bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NN-LCS: Neural Network and Linear Coordinate Solver Fusion Method for UWB Localization in Car Keyless Entry System
Authors: Zheng Zengwei , Yan Shuang , Sun Lin , Shu Hengxin , Zhou Xiaowei
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, ultra-wideband (UWB) technology is becoming a new approach to localize keyfobs in the car keyless entry system (KES), because it provides precise localization and secure communication. However, for vehicles the distance ranging suffers from great errors because of none-line-of-sight (NLOS) which is raised by the car. Regarding the NLOS problem, efforts have been made to mitigate the point-to-point ranging error or to estimate the tag coordinate by neural networks. However, it still suffers from some problems such as low accuracy, overfitting, or a large number of parameters. In order to address these problems, we propose a fusion method of a neural network and linear coordinate solver (NN-LCS). We use two FC layers to extract the distance feature and received signal strength (RSS) feature, respectively, and a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) to estimate the distances with the fusion of these two features. We prove that the least square method which supports error loss backpropagation in the neural network is feasible for distance correcting learning. Therefore, our model is end-to-end and directly outputs the localization results. The results show that the proposed method is high-accuracy and with small model size which could be easily deployed on embedded devices with low computing ability.
UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Neratinib and Naringenin in Rat Plasma: Greenness Assessment and Application to Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
Authors: Altharawi Ali , Alqahtani Safar M. , Panda Sagar Suman , Alrobaian Majed , Alabbas Alhumaidi B. , Almalki Waleed Hassan , Alossaimi Manal A. , Barkat Md. Abul , Rub Rehan Abdur , Mir Najib Ullah Shehla Nasar , Rahman Mahfoozur , Beg Sarwar
Published: March 2023

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors have often been reported to treat early-stage hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. In particular, neratinib has shown positive responses in stage I and II cases in women with HER2-positive breast cancers with trastuzumab. In order to augment the biopharmaceutical attributes of the drug, the work designed endeavors to explore the therapeutic benefits of neratinib in combination with naringenin, a phytoconstituent with reported uses in breast cancer. A UPLC-MS/MS method was developed for the simultaneous estimation of neratinib and naringenin in rat plasma, while imatinib was selected as the internal standard (IS). Acetonitrile was used as the liquid extractant. The reversed-phase separation was achieved on a C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) with the isocratic flow of mobile phase-containing acetonitrile (0.1% formic acid) and 0.002 M ammonium acetate (50:50, % v/v) at flow rate 0.5 mL·min−1. The mass spectra were recorded by multiple reaction monitoring of the precursor-to-product ion transitions for neratinib (m/z 557.138→111.927), naringenin (m/z 273.115→152.954), and the IS (m/z 494.24→394.11). The method was validated for selectivity, trueness, precision, matrix effect, recovery, and stability over a concentration range of 10–1280 ng·mL−1 for both targets and was acceptable. The method was also assessed for greenness profile by an integrative qualitative and quantitative approach; the results corroborated the eco-friendly nature of the method. Therefore, the developed method has implications for its applicability in clinical sample analysis from pharmacokinetic studies in human studies to support the therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of combination drugs.
Using Sentiment Analysis in Understanding the Information and Political Pluralism under the Chilean New Constitution Discussion
Authors: Balbontín Cristóbal , Contreras Sergio , Browne Rodrigo
Published: March 2023

There is evidence of constitutional rank in Chile, not only a sectoral rank, to estimate that the regulation of digital media is in an initial phase and thus insufficient to properly protect information pluralism such as political pluralism. This study aims to investigate forms of concentration, such as the communicational flow of digital media, to determine the opportunities and information defects of these media due to regulatory deficiencies in this sector. Data collection was carried out through a qualitative and quantitative methodology. The prospect of the imminent constituent process in Chile provides the opportunity to evaluate possibilities and propose changes not only at the legislative level but also at the constitutional level, which are likely to provide benefits such as freedom of expression, with greater guarantees toward the pluralism of digital media. The latter also means assessing the relevance of enshrining the right to communication in the future.
A Machine-Learning Approach for Automatic Grape-Bunch Detection Based on Opponent Colors
Authors: Bruni Vittoria , Dominijanni Giulia , Vitulano Domenico
Published: March 2023

This paper presents a novel and automatic artificial-intelligence (AI) method for grape-bunch detection from RGB images. It mainly consists of a cascade of support vector machine (SVM)-based classifiers that rely on visual contrast-based features that, in turn, are defined according to grape bunch color visual perception. Due to some principles of opponent color theory and proper visual contrast measures, a precise estimate of grape bunches is achieved. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed method is able to accurately segment grapes even in uncontrolled acquisition conditions and with limited computational load. Finally, such an approach requires a very small number of training samples, making it appropriate for onsite and real-time applications that are implementable on smart devices, usable and even set up by winemakers.
A Novel Approach of Voltage Sag Data Analysis Stochastically: Study, Representation, and Detection of Region of Vulnerability
Authors: Patra Jagannath , Pal Nitai , Mohanta Harish Chandra , Akwafo Reynah , Mohamed Heba G.
Published: March 2023

