bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Tamarix smyrnensis for Phytoremediation Capacity of Laterite Mine Spoils
Authors: Seridou Petroula , Karmali Vasiliki , Syranidou Evdokia , Komnitsas Konstantinos , Kolliopoulos Georgios , Kalogerakis Nicolas
Published: February 2025

The phytoremediation potential of the halophytic plant, Tamarix smyrnensis (T. smyrnensis), was examined in toxic metal spoils assisted by biochar and irrigation by air nanobubbles. The substrate (spoil) used in the present study was derived from areas close to laterite (Ni-containing ores) mines. The efficiency of biochar addition in two rates (5 t/ha and 20 t/ha) to improve microbial properties and stabilize soil aggregates was also examined. Furthermore, the effect of irrigation with air-nanobubble-supplemented water was evaluated for the remediation of toxic metal spoils. The physiological condition of the plant species was investigated in terms of biomass, height, chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzymes. The alkali and heavy metal accumulation and their distribution in the plant parts were assessed to explore whether toxic metals could accumulate in the root and further translocate to the aboveground tissues. The growth of T. smyrnensis was not adversely affected by its cultivation in lateritic spoil, and the highest rate of biochar exhibited a beneficial effect on plant growth in terms of weight (aerial and subterranean biomass). The highest biochar application rate led to significant increases in total chlorophyll content, showing a 97.6% increase when biochar is used alone and a 136% increase when combined with nanobubble irrigation. Remarkably, only when combining irrigation with air nanobubbles and low biochar supplementation did the translocation of the metals from soil to the aboveground tissues occur as the translocation factor was estimated to be greater than unity (TF > 1). The bioconcentration factors remained below 1.0 (BCF < 1) across all treatments, demonstrating limited mobilization from soil to plant tissues despite the application of soil amendments. Finally, the application of nanobubbles increased slightly but not substantially the total uptake of metals, which showed a significant decrease compared to the control groups when the lower dosage of biochar was utilized.
Forming Rate Dependence of Novel Austenitising Bending Process for a High-Strength Quenched Micro-Alloyed Steel: Experiments and Simulation
Authors: Lu Yao , Wang Jun , Li Zhou , Lin Fei , Pan Di , Jia Fanghui , Han Jingtao , Jiang Zhengyi
Published: February 2025

This austenitising bending investigation was carried out in a vacuum environment with the forming rates of 1, 10, and 100 mm/min under a certain bending temperature of 900 °C by a thermomechanical simulator. The enhanced strength at the accelerated forming rate and on the compression/tension zones throughout the thickness of the bent plates was discussed in detail in terms of dislocation pile-up, smaller prior austenite grain size, dynamic recrystallisation, smaller martensite packet, and stress-neutral layer. Since the simulation results were validated to match the experimental trend, this investigation could be applied as a valuable reference to simulate the practical manufacturing process of railway fasteners.
Psychedelics for Moral Bioenhancement in Healthy Individuals—A Violation of the Non-Maleficence Principle?
Authors: Tang Bor Luen
Published: February 2025

Several authors have advanced the idea that psychedelics such as psilocybin might be effective means for achieving moral bioenhancement (MBE). Here, I discuss some reservations on this assertion from both neuropharmacological and bioethical perspectives, and surmised that there is little, if any, good justification for such a claim. The indication of psychedelics for MBE is undermined by their hallucinogenic properties and the risk of adverse psychosis. There is also a lack of sound bioethical basis for using psychedelics to enhance morality. Based on our current understanding, the use of psychedelics specifically for MBE in healthy individuals would violate the ethical principle of non-maleficence. Unless there is unequivocal demonstration that psychedelics could enhance morality, or that new non-hallucinogenic derivatives become available, an indication for psychedelics in MBE would be untenable.
Multisource Precipitation Data Merging Using a Dual-Layer ConvLSTM Model
Authors: Hu Bin , Zhang Xingnan , Fang Yuanhao , Mou Shiyu , Qian Rui , Li Jia , Chen Zaini
Published: February 2025

Precipitation is a key component of the water cycle. Different precipitation data sources have strengths and weaknesses. To combine these strengths and achieve accurate precipitation data, this study introduces a dual-layer neural network (D-ConvLSTM) based on a convolutional long short-term memory neural network (ConvLSTM) that integrates ground station data (1 h interval) and grid precipitation data generated by the China Meteorological Administration Multi-source merged Precipitation Analysis System (CMPAS, 1 h interval, 0.05° × 0.05°) through a two-layer network for precipitation identification and correction. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model, D-ConvLSTM, optimal interpolation (OI), and a single-layer ConvLSTM model are evaluated in the Dadu River Basin, China. The results show that D-ConvLSTM outperforms the CMPAS in all the metrics compared with the OI and ConvLSTM, with improvements of 18.9% and 19.8% in the critical success index (CSI) and Kling–Gupta efficiency (KGE), respectively. D-ConvLSTM enhances gridded precipitation under various conditions, including areas without station data, different intensities, and regions. Furthermore, this study analyzes the impact of training data distribution on the performance of the D-ConvLSTM model and enhances model performance by adjusting the training data distribution. The analysis reveals that the ratio of dry to wet data in the training set affects the model’s identification performance. The ratio of overestimation to underestimation of gridded data compared with station observations influences value correction. This study offers a new model for merging station and gridded precipitation data and provides insights for enhancing the accuracy of neural network merging.
Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Urban Growth Characteristics Integrating Remote Sensing Data: A Case Study of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Zhao You
Published: February 2025

