bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photoalignment and Photofixation of Chromonic Mesophase in Ionic Linear Polysiloxanes Using a Dual Irradiation System
Authors: Hara Mitsuo , Masuda Ayaka , Nagano Shusaku , Seki Takahiro
Published: February 2023

Photoalignment technology enables macroscopic alignment of liquid crystalline molecules and their aggregates in a non-contact process by irradiating photo-responsive liquid crystalline compounds with linearly polarized light. Because photoalignment techniques prevent dust generation and uneven stretching, and accomplish fine and complex patterning, they are involved in the practical process of fabricating display panels, and continue to be applied in the research and creation of various anisotropic materials. Brilliant yellow (BY), a chromonic liquid crystal, has attracted considerable attention as the photoalignment sublayer in recent years, because of its ability to induce a high dichroic nature among many photo-responsive liquid crystalline materials. However, its dichroism is not maintained after prolonged exposure to a humid environment because of its intrinsic strong hygroscopicity of ionic BY molecules. In this study, to overcome this drawback, the photoalignment and successive photo-fixation of the BY columnar phase is proposed using UV-curable ionic polysiloxane as a matrix. Visible light was used for the photoalignment of the BY columnar phase, and UV light for photo-fixation. Consequently, the columnar chromonic phase is found to retain its orientation even after 4 h of exposure to a highly humid environment.
Experiment and Molecular Dynamic Simulation on Performance of 3,4-Bis(3-nitrofurazan-4-yl)furoxan (DNTF) Crystals Coated with Energetic Binder GAP
Authors: Qin Yue , Yuan Junming , Sun Hu , Liu Yan , Zhou Hanpeng , Wu Ruiqiang , Chen Jinfang , Li Xiaoxiao
Published: February 2023

To investigate the crystallization of DNTF in modified double-base propellants, glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) was used as the coating material for the in situ coating of DNTF, and the performance of the coating was investigated to inhibit the crystallization. The results show that GAP can form a white gel on the surface of DNTF crystals and has a good coating effect which can significantly reduce the impact sensitivity and friction sensitivity of DNTF. Molecular dynamics was used to construct a bilayer interface model of GAP and DNTF with different growth crystal surfaces, and Molecular dynamics calculations of the binding energy and mechanical properties of the composite system were carried out. The results showed that GAP could effectively improve the mechanical properties of DNTF. The values of K/G, γ and ν are higher than those of DNTF crystals, and the values of C12-C44 are positive, indicating that GAP can improve DNTF ductility while also improving toughness. Combining the experimental results with the simulation calculations, energetic binder GAP can be referred to as a better cladding layer for DNTF, which is feasible for inhibiting the DNTF crystallization problem in propellants.
Recent Advances in ZnO-Based Nanostructures for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Hazardous, Non-Biodegradable Medicines
Authors: Mohamed K. M. , Benitto J. John , Vijaya J. Judith , Bououdina M.
Published: February 2023

Antibiotics are pervasive contaminants in aqueous systems that pose an environmental threat to aquatic life and humans. Typically, antibiotics are developed to counteract bacterial infections; however, their prolonged and excessive use has provoked unintended consequences. The presence of excessive amounts of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory, anti-depressive, and contraceptive drugs in hospital and industrial wastewater poses a significant threat to the ecosystem, with groundwater containing drug concentrations of <1 mg/L to hundreds of µg/L. According to the literature, 33,000 people die directly from drug-resistant bacterial infections in Europe annually, which costs EUR 1.5 billion in health care and productivity loss. Consequently, the continuous spread of antibiotics in the ecosystem has led to greater interest in developing a sustainable method for effective antibiotic removal from wastewater. This critical review aims to present and discuss recent advances in the photocatalytic degradation of widely used drugs by ZnO-based nanostructures, namely (i) antibiotics; (ii) antidepressants; (iii) contraceptives; and (iv) anti-inflammatories. This study endows a comprehensive understanding of the degradation of antibiotics using ZnO-based nanomaterials (bare, doped, and composites) for effective treatment of wastewater containing antibiotics. In addition, the operational conditions and mechanisms involved during the photocatalytic degradation process are systematically discussed. Finally, particular emphasis is devoted to future challenges and the corresponding outlook with respect to toxic effects following the utilization of ZnO-based nanomaterials.
The Influence of Inserted Metal Ions on Acid Strength of OH Groups in Faujasite
Authors: Medak Glorija , Puškarić Andreas , Bronić Josip
Published: February 2023

The number and the strength of acid sites in catalysts have paramount importance on their efficiency. In zeolites chemistry, increased content of framework Al in zeolites gives a higher number of strong acid sites. Their strength can be a disadvantage in catalytic reactions (e.g., methanol to olefins conversion) due to undesired secondary reactions of coke formation. Here, the Faujasite type of zeolite with higher content of Al has been used for investigating the role of defects in structure and inserted (wet impregnation and thermal treatment) metal cations (Mg, Co, Ni, Zn) on the strength of OH acid sites. Desorption of deuterated acetonitrile, as a probe molecule, was used for OH groups acid strength measurements at different temperatures (150, 200, and 300 °C).
Effects of Stream Connectivity on Phytoplankton Diversity and Community Structure in Sunken Lakes: A Case Study from an August Survey
Authors: Jiang Lingli , Yao Yuping , Zhang Siyong , Wan Linqiang , Zhou Zhongze
Published: February 2023

