bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Efficiency Bovine Sperm Sexing Used Magnetic-Activated Cell Sorting by Coupling scFv Antibodies Specific to Y-Chromosome-Bearing Sperm on Magnetic Microbeads
Authors: Sringarm Korawan , Thongkham Marninphan , Mekchay Supamit , Lumsangkul Chompunut , Thaworn Wannaluk , Pattanawong Wiwat , Rangabpit Ekaphot , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Jantanasakulwong Kittisak , Sathanawongs Anucha , Hongsibsong Surat
Published: May 2022

Sperm sexing technique is favored in the dairy industry. This research focuses on the efficiency of bovine sperm sexing using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) by scFv antibody against Y-chromosome-bearing sperm (Y-scFv) coupled to magnetic microbeads and its effects on kinematic variables, sperm quality, and X/Y-sperm ratio. In this study, the optimal concentration of Y-scFv antibody coupling to the surface of magnetic microbeads was 2–4 mg/mL. PY-microbeads revealed significantly enriched Y-chromosome-bearing sperm (Y-sperm) in the eluted fraction (78.01–81.43%) and X-chromosome-bearing sperm (X-sperm) in the supernatant fraction (79.04–82.65%). The quality of frozen–thawed sexed sperm was analyzed by CASA and imaging flow cytometer, which showed that PY-microbeads did not have a negative effect on X-sperm motility, viability, or acrosome integrity. However, sexed Y-sperm had significantly decreased motility and viability. The X/Y-sperm ratio was determined using an imaging flow cytometer and real-time PCR. PY-microbeads produced sperm with up to 82.65% X-sperm in the X-enriched fraction and up to 81.43% Y-sperm in the Y-enriched fraction. Bovine sperm sexing by PY-microbeads showed high efficiency in separating Y-sperm from X-sperm and acceptable sperm quality. This initial technique is feasible for bovine sperm sexing, which increases the number of heifers in dairy herds while lowering production expenses.
Multi-Color Two-Photon Microscopic Imaging Based on a Single-Wavelength Excitation
Authors: Yan Wei , Huang Yangrui , Wang Luwei , Li Jin , Guo Yong , Yang Zhigang , Qu Junle
Published: May 2022

Two-photon probes with broad absorption spectra are beneficial for multi-color two-photon microscopy imaging, which is one of the most powerful tools to study the dynamic processes of living cells. To achieve multi-color two-photon imaging, multiple lasers and detectors are usually required for excitation and signal collection, respectively. However, one makes the imaging system more complicated and costly. Here, we demonstrate a multi-color two-photon imaging method with a single-wavelength excitation by using a signal separation strategy. The method can effectively solve the problem of spectral crosstalk by selecting a suitable filter combination and applying image subtraction. The experimental results show that the two-color and three-color two-photon imaging are achieved with a single femtosecond laser. Furthermore, this method can also be combined with multi-photon imaging technology to reveal more information and interaction in thick biological tissues.
Effect of Layer Arrangement on Bending Strength of Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) Manufactured from Poplar (Populus deltoides L.)
Authors: Rostampour Haftkhani Akbar , Hematabadi Hojat
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effect of layer arrangement on bending properties of CLT panels made from poplar (Populus deltoides L.). A total of 20 three-layer CLT panels with the same dimensions of 1300 × 360 × 48 mm3 (Length, Width, Thickness) were fabricated in five configurations: 0/30/0, 0/45/0, 0/90/0, 45/0/45, and 45/45/45. The apparent modulus of elasticity (MOEapp), modulus of rupture (MOR) and apparent bending stiffness (EIapp) values in major and minor axes of CLT panels were calculated using experimental bending testing. In the major axis, the highest values of MOR, MOEapp, and EIapp were obtained from the 0/30/0 arrangement, while the least values resulted from the arrangements of 90/60/90 and 90/45/90 in the minor axis. Besides, in all arrangements, the average of the experimental apparent bending stiffness values (EIapp,exp) of specimens was higher than that of the shear analogy apparent bending stiffness values (EIapp,shear). The bending and shear stress distribution values over the cross section of samples were also estimated using the finite element method. Moreover, the numerical apparent bending stiffness (EIapp,fem) values of samples were compared to experimental apparent bending stiffness (EIapp,exp) values. Based on experimental and finite element method results, in all groups of layer arrangements, the EIapp,fem values concurred well with the EIapp,exp values.
Leakage Diagnosis of Air Conditioning Water System Networks Based on an Improved BP Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Liu Rundong , Zhang Yuhang , Li Zhengwei
Published: May 2022

