bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential Induced Degradation in Photovoltaic Modules: A Review of the Latest Research and Developments
Authors: Badran Ghadeer , Dhimish Mahmoud
Published: June 2023

Photovoltaic (PV) technology plays a crucial role in the transition towards a low-carbon energy system, but the potential-induced degradation (PID) phenomenon can significantly impact the performance and lifespan of PV modules. PID occurs when a high voltage potential difference exists between the module and ground, leading to ion migration and the formation of conductive paths. This results in reduced power output and poses a challenge for PV systems. Research and development efforts have focused on the use of new materials, designs, and mitigation strategies to prevent or mitigate PID. Materials such as conductive polymers, anti-reflective coatings, and specialized coatings have been developed, along with mitigation strategies such as bypass diodes and DC-DC converters. Understanding the various factors that contribute to PID, such as temperature and humidity, is critical for the development of effective approaches to prevent and mitigate this issue. This review aims to provide an overview of the latest research and developments in the field of PID in PV modules, highlighting the materials, designs, and strategies that have been developed to address this issue. We emphasize the importance of PID research and development in the context of the global effort to combat climate change. By improving the performance and reliability of PV systems, we can increase their contribution to the transition towards a low-carbon energy system.
Medical Gas Systems Maintainability Risks in Healthcare Facilities: A Design Optimization Approach
Authors: Alassafi Hassan , Al-Gahtani Khalid S. , Almohsen Abdulmohsen S.
Published: June 2023

Medical gas pipeline systems (MGPSs) are crucial for operating healthcare facilities as life-saving systems. The sustainability of MGPSs mandates optimum performance by reducing maintenance and repairs. Since faulty design is inventible, healthcare facilities endure several design-caused maintenance issues that endanger the sustainability of healthcare services and maintenance life cycle costs. These design decisions could have been avoided if proper consideration for maintenance had been applied. Eleven experts participated in semi-structured interviews guided by Staticized Group Techniques to identify and evaluate the maintenance issues. The results included identifying 52 design-related maintenance issues that pose maintainability risks. The findings primarily fall under emergency gas supply availability, future expansion readiness, and accessibility of maintenance. The most critical issue found is the excessive cutting-outs of the pipelines when upgrading the system. For new healthcare facilities, the results of this research provide practical help for designers to avoid MGPS issues. A scarcity of benchmark research and geographical factors are some limitations to this study.
Towards Sustainable Urban Riverfront Redevelopment: Adaptability as a Design Strategy for the Hangang Riverfront in Seoul
Authors: Jun Jinhyun
Published: June 2023

The design of urban spaces, including waterfronts, must consider the flexibility to respond to urban and environmental changes and the continuity that respects the existing urban factors that have determined the essential characteristics of the place. The Hangang River in Seoul, South Korea, has been susceptible to significant changes over the years and has accumulated considerable historical traces and an irrevocable relationship with its urban contexts. On the other hand, as the country experienced rapid development, most urban plans have been executed based on shortsighted perspectives without considering sustainability. This study suggests adaptability as the main driver to achieve sustainability of the urban riverfront by viewing the site condition dichotomously. The components of the site were distinguished as fixed and variable factors. Considering fixed factors, six design intervention types were applied to the site through extensive macroanalysis and correlation studies, and each intervention was proposed to respond to the variable factors of the site. This study proposed four strategies to upgrade the riverfront as an adaptable space. First, five types of waterfronts were introduced with more distinct functions and identities to accommodate various activities. Second, commercial development was introduced to build a stable financial base that could respond to economic fluctuations. Third, the ecological waterfront space was expanded to react to climate change in the long term and achieve the goals of improving the microclimate, biodiversity, and educational function in the short term. Lastly, connective infrastructure was introduced to address the rapidly increasing demand for open space. The significance of this study was twofold. First, the site condition was interpreted more comprehensively by applying a framework for analysis by distinguishing the fixed and variable factors. Second, the strategy presented in this study can be applied to establish a waterfront redevelopment plan in other cities that have a context similar to the Hangang River of Seoul.
An Integrated Approach to Sub-Surface Water Pathways for the Sustainable Development of the Architectural Landscape of Agro-Urban Areas
Authors: Como Alessandra , Cuomo Albina , Perrotta Luisa Smeragliuolo
Published: June 2023

This paper presents the results of multidisciplinary research which addresses the issue of sustainability within the design of urban agricultural landscapes through the joint solution of architecture and hydro-geomorphology for the management, accessibility and use of urban agricultural landscapes. If the traditional separation between urban and productive land has now been overcome by the inclusion of agricultural areas within the cities, what is still under discussion is how to make its planning sustainable, especially in densely urbanized contexts. This research was developed with a methodology able to combine different types of data in order to satisfy needs relating to the availability of water for land supply and to make this landscape—both rural and urban—accessible to the city. Historical traces, interpretative insights, and hydro-geomorphological reading models of the territory were analysed. Their interweaving has made it possible to develop a prototype of a water and landscape infrastructure that combines a system for subsurface water, cycle–pedestrian paths and small-scale architecture features around the water tanks. The research has been tested in the city of Pozzuoli (NA) in Southern Italy, within the Monteruscello neighbourhood. The result led to a design solution of an integrated system which contributes to implementing the green transition within cities.
Research on Data-Driven Dynamic Decision-Making Mechanism of Mega Infrastructure Project Construction
Authors: Hu Guangzhong , Liu Yuming , Liu Kai , Yang Xiaoxu
Published: June 2023

