bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoparticles of the Perovskite-Structure CaTiO3 System: The Synthesis, Characterization, and Evaluation of Its Photocatalytic Capacity to Degrade Emerging Pollutants
Authors: Cerón-Urbano Lizet , Aguilar Carol J. , Diosa Jesús E. , Mosquera-Vargas Edgar
Published: November 2023

In this research work, the photocatalytic capacity shown by the nanoparticles of the CaTiO3 system was evaluated to degrade two pollutants of emerging concern, namely methyl orange (MO)—considered an organic contaminating substance of the textile industry that is non-biodegradable when dissolved in water—and levofloxacin (LVF), an antibiotic widely used in the treatment of infectious diseases that is released mostly to the environment in its original chemical form. The synthesis process used to obtain these powders was the polymeric precursor method (Pechini), at a temperature of 700 °C for 6 h. The characterization of the obtained oxide nanoparticles of interest revealed the presence of a majority perovskite-type phase with an orthorhombic Pbnm structure and a minority rutile-type TiO2 phase, with a P42/mnm structure and a primary particle size <100nm. The adsorption–desorption isotherms of the synthesized solids had H3-type hysteresis loops, characteristic of mesoporous solids, with a BET surface area of 10.01m2/g. The Raman and FTIR spectroscopy results made it possible to identify the characteristic vibrations of the synthesized system and the characteristic deformations of the perovskite structure, reiterating the results obtained from the XRD analysis. Furthermore, a bandgap energy of ~3.4eV and characteristic emissions in the violet (437 nm/2.8 eV) and orange (611 nm/2.03 eV) were determined for excitation lengths of 250 nm and 325 nm, respectively, showing that these systems have a strong emission in the visible light region and allowing their use in photocatalytic activity to be potentialized. The powders obtained were studied for their photocatalytic capacity to degrade methyl orange (MO) and levofloxacin (LVF), dissolved in water. To quantify the coloring concentration, UV–visible spectroscopy was used considering the variation in the intensity of the characteristic of the greatest absorption, which correlated with the change in the concentration of the contaminant in the solution. The results showed that after irradiation with ultraviolet light, the degradation of the contaminants MO and LVF was 79.4% and 98.1% with concentrations of 5 g/L and 10 g/L, respectively.
The Real-Life Use of a Protein-Sparing Modified Fast Diet by Nasogastric Tube (ProMoFasT) in Adults with Obesity: An Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Formisano Elena , Schiavetti Irene , Gradaschi Raffaella , Gardella Paolo , Romeo Carlotta , Pisciotta Livia , Sukkar Samir Giuseppe
Published: November 2023

Background: Protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF) diet is a very-low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet administered to patients with obesity, which preserves lean mass and suppresses appetite as well as continuous enteral feeding. Thus, we aim to evaluate the effect of the PSMF diet administered continuously by nasogastric tube (NGT) or orally. Methods: Patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 34.9 kg/m2 were randomly assigned to receive a whey protein PSMF formula through NGT (ProMoFasT) or orally. Data were collected at baseline and after 150 days. The endpoints were assessed in the intention-to-treat population. Results: We enrolled 20 patients in the ProMoFasT group and 24 in the oral group. No differences in body weight, BMI or waist circumference between the two groups were found after 150 days. At follow-up, FFM (%) and MM (%) results were higher in the ProMoFasT group than the oral group (63.1% vs. 52.9%, p = 0.012 and 45.0% vs. 36.1%, p = 0.009, respectively) and FM (kg) and FM (%) were significantly lower in the ProMoFasT group (36.9 kg vs. 44.0 kg, p = 0.033 and 37.4% vs. 44.9%, p = 0.012, respectively). Insulin levels were lower in the ProMoFasT group than the oral group at follow-up (11.8 mU/L vs. 28.0 mU/L, p = 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: The ProMoFasT is more effective in improving body composition and glucometabolic markers than the same diet administered orally.
Coupling and Slips in Photosynthetic Reactions—From Femtoseconds to Eons
Authors: Nelson Nathan
Published: November 2023

Photosynthesis stands as a unique biological phenomenon that can be comprehensively explored across a wide spectrum, from femtoseconds to eons. Across each timespan, a delicate interplay exists between coupling and inherent deviations that are essential for sustaining the overall efficiency of the system. Both quantum mechanics and thermodynamics act as guiding principles for the diverse processes occurring from femtoseconds to eons. Processes such as excitation energy transfer and the accumulation of oxygen in the atmosphere, along with the proliferation of organic matter on the Earth’s surface, are all governed by the coupling–slip principle. This article will delve into select time points along this expansive scale. It will highlight the interconnections between photosynthesis, the global population, disorder, and the issue of global warming.
Mineral and Carbon Metabolic Adjustments in Nodules of Symbiotically Grown Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Varieties in Response to Organic Phosphorus Supplementation
Authors: Amoako Frank K. , Sulieman Saad , Mühling Karl H.
Published: November 2023

