bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Theoretical Investigation of an on Chip Two-Dimensional Newton’s Ring-like Plasmonic Sensor for Differentiating the Chirality of Circularly Polarized Lights
Authors: Zhang Lina , Bai Chunyan , Xu Yan , Pang Tao , Zang Xufeng , Zeng Dakui , Qiu Peizhen
Published: January 2023

In this paper, an on chip two-dimensional Newton’s ring-like plasmonic sensor is designed for differentiating the chirality of circularly polarized lights (CPLS). The structure of the plasmonic sensor consists of a circular arc slit and an array of periodic rectangular nano-grooves that are etched into a silver film. When the sensor is illuminated by CPLS with a given chirality, the surface plasmon polariton waves generated by the slit and nano-groove array will selectively interfere with each other in the near field, which results in two different transmitted light intensity distributions in the far field. The generated far-field light intensity distributions are utilized as criteria to qualitatively differentiate the concrete chirality of the incident CPLS. The finite difference time domain method is utilized to theoretically investigate the function of the designed plasmonic sensor. The simulated results indicated that the proposed sensor has the ability to visually display the chirality information in the far field, and can provide a tool to conveniently and qualitatively differentiate the chirality of CPLS in the far field.
Charophytes (Charophyceae, Charales) of South Kazakhstan: Diversity, Distribution, and Tentative Red List
Authors: Nurashov Satbay , Jumakhanova Gaukhar , Barinova Sophia , Romanov Roman , Sametova Elmira , Jiyenbekov Aibek , Shalgimbayeva Saule , Smith Thomas Edward
Published: January 2023

The presented research was conducted during 2019–2022 in south and southeast Kazakhstan to document the species richness, distribution, and ecology of charophytes (Characeae) as a first step towards to estimate the need for species protection. Across the 54 sites, we found ten species and one variety. Chara vulgaris Linnaeus and C. contraria A.Braun ex Kützing were the most common species, followed by C. canescens Loiseleur, C. kirghisorum C. F. Lessing, C. tomentosa Linnaeus, C. dominii J. Vilhelm, C. globata W. Migula, Nitellopsis obtusa (Desvaux) J. Groves, and Nitella hyalina (De Candolle) C. Agardh. The list of localities for each species was compiled. The distribution of each taxon was mapped in relations to the ecoregions studied. The two most frequent species were found in a wide spectrum of ecoregions, whereas all other species occurred in only a few regions in Kazakhstan. The Kaskelen River Valley had the most sampled sites with the highest number of co-occurring species (up to five together). Statistical maps were plotted in attempt to outline key environmental variables explaining the distribution of each species. A comparison of species and environmental variables distribution maps lets us assume that C. vulgaris prefers low altitude habitats with higher water temperatures, organic enrichments, and color, but low oxygen and pH. Other species prefer clear, alkaline, organically unpolluted, and well-oxygenated waters in lowland habitats. The redundancy detrended analysis (RDA) defined pH and altitude as negative factors for Nitellopsis obtusa whereas an increase in water temperature was positive. Altitude and water temperatures affected Chara contraria positively while altitude negatively influenced the rare species: Chara tomentosa, C. kirghisorum, and C. dominii. The matK sequences were obtained for C. contraria and C. vulgaris to confirm their identity according to morphological traits and to compare populations of C. gymnophylla and C. vulgaris from an arid region in Israel. Our data allowed for the preparation of a tentative red list from the study region. One species was recognized as endangered, four species and one variety as vulnerable, and two species as least concern. There was insufficient data to determine the status of two species and one variety.
Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis of the Maize Serine Peptidase S8 Family Genes in Response to Drought at Seedling Stage
Authors: Cui Hongwei , Zhou Guyi , Ruan Hongqiang , Zhao Jun , Hasi Agula , Zong Na
Published: January 2023

Subtilisin-like proteases (subtilases) are found in almost all plant species and are involved in regulating various biotic and abiotic stresses. Although the literature on subtilases in different plant species is vast, the gene function of the serine peptidase S8 family and its maize subfamily is still unknown. Here, a bioinformatics analysis of this gene family was conducted by describing gene structure, conserved motifs, phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distributions, gene duplications, and promoter cis-elements. In total, we identified 18 ZmSPS8 genes in maize, distributed on 7 chromosomes, and half of them were hydrophilic. Most of these proteins were located at the cell wall and had similar secondary and tertiary structures. Prediction of cis-regulatory elements in promoters illustrated that they were mainly associated with hormones and abiotic stress. Maize inbred lines B73, Zheng58, and Qi319 were used to analyze the spatial-temporal expression patterns of ZmSPS8 genes under drought treatment. Seedling drought results showed that Qi319 had the highest percent survival after 14 d of withholding irrigation, while B73 was the lowest. Leaf relative water content (LRWC) declined more rapidly in B73 and to lower values, and the nitrotetrazolium blue chloride (NBT) contents of leaves were higher in Qi319 than in the other inbreds. The qPCR results indicated that 6 serine peptidase S8 family genes were positively or negatively correlated with plant tolerance to drought stress. Our study provides a detailed analysis of the ZmSPS8s in the maize genome and finds a link between drought tolerance and the family gene expression, which was established by using different maize inbred lines.
Reproduction Modes and Conservation Implications in Three Polyploid Sorbus Stenoendemics in Eastern Slovakia (Central Europe)
Authors: Kolarčik Vladislav , Mirková Mária , Mikoláš Vlastimil
Published: January 2023