The construction of mega infrastructure projects has the characteristics of repeatability, long duration, and high complexity. Therefore, it is particularly important to implement dynamic decision-making in projects. This study takes data-driven decision-making mechanisms as the entry point and constructs a dynamic decision-making system for mega infrastructure projects consisting of an information collection subsystem, an information processing and transformation subsystem, a human–computer collaborative decision-making subsystem and an evaluation and feedback subsystem. On this basis, we established a system dynamics model of dynamic decision-making for mega infrastructure projects. Vensim PLE 9.3.5 software was used to simulate and analyze the operation law of dynamic decision-making for mega infrastructure projects from a data-driven perspective, and the sensitivity of the application rate of information management technology, the application rate of data analysis methods, the participation rate of experts in decision-making, the historical case information on this project, and the information on similar projects on the effectiveness of program implementation were simulated and analyzed. The results of the study showed that all five key influencing factors have a positive impact on the effectiveness of program implementation. In addition, the application rate of information management technology and the application rate of information analysis methods have a higher sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation, the participation rate of experts in decision-making and historical case information on this project have average sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation, and information on similar projects has lower sensitivity to the effectiveness of program implementation. This study provides some ideas and suggestions to promote the effective use of information technology and digital technology by each participant in the construction of mega infrastructure projects while improving their dynamic decision-making efficiency, scientificity, and accuracy.
The Adoption and Use of Smart Assistants in Residential Homes: The Matching Hypothesis
Authors: Johnson Nathanael , Reimer Torsten
Published: June 2023

An increasing number of residential homes are equipped with smart assistants such as Cortana, Alexa, and Siri. Adoption rates and the frequency of the usage of smart assistants vary across users and residential homes. Building on the theory of uses and gratifications (UGT) and the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2), the objective of this paper was to examine whether the intended use of a digital assistant would moderate the effects of performance expectancy and hedonic motivation on its adoption. Two experiments (N = 345 and N = 351) tested the hypothesis that, for utilitarian purposes, devices with high performance appraisal are preferred, whereas for entertainment purposes, devices with high hedonic appraisal are preferred. The experiments manipulated the performance expectancy and hedonic motivation towards several digital assistants by varying how the assistants were introduced. Participants were asked which assistant they would choose for a variety of utilitarian and entertainment purposes. As expected, the experiments supported the proposed matching hypothesis, revealing that the devices that were high in performance appraisal were preferred for utilitarian tasks, whereas the devices high in hedonic appraisal were preferred for entertainment needs. These results suggest that a device’s introduction can change people’s perceptions of the device and subsequently their decision to use it.
Using a Photoacoustic Cell for Spectroscopy of Toxic Air Pollutants including CO2, SO2 and NO Gases
Authors: Hadjiaghaie Vafaie Reza , Hosseinzadeh Ghader
Published: June 2023

Due to the rise in global temperature and climate change, the detection of CO2, SO2 and NO pollutants is important in smart cities. In this paper, an H-shaped photoacoustic cell is utilized for the detection of low-concentration gases. The geometry of the cell is miniaturized and designed with specific parameters in order to increase its efficiency and performance. The designed cell eliminates problems such as bulkiness and cost, which prevent the use of sensors in detecting greenhouse gases. The simplicity of the design expands the application rate of the cell in practice. In order to consider the viscosity and thermal effects, the cell is formulized by fully linearized Navier–Stokes equations, and various parameters, such as acoustic pressure, frequency response, sound speed (sound velocity) and quality factor, are investigated for the mentioned gases. The performance of the system is frequency-based, and the target gases can be detected by using a microelectromechanical resonator as a pressure sensor. Quality factor analysis expresses that CO2, SO2 and NO gases have quality factors of 27.84, 33.62 and 33.32, respectively. The performance of the cell in the resonance state can be expressed by the linear correlation between the results. The background noise generated in the photoacoustic research has been removed by miniaturization due to the obtained resonance, and the proposed cell provides a proper signal-to-noise ratio. The results of the proposed system represent the increase in the quality factor, which reduces the losses and thus increases the sensitivity of the system in the study of greenhouse gases.
Sustainability of Multiwall Carbon Nanotube Fibers and Their Cellulose Composite
Authors: Khuyen Nguyen Quang , Elhi Fred , Le Quoc Bao , Kiefer Rudolf
Published: June 2023

