bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Promoting Urban Corridors in Saudi City Center to Enhance Walkability Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Analysis Methods
Authors: Aloshan Mohammed , Gharieb Moustafa , Heba Khaled Mahmoud , Khalil Ragab , Alhumaid Mohammed Humaid , Ezz Mohamed Salah
Published: October 2024

Saudi Arabian cities have rapidly expanded their urban areas, especially their city centers, over the last four decades. This growth has led to increased vehicular usage. As a result, the daily walking experience for residents has been adversely affected. Walkability has several positive effects on people’s health and the urban environment. It serves as a means of transportation and helps create a sense of place. This enhances the legibility of urban structures and deepens emotional bonds with the city. This study uses the medium-sized Saudi Arabian city of Onaizah as a case study. It explores the feasibility of creating urban walking corridors to encourage more walking. According to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, sustainable urban development and improved quality of life are key priorities. The study addresses walkability as a way to enhance the urban landscape of the city center. Geographic Information Systems (GISs) were used to analyze data and generate urban corridors in the city center. The results indicate that walking in Onaizah can be improved through three urban corridors. These corridors measure 1335 m, 1624 m, and 1937 m, respectively. They represent urban, commercial, and heritage corridors. This provides planners and decision makers an opportunity to prioritize pedestrian connectivity and improve the physical environment. Such efforts contribute to sustainable urban development. Various criteria-analysis methods were employed to assess the factors that led to the conclusion of these urban corridors. This includes evaluations of land use, transportation, and environmental considerations. The study aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by promoting walking and enhancing overall walkability. It also aims to create a sustainable and livable urban environment for the community in Onaizah.
Research on the Configuration Path of Innovation Performance of Strategic Emerging Enterprises
Authors: Wang Jiarui , Cao Rong , Wang Gang , Peng Xuhui
Published: October 2024

As vehicles for implementing innovation-driven strategies, the strategic emerging industries are crucial for enhancing national competitiveness and sustainable development. Improving innovation performance in these industries has been a central focus of academic research. Notably, existing studies have primarily analyzed the net effects from a single perspective. This study examined 261 strategic emerging Chinese enterprises listed on the A-share market. Utilizing the Technology–Organization–Environment framework and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, this study explores the impact paths and mechanisms of the coupling configurations of technology, organization, and environment to enhance enterprises’ innovation performance from a configuration perspective. We discovered that, first, no single antecedent condition is necessary to achieve high enterprise innovation performance. However, increasing the level of digital transformation and intensity of innovation investments universally results in high innovation performance. Second, the technological, organizational, and environmental conditions exhibit “multiple concurrency”, forming diverse configurations that drive enterprise innovation performance; hence, the driving paths of enterprise innovation performance are varied. Third, four schemes exist for achieving high innovation performance in strategic emerging enterprises: environment-driven under technological dominance, technology–organization driven type, organization-driven under technological–environmental dominance, and technology–organization–environment co-driven type. Exploring the synergistic paths driving innovation performance from a configuration perspective enhances our understanding of the complex interactions among multiple factors in improving such performance. This provides significant theoretical and practical implications for enterprises aiming to improve their innovation performance.
A Study on the Potential for the Application of Peanut Shells as a Reducer in the Process of Metal Recovery from Metallurgical Slags
Authors: Kortyka Lukasz , Labaj Jerzy , Ptak Szymon , Smalcerz Albert , Blacha Leszek , Mycka Lukasz , Matula Tomasz , Findorak Robert
Published: October 2024

Copper production technology is a complex process consisting of many stages. The combination of pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical stages, on the one hand, complicates production while, on the other hand, allowing for a relatively selective separation of intermediate or waste materials that can be subjected to the process of recovery of useful components. Materials of this type are characterised by a much higher copper content relative to the ore material. On the other hand, due to the oxide form, reduction processes are used in which coke is mainly applied. Reduction of the unfavourable phenomenon of CO2 emissions, in this case, can be performed through the use of bioreducers, which are characterised by an inert carbon footprint since the generation of carbon dioxides is the same as its absorption at the stage of vegetation and growth. In this paper, the topic of determining the feasibility of using selected bioreducers, such as peanut shells, to verify their suitability in the process of reducing copper oxides as well as the impact on the working components of the laboratory reactor in which the process is carried out are discussed. In this case, raw materials with a composition similar to the that of slags produced at the copper production stage in a flash furnace were tested for reduction. The results referring to reducing lead and copper contents above 88% Pb and 98% Cu indicate the great potential of this type of bioreducer. An additional advantage is the relatively wide availability of peanut resources. The effects of the copper reduction time on the degree of decopperisation performed with a constant reducer addition at 1300 °C were studied in this paper. Following 1 h of the process, the copper content in the slag was 0.78 wt%, while the longer process duration resulted in a copper fraction of 0.19 wt%. Considering lead, its content was 0.33 wt% after the reduction process.
Air Quality Benefits of Renewable Energy: Evidence from China’s Renewable Energy Heating Policy
Authors: Tang Aidi , Zhu Yunxuan , Gu Wenjia , Wang Ce
Published: October 2024

