Many remote sensing analytical data products are most useful when they are in an appropriate regional or national projection, rather than globally based projections like Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) or geographic coordinates, i.e., latitude and longitude. Furthermore, leaving data in the global systems can create problems, either due to misprojection of imagery because of UTM zone boundaries, or because said projections are not optimised for local use. We developed the open-source Irish Earth Observation (IEO) Python module to maintain a local remote sensing data library for Ireland. This pure Python module, in conjunction with the IEOtools Python scripts, utilises the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) for its geoprocessing functionality. At present, the module supports only Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI/TIRS data that have been corrected to surface reflectance using the USGS/ESPA LEDAPS/ LaSRC Collection 1 architecture. This module and the IEOtools catalogue available Landsat data from the USGS/EROS archive, and includes functions for the importation of imagery into a defined local projection and calculation of cloud-free vegetation indices. While this module is distributed with default values and data for Ireland, it can be adapted for other regions with simple modifications to the configuration files and geospatial data sets.

Marfan syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic connective tissue disorder that results from mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene located on chromosome band 15q 15–21. Fibrillin, a glycoprotein, is widely expressed throughout the body and contribute to elasticity and force-bearing capacity of connective tissue. In the eye, fibrillin is a key constituent of the ciliary zonules, which suspend the crystalline lens in place. The zonular defect leads to ectopia lentis that is hallmark of Marfan ocular abnormalities and occurs in 60 to 80% of cases. Other less common ocular features of Marfan syndrome are increased axial length, astigmatism, and flat cornea. Visual function in Marfan syndrome could be affected in several ways: ectopia lentis, refractive error, amblyopia, retinal detachment, cataract, and glaucoma. Management of subluxated lens starts with correction of refractive error with eyeglasses in mild cases. In more severe cases, especially when lens bisects the pupil, complete correction of refractive error is impossible without removing subluxated lens. The best method for visual rehabilitation after lens extraction is still debated. Aphakic Artisan implantation at the time of subluxated lens removal results in good visual outcomes with acceptable safety profile. Studies with longer term follow up and larger sample populations are needed to evaluate the safety of this procedure in patients with Marfan syndrome.

The world will experience an estimated 40% freshwater supply shortage by 2030, converting water scarcity into one of the principal global challenges that modern society face. Urban water-reuse is recognized as a promising and necessary measure to alleviate the growing water stress in many regions. The transformation to widespread application of water-reuse systems requires major changes in the way water is governed, and countries such as Spain already find themselves involved in this process. Through the systematic assessment of the city of Sabadell (Spain), we aim to identify the main barriers, opportunities and transferable lessons that can enhance governance capacity to implement systems for non-potable reuse of treated wastewater in cities. It was found that continuous learning, the availability and quality of information and level of knowledge and strong agents of change are the main capacity-building priorities. On the other hand, awareness, multilevel network potential and implementing capacity are already well-established. It is concluded that in order to undertake a widespread application of water-reuse practices, criteria examining water quality according to its use need to be developed, independently of the water’s origin. The development and implementation of such a legislative frame should be based on the experience of local water-reuse practices and continuous evaluation. Finally, the need for public engagement and adequate pricing mechanisms are emphasized.

Background: We aimed to evaluate the effect of early pelvic binder use in emergency management of suspected pelvic trauma, compared with the conventional stepwise approach. Methods: We enrolled trauma patients with initial stabilization using a pelvic binder for suspecting pelvic injury. Inclusion criteria were traumatic injury requiring a trauma team and at least one of the following: loss of consciousness or Glasgow coma score (GCS) < 13; systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg; falling from ≥6 m; injury to multiple vital organs; and suspected pelvic injury. Various parameters, including gender, age, mechanism of injury, GCS, mortality, hospital stay, initial vital sign, revised trauma score, injury severity score, and outcome, were assessed and compared with historical controls. Results: A total of 204 patients with high-energy multiple-trauma from single level I trauma center in North Taiwan were enrolled in the study from August 2013 to July 2014. The two group baseline patient characteristics were all collected and compared. The trauma patients with suspected pelvic fractures initially stabilized with a pelvic binder had shorter hospital and ICU stays. The study group achieved statistically significantly improved survival and lower mean blood transfusion volume and mortality rate although they were more severe in the trauma score. Conclusions: We recommend prompt pelvic binder use for suspected pelvic injury before definitive imaging is available, as a cervical spine collar is used to protect the cervical spine from further injury prior to definitive identification and characterization of an injury.

The focus of research has mainly been on the life cycle approach to project development, while limited attention has been given to the ageing construction companies that make all these activities/processes happen. This paper examines the organisational factors determining the sustainability and growth of building and civil engineering contractors in South Africa. The paper explores whether there are specific organisational factors that aid the sustainable development and growth of contractors in the South African construction industry. The paper analyses data gathered from face-to-face interviews conducted with four established and twelve upgraded and successful building and civil engineering contractors listed on the Construction Industry Development Board’s (cidb) Register of Contractors. The aim of the study is to identify the organisational factors critical for sustainable contractor development and growth in South Africa. The study found that organizational factors responsible for the sustainable development and growth of construction contractors include the size of the founding team members, management capabilities, strategic decisions made by founders/leaders and the ability of the company to constantly evolve, adapt and respond effectively to threats/challenges whenever they surface, amongst other findings. Capacity to generalise the results of the study to the large cidb registered contractor group is limited by the smallness of the sample size. Future research should make use of a larger sample size to obtain more general findings. The results of the study imply that the founding team size, experience, entrepreneurial and managerial capabilities, capacities and organisational structures that enable the efficient response of companies to external and internal challenges are key components of the definable arrangements that will support the sustainability and growth of construction organisations. The paper is of value to government departments and agencies such as the cidb and contracting firms in the construction industry.

This paper outlines evidence-based practice in the context of professionalism, and highlights the contribution evidence-based practice can make to the professional practice of higher education course managers. Implications of the changing HE landscape for the status of academics as professionals are reviewed, and evidence-based practice is proposed as a solution for both enhanced course management and to remedy perceived deprofessionalisation. Finally, questions regarding researching professional practice within one’s own institution are addressed.

Adaptation to climate change is being addressed in many domains. This means that there are multiple perspectives on adaptation; often with differing visions resulting in disconnected responses and outcomes. Combining singular perspectives into coherent, combined perspectives that include multiple needs and visions can help to deepen the understanding of various aspects of adaptation and provide more effective responses. Such combinations of perspectives can help to increase the range and variety of adaptation measures available for implementation or avoid maladaptation compared with adaptations derived from a singular perspective. The objective of this paper is to present and demonstrate a framework for structuring the local adaptation responses using the inputs from multiple perspectives. The adaptation response framing has been done by: (i) contextualizing climate change adaptation needs; (ii) analyzing drivers of change; (iii) characterizing measures of adaptation; and (iv) establishing links between the measures with a particular emphasis on taking account of multiple perspectives. This framework was demonstrated with reference to the management of flood risks in a case study Can Tho, Vietnam. The results from the case study show that multiple perspective framing of adaptation responses enhance the understanding of various aspects of adaptation measures, thereby leading to flexible implementation practices.

Good governance in natural resource management (NRM) is one of the most challenging issues in developing countries that often inappropriately embedded in national policies and political agendas. It is, in fact, even more important for countries like Bangladesh with exceptionally high pressure and dependence on its natural resources for sustaining rural livelihoods. Globally, nowadays, good governance is considered as one of the key factor for achieving the goal of sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. Bangladesh, of late has responded to that global zeal by involving local communities in the management of country’s declining forest and other natural resources. The colonial legacy of the forestry sector of Bangladesh was planned and, managed as interim projects through donors’ prescriptions. Thus, institutions, management processes and conservation outcomes were problematic. The conventional approach adopted by colonial and post-colonial regimes for forest management also proved to be inefficient due to its top-down management system. The absolute dependency on donor support, and their prescription sometimes worsened the situation both ecologically and socially. Global, regional and local trends supported the need for a different dimension in the governance paradigms. The introduction of a pluralistic approach, known as co-management in protected areas (PAs) is an example of an attempt whereby shared governance mechanism are implemented to attain the desired goals of conservation that will also address the livelihoods and aspirations of communities living in and around PAs of the country. However, in designing future forest and PA regimes the concern of the external aid support and attached conditions remain a reality that needs to be addressed. Adequate attention should be given to our vanishing biodiversity, culture and community livelihoods through devising an appropriate governance mechanism recognizing and supporting local rights, access and participation in the environmental management. It is now time to mainstream the adhoc nature of governance according to our national conservation strategy and policy frameworks in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the Bangladesh NRM sector addressing the human and community right of people in the specific context of forest protected areas management.

Despite of being an exceptionally biodiversity rich country, the forest coverage of Bangladesh is declining at an alarming rate. Declaration and management of protected areas in this regard is one of the efforts from government side to tackle the loss of biodiversity. The limited numbers of forest-protected areas (FPA), established to conserve the dwindling forest biodiversity of the country with high pressure on them for timber, non-timber forest products, and fuelwood - makes their management challenging. Moreover, most of the FPAs of the country declared only in the recent decades with very limited infrastructure, manpower and policy support for monitoring and governance. Some people-centred approaches for the management of FPAs and alternative livelihood and income generation subsidies although made available through a few project interventions, their number are still inadequate and performance remains less than satisfactory. This chapter provides a critical review of the FPAs of Bangladesh looking at their role in biodiversity conservation, management challenges, and key lessons from previous management interventions with recommendations for the future. It has been revealed that the FPA system of Bangladesh still poorly represents the diverse forest ecosystems with relatively small forest size and lack of corridors for the movement of wildlife. There are ample opportunities to render co-management of FPAs an effective strategy to minimize the conflicts in FPAs management in the country. It is, however, important to ensure the access of local forest-dependent people to different alternative income generating options that may adequately support their livelihoods.

The effects of soluble silicon fertilization on monocots and dicots have been widely studied. However, little is known regarding its effects on protecting epiphytes against insect and fungal pests. The efficacy of silicon fertilizer to reduce damage by thrip pest complexes, namely: Thrips palmi Karny, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, Chaetanaphothrips orchidii Moulton, and Chaetanaphothrips signipennis Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and fungal pathogens: Botrytis cinerea Persoon (Helotiales: Sclerotiniaceae) and Fusarium spp. Link (Hypocreales: Nectriaceae) was examined during a nine-month greenhouse trial in Hawaii. The trial assessed yield, quality, and pest damage across three common varieties of dendrobiums. All replicates received additional soluble silicon fertilizer applications alternating weekly between soil drench and foliar (50 mg Si/plant) applications. Yield, quality, and spray length, pest damage, plant vigor, SPAD, and leaf temperature were measured. Data were analyzed using a generalized linear model (glm) with repeated measures followed by post-hoc pair-wise comparisons in R, version 4.3.1. Treatment effects were significant at P

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected millions of lives globally, with some individuals experiencing persistent symptoms even after recovering. Understanding and managing the long-term sequelae of COVID-19 is crucial for research, prevention, and control. As a result, to monitor the health of individuals affected by these conditions, they must maintain up-to-date health records using digital health informatics apps for surveillance. In this review, we provide an overview of the existing literature on identifying long COVID manifestations through hierarchical classification and the characterization of long COVID by different hierarchical groups based on the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO). We outline the aspects of the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) and Researching COVID to Enhance Recovery (RECOVER) in artificial intelligence (AI) to identify long COVID. Knowledge exploration, using the concept map for the clinical pathways of long COVID presented in this paper, provides an overview of the data needed to explore tackling the long-term effect of COVID-19 by integrating innovative cohesive frameworks and designing health informatics-based applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to explore the potential incorporation of long COVID as a variable risk factor within a digital health informatics application.

Following technological advances, autonomous and remote-controlled ships are performing trials in some sea areas; a mandatory goal-based MASS code, expected to enter into force on 1 January 2032, is under discussion in the International Maritime Organization (IMO). However, there are no unified standards regarding verification methods to define operating limitations for cutting-edge technologies, which are expected to be elements of MASS, so it is difficult to assess the risk factors for the management and operation of MASS. This paper outlines the regulatory framework for MASS, followed by a discussion of its application, considering the differences between MASS and automated driving, and how to develop safety management and operation using standards for automated driving. A requirements management framework developed as a system and software engineering standards to build safety management and operation of MASS is proposed. It is also suggested that the requirements management framework could be used not only for MASS development but also for regulatory review from a requirements management view.

