bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Antiviral Effects of 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a Dual D-Glucose and D-Mannose Mimetic, against SARS-CoV-2 and Other Highly Pathogenic Viruses
Authors: Pająk Beata , Zieliński Rafał , Manning John Tyler , Matejin Stanislava , Paessler Slobodan , Fokt Izabela , Emmett Mark R. , Priebe Waldemar
Published: September 2022

Viral infection almost invariably causes metabolic changes in the infected cell and several types of host cells that respond to the infection. Among metabolic changes, the most prominent is the upregulated glycolysis process as the main pathway of glucose utilization. Glycolysis activation is a common mechanism of cell adaptation to several viral infections, including noroviruses, rhinoviruses, influenza virus, Zika virus, cytomegalovirus, coronaviruses and others. Such metabolic changes provide potential targets for therapeutic approaches that could reduce the impact of infection. Glycolysis inhibitors, especially 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), have been intensively studied as antiviral agents. However, 2-DG’s poor pharmacokinetic properties limit its wide clinical application. Herein, we discuss the potential of 2-DG and its novel analogs as potent promising antiviral drugs with special emphasis on targeted intracellular processes.
Customizing Pore System in a Microporous Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient C2H2 Separation from CO2 and C2H4
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Han Guan-Nan , Lian Xin , Yang Shan-Qing , Hu Tong-Liang
Published: September 2022

Selective-adsorption separation is an energy-efficient technology for the capture of acetylene (C2H2) from carbon dioxide (CO2) and ethylene (C2H4). However, it remains a critical challenge to effectively recognize C2H2 among CO2 and C2H4, owing to their analogous molecule sizes and physical properties. Herein, we report a new microporous metal–organic framework (NUM-14) possessing a carefully tailored pore system containing moderate pore size and nitro-functionalized channel surface for efficient separation of C2H2 from CO2 and C2H4. The activated NUM-14 (namely NUM-14a) exhibits sufficient pore space to acquire excellent C2H2 loading capacity (4.44 mmol g−1) under ambient conditions. In addition, it possesses dense nitro groups, acting as hydrogen bond acceptors, to selectively identify C2H2 molecules rather than CO2 and C2H4. The breakthrough experiments demonstrate the good actual separation ability of NUM-14a for C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/C2H4 mixtures. Furthermore, Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations indicate that the pore surface of the NUM-14a has a stronger affinity to preferentially bind C2H2 over CO2 and C2H4 via stronger C-H···O hydrogen bond interactions. This article provides some insights into customizing pore systems with desirable pore sizes and modifying groups in terms of MOF materials toward the capture of C2H2 from CO2 and C2H4 to promote the development of more MOF materials with excellent properties for gas adsorption and separation.
Hyperacmosin R, a New Decarbonyl Prenylphloroglucinol with Unusual Spiroketal Subunit from Hypericum acmosepalum
Authors: Ma Yonghui , Liu Xiaoyu , Liu Bo , Li Pingping , Suo Xinyue , Zhu Tingting , Ji Tengfei , Li Jin , Li Xiaoxiu
Published: September 2022

Two previously undescribed polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, hyperacmosins R-S (1–2), were obtained from the aerial parts of Hypericum acmosepalum. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and electronic circular dichroism calculation (ECD). Compound 1 featured an unprecedented 5,8-spiroketal subunit as well as the loss of C-2′ carbonyl in the phloroglucinol ring. In addition, compounds 1 and 4 showed weak hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol-induced HepG2 cell damage at 10 μm. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed via a retro-Clasisen reaction and decarboxylation.
Perceptions and Patterns of Dietary Supplements’ Use during COVID-19 among Undergraduate Female Students in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almegewly Wafa Hamad , Alenazi Rimah Bader , Albaqami Fayhaa Mohammed , Alkharashi Raghad Abdulkarim , Alsaedi Fatimah Abdulrhman , Almutairi Reem Khalaf , Alkharji Alhanouf Abdullah , Althani Ghadeer Mohammed , Aljuwayd Wafa Abdullah
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of Dietary Supplements (DSs) has increased for health promotion purposes. Few data records were found on the safe use of DSs among university students in Saudi Arabia, during COVID-19. This study aimed to assess the perceptions and patterns of DSs during COVID-19 among students at a selected female university. (2) Methods: A descriptive cross-section design was used. A convenient sample of undergraduate students (n = 651) were recruited via email, to fill in an online validated questionnaire: The nutrition and intake of DSs during COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. (3) Results: Among the 509 students who did not have chronic diseases, 85% of them had taken DSs. About 35.5% of the students had not changed their dietary habits since the beginning of COVID-19, but 78.6% thought that they needed to improve their immunity by taking DSs. Half of the students 51.2% believed that healthy habits may reduce the chance of being infected with COVID-19. The most used DSs were vitamin C (84.3%), followed by honey (65.3%), and vitamin D (47.7%). At the top of students’ references for DSs was personal judgment or previous knowledge of the benefits (27.3%). (4) Conclusion: The usage and patterns of DSs were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking DSs without a doctor’s prescription may lead to several complications. DSs users should be educated effectively about the proper use of DSs as an external supplementation.
Characterization of Aggregating Agents towards Sensitive Optical Detection of Tryptophan Using Lab-on-a-Chip
Authors: Gautam Rekha , Chaturvedi Deepika , Sil Sanchita , Kuhar Nikki , Singh Saumya , Umapathy Siva
Published: September 2022

