bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interaction of VvDELLA2 and VvCEB1 Mediates Expression of Expansion-Related Gene during GA-Induced Enlargement of Grape Fruit
Authors: Liu Zhenhua , Wang Yan , Guan Pingyin , Hu Jianfang , Sun Lei
Published: October 2023

Exogenous gibberellin treatment can promote early growth of grape fruit, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we show that VvDELLA2 directly regulates the activity of the VvCEB1 transcription factor, a key regulator in the control of cell expansion in grape fruit. Our results show that VvCEB1 binds directly to the promoters of cell expansion-related genes in grape fruit and acts as a transcriptional activator, while VvDELLA2 blocks VvCEB1 function by binding to its activating structural domain. The exogenous gibberellin treatment relieved this inhibition by promoting the degradation of VvDELLA2 protein, thus, allowing VvCEB1 to transcriptionally activate the expression of cell expansion-related genes. In conclusion, we conclude that exogenous GA3 treatment regulates early fruit expansion by affecting the VvDELLA-VvCEB1 interaction in grape fruit development.
Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Intake Supports the Gut Microbiota and Attenuates Inflammation during Influenza H1N1 Virus Infection in Mice
Authors: Kato Takahiro , Kamiya Satoshi , Narasaki Soshi , Sumii Ayako , Tsutsumi Yasuo M. , Machida Kyoka , Hara Kanako , Izumi-Mishima Yuna , Tsutsumi Rie , Sakaue Hiroshi
Published: October 2023

Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is a soluble dietary fiber that is effective for defecation control. It influences the gut microbiota, by which it is metabolized to yield short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and it was also recently shown to protect against influenza infection in humans. We here investigated the effects of PHGG in a mouse model of influenza H1N1 virus infection. Eight-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed normal chow with or without PHGG (500 mg/kg per day) for 4 weeks, infected with H1N1 at 10 weeks of age, and analyzed at 12 weeks of age. Administration of PHGG attenuated the decline in body weight induced by H1N1 infection without affecting food intake. It also ameliorated intestinal atrophy and increased the production of SCFAs including acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in the cecum, thereby preventing the inhibitory effect of H1N1 infection on SCFA production. The H1N1-induced increases in the serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines including interferon-γ and interleukin-6 and anti-inflammatory cytokine such as interleukin-10 were all inhibited by PHGG intake. In addition, PHGG administration attenuated inflammatory gene expression in the lung and promoted both natural killer cell activity and regulatory T-cell differentiation in the spleen. Our findings suggest that the consumption of PHGG may improve the gut environment and thereby limit the inflammatory response to H1N1 infection. They may thus provide the basis for novel dietary intervention strategies to suppress the excessive inflammation associated with virus infection.
Microbiota, Diet and Acute Leukaemia: Tips and Tricks on Their Possible Connections
Authors: Furci Fabiana , Cicero Nicola , Allegra Alessandro , Gangemi Sebastiano
Published: October 2023

Acute leukaemia is probably one of the most recurrent cancers in children and younger adults, with an incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 80% of cases and an incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia in 15% of cases. Yet, while incidence is common in children and adolescents, acute leukaemia is a rare disease whose aetiology still requires further analysis. Many studies have investigated the aetiology of acute leukaemia, reporting that the formation of gut microbiota may be modified by the start and development of many diseases. Considering that in patients affected by acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, there is an inherent disequilibrium in the gut microbiota before treatment compared with healthy patients, increasing evidence shows how dysbiosis of the gut microbiota provokes an inflammatory immune response, contributing to the development of cancer. Our analysis suggeststhe key role of gut microbiota in the modulation of the efficacy of leukaemia treatment as well as in the progress of many cancers, such as acute leukaemia. Therefore, in this paper, we present an examination of information found in literature regarding the role of dietary factors and gut microbiota alterations in the development of leukaemia and suggest possible future preventive and therapeutic strategies.
The Importance of Visceral Hypersensitivity in Irritable Bowel Syndrome—Plant Metabolites in IBS Treatment
Authors: Dudzińska Ewa , Grabrucker Andreas M. , Kwiatkowski Paweł , Sitarz Robert , Sienkiewicz Monika
Published: October 2023

