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Mosquito-borne diseases continue to pose significant threats to human populations, especially in developing and underdeveloped regions, where access to effective preventive measures remains limited. Mosquito repellents represent a cornerstone in the arsenal against these diseases, providing a barrier against mosquito bites. Mosquito repellents come in various formulations, including topical ointments and commercial vaporizers, with varying compositions. Common constituents include deodorized kerosene (DOK) as a solvent, pyrethroids, amides, essential oils for fragrance, and synergists. Despite their widespread use, the toxicological profiles of these repellents remain inadequately understood, raising questions about their safety in prolonged or excessive exposure scenarios. However, while their efficacy in preventing mosquito-borne illnesses is well-established, concerns persist regarding their potential toxicity to humans and the environment. This review critically examines the existing literature on the toxicity of mosquito repellents, focusing on their adverse effects on human health and environmental sustainability. Through an extensive analysis of available research, this review aims to shed light on the potential health risks associated with mosquito repellents, such as dermatological irritation, respiratory complications, and allergic reactions in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing human stress in agriculture proves to be a complex and time‐intensive endeavor within the field of ergonomics, particularly for the development of agricultural systems. This methodology involves the utilization of instrumentation and the establishment of a dedicated laboratory setup. The complexity arises from the need to capture and analyze various physiological and psychological indicators, such as heart rate (HR), muscle activity, and subjective feedback to comprehensively assess the impact of farm operations on subjects. The instrumentation typically includes wearable devices, sensors, and monitoring equipment to gather real‐time data of subject during the performance of farm operations. Deep learning (DL) models currently achieve human performance levels on real‐world face recognition tasks. In this study, we went beyond face recognition and experimented with the recognition of human stress based on facial features during the drudgery‐prone agricultural operation of sugarcane harvesting. This is the first research study for deploying artificial intelligence‐driven DL techniques to identify human stress in agriculture instead of monitoring several ergonomic characteristics. A total of 20 (10 each for male and female) subjects comprising 4300 augmented RGB images (215 per subject) were acquired during sugarcane harvesting seasons and then these images were deployed for training (80%) and validation (20%). Human stress and nonstress states were determined based on four ergonomic physiological parameters: heart rate (ΔHR), oxygen consumption rate (OCR), energy expenditure rate (EER), and acceptable workload (AWL). Stress was defined when ΔHR, OCR, EER, and AWL reached or exceeded certain standard threshold values. Four convolutional neural network‐based DL models (1) DarkNet53, (2) InceptionV3, (3) MobileNetV2 and (4) ResNet50 were selected due to their remarkable feature extraction abilities, simple and effective implementation to edge computation devices. In all four DL models, training performance results delivered training accuracy ranging from 73.8% to 99.1% at combinations of two mini‐batch sizes and four levels of epochs. The maximum training accuracies were 99.1%, 99.0%, 97.7%, and 95.4% at the combination of mini‐batch size 16 and 25 epochs for DarkNet53, InceptionV3, ResNet50, and MobileNetV2, respectively. Due to the best performance, DarkNet53 was tested further on an independent data set of 100 images and found 89.8%–93.3% confident to classify stressed images for female subjects while 92.2%–94.5% for male subjects, though it was trained on the integrated data set. The comparative classification of the developed model and ergonomic measurements for stress classification was carried out with a net accuracy of 88% where there were few instances of wrong classifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the incident of tourists falling into the sea due to waves on the seawall berm at Macau Road, Qingdao, during the passage of Typhoon "Songda" in 2022, a combination of numerical simulations and physical model experiments was performed to investigate the mechanics of the event, with emphasis on the wave flow characteristics and the flow evolution process on the seawall berm as well as the force exerted on a human body-equivalent cylinder model. The study found that the thickness of the return flow was significantly greater than that of the overtopping flow on the landward part of the berm. The recoil forces applied to the model on the berm were larger than the impact forces, and the ratio tended towards 1 as the wave height increased. In addition, the stability of pedestrians on the seawall berm was analyzed. The instability conditions for pedestrians in cross-wave flows differed slightly from those in floods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islam influences Muslim societies through rules, regulations, and legislation. This paper highlights Islamic principles and legislation that protect the rights and dignity of older adults and compares them to policies and laws that have been applied and implemented in the United Arab Emirates. A comparative method was utilised to conduct this study, relying on sources that present the rights of older adults in Islamic Sharia, as well as official sources from the United Arab Emirates, where information on laws and regulations related to older adults is published. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of recent advancements in electrical distribution networks, with a specific focus on the incorporation of direct current (DC) applications. The research aims to comprehensively address the current and future aspects of DC, spanning from the distribution level to the utilization level. The renewed interest in DC power systems has led to the investigation of several transitional challenges in recent years. A significant portion of these efforts has been dedicated to determining the feasibility of applying DC to specific use cases. Additionally, the literature has explored design considerations such as system architecture and voltage levels, the integration of DC into existing distribution networks, load flow (LF) computations, and the distinct safety concerns associated with DC power systems. In this paper, the various research endeavors are categorized, evaluated, and scrutinized to assess the current state of the transition from a purely alternating current (AC) distribution system to a solely DC or hybrid AC/DC distribution system. A bibliometric analysis is conducted, constructing a network of co-occurrence based on author-provided keywords, which reveals the primary research foci in this domain. The barriers hindering the widespread adoption of DC distribution systems and potential solutions are also discussed. Moreover, this article synthesizes ongoing efforts to address these obstacles and delineates future research directions by emphasizing the existing knowledge gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humans use collaborative robots as tools for accomplishing various tasks. The interaction between humans and robots happens in tight shared workspaces. However, these machines must be safe to operate alongside humans to minimize the risk of accidental collisions. Ensuring safety imposes many constraints, such as reduced torque and velocity limits during operation, thus increasing the time to accomplish many tasks. However, for applications such as using collaborative robots as haptic interfaces with intermittent contacts for virtual reality applications, speed limitations result in poor user experiences. This research aims to improve the efficiency of a collaborative robot while improving the safety of the human user. We used Gaussian process models to predict human hand motion and developed strategies for human intention detection based on hand motion and gaze to improve the time for the robot and human security in a virtual environment. We then studied the effect of prediction. Results from comparisons show that the prediction models improved the robot time by 3% and safety by 17%. When used alongside gaze, prediction with Gaussian process models resulted in an improvement of the robot time by 2% and the safety by 13%.

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Vehicle collisions with wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are reported almost everywhere this species is found. However, this is one of the least studied and characterized forms of damage that these invasive animals cause in the United States (U.S.). We analyzed 518 wild pig-vehicle collisions (WPVCs) that took place statewide in Georgia between 2015 and 2021. From that dataset, we analyzed several parameters in order to better understand and characterize these accidents on a scale that had previously not been done in the U.S. Wild pig-vehicle collisions were reported from 105 out of the 159 counties in Georgia, increasing in number annually over the seven-year period. WPVCs were most likely to occur in the fall (37%). A duration weighted time of day analysis showed that WPVCs were most frequent at dusk. Most (97%) reported accidents were caused by live wild pigs, with the remainder being due to collisions with already dead or road-killed pigs. Most (86%) collisions involved a single wild pig while the remainder occurred with two or more pigs. Collisions occurred mostly with passenger cars on dry, straight, and level two-lane blacktop roads under dark, unlighted conditions. Nine percent of the vehicle accidents involving wild pigs resulted in injuries to the drivers and passengers. Some of the most severe injuries reported were caused by swerving to avoid striking wild pigs. No human fatalities were recorded due to these accidents. Wild pig-vehicle collisions are costly and dangerous and should be closely monitored and mitigated by the agencies responsible for motorist safety, transportation infrastructure, and wildlife management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islam influences Muslim societies through rules, regulations, and legislation. This paper highlights Islamic principles and legislation that protect the rights and dignity of older adults and compares them to policies and laws that have been applied and implemented in the United Arab Emirates. A comparative method was utilised to conduct this study, relying on sources that present the rights of older adults in Islamic Sharia, as well as official sources from the United Arab Emirates, where information on laws and regulations related to older adults is published.

Human is usually exposed to environmental radiation from natural and man-made sources. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of exposure to environmental radiation, partly related to understanding and protecting against the risk of exposure to environmental radiation with beneficial and adverse impacts on human life. The rapid development of technologies causes a dramatic enhancement of radiation in the human environment. In this study, we address the biological effects caused by different fractions of non-ionizing electromagnetic irradiation to humans and describe possible approaches for minimizing adverse health effects initiated by radiation. The main focus was on biological mechanisms initiated by irradiation and represented protection, and safety approaches to prevent health disorders.

