Citrus waste has been used as a source of bioplastic research in different ways. Because the juice industry produces significant amounts of residue each year, it would be advantageous to use the byproducts in the creation of new materials. For many years, researchers have been investigating an environmentally friendly way to take citrus and other organic waste and turn it into polymers that may be used, for instance, to produce bio-based and biodegradable films for food packaging. The goal of this study is to create biofilms from orange (OW) and ginger waste (GW) using an ultrafine grinder and study the films' properties. Since pectin has the ability to gel and because cellulosic fibres are strong, citrus waste has been studied for its potential to produce biofilms. After being washed, dried, and milled, orange and ginger waste were shaped into films using a casting process. Tensile testing was used to determine the mechanical properties of biofilms, while dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used to determine their thermal properties. As the number of grinding cycles increased, the suspension's viscosity increased from 29 to 57 mPa.s for OW and from 217 to 376 mPa.s for GW while the particle size in the suspension significantly decreased. For OW and GW films, the highest tensile strength was 17 MPa and 15 MPa, respectively. The maximum strain obtained among all films was 4.8%. All the tested films were stable up to 150°C, and maximum degradation occurs after 300°C.

This study aims to investigate the interfacial tension, emulsion stability, and the impact on oil displacement effectiveness of mixed systems containing nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants at different ratios. To achieve this, three different emulsion stability formulations were prepared by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants in ratios of 1:1, 3:2, and 3:1 respectively. By adjusting the proportions of betaine and nonionic surfactants, variations in interfacial tension and emulsion formation among the three mixed systems were studied to analyze the mechanism of interaction between betaine and nonionic surfactants and evaluate their effects on crude oil displacement and enhanced oil recovery in reservoirs. Subsequently, microscopic and macroscopic oil displacement experiments were conducted on the three mixed systems, along with experiments on emulsion flow resistance. The aim was to verify the oil displacement effectiveness of different mixed systems and further understand their potential applications in reservoirs. By comprehensively analyzing the experimental results, optimal ratios and conditions for the mixed systems were determined. The experimental results indicate that the emulsification system formed by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 achieves molecular synergies through electrostatic interactions and mixed adsorption with betaine, resulting in a compact arrangement of interface membranes and demonstrating a synergistic effect in reducing interfacial tension to an ultra-low value of 10 -4 mN/m. Additionally, as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the viscosity of the aqueous phase liquid film increases, the rate of thinning of the liquid film slows down, the rate of water release slows down, and the stability of the emulsion increases. Microscopic oil displacement experiments verified that the three mixed systems increase oil washing efficiency through low interfacial tension and emulsification stripping action, thereby increasing the oil displacement mechanism's coefficient. Emulsion flow resistance experiments demonstrated that as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the system exhibits better plugging ability. However, macroscopic oil displacement experiments revealed differences in compatibility between different emulsion stability solutions and rocks with different permeabilities. The mixed system of betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 exhibits the best emulsification plugging ability in rocks with a permeability of 109mD, while the 1:1 mixed system performs best in rocks with a permeability of 12mD. This holds significant theoretical and practical significance for reservoir development and enhanced production.

With the ongoing amendment of the EU legislation on the treatment of urban wastewater, stricter requirements for the removal of pollutants are expected, which calls for the need for innovative wastewater treatment technologies. Biological systems are still the first choice. The survey of typical bioreactors applied in wastewater treatment is presented. Wastewater treatment objective, bio-chemical environment and microbial growth are selected as a main criterion for classification of these bioreactors. Hydraulic and kinetic aspects are considered, advantages and drawbacks of these bioreactors regarding the selection of appropriate type of the reactor as well as regarding operation of reactors are mentioned. The aim of this paper is to provide operators and designers with a brief overview of selected traditional and advanced processes, reactors, and technologies for nutrient removal from municipal wastewater. Another goal is to discuss the possibilities and limitations to comply with more strict effluent standards. From the evaluation of the published papers, it follows that the currently applied traditional methods of nutrients removal have the potential to convey also with the expected stricter limits.

The effects of climate change health impacts on urban health care systems and vulnerable populations are a researched topic with foundations on urban risk management, urban health methodologies, and sustainable urbanization. As climate change is a dynamic and transformative global issue the gap between adaptation and mitigation efforts and urban planning relies, among other things, in the limitations of previous studies of risk management structures tailored to the existing strategy to calculate the uncertainties and predict their influence on urban systems and subsystems. Moreover, as climate and health is a well-researched issue, it is also complex as the methodologies and strategic approach to minimize health risks of climate change is intrinsically contingent to risk methodologies and policy-making processes that are efficient with support of knowledge-based information. This paper emphasis the need for focusing on urban health risk management methods that serves to identify potential opportunities, and then manage and take action to prevent adverse health effects. It also emphasizes the probability of events and their consequences, which are measurable both qualitatively and quantitatively.

The present study deals with the transplantation of mature Argan trees (Argania spinosa L. Skeels) and focuses on optimizing survival rates depending on the seasons, the type of shoot pruning applied to the trees and preconditioning treatments consisting of root pruningand watering for a few months before transplanting. So far, the transplantation of this species at the adult stage has not received enough attention in spite of its ecological and socio-economic importance for the regions where it thrives. The results obtained show that transplanting in summer, autumn and winter resulted in survival rates exceeding 50%. The Argan trees transplanted in spring hardly achieved 10% survival. However, the total cutback of the crown induced survival improvement that reached a rate greater than 70% for summer, autumn and winter, and 50% for spring. Watering alone or combined with root pruning for 6 months helped improve the recovery rate but only when carried out in autumn with transplantation in spring. On the other hand, when these pre-treatments were applied in the spring to transplant the trees in summer, the recovery rate was not improved.

In the last decades, the impacts of urbanization on the hydrological cycle have led to an increase in the frequency and magnitude of urban flooding events, also amplified by the effects of climate change. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) provide a revolutionary change in this field, improving the sustainability and resilience of cities. This research explores the integration of different SuDS with the aim of significantly reducing both flow volume and celerity of floods in a residual urban catchment area of metropolitan city of Querétaro (Mèxico), where extreme rainfall frequently occurs. This catchment is a representative suburb of urban pressure and environmental degradation problems. Currently, managing storm water under climate uncertainty through a multi-disciplinary approach is a major concern in this urban area. A 1D-2D coupling model of shallow water equations, finite volume method, unstructured meshing method, and hybrid parallel computing application defined the optimal configuration of SuDS at catchment scale to reduce the flood vulnerability in Querétaro. Specifically, in this paper we explore the management issues of the proposed SuDS configuration that acts as a water resource system with multiple purposes. A generic simulation model called MODSIM was applied to simulate the designed urban drainage system under a balanced IPCC future climate scenario in terms of reliability, resilience and vulnerability against water scarcity.

Climate change is a major development challenge to Ethiopia. Unless adaptation measures are widely implemented, climate change can set back development efforts and achievements by years. Recognizing this, the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) and civil society organizations have since recently been making considerable efforts to tackle the climate change problem. This paper documents the experience of CARE International in Ethiopia in facilitating bottom-up approaches to promote community-led disaster risk management and climate change adaptation planning through a participator scenario planning (PSP) methodology. PSP is a coordinated approach which leverages a variety of stakeholders' skills and mandates to explore potential climate change risks and their impacts, and then develop locally relevant and shared adaptation action plans that support livelihoods, social capital and ecosystem resilience. The approach has facilitated timely access to and communication of seasonal climate advisories which in turn is empowering communities to take advantage of opportunities that climate presents, which is a key part of adapting to climate change. The institutionalization of the approach by district and regional disaster prevention and food security coordination offices in the southern pastoral regions of Ethiopia encouraged integration of PSP into community livelihood adaptation and local government development planning, hence continuity of the process. Sustainability is expected to be fully achieved when local government planning processes recognize the importance of and provides resources for the participation of meteorological services and community forecasting experts to help refine plans on a seasonal basis, and for systems for dissemination of advisories. Key words: Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, Adaptation, Pastoralism, Ethiopia,

Carbon dioxide (CO2)miscible fracturing huff and puff technology plays a pivotal role in enhancing the recovery rate of crude oil, particularly in reservoirs with challenging physical properties, strong water sensitivity, high injection pressure, and complex water injection dynamics. In this study, the oil-increasing mechanism and huff and puff effect of CO2 miscible fracturing fluid are investigated through a comprehensive experimental approach. Specifically, experiments on PVT gas injection expansion, minimum miscible pressure, and CO2 miscible fracturing huff and puff are conducted on the G fault block reservoir in J Oilfield. The findings demonstrate that injecting CO2 into reservoirs leads to oil volume expansion, viscosity reduction, and saturation pressure increase. Additionally, the inclusion of solubilizers and viscosity reducers further enhances the efficiency of crude oil extraction. Solubilizers not only improve oil recovery but also reduce the minimum miscible pressure required for effective CO2 dispersion. Furthermore, the shut-in time, permeability, and huff and puff method all have considerable impacts on huff and puff recovery rate. This study offers valuable technical insights, supporting the application of CO2 miscible fracturing huff and puff technology to enhance oil recovery in low-permeability reservoirs.

Students studying dentistry and nursing experience anxiety daily, which affects both their general well-being and academic achievement. Anxiety is exacerbated by several circumstances, such as stressors in one's personal life, clinical environment exposure, and academic expectations. To effectively regulate anxiety and support students' achievement, treatments that take these elements into account must be designed. In this study, 271 students from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece's departments of dentistry and nursing were polled. Being the following resources, participants filled out an electronic questionnaire that was uploaded to Google Forms and assessed their levels of stress, anxiety, depression, resilience, hope, and spiritual well-being: a) the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale (DASS-21), b) the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-12), c) the Adult Hope Scale (AHS), d) the Resilience Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ8), and e) the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Additionally, demographic data was gathered, such as gender, educational attainment, family income, and country of origin. Statistical analyses were performed to investigate the relationships between the variables, including hierarchical multiple linear regression and t-tests. The sample consisted of 271 students from the Department of Nursing (n=126, 46.5%) and Dentistry (n=145, 53.5%), with 68.60% of them being female, 80.10% being undergraduate students, and 48.30% being from Athens, the country's capital. Comparatively speaking, 74.50 percent of nursing students were female, while 62.80% of dental students were. Compared to dental students (2.10%), nurses (40.50%) participated in postgraduate studies at a higher rate. Compared to dental students (44.80%), nursing students reported a household income of just 13.90%, which is much less than €35,000. Anxiety was reported by 51.30% of participants overall, with dental students reporting higher anxiety than nursing students. Higher family wealth was associated with reduced stress levels, while female undergraduate students reported higher levels of anxiety than their male counterparts. Hope was a strong predictor of resilience, but stress and worry had a negative correlation. Promoting students' well-being and academic success requires effective stress-reduction and resilience-building techniques aimed to not only improve student performance but also support future healthcare professionals' personal sustainability and holistic growth.

The growing use of electronic devices in modern society has sparked concerns about managing e-waste on a global level. Coupled with ever-increasing copper demand, it poses both challenges and potential opportunities for sustainable resource management. The study reinspects the established process of recycling copper with aqua regia from waste PCB & also optimizes the extraction procedure of different aqua regia samples. This research also analyzes the impacts of temperature leaching duration and stirring speed. The results reveal that using a stirring speed of 500 rpm and a leaching time of one hour, the results show that a 1:3 ratio of HNO₃ to HCl in aqua regia produces the best copper extraction efficiency, reaching 72.2% at 180°C. Reduced extraction efficiencies were observed when compared with separate HCl and HNO₃ applications, essentially highlighting the joint effects of utilizing both acids encompassed in the aqua regia solution. Variations suggested by discrepancies found in the temperature range of 140°C to 150°C and overlapping error margins in data on extraction time call for further research. The study also raises concerns about the potential environmental impacts of traditional copper mining and refining processes & attempts to mitigate these effects by recycling copper more efficiently using optimum aqua regia solution. Aqua regia can be the economic & sustainable solution in countries where copper and other valuable metal recovery is rare due to the expensive and complex nature of existing technologies. Developing safer and more sustainable extraction technologies, optimizing process conditions, & researching the selective recovery of other important metals from WPCB should be emphasized in future studies. Addressing these problems will be critical for developing the practical applicability of copper extraction from electronic waste.

