bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency-Resolved High-Frequency Broadband Measurement of Acoustic Longitudinal Waves by Laser-Based Excitation and Detection
Authors: Brand Felix , Drese Klaus Stefan
Published: March 2024

Optoacoustics is a metrology widely used for material characterisation. In this study, a measurement setup for the selective determination of the frequency-resolved phase velocities and attenuations of longitudinal waves over a wide frequency range (3–55 MHz) is presented. The ultrasonic waves in this setup were excited by a pulsed laser within an absorption layer in the thermoelastic regime and directed through a layer of water onto a sample. The acoustic waves were detected using a self-built adaptive interferometer with a photorefractive crystal. The instrument transmits compression waves only, is low-contact, non-destructive, and has a sample-independent excitation. The limitations of the approach were studied both by simulation and experiments to determine how the frequency range and precision can be improved. It was shown that measurements are possible for all investigated materials (silicon, silicone, aluminium, and water) and that the relative error for the phase velocity is less than 0.2%.
Comparison of Acid- and Base-Modified Biochar Derived from Douglas Fir for Removal of Copper (II) from Wastewater
Authors: Arwenyo Beatrice , Rodrigo Prashan M. , Olabode Olalekan A. , Abeysinghe Hashani P. , Tisdale Jessie N. , Azuba Rose C. , Mlsna Todd E.
Published: March 2024

Copper is a non-biodegradable heavy metal, and high levels in water bodies cause serious environmental and health issues. Douglas fir biochar has a higher number of carboxylic, phenolic, and lactonic groups, which provide suitable active sites for copper removal. Douglas fir biochar (BC) was modified using 20% solutions of KOH (KOH/BC), H2SO4, (H2SO4/BC), and Na2CO3 (Na2CO3/BC). All materials were characterized using SEM, SEM-EDS, FTIR, TGA, XRD, BET, and elemental analysis. These modifications were done to compare the activations of those sites by measuring copper removal efficiencies. KOH/BC, H2SO4/BC, and Na2CO3/BC materials gave surface areas of 389.3, 326.7, and 367.9 m2 g−1, respectively, compared with pristine biochar with a surface area of 578.9 m2 g−1. The maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities for Na2CO3/BC, KOH/BC, BC, and H2SO4/BC were 24.79, 18.31, 17.38, and 9.17 mg g−1, respectively. All three modifications gave faster kinetics at 2 mg/L initial copper concentrations (pH 5) compared with pristine BC. The copper removal efficiency was demonstrated in four different spiked real water matrices. The copper removals of all four water matrices were above 90% at 2 mg/L initial concentration with a 2 g/L biochar dosage. The competitive effects of Pb2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Mg2+ were studied at equimolar concentrations of Cu2+ and competitive ions for all four materials.
A Roof Refurbishment Strategy to Improve the Sustainability of Building Stock: A Case Study
Authors: Ruá María J. , Pitarch Ángel M. , Arín Inés , Reig Lucía
Published: March 2024

The aging of the building stock in most cities highlights the relevance of refurbishment to achieve sustainability. Current refurbishment practices are often short-sighted and do not encompass holistic strategies beyond energy saving. This research study aims to analyze the factors involved in roof refurbishment versus current decision-making determinants. The objective is to identify the barriers that hinder their implementation and to find arguments to support roof renovations. A multicriteria analysis, which considered environmental, economic and performance factors, was employed to select optimal roof refurbishment solutions. This study evaluated five solutions. With interviews held with construction professionals and a survey of experts and homeowners, the preferences and criteria for making decisions about roof refurbishments were analyzed. Simulation tools were then used to estimate the energy savings, payback periods and environmental impact for a representative building in the study area. The results were extrapolated to a neighborhood level. The results highlight the importance of considering factors, such as weight, cost and user preferences when selecting suitable refurbishment solutions. The findings not only estimate the potential energy savings and carbon emission reductions in the area but also underscore the relevance of roof refurbishments for prolonging a building’s life span to contribute to sustainability.
The Influence of New Energy Industry Agglomeration on Regional Green Innovation Performance—Evidence from China
Authors: Yue Jingui , Duan Heying
Published: March 2024

The advance of the new energy industry and the promotion of green innovation are both important ways to solve environmental pollution and achieve economic green transformation, and there may be a non-negligible intrinsic connection between the two. Utilizing panel data covering the period from 2011 to 2021, encompassing 30 provinces and cities in China, this study measures agglomeration levels of the new energy sector and green innovation performance in each region. Via the application of the fixed-effect model and spatial Durbin model, this study empirically examines the impact mechanism of green innovation performance resulting from the agglomeration of the new energy industry. This investigation discloses that there is regional heterogeneity in China’s new energy industry agglomeration level, with the highest level observed in the western region. The distribution of green innovation performance forms an “East–Middle–West” ladder pattern, with both the central and western regions falling below the national average. Agglomeration of the new energy sector exerts a non-linear, “U-shaped” influence on green innovation performance, demonstrating conspicuous regional heterogeneity; opening up positively moderates the “positive U-shaped” correlation between new energy agglomeration and green innovation performance. A clear spatial spillover effect characterizes the agglomeration of the new energy industry, demonstrating a non-linear “inverted U-shaped” influence on the green innovation performance of surrounding regions. This paper aims to offer policy insights into the establishment of developmental layouts for the new energy industry in China while simultaneously providing practical references for enhancing regional green innovation performance.
Enhancing Portfolio Performance through Financial Time-Series Decomposition-Based Variational Encoder-Decoder Data Augmentation
Authors: Kalina Bayartsetseg , Lee Ju-Hong , Na Kwang-Tek
Published: March 2024

