bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bamboo as a Cost-Effective Source of Renewable Carbon for Sustainable Economic Development in Low- and Middle-Income Economies
Authors: Ekwe Nneka B. , Tyufekchiev Maksim V. , Salifu Ali A. , Schmidt-Rohr Klaus , Zheng Zhaoxi , Maag Alex R. , Tompsett Geoffrey A. , Cai Charles M. , Onche Emmanuel O. , Ates Ayten , Soboyejo Winston O. , Krueger Robert , Timko Michael T.
Published: December 2022

Low- and middle-income countries have tremendous potential for renewable energy production, including production of renewable carbon from locally prolific crops. In this work, bamboo endemic to West Africa (Bambusa vulgaris) was studied as a feedstock for the production of renewable sugars as the gateway to the local production of biofuels and bio-based chemical products. The effectiveness of delignification and amorphization pretreatments was evaluated, with the observation that quantitative (97 ± 4%) sugar yields could be obtained with a rapid initial hydrolysis rate (82 ± 4 mg g−1 h−1) but only when amorphization was performed following delignification. Experimental measurements and further characterization using 13C solid state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) helped establish the importance of amorphization and delignification and explained why the order of these treatments determined their effectiveness. The economics of the bamboo-based process were compared with those projected for corn stover, selected as a well-studied benchmark crop. Because of the higher bamboo growth rate compared with corn stover and the effectiveness of the pretreatment, the projected net present value (NPV) of the bamboo biorefinery was positive ($190 MM, U.S.), whereas the corn biorefinery projected to negative NPV (−$430 MM, U.S.). A socially sustainable framework for deployment of a bamboo biorefinery in a low- or middle-income economy was then proposed, guided by the principle of local ownership and stakeholder buy-in. The findings presented here motivate further investment in development of bamboo cultivation and conversion to sugars as a rapid route to decarbonization of low- and middle-income economies.
Indirect Thermographic Temperature Measurement of a Power-Rectifying Diode Die Based on a Heat Sink Thermogram
Authors: Dziarski Krzysztof , Hulewicz Arkadiusz , Drużyński Łukasz , Dombek Grzegorz
Published: December 2022

This article concerns the indirect thermographic measurement of the junction temperature of a D00-250-10 semiconductor diode. Herein, we show how the temperature of the semiconductor junction was estimated on the basis of the heat sink temperature. We discuss the methodology of selecting the points for thermographic measurement of the heat sink temperature and the diode case. The method of thermographic measurement of the heat sink temperature and the used measurement system are described. The simulation method used to obtain the temperature of the semiconductor diode junction on the basis of the thermographic measurement of the heat sink temperature, as well as the method of determining the emissivity and convection coefficients, is presented. In order to facilitate the understanding of the discussed issues, the construction of the diode and heat sink used, the heat flow equation and the finite element method are described. As a result of the work carried out, the point where the diode casing temperature is closest to the junction temperature was indicated, as well as which fragments of the heat sink should be observed in order to correctly estimate the temperature of the semiconductor junction. The indirect measurement of the semiconductor junction temperature was carried out for different values of the power dissipated in the junction.
Evaluation of Four Types of Kilns Used to Produce Charcoal from Several Tree Species in Mexico
Authors: García-Quezada Juan , Musule-Lagunes Ricardo , Prieto-Ruíz José Angel , Vega-Nieva Daniel José , Carrillo-Parra Artemio
Published: December 2022

Charcoal production is an activity that dates back over the years. The objective of the study was to determine the temperature and heating ramp in industrial carbonization processes using different kiln types and to quantify its impact on yield and quality of charcoal from different firewood species. The selection of sites, kiln types, and species investigated was based on those with highest production in Mexico. Brazilian beehive kilns using Arbutus xalapensis, Quercus durifolia, and Quercus sideroxyla species were analyzed; modified Brazilian beehive kilns with Pithecellobium dulce and Tamarindus indica; Argentine half-orange kilns with Quercus magnoliifolia and Q. sideroxyla, industrial metal kilns with Brosimum alicastrum, Vitex gaumeri, Manilkara zapota, and Pouteria unilocularis. The process time, temperature, heating ramp, production yield, and quality of charcoal produced were determined. Data were analyzed in a completely random statistical design. The industrial type kilns showed the highest production yield (>35%), and the Brazilian beehive kilns obtained the longest carbonization time (>240 h). On the other hand, the modified Brazilian beehive kilns obtained the best energetic characteristics (>75% fixed carbon and <16% volatile material). A carbonization process with a slow heating ramp (<1 °C min−1) and temperatures of 500–600 °C can generate a charcoal with export quality.
Efficient Transfer of the Medium Frequency Magnetic Field Using Anisotropic Metamaterials
Authors: Steckiewicz Adam
Published: December 2022