Phosphorus (P) is a major limiting factor for legume and symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF). Although overall adaptations of legumes to P supplementation have been extensively studied in connection with inorganic P, little information is currently available regarding nodulation or SNF responses to organic P (Po) in hydroponics. We investigated the mineral and carbon metabolism of Po-induced nodules of two contrasting faba bean varieties grown hydroponically under inorganic P (Pi), viz., in P-deficient (2 µM KH2PO4, −Pi), sufficient-P (200 µM KH2PO4, +Pi), and phytic acid (200 µM, Po) conditions, and were inoculated with Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. viciae 3841 and grown for 30 days. The results consistently reveal similar growth and biomass partitioning patterns between +Pi and Po, with both varying substantially from −Pi. In comparison, +Pi and Po observed equivalent accumulations of overall elemental P concentrations, with both increasing by 114 and 119%, respectively, relative to −Pi. A principal component analysis on metabolites showed a clear separation of the −Pi treatment from the others, with +Pi and Po correlating closely together, highlighting the nonsignificant differences between them. Additionally, the δ15N abundance of shoots, roots, and nodules was not significantly different between treatments and varieties and exhibited negative δ15N signatures for all tissues. Our study provides a novel perspective on mineral and carbon metabolism and their regulation of the growth, functioning, and reprogramming of nodules upon phytate supply.
Polyurea–Graphene Nanocomposites—The Influence of Hard-Segment Content and Nanoparticle Loading on Mechanical Properties
Authors: Tzelepis Demetrios A. , Khoshnevis Arman , Zayernouri Mohsen , Ginzburg Valeriy V.
Published: November 2023

Polyurethane and polyurea-based adhesives are widely used in various applications, from automotive to electronics and medical applications. The adhesive performance depends strongly on its composition, and developing the formulation–structure–property relationship is crucial to making better products. Here, we investigate the dependence of the linear viscoelastic properties of polyurea nanocomposites, with an IPDI-based polyurea (PUa) matrix and exfoliated graphene nanoplatelet (xGnP) fillers, on the hard-segment weight fraction (HSWF) and the xGnP loading. We characterize the material using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). It is found that changing the HSWF leads to a significant variation in the stiffness of the material, from about 10 MPa for 20% HSWF to about 100 MPa for 30% HSWF and about 250 MPa for the 40% HSWF polymer (as measured by the tensile storage modulus at room temperature). The effect of the xGNP loading was significantly more limited and was generally within experimental error, except for the 20% HSWF material, where the xGNP addition led to about an 80% increase in stiffness. To correctly interpret the DMA results, we developed a new physics-based rheological model for the description of the storage and loss moduli. The model is based on the fractional calculus approach and successfully describes the material rheology in a broad range of temperatures (−70 °C–+70 °C) and frequencies (0.1–100 s−1), using only six physically meaningful fitting parameters for each material. The results provide guidance for the development of nanocomposite PUa-based materials.
A Full-Scale Connected CNN–Transformer Network for Remote Sensing Image Change Detection
Authors: Chen Min , Zhang Qiangjiang , Ge Xuming , Xu Bo , Hu Han , Zhu Qing , Zhang Xin
Published: November 2023

Recent studies have introduced transformer modules into convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to solve the inherent limitations of CNNs in global modeling and have achieved impressive performance. However, some challenges have yet to be addressed: first, networks with simple connections between the CNN and transformer perform poorly in small change areas; second, networks that only use transformer structures are prone to attaining coarse detection results and excessively generalizing feature boundaries. In addition, the methods of fusing the CNN and transformer have the issue of a unilateral flow of feature information and inter-scale communication, leading to a loss of change information across different scales. To mitigate these problems, this study proposes a full-scale connected CNN–Transformer network, which incorporates the Siamese structure, Unet3+, and transformer structure, used for change detection in remote sensing images, namely SUT. A progressive attention module (PAM) is adopted in SUT to deeply integrate the features extracted from both the CNN and the transformer, resulting in improved global modeling, small target detection capacities, and clearer feature boundaries. Furthermore, SUT adopts a full-scale skip connection to realize multi-directional information flow from the encoder to decoder, enhancing the ability to extract multi-scale features. Experimental results demonstrate that the method we designed performs best on the CDD, LEVIR-CD, and WHU-CD datasets with its concise structure. In particular, based on the WHU-CD dataset, SUT upgrades the F1-score by more than 4% and the intersection over union (IOU) by more than 7% compared with the second-best method.
Machine and Deep Learning Regression of Chlorophyll-a Concentrations in Lakes Using PRISMA Satellite Hyperspectral Imagery
Authors: Amieva Juan Francisco , Oxoli Daniele , Brovelli Maria Antonia
Published: November 2023

The estimation of Chlorophyll-a concentration is crucial for monitoring freshwater ecosystem health, particularly in lakes, as it is closely linked to eutrophication processes. Satellite imagery enables synoptic and frequent evaluations of Chlorophyll-a in water bodies, providing essential insights into spatiotemporal eutrophication dynamics. Frontier applications in water remote sensing support the utilization of machine and deep learning models applied to hyperspectral satellite imagery. This paper presents a comparative analysis of conventional machine and deep learning models—namely, Random Forest Regressor, Support Vector Regressor, Long Short-Term Memory, and Gated Recurrent Unit networks—for estimating Chlorophyll-a concentrations. The analysis is based on data from the PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) hyperspectral mission, complemented by low-resolution Chlorophyll-a concentration maps. The analysis focuses on three sub-alpine lakes, spanning Northern Italy and Switzerland as testing areas. Through a series of modelling experiments, best-performing model configurations are pinpointed for both Chlorophyll-a concentration estimations and the improvement of spatial resolution in predictions. Support Vector Regressor demonstrated a superior performance in Chlorophyll-a concentration estimations, while Random Forest Regressor emerged as the most effective solution for refining the spatial resolution of predictions.
An Observation of Precipitation during Cooling with Ka-Band Cloud Radar in Wuhan, China
Authors: Mao Zhiwen , Huang Kaiming , Fang Junjie , Zhang Zirui , Cao Rang , Yi Fan
Published: November 2023