The Western Balkans region is persistently vulnerable to natural hazards, inadequate infrastructure, and limited institutional capacities, necessitating a collaborative approach to disaster risk management. This paper presents a comprehensive project led by the Scientific-Professional Society for Disaster Risk Management (NSD-URVs) in Belgrade, aiming to establish and strengthen a regional network of experts in disaster risk management. The project focuses on building expertise, facilitating knowledge exchange, promoting expert coordination, and enhancing cross-border collaboration. Key activities include developing a web platform, organising an international conference, and advocating for regional policies that integrate best practices and innovations in disaster risk management. The expected outcomes are the establishment of a cohesive network, enhanced expertise and coordination, and improved preparedness and responsiveness to disasters. By leveraging collective expertise and resources, this initiative aims to fortify the region's resilience against potential disasters. Addressing the identified gaps and implementing the proposed policy recommendations can significantly enhance the region's resilience to natural hazards. Future research should focus on the implementation and impact of these recommendations to ensure continuous improvement in disaster preparedness and response.

Abstract: Safety issues related to the electrification of more electric aircraft (MEA) need to be addressed because of the increasing complexity of aircraft electrical power systems and the growing number of safety-critical sub-systems that need to be powered. Managing the energy storage systems and the flexibility in the load-side plays an important role in preserving the system’s safety when facing an energy shortage. This paper presents a system-level centralized operation management strategy based on model predictive control (MPC) for MEA to schedule battery systems and exploit flexibility in the demand-side while satisfying time-varying operational requirements. The proposed online control strategy aims to maintain energy storage (ES) and prolong the battery life cycle, while minimizing load shedding, with fewer switching activities to improve devices lifetime and to avoid unnecessary transients. Using a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) formulation, different objective functions are proposed to realize the control targets, with soft constraints improving the robustness of the model. Besides, an evaluation framework is proposed to analyze the effects of various objective functions and the prediction horizon on system performance, which provides the designers and users of MEA and other complex systems with new insights into operation management problem formulation.

Anomaly detection is an active area of research with numerous methods and applications. This survey reviews the state-of-the-art of data-driven anomaly detection techniques and their application to the the aviation domain. After a brief introduction to the main traditional data-driven methods for anomaly detection, we review the recent advances in the area of neural networks, deep learning and temporal-logic based learning. We cover especially unsupervised techniques applicable to time series data because of their relevance to the aviation domain, where the lack of labeled data is the most usual case, and the nature of flight trajectories and sensor data is sequential, or temporal. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are presented in terms of computational efficiency and detection efficacy. The second part of the survey explores the application of anomaly detection techniques to aviation and their contributions to the improvement of the safety and performance of flight operations and aviation systems. As far as we know, some of the presented methods have not yet found an application in the aviation domain. We review applications ranging from the identification of significant operational events in air traffic operations to the prediction of potential aviation system failures for predictive maintenance.

With the rapid surge in technological advancements, an equal amount of investment in technology-embedded teaching has become vital to pace up with the ongoing educational needs. Distance education has evolved from the era of postal services to the use of ICT tools in current times. With the aid of globally updated content across the board, technology usage ensures all students receive equal attention without any discrimination. Importantly, web-based teaching allows all kind of students to learn at their own pace, without the fear of being judged, including professionals who can learn remotely without disturbing their job schedules. Having web-based content allows low-cost and robust implementation of the content upgradation. An improved, yet effective, version of the education using such tools is Hybrid Learning (HL). This learning mode aims to provide luxurious reinforcement to its legitimate candidates while maintaining the quality standards of various elements. Incorporated with both traditional and distance learning methods, along with exploiting social media tools for increased comfort level and peer-to-peer collaboration, HL ultimately facilitates the end user and educational setup. The structure of such a hybrid model is realized by delivering the study material via a learning management system (LMS) designed in compliance with quality standards, which is one of the fundamental tackling techniques for controlling quality constraints. In this paper, we present the recently piloted project by COMSATS University Islamabad (previously known as COMSATS Institute of Information Technology) which is driven by technology-embedded teaching model. This model is an amalgam of the traditional class room model with the aid of state-of-the-art online learning technologies. The students are enrolled as full-time students, with all the courses in traditional classroom mode, except one course offered as hybrid course. This globally adapted model helps the students to benefit from both face-to-face learning as well as gaining hands-on experience on technology-enriched education model providing flexibility of timings, learning pace, and boundaries. Our HL model is equipped with two major synchronous and asynchronous blocks. The synchronous block delivers real-time live interaction scenarios using discussion boards, thereby providing a face-to-face environment. Interactions via social network has witnessed equally surging improvement in the output performance. The asynchronous block refers to the lecture videos, slides and handouts, prepared by imminent professors, available 24/7 for students. To ensure quality output, our HL model follows the course learning outcomes (CLOs), and program learning outcomes (PLOs) as per international standards. As a proof of concept, we have deployed a mechanism at the end of each semester to verify the effectiveness of our model. This mechanism fundamentally surveys the satisfaction levels of all the students enrolled in the HL courses. With the surveys already conducted, a significant level of satisfaction has been noted. Extensive results from these surveys are presented in the paper to further validate the efficiency and robustness of our proposed HL model.

Dams significantly impact the environment, industry, residential areas, and agriculture. Efficient dam management can mitigate negative impacts and enhance benefits such as flood and drought reduction, energy efficiency, water access, and improved irrigation. This study tackles the critical issue of predicting dam occupancy levels precisely within the framework of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). Our research proposes that combining the physical model of evapotranspiration using the Penman–Monteith equation with data-driven models based on historical reservoir data, weather data, and consumption data is essential for accurately predicting occupancy levels. We implemented various prediction models, including Random Forest, Extra Trees, Long Short-Term Memory, Orthogonal Matching Pursuit CV, and Lasso Lars CV. To strengthen our proposed model with robust evidence, we conducted a statistical test on the MAPE values. We achieved a remarkable accuracy in predicting the occupancy level one month ahead, with an error margin of just 1% using Extra Trees. This study represents a pioneering effort in providing guidance and proposing a hybrid model in this field.

The energy transition is a complicated process that involves changing production and consumption habits, boosting the use of renewable energy sources, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This article examines the management of risks associated with this shift, focusing on investment, commercial, technological, regulatory, and environmental challenges. The paper proposes an effective way for dealing with new difficulties by assessing risks and the management techniques that accompany them. Furthermore, as a critical component of the energy revolution, the concept of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) is given, with a focus on the ambitions of INGV – Irpina Headquarters and the EU regulatory framework. Finally, the actions and methods employed to achieve the NZEB objectives are discussed, including the utilization of cutting-edge technologies and renewable energy sources. Furthermore, the concept of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) is introduced as an important component of the energy transition, with an emphasis on the European regulatory framework and the ambitions of the INGV – Irpina Headquarters. Finally, the interventions and techniques employed to achieve the NZEB targets are highlighted, such as the employment of advanced technologies and renewable energy resources. This study contributes significantly to understanding the processes and issues associated with the energy transition and the implementation of NZEB, hence boosting sustainability in the construction sector.

This study aims to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from China's sludge treatment industry and explore the potential of novel technologies to mitigate these emissions, promoting sustainable sludge management practices. Using a life cycle assessment approach, the total GHG emissions from sludge treatment in 2017 were estimated at 18.54 Mt CO2-eq, with significant regional variations. Incineration contributed the highest emissions (1,011.53 kg CO2-eq/t dry sludge), followed by landfill (717.51 kg CO2-eq/t) and land application (276.41 kg CO2-eq/t). The uneven distribution of emissions across cities highlights the need for targeted mitigation strategies that consider local sustainability challenges. Principal component analysis revealed that economic factors and treatment scale significantly influence emissions, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainability goals with economic development. To reduce the carbon footprint of sludge treatment and enhance sustainability, the mitigation potential and costs of various technologies were evaluated, including thermal conversion, anaerobic digestion, hydrothermal processes, and wet oxidation. These technologies offer GHG emission reductions ranging from 0.09 to 0.46 t CO2-eq/t dry solids compared to conventional methods, while also promoting resource recovery and circular economy principles. However, further optimization is necessary to enhance their environmental and economic performance, ensuring long-term sustainability. By implementing these technologies and adopting optimization strategies, China's sludge treatment industry can significantly contribute to achieving the country's carbon neutrality goal and fostering sustainable development.

In recent years, using pre-sprouted seedlings for sugarcane establishment has been developed in Brazil. Despite yielding promising results, the optimal irrigation management for this method during the Brazilian winter planting season has yet to be determined. Additionally, information regarding water demand and seedling behavior when subjected to different irrigation levels remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the response of pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings to different irrigation levels during the winter in southeastern Brazil. Pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings were subjected to different irrigation levels during the winter season in the region of Piracicaba, using a sprinkler irrigation system. Periodic evaluations were conducted, such as seedlings mortality rate, root size, root dry mass, number of sugarcane tillers sprouted per meter, total number of tillers, plant height, leaf area index, shoot dry mass, and total leaf chlorophyll index. The findings of this investigation indicate that a 10 mm irrigation level facilitated optimal fixation depth and achieved a 97.8% survival rate. Moreover, a correlation between seedling mortality rate and irrigation management was observed, emphasizing the critical role of irrigation in establishing and developing seedlings. Based on these findings, a 10 mm irrigation may represent the optimal irrigation strategy for pre-sprouted sugarcane seedlings in this scenario.

Rice (Oryza spp.) is mostly grown directly from seed and sown on wet or dry seed beds or usually used as transplants on nursery bed. With all the economically important viral diseases in the world, Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV), is only prevalent in rice-growing countries in Africa. RYMV had turned out to be the main rice production constraint in Africa, throughout the last 20–25 years, causing yield loss of 10 to 100%, depending on age of the plant at the time of infection, degree of varietal susceptibility and the exiting climatic conditions. Good agricultural practices and utilization of biotechnological tools in the development of improved resistant cultivars have been extensively active in controlling the disease. This review focused on RYMV, its epidemiology, serological and molecular typing, disease management and the way forward for sustainable rice production.

This qualitative research explores the adoption of blockchain technology in supply chain management, aiming to understand the drivers, barriers, and implications associated with its integration. Through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis, insights are gathered from key stakeholders in the supply chain ecosystem. The findings reveal a complex landscape, with stakeholders recognizing blockchain's potential to enhance transparency, efficiency, and trust while acknowledging challenges related to technical complexities, regulatory uncertainties, and organizational barriers. Despite these challenges, participants express optimism about blockchain's transformative potential, citing opportunities for improved traceability, supply chain resilience, and sustainability. Collaboration, governance, and ecosystem development emerge as critical factors for driving blockchain adoption within supply chains, alongside the need for continuous education and capacity-building initiatives. Overall, the study underscores the importance of addressing challenges and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration to unlock the full potential of blockchain-enabled supply chains.

The rapid urban expansion requires an effective management of water resources in small basins, where data are often limited. This article addresses a combination of an empirical hydrological model and Steven Method, a flow extrapolation method that considers the morphological char-acteristics of the cross-section. It also proposes an approach for overcoming the challenges asso-ciated with the lack of information on small water basins in rural to urban transition. A rain-fall event occurred in Pau de Caixeta stream basin (33,7 km²), in the Federal District (DF), in De-cember 2022, was evaluated. The simulation was carried out on the decision support system, Analysis of Complex Basins (ABC), using the rainfall registred by the rain gauge instaled within the monitered area with 3 hours duration and 38 mm of total rainfall, in addiction to the mor-phological and hydraulics characteristics of the study section. The basin presented in this study, has a classification regarding land use: i) urban area: horizontal and vertical residential neigh-borhoods (in the study phase) and rapidly expanding urban infrastructure, ii) rural areas and iii) environmental preservation areas. The results were within the acceptable range of flow extrap-olation errors (16%), indicating the integration of the proposed approaches can guide the devel-opment of impact mitigation strategies and promote sustainable practices in sub-basins.

The growing importance of edge and fog computing in the modern IT infrastructure is driven by the rise of decentralized applications. However, resource allocation within these frameworks is challenging due to varying device capabilities and dynamic network conditions. Conventional approaches often result in poor resource use and slowed advancements. This study presents a novel strategy for enhancing resource allocation in edge and fog computing by integrating machine learning with blockchain for reliable trust management. Our proposed framework, called CyberGuard, leverages blockchain’s inherent immutability and decentralization to establish a trustworthy and transparent network for monitoring and verifying edge and fog computing transactions. CyberGuard combines the Trust2Vec model with conventional machine learning models like SVM, KNN, and Random Forests, creating a robust mechanism for assessing trust and security risks. Through detailed optimization and case studies, CyberGuard demonstrates significant improvements in resource allocation efficiency and overall system performance in real-world scenarios. Our results highlight CyberGuard’s effectiveness, evidenced by a remarkable accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-Score of 98.18%, showcasing the transformative potential of our comprehensive approach in edge and fog computing environments.

