bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Complexity of Energy Poverty in the EU: Measure it, Map it, Take Actions
Authors: Campagna Laura , Radaelli Lucio , Ricci Mattia , Rancilio Giuliano 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEnergy poverty presents a pressing challenge in the European Union (EU), worsened by recent geopolitical events and economic vulnerabilities, particularly highlighted by the COVID-19 crisis. This article explores the complexity of energy poverty within the EU context, emphasizing the necessity to define, measure, and monitor it comprehensively. It reviews the evolution of energy poverty definitions and causes, underlining the multifaceted nature of the issue influenced by factors such as low-income, high-energy prices, and building inefficiencies. Various measurement indexes are examined, and categorized into consensus, expenditure-income comparison, and direct/indirect measurement indicators, offering insights into their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the work discusses mapping methodologies to pinpoint instances of energy poverty spatially. It also examines best regulatory practices employed by nations, including economic accessibility enhancements and structural interventions like investments in energy efficiency and renewable sources. Finally, the authors propose a novel approach to map energy poverty at municipal granularity in Italy, integrating economic vulnerability and building energy efficiency indices.
From Hesitation to Participation: Examining Behavioural Barriers to Engage Customers in Flexibility Markets
Authors: Stampatori Daniele , Rossetto Nicolò 
Published: September 2024

Abstract
Purpose of the Review
The increasing penetration of distributed energy sources into the electricity system requires greater customer engagement in providing new flexibility services. This article reviews the main behavioural barriers and existing gaps related to customer engagement in emerging flexibility markets.

Recent Findings
Greater attention should be put on collecting more experimental evidence from the field to finalise the development of appropriate engagement strategies that can avoid unexpected customer reactions, especially when different incentives and information are provided.

Summary
Based on an extensive review of the literature, we identified three overarching groups of behavioural barriers to customer engagement in flexibility markets, namely: (1) lack of awareness, (2) lack of skills to process information, and (3) inertia. Furthermore, there is still no consensus on the effectiveness of incentivisation mechanisms and information strategies that can enhance customer engagement.
Che cosa non sappiamo sugli SGLT-2 inibitori
Authors: Chiriacò Martina , Chatzianagnostou Kyriazoula , Emdin Michele , Del Prato Stefano 
Published: September 2024

SommarioGli inibitori del co-trasportatore sodio-glucosio 2 (SGLT2i) sono farmaci utilizzati per il trattamento del diabete di tipo 2 che hanno dimostrato importanti benefici cardiorenali. Nonostante l’impiego crescente di questa classe di farmaci, ci sono dati limitati riguardanti l’efficacia e la sicurezza in patologie e popolazioni specifiche come i pazienti anziani, giovani, donne in gravidanza, e la combinazione con altre terapie. Questa rassegna affronta gli ambiti di impiego degli SGLT2i attualmente poco esplorati, analizzando i dati disponibili e fornendo prospettive per ricerche future.
Le forme non classiche di iperplasia surrenalica congenita nella donna: diagnosi e terapia
Authors: Campioni Lorenzo , Di Carlo Maria Chiara , Bergoglio Beatrice , Giordano Roberta 
Published: September 2024

