bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Social Responsibility through SDGs: Preliminary Results from a Pilot Study in Italian Universities
Authors: Costa Antonio , Tafuro Alessandra , Benvenuto Marco , Viola Carmine
Published: October 2021

Background: In the broad scientific debate on the integration of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the strategic planning of universities and on the use of monitoring the results of the strategy of the indicators relating to the pursuit of sustainable development goals (SDGs), there is a lack of studies demonstrating the effective degree of institutionalization of CSR in universities. Methods: This analysis constitutes a pilot study relating to the Italian university context. The study was carried out through an analysis on the contents of the three-year strategic performance plans (2020–2022) drawn up by individual universities and compulsorily published on the national portal of the Public Function Department, as required by article 10, paragraph 1, letter (a) of Legislative Decree 150/2009. A matrix was made with the information extracted by the documents and relative to the presence of the SDGs in the strategic performance plan. Consequently, using a Likert scale, the different degrees of institutionalization of CSR in the strategic plan of the universities were coded. Results: The results of the pilot study highlighted that the strategic planning of Italian universities’ CSR practices and the challenges of sustainable development are hardly ever systematically addressed. Therefore, there is a low degree of institutionalization of CSR in the Italian university system, even though the literature shows a high cultural and scientific commitment to establish university and post-graduate study courses with corporate social responsibility and sustainable development content and an increasing trend in the use of the accountability tools such as the social report or the sustainability report. Conclusions: It is necessary to share the results of scientific research on CSR and SDGs with the government and governance bodies of universities in order to harmonize the CSR and sustainability culture of these bodies with that of academics.
Thermo-Mechanical Design and Validation of Spaceborne High-Speed Digital Receiver Unit for Synthetic Aperture Radar Application
Authors: Kang Soo-Jin , Park Sung-Woo , Choi Hye-Yoon , Ryu Gu-Hyun , Kim Jong-Pil , Jung Sung-Hoon , Kim Se-Young , Lee Hyon-Ik , Oh Hyun-Ung
Published: October 2021

This paper presents the effectiveness of the thermo-mechanical design of a high-speed digital receiver unit (HSDRU) developed for spaceborne synthetic aperture radar applications. The main features of HSDRU’s thermo-mechanical design include the thermal management of high-heat dissipation units by adopting heat sinks with the additional function of structural stiffeners and securing the heat rejection path to the upper side of electronics that interfaces the foil radiator for the on-orbit passive thermal control of electronics exposed to deep space environments. The thermal design, which adopts a thermal gap pad, is closely related to the solder joint fatigue life in a launch vibration environment, owing to its initial compressive static load between the heat sink and heat dissipation units that enhances the heat transfer capability. The effectiveness of the design was validated via the qualification level of launch environment tests.
Relief Aircraft Dispatch Strategies Based on Different Levels of Information Sharing Systems
Authors: Wang Qingqi , Hirata Terumitsu
Published: October 2021

In the wake of a disaster, relief activities are expected to start immediately. To determine a better approach in dispatchment and transportation during relief activities, the primary factor is the communication and information sharing between the various parties such as airports, relief shelters and aircraft pilots. However, the effect of the information-sharing systems on the efficiency of transportation is yet to be clarified, and the differences between transport methods under different information-sharing systems are not yet known. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed different dispatch strategies corresponding to different information sharing levels and utilized the agent-based simulation modeling dynamic system to compare the air relief efficiency of different dispatch strategies. The simulation results demonstrate that the efficiency of relief activities increases as the level of information sharing improves, and different dispatch strategies have an impact on the effect of relief activities.
Modified Atmospheric Packaging of Fresh-Cut Amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) for Extending Shelf Life
Authors: Jin Siyuan , Ding Zhaoyang , Xie Jing
Published: October 2021

Fresh-cut vegetables are prone to microbiological contamination and oxygenation during handling and storage. In this study, fresh-cut amaranth was subjected to various gas ratios (5–15% O2, 5–15% CO2, 80% N2) for 12 days. Chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid content, antioxidant enzyme activity, microbial population, and physiological and biochemical indicators were measured to evaluate the impact of atmospheric packaging. Suitable atmospheric packaging could slow the respiration of amaranth, delay the decline in physiological and biochemical characteristics, maintain the antioxidant enzyme activity, promote the sensorics, and prolong the shelf life by 2 days. According to the analysis of the results, modified atmospheric packaging (10% O2, 10% CO2, 80% N2) retarded the decline in fresh-cut amaranth quality, provided effective antioxidative browning, and inhibited Pseudomonas fluorescens development.
Genetic Markers Associated with Milk Production Traits in Dairy Cattle
Authors: Ma Yulin , Khan Muhammad Zahoor , Xiao Jianxin , Alugongo Gibson Maswayi , Chen Xu , Chen Tianyu , Liu Shuai , He Zhiyuan , Wang Jingjun , Shah Muhammad Kamal , Cao Zhijun
Published: October 2021