The remarkable species diversity of the genus Sorbus is a result of polyploidization and frequent hybridization between interacting species of different cytotypes. Moreover, hybridization is possible between several parental taxa. Gametophytic apomixis, which is common among polyploid Sorbus taxa, indicates the role of clonal reproduction in the evolutionary stabilization of hybridogeneous genotypes. The precise determination of the origin of seeds and their quantitative evaluation may elucidate inter-cytotype interactions, the potential role of mixed-cytotype populations in evolutionary success, and the long-term survival of some hybrid species. We investigated the reproduction modes of selected species of Sorbus in mixed-cytotype populations in eastern Slovakia, Central Europe. We determined the pollen quality, seed production rate, and the ploidy level of mature trees, as well as the origin of the embryo and endosperm in seeds of the stenoendemics S. amici-petri, S. dolomiticola, and S. hornadensis. The tetraploids S. amici-petri and S. hornadensis are characterized by regular and highly stainable pollen grains and reproduce predominantly via pseudogamous apomixis. In contrast, triploid S. dolomiticola usually has oval, heterogenous, and weakly stainable pollen grains, suggesting male meiotic irregularities. Although seeds originate via pseudogamous apomixis in S. dolomiticola as well, the ploidy level of sperm cells participating in the fertilization of central cells is usually determined by co-occurring species of different cytotypes. This suggests that maintaining mating partners is necessary for the long-term survival of a triploid species. We documented rare BIII hybrids and the residual sexuality in tetraploids. The distribution of seeds of meiotic and apomeiotic origins in S. amici-petri shows bimodal characteristics; however, genotypes with predominantly sexual seed types are rare. Reproduction modes documented in polyploid stenoendemics of Sorbus and inferred microevolutionary intercytotype relationships highlight the mixed-cytotype populations as the source of biodiversity in apomictic plant complexes. We suggest that conservation efforts should focus on maintaining the species and cytotypic diversity of Sorbus populations, especially when it comes to the conservation of triploid species.
SlIAA9 Mutation Maintains Photosynthetic Capabilities under Heat-Stress Conditions
Authors: Rahmat Bayu Pradana Nur , Octavianis Grace , Budiarto Rahmat , Jadid Nurul , Widiastuti Ani , Matra Deden Derajat , Ezura Hiroshi , Mubarok Syariful
Published: January 2023

Tomato is one of the most widely consumed horticultural products. However, tomato is very sensitive to changes in temperature. Daily average temperatures above 32 °C severely reduced tomato plant growth, development, and productivity. Therefore, climate change-induced global warming is a major threat to future tomato production. Good photosynthetic capability under heat stress conditions is known to be a major sign of heat tolerance. Tomato INDOLE-ACETIC-ACID (SlIAA9) is a transcriptional repressor in auxin signaling. SlIAA9 mutation caused heightened endogenous auxin response and biosynthesis within plant tissues. In this study, we studied the photosynthetic capability of iaa9-3 and iaa9-5 mutants under heat-stress conditions. We discovered that both iaa9-3 and iaa9-5 could maintain their photosynthetic capability after 14 days of heat treatment (>40 °C), differing from Wild Type-Micro-Tom (WT-MT) tomato. Both iaa9 mutants had higher net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, leaf total chlorophyll, leaf carotenoids, Fv/Fm value, and lower leaf MDA than WT-MT. These results suggested that the SlIAA9 mutation benefits plant adaptation to heat stress.
Multiplex CRISPR-Cas9 Gene-Editing Can Deliver Potato Cultivars with Reduced Browning and Acrylamide
Authors: Ly Diem Nguyen Phuoc , Iqbal Sadia , Fosu-Nyarko John , Milroy Stephen , Jones Michael G. K.
Published: January 2023

Storing potato tubers at cold temperatures, either for transport or continuity of supply, is associated with the conversion of sucrose to reducing sugars. When cold-stored cut tubers are processed at high temperatures, with endogenous asparagine, acrylamide is formed. Acrylamide is classified as a carcinogen. Potato processors prefer cultivars which accumulate fewer reducing sugars and thus less acrylamide on processing, and suitable processing cultivars may not be available. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to disrupt the genes encoding vacuolar invertase (VInv) and asparagine synthetase 1 (AS1) of cultivars Atlantic and Desiree to reduce the accumulation of reducing sugars and the production of asparagine after cold storage. Three of the four guide RNAs employed induced mutation frequencies of 17–98%, which resulted in deletions, insertions and substitutions at the targeted gene sites. Eight of ten edited events had mutations in at least one allele of both genes; for two, only the VInv was edited. No wild-type allele was detected in both genes of events DSpco7, DSpFN4 and DSpco12, suggesting full allelic mutations. Tubers of two Atlantic and two Desiree events had reduced fructose and glucose concentrations after cold storage. Crisps from these and four other Desiree events were lighter in colour and included those with 85% less acrylamide. These results demonstrate that multiplex CRISPR-Cas9 technology can generate improved potato cultivars for healthier processed potato products.
Identification of YABBY Transcription Factors and Their Function in ABA and Salinity Response in Nelumbo nucifera
Authors: Zhao Shuping , Zhang Yao , Tan Mengying , Jiao Jiao , Zhang Chuyan , Wu Peng , Feng Kai , Li Liangjun
Published: January 2023