A voltage sag is a major power quality problem at any load location, mainly due to short circuit faults. Its effects are especially clear in the industrial sector because they lead to direct financial losses. The first and most important step to getting rid of or at least reducing voltage sag is to find the places in the network where it can happen. So, this article discusses a creative way to find the weak spots in a network where the voltage is more likely to drop. This innovative strategy is based on correlation and a stochastic normal probability distribution. The voltage sag is evaluated using an analytical method. The method simulates the number, type, and location of faults randomly throughout the system. After gathering voltage dip data, it is analyzed using normal probability distribution and correlation concepts. The correlation concept provides the relationship between the sag frequency and other parameters, and the sag occurrence area was indicated by the normal probability distribution. After that, the region of vulnerability (ROV) is developed using the ROV flow chart. This paper uses an IEEE 30-bus RTS system as a case study to demonstrate the usefulness of the suggested strategy using MATLAB software.
Examining the Impact of Fiscal Resources on Anti-Poverty Expenditure: Evidence from China
Authors: Zheng Mao , Li Xiaoguang , Qin Zhilong , Sohail Muhammad Tayyab
Published: March 2023

In developing countries, anti-poverty programs are often implemented by local governments. However, due to the limitation of fiscal resources, the amount of anti-poor expenditure by the local government is generally less than what is needed for the poor. In this paper, we investigate whether an increase in the fiscal resources of local government will lead to an increase in anti-poor fiscal expenditure using county-level Chinese data. Using the fixed effect model, we show that local governments will put more fiscal resources into the minimum living standard guarantee (MLSG) system if they receive more intergovernmental transfers from high-level governments, but this effect only exists in urban areas. Moreover, the off-budget fiscal revenue does not affect the anti-poverty expenditure, both in rural and urban areas.
The Usability Issues Encountered in the Design Features of Intelligent Products for Older Adults in China: A Scoping Review
Authors: Zhang Ting , Che Me Rosalam , Alli Hassan
Published: March 2023

This study aims to expand upon the understanding of the multifaceted usability issues older adults encounter when using intelligent products. This was achieved by synthesizing extant research findings to come to an understanding of why usability issues still exist in intelligent products for older adults in China, even when appropriate design features are incorporated. This review was conducted by searching the literature on the Scopus, Springer, ScienceDirect, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases as well as Google Scholar using the terms “older adults in China”, “intelligent products”, and “usability.” Forty-three studies from between 2007 and 2022 were included in the review. The results reveal three salient aspects directly related to the usability issues of intelligent products experienced by older adults in China: (1) the usefulness of the product; (2) the ease of use of the product; and (3) the impact of the policy. The first two impact the effectiveness of the use of intelligent products, while the lack of policy intervention in the management system of intelligent products results in product clutter. This review provides insights for designers by proposing a conceptual framework for an intelligent product service platform for older adults, which will help researchers and research teams better understand the usability issues according to older adults’ feedback on intelligent products. We suggest a unified standard for intelligent product management in the future that is compatible across systems and reduces older adults’ learning stress.
Can Innovation-Driven Policy Reduce China’s Carbon Emission Intensity?—A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on the National Innovative City Pilot Policy
Authors: Wang Zicheng , Zhou Xiaoliang
Published: March 2023

Innovation and carbon neutrality are hot topics nowadays and are important issues related to development quality, efficiency, and long-term sustainability. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the impact of innovation-driven policy on reducing carbon emission intensity. Using urban panel data from 2003 to 2018, this paper constructed a time-varying difference-in-difference model based on the natural experiment of national innovative city pilot policy and systematically examined the specific effects and mechanisms of innovation-driven policy on reducing carbon emission intensity. It was found that the innovation-driven policy represented by the national innovative city pilot policy can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity in China, and this result was still valid after various robustness tests. The mechanism analysis showed that a reduction in carbon emission intensity was mainly achieved by innovation-driven promotion of green production technology progress and improvements in energy use efficiency. Further heterogeneity analysis showed that the policy had a more significant carbon reduction effect in cities with a strong innovation capability, large size, and low level of industrial structure. These research conclusions provide useful references for further understanding of the economic and social benefits of innovation-driven policy and effectively unleashing the carbon emission reduction effects of innovation-driven policy and promoting sustainable development.
Single Score Environmental Performances of Roof Coverings
Authors: Bayazıt Subaşı Ayşe , Taş Elçin Filiz
Published: March 2023

