bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Examining Current Research Trends in Ozone Formation Sensitivity: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Javed Zeeshan , Mehmood Khalid , Liu Cheng , Zheng Xiaojun , Xu Chunsheng , Tanvir Aimon , Ajmal Khan Muhammad , Siddique Nadeem , Du Daolin
Published: July 2023

The end of the 20th century brought about drastic changes in the tropospheric ozone (O3) around the globe. It is, therefore, highly important to gain insight into O3 formation mechanisms and their key precursors in order to assist policymaking to combat O3 pollution. This article synthesizes a bibliometric analysis of O3 formation sensitivity from 1965 to 2022, reported in English language journals available in the Web of Science Core Collection. This study shows that constant expansion in the number of publications has occurred since 2008, with the highest number occurring in 2021. Most publications are from the United States of America (USA), with 406 papers (42.7%), followed by China with 128 papers (13.5%), and the United Kingdom (UK) with 87 papers (9.1%). Citation burst analysis and significant and highly cited research work analysis are used to discover and assess evolving research tendencies. The thematic evolution of author-supplied keywords indicates that the terms “volatile organic compounds” and “ozone precursors” have recently emerged with a higher frequency. This suggests that there is a growing trend in research focused on these topics in the future. The objective of this study is to provide research primacies and future prospects for better analysis of O3 sensitivity, thereby helping to manage O3 pollution.
Impact of Microplastics on the Fate and Behaviour of Arsenic in the Environment and Their Significance for Drinking Water Supply
Authors: Watson Malcolm , Tubić Aleksandra , Šolić Marko , Nikić Jasmina , Kragulj Isakovski Marijana , Agbaba Jasmina
Published: July 2023

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) is a topic of great concern. Not only do MPs themselves represent potential toxicants for human health, they are never found alone in the environment and interact with and adsorb a variety of toxicologically significant pollutants. This review summarises recent work on interactions between MPs and heavy metals in the environment, with a special focus on arsenic, one of the most widespread and problematic water contaminants. Evidence for the adsorption of arsenic onto MP surfaces is given and the recent research into the consequences of this phenomenon for freshwater, marine, and soil environments presented. Finally, the lack of research into the significance of interactions between arsenic and MPs during drinking water treatment is highlighted. The performance of arsenic removal technologies is governed by a multitude of different factors, and with MPs detected in water sources all over the world, data on how these MPs impact the removal of arsenic and, indeed, other major water contaminants are urgently needed.
Evaluation of the Impact of Buffer Management Strategies on Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Process Mass Intensity
Authors: Gibson Kevin , Oliveira Jorge C. , Ring Denis
Published: July 2023

There is an increasing demand to improve the overall sustainability of the biopharmaceutical industry. A barrier to improvement has been the limited research undertaken in the area of environmental impact of key design decisions. The aim of this study was to perform a comprehensive evaluation of the impact of buffer management strategy and technology selection on overall process efficiency using process mass intensity (PMI) as a metric for comparison. The environmental impact of buffer management has yet to be fully understood, despite buffers being one of the most resource-intensive aspects of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. A detailed process model was used to evaluate the impact of buffer management on a monoclonal antibody (MAB) process at the 2000 L scale. This was achieved by means of a non-replicated full factorial design composed of six variables: product titre, quantity of unique buffers, preparation frequency, single-use threshold and equipment cleaning duration with two levels and buffer preparation strategy type with four levels. The study identified that buffer management has a critical impact on overall process mass intensity, demonstrating a possibility to achieve a reduction in PMI of up to 90% for the best scenario compared to the worst. The findings also indicated that single-use systems are greatly superior to stainless-steel systems in terms of overall process efficiency, which is consistent with established thinking. The results from this research represent a further significant step towards achieving a more sustainable biopharmaceutical industry, establishing buffer management as a critical focus area, quantifying the influence of key variables on process mass intensity and highlighting the benefits of using a process mass intensity metric as part of routine biopharmaceutical design.
The Necessity of an Incarnate Prophet
Authors: Sijuwade Joshua R.
Published: July 2023

This article aims to provide an a priori argument—termed the Flourishment Argument, for the veracity of the Christian conception of the Abrahamic religion that centres on God’s action of sending a divine and atoning prophet into the world. This specific informal argument will be presented through the formulation of a set of a priori reasons for why God would seek to interact with the world—developed in light of the work of Richard Swinburne, John Finnis, Linda Zagzebski and Alexander Pruss—which, in combination, will provide individuals with grounds for believing in the veracity of these important Christian teachings.
The Evangelical Church as an Extirpator of Idolatry in the Water Festival in the Andes of Peru
Authors: Gutiérrez-Gómez Edgar , Huanca-Arohuanca Jesús Wiliam , Moscoso-Paucarchuco Ketty Marilú , Paz y Miño-Conde Manuel Abraham , Luján-Pérez Diana
Published: July 2023