Nowadays, the identification and characterization of grapevine cultivars resilient to climate and water stress while preserving quality traits is crucial for the wine industry. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize according to their aromatic potential 9 white and 6 red minority cultivars recently recovered from Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain), subjected at two different water deficit regimes: rainfed, with subsistence irrigation, and irrigated. For this, the varietal aromatic potential index (IPAv) and the detailed aromatic composition were analyzed by HS-SBSE-GC/MS, in extracts of two different ph. For IPAv values, red varieties did not show a clear trend with respect to irrigation. However, in white minority varieties, higher values were obtained under irrigation conditions. Thus, a clear differentiation of the minority varieties in comparison to the references was observed, primarily attributed to the content of esters and acids, in both white and red varieties. A notable contrast was observed at different pH, indicating a greater extractability of certain compounds like linalool, under more acidic conditions. This suggests that some recovered minority cultivars could be promising for cultivation in semi-arid regions with limited water, contributing to the wine sector sustainability in the future.

Assembly theory provides a promising framework to explain the complexity of systems such as molecular structures and the origins of life, with broad applicability across various disciplines. In this study, we explore and consolidate different aspects of assembly theory by introducing a simplified toy model to simulate the autocatalytic formation of complex structures. This model abstracts the molecular formation process, focusing on the probabilistic control of catalysis rather than the intricate interactions found in organic chemistry. We establish a connection between probabilistic catalysis events and key principles of assembly theory, particularly the probability of a possible construction path in the formation of a complex object, and examine how the assembly of complex objects is impacted by the presence of autocatalysis. Our findings suggest that autocatalysis tends to favor longer consecutive construction sequences in environments with low catalysis probability, while this bias diminishes in environments with higher catalysis probabilities, highlighting the significant influence of environmental factors on the assembly of complex structures.

This paper explores the relationships between marketing strategies, social media platforms, the adoption and diffusion of products and services, and organizational resilience to gain an understanding of the ability of organizations to cope with disruptive events (e.g., COVID-19). This can be achieved through effective marketing strategies and the efficient use of social media platforms. In fact, resilience thinking can help organizations maintain their operations by increasing the adoption and diffusion of their products and services through the use of effective marketing strategies. To achieve this article’s objectives, a literature review is conducted to help develop a conceptual framework that highlights a clear relationship between the previously discussed concepts. In addition, the novel nature of the relationship between marketing strategies and organizational resilience is dissected and its significance for organizations is demonstrated. In fact, the findings of this study suggest that effective marketing strategies that consider the "what," "who," and "how" dichotomies and the efficient use of social media to promote the adoption and diffusion of products and services can significantly enhance the resilience of organizations. These relationships can serve as a starting point for further studies examining and empirically analyzing marketing strategies and their positive effect on strengthening organizational resilience.

Iron is an essential nutrient for humans and microbes, such as bacteria. Iron deficiency occurs commonly in critically ill patients, but iron replacement therapy is not considered during the acute phase of critical illness, since it increases iron availability for invading microbes and oxidative stress. However, persistent iron deficiency in the recovery phase is harmful with potential adverse outcomes such as cognitive dysfunction, fatigue and cardiopulmonary dysfunction. Therefore, it is important to treat iron deficiency timely and efficiently. This article reviews current knowledge about iron-related biomarkers in critically ill patients and provides possible criteria to guide decision-making for iron supplementation in the recovery phase of critical illness.

Wildfires have always been a part of the history of Mediterranean forests. However, forest regeneration after a wildfire is not certain. It depends on many factors, some of which may be influenced by land management activities. Failure of regeneration will cause a regime shift in the ecosystem, reducing the provision of ecosystem services and ultimately leading to desertification. How can we increase Mediterranean forests’ resilience to fire? To answer this question, we did a literature review, investigating chains of processes that allow forests to regenerate (which we label “regeneration mechanisms”), and assessed the impact of selected management practices documented in the WOCAT database on the regeneration mechanisms. We identified three distinct regeneration mechanisms that enable Mediterranean forests to recover, as well as the time frame before and after a fire in which they are at work, and factors that can hinder or support resilience. The three regeneration mechanisms enabling a forest to regenerate after a fire consist of regeneration (1) from a seed bank; (2) from resprouting individuals; and (3) from unburned plants that escaped the fire. Management practices were grouped into four categories: (1) fuel breaks, (2) fuel management, (3) afforestation, and (4) mulching. We assessed how and under what conditions land management modifies the ecosystem’s resilience. The results show that land management influences resilience by interacting with resilience mechanisms before and after the fire, and not just by modifying the fire regime. Our analysis demonstrates a need for adaptive – i.e. context- and time-specific – management strategies.

To date, recanalization interventions are the only available treatments for ischemic stroke patients, however, there are no effective therapies for reducing stroke-induced neuroinflammation. We recently reported that H+ extrusion protein Na+/H+ exchanger-1 (NHE1) plays an important role in stroke-induced inflammation and white matter injury. In this study, we tested the efficacy of two potent NHE1 inhibitors, HOE642 and Rimeporide, with a delayed administration regimen starting at 24 h post-stroke in adult C57BL/6J mice. Post-stroke HOE642 and Rimeporide treatments accelerated motor and cognitive function recovery without affecting the initial ischemic infarct, neuronal damage or reactive astrogliosis. However, delayed administration of NHE1 blockers after ischemic stroke significantly reduced microglial inflammatory activation while enhanced oligodendrogenesis and white matter myelination, with increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis of the oligodendrocytes. Our findings suggest that NHE1 protein plays an important role in microglia-mediated inflammation and white matter damage. Pharmacological blockade of NHE1 protein activity reduced microglia inflammatory responses and enhanced oligodendrogenesis and white matter repair, leading to motor and cognitive function recovery after stroke. Our study reveals the potential of targeting NHE1 protein as therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke therapy.

This paper reviews the multiple roles of machine learning in improving the resilience of power grids, especially in applying new energy storage technologies. Energy storage technologies, such as compressed air energy storage, flywheel energy storage, and superconducting coil energy storage, significantly improve the power grid's ability to respond to load fluctuations and emergencies through intelligent control and optimisation of machine learning algorithms. This not only helps to optimise energy dispatch and improve the operational efficiency and flexibility of the grid but also significantly improves the stability and reliability of the grid so that it is better able to meet future challenges and needs.

Precision metagenomic approaches using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) sequencing has been shown to allow recovery of complete genomes of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from overnight enrichments of agricultural waters. This study tests the applicability of a similar approach for Cronobacter genome recovery from powdered infant formula (PIF) overnight enrichments, where Cronobacter typically dominates the overall microbiome (>90%). In this study, we aimed to test whether using ONT sequencing of overnight PIF enrichments could recover a completely closed Cronobacter genome for further genomic characterization. Ten PIF samples, each inoculated with different Cronobacter strains, covering Cronobacter sakazakii, C. muytjensii, C. dublinensis, C. turicensis, and C. universalis, were processed according to the Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) protocol. qPCR was used for initial screening (detection and quantification) of the overnight enrichments and confirmed that the spiked PIF samples after the overnight enrichment have high levels of Cronobacter (107 to 109 CFU/mL). DNA from overnight PIF enrichments was extracted from the enrichment broth and sequenced using ONT. Results showed that ONT sequencing could accurately identify, characterize, and close the genomes of Cronobacter strains from overnight PIF enrichments in 3 days, much faster than the nearly two weeks required by the current BAM method. Complete genome recovery and species differentiation were achieved. This suggests that combining qPCR with ONT sequencing provides a rapid, cost-effective alternative for detecting and characterizing Cronobacter in PIF, enabling timely corrective actions during outbreaks.

Using coherent optical detection and digital signal processing, laser phase noise and equalization enhanced phase noise can be effectively mitigated using the feed-forward and feed-back carrier phase recovery approaches. In this paper, theoretical analyses of feed-back and feed-forward carrier phase recovery methods have been carried out in the long-haul high-speed n-level phase shift keying (n-PSK) optical fiber communication systems, involving a one-tap normalized least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm, a block-wise average algorithm, and a Viterbi-Viterbi algorithm. The analytical expressions for evaluating the estimated carrier phase and for predicting the bit-error-rate (BER) performance (such as the BER floors) have been presented and discussed in the n-PSK coherent optical transmission systems by considering both the laser phase noise and the equalization enhanced phase noise. The results indicate that the Viterbi-Viterbi carrier phase recovery algorithm outperforms the one-tap normalized LMS and the block-wise average algorithms for small phase noise variance (or effective phase noise variance), while the one-tap normalized LMS algorithm shows a better performance than the other two algorithms for large phase noise variance (or effective phase noise variance). In addition, the one-tap normalized LMS algorithm is more sensitive to the level of modulation formats.

The impulse of the Fourth Industrial Revolution is triggering the demand for few specific metals. These include copper, silver, gold, and platinum group metals (PGMs), with important applications in renewable energies, green hydrogen, and electronic products. However, the continuous extraction of these metals is leading to a rapid decline in their ore grades and, consequently, increasing the environmental impact of extraction. Hence, obtaining metals from secondary sources, such as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), becomes imperative for both environmental sustainability and ensuring availability. This recovery entails few problems such as allocation due to the simultaneous production of several metals, the use of non-renewable resources, and the exergy destruction during the life cycle of the metals. Therefore, this work analyses the waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) recycling process by proposing different exergy-based cost allocations for the mentioned metals, disaggregating the exergy cost into non-renewable and renewable, and considering the complete life cycle of metals with the Circular Thermoeconomics methodology. The results show a significant saving of non-renewable energy by using renewable energies in primary extraction (67-87%), recycling (97.6-98.5%), and renewable energies in recycling (98.7%, 99.0%), compared to conventional primary extraction. However, when considering the entire life cycle, between 47% and 53% of the non-renewable exergy is destroyed during recycling. Therefore, delaying recycling as much as possible would be the most desirable option for maximizing the use of non-renewable resources, which nature cannot replace in a short time.

Despite being stored at 113 K and atmospheric pressure, LNG cold potential is not exploited to reduce green ships’ energy needs. An innovative system based on three Organic Ranking Cycles integrated into the regasification equipment is proposed to produce additional power and recover cooling energy from condensers. A first-law analysis identified ethylene and ethane as suitable working fluids for the first and the second ORC making available freshwater and ice. Propane, ammonia and propylene could be arbitrarily employed in the third ORC for air-conditioning. An environmental analysis that combines exergy efficiency, ecological indices and hazard aspects for marine environment and ship’s passengers, indicated propylene as safer and more environmentally friendly. The exergy analysis confirms more than 20% of the LNG potential can be recovered from every cycle to produce a net clean power of 76 kW, whereas 270 kW can be saved by recovering condensers' cooling power to satisfy some ship needs. Assuming the sailing mode, a limitation of 162 kg in LNG consumptions was determined, avoiding the emission of 1584 kg of CO2 per day. Marine thermal pollution is reduced by 3.5 times by recovering the working fluids' condensation heat for the LNG pre-heating.

Academics in healthcare grapple with the challenge of efficiently managing time while addressing diverse roles and responsibilities, leading to heightened levels of anxiety and stress within the academic community. The primary objective of this study is to offer a sustainable and systemic solution to the prevalent time-management challenges in healthcare academia, through the development of a predictive model. Employing systemic analysis software and adopting a systemic management approach, we crafted a model to address academic time-management concerns. The dynamics of time allocation for academicians are governed by three fundamental pillars: teaching, research, and administrative tasks. Significantly prioritizing administrative tasks depletes valuable academic time, making time management within academia excessively costly. This occurs as highly skilled individuals find themselves diverted towards administrative duties at the expense of their academic roles diminishing resilience levels. The proposed Timebooster Academic Systemic Model (TASM) advocates for the cultivation of soft skills in academia, en-compassing prioritization, seeking assistance, and addressing tendencies of perfectionism and procrastination. Additionally, TASM recommends the implementation of full automation, delegation of administrative responsibilities, and the mitigation of both overt and covert time-consuming elements. Furthermore, TASM reports on the pivotal role of the academic resilient manager-leaders, who actively contribute to their own satisfaction and academic growth by enhancing collaboration and teamwork. Time-management challenges emerge as a critical determinant of academic well-being and resilience. Systemic models, exemplified by TASM, offer a valuable framework for investigating prioritization concerns, identifying administrative impediments in academic processes, and managing low-value time-consuming elements. The TASM model, along with the systemic philosophy underpinning its design, presents an avenue for advancing the exploration of time-management phenomena within the context of healthcare academia.