This paper introduces a novel waveguide intended for the spatial transfer of alternating magnetic fields. Instead of ferromagnetic material, an air core was proposed, while the cladding was realized using anisotropic metamaterial, built of the resonators and a paramagnetic composite. Since prior works regarding magnetic field transfer concentrated on static or high frequency fields, the proposed device complements the range of medium frequencies (several to hundreds of kilohertz). The three-dimensional model of the 50 cm long and 20 cm wide rectangular structure with metamaterial cladding was made in COMSOL and computed using the finite element method. Multi-turn inductors were considered and homogenized by the current sheet approximation, while an optimization solver was used to identify an optimal design of the waveguide. The analysis was made with respect to different resonators and permeability of the paramagnetic material. Additionally, the frequency response of the structure was determined. On these bases, the dependencies of the mean energy density and magnetic field intensity at the output of the waveguide were characterized. It was shown that discussed structure was able to provide an efficient transfer of the magnetic field between two ports. Thus, this device can be used to extend the distance of the wireless power transfer, especially between devices isolated by a thick barrier (e.g., wall), in which the meta-structure may be embodied.
Solution Processed NiO/MoS2 Heterostructure Nanocomposite for Supercapacitor Electrode Application
Authors: Kasinathan Dhivyaprasath , Prabhakar Praveena , Muruganandam Preethi , Wiston Biny , Mahalingam Ashok , Sriram Ganesan
Published: December 2022

Metal oxide and metal dichalcogenide heterostructure composites are promising candidates for electrochemical use. In this study, a hybrid heterostructure composite electrode material was made using a straightforward hydrothermal process using transition metal oxide (NiO) and metal dichalcogenide (MoS2). The surface of the flower-like structured MoS2 was grown with granular structured NiO, and this heterostructure composite exhibited considerably improved specific capacitance when compared to the pure NiO and MoS2 materials. The pseudocapacitive performance was effectively supported by the heterostructure combination of transition metal oxide (TMOs) and metal dichalcogenide (MDC), which greatly improved ion transport within the material and storage. At a current density of 1 A/g, the prepared heterostructure composite electrode material exhibited a specific capacitance of 289 F/g, and, after 2000 cycles, the capacitance retained 101% of its initial value. The symmetric device was constructed and put through tests using LED light. This finding opens up a new avenue for the quickly increasing the field of heterostructure materials.
EGR and Emulsified Fuel Combination Effects on the Combustion, Performance, and NOx Emissions in Marine Diesel Engines
Authors: Abdelhameed Elsayed , Tashima Hiroshi
Published: December 2022

Techniques such as exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and water-in-fuel emulsions (WFEs) can significantly decrease NOx emissions in diesel engines. As a disadvantage of adopting EGR, the afterburning period lengthens owing to a shortage of oxygen, lowering thermal efficiency. Meanwhile, WFEs can slightly reduce NOx emissions and reduce the afterburning phase without severely compromising thermal efficiency. Therefore, the EGR–WFE combination was modeled utilizing the KIVA-3V code along with GT power and experimental results. The findings indicated that combining EGR with WFEs is an efficient technique to reduce afterburning and enhance thermal efficiency. Under the EGR state, the NO product was evenly lowered. In the WFE, a considerable NO amount was created near the front edge of the combustion flame. Additionally, squish flow from the piston’s up–down movement improved fuel–air mixing, and NO production was increased as a result, particularly at high injection pressure. Using WFEs with EGR at a low oxygen concentration significantly reduced NO emissions while increasing thermal efficiency. For instance, using 16% of the oxygen concentration and a 40% water emulsion, a 94% drop in NO and a 4% improvement in the Indicated Mean Effective Pressure were obtained concurrently. This research proposes using the EGR–WFE combination to minimize NO emissions while maintaining thermal efficiency.
Demand-Response-Oriented Load Aggregation Scheduling Optimization Strategy for Inverter Air Conditioner
Authors: Li Qifen , Zhao Yihan , Yang Yongwen , Zhang Liting , Ju Chen
Published: December 2022

In recent years, the peak–valley differences in urban power loads have been increasing. It is difficult to maintain the real-time balance of a power system by relying solely on the generation-side resources. As a typical flexible load, an air conditioning load can balance the supply and demand of a power grid by adjusting power using the thermal inertia of buildings. From the perspective of a load aggregator, this study models and aggregates the dispatch of a single inverter air conditioner distributed in a region to determine the adjustment potential of an air conditioning cluster. Then, according to the demand response capacity requirements, an optimal strategy for the aggregate dispatch of an inverter air conditioner considering incentive compensation measures is proposed with the objective of maximizing the load quotient economic benefit. The sensitivity analysis of the compensation factor for temperature rise is also performed. The results show that 3000 inverter air conditioners in the load quotient dispatch area participate in the demand response for 4 h, with a load reduction of 1.267 MW and a net income of RMB 14,435.97. Secondly, an increase in the temperature rise compensation factor will reduce the cost of temperature rise compensation by the loader to the user, but it will also reduce the load reduction and the net income of the loader. This study has practical significance for load aggregators to formulate compensation strategies and improve the economic benefits of participating in demand response.
Realistic Load Modeling for Efficient Consumption Management Using Real-Time Simulation and Power Hardware-in-the-Loop
Authors: Faria Pedro , Vale Zita
Published: December 2022

