bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating Laser Ablation Process Parameters for the Fabrication of Customized Microneedle Arrays for Therapeutic Applications
Authors: Aldawood Faisal Khaled , Andar Abhay , Desai Salil
Published: July 2024

Microneedles are an innovation in the field of medicine that have the potential to revolutionize drug delivery, diagnostics, and cosmetic treatments. This innovation provides a minimally invasive means to deliver drugs, vaccines, and other therapeutic substances into the skin. This research investigates the design and manufacture of customized microneedle arrays using laser ablation. Laser ablation was performed using an ytterbium laser on a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) substrate to create a mold for casting polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microneedles. An experimental design was conducted to evaluate the effect of process parameters including laser pulse power, pulse width, pulse repetition, interval between pulses, and laser profile on the desired geometry of the microneedles. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) model showed that lasing interval, laser power, and pulse width had the highest influence on the output metrics (diameter and height) of the microneedle. The microneedle dimensions showed an increase with higher pulse width and vice versa with an increase in pulse interval. A response surface model indicated that the laser pulse width and interval (independent variables) significantly affect the response diameter and height (dependent variable). A predictive model was generated to predict the microneedle topology and aspect ratio varying from 0.8 to 1.5 based on the variation in critical input process parameters. This research lays the foundation for the design and fabrication of customized microneedles based on variations in specific input parameters for therapeutic applications in dermal sensors, drug delivery, and vaccine delivery.
From Tyrosine Kinases to Tyrosine Phosphatases: New Therapeutic Targets in Cancers and Beyond
Authors: Zhou Yu , Yao Zhimeng , Lin Yusheng , Zhang Hao
Published: July 2024

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) regulate the level of tyrosine phosphorylation in proteins. PTKs are key enzymes that catalyze the transfer of an ATP phosphoric acid to a tyrosine residue on target protein substrates. Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are responsible for the dephosphorylation of tyrosine residues and play a role in countering PTK overactivity. As widespread oncogenes, PTKs were once considered to be promising targets for therapy. However, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) now face a number of challenges, including drug resistance and toxic side effects. Treatment strategies now need to be developed from a new perspective. In this review, we assess the current state of TKIs and highlight the role of PTPs in cancer and other diseases. With the advances of allosteric inhibition and the development of multiple alternative proprietary drug strategies, the reputation of PTPs as “undruggable” targets has been overturned, and they are now considered viable therapeutic targets. We also discuss the strategies and prospects of PTP-targeted therapy, as well as its future development.
Synthesis and Characterization of Thiolated Nanoparticles Based on Poly (Acrylic Acid) and Algal Cell Wall Biopolymers for the Delivery of the Receptor Binding Domain from SARS-CoV-2
Authors: García-Silva Ileana , Farfán-Castro Susan , Rosales-Mendoza Sergio , Palestino Gabriela
Published: July 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic required great efforts to develop efficient vaccines in a short period of time. However, innovative vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 virus are needed to achieve broad immune protection against variants of concern. Polymeric-based particles can lead to innovative vaccines, serving as stable, safe and immunostimulatory antigen delivery systems. In this work, polymeric-based particles called thiolated PAA/Schizo were developed. Poly (acrylic acid) (PAA) was thiolated with cysteine ethyl ester and crosslinked with a Schizochytrium sp. cell wall fraction under an inverse emulsion approach. Particles showed a hydrodynamic diameter of 313 ± 38 nm and negative Zeta potential. FT-IR spectra indicated the presence of coconut oil in thiolated PAA/Schizo particles, which, along with the microalgae, could contribute to their biocompatibility and bioactive properties. TGA analysis suggested strong interactions between the thiolated PAA/Schizo components. In vitro assessment revealed that thiolated particles have a higher mucoadhesiveness when compared with non-thiolated particles. Cell-based assays revealed that thiolated particles are not cytotoxic and, importantly, increase TNF-α secretion in murine dendritic cells. Moreover, immunization assays revealed that thiolated PAA/Schizo particles induced a humoral response with a more balanced IgG2a/IgG1 ratio. Therefore, thiolated PAA/Schizo particles are deemed a promising delivery system whose evaluation in vaccine prototypes is guaranteed.
Electromechanical Performances of Polyvinyl Chloride Gels Using (Polyvinyl Chloride-Co-Vinyl Acetate) (P(VC-VA)) Synergistic Plasticization
Authors: Yan Han , Wei Chang , Wang Zexing , Liu Lei , Zhu Zicai , Zhang Junshi , Zhu Jihong , Zhang Weihong
Published: July 2024

