bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advanced Modeling and Signal Processing Methods in Brain–Computer Interfaces Based on a Vector of Cyclic Rhythmically Connected Random Processes
Authors: Lupenko Serhii , Butsiy Roman , Shakhovska Nataliya
Published: January 2023

In this study is substantiated the new mathematical model of vector of electroencephalographic signals, registered under the conditions of multiple repetitions of the mental control influences of brain–computer interface operator, in the form of a vector of cyclic rhythmically connected random processes, which, due to taking into account the stochasticity and cyclicity, the variability and commonality of the rhythm of the investigated signals have a number of advantages over the known models. This new model opens the way for the study of multidimensional distribution functions; initial, central, and mixed moment functions of higher order such as for each electroencephalographic signal separately; as well as for their respective compatible probabilistic characteristics, among which the most informative characteristics can be selected. This provides an increase in accuracy in the detection (classification) of mental control influences of the brain–computer interface operators. Based on the developed mathematical model, the statistical processing methods of vector of electroencephalographic signals are substantiated, which consist of statistical evaluation of its probabilistic characteristics and make it possible to conduct an effective joint statistical estimation of the probability characteristics of electroencephalographic signals. This provides the basis for coordinated integration of information from different sensors. The use of moment functions of higher order and their spectral images in the frequency domain, as informative characteristics in brain–computer interface systems, are substantiated. Their significant sensitivity to the mental controlling influence of the brain–computer interface operator is experimentally established. The application of Bessel’s inequality to the problems of reducing the dimensions (from 500 to 20 numbers) of the vectors of informative features makes it possible to significantly reduce the computational complexity of the algorithms for the functioning of brain–computer interface systems. Namely, we experimentally established that only the first 20 values of the Fourier transform of the estimation of moment functions of higher-order electroencephalographic signals are sufficient to form the vector of informative features in brain–computer interface systems, because these spectral components make up at least 95% of the total energy of the corresponding statistical estimate of the moment functions of higher-order electroencephalographic signals.
A Hybrid Multi-Criteria Approach to the Vendor Selection Problem for Sensor-Based Medical Devices
Authors: Radulescu Constanta Zoie , Radulescu Marius
Published: January 2023

Sensors for health are a dynamic technology and sensor-based medical devices (SMD) are becoming an important part of health monitoring systems in healthcare centers and ambulatory care. The rapid growth in the number, diversity and costs of medical devices and Internet of Things (IoT) healthcare platforms imposes a challenge for healthcare managers: making a rational choice of SMD vendor from a set of potential SMD vendors. The aim of this paper is to develop a hybrid approach that combines a performance evaluation model and a multi-objective model for the SMD vendor selection problem. For determining the criteria weights in the performance evaluation model, an original version of the best worst method (BWM) is applied, which we call the flexible best worst method (FBWM). The multi-objective model has two objective functions; one is to maximize the SMD performance and the other is to minimize the SMD cost. A case study for the application of the hybrid approach for SMD procurement in a healthcare center is analyzed. The hybrid approach can support healthcare decision makers in their SMD procurement decisions.
BattleSound: A Game Sound Benchmark for the Sound-Specific Feedback Generation in a Battle Game
Authors: Shin Sungho , Lee Seongju , Jun Changhyun , Lee Kyoobin
Published: January 2023

A haptic sensor coupled to a gamepad or headset is frequently used to enhance the sense of immersion for game players. However, providing haptic feedback for appropriate sound effects involves specialized audio engineering techniques to identify target sounds that vary according to the game. We propose a deep learning-based method for sound event detection (SED) to determine the optimal timing of haptic feedback in extremely noisy environments. To accomplish this, we introduce the BattleSound dataset, which contains a large volume of game sound recordings of game effects and other distracting sounds, including voice chats from a PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) game. Given the highly noisy and distracting nature of war-game environments, we set the annotation interval to 0.5 s, which is significantly shorter than the existing benchmarks for SED, to increase the likelihood that the annotated label contains sound from a single source. As a baseline, we adopt mobile-sized deep learning models to perform two tasks: weapon sound event detection (WSED) and voice chat activity detection (VCAD). The accuracy of the models trained on BattleSound was greater than 90% for both tasks; thus, BattleSound enables real-time game sound recognition in noisy environments via deep learning. In addition, we demonstrated that performance degraded significantly when the annotation interval was greater than 0.5 s, indicating that the BattleSound with short annotation intervals is advantageous for SED applications that demand real-time inferences.
Person Re-Identification Based on Contour Information Embedding
Authors: Chen Hao , Zhao Yan , Wang Shigang
Published: January 2023

