bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A metabolome and transcriptome survey to tap the dynamics of fruit prolonged shelf-life and improved quality within Greek tomato germplasm
Authors: Mellidou Ifigeneia , Koukounaras Athanasios , Frusciante Sarah , Rambla José L. , Patelou Efstathia , Ntoanidou Symela , Pons Clara , Kostas Stefanos , Nikoloudis Konstantinos , Granell Antonio , Diretto Gianfranco , Kanellis Angelos K.
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Tomato is a high economic value crop worldwide with recognized nutritional properties and diverse postharvest potential. Nowadays, there is an emerging awareness about the exploitation and utilization of underutilized traditional germplasm in modern breeding programs. In this context, the existing diversity among Greek accessions in terms of their postharvest life and nutritional value remains largely unexplored.

Methods

Herein, a detailed evaluation of 130 tomato Greek accessions for postharvest and nutritional characteristics was performed, using metabolomics and transcriptomics, leading to the selection of accessions with these interesting traits.

Results

The results showed remarkable differences among tomato Greek accessions for overall ripening parameters (color, firmness) and weight loss. On the basis of their postharvest performance, a balance between short shelf life (SSL) and long shelf life (LSL) accessions was revealed. Metabolome analysis performed on 14 selected accessions with contrasting shelf-life potential identified a total of 206 phytonutrients and volatile compounds. In turn, transcriptome analysis in fruits from the best SSL and the best LSL accessions revealed remarkable differences in the expression profiles of transcripts involved in key metabolic pathways related to fruit quality and postharvest potential.

Discussion

The pathways towards cell wall synthesis, polyamine synthesis, ABA catabolism, and steroidal alkaloids synthesis were mostly induced in the LSL accession, whereas those related to ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall degradation, isoprenoids, phenylpropanoids, ascorbic acid and aroma (TomloxC) were stimulated in the SSL accession. Overall, these data would provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanism towards enhancing shelf-life and improving flavor and aroma of modern tomato cultivars.
Exploring the relationship between teacher growth mindset, grit, mindfulness, and EFL teachers’ well-being
Authors: He Jianyu , Iskhar Shisir , Yang Yan , Aisuluu Moldobaeva
Published: September 2023

Introduction

This study examines the relationship between teacher growth mindset, mindfulness, grit, and teacher well-being, with a particular emphasis on the mediating role of grit.

Methods

The study involved 547 Chinese EFL teachers as participants. Data collection utilized validated measures of growth mindset, mindfulness, grit, and occupational well-being. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data and investigate the proposed relationships.

Results

The findings reveal several important relationships. Firstly, both teacher growth mindset and teacher grit exhibit a direct positive influence on teacher well-being. Secondly, teacher grit acts as a mediator in the connection between teacher mindfulness and teacher occupational well-being. This suggests that the positive impact of mindfulness on well-being is, in part, explained by the presence of grit.

Discussion

These findings significantly contribute to our comprehension of the factors influencing teacher well-being. They underscore the importance of cultivating growth mindset, mindfulness, and grit in educational contexts. Moreover, the implications of these findings for teacher training and support programs are discussed.
Cognitive functions and sense of coherence in patients with carotid artery stenosis—Preliminary report
Authors: Piegza Magdalena , Dębski Paweł , Bujak Kamil , Jaworska Izabela , Gorczyca Piotr , Pudlo Robert , Żerdziński Maciej , Piegza Jacek
Published: September 2023

Background

There is scarcely any data in the available literature on the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC) and cognitive functioning, and no information on the relationship between SOC and cognitive parameters in patients with carotid atherosclerosis.

Aim

The aim of this paper was to determine the relationship of SOC measured prior to carotid artery stenting (CAS) with neurocognitive functioning in patients with carotid atherosclerosis 12 months after CAS.

Methods

A total of 35 patients with carotid atherosclerosis completed the SOC-29 Orientation to Life Questionnaire (SOC-29) and completed a cognitive test battery twice, i.e., before (baseline–T1) and 12 months after stent implantation (follow-up–T2). Selected cognitive functions such as memory, attention, perception, visuospatial and executive functions and non-verbal fluency were assessed.