Sustainable urban growth is an important issue in urbanization. Existing studies mainly focus on urban growth from the two-dimensional morphology perspective due to limited data. Therefore, this study aimed to construct a framework for estimating long-term time series of building volume by integrating nighttime light data, land use data, and existing building volume data. Indicators of urban horizontal expansion (UHE), urban vertical expansion (UVE), and comprehensive development intensity (CDI) were constructed to describe the spatiotemporal characteristics of the horizontal growth, vertical growth, and comprehensive intensity of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration from 2013 to 2023. The UHE and UVE increased from 0.44 and 0.30 to 0.50 and 0.53, respectively, indicating that BTH has simultaneously experienced horizontal growth and vertical growth and the rate of vertical growth was more significant. The UVE in urban areas and suburbs was higher and continuously increasing; in particular, the UVE in the suburbs changed from 0.35 to 0.60, showing the highest rate of increase. The most significant UHE growth was mainly concentrated in rural areas. The spatial pattern of the CDI was stable, showing a declining trend along the urban–suburb–rural gradient, and CDI growth from 2013 to 2023 was mainly concentrated in urban and surrounding areas. In terms of temporal variation, the CDI growth during 2013–2018 was significant, while it slowed after 2018 because economic development had leveled off. Economic scale, UHE, and UVE were the main positive factors. Due to the slowdown of CDI growth and population growth, economic activity intensity, population density, and improvement in the living environment showed a negative impact on CDI change. The results confirm the validity of estimating the multi-dimensional growth of regions using remote sensing data and provide a basis for differentiated spatial growth planning in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
Anthropogenic Aerosol Dominates the Decadal Change in Evapotranspiration over Southeastern China in the Past Four Decades
Authors: Kong Zhiyong , Cao Jian , Wang Boyang
Published: February 2025

Evapotranspiration (ET) is vital for global water balance, energy cycle, and biological processes, representing a key component of Earth systems interactions. However, how human activities affect regional ET is still unknown. This study identified a decadal decrease in ET before 2000, followed by an increase over southeastern China in observations. Simulations from the coupled model intercomparison project phase 6 (CMIP6) models well reproduced the observed decadal ET change, with a lag of 10 years, which may be due to the spatial and temporal simplification of aerosol forcing data in CMIP6. Attribution analysis reveals that the change in anthropogenic aerosol emissions was the primary driver of the ET change, while the contribution of greenhouse gas was negligible. The Penman–Monteith framework identified that the net surface radiation contributed 77% of the ET trend change in the anthropogenic aerosol-only experiment. The increase and reduction in anthropogenic aerosol emissions reduce and increase the shortwave radiation reaching the Earth’s surface, respectively, resulting in the different trends of energy sources for ET. Our findings underscore the critical role of aerosols in shaping surface energy balance and influencing regional hydrological cycles.
Repeatable Imaging of Soil Processes Through a Stabilized Port: Examples of (i) Soil Contaminants and (ii) Plant Root Growth
Authors: Zimbron Julio A. , Rayo Christian C.
Published: February 2025

This work presents an imaging testing system (software and hardware) that can generate repeatable images through a stabilized port in the soil for processes known to change with time. The system includes (i) a stabilized port in the ground made of standard PVC pipe, with sections lined with a borosilicate glass tube, and (ii) a digital imaging instrument to survey the optically transparent portion of the stabilized port. The instrument uses a probe containing a digital camera and two light sources, one using white lights and one using ultraviolet (UV) lights (365 nm). The main instrument controls the probe using a cable within the stabilized port to take overlapping pictures of the soil under the different light sources. Two examples are provided, one to document the distribution of soil and groundwater contaminants known as non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPL, which include petroleum) at variable water saturation levels and a second one to monitor the growth of a plant over a 2-week interval. In both examples, the system successfully identified critical changes in soil processes and showed a resolution of approximately 15 µm (in the order of the thickness of a human hair), demonstrating the potential for repeated imaging of soil processes known to experience temporal changes. Both examples are illustrative, as additional applications might be possible. The novelty of this system lies in its ability to generate repeated measurements at larger depths than the current shallow systems installed by hand.
Deep Learning Model Compression and Hardware Acceleration for High-Performance Foreign Material Detection on Poultry Meat Using NIR Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Khan Zirak , Yoon Seung-Chul , Bhandarkar Suchendra M.
Published: February 2025