Human is usually exposed to environmental radiation from natural and man-made sources. Therefore, it is important to investigate the effects of exposure to environmental radiation, partly related to understanding and protecting against the risk of exposure to environmental radiation with beneficial and adverse impacts on human life. The rapid development of technologies causes a dramatic enhancement of radiation in the human environment. In this study, we address the biological effects caused by different fractions of non-ionizing electromagnetic irradiation to humans and describe possible approaches for minimizing adverse health effects initiated by radiation. The main focus was on biological mechanisms initiated by irradiation and represented protection, and safety approaches to prevent health disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Industry 5.0 provides a human-centered, sustainable, and resilient manufacturing system with a high emphasis on green technologies. This paper will examine the current use and perception of the green and digital technologies in the internal and external transport systems of Croatian manufacturing companies, relying on the continuous work of the authors in the field of local manufacturing industry development and digitalization. On a sample of 112 companies, statistical analysis of the results has shown that the greatest challenge in the digital technologies implementation is the unavailability of the technology on the market and employee resistance to change. The companies perceive benefits of renewable resource usage in internal transport in the rise in environmental awareness and increased flexibility, while the productivity increase and human safety improvement are the crucial reasons for the digitalization of internal transport in Croatian manufacturing companies. In external transport, the use of renewable energy sources is very rare, due to high price and low endurance of the vehicles, but the main reasons for its future possible implementation are environmental awareness, profitability, and sustainability. The majority of the companies in Croatia are still not familiar with Industry 4.0 or 5.0 concept but have shown a high interest for digital and green technology implementation to enable sustainable future development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional large agricultural machinery or implements are unsafe and unsuitable to operate on slopes >6∘ $\gt {6}^{\circ }$ or 10%. Tractor rollovers are frequent on slopes, precluding farming on arable hills, uneven or highly sloped land. Therefore, a fleet of autonomous ground vehicles (AGV) is proposed to cultivate highly sloped land (>6∘ $\gt {6}^{\circ }$). The fleet aims to expand agricultural land to the slopes and to strengths the human‐robot collaboration in an unsafe sloped environment. However, the fleet's success largely depends on vehicle behavior models regarding traction, mobility, and energy consumption on varying slopes. The vehicle intelligent behavior models are essential and would solve multiple objectives ranging from simulations to path planning & navigation. Therefore, this study aimed to build a deep learning‐based vehicle behavior models on sloping terrain. A standard drawbar test was performed on a single AGV operating on an actual sloped field at varying speeds and load conditions. The drawbar test quantified the AGV's behavior on slopes in metrics related to traction (traction efficiency), mobility (travel reduction), and energy consumption (power number). Deep learning‐based models were developed from the experimental data to predict the AGV's behavior on slopes as a function of vehicle velocity, drawbar, and slope. A special model called the proposed model, which combined multiple deep neural networks with a mixture of Gaussians, was developed and trained with a hybrid training method. The proposed model consistently outperformed the other well‐known machine learning models. This study explored the capabilities of machine learning algorithms to simulate the behavior of small‐track vehicle or AGV on sloping terrain. The fleet aims to provide safer agriculture keeping human safety in focus, and the developed predictive vehicle behavior models would empower the fleet's operation on currently unsafe sloped terrain by assisting in vehicle path planning, route optimization, and decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International exposure guidelines such as ICNIRP guidelines and IEEE C95.1 standard are published to protect human from potential adverse health effect. These guidelines and standards establish the limit for the induced electric field, also called the basic restriction. The permissible external field strength—known as the reference level—is then conservatively derived from the basic restriction. Though the reference level is calculated assuming that the human body is exposed to electric or magnetic fields separately, in reality, simultaneous exposure to both fields may occur. Such exposures are particularly likely when a human body is positioned under overhead transmission lines. Under such circumstances, a phase difference between the electric and magnetic fields occur due to the phase difference between the power line’s voltage and current. We investigated the impact of external electric and magnetic field phase differences on the induced electric field in numerical human models. This was done under simultaneous exposure to a spatially uniform vertical electric field and horizontal magnetic fields at 50 Hz. Our computational findings revealed that the strength of the induced electric field fluctuates with the phase difference and that the variation caused by this difference varies across different body parts. The basic restrictions of the ICNIRP guidelines were met under the simultaneous exposure to electric and magnetic fields at the reference level, even when considering the phase difference.

Women’s safety has been highlighted as one of the major concerns of any society where several women are dealing with various safety issues like harassment, rape, molestation, and domestic violence due to different social or cultural reasons. Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming a promising technology to support day-to-day concerns and provide support in handling various affairs. Many IoT-based devices have been introduced by the community to help women deal with their potential safety threats. This study presents a systematic literature review of research studies exhibiting the IoT devices for women’s safety, the main features these devices offer as well as the wearable, sensors used, and the machine learning algorithms used. The review is carried out by carefully examining and synthesizing the research articles published between 2016 to 2022 in well-reputed research venues. The results revealed that different types of sensors are used to capture the state of women undergoing safety issues where the pulse-rate, and pressure sensors are most commonly used sensors in these devices. In addition, the devices used different technology to transmit the alerts including global positing system (GPS), global system for mobile communication (GSM), and Raspberry pi. Furthermore, several machine learning algorithms such as logistic regression, hidden Markov, and decision trees are used to identify the potential under threat women and help prevent the undesirable situation for women beforehand. It was identified that despite producing notable research in the underlying domain the systems emphasizing auto-activation of alert generation with lesser human interaction and improved accuracies are required to be developed for effectively addressing the concern. In addition to reviewing the literature, this study suggests a taxonomy posing different techniques, features, wearables, and sensors used in IoT-based women safety devices. Furthermore, the gaps and challenges pertaining to the IoT devices and their usability for women’s safety have also been highlighted. In addition, this work proposes an architectural model that presents prominent components necessary to develop IoT-based women’s safety devices. Lastly, this study emphasizes the use of combinations of sensors to get multiple types of input data that could lead to determining the possibility of threat with better accuracies and precisions.