Exploiting their sensitivity to cloud droplets and small raindrops, Ka-band cloud radar observations are used to investigate weak stratiform precipitation over Wuhan during cooling on 16–17 February 2022. During cooling, the surface temperature drops by about 8 °C with the lowest value less than 0 °C because of the strong cold air from the north. The cold air lifts the warm and humid air transported by the southeasterly and southwesterly winds, causing thick stratiform clouds and persistent weak precipitation. The Ka-band radar captures the full process of stratiform cloud occurrence; light rain and then mixed rain and snow; and the characteristics of clouds and precipitation at each stage due to its fine sensitivity to small hydrometeors, whereas the reanalysis data alone cannot capture the transition to the mixed rain and snow regime, which can cause dangerous freezing rain or sleet on the ground. Hence, a detailed analysis of cooling and cold surges and their hazards to society, and their reproduction in numerical predictions, needs to use high-sensitivity radar data as much as possible.
Remote Measurements of Industrial CO2 Emissions Using a Ground-Based Differential Absorption Lidar in the 2 µm Wavelength Region
Authors: Howes Neil , Innocenti Fabrizio , Finlayson Andrew , Dimopoulos Chris , Robinson Rod , Gardiner Tom
Published: November 2023

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a known greenhouse gas and one of the largest contributors to global warming in the Earth’s atmosphere. The remote detection and measurement of CO2 from industrial emissions are not routinely carried out and are typically calculated from the fuel combusted or measured directly within ducted vents. However, these methods are not applicable for the quantification of fugitive emissions of CO2. This work presents the results of remote measurement of CO2 emissions using the differential absorption lidar (DIAL) technique at a wavelength of ~2 µm. The results from the DIAL measurements compare well with simultaneous in-stack measurements, these datasets were plotted against each other and can be described by a linear regression of y (t/h) = 1.04 x − 0.02, suggesting any bias in the DIAL data is likely small. Moreover, using the definition outlined in EN 15267-3 a lower detection limit of 0.12 t/h was estimated for the 2 µm wavelength DIAL data, this is three orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding CO2 detection limit measured by NPL in the 1.5 µm wavelength region. Thus, this paper demonstrates the feasibility of high-resolution, ground-based DIAL measurements for quantifying industrial CO2 emissions.
Uncertainty Quantification of Methods Used to Measure Methane Emissions of 1 g CH4 h−1
Authors: Riddick Stuart N. , Mbua Mercy , Riddick John C. , Houlihan Cade , Hodshire Anna L. , Zimmerle Daniel J.
Published: November 2023

The recent interest in measuring methane (CH4) emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells has resulted in five methods being typically used. In line with the US Federal Orphaned Wells Program’s (FOWP) guidelines and the American Carbon Registry’s (ACR) protocols, quantification methods must be able to measure minimum emissions of 1 g of CH4 h−1 to within ±20%. To investigate if the methods meet the required standard, dynamic chambers, a Hi-Flow (HF) sampler, and a Gaussian plume (GP)-based approach were all used to quantify a controlled emission (Qav; g h−1) of 1 g of CH4 h−1. After triplicate experiments, the average accuracy (Ar; %) and the upper (Uu; %) and lower (Ul; %) uncertainty bounds of all methods were calculated. Two dynamic chambers were used, one following the ACR guidelines, and a second “mobile” chamber made from lightweight materials that could be constructed around a source of emission on a well head. The average emission calculated from the measurements made using the dynamic chamber (Qav = 1.01 g CH4 h−1, Ar = +0.9%), the mobile chamber (Qav = 0.99 g CH4 h−1, Ar = −1.4%), the GP approach (Qav = 0.97 g CH4 h−1, Ar = −2.6%), and the HF sampler (Qav = 1.02 g CH4 h−1, Ar = +2.2%) were all within ±3% of 1 g of CH4 h−1 and met the requirements of the FOWP and ACR protocols. The results also suggest that the individual measurements made using the dynamic chamber can quantify emissions of 1 g of CH4 h−1 to within ±6% irrespective of the design (material, number of parts, geometrical shape, and hose length), and changes to the construction or material specifications as defined via ACR make no discernible difference to the quantification uncertainty. Our tests show that a collapsible chamber can be easily constructed around the emission source on an abandoned well and be used to quantify emissions from abandoned wells in remote areas. To our knowledge, this is the first time that methods for measuring the CH4 emissions of 1 g of CH4 h−1 have been quantitively assessed against a known reference source and against each other.
Mineralogical Characteristics of Baima Vanadium Titanomagnetite during Magnetic Separation Upgrading
Authors: Zhong Xiang , Hu Haoran , Li Shuo , Gao Jian , Shi Zhixin , Zhu Fuxing
Published: November 2023

