Research Issues Research Articles

Yield stress Measurement of municipal sludge: A comprehensive evaluation of testing methods and concentration effects using a rotational rheometer

Accurate prediction and measurement of yield stress are crucial for optimizing sludge treatment and disposal. However, the differences and applicability of various methods for measuring yield stress are subjects of ongoing debate. Meanwhile, literature on measuring sludge yield stress is limited to low solid concentrations (TS <10%), understanding and studying the yield stress of medium to high solid concentration sludge is crucial due to increasingly stringent standards for sludge treatment and disposal. So, this study employed a rotational rheometer to measure sludge yield stress across a wide range of TS (4–50%) using steady shear, dynamic oscillatory shear, and transient shear. The study derived significant conclusions by comparing and summarizing the applicability and limitations of each testing method: Dynamic oscillatory shear methods, including G′-σ curve method, γ-σ curve method, and G**γc method can measure sludge yield stress ranging from 4% to 40% TS, while other methods are restricted to low or limited solid concentrations; The G' = G″ method, utilizing the intersection of G′ and G″ curves, consistently yields the highest value for yield stress when 4%≤ TS ≤ 12%; The rotational rheometer cannot measure sludge yield stress when the solid concentration exceeds 40% TS; The relationship between sludge yield stress and solid concentration is stronger as a power-law for TS ≤ 25%, transitioning to linear for higher concentrations (28%≤ TS <40%). This study systematically explores the applicability and limitations of various measurement methods for characterizing sludge yield stress across a wide range of solid concentrations, providing valuable guidance for scientific measurement and highlighting challenging research issues.

Leveraging artificial intelligence to detect ethical concerns in medical research: a case study

BackgroundInstitutional review boards (IRBs) have been criticised for delays in approvals for research proposals due to inadequate or inexperienced IRB staff. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), has...

Research trends on the impact of digital transformation on the development of the tourism industry: A bibliometric analysis

This comprehensive study is dedicated to the careful exploration and highlighting of a very specific and important research issue that is at the core of the impact of digital transformation on the multi-faceted tourism industry. The method used in this study is through a thorough examination of 206 related articles sourced from the Scopus database, this study utilized an elaborately designed data extraction process with an explicit focus on the thematic element of "Impact" within the broader spectrum of "Digital Tourism". The findings in his study found that although the bibliometric analysis shows a surge in publications addressing the impact of digital transformation, a more in-depth and detailed analysis yields a clear observation-a noticeable void in explicit attention to overarching research issues. These findings serve as a clear wake-up call, underscoring the critical and urgent need for future research to sharpen its focus, focusing on uncovering specific and pressing issues in this complex domain. One focal point that invites exploration relates to the complex interplay between digital transformation and the preservation of the authenticity of the tourist experience.

Chinese expert consensus on the surgical treatment for adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (Edition 2024)

The publication of Chinese expert consensus on the surgical treatment for adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (2018 edition) has widely accelerated the standardization and homogenization on the surgical treatment of adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG). In China, the surgical outcomes of AEG, the universality and practicability of this consensus has also been affirmed after the clinical practice during the past 5 years. Due to the persistent increasing incidence of AEG, the specificity on anatomic site, clinicopathological characteristics, molecular biological characteristics, AEG had been always the hotspot of many clinical trials and more clinical evidences had been published. However, its definition, classification, staging, surgical approach, resection pattern, extent of lymphadenectomy, and the digestive tract reconstruction etc. remain controversial. In light of the above, it is necessary to update the 2018 edition of consensus. The Chinese expert consensus on the surgical treatment for adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (2024 edition) is generated based on the currently available and best clinical evidence, the latest global guidelines or consensuses, and the opinions from the Chinese expert panel. The present consensus focuses on the key points of surgical treatment and issues in dispute, and provides scientific recommendations. The goal of this expert consensus was to improve the homogeneity in understanding and practice between Chinese thoracic and gastrointestinal surgeons, and to further standardize surgical treatment of AEG. Those pending issues in this consensus need high-quality clinical research to further investigate.