The current polyvinyl chloride (PVC) gel flexible actuators are facing challenges of high input voltage and an insufficient elastic modulus. In this study, we conducted a detailed study on the properties of PVC gel prepared by introducing the modifier polyvinyl chloride-vinyl acetate (P(VC-VA)). We compared a modified PVC gel with the traditional one in terms of the relative dielectric constant, mechanical modulus, and electromechanical actuation performance. Experimental results demonstrated that the introduction of P(VC-VA) enhanced the dielectric constant and reduced the driving electric field strength of PVC gels. The dielectric constant increased from 4.77 to 7.3. The electromechanical actuation performance increased by 150%. We employed the Gent model to fit the experimental results, and the actual experimental data aligned well with the expectations of the Gent model. The research results show that this type of plasticizing method effectively balanced the mechanical and electrical performance of PVC gels. This study summarizes the experimental results and performance analysis of PVC gels prepared using innovative plasticization methods, revealing the potential engineering applications of polymeric gels.
Application of Multivariate Tromp Functions for Evaluating the Joint Impact of Particle Size, Shape and Wettability on the Separation of Ultrafine Particles via Flotation
Authors: Sygusch Johanna , Wilhelm Thomas , Furat Orkun , Bachmann Kai , Schmidt Volker , Rudolph Martin
Published: July 2024

Froth flotation predominantly separates particles according to their differences in wettability. However, other particle properties such as size, shape or density significantly influence the separation outcome as well. Froth flotation is most efficient for particles within a size range of about 20–200 μm, but challenges arise for very fine or coarse particles that are accompanied by low recoveries and poor selectivity. While the impact of particle size on the separation behavior in flotation is well known by now, the effect of particle shape is less studied and varies based on the investigated zone (suspension or froth) and separation apparatus used. Beyond these complexities, many particle properties are correlated, making it challenging to analyze the isolated impact of individual properties on the separation behavior. Therefore, a multidimensional perspective on the separation process, considering multiple particle properties, enhances the understanding of their collective influence. In this paper, the two-dimensional case is studied; i.e., a parametric modeling approach is applied to determine bivariate Tromp functions from scanning electron microscopy-based image data of the feed and the separated fractions. With these functions it is possible to characterize the separation behavior of particle systems. Using a model system of ultrafine (<10 μm) particles, consisting of either glass spheres or glass fragments with different wettability states as the floatable fraction and magnetite as the non-floatable fraction, allows for the investigation of the influence of descriptor vectors consisting of size, shape and wettability, on the separation. In this way, the present paper contributes to a better understanding of the complex interplay between certain descriptor vectors for the case of ultrafine particles. Furthermore, it demonstrates the benefits of using multivariate Tromp functions for evaluating separation processes and points out the limitations of SEM-based image measurements by means of mineral liberation analysis (MLA) for the studied particle size fraction.
Exploring the Impact of Recreational Drugs on Suicidal Behavior: A Narrative Review
Authors: Moret Rosa Maria , Sanz-Gómez Sergio , Gascón-Santos Santiago , Alacreu-Crespo Adrián
Published: July 2024

Substance use/abuse and suicide are two closely related phenomena, mostly due to neurobiological, psychological, and social impairments. In the present narrative review, the relationship between suicidal behavior (SB) and the use and abuse of common recreational drugs, such as alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, nicotine, ketamine, psilocybin, MDMA, and LSD, has been explored. Furthermore, potential mechanisms linking the two have also been examined. According to current research, all substances appear to have a deleterious effect on SB except for ketamine and psilocybin, which could potentially confer a protective effect. Further studies are needed to understand the relationship between MDMA, LSD, and suicide.
Investigation of the First Hydrogenation of LaNi5
Authors: Sleiman Salma , Shahgaldi Samaneh , Huot Jacques
Published: July 2024

The first hydrogenation of most metal hydrides is a lengthy process that usually requires high pressure and temperature. This, in turn, significantly increases the production cost of metal hydrides. In this paper, the low temperature hydride-forming LaNi5 was selected to investigate the mechanism of first hydrogenation. For the first time, the effect of particle size, temperature and pressure on the incubation time were studied. We found that the first hydrogenation of LaNi5 follows an Arrhenius process, with an activation energy of EA = 78 ± 4 kJ/mol H2. We also found that the pre-exponential factor depends on the applied pressure.
Moral Education and Heaven–Human Relationship in Jesuit Translations of Chinese Poetry (17th–18th Centuries)
Authors: Li Xiaoshu , Tan Yuan
Published: July 2024

The 17th and 18th centuries were a period of extensive cultural interaction between China and the West, and also the beginning of Chinese poetry translation in the West. Jesuit missionaries were pioneers in introducing Chinese poetry to Europe. Influenced by the Confucian poetic thought of Siwuxie 思無邪 (no depraved thoughts) and Ricci’s accommodation strategy, the Jesuits translated poems from the Shangshu 尚書, the Shijing 詩經, and the Emperor Qianlong’s Imperial Odes on Shengjing 禦制盛京賦, as well as works by Fan Zhongyan 范仲淹, Du Fu 杜甫, Shao Yong 邵雍, and even the poems in the exhortations of the Ming and Qing dynasties into European languages. These poems predominantly dealt with themes of moral education, the image of virtuous monarchs, and the Chinese concept of the Heaven–human relationship. Through intentional omissions and rewriting, the Jesuits incorporated their religious and political views into the Chinese poetry. Their translated works not only enriched European knowledge of Chinese culture but also demonstrated the complexity of Chinese–Western cultural exchange.
The Regulation of Religion through National Normative Frameworks: A Comparative Analysis between Italy and Argentina
Authors: Bossi Luca , García Bossio María Pilar
Published: July 2024