The objective of portfolio diversification is to reduce risk and potentially enhance returns by spreading investments across different asset classes. Existing portfolio diversification models have traditionally been trained on historical financial time series data. However, several issues arise with historical financial time series data, making it challenging to train models effectively to achieve the portfolio diversification objective: an insufficient amount of training data and the uncertainty deficiency problem, wherein the uncertainty that existed in the past is not visible in the present. Insufficient datasets, characterized by small data size, result in information asymmetry and compromise portfolio performance. This limitation underscores the importance of adopting a pattern-centric data augmentation approach, capable of unveiling hidden patterns and structures within the financial time series data. To address these challenges, this paper introduces the financial time series decomposition-based variational encoder-decoder (FED) method to augment financial time series data, overcoming the limitations of insufficient training data and providing a more realistic and dynamic simulation of the financial market environment. By decomposing the data into distinct components, such as trend, dispersion, and residual, FED leverages pattern-centric data augmentation within the financial time series data. In the environment generated using the FED method, this paper proposes a two-class portfolio diversification, called FED2Port. It integrates stochastic elements into the reward function, enabling a reinforcement learning algorithm to learn from a comprehensive spectrum of financial market uncertainties. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model significantly enhances portfolio performance.
An Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer with Multi-Strategies Coverage in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ou Yun , Qin Feng , Zhou Kai-Qing , Yin Peng-Fei , Mo Li-Ping , Mohd Zain Azlan
Published: March 2024

For wireless sensor network (WSN) coverage problems, since the sensing range of sensor nodes is a circular area with symmetry, taking symmetry into account when deploying nodes will help simplify problem solving. In addition, in view of two specific problems of high node deployment costs and insufficient effective coverage in WSNs, this paper proposes a WSN coverage optimization method based on the improved grey wolf optimizer with multi-strategies (IGWO-MS). As far as IGWO-MS is concerned, first of all, it uses Sobol sequences to initialize the population so that the initial values of the population are evenly distributed in the search space, ensuring high ergodicity and diversity. Secondly, it introduces a search space strategy to increase the search range of the population, avoid premature convergence, and improve search accuracy. And then, it combines reverse learning and mirror mapping to expand the population richness. Finally, it adds Levy flight to increase the disturbance and improve the probability of the algorithm jumping out of the local optimum. To verify the performance of IGWO-MS in WSN coverage optimization, this paper rasterizes the coverage area of the WSN into multiple grids of the same size and symmetry with each other, thereby transforming the node coverage problem into a single-objective optimization problem. In the simulation experiment, not only was IGWO-MS selected, but four other algorithms were also selected for comparison, namely particle swarm optimization (PSO), grey wolf optimizer (GWO), grey wolf optimization based on drunk walk (DGWO), and grey wolf optimization led by two-headed wolves (GWO-THW). The experimental results demonstrate that when the number of nodes for WSN coverage optimization is 20 and 30, the optimal coverage rate and average coverage rate using IGWO-MS are both improved compared to the other four comparison algorithms. To make this clear, in the case of 20 nodes, the optimal coverage rate of IGWO-MS is increased by 13.19%, 1.68%, 4.92%, and 3.62%, respectively, compared with PSO, GWO, DGWO, and GWO-THW; while IGWO-MS performs even better in terms of average coverage rate, which is 16.45%, 3.13%, 11.25%, and 6.19% higher than that of PSO, GWO, DGWO, and GWO-THW, respectively. Similarly, in the case of 30 nodes, compared with PSO, GWO, DGWO, and GWO-THW, the optimal coverage rate of the IGWO-MS is increased by 15.23%, 1.36%, 5.55%, and 3.66%; the average coverage rate is increased by 16.78%, 1.56%, 10.91%, and 8.55%. Therefore, it can be concluded that IGWO-MS has certain advantages in solving WSN coverage problems, which is reflected in that not only can it effectively improve the coverage quality of network nodes, but it also has good stability.
Generalized Dynamic Inequalities of Copson Type on Time Scales
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed M. , Saied Ahmed I. , Ali Maha , Zakarya Mohammed , Rezk Haytham M.
Published: March 2024

This paper introduces novel generalizations of dynamic inequalities of Copson type within the framework of time scales delta calculus. The proposed generalizations leverage mathematical tools such as Hölder’s inequality, Minkowski’s inequality, the chain rule on time scales, and the properties of power rules on time scales. As special cases of our results, particularly when the time scale T equals the real line (T=R), we derive some classical continuous analogs of previous inequalities. Furthermore, when T corresponds to the set of natural numbers including zero (T=N0), the obtained results, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, represent innovative contributions to the field.
Clinical, Laboratory and Neurodevelopmental Findings in Children from the Yanomami-Ninam Population Chronically Exposed to Methylmercury
Authors: Jacques Adriana Duringer , Furutani de Oliveira Mirian Akiko , da Silva Mayara Calixto , Hofer Cristina Barroso , Basta Paulo Cesar
Published: March 2024

