bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustaining women’s empowerment for development in resource-limited settings: an exploratory qualitative approach
Authors: Wallole Wanno , Alano Abraham , Endriyas Misganu
Published: December 2024

Background

Women's empowerment is one of the fundamental issues for attaining sustainable development goals crossing multiple dimensions. In Ethiopia, Women’s Development Network (WDN), a network of women, was established in 2010 with development aims. Ensuring women’s empowerment critically needs collective efforts of platforms such as WDN. However, there was a paucity of information about the patterns of WDN functionalities, its contribution, and factors affecting its functionality in rural areas of Southern Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to explore WDN status and factors affecting their functionality in Southern Ethiopia.

Methodology

The study employed an exploratory qualitative design. Data were collected from purposively selected zones using focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Audio-taped materials were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a thematic approach. Initially, data were coded (open coding) and after several reviews, themes were developed and interpreted in line with the study objectives.

Result

WDN has passed several steps from its establishment up to now. It was seen skeptically at its early inception, very good level of acceptance in the middle, and staggering currently. However, WDN has contributed to improvements in household welfare resulting from increased ability to afford food, clothing, health, and education. Specific to health, WDN has contributed to general awareness creation, maternal and child health utilization, and environmental sanitation. On the other hand, the volunteer nature of the job put pressure on WDN and revealed socioeconomic stresses. Moreover, inconsistent support from stakeholders especially health extension workers, inadequate men’s engagement, and sidelining of WDN by some educated women remain challenges for the sustainable functionality.

Conclusion

WDN has contributed to multidimensional development goals, especially health services uptake and environmental sanitation. However, over time, it became flaccid and lost adequate emphasis from most of its stakeholders and supportive structures. Therefore, considering such vital inputs from community participation in resource-limited settings, stakeholders should offer adequate attention to WDN in terms of selection, training, orientation, follow-up, and acquainting with the community they serve. Moreover, efforts are needed to retain women voluntarily serving and build positive images across all stakeholders and fellow women receiving the services.
Comparing two large data repositories to understand the differences in demographics, health history, and behavioral attributes in populations
Authors: Nasiha Maliq Nihmath , Ong Toan , Giano Zachary , Rivera William , Tiwari Tamanna
Published: December 2024

Introduction

This study conducted a comparative analysis between two large data repositories, the All of Us (AoU) medical data and BigMouth dental data repositories.

Methods

The comparison analysis includes variables related to behavioral and systemic health, health literacy, and overall health status across race, ethnicity, and gender. The analytic approach used descriptive statistics, Chi-square, odds ratio, and 95% confidence intervals; significant comparisons were measured with Cohen's D effect sizes.

Results

In the AoU dataset, 80.6% of Hispanic or Latino participants reported alcohol use compared to 16.8% in the BigMouth data repository. The female cohort in AoU showed 87.9% alcohol use, a contrast to BigMouth's 26.0%. Additionally, the diabetes prevalence among females was 8.8% in AoU vs. 21.6% in BigMouth. Differences in health literacy were observed, with 49.2% among Hispanic or Latino participants in AoU, in contrast to BigMouth's 3.2%. Despite this, 70.1% of Hispanic or Latino respondents in AoU reported satisfactory health status, while BigMouth indicated a much higher figure at 98.3%.

Discussion

These variations highlight the importance of targeted health interventions addressing racial/ethnic and gender influences. Differences may arise from recruitment approaches, participant demographics, and healthcare access. There is a need for collaboration, standardized data collection, and inclusive recruitment to remedy these discrepancies. Further research is imperative to understand the underlying causes, facilitate interventions that address the disparities, and advocate for a more inclusive healthcare system.
“Teledentistry” using a mobile app (Telesmile) to improve oral health among the visually impaired and hearing-impaired populations in Saudi Arabia: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Fageeh Hytham N. , Mansoor Manawar A. , Fageeh Hammam I. , Abdul Hina N. , Khan Hamza , Akkam Abdulrahman , Muhaddili Idris , Korairi Sultan , Bhati Ashok Kumar
Published: December 2024

Objective

To assess the efficacy of a “teledentistry” method using a mobile app (Telesmile) in enhancing knowledge of oral health conditions and oral hygiene practices among the blind and deaf populations in Jazan Province in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A randomized parallel design controlled study was conducted among 50 blind and 50 deaf subjects between the ages of 12–18 years, randomly chosen from blind and deaf schools. The participants were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. An innovative teledentistry platform named Telesmile, a mobile application for the Apple iOS App Store and Google Play Store, was developed. Multimedia Arabic dental sign language oral hygiene instructional videos were created and uploaded in the Telesmile mobile application under the deaf category. Similarly, oral hygiene instructions were audio recorded by experts and uploaded under the blind category in the Telesmile mobile application. Group I of the blind (n = 25) and deaf participants (n = 25) received regular oral hygiene instructions while Group II of the blind (n = 25) and deaf (n = 25) participants received the Telesmile mobile application intervention. The knowledge of the participants pertaining to oral health and oral hygiene practices was evaluated using a close-ended questionnaire comprising 14 questions at the initial visit (T0). Training sessions were conducted for all participants and the Telesmile mobile application was distributed among the participants in Group II. After 4 weeks (T1), the knowledge of the participants regarding oral health and hygiene practice was re-evaluated and compared between each group.