Results

One year after the procedure, patients with a higher SOC and sense of manageability present better performance in visual memory. Higher SOC and sense of meaningfulness are positively related to the speed of understanding the changing rules of card sorting (WCST).

Conclusion

Higher overall SOC and a component of sense of meaningfulness and manageability may be related to better cognitive functioning 1 year after the procedure.
A nap consolidates generalized perceptual learning
Authors: Reis Katherine S. , Heald Shannon , Uddin Sophia , Fenn Kimberly M. , Nusbaum Howard C.
Published: September 2023

Previous research has demonstrated that a night's sleep can consolidate rote and generalized perceptual learning. Over a waking retention period following training, performance gains from learning significantly decline, but sleep can restore performance to levels found immediately after learning. Furthermore, when sleep precedes a waking retention period following training, performance is protected against loss. Other research demonstrating that rote learning can be consolidated by a night's sleep has shown that a relatively brief nap can consolidate rote learning. This suggests that short periods of sleep can produce consolidation, indicating that consolidation may not require successive sleep cycles over an entire night to emerge. However, previous research has demonstrated that there can be differences in sleep-dependent consolidation for rote and generalized learning. In this study, we investigated whether an opportunity for a 90-min midday nap was sufficient to consolidate generalized perceptual learning of synthetic speech. We recruited 75 participants from the University of Chicago community (mean age of 20.83) who completed a pretest, training, and posttest in the morning on perception of synthetic speech. Training and testing in this manner are known to result in substantial generalized learning of synthetic speech. Participants then returned in the afternoon and were either given an opportunity for a 90-min nap or remained awake for 90-min. Participants were then given another posttest later that evening, never hearing the same words twice during the experiment. Results demonstrated that participants who did not nap showed significant loss of learning at the evening posttest. In contrast, individuals who napped retained what they learned, and did not show loss of learning at the evening posttest. These results are consistent with the view that an opportunity for a 90-min midday nap can consolidate generalized learning, as only individuals with consolidated learning should be able to retain what they learned despite an intervening waking retention period. This is the first demonstration that generalized skill learning is subject to sleep-dependent consolidation in short durations of sleep and does not require a full night of sleep. This work has implications for understanding the basic neural mechanisms that operate to stabilize short-term learning experiences.
Investigation of brix refractometry for estimating bovine colostrum immunoglobulin G concentration
Authors: Sockett Donald , Breuer Ryan M. , Smith Lindsey W. , Keuler Nicholas S. , Earleywine Thomas
Published: September 2023

Many dairy operations uses a Brix refractometer to assess the quality of first-milking colostrum. This study investigated whether a digital Brix refractometer could be used in a model to predict colostrum IgG concentration and whether more than one %Brix threshold could be used for different colostrum IgG concentrations. Colostrum from 182 animals was tested using a digital Brix refractometer and by single radial immunodiffusion. Statistical analysis, using simple linear regression to relate %Brix results with corresponding colostral IgG concentration, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to identify %Brix cutoffs that had no false positive results. Colostral IgG concentrations from digital Brix refractometry had a R2 value of 0.818 and a S-value of 21.7 g/L. The large S-value shows that a digital Brix refractometer should not be used in a model to predict colostrum IgG concentration. However, %Brix scores of 19.0, 22.0, 25.0 and 30.0 percent can be used to estimate minimum colostral IgG concentrations of 25, 50, 75 and 100 g/L. These four cutoffs can be used to strategically feed smaller volumes of colostrum to newborn calves. Smaller volumes may reduce unwanted side effects and shorten the time interval in which calves refuse to nurse, while still delivering an adequate mass of IgG to have successful transfer of passive immunity.
Bibliometric Study on the Social Shopping Concept
Authors: Barbosa Branca , Santos José Duarte
Published: September 2023

