Search Results (8)

For mobile agent path planning, traditional path planning algorithms frequently induce abrupt variations in path curvature and steering angles, increasing the risk of lateral tire slippage and undermining operational safety. Concurrently, conventional reinforcement learning methods struggle to converge rapidly, leading to an insufficient efficiency in planning to meet the demand for energy economy. This study proposes LSTM Bézier–Double Deep Q-Network (LB-DDQN), an advanced path-planning framework for mobile agents based on deep reinforcement learning. The architecture first enables mapless navigation through a DDQN foundation, subsequently integrates long short-term memory (LSTM) networks for the fusion of environmental features and preservation of training information, and ultimately enhances the path’s quality through redundant node elimination via an obstacle–path relationship analysis, combined with Bézier curve-based trajectory smoothing. A sensor-driven three-dimensional simulation environment featuring static obstacles was constructed using the ROS and Gazebo platforms, where LiDAR-equipped mobile agent models were trained for real-time environmental perception and strategy optimization prior to deployment on experimental vehicles. The simulation and physical implementation results reveal that LB-DDQN achieves effective collision avoidance, while demonstrating marked enhancements in critical metrics: the path’s smoothness, energy efficiency, and motion stability exhibit average improvements exceeding 50%. The framework further maintains superior safety standards and operational efficiency across diverse scenarios. Full article

Background: The prevalence of POP in women ranges from 30–40%, with 10–20% requiring surgical intervention. Annually, over 225,000 surgical procedures for POP are performed in the United States. The severity of prolapse is assessed using the four-stage POP-Q system, which facilitates clinical research by providing a standardized measure of defect severity. Surgical intervention is indicated for more severe cases, with various techniques available through vaginal or abdominal access. Synthetic meshes, primarily made of polypropylene (PP), are commonly used in POP surgeries due to their biocompatibility and mechanical support. This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a non-resorbable, light polypropylene gynecological mesh (G-Mesh^®, Tricomed S.A., Łódź, Poland) in the surgical treatment of pelvic floor prolapse in women. Methods: The meshes were implanted via laparoscopy (Dubuisson method) and laparotomy or transvaginally. A multicenter, retrospective study was conducted involving 81 patients aged 28–83. Results: The results collected at three follow-up visits indicated a high level of patient satisfaction, minimal discomfort, and no significant pain. Many patients emphasized significant improvement in quality of life and the lack of any adverse events associated with the presence of the implant. Conclusions: The G-Mesh^® gynecological mesh has emerged as an effective and safe intervention for treating pelvic floor dysfunction in women, addressing conditions such as cystocele, rectocele, uterine prolapse, and ureterocele. Full article

The literature has reached a consensus that ISO standardization enhances the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of companies, which in turn has a positive effect on corporate financial performance (CFP). There is less understanding in terms of the effect of different certifications and underlying mechanisms between the effect of the ISO certification on the CFP. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of different ISO certifications on the CFP of Turkish companies listed on the Istanbul Stock Exchange (BIST). Based on audited financial statements of a population of 148 manufacturing companies listed during 2010–2022 and using the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique, this study shows that the number of ISO certifications has a positive impact on return on asset (ROA) and Tobin’s Q, however, no direct effect on operational efficient and R&D intensity. While there is no effect of the occupational health and safety management systems certification on ROA and Tobin’s Q, the analysis brought forward that ROA seems to be positively affected by the standards referring to environmental, energy, quality, and information security management systems certification while Tobin’s Q is positively affected by the last two certifications. Full article

To optimize the lighting design of urban roads in China and improve traffic safety, the present study conducted a 10-year longitudinal experiment on urban asphalt roads in Zhejiang Province, China, and analyzed variations of the road surface’s reflective properties and lighting quality with different service lengths, surface areas, and observation angles. The results showed that these roads were R2 roads with low resilience and strong directional reflection. The average luminance coefficient Q0 reached maximum and minimum at the beginning and after around one year of service, respectively. After four years of service, Q0 was about 80% of its initial value and remained stable. The specularity factor S1 reached a maximum of around two years of service. The average luminance L_av was approximately 35%, and overall luminance uniformity U₀ was 31%, lower than that of R3 roads during the toughest period of the service life. If the lighting design follows the 1° observation angle r-table recommended by the specification, high L_av and low U₀ occur for roads like expressways, leading to a significant increase in traffic safety risks; collector roads may suffer from insufficient L_av. Urban asphalt roads in Zhejiang Province, China, should use the R2 road standard and increase the design value of L_av by 35–45%, and high-level roads should increase the design value of U₀ by 40%. The present study will provide scientific references for the design of lighting for urban roads in China, thus promoting long-term sustainable traffic safety in cities. Full article