The normative framework is one of the constitutive edges of state regulation of religion. It contributes to the configuration of different forms of relations between state and religions. This can be observed in at least three areas. First, in the way the state defines religion. Second, in the way it recognises and legislates its relationship with different religions. Finally, in the rules it establishes for confessional institutions and actors at different levels of social life (education, health, prisons, etc.). In this article, we propose to comparatively analyse the national legal systems that regulate religion in Italy and Argentina, with special emphasis on the equal or differentiated treatment of different religions. The policies of recognition and integration of religious minorities find in the normative framework an empowering or limiting factor, depending on the national context. Although both countries share a dominant Catholic matrix, their historical developments and legal formats present contrasts that project different scenarios of religious governance, which we will try to elucidate.
“Buddhist-Christian Style”: The Collaboration of Prip-Møller and Reichelt—From Longchang Si to Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre
Authors: Wang Weiqiao , Liu Yan
Published: July 2024

Buddhist architecture plays a crucial role in traditional Chinese architecture, representing the localized adaptation of Buddhism, a foreign religion, in China. Historically, abundant materials, including paintings, photographs, and texts, demonstrate the longstanding interest of visiting Christian missionaries in Chinese Buddhist architecture. As their understanding deepens, Buddhist architecture becomes a valuable reference for the Sinicization of Christian venues in China. Unlike the “Chinese Roof with Western walls style” or “mixed Easten and Western façade style”, Tao Fong Shan represents a “Buddhist-Christian style”, with its success rooted in the similarity of life and spatial modes between Buddhist and Christian monasteries. Using Tao Fong Shan Christian Centre as a case study, this article examines the localization construction of Christian architecture. It explores how Norwegian missionary Karl Ludvig Reichelt (1877–1952) and Danish Christian architect Johannes Prip-Møller (1889–1943) collaborated to establish a Christian center targeting Buddhists. Through an in-depth study of Prip-Møller’s field research in the 1930s, especially his analysis of Longchang Si, the article investigates how Tao Fong Shan learned from it and transformed its spatial characteristics to achieve a localized sense of space perception through site selection, layout, and spatial design. It ultimately aims to influence the beliefs of Buddhists within the local context.
Maṇḍala or Sign? Re-Examining the Significance of the “Viśvavajra” in the Caisson Ceilings of Dunhuang Mogao Caves
Authors: Shen Li
Published: July 2024

This article delves into the exploration of a significant sign, the “viśvavajra”, found in the caisson ceilings of Buddhist esoteric art in Dunhuang’s Mogao Caves. These caissons, featuring the viśvavajra sign in the center, were prevalent from the mid-Tang period to the Western Xia dynasty (ninth to thirteenth centuries) and are recorded by The Overall Record of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes under description as “Jiaochu Jingxin”. Similar caissons are also found in Western Buddhist Caves near Dunhuang, and Yulin Caves in Guazhou County, indicating a distinct regional character. Focusing on a well-preserved and intricately detailed example from Cave 361, this article aims to elucidate the specific tantric significance of the viśvavajra at the center of the caissons within the broader context of Buddhist art. Drawing from related tantras, the discussion explores how the sign and its surrounding compositions align with a particular homa (fire offering) maṇḍala, specifically the śāntika maṇḍala crucial to numerous Tantric Buddhist rituals. Furthermore, the article examines the evolution of caisson of this type of maṇḍala over time. By comparing the mid-Tang example from Cave 361 with the late Tang period’s Cave 14, a noticeable shift in format becomes apparent. The viśvavajra sign takes on new significance, embodying “the samaya of all Tathāgatas”. Ultimately, the article explores how the significance of the viśvavajra sign transforms into an allusion to Vairocana or Rocana under the Sino-Tibetan Esoteric Buddhist context in the Hexi Corridor during the early Northern Song and Western Xia dynasty.
Religiosity: Is It Mainly Linked to Mental Health or to Psychopathology?
Authors: Papaleontiou-Louca Eleonora
Published: July 2024

The impact of religiosity on human mental health has been much debated over the last few decades. A large number of empirical and theoretical studies have been conducted to understand the impact of religiosity and spirituality on people’s quality of mental health. Though the vast majority of research indicates that religiosity makes a positive contribution to a person’s mental health and can give meaning to life, both the positive and some negative effects of religiosity on mental health are discussed. The impact of religiosity on people’s mental health seems to correspond to the quality of their religiosity.
In the Pursuit of Precision: Novel Target Therapies Revolutionizing SLE Care
Authors: Velikova Tsvetelina , Miteva Dimitrina , Kokudeva Maria , Vasilev Georgi H. , Monov Simeon , Shumnalieva Russka
Published: July 2024