Person re-identification (Re-ID) plays an important role in the search for missing people and the tracking of suspects. Person re-identification based on deep learning has made great progress in recent years, and the application of the pedestrian contour feature has also received attention. In the study, we found that pedestrian contour feature is not enough in the representation of CNN. On this basis, in order to improve the recognition performance of Re-ID network, we propose a contour information extraction module (CIEM) and a contour information embedding method, so that the network can focus on more contour information. Our method is competitive in experimental data; the mAP of the dataset Market1501 reached 83.8% and Rank-1 reached 95.1%. The mAP of the DukeMTMC-reID dataset reached 73.5% and Rank-1 reached 86.8%. The experimental results show that adding contour information to the network can improve the recognition rate, and good contour features play an important role in Re-ID research.
Dynamic Edge Convolutional Neural Network for Skeleton-Based Human Action Recognition
Authors: Tasnim Nusrat , Baek Joong-Hwan
Published: January 2023

To provide accessible, intelligent, and efficient remote access such as the internet of things, rehabilitation, autonomous driving, virtual games, and healthcare, human action recognition (HAR) has gained much attention among computer vision researchers. Several methods have already been addressed to ensure effective and efficient action recognition based on different perspectives including data modalities, feature design, network configuration, and application domains. In this article, we design a new deep learning model by integrating criss-cross attention and edge convolution to extract discriminative features from the skeleton sequence for action recognition. The attention mechanism is applied in spatial and temporal directions to pursue the intra- and inter-frame relationships. Then, several edge convolutional layers are conducted to explore the geometric relationships among the neighboring joints in the human body. The proposed model is dynamically updated after each layer by recomputing the graph on the basis of k-nearest joints for learning local and global information in action sequences. We used publicly available benchmark skeleton datasets such as UTD-MHAD (University of Texas at Dallas multimodal human action dataset) and MSR-Action3D (Microsoft action 3D) to evaluate the proposed method. We also investigated the proposed method with different configurations of network architectures to assure effectiveness and robustness. The proposed method achieved average accuracies of 99.53% and 95.64% on the UTD-MHAD and MSR-Action3D datasets, respectively, outperforming state-of-the-art methods.
Exploring the Industrial Symbiosis Potential of Plant Factories during the Initial Establishment Phase
Authors: Pesch Heino , Louw Louis
Published: January 2023

Plant factories can be described as structures that facilitate the indoor cultivation of crops and are typically considered to be closed-loop (isolated) systems which are situated within the urban environment. This paper explores the extent to which external industries can be integrated with plant factories by defining an open-loop (integrated) plant factory system boundary. A multi-criteria decision-support process was developed and included the use of a mixed-indicator assessment method and the use of fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to account for the uncertainty associated with indicator-based assessment methods. The assessment of theoretical industrial symbiosis scenarios showed that the fuzzy TOPSIS ranking provided a clearer hierarchy of optimal scenarios, when compared to using the indicator rankings. The novelty of the paper included the clear illustration of the points of integration between plant factories and external industries, which can be used to identify alternative integration scenarios in the future. Furthermore, this paper provided detailed descriptions and motivations of the indicator scoring of theoretical industrial symbiosis scenarios so that the early phase assessment method can be used beyond the scope of this paper and can be expanded with more well-defined indicators in the future.
Approaches and Reforms in Undergraduate Education for Integration of Major and General Education: A Comparative Study among Teaching, Teaching—Research, and Research Universities in China
Authors: Xue Changfeng , Yang Tianping , Umair Muhammad
Published: January 2023

With the major education model as the dominant model, general education is squeezed in quality and quantity, and implementing the concept of general education is challenging. There are several problems in undergraduate education with “strong majors and weak general education” that need to be addressed in order to integrate major education with general education. Therefore, we selected three levels of universities: nine first-class research universities, seven key provincial teaching–research universities, and seven teaching universities from China. One-way ANOVA, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis were used to analyze the differences in three kinds of universities based on the total undergrad credits and “big category” majors. One-way ANOVA results showed that “total undergrad credits” and “big category” majors are significantly different between research universities, teaching–research universities, and teaching universities, but there are no significant differences in minor course credits, general course credits, disciplinary and major basic course credits, and elective course credits. Based on cluster analysis, the first cluster G1 showed that all the research universities had similarities in the total undergrad credits, minor course credits, general course credits, disciplinary and major basic course credits, elective course credits, and “big category” majors. PCA results confirmed that research universities are significantly separated from teaching universities and teaching–research universities at the PC1 axis, which has a higher number of “big category” majors. There are three key issues with strong majors and weak general education: (1) the difficulties in popularizing the progressive minor training model; (2) the low percentage of elective courses, general elective courses, and individualized courses; and (3) major transfer system restrictions. Based on their own student characteristics and school resources, teaching universities, research universities, and teaching–research universities are encouraged to enhance the cultivation of students’ compound knowledge and skills at the three levels of micro-major, double degree (minor degree), and minor-major (double majors or second majors), respectively. The universities should adhere to the diversified combination of general and major education, the integration-oriented undergraduate education, the reform concept of reducing burden and improving quality, appropriately increase students’ freedom of choice in undergraduate instructional management for an effective combination of “general education and major education”, and then bring the undergraduate education to a characteristic and high level.
A Review of the Global Climate Finance Literature
Authors: Kouwenberg Roy , Zheng Chenglong
Published: January 2023

