bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Dialogical Paths with Islam in the East: Homage to Arabic Christian Theology
Authors: Voulgaraki-Pissina Evi
Published: November 2023

This is an opinion article, based on a lifelong syncretic study of the dialogical paths taken by Eastern theologians, Greeks and Arabs. At the crossroads of three continents, in direct relation with the Byzantine and Syriac traditions, with the Mediterranean and its Greco-Roman culture, but also with the Asian and African hinterland, Arab and Arabic-speaking Christian theologians have formed a culture of dialogue. They managed to engage with Islam in shapes and forms that are of very great interest and could point the way to a different approach to Islam today. The article, written by a Greek author, proposes a better integration of Arabic Orthodox theology as an enrichment to Orthodox theology as a whole, serving at the same time a broader connection between the Greek and Arab worlds. The article also proposes that discovering the heritage of the Orthodox East is interesting for Christian theology on a global scale. In primarily Christian/Western academia, one should be open to a genuine encounter with the Islamic world beyond geopolitics and other concerns extrinsic to religion; this is an encounter that would open up paths beyond the “clash of civilisations” impasse and allow for the rediscovery of the humanizing factor of religion. This is of interest to Christian and Muslim theologians as well as serving humanity and creation as a whole.
Seasonal and Diurnal Changes of Air Temperature and Water Vapor Observed with a Microwave Radiometer in Wuhan, China
Authors: Guo Xinglin , Huang Kaiming , Fang Junjie , Zhang Zirui , Cao Rang , Yi Fan
Published: November 2023

Based on Microwave Radiometer (MWR) observations in Wuhan over the course of 21 months, we compared the temperature and water vapor levels with those from radiosonde (RS) sounding data at 00:00 and 12:00 UTC, and then analyzed the seasonal and diurnal changes of temperature and water vapor levels from the MWR data. The MWR and RS mean temperatures and dew points are roughly consistent with each other below 2 km, whereas above 2 km, the MWR temperature is slightly lower than the RS temperature. The difference in their water vapor densities decreases quickly with height, and the bias of their relative humidities is generally in the range of −15% to 20%. The MWR observations show that in autumn, the surface temperature is 6.8 K lower during precipitation events than during non-precipitation events, indicating that precipitation in autumn is mainly caused by cold air from the north. The relative humidity during precipitation events exceeds 90% from the ground to 5 km, which is obviously larger than during non-precipitation events. During non-precipitation events, the seasonal mean water vapor density at 0–1.0 km shows an approximately linear increase with the mean temperature; however, their diurnal changes are opposite due to the effect of the boundary layer. At 4.5–5.5 km and 8.5–9.5 km, the mean temperature shows a synchronized diurnal evolution, with the maximum value prior to that at 0–1.0 km, indicating the strong influence of the air–land interaction on the temperature near the ground. Hence, this study is helpful for deepening our understanding of temperature and humidity variabilities over Wuhan.
Yield Estimation of Wheat Using Cropland Masks from European Common Agrarian Policy: Comparing the Performance of EVI2, NDVI, and MTCI in Spanish NUTS-2 Regions
Authors: Garcia-Perez M. A. , Rodriguez-Galiano V. , Sanchez-Rodriguez E. , Egea-Cobrero V.
Published: November 2023

Monitoring wheat yield and production is essential for ensuring global food security. Remote sensing can be used to achieve it due to its ability to provide global, comprehensive, synoptic, and repetitive information in near real-time. This study used the 2006–2016 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NVDI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index 2 (EVI2) time series at a 250 m spatial resolution and 2006–2011 MERIS Terrestrial Chlorophyll Index (MTCI) time series at a 300 m spatial resolution. The post-maximum period for pixels containing wheat was selected based on the EU’s Common Agrarian Policy (CAP) and Corine Land Cover (CLC) data. It was correlated with yield and production values from governmental statistics (GS) of the largest Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics level 2 (NUTS-2) wheat producers in Spain and for Spain overall. The selection of wheat masks was crucial for the accuracy of the models, with CAP masks offering greater forecasting capability. Models using CLC produced R2 values between 0.45 and 0.7, while those using CAP outperformed the former with R2 values of 0.9 throughout Spain. Production models outperformed yield models, and MTCI was the vegetation index (VI) that provided the greatest R2 value of 0.94. However, model accuracy was heavily conditioned by the precision of input data, where anomalies were detected in some NUTS-2.
Vegetation Stress Monitor—Assessment of Drought and Temperature-Related Effects on Vegetation in Germany Analyzing MODIS Time Series over 23 Years
Authors: Gessner Ursula , Reinermann Sophie , Asam Sarah , Kuenzer Claudia
Published: November 2023

