Search Results (1,402,434)

Underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) has gained interest in recent years with the introduction of autonomous and remotely operated mobile systems in blue economic ventures such as offshore food production and energy generation. Here, we devised a model for estimating the received power distribution of diffused line-of-sight mobile optical links, accommodating irregular intensity distributions beyond the beam-spread angle of the emitter. We then used this model to conduct a spatial analysis investigating the parametric influence of the placement, orientation, and angular spread of photodiodes in array-based receivers on the mobile UOWC links in different Jerlov seawater types. It revealed that flat arrays were best for links where strict alignment could be maintained, whereas curved arrays performed better spatially but were not always optimal. Furthermore, utilizing two or more spectrally distinct wavelengths and more bandwidth-efficient modulation may be preferred for received-signal intensity-based localization and improving link range in clearer oceans, respectively. Considering the geometric implications of the array of receiver photodiodes for mobile UOWCs, we recommend the use of dynamically shape-shifting array geometries. Full article

Raman spectroscopy (RS), for its robust analytical capabilities under constant development, is a powerful method for the identification of various materials, in particular pigments in cultural heritage. Characterization of the artist’s palette is of fundamental importance for the correct formulation of restoration intervention as well as for preventive conservation of artworks. Here we examine the number and variability of research studies exploiting Bravo handheld Raman spectrophotometer relying on the excitation of Raman signal with temperature-shifted diode lasers emitting at 852 and 785 nm. To this end, we explore the spectral features of common historical pigments examined as powders and in the paint layer. We show that some materials may exhibit slightly different spectra as concerns especially the relative intensity of Raman lines with 852 nm laser excitation wavelength as compared to the standard 785 nm. The aim is to provide the research community with a reference spectral database that facilitates the identification of unknown pigments using the 852 nm excitation source. Full article

Today, malware is arguably one of the biggest challenges organisations face from a cybersecurity standpoint, regardless of the types of devices used in the organisation. One of the most malware-attacked mobile operating systems today is Android. In response to this threat, this paper presents research on the functionalities and performance of different malicious Android application package analysis tools, including one that uses machine learning techniques. In addition, it investigates how these tools streamline the detection, classification, and analysis of malicious Android Application Packages (APKs) for Android operating system devices. As a result of the research included in this article, it can be highlighted that the AndroPytool, a tool that uses machine learning (ML) techniques, obtained the best results with an accuracy of 0.986, so it can be affirmed that the tools that use artificial intelligence techniques used in this study are more efficient in terms of detection capacity. On the other hand, of the online tools analysed, Virustotal and Pithus obtained the best results. Based on the above, new approaches can be suggested in the specification, design, and development of new tools that help to analyse, from a cybersecurity point of view, the code of applications developed for this environment. Full article

This study delves into perceptions of land and forest tenure (in)security among Indigenous and mestizo populations in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite all having collective lands, the selected communities vary in their formalisation processes. This research seeks to enhance comprehension of tenure security perceptions in the Peruvian Amazon by investigating sources of security and insecurity across key tenure components. A combination of descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses is employed, based on fieldwork conducted between July 2015 and December 2017 in 22 Native and Peasant Communities in Loreto and Madre de Dios, utilising 1006 intra-household surveys, 52 in-depth interviews, and 44 focus group discussions. The results reveal similarities and differences in (in)security sources between titled and untitled communities. The study also explores the influence of gender and ethnicity on these perceptions, finding ethnicity-based variation in security perception over the past 20 years (1995–2015). Recognising these differences in perception is critical for assessing the robustness of exercising acquired collective rights. Full article

Sandy soil covers a significant portion of Egypt’s total land area, representing a crucial agricultural resource for future food security and economic growth. This research adopts the hypothesis of maximizing the utilization of secondary products for soil improvement to reduce ecosystem pollution. The study focuses on assessing the impact of combining phosphogypsum and modified biochar as environmentally friendly soil amendments on loamy sand soil quality parameters such as soil organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, nutrient levels, and wheat yield. The treatments were T₁: the recommended NPK fertilizer (control); T₂: 2.5 kg phosphogypsum m⁻² soil; T₃: 2.5 kg rice straw biochar m⁻² soil; T₄: 2.5 kg cotton stalk biochar m⁻² soil; T₅: 2.5 kg rice-straw-modified biochar m⁻² soil; T₆: 2.5 kg cotton-stalk-modified biochar m⁻² soil; and T₇ to T₁₀: mixed phosphogypsum and biochar treatments. The results revealed that the combined use of phosphogypsum and modified cotton stalk biochar (T₁₀) significantly enhanced soil organic carbon (SOC) by 73.66% and 99.46% in both seasons, the soil available N both seasons by 130.12 and 161.45%, the available P by 89.49% and 102.02%, and the available K by 39.84 and 70.45% when compared to the control treatment. Additionally, this treatment led to the highest grain yield of wheat (2.72 and 2.92 Mg ha⁻¹), along with a significant increase in straw yield (52.69% and 59.32%) compared to the control treatment. Overall, the findings suggest that the combined use of phosphogypsum and modified biochar, particularly cotton-stalk biochar, holds promise for improving loamy sand-soil quality and wheat productivity. Full article