This study conducts a bibliometric analysis and literature review of studies on climate finance. Since the Paris Agreement was adopted in December 2015, the academic community has paid closer attention to this emerging topic, as witnessed by a sharp increase in the number of publications. Our review lists this field’s most influential publications, authors, and journals, based on citations. The bibliometric analysis highlights the multidisciplinary nature of climate finance research, which spans environmental science, energy, economics, and finance. The citation analysis also reveals that, despite the exponential growth in publications related to climate finance, leading journals in finance and economics have so far published only a small number of articles in this literature. In addition, the citation analysis identifies four main themes in the knowledge domain: the financing of renewable energy; the impacts of climate change risks on the financial sector; investor preferences for green investments and the impact on corporations; and the pricing and hedging of climate change risk in financial markets.
An Innovative Approach for Energy Transition in China? Chinese National Hydrogen Policies from 2001 to 2020
Authors: Yuan Yiqi , Tan-Mullins May
Published: January 2023

To accelerate clean energy transition, China has explored the potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier since 2001. Until 2020, 49 national hydrogen policies were enacted. This paper explores the relevance of these policies to the development of the hydrogen industry and energy transition in China. We examine the reasons, impacts, and challenges of Chinese national hydrogen policies through the conceptual framework of Thomas Dye’s policy analysis method and the European Training Foundation’s policy analysis guide. This research provides an ex-post analysis for previous policies and an ex-ante analysis for future options. We argue that the energy supply revolution and energy technology revolution highlight the importance of hydrogen development in China. Particularly, the pressure of the automobile industry transition leads to experimentation concerning the application of hydrogen in the transportation sector. This paper also reveals that hydrogen policy development coincides with an increase in resource input and has positive spill over effects. Furthermore, we note that two challenges have impeded progress: a lack of regulations for the industry threshold and holistic planning. To address these challenges, the Chinese government can design a national hydrogen roadmap and work closely with other countries through the Belt and Road Initiative.
The Cooperation Establishment Mechanism of EPC Project Consortium in Context of China: Form the Perspective of Trust
Authors: Jiang Weiping , Tang Shanqing
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this paper is to explore the establishment mechanism of an EPC consortium from the perspective of trust. Questionnaire surveys were undertaken to collect data from the experienced project managers of a design company group and a construction contractor group. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses in this research. The results reveal that reputation and communication are important factors in the generation of trust (including calculative trust and relational trust) from the design company perspective. Meanwhile, reputation, reciprocity and communication are important factors for the generation of trust from the construction company perspective. Both calculative trust and relational trust are positive factors that affect the intent of both the design company and the construction contractor to cooperate. This research has innovatively added to and contributed to the existing knowledge of EPC consortium establishment mechanisms.
Effect of Zero Water Exchange Systems for Litopenaeus vannamei Using Sponge Biocarriers to Control Inorganic Nitrogen and Suspended Solids Simultaneously
Authors: Song Zhiwen , Liu Chao , Luan Yazhi , Qi Yapeng , Xu Ailing
Published: January 2023

The traditional shrimp farming mode, which mainly uses water exchange to dilute toxic nitrogenous compounds, not only brings risks of disease infections and outbreaks but also results in waste of water resources and has a negative impact on the environment. In this study, zero water exchange systems for Litopenaeus vannamei were constructed by using sponge biocarriers with precultured biofilms (SBBFs), and the effect of SBBFs on controlling inorganic nitrogen, suspended solids and on the performance of L. vannamei was determined. The experiment consisted of four treatments: (1) SBC (control, SB 5% (v/v) + aeration); (2) SBBF2.5a (SBBF 2.5% (v/v) + aeration); (3) SBBF5a (SBBF 5% (v/v) + aeration); and (4) SBBF5 (SBBF 5% (v/v)). The results showed that the concentrations of TAN and NO2−-N in the SBBF treatments were significantly lower than those in the SBC treatments, while the SBBF treatments registered higher NO3−-N concentrations. After the adsorbates were removed by regular cleaning to regenerate the adsorption capacity of the SBs, the turbidity was reduced by 47.8%~71.5%. The shrimp grown in the SBBF treatments exhibited a higher mean final weight, survival and productivity than those grown in the SBC treatments. This work found that the use of SBBFs can maintain the low levels of TAN, NO2−-N and suspended solids while improving the performance of the L. vannamei under the strict requirement of zero water exchange.
Bibliometric Analysis of Game Theory on Energy and Natural Resource
Authors: Dong Yiqi , Dong Zuoji
Published: January 2023