Over the past two decades, and particularly since 2018, Central Europe has experienced several droughts with strong impacts on ecosystems and food production. It is expected that under accelerating climate change, droughts and resulting vegetation and ecosystem stress will further increase. Against this background, there is a need for techniques and datasets that allow for monitoring of the timing, extent and effects of droughts. Vegetation indices (VIs) based on satellite Earth observation (EO) can be used to directly assess vegetation stress over large areas. Here, we use a MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) time series to analyze and characterize the vegetation stress on Germany’s croplands and grasslands that has occurred since 2000. A special focus is put on the years from 2018 to 2022, an extraordinary 5-year period characterized by a high frequency of droughts and heat waves. The study reveals strong variations in agricultural drought patterns during the past major drought years in Germany (such as 2003 or 2018), as well as large regional differences in climate-related vegetation stress. The northern parts of Germany showed a higher tendency to be affected by drought effects, particularly after 2018. Further, correlation analyses showed a strong relationship between annual yields of maize, potatoes and winter wheat and previous vegetation stress, where the timing of strongest relationships could be related to crop-specific development stages. Our results support the potential of VI time series for robustly monitoring and predicting effects of climate-related vegetation development and agricultural yields.
Highly Stable Spatio-Temporal Prediction Network of Wavefront Sensor Slopes in Adaptive Optics
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhu Licheng , Yuan Qiang , Ge Xinlan , Gao Zeyu , Wang Shuai , Yang Ping
Published: November 2023

Adaptive Optics (AO) technology is an effective means to compensate for wavefront distortion, but its inherent delay error will cause the compensation wavefront on the deformable mirror (DM) to lag behind the changes in the distorted wavefront. Especially when the change in the wavefront is higher than the Shack–Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) sampling frequency, the multi-frame delay will seriously limit its correction performance. In this paper, a highly stable AO prediction network based on deep learning is proposed, which only uses 10 frames of prior wavefront information to obtain high-stability and high-precision open-loop predicted slopes for the next six frames. The simulation results under various distortion intensities show that the prediction accuracy of six frames decreases by no more than 15%, and the experimental results also verify that the open-loop correction accuracy of our proposed method under the sampling frequency of 500 Hz is better than that of the traditional non-predicted method under 1000 Hz.
Machine Learning Modeling for Spatial-Temporal Prediction of Geohazard
Authors: Ma Junwei , Dou Jie
Published: November 2023

Geohazards, such as landslides, rock avalanches, debris flow, ground fissures, and ground subsidence, pose significant threats to people’s lives and property [...]
Assessment of an IMU-Based Experimental Set-Up for Upper Limb Motion in Obese Subjects
Authors: Cerfoglio Serena , Lopomo Nicola Francesco , Capodaglio Paolo , Scalona Emilia , Monfrini Riccardo , Verme Federica , Galli Manuela , Cimolin Veronica
Published: November 2023

In recent years, wearable systems based on inertial sensors opened new perspectives for functional motor assessment with respect to the gold standard motion capture systems. The aim of this study was to validate an experimental set-up based on 17 body-worn inertial sensors (Awinda, Xsens, The Netherlands), addressing specific body segments with respect to the state-of-the art system (VICON, Oxford Metrics Ltd., Oxford, UK) to assess upper limb kinematics in obese, with respect to healthy subjects. Twenty-three obese and thirty healthy weight individuals were simultaneously acquainted with the two systems across a set of three tasks for upper limbs (i.e., frontal arm rise, lateral arm rise, and reaching). Root Mean Square error (RMSE) was computed to quantify the differences between the measurements provided by the systems in terms of range of motion (ROM), whilst their agreement was assessed via Pearson’s correlation coefficient (PCC) and Bland–Altman (BA) plots. In addition, the signal waveforms were compared via one-dimensional statistical parametrical mapping (SPM) based on a paired t-test and a two-way ANOVA was applied on ROMs. The overall results partially confirmed the correlation and the agreement between the two systems, reporting only a moderate correlation for shoulder principal rotation angle in each task (r~0.40) and for elbow/flexion extension in obese subjects (r = 0.66), whilst no correlation was found for most non-principal rotation angles (r < 0.40). Across the performed tasks, an average RMSE of 34° and 26° was reported in obese and healthy controls, respectively. At the current state, the presence of bias limits the applicability of the inertial-based system in clinics; further research is intended in this context.
Optimizing Sensitivity in a Fluid-Structure Interaction-Based Microfluidic Viscometer: A Multiphysics Simulation Study
Authors: Mustafa Adil , Ertas Uslu Merve , Tanyeri Melikhan
Published: November 2023