Social shopping has been increasing its impact on e-commerce, motivating companies to rethink their product or service marketing strategies. Also, academics from various countries, aware of this growth, seek, through their scientific publications in various journals, to present studies that allow them to identify elements that contribute to the consolidation of the social shopping concept. Bearing this reality in mind, this study, supported by a bibliometric analysis on social shopping and based on articles published in the last 20 years, seeks to analyze the evolution of scientific research, to identify the most influential scientific publications (for topics related to social shopping) and to detect research opportunities in social shopping, with 39% of scientific publication occurring in the years 2020 to 2022. The study also presents themes that are associated with social shopping, highlighting COVID-19, consumer behavior and online shopping, aspects that companies should consider in their e-commerce strategy. The study also identifies the most influential scientific publications for topics related to social shopping and for detecting research opportunities in social shopping, supported in six clusters.
Current Status and Spatiotemporal Evolution of Antibiotic Residues in Livestock and Poultry Manure in China
Authors: Li Yanli , Li Qingjie , Ji Zhengyu , Andom Okbagaber , Wang Xiaoxing , Guo Xueqi , Li Zhaojun
Published: September 2023

The use of antibiotics in the livestock and poultry industries has raised significant concern about environmental and health problems. In light of this, accurate knowledge of antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry manure is important for pollution management and strategic decision-making at the national level. This study aims to provide a comprehensive report on antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry manure in China using the published data of 3751 livestock and poultry feces in 29 provincial-level units over the past 20 years. In this study, the overall status of antibiotic residues in livestock and poultry feces was analyzed by mathematical statistics. Moreover, the spatio-temporal variation characteristics were analyzed by spatial statistics, and the differences among livestock and poultry species were evaluated by subgroup analysis. The finding indicated that tetracyclines (TCs), quinolones (QLs), sulfonamides (SAs), and macrolides (MLs) were the most abundant residues in livestock and poultry manure. The spatial and temporal variation revealed that the overall trend of antibiotic residues decreased gradually, and the spatial distribution was primarily concentrated in the southeast of Hu Line, exhibiting a “northeast-southwest” distribution. The distribution range also decreased slightly, with the residues of tetracyclines (TCs), quinolones (QLs), sulfonamides (SAs), and pleuromutilins (PMs) showing a significant spatial hot spot. The center of gravity of antibiotic residue shifted to the southwest between 2003 and 2021. In comparison to cow and sheep manure, the tetracyclines (TCs), sulfonamides (SAs), and macrolides (MLs) in pig and chicken manure were higher. The results can serve as a reference for the control and reduction of antibiotic pollution in livestock and poultry manure, as well as the wise utilization of those resources and achieving goals for clean agriculture.
Design and Experimental Testing of a Centrifugal Wheat Strip Seeding Device
Authors: An Xingcheng , Cheng Xiupei , Wang Xianliang , Han Yue , Li Hui , Liu Lingyu , Liu Minghao , Liu Meng , Zhang Xiangcai
Published: September 2023

Wheat sowing has the characteristics of wide and short sowing periods, and there are situations in which the suitable sowing period is missed. In order to meet the needs of high-speed sowing, a centrifugal wheat strip seeding device was designed, the principle of which is that rotating parts were mainly composed of centrifugal concave plate and guide strip rotating in the shell to provide the mechanical force and drive the airflow and then realize high-speed seeding. The influence of the rotational speed of the seed discharging plate, the seed feed rate, and the dip angle of the guide strip on the distribution of the flow field and trajectory of seeds in the device was analyzed. The aerodynamic characteristics of seeds and the distribution of the gas-phase flow field inside the seed displacer under airflow were analyzed by CFD–DEM coupled simulation. The effects of three operating parameters on the coefficient of variation of sowing uniformity (CVSU) and the row-to-row seeding amount coefficient of variation (RSCV) were clarified, and the simulation results were verified by bench experiments after secondary optimization. When the centrifugal concave plate rotational speed, seed feed rate, and guide strip angle were 408 rpm, 4938 grains/s, and 69°, the results showed that CVSU and RSCV were 1.12% and 2.39%, respectively, which was in line with the standards for grain strip seeders stipulated. The designed seed discharge device can sow 3.4 ha per hour. This study provides a reference for research of centrifugal airflow-assisted high-speed seeding devices for wheat.
The Application of Population Genomics in Crop Research
Authors: Yang Fan-Jing , Ma Wei , Ye Chu-Yu
Published: September 2023

