Management Activities Research Articles

Robust H∞ Static Output Feedback Control for TCP/AQM Routers Based on LMI Optimization

This paper proposes a new static output feedback control method to address the congestion control problem in transmission control protocol networks using active queue management routers. Based on linear matrix inequality optimization, this method determines a static output feedback control law to minimize the norm of the transfer function between the controlled queue length of the buffer and the exogenous disturbance affecting the available link bandwidth. A linear matrix inequality formulation is presented as a sufficient condition to guarantee the closed-loop system’s asymptotic stability while maintaining disturbance rejection within a specified level, regardless of round-trip time delays. The proposed robust static output feedback control eliminates the need to measure or estimate all system states, thus simplifying practical implementation. The effectiveness of the proposed design method is demonstrated by applying it in a practical process, as illustrated through a numerical example.

Complex hydrology and variability of nitrogen sources in a karst watershed.

Streams draining karst areas with rapid groundwater transit times may respond relatively quickly to nitrogen reduction strategies, but the complex hydrologic network of interconnected sinkholes and springs is challenging for determining the placement and effectiveness of management practices. This study aims to inform nitrogen reduction strategies in a representative agricultural karst setting of the Chesapeake Bay watershed (Fishing Creek watershed, Pennsylvania) with known elevated nitrate contamination and a previous documented groundwater residence time of less than a decade. During baseflow conditions, streamflow did not increase with drainage area. Headwaters and the main stem lost substantial flow to sinkholes until eventually discharging along large springs downstream. Seasonal hydrologic conditions shift the flow and nitrogen load spatially among losing and gaining stream sections. A compilation of nitrogen source inputs with the geochemistry and the pattern of enrichment of δ15N and δ18O suggest that the nitrogen in streams and springs during baseflow represents a mixture of manure, fertilizer, and wastewater sources with low potential for denitrification. The pH and calcite saturation index increased along generalized flow paths from headwaters to springs and indicate shorter groundwater residence times in baseflow during the spring versus summer. Given the substantial investment in management practices, fixed monitoring sites could incorporate synoptic water sampling to properly monitor long-term progress and help inform management actions in karst watersheds. Although karst watersheds have the potential to respond to nitrogen reduction strategies due to shorter groundwater residence times, high nitrogen inputs, effectiveness of conservation practices, and release of legacy nutrients within the karst cavities could confound progress of water quality goals.

A new approach for effective productivity management of newspaper printing press

Within the modern commercial printing press, a common problem is the ef-ficient management of the maintenance of different machines of newspaper printing press. If Effective Maintenance Management is applied, productivity of the machines can be increased by reducing breakdown time of the ma-chine. Productivity Management is an organizational framework that helps machines to improve productivity. Productivity of a machine is dependent on the failure probability which can be controlled by technical and management actions. The present investigation is established by the analysis of productivi-ty, effectiveness and failure probability on the basis of Pareto Analysis. Pareto chart is also developed to understand the actual scenario where highest prior-ity events are sequentially arranged. It has been observed that the web-offset printing machine has the highest productivity and effectiveness with less failure probability while the exposure unit has the highest failure probability having low productivity and effectiveness. Based on the reduction of proba-bility of failure to meet the acceptable criteria, further maintenance planning can be suggested. This approach confirms that productivity and effectivity of the machines of newspaper printing press can be increased by considering consequences of the machines and their corresponding failure assessments.

The use of telehealth in a large community oncology practice prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