Increasing milk production is one of the key concerns in animal production. Traditional breeding has gotten limited achievement in the improvement of milk production because of its moderate heritability. Milk production traits are controlled by many genes. Thus, identifying candidate genes associated with milk production traits may provide information that can be used to enhance the accuracy of animal selection for moderately heritable traits like milk production. The genomic selection can enhance the accuracy and intensity of selection and shortening the generation interval. The genetic progress of economically important traits can be doubled with the accuracy of selection and shortening of generation interval. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have made possible the screening of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes associated with milk production traits in dairy cattle. In addition, RNA-sequencing is another well-established tool used to identify genes associated with milk production in dairy cattle. Although it has been widely accepted that these three methods (GWAS, RNA-seq and DNA sequencing) are considered the first step in the screening of genes, however, the outcomes from GWAS, DNA-sequencing and RNA-seq still need further verification for the establishment of bonafide causal variants via genetic replication as well as functional validation. In the current review, we have highlighted genetic markers identified (2010-to date) for their associations with milk production traits in dairy cattle. The information regarding candidate genes associated with milk production traits provided in the current review could be helpful to select the potential genetic markers for the genetic improvement of milk production traits in dairy cattle.
Design and Test of a Jet Remote Control Spraying Machine for Orchards
Authors: Ma Chi , Li Guanglin , Peng Qiangji
Published: October 2021

Aimed at issues associated with the poor air supply and poor automatic targeting accuracy of existing orchard sprayers, this paper designs a jet-type orchard remote control sprayer with automatic targeting which is suitable for standardized orchards in hilly and mountainous areas. By optimizing the structure of the diversion box, the uniformity of deposition and penetration ability of the pesticide droplets to the fruit tree canopy are improved, and a uniform wild field distribution is realized simultaneously. An accurate positioning of the fruit tree canopy space orientation is achieved through automatic targeting and azimuthal adjustment systems. When the target is detected, the solenoid valve is controlled to open, and vice versa, and the distance from the nozzle to the fruit tree canopy is adjusted in real time to improve the utilization rate of pesticides. The test results show that the effective range of the jet-type orchard remote control sprayer is no more than 3.5 m, and the maximum flow rate range is 6~6.5 L/min. Within the effective spraying range, the farther the distance is, the higher the automatic targeting accuracy. The pesticide droplets sprayed by the spraying machine have a certain penetration ability, and the uniformity of the droplets is good, which solves solidification problems caused by the penetration of pesticide into the soil. This research provides a reference for jet spraying operation and automatic targeting spraying structure design.
The Response of Layer Hen Productivity and Egg Quality to an Additional Limestone Source When Offered Diets Differing in Calcium Concentrations and the Inclusion of Phytase
Authors: Ruhnke Isabelle , Akter Yeasmin , Sibanda Terence Zimazile , Cowieson Aaron J. , Wilkinson Stuart , Maldonado Stephanie , Singh Mini , Hughes Patrick , Caporale Dylana , Bucker Stephan , O’Shea Cormac John
Published: October 2021

Laying hens require substantial quantities of calcium (Ca) to maintain egg production. However, maintaining recommended dietary Ca through inclusion of limestone may impede nutrient digestibility, including that of other minerals. It was hypothesized that providing a separate source of dietary Ca in the form of limestone grit would preserve Ca intake of hens offered diets containing suboptimal Ca concentrations. Furthermore, the impact of dietary phytase at a “superdosing” inclusion rate on the voluntary consumption of limestone grit was evaluated. One hundred and forty-four laying hens (19 weeks of age) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement comprising three dietary Ca concentrations (40, 30, and 20 g/kg) and ±dietary phytase (3500 FYT/kg diet) on an ad libitum basis for six weeks. Limestone grit (3.4 ± 1.0 mm) was provided to all hens ad libitum. Hens offered diets containing phytase consumed significantly less limestone grit p = 0.024). Egg weight, rate of lay, and egg mass were unaffected by dietary treatment (p > 0.05). Egg shell weight % (p < 0.001), shell thickness (p < 0.001), and shell breaking strength (p < 0.01) decreased in line with dietary Ca levels. In summary, dietary superdosing with phytase reduced the consumption of a separate limestone source in individually housed, early lay ISA Brown hens. Egg shell quality variables but not egg production worsened in line with lower dietary Ca levels.
Anticancer Potential of Lipophilic Constituents of Eleven Shellfish Species Commonly Consumed in Korea
Authors: Shin Juhyun , Song Min-Ho , Yu Ji-Woo , Ko Eun-Young , Shang Xiaomin , Oh Jae-Wook , Keum Young-Soo , Saini Ramesh Kumar
Published: October 2021