Results

The chi-square test revealed that the marginal mean of the knowledge of the blind and deaf participants pertaining to oral health and oral hygiene practices was very poor at their initial visit (T0) and it significantly increased (p < 0.001) after 4 weeks (T1) of using the Telesmile mobile application.

Conclusion

The Telesmile mobile application can significantly enhance oral hygiene knowledge among blind and deaf people. The audio technique was an effective tool to deliver oral health education which could result in improving the oral health status of blind participants. The video demonstrations were also effective in enhancing the oral health and oral hygiene knowledge of deaf individuals.
Simulation study of the impacts of E-region density on the growth of equatorial plasma bubbles
Authors: Yokoyama Tatsuhiro
Published: December 2024

Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) in the ionospheric F region are notorious for causing severe scintillation in radio signals, posing significant challenges for communication and navigation systems. Understanding and forecasting EPB occurrence is crucial from a space weather perspective, given their impact on satellite and terrestrial communication. In this study, we present the impacts of E-region conductivity on the generation of EPBs by using the 3D high-resolution bubble (HIRB) model. By changing the production rate of NO+ ions in the E region, the flux-tube-integrated linear growth rate of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability can be modified. Multiple simulation runs show that even a moderate variation of the growth rate turns into a significant difference in EPB growth into the top of the ionosphere. This is a major factor that has made forecasting EPB generation quite difficult for several decades.
Drought and heat stress studies in perennial ryegrass: a bibliometric analysis 1994–2024
Authors: Wang Rui , Gao Yang , Li Junqin , Wang Xiangtao , Yang Yuting , Huang Haiyan , Zhou Zijun , Wang Puchang , Zhao Lili
Published: December 2024

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a key forage species in warm temperate to subtropical regions worldwide. Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture, particularly through drought and heat stress, which adversely affect ryegrass yield and may be further exacerbated by global warming. Despite numerous research achievements in recent years, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on drought and heat stress in perennial ryegrass is lacking. This study provides a quantitative analysis of relevant literature published from 1994 to 2024, utilizing the Web of Science database to evaluate global research trends and priorities. The results indicate a consistent annual growth in publication output, with China and the United States being major contributors, and the journal Crop Science publishing the most papers. Keyword analysis shows that “growth,” “endophytic fungi,” and “yield” are most frequently used in drought stress research, while “growth,” “gene,” and “leaf” are common in heat stress research. Over the past 30 years, research has mainly focused on phenotype, response mechanisms, and drought and heat resistance techniques in perennial ryegrass. Endophyte have become a hot topic in drought stress research in recent years and have also gained attention in heat stress research, suggesting future research directions in this area. Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen research on the molecular mechanisms associated with drought stress in ryegrass, as well as to explore molecular responses to heat stress. The research trend shows increasing attention to the interaction between drought and heat stress, indicating it will become an important direction for future studies. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for guiding future research on perennial ryegrass under drought and heat stress conditions and provide useful information for researchers in related fields.
Optimization of Distribution Network Current Protection for Inverter-Based Distributed Power Access
Authors: Xiao Chun , Cao Qiong , Ren Yulu , Han Xiaoqing
Published: December 2024

In light of the accelerated development of renewable energy, inverter-based distributed power supply (IIDG) is assuming an increasingly pivotal role in contemporary power systems. This paper investigates the impact of inverter-based distributed power access on current protection in distribution networks and proposes an optimization method. Firstly, the IIDG power model is introduced for the purpose of analyzing the impact of distributed power supply access to an urban distribution network on the current magnitude of the distribution network. Subsequently, the issue of protection sensitivity following IIDG access is examined in the context of time-limited current flow protection and fixed-time overcurrent protection, respectively. To address the issue of inadequate sensitivity, a refined enhancement strategy for the real-time monitoring of the line current and modifying the action setting values is put forth. Finally, the proposed protection methodology is validated through PSCAD simulation, thereby verifying the effectiveness of the proposed optimization and improvement solutions in the real-time monitoring of the line current and adjustment of the action setting values.
Design of a Non-Destructive Seed Counting Instrument for Rapeseed Pods Based on Transmission Imaging
Authors: Xu Shengyong , Xu Rongsheng , Ma Pan , Huang Zhenhao , Wang Shaodong , Yang Zhe , Liao Qingxi
Published: December 2024