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, autoimmune, immune complex-mediated disease affecting mainly females at a young age. The disease etiology is still unknown, and different genetic and epigenetic factors related to disease onset and manifestations are being explored. The standard treatment regimen for SLE includes the long-term use of corticosteroids and non-specific immunosuppressive agents, often limited by co-morbidities or related side effects. However, recent advances in disease pathogenesis clarifying the role of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, immune cells, and co-stimulation molecules have made a more practical, targeted approach possible, leading to personalized treatment strategies. This review summarizes current knowledge about SLE-targeted therapies in clinical practice.
Application of Deep Learning for Segmenting Seepages in Levee Systems
Authors: Panta Manisha , Thapa Padam Jung , Hoque Md Tamjidul , Niles Kendall N. , Sloan Steve , Flanagin Maik , Pathak Ken , Abdelguerfi Mahdi
Published: July 2024

Seepage is a typical hydraulic factor that can initiate the breaching process in a levee system. If not identified and treated on time, seepages can be a severe problem for levees, weakening the levee structure and eventually leading to collapse. Therefore, it is essential always to be vigilant with regular monitoring procedures to identify seepages throughout these levee systems and perform adequate repairs to limit potential threats from unforeseen levee failures. This paper introduces a fully convolutional neural network to identify and segment seepage from the image in levee systems. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work in this domain. Applying deep learning techniques for semantic segmentation tasks in real-world scenarios has its own challenges, especially the difficulty for models to effectively learn from complex backgrounds while focusing on simpler objects of interest. This challenge is particularly evident in the task of detecting seepages in levee systems, where the fault is relatively simple compared to the complex and varied background. We addressed this problem by introducing negative images and a controlled transfer learning approach for semantic segmentation for accurate seepage segmentation in levee systems.
Integration of 3D Gaussian Splatting and Neural Radiance Fields in Virtual Reality Fire Fighting
Authors: Lian Haojie , Liu Kangle , Cao Ruochen , Fei Ziheng , Wen Xin , Chen Leilei
Published: July 2024

Neural radiance fields (NeRFs) and 3D Gaussian splatting have emerged as promising 3D reconstruction techniques recently. However, their application in virtual reality (VR), particularly in firefighting training, remains underexplored. We present an innovative VR firefighting simulation system based on 3D Gaussian Splatting technology. Leveraging these techniques, we successfully reconstruct realistic physical environments. By integrating the Unity3D game engine with head-mounted displays (HMDs), we created and presented immersive virtual fire scenes. Our system incorporates NeRF technology to generate highly realistic models of firefighting equipment. Users can freely navigate and interact with fire within the virtual fire scenarios, enhancing immersion and engagement. Moreover, by utilizing the Photon PUN2 networking framework, our system enables multi-user collaboration on firefighting tasks, improving training effectiveness and fostering teamwork and communication skills. Through experiments and surveys, it is demonstrated that the proposed VR framework enhances user experience and holds promises for improving the effectiveness of firefighting training.
A Cross-Resolution Surface Net Radiative Inversion Based on Transfer Learning Methods
Authors: Miao Shuqi , He Qisheng , Zhu Liujun , Yu Mingxiao , Gu Yuhan , Zhou Mingru
Published: July 2024

Net radiation (Rn) is a key component of the Earth’s energy balance. With the rise of deep learning technology, remote sensing technology has made significant progress in the acquisition of large-scale surface parameters. However, the generally low spatial resolution of net radiation data and the relative scarcity of surface flux site data at home and abroad limit the potential of deep learning methods in constructing high spatial resolution net radiation models. To address this challenge, this study proposes an innovative approach of a multi-scale transfer learning framework, which assumes that composite models at different spatial scales are similar in structure and parameters, thus enabling the training of accurate high-resolution models using fewer samples. In this study, the Heihe River Basin was taken as the study area and the Rn products of the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) were selected as the target for coarse model training. Based on the dense convolutional network (DenseNet) architecture, 25 deep learning models were constructed to learn the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of GLASS Rn products by combining multi-source data, and a 5 km coarse resolution net radiation model was trained. Subsequently, the parameters of the pre-trained coarse-resolution model were fine-tuned with a small amount of measured ground station data to achieve the transfer from the 5 km coarse-resolution model to the 1 km high-resolution model, and a daily high-resolution net radiation model with 1 km resolution for the Heihe River Basin was finally constructed. The results showed that the bias, R2, and RMSE of the high-resolution net radiation model obtained by transfer learning were 0.184 W/m2, 0.924, and 24.29 W/m2, respectively, which was better than those of the GLASS Rn products. The predicted values were highly correlated with the measured values at the stations and the fitted curves were closer to the measured values at the stations than those of the GLASS Rn products, which further demonstrated that the transfer learning method could capture the soil moisture and temporal variation of net radiation. Finally, the model was used to generate 1 km daily net radiation products for the Heihe River Basin in 2020. This study provides new perspectives and methods for future large-scale and long-time-series estimations of surface net radiation.
Phosphate Removal from Polluted Water via Lanthanum-Modified Sludge Biochar
Authors: Jiang Yufan , Sun Xiaojie , Zhang Hongxia , Li Qian , Mo Jingjing , Xing Meiyan , Dong Bin , Zhu Hongxiang
Published: July 2024