The present study was aimed to investigate the composition and contents and the major lipophilic compounds, including the sterols, fatty acids, and tocols of shellfish species. Moreover, to explore the antitumor activity of these lipophilic constituents, their cytotoxicity potentials were determined against five different human cancer cells, including colon carcinoma (HCT116), epithelial melanoma (A2058), glioblastoma multiforme (T98G), lung carcinoma (A549), and adenocarcinoma (HeLa). The results show a significant variation in the contents and composition of lipophilic constituents among the studied species. The highest omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were recorded from arrow squid and pacific oysters, accounting for 53.2% and 53.0% of their total fatty acids, respectively. However, the highest cholesterol content was also recorded in arrow squid (154.4 mg/100 g; 92.6% of total sterols). In contrast, in the Japanese littleneck, Yesso scallop, and common orient clam, cholesterol was just 17.1%, 18.3%, and 18.9% of total sterols, respectively, making them the richest source of non-cholesterol sterols (NCS). Lipids extracted from shellfish species showed ABTS+•- and DPPH•-scavenging activities. In the cytotoxicity analysis, lipids extracted from the Argentine red shrimp showed the highest cytotoxicity against glioblastoma multiforme T98G cells, with an IC50 value of 12.3 µg/mL. The composition and cytotoxicity data reported herein may help explore the nutritional and anticancer potentials of shellfish species.
Identification and Recovery of Valuable Bioactive Compounds from Potato Peels: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Rodríguez-Martínez Beatriz , Gullón Beatriz , Yáñez Remedios
Published: October 2021

Nowadays, the potato is one of the most cultivated and consumed food crops in the world and, in recent years, its production has experienced a sharp increase. Its industrial processing generates several by-products that are wasted and cause economic and environmental problems. Among them, potato peel stands out, representing up to 10% of the total potato residues obtained in the processing. On the other hand, these wastes, in addition to presenting antioxidant compounds, are rich in interesting chemical compounds of great value in a biorefinery model. This review summarizes the main compounds present in potato skins as well as the most used and innovative extraction methods employed for their isolation, with special emphasis on the fractions with biological activities. In addition, a sustainable biorefinery proposal focused on obtaining high added-value products with potential applications in the pharmaceutical, food, nutraceutical, or cosmetic industries is included.
Anti-Sarcopenic Obesity Effects of Lonicera caerulea Extract in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice
Authors: Lee You-Suk , Park Eun-Jung , Kim Sung-Min , Kim Jong-Yeon , Lee Hae-Jeung
Published: October 2021

Sarcopenic obesity is a combination of sarcopenia and obesity. Although several herbal extracts showed improvement on sarcopenia and obesity, respectively, there are few studies on sarcopenic obesity. Lonicera caerulea (honeysuckle berry, HB) can ameliorate metabolic disorders including obesity. However, its effects on sarcopenic obesity have not been reported yet. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether HB extract might have any beneficial effects on sarcopenic obesity in high-fat diet-induced mice. Forty-eight mice were classified into six groups and treated for eight weeks: (1) NC, normal diet control; (2) HC, high-fat diet control; (3) PC, high-fat diet with orlistat; (4) HB100, high-fat diet with HB extract at 100 mg/kg; (5) HB200, high-fat diet with HB extract at 200 mg/kg; and (6) HB400, high-fat diet with HB extract at 400 mg/kg. Body weight, fat accumulation, muscle mass, muscle strength, and mRNA expression of muscle atrophy were monitored. Compared with the HC group, HB administration showed anti-obesity properties. It reduced body weight gain and modulated serum biochemical parameters and tissue antioxidant enzymes. HB also increased muscle strength and muscle mass of hind legs. In addition, it decreased mRNA expression levels of Atrogin1 and MuRF1 as markers of muscle atrophy but increased PGC1α and SIRT1 as markers of muscle growth. These results suggest that HB might be effective in preventing sarcopenia associated with obesity.
Comprehensive Analysis of Secondary Metabolites in the Extracts from Different Lily Bulbs and Their Antioxidant Ability
Authors: Tang Yu-Chao , Liu Yi-Jie , He Guo-Ren , Cao Yu-Wei , Bi Meng-Meng , Song Meng , Yang Pan-Pan , Xu Lei-Feng , Ming Jun
Published: October 2021

The genus Lilium contains more than 100 wild species and numerous hybrid varieties. Some species of them have been used as medicine and food since ancient times. However, the research on the active components and the medical properties of lilies has only focused on a few species. In this study, the total phenolic acid content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant capacity of 22 representative lilies were systematically investigated. The results showed that the TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity were highly variable among different lilies, but they were significantly positively correlated. Hierarchical cluster analysis indicated that L. henryi and L. regale were arranged in one group characterized by the highest TPC, TFC and antioxidant capacity, followed by Oriental hybrids and Trumpet and Oriental hybrids. The traditional edible and medicinal lilies were clustered in low TPC, TFC and antioxidant capacity group. A total of 577 secondary metabolites, including 201 flavonoids, 153 phenolic acids, were identified in the five species with great differences in antioxidant capacity by extensive targeted metabonomics. Differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) analysis reviewed that the DAMs were mainly enriched in secondary metabolic pathways such as isoflavonoid, folate, flavonoid, flavone, flavonol, phenylpropanoid, isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism and so on. Correlation analysis identified that 64 metabolites were significantly positively correlated with antioxidant capacity (r ≥ 0.9 and p < 0.0001). These results suggested that the genus Lilium has great biodiversity in bioactive components. The data obtained greatly expand our knowledge of the bioactive constituents of Lilium spp. Additionally, it also highlights the potential application of Lilium plants as antioxidants, functional ingredients, cosmetic products and nutraceuticals.
Effect of Deep Frying of Potatoes and Tofu on Thermo-Oxidative Changes of Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, Cold Pressed High Oleic Rapeseed Oil and Palm Olein
Authors: Wroniak Małgorzata , Raczyk Marianna , Kruszewski Bartosz , Symoniuk Edyta , Dach Dominika
Published: October 2021