The research focuses on the Water Festival (Yarqa Aspiy), an ancient event in the Peruvian Andes, and which, as an Inca activity, survived the extirpation of idolatries by the Spanish colonization. The objective is to determine the importance of ancestral rituals in the communal work of this festival that, by merging with those of the Catholic religion, survives to this day. The participant-observation methodology in the Ccarhuaccoco community allowed us to investigate the details of this ancestral communal activity with its Andean rituals. It is concluded that this activity of Inca origin is in the process of extinction due to the growth of the Evangelical Church, which eradicates idolatry in its community practice. Additionally, thanks to religious tolerance, freedom of belief, and the necessary coexistence of water with the community, the festivity is maintained, although with variations in its ritual.
GM(1,1)-Based Weighted K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm for Indoor Localization
Authors: Xiang Lai , Xu Ying , Cui Jianhui , Liu Yang , Wang Ruozhou , Li Guofeng
Published: July 2023

Along with the IoT technology, the importance of indoor positioning is increasing, but the accuracy of the traditional fingerprint positioning algorithm is negatively affected by the complex indoor environment. This issue of low indoor spatial geolocation localization accuracy when the signal is collected away from the present stage occurs due to the signal instability of the iBeacon in the traditional fingerprint localization algorithm, which generates a variety of factors such as object blocking and reflection, multipath effect, etc., as well as the scarcity of reference fingerprint data points. In response, this study proposes an inverse distance-weighted optimization WKNN algorithm for indoor localization based on the GM(1,1) model. By implementing GM(1,1) model pre-process leveling, the original fingerprint library was reconstructed into a large-capacity fingerprint database using the inverse distance-weighted interpolation method. The local inverse distance-weighted interpolation was used for interpolation, combined with the WKNN algorithm to complete the coordinate solution in real time. This effectively solved the issue of low localization accuracy caused by the large fluctuation of the received signal strength (RSS) sampling measurement data and the existence of few reference fingerprint datapoints in the fingerprint database. The results show that this algorithm reduced the average positioning error by 5.9% compared with ordinary kriging (OK) interpolation leveling and reduced the average positioning error by 18.2% compared with the indoor spatial location accuracy of the original fingerprint database, which can effectively improve the positioning accuracy and provide technical support for indoor location and navigation services.
Rapid Vegetation Growth due to Shifts in Climate from Slow to Sustained Warming over Terrestrial Ecosystems in China from 1980 to 2018
Authors: Zhang Yuxin , Wang Junbang , Watson Alan E.
Published: July 2023

The fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) is a key biophysiological parameter of terrestrial ecosystems. However, due to a lack of data with adequate spatial resolution and in long enough time series, there have been limitations in exploring the spatiotemporal changes of vegetation and response to climate change. In this study, a 1 km spatial resolution and 8-day period length dataset (FPARANN) was developed covering the years 1980 to 2018 and evaluated on spatiotemporal change consistency by validating with Gross Primary Production (GPP) observations from the Chinese Flux Observation and Research Network (ChinaFLUX), and comparison with other FPAR products. FPARANN provided a comparable performance in capturing seasonal change observed through GPP, according to the coefficient of determination (R2): 0.50, 0.51, 0.70 and 0.74 averaged for all sites, forest sites, grassland sites and cropland flux sites, respectively. The new data had more spatial similarity to the MODIS FPAR product (FPARMCD15A2) with a greater R2 (0.77) and a lower RMSE (0.12) than other products. With a newly developed dataset, combined with FPARANN (1980–2003) and FPARMCD15A2 (2004–2018), an overall increasing trend in FPAR was found for over 81% of the vegetated area of China from 1980 to 2018. FPAR increased more rapidly for over 83.7% of the area in the 2010s, and at a slower pace for over 62.1% of the area in the early 2000s, which was attributed to a decadal shifting of climate change. This study implies the new dataset is useful in quantifying vegetation changes and would be an important data source for future study of the carbon cycle, soil erosion, or evapotranspiration, with great application potential.
Machine Learning (ML)-Based Copper Mineralization Prospectivity Mapping (MPM) Using Mining Geochemistry Method and Remote Sensing Satellite Data
Authors: Abedini Mahnaz , Ziaii Mansour , Timkin Timofey , Pour Amin Beiranvand
Published: July 2023