By empowering consumers and enabling them as active players in the power and energy sector, demand flexibility requires more precise and sophisticated load modeling. In this paper, a laboratory testbed was designed and implemented for surveying the behavior of laboratory loads in different network conditions by using real-time simulation. Power hardware-in-the-loop was used to validate the load models by testing various technical network conditions. Then, in the emulation phase, the real-time simulator controlled a power amplifier and different laboratory equipment to provide a realistic testbed for validating the load models under different voltage and frequency conditions. In the case study, the power amplifier was utilized to supply a resistive load to emulate several consumer load modeling. Through the obtained results, the errors for each load level and the set of all load levels were calculated and compared. Furthermore, a fixed consumption level was considered. The frequency was changed to survey the behavior of the load during the grid’s instabilities. In the end, a set of mathematical equations were proposed to calculate power consumption with respect to the actual voltage and frequency variations.
Seawater Intrusion Risk and Prevention Technology of Coastal and Large-Span Underground Oil Storage Cavern
Authors: He Shengquan , Song Dazhao , Yang Lianzhi , Miao Xiaomeng , Liang Jiuzheng , He Xueqiu , Cao Biao , Zhao Yingjie , Chen Tuo , Zhong Wei , Zhong Taoping
Published: December 2022

The presence of a high concentration of Cl− in saltwater will erode the structure and facilities, reducing the stability and service life of the underground oil storage cavern. In order to reduce the risk of seawater intrusion, this paper studies the risk and prevention technology of seawater intrusion based on a case study of a coastal and large-span underground oil storage cavern. A refined three-dimensional hydrogeological model that comprehensively considers permeability coefficient partitions, faults, and fractured zones are constructed. The seepage fields and seawater intrusion risks of the reservoir site in its natural state, during construction, and during operation are examined, respectively. The study quantifies the water inflow and optimizes the seawater intrusion prevention technology. The results indicate that there is no risk of seawater incursion into the cavern under natural conditions. The water inflows after excavating the top, middle, and bottom sections of the main cavern are predicted to be 6797 m3/day, 6895 m3/day, and 6767 m3/day, respectively. During the excavation period, the water supply from the water curtain system is lower than the water inflow of the cavern, providing the maximum water curtain injection of 6039 m3/day. The water level in the reservoir area decreased obviously in the excavation period, but the water flow direction is from the cavern to the sea. Additionally, the concentration of Cl− in the cavern area is less than 7 mol/m3; hereby, there are no seawater intrusion risks. When only the horizontal water curtain system is deployed, seawater intrusion occurs after 18 years of cavern operation. The concentration of Cl− in the southeast of the cavern group exceeds 50 mol/m3 in 50 years, reaching moderate corrosion and serious seawater intrusion. In addition to the horizontal curtain above the cavern, a vertical water curtain system could be added on the southeast side, with a borehole spacing of 10 m and extending to 30 m below the cavern group. This scheme can effectively reduce seawater intrusion risk and extend the service life of the cavern. The findings of this research can be applied as guidelines for underground oil storage caverns in coastal areas to tackle seawater intrusion problems.
Process Evaluation of Scandium Production and Its Environmental Impact
Authors: Ghosh Aratrika , Dhiman Soniya , Gupta Anirudh , Jain Rohan
Published: December 2022

With the advancement of technology and a global shift towards clean energy, the need for rare earth metals is increasing. Scandium, a rare earth metal, has been extensively used over the decades in solid oxide fuel cells and aluminum–scandium alloys that have a vast, evolving market in aerospace, automobiles and 3D printing. However, the market struggles to maintain the supply chain due to expensive production processes and the absence of uniform global distribution of primary sources. Therefore, identification of alternative sources and technological advancements for scandium recovery are needed. To this end, an effort has been made to provide a review of the advances in different technologies applied in scandium recovery from diverse sources. Emphasis has been given to the improvements and upgrades to technologies in terms of environmental impact and recovery efficacy. An attempt has been made to discuss and deliver a clear representation of the challenges associated with every source for scandium recovery and the major developments in solving them. The environmental impact of scandium recovery and recycling has also been discussed.
Insights of Otoliths Morphology to Reveal Patterns of Teleostean Fishes in the Southern Atlantic
Authors: Santos Lucinha , Vaz-dos-Santos André Martins
Published: December 2022