In this study, data analysis methods from ecology were applied to litter surveys to evaluate patterns among urban litter items found in two types of streets in England (High Streets and Central Business Districts). Results indicate that sites characterised as a High Street (predominantly leisure activities such as shopping and dining) contained lower densities, less variety, yet featured items with higher potential for environmental contamination than sites categorised as Central Business District (identified by high numbers of professional workers and transport links). Although litter were significantly different between sites, the litter community structure was not. Our results suggest that litter typologies and associated activities can lead to specific knowledge of key influential items in a site and inform future evidence based and sustainable mitigation systems.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries, with notable advantages in safety, energy density, and longevity, yet the environmental implications of their lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal, remain a critical concern. This review paper examines the environmental impacts associated with the production, use, and end-of-life management of SSBs, starting with the extraction and processing of raw materials which highlights significant natural resource consumption, energy use, and emissions. A comparative analysis with traditional battery manufacturing underscores the environmental hazards of novel materials specific to SSBs. The review also assesses the operational environmental impact of SSBs by evaluating their energy efficiency and carbon footprint in comparison to conventional batteries, followed by an exploration of end-of-life challenges including disposal risks, regulatory frameworks, and the shortcomings of existing waste management practices. A significant focus is placed on recycling and reuse strategies, reviewing current methodologies like mechanical, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes, along with emerging technologies that aim to overcome recycling barriers, while also analyzing the economic and technological challenges of these processes. Additionally, real-world case studies are presented, serving as benchmarks for best practices and highlighting lessons learned in the field. In conclusion, the paper identifies research gaps and future directions for reducing the environmental footprint of SSBs, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance sustainable SSB technologies and contribute to balancing technological advancements with environmental stewardship, thereby supporting the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Involving local people in natural area management is very important to address the complexity of environmental management issues for sustainable use of local resources. Participatory methods require the contribution of local stakeholders in decision making. Mapping the environmental views of local communities allows for detecting aspects that could facilitate management efforts. This research – in the frame of the Skyros LIFE project and the PAMNATURA project - measures local acceptability of the conservation actions proposed by the LIFE project in Skyros Island (Greece) in relation with recording local people’s environmental orientation using the 15-item revised New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. The research was carried out by means of questionnaires. The LIFE project proposed actions were grouped into three categories according to their theme, i.e. promoting (a) Nature protection, (b) Agro-pastoralism and (c) Ecotourism. The sample seems to largely agree with the LIFE project proposals, while the results showed high scores for most of the NEP scale items, implying pro-environmental beliefs, though there appears disagreement or neutrality regarding a few items. Local acceptability of the proposed actions was found to correlate to local people’s environmental concern measured through the NEP scale. Drawing on the results, implementation of actions related directly or indirectly to economic activities, preservation of traditional activities, as well as environmental education, interactive informing and consultation could enhance local participation. Skyros island seems to offer an appropriate social background for applying participatory and adaptive management and implementing conservation programs.

Facility Management (FM) has increasingly focused on using Building Information Modeling (BIM) in large-scale development projects. To successfully integrate BIM in the FM sector, cooperation among different participants involved in various project stages must be improved. The objective of this digital revolution in FM is to enhance the efficacy of planning, constructing, and managing assets, benefiting all parties involved. However, the utilization of BIM in FM is limited due to factors such as incomplete owner understanding, insufficient data accessibility, and stakeholders' unfamiliarity with BIM procedures and standardization. Although the FM industry acknowledges BIM's significance, achieving successful implementation remains challenging. Facility managers lack a clear understanding of BIM's benefits in expediting operations and cost efficiency and the necessary skills for efficient utilization. To address this constraint, it is essential to develop an Employee’s Information Requirement (EIR) at the outset of a project, serving as a strategic plan and providing a comprehensive vision for all parties involved, particularly large-scale projects. Two essential technologies that facilitate the transition towards building operations are BIM and the Internet of Things (IoT). Incorporating these technologies is crucial to reducing time, expenses, and operational challenges throughout any project. The aim of this research is to create a Digital-Trio workflow, as a new expression, by providing a methodology for using facility management with BIM through the integration of EIR and IoT, maximizes the benefit of stakeholders strategically and operationally. It also explores how the preparation of the EIR by communicating with all parties will definitely improve the design process, sustainability, efficiency, cost, and time for any project, especially megaprojects.

Providing user confidence in Mobile Government Services (MGS) is essential for the success of mobile government. This study aimed to test the moderating role of techno-skepticism in the impact of crisis management on mobile government. Some scholars have stated that government investment in mobile government services for public administration during the financial crisis is a critical issue for crisis management. In the constantly evolving and changing world, the rapid advancement of technology in modern societies has prompted an acceleration in investments in information and communication technologies. However, due to several inadequacies, citizens seem to respond negatively to the use of certain public technological services, leading them to develop a perspective of techno-skepticism. This issue has been cited in numerous scholarly studies as a critical subject for the effective implementation of technological innovations. The effectiveness of digital technology in the procurement of public services is highly dependent on the perceptions and behaviors of users. In this context, this study measured the attitudes of the participants and the connections between techno-skepticism, mobile government use, and crisis management among Northern Cyprus residents over 18 years old. The study employed a quantitative approach. A 5-point Likert scale was used to collect data by modifying the survey questions to fit the scope of the study. The study participants were selected using the random sampling method to acquire data from a total of 402 citizens. The study findings revealed that techno-skepticism mediates the impact of crisis management on mobile government. As a result, techno-skepticism is a critical and decisive factor in citizens’ mobile government use, affecting its utilization frequency. Techno-skepticism was also found to play a vital role in mobile government use. The current study represents a pioneering effort in testing the moderating role of techno-skepticism in the impact of crisis management on mobile government. It also provides various contributions to theory and practice, particularly in the fields of mobile government and the use of digital technologies.

To assess the usefulness of an attachable video laryngoscope (AVL) by attaching a camera and monitor to a conventional Macintosh laryngoscope (CML). Normal and tongue edema airway scenarios were simulated using a manikin. Twenty physicians performed tracheal intubations using CML, AVL, Pentax AWS® (AWS), and McGrath MAC® (MAC) in each scenario. Ten physicians with more than 10 cases of clinical experience with tracheal intubation using CML were included in the skilled group. Ten physicians with less than 10 cases of clinical experience with tracheal intubation using CML were included in the unskilled groups. The time required to intubate and the success rate were recorded. The degree of difficulty of use and glottic view assessment scored by participants. All 20 participants successfully completed the study. There was no difference in the success rate and time required for tracheal intubation in the normal airway scenarios. For the skilled group, in the tongue edema airway scenario, the AWS had the highest success rate (100%) followed by AVL (60%), MAC (60%), and CML (20%) (p = 0.001). The time required to intubate with the AWS was significantly shorter than with AVL (10.2 vs 22.3 s; p=0.002) or MAC (10.2 vs 23.7 s; p=0.001). There was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) difference between AVL and MAC. The degree of Difficulty of Use for AVL was significantly lower than that for CML (7.8 vs 2.8; p &lt; 0.001). There was no significant (p &gt; 0.05) difference between AVL and other video laryngoscopes. AVL had a higher rate of successful tracheal intubation than CML in the tongue edema scenario. AVL showed a similar success rate and time of tracheal intubation to the MAC. Therefore, AVL may be a possible alternative video laryngoscope device.

Energy management, especially in communities, is attracting growing interest, but is often marred by confusion between the terms "Energy Information System" (EIS) and "Energy Man-agement System" (EMS). This ambiguity hinders understanding of their use and role in improv-ing energy performance. Our objective is to clarify these terms and their contribution to energy management. We used a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the criteria of definition, objective, functionality, role, as well as correlated elements such as or-ganizational structure, responsibilities, planning and policy, according to the requirements of ISO 50001, in addition to criteria specific to the two systems. The study reveals differences in the roles of the EIS and the SME, with a complementarity of 40% between the two systems, depend-ing on the positioning of the EIS in relation to the elements of the SME process. The EIS plays a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of the EMS according to ISO 50001. This clarifica-tion contributes to a better understanding of the respective roles of these systems in energy management, thus helping communities to improve their energy performance in an effective manner.

This scientific paper explores the increasingly widespread use of collaborative robots in the industrial environment, highlighting them as a solution to challenges related to the high costs of human labour and the associated management difficulties. The authors focus on the process of defining requirements for the implementation of collaborative robots, providing strategies based on mathematical management models. This approach translates into significant benefits for companies, such as cost reduction, quality improvement, and increased operational efficiency. Additionally, the paper proposes an innovative mathematical model for assessing total costs, budgeting, profitability, and electric power consumption associated with the operation of collaborative robots. This model allows for a comparison between the costs involved in using human labour and those associated with collaborative robots, providing critical information for technological investment decisions. The efficiency of this mathematical model is demonstrated through a practical application, where collaborative robots were integrated into a production environment, and costs and efficiency were evaluated compared to the use of human labour. This scientific paper provides a systematic and efficient approach to implementing collaborative robots in industrial processes, benefiting from strategies based on mathematical management models and an original mathematical model for evaluating performance and associated costs.

The Cauto River Basin (CRB), the heartland of Cuban agriculture, has been hit hard by drought and water shortage. In response to this pressing issue, this study provides a comprehensive as-sessment of water supply, demand and balance within the Cauto River Basin, considering the baseline and projected socio-economic and climatic conditions by coupling of SWAT and WEAP models. The obtained results reveal that the annual flow in the CRB is projected to slightly de-crease (2.5%) in which the reduction in the rainy season (3.1%) is higher than that in the dry sea-son (1.3%). Total water demand in the baseline scenario is around 1.194 billion m3, dominated by agriculture (96%), with rice crop requiring nearly half. For the future scenario of 2050, the study shows a 16.6% surge in demand to 1.394 billion m3, driven by climate change and agricultural expansion. However, domestic use decreases by 10% due to population reduction. Water deficit in the future is projected to increase by 52% from 172.4 to 262.7 million m3 due to rising water demand and declining water supply. This study shows that integrating a hydrological model into a water allocation model is a promising approach to estimate the water supply, demand and balance, which is a crucial component of water resources management.

Firefighters Protective Clothing consist of several layers of different properties and functions. The layers create barriers against dangerous outer factor. However, they are also barriers to transport of sweat produced by human organism. It causes that very often sweat in the form of vapor is not transferred effectively from the human organism through the FPC to environment. This leads to sweat condensation on the skin of the FPC user causing his discomfort. In order to ensure as good as possible physiological comfort of firefighter while firefighting and other rescue actions it is necessary to take into consideration the transport of condensed sweat in the multilayer textile set creating the FPC. In the presented work four variants of multilayer textile sets for the FPC have been tested in the aspect of liquid moisture transport. Measurement was performed by means of the Moisture Management Tester (MMT290) – innovative instrument manufactured by the SDL Atlas. Obtained results showed that the transfer of sweat in liquid form occurs only in the inner, next to skin layer of the multilayer sets for the FPC.

This research explores and analyzes the challenges and opportunities due to globalization's impact on sustainable strategic management. The research uses a mixed-method design, combining primary and secondary data collection methods. Secondary data is sourced from various credible publications and analyzed through an extensive literature review. A case study approach is adopted, involving semi-structured interviews with six experienced managers from Tazweed Venture Capital in Jordan. The study employs a qualitative, descriptive, and analytical approach to develop a conceptual framework by exploring managers' experiences and perspectives on Globalization and its impact on Sustainable Strategic Management. The findings identify challenges of environmental degradation, economic inequality, transportation and logistics pressures, and compliance challenges for sustainability. While implementing sustainable practices incurs upfront costs, accessing renewable energy markets and financial support presents opportunities. Tazweed successfully implements sustainable strategic management, emphasizing stakeholder engagement and collaboration across departments. This research offers valuable insights and guidance for companies navigating globalization's impact on sustainability strategic management.

This study investigates the impact of climate change on the efficiency of organic honey production in Türkiye using a machine learning approach. The eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm is employed for the Machine Learning (ML) modelling. The analysis includes data on organic honey production performance from 2004 to 2023, spanning a period of 20 years, and 8 different climate variables (16 variables depending on daytime and nighttime values). The dataset created to investigate the impact of climate change on organic honey yield comprises 28 columns and 120,960 rows. The study aimed to determine the significance of different climatic variables on the efficiency of organic honey production. The study found that, in addition to daytime solar radiation and temperature, wind speed and direction were also important factors. The sensitivity analysis has shown that minor alterations in the variables have a significant impact on the model's predictions. Additionally, non-linear relationships between the variables and honey production were identified. These findings suggest that it may be beneficial to consider implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies in agricultural policies and beekeeping practices. The study suggests that machine learning has the potential to provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between climate change and agricultural production. This could aid in the sustainability and economic optimization of the sector.