The exploration of buried mineral deposits is required to generate innovative approaches and the integration of multi-source geoscientific datasets. Mining geochemistry methods have been generated based on the theory of multi-formational geochemical dispersion haloes. Satellite remote sensing data is a form of surficial geoscience datasets and can be considered as big data in terms of veracity and volume. The different alteration zones extracted using remote sensing methods have not been yet categorized based on the mineralogical and geochemical types (MGT) of anomalies and cannot discriminate blind mineralization (BM) from zone dispersed mineralization (ZDM). In this research, an innovative approach was developed to optimize remote sensing-based evidential variables using some constructed mining geochemistry models for a machine learning (ML)-based copper prospectivity mapping. Accordingly, several main steps were implemented and analyzed. Initially, the MGT model was executed by studying the distribution of indicator elements of lithogeochemical data extracted from 50 copper deposits from Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries to identify the MGT of geochemical anomalies associated with copper mineralization. Then, the geochemical zonality model was constructed using the database of the porphyry copper deposits of Iran and Kazakhstan to evaluate the geochemical anomalies related to porphyry copper mineralization (e.g., the Saghari deposit located around the Chah-Musa deposit, Toroud-Chah Shirin belt, central north Iran). Subsequently, the results of mining geochemistry models were used to produce the geochemical evidential variable by vertical geochemical zonality (Vz) (Pb × Zn/Cu × Mo) and to optimize the remote sensing-based evidential variables. Finally, a random forest algorithm was applied to integrate the evidential variables for generating a provincial-scale prospectivity mapping of porphyry copper deposits in the Toroud-Chah Shirin belt. The results of this investigation substantiated that the machine learning (ML)-based integration of multi-source geoscientific datasets, such as mining geochemistry techniques and satellite remote sensing data, is an innovative and applicable approach for copper mineralization prospectivity mapping in metallogenic provinces.
Integrating Spatio-Temporal and Generative Adversarial Networks for Enhanced Nowcasting Performance
Authors: Yu Wenbin , Wang Suxun , Zhang Chengjun , Chen Yadang , Sheng Xinyu , Yao Yu , Liu Jie , Liu Gaoping
Published: July 2023

Nowcasting has emerged as a critical foundation for services including heavy rain alerts and public transportation management. Although widely used for short-term forecasting, models such as TrajGRU and PredRNN exhibit limitations in predicting low-intensity rainfall and low temporal resolution, resulting in suboptimal performance during infrequent heavy rainfall events. To tackle these challenges, we introduce a spatio-temporal sequence and generative adversarial network model for short-term precipitation forecasting based on radar data. By enhancing the ConvLSTM model with a pre-trained TransGAN generator, we improve feature resolution. We first assessed the model’s performance on the Moving MNIST dataset and subsequently validated it on the HKO-7 dataset. Employing metrics such as Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM), Critical Success Index (CSI), Probability of Detection (POD), and False Alarm Ratio (FAR), we compare our model’s performance to existing models. Experimental results reveal that our proposed ConvLSTM-TransGAN model effectively captures weather system evolution and surpasses the performance of other traditional models.
GC-MS Analysis and Bioactivity Screening of Leaves and Fruits of Zanthoxylum armatum DC.
Authors: Ma Jie , Ning Liping , Wang Jingyan , Gong Wei , Gao Yue , Li Mei
Published: July 2023

Zanthoxylum armatum DC. is a plant that has been homologated for medicine and food by the Chinese for three thousand years. In this study, the essential oils of fresh leaves and fruits were extracted by hydrodistillation, the aromas of fresh leaves and fruits were extracted by headspace solid-phase microextraction and their chemical compositions were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The main components of the leaf essential oils were linalool (62.01%), 2-undecanone (9.83%) and 2-tridecanone (5.47%); the fruit essential oils were linalool (72.17%), limonene (8.05%) and sabinene (6.77%); the leaf aromas were limonene (39.15%), β-myrcene (15.8%), sabinene (8.17%) and linalool (5.25%); the fruit aromas were limonene (28.43%), sabinene (13.56%), linalool (11.47%) and β-myrcene (8.64%). By comparison, it was found that the composition of leaf essential oils and fruit essential oils were dominated by oxygenated monoterpenes, while the composition of their aromas were both dominated by monoterpenes; the relative content of non-terpene components in leaf essential oil and leaf aroma is second only to oxygenated monoterpenes, while their content in fruits is low; the chemical composition of leaf aromas and fruit aromas were richer than those of essential oils. In this study, we reported for the first time that the antitumor, tyrosinase inhibition, HMGR inhibition and nitric oxide production inhibition activity of leaf essential oils were stronger than those of fruit essential oils in in vitro tests. The results of the study can provide a reference for the recycling and green low-carbon transformation of the leaves, and also help to deepen the understanding of the value of the volatile chemical constituents of this plant in “forest medicine” or “aromatherapy”, and provide new ideas for the transformation of the value of the plant in the secondary and tertiary industry chain.
Sex Differences in Mouse Models of Autism Spectrum Disorders: Their Potential to Uncover the Impact of Brain Sexual Differentiation on Gender Bias
Authors: Murta Verónica , Seiffe Araceli , Depino Amaicha Mara
Published: July 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition with a prevalence rate of 2.78%, and it is characterized by deficits in sociability and communication and restricted patterns of interests and activities. Remarkably, this psychiatric disorder exhibits a pronounced gender bias, with 80% of children diagnosed with ASD being boys. In this review, we will present advancements in mouse models of ASD and their potential contributions to our understanding of the disorder. We will highlight how initial pre-clinical investigations focused solely on male mice due to the gender bias in ASD and explain why we believe that this approach might have had detrimental consequences regarding our understanding of ASD etiology and pathophysiology. We will highlight the evidence of two sensitive periods during brain development when differential exposure to gonadal hormones may result in sex differences in brain function and behavior: the perinatal period and the pre-pubertal period. Finally, we will suggest neuroinflammation as a feasible biological mechanism that may converge different ASD etiological factors and cellular mechanisms into a brain sexual differentiation context, thus accounting for the gender disparities observed in the disorder.
Motor Coordination in Children: A Comparison between Children Engaged in Multisport Activities and Swimming
Authors: Stanković Dušan , Horvatin Maja , Vlašić Jadranka , Pekas Damir , Trajković Nebojša
Published: July 2023

