are discussed, including domain adaptation and deep learning methods.
An Approach for Modeling and Simulation of Virtual Sensors in Automatic Control Systems Using Game Engines and Machine Learning
Authors: Rosas João , Palma Luís Brito , Antunes Rui Azevedo
Published: November 2024

We live in an era characterized by Society 4.0 and Industry 4.0 where successive innovations that are more or less disruptive are occurring. Within this context, the modeling and simulation of dynamic supervisory and control systems require dealing with more sophistication and complexity, with effects in terms of development errors and higher costs. One of the most difficult aspects of simulating these systems is the handling of vision sensors. The current tools provide these sensors but in a specific and limited way. This paper describes a six-step approach to sensor virtualization. For testing the approach, a simulation platform based on game engines was developed. As contributions, the platform can simulate dynamic systems, including industrial processes with vision sensors. Furthermore, the proposed virtualization approach allows for the modeling of sensors in a systematic way, reducing the complexity and effort required to simulate this type of system.
Exploiting Bacterial Pigmentation for Non-Destructive Detection of Seed-Borne Pathogens by Using Photoacoustic Techniques
Authors: Cavigli Lucia , Gaudioso Dario , Faraloni Cecilia , Agati Giovanni , Tegli Stefania
Published: November 2024

Seed-borne pathogens pose a significant threat to global food security. This study focuses on Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens pv. flaccumfaciens (Cff), a quarantine plant pathogen causing bacterial wilt of common beans. Despite its global spread and economic impact, effective control measures are limited. Existing diagnostic methods, such as PCR, are time-consuming, destructive, and challenging for large-scale screening. This study explores the potential of photoacoustic techniques as a non-destructive, rapid, and high-throughput alternative. These techniques leverage the photoacoustic effect to measure optical absorption, offering high sensitivity and accuracy. Cff colonies exhibit distinct pigmentation, suggesting their suitability for photoacoustic detection. We characterised the optical properties of Cff and developed an in vitro model to simulate conditions within Cff-infected bean seeds. The results demonstrate the efficiency of the photoacoustic technique in detecting Cff in a mimicked-bean seed and indicate the potential discrimination of different coloured Cff strains. This study paves the way for a novel, non-invasive approach to the early detection of Cff and other seed-borne pathogens, contributing to improve crop health and food security.
What Role Does Medical Anthropology Play in Medical Education? A Scoping Review
Authors: Costa Davide , Serra Raffaele
Published: November 2024

Background: The medical humanities (MH) are important in medical education, and one of the most relevant is medical anthropology. This discipline constitutes the bridge between the biomedical world and the human sciences because it can detect social, cultural, and psychological variables that can act as barriers to the provision of medical services in epidemic contexts, combining knowledge of pathologies in different cultures and epidemiology. Based on what has been reported so far, this article starts with a research question: what is the role of medical anthropology in medical education? Methods: A scoping review was established according to the PRISMAScR method to try to understand the role of this discipline in medical education. Results: In total, 22 articles were included, and the extracted data were organized into different themes: the reasons for teaching anthropology to medical students, methods used that are useful for medical students, teaching methods and techniques, and some problems regarding anthropology in medical education. Conclusions: The MH may support the decision-making of physicians, thus improving several physician skills to deliver the most appropriate care to patients. On the other hand, medical sciences may provide important feedback on medical anthropology to have an actual impact on curing and caring processes.
Educational Quality vs. Stress Impact: Assessing Student Well-Being in Moroccan Higher Education
Authors: Elmouhib Soufiane , Goumrhare Rachida , Moussa Abdelkarim , Benraiss Bouchra , Benraiss Amina
Published: November 2024

Amidst significant reforms in Moroccan higher education designed to enhance educational quality and align with the evolving demands of the job market, this study examined the primary factors influencing students’ quality of life. Using a quantitative methodology, we surveyed students from various Moroccan higher education institutions to assess key elements including the quality of higher education services, academic stress, and financial stress. Structural equation modeling, conducted through SMART-PLS on data from 426 student responses, revealed that higher education quality positively impacts students’ well-being, while academic and financial stress significantly undermine their quality of life, emphasizing the need to address these stressors. These results offer valuable insights for policymakers and education leaders, emphasizing the need to prioritize service quality improvement and stress reduction strategies to foster better educational outcomes and an enhanced student experience.
The Effect of Polarized Training Intensity Distribution on Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Work Economy Among Endurance Athletes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nøst Henrik Lyngstad , Aune Morten Andreas , van den Tillaar Roland
Published: November 2024