Buildings and constructions are responsible for a great amount of global energy and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Because of these negative impacts, there is an increase in Life cycle assessment research in the construction sector to measure these effects and evaluate the sustainability performances. Life cycle assessment is a tool that can facilitate the decision-making process in the construction sector for material selection, or for the selection of the best environmentally friendly option in the building component level or building level. In this study, a comparative life cycle assessment analysis is conducted among 12 roof coverings of 1 square meter in the 60-year lifetime of a building. Impact categories that are available in environmental product declarations and included in this study are the global warming potential, ozone depletion potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, photochemical ozone creation potential, abiotic depletion potential of non-fossils and abiotic depletion potential of fossils resources. To facilitate the decision-making process, panel and monetary weightings are applied to convert environmental product declaration data of seven impact categories into one single-score. Monetary weightings applied in the study are in Euro 2019, differentiating itself from other comparative life cycle assessment studies. The single-score results are ranked and compared. R04 has the best performance for all panel weightings, while for monetary weightings, R03, R07 and R08 have the best performance for EPS, MMG and EVR, respectively. As a result, for 12 roof coverings, the weighted results could not address one single roof-covering material for numerous reasons. Among the weighting methods, panel weighting sets show more similarity in ranking results, while monetary-weighting sets results are more diverse.
Monitoring Root and Shoot Characteristics for the Sustainable Growth of Barley Using an IoT-Enabled Hydroponic System and AquaCrop Simulator
Authors: Dutta Monica , Gupta Deepali , Javed Yasir , Mohiuddin Khalid , Juneja Sapna , Khan Zafar Iqbal , Nauman Ali
Published: March 2023

Vertical farming methods are gaining importance in the current era of urbanization and industrialization 5.0. These methods of farming enhance sustainability by consuming less space and reducing carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Internet of Things (G-IoT) offers greater environmental sustainability by switching to a dormant mode while not in use, thereby consuming less energy. Each farming method has a different effect on the shoot and root growth of the plants. Thus, dedicated farming methods must be identified for each crop according to the type of crop under consideration. This leads to a need to compare and analyze the root as well as shoot growth trends of crops in different cultivation mediums, using different cultivation methods, thereby identifying the most suitable method for the cultivation of the crop. A comparative analysis of barley shoot and root growth in green IoT-embedded hydroponics and substrate cultivation methods has shown that hydroponics exhibits two times more shoot growth than substrate cultivation. Furthermore, the results were verified against the results obtained from the simulator, which confirmed that the hydroponic method of cultivation produced a year-round qualitative product with 17.112 tons of biomass and 8.556 tons of dry yield.
Marketing Automation: How to Effectively Lead the Advertising Promotion for Social Reconstruction in Hotels
Authors: Sun Xue , Li Yuhao , Guo Bo , Gao Li
Published: March 2023

With many outdated hotels in urgent need of refurbishment in China, chain hotel groups are under mounting pressure to expand their market share by strengthening advertising performance. This study aims to explore the effects of sender types and anonymous clues on advertising exposure as well as the impacts of the above factors and content narratives on service conversion (e.g., link clicks) for hotel franchise promotion. In addition to increasing exposure action, use of the AA-IDA model can effectively increase the possibility of hotel advertising conversion. Two experiments were employed to examine the impacts of advertising design factors on exposure and conversion rates of hotel franchise promotion. A behavioral experiment and a field experiment were carried out to examine the critical effect of advertising design factors on advertising exposure and conversion. The Wald tests for parameters show that the effect of anonymity on advertising conversion was significant (β = 0.479, p < 0.01). Objective content narratives had a significant positive impact on advertising conversion (β = 0.594, p < 0.01). Furthermore, The ANOVA results show that hoteliers in groups with different design elements applied had significant differences in post-conversion service usage (F = 33.809, p < 0.001). The AA-IDA model provides a new framework for future hotel franchise promotion research. Additionally, the important design factors of promotional ads and their reorganization (e.g., sender types, anonymous clues, and content narratives) had a significant impact on the view action and conversion action.
Adhesive and Cohesive Cracking Analysis of Asphalt Mastics in Contact with Steel Substrates Using an Energy-Based Crack Initiation Criterion
Authors: Liu Zhiyang , Wang Haipeng , Chen Jiangcai , Cui Peng
Published: March 2023