The plant-specific transcription factor family YABBY plays important roles in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Although the function of YABBY has been identified in many species, systematic analysis in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is still relatively lacking. The present study aimed to characterize all of the YABBY genes in lotus and obtain better insights into NnYABBYs in response to salt stress by depending on ABA signaling. Here, we identified nine YABBY genes by searching the whole lotus genome based on the conserved YABBY domain. Further analysis showed that these members were distributed on six different chromosomes and named from YABBY1 to YABBY9, which were divided into five subgroups, including YAB1, YAB2, YAB5, INO, and CRC. The analysis of cis-elements in promotors revealed that NnYABBYs could be involved in plant hormone signaling and plant responses to abiotic stresses. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that NnYABBYs could be up-regulated or down-regulated by ABA, fluridone, and salt treatment. Subcellular localization indicated that NnYABBY4, NnYABBY5, and NnYABBY6 were mainly localized in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. In addition, the intrinsic trans-activity of NnYABBY was tested by a Y2H assay, which revealed that NnYABBY4, NnYABBY5, and NnYABBY6 are deprived of such a property. This study provided a theoretical basis and reference for the functional research of YABBY for the molecular breeding of lotus.
New Records of Wood- and Bark-Inhabiting Nematodes from Woody Plants with a Description of Bursaphelenchus zvyagintsevi sp. n. (Aphelenchoididae: Parasitaphelenchinae) from Russia
Authors: Ryss Alexander Y. , Subbotin Sergei A.
Published: January 2023

Wood- and bark-inhabiting parasitic nematodes are of great economic importance. Nematodes can cause wilt diseases in conifers and deciduous trees. In 2014–2022, during nematology surveys conducted in different regions of Russia and Belarus, adults and dauer juveniles of nematodes were collected from wood, bark and beetle vectors. Using traditional morphological taxonomic characters integrated with molecular criteria, we identified in the studied samples the following nematode species: Aphelenchoides heidelbergi, Bursaphelenchus eremus, B. fraudulentus, B. michalskii, B. mucronatus, B. willibaldi, Deladenus posteroporus, Diplogasteroides nix and Laimaphelenchus hyrcanus, several unidentified species: Aphelenchoides sp.1 and sp.2, Cryptaphelenchus sp.1, sp.2 and sp.3, Laimaphelenchus sp.1, Micoletzkya sp.1, Parasitaphelenchus sp.1, Parasitorhabditis sp.1, three unidentified tylenchid nematodes and a new species, Bursaphelenchus zvyagintsevi sp.n. Morphological descriptions and molecular characterization are provided for B. zvyagintsevi sp. n. belonging to the Abietinus group and B. michalskii belonging to the Eggersi group. Findings of Aphelenchoides heidelbergi, Bursaphelenchus eremus, B. michalskii, Deladenus posteroporus, Diplogasteroides nix and Laimaphelenchus hyrcanus are new records for Russia. Phylogenetic positions of studied species were reconstructed using D2–D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The data obtained in this study may help to detect the refugia of opportunistic plant pests and find possible native biocontrol nematode agents of insect vectors causing diseases.
Optimal Contribution Selection Improves the Rate of Genetic Gain in Grain Yield and Yield Stability in Spring Canola in Australia and Canada
Authors: Cowling Wallace A. , Castro-Urrea Felipe A. , Stefanova Katia T. , Li Li , Banks Robert G. , Saradadevi Renu , Sass Olaf , Kinghorn Brian P. , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: January 2023

Crop breeding must achieve higher rates of genetic gain in grain yield (GY) and yield stability to meet future food demands in a changing climate. Optimal contributions selection (OCS) based on an index of key economic traits should increase the rate of genetic gain while minimising population inbreeding. Here we apply OCS in a global spring oilseed rape (canola) breeding program during three cycles of S0,1 family selection in 2016, 2018, and 2020, with several field trials per cycle in Australia and Canada. Economic weights in the index promoted high GY, seed oil, protein in meal, and Phoma stem canker (blackleg) disease resistance while maintaining plant height, flowering time, oleic acid, and seed size and decreasing glucosinolate content. After factor analytic modelling of the genotype-by-environment interaction for the additive effects, the linear rate of genetic gain in GY across cycles was 0.059 or 0.087 t ha−1 y−1 (2.9% or 4.3% y−1) based on genotype scores for the first factor (f1) expressed in trait units or average predicted breeding values across environments, respectively. Both GY and yield stability, defined as the root-mean-square deviation from the regression line associated with f1, were predicted to improve in the next cycle with a low achieved mean parental coancestry (0.087). These methods achieved rapid genetic gain in GY and other traits and are predicted to improve yield stability across global spring canola environments.
Mechanical Properties of Polyurethane Mixture and Load Response Behaviour of Polyurethane Composite Pavement
Authors: Zhuang Wei , Bi Yufeng , Liu Baoju , Hou Derui , Jing Shuo , Lu Xiaojin , Sun Min
Published: January 2023