Pod counting of rapeseed is a critical step in breeding, cultivation, and agricultural machinery research. Currently, this process relies entirely on manual labor, which is both labor-intensive and inefficient. This study aims to develop a semi-automatic counting instrument based on transmission image processing and proposes a new algorithm for processing transmission images of pods to achieve non-destructive, accurate, and rapid determination of the seed count per pod. Initially, the U-NET network was used to segment and remove the stem and beak from the pod image; subsequently, adaptive contrast enhancement was applied to adjust the contrast of the G-channel image of the pod to an appropriate range, effectively eliminating the influence of different varieties and maturity levels on the translucency of the pod skin. After enhancing the contrast, the Sauvola algorithm was employed for threshold segmentation to remove the pod skin, followed by thinning and dilation of the binary image to extract and remove the central ridge lines, detecting the number and area of connected domains. Finally, the seed count was determined based on the ratio of each connected domain’s area to the mean area of all connected domains. A transmission imaging device that mimics the human eye’s method of counting seeds was designed, incorporating an LED transmission light source, photoelectric switch-triggered imaging slot, an industrial camera, and an integrated packaging frame. Human–machine interaction software based on PyQt5 was developed, integrating functions such as communication between upper and lower machines, image acquisition, storage, and processing. Operators simply need to place the pod in an upright position into the imaging device, where its transmission image will be automatically captured and processed. The results are displayed on a touchscreen and stored in Excel spreadsheets. The experimental results show that the instrument is accurate, user-friendly, and significantly reduces labor intensity. For various varieties of rapeseed pods, the seed counting accuracy reached 97.2% with a throughput of 372 pods/h, both of which are significantly better than manual counting and have considerable potential for practical applications.
Review on Photocatalytic Applications for Deodorization in Livestock and Poultry Farms
Authors: Han Dongxuan , Sun Qinqin , Yan Xiaojie , Zhang Ximing , Wang Xiaoshuai , Wang Kaiying
Published: December 2024

Odor emissions from intensive livestock and poultry farming operations pose significant environmental and health concerns. Photocatalysis, an advanced oxidation process (AOP), has shown great promise for mitigating odorous gasses in livestock and poultry farming due to its efficiency, environmental friendliness, and mild operating conditions. This review summarizes the principles and performance of photocatalytic deodorization in livestock and poultry farming and evaluates the advancements in photocatalytic deodorization from lab- to field-scale. Photocatalytic systems demonstrate removal efficiencies of up to 98% for ammonia (NH3), 89.9% for hydrogen sulfide (H2S), 99% for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and 17.2% for particulate matter (PM). However, reduced efficacy occurs in practical applications due to humidity, dust, and pollutant complexity. Key knowledge gaps, such as insufficient field-scale experiments and limited studies on complex pollutants, hinder further improvements in photocatalytic deodorization. Therefore, this review highlights strategies to enhance photocatalytic systems under farming conditions, including an improved photocatalyst design, reactor optimization, and combined technologies. By bridging the gap between lab-scale studies and field-scale applications, this work provides a foundation for developing sustainable and effective odor control solutions for livestock and poultry farming.
How Guilt Drives Emotional Exhaustion in Work–Pet Family Conflict
Authors: Junça-Silva Ana
Published: December 2024

Work–pet family conflict has emerged as a novel form of work–life conflict, reflecting the increasingly significant role that pets play in modern families. Guided by role theory, work–pet family conflict is anticipated to produce outcomes similar to those of traditional work–life conflict. Accordingly, we developed a conceptual model to examine how work–pet family conflict affects employees’ emotional exhaustion. Drawing on role theory, we tested whether the experience of guilt serves as an affective mechanism linking work–pet family conflict to emotional exhaustion. Data were collected from 356 pet owners to empirically test the model. The results revealed a significant relationship between work–pet family conflict and emotional exhaustion, mediated by employees’ experienced guilt. This study underscores the relevance of work–pet family conflict as a distinct form of work–life conflict and highlights the role of guilt as a key emotional driver that contributes to employees’ emotional exhaustion in this context. Hence, organizations can delineate strategies to mitigate work–pet family conflict by offering flexible work arrangements, implementing pet-friendly policies, providing pet care benefits, and fostering a culture that supports work–life balance. These measures can potentially help employees better manage the demands of both work and pet responsibilities.
Use of Transcriptomics to Identify Candidate Genes for Hematopoietic Differences Between Wujin and Duroc Pigs
Authors: Ji Peng , Wang Ping , Li Qihua , Gao Lin , Xu Yan , Pan Hongbin , Zhang Chunyong , Li Jintao , Yao Jun , An Qingcong
Published: December 2024