Adhesive and cohesive properties play a vital role in the durability of asphalt mixtures. As a result of the lack of models characterizing adhesive and cohesive cracking, the occurrence of adhesive and cohesive failure has not been fully formulated by using an explicit mechanical approach. Strain energy density in intact mastics is transformed into adhesive and cohesive surface energies as cracks initiate. This study developed an energy-based crack initiation criterion based on the Griffith model and differentiated adhesive and cohesive cracking. The onset of cracking was identified by the deviation of the measured stress from the linear viscoelastic stress. The released strain energy at the crack initiation balanced the increase in surface energies, thus creating a new adhesive and cohesive surface. Several fracture parameters such as initial crack size, cracking stress, and tensile strength were proposed to analyze the effects of sample thickness, strain rate, temperature, and filler concentration in mastics. Results indicate that the adhesive energy, cohesive energy and strain energy density significantly depend on filler concentration in mastic and test temperature but is independent from sample thickness and strain rate. In particular, the variation of the strain energy density from 20 °C to 35 °C reaches 127.4%, and its decrease is up to 46.9% as the filler concentration in the mastic varies from 0 to 60%. The increase in the sample thickness from 160 μm to 1000 μm results in the 150.0% growth of the initial crack size and 74.4% reduction of the cracking stress. Therefore, increasing the adhesive and cohesive energy can essentially improve the toughness to resist the cracking, and decreasing the mastic thickness enhances the loading capacity. It provides a deep understanding of the mixture cracking from a perspective of adhesive and cohesive surface energies.
How a Grid Company Could Enter the Hydrogen Industry through a New Business Model: A Case Study in China
Authors: Xu Danlu , Liu Zhoubin , Shan Rui , Weng Haixiao , Zhang Haoyu
Published: March 2023

The increasing penetration of renewable and distributed resources signals a global boom in energy transition, but traditional grid utilities have yet to share in much of the triumph at the current stage. Higher grid management costs, lower electricity prices, fewer customers, and other challenges have emerged along the path toward renewable energy, but many more opportunities await to be seized. Most importantly, there are insufficient studies on how grid utilities can thrive within the hydrogen economy. Through a case study on the State Grid Corporation of China, we identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of grid utilities within the hydrogen economy. Based on these factors, we recommend that grids integrate hydrogen into the energy-as-a-service model and deliver it to industrial customers who are under decarbonization pressure. We also recommend that grid utilities fund a joint venture with pipeline companies to optimize electricity and hydrogen transmissions simultaneously.
Changes in Soil Properties with Combined Use of Probiotic Cultures and Organic Farming Practices in Degraded Soils of Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Md. Anwar , Islam S. M. Shahinul , Hasan Md. Mahmodol
Published: March 2023

A shift in agricultural management from chemical to organic practices is expected to reduce environmental hazards and improve soil health and productivity in Bangladesh. To increase knowledge of the impact of probiotic cultures and organic farming practices on the physical and chemical properties of Bangladeshi soils, an investigation was carried out during the period from July 2016 to June 2019. The study included nine treatments using combinations of probiotic cultures and organic farming practices. The experiment used a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The probiotic cultures and organic practices increased soil moisture content, porosity and silt particle and decreased bulk density, particle density and sand particles. The organic matter content (11.66%), nutrient availability and electrical conductivity (8.96%) increased with the organic practices, while pH of the soil decreased. The largest significant change in the physical properties (p ≤ 0.05) was in the compost + vermicompost + green manuring treatment, while for chemical properties this was in the poultry manure + vermicompost + green manuring. These findings suggest that the above combinations of organic treatments provide most benefit to the soils of the practices considered.
Influence of Perceived Value on Consumers’ Continuous Purchase Intention in Live-Streaming E-Commerce—Mediated by Consumer Trust
Authors: Wu Yanyan , Huang Hongqing
Published: March 2023

As an emerging e-commerce model that combines the convenience of traditional e-commerce with the real-time and interactive nature of live streaming, live-streaming (LS) e-commerce is loved and recognized by consumers. At the same time, LS e-commerce also faces many difficulties such as homogenization of marketing content and consumers’ low willingness to repeat purchase. Therefore, how to better stimulate consumers’ continuous purchase willingness in LS has become a hot topic of current research. Based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model, this paper constructs a model of consumers’ purchase intention mediated by consumers’ trust in LS e-commerce, measuring consumers’ perceived value in LS e-commerce in three dimensions: utilitarian value, hedonic value and social value, and using consumers’ trust in the streamer and trust in the product as mediators to investigate the influence of perceived value on consumers’ continuous purchase intention. Data of Chinese users were collected by questionnaire survey to prove the assumptions of this paper. The results show that consumers’ perceived utilitarian value, hedonic value and social value significantly and positively influence their trust in the streamer; consumers’ perceived utilitarian value and social value significantly and positively influence their trust in product; trust in streamer significantly and positively influences their trust in the product; and consumer trust partially mediates the relationship between perceived value and consumers’ willingness to continue to purchase.
Benchmarking of CNN Models and MobileNet-BiLSTM Approach to Classification of Tomato Seed Cultivars
Authors: Sabanci Kadir
Published: March 2023