One of the commonly used food preparation methods is frying. Fried food is admired by consumers due to its unique taste and texture. Deep frying is a process of dipping food in oil at high temperature, usually 170–190 °C, and it requires a relatively short time. The aim of this study was to analyze the thermo-oxidative changes occurring during the deep frying of products such as potatoes and tofu in cold pressed rapeseed oils and palm olein. Cold pressed rapeseed oil from hulled seeds (RO), cold pressed high oleic rapeseed oil from hulled seeds (HORO), and palm olein (PO) (for purposes of comparison) were used. Characterization of fresh oils (after purchase) and oils after 6, 12, and 18 h of deep frying process of a starch product (potatoes) and a protein product (tofu) was performed. The quality of oils was analyzed by determining peroxide value, acid value, p-anisidine value, content of carotenoid and chlorophyll pigments, polar compounds, smoke point, color (CIE L*a*b*), fatty acids content and profile, calculation of lipid nutritional quality indicators, and oxidative stability index (Rancimat). Cold pressed high oleic rapeseed oil was more stable during deep frying compared to cold pressed rapeseed oil, but much less stable than palm olein. In addition, more thermo-oxidative changes occurred in the tested oils when deep frying the starch product (potatoes) compared to the deep frying of the protein product (tofu).
Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) and Its Component, Isoquercitrin, Inhibit HSV-1 Replication by Suppressing Virus-Induced ROS Production and NF-κB Activation
Authors: Kim Buyun , Kim Young Soo , Hwang Youn-Hwan , Yang Hye Jin , Li Wei , Kwon Eun-Bin , Kim Tae In , Go Younghoon , Choi Jang-Gi
Published: October 2021

HSV-1 is a neurotropic virus that replicates lytically during acute infection and establishes latency in peripheral neurons. Currently, the clinically approved compounds for the prevention of HSV-1 infection include acyclovir and penciclovir; however, long-term use of the drug is associated with serious side effects, and drug-resistant strains often appear. Therefore, it is important to find a safe and novel antiviral agent for HSV-1 infection. Quercus acuta Thunb. (Fagaceae) (QA) is widely distributed as an ornamental and dietary plant in Korea, Taiwan, China, and Japan. Thus far, the effects of QA extract and its active ingredients are known to have antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activity, but studies of possible antiviral effects have not been reported. We studied the antiviral effects and molecular mechanism of QA after HSV-1 infection at the cellular level. We confirmed that QA suppresses ROS expression after HSV-1 infection and also suppresses inflammatory cytokine expression through inhibition of NF-кB activity. In addition, we found that QA increases the phosphorylation activity of IRF3 through induction of TBK1 activity during HSV-1 infection. QA exhibits an antiviral effect, and we confirmed through UPLC-DAD-mass spectrometer (MS)/MS analysis that it contains five main components: catechin, chlorogenic acid, fraxin, isoquercitrin, and taxifolin. Of these, isoquercitrin was confirmed to exhibit an antiviral effect on SK-N-SH cells through ICP27 inhibition. Overall, our results suggest that QA is a novel inhibitor with antiviral effects against HSV-1 infection and may be used specifically to prevent and treat of herpes simplex virus encephalitis infection.
Smart Recommendations for Renting Bikes in Bike-Sharing Systems
Authors: Billhardt Holger , Fernández Alberto , Ossowski Sascha
Published: October 2021

Vehicle-sharing systems—such as bike-, car-, or motorcycle-sharing systems—have become increasingly popular in big cities in recent years. On the one hand, they provide a cheaper and environmentally friendlier means of transportation than private cars, and on the other hand, they satisfy the individual mobility demands of citizens better than traditional public transport systems. One of their advantages in this regard is their availability, e.g., the possibility of taking (or leaving) a vehicle almost anywhere in a city. This availability obviously depends on different strategic and operational management decisions and policies, such as the dimension of the fleet or the (re)distribution of vehicles. Agglutination problems—where, due to usage patterns, available vehicles are concentrated in certain areas, whereas no vehicles are available in others—are quite common in such systems, and need to be dealt with. Research has been dedicated to this problem, specifying different techniques to reduce imbalanced situations. In this paper, we present and compare strategies for recommending stations to users who wish to rent or return bikes in station-based bike-sharing systems. Our first contribution is a novel recommendation strategy based on queuing theory that recommends stations based on their utility to the user in terms of lower distance and higher probability of finding a bike or slot. Then, we go one step further, defining a strategy that recommends stations by combining the utility of a particular user with the utility of the global system, measured in terms of the improvement in the distribution of bikes and slots with respect to the expected future demand, with the aim of implicitly avoiding or alleviating balancing problems. We present several experiments to evaluate our proposal with real data from the bike sharing system BiciMAD in Madrid.
Vlog-Based Multimodal Composing: Enhancing EFL Learners’ Writing Performance
Authors: Xie Qiuzhu , Liu Xiaobin , Zhang Nanyan , Zhang Qianqian , Jiang Xijuan , Wen Lijun
Published: October 2021