Motor coordination has a crucial role in various physical activities and sports, highlighting its significance in overall movement proficiency and performance. This study aimed to compare motor coordination in children engaged in multisport versus swimming activities. The participants of this study included 180 boys and girls (girls = 87) aged 8.25 years ± 0.89. A total of three groups were included: group 1 consisted of inactive children, group 2 included children participating in swimming, and group 3 included children enrolled in multisport. Motor coordination was assessed using the Kiphard–Schilling body coordination test, evaluated by motor quotient (MQ): walking backwards, hopping for height, jumping sideways, and moving sideways. Additionally, a total motor quotient (Total MQ) was calculated based on the performance in all four tests. ANOVA revealed a significant difference in Total MQ and all subtests between the groups (p < 0.01). A significant difference in Total MQ was found not only between the inactive and multisport groups (Diff = 19.8000; 95%CI = 13.1848 to 26.4152; p = 0.001) but also between the multisport and swimming groups (Diff = 12.8000; 95%CI = 6.3456 to 19.2544; p = 0.001). In conclusion, the results revealed that children involved in multisport activities exhibited significantly better motor coordination compared to both the swimming group and the inactive group. Therefore, to enhance the growth of motor coordination abilities, it is crucial that parents, instructors, and coaches encourage kids to engage in multisport physical activities on a daily basis.
Assessment of Energy, Mobility, Waste, and Water Management on Italian Small Islands
Authors: Battistelli Francesca , Messina Ambra , Tomassetti Laura , Montiroli Cassandra , Manzo Eros , Torre Marco , Tratzi Patrizio , Segreto Marco , Chu Chen-Yeon , Paolini Valerio , Corsini Alessandro , Petracchini Francesco
Published: July 2023

Small islands are recognized for their vulnerability to climate change. In this context, mitigation and adaptation policies are needed, but the ecological transition must be based on data. This study aims to assess the level of sustainability reached by 26 of the inhabited Italian small islands; it collects and analyzes the data and initiatives on the energy, mobility, waste, and water sectors and discusses the islands’ steps toward sustainability. The findings show that 18 of the 26 islands are not interconnected with the national grid and that the renewable sources cover less than 5% of the energy demand on 25 of the 26 islands. The number per capita of private vehicles reaches 90 cars per 100 inhabitants on three islands. The average of the separate collection of waste on the islands is 52%, which is far from the minimum recommended threshold of 65%. Pipelines or tankers on 17 of the 26 islands guarantee the water supply, and desalination plants are still not the rule, while the presence of wastewater treatment has been detected on 12 islands, and it often provides only partial treatment. An ambitious multi-stakeholder sustainability plan for each island should be developed to overcome the typical barriers of the island and to increase the building capacity in order to use economic incentives for that goal.
Unpacking the Mechanisms of Network Embeddedness for Low-Carbon Innovation in Chinese Enterprises: A Dynamic and Cognitive Theory Perspective
Authors: Jiang Yuguo , Ampaw Enock Mintah , Xu Feifei
Published: July 2023

In the context of low-carbon economies, there is a clarion call for enterprises to change traditional economic management styles in order to achieve optimal gains. Against this background, the mechanism to improve low-carbon innovation capabilities of enterprises has become the holy grail for top management teams. Based on the social network, dynamic ability and upper echelon theories, this study explores the impact of network embeddedness on low-carbon innovation of enterprises and further analyzes the intermediary role of low-carbon dynamic abilities and the moderating role of executives’ low-carbon cognition. To achieve the objectives of this study, a sample of 386 enterprises in China were selected for the study. The results show that (1) Both structural embeddedness and relational embeddedness have significant positive effects on enterprises low-carbon innovation; (2) A low-carbon dynamic ability functions as a partially mediated factor between structural embeddedness and enterprise low-carbon innovation; (3) Low-carbon dynamic capacity plays a complete intermediary role between relational embeddedness and enterprise low-carbon innovation; (4) Executives’ low-carbon cognition moderates the relationship between low-carbon dynamic ability and low carbon innovation of enterprises. That is, the stronger the executives’ low-carbon cognition, the stronger the positive impact of dynamic ability on enterprise low-carbon innovation and vice versa. This study expands research in social network theory and the low-carbon innovation of enterprises. Furthermore, this study provides a solid theoretical basis for enterprises to effectively carry out low-carbon innovation while providing a solid reference for enterprises to improve their low-carbon innovation aspirations.
Spatial Analysis of Territorial Connectivity and Accessibility in the Province of Coclé in Panama
Authors: Quijada-Alarcón Jorge , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Roberto , González-Cancelas Nicoletta , Bethancourt-Lasso Gabriel
Published: July 2023

