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Publications - 6273

Five-day ski camp could enhance postural stability in young adults: A quasi-experimental study

Publication Name: Physiological Reports

Publication Date: 2025-08-01

Volume: 13

Issue: 16

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study investigated whether a 5-day ski camp could improve postural stability in young adults. It was hypothesized that skiing would reduce postural sway. In this quasi-experimental design, 43 undergraduate students who participated in a 5-day ski camp (approximately 20 h of skiing) were compared to 35 peers who did not attend. Postural stability was assessed using the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Integration and Balance protocol of the Balance Tracking System, which evaluates sway under four standing conditions: eyes open or closed, and on stable or unstable surfaces. Quade nonparametric ANCOVAs were used to compare percentage change scores between groups, controlling for age. No significant group differences emerged for standard, proprioceptive, or vestibular postural stability (p > 0.05). However, a statistically significant group effect was found for visual postural stability (p = 0.006), with improvement observed only in females (p = 0.003), not in males (p = 0.961). A 5-day ski camp significantly enhanced visual postural stability in females but did not affect males or other postural domains. These findings suggest a potential sex-specific adaptation to skiing and highlight the need for further research into the mechanisms underlying balance improvement.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.14814/phy2.70501

Comparison of Carbon-Dioxide Emissions of Diesel and LNG Heavy-Duty Trucks in Test Track Environment

Publication Name: Clean Technologies

Publication Date: 2024-12-01

Volume: 6

Issue: 4

Page Range: 1465-1479

Description:

Environmental protection and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are getting increasingly high priority in the area of mobility. Several regulations, goals and projects have been published in recent years that clearly encourage the reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, the adoption of green alternatives and the use of renewable energy sources. The study compares CO2 emissions between conventional diesel and liquefied natural gas (LNG) heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), and furthermore investigates the main influencing factors of GHG emissions. This study was carried out in a test–track environment, which supported the perfect reproducibility of the tests with minimum external influencing factors, allowing different types of measurements. At the results level, our primary objective was to collect and evaluate consumption and emission values using statistical methods, in terms of correlations, relationships and impact assessment. In this research, we recorded CO2 and pollutant emission values indirectly via the fleet management system (FMS) using controller area network (CAN) messages. Correlation, regression and statistical analyses were used to investigate the factors influencing fuel consumption and emissions. Our scientific work is a unique study in the field of HDVs, as the measurements were performed on the test track level, which provide accuracy for emission differences. The results of the project clearly show that gas technology can contribute to reducing GHG emissions of HDVs, and LNG provides a reliable alternative way forward for long-distance transportation, especially in areas of Europe where filling stations are already available.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/cleantechnol6040070

Tourism-Oriented Spatial Analysis of Tangible Cultural Heritage in Bukhara (Uzbekistan)

Publication Name: Forum Geografi

Publication Date: 2025-08-01

Volume: 39

Issue: 2

Page Range: 238-261

Description:

This study examines the spatial distribution and tourism utilization of 829 officially registered architectural heritage sites in the Bukhara, Uzbekistan. Spatial analysis methods including the Gini Index (0.569), Lorenz Curve, Nearest Neighbor Analysis, Kernel Density Estimation, and Bivariate Moran’s I were applied to examine clustering patterns and disparities across districts. The findings reveal unequal heritage distribution: over 50% of the sites are located in two districts, mainly in the eastern region, while others remain underrepresented. The Bukhara city shows strong clustering, whereas several districts exhibit random or dispersed patterns. Despite a sharp rise in tourist arrivals from 13,300 international visitors in 2020 to over 1.7 million in 2024 only 146 sites (17.6%) are actively used for tourism. This increased tourism pressure, with visitors per site growing from 1,798 to 39,351. Typological analysis showed uneven spatial patterns among major religious, administrative, residential, and public groups. Bivariate Moran’s I (I = –0.0621, p = 0.498) indicated no significant spatial correlation between population density and heritage distribution. The study recommends adopting circular tourism strategies to reduce pressure, balance regional disparities, and promote sustainable heritage-based tourism development. Findings offer a basis for balanced heritage management and tourism development in Uzbekistan with comparable regions.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.23917/forgeo.v39i2.10235

Comparison of Auditory and Visual Short-Term Memory Capabilities using a Serious Game Application

Publication Name: Infocommunications Journal

Publication Date: 2024-06-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 2

Page Range: 51-60

Description:

A comprehensive serious game application has been designed and implemented to examine the capacity and effective- ness of short-term auditory and visual memory, otherwise known as working memory in human subjects. Participants engaged in an adaptation of the well-known paired association game that entails turning over cards and recalling their placement within a 2D matrix structure of various resolutions. Each trial introduced either visual icons (vision-only condition) or auditory objects (audio-only condition). User performance was evaluated through a detailed statistical analysis focusing only on the highest 6x8 resolution condition in the application. Findings suggest that visual memory did not conclusively outperform auditory memory in the context of this game. However, within the scope of auditory stimuli, familiar iconic sounds, such as excerpts of speech and commonplace sounds, were recalled more effectively than unfamiliar, synthetic sounds like parametric waveforms. Furthermore, performance appeared to be influenced by demographic factors, with male and younger subjects yielding superior results.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.36244/ICJ.2024.2.7

Adaptive Exploration Artificial Bee Colony for Mathematical Optimization

Publication Name: AI Switzerland

Publication Date: 2024-12-01

Volume: 5

Issue: 4

Page Range: 2218-2236

Description:

The artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is a famous swarm intelligence method utilized across various disciplines due to its robustness. However, it exhibits limitations in exploration mechanisms, particularly in high-dimensional or complex landscapes. This article introduces the adaptive exploration artificial bee colony (AEABC), a novel variant that reinspires the ABC algorithm based on real-world phenomena. AEABC incorporates new distance-based parameters and mechanisms to correct the original design, enhancing its robustness. The performance of AEABC was evaluated against 33 state-of-the-art metaheuristics across twenty-five benchmark functions and an engineering application. AEABC consistently outperformed its counterparts, demonstrating superior efficiency and accuracy. In a variable-sized problem (n = 10), the traditional ABC algorithm converged to 3.086 × 106, while AEABC achieved a convergence of 2.0596 × 10−255, highlighting its robust performance. By addressing the shortcomings of the traditional ABC algorithm, AEABC significantly advances mathematical optimization, especially in engineering applications. This work underscores the significance of the inspiration of the traditional ABC algorithm in enhancing the capabilities of swarm intelligence.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/ai5040109

Blockchain and Smart Cities: Co-Word Analysis and BERTopic Modeling

Publication Name: Smart Cities

Publication Date: 2025-08-01

Volume: 8

Issue: 4

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Highlights: What are the main findings? Blockchain plays a foundational role in supporting secure, interoperable infrastructure for key urban services, particularly through integration with IoT, edge computing, and smart contracts. Research has shifted from general blockchain exploration to sector-specific applications, including decentralized healthcare, energy trading, smart mobility, and drone coordination. What is the implication of the main finding? Blockchain enables cross-sectoral innovation in smart cities by enhancing transparency, data integrity, and trust across complex urban systems. As both a technological and ethical infrastructure, blockchain supports the development of secure, resilient, and sustainable smart city ecosystems aligned with Industry 5.0 values. This paper explores the intersection of blockchain technology and smart cities to support the transition toward decentralized, secure, and sustainable urban systems. Drawing on co-word analysis and BERTopic modeling applied to the literature published between 2016 and 2025, this study maps the thematic and technological evolution of blockchain in urban environments. The co-word analysis reveals blockchain’s foundational role in enabling secure and interoperable infrastructures, particularly through its integration with IoT, edge computing, and smart contracts. These systems underpin critical urban services such as transportation, healthcare, energy trading, and waste management by enhancing data privacy, authentication, and system resilience. The application of BERTopic modeling further uncovers a shift from general technological exploration to more specialized and sector-specific applications. These include real-time mobility systems, decentralized healthcare platforms, peer-to-peer energy exchanges, and blockchain-enabled drone coordination. The results demonstrate that blockchain increasingly supports cross-sectoral innovation, enabling transparency, trust, and circular flows in urban systems. Overall, the current study identifies blockchain as both a technological backbone and an ethical infrastructure for smart cities that supports secure, adaptive, and sustainable urban development.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/smartcities8040111

Dynamic and quasi static stiffness characterization of a lamination stack of an electric motor

Publication Name: Heliyon

Publication Date: 2024-11-15

Volume: 10

Issue: 21

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The development of electric motors for automotive applications requires precise material models to simulate structural strength and NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) properties. Modeling the behavior of lamination stacks, composed of stacked steel plates, presents significant challenges. This study conducted dynamic and quasi-static experiments at various preload levels on an unmodified automotive lamination stack. Significant discrepancies were identified between stiffness values obtained from static and dynamic measurements. Consequently, using dynamically obtained stiffness values in static models, and vice versa, leads to inaccuracies and should be avoided. These results enhance the precision and efficiency of simulations used in the design and optimization of electric motors.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39693

Running-Induced Fatigue Exacerbates Anteromedial ACL Bundle Stress in Females with Genu Valgum: A Biomechanical Comparison with Healthy Controls

Publication Name: Sensors

Publication Date: 2025-08-01

Volume: 25

Issue: 15

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Genu valgum (GV) is a common lower limb deformity that may increase the risk of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. This study used OpenSim musculoskeletal modeling and kinematic analysis to investigate the mechanical responses of the ACL under fatigue in females with GV. Eight females with GV and eight healthy controls completed a running-induced fatigue protocol. Lower limb kinematic and kinetic data were collected and used to simulate stress and strain in the anteromedial ACL (A–ACL) and posterolateral ACL (P–ACL) bundles, as well as peak joint angles and knee joint stiffness. The results showed a significant interaction effect between group and fatigue condition on A–ACL stress. In the GV group, A–ACL stress was significantly higher than in the healthy group both before and after fatigue (p < 0.001) and further increased following fatigue (p < 0.001). In the pre-fatigued state, A–ACL strain was significantly higher during the late stance phase in the GV group (p = 0.036), while P–ACL strain significantly decreased post-fatigue (p = 0.005). Additionally, post-fatigue peak hip extension and knee flexion angles, as well as pre-fatigue knee abduction angles, showed significant differences between groups. Fatigue also led to substantial changes in knee flexion, adduction, abduction, and hip/knee external rotation angles within the GV group. Notably, knee joint stiffness in this group was significantly lower than in controls and decreased further post-fatigue. These findings suggest that the structural characteristics of GV, combined with exercise-induced fatigue, exacerbate A–ACL loading and compromise knee joint stability, indicating a higher risk of ACL injury in fatigued females with GV.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/s25154814

Macrogeometric Measurement of Camshafts of Internal Combustion Engines

Publication Name: Strojnicky Casopis

Publication Date: 2024-11-01

Volume: 74

Issue: 2

Page Range: 71-82

Description:

In this work, cam profiles of a camshaft are measured by a roundness measurement machine. First, the measured cam profiles are transformed into their actual sizes, based on the measurement of the bearing locations. The 8 cams of the camshaft are of two types. From the 4-4 cam profiles of each type an approximate profile is created by fitting them to one another using their base circles as reference, and calculating the center of gravity of the cumulative points of these fitted profiles corresponding to an arc segment.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.2478/scjme-2024-0028