bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Fuzzy Cognitive Map and PESTEL-Based Approach to Mitigate CO2 Urban Mobility: The Case of Larissa, Greece
Authors: Kokkinos Konstantinos , Nathanail Eftihia
Published: August 2023

The CO2 reduction promise must be widely adopted if governments are to decrease future emissions and alter the trajectory of urban mobility. However, from a long-term perspective, the strategic vision of CO2 mitigation is driven by inherent uncertainty and unanticipated volatility. As these issues emerge, they have a considerable impact on the future trends produced by a number of exogenous and endogenous factors, including Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal aspects (PESTEL). This study’s goal is to identify, categorize, and analyze major PESTEL factors that have an impact on the dynamics of urban mobility in a rapidly changing environment. For the example scenario of the city of Larissa, Greece, a Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) approach was employed to examine the dynamic interactions and behaviors of the connected criteria from the previous PESTEL categories. An integrative strategy that evaluates the interaction of linguistic evaluations in the FCM is used to include all stakeholders in the creation of a Decision Support System (DSS). The methodology eliminates the uncertainty brought on by a dearth of quantitative data. The scenarios in the study strands highlight how urbanization’s effects on sustainable urban transportation and the emergence of urban PESTEL actors impact on CO2 reduction decision-making. We focus on the use case of Larissa, Greece (the city of the CIVITAS program), which began putting its sustainable urban development plan into practice in 2015. The proposed decision-making tool uses analytics and optimization algorithms to point responsible authorities and decision-makers in the direction of Larissa’s sustainable urban mobility and eventually the decarbonization of the urban and suburban regions.
Optimizing Living Service Amenities for Diverse Urban Residents: A Supply and Demand Balancing Analysis
Authors: Wang Kangxu , Wang Weifeng , Li Tongtong , Wen Shengjun , Fu Xin , Wang Xinhao
Published: August 2023

Urban residents’ well-being relies on fair access to living service amenities. To plan better living service amenities, planners need to balance supply and demand and find gaps and opportunities. We performed a spatial analysis of 2645 residential complexes in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China’s built-up area, using POI (Point of Interest), AOI (Area of Interest), and census and property data. We measured the supply status of 14 living service amenities by their number and distance and estimated the demand status of residents by their number and age. We also used location entropy and coupling coordination degree to measure the balance status. The results showed a spatial mismatch between supply and demand, with more amenities in the urban center where fewer and older residents lived, and fewer amenities in the suburbs where more and younger residents lived. The urban center had a location benefit but a lower coupling degree. The imbalance was mainly due to land finance and geographical segregation from unequal resource distribution. We also gave a visualization tool for planners to check any residential complex’s status and make informed decisions for amenity planning and construction.
Effect of Conventional and Microwave Heating on Protein and Odor Profile in Soymilk Powder
Authors: Khotchai Walailak , Therdthai Nantawan , Soontrunnarudrungsri Aussama
Published: August 2023

Soymilk contained serine protease enzymes with inhibitory activity against trypsin, causing a negative effect on nutritional absorption. This project aimed to investigate the effects of conventional heating (100 °C/20 min) and microwave heating (360–900 W/1–6 min) on trypsin inhibitor, protein digestibility, and odor profiles. Soymilk contained 46–47% protein, regardless of heating conditions. Using scanning electron microscopy, it can be seen that the conventionally heated sample had a smooth surface and a porous structure, whereas microwave-heated samples contained a protein matrix in clusters with rough surfaces. The molecular weight of proteins in SDS-PAGE was reduced to 19 kDa and <16 kDa after conventional and microwave heating, respectively, resulting in the reduction of trypsin inhibitor from 36.66 to 0.91 and 0.56–0.66 mg/g, respectively. Protein digestibility was significantly improved when either the conventional heating at 100 °C for 20 min or the microwave heating at 900 W for 6 min was applied. From e-nose analysis, the beany flavor was reduced after the microwave heating for 3–6 min, and the highest intensity of the sweet odor compounds were observed after the microwave heating at 600 W for 1 min. Due to the short processing time, microwave heating was then recommended for inhibition of trypsin inhibitors and improving protein digestibility.
The Personal Health Applications of Machine Learning Techniques in the Internet of Behaviors
Authors: Amiri Zahra , Heidari Arash , Darbandi Mehdi , Yazdani Yalda , Jafari Navimipour Nima , Esmaeilpour Mansour , Sheykhi Farshid , Unal Mehmet
Published: August 2023