Hematopoiesis is a complex physiological process that ensures renewal of blood cells to maintain normal blood circulation and immune function. Wujin pigs exhibit distinct characteristics such as tender meat, high fat storage, strong resistance to roughage, robust disease resistance, and oxidation resistance. Therefore, using Wujin pigs as models may offer valuable insights for hematopoietic-related studies. In this study, twelve healthy 35-day-old piglets, including six Wujin and six Duroc piglets of similar weight, were selected from each of the Wujin and Duroc pig groups and housed in single cages. After 30 days of feeding, blood and bone marrow samples were collected. Routine blood indices and hematopoietic-related serum biochemical indexes of Wujin and Duroc pigs were determined, and bone marrow gene expression levels were analyzed using transcriptomics. (1) Hemoglobin (Hb) and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC) levels in Wujin pigs were significantly higher than in Duroc pigs (p < 0.05), and platelet counts and serum Hb levels in Wujin pigs were significantly lower than in Duroc pigs (p < 0.05). (2) A total of 312 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified between the pigs. Their functions were mainly related to blood systems, inflammation, and oxidation. Six differentially expressed genes may be related to hematopoietic function. (3) By combining the differential genes screened through sequencing with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis results, 16 hematopoietic function differential genes were obtained, mainly focusing on immunity, inflammation, and induction of apoptosis functions. Differences were present in the immune and inflammatory responses between Wujin pigs and Duroc pigs, suggesting that differences in hematopoietic function between the two breeds were related to antioxidant capacity and disease resistance.
Research on a High-Efficiency Goat Individual Recognition Method Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Xue Yi , Wang Weiwei , Fang Mei , Guo Zhiming , Ning Keke , Wang Kui
Published: December 2024

Accurate identification of individual goat identity is necessary for precision farming. Previous studies have primarily focused on using front face images for goat identification, leaving the potential of other appearances and multi-source appearance fusion unexplored. In this study, we used a self-developed multi-view appearance image acquisition platform to capture five different appearances (left face, right face, front face, back body, and side body) from 54 Wanlin white goats. The recognition ability of different goat appearance images and its multi-source appearance fusion for its identity recognition was then systematically examined based on the four basic network models, namely, MobileNetV3, MobileViT, ResNet18, and VGG16, and the best combination of goat appearance and network was screened. When only one kind of goat appearance image was used, the combination of side body image and MobileViT was the best, with an accuracy of 99.63%; under identity recognition based on multi-source image appearance fusion, all recognition models after outlook fusion of two viewpoints generally outperformed single viewpoint appearance identity recognition models in recognizing the identity of individual goats; when three or more kinds of goat appearance images were utilized for fusion, any of the four models were capable of identifying the identity of an individual goat with 100% accuracy. Based on these results, a goat individual identity recognition strategy was proposed that balances accuracy, computation, and time, providing new ideas for goat individual identity recognition in complex farming contexts.
A Possible Tool for Guiding Therapeutic Approaches to Urinary Infections with Klebsiella pneumoniae: Analyzing a Dataset from a Romanian Tertiary Hospital
Authors: Lazar Dragos Stefan , Nica Maria , Codreanu Daniel Romeo , Kosa Alma Gabriela , Visinescu Lucian L. , Popescu Corneliu Petru , Efrem Ion Cristian , Florescu Simin Aysel , Gherlan George Sebastian
Published: December 2024

Introduction: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant pathogenic bacteria is a growing global public health concern. Carbapenem-resistant uropathogenic strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae can cause uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections, leading to a high risk of treatment failure and the spread of resistance determinants. The objectives of this 24-month study were to identify the prognostic characteristics of patients who were infected with carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKpn) and to create a tool to estimate the probability of a CRKpn infection before having the complete results of a patient’s antibiogram. Results: We found that 41.6% of all urinary infections with Kpn were caused by CRKpn. Factors such as male gender, the presence of upper urinary tract infections, invasive urinary maneuvers, recent infection with or carriage of the germ, and the nosocomial occurrence of UTIs with Kpn were predictive for CRKpn infection. Based on these factors, we proposed a model to estimate the presence of CRKpn. Methods: A retrospective case–control study including all hospitalized patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae was carried out. We reported data as percentages, identified independent predictors of the presence of CRKpn, and proposed a tool to evaluate the probability through multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Through this study, we aim to provide clinicians with a tool to support decision making regarding first-line antibiotic treatment.
Monitoring of Antibiotic Resistance Patterns Within Al-Karak Governmental Hospital, Jordan, in 2022
Authors: Aqel Amin A. , Al-Matarneh Tala M. , Al-Tarawneh Tayf K. , Alnawayseh Tahrir , Alsbou Mohammed , Gaber Yasser
Published: December 2024