1631 Background:The COVID-19 pandemic prompted implementation of telehealth services in oncology following CMS approval for reimbursement. Using data from a single large US-based community oncology practice, we characterized the adoption of telehealth, evaluated telehealth’s impact on patient transit to the site of care, and the frequency of ER visits and hospitalizations. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using data from January 2019 through June 2022 from the FCS EMR database, IQSS’s RefineIQ database, which captures and standardizes patient treatments for consistent analysis, InfoDive, a reimbursement platform with data on clinic visits, and Oncology Care Model data. The target population included all patients with cancer aged 18 or older under active management at FCS during the study window with at least 60 days of follow-up. Patient disease and demographic characteristics and ER/hospital care visits were compared between telehealth groups, as well as impact of telehealth use on transit time and distance traveled for patients was summarized using descriptive statistics. Results:178,531 patients were analyzed. Median age was 68, with 64% female and 47% white. 97% of patients lived in a metropolitan area, 97% in Florida, and 77% in areas with less than $78,000 median income. Median duration of disease was 41 months, 24% of patients were stage IV and 93% ECOG 0-1. 20% of patients used telehealth, with 81% having only one telehealth use per year. Patients using telehealth, compared to those that did not, were more likely to be white (50% vs 46%), have commercial insurance (30% vs 27%), live in areas where annual median income was > $78,000 (25% vs 22%) and ≥95% of the population graduated high school (31% vs 26%). Telehealth saved a median of 5 miles driven per user annually. Users tended to have more advanced disease than non-users, with a higher proportion of metastatic disease (27% vs 23%), high CMS risk score (16% vs 15%), and line of therapy 2 or greater (10% vs 7%). Users had higher median annual oncology clinic visits both pre- (5 vs 3) and post-telehealth approval (6 vs 5). Hospital admissions after ER visits were more frequent among users both pre- (14% vs 13%) and post-telehealth approval (29% vs 25%). Conclusions: Telehealth was somewhat more likely to be used by patients with cancer in more affluent communities, white patients, patients who had more advanced disease and more frequent clinic and hospital visits. Most patients who used telehealth used it only once, and the low utilization of telehealth had limited impact on patient transit effort to the clinic. This study is limited by its concentration at a single large practice in Florida, the relatively low use of telehealth, retrospective design, and selection bias, as the telehealth population had more advanced disease and likely needed more frequent intervention.

Traditional Chinese Medicine as the Preventive and Therapeutic Remedy for COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic still has tremendous impacts on the global socio-economy and quality of living. The traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) approach showed encouraging results during previous outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-related Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). With limited treatment availability, TCM herbs and formulations could be useful to reduce COVID-19 symptoms and potential sources for discovering novel therapeutic targets. We reviewed 12 TCM herbs and formulations recommended for COVID-19 management by the National Health Commission and as National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the People's Republic of China. This article explored the Chinese national authorities' guidelines from 2003 to 2020, the scientific data in public databases for the recommended TCM remedies, and their potential mechanistic actions in COVID-19 management. Several TCM herbs and formulations could potentially benefit COVID-19 management. The recommended TCM oral preparations list includes Huoxiang zhengqi, Jinhua Qinggan, Lianhua Qingwen, and Shufeng jiedu; the recommended injection preparations comprise Xiyanping Xuebijing, Re-Du-Ning, Tanreqing, Xingnaojing, Shenfu, Shengmai, and Shenmai. TCM remedies are viable options for symptom alleviation and management of COVID-19. The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presents an opportunity to find novel therapeutic targets from TCM-active ingredients. Despite the recommendations in Chinese National guidelines, these remedies warrant further assessments in well-designed clinical trials to ascertain their efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19.

Improving access to infusion services: Results of an operational sprint.