The analysis of body fluids is desirable to minimize the invasiveness of diagnostic tests and non-destructive forensic investigations. In this study, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is employed for sensitive and reproducible detection of biomolecule focusing on ‘hot spots’ generation and automated flow system. Here, we have demonstrated how the plasmon frequency of nanoparticles can be tuned using different aggregating agents for optimal SERS signals. We have compared the effect of different aggregating agents on silver colloids and the resulting enhancement in Raman signals for Tryptophan which is an important amino acid present as an integral component of various body fluids including blood, saliva, tears, and cerebrospinal fluid. The automated segmented flow system, Lab-on-a-chip (LOC), is employed to trap the analyte in droplets while obtaining reproducible SERS spectra of Tryptophan at μM concentration. Further for a thorough interpretation of enhanced vibrational modes of Tryptophan, a theoretical approach has been applied. By combining both experimental and computational approaches we have identified the most preferable site of Tryptophan for interaction with metal nanoparticles and accurately assigned the enhanced Raman bands. The present study demonstrates that the union of SERS and microfluidics has the potential for spectral fingerprinting of biomolecules present in body fluids with high sensitivity.
Pollen Morphology of Some Species from Genus Nitraria
Authors: Tomoshevich Maria , Banaev Evgeny , Khozyaykina Sofia , Erst Anna
Published: September 2022

An analysis of pollen grains (in Nitraria sibirica Pall., N. schoberi L., N. komarovii Iljin & Lava ex Bobrov, and N. pamirica L. Vassil.) was performed on natural material collected in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan. Herbarium specimens from the collection at Komarov Botanical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences (N. tangutorum Bobrov and N. praevisa Bobrov) were examined, too. Pollen grains of two species—N. pamirica and N. praevisa—were studied for the first time. N. tangutorum and N. praevisa were found to have the perprolate pollen shape, whereas N. pamirica was found to have the subprolate shape. An intraspecific differentiation of N. sibirica was noted. Populations of N. sibirica (Taskarasu, Karatal, and Basshi) possess pollen grains of the subprolate or prolate shape, striate and perforate exine ornamentation, and a longer equatorial axis and a shorter polar axis than other specimens of N. sibirica. N. schoberi in all populations had anomalous shapes of some pollen grains. Overall, we demonstrated that the length ratio of the polar axis to the equatorial axis, characteristics of pollen in polar view, colpus morphology, and surface ornamentation of pollen grains in the genus Nitraria are of great taxonomic importance for the identification of species.
The Influence of Serpentine Soil on the Early Development of a Non-Serpentine African Thistle, Berkheya radula (Harv.) De Wild
Authors: Roebuck C. J. , Siebert S. J. , Berner J. M. , Marcelo-Silva J.
Published: September 2022

Serpentine soils are rich in heavy metals and poor in nutrients, limiting plant species’ performance and survival. Nevertheless, specificities of such limitations as well as adaptability features required for thriving in serpentine environments are barely known. The Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa is an example of an area containing serpentine soil with adapted vegetation. In this study, a pot experiment was performed to compare development features (i.e., germination rates, leaf count, leaf length, biomass and photosynthetic capacity) during the early development of the non-serpentine species Berkheya radula, a genus consisting of known metal hyperaccumulators from serpentine areas in South Africa. B. radula was grown in serpentine soils taken from the Barberton region. B. radula leaves had heavy metals in concentrations that confirmed the species as a phytoextractor. There were trends for enhanced productivity and photosynthesis in the serpentine treatments compared to the control. Leaf count, leaf length, electron transport efficiency (ψEo/(1 − ψEo), density of reaction centers and PIABS,total were significantly and positively correlated with at least one of the heavy metals in the leaves. Germination rates were positively influenced by K, whereas biomass and the density of reaction centers were negatively affected by Ca and P, and only Ca, respectively. The heavy metals Zn, Ni and Co were positively correlated with each other, whereas they were negatively correlated with the macronutrients K, Ca and P. The latter correlated positively with each other, confirming higher fertility of the control soil. Our study suggests that B. radula exhibits metallophyte characteristics (i.e., preadapted), despite not naturally occurring on metal-enriched soil, and this provides evidence that the potential for bioaccumulation and phytoremediation is shared between serpentine and non-serpentine species in this genus.
Normalized Workflow to Optimize Hybrid De Novo Transcriptome Assembly for Non-Model Species: A Case Study in Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Boiss
Authors: Sheikh-Assadi Morteza , Naderi Roohangiz , Salami Seyed Alireza , Kafi Mohsen , Fatahi Reza , Shariati Vahid , Martinelli Federico , Cicatelli Angela , Triassi Maria , Guarino Francesco , Improta Giovanni , Claros Manuel Gonzalo
Published: September 2022