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) landscapes are valued for their biodiversity, water retention, fire mitigation, aesthetics, and recreation opportunities. Across North America, some aspen populations are experiencing population declines as they face uninhibited ungulate browsing, drought, fire suppression, insects, disease, and inappropriate management. Increased human development and recreational use within aspen landscapes can serve as additive stressors, though there is a dearth of literature examining these elements. At a popular recreational area in Utah, USA, identifying the cause of apparent decline within a larger aspen community is complicated by development upstream and recreation-related activities. We sought to: 1) assess the overall condition of the aspen at the site, 2) understand key variables that influence aspen conditions, and 3) elucidate how aspen fitness varies across the site. We collected data from forty-five plots using established aspen sampling methods, including ungulate presence, tree characteristics, soil chemistry, and environmental descriptors. Results suggest that a combination of higher levels of browsing and elevated soil sodium may be causing premature mortality and limiting aspen recruitment in a portion of the study area. These findings will inform future management at this site, as well as similar recreational forest settings experiencing compound stressors.

The tourism economy plays an essential role in supporting and driving tourism development. Therefore, studying its resilience is crucial for promoting sustainable and high-quality tourism development. Based on the core essentials of economic toughness, this paper constructs the tourism economic toughness evaluation index system, uses the entropy weight TOPSIS method to measure the tourism economic toughness of 10 counties and cities in the Yili River Valley in 2010-2019, analyzes its spatio-temporal evolution characteristics through the standard deviation ellipse, the traditional Markov chain, and the spatial Markov chain, and uses the grey correlation analysis method to analyze the driving factors of the tourism economic toughness. The results show that: (1) the economic resilience of tourism in the Yili River Valley shows a "W"-shaped time-series dynamic development trend with an average index of 0.28394, in which it experienced a decline from 0.28 to 0.27 during 2012-2013 and 2015-2016; (2) Spatial Pattern: The Yili River Valley tourism economic resilience is characterized by a clear uneven spatial distribution. The city of Yining, representing the northwestern region, exhibits a high level of resilience, while the southwestern region, endowed with rich tourism resources, demonstrates a medium level of resilience. Conversely, the central to southeastern counties and cities, such as ChabuchaerXibo Autonomous County and other counties and cities, are characterized by a lack of developed tourism facilities, which has resulted in a lower level of resilience and a weak development situation; (3) In terms of spatial and temporal evolution, the standard deviation ellipse is stabilized year by year pointing to "northwest-southeast", the clustering tendency is gradually enhanced, and five tourism economic resilience convergence clubs are identified, whose internal transition probability is significantly affected by spatial location, and which show obvious stability and neighborhood effects; (4) Regarding the driving factors, the impact of each driving factor on the resilience of the tourism economy reaches the statistical significance threshold of 0.77 or above. Among them, the number of employees in the tertiary industry, especially the input of high-quality talents in the tourism industry, plays a key role in improving the quality of tourism services and strengthening the industry's ability to withstand risks and development potential.

Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies such as anemia are considered significant public health challenges in Bangladesh, which enhancing fish consumption is a well-established food-based intervention to address these. This paper documents the establishment of community-based fish chutney production and reports the impact of its consumption on mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels among targeted 150 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in rural Bangladesh. A fish chutney was developed using locally available ingredients followed by a series of laboratory tests, including nutrient composition, shelf-life and food safety. A community-based fish chutney production process was designed to: 1) supply locally available ingredients for processing; 2) establish two fish drying sites; 3) initiate a community-based production site, and 4) distribute fish chutney to PLW by six women nutrition field facilitators for one year. Then a pre- and post-intervention study was designed for a selected 150 PLW to receive 30g of fish chutney daily for 12 months. Differences in mean mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels pre- and post-consumption were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Consumption of 30g of fish-chutney resulted in significant increases of the mean values of Hb levels and MUAC among the targeted PLW.

Background: Vestibular Neuritis (VN) induces Acute Vestibular Syndrome (AVS). This study aimed to identify predictive factors of VN recovery by healing and/or compensation. Methods: In this longitudinal and prospective study, 40 patients were included. The first assessment (T0) included medical history taking (general and specific), for cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs), a battery of diagnostic tests, bithermal caloric test (BCT), video Head Impulse Test (VHIT) and skull vibration induced nystagmus (SVIN). All patients also completed a Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI). All assessments were repeated 90±15 days (T3) later. Subjective criteria compensation were based on DHI total score and objective criteria compensation on the instrumental test results. Four groups of patients (A, B, C, D) were delineated by combining patients with normal vs abnormal vestibular tests and patients with normal vs abnormal DH. Results: CVRFs were associated with a poorer recovery of symptoms but not the age or BMI. Vestibular tests mainly BCT (canal paresis %), VHIT (lateral semicircular canal gain) and SVINT (nystagmus slow phase velocity) recovered within normal values in 20%, 20%, 26% of cases respectively at T3 for the 40-patient group. Conclusions: Vascular risk factors (hypercholesterolemia) are correlated with patients who do not recover their symptoms either by healing or compensation. The evolution did not show any significant difference between high or low frequency vestibular tests in patients recovering from their symptoms. However, some patients with objective recovery may continue to show persisting subjective symptoms.

Developing a dependable gas and condensate value chain is vital for the ongoing prosperity of the oil and gas industries. To achieve this, NNPC is enhancing its production facilities by employing process modeling and simulation with the assistance of Symmetry iCON®. As a part of this initiative, a simulation model was created using the Symmetry iCON® pipe plexus solver to simulate the dynamic environment of the gas and condensate pipeline network in the Nigerian Southern region. To validate the model, data from a single month, specifically December 2022, was utilized. Furthermore, the algorithm was utilized to generate projections for the month of January 2023, providing valuable insights into its effectiveness. The study also highlighted the significance of accurately estimating the characteristics and properties of a pseudo component of C6+ in relation to thermodynamics and material properties, which was a particularly insightful finding. he assessment of this property has transitioned from being relatively unimportant to becoming critically important, primarily due to the lack of condensate data monitoring at specific terminals. However, it's worth noting that the model currently has an error margin of 4-6% when predicting the data. As more information becomes available in the future, the model can be easily fine-tuned to better align with the actual conditions, allowing for more accurate predictions.

Intense climate change and rapid urbanization have increased the risk of urban flooding, seriously affecting urban economic and social stability. Enhancing the urban flood resilience (UFR) has required a new solution to cope with urban flood disasters. In this study, taking Yingtan city as an example, a system of indicators for evaluating UFR was constructed, with 17 representative indicators, comprising three subsystems: socio-economic, ecological and infrastructural. A hybrid (FAHP-EWM)-TOPSIS model was applied, to develop an index-based measurement to compare and evaluate UFR, and Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) was used to discover the main factors affecting UFR. In addition, the natural discontinuous method was innovatively used to divide the UFR grade interval into levels, and the grade change was evaluated based on the TOPSIS method. The results showed that (1) from 2010 to 2022, the UFR in Yingtan City increased by 80.69%, and the factors affecting UFR are highly correlated with urban infrastructure development. However, the ecological resilience in the subsystem showed a fluctuating downward trend, because of the influence of the surface area of lakes and rivers. (2) The grades of UFR for Yingtan City increased from Level III (2010 and 2016) to Level IV (2022), with local financial expenditures and the age structure of the population being the main factors currently limiting the development of UFR. The study provides a theoretical basis for the construction of an indicator system for assessing the UFR of Yingtan and proposes practical improvement directions for UFR.

Counter-current spontaneous imbibition of water is a critical oil-recovery mechanism. In the laboratory, the Amott test is a widely used technique to assess efficacy of brine imbibition into oil-saturated core plugs. The classic Amott-cell methodology was designed to estimate ultimate oil recovery, but not the recovery dynamics that provides essential information about the imbibition mechanisms. Retention of oil droplets at the external core surface and delayed onset of oil production are the two key artifacts of the classic Amott experiment. This retention, referred to here as the ``external-surface oil holdup effect'', often results in stepwise recovery curves that obscure true dynamics of spontaneous imbibition. To address these holdup drawbacks of the classic Amott method, we modified the Amott cell and experimental procedure. For the first time, using water-wet Indiana limestone cores saturated with brine and mineral oil, we showed that our improvements of the Amott method enabled accurate and reproducible measurements of oil-recovery dynamics. We used the Generalized Extreme Value (GEV) statistics to describe oil-production histories from water-wet heterogeneous limestone cores with finite initial water saturations, for the first time. We demonstrated that our four-parameter GEV model accurately described the recovery dynamics, and that optimal GEV parameter values systematically reflected the key characteristics of the oil-rock system, such as oil viscosity and rock permeability. These findings gave us a more fundamental understanding of spontaneous, counter-current imbibition mechanisms and insights into what constitutes a predictive model of counter-current water imbibition into oil-saturated rocks with finite initial water saturation.

Abstract: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the major microbial metabolites produced in the gut through the fermentation of non-digestible fibers. SCFAs act through free fatty acid receptor 2 and 3 (FFAR2 and 3), which are known to be expressed on glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-secreting L-cells. This pathway is suggested to protect the intestinal mucosa. We aimed to investigate how lack of fiber affects the production of SCFAs and the vulnerability of the co-lon. Additionally, the involvement of FFAR2 and 3 in GLP-1 secretion and intestinal protection. SCFA concentrations in luminal contents from chow- or fiber-free diet-fed mice were analysed by LC‒MS. SCFAs were applied to isolated perfused colons from FFAR2/3 double KO and WT mice, and the secretion of GLP-1 was measured. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis was induced in chow- or fiber-free diet-fed mice as well as in FFAR2/3 KO and WT mice. The removal of die-tary fiber significantly decreased total colonic SCFA concentrations, with specific decreases in acetate, propionate, and butyrate. SCFAs significantly increased colonic GLP-1 secretion but not in FFAR2/3 KO mice. In the DSS model, the removal of dietary fiber increased the severity and delayed recovery. Colitis severity was independent of FFAR2 and FFAR3 signaling.

Context: The global escalation of conflict, violence, and human rights violations sets a pressing backdrop for examining the resilience of forcibly displaced youth (FDY) in Canada. This study aims to unpack the multifaceted challenges and resilience mechanisms of FDY, focusing on their health, well-being, and integration into host communities. It seeks to identify current models of resilience, understand the factors within each model, and highlight gaps and limitations. Methodology: Using a university librarian-supported structured search strategy, this exploratory rapid review searched literature from Ovid Medline and Open Source databases, published in English between January 2019 and January 2024, that fit specific inclusion criteria. The eligible articles (N=12 out of 4,096) were charted and analyzed by two student researchers with the PI. Charted data were analyzed thematically. Results: The selected studies captured diverse geographical perspectives, resilience models (such as Ungar's ecological perspective and Masten's resilience developmental models), as well as protective and promotive frameworks. Key findings indicate the complexity of resilience influenced by individual, familial, societal, and cultural factors. Each model offers insights into the dynamic interplay of these influences on FDY's resilience. However, these models often fall short of addressing the nuances of cultural specificity, the impact of trauma, and the intersectionality of FDY's identities. Conclusion: Recognizing the diverse and evolving nature of FDY's coping mechanisms, this study advocates for a culturally appropriate approach to resilience that integrates an intersectionality framework of individual attributes and culturally sensitive models.

The architectural configuration of the space plays a crucial role in the acoustics of Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). The design of the environment, the materials used in construction, and the organisation of noise sources within the room significantly influence the noise levels present in these critical areas. For this research, noise levels found in two hospitals, with different architectural configurations and sizes but similar construction materials, have been analyzed. Data were recorded at 1-second intervals over a period of more than 24 hours. The data collected in these hospitals confirm the magnitude of the noise problem in NICUs, highlighting the urgent need to address it effectively to ensure an appropriate and safe environment for the recovery of neonates. Good architectural planning can help mitigate noise, while poor configuration can exacerbate acoustic problems, negatively affecting both patients and healthcare staff. It is crucial to involve architects, acoustic engineers, and healthcare staff in the design and renovation of NICUs to create spaces that not only meet medical needs but also consider the auditory well-being of neonates.