The province of Coclé is in the central zone of the Republic of Panama but lacks development of the road network. In order to assess the spatial analysis of territorial accessibility and connectivity, the methodology of this study was divided into three stages: determination of the working scenario, data acquisition, and spatial analyses. The data acquisition includes the GIS development and the field work for GIS validation. Within the province of Coclé, 19.55% of the population lives more than 500 m away from the nearest paved road, with the distance of the town farthest away from the nearest paved road being 36 km, which leads to different levels of accessibility and connectivity in this province. This study of the spatial analysis of connectivity and territorial accessibility sheds light on how the expansion of the road network affects access to health services and education.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Hassan Qusay , Azzawi Itimad D. J. , Sameen Aws Zuhair , Salman Hayder M.
Published: July 2023

This paper provides an in-depth review of the current state and future potential of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). The urgency for more eco-friendly and efficient alternatives to fossil-fuel-powered vehicles underlines the necessity of HFCVs, which utilize hydrogen gas to power an onboard electric motor, producing only water vapor and heat. Despite their impressive energy efficiency ratio (EER), higher power-to-weight ratio, and substantial emissions reduction potential, the widespread implementation of HFCVs is presently hindered by several technical and infrastructural challenges. These include high manufacturing costs, the relatively low energy density of hydrogen, safety concerns, fuel cell durability issues, insufficient hydrogen refueling infrastructure, and the complexities of hydrogen storage and transportation. Nevertheless, technological advancements and potential policy interventions offer promising prospects for HFCVs, suggesting they could become a vital component of sustainable transportation in the future.
The Influence of Photovoltaic Self-Consumption on Water Treatment Energy Costs: The Case of the Region of Valencia
Authors: García-López Marcos , Montano Borja , Melgarejo Joaquín
Published: July 2023

Energy consumption is one of the principal components of the operative costs incurred by providers of water services, both financial and environmental. Fortunately, in recent years solar panel technology has improved substantially, and photovoltaic self-consumption has become a tool that can reduce the costs of water reuse and other water services. Regions with a scarcity of water resources make a considerable use of non-conventional sources, consuming a significant amount of energy, which has a high financial and environmental cost and compromises the sustainability of the water supply. This research analyses the possibility of replacing part of this energy with self-consumption through photovoltaic panels based on data obtained for the Region of Valencia in order to analyse the impact of energy substitution on energy costs. Performing a Cost–Benefit Analysis, self-consumption projects require an electricity market price of between 0.14 and 0.18 EUR/kWh, so in financial terms it is not a particularly attractive alternative. However, the avoided greenhouse gas emissions have a high value, and including them in the calculations, the price needed to be in feasible amounts of 0.04–0.10 EUR/kWh for a small installation and 0.02–0.08 EUR/kWh for a large one. In other words, photovoltaic self-consumption is still today an alternative with financial difficulties, but the associated environmental benefit justifies public intervention as it is a beneficial energy alternative in a context of high greenhouse gas emissions.
The Influence of Curing Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of Cement-Reinforced Sensitive Marine Clay in Column Experiments
Authors: Huang Shaoping , Xing Ruiming , Zhou Chang , Chen Qian , Hu Chong , Cao Wenying
Published: July 2023

The understanding of the mechanical properties of sensitive marine clay subgrade stabilized with cement is vital for the safe, economical, and durable design of road structures. As the curing temperature affects the cement hydration progress, it is necessary to investigate the influence of the temperature on the evolution of the mechanical properties of cement-reinforced marine clay in road construction. A column testing and relevant monitoring program were performed to study the effect of various curing temperatures (2 °C, 22 °C, and 40 °C) on the mechanical properties’ development of cement-reinforced clay within 28 days. After these cement clay samples were cured for a specific time (1, 3, 7, and 28 days), they were subjected to two mechanical tests (i.e., California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) test). The findings reveal that a higher curing temperature accelerates cement hydration and self-desiccation. Consequently, the UCS and CBR values increase with curing temperature and the strength might vary by more times, especially for early age (≤7 days) samples. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the influence of temperature on the mechanical properties of the cement-reinforced clay and thus provide practical guidance with regards to road construction in the field.
Evaluation of the Environmental Cost of Integrated Inbound Logistics: A Case Study of a Gigafactory of a Chinese Logistics Firm
Authors: Liu Lijun , Long Zhixin , Kou Chuangchuang , Guo Haozeng , Li Xinyu
Published: July 2023

