Total Value Research Articles

Hierarchal attribute based cryptographic model to handle security services in cloud environment: a new model

The sharing of information in the cloud is a unique element of the environment, but there is a risk that the information may land with the wrong people. To counterattack this problem, security-associated methodologies were used to secure the information that was readily available to clients. Despite the lack of benefits, this provides productive/adaptability and dependability in access control strategies between clients in the sharing of information. The novel hierarchal attribute-based cryptographic security model (NHACSM) is being proposed to provide adaptability, versatility, and access control in sharing information in the appropriate climate. This model allows clients to share information in a hierarchal way, allowing for a productive assessment of access control strategy and improved security. The NHACSM method is used to reduce the total time values for different user instances compared to conventional approaches, for example, attribute-set-based encryption (ASBE), key-policy attribute-based encryption (KP-ABE), and ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption (CP-ABE). With respect to 10 instances existing methods achieve 2.7, 2.5, and 2.3 respectively, and also compared to 20, 30, 40, and 50 instances, our proposed method is low. The encryption and decryption time evaluation values and performance evaluation of different approaches, ASBE, CP-ABE, were taken into account when increasing the user instance.

Comparison of whole blood potentiometry using arterial blood gas analyser at the intensive care unit with laboratory-based serum sodium and potassium estimation in critically ill patients

BackgroundElectrolyte measurement in critically ill patients is a crucial investigation guiding the management of the patients. Accuracy of the results and rapid turnaround time are hence very important in the analysis of electrolytes. In our study, we aim to compare two methods of electrolyte concentration measurement by direct ion-selective electrodes (direct ISEs) using patient whole blood sample in the intensive care unit (ICU) and indirect ion-selective electrodes (indirect ISEs) using serum sample in laboratory. MethodsA prospective observational study was conducted on 142 paired samples that were obtained from patients admitted to the ICU. The arterial whole blood was analysed in an arterial blood gas analyser located in the ICU for analysis of electrolytes by Direct-ISE, whereas the blood collected for serum electrolytes was promptly transported to the hospital laboratory where serum was separated and analysed in an automated analyser using indirect ISE. Statistical analysis was done by using the t-Test and Bland–Altman plots. The Haemolysis Icteric Lipemia Index given by the laboratory analyser and serum total protein value were also recorded. Results and conclusionIn our study conducted on 142 paired samples for electrolyte analysis in critically ill patients by direct ISE and indirect ISE, we observed that there is a statistically significant difference between the average of measurements by the two methods. This difference is more significant at lower sodium levels and normal potassium levels. A larger sample size is required to shed more light on the clinical implications in the tertiary-care setup where the study was organised.

Automatic tuning of PID controllers using deep recurrent neural networks with pruning based on tracking error

Although PID controllers are common in industry, they are often poorly tuned; especially, in uncertain environments. Modern industries, with increasing complexity, motivate us to employ new intelligent methods in order to extend PID controllers beyond their usual capabilities. In this paper, an advanced machine learning scheme is utilized to improve PID controllers; for the first time, a deep dynamic neural network is employed to tune online the parameters of the traditional PID controller in order to overcome the effects of uncertainties in the closed-loop control system. To reduce the computational burden of deep recurrent neural network, a novel structural learning technique is applied to optimize the configuration. Unlike existing pruning methods, the network is pruned based on the values of neurons and the total value of the corresponding layer. Simulation of a benchmark CSTR system demonstrate that the proposed scheme performs more efficiently compared to a shallow network tuner, in the presence of uncertainties.