Ensuring the safety and quality of poultry products requires efficient detection and removal of foreign materials during processing. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) offers a non-invasive mechanism to capture detailed spatial and spectral information, enabling the discrimination of different types of contaminants from poultry muscle and non-muscle external tissues. When integrated with advanced deep learning (DL) models, HSI systems can achieve high accuracy in detecting foreign materials. However, the high dimensionality of HSI data, the computational complexity of DL models, and the high-paced nature of poultry processing environments pose challenges for real-time implementation in industrial settings, where the speed of imaging and decision-making is critical. In this study, we address these challenges by optimizing DL inference for HSI-based foreign material detection through a combination of post-training quantization and hardware acceleration techniques. We leveraged hardware acceleration utilizing the TensorRT module for NVIDIA GPU to enhance inference speed. Additionally, we applied half-precision (called FP16) post-training quantization to reduce the precision of model parameters, decreasing memory usage and computational requirements without any loss in model accuracy. We conducted simulations using two hypothetical hyperspectral line-scan cameras to evaluate the feasibility of real-time detection in industrial conditions. The simulation results demonstrated that our optimized models could achieve inference times compatible with the line speeds of poultry processing lines between 140 and 250 birds per minute, indicating the potential for real-time deployment. Specifically, the proposed inference method, optimized through hardware acceleration and model compression, achieved reductions in inference time of up to five times compared to unoptimized, traditional GPU-based inference. In addition, it resulted in a 50% decrease in model size while maintaining high detection accuracy that was also comparable to the original model. Our findings suggest that the integration of post-training quantization and hardware acceleration is an effective strategy for overcoming the computational bottlenecks associated with DL inference on HSI data.
Ultra-Thin Plastic Scintillator-Based Proton Detector for Timing Applications
Authors: Ramos Mauricio Rodríguez , López Javier García , Seimetz Michael , Morales Jessica Juan , Muñoz Carmen Torres , Ramos María del Carmen Jiménez
Published: February 2025

The development of advanced detection systems for charged particles in laser-based accelerators and the need for precise time of flight measurements have led to the creation of detectors using ultra-thin plastic scintillators, indicating their use as transmission detectors with low energy loss and minimal dispersion for protons around a few MeV. This study introduces a new detection system designed by the Institute for Instrumentation in Molecular Imaging for time of flight and timing applications at the National Accelerator Center in Seville. The system includes an ultra-thin EJ-214 plastic scintillator coupled with a photomultiplier tube and shielded by aluminized mylar sheets. The prototype installation as an external trigger system at the ion beam nuclear microprobe of the aforementioned facility, along with its temporal performance and ion transmission, was thoroughly characterized. Additionally, the scintillator thickness and uniformity were analyzed using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Results showed that the experimental thickness of the EJ-214 sheet differs by approximately 46% from the supplier specifications. The detector response to MeV protons demonstrates a strong dependence on the impact position but remains mostly linear with the applied working bias. Finally, single ion detection was successfully achieved, demonstrating the applicability of this new system as a diagnostic tool.
A Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe Broken Wire Detection Algorithm Based on Improved YOLOv5
Authors: Li Haoze , Gao Ruizhen , Sun Fang , Wang Yv , Ma Baolong
Published: February 2025

The failure accidents of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) seriously affect the economic feasibility of the construction site. The traditional method of needing to stop construction for pipe inspection is time-consuming and laborious. This paper studies the PCCP broken wire identification algorithm based on deep learning. A PCCP wire-breaking test platform was built; the Distributed Fiber Acoustic Sensing Monitoring System (DAS) monitors wire-breakage events in DN4000mm PCCPs buried underground. The collected broken wire signal creates a time-frequency spectrum diagram dataset of the simulated broken wire signal through continuous wavelet transform (CWT). Considering the location of equipment limitations, based on the YOLOv5 algorithm, a lightweight algorithm, YOLOv5-Break is proposed for broken wire monitoring. Firstly, MobileNetV3 is used to replace the YOLOv5 network backbone, and Dynamic Conv is used to replace Conv in C3 to reduce redundant computation and memory access; the coordinate attention mechanism is integrated into the C3 module to make the algorithm pay more attention to location information; at the same time, CIOU is replaced by Focal_EIoU to make the algorithm pay more attention to high-quality samples and balance the uneven problem of complex and easy examples. The YOLOv5-Break algorithm achieves a mAP of 97.72% on the self-built broken wire dataset, outperforming YOLOv8, YOLOv9, and YOLOv10. Notably, YOLOv5-Break reduces the model weight to 7.74 MB, 46.25% smaller than YOLOv5 and significantly lighter than YOLOv8s and YOLOv9s. With a computational cost of 8.3 GFLOPs, YOLOv5-Break is 71.0% and 78.5% more efficient than YOLOv8s and YOLOv9s. It can be seen that the lightweight algorithm YOLOv5-Break proposed in this article simplifies the algorithm without losing accuracy. Moreover, the lightweight algorithm does not require high hardware computing power and can be better arranged in the PCCP broken wire monitoring system.
A 60 GHz Class-C Wide Tuning-Range Two-Core VCO Utilizing a Gain-Boosting Frequency Doubling Technique and an Adaptive Bias Scheme for Robust Startup
Authors: Psycharis Ioannis Dimitrios , Tsourtis Vasileios , Kalivas Grigorios
Published: February 2025