The sagitta otoliths of teleostean fishes are usually used in diverse studies. Their shapes are species-specific, and the qualitative description of their morphological features seems to be a simple task, despite its subjectivity. On the other hand, morphometric techniques have been developed with a focus on objectivity, reproducibility, and accuracy. Considering this, the otoliths morphology was reviewed and evaluated in terms of robustness as a taxonomic tool and to highlight ecomorphological patterns. The otoliths morphology of 179 teleostean fishes from the Southern Atlantic were analyzed. For each species, the fish total length range, eighteen otolith morphological features (OMFs), and relative proportions were annotated. Species habitat and habit were also recorded. Data analyses were based on exploratory analysis, correlation, nonmetric multidimensional scaling, and a two-way permutational analysis of variance. The most descriptive OMFs were: colliculum, sulcus acusticus (morphology, position, orientation, and opening), and otolith profile. The otolith morphology was significantly related to species habitat and habit, with a new pattern described for deep-ocean pelagic species. In conclusion, otoliths morphology is robust whenever it is based on the comparative method application (otoliths among otoliths), considering the constant updates of fishes’ taxonomy and the use of proper sample sizes linked to morphometric techniques.
Development of a Modified QuEChERS Method Based on Magnetic Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes as a Clean-Up Adsorbent for the Analysis of Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines in Braised Sauce Beef
Authors: Li Min , Wang Pengxiang , Zhang Xu , Wang Hongyu , Li Ke , Bai Yanhong
Published: December 2022

Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) generated during the cooking of meats cause adverse effects on human health. The purpose of the current research was to develop a modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, Safe) method using magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe3O4-MWCNTs) as clean-up adsorbents for the rapid determination of HAAs in braised sauce beef. The significant parameters in extraction and clean-up processes were screened and optimized. Under optimal conditions, the LODs ranged from 3.0 ng/g to 4.2 ng/g. The recoveries (78.5–103.2%) and relative standard deviations RSDs (<4.6%) of five HAAs were obtained. These are in accordance with the validation criteria (recovery in the range of 70–120% with RSD less than 20%). Compared with conventional clean-up adsorbents (PSA or C18), Fe3O4-MWCNTs displayed equivalent or better matrix removal efficiency, while making the pretreatment process easier and more time-saving through magnetic separation. Less usage of adsorbent makes the method possess another advantage of being lower in cost per sample. The method developed was successfully applied to analyze real samples collected from local deli counters, demonstrating Fe3O4-MWCNTs could be considered as an effective alternative adsorbent with great potential in the QuEChERS process.
Apoptosis Inducing Factors Involved in the Changes of Flesh Quality in Postmortem Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) Muscle
Authors: Tie Huaimao , Lu Xuan , Yu Dawei , Yang Fang , Jiang Qixing , Xu Yanshun , Xia Wenshui
Published: December 2022

Alterations of apoptosis have notable influences on flesh quality, but the mechanism is still unclear. Thus, apoptotic behaviors and related triggering mechanisms need to be explored. Fish muscle was prepared and stored at 4 °C for 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h for apoptosis analysis. Results showed that positive apoptotic nuclei were positively correlated with drop loss and negatively correlated with shear force and water holding capacity (p < 0.05). Results showed that the triggering apoptotic mechanisms were involved with enhanced transcriptional levels of caspase-2, 3, 7, 8, and 9 through mitochondria and death receptor pathways in the muscle of grass carp. The decreased ATP content, changed cytochrome c redox state, increased protein levels of HSP27 and HSP 90, and enhanced activity of cathepsin (B, L, and D), calpain, and serine proteinase were involved in apoptosis activations. Results indicated that caspases, energy metabolism, cytochrome c redox state, heat shock protein expressions, and protease activities played critical roles in apoptosis alterations in carp muscle during refrigerated storage.
Identification of Defective Maize Seeds Using Hyperspectral Imaging Combined with Deep Learning
Authors: Xu Peng , Sun Wenbin , Xu Kang , Zhang Yunpeng , Tan Qian , Qing Yiren , Yang Ranbing
Published: December 2022

Seed quality affects crop yield and the quality of agricultural products, and traditional identification methods are time-consuming, complex, and irreversibly destructive. This study aims to establish a fast, non-destructive, and effective approach for defect detection in maize seeds based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology combined with deep learning. Raw spectra collected from maize seeds (200 each healthy and worm-eaten) were pre-processed using detrending (DE) and multiple scattering correction (MSC) to highlight the spectral differences between samples. A convolutional neural network architecture (CNN-FES) based on a feature selection mechanism was proposed according to the importance of wavelength in the target classification task. The results show that the subset of 24 feature wavelengths selected by the proposed CNN-FES can capture important feature information in the spectral data more effectively than the conventional successive projections algorithm (SPA) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithms. In addition, a convolutional neural network architecture (CNN-ATM) based on an attentional classification mechanism was designed for one-dimensional spectral data classification and compared with three commonly used machine learning methods, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM). The results show that the classification performance of the designed CNN-ATM on the full wavelength does not differ much from the above three methods, and the classification accuracy is above 90% on both the training and test sets. Meanwhile, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CNN-ATM based on feature wavelength modeling can reach up to 97.50%, 98.28%, and 96.77% at the highest, respectively. The study shows that hyperspectral imaging-based defect detection of maize seed is feasible and effective, and the proposed method has great potential for the processing and analysis of complex hyperspectral data.
Pseudomonas fluorescens and Escherichia coli in Fresh Mozzarella Cheese: Effect of Cellobiose Oxidase on Microbiological Stability during Refrigerated Shelf Life
Authors: Marrella Martina , Bertani Gaia , Ricci Annalisa , Volpe Rossana , Roustel Sebastien , Ferriani Federico , Nipoti Elia , Neviani Erasmo , Lazzi Camilla , Bernini Valentina
Published: December 2022