This paper examines the impact of renewable energy heating on air quality in China, using the Qinling Mountains–Huaihe River line as a quasi-natural experiment to distinguish between regions with central heating and those without. Employing a difference-in-differences approach and analyzing panel data from 298 cities between 2014 and 2022, our findings indicate that the renewable energy heating policy has significantly improved air quality. Specifically, the policy led to substantial improvements in air quality, reducing concentrations of key pollutants: SO2 by 28.31%, CO by 7.57%, NO2 by 5.72%, and PM2.5 by 7.15%. The policy’s effects are most pronounced in regions with lower temperatures and in the eastern parts of the country. Further analysis emphasizes the critical role of energy transition, environmental regulations, and government investment in technology as key drivers of these air quality improvements.
The Driving Factors and Path Selection for the Development Level of China’s Mariculture—A Dynamic Analysis Based on the TOE Framework
Authors: Zhang Ying , Jia Haiyan
Published: October 2024

Mariculture is a key practice to promote the supply-side reform of fishery, and it is of strategic significance to explore the causes and paths of its high-level development. Based on the TOE (Technology-Organization-Environment) theoretical framework and the configuration methodology, this paper adopts the dynamic qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method and panel data from 10 coastal provinces and cities in China from 2013 to 2021 to explore the configuration effects of six antecedents, namely, the intensity of technology promotion, investment in scientific research, personnel specialization, industry intensification, nearshore water quality, and offshore pollution discharge, along temporal and spatial dimensions, on the level of mariculture development. The results show that (1) individual driving factors do not constitute the necessary conditions for a high level of mariculture industry development, but the necessity of the three conditions—research funding, industry intensification and nearshore seawater quality—shows a general increasing trend; and (2) the results of the path analysis show that a total of seven configuration paths for a high level of development are generated, which can be further classified into “organization-led and technology synergistic”, “technology-organization-environment multiple-driven type”, and “technology-environment dual-driven type”. Based on the panel data, this study explores the impact of spatial and temporal changes in factor combinations on the development level of mariculture and provides a theoretical basis and practical insights for the development of locally adapted execution pathways.
Digital Twins for Reducing Energy Consumption in Buildings: A Review
Authors: Arsecularatne Buddhika , Rodrigo Navodana , Chang Ruidong
Published: October 2024

This research investigates the use of digital twin (DT) technology to improve building energy management and analyse occupant behaviour. DTs perform the function of acting as virtual replicas of physical assets, which facilitates real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and data-driven decision-making. Consequently, energy performance and occupant comfort can be enhanced. This study evaluates the efficiency of DTs in optimising energy usage by a mix of a systematic literature review and scientometric analysis of 466 articles from the Scopus database. Among the main obstacles noted are interoperability issues, privacy and data quality difficulties, and the requirement for a more thorough integration of digital and physical interactions. The results highlight the necessity of standardised frameworks to direct DT implementations and suggest areas for further study, especially in the areas of improving cybersecurity and incorporating occupant behaviour into DT models. This research makes practical recommendations for using DT technology to increase energy efficiency and sustainability in the built environment.
Predicting Tilapia Productivity in Geothermal Ponds: A Genetic Algorithm Approach for Sustainable Aquaculture Practices
Authors: Tynchenko Vadim , Kukartseva Oksana , Tynchenko Yadviga , Kukartsev Vladislav , Panfilova Tatyana , Kravtsov Kirill , Wu Xiaogang , Malashin Ivan
Published: October 2024

This study presents a case focused on sustainable farming practices, specifically the cultivation of tilapia (Mozambican and aureus species) in ponds with geothermal water. This research aims to optimize the hydrochemical regime of experimental ponds to enhance the growth metrics and external characteristics of tilapia breeders. The dataset encompasses the hydrochemical parameters and the fish feeding base from experimental geothermal ponds where tilapia were cultivated. Genetic algorithms (GA) were employed for hyperparameter optimization (HPO) of deep neural networks (DNN) to enhance the prediction of fish productivity in each pond under varying conditions, achieving an R2 score of 0.94. This GA-driven HPO process is a robust method for optimizing aquaculture practices by accurately predicting how different pond conditions and feed bases influence the productivity of tilapia. By accurately determining these factors, the model promotes sustainable practices, improving breeding outcomes and maximizing productivity in tilapia aquaculture. This approach can also be applied to other aquaculture systems, enhancing efficiency and sustainability across various species.
Investigation of Communication, Social Intelligence and Intercultural Sensitivity Competencies of Teacher Candidates in Sustainable Education by Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Özdoğru Mehmet , Çevik Mehmet Nezir , Çevik Mehmet Sabir
Published: October 2024

