bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender perspectives on coastal and marine ecosystems services flow in Kwale County, Kenya
Authors: Nyangweso Ochieng Christine , Thenya Thuita , Mwaura Francis , Owuor Margaret Awuor
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The continuous flow of ecosystem services (ESs) within coastal and marine ecosystems supports communities' well-being and security by harnessing required resources such as seafood that address food security. The overexploitation of these coastal resources places communities at risk of losing ES. This study assesses how preference for the ES flow from these ecosystem types (i.e., mangrove forests, coastal lagoons, seagrass beds, coral reefs, and the deep sea) vary by gender in Diani Chale and Kisite-Mpunguti Marine Protected Areas in Kwale County, Kenya. Specifically, the objective of this article was to assess the pattern and variation in mean scores of ES flow across coastal and marine ecosystem types by gender.

Methods

A total of 148 respondents (87 men and 61 women) aged 20-72 years participated in describing ES through focus group discussions and the Delphi technique. Respondents were engaged in a participatory activity that involved filling of perceived ES flow scores using a 6-point Likert-type scale in the lookup tables (also known as matrix). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics for mean scores of ES flow across coastal and marine ecosystem types as perceived by men and women. One-way MANOVA was used to test for the significant differences between mean scores of men and women in ES flow across ecosystem types.

Results

The aggregate scores for non-use values, regulating services, and cultural services, were scored higher than provisioning services by ecosystem service flow. The overall ES flow scores were higher in the mangrove forests 52/90 and least in the coastal lagoon 39/90. There was a significant variation (p < 0.05) of ES flow by gender: the mean score of men was significantly higher than women for most ES flow in cultural, regulating, and provisioning services across some coastal and marine ecosystem types. However, there was no significant variation (p > 0.05) in the flow of non-use values by gender across ET.

Conclusion

The findings of this study highlight the importance of understanding gender views in ES access and use at local levels to support food security. Including gender perspectives in coastal and marine ecosystem governance is critical, especially toward achieving sustainable development goals.
Identification of resection plane for anatomical liver resection using ultrasonography-guided needle insertion
Authors: Zhang Xin , Huang Zhenhui , Lu Haiwu , Yang Xuewei , Cao Liangqi , Wen Zilong , Zheng Qiang , Peng Heping , Xue Ping , Jiang Xiaofeng
Published: January 2023

Purposes

To set up an easy-handled and precise delineation of resection plane for hepatic anatomical resection (AR).

Methods

Cases of AR using ultrasonography-guided needle insertion to trace the target hepatic vein for delineation of resection planes [new technique (NT) group, n = 22] were retrospectively compared with those without implementation of this surgical technique [traditional technique (TT) group, n = 29] in terms of perioperative courses and surgical outcomes.

Results

The target hepatic vein was successfully exposed in all patients of the NT group, compared with a success rate of 79.3% in the TT group (P < 0.05). The average operation time and intraoperative blood loss were 280 ± 32 min and 550 ± 65 ml, respectively, in the NT group. No blood transfusion was required in either group. The postoperative morbidities (bile leakage and peritoneal effusion) were similar between groups. No mortality within 90 days was observed.

Conclusions

Ultrasonography-guided needle insertion is a convenient, safe and efficient surgical approach to define a resection plane for conducting AR.
Fotovoltaikus rendszerek: szabályozási stratégiák hálózati csatlakozáshoz
Authors: Kerekes Tamás
Published: January 2023

A megújuló energia az egyik legmegfelelőbb megoldás a tiszta energia előállítására. A szél- és napenergia-berendezések hatalmas növekedést értek el az elmúlt évtizedekben, és a jövőben a fő energiatermelési technológiává válnak, megszüntetve a klasszikus energiatermelést, mint a szén és a gáz, amelyek a szén-dioxid és más üvegházhatású gázok kibocsátásának növekedését eredményezik. Ez a cikk áttekintést ad arról, hogy a hálózatra kapcsolt megújuló energiarendszerek, mint például a fotovoltaikus rendszerek, hogyan játszhatnak fontos szerepet a jövő energiaellátásában. Azt is mutatja, hogy az ilyen megújuló energiaforrásokat a tárolással kombinálni kell, hogy megfeleljenek a hálózati előírásoknak, és zölddé, valamint biztonságossá tegyék a jövő energiarendszerét.
5G-Based Industrial Wireless Controller: Protocol Adaptation, Prototype Development, and Experimental Evaluation
Authors: Xu Chi , Du Xinyi , Li Xinchun , Tu Yachun , Li Lin , Jin Xi , Xia Changqing
Published: January 2023