The Baima vanadium titanomagnetite deposit, located in the Panzhihua-Xichang (Panxi) metallogenic belt in China, is one of the super-large deposits in the region. The titanomagnetite upgrading process involves grinding the raw ore followed by magnetic separation. To determine the processing characteristics of the ore and assess the upgrading process, this study employs various methods and techniques, including the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF), chemical element analysis, the electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), and the advanced mineral identification and characterization system (AMICS). The results show that the Fe grades in the upgraded raw ore, upgraded concentrate, and upgraded tailings are 55.68%, 57.89%, and 15.62%, respectively. After upgrading, the titanomagnetite content increased from 77.41% to 82.10%, and the Fe distribution in titanomagnetite also increased from 91.05% to 93.14%. In the upgraded raw ore, titanomagnetite particles followed a normal distribution, with 50.44% in the 38–74 μm range. In the upgraded concentrate, titanomagnetite was concentrated in the 19–38 μm range. Based on EPMA data, the theoretical Fe grade in titanomagnetite was calculated to be 65.08%, indicating the potential for further improvement through the upgrading process. This study elucidates the mineralogical characteristics during the vanadium titanomagnetite upgrading, providing a theoretical basis to further enhance the Fe recovery rate.
A System That Allows Users to Have a Job Interview Experience
Authors: Vardarlıer Pelin
Published: November 2023

Today, corporate companies spend a lot of time on and attach importance to job interviews in recruitment. In job interviews, they select or eliminate many of the candidates using interview techniques. This poses a serious problem, especially for candidates who have not had job interview experience, even though they meet sufficient requirements. Because these candidates do not have previous interview experience, they experience more difficulties in this process. In this regard, the study is about a system created in a virtual environment that allows a job interview experience through a user interface. The system subject of the study is a model consisting of a user interface unit, server, interview information database, language processing unit, behavior analysis unit, virtual interview unit, reporting unit, and social media integration unit. This proposed model has been detailed modularly through the web-based system.
An Effective Melon Fly Control Strategy Based on Disinfection and Soil Productivity Management
Authors: Sainova Gaukhar , Yessenbayeva Zhanar , Akbasova Amankul , Tastambek Kuanysh , Hanc Ales
Published: November 2023

The research employs both the literature and experimental data in order to develop reasonable strategies for melon fly control. The objects of research were sierozem soils of the Zhanakorgan region (Kyzylorda region), bentonite clays of the Sauran region (Turkestan region), and vermicompost obtained at the production site of the Research Institute “Ecology” at the International Kazakh-Turkish University, named after Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The competitive agent ‘Vermiserbent’ was developed by combining sulphur-perlite-containing waste (SPCW), vermicompost, and natural bentonite clay. When incorporated into the soil, it serves as both an insecticide and a fertiliser recovery agent. The disinfection and enrichment of barren Sierozem soils in southern Kazakhstan could provide an eco-friendly approach to protect cucurbits (melon, watermelon, and pumpkin) against the melon fly. The average yield of watermelon treated with Vermiserbent increased by 2.3 t/ha compared to the control, melon by 4.6 t/ha, and pumpkin by 5.6 t/ha. The marketability of gourds as watermelons and melons after treatment with fertiliser increased by 1.2 times, and pumpkin by 1.1 times. The findings of studies conducted in agricultural fields in the Turkestan and Kyzylorda regions have shown that it is possible to produce environmentally sound gourds using a mixture of vermicompost, bentonite, and SPCW.
Impact of Mealworm Powder (Tenebrio molitor) Fortification on Ice Cream Quality
Authors: Zielińska Ewelina , Pečová Martina , Pankiewicz Urszula
Published: November 2023

The study’s objective was to characterize the effects of mealworm powder fortification on ice cream’s properties and nutritional value. The approximate composition and the mineral and fatty acid profiles were analyzed. Moreover, the antioxidant activity and physical properties as well as color were studied. As expected, insect powder substitution increased the protein content from 1.48 ± 0.13% for the control to 3.08 ± 0.22% for the sample with the highest insect substitution. The ash content increased as well. There was also a significant increase in zinc (2.5-fold), magnesium (3-fold), iron (4-fold) and unsaturated fatty acids. The ice cream with the highest percentage of insect powder had the slowest melting rate (0.094 ± 0.04 g/min) but the lowest overrun value (13.10 ± 0.22%) compared with the melting rate (0.145 ± 0.02 g/min) and overrun value (32.58 ± 0.6%) of control ice cream. Moreover, the ice cream turned darker in color. Furthermore, adding mealworm powder caused a significant increase in antioxidant properties as evaluated by ABTS and DPPH scavenging activity. Therefore, using mealworm powder in ice cream gave a product with better characteristics than the control sample, thus demonstrating the possibility of producing high-quality ice cream.
Evaluation of Soil Organic Carbon Stability in Different Land Uses in Lithuania
Authors: Muraškienė Milda , Armolaitis Kęstutis , Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė Iveta , Baliuckas Virgilijus , Aleinikovienė Jūratė
Published: November 2023