After the underground coal resources were exploited in the Huainan high diving mining area, the surface subsidence water formed a subsidence lake. Studying the influencing factors of the phytoplankton community structure in coal mining subsidence lakes is extremely important in enabling us to understand the nutritional status and ecological environment of the lake. In this study, we sampled phytoplankton in sunken lakes in August 2021 and analyzed the effects of the environmental factors on the phytoplankton community structure and diversity. The results showed that WT, pH, Cond, AN, NO and TP were the main environmental factors affecting phytoplankton cell density. The density and diversity of phytoplankton cells revealed obvious spatial distribution differences depending on the different drainage connectivity of sunken lakes, and the density and diversity of phytoplankton cells were higher in sunken lakes with better drainage connectivity. This study provides basic data for an in-depth understanding of sunken lakes, a special water body, and provides scientific data support for the reconstruction, restoration and sustainable development of the ecological environment in the mining area from the perspective of ecology.
Serial Changes in Blood-Cell-Count-Derived and CRP-Derived Inflammatory Indices of COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Khadzhieva Maryam B. , Gracheva Alesya S. , Belopolskaya Olesya B. , Chursinova Yulia V. , Redkin Ivan V. , Pisarev Mikhail V. , Kuzovlev Artem N.
Published: February 2023

The aim of the study was to investigate the serial changes in inflammatory indices derived from blood cell counts and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in COVID-19 patients with good and poor outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed the serial changes in the inflammatory indices in 169 COVID-19 patients. Comparative analyses were performed on the first and last days of a hospital stay or death and serially from day 1 to day 30 from the symptom onset. On admission, non-survivors had higher CRP to lymphocytes ratio (CLR) and multi-inflammatory index (MII) values than survivors, while at the time of discharge/death, the largest differences were found for the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic inflammation response index (SIRI), and MII. A significant decrease in NLR, CLR, and MII by the time of discharge was documented in the survivors, and a significant increase in NLR was documented in the non-survivors. The NLR was the only one that remained significant from days 7–30 of disease in intergroup comparisons. The correlation between the indices and the outcome was observed starting from days 13–15. The changes in the index values over time proved to be more helpful in predicting COVID-19 outcomes than those measured on admission. The values of the inflammatory indices could reliably predict the outcome no earlier than days 13–15 of the disease.
Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms: Translating Guidelines into Clinical Practice
Authors: Mohapatra Sonmoon , Krishna Somashekar G. , Pannala Rahul
Published: February 2023

A combination of several factors, including the increasing use of cross-sectional imaging and an aging population, has led to pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) becoming the most detected incidental pancreatic lesions. Accurate diagnosis and risk stratification of PCLs is challenging. In the last decade, several evidence-based guidelines have been published addressing the diagnosis and management of PCLs. However, these guidelines cover different subsets of patients with PCLs and offer varying recommendations regarding diagnostic assessment, surveillance, and surgical resection. Further, recent studies comparing the accuracy of various guidelines have reported significant variations in the rate of missed cancer versus unnecessary surgical resections. In clinical practice, it is challenging to decide which guideline to follow specifically. This article reviews the varying recommendations of the major guidelines and results of comparative studies, provides an overview of newer modalities not included in the guidelines, and offers perspectives on translating the guidelines into clinical practice.
Performance Analysis of a Novel Hybrid Segmentation Method for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Monitoring
Authors: Nazarudin Asma’ Amirah , Zulkarnain Noraishikin , Mokri Siti Salasiah , Zaki Wan Mimi Diyana Wan , Hussain Aini , Ahmad Mohd Faizal , Nordin Ili Najaa Aimi Mohd
Published: February 2023

Experts have used ultrasound imaging to manually determine follicle count and perform measurements, especially in cases of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). However, due to the laborious and error-prone process of manual diagnosis, researchers have explored and developed medical image processing techniques to help with diagnosing and monitoring PCOS. This study proposes a combination of Otsu’s thresholding with the Chan–Vese method to segment and identify follicles in the ovary with reference to ultrasound images marked by a medical practitioner. Otsu’s thresholding highlights the pixel intensities of the image and creates a binary mask for use with the Chan–Vese method to define the boundary of the follicles. The acquired results were compared between the classical Chan–Vese method and the proposed method. The performances of the methods were evaluated in terms of accuracy, Dice score, Jaccard index and sensitivity. In overall segmentation evaluation, the proposed method showed superior results compared to the classical Chan–Vese method. Among the calculated evaluation metrics, the sensitivity of the proposed method was superior, with an average of 0.74 ± 0.12. Meanwhile, the average sensitivity for the classical Chan–Vese method was 0.54 ± 0.14, which is 20.03% lower than the sensitivity of the proposed method. Moreover, the proposed method showed significantly improved Dice score (p = 0.011), Jaccard index (p = 0.008) and sensitivity (p = 0.0001). This study showed that the combination of Otsu’s thresholding and the Chan–Vese method enhanced the segmentation of ultrasound images.
Left Bronchial Isomerism with Right-Sided Tracheal Bronchus: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Bae Kyungsoo , Jeon Kyung Nyeo
Published: February 2023