As a promising industrial wireless network technology, 5G URLLC is playing a key role in industrial control systems which employ different kinds of industrial control protocols. This leaves a significant challenge in how to adapt 5G URLLC with existing industrial control protocols and develop novel industrial wireless controllers. Motivated by this, this paper investigates the protocol adaptation and experimental evaluations for the development of a 5G-based industrial wireless controller prototype. Specifically, using the globally used industrial protocol Modbus as an example, we first deeply analyze the characteristics of the data packet format and the communication time sequence of Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, and 5G protocols. Then, we propose a protocol resolution and conversion scheme for the protocol adaptation between Modbus RTU/Modbus TCP and 5G. Furthermore, we develop a wireless programmable logic controller (PLC) prototype system based on 5G. To evaluate the protocol adaptation scheme and the developed prototype, we perform extensive experiments to test the reliability and latency. The results demonstrate that the latency of the protocol adaptation scheme is smaller than that of protocol transparent transmission without resolution and conversion, while the reliability loss is not large. Moreover, the speed and reliability for the protocol adaptation between Modbus TCP and 5G are better than those between Modbus RTU and 5G.
Experimental Investigations of Partially Valve-, Partially Displacement-Controlled Electrified Telehandler Implements
Authors: Fassbender David , Brach Christine , Minav Tatiana
Published: January 2023

The next generation of electrified heavy-duty mobile machines (HDMMs) requires more efficient hydraulic systems—to save energy and to compensate for the limited capacities of available mobile electric energy sources. This study is experimentally demonstrating the functionality, dynamic performance, and efficiency of such a more efficient but also cost-effective system. The demonstrator is a conventional nine-tonne telehandler that has been transformed by replacing the diesel engine with an electric machine (EM) and changing the boom function from valve to displacement control. Since the system control and the resulting dynamics are not trivial, key aspects of it are explained in the paper. With the functional system, achievable consumption reductions could be obtained by measuring five different representative work cycles repeatedly and comparing the average consumption values to the consumption of a purely valve-controlled but also electrified reference version. In four of five cycles, an average reduction of 21–31% was achieved, which confirms the simulation results from previous studies and the effectiveness of the concept. However, one cycle—characterized by serial movements and longer breaks of the boom movement—showed a reduction of only 3% and that the effectiveness of the concept can also be lower in certain cases that depend mainly on the operator.
MDAO and Aeroelastic Analyses of Small Solar-Powered UAVs with Box-Wing and Tandem-Wing Architectures
Authors: Cipolla Vittorio , Dine Andri , Viti Andrea , Binante Vincenzo
Published: January 2023

The market of solar-powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for defence purposes and drone services is expected to grow by a factor of more than 2 in the next decade. From an aircraft design perspective, the main challenge is the scalability of the proposed architectures, which is needed to increase the payload capabilities. Beside some successful examples of wing-tail UAVs, some newcomers are developing prototypes with tandem-wing architectures, hence enlarging the possible design. The present paper aims to introduce a further step in this direction, taking also the box-wing architecture into account to show how the presence of wing tip joiners can provide benefits from the aeroelastic point of view. UAVs with take-off mass within 25 kg are considered and the main tools adopted are presented. These are an in-house developed Multi-Disciplinary Analysis and Optimization (MDAO) code called SD2020 and the open source aeroelastic code ASWING, both presented together with an assessment of their accuracy by means of higher fidelity numerical results. SD2020 results are presented for the case of small box-wing solar UAVs optimized to achieve the longest endurance, focusing on the strategy implemented to achieve feasible solutions under an assigned set of constraints. Further results are presented for comparable box-wing and tandem-wing UAVs from both the aerodynamic and aeroelastic standpoints. Whereas the aerodynamic advantages introduced by the box-wing are marginal, significant advantages result from the aeroelastic analyses which indicate that, if the joiners are removed from the box-wing configuration, safety margin from flutter speed is halved and the bending-torsion divergence occurs at relatively low speed values.
Passive Satellite Solar Panel Thermal Control with Long-Wave Cut-Off Filter-Coated Solar Cells
Authors: Feng Tianyu , Chen Xueqin , Zhang Jinqiu , Guo Jinsheng
Published: January 2023

Satellite performance and capability have increased dramatically, particularly for micro- and nanosatellites, requiring more power supply and higher thermal conditions. Problems worth considering include how to provide more power with little or no weight increase, and how to reduce satellite thermal control difficulties. A new way to decrease the temperature of the solar panels on a satellite was proposed. Firstly, the model of solar cells is presented, and the relationship between solar irradiation and the electricity generated explained. Based on this, a new method to reduce the temperature of the solar cell is proposed. Details about current generation and temperature rise calculations for various types of solar cells are also provided. Finally, an experiment was conducted on original and proposed solar cells. While the experiment showed some degree of effectiveness, further experiments are needed.
Investigation of the Dynamic Characteristics of a Two-Stage High-Speed On/Off Valve with Adjustable Maximum Opening
Authors: Gao Qiang , Zhang Shida , Zhu Yong
Published: January 2023