Background: Older adults with bipolar disorder (OABD) are individuals aged 50 years and older with bipolar disorder (BD). People with BD may have fewer coping strategies or resilience. A long course of the disease, such as in OABD, could impact the development of resilience strategies, but this remains under-researched in OABD. Therefore, this study aims to assess resilience levels within the OABD and explore associated factors, hypothesizing that resilience could improve psychosocial functioning, wellbeing and quality of life of OABD patients. Methods: This study sampled 33 OABD patients from the OABD cohort at the Bipolar and Depressive Disorders Unit of Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. This was an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical variables as well as psychosocial functioning, resilience and cognitive reserve were analyzed. Resilience was measured using the CD-RISC-10. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. Results: The average CD-RISC-10 score was 25.67 points (SD 7.87). Resilience negatively correlated with the total number of episodes (p = 0.034), depressive episodes (p = 0.001), and the FAST (p < 0.001). Participants with normal resilience had a lower FAST (p = 0.046), a higher CRASH (p = 0.026), and more EOBD (p = 0.037) compared to those with low resilience. Conclusions: OABD individuals may exhibit lower resilience levels which correlate with more psychiatric episodes, particularly the number of depressions and worse psychosocial functioning and cognitive reserve. Better understanding and characterization of resilience could aid in early identification of patients requiring additional support to foster resilience and enhance OABD management.

Lifecycle assessment (LCA) quantified changes in environmental impact categories (global warming, eutrophication, etc.) from 2021 to 2030 due to genetic trends in (re)production traits in pig lines of breeding company Genus-PIC. The 2030 levels were projected with se-lection index theory based on weightings of traits in the breeding goals and genetic covari-ances among them. Projected improvement was 0.9% annually for most impact categories. Another LCA compared impacts of 2021 North American pig production based on PIC ge-netics versus the industry average. Software openLCA converted material and energy flows to impact categories of frameworks ReCiPe-2016, PEF-3.1 and IPCC-2021. Flows came from data recorded by customers (1.1/4.7 million sows/finishing pigs) and by subscribers to a third-party data-aggregator (1.3/9.1 million). PIC genetics have a 7-8% better impact than industry average for 13/18 categories of ReCiPe-2016, 19/25 of PEF-3.1, and all categories of IPCC-2001. Pig breeding delivers positive environmental outcomes as correlated respons-es to selection for profitability-oriented breeding goals. This trend is additive; technology development will increase it. Different investment levels in breeding population structure and technology, and different operational efficiencies of breeding companies, cause substan-tial differences in the environmental impact of pig production.

Multifunctional landscapes are complex systems that integrate biophysical, cultural-historical and socio-economic components into unique territorial structures and regional ensembles. Facing increasing pressures generated by urbanization, climate change and overexploitation of natural resources, assessing the sustainability of these landscapes has become an urgent priority. The present research is based on the development and parametrization of a new tool for evaluating the sustainability of multifunctional landscapes that aims to measure the level of biocultural resilience of a landscape, integrating biological, cultural and socio-economic indicators in a single analytical framework. This index, called the biocultural resilience index (BRI), provides a holistic perspective on the dynamics of landscapes, allowing the identification of vulnerability areas and the development of conservation and sustainable management strategies. The evaluation of the of multifunctional landscapes sustainability requires a comprehensive approach that has to integrate both biological aspects, such as biodiversity and ecosystem health, as well as identity and cultural aspects, such as cultural value and the relationship of the local communities with the environment. In this context, this study highlights the fact that the development of appropriate tools and methods for assessing and monitoring the sustainability of multifunctional landscapes becomes essential for their sustainable management and for protecting the benefits they offer to society. Our findings show that the biocultural resilience index (BRI) can be used in a variety of contexts and fields, including spatial planning, biodiversity conservation, sustainable rural development and ecotourism. In the meanwhile, this index offers a robust and flexible analytical framework, adaptable to the needs and particularities of different regions and communities.

Approximately 20% of the world's population resides in coastal areas at risk of rising sea levels due to climate change. This could lead to severe weather events and ecological impact on critical infrastructure. To combat the effects of water-based environmental forces on the land, hard engineering methods such as seawalls have been utilized. However, a more sustainable solution is emerging in nature-based engineering, which involves growing vegetation. This approach can help extend the lifespan of existing technology and provide climate change adaptation and resilience for coastal and riverine communities. The following paper will review seaweed farms as an advanced nature-based mitigation approach. The paper also outlines the findings of experiments at RWTH Aachen University's hydraulic laboratory. These tests involved using seaweed as a natural solution to dampen waves in a model system to test a hypothesis. One result involving a system with two lines of seaweed revealed 15 percent wave damping. Using seaweed as a nature-based solution, a gentle engineering approach to designing future vegetated protection systems can extend the design life of existing coastal infrastructure. This can also provide protection against climate-induced sea level rise, promote coastal risk mitigation, restore ecosystems, and foster blue bio-economic development.

Inadequately managed agricultural waste significantly impacts the environment, health, and economy. This form of pollution arises from the underutilization, poor awareness, and insufficient treatment of agricultural waste. Fruit and vegetable wastes are valuable sources of bioactive compounds. This study aims to revalorize discarded waste from red habanero chili peppers (Capsicum chinense) by extracting bioactive compounds through different extraction processes: maceration (ME), maceration assisted by ultrasound (US), Soxhlet extraction (SE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), and supercritical fluid extraction with a co-solvent (SFEC). Extraction processes have significant effects on extraction efficiency and phytochemical profile (capsaicinoids and carotenoids recovery). The results indicate that the highest efficiency process is obtained with SFEC, also a high phytochemicals recovery (14.9 mg of total capsaicinoids and total carotenoids 292.09 µg per gram of sample). Concerning to phytochemical profile in the extract, the maceration process gets the highest concentration of compound followed by US and SFEC. These data reveal that the use of SFE and SFEC extraction is recommended for extraction of phytochemicals with biologically activity from red habanero chili pepper waste for diverse industries application.

Nurses have experienced several psychological and work-related issues during the COVID-19 pandemic including pandemic burnout and job burnout. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of social support and resilience on COVID-19 pandemic burnout and job burnout among nurses. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Greece. Study population included 963 nurses. We measured social support, resilience, COVID-19 pandemic burnout, and job burnout with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Brief Resilience Scale, COVID-19 burnout scale, and single item burnout measure respectively. Nurses received high levels of social support, while their resilience was moderate. Additionally, nurses experienced moderate levels of COVID-19 burnout and job burnout. Increased social support (adjusted beta = -0.075, 95% CI = -0.125 to -0.024) and increased resilience (adjusted beta = -0.399, 95% CI = -0.491 to -0.308) were associated with reduced COVID-19 pandemic burnout. We found a negative relationship between social support and job burnout (adjusted beta = -0.263, 95% CI = -0.405 to -0.121). A similar negative relationship was found between resilience and job burnout (adjusted beta = -0.529, 95% CI = -0.785 to -0.272). Social support and resilience can act as protective factors against COVID-19 pandemic burnout and job burnout among nurses. Policy makers should develop and implement appropriate strategies to improve nurses’ social support and resilience since they are the backbone of healthcare systems worldwide.

In order to achieve the dual carbon goal and simplify the decarbonization process, a CO2 recovery process of the fire-flooding exhaust was designed. The process adopted the two-stage membrane separation method to recover CO2 and obtain high purity CO2 rich flow, and then through the mixed refrigerant liquefaction and rectification column, food grade liquid CO2 was obtained. HYSYS process simulation shows that for the fire-flooding exhaust with a flow rate of 1000 kg/h and a given composition, the process can achieve a CO2 recovery of 69.02%, total product sales S=2086.8 yuan/h, and specific power consumption of 2.818 kW∙h/kg. On this basis, a hybrid simulation platform of HYSYS & Matlab was established. Taking the specific power consumption of the product as the objective function, sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm was adopted to optimize the process, and the optimized specific power consumption was reduced by 18.8%. Finally, by adjusting N2/CO2 components, the adaptability of the optimization condition was analyzed.

Monitoring training load, recovery, and wellness in maturation ages is even more relevant than in adulthood, especially during congested schedules. The objective of this study was to quantify and describe the differences in external and internal load, recovery, and perceived wellness in elite under-16 female players during a period of three competitions in seven days, based on their participation during matches. An observational design was used to quantify external load (total distance, high-speed distance, and PlayerLoad), internal load (differential sRPE), as well as recovery and wellness of 18 international under-16 players during a development tournament. The external load pattern of the starting players was undulating, with matches showing the highest internal load values compared to training sessions and non-starters. Non-starters players (whether training or matches) showed similar external load and differential sRPE values throughout the tournament (p&gt;0.05). Starting players experienced higher internal load than non-starters during matches (p&lt;0.037), without differences between training sessions (p&gt;0.05). No changes were seen in wellness or recovery (all p-values &gt;0.05), except for non-starters in session 3 compared to session 7 (p=0.024). Starting players had more weekly total minutes (p=0.018), differential sRPE (breath: p=0.002; leg: p=0.002; cognitive: p=0.003), total distance (p=0.003), and PlayerLoad (p=0.008) than non-starters. Our results indicate differing load patterns between starters and non-starters, which do not affect wellness and recovery differently. Starters accumulate more weekly total load. Coaches can use these findings to guide decisions and load compensations in high competition contexts for young female soccer players.

Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to biodiversity and an important public health issue. West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging vector-borne zoonotic arbovirus that is currently broadening its distribution in Europe. The evidence of WNV circulating in resident and migratory species has implications for both animal and public health, and should therefore be studied in depth. An integrated surveillance program, namely in birds, is essential for reducing the risk of infection in human populations within the One Health principles. In the present study, wild birds admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centres in Portugal were sampled. Two-hundred and eight blood samples were assayed serologically to antibodies to WNV, by using a commercial ELISA kit. An overall seroprevalence of 19.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.7-26.7%) was observed. Antibodies to WNV were detected in 13 (35.1%) different species of wild birds. Accipitriformes (26.7%; 95% CI: 18.5-36.2%) and Strigiformes (26.7%; 95% CI: 14.6-42.0%) were the orders with the highest seroprevalence recorded. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.725) between the geographical regions (NUTS II) studied, but statistically significant difference (p = 0.017) was found between gender (male: 34.4%; female: 4.8%). A higher seroprevalence was found in adults (32.1%) compared to juvenile birds (9.3%) (p = 0.014), and age was considered a risk factor to WNV infection in wild birds (odds ratio 1.4; 95% CI: 0.5–4.0). More epidemiological studies are needed in Portugal, since the actual spread of the WNV throughout the country is unknown.

The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) are two widely used scales to measure resilience. Although both scales seek to assess an individual’s ability to recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, they may capture different aspects of resilience. While the CD-RISC focuses on resources that can help individuals recover from and adapt to disruptions or stressful events, the BRS directly measures one’s ability to bounce back or be resilient. The aim of this study is to empirically examine the differences between the CD-RISC and the BRS. Two samples (n = 202, 246) consisting of undergraduate students from Taiwan were used. The results of confirmatory factor analysis show that the CD-RISC and the BRS are highly correlated but still distinct. The results of regression analyses show that the CD-RISC and the BRS have unique predictive effects on depression and life satisfaction. The research findings suggest that the CD-RISC and the BRS capture different aspects of resilience. For future research on resilience, researchers should pay attention to the differences between these scales and choose the one that most closely fits their research purpose.

Resilience embodies the personal qualities that enable one to thrive in the face of adversity. A previous Italian study showed that injured workers had a lower level of resilience than non-injured workers. The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between occupational injuries and psychological resilience. The subjects were 197 drivers from two Finnish waste transport companies. As a part of larger questionnaire, they fulfilled the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, which consisted of 25 items. Drivers reported their occupational injuries during the last three years. The drivers involved in occupational injuries had higher score (average 69.3) on Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale than drivers avoided injuries (67.7). According to Student’s t-test the difference between groups was highly significant (t = 40.44, df = 196, p<0.001). The result of this study was contradictory to earlier Italian study. One explanation may be that the Italian study was done with traumatic context with seriously injured patients. Waste transport drivers were rather young and fit males, who had suffered only minor injuries.

