Hasil untuk "Special types of environment"

S. Funtowicz, J. Ravetz

In response to the challenges of policy issues of risk and the environment, a new type of science-‘post-normal’-is emerging. This is analysed in contrast to traditional problem-solving strategies, including core science, applied science, and professional consultancy. We use the two attributes of systems uncertainties and decision stakes to distinguish among these. Postnormal science is appropriate when either attribute is high; then the traditional methodologies are ineffective. In those circumstances, the quality assurance of scientific inputs to the policy process requires an ‘extended peer community’, consisting of all those with a stake in the dialogue on the issue. Post-normal science can provide a path to the democratization of science, and also a response to the current tendencies to post-modernity. Science always evolves, responding to its leading challenges as they change through history. After centuries of triumph and optimism, science is now called on to remedy the pathologies of the global industrial system of which it forms the basis. Whereas science was previously understood as steadily advancing in the certainty of our knowledge and control of the natural world, now science is seen as coping with many uncertainties in policy issues of risk and the environment. In response, new styles of scientific activity are being developed. The reductionist, analytical worldview which divides systems into ever smaller elements, studied by ever more esoteric specialism, is being replaced by a systemic, synthetic and humanistic approach. The old dichotomies of facts and values, and of knowledge and ignorance, are being transcended. Natural systems are recognized as dynamic and complex; those involving interactions with humanity are ‘emergent’, including properties of reflection and contradiction. The science appropriate to this new condition will be based on the assumptions of unpredictability, incomplete control, and a plurality of legitimate perspectives. At present, there is no agreed description of what the future will bring, but

E. Adam, M. Kumari

Yao-Yi Chiang, S. Leyk, Craig A. Knoblock

B. McEwen, L. Eiland, R. Hunter et al.

WU Yue, ZHU Yu

Abstract Objective To establish lethal shock models in high-altitude, high-cold, and high-heat environments based on the conventional environment hemorrhagic shock (HS) model established in our laboratory, in order to provide animal models for lethal shock treatment in special environments. Methods A total of 864 SPF-grade male SD rats (12 weeks old, weighing 200±20 g) were divided into high-altitude environment group (simulated 4 000 m altitude in a low-pressure oxygen chamber, exposed to 22±2 ℃ for 48 h), high-cold environment group (altitude 200 to 300 m, exposure to -20 ℃ for 6 h), high-heat environment group (altitude 200 to 300 m, exposure to 35 ℃ for 12 h), and conventional environment control group (no environmental pretreatment) according to different environmental pretreatment, with 216 animals in each group. After environmental pre-conditioning, 4 types of spleen injury methods were used to induce free intra-abdominal bleeding to construct corresponding uncontrolled HS model. The injury methods were as follows: ① Transverse transection at 3 cm away from the end of the splenic parenchyma; ② Transverse transection separately at 3 and 5 cm away from the end of the splenic parenchyma; ③ Transverse arteriotomy of a small arterial branch at the splenic tail; ④ Transverse arteriotomy of a small arterial branch at the splenic tail combined with transection at 3 cm away from the end of the splenic parenchyma. Free intra-abdominal bleeding was induced by above 4 methods until the mean arterial pressure (MAP) dropped to 40 mmHg, which was defined as successful establishment of the uncontrolled HS model. After successful modeling, lactated Ringer’s (LR) solution was employed to maintain MAP at 50 to 60 mmHg at low pressure for 1 h. After the splenic artery was ligated for complete hemostasis, definitive resuscitation was obtained with LR solution of 2×blood loss volume. MAP, respiratory rate (RR) and heart rate (HR) were monitored, cardiac function [troponin I (TnI)], liver function [aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， alanine aminotransferase（ALT）］、and renal function ［blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （Scr）］ were evaluated, survival time was observed, and 6-hour survival rate was calculated to screeen the appropriate modeling methods for each environment. Then the obtained modeling methods were applied on Bama pigs to establish HS models for high-altitude, high-cold, and high-heat environments, respectively. After modelling, the pigs were resuscitated according to the aforementioned treatment regimens, and basic physiological indicators (MAP, RR, HR), organ functions (heart, liver, kidney), and survival status were observed to verify the stability of the modeling methods. Results There were differences in the appropriate modeling methods for different environments: the conventional environment preferred method ④, the high-altitude environment preferred method ③, the high-cold environment preferred method ①, and the high-heat environment preferred method ②. All the above methods met the model standards of a 6-hour mortality rate >70% after shock, a blood loss >50% after low-pressure resuscitation, and a survival rate >50% after definitive resuscitation. In the state of shock, the MAP of rats was significantly reduced in each group (P<0.001), RR and HR were abnormally changed, the indicators of cardiac, liver, and renal functions (TnI, AST, ALT, BUN, Scr) (P<0.05) were significantly increased, and the survival time was obviously shortened. After LR low-pressure resuscitation combined with definitive resuscitation, the MAP was notably recovered (P<0.01), the organ function indicators were significantly improved, and the survival time was greatly prolonged. The verification results in Bama miniature pigs showed that in the shock group, MAP was decreased to approximately 40 mmHg, RR was significantly reduced, HR was increased, the 6-hour survival rate was 0%, and the indicators of cardiac, liver, and renal functions (TnI, AST, ALT, BUN, and Scr) were notbly elevated (P<0.001). In the resuscitation group, the MAP was significantly increased to 58.6 to 68.4 mmHg (P<0.01), the 6-hour survival rate reached 50.00% to 56.25%, and organ functions were significantly improved. All these findings confirmed the reliability of each model. Conclusion Lethal shock models under high-altitude, high-cold, and high-heat environments are successfully established, respectively, and the appropriate standardized modeling methods are identified for each environment. The modelling methods are further verified on Bama miniature pigs, and the constructed models have advantages of stability and reliability for laboratory requirements.

Zhenyu Pan, Weiming Wang

In human–robot collaboration (HRC) scenarios with direct physical contact, accurately estimating human intentions and adjusting robot behaviors based on multimodal information is the core factors that restrict the efficiency and precision of current HRC tasks. To enhance the performance of human–robot collaboration under physical contact conditions, we propose a joint network model named ACT_force_cooperative (AFC). This model leverages force sensing information as a representation of human intent to achieve human intent prediction during physical interaction, while simultaneously capturing visual information and robot state data, thereby enabling more efficient execution of human–robot collaborative tasks with multimodal information processing. Existing HRC methods often ignore humans’ collaborative experience in the environment and fail to recognize the uniqueness of interactive force in expressing human intentions. Focusing on the special role of interactive force among various types of data in physical interaction environments, the proposed model predicts humans’ future behavioral intentions and adopts a Transformer model to realize the fusion and representation of multimodal information, thus accomplishing more accurate and effective HRC tasks. Experimental results demonstrate that, through the processing of force sensing information and fusion of multimodal data, the proposed model reduces the motion error by 44.9% and increases the effective collaborative time ratio by 20.2% compared with the baseline Action Chunk Transformer (ACT) model. This not only improves the motion accuracy of the robot in collaborative tasks but also enhances the collaborative experience of human operators.

Saleem Khan, Shawkat Ali, A. Bermak

Wearable biosensors attract significant interest for their capabilities in real-time monitoring of wearers’ health status, as well as the surrounding environment. Sensor patches are embedded onto the human epidermis accompanied by data readout and signal conditioning circuits with wireless communication modules for transmitting data to the computing devices. Wearable sensors designed for recognition of various biomarkers in human epidermis fluids, such as glucose, lactate, pH, cholesterol, etc., as well as physiological indicators, i.e., pulse rate, temperature, breath rate, respiration, alcohol, activity monitoring, etc., have potential applications both in medical diagnostics and fitness monitoring. The rapid developments in solution-based nanomaterials offered a promising perspective to the field of wearable sensors by enabling their cost-efficient manufacturing through printing on a wide range of flexible polymeric substrates. This review highlights the latest key developments made in the field of wearable sensors involving advanced nanomaterials, manufacturing processes, substrates, sensor type, sensing mechanism, and readout circuits, and ends with challenges in the future scope of the field. Sensors are categorized as biological and fluidic, mounted directly on the human body, or physiological, integrated onto wearable substrates/gadgets separately for monitoring of human-body-related analytes, as well as external stimuli. Special focus is given to printable materials and sensors, which are key enablers for wearable electronics.