SommarioL’iperplasia surrenalica congenita è una rara sindrome congenita causata da vari difetti enzimatici della steroidogenesi surrenalica, tra cui quello di 21-idrossilasi è il più frequente. La forma non classica si caratterizza per un deficit parziale di cortisolo e un incremento dei livelli di ACTH che è, a sua volta, responsabile di un incremento della sintesi di androgeni. Mentre i pazienti di sesso maschile sono generalmente asintomatici, nel sesso femminile compaiono segni e sintomi di iperandrogenismo. In questa Rassegna si descriveranno diagnosi e terapia della forma non classica nella donna adulta.
Beliefs of Undergraduate Mathematics Education Students in a Teacher Education Program about Visual Programming in Mathematics Classes
Authors: Dilling Frederik , Köster Jacqueline , Vogler Amelie 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn the digital age, the range of digital technologies used in mathematics education grows. Since beliefs are affective-cognitive elements that significantly determine teachers' behavior in the classroom, they are an interesting field of research in mathematics education. A review of previous research has identified different groups of beliefs about the use of digital technologies in mathematics classes. These studies are not focused on specific digital technologies. In an empirical case study that is presented in this paper, the aim was to figure out how beliefs that can be described specifically about the use of visual programming relate to general beliefs about the use of digital technologies in mathematics education. A qualitative content analysis of the reflection journals of seven undergraduate mathematics education students on their work with Scratch, a visual programming environment, in a university seminar led to the formation of ten belief categories about the use of visual programming in mathematics classes. Most of the beliefs are associated with a positive attitude towards visual programming in mathematics education. However, some beliefs could also be identified that refer to the limits and challenges of using visual programming and thus demonstrate rather negative associations. Only a few of the categories identified match the list of belief groups about digital technologies in mathematics education identified in previous research. Some possible reasons for these results are discussed and further research interests in the field of beliefs about the use of digital technologies are suggested.
Relaxed Stability and Non-weighted $$L_2$$-Gain Analysis for Asynchronously Switched Polynomial Fuzzy Systems
Authors: Bao Zhiyong , Lam Hak-Keung , Li Xiaomiao , Liu Fucai 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThis paper concerns the stability and non-weighted $$L_2$$

L
2

-gain analysis issues for the switched systems subject to asynchronous switching and external disturbance. By taking full advantage of the admissible edge-dependent average dwell time (AED-ADT) switching signal, a stability criterion of asynchronously switched systems is proposed to achieve a lower non-weighted $$L_2$$

L
2

-gain index than the existing results. Furthermore, the dynamics of switched systems are described by using the polynomial fuzzy model instead of the T-S fuzzy model, which can represent a wider range of nonlinear plants. For such asynchronously switched polynomial fuzzy systems, the relaxed conditions are derived through the membership-function-dependent (MFD) technique and novel high-order multiple Lyapunov functions (MLFs) construction method to guarantee less conservative stability and non-weighted $$L_2$$

L
2

-gain results. Finally, the superiority of the proposed approaches are verified through two simulation examples.
Investigations on the finite strain behavior of standard PVB: experiment and modeling
Authors: Pauli Alexander , Siebert Geralt 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe numerical simulation of the residual load-bearing capacity of laminated glass is one of the most relevant topics of current research in structural glass engineering. The mechanical description of the behavior of the interlayer plays a crucial role. Several approaches and models already exist in automotive engineering and structural protection. Structural glass design assuming quasi-static loads misses a detailed model so far. The aim of this work is the mechanical description of the time-dependent behavior of Polyvinylbutyral (PVB) under large deformations considering quasi-static loading. The results of experiments on single-layer Standard PVB are presented, and a model of finite nonlinear viscoelasticity is derived. In particular, the formulation of phenomenologically motivated viscosity functions is described. Subsequently, the model parameters are calibrated on the experimental results, and the uniaxial stress state is simulated.
Monetising Digital Data in Higher Education: Analysing the Strategies and Struggles of EdTech Startups
Authors: Komljenovic Janja , Birch Kean , Sellar Sam 
Published: September 2024