Baijiu, one of the world’s oldest distilled liquors, is widely consumed globally and has gained increasing popularity in East Asia. However, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying principles behind this traditional liquor product remains elusive. Currently, Baijiu is facing the industrial challenge of modernization and standardization, particularly in terms of food quality, safety, and sustainability. The current study selected a Lactobacillus brevis strain based on experiments conducted to assess its environmental tolerance, enzyme activity, and fermentation performance, and highlight its exceptional fermentation characteristics. The subsequent analysis focused on examining the effects of fortifying the fermentation process of L.brevis on key microbiotas, physicochemical parameters, and volatile profiles. The qPCR results revealed that the inoculated L. brevis strategically influenced the the composition of the dominant microbial communities by promoting mutual exclusion, ultimately leading to improved controllability of the fermentation process. Moreover, the metabolism of the inoculated L. brevis provided more compounds for the formation of flavor profiles during fermentation (the content of ethyl acetate was increased to 57.76 mg/kg), leading to a reduction in fermentation time (from 28 d to 21 d). These findings indicate promising potential for the application of the indigenous strain in Baijiu production. Full article

Raw ground meat is known as a transmission vehicle for biological agents that may be harmful to human health. The objective of the present study was to assess microbiological quality of the ground meats. A total of 280 samples of local and imported chilled meats were randomly collected from retail shops in Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia. The meat samples were microbiologically analyzed using standard methods, peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) technique, MicroScan Walkaway System (MicroScan) and qPCR System. The imported meat was more bacterially contaminated than local meat, with variable contamination degrees of Staphylococcus aureus (40.33%), Escherichia coli (36.13%), Hafnia alvei (7.56%), Pseudomonas spp. (6.72%), Salmonella spp. (5.88%) and Aeromonas spp. (3.36%). PMF verified all the isolated bacteria by 100%, compared to 75–95% achieved by MicroScan. The gene encoding flagellin (fliC) was recognized in 67.44% of E. coli strains, while the thermonuclease (nuc) and methicillin resistance (mecA) genes were detected in 100% S. aureus and 39.6% of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains, respectively. The S. aureus and E. coli strains were highly resistant to multiple antibiotics (e.g., ampicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cephalothin). For identifying various foodborne pathogens, PMF has been recognized as a powerful and precise analytical method. In light of the increasing use of PMF to detect multidrug-resistant bacteria, this study emphasizes the need for improved ways of treating and preventing pathogens, as well as setting up monitoring systems to guarantee hygiene and safety in meat production. Full article

The local implementation of Thailand’s public good agricultural practices (GAP) certification standard was investigated by examining its effectiveness in raising farmers’ awareness, lowering pesticide use, and thus improving food safety and quality assurance. A total of 98 certified and 100 uncertified farms were surveyed in two Thai provinces, Chanthaburi and Nakhon Si Thammarat, respectively. Considering durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) cultivation, the economic size of farming in the former region is relatively larger and production more market-oriented, while in the latter region, the farming scale is smaller. It was observed that knowledge and understanding of GAP is much higher among the certified as compared to the uncertified farmers, although the effectiveness of GAP in lowering pesticide use remains unconfirmed. The comparison between the two regions also suggests that farmers’ pesticide use could be affected by other contextual factors to a greater extent than the GAP. Results from a multivariate linear regression analysis highlighted the critical importance of training on Q-GAP and pesticide use in reducing pesticide use among certified farmers. This suggests that GAP applicant farmers should be encouraged to participate in training on those subjects as an integral part of their Q-GAP application or renewal procedure. Full article

The prevailing standards and scientific literature offer a wide range of options for the construction of a battery thermal management system (BTMS). The design of an innovative yet well-functioning BTMS requires strict supervision, quality audit and continuous improvement of the whole process. It must address all the current quality and safety (Q&S) standards. In this review article, an effective battery thermal management is sought considering the existing battery Q&S standards and scientific literature. The article contains a broad overview of the current existing standards and literature on a generic compliant BTMS. The aim is to assist in the design of a novel compatible BTMS. Additionally, the article delivers a set of recommendations to make an effective BTMS. Full article