In recent years, sustainable development has become an emerging trend in the logistics industry. Smart manufacturing factories pursue green logistics processes with lower energy consumption and reduced carbon emission. The environmental sustainability of the logistics process is widely acknowledged as an important issue. However, a standardized methodology for assessing the environmental cost of logistics-process-aided smart manufacturing is lacking. This paper presents a concept for determining the inbound logistics environmental cost (ILEC) of a gigafactory. Additionally, a novel structured methodology for ILEC assessment is proposed to uniformly describe the gigafactory’s logistics environmental cost, regarding the “double carbon” goal (peak carbon dioxide emissions and carbon neutrality). First, eight types of basic logistics activities and six logistics phases associated with the gigafactory’s inbound logistics are defined. The mapping relationships between the logistics phases and the basic logistics activities are constructed. Then, the novel concepts of environmental price cost (EPC) and environmental impact cost (EIC) are defined and presented. Finally, the ILEC of the gigafactory, including EPC and EIC, is assessed based on mapping relationships and an environmental cost model. We validate this model using the advanced Geely Automobile factory in China in order to analyze the actual inbound logistics environmental costs and how to assess its environmental price and environmental impact. Results from the data model show the environmental costs throughout the whole process and the detailed composition ratio of EPC and EIC in the inbound logistics. Based on the implementation of the ILEC model, our study helps gigafactories to identify critical logistics nodes through energy consumption and to measure the environmental performance of the inbound logistics process. Furthermore, our study helps gigafactories to develop practical environmental strategies.
Recycling of Plastics as a Strategy to Reduce Life Cycle GHG Emission, Microplastics and Resource Depletion
Authors: Gabisa Elias W. , Ratanatamskul Chavalit , Gheewala Shabbir H.
Published: July 2023

Plastic waste is the most challenging type of waste because its generation rate (consumption rate) is high, and the current recycling rate is low. The increase in the production and disposal of plastics has led to significant environmental problems including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, microplastic pollution, and resource depletion. The study aimed at quantifying the potential environmental effects reduction achieved by recycling the most widely consumed polymers. One approach to establishing a circular economy for plastics is recycling. Plastic recycling as a strategy to reduce life cycle GHG emissions, microplastic emissions, and resource depletion was investigated. Life cycle assessment methodology was employed, considering cradle-to-gate as a system boundary. The results showed that recycling can significantly reduce life cycle GHG emissions and resource depletion. Replacing the virgin material with recycled material reduces the emission to −67 MtCO2e. Recycling could have saved 56.8 million microplastic emissions per year. However, mechanical recycling, which is commercialised nowadays, contributed to an increase in microplastics as much as 2.4 × 109 million particles per year. Recycling will also save about 50 million tonnes of resources from depletion worldwide by recycling around 20 Mt plastics. However, microplastic emissions reduction in the present scenario of mechanical recycling is not possible unless other mechanisms to capture the emitted microplastics are introduced or other recycling methods, such as chemical recycling, are employed.
Hybrid Fuzzy K-Medoids and Cat and Mouse-Based Optimizer for Markov Weighted Fuzzy Time Series
Authors: Dewi Deshinta Arrova , Surono Sugiyarto , Thinakaran Rajermani , Nurraihan Afif
Published: July 2023

This study seeks to test novel capabilities, specifically those of the hybrid fuzzy k-medoids (FKM) and cat and mouse-based optimizer (CMBO) partitioning approach, in overcoming the Markov weighted fuzzy time series (MWFTS) limitation in creating U talk intervals without fundamental standards. Researchers created a hybrid cat and mouse-based optimizer–fuzzy k-medoids (CMBOFKM) approach to be used with MWTS, since these limits may impair the accuracy of the MWFTS approach. Symmetrically, the hybrid method of CMBOFKM is an amalgamation of the FKM and CMBO methods, with the CMBO method playing a part in optimizing the cluster center of the FKM partition method to obtain the best U membership matrix value as the medoid value that will be used in the MWFTS’s fuzzification stage. Air quality data from Klang, Malaysia are used in the MWFTS–CMBOFKM technique. The evaluation of the model error values, known as mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error, yields the MWFTS–CMBOFKM evaluation findings that are displayed (RMSE). A 6.85% MAPE percentage and a 6071 RMSE score are shown by MWFTS–CMBOFKM using air quality data from Klang, Malaysia. The FKM partition approach can be hybridized with additional optimization techniques in the future to increase the MWFTS method’s precision.
Occurrence, Distribution and Toxins of Benthic Cyanobacteria in German Lakes
Authors: Bauer Franziska , Wolfschlaeger Immanuel , Geist Juergen , Fastner Jutta , Schmalz Carina Wiena , Raeder Uta
Published: July 2023

Cyanobacteria are favored by climate change and global warming; however, to date, most research and monitoring programs have focused on planktic cyanobacteria. Benthic cyanobacteria blooms also increase and pose a risk to animal and human health; however, there is limited knowledge of their occurrence, distribution and the toxins involved, especially in relation to their planktic conspecifics. Therefore, we analyzed the benthic and planktic life forms of cyanobacterial communities in 34 lakes in Germany, including a monitoring of cyanotoxins. Community analyses were based on microscopic examination and Illumina sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The analyses of cyanotoxins were carried out using LC-MS/MS and ELISA. Observed benthic mats containing cyanobacteria consisted mainly of Nostocales and Oscillatoriales, being present in 35% of the lakes. Anatoxin was the most abundant cyanotoxin in the benthic samples, reaching maximum concentrations of 45,000 µg/L, whereas microcystin was the predominate cyanotoxin in the open-water samples, reaching concentrations of up to 18,000 µg/L. Based on the results, specific lakes at risk of toxic cyanobacteria could be identified. Our findings suggest that monitoring of benthic cyanobacteria and their toxins should receive greater attention, ideally complementing existing open-water sampling programs with little additional effort.
Properties of Hot Nuclear Matter
Authors: Benhar Omar , Lovato Alessandro , Tonetto Lucas
Published: July 2023