A high-quality transcriptome is required to advance numerous bioinformatics workflows. Nevertheless, the effectuality of tools for de novo assembly and real precision assembled transcriptomes looks somewhat unexplored, particularly for non-model organisms with complicated (very long, heterozygous, polyploid) genomes. To disclose the performance of various transcriptome assembly programs, this study built 11 single assemblies and analyzed their performance on some significant reference-free and reference-based criteria. As well as to reconfirm the outputs of benchmarks, 55 BLAST were performed and compared using 11 constructed transcriptomes. Concisely, normalized benchmarking demonstrated that Velvet–Oases suffer from the worst results, while the EvidentialGene strategy can provide the most comprehensive and accurate transcriptome of Lilium ledebourii (Baker) Boiss. The BLAST results also confirmed the superiority of EvidentialGene, so it could capture even up to 59% more (than Velvet–Oases) unique gene hits. To promote assembly optimization, with the help of normalized benchmarking, PCA and AHC, it is emphasized that each metric can only provide part of the transcriptome status, and one should never settle for just a few evaluation criteria. This study supplies a framework for benchmarking and optimizing the efficiency of assembly approaches to analyze RNA-Seq data and reveals that selecting an inefficient assembly strategy might result in less identification of unique gene hits.
Vapour Pressure Deficit (VPD) Drives the Balance of Hydraulic-Related Anatomical Traits in Lettuce Leaves
Authors: Amitrano Chiara , Rouphael Youssef , De Pascale Stefania , De Micco Veronica
Published: September 2022

The coordination of leaf hydraulic-related traits with leaf size is influenced by environmental conditions and especially by VPD. Water and gas flows are guided by leaf anatomical and physiological traits, whose plasticity is crucial for plants to face environmental changes. Only a few studies have analysed how variations in VPD levels influence stomatal and vein development and their correlation with leaf size, reporting contrasting results. Thus, we applied microscopy techniques to evaluate the effect of low and high VPDs on the development of stomata and veins, also analysing leaf functional traits. We hypothesized that leaves under high VPD with a modified balance between veins and stomata face higher transpiration. We also explored the variability of stomata and vein density across the leaf lamina. From the results, it was evident that under both VPDs, plants maintained a coordinated development of stomata and veins, with a higher density at low VPD. Moreover, more stomata but fewer veins developed in the parts of the lettuce head exposed to light, suggesting that their differentiation during leaf expansion is strictly dependent on the microclimatic conditions. Knowing the plasticity of hydraulic-related morpho-functional traits and its intra-leaf variability is timely for their impact on water and gas fluxes, thus helping to evaluate the impact of environmental-driven anatomical variations on productivity of natural ecosystems and crops, in a climate change scenario.
Effects of Salt Stress on the Morphology, Growth and Physiological Parameters of Juglansmicrocarpa L. Seedlings
Authors: Ji Xinying , Tang Jiali , Zhang Junpei
Published: September 2022

In this study, to screen for walnut salt-tolerant rootstocks, Juglans microcarpa L. seedlings were treated in different NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, and 300 mmol/L), and the growth situation of seedlings was observed. Moreover, we determined the physiological indexes of seedlings on different days (6, 12, 18, and 24 d) after treatment. The results showed that after salt stress, the external morphology of seedlings displayed salt injury, which manifested as yellowing, withering, curling, and falling off of leaves. High concentrations and long-term stress led to more serious damage, with numerous leaves undergoing withering and shedding. Salt stress significantly inhibited the growth of seedlings. With the increase in salt concentration and stress time, the chlorophyll content and photosynthetic parameters of seedlings reduced to varying degrees; the relative electrical conductivity (REC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) increased. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activities generally increased, followed by a decrease; proline (Pro) accumulated; and soluble sugar (SS) content first increased and then decreased. In addition, it promoted the production of abscisic acid (ABA) and inhibited the synthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid 3 (GA3), and zeatin riboside (ZR). It was found that J.microcarpa L. seedlings were more tolerant under 100 mmol/L salt stress, whereas the damage to growth was more severe at 200 mmol/L to 300 mmol/L salt stress.
Influence of Process Parameters on Porosity and Hot Cracking of AISI H13 Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Qin Siyuan , Bo Yutao , Herzog Simone , Hallstedt Bengt , Kaletsch Anke , Broeckmann Christoph
Published: September 2022