Andrii Yefremenko, Illia Shutieiev

The problem of developing distance learning in physical education and sports is relevant to the growing demand for flexible educational models and modern technologies. Even though distance education is developing rapidly in the context of intensive digitalisation of social processes, and physical education and sports specialists were among the first to use digital technologies, research in this area indicates a lack of structured approaches to developing distance courses that would meet modern needs. The practical orientation of activities, sometimes an increased level of danger and special requirements for logistical support create significant obstacles to education and training in a distance format, which is associated with the ambiguous practicality of distance courses in this area. Objective: to form the direction of development of the structure of distance learning in athletic training. Methods: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, survey, and modelling. Results: The study focused on the available types of athletic training to understand the possibilities of organising and implementing distance learning in this area. The key factors of structuring a distance course in athletic training were identified. They are presented as three main blocks: theoretical, practical and controlling. An algorithm for organising practical training in athletic training has been formed. It involves the use of e-learning tools. The possibilities of creating a full-fledged distance course in athletic training are substantiated. The survey results of 20 experts show a high level of support for the proposed structure and key elements of the distance course in athletic training. In particular, the experts mostly agreed with the logic and completeness of the course structure, the expediency of centralised content placement in the cloud environment, the optimality of the selected communication channels (email and cloud services), the clarity of the motor learning algorithm for remote performance by students, the adequacy of the proposed evaluation system and the presence of significant advantages in the use of tablets/smartphones in the educational process. In general, changes in the perception of obstacles to distance learning in physical education and sports can occur with the expansion of technological accessibility of innovative tools and modernisation of teaching methodology. Conclusions: Distance learning courses are a promising area for developing physical and sports education. The study was conducted to anticipate the possibilities of expanding education in this area by emphasising the issue of distance learning. Creating effective distance learning courses requires an integrated approach. This approach includes integrating modern technologies, adapting educational content to the audience's specifics, and providing proper feedback. The article provides substantiated evidence of the possibilities of creating full-fledged distance learning courses in physical education and sports training. Further research should improve distance learning methodology, develop specialised mobile applications for athletic training, and use modern tools to assess learning outcomes.

Lin Ge, Binbin Shao, Qinghua Liang et al.

Recently, persulfate-based advanced oxidation processes (persulfate-AOPs) are booming rapidly due to their promising potential in treating refractory contaminants. As a type of popular two-dimensional material, layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are widely used in energy conversion, medicine, environment remediation and other fields for the advantages of high specific surface area (SSA), good tunability, biocompatibility and facile fabrication. These excellent physicochemical characteristics may enable LDH-based materials to be promising catalysts in persulfate-AOPs. In this work, we make a summary of LDHs and their composites in persulfate-AOPs from different aspects. Firstly, we introduce different structure and important properties of LDH-based materials briefly. Secondly, various LDH-based materials are classified according to the type of foreign materials (metal or carbonaceous materials, mainly). Latterly, we discuss the mechanisms of persulfate activation (including radical pathway and nonradical pathway) by these catalysts in detail, which involve (i) bimetallic synergism for radical generation, (ii) the role of carbonaceous materials in radical generation, (iii) singlet oxygen (1O2) production and several special nonradical mechanisms. In addition, the catalytic performance of LDH-based catalysts for contaminants are also summarized. Finally, challenges and future prospects of LDH-based composites in environmental remediation are proposed. We expect this review could bring new insights for the development of LDH-based catalyst and exploration of reaction mechanism.

Muhammed Iqbal Kasi, Razzaq Abdul Manan, Akhtar Muhammad Kassi et al.

Farheen Bano, Mohammad Tahseen

The building envelope is the interface between the external atmospheric conditions and the indoor environment. It contributes to approximately 60%–70% of the heating and cooling load. The building envelope constitutes walls, fenestrations, and roofs from which thermal transfer from the roof is significantly very high compared to walls in low-rise buildings.This research paper aims to provide recommendations for energy-efficient roof design considering roof form, material, and external coating suitable for various climate conditions of India. The paper’s methodology consists of a literature review of related research papers, learnings from the roofing system of energy-efficient building case studies, and all possible energy-efficient roofing systems that would be simulated for energy efficiency and thermal comfort in five climate types of India. The expected outcome of this paper would be in the form of recommendations for roofing systems in different climate type and their potential for energy saving from the highest to the lowest. This research would be done in three stages viz, Step-1: Literature Review and case study of best practices: A review of the related literature and best practices examples would be done to formulate the maximum possible cases for the simulation. Step-2: The roofing systems, including building form, material (Thermal and insulation), and finishes (reflectance), would be simulated one by one for various climate types of India (composite, hot &amp; dry, warm and humid, moderate and cold) to optimize energy efficiency and payback period. Step-3: Special roof types like Green roofs, cool roofs, Photovoltaic roofs, roof ponds, and the like are simulated and compared for their effectiveness in selected climate types. Based on the literature review, simulation results, and analysis, the recommendations are framed for energy-efficient roofing systems in the selected climate type with respect to heat transfer through the roof and thermal comfort.