A fully quantitative description of the equilibrium and dynamical properties of hot nuclear matter will be needed for the interpretation of the available and forthcoming astrophysical data, providing information on the post-merger phase of a neutron star coalescence. We discuss the results of a recently developed theoretical model, based on a phenomenological nuclear Hamiltonian including two- and three-nucleon potentials, to study the temperature dependence of average and single-particle properties of nuclear matter relevant to astrophysical applications. The potential of the proposed approach for describing dissipative processes leading to the appearance of bulk viscosity in neutron star matter is also outlined.
The Grey–Taguchi Method, a Statistical Tool to Optimize the Photo-Fenton Process: A Review
Authors: Barragán-Trinidad Martín , Guadarrama-Pérez Oscar , Guillén-Garcés Rosa Angélica , Bustos-Terrones Victoria , Trevino-Quintanilla Luis Gerardo , Moeller-Chávez Gabriela
Published: July 2023

Currently there is a growing concern about the presence of emerging contaminants (EC) in water bodies and their potential ecotoxicological effects. Pharmaceuticals, a type of EC, are widely distributed in the environment and their main entry is through wastewater from treatment plants, since these systems are not designed to remove EC. In this sense, the photo-Fenton process, an advanced oxidation process, has proven to be highly efficient in degrading new potentially harmful contaminants. However, this process is affected by multiple factors, which makes it necessary to implement a methodological strategy to optimize the photo-Fenton process. Within these, the Taguchi method provides robust and low-cost solutions with the least number of experiments, providing knowledge of the contribution of each of the factors studied to the response variable. In addition to the above, the Taguchi method can be coupled to a Grey relational analysis (Grey–Taguchi method), which will allow the optimization of more than one response variable at the same time. This paper discusses the parameters that affect the photo-Fenton process and the application of designs of experiments to optimize the process.
How 21st Century Population Issues and Policies Differ from Those of the 20th Century
Authors: Goldstone Jack A. , May John F.
Published: July 2023

Population issues and population policies have evolved considerably between the 20th and the 21st centuries. In the 1970s, most countries confronted rapid population growth, and this situation was particularly severe in Asia. Today, on the contrary, more than half of the world population is experiencing low fertility and population aging, and several countries with very low fertility are facing the prospect of depopulation. Only one region, i.e., sub-Saharan Africa, still experiences high fertility levels. Similarly, the discussions about whether and how to intervene on population trends have also evolved over the past 70 years. Demographically focused approaches to family planning provision were dominant views in the second half of the 20th century. However, since the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo in 1994, international population policy paradigms have been reframed to stress the freedom of couples and the reproductive rights of individuals. Consequently, policy interventions have favored client-focused and gender-sensitive approaches. Finally, to help chart the way forward, population policies will need to consider several key elements, broadening from a focus on support for family planning to an array of policy instruments including health, education, and culture, all of which shape future populations. This new policy framework includes the prioritization of interventions, policy consensus building, the selection of priority constituencies, the institutionalization and funding of policies, and the promotion of evidence-based and research-driven policies. In addition, in order to adapt their interventions to local contexts, population policies will need to be holistic, to promote integrated interventions, and to align with international development frameworks.
Competencias informacionales en radiodifusores: miradas desde la alfabetización informacional
Authors: Ribadeneira-Aroca Kepler , León Bone Nathaly , Alcívar Vásquez María Pía
Published: July 2023

Las competencias informacionales en los actuales momentos demuestran el dominio de las fuentes, recursos y suministros informativos que deben ser adaptados a las prácticas profesionales. El objetivo de la investigación fue analizar la competencia informacional de los comunicadores de Radio Capital de Portoviejo, Radio Farra y Radio Sono Onda. Se utilizó una metodología cuantitativa, respalda en los estándares de la AI para periodistas, el instrumento fue aplicado de manera presencial donde participaron 16 personas que laboran en la cadena de generación de contenido para los programas de noticias. La información fue procesada en Excel para ser expuesta en tablas con porcentajes de incidencia. En el resultado construye y pone en práctica estrategias de investigación diseñadas eficazmente tres de los cuatro indicadores tienen valoraciones positivas, no así el referido al uso de los operadores booleanos que implica una competencia propia de la Alfabetización Informacional que va más allá de la teoría y la práctica de la formación periodística. La Alfabetización Informacional, como disciplina, aporta competencias a los radiodifusores para fortalecer la cadena de producción de noticias al hacerlos más conscientes de las etapas que supone el ciclo de satisfacción de una necesidad de información y de sus audiencias, las cuales necesitan información relevante, seleccionada entre lo irrelevante, para ayudarlas en la toma de decisiones.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Alfabetización informacional; competencias informacionales; periodismo; vinculación periodística. 