It has become increasingly important to provide equal educational opportunities to all students for quality and sustainable education in classrooms with rapidly increasing diversity. In this context, communication skills, social intelligence and intercultural sensitivity are important competences that can affect teacher performance and efficiency in classrooms. Despite the importance of these competencies, empirical studies examining the relationships between these variables are scarce. Consequently, this study aimed to investigate the relationships between teacher candidates’ communication skills and their intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence levels through the application of structural equation modeling (SEM). The participants were selected from among the teacher candidates studying at Kütahya Dumlupınar University, a public university in Türkiye, using simple random sampling method. The results indicated that teacher candidates had high levels of communication skills, intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence. In addition, while there was a significant positive relationship between communication skills and intercultural sensitivity level and social intelligence level at low level, there was a significant positive relationship between intercultural sensitivity and social intelligence level at medium level. Furthermore, communication skills and intercultural sensitivity were found to be significant predictors of social intelligence and intercultural sensitivity had a partial mediating role in the relationship between communication skills and social intelligence. In the study, it was concluded that teacher candidates’ communication skills predicted social intelligence through intercultural sensitivity.
Evaluation of the Phytoremediation Potential of Aquatic Plants and Associated Microorganisms for the Cleaning of Aquatic Ecosystems from Oil Products
Authors: Zhilkina Tatiana , Gerasimova Irina , Babich Tamara , Kanapatskiy Timur , Sokolova Diyana , Kadnikov Vitaly , Kamionskaya Anastasiya
Published: October 2024

Phytoremediation of oil pollution using free-floating aquatic plants is a promising method for water body cleaning. In this study, the influence of Eichhornia crassipes and Pistia stratiotes on the degradation of oil pollution was investigated. The loss of oil alkanes and the rheological characteristics of water were evaluated, and an analysis of the emerging rhizospheric microbial communities was carried out using high-throughput sequencing. The presence of E. crassipes and P. stratiotes plants in oil-contaminated tanks had no effect on the degradation of oil alkanes. However, the presence of plants promoted the development of rhizospheric bacteria capable of growing in oil-contaminated environments. Alpha diversity of microbial communities in oil-contaminated samples was higher in the presence of plants. Additionally, plants significantly reduced the water/oil interfacial tension, which facilitated the availability of hydrocarbons for biodegradation. A difference was noted in the microbiome between E. crassipes and P. stratiotes. Changes in the composition of microbial communities highlight the potential of E. crassipes and P. stratiotes as rhizospheric hosts for microorganisms in the phytoremediation of water bodies.
Balance or Quality: Impact of Part-Time Farming on the Nutrition and Health of Rural Residents
Authors: Yuan Bin , Yang Jingyi , Ning Jing
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between part-time farming and the nutrition and health of rural residents, test the possible effects through two potential pathways—income effect and time effect—and further analyze the family heterogeneity characteristic of downward intergenerational support. Using the ordered probit model and cross-sectional data from the China Rural Revitalization Comprehensive Survey (CRRS), which provide information on household income, health conditions, and nutritional caloric intake, this study estimates the relationship between part-time farming and the nutritional health of rural residents. The effects are decomposed into income (measured by dietary diversity scores and food consumption expenditures) and time effects (measured by excess caloric intake), with additional analysis on family heterogeneity concerning downward intergenerational support. Part-time farming positively correlates with rural residents’ nutritional health through two pathways: income effect (improved dietary diversity and increased food consumption) and time effect (negative impact of excessive caloric intake). Downward intergenerational support mitigates the negative time effect. This paper highlights the often-overlooked impact of part-time farming on rural nutrition and health, emphasizing non-linear effects and the significant role of downward intergenerational support, thus filling a gap in existing research.
The Impact of Virtual Immersive Public Art on the Restorative Experience of Urban Residents
Authors: Li Lin , Shukor Shureen Faris Abdul , Mat Noor Mohd Sallehuddin Bin , Hasna Mohd Fabian Bin
Published: October 2024

This study explores the role of virtual immersive public art in improving the psychological well-being of urban residents. The research is set in the context of urban environments, where virtual immersive public art has the potential to foster innovation, integrate technology, and organically blend into public spaces. The study evaluates the impact of such art on psychological restoration by focusing on three key dimensions: interactive themes, interactive mechanisms, and artistic characteristics. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect participants’ real-life experiences and reactions to these art installations. The results show that virtual immersive public art significantly contributes to the restorative experience of urban residents, offering valuable insights into how these installations can promote mental health. Based on the findings, the study provides practical design recommendations for incorporating virtual immersive public art into future urban planning and design projects to enhance urban living conditions and support psychological recovery.
Key Factors in the Design of Urban Underground Metro Lines
Authors: Mitelman Amichai , Giat Yahel
Published: October 2024

Designing sustainable underground metro lines in dense urban environments is a highly challenging task that requires the collaboration of numerous stakeholders and consultants to make crucial decisions influenced by several factors. While it is impossible to address every issue influencing the decision-making process, identifying key factors and their interdependencies is essential for optimal design. This study focuses on six critical aspects of the reference design of metro systems: (1) track alignment, (2) tunneling strategy, (3) station typology, (4) operations and maintenance, (5) procurement strategy, and (6) environmental aspects. Amongst these aspects, we identify track alignment as the primary driving factor that influences the other factors. We analyze the decision between shallow and deep alignments as an engineering choice that necessitates balancing conflicting factors and constraints. Our contribution lies in mapping these factors and their dependencies, thus offering policymakers, project managers, and designers a framework to navigate the design process. Our discussion also provides guidance to public agencies in tendering for design teams more efficiently. Drawing from lessons learned by experienced design managers, this study aims to fill the gap in the literature by offering a generalist perspective on metro design.
Lossless Recompression of Vector Quantization Index Table for Texture Images Based on Adaptive Huffman Coding Through Multi-Type Processing
Authors: Lin Yijie , Liu Jui-Chuan , Chang Ching-Chun , Chang Chin-Chen
Published: October 2024