While trifluoroacetic acid has limited technical uses, the highly water-soluble trifluoroacetate (TFA) is reported to be present in water bodies at low concentrations. Most of the TFA in the environment is discussed to arise from natural processes, but also with the contribution from decomposition of environmental chemicals. The presence of TFA may result in human exposures. For hazard and risk assessment, the mammalian toxicity of TFA and human exposures are reviewed to assess the margin of exposures (MoE). The potential of TFA to induce acute toxicity is very low and oral repeated dose studies in rats have identified the liver as the target organ with mild liver hypertrophy as the lead effect. Biomarker analyses indicate that TFA is a weak peroxisome proliferator in rats. TFA administered to rats did not induce adverse effects in an extended one-generation study and in a developmental toxicity study or induce genotoxic responses. Based on recent levels of TFA in water and diet, MoEs for human exposures to TFA are well above 100 and do not indicate health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is designed to explicate and analyze data acquired from experimental field tests of a Tesla Model 3 lane correction module within the vehicle's Autopilot Suite, a component of Tesla OS. The initial problem was discovered during a nominal drive of the Tesla Model 3, where after a random number of lane correction events, the lane correction module shuts down, issues a visual disable warning on the touchscreen, and control of the vehicle is given to the driver until the next drive. That development was considered problematic, as the driver can be caught off guard or may be medically disabled and unable to respond. During a controlled stress test, a more severe issue was discovered. After a random number of lane correction events, the lane correction module shuts down without warning, then stays activated after the test driver corrects the vehicle's trajectory. This is considered a fatal error in the system and adds a dangerous element to an otherwise standard feature in a modern automotive vehicle. The results established that the number of events needed to trigger a fatal error without warning is unpredictable. Our results also demonstrate that the system is inconsistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate prediction of the number of passengers trapped in elevators under earthquakes in urban areas is essential for promoting earthquake emergencies. A probability-based city-scale method for assessing the earthquake-induced risk of passenger entrapment in elevators was proposed, in which city-scale time history analysis was performed to simulate the seismic response of building clusters, and the Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to consider the uncertainty of multiple factors, including the mechanical properties of buildings and elevators, the elevator story position, and the spatiotemporal nature of elevator traffics. A case study of the Tsinghua University campus was performed to demonstrate the practicability of the method. The results show that the number of trapped passengers when an earthquake occurs during the off-peak hours of elevator traffic is approximately a quarter of that when the earthquake occurs at 8:00. The maximum number of trapped passengers under the maximum considered earthquake reaches 195, approximately five times that under the design basis earthquake. This study fills a gap in the research on city-scale earthquake-induced passenger entrapment risk. The proposed method can be used to perform both scenario- and intensity-based assessments, thereby having the potential to facilitate virtual rescuer drills and earthquake emergency plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between humans and wildlife include a number of consumptive and nonconsumptive forms. In some cases, the increased demand for wildlife viewing can precipitate new human-wildlife conflicts. Mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus; goats) are native to a number of North American mountain ranges from southeastern Alaska to southwestern Montana, USA. Goat habitat typically consists of steep terrain and cold weather habitats, which has left them particularly vulnerable to climate change. Their alpine environments also make them vulnerable to disturbance by aircraft and land-based motorized human activity. We reviewed and characterized situations in which goats in close proximity to humans on foot may become a nuisance or dangerous to people. We identify how such interactions might occur, focusing on the array of intensity observed in different settings. We summarize and evaluate interventions that have been attempted and may warrant additional research. Goats that tolerate people along hiking trails, perhaps through a habituation-like process, can typically be kept at a safe distance simply by shouting, clapping hands, or vigorous gestures. Goats that have learned to associate people with a salt reward (e.g., typically urine deposited on the ground, less frequently sweat obtained directly by licking) are more likely to be successfully hazed by tossing small stones, hitting the animal in the flank or rear. Salt-conditioned goats sometimes come within touching distance of humans; we strongly advise against prodding or poking these animals with sharp objects such as trekking poles. The recreating public that ventures into goat habitat is the ultimate source of these conflicts. Education, compliance, and possibly some infrastructure improvements can lessen the potential for conflicts and provide new and safer opportunities to view goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathfinding elephants are moving through human dominated landscapes, often across international boundaries, thereby playing a vital role in connecting protected areas. Their movements are a call to action to not only understand their spatial requirements but to urgently work towards innovative ways to make people's livelihoods compatible with conservation outcomes so that coexistence and