Compared with traditional pipe networks, the complexity of air conditioning water systems (ACWSs) and the alternation of cooling and heating are more likely to cause pipe network leakage. Pipe leakage failure seriously affects the reliability of the air conditioning system, and can cause energy waste or reduce human comfort. In this study, a two-stage leakage fault diagnosis (LFD) method based on an Adam optimization BP neural network algorithm, which locates leakage faults based on the change values of monitoring data from flow meters and pressure sensors in air conditioning water systems, is proposed. In the proposed LFD method, firstly, the ACWS network’s hydraulic model is built on the Dymola platform. At the same time, a cuckoo algorithm is used to identify the pipe network’s characteristics to modify the model, and the experimental results show that the relative error between the model-simulated value and the actual values is no more than 1.5%. Secondly, all possible leakage conditions in the network are simulated by the model, and the dataset is formed according to the change rate of the observed data, and is then used to train the LFD model. The proposed LFD method is verified in a practical project, where the average accuracy of the first-stage LFD model in locating the leaking pipe is 86.96%; The average R2 of the second-stage LFD model is 0.9028, and the average error between the predicted location and its exact location with the second-stage LFD model is 6.3% of the total length of the leaking pipe. The results show that the proposed method provides a feasible and convenient solution for timely and accurate detection of pipe network leakage faults in air conditioning water systems.
Same Behaviors, Different Outcomes: Mothers’ and Fathers’ Observed Challenging Behaviors Measured Using a New Coding System Relate Differentially to Children’s Social-Emotional Development
Authors: Olofson Eric L. , Schoppe-Sullivan Sarah J.
Published: May 2022

This study used a newly developed coding system for measuring the quality of parenting behavior to examine associations with children’s social-emotional development. The Risky Interaction Support and Challenge Scale (RISCS) measures the extent to which parents engage in behaviors that present physical and regulatory challenges to children, as well as parents’ tendency to allow children to pursue action goals autonomously. These behaviors were observed while parents (n = 57 fathers; n = 55 mothers; n = 50 pairs) interacted with their 1-year-olds who played on a structure that included a slide, a small climbing wall, and a tunnel. Trained raters reliably used the RISCS to measure several dimensions of parent behaviors related to children’s exploration, and all but one of the dimensions captured adequate variability in parent behavior. Although mothers and fathers did not differ in any of the dimensions, the associations between parent behavior and children’s social-emotional development did not overlap. Fathers who engaged in greater autonomy allowance and lower overprotection had toddlers with lower levels of internalizing behavior, whereas mothers who challenged children’s regulatory competence had toddlers with lower levels of externalizing behavior and greater competence. We discuss the implications of the findings for the literature on attachment theory and father-child relationships.
Behavioral Changes in Preschool- and School-Age Korean Children: A Network Analysis
Authors: Goh Eun-Kyoung , Jeon Hyo Jeong
Published: May 2022

The relationships between symptoms that comprise behavioral problems in children can be traced longitudinally to provide long-term support. This study identified signs that should be considered important in school age children by tracking changes in the relationships between different symptoms of behavioral problems in preschool and school age children. This study used Gaussian graphical network analysis to clarify the interaction of the overall subscales constituting the K-CBCL (Korean Child Behavior Checklist) and centrality in the network. In the Panel Study on Korean Children (PSKC), the K-CBCL/1.5–5 was used for children up to age six (first grade, elementary school), and the K-CBCL/6–18 was used for older children. In this study, 1323 PSKC samples (boys, n = 671; girls, n = 652) were used to distinguish nonclinical and (sub)clinical groups (T-score ≥ 60) compared to node centrality in each group’s CBCL subscale networks. Depression/anxiety was a persistent core symptom of the behavioral problem network in 5- and 7-year-old children. A new core symptom in 7-year-old children was posttraumatic stress problems added in version CBCL/6-18. Based on these results, it is necessary to consider both anxiety/depression and posttraumatic stress problems in preschool children to support the adaptation of school-age children.
Localized State-Change Consensus in Immense and Highly Dynamic Environments
Authors: Zamir Linir , Nojoumian Mehrdad
Published: May 2022

Consensus algorithms are the building block of any decentralized network where the risk of malicious users is high. These algorithms are required to be robust, scalable, and secure in order to operate properly. Localized state-change consensus (LSC) is a consensus algorithm that is specifically designed to handle state-change consensus, where the state value of given data points can dynamically change and the new value needs to be reflected in the system. LSC utilizes a trust measurement mechanism to validate messages and also enforce cooperation among users. Consensus algorithms, and specifically LSC, can be a practical solution for the immutable and secured communication of autonomous systems with limited computational resources. Indeed, distributed autonomous systems are growing rapidly and the integrity of their communication protocols for coordination and planning is still vulnerable because several units are required to act independently and securely. Therefore, this paper proposes a new localized consensus algorithm for immense and highly dynamic environments with validations through reputation values. The proposed solution can be considered as an efficient and practical consensus solution for any paradigms with resource-constrained devices where a regular encrypted communication method can negatively affect the system performance.
Fabrication and Irradiation Effect of Inverted Metamorphic Triple Junction GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs Solar Cells
Authors: Xu Jing , Yang Kunjie , Xu Qingguo , Zhu Xiaofang , Wang Xin , Lu Ming
Published: May 2022