With the development of the information age, all walks of life are inseparable from the internet. Every day, huge amounts of data are transmitted and stored on the internet. Therefore, to improve transmission efficiency and reduce storage occupancy, compression technology is becoming increasingly important. Based on different application scenarios, it is divided into lossless data compression and lossy data compression, which allows a certain degree of compression. Vector quantization (VQ) is a widely used lossy compression technology. Building upon VQ compression technology, we propose a lossless compression scheme for the VQ index table. In other words, our work aims to recompress VQ compression technology and restore it to the VQ compression carrier without loss. It is worth noting that our method specifically targets texture images. By leveraging the spatial symmetry inherent in these images, our approach generates high-frequency symbols through difference calculations, which facilitates the use of adaptive Huffman coding for efficient compression. Experimental results show that our scheme has better compression performance than other schemes.
Symmetric Connected U-Net with Multi-Head Self Attention (MHSA) and WGAN for Image Inpainting
Authors: Hou Yanyang , Ma Xiaopeng , Zhang Junjun , Guo Chenxian
Published: October 2024

This study presents a new image inpainting model based on U-Net and incorporating the Wasserstein Generative Adversarial Network (WGAN). The model uses skip connections to connect every encoder block to the corresponding decoder block, resulting in a strictly symmetrical architecture referred to as Symmetric Connected U-Net (SC-Unet). By combining SC-Unet with a GAN, the study aims to reconstruct images more effectively and seamlessly. The traditional discriminators only differentiate the entire image as true or false. In this study, the discriminator calculated the probability of each pixel belonging to the hole and non-hole regions, which provided the generator with more gradient loss information for image inpainting. Additionally, every block of SC-Unet incorporated a Dilated Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN) to increase the receptive field of the convolutional layers. Our model also integrated Multi-Head Self-Attention (MHSA) into selected blocks to enable it to efficiently search the entire image for suitable content to fill the missing areas. This study adopts the publicly available datasets CelebA-HQ and ImageNet for evaluation. Our proposed algorithm demonstrates a 10% improvement in PSNR and a 2.94% improvement in SSIM compared to existing representative image inpainting methods in the experiment.
Urinary N-acetylglucosaminidase in People Environmentally Exposed to Cadmium Is Minimally Related to Cadmium-Induced Nephron Destruction
Authors: Satarug Soisungwan
Published: October 2024

Exposure to even low levels of the environmental pollutant cadmium (Cd) increases the risk of kidney damage and malfunction. The body burden of Cd at which these outcomes occur is not, however, reliably defined. Here, multiple-regression and mediation analyses were applied to data from 737 non-diabetic Thai nationals, of which 9.1% had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≤ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (a low eGFR). The excretion of Cd (ECd), and renal-effect biomarkers, namely β2-microglobulin (Eβ2M), albumin (Ealb), and N-acetylglucosaminidase (ENAG), were normalized to creatinine clearance (Ccr) as ECd/Ccr Eβ2M/Ccr, Ealb/Ccr, and ENAG/Ccr. After adjustment for potential confounders, the risks of having a low eGFR and albuminuria rose twofold per doubling ECd/Ccr rates and they both varied directly with the severity of β2-microglobulinuria. Doubling ECd/Ccr rates also increased the risk of having a severe tubular injury, evident from ENAG/Ccr increments [POR = 4.80, p = 0.015]. ENAG/Ccr was strongly associated with ECd/Ccr in both men (β = 0.447) and women (β = 0.394), while showing a moderate inverse association with eGFR only in women (β = −0.178). A moderate association of ENAG/Ccr and ECd/Ccr was found in the low- (β = 0.287), and the high-Cd body burden groups (β = 0.145), but ENAG/Ccr was inversely associated with eGFR only in the high-Cd body burden group (β = −0.223). These discrepancies together with mediation analysis suggest that Cd-induced nephron destruction, which reduces GFR and the tubular release of NAG by Cd, involves different mechanisms and kinetics.
Histamine in Fishery: A Five-Year Survey in Northern Italy
Authors: Morello Sara , Lupi Samantha , Barcucci Elisa , Fragassi Sandra , Torres Elena , Dosio Davide , Marchese Chiara , Bezzo Llufrio Tabata , Gili Marilena , Bianchi Daniela Manila
Published: October 2024