In the present study, a deep learning-based two-scenario method is proposed to distinguish tomato seed cultivars. First, images of seeds of four different tomato cultivars (Sacher F1, Green Zebra, Pineapple, and Ozarowski) were taken. Each seed was then cropped on the raw image and saved as a new image. The number of images in the dataset was increased using data augmentation techniques. In the first scenario, these seed images were classified with four different CNN (convolutional neural network) models (ResNet18, ResNet50, GoogleNet, and MobileNetv2). The highest classification accuracy of 93.44% was obtained with the MobileNetv2 model. In the second scenario, 1280 deep features obtained from MobileNetv2 fed the inputs of the Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) network. In the classification made using the BiLSTM network, 96.09% accuracy was obtained. The results show that different tomato seed cultivars can be distinguished quickly and accurately by the proposed deep learning-based method. The performed study is a great novelty in distinguishing seed cultivars and the developed innovative approach involving deep learning in tomato seed image analysis, and can be used as a comprehensive procedure for practical tomato seed classification.
Numerical Simulation of Effective Extraction Radius of Pre-Drainage Borehole Based on Coal Damage Model
Authors: Zhang Dangyu , Zhang Minbo , Zhang Shilong , Wang Zichao , Jin Yan , Liu Rentao
Published: March 2023

Borehole pre-drainage is an important technical means to control a coal mine gas disaster. In order to determine the optimal pre-drainage parameters of Dashucun mine, a coal damage permeability evolution model was established based on coal damage deformation, considering gas adsorption and desorption and the Klinkenberg effect, and a damage fluid-structure coupling model of coal seam containing gas was established by combining the coal seam deformation equation and the mass conservation equation. COMSOL software was used to simulate the influence of factors such as the initial permeability of coal seam, negative pumping pressure, aperture and pumping time on the effective pumping radius of pre-drainage borehole. The results show that the effect of negative pressure on the effective extraction radius can be ignored. The effect of borehole aperture, initial permeability of coal seam and extraction time on effective extraction radius is great, which conforms to the power function relationship, and the coefficient correlation value is high. The optimal extraction parameters of Dashucun mine are determined as borehole diameter 113 mm, coal seam permeability 1 × 10−17 m2, negative extraction pressure 30 kPa and extraction time 180 d. The research results can provide theoretical reference for the pre-drainage of gas in Dashucun mine.
Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Work-Related Strains and Work Engagement among Job Demand–Resource Model and Success
Authors: Wang Qifan , Khan Sajjad Nawaz , Sajjad Muhammad , Sarki Irshad Hussain , Yaseen Muhammad Noman
Published: March 2023

Post-COVID-19 working conditions have been the primary reason behind increased stress among business owners. There is an ever-rising need for entrepreneurial work engagement in their jobs to mitigate the increased entrepreneurial work pressures caused by uncontrolled digitization, enhanced consumer power, and brutal competition. Therefore, this study intends to respond to the existing practical and empirical gaps by investigating the relationships between entrepreneurial job demands (EJD), work-related stress, entrepreneurial job resources (EJR), and entrepreneurial work engagement (WE) for their role in generating entrepreneurial success (ES), especially in the Chinese context. It also tested the mediating role of work-related stress and entrepreneurial work engagement on the relationship between job demands, job resources, and entrepreneurial success. Structured questionnaires were circulated among the targeted respondents (i.e., business owners across China) using quantitative techniques, followed by PLS-SEM for data analysis, as these are the best-suited techniques, considering the context and time constraints. The results verified the impact of job demands on work-related strain, followed by the inverse direct impact of work-related strain on entrepreneurial success. This study found the significant impact of entrepreneurial job resources on entrepreneurial work engagement, followed by the positive impact of WE on entrepreneurial success. Likewise, work engagement’s mediating role was validated, while work-related strain could only negatively mediate the relationship between EJD and ES. Likewise, this study has practical and empirical implications for practitioners and researchers to be mindful of their employees’ emotional states by providing sufficient resources and psychological interventions to ensure business success.
A Comprehensive Model for Developing SME Net Zero Capability Incorporating Grey Literature
Authors: Olarewaju Tolu , Dani Samir , Jabbar Abdul
Published: March 2023

SMEs collectively account for a significant proportion of greenhouse gas emissions and so there is a need for urgent action to be taken by SMEs in the journey to achieve net zero. In this article, we provide a comprehensive conceptual framework for SMEs to draw from in the journey towards net zero by synthesizing the academic and grey literature. By bringing together key strands of the literature, we derive a conceptual model that provides a clear pathway for SMEs to embark on their net zero journeys. The framework we invent involves understanding the position of the SME in the value chain, understanding the pressures from stakeholders, undertaking greenhouse gas accounting to measure current levels of carbon emissions, undertaking internal changes towards the net zero agenda, undertaking external facing changes towards the net zero agenda, uncoupling, community participation, and updating business activities regularly. This model acts as a progressive decision-making and continuous improvement framework that will be an asset to SMEs as they undertake net zero activities. Overall, the paper contributes to the sustainability literature by being the first to synthesize the academic and grey literature to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for SMEs to attain net zero.
Evolution of Regulations Controlling Human Pressure in Protected Areas of China
Authors: Jiang Wenyuan , Jiang Shuanglin
Published: March 2023