This paper uses CiteSpace software to conduct a bibliometric analysis of research literature under the topic of game theory which specifically focuses on energy and natural resources in the Web of Science Core Collection. The results show that: since 1990, the number of documents covering the topics of “energy” and “game theory”, and “natural resources” and “game theory” has continued to grow steadily, and entered an explosive growth stage after 2017. In terms of disciplinary classification of published papers, Energy & Fuels has the highest frequency, 311 with a significant centrality, 0.22. In terms of journal publications, Applied Energy is the most cited journal whose frequency is 311 and centrality is 0.01. In terms of country, China has the highest number of published papers, and the United States with the highest overall centrality of papers. North China Electric Power University published 31 papers, the largest number of documents from one institution. In terms of author productivity, Puyan Nie has been the most productive author since 2016. The co-citation cluster analysis on the literature topics shows that the game theory of energy and natural resources have roughly gone through four stages: (1) From 1990 to 2009, this is the embryonic stage with no more than 15 new papers per year; (2) From 2010 to 2014, this stage had microgrid as its mainstream research topic, and other topic clusters officially emerged; (3) From 2015 to 2017, the main research topics became the integrated energy system, subsidy mechanism and household energy management, with a hot topic on the evolutionary game process between government and enterprises; (4) From 2018 to 2021, this stage continued to focus on the previous topics, and the research goes much deeper, resulting in more models and new green technologies. Finally, the keyword analysis concludes with nine themes of concern in this research field, and has come to a comprehensive summary of the mainstream research methods in the field of game theory of energy and natural resources.
Making Urban Water Management Tangible for the Public by Means of Digital Solutions
Authors: Stein Ulf , Bueb Benedict , Bouleau Gabrielle , Rouillé-Kielo Gaële
Published: January 2023

Digital solutions are increasingly deployed in water management to support decision-making and to realize the automatization of processes. These solutions have a high potential to foster the sustainability of water management and related fields and thus to contribute to achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, more and more digital solutions aim to increase public awareness of specific urban water management aspects. To date, however, evidence is limited on the relevance and effectiveness of such digital solutions and on the effect of the governance settings on the potential of such solutions to raise awareness about the underlying water management issues. This paper aims to provide insights into the findings of two case studies, in Paris and Berlin, investigating the potential of digital solutions to make urban water management visible to the public and thus increase awareness about specific water management issues.
Thermochemical Evaluation of Different Waste Biomasses (Citrus Peels, Aromatic Herbs, and Poultry Feathers) towards Their Use for Energy Production
Authors: Pulidori Elena , Gonzalez-Rivera José , Pelosi Chiara , Ferrari Carlo , Bernazzani Luca , Bramanti Emilia , Tiné Maria Rosaria , Duce Celia
Published: January 2023

The biomass waste obtained at the end-of-pipe of the extraction industry can be used as fuel for energy production, aiming at cost reduction/waste disposal issues. However, few systematic investigations into the calorific value of these residues are reported in the literature. In this work, the thermochemical properties of solid residues from different biomasses (residues from citrus peels, leaves, flowers, stems, and poultry feathers used for extraction) as potential biomass fuels have been investigated. The heat of combustion (ΔcH) of the solid residues from citrus (orange, tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, and pomelo), aromatic herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme, Artemisia vulgaris L. and Ruta chalepensis L.), and poultry feathers biomasses was measured by direct calorimetry. The results were compared with the higher heating values (HHV) calculated using the elemental (CHNOS) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses data and with the enthalpy of combustion calculated using the biomass composition predicted by FTIR spectroscopy in tandem with chemometrics. The calculated values match with the corresponding experimental values of ΔcH. The heat of combustion highlights the energetic features of solid residues for their potential uses as alternative biomass for energy production. This information is essential to evaluate the employment of solid residues as fossil fuel substitutes.
Early Treatments of Fragile Children with COVID-19—Results of CLEVER (Children COVID Early Treatment), a Retrospective, Observational Study
Authors: Minotti Chiara , Mengato Daniele , De Pieri Marica , Trivellato Sabrina , Francavilla Andrea , Di Chiara Costanza , Liberati Cecilia , Mattera Raffaele , Biffi Alessandra , Giaquinto Carlo , Venturini Francesca , Donà Daniele
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection is notably mild in children, though comorbidities may increase the risk of hospitalization and may represent a risk for increased disease severity. There is an urgent need for targeted therapies with an acceptable efficacy and safety profile. To date, most of the medicines for COVID-19-specific treatment are prescribed off-label for children due to a lack of clinical trials and consequent evidence in this population. (2) Methods: This was a retrospective, observational study investigating the safety of treatments for the prevention of severe COVID-19 in fragile pediatric patients who received monoclonal antibodies and antivirals for mild-to-moderate symptoms between December 2021 and July 2022. (3) Results: Thirty-two patients were included. Monoclonal antibodies were prescribed to 62%, intravenous antivirals to 22%, and oral antivirals to 16% of children. Sotrovimab was the most frequently prescribed drug among monoclonal antibodies and overall (59%). The second most prescribed drug was remdesivir (22%). No severe adverse drug reaction was reported. There was no progression to severe disease and no death cases due to COVID-19 or drug administration. At drug-type stratification, resolution of symptoms and swab positivity time showed no difference between the two groups at 7 and 28 days. Off-label prescriptions were 84% overall, and in similar proportions between the two groups. (4) Conclusions: in this small sample, antivirals seemed safe and showed no differences in efficacy as compared to MAbs for the early treatment of COVID-19 in fragile children, thus representing a valuable choice, even when administered off-label.
Subunit Vaccine Targeting Phosphate ABC Transporter ATP-Binding Protein, PstB, Provides Cross-Protection against Streptococcus suis Serotype 2, 7, and 9 in Mice
Authors: Yan Zujie , Yao Xiaohui , Pan Ruyi , Zhang Junjie , Ma Xiaochun , Dong Nihua , Wei Jianchao , Liu Ke , Qiu Yafeng , Sealey Katie , Nichols Hester , Jarvis Michael A. , Upton Mathew , Li Xiangdong , Ma Zhiyong , Liu Juxiang , Li Beibei
Published: January 2023