Fluid-structure interactions (FSI) are used in a variety of sensors based on micro- and nanotechnology to detect and measure changes in pressure, flow, and viscosity of fluids. These sensors typically consist of a flexible structure that deforms in response to the fluid flow and generates an electrical, optical, or mechanical signal that can be measured. FSI-based sensors have recently been utilized in applications such as biomedical devices, environmental monitoring, and aerospace engineering, where the accurate measurement of fluid properties is critical to ensure performance and safety. In this work, multiphysics models are employed to identify and study parameters that affect the performance of an FSI-based microfluidic viscometer that measures the viscosity of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids using the deflection of flexible micropillars. Specifically, we studied the impact of geometric parameters such as pillar diameter and height, aspect ratio of the pillars, pillar spacing, and the distance between the pillars and the channel walls. Our study provides design guidelines to adjust the sensitivity of the viscometer toward specific applications. Overall, this highly sensitive microfluidic sensor can be integrated into complex systems and provide real-time monitoring of fluid viscosity.
State Evaluation of Self-Powered Wireless Sensors Based on a Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model
Authors: Xiong Suqin , Li Qiuyang , Yang Aichao , Zhu Liang , Li Peng , Xue Kaiwen , Yang Jin
Published: November 2023

The energy harvesters used in self-powered wireless sensing technology, which has the potential to completely solve the power supply problem of the sensing nodes from the source, usually require mechanical movement or operate in harsh environments, resulting in a significant reduction in device lifespan and reliability. Therefore, the influencing factors and failure mechanisms of the operating status of self-powered wireless sensors were analyzed, and an innovative evaluation index system was proposed, which includes 4 primary indexes and 13 secondary indexes, including energy harvesters, energy management circuits, wireless communication units, and sensors. Next, the weights obtained from the subjective analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and objective CRITIC weight method were fused to obtain the weights of each index. A self-powered sensor evaluation scheme (FE-SPS) based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was implemented by constructing a fuzzy evaluation model. The advantage of this scheme is that it can determine the current health status of the system based on its output characteristics. Finally, taking vibration energy as an example, the operational status of the self-powered wireless sensors after 200 h of operation was comprehensively evaluated. The experimental results show that the test self-powered wireless sensor had the highest score of “normal”, which is 0.4847, so the evaluation result was “normal”. In this article, a reliability evaluation strategy for self-powered wireless sensor was constructed to ensure the reliable operation of self-powered wireless sensors.
Latency Reduction and Packet Synchronization in Low-Resource Devices Connected by DDS Networks in Autonomous UAVs
Authors: Silva Cotta Joao Leonardo , Agar Daniel , Bertaska Ivan R. , Inness John P. , Gutierrez Hector
Published: November 2023

Real-time flight controllers are becoming dependent on general-purpose operating systems, as the modularity and complexity of guidance, navigation, and control systems and algorithms increases. The non-deterministic nature of operating systems creates a critical weakness in the development of motion control systems for robotic platforms due to the random delays introduced by operating systems and communication networks. The high-speed operation and sensitive dynamics of UAVs demand fast and near-deterministic communication between the sensors, companion computer, and flight control unit (FCU) in order to achieve the required performance. In this paper, we present a method to assess communications latency between a companion computer and an RTOS open-source flight controller, which is based on an XRCE-DDS bridge between clients hosted in the low-resource environment and the DDS network used by ROS2. A comparison based on the measured statistics of latency illustrates the advantages of XRCE-DDS compared to the standard communication method based on MAVROS-MAVLink. More importantly, an algorithm to estimate latency offset and clock skew based on an exponential moving average filter is presented, providing a tool for latency estimation and correction that can be used by developers to improve synchronization of processes that rely on timely communication between the FCU and companion computer, such as synchronization of lower-level sensor data at the higher-level layer. This addresses the challenges introduced in GNC applications by the non-deterministic nature of general-purpose operating systems and the inherent limitations of standard flight controller hardware.
The State of the Art on Graphene-Based Sensors for Human Health Monitoring through Breath Biomarkers
Authors: Moura Pedro Catalão , Ribeiro Paulo António , Raposo Maria , Vassilenko Valentina
Published: November 2023

The field of organic-borne biomarkers has been gaining relevance due to its suitability for diagnosing pathologies and health conditions in a rapid, accurate, non-invasive, painless and low-cost way. Due to the lack of analytical techniques with features capable of analysing such a complex matrix as the human breath, the academic community has focused on developing electronic noses based on arrays of gas sensors. These sensors are assembled considering the excitability, sensitivity and sensing capacities of a specific nanocomposite, graphene. In this way, graphene-based sensors can be employed for a vast range of applications that vary from environmental to medical applications. This review work aims to gather the most relevant published papers under the scope of “Graphene sensors” and “Biomarkers” in order to assess the state of the art in the field of graphene sensors for the purposes of biomarker identification. During the bibliographic search, a total of six pathologies were identified as the focus of the work. They were lung cancer, gastric cancer, chronic kidney diseases, respiratory diseases that involve inflammatory processes of the airways, like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea and diabetes. The achieved results, current development of the sensing sensors, and main limitations or challenges of the field of graphene sensors are discussed throughout the paper, as well as the features of the experiments addressed.
A Lightweight Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping Method with a High Precision in Dynamic Scenes
Authors: Zhang Qi , Yu Wentao , Liu Weirong , Xu Hao , He Yuan
Published: November 2023