The tracheal bronchus is a congenital bronchial branching anomaly defined as an aberrant bronchus arising in either the trachea or a main bronchus. Left bronchial isomerism is characterized by two bilobed lungs, bilateral long main bronchi, and both pulmonary arteries passing superiorly to their respective upper lobe bronchi. Left bronchial isomerism with a right-sided tracheal bronchus is a very rare combination of tracheobronchial anomalies. It has not been previously reported. We present multi-detector CT findings of a left bronchial isomerism with a right-sided tracheal bronchus of a 74 year old man.
A Primary Kidney Giant Cell Tumor of Soft Tissue Caused Peritoneal Dissemination, Considered to Be Malignant Transformation: A Case Report
Authors: Hata Chiina , Fukawa Yuki , Motoi Toru , Kinowaki Yuko , Akashi Takumi , Ohashi Kenichi , Ishikawa Yudai , Waseda Yuma , Fujii Yasuhisa , Kakuta Ryota , Ikeda Sadakatsu , Onishi Iichiroh
Published: February 2023

Giant cell tumor of soft tissue (GCTST) is a defined disease entity that has a morphology similar to giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB). The malignant transformation of GCTST has not been reported, and a kidney primary is extremely rare. We report the case of a 77-year-old Japanese male, who was diagnosed with primary GCTST of the kidney and showed peritoneal dissemination, considered to be a malignant transformation of GCTST, in 4 years and 5 months. Histologically, the primary lesion showed characteristics of round cells with not prominent atypia, multi-nucleated giant cells, and osteoid formation, and carcinoma components were not found. The peritoneal lesion was characterized by osteoid formation and round to spindle-shaped cells, but differed in nuclear atypia, and multi-nucleated giant cells were not detected. Immunohistochemical and cancer genome sequence analysis suggested these tumors were sequential. This is a first report of a case that we could diagnose as primary GCTST of the kidney and could be determined as malignant transformation of GCTST in the clinical course. Analysis of this case will be examined in the future when genetic mutations and the disease concepts of GCTST are established.
A Computation Offloading Scheme for UAV-Edge Cloud Computing Environments Considering Energy Consumption Fairness
Authors: Kim Bongjae , Jang Joonhyouk , Jung Jinman , Han Jungkyu , Heo Junyoung , Min Hong
Published: February 2023

A heterogeneous computing environment has been widely used with UAVs, edge servers, and cloud servers operating in tandem. Various applications can be allocated and linked to the computing nodes that constitute this heterogeneous computing environment. Efficiently offloading and allocating computational tasks is essential, especially in these heterogeneous computing environments with differentials in processing power, network bandwidth, and latency. In particular, UAVs, such as drones, operate using minimal battery power. Therefore, energy consumption must be considered when offloading and allocating computational tasks. This study proposed an energy consumption fairness-aware computational offloading scheme based on a genetic algorithm (GA). The proposed method minimized the differences in energy consumption by allocating and offloading tasks evenly among drones. Based on performance evaluations, our scheme improved the efficiency of energy consumption fairness, as compared to previous approaches, such as Liu et al.’s scheme. We showed that energy consumption fairness was improved by up to 120%.
The Typical Set and Entropy in Stochastic Systems with Arbitrary Phase Space Growth
Authors: Hanel Rudolf , Corominas-Murtra Bernat
Published: February 2023

The existence of the typical set is key for data compression strategies and for the emergence of robust statistical observables in macroscopic physical systems. Standard approaches derive its existence from a restricted set of dynamical constraints. However, given its central role underlying the emergence of stable, almost deterministic statistical patterns, a question arises whether typical sets exist in much more general scenarios. We demonstrate here that the typical set can be defined and characterized from general forms of entropy for a much wider class of stochastic processes than was previously thought. This includes processes showing arbitrary path dependence, long range correlations or dynamic sampling spaces, suggesting that typicality is a generic property of stochastic processes, regardless of their complexity. We argue that the potential emergence of robust properties in complex stochastic systems provided by the existence of typical sets has special relevance to biological systems.
Management of Green Competitive Advantage: A Systematic Literature Review and Research Agenda
Authors: Bintara Rista , Yadiati Winwin , Zarkasyi Muhammad , Tanzil Nanny
Published: February 2023