Background: Mozzarella cheese possesses a high moisture content (50–60%) and a relatively high pH (around 5.5) and is therefore considered a perishable food product characterized by high quality deterioration and the potential risk of microbial contamination. Moreover, it can be spoiled by Pseudomonas spp. and coliform bacteria, which may be involved in different negative phenomena, such as proteolysis, discolorations, pigmentation, and off-flavors. To prevent these, different methods were investigated. In this context, the present study aims to assess the antimicrobial effect of cellobiose oxidase on Pseudomonas fluorescens (5026) and Escherichia coli (k88, k99) in mozzarella cheese during refrigerated shelf life. Methods: microbiological challenge tests were designed by contaminating the mozzarella covering liquid containing different cellobiose oxidase concentrations with P. fluorescens (5026) and E. coli (k88, k99). The behavior of these microorganisms and the variation of hydrogen peroxide concentrations were then tested under refrigerated conditions for 20 days to simulate the mozzarella cheese shelf life. Results and Conclusions: The data obtained demonstrated the effect of cellobiose oxidase on microbial growth. In particular, E. coli (k88, k99) was inhibited over the entire shelf life, while P. fluorescens (5026) was only partially affected after a few days of refrigerated storage.
A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Listeria monocytogenes Response to Sanitizer Treatments
Authors: Hu Minmin , Dong Qingli , Liu Yangtai , Sun Tianmei , Gu Mingliang , Zhu Huajian , Xia Xuejuan , Li Zhuosi , Wang Xiang , Ma Yue , Yang Shuo , Qin Xiaojie
Published: December 2022

Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous organism that can be found in food-related environments, and sanitizers commonly prevent and control it. The aim of this study is to perform a meta-analysis of L. monocytogenes response to sanitizer treatments. According to the principle of systematic review, we extracted 896 records on the mean log-reduction of L. monocytogenes from 84 publications as the dataset for this study. We applied a mixed-effects model to describe L. monocytogenes response to sanitizer treatment by considering sanitizer type, matrix type, biofilm status, sanitizer concentration, treatment time, and temperature. Based on the established model, we compared the response of L. monocytogenes under different hypothetical conditions using forest plots. The results showed that environmental factors (i.e., sanitizer concentration, temperature, and treatment time) affected the average log-reduction of L. monocytogenes (p < 0.05). L. monocytogenes generally exhibited strong resistance to citric acid and sodium hypochlorite but had low resistance to electrolyzed water. The planktonic cells of L. monocytogenes were less resistant to peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite than the adherent and biofilm cells. Additionally, the physical and chemical properties of the contaminated or inoculated matrix or surface also influenced the sanitizer effectiveness. This review may contribute to increasing our knowledge of L. monocytogenes resistance to sanitizers and raising awareness of appropriate safety precautions.
Freshwater Clam Extract Attenuates Indomethacin-Induced Gastric Damage In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Isnain Fuad Sauqi , Liao Nai-Chen , Tsai Hui-Yun , Zhao Yu-Jie , Huang Chien-Hua , Hsu Jue-Liang , Wardani Agustin Krisna , Chen Yu-Kuo
Published: December 2022

Contemporary pharmacological studies have reported that freshwater clam (Corbicula fluminea) can provide a broad spectrum of bioactivities, including antioxidant, anticancer, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, and hypocholesterolemic effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the gastroprotective effects of water extract of freshwater clam (WEC) on indomethacin (IND)-induced gastric mucosal cell damage in vitro and gastric ulcer in vivo. The cell viability of rat gastric mucosa RGM-1 cells was markedly decreased by 0.8 mM of IND treatment, and pre-treated with various concentration of WEC significantly restored IND-induced cell damage in a dose-dependent manner. WEC also significantly attenuated the elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 nuclear translocation induced by IND. In the in vivo study, IND caused severe gastric ulcer in Wistar rats, while WEC pretreatment effectively reduced the ulcer area and edema in the submucosa. We found that WEC significantly restored glutathione (GSH) content in gastric mucosa in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). The reduction of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) caused by IND was also improved with higher doses of WEC administration. Moreover, the overexpression of COX-2, iNOS, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) proteins in gastric mucosa was downregulated by administration of WEC. Consequently, WEC can be used as a potential nutritional supplement to improve NSAIDs-caused gastric mucosal lesions.
Reducing Food Waste in Buffet Restaurants: A Corporate Management Approach
Authors: Wu Chi-Mei Emily , Teng Chih-Ching
Published: December 2022