Histamine is a biogenic amine and an indicator of fishery product freshness and hygienic quality. The European Regulation EC 2073/2005 sets the standards for fish sample collection and establishes quantitative levels of histamine in fishery products to ensure consumer health and safety. This retrospective study presents data on histamine monitoring in fish and fishery products collected in northern Italy between 2018 and 2022. A total of 138 samples were analysed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and then confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detection (HPLC-DAD). Four samples found positive contained histamine levels above the legal limit. Monitoring via ELISA and HPLC-DAD can efficiently detect histamine in fish and fishery products and protect consumers’ health.
Toxigenic Cyanobacteria and Microcystins in a Large Northern Oligotrophic Lake Onego, Russia
Authors: Tekanova Elena , Sidelev Sergey , Kalinkina Nataliia , Chernova Ekaterina , Barinova Sophia , Sharov Andrey , Smirnova Valeria
Published: October 2024

Toxigenic cyanobacteria and microcystins in the oligotrophic pelagic zone and mesotrophic bay of Lake Onego—the second largest lake in Europe—were found for the first time. Microscopic analysis revealed that Dolichospermum lemmermannii, D. circinale and D. spiroides dominated in bloom spots in the oligotrophic zone of the lake and D. flos-aquae and Microcystis aeruginosa OKin the eutrophic bay. The abundance of cyanobacteria in bloom spots is potentially hazardous for humans and animals. PCR-analysis showed that mcyA gene involved in microcystin biosynthesis was found in cyanobacteria of the genera Dolichospermum and Microcystis. Five structural variants of intracellular microcystins were detected in a trace amount using high-performance liquid chromatography–mass-spectrometry of high resolution. The most hazardous hepatotoxin, MC-LR, was found only in the eutrophic bay. In the present study, the reasons for the low cyanotoxin content in the phytoplankton dominated by Dolichospermum are discussed. The findings of our study make a significant contribution to the accumulation of facts which state that toxigenic cyanobacterial blooms can occur in large oligotrophic lakes.
Time Series Data Provide Insights into the Evolution and Abundance of One of the Most Abundant Viruses in the Marine Virosphere: The Uncultured Pelagiphages vSAG 37-F6
Authors: Vila-Nistal Marina , Logares Ramiro , Gasol Josep M. , Martinez-Garcia Manuel
Published: October 2024

Viruses play a pivotal role in ecosystems by influencing biochemical cycles and impacting the structure and evolution of their host cells. The widespread pelagiphages infect Pelagibacter spp., the most abundant marine microbe on Earth, and thus play a significant role in carbon transformation through the viral shunt. Among these viruses, the uncultured lytic pelagiphage vSAG 37-F6, uncovered by single-virus genomics, is likely the most numerous virus in the ocean. While previous research has delved into the diversity and spatial distribution of vSAG 37-F6, there is still a gap in understanding its temporal dynamics, hindering our insight into its ecological impact. We explored the temporal dynamics of vSAG 37-F6, assessing periodic fluctuations in abundance and evolutionary patterns using long- and short-term data series. In the long-term series (7 years), metagenomics showed negative selection acting on all viral genes, with a highly conserved overall diversity over time composed of a pool of yearly emergent, highly similar novel strains that exhibited a seasonal abundance pattern with two peaks during winter and fall and a decrease in months with higher UV radiation. Most non-synonymous polymorphisms occurred in structural viral proteins located in regions with low conformational restrictions, suggesting that many of the viral genes of this population are highly purified over its evolution. At the fine-scale resolution (24 h time series), combining digital PCR and metagenomics, we identified two peaks of cellular infection for the targeted vSAG 37-F6 viral strain (up to approximately 103 copies/ng of prokaryotic DNA), one before sunrise and the second shortly after midday. Considering the high number of co-occurring strains of this microdiverse virus, the abundance values at the species or genus level could be orders of magnitudes higher. These findings represent a significant advancement in understanding the dynamics of the potentially most abundant oceanic virus, providing valuable insights into ecologically relevant marine viruses.
Developing Correlates of Protection for Vaccines Is Needed More than Ever—Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV Infection
Authors: Vajo Zoltan , Laszlofy Csaba
Published: October 2024

One of the greatest success stories of modern medicine is the prevention of infectious diseases by vaccination, most notably against smallpox and poliomyelitis. However, recent events, such as the 2009–2010 swine flu and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemics, as well as the continued emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses highlighted the fact that we still need to develop new vaccines, and perhaps we should be proactive, rather than reacting to epidemics and pandemics. However, the development of tools for evaluating novel vaccines has not been able to keep up with the rate of vaccine production. Humoral and cellular immune responses to vaccination have both been suggested to be important in preventing infections or ameliorating their consequences, although there is uncertainty regarding their exact roles and importance. This, together with the rapid development of new vaccines, means that the need for developing immunogenicity parameters, and even more importantly, reliable correlates of protection, is more important than ever.
The Health and Economic Benefits of United States Investments in Measles and Rubella Control and Elimination
Authors: Thompson Kimberly M.
Published: October 2024