The effective way to improve the reliability of the fuel metering system in an aero-engine is to use a high-speed on/off valve (HSV) instead of a servo valve as the pilot stage of the fuel metering valve. However, the dynamic performance of the fuel metering valve is easily affected by the HSV, so a novel two-stage high-speed on/off valve with adjustable maximum opening (AMOHSV) is proposed in which the maximum stroke of the main valve is regulated with an adjustable rod. Firstly, the structure and working principle of the proposed valve are presented. Then, an entire mathematical model is established and verified based on a multi-physical field coupling mechanism. Finally, simulations and experiments prove that when the maximum opening is 0.2 mm, the total opening time and total closing time of the AMOHSV are within 5 ms. In addition, an upward inflection point and a downward inflection point on the pressure curve of the control chamber can be used to identify the total opening time and total closing time, respectively. The research results also prove that the proposed structure solves the conflict between the maximum flow rate and the dynamic performance of the traditional HSV.
The Effects of the Degree of Hybridisation on the Design of Hybrid-Electric Aircraft Considering the Balance between Energy Efficiency and Mass Penalty
Authors: Kang Le , Sun Yicheng , Smith Howard , Mao Junkui
Published: January 2023

The growing interest in the application of the hybrid-electric concept demands a rigorous method applied to balancing the energy efficiency improvement with the mass penalty. In hybrid-electric aircraft (HEA) design, it is necessary to avoid excessive usage of energy, which is caused by deliberate hybridising in pursuit of high electrical energy conversion efficiency. This paper presents a design method to achieve multi-objective designs conducted within a framework of multi-disciplinary design exploration appropriate for HEA, meeting the requirement of minimising the maximum take-off mass (MTOM) and fuel saving. A theoretical analysis proposes the existence of the optimum design area of HEA. This is followed by a series of demand-focused numerical design experiments that have verified the existence and position of the optimum design area by taking the mission of a short-range narrow-body airliner as the design target, considering the predicted technology timeline until 2050. Compared to a fuel-powered twin-turbofan aircraft, 65.56% fuel-saving, 16.4% reduction in flight operation cost, 44.58% reduction in block CO2 emission, and 75% improvement in the cost-specific air range (COSAR) are achieved via hybridisation using the proposed design optimisation method.
Has Property Rights Reform of China’s Farmland Water Facilities Improved Farmers’ Irrigation Efficiency?—Evidence from a Typical Reform Pilot in China’s Yunnan Province
Authors: Feng Yiyu , Chang Ming , Luo Erga , Liu Jing
Published: January 2023

China is implementing a pilot project to reform the property rights of farmland water facilities to solve the serious problems of chaotic end-of-pipe governance and inefficient irrigation from farmers. Based on microscopic research data of farm households in a typical pilot in Lu Liang County, Yunnan Province, in China, this study uses the Tobit model, and SEM was used to explore the impact of property rights reform on the irrigation efficiency of farmers and the potential mechanism paths. We further analyzed the differences in governance logic and irrigation efficiency between the two property rights models of “multiple cooperative governance” and “private contract governance” formed after the reform. The findings are as follows: (1) Compared with nonreformed areas, reformed areas have a higher promotion of adoption of water-saving technologies and a better quality of facility maintenance, which significantly contributes to irrigation efficiency, but farmers’ perception of water scarcity negatively affects irrigation efficiency; (2) there are differences between the “multiple cooperative governance model” and “private contract governance model” in terms of the mechanism paths to improve irrigation efficiency, resulting in different focuses between the two models, in which the former one has better irrigation efficiency while cutting off some of the farmers’ benefits and the latter benefits more farmers while losing some of the irrigation efficiency. Finally, this study recommends that China should continue to promote the reform of farmland water property rights while focusing on promoting water conservation technologies, improving the quality of facility maintenance and facility water supply capacity, enhancing farmers’ awareness of water scarcity, and implementing a more water-efficient “multiple cooperative governance model”. The results of this study provide a model with Chinese characteristics for developing property rights policies and governance models for farmland water facilities in developing countries.
Dung Beetle Activity Is Soil-Type-Dependent and Modulates Pasture Growth and Associated Soil Microbiome
Authors: Ma Long , Weeraratne Nirodha , Gurusinghe Saliya , Aktar Jesmin , Haque K. M. Shamsul , Eberbach Philip , Gurr Geoff G. , Weston Leslie A.
Published: January 2023

The introduction of numerous exotic dung beetles across southern Australia in regions where native dung beetles are not generally efficient in processing livestock dung has resulted in significant reductions in the quantity of such dung on the soil surface in recent years. However, the direct impacts of such ecosystem services on pasture quality and soil nutrient mobility have not yet been investigated in the Riverina region of New South Wales (NSW), an area recognised for prime cattle and sheep production in Australia. Utilising 48 soil columns for lysimetry, we quantified the impact of a common introduced dung beetle (Bubas bison) in this region on water quality after permeation through four different soil types sown to winter annual pastures. Dung beetle treatments included dung plus dung beetles, dung alone and no dung beetles, and no dung and no beetles as a control. Dung beetles and soil type impacted on the performance of improved overseeded annual pastures as measured by biomass accumulation over a four-month growing season. The four soil types, namely, Chromosol, Kandosol, Rudosol, and Vertosol, differed considerably with respect to their water-holding capacity and nutrient profiles, as assessed by initial soil testing and soil leachate evaluation following rainfall plus simulated rainfall events. The concentration of Escherichia coli resulting from cattle dung, cattle dung plus beetles, and the control soils without dung or beetles was assessed in collected leachates over a three-month period. E. coli numbers were significantly increased following B. bison activity, when compared to the dung-only and control treatments. Evaluation of the soil microbiome, by assessing genomic DNA in soils sampled 10 cm below the soil surface where dung beetles remained active following tunnelling, revealed significant differences among soil types with respect to bacterial and fungal communities. Within each soil type, dung beetle activity impacted the fungal community structure, but not the bacterial community. Pasture performance as assessed by biomass accumulation was significantly improved following dung beetle activity in later stages of pasture growth, while E. coli numbers and total coliforms appeared unaffected by beetle presence.
Biochar-Based Phosphate Fertilizers: Synthesis, Properties, Kinetics of P Release and Recommendation for Crops Grown in Oxisols
Authors: Morais Everton Geraldo de , Jindo Keiji , Silva Carlos Alberto
Published: January 2023