For most learners of English as a foreign language (EFL), there has long been a lack of effective opportunities to practice English writing skills. However, the recent development of social networking services (SNS) provides new possibilities for these learners to practice writing English in a meaningful way. Meanwhile, with the popularity of social media in language learning, writing is unnecessarily in the form of plain text, and multimodal composing based on text and additional modes such as audio, video or images has been a new form of writing activity instead. This study integrated SNS-based multimodal composing activities into secondary and higher education, with the aim of determining its effects on learners’ writing performance. Two classes in senior high school Grade 10 and four in college were recruited, three as the control groups without using SNS-based multimodal composing, and others as the experimental groups. While all classes’ writing performance improved between pretest and posttest, the gains in overall writing competence by experimental groups and the gains in three detailed aspects (readability, lexical complexity and syntactic complexity) by college students were significantly larger. Progress in detailed aspects, on the other hand, was different across different groups. These findings are discussed in relation to specific characteristics of multimodal composing and SNS-based learning that enables learners to improve writing performance.
Effect of Post-Weld Heat Treatment on the Solid-State Diffusion Bonding of 6061 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Chen Chun-Hao , Sun Yu-Kai , Lai Yu-Chang , Chang Shih-Ying , Chuang Tung-Han
Published: October 2021

The precipitation-hardenable aluminum alloy 6061 (AA 6061) is favored for aerospace components and automotive parts. However, the tenacious oxide layer on the surface greatly limits the quality and applicability of joining AA 6061. In this study, the joining method of solid-state diffusion bonding was implemented for AA 6061 plates, and the effects of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the joint interface were investigated. The bonding temperatures were within the range of 500–530 °C, and the time periods varied from 30 to 240 min under a static pressure of 5 MPa in a vacuum. The diffusion bonded specimens were subjected to T4- and T6-PWHT to improve the bonding quality. The interfacial microstructure of the joints was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, and the mechanical properties were evaluated with shear tests. The experimental results showed that the shear strength of the diffusion bonded joint could reach around 71.2 MPa, which was highly dependent on bonding temperature and holding time, and T6-PWHT further enhanced it to over 100 MPa. The effects of PWHT on the diffusion bonded AA 6061 joint were investigated, and the fractography on the sheared surfaces indicated that PWHT-T6 played an important role in enhancing joint strength, which was consistent with the measured shear strength. The sequential PWHT for AA 6061 after diffusion bonding was proven to be feasible for bonding of AA 6061 parts, and the joint strength was sufficient for industrial needs.
Feasibility of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Identification of L-Fucose and L-Proline—Towards Detecting Cancer Biomarkers from Saliva
Authors: Hurskainen Miia O. , Sarin Jaakko K. , Myllymaa Sami , González-Arriagada Wilfredo A. , Kullaa Arja , Lappalainen Reijo
Published: October 2021

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-ionizing optical technique that can be used to quantify proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and other organic and biological substances. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of NIRS to identify different concentrations of L-fucose and L-proline solutions by utilizing different NIR spectral regions. NIR spectra of solid L-fucose and L-proline, their aqueous solutions in different concentrations, and the spectra of saliva samples collected from two patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were studied. Differences in spectra of the pure solid reference samples and water were most noticeable in spectral regions 800–1250 nm and 1418–1867 nm. The saliva sample with an atypically high concentration of oral cancer biomarkers showed a similar spectral feature between 1530–1650 nm as the liquid samples with cancer biomarkers. In addition, a fine k-nearest neighbors (kNN) classifier was trained to differentiate the aqueous solutions and achieved 75.97% validation accuracy. The preliminary study presents that NIRS can be utilized to detect differences in spectra between the different biomarker concentrations in aqueous solutions. However, the qualitative measures may have resulted in limited sensitivity, which could be enhanced by additional samples and using a measurement probe dedicated to fluid measurements.
A Two-Phase Deep Learning-Based Recommender System: Enhanced by a Data Quality Inspector
Authors: Lemus Leiva William , Li Meng-Lin , Tsai Chieh-Yuan
Published: October 2021