(1) Background: Emotional resilience is defined as the capacity of individuals to cultivate positive emotions and effectively navigate through negative emotions in terms of stress or adversity. Recent research has focused on the significant impact of adolescents’ negative emotions, as opposed to positive emotions, on mental health. The examination of positive emotion provides a distinct viewpoint on the relationship between emotional resilience and mental health in adolescents. Consequently, the current research conducted two separate investigations to examine the impact of adolescent emotional resilience on mental health, as well as the mediating influence of positive emotion. (2) Methods: Study 1 comprised a cross-sectional analysis of 3086 Chinese adolescents, while Study 2 involved a longitudinal examination of 266 Chinese adolescents. (3) Results: Results indicated that emotional resilience was associated with enhanced levels of life satisfaction, self-esteem, and overall mental health, while also demonstrating a negative correlation with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Positive emotions were found to have a partial mediating effect on the relationship between emotional resilience and mental health. These results indicate that emotional resilience not only has a direct impact on mental health but also influences mental health indirectly through positive emotions. (4) Conclusions: The findings highlighted the role of emotional resilience in mitigating psychological problems and enhancing mental health in Chinese adolescents. The implications and limitations were discussed.

Background/Objectives: High-intensity anaerobic physical training frequently results in muscle damage among boxers and kickboxers, which can impede performance and recovery. Vibrational therapy (VT) and passive rest (PR) have been employed as methods to enhance muscular recovery and performance. This study evaluates the effectiveness of these two recovery methods on upper limb muscle strength and lactate levels in plasma after high-intensity exertion. Methods: Eighteen elite boxers and kickboxers, aged 19-32 years, underwent tests employing VT and PR as recovery methods in a controlled, crossover study. Muscle performance was assessed via isokinetic dynamometry, and lactate levels were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-recovery. The study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki guidelines and was approved by the relevant bioethics committee. Results: The results showed that VT led to a faster recruitment of muscle fibers and improved muscle endurance as indicated by decreased fatigue work indices compared to PR. However, no significant differences were observed in peak torque or lactate levels between the two recovery methods. The VT group exhibited quicker recovery times in torque generation and better performance in fatigue resistance. Conclusions: VT appears to provide superior muscular recovery compared to PR following intense anaerobic effort, particularly in terms of muscle strength endurance and activation speed. These findings support the potential of VT in sports recovery protocols, although similar lactate response suggests that metabolic recovery rates are not significantly affected.

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has brought about unprecedented economic and social consequences worldwide. The implementation of isolation measures, including national and international travel restrictions, significantly affected contact-intensive sectors such as tourism. During this lockdown period, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) was crucial in maintaining connectivity and enabling remote activities. Governments across the world implemented discretionary measures to mitigate the crisis's adverse effects on economic activity. This paper aims to analyze whether the level of ICT adoption and the importance of tourism influence the fiscal policy efforts pursued by governments. Based on the results of a linear regression analysis for 154 countries, the findings suggest that in countries with higher international tourism receipts, the governments had to promote higher fiscal stimulus. At the same time, ICT development diminished the efforts of the fiscal policy response to the crisis since it facilitated economic resilience. The findings of this study can contribute to understanding how governments responded to the pandemic crisis and the factors that influenced their fiscal policy decisions.

Understanding and improving seismic resilience in regions prone to earthquakes is crucial for mitigating the effects of natural disasters. This study zeroes in on Montenegro, a region frequently affected by seismic activity, with the goals of critically evaluating current resilience levels, pinpointing key preparedness gaps, and assessing the efficacy of existing response strategies. Employing qualitative methods, the research involved semi-structured interviews with residents from Montenegro's most vulnerable areas, including Nikšić, Podgorica, Bar, Kotor, Cetinje, Budva, Herceg Novi, and Berane. These participants, selected for their firsthand experiences with significant earthquake impacts, contributed to a deeper understanding through discussions that aligned with a broad conceptual framework, exploring everything from the nuances of citi-zen resilience to local government responses and personal preparedness. The study aimed to gather in-depth views on community resilience during earthquakes, evaluate citizens' knowledge and preparedness for such disasters, and examine local governance strategies for enhancing seismic resilience. It revealed varying resilience levels across communities, with some displaying well-structured strategies while others showed notable deficiencies. The findings underscore the urgent need for community-specific preparedness programs and improvements in both structural and educational frameworks to enhance resilience. This research highlights the necessity of a comprehensive approach that includes detailed risk assessments, tailored preparedness training, and stronger public awareness efforts. Additionally, it emphasizes strengthening local governments' capabilities to enact and sustain effective response measures to ensure ongoing community resilience against future seismic challenges.

A decanter centrifuge has been employed to successfully separated phosphoric acid and rare-earth-element (REE)-containing particles from phosphoric acid sludge with concentrations ranging from 1,000 to 2,200 ppm REEs. Operating efficiently with up to 35 wt.% solids, the centrifuge was demonstrated to achieve approximately 95% phosphoric acid recovery and 90% REEs recovery in a single pass, eliminating the need for additional processing steps. This breakthrough supports a proposed REEs oxide recovery process integrating phosphoric acid (PA), elemental phosphorus (P4), and REEs into two potential pathways: PA-REO and PA-P4-REO. These processes aim to reintroduce recovered phosphoric acid into the main product to significantly increase output and revenue. Post-separation, phosphorus-rich particles can be converted to P4, while REEs-containing solids undergo further treatment including acid leaching, extraction/stripping, precipitation, and calcination to produce a marketable rare-earth oxide (REO) material. Techno-economic analysis indicates promising profitability, with the PA-REO process showing a delta net present value (∆NPV) of $441.8 million and an expected return within a year of construction, while the PA-P4-REO process yields a ∆NPV of $178.7 million over a 12-year return period. Both pathways offer robust financial prospects and demonstrate the feasibility of commercial-scale REEs recovery from phosphoric acid sludge.

This research investigates the relationships between occupational health and safety (OHS), staff resilience (SR), staff engagement (SE), and organizational resilience (HOR) within Saudi Arabian hospitals. Employing a quantitative, cross-sectional design, data were collected from 127 administrative staff members working in both public and private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Using SmartPLS to test the hypothesized relationships and mediation effects, the findings reveal that OHS significantly impacts both SR and SE, and SR significantly influences HOR. Additionally, SE significantly affects HOR. The study also confirms a partial mediation effect of SE and SR in the relationship between OHS and HOR. The model demonstrates substantial explanatory power for HOR, SE, and SR. These results underscore the critical role of OHS in fostering a resilient healthcare environment by enhancing staff engagement and resilience. The study’s implications highlight the importance of targeted interventions to improve OHS practices, promoting overall hospital resilience in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.

The formation of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in petroleum reservoirs by anaerobic microbial activity is called biogenic souring of reservoirs and is a risk in the oil and gas industry as the compound is extremely toxic, flammable and corrosive. In this paper, we present a workflow and the tools to assess biogenic souring from a pragmatic engineering perspective. The retention of H₂S in the reservoir due to the reactions with iron-bearing rock minerals (e.g. siderite) is shown in a theoretical approach here and supported with literature data. Cases are given for two fields under secondary (waterflooding) and tertiary flooding with microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). The use of the Monte Carlo method as a numerical modelling tool to incorporate uncertainties in the measured physical/chemical/ biochemical data is demonstrated as well. A list of studies conducted with different chemicals alone or in combination with various biocides to mitigate biogenic souring provides an overview of potential inhibitors as well as possible applications. Furthermore, the results of static and dynamic inhibition tests using molybdate are presented in more detail due to its promising mitigation ability. Finally, a three-step workflow for the risk assessment of biogenic souring and its possible mitigation is presented and discussed.

The study is aimed at developing a resilient benchmarking system for small hotels in Ukraine, designed to ensure their survival and growth amid global disruptions and local crises. Given the severe challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and military actions, the resilience of the regional tourism business becomes particularly relevant. The methods used in the study, including factor and cluster analysis, the method of taxonomy, and dendrograms, have enabled the development of development programs for two clusters of hotels: those located in areas with increased military risk and those in relatively safe territories. The taxonomic analysis revealed significant differences in managerial practices and operational efficiency, largely determined by the geographic location of the hotels. Hotels in active combat zones experience a 40% reduction in tourist flow and financial instability, while hotels in safe areas demonstrate a 30% higher level of customer satisfaction. The application of advanced security systems and modern marketing techniques has led to a 40% reduction in incidents.

Global climate change, particularly rising sea surface temperatures, profoundly impacts coral ecosystems, disrupting reproduction synchrony, symbiotic relationships with algae from the Symbiodiniceae family, and causing widespread bleaching and mortality among coral populations.  Oculina patagonica, a temperate scleractinian coral dominant in Mediterranean coastal waters, tolerates an annual temperature range of 10- 31°C. Moreover, in the past three decades, sea surface temperatures have rapidly risen in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. O. patagonica offers insight into evolutionary adaptation to rapid environmental changes. This study investigated the effects of temperature changes on O. patagonica reproductive development, synchrony, and thermal sensitivity. Monthly monitoring of O. patagonica colonies for a year reveals no disruption in gonad development compared to previous studies, suggesting an unaffected sexual reproduction capacity. Thermal performance

In the context of global urbanization and climatic change, the frequency of various uncertainties and disturbances faced by urban system is increasing, and enhancing urban resilience has become one of the vital components of sustainable development of modern cities. At the same time, urban resilience has become a hot topic in interdisciplinary research such as economics, ecology, and geography. This paper constructs urban resilience evaluation indicator system based on four dimensions—economy, ecology, society, and infrastructure. The evaluation indicator is used to measure the resilience levels of Yichang-Jingzhou-Jingmen-Enshi (YJJE) urban agglomeration in China from 2010 to 2023. Using the entropy weight method, the Getis-Ord Gi* model, and the robustness testing, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of urban resilience in YJJE urban agglomeration. Then, the factor contribution model is used to explore the influencing factors of urban resilience. Finally, the CA-Markov model is used to predict urban resilience in 2030. The results are as follows: From 2010 to 2023, the urban resilience values of all prefecture-level and county-level cities in YJJE urban agglomeration showed an upward trend, and it indicated that the resilience of urban system is improving. Meanwhile, the urban resilience of YJJE urban agglomeration increased with an average annual growth rate of 3.25%. Furthermore, the urban resilience exhibited a significant spatially heterogeneity distribution, with Xiling, Wujiagang, Xiaoting, Yidu, Zhijiang, Dianjun, Dangyang, Yuan’an, Yiling, Duodao being the high-value agglomerations of urban resilience, and Hefeng, Jianli, Shishou, Wufeng being the low-value agglomerations of urban resilience. Then, we identified critical driving factors of urban resilience in YJJE urban agglomeration. Finally, the urban resilience of all cities within YJJE urban agglomeration will reach the medium level or higher than medium level in 2030. Xiling, Wujiagang, Xiaoting, Zhijiang, Dianjun, Dangyang, Yuan’an will remain hot spots of urban resilience, while Jianli will remain cold spots of urban resilience in the future. This study can provide the scientific reference and policy recommendation for the government to build resilient cities and improve sustainable urban development.

Recent studies have emphasized the influence of resettlement factors on the mental health of refugees resettling in developed countries. However, little research has addressed gender differences in the nature and influence of resettlement stressors and sources of resilience. We address this gap in knowledge by investigating how gender moderates and mediates the influence of several sources of distress and resilience among 259 Afghan refugees residing in northern California. Gender moderated the effects of four factors on levels of distress. Intimate and extended family ties have little correlation with men’s distress levels, but are strongly associated with lower distress for women. English ability is positively associated with lower distress for women, but not men. In terms of gender ideology, traditionally oriented women and egalitarian men have lower levels of distress. And experiencing greater dissonant acculturation increases distress for men, but not women. The influence of gender interaction terms is substantial and patterns may reflect difficulty adapting to a different gender order. Future studies of similar populations should investigate gender differences in sources of distress and resilience, and efforts to assist new arrivals might inform them of changes in gender roles they may experience, and facilitate opportunities to renegotiate gender roles.