Food waste has become a significant issue in the foodservice industry. However, food waste management in buffet restaurants has rarely been investigated. Considering the popularity of buffet restaurants in Taiwan, this study serves as the first attempt to identify a corporate management approach to food waste reduction in Taiwanese buffet restaurants. The study case comprises two buffet restaurants of a large chain restaurant company in Taiwan. This study uses both individual in-depth interviews and a focus group, comprising 15 managers, chefs, and front-line employees. The results identify various strategies to mitigate food waste in buffet restaurants at different stages of operation: establishing a central kitchen, cooperating with qualified suppliers, accurate forecasting of food demand, aesthetic buffet table design, redesigning the service method, continually monitoring food waste, and proactive communication to customers. The 3R (Reduce–Reuse–Recycle) food waste hierarchy is also developed to encourage buffet restaurant practitioners to design appropriate food waste mitigation programs.
An Active Retirement Programme, a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Sensorimotor Training Programme for Older Adults: A Study Protocol
Authors: Cabo Carolina Alexandra , Fernandes Orlando , Mendoza-Muñoz María , Barrios-Fernandez Sabina , Muñoz-Bermejo Laura , Gómez-Galán Rafael , Parraca Jose A.
Published: December 2022

Research shows that exercise training programmes lead to several improvements in older adults’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and well-being. This study will examine the effects of an active retirement programme on Portuguese older adults, investigating its effects on body composition, physical fitness, HRQoL, and physical activity level (PAL). Therefore, a parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted, including body composition (height and body weight), physical fitness (strength, flexibility, agility, postural control, and gait), HRQoL, and PAL assessments before and after the application of the programme. The programme will be carried out for six months, two days per week (45 min), plus a year of follow-up. The programme will consist of six circuits with eight physical exercises each. The circuits will change at the end of the four weeks (one monthly circuit). The exercises’ difficulty will increase throughout the programme, with alternatives for all the participants. If the effectiveness of the programme is demonstrated, implementation in different services and municipalities could be advised, as the actors involved in health and social services should promote the well-being of their citizens through, among others, health-related physical activity and the prevention of diseases associated with inactivity.
A Bibliometric Study on the Social Validity of Telepractice in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: González-García Rómulo J. , Martínez-Rico Gabriel , Escorcia-Mora Claudia , García-Grau Pau
Published: December 2022

The field of telepractice is generating increasing interest in recent years. In recent years, early childhood services have used resources such as support for interventions in families with children with autism spectrum disorder. Due to this situation, the social validity of such resources has emerged in this sector, receiving individual attention from academics and practitioners. However, a further deepening of such analyses is needed. Therefore, the main objective of this work is to analyze papers published in the Web of Science on social validity and telepractice in autism spectrum disorders. Bibliometric analysis allows us to discover the current state of a research field, to identify the main authors, articles, and topics, and to propose future lines of research to develop it further. Articles published between 2000 and 2021 were analyzed quantitatively, and by co-occurrence of words and authors. Subsequently, through bibliographic linking, the articles were grouped into different clusters. Five central themes were found, with social skills and the effectiveness of intervention programs being the most developed areas of research. Furthermore, studies focusing on evidence-based practices are necessary for the development of this research field. Thus, the analysis of social validity in the field of telepractice in children with autism spectrum disorders is a developing field within the early childhood sector.
Assessment of Urban Agglomeration Ecological Sustainability and Identification of Influencing Factors: Based on the 3DEF Model and the Random Forest
Authors: Li Zhigang , Yang Jie , Zhong Jialong , Zhang Dong
Published: December 2022

The evaluation of ecological sustainability is significant for high-quality urban development and scientific management and regulation. Taking the Chengdu urban agglomeration (CUA) as the research object, this paper combined the three-dimensional ecological footprint model (3DEF) and random forest to evaluate the ecological sustainability of the study area and identify the influencing factors. The study results indicate that: (1) From 2000 to 2019, the ecological sustainability of Chengdu urban agglomeration was divided into four types, and the overall ecological sustainability of this region showed a downward trend. The areas with higher ecological sustainability were mainly distributed in the northern part of the urban agglomeration (Mianyang City) and the southern part (Leshan City and Ya’an City), while the cities in the central region (Chengdu City, Meishan City, and Ziyang City) had lower ecological sustainability. (2) The main factors affecting the ecological sustainability of urban agglomerations are industrial wastewater discharge, industrial smoke (powder) dust discharge, and green coverage of built-up areas, followed by urbanization and population size. Through this study, we have two meaningful findings: (a) Our research method in this paper provides a new way to study the factors affecting the ecological sustainability of urban agglomerations. (b) The results of the identification of influencing factors might be the reference for urban environmental infrastructure construction and urban planning.
Medical and Dental Students’ Perception of Interdisciplinary Knowledge, Teaching Content, and Interprofessional Status at a German University: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Hackenberg Berit , Schlich Maximilian-Niclas , Gouveris Haralampos , Seifen Christopher , Matthias Christoph , Campus Guglielmo , Wolf Thomas Gerhard , Muthuraman Muthuraman , Deschner James
Published: December 2022