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance is considered one of the foremost global public health challenges, and its prevalence is increasing. In Jordan, particularly in Al-Karak Governorate, there is a lack of sufficient data on antimicrobial resistance to make accurate assessments. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate antibiotic resistance trends in clinical specimens from 2022 and assess antibiotic resistance patterns. The emphasis on the WHO antibiotic classification as Access, Watch, and Reserved (AWaRe) was adopted in the current study. Results: Among Gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis exhibited 100% susceptibility to nitrofurantoin and 96% to vancomycin, Streptococcus viridans exhibited 100% susceptibility to teicoplanin, while CoNS (coagulase-negative Staphylococci) showed moderate resistance to Trimethoprim + Sulfamethoxazole (63%) and clindamycin (47%). Among Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae displayed high susceptibility to fosfomycin (E. coli: 95%, K. pneumoniae: 80%) and amikacin (E. coli: 93%, K. pneumoniae: 81%). Resistance was notable for trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (E. coli: 47%, K. pneumoniae: 53%) and nitrofurantoin (K. pneumoniae: 30%). Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibited the highest proportion of XDR strains (15%), followed by K. pneumoniae (11%) and E. coli (4%), while PDR strains were found in P. aeruginosa (6%), K. pneumoniae (3%), and E. coli (0.6%). XDR was observed in 4% of CoNS and 3% of S. viridans (α), with Staphylococcus aureus exhibiting both XDR and PDR at 1%. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study of bacterial species and their antimicrobial susceptibility was carried out at a hospital in Al Karak, Jordan, from January to December of 2022, the study included 1187 isolates from all locations in Al-Karak Governmental Hospital. Conclusions: The significant prevalence of XDR and PDR strains in key pathogens, particularly P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae, underscores the need for a robust Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) and infection control measures at Al-Karak Governmental Hospital. High susceptibility in several Access group antibiotics (e.g., amikacin and nitrofurantoin) supports their prioritization in empirical therapy, while the emergence of resistance in Watch and Reserved antibiotics highlights the necessity for rational use. These findings are very important for adjusting the local strategies to lower the spread of resistant strains and improve clinical outcomes.
Mono-N-alkylation of Amphotericin B and Nystatin A1 and Its Amides: Effect on the In Vitro Activity, Cytotoxicity and Permeabilization of Model Membranes
Authors: Omelchuk Olga , Bychkova Elena , Efimova Svetlana , Grammatikova Natalia , Zatonsky George , Dezhenkova Lyubov , Solovieva Svetlana , Ostroumova Olga , Tevyashova Anna , Shchekotikhin Andrey
Published: December 2024

Objectives: In 2022, the World Health Organization highlighted the necessity for the development of new antifungal agents. Polyene antibiotics are characterized by a low risk of drug resistance; however, their use is limited by low solubility and severe side effects. Methods: A series of N-alkylated derivatives of amphotericin B and nystatin A1 as well as their N-(2-hydroxyethyl)amides were synthesized. Their antifungal activity was evaluated against various Candida strains and Aspergillus fumigatus using the broth microdilution method. Cytotoxicity was assessed using an MTT assay on human embryonic kidney cells HEK293 and human skin fibroblast cells hFB-hTERT6, as well as a hemolysis assay on erythrocytes. Membrane activity was analyzed by fluorimetric measurement of calcein leakage from model liposomes. Results: Derivatives containing the N-(hydroxyethyl)amino)ethyl fragment (compounds 3 and 4) exhibited relatively high antifungal activity, as did N-(2-hydroxyethyl)amides 5 and 9. Bis-modified compounds 6 and 10 did not outperform their mono-modified analogues in terms of activity or cytotoxicity. The mono-N-alkylated compound 3 showed the highest activity/toxicity ratio, which correlated well with its selectivity for ergosterol-containing model membranes. Discussion: Combining two successful modifications does not necessarily improve the activity/toxicity ratio of polyenes. Further studies can be performed for the optimization of carboxyl group of 3.
Antibacterial Effects of Paeonia lactiflora Extract on Oral Microcosm Biofilms
Authors: Lim Ji-Won , Kang Min-Kyung , Kim Hee-Eun
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial effects of Paeonia lactiflora (PL) extract on oral microcosm biofilms and determine its usefulness as a natural alternative to current antimicrobial agents. Oral biofilms were cultivated on hydroxyapatite disks using human saliva for 2 days, following which they were treated with 1.5 mL of distilled water (DW), 30 μg/mL of PL extract, or 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX) once daily for 3 days. Antibacterial effects were assessed by measuring red fluorescence intensity (RatioR/G), bacterial viability (RatioG/G+R), and aciduric bacterial counts. RatioR/G was evaluated using quantitative light-induced fluorescence digital imaging. RatioR/G and RatioG/G+R in the PL group were 0.94-fold and 0.73-fold lower than those in the DW group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively) and comparable to those in the CHX group (p = 0.356 and p = 0.964, respectively). Aciduric bacterial counts in the PL group were 0.97-fold lower than those in the DW group (p < 0.001), with no significant difference from those in the CHX group (p = 0.892). Thus, the antibacterial effect of PL extract was comparable to that of CHX; this suggests its potential as a natural alternative for managing oral biofilm-associated diseases.
Enhanced Biomechanical Risk Assessment in Manual Lifting: Comparing Inertial Measurement Units with Optoelectronic Systems for Composite Lifting Index Calculation
Authors: Varrecchia Tiwana , Motta Filippo , Chini Giorgia , Galli Manuela , Ranavolo Alberto
Published: December 2024