Inverted metamorphic triple junction (IMM3J) GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs solar cells have the advantages of high efficiency, excellent radiation resistance, lightweight and flexible properties, especially suitable for space application. In this paper, we first fabricate the IMM3J GaInP/GaAs/InGaAs solar cell, which has a short circuit current density of 16.5 mA/cm2, an open circuit voltage of 3141.8 mV, a fill factor of 84.3%, and an efficiency of 32.2%. Then, the IMM3J solar cell is irradiated by 2 MeV protons with different fluences from 2 × 1011 cm−2 to 2 × 1012 cm−2. Finally, the output electrical properties of IMM3J solar cells at the beginning of life and end of life are analyzed by current-voltage characterization. The degradation behaviors of each subcell before and after irradiation can also be described by the external quantum efficiency and short circuit current density.
Occurrence of Polyphenols, Isoflavonoids, and Their Metabolites in Milk Samples from Different Cow Feeding Regimens
Authors: Rocchetti Gabriele , Ghilardelli Francesca , Mosconi Martina , Masoero Francesco , Gallo Antonio
Published: May 2022

In this work, milk samples collected in a cohort of intensive dairy farms of the Po Valley (Italy) were screened for their (poly)-phenolic profile to check the occurrence of phenolic metabolites of biological interest. The selected dairy farms were previously classified on the basis of their cow feeding system, considering the utilization of corn silage as the main ingredient of the rations. Overall, ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry using an Orbitrap analyzer, followed by unsupervised and supervised statistics, allowed identifying clear different phenolic distributions in the milk samples. Accordingly, a great variability in the phenolic profiles of the different milk samples was observed, with two main phenolic clusters outlined by the unsupervised hierarchical clustering approach and not fully correlated to the nutritional strategy considered. The variables’ importance in the projection approach allowed selecting the most important metabolites, resulting in samples’ discrimination. Among the most discriminative compounds, we found phenolic metabolites (such as hippuric acid and 4-hydroxyhippuric acid), followed by lignans (such as enterolactone) and isoflavonoids (such as equol and O-desmethylangolensin). Taken together, our findings suggested that both the feeding systems and the ability of dairy cows to process parent phenolic compounds were the main factors providing the final (poly)-phenolic profile of the milk samples. Future targeted and ad hoc studies appear of great interest to evaluate the potential biological effects of these compounds on cow health.
Multi-Classification of Breast Cancer Lesions in Histopathological Images Using DEEP_Pachi: Multiple Self-Attention Head
Authors: Ukwuoma Chiagoziem C. , Hossain Md Altab , Jackson Jehoiada K. , Nneji Grace U. , Monday Happy N. , Qin Zhiguang
Published: May 2022

Introduction and Background: Despite fast developments in the medical field, histological diagnosis is still regarded as the benchmark in cancer diagnosis. However, the input image feature extraction that is used to determine the severity of cancer at various magnifications is harrowing since manual procedures are biased, time consuming, labor intensive, and error-prone. Current state-of-the-art deep learning approaches for breast histopathology image classification take features from entire images (generic features). Thus, they are likely to overlook the essential image features for the unnecessary features, resulting in an incorrect diagnosis of breast histopathology imaging and leading to mortality. Methods: This discrepancy prompted us to develop DEEP_Pachi for classifying breast histopathology images at various magnifications. The suggested DEEP_Pachi collects global and regional features that are essential for effective breast histopathology image classification. The proposed model backbone is an ensemble of DenseNet201 and VGG16 architecture. The ensemble model extracts global features (generic image information), whereas DEEP_Pachi extracts spatial information (regions of interest). Statistically, the evaluation of the proposed model was performed on publicly available dataset: BreakHis and ICIAR 2018 Challenge datasets. Results: A detailed evaluation of the proposed model’s accuracy, sensitivity, precision, specificity, and f1-score metrics revealed the usefulness of the backbone model and the DEEP_Pachi model for image classifying. The suggested technique outperformed state-of-the-art classifiers, achieving an accuracy of 1.0 for the benign class and 0.99 for the malignant class in all magnifications of BreakHis datasets and an accuracy of 1.0 on the ICIAR 2018 Challenge dataset. Conclusions: The acquired findings were significantly resilient and proved helpful for the suggested system to assist experts at big medical institutions, resulting in early breast cancer diagnosis and a reduction in the death rate.
Design of the Floating Hologram Method with a Reverse Pyramid Type for CT and MR Diagnosis in Clinical Room
Authors: Kim Minchan , Yoon Kicheol , Kim Kwang Gi
Published: May 2022

In the field of medical diagnosis, big data and three-dimensional (3D) imaging diagnosis technology are being applied due to the development of these technologies. Using radiology diagnosis methods, medical staff are increasing their understanding and ability to explain symptoms to patients, but they are experiencing difficulties due to communication problems. Therefore, if the medical staff shows the lesion by providing the patient with a 3D image, the understanding of the patient can be increased. This paper proposes the design of a system to produce an inverted pyramid-shaped floating holographic image to increase the patient’s understanding. The hologram system consists of an optical source generator and a beam mirror and utilizes a technology to plot an image using a 45° refraction angle of the beam of the optical source. Selected objects for observation were liver, colon, and lung, and to observe these tissues, a Computed Tomography (CT) image was input to the hologram system through the picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and the image was displayed. Tissues observed through the mirror can be observed from the left, right, front, and back with a 360° anterior view. Therefore, it is possible to observe at the desired position by the medical staff and the patient in the treatment room, and the image is large and clear, so it is very satisfying to observe. As a holographic imaging diagnostic system, it is expected that this study can be used in clinics, medical education rooms, and operating rooms in the future.
An Exergoeconomic Analysis of a Gas-Type Industrial Drying System of Black Tea
Authors: Zeng Zhiheng , Li Bin , Han Chongyang , Wu Weibin , Wang Xiaoming , Xu Jian , Zheng Zefeng , Ma Baoqi , Hu Zhibiao
Published: May 2022

The performance evaluation and optimization of an energy conversion system design of an energy intensive drying system applied the method of combining exergy and economy is a theme of global concern. In this study, a gas-type industrial drying system of black tea with a capacity of 100 kg/h is used to investigate the exergetic and economic performance through the exergy and exergoeconomic methodology. The result shows that the drying rate of tea varies from the maximum value of 3.48 gwater/gdry matter h to the minimum 0.18 gwater/gdry matter h. The highest exergy destruction rate is found for the drying chamber (74.92 kW), followed by the combustion chamber (20.42 kW) in the initial drying system, and 51.83 kW and 21.15 kW in the redrying system. Similarly, the highest cost of the exergy destruction rate is found for the drying chamber (18.497 USD/h), followed by the combustion chamber (5.041 USD/h) in the initial drying system, and 12.796 USD/h and 5.222 USD/h in the redrying system. Furthermore, we analyzed the unit exergy rate consumed and the unit exergy cost of water removal in different drying sections of the drying system, and determined the optimal ordering of each component. These results mentioned above indicate that, whether from an energy or economic perspective, the component improvements should prioritize the drying chamber. Accordingly, minimizing exergy destruction and the cost of the exergy destruction rate can be considered as a strategy for improving the performance of energy and economy. Overall, the main results provide a more intuitive judgment for system improvement and optimization, and the exergy and exergoeconomic methodology can be commended as a method for agricultural product industrial drying from the perspective of exergoeconomics.
Review on Wearable Thermoelectric Generators: From Devices to Applications
Authors: Zhu Sijing , Fan Zheng , Feng Baoquan , Shi Runze , Jiang Zexin , Peng Ying , Gao Jie , Miao Lei , Koumoto Kunihito
Published: May 2022

Wearable thermoelectric generators (WTEGs) can incessantly convert body heat into electricity to power electronics. However, the low efficiency of thermoelectric materials, tiny terminal temperature difference, rigidity, and neglecting optimization of lateral heat transfer preclude WTEGs from broad utilization. In this review, we aim to comprehensively summarize the state-of-the-art strategies for the realization of flexibility and high normalized power density in thermoelectric generators by establishing the links among materials, TE performance, and advanced design of WTEGs (structure, heatsinks, thermal regulation, thermal analysis, etc.) based on inorganic bulk TE materials. Each section starts with a concise summary of its fundamentals and carefully selected examples. In the end, we point out the controversies, challenges, and outlooks toward the future development of wearable thermoelectric devices and potential applications. Overall, this review will serve to help materials scientists, electronic engineers, particularly students and young researchers, in selecting suitable thermoelectric devices and potential applications.
Bioprocesses for the Biodiesel Production from Waste Oils and Valorization of Glycerol
Authors: Decarpigny Cédric , Aljawish Abdulhadi , His Cédric , Fertin Bertrand , Bigan Muriel , Dhulster Pascal , Millares Michel , Froidevaux Rénato
Published: May 2022

The environmental context causes the use of renewable energy to increase, with the aim of finding alternatives to fossil-based products such as fuels. Biodiesel, an alternative to diesel, is now a well-developed solution, and its production from renewable resources makes it perfectly suitable in the environmental context. In addition, it is biodegradable, non-toxic and has low greenhouse gas emissions: reduced about 85% compared to diesel. However, the feedstock used to produce biodiesel competes with agriculture and the application of chemical reactions is not advantageous with a “green” process. Therefore, this review focuses only on bioprocesses currently taking an important place in the production of biodiesel and allow high yields, above 90%, and with very few produced impurities. In addition, the use of waste oils as feedstock, which now accounts for 10% of feedstocks used in the production of biodiesel, avoids competition with agriculture. To present a complete life-cycle of oils in this review, a second part will focus on the valorization of the biodiesel by-product, glycerol. About 10% of glycerol is generated during the production of biodiesel, so it should be recovered to high value-added products, always based on bioprocesses. This review will also present existing techniques to extract and purify glycerol. In the end, from the collection of feedstocks to the production of CO2 during the combustion of biodiesel, this review presents the steps using the “greener” possible processes.
Thermochemical Modeling of Metal Composition and Its Impact on the Molten Corium–Concrete Interaction: New Insights with Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Khurshid Ilyas , Afgan Imran , Addad Yacine
Published: May 2022

The characterization of molten corium–concrete interaction (MCCI) has increasingly become a cause of concern because, in the case of a severe nuclear accident, the core could meltdown and release radiation into the environment. The objective of this study was to determine the thermochemical impact of metal content in the corium and analyze the effect of corium metal content on ablation depth, corium temperature, its viscosity and surface heat flux, and production of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The governing heat transfer equations were solved while considering the various thermochemical reactions in the existing numerical code in a comprehensive way. The developed MCCI model in CORQUENCH was validated against the data available in the literature. Our findings showed that the composition of corium, especially its metal content, has a noticeable effect on mitigating or aggravating the ablation depth and nuclear reactor integrity. We observed that during molten corium–concrete interaction, zirconium plays a significant role and its presence can increase the ablation depth exponentially from 18.5 to 139 cm in the investigated case study. It was found that the presence of zirconium in the corium instigated various thermochemical reactions continuously, and thus the injected water, instead of quenching the molten corium, enhances the temperature by facilitating exothermic reactions. Additionally, due to the presence of zirconium, the production of hydrogen and carbon monoxide increases by 45 and 52 times, respectively and the generation of carbon dioxide becomes zero because the zirconium reacts with carbon dioxide continuously, converting it to carbon monoxide.
Technical Development and Economic Evaluation of the Integration of Thermal Energy Storage in Steam Power Plants
Authors: Krüger Michael , Muslubas Selman , Çam Eren , Lehmann Daniel , Polenz Sabine , Dreißigacker Volker , Klasing Freerk , Knödler Philipp
Published: May 2022

Grid-compliant integration of renewable energies will in future require considerable increases in flexibility in the operation of conventional power plants. The integration of thermal energy storage systems (TES) into the power plant process can create considerable improvements, for example, in the speed of load change and partial load behavior. In the case of existing plants, there are thus good prospects of upgrading for more flexible operation, which promises improvements in the energy system that can be achieved in the relatively short term. The aim of this publication is, therefore, to identify integration options for TES in coal-fired power plants which would enable the desired high flexibility potentials and, at the same time, include cost-efficient solutions. By means of an iterative approach between future scenarios of the energy market, the power plant process, and the TES component, favored configurations were developed from a wide range of integration concepts. For this purpose, thermodynamic simulation studies were performed, operating concepts were developed, economic assessments were made, design calculations were performed, and experimental investigations on different TES options were realized. The results obtained can serve as a basis for the demonstration of a promising TES technology in an existing hard coal-fired power plant.
Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting from Roadways under Open-Traffic Conditions: Analysis and Optimization with Scaling Law Method
Authors: Zhang Yangyang , Lai Qi , Wang Ji , Lü Chaofeng
Published: May 2022

Piezoelectric energy harvesting from roadways, which converts ambient vibration energy of roads into electric energy, has a wide range of potential applications in intelligent transportation systems. On-site open-traffic tests revealed that energy harvested by piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) units embedded in roadways is far less than the value in laboratories, which may be because the parameters of traffic flow load (frequency, distribution, wave shape, etc.) and the road structure are significantly different from the pre-established conditions in laboratories or even on-site tests with only one vehicle passing. To address this issue, an analytical model for piezoelectric energy harvesting from roadways under open-traffic conditions was proposed to examine the mechanical response of the road structure and the electrical performance of the stack PEH units embedded in the road. The influence of all parameters in the energy-harvesting system was then obtained with the scaling law method, revealing that the energy harvested by PEH units is determined by the energy coefficient, the system’s intrinsic parameter, normalized parameters of roadways, and the normalized embedded position of PEH units. It is found that that the energy-harvesting system’s intrinsic parameter should be approximately 0.8 to ensure maximum energy-harvesting efficiency. Meanwhile, the pavement with lower bending stiffness and higher linear density while the foundation with small stiffness and smaller damping coefficient would be more suitable for energy harvesting. Furthermore, the lateral embedded position of PEH units should be carefully chosen, since the units embedded in an optimal position can harvest three times more than that embedded in other positions. The concise criteria presented in this study will be used as a reference not only for material selection, dimension optimization, and embedded positions determination of PEH units but also for choosing of the optimal roadways to achieve maximum piezoelectric energy harvesting efficiency under open-traffic conditions.
Liquid-Phase Non-Thermal Plasma Discharge for Fuel Oil Processing
Authors: Titov Evgeniy Yurevich , Bodrikov Ivan Vasilevich , Serov Anton Igorevich , Kurskii Yuriy Alekseevich , Titov Dmitry Yurievich , Bodrikova Evgenia Ruslanovna
Published: May 2022

The non-thermal plasma pyrolysis of fuel oil, under the action of low-voltage electric discharges in the liquid phase, has made it possible to develop a new process to obtain valuable petrochemical products. In this study, the main parameters, including pulse energy and the time of impact on the non-thermal plasma pyrolysis process, are studied. The main components of the obtained gaseous products are hydrogen (27.6–49.6 mol%), acetylene (33.6–49.1 mol%), ethylene (6.9–12.1 mol%), methane (3.9–9.1 mol%), and hydrocarbons C3-C5 (3.8–9.3 mol%). Increasing the capacity of electric discharges leads to an increase in the content of acetylene in the gas phase to 49.1 mol% and a decrease in energy costs for the production of gaseous products.
A Reconfigurable Fault-Tolerant PV Inverter via Integrating HERIC and H5 Topologies
Authors: Khoun Jahan Hossein , Abdolmaleki Nima , Ahmadpour Mohammad , Chen Jianfei , Wang Caisheng , Abapour Mehdi , Blaabjerg Frede
Published: May 2022

Solar energy is prevalent in many applications, therefore, the reliability of solar energy systems has become an important topic for research communities and industry. High reliability and fault-tolerant capability are particularly vital for the solar energy systems that are mission-critical and/or inaccessible to affordable maintenance. In order to enhance the reliability of a grid-tied PV system, a fault-tolerant Photovoltaic (PV) inverter, termed Integrated Fault-Tolerant PV Inverter (IFTPVI), is proposed in this paper. The IFTPVI is based on the Highly Efficient and Reliable Inverter Concept (HERIC) and H5 inverters that are both popular and commercialized transformerless inverters in grid-tied PV applications. The IFTPVI can tolerate both open-circuit (OC) and short-circuit (SC) faults while maintaining the same voltage and current levels. The system description, reliability analysis, simulation in Matlab/Simulink 2018, and experimental results are provided to verify the feasibility and viability of the proposed inverter topology.
Solar Concentrator Bio-Inspired by the Superposition Compound Eye for High-Concentration Photovoltaic System up to Thousands Fold Factor
Authors: Vu Duc Tu , Kieu Ngoc Minh , Tien Tran Quoc , Nguyen Thanh Phuong , Vu Hoang , Shin Seoyong , Vu Ngoc Hai
Published: May 2022

We have proposed a fruitful design principle targeting a concentration ratio (CR) >1000× for a typical high concentrating photovoltaics (HCPV) system, on account of a two-concentrator system + homogenizer. The principle of a primary dual-lens concentrator unit, completely analogous basic optics seen in the superposition compound eyes, is a trend not hitherto reported for solar concentrators to our knowledge. Such a concentrator unit, consisting of two aspherical lenses, can be applied to minify the sunlight and reveal useful effects. We underline that, at this stage, the CR can be attained by two orders of magnitude simply by varying the radius ratio of such two lenses known from the optics side. The output beam is spatially minimized and nearly parallel, exactly as occurs in the superposition compound eye. In our scheme, thanks to such an array of dual-lens design, a sequence of equidistant focal points is formed. The secondary concentrator consists of a multi-reflective channel, which can collect all concentrated beams from the primary concentrator to a small area where a solar cell is placed. The secondary concentrator is located right underneath the primary concentrator. The optical characteristics are substantiated by optical simulations that confirm the applicability of thousands-fold gain in CR value, ~1100×. This, however, also reduced the uniformity of the illumination area. To regain the uniformity, we devise a fully new homogenizer, hinging on the scattering principle. A calculated optical efficiency for the entire system is ~75%. Experimentally, a prototype of such a dual-lens concentrator is implemented to evaluate the converging features. As a final note, we mention that the approach may be extended to implement an even higher CR, be it simply by taking an extra concentrator unit. With simple design of the concentrator part, which may allow the fabrication process by modeling method and large acceptant angle (0.6°), we assess its large potential as part of a general strategy to implement a highly efficient CPV system, with minimal critical elaboration steps and large flexibility.
Optimal Scheduling of Regional Combined Heat and Power System Based on Improved MFO Algorithm
Authors: Wang Fan , Liao Xiang , Fang Na , Jiang Zhiqiang
Published: May 2022

Due to the inflexibility of cogeneration power plants and the uncertainty of wind power production, the excess power of the distribution network brings challenges to the power grid operation. This paper introduced an improved moth-flame optimization algorithm to meet the challenge of energy complementary dispatching. The proposed algorithm adopts three effective strategies, namely inertia weight, unified initialization, and the spiral position update strategy, which maintains a strong global search ability and a potent compromise between global and local search. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated by benchmark functions. Furthermore, the proposed method was applied to combine heat and power system operation problems and economic dispatch in light load and wind power unpredictability. In order to verify the robustness of the algorithm and solve the complex constraints of power systems under extreme conditions, three different cases had been discussed. The experimental findings indicate that the proposed algorithm shows better performances in terms of convergence speed, ability to escape from a local optimum solution, and population diversity maintenance under different complexity conditions of engineering problems.
Immuno-Enzymatic and Proteomic Approaches for Sexing the African Bonytongue (Heterotis niloticus Cuvier, 1829)
Authors: Koua N’Zi Daniel , Henry Joël , Corre Erwan , Pontin Julien , Bernay Benoît , Nunez Jésus
Published: May 2022