Continuous discovery and update of applications or their boundaries running in cloud environments in an automatic way is a highly required function of modern data center ops solutions. Prior attempts to address this problem within various products or projects were/are applying rule-driven approaches or machine learning techniques on specific types of data − network traffic as well as property/configuration data of infrastructure objects, which all have their drawbacks in effectively identifying roles of those resources. The current proposal (ADLog) leverages log data of sources, which contain incomparably richer contextual information, and native constructs of VMware Aria Operations for Logs in terms of Event Types and their distributions to group those entities, potentially automatically enrich with indicative tags, and recommend for further management tasks and policies. Our methods discriminate not only diverse kinds of applications, but also their specific deployments thus providing hierarchical representation of the applications in time and topology. For several applications under Aria Ops management in our experimental test bed, we discover those in terms of similarity behavior of their components with a high accuracy. The validation of the proposal paves the path for an AI-driven solution in the cloud management scenarios.

Objective: Diabetes disproportionately affects African Americans leading to higher morbidity and mortality. This study explores the experiences of African Americans adults who successfully self-manage their type 2 diabetes (called Peer Ambassadors) and provided phone-based peer support in a 6-month culturally tailored diabetes self-management program for African Americans guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills model. Design: A group discussion using a semi-structured discussion guide was conducted. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify the facilitators and barriers to completing the role of a Peer Ambassador, and to develop strategies for overcoming possible challenges in the future. Setting: Key informant discussions were conducted in a community location to gain insights into Ambassadors’ motivations and challenges in delivering peer support. Participants: Three Peer Ambassadors completed ethics training, peer mentor training and received a phone call guide before providing support to their peers. Results: There were four core themes related to Peer Ambassador experiences: (1) Motivation to be a Peer Ambassador, (2) Program elements that supported Peer Ambassador role, (3) Key elements of achieving engagement, and (4) Challenges related to being a Peer Ambassador. Conclusions: This study showed Peer Ambassadors in a culturally tailored peer-supported self-management program found fulfillment in sharing experiences and supporting peers. They highly valued educational group sessions for knowledge updates and sustaining their health-related goals, suggesting the potential benefits of recognizing milestones or providing advanced training for future program sustainability. Findings suggest the importance of recruiting motivated patients and providing effective facilitation for peer support roles, including addressing barriers such as time commitment and lack of socialization opportunities.

Abstract: Lung cancer, characterized by its heterogeneity, presents a significant challenge in ther-apeutic management, primarily due to the development of resistance to conventional drugs. This resistance is often compounded by the tumour’s ability to reprogram its metabolic pathways, a survival strategy that enables cancer cells to thrive in adverse conditions. This review article ex-plores the complex link between drug resistance and metabolic reprogramming in lung cancer, offering a detailed analysis of the molecular mechanisms and treatment strategies. It emphasizes the interplay between drug resistance and changes in metabolic pathways, crucial for developing effective lung cancer therapies. The review examines the impact of current treatments on metabolic pathways and the significance of considering metabolic factors to combat drug resistance. It highlights the different challenges and metabolic alterations in non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, underlining the need for subtype-specific treatments. Key signalling pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK, and AMPK, have been discussed for their roles in promoting drug resistance and metabolic changes, alongside the complex regulatory networks involved. The article evaluates emerging treatments targeting metabolism, such as metabolic inhibitors, dietary management, and combination therapies, assessing their potential and challenges. It concludes with insights into the role of precision medicine and metabolic biomarkers in crafting personalized lung cancer treatments, advocating for metabolic targeting as a promising approach to enhance treatment efficacy and overcome drug resistance. The review underscores ongoing advancements and hurdles in integrating metabolic considerations into lung cancer therapy strategies.

Studies on social media (SM) and disaster management (DM) have mainly focused on the adap-tation, application and use of SM in each stage of DM. With the widespread availability and use of SM, the effective utilisation of SM in DM is impeded by various challenges, but not yet com-prehensively researched. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the challenges, as well as the strategies to overcome the challenges and categorises them into a classified model. The study adopts a systematic literature review to present and analyse the challenges and strategies for us-ing SM in DM. Utilising prominent databases, 72 publications were carefully selected and ana-lysed qualitatively using content analysis. The findings revealed four key challenges to its users: spread of misinformation; insufficient human resources to manage SM use; lack of trust in infor-mation and authorities; and, poor information quality and content of messages. The study identi-fied several strategies to overcome challenges, which can be classified into three sectors of the SM community: individuals, organisations, and SM companies. These findings contribute to enhanc-ing the effective utilisation of SM in DM by community practitioners. Furthermore, this study provides insight into the current status of knowledge and identifies the research gaps around SM in DM for future research.

This research delves into a detailed exploration of the thermal decomposition behavior of bio-based polymers, specifically Thermoplastic Starch (TPS) and Poly(lactic acid) (PLA). The study focuses on the impact of three different heating rates under a nitrogen atmosphere, providing comprehensive insights into the thermal stability of these eco-friendly polymers. In particular, the TPS kinetic model is examined, encompassing the decomposition of three distinct fractions. In contrast, PLA exhibits a simplified kinetic behavior requiring only a fraction described by a zero-order model. The kinetic study involves a systematic investigation into the individual contributions of key components within TPS, including starch, glycerin, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). This nuanced analysis contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the thermal degradation process of TPS and PLA, enabling the optimization of processing conditions and the prediction of material behavior across varying thermal environments. Furthermore, the incorporation of different starch sources and calcium carbonate additives in TPS enhances our understanding of the polymer's thermal stability, offering insights into potential applications in diverse industries.

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.

Background: Early postoperative airway management after laryngo-tracheal surgery is crucial. Acute respiratory failure due to glottis’ oedema may occur, requiring reintubation. This can prolong ventilatory assistance, jeopardizing the anastomosis. To date, only judicious steroid administration and fluid management are available to avoid more invasive procedures. High-Flow-Oxygen-Therapy(HFOT) is a noninvasive O2 support method providing humidification, warmed air, Positive-End-Expiratory-Pressure(AIRVO2). No data exist about HFOT use to prevent early complications after laryngo-tracheal surgery. Methods: Between Sept.2020-Sept.2022, 107 consecutive patients underwent laryngo-tracheal surgery received HFOT(Group A). Data and long-term results were compared with those of 80 patients operated between Sept.2018-Aug.2020(Group B), when HFOT was not available. All patients were operated in a single center. No pre- or post-operative settings changed, except for HFOT introduction. We analyzed and compared the risk for “delayed” reintubation (unexpected reintubation within the first 24-48 hours after extubating/laryngeal mask removal) in the two groups. Results: No patients reported HFOT-related adverse events. Control group(B) presented “delayed” reintubation in 37% (p= 0.027), Intensive Care Unit admission in 67%(p=0.005) and longer hospital stay(p=0.001) compared to HFOT group(A). Minor complications rate was 3% in both group and overall mortality was 0%. Re-stenosis was described in 4.6% of HFOT group, without a statistically significant difference (p=0.7006). Conclusions: Our study is the first to investigate HFOT use in patients undergoing laryngo-tracheal surgery, potentially representing a consistent innovation in the peri-operative management of these patients. With the limit of a retrospective series, we would suggest HFOT use for preventing post-operative reintubation rate, possibly reducing ICU admission and hospital stay.

Managing a portfolio whose value closely tracks an index by trading only in a subset of the index constituents involves an NP-hard optimisation problem. In the prior literature, it has been suggested to solve this problem using sequential Monte Carlo (SMC, a.k.a. particle filter) methods. However, this literature does not take transaction costs into account, although transaction costs are the primary motivation for attempting to replicate the index by trading in a subset, rather than the full set of index constituents. This paper extends the SMC approach to index tracking to allow for proportional transaction costs and implements this extended method on empirical data for a variety stock indices. In addition to providing a more practically useful tracking strategy by allowing for transaction costs, we find that including a penalty for transaction costs in the optimisation objective can actually lead to better tracking performance.

This study investigates the historical variability in annual average precipitation in the northwest region of Mexico, aiming to evaluate the cumulative impact of precipitation on soil degradation and associated risks posed by rainfall. Despite being known as "The Agricultural Heart of Mexico," the region's soil has experienced significant damage to its granulometric structure due to unpredictable rainfall patterns attributed to climate change. Sixteen historical series of average annual rainfall were analyzed as stationary stochastic processes for spectral analysis. The results revealed exponential decay curves in each radial spectrum, indicating a linear relationship between frequency and amplitude. These curves identified initial impulses correlated with moments of severity for structural damages caused by rainfall-induced degradation. The degradation process, exacerbated by water stress, accelerates, as evidenced by maps illustrating approximately 75% soil damage. In the context of climate change and the uncertainty surrounding soil responses to extreme meteorological events, understanding this phenomenon becomes crucial. Recognizing the dynamic nature of soil responses to environmental stressors is essential for effective soil management. Emphasizing the need to employ numerical processes tailored to new environmental considerations related to observed soil damages is crucial for sustainable soil management practices in any region.

Background: Assessing the impact of bone health clinical management in breast cancer (BC) patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy and designing a personalized clinical pathway to reduce bone loss, in an Italian research hospital. Methods: The primary endpoint was to assess (through the process improvement organizational method) the clinical pathway that post-surgical BC patients prescribed with endocrine therapy undergo to prevent bone loss. The secondary endpoint was to design a personalized clinical pathway for a prompt implementation of guidelines, to assess and possibly prescribe antiresorptive therapy. Results: During the first year of the new diagnostic therapeutic assistance pathway execution, an 60% increase in Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry evaluations within 30 days and a 39.5% increase in antiresorptive therapy prescription within 90 days (since prescription of endocrine therapy) were shown, thus increasing patients’ compliance. Conclusion: Case managers and bone health specialists in this context can improve patients’ adherence to therapies and bone health, helping physicians to expand their collaboration.

Background: The adoption of self-care behaviors among patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) is essential for the management of their health condition. However, there is a lack of tools for estimating self-care in CHF patients. We aim to develop and validate the Hippocratic heart failure self-care scale (HHFSCS). Methods: the scale includes 22 items which are reviewed by a committee of experts. Individuals indicate the frequency at which they follow each self-behavior on a five-point Likert scale. Adult patients with CHF (n=250) from a General Hospital, in Athens, were participated in the study from June 2020 to March 2021. Reliability coefficients and Explanatory Factor Analysis (EFA), using a Varimax rotation and the Principal Components Method were used to assess the psychometric measurements. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the HHFSCS was 0.807. The exploratory factor analysis identified two domains that accounted for 88.44% of the variance of the scale items; however, each sub-scale could not be used as an independent scale. Finally, the test-retest showed a significant strong correlation (r=0.973, p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: The HHFSCS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing self-behaviors in CHF patients. Health professionals can use it in their clinical practice to improve the management of patient’s health conditions.

With the growing trend of urbanization and the growing number of people migrating to cities, the demand for the development and construction of new buildings as well as the infrastructure has risen, meaning that the construction industry must adapt to the trends. The growing demands with shorter deadlines for an industry already known for high costs and not delivering on time means that productivity must be increased without increasing the cost. The solution for this might lie in the application of the Lean philosophy to the construction industry. This paper analyses the application of the Lean philosophy in order to increase the productivity in the airport construction site. The paper highlights the potential for enhancing productivity in construction workplaces by concurrently fostering continuous improvement and sustainability through the implementation of the A3 methodology and Lean principles, resulting in waste reduction and increased value.

Analytical data platform have been used for decades for improving the organizational performance. Starting from the data warehouses used primarily for structured data processing, through the data lakes oriented for raw data storage and post-hoc data analyses, to the data lakehouses − a combination of raw storage and business intelligence pre-processing for improving the platform efficacy. But in recent years a new architecture called Data Mesh has emerged. The main promise of this architecture is to remove the barriers between operational and analytical teams in order to boost the overall value extraction from the big data. A number of attempts has been made to formalise and to implement it in existing projects. Although being defined as a socio-technical paradigm, data mesh still lacks the technology support for enabling its widespread adoption. To overcome this limitation, we propose a new view of the platform requirements alongside the formal governance definition that we believe can help in successful adoption of the data mesh. It is based on fundamental aspects such as decentralized data domains and federated computational governance. In addition, we also present a blockchain-based implementation of a mesh platform as a practical validation to our theoretical proposal. Overall, this article demonstrates a novel research direction of the information system decentralization technologies.

The analysis presented is based on actual GHU energy demand. The special feature of this load is the existence of strong daily fluctuations in energy consumption, especially during the summer months. This study presents a methodology for managing such loads with the main objective of maximizing the operating efficiency of MG.