The visceral stimuli from the digestive tract are transmitted via afferent nerves through the spinal cord to the brain, where they are felt as pain. The overreaction observed in the brain of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients may be due to increased peripheral sensitivity to stimuli from the gastrointestinal tract. Although the exact pathway is uncertain, attenuation of visceral hypersensitivity is still of interest in treating IBS. It has been shown that stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system while inhibiting the vagus nerve (VN). In addition, stress factors lead to dysbiosis and chronic low-grade inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, which can lead to lower gastrointestinal visceral hypersensitivity. Therefore, an important goal in the treatment of IBS is the normalization of the intestinal microflora. An interesting option seems to be nutraceuticals, including Terminalia chebula, which has antibacterial and antimicrobial activity against various pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Additionally, short-term transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation can reduce the stress-induced increase in intestinal permeability, thereby reducing inflammation. The conducted studies also indicate a relationship between the stimulation of the vagus nerve (VN) and the activation of neuromodulatory networks in the central nervous system. Therefore, it seems reasonable to conclude that a two-way action through stimulating the VN and using nutraceuticals may become an effective therapy in treating IBS.
Fabrication of N-Doped Porous Carbon with Micro/Mesoporous Structure from Furfural Residue for Supercapacitors
Authors: Meng Xia , Wang Xiaohui , Li Wei , Kong Fangong , Zhang Fengshan
Published: October 2023

N-doping is a very useful method to improve the electrochemical performance of porous carbon (PC) materials. In this study, the potential of furfural residue (FR), a solid waste in furfural production, as a precursor to producing PC materials for supercapacitors was highlighted. To obtain an N-doped PC with a high specific surface area (SSA) and hierarchical porous structure, the urea-KOH synergistic activation method was proposed. The obtained FRPCK-Urea showed a high SSA of 1850 m2 g−1, large pore volume of 0.9973 cm3 g−1, and interconnected micro/mesoporous structure. Besides, urea can also serve as a nitrogen source, resulting in a high N content of 5.31% in FRPCK-Urea. These properties endow FRPCK-Urea with an excellent capacitance of 222.7 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 in 6 mol L−1 KOH aqueous electrolyte in a three-electrode system. The prepared FRPCK-Urea possessed a well capacitance retention at current densities from 0.5 to 20 A g−1 (81.90%) and cycle durability (96.43% after 5000 cycles), leading to FRPCK-Urea to be a potential electrode material for supercapacitors. Therefore, this work develops an effective way for the high-valued utilization of FR.
Quantification of Migration Birds Based on Polarimetric Weather Radar
Authors: Wang Rui , Mao Huafeng , Cui Kai , Sun Zhuoran , Hu Cheng , Wu Dongli
Published: October 2023

Weather radar plays an important role in monitoring aerial animal migration, providing a stable data source for biological studies with large-scale coverage and consecutive-time samples. The accurate estimation of bird density from weather radar echoes is fundamental for quantitative biological studies. We analyzed the bird observation model in weather radar, and proposed a method to build the bird quantification model by jointly utilizing dual-polarization Doppler weather radar and scanning bird radar. We designed a detailed process to remove tracks or echoes from non-bird targets, ensuring the effectiveness of bird observations. The field experiments validated the quantification method, showing that the average radar cross section of birds in Jinan was 19.09 dBscm (i.e., 81.19 cm2; 95% confidence interval, CI: 18.92–19.27 dBscm) for the S-band weather radar, with an R2 of 0.79. In addition, through the correlation analysis, we found that the ground terrain may affect the distribution pattern of aerial bird density.
IonosphericTotal Electron Content Changes during the 15 February 2018 and 30 April 2022 Solar Eclipses over South America and Antarctica
Authors: Valdés-Abreu Juan Carlos , Díaz Marcos , Bravo Manuel , Stable-Sánchez Yohadne
Published: October 2023

This is one of the first papers to study the ionospheric effects of two solar eclipses that occurred in South America and Antarctica under geomagnetic activity in different seasons (summer and autumn) and their impact on the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). The changes in total electron content (TEC) during the 15 February 2018 and 30 April 2022 partial solar eclipses will be analyzed. The study is based on more than 390 GPS stations, Swarm-A, and DMSP F18 satellite measurements, such as TEC, electron density, and electron temperature. The ionospheric behaviors over the two-fifth days on both sides of each eclipse were used as a reference for estimating TEC changes. Regional TEC maps were created for the analysis. Background TEC levels were significantly higher during the 2022 eclipse than during the 2018 eclipse because ionospheric levels depend on solar index parameters. On the days of the 2018 and 2022 eclipses, the ionospheric enhancement was noticeable due to levels of geomagnetic activity. Although geomagnetic forcing impacted the ionosphere, both eclipses had evident depletions under the penumbra, wherein differential vertical TEC (DVTEC) reached values <−40%. The duration of the ionospheric effects persisted after 24 UT. Also, while a noticeable TEC depletion (DVTEC ∼−50%) of the southern EIA crest was observed during the 2018 eclipse (hemisphere summer), an evident TEC enhancement (DVTEC > 30%) at the same crest was seen during the eclipse of 2022 (hemisphere autumn). Swarm-A and DMSP F18 satellite measurements and analysis of other solar eclipses in the sector under quiet conditions supported the ionospheric behavior.
Global Scale Inversions from MOPITT CO and MODIS AOD
Authors: Gaubert Benjamin , Edwards David P. , Anderson Jeffrey L. , Arellano Avelino F. , Barré Jérôme , Buchholz Rebecca R. , Darras Sabine , Emmons Louisa K. , Fillmore David , Granier Claire , Hannigan James W. , Ortega Ivan , Raeder Kevin , Soulié Antonin , Tang Wenfu , Worden Helen M. , Ziskin Daniel
Published: October 2023