Security and Privacy of 6G Wireless Communication using Fog Computing and Multi-Access Edge Computing

The challenges surrounding the confidentiality of data transmission in the context of the upcoming sixth-generation (6G) wireless networks are proposed in this research. The study explores the potential role of blockchain systems in enhancing data security. It examines the integration of machine learning (ML) techniques to address the growing complexities of handling massive data volumes within the 6G environment. This research involves a comprehensive survey of existing strategies for maintaining data confidentiality in automotive communication systems. It further investigates an analysis of confidentiality approaches inspired by the 6G network architecture. The study examines the potential security implications of the Internet of Everything (IoE). It evaluates current research issues related to safeguarding data confidentiality within the framework of 6G communication among vehicles. The exploration involves reviewing ML techniques and their applicability in resolving the data processing challenges inherent in the 6G wireless network environment. The proposed work reveals the increasing complexity and variability of the 6G wireless network environment, leading to potential challenges in protecting private and confidential data during communication. It highlights the promising role of blockchain systems in addressing data security concerns within the 6G network context. Additionally, the study underscores the transformative potential of integrating ML techniques to handle the massive data volumes generated within the 6G ecosystem. The research highlights the importance of these technologies in mitigating data security risks and ensuring the confidentiality of information exchanged within the 6G communication framework.

Using collaborative autoethnography to investigate mentoring relationships for novice engineering education researchers

Abstract Background The National Science Foundation Research Initiation in Engineering Formation (RIEF) program aims to increase research capacity in the field by providing funding for technical engineering faculty to learn to conduct engineering education research through mentorship by an experienced social science researcher. We use collaborative autoethnography to study the tripartite RIEF mentoring relationship between Julie, an experienced engineering education researcher, and two novice education researchers who have backgrounds in biomedical engineering—Paul, a biomedical engineering faculty member and major professor to the second novice, Deepthi, a graduate student. We ground our work in the cognitive apprenticeship model and Eby and colleagues’ mentoring model. Results Using data from written reflections and interviews, we explored the role of instrumental and psychosocial supports in our mentoring relationship. In particular, we noted how elements of cognitive apprenticeship such as scaffolding and gradual fading of instrumental supports helped Paul and Deepthi learn qualitative research skills that differed drastically from their biomedical engineering research expertise. We initially conceptualized our tripartite relationship as one where Julie mentored Paul and Paul subsequently mentored Deepthi. Ultimately, we realized that this model was unrealistic because Paul did not yet possess the social science research expertise to mentor another novice. As a result, we changed our model so that Julie mentored both Paul and Deepthi directly. While our mentoring relationship was overall very positive, it has included many moments of miscommunication and misunderstanding. We draw on Lent and Lopez’s idea of relation-inferred self-efficacy to explain some of these missed opportunities for communication and understanding. Conclusions This paper contributes to the literature on engineering education capacity building by studying mentoring as a mechanism to support technically trained researchers in learning to conduct engineering education research. Our initial mentoring model failed to take into account how challenging it is for mentees to make the paradigm shift from technical engineering to social science research and how that would affect Paul’s ability to mentor Deepthi. Our experiences have implications for expanding research capacity because they raise practical and conceptual issues for experienced and novice engineering education researchers to consider as they form mentoring relationships.

CEO turnover shock and green innovation: Evidence from China

Green innovation requires sustainable input. However, a tradeoff exists between long-term sustainable inputs of green innovation and the short-term perspective of CEOs who desire improved financial performance. This tension is amplified when CEOs are newly appointed. Using a sample of listed Chinese firms, we find that newly hired CEOs have a short-term focus, leading to a significant decrease in green innovation in the year of CEO replacement (CEO turnover shock). When newly hired CEOs take over, such firms shift their research and development (R&D) investments toward mergers and acquisition (M&A) activities. Moreover, the adverse impact of CEO turnover shock on green innovation is stronger in non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) and firms without family CEOs but weaker for firms with good internal and external monitoring. Our findings provide theoretical insights into innovation research and agency issues and practical insights into CEO recruiting policy.

