In international relations, the use of power by states remains a fundamental element of foreign policy. This research examines the role and transformation of hard power instruments in foreign policy through systematic literature review methodology. The main objective is to reveal the contextual factors that determine the effectiveness and limitations of hard power instruments. Following PRISMA reporting principles, publications from 1945 to 2025 were examined in Web of Science, Scopus, JSTOR, and Google Scholar databases. From 847 initial studies, 156 core works were selected according to inclusion criteria. The research employed thematic analysis and conceptual mapping methods within a qualitative research framework. The study examined military interventions, economic sanctions, deterrence strategies, hybrid warfare, cyber operations, and energy diplomacy. The findings show that hard power effectiveness depends on five contextual factors: target actor characteristics, implementing state capacity and determination, international environment, implementation form and timing, and integration with soft power elements. Conventional military superiority alone does not ensure success, and weak actors' resistance capacity increased significantly after 1950. Targeted smart sanctions proved 40 percent more effective than comprehensive embargoes. Deterrence strategies function well in traditional interstate relations but remain limited against non-state actors. Major powers prefer hybrid warfare and gray zone tactics at a rate of 76 percent, and cyber space has emerged as a critical new dimension of hard power. The most important conclusion is that using hard power alone produces limited and temporary effects, while its strategic combination with soft power elements generates more legitimate, sustainable, and effective results. Technological developments, the increasing importance of non-state actors, and changes in global power balances demonstrate that hard power is in constant transformation.

Nuts a great source of vital vitamins, minerals and bioactive substances, and their consumption is increasing globally. In the present study, Walnut, Cashew and Almond samples were collected from local market of District Islamabad to optimize bacterial isolation protocol and use the cold plasma technique to reduces these pathogens from the surface of nuts. Bacteria were characterized by colony morphology/shape, biochemical tests and Gram. Six bacterial species were identified through gram staining and by chemical testing. All the nut (walnut, cashew and almond) samples were treated with Surfaguide microwave (MW) plasma device for 10, 15, 30 second and for 1 to 2 minutes. The gas flow rate range was (1.5-1.7 SCCM), plasma generating power (0.38,0.7,1.21 kW) and treatment time was 15s-2min. Among all of these three samples, after the treatment shown the reduction of bacterial colonies. After 10 and 15s treatment time, minimal bacterial reduction rate was observed in the three tested nut samples. At 30s treatment time walnut sample, almond samples, and cashew samples showed 4.36 log reduction, 1.70 log reduction, and 1.81 log reduction respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to check the surface morphology of nuts. Thirty seconds treatment of non-thermal plasma (NTP) did not affect nuts morphology, and one-minute NTP treatment affected the nut samples morphology. This study proved that Surfaguide Cold Plasma efficiently reduces surface bacterial count on walnut, almond and cashew at 30 seconds NTP treatment time without effecting nuts physical morphology.

Phase Change Materials (PCM) can also be seen as a revolution in increasing thermal energy storage and making the smart building design environmentally friendly. PCMs are able to manage indoor environments, save energy, and provide comfort in occupancies by retaining and releasing latent heat during the solid and liquid phases of temperature change. This review explicitly discusses the categories, thermophysical properties and processes of PCMs including organic, inorganic and eutectic and how they are incorporated into building envelopes, walls as well as glazing systems. Interaction of PCMs with Energy Management Systems (EMS), artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) makes it possible to adjust and optimize the energy flows. Reducing HVAC loads and saving up to 30% of energy with the use of PCMs prove to be valid and result in the case studies showing the potential of PCMs to enhance the net-zero and carbon-neutral objectives. Although these factors are problematic in terms of thermal stability, their material degradation, and economic sustainability, recent advancements in the nano-enhanced composite and AI-driven feedback systems should be more reliable and effective in their performance. The paper concludes that next generation smart, resilient and energy efficient architecture, in the overall context of sustainable urban development is made possible by multi-functional PCMs that are the; enabling factors.