The agronomic efficiency of biochar-based fertilizers (BBFs) relies on the synthesis routes, properties, and interaction with the soil–plant system. In our study, BBFs were produced from coffee husk, low-grade acidulated phosphate rock with and without the addition of magnesium (Mg). BBFs were characterized for infrared analysis and the kinetics of phosphorus (P) release in water or citric acid (CA). The agronomic performance of BBFs was tested by growing maize and, in sequence, brachiaria grass in pots filled with two Oxisols with contrasting soil organic matter (SOM) content. Using the same chemical stoichiometric ratio, nitric acid was more effective than hydrochloric and sulfuric acids, creating BBFs with enhanced agronomic performance. The use of Mg in the BBFs synthesis reduced the P released in water. Phosphorus released in CA leachates positively correlated with the P in the shoot of both plants. BBFs produced using nitric acid had higher residual effect on brachiaria grass grown in the Oxisol with the highest SOM. Our outcomes show that the P rate for maize and brachiaria grass should be considered based on P soluble in neutral ammonium citrate plus water in BBFs. BBFs is an alternative to improve the use efficiency of P in Oxisols.
Transcriptome Profiling of the Liver in Nellore Cattle Phenotypically Divergent for RFI in Two Genetic Groups
Authors: Serna-García Marta , Fonseca Larissa Fernanda Simielli , Panadero Romero Joaquin Javier , Carretero Asuncion Julian , dos Santos Silva Danielly Beraldo , Salatta Bruna Maria , Frezarim Gabriela Bonfá , Mercadante Maria Eugênia Zerlotti , Bonilha Sarah Figueiredo Martins , Ferro Jesus Aparecido , De Albuquerque Lucia Galvão
Published: January 2023

The identification and selection of genetically superior animals for residual feed intake (RFI) could enhance productivity and minimize environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to use RNA-seq data to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), known non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specific biomarkers and enriched biological processes associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in two genetic groups. In genetic group 1 (G1), 24 extreme RFI animals (12 low RFI (LRFI) versus 12 high RFI (HRFI)) were selected from a population of 60 Nellore bulls. The RNA-seq of the samples from their liver tissues was performed using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. In genetic group 2 (G2), 20 samples of liver tissue of Nellore bulls divergent for RFI (LRFI, n = 10 versus HRFI, n = 10) were selected from 83 animals. The raw data of the G2 were chosen from the ENA repository. A total of 1811 DEGs were found for the G1 and 2054 for the G2 (p-value ≤ 0.05). We detected 88 common genes in both genetic groups, of which 33 were involved in the immune response and in blocking oxidative stress. In addition, seven (B2M, ADSS, SNX2, TUBA4A, ARHGAP18, MECR, and ABCF3) possible gene biomarkers were identified through a receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) considering an AUC > 0.70. The B2M gene was overexpressed in the LRFI group. This gene regulates the lipid metabolism protein turnover and inhibits cell death. We also found non-coding RNAs in both groups. MIR25 was up-regulated and SNORD16 was down-regulated in the LRFI for G1. For G2, up-regulated RNase_MRP and SCARNA10 were found. We highlight MIR25 as being able to act by blocking cytotoxicity and oxidative stress and RMRP as a blocker of mitochondrial damage. The biological pathways associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in the two genetic groups were for energy metabolism, protein turnover, redox homeostasis and the immune response. The common transcripts, biomarkers and metabolic pathways found in the two genetic groups make this unprecedented work even more relevant, since the results are valid for different herds raised in different ways. The results reinforce the biological importance of these known processes but also reveal new insights into the complexity of the liver tissue transcriptome of Nellore cattle.
Classification Performance of Machine Learning Methods for Identifying Resistance, Resilience, and Susceptibility to Haemonchus contortus Infections in Sheep
Authors: Freitas Luara A. , Savegnago Rodrigo P. , Alves Anderson A. C. , Costa Ricardo L. D. , Munari Danisio P. , Stafuzza Nedenia B. , Rosa Guilherme J. M. , Paz Claudia C. P.
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the feasibility of using easy-to-measure phenotypic traits to predict sheep resistant, resilient, and susceptible to gastrointestinal nematodes, compared the classification performance of multinomial logistic regression (MLR), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods, and evaluated the applicability of the best classification model on each farm. The database comprised 3654 records of 1250 Santa Inês sheep from 6 farms. The animals were classified into resistant (2605 records), resilient (939 records), and susceptible (110 records) according to fecal egg count and packed cell volume. A random oversampling method was performed to balance the dataset. The classification methods were fitted using the information of age class, the month of record, farm, sex, Famacha© degree, body weight, and body condition score as predictors, and the resistance, resilience, and susceptibility to gastrointestinal nematodes as the target classes to be predicted considering data from all farms randomly. An additional leave-one-farm-out cross-validation technique was used to assess prediction quality across farms. The MLR and LDA models presented good performances in predicting susceptible and resistant animals. The results suggest that the use of readily available records and easily measurable traits may provide useful information for supporting management decisions at the farm level.
Appraising the Genetic Makeup of an Allochthonous Southern Pike Population: An Opportunity to Predict the Evolution of Introgressive Hybridization in Isolated Populations?
Authors: Casu Marco , Azzena Ilenia , Scarpa Fabio , Locci Chiara , Niffoi Alessio , Delmastro Giovanni Battista , Lo Conte Paolo , Varcasia Antonio , Bovero Stefano , Candiotto Alessandro , Sanna Daria , Cossu Piero
Published: January 2023