e13522 Background: As a large clinical academic cancer center growing from 40,772 unique patients in 2021 to 44,416 patients in 2022, access for patients to begin therapy in the infusion suite was delayed by 3.2 days. In addition to delays in care the center experienced decreased patient satisfaction related to timeliness of scheduling and an inflexible scheduling template that did not allow for the maximization of chair assets. An infusion sprint was launched to address the challenges with the main goal of providing a seamless patient experience while ensuring that all 60 chair assets were maximally utilized. The multi-disciplinary team sought to accomplish this through a disciplined evaluation and intervention program with the goals of increasing access, improving patient satisfaction and growing operating income. Methods: In February 2022, a multi-disciplinary team was assembled to develop and implement a plan to increase access to the infusion suite over a period of 6 months. The team utilized LEAN-Six Sigma principles to characterize current state, desired future state and tactical interventions with metrics. Access data, available infusion appointments and activities occurring in chairs were analyzed with the goal of maximizing utilization. This was accomplished through the development of an active asset management methodology that compared available infusion appointment hours in the schedule to the actual completed hours which allowed the center to determine the growth opportunity within the current chair count. Financial performance was reviewed, and a pilot of an AI-based scheduling platform was launched. Results: Data collected in December 2022 showed that the pilot increased average daily chemotherapy infusion patient volume by 10% and overall volume by 11% over prior fiscal year from October 2021 to September 2022. Daily scheduling escalations manually resolved by leadership decreased 54% between May 2022 and September 2022. Newly created chair utilization methodology showed increased utilization from 62% to 82% in 7 months and patient satisfaction increased from 76.97% to 81.18% for “Timeliness of Scheduling.” These initiatives also resulted in an 18% increase in infusion/pharmacy income from operations from October 2021 to September 2022. All of this was accomplished without adding staff to the workforce or chairs to the infusion suite. Conclusions: A focused, intentional, multi-disciplinary infusion sprint conducted over 6 months resulted in increases of patient access, increased patient satisfaction and revenue. External validity is limited by its one site design with future investigation planned at other sites within the cancer care network to determine if results can be reproduced.

Efficacy of eSyM: Acute care utilization among patients with cancer who do versus do not report ePROs.

11001 Background: Patients (pts) receiving cancer treatment frequently experience burdensome symptoms that compromise outcomes and necessitate acute care. Prior clinical trials have demonstrated that electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO)-based symptom management programs improve outcomes in controlled settings. Deploying these programs in routine care settings remains challenging. With funding from the Cancer Moonshot IMPACT Consortium, we created eSyM – an ePRO-based, EHR-integrated symptom management program – to facilitate the widespread adoption of active symptom management efforts. Methods: eSyM was deployed across six health systems from September 2019-August 2022 via a modified stepped-wedge cluster randomized pragmatic trial. Pts starting chemotherapy (CHEM) or undergoing surgery (SURG) for a suspected or confirmed thoracic, gastrointestinal, or gynecologic cancer were prompted to complete symptom questionnaires regularly; those reporting symptoms were offered additional supports. To assess eSyM efficacy, we studied pts who were eligible to use the program – comparing those who completed at least one symptom questionnaire to those who did not. Outcomes included emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient encounters (INPT) at 30 and 90-days. Odds ratios with 95% CIs were derived after adjusting to account for the propensity to report ePROs as a function of age, sex, race/ethnicity, employment, marital status, poverty, rurality, insurance, comorbidity, cancer, treatment goal, institution, and calendar time. Results: Among eSyM-eligible pts, 51% (N = 10,454/20,471) completed at least one symptom questionnaire (median 4 reports/patient) – 47% (3815/8187) for CHEM and 54% (6639/12,293) for SURG. Comparing symptom reporters to non-reporters, the proportion of CHEM+SURG pts experiencing an ED event was 5.3% vs. 7.1% at 30 days and 10.0% vs. 12.9% at 90 days; and the proportion experiencing an INPT event was 6.7% vs. 11.3% at 30 days and 14.0% vs. 19.5% at 90 days ( p< 0.001 for all). Adjusted ORs appear in the. Conclusions: After accounting for propensity to report symptoms, completing at least one symptom questionnaire was associated with lower odds of experiencing an ED or INPT encounter among CHEM and SURG pts across six diverse health systems. eSyM engagement reduced acute care utilization. This EHR-integrated symptom management solution is broadly available to health systems that use Epic. Clinical trial information: NCT03850912 . [Table: see text]

Fostering humanistic algorithmic management: A process of enacting human-algorithm complementarity

Unlike traditional employer-employee relationships, contemporary digital platforms use algorithms to control and regulate the crowd workforce. Although prior research has expressed concerns over dehumanization stemming from algorithmic management, limited scholarly attention has been dedicated to exploring how human management can complement algorithmic approaches to address these concerns. Leveraging a case study of an on-demand food delivery platform during the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a process theoretical model that uncovers several drivers and mechanisms essential for the transition from mechanistic algorithmic management to humanistic algorithmic management. This model elucidates the dynamic substitution and complementarity of human and algorithmic management through four key mechanisms: replacing and dampening, compensating, enabling, and synergizing. It also delineates effective humanistic management actions in scenarios in which algorithmic decisions are insufficient, which contributes to both performance and humanistic outcomes. In the realm of contemporary crowd workforce management, where digital platforms employ algorithms, this research sheds light on the unique and timely insights into the role of human managers in enhancing the strategic and humanistic values of algorithmic technology.