Streptococcus suis is a significant pathogen in pigs and a newly emerging zoonotic agent in humans. The presence of multiple serotypes and strains with diversified sequence types in pig herds highlights the need for the identification of broadly cross-reactive universal vaccine antigen targets, capable of providing cross-protection against S. suis infection. Subunit vaccines based on the conserved proteins shared between different S. suis serotypes are potential candidates for such a universally protective vaccine. In the present study, phosphate ABC transporter ATP-binding protein PstB (PstB), an immunogenic protein of the S. suis bacterium, was expressed and purified, and then subjected to cross-protection evaluation in mice. The PstB protein showed nearly 100% amino acid similarity across a panel of 31 S. suis isolates representing different serotypes, which were collected from different countries. A recombinant PstB (rPstB) protein (S. suis serotype 2) was recognized by rabbit sera specific to this serotype, and induced high levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in mice immunized with the recombinant protein. These cytokines are considered important for protection against S. suis infection. Immunization of mice with rPstB resulted in an 87.5% protection against challenge with S. suis serotype 2 and 9 strains, suggesting a high level of cross-protection for S. suis serotypes 2 and 9. A lower protection rate (62.5%) was observed in mice challenged with the S. suis serotype 7 strain. These data demonstrate that PstB is a promising target antigen for development as a component of a universal subunit vaccine against multiple S. suis serotypes.
Study on Pore Structure Evolution Characteristics of Weakly Cemented Sandstone under Freeze–Thaw Based on NMR
Authors: Lin Jian , Yang Yi , Yin Jianchao , Liu Yang , Li Xiangwei
Published: January 2023

Taking saturated, weakly cemented sandstone as the research object, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) tests were performed before and after six freeze–thaw cycles without water replenishment in order to study and reveal the evolution characteristics of the pore structure of weakly cemented sandstone under a freeze–thaw cycle. The evolution of pore structure under repeated freeze–thaw cycles was studied using T2 fractal theory and spectral peak analysis. The results show that the evolution of the pore structure of weakly cemented sandstone can be divided into three stages during the freeze–thaw cycle. In stage 1, the rock skeleton can still significantly restrict frost heave, and the effect of rock pore expansion occurs only on the primary pore scale, primarily in the transformation between adjacent scales. In stage 2, as the restraint effect of the skeleton on frost heave decreases, small-scale secondary pores are gradually produced, pore expansion occurs step by step, and its connectivity is gradually enhanced. In stage 3, as rock pore connectivity improves, the effect of pore internal pressure growth in the freezing process caused by water migration is weakened, making it impossible to break through the skeleton constraint. Thus, it becomes difficult for freezing and thawing to have an obvious expansion effect on the rock pore structure. The strength of the freeze–thaw cycle degradation effect is determined by the effect of the rock skeleton strength under the freeze–thaw cycles and the connectivity of small-scale pores in the rock. The lower the strength of the rock skeleton, the worse the connectivity of pores, and the more obvious the freeze–thaw degradation effect, and vice versa.
Experimental Study on Gully Erosion Characteristics of Mountain Torrent Debris Flow in a Strong Earthquake Area
Authors: Zhang Jiqin , Luo Dengze , Li Hongtao , Pei Liang , Yao Qiang
Published: January 2023