Despite legal safeguards, the Yanomami community faces challenges such as unauthorized incursions by gold miners, resulting in environmental degradation, particularly from mercury. This jeopardizes the health and food security of indigenous individuals, especially due to the consumption of contaminated fish. Ethnic and racial disparities persist in indigenous healthcare, marked by troubling health indicators such as malnutrition, anemia, and infectious diseases. This cross-sectional study, conducted in October 2022 in the Yanomami Indigenous Territory in the Amazon Forest, Brazil, presented clinical, laboratory, and neurodevelopmental findings in Yanomami children chronically exposed to methylmercury. The results revealed that Yanomami children exhibited weights and heights below expectations (median Z-scores of −1.855 for weight for age and −2.7 for height for age), a high prevalence of anemia (25%), low vaccination coverage (15%), and low IQ (average 68.6). The Total Hair Mercury (Total Hg) levels ranged from 0.16 µg/g to 10.20 µg/g (mean: 3.30 µg/g; median: 3.70 µg/g). Of 117 children tested, 93 children (79.4%) had levels ≥ 2.0 µg/g (had no significant difference between sex). Among the 58 children for whom it was possible to estimate the Total Intelligence Quotient (TIQ), the average value was 68.6, ranging from 42 to 92 points (median: 69.5; standard deviation: 10.5). Additionally, the lowest score on the IQ test was associated with 5 times the risk of having high levels of mercury in their hair, 2,5 fold the risk of having an older age, and almost 8 times the risk of consuming fish, adjusting for nut consumption. Notwithstanding the study’s limitations, results suggest that mercury contamination from illegal mining activities on indigenous lands may negatively impact neurodevelopment in older indigenous children, particularly those fish consumers, despite the inherent benefits of fish consumption. Addressing other socio-environmental concerns is crucial for enhancing the overall health of the population.
Vaccine Hesitancy, Knowledge, and COVID-19 Vaccination in a Sample of Italian and Albanian Healthcare Students Attending an University in Albania
Authors: Buonomo Ersilia , Cenko Fabian , Piunno Gaia , Di Giovanni Daniele , Gjini Enkeleda , Kërpi Bora , Carestia Mariachiara , Moramarco Stefania , Ferrari Cristiana , Coppeta Luca
Published: March 2024

Background: Vaccine hesitancy (VH) has increased over the past decade with large geographical variations between countries, posing a threat to global public health. This phenomenon is growing in the general population as well as among healthcare workers (HCWs), who are the most reliable source of vaccine-related information for patients. Special attention must therefore be paid to medical students, who are the future HCWs. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (November 2022–January 2023) on all the Albanian and Italian students attending medical science courses at the Catholic University “Our Lady of Good Counsel” (Tirane, Albania) to investigate VH and the factors contributing to it (using the Vaccination Attitude Examination Scale-VAX), including COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccine knowledge was assessed using the Zingg and Siegrist Scale. Students were asked to voluntarily answer an anonymous questionnaire. Results: 689 questionnaires were collected (58.8% Albanians, 72.3% female; 70.4% aged 20–25 years; 70.4% attending the Medicine and Surgery course). Generally, students showed low VH, especially Italians (p < 0.001); however, some hesitancy was observed regarding the potential long-term effects of vaccines, especially among Albanians (p < 0.05). The results also showed a significant difference in vaccine knowledge scores between different course years (χ2  =  90.058; df  =  40; p = < 0.001) and different degree courses (χ2  =  89.932; df = 40; p  = < 0.001). With regard to COVID-19 vaccination, being of Albanian origin significantly increases the risk of not being vaccinated (OR = 7.215; 95%CI 3.816–13.640, p < 0.001), highlighting possible differences in vaccine coverage and policy between the two countries. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy should be addressed at early stages during medical sciences courses, in order to protect future healthcare workers, to preserve essential health services, and reduce the risk of further pandemics.
Quantum Clock in the Projection Evolution Formalism
Authors: Góźdź Andrzej , Góźdź Marek
Published: March 2024

Using the projection evolution (PEv) approach, time can be included in quantum mechanics as an observable. Having the time operator, it is possible to explore the temporal structure of various quantum events. In the present paper, we discuss the possibility of constructing a quantum clock which advances in time during its quantum evolution, in each step having some probability to localize itself on the time axis in the new position. We propose a working two-state model as the simplest example of such a clock.
Bacteriophage vB_SepP_134 and Endolysin LysSte_134_1 as Potential Staphylococcus-Biofilm-Removing Biological Agents
Authors: Golosova Natalia N. , Matveev Andrey L. , Tikunova Nina V. , Khlusevich Yana A. , Kozlova Yulia N. , Morozova Vera V. , Babkin Igor V. , Ushakova Tatiana A. , Zhirakovskaya Elena V. , Panina Elizaveta A. , Ryabchikova Elena I. , Tikunov Artem Y.
Published: March 2024

Bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus are significant challenge for medicine, as many species are resistant to multiple antibiotics and some are even to all of the antibiotics we use. One of the approaches to developing new therapeutics to treat staphylococcal infections is the use of bacteriophages specific to these bacteria or the lytic enzymes of such bacteriophages, which are capable of hydrolyzing the cell walls of these bacteria. In this study, a new bacteriophage vB_SepP_134 (St 134) specific to Staphylococcus epidermidis was described. This podophage, with a genome of 18,275 bp, belongs to the Andhravirus genus. St 134 was able to infect various strains of 12 of the 21 tested coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species and one clinical strain from the Staphylococcus aureus complex. The genes encoding endolysin (LysSte134_1) and tail tip lysin (LysSte134_2) were identified in the St 134 genome. Both enzymes were cloned and produced in Escherichia coli cells. The endolysin LysSte134_1 demonstrated catalytic activity against peptidoglycans isolated from S. aureus, S. epidermidis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, and Staphylococcus warneri. LysSte134_1 was active against S. aureus and S. epidermidis planktonic cells and destroyed the biofilms formed by clinical strains of S. aureus and S. epidermidis.
Ongoing Gaps in the Hepatitis C Care Cascade during the Direct-Acting Antiviral Era in a Large Retrospective Cohort in Canada: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Passos-Castilho Ana Maria , Murphy Donald G. , Blouin Karine , Benedetti Andrea , Panagiotoglou Dimitra , Bruneau Julie , Klein Marina B. , Kwong Jeffrey C. , Sander Beate , Janjua Naveed Z. , Greenaway Christina
Published: March 2024

To achieve hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination, high uptake along the care cascade steps for all will be necessary. We mapped engagement with the care cascade overall and among priority groups in the post-direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) period and assessed if this changed relative to pre-DAAs. We created a population-based cohort of all reported HCV diagnoses in Quebec (1990–2018) and constructed the care cascade [antibody diagnosed, RNA tested, RNA positive, genotyped, treated, sustained virologic response (SVR)] in 2013 and 2018. Characteristics associated with RNA testing and treatment initiation were investigated using marginal logistic models via generalized estimating equations. Of the 31,439 individuals HCV-diagnosed in Quebec since 1990 and alive as of 2018, there was significant progress in engagement with the care cascade post- vs. pre-DAAs; 86% vs. 77% were RNA-tested, and 64% vs. 40% initiated treatment. As of 2018, a higher risk of not being RNA-tested or treated was observed among individuals born <1945 vs. >1965 [hazard ratio (HR); 95% CI; 1.35 (1.16–1.57)], those with material and social deprivation [1.21 (1.06–1.38)], and those with alcohol use disorder [1.21 (1.08–1.360]. Overall, non-immigrants had lower rates of RNA testing [0.76 (0.67–0.85)] and treatment initiation [0.63 (0.57–0.70)] than immigrants. As of 2018, PWID had a lower risk of not being RNA tested [0.67 (0.61–0.85)] but a similar risk of not being treated, compared to non-PWID. Engagement in the HCV care cascade have improved in the post-DAA era, but inequities remain. Vulnerable subgroups, including certain older immigrants, were less likely to have received RNA testing or treatment as of 2018 and would benefit from focused interventions to strengthen these steps.
Safety of Hepatitis B Vaccines (Monovalent or as Part of Combination) in Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review
Authors: Tee Qiao Wen , Odisho Ramin , Purcell Elisha , Purcell Rachael , Buttery Jim , Nold-Petry Claudia A. , Nold Marcel F. , Malhotra Atul
Published: March 2024

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination against hepatitis B as soon as possible following birth for all infants, regardless of prematurity. Hepatitis B vaccination at birth is clearly justified, represents a crucial step in the global control of perinatally acquired hepatitis B and there are no safety concerns in infants born at term. However, there is limited information on the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine in preterm infants, whose immune responses and morbidity risk differ from those in infants born at term. Objectives: The objectives of this paper are to systematically review the literature regarding the safety and risk of adverse events following immunisation (AEFIs) associated with the administration of the hepatitis B vaccine (monovalent or as part of a combination vaccine) to preterm infants. Methods: We performed a search for relevant papers published between 1 January 2002 and 30 March 2023 in the Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and CINAHL Plus databases. Two authors independently reviewed and analysed each article to include in the systematic review. Narrative synthesis is presented. Results: Twenty-one relevant papers were identified and included in this systematic review. The vast majority of data pertained to multi-antigen (combination) vaccine preparations and vaccination episodes from 6 weeks of age onwards. We found no publications investigating the timing of the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, and AEFI reporting was exclusively short-term (hours to days following administration). There was substantial variability in the reported rate of AEFIs between studies, ranging from 0% to 96%. Regardless of frequency, AEFIs were mostly minor and included injection site reactions, temperature instability and self-limiting cardiorespiratory events. Six studies reported serious adverse events (SAEs) such as the requirement for escalation of respiratory support. However, these occurred predominantly in high-risk infant populations and were rare (~1%). Using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach, the certainty of evidence was assessed as very low. Conclusions: Despite substantial variability between the relatively small number of published studies in terms of cohort selection, definitions, vaccine preparations and reporting, hepatitis B-containing vaccines (mostly as combination vaccines) appear to be relatively well tolerated in preterm infants from 6 weeks of age. Research focusing on the safety of hepatitis B vaccine in preterm infants specifically within 7 days of birth is lacking, particularly regarding long-term morbidity risk. Further research in this area is required.
Acceptance of Flu Vaccine among Parents of Diabetic Children in Jordan
Authors: Al-Qerem Walid , Jarab Anan , Eberhardt Judith , Alasmari Fawaz , Hammad Alaa , Hour Sarah Abu
Published: March 2024