The effective management of soil organic carbon (SOC) is highlighted as one of the strategies and cost-effective options for mitigating climate change, while soil nitrogen (N) often is specified as an essential element for plant growth. This study was conducted to evaluate basic soil physical, chemical, and microbial indicators in three major soil types dominated in Lithuania—Arenosols, Retisols, and Cambisols—under forest land, perennial grassland, and arable land. Furthermore, soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC) and nitrogen (SMBN), their ratio, and soil microbial respiration (microbial CO2) next to SOC and total N were hypothesized to be important measures for assessing SOC stability under different land uses. Therefore, selected soil indicators were evaluated in the surface 0–10 and 10–20 cm mineral soil layers. The study results showed higher concentrations of SOC, N, SMBC, and SMBN, and soil microbial CO2 in forest land and perennial grasslands than in arable land. The higher SMBC/SOC and SNBN/TN ratios indicated a higher ability to accumulate SOC and N in forest land and grasslands. Higher SOC immobilization in forest land and higher N immobilization in arable land were both specified by the obtained SMBC:SMBN ratio. This study identified forest land followed by grassland as the best land management practice that addresses soil C sequestration through higher C immobilisation. Assessing soil in forest land as a control land use next to the agricultural land could be a reasonable soil management practice to evaluate C sequestration in the region. Additionally, it was assumed that evaluation of the SMBC and SMBN concentrations together with soil physical and chemical indicators allow for a more effective assessment of SOC stability. Taken together, these findings support recommendation to develop grassland (and especially forest land systems) through afforestation or within agroforestry system, without reducing the importance of the agricultural sector.
Effects of Extreme Weather Conditions on PV Systems
Authors: Bošnjaković Mladen , Stojkov Marinko , Katinić Marko , Lacković Ivica
Published: November 2023

We are witnessing significant climatic changes and increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions affecting every part of the globe. In order to reduce and stop these unfavourable climate changes, there has been a shift to the use of renewables, and in this sense, a significant contribution of the photovoltaic (PV) power plant is planned. This paper analyses the safety, reliability, and resilience of PV systems to extreme weather conditions such as wind storms, hail, lightning, high temperatures, fire, and floods. In addition to using available information from the literature, temperature measurements were also carried out on the rooftop PV power plant in Slavonski Brod, as well as a numerical stress analysis at extreme wind speeds using Ansys software. The results of the analysis show that existing PV systems are very resilient to extreme weather conditions. Utility-scale PV systems can usually withstand wind speeds of up to 50 m/s without any problems, and only at higher speeds do local stresses occur in certain parts of the structure that are higher than permissible. Resistance to hail is also very high, and manufacturers guarantee resistance to hail up to 25 mm in size. At high air temperatures, the temperature of the panel frame can reach about 70 °C, the panel temperature up to 85 °C, and the temperature of the cable insulation over 60 °C, as measurements have shown. Such high temperatures lead to a drop in electricity production up to 30% but do not pose a fire hazard to the cables and the roof if the roof insulation is conducted correctly. Forest fires do not usually pose a direct threat to PV systems, but the smoke that spreads over a large area reduces the solar radiation reaching the PV panel. It can also cause an unfavourable “wiggle effect”. Lightning strikes to a PV panel are not common, although they are possible. With built-in safeguards, no major damage should occur. Flooding is always a possibility, but with properly designed drainage systems, the damage is minimal in most cases.
Sustainability of Green Building Materials: A Scientometric Review of Geopolymers from a Circular Economy Perspective
Authors: Ferrara Paolo Lorenzo , La Noce Michele , Sciuto Gaetano
Published: November 2023

Ecosystems suffer from CO2 emissions and pollution caused by waste materials, mainly agricultural and industrial, that are dumped in landfill sites. These materials contain aluminosilicates, which are key ingredients for producing geopolymer composite (GPC). While cement, the main component of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), is a highly energy-consuming and polluting material in terms of CO2 emissions, water absorption, and land depletion, GPC is an emerging building material that can contribute to the sustainability of the construction industry. In this research, bibliometric data on GPCs were collected from Dimensions databases, and a scientometric analysis was performed using the innovative VOSviewer software (ver. 1.6.19). The scope was to examine the development of GPC for construction applications in the context of a circular economy and as an emerging green building material. Using specific query metrics and three keywords (geopolymer, circular economy, and green building materials), bibliometric records were analyzed to identify the articles, authors, and journals with the highest impact. This investigation can help scholars and policymakers in deepening their knowledge in this growing research area. From a societal perspective, this study stimulates geopolymer developments through policies aimed at promoting the circular economy, such as the adoption of green subsidies in research and development (R&D) and production.
Measuring Supply Chain Performance for Khanh Hoa Sanest Soft Drink Joint Stock Company: An Application of the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) Model
Authors: Nguyen Tram Anh Thi , Nguyen Thuy Lan , Nguyen Quynh Trang Thi , Nguyen Kim Anh Thi , Jolly Curtis M.
Published: November 2023