High-intensity training (HIT) has commonly been the most effective training method for improvement in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and work economy, alongside a substantial volume of low-intensity training (LIT). The polarized training model combines both low- and high-intensity training into a specific training intensity distribution and has gained attention as a comprehensive approach. The objective of this review was to systematically search the literature in order to identify the effects of polarized training intensity distribution on VO2max, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and work economy among endurance athletes. A literature search was performed using PubMed and SPORTDiscus. A total of 1836 articles were identified, and, after the selection process, 14 relevant studies were included in this review. The findings indicate that a polarized training approach seems to be effective for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy over a short-term period for endurance athletes. Specifically, a training intensity distribution involving a moderate to high volume of HIT (15–20%) combined with a substantial volume of LIT (75–80%) appears to be the most beneficial for these improvements. It was concluded that polarized training is a beneficial approach for enhancing VO2max, VO2peak, and work economy in endurance athletes. However, the limited number of studies restricts the generalizability of these findings.
Women’s Empowerment in Rural Tourism as Key to Sustainable Communities’ Transformation
Authors: Vujko Aleksandra , Karabašević Darjan , Cvijanović Drago , Vukotić Svetlana , Mirčetić Vuk , Brzaković Pavle
Published: November 2024

The study focuses on the significance of empowering women, which plays a crucial role in the sustainable transformation of rural communities. It highlights the relevance of rural tourism as both an indicator of women’s livelihoods and a catalyst for meaningful change. Increasingly, women are forming associations that not only foster positive interactions among themselves but also extend their influence to other women within their communities. The research aimed to address two key questions: “What actions would you undertake in the realm of rural tourism?” and “What does the advancement of rural tourism mean for you on a personal level?” To analyze the data, factor analysis was employed to categorize the variables alongside structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings identified six distinct factors and demonstrated the interrelationship among these factors. The findings indicate that women willingly choose to participate in rural tourism, predominantly involving activities related to domestic food and beverages, tourism and hospitality, and the production and sale of souvenirs. This addresses the first inquiry. The responses to the second inquiry identified factors such as empowerment, independence, and development. This supports the initial hypothesis H, which posits that rural tourism acts as a measure of women’s empowerment, resulting in significant changes within the rural communities in which these women reside. The research outcomes are relevant to all rural regions in Serbia and its vicinity, where women’s roles are often marginalized and a transformation is essential.
Predicting Self-Heating Temperature and Influencing Factors in the Cement Composite Mixed with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Using Machine Learning
Authors: Lee Jaewon , Yun Hyojeong , Cha Yoonseon , Chung Wonseok
Published: November 2024

The self-heating temperature of the cement composite mixed with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT–cement composite) is influenced by several factors, including the concentration of nano-material. However, conducting experiments to measure this temperature is time-consuming and expensive. Additionally, there are challenges in elucidating the correlations between the various influencing factors of the MWCNT–cement composite and its self-heating temperature. This study utilizes machine learning (ML) to predict the self-heating temperature of the MWCNT–cement composite and identify the correlation with influencing factors. ML techniques, including Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), and Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM), were employed. These ML models were optimized through hyperparameter tuning and k-fold cross-validation. The predictive performance of each model was evaluated using R2, mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), and root mean square error (RMSE) metrics. All ML models exhibited high predictive performance, with the GBM model demonstrating the best thermal prediction capability, achieving an R2 value of 0.9795. Subsequently, the GBM model was used to analyze the major factors affecting the self-heating temperature of the MWCNT–cement composite. The analysis revealed that the concentration of MWCNTs, the amount of voltage, and the outdoor temperature are significant factors determining the self-heating temperature. Furthermore, it was found that the self-heating temperature of the MWCNT–cement composite increases as the concentration of MWCNTs and the amount of voltage increase and as the distance of the mesh decreases.
Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Soil Erosion in Dondor Watershed, Blue Nile Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Birhanu Liyew , Mekonen Yared , Tilahun Abineh , Amsalu Nigussie , Balzter Heiko
Published: November 2024

Understanding how land use and land cover (LULC) changes affect soil erosion is essential for effective management of watershed areas. This study used Geographic Information Systems (GISs) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model to analyze the impact of LULC changes on soil erosion in the Dondor Watershed. Remote sensing data, including Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellite images, alongside field surveys, topographic data, rainfall, and soil data were used. The results showed agricultural land as the primary LULC type, increasing from 43.49% in 2002 to 59.10% in 2023. Forest and built-up areas also expanded, while grassland decreased. Soil erosion estimates revealed that more than 85% of the watershed experienced very slight erosion though the average annual soil loss increased from 4.98 t ha⁻1 year⁻1 in 2002 to 7.96 t ha⁻1 year⁻1 in 2023. Agriculture and built-up areas were identified as the primary contributors to erosion. This study underscores the importance of monitoring LULC dynamics for responsible land management and conservation efforts in the watershed.
Digital Economy, Logistics Development, and the Increase in Farmers’ Income: An Empirical Analysis of the Eastern Economic Region of China
Authors: Miao Xiaohong , Li Zhongbin , Ning Manxiu , Xu Anxin
Published: November 2024