Currently, in most traditional VSLAM (visual SLAM) systems, static assumptions result in a low accuracy in dynamic environments, or result in a new and higher level of accuracy but at the cost of sacrificing the real–time property. In highly dynamic scenes, balancing a high accuracy and a low computational cost has become a pivotal requirement for VSLAM systems. This paper proposes a new VSLAM system, balancing the competitive demands between positioning accuracy and computational complexity and thereby further improving the overall system properties. From the perspective of accuracy, the system applies an improved lightweight target detection network to quickly detect dynamic feature points while extracting feature points at the front end of the system, and only feature points of static targets are applied for frame matching. Meanwhile, the attention mechanism is integrated into the target detection network to continuously and accurately capture dynamic factors to cope with more complex dynamic environments. From the perspective of computational expense, the lightweight network Ghostnet module is applied as the backbone network of the target detection network YOLOv5s, significantly reducing the number of model parameters and improving the overall inference speed of the algorithm. Experimental results on the TUM dynamic dataset indicate that in contrast with the ORB–SLAM3 system, the pose estimation accuracy of the system improved by 84.04%. In contrast with dynamic SLAM systems such as DS–SLAM and DVO SLAM, the system has a significantly improved positioning accuracy. In contrast with other VSLAM algorithms based on deep learning, the system has superior real–time properties while maintaining a similar accuracy index.
Position Tracking of Multiple Robotic Manipulator Systems Associated with Communication Strength Dynamics
Authors: Zhao Juanxia , Wang Yinhe , Gao Peitao , Li Shengping , Chen Haoguang
Published: November 2023

In general, a multiple robotic manipulator system (MRMS) with uncertainties can be considered a composition system with a robotic manipulator subsystem (RMS) and a communication strength subsystem (CSS), and both subsystems are coupled to each other. In this paper, a new position tracking control scheme is proposed for the MRMS while considering the communication strength dynamics between robotic manipulators. The control scheme designed in this paper consists of two parts: the first part is to design the control protocol in the RMS, and the second part is to design the coupling relationship in the CSS. Through these two parts, we can achieve the position tracking of an MRMS. Firstly, the dynamical mathematical model of the RMS and CSS in the MRMS is constructed, and the corresponding assumptions are given. Then, the corresponding stability analysis is proposed, which provides the basis for a theoretical understanding of the underlying problem. Finally, an illustrative example is presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Action Quality Assessment Model Using Specialists’ Gaze Location and Kinematics Data—Focusing on Evaluating Figure Skating Jumps
Authors: Hirosawa Seiji , Kato Takaaki , Yamashita Takayoshi , Aoki Yoshimitsu
Published: November 2023

Action quality assessment (AQA) tasks in computer vision evaluate action quality in videos, and they can be applied to sports for performance evaluation. A typical example of AQA is predicting the final score from a video that captures an entire figure skating program. However, no previous studies have predicted individual jump scores, which are of great interest to competitors because of the high weight of competition. Despite the presence of unnecessary information in figure skating videos, human specialists can focus and reduce information when they evaluate jumps. In this study, we clarified the eye movements of figure skating judges and skaters while evaluating jumps and proposed a prediction model for jump performance that utilized specialists’ gaze location to reduce information. Kinematic features obtained from the tracking system were input into the model in addition to videos to improve accuracy. The results showed that skaters focused more on the face, whereas judges focused on the lower extremities. These gaze locations were applied to the model, which demonstrated the highest accuracy when utilizing both specialists’ gaze locations. The model outperformed human predictions and the baseline model (RMSE:0.775), suggesting a combination of human specialist knowledge and machine capabilities could yield higher accuracy.
Development and Validation of an IoT Neurostimulator for the Treatment of Neurogenic Bladder
Authors: Leal Luana Cecilia Farache Lemos , Borges Luiz Henrique Bertucci , De Paula Maria Eduarda Franklin da Costa , Lisboa Lilian Lira , Dantas André Felipe Oliveira de Azevedo
Published: November 2023

Neurogenic bladder is a dysfunction in the lower urinary tract due to damage to the nervous system. One of the treatments that has shown important results is transcutaneous neuromodulation. The neuromodulation equipment available on the market does not allow remote activation or offer many resources for adjusting the parameters of the generated stimulus, as most devices operate with pre-established parameters in closed packages. For this reason, customizing therapy for each individual can be difficult. Therefore, the objective was to develop and validate a neuromodulation device capable of being remotely programmed and properly monitored. Materials and methods for validating devices were used according to the Brazilian Regulatory Standard (NBR), which deals with general requirements for the basic safety and essential performance of electromedical devices. After verifying the reliability of the device, which was capable of generating a biphasic and symmetrical wave, measured by an oscilloscope, considered safe by the technical requirements, it was tested in a real application. Users reported feeling a comfortable stimulus, similar to other previously used devices, and considered the device easy to use. In this way, it was possible to demonstrate the reliability and validity of the developed device.
Measuring Heat Stress for Human Health in Cities: A Low-Cost Prototype Tested in a District of Valencia, Spain
Authors: Aduna-Sánchez Àlex , Correcher Antonio , Alfonso-Solar David , Vargas-Salgado Carlos
Published: November 2023