Biochar has attracted attention for its capability to remove phosphorus (P) from wastewater. However, the poor dispersion and limited adsorption capacity of unmodified biochar prevent its wide usage in water remediation. Herein, sludge biochar was modified using lanthanum nitrate to improve the removal of P from aqueous solutions. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to elucidate the modification and adsorption mechanisms of biochar. Furthermore, the adsorption performance of the modified biochar was determined through adsorption kinetics and isotherm model fitting. The results showed that the modification process successfully introduced lanthanum-containing functional groups into biochar and considerably improved the complexation performance and ion-exchange capacity. The maximum experimental adsorption capacity for phosphate was 140.237 mg/g at pH 3.0. The adsorption processes of the modified biochar accorded with the Freundlich adsorption isotherm model, which indicates the successful adsorption of phosphate onto the modified biochar via multilayer adsorption. The adsorption mechanism was dominated by chemisorption, which mainly involved inner-sphere complexation, precipitation, and electrostatic attraction. Meanwhile, the adsorption and desorption experiments demonstrated the satisfying recycling performance of the modified biochar and the 72.3% adsorption capacity retention after the sixth desorption cycle. The dynamic adsorption study revealed that the modified biochar had long sustainable treatment durations of 7.58 and 9.08 h at adsorbent dosages of 1 and 2 g, respectively, which proves the feasibility of using biochar as a cost-effective and efficient adsorbent for phosphate-polluted water.
Short Jute Fiber Reinforced Cement Mortar for Out-of-Plane Strengthening of Masonry Prisms
Authors: Farias Lidianne do Nascimento , Lima Paulo Roberto Lopes , Filho Romildo Dias Toledo
Published: July 2024

The retrofitting process contributes to the sustainability of the construction sector, since adopting measures to increase the lifespan of buildings reduces the need for new constructions. However, many of the materials used in this process come from nonrenewable sources and require significant water and energy consumption for production. The aim of this study is to assess the viability of using a more environmentally friendly mortar coating reinforced with short jute fibers (SJFRM) to reinforce ceramic brick masonry walls. Both coated and uncoated prisms were subjected to compression and flexural tests under two-point (line) out-of-plane loading. The reinforcement layer comprised mortar without fibers and mortars reinforced with jute fibers at levels of 2% and 4%, with lengths of 20 mm and 40 mm. Physical and mechanical tests were conducted to evaluate the properties of SJFRM in both fresh and hardened states. Results indicate that the compressive and flexural strengths were enhanced with SJFRM reinforcement due to alterations in the failure mode of the prisms. The fibers impede crack propagation in the reinforcement layer, enabling better redistribution of internal stresses in the prisms. This results in an increase of 6 to 9 times in stiffness under direct compression and up to 42 times in toughness under flexion in the prisms reinforced with SJFRM when compared to uncoated prisms.
Ontology-Based Data Representation Prototype for Indoor Air Quality, Building Energy Performance, and Health Data Computation
Authors: Tõnisson Liina , Preden Jurgo
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the data integration of IoT-enabled sensor networks, emphasizing energy performance and personalized indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions to improve indoor environments, energy efficiency, and sustainability. Ontologies—structured frameworks that standardize data representation and enable interoperability—are the tools for interpreting complex IAQ data for optimal energy rate plans and health situations. Our methodology follows the well-established three-phase engineering approach. We present the design of a prototype with essential classes, which is proposed to integrate IAQ data with health conditions, enhancing real-time monitoring and automated decision making for optimal energy performance for smart buildings. Our research goal is to define the most essential classes, arranging them hierarchically to create a prototype for data computing covering IAQ, energy performance, and health aspects. This ontological framework, covering all three aspects, addresses a current research gap. Results demonstrate the minimum viable product with 78 classes for a smart home IoT system, providing tailored indoor climate control based on user health profiles and energy performance. This prototype represents a significant advancement in sustainable building and IAQ management, promising improved building energy performance, occupant health, and comfort. Future research will validate this framework through extensive testing in real-world environments.
The Assessment of Biodiversity Changes and Sustainable Agricultural Development in The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China
Authors: Liao Meizhe , Zhang Zongwen , Yan Ruirui , Bai Keyu
Published: July 2024