Finite element numerical simulation calculation of pavement structure load response is widely applied; however, there is still a lack of research on the polyurethane (PU) mixture composite pavement load response. The mechanical characteristics of PU mixture composite pavement are not well understood, and there is a lack of research on typical pavement structures of PU mixtures, which limits their application in pavement structures. Therefore, herein, the mechanical properties of PU mixtures are analysed using the dynamic modulus test, uniaxial penetration test, and fatigue test. Further, the finite element theory calculation method is used to realize the load response calculation of orthogonal design composite pavement structure. The results show that PU mixtures exhibit more obvious elastic characteristics and have good shear resistance, fatigue stability, and temperature stability, and can be used as shear and anti-fatigue layers. The structure of ‘4 cm SMA-13 + 5 cm PUM-20 + 6 cm PUM-25 + semi-rigid base’ is recommended for the PU mixture composite structure. In comparison to typical asphalt pavement, the analysis shows that except for shear stress, temperature has little effect on the load response of PU composite pavement structures, while high temperatures lead to a significant increase in the load response of typical asphalt pavement structures. The PU composite pavement can bear greater loads and has a reduced thickness of its surface layer by about 3 cm in comparison to conventional pavement. The results of this study provide theoretical support for the design of PU mixture pavement structures and promote the popularization and application of PU mixture pavement.
Combing High-Modulus Fibers with a Novel Foaming Structure Applied to Protective Sandwich-Structured Composites: Manufacturing Techniques and Property Evaluations
Authors: Ho Yi-Huan , Lin Yan-Yu , Lin Mei-Chen , Lou Ching-Wen , Chen Yueh-Sheng , Lin Jia-Horng
Published: January 2023

This study proposes the composites with a sandwich structure that is primarily made by the multi-step foaming process. The staple material is polyurethane (PU) foam that is combined with carbon fibers, followed by a Kevlar woven fabric. The composites are evaluated in terms of puncture resistance, buffer absorption, and electromagnetic wave shielding effectiveness (EMSE). The manufacturing process provides the composites with a stabilized structure efficiently. Serving the interlayer, a Kevlar woven fabric are sealed between a top and a bottom layer consisting of both PU foam and an aluminum film in order, thereby forming five-layered composites. Namely, the upper and lower surfaces of the five-layered sandwiches are aluminum films which is laminated on a purpose for the EMSE reinforcement. The test results indicate that the PU foam composites are well bonded and thus acquire multiple functions from the constituent materials, including buffer absorption, puncture resistance, and EMSE. There is much prospect that the PU foam composites can be used as a protective material in diverse fields owing to a flexible range of functions.
Covalent Cross-Linking as a Strategy to Prepare Water-Dispersible Chitosan Nanogels
Authors: Muñana-González Sara , Veloso-Fernández Antonio , Ruiz-Rubio Leire , Pérez-Álvarez Leyre , Vilas-Vilela José Luis
Published: January 2023

Due to the environmental problems generated by petroleum derivative polymers as mentioned in Agenda 2030, the use of natural polymers is increasing. Among them, cellulose and chitin are the most widespread biopolymers available in nature. Chitosan, obtained from chitin, is a really good candidate to develop nanocarriers due to its polyelectrolyte nature and ease of chemical modification. However, chitosan presents a solubility drawback in an aqueous medium at physiological pH (pH = 7.4), which restricts its applicability in biomedicine. In this work, nanogels were successfully synthesized from chitosan systems with different water solubilities (chitosan, oligosaccharide chitosan, and quaternized chitosan) using the reverse microemulsion method and polyethylene glycol diacid (PEGBCOOH) as a covalent cross-linking agent. Cross-linking with PEGBCOOH was analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), which allowed for nanogels to be prepared whose size and swelling were comparatively studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and zeta potential, respectively. The particle size of the swollen nanogels showed a different pH-responsive behavior that decreased for chitosan, increased for oligosaccharide chitosan, and remained constant for quaternized chitosan. Nevertheless, a drastic reduction was observed in all cases in the culture medium. Along the same line, the dispersibility of the synthesized nanogels in different media was comparatively evaluated, showing similar values for the nanogels prepared from soluble chitosans than for water insoluble chitosan as a consequence of the cross-linking with PEGBCOOH. After 6 months of storage of the dried nanogels, the water dispersibility values remained constant in all cases, demonstrating the stabilizing effect of the employed cross-linking agent and the potential use of synthesized nanogels as substrates for drug delivery.
Considering IT Trends for Modelling Investments in Supply Chains by Prioritising Digital Twins
Authors: Kajba Milena , Jereb Borut , Obrecht Matevž
Published: January 2023