The characteristics of wind speed, direction, and profile are meteorological elements that are important in the planning as well as development of a coastal area. The area of Tanjung Pandan City in the coastal area of East Belitung makes wind conditions to require regular information, in every air, sea, and other urban transportation activities. A method to analyse wind direction and speed conditions is through the Windrose. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the condition of wind direction and speed in the coastal area of Tanjung Pandan City throughout 2024. The analysis was conducted using the WRPLOTS (Windrose Plot) application for some days with 24-hour specifications, having a time span of 1 year from January to December 2024. The results showed that the highest wind speed was dominated from the east throughout 2024 with an average range of 3.60-5.70 m/s. Following the discussion, the dominant wind direction in the months of the transition season had a smaller percentage than in other months, namely 0.5 - 2.1 m/s. The highest wind direction came from the west and northwest in December, January, February, as well as March, while other months were dominated by wind from the east.

The scientific discoveries of Vladimir Dodtievich Bitsoev (Doctor of Medical Sciences) fall into landmark ones in the sphere of the rehabilitation medicine and physiotherapy. This is defined by the fact that the scientist’s researches are aimed to studying mechanisms of action of physical factors on the body, developing new treatment methods and giving proof of their efficacy. The scientist has established experimentally the biophysical basis of therapeutic modality of the polychromatic visible and infrared polarized (PVIRP) light from the Doctor Bitsoev medical device through exposing tap water, blood plasma and the whole body to it via the fibre-optic cable. The scientist has found out that the generated PVIRP light activates water and it gains new physical and chemical properties, which has been confirmed experimentally, i.e. tap water transforms into a different state – the light-guide medium. This work reveals significance of the new medical field based on interaction of the whole body and physical factors in the complex patient therapy. Basing on the experimental studies data, the author considers that it is necessary to revise technical specifications and parameters of exposure and effect of physiotherapeutic factors on the body taking into account the disease clinical entity and individual features of a patient. The author has defined the notions below in the course of setting out the mechanism of action of physical factors on the body and basing on the current advances in physics, chemistry, biology, supramolecular chemistry and fibre-optic s: 1. “Biological Scanning Tunnelling Microscope”. 2. “Uniqueness, Indivisibility of Time, Contents and Form, and Their Interaction Forces in Constant Infinite Movement means the Universe Eternity Law”. 3. “Light-Guide Medium”. The author has extended the concept of the mechanism of action of physical factors on the body basing on the current advances in physics, chemistry, biology and fibre-optic s. cyberleninka.rueuroasia-science.ru He has developed rational procedures for the physical factors application taking into account the disease clinical entity and individual features of a patient. cyberleninka.rueuroasia-science.ru He has suggested new approaches for treating musculoskeletal disorders such as, for example, combined effect of underwater horizontal spine traction and submersed light therapy. dissercat.comcyberleninka.ru.

The work of this paper will provide a thermo-mechanical analysis of high-speed Brushless DC (BLDC) motors that are improved with Phase Change Materials (PCM) that require a better cooling performance. The widespread BLDC motors are affected by their thermal stress related to copper loss or magnetic hysteresis and mechanical friction that can lower the performance through degradation of insulation and efficiency. Historical air or liquid cooling systems are frequently unable to be used to stabilize temperature conditions during high-speed/varying load processes. Due to their use of a large latent heat storage capacity when changing phases, PCMs provide a passive and energy saving process in dealing with temperature rise. The findings and CFD simulations of experiments have proven that incorporating PCMs in BLDC motors bears potential of cutting the winding temperature by a half, which guarantees a higher thermal equality, as well as a longer lifespan of the motors. Also, the mechanical stress analysis showed that PCMs can reduce the thermo-mechanical strain due to the uneven thermal expansion, whereas sensitivity analysis helped to recognize the main parameters affecting cooling efficiency. Although PCMs have trade-offs in volumetric and weight and thermal lag aspects, the study reveals that PCMs significantly improve performance and reliability over the traditional methods of cooling. This study will point out the possibilities of PCMs as a thermo-sustainable thermal management solution to integrated electric motor uses on next-generation high-speed applications.