Biological invasions are a major threat to the conservation of biodiversity, as invasive species affect native biota through competition, predation, pathogen introduction, habitat alteration, and hybridisation. The present study focuses on a southern pike population, Esox cisalpinus (Teleostei: Esocidae), that has been introduced outside the species’ native range. Using microsatellite markers, this study’s objective was to gather baseline genetic information and assess the presence of hybrids between this species and E. lucius in the introduced population. The resulting estimates of genetic diversity and effective population size are comparable to those observed in the species’ native range. Although different methods yield contrasting and uncertain evidence regarding introgressive hybridization, the presence of late-generation hybrids cannot be completely ruled out. Large numbers of breeders as well as multiple introductions of genetically divergent cohorts and introgressive hybridisation may explain the high genetic diversity of this recently introduced southern pike population. The present study issues a warning that the conservation of southern pike’ introgressive hybridisation between northern and southern pike might be underestimated. The genetic information gathered herein may unravel the origin, number of introduction events, and evolutionary trajectory of the introduced population. This information may help us understand the evolution of introgressive hybridisation in the southern pike’s native areas.
Effect of Inoculating Two Bacteriocin-Producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strains at Ensiling on In Vitro Rumen Fermentation and Methane Emissions of Alfalfa Silage with Two Dry Matter Contents
Authors: Li Ziqian , Li Fuhou , Kharazian Zohreh Akhavan , Guo Xusheng
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of inoculating two bacteriocin-producing strains, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ATCC14917 and LP1-4, at ensiling on the in vitro ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane production of alfalfa silage with two dry matter (DM)contents. Before ensiling, fresh alfalfa was wilted to a moderate DM content (355 g/kg) and a high DM content (428 g/kg). The wilted alfalfa was treated with (1) distilled water (control), (2) commercial strain L. plantarum MTD/1 (MTD/1), (3) bacteriocin-producing L. plantarum ATCC14917 (ATCC14917), and (4) a bacteriocin-like substance producing L. plantarum LP1-4 (LP1-4) at 1 × 105 colony forming units (CFU)/g fresh weight. After 90 d of ensiling, the silages were used for in vitro rumen fermentation. Inoculation with the two bacteriocin-producing strains at ensiling remarkably reduced (p < 0.05) in vitro ruminal CH4 production and enhanced DM digestibility compared with the control group regardless of DM content. For silages with high DM content, inoculation with the bacteriocin-producing strains even increased (p < 0.05) in vitro ruminal total volatile fatty acid production. Therefore, the bacteriocin-producing inoculants have a great potential to mitigate ruminal methane emission but without an adverse effect on rumen fermentation of the inoculated alfalfa silage.
A Comparison of Semilandmarking Approaches in the Visualisation of Shape Differences
Authors: Shui Wuyang , Profico Antonio , O’Higgins Paul
Published: January 2023

In landmark-based analyses of size and shape variation and covariation among biological structures, regions lacking clearly identifiable homologous landmarks are commonly described by semilandmarks. Different algorithms may be used to apply semilandmarks, but little is known about the consequences of analytical results. Here, we assess how different approaches and semilandmarking densities affect the estimates and visualisations of mean and allometrically scaled surfaces. The performance of three landmark-driven semilandmarking approaches is assessed using two different surface mesh datasets with different degrees of variation and complexity: adult human head and ape cranial surfaces. Surfaces fitted to estimates of the mean and allometrically scaled landmark and semilandmark configurations arising from geometric morphometric analyses of these datasets are compared between semilandmarking approaches and different densities, as well as with those from warping to landmarks alone. We find that estimates of surface mesh shape (i.e., after re-semilandmarking and then re-warping) made with varying numbers of semilandmarks are generally consistent, while the warping of surfaces using landmarks alone yields surfaces that can be quite different to those based on semilandmarks, depending on landmark coverage and choice of template surface for warping. The extent to which these differences are important depends on the particular study context and aims.
Evaluation of Systemic Antifungal Prescribing Knowledge and Practice in the Critical Care Setting among ICU Physicians and Clinical Pharmacists: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Ibrahim Sahar Mohamed , Adlan Nosiyba , Alomair Sufyan Mohammed , Butaiban Ibrahim , Alsalman Ahmed , Bawazeer Abdulmajeed , Alqahtani Monahi , Mohamed Dalia , Emeka Promise Madu
Published: January 2023