Supply chain disruptions and challenges have and will always exist, but preparing in advance and improving resilience for the upcoming consequences should be the utmost important goal. This paper explores trends that affect innovation in the technological sphere of supply chain systems. More precisely, the research is focused on Digital Twin technology applicability through other logistics IT trends and aims to research the pressing issue of ensuring the visibility and resilience of future supply chain systems. The paper’s objective is to produce a conceptual model enabling the investment assessment of the necessary IT resources. Initially, a theoretical confirmation of logistics IT trends’ relevance to supply chain systems was established. After, propositions of Digital Twin technology applications to other logistics IT trends were made, which were divided into corresponding constant multitudes of supply chain systems. Lastly, the conceptual model for the investment assessment of the necessary IT resources was derived in the form of a matrix. It considers 16 parameters for investment assessment and applicability to all companies, regardless of their specifics. It also supports the notion of digital IT competencies’ fundamental importance to the continuous operation of supply chain systems.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Proteomes in 2022
Authors:   Proteomes Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Radar HRRP Open Set Target Recognition Based on Closed Classification Boundary
Authors: Xia Ziheng , Wang Penghui , Liu Hongwei
Published: January 2023

Radar automatic target recognition based on high-resolution range profile (HRRP) has become a research hotspot in recent years. The current works mainly focus on closed set recognition, where all the test samples are assigned to the training classes. However, radar may capture many unknown targets in practical applications, and most current methods are incapable of identifying the unknown targets as the ’unknown’. Therefore, open set recognition is proposed to solve this kind of recognition task. This paper analyzes the basic classification principle of both recognitions and makes sure that determining the closed classification boundary is the key to addressing open set recognition. To achieve this goal, this paper proposes a novel boundary detection algorithm based on the distribution balance property of k-nearest neighbor objects, which can be used to realize the identification of the known and unknown targets simultaneously by detecting the boundary of the known classes. Finally, extensive experiments based on measured HRRP data have demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is indeed helpful to greatly improve the open set performance by determining the closed classification boundary of the known classes.
Comparison of Canopy Clumping Index Measuring Methods and Analysis of Their Impact
Authors: Liang Zhiguo , Yu Ying , Yang Xiguang , Fan Wenyi
Published: January 2023

The clumping index (CI) is a commonly used vegetation dispersion parameter used to characterize the spatial distribution of the clumping or random distribution of leaves in canopy environments, as well as to determine the radiation transfer of the canopy, the photosynthesis of the foliage, and hydrological processes. However, the method of CI estimation using the measurement instrument produces uncertain values in various forest types. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the differences in CI estimation methods using field measurements with various segment lengths in different forest types. In this study, three 100 m × 100 m plots were set, and the CI and leaf area index (LAI) values were measured. The CI estimation results were compared. The results show that the accuracy of CI estimation was affected by different forest types, different stand densities, and various segment lengths. The segment length had a significant effect on CI estimation with various methods. The CI estimation accuracy of the LX and CLX methods increased alongside a decrease in the segment length. The CI evidently offered spatial heterogeneity among the different plots. Compared with the true CI, there were significant differences in the CI estimation values with the use of various methods. Moreover, the spatial distribution of the CI estimation values using the ΩCMN method could more effectively describe the spatial heterogeneity of the CI. These results can provide a reference for CI estimation in field measurements with various segment lengths in different forest types.
Evaluation of Satellite-Based Precipitation Products over Complex Topography in Mountainous Southwestern China
Authors: Tang Xuan , Li Hongxia , Qin Guanghua , Huang Yuanyuan , Qi Yongliang
Published: January 2023

Satellite-based precipitation products (SBPPs) are essential for rainfall quantification in areas where ground-based observation is scarce. However, the accuracy of SBPPs is greatly influenced by complex topography. This study evaluates the performance of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG) and Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) in characterizing rainfall in a mountainous catchment of southwestern China, with an emphasis on the effect of three topographic variables (elevation, slope, aspect). The SBPPs are evaluated by comparing rain gauge observations at eight ground stations from May to October in 2014–2018. Results show that IMERG and GSMaP have good rainfall detection capability for the entire region, with POD = 0.75 and 0.93, respectively. In addition, IMERG overestimates rainfall (BIAS = −48.8%), while GSMaP is consistent with gauge rainfall (BIAS = −0.4%). Comprehensive analysis shows that IMERG and GSMaP are more impacted by elevation, and then slope, whereas aspect has little impact. The independent evaluations suggest that variability of elevation and slope negatively correlate with the accuracy of SBPPs. The accuracy of GSMaP presents weaker dependence on topography than that of IMERG in the study area. Our findings demonstrate the applicability of IMERG and GSMaP in mountainous catchments of Southwest China. We confirm that complex topography impacts the performance of SBPPs, especially for complex topography in mountainous areas. It is suggested that taking topographical factors into account is needed for hydrometeorological applications such as flood forecasting, and SBPP evaluations and retrieval technology require further improvement in the future for better applications.
A Study on the Control Method of 6-DOF Magnetic Levitation System Using Non-Contact Position Sensors
Authors: Jung Dong-Hoon , Lim Jong Suk
Published: January 2023