Novel use of an adapted ultraviolet double monochromator for measurements of global and direct irradiance, ozone, and aerosol

Abstract. A novel ultraviolet spectrometer has been developed and tested over 10 years at Lauder, New Zealand. The system, UV2, makes alternating measurements of the global and direct UV irradiance and can therefore be used to measure ozone and aerosol optical depth. After an analysis of the stability of UV2, these measurements, along with UV irradiance, are compared to relevant observations made by an additional UV spectrometer (UV4), a Dobson spectrophotometer (no. 072), and two radiometers measuring aerosol optical depth – a Prede sky radiometer and a Middleton Solar radiometer (SP02). UV2 irradiance is shown to be lower than UV4 by between 2.5 % and 3.5 %, with a standard deviation of a similar magnitude. Total column ozone values are shown to agree with Dobson spectrophotometer values with a mean bias of 2.57 Dobson units (DU) and standard deviation of 1.15 DU when using the direct sun measurements. Aerosol optical depth at 400–412 and 500 nm agrees to within 0.015 and is comparable to the difference between the reference radiometers. Further work is needed, particularly in the radiometric calibration at longer wavelengths, in order to determine if this instrument can supersede or enhance measurements made by the Dobson spectrophotometer or the aerosol radiometers.

A pharmaceutical standardization of Shunthi (Zingiber officinale): A Research Article

Introduction: Shunthi (Zingiber officinale) is a dried form of Adaraka. Adaraka means Aadryati Jihva i.e., which keeps the Jihva moistened by increasing salivation in mouth whereas Shunthi dries up the water content of Kapha and checks its flow. Its rich history of use for centuries, is owing to its composite therapeutic properties. Aims and Objectives: The present study is aimed to standardization of Shunthi. Materials and Methods: Preparation of Shunthi Churna from its Kanda (Rhizome). This article focuses on the pharmaceutical preparation and standardization of Shunthi to ensure consistent quality and potency in herbal formulations. Standardization involves the quantification of key bioactive compounds such as alkaloids, carbohydrates, steroids, tannins and starch, which contribute to its therapeutic effects. For the identification, purity and strength these must be fulfilled - analytical parameters like loss on drying at 110°C, total ash value, acid insoluble ash, alcohol soluble extractive, water soluble extractive and moisture content in drug. Conclusion: Shunthi Churna is used for Grahani, Pandu, Shwasa Roga, Arsha, Amvata, Rajyakshma, Shula, Anaha etc. The rare side effects are increased bleeding tendency, rash, itching sensation and swelling of tongue, lips and throat. Drug interaction: Shunthi can interact with anti-inflammatory medications like Ibuprofen, Aspirin etc. and other drugs that affect bleeding tendency.[1] Contraindication: In Summer and autumn seasons, contraindications with Pittaja Vyadhi.[2] Hence the present work may be used for the quality assessment and standardization of Shunthi (Zingiber officinale).

A Study on the Fruiting and Correlation between the Chemical Indicators and Antimicrobial Properties of Hippophae rhamnoides L.

Sea buckthorn is a promising species that, under the conditions of Eastern Europe, has shown high productivity and is also a good and possible source of a wide range of bioactive compounds that have a positive effect on the human body, especially polyphenols and carotenoids. Due to the content of biologically active substances in sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.), the species is of growing interest to scientists, the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics industry and consumers. The aim of this study is to investigate the productivity and the correlation between the chemical composition and the antibacterial effect of four cultivars of sea buckthorn (Clara, Dora, Cora, Mara), cultivated in the Republic of Moldova. Sea buckthorn fruits were harvested at the stage of full ripening. Berry samples were frozen at minus 25 °C, stored for 6 months and whole fruits of sea buckthorn were studied. All quantitative characteristics were calculated in terms of absolutely dry raw material (dry weight). The sea buckthorn cultivars tested were found to have a different carotenoid contents (1.79–48.92 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid contents (74.36–373.38 mg/100 g), organic acids (malic acid 5.8–13.4 mg/100 g, citric acid 0.08–0.321 mg/100 g, succinic acid 0.03–1.1 mg/100 g), total dry matter contents (16.71–24.54%), titratable acidities (2.15–8.76%) and pH values (2.73–3.00). The antimicrobial activity of sea buckthorn, evaluated by the diameter of the inhibition zone, constituted for Bacillus pumilus 3.70–15.91 mm/g−1 for whole sea buckthorn fruits and 13.33–26.67 mm/g−1 for sea buckthorn purees.

Land Use/Cover-Related Ecosystem Service Value in Fragile Ecological Environments: A Case Study in Hexi Region, China

The monetary value assigned to ecosystems and their essential goods and services is known as ecosystem service value (ESV). Fragile ecological environments, susceptible to climate change and human disturbances, require significant ecological protection. This protection is vital not only for stabilizing socio-economic conditions but also for fostering a positive feedback loop within natural systems. Looking ahead, identifying priority conservation areas and regions of particular concern in fragile environments based on ESV changes is a proactive approach. Until now, current studies on ESV in fragile ecological environments have been insufficient, falling short of adequately serving the purpose of ecological protection in such areas. The Hexi region (HXR), situated in the interlaced area of the Qilian Mountains and the Alxa Plateau in northwest China, possesses a fragile ecological environment. Due to the intricate interactions between humans and the environment, it stands out as a crucial area for studying ecosystem services in fragile habitats. Hence, this study aims to systematically analyze the ESV in the HXR over the past 30 years. Here, the values of 11 ecosystem service categories in HXR during 1990–2020 were calculated, clarifying their spatiotemporal difference and dynamic changes based on land use/cover (LULC) products for years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, using an improved equivalent factors method. The findings revealed that the unit standard equivalent factor is 1.51 × 105 CNY·km−2·a−1, and the total ESV value has grown from CNY 182.50 to 185.48 billion from 1990 to 2020. Hydrologic regulation, climate regulation, and soil conservation service values are the principal single ESV categories across HXR. Over the past three decades, ESV changes in HXR have been primarily driven by water area, grassland, and wetland, with the sensitivity of ESV to LULC generally increasing (0.15~9.10%). Natural forcing and anthropogenic perturbations have combined to cause changes in LULC in HXR, influencing ESV fluctuations. Future ecosystem protection activities in HXR should prioritize the maintenance of grasslands, water regions, and wetlands to ensure the preservation of ESV. This study clarifies the impacts of LULC change on ESV in fragile natural environments and highlights the significance of focusing on ESV changes for the health promotion of natural-social systems. The findings provide a foundation for constructing a sustainable development model that is in harmony with both people and the environment.

Transportation Arrangement as a Basic Plan for Politeknik Negeri Medan to Become an Environmentally Friendly Campus

A green campus becomes one of the approaches to overcoming global warming. The green campus evaluation program currently being conducted by Universitas Indonesia is the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, and one of the categories is transportation. One of the main contributors to pollution levels and carbon emissions is the transportation sector and is potentially to continue to rise unless sustainable prevention efforts are made. With its limited area, Politeknik Negeri Medan needs a more effective transportation arrangement to make it an environmentally friendly campus. Greenmetric assessments are conducted on existing conditions referring to the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings 2023 Guidelines with several criteria, namely the total number of vehicles (cars and motorcycles) divided by total campus population, shuttle services, zero emission vehicles (ZEV) policy on campus, the total number of zero emission vehicles (ZEV) divided by total campus population, ratio of ground parking area to total campus area, program to limit or decrease the parking area on campus for the last 3 years (from 2020 to 2022), number of initiatives to decrease private vehicles on campus, and pedestrian path on campus. The scoring result in the existing conditions is 725, or only about 40.3% of the total maximum value. GreenMetric scoring will increase to 1250 or 69.4% by implementing solutions for transportation arrangements in Politeknik Negeri Medan. The solutions are the use of access cards to filter unauthorized vehicles into the campus area, providing official vehicles electric cars and bicycles for use in the campus area, reducing the ground parking by making a vertical parking, utilizing buses as shuttle facilities for the academic community around the campus with a certain radius to reduce the use of private vehicles and supplementing existing pedestrian paths according to standards of safety, comfort and disability-friendly aspects by adding handrails, roof covers, directions, ramps for disabilities.

PENERAPAN MODEL INVENTORI PROBABILISTIK FUZZY MULTIOBJEKTIF PADA SISTEM PERSEDIAAN BUAH SALAK

Inventory control is very important in production and trading activities. The purpose of inventory control is to maintain product availability. In certain cases, the products provided must be ordered from distributors outside the city and require waiting time from the time the order is placed until the product is received. The Multiobjective Probabilistic Fuzzy Inventory model can be applied to inventory optimization problems with the uncertainty of the leadtime parameter. In this study, the model was applied to the problem of supply salak fruit at one of the distributors. The first objective function is to minimize holding costs and the second is to minimize deterioration costs. The inventory model is transformed into a single objective form using a weighted method. Based on the results, the order cycle time is 3 days with the optimal total inventory of 430.1086 kg. The holding cost and deterioration costs are IDR 2,075,866 and IDR 571,034, respectively. Changes in the weight value of the objective function result in changes in the total cost value. The greater the weight for the first objective function, the smaller the total cost.

Decision Support System for Selection of The Best Doctor at Ahmad Brahim Hospital Using the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) Method

The selection of the best doctors at the Ahmad Brahim hospital was not only done once, but the selection of the best health workers at the Ahmad Brahim hospital was also carried out, but the selection of the best health workers was still done manually by the health department. Therefore, to help speed up the research process, a website-based decision support system was created to select the best doctors to provide rewards with several methods that can be used. One of the methods used in making decisions is simple additive weighting (SAW) which is done by weighting each of the criteria used. Decision support website created using the PHP and MYSQL programming languages for data storage. This study has criterion 3, namely absence, attitude and diligence then have 7 alternatives, the 7 alternatives have 4 ratings 1 where the average assessment is the same as the absence score 0.45, the attitude value is 0.35 and the diligence value is 0.12 with a total value of 1 so those who get the first rank score are dr. Audi Pirade, dr. Kesatria Putra Abadi, dr. Nurfitri Rahmani Awaliyah and dr. Riska Ruswanti. Then the second rank is dr. Christi Angelia Arung Labi with an absence score of 0.45, an attitude value of 0.35 and a diligence value of 0.12 with a total of 0.92

Standardization of Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham: A Classical Siddha Drug

Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham is one of the polyherbal formulation mentioned in siddha system of medicine. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the quality of formulation Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham by conducting Physicochemical, Phytochemical evaluation through advanced analytical techniques. The organoleptic nature of the drug provides the purity and quality of the formulation. The results obtained from physicochemical evaluation shows that the total ash value of Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham was “2.8±0.3%”, in which the acid insoluble ash was “0.041±0.008%”, loss on drying at 105ºC of the formulation Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham was noted to be “7.4±0.88” in which water soluble extract value and alcohol soluble extract value was “20.2±1.53 and 8.333=1.15% “respectively. High performance Thin Layer Chromatography analysis of reveals the appearance Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham of ten prominent peaks corresponds to presence of ten versatile phyto components present with in it.Rf value of the peaks ranges from “0.13 to 0.91”. Phyto chemical analysis of Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham reveals the emergence of phytocomponents like Alkaloids, Flavonoids, Steroids, Triterpenoids, Coumarin, Phenol, Tannin, Protein, Saponins, Sugar, Betacyanin. In conclusion, the polyherbal formulation of Kandankathiriyaadhy Kyazham possess significant phytocomponents and have beneficial effects towards treating various disorders.

Distribution, speciation, and assessment of heavy metals in sediments from Wadi Asal, Red Sea, Egypt

Globally, the environmental contamination of stream sediments due to geogenic and anthropogenic sources is of growing concern. In this study, the heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in 22 superficial sediments in Wadi Asal, Red Sea, Egypt, were explored to assess sediment sources, the mobility of chemical species, and the degree of contamination in sediments. Therefore, the total heavy metal values in the fine fraction (< 63 μm), a five-step sequential extraction on selective samples, risk assessment, and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied. The mobility of heavy metals in Wadi Asal sediments, according to non-residual fraction percent, declines in the following order: Cd (90.9%) > Pb (85.2%) > Co (84.4%) > Cu (80.8%) > Zn (75.9%) > Ni (48.4%) > Cr (39.6%); indicating the high mobility of Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Co. The mean metal contamination factor (CF) order is Cd (10.96) > Ni (3.91) > Cr (2.77) > Zn (2.18) > Pb (2.10) > Co (1.12) > Cu (0.70). The Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo) is decreased in the following order: Cd (2.19) > Ni (0.78) > Cr (0.55) > Zn (0.44) > Pb (0.42) > Co (0.22) > Cu (0.14). The risk assessment code (RAC) revealed very high to high risk for Cd, Co, and Pb. The results pointed out that the metals Cr, Co, Cu, and Ni are from geogenic sources, while Zn, Cd, and Pb are from anthropogenic sources due to Pb–Zn mining activities. Based on the threshold effect level (TEL), Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb have adverse effects on living organisms. According to these findings, the area along Wadi Asal and the downstream regions on the beach are highly polluted and heavy metal monitoring in sediments and aquatic organisms is recommended.