Heterotis niloticus is an African species of Osteoglossiformes that presents biological peculiarities and zootechnical performances favorable for fish farming. However, the absence of a sexual dimorphism hinders the optimization of its reproduction in captivity and limits the understanding of its reproductive behavior. This study is aimed at developing a minimally invasive and reliable sexing method to detect vitellogenin (Vtg) in female plasma. A commercial sexing kit (Acobium, Montpellier, France) for Arapaima gigas—a phylogenetically sister species of H. niloticus—successfully identified only 20% of mature H. niloticus females. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were carried out using three Vtg antibodies. The A. gigas Vtg1 antibody cross-reacted significantly with plasma dilutions of female H. niloticus ranging from 1:1000 to 1:10,000, but with relatively low intensity. The Vtg antibody from Osteoglossum bicirrhosum, another species of Osteoglossiformes, showed non-specific binding with the Vtg of H. niloticus female plasma. Finally, an antibody for H. niloticus Vtg developed in this study allowed us to differentiate the two sexes with plasma coating dilutions ranging from 1:1000 to 1:10,000. The results of the assay were validated by a proteomic approach showing that Vtg-targeted mass spectrometry analysis of H. niloticus blood protein extracts could be used to accurately determine the presence of Vtg in the plasma of mature females. The final validation of the ELISA technique using the H. niloticus Vtg antibody was confirmed by visual sexing of a significant number of blood-sampled fish gonads; 100% of the fish were correctly sexed by the ELISA method.
Sensory Description and Consumer Hedonic Perception of Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) Milk
Authors: Su Yufang , Wang Houyin , Wu Ziyan , Zhao Lei , Huang Wenqiang , Shi Bolin , He Jian , Wang Sisi , Zhong Kui
Published: May 2022

Sensory characteristics of products play an essential role on the consumer’ s acceptability, preference and consuming behavior choice. The sensory profiles and consumer hedonic perception for 14 UHT milk products using sensory quantitatively descriptive analysis and a 9-point hedonic scale were investigated in this study. There were significant differences in the sensory attributes intensity and liking scores among the organic whole milk, ordinary whole milk, low-fat milk, and skimmed milk (p < 0.05). Skimmed milk samples had lowest intensity scores of typical milk aroma, taste flavor and texture attributes, as well as had the lowest overall liking scores. Whole milk samples had higher sensory intensity scores than low-fat milk samples, even though no significant differences of overall liking scores were observed between whole milk and low-fat milk. Furthermore, the relationship between the sensory attribute and overall liking was demonstrated according to correlation analysis and partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis. Overall liking increased significantly with the increasing of sweet, after milk aroma, protein-like, mellow and thick, while decreased significantly with the enhancement of cowy, cooked and whey (p < 0.05). These findings presented a potential strategy for identifying the key sensory attributes responsible for liking score differences among different kinds of UHT milk products.
Content Variations in Oleocanthalic Acid and Other Phenolic Compounds in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil during Storage
Authors: Esposito Salsano Jasmine , Digiacomo Maria , Cuffaro Doretta , Bertini Simone , Macchia Marco
Published: May 2022

The health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) are strictly linked to the presence of phenolic compounds, which exhibit numerous nutraceutical properties. In EVOO, the most important class of phenolic compounds is represented by secoiridoids (oleacein and oleocanthal). EVOO is constantly subjected to degradation processes, including hydrolytic and oxidative reactions that influence its phenolic composition. In particular, the hydrolytic reactions determine the transformation of oleocanthal and oleacein into the corresponding phenyl-alcohols, tyrosol, and hydroxytyrosol. Furthermore, oleocanthal by oxidation processes can be converted to oleocanthalic acid. In this study, we evaluated the phenolic composition of three EVOO samples kept at different storage conditions for 15 months, focusing on the variation of oleocanthalic acid content. Specifically, the samples were stored at 4 °C in darkness and at 25 °C with light exposure. The results of our analyses highlighted that in EVOOs exposed to light and maintained at 25 °C, the degradation was more marked than in EVOO stored in dark and at 4 °C, due to the greater influence of external factors on storage conditions. Although chemical–physical characteristics of EVOOs are slightly different depending on provenience and treatment time, the results of this study reveal that storage conditions are fundamental to controlling phenol concentration.
A New Adaptive Robust Sliding Mode Control Approach for Nonlinear Singular Fractional-Order Systems
Authors: Chen Shunan , Huang Wenkai , Liu Qiang
Published: May 2022

This article focuses on designing an adaptive sliding mode controller via state and output feedback for nonlinear singular fractional-order systems (SFOSs) with mismatched uncertainties. Firstly, on the basis of extending the dimension of the SFOS, a new integral sliding mode surface is constructed. Through this special sliding surface, the sliding mode of the descriptor system does not contain a singular matrix E. Then, the sufficient conditions that ensure the stability of sliding mode motion are given by using linear matrix inequality. Finally, the control law based on an adaptive mechanism that is used to update the nonlinear terms is designed to ensure the SFOS satisfies the reaching condition. The applicability of the proposed method is illustrated by a practical example of a fractional-order circuit system and two numerical examples.
A Facile Method for the Fabrication of Luminescent Eu3+-Doped SiO2 Nanowires
Authors: Gao Fei , Zhao Xinyu , Liu Jinglin
Published: May 2022