AbstractDigital data are a building block of postdigital higher education and, as such, are believed to be economically and socially valuable. However, data need to be made valuable via a complex set of political-economic and socio-technical arrangements. While universities and policymakers aim to derive social benefits from digital data, we turn our attention to the economic value of digital data in the EdTech industry. In this article, we analyse the strategies and struggles of EdTech startup companies as they seek to monetise the user data they collect. Startups experiment with generating value by datafying their products, developing ever new data outputs and analytics, controlling data for matching services, building large datasets via company acquisitions, and developing data products as a service. However, they face important generic and sector-specific challenges that include high costs, building large datasets and managing sophisticated data processes, convincing customers to pay, demonstrating use-value for universities, lack of transparency of the premises that underpin product operations and impact, and managing investor relations. Navigating the experimental construction of value from data while managing these challenges creates many unknowns for the sector.
Liposome-based Freezing Medium Improves the Outcome of Mouse Prepubertal Testicular Tissue Cryopreservation
Authors: Dcunha Reyon , Mutalik Sadhana P. , Reji Reethu Ann , Mutalik Srinivas , Kalthur Sneha Guruprasad , Hegde Padmaraj , Murari M. S. , Raghu Shamprasad Varija , Banerjee Shreetama , Kumar Anujith , Adiga Satish Kumar , Zhao Yulian , Kannan Nagarajan , Kalthur Guruprasad 
Published: September 2024