This study presents a stress testing operation conducted using a wireline formation tester in a newly discovered gas hydrate prospect located offshore in Japan. The campaign, which spanned from December 2021 to January 2022, involved drilling a well using logging-while-drilling technology. Subsequently, wireline formation testing and stress testing were successfully conducted at three different depths within a gas hydrate-concentrated zone. The testing was accomplished in a single riserless descent, with the primary goal of obtaining crucial data such as mobility, formation pressure, and fracture gradient for one of the prospects. This operation marked the first stress testing job performed with dual packers in an open water and deepwater environment specifically for gas hydrate reservoirs. The study also provides a comprehensive interpretation of the data gathered during the operation. Moreover, it evaluates various properties such as formation mobility, formation pressure, initial breakdown pressure, closure pressure, fracture propagation pressure, and instantaneous shut-in pressure. Full article

This paper investigates the versatility of force feedback (FF) technology in enhancing user interfaces across a spectrum of applications. We delve into the human finger pad’s sensitivity to FF stimuli, which is critical to the development of intuitive and responsive controls in sectors such as medicine, where precision is paramount, and entertainment, where immersive experiences are sought. The study presents a case study in the automotive domain, where FF technology was implemented to simulate mechanical button presses, reducing the JND FF levels that were between 0.04 N and 0.054 N to the JND levels of 0.254 and 0.298 when using a linear force feedback scale and those that were 0.028 N and 0.033 N to the JND levels of 0.074 and 0.164 when using a logarithmic force scale. The results demonstrate the technology’s efficacy and potential for widespread adoption in various industries, underscoring its significance in the evolution of haptic feedback systems. Full article

(Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y is a nontoxic cuprate superconducting material with a superconducting transition temperature of about 116 K. Recently, it was found that bulk samples of this material synthesized under high pressure hold the highest irreversibility line among all the superconductors, which is very promising for its application in the liquid nitrogen temperature field. In this work, high-temperature (Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y superconducting films with large irreversible fields were prepared on SrLaAlO₄(00l) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The substrate temperature during deposition proved to be the most important parameter determining the morphology and critical temperature of the superconductors, with 680 °C considered to be the optimum temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that the (Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y films prepared under optimal conditions exhibited epitaxial growth with the a-axis perpendicular to the film surface and the b- and c-axes parallel to the substrate, with no evidence of any other orientation. In addition, resistivity measurements showed that the onset transition temperature (T_c^onset) was approximately 116 K, the zero-resistance critical temperature (T_c0) was around 53 K, and the irreversible field (H_irr) was about 9 T at 37 K for (Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y films under optimal temperature. This is the first example of the successful growth of superconducting (Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y films on SrLaAlO₄(00l) substrates. This will facilitate high-performance applications of (Cu,C)Ba₂Ca₃Cu₄O_y superconducting materials in the liquid nitrogen temperature field. Full article

With the ever-increasing threat of climate change and global warming, ways to make energy intensive buildings, such as cold storage warehouses essential for food preservation, more sustainable need to be found. Some refrigerated warehouse owners may be unaware or unsure of the benefits obtainable from implementing sustainable practices and technologies. To search for innovations that could inform the owners and managers of cold storage warehouses about how to enhance their sustainability, convergent interviewing of subject matter experts was conducted. The resulting practices and processes were organized into a hierarchy that ranged from essential to best practices that can be implemented to improve the sustainability of refrigerated warehouses. Examples of these practices and technologies include ideal refrigeration systems, racking methods, and insulation types. To encourage the use of sustainable practices and technologies, more reporting on successful or unsuccessful applications of practices and technologies needs to be communicated. Applying change diagnostic tools such as convergent interviewing enables a practical and industry focused set of outcomes to be determined that can help drive change towards more sustainable cold storage warehouses in Australia. Full article

This paper presents an empirical study focused on the use of TooGoodToGo smartphone applications by urban food retailers and HoReCa sector owners, evaluating their satisfaction levels with using this app and identifying the most relevant business levers that might convince other operators to adopt anti-waste programs and more sustainable behaviors. To this end, a survey questionnaire is administered to a sample of respondents. Data are statistically analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test to consider the different perspectives of the identified subsamples. The results reveal that business operators claim to have a high level of satisfaction with exploiting the service provided by the app and that it is a lever for increasing the number of customers served, even if there is not a high positive effect on revenue. However, retailers with more years of operations, who can be considered more experienced, can better exploit the opportunities of the TGTG business. This study contributes to a better understanding of the benefits of using web application services to decrease waste from urban food retailers. Consequently, levers for convincing new operators to adopt the service and their role in increasing customer awareness are identified and discussed. Full article