Nowadays, the research community envisions smart materials composed of biodegradable, biocompatible, and sustainable natural polymers, such as cellulose. Most applications of cellulose electroactive materials are developed for energy storage and sensors, while only a few are reported for linear actuators. Therefore, we introduce here cellulose-multiwall carbon nanotube composite (Cell-CNT) fibers compared with pristine multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers made by dielectrophoresis (DEP) in their linear actuation in an organic electrolyte. Electrochemical measurements (cyclic voltammetry, square wave potential steps, and chronopotentiometry) were performed with electromechanical deformation (EMD) measurements. The linear actuation of Cell-CNT outperformed the main actuation at discharging, having 7.9 kPa stress and 0.062% strain, making this composite more sustainable in smart materials, textiles, or robotics. The CNT fiber depends on scan rates switching from mixed actuation to main expansion at negative charging. The CNT fiber-specific capacitance was much enhanced with 278 F g−1, and had a capacity retention of 96% after 5000 cycles, making this fiber more sustainable in energy storage than the Cell-CNT fiber. The fiber samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET (Braunauer-Emmett-Teller) measurement, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy.
Enhancing Intersection Performance for Tram and Connected Vehicles through a Collaborative Optimization
Authors: Louati Ali , Kariri Elham
Published: June 2023

This article tackles a pervasive problem in connected transportation networks: the issue of conflicting right-of-way between trams and Connected Vehicles (CV) at intersections. Trams are typically granted a semi-exclusive right-of-way, leading to a clash with CV. To resolve this challenge, the study introduces a Transit Signal Priority (TSP) system and a guidance framework that seeks to minimize unintended delays for trams while minimizing the negative impact on CV, passenger comfort, energy consumption, and overall travel time. The proposed framework employs a collaborative optimization system and an improved genetic algorithm to adjust both the signal phase duration and the operating path. The study is based on data collected from a simulated intersection that includes the signal phase sequence and duration. The findings demonstrate that the proposed framework was able to reduce the transit time for trams by 45.8% and the overall transit time for trams 481 and CVs by 17.1% compared to the conventional method. Additionally, the system was able to reduce energy consumption by 34.7% and the non-comfort index by 25.8%. Overall, this research contributes to the development of a more efficient and sustainable transportation system for the future.
Information System Success for Organizational Sustainability: Exploring the Public Institutions in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almuqrin Abdullah , Mutambik Ibrahim , Alomran Abdulaziz , Zhang Justin Zuopeng
Published: June 2023

Organizational sustainability supports the financial, social, and cultural well-being of organizations and their surrounding communities. However, few studies have examined organizational sustainability in Saudi Arabia or its link to information technology. This study used self-reported data from a large sample of employees at various Saudi government institutions to conclude that these institutions moderately implemented organizational sustainability. Correlation and regression analyses demonstrated weak associations between various types of organizational sustainability and dimensions of information system success, where user satisfaction with information systems is the strongest positive predictor of perceived organizational sustainability. Organizational sustainability is still emerging in the public sector, and further research is needed to identify predictors of its success.
Potential Solutions for the Water Shortage Using Towers of Fog Collectors in a High Andean Community in Central Ecuador
Authors: Carrera-Villacrés David Vinicio , Rodríguez-Espinosa Fabián , Toulkeridis Theofilos
Published: June 2023

The lack of water is a fundamental issue for survival of peasant communities located at heights above 3200 masl in the Andean highlands, such as in the case of the Galte-Yaguachi community in central Ecuador. The social balance, agricultural development as well as animal subsistence and finally the economic income is pending on the availability of hydric resources. Therefore, a three-dimensional fog collector system was constructed with Urku Yaku material in order to provide water for the close-by community. Simultaneously, we determined the quality of the collected water per square meter of the mesh, during the period of the highest annual precipitations. The installed nets yielded a gain of at least 2.63 L/m2 and a minimum of 0.65 L/m2 per day. The analyzed water quality reflected the suitability for human consumption. As water collection has been successful, an expansion of the proposed system may provide this fundamental good also to other communities with similar characteristics. Fog catcher towers will produce 26,577.84 m3/year of water, fulfilling crops’ needs, and the economic analysis proves it is worth the investment, as demonstrated by a benefit cost ratio of 1.90.
Digital Inclusive Finance Development and Labor Productivity: Based on a Capital-Deepening Perspective
Authors: Wu Donghong , Chen Yiren
Published: June 2023

This paper examines the impact of digital inclusive finance development on labor productivity and its transmission channels using panel data from 30 provinces in China during 2011–2020. According to empirical findings, the growth of digital inclusive finance significantly improves labor productivity in China. This conclusion holds even after taking into account endogeneity problems and robustness tests. Regarding transmission channels, digital inclusive finance development enhances labor productivity by promoting capital deepening. From the perspective of the three dimensions of the current digital inclusive finance development stage, the coverage width significantly boosts labor productivity. From a regional perspective, digital inclusive finance development has a more significant impact on labor productivity in the eastern region compared to the central and western areas. From an industry perspective, digital inclusive finance development significantly enhances labor productivity in the primary and tertiary industries.
Research on the Influencing Factors of Construction Enterprises’ Digital Transformation Based on DEMATEL-TAISM
Authors: Liu Huihui , Yu Hui , Zhou Hongmin , Zhang Xiantang
Published: June 2023