In agriculture, the intricate relationship between innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship is underexplored. Despite the widely recognised role of innovation in driving productivity, concrete indicators and comprehensive farm-level studies are lacking. This research aims to unravel this complexity by exploring the impact of innovation, specifically in agricultural entrepreneurship, on transformative changes in farm productivity. Using a two-stage analysis with the Malmquist Index (MI) of total factor productivity (TFP) on cereal farms from the Farm Business Survey (FBS) over 11 years, the study identifies innovators and, it assesses changes in productivity, technical efficiency, and economic efficiency. The second stage decomposes the MI to understand factors enabling innovation, including changes in technology scale. Objectives include a literature review to map innovation variables, integrating FBS data for validation and assessing productivity impacts from asset enhancements and changes in farming scale. Results reveal significant productivity variation and a moderate overall improvement. Future research directions emphasize expanded data collection on managerial behaviours and technology investments' role in efficiency frontier shifts. The study concludes by emphasising nuanced agricultural policies that leverage farmers' knowledge for innovation through enhanced management efficiency. It advocates for a departure from the 'bigger is better' mentality, proposing educational programs and support services to encourage informed decision-making. This forward-looking approach aims to inform future policies and enhance understanding of the intricate dynamics between agricultural innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship.

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells have emerged as a viable alternative energy production source for stationary and transportation applications. Reliable and sustainable fuel cell operation requires effective water management. Membrane water content can vary along the stack during transients which can lead to losses in fuel cell performance. To control these variations a model that predicts the internal humidity dynamics of the stack is needed. In this study, a control-oriented model for predicting membrane water content variation was developed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulink. A lumped parameter model was initially developed and then further discretized into smaller control volumes to track humidity distribution along the stack. To validate the model’s predictions, the predicted results were compared to computer simulation results from GT-Suite. The root mean square error (RMSE) between the model’s prediction and GT-Suite’s simulation results was found to be within 1.5 membrane water content for all cases, demonstrating the model’s capability to capture the variation of membrane water content along the stack. The developed model will be useful for real-time control of membrane water content variation in PEM fuel cells.

This research investigates the impact of social media monitoring on Online Reputation Management (ORM) within Zimbabwe’s life assurance industry. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through questionnaires from 464 participants, yielding a response rate of 92.8%. Ethical considerations were meticulously addressed, with informed consent and confidentiality safeguards. Data analysis involved organizational and statistical techniques, including Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) for theoretical exploration. Descriptive statistics unveiled demographic insights and patterns in social media platform usage. Internal consistency assessments, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) informed the refinement of research instruments. The SEM analysis established significant relationships and moderation effects, providing empirical support for several hypotheses. Findings indicate that employees’ attitudes toward social media monitoring positively influence ORM, while perceived behavioural control exhibits a non-significant impact. Intriguingly, management commitment, though positively related to ORM, moderates the relationship with a negative effect. The study contributes to the understanding of ORM determinants, emphasizing the need for nuanced strategies considering both individual and organizational factors. The recommendations underscore the importance of management commitment and employee training for effective social media utilization. Future research avenues include exploring training interventions, delving into the dynamics of perceived behavioural control, and investigating emerging social media platforms’ impact on ORM.

The goal was to assess dental students' perception of digital technologies after participating in a CAD/CAM exercise for scanning, designing, and manufacturing computer-aided provisional fixed dental restorations. A survey was conducted among second-year dental students (pre-D2 and post-D2), first- (D1, negative control), third-, and fourth-year dental students (D3 and D4, positive controls). Only OSU College of Dentistry students who completed the activity and completed the surveys were included. Seven questions were rated, which evaluated changes in knowledge, skill, interest, the importance of technology availability in an office, patients' perception of technology, the importance of having the technology, and the expected frequency of clinics utilizing the technology. Statistical analysis was performed with a significance level of 0.05. A total of 74 pre-D2 and 77 post-D2 questionnaires were completed. Additionally, 63 D1, 43 D3, and 39 D4 responded to the survey. Significant differences were found for "knowledge" and "skill" between pre-D2 and post-D2, and pre-D2 and control groups (p<0.001). There was a significant difference between post-D2 and all controls for “interest” (p=0.0127) and on practice preference for technology availability (p<0.05). There were significant results between post-D2 and all controls regarding the importance of technology availability in an office (p<0.001) and the expected frequency of clinics utilizing the technology (p=0.01). No significance was found for "patient's value of technology" and "the importance of having the technology". The presence of technology in the practice and educational academic environments significantly improved students’ interest and perception of knowledge and skill.

The use of biostimulants consisting of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is rapidly expanding in horticulture in recent years. In the current study, a novel mix of six Bacillus sp. strains was tested as a PGPR biostimulant in two experiments with zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) cultivated in the greenhouse soil and in an open field, respectively. In both experiments, seeds of the local landrace ‘Kompokolokytho’ and the commercial hybrid ‘ARO-800’ were either inoculated or non-inoculated with the PGPR biostimulant. The application of the six Bacillus sp. strains increased both the vegetative growth and the yield of zucchini squash, and these effects were associated with significantly higher shoot phosphorus levels in both experiments and both genotypes. Furthermore, at the end of the cultivation, the colony forming units of Bacillus sp. were appreciably higher in plants originating from inoculated compared to non-inoculated seeds, indicating that the tested mix of Bacillus sp can be successfully applied through seed inoculation. ‘ARO-800’ produced more vegetative and fruit biomass than ‘kompokolokytho’ under greenhouse cropping conditions, while in the open-field crop both genotypes performed equally, presumably because the local landrace is traditionally grown in open fields, and thus it is not well adapted to greenhouse cropping.

Ankle sprains are exceedingly common injuries in both athletes and general population. They account for 10 to 30% of all sports injuries. Although the vast majority of lateral ankle ligamentous injuries respond successfully to conservative management, the absolute number of those that progress to chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) remains considerably important. This condition is characterized by persistent symptoms and may be associated with short-term and long-term complications and functional deficits. There is still a lack of ideal postoperative management of CLAI patients. Furthermore, an evidence-based rehabilitation phasing does not exist and most of the published studies regarding this subject suggest some protocols based on a wide variety of functional assessment scores and other modalities which are not accurate enough. Moreover, the literature that assesses the ability to return to work (RTW) and return to sport (RTS) in general population and athletes operated for CLAI shows most commonly aggregated results with global rates of RTW or RTS without describing a detailed timeline based on the readiness of patients to return to each level of activity. Although stress radiographs and MRI have been assessed as potential tools to improve postoperative management of CLAI patients, the first modality is limited by its low sensitivity to detect laxity and the second one by its static character and its inability to predict the healing process phase nor the mechanical properties of the repaired/reconstructed ligaments. Bioelectrical impedance, mechanical impedance and near-infrared spectroscopy are non-invasive methods of measurement that could be potential assessment tools to help surgeons improve the postoperative management of patients after CLAI surgery.

Precision agriculture including camera-guided row detection and hydraulic steering are often used as an alternative because crop damage can be decreased and driving speed can be increased comparable to herbicide applications.The effects of different approaches as uncontrolled (UC), mechanical weed control (MWC), herbicide weed control (HWC) and mechanical + herbicide control (MWC+HWC) on weed density and yield of sugar beet were tested and evaluated in two trials (2021 and 2022) in South Transylvania at the tested intervals BBCH 19 and 31. Weed control efficacy (WCE) depends on the emergence of the weeds and a good timing of weed controls in all the trials and methods, though the highest yield of sugar beet roots was recorded in the treatment MWC+HWC, with an increase up to 12-15% (56.48 t ha-1) yield from HWC (50.22 t ha-1) and a yield increase of more than 35- 40% than MWC (42.34 t ha-1). Our trials show that is possible to increase yield and have less chemical applications with the introduction of the new precision technologies in agriculture included here the sensor-guided mechanical controls.

For a long-only active equity manager (or investor), the ability to hedge the downside risk before a significant price correction is a valuable skill. The authors proposed constructing a signal that provides timing information for a manager to hedge the downside risk. This systematic signal can help a manager put on a hedge before the price corrections of the dot com bubble in 2000 and the global financial crisis in 2008. The signal is constructed for each GICS sector index in the S&P 500. When a sector’s PE indicates a high valuation and, at the same time, if the high valuation sector’s correlations with some other sectors are out of their historical norm, then these two conditions contribute a timing signal for the significant price swing of the index during the following six months. After observing the timing signal, managers can benefit significantly by hedging the downside risk. The signal can also be interpreted as the beginning of a high volatility regime for a sector.

Forest management aims to preserve ecosystem integrity, maintaining resilience thresholds. For this, conservation and invasion patterns must be determined in managed landscapes. The objective was to identify proxies (landscape and environmental patterns) that allowed the plant species invasion and define thresholds of human impacts to improve management practices. We also want to identify indicator species for the different kinds of impacts and environments. 165 plots were measured in Nothofagus antarctica forests and associated open-lands (dry and wet grasslands) in Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). We found differences in the studied variables across landscape and among different uses and impact types. Human impacts influenced over land types, emphasizing the importance of managing intensities. Indicator plant species allowed to identify potential ecological thresholds related to human impacts and the establishment of species linked to ecological and economic degradation, e.g. Bolax gummifera and Azorella trifurcata were associated with high grazing pressure in grasslands and fire in forested areas, while Rumex acetosella and Achillea millefolium, typically associated with forested areas, were related to high harvesting pressure and fire impacts. These findings contribute to understanding the long-term effects of some impacts, and allow us to define variables of monitoring and indicator species for each impact type.

Carsharing has become increasingly popular in recent years as a sustainable transportation solution, offering individuals access to shared vehicles on a short-term basis. One-way carsharing, in particular, presents unique challenges due to its flexible nature, allowing users to pick up and drop off vehicles at different locations within a designated service area. This flexibility increases the service ridership but comes at the expense of vehicle imbalance among the stations, as some stations may have excess vehicles while other stations have vehicle shortages. Therefore, carsharing companies need to decide on strategies to ensure a balanced distribution of vehicles among the stations. This is essential as unbalanced vehicle distribution can lead to the unavailability of vehicles when needed or, conversely, result in an increased number of unnecessary rebalancing trips, thereby exacerbating traffic congestion and environmental pollution. Such issues can potentially undermine the overall contribution of carsharing to urban sustainability. To this end, this paper reviews the vehicle imbalance problem that arises in this field and the solution algorithms that solve them.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The main issue is the absence of a screening test available in clinical practice; the identification of non-invasive biomarkers is thus an urgent clinical necessity. Currently, low-dose computed tomography (LD-CT) demonstrates a 20% reduction of lung cancer mortality. However, it is not particularly suitable for clinical practice because of the costs, radiation, and the false positive rate. Several studies have therefore focused on research into biomarkers in body fluids. Despite the power of certain molecules to distinguish lung cancer patients from healthy subjects, no biomarker has yet been shown to significantly and reliably influence clinical decisions or to be translated from the laboratory to clinical practice. We performed an overview of the peer-reviewed biomedical literature published in the last 10 years on the research regarding biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer via a comprehensive analysis of the reviews published this past year. Our main aim was to bring to light the limitations and strengths of the research already conducted. Furthermore, future prospectives have been explored, bearing in mind the management of clinical trials and their integration into clinical practice.

Japanese plums form part of a multi-billion rand deciduous fruit industry in South Africa. Despite this, there is a paucity of knowledge on the seasonal water requirements of plum orchards. In a time of changing climatic conditions and diminishing water resources, this gap in literature poses an imminent threat to the long-term sustainability and global competitiveness of the South African plum industry. Therefore, this paper aimed to provide a review of the available literature on the crop water requirements of full-bearing well-irrigated Japanese plum orchards for improved agricultural water management. Full-year water requirements for well-watered full-bearing Japanese orchards ranged between 921 and 1 211 mm a-1 with a mean value of 1 084 ±140 mm a-1. Canopy growth and pruning appeared to be the most common causes of differences in water requirement estimates. Growing season length also plays a role with late-season maturing orchards having higher water requirements than their early and mid-maturing counterparts. The knowledge review provided benchmark figures for the annual water requirements of Japanese plums. However further research is required to determine the water requirement of plums from planting to full-bearing age and the response of plum trees to water stress, in a South African context.

The sustainable management of public hospitals is usually threatened by long-period operating deficit, especially during the pandemic of COVID-19. This study aims at quantitatively decomposing the historical changes in the annual operating costs of public hospitals in Japan to identify the main driving forces responsible for a worsening imbalance between operating costs and income over the past two decades. A dataset of the annual operating costs of public hospitals in Japan is compiled, in which influencing factors are redefined to make the data amenable to the application of a decomposition method referred to as the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI). Using the LMDI method, the contribution of each influencing factor to the changes in public hospital operating costs was quantitatively determined. The results indicate an overall positive effect arising out of the national reform of public hospitals that aimed to reduce the operating costs of these institutions, but the rapid increase in the prices of medicines in recent years made a major contribution to the increasing operating costs. The pandemic reveals a damage on public hospitals’ financial balance but the city-wide lockdown offset part of the increased medical expense. Both long-term and short-term pricing policies are required for the sustainable management of public hospitals.