There is a critical need to understand vaccine decision-making in high-risk groups. This study explored flu vaccine acceptance among Jordanian parents of diabetic children. Employing a cross-sectional approach, 405 parents from multiple healthcare centers across Jordan were recruited through stratified sampling, ensuring a broad representation of socioeconomic backgrounds. A structured questionnaire, distributed both in-person and online, evaluated their knowledge, attitudes, and acceptance of the flu vaccine for their diabetic children. The results indicated that only 6.4% of the study sample reported vaccinating their children against the flu annually, and only 23% are planning to vaccinate their children this year. A multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed notable variability in responses. Specifically, parents with a positive attitude towards the flu vaccine and those with older children had less odds to reject the vaccine (OR = 0.589, 95% CI (0.518–0.670), p < 0.001 and OR = 0.846, 95% CI (0.736–0.974), p = 0.02, respectively). Conversely, prevalent misconceptions regarding vaccine safety and efficacy emerged as significant barriers to acceptance. Our findings advocate for targeted educational programs that directly address and debunk these specific misconceptions. Additionally, strengthened healthcare communication to provide clear, consistent information about the flu vaccine’s safety and benefits is vital to help enhance vaccine uptake among this vulnerable population, emphasizing the need to address specific concerns and misinformation directly.
Antibody Response after 3-Dose Booster against SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Tripodi Domenico , Dominici Roberto , Sacco Davide , Santorelli Gennaro , Rivera Rodolfo , Acquaviva Sandro , Marchisio Marino , Brambilla Paolo , Battini Graziana , Leoni Valerio
Published: March 2024

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is associated with a high rate of mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs). Current vaccine strategies for KTRs seem to be unable to provide effective protection against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and the occurrence of severe disease in some vaccinated KTRs suggested a lack of immunity. We initially analyzed the antibody response in a group of 32 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) followed at the nephrology and dialysis unit of the Hospital Pio XI of Desio, ASST-Brianza, Italy. Thus, we studied the differences in antibody levels between subjects who contracted SARS-CoV-2 after the booster (8 individuals) and those who did not contract it (24 individuals). Furthermore, we verified if the antibody response was in any way associated with creatinine and eGFR levels. We observed a significant increase in the antibody response pre-booster compared to post-booster using both a Roche assay and DIAPRO assay. In the latter, through immunotyping, we highlight that the major contribution to this increase is specifically due to IgG S1 IgM S2. We observed a significant increase in IgA S1 and IgA NCP (p = 0.045, 0.02) in the subjects who contracted SARS-CoV-2. We did not find significant associations for the p-value corrected for false discovery rate (FDR) between the antibody response to all assays and creatinine levels. This observation allows us to confirm that patients require additional vaccine boosters due to their immunocompromised status and therapy in order to protect them from infections related to viral variants. This is in line with the data reported in the literature, and it could be worthwhile to deeply explore these phenomena to better understand the role of IgA S1 and IgA NCP antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Effects of Designed Herbal Formula on Growth Performance, Blood Indices, Organ Traits, and Cecum Microbiology in Broilers
Authors: Sun Yuelong , Zhang Mengjie , Shi Dongdong , Dai Xiaofeng , Li Xiumei
Published: March 2024

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the designed herbal formula (DHF) on growth performance, blood indices, organ traits, and cecum microbiology in broilers. A total of 96 male broilers of 1 d were selected and randomly assigned to two groups with six replicates of eight broilers each. The control (CON) and the basal diet containing 1.0% DHF (Astragali radix, Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz., Isatis tinctoria Linnaeus, and Citri reticulatae pericarpium, 2:1:1:2) were fed separately. The experiment was conducted for 35 days. The results showed that the DHF diet increased body weight and decreased the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.05). At 21 days, the spleen, thymus, lymphocytes, and thrombocytes were increased (p < 0.05), and pancreas, duodenum, heterophils, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) were decreased (p < 0.05). At 35 days, the heart, pancreas, white blood cell, heterophils, hemoglobin, MCH and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) were decreased, while lymphocytes and middle cells were increased (p < 0.05). The results of microbial diversity analysis showed that the DHF diet decreased the microbial diversity of the cecum. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla, where the DHF diet increased the relative abundances of Bacteroides uniformis, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and then decreased the relative abundance of Shigella sonnei. In conclusion, DHF played a positive role in improving the growth performance, immune performance, and relative abundance of Bacteroides uniformis, Bacteroides vulgatus, and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in cecum microbiology in broilers, and has the potential to be used as a novel feed additive.
Dynamic Programming of Electric Vehicle Reservation Charging and Battery Preheating Strategies Considering Time-of-Use Electricity Price
Authors: Zhu Bo , Bao Chengwu , Yao Mingyao , Qi Zhengchun
Published: March 2024

Electric vehicles can effectively make use of the time-of-use electricity price to reduce the charging cost. Additionally, using grid power to preheat the battery before departure is particularly important for improving the vehicle mileage and reducing the use cost. In this paper, a dynamic programming algorithm is used to optimize the battery AC (Alternating Current) charging–preheating strategy to minimize the total cost of battery charging and preheating, with the charging current and battery preheating power consumption as the control variables. The cost difference between the optimized control strategy and the conventional preheating strategy was analyzed under different ambient temperatures (−20~0 °C) and different target travel times (7:00~12:00). The simulation results show that the optimized control strategy makes the state of charge (SOC) and temperature of the battery reach the set value at the user’s target departure time, and the total cost of the grid is the lowest. Compared with the conventional preheating strategy, the optimized control strategy can utilize the power grid energy in the valley price area and reduce the opening time of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater in the flat and the peak price zones. Furthermore, the cost utilization rate can reach 18.41~73.96%, and the cost-saving effect is significant.
Carbon Footprint Enhancement of an Agricultural Telehandler through the Application of a Fuel Cell Powertrain
Authors: Martini Valerio , Mocera Francesco , Somà Aurelio
Published: March 2024