Nowadays, the measurement of heat stress indices is of principal importance due to the escalating impact of global warming. As temperatures continue to rise, the well-being and health of individuals are increasingly at risk, which can lead to a detrimental effect on human performance and behavior. Hence, monitoring and assessing heat stress indices have become necessary for ensuring the safety and comfort of individuals. Thermal comfort indices, such as wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT), Tropical Summer Index (TSI), and Predicted Heat Strain (PHS), as well as parameters like mean radiant temperature (MRT), are typically used for assessing and controlling heat stress conditions in working and urban environments. Therefore, measurement and monitoring of these parameters should be obtained for any environment in which people are constantly exposed. Modern cities collect and publish this relevant information following the Smart City concept. To monitor large cities, cost-effective solutions must be developed. This work presents the results of a Heat Stress Monitoring (HSM) system prototype network tested in the Benicalap-Ciutat Fallera district in Valencia, Spain. The scope of this work is to design, commission, and test a low-cost prototype that is able to measure heat stress indices. The Heat Stress Monitoring system comprises a central unit or receiver and several transmitters communicating via radiofrequency. The transmitter accurately measures wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar irradiation, and black globe temperature. The receiver has a 4G modem that sends the data to an SQL database in the cloud. The devices were tested over one year, showing that radio data transmission is reliable up to 700 m from the receiver. The system’s power supply, composed of a Photovoltaic panel and Lithium-ion batteries, provided off-grid capabilities to the transmitter, with a tested backup autonomy of up to 36 days per charge. Then, indicators such as WBGT, TSI, and MRT were successfully estimated using the data collected by the devices. The material cost of a 12-point network is around EUR 2430 with a competitive price of EUR 190 per device.
Oscillatory Responses to Tactile Stimuli of Different Intensity
Authors: Kuc Alexander , Skorokhodov Ivan , Semirechenko Alexey , Khayrullina Guzal , Maksimenko Vladimir , Varlamov Anton , Gordleeva Susanna , Hramov Alexander
Published: November 2023

Tactile perception encompasses several submodalities that are realized with distinct sensory subsystems. The processing of those submodalities and their interactions remains understudied. We developed a paradigm consisting of three types of touch tuned in terms of their force and velocity for different submodalities: discriminative touch (haptics), affective touch (C-tactile touch), and knismesis (alerting tickle). Touch was delivered with a high-precision robotic rotary touch stimulation device. A total of 39 healthy individuals participated in the study. EEG cluster analysis revealed a decrease in alpha and beta range (mu-rhythm) as well as theta and delta increase most pronounced to the most salient and fastest type of stimulation. The participants confirmed that slower stimuli targeted to affective touch low-threshold receptors were the most pleasant ones, and less intense stimuli aimed at knismesis were indeed the most ticklish ones, but those sensations did not form an EEG cluster, probably implying their processing involves deeper brain structures that are less accessible with EEG.
Weigh-in-Motion Site for Type Approval of Vehicle Mass Enforcement Systems in Poland
Authors: Gajda Janusz , Sroka Ryszard , Burnos Piotr , Daniol Mateusz
Published: November 2023

The need to protect road infrastructure makes it necessary to direct the mass enforcement control of motor vehicles. Such control, in order to fulfil its role, must be continuous and universal. The only tool currently known to achieve these goals are weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems. The implementation of mass enforcement WIM systems is possible only if the requirements for their metrological properties are formulated, followed by the implementation of administrative procedures for the type approval of WIM systems, rules for their metrological examination, and administrative regulations for their practical use. The AGH University of Krakow, in cooperation with the Central Office of Measures (Polish National Metrological Institute), has been conducting research in this direction for many years, and, now, as part of a research project financed by the Ministry of Education and Science. In this paper, we describe a unique WIM system located in the south of Poland and the results of over two years of our research. These studies are intended to lead to the formulation of requirements for metrological legalisation procedures for this type of system. Our efforts are focused on implementing WIM systems in Poland for direct mass enforcement. The tests carried out confirmed that the constructed system is fully functional. Its equipment with quartz and bending plate load sensors allows for the comparison of both technologies and the measurement of many parameters of the weighed vehicle and environmental parameters affecting weighing accuracy. The tests confirmed the stability of its metrological parameters. The GVW maximal measurement error does not exceed 5%, and the single axle load maximal measurement error does not exceed 12%. The sensors of the environmental parameters allow for the search for correlations between weighing accuracy and the intensity of these parameters.
Data-Driven Approach for Upper Limb Fatigue Estimation Based on Wearable Sensors
Authors: Otálora Sophia , Segatto Marcelo E. V. , Monteiro Maxwell E. , Múnera Marcela , Díaz Camilo A. R. , Cifuentes Carlos A.
Published: November 2023