The success or failure of a company is acquired from a competition, which requires a specific strategy to achieve competitive goals and benefits. One of these strategies is green competitive advantage (GCA) management, initially introduced in 2011, which is highly considered and identified as a management concept. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate a systematic review of GCA management. It emphasizes the analysis of trending literature, geography, and other factors influencing GCA. It also prioritizes the impact obtained when adopting GCA as a framework to support organizational sustainability. This study is the first literature review that presents GCA management. The results show that the application of green innovation and high environmental awareness led to the development of improved performance, a better competitive advantage, and sustainable business. This study highlights significant theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, it allows one to synthesize GCA outcomes to describe better how it affects organizations and the environment. From a practical perspective, it provides concrete implications for policymakers in defining the best mechanism for developing green innovation to achieve competitive advantage and business sustainability. Meanwhile, the actual outputs of this process are emphasized for practitioners, which subsequently enables easier access and increased GCA literacy for practitioners and stakeholders to encourage the selection of organizational GCs (green changes), especially concerning the role of GCA as a promotional and sustainable business framework.
A Dialogical Exploration of Student Teacher Reflections: From Notions of Insideness and Outsideness to Pedagogical Alongsideness
Authors: Moate Josephine
Published: February 2023

This article offers a dialogical exploration of student teachers’ reflections on notions of insideness and outsideness, the focal themes of an Erasmus+ ten-day intensive programme (IP). The arts-based, interdisciplinary IP involved 32 student participants and twelve members of staff from eight European universities hosted by the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The data for this paper are based on the final written essays of student participants as they reflected on their understanding of outsideness and insideness at the end of the IP. The dialogic approach used in the analysis allows for a careful exploration of how the students attended to different experiences, surmised the meaning of insideness and outsideness, and used these reflections to develop their pedagogical response. The findings highlight how the participants drew on their own experiences and relationships within and beyond the IP to navigate and negotiate their pedagogical understanding. This study offers useful insights into the formation of pedagogical understanding as well as the role and responsibilities of teacher education in guiding this formative process, all the more important in times of emergencies.
Hybrid Quantum Dot as Promising Tools for Theranostic Application in Cancer
Authors: Ahmad Javed , Garg Anuj , Mustafa Gulam , Ahmad Mohammad Zaki , Aslam Mohammed , Mishra Awanish
Published: February 2023

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In the last few decades, cancer treatment has come a long way, but multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer still has low survival rates. It means that much research is required for an accurate diagnosis and effective therapy. The new era of cancer research could include theranostic approaches and targeted delivery of chemotherapeutic agents utilizing the nanoparticulate system. Recently, there has been much interest gained among researchers for carbon-based and graphene-based quantum dots due to their higher biocompatibility and ease of biofunctionalization compared to conventional heavy metal quantum dots. Moreover, these quantum dots have various interesting utilities, including bioimaging, biosensing, quantum dots-mediated drug delivery, and their role in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT). The current review highlighted the utility of hybrid quantum dots as a theranostic system in different cancers and discussed the various bio-molecules conjugated hybrid quantum dots investigated for diagnostic/therapeutic applications in cancer. The influence of conjugation of different biomolecules, such as folic acid, PEG, etc., with hybrid quantum dots on their biopharmaceutical attributes (such as aqueous solubility, tumor penetrability, stability of loaded therapeutics in the tumor microenvironment), delivery of drugs specifically to tumor tissues, and its therapeutic outcome in different cancer has also been discussed.
High Precision Sinusoidal Position Tracking of a Voice-Coil Linear Servomotor Using Resonant Control
Authors: Dhaouadi Rached , Takrouri Mohannad , Hafez Ishaq
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a new sinusoidal position-tracking control scheme with a resonant controller for linear motor drive systems. The sinusoidal tracking controller is designed without any added algorithm for system identification and requires only approximate values of the mechanical parameters. Therefore, the controller is simple and robust to parameter variations. The proposed sinusoidal tracking resonant-based controller (STRC) is designed to track reference positions using a cascade control structure with an inner current/force control with hysteresis current control followed by a speed control loop with a resonant controller, and an outer position loop with a proportional and velocity-feedforward controller. The stability of the cascade feedback scheme and its parameter tuning are analyzed using the Routh–Hurwitz criterion. The performance of the proposed control scheme is validated using simulations and experiments on a voice-coil linear stage. The proposed STRC strategy is characterized by ease of implementation and shows excellent performance with fast response and high accuracy at different frequencies with a maximum error of 0.58% at 0.25 Hz.
A Novel Hybridoma Cell Segmentation Method Based on Multi-Scale Feature Fusion and Dual Attention Network
Authors: Lu Jianfeng , Ren Hangpeng , Shi Mengtao , Cui Chen , Zhang Shanqing , Emam Mahmoud , Li Li
Published: February 2023