Recently, due to the development of semiconductor technology, high-performance memory and digital convergence technology that integrates and implements various functions into one semiconductor chip has been regarded as the next-generation core technology. In the semiconductor manufacturing process, various motors are being applied for automated processes and high product reliability. However, dust and shaft loss due to mechanical friction of a general motor system composed of motor-bearing are problematic for semiconductor wafer processing. In addition, in the edge bread remove (EBR) process after the photoresist application process, a nozzle position control system for removing unnecessary portions of the wafer edge is absolutely necessary. Therefore, in this paper, in order to solve the problems occurring in the semiconductor process, a six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) magnetic levitation system without shaft and bearing was designed for application to the semiconductor process system; and an integrated driving control algorithm for 6-DOF control (levitation, rotation, tilt (Roll–Pitch), X–Y axis movement) using the force of each current component derived through current vector control was proposed. Finally, the 6-DOF magnetic levitation system with the non-contact position sensors was fabricated and the validity of the 6-DOF magnetic levitation control method proposed in this paper was verified through a performance test using a prototype.
Direction of Arrival Estimation of Generalized Nested Array via Difference–Sum Co-Array
Authors: Zhang Yule , Hu Guoping , Zhou Hao , Bai Juan , Zhan Chenghong , Guo Shuhan
Published: January 2023

To address the weakness that the difference co-array (DCA) only enhances the degrees of freedom (DOFs) to a limited extent, a new configuration called the generalized nested array via difference–sum co-array (GNA-DSCA) is proposed for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. We consider both the temporal and spatial information of the array output to construct the DSCA model, based on which the DCA and sum co-array (SCA) of the GNA are systematically analyzed. The closed-form expression of the DOFs for the GNA-DSCA is derived under the determined dilation factors. The optimal results show that the GNA-DSCA has a more flexible configuration and more DOFs than the GNA-DCA. Moreover, the larger dilation factors yield significantly wider virtual aperture, which indicates that it is more attractive than the reported DSCA-based sparse arrays. Finally, a hole-filling strategy based on atomic norm minimization (ANM) is utilized to overcome the degradation of the estimation performance due to the non-uniform virtual array, thus achieving accurate DOA estimation. The simulation results verify the superiority of the proposed configuration in terms of virtual array properties and estimation performance.
Mobile Phone Data: A Survey of Techniques, Features, and Applications
Authors: Okmi Mohammed , Por Lip Yee , Ang Tan Fong , Ku Chin Soon
Published: January 2023

Due to the rapid growth in the use of smartphones, the digital traces (e.g., mobile phone data, call detail records) left by the use of these devices have been widely employed to assess and predict human communication behaviors and mobility patterns in various disciplines and domains, such as urban sensing, epidemiology, public transportation, data protection, and criminology. These digital traces provide significant spatiotemporal (geospatial and time-related) data, revealing people’s mobility patterns as well as communication (incoming and outgoing calls) data, revealing people’s social networks and interactions. Thus, service providers collect smartphone data by recording the details of every user activity or interaction (e.g., making a phone call, sending a text message, or accessing the internet) done using a smartphone and storing these details on their databases. This paper surveys different methods and approaches for assessing and predicting human communication behaviors and mobility patterns from mobile phone data and differentiates them in terms of their strengths and weaknesses. It also gives information about spatial, temporal, and call characteristics that have been extracted from mobile phone data and used to model how people communicate and move. We survey mobile phone data research published between 2013 and 2021 from eight main databases, namely, the ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, MDPI, SAGE, Science Direct, Scopus, SpringerLink, and Web of Science. Based on our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 148 studies were selected.
Enhanced Message Replication Technique for DTN Routing Protocols
Authors: Hasan Siham , Sharifi Sani Meisam , Iranmanesh Saeid , Al-Bayatti Ali H. , Khan Sarmadullah , Raad Raad
Published: January 2023

Delay-tolerant networks (DTNs) are networks where there is no immediate connection between the source and the destination. Instead, nodes in these networks use a store–carry–forward method to route traffic. However, approaches that rely on flooding the network with unlimited copies of messages may not be effective if network resources are limited. On the other hand, quota-based approaches are more resource-efficient but can have low delivery rates and high delivery delays. This paper introduces the Enhanced Message Replication Technique (EMRT), which dynamically adjusts the number of message replicas based on a node’s ability to quickly disseminate the message. This decision is based on factors such as current connections, encounter history, buffer size history, time-to-live values, and energy. The EMRT is applied to three different quota-based protocols: Spray and Wait, Encounter-Based Routing (EBR), and the Destination-Based Routing Protocol (DBRP). The simulation results show that applying the EMRT to these protocols improves the delivery ratio, overhead ratio, and latency average. For example, when combined with Spray and Wait, EBR, and DBRP, the delivery probability is improved by 13%, 8%, and 10%, respectively, while the latency average is reduced by 51%, 14%, and 13%, respectively.
Sub-Nanometer Acoustic Vibration Sensing Using a Tapered-Tip Optical Fiber Microcantilever
Authors: Lu Chunyu , Dashtabi Mahdi Mozdoor , Nikbakht Hamed , Khoshmehr Mohammad Talebi , Akca B. Imran
Published: January 2023