connected landscapes can prevail. We discuss the first three phases of a long-term strategy to conserve elephant corridors whilst incorporating the socio-economic needs of the people that share the landscape with them. We present a comprehensive satellite-tracking history of elephants across two transfrontier conservation areas (TFCA), represented by Great Limpopo- and Lubombo TFCAs and involving four countries (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Eswatini) to flag where linking corridors exist. We use innovative cafeteria-style experiments to understand which elephant-unpalatable plants would offer lucrative alternative income streams to farmers living in human–elephant-conflict hotspots. The most suitable unpalatable plants are chosen based not only on whether they are unpalatable to elephants, but also on their life history traits and growth prerequisites. We consider a combination of potential economic values (food, essential oil, medicinal and bee fodder value) to ensure that selected plants would accommodate changing economic markets. Lastly, we highlight the importance of combining food security measures with ensuring people's safety by means of deploying rapid-response units. By implementing these three phases as part of a longer-term strategy, we draw closer to ensuring the protection of bioregions to achieve biodiversity objectives at a landscape scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicinal and edible herbs from fruit sources have been increasingly used in traditional Chinese medicine dietotherapy. There are no restrictions on who could consume the medicinal and edible fruits or on the dosage of consumption. However, their safety for human consumption has yet to be established. Aim of the study : This systematic review aimed to assess the safety of human consumption of 30 medicinal and edible fruits. Seven English and Chinese databases were searched up to May 31, 2023, to collect AE reports following human consumption of medicinal and edible fruits. Eligible reports should include details on the occurrence, symptoms, treatments, and outcomes of AEs. AEs that were life-threatening or caused death, permanent or severe disability/functional loss, or congenital abnormality/birth defects were classified as serious AEs (SAEs). The causality between the consumption of fruits and AEs was graded as one of four ranks: "certain", "probable", "possible", or "unlikely". Thirty AE reports related to the consumption of medicinal and edible fruits were included, involving 12 species of fruits: Crataegi fructus, Gardeniae fructus, Mori fructus, Hippophae fructus, Cannabis fructus, Siraitiae fructus, Perillae fructus, Rubi fructus, Longan arillus, Anisi stellati fructus, Zanthoxyli pericarpium, and Lycii fructus. No AE reports were found for the remaining 18 species. A total of 97 AEs, featuring predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms, followed by allergic reactions and neuropsychiatric symptoms, were recorded. Thirty SAEs were noted, with Zanthoxyli pericarpium accounting for the most (14 cases), followed by Perillae fructus (7 cases), Anisi stellati fructus (6 cases), and Gardeniae fructus, Rubi fructus, and Mori fructus (1 case each). Mori fructus was associated with one death. All AEs were concordant with a causality to fruit consumption, judged to be "certain" for 37 cases, "probable" for 53 cases, and "possible" for 7 cases. Our findings suggest that among medicinal and edible fruits, 12 species have AE reports with a causality ranging from "possible" to "definite". SAEs were not scarce. Most AEs may be associated with an excessive dose, prolonged consumption, or usage among infants or young children. No AE reports were found for the remaining 18 species. [Display omitted] • Twelve species of medicinal and edible fruits were associated with 97 AEs. • The AEs mainly involved gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric, and allergic symptoms. • Thirty AEs are classified as serious, including one death. • Most AEs have a "certain" or "probable" causality with the fruit consumption. • High-risk scenarios include excessive, prolonged, or infant or child consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Population is growing fast and good protein is needed more than even and special optical sensing development are vital. • Aquaculture has become the primary source of seafood with an increase in fish production over the past few decades. • This industry demand digital solutions for monitorization and control of the critical effects for fish and humans. • Importance of novel optical biosensors and devices are discussed as the flagship to digitalize such industry. Recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) have been rising quickly in the last decade, representing a new way to farm fish with sustainable aquaculture practices. This system is an environmentally and economically sustainable technology for farming aquatic organisms by reusing the water in production. RAS present some benefits compared with other aquaculture methods, for instance, allows the minimization of water usage and disease occurrence, the absence of antibiotics in these systems, shortens the production cycle, functions as a water treatment system, allows the improvement of the feed conversion, and a reduction in the alteration of coastal habitat, among others. However, this is a complex system with complex interactions between the number of fish and water quality parameters, which can compromise the fish welfare. Currently, there is a huge gap in the global aquaculture sector in terms of smart sensors for cortisol (stress hormone), bacteria, water pollutants, volatile organic compounds and micro/nano-plastics assessment. This sector does not measure such critical parameters which brings a weak understanding of the wellbeing of fish. Therefore, it is crucial to implement point of care (POC) sensors for those critical parameters' assessment via multiparameter solution and predictive analytic capabilities for data supply. This work presents an overall introduction about the