bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linear Antenna Array Sectorized Beam Scanning Approaches Using Element Position Perturbation in the Azimuth Plane
Authors: Abd Elrahman Safaa I. , Elkhawaga Ahmed M. , Hussein Amr H. , Shaalan Abd Elhameed A.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, two sector beam scanning approaches (BSAs) based on element position perturbations (EPPs) in the azimuth plane are introduced. In EPP-BSA, the elements’ excitations are kept constant and the elements’ positions in the direction normal to the array line are changed according to a predetermined EPP pattern. The magnitude and repetition rate of the selected EPP pattern determines the steering angle of the main beam. However, EPP-BSA results in a wide scanning range with a significant increase in the side lobe level (SLL). To mitigate this drawback, a reduction in the SLL of the array pattern is firstly performed using the single convolution/genetic algorithm (SC/GA) technique and then perturbing the elements’ positions in the azimuth plane. This combination between SLL reduction and EPP-BSA (SLL/EPP-BSA) results in a smaller scanning range with a relatively constant half power beamwidth (HPBW) and a much lower SLL. In addition, keeping the synthesized excitation coefficients constant without adding progressive phase shifters facilitates the manufacturing process and reduces the cost of the feeding network. Furthermore, a planar antenna array thinning approach is proposed to realize the EPP-BSA. The results are realized using the computer simulation technology (CST) microwave studio software package, which provides users with an optimized modeling environment and results in realizable and realistic designs.
A Simulation-Based Study on the Optimal Pricing Strategy of Supply Chain System
Authors: Li Yuxian , Wang Jiuhe
Published: July 2023

In this paper, the utility function model is applied to study the pricing strategy and order/production strategy of a two-echelon supply chain. Through local point-to-point communication between multi-agents and considering the random communication delay of the system, the utility function is maximized based on the consistency theory, and the optimal price and order quantity are determined. The proposed algorithm is distributed and collaborative, which avoids the centralized demand for all node information and the drawbacks of system paralysis caused by node failure. In addition, we carried out a numerical simulation to verify the theoretical results and demonstrate the effectiveness of the multi-agent consensus theory in the stable operation of supply and demand within a supply chain when there is a random communication delay and the sudden failure of a supply chain enterprise. It further explains how the coefficient of consumer sensitivity to price affects pricing and order/production strategies.
Sustainable Management of the Public Financial Model for Sports Support in Slovakia
Authors: Varmus Michal , Kubina Milan , Mičiak Martin , Šarlák Michal , Greguška Ivan
Published: July 2023

Sports represent an undeniable value associated with people’s health and leisure time. Therefore, research on sports management related to the overall setting of a sustainable sports funding model from public resources is vital. This article’s aim was to evaluate the sustainability of this form of sports funding in Slovakia. Since there is no complete, transparent database of the allocated subsidies at the national, regional, and local levels in this country, an important part of the research was the collection of diverse pieces of data. As part of the methodology, the research combines geographical and temporal comparisons of public sports funding at all levels of management. Multiple interviews with members of the professional sports community also provided important qualitative inputs. Due to the identified shortcomings in the current state of the model of public sports funding in Slovakia, it is considered unsustainable. Therefore, the article also contains specific recommendations for the improvement and gradual removal of the identified sustainability barriers. These implications lead to the future creation of a database clearly capturing public sports funding, with rules for its permanent operation and updating. To strengthen the transparency aspect, the database can be powered by blockchain technology.
Operationalizing Carbon-Neutral Living: A Case Study of A Business Model for Carbon-Negative Products
Authors: Hong Yue-Rong , Lee Chien-Ming , Kuo Tsai-Chi
Published: July 2023

Behavior change is the last hurdle to achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, if the public does not take responsibility for emissions that arise from their life activities, low-carbon behavioral changes are unlikely to be adopted. This article introduces personal social responsibility (PSR), and advocates that individuals should make good use of consumer sovereignty and wise consumption power. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of the carbon-negative business model and, accordingly, the opportunity to practice carbon neutrality in personal life. This article uses carbon-negative commodities as a carrier to establish a new model of personal carbon trading (PCT), and introduces behavioral nudge design to encourage the public to adopt low-carbon behavior. Regression analysis shows that the sales volume of carbon-negative products and the cumulative number of members are significantly related (10% and 1% significance). This indicates that attaching 1 kg of carbon credits (costing about TWD 0.5) can stimulate sales of a carbon-negative product to increase by 1.6, making it economically feasible. This verifies that the public can accumulate carbon assets through the consumption of carbon-negative products, offset carbon emissions from daily life, and gain the opportunity to practice carbon-neutral life. Product carbon footprint labeling is the basis of this pilot project; therefore, promoting product carbon footprint labels is needed, and is recommended to ensure a successful carbon-neutral living transition.
The Use of Recycled Polymers for the Preparation of Self-Reinforced Composites by the Overmolding Technique: Materials Performance Evaluation
Authors: Andrzejewski Jacek
Published: July 2023