Muscle fatigue is defined as a reduced ability to maintain maximal strength during voluntary contraction. It is associated with musculoskeletal disorders that affect workers performing repetitive activities, affecting their performance and well-being. Although electromyography remains the gold standard for measuring muscle fatigue, its limitations in long-term work motivate the use of wearable devices. This article proposes a computational model for estimating muscle fatigue using wearable and non-invasive devices, such as Optical Fiber Sensors (OFSs) and Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) along the subjective Borg scale. Electromyography (EMG) sensors are used to observe their importance in estimating muscle fatigue and comparing performance in different sensor combinations. This study involves 30 subjects performing a repetitive lifting activity with their dominant arm until reaching muscle fatigue. Muscle activity, elbow angles, and angular and linear velocities, among others, are measured to extract multiple features. Different machine learning algorithms obtain a model that estimates three fatigue states (low, moderate and high). Results showed that between the machine learning classifiers, the LightGBM presented an accuracy of 96.2% in the classification task using all of the sensors with 33 features and 95.4% using only OFS and IMU sensors with 13 features. This demonstrates that elbow angles, wrist velocities, acceleration variations, and compensatory neck movements are essential for estimating muscle fatigue. In conclusion, the resulting model can be used to estimate fatigue during heavy lifting in work environments, having the potential to monitor and prevent muscle fatigue during long working shifts.
Optimization and Validation of Sensitive UPLC-PDA Method for Simultaneous Determination of Thymoquinone and Glibenclamide in SNEDDs Formulations Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Alshora Doaa Hasan , Ibrahim Mohamed Abbas , Sherif Abdelrahman Y.
Published: November 2023

The development of analytical procedures capable of simultaneous determination of two or more drugs is in crucial demand due to the availability of different formulations that are composed of different APIs. The presented study aimed to optimize and validate a simple, accurate, and sensitive UPLC analytical method for the simultaneous determination of thymoquinone (TQ) and Glibenclamide (GB) using response surface methodology, and apply this method in pharmaceutical formulations. A 32 full design of experiment was utilized to study the impacts of the independent parameters (acetonitrile ACN concentration, A; and column temperature, B) on the drugs’ analytical attributes (viz, retention time, peak area, and peak asymmetry, in addition to the resolution between TQ and GB peaks). The results revealed that the independent parameters exhibited highly significant (p < 0.05) antagonistic effects on retention times for TQ and GB peaks, in addition to the agnostic effect on GB peak symmetry (p-value = 0.001). Moreover, antagonistic impacts (p < 0.05) on the resolution between TQ and GB peaks were found for both independent factors (A and B). The statistical software suggested 46.86% of ACN (A) and 38.80 °C for column temperature (B) for optimum analytical responses. The optimized green method was discovered to be acceptable in terms of selectivity, precision, accuracy, robustness, sensitivity, and specificity. Moreover, the optimized simultaneous method was successfully able to determine the contents of TQ and GB in self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery (SNEDD) formulation, in which the results showed that GB and TQ content within the prepared formulations were 1.54 ± 0.023 and 3.62 ± 0.031 mg/gm, respectively. In conclusion, the developed assay was efficient and valid in analyzing TQ and GB simultaneously in bulk and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDs) formulations.
Selective H2 Evolution and CO2 Absorption in Electrolysis of Ethanolamine Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Fukada Satoshi , Sakai Ryosuke , Oya Makoto , Katayama Kazunari
Published: November 2023

Selective H2 evolution and CO2 absorption in several ethanolamine aqueous solutions are comparatively investigated using a new electrolysis reactor. H2 bubbles are generated from a cathode in any ethanolamine electrolyte, and its experimental gas evolution rates are correlated by Faraday’s first rule. No or smaller amounts of CO2 and N2 bubbles than stoichiometric ones are generated on an anode through the reaction between hydroxide ions and ethanolamine ones. No CO or O2 is observed in the system exhaust, and most of the CO2, along with N2, is still absorbed in ethanolamine aqueous solutions with the addition of KOH and/or HCOOH under high pH conditions. Variations of the concentrations of coexisting ions dissolved in the electrolytes of mono- or tri-ethanolamine (MEA or TEA) and ethylenediamine (EDA) solutions with CO2 absorption are calculated using the equilibrium constants to relate the concentrations of solute ions. Electric resistivities of the ethanolamine aqueous solutions are correlated by the pH value and are analyzed in terms of equilibrium constants among the concentrations of coexisting ions. Conditions of the MEA electrolyte to achieve high-performance electrolysis is discussed for selective H2 generation.
Refugee and Immigrant Youth Leaders: Strengths, Futurity, and Commitment to Community
Authors: Pak Jane , Gurung Jyoti , Argenal Amy
Published: November 2023