The growing awareness about climate change and environmental pollution is pushing the industrial and academic world to investigate more sustainable solutions to reduce the impact of anthropic activities. As a consequence, a process of electrification is involving all kind of vehicles with a view to gradually substitute traditional powertrains that emit several pollutants in the exhaust due to the combustion process. In this context, fuel cell powertrains are a more promising strategy, with respect to battery electric alternatives where productivity and endurance are crucial. It is important to replace internal combustion engines in those vehicles, such as the those in the sector of Non-Road Mobile Machinery. In the present paper, a preliminary analysis of a fuel cell powertrain for a telehandler is proposed. The analysis focused on performance, fuel economy, durability, applicability and environmental impact of the vehicle. Numerical models were built in MATLAB/Simulink and a simple power follower strategy was developed with the aim of reducing components degradation and to guarantee a charge sustaining operation. Simulations were carried out regarding both peak power conditions and a typical real work scenario. The simulations’ results showed that the fuel cell powertrain was able to achieve almost the same performances without excessive stress on its components. Indeed, a degradation analysis was conducted, showing that the fuel cell system can achieve satisfactory durability. Moreover, a Well-to-Wheel approach was adopted to evaluate the benefits, in terms of greenhouse gases, of adopting the fuel cell system. The results of the analysis demonstrated that, even if considering grey hydrogen to feed the fuel cell system, the proposed powertrain can reduce the equivalent CO2 emissions of 69%. This reduction can be further enhanced using hydrogen from cleaner production processes. The proposed preliminary analysis demonstrated that fuel cell powertrains can be a feasible solution to substitute traditional systems on off-road vehicles, even if a higher investment cost might be required.
A Fuzzy Logic Control-Based Approach for Real-Time Energy Management of the Fuel Cell Electrical Bus Considering the Durability of the Fuel Cell System
Authors: Du Juan , Zhao Xiaozhang , Liu Xiaodong , Liu Gang , Xiong Yanfeng
Published: March 2024

The present study proposes a fuzzy logical control-based real-time energy management strategy (EMS) for a fuel cell electrical bus (FCEB), taking into account the durability of the fuel cell system (FCS), in order to enhance both the vehicle’s economic performance and the FCS’s service life. At first, the model of the FCEB is established whilst the power-following strategy is also formulated as a benchmark for the evaluation of the proposed strategy. Subsequently, a fuzzy logical controller is designed to improve the work efficiency of the FCS, in which the battery state-of-charge (SOC) and the vehicle’s desired power are considered the inputs, whilst the power of the FCS is the output. Then, a limitation method is integrated into the fuzzy logical controller to restrict the change rate of the FCS’s power to strengthen the FCS’s service life. At last, the evaluation is accessed based on the China city bus driving cycle (CCBC). The results indicate that the proposed fuzzy logical strategy can satisfy the dynamic performance of the FCEB well. Importantly, it also has a remarkable effectiveness in terms of promoting the FCEB’s economy. Despite a slight reduction in contrast to the fuzzy logical control, the improvements of the strategy in which the FCS’s durability is considered are still acceptable. The change rate of the FCS’s power can be confined to ±10 kW. Meanwhile, the promotion of economic performance can reach up to 8.43%, 7.69%, and 6.53% in the proposed durability consideration strategy in contrast to the power-following strategy under different battery SOCs. This will significantly benefit both the energy saving and the FCS’s durability.
Frequency reduction and attenuation of the tire air cavity mode due to a porous lining
Authors: Choo Kyosung , Choi Won Hong , Song Guochenhao , Bolton J. Stuart
Published: March 2024

The tire air cavity mode is known to be a significant source of vehicle structure- borne road noise near 200 Hz for current generation passenger vehicles, and a porous lining placed on the inner surface of a tire has proven to be an effective countermeasure. The two noticeable effects
of such a lining are the reduction in the cavity resonance frequency and the attenuation of the air cavity mode. In the present work, through both theoretical and numerical analysis, the mechanisms underlying the effects of a porous lining were studied. A two-dimensional duct-shaped theoretical
model and a two-dimensional torus-shaped numerical model were created to investigate the lined tire in conjunction with the Johnson- Champoux-Allard model describing the viscous and thermal dissipative effects of the porous material. The design parameters of the porous lining were varied to
study their impact and to identify optimal ranges of the design parameters, in particular, the flow resistivity. Finally, in an experimental analysis, the sound attenuation and the frequency drop were observed in measurements of force, acceleration, and sound pressure. In conclusion, it was
demonstrated that the suggested theoretical and numerical models successfully predict the effects of porous linings and that the frequency reduction results from the decreased sound speed within the tire owing to the presence of the liner.
Theoretical estimation of sound absorption characteristics in a collection of rectangular holes: Comparison with experimental results
Authors: Sakamoto Shuichi , Ikarashi Gen , Hoshiyama Kohta
Published: March 2024