With the swift pace of the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in diverse spheres, the medical and healthcare fields are utilizing machine learning (ML) methodologies in numerous inventive ways. ML techniques have outstripped formerly state-of-the-art techniques in medical and healthcare practices, yielding faster and more precise outcomes. Healthcare practitioners are increasingly drawn to this technology in their initiatives relating to the Internet of Behavior (IoB). This area of research scrutinizes the rationales, approaches, and timing of human technology adoption, encompassing the domains of the Internet of Things (IoT), behavioral science, and edge analytics. The significance of ML in medical and healthcare applications based on the IoB stems from its ability to analyze and interpret copious amounts of complex data instantly, providing innovative perspectives that can enhance healthcare outcomes and boost the efficiency of IoB-based medical and healthcare procedures and thus aid in diagnoses, treatment protocols, and clinical decision making. As a result of the inadequacy of thorough inquiry into the employment of ML-based approaches in the context of using IoB for healthcare applications, we conducted a study on this subject matter, introducing a novel taxonomy that underscores the need to employ each ML method distinctively. With this objective in mind, we have classified the cutting-edge ML solutions for IoB-based healthcare challenges into five categories, which are convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), deep neural networks (DNNs), multilayer perceptions (MLPs), and hybrid methods. In order to delve deeper, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) that examined critical factors, such as the primary concept, benefits, drawbacks, simulation environment, and datasets. Subsequently, we highlighted pioneering studies on ML methodologies for IoB-based medical issues. Moreover, several challenges related to the implementation of ML in healthcare and medicine have been tackled, thereby gradually fostering further research endeavors that can enhance IoB-based health and medical studies. Our findings indicated that Tensorflow was the most commonly utilized simulation setting, accounting for 24% of the proposed methodologies by researchers. Additionally, accuracy was deemed to be the most crucial parameter in the majority of the examined papers.
Understanding Residents’ Intention to Adapt to Climate Change in Urban Destinations—A Case Study of Chang-Zhu-Tan Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Hu Qiangsheng , He Xiaorong , Zhu Hongbing , Yang Peihong
Published: August 2023

While urban destinations have been affected by climate change, they are also at the vanguard of climate change adaptation. However, there is limited evidence from the urban destination point of view showing how they perceive or adapt to climate change influences. Therefore, this study bridges the gap by adopting the protection motivation theory to investigate residents’ perceptions of climate change risks and their adaptation intentions. Web-based questionnaires were developed and distributed to respondents, specifically residents in the CZT (Chang-Zhu-Tan) urban agglomeration. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to explore the underlying mechanisms. The findings show that the residents were already aware of the impact of global climate change and were well informed with regard to the relevant information. The key factors driving the residents’ intention to adapt to the changing climate were identified, and include information, risk perception, perceived adaptive capacity, and adaptive incentives. Importantly, receiving the relevant information can greatly enhance an individual’s risk awareness and adaptation appraisal ability. When people perceive greater climatic hazards and adaptive ability, they are more inclined to undertake climate interventions. Additionally, adaptive incentives have a considerable influence on adaptation appraisal, and greater incentives will mobilize residents to better adapt to climate change. The results provide useful suggestions, such as enhancing climate risk awareness and building adaptive capacity for urban destinations to generate better policies and strategies in climate adaptation and destination management.
Microalgae as Biofertilizers: A Sustainable Way to Improve Soil Fertility and Plant Growth
Authors: Gonçalves João , Freitas Jorge , Fernandes Igor , Silva Pedro
Published: August 2023

The intensification of agricultural production in response to the global population increase and the growing demand for food has raised significant concerns regarding environmental impacts over the past few decades. Currently, modern agriculture aims to improve the quantity and quality of crop yield, minimizing the negative effects of treatments on the environment. Recently, microalgae have found extensive application as a valuable biological resource across multiple industries, including the food sector, biofuel production, and the pharmaceutical industry. In agriculture, microalgae have been seen as a promising and sustainable alternative to agrochemicals, offering a range of benefits to improve soil fertility, optimize nutrient management, and reduce reliance on synthetic fertilizers. In general, microalgae have demonstrated efficient nutrient cycling abilities, assimilating and converting essential nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, into forms readily available for plants. Additionally, they produce bioactive substances, including phytohormones, which have a direct impact on the physiological processes of plants and promote their growth. Microalgae can also establish beneficial interactions with other soil microorganisms, supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria and fungi, thus promoting a healthy soil microbiome. On the other hand, as photosynthetic microorganisms, microalgae harness sunlight to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into organic matter through photosynthesis. This ability allows them to sequester carbon and contribute to sustainable agriculture by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The present work provides an overview of the potential of microalgae as biofertilizers, highlighting their unique characteristics, benefits, and main limitations for effective implementation in agriculturally sustainable practices.
Analysis of Rock Breaking Parameters and Simulation of Mechanical Characteristics of Multi-Nozzle Jet Impact
Authors: Liu Yanbao , He Lipeng , Dai Linchao , Shen Kai , Ba Quanbin
Published: August 2023