In the face of a series of challenges, such as climate change, population growth, and agricultural intensification, as well as the issue of how to promote sustainable development and guarantee food security, biodiversity, with its unique genetic, ecological, and traditional socio-cultural values, has become an important way to solve this dilemma. Urban biodiversity has continued to decline in recent decades due to rapid urbanization. The agroecosystem health of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, a typical urban agglomeration economic area, is facing a critical situation. Therefore, assessing the potential of ecosystem diversity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and exploring the assessment mechanisms and methods of ecosystem health can provide theoretical support for biodiversity conservation and utilization. In this thesis, the overall ecosystem health of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was assessed based on the land cover data from 1992 to 2022 and the projected land cover data up to 2032, as well as using the habitat quality indicated by the Fragstats and InVEST models and the landscape pattern index, habitat quality, and mean species abundance (MSA) indicators of the GLOBIO module. The main results are as follows: Habitat quality and mean species abundance (MSA) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region were observed to show a continuous downward trend over 40 years from a landscape level perspective, and landscape fragmentation due to urbanization was the main reason. Habitat loss and habitat degradation caused by landscape fragmentation led to a decline in biodiversity. The spatial distribution of habitat quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is closely correlated with topography and landscape, being higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, forming a clear spatial pattern that declined from 0.599 to 0.564 between 1992 and 2032. The mean species richness (MSA) value of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is significantly affected by infrastructure, especially road construction. With the continuous expansion of the road network, the MSA values in the region generally show a decreasing trend from 0.270 to 0.183 between 1992 and 2032. Based on the above results, it is recommended to carry out several aspects of agrobiodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration.
Practice of a Load Shifting Algorithm for Enhancing Community-Scale RES Utilization
Authors: Tzanes Georgios T. , Zafirakis Dimitrios P. , Kaldellis John K.
Published: July 2024

Amidst the recent energy crisis, the pivotal roles of resource efficiency and renewable energy sources (RES) for sustainable development have become apparent. The transition to sustainability involves decentralized energy solutions empowering local communities to generate, store, and utilize their energy, diminishing the reliance on centralized systems and potentially transforming them into resources for power flexibility. Addressing the above necessitates, amongst other elements, the adoption of advanced demand-side management (DSM) strategies. In response, we introduce a versatile algorithm investigating the impact of DSM on the community scale, designed to maximize the utilization of renewable energy produced from local installations. Integrated as an ancillary module in a research data management platform, the algorithm underwent testing using historical datasets collected from end-consumers and a small-scale RES installation. This study not only offers insights for energy stakeholders, but also establishes theoretical parameters that can inform subsequent decision-making processes in the field.
Sustainable Stormwater Management for Different Types of Water-Scarce Cities: Environmental Policy Effect of Sponge City Projects in China
Authors: Wang Wenying , Wang Shuwen
Published: July 2024

With high-speed urbanization, ecological space is seriously shrinking, and lagging drainage facilities contradict the ecological needs of citizens. In particular, water-scarce cities are faced with frequent stormwater disasters, such as excessive accumulation of rainwater, peak runoff and water pollution, which threaten the safety of the urban water ecological environment. This paper combined the actual construction content of the sponge city project with a whole process policy evaluation framework to examine whether the projects solve these problems and to find different approaches to the results. Utilizing entropy fuzzy comprehensive evaluation provides a systematic standard for the evaluation system. The research shows that the sponge city project can achieve a good governance effect, including constructing a suitable scheme for urban hydrological characteristics, effectively improving the rainwater treatment level of different types of water-scarce cities, and alleviating the ecological contradiction of urban water environment. The stages of policy formulation, policy implementation and policy results achieve a good degree of completion. On one hand, sponge city projects transform the infrastructure at key locations, aiming at improving the rainwater interception capacity of the streets; on the other hand, restoring original natural waters improves the capacity of water conservation and forms a sustainable ecosystem between the city and nature.
Industry Network Structure Determines Regional Economic Resilience: An Empirical Study Using Stress Testing
Authors: Qiao Nan , Ji Chengjun
Published: July 2024

We evaluate the network robustness of industrial capabilities across China’s provincial administrative regions, focusing on their resilience in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis. By adopting a novel network science methodology within the context of economic geography, we leverage co-classification data from the China Statistical Yearbook to conduct stress tests on regional industrial resilience. The findings indicate a considerable variability in robustness among provincial industry networks. Through regression analysis, it is evident that regions with more robust industrial network structures exhibit greater resilience in employment rates in response to both random and targeted disruptions. Notably, regions characterized by high employment levels coupled with weak industrial foundations are identified as particularly vulnerable, facing significant challenges in sustaining economic resilience. This study highlights the imperative for further in-depth research into the relationship between the structural dynamics of regional economic networks and their resilience to economic shocks, emphasizing the critical role of robust industrial infrastructures in enhancing regional economic stability.
Mitigating Supply Disruption: The Interplay between Responsive Pricing and Information Sharing under Dual Sourcing
Authors: Chen Xiaohong , Liu Xiaoyang
Published: July 2024