This study quantifies the sound absorption properties of small rectangular or square pores that are less than a few millimeters per side, based solely on their geometric dimensions. Analytical solutions for the sound absorption coefficient of narrow tubes with rectangular holes have
not been obtained. Therefore, alternative methods of predicting the sound absorption coefficient, such as using the circular tube approximation or the two-plane approximation, are possible. In this study, the sound absorption coefficient was estimated by several theoretical models that are
considered useful for estimating the sound absorption coefficient in rectangular tubes. The results were then compared with experimental values. For square holes, the accuracy of the sound absorption coefficient increased in the order of the model considering two-sided circumference only,
the circular tube model, and Allard's method based on Stinson's. In rectangular holes, Allard's method based on Stinson's showed good agreement with the experimental data across a wide range of aspect ratios. For rectangular holes, the accuracy of Stinson's two-plane approximation was superior
to that of the circular tube approximation when the aspect ratio was 4. Furthermore, when the aspect ratio was 8, the accuracy of Stinson's two-plane approximation became comparable to that of Allard's method based on Stinson's.
ANALISIS PENJUALAN PAKAIAN PADA PERUSAHAAN PERSEORANGAN PRIMA JAYA LESTARI MENGGUNAKAN METODE AUTOREGRESSIVE INTEGRATED MOVING AVERAGE (ARIMA)
Authors: Ferawaty Ferawaty , Jeslyn Jeslyn
Published: March 2024

Since 1993, PP Prima Jaya Lestari is a business engaged in convection and garment, especially batik and men's shirts. Currently, PP Prima Jaya Lestari has used a computerized system to record and manage business transaction data. However, the system is unable to provide information on the influence of millennial clothing trends on to increasing convection sales at the company. To solve the problem in PP Prima Jaya Lestari, the method that being used is Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) method. In the working procedure, the stationarity of the data in the mean can be done by identifying the data plot and the ACF data form. If ACF shows a slowdown pattern means the data is not stationary in the mean, so it requires differencing so that the data becomes stationary in the mean. Conversely, if the ACF shows a rapidly descending pattern, the data is statistical in the mean Based on the results of the tests conducted in this study obtained information that by using the MAE method to calculate the difference in clothing sales between the real value and the predicted result value, information was obtained that the type of plain shirts and men's tile motif shirts have a greater MAE value when compared to the type of men's batik shirts and men's lyrical motif shirts, which means that the error rate of predictions against plain shirt types and men's tile motif shirts is much greater. This is because the type of men's batik shirts and men's lyrical shirts have a sales turnover that tends to be more stable. Meanwhile, the type of plain shirts and men's tile motif shirts have a more volatile sales turnover.
MONITORING SUHU DAN KELEMBABAN BERBASIS INTERNET of THINGS (IoT)
Authors: Hidayat Dody , Sari Ika
Published: March 2024

Suhu udara dipermukaan bumi adalah relatif, tergantung pada faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhinya. Hal itu akan berdampak langsung adanya perubahan suhu di udara. Selain itu efek dari pemanasan global dengan adanya proses peningkatan suhu rata-rata atmosfer juga menyebabkan perubahan iklim dengan memberikan dampak yang berbeda-beda. Manusia selalu berupaya untuk mencari kondisi nyaman terhadap lingkungan. Dewasa ini hampir semua orang menghabiskan waktu mereka di dalam gedung atau ruangan. Oleh karena itu pengaturan suhu menjadi sangat penting untuk kenyamanan dan kesehatan optimal. Suhu terlalu panas atau dingin dan tingkat kelembaban yang tinggi atau rendah dapat menyebabkan ketidaknyamanan bagi pengguna ruangan. Internet of Things (IoT) merupakan suatu konsep yang bertujuan untuk memperluas manfaat dari konektivitas internet yang tersambung secara terus menerus. Dengan memanfatkan teknologi IoT Penelitian yang dilakukan yakni Monitoring Suhu dan Kelembaban Berbasis IoT ini secara spesifik menggunakan modul NodeMCU ESP8266 sebagai microcontroller dan aplikasi android Blynk sebagai alat monitoring. Sistem ini terdiri dari sensor DHT11 yang digunakan sebagai sensor pengukur suhu dan kelembaban. Sistem juga terhubung dengan Buzzer dimana fungsi dari Buzzer tersebut adalah sebagai output Alarm jika terjadi perubahan suhu yang tinggi dengan melampaui batas yang sudah ditetapkan sebesar 40oC Maka Buzzer akan aktif berbunyi serta akan menampilkan hasil pengukuran suhu pada smartphone.
SISTEM PAKAR PENYAKIT KULIT MENGGUNAKAN METODE CERTAINTY FACTOR
Authors: Perangin angin Ratna Sari
Published: March 2024