Facing the serious challenge of human pressure on biodiversity conservation, a growing interest has been aroused in adaptive pathways for conservation law and regulations. Unlike studies that discuss improvement pathways based on well-established systems in the developed world, building up a scientific, effective regulatory system is the major challenge faced in China. We analyzed the evolution of protection regulations and divided them into three main stages. In the first two stages, conservation regulations followed a parallel core logic of national reform and development, resulting in rules that were too stringent or served only departmental interests. In the third stage, the reform of territorial spatial planning incorporated various PAs, reconciling ecological protection with the needs of agriculture and urbanization for land use. We attribute the success of the third stage to a more comprehensive policy and legal framework that integrates the system of protected areas and spatial planning, making conservation rules more scientific and enforceable. Several suggestions to enhance current reforms are then proposed. This study also provides international insight into limiting the impact of human activities on protected areas through scientifically integrated spatial planning and strict use controls.
Prioritization of Thermal Energy Storage Techniques Using TOPSIS Method Based on Correlation Coefficient for Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Hypersoft Set
Authors: Zulqarnain Rana Muhammad , Ma Wen-Xiu , Siddique Imran , Alburaikan Alhanouf , Abd El-Wahed Khalifa Hamiden , Alanzi Agaeb Mahal
Published: March 2023

The correlation between two disparate variables conquers a significant habitation in statistics. The concept of correlation coefficient (CC) is one of the well-known indicators, but it is not used in interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy hypersoft set (IVIFHSS) information. It is a generalization of interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy soft sets and a refined extension of intuitionistic fuzzy hypersoft sets. However, using the CC and weighted correlation coefficient (WCC) has not yet been explored for IVIFHSS information. The core objective of this research is to present the correlation coefficient (CC) and weighted correlation coefficient (WCC) for interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy hypersoft sets (IVIFHSS) and their mandatory properties. A prioritization technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS) is developed based on proposed correlation measures. To ensure the symmetry of the developed scheme, we consider mathematical clarifications of correlation contractions. Based on assessments, it conceded vibrant multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) methodology with the most substantial significance. In addition, a statistical illustration is designated to regulate the operative usage of a decision-making configuration in thermal energy storage techniques. The productivity of the advocated algorithm is more reliable than existing replicas to control the favorable configurations of the premeditated study.
Simulation Studies of Track-Based Analysis of Charged Particles in Symmetric Hadron–Hadron Collisions at 7 TeV
Authors: Ajaz Muhammad , Haj Ismail Abd Al Karim , Alrebdi Haifa I. , Abdel-Aty Abdel-Haleem , Mian Mateen Ullah , Khan Muhammad Adil , Waqas Muhammad , Khubrani Ahmed M. , Wei Hua-Rong , AbdelKader Atef
Published: March 2023

This manuscript presents a simulation study of a track-based analysis of the multiplicity distributions of the primary charged particle compared to experimental measurements in symmetric hadron–hadron collisions acquiring maximum energy for the new particle production. The data are compared to the simulations of EPOS, PYTHIA8, Sibyll, and QGSJET under the same conditions. The event generators in the current study are simple parton-based models that incorporate the Reggie–Gribov theory. The latter is a field theory based on the QCD that uses the mechanism of multiple parton interactions. It has been found that the PYTHIA8 model chases the data well in most of the distributions but depends on the momentum and the requirement of charged particles in a given track, due to its feature-like color reshuffling of quarks and gluons through the color re-connection modes and initial and final state radiations by incorporating the parton showers. The EPOS model could also reproduce some spectral regions and presents a good comparison after the PYTHIA8. All the other models could not produce most of the spectra except for the limited region, which also depends on the analysis’s cuts. Besides the model’s prediction, we used Tsallis–Pareto and Hagedorn functions to fit the aforementioned spectra of the charged particles. The fit is applied to the data and models, and their results are compared. We extract the temperature parameter T01 (effective temperature (Teff)) from the Tsallis–Pareto-kind function and T02 (kinetic freezeout temperature) from the Hagedorn function. The temperatures are affected by pT as well Nch cuts.
Difference Asymmetry between Preferred Dominant and Non-Dominant Legs in Muscular Power and Balance among Sub-Elite Soccer Players in Qatar
Authors: Haddad Monoem , Abbes Zied , Zarrouk Nidhal , Aganovic Zlatan , Hulweh Albraa , Moussa-Chamari Imen , Behm David
Published: March 2023