Background: Prior to measles vaccine introduction in 1963, measles virus caused hundreds of thousands of annual reported cases, which led to substantial US morbidity, mortality, and costs. Similarly, congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) led to highly visible and tragic lifelong disability for thousands of Americans, before rubella vaccine introduction in 1969. The US certified national virus transmission elimination of indigenous measles in 2000 and rubella in 2004. Methods: Applying an existing integrated transmission and economic model, this analysis characterizes the net benefits of US investments in measles (1963–2030) and rubella (1969–2030) immunization assuming continued high routine immunization coverage. Due to importation risks, the US maintains two doses of both vaccines in its routine immunization schedule. Results: This analysis estimates total US costs of 8.1 billion (economics reported in 2023 US dollars) for measles immunization for 1963–2023 and 14.1 billion for rubella immunization for 1969–2023. The analysis estimates an additional approximately 1.2 billion for measles immunization and 1.5 billion for rubella immunization expected for 2024–2030. Historical and future US investments prevented an estimated approximately 237 million measles infections, 228,000 measles deaths, 193 million rubella infections, and 166,000 CRS cases. These investments imply net benefits (from avoided treatment costs minus immunization costs) of approximately 310 billion for measles and 430 billion for rubella and CRS, even without incorporating avoided productivity losses and intangible costs. Conclusions: US investments in measles and rubella immunization continue to provide enormous savings of human and financial costs and to prevent substantial mortality and morbidity.
Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics, Blood Metabolites, Carcass Traits, Meat Quality, and Gene Expression of Lambs Supplemented with a Polyherbal Phytogenic Additive
Authors: Orzuna-Orzuna José Felipe , Lara-Bueno Alejandro , Gloria-Trujillo Adrián , Mendoza-Martínez Germán David , Miranda-Romero Luis Alberto , Hernández-García Pedro Abel
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with a polyherbal phytogenic additive (PPA) on the productive performance, dietary energetics, blood metabolites, carcass traits, meat quality, and gene expression of finishing lambs. Thirty-six male Pelibuey lambs (23.61 ± 0.57 kg body weight (BW)) were housed in individual pens and assigned to four treatments (n = 9) with different doses of PPA: 0 (CON), 2.5 (PPAL), 5 (PPAM), and 7.5 (PPAH) g of PPA/kg of DM for 56 days. Average daily gain, dry matter intake, and observed dietary net energy for maintenance and weight gain increased linearly (p < 0.05) in lambs supplemented with PPAH. A linear reduction (p = 0.02) in FCR was detected in lambs fed PPAM and PPAH. The PPAH supplementation linearly increased (p < 0.001) Longissimus dorsi muscle area, but other carcass traits were not affected (p > 0.05) by PPA doses. The physicochemical characteristics of the meat and the hematological parameters of the lambs were not affected (p > 0.05) by the PPA doses. The glucose, uric acid, creatinine, and bilirubin serum concentrations decreased linearly (p < 0.05) in lambs supplemented with PPAM and PPAH. Gene ontology analyses showed that nine biological processes were modified (p < 0.05), including DNA replication, drug metabolism–cytochrome P450, oxidative phosphorylation, and chemical carcinogenesis–reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, high doses (7.5 g/kg DM) of PPA can improve growth performance and dietary energy utilization efficiency in finishing lambs. Likewise, gene expression analysis indicates that supplementation with high doses of PPA could improve energy production and antioxidant status in finishing lambs.
Rethinking Freshwater Cage Aquaculture: A Case in Ghana
Authors: Banini Philip Kwasi , Anyan Kofi Ferni , Zornu Jacob , Ackah Mabel , Batsa David Narteh , Issifu Kwame , Amankwah Abigail , Ali Shimaa E. , Addo Samuel , Cudjoe Kofitsyo S.
Published: October 2024

Lakes around the world, including Ghana’s Lake Volta, are facing insidious threats from pollutants due to high dependency on aquatic ecosystems. Cage aquaculture is expanding across Africa because of its potential to address food insecurity, provide livelihoods, and boost local economies. However, the uncontrolled expansion of cage aquaculture can have significant negative impacts on water resources, including environmental footprints that threaten biodiversity. Given the intensification of cage aquaculture for tilapia farming on Lake Volta, we advocate for a transition to inland-integrated aquaculture systems that promote circularity. Strengthening stakeholder collaboration is essential for enhancing competence in mapping inland aquaculture areas, identifying eco-friendly alternatives and reinforcing aquaculture regulations, with particular emphasis on cage culture on Lake Volta. These strategies can reduce the pressures imposed by tilapia cage farms on the lake while promoting best management practices. Additionally, capacity building must be an ongoing process to address knowledge gaps, including the development of effective preparedness plans executed during emergencies. The ongoing pollution from illegal mining in the Black Volta River, a tributary of Lake Volta, along with endemic diseases in the lake, further compounds fish health and welfare issues. This underscores the urgent need to implement inland transition strategies to protect the lake, mitigate disease spread, and ensure safe fish food production.
Levee Soil Stratification Based on PAM Cluster Analysis of Measured Soil Samples from Multiple Probe Drilling Sites
Authors: Zhang Haitong , Wang Xin , Su Lei , Wei Yuan , Dai Wenhong
Published: October 2024