Seiring kemajuan ilmu pengetahuan dan teknologi khususnya dalam bidang kedokteran akan dihasilkan peralatan medis yang semakin canggih dalam memerangi penyakit atau melakukan deteksi lebih dini penyakit agar lebih cepat mendapat penanganan. Salah satunya adalah penyakit kulit pada manusia. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah membangun aplikasi  sistem pakar yang mampu melakukan diagnosis penyakit kulit berdasarkan gejala yang dialami dengan mengimplementasikan metode Certainty Factor. Pengembangan sistem pakar menggunakan model waterfall, yang terdiri dari tahap analisis, merumuskan masalah, mengumpulkan data, dan pengujian. Implementasi metode Certainty Factor pada sistem pakar ini digunakan untuk menghasilkan tingkat kepercayaan dalam diagnosis penyakit. Sistem pakar diuji melalui 3 tahap pengujian yaitu uji blackbox, uji validitas dan uji pengguna. Pada uji blackbox, fungsi sistem berjalan sesuai yang diharapkan. Pada uji validitas, sistem dinyatakan valid untuk digunakan. Pada uji pengguna, responden memberikan kriteria “Layak”. Dari hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa sistem mampu memberikan nilai kepercayaan dan dapat mendiagnosis penyakit kulit berdasarkan gejala yang dimasukkan user. Karena masih terbatasnya sistem, diharapkan adanya pengembangan sistem dengan metode lain sehingga lebih bermanfaat bagi pengguna.
SMART LED SEBAGAI SOLUSI LAMPU HEMAT LISTRIK
Authors: Sihombing Citra
Published: March 2024

Perkembangan peralatan yang berbasis mikrokontroller semakin meningkat. Mengharuskan kita mengikuti perkembangan teknologi tersebut, minimal memahami dasar dan cara penggunaannya, dengan menggunakan mikrokontroller kita dapa menghemat waktu dan biaya pengeluaran dibandingkan dengan peralatan lainnya. Penggunaan saklar manual seringkali tidak efisien dalam mengehemat pengeluaran listrik, juga membuat pengguna harus mematikan lampu secara manual agar lampu yang digunakan tepat guna. Dengan alat ini kita tidak perlu lagi menekan saklar manual karena pada alat ini terdapar sensor gerak yang akan menyalakan lampu otomatis jika terdeteksi adanya pergerakan sebuah objek dan mematikannya kembali jika tidak ada pergerakan objek dalam beberapa waktu. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini berupa Studi Literatur dan Identifikasi serta Analisis Masalah, kemudian masuk dalam tahap Perancangan. Berdasarkan dari hasil pengujian sistem keseluruhan di atas bahwa perancangan system ini berfungsi dengan baik. Berdasarkan penelitian ini, ditarik beberapa kesimpulan yaitu Sistem smart lampu led sebagai solusi lampu hemat listrik dirancanga menggunakan mikrokontroller arduno dan sensor pir dan ldr sebagai sistem kendali lampu berfungsi dengan baik serta penghematan penggunaan listrik karena lampu hanya menyala jika ada gerakan saja dan otomatis lampu mati jika tidak ada gerakan.
SISTEM PENDUKUNG KEPUTUSAN PEMILIHAN SISWA BERPRESTASI DI SMP NEGERI 4 SATU ATAP PURBA DENGAN METODE AHP
Authors: Simarmata Ervin Riyanda
Published: March 2024

Menjadi siswa berprestasi adalah impian setiap siswa di sekolah. Prestasi yang di dapat tentu didasarkan dengan suatu kemampuan terhadap pengetahuan yang dimiliki oleh masing-masing siswa. Kriteria yang ditetapkan dalam kasus ini adalah Nilai Raport, Absen, Sikap dan Extrakurikuler. Dari empat kriteria tersebut

akan menentukan siapa siswa berprestasi pada setiap tahun ajar. Sistem pendukung keputusan (SPK) merupakan suatu sistem yang interaktif, membantu pengambilan keputusan melalui penggunaaan data dan model-model keputusan untuk memecahkan masalah yang sifatnya semi terstruktur maupun yang tidak terstruktur. Perancanga dimulai dari diagram usecase, diagram activity, dan diagram sequence. Pembuatan aplikasi dalam hal ini menggunakan bahasa pemrograman Visual Basic 2010 dan menggunakan metode Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Metode AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Proces) sesuai untuk diaplikasikan dengan menentukan nilai bobot dari semua kriteria setiap siswa sehingga pihak sekolah dapat mengambil keputusan menentukan siswa berprestasi tersebut.
SISTEM PENDUKUNG KEPUTUSAN PENILAIAN KINERJA DOSEN MENGGUNAKAN METODE HYBRID AHP DAN TOPSIS
Authors: Suarnatha I Putu Dody
Published: March 2024

Untuk menghasilkan dosen yang berkompetensi dan profesional tentunya memerlukan berbagai upaya berkesinambungan serta terukur agar tujuan tersebut tercapai, salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan yaitu melalui penilaian kinerja dosen. Di Universitas Tabanan penilaian kinerja dosen dilaksanakan tiap akhir semester, namun dalam penyelenggaraanya ditemui kendala, yaitu: hasil penilaian yang masih belum sesuai, serta belum adanya tolak ukur penentuan kinerja dosen. Hal ini memiliki dampak pada proses evaluasi yang mengakibatkan hasil penilaian terkadang tidak efektif dan sering dilakukan tidak objektif dampak lainnya terletak pada proses pengambilan keputusan dalam merangking dan menentukan dosen yang memiliki kinerja yang baik ataupun kurang. Maka dari itu, untuk mengatasi kendala tersebut diperlukanlah  suatu sistem  pendukung  keputusan (SPK). SPK yang dibangun menggunakan gabungan/hybrid antara metode AHP dan TOPSIS. Metode AHP digunakan pada proses pembobotan kriteria sedangkan metode TOPSIS untuk perhitungan perangkingan.  Sistem pendukung keputusan yang dibangun  menggunakan tiga kriteria yaitu : Pendidikan, Penelitian danPengabdian Kepada Masyarakat atau lebih dikenal dengan nama Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi.