Protection Protocols Research Articles

Standard requirements for clinical very high energy electron and ultra high dose rate medical devices

Very High-Energy Electrons (VHEE) present a promising innovation in radiation therapy (RT), particularly for the treatment of deep-seated tumors using Ultra High Dose Rate (UHDR) within the framework of FLASH-RT. VHEE offers significant advantages, such as improved tumor targeting, reduced treatment times, and potential utilization of the FLASH effect, which may minimize normal tissue toxicity. However, the lack of an international technical standard for VHEE systems, especially for UHDR applications, remains a critical challenge. Current standards for radiation therapy equipment, such as IEC 60601-2-1 and IEC 60601-2-64, do not encompass VHEE technology. This regulatory gap underscores the need for developing a structured international standard to ensure the basic safety and essential performance of VHEE medical devices. Addressing this challenge requires overcoming complex dose delivery issues, such as the interaction of multiple fields and beam conformality and incorporating novel techniques like broad beam or pencil beam scanning. Establishing comprehensive regulatory standards is essential to ensure patient safety, consistent treatment practices, and the successful clinical integration of VHEE systems. These standards must encompass design guidelines, radiation protection protocols, and integration with existing oncology practices. Collaborative research and development efforts are crucial to formulating evidence-based guidelines, fostering the safe and effective use of VHEE in clinical settings. By addressing these challenges, VHEE technology has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapy, particularly for deep-seated tumors, while enhancing therapeutic outcomes for patients.

Standardization of myocardial protection: comment on "Cardiac surgery 2023 reviewed".

There have been few recent innovations since the introduction of cardioplegia more than 50 years ago. Surprisingly, cardioplegia as one of the most essential steps in terms of heart muscle protection during a surgical procedure requiring cardiac arrest has never been really standardized. As a consequence, a considerable variety of cardioplegic solutions and applications have developed: cold versus warm, crystalloid versus blood cardioplegia, antegrade versus retrograde or both, as well as different time schedules for repeated administration. A new cardioplegia solution, called CardioplexolTM, has recently received CE-market approval as a drug - following two phase III studies. CardioplexolTM shows several advantages: the administration follows a very simple protocol, minimizing the risk of errors in manipulation, diastolic arrest occurs immediately, thus allowing immediate begin of the cardiac work once the aorta has been cross clamped. The very low volume of crystalloid solution (e.g. 100 ml as induction and a second application of 100 ml following 45-60 minutes of ischemia), avoids hemodilution and therefore the need for filtration during surgery. In addition, the injection through the aortic root canula eliminates the need for an additional cardioplegia pump and its disposable tubing system. This simplified cardioplegia that is not inferior to Buckberg solution has the potential for standardization of myocardial protection protocols.

International legislative outlets and protection protocols to curb violent and hate speech in digital spaces: balancing technical factors and political influence

International legislative outlets and protection protocols to curb violent and hate speech in digital spaces: balancing technical factors and political influence

Uma Proposta de Atuação em Acidentes Nucleares

This article examines the effects of nuclear accidents, highlighting Chernobyl and Goiânia as examples of tragedies that crossed national borders and impacted public perceptions regarding the safety of radioactive materials. The author emphasizes the need for adequate protection protocols to minimize risks and respond effectively to emergencies. The proposal includes creating specialized medical teams and implementing radioprotection measures within the Brazilian Air Force to ensure a swift and efficient response to nuclear accidents.

Molecular imaging in experimental pulmonary fibrosis reveals that nintedanib unexpectedly modulates CCR2 immune cell infiltration