Factors enhancing and restricting the success of SRA compliance on the FLEGT/VPA initiative in Ghana. Insights from Juaso forest district in Ghana

This study examines the Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) between Ghana and the European Union (EU) within the Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade Initiative (FLEGT). The VPA aims to enhance forest governance, reduce deforestation, combat illegal practices, and improve livelihoods of forest fringe communities. The research focuses on the implementation of social responsibility agreements (SRAs) under the VPA framework and identifies factors contributing to their success or presenting challenges. Data collection involved mixed methods, including literature review and a survey of individuals involved in SRAs. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including exploratory factor analysis, were conducted. Principal component analysis revealed that accountability, monitoring of implementation and progress of SRAs, and documentation of SRA agreements were key factors contributing to the success of negotiated SRAs, explaining about 68.36 % of success variance. Challenges and constraints were categorized into two main factors: weak community capacity to negotiate SRAs and weak community capacity to enforce compliance, explaining about 71.4 % of challenge variance. The study found that the exclusion of the local SRA committee (LSRAC) from certain decision-making processes affected trust and transparency in calculating SRA benefits. Elite capture of benefits was identified as an issue, as the LSRAC did not conduct sufficient consultations with community members before negotiations. The findings emphasize the importance of including local communities in all forest management activities and call for increased awareness of SRAs, particularly for the LSRAC. The study highlights the need for proper representation of community interests during negotiations and their inclusion in forest management plans.

Ứng dụng GIS và tư liệu viễn thám đánh giá biến động lớp phủ rừng tại vùng đệm Vườn Quốc gia Cát Tiên thuộc địa phận huyện Tân Phú, tỉnh Đồng Nai.

The Cat Tien National Park in the South of Vietnam represents a protected ecological area, it is located in tropical rainforest zone. For assessment of forest cover change in three buffer zones of Cat Tien National Park, namely Nam Cat Tien, Nui Tuong and Phu An at Tan Phu district, satellite images (Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI) take in 1990, 2000, 2010 and 2020 were used. Land use/land cover were classified by 5 categories using maximum likelihood classifier (MLC) method, result of constructing a key for image classification showed that images without reference data for classification have over 83.50% of map accuracies. After classification, differentiation of forest land use/landcover was analysied in each year. Deforestation and agricultural area reduction took place in 1990 - 2020 period. Besides, study has quantified changes in forest cover during periods: 1990 - 2000, 2000 - 2010 and 2010 - 2020. As a result, findings show that the extents of forest cover have decreased from 5522.22 ha to 2620.98 ha during the period of 1990 - 2020. Maps of forest status as well as changes in forests can be used for forest resource management activities under the Cat Tien National Park management.

Screening and Testing for Homologous Recombination Repair Deficiency (HRD) in Breast Cancer: an Overview of the Current Global Landscape.

Homologous recombination repair deficiency (HRD) increases breast cancer susceptibility and influences both prophylactic and active management of breast cancer. This review evaluates HRD testing and the therapeutic implications of HRD in a global context. Ongoing research efforts have highlighted the importance of HRD beyond BRCA1/2 as a potential therapeutic target in breast cancer. However, despite the improved affordability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the discovery of PARP inhibitors, economic and geographical barriers in access to HRD testing and breast cancer screening do not allow all patients to benefit from the personalized treatment approach they provide. Advancements in HRD testing modalities and targeted therapeutics enable tailored breast cancer management. However, inequalities in access to testing and optimized treatments are contributing to widening health disparities globally.