The ongoing shift from an industrial to a digital economy is a significant global phenomenon. However, the driving forces behind and the tactical approach to digital transformation are still unclear to the construction industry, thereby posing challenges for construction enterprises seeking to undergo digital transformation. Therefore, this paper conducted an investigation on the subject, including the following: (1) the 17 influencing factors in the complex system of digital transformation of construction enterprises were screened and summarized from four perspectives: Environment, Technology, Organisation, and Resources. The attributes of the influencing factors were analyzed using the Decision-Making Experimentation and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, and the key factors were identified. (2) The Total Adversarial Interpretive Structure Model (TAISM) method was used to develop a multi-perspective adversarial recursive structure model with integrated impact values, which reflected the interrelationships between the influencing factors and the hierarchical structure. (3) Based on the analysis of the influencing factors of digital transformation of construction enterprises, the clear path mechanisms were elucidated and suggested measures from the internal and external perspectives of government and construction firms were recommended. The results can offer theoretical backing and serve as a stepping stone for the digital transformation of the construction industry.
Livestock Farmers’ Attitudes towards Alternative Proteins
Authors: Crawshaw Chloe , Piazza Jared
Published: June 2023

New food technologies such as cultured meat, precision fermentation, and plant-based alternatives may one day supplant traditional modes of animal farming. Nonetheless, very little is known about how traditional animal farmers perceive these new products, despite being directly impacted by their advance. The present study explored the views of livestock farmers regarding emerging protein alternatives. We used a comparison group of omnivorous non-farmers as a frame of reference. Forty-five UK-based livestock farmers and fifty-three non-farmers read an informative vignette about emerging food technologies that reviewed their advantages vis-à-vis intensive animal agriculture. Afterwards, participants rated four products (plant-based burgers; plant-based milk alternatives; cultured beef; animal-free dairy milk) in terms of their personal appeal and how much they represented a positive change to the market. Participants furthermore voiced their agreement or disagreement towards 26 statements representing potential facilitators or barriers to product acceptance. Overall, farmers rated the four products less appealing and less beneficial to the industry compared to non-farmers. Positive change ratings tended to be higher than personal appeal ratings for all products. Both groups tended to agree that the alternatives offered advantages, particularly for the environment, resource use, food security, and animal treatment, though agreement rates were lower for farmers. Farmers tended to perceive more barriers to acceptance than non-farmers, with ‘threat to farmers’ and ‘lack of support to local farmers’ of paramount concern to both groups. These findings highlight how farmers’ attitudes towards alternative proteins are mixed and, ultimately, shaped by the perceived vulnerability of farming communities.
A Systematic Review of Collective Efficacy for Supporting Adaptation-Related Responses to Climate Hazards
Authors: Mzimela Jabulile Happyness , Moyo Inocent
Published: June 2023

Given the reality of unprecedented climate change, which has negatively impacted and continues to impact societies and economies, exploring the collective efficacy (CE)-)–adaptation nexus is urgent. Against this backdrop, the current contribution systematically reviews the literature on CE and adaptation by utilising the reporting standards for systematic evidence syntheses (RoSES). The aim is to establish the state of knowledge on the association between CE and adaptation to climate change and its variability globally. The appraisal of eight articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria demonstrates the limited and geographically skewed distribution of publications on the CE–adaptation nexus. CE has not been extensively operationalized in parts of the highly vulnerable African continent. CE and adaptation research in African countries is imperative considering their collectivistic culture, high vulnerability, and low adaptive capacity. Evidence on the positive association between CE and adaptation to climate change and climate-related hazards has been accrued. This is the context within which this paper advances the need for increased research across socio-cultural contexts to advance knowledge on the CE–adaptation nexus and facilitate effective and sustainable adaptation.
Apricot Stone Classification Using Image Analysis and Machine Learning
Authors: Ropelewska Ewa , Rady Ahmed M. , Watson Nicholas J.
Published: June 2023