Europium trivalent ion (Eu3+)-doped silica nanowires were prepared, and the positioning of Eu3+ in the silicon dioxide nanowire matrix was researched. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope analysis (EDX) were used to characterize the product’s morphology and structure. The representation of Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were indicative of the presence of a covalent Eu-O-Si bond. The results suggest that Eu3+ was successfully doped into amorphous silica. Furthermore, a sol-gel inorganic−organic co-assembly mechanism model was proposed to illuminate the formation of the rare-earth ion-doped nanowires. In addition, photoluminescent emission of europium ions in a silica matrix was further discussed. It was demonstrated that a 10% content of Eu3+ resulted in a quenching effect and after annealing at 650 °C, the europium ions in the nanowires had a high luminescence intensity due to the silica network structure.
Interaction-Induced Structural Transformations in Polysaccharide and Protein-Polysaccharide Gels as Functional Basis for Novel Soft-Matter: A Case of Carrageenans
Authors: Makshakova Olga N. , Zuev Yuriy F.
Published: May 2022

Biocompatible, nontoxic, and biodegradable polysaccharides are considered as a promising base for bio-inspired materials, applicable as scaffolds in regenerative medicine, coatings in drug delivery systems, etc. The tunable macroscopic properties of gels should meet case-dependent requirements. The admixture of proteins to polysaccharides and their coupling in more sophisticated structures opens an avenue for gel property tuning via physical cross-linking of components and the modification of gel network structure. In this review recent success in the conformational studies of binary protein–polysaccharide gels is summarized with the main focus upon carrageenans. Future perspectives and challenges in rational design of novel polysaccharide-based materials are outlined.
How Has the Recent Climate Change Affected the Spatiotemporal Variation of Reference Evapotranspiration in a Climate Transitional Zone of Eastern China?
Authors: Li Meng , Chu Ronghao , Sha Xiuzhu , Islam Abu , Jiang Yuelin , Shen Shuanghe
Published: May 2022

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is essential for agricultural production and crop water management. The recent climate change affecting the spatiotemporal variation of ET0 in eastern China continues to still be less understood. For this purpose, the latest observed data from 77 meteorological stations in Anhui province were utilized to determine the spatiotemporal variations of ET0 by the use of the Penman–Monteith FAO 56 (PMF-56) model. Furthermore, the Theil–Sen estimator and the Mann–Kendall (M–K) test were adopted to analyze the trends of ET0 and meteorological factors. Moreover, the differential method was employed to explore the sensitivity of ET0 to meteorological factors and the contributions of meteorological factors to ET0 trends. Results show that the ET0 decreased significantly before 1990, and then increased slowly. The ET0 is commonly higher in the north and lower in the south. ET0 is most sensitive to relative humidity (RH), except in summer. However, in summer, net radiation (Rn) is the most sensitive factor. During 1961–1990, Rn was the leading factor annually, during the growing season and summer, while wind speed (u2) played a leading role in others. All meteorological factors provide negative contributions to ET0 trends, which ultimately lead to decreasing ET0 trends. During 1991–2019, the leading factor of ET0 trends changed to the mean temperature (Ta) annually, during the growing season, spring and summer, and then to Rn in others. Overall, the negative contributions from u2 and Rn cannot offset the positive contributions from Ta and RH, which ultimately lead to slow upward ET0 trends. The dramatic drop in the amount of u2 that contributes to the changes in ET0 in Region III is also worth noting.
Mechanisms of Resistance to Spot Blotch in Yunnan Iron Shell Wheat Based on Metabolome and Transcriptomics
Authors: Zhang Xuesong , Huang Tingzhi , Wang Qianchao , Guo Yirui , Zhang Ping , Xie Heng , Liu Junna , Li Li , Zhang Chuanli , Qin Peng
Published: May 2022

Spot blotch (SB) is a fungal disease that threatens wheat yield and quality. Presently, the molecular mechanism against SB is unclear. In this study, the resistant variety Zhenkang iron shell wheat (Yunmai 0030) and susceptible variety Lincang iron shell wheat (Yunmai 0608) were selected by identifying SB of Yunnan iron shell wheat. The metabolome and transcriptome of leaves of two varieties at different positions were detected using the systemic acquired resistance theory to investigate the molecular and physiological changes in Yunnan iron shell wheat under SB stress. We found that the genes and metabolites related to benzoxazinoid biosynthesis and arginine and proline metabolism were highly enriched after infection with leaf blight. The enriched differential metabolites mainly included phenolic acids, alkaloids, and flavonoids. We further observed that DIBOA- and DIMBOA-glucoside positively affected iron shell wheat resistance to leaf blight and proline and its derivatives were important for plant self-defense. Furthermore, we confirmed that the related metabolites in benzoxazinoid biosynthesis and arginine and proline metabolism positively affected Triticum aestivum ssp. resistance to SB. This study provides new insights into the dynamic physiological changes of wheat in response to SB, helps us better understand the mechanism of resistance to SB, and contributes to the breeding and utilization of resistant varieties.