Management of invasive fungal infections (IFI) and subsequent treatment choices remain challenging for physicians in the ICU. Documented evidence shows increased practice of the inappropriate use of antifungal agents in the ICU. Continuous education of healthcare providers (HCPs) represents the cornerstone requirement for starting an antifungal stewardship program (AFS). This study aimed at evaluating knowledge gaps in systemic antifungal prescribing among physicians and clinical pharmacists in a critical care setting. A cross-sectional, multi-center, survey-based study was conducted in five tertiary hospitals located in Al-Ahsaa, Saudi Arabia between January and May 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the targeted clinicians. A total of 63 clinicians were involved (65.5% ICU physicians and 34.5% clinical pharmacists). It was noted that a minority of the participating HCPs (3.2%) had overall good knowledge about antifungal prescribing, but the majority had either moderate (46%) or poor (50.8%) knowledge. The difference in overall knowledge scores between the ICU physicians and the clinical pharmacists (p = 0.925) was not significant. However, pharmacists showed better scores for the pharmacokinetics of antifungal therapy (p = 0.05). This study has revealed a significant gap in the knowledge and practice of clinicians as regards prescribing antifungal therapy in our area. Although the results cannot be generalized, the outcome of this study has exposed the need for a tailored training program essential for carrying out an AFS program.
Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on the Development and Myocardium of Adult Mice: Morphometric Changes, Transcriptional Modulation of Genes Related to Cardiac Dysfunction, and Antioxidant Cardioprotection
Authors: Atum Allan Luís Barboza , de Matos Leonardo Paroche , de Jesus Bruna Calixto , Nasuk Guilherme Rabelo , da Silva Gabriel Almeida , Gomes Caio Perez , Pesquero João Bosco , Zamuner Stella Regina , Silva Júnior José Antônio
Published: January 2023

The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) varies considerably between individuals, leading to morphological and genetic changes. However, minor changes usually go undetected in PAE children. We investigated PAE’s effects on gene transcription of genes related to cardiac dysfunction signaling in mouse myocardium and morphological changes. C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to a 10% PAE protocol. In postnatal days 2 and 60 (PN2 and PN60), morphometric measurements in the offspring were performed. Ventricular samples of the heart were collected in PN60 from male offspring for quantification of mRNA expression of 47 genes of nine myocardial signal transduction pathways related to cardiovascular dysfunction. Animals from the PAE group presented low birth weight than the Control group, but the differences were abolished in adult mice. In contrast, the mice’s size was similar in PN2; however, PAE mice were oversized at PN60 compared with the Control group. Cardiac and ventricular indexes were increased in PAE mice. PAE modulated the mRNA expression of 43 genes, especially increasing the expressions of genes essential for maladaptive tissue remodeling. PAE animals presented increased antioxidant enzyme activities in the myocardium. In summary, PAE animals presented morphometric changes, transcription of cardiac dysfunction-related genes, and increased antioxidant protection in the myocardium.
Glucotropaeolin Promotes Apoptosis by Calcium Dysregulation and Attenuates Cell Migration with FOXM1 Suppression in Pancreatic Cancer Cells
Authors: Lee Woonghee , Song Gwonhwa , Bae Hyocheol
Published: January 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has naturally aggressive characteristics including postoperative recurrence, resistance to conventional treatment, and metastasis. Surgical resection with chemotherapeutic agents has been conducted as the major treatment for PDAC. However, surgical treatment is ineffective in the case of advanced cancer, and conventional adjuvant chemotherapy, including gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil, show low effectiveness due to the high drug resistance of PDAC to this type of treatment. Therefore, the development of innovative therapeutic drugs is crucial to solving the present limitation of conventional drugs. Glucotropaeolin (GT) is a glucosinolate that can be isolated from the Brassicaceae family. GT has exhibited a growth-inhibitory effect against liver and colon cancer cells; however, there is no study regarding the anticancer effect of GT on PDAC. In our study, we determined the antiproliferative effect of GT in PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2, representative of PDAC. We revealed the intracellular mechanisms underlying the anticancer effect of GT with respect to cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), calcium dysregulation, cell migration, and the induction of apoptosis. Moreover, GT regulated the signaling pathways related to anticancer in PDAC cells. Finally, the silencing of the forkhead box protein M, a key factor regulating PDAC progression, contributes to the anticancer property of GT in terms of the induction of apoptosis and cell migration. Therefore, GT may be a potential therapeutic drug against PDAC.
Advances in Industrial Waste Reduction
Authors: Psomopoulos Constantinos S. , Kungolos Athanasios , Di Nardo Armando
Published: January 2023