This study explored the Youth Leadership/Peer Tutoring program at Refugee and Immigrant Transitions (RIT), a community-based non-profit organization in Northern California. It includes 12 semi-structured interviews with refugee and immigrant youth leaders. Bringing together works on Community Cultural Wealth (with the addition of Migration Capital) and Critical Refugee Studies collectively as a conceptual framework, this study highlights three themes: (a) commitment to community, family, and giving back; (b) encouraging communication and cultivating a pan-newcomer community; and (c) leadership as commitment to community and positive, collective futurities. Data support a strengths-based framework when working with refugee and immigrant youth as they transition and adjust to their new school environments and communities. All 12 participants were refugee and immigrant newcomer youth who participated as youth leaders/peer tutors in RIT’s Youth Leaders/Peer Tutoring program. Countries of origin included Burma (Karen), Bhutan, Nepal, China, and El Salvador. As scholars and practitioners in the field, we are seeing an increased need and demand for more scholarship in this area through a strengths-based lens, as evidenced by calls from educators and school/district administrators requesting support and resources. We submit this article at a time of growing numbers of immigrant and refugee youth in schools in the United States, including non-diverse school environments that are unprepared (and sometimes unwilling) to receive newcomer youth. Our hope is for this study to reveal possibilities for extending welcome and mutual support through a strengths-based lens within diverse newcomer peer learning environments.
Study on the Crop Suitability and Planting Structure Optimization in Typical Grain Production Areas under the Influence of Human Activities and Climate Change: A Case Study of the Naoli River Basin in Northeast China
Authors: Yin Jian , Wei Danqi
Published: November 2023

Optimizing crop planting structures under the influence of climate change and human activities is crucial for sustainable food production and global food security. Taking the Naoli River Basin in Northeast China as a case area, a machine learning model based on maximum entropy was used to explore the suitability distribution of crops under the influence of both environmental factors and human activities. The optimized planting structure strategies were tested in combination with future climate change. The results show that considering human activities can more accurately simulate crop suitability than considering only natural environmental factors. The suitable planting areas for maize, rice, and soybeans are 18,553.54 km2, 10,335.98 km2, and 5844.80 km2, respectively. Highly adapted areas for major crops are concentrated in the plain areas of the middle reaches of the river basin, rather than in populated areas, and there are overlaps among the suitable planting areas for each crop. The optimal crop distribution for the planting structure is to plant rice in the hydrophilic areas of the plain hinterland, soybeans in the plain hinterland farther from the water source, and corn in the peripheral plains and gently sloping mountainous areas. Human activities exerted a strong influence on the potential scatter of soybeans, while climate change had the most significant implications for maize. Future climate change may reduce the area of suitable crop zones, posing challenges to regional food production. It is necessary to reflect on how to rationally balance soil and water resources, as well as how to cope with climate change in the future.
Design and Control of Hydraulic Power Take-Off System for an Array of Point Absorber Wave Energy Converters
Authors: Wang Dengshuai , Zhang Zhenquan , Hai Yunpeng , Liu Yanjun , Xue Gang
Published: November 2023

The development of wave energy converter (WEC) arrays is an effective way to reduce the cost of levelized energy and facilitate the commercialization of WECs. This study proposes a hydraulic power take-off (PTO) system for an array of point absorber wave energy converters (PA-WECs) and designs a control system using a novel algorithm called the improved simplified universal intelligent PID (ISUIPID) controller and the adaptive matching controller including an improved artificial gorilla troops optimizer (IGTO) to improve and stabilize the output power of PA-WEC arrays. Simulations under varying irregular wave states have been carried out to verify the validity of the mathematical model and the control system. The results show that the designed IGTO has faster convergence speed and better convergence accuracy in solving the optimal linear damping coefficient of the generator, and the proposed ISUIPID controller provides superior performance in tracking the speed of the hydraulic motor under the changing sea states. In addition, the capture power and output power of the array of PA-WECs are improved and the electrical energy can be output stably under the designed control system. The array of PA-WECs with the proposed control system will become an independent, stable, efficient, and sustainable power supply system.
High-Performance Project Teams: Analysis from the Stoic Approach
Authors: Moreno-Monsalve Nelson , Delgado-Ortiz Marcela , Sanabria-Ospino Alfredo , Pardo Ezcurra Tamara Tatiana , Nicolás Rojas Yoni Wildor , Fajardo-Moreno William
Published: November 2023