Informational skills in radio diffusers: perspectives from information literacy 

ABSTRACT

Information competencies at the present time demonstrate mastery of information sources, resources and supplies that must be adapted to professional practices. The objective of the research was to analyse the informational competence of communicators from Radio Capital de Portoviejo, Radio Farra and Radio Sono Onda. A quantitative methodology was used, based on the IA standards for journalists, and the instrument was applied in person with the participation of 16 people who work in the chain of content generation for news programmes. The information was processed in Excel to be displayed in tables with incidence percentages. In the result, three of the four indicators have positive evaluations, but not the one referring to the use of Boolean operators, which implies a competence specific to Information Literacy that goes beyond the theory and practice of journalism training. Information Literacy, as a discipline, provides competencies to broadcasters to strengthen the news production chain by making them more aware of the stages involved in the cycle of satisfying an information need and of their audiences, who need relevant information, selected from the irrelevant, to help them make decisions.

KEYWORDS: Information literacy; information competences; journalism; journalistic linkage.
Análisis financiero y la toma de decisiones en la empresa SISMEING S.A. en los períodos contables 2020 y 2021
Authors: Checa Calderón Vicente Napoleón
Published: July 2023

El siguiente trabajo se realizó con la finalidad de indagar la situación financiera de la empresa SISMEING mediante el uso de herramientas y conceptos, como los índices de rentabilidad, liquidez, rendimiento y actividades, propios de los fundamentos de administración financiera; el propósito de este estudio fue la determinación de los controles administrativos en los años 2020 y 2021, para dotar a la organización, con una herramienta  a futuro para  mejorar los aspectos financieros más débiles de la organización e influir en la mejor toma de decisiones, ante  la situación financiera demostrada por la empresa.
Para esto se investigó con base a fuentes confiables acerca de la administración financiera, el análisis financiero y los diferentes estados financieros que se utilizaron en la empresa para demostrar la realidad financiera de la institución y como aquello afectó en el corto, mediano y largo plazo. También se realizaron varios cuadros comparativos que permitieron identificar el escenario financiero de dos años consecutivos para definir el respectivo análisis por resultado. Finalmente se estableció una propuesta de solución que pueda contribuir a la reducción de las problemáticas financieras, mediante el planteamiento de planteadas coherentes, alcanzables y realizables.
Factores asociados a la supervivencia de fundaciones en Tungurahua
Authors: Castillo Urco Edisson Javier , Ibarra Sandoval Fredy Leonardo
Published: July 2023

El objetivo de la investigación fue establecer los factores asociados a la supervivencia de las fundaciones en Tungurahua, a través de un estudio de alcance analítico descriptivo, con enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo, no experimental. Para ello, se toma una muestra de 307 fundaciones localizadas en la provincia de Tungurahua, con técnicas de recolección de datos, procedentes exclusivamente del Sistema Unificado de Información de las Organizaciones Sociales (SUIOS), hasta diciembre 2022, información que fue tabulada e interpretada, se usó el método de Kaplan-Meier con el test de Log-Rank o test de riesgos proporcionales apoyados en el programa estadístico IBM SPSS Statistisc 23, Kaplan–Meier estima la probabilidad de supervivencia en un periodo de tiempo, lo que permitió determinar la supervivencia asociada a los factores. Se identificaron 5 factores: número de miembros fundadores, ámbito de acción, actividad comercial, nivel de instrucción del representante legal, presencia en internet, que arrojaron un p_valor (Significancia bilateral) inferior a 0.05, lo que determinó de forma estadística, que si están asociados a la supervivencia de las fundaciones, es así que, se pudo concluir que las organizaciones que pertenecen a este sector, que consideraron estos factores, continúan en funciones, sin embargo, se identificó la necesidad de una reestructuración en la normativa de registro e incremento de información relevante en la base de datos del SUIOS.
Multi-level Attack with Dynamic S-box Variable key Pattern Generation for Key Cohort Using AES
Authors: Rajendran Anusha Padmavathi , Sadhasivam Dhanalakshmi Krishnan
Published: July 2023

In recent times, data transmission in electronic medium is found to be more susceptible to several attacks. The study aims to control the multi-level attacks in encryption and decryption process by using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) algorithm based S box operations. In AES based variable key generation pattern, every round generates the new key. The generation of multiple keys strengthen the operation of AES-dynamic S box. The AES algorithm performs operation on a 128 bit plain text and utilizes identical key for decryption and encryption process. The proposed algorithm shows significant improvements in the quality of encryption and decryption. The performance of the proposed system has been analysed in accordance with delay, power consumption and number of slices. Further the efficiency of the proposed system has been compared with other existing methods such as Positive Polarity Reed Muller (PPRM), Modified Positive Polarity Reed Muller (MPPRM) Twisted Binary Decision Diagram (TBDD) and Composite Field (CF) architecture. The results exposed that the proposed system outperforms with superior performance.