Top-down observational constraints on emissions flux estimates from satellite observations of chemical composition are subject to biases and errors stemming from transport, chemistry and prior emissions estimates. In this context, we developed an ensemble data assimilation system to optimize the initial conditions for carbon monoxide (CO) and aerosols, while also quantifying the respective emission fluxes with a distinct attribution of anthropogenic and wildfire sources. We present the separate assimilation of CO profile v9 retrievals from the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), collection 6.1, from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments. This assimilation system is built on the Data Assimilation Research Testbed (DART) and includes a meteorological ensemble to assimilate weather observations within the online Community Atmosphere Model with Chemistry (CAM-chem). Inversions indicate an underestimation of CO emissions in CAMS-GLOB-ANT_v5.1 in China for 2015 and an overestimation of CO emissions in the Fire INventory from NCAR (FINN) version 2.2, especially in the tropics. These emissions increments are consistent between the MODIS AOD and the MOPITT CO-based inversions. Additional simulations and comparison with in situ observations from the NASA Atmospheric Tomography Mission (ATom) show that biases in hydroxyl radical (OH) chemistry dominate the CO errors.
Spatiotemporal Variation and Stability of Rice Planting Using Landsat–MODIS Fusion Images from 1990 to 2020
Authors: Jiang Luguang , Liu Ye , Wu Si
Published: October 2023

Dongting Lake Plain is a historic foundation for China’s commodity grain production. We used Landsat images to interpret the rice planting pattern from 1990 to 2020 based on the vegetation index curve and crop time window differences. The research aims included the spatiotemporal change in the rice planting area and the multiple cropping index, the transformation properties between single-crop and double-crop, and influence factors of rice cultivation. The findings indicated that the rice planting area has increased by 23.64% over the past 30 years. However, the multiple cropping index decreased by 17.39%. The area of single-crop rice increased by 2.6 times, while the area of double-crop rice decreased by 23.19%, which indicated that the planting intensity of rice has decreased. The area where rice has been steadily planted for 30 years is approximately 5600 km2, accounting for 87% of all rice planting land in this study area. The transformation from double-crop rice to single-crop rice was the most obvious characteristic of internal changes. The marginal benefits of current agricultural policies have decreased. This research may provide a theoretical basis for the refined management of rice and improve agricultural policies. More clouds in the remote sensing image limited the time resolution. Future research may further explore the comprehensive influencing factors.
An Artificial Neural Network to Eliminate the Detrimental Spectral Shift on Mid-Infrared Gas Spectroscopy
Authors: Chin Sanghoon , Van Zaen Jérôme , Denis Séverine , Muntané Enric , Schröder Stephan , Martin Hans , Balet Laurent , Lecomte Steve
Published: October 2023

We demonstrate the successful implementation of an artificial neural network (ANN) to eliminate detrimental spectral shifts imposed in the measurement of laser absorption spectrometers (LASs). Since LASs rely on the analysis of the spectral characteristics of biological and chemical molecules, their accuracy and precision is especially prone to the presence of unwanted spectral shift in the measured molecular absorption spectrum over the reference spectrum. In this paper, an ANN was applied to a scanning grating-based mid-infrared trace gas sensing system, which suffers from temperature-induced spectral shifts. Using the HITRAN database, we generated synthetic gas absorbance spectra with random spectral shifts for training and validation. The ANN was trained with these synthetic spectra to identify the occurrence of spectral shifts. Our experimental verification unambiguously proves that such an ANN can be an excellent tool to accurately retrieve the gas concentration from imprecise or distorted spectra of gas absorption. Due to the global shift of the measured gas absorption spectrum, the accuracy of the retrieved gas concentration using a typical least-mean-squares fitting algorithm was considerably degraded by 40.3%. However, when the gas concentration of the same measurement dataset was predicted by the proposed multilayer perceptron network, the sensing accuracy significantly improved by reducing the error to less than ±1% while preserving the sensing sensitivity.
Power Line Extraction and Tree Risk Detection Based on Airborne LiDAR
Authors: Xi Siyuan , Zhang Zhaojiang , Niu Yufen , Li Huirong , Zhang Qiang
Published: October 2023