With the continuous development of high-pressure water jet technology, research on the optimization of structural parameters for multi-nozzle configurations, the perforation effect of jet rotational impact rock breaking, and the impact force during rock breaking has received increasing attention. Through the development of a self-designed high-pressure water jet rotational drilling test device, rock breaking experiments were conducted on sandstone of different strengths using jet streams with different inclination angles, various combinations of nozzles, different target distances, and different rotational speeds. The parameters and structure of the multi-nozzle jet drill bit were optimized, and the impact of water jet-rock breaking effects was studied. The rationality of different inclination-angle jet streams in rock breaking was verified using the ALE-FEM coupling method. The changes in the force on the target body and the fragmentation mode during rock breaking with different inclination-angle jet streams were analyzed. The results showed that under the condition of adjustable inclination angles, a smaller inclination angle resulted in greater depth and a smaller diameter of rock breaking, while a larger inclination angle resulted in greater width and a smaller depth of rock breaking. The optimal combination of multi-nozzle jet streams was determined to be 20°, 30°, and 60°, which achieved a balance between rock breaking and borehole expansion performance. The efficiency of multi-nozzle jet rotational rock breaking decreased with increasing target distance, with the optimal range being 2 to 4 mm. The rotational speed of the multi-nozzle jet stream had a significant impact on rock-breaking efficiency. Under the same target distance conditions, as the drilling speed increased, the volume of rock breaking initially increased and then decreased, and the rate of volume attenuation increased with increasing target distance. The forms of rock breaking in multi-nozzle jet streams were not identical. Jet streams with smaller inclination angles mainly caused tensile failure through axial impact, while those with larger inclination angles primarily caused shear failure through radial impact. This study provides valuable guidance for optimizing the structural parameters of multi-nozzle jet drill bits and researching rotational rock breaking.
Forecasting the Natural Gas Supply and Consumption in China Using a Novel Grey Wavelet Support Vector Regressor
Authors: Ma Xin , Deng Yanqiao , Yuan Hong
Published: August 2023

Natural gas is playing an important role in the reconstruction of the energy system of China. Natural gas supply and consumption indicators forecasting is an important decision-making support for the government and energy companies, which has attracted considerable interest from researchers in recent years. In order to deal with the more complex features of the natural gas datasets in China, a Grey Wavelet Support Vector Regressor is proposed in this work. This model integrates the primary framework of the grey system model with the kernel representation employed in the support vector regression model. Through a series of mathematical transformations, the parameter optimization problem can be solved using the sequential minimal optimization algorithm. The Grey Wolf Optimizer is used to optimize its hyperparameters with the nested cross-validation scheme, and a complete computational algorithm is built. The case studies are conducted with real-world datasets from 2003–2020 in China using the proposed model and 15 other models. The results show that the proposed model presents a significantly higher performance in out-of-sample forecasting than all the other models, indicating the high potential of the proposed model in forecasting the natural gas supply and consumption in China.
Availability of Using Honeybees as Bioindicators of Pesticide Exposure in the Vicinity of Agricultural Environments in Taiwan
Authors: Hung Chien-Che , Yiin Lih-Ming
Published: August 2023

While pollinating, honeybees are subject to exposure to a variety of pesticides; with their characteristics of certain foraging distances, they could serve as bioindicators of pesticide exposure in a neighborhood. We conducted a study to assess availability by collecting and analyzing bee samples from 15 apiaries located in East Taiwan and dust samples from the adjacent environment, and by finding relations between both samples. Seventeen pesticides were selected for the analysis using gas or liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and eight (three insecticides, two herbicides, and three fungicides) were more frequently detected from bee or dust samples; the levels of these pesticides were mostly under 1000 ng/g. Significant correlation results (r ≅ 0.8) between residue concentrations in bees and in dust suggest that honeybees could be a good bioindicator for exposure to herbicides and fungicides within certain ranges. The pesticide contents of sick/dead bees were much higher than those of healthy counterparts regarding any pesticide type, with the mean total concentrations of 635 ng/g and 176 ng/g, respectively. We conclude that honeybees could be used as bioindicators of pesticide exposure; sick/dead bees could serve as a warning sign of the severity of pesticide pollution.
Geographic Variability, Seasonality, and Increase in ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center Harmful Blue-Green Algae Calls—United States and Canada, 2010–2022
Authors: Bloch Rebecca A. , Faulkner Grace , Hilborn Elizabeth D. , Wismer Tina , Martin Nicole , Rhea Sarah
Published: August 2023

Harmful cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) exposures can cause illness or death in humans and animals. We characterized American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) harmful blue-green algae (HBGA) call data, compared it to a measure of harmful algal bloom public awareness, and considered its suitability as a public health information source. ASPCA APCC dog and cat “HBGA exposure” calls made 1 January 2010–31 December 2022 were included. We calculated annual HBGA call percentages and described calls (species, month, origin, exposure route). We characterized public awareness by quantifying Nexis Uni® (LexisNexis Academic; New York, NY, USA)-indexed news publications (2010–2022) pertaining to “harmful algal bloom(s)”. Call percentage increased annually, from 0.005% (2010) to 0.070% (2022). Of 999 HBGA calls, 99.4% (n = 993) were dog exposures. Over 65% (n = 655) of calls were made July–September, largely from the New England (n = 154 (15.4%)) and Pacific (n = 129 (12.9.%)) geographic divisions. Oral and dermal exposures predominated (n = 956 (95.7%)). Harmful algal bloom news publications increased overall, peaking in 2019 (n = 1834). Higher call volumes in summer and in the New England and Pacific geographic divisions drove HBGA call increases; public awareness might have contributed. Dogs and humans have similar exposure routes. ASPCA APCC HBGA call data could serve as a public health information source.
Proposition of FSR Photon Suppression Employing a Two-Positron Decay Dark Matter Model to Explain Positron Anomaly in Cosmic Rays
Authors: Barak Ramin , Belotsky Konstantin , Shlepkina Ekaterina
Published: August 2023