The modern civil engineering and construction sector requires collaborative work environments, learning and trust among all parties involved, qualities that are absent in the Peruvian reality. This research, which is based on an extensive literature review, investigates this challenge. The study reflects upon (i) the current situation of public works procurement in Peru and (ii) the New Engineering Contract (NEC). Comparisons are presented between the characteristics, documentation and roles of these two systems, with the purpose of understanding and representing the advantages, disadvantages and possibilities of integrating tools of NEC4 Engineering and Construction Contract to the Peruvian State Contracting Law (Ley de Contrataciones del Estado: LCE). The research is validated through the case study of a high impact road infrastructure project in the city of Arequipa, Peru; which revealed five main negative impacts on good contractual management and, also, facilitated an initial assessment of challenges and improvement opportunities in public infrastructure procurement. Thus, contribution is made to closing the knowledge gap regarding the implementation of NEC4 ECC in public sector works.

This study explores the potential of data science software solutions like Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM) for increasing the revenue generation of businesses. We focused on those businesses in Accommodation and Food Service sector across the European Union (EU). The investigation is contextualized within the rising trend of data-driven decision making, examining the potential correlation between data science application and business revenue. Employing a comprehensive evaluation of Eurostat datasets from 2014 to 2021, we used both univariate and multivariate analyses, we assessed e-commerce sales data across countries, focusing on the usage of big data and CRM tools. Big data utilization showed a clear, positive relationship with enhanced e-commerce sales. However, CRM tools exhibited a dualistic impact: while their use in marketing showed no significant effect on sales, their application in non-marketing functions had a negative correlation. These findings underscore the potential role of CRM and data science solutions in enhancing business performance in the EU's Accommodation and Food Service industry.

Syphilis continues to be a significant global health concern, and understanding the latest advancements in immunology and pharmacological treatment is crucial for effective disease management. This review article provides an in-depth exploration of these advancements, aiming to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on syphilis research. The epidemiology of syphilis sets the stage for this review, highlighting the persistent burden of the disease worldwide. Current trends and challenges in disease control are discussed, shedding light on the need for comprehensive prevention strategies and improved surveillance systems. The immunological aspects of syphilis are the focus of this review. The intricate interplay between the host immune response and the evasive strategies employed by Treponema pallidum, the causative agent of syphilis, are explored. These include the mechanisms of immune evasion, the role of adaptive and innate immunity, and the development of immune-mediated tissue damage. The article also highlights advancements in diagnostic methods, with emphasis on the importance of accurate and timely detection. From traditional serological tests to the emergence of novel molecular and point-of-care assays, these developments have significantly improved the efficiency and accuracy of syphilis diagnosis. In terms of pharmacological treatment, the review covers the current recommendations and emerging strategies for managing syphilis infections. The challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance are addressed, emphasizing the importance of appropriate treatment regimens and close monitoring of therapeutic efficacy. Looking to the future, this review highlights the potential of vaccine development as a preventive measure against syphilis. Promising vaccine candidates and ongoing research efforts are discussed, offering hope for an effective means of disease prevention. In conclusion, this comprehensive review explores the advancements in syphilis research, from the understanding of immunological complexities to the development of innovative treatment strategies. By collectively advancing our knowledge, we can strive towards better disease management and minimize the impact of syphilis on global public health.

The physicochemical treatment/recovery techniques, including precipitation, membrane technology, solvent extraction, foam fractionation, adsorption, and aqueous two-phase systems, will be reviewed. The bio-treatment processes, based on microorganisms and/or enzymes consuming nutrients available in food-processing wastewater as low-cost substrates to produce valuable products, will be discussed in detail, including the production of microalga biomass in wastewater treatment systems. Finally, future research direction will be proposed to integrate the circular economy and develop integrated food processing wastewater management systems.

Since 2017, a fishing moratorium has been enforced in Lake Honghu as part of Chang-Jiang’s biodiversity conservation strategy. However, given that the lake is a semi-closed aquatic ecosystem, and no longer serves as a habitat for certain fishes of the mid-lower Chang-Jiang basin, the efficacy of this moratorium remains uncertain. To address the question from a trophic ecology perspective, a stomach content analysis was performed on captured anchovies C. brachygnathus, a current predominant species in Lake Honghu, from November 2020 to October 2021. Results showed that copepods, shrimps, and macrophytes were the main components of this anchovy's diet, and had size-related shifts in diets. The dominance of C. brachygnathus, a pelagic-littoral omnivore in this lake, implies a lacustrine environment shift triggered by continued human disturbances. The utilization of macrophytes as the main food items by large-sized anchovies of Lake Honghu partially contributed to the rapid degradation of submerged vegetation. This highlights the need to remove large-sized individuals of C. brachygnathus and Carassius auratus, another benthic-omnivorous dominant fish, in order to effectively restore the aquatic vegetation and ecosystem of Lake Honghu. The current implementation of fishing moratoriums in subtropical shallow floodplain lakes such as Lake Honghu should be reviewed critically.

The paper addresses the ongoing and continuous interest in photovoltaic energy systems (PESs). In this context, the study focuses on an isolated photovoltaic system with hybrid bat-tery-supercapacitor storage (HBSS). The integration of supercapacitors (SCs) in this system is of particular importance because of their high specific power density. In photovoltaic (PV) systems, multi-storage systems use two or more energy storage technologies to enhance system perfor-mance and flexibility. When batteries and supercapacitors are combined in a PV system, their benefits are maximized and offer a more reliable, efficient, and cost-effective energy storage op-tion. In addition, effective multi-storage power management in a PV system needs a solid grasp of the energy storage technologies, load power demand profiles, and the whole system architecture. In this work, battery-supercapacitor storage system (HBSS) is established by combining batteries and supercapacitors. The primary objective is to devise a novel management algorithm that ef-fectively controls the different power sources. The algorithm's purpose is to regulate the charge and discharge cycles of the HBSS, ensuring that the state of charge (SOC) of both batteries and supercapacitors remains within the desired range. The proposed management algorithm is de-signed to be simple, efficient, and light on computational resources. It efficiently handles the energy flow within the HBSS, optimizing the usage of both batteries and supercapacitors based on real-time conditions and energy demands. By maintaining the SOC of these energy storage components within the specified limits, the proposed method ensures their longevity and max-imizes their performance. Simulation results obtained from applying the management strategy are found to be satisfactory. These results show that the proposed algorithm maintains the SOC of batteries and supercapacitors within the desired range, leading to improved energy management and enhanced system efficiency.

Manufacturing is a significant sector of the economy in many nations and is frequently regarded as an engine of economic expansion, particularly in developing nations. Despite its importance, the metal sector is seen as unsafe due to frequent and high accident rates as well as worker health issues. Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to create a safety model with the goal of development in occupational safety and health in order to reduce workplace injuries, diseases, and deaths in the Akaki Basic Metal Industry. The hypothesized model was developed and tested on a sample 215 respondents who worked for production businesses. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 was used to enter and analyze the acquired data, and the Analysis Moment of Structure (AMOS) version 21 software was used to build the model. Through the use of structural equation modeling (SEM) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), research models were examined and confirmed. A good-fit structural model (PCLOSE=0.001, Goodness of Fit Index=0.971, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation=0.121, Comparative Fit Index=0.986 and TLI =0.906) indicated that Safety culture, safety police and safety climate constructs direct influence on firm productivity. The new structural model can be used to provide better understanding of the links between firm productivity indicators and contributing components, and make stronger recommendations for effective intervention in construction projects

Big data technologies are disruptive technologies that affect every business, including those in the construction industry. The Thai government has also been affected, and attempted to use machine learning techniques with the analytics of big data technologies to predict which construction projects have a winning price over the project budget. However, this technology was never developed, and the government did not implement it because they had data obtained via a traditional data collection process. In this study, traditional data were processed to predict behavior in Thai government construction projects using a machine learning model. The data were collected from the government procurement system in 2019. There were seven input data, including project owner department, type of construction project, bidding method, project duration, project level, winning price over estimated price, and winning price over budget. A range of classification techniques, including an artificial neural network (ANN), a decision tree (DC), and K-nearest neighbor (KNN), were used in this study (ANN). According to the results, after hyperparameter tuning, ANN had the greatest prediction accuracy with 78.9 percent. This study confirms that data from the Thai government procurement system can be investigated using machine learning techniques from big data technologies.

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the higher education sector in South Africa. However, academics and students’ preparedness and competencies have been considered a major conundrum concerning the integration of online learning in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to examine the academics’ perspectives on a blend of a metaverse in the higher education sector in the post-COVID-19 era at one of the South African rural-based universities. A survey was administered in 2022 to ten (10) academics and the reports were consulted from four (4) E-learning practitioners to solicit their perceptions regarding the use of online learning and contact classes in the post-pandemic era. A qualitative research approach was employed to comprehend the challenges encountered in a historically disadvantaged rural-based university in Limpopo Province. The findings of this study show that there are major issues and challenges impeding the establishment of effective e-learning education. Consequently, technological continuity as a new normal in the post-COVID-19 era appears to be unattainable due to the challenges encountered by the students and lecturers. The use of Learning Management Systems among academics seems to have deteriorated due to the adjustments in COVID-19 rules and regulations. Furthermore, the findings revealed that most academics believed that contact learning remains irreplaceable throughout generations and ages as some are technophilic. This paper recommends that the incompetence and technological resistance and reluctance in adopting transformative pedagogies may not be used as a stumbling block to consider e-learning as a viable option to discontinue online education.

This paper presents the development of a housing information system application using the Agile development method. The rapid development of information technology has necessitated the use of systems in various fields for efficient administration and data processing. However, traditional soft- ware development approaches are time-consuming and may not meet user requirements. The Agile methodology, with its flexible and iterative approach, addresses these challenges by focusing on delivering a functional system quickly. In this study, credit scoring and background related to housing information systems are examined, along with an overview of related work in Agile software development methodologies. The methods used in developing the housing information system application are explained, including the Agile development process and the stages involved. The results show that the Agile development method effectively produces user-friendly and functional housing information system applications. The system provides a simple and intuitive interface that facilitates easy navigation and access to information. Overall, the Agile development method is a valuable approach for software development to meet evolving user needs.

Advances in technology and information systems have had a major impact on people's lives and activities. Smartphone use plays an important role in many areas, including housing governance. One of the problems faced by housing administrators is administrative management, which is still manual. To overcome this, it is proposed to use a web-based application. A literature study was conducted to support the development of this application. Data collection through interviews and observations was carried out to obtain system requirements. The Agile Scrum method is used in making applications. These applications have non-functional requirements such as security, availability, performance, usability, and compatibility. Implementation using PHP and MySQL. Testing is done to ensure the application functions properly. This application allows administrators to manage citizen data, payment of contributions, billing, and print financial reports. Residents can upload proof of transfer and print proof of payment. It is hoped that this application will facilitate housing administration, improve the quality of life in the community, and create a better housing environment.

Social network analysis is extensively employed for the examination of relationships and networks among actors across diverse disciplines and thematic research domains. Nevertheless, the utilization of this approach in agriculture and natural resources, particularly pertaining to watershed management, has been relatively limited. The objective of this study is to conduct an analysis of the social interaction and networks of Cidanau Watershed Management (CWM) stakeholders and measure the nodes of units as individuals or organizations in relation to the role and influence of each other through a quantitative approach. The results of the data analysis show that Fkdc has a high degree of centrality and centrality betweenness. This shows that Fkdc has a strong influence and controls CWM network interaction. Conversely, Hs (households) have a low degree of centrality, and centrality betweenness values have a low influence and role in actors’ networks. According to the closeness centrality parameter, it is observed that both Households (Hs) and Universities (Univ) have exhibited the shortest geodesic distance in relation to other stakeholders within the network, thus indicating their highest level of closeness. It means that households and universities had interdependency and were controlled by others. The lowest centrality of Fkdc means that Fkdc has independence of influence and high control access over others. There are four CWM network clusters based on total link strength. Fkdc demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities, enjoys a strong reputation, and possesses a high degree of popularity within the network. Furthermore, Fkdc serves as a positive central node that effectively brings together the interests of all actors, fostering a collective commitment towards shared goals and mutual rewards. In the CWM case, Fkdc is a sustainable watershed organization that acts as a central network body and plays a fundamental role as an intermediary between networks and interactions. Ultimately, with regards to the viewpoint of CWM, the decentralization of watersheds aimed to facilitate wider public engagement by establishing Fkdc as a central network entity and assuming a crucial role as a medium for the dissemination of information, exchange of ideas, and the exertion of influence among its members.