This research aims to explore the complex interplay between supply chain resilience (SCR), digital supply chain (DSC), and sustainability, focusing on the moderating influence of supply chain dynamism. The goal is to understand how these elements interact within the framework of contemporary supply chain management and how they collectively contribute to enhancing sustainability outcomes. The sample size is 300 CEOs and managers. The study approach integrates quantitative research methods. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is utilized to quantitatively analyze the direct and indirect effects of SCR and DSC on sustainability. The numerous surveys we conduct among supply chain ecosystem stakeholders provide a rich picture of practical implications and contextual nuances. In sum, our early findings generally support a positive relationship between SCR and sustainability in and of itself decrying the need for more resilient supply networks for sustainability. We further find the beneficial impact of digital technologies in promoting sustainability via enhancing environmental control and controlling for efficiency in supply chains. We also offer evidence to show that supply chain dynamism compounds the positive logic between SCR and DSC and sustainability. As a final word, it must be noted that our work speaks to the burgeoning Supply Chain Dynamism as moderator literature by examining the direct and contingent effects of SCR and DSC on not only performance but sustainability. By shedding light on the moderating role of dynamism, the study provides fresh insights into the multifaceted nature of supply chain management and sustainability practices. The study's findings enhance theoretical understanding by elucidating the synergistic effects of SCR, DSC, and sustainability in dynamic supply chain settings. It augments existing theoretical frameworks by integrating concepts of resilience, digitalization, and sustainability into a comprehensive model. Practical and economical, the research offers actionable guidance for organizations aiming to improve sustainability performance through resilient and digitally advanced supply chains. By acknowledging the role of supply chain dynamism, managers can tailor strategies to manage disruptions effectively and leverage digital innovations. Economically, adopting sustainable practices can result in cost savings and competitive advantages. The research emphasizes the importance of aligning supply chain strategies with sustainability goals to drive long-term value and societal impact.

Urban planning is recognized as an interaction between the state and society, which aims to articulate public policies in the territory, facilitating their administration in favor of greater development and well-being of society. However, this interaction becomes complex because consumption demands increase, and the needs of the community exceed the capacity of the urban ecosystem to supply them, hindering its sustainable functionality. With this panorama, it becomes relevant to study urban planning from a sustainable environmental planning perspective, based on four topics: urban planning, sustainability, resilience and smart cities. The methodology used is based on a bibliometric study through a PRISMA adjustment to 87 articles, supported by VOSviewer® to construct and visualize the co-occurrence networks of important terms extracted from a body of scientific literature. The main result is to consider cities with a complex systems approach that works like a gear, that is, there is a connective element between inter- and intra-urban processes. This relationship is the key factor that allows understanding their synchronization, stating that the deepening of each of these topics is crucial to the ideal of a territorial administration through time scales, by means of adaptive cycles, allowing to provide new tools to concepts such as carrying capacity and the measurement of the environmental footprint.

A review discusses recent research findings spanning the last two decades concerning ultrasonic technologies applicable to the oil, gas, and coal sectors. Various experiments conducted in laboratories have demonstrated the efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness of ultrasound in recovering and processing oil, bitumen, coal, and oil shale. Ultrasound enhances formation permeability, coal gas permeability, and oil viscosity, particularly when delivered in short, powerful pulses at medium frequencies. Combining ultrasound with traditional recovery methods has shown promising results, boosting recovery efficiency by up to 100%. At the same time, ultrasonic treatment reduces the use of traditional reagents, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Moreover, ultrasound treatment shows potential in tasks such as separating oil-water emulsions, desulfurization, dewaxing oil, coal enrichment, and extracting valuable metals from metal-bearing shales through hydrometallurgical leaching. However, widespread industrial implementation of ultrasonic technology necessitates further field and mathematical research.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the financial factors and risk management strategies essential for optimizing disaster resilience within the Serbian defence industry's critical infrastructure. The significance of this sector is multi-faceted, impacting national security, economic stability, and technological advancement. Primarily, the Serbian defence industry ensures the preservation of vital defence interests, maintaining Serbia's independence from foreign sources for weapons and military equipment in both peacetime and wartime. Economically, it is a significant employer of the working-age population, directly affecting local employment rates, fostering economic development, and ensuring the sustainable growth of this crucial sector. This, in turn, stimulates broader economic activity and enhances social cohesion while strengthening the national balance of payments through increased export potential. From a technological perspective, the defence industry drives scientific, technological, and industrial development, reinforcing Serbia's global political and military standing within the Western Balkans and on the international stage. Consequently, the paper aims to examine the risk management and protection of the Serbian defence industry's critical infrastructure, offering concrete and actionable measures to improve and develop these systems with a particular emphasis on security. The research's utility and contribution lie in identifying similarities and differences in the operational performance of defence industry companies, a vital segment of the national economy. The presentation of these findings focuses on the protection of critical infrastructure. The results will form the basis for further investigation into the underlying causes of business performance and the effective management of critical infrastructure security.

Background: Early diagnosis of postoperative complications is an urgent task, allowing timely prescribing of appropriate therapy and reducing the cost of patient treatment. Prognostic models based on various data could help in the early diagnosis of postoperative complications after cardiac surgery. Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine whether an integrated approach based on clinical data along with metabolites and biomarkers had greater predictive value than the models built on less data. Methods: The study included patients (n=62) admitted for planned cardiac surgery (coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass), who were retrospectively divided into two groups depending on the presence (n=26) or absence (n=36) of postoperative complications of all types. Clinical and laboratory data on the first day after surgery were analyzed. Additionally, patients' blood samples were collected before and on the first day after surgery to determine biomarkers (interleukin-6, procalcitonin, NT-proBNP, high-sensitivity troponin T) and metabolites (8 aromatic and 2 dicarboxylic acids were detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry). Results: Patients before surgery, compared with healthy donors, differed in the concentration of metabolites (p &lt; 0.05), and had concentrations of a number of biomarkers exceeding the corresponding reference values. Multivariate PLS-DA models, predicting the presence or absence of postoperative complications, were built using clinical data (ROC-AUC=0.71), concentrations of metabolites and biomarkers (ROC-AUC=0.60), and the entire data set (ROC-AUC=0.75). For comparison we built univariate models using the EuroScore2 (ROC-AUC=0.59) and SOFA (ROC-AUC=0.76) scales; concentrations of lactate (ROC-AUC=0.71), the dynamic changes of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid (ROC-AUC=0.69), and the sum of three sepsis-associated metabolites (ROC-AUC=0.70). The proposed complex model using entire data set was comparable to the SOFA scale, which confirms the expediency of searching for new predictive models based on a variety of factors.

Milk serves as a crucial source of natural bioactive compounds essential for human nutrition and health. The gastrointestinal digestion of milk proteins releases various biologically active peptides that positively impact human health and enhance physiological performance. With the growing production of cheese, Greek yogurt, and other dairy products, the volume of unutilized acid whey is significantly increasing. Acid whey, containing almost all whey proteins and approximately one-quarter of casein, presents a valuable raw material for generating peptides with potential health benefits. These peptides exhibit properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, antithrombotic, opioid, mineral-binding, and growth-stimulating activities, contributing to improved human immunity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Enzymatic hydrolysis of milk proteins has been developed as a method to produce these peptides, facilitating their use in food fortification. To incorporate whey into functional beverages, it undergoes fermentation by lactic acid bacteria with proteolytic activity. To specifically enrich these beverages with peptides exhibiting targeted bioactivities, it is essential to select lactic acid bacteria strains possessing the requisite protease profiles. Additionally, the sensory properties of the final product can be enhanced using starter cultures with diverse metabolic capabilities, even in the absence of added flavoring agents. Given the imperative to develop waste-free technologies and enhance the profitability of the dairy industry, there is a growing need to efficiently utilize and transform acid whey into a broad spectrum of valuable products and food additives. This approach is justified not only by the nutritional benefits of the bioactive components in whey but also by the commercial potential of safe and health-enhancing products.

Artificial intelligence systems are increasingly becoming a component of security-critical applications. The protection of such systems from various types of destructive influences is thus a relevant area of research. The vast majority of previously published works are aimed at reducing vulnerability to certain types of disturbances or implementing certain resilience properties. At the same time, the authors either do not consider the concept of resilience as such, or their understanding varies greatly. This work presents a formalized definition of resilience and its characteristics for artificial intelligence systems from a systemic point of view. It systematizes ideas and approaches to building resilience to various types of disturbances. Taxonomy of resilience of artificial intelligence systems to destructive disturbances is proposed. Approaches and technologies for complex protection of intelligent systems, issues of their resource efficiency and other open research issues are considered. Approaches of resilience assessment for artificial intelligence system are also analyzed and recommendations are provided for their implementation.

Archaeology is often argued to provide a unique long-term perspective on humans that can be utilised for effective policy-making, for example in discussions of resilience and sustainability. However, the specific archaeological evidence for resilient/sustainable systems is rarely explored, with these terms used simply to describe a community that survived a particular shock. In this study, a set of 74 case studies of papers discussing archaeological evidence for resilience/sustainability are identified and analysed using bibliometric methods. Variables from the papers are also quantified to assess patterns and provide a review of current knowledge. A great variety of scales of analysis, case study locations, stressors, resilient/sustainable characteristics, and archaeological evidence types are present. Climate change was the most cited stressor (n=40) and strategies relating to natural resources were common across case studies, especially subsistence adaptations (n=35), other solutions to subsistence deficiencies (n=23), and water management (n=23). Resilient/sustainable characteristics were often in direct contrast to one-another, suggesting the combination of factors is more important than each factor taken individually. Further quantification of well-defined variables within a formally-produced framework is required to extract greater value from archaeological case studies of resilience/sustainability.

Studies have found critical software malfunctions responsible for some of the worst accidents in recent times. These malfunctions are often only minor defects that snowball into large problems; a few lines of code is all it takes. Complexity, safety, quality, and resilience are among the key attributes defining a software’s operational success. There are many leading factors for complexity, such as increases in the product size, the rate of requirement changes, and the number and type of stakeholders, and failure to manage these issues efficiently always has the same consequence, i.e., massive failure and sometimes technological catastrophe. This work analyzes some of the architecture, design, and implementation guidelines used as detection and mitigation techniques. It also discusses the safety considerations, as considering how the steam industry has handled safety issues could offer some guidance for ensuring safety. Complexity in such systems also causes some of the worst side effects from the quality auditor's perspective. While failures in the software are hard to predict, one of the most significant ways of showing preparedness is practicing software resilience. New mitigation areas, such as the fragility spectrum and failure obviation, and their usage for building a safer system are analyzed. Also discussed are various architecture styles in practice and the dramatic effect human factors can have on the success of the software being developed.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

In order to shorten the detection time and improve the average precision on embedded devices, A lightweight and high accuracy model is proposed for passion fruit in complex environments (backlight, occlusion, overlap, sunny, cloudy, rainy). Firstly, replacing the backbone network of YOLOv5 with a lightweight GhostNet model reduces the number of parameters and computation while improving detection speed. Secondly, a new feature branch is added to the GhostNet network, and the feature fusion layer in the neck network is reconstructed to effectively combine the lower-level and higher-level features, which not only improves the accuracy of the model but also maintains its lightweight. Finally, the knowledge distillation methods are used to transfer the knowledge from the more capable teacher model to the less capable student model, which significantly improving the detection accuracy. The improved model is denoted as G-YOLO-NK. The average accuracy of the G-YOLO-NK network is 96.00%, which is 1.00% higher than the original YOLOv5s model. Furthermore, the improved model size is 7.14MB, reduced to half of the original model, and the real-time detection frame rate is 11.25 FPS on the Jetson Nano. Compared to the state-of-the-art model, the proposed model outperforms them in terms of average precision and detection performance. The present work provides an effective model for real-time detection of passion fruits in complex orchard scenes, which can provide valuable technical support for the development of orchard picking robots and greatly improve the intelligence level of orchards.

The impact of interaction SS with MJO on rainfall along Java Island to East Nusa Tenggara has been studied using daily rainfall observation data from 2140 weather observation stations, which are also equipped with GSMaP, OLR, and ERA5 data. There were 61 SS events found, 17 during active MJO and 44 in inactive MJO. Rainfall increases more in the western study area when the active MJO and more in the eastern study area when the inactive MJO is due to SS. SS reduces rainfall in the Jakarta region, regardless of the activity or inactivity of the MJO. SS causes extreme rainfall to only occur in a small part of certain areas, so it tends to significantly reduce the possibility of extreme rainfall. In the southern part of the IMC, SS predominates over MJO in supporting increased water vapor transport. Large-scale synoptic circulations like the monsoon, SS, and MJO can interact with local land-sea wind circulation to produce spatiotemporal variability in rainfall on Java Island. Rainfall mostly increases in the afternoon and decreases in the morning when SS occurs, whether there is MJO or not. Convective instability analysis indicates that SS increases precipitation, most likely by lowering CIN and raising VIMFC.

The Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) scanner is an easy and portable Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data acquisition device. Its main output is a 3D point cloud covering the scanned scene. Regarding the importance of accuracy in the survey domain, this paper aims to assess the accuracy of two SLAM scanners: the NavVis VLX and the BLK2GO Scanner. This assessment is conducted for both outdoor and indoor environments. In this context, two types of reference data are used: the Total Station (TS) and the static scanner Z+F Imager 5016. To carry out the assessment, four comparisons are tested: cloud to cloud, cloud to mesh, mesh to mesh, and edge detection board assessment. However, the results of the assessments confirm that the accuracy of indoor SLAM scanner measurements (5 mm) is greater than that of outdoor ones (between 10 mm and 60 mm). Moreover, the comparison of cloud to cloud provides the best accuracy regarding direct accuracy measurement without manipulations. Finally, based on the high accuracy, scanning speed, flexibility, and the accuracy differences between tested cases, it is confirmed that SLAM scanners are effective tools for data acquisition.

This work reviews three frameworks for responding to economic disruption: risk mitigation, systemic recovery, and economic resilience. Specifically, by reviewing extant literature in economics, communication, and other disciplines, we argue that current approaches to understanding resilience in economics largely fail to address ongoing and emergent disruptions to the economic and social world. In response to these issues, we work to synthesize economic frameworks and the communication theory of resilience to forward a new way of examining the overlapping questions of economic resilience related to metatheoretical commitments, analytic contexts, and implications for theory, method, and practice.

The phenomenon of vaccine hesitancy is a growing threat to public health with far-reaching implications. The widening gap between the vaccinated and the proportion needed for herd immunity raises two critical research questions that are of interest to practitioners, researchers, and policymakers: (1) What determines one’s decision to be vaccinated? and (2) What is the implication of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy on economic recovery? In this study, we use empirical data in the context of South Africa to investigate factors affecting COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and their implications for economic recovery. Findings reveal key socio-demographic and institutional drivers of COVD-9 vaccine hesitancy, which include age (the youth are more hesitant), inadequate information on the vaccine (those who perceive they have adequate information are vaccinated), trust issues in government institutions, conspiracy beliefs, vaccine-related factors, and perceived side effects associated with the vaccine. Additionally, an individual’s decision to remain hesitant about COVID-19 vaccination has implications for businesses and the economy by limiting movement and trade, increasing unemployment, and causing a resurgence of new variants. Based on the findings, action plans such as information dissemination, convenience vaccination centers, consistency communications, and targeted campaign strategies are recommended for improving vaccine intakes and a positive economic recovery.

In recent years, electroencephalogram (EEG) emotion recognition has emerged as a research hotspot in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). Despite advancements in EEG-based emotion recognition, room for enhancing performance persists due to EEG signal redundancy and limitations in feature extraction, leading to inefficient models and emotional information loss. To fully utilize EEG's emotional information and improve recognition accuracy while reducing computational costs, this paper proposes a Convolutional-Recurrent Hybrid Network with a dual-stream adaptive approach and an attention mechanism (CSA-SA-CRTNN). Firstly, the model utilizes a CSAM module to assign corresponding weights to EEG channels. Then, an adaptive dual-stream convolutional-recurrent network (SA-CRNN and MHSA-CRNN) is applied to extract local spatial-temporal features. After that, the extracted local features are concatenated and fed into a temporal convolutional network with a multi-head self-attention mechanism (MHSA-TCN) to capture global information. Finally, the extracted EEG information is used for emotion classification. We conducted binary and ternary classification experiments on the DEAP dataset, achieving 99.26% and 99.15% accuracy for arousal and valence in binary classification, and 97.69% and 98.05% in ternary classification, surpassing relevant algorithms. Additionally, the model's efficiency is significantly higher than other models, achieving better accuracy with lower resource consumption.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

This study assessed the impact of inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) on stress-resistance and growth-promoting metabolites in Salicornia europaea L. across controlled and field conditions. Salicornia europaea seeds, inoculated with Brevibacterium casei EB3 and Pseudomonas oryzihabitans RL18, were grown in controlled laboratory experiments and in a nat-ural field setting. Metabolite composition was analyzed using GC-MS and UHPLC-MS. Under controlled conditions, PGPB inoculation significantly increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids, sugars, citric acid, acetic acid, chlorogenic acids, and quercetin. Inoculation under field condi-tions increased glucose, fructose, quercetin, and apigenin, alongside decreased unsaturated fatty acids and sterols, indicating a stress response shift in plant metabolism. Under controlled condi-tions, enhanced metabolite profiles induced by inoculation likely contributed to augmented bio-mass production and environmental stress resistance. Field plants revealed distinct phytochemi-cal profiles, suggesting higher stress levels. However, the accumulated metabolites from inocula-tion could enhance the plant's ability to cope with adverse conditions and improving stress tol-erance. This study unveils the intricate metabolic adaptations of Salicornia europaea under con-trolled and field stress conditions, highlighting PGPB's potential to enhance plant stress tolerance. Elevated stress-related metabolites may fortify plant defense mechanisms, laying the ground-work for stress-resistant crop development through PGPB-based inoculants, especially in saline agriculture.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Superior fiber quality is one of the most important objectives in cotton breeding. To detect the genetic basis underlying fiber quality, an F2 population containing 413 plants was constructed by crossing Jifeng 914 and Jifeng 173, both of which have superior fiber quality, with Jifeng 173 being better. Five fiber quality traits were investigated in the F2, F2:3, F2:4, and F2:5 populations. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping was conducted based on a high-density genetic map containing 11,488 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and spanning 4,202.12 cM in length. Transgressive segregation patterns and complex correlations in the five tested traits were observed. A total of 108 QTLs were found, including 27 for fiber length (FL), 16 for fiber strength (FS), 24 for micronaire (MC), 17 for fiber uniformity (FU), and 24 for fiber elongation rate (FE). Chromosome A7 contained 12 QTL, ranking the first. No QTL was found on chromosome D1 and D11. Each QTL contributed 1.98%–21.45% to the phenotypic variation (PV), including 13 major effect QTLs that contributed more than 10% toward PV. Two QTLs could be repeatedly detected in three populations, including qFL-D3-2 in F2, F2:4, and F2:5 with 9.18%–21.45% of PV, qFS-A11-1 in F2:3, F2:4 and F2:5 with 6.05%–10.41% of PV. Another seven stable QTLs could be detected in two populations, including four major effect QTLs: qFL-A12-3, qFS-D10-2, qMC-D6-2, and qMC-D8-1. Fourteen QTL-overlapping regions were found, which might explain the complex correlations among the five phenotypic traits. Four regions on chromosome A11, D3, D6, and D10 covered by both stable and major effect QTLs are promising for further fine mapping. The genomic regions of the two QTLs detected in three populations and the four major effect QTLs contain 810 genes. Gene functional analysis revealed that the annotated genes are mainly involved in protein binding and metabolic pathways. Fifteen candidate genes in the qFL-D3-2 region are highly expressed in fiber or ovules during fiber initiation, elongation, secondary cell wall thickening, or maturation stages. qRT-PCR revealed that Ghir_D03G005440.1 and Ghir_D03G011310.1 may play a role in promoting fiber initiation, Ghir_D03G006470.1 may be beneficial for promoting fiber elongation. This study provides more information for revealing the molecular genetic basis underlying cotton fiber quality.

Currently there are fewer depth models applied to pepper picking detection, while the existing generalized neural networks have problems such as large model parameters, long training time, and low model accuracy.In order to solve the above problems, this paper proposes a Yolo-chili target detection algorithm for chili pepper detection. First, the classical target detection algorithm yolov5 is used as a benchmark model, and an adaptive spatial feature pyramid structure combining the attention mechanism and the idea of multi-scale prediction is introduced to improve the model's detection effect on occluded peppers and small target peppers. Secondly, a three-channel attention mechanism module is introduced to improve the algorithm's long-distance recognition ability and reduce the interference of redundant testers. Finally, the quantized pruning method is used to reduce the model parameters and realize the lightweight processing of the model. Applying the method to the homemade chili pepper dataset, the AP value of chili pepper reaches 93.11%; the accuracy rate is 93.51% and the recall rate is 92.55%.The experimental results show that yolo-chili is able to achieve accurate and real-time pepper detection under complex orchards.

The temporary immersion system bioreactor named GreenTray®[2], [3]presents advantages over the existing ones. Firstly, there is no need to use forceps to move the shoots or plantlets in or out of the recipient, neither the use of scalpel to divide them. Secondly, the basis of the shoot can remain in the GreenTray® and can sprout again in several cycles of growth. These two characteristics reduce the costs in the process of micropropagation. Besides, shoots or plantlets development is enhanced by the aeration of the recipient, thus enriching with CO2 the recipient atmosphere. The chapter describes and provides images and values of interest in (1) the micropropagation process of some commercial Prunus or Pyrus rootstocks; (2) the plantlet growth under autotrophic conditions; and (2) the inoculation of plants with pathogens that reproduce in vitro the symptoms observed in vivo, using the GreenTray® bioreactor.

Aiming at the problems of inaccurate segmentation of long object and information loss of small object in real-time semantic segmentation algorithm, this paper proposes a lightweight multi-branch real-time semantic segmentation network based on BiseNetV2. The new auxiliary branch makes full use of spatial details and context information to cover the long object in the field of view. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the inference speed of the model, the asymmetric convolution is used in each stage of the auxiliary branch to design a structure with low computational complexity. In the multi-branch fusion stage, the alignment and fusion module is designed to provide guidance information for deep and shallow feature mapping, so as to make up for the problem of feature misalignment in the fusion of information at different scales, and thus reduce the loss of small target information. In order to further improve the model’s awareness of key information, a global context module is designed to capture the most important features in the input data. The proposed network uses NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Laptop GPU experiment, on the road street view data set Cityscapes and CamVid average occurring simultaneously ratio reached 77.1% and 78.4% respectively, with running speed of 127 frames/s respectively and 112 frames/s. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve real-time segmentation and improve the accuracy significantly, showing good semantic segmentation performance

Background: Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy (TIC) is caused by prolonged tachycardia leading to left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction with heart failure. Although TIC is more common in adult, it is rare in early infant. Methods: Clinical testing was performed as part of medical evaluation and management. Next gene se-quencing (NGS) was performed for a patient with TIC. Literature review about TIC was con-ducted. Results: The case was a 5-month-old infant referred the hospital due to symptoms with heart failure at least lasting two months. Heart rate was 200 beats per minute, left ventricular ejection fraction fell below 14%, and electrocardiograms showed atrial flutter, suggesting TIC. After cardiover-sion, there was no recurrence of atrial flutter, and cardiac function was improved at 98 days after tachycardia arrest. There were no pathogenic variants identified according to NGS. Literature review identified 8 early infantile cases with TIC reported. However, there were no previous re-ports such as our case with longer duration of TIC. Conclusions: Improvement of cardiac function depends on the duration of TIC. TIC should be considered in all patients with a dilated cardiomyopathy of uncertain origin and who have tachycardias such as atrial flutter.

Excess nitrogen in agricultural drainage poses a serious threat to the water quality safety of the Yellow River basin. Utilizing aquatic plants to modify the rhizosphere microbial community structure and facilitate nitrogen transformation is a crucial strategy for mitigating regional water eutrophication. Our results revealed that the denitrification rate (DR), dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium rate (DNRAR) and nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) of rhizosphere sediments exhibited a significant increase in artificially cultivated ditch. Compared with those in natural ditches, the richness of the bacterial community and the relative abundances of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Firmicutes, Anaeromyxobacter and Geobacter, which are involved mainly in the nitrogen cycle, in the rhizosphere sediments of artificially cultivated ditch were significantly greater due to improvements in environmental conditions. In artificially cultivated ditch, the dominant functional genes affecting DRNARs in the rhizosphere sediments of P. australis were nrfC and nrfA, while DRs were driven mainly by norB and napA, which were influenced by the nitrogen and carbon levels; and the dominant functional genes affecting NFRs in the rhizosphere sediments of T. orientalis were nifD, nifK and nifH. Our results provide a scientific basis for the use of aquatic plants for mitigating excess nitrogen levels in agricultural drainage.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

In this paper we study a class of impulsive delayed neural networks with parameter uncertainties and reaction-diffusion terms. Using the properties of M-matrices and some inequality techniques, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee the global exponential stability of the given system. The results obtained are presented by simple algebraic inequalities, which are certainly more concise than previous methods. Finally, the validity and usefulness of our results are illustrated by arithmetic examples.