The hybridoma cell screening method is usually done manually by human eyes during the production process for monoclonal antibody drugs. This traditional screening method has certain limitations, such as low efficiency and subjectivity bias. Furthermore, most of the existing deep learning-based image segmentation methods have certain drawbacks, due to different shapes of hybridoma cells and uneven location distribution. In this paper, we propose a deep hybridoma cell image segmentation method based on residual and attention U-Net (RA-UNet). Firstly, the feature maps of the five modules in the network encoder are used for multi-scale feature fusion in a feature pyramid form and then spliced into the network decoder to enrich the semantic level of the feature maps in the decoder. Secondly, a dual attention mechanism module based on global and channel attention mechanisms is presented. The global attention mechanism (non-local neural network) is connected to the network decoder to expand the receptive field of the feature map and bring more rich information to the network. Then, the channel attention mechanism SENet (the squeeze-and-excitation network) is connected to the non-local attention mechanism. Consequently, the important features are enhanced by the learning of the feature channel weights, and the secondary features are suppressed, hence improving the cell segmentation performance and accuracy. Finally, the focal loss function is used to guide the network to learn the hard-to-classify cell categories. Furthermore, we evaluate the performance of the proposed RA-UNet method on a newly established hybridoma cell image dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed method has good reliability and improves the efficiency of hybridoma cell segmentation compared with state-of-the-art networks such as FCN, UNet, and UNet++. The results show that the proposed RA-UNet model has improvements of 0.8937%, 0.9926%, 0.9512%, and 0.9007% in terms of the dice coefficients, PA, MPA, and MIoU, respectively.
Development of Evaluation Criteria for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Solution Selection
Authors: Kim Seung-Hee
Published: February 2023

When introducing a robotic process automation (RPA) solution for business automation, selecting an RPA solution that is suitable for the automation target and goals is extremely difficult for customers. One reason for this difficulty is that standardised evaluation items and indicators that can support the evaluation of RPA have not been defined. The broad extension of RPA is still in its infancy and only a few studies have been conducted on this subject. In this study, an evaluation breakdown structure for RPA selection was developed by deriving evaluation items from prior studies related to RPA selection and a feasibility study was conducted. Consequently, a questionnaire was administered three times, and the coefficients of variation, content validity, consensus, and convergence of factors and criteria were measured from the survey results. All of these measurement results are reflected in the final suitability value that was calculated to verify the stability of the evaluation system and evaluation criteria indicators. This study is the first to develop an RPA solution selection evaluation standard and the proposed evaluation breakdown structure provides useful evaluation criteria and a checklist for successful RPA application and introduction.
Design of Tight Coupling Antenna to Realize Ultra-Wideband Function
Authors: Wang Kunye , Xu Zheng , Hao Chengxiang , Deng Yunkai , Wang Yi , Xu Kaiming , Xu Haitao
Published: February 2023

In this paper, according to the tightly coupled antenna theory, the dual-polarized tightly coupled antenna of 15–40 GHz is designed. The antenna size is 3.75 mm × 3.75 mm × 2.38 mm, and the spacing between the elements is 3.75 mm. The media used from bottom to top are Rogers5880, PP adhesive, RogersTMM10, and feed line using coaxial line directly, with a coaxial line inner core radius of 0.2 mm. Based on the simulations, we find that the antenna can easily cover ±45° and maintain good active standing wave performance. The antenna can support ±60° maximum Angle scanning and maintain good active standing wave performance.
Low-Illumination Road Image Enhancement by Fusing Retinex Theory and Histogram Equalization
Authors: Han Yi , Chen Xiangyong , Zhong Yi , Huang Yanqing , Li Zhuo , Han Ping , Li Qing , Yuan Zhenhui
Published: February 2023

Low-illumination image enhancement can provide more information than the original image in low-light scenarios, e.g., nighttime driving. Traditional deep-learning-based image enhancement algorithms struggle to balance the performance between the overall illumination enhancement and local edge details, due to limitations of time and computational cost. This paper proposes a histogram equalization–multiscale Retinex combination approach (HE-MSR-COM) that aims at solving the blur edge problem of HE and the uncertainty in selecting parameters for image illumination enhancement in MSR. The enhanced illumination information is extracted from the low-frequency component in the HE-enhanced image, and the enhanced edge information is obtained from the high-frequency component in the MSR-enhanced image. By designing adaptive fusion weights of HE and MSR, the proposed method effectively combines enhanced illumination and edge information. The experimental results show that HE-MSR-COM improves the image quality by 23.95% and 10.6% in two datasets, respectively, compared with HE, contrast-limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE), MSR, and gamma correction (GC).
Europe’s Potential Wood Supply by Harvesting System
Authors: Pucher Christoph , Erber Gernot , Hasenauer Hubert
Published: February 2023