This paper sheds light on how crisis management affects post-disaster re-covery. Based on the study of the management of a major environmental disaster, hurricane IRMA, we consider how post-disaster recovery is impacted by crisis management strategies. The perspectives of local stakeholders from the islands of St Martin and St Barthélémy will be shared. We analyze how territories exposed to the same natural phenomena have different outcomes and consider some of the possible reasons. This study reveals underlying risk drivers, to address governance reorganization with a view to better managing socio-economic recovery.

Battery Management System helps to improve the transient performance and life of electro-chemical rechargeable batteries like a Li-ion, lead–acid, etc. The investigation here was focused on the crucial part of the Battery Management System that is, Cell balancing, State of charge of the battery, etc. By analyzing the different control strategies a new optimal control strategy is developed to improve the battery performance according to application. The Control strategy is developed using an active and passive cell balancing model with the help of AVL Cruise and MATLAB/SIMULINK software. For the active cell balancing technique, a switched capacitor technique is chosen. To have longer battery life, the time required for the cell balancing must be as low as possible for which many control logics have been defined. The effect of these cell balancing techniques on the performance of battery packs is investigated and it is observed to produce a promising result.

The increasing cancer burden is a major health concern in Arab countries with variations in cancer profiles. Given the limited oncology research output and scarce data on cancer trial participation in the Arab region, this study explored the therapeutic cancer trial landscape in Arab countries over the past 20 years. A bibliometric analysis of the PubMed database was conducted on primary publications of therapeutic trials with a participating Arab center. Arab countries participated in 320 published cancer-related therapeutic trials (2000‒2021). There was a consistent increase in the number of trials, sample size, multiregional site participation, and number of randomized trials. However, most trials were small, did not receive external funding, and included a single Arab site. Compared with Arab-only trials, trials with joint non-Arab sites were larger (p = .003) and more likely to be externally funded (p < .001). Citation numbers and journal impact factors were higher in trial publications with joint non-Arab authorship than those without (p < .001, for both). Despite improving conduct and publication records of oncology trials with Arab centers, cancer trial participation remains limited in Arab countries. Concerted efforts are required to encourage sponsorship and international collaboration in this region.

This study evaluates for the first time the plastic litter occurrence in Posidonia spheroids of four Mediterranean sandy beaches at different anthropogenic impact. A total of 80 spheroids was analyzed and 202 plastic items were found. Spheroids entangled a high number of plastic litter (132 plastic items/kg) with significant differences between beaches. Our results highlight the importance to implement the beach cleaning plan for the removal of all spheroids in order to prevent them from flaking and releasing the marine litter trapped inside them again in the environment. Spheroids should be manually removed in order to protect the banquettes. The removal should be involved all spheroids, independently from their size. This study adds data for the implementation of the monitoring program of marine litter and contributes to the development of specific management measures as well as implement Mediterranean action plans.

Owners and managers of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have changed their perspective on risk management due to the current global negative threats in the business environment. If they want to be successful and ensure the financial performance of their business, they must accept a proactive approach to reducing strategic risks in connection with operational risks. The aim of the article is to identify and quantify the differences in operational risk management and its effect on the financial management of SMEs between four Central European countries. The statistical sample of SMEs consisted of 1,090 owners and top managers. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire in the period December 2022-January 2023. Statistical hypotheses were evaluated with the application of correlation analysis and linear regression modelling. Empirical findings have confirmed that operational risk management has a significant positive impact on improving the profitability of the enterprise; on reducing the enterprise's indebtedness as well as in the context of reducing the enterprise's inability to pay its obligations. However, there are disparities in the perception of this influence between owners/managers with regard to the country in which they carry out their business activities. The findings are important for both national and multinational organizations and entities dealing with risk management in the business environment of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Sweet pepper is an important vegetable in the world. Bacterial leaf spot caused by the pathogen Xanthomonas perforans, is a limiting factor that significantly reduces the quality and yield of sweet pepper To control this disease, the use of chemical fungicides is currently the main disease control method. Thus, we want to develop an alternative method by using antagonistic microorganisms. Under this demand, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PMB04 has strong antagonistic effects against pathogens and can inhibit the occurrence of diseases. B. amyloliquefaciens PMB04 has the potential for the development of a disease control product. Primarily, PMB04 revealed to contain a strong inhibitory effect against all isolated X. perforans strains. In the inoculation assay, the severity of bacterial spot disease on sweet peppers was reduced by PMB04 bacterial suspensions. To increase the convenience of field application for future prospects, the development of PMB04 fermentation liquid was carried out with different ratios of brown sugar and yeast extract in a 30-liter fermentation tank subsequently. Results exhibited that the fermentation liquid of 3-1 formula obtained the highest bacterial population in a 30-liter fermentation tank. The fermentation liquid of 0.5-0.5 formula was the most stable formula under two different conditions in terms of consistent bacterial population and sporulation. In addition, the 200-fold dilution of 3-1 and 0.5-0.5 fermentation liquids revealed best control efficacy on bacterial leaf spot of sweet pepper. Additionally, the results of the 0.5-0.5 fermentation liquid (PMB4FL) with different dilution concentrations also showed that the 200- and 500-fold dilutions had the best control efficacy. To understand the effect of commonly used copper-containing fungicides on sweet peppers on the application of microbial agent PMB4FL, the effects of copper hydroxide and tribasic copper sulfate on the growth of X. perforans strains and B. amyloliquefaciens PMB04 were assayed. The results exhibited that the above two fungicides did not have any inhibitory effect on the growth of PMB04, but had a strong inhibitory effect on the X. perforans strain. In the follow-up control experiment, the treatment of copper hydroxide had no synergistic effect with PMB4FL to control bacterial leaf spot. We concluded that the use of PMB4FL fermentation liquid alone on the leaves can effectively control the occurrence of bacterial leaf spot in sweet pepper crops.

Spodoptera frugiperda is a relatively new invasive polyphagous insect pest in Indonesia. So far, S. frugiperda infestation has only been reported in corn, however in other countries S. frugiperda has been known to attack many commercial crops. To date, information on biological parameters of S. frugiperda is limited in Indonesian ecologies. Since host plants are a critical factor for insect life-history and has the potential to be used for pest control strategies, it is important to study the biology and survival of S. frugiperda on different host plants. This research was aimed to study the survival, life cycle, and fecundity of S. frugiperda on different host plants and how it affects pest management. The study was conducted by rearing S. frugiperda on 14 common cultivated host plant species in Indonesia. Survival rate, development time, fecundity, and potential attack rate of S. frugiperda on various tested host plants were analyzed in this study. The findings re-vealed that corn was the main host for S. frugiperda. The ability of S. frugiperda to survive on pa-paya, water spinach, banana, spinach, cucumber, and coco grass indicates that these plants are potential alternate host for S. frugiperda. Long beans, bok choy, choy sum, and beans might be in-dicated as a shelter for S. frugiperda. Meanwhile, inappropriate hosts for S. frugiperda include cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower due to their low survival rate on these plants. This research implies that these plants have the potential to be used as a hedge, trap, or bunker plant in S. frugi-perda management strategies. However, to prevent a detrimental damage, control methods are needed in integrated manner, including monitoring pest populations, environmental engineering, and conservation of natural enemies.

We are living in a business context characterized by change, which today behaves with an unprecedented intensity, driven by the technological revolution and increased competition. As a result, increasingly large and complex companies are facing profound transformation processes in which the role of the human factor and of managers in particular, due to their high capacity to impact the organization, is essential. In response to this reality, the literature has developed a large number of approaches from different areas of knowledge: from business economics to psychology, including technical disciplines. This article offers a classification of these approaches that provides an overview of research on the role of managers in change management.

Hydrogeological maps must synthesize the scientific knowledge about the hydraulic features and the hydrogeological behavior of a specific area, and, at the same time, they must meet the expectations of land planners and administrators. Thus, especially in complex interconnected systems, hydrogeological maps can be fully effective when they are purpose-designed. In these contexts, usual graphical approaches in creating hydrogeological maps could result uncomplete and/or ineffective. Therefore, in case of complex systems and/or specific management/protection aims, new and purpose-designed graphical solutions must be applied to enhance the maps effectiveness. In the case study, these solutions show and emphasize all the hydraulic interconnections playing significant roles in recharging the multilayered alluvial aquifer, where the majority of wells have been drilled for drinking/industrial/agricultural purposes, artificial channels are used for agricultural purposes, and the shallow groundwater feeds protected groundwater-dependent-ecosystems. The hydrogeological map was then designed to be the synthesis of three different and hydraulically interconnected main contexts: (i) the main heterogeneous alluvial aquifer (the main target of the purpose-designed map), (ii) the hydrographic basin of a losing river that feeds the main alluvial aquifer, and (iii) those hard-rock aquifers (mainly turbiditic and ophiolitic) whose springs feed the same river.

Expert system approach, although quite old, is still quite effective in scientific areas where experts are required to make diagnoses and predictions. One of those areas is fish disease diagnosis. It is an application domain that currently employs complicated processes, which require high level skills for making accurate diagnoses. On the other hand, complete datasets for full diagnosis to be able to use machine learning techniques are not available. Therefore, in aquaculture, now more than ever, fish farmers do not have the required expertise or equipment to accurately diagnose a fish disease. For that reason, expert systems that can help in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases have been developed. In this paper, we attempt to give an overview of the expert system approaches for fish disease diagnosis developed in the last two decades. Based on the analysis of their technical and non-technical characteristics, we propose an expert system architecture and a fish disease diagnosis process aiming at improving the deficiencies of existing such systems. The proposed system can handle all kinds of fish diseases based on image and non-image data as well as on molecular tests results and can provide explanations. The diagnosis process goes through four consecutive levels, where each next level considers an additional category of parameters and provides diagnoses with higher certainty.

Land registry is one of the instruments most mentioned by public actors in land management in Benin to solve land problems faced by the country. Its implementation and functioning depend not only on technical actions but also on political will. Through a methodology based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus group, as well as on the theory of "change in public action" by P. Muller (2005), legal and institutional changes have been observed in the implementation of the cadastral project. It is a project whose political component is readable through government action and the legal reforms carried out. At the technical level, the land data collected are processed by computer systems that can facilitate the mass production of land titles.

In many tropical regions, national forests plantations programs have been promoted. Those plantations contribute frequently to habitat changes. However, it is unclear associated effects on habitat fragmentation and landscape connectivity. From 2008 to 2018, we examined plantation and deforestation data base of Manabí province (Ecuador) for assessing fragmentation and connectivity. At regional scale, forest plantations had a significant effect on land uses changes and fragmentation during the study period. Forests decreased from 33.7% to 32.45% between 2008 and 2018 in the study area, although other natural land uses, mostly shrubs, increased almost double (from 2.4% to 4.68%). Most of the deforestation affected native forests during this period, and most of reforested and afforested areas in 2018 covered former agricultural land. In this period, fragmentation data shows a decrease in the number of patches and an increase in patch average size. When considering reforestation, deforestation was higher than the afforested area (58 km2 of difference) increasing the number of patches but with smaller size. The scenarios that presented better connectivity were those where forest areas increased: avoiding deforestation and considering reforestation. Those scenarios had in general a higher number of links and distance. Regionally, the avoiding deforestation scenario increased connectivity for Puma yagouaroundi in the west part of the Manabí province. On the other hand, for the reforested scenario, the number of links also increased on central and extreme northeast areas. Our findings suggest that plantations may contribute to conservation thanks to an increase in forest plantations connectivity between fragmented patches.

Background: Stress among prison inmates is a neglected psychological health issues, but this phenomenon seems worse in Ghana’s prisons. This study examined the stress levels, predictors and management strategies utilized among inmates at Ankaful Prison Complex. Method: This survey sampled 1,160 inmates using the census approach at the Ankaful Prison Complex with a self-developed questionnaire for the data collection. Frequency counts, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis were applied to the data. Results: The findings indicate that more than half of the inmates were moderately or highly stressed. Specifically, inmates at the Maximum-Security Prison were the most stressed, followed by Annex Prison, Communicable Disease Prison, and the least, Main Camp Prison inmates. Inmate engagement in exercises, sporting activities, visit and chat with colleagues, and family connectedness outside the prison were stress management strategies. Inmates’ self-reported stress levels were influenced by the prison of custody and state of depression. Conclusion: The moderate to high stress levels identified among inmates of Ankaful Prison Complex are influenced by person-environment factors. Management of Ankaful Prisons Complex is encouraged to initiate health screening services for inmates on common mental health challenges like stress and promote functional stress reduction interventions to improve prisoners’ mental health and overall wellbeing

The move to lean construction is a lengthy process that may call into question established ways of construction management delivery. The objective of this article is to help businesses take the first step on this route by introducing a few lean manufacturing techniques and practices that may be used on projects over the next few weeks. Although the construction industry has come a long way since its start, the essential technology to change it has not yet found a home. The digital switch has now entered the construction industry to boost production. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a discipline of computer science described as the potential of machines to mimic intelligent human behavior by modelling traditionally complicated problems using human-inspired techniques. Due to its complexity, AI distinguishes itself from lower degrees of digitalization. The complexity of artificial intelligence involves the formation of new circumstances for human collaboration and trust. This dissertation investigates the application of artificial intelligence and the suitable interaction between humans and AI-based technologies. This study attempts to shed light on how the construction industry may close the gap between the potential and actual benefits of artificial intelligence deployment. Comparing the prospective benefits of AI implementation to the present benefits and challenges of AI deployment in the construction industry revealed the disparity.