Improving the efficiency of network controllability processes on temporal networks

The controllability of temporal networks has become an important issue for researchers in recent years. In temporal networks, the controllability is achieved through the control of dynamics. Existing studies take only some dynamics into account when controlling such networks, e.g., only adding links, and ignore the rest. Besides, conventional controllability methods on temporal networks suffer from time complexity and data overhead. In this paper, a dynamic controllability method is proposed which considers all dynamics of temporal networks to fully control the network, including adding and removing nodes and links. The proposed controllability method finds all the minimum driver nodes sets (MDSs) of a temporal network in a polynomial time. In this regard, to maintain and track the network changes, a new tree-based model, named Controllable Dynamics Temporal Network (CDTN), is proposed by which the control process is executed with high speed and low overhead. The experimental results show that the proposed controllability method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of speed (47% improvement), overhead (33% improvement), and the size of MDS (38% improvement).

Service quality in cloud gaming: instrument development and validation

PurposeThe global market for cloud gaming is growing rapidly. How gamers evaluate the service quality of this emerging form of cloud service has become a critical issue for both researchers and practitioners. Building on the literature on service quality and software as a service, this study develops and validates a gamer-centric measurement instrument for cloud gaming service quality.Design/methodology/approachA three-step measurement instrument development process, including item generation, scale development and instrument testing, was adopted to conceptualize and operationalize cloud gaming service quality.FindingsCloud gaming service quality consists of two second-order constructs of support service quality and technical service quality with seven first-order dimensions, namely rapport, responsiveness, reliability, compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness. The instrument exhibits desirable psychometric properties.Practical implicationsPractitioners can use this new measurement instrument to evaluate gamers' perceptions toward their service and to identify areas for improvement.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the service quality literature by utilizing qualitative and quantitative approaches to develop and validate a new measurement instrument of service quality in the context of cloud gaming and by identifying new dimensions (compatibility, ubiquity, smoothness and comprehensiveness) specific to it.

Perceptions and beliefs of community gatekeepers about genomic risk information in African cleft research

BackgroundA fundamental ethical issue in African genomics research is how socio-cultural factors impact perspectives, acceptance, and utility of genomic information, especially in stigmatizing conditions like orofacial clefts (OFCs). Previous research has shown that gatekeepers (e.g., religious, political, family or community leaders) wield considerable influence on the decision-making capabilities of their members, including health issues. Thus, their perspectives can inform the design of engagement strategies and increase exposure to the benefits of genomics testing/research. This is especially important for Africans underrepresented in genomic research. Our study aims to investigate the perspectives of gatekeepers concerning genomic risk information (GRI) in the presence of OFCs in a sub-Saharan African cohort.MethodsTwenty-five focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of 214 gatekeepers (religious, community, ethnic leaders, and traditional birth attendants) in Lagos, Nigeria, explored the opinions of participants on genomic risk information (GRI), OFC experience, and the possibility of involvement in collaborative decision-making in Lagos, Nigeria. Transcripts generated from audio recordings were coded and analyzed in NVivo using thematic analysis.ResultsThree main themes—knowledge, beliefs, and willingness to act—emerged from exploring the perspective of gatekeepers about GRI in this group. We observed mixed opinions regarding the acceptance of GRI. Many participants believed their role is to guide and support members when they receive results; this is based on the level of trust their members have in them. However, participants felt they would need to be trained by medical experts to do this. Also, religious and cultural beliefs were crucial to determining participants’ understanding of OFCs and the acceptance and utilization of GRI.ConclusionsIncorporating cultural sensitivity into public engagement could help develop appropriate strategies to manage conflicting ideologies surrounding genomic information in African communities. This will allow for more widespread access to the advances in genomics research in underrepresented populations. We also recommend a synergistic relationship between community health specialists/scientists, and community leaders, including spiritual providers to better understand and utilize GRI.