We demonstrate a highly sensitive acoustic vibration sensor based on a tapered-tip optical fiber acting as a microcantilever. The tapered-tip fiber has a unique output profile that exhibits a circular fringe pattern, whose distribution is highly sensitive to the vibration of the fiber tip. A piezo transducer is used for the acoustic excitation of the fiber microcantilever, which results in a periodic bending of the tip and thereby a significant output power modulation. Using a multimode readout fiber connected to an electric spectrum analyzer, we measured the amplitude of these power modulations over the 10–50 kHz range and observed resonances over certain frequency ranges. Two types of tapered-tip fibers were fabricated with diameter values of 1.5 µm and 1.8 µm and their frequency responses were compared with a non-tapered fiber tip. Thanks to the resonance effect as well as the sensitive fringe pattern of the tapered-tip fibers, the limit of detection and the sensitivity of the fiber sensor were obtained as 0.1 nm and 15.7 V/nm, respectively, which were significantly better than the values obtained with the non-tapered fiber tip (i.e., 1.1 nm and 0.12 V/nm, respectively). The sensor is highly sensitive, easy to fabricate, low-cost, and can detect sub-nanometer displacements, which makes it a promising tool for vibration sensing, particularly in the photoacoustic sensing of greenhouse gases.
Intraclass Clustering-Based CNN Approach for Detection of Malignant Melanoma
Authors: Bandy Adrian D. , Spyridis Yannis , Villarini Barbara , Argyriou Vasileios
Published: January 2023

This paper describes the process of developing a classification model for the effective detection of malignant melanoma, an aggressive type of cancer in skin lesions. Primary focus is given on fine-tuning and improving a state-of-the-art convolutional neural network (CNN) to obtain the optimal ROC-AUC score. The study investigates a variety of artificial intelligence (AI) clustering techniques to train the developed models on a combined dataset of images across data from the 2019 and 2020 IIM-ISIC Melanoma Classification Challenges. The models were evaluated using varying cross-fold validations, with the highest ROC-AUC reaching a score of 99.48%.
Design of Miniaturized Wideband Beam Deflection Conformal Array Antenna
Authors: Zhu Junli , Sun Chuanyong , Chen Mengfei , Liu Jingping
Published: January 2023

Antenna beam deflection, along with miniaturization and wideband of the antenna is in demand for practical applications. In this paper, a cylindrical conformal array antenna with a small-tilt forward beam was designed. The microstrip antenna unit was loaded with the artificial electromagnetic structure, which reduced the size of the antenna unit. As a result, the center spacing of the array elements can be shortened with the same array element spacing. The beam deflection angle can be increased in this way without increasing the coupling effect between the parts. Changing the number of line array elements and the number of line arrays can regulate the beam width of E-field and H-field, respectively. The bandwidth of the antenna can be significantly extended by slotting the ground plane. This work implemented a cylindrical conformal array of the antenna’s forward beam with a small dip angle using a cylindrical carrier as an example. The measurement results showed that the angle between the main beam and the carrier axis of the conformal antenna was less than 30°, the bandwidth was more than 30%, and the antenna volume decreased by 40.4%.
Spectroscopy of Laser-Induced Dielectric Breakdown Plasma in Mixtures of Air with Inert Gases Ar, He, Kr, and Xe
Authors: Martusevich Andrew , Kornev Roman , Ermakov Artur , Gornushkin Igor , Nazarov Vladimir , Shabarova Lyubov , Shkrunin Vladimir
Published: January 2023

The generation of ozone and nitrogen oxides by laser-induced dielectric breakdown (LIDB) in mixtures of air with noble gases Ar, He, Kr, and Xe is investigated using OES and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and absorption spectrophotometry. It is shown that the formation of NO and NO2 noticeably depends on the type of inert gas; the more complex electronic configuration and the lower ionization potential of the inert gas led to increased production of NO and NO2. The formation of ozone occurs mainly due to the photolytic reaction outside the gas discharge zone. Equilibrium thermodynamic analysis showed that the formation of NO in mixtures of air with inert gases does not depend on the choice of an inert gas, while the equilibrium concentration of the NO+ ion decreases with increasing complexity of the electronic configuration of an inert gas.
Recycling Discarded Facemasks of COVID-19 Pandemic to New Novel Composite Thermal Insulation and Sound-Absorbing Materials
Authors: Al-Salem Khaled , Ali Mohamed , Almuzaiqer Redhwan , Al-Suhaibani Zeyad , Nuhait Abdullah
Published: January 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the whole world to wear single-use disposable facemasks for health protection. Studies have shown that about 129 billion facemasks are wasted each month, which will contaminate the environment and create a big problem in getting rid of them. These discarded facemasks are usually dumped in garbage bins, in landfills, or in some cases littering them on the streets, which creates a health hazard to human beings. In order to solve such environmental problems, the current study presents new novel composite materials developed by recycling discarded facemasks. These materials have great potential to be used for both thermal insulation and sound-absorbing for building walls. Experiments have been performed to make bound composite materials using the discarded facemasks as new raw materials with wood adhesive as a binder. The discarded facemasks were first heated for one and half-hour at 120 °C to kill any contaminants (biological or others). Five different composites are made: the first uses the complete facemasks, the second uses facemasks with iron nose clip only, the third uses facemasks with no both ear loops and iron nose clip, the fourth one contains the elastic ear loops only, and the fifth one has facemasks with elastic ear loops only. Coefficients of thermal conductivity for the five samples are obtained as 0.0472, 0.0519, 0.05423, 0.0619, 0.0509 (#5, e), and 0.04347 (#5, f) W/m K at 25 °C, respectively. The sound-absorbing coefficient for samples 1, 2, and 3 is above 0.5 in general and, at some frequencies, approaches 0.8. Results show that the soft samples with low binder concentration have a good sound absorbing coefficient at high frequency, while the one with high binder concentration has that at a low frequency for the same facemasks’ mass. Mechanical properties of all samples are also reported by performing the three-point bending moment. Composite samples have a low moisture content (0.2%) and have high thermal stability up to 325 °C. These composite samples could replace the petrochemical and synthetic thermal insulation materials and, at the same time, get rid of the huge discarded waste facemasks, which is considered a huge environmental problem.
Winter Wheat Extraction Using Time-Series Sentinel-2 Data Based on Enhanced TWDTW in Henan Province, China
Authors: Wang Xiaolei , Hou Mei , Shi Shouhai , Hu Zirong , Yin Chuanxin , Xu Lei
Published: January 2023