Research regarding collaborative filtering recommenders has grown fast lately. However, little attention has been paid to discuss how the input data quality impacts the result. Indeed, some review-rating pairs that a user gave to an item are inconsistent and express a different opinion, making the recommendation result biased. To solve the above drawback, this study proposes a two-phase deep learning-based recommender system. Firstly, a sentiment predictor of textual reviews is created, serving as the quality inspector that cleans and improves the input for a recommender. To build accurate predictors, this phase tries and compares a set of deep learning-based algorithms. Secondly, besides only exploiting the consistent review-rating pairs generated by the quality inspector, this phase builds deep learning-based recommender engines. The experiments on a real-world dataset showed the proposed data quality inspector, based on textual reviews, improves the overall performance of recommenders. On average, applying deep learning-based quality inspectors result in an above 6% improvement in RMSE, and more than a 2% boost in F1 score, and accuracy. This is robust evidence to prove the importance of the input data cleaning process in this field. Moreover, empirical evidence indicates the deep learning approach is suitable for modeling the sentiment predictor, and the core recommendation process, clearly outperforming the traditional machine learning methods.
IoT Helper: A Lightweight and Extensible Framework for Fast-Prototyping IoT Architectures
Authors: Mecca Giansalvatore , Santomauro Michele , Santoro Donatello , Veltri Enzo
Published: October 2021

Industry 4.0 is focused on the task of creating Smart Factories, which require the automation of traditional industrial processes and the fully connection and integration of different systems and devices. However, despite the wide availability of tools and technology, developing intelligent applications in the industry framework remains a complex and expensive task. This paper proposes a lightweight, extensible and scalable framework called IoT Helper to facilitate the adoption of IoT and IIoT solutions both in industry and domotics. The framework is designed to be highly flexible and declarative in nature, thus allowing for a wide range of configurations with minimal user efforts. To emphasize the practical applicability or our proposal, we present two real-life use cases where the framework was successfully adopted. We also investigate a crucial aspect of these applications, i.e., what level of scalability can be achieved with a lean generic framework based on inexpensive components such as ours. Comprehensive experimental results show the excellent cost-to-performance ratio of our solution. We consider this to be an important contribution because it paves the way for a more widespread adoption of IIoT-enabling technologies in industry.
Formal Chaos Existing Conditions on a Transmission Line Circuit with a Piecewise Linear Resistor
Authors: Ozawa Kazuya , Isogai Kaito , Nakano Hideo , Okazaki Hideaki
Published: October 2021

By using one-dimensional (1-D) map methods, some lossless transmission line circuits with a short at one side terminal have been actively studied. Bifurcation results or chaotic states in the circuits have been reported. On the other hand, many weak or strong definitions such that a 1-D map is mathematically chaotic are still being studied. In such definitions, the definition of formal chaos is well known as being the most traditional and most definite. However, formal chaos existences have not been rigorously proven in such circuits. In this paper, a general lossless transmission circuit is considered first with a dc bias voltage source in series with a load resistor at one side terminal and with a three-segment piecewise linear resistor at another side terminal. Secondly, the method for deriving a 1-D map describing the behavior of the circuit is summarized. Thirdly, to provide a basis of chaotic application for the 1-D map, the mathematical definition of formal chaos and the sufficient conditions of the existence of formal chaos are discussed. Furthermore, by using Maple, formal chaos existences and bifurcation behavior of 1-D maps are presented. By using the Lyapunov exponent, the observability of formal chaos in such bifurcation processes is outlined. Finally, the principal results and the future works are summarized.
Microstructure and Wear Behavior of TiC/AISI 1020 Metal Matrix Composites Produced by Liquid Pressing Infiltration
Authors: Kim Heejeong , Park Jungyu , Shin Sangmin , Cho Seungchan , Kim Junghwan , Bae Dong-Su , Jo Ilguk
Published: October 2021

A metal matrix composite was developed through a unique liquid pressing infiltration process to study the wear mechanism of a TiC reinforced AISI 1020 steel matrix. The microstructure, hardness, and wear behaviors of the TiC/AISI 1020 composite were compared with commercial AISI 52100 bearing steel. Microstructural analysis showed that there were no defects, such as pores or agglomeration of reinforcement particles, and about 60% of the volume of TiC was uniformly dispersed. In the case of the AISI 52100 alloy, the hardness was 62.42 HRC, which was similar to the 62.84 HRC value of the as-cast TiC/AISI 1020 composite. After the quenching heat treatment, the Rockwell hardness of the composite increased to 76.64 HRC, which was attributed to the martensitic transformation of the AISI 1020 matrix. As a result of the pin-on-disc wear test with high contact pressure, the wear width of AISI 52100 was 2937 μm, which was approximately 4.3 times wider than that of the heat-treated metal matrix composite (682 μm). The wear depths of AISI 52100 and the heat-treated composite were 2.6 μm and 0.5 μm, respectively, indicating that TiC/AISI 1020 exhibited excellent wear resistance compared with bearing steel. Improved wear resistance of the TiC/AISI 1020 composite originates from uniformly distributed TiC, with an increase in the hardness due to the heat treatment.
Preparation and Physicochemical Properties of Tannin-Immobilized Membrane Adsorbent
Authors: Luo Wei , Lin Huiting , Wu Zhihao , Chen Jingteng , Chi Ruiyang , Ye Xiaoxia , Chen Jie
Published: October 2021