Tian Zhao, Rui Ma, Shuai Chen

Hidden champions are SMEs with strong global competitiveness in specialized fields but low profile. China’s hidden champions show less internationalization compared to their global peers, despite niche market dominance. Consequently, an exploration of the internationalization trajectories and determinants for China’s hidden champions is essential. This study utilizes fsQCA to investigate the internationalization strategies of 91 hidden champions, from China, using the “Efficiency-Structure-Environment” analytical framework. Five principal causal pathways for international operations are illustrated, categorized into three main driving models: “Efficiency-Environment,”“Efficiency-Structure,” and “System Interaction,” with the first model being the most dominant. The study further classifies hidden champions by ownership, finding that both state-owned and private enterprises predominantly follow the “Efficiency-Structure” driving model. Additionally, when classified by certification types, all categories are found to align with the “System Integration” model. Notably, the international path for cultivation hidden champions is also well-explained by the “Efficiency Dominance” model. Lastly, the study delineates industry-specific models: general equipment manufacturers employ the “Efficiency-Structure” model, special equipment manufacturers use the “Structure-Environment” model, and the computer industry follows the “System Integration” model.

S. A. Kryzhanovskii, M. B. Vititnova

Senescence — cellular aging — is a special form of cell death, characterized by the cell’s irreversible loss of its proliferation potential and the development of resistance to apoptosis. Senescence is based on the attrition (shortening) of telomeres that occurs with each subsequent cell division, which ultimately leads to sustained DNA damage and subsequent activation of the cellular aging program. Senescent cells have a unique so-called senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), i.e. the ability of aging cells to secrete into the extracellular environment a large number of pathogenic factors that act paracrine on undamaged cells and transfer them to a state of senescence. The literature review examines the known mechanisms responsible for the formation of various types of senescence, describes the features of senescence-related cardiac damage, and provides a detailed description of biologically active compounds and drugs with senolytic (apoptosis activators) and/or senostatic (SASP inhibitors) activity.

P. P. Deryugin, O. S. Bannova, A. G. Maranchak

Introduction. For sociology, it is important to understand the content and forms of integration of IT specialists as one of the types of social associations. Such an analysis is important to carry out since the interpretation and content characteristics of this community subsequently guide all other elements of the strategy of theoretical and empirical research. In particular, it is relevant to identify: in what capacity of a “professional community” or “professional group” IT specialists act as a real social phenomenon.Methodology and sources. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of IT specialists involved identifying the nature and forms of their social integration: as socioprofessional groups, or as socio-professional communities. Based on the analysis of the fundamental provisions of foreign and Russian sociologists F. Tennis, J. Shchepansky, R. Merton, K. Manheim, T.M. Mills, P.A. Sorokin, V.A. Yadov, and many others, the differences in the understanding of “community” and “group” are revealed as a reflection of the special essential characteristics of these forms of integration.Results and discussion. The results of the analysis of statistical data show that the concept of a social group is used much more often than the concept of community in characterizing integration processes; this is a more relevant category for modern research. The results confirm the significant connection between the concept of “group” and the concepts of “values”, “common goal”, and “professional”. Exploring the numerous features of IT specialists, such as self-education, the desire to organize training based on introspection, significant differences from other specialists in the system of professions “human-sign system”, such as erudition and logical thinking, mastering mathematics, English language, the Internet as necessary starting conditions for entering the profession, the authors use the definition of a professional or social group.Conclusion. IT professionals should be considered a special socio-professional group with all the signs of such social integration. IT professionals operate in today's multidimensional social space. As a social group, IT specialists are united by the presence of a common feature – activities in a special environment – in the information and digital space, common social values.