Apricot stones have high commercial value and can be used for manufacturing functional foods, cosmetic products, active carbon, and biodiesel. The optimal processing of the stones is dependent on the cultivar and there is a need for methods to sort among different cultivars (which are often mixed in processing facilities). This study investigates the effectiveness of two low-cost colour imaging systems coupled with supervised learning to develop classification models to determine the cultivar of different stones. Apricot stones of the cultivars ‘Bella’, ‘Early Orange’, ‘Harcot’, ‘Skierniewicka Słodka’, and ‘Taja’ were used. The RGB images were acquired using a flatbed scanner or a digital camera; and 2172 image texture features were extracted within the R, G, B; L, a, b; X, Y, Z; U, and V colour coordinates. The most influential features were determined and resulted in 103 and 89 selected features for the digital camera and the flatbed scanner, respectively. Linear and nonlinear classifiers were applied including Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Decision Trees (DT), k-Nearest Neighbour (kNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), and Naive Bayes (NB). The models resulting from the flatbed scanner and using selected features achieved an accuracy of 100% via either quadratic diagonal LDA or kNN classifiers. The models developed using images from the digital camera and all or selected features had an accuracy of up to 96.77% using the SVM classifier. This study presents novel and simple-to-implement at-line (flatbed scanner) and online (digital camera) methodologies for apricot stone sorting. The developed procedure combining colour imaging and machine learning may be used for the authentication of apricot stone cultivars and quality evaluation of apricot from sustainable production.
Confidence Intervals for Mean and Difference between Means of Delta-Lognormal Distributions Based on Left-Censored Data
Authors: Thangjai Warisa , Niwitpong Sa-Aat
Published: June 2023

A delta-lognormal distribution consists of zero and positive values. The positive values follow a lognormal distribution, which is an asymmetric distribution. It is well known that the logarithm of these values follows a normal distribution, which is a symmetric distribution. The delta-lognormal distribution is used in medical and environmental sciences. This study considers the challenges of constructing confidence intervals for the mean and difference between means of delta-lognormal distributions containing left-censored data and applies them to compare two daily rainfall average areas in Thailand. Three different approaches for constructing confidence intervals for the mean of the delta-lognormal distribution containing left-censored data, based on the generalized confidence interval approach, the Bayesian approach, and the parametric bootstrap approach, are developed. Moreover, four different approaches for constructing confidence intervals for the difference between means of delta-lognormal distributions containing left-censored data, based on the generalized confidence interval approach, the Bayesian approach, the parametric bootstrap approach, and the method of variance estimates recovery approach, are considered. The performance of the proposed confidence intervals is evaluated by Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation studies indicate that the Bayesian approach can be considered as an alternative to construct a credible interval for the mean of the delta-lognormal distribution containing left-censored data. Additionally, the generalized confidence interval and Bayesian approaches can be recommended as alternatives to estimate the confidence interval for the difference between means of delta-lognormal distributions containing left-censored data. All approaches are illustrated using the daily rainfall data from Chiang Mai and Lampang provinces in Thailand.
Weighting Factor Design Techniques for Predictive Control of Power Electronics and Motor Drives
Authors: Zhang Yuzhe , Zhang Zhenbin , Babayomi Oluleke , Li Zhen
Published: June 2023

The rapid growth of energy demand requires progressive energy generation. This, together with the demand for higher efficiency and flexibility, has promoted the application of power electronics in energy systems. During the past decade, model predictive control (MPC) of power electronics has witnessed significant advancements in both dynamic performance and optimal control of the multi-objective terms. Several of these terms can have equal control priorities, resulting in a symmetrical cost function; however, most objectives have different priorities and require weighting factors to resolve the asymmetry in the cost function. Currently, researchers continue to encounter challenges in the optimal design of weighting factors. Moreover, the relative performance of different techniques that either utilize or avoid the weighting factor are uncertain. Therefore, this study focuses on weighting factor design techniques in the literature as applied to wind/solar energy conversion, microgrids, grid-connected converters, and other high-performance converter-based systems. These are grouped under the heuristic, offline tuning, sequential, and online optimization methods. This study demonstrates that optimal online tuning of weighting factors and sequential MPC methods can both offer improved robustness against parameter uncertainties. In addition, the advantages and limitations of different techniques are highlighted.
Reversible Data Hiding in Encrypted Images Based on Hybrid Prediction and Huffman Coding
Authors: Sui Liansheng , Li Han , Liu Jie , Xiao Zhaolin , Tian Ailing
Published: June 2023

As an interesting technique that allows data extraction and image recovery without any loss, reversible data hiding in encrypted images is an area of great concern in the field of information security. In this paper, a new reversible data hiding method with high embedding capacity is proposed based on hybrid prediction and Huffman coding. The combination of two embedding mechanisms is innovatively designed to improve the embedding capacity according to different parts of the original image, i.e., the most significant bit-plane and the remaining seven bit-planes. In the first part of this method, the prediction value of each pixel is obtained by calculating the average value of its two neighboring pixels, and all of the most significant bits can be vacated to accommodate additional data. In the second part, the prediction value of each pixel is calculated using the median edge detector predictor, on which the tag map is built. Then, Huffman coding is used to compress the tag map so that a large amount of vacant space is obtained. Finally, the secret data can be embedded into the vacated space by directly using bit substitution. Compared with some recently reported methods, experimental results and analysis have demonstrated that an original image with high visual symmetry/quality can be recovered. Also, larger embedding capacity can be achieved, such as 3.3894 bpp and 3.2824 bpp, for BOSSBase and BOWS2 databases, respectively.
QCD Phase Structure and In-Medium Modifications of Meson Masses in Polyakov Linear-Sigma Model with Finite Isospin Asymmetry
Authors: Tawfik Abdel Nasser
Published: June 2023