Plant tannins have the ability to form stable complexes with metal ions, while microporous membranes have low pressure drop and high flux characteristics. Combining these two materials, a new type of tannin-immobilized membrane (M-TAN) adsorption material has been developed. The PA-BWT, PVDF-BWT, CELL -BWT, and PA-AA-BWT were prepared using different types of microporous membranes as substrates, which maintained the porous structure of the membranes and had the characteristics of high flux and fast filtration rate. The surface contact angle and pure water flux analysis showed that the introduction of tannin with multi-phenolic hydroxyl groups increased the hydrophilicity and water flux of the M-TANs. The adsorption performance shows that the adsorption capacity of four kinds of M-TANs for UO22+ is in the order of PA-BWT > PA-AA-BWT > PVDF-BWT > CELL-BWT, and PA-BWT has the largest adsorption capacity of 0.398 mmol g−1. In addition, the adsorption isothermal and kinetic data of PA-BWT were well fitted by the Langmuir equation and the Elovich model, respectively. The negative values of ΔG for UO22+ adsorption on PA-BWT indicated that adsorption is a spontaneous and favorable process. These facts indicate that PA-BWT can be used as a low-cost adsorbent for effective removal of UO22+ from aqueous solutions.
A Dosimetric Analysis of Reduction Cardiac Dose with Lead Shielding in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
Authors: Chiu Hsiao-Wen , Lai Lu-Han , Ting Chien-Yi
Published: October 2021

Adjuvant radiotherapy is an important treatment modality after breast-conserving surgery. Due to its proximity, radiation therapy for the left breast can often lead to an escalated heart dose that can result in heart diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the heart dose reduction by using lead shields surrounding the left breast. The doses of a 3D conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) plan, an intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) plan, and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) to the left breast tumor in a CIRS ATOM anthropomorphic female adult phantom were measured by optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters (OSLDs). To protect critical organs, the skin around the target area was covered by lead shields of two different thicknesses (0.125 mm and 0.25 mm). The results showed that compared to IMRT and 3D-CRT, VMAT provided better planning target volume (PTV) coverage, a better conformity index (CI), and homogeneity index (HI). With the use of lead shields, the thyroid dose was reduced by 5.12–27.5% and 20.51–30%, respectively; the heart dose was reduced by 49.41–50.12% and 56.38–57.42%, respectively; and the lung dose was reduced by 1.23–45.22% and 0.98–57.83%, respectively. Although the clinical application of lead shields was rare, this study verified that it could effectively decrease the heart dose from 4.31 ± 0.09 Gy to 1.88–2.18 Gy, thereby potentially reducing the risk of associated heart diseases by 14.8%. Further works to implement this method into clinical practice are needed.
Opportunities and Barriers for Valorizing Waste Incineration Bottom Ash: Iberian Countries as a Case Study
Authors: Bandarra Beatriz S. , Pereira Joana L. , Martins Rui C. , Maldonado-Alameda Alex , Chimenos Josep M. , Quina Margarida J.
Published: October 2021

Incineration bottom ashes (IBA) are the main waste from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration. In the Iberian countries (Portugal and Spain), MSW incineration with energy recovery (WtE) plays an important role in MSW management. IBA is highly produced and managed differently both between and within countries. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the management model of IBA using the Iberian Peninsula as a case study, addressing its properties, current management, incentives and difficulties in valorizing, and prospects. For this purpose, incineration plants of both countries were approached, and a broad literature review was conducted to gather information. About 10% and 41% of IBA have been landfilled in Portugal and Spain, respectively. Metals (mostly ferrous) from Portuguese (6% of IBA) and Spanish (9% of IBA) WtE plants are recycled. In Portugal, the remaining IBA (84%) has been temporarily stored (11%), applied to landfills as a substitute for soil in intermediate and final covers, construction of paths, accesses, and platforms (41%), or used in civil engineering work and road construction (48%). In Spain, the remaining IBA (50%) has been reused mainly as a secondary raw material in the construction and civil engineering fields (77%), while the rest has been temporarily stored (11%), applied in the conditioning of landfills (4%), alsoa secondary aggregate replacing natural materials. Both countries regulate IBA reuse outside landfills but consider different requirements and criteria. Nevertheless, there are both drivers and barriers to valorization. In the future, different IBA applications will likely continue to be developed, with the concern of protecting the environment. Growing confidence in IBA reuse following the publication of proper studies is expected. Globally, uniform legal frameworks among EU members with the same standards would likely lead to better IBA valorization.
Parameter Estimation and Application of Anisotropic Yield Criteria for Cylindrical Aluminum Extrusions: Theoretical Developments and StereoDIC Measurements
Authors: Yasmeen Farzana , Sutton Michael A. , Deng Xiaomin , Ryan Megan , Reynolds Anthony P.
Published: October 2021