The response of benthic habitats and organisms to bottom-contact fishing intensity is investigated in marine protected areas (MPAs) of the German EEZ in the North and Baltic Seas. We examined the current state of macrofauna biodiversity in 2020–2022. Comparative analysis for macrofauna (in- and epifauna) inhabiting nine Natura 2000 MPAs constitutes a baseline to assess the effects of bottom-contact fishing exclusion in the future. Aspects of spatial and temporal variability are briefly summarized and discussed. We provide a species list for each region, including 481 taxa, of which 79 were found in both regions, 183 only in the North Sea, and 219 only in the Baltic Sea. The Baltic Sea dataset surprisingly included higher numbers of taxa and revealed more Red List species. The share of major taxonomic groups (polychaetes, bivalves and amphipods) in species richness showed peculiar commonalities between the two regions. In the North Sea, multivariate analysis of community structure revealed significantly higher within-similarity and stronger separation between the considered MPAs compared to the Baltic MPAs. Salinity, temperature and sediment fractions of sand were responsible for over 60% of the variation in the North Sea macrofauna occurrence data. Salinity, mud fraction and bottom-contact fishing were the most important drivers in the Baltic Sea and, together with other considered environmental drivers, were responsible for 53% of the variation. This study identifies aspects of macrofauna occurrence that may be used to assess (causes of) future changes. Full article

As a project construction organization model, whole-process engineering consulting (WPEC) is currently being promoted in China’s engineering consulting industry. However, various factors create numerous obstacles that hinder this model’s effective promotion and application. One essential task is to deeply analyze the transmission mechanism of the influencing factors in the promotion and application of WPEC, and explore effective pathways for promoting and applying this model. This paper systematically organizes and summarizes 10 primary influencing factors and 38 secondary influencing factors for promoting WPEC. Using the complex network analysis method, a network of influencing factors for promoting WPEC, a network structure, and motif analyses are conducted. The results show that the influencing factors have a complex transmission mechanism, and complex network analysis can reveal the laws of their construction and their causes. This paper provides a systematic basis and theoretical support for the effective formulation of policies related to the promotion and application of WPEC. Full article

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic generated uncertainty and disruption among the child and adolescent population. Multiple studies have documented a worsening of mental health following the pandemic. The main objective of this longitudinal study is to analyze the short-, medium-, and long-term evolution of the overall functioning of children and adolescents treated by a child and adolescent mental health team in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: 420 patients aged 3 to 18 were assessed using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale at three time points: during the lockdown, three months later, and three years later. Differences based on gender, diagnosis, and time were analyzed. Results: A significant improvement was observed in the short-term (three months) and long-term (three years) compared to the lockdown period. This improvement was maintained in all diagnostic subgroups except for mixed cases (severe mental pathology), which showed the least improvement. No significant differences were found between males and females. Conclusions: The child and adolescent population showed a greater capacity for adaptation to the lockdown than expected. Family support, decreased stress, and therapeutic intervention appear to have played an important role in improving mental health. Full article

Pre-surgical clinical assessment of an adnexal mass typically relies on transvaginal ultrasound for comprehensive morphological assessment, with further support provided by biomarker measurements and clinical evaluation. Whilst effective for masses that are obviously benign or malignant, a large proportion of masses remain sonographically indeterminate at surgical referral. As a consequence, post-surgical diagnoses of benign disease can outnumber malignancies up to 9-fold, while less than 50% of cancer cases receive a primary referral to a gynecological oncology specialist. We recently described a blood biomarker signature (multi-marker panel—MMP) that differentiated patients with benign from malignant ovarian disease with high accuracy. In this study, we have examined the use of the MMP, both individually and in combination with transvaginal ultrasound, as an alternative tool to CA-125 for enhanced decision making in the pre-surgical referral process. Full article

Horticultural crops play a vital role in global food production, nutrition, and the economy. Horticultural crops are highly vulnerable to abiotic stresses. These abiotic stresses hinder plant growth and development by affecting seed germination, impairing photosynthetic activity, and damaging root development, thus leading to a decrease in fruit yield, quality, and productivity. Scientists have conducted extensive research to investigate the mechanisms of resilience and the ability to cope with environmental stresses. In contrast, the use of phytohormones to alleviate the detrimental impacts of abiotic stresses on horticulture plants has been generally recognized as an effective method. Among phytohormones, melatonin (MT) is a novel plant hormone that regulates various plants’ physiological functions such as seedling development, root system architecture, photosynthetic efficiency, balanced redox homeostasis, secondary metabolites production, accumulation of mineral nutrient uptake, and activated antioxidant defense system. Importantly, MT application significantly restricted heavy metals (HMs) uptake and increased mineral nutrient accumulation by modifying the root architecture system. In addition, MT is a naturally occurring, multifunctional, nontoxic biomolecule having antioxidant properties. Furthermore, this review described the hormonal interaction between MT and other signaling molecules in order to enhance abiotic stress tolerance in horticulture crops. This review focuses on current research advancements and prospective approaches for enhancing crop tolerance to abiotic stress. Full article