T2FM: A novel hashtable based type-2 fuzzy frequent itemsets mining

Association rule mining (ARM) is an important research issue in the field of data mining that aims to find relations among different items in binary databases. The conventional ARM algorithms consider the frequency of the items in binary databases, which is not sufficient for real time applications. In this paper, a novel hash table based Type-2 fuzzy mining algorithm (T2FM) with an efficient pruning strategy is presented for discovering multiple fuzzy frequent itemsets from quantitative databases. The algorithm employs a hash table based structure for efficient storage and retrieval of item/itemset which reduces the search efficiency to O(1) or constant time. Previously, type-2 based Apriori and FP-growth based fuzzy frequent itemsets mining were proposed, which required large amounts of computation and a greater number of candidate generation and processing. Meanwhile, the proposed approach reduces a huge amount of computation by finding the common keys before the actual intersection operation takes place. An efficient pruning strategy is proposed to avoid unpromising candidates in order to speed up the computations. Several experiments are carried out to verify the efficiency of the approach in terms of runtime and memory for different minimum support threshold and the results show that the designed approach provides better performance compared to the state-of-the-art algorithms.

Method of 3D Coating Accumulation Modeling Based on Inclined Spraying.

In the process of repairing the surface of products in aviation, aerospace, and other fields by spraying, accurate 3D cumulative-coating modeling is an important research issue in spraying-process simulation. The approach to this issue is a 3D cumulative-coating model based on inclined spraying. Firstly, an oblique spraying layer cumulative model was established, which could quickly collect the coating thickness distribution data of different spray distances. Secondly, 3D cumulative-coating modeling was conducted with the distance between the measuring point and the axis of the spray gun and the spraying distance between the measuring points as the input parameters, and the coating thickness of the measuring point as the output parameter. The experimental results show that the mean relative error of the cumulative model of the oblique spraying layer is less than 4.1% in the case of a 170~290 mm spraying distance and that the model is applicable in the range of -80~80 mm, indicating that the data on the oblique spraying coating proposed in this paper is accurate and fast. The accuracy of the 3D cumulative-coating model proposed in this paper is 1.2% and 21.5% higher than that of the two similar models, respectively. Therefore, the approach of 3D cumulative-coating modeling based on inclined distance spraying is discovered, demonstrating the advantages of fast and accurate modeling and enabling accurate 3D cumulative-coating modeling for spraying process simulation.

INVESTMENT IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE FOOD SECTOR IN JORDAN

Purpose: This research aims to demonstrate the impact of manufacturing growth, exports, and the GDP deflator on the food industry. Furthermore, it examines the influence of manufacturing growth on the food industry from 1983 to 2021. Theoretical Framework: It should be highlighted that the global financial crisis, notably in the industrial sector, including the food sector, has had a negative impact on economic performance in 2021 (Central Bank, 2022). Jordan is still suffering from the economic consequences of events in neighboring nations. Design/Methodology/Approach: The methods utilized in this study include descriptive methods and statistical analysis, which allow for the examination of the parameters impacting the research issue and the description and measurement of the relationship between them. Findings: It is proven that the processing sector's production volume positively impacts the food industry by testing the hypotheses based on the research results. The GDP deflator has a positive impact on the food industry as well. Research, Practical &amp; Social Implications: It is advised that the food sector be given serious consideration as it has a significant impact on the country's economy and that several studies and research relating the GDP deflator to various other economic sectors be presented in order to identify and contrast the most significant economic sectors. Originality/Value: The findings demonstrated that the expansion of exports in all economic sectors has a detrimental effect on the expansion of the food industry. The study also demonstrated that the impact of the GDP deflator on the food industry is favorable. It is advised that serious attention be paid to the food sector because it significantly impacts the country's economy. Research and studies that link the GDP deflator to various other economic sectors should be presented to identify and contrast the most significant economic sectors.