Determining the optimal pharmacokinetic modelling and simplified quantification method of [18F]AlF-P16-093 for patients with primary prostate cancer (PPCa).

This paper discusses the optimization of pharmacokinetic modelling and alternate simplified quantification method for [18F]AlF-P16-093, a novel tracer for in vivo imaging of prostate cancer. Dynamic PET/CT scans were conducted on eight primary prostate cancer patients, followed by a whole-body scan at 60 min post-injection. Time-activity curves (TACs) were obtained by drawing volumes of interest for primary prostatic and metastatic lesions. Optimal kinetic modelling involved evaluating three compartmental models (1T2K, 2T3K, and 2T4K) accounting for fractional blood volume (Vb). The simplified quantification method was then determined based on the correlation between the static uptake measure and total distribution volume (Vt) obtained from the optimal pharmacokinetic analysis. In total, 17 intraprostatic lesions, 10 lymph nodes, and 36 osseous metastases were evaluated. Visually, the contrast of the tumor increased and showed the steepest incline within the first few minutes, whereas background activity decreased over time. Full pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that a reversible two-compartmental (2T4K) model is the preferred kinetic model for the given tracer. The kinetic parameters K1, k3, Vb, and Vt were all significantly higher in lesions when compared with normal tissue (P < 0.01). Several simplified protocols were tested for approximating comprehensive dynamic quantification in tumors, with image-based SURmean (the ratio of tumor SUVmean to blood SUVmean) within the 28-34 min window found to be sufficient for approximating the total distribution Vt values (R2 = 0.949, P < 0.01). Both Vt and SURmean correlated significantly with the total serum prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) levels (P < 0.01). This study introduced an optimized pharmacokinetic modelling approach and a simplified acquisition method for [18F]AlF-P16-093, a novel PSMA-targeted radioligand, highlighting the feasibility of utilizing one static PET imaging (between 30 and 60 min) for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. Note that the image-derived input function in this study may not reflect the true corrected plasma input function, therefore the interpretation of the associated kinetic parameter estimates should be done with caution.

COVID-19 information seeking and individuals’ protective behaviors: examining the role of information sources and information content

BackgroundSeeking COVID-19 information promotes individuals to adopt preventive behaviors, including wearing a mask, social distancing, staying away from risky places, and washing hands. This study aims to investigate which information and sources individuals relied on in seeking COVID-19 information and further examine their roles in individuals’ adoption of preventive behaviors.MethodsThrough a statistical analysis of 1027 valid responses from citizens in different Chinese cities in 2022 to the self-designed items in an online survey, this study identified individuals’ preferred information sources and content on COVID-19. Regarding the information sources and content, the study used multiple regression analysis to examine their associations with individuals’ preventive behaviors, and further applied fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore their configurations that increase the likelihood of individuals adopting preventive behaviors.ResultsIndividuals preferred information about the newest prevention and control policies, precautions and treatment, and symptoms from the sources of workplace and community, social media, and social live streaming services. Additionally, individuals’ preventive behaviors were positively related to the workplace and community (β = 0.202, p <.001), social live streaming services (β = 0.089, p <.01), government department websites (β = 0.079, p <.05), television (β = 0.073, p <.05), and online news media (β = 0.069, p <.05), but were negatively associated with newspapers (β=-0.087, p <.05). Regarding information content, precautions and treatments (β = 0.211, p <.001), the newest prevention and control policies (β = 0.173, p <.001), symptoms (β = 0.152, p <.001), and official rumor-dispelling information (β = 0.082, p <.05) had a positive relationship with individuals’ preventive behaviors. In addition, fsQCA results presented eight configurations that promote individuals to adopt preventive behaviors. The total coverage and solution consistency values were 0.869 and 0.987, respectively. Furthermore, COVID-19 information content, the sources of social media and interpersonal sources, and official news media played an essential role in increasing the likelihood of individuals adopting preventive behaviors.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrated that individuals seek various COVID-19 information from multiple sources. The direct and degree of association of information sources and content with individuals’ preventive behaviors vary from source to source and from content to content. Information sources and content could combinatorially promote individuals to adopt preventive behaviors through several configurations.