Laser powder bed fusion is an attractive manufacturing technology promising novel components for the aircraft, automobile, and medical industries. However, depending on the material, some defects in the parts, especially pores or microcracks, cannot be avoided in the LPBF process. To achieve a part with low defect density, the optimal parameter sets must be determined. Many investigations have focused on how laser speed and laser power influence the melting process and the relative density of as-built parts. In this study, we considered laser and heated powder beds as two energy input sources, represented by volume energy density and preheating temperature, respectively. The interaction of these two energy inputs for the fabrication of AISI H13 was investigated. It was found that high preheating temperatures shifted the optimal parameter sets from the low energy density area to the high energy density area. In addition, high preheating also led to hot cracking, which was confirmed with Scheil solidification simulations.
Analysis and Test of Clamp Conveying Type Residual Film Recycling and Film Impurity Separation Mechanism
Authors: Dong Jianhao , Wang Jian , Bi Xinsheng , Zheng Yijiang , Wang Guangheng , Wang Jikui , Chen Yong , Jia Jin
Published: September 2022

Aiming at the problem of the difficult separation of film in the process of farmland residual film recovery, a clamping conveying residual film recovery device was designed and studied. The device was mainly composed of a clamp plate, clamp plate conveying chain, chain wheel drive shaft, and the residual film conveying chain and frame. Firstly, the structure and working principle of the device are introduced. The tensile properties of the residual film are investigated to determine the relationship between the average clamping force, the height of the clamp plate, the spacing of the clamp plate, and the rotational speed of the sprocket. Then, the mechanical properties of the residual film are discussed. The influence weight of each factor on the film impurity separation rate is summarized by single factor tests. The regression equation between the factors and film impurity separation rate is established. The results of the variance analysis of regression equation show that the film impurity separation rate was 93.70% at 1.08 m/s conveying speed of clamp plate, with 12 clamp plates, and 7 residual film conveyor chains. Taking the maximum value of the film impurity separation rate (η) as the objective using MATLAB, the optimal result was in good agreement with the regression equation. In addition, the field test results show that the film impurity separation rate was 92.35%. Compared with the theoretical analysis results, the relative error was 1.35%. The research results provide a theoretical reference for the design of related devices.
Durability of Repair Metakaolin Geopolymeric Cement under Different Factors
Authors: Feng Bowen , Liu Jiesheng
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, energy saving, and green sustainability are influencing the development of all industries, including the construction industry. In recent years, geopolymeric cement and concrete have become hot topic materials as a replacement for traditional OPC; this work carried out orthogonal experiments to identify four potential factors affecting the basic properties of the metakaolin-geopolymeric cement specimens. The results showed that the metakaolin and activator contents were the two primary influencing factors. Given the importance of studying the durability of building restoration materials in harsh environments, this experiment focused on testing the bond strength, permeability resistance, sulphate corrosion resistance, and freeze-thaw resistance of metakaolin geopolymer pastes with different proportions of metakaolin dopant and alkali activator content. The findings are that durability of the formed specimens significantly improved when suitable metakaolin and activator contents were incorporated, and bond strength was also improved. Moreover, the microscopic tests, including SEM and FT-IR experiments, were used to better reflect the changing durability of pattern. The experiments showed that the best durability of the metakaolin geopolymeric cement was achieved when the ratio of metakaolin to cement was 1.5 and the ratio of activator to cementitious material was 0.3. It can be concluded that the appropriate content of metakaolin and activator can give the geopolymer excellent performance under harsh conditions, which will contribute to the wide application of geopolymer.
Perceptual Quantitative Decision Making and Evaluation of Product Stylable Topology Design
Authors: Wang Yi , Zhao Qinxin , Chen Jian , Wang Weiwei , Yu Suihuai , Li Cunliang , Jia Dongyi
Published: September 2022

Modeling is the primary point to conveying product characteristics. Accurately capturing the image needs of users for modeling is an important way to effectively improve product design efficiency. Quantitative theory type I is a method to solve the internal law between the user’s target image and the product modeling characteristics by building a mathematical model. Aiming at the problems of abundant product modeling design elements, diversified combination methods, and high design cost due to the subjective ambiguity of user images, a topological design method of product modeling based on quantification theory I is proposed. This method uses the semantic difference method and statistical method to obtain the quantitative data of perceptual semantic features of product modeling to represent the explicit and implicit needs of users. Based on the topological transformation, the topological analysis and modeling of the two types of requirements are carried out. The mapping model of product modeling features and style images is constructed using quantitative theory type I, and the topologic value of each modeling design element is calculated. The above method can effectively solve the mapping problem between product modeling features and style images. On this basis, this research provides a decision-making basis for product modeling design. Using a wine jug as a product exemplar for this research, the scheme design and evaluation are carried out to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the product modeling topological design method.
Integrating Dynamic Economic Optimization and Nonlinear Closed-Loop GPC: Application to a WWTP
Authors: El bahja Hicham , Vega Pastora , Tadeo Fernando
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a technique that integrates methods of dynamic economic optimization and real-time control by including economic model predictive control and closed-loop predictive control has been developed, using a two-layer structure. The upper layer, which consists of an economic nonlinear MPC (NMPC), makes use of the updated state information to optimize some economic cost indices and calculates in real time the economically optimal trajectories for the process states. The lower layer uses a closed-loop nonlinear GPC (NCLGPC) to calculate the control actions that allow for the outputs of the process to follow the trajectories received from the upper layer. This paper also includes the theoretical demonstration proving that the deviation between the state of the closed-loop system and the economically time varying trajectory provided by the upper layer is bounded, thus guaranteeing stability. The proposed approach is based on the use of nonlinear models to describe all the relevant process dynamics and cover a wide operating range, providing accurate predictions and guaranteeing the performance of the control systems. In particular, the methodology is implemented in the N-Removal process of a WWTP and the results demonstrate that the method is effective and can be used profitably in practical cases such as the chemical, refinery and petrochemical process industries.
Gas Flow and Ablation of 122 mm Supersonic Rocket Nozzle Investigated by Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis
Authors: Thongsri Jatuporn , Srathonghuam Kamonwan , Boonpan Adulyasak
Published: September 2022

The propellant gas flow of a supersonic rocket in inappropriate operating conditions can cause excessive ablation inside a nozzle. In this research, conjugate heat transfer analysis (CHTA), consisting of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and finite element analysis (FEA), was applied to investigate the gas flow and ablation of a 122 mm nozzle as a case study in the transient state, based on actual operating conditions. First, the nozzle was tested in a static experiment. Then, the experimental results were employed for CHTA settings and validation. Next, after completing the CFD calculation, the results revealed that the nozzle’s gas flow, temperature, pressure, Mach number, shock, etc. were consistent with theoretical results. Finally, using the CFD results as loads, the FEA results showed the equivalent von Mises stress (σv), which was consistent with the ablation results from the experiment, as expected. The more the σv, the greater the ablation. Both σv and ablation were high near the throat and decreased further away. In addition, increasing the insulators’ thickness reduced σv, leading to ablation reduction. The research findings contribute to an understanding of ablation and the methodology of employing CHTA to improve the design of 122 mm and other nozzles with reduced ablation for higher efficacy.
An Efficient Ant Colony Algorithm Based on Rank 2 Matrix Approximation Method for Aircraft Arrival/Departure Scheduling Problem
Authors: Xu Bo , Ma Weimin , Ke Hua , Yang Wenjuan , Zhang Hao
Published: September 2022

The Aircraft Arrival/Departure Problem (AADSP) is the core problem in current runway system, even has become the bottleneck to prevent the improvement of the airport efficiency. This paper studies the single runway AADSP. A Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) model is constructed and an algorithm named Ant Colony based on Rank 2 Matrix Approximation (RMA-AC) method is proposed. Numerical results validate that the new algorithm, as well as the new model, exhibits better performance than CPLEX and the traditional two-phase algorithm. The runway efficiency enhanced by RMA-AC, within 20 s computation, is about 2–5% even for the 800 aircraft sequences. It is a promising method to improve the efficiency of the future aircraft scheduling system.
Removal of Thallium from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption onto Alumina Nanoparticles
Authors: Kam Ollé Rodrigue , Bakouan Corneille , Zongo Inoussa , Guel Boubié
Published: September 2022

Thallium (I) was removed from aqueous solution by using gamma-alumina nanoparticles (γANPs) materials as nano adsorbents. Varied experimental conditions such as adsorbent dose, agitation time, initial concentration, pH, and temperature effects were carried out in batch conditions in view of the optimization of thallium (I) adsorption and the identification of the adsorption mechanisms in the system γANPs-Tl. The pH effect indicated a remarkable increase in the quantity of Tl(I) removed for pH values ranging from 4 to 8, an almost constant magnitude for pH values between 8 and 10, and a decrease for pH values above 10. Considering an initial Tl(I) concentration of 20 µg/L and an adsorbent dose of 1 g/L at a pH value of 8.5, the removal was achieved at 95.12 ± 0.02% efficiency. The pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm perfectly described the adsorption mechanism. The process of thallium (I) adsorption reaction, as highlighted by thermodynamic investigations, was found to be spontaneous and exothermic with coexistence of physisorption and chemisorption with a dominance of physisorption. The diffusion model predicted multi-linearity, suggesting an involvement of surface spread and intraparticle diffusion in the sorption process. Thallium removal was effective by using γANPs as nano adsorbents.
Production and Biomedical Applications of Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Rekha Kaliaperumal , Thiruvengadam Muthu
Published: September 2022

The development of drug resistance to presently available synthetic medicines leads us to investigate naturally produced small bioactive molecules to treat drug-resistant diseases, such as cancer and other diseases [...]
Adaptive Energy Management Strategy Based on Intelligent Prediction of Driving Cycle for Plug−In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Shi Dapai , Li Shipeng , Liu Kangjie , Wang Yun , Liu Ruijun , Guo Junjie
Published: September 2022