Population genomics is a rapidly developing discipline at the crossroads of population genetics and genomics [...]
The Effect of Prebiotic Supplements on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Associated Health Parameters in Pigs
Authors: Kiernan Dillon P. , O’Doherty John V. , Sweeney Torres
Published: September 2023

Establishing a balanced and diverse microbiota in the GIT of pigs is crucial for optimizing health and performance throughout the production cycle. The post-weaning period is a critical phase, as it is often associated with dysbiosis, intestinal dysfunction and poor performance. Traditionally, intestinal dysfunctions associated with weaning have been alleviated using antibiotics and/or antimicrobials. However, increasing concerns regarding the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria has prompted an industry-wide drive towards identifying natural sustainable dietary alternatives. Modulating the microbiota through dietary intervention can improve animal health by increasing the production of health-promoting metabolites associated with the improved microbiota, while limiting the establishment and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Prebiotics are a class of bioactive compounds that resist digestion by gastrointestinal enzymes, but which can still be utilized by beneficial microbes within the GIT. Prebiotics are a substrate for these beneficial microbes and therefore enhance their proliferation and abundance, leading to the increased production of health-promoting metabolites and suppression of pathogenic proliferation in the GIT. There are a vast range of prebiotics, including carbohydrates such as non-digestible oligosaccharides, beta-glucans, resistant starch, and inulin. Furthermore, the definition of a prebiotic has recently expanded to include novel prebiotics such as peptides and amino acids. A novel class of -biotics, referred to as “stimbiotics”, was recently suggested. This bioactive group has microbiota-modulating capabilities and promotes increases in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in a disproportionally greater manner than if they were merely substrates for bacterial fermentation. The aim of this review is to characterize the different prebiotics, detail the current understating of stimbiotics, and outline how supplementation to pigs at different stages of development and production can potentially modulate the GIT microbiota and subsequently improve the health and performance of animals.
Characterization of Robertsonian and Reciprocal Translocations in Cattle through NGS
Authors: Iannuzzi Alessandra , Pistucci Ramona , Perucatti Angela , Zannotti Michele , Iannuzzi Leopoldo , Parma Pietro
Published: September 2023

This study presents a novel approach that combines next-generation sequencing (NGS) and cytogenetic technologies for identifying chromosomes involved in chromosomal anomalies. This research focuses on a chromosome anomaly discovered in male Alpine Grey cattle, as well as two previously reported cases of reciprocal translocations (rcps), namely rcp(9;11) and rcp(4;7). Abnormal chromosomes from Alpine Grey cattle were microdissected from conventional preparations, and the amplified products were sequenced using NGS. The sequencing reads were then mapped to the reference genome, and the leverage effect was calculated to identify abnormal reads/Mb values. The result revealed the presence of rob(26;29), which was further confirmed through traditional cytogenetic analyses such as Giemsa staining, CBA-banding, RBA-banding, and FISH techniques. Furthermore, the feasibility of this approach on preserved metaphases was demonstrated through analysis of old slides from previously characterized cases. The study highlights the challenges involved in identifying and characterizing chromosomal aberrations in bovine species and offers a potential solution for analyzing historical anomalies when fresh blood material is unavailable. The combination of NGS and cytogenetic techniques provides a cost-effective and reliable approach for characterizing chromosomal anomalies in various species, including those identified before the availability of modern banding technologies and FISH mapping using specific molecular markers.
Evaluation of the Interaction between Gum Arabic Addition and Stocking Density on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and General Health Parameters of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Al-Baadani Hani H. , Alhotan Rashed A. , Azzam Mahmoud M.
Published: September 2023