The origin of an anomalous excess of high-energy (about 100 GeV and higher) positrons in cosmic rays is one of the rare problems in this field, which is proposed to be solved with dark matter (DM). Attempts to solve this problem are faced with the issue of having to satisfy the data on cosmic positrons and cosmic gamma radiation, which inevitably accompanies positron production, such as FSR (final state radiation), simultaneously. We have been trying to come up with a solution by means of two approaches: making assumptions (*) about the spatial distribution of the dark matter and (**) about the physics of its interactions. This work is some small final step of a big investigation regarding the search for gamma suppression by employing the second approach, and a model with a doubly charged particle decaying into two positrons (X++→e+e+) is suggested as the most prospective one from those considered before.
Analytical Approximations to Charged Black Hole Solutions in Einstein–Maxwell–Weyl Gravity
Authors: Li Sheng-Yuan , Zhang Ming , Zou De-Cheng , Lai Meng-Yun
Published: August 2023

The homotopy analysis method (HAM) is a useful method to derive analytical approximate solutions of black holes in modified gravity theories. In this paper, we study the Einstein–Weyl gravity coupled with Maxwell field and obtain analytical approximation solutions for charged black holes by using the HAM. It is found that the analytical approximate solutions are sufficiently accurate in the entire spacetime outside the black hole’s event horizon and also consistent with numerical ones for charged black holes in the Einstein–Maxwell–Weyl gravity.
Real-Life Experience on Dolutegravir and Lamivudine as Initial or Switch Therapy in a Silver Population Living with HIV
Authors: Mazzitelli Maria , Sasset Lolita , Gardin Samuele , Leoni Davide , Trunfio Mattia , Scaglione Vincenzo , Mengato Daniele , Agostini Elena , Vania Eleonora , Putaggio Cristina , Cattelan Annamaria
Published: August 2023

Background: Clinical trials and real-life studies have granted the efficacy and safety of dolutegravir and lamivudine (DTG/3TC) in naïve and experienced people living with HIV (PLWH), but there are no long-term data in elderly people. We herein describe our real-life cohort of PLWH who were ≥65 years of age (PLWH ≥ 65) who started or were switched to DTG/3TC, single-tablet regimen, or DTG plus 3TC. Methods: We considered laboratory/clinical parameter changes from the baseline to the last follow-up time point available for each person by the paired Wilcoxon test and analyzed factors associated with virological failure (VF) and discontinuation. Results: We included 112 PLWH with a median age of 66 (IQR: 65–70) years, 77.6% males; 84.8% of people had multimorbidity, 34.8% were on polypharmacy, and only 5.4% were naïve to treatment. Reasons to be switched to DTG/3TC were: abacavir removal (38.7%), treatment simplification (33.1%), and PI discontinuation (28.2%). The median treatment durability was 6 (IQR: 5.4–7) years. No significant changes were detected in metabolic, renal, immunological, or cardiovascular biomarkers during follow-up. HIV RNA undetectability was maintained in 104 (92.8%) individuals for whom follow-up evaluation was available. We observed eight discontinuations (two deaths, two VFs, two early intolerances, one significant weight gain, and one switch to long-acting therapy). No factors were significantly associated with VF or discontinuation. Conclusions: This is the first study on DTG/3TC in PLWH ≥ 65 with a follow-up longer than 5 years. DTG/3TC was found to be safe and effective, neutral on metabolic parameters, and with a low discontinuation rate for toxicity or VF.
Evaluation of Nafamostat as Chemoprophylaxis for SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Hamsters
Authors: Neary Megan , Sharp Joanne , Gallardo-Toledo Eduardo , Herriott Joanne , Kijak Edyta , Bramwell Chloe , Cox Helen , Tatham Lee , Box Helen , Curley Paul , Arshad Usman , Rajoli Rajith K. R. , Pertinez Henry , Valentijn Anthony , Dhaliwal Kevin , Mc Caughan Frank , Hobson James , Rannard Steve , Kipar Anja , Stewart James P. , Owen Andrew
Published: August 2023

The successful development of a chemoprophylaxis against SARS-CoV-2 could provide a tool for infection prevention that is implementable alongside vaccination programmes. Nafamostat is a serine protease inhibitor that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry in vitro, but it has not been characterised for chemoprophylaxis in animal models. Clinically, nafamostat is limited to intravenous delivery and has an extremely short plasma half-life. This study sought to determine whether intranasal dosing of nafamostat at 5 mg/kg twice daily was able to prevent the airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from infected to uninfected Syrian Golden hamsters. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detectable in the throat swabs of the water-treated control group 4 days after cohabitation with a SARS-CoV-2 inoculated hamster. However, throat swabs from the intranasal nafamostat-treated hamsters remained SARS-CoV-2 RNA negative for the full 4 days of cohabitation. Significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 RNA concentrations were seen in the nasal turbinates of the nafamostat-treated group compared to the control (p = 0.001). A plaque assay quantified a significantly lower concentration of infectious SARS-CoV-2 in the lungs of the nafamostat-treated group compared to the control (p = 0.035). When taken collectively with the pathological changes observed in the lungs and nasal mucosa, these data are strongly supportive of the utility of intranasally delivered nafamostat for the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In Vivo Imaging Sheds Light on the Susceptibility and Permissivity of Carassius auratus to Cyprinid Herpesvirus 2 According to Developmental Stage
Authors: He Bo , Sridhar Arun , Streiff Cindy , Deketelaere Caroline , Zhang Haiyan , Gao Yuan , Hu Yunlong , Pirotte Sebastien , Delrez Natacha , Davison Andrew J. , Donohoe Owen , Vanderplasschen Alain F. C.
Published: August 2023

Cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) is a virus that causes mass mortality in economically important Carassius spp. However, there have been no comprehensive studies into host susceptibility or permissivity with respect to developmental stage, and the major portal of viral entry into the host is still unclear. To help bridge these knowledge gaps, we developed the first ever recombinant strain of CyHV-2 expressing bioluminescent and fluorescent reporter genes. Infection of Carassius auratus hosts with this recombinant by immersion facilitated the exploitation of various in vivo imaging techniques to establish the spatiotemporal aspects of CyHV-2 replication at larval, juvenile, and adult developmental stages. While less susceptible than later developmental stages, larvae were most permissive to CyHV-2 replication, leading to rapid systemic infection and high mortality. Permissivity to CyHV-2 decreased with advancing development, with adults being the least permissive and, thus, also exhibiting the least mortality. Across all developmental stages, the skin was the most susceptible and permissive organ to infection at the earliest sampling points post-infection, indicating that it represents the major portal of entry into these hosts. Collectively these findings provide important fundamental insights into CyHV-2 pathogenesis and epidemiology in Carassius auratus with high relevance to other related economically important virus-host models.
First Identification and Pathogenicity Evaluation of an EV-G17 Strain Carrying a Torovirus Papain-like Cysteine Protease (PLCP) Gene in China
Authors: Li Zhan-Hong , Li Zhuo-Ran , Zhu Pei , Zhang Zhen-Xing , Song Jian-Ling
Published: August 2023

Enterovirus G (EV-G) is prevalent in pig populations worldwide, and a total of 20 genotypes (G1 to G20) have been confirmed. Recently, recombinant EV-Gs carrying the papain-like cysteine protease (PLCP) gene of porcine torovirus have been isolated or detected, while their pathogenicity is poorly understood. In this study, an EV-G17-PLCP strain, ‘EV-G/YN23/2022’, was isolated from the feces of pigs with diarrhea, and the virus replicated robustly in numerous cell lines. The isolate showed the highest complete genome nucleotide (87.5%) and polyprotein amino acid (96.6%) identity in relation to the G17 strain ‘IShi-Ya4’ (LC549655), and a possible recombination event was detected at the 708 and 3383 positions in the EV-G/YN23/2022 genome. EV-G/YN23/2022 was nonlethal to piglets, but mild diarrhea, transient fever, typical skin lesions, and weight gain deceleration were observed. The virus replicated efficiently in multiple organs, and the pathological lesions were mainly located in the small intestine. All the challenged piglets showed seroconversion for EV-G/YN23/2022 at 6 to 9 days post-inoculation (dpi), and the neutralization antibody peaked at 15 dpi. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-18, IFN-α, IFN-β, and ISG-15 in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were significantly up-regulated during viral infection. This is the first documentation of the isolation and pathogenicity evaluation of the EV-G17-PLCP strain in China. The results may advance our understanding of the evolution characteristics and pathogenesis of EV-G-PLCP.
Development of an Enhanced High-Yield Influenza Vaccine Backbone in Embryonated Chicken Eggs
Authors: Guan Lizheng , Ping Jihui , Lopes Tiago J. S. , Fan Shufang , Presler Robert , Neumann Gabriele , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: August 2023

Vaccination is an efficient approach to preventing influenza virus infections. Recently, we developed influenza A and B virus vaccine backbones that increased the yield of several vaccine viruses in Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) and African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells. These vaccine backbones also increased viral replication in embryonated chicken eggs, which are the most frequently used platform for influenza vaccine manufacturing. In this study, to further increase the viral titers in embryonated chicken eggs, we introduced random mutations into the ‘internal genes’ (i.e., all influenza viral genes except those encoding the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins) of the influenza A virus high-yield virus backbone we developed previously. The randomly mutated viruses were sequentially passaged in embryonated chicken eggs to select variants with increased replicative ability. We identified a candidate that conferred higher influenza virus growth than the high-yield parental virus backbone. Although the observed increases in virus growth may be considered small, they are highly relevant for vaccine manufacturers.
Synergistic Piezo-Catalytic Inactivation of Bacteria by Dual-Frequency Ultrasound (120 + 1700 kHz) Using Persulfate and ZnO Nano- and Microparticles
Authors: Tsenter Irina , Kobunova Elena , Matafonova Galina , Batoev Valeriy
Published: August 2023