Talal Alshammari, Rabie A. Ramadan, Aakash Ahmad

The advancement of the Internet of Things applications (technologies and enabling platforms), consisting of software and hardware (e.g., sensors, actuators, etc.), allows healthcare providers and users to analyze and measure physical environments at home or hospital. The measured physical environment parameters contribute to improving healthcare in real time. Researchers in this domain require existing representative datasets to develop machine-learning techniques to learn physical variables from the surrounding environments. The available environmental datasets are rare and need too much effort to be generated. To our knowledge, it has been noticed that no datasets are available for some countries, including Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this paper presents one of the first environmental data generated in Saudi Arabia’s environment. The advantage of this dataset is to encourage researchers to investigate the effectiveness of machine learning in such an environment. The collected data will also help utilize the machine learning and deep learning algorithms in smart home and health care applications based on the Saudi Arabia environment. Saudi Arabia has a special environment in each session, especially in the northern area where we work, where it is too hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Therefore, environmental data measurements in both sessions are important for the research community, especially those working in smart and healthcare environments. The dataset is generated based on the indoor environment from six sensors (timestamps, light, temperature, humidity, pressure, and altitude sensors). The room data were collected for 31 days in July 2022, acquiring 8910 records. The datasets include six columns of different data types that represent sensor values. During the experiment, the sensors captured the data every 5 min, storing them in a comma-separated value file. The data are already validated and publicly available at PLOMS Press and can be applied for training, testing, and validating machine learning algorithms. This is the first dataset developed by the authors for the research community for such an environment, and other datasets will follow it in different environments and places.

Alison Davis-Blake, Brian Uzzi

M. Kemp, E. M. Lewandowski, Yu Chen

Low-barrier hydrogen bonds (LBHBs) are a special type of short hydrogen bond (HB) that is characterized by the equal sharing of a hydrogen atom. The existence and catalytic role of LBHBs in proteins has been intensely contested. Advancements in X-ray and neutron diffraction methods has revealed delocalized hydrogen atoms involved in potential LBHBs in a number of proteins, while also demonstrating that short HBs are not necessarily LBHBs. More importantly, a series of experiments on ketosteroid isomerase (KSI) have suggested that LBHBs are significantly stronger than standard HBs in the protein microenvironment in terms of enthalpy, but not free energy. The discrepancy between the enthalpy and free energy of LBHBs offers clues to the challenges, and potential solutions, of the LBHB debate, where the unique strength of LBHBs plays a special role in the kinetic processes of enzyme function and structure, together with other molecular forces in a pre-organized environment.

Cenk Sozen, Simge Samanci, Ismail Tokmak et al.

OBJECTIVES: The high turnover rate of nurses has been a matter of debate among scholars. Nurses’ social interaction patterns and the social structure they are situated within may provide clues about possible causes of their high turnover intentions. This study aims to investigate the possible effects of negative and positive ties on the intention of turnover among nurses. DESIGN & SETTING: A hybrid research methodology was used. Social network analysis was used to reveal the positions of the nurses (n = 126) in the positive and negative networks. A statistical model was formed with varying types of centrality measures, intragroup conflict, and intention to leave variables. The data was collected from all the nurses working in a special branch hospital. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The findings of the study clearly indicate that negative interactions directly and indirectly affect the intention to leave, and the nurses demand professional support from their colleagues. The findings also show the existence of a fragmented social structure among nurses, which suggests the increased importance of brokerage roles. Managers should closely monitor the negative interactions among nurses, and they need to use conflict management techniques frequently to reduce hostile relations in the business environment. Managers should especially seek ways to increase altruistic tendencies among colleagues because nurses demand professional support ties more than friendship relations.

P. Levinger, M. Panisset, Helen Parker et al.

Abstract Outdoor exercise equipment has become popular as important environmental infrastructure to provide opportunities for physical activity and social connectedness in public settings. With higher sedentary behaviour and physical inactivity reported among older people, infrastructure changes and safe environments that promote older peoples’ health and mobility are required. Due to ageing‐related functional decline and health conditions associated with ageing, older adults may have special physical needs that require careful consideration when choosing outdoor equipment. However, limited information is available regarding the suitability of the types of exercise equipment for older people. This commentary provides further information on the type of equipment available, its functionality and suitability for older age populations and key considerations for the decision‐maker involved in selecting, installing and supporting community use of outdoor exercise equipment. Recommendations on what is required to maximise usability from a system or organisational‐based approach using research evidence is also discussed. Older people are more susceptible to the negative influences of their local environment and outdoor neighbourhood conditions. Consequently, the age‐friendliness and suitability of the outdoor exercise equipment characteristics, location and settings may facilitate older adults’ engagement in physical and social activities.

S. Takayama, J. C. Mcdonald, E. Ostuni et al.