As Khanh Hoa Sanest Soft Drink Joint Stock Company attempts to satisfy consumer requirements and maintain market share in the salangane nest industry, it is important to monitor the efficiency of its supply chain (SC). This paper identified metrics to evaluate the firm’s SC performance, using secondary data from firm records, primary data from a survey of 200 sales agents, and the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model. Production records revealed a manufacturing lead time of 11 days and a production time of 24 h plus 7 days for refrigeration and observation. Order fulfillment delivery times ranged from 13 to 16 days. About 86.0 percent of customers rated the product as good or very good, and 60.5 percent claimed benefits from consuming the product. SC management costs of goods sold were 75.27% of total costs, while production cost was 41.99% of total costs. Total assets increased 16.6% from 2019 to 2021, but profits declined by 32.9% for the same period, while return on assets fell 42.4%. To maintain a competitive advantage, the company should apply information technology to improve SC performance. The results showed that the SCOR model is appropriate for evaluating the performance of this firm and similar business enterprises.
A Novel Lightweight Object Detection Network with Attention Modules and Hierarchical Feature Pyramid
Authors: Yang Shengying , Chen Linfeng , Wang Junxia , Jin Wuyin , Yu Yunxiang
Published: November 2023

Object detection methods based on deep learning typically require devices with ample computing capabilities, which limits their deployment in restricted environments such as those with embedded devices. To address this challenge, we propose Mini-YOLOv4, a lightweight real-time object detection network that achieves an excellent trade-off between speed and accuracy. Based on CSPDarknet-Tiny as the backbone network, we enhance the detection performance of the network in three ways. We use a multibranch structure embedded in an attention module for simultaneous spatial and channel attention calibration. We design a group self-attention block with a symmetric structure consisting of a pair of complementary self-attention modules to mine contextual information, thereby ensuring that the detection accuracy is improved without increasing the computational cost. Finally, we introduce a hierarchical feature pyramid network to fully exploit multiscale feature maps and promote the extraction of fine-grained features. The experimental results demonstrate that Mini-YOLOv4 requires only 4.7 M parameters and has a billion floating point operations (BFLOPs) value of 3.1. Compared with YOLOv4-Tiny, our approach achieves a 3.2% improvement in mean accuracy precision (mAP) for the PASCAL VOC dataset and obtains a significant improvement of 3.5% in overall detection accuracy for the MS COCO dataset. In testing with an embedded platform, Mini-YOLOv4 achieves a real-time detection speed of 25.6 FPS on the NVIDIA Jetson Nano, thus meeting the demand for real-time detection in computationally limited devices.
Modeling Object Motion on Arbitrary Unstructured Grids Using an Invariant Principle of Computational Domain Topology: Key Features
Authors: Sarazov Aleksey , Kozelkov Andrey , Strelets Dmitriy , Zhuchkov Roman
Published: November 2023

This paper uses a finite volume algorithm to address the numerical modeling of fluid flow around moving bodies. The Navier–Stokes equations, which describe the flow of viscous compressible gas, along with key boundary conditions and discretization schemes, are presented. As the motion of boundaries typically leads to changes in the control volumes, the basic discretization schemes need to be adapted. This paper provides a detailed discussion on the adaptation of the initial system to deforming boundaries while preserving communication topology. The method for calculating the boundary velocity is a crucial element of the numerical scheme. The paper proposes an approach to reconstruct the boundary velocity vector using deformation analysis and the condition of geometric conservation. This approach ensures correct simulation results for arbitrary unstructured computational grids. A comparison of two approaches to reconstructing the boundary velocity vector for characteristic aviation problems in the direct formulation is presented. It is shown that the proposed approach allows for more accurate modeling of object motion on arbitrary grids using the “invariant” principle of the computational domain topology.
Involvement of Autophagy and Oxidative Stress-Mediated DNA Hypomethylation in Transgenerational Nephrotoxicity Induced in Rats by the Mycotoxin Fumonisin B1
Authors: Aldawood Nouf , Almustafa Sarah , Alwasel Saleh , Aldahmash Waleed , Ben Bacha Abir , Alamri Abdullah , Alanazi Mohammad , Harrath Abdel Halim
Published: November 2023

Fumonisin B1 (FB1), a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium verticillioides, is one of the most common pollutants in natural foods and agricultural crops. It can cause chronic and severe health issues in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the transgenerational effects of FB1 exposure on the structure and function of the kidneys in offspring. Virgin female Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups: group one (control) received sterile water, and groups two and three were intragastrically administered low (20 mg/kg) and high (50 mg/kg) doses of FB1, respectively, from day 6 of pregnancy until delivery. Our results showed that exposure to either dose of FB1 caused histopathological changes, such as atrophy, hypercellularity, hemorrhage, calcification, and a decrease in the glomerular diameter, in both the first and second generations. The levels of the antioxidant markers glutathione, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase significantly decreased, while malondialdehyde levels increased. Moreover, autophagy was induced, as immunofluorescence analysis revealed that LC-3 protein expression was significantly increased in both generations after exposure to either dose of FB1. However, a significant decrease in methyltransferase (DNMT3) protein expression was observed in the first generation in both treatment groups (20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg), indicating a decrease in DNA methylation as a result of early-life exposure to FB1. Interestingly, global hypomethylation was also observed in the second generation in both treatment groups despite the fact that the mothers of these rats were not exposed to FB1. Thus, early-life exposure to FB1 induced nephrotoxicity in offspring of the first and second generations. The mechanisms of action underlying this transgenerational effect may include oxidative stress, autophagy, and DNA hypomethylation.
Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of Measles and Rubella Vaccine Delivered with a High-Density Microarray Patch: Results from a Randomized, Partially Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Phase I Clinical Trial
Authors: Baker Ben , Bermingham Imogen M. , Leelasena Indika , Hickling Julian , Young Paul R. , Muller David A. , Forster Angus H.
Published: November 2023