The presented research focused on the evaluation of the novel concept of the overmolding technique using self-reinforced composite prepregs and recycled polymer blends. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed manufacturing technique, several series of materials based on polycarbonate/polyethylene terephthalate (PC/PET) and polycarbonate/polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PC/PETG) blends were prepared. The reinforcing component in the form of overmolded prepreg was made from polyester-based self-reinforced composite (srPET). The prepared materials were compared in terms of mechanical properties and heat resistance; the study was supplemented by thermal analysis measurements. Considering the mechanical characteristics, the overmolding technique turns out to be an effective method of improving the properties of composites, and the increase in impact strength turns out to be particularly beneficial. The increase of the impact strength for the overmolded PC/PET blend reached 430% for PC/PETG sample 330%, while for the PC-based composite, only 100%. The expected improvement in thermomechanical properties turned out to be difficult to achieve due to the rapid softening of the srPET prepreg at around 70 °C. However, technological tests and properties analysis indicated that the use of PC-based blends makes it possible to create a permanent connection with reinforcement based on srPET prepregs, which can significantly expand the potential of applications of this type of material. The presented research confirmed that the self-reinforced composites can be successfully used as reinforcement for recycled polymer blends.
Sustainability Assessment of Steel Industry in the Belt and Road Area Based on DPSIR Model
Authors: Xu Jianming , Yu Qinfei , Hou Xiaoyang
Published: July 2023

The steel industry in the Belt and Road region holds significant potential for development, and the systematic evaluation of its sustainable development capacity serves as a crucial foundation for improving the investment environment in the steel industry. This study focuses on the driving forces, pressures, current status, impacts, and policy responses of the steel industry, constructing an evaluation model for the sustainable development of the steel industry in the Belt and Road region. Using this model, the sustainable development capacity of the steel industry (SCSI) in 65 countries along the Belt and Road is assessed. The results indicate the following: (1) The SCSI index in the Belt and Road region has significantly increased from 18.050 in 2000 to 22.873 in 2021. (2) Since 2005, the factors influencing the spatial differentiation of SCSI in the Belt and Road region have generally followed the pathway of “industrial infrastructure → innovation environment → global governance capacity → per capita GDP,” with domestic economic level and domestic demand exerting a substantial promoting effect on the steel industry. (3) The regional differences in SCSI within the Belt and Road region are the combined result of multiple factors, with significant composite influences from indicators such as per capita GDP, population size, industrial infrastructure, and innovation environment. To further enhance the sustainable development of the steel industry along the Belt and Road, it is necessary for each country to formulate appropriate development plans based on local conditions, emphasizing strengthened international cooperation, optimized international investment environment, enhanced policy support, and improved technological level in the steel industry.
Two Age Groups of Adult Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) as Bioindicators of Aquatic Pollution
Authors: Nikolić Dušan , Poleksić Vesna , Tasić Aleksandra , Smederevac-Lalić Marija , Djikanović Vesna , Rašković Božidar
Published: July 2023

Pikeperch of age classes 3+ and 4+ were collected from the Garaši reservoir (Serbia) to analyze their bioindicator potential and compare their possible differences. Concentrations of 26 elements were determined in gills, muscles, and liver by inductively-coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) and of 17 organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), and six polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in muscle by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). Histopathological changes in the liver and gills were analyzed as biomarkers of general fish health. Only the concentrations of Cd, Na, and P in the muscles differed significantly. The OCPs and PCBs concentrations were below the detection limits, so fish meat consumption does not pose a risk concerning these substances. Hg and Cd exceeded the maximum allowed concentrations in some 4+ individuals, probably due to biomagnification. Gills were the most affected by metal exposure in both age classes. Histopathological changes and indices were minor and did not differ significantly between age classes, suggesting that pollution did not affect the morphology and structure of gills and liver. There were no significant correlations between elemental accumulation and fish condition or between histopathological scores. Therefore, both age classes can be used as bioindicators of pollution.
Research on Rapid Congestion Identification Method Based on TSNE-FCM and LightGBM
Authors: Deng Cheng , Zhang Qiqian , Zhang Honghai , Li Jingyu , Ning Changyuan
Published: July 2023

The terminal area is a convergence point for inbound and outbound traffic, and it is characterized by a complex airspace structure and high traffic density. It is an area that frequently experiences flight congestion and ground delays. A system capable of the intelligent, reliable, timely, and accurate identification of air traffic congestion for air–ground coupled flight flow constitutes a key technology with respect to unlocking the potential capacity of the terminal area, mitigating traffic congestion, and assisting air-traffic-control-related decision making. Therefore, this article aims to extract and analyze the multi-scale and multi-dimensional evaluation indicators of air–ground coupled flight flow congestion, use the TSNE-FCM algorithm to classify congestion levels, and, based on this work, construct a real-time and fast congestion identification model using the LightGBM algorithm. The case study analyzed China Baiyun Airport (CAN), and the experimental results indicate the following: (1) The congestion level classification achieved using the TSNE-FCM algorithm is superior to that achieved using the FCM algorithm. Furthermore, flight delays predominantly occur in slightly congested and congested states. (2) The congestion identification model based on LightGBM outperforms the XGBoost, RandomForest, and ExtraTree models. The macro-average and micro-average AUC curve areas for the LightGBM model were 0.96 and 0.96, respectively. The LightGBM model demonstrates excellent performance and is suitable for identifying congestion levels in practical engineering applications.
A Comparative Analysis between Heuristic and Data-Driven Water Management Control for Precision Agriculture Irrigation
Authors: Garcia Leonardo D. , Lozoya Camilo , Favela-Contreras Antonio , Giorgi Emanuele
Published: July 2023