This study aims to improve the assessment of biomechanical risk in manual lifting tasks by introducing a method for calculating composite lifting index (CLI) using wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs). While the revised NIOSH lifting equation (RNLE) is widely used to evaluate the risk associated with lifting tasks, traditional methods often struggle with accuracy, especially in complex tasks. To address this, we compared the CLI values obtained using IMUs with those derived from a gold standard optoelectronic system during laboratory tests involving three levels of lifting risk. Ten participants performed standardized lifting tasks under controlled conditions, and the results showed that the IMU-based method provided comparable accuracy to the optoelectronic system, with negligible differences. Despite some variability in horizontal multiplier (HM) values, the IMU system demonstrated potential for real-world applications due to its ease of use and automatic calculation capabilities. Future improvements may include refining distance measurements and expanding the method for more complex lifting scenarios. This novel approach offers a practical and precise tool for ergonomic risk assessments, particularly in dynamic work environments.
Determination of the Sound Intensity Vector Field from Synchronized Sound Pressure Waveforms
Authors: Mickiewicz Witold , Raczyński Michał
Published: December 2024

Visualization of vector acoustic fields using sound intensity measurements is a very interesting field of acoustics and has numerous applications. Unfortunately, sound intensity measurement itself requires specialized measuring instruments (presure–presure (PP) or pressure–velocity (PU)-type probes). This article presents a simplified and low-cost method of sound intensity measurement based on sound pressure measurements made synchronously. This allows for the use of a single microphone and eliminates one of the main problems of the classical PP probe, which is the phase mismatch of two different microphones. The described method was used to visualize the vector acoustic field in front of an active loudspeaker. The results were compared qualitatively and quantitatively with measurements made with a commercial PU intensity probe. The results obtained showed that the proposed method has the same level of metrological accuracy.
Objective Assessment of Active Display Screen Fixation Among Office Workers Using an Innovative Nonwearable Acquisition System: A Pilot Study
Authors: Marelli Edoardo , Ruongo Davide , Dalola Simone , Sala Emma , Tomasi Cesare , Ferrari Vittorio , Ferrari Marco , De Palma Giuseppe
Published: December 2024

Background: Occupational risk assessments of VDT users are usually hindered by the variability of tasks that office workers perform. Digital eye strain is related to the amount of work time dedicated to screen fixation. Purpose: This study aimed to improve the risk assessment of VDT workers by introducing an advanced version of software developed at the University of Brescia. Methods: The prototype enables the recording of the times in front of the screen and those in which the operator actively fixes. It was tested on 30 employees from different offices. The system includes a webcam placed over the workers’ screens and connected with a laptop running specifically developed monitoring software. This experiment required worker-to-worker calibration of the system by the investigators. Results: The obtained data allowed us to distinguish between the period of screen fixation and the presence in front of the monitor. The visual activity varied greatly on a daily basis because of the differences between tasks. The mean facial detection time was approximately 48%, whereas the mean eye fixation time was 29%. Conclusions: The results suggest that our prototype is a promising tool for investigating the relative contributions of screen fixation to the development of digital occupational eye strain.
Enhanced Stability and Prolonged Insect-Repellent Action of Essential Oil-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers
Authors: Kechagia Aspasia , Dimaki Virginia D. , Mourelatou Elena , Avgoustakis Konstantinos , Lamari Fotini N. , Hatziantoniou Sophia
Published: December 2024

Mosquito-borne diseases are a global health concern, necessitating effective and long-lasting insect repellents. This study investigated the physicochemical properties, stability, release kinetics, and efficacy of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) and conventional emulsions (CEs) containing essential oils (NLC EOs) for insect-repellent applications. The droplet size of the CE was 18.46 ± 1.78 μm (Span 0.27 ± 0.06), while the NLC measured 136 ± 10.7 nm (PDI 0.26 ± 0.2) with a ζ-potential of –68 mV ± 2.2 mV (width 4.3 ± 0.1). EO incorporation did not significantly alter droplet size or ζ-potential. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry confirmed an EO content of 8.57 ± 0.15 mg/mL in the CE EO and 7.75 ± 0.05 mg/mL in the NLC EO, with the NLC retaining a higher EO content over 90 days. Stability tests demonstrated consistent droplet sizes and ζ-potential for both formulations during storage. Release kinetics revealed diffusion-based release mechanisms, with the NLC providing a more sustained release than the CE. In a field test against mosquito species most frequently found in Greece, the NLC EO exhibited a significantly longer complete protection time (CPT) of 45 min, demonstrating more effective, long-lasting insect-repellent action. These findings revealed the NLC’s ability to retain volatile EO components efficiently, offering promising implications for long-lasting insect-repellent action.
Performance Comparison of Various Tunnel Lighting Scenarios on Driver Lane-Changing Behaviours in a Driving Simulator
Authors: Ozturk Omer Faruk , Mazlum Yusuf , Aydin Metin Mutlu , Coruh Emine , Bayata Halim Ferit
Published: December 2024