Industry is an integral part of the economic activity of any country [...]
Tensor Implementation of Monte-Carlo Tree Search for Model-Based Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Baláž Marek , Tarábek Peter
Published: January 2023

Monte-Carlo tree search (MCTS) is a widely used heuristic search algorithm. In model-based reinforcement learning, MCTS is often utilized to improve action selection process. However, model-based reinforcement learning methods need to process large number of observations during the training. If MCTS is involved, it is necessary to run one instance of MCTS for each observation in every iteration of training. Therefore, there is a need for efficient method to process multiple instances of MCTS. We propose a MCTS implementation that can process batch of observations in fully parallel fashion on a single GPU using tensor operations. We demonstrate efficiency of the proposed approach on a MuZero reinforcement learning algorithm. Empirical results have shown that our method outperforms other approaches and scale well with increasing number of observations and simulations.
Numerical Investigation on NOx Emission of a Hydrogen-Fuelled Dual-Cylinder Free-Piston Engine
Authors: Li Chengqian , Wang Yaodong , Jia Boru , Zhang Zhiyuan , Roskilly Anthony
Published: January 2023

The free-piston engine is a type of none-crank engine that could be operated under variable compression ratio, and this provides it flexible fuel applicability and low engine emission potential. In this work, several 1-D engine models, including conventional gasoline engines, free-piston gasoline engines and free-piston hydrogen engines, have been established. Both engine performance and emission performance under engine speeds between 5–11 Hz and with different equivalent ratios have been simulated and compared. Results indicated that the free-piston engine has remarkable potential for NOx reduction, and the largest reduction is 57.37% at 6 Hz compared with a conventional gasoline engine. However, the figure of NOx from the hydrogen free-piston engine is slightly higher than that of the gasoline free-piston engine, and the difference increases with the increase of engine speed. In addition, several factors and their relationships related to hydrogen combustion in the free-piston engine have been investigated, and results show that the equivalent ratio φ=0.88 is a vital point that affects NOx production, and the ignition advance timing could also affect combustion duration, the highest in-cylinder temperature and NOx production to a large extent.
Hydrogeochemistry of Fault-Related Hot Springs in the Qaidam Basin, China
Authors: Tang Jie , Zhou Xiaocheng , Zhang Yongxian , Tian Jiao , He Miao , Li Jingchao , Dong Jinyuan , Yan Yucong , Liu Fengli , Ouyang Shupei , Liu Kaiyi
Published: January 2023

Hydrogeochemical characterization studies are regarded as an important method for determining the origin of hot springs. The major elements, trace elements, and stable isotopes of four groups of hot spring water samples and two groups of gas samples collected from the intersection of the Altyn Tagh fault zone and the East Kunlun fault belt were investigated in this study. The hot spring water temperature ranged between 6 °C and 14 °C. The water chemistry types of the hot springs were Na·Mg-Cl, Mg·Na-Cl·HCO3, Na-Cl·SO4, and Na-Cl·HCO3. The δD values ranged from −50.00% to −68.60%, while the δ18O values ranged from −6.90% to −8.60%. The hot spring water was recharged mainly by infiltrating precipitation, with a recharge elevation of 3390~3676 m. The heat storage temperature ranged from 66.7 to 164.9 °C. The circulation depth was estimated to range between 1043 and 2679 m. The strontium isotopic composition of the water samples in response to the main weathering sources comprised carbonate and sulfate. CO2 was the main component in the hot spring gas in the study region, and its content was over 95%. The 3He/4He-R/Ra relationship diagram revealed that the mantle-sourced helium from the Yitunbulake spring was 3.06%. In comparison, that from the Aiken spring was 7.38%, which indicated an intrusion of mantle-source material mixed into the hot springs in the study region. The crustal marine limestone contributed significantly to the carbon inventory of the hot spring gas samples (>75%). The dissolution of the marl aquifer resulted in the release of CO2. Carbon was primarily obtained through metamorphism and hydrothermal reactions in the basement lithologies. The Yitunbulake and Aiken hot springs are found near the intersection of the Arjin and East Kunlun fractures, where the water–rock response is relatively strong and the depth of circulation and thermal storage temperature are both high. This causes relatively high ambient pressure to be released from the deep fluid, resulting in microseismic activity in this region. The continuous observation of Aiken spring water chemistry allows for the monitoring of fracture activity in the region. The results of the study could serve as a foundation for further exploration of the relationship between geothermal water and deep faults, shallow geological formations, hydrogeological conditions, and geothermal resource development in the region.
Study on the Influence of the Cage Lifting Piston Effect in Main Intake Shafts on Air Flow in Transportation Lanes
Authors: He Dexing , Wang Xiaodong , Guo Chenyang , Li Hongkun , Zhang Yu
Published: January 2023