Under the dual−carbon goal, the research on energy conservation and emission reduction of new energy vehicles has once again become a current hotspot, and plug−in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are the first to bear the brunt. In order to improve the fuel economy of PHEV, an adaptive energy management strategy is designed on the basis of the intelligent prediction of driving cycles. Firstly, according to the vehicle dynamics model, the optimal control objective function of PHEV is established, and the relationship between vehicle fuel consumption and driving cycle is analyzed. Secondly, the initial weights and threshold of the backpropagation (BP) neural network are optimized using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, and a PSO−BP neural network vehicle velocity prediction controller is established. Thirdly, combined with the approximate equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) algorithm to calculate the optimal initial equivalent factor in the prediction time domain, the fast−planning SOC and PI control are introduced to determine the optimal equivalent factor sequence, and the optimal torque distribution ratio of the engine and motor is calculated. Lastly, three different energy management strategies are simulated and verified under six China light−duty vehicle test cycle−passenger car (6*CLTC−P) driving cycles. Simulation results show that the established velocity prediction model has good prediction accuracy, and the proposed adaptive energy management strategy based on prediction is 9.85% higher than the rule−based strategy in terms of fuel saving rate and 5.30% higher than the ECMS strategy without prediction, which further improves the fuel saving potential of PHEV.
Experimental and Mathematical Investigation of Anaerobic Granulate Density via Settling Velocity
Authors: Klasinc Aljaž , Zupančič Gregor Drago , Hriberšek Matjaž , Hribernik Aleš , Lobnik Aleksandra , Zadravec Matej
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to determine the density of anaerobic granules on different heights of a full-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactor. The density was defined through the settling velocities of anaerobic granules, measured in a full-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactor. In this study, granular density was calculated with the measured settling velocities and developed mathematical model. The developed mathematical model is based on the Stokes model. In the experiment, granules were taken from different heights of an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Bed reactor, from 0.6 to 7.6 m. The granules’ diameters varied between 1 and 5 mm. The granules were taken from six different heights through the reactor. The settling velocity of the active granules (with gas in the granule pore and on the surface of the granule) was measured first. After the active granules’ settling velocity measurement, the granules were placed in a vortex to obtain degassed granules (granules without any gas in the pores or on the surface), for which the settling velocities were also measured later. It is shown that granules’ densities at different heights are independent of the reactor height.
Old World Fossil Equus (Perissodactyla, Mammalia), Extant Wild Relatives and Incertae Sedis Forms
Authors: Eisenmann Vera
Published: September 2022

Discussion of the phylogenetic relations between Plesippus, Allohippus, and Equus. Descriptions and illustrations of 30 Equid extant and fossil species younger than 2 Ma. Particular attention is given to slender forms with short protocones usually referred to ‘Equus altidens’ from Süssenborn and Untermassfeld (Germany), Akhalkalaki and Dmanisi (Georgia), Pirro (Italy), Venta Micena (Spain) and Aïn Hanech (Algeria). Occurrence of Asinine features in fossil taxa from Africa, Greece, Mongolia, and North-Eastern Siberia. Supplementary Materials include additional discussions and photographs of fossils in particular from Süssenborn (especially those referred to E. altidens and E. marxi by Reichenau) and from Dmanisi from where a new species is described.
Biohydrometallurgical Recovery of Metals from Waste Electronic Equipment: Current Status and Proposed Process
Authors: Magoda Kundani , Mekuto Lukhanyo
Published: September 2022

Electronic waste (e-waste) is an emerging health and environmental burden due to the toxic substances present within e-wastes. To address this burden, e-wastes contain various base, rare earth and noble metals, which can be recovered from these substances, thus serving as secondary sources of metals. Pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes have been developed to extract metals from e-waste. However, these techniques are energy-intensive and produce secondary wastes, which will add to the operating costs of the process. However, the biohydrometallurgical approach has been deemed as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly process that does not produce large quantities of secondary waste. However, research has focused chiefly on one-stage bioprocesses to recover the metals of interest and majorly on base metals recovery. Hence, this review proposes a two-stage bio-hydrometallurgical process where the first stage will consist of acidophilic iron and sulphur oxidising organisms to extract base metals, followed by the second stage which will consist of cyanide-producing organisms for the solubilisation of rare earth and precious metals. The solid waste residue that is produced from the system can be used in the synthesis of silica nanomaterials, which can be utilised for various applications.
Bonus-Malus Premiums Based on Claim Frequency and the Size of Claims
Authors: Moumeesri Adisak , Pongsart Tippatai
Published: September 2022