The ADnet Bayesian belief network for alder decline: Integrating empirical data and expert knowledge

The globalization in plant material trading has caused the emergence of invasive pests in many ecosystems, such as the alder pathogen Phytophthora ×alni in European riparian forests. Due to the ecological importance of alder to the functioning of rivers and the increasing incidence of P. ×alni-induced alder decline, effective and accessible decision tools are required to help managers and stakeholders control the disease. This study proposes a Bayesian belief network methodology to integrate diverse information on the factors affecting the survival and infection ability of P. ×alni in riparian habitats to help predict and manage disease incidence. The resulting Alder Decline Network (ADnet) management tool integrates information about alder decline from scientific literature, expert knowledge and empirical data. Expert knowledge was gathered through elicitation techniques that included 19 experts from 12 institutions and 8 countries. An original dataset was created covering 1189 European locations, from which P. ×alni occurrence was modeled based on bioclimatic variables. ADnet uncertainty was evaluated through its sensitivity to changes in states and three scenario analyses. The ADnet tool indicated that mild temperatures and high precipitation are key factors favoring pathogen survival. Flood timing, water velocity, and soil type have the strongest influence on disease incidence. ADnet can support ecosystem management decisions and knowledge transfer to address P. ×alni-induced alder decline at local or regional levels across Europe. Management actions such as avoiding the planting of potentially infected trees or removing man-made structures that increase the flooding period in disease-affected sites could decrease the incidence of alder disease in riparian forests and limit its spread. The coverage of the ADnet tool can be expanded by updating data on the pathogen's occurrence, particularly from its distributional limits. Research on the role of genetic variability in alder susceptibility and pathogen virulence may also help improve future ADnet versions.

Sensitive Business Process Modeling Aspects

In order to improve their performance, modern organizations are increasingly aware of the need to identify, preserve and manage the crucial knowledge (individual and collective) that are mobilized by their sensitive business processes (SBPs). Thus, it will be necessary to characterize, identify, specify, model and analyze these processes, in order to optimize the activities of identification, localization and management of the knowledge on which it is necessary to capitalize. This paper introduces the problematic of the SBP modeling. Our objective is to provide a conceptual analysis related to the concept of SBP. First of all, we propose a rigorous characterization of SBP (which distinguishes it from classic, structured and conventional BPs). Secondly, we propose a multidimensional classification of SBP modeling aspects and requirements to develop expressive, com-prehensive and rigorous models. Besides, we present an in-depth study of the different modeling approaches and languages, in order to analyze their expressiveness and their ability to perfectly and explicitly represent the new specific requirements of SBP modeling. In this study, we choose the better one positioned nowadays, BPMN 2.0, as the best suited standard for SBP representation. Finally, we propose a semantically rich conceptualization of a SBP organized in a core ontology.

Current and future scenarios of suitability and expansion of cassava brown streak disease, Bemisia tabaci species complex, and cassava planting in Africa.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is among the most important staple crops globally, with an imperative role in supporting the Sustainable Development Goal of 'Zero hunger'. In sub-Saharan Africa, it is cultivated mainly by millions of subsistence farmers who depend directly on it for their socio-economic welfare. However, its yield in some regions has been threatened by several diseases, especially the cassava brown streak disease (CBSD). Changes in climatic conditions enhance the risk of the disease spreading to other planting regions. Here, we characterise the current and future distribution of cassava, CBSD and whitefly Bemisia tabaci species complex in Africa, using an ensemble of four species distribution models (SDMs): boosted regression trees, maximum entropy, generalised additive model, and multivariate adaptive regression splines, together with 28 environmental covariates. We collected 1,422 and 1,169 occurrence records for cassava and Bemisia tabaci species complex from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility and 750 CBSD occurrence records from published literature and systematic surveys in East Africa. Our results identified isothermality as having the highest contribution to the current distribution of cassava, while elevation was the top predictor of the current distribution of Bemisia tabaci species complex. Cassava harvested area and precipitation of the driest month contributed the most to explain the current distribution of CBSD outbreaks. The geographic distributions of these target species are also expected to shift under climate projection scenarios for two mid-century periods (2041-2060 and 2061-2080). Our results indicate that major cassava producers, like Cameron, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria, are at greater risk of invasion of CBSD. These results highlight the need for firmer agricultural management and climate-change mitigation actions in Africa to combat new outbreaks and to contain the spread of CBSD.

Impact of Caring for A Child With Cancer: Predicting Factors Affecting The Physical Health And Healthy Life Behaviors of The Mother

Purpose: To prevent mothers of children with cancer from developing health problems and suggest effective ways to maintain their health, it is important to accurately determine the problems they face. The aim of this study was to examine the physical health problems and healthy lifestyle behaviors of mothers whose children have cancer. Material and Methods: This methodological, descriptive, and correlational study. The study interviewed 150 mothers whose children were receiving treatment for cancer using three forms: Sociodemographic Information Form, Mothers' Physical Health Form, and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II. Independent samples t-test and single way variance analysis (ANOVA) tests were conducted to measure the relations between the variables. Results: Mothers’ age, number of children with cancer, age of child, educational status, income level and marital status were significantly correlated with the survey variables. A model created based on the regression analysis of the relationship among the variables showed that sociodemographic characteristics affected 24.2% of the healthy lifestyle behavior of mothers of children with cancer. Conclusion: Our results showed that physical activity and stress management received the lowest health lifestyle behavior scores. The current findings emphasize the importance of informing mothers about stress management and physical activities during the care of their children with cancer.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Blockchain Applications in Supply Chain Management and Logistics Activities

Blockchain technology, which is impossible for people and businesses to ignore and brings great changes at the sectors where it is used, contributes to the solution of many problems at businesses. However, it has not been applied in the field of supply chain and logistics to the expected extent and there are the limited number of studies in the literature on this subject compared to other fields. In this context, the aim of the study is to explain blockchain technology in detail, to ensure that the technology is fully recognized, to create awareness on businesses by explaining its benefits with examples of use in supply chain and logistics activities, and to contribute to later researchers by identifying the gaps in the literature by analyzing the literature. As a result of the exploratory research, it was determined that blockchain technology contributes to the solution of many problems, especially reliability, cost, flexibility, delays, transparency, and low performance. Considering the result of the literature analysis, it has been concluded that academic studies on blockchain technology in the field of supply chain and logistics are not sufficient, and the number of these studies should be increased in order for the technology to be learned and used by more businesses in the relevant field.

An Australian Football Themed Health Behaviour Change Intervention for Men With Cardiovascular Disease is Feasible and Acceptable: Results From a Feasibility Randomised Trial

Physical activity (PA) and weight management are critical for cardiovascular disease (CVD) secondary prevention. However, PA adherence during or after cardiac rehabilitation is low. Here, we assess the feasibility and acceptability of the Australian football-themed Aussie Fans in Training (Aussie-FIT) program and associated trial procedures when adapted for men with CVD. A pragmatic randomised control trial, with waitlist control arm, and follow-up measures at 3 and 6 months. Men with a CVD diagnosis and body mass index ≥25 kg/m2 were recruited from community and clinical settings, and randomised, following baseline measures of health and health behaviours. The intervention arm attended 12 face-to-face football-themed education and PA sessions. Feasibility (recruitment, retention, attendance, and adherence to trial procedures) was assessed via mixed methods. A total of 74% (64/86) of participants expressing interest met the eligibility criteria. Of those, 49 men (mean age=61.4, standard deviation=9.5, mean body mass index=31.3, standard deviation=4.2) were randomised. Program attendance rates (87% attended ≥80% of sessions) and retention (92%) were high. Trial retention at the primary end point (3 months) was high (86%) and at the 6-month follow-ups reduced to 67%. Program and trial procedures were acceptable, except for the request to visit a pathologist for the blood draw. Using a football theme and setting may be a feasible way to engage men with CVD in health behaviour change. Given the existing pilot evidence for men at risk of CVD, and that recruitment rates were under the target, trialling a program for men with or at risk of CVD is recommended.