Forests cover about 1/3 of Europe’s land area and are an important source in providing goods and services such as timber, drinking water, biodiversity, and carbon storage. They are important for a bioeconomy to mitigate climate change effects by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels. The purpose of this paper is to assess Europe’s potential wood supply by harvesting system. Gridded forest characteristics data are combined with other European spatially-explicit data. A set of eight mechanized harvesting systems is applied to assess the “forest available for wood supply” (FAWS) in Europe. The results show that 74.9% of the total forest area in Europe can be considered FAWS and has the potential to be harvested under the current economic and technical harvesting conditions. The remaining forest area is under legal protection (4.3%) or has limited accessibility with the current mechanized harvesting systems (20.8%). Around 79% of the FAWS can be accessed with ground-based machinery, and another 16% if their operation range is extended using special attachments (e.g., chains or band) or winch-assisted systems. Around 5% of the FAWS is only accessible by cable yarding machinery. With the fully mechanized harvesting systems (i) harvester and forwarder and (ii) winch-assisted harvester and winch-assisted forwarder, about 80% of the harvestable forest area and growing stock can potentially be utilized.
Evaluating the Legacy Effects of the Historical Predatory Seed Harvesting on the Species Composition and Structure of the Mixed Korean Pine and Broadleaf Forest from a Landscape Perspective
Authors: Liu Kai , He Hong S. , Sun Hang , Wang Jingfeng
Published: February 2023

Adequate seed provenance is an important guarantee for the restoration of the mixed Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) and broadleaf forest (MKPBF). However, the commercial harvest exclusion in natural forests has led to a sharp decline in economic income from timber. Given the economic value of Korean pine seeds, predatory seed harvesting (PSH) has become increasingly serious in the past 20 years and has significantly reduced the seed and seedling bank, which might seriously threaten the restoration and sustainable management of the MKPBF. How the historical PSH has affected the future of the MKPBF is unclear at the landscape scale. In this study, we quantified the effects of seed harvesting at the landscape scale by a forest landscape model LANDIS PRO, and then assessed the legacy effects of the historical PSH on the composition and structure of the MKPBF in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Northeast China. Our results showed that the historical PSH decreased the Korean pine basal area of all age cohorts, with an average decrease of 0.06 to 0.19 m2 ha−1 but insignificantly altered the age structure diversity of Korean pine throughout the simulation. Our results indicated that the historical PSH remarkably decreased the dominance of Korean pine by 11.1%, but significantly increased the dominance of spruce (Picea koraiensis and Picea jezoensis) and fir (Abies nephrolepis) by 3.8% and 4.5%, respectively, and had an insignificant effect on the other tree species over the simulation. We found that the historical PSH evidently changed the succession trajectories of the disturbed stands, which would result in the transition from the succession pattern dominated by Korean pine to that dominated by spruce and fir. The historical PSH decreased the importance value of Korean pine by 12.2% on average but increased it by 5.1% and 6.0% for spruce and fir, respectively, and resulted in an average 33.2% increase in the dissimilarity index compared with the initial state during the whole simulation period. Future forest management should strictly limit the intensity and rotation of seed harvesting to protect the seed provenance of Korean pine and consider how to ensure the recovery and sustainable management of the MKPBF through direct seeding or seedling planting.
Improving the Combustion Factor to Estimate GHG Emissions Associated with Fire in Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus spp. Plantations in Chile
Authors: Olmedo Guillermo Federico , Gilabert Horacio , Bown Horacio , Sanhueza Rebeca , Silva Pía , Jorquera-Stuardo Carlos , Sierra Francisco
Published: February 2023

Forest plantations can substantially contribute to carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation at the country and global scales. Forest fires (especially when combined with droughts) may remarkably reduce such carbon sequestration capability. The IPCC has global-scale estimates for such losses, but they can vary widely depending on crops, climate, topography, and management, among other factors. The IPCC defines a factor for biomass loss as a consequence of forest fires, expressed as a fraction of total biomass. This methodology implies using aggregated data and the default emission factor, which are only recommended for countries where wildfires are not a key category. In Chile, over the last decade, there have been between 5000 and 8000 wildfires annually (an average of 6398 for the period 2011–2020), burning an average of 122,328 hectares each year. Countries may progress in the refinement of such factors depending on the availability and reliability of local values. This paper aims at estimating Cf values for the main forest plantation species in Chile, Pinus radiata, Eucalyptus nitens, and Eucalyptus globulus, across different age-classes and forest fire severity. To achieve this aim, we assessed the biomass loss after forest fires for a stratified sample of forest plots for the season 2018–2019. We fitted a model to predict the amount of biomass loss during fires, and in this way, predict the emissions associated with wildfires. The model employs very simple predictive variables, age and species, because statistics for burnt areas in plantations are only provided by age-classes and species, without details about productivity or management.
Cyclic Trends of Wildfires over Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Machete Reason L. , Dintwe Kebonyethata
Published: February 2023

In this paper, the patterns of the occurrences of fire incidents over sub-Saharan Africa are studied on the basis of satellite data. Patterns for the whole sub-Saharan Africa are contrasted with those for northern sub-Saharan Africa and southern-hemisphere Africa. This paper attempts to unravel linear trends and overriding oscillations using regression and spectral techniques. It compares fire patterns for aggregated vegetation with those for specific types, which are savannahs, grasslands, shrublands, croplands, and forests, to identify key trend drivers. The underlying cyclic trends are interpreted in light of climate change and model projections. Considering sub-Saharan Africa, northern sub-Saharan Africa, and southern-hemisphere Africa, we found declining linear trends of wildfires with overriding cyclic patterns that have a period of ∼5 years, seemingly largely driven by savannahs, grasslands, and croplands.
A Study on the Metabolic Rate Change Pattern in F2 Hybrid Sturgeon, the Bester (Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus), during the Early Developmental Stage
Authors: Kim Dong In
Published: February 2023