Nowadays, any consideration regarding project management implies an all-encompassing approach constituted by three perspectives: organizational, human, and engineering. In this sense, it is necessary for the project manager to reflect on various issues, such as ethics, the understanding of the environment, leadership, teamwork, achieving results, change in management, the adoption of new technologies, and knowledge management, among many others, all this with the intention of ensuring success through value creation, consistent and aligned with the expectations of the different stakeholders. Because of the adoption of a comprehensive vision of project management, disciplines such as philosophy have become logical within the reasoning of organizational management. Classic postulates such as those of the Stoic school have become references for modern leader-managers because of their approach associated with personal development, self-discipline, self-control, logic, balance with the environment, and the creation of social value. The research analyzed how the postulates of the Stoic philosophy can determine the high performance of project teams. To achieve this, 70 project managers from different small and medium enterprises (SMEs) located in Bogotá, Colombia, were surveyed about the seven main thoughts of Stoicism and the possible relationship with the performance of their project teams. Based on their answers, a correlational model of structural equations was applied to obtain the conclusions of this study. The results obtained in this investigation are intended to contribute significantly to the maturity and modernization of the project management discipline.
Effects of Aging on Taxi Service Performance: A Comparative Study Based on Different Age Groups
Authors: Lin Xiao , Huang Zhengfeng , Ye Yun , Dong Jingxin , Feng Hongxiang , Zheng Pengjun
Published: November 2023

Rapid population aging has significantly impacted labor supply and posed substantial challenges for the taxi industry, which have not yet been fully comprehended. Here, for the first time, we employ a large-scale dataset of taxi driver operations from China, establishing a comprehensive indicator system of taxi service performance, encompassing economic, environmental, and safety aspects. Through the application of multivariate regression models and other statistical analysis techniques, we have thoroughly investigated the mechanisms through which aging influences taxi service performance. Our research reveals that older drivers, despite exhibiting higher operational efficiency and greater inclination towards stability, underperform in time efficiency metrics, such as income per hour worked, owing to a more conservative working style. Furthermore, aging manifests negative effects on safety and environmental performance. Adjusting the driving strategies of older taxi drivers, such as regulating daily working hours and refining passenger-searching area preferences, can help mitigate these adverse impacts.
Recommending K-Wave Items Tailored for Small-Sized Exporters by Incorporating Dense and Sparse Vectors
Authors: Lee Jimin , Na Eunjeong , Han Keejun , Na Donggil
Published: November 2023

As K-wave has been strengthened via recent K-contents, K-wave items such as cosmetics and electronic devices have also gained attention globally. For small-sized export sellers who purchased the items and exported them to different countries, it is significant to discover which K-wave items are trending in specific countries. To do so, we proposed an ensemble recommender system by producing the dense vector, which is generated by a variant of Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), and balancing the vector with a sparse vector in order to ensure the efficient execution speed and recommendation accuracy. Based on the data we have collected specifically for potential K-items, our experiment showed that the proposed model outperforms the various baselines, which are used for content-based filtering.
Leveraging the No Net Land Take Policy through Ecological Connectivity Analysis: The Role of Industrial Platforms in Flanders, Belgium
Authors: Nalumu Dorothy Julian , Peña Daniel Otero , Perrotti Daniela
Published: November 2023

Land take for urbanisation has become a significant problem in many parts of the world due to environmental, social and economic impacts associated with the rapid depletion of blue and green spaces. In Europe, literature reveals a massive loss of ecosystems due to land take. The European Union has formulated a “No Net Land Take Policy” to stop new development activities on the available urban lands by 2050 within its member countries. In this paper, we highlight opportunities for mainstreaming green infrastructure planning in the industrial areas located in Flanders, Belgium, to enhance ecological connectivity towards the No Net Land Take Policy. The ecological connectivity was analysed using a blended methodology combining spatial analysis at the scale of the entire region and that of sixteen sub catchments within using the Patch-Corridor-Matrix model. A multifunctionality framework for assessing green infrastructure implementation was designed based on an analysis of the scientific literature discussing the ecological benefits of green infrastructure networks within industrial platforms. Our results show that industrial platforms might provide a broad spectrum of implementation opportunities reflecting the multi-functionality of green infrastructure networks while highlighting to what extent the underdeveloped areas laying within the boundary of industrial platforms are suitable for green infrastructure expansion.
A Charging Planning Method for Shared Electric Vehicles with the Collaboration of Mobile and Fixed Facilities
Authors: Luo Qingyu , Ye Zhihao , Jia Hongfei
Published: November 2023

Faced with the charging difficulties of free-floating shared electric vehicles and the high cost of single-demand mobile charging, this paper proposes a cooperative charging planning method based on the complementary advantages of fixed charging stations and mobile charging vehicles, which can charge shared electric vehicles more efficiently and reduce the charging cost at the same time. A bi-level programming model for fixed and mobile cooperative charging is constructed. The upper level of the model is the system charging total cost minimization model, which searches for the optimal charging scheme and number of mobile charging vehicles. The lower level model is a fixed and mobile cooperative charging path planning model, which calculates the optimal routes for the mobile charging vehicles and the shared electric vehicles that need to be transferred to the fixed charging station. The example results show that the cost of the proposed fixed-mobile cooperative charging scheme is reduced by 12.6% when compared to the fixed-only charging scheme, and by 14.9% when compared to the mobile-only charging scheme.