Modeling and control theory applied to precision agriculture irrigation systems have been essential to reduce water consumption while growing healthy crops. Specifically, implementing closed-loop control irrigation based on soil moisture measurements is an effective approach for obtaining water savings in this resource-intensive activity. To enhance this strategy, the work presented in this paper proposed a new set of water management strategies for the case in which multiple irrigation areas share a single water supply source and compared them with heuristic approaches commonly used by farmers in practice. The proposed water allocation algorithms are based on techniques used in real-time computing, such as dynamic priority and feedback scheduling. Therefore, the multi-area irrigation system is presented as a resource allocation problem with availability constraints, where water consumption represents the main optimization parameter. The obtained results show that the data-driven water allocation strategies preserve the water savings for closed-loop control systems and avoid crop water stress due to the limited access to irrigation water.
Rural Sustainable Prosperity: Social Enterprise Ecosystems as a Framework for Sustainable Rural Development
Authors: Ricket Allison L. , Jolley G. Jason , Knutsen Faith Beale , Davis Sarah C.
Published: July 2023

The fourth wave of economic development has ushered in social enterprises (SEs) that have the potential to contribute to sustainable development goals (SDGs) in rural regions that have not prospered under the economic development strategies of the past. This study examines three SEs that have emerged at different times in Appalachian Ohio, a region recognized as a rural area recovering from the environmental and health consequences of extractive industries and poverty over the last century. The social entrepreneurial ecosystem (SEE) in this region has begun to thrive recently, rendering now a crucial time to evaluate the conditions that have led to success. Using qualitative methods, three cases were coded to identify whether present-day SEs in rural Appalachia (1) realize values for natural resource stewardship and community wellness in addition to economic profits (a triple bottom line), (2) attract external funds that are retained in the local economy, and (3) align with SDGs. Evidence of these qualities in SEs manifested in different ways across the three cases. Stage two coding revealed findings that (1) the university acted as a catalyzing agent and (2) collective action by generational families was foundational for the social capital that kick-started each case. As the natural capital recovers in the region, opportunities for the SEE to nurture new enterprises aligned with the triple bottom line will increase SDGs. The SEE of Appalachian Ohio offers a model for sustainable development in dispersed rural locations.
A Blockchain Prototype for Improving Electronic Seals on Container Shipping Operations
Authors: Le Wei , Moros-Daza Adriana , Jubiz-Diaz Maria , Voß Stefan
Published: July 2023

With the widespread use of electronic seals (e-seals), their traceability and security have attracted more and more attention. Moreover, the complexity of shipping operations and container handling justifies the use of technologies to ensure information security in the face of attacks. This work contributes a blockchain-based solution with a simulated prototype for improving electronic seals for containers on terminals in ports. An electronic seal was designed, and a blockchain prototype was constructed for a container data flow. The obtained results from the prototype were evaluated using performance tests. The security issues in the blockchain were also discussed from a strategic perspective based on game theory. Finally, the simulation concluded that the blockchain improves transaction efficiency. No studies were found that integrated blockchain technology with electronic seals. Therefore, this work intends to combine blockchain technology with e-seal to improve the security of transferred data due to its immutable nature.
Addressing Barriers to Social Procurement Implementation in the Construction and Transportation Industries: An Ecosystem Perspective
Authors: Natoli Riccardo , Lou Catherine Xiaocui , Goodwin David
Published: July 2023

Although social procurement is viewed as an important part of social value creation, barriers to its implementation have resulted in a failure to realise the full societal benefits it was designed to achieve. As a key area of activity for government procurement projects, the construction and transportation industries have a big role to play in contributing positively to societal outcomes. While prior studies have identified barriers from specific cohorts, no prior study has approached this from the perspective of the key stakeholders throughout the social procurement ecosystem within the construction and transport industries. To address this gap in social procurement research, interviews and a focus group totalling 42 participants were undertaken. Participants ranged from those implementing policy (government representatives), tendering for contracts (tier one companies) and providing specialised social procurement services (social enterprises), along with key intermediary support bodies. Results indicate that barriers exist throughout the entire social procurement ecosystem and highlight the need to develop an enhanced social procurement ecosystem capable of maximising the societal benefit that arises from social procurement. These findings provide a set of strategies for the key stakeholders in the ecosystem to consider adopting to improve social procurement outcomes.
Catalytic Performance of Fe-Rich Sludge in Pyrolysis of Waste Oil Scum as Volatiles and Magnetic Char
Authors: Liu Jiancong , Ji Manhong , Qin Jiabao , Zhu Jia , Zhu Suiyi
Published: July 2023