This paper presents the design and the performance of a wide tuning-range millimeter-wave (mm-wave) two-core class-C 60 GHz VCO in 40 nm CMOS process, which can be integrated into wireless communication transceivers and radar sensors. The proposed architecture consists of a two-core 30 GHz fundamental VCO, a gain-boosted frequency doubler and an adaptive bias configuration. The two-core fundamental VCO structure achieves frequency generation in the vicinity of 30 GHz, where each VCO core targets a different frequency band. The two bands have sufficient overlap to accommodate for corner variations providing a large continuous tuning range. The desired frequency band is selected by activating or deactivating the appropriate VCO core, resulting in a robust switchless structure. This approach enables a considerably broad tuning range without compromising phase noise performance. Furthermore, the proposed topology utilizes an adaptive bias mechanism for robust start-up. Initially, the selected VCO core begins oscillating in class-B mode, and subsequently it transitions into class-C operation to offer improved performance. From post-layout simulations, after frequency doubling, the low-band VCO covers frequencies from 50.25 to 60.40 GHz, while the high-band VCO core spans frequencies from 58.8 to 73 GHz, yielding an overall tuning range of 36.92%. Owing to the gain-boosting topology, output power exceeds −14.2 dBm across the whole bandwidth. Simulated phase noise remains better than −92.1 dBc/Hz at a 1 MHz offset for all bands. Additionally, the two VCO cores never operate simultaneously, aiding in power efficiency.
Integrating Social Dimensions into Urban Digital Twins: A Review and Proposed Framework for Social Digital Twins
Authors: Qanazi Saleh , Leclerc Eric , Bosredon Pauline
Published: February 2025

The rapid evolution of smart city technologies has expanded digital twin (DT) applications from industrial to urban contexts. However, current urban digital twins (UDTs) remain predominantly focused on the physical aspects of urban environments (“spaces”), often overlooking the interwoven social dimensions that shape the concept of “place”. This limitation restricts their ability to fully represent the complex interplay between physical and social systems in urban settings. To address this gap, this paper introduces the concept of the social digital twin (SDT), which integrates social dimensions into UDTs to bridge the divide between technological systems and the lived urban experience. Drawing on an extensive literature review, the study defines key components for transitioning from UDTs to SDTs, including conceptualization and modeling of human interactions (geo-individuals and geo-socials), social applications, participatory governance, and community engagement. Additionally, it identifies essential technologies and analytical tools for implementing SDTs, outlines research gaps and practical challenges, and proposes a framework for integrating social dynamics within UDTs. This framework emphasizes the importance of active community participation through a governance model and offers a comprehensive methodology to support researchers, technology developers, and policymakers in advancing SDT research and practical applications.
Sustainable Utilization of Waste Glass Powder and Brick Dust as Cement Replacements: Effects on Mortar Performance and Environmental Benefits
Authors: Rabiu Balikis Omotola , Mosaberpanah Mohammad Ali
Published: February 2025