As a major world crop, the accurate spatial distribution of winter wheat is important for improving planting strategy and ensuring food security. Due to big data management and processing requirements, winter wheat mapping based on remote-sensing data cannot ensure a good balance between the spatial scale and map details. This study proposes a rapid and robust phenology-based method named “enhanced time-weighted dynamic time warping” (E-TWDTW), based on the Google Earth Engine, to map winter wheat in a finer spatial resolution, and efficiently complete the map of winter wheat at a 10-m resolution in Henan Province, China. The overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient of the resulting map are 97.98% and 0.9469, respectively, demonstrating its great applicability for winter wheat mapping. This research indicates that the proposed approach is effective for mapping large-scale planting patterns. Furthermore, based on comparative experiments, the E-TWDTW method has shown excellent robustness across lower quantities of training data and early season extraction ability. Therefore, it can provide early data preparation for winter wheat planting management in the early stage.
Hydrogeography-Based Fabric Assessment of Heritage Warehouses
Authors: Shih Naai-Jung , Wu Yu-Chen
Published: January 2023

Brick warehouses represent a form of heritage at a different level of reactivation. Interdisciplinary exploration of social, cultural, and economic development has raised questions regarding the roles these buildings played in the past and how the heritage continued to evolve with the surrounding fabric. This study aimed to explore the spatiotemporal relationship between nine red brick warehouses and the historical development of the urban fabric in the Taipei metropolitan area, Taiwan. The relationship was defined by the quantitative trend assessment of the architecture, river, tributaries, and railroad, based on maps created between 1890 and 2020. The interactions between warehouses and fabric comprised single, meta, and determining indicators. The interactions evolved between two trends comprising intersections, maturity, and fluctuation. The consistent development of the architecture’s ascending trend was used as a reference indicator, by a relative scale to the fully developed stage of 100%. The meta-relationship between trends had a higher percentage and a greater occurrence closer to the present. The percentage totaled 67.74% after 1945 and remained above 50%, another indicator of the evolving frequency and intensity. The nine warehouses, which were part of a tributary branch system, created 11 intersections between 1950 and 1990. We concluded that the former active, supportive role of warehouses changed to a passive role, corresponding to the instrumentation of all trends. The warehouses functioned as trendsetters and interacted with the fabrics in a sustainable urbanization process. This was caused by role substitution, fabric replacement, degenerated dependence, and a diverted two-way relationship with hydrogeography. A geographic distribution of development was demonstrated from the river mouth inland.
A Novel Hybrid Severity Prediction Model for Blast Paddy Disease Using Machine Learning
Authors: Lamba Shweta , Kukreja Vinay , Baliyan Anupam , Rani Shalli , Ahmed Syed Hassan
Published: January 2023

Hypothesis: Due to the increase in the losses in paddy yield as a result of various paddy diseases, researchers are working tirelessly for a technological solution to assist farmers in making decisions about disease severity and potential danger to the crop. Early prediction of infection severity would facilitate resources for the treatment of the infection and prevent contamination to the whole field. Methodology: In this study, a hybrid prediction model was developed to predict various levels of severity of blast disease based on diseased plant images. The proposed model is a four-fold severity prediction model. The level of severity is defined based on the percentage of leaf area affected by the disease. The image dataset is derived from both primary and secondary resources. Tools: The features are first extracted with the help of the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach. Then the identification and classification of the severity level of blast disease are conducted using a Support Vector Machine (SVM). Conclusion: Mendeley, Kaggle, GitHub, and UCI are the secondary resources used for dataset generation. The number of images in the dataset is 1908. The proposed hybrid model achieves 97% accuracy.