Waste oil scum is commonly discharged during the air flotation process at oil-bearing wastewater treatment plants and disposed as an additive in cement kilns and/or furnaces. Herein, it was mixed with a magnetite-rich waste sludge and then completely recycled as value-added gas/oil and magnetic char via a facile catalytic pyrolysis route. Results showed that the oil scum was a blackish gel and contained 36.2% water, 52.5% tar, and 11.3% inorganics. After direct pyrolysis, the conversion efficiencies of tar to gas, oil, and char were 30.2%, 41.2%, and 28.6%, respectively, and the generated gas/oil was rich in aromatics. By adding Fe-rich sludge, the efficiencies varied to 57.3%, 26.9%, and 15.8%, respectively, and the gas/oil mainly comprised a chain hydrocarbon. During oil scum pyrolysis, the redox reaction of tar to Fe-rich sludge enabled a cycle of Fe/magnetite to accelerate the cleavage of tar as volatiles and to steadily retard the polycondensation of tar as char. In addition, the added Fe-rich sludge not only activated the rest of the char and created more surface functional groups for contaminant adsorption but also endowed the char with a good magnetic response. Such magnetic char showed a maximum adsorption capacity of ciprofloxacin of 63.5 mg/g, higher than that without the Fe-sludge catalyst, and had ability to selectively adsorb ciprofloxacin from benzoic/sulfanilamide-bearing wastewater. In summary, a ‘waste to treat waste’ strategy was developed to recycle waste oil scum as combustible gas/oil and magnetic char with the addition of magnetite-rich sludge.
Statistical Analysis and Modeling of Suspended Sediment Yield Dependence on Environmental Conditions
Authors: Yermolaev Oleg , Mukharamova Svetlana
Published: July 2023

This paper describes the modelling of suspended sediment yield in a plains region in the European part of Russia (EPR) and its prediction for ungauged catchments. The studied plains area, excluding the Caucasus and Ural Mountains, covers 3.5 × 106 km2 of the total area of about 3.8 × 106 km2. Multiple regression methods, such as a generalized linear model (GLM) and a generalized additive model (GAM), are used to construct the models. The research methodology is based on a catchment approach. There are 49,516 river basins with an average area of about 75 km2 in the plain regions. The suspended sediment yield geodatabase contains data from 385 gauging stations. The linear GLM model of suspended sediment yield explains about 50% and the GAM model about 65% of the data variability (R-squared adjusted). The models include mean slope steepness, percentage of arable land, runoff per unit area, catchment area, soil rank and catchment soil erodibility as significant predictors. They also include a zonal-sectoral gradient (the sum of active temperatures and the standard deviation of air temperature, or directly by geographic coordinates). A GAM model is trained to predict suspended sediment yields for unexplored areas of the area. The paper presents the results of extrapolating suspended sediment yield values to ungauged river basins in a plains region of the EPR. For the first time for such a large area, the models built and the use of the basin approach made it possible to predict runoff values for hydrologically unexplored river basins.
Stability Study of a Double-Row Steel Sheet Pile Cofferdam Structure on Soft Ground
Authors: Jiang Yan , Guo Fei , Wang Wenlong , Yang Guanghua , Yue Jinchao , Huang Yibin
Published: July 2023

The stability of a double-row steel sheet pile cofferdam structure under soft ground conditions was investigated in this study, using the temporary cofferdam of the Shenzhen–Zhongshan cross-river channel as the engineering background. The stability of the cofferdam design solution was calculated with a model that incorporates factors such as the coordination of independent pile top displacement, as well as the m-value for backfilled sand and the thrown rock body. The internal force and displacement results of the cofferdam under different working conditions are obtained. And the entire construction process was analyzed using the finite element method. The results indicate that the overall stability and overturning stability of the cofferdam satisfy relevant safety requirements, with minimum safety factors of 1.744 and 1.400, respectively. The maximum displacement of the inner and outer steel sheet piles is 34 mm, the maximum bending moment is 249.30 kN·m, and the maximum shear force is 266.66 kN. The displacements of sheet piles were within an acceptable range, and the internal forces remained below the load capacity of the selected sheet pile type for the design. Based on these findings, the cofferdam structure can be considered safe and satisfying the specified requirements. This work may have instructive value for cofferdam design and construction.
Isotope-Based Early-Warning Model for Monitoring Groundwater–Leachate Contamination Phenomena: First Quantitative Assessments
Authors: Sappa Giuseppe , Barbieri Maurizio , Andrei Francesca
Published: July 2023