Underutilised palm stearin as hard stock for deep-frying medium and its performance for oil uptake in instant noodles.

As a by-product of the palm oil industry, palm stearin is often overlooked despite having several beneficial properties, such as excellent stability, which is critically essential to meet the demand of the global food trend in producing safer processed food. Specifically, deep frying of food is often associated with the production of toxic compounds that could potentially migrate into the food system when oils are degraded under continuous heating. The incorporation of palm stearin is regarded as a cost-effective and efficient method to modify the fatty acid composition of oils, enhance the frying qualities and lower the degradation rate. This study blended 5% and 10% palm stearin into palm oil to investigate the deep-frying performance and impact on food quality. Increasing the palm stearin content improved the frying oil's oxidative and hydrolytic stability, evidenced by reduction of total polar material, free fatty acid and total oxidation value. Addition of palm stearin increased the slip melting point which improved the oil's oxidative stability but no significant increase in oil content of instant noodles was observed. Scanning electron microscopy and fluorescence microscopy showed the formation of larger pores in the noodle structure that facilitated oil retention. Blending palm stearin into frying oil enhanced the frying stability and minimally affected the oil uptake in instant noodles. This article presents the viability of blending palm stearin into frying oils to develop longer-lasting frying oils. © 2024 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Analysis of Marketing Strategies to Increase Cricket Sales at Maja Farm Company in Pesawaran

Maja Farm in Pesawaran is an individual company that focuses on cricket farming, located in Taman Sari Village, Gedung Tataan District, Pesawaran Regency. The company is facing challenges in the form of a decrease in cricket sales by 64.9% in 2018 and 30.4% in 2019. This study aims to analyse marketing strategies that can increase sales value at Maja Farm Company in Pesawaran, using SWOT Analysis as an analytical tool. The calculation results show a total IFAS value of 2.80 and EFAS of 2.55. From these results, it is known that the company's position is in cell 5, which indicates that the company is in a stable phase and is not experiencing growth with a concentration strategy through horizontal integration or stability. Through the combination of SWOT Matrix, the most dominant strategy is SO (Strengths-Opportunities) with a value of 3.55, namely creating positive relationships with customers through maintaining product quality and maintaining product availability in order to meet consumer needs, followed by the ST (Strengths-Threats) strategy with a value of 2.80, namely conducting market research to understand product prices in the market and determining efficient promotion strategies. This strategy is expected to be the basis for increasing sales of Maja Farm Company in Pesawaran. Keywords: SWOT Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Sales

Combination of ROC and MFEP Methods in Providing Credit to the Mislina Cooperative

One of the activities of the cooperative is to offer loans to customers and make loans based on several requirements that must be met by applicants who wish to borrow. So far, in determining the provision of cooperative loans to mislina cooperatives, it is considered that they are not careful and selective in providing loans which has an impact on increasing the ratio of loans in arrears. The process of granting loans to mislina cooperatives is still done manually and without doing calculations with special calculation methods that can help do rankings. The research objective was to apply the ROC and MFEP combination methods in designing a decision support system for mislina cooperative loan assessments. The method used is a decision support system using a combination of ROC and MFEP methods. Based on the results of implementing a combination of ROC and MFEP, the results of the system being built can make it easier to determine the provision of pimjama loans to Mislina cooperatives so that they are more effective and efficient. The results of the ROC and MFEP combination tests resulted in a decision that the highest alternative was sayem with a final total value of 2.85.