In recent years, as the frequency of debris flow outbreak in strong earthquake areas has increased and the scale has been expanding, in order to explore the erosion characteristics of debris flow, a lateral erosion flume model experimental device has been designed, and 18 groups of incomplete orthogonal experiments have been carried out, with a unit weight of debris flow of 1.6~2.0 g/cm3, a content of fine particles in the accumulation of 0~28.82%, and a longitudinal slope gradient of the gully of 8°~20° as variables. The results show that the erosion width, erosion depth, and erosion volume decrease with the increase in fluid bulk density and increase with the increase in gully slope. When the longitudinal slope of the gully was 16°, the sediment with 11.40% fine particles had the strongest erosion effect, indicating that more or less fine particles are not conducive to the occurrence of lateral erosion of the gully. Finally, through multi-factor variance analysis, it was found that the order of the three factors on the gully lateral erosion degree from strong to weak is: debris flow unit weight, gully slope, and accumulation grading. The analysis results further showed that the unit weight of debris flow has the greatest impact on the erosion degree of the side slope, which is consistent with the experimental results. The research results have important reference significance for revealing the mechanism of lateral erosion and improving the level of debris flow disaster prevention in strong earthquake areas.
Comparative Analysis of Metabolites between Different Altitude Schizothorax nukiangensis (Cyprinidae, Schizothoracine) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Nujiang River
Authors: Xu Weitong , Zhu Fengyue , Wang Dengqiang , Chen Daqing , Duan Xinbin , Liu Mingdian , Li Dapeng
Published: January 2023

In order to investigate the influence of the high-altitude aquatic environment on indigenous fish metabolites, metabolomics studies were applied in this study. Widespread throughout the main stem of the Nujiang River of Schizothorax nukiangensis, we established sampling sites at high (3890 m) and low (2100 m) altitudes and selected six S. nukiangensis at each location, each weighing approximately 150 g and looking healthy. Then, metabolomics analysis was performed to compare the various metabolites of the two groups. Low concentrations of amino acids, dipeptides, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, Thioetheramide-PC, 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine, 1-Stearoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine, 1-Myristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-Palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, high concentrations in S-Methyl-5’-thioadenosine, creatine, D-mannose-6-phosphate, D-mannose-1-phosphate, oleic acid and myristoleic acid were found in high-altitude fish liver. These differentially accumulated metabolites were involved in oxidative stress, energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and lipid metabolism. mTOR signaling pathway, apoptosis and lysosome were the KEGG pathways that were enriched between different groups to ensure energy supply and limit tissue damage of fish at high altitudes. All these results contributed to the understanding of the high-altitude adaptation of S. nukiangensis in the Nujiang River. Nicotine and methoprene, two organic pollutants, performed differently in fish at different altitudes. Overall, our findings advanced the fundamental understanding of fish responses to high-altitude environments, adaptive mechanisms and organic contaminants pollution in the Nujiang River.
A Novel Approach to Avoiding Technically Unfeasible Solutions in the Pump Scheduling Problem
Authors: Marini Gustavo , Fontana Nicola , Maio Marco , Di Menna Francesco , Giugni Maurizio
Published: January 2023

Optimizing pump operation in water networks can effectively reduce the cost of energy. To this end, the literature provides many methodologies, generally based on an optimization problem, that provide the optimal operation of the pumps. However, a persistent shortcoming in the literature is the lack of further analysis to assess if the obtained solutions are feasible from the technical point of view. This paper first showed that some of these available methodologies identify solutions that are technically unfeasible because they induce tank overflow or continuous pump switching, and consequently, proposed a novel approach to avoiding such unfeasible solutions. This consisted in comparing the number of time-steps performed by the hydraulic simulator with the predicted value, calculated as the ratio between the simulation duration and the hydraulic time-step. Finally, we developed a new model which couples Epanet 2.0 with Pikaia Genetic Algorithm using the energy cost as an objective function. The proposed method, being easily exportable into existing methodologies to overcome the limitations thereof, thus represents a substantial contribution to the field of pump scheduling for optimal operation of water distribution networks. The new method, tested on two case studies in the literature, proved its reliability in both cases, returning technically feasible solutions.
OPTIMIZATION OF THE LEVEL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY DURING CARGO TRANSPORTATION AND OIL REFINING
Authors:   Saratov State Technical University named after Gagarin Y.A., Sergey Alexandrovich Gusev , Anton Sergeevich Terentyev ,   Saratov State Technical University named after Gagarin Y.A.
Published: January 2023