A Critical Overview of the Construct of Supportive Care Need in the Cancer Literature: Definitions, Measures, Interventions and Future Directions for Research.

The growing amount of evidence about the role of supportive care in enhancing cancer patients' outcomes has made healthcare providers more sensitive to the need for support that they experience during cancer's trajectory. However, the lack of a consensus in the definition of supportive care and lack of uniformity in the theoretical paradigm and measurement tools for unmet needs does not allow for defined guidelines for evidence-based best practices that are universally accepted. Contemporary cancer literature confirms that patients continue to report high levels of unmet supportive care needs and documents the low effectiveness of most of the interventions proposed to date. The aim of this critical review is to consolidate the conceptual understanding of the need for supportive care, providing definitions, areas of expertise and a careful overview of the measurement tools and intervention proposals developed to date. The possible reasons why the currently developed interventions do not seem to be able to meet the needs, and the issues for future research were discussed.

Antifungal Activities of L-Methionine and L-Arginine Treatment In Vitro and In Vivo against Botrytis cinerea.

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a common postharvest fungal disease in fruit and vegetables. The prevention and treatment of postharvest gray mold has been one of the hot research issues addressed by researchers. This study aimed to investigate the effect of L-methionine and L-arginine on Botrytis cinerea in vitro and on cherry tomato fruit. The results of the in vitro experiment showed that L-methionine and L-arginine had significant inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth and spore germination of Botrytis cinerea, and the inhibitory effects were enhanced with increasing L-methionine or L-arginine concentration. In addition, L-methionine and L-arginine treatment increased the leakage of Botrytis cinerea electrolytes, proteins and nucleic acids. The experiment involving propidium iodide staining and malondialdehyde content assay also confirmed that L-methionine and L-arginine treatment could lead to cell membrane rupture and lipid peroxidation. The results of scanning electron microscopy further verified that the morphology of hyphae was damaged, deformed, dented and wrinkled after treatment with L-methionine or L-arginine. Fruit inoculation experiments displayed that L-methionine and L-arginine treatments significantly inhibited the occurrence and development of gray mold in postharvest cherry tomato. Therefore, treatment with L-methionine or L-arginine might be an effective means to control postharvest gray mold in fruit and vegetables.

Interdisciplinary Approach to Tourism Demand Modeling: Quality of Life Indicators

Tourism demand modeling remains a critical issue in tourism research and practice. To date, demand studies have predominantly focused on economic variables to explain tourism demand. While this is well established, recent research demonstrates the importance of not limiting demand specification to economic variables only. This study proposes an interdisciplinary approach to tourism demand by incorporating the relative quality of life index into the demand specification. Using data from the United States and its 30 top source markets, the findings demonstrate that, in addition to traditional economic variables, a relative quality of life index that encompasses education, health, and stability is a significant predictor of tourism demand.

Hydrogen Storage in Porous Rocks: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Trends

Currently, there is an increasing number of research studies on underground storage of hydrogen in porous rocks (aquifers and depleted hydrocarbon fields). An important aspect of this process is the efficiency of hydrogen storage, which is defined as the correct operation of a storage facility (the ability to inject and withdraw an appropriate quantity of gas) and the safety of storage, which is influenced by numerous factors, including geological factors. With an increasing number of publications, gathering knowledge and keeping track of scientific progress is becoming increasingly complex. In addition to the technical interdependence of the parameters analysed, there are also interrelationships between scientific publications addressing issues related to underground hydrogen storage in porous rocks. The aim of this paper is to analyse the literature on hydrogen storage efficiency in porous rocks and, on the basis of the analysis, to identify the most important research trends and issues relevant to their implementation. This article presents an analysis of publications indexed in the SCOPUS database. The analysis included publications that contained expressions related to the relevant search phrases in their title, abstract or keywords. The dynamics of changes in the interest of researchers on the problem of hydrogen storage in porous rocks and the distribution of studies by geographical location (countries) are presented. Based on an analysis of the number of citations, the most influential publications were identified. Using the VOSviewer version 1.6.19 software, clusters reflecting research sub-areas were identified based on co-occurrence analysis, such as geological and reservoir aspects, reservoir engineering aspects, hydrogeological aspects and petrophysical aspects. Bibliometric methods have great potential for performing quantitative confirmation of subjectively delineated research fields and/or examining unexplored areas. The literature on underground hydrogen storage in porous rocks has been growing rapidly since at least 2018, with researchers conducting their studies in four major research streams: geological and reservoir aspects, reservoir engineering aspects, hydrogeological aspects and petrophysical aspects.