Dual-frequency ultrasound (DFUS) coupled with sonocatalysts has emerged to be an advanced tool for antimicrobial applications in medicine but remains scarcely studied for water disinfection. In the present work, we first integrated high-frequency DFUS (120 + 1700 kHz), persulfate (S2O82−) and ZnO nano- (50 nm) and microparticles (1 μm) for eradicating Escherichia coli and Enterococcus faecalis in synthetic water. For E. coli, the efficiency of DFUS-based processes can be ranked as follows: DFUS < DFUS/ZnO < DFUS/S2O82− < DFUS/ZnO/S2O82−. A similar efficiency of the DFUS/S2O82− and DFUS/ZnO/S2O82− processes was found for more resistant E. faecalis. In the absence of persulfate, the performance of 1 μm ZnO was higher than that observed with 50 nm for inactivating E. coli via the DFUS/ZnO and 1700 kHz/ZnO processes. A synergy of DFUS in terms of 5-log (total) reduction was found in the S2O82−/ZnO-based systems, being higher for E. faecalis (synergistic coefficient = 1.8–3.0). The synergistic effect was proposed to be driven by the boosted generation of reactive oxygen species and sonoporation. This study opens prospects for the development of novel DFUS-based piezo-catalytic systems for efficient water disinfection.
Integrated Hydrogeological Modelling for Sustainable Management of the Brindisi Plain Aquifer (Southern Italy)
Authors: Pastore Nicola , Cherubini Claudia , Giasi Concetta Immacolata
Published: August 2023

Nowadays, changes in precipitation patterns together with the increasing water demand impose a sustainable management where the budget between water availability and demand is positively closed. A parsimonious hydrogeological modelling approach coupled with a soil water balance is developed and applied in order to quantify the hydrological and hydrogeological dynamics in a semi-arid region of the Mediterranean basin. In particular, the present work focuses on the hydrogeological dynamics of the catchment areas of Siedi, Foggia di Rau, Pigonati, and the Palmarini channels located in the Brindisi Plain, Southern Italy. In the last decades, in the Brindisi Plain the anthropization processes as well as the industrial and agricultural development have generated an intensive exploitation of both shallow and deep groundwater resources as well as their qualitative deterioration. A dry hydrologic year (2019–2020) caused a recharge deficit, resulting in a lowering of the groundwater level of the shallow aquifer compared to the expected seasonal value. The results evidence a sensitive natural system, where the variability of the rainfall regime combined with water withdrawal leads to a system that is very vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as the presence of erratic rainfall patterns affecting aquifer recharge. This study represents the first approach to couple a soil moisture balance model and groundwater flow model to assess the impact of changes in rainfall patterns on groundwater recharge for the Brindisi Plain aquifer. The developed integrated hydrogeological model can be applied to other sites with similar hydrogeological features and represents an important tool in order to evaluate the effectiveness of cost-effective sustainable actions for the management of the groundwater resources with respect to land-use practices and socio-economic aspects.
Geochemistry of Weathering Cover and the Main Influencing Factors in Karst Area of Guilin, Southwest China
Authors: Wu Huaying , Jiang Zhongcheng , Huang Qibo , Lan Funing , Liao Hongwei , Li Tengfang , Huang Chenhui
Published: August 2023

The chemical weathering of carbonate rocks is the main form of interaction between earth spheres in the karst critical zone. The karst weathering cover, which is composed by residua from carbonate rocks weathering, contains important information about the climate environment and material cycle. We present the chemical composition of weathering covers in karst area of Guilin, Guangxi province, analyze their weathering process and strength, and compare them with the other weathering covers in other karst area in China, including Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, and Qinghai Tibet Plateau. The results showed: (1) the chemical composition of Guilin weathering covers were similar to that of carbonate weathering covers in other areas of China, and had the common characteristics of uniform distribution of chemical composition in the profile and obvious enrichment of Fe, Al and trace elements. During the formation of carbonate weathering cover and the residua, the rapid dissolution of Ca and Mg had an important impact on the migration and enrichment of other elements. (2) The chemical index of alteration (CIA) of carbonate weathering covers in Guilin and other karst areas of China was much larger than that in the upper crust (UCC) (60.13), which showed strong chemical weathering characteristics of the humid and hot climate. (3) The weathering process of carbonate rock was different from that of silicate and loess. In the early stage of carbonate rock weathering, soluble components (calcite and dolomite) had been rapidly dissolved and leached. All the carbonate weathering residua was measured to be in the stage of K2O weathering and Al2O3 increasing. Therefore, the weathering degree of carbonate weathering cover was mainly determined by the leaching of K2O and the increase of Al2O3. As a result, there was no correlation between CIA and Na/K (molar ratio), but was a significant negative correlation between CIA and K/Al (molar ratio) in the carbonate weathering cover. (4) The CIA values of weathering residua and carbonate weathering cover in southern China were negatively correlated with latitude, reflecting the influence of climate factors. From the influence of lithology, the chemical compositions of parent rock can affect the CIA of weathering cover, and the content of insoluble matter in carbonate rock was negatively correlated with CIA. From the influence of topography, the CIA value of weathering residua decreased from the high to the low position and from the shallow to the deep part of the profile.
Glyphosate Removal from Water Using Biochar Based Coffee Husk Loaded Fe3O4
Authors: Lita Arestha Leo , Hidayat Endar , Mohamad Sarbani Nur Maisarah , Harada Hiroyuki , Yonemura Seiichiro , Mitoma Yoshiharu , Herviyanti  , Gusmini
Published: August 2023