The article attempts to systematize and analyze information about optimizing the level of environmental safety at oil refineries. The structure of the eco-information system is considered, methods for assessing adverse events are analyzed. The issue of regulatory regulation of the activi-ties of oil refineries to optimize the management of the level of environmental safety is touched upon. Software solutions that contribute to the automation of relevant processes to optimize the level of environmental safety are also provided.
ANALYSISOFTHELEVELOFTRAININGOF STUDENTS OF TRANSPORT DIRECTIONS IN THE KNIME ANALYTICS PLATFORM SOFTWARE ENVIRONMENT
Authors:   Orel State University, Andrey Vladimirovich Kulev , Maxim Vladimirovich Kulev ,   Orel State University
Published: January 2023

The aim of the work is to analyze the data and visualize the results of compliance with the requirements of employers and students' knowledge of transport areas at OSU named after I.S. Turgenev in the KNIME Analytics Platform software environment. To achieve the goal in the article, a working project was developed in the KNIME Analytics Platform; the main requirements of employers to applicants for the position of a logistician were identified; the analysis of the content of the work program of the discipline «Transport logistics» was carried out; a conclusion was made on the conformity of the level of training of students in transport areas at the Oryol State University named after I.S. Turgenev to the requirements of employers.
ASPECT OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION OF STUDENTS IN CONDITIONS OF DIGITALIZATION
Authors:   Orel State Agrarian University, Svetlana Yurievna Grishina , Marina Nikolaevna Uvarova ,   Orel State Agrarian University, Elena Vladimirovna Mishchenko ,   Orel State Agrarian University, Natalya Viktorovna Polshakova ,   Orel State Agrarian University
Published: January 2023

This article considers the aspect of engineering education in the context of the digitalization of the economy. The concept of digitalization in general and in education is disclosed. The results of research and the experience of using digital technologies in teaching physics to engineering students at the university are presented. Methods and techniques are proposed.
METHODOLOGY FOR REGULATION OF FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR PASSENGER CARS IN URBAN OPERATING CONDITIONS
Authors:   Siberian State Automobile and Highway University (SibADI), Boris Sergeevich Trofimov
Published: January 2023

The article proposes an algorithm of the methodology that allows using the relationship of experimental observation methods, statistical methods, and probability theory to establish the law of distribution of fuel consumption in urban conditions of operation of a passenger car with a confidence probability of 0.95 and determine the limit values of these norms. The scientific and methodological approach is new in the context of the practice of rationing fuel consumption, it al-lows you to apply correction factors to the base rate, so that the final value corresponds to the val-ues established experimentally. The article gives an example of the application of the methodology for rationing the fuel consumption of a Renault Duster car in the winter operating conditions of the city of Omsk.
PREDICTION OF SUSPENSION RESOURCEVEHICLE
Authors:   Ulyanovsk State Technical University, Ivan Fydorovich Dyakov
Published: January 2023

The issues of forecasting the resource of the suspension from the leaf spring of the vehicle using energy consumption during cyclic loading are presented. A refined formula for calculating energy consumption is given, which has a closer connection with failures of parts in operating conditions than kilometers of mileage. It is shown that when the vehicle is moving, the suspension is loaded and unloaded, described by the «hysteresis loop» calculation method. The area of the hysteresis loop is used in predicting the suspension resource using a neural network. This makes it possible to increase the utilization rate of the vehicle by reducing costs and downtime during current repairs.
DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF VEHICLE OPERATING AT THE AIRPORT
Authors:   Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Tech-nical University, Maria Yuryevna Karelina , Maria Olegovna Vorontsova ,   Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Tech-nical University
Published: January 2023

In this paper, a detailed analysis of the quality of atmospheric air in Moscow is carried out. The main methods of air quality control in the city are considered. The possible reasons for these results are analyzed and the main indicators that affected the quality of atmospheric air in a certain area are identified. The possibility of improving the quality of exhaust gases (EG) of vehicles operating at the airport is analyzed. The beginning of the calculation was taken to calculate the hazard category of the car and compare them with the current and relevant EURO standards. The relevance of the study is to improve the ecology of the city, which is an important factor in the health and quality of life of the population.
PROBLEMS OF FUNCTIONING OF UNMANNED VEHICLES
Authors:   Ulyanovsk State Technical University, Vyacheslav Viktorovich Epifanov , Sergey Ivanovich Gusev ,   Ulyanovsk State Technical University, Elena Nikolaevna Nikitina ,   Ulyanovsk State Technical University
Published: January 2023

The article is devoted to the applied problems of introducing innovative self-driving cars into the economic environment. The analysis of the main problems hindering the entry into operation of unmanned vehicles is presented. The relationship between the traditional VADS system and the sys-tem of functioning of an unmanned vehicle (SFBAS) is proposed. The systems included in the SFBAS are considered.
ESTIMATION OF TECHNICAL PARAMETERS OF CARS IN THE TRAFFIC FLOW
Authors:   Belgorod State Technological University, Alina Gennadievna Loktionova , Anastasia Gennadievna Shevtsova ,   Belgorod State Technological University
Published: January 2023