Transmission lines are the basis of human production and activities. In order to ensure their safe operation, it is essential to regularly conduct transmission line inspections and identify tree risk in a timely manner. In this paper, a power line extraction and tree risk detection method is proposed. Firstly, the height difference and local dimension feature probability model are used to extract power line points, and then the Cloth Simulation Filter algorithm and neighborhood sharing method are creatively introduced to distinguish conductors and ground wires. Secondly, conductor reconstruction is realized by the approach of the linear–catenary model, and numerous non-risk points are excluded by constructing the tree risk point candidate area centered on the conductor’s reconstruction curve. Finally, the grading strategy for the safety distance calculation is used to detect the tree risk points. The experimental results show that the precision, recall, and F-score of the conductors (ground wires) classification exceed 98.05% (97.98%), 99.00% (99.14%), and 98.58% (98.56%), respectively, which presents a high classification accuracy. The Root-Mean-Square Error, Maximum Error, and Minimum Error of the conductor’s reconstruction are better than 3.67 cm, 7.13 cm, and 2.64 cm, respectively, and the Mean Absolute Error of the safety distance calculation is better than 6.47 cm, proving the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed tree risk points detection method.
How to Regain Green Consumer Trust after Greenwashing: Experimental Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Dandan , Walker Thomas
Published: October 2023

Greenwashing leads to consumer skepticism of all green products as well as doubts about company claims regarding sustainability. However, the understanding of how to regain green consumer trust after greenwashing is rather limited. The authors fill this gap by exploring the psychological process of green consumers following intervention strategies designed to reduce greenwashing. We collect and interpret quantitative data from two psychological experiments, the first experiment identified two types of intervention strategies that serve to counter the negative impact of greenwashing and based on our findings from the first studies, we proposed and tested the moderating effect of two factors—implicit beliefs of consumers and companies who implement intervention strategies after greenwashing. The results indicate that distrust regulation (quantifying a product’s green attributes) and trustworthiness demonstration (visualizing environmental behaviors) are effective intervention strategies that can enable consumers to re-evaluate the cost-benefit of green products, and which may serve as critical psychological factors for green consumers and contribute to the degree of trust. Validation and comparative study of the derived results show that distrust regulation, followed by trustworthiness demonstration, has the best effect on increasing green trust after intervention. If the sequence is reversed, the effect of the intervention strategy is worse than if only one strategy had been applied. The implicit beliefs of green consumers play a moderating role between intervention strategies and reconsideration of the cost-benefit of green products. The behavior of genuinely green companies and the incremental beliefs of consumers can promote the intervention effect after greenwashing. Alternatively, the behavior of greenwashing companies can easily counter these effects. These findings contribute to knowledge about which psychological factors can promote or hinder the effectiveness of an intervention.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Carbon Fixation Pathway in Photosynthetic Organisms of Pugionium cornutum (L.) under Drought Stress
Authors: Zhao Hongyu , Ning Kezhen , Zhang Xiaoyan , Yang Zhongren , Huang Xiumei , Hao Lizhen , Zhang Fenglan
Published: October 2023

In recent years, the problem of crop yield reduction caused by drought has become increasingly serious in countries around the world. China, in particular, is facing a pressing issue of water resource scarcity that is limiting agricultural production and food security. To address this, studying the drought resistance of plants is crucial to understanding the limitations of cultivated plants in dealing with drought. It can also contribute to an improvement in plant drought resistance theory and provide a theoretical foundation for sustainable agricultural development. In this study, we used Pugionium corntum (L.) Gaertn. as the experimental material and analyzed the transcriptome data of P. corntum under drought stress using high-throughput Illumina sequencing technology. Under the simulated drought environment, we compared P. corntum with the control and observed that the number of differentially expressed genes involved in the carbon fixation pathway in photosynthetic organisms was 14 and 30 under moderate and severe drought stress, respectively. Our findings revealed the presence of genes related to the C4 cycle pathway in P. corntum, which effectively explains its adaptation mechanism to arid desert environments. This adaptation mechanism alleviates the negative impact of drought on photosynthesis in seedlings.
Research Advances in the Impacts of Biochar on the Physicochemical Properties and Microbial Communities of Saline Soils
Authors: An Xia , Liu Qin , Pan Feixiang , Yao Yu , Luo Xiahong , Chen Changli , Liu Tingting , Zou Lina , Wang Weidong , Wang Jinwang , Liu Xing
Published: October 2023