In the QCD-like effective model, the Polyakov linear-sigma model, the isospin sigma field (σ¯3=fK±−fK0) and the third generator of the matrix of the explicit symmetry breaking [h3=ma02fK±−fK0] are estimated in terms of the decay constants of the neutral (fK0) and charged Kaon (fK±) and the mass of a0 meson. Both quantities σ¯3 and h3 are then evaluated, at finite baryon (μB), isospin chemical potential (μI), and temperature (T). Thereby, the dependence of the critical temperature on isospin chemical potential could be mapped out in the (T−μI) phase diagram In the QCD-like effective model, the Polyakov linear-sigma model, the isospin sigma field (σ¯3=fK±−fK0) and the third generator of the matrix of the explicit symmetry breaking [h3=ma02fK±−fK0] are estimated in terms of the decay constants of the neutral (fK0) and charged Kaon (fK±) and the mass of a0 meson. Both quantities σ¯3 and h3 are then evaluated, at finite baryon (μB), isospin chemical potential (μI), and temperature (T). Thereby, the dependence of the critical temperature on isospin chemical potential could be mapped out in the (T−μI) phase diagram. The in-medium modifications of pseudoscalars (Jpc=0−+), scalars (Jpc=0++), vectors (Jpc=1−−), and axial-vectors (Jpc=1++) meson states are then analyzed in thermal and dense medium. We conclude that the QCD phase diagram (T−μI) is qualitatively similar to the (T−μB) phase diagram. We also conclude that both temperature and isospin chemical potential enhance the in-medium modifications of the meson states a0, σ, η′, π, f0, κ, η, K, ρ, ω, κ*, ϕ, a1, f1, K*, and f1*. Regarding their chemical potential, at high temperatures the various meson states likely dissolve into colored partonic phase. In this limit, the meson masses form a universal bundle. Thus, we conclude that the increase in the chemical potential similar to temperature derives the colorless confined meson states into the colored deconfined parton phase.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Influenza Vaccination among Parents of Children with Asthma: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Al-Qerem Walid , Jarab Anan , Hammad Alaa , Alasmari Fawaz , Ling Jonathan , Al-Zayadneh Enas , Al-Iede Montaha , Alazab Badi’ah , Hajeer Leen
Published: June 2023

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood. Exacerbation is a significant problem for asthmatic patients, and viral infections remain the most frequent triggers of asthma exacerbations. This study explored knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of parents of asthmatic children towards providing influenza vaccine to their children. This cross-sectional study enrolled parents of asthmatic children who visited the outpatient respiratory clinics of two Jordanian hospitals. The present study enrolled 667 parents of asthmatic children (62.8% female). The median age of the participants’ children was 7 years. The results showed that 60.4% of the children with asthma never received a flu vaccine. Most of those who had received the flu vaccine reported that the side effects were mild (62.7%). Asthma duration was positively and significantly associated with increased vaccine hesitancy/rejection (OR = 1.093, 95% CI = (1.004–1.190), p = 0.04; and OR = 1.092, 95% CI = (1.002–1.189), p = 0.044, respectively). As the attitude towards flu vaccine score increases, odds of vaccination hesitancy/rejection decreased (OR = 0.735, 95% CI = (0.676–0.800), p < 0.001; and OR = 0.571, 95% CI = (0.514–0.634), p < 0.001, respectively). The main reasons for vaccination hesitancy/refusal included “I don’t think my child needs it” (22.3%) followed by “I forget it” (19.5%). The rate of vaccination among children was low and emphasized the necessity of encouraging parents with asthmatic children to vaccinate their children by conducting health awareness campaigns and also emphasized the role of doctors and other healthcare professionals.
A Study of 41 Canine Orthologues of Human Genes Involved in Monogenic Obesity Reveals Marker in the ADCY3 for Body Weight in Labrador Retrievers
Authors: Sypniewski Mateusz , Szydlowski Maciej
Published: June 2023

Obesity and overweight are common conditions in dogs, but individual susceptibility varies with numerous risk factors, including diet, age, sterilization, and gender. In addition to environmental and biological factors, genetic and epigenetic risk factors can influence predisposition to canine obesity, however, they remain unknown. Labrador Retrievers are one of the breeds that are prone to obesity. The purpose of this study was to analyse 41 canine orthologues of human genes linked to monogenic obesity in humans to identify genes associated with body weight in Labrador Retriever dogs. We analysed 11,520 variants from 50 dogs using a linear mixed model with sex, age, and sterilization as covariates and population structure as a random effect. Estimates obtained from the model were subjected to a maxT permutation procedure to adjust p-values for FWER < 0.05. Only the ADCY3 gene showed statistically significant association: TA>T deletion located at 17:19,222,459 in 1/20 intron (per allele effect of 5.56 kg, SE 0.018, p-value = 5.83 × 10−5, TA/TA: 11 dogs; TA/T: 32 dogs; T/T: 7 dogs). Mutations in the ADCY3 gene have already been associated with obesity in mice and humans, making it a promising marker for canine obesity research. Our results provide further evidence that the genetic makeup of obesity in Labrador Retriever dogs contains genes with large effect sizes.
The Ecological Role of Ruppia cirrhosa (Petagna) Grande in a Choked Lagoon
Authors: Munari Cristina , Casoni Elia , Cozzula Cinzia , Pasculli Alessandra , Pezzi Marco , Sciuto Katia , Sfriso Andrea Augusto , Sfriso Adriano , Mistri Michele
Published: June 2023