The bonus-malus system (BMS) is one of the most widely used tools in merit-rating automobile insurance, with the primary goal of ensuring that fair premiums are paid by all policyholders. The traditional BMS is dependent only on the claim frequency. Thus, an insured person who makes a claim with a small severity is penalized unfairly compared to an individual who makes a large severity claim. This study proposes a model for estimating the bonus-malus premium by employing a limit value (monetary unit) which distinguishes claim size into small and large based on claim frequency and claim severity distributions. This assists in determining the penalties for policyholders with claim sizes falling above and below the limit value. The number of claims is assumed to follow a Poisson distribution, and the total number of claims with a size greater than the limit value is considered a binomial distribution. The underlying risk of each policyholder is assumed to follow a beta Lindley distribution and is referred to as the prior distribution. Each policyholder’s claim size is also assumed to follow a gamma distribution, with the Lindley distribution considered as the prior distribution. Bonus-malus premiums are calculated following the Bayesian method. Practical examples using an actual data set are provided, and the results generated are compared to those produced using the traditional Poisson binomial-exponential beta model. This methodology provides a more equitable mechanism for penalizing policyholders in the portfolio.
Characterization of Retronasal Airflow Patterns during Intraoral Fluid Discrimination Using a Low-Cost, Open-Source Biosensing Platform
Authors: Cousens Graham A. , Fotis Michelle M. , Bradshaw Christine M. , Ramirez-Alvarado Yida M. , McKittrick Christina R.
Published: September 2022

Nasal airflow plays a critical role in olfactory processes, and both retronasal and orthonasal olfaction involve sensorimotor processes that facilitate the delivery of volatiles to the olfactory epithelium during odor sampling. Although methods are readily available for monitoring nasal airflow characteristics in laboratory and clinical settings, our understanding of odor sampling behavior would be enhanced by the development of inexpensive wearable technologies. Thus, we developed a method of monitoring nasal air pressure using a lightweight, open-source brain–computer interface (BCI) system and used the system to characterize patterns of retronasal airflow in human participants performing an oral fluid discrimination task. Participants exhibited relatively sustained low-rate retronasal airflow during sampling punctuated by higher-rate pulses often associated with deglutition. Although characteristics of post-deglutitive pulses did not differ across fluid conditions, the cumulative duration, probability, and estimated volume of retronasal airflow were greater during discrimination of perceptually similar solutions. These findings demonstrate the utility of a consumer-grade BCI system in assessing human olfactory behavior. They suggest further that sensorimotor processes regulate retronasal airflow to optimize the delivery of volatiles to the olfactory epithelium and that discrimination of perceptually similar oral fluids may be accomplished by varying the duration of optimal airflow rate.
Deep Learning for Daily Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease Outside the Clinic Using Wearable Sensors
Authors: Atri Roozbeh , Urban Kevin , Marebwa Barbara , Simuni Tanya , Tanner Caroline , Siderowf Andrew , Frasier Mark , Haas Magali , Lancashire Lee
Published: September 2022

Now that wearable sensors have become more commonplace, it is possible to monitor individual healthcare-related activity outside the clinic, unleashing potential for early detection of events in diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, the unsupervised and “open world” nature of this type of data collection make such applications difficult to develop. In this proof-of-concept study, we used inertial sensor data from Verily Study Watches worn by individuals for up to 23 h per day over several months to distinguish between seven subjects with PD and four without. Since motor-related PD symptoms such as bradykinesia and gait abnormalities typically present when a PD subject is walking, we initially used human activity recognition (HAR) techniques to identify walk-like activity in the unconstrained, unlabeled data. We then used these “walk-like” events to train one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNNs) to determine the presence of PD. We report classification accuracies near 90% on single 5-s walk-like events and 100% accuracy when taking the majority vote over single-event classifications that span a duration of one day. Though based on a small cohort, this study shows the feasibility of leveraging unconstrained wearable sensor data to accurately detect the presence or absence of PD.
Overview of Biofluids and Flow Sensing Techniques Applied in Clinical Practice
Authors: Yáñez Carlos , DeMas-Giménez Gerard , Royo Santiago
Published: September 2022

This review summarizes the current knowledge on biofluids and the main flow sensing techniques applied in healthcare today. Since the very beginning of the history of medicine, one of the most important assets for evaluating various human diseases has been the analysis of the conditions of the biofluids within the human body. Hence, extensive research on sensors intended to evaluate the flow of many of these fluids in different tissues and organs has been published and, indeed, continues to be published very frequently. The purpose of this review is to provide researchers interested in venturing into biofluid flow sensing with a concise description of the physiological characteristics of the most important body fluids that are likely to be altered by diverse medical conditions. Similarly, a reported compilation of well-established sensors and techniques currently applied in healthcare regarding flow sensing is aimed at serving as a starting point for understanding the theoretical principles involved in the existing methodologies, allowing researchers to determine the most suitable approach to adopt according to their own objectives in this broad field.
Self-Trained Deep Forest with Limited Samples for Urban Impervious Surface Area Extraction in Arid Area Using Multispectral and PolSAR Imageries
Authors: Liu Ximing , Samat Alim , Li Erzhu , Wang Wei , Abuduwaili Jilili
Published: September 2022