The feeder public transportation system in Palembang serves as a connecting mode between residential areas and the main public transport network, namely the Light Rail Transit (LRT). Its existence improves accessibility, expands the coverage area of public transport services, and reduces the community’s reliance on private vehicles. This study aims to analyze the operational characteristics and fleet requirements of feeder public transportation operating along Corridor 4 in Palembang City. Two analytical approaches were employed to determine the required fleet size. The first is a passenger-based calculation method, referring to the Regulation of the Directorate General of Land Transportation (2002), which uses parameters such as load factor, circulation time, vehicle headway, number of vehicles per cycle, and fleet requirements during peak hours. The second method adopts the Faulks R.W. distance-based approach, using headway and the number of required vehicles as comparative parameters. The results from both methods were simulated using Microsoft Visual Studio Basic 2010. Based on the passenger-to-capacity ratio, the average daily load factor was 157.03%, with a headway of 11 minutes and a one-cycle travel time of 62.1 minutes. These findings indicate that the existing fleet of feeder minibuses operating along Corridor 4—currently consisting of five units—is insufficient to meet optimal service standards. The analysis and simulation results suggest that an additional four feeder units are required to enhance service performance, improve operational efficiency, increase service frequency, and provide greater passenger comfort.

Meeting energy demands in Afghanistan is a significant challenge, as much of the required energy is imported from neighboring countries, particularly Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. Afghanistan's energy system, particularly in rural regions, is highly dependent on fossil fuels, which can lead to issues such as fossil fuel depletion and social, economic, and environmental harm. To overcome these problems the country should design a sustainable energy system based on clean and renewable energy. Since solar photovoltaic energy is one type of renewable energy, the purpose of this study is to explore the role of this renewable energy in rural areas and the various methods of taking advantage of solar photovoltaic energy to enhance rural living conditions in our country. Considering the energy supply challenges in these areas, suitable solutions from renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, have been proposed. This article, which has been prepared using an analytical and descriptive approach, explores the impacts of energy consumption on rural communities and analyzes its role in economic growth, education, health, and social development, based on various studies and research findings. Finally, the findings illustrate that solar photovoltaic energy, which is affordable and widely accessible, has improved the lives of rural communities and reduced dependence on biomass and fossil fuels, which contribute to environmental pollution.

False Data Injection Attacks (FDIAs) pose significant threats to the reliability and stability of smart grid operations by manipulating measurement data to mislead monitoring and control systems. This research presents a lightweight framework for real-time detection of FDIAs that balances computational efficiency with predictive accuracy. The proposed pipeline integrates four core components: data preprocessing, dimensionality reduction using Locally Linear Embedding (LLE), classification through an Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), and deployment via a Gradio-based interactive interface. Data preprocessing ensures noise reduction and consistency in raw sensor inputs, while LLE captures essential nonlinear relationships and reduces feature complexity. The ELM classifier, chosen for its fast training speed and strong generalization capability, effectively discriminates between genuine and manipulated data. To enhance usability, the framework is deployed on a Gradio interface, providing an accessible platform for real-time monitoring and decision support. Experimental results on a synthetic Smart Grid FDIA dataset demonstrate the framework’s ability to achieve high detection accuracy with minimal computational overhead, validating its suitability for practical, large-scale grid environments. By combining accuracy, speed, and user-friendly deployment, this study contributes a scalable solution to strengthen cyber-physical security in smart grids against evolving FDIA threats.

The rapid growth of Financial Technology (FinTech) has increased the volume and sensitivity of digital financial transactions, raising concerns about data breaches, fraud, and loss of trust. Blockchain technology offers decentralization, immutability, and auditability, but naïve deployments expose transaction details and struggle with scalability and regulatory constraints. This work proposes a blockchain-based framework that integrates smart contracts with privacy-preserving cryptographic techniques to provide verifiable data integrity for FinTech transactions while protecting user privacy and supporting compliance. A private Ethereum-based prototype was implemented using Solidity smart contracts, a Node.js/TypeScript back end, and a synthetic financial-transaction dataset. Performance was evaluated in terms of gas consumption, execution time, integrity verification, and security status. Gas usage remained highly stable (≈141,002–141,015 gas units per transaction), while execution time ranged from about 2.7 to 4.2 seconds, with all transactions successfully confirmed. These results indicate that the proposed framework can deliver predictable on-chain resource use and strong integrity guarantees with acceptable latency for transaction verification and audit functions. The study concludes that blockchain, combined with zero-knowledge techniques, can strengthen data integrity and privacy in FinTech, and suggests future work on Layer-2 scaling, interoperability across platforms, and evaluation with real-world transaction traces.