Use and impact of the ANA Code: a scoping review.

Adherence to professional ethics in nursing is fundamental for high-quality ethical care. However, analysis of the use and impact of nurses' codes of ethics as a part of professional ethics is limited. To fill this gap in knowledge, the aim of our review was to describe the use and impact of the Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements published by the American Nurses Association as an example of one of the earliest and most extensive codes of ethics for nurses with their interpretative statements and constituting a strong basis for the International Council of Nurses' Code of Ethics for Nurses. We based our review on previous literature using a scoping review method. We included both non-scientific and scientific publications to provide an analysis of codes of ethics which can be utilized in development and revision of other nurses' codes of ethics. In the searches, we used CINAHL and PubMed databases limiting publications to texts with a connection to the Code of Ethics for Nurses published from January 2001 to November 2022 and written in English. Searches yielded 1739 references, from which 785 non-scientific and 71 scientific publications were included for analysis of the data. Although non-scientific and scientific publications addressed different number of categories, the results indicated that in the both groups the use and impact focused on professional ethics, nursing practice, and work environment and less on education, research, or social health issues. Nurses' ethical standards were not addressed in non-scientific publications, and clinical issues and leadership were not in focus in scientific publications. To increase evidence-based knowledge of the impact of codes of ethics additional research is needed. Good scientific conduct was followed.

Feminist Paradigm in the Social Researches

The lack of scientific literature in Kurdish language on research paradigms in the social sciences creates complications for new researchers. This paper attempts to discuss some of the basic issues of social science research in order to provide a clear presentation for researchers in this field. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of the different research paradigms. especially the feminist paradigm. The paper reviews the literature on the feminist paradigm and explains its ontological, epistemological and methodological positions. It also defines and explores different research methods in detail. It emphasizes that we need to be mindful of issues related to women in our choice of research paradigm and to design our research with a clear connection between the nature of the paradigm and the theoretical framework of research. The decision to choose a philosophical perspective for the study of a phenomenon or topic related to women's issues is important to be guided by the demands and needs of a study. It is important that researchers adopt an appropriate approach to the choice of research methods or combination of methods, but the choice of any research method should not be interpreted as indicative of an ontological or epistemological position, in the sense that the choice of research paradigm takes precedence.

Formation and Detection of Gizzerosine in Animal Feed Matrices: Progress and Perspectives.

Gizzerosine is responsible for gizzard erosion and black vomit, owing to excessive gastric acid secretion in poultry. It is a biogenic amine that forms during feed processing. Gizzerosine, a derivative of histamine, is a serious threat to animal feed safety and poultry production because it is more potent after ingestion and more harmful to poultry than histamine. The difficulty of obtaining gizzerosine and the lack of simple, rapid, and sensitive in vitro detection techniques have hindered studies on the effects of gizzerosine on gizzard health and poultry production. In this review, we evaluated the natural formation and the chemical synthesis methods of gizzerosine and introduced seven detection methods and their principles for analyzing gizzerosine. This review summarizes the issues of gizzerosine research and suggests methods for the future development of gizzerosine detection methods.