Theoretical and experimental studies are presented to characterize the anisotropic plastic response under torsion loading of two nominally identical aluminum Al6061-T6 extruded round bars. Theoretical models are developed using isotropic (Von Mises 1913) and anisotropic (Barlat 1991) yield criteria, along with isotropic strain hardening formulae, to model post-yield behavior under simple torsion loading. For the case of simple shear loading, incremental plasticity theory is used to determine the theoretical elastic, plastic, and total shear strains. A set of experiments are performed to calibrate Barlat’s 1991 yield function. Several specimens are extracted at different orientations to the longitudinal direction of each round Al6061-T6 bar and tested under uniaxial tension and simple torsion to optimally determine all anisotropic (Barlat 1991) yield function parameters. During loading, Stereo Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is used to quantify surface deformations for the torsion experiments and a baseline tension specimen to identify and correct measurement anomalies. Results show the isotropic yield model either underestimates or overestimates the experimental shear strains for both extrusions. Conversely, results using the Barlat 1991 anisotropic yield criteria are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements for both extrusions. The presence of significant differences in the anisotropic parameters for nominally similar extrusions confirms that plastic anisotropy is essential for the accurate prediction of mechanical behavior in longitudinally extruded Al6061-T6 bars.
A Tensor Space Model-Based Deep Neural Network for Text Classification
Authors: Kim Han-joon , Lim Pureum
Published: October 2021

Most text classification systems use machine learning algorithms; among these, naïve Bayes and support vector machine algorithms adapted to handle text data afford reasonable performance. Recently, given developments in deep learning technology, several scholars have used deep neural networks (recurrent and convolutional neural networks) to improve text classification. However, deep learning-based text classification has not greatly improved performance compared to that of conventional algorithms. This is because a textual document is essentially expressed as a vector (only), albeit with word dimensions, which compromises the inherent semantic information, even if the vector is (appropriately) transformed to add conceptual information. To solve this ‘loss of term senses’ problem, we develop a concept-driven deep neural network based upon our semantic tensor space model. The semantic tensor used for text representation features a dependency between the term and the concept; we use this to develop three deep neural networks for text classification. We perform experiments using three standard document corpora, and we show that our proposed methods are superior to both traditional and more recent learning methods.
Compilation of Load Spectrum for 5MN Metal Extruder Based on Long Short-Term Memory Network
Authors: Cheng Xiaole , Han Te , Yang Peilin , Zhang Xugang
Published: October 2021

As an important condition for fatigue analysis and life prediction, load spectrum is widely used in various engineering fields. The extrapolation of load samples is an important step in compiling load spectrum. It is of great significance to select an appropriate load extrapolation method. This paper proposes a load extrapolation method based on long short-term memory (LSTM) network, introduces the basic principle of the extrapolation method, and applies the method to the data set collected under the working state of 5MN metal extruder. The comparison between the extrapolated load data and the actual load shows that the trend of the extrapolated load data is basically consistent with the original tendency. In addition, this method is compared with the rain flow extrapolation method based on statistical distribution. Through the comparison of the short-term load spectrum compiled by the two extrapolation methods, it is found that the load spectrum extrapolation method based on LSTM network can better realize load prediction and optimize the compilation of load spectrum.
Short-Term Associations between Morbidity and Air Pollution in Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico
Authors: Cerón Breton Rosa Maria , Céron Breton Julia , de la Luz Espinosa Fuentes María , Kahl Jonathan , Espinosa Guzman Alberto Antonio , Martínez Rocío García , Guarnaccia Claudio , del Carmen Lara Severino Reyna , Ramirez Lara Evangelina , Francavilla Antonella Bianca
Published: October 2021

Short-term effects of air pollution on the number of hospital admissions in eight municipalities of the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico, were assessed from 2016 to 2019 using a time-series approach. Air quality data were obtained from the Atmospheric Monitoring System of Nuevo Leon State (SIMA) which belongs to SINAICA (National System of Air Quality Information), providing validated data for this study. Epidemiological data were provided by SINAIS (National System of Health Information), considering admission by all causes and specific causes, gender and different age groups. Guadalupe had the highest mean concentrations for SO2, CO and O3; whereas Santa Catarina showed the highest NO2 concentrations. Escobedo and Garcia registered the highest levels for PM10. Only PM10 and O3 exceeded the permissible maximum values established in Mexican official standards. A basal Poisson model was constructed to assess the association between daily morbidity and air pollutants, from this, a second scenario in which daily mean concentrations of air pollutant criteria increase by 10% was considered. Most of pollutants and municipalities studied showed a great number of associations between an increase of 10% in their current concentrations and morbidity, especially for the age group between 5 and 59 years during cold months, excepting ozone which showed a strongest correlation during summer. Results were comparable to those reported by other authors around the world, however, in spite of relative risk index (RRI) values being low, they are of public concern. This study demonstrated that considering the nature of their activities, economically active population and students, they could be more vulnerable to air pollution effects. Results found in this study can be used by decision makers to develop public policies focused on protecting this specific group of the population in metropolitan areas in Mexico.