In this article the technical parameters of passenger cars and their application in the design and construction of highways, the organization and management of traffic flow are considered.
Pengaruh Resiprositas, Altruisme Dan Stres Kerja Terhadap Produktivitas Di Masa Pandemi Covid 19
Authors: Fauzi Firman , Caroline Bernika
Published: January 2023

The goal of this study was to look at the effects of reciprocity, altruism (cooperation or mutual assistance), and stress on employee productivity during the Covid 19 pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic, which changed employee work patterns in the scope of government, agencies, the private sector, and others, motivated this research. Working from home, or WFH, was the employee's work pattern during the Covid 19 pandemic. So that it is clear how the Covid-19 Virus pandemic affects reciprocity between employees or employees with the company, cooperation and mutual assistance (altruism) among employees, and managing work-related stress at home. The entire population of 80 employees at the Housing Marketing Company was used as the research sample in quantitative research with saturated samples. When gathering data, the survey method with a questionnaire instrument was used. The data analysis method employs a causal quantitative approach with the SPSS version 25 software. According to this study, reciprocity has a positive and significant effect on productivity during the Covid 19 period, while Altruism has a positive but insignificant effect and Work Stress has a negative and insignificant effect on productivity during the Covid 19 period.
Les traités néopythagoriciens Sur la royauté. État des recherches, méthodes et pistes
Authors: Gangloff Anne
Published: January 2023

Cet article propose un examen critique des principales positions soutenues par les philosophes et les historiens au sujet du contexte de production, de la nature et des objectifs des traités néopythagoriciens Sur la royauté, attribués à Diotogène, Ecphante et Sthénidas. Il présente, dans un premier temps, les grandes lignes du débat concernant la datation des traités depuis le début du XXe siècle jusqu’à aujourd’hui et, dans un second temps, les méthodes et les pistes de recherche qui ont été suivies, en cherchant à dégager leurs limites, leur portée et les perspectives à creuser.
La Lettre II attribuée à Platon et les traités «pythagoriciens» Sur la royauté
Authors: Viltanioti Irini-Fotini , Brisson Luc
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we endeavour to examine the relationship between Plato’s Second Letter and the pseudo-Pythagorean treatises On Kingship attributed to Ecphantos and Sthenidas. The similarities between Ecphantos and the Second Letter concern cosmological, political and ethical views, while there are hints that Sthenidas may have been influenced by Numenius’ Middle-Platonic interpretation of the “three kings” mentioned in the Letter. By way of conclusion, it may be argued that, within the framework of Middle-Platonic Pythagorizing tendencies, Ecphantos and Sthenidas seek to connect their political views On Kingship with the with the enigmatic doctrine of the Second Letter.
Týche y fortuna: de Tucídides a Maquiavelo
Authors: Sancho Rocher Laura
Published: January 2023

This article offers an analysis of the considerable similarities between Thucydides and Machiavelli’s conceptions of chance, as well as the correlative notions of calculation and opportunity. It appears that Machiavelli had read Thucydides and was very much influenced not only by his realism, but also by his ideas on political success. Like Thucydides, Machiavelli believed that an optimal rule, be it that of a republican leader, or that of a Renaissance prince, would be able to stop or avoid those disasters that we tend to associate with chance.
The Versatility and Diagnostic Potential of VOC Profiling for Noninfectious Diseases
Authors: Oxner Micah , Trang Allyson , Mehta Jhalak , Forsyth Christopher , Swanson Barbara , Keshavarzian Ali , Bhushan Abhinav
Published: January 2023

A variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are produced and emitted by the human body every day. The identity and concentration of these VOCs reflect an individual’s metabolic condition. Information regarding the production and origin of VOCs, however, has yet to be congruent among the scientific community. This review article focuses on the recent investigations of the source and detection of biological VOCs as a potential for noninvasive discrimination between healthy and diseased individuals. Analyzing the changes in the components of VOC profiles could provide information regarding the molecular mechanisms behind disease as well as presenting new approaches for personalized screening and diagnosis. VOC research has prioritized the study of cancer, resulting in many research articles and reviews being written on the topic. This review summarizes the information gained about VOC cancer studies over the past 10 years and looks at how this knowledge correlates with and can be expanded to new and upcoming fields of VOC research, including neurodegenerative and other noninfectious diseases. Recent advances in analytical techniques have allowed for the analysis of VOCs measured in breath, urine, blood, feces, and skin. New diagnostic approaches founded on sensor-based techniques allow for cheaper and quicker results, and we compare their diagnostic dependability with gas chromatography- and mass spectrometry-based techniques. The future of VOC analysis as a clinical practice and the challenges associated with this transition are also discussed and future research priorities are summarized.