impact of the RAS on fish production and its necessity as protein as well as the actual solutions for those problems. Additionally, it reviews the actual state of the art in terms of potential multiparameter POC sensors and predictive analytical approaches that have been investigated in recent years for future application in aquaculture with the aim to guide the researchers on the sector's needs. Additionally, future perspectives are also described in order to digitize the aquaculture sector with novel optical systems and biosensing elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cold and hypoxic environment threatens the health and quality of people's lives in plateau areas. Appropriate air pressure, oxygen, and temperature are crucial for human-safe aspects in plateau microgrids. Facing extreme scenarios in these areas, we propose a two-stage robust operation strategy for renewable hydrogen-based microgrids considering the reliable supply of hydrogen and oxygen. To cope with rapid weather changes in these areas, the distributionally robust optimization (DRO) model that incorporates first-moment information is employed to depict renewable energy uncertainty. This study focuses on two weakly connected microgrids with distinct characteristics, showcasing their potential for mutual support. In the first stage, the plateau microgrid fulfills demands for electric power, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the power support from the another microgrid. In the second stage, reserves such as hydrogen fuel cells, diesel generators, and hydropower are utilized to mitigate renewable energy uncertainty. The operation optimization problem based on DRO is solved using the alternating direction method of multipliers. Case studies show that the strategy can coordinate complementary operation to enhance reliability, guarantee human safety, and save costs by 39.29 % and 38.73 % for the two microgrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of a sound event detector is to recognize anomalies in an audio clip and return their onset and offset. However, detecting sound events in noisy environments is a challenging task. This is due to the fact that in a real audio signal several sound sources co-exist. Moreover, the characteristics of polyphonic audios are different from isolated recordings. It is also necessary to consider the presence of noise (e.g. thermal and environmental). In this contribution, we present a sound anomaly detection system based on a fully convolutional network which exploits image spatial filtering and an Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module. To cope with the lack of datasets specifically designed for sound event detection, a dataset for the specific application of noisy bus environments has been designed. The dataset has been obtained by mixing background audio files, recorded in a real environment, with anomalous events extracted from monophonic collections of labelled audios. The performances of the proposed system have been evaluated through segment-based metrics such as error rate, recall, and F1-Score. Moreover, robustness and precision have been evaluated through four different tests. The analysis of the results shows that the proposed sound event detector outperforms both state-of-the-art methods and general purpose deep learning-solutions.

After centuries of persecution, European wolf populations are recovering across many areas due to favorable legislation and the rise of the “rewilding” movement over the past few decades. The central mechanism triggering the rewilding of Europe was the European Union Habitat Directive, approved in May of 1992. The directive classifies the wolf as a strictly protected species and all EU-countries have implemented the directive in their legislation. Since the 1990’s, the number of wolves in Europe has steadily increased and the total number of wolves, excluding Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, exceeds 12,000 wolves. At the same time conflicts between farmers, wolf protectors and authorities are becoming more frequent. Wolves living in Central Europe, Finland and Scandinavia must cope with the fact that there are human settlements throughout their habitat. This results in a strong habituation to humans and a growing number of attacks against cattle and sheep under the cover of darkness as well during dawn, dusk, and night. The appearance of wolves in settled areas in broad daylight seems to be more and more the rule rather than the exception. While authorities explain this as being a part of the wolf's normal behavior, human tolerance in areas where wolves return is rapidly lowering. Wolves’ depredation on livestock, and especially a behavior called surplus killing, has resulted in several clashes between farmers and authorities in France and Italy. Surplus killing is a behavior exhibited by wolves in which they kill more prey than they are able to consume and then abandon the remainder. Incidents from Southern Europe show that a single wolf pack may kill hundreds of sheep in one single attack. In this paper I will review the implications of human-wolf coexistence in settled areas in different parts of Europe. I will highlight a number of problems experienced as well as solutions and their outcome.

Person-borne improvised explosive devices (PBIEDs) are often used in terrorist attacks in Western countries. This study aims to predict the trajectories of PBIED fragments and the subsequent safety risks for people exposed to this hazard. An explosive field test with a typical PBIED composed of a plastic explosive charge and steel nut enhancements was performed to record initial fragment behaviour, including positions, velocity, and trajectory angles. These data were used to predict the full trajectory of PBIED fragments using a probabilistic analysis. In the probabilistic analyses a probability of fatality or serious injury was computed. Based on the results presented, many practical conclusions can be drawn, for instance, regarding safe evacuation distances if a person were exposed to a suspected PBIED.