We studied the ecological and functional aspects (such as role in sediment characteristics and plant–animal interactions) of a Ruppia cirrhosa (Petagna) Grande meadow during its vegetative season in the choked Valle Campo lagoon, a sub-basin of the wider Valli di Comacchio, on the Northern Adriatic coast. Sampling campaigns were carried out with a roughly fortnightly frequency in 2017 at two sites, one with the Ruppia meadow and one with bare sediment. Sediment parameters analyzed were microphytobenthic chlorophyll-a, protein, carbohydrate, and lipid content, and total organic matter. The macrobenthos was identified at the lowest possible taxonomic level. Chlorophyll a, as a surrogate of microphytobenthos, showed differences between the two sites, probably mainly related to light intensity; thus, it is expected that the absence of seagrass canopy results in the higher production of microphytobenthos. At both sites, proteins were the dominant class of labile compounds, suggesting that detrital organic matter present at both study sites is of high nutritional quality. The high protein/carbohydrate ratio also suggests the presence of non-aged organic matter. We recorded a total of 18 macroinvertebrate taxa. The Ruppia meadow showed a positive influence on macrofauna abundance, diversity, species richness, and composition of trophic groups. Only the infaunal taxa Capitella capitata and Chironomus salinarius exhibited higher abundance at the bare site. The ecological quality status measured by the M-AMBI index was unsatisfactory everywhere. However, the presence of the Ruppia meadow resulted in index values being consistently higher. The role of this minor seagrass has been proved to be of great importance, improving the nutritional quality of the organic matter in the sediments and, above all, providing new habitats and new niches for a number of benthic macrofauna species.
The Importance of Habitat and Lake Morphometry for the Summer Diet Choice of Landlocked Arctic Char in Two West Greenland Lakes
Authors: Berthelsen Andreas S. , Raundrup Katrine , Grønkjær Peter , Jeppesen Erik , Lauridsen Torben L.
Published: June 2023

Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is a top predator and the most widespread fish in Arctic lakes. The presence of Arctic char affects the predator–prey dynamics of the key species in the food webs in these lakes. This study sought to elucidate the effects of habitat (littoral, pelagic, or profundal) and lake morphometry on the trophic position of this char in the food web. Using stomach content and stable isotope analyses, we investigated the effect of fish length, habitat, and time (individual survey years: 2008, 2013, 2018, and 2019) on the dietary niches of landlocked Arctic char populations during summer in two west Greenland lakes: Badesø (area 0.8 km2, mean depth 9.2 m) and Langesø (area 0.3 km2, mean depth 5.0 m). The small char (<20 cm fork length) in Badesø generally foraged less littoral macroinvertebrates than those from Langesø. The large chars were mainly piscivorous in both lakes. In Badesø, there was a shift from relying on littoral to pelagic invertebrates by the small char from 2008–2013 to 2018–2019. The proportionally larger size of the littoral habitat in the smaller Langesø led to an increased reliance on littoral-derived macroinvertebrates in the diet of the small char, more so than in the larger Badesø, where the predominant reliance was on pelagic sources.
High-Frequency Observations of Cyanobacterial Blooms in Lake Taihu (China) from FY-4B/AGRI
Authors: Hang Xin , Li Xinyi , Li Yachun , Zhu Shihua , Li Shengqi , Han Xiuzhen , Sun Liangxiao
Published: June 2023