The present study aims to investigate the interaction between the addition of gum arabic as a prebiotic and various stocking densities on performance indicators, intestinal morphology, carcass characteristics, lymphoid organs, and selected blood indices of broiler chickens. A total of 816 1-day-old male broilers (Ross 308) were used and randomly divided into six blocks as replicates with eight treatments per block (forty-eight floor pens) based on 4 × 2 factorial arrangements with four dietary treatments containing 0.00% (CONT), 0.12% gum arabic (T1), 0.25% gum arabic (T2), and 0.10% commercial prebiotic (T3) and two stocking densities (normal = 28 kg/m2; high = 50 kg/m2). All performance indicators were evaluated during the feeding phases. Blood biochemical indicators were analyzed at 36 days of age. At 37 days of age, carcass characteristics, lymphoid organs, and intestinal morphology were measured. On days 1–36, growth performance indicators were negatively affected at high stocking density, but all growth performance indicators except feed intake improved in chickens receiving T1–T3 compared to CONT (p < 0.05). The relative weight of total small intestine and weight-to-length ratio showed a significant interaction between treatments and stocking density (p < 0.05). A high stocking density decreased pre-slaughter weight, carcass weight, and dressing yield, while legs and thymus increased (p < 0.05). None of the interactions or treatments affected carcass characteristics or lymphoid organs (p > 0.05). Indicators of blood biochemistry were not affected by treatments, stocking density, or their interaction (p > 0.05), except for uric acid, creatinine, and aspartate aminotransferase, which were higher at a high stocking density (p < 0.05). In conclusion, gum arabic as a prebiotic improved growth performance, production efficiency, and intestinal morphology in broilers. In contrast, high stocking density negatively affected performance, production efficiency, some blood indices, carcass weight, dressing yield, and intestinal morphology. Further research is needed to determine the mechanism.
Dual Histogram Equalization Algorithm Based on Adaptive Image Correction
Authors: Ye Bowen , Jin Sun , Li Bing , Yan Shuaiyu , Zhang Deng
Published: September 2023

For the visual measurement of moving arm holes in complex working conditions, a histogram equalization algorithm can be used to improve image contrast. To lessen the problems of image brightness shift, image over-enhancement, and gray-level merging that occur with the traditional histogram equalization algorithm, a dual histogram equalization algorithm based on adaptive image correction (AICHE) is proposed. To prevent luminance shifts from occurring during image equalization, the AICHE algorithm protects the average luminance of the input image by improving upon the Otsu algorithm, enabling it to split the histogram. Then, the AICHE algorithm uses the local grayscale correction algorithm to correct the grayscale to prevent the image over-enhancement and gray-level merging problems that arise with the traditional algorithm. It is experimentally verified that the AICHE algorithm can significantly improve the histogram segmentation effect and enhance the contrast and detail information while protecting the average brightness of the input image, and thus the image quality is significantly increased.
Assessment and Integration of ERA5 Reanalysis and Fujita−Takahashi Models for Storm Surge Prediction in the East China Sea
Authors: Chen Fanjun , Li Zongyu , Ding Kaixuan , Sun Zhilin , Zhou Hanyu
Published: September 2023

With global climate warming, the frequency and intensity of typhoons are increasing, highlighting the significance of studying storm surges for coastal engineering disaster mitigation. In this study, we assessed the predictive capabilities of the new ERA5 reanalysis model and the traditional Fujita−Takahashi model for storm surges. We found that the traditional Fujita−Takahashi model, utilizing a prelandfall typhoon wind field, exhibited higher accuracy in storm surge predictions, while the ERA5 reanalysis model, employing a postlandfall wind field, demonstrated superior performance. By considering the strengths and weaknesses of both wind field models and analyzing the impact of Typhoon In-fa (2021) on the East China Sea, we determined the influence of this typhoon on storm surge heights along the eastern coastal region. These research findings provide valuable insights for the development of effective protection strategies, offering valuable references for coastal resilience planning.
Enhancing E-Grocery-Delivery-Network Resilience with Autonomous Delivery Robots
Authors: Liu Dan , Kaisar Evangelos I.
Published: September 2023