Gaining popularity, animal-assisted education is thought to enhance learning processes and children's development, inter alia. While previous research has focused on these potential positive effects for the pupils, animal welfare and human safety in the classroom are aspects that have hardly been examined so far. We performed a cross-sectional investigation at 54 Bavarian schools with one working dog each. Our aim was to describe the status quo and to identify problematic issues which may require measures for ensuring awareness and prevention. We attended one class for a single or double session, videotaped for subsequent behavior analysis of the dog, and the handler was asked to complete a questionnaire. The handlers were mainly female teachers with more than 2 years of work experience. The dogs' median age was 3.0 years, and 22 of them (40.7%) had received a specialized training before working at school. We visited mostly elementary schools (38.9%, n = 21/54). According to survey data, the mean duration of a session was 3.3 ± 1.9 hours, and the dogs participated in classes on 8.7 ± 6.0 days per month. Based on video analysis, the dogs' behavior as well as any interaction of the pupils and of the teacher with the dog were given a score, resulting in a classification as "innocuous," "problematic," or "critical." Half of all sessions were categorized as "problematic" and about a quarter as "innocuous" and "critical," respectively. Common "problematic" interactions included contact with several pupils at the same time (in 64.8% of classes), whereas common "critical" interactions included hugging / kissing the dog (in 18.5% of classes). Common "problematic" canine behaviors, reflecting an urgent need for optimized procedures, were for instance withdrawal reactions (in 37.0% of dogs). "Passive submission of the dog/ducking / crouching" was a "critical" category determined in 11 dogs; furthermore, aggressive behavior toward a pupil and territorial behavior occurred once, respectively. Moderate correlations were found as follows: Classes with older pupils had fewer "problematic" / "critical" dogs and more "innocuous" dogs compared with elementary schools; also, fewer dogs were categorized as "problematic" / "critical" if a canine aptitude test / specialized training had been performed. In conclusion, this study raised some serious concerns about the dogs' welfare and the pupils' safety, highlighting the importance of national guidelines, including certification requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it has been shown in numerous studies that immunization of the population by vaccination is the most effective way to protect against smallpox or other polioviruses, the anti-vaccination public rhetoric recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to influence the populations acceptance of vaccination against newly emerging viruses. This fact influenced our decision to study the vaccination of the Romanian population against the virus that causes monkeypox, aiming to identify the degree of compliance regarding the decision related to vaccination acceptance/non-acceptance/hesitation, based on the survey of a representative sample of respondents. The study is based on an online questionnaire completed between 1 July and 31 July 2022 by 820 individuals, aged 18 years or above, with a permanent residency in Romania. The study was undertaken in order to observe the attitudes of the respondents regarding the acceptance, refusal, or hesitation of vaccination against monkeypox. The sociological data resulting from the application of the questionnaire on 820 people highlighted that 97.16% were vaccinated with the vaccines of the national mandatory scheme and 53.32% were vaccinated with the optional vaccines (rotavirus vaccine, anti-hepatitis A, meningococcal vaccine, etc.). Although 47.13% of respondents considered monkeypox to be a real problem facing humanity today, only 26.37% of those surveyed expressed their fear of becoming infected, and 29.30% were willing to immunize themselves against the virus by vaccination. Only 19.59% of respondents believed that the monkeypox disease will generate a new global pandemic, while 31.86% considered pandemics to be a human security issue, and 30.28% expressed their desire to accept a reduction in some rights and freedoms, in the short term, for the adoption of institutional measures to combat a possible pandemic caused by monkeypox. The study clearly highlights the fact that monkeypox is perceived as a threat to the health of the population, with relatively low acceptance of conspiracy theories regarding its origins/manifestation/consequences among respondents (between 21.7% and 28.9%). The vaccination of the population against monkeypox is strongly influenced by the validity of the results obtained over time, in the vaccination campaigns against the smallpox virus (vaccine found in the mandatory vaccination scheme in Romania until 1979). We believe that the negative public rhetoric regarding the COVID-19 vaccination is likely to negatively influence monkeypox vaccination. Although specialized studies and practical results showed that the immunization of the population through vaccination represents an important vector in the prevention/management of pandemic-type issues, we believe that a national pro-vaccination campaign, based on scientific evidence, can lead the population to accept vaccination when the epidemiological context requires it. We also believe that a culture of health security needs to be developed among citizens to raise awareness of the role of vaccines as an important vector in the field of population health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides might remain unknown or unnoticed for a long time in various remote areas due to the unavailability of optical images caused by cloud persistence, which creates difficulties for civil protection rescue operations, and disaster management as well. Rapid crisis response for humanitarian and reconstruction operations in the affected area after such dangerous landslides is necessary. Thus, a rapid detection map is necessary to detect the affected area with damage grade and level for further investigation and human safety protocols. To detect landslide incidents, the unprecedented availability of Sentinel-1 SAR-C band images provides new solutions and better safety reports. In this study, we performed an efficient evaluation of Sentinel-1 SAR C band images before and after landslide incidents. This study provides a comprehensive evaluation based on the advanced space-borne remote sensing technology aiming at SAR products for rapid damage detection and analysis with respect to the interferometric coherence and intensity correlation. We presented the results of a pilot study on the Rudraprayag Uttarakhand massive landslide incident, which includes the different types, sizes, slope expositions, and human safety aspects. Our study and outcomes represent an updated method, which provides a solution for critical terrain rescue operations and an upgraded geomatics map that provides subsidence data with historical data with topographical statistics. Finally, an outlook into the Sentinel-1 SAR-C analysis demonstrates probable solutions to certain constraints, enabling global applicability of the proposed damage assessment methods with the improved accuracy from 50 to 60 % for the obtained temporal resolution datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of pesticides remains a necessary measure for pest management in agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. After harvest, the presence of pesticide residues in greengrocery (fruits and vegetables) is significantly influenced by various factors, including storage conditions, handling practices, and subsequent processing methods. The mitigation of these residues to levels compliant with regulated maximum thresholds ensures the safety of raw and processed fruits and vegetables for consumption. A contemporary survey of pesticide residues in greengrocery has gathered considerable attention from consumers, driven by concerns over the potential health risk of pesticide exposure. Consequently, consumers want to be extensively informed about household processing techniques to minimize associated risks. Meanwhile, a critical question arises: does household processing effectively eliminate pesticide residues? A comprehensive review of the literature reveals that conventional methods, such as washing and soaking, offer only limited reduction in residue levels, while emerging treatments, suitable both at household and industrial scale, demonstrate increased efficiency in residues mitigation. This study aims to emphasise the ubiquitous use of pesticides in crop cultivation while providing recommendations for the implementation of efficient treatment protocols to address residue concerns. Following upon available evidence and database mining, the worldwide purpose must be to outline agriculturally and economically viable strategies that prioritize both the health and safety of consumers, as well as the green cultivation and processing of fruits and vegetables.