The primary goal in aquaculture is to maximize the growth and survival of farmed fishes at a minimal cost, which requires an understanding of the changes in metabolism undergone by different fish breeds during development. In particular, highly intensive aquaculture production systems, such as recirculating aquaculture systems, require a better understanding of oxygen consumption. Ontogenetic phase shifts (i.e., sudden changes) in metabolism have been observed in several aquaculture species during early development, and such metabolic phase shifts may help to predict the oxygen consumption of aquaculture species during different stages of their development. Here, I analyzed the pattern of metabolic changes in the F2 hybrid sturgeon, the bester (Huso huso × Acipenser ruthenus; hereafter, referred to as the F2 bester), during its early development. I observed ontogenetic phase shifts in metabolism in the F2 bester at body mass values of about 0.2 and 0.8 g. Thus, the F2 bester undergoes ontogenetic phase shifts in metabolism during early development, which can help to characterize oxygen consumption at a specific developmental period. Therefore, oxygen can be appropriately adjusted and replenished during breeding.
Cereulide and Emetic Bacillus cereus: Characterizations, Impacts and Public Precautions
Authors: Yang Shuo , Wang Yating , Liu Yangtai , Jia Kai , Zhang Zhen , Dong Qingli
Published: February 2023

Cereulide, which can be produced by Bacillus cereus, is strongly associated with emetic-type food poisoning outbreaks. It is an extremely stable emetic toxin, which is unlikely to be inactivated by food processing. Considering the high toxicity of cereulide, its related hazards raise public concerns. A better understanding of the impact of B. cereus and cereulide is urgently needed to prevent contamination and toxin production, thereby protecting public health. Over the last decade, a wide range of research has been conducted regarding B. cereus and cereulide. Despite this, summarized information highlighting precautions at the public level involving the food industry, consumers and regulators is lacking. Therefore, the aim of the current review is to summarize the available data describing the characterizations and impacts of emetic B. cereus and cereulide; based on this information, precautions at the public level are proposed.
Functional Bread Produced in a Circular Economy Perspective: The Use of Brewers’ Spent Grain
Authors: Baiano Antonietta , la Gatta Barbara , Rutigliano Mariacinzia , Fiore Anna
Published: February 2023

Brewers’ spent grain (BSG) is the main by-product of the brewing industry, corresponding to ~85% of its solid residues. The attention of food technologists towards BSG is due to its content in nutraceutical compounds and its suitability to be dried, ground, and used for bakery products. This work was aimed to investigate the use of BSG as a functional ingredient in bread-making. BSGs were characterised for formulation (three mixtures of malted barley and unmalted durum (Da), soft (Ri), or emmer (Em) wheats) and origin (two cereal cultivation places). The breads enriched with two different percentages of each BSG flour and gluten were analysed to evaluate the effects of replacements on their overall quality and functional characteristics. Principal Component Analysis homogeneously grouped BSGs by type and origin and breads into three sets: the control bread, with high values of crumb development, a specific volume, a minimum and maximum height, and cohesiveness; Em breads, with high values of IDF, TPC, crispiness, porosity, fibrousness, and wheat smell; and the group of Ri and Da breads, which have high values of overall smell intensity, toasty smell, pore size, crust thickness, overall quality, a darker crumb colour, and intermediate TPC. Based on these results, Em breads had the highest concentrations of nutraceuticals but the lowest overall quality. Ri and Da breads were the best choice (intermediate phenolic and fibre contents and overall quality comparable to that of control bread). Practical applications: the transformation of breweries into biorefineries capable of turning BSG into high-value, low-perishable ingredients; the extensive use of BSGs to increase the production of food commodities; and the study of food formulations marketable with health claims.
Effects of the Marinating Process on the Quality Characteristics and Bacterial Community of Leisure Dried Tofu
Authors: Wu Tao , Huang Zhanrui , Zhao Liangzhong , Zhou Xiaohu , Chen Hao , Zhou Xiaojie , Li Ming , Zhou Jinsong , Lin Yingyi
Published: February 2023