Facing supply disruptions that often occur in business, firms can increase redundancy through supplier diversification and manage demand-side problems through responsive pricing and demand information sharing. We consider a Stackelberg–Nash game consisting of two competing suppliers with heterogeneity in terms of reliability and production cost and a manufacturer, and study the manufacturer’s strategy choice problem. The manufacturer has two strategies, namely responsive pricing and information sharing. The interplay between responsive pricing and information sharing is analyzed by defining the value of responsive pricing. The results of the study show that responsive pricing always benefits the manufacturer. Responsive pricing increases the manufacturer’s incentive to use dual sourcing, whereas the manufacturer with committed pricing will only choose single sourcing. Under responsive pricing, the demand potential and the unreliable supplier’s disruption probability similarly affect the manufacturer’s sourcing decision. As the demand potential or the unreliable supplier’s disruption probability increases, the manufacturer will tend to prefer dual sourcing. When the reliable supplier’s production cost is moderate, the manufacturer with responsive pricing will choose to share demand information, while the opposite is true for the manufacturer with committed pricing. At this point, responsive pricing and information sharing will complement each other.
Haze Management Competition and Industrial Green Transformation
Authors: Cui Lizhi , Chen Min
Published: July 2024

To clarify the relationship between haze management competition and industrial green transformation, this paper is based on the theoretical perspectives of local government competition and environmental federalism, the specific form of haze governance competition is analyzed by applying the two-region spatial Durbin model, and then the impact of haze governance competition on industrial green transformation and its transmission mechanism is explored by constructing a spatial panel linkage model and adopting the generalized spatial three-stage least squares method. The empirical results show that, with the profound changes in the performance appraisal system since the 18th National Congress, the interaction of environmental governance strategies between geographically adjacent provinces is imitative. In contrast, that which is between economically adjacent provinces is a “race to the top”, and haze governance is conducive to promoting the development of industrial green transformation. Further research found that the competition of haze governance is heterogeneous, and smog control in the eastern region contributes to the green transformation of local industries, while smog control in the central and western regions inhibits their industrial green transformation, and haze governance mainly enhances industrial green transformation through the innovation compensation effect, the human capital effect, and the industrial structure optimization effect. Therefore, the central government should carry out overall planning for the industry, and local governments should strengthen the joint prevention and control of haze and promote technological innovation, to improve environmental quality and realize high-quality economic development.
Progressive Monitoring of Micro-Dumps Using Remote Sensing: An Applicative Framework for Illegal Waste Management
Authors: Cicala Luca , Gargiulo Francesco , Parrilli Sara , Amitrano Donato , Pigliasco Gianpaolo
Published: July 2024

Illegal dumping is one of the major issues to be addressed by public managers in both developed and developing countries. The adequate tackling and enforcement of such unlawful activities require continuous territory monitoring, the lack of which is the principal cause of the failure of traditional systems based on patrolling, eventually triggered by sparse crowdsourced data. This work proposes the digitalization of the entire illegal waste management monitoring process through an innovative decision support system based on multiscale remote sensing data. These data enable the assessment of the risk level of specific areas, thus determining inspection priorities in line with the available patrolling resources. The proposed methodology provides a tool to assess the impact of diverse monitoring system parameters on overall the performance in light of the expected operating costs and to understand whether remote sensing can help a better management of illegal waste in a specific operational scenario, thus helping in the determination of the best cost–benefit trade-off. Simulation results over a demonstration scenario, based on realistic dumping/restoration dynamics and the typical performance of satellite detection systems, show that the adoption of remote sensing technologies in the monitoring process can increase the restoration capacity by about 10% compared to traditional patrolling.
The Human City: The Development of an Easy-to-Use Assessment Method Calibrated to Swedish Conditions
Authors: Woxnerud William , Najar Karim , Nylander Ola
Published: July 2024

Sustainability encompasses three dimensions: environmental, economic, and social. Among these dimensions, social sustainability presents the most challenging definition and measurement, leading to its frequent neglect. There is therefore a need to increase the measurability of social sustainability. There are several methods for measuring social sustainability, but we can broadly categorize them into two groups: those that are simple and easy to use, and those that are more comprehensive but more challenging to use. Furthermore, there can be a case for increasing the local adaptation of assessment methods regarding social sustainability. In this study, a new easy-to-use assessment method is developed and calibrated to Swedish conditions. We created a total of 40 questions, evenly distributed across 8 categories: architecture and aesthetics, places to meet, social infrastructure, accessibility, traffic, security, senses and experience, and development. The new method strives to be evidence-based and adapted to Swedish conditions. The study resulted in an easy-to-use assessment method adapted to local conditions that can be suitable for simple evaluations of social sustainability in the design of public places. It can be particularly useful when laymen need to understand where the place’s strengths and weaknesses lie in a social context. Since the method is based on subjective assessments, an interesting future study could investigate whether different people can achieve the same results with the developed assessment method.
2D Discrete Yang–Mills Equations on the Torus
Authors: Sushch Volodymyr
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we introduce a discretization scheme for the Yang–Mills equations in the two-dimensional case using a framework based on discrete exterior calculus. Within this framework, we define discrete versions of the exterior covariant derivative operator and its adjoint, which capture essential geometric features similar to their continuous counterparts. Our focus is on discrete models defined on a combinatorial torus, where the discrete Yang–Mills equations are presented in the form of both a system of difference equations and a matrix form.
Construction of Soliton Solutions of Time-Fractional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Sawada–Kotera Equation with Painlevé Analysis in Plasma Physics
Authors: Shakeel Khadija , Lupas Alina Alb , Abbas Muhammad , Mohammed Pshtiwan Othman , Abdullah Farah Aini , Abdelwahed Mohamed
Published: July 2024