Accurate soil stratification is crucial for levee safety evaluation, yet limited field sampling often hinders comprehensive analysis. This study applies the Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM, also known as K-Medoids) clustering approach for levee soil stratification using data from multiple probe drilling sites. Focusing on a Yellow River levee section in China as a study case, the PAM clustering approach effectively identifies its distinct soil types and reconstructs its soil stratification by analyzing key soil properties relevant to levee seepage and stability characteristics, including coefficient of permeability, angle of internal friction, and cohesion. The resulting soil stratification, when applied to seepage and stability analyses of the levee section, yields relatively high safety factors, indicating low failure risks under design flood conditions. These analytical results align with recent monitoring records, validating the effectiveness of the approach. A sensitivity analysis on the number of clusters, the key parameter in the PAM clustering approach, demonstrates the typical existence of an optimal value balancing computational accuracy and practical interpretability. A comparison with a hierarchical clustering approach further confirms the robustness of the PAM clustering approach. This study contributes to improving levee soil stratification methodology and enhancing levee safety evaluation, particularly when dealing with limited and spatially distributed sampling data.
Seasonal Variations in the Thermal Stratification Responses and Water Quality of the Paldang Lake
Authors: Son Ju Yeon , Han Hye Jin , Cho Yong-Chul , Kang Taegu , Im Jong Kwon
Published: October 2024

We evaluated the thermal and chemical stratifications of Paldang Lake using Schmidt’s stability index (SSI) and the chemical stratification index (IC-i) with weekly data from 2013 to 2022. The temporal trends of stratification were analyzed alongside correlations with meteorological, hydrological, and water quality variables. Thermal stratification intensified with rising air temperature and sunshine duration, while hydrological factors like discharge and retention time affected SSI during periods with less than five days of water retention. During summer, fewer occurrences of intense rainfall or early rainfall before August led to stronger stratification. In fall, nutrient influx from external sources during summer stimulated algal growth, increasing Chlorophyll-α (Chl-α) concentrations. Summer rainfall had a significant impact on the strength and duration of stratification in Paldang Lake. Annual rainfall patterns and subsequent changes in discharge were key factors affecting the physical environment of the lake, which in turn determined water quality and the extent of algal blooms. We provide insights into the seasonal stratification and water quality variations in temperate river-type reservoirs like Paldang Lake. SSI and IC-i from this research can be applied to understand stratification and mixing dynamics in other lakes.
Distribution and Preservation of Total Organic Carbon and Total Inorganic Carbon in Pipahai Lake over the Past Century
Authors: Zhen Zhilei , Xu Lishuai , Gao Wenhao
Published: October 2024

Carbon burial patterns in lakes and their dynamic changes significantly impact terrestrial carbon sink fluxes and global carbon budgets. In this study, multi-indicator analysis of sediment core samples (P1, P2, and P3) from Pipahai Lake was conducted. Integrating the chronological sequences of 210Pb and 137Cs, we identified the historical changes and spatial characteristics of total organic carbon (TOC) and inorganic carbon (TIC) burial in Pipahai Lake since 1884. The results show that the TOC content was higher than that of the TIC. They exhibited an increasing trend with decreasing depth. Linear regression results indicated that the variation of TOC is less directly affected by precipitation (R = 0.39) and temperature (R = 0.58), while temperature may have a greater impact on TOC. From 1884 to 1995, nutrients were not the primary factor influencing changes in TOC. The synchronous variation in TIC and TOC contents reflects a higher contribution of external inputs to carbon burial in the Pipahai Lake basin. After 1996, nutrients may have begun to affect variations in TOC. The TOC primarily originates from distal aeolian transport or autochthonous sources, though human activity has played a role in its evolution. The TIC content is controlled by the TOC content and autochthonous sources. This study will contribute to the understanding of the carbon cycling dynamics and their influencing mechanisms in a high-altitude lake ecosystem.
Exploring the Drive Motor of Electric Vehicles: Structure, Temperature Rises, and Operational Control of Permanent Magnet Motors
Authors: Chen Zhongxian , Liu Jiayin
Published: October 2024

The drive motor is a critical component of electric vehicles. The design of its structure, along with the regulation of temperature rises and operational control, significantly impact the overall performance of electric vehicles, affecting aspects such as dynamic response, anti-interference capabilities, speed stability, and efficiency. This paper provides a review and comprehensive analysis of the Special Issue titled “Temperature Field, Electromagnetic Field, and Operation Control of Permanent Magnet Motor for Electric Vehicles”, and discusses the future development directions of permanent magnet motors in electric vehicles. The analysis reveals that the structural design is crucial for both the static and dynamic performance of permanent magnet motors. Additionally, it is imperative to identify an optimal trade-off among various performance parameters in these motors. The paper also verifies several future development directions for permanent magnet motors, including high-speed control, the use of advanced silicon steel sheets, power quality, battery charging efficiency, and energy feedback.
Diagnostic considerations and orthodontic treatment approaches of adolescents with the dentoalveolar form of class II malocclusion
Authors: Rozhkova M. G. , Fischev S. B. , Klimov A. G. , Sevastyanov A. V. , Puzdyreva M. N. , Pavlova S. G.
Published: October 2024

Relevance. Class II malocclusion (distal occlusion) is a common pathology of the maxillofacial region in the sagittal plane and is one of the most prevalent malocclusions. Studies confirm that Class II malocclusion in adolescents exhibits significant variability, prompting the development of various treatment approaches using both removable and fixed orthodontic appliances. The challenges of adolescence include concurrent physiological and psychological changes, which can complicate the treatment process.