Recent advances in tunnel infrastructure have emphasized safety, operational efficiency and low operating costs. Modern tunnels are equipped with systems to improve both safety and operational performance. This study investigates the effect of tunnel lighting and vehicle breakdown scenarios on driver lane changing behaviour (LCB) using a driving simulator modelled on the third longest twin-tube tunnel. Data were collected from 125 drivers considering various driver characteristics with different lighting conditions and the presence of a stopped vehicle in a lane. The results show that drivers tend to slow down and change lanes more safely in response to red and flashing lights. In contrast, blue sky lights, which are designed to reduce stress and compare with other dangerous scenarios, had no significant effect on LCB. In addition, demographic factors such as gender and previous simulator experience played a role in influencing LCB tendencies. Female drivers and those familiar with simulators showed more cautious behaviour. The findings showed valuable insights into how tunnel lighting systems can improve safety. Results highlighted the potential for dynamic lighting and targeted driver training programs to improve tunnel safety. All these findings may contribute to ongoing efforts to improve traffic management and reduce accidents in tunnel environments.
Smartphone Accelerometer for Gait Assessment: Validity and Reliability in Healthy Adults
Authors: Baek Ji-Eun , Jung Jin-Hwa , Kim Hang-Keun , Cho Hwi-Young
Published: December 2024

Smartphone-based accelerometers offer a cost-effective and portable alternative to traditional gait analysis systems, with high reliability in measuring key parameters such as walking speed, cadence, and distance. This study assessed their validity compared to the GAITRite system, a widely recognized gold-standard tool, using data from 30 healthy adults walking at 3 self-selected speeds: preferred, slow, and fast. The results demonstrated a high degree of agreement between the two systems, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ranging from 0.778 to 0.999. Although the findings emphasize the potential of smartphone accelerometers for clinical and real-world applications, certain limitations were noted, including participant homogeneity and minor discrepancies at extreme walking speeds. To address these limitations, incorporating data from additional sensors, such as gyroscopes and magnetometers, may enhance the accuracy and reliability of spatial parameter estimation. Overall, the findings support the use of smartphone accelerometers as a promising tool for advancing gait monitoring technologies, particularly in the contexts of telerehabilitation and mobility assessments.
Chosen-Ciphertext Secure Unidirectional Proxy Re-Encryption Based on Asymmetric Pairings
Authors: Zengin Benjamin , Deupmann Paulin , Buchmann Nicolas , Margraf Marian
Published: December 2024

Proxy re-encryption (PRE) is a cryptographic primitive that extends public key encryption by allowing ciphertexts to be re-encrypted from one user to another without revealing information about the underlying plaintext. This makes it an essential privacy-enhancing technology, as only the intended recipient is able to decrypt sensitive personal information. Previous PRE schemes were commonly based on symmetric bilinear pairings. However, these have been found to be slower and less secure than the more modern asymmetric pairings. To address this, we propose two new PRE scheme variants, based on the unidirectional symmetric pairing-based scheme by Weng et al. and adapted to utilize asymmetric pairings. We employ a known automated black-box reduction technique to transform the base scheme to the asymmetric setting, identify its shortcomings, and subsequently present an alternative manual transformation that fixes these flaws. The adapted schemes retain the properties of the base scheme and are therefore CCA-secure in the adaptive corruption model without the use of random oracles, while being faster, practical, and more secure overall than the base scheme.
Classification of Diabetic Retinopathy Based on Efficient Computational Modeling
Authors: Xue Jiao , Wu Jianyu , Bian Yingxu , Zhang Shiyan , Du Qinsheng
Published: December 2024

Convolutional neural networks (CNN) and Vision Transformers (ViT) have long been the main backbone networks for visual classification in the field of deep learning. Although ViT has recently received more attention than CNN due to its excellent fitting ability, their scalability is largely limited by the quadratic complexity of attention computation. For the determination of diabetic retinopathy, the fundus lesions as well as the width, angle, and branching pattern of retinal blood vessels are characterized, inspired by the ability of Mamba and VMamba to efficiently model long sequences, VMamba-m is proposed in this paper. This is a generalized visual skeleton model designed to reduce computational complexity to linear while retaining the advantageous features of ViTs. By modifying the cross-entropy loss function, we enhance the model’s attention to rare categories, especially in large-scale multi-category classification tasks. In order to enhance the adaptability of the VMamba-m model in processing visual data, we introduce the se channel attention mechanism, which enables the model to learn features in the channel dimension and form the importance of each channel. Finally, different weights are assigned to each channel through the incentive part. In addition to this, this paper further improves the implementation details and architectural design by introducing a novel attention mechanism implemented based on the local windowing method, which aims to optimize the model’s ability in processing long sequence data to enhance the performance of VMamba-m and improve its inference speed. Extensive experimental results show that VMamba-m performs well in the retinopathy V classification task, and it has significant advantages in terms of accuracy and computation time over existing benchmark models.
What Can the COVID-19 Pandemic Tell Us About the Energy Transition? A Nitrogen Dioxide and Ground-Level Ozone Study
Authors: Soares Angelo Roldão , Silva Carla Monteiro
Published: December 2024