Although oral health is considered a key indicator of overall health, dentistry is still neglected in medical education at the university level. Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important tool to promote collaboration among health care providers and to reduce barriers to access in health care. In this cross-sectional study, medical and dental students at Mainz University, Germany, were surveyed regarding their perception of interdisciplinary knowledge, teaching content, interprofessional standing, and attitudes toward IPE. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to identify associated statements. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to understand how sex, study progress, and prior education might influence student attitudes. In total, 426 medical students and 211 dental students were included in the study. Dental students rated their interdisciplinary knowledge higher than medical students. The relevance of IPE as assessed by the students correlated significantly with their motivation to continue IPE after graduation. Both groups of students valued the other discipline but rejected a combined graduate program. Students with prior professional training valued the synergy of medicine and dentistry more the students without prior training. Interprofessional knowledge and interest in IPE was higher among dental students. Understanding students’ attitudes toward IPE is an important prerequisite for adapting university curricula to strengthen students’ attitudes and motivation.
COVID-19 Public Opinion: A Twitter Healthcare Data Processing Using Machine Learning Methodologies
Authors: Agrawal Shweta , Jain Sanjiv Kumar , Sharma Shruti , Khatri Ajay
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has shattered the whole world, and due to this, millions of people have posted their sentiments toward the pandemic on different social media platforms. This resulted in a huge information flow on social media and attracted many research studies aimed at extracting useful information to understand the sentiments. This paper analyses data imported from the Twitter API for the healthcare sector, emphasizing sub-domains, such as vaccines, post-COVID-19 health issues and healthcare service providers. The main objective of this research is to analyze machine learning models for classifying the sentiments of people and analyzing the direction of polarity by considering the views of the majority of people. The inferences drawn from this analysis may be useful for concerned authorities as they work to make appropriate policy decisions and strategic decisions. Various machine learning models were developed to extract the actual emotions, and results show that the support vector machine model outperforms with an average accuracy of 82.67% compared with the logistic regression, random forest, multinomial naïve Bayes and long short-term memory models, which present 78%, 77%, 68.67% and 75% accuracy, respectively.
Sexualized Images on Social Media and Adolescent Girls’ Mental Health: Qualitative Insights from Parents, School Support Service Staff and Youth Mental Health Service Providers
Authors: Papageorgiou Alana , Cross Donna , Fisher Colleen
Published: December 2022

This research explored adults’ perceptions of how sexualized images typically found on social media might influence adolescent girls’ mental health, what support girls might need should they experience mental health difficulties, and how such difficulties could be prevented or reduced. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured in-depth interviews with parents of adolescent girls (n = 11) and those who provide support to them: school support service staff (n = 7) and youth mental health service providers (n = 10) located in Perth, Western Australia. All three participant groups perceived sexualized images typically found on social media as exacerbating poor mental health among adolescent girls. Two interrelated themes, emerged with participants describing the ‘potential for comparison’ and ‘pressure to conform’ they believed girls encounter on social media that influences their mental health. Participants also explained how they perceived ‘counteracting negative influences’ related to sexualized images on social media could prevent or reduce the potential for mental health harms among girls, and the importance of adults and services ‘keeping up to date’ and being ‘approachable and trustworthy’ when describing the support they believed girls might need. The findings of this study have important implications for the development of health promotion programs focused on social media use and mental health among adolescent girls.
Research on Theoretical Mechanism and Promotion Path of Digital Economy Driving China’s Green Development under “Double Carbon” Background
Authors: Feng Zhen , Cheng Sainan , Qu Guohua , Cui Yunlong , Ye Jiameng
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: Under the background of building a new pattern of “double cycle” development, the green meaning of the digital economy is highly valued. The innovative feature of the digital economy is forming a new economic growth pole, and gradually becomes the driving force for China’s economic restructuring and green development; (2) methods: this paper empirically tests whether the digital economy can promote green development by using various econometric models based on panel dataset with 30 provinces from 2011 to 2019 in mainland China and measuring the development level of the digital economy and the greening index; (3) results: it is found that the digital economy can directly boost green development in greening degree of economic growth, resources and environment-carrying potential, and government policy support. The digital economy’s influence on green development has an inverted U-shaped trend; environmental control is an effective regulatory variable with a substitution effect on green development. With an obvious regional heterogeneity, the digital economy promotes green development; the digital economy can greatly affect green growth through technical innovation through mechanism analysis. The robustness test supports the above conclusion; (4) conclusions: the findings provide a foundation for multi-party policymakers to effectively formulate and implement policies for the digital economy that encourage green growth.
European Epidemiological Patterns of Cannabis- and Substance-Related Congenital Neurological Anomalies: Geospatiotemporal and Causal Inferential Study
Authors: Reece Albert Stuart , Hulse Gary Kenneth
Published: December 2022