AbstractCryopreservation of testicular tissue holds an important role in the field of fertility preservation, particularly for prepubertal boys diagnosed with cancer. However, prepubertal testicular tissue cryopreservation is still considered to be in the experimental stage necessitating the refinement of cryopreservation protocol. Considering the fact that loss of membrane lipids is the primary cause of freeze–thaw-induced loss of testicular cell functions, in this study, we explored the beneficial properties of exogenous supplementation of membrane lipids in the form of liposomes in enhancing the cryosurvival of prepubertal testicular tissue. The freezing medium supplemented with liposomes (prepared from soy lecithin, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, and cholesterol) was used for the experiments. Prepubertal testicular tissues from Swiss albino mice were cryopreserved in a liposome-containing freezing medium (LFM) composed of 0.25 mg/mL liposomes, 5% DMSO, and 30% FCS in the DMEM/F12 medium using a slow freezing protocol. The tissues were thawed and assessed for various testicular cell functions. Freezing in LFM mitigated the loss of viability, decreased malondialdehyde level (p < 0.05), and reduced apoptosis (p < 0.05) in the testicular cells compared to the testicular tissue cryopreserved in the control freezing medium (CFM). Further, DMSO (5%) appears to be the ideal penetrating cryoprotectant for prepubertal testicular tissue cryopreservation with liposome-based freezing medium. Similar enhancement in cryosurvival of cells was observed in adult human testicular tissue frozen with LFM. These findings highlight the translational value of liposome-based freezing medium in the cryopreservation of testicular tissue of prepubertal boys undergoing chemotherapy.
Studying the productivity of sewage sludge (SS) components for photocatalytic CO2 transformation to CO and methane
Authors: Zerga Abdelmoumin Yahia , Tahir Muhammad , Bouguerra Marouane Dhia Eddine , Alias Hajar 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEnergy-efficient photocatalytic CO2 conversion to sustainable solar fuels is a promising approach for simultaneously resolving energy and environmental concerns. The increased growth of sewage sludge necessitates research and innovation to propose more commercially viable options for lowering the socioeconomic and environmental complications associated with its current treatment. Sewage sludge can be applied to valuable products or used as a feedstock for energy production. According to the characterization results, the sewage sludge contains several metallic oxides (M), including Ni, Al, Mn, and Cu, and semiconductors (Fe2O3 and ZnO). According to the proposed mechanism, ZnO acts as an electron conductor between the Fe2O3 and the active sewage sludge due to forming an n–n type heterojunction. Under visible-light irradiation, photocatalytic CO2 reduction of sewage sludge was investigated using a fixed bed reactor. The CO2 reduction produced CO and CH4, with production rates of 9.76 and 4.20 µmol g−1 h−1, respectively, via the electrical conductivity in the sewage sludge elements. Furthermore, the impacts of photocatalyst loading, system reforming, light effect and pressure range were examined, where the methane yield at 0.1 g was 4.23 and 2.26 times significantly higher than at 0.05 and 0.2 g, correspondingly. With catalyst loadings of 0.1 and 0.2 g, the mono-oxide productivity was 1.69 and 2.58, notably greater, respectively. Moreover, the best yield of the CO and methane was obtained by using 0.3 bar as pressure and 10% methanol in H2O/CO2 as a reducing agent. Finally, using sewage sludge to produce a solar fuel based on the presence of active metallic oxide and semi-conductor heterojunctions provides novel insights from molecular and engineering perspectives into converting CO2 to a green fuel using wastewater sludge.
Graphical abstract
Hosoya polynomial method for the numerical solution of Volterra integral equations
Authors: Mundewadi Ravikiran A. , Jummannaver Raju B. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe numerical solution of Volterra integral equation using one of the graph theoretic polynomial is Hosoya polynomial. To reduce the VIEs to a system of algebraic equations by substituting collocation points. To simplify these system by the help of Matlab using Newton’s iteration technique, we get the Hosoya coefficients and substitute these coefficients in function approximation to get the required solutions as shown in tables and graphically represent the figures. The error analysis demonstrates the accuracy, stability, and consistency. The proposed method shows efficiency and validity as compared to the existing methods.
Sustainable approaches to landscape design through diverse environmental waste recycling practices
Authors: Mohamed Amany Saker , Malak Mina Nabil , Afifi Ahmed 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn today’s context, sustainability serves as a pathway to meet current needs while safeguarding those of future generations, encompassing initiatives across various sectors. Whether environmental, social, or economic sustainability, governments, companies, and individuals are increasingly adopting it as a guiding principle to address global challenges like resource depletion and climate change. This paper explores the topic of sustainable landscaping with a focus on using demolition and construction waste into hardscape-like benches. Where waste materials are held for profitable use, particularly in manufacturing sustainable concrete for landscape elements. We address the urgent need for creative solutions to environmental problems, focusing on cooperation, policy changes, and technological improvements. We aim to support sustainable methods in landscape design by reusing resources such as broken ceramics, recycled aggregates, and granite powder. This Study presents a comprehensive methodology that includes application techniques, theoretical frameworks, and recommendations for successful execution. Our study emphasizes integrating sustainability concepts into landscape design, providing observable advantages, including waste reduction, resource conservation, and environmental preservation. We hope this study will help create a future where society and the environment coexist more sustainably.
Tracking the storage stability in sesame (Sesamum indicum L.): impact of accelerated storage on storability characteristics, seed quality, phytochemical content, and fatty acids
Authors: Elsafy Mohammed , Ekholm Anders , Elkhatim Khitma A. Sir , Hamid Manhal Gobara , Othman Mazahir H. , Abdelhalim Tilal Sayed , Rahmatov Mahbubjon , Johansson Eva , Hassan Amro B. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractStorage stability under non-optimal conditions is an essential characteristic of Sudanese sesame. To understand opportunities to improve storage stability in sesame, seed quality, storability characteristics, content of fatty acids and phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity were evaluated in ten Sudanese genotypes subjected to high temperature (55 °C) and humidity (60% RH) for 16 and 32 days. The accelerated storage increased seed color, linoleic acid, fungal growth, and peroxide value, while oil content, oleic acid, water activity, phytochemicals, and antioxidant capacity decreased (P < 0.05). The germination rate and content of saturated fatty acids were retained despite the storage (P > 0.05). The landrace Abusundoug showed better storage stability than the other genotypes due to generally low fatty acids and high phytochemical contents. The differences in storage stability in the Sudanese genotypes underscore the need for their further evaluation and use in breeding programs to improve sesame shelf life and quality.
Assessing the impact of social trust on attitudes towards immigrants: evidence from Brazil
Authors: dos Santos Wagner Martins , Steiner Andrea Quirino , Alves Elia Elisa Cia , do Vale Caio Vinício Malaquias 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSince the 2000s, the number of immigrants has been growing in Brazil, as well as the cases of xenophobia. There are multiple explanations in the literature on the drivers of attitudes towards immigrants, which vary at the individual, regional and national analytical levels. We discuss and situate the argument of societal integration within the debate on whether social trust can reduce negative attitudes towards immigrants. We argue that social trust is key to reducing negative perceptions towards immigrants and a good predictor of attitudes in environments with strong perceived threat and prejudice, as is the case in Brazil. We empirically test whether greater generalized trust and trust in foreigners are related to a more positive attitude towards immigrants. Although this relationship has already been studied in other countries, to the best of our knowledge no study has yet been applied to the Brazilian case. Using data from the World Values Survey wave 7, and applying a logit model, our results corroborate that social trust has a positive impact on perceptions towards immigrants.
A marker-based method for visual-inertial initialization
Authors: An Kang , Fan Hao , Dong Junyu 
Published: September 2024