Pulmonary fibrosis is a challenging clinical problem with lung pathology featuring immune cell infiltrates, fibroblast expansion, and matrix deposition. Molecular analysis of diseased lungs and preclinical models have uncovered C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2)+monocyte egress from the bone marrow into the lung, where they acquire profibrotic activities. Current drug treatment is focused on fibroblast activity. Alternatively, therapeutic targeting and monitoring CCR2+ cells may be an effective patient management strategy. Inhibition of CCR2+ cells and, as a benchmark, the clinical antifibrotic agent, nintedanib, were used in mouse lung fibrosis models. Lungs were evaluated directly for CCR2+ cell infiltration and by non-invasive CCR2+ positron emission tomography imaging (CCR2-PET). Lung CCR2+ cells were significantly elevated in the bleomycin model as determined by tissue evaluation and CCR2-PET imaging. A protective treatment protocol with an oral CCR2 inhibitor was compared to oral nintedanib. While we expected disparate effects on CCR2+ cells, each drug similarly decreased lung CCR2+ cells and fibrosis. Chemotaxis assays showed nintedanib indirectly inhibited C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2)-mediated migration of CCR2+ cells. Even delayed therapeutic administration of nintedanib in bleomycin and the silicosis progressive fibrosis models decreased the accumulation of CCR2+ lung cells. In these treatments early CCR2-PET imaging predicted the later development of fibrosis. The inhibition of CCR2+ cell egress is likely a critical controller for stabilising lung fibrosis, as provided by nintedanib. Imaging with CCR2-PET may be useful to monitor nintedanib treatment responses, guide decision-making in the treatment of patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and as a biomarker for drug development. National Institutes of Health (NIH), R01HL131908 (SLB), R35HL145212 (YL), P41EB025815 (YL), K01DK133670 (DHK); Barnes Jewish Hospital Foundation (SLB).

Numerical modeling and analysis of neck injury induced by parachute opening shock.

Neck injuries from parachute opening shock (POS) are a concern in skydiving and military operations. This study employs finite element modeling to simulate POS scenarios and assess cervical spine injury risks. Validated against various conditions, including whiplash, the model replicates head/neck kinematics and soft tissue responses. POS simulations capture body/head motions during parachute deployment, indicating minimal risk of severe neck injuries (Abbreviated Injury Score/AIS ≥ 2) and low risk of soft tissue tears. Vertebral stress analysis during a rougher jump highlights high stress at C5/C6 lamina, indicating fracture risk. Comparative analysis with rear impact scenarios reveals distinct strain patterns, with rear impacts showing higher ligament strain, consistent with higher soft tissue damage risk. Though POS simulations exhibit lower strain values, they emphasize similar neck deformation patterns. The model's capability to accurately simulate head and neck movements during parachute openings provides critical validation for its use in assessing injury risks. The study's findings underline the importance of considering specific loading conditions in injury assessments and contribute to refining safety standards for skydiving and military operations. By highlighting the differences in injury mechanisms between POS and rear impacts, this research offers valuable insights into tailored injury mitigation strategies. The results not only enhance our understanding of neck injury mechanisms but also inform the development of protective gear and safety protocols, ultimately aiding in injury prevention for skydivers and military personnel.

Adversarial Attacks on Pre-trained Deep Learning Models for Encrypted Traffic Analysis

For web security, it’s essential to accurately classify traffic across various web applications to detect malicious activities lurking within network traffic. However, the encryption protocols for privacy protection, such as TLS 1.3 and IPSec, make it difficult to apply traditional traffic classification methods like deep packet inspection (DPI). Recently, the advent of deep learning has significantly advanced the field of encrypted traffic analysis (ETA), outperforming traditional traffic analysis approaches. Notably, pre-trained deep learning based ETA models have demonstrated superior analytical capabilities. However, the security aspects of these deep learning models are often overlooked during the design and development process. In this paper, we conducted adversarial attacks to evaluate the security of pre-trained ETA models. We targeted ET-BERT, a state-of-the-art model demonstrating superior performance, to generate adversarial traffic examples. To carry out the adversarial example generation, we drew inspiration from adversarial attacks on discrete data, such as natural language, defining fluency from a network traffic perspective and proposing a new attack algorithm that can preserve this fluency. Finally, in our experiments, we showed our target model is vulnerable to the proposed adversarial attacks.

The Effect of Multidimensional Nursing Interventions on the Incidence of Delirium in Patients with COVID-19

Background: In patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the incidence of delirium has been increased due to the nature of the disease and the specific protective protocols implemented to control the outbreak of this disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of multidimensional nursing interventions on the incidence of delirium in patients with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A quasiexperimental study (preintervention, postintervention assessment) was conducted in168 patients (84 patients in each group) with COVID-19 admitted to the general wards of Hazrat Ali-Asghar Educational Hospital in Shiraz, Iran, between May and June 2021. At first, based on inclusion criteria, the control group was selected to prevent information transmission between the study groups. The control group was treated as usual, but the intervention group received a three-part intervention that included nurse-related, patient-related, and environment-related measures. A Demographic Information Form and the Richmond Agitation Sedation Score and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist were completed for each patient. The collected data were analyzed. Results: 25.30% of patients in the control group and 10.50% of patients in the intervention group experienced delirium (χ 2 = 5.72, p < 0.05). The results showed that the incidence of delirium was significantly lower in the intervention group. The mean number of days during which the patients experienced delirium was insignificantly lower in the intervention group (U = 2.56, p > 0.05). The mean length of hospital stay was also significantly lower in the control group (U = -2.41, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The multidimensional nursing interventions effectively reduced the incidence of delirium in patients with COVID-19.