The lockdown measures imposed in Lisbon during the COVID-19 pandemic offered an unprecedented opportunity to observe abrupt changes in tropospheric NO2 and O3 concentrations, providing information on air quality improvements in a future dominated by electric vehicles. This study used deweathering modelling to account for meteorological influences in the data, analysing pollution changes throughout the baseline (2016–2019), COVID-19 (2020), recovery (2021), and post-COVID-19 (2022) periods. In summary, significant decreases in NO2 concentrations were observed at both traffic and background locations, with reductions up to 30% during the COVID-19 year. This is similar to what would be expected in an aggressive energy transition scenario. Concentrations of O3 increased by up to 20% at traffic locations; however, background O3 concentrations remained virtually unchanged, indicating that O3 formation is not primarily driven by NO2 but possibly VOC. The findings in this paper suggest that future reductions in NO2 due to vehicle electrification are unlikely to result in considerably high regional O3 concentrations.
Fixed-Point Results for Multi-Valued Mappings in Topological Vector Space-Valued Cone Metric Spaces with Applications
Authors: Alzumi Hala , Ahmad Jamshaid
Published: December 2024

The objective of this research article is to introduce Kikkawa and Suzuki-type contractions in the setting of topological vector space-valued cone metric space with a solid cone and establish some new fixed point results for multi-valued mappings. The problem of finding fixed points for multi-valued mappings satisfying locally contractive conditions on a closed ball is also addressed. Our findings generalize a number of well-established results in the literature. To highlight the uniqueness of our key finding, we present an example. As a demonstration of the applicability of our principal theorem, we prove a result in homotopy theory.
Stability of Differential Equations with Random Impulses and Caputo-Type Fractional Derivatives
Authors: Hristova Snezhana , Kaymakçalan Billur , Terzieva Radoslava
Published: December 2024

In this paper, we study nonlinear differential equations with Caputo fractional derivatives with respect to other functions and impulses. The main characteristic of the impulses is that the time between two consecutive impulsive moments is defined by random variables. These random variables are independent. As the distribution of these random variables is very important, we consider the Erlang distribution. It generalizes the exponential distribution, which is very appropriate for describing the time between the appearance of two consecutive events. We describe a detailed solution to the studied problem, which is a stochastic process. We define the p-exponential stability of the solutions and obtain sufficient conditions. The study is based on the application of appropriate Lyapunov functions. The obtained sufficient conditions depend not only on the nonlinear function and impulsive functions, but also on the function used in the fractional derivative. The obtained results are illustrated using some examples.
A Strong Link Between Oceanographic Conditions and Zooplankton δ13C and δ15N Values in the San Jorge Gulf, Argentina
Authors: Galván David Edgardo , Funes Manuela , Paparazzo Flavio Emiliano , Alonso Roldán Virginia , Derisio Carla , Pisoni Juan Pablo , Temperoni Brenda , del Valle Daniela Alejandra , Segura Valeria , Newsome Seth D.
Published: December 2024

Maps of (baseline) δ13C and δ15N values of primary producers or consumers near the base of food webs provide crucial information for interpreting patterns in the isotopic composition of consumers that occupy higher trophic levels. In marine systems, understanding how oceanographic variables influence these values enables the creation of dynamic isoscapes across time and space, providing insights into how ecosystems function. The San Jorge Gulf (SJG) in the southwest Atlantic Ocean (45° S–47° S) is an area of particular importance, as it is located on one of the most productive continental shelves in the world, supporting large fisheries and marine mammal and seabird populations. We reconstructed spatial variation in zooplankton δ13C and δ15N values across SJG and investigated their relationship with physical and chemical oceanographic conditions. During cruises in the austral spring of 2016 and 2017, we collected medium-sized copepods whose isotopic composition integrate short-term (days to weeks) variation in oceanographic conditions recorded by phytoplankton at the base of the food web. We also collected data on water column depth, surface and bottom temperatures, water column stability, and macronutrient (nitrate, phosphate, and silicic acid) concentrations. The results revealed significant variation in both δ13C and δ15N values of up to 7-8‰ over a relatively small spatial scale (200–300 km). Copepod δ13C values were lower at the center of the SJG, showing an inverse correlation with water column stability, surface nitrate concentration, and water column depth. δ15N values showed a strong and negative relationship with surface nitrate concentration and water column stability, increasing from south to north in the SJG. δ15N values also showed a positive relationship with surface silicic acid concentration. These spatial patterns in nutrient dynamics and copepod carbon and nitrogen isotope values are interpreted in the context of the dominant northward current and temporal development of the frontal systems in the SJG.