Leisure dried tofu (LD-tofu) was prepared using two different marinating processes: the repeated heating method (RHM) and the vacuum pulse method (VPM). The quality characteristics and bacterial community succession of LD-tofu and the marinade were evaluated. The results showed that the nutrients in LD-tofu were easily dissolved into the marinade during the marinating process, while the protein and moisture content of RHM LD-tofu changed most dramatically. With the increase in marinade recycling times, the springiness, chewiness and hardness of VPM LD-tofu increased significantly. The total viable count (TVC) of the VPM LD-tofu decreased from the initial value of 4.41 lg cfu/g to 2.51–2.67 lg cfu/g as a result of the marinating process, which had a significant inhibitory effect. Additionally, 26, 167 and 356 communities in the LD-tofu and marinade were detected at the phylum, family and genus levels, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis showed that Pseudomonadaceae, Thermaceae and Lactobacillaceae were closely related to the quality characteristics of LD-tofu, whereas Caulobacteriaceae, Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriae were closely related to the marinade. The present work provides a theoretical basis for the screening of functional strains and quality control in LD-tofu and marinade.
Optimization of Modified Atmosphere Packaging for Sheep’s Milk Semi-Hard Cheese Wedges during Refrigerated Storage: Physicochemical and Sensory Properties
Authors: Albisu Marta , Nieto Sonia , Martínez Olaia , Bustamante María Ángeles , Barron Luis Javier R. , Nájera Ana Isabel
Published: February 2023

Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) has become a good potential strategy to retain quality throughout the shelf life of perishable foods. The aim of this work was to evaluate different packaging atmospheres on semi-hard protected designation of origin Idiazabal cheese wedges. Six different packaging treatments (air, vacuum, and CO2/N2 gas mixtures in the ratio of 20/80, 50/50, 80/20, and 100/0% v/v, respectively) were studied. Changes in gas headspace composition, cheese gross composition, weight loss, pH, acidity, colour, and textural and sensory properties were investigated during 56 days of refrigerated storage at 5 ± 1 °C. MAP was the most effective preserving technique compared to air- and vacuum-packaging treatments. The cheese characteristics with the greatest discriminating weight in the preservation techniques were paste appearance, holes, flavour, a* (redness) and b* (yellowness) colour parameters, and slope to hardness. Air-packaged cheeses, on 35 day, presented a mouldy flavour. Vacuum packaging affected paste appearance (greasy, plastic marks, and non-homogeneous colour) and holes (occluded and unnatural appearance) starting after 14 packaging days. MAP mixtures with CO2 concentration between 50/50 and 80/20% CO2/N2 (v/v) are recommended to ensure sensory quality and stability in the distribution of these raw sheep-milk cheese wedges.
A Computational Technique for Solving Three-Dimensional Mixed Volterra–Fredholm Integral Equations
Authors: Mahdy Amr M. S. , Nagdy Abbas S. , Hashem Khaled M. , Mohamed Doaa Sh.
Published: February 2023

In this article, a novel and efficient approach based on Lucas polynomials is introduced for solving three-dimensional mixed Volterra–Fredholm integral equations for the two types (3D-MVFIEK2). This method transforms the 3D-MVFIEK2 into a system of linear algebraic equations. The error evaluation for the suggested scheme is discussed. This technique is implemented in four examples to illustrate the efficiency and fulfillment of the approach. Examples of numerical solutions to both linear and nonlinear integral equations were used. The Lucas polynomial method and other approaches were contrasted. A collection of tables and figures is used to present the numerical results. We observe that the exact solution differs from the numerical solution if the exact solution is an exponential or trigonometric function, while the numerical solution is the same when the exact solution is a polynomial. The Maple 18 program produced all of the results.
Detection of Gel-Forming Polymers via Calcium Crosslinking, Applied to the Screening of Extracellular Polymeric Substances Extracted from Biological Aggregates
Authors: Bou-Sarkis Abdo , Paul Etienne , Girbal-Neuhauser Elisabeth , Derlon Nicolas , Bessiere Yolaine
Published: February 2023

The valorization of biological aggregates through the extraction of hydrogel-forming polymers can enhance the economics and sustainability of various processes in which bacteria are involved in organic waste transformation, such as wastewater treatment. Achieving these goals requires the development of a method capable of detecting the presence of gel-forming polymers in complex mixtures containing biopolymers that are most often unknown and uncharacterized. A miniaturized screening method capable of detecting gelation via ionic crosslinking using only 1 to 3 mg of the tested samples (commercial molecules or extracellular polymeric substances, EPSs) is proposed. The method consists of calculating a percentage of reactivity (%R) through UV-vis spectra and determining the percentage of gel volume (%Vg) formed after the addition of calcium. Both factors were combined to give a gelling factor (GF), and the test was applied to pure commercial molecules (BSA, DNA, alginate (ALV), and a mixture of them), allowing the classification of the following solutions according to their gel-forming capacity: GF(ALV) > GF(ALV+DNA) > GF(BSA+ALV+DNA) > GF(BSA+ALV) > GF(DNA) > GF(BSA+DNA) > GF(BSA). As a relevant tool for screening hydrogel-forming solutions, the method was applied to the EPS extracted from aerobic granular sludge. The EPS (0.5% w/v) had a GF of 0.16 ± 0.03, equivalent to approximately half of the GF of ALV (0.38 ± 0.02 at 0.5% w/v). The developed test pushes the limits of the existing gel-detection techniques because it allows for quicker, less consuming, and more informative gelation detection through the use of simple methods that do not require sophisticated equipment.