In the context of China’s “Rural revitalization via digital commerce”, this study explored the impact of the digital economy on farmers’ income and the path mechanism of logistics development. On the basis of the panel data of 71 cities in the Eastern Economic Region of China from 2013–2021, this paper calculates the level of the digital economy and uses the level of logistics development as a moderating variable. Then, the basic transmission mechanism and the heterogeneous transmission mechanism are used to empirically analyze the impact of the digital economy on the income of farmers, exploring the nonlinear link between the digital economy and farmers’ income. The analysis revealed that (1) the development of the digital economy has a significant positive effect on farmers’ income. (2) The impact of the digital economy on the advancement of logistics development showed a delayed phenomenon. (3) The indirect effect of the digital economy on farmers’ income growth also lagged. In this way, this study verified the practical significance of “Rural revitalization via digital commerce” and proposed corresponding recommendations for promoting the development of the digital economy and rural logistics.
Triple Bottom Line Scenario Sites as Boundary Objects for Integrating Diverse Disciplines in Convergent Research
Authors: Deviney Alison V. , Bhadha Jehangir H. , Crane Lucas , Cuchiara Maude , Delanthamajalu Shwetha , Gatiboni Luciano , Guzman Sandra M. , Hendren Christine Ogilvie , Marshall Anna-Maria , Morrison Elise , Nelson Natalie G. , Rickabaugh Jay , Sozzani Rosangela , Westerhoff Paul , Jones Jacob L.
Published: November 2024

Today’s challenges with sustainability are driven by complexity, lack necessary information, resist straightforward solutions, span multiple scales, and encompass diverse or sometimes conflicting perspectives. To tackle these issues effectively, research organizations need tools that support and accelerate the integration of disciplinary knowledge across both natural and social sciences so that they can explore and execute workable solutions. Boundary objects are tools that can bring diverse perspectives together through a shared point of focus that is meaningful across different groups and perspectives, enhancing communication between them. Here, we introduce a framework to develop Triple Bottom Line Scenario Sites (TBL Sites) as “convergence” boundary objects and intervention testbeds to support a holistic approach to sustainability research within multidisciplinary and multi-institutional organizations. We describe four key criteria used to identify a potential TBL Site: (1) proximity to researchers, (2) a bounded geographic location encompassing a particular ecosystem, (3) an integrated stakeholder network, and (4) access to existing resources. We explain how TBL Sites may be used to assess research impacts on environmental, economic, and social sustainability goals. Finally, we provide examples of aquatic, agricultural, and urban TBL Sites used by the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, demonstrating how these boundary objects facilitate convergence across a large multidisciplinary research team to tackle sustainable phosphorus management.
Smart Manufacturing Promotes High-Quality Development of Enterprises in China
Authors: Zhao Dongyu , Wang Man
Published: November 2024

Smart manufacturing is the core technology of the new industrial revolution and plays a crucial role in promoting high-quality development of enterprises. By using the panel dataset from 2015 to 2022 in China and applying text analysis methods to measure the level of smart manufacturing, we examine the impact of smart manufacturing on enterprises’ high-quality development. The empirical results find that smart manufacturing significantly promotes high-quality development of enterprises, and this finding remains robust after high-dimensional fixed effects, instrumental variable, PSM-DID, and other robustness tests. Mechanism analysis indicates that smart manufacturing promotes enterprises’ high-quality development by reducing operating costs, enhancing capacity utilization, and improving technological innovation. Cross-sectional analysis reveals that the promoting effect is more obvious in manufacturing, high-tech, and labor-intensive enterprises. Expanded analysis reveals that smart manufacturing also enhances ESG performance by promoting green technological innovation and productivity. This study enriches the research on the economic effects of smart manufacturing, offering substantial theoretical and practical implications for improving corporate efficiency and quality.
Failure-Resistant Path Selection Considering Netizens’ Sentiment Orientation Under Typhoon Disasters
Authors: Zhou Zhenning , Yu Jiaqi , Gao Gao , Huang Zhengfeng , Han Jintao , Zheng Pengjun
Published: November 2024

After a typhoon disaster, selecting effective paths is crucial for ensuring the efficiency of emergency rescue operations and the distribution of essential supplies, which are vital for sustainable disaster response and community resilience. Current research into disaster scenarios is less aligned with actual scenarios as road conditions are hard to predict. This paper, set against the backdrop of typhoon disasters, employs netizens’ sentiment data to indirectly assess post-disaster road conditions and refine the calculation formula for road failure probabilities. This approach aims to identify failure-resistant paths to guide disaster relief decisions, thereby supporting sustainable disaster relief operations and minimizing resource expenditure. First, an expression form for road segment failure probability is established, considering factors such as tree falls, landslides, and waterlogging. Second, negative sentiment coefficients, derived from social media data analysis, are used to adjust road failure probabilities, reflecting the sentiments of affected communities. Then, a failure-resistant path selection model based on these adjusted road failure probabilities is proposed to enhance the resilience and sustainability of emergency transport paths. Finally, the model’s effectiveness is validated using Typhoon “In-Fa” in Ningbo as a case study.