Glyphosate is an herbicide that is usually used by farmers and is considered harmful to the environment in excess amounts. To address these issues, coffee-husk-biochar-loaded Fe3O4 (CHB- Fe3O4) was used as an adsorbent to remove glyphosate from water. CHB-Fe3O4 characteristics such as pHpzc, FTIR, and SEM were measured to understand the properties of this adsorbent. The best conditions for glyphosate removal by CHB-Fe3O4 were obtained at pH 2.0, where the adsorption capacity and percentage removal are 22.44 mg/g and 99.64%, respectively, after 4 h of adsorption. The Freundlich model provided the best fit for the adsorption isotherm, demonstrating multilayer sorption. The most effective model for characterizing the adsorption kinetics was the pseudo-second-order model with a chemical adsorption mechanism. The desorption studies found that the use of 0.1 M NaOH was the best concentration to effectively desorb glyphosate with a desorption percentage of 69.4%. This indicates that CHB- Fe3O4 is a feasible adsorbent for glyphosate removal from water.
Analysis of Energy Flow in a Mid-Sized Electric Passenger Vehicle in Urban Driving Conditions
Authors: An Youngkuk , Yang Byeonggyu , Park Jinil , Lee Jonghwa , Park Kyoungseok
Published: August 2023

Because of emissions of exhaust gases, global warming is proceeding, and air pollution has increased. Thus, many countries are manufacturing eco-friendly vehicles, including electric vehicles. However, the range of electric vehicles is less than the range of internal combustion engine vehicles, so electric vehicle production is being disrupted. Thus, it is necessary to analyze the energy flow of electric vehicles. Therefore, to analyze energy flow of electric vehicles, this study suggested an energy flow structure first, then modeled the energy flow of the vehicle, dividing it into battery, inverter and motor, reduction gear and differential, and wheel parts. This study selected a test vehicle, drove in urban driving conditions and measured data. Then, this study calculated energy flow using MATLAB/SIMULINK in real time, and calculated and analyzed energy loss of each of the vehicle’s parts using the calculated data.
Usability Evaluation of Co-Pilot Screen Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method
Authors: Ma Jun , Wang Wei , Li Jiateng , Xu Wenxia
Published: August 2023

In this study, the usability evaluation model is constructed for a co-pilot screen, and an analysis of the impact factors and optimization recommendations is made based on the evaluation results. Firstly, based on the usability design principles, interaction ease, interaction efficiency, visual comfort, driving safety, and their corresponding secondary indicators are defined, and the subjective weight of each indicator is determined using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Then, usability evaluation is carried out on four vehicles via vehicle driving simulated experiments and driving experiments on the road, and the objective weight of the indicators is determined using the CRITIC method. Finally, the usability evaluation model for co-pilot screens is established by applying the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. The results indicate that the overall usability comprehensive score of co-pilot screens is convergent and is mainly concentrated in the range of 50–65 points, with two vehicles having excellent affiliation and two vehicles having average affiliation. However, there is a great distance still to reach when compared to an excellent level. The usability evaluation model of co-pilot screens established in this article can quantify the HMI usability design of co-pilot screens. The results of this study are significant for the four tested vehicles in terms of guiding the usability design of co-pilot screens and in promoting the rapid iteration of co-pilot screen development. And a production vehicle that connects a driving simulation platform and the usability evaluation model can be used to test and evaluate more screen designs, interaction models, tasks, and infotainment applications, thus guiding further user experience designs.
Computer Vision for DC Partial Discharge Diagnostics in Traction Battery Systems
Authors: Sangouard Ronan , Freudenberg Ivo , Kertel Maximilian
Published: August 2023

The tendency towards thin insulation layers in traction battery systems presents new challenges regarding insulation quality and service life. Phase-resolved DC partial discharge diagnostics can help to identify defects. Furthermore, different root causes are characterized by different patterns. However, to industrialize the procedure, there is the need for an automatic pattern recognition system. This paper shows how methods from computer vision can be applied to DC partial discharge diagnostics. The derived system is self-learning, needs no tedious manual calibration, and can identify defects within a matter of seconds. Thus, the combination of computer vision and phase-resolved DC partial discharge diagnostics provides an industrializable system for detecting insulation faults and identifying their root causes.
ПРАВОВИЙ СТАТУС КЕРІВНИКА ОРГАНУ НАЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ ПОЛІЦІЇ ЯК СУБ’ЄКТА ДОТРИМАННЯ ЗАКОННОСТІ ТА ДИСЦИПЛІНИ
Authors: Король О.
Published: August 2023