With respect to sustainability, the material must maintain the quality and properties of concrete and be safe for human health, the environment, and long-time use. In recent times, the emission of CO2 from cement production processes has lessened with the passage of time due to its effect on the environment. In order to lessen the emissions and reduce environmental waste, available by-products with pozzolanic properties are applied. With respect to Portland limestone cement (CEMI II-BL), i.e., cement with lower carbon dioxide emissions and better workability than CEM I, the two main materials applied in the study as substitutes are brick dust (BD) and waste glass powder (WGP) bottles. Waste glass powder and brick dust, in quantities varying from 5% to 10%, 15%, and 20%, with a water/cement ratio of 0.35 and a 1.5% superplasticizer, were utilized to observe the effectiveness of BD and WGP on the flowability, compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, density, drying shrinkage, and fire resistance of the specimen mortar. The output shows that a WGP of 20% increased flowability compared to the control, whereas the inclusion of brick dust decreased it. At the age of 28, glass powder of 20% increased the compressive strength, while 20% brick dust exhibited a reduction; 15% WGP with 5% BD displayed the lowest absorption of water; and the density of all the samples proved to be much lower than the traditional mix, with 20% BD being the lowest (hereby labeled as light mortar). The 10% WGP with 10% BD displayed better resistance to fire, and the drying shrinkage of the sample was relatively low after several days of air curing. The impact on the environment and cost were considered without accounting for the transportation and manufacturing energy. As to the outcome of this experiment, we concluded that the use of both brick dust and glass powder with CEM II for producing mortar has proven very promising in a variety of different respects, including the mechanical and fresh features of mortar, with the combination of 5% WGP and 15% BD exhibiting the most potential in all of the acquired parameters.
Advancing Sustainability in Surface Coal Mines Through Real-Time Air Quality Monitoring: Low-Cost IoT Solutions and the Role of Meteorological Factors in PM and GHG Emissions
Authors: Suresh Vislavath , Agarwal Siddhartha , Chugh Yoginder P. , Jha Priyanshu , Wang Renzhong
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a development of a “smart center” for studying particulate matter (PM) and other gaseous emissions pollution in a surface coal mine located in the Jharia coalfield of Jharkhand, India, utilizing internet of things (IOT)-based capabilities and low-cost sensors data. These pollutants in the air in and around surface mines present significant environmental challenges that require comprehensive assessment and management. This study undertook four winter months from January to April 2023 of real-time, low-cost IoT-based monitoring of PM1, PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, O3, CO, CO2, TVOC, and noise pollution, along with meteorological parameters, such as humidity, rainfall, and temperature. Data were collected at three locations: within a mine site area, in a buffer zone located 1.5 km from the mine, and at a non-impacted residential area within the university campus. Mining operations and active mine fires are primary contributors to pollution. Peak PM concentrations around the mining site were observed during morning and evening hours (5–7 a.m. and 4–6 p.m.). This study further identified that air pollutant concentrations were positively correlated with humidity but negatively correlated with the atmospheric temperature at the mine site, but not at the university campus of the IIT–ISM.
Hydrothermal Liquefied Bio-Oil from Municipal Sewage Sludge as a Reactive Filler in Polymeric Diphenylmethane Diisocyanate (p-MDI) Wood Adhesives
Authors: Bansode Archana , Rahman Tawsif , Carias Lucila , Asafu-Adjaye Osei , Adhikari Sushil , Via Brian K. , Farag Ramsis , Auad Maria L.
Published: February 2025

The growing environmental concerns associated with petrochemical-based adhesives have driven interest in sustainable alternatives. This study investigates the use of bio-oil, derived from municipal sewage sludge (MSS) through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), as a reactive filler in polymeric methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (pMDI) wood adhesives. The bio-oil, rich in hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups, was characterized using FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), elemental analysis, and NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance). These functional groups interact with the isocyanate groups of pMDI, enabling crosslinking and enhancing adhesive performance. Various MSS bio-oil and pMDI formulations were evaluated for tensile shear strength on Southern yellow pine veneers under dry and wet conditions. The formulation with a 1:4 bio-oil to pMDI weight ratio exhibited the best performance, achieving tensile shear strengths of 1.96 MPa (dry) and 1.66 MPa (wet). Higher bio-oil content led to decreased adhesive strength, attributed to reduced crosslinking and increased moisture sensitivity. This study demonstrates the potential of MSS-derived bio-oil as a sustainable additive in pMDI adhesives, offering environmental benefits without significantly compromising adhesive performance and marking a step toward greener wood adhesive solutions.
Antecedents of Consumers’ Green Beauty Product Brand Purchase Intentions: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Approach
Authors: Bevan-Dye Ayesha L. , Synodinos Costa
Published: February 2025

Societies across the globe are growing increasingly environmentally aware, resulting in more and more consumers demanding eco-friendly product alternatives. This phenomenon is also evident in the beauty industry, with many beauty brands striving to add green beauty products to their range and new green beauty product brands continuously emerging in markets. Despite the increased popularity of green beauty products, there is a paucity of published research concerning the antecedents of consumers’ green beauty product brand purchase intentions. As such, the goal of this study was to apply an extended version of the theory of planned behavior to ascertain the factors that predict consumers’ green beauty product brand purchase intentions. Following an explanatory research design, data were gathered from 500 consumers in South Africa. Data analysis comprised structural equation modeling. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a reliable and valid seven-factor measurement model with good model fit. The path analysis results indicate that collectively perceived environmental knowledge, perceived behavior control, green beauty product ethicality beliefs, green beauty product attitudes, socio-altruistic values, and subjective norms account for 77 percent of the variance in consumers’ purchase intentions toward green beauty product brands. The findings of this study provide a comprehensive view of the antecedents of consumers’ green beauty product brand purchase intentions, which will be of significant value to beauty product marketers in or seeking to enter the green product market. In addition, the psychometric properties and strong predictive power of this model reflect a research instrument that can be used in future research into consumers’ purchase intentions toward green beauty products.
Advancing Sustainable Development: Empirical Insights on Energy Poverty in ECOWAS Through Green Financing, Technological Innovation and Economic Empowerment
Authors: Amer Alrmah Saied R , Kareem Ponle Henry
Published: February 2025