LEGAL REGULATION OF DIGITISING AND OUTSOURCING MEDICAL RECORDS DEPARTMENT IN INDIA

The whole deal with digitizing and outsourcing medical records in India is complicated. You've got a bunch of laws, guidelines, and ethical considerations all playing a role in ensuring data privacy, security, and patient confidentiality are on point. As the healthcare sector embraces digital solutions more and more, moving from old-fashioned paper records to electronic health records (EHRs) has become a big part of managing healthcare. The Information Technology (IT) Act of 2000, along with its updates, lays the groundwork for all the legal stuff surrounding electronic data and how it's kept secure. Then there's the Personal Data Protection Bill of 2019, which hasn't been passed yet but has some pretty comprehensive measures in place to protect personal data, including health info. On top of all that, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has introduced the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM). This aims to create a national digital health system and puts a lot of emphasis on making sure data privacy and security are top-notch. When it comes to outsourcing the management of medical records to outside parties, there's a need to stick to legal standards and international best practices, like the ones laid out by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the United States. Healthcare providers need to make sure that the folks they outsource to are following confidentiality agreements and data protection protocols. It's all about reducing the risks of data breaches and unauthorized access. The legal framework also requires regular audits, safe data storage solutions, and using fancy encryption technology. To wrap it up, digitizing and outsourcing medical records in India is all about blending existing IT laws, upcoming data protection rules, and specific guidelines for the healthcare industry. The goal is to keep patient data safe while making healthcare more efficient. As the world of digital health data keeps changing, ongoing legal reforms and clear regulatory standards will be important to keep everything in check.

A comparative analysis of remote auditing in Albania: How it affects the quality of enterprise auditing

This paper conducts an extensive examination to explore the impact of remote auditing on audit quality. It aims to ascertain whether remote audit processes can match or exceed the standards set by traditional on-site audits. The study encompasses various remote audit methods, advantages, and challenges. The study employs a mixed methods approach, gathering and analyzing data through both quantitative measures and qualitative techniques. This includes surveys directed at audit professionals to glean insights into remote auditing and its effects on audit quality. Survey findings are analyzed according to a balance scorecard. The findings indicate that remote auditing has the potential to deliver high-quality audits but requires robust technological infrastructure, effective communication channels, and rigorous data protection protocols.

Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) in Digestive Healthcare: Regulatory Challenges and Ethical Implications.

The growing integration of software in healthcare, particularly the rise of standalone software as a medical device (SaMD), is transforming digestive medicine, a field heavily reliant on medical imaging for both diagnosis and therapeutic interventions. This narrative review aims to explore the impact of SaMD on digestive healthcare, focusing on the evolution of these tools and their regulatory and ethical challenges. Our analysis highlights the exponential growth of SaMD in digestive healthcare, driven by the need for precise diagnostic tools and personalized treatment strategies. This rapid advancement, however, necessitates the parallel development of a robust regulatory framework to ensure SaMDs are transparent and deliver universal clinical benefits without the introduction of bias or harm. In addition, the discussion highlights the importance of adherence to the FAIR principles for data management-findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability. However, enhanced accessibility and interoperability require rigorous protocols to ensure compliance with data protection guidelines and adequate data security, both of which are crucial for effective integration of SaMDs into clinical workflows. In conclusion, while SaMDs hold significant promise for improving patients' outcomes in digestive medicine, their successful integration into clinical workflow depends on rigorous data protection protocols and clinical validation. Future directions include the need for adequate clinical and real-world studies to demonstrate that these devices are safe and well-suited to healthcare settings.