Fractional calculus with symmetric kernels is a fast-growing field of mathematics with many applications in all branches of science and engineering, notably electromagnetic, biology, optics, viscoelasticity, fluid mechanics, electrochemistry, and signals processing. With the use of the Sardar sub-equation and the Bernoulli sub-ODE methods, new trigonometric and hyperbolic solutions to the time-fractional Caudrey–Dodd–Gibbon–Sawada–Kotera equation have been constructed in this paper. Notably, the definition of our fractional derivative is based on the Jumarie’s modified Riemann–Liouville derivative, which offers a strong basis for our mathematical explorations. This equation is widely utilized to report a variety of fascinating physical events in the domains of classical mechanics, plasma physics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and acoustics. It is presumed that the acquired outcomes have not been documented in earlier research. Numerous standard wave profiles, such as kink, smooth bell-shaped and anti-bell-shaped soliton, W-shaped, M-shaped, multi-wave, periodic, bright singular and dark singular soliton, and combined dark and bright soliton, are illustrated in order to thoroughly analyze the wave nature of the solutions. Painlevé analysis of the proposed study is also part of this work. To illustrate how the fractional derivative affects the precise solutions of the equation via 2D and 3D plots.
Composition Operators on Weighted Zygmund Spaces of the First Loo-keng Hua Domain
Authors: Bai Hong-Bin
Published: July 2024

Let HEI denote the first Loo-keng Hua domain. In this paper, we obtain many elementary results on HEI by the continuous and careful discussions. In some applications, we obtain some necessary conditions or sufficient conditions for the boundedness and compactness of the composition operators on weighted Zygmund space defined on HEI.
Design and Analysis of a Symmetric Joint Module for a Modular Wire-Actuated Robotic Arm with Symmetric Variable-Stiffness Units
Authors: Qian Can , Yang Kaisheng , Ruan Yangfei , Hu Junhao , Shao Zixuan , Wang Chongchong , Xie Chuanqi
Published: July 2024

Collaborative robots are used in scenarios requiring interaction with humans. In order to improve the safety and adaptability of collaborative robots during human–robot interaction, this paper proposes a modular wire-actuated robotic arm with symmetric variable-stiffness units. The variable-stiffness unit is employed to extend the stiffness-adjustment range of the robotic arm. The variable-stiffness unit is designed based on flexure, featuring a compact and simple structure. The stiffness–force relationship of the variable-stiffness unit can be fitted by a quadratic function with an R-squared value of 0.99981, indicating weak nonlinearity. Based on the kinematics and stiffness analysis of the symmetric joint module of the robotic arm, the orientation of the joint module can be adjusted by regulating the length of the wires and the stiffness of the joint module can be adjusted by regulating the tension of the wires. Because of the actuation redundancy, the orientation and stiffness of the joint module can be adjusted synchronously. Furthermore, a direct method is proposed for the stiffness-oriented wire-tension-distribution problem of the 1-DOF joint module. A simulation is carried out to verify the proposed method. The simulation result shows that the deviation between the calculated stiffness and the desired stiffness was less than 0.005%.
On New Symmetric Fractional Discrete-Time Systems: Chaos, Complexity, and Control
Authors: Hammad Ma’mon Abu , Diabi Louiza , Dababneh Amer , Zraiqat Amjed , Momani Shaher , Ouannas Adel , Hioual Amel
Published: July 2024

This paper introduces a new symmetric fractional-order discrete system. The dynamics and symmetry of the suggested model are studied under two initial conditions, mainly a comparison of the commensurate order and incommensurate order maps, which highlights their effect on symmetry-breaking bifurcations. In addition, a theoretical analysis examines the stability of the zero equilibrium point. It proves that the map generates typical nonlinear features, including chaos, which is confirmed numerically: phase attractors are plotted in a two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) space, bifurcation diagrams are drawn with variations in the derivative fractional values and in the system parameters, and we calculate the Maximum Lyapunov Exponents (MLEs) associated with the bifurcation diagram. Additionally, we use the C0 algorithm and entropy approach to measure the complexity of the chaotic symmetric fractional map. Finally, nonlinear 3D controllers are revealed to stabilize the symmetric fractional order map’s states in commensurate and incommensurate cases.