Energy poverty is a new issue in the world and the developing nations are no exception. The West African nations exhibit serious problems on the accessibility and affordability of energy in rural areas and in urban areas. The major concern is the conventional fuels that they widely use as alternatives once faced with energy access problems. These fuels damage the surroundings and deteriorate the health systems of people. Therefore, this study is motivated in addressing the energy poverty issues in West African nations and informing vigorous mechanisms that are essential in solving this crisis. The lack of studies and the lack of robust policies to inform ways that can be adopted to lower energy poverty in this region require new contemporary studies to be presented. Thus, this study examines the interplay of green finance, income and technology in reducing energy poverty in West African nations. The fourteen West African nations are therefore examined and their data for the period 2004 to 2020 are used. Data analysis methodologies adopted ensure the employment of the “method of moments quantile regression” technique to ensure that problems of “cross-sectional dependence” and “heterogeneity” are overcome. Our findings shows that energy poverty in West African nations could be lowered with advancements in technology, utilization of green finance and improvements in the income levels in this region by magnitudes of 17 to 21 units, 0.15 to 0.82% and 0.39 to 1.47 units, respectively. The income generated from the natural resources and foreign direct investment inflows fails to reduce energy poverty and worsens it by magnitudes of 0.33 to 0.48 units and 0.12 units, respectively. Therefore, we show that improvements in institutional quality and the adoption of green technological tools are key to reducing energy poverty.
Value-in-Use and Sustaining Use Intention on E-Commerce Platforms: The Service-Dominant Logic Perspective
Authors: Tang Jing , Yang Feng
Published: February 2025

With the progressive increase in online shopping, e-commerce platforms’ sustainability has attracted considerable attention from both academia and the business sector. This study employs a service-dominant logic perspective and incorporates value-in-use into the conceptual model to investigate the factors and mechanisms that influence sustained intention to use e-commerce platforms. Drawing on a survey of 358 college students in China, we reveal that users’ perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment on e-commerce platforms have a positive effect on their sustaining use intention on platforms, whereas perceived uncertainty exerts a negative influence. Furthermore, the effect of perceived uncertainty on confirmation is less pronounced than that of perceived usefulness and enjoyment. Perceived uncertainty primarily stems from information asymmetry and seller opportunism, with the latter having a more significant impact on perceived uncertainty than the former. These findings enrich the empirical literature on the sustainable development of e-commerce platforms by offering new insights into the development of service-dominant logic and value-in-use theory.
Indium Phosphide Semiconductor Technology for Next-Generation Communication Systems: Sustainability and Material Considerations
Authors: Roulleau Léa , Vauche Laura , Marsan Didier , Boutry Hervé , Colas Léo , Doré Jean-Baptiste , Divay Alexis , Di Cioccio Léa
Published: February 2025

Indium phosphide (InP) semiconductor technology is being explored for radiofrequency (RF) applications, targeting frequencies exceeding 100 GHz, to support the next generation of 6G communication systems. When taking into account sustainability in designing this future generation, growing concerns are emerging regarding the environmental impact of communication networks and the reliance on raw materials for the production of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). The extraction, processing, and manufacturing of such materials and semiconductor technologies result in environmental impacts, but these impacts remain insufficiently documented. Firstly, this study evaluates the environmental impacts of manufacturing indium phosphide (InP) wafers based on industrial data and those of InP-based heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) based on early-stage research data. Secondly, this study attempts to highlight the challenges posed by the increasing demand for high-tech solutions, involving raw materials, by evaluating the potential demand for indium for RF 6G applications, with a deployment scenario.
Adaptive Invariant Object Representation
Authors: Kountcheva Roumiana , Mironov Rumen
Published: February 2025

In this work, one new approach for RSTB-invariant object representation is presented based on the modified Mellin–Fourier Transform (MFT). For this, in the well-known steps of MFT, the logarithm operation in the log-polar transform is replaced by the operation “rising on a power”. As a result, the central part of the processed area is represented by a significantly larger number of points (transform coefficients), which permits us to give a more accurate description of the main part of the object. The symmetrical properties of the complex conjugated transform coefficients were used, and as a result, the number of coefficients participating in the object representation can be halved without deteriorating the quality of the restored image. The invariant representation is particularly suitable when searching for objects in large databases, which comprise different classes of objects. To verify the performance of the algorithm, object search experiments using the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm were performed, which confirmed this idea. As a result of the analysis, it can be concluded that the complexity of the solutions based on the proposed method depends on the applications, and the inclusion of neural networks is suggested. The neural networks have no conflict with the proposed idea and can only support decision making.
Detection of Ochratoxin A in Tissues of Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Southern Italy
Authors: Damiano Sara , Longobardi Consiglia , De Marchi Lucia , Piscopo Nadia , Meucci Valentina , Lenzi Alessio , Ciarcia Roberto
Published: February 2025