Microarray patches (MAPs) have the potential to be a safer, more acceptable, easier-to-use, and more cost-effective means for the administration of vaccines than injection by needle and syringe. Here, we report findings from a randomized, partially double-blinded, placebo-controlled Phase I trial using the Vaxxas high-density MAP (HD-MAP) to deliver a measles rubella (MR) vaccine. Healthy adults (N = 63, age 18–50 years) were randomly assigned 1:1:1:1 to four groups: uncoated (placebo) HD-MAPs, low-dose MR HD-MAPs (~3100 median cell-culture infectious dose [CCID50] measles, ~4300 CCID50 rubella); high-dose MR-HD-MAPs (~9300 CCID50 measles, ~12,900 CCID50 rubella); or a sub-cutaneous (SC) injection of an approved MR vaccine, MR-Vac (≥1000 CCID50 per virus). The MR vaccines were stable and remained viable on HD-MAPs when stored at 2–8 °C for at least 24 months. When MR HD-MAPs stored at 2–8 °C for 24 months were transferred to 40 °C for 3 days in a controlled temperature excursion, loss of potency was minimal, and MR HD-MAPs still met World Health Organisation (WHO) specifications. MR HD-MAP vaccination was safe and well-tolerated; any systemic or local adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate. Similar levels of binding and neutralizing antibodies to measles and rubella were induced by low-dose and high-dose MR HD-MAPs and MR-Vac. The neutralizing antibody seroconversion rates on day 28 after vaccination for the low-dose HD-MAP, high-dose HD-MAP and MR-Vac groups were 37.5%, 18.8% and 35.7%, respectively, for measles, and 37.5%, 25.0% and 35.7%, respectively, for rubella. Most participants were seropositive for measles and rubella antibodies at baseline, which appeared to negatively impact the number of participants that seroconverted to vaccines delivered by either route. The data reported here suggest HD-MAPs could be a valuable means for delivering MR-vaccine to hard-to-reach populations and support further development. Clinical trial registry number: ACTRN12621000820808.
Experimental Validation of Suitability of a River for Natural Reproduction of Trout of Lake Sevan Using Egg Incubation
Authors: Asatryan Vardan , Vardanyan Tigran , Barseghyan Nelli , Dallakyan Marine , Gabrielyan Bardukh
Published: November 2023

The endangered endemic species Sevan trout (Salmo ischchan Kessler, 1877) is under the threat of extinction and its survival is dependent on restocking by smolts. Thus, there is an urgent need to find an effective solution for restocking wild populations. After developing a theoretical methodology to reveal the most suitable parts of spawning rivers for natural reproduction, we consider the incubation of eggs in the wild as an appropriate method for the validation of the results of the theoretical assessment. Thus, we estimate the eggs’ survival differences in the wild and microcosm conditions which found significant differences in the sac-fry emergence rate in the zones assessed as “partly suitable” and “unsuitable”. Also, the results show that the emergence of eggs in the wild was less than in the microcosm conditions and the success rate of emergence of eyed eggs in the wild was higher than that of the green eggs. The results of one-way ANOVA, correlation and general linear mixed model analyses have in general proven the theoretical assessment but raise some questions on the completeness of using a set of abiotic criteria as the range of success during different experiments varies significantly.
Quantitative Morphometric Analysis of Morphologically Similar Species of Fragilaria (Fragilariaceae, Bacillariophyta) Allows Detection of Non-Indigenous Taxa: A Case Study from Lake Ladoga (North of European Russia)
Authors: Rusanov Alexander G. , Gololobova Maria A. , Kolobov Mikhail Y. , Duleba Mónika , Georgiev Anton A. , Grigorszky István , Kiss Keve T. , Ács Éva , Somlyai Imre
Published: November 2023