У статті здійснено розгляд адміністративно-правового статусу керівника органу Національної поліції як суб’єкта дотримання законності та дисципліни. Наголошено на тому, що належний рівень дотримання дисципліни серед підлеглих осіб залежать  не тільки від професіоналізму керівника та його особистісних якостей, а й від його адміністративно-правової діяльності та адміністративно-правового статусу власне органу Національної поліції. Вказано, що розуміння керівника як суб’єкта дотримання законності та дисципліни  у науковій літературі розглядалось як елемент спеціального правового статусу і не мало окремого дослідження, тобто такий статус керівника досліджувався частково і в основному стосувався його каральних функцій. Враховуючи поступове реформування органу поліції та розуміння поліції як органу, що надає певні послуги, здійснювати розгляд керівника у питаннях забезпечення законності та дисципліни у підпорядкованому йому органі виключно як суб’єкта із каральними функціями є недоцільним, а тому актуальним є поглиблене вивчення адміністративно-правового статусу керівника у вказаному питанні. Наголошено на тому, що адміністративно-правовий статус керівника органу поліції як суб’єкта дотримання законності та дисципліни має бути підкріплений конкретними правами, які такий керівник має використовувати саме для здійснення керівництва та управління. І такі повноваження мають бути чітко закріплені, тобто повинні мати певну форму вираження – норму права, закріплену в законі чи підзаконному нормативно-правовому акті. В контексті вказаного дослідження виділено три складові досліджуваного правового статусу керівника: 1) загальний правовий статус, який притаманний всім без виключення особам та містить у собі загальні права і обов’язки; 2) спеціальний правовий статус, який має наступні складові: а) адміністративно-правовий статус поліцейського, як працівника органу Національної поліції; б) адміністративно-правовий статус керівника органу Національної поліції; 3) адміністративно-правовий статус власне органу поліції.
ДЕЯКІ ПРАВОВІ ПИТАННЯ ВИРОБНИЦТВА ОРГАНІЧНОЇ ХАРЧОВОЇ ПРОДУКЦІЇ ЯК ЧИННИКА ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЇЇ ЯКОСТІ ТА БЕЗПЕЧНОСТІ
Authors: Єрмоленко В. , Головко Л.
Published: August 2023

Статтю присвячено актуальній проблемі правового забезпечення органічного виробництва як найефективнішого чинника якості та безпечності харчової продукції, зокрема виробництву органічної сільськогосподарської продукції. Розкривається взаємозв’язок між якістю та безпечністю продуктів харчування і збереженням здорового генотипу нації та сприятливого навколишнього середовища для майбутніх поколінь. Виводяться парні категорії безпечності та якості сільськогосподарської продукції, визначається співвідношення між ними. Аналізується чинне законодавство у сфері забезпечення якості та безпечності харчової продукції, вказується на колізійність запровадженого ним самим механізму правового регулювання. Звертається увага на втраті значення державного контролю у сфері дотримання якості та безпеки продуктів харчування завдяки активно впроваджуваній дерегуляції умов ведення бізнесу. Наводяться напрями реальних загроз здоров’ю населення нашої країни від застосування неякісної і небезпечної харчової продукції, зокрема  від широкого застосування в харчовій промисловості пальмової олії та трансгенної продукції в сільськогосподарському виробництві, робляться необхідні пропозиції щодо удосконалення відповідного законодавства. Розкриваються окремі недоліки законодавства щодо органічного виробництва, обігу та маркування органічної продукції.
Application of Intelligent Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Method for Reusability of Component Based Software System
Authors: Agarwal Jyoti , Kumar Manoj , Sharma Mugdha , Verma Deepak , Sharma Richa
Published: August 2023

Component Based Software System (CBSS) provides an easy and efficient way to develop new software application with the help of existing software components of similar functionalities. It increases the reusability of software components and reduce the development time, cost and effort of software developers. To select the appropriate component, it become essential to assess the reusability of software components so that suitable component can be selected to reuse in another application. For assessing the reusability of CBSS, several factors are required to be considered. In this paper, four reusability sub-factors Interface Complexity (IC), Understandability (Un), Customizability (Co) and Reliability (Re) are used as input variables and reusability is assessed using Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) and Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) approach because these two approaches are commonly used approach for assessing the quality factors. For experimental work, one case study has been done where rules are generated to assess reusability using four different reusability factors by taking feedback from researchers and academicians using online survey. Reusability was assessed for ten different values of input variables. Experiment shows that results obtained from ANFIS method were closer to the original values. Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of FIS results was 6.05% which was further reduced by the application of ANFIS approach and finally 2.20% of RMSE was achieved. This research work will be helpful for software developers and researchers to assess the reusability of software components and they will be able to take corrective decision for choosing the appropriate component to be reused in new software applications, which will reduce their effort, time and cost of development
An On-Site Electronic Voting System Using Blockchain and Biometrics
Authors: Tu Shu-Fen , Hsu Ching-Sheng , You Bo-Long
Published: August 2023

Electronic voting (e-voting) improves the convenience of voting and the efficiency of vote counting. With the rise of blockchain technology, many studies have proposed e-voting systems using blockchain technology. Most of them consider the usage scenario of remote voting and pay less attention to that of voting conducted at polling stations. In view of this research gap, this study proposed a blockchain-based system for e-voting at polling stations. We designed a system process integrating blockchain technology and voter’s biometrics to prevent data tampering and imposter voting. In addition, the blockchain platform adopted in our proposed system is Hyperledger Fabric (HF). Therefore, based on the HF framework, we specified how to deploy a blockchain network customized for this study. Finally, this study provided a property analysis of the proposed system and implemented a simulation system. In conclusion, the proposed system meets the requirements e-voting from two aspects. First, in terms of technology, our system adopted blockchain, digital signature, and biometric identification to achieve eligibility and immutability. Second, in terms of system process, the roles of government agencies and inspectors are incorporated to achieve transparency, receipt-freeness and accessibility