Quantitative Valuation Methods in Green Energy

Green Energy is a special case because it can be considered both as a “private good” and a “public good.” In other words, green energy carries a positive externality and the market value reflects only a small portion of the total benefits. That is why, the methods of assessing the value of a market economy does not give a complete picture. In order to calculate the total monetary value in green energy, the indirect valuation methods cannot give the true value, since they study only the use value, and environmental goods/services carries usually the non-use value too. Therefore, direct market valuation methods such as Contingent Valuation (CVM) and Choice Experiment (CE) methods can be used to calculate the total value in Green Energy. Keywords: Green Energy; Willingness to Accept (WTA); Willingness to Pay (WTP); Contingent Valuation Method (CVM); Choice Experiment (CE).

Medium cut-off dialyzer improves reduction ratios of large middle molecules associated with vascular calcification.

We aimed to investigate the change in the large middle molecule (>15 kDa) removal rate, which is associated with vascular calcification, when using a medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzer compared to a high-flux (HF) dialyzer. Twenty patients with clinically stable maintenance hemodialysis were investigated over a 15-week study period. Dialyzer efficacies were evaluated during the last midweek hemodialysis treatment for each consecutive dialyzer membrane use: 1st HF, MCO, and 2nd HF dialyzer; 5 weeks each period. Changes in α1-microglobulin (33 kDa) during a dialysis session were analyzed to assess the efficacy of the MCO dialyzer as a reference. The levels and reduction ratios of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23, 32 kDa), osteoprotegerin (OPG, 60 kDa), and sclerostin (22 kDa) were analyzed. Large middle molecules were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum hemoglobin, phosphorus, and corrected calcium levels were not significantly different for each dialyzer period. Total protein and albumin values during the MCO dialyzer period did not decrease compared with the HF dialyzer period. The reduction ratio of α1-microglobulin was significantly higher in the MCO dialyzer than in the HF dialyzer (p < 0.001). The reduction ratios of FGF23 (p < 0.001), OPG (p < 0.001), and sclerostin (p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the MCO dialyzer than those in the HF dialyzer. The reduction rate of large middle molecules related to vascular calcification, such as FGF23, OPG, and sclerostin, was significantly higher when using the MCO dialyzer than the HF dialyzer.

Three Decades of Oasis Transition and Its Driving Factors in Turpan–Hami Basin in Xinjiang, China: A Complex Network Approach

As a predominant ecosystem-providing area and distinctive landscape in arid regions, an oasis plays an important role in maintaining land stability, human production, and daily activities. Studying the dynamics of oasis and its driving factors is vital to supporting arid regions’ sustainable development. As a typical mountain–desert–oasis landscape, the Turpan–Hami (Tuha) Basin, located in Xinjiang, China, includes complex interactions among different land types. For this study, we revealed the spatio-temporal patterns and transition processes of the oasis using a complex network method between 1990 and 2020 in the Tuha Basin. In the oasis transition network, the degree value, betweenness centrality, and average path length were calculated to express the transition relationship, key oasis type, and oasis structural stability, respectively. Six factors related to climate change and human actives were selected to investigate the driving forces behind oasis transitions, including the average temperature and precipitation in the growing season, the total power of agricultural machinery (TAMP), the production of raw coal (PRC), the total output value of the plantation industry (TPI), and the population (Pop). Our results show that the oasis area of the Tuha Basin, including the natural oasis and artificial oasis, all grew from 1990 to 2020, with the natural oasis expanding more than the artificial oasis. The transitions between oasis types became more frequent as the area of oasis land types increased throughout the study period. Grassland acted as the most important oasis type in the network, with the highest betweenness centrality, but its importance declined due to the increasing complexity of the oasis transition network from 1990 to 2020. The transitions between oasis types became simpler, and the oasis structural stability decreased. Through driving force analysis, the oasis changes showed a positive correlation with the temperature (p-value &lt; 0.05, r = 0.88), and urbanization and industrialization factors prompted transitions to built-up areas and cropland from grassland and shrubland. In summary, our results suggest that to create a harmonious symbiotic relationship between the natural environment in dryland and human activities, preventing grassland degradation and excessive reclamation of land cover is an available way. Meanwhile, the protection of shrubland and water resources is also important. This study provided reference and theory support for promoting the sustainable development of oases.