Impervious surface area (ISA) has been recognized as a significant indicator for evaluating levels of urbanization and the quality of urban ecological environments. ISA extraction methods based on supervised classification usually rely on a large number of manually labeled samples, the production of which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive task. Furthermore, in arid areas, man-made objects are easily confused with bare land due to similar spectral responses. To tackle these issues, a self-trained deep-forest (STDF)-based ISA extraction method is proposed which exploits the complementary information contained in multispectral and polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images using limited numbers of samples. In detail, this method consists of three major steps. First, multi-features, including spectral, spatial and polarimetric features, are extracted from Sentinel-2 multispectral and Chinese GaoFen-3 (GF-3) PolSAR images; secondly, a deep forest (DF) model is trained in a self-training manner using a limited number of samples for ISA extraction; finally, ISAs (in this case, in three major cities located in Central Asia) are extracted and comparatively evaluated. The experimental results from the study areas of Bishkek, Tashkent and Nursultan demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, with an overall accuracy (OA) above 95% and a Kappa coefficient above 0.90.
Trajectory Design for Multi-UAV-Aided Wireless Power Transfer toward Future Wireless Systems
Authors: Mu Jun , Sun Zhaojie
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we investigate an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-assisted wireless power transfer (WPT) system, in which a set of UAV-mounted mobile energy transmitters (ETs) are dispatched to broadcast wireless energy to an energy receiver (ER) on the ground. In particular, we aim to maximize the amount of energy transferred to the ER during a finite UAV’s flight period, subject to the UAV’s maximum speed and collision avoidance constraints. First, the basic one/two-UAV scenarios are researched in detail, which show that UAVs should hover at fixed locations during the whole charging period. Specifically, the Lagrange multiplier method is employed to solve the proposed optimization problem for the case of two UAV situation. Specifically, the general conclusions based on the theoretical analysis of one/two-UAV scenarios are drawn contribute to deducing the trajectory design of UAVs when the number of UAVs increases from three to seven. The obtained trajectory solution implies that UAVs should be evenly distributed on the circumference with point (0,0,H) as the center and UAVs’ safe distance as the radius. Finally, numerical results are provided to validate the trajectory design algorithm for the multiple UAVs-enabled single-user WPT system.
Calibration of Ultrasonic Transducer Based on Ultrasonic Logging Instrument for Shaft Sinking
Authors: Cao Maoyong , Si Xiaoan , Zhang Hui , Ma Fengying , Ji Peng , Yao Hui
Published: September 2022

High-precision logging equipment is critical for measuring the borehole diameter and drilling offset in coal mining and petroleum drilling. We propose a module composition and positioning principle for an ultrasonic transducer based on an ultrasonic logging instrument for shaft sinking by drilling (ULISSD) for calculating the reflection distance. The logging distance, which is the primary performance index of a logging system, is determined by using the self-reception sensitivity and error of the ultrasonic transducer in a downhole system. To measure the error between the piezoelectric element of the transducer and the rubber seal of the borehole logging system, we developed an ultrasonic-transducer error-calibration device and a calibration method for a central-air-return-shaft-drilling project. This calibration device can eliminate the inherent error of the transducer and calculate the rate of propagation with high accuracy. The measurement error is reduced by approximately 1.5 mm; thus, the ULISSD measurement accuracy can be effectively improved in central-air-return-shaft drilling.
Wheel-Rail Contact-Induced Impact Vibration Analysis for Switch Rails Based on the VMD-SS Method
Authors: Hu Pan , Wang Haitao , Zhang Chunlin , Hua Liang , Tian Guiyun
Published: September 2022

When trains pass through damaged switch rails, rail head damage will change wheel–rail contact states from rolling frictions to unsteady contacts, which will result in impact vibrations and threaten structural safeties. In addition, under approaching and moving away rolling contact excitations and complex wheel–rail contacts, the non-stationary vibrations make it difficult to extract and analyze impact vibrations. In view of the above problems, this paper proposes a variational-mode-decomposition (VMD)-spectral-subtraction (SS)-based impact vibration extraction method. Firstly, the time domain feature analysis method is applied to calculate the time moments that the wheels pass joints, and to correct vehicle velocities. This can help estimate and confine impact vibration distribution ranges. Then, the stationary intrinsic mode function (IMF) components of the impact vibration are decomposed and analyzed with the VMD method. Finally, impact vibrations are further filtered with the SS method. For rail head damage with different dimensions, under different velocity experiments, the frequency and amplitude features of the impact vibrations are analyzed. Experimental results show that, in low-velocity scenarios, the proposed VMD–SS–based method can extract impact vibrations, the frequency features are mainly concentrated in 3500–5000 Hz, and the frequency and peak-to-peak features increase with the increase in excitation velocities.