The scientific management of salinized agricultural lands and the use of undeveloped saline lands to ensure food security have become one of the most urgent tasks nowadays. Biochar contains rich carbon (C) and functional groups, and processes high alkalinity, porosity, and specific surface area (SSA). Thus, it has been widely used as an effective organic conditioner in acidic or neutral soils to improve their fertility. However, so far, the impacts of biochar application on properities of saline soils and the underlying mechanisms remain unveiled. Therefore, in this study, we focus on the investigation of the impacts of biochar on the physical, chemical, and biological properties of saline soils. We found that biochar could: (1) decrease soil bulk density (BD), increase soil porosity, promote the formation of soil aggregation and enhance the leaching of soil salts; (2) increase the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of soil, decrease the salinity of soil through ion exchange and adsorption; (3) directly act as the nutrient supplements, indirectly adsorb water and nutrients or improve nutrient availability (e.g., soil organic carbon (SOC) turnover and sequestration, nutrient cycling); and (4) improve the structure and functioning of the soil microbial community and therefore indirectly impact the C, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) cycling in soil systems. However, these impacts heavily depend on the properties, the concentration of the biochar added to the soil, and the type and location of the soil. In fact, some studies have shown that the addition of biochar in soil could even increase the salinity of saline soils. Another issue is the lack of long-term and large-scale field experiments regarding the impact of biochar addition on properties of saline soils. Therefore, future studies should focus on long-term field experiments with the combination of traditional soil analytical methods and mordern molecular techniques (e.g., high-throughput sequencing, macro-genomics, and metabolomics) to comprehensively reveal the response mechanism of physicochemical properties and microbial characteristics of saline soils to exogenous biochar. Our study can provide a scientific foundation for the practical agricultural production and ecological management of biochar.
Assessing Exergy Efficiency in Computer-Aided Modeled Large-Scale Production of Chitosan Microbeads Modified with Thiourea and Magnetite Nanoparticles
Authors: Bertel-Pérez Forlin , Cogollo-Cárcamo Grisel , González-Delgado Ángel Darío
Published: October 2023

Chitosan, the deacetylated derivative of chitin, is a biopolymer with many applications in different sectors, such as pharmaceutical, food, and wastewater treatment, amongst others. It can be used as a source for synthesizing bioadsorbents modified with chelators and nanoparticles for the removal of pollutants. In this report, we conducted an exergy analysis to evaluate the large-scale production of chitosan-based bioadsorbents modified with iron nanoparticles and chelators. The objective was to identify energy inefficiencies and propose technological enhancements to improve energy utilization. The process was simulated using Aspen Plus V.10® software, enabling the quantification of chemical and physical exergies for the species and streams involved. We calculated process irreversibilities, exergy losses, waste exergy, and utility exergy flows for each stage and the overall process. These findings provide valuable insights into optimizing energy utilization in the production of chitosan-based bioadsorbents. The overall exergy efficiency was 4.98%, with the washing and drying stages of nanoparticles and adsorbent synthesis accounting for the largest contribution to process irreversibilities and exergy destruction. To increase the global exergy efficiency of the process, it is proposed to implement process improvement strategies, such as mass or energy integration, to obtain better energy performance.
Geomechanical Characterization of Crushed Concrete–Rubber Waste Mixtures
Authors: Gabryś Katarzyna
Published: October 2023

The present study investigates the dynamic and cyclic behavior of mixtures of waste materials, i.e., rigid anthropogenic mineral aggregates (RCA) mixed with recycled soft particles (RTW), based on a series of standard resonant column tests and cyclic torsional shear tests. The laboratory tests presented in this article are part of a larger research project that aims to provide useful insights to facilitate the application of RCA–RTW compositions as geotechnical materials. The impacts of various parameters including shear strain, mean effective stress, and, in particular, rubber content on the shear modulus (G), and damping ratio (D), are considered in detail. Rubber content is considered by the percentage of rubber in the mix weight. In general, the results show that as the RTW content increases, the shear modulus decreases while the damping ratio increases. The largest reduction in the G−modulus values occurs for the highest rubberized mix. The observed damping ratio for pure RCA is approx. three times lower versus rubber-reinforced specimens. The compliance of the behavior of the new RCA–RTW mixtures and pure recycled concrete waste tested under dynamic and cyclic loading is demonstrated. The effects of crushing of the RCA material itself during cyclic loading are visible, and dilution of this process due to the addition of rubber. Furthermore, the test data reveal that the values of the G−modulus and D−ratio at small and medium strain levels are considered independent of the time of vibration.
Study of Potential Impact of Wind Energy on Electricity Price Using Regression Techniques
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Tripathi Madan Mohan , Gupta Saket , Alotaibi Majed A. , Malik Hasmat , Afthanorhan Asyraf
Published: October 2023

This paper seeks to investigate the impact analysis of wind energy on electricity prices in an integrated renewable energy market, using regression models. This is especially important as wind energy is hard to predict and its integration into electricity markets is still in an early stage. Price forecasting has been performed with consideration of wind energy generation to optimize energy portfolio investment and create an efficient energy-trading landscape. It provides an insight into future market trends which allow traders to price their products competitively and manage their risks within the volatile market. Through the analysis of an available dataset from the Austrian electricity market, it was found that the Decision Tree (DT) regression model performed better than the Linear Regression (LR), Random Forest (RF), and Least Absolute Shrinkage Selector Operator (LASSO) models. The accuracy of the model was evaluated using the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE). The MAE values considering wind energy generation and without wind energy generation for the Decision Tree model were found to be lowest (2.08 and 2.20, respectively) among all proposed models for the available dataset. The increasing deployment of wind energy in the European grid has led to a drop in prices and helped in achieving energy security and sustainability.
Reference Framework Based on a Two-Stage Strategy for Sizing and Operational Management in Electrical Microgrid Planning
Authors: Zuñiga-Cortes Fabian , Caicedo-Bravo Eduardo , Garcia-Racines Juan D.
Published: October 2023