Introduction. Of the many congenital anomalies (CAs) recently linked with community cannabis exposure, arguably the most concerning are neurological CAs (NCAs). We therefore conducted a detailed study of this in fourteen European nations. Methods. Congenital anomaly data were from Eurocat. Drug exposure data were from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Income from World bank. Results. The Netherlands, Spain, France and Bulgaria reported increasing rates of many NCAs. The NCA rate (NCAR) was higher in nations with increasing daily cannabis use when compared to those without (p = 0.0204, minimum E-value (mEV) = 1.35). At bivariate analysis, the mEVs of the following NCAs were significantly cannabis related: severe microcephaly 2.14 × 1013, craniosynostosis 5.27 × 1011, nervous system 4.87 × 1011, eye 2.73 × 107, microphthalmos 4.07 × 106, anencephalus 710.37, hydrocephalus 245.64, spina bifida 14.86 and neural tube defects 13.15. At inverse probability, weighted panel regression terms including cannabis were significantly related to the following series of anomalies: nervous system, anencephalus, severe microcephalus, microphthalmos, neural tube defect and spina bifida from p = 5.09 × 10−8, <2.2 × 10−16, <2.2 × 10−16, 4.84 × 10−11, <2.2 × 10−16 and 9.69 × 10−7. At geospatial regression, this same series of anomalies had terms including cannabis significant from p = 0.0027, 1.53 × 10−7, 3.65 × 10−6, 2.13 × 10−8, 0.0002 and 9.76 × 10−12. 88.0% of 50 E-value estimates and 72.0% of mEVs > 9. This analysis therefore demonstrates both close association of cannabis exposure with multiple NCAs across space-time and also fulfills the quantitative criteria of causal inferential analysis. Conclusions. Nine NCARs on bivariate and six NCARs on multivariable regression were cannabis related and fulfilled quantitative epidemiological criteria for causality and are consistent with other series. Particular concerns relate to exponential dose–response effects demonstrated in the laboratory and epidemiological studies. Great caution with community cannabinoid penetration is warranted. Data indicate that cannabis is a significant environmental teratogen and thus imply that cannabinoids should be regulated similarly to the manner in which all other important genotoxins are carefully controlled by communities for their self-sustaining longevity and the protection of generations yet to come.
Identifying Gait-Related Functional Outcomes in Post-Knee Surgery Patients Using Machine Learning: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kokkotis Christos , Chalatsis Georgios , Moustakidis Serafeim , Siouras Athanasios , Mitrousias Vasileios , Tsaopoulos Dimitrios , Patikas Dimitrios , Aggelousis Nikolaos , Hantes Michael , Giakas Giannis , Katsavelis Dimitrios , Tsatalas Themistoklis
Published: December 2022

Modern lifestyles require new tools for determining a person’s ability to return to daily activities after knee surgery. These quantitative instruments must feature high discrimination, be non-invasive, and be inexpensive. Machine learning is a revolutionary approach that has the potential to satisfy the aforementioned requirements and bridge the knowledge gap. The scope of this study is to summarize the results of a systematic literature review on the identification of gait-related changes and the determination of the functional recovery status of patients after knee surgery using advanced machine learning algorithms. The current systematic review was conducted using multiple databases in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, including Scopus, PubMed, and Semantic Scholar. Six out of the 405 articles met our inclusion criteria and were directly related to the quantification of the recovery status using machine learning and gait data. The results were interpreted using appropriate metrics. The results demonstrated a recent increase in the use of sophisticated machine learning techniques that can provide robust decision-making support during personalized post-treatment interventions for knee-surgery patients.
Invulnerability of the Urban Agglomeration Integrated Passenger Transport Network under Emergency Events
Authors: Wu Peng , Li Yunfei , Li Chengbing
Published: December 2022

Urgent natural environmental events, such as floods, power failures, and epidemics, result in disruptions to the traffic system and heavy disturbances in public requirements. In order to strengthen the ability of the transport network to handle urgent natural environmental issues, this paper simulates the disruption situation of traffic stations in the urban agglomeration by attacking nodes, and evaluates the ability of the transport network to resist disruptions (i.e., invulnerability). Firstly, the model of the urban agglomeration integrated passenger transport network is established based on complex network theory. The highway network, railway network, and coupling network are combined into a multi-layer network space structure, and the edge weight is calibrated by travel time and cost. Secondly, the invulnerability simulation process including multiple attack modes under random and deliberate attack strategies is sorted out. By improving the traditional network efficiency indicator, the network impedance efficiency indicator is proposed to measure network performance, and the network relative impedance efficiency indicator is used to evaluate network invulnerability and identify key nodes. Finally, Chengdu–Chongqing urban agglomeration is taken as a case study. The results show that the network does not collapse quickly and it shows certain invulnerability and robustness under continuous random attacks. Network performance and invulnerability are not necessarily positively correlated. The failure of individual nodes that are small in scale but act as transit hubs may significantly degrade the network performance. The identified key nodes have significance for guiding the construction, maintenance, and optimization of the urban agglomeration passenger transport network, which is conducive to promoting public safety.