This paper examines the challenges associated with the efficient planning and operation of an E-grocery delivery system using Autonomous Delivery Robots (ADR) during unforeseen events. The primary objective is to minimize unfulfilled customer demands rather than focusing solely on cost reduction, considering the humanitarian aspect. To address this, a two-echelon vehicle routing problem is formulated, taking into account stochastic service times and demands. Two models, namely a deterministic model and a chance-constraint model, are employed to solve this problem. The results demonstrate that the chance-constraint model significantly reduces unmet demands compared to the deterministic model, particularly when the delivery deadline has a broad time window and the ADR/van speed ratio is moderate.
Analysis of the Effect of Lateral Collision on the Seismic Response of Bridges under Fault Misalignment
Authors: Fan Longwen , Hui Yingxin , Liu Junlv , Zhou Tianyi
Published: September 2023

Mutual dislocation of seismogenic faults during strong earthquakes will result in a large relative displacement on both sides of the fault. It is of great significance to explore the influence of the collision effect between the main beam and the transverse shear key on the seismic response of the bridge under fault dislocation. In this paper, a series of cross-fault ground motions with different ground permanent displacements are artificially synthesized using a hybrid simulation method. Based on the contact element theory, the Kelvin–Voigt model is used to simulate the lateral collision effect. The effect of lateral collision on the seismic response of the continuous girder bridge is compared from the two aspects of fault dislocation position and fault dislocation degree. On this basis, the analysis of lateral collision parameters is carried out with the aim of reasonably regulating the seismic response of the structure. The results show that, compared with the near-fault bridge, the influence of lateral collision on the cross-fault bridge is stronger. The amplification of the bending moment of the central pier and the limitation of the bearing displacement are five times and two times, respectively, for the near-fault bridge. When the fault has a large dislocation, the weak point of the structural damage is the bending failure of the pier bottom and the residual torsion after the earthquake. The collision parameters of conventional bridges will aggravate the bending moment demand of the pier bottom of cross-fault bridges and limit their bearing displacement too much. Therefore, by appropriately reducing the collision stiffness and increasing the initial gap, the internal force and displacement response distribution of the cross-fault bridge structure can be more reasonable. The study in this paper has reference significance for seismic analysis of cross-fault bridges with transverse shear keys.
Inhalation with Vitamin D3 Metabolites—A Novel Strategy to Restore Vitamin D3 Deficiencies in Lung Tissue
Authors: Chojnacki Michał , Anisiewicz Jakub , Leśniowska Ilona , Lemieszek Marta Kinga
Published: September 2023

Vitamin D3 deficiency has been recognized as a pandemic with serious health consequences including chronic respiratory diseases. Unfortunately, improvement in this situation by using vitamin D supplementation has failed. The direct delivery of 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 and its precursor into the respiratory tract, by nebulization, seemed to be a better option, as verified in the presented study. To induce vitamin D deficiency, mice received a diet with 0.05 IU/g cholecalciferol, while control animals were given feed with 0.5 IU/g cholecalciferol. Vitamin-D-deficient mice were exposed to different doses of calcidiol or calcitriol via nebulization for at least 7 days. At the end of the experiment, whole-body plethysmography was conducted. Pulmonary and serum levels of calcitriol were examined using ELISA. The calcitriol concentrations in mice on standard vs. deficient diet were 30.31/18.20 pg/mg (lungs) and 132.24/98.61 pg/mL (serum), respectively. Restoration of the physiological level of calcitriol in vitamin-D-deficient mice required 1-week exposure to 100 pg/g of calcidiol or 5 pg/g of calcitriol. The inhalations did not cause any side changes in murine respiratory function. The presented study revealed the usefulness and safety of chronic inhalation with a bioactive form of vitamin D3 or its precursor for the restoration of physiological calcitriol levels in animals with vitamin D deficiencies.
Vision- and Lidar-Based Autonomous