The challenges of today’s energy landscape, marked by the search for sustainable development, the expansion of coverage, and the diversification of the energy matrix, allow for electricity systems focusing on renewable energy resources. Microgrids are considered an efficient paradigm for managing distributed renewable energy generation and providing reliable access to electricity in remote areas where the grid has not been extended. However, their planning is a complex task that requires a thorough understanding of various multi-dimensional aspects and decision-making scenarios to define feasible and sustainable alternatives. In this context, this study presents a new planning framework based on a two-stage strategy. The strategy seeks to optimize the capacity of generation resources, considering the microgrid’s operational knowledge in various scenarios and aspects related to its sustainability. The framework was evaluated through a case of planning a microgrid for a remote community in Vaupés, Colombia, considering the local energy potential and demand requirements. Twenty optimized alternatives were identified based on the best compromise levels achieved for a set of performance criteria in the technical, economic, environmental, and social dimensions.
Climate Change Education through Earth Observation: An Approach for EO Newcomers in Schools
Authors: Asimakopoulou Panagiota , Nastos Panagiotis , Vassilakis Emmanuel , Antonarakou Assimina , Hatzaki Maria , Katsigianni Ourania , Papamatthaiou Maria , Kontoes Charalampos (Haris)
Published: October 2023

Earth Observation (EO) is widely recognized as a powerful tool for Climate Change and Sustainability Education (CCSE); however, the uptake of EO data in schools is still limited due to technical, motivational, or informational barriers. A major factor for the exploitation of EO in schools is the availability of curriculum-relevant pedagogical content that is attractive and personally meaningful to learners. Here, we examine whether an EO-based learning scenario developed for primary schools and implemented by EO novice teachers and students, based solely on written instructions, can serve as an effective entry point for incorporating EO into schools and addressing CCSE objectives. Our study showed that: (a) cloud-based EO tools are suitable for EO-novice teachers and students, who quickly become familiar with them and grasp basic EO concepts; (b) the combined use of EO-based and place-based learning helps students bridge the local and the global perspective of Climate Change (CC) impacts; (c) EO-based educational material stimulates students’ interest for satellites and EO technology; (d) the phenomenon-based approach grabs students’ attention, provokes their curiosity, and acts as a springboard for scientific inquiry on CC impacts; and (e) our scenario’s learning approaches promoted teachers’ upskilling and intra-school collaboration.
Sustainable Management Decisions for Urban Historical Parks: A Case Study Based on Online Referential Values of Carol I Park in Bucharest, Romania
Authors: Bazac Titus , Marin Sorin , Olteanu Cosmin , Hotoi Anca
Published: October 2023

Urban historical parks represent important cultural touristic objectives that are part of a city’s own identity. However, currently, the image of these areas in the eyes of contemporary citizens does not always meet their needs and expectations. The purpose of this study is to reveal and evaluate the citizens’ perception level of a multi-objective historical park located in Bucharest, Romania—the Carol I Park. Using software methodology, we managed to determine, online and offline, the degree of public knowledge and interest for this specific urban area and, subsequently, the probability of civic interaction with it. For this, an algorithm was created by deconstructing user searches consisting of factual terms and their semantic derivatives. The search phrases were then run on the GetKeywords and Google Ads platforms, two professional software products mainly used in online advertising, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), research and audience analysis. Various numerical data were obtained, reflecting the structure of Romanian searches performed by users of the Google search engine, which were taxonomically ranked, graphically modeled, then construed and discussed. Therefore, the obtained analysis results can become an indicative tool for the direction to follow in establishing a sustainable managerial strategy that can lead to a viable exploitation and capitalization strategy of that area.
Crossroads between Autoimmunity and COVID-19 in Lung Transplant Recipients
Authors: Narasimhan Madhusudhanan , Muthukumar Alagarraju , Sataranatarajan Kavithalakshmi , Mahimainathan Lenin , Mahan Luke , Timofte Irina , Bollineni Srinivas , Joerns John , Zhang Song , Gorman April , Banga Amit , Mohanka Manish , Torres Fernando , Lawrence Adrian , Thalachallour Mohanakumar , Kaza Vaidehi
Published: October 2023