Pediatric occupant-to-occupant interaction responses in side impact conditions using Q-dummy and child human body models

Objective Road safety of children has improved considerably over the past decade; however, there is still much scope to better protect these occupants. Ensuring adequate protection of children seated in the rear seats requires a greater understanding of how children are injured in side crashes. The purpose of this study was to enhance the knowledge of children’s potential injuries in side impact collisions by the investigation of two different child sizes seated in different positions in the rear seats. The injury metrics associated with the occupant-to-occupant or occupant-to-child restraint system interaction was also identified. Methods Finite Elements Method simulations were performed using a validated simplified vehicle model with fully deformable side components. Dynamic virtual tests according to the Euro NCAP Child Occupant Protection Protocol were performed considering three different scenarios in terms of occupants´ distribution in the rear seats. Simulations were conducted with dummy and human body models. The injury metrics associated with near-side and far-side positions and the occupant-to-occupant interaction were analyzed. Results The 10-year-old child seated in the far-side position presented higher injury values, especially in the head due to the contact with the adjacent child or child restraint occupying the near-side seating position. Similar responses were observed in human body and dummies models in terms of head and neck injury values. However, human body models showed an increase in the chest measurements. Conclusions This study highlighted that the potential injuries of a child seated on the rear seats in a side impact crash are likely to be increased by the presence of an adjacent seat occupant, especially when larger children were seated in the far-side seating location or a CRS was installed in the near-side seating position. Results offer insight into the occupant-to-occupant interaction and occupants’ size as relevant factors to improve children safety under side impact conditions.

Research on Network Security and Privacy Protection Technology of Autonomous Vehicle

With the rapid development of information technology and the increasing maturity of intelligent transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, as an important carrier of future travel, are gradually moving from concept to commercial application. However, the highly connected and intelligent nature of autonomous vehicles also makes them face unprecedented cybersecurity and privacy protection challenges. This paper deeply discusses the security threats and privacy disclosure risks of autonomous vehicles in network architecture, data transmission, data processing and other links, and systematically reviews the current technical means and research progress to address these challenges. This paper Outlines the data collection and transmission mechanism of autonomous vehicles, including the collection and processing of sensor data as well as the communication process between vehicles and the cloud, other vehicles and transportation infrastructure, and analyzes in detail the network security threats faced by autonomous vehicles, including remote control attacks, malware attacks, communication hijacking, etc. These threats can lead to serious consequences such as vehicle failure, data breach, or system crash. At the same time, the paper also points out the challenges faced by autonomous vehicles in terms of privacy protection, such as the risk of leakage of sensitive data such as personal location information and driving habits, as well as the risk of data abuse and sharing. In order to address the above challenges, this paper focuses on the technical research progress of cybersecurity and privacy protection of autonomous vehicles. In the aspect of network security, this paper discusses the key technical means such as data encryption, access control, intrusion detection and response system, and emphasizes the importance of security hardware and software in improving the overall security of the system. In terms of privacy protection, this paper proposes strategies such as anonymization and desensitization technology, privacy protection protocols and standards to protect users' privacy from invasion.

Comprehensive review of smart city cybersecurity strategies

With cities rapidly advancing technologically, the rise of smart cities brings innovative solutions to urban challenges. However, this integration of technologies within urban infrastructures introduces new cybersecurity risks. This review explores the cybersecurity issues that smart cities face and discusses strategies to address these threats. Smart cities rely on interconnected networks of devices and systems to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and citizen services. Yet, this connectivity also creates a complex environment that is vulnerable to cyberattacks. A key concern is the wide array of IoT devices deployed across smart city infrastructures, which often lack robust security mechanisms, making them susceptible to exploitation by cybercriminals. The interconnected nature of these systems heightens the potential impact of cyberattacks, posing significant risks to critical infrastructure, public safety, and privacy. Threat actors can exploit vulnerabilities in interconnected systems, disrupting essential services, manipulating data, or even causing physical harm. Since smart cities heavily depend on data-driven decision-making, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality is a top priority. To mitigate these risks, various cybersecurity strategies have been proposed and implemented. These include technical solutions, regulatory frameworks, and collaboration among stakeholders. Technical measures like encryption, authentication mechanisms, intrusion detection systems, and secure software development practices are essential. Additionally, strong access controls and network segmentation can limit the scope of potential attacks. Regulatory initiatives also play a crucial role in improving cybersecurity standards and ensuring compliance among stakeholders. Establishing clear guidelines for data protection, privacy rights, and incident response protocols is vital for safeguarding citizens' interests. Collaborative efforts between government agencies, the private sector, academia, and cybersecurity experts are crucial in sharing information and collectively defending against emerging threats. Securing smart cities requires a comprehensive approach that integrates technical measures, regulatory frameworks, and collaborative efforts to create a resilient and secure urban environment for all citizens. Keywords: Cybersecurity, Smart City, AI, Technology, Security.