Pyrops candelaria is one of the common pests of fruit trees, but the research on the pathogenic microorganisms it may carry is very limited. Therefore, it is essential to reveal the pathogenic microbes it carries and their potential hazards. This study found a new virus from the transcriptome of P. candelaria, which was first reported in P. candelaria and named as PyCaV (Pyrops candelaria associated virus). RACE and bioinformatics assay revealed that the full-length of PyCaV is 10855 bp with the polyA tail, containing a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polyprotein consisting of 3171 amino acid (aa). The virus has a typical Iflavirus structure, including two rhv domains, a RNA helicase domain (HEL), a 3C cysteine protease domain (Pro), and a RNA-dependent RNA polymerase domain (RdRp). Further phylogenetic analysis revealed that this virus belongs to family Iflaviridae and sequence alignements analysis suggedted PyCaV is new member in unassigned genus of family Iflaviridae. Further in-depth analysis of virus-infection-part showed that PyCaV is distributing in the whole longan lanternfly, including its head, chest, and abdomen, but more PyCaV was identified in the chest. The distribution of PyCaV in different parts of P. candelaria was further explored, which showed that more PyCaV were detected in its piercing-sucking mouthparts and chest viscera. Statistical analysis showed that the PyCaV infection was affected by time and locations.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

With the burgeoning growth of online retail, the issue of counterfeit products has become a significant threat to both consumer trust and brand integrity, posing challenges to sustainable market practices. Online retail platforms are promoted to redesign their channel structures and enhance brand traceability to tackle counterfeits using blockchain technology. To investigate the interactions between blockchain technology and the channel structures of online retail platforms, we design a game theory model incorporating a manufacturer with(out) blockchain participation selling products via an online retail platform that operates an agency channel and/or a reselling channel. We show that the critical trade-off of blockchain participation comprises the brand assurance effect of the blockchain, the channel competition intensification effect, and the blockchain adoption cost. The platform is capable of strategically designing the channel structure to encourage (while discouraging) blockchain participation by the manufacturer. Our analysis highlights the complementarity between blockchain participation and the channel structure. Furthermore, the effect of the consumer’s belief in the reselling channel, the commission fee in the agency channel, and the substitutability between channels are investigated in depth. The research provides valuable insights for online retail platforms and policymakers seeking to foster a sustainable and trustworthy e-commerce ecosystem.

In this paper, we extend the KdVSKR equations in (1+1)-dimension and (2+1)-dimension to fractional KdVSKR equations with modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. The (2+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, which is a recent extension of (1+1)-dimensional KdVSKR equation, can model the resonances of solitons in shallow water. By means of the Hirota bilinear method, finite symmetry group method and consistent Riccati expansion method, many new interaction solutions have been derived. Soliton-cnoidal interaction solution of the (1+1)-dimensional fractional KdVSKR equation has been derived for the first time. For the (2+1)-dimensional frac-tional KdVSKR equation, two-wave interaction solutions and three-wave interaction solutions, including dark-soliton-sine interaction solution, bright-soliton-elliptic interaction solution, and lump-hyperbolic-sine interaction solution, have been derived. Impact of the fractional order on the shapes of these solutions has been illustrated by figures. Three-wave interaction solutions of fractional systems have not been reported in the existing references. The research idea in this paper can be applied to other fractional differential equations.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

As the world population grows, fulfilling the need for biomaterials in the healthcare system becomes increasingly important. Biomaterials, which include metals, polymers, ceramics, and composites, play an important role in the creation of medical devices that improve people's lives. The European Society for Biomaterials described biomaterials as non-biological materials used in medical devices to interact with biological systems. This definition has developed to encompass materials that treat, assess, or replace tissues or bodily functions. Biocompatibility, as defined by the FDA, is a key feature of biomaterials, as is the requirement to fulfil design requirements such as mechanical performance, geometry, and electrical control. Over the last decade, advances in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering have boosted biomaterials' usage in medical applications dramatically. Despite its promise, scientists, engineers, and physicians continue to face significant challenges due to the complexity of biomaterials. Biomaterials have various benefits, including biodegradability, non-toxicity, and biocompatibility, making them extremely useful for replacing, sustaining, or improving biological activities in damaged tissues. They are used in a wide range of applications, including tissue engineering implants, human tissue healing and regeneration, medication delivery systems, and biosensors. This study gives insights into the fundamental characteristics, case studies, and ethical issues associated with the usage and use of biomaterials, further examining their potential and significance in healthcare and medicine.

The paper describes the new method for image compression based on coordinated group signal transformation. The algorithm is a type of difference coding. Coordinated processing significantly simplifies the difference signal conversion scheme using a single group codec for all signals. The described method considers color channels as correlated signals of a multi-channel communication system. The specifics of the processed data required modification of the coordinated group processing algorithm. First, we changed how to calculate the difference signals to prevent data loss. Secondly, the group codec was supplemented with a neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images. We considered the following types of neural networks: fully connected, recurrent, convolution, and convolution in the Fourier space. Based on the simulation results, it is best to use fully connected neural networks if the goal is to minimize processing delay time. These networks have a response time of 13 ms. On the other hand, if the priority is to improve quality in cases where delays are not critical, then convolution neural networks in the Fourier space should be used. These networks have a response time of 140 ms and are of significant interest.

The characteristics of response to stressful situations depend on a complex of factors such as personality traits, emotional regulation, health state, features of the nervous system, motor functions and proprioception. In cases of disruption of the brain's dopamine system due to disease or chemotherapy, hormone discharge due to stress, changes in emotions and proprioception may occur. The aim of our study was to find the relationship of stress resilence in verbal test and individual differences performed in proprioceptive test in onco-patients, sportsmen and group of control; as well as to observe the differences between these groups in the verbal stress resistance and individual differences proprioceptive tests. The results showed that onco-patients were less resistant as per verbal stress resistance outcomes for a major part of variables compared to other groups. The sportsmen were superior in verbal Risk and Control dimensions compared to other groups; but less in Positive Affectiveness. The proprioceptive test perfomance revealed the only statistically significant difference in performance in the dimension related to Mood, showing more Pessimism in the sportsmen group, but more Optimism in the oncopatients at temperamental (or intrisinc) level. The obtained results can be used by psychologists, therapists, coach and healthcare when needed to attend the specific needs of public, being pateints or sportsmen, etc.

Increasing evidence indicates that the cultivation of mindful eating, adherence to the Mediterranean lifestyle, and the development of psychological resilience may contribute to the enhancement of overall health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between mindful eating and the Mediterranean lifestyle in relation to psychological resilience and the maintenance of a healthy weight. In a framework of a cross-sectional study, 288 individuals voluntarily took part in an online research survey conducted in Greece. Results showed that both mindful eating and the Mediterranean diet were significantly correlated (p<0.001) with psychological resilience. Multiple regression models identified mindful eating and the Mediterranean diet as predictive factors of psychological resilience (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant (p<0.05) intercorrelation between mindful eating, the Mediterranean diet and psychological resilience. Following the application of multiple regression model, mindful eating and Mediterranean diet were identified as predictive factors of psychological resilience (p<0.0001). Individuals with a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) displayed stronger adherence to mindful eating and the Mediterranean lifestyle, in contrast to those classified in the overweight and obesity BMI groups. People with higher mindful eating scores had 14% better odds maintaining their weight loss after a weight reducing diet, than those with a lower mindful eating score (OR: 1.142, 95% CI: 1.084, 1.204, p <0.0001). In summary, the integration of mindful eating and the Mediterranean lifestyle may represent a feasible approach to bolstering psychological resilience, overall health, and well-being.

The main aim of this article is to examine the inter-relationships among the top cryptocurrencies on the crypto stock market in the presence and absence of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nine chosen cryptocurrencies are Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, Litecoin, Eos, BitcoinCash, Binance, Stellar, and Tron and their daily closing price data are captured from coinmarketcap over the period from 9/13/2017 to 9/21/2020. To determine the order of integration, the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), Phillips-Perron (PP), and Kwiatkowski, Phillips, Schmidt, and Shin (KPSS) unit root tests were carried out, and all of the cryptocurrencies were found to be integrated of order 1 i.e. I(1). It has been found that there is strong evidence of a long-run relationship between Bitcoin and altcoins irrespective of whether it is pre-pandemic or pandemic period. Hence these cryptocurrencies' prices and their inter-relationship are resilient to the pandemic.

In electromagnetic ultrasonic testing, it is difficult to recognize small-size bottom cracks by time of flight (ToF), and the lift-off fluctuation of the probe affects the accuracy and consistency of the inspection results. In order to overcome the difficulty, a novel EMAT (electromagnetic acoustic transducer)-PEC (pulse eddy current) composite sensor is designed. We use amplitude of bottom echo recorded by EMAT to identify the tiny bottom crack as well as the amplitude of PEC signals picked up by the integrated symmetric coils to measure the average lift-off of the probe in real time. Firstly, the effects of lift-off and bottom cracks on amplitude of bottom echo are distinguished combining the theoretical analysis and finite element method (FEM). And then an amplitude correction method based on the fusion of EMAT and PEC signals is proposed to reduce the impact of lift-off on the defect signal. The experimental results demonstrate that the designed composite sensor can effectively detect the bottom crack as small as 0.1mm* 0.3mm. The signal fusion method can accurately correct the amplitude of defect signal and the relative error is less than ±8%.

The studied solar pot is a recent invention, which gained a utility model protection in 2021 from the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office under patent number 5489. The device is made for environmentally friendly cooking or heating (by utilizing solar energy) of foods and liquids. Its structure is similar to a double pipe heat exchanger, it has an outer mantle and an inner cooking tank. The goals of the paper are proposing a new physically-based mathematical model describing the solar pot and carrying out computer experiments with it, assembling an experimental system of the pot connected with a solar collector and performing measurements on it. Based on the results, the solar pot can successfully be used for cooking or sterilizing foods or liquids during the studied time period, in Hungary.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

The introduction of organic and inorganic substances to the environment is a result of human activities such as agriculture, domestic and industrial wastewater which leads to pollution. Treatment processes of these wastewaters are being conducted globally to eliminate easily settled materials and recover nutrients in an attempt to release clear and apparently clean effluent into natural waters. Lack of removing inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients is the greatest cause of eutrophication in water bodies which inhibits the life of other organisms as well as pose a threat to human life and loss of the economy. Different technologies have been applied and are being developed to recover nutrients as well as heavy metals from wastewater to meet the permissible limits before discharging effluents. Wastewater treatment using microalgae offers an opportunity to provide tertiary bio-treatment and production of valuable biomass. Microalgae use the available inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus for their growth which are then harvested for various uses. Additionally, they have the ability to remove heavy metals and some toxic compounds. The main specific microalgae species in this study is the Chlorella sorokiniana with the Aequorea victoria jellyfish This paper reviews some of the wastewater treatment processes and focus on the use of microalgae and some of the shortcomings of the technologies and how they can be improved to achieve maximum nutrient recovery economically with low energy demand.

This is a paper of Political Economy and Economic Policies into the European Green Deal framework to improve the Recovery Plan post-COVID-19. This paper is focused on the green jobs opportunity for Europe, especially for Spain. It is offered a systematization of concepts and calculations in the issue (attending the international institutions and forums proposals) to harmonize the recovery plans, to apply them beyond the energy sector and to align public and private sector, as well other key stakeholders in achieving this goal. The obtained outcome gives the creation of around 350.000 new green jobs and the necessity of a new workforce reskilled. This result makes necessary to coordinate sectoral plans by the policymakers in which all the involved entities might express their needs and views on the best education approach to renewables sector and green jobs.