China’s FY-4B satellite, launched on 3 June 2021, is a new-generation geostationary meteorological satellite. The Advanced Geosynchronous Radiation Imager (AGRI) onboard FY-4B has 15 spectral channels, including 2 visible (470 and 650 nm), 1 near infrared (825 nm), and 3 shortwave infrared (1379, 1610, and 2225 nm) bands, which can be used to observe the Earth system with the highest spatial resolution of 500 m and 15 min temporal resolution. In this study, FY-4B/AGRI observations were applied for the first time to monitor cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Taihu, China. The AGRI reflectance at visible and near-infrared bands was first corrected to surface reflectance using the 6S radiative transfer model. Due to the similar spectral reflectance characteristics to those of land-based vegetation, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and some other remote sensing vegetation indices are usually used for the retrieval of cyanobacterial blooms. The fractional vegetation cover (FVC) of algae, defined as the fraction of green vegetation in the nadir view, was adopted to depict the status and trend of cyanobacterial blooms. NDVI and FVC, the two remote sensing indices developed for the retrieval of land vegetation, were used for the detection of cyanobacteria blooms in Lake Taihu. Finally, the FVC derived from AGRI measurements was compared with that obtained from the Advanced Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Himawari-8 satellite to validate the effectiveness of our method. It was found that atmospheric correction can substantially improve the determination of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values of cyanobacterial blooms in the lake. As a proof of the robustness of the algorithm, the NDVIs are both derived from both AGRI and AHI and their magnitudes are similar. In addition, the distribution of cyanobacterial blooms derived from AGRI FVC is highly consistent with that derived from FY-3D/MERSI and EOS/MODIS. While a lower spatial resolution of FY-4B/AGRI might restrict its capability in capturing some spatial details of cyanobacterial blooms, the high-frequency measurements can provide information for the timely and effective management of aquatic ecosystems and help researchers better quantify and understand the dynamics of cyanobacterial blooms. In particular, AGRI can provide greater details on the diurnal variation in the distribution of cyanobacterial blooms owing to the high temporal resolution.
Malocclusion predictors in children with primary dentition (part one)
Authors: Danilova M. A. , Ishmurzin P. V. , Rudavina T. I.
Published: June 2023

Relevance. The evaluation of malocclusion risk factor impact in primary dentition is an essential tool for prevention and treatment planning and high-quality child orthodontic care.

The study aimed to determine malocclusion predictors in children with primary dentition.

Material and methods. The article presents the retrospective dental status analysis findings of 123 children (55 boys and 68 girls). The initial oral examination was at 4.0 to 55 years old (average age was 5.1 ± 0.6 years), and the reexamination was at 6.0 to 10.5 years old (average age was 8.7 ± 1.3 years). We evaluated the presence of a relationship and its strength between the risk factors in primary dentition and malocclusion in early mixed dentition using Pearson's chi-squared test (χ2) and Kramer–Welch criterion (V). The study calculated the odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval for each pair of primary dentition risk factors – early mixed dentition malocclusion.

Results. Differentiation of predisposing factors and their combination analysis allowed the formation of predictor clusters for primary dentition with the clinical probability of malocclusion in the mixed dentition of over 95%. For distal occlusion, the risk factor cluster included early extraction of lower deciduous molars, mouth breathing and postural disorder (χ2 = 11.46, V = 0.47); for mesial occlusion – early extraction of upper deciduous incisors and upper deciduous molars (χ2 = 18.30, V = 0.53); for deep overbite and open bite – early extraction of lower deciduous molars and reverse swallowing (χ2 = 14.61, V = 0.56); for an anterior open-bite – interdental lisp and sucking habits (χ2 = 20.91, V = 0.50); for the mandibular lateral shift – unilateral extraction of lower molars and mouth breathing (χ2 = 9.98, V = 0.42).

Conclusion. Malocclusion predictor identification and elimination in children with primary dentition reduce the likelihood of malocclusion formation in mixed dentition.
PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT: ASSESSMENT CRITERIA AND MEASURES OF TIMELY PREVENTION
Authors:   Russian State University of Biotechnology (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, Russia, Astrakhantseva E.Y. , Kuchumov A.V. ,   Russian State University of Biotechnology (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, Russia, Pechenaya L.T. ,   Russian State University of Biotechnology (ROSBIOTECH), Moscow, Russia, Tsyganov A.A. ,   Financial University under the Government of Russia, Moscow, Russia
Published: June 2023

The subject of the study is socio-economic and psychological relations in the process of labor activity and the human life support system, which affect the professional burnout of workers. The object of the study is the syndrome of professional burnout (preconditions, stages, forms of manifestation) of employees. The purpose of the study is to improve the results of work by identifying and then leveling professional burnout. The high importance of measures to level the syndrome of professional burnout required knowledge of the prerequisites for the occurrence of this problem, factors of influence, and methods of timely prevention, which emphasizes the relevance of the research topic. The scientific novelty lies in the grouping of currently used approaches to the concept of "professional burnout". It is shown that the accelerated introduction of the achievements of scientific and technological progress (including the Internet) in all spheres of public life, including labor, causes an increase in the level of anxiety about one’s place. in the environment and personal achievements, which results in the fear of missing out (FOMO), which negatively affects and leads to a breakdown in the emotional state and gradual burnout. The research methods are analysis, systematization, synthesis, induction, deduction, and modeling. To achieve this goal, the following results were obtained: consideration of the theoretical foundations of the problem of "professional burnout"; analysis of factors influencing the occurrence of the "professional burnout" syndrome; systematization of stages and signs of professional burnout; assessment of professional burnout level among company employees (on the example of employees of a state corporation); formulation of recommendations for preventing and reducing the consequences of professional burnout. On the basis of the theoretical substantiation of the concept of "professional burnout", the main conclusion and practical recommendations are made, the factors influencing the occurrence of this syndrome and the stages of manifestation are considered, examples of their occurrence are given, and the practical experience of companies is analyzed and measures to prevent this phenomenon are suggested.