In Lake Ladoga (northwestern Russia), we found a diatom, putatively Fragilaria sublanceolata-baikali, an endemic species from Lake Baikal (southeastern Siberia, Russia). To determine whether this population matches a previously recognized species from Lake Baikal and assess how it differs from other similar Fragilaria taxa, we studied the valve morphology of three morphologically similar Fragilaria populations (the putative F. sublanceolata-baikali, F. pectinalis and F. perminuta) sampled in Lake Ladoga, along with a population of F. sublanceolata-baikali sampled in Lake Baikal. We used light and scanning electron microscopy with a combination of traditional and geometric morphometric methods. To analyze covariation between the valve shape and size (i.e., allometry), we examined differences in the ontogenetic–allometric trajectories at both the interspecific and intraspecific levels. In addition, the effect of size correction of the valve shape on species differentiation was tested. Traditional morphometrics revealed that F. sublanceolata-baikali is distinguished from F. pectinalis and F. perminuta by valve length, while F. pectinalis and F. perminuta are distinguished by striae density. All three species of Fragilaria showed separate and parallel allometric trajectories. In contrast, the two populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali were on a common allometric trajectory, indicating the conspecificity between these populations. Prior to allometric correction, geometric morphometrics was not able fully discriminate between the three Fragilaria species. After allometric correction, the three Fragilaria species were clearly separated in a size-corrected morphospace, whereas the two populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali formed a tightly overlapping group. Thus, we conclude that geometric morphometrics can reliably distinguish between these morphologically similar species of Fragilaria, but only after accounting for allometric shape variation. Our study confirmed morphological similarity between the two geographically distant populations of F. sublanceolata-baikali, which indicates that this taxon can be considered as invasive in Lake Ladoga.
Pollution Source Identification and Suitability Assessment of Groundwater Quality for Drinking Purposes in Semi-Arid Regions of the Southern Part of India
Authors: Muthusamy Periyasamy , Paneerselvam Balamurugan , Kaliyappan Shunmuga Priya , Almohamad Hussein , Aldosari Ali Abdullah , Abdo Hazem Ghassan
Published: November 2023

The quality of groundwater plays an important role in human health, and it majorly influences the agricultural process in the southern part of India. The present study mainly focused on evaluating the quality of groundwater used for domestic purpose in semi-arid regions of the southern part of India. The samples were collected in 36 locations, covering the entire investigation zone. The collected samples were analyzed for various physical and chemical characteristics of groundwater and compared with the world health organization standards. The entropy-weighted water quality index (EWQI) of the groundwater revealed that 16.67% of the samples required primary-level treatment before they could be used for drinking purposes. About 72.23% of the samples were in the good-to-medium category for drinking purposes, as was identified through weighted overlay analysis. The ionic relationship plot was used to identify the source of contamination and it revealed that carbonate weathering and anthropogenic activities are the primary sources of groundwater contamination. The present results show the contaminated zones and offer more helpful solutions to strengthen the water management policy in the study region.
Optimisation of Small Hydropower Units in Water Distribution Systems by Demand Forecasting
Authors: Oberascher Martin , Schartner Lukas , Sitzenfrei Robert
Published: November 2023

The potential of water supply systems for renewable electrical energy production is frequently utilised by a small-scale hydropower unit (SHPU) that utilises the surplus water or pressure. However, fluctuating demand on an hourly and daily basis represents a significant challenge in operating such devices. To address this issue, a control strategy based on demand forecast is implemented, adjusting the SHPU’s inflow based on current demand conditions. Thus, individual days are categorised into control categories with similar flow conditions, and control is optimised for each category using a simplified evolutionary optimisation technique. Coupled with demand forecasts, the SHPU controller evaluates on a daily basis which set of water levels to utilise for the next day to optimise energy production. This approach is implemented in an alpine municipality, and its economic feasibility is evaluated through a long-term simulation over 10 years. This approach resulted in an annual profit increase compared to the reference status based on well-informed expert knowledge. However, it is worth noting that the approach has limited suitability for further improvements within the case study. Nonetheless, SHPUs also contribute to improving water quality and, if the electrical energy generated is directly used to operate the water supply, enhance resilience to grid failures.
Simulating Potential Impacts of Solar MajiPump on the Economy and Nutrition of Smallholder Farmers in Sub-Humid Ethiopia
Authors: Bizimana Jean-Claude , Yalew Belainew B. , Assefa Tewodros T. , Belay Sisay A. , Degu Yonas M. , Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe , Reyes Manuel R. , Prasad P. V. Vara , Tilahun Seifu A.
Published: November 2023

Irrigation is widely considered a potential means to improve agricultural productivity, nutrition, and income, as farmers can carry out farming and production year-round. However, the feasibility of irrigation technologies is highly dependent on the long-term economic return farmers achieve. Solar-based irrigation could address the challenges of underinvestment in irrigation within Africa. Evidence on the economic viability of the adopted solar pumps such as MajiPump is very scant and focused on ex post evaluation. This study evaluated the income and nutritional feasibility of solar-powered irrigation using the MajiPump in sub-humid Ethiopian highlands using the farm simulation (FARMSIM) model and compared it with the manual pulley system. Results from the FARMSIM model show that farmers’ adoption of Maji solar pump technology to grow vegetables is economically feasible with financial support such as credit or loan for initial and capital investment to acquire the pump. The average profit under the solar MajiPump, drip irrigation, and conservation agriculture was 3.6 times higher than that of the baseline scenario. While the pulley technology provides the same amount of irrigation water to grow vegetables, its feasibility is limited due to high labor costs and time, estimated to be more than seven times the baseline. The simulation results show that the alternative scenarios’ nutrition level has improved relative to other scenarios and met the minimum daily average nutrition requirement level for proteins, iron, and vitamin A but fell short in fat, calcium, and calories. The results suggest that farmers who adopt improved small-scale irrigation technologies (solar MajiPump and drip system) have a higher potential to increase production and income from irrigated crops and improve their nutrition if part of the income generated is used to purchase supplemental food for their nutrition.