Improving Safety and Comfort of Healthcare Workers Caring for Patients With High-Consequence Infectious Diseases in a High-Level Isolation Unit Using Innovative Approaches.

Patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) require high-quality care by specially trained staff in a high-level isolation unit (HLIU) that follows strict infection prevention and control (IPC) measures. Caring for patients with (suspected) HCID is challenging, mainly because of the strict personal protective equipment (PPE) and IPC protocols healthcare workers (HCW) must adhere to for protection. The Radboud University Medical Center, located in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, has been a dedicated HLIU facility since 2008. A newly built HLIU opened in May 2022, and encouraged us to review the existing PPE selection, IPC protocols, and HCID training program to improve safety and comfort for HCWs working in the HLIU. Based on a systematic search through (inter)national HCID PPE guidelines and semistructured interviews with end users, we selected an improved, more comfortable set of PPE. Additionally, we developed a more concise and easier-to-use patient care process flow and implemented a new teaching strategy. The new way of working was tested in October 2022 when the first 2 patients with suspected HCID were admitted to our unit. We used surveys to evaluate the experiences of HCWs involved in this care to further improve the workflow of the unit. When optimizing safety and comfort for HCWs, it is important to consider (inter)national guidelines as well as user preferences. By systematically evaluating recent experiences of patient admission to the HLIU and then adjusting protocols and training, we can ensure that the quality of provided healthcare and the safety of HCWs working in the HLIU remains high.

Design, development, and operation of an ISO class 5 cleanroom for planetary instrumentation and planetary protection protocols

Cleanrooms are controlled environments where the number of airborne particles is reduced to a level defined by an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard. These facilities have applications in different fields, such as the electronic, pharmaceutical, and healthcare sectors, and are also necessary for the assembly, testing and handling of space hardware. Cleanrooms are expensive to build and maintain and require the permanent designation of infrastructures and dedicated spaces within a building. Once built, clean rooms cannot be used for any other purpose, as contamination is a significant risk. The restricted access to these facilities limits the process of designing, testing, and calibrating instruments developed by academic institutions, small companies, and space startups. Here we present a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) procedure for building and maintaining a highly controlled ISO class 5 cleanroom, according to ISO14644 standards. We provide a detailed explanation of how to design, develop and operate a portable, modular, and cost-effective ISO class 5 cleanroom that can be used for the usual workflow of development, integration, test procedures and planetary protection associated with the design of instrumentation for planetary exploration.

Trauma in the American asylum process: Experiences of immigrant families under the migrant protection protocols.

Latinx asylum-seeking families report posttraumatic distress that is 161-204% higher than in nonimmigrants, with adverse consequences for health and well-being. Recent U.S. policies have further embedded trauma in the asylum-seeking process by forcing families to remain in Mexico, enduring dire living conditions in tent encampments near the border while awaiting processing. These families are now entering the United States in large numbers. This article sheds light on their recent experiences and mental health needs, using a mixed methods-grounded theory design, presenting quantitative and qualitative data to describe the experiences of six asylum-seeking families who waited for 1-2 years in the refugee camp in Mexico. Quantitative data was obtained from the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire while qualitative interviews provided insight into reasons for migration and trauma at different stages of the migration process. All participants experienced multiple traumas and endorsed trauma related symptoms. Important themes of psychological distress and trauma emerged, including unending suffering, hunger, and worry for the safety of their children while living in the refugee camp. Asylum-seeking families experienced substantial distress and trauma secondary to their stay in Mexico and COVID-19. Families arriving to the United States have experienced significant trauma, separation, and loss before and during their journey. Interactions with an unprepared and overwhelmed immigration system further compromises their psychological well-being. It is imperative that first-person narratives inform policy that addresses their complex needs and protects their human rights. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical Audit in the Elderly by Assessing Hydration and Renal Functions Before and After Contrast CT Scans at District Headquarters Hospital, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan.