The presence of a certain group of auto-antibodies (AAbs) is known to correlate with the severity of COVID-19. It is, however, unknown if such AAbs are prevalent and impact COVID-19-related outcomes in lung transplant recipients (LTRs) who are immunosuppressed. We performed a retrospective study of LTRs with COVID-19 and analyzed samples before and after COVID-19 for IgG AAbs. AAbs analysis was carried out using autoimmune and coronavirus microarray and the resulting cross-sectional differences in Ab-scores and clinical variables were analyzed using Fischer’s Exact test for categorical variables and a paired t-test for continuous variables. Linear regression was used to analyze the differences in Ab-scores and COVID-19 severity. LTRs with non-severe [NS gp (n = 10)], and severe [S gp (n = 8)] COVID-19 disease were included. Ferritin and acute respiratory failure were higher in the S group (p = 0.03; p < 0.0001). Among the AAbs analyzed, interferon-related AAbs (IFN-alpha2, IFN-beta, IFN lamba, IFN-epsilon), eight interleukin-related AAbs, and several tissue-related AAbs were also found to be changed significantly from pre- to post-COVID-19 (p < 0.05). IFN-lambda (p = 0.03) and IL-22 (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with COVID-19 severity and remained significant in linear regression analysis while controlling for other variables. AAbs are common in LTRs, and certain groups of antibodies are particularly enhanced in LTRs with severe COVID-19. Preliminary observations of this study need to be confirmed by a larger sample size.
Problems of providing the population of the Orenburg Region with bakery products
Authors:   Orenburg Branch of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Orenburg, Kirillova E.N.
Published: October 2023

The article deals with an important regional problem of the shortage of bakery products, as well as options for increasing production and supply of products to rural areas of the Orenburg Region in order to provide the population with high-quality bakery products in sufficient volume.
Features of the introduction of smart home systems to ensure the safety of housing
Authors:   Research and Production complex of the Istok-Audio Group of Companies, Dutyshev D.I.
Published: October 2023

Comfort, safety and economy — that's what distinguishes a smart home from standard housing. For many people, it is very important that their home is as comfortable and safe as possible. This is especially necessary for those who have hearing, vision, musculoskeletal disorders, as well as for elderly and disabled citizens. Specialists of the Istok-Audio Group have designed the Istok-Smart smart home system, which contains the best technical solutions in the field of creating a safe and comfortable home.
Modern approaches in the field of occupational injury management in metallurgy
Authors:   Tactise Group (Integrated Management Systems LLC), Russia, Moscow, Handildy A.V.
Published: October 2023

For an effective enterprise, safety at work, the life and health of employees should be in the first place. Occupational injuries can be studied from different sides — moral (impact on the employee's condition), social (impact on the team), resource (impact on human and technological potential), economic (impact on competitiveness and efficiency). Each component is of great importance and for further adaptation to the challenges of a market economy, it is important that metallurgical companies effectively cope with safety management at work. In Russia in 2021, the share of metallurgical and processing enterprises accounts for 25.6% [1] of insurance cases related to injuries. Safe production is one of the most important strategic tasks facing the metallurgical industry. The article discusses modern approaches in the field of occupational injury management, provides practical results of the application of risk management principles at metallurgical enterprises, and also assesses their effectiveness.
Cultivo de Heliconia Bihai consorciada com milho e feijão sob adubação orgânica no cerrado
Authors: Alves Débora da Silva , Costa Adilson Alves , Stefanelo Daniela
Published: October 2023

As flores tropicais compõem um ramo do agronegócio de aspecto social importante, porém há divergências nas recomendações adequada de adubação/consórcio para sua produção. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar os componentes de produção da cultura da Heliconia bihai em sistema consorciado e solteiro sob diferentes doses de adubação orgânica. O experimento foi instalado no Parque Vida Cerrado, no município de Barreiras-BA, a pleno sol em esquema fatorial 2x5, sendo duas formas de sistemas (consorcio e solteiro); e 5 doses de composto orgânico L/m² (0, 5, 10, 15, 20L/m²). Os tratamentos foram distribuídos em blocos ao acaso com 3 repetições e as unidades propagativas eram um rizoma com dois perfilhos plenamente desenvolvidos por parcela. O espaçamento foi 1,5x2m. A semeadura do milho e feijão foi realizada em linhas simples nas entrelinhas das Helicônias, com 0,5m de distâncias delas. Foi semeadas 7 sementes de milho e 6 de feijão por metro linear. Foram realizadas as seguintes avaliações em campo: 1- Comprimento da haste floral; 2-Diametro da haste floral; 3- Número de perfilhos por touceira; 4- Número de hastes por touceira. Os valores de comprimento da haste floral, bem como os de diâmetro da haste floral não diferiram estatisticamente entre si, considerando os sistemas adotados e as doses estudadas. Na regressão, o sistema solteiro apresentou um incremento de 327% na produção de hastes e 58% no número perfilhos em comparação ao consórcio na dose 10L/m². No consórcio para Heliconia bihai não obteve resultado significativo. A doses 10L/m² no sistema solteiro, houve incremento de 197% no número de haste e 32,2% no número de perfilho em comparação a dose 0L/m².
How a small-town enterprise delivers “worldwide” services: a case from the music production industry
Authors: Vold Tone , Ranglund Ole Jørgen , Bergum Svein , Wahl Carl-Henrik , Haave Hanne Marit , Kiønig Linda V.
Published: October 2023