AbstractAccurate and robust initialization is significant for visual-inertial simultaneous localization and mapping (VI-SLAM). Existing methods solve VI-SLAM initialization based on visual information. However inertial measurement unit (IMU) parameter estimation performed underwater is subject to two major limitations. First, IMU preintegration error accumulates over time, resulting in reduced accuracy. Second, it is difficult for robots to achieve sufficient movement underwater, which affects the reliability of initialization results. For a better balance between the efficiency and accuracy of VI-SLAM initialization, this study proposes a VI-SLAM initialization method using a designed marker calibration device. First, we utilize both marker points and ORB feature points for a fast and robust visual trajectory estimation with real motion scale, and we estimate the gravity direction using the marker calibration device. Second, the IMU trajectory is aligned with the trajectory, and the IMU parameters are solved using the initial gravity direction. Experiments verify the effectiveness of our developed method for improving the accuracy and efficiency of the VI-SLAM initialization. The code is available at https://gitee.com/litseaak/mmorb.
Decoding the genetic blueprint: regulation of key agricultural traits in sorghum
Authors: Liu Fangyuan , Wodajo Baye , Xie Peng 
Published: September 2024

AbstractSorghum, the fifth most important crop globally, thrives in challenging environments such as arid, saline-alkaline, and infertile regions. This remarkable crop, one of the earliest crops domesticated by humans, offers high biomass and stress-specific properties that render it suitable for a variety of uses including food, feed, bioenergy, and biomaterials. What’s truly exciting is the extensive phenotypic variation in sorghum, particularly in traits related to growth, development, and stress resistance. This inherent adaptability makes sorghum a game-changer in agriculture. However, tapping into sorghum’s full potential requires unraveling the complex genetic networks that govern its key agricultural traits. Understanding these genetic mechanisms is paramount for improving traits such as yield, quality, and tolerance to drought and saline-alkaline conditions. This review provides a comprehensive overview of functionally characterized genes and regulatory networks associated with plant and panicle architectures, as well as stress resistance in sorghum. Armed with this knowledge, we can develop more resilient and productive sorghum varieties through cutting-edge breeding techniques like genome-wide selection, gene editing, and synthetic biology. These approaches facilitate the identification and manipulation of specific genes responsible for desirable traits, ultimately enhancing agricultural performance and adaptability in sorghum.
Controlled Grazing as a Pathway for Enhancing Investment in Multipurpose Trees and Welfare
Authors: Tadesse Tewodros , Hadera Amanuel , Yeabiyo Gebremariam , Birhane Emiru , Rannestad Meley Mekonen , Berhe Melaku 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn Africa, rangeland ecosystems have been exploited due to heavy and unsustainable grazing. Policy and institutional mechanisms such as integrating silvopastoral systems with sustainable grazing practices have been devised to mitigate the negative effects. In this study, we investigated whether the uptake of sustainable grazing management in the form of controlled grazing spurs investment in multipurpose trees (MPTs) and enhances income. Using instrumental variable regression, we find that controlled grazing increases not only the propensity to plant MPTs but also the number of tree species. More importantly, IV and treatment effect results indicate that controlled grazing enhances income from MPTs.