Introduction Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a serious risk involved in computed tomography (CT) scans, particularly for older people. The main idea of this clinical audit was to assess current practices regarding renal function tests (RFTs) and hydration status before and after contrast CT scans in older patients at District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ), Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, and to implement recommendations for improvement. CIN is a form of acute kidney injury that occurs after the administration of contrast dye used in imaging procedures and is characterized by a sudden deterioration in renal functions. Methods This clinical audit checked adherence to renal protection protocols in elderly patients undergoing contrast CT scans. Conducted over three cycles from July 5 to August 15, 2022, this clinical audit included 30 patients aged 75 and above. Each cycle had 10patients, divided equally between males and females, and further categorized into age groups of 75-85 years and 86-95 years. Data collection involved reviewing patient files, medication charts, and CT scan reports. Compliance with RFT documentation and hydration before and after the CT scan was assessed against the standards set by Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2023 (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA), and graphs were created using Microsoft Word 2023 (Microsoft® Corp., Redmond, WA). Results The mean age ± standard deviation (SD) for males was 81.8 ± 5.01 in the first cycle, 83.4 ± 6.46 in the second cycle, and 82.4 ± 4.72 in the third cycle. For females, the mean age ± SD was 83.2 ± 5.80 in the first cycle, 85.2 ± 6.41 in the second cycle, and 83.0 ± 6.12 in the third cycle. The first audit cycle revealed that, while all patients (100%) had their RFTs documented before the CT scan, only 20% were adequately hydrated pre-scan, and none (0%) had RFTs performed post scan. Post-scan hydration was also low at 20%. These findings highlighted gaps in adherence to renal protection protocols. The second cycle showed improvements, with pre-scan hydration adherence increasing to 80%, post-scan RFTs to 60%, and post-scan hydration to 70%. By the third cycle, full compliance (100%) was achieved across all standards, including pre- and post-scan renal functions test and hydration. Conclusion The clinical audit at District Headquarters Hospital, Dera Ismail Khan, addressed gaps in renal protection protocols for elderly patients undergoing contrast CT scans. The audit improved adherence over three cycles through targeted interventions, including staff training, implementation of checklists, patient education, modifying the reporting format, and providing instructions in the local language. It also highlighted the importance of continuous education and regular monitoring. The clinical audit would be expanded to another hospital within the medical teaching institute, Dera Ismail Khan. This measure will maintain and enhance patient care, prevent CIN, and improve the renal health of elderly patients.

Determination of forest fire risk with respect to Marchalina hellenica potential distribution to protect pine honey production sites in Turkey.

Turkey is the leading producer of pine honey worldwide, accounting for 90% of global production, largely due to the presence of Marchalina hellenica populations. However, in recent years, devastating forest fires have caused substantial damage to Pinus brutia forests and M. hellenica populations, leading to a dramatic decline in pine honey production areas. The urgency for early intervention procedures against forest fires and relocation of M. hellenica populations to other P. brutia forests has become apparent. A comprehensive assessment of 25 criteria was conducted to investigate the thresholds and behaviors of each criterion, which play a vital role in the distribution of M. hellenica, using the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt). To evaluate the impact of forest fires on the distribution of M. hellenica, the potential locations of pine honey production areas were determined for 2022. Furthermore, the susceptibility of forest fires was modeled for all pine honey production months. The findings revealed that forest fires have destroyed 384.9 km2 (12.8% of the total pine honey production area), predominantly in August and September, with the most severe damage in Marmaris (156 km2) and significant impacts in Ula, Köyceğiz, and Milas. The analysis facilitates the estimation of new areas suitable for M. hellenica and pine honey production while providing valuable insights into strategies for mitigating forest fires and formulating proactive protection protocols.

An Error Protection Protocol for the Multicast Transmission of Data Samples in V2X Applications

There is a trend towards communication of larger data objects in wireless vehicle communication. In many cases, communication uses publish-subscribe protocols. Data rate requirements of such protocols are best addressed by wireless multicast protocols, but the existing protocols lack an error protection that is suitable for real-time and safety-critical applications. We present an application-aware protocol that supports the popular DDS (Data Distribution Service) middleware. By exploiting data object deadlines and slack for retransmissions and employing an adaptable, multicast-aware prioritization mechanism, the reliable exchange of large data objects is enabled. The protocol is sufficiently general to be used on top of different communication standards such as 802.11- and cellular-based V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technologies. The protocol was implemented in an OMNeT++ simulation model and evaluated against recent state-of-the-art alternatives using parameters and constraints taken from a motivational truck platooning example. Furthermore, the protocol was implemented using an open-source DDS implementation as the basis and tested on a physical wireless demonstrator setup. The evaluation shows that the presented multicast protocol substantially outperforms the alternatives keeping streaming applications operational even under high frame error rates.