Groundwater contamination due to municipal solid waste landfills’ leachate is a serious environmental threat. Deuterium (2H) and oxygen (18O) isotopes have been successfully applied to identify groundwater contamination processes, due to interactions with municipal solid waste landfills’ leachate, including significant organic amounts. A parameter influencing the isotope content of deuterium and oxygen18 is the deuterium excess (d or d-excess). This paper presents a d-isotope-based model, defined early-warning model, depending on the assessment of the deuterium excess variations in groundwater samples. The isotopic results are corroborated with the trace elements’ concentrations (Fe, Mn, Ni, Co and Zn), suggesting that the methanogenic activity diminished under trace element limitation. This model provides the determination of an index, F, as the percentage variation of d-excess, which makes it possible to define an alert level system to assess and check groundwater contamination by leachate. The procedure shows that values of F index higher than 1.1 highlight possible contamination phenomena of groundwater due to leachate and, therefore, actions by the municipal solid waste landfill management are required. This early-warning model is presented by the application to a case study in Central Italy in order to evaluate innovative aspects and opportunities to optimize the model. The application of the procedure to the case study highlighted anomalous values of the F index for the samples AD16 (Fmax = 2.069) and AD13 (Fmax = 1.366) in January, April, July and October surveys as well as the boundary values (1 ≤ F ≤ 1.1) for samples AD73 (F = 1.229) and AD68 (F = 1.219) in the April survey. The proposed model can be a useful management tool for monitoring the potential contamination process of groundwater due to the presence of landfills with municipal solid waste, including a significant organic component.
PENGARUH PERILAKU MEROKOK DAN PEMAKAIAN OBAT NYAMUK BAKAR TERHADAP KEJADIAN ISPA PADA BALITA DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS JAZIRAH TENGGARA
Authors: Luselya Tabalawony Syulce , Roberth Akollo Isak
Published: July 2023

Infeksi saluran pernapasan (ISPA) merupakan penyakit infeksi yang menyerang sistem pernapasan. Penyakit ini masih menjadi masalah kesehatan di dunia termasuk Indonesia. Penyakit ini paling banyak diderita oleh balita. Beberapa faktor yang berpengaruh terhadap munculnya penyakit ISPA pada balita adalah perilaku merokok dan penggunaan obat nyamuk bakar. Penelitian ini bertujuan adalah mengetahui hubungan perilaku merokok dan pemakaian obat nyamuk bakar dengan kejadian ISPA pada balita di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Jazirah Tenggara. Desain penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah cross sectional. Pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan kuesioner. Analisis data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan chi-square test. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa terdapat hubungan perilaku merokok dengan kejadian ISPA dengan nilai p-value sebesar 0.000 dan terdapat hubungan pemakaian obat nyamuk bakar dengan kejadian ISPA dengan nilai p-velue sebesar 0.000. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah terdapat hubungan antara perilaku merokok dan pemakaian obat nyamuk bakar dengan kejadian ISPA pada balita di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Jazirah Tenggara.
An Analysis of the Micro-determinants of Domestic Holiday Expenditure by Households in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Noonan Lisa
Published: July 2023

The dramatic decrease in overseas visitors to Ireland in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated the risks, for the tourism sector, associated with being over-reliant on international tourism. Growing the domestic tourism market is now critical for sustaining jobs and businesses within the sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the micro-determinants of expenditure on domestic holidays by households in the Republic of Ireland. Using data from the Irish Household Budget Survey 2015-2016, instrumental variable estimators are used to conduct the analysis. The results reveal that disposable income, being located in the Border, Midlands and Western region and being aged between 55 and 64, positively impact on domestic holiday expenditure. Non-manual workers, manual skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers and farmers and agricultural workers spend significantly less on domestic holidays relative to employers and managers. The findings are important from a policy and tourism industry perspective. As the results reveal an insight into the consumer, initiatives can be developed to stimulate further expenditure in the domestic tourism sector.
Dual-Stream Contrastive Learning for Channel State Information Based Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Xu Ke , Wang Jiangtao , Zhang Le , Zhu Hongyuan , Zheng Dingchang
Published: July 2023

WiFi-based human activity recognition (HAR) has been extensively studied due to its far-reaching applications in health domains, including elderly monitoring, exercise supervision, rehabilitation monitoring, etc. Although existing supervised deep learning techniques have achieved remarkable performances for these tasks, they are however data-hungry and hence are notoriously difficult due to the privacy and incomprehensibility of WiFi-based HAR data. Existing contrastive learning models, which are mainly designed for computer vision, cannot guarantee their performance on channel state information (CSI) data.

To this end, we propose a new dual-stream contrastive learning model, that can process and learn the raw WiFi CSI data in a self-supervised manner. More specifically, our proposed method, coined as DualConFi, takes raw WiFI CSI data as input and consists of a channel stream and a temporal stream to learn highly-discriminative spatiotemporal features under mutual information constraint using unlabeled data. We demonstrate the efficacy of our model on three publicly available CSI data sets in various experiment settings, including linear evaluation, semi-supervised, and transfer learning. We show that DualConFi is able to perform favorably against challenging baselines in each setting. Moreover, by studying the effects of different transform functions on CSI data, we finally verify the effectiveness of highly-discriminative features.
Information Flow-Based Fuzzy Cognitive Maps with Enhanced Interpretability
Authors: Tyrovolas Marios , Liang X. San , Stylios Chrysostomos
Published: July 2023

Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) is a graph-based methodology successfully applied for knowledge representation of complex systems modelled through an interactive structure of nodes connected with causal relationships. Due to their flexibility and inherent interpretability, FCMs have been used in various modelling and prediction tasks to support human decisions. However, one of the main limitations of FCMs is that they may unintentionally absorb spurious correlations presented in the collected data, resulting in poor prediction accuracy and interpretability. This article proposes a novel framework for constructing FCMs based on Liang-Kleeman Information Flow (L-K IF) analysis to address this limitation. The novelty of the proposed approach is the identification of actual causal relationships from the data using an automatic causal search algorithm. The actual causal relationships are then imposed as constraints in the FCM learning procedure to rule out spurious correlations and improve the aggregate predictive and explanatory power of the model. Numerical simulations were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach by comparing it with state-of-the-art FCM-based models.
Sparse Modeling for Spectrometer Based on Band Measurement
Authors: Uemura Kyoya , Obuchi Tomoyuki , Tanaka Toshiyuki
Published: July 2023

Preprint's file.
Pengaruh Jenis Tanah terhadap Semai Mahoni Daun Besar (Swietenia Macrophylla)
Authors: F. Sahusilawane John , Talaohu Moda , R. Parera Lydia
Published: July 2023

Big Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) is a tropical plant commonly found growing wild in teak forests and areas near the coast. This plant is also known for its resilience, meaning it can withstand harsh and arid soil conditions. Even without watering for months, mahogany can still survive. The propagation of this plant can be done through seeds, as well as through air layering or grafting. When used for medicinal purposes, it should not be treated with chemical (inorganic) fertilizers or pesticides. The significance of this research lies in providing valuable information to relevant institutions about the suitable soil type for propagating Big Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seedlings, ensuring high-quality seedlings for reforestation or afforestation efforts. The research was conducted at the Greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture from March to June 2023. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of different soil types on the growth of Big Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seedlings. The experimental design used in this research was a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 2 (two) treatments and 3 (three) replications. The treatments consisted of: A (Regosol soil) and A2 (Podsolik soil). The research results indicate that Regosol soil type provided better average growth results for Big Leaf Mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) seedlings.
Koinfeksi bakteri pada pasien COVID – 19 di ICU
Authors: Gunardi Wani Devita , Widelia Grace Raveena , Pasaribu Donna Mesina
Published: July 2023

Pada pandemi influenza sebelumnya, koinfeksi bakteri merupakan penyebab kematian terbanyak. Pada pandemi COVID - 19, koinfeksi bakteri juga menyebabkan tingginya angka kematian pada pasien COVID - 19 di ICU. Literatur Riview  ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui bakteri penyebab koinfeksi pada pasien COVID - 19 di ICU. Dalam penulisan ini dilakukan pencarian pada database Pubmed dan 7 jurnal dipilih untuk dikaji.  Dari hasil analisa jurnal – jurnal tersebut, bakteri yang paling banyak teridentifikasi menyebabkan koinfeksi pada pasien COVID - 19 di ICU adalah Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (33,8%), diikuti dengan Acinetobacter baumannii (22,65%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22,44%) dan Staphylococcus aureus (16,77%). Penemuan bakteri – bakteri ini berhubungan dengan lama perawatan di ICU, penggunaan ventilator mekanik serta pemberian antibiotic sebelum masuk ICU.
Hubungan Indeks Massa Tubuh dengan Kejadian Kanker Prostat dan Gleason Score di Rumah Sakit Siloam Kupang
Authors: Homalessy Valerio Christopher , Shintia Christina  , Sumbayak Erma Mexcorry
Published: July 2023

Kanker prostat dapat disebut sebagai kanker yang umum didiagnosis pada pria. Risiko kanker prostat meningkat seiring bertambahnya usia. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui apakah adanya hubungan antara Indeks Massa Tubuh (IMT) dengan kanker prostat dan gleason score di Rumah Sakit Siloam Kupang.   Metode penelitian kualitatif dengan desain cross sectional dan menggunakan data sekunder rekam medik dengan teknik consecutive sampling. Hasil penelitian, Pasien dengan diagnosa kanker prostat di Rumah Sakit Siloam Kupang periode 2017-2021 sebanyak 80 kasus dan bukan kanker prostat sebanyak 60 kasus. Indeks Massa Tubuh pada kelompok pasien kanker prostat terbanyak pada non obesitas sebanyak 54 orang (67,5%) dan pada bukan kanker prostat sebanyak 34 orang (56,67%). Kasus kanker prostat terbanyak dengan derajat histopatologi High Gleason Score sebanyak 45 kasus (56,25%), dan derajat histopatologi Low Grade Score sebanyak 35 kasus (43,75). Berdasarkan hasil analisis dengan chi square, diketahui bahwa tidak ada hubungan antara Indeks Massa Tubuh dengan Kejadian Kanker Prostat memiliki nilai p = 0,189 (p > 0,05) dan  dengan Gleason Score memiliki nilai p = 0,764 (p > 0,05) Simpulan, Tidak terdapat hubungan antara Indeks Massa Tubuh dengan kejadian kanker prostat dan gleason score di Rumah Sakit Siloam Kupang.
ATUAÇÃO DA FISIOTERAPIA NA SÍNDROME DO DESCONFORTO RESPIRATÓRIO: REVISÃO SISTEMÁTICA
Authors: Pinheiro Gabriela Satomi Umemura , Lima Jade Pires de , Morais Arthur Thiago Nunes de , Boulhosa Fabiano José da Silva , Teixeira Renato da Costa
Published: July 2023

Introdução: Uma das doenças mais comuns em recém nascidos pré-termo (RNPT) é a síndrome de desconforto respiratório. De acordo com o Consenso Brasileiro de Ventilação Mecânica, a síndrome de desconforto respiratório é decorrente da deficiência do surfactante alveolar associada à imaturidade estrutural dos pulmões. O principal órgão acometido é o pulmão, essa patologia revela-se como a produção insuficiente de surfactante pelos pneumócitos II dos pulmões dos prematuros. A fisioterapia respiratória se faz necessária na reabilitação desses pacientes, além de prevenir o aparecimento de outras complicações associadas ao quadro clínico. Objetivo: Descrever as principais condutas fisioterapêuticas na Síndrome do Desconforto Respiratório, analisar os determinantes para a ocorrência da síndrome ou das alterações respiratórias, analisar as complicações e benefícios da fisioterapia e relacionar os determinantes com as possíveis condutas fisioterapêuticas. Método: O presente estudo é uma análise descritiva qualitativa de conteúdo categorial de Bardin onde foi realizada uma coleta de dados nas seguintes bases de dados: National Library of Medicine (PubMed/Medline), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS) e Google Acadêmico Resultado: Após a busca bibliográfica foram encontrados 12 artigos relacionados com os critérios definidos. Conclusão: Conclui-se que poucas técnicas podem ser aplicadas no quadro da síndrome de desconforto respiratório, com isso as mais utilizadas são aquelas com menor risco e consequentemente menos invasivas, visto a precaução com o recém-nascido. Porém ainda são escassos os trabalhos mais recentes sobre o assunto mostrando a necessidade de mais pesquisas e amostras para a definição sobre o assunto.
Utilizing Padlet to Boost Student's Reading Skills of Recount Text in a Vocational High School
Authors: Dyah Cahyaning Puspita Eki , Fadhilawati Dian , Sutanti Nita
Published: July 2023

The goal of this study was to examine the effectiveness of Padlet utilization to boost the tenth-grade students' reading skills of recount texts at SMK Pemuda 1 Kesamben Blitar. 24 students from class X-A were involved in the pre-experimental research by using one group pre-test and post-test design. The research procedures covered 3 steps: pre-test, treatments, and post-test. For gaining the data, the researchers utilized tests. Before the test was tested, it was tried out to the same level as the participant to discover the test’s validity and reliability. The data processing in this research used paired sampled T-tests by using SPPS 22. The result revealed that the participants’ reading skills in comprehending recount texts enhanced from pre-test 66.25 to 86.91 in their post-test. In addition, based on paired sample t-test, it was discovered that the Sig. (2-tailed) value was < 0.05. Therefore, we can infer that the utilization of the Padlet application was effective to enhance the tenth-grade students’ reading skills of the recount texts at SMK Pemuda 1 Kesamben Blitar. From the result above, the researchers suggest English teachers apply Padlet application in English teaching-learning, especially reading.
AI in Education - Evaluating ChatGPT as a Virtual Teaching Assistant
Authors: - Kavita Agarwal
Published: July 2023

This research paper presents a comprehensive review of recent literature to examine the positive and negative aspects, as well as the limitations, of utilizing ChatGPT in academic contexts. The study includes conversational interactions with ChatGPT to evaluate its responses and gain insights into its impact on academia. The review highlights advantages such as enhanced information search and content creation, while also addressing ethical considerations like privacy and bias. Overall, ChatGPT shows significant potential to revolutionize academia, but responsible and ethical implementation is crucial. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of ChatGPT's capabilities and limitations in academic settings.
PENGARUH KEPEMIMPINAN, MOTIVASI DAN KOMITMEN TERHADAP KINERJA PEGAWAI BADAN PENGELOLAAN KEUANGAN DAN ASET DAERAH KOTA MAKASSAR
Authors: Fadhyllah Wahyu , Idris Muhammad , Asri Asri
Published: July 2023

Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk mengetahui pengaruh kepemimpinan, motivasi dan komitmen terhadap kinerja pegawai. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan pada Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar dengan mengambil 46 pegawai sebagai sampel penelitian. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa secara parsial, kepemimpinan berpengaruh tidak signifikan terhadap kinerja pegawai Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar. Secara parsial, motivasi berpengaruh signifikan terhadap kinerja pegawai Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar. secara parsial komitmen berpengaruh tidak signifikan terhadap Kinerja Pegawai Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar. Secara simultan kepemimpinan, motivasi dan komitmen berpengaruh secara positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja pegawai pada Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar. Secara parsial menunjukkan bahwa variabel motivasi berpengaruh paling dominan terhadap kinerja pegawai pada Badan Pengelolaan Keuangan dan Aset Daerah Kota Makassar.
Athripsodes saral sp. n., a new Leptoceridae (Trichoptera) from the Kurdistan Province, Iran
Authors: Ibrahimi Halil , Mohammadi Habibollah , Ghaderi Edris , Karimian Erfan , Mansouri Arman , Molodi Farshad
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we describe Athripsodes saral sp. n., a new species from the Kurdistan Province, Iran, which belongs to the A. sewangensis Species Group. The new species is morphologically most similar to Athripsodes caglari Sipahiler, 2008 from Turkey and Athripsodes sewangensis Martynov, 1925 from Armenia. However, it can be distinguished from all known species of this group by notable morphological characteristics of the male and female genitalia. In males, the dorsal projection of the coxopodite is slightly longer or equal in size to the harpago, while in females, the dorsolateral lobes of segment IX exhibit a distinct triangular shape, visible in both ventral and dorsal views. Furthermore, the new species displays distinct characteristics from its closest congeners in the shape of segment IX, prolongations of segment X, and the structure of the aedeagus in males.

Athripsodes saral sp. n. is the third known species of the genus Athripsodes Billberg, 1820 known from Iran.
Citoyens intolérables : tolérance, islam et homosexualité
Authors: Gressgård Randi , Jacobsen Christine M.
Published: July 2023

Cet article s’intéresse à la question de la citoyenneté sexuelle dans l’Europe d’aujourd’hui en examinant la façon dont la tolérance est présentée dans les débats sur l’Islam et l’homosexualité en Norvège. En s’appuyant sur Regulating Aversion. Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire de Wendy Brown, l’article soutient que le discours de tolérance est essentiel pour produire le type de citoyens souhaité par les démocraties libérales. La tolérance envers l’homosexualité pourrait être considérée comme un instrument politique susceptible, d’un côté, de légiférer sur la citoyenneté de l’État-nation et, de l’autre, de justifier une mission civilisatrice internationale.
« Et l’Afrique, sait-elle un chant sur moi ? » identités du lieu & lieux de l’identité dans La ferme africaine de Karen Blixen
Authors: Heide Marina
Published: July 2023

Il s’agit d’étudier le rapport complexe qu’établit l’écrivain danoise Karen Blixen entre les notions de lieu et d’identité dans son roman autobiographique, La ferme africaine (1937). La géographie tient naturellement une place de choix dans cette œuvre vouée à chanter l’Afrique – terre d’exil, terre promise et paradis perdu. Le lien avec l’auteur, qui s’épanouit dans ce paysage africain, est fusionnel mais pas univoque. À des identités multiples correspondent de nombreuses géographies, réelles comme imaginaires. Cet article met en jeu des notions centrales comme la définition de soi par l’autre, l’idée d’un ailleurs, le credo moderne et la question coloniale.
Error Analysis of Teacher Technical Writing
Authors: Uysal Banu Çiçek Başaran
Published: July 2023

This chapter delves into an investigation of pre-service English as a foreign language teachers' technical writing products, by employing the Surface Strategy Taxonomy proposed by Dulay et al. (1982). By shedding light on the written errors of future English language teachers, this study contributes to our understanding of their language learning needs and presents implications for improving teacher education practices. The chapter examines a corpus of lesson plans written by senior students (n=140) enrolled at a public university, aiming to become English language teachers. Lesson planning can be considered a form of technical writing for language teachers since it requires adherence to specific techniques and the use of appropriate language structures to effectively convey in-class procedures. The analysis reveals that the prospective teachers produced erroneous utterances falling into four distinct categories: omission (45%), misinformation (30%), addition (17%), and misordering (7%). These findings serve as a foundation for several suggestions to enhance teacher education.
miR-155-5p PROMOTES CD34+ APOPTOSIS AND INHIBITS BONE MARROW HEMATOPOIESIS IN MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROMES BY RAC1/CREB/MIR-15B AXIS
Authors: Cao Meiwan , Peng BaoLing , Xu WanFu , Chen PeiYu , Chen Huan , Ye LiPing , Xie Jing , Wang HongLi , Ren Lu , Xiong LiYa , Zhu JingNan , Xu XiangYe , Geng LanLan , Gong SiTang
Published: July 2023

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of heterogeneous myeloid clonal diseases that are characterized by ineffective bone marrow hematopoiesis. Since studies have confirmed the significance of miRNAs in ineffective hematopoiesis in MDS, the current report elucidated the mechanism mediated by miR-155-5p. The bone marrow of MDS patients was collected to detect miR-155-5p and to analyze the correlation between miR-155-5p and clinicopathological variables. Isolated bone marrow CD34+ cells were transfected with lentiviral plasmids that interfere with miR-155-5p, followed by apoptosis analysis. Finally, miR-155-5p-targeted regulation of RAC1 expression was identified, as well as the interaction between RAC1 and CREB, the co-localization of RAC1 and CREB, and the binding of CREB to miR-15b. As measured, miR-155-5p was upregulated in the bone marrow of MDS patients. Further cell experiments validated that miR-155-5p promoted CD34+ cell apoptosis. miR-155-5p could reduce the transcriptional activity of miR-15b by inhibiting RAC1, dissociating the interaction between RAC1 and CREB, and inhibiting the activation of CREB. Upregulating RAC1, CREB, or miR-15b could reduce miR-155-5p-mediated apoptosis promotion on CD34+ cells. Additionally, miR-155-5p could force PD-L1 expression, and this effect was impaired by elevating RAC1, CREB, or miR-15b. In conclusion, miR-155-5p mediates PD-L1-mediated apoptosis of CD34+ cells in MDS by RAC1/CREB/miR-15b axis, thereby inhibiting bone marrow hematopoiesis.