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to discuss from an interdisciplinary perspective some lessons learnt from the global COVID 19 pandemic in the area of security, social policy and culture. Prior Work: Theoretical and experimental research of the authors in these three fields. Approach: Overview and analysis of the data collected by the authors with the application of two methods - focus group and method of critical incidents. Results: The empirical results identify the respondents’ perceptions and attitudes towards a number of issues like: human safety, societal and social security, culturally specific reactions and behaviour, etc. Implications: The paper can stimulate a larger discussion in the scientific circles about the necessity of joint research on different aspects of COVID 19 pandemic and its reflections. Value: The study will contribute to positioning the global pandemic and its various dimensions as one of the most topical issues in the contemporary interdisciplinary research.

In the era of Industry 4.0 and agile manufacturing, the conventional methodologies for risk assessment, risk reduction, and safety procedures may not fulfill the End-User requirements, especially the SMEs with their product diversity and changeable production lines and processes. This work proposes a novel approach for planning and implementing safe and flexible Human-Robot-Interaction (HRI) workspaces using multilayer HRI operation modes. The collaborative operation modes are grouped in different clusters and categorized at various levels systematically. In addition to that, this work proposes a safety-related finite-state machine for describing the transitions between these modes dynamically and properly. The proposed approach is integrated into a new dynamic risk assessment tool as a promising solution toward a new safety horizon in line with industry 4.0.

The deterioration of the technical condition of plant equipment is a common phenomenon today. This is increasingly contributing to breakdowns and accidents, according to the experience of national and international authorities. Plants that are operating with an inadequate maintenance strategy are nowadays approaching the end of their design life and thus represent an increased risk of accidents. Ageing processes are often accelerated by operators' underestimation of the effects of stresses and strains on equipment and the extent of degradation mechanisms, and consequently by inadequate design and operation of condition monitoring and maintenance procedures. The aim of our work is to investigate domestic and foreign trends in the light of modern maintenance optimization methods and to make related recommendations for optimizing maintenance scheduling for domestic employers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the effect of body posture on the occupant dynamic response under a spacecraft high-level re-entry acceleration overload, seat-dummy system models with typical body positions, including supine and lying positions, are established in this study using Pro-E and HyperWorks software. A Human Model for Safety (HUMOS version II) dummy was used in the model. Seat-dummy system models were calibrated and validated according to actual centrifugal test data. The effect of body posture on the overload response of key body organs, including the heart, lung, diaphragm, liver, and abdominal viscera are demonstrated and analyzed under a high-level acceleration overload (a peak value of 6.4 g as input). Simulation results show that the displacement and deformation of the diaphragm are the most important factors affecting human tolerance to re-entry overload. The acting force of the diaphragm from other organs' inertial reaction in supine position is larger than that in the lying position. Therefore, spacecraft designers should focus more on the mechanical status of human internal organs and provide a body posture for better protection of the crew during spacecraft re-entry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary aim of the paper is to design, develop and implement the autonomous. It is used to eliminate the human exposure in dangerous environments and very effective on time management. Also it completes a painting job without an error. At last, it is expected that the conceptual model of the wall painting robot would be efficiently used in various home and industry applications in wall finishing and maintenance of other giant architectural and civil structures. This project aims to design and develop an Automated Wall Painting Robot which helps to reduce manual efforts on painting and accomplish cost effective painting accessories. Here we have proposed a robot controlled via Raspberry Pi board. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]