Plastic waste management has become a major problem in the present times, and many countries are struggling to deal with it. The situation has become a crisis in developing nations due to a lack of proper waste management, resources, technology, and political will. The extensive usage of foam-based packaging materials such as Styrofoam as a secondary packaging material has led to environmental pollution both in land and water, in developing countries. It is important to address this problem using a sustainable approach such as biomimetic manufacturing. One such solution that is present in developed nations is mycelium-based packaging, wherein the agricultural and industrial-based cellulose waste is converted into a biocomposite with the help of a fungi root network. Such a process has the potential to convert biomass into useful products but also has an indirect effect on pollution reduction by eliminating stubble burning in nations like India. In this review, we examine the details of the manufacturing process, properties, advantages, and limitations of such composite materials. A comparison of the present status of such materials produced in the market by some of the companies across the world is presented. Finally, the challenges involved with such materials and the future directions are discussed.

Here we present a blockchain-backed token recognition system to reward the contributions that academics make to the scientific ecosystem. Recognition is important in science but current methods, systems and incentives are limited. Specifically, the traditional focus on narrow publication metrics means diverse contributions are not captured, while bias toward senior, established scientists is common. To tackle this challenge, we explore the potential of harnessing blockchain’s collaborative, decentralised and trust-brokering properties to develop a token reward system for use by research funders. Academics would be awarded tokens for undertaking common but vital tasks such as peer review, sitting on funding committees and submitting reports. These tokens would not be tradable or specifically monetisable but would serve as a validated record of scientific contribution. They would have value in professional recruitment and job placement, support grant and award applications, and inform performance appraisals and file reviews. Coordination and cooperation across multiple funding agencies in developing the platform would provide an opportunity to aggregate and standardise recognition, given academics often work with several funders. This system’s goals are to expand recognition metrics, promote efficiencies, improve the robustness of professional assessments and enable cross-funder collaboration, thereby optimising research processes and practices in a decentralised and democratised manner.

Micro turbojets are used for propelling radio-controlled aircraft, aerial targets and personal air vehicles. When compared to full-scale engines, they are characterized by relatively low efficiency and durability. In this context, the degraded performance of gas path components could lead to an unacceptable reduction in the overall engine performance. In this work, a data-driven model based on a conventional Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and an extreme learning machine (ELM) was used for estimating the performance degradation of the micro turbojet. The training datasets containing the performance data of the engine with degraded components were generated using the validated GSP model and the Monte Carlo approach. In particular, compressor and turbine performance degradation were simulated for three different flight regimes. It was confirmed that component degradation had a similar impact in flight than at sea level. Finally, the datasets were used in the training and testing process of the ELM algorithm with four different input vectors. Two vectors had an extensive number of virtual sensors, and the other two were reduced to just fuel flow and Exhaust Gas Temperature. Even with the small number of sensors, the high prediction accuracy of ELM was maintained for takeoff and cruise but was slightly worse for variable flight conditions.

Risk management of electric power transmission lines requires knowledge from different areas such as environment, land, investors, regulations, and engineering. Despite the widespread availability of databases for most of those areas, integrating them into a single database or model is a challenging problem. Instead, in this paper, we use a single source, the Brazilian National Electric Energy Agency’s (ANEEL) weekly reports, which contains decisions about the electrical grid, comprising most of the areas. Since the data is unstructured (text), we employed NLP techniques such as stemming and tokenization to identify keywords related to common causes of risks provided by an expert group on energy transmission. Then, we used models to estimate the probability of each risk. Our results show that we were able to estimate the probability of 97 risks out of 233.

Interventional management of neuropathic pain (NP) is available to the many patients who do not attain satisfactory outcomes with pharmacotherapy, but evidence supporting this is sparse and fragmented. We attempted to summarize and critically appraise the existing data to identify strategies that yield maximum benefit, orient clinicians, and identify areas that merit further investigation. A two-round Delphi survey that involved pain clinic specialists with experience in the research and management of NP was done over an ad hoc 26-item questionnaire prepared by the authors. Consensus on each statement was defined as either at least 80% endorsement or rejection after the second round. Thirty-five and 29 panelists participated in the first and second round, respectively. Consensus was reached in 20 out of 26 statements. There is sufficient basis to treat postherpetic neuralgias and complex regional pain syndromes with progressive levels of invasiveness and failed back surgery syndrome with neuromodulation. Radiculopathies and localized NP could be treated with peripheral blocks and neuromodulation, or pulsed radiofrequency. Non-ablative radiofrequency and non-paresthetic neuromodulation are efficacious and better tolerated than ablative and suprathreshold procedures. A graded approach, from least to most invasive interventions has the potential to improve outcomes in many patients with common refractory NP conditions. Preliminary promising data warrant further research on new indications, and technical advances might enhance the safety and efficacy of current and future therapies.

Despite knowledge concerning stakeholders and the economic advantages of consultation, collaboration and innovation, analysis of the sustainability implications of the geothermal industry has tended to take a high-level or systemic overview of national performance. This study seeks to begin to fill this gap in the academic and grey literature, investigating the following research question: how do projects in the Icelandic geothermal energy sector create co-benefits with stakeholders and reflect the integration of sustainable energy development (SED)? The focus of its analysis is on identifying who are the stakeholders, what are the sustainability benefits co-created with stakeholders, and when in the project lifecycle do these occur. Based on eleven semi-structured interviews with project managers in Iceland’s geothermal industry, the study identifies a broad array of stakeholders in the sector, including national and municipal governments and public sector institutions, businesses, the public, employees and landowners. The sustainability co-benefits of Iceland’s geothermal power projects are broad and cut cross all six themes of SED and multiple phases of the project lifecycle. Although the sustainability benefits are very apparent, trade-offs are reported between the pursuit of an economically efficient energy system and nature conservation. This relates to unsustainable utilization of the resources and the environmental externalities of power production and consumption. Efforts to mitigate these effects are ongoing and the further pursuit of SED is likely in Iceland given its recognition within the nation’s new energy policy and to meet ambitious greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in the government’s climate action plan. These are issues that are prominent in other nations seeking to decarbonize energy systems through increased utilization of geothermal resources.

This study emphasizes the necessity of introducing a blockchain-based joint logistics system to strengthen the competency of medical supply chain management (SCM) and tries to develop a healthcare supply chain management (HSCM) competency measurement item through an analytic hierarchy process. The variables needed for using blockchain-based joint logistics are the performance expectations, effort expectations, promotion conditions, and social impact of the UTAUT model, and the HSCM competency results in increased reliability and transparency, enhanced SCM, and enhanced scalability. Word cloud results, analyzing the most important considerations to realize work efficiency among medical industry-related agencies, mentioned numerous words, including sudden situations, delivery, technology trust, information sharing, effectiveness, urgency, etc. This might imply the need to establish a system that can respond immediately to emergency situations during holidays. It could also suggest the importance of real-time information sharing to increase the efficiency of inventory management. Therefore, there is a need of a business model that can increase the visibility of real-time medical SCM through big data analysis. By analyzing the importance of securing reliability based on the blockchain technology in the establishment of a supply chain network for HSCM competency, we reveal that joint logistics can be achieved and synergistic effects can be created by implementing the integrated database to secure HSCM competency. Strengthening partnerships, such as joint logistics, will eventually lead to HSCM competency. In particular, HSCM should seek ways to upgrade its competitive capabilities through big data analysis based on the establishment of a joint logistics system.

Electric Vehicles (EVs) are the need of the hour due to growing climate change problems linked with the transportation sector. Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS), which is accountable for certifying safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries (LiB), is the most vital part of an EV. LiB has auspicious gravimetric energy density but the heat generation due to chemical reactions inside a LiB during charging and discharging causes temperature rise which has a direct effect on LiB performance and safety. This study specifically focuses on aircooled BTMS, defines different types of air-cooled BTMS (active and Passive), discusses limitations associated with air-cooled BTMS, and investigates different optimization techniques and parameters to improve performance of air-cooled BTMS. Maintaining temperature within optimum range and uniform temperature distribution between cells of a battery pack are the major design parameters for improving the performance and efficiency of air-cooled BTMS. Various optimization techniques including cell arrangement with a battery pack, air-flow channel optimization, and air inlet/outlet position variations are discussed and each technique is thoroughly reviewed. Finally, it’s noted that passive air-cooled BTMS is not that effective for long-distance vehicles so most researchers shifted their focus toward active air-cooled BTMS. Active air-cooled BTMS requires a lot of power for effective performance. Lastly, the most recent field of air-cooled BTMS technology which is Air-Hybrid BTMS is discussed and declared a very promising solution for overcoming major limitations associated with air-cooled BTMS.

According to this study, approximately half of Africa's forests are utilized primarily or partially for the production of wood and non-wood commodities. Aims to evaluate Africa's forestry and forest products, namely Wood Forest Products (WFPs) and Non-wood Forest Products (NWFPs) in the sixteen (16) West African countries. While adhering to the following guidelines: wood extraction and preparation, analyzing wood primarily used as an energy source in Africa, identifying non-wood forest products in Africa, the state of export, trade, and customs procedures in West Africa, and examining the role of forests and forest stakeholders in Africa's low-carbon economy transition. An exploratory literature review of selected wood forest products and non-wood forest products (plants and animals) in West Africa identifying the country, the natural land area with the natural habitat issues of the forest, the species most harvested and traded in the West African sub-region. The study reemphasized some government legislation, policies, and market trade failures and limitations while also stating that trees may help in the low-carbon revolution through interventions aimed at maintaining, improving, and restoring natural capital have demonstrated that high environmental requirements of sustainable forest management (SFM) may be met in both natural and planted forests. The study identified a systematic assessment of the most common forest products (wood and non-wood forest products) considering the available data on the national forest reserves of the selected countries in West Africa. The study also revealed the need for biodiversity conservation of the available forest reserves to help mitigate the impact of global warming targeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 13- Climate Action. Which is focused on integrating climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning signs into the national policies, improving forest planning and management education, awareness-raising, and institutional capacity within the sub-region.

Human activities mostly impact the trend and direction of surface water, groundwater, and other river basin resources in the watershed in Africa. Human activities influence river flows and the water quality at both highlands and lowlands. A watershed is indeed a conserved area of land that collects rain and snow and empties or penetrates into ground water sources. The act of managing the activities around the watershed is the Integrated Watershed Management while considering the social, economic, and environmental issues, as well as community interests to manage water resources sustainably. These watersheds, river basins, and groundwater resources provide important services for communities and biodiversity. This paper reveals that the best way to protect groundwater resources is on a watershed basis using IWM. This technique enables us to handle a variety of concerns and objectives while also allowing us to plan in a complicated and uncertain environment. IWM involves cooperation and participation from a wide range of community interests and water users, including municipalities, companies, people, agencies, and landowners, for stakeholders' input to be successful. All of the strategies and plans are produced concerning one another, as well as the overall conditions of the watershed, local land uses, and specific issues.

As Arab countries are beginning to recover from the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, conservation programs are restarting. Noticeably, traditional conservation efforts have not helped improve the poor living conditions in most historic urban centers of Arab cities due to many reasons such as a lack of funds, urban management policies, and the narrow scope of conservation projects. In 2016, the UN urban agenda recognized tangible and intangible heritage as the basis for sustainable, vibrant, urban economies. These efforts reflect the new shift in conservation activities to tangible and intangible heritage and consider urban heritage a tourist product rather than antiquity. This approach grants urban vitality and sustainability for heritage areas. Thus, this study investigates the existing trends and forthcoming changes in conservation and their implication for the deteriorated historic urban city centers of the Arab world. International urban heritage conservation trends were highlighted, objectives and bases of successful urban conservation trends were reviewed, and an assessment framework was developed. Two case studies of historic centers in two Arab cities, Jeddah, and Aman, were empirically assessed using the developed framework. The findings highlight the most common urban problems of the historic centers in terms of urban management policies and trends. In addition, the impact of urban management policies on historic urban areas' sustainability, vitality, and quality was revealed. The paper ends with recommendations for conservation authorities to define a proposed framework to embed the conservation within the urban development plans for deteriorated historic urban centers. The paper's findings and recommendations can contribute to the required knowledge related to urban heritage conservation for practitioners and decision-makers.