In Rena, a small town (approx. 2,500 inhabitants) in a small municipality (approx. 5,000 inhabitants), there is a rather small enterprise that has not only had a national impact, but also attracts international attention. The company has specialized in music production and developing singer/songwriters and are running a substantial number of “music camps” that are sessions lasting either a weekend or a week with different themes. With increasingly better equipment accessible to “everyone” and digital platforms with short access to the public, the competition regarding being spotted on the different music apps is high and increasing rapidly. In our paper, we have investigated how this company has made a living out of facilitating for the development of music. We have used qualitative methods, and primarily focussed on in-depth interviews with the employees and participants, as well as observations during sessions. Our results show that not only their business model, but also the structure and facilitation, is vital for developing products that may be published. The structure and facilitation have been developed over some time. During this time, the founder and colleagues have shown exceptional learning abilities, and not only developed as music producers, but also as facilitators. We have found some explanations for this success, not only from theory on innovation and entrepreneurship, but also in theory on Positive Deviance, which we will present in the paper. The combination of these directions has provided a richer understanding of how this small-town company has a worldwide customer database. The innovation capacity of the company has supported the development of the organization as they have been able to utilize their dynamic skills, hired staff with complimentary skills and through a leadership and management style managed to engage the staff by involving and including them in the strategic development of the organization and what they offer their customers. Their ability to attract and develop competency and their professionalism have contributed towards turning potential disadvantages to a part of what they offer the customers as a support and positive means to finish or enhance their products.
Applications of Emerging Smart Technologies in Farming Systems: A Review
Authors: Choudhary Vipin Kumar
Published: October 2023

The future of farming systems depends mainly on adopting innovative, intelligent, and smart technologies. The agricultural sector's growth and progress are more critical to human survival than any other industry. Extensive multidisciplinary research is happening worldwide for adopting intelligent technologies in farming systems. Nevertheless, when it comes to handling realistic challenges in making autonomous decisions and predictive solutions in farming, applications of Information & Communications Technologies (ICT) need to be utilized more. Information derived from data worked best on year-to-year outcomes, disease risk, market patterns, prices, or customer needs and ultimately facilitated farmers in decision-making to increase crop and livestock production. Innovative technologies allow the analysis and correlation of information on seed quality, soil types, infestation agents, weather conditions, etc. This review analysis highlights the concept, methods, and applications of various futuristic cognitive innovative technologies along with their critical roles played in different aspects of farming systems like Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, Neural Networks, utilization of unmanned vehicles (UAV), Big data analytics, Blok chain technology etc.
Balancing Economic Sustainability with Densification: A Case Study of Dhaka
Authors: Nancy Syeda Jafrina , Hafiz Roxana
Published: October 2023

Economically sustainable urban residential neighborhoods are characterized by adequate provision of physical infrastructure including transport facilities and utility services. The built urban fabric of residential areas of Dhaka has been undergoing densification operation over the past decades without considering the physical infrastructure capacity of these areas in terms of accessibility and provision of transportation and utility services. This intervention eventually exerted pressure on the existing infrastructure and caused negative externalities like traffic congestion, pollution, and water clogging. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the impact of densification on residential areas of Dhaka through the lens of economic sustainability. Seven residential areas from Old and New Dhaka that underwent various degreesof densification were selected as the study areas. Primary data was collected through a random sampling household questionnaire survey, fieldwork, and informal qualitative interviews with the residents and officials. Various published literature, newspaper articles, plans, and reports from government archives, Capital Development Authority (RAJUK), Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) provided the secondary data. The analysis is carried out in two parts. In the firstpart the impact of densification on accessibility to transportation facilities and utility services is analyzed in terms of availability of the services, distance to the bus stops, average travel time, modal choice, and residents’ satisfaction level. The second part explores the relationship between density and aspects of economic sustainability through Pearson’s correlation test. The findings revealed that public transportation is more accessible in lower-density areas than the higher-density residential areas owing to the road network pattern. A significant service delivery gap except for water supply was observed regarding the provision and quality of gas, electricity, sewerage, and garbage disposal services across all the study areas. Overall, density was found to have a negative association with the accessibility to physical infrastructures indicating that high-density residential areas of Dhaka do not have increased access to public transport and utility services which is contrary to the expected benefits of high-density living. A comprehensive density planning with an integrated sustainable transport plan needs to be formulated where viable public transport like Bus Rapid Transit (BRTs) systems and waterways may mitigate the situation from further worsening.