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a secondary metabolite produced by fungi of the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium, known to contaminate various food substrates. Its toxic effects include direct nephrotoxicity, as well as observed teratogenic, immunogenic, and carcinogenic effects. Climate change may contribute to increased humidity and temperature, favouring fungal growth and, consequently, OTA spreading. Recent increases in wild boar populations, along with their omnivorous nature and their varied diet, define them as environmental bioindicators for contaminants like mycotoxins. This study aimed to assess the concentrations of OTA in kidney, liver, and muscle tissue samples from 74 wild boars that were hunted in different areas of Avellino, Campania region, between 2021 and 2022. Tissue samples underwent extraction, purification, and analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a fluorescence detector. Results revealed OTA presence in 35.1% of tested wild boars. The highest OTA concentration was observed in the kidney and liver, with less in the muscle, indicating the presence of this mycotoxin in the wild boars and their surrounding environment. Consequently, there is a need to formulate rules for edible wildlife products. These findings emphasize the significant risk of OTA contamination in wild boar tissues, suggesting their potential as reliable environmental markers for mycotoxin prevalence and as a toxicological concern for human health.
Enhancing Healthcare Preparedness: Lessons from a Tabletop Exercise on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)
Authors: Dhagat Priya , Coan Joshua , Ganguly Ayanava , Puetz Cole , Silvestri David , Madad Syra
Published: February 2025

Tabletop exercises offer a structured opportunity to assess strengths and potential gaps in preparedness and response plans in a safe learning environment. The New York City Health + Hospitals System-Wide Special Pathogens Program conducted an innovative and multidisciplinary tabletop exercise involving escalating scenarios of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in 2023. The goals were to assess patient screening processes for infectious diseases within healthcare facilities, infection prevention and control strategies, risk communication, and notification and involvement of public health stakeholders. Participants reflected on previous outbreak responses, discussed the importance of risk communication, and shared insights on tools and resources that would better support healthcare professionals in identifying and managing patients with HPAI/H5N1 infection. Key takeaways included establishing clear protocols for HPAI/H5N1 management, providing timely education to healthcare professionals, and assessing useful communication modalities. Methods: The exercise included escalating scenarios involving a single case of HPAI/H5N1 advancing to community transmission. Key participants spanned clinical departments, infection prevention and control, emergency management, and local public health stakeholders. Structured discussions targeted triggers for escalation, infection prevention strategies, and communication pathways. Results: Findings highlighted the need for tailored screening criteria, robust infection prevention protocols, clear communication strategies, and collaboration with public health authorities. Specific improvements included refining triage and isolation protocols, enhancing staff education, and leveraging syndromic surveillance systems. Conclusion: This exercise underscored the importance of proactive planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and integration of biosafety measures to strengthen healthcare system resilience against HPAI/H5N1.
From Be X-Ray Binaries to Double Neutron Stars: Exploring the Spin and Orbital Evolution
Authors: Zhou Yungang , Wang Dehua , Zhang Chengmin
Published: February 2025

We explore the evolutionary link between Galactic Be X-ray binaries (BeXBs) and Galactic field double neutron stars (DNSs) based on the properties of the NS spin period—P and binary orbital period—Porb. First, both BeXB and DNS sources show positive correlation trends in P versus Porb relation (P−Porb diagram), which may relate to the influence of the accretion evolution. Secondly, the two types of sources exhibit similar bi-modal P/Porb distributions with the gaps of P∼40 s/Porb∼60 days for BeXBs and P∼50 ms/Porb∼1 day for DNSs, respectively. We propose a possibility that Galactic BeXBs may transfer the bi-modal P/Porb classifications to Galactic field DNSs during the evolution process. Furthermore, based on the bi-modal gaps, we infer the contraction factors of P (by ∼1800) and Porb (by ∼160) valuesin the evolution from Galactic BeXBs to Galactic field DNSs. We find that the scaled P or Porb values of Galactic BeXBs share the similar bi-modal distributions to that of Galactic field DNSs, and these results can offer a reference to trace the classification and evolution between the two types of sources.
Analysis on the Epidemiological Characteristics of Breakthrough Varicella Cases and Incremental Effectiveness of 2-Dose Varicella Vaccine in China
Authors: Lin Mingzhu , Yang Tian , Deng Pengfei , Yang Laibao , Xue Caoyi
Published: February 2025

Background: A 2-dose varicella vaccination strategy has been implemented in Shanghai, China since 2018. This study aims to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of breakthrough varicella cases and to evaluate the incremental effectiveness of the 2-dose varicella vaccination among Chinese children. Methods: A retrospective investigation was conducted among native children born between 2015 and 2019 in the Pudong New area of Shanghai, China. From 2016 to 2023, demographic information and data regarding varicella vaccination were collected through the Shanghai Immunization Information System, while information on varicella infections was obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. The incremental vaccine effectiveness (VE) for varicella was defined as (1 − relative risk (RR)) × 100%, where RRs were calculated based on the rate of varicella infections. Results: A total of 519,951 local children were enrolled in the cohort analysis. The overall rate of breakthrough varicella infections was found to be 0.25%, corresponding to 1182 cases. Specifically, the rates of breakthrough varicella infections for individuals who received 1-dose and 2-dose VarV were 0.39% (977 cases) and 0.10% (205 cases), respectively. The average ages of onset for these infections were 2.13 ± 0.99 years and 5.52 ± 1.18 years, respectively. Furthermore, the breakthrough varicella infection rate among individuals born between 2015 and 2019 exhibited a decline, decreasing from 0.52% to 0.26% for those who received one dose of VarV, and from 0.23% to 0.01% for those who received two doses. The VE against all varicella was 85% (95% confidence interval: 84–86) for one dose and 96% (95% confidence interval: 96–97) for two doses, and the incremental VE was 75% (95% confidence interval: 71–79) compared with 1-dose. Conclusions: the 2-dose VarV vaccination strategy provided excellent protection to prevent varicella, and the universal 2-dose regimen of the varicella vaccine should be recommended to prevent varicella disease among children in China.
Study on the Erosion Damage Law in Mountain Flood Disasters Regarding the Exposed Section of Oil Pipelines
Authors: Jing Xiaofei , Mao Jingxin , Ou Jian , Liu Xiaohua , Zhang Yuanzhen , Chen Dongsong
Published: February 2025