Purpose. To enhance the effectiveness of orthodontic treatment for patients with the dentoalveolar form of Class II malocclusion by utilizing the Rotation-Torque Index (RTI).

Material and methods. A study was conducted on 49 residents of St. Petersburg with physiological occlusion types, who were included in the control group. The main group comprised 95 adolescents (aged 12-18) with the dentoalveolar form of Class II malocclusion classified into three levels of severity, based on the proposed working prognostic classification.

Results. A new method was developed to calculate a coefficient that describes the relationship between the position of the upper and lower jaws and the torque of the central incisors. This coefficient helps predict treatment outcomes and guides the selection of the optimal treatment strategy. The Rotation-Torque Index (RTI) was introduced to quantify the relationship between the position of the jaws in the skull (SNA, SNB) and the inclination of the central incisors of the upper jaw relative to the nasal line (NL) and those of the lower jaw relative to the mandibular line (ML).

Conclusions. Based on the Rotation-Torque Index (RTI), a working prognostic classification and treatment strategies for patients with the dentoalveolar form of Class II malocclusion were proposed.
تصميم نموذج محاكاة لحل مشكلة التأخير في عملية تخليص البضائع في ميناء الشويخ
Authors: الحسين رائد عباس , الفضلي صلاح محارب
Published: October 2024

تعد مشكلة التأخر في عملية تخليص البضائع إحدى المشكلات الشائعة التي تواجه الموانئ البحرية، وتتسبب في خسائر مادية للمورد والمستهلك على حد سواءـ ولذلك فإن تطوير انسيابية مراحل تخليص البضائع يعد أحد أهم عوامل النجاح في أي ميناء بحري.من هذا المنطلق تسعى هذه الدراسة إلى تحديد العوائق التي تتسبب في تأخير عملية تخليص البضائع في ميناء الشويخ، وذلك من خلال تصميم نموذج محاكاة لهذه العملية حتى يتم التغلب على هذه العوائق.
مدى تأثير دخول المصارف الأجنبية وأثرها في العائد والمخاطر: دراسة تطبيقية على القطاع المصرفي في الأردن ودول الخليج العربي
Authors: عيسى سوزان سمير , الزعبي خالد عبدالعال
Published: October 2024

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى قياس مدى تأثير دخول المصارف الأجنبية على السوق المصرفي في الأردن ودول الخليج العربي. وتكونت عينة الدراسة من (52) مصرفاً للفترة (1996- 2004)، تم الحصول على البيانات من التقارير السنوية. وقد خلصت الدراسة إلى أن أثّر دخول المصارف الأجنبية على الدول عينة البحث مجتمعة على نحو غير مرغوب فيه على كل من صافي هامش الفائدة، والأرباح المحاسبية، ومخاطر المصارف. وعلى نحو مرغوب فيه على النشاطات غير الإقراضية، والمصاريف التشغيلية.
دراسة تطبيقية في الأداء السعري قصير الأجل للإصدارات العامة الأولية - من واقع سوق الأسهم الأردني
Authors: العلي أسعد حميد , برايك فايزة عبدالقادر
Published: October 2024

البحث عبارة عن دراسة تطبيقية للإصدارات (الاكتتابات) العامة الأولية الأردنية، يتناول الأداء السعري قصير الأجل لـ 53 شركة طرحت أسهمها للاكتتاب خلال الفترة الممتدة من 1999 إلى 2008. وقد جاءت النتائج عموما متماثلة مع نتائج أغلب الدراسات السابقة، ولاسيما تلك التي تمت بالأسواق الناشئة. فقد أظهر اختبار العوائد غير الاعتيادية دلالة إحصائية لظاهرة التسعير المخفض في اليوم الأول للتداول. وقد أظهر التحليل المقطعي أن حجم العرض يأتي في المقام الأول لتفسير هذه الظاهرة بالأجل القصير، حيث استعمل كدلالة على حالة عدم التأكد، كما بينت النتائج أن المطلعين (الحكومة أو المؤسسين) ومن خلال الاحتفاظ بجزء من الأسهم المصدرة حديثا فإنهم بذلك يرسلون إشارات إيجابية حول جودة إصداراتهم، وهو الأمر الذي يؤثر إيجابيا على ظاهرة التسعير المخفض. إضافة إلى ذلك، أظهرت الفرضيات المتعلقة بالخصائص المؤسسية والمتمثلة في (الظروف القبلية للسوق وفجوة التوقيت) قوة تفسيرية عالية، أما بقية العوامل الأخرى؛ كسمعة مدير الإصدار، وعمر الشركة، وعدد طروحات الأسهم اللاحقة، فلم يثبت لها أثر في تفسير هذه الظاهرة.