The objective of this study was to determine and compare leg asymmetry between preferred dominant and non-dominant legs in muscular power and balance among sub-elite soccer (football) players in Qatar. Thirty-two professional local soccer players from the Qatar Stars League (Second Division) participated in the study (23.1 ± 6.1 years). They were classified according to their preferred dominant leg (preferred leg to kick the ball). Twenty-two players had a right dominant leg, and the remaining ten had a left dominant leg. Countermovement jump (CMJ) was used to measure unilateral and bilateral vertical jump performances. The Y-balance test (YBT) was used to assess dynamic balance. No significant differences were found between the dominant and non-dominant leg for CMJ flight height (p > 0.05; asymmetry index (AI) = 1.83 ± 11.46) or the relative and absolute reach distance derived from the YBT (p > 0.05; AI (relative) = −0.45 ± 9.68, AI (absolute) = −0.60 ± 12.3). Bilateral asymmetry in dynamic balance was not significant for any of the anterior, posteromedial, or the posterolateral reaching directions (p > 0.05). The selected football players demonstrated an acceptable level of leg symmetry for power and dynamic balance. These findings may prove helpful for the assessment and evaluation of talents and should help to develop and optimize training regimes.
Asymmetric Twisting of Coronal Loops
Authors: Cozzo Gabriele , Pagano Paolo , Petralia Antonino , Reale Fabio
Published: March 2023

The bright solar corona entirely consists of closed magnetic loops rooted in the photosphere. Photospheric motions are important drivers of magnetic stressing, which eventually leads to energy release into heat. These motions are chaotic and obviously different from one footpoint to the other, and in fact, there is strong evidence that loops are finely stranded. One may also expect strong transient variations along the field lines, but at a glance, coronal loops ever appear more or less uniformly bright from one footpoint to the other. We aim to understand how much coronal loops can preserve their own symmetry against asymmetric boundary motions that are expected to occur at loop footpoints. We investigate this issue by time-dependent 2.5D MHD modelling of a coronal loop, including its rooting and beta-variation in the photosphere. We assume that the magnetic flux tube is stressed by footpoint rotation but also that the rotation has a different pattern from one footpoint to the other. In this way, we force strong asymmetries because we expect independent evolution along different magnetic strands. We found that until the Alfvén crossing-travel time relative to the entire loop length is much lower than the twisting period, the loop’s evolution depends only on the relative velocity between the boundaries, and the symmetry is efficiently preserved. We conclude that the very high Alfvén velocities that characterise the coronal environment can explain why coronal loops can maintain a very high degree of symmetry even when they are subjected to asymmetric photospheric motions for a long time.
A Generalised Time-Dependent Mathematical Formulation for Magnetoelectrically Coupled Soft Solids at Finite Strains
Authors: Shariff Mohd Halim Bin Mohd , Bustamante Roger , Hossain Mokarram
Published: March 2023

To date, the mechanical models of magnetoelectric couplings at finite strains have mainly been limited to time-independent constitutive equations. This paper enhances the literature by developing a time-dependent electromagnetic constitutive equation to characterise the mechanical behaviour of soft solids at finite strains and take into account the full form of the Maxwell equations. Our formulation introduces a symmetrical total stress and uses recently developed spectral invariants in the amended energy function; as a result, the proposed constitutive equation is relatively simple and is amenable to a finite-element formulation.
Decision-Making Models and Coordination in a Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Patent Protection for DfR
Authors: Jian Jie , Wang Gan , Hu Hongyuan , Su Jiafu
Published: March 2023

With improvement in consumers’ environmental awareness and the level of design for remanufacturing (DfR), the traditional supply chain is gradually changing into a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC). However, a high level of remanufacturing design will increase design costs for manufacturers, while also reducing the cost for remanufacturers. Moreover, manufacturers usually use patent barriers to restrict the development of remanufacturers. The main aims of this study were to explore how manufacturers and remanufacturers can benefit each other, taking into account patent protection and carbon emissions. Firstly, we adopted game theory to establish four decision-making models of the manufacturer and remanufacturer regarding DfR. Secondly, we designed a cost-sharing contract for DfR based on the decentralized decision-making model to coordinate a CLSC. The results of this study showed that under the patent-protected market environment, DfR increased the manufacturer’s profit but did not necessarily promote the remanufacturer’s profit growth. A cost-sharing contract can effectively achieve improvements in the presence of DfR, increase profits for both parties, and improve the economic and environmental benefits of the CLSC.
Caenorhabditis elegans as a Prediction Platform for Nanotechnology-Based Strategies: Insights on Analytical Challenges
Authors: Gubert Priscila , Gubert Greici , Oliveira Ronei Cardoso de , Fernandes Isabel Cristina Oliveira , Bezerra Iverson Conrado , Ramos Bruna de , Lima Milena Ferreira de , Rodrigues Daniela Teixeira , Cruz Adriana Farias Nunes da , Pereira Ernesto Chaves , Ávila Daiana Silva , Mosca Dante Homero
Published: March 2023