Oil pipelines are susceptible to significant hydraulic erosion from mountain torrents during the flood season when passing through the mountain valley area, which can lead to soil erosion on the pipe surface and expose the pipeline. Accordingly, this study centers on investigating the critical issue of the failure mechanism caused by flash flood erosion in the exposed section of oil pipelines. Both indoor testing and numerical simulation research methods are employed to analyze the flow field distribution characteristics of flash floods in proximity to an exposed pipeline. This study explores the patterns of soil loss around pipelines of varying pipe diameters, levels of exposure, and pipe flow angles. In addition, the spatial and temporal evolution mechanism of pipelines overhang development under the action of flash floods was elucidated. The experimental observations indicate that as the pipe diameter increases, the failure rate of the soil surrounding the pipe accelerates, while the erosion effect on the soil around the executives becomes more pronounced. Additionally, a larger pipe flow angle leads to a reduced soil loss in the downstream direction of the pipe. During flash flood events, the scouring action on the soil surrounding the pipe leads to rapid compression of the flow field around the pipe, while the vortex at the pipe’s bottom exacerbates soil corrosion. Additionally, the maximum pressure exerted on pipeline surfaces at pipeline flow angles of 30°, 60°, and 90° is 14,382 Pa, 16,146 Pa, and 17,974 Pa, respectively. The research results offer valuable insights into pipeline, soil, and water conservation projects in mountain valley regions.
Accuracy Evaluation of Multiple Runoff Products: A Case Study of the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River
Authors: Cui Handi , Huang Chang
Published: February 2025

Recent advances in hydrological modling have led to the generation of numerous global or regional runoff datasets, which have been widely used in hydrological analysis. However, it is not yet clear how their accuracy and reliabilities are. In this study, using observed gauge streamflow data at four stations (Hequ, Fugu, Wubu, and Longmen) in the middle reaches of the Yellow River as reference, we compare and evaluate the accuracy of three runoff gridded dataset products (GloFAS, GRFR v1.0, and WGHM) at four temporal scales: daily, monthly, annual, and wet/dry seasons. The results indicate the following: (1) As the temporal scale increases, the simulated streamflow accuracy of the three datasets gradually improves. The GloFAS dataset performs the best at daily scale, while the WGHM dataset outperforms the other two at monthly and annual scales. (2) The three datasets all tend to overestimate the total streamflow at the main stations. (3) Comparing the two hydrological scenarios of wet and dry seasons, all three datasets exhibit better performance during the wet season. (4) The capture of peak streamflow is influenced by dataset type, temporal scale, and station characteristics. In general, the three datasets perform better at stations with higher base streamflow, such as Longmen and Wubu stations. Additionally, this study discusses the possible reasons for their different performances, which can be mainly attributed to three aspects: the quality of meteorological input datasets, missing or simplified simulation processes, and incorrect model structure and parameterization. Future research will consider revising the datasets to obtain more accurate data sources and further enhance the accuracy of watershed streamflow simulations.
“For Sustained Change, We Need Everyone on Board”: Australian Outsourced Provider Perspectives on Relationships and Sexuality Education for Young People
Authors: Vrankovich Sarah , Hamilton Gemma , Powell Anastasia
Published: February 2025

(1) Schools often rely on outsourced providers to deliver relationships and sexuality education (RSE) to young people. However, there is limited research that has focused on outsourced provider practices and perceptions of RSE, particularly as it relates to sexual violence prevention. (2) The current qualitative study interviewed 15 outsourced providers in Australia to glean their perspectives on the effective features of, and barriers to the implementation of, RSE for young people, with a focus on sexual violence prevention. (3) Through a reflexive thematic analysis, we found that outsourced providers valued a whole-of-school approach to RSE and advocated for content on pornography literacy. They raised conservative gatekeeping, precarious funding, and limited time as key implementation barriers. The findings also highlighted inconsistent views and approaches to RSE among outsourced providers, with questions surrounding who should deliver RSE, which theoretical framework underpins their work, and whether to take a gendered approach. (4) Implications for educators, policymakers, and young people are discussed.