Tunable mid-infrared broadband absorption in the atmospheric window of wavelength in 3–5 μm using VO2 phase transition in a three-layer metamaterial

Tunable metasurfaces have garnered considerable attention for their remarkable ability to manipulate electromagnetic waves within carefully designed nanostructures. Achieving resonant absorption requires precise control over the geometry and size of micro-nano structures. This study introduces a highly versatile metasurface platform that leverages the unique phase transition properties of vanadium dioxide (VO2) for controlled absorption. Our design features a planar layered structure with a 0.1 μm thick VO2 top layer, enabling tunability in both thermal and intensity aspects. We demonstrate significant tuning of broadband light absorption across the mid-infrared spectrum, with absorption rates ranging from approximately 30 %–98 % in the critical atmospheric infrared window of 3–5 μm. This range is crucial for infrared sensing, imaging, and communication applications. Notably, the absorption rate increases as the temperature decreases, indicating a positive shift in dynamics, for which we provide a physical explanation. Numerical simulations highlight the ability to control absorption bandwidth by adjusting the thickness and temperature of VO2 layer. These adaptable broadband absorbers hold significant promise for a diverse range of applications, including absorption filters, thermal emitters, thermos photovoltaics, and thermal imaging. Furthermore, the introduced thermally switchable, spectrally selective metamaterials can find applications in dynamic infrared camouflage and active radiative thermal management, opening new horizons in the realm of metamaterial-based technologies.

High-Efficiency Effect-Directed Analysis Leveraging Five High Level Advancements: A Critical Review.

Organic contaminants are ubiquitous in the environment, with mounting evidence unequivocally connecting them to aquatic toxicity, illness, and increased mortality, underscoring their substantial impacts on ecological security and environmental health. The intricate composition of sample mixtures and uncertain physicochemical features of potential toxic substances pose challenges to identify key toxicants in environmental samples. Effect-directed analysis (EDA), establishing a connection between key toxicants found in environmental samples and associated hazards, enables the identification of toxicants that can streamline research efforts and inform management action. Nevertheless, the advancement of EDA is constrained by the following factors: inadequate extraction and fractionation of environmental samples, limited bioassay endpoints and unknown linkage to higher order impacts, limited coverage of chemical analysis (i.e., high-resolution mass spectrometry, HRMS), and lacking effective linkage between bioassays and chemical analysis. This review proposes five key advancements to enhance the efficiency of EDA in addressing these challenges: (1) multiple adsorbents for comprehensive coverage of chemical extraction, (2) high-resolution microfractionation and multidimensional fractionation for refined fractionation, (3) robust in vivo/vitro bioassays and omics, (4) high-performance configurations for HRMS analysis, and (5) chemical-, data-, and knowledge-driven approaches for streamlined toxicant identification and validation. We envision that future EDA will integrate big data and artificial intelligence based on the development of quantitative omics, cutting-edge multidimensional microfractionation, and ultraperformance MS to identify environmental hazard factors, serving for broader environmental governance.

Distribution and host ranges of Ceratitis rosa and Ceratitis quilicii (Diptera: Tephritidae) in South Africa.

Two fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) species of economic importance: Ceratitis rosa Karsch and Ceratitis quilicii De Meyer, Mwatawala & Virgilio are present in South Africa. The two species were considered as one species prior to 2016, but were subsequently separated. In this study, the distribution and abundance of the two species were quantified in seven provinces in South Africa through trapping with Enriched Ginger Oil as an attractant. Trapping was conducted over three seasons across two years (2020 and 2021): late summer, autumn-winter, and spring-early summer. Host ranges of the two species were investigated by fruit sampling in and outside of trapping sites. Ceratitis quilicii was more widely distributed than C. rosa with the latter being recorded in only three north-eastern provinces. There were geographical limits for both species with no records of them in Northern Cape Province. Catches of C. quilicii were higher in summer with average temperatures varying from 15 to 27°C while for C. rosa, catches remained low and consistent between seasons. Ceratitis quilicii catches decreased at lower rates than those of C. rosa at temperatures below 15°C. The two species were reared from 13 plant species from nine families. Four of these hosts were infested by both C. quilicii and C. rosa in the same province where they occurred. Preferred hosts of the two species belonged to the Myrtaceae family. The characterisation of the distribution, abundance and host ranges of these pests will provide a baseline for pest status determination and implementation of management actions.