The main intake shaft in the mine serves as the main intake and return air shaft and also serves as a lifting shaft. The piston wind effect caused by the frequent operation of large and efficient hoisting cages in the shaft will disturb the normal flow of airflow in the transport lane connected to the shaft and affect the underground ventilation effect. Therefore, based on the SST k-ω turbulence model, this paper uses the dynamic mesh to simulate the air-fluid in the cage running in the shaft and verifies the simulation data through field measurement to study the influence of piston effect on the airflow field in the transport lane. The results show that the piston effect caused by cage operation in the shaft will disturb the flow of normal airflow in the transportation lane and affect the ventilation effect in the mine. The 1765.0 m transport lane is closest to the position of the shaft inlet, which is most significantly affected by the piston wind effect. The low-speed eddy current zone generated at the tail of the cage in the upwind operation has a large area and strong adsorption force, which causes the gas at the local position in the transportation lane to generate eddy current and reverse flow, hindering the flow of fresh air in the lane. The influence distance and strength of the piston effect on each measuring point in the transportation lane are limited. When the measuring point distance increases from 21.7 m to 71.7 m, the differential pressure of measuring points in 1414.0 m, 1584.0 m and 1765.0 m transport lanes decreases by 11.08 Pa, 9.62 Pa and 8.58 Pa, respectively.
Non-Cooperative Spacecraft Pose Measurement with Binocular Camera and TOF Camera Collaboration
Authors: Hu Liang , Sun Dianqi , Duan Huixian , Shu An , Zhou Shanshan , Pei Haodong
Published: January 2023

Non-cooperative spacecraft pose acquisition is a challenge in on-orbit service (OOS), especially for targets with unknown structures. A method for the pose measurement of non-cooperative spacecrafts based on the collaboration of binocular and time-of-flight (TOF) cameras is proposed in this study. The joint calibration is carried out to obtain the transformation matrix from the left camera coordinate system to the TOF camera system. The initial pose acquisition is mainly divided into feature point association and relative motion estimation. The initial value and key point information generated in stereo vision are yielded to refine iterative closest point (ICP) frame-to-frame registration. The final pose of the non-cooperative spacecraft is determined through eliminating the cumulative error based on the keyframes in the point cloud process. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is able to track the target spacecraft during aerospace missions, which may provide a certain reference value for navigation systems.
Prediction of Complex Stock Market Data Using an Improved Hybrid EMD-LSTM Model
Authors: Ali Muhammad , Khan Dost Muhammad , Alshanbari Huda M. , El-Bagoury Abd Al-Aziz Hosni
Published: January 2023

Because of the complexity, nonlinearity, and volatility, stock market forecasting is either highly difficult or yields very unsatisfactory outcomes when utilizing traditional time series or machine learning techniques. To cope with this problem and improve the complex stock market’s prediction accuracy, we propose a new hybrid novel method that is based on a new version of EMD and a deep learning technique known as long-short memory (LSTM) network. The forecasting precision of the proposed hybrid ensemble method is evaluated using the KSE-100 index of the Pakistan Stock Exchange. Using a new version of EMD that uses the Akima spline interpolation technique instead of cubic spline interpolation, the noisy stock data are first divided into multiple components technically known as intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) varying from high to low frequency and a single monotone residue. The highly correlated sub-components are then used to build the LSTM network. By comparing the proposed hybrid model with a single LSTM and other ensemble models such as the support vector machine (SVM), Random Forest, and Decision Tree, its prediction performance is thoroughly evaluated. Three alternative statistical metrics, namely root means square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), are used to compare the aforementioned techniques. The empirical results show that the suggested hybrid Akima-EMD-LSTM model beats all other models taken into consideration for this study and is therefore recommended as an effective model for the prediction of non-stationary and nonlinear complex financial time series data.
Low Rate DDoS Detection Using Weighted Federated Learning in SDN Control Plane in IoT Network
Authors: Ali Muhammad Nadeem , Imran Muhammad , din Muhammad Salah ud , Kim Byung-Seo
Published: January 2023

The Internet of things (IoT) has opened new dimensions of novel services and computing power for modern living standards by introducing innovative and smart solutions. Due to the extensive usage of these services, IoT has spanned numerous devices and communication entities, which makes the management of the network a complex challenge. Hence it is urgently needed to redefine the management of the IoT network. Software-defined networking (SDN) intrinsic programmability and centralization features simplify network management, facilitate network abstraction, ease network evolution, has the potential to manage the IoT network. SDN’s centralized control plane promotes efficient network resource management by separating the control and data plane and providing a global picture of the underlying network topology. Apart from the inherent benefits, the centralized SDN architecture also brings serious security threats such as spoofing, sniffing, brute force, API exploitation, and denial of service, and requires significant attention to guarantee a secured network. Among these security threats, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) and its variant Low-Rate DDoS (LR-DDoS), is one of the most challenging as the fraudulent user generates malicious traffic at a low rate which is extremely difficult to detect and defend. Machine Learning (ML), especially Federated Learning (FL), has shown remarkable success in detecting and defending against such attacks. In this paper, we adopted Weighted Federated Learning (WFL) to detect Low-Rate DDoS (LR-DDoS) attacks. The extensive MATLAB experimentation and evaluation revealed that the proposed work ignites the LR-DDoS detection accuracy compared with the individual Neural Networks (ANN) training algorithms, existing packet analysis-based, and machine learning approaches.