Nanotechnology-based strategies have played a pivotal role in innovative products in different technological fields, including medicine, agriculture, and engineering. The redesign of the nanometric scale has improved drug targeting and delivery, diagnosis, water treatment, and analytical methods. Although efficiency brings benefits, toxicity in organisms and the environment is a concern, particularly in light of global climate change and plastic disposal in the environment. Therefore, to measure such effects, alternative models enable the assessment of impacts on both functional properties and toxicity. Caenorhabditis elegans is a nematode model that poses valuable advantages such as transparency, sensibility in responding to exogenous compounds, fast response to perturbations besides the possibility to replicate human disease through transgenics. Herein, we discuss the applications of C. elegans to nanomaterial safety and efficacy evaluations from one health perspective. We also highlight the directions for developing appropriate techniques to safely adopt magnetic and organic nanoparticles, and carbon nanosystems. A description was given of the specifics of targeting and treatment, especially for health purposes. Finally, we discuss C. elegans potential for studying the impacts caused by nanopesticides and nanoplastics as emerging contaminants, pointing out gaps in environmental studies related to toxicity, analytical methods, and future directions.
CryoEM of Viral Ribonucleoproteins and Nucleocapsids of Single-Stranded RNA Viruses
Authors: Modrego Andrea , Carlero Diego , Arranz Rocío , Martín-Benito Jaime
Published: March 2023

Single-stranded RNA viruses (ssRNAv) are characterized by their biological diversity and great adaptability to different hosts; traits which make them a major threat to human health due to their potential to cause zoonotic outbreaks. A detailed understanding of the mechanisms involved in viral proliferation is essential to address the challenges posed by these pathogens. Key to these processes are ribonucleoproteins (RNPs), the genome-containing RNA-protein complexes whose function is to carry out viral transcription and replication. Structural determination of RNPs can provide crucial information on the molecular mechanisms of these processes, paving the way for the development of new, more effective strategies to control and prevent the spread of ssRNAv diseases. In this scenario, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM), relying on the technical and methodological revolution it has undergone in recent years, can provide invaluable help in elucidating how these macromolecular complexes are organized, packaged within the virion, or the functional implications of these structures. In this review, we summarize some of the most prominent achievements by cryoEM in the study of RNP and nucleocapsid structures in lipid-enveloped ssRNAv.
Inhibitors of the Ubiquitin-Mediated Signaling Pathway Exhibit Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Activities against New World Alphaviruses
Authors: Boghdeh Niloufar A. , McGraw Brittany , Barrera Michael D. , Anderson Carol , Baha Haseebullah , Risner Kenneth H. , Ogungbe Ifedayo V. , Alem Farhang , Narayanan Aarthi
Published: March 2023

New World alphaviruses including Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus (VEEV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) are mosquito-transmitted viruses that cause disease in humans and equines. There are currently no FDA-approved therapeutics or vaccines to treat or prevent exposure-associated encephalitic disease. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-associated signaling events are known to play an important role in the establishment of a productive infection for several acutely infectious viruses. The critical engagement of the UPS-associated signaling mechanisms by many viruses as host–pathogen interaction hubs led us to hypothesize that small molecule inhibitors that interfere with these signaling pathways will exert broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against alphaviruses. We queried eight inhibitors of the UPS signaling pathway for antiviral outcomes against VEEV. Three of the tested inhibitors, namely NSC697923 (NSC), bardoxolone methyl (BARM) and omaveloxolone (OMA) demonstrated broad-spectrum antiviral activity against VEEV and EEEV. Dose dependency and time of addition studies suggest that BARM and OMA exhibit intracellular and post-entry viral inhibition. Cumulatively, our studies indicate that inhibitors of the UPS-associated signaling pathways exert broad-spectrum antiviral outcomes in the context of VEEV and EEEV infection, supporting their translational application as therapeutic candidates to treat alphavirus infections.
Rapid Shift from SARS-CoV-2 Delta to Omicron Sub-Variants within a Dynamic Southern U.S. Borderplex
Authors: Robles-Escajeda Elisa , Mohl Jonathon E. , Contreras Lisett , Betancourt Ana P. , Mancera Bibiana M. , Kirken Robert A. , Rodriguez Georgialina
Published: March 2023

COVID-19, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), remains an ongoing global health challenge. This study analyzed 3641 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples from the El Paso, Texas, community and hospitalized patients over 48 weeks from Fall 2021 to Summer 2022. The binational community along the U.S. southern border was predominantly SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant (B.1.617.2) positive for a 5-week period from September 2021 to January 2022 and quickly transitioned to the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529), which was first detected at the end of December 2021. Omicron replaced Delta as the predominant detectable variant in the community and was associated with a sharp increase in COVID-19 positivity rate, related hospitalizations, and newly reported cases. In this study, Omicron BA.1, BA.4, and BA.5 variants were overwhelmingly associated with S-gene dropout by qRT-PCR analysis unlike the Delta and Omicron BA.2 variants. The study reveals that a dominant variant, like Delta, can be rapidly replaced by a more transmissible variant, like Omicron, within a dynamic metropolitan border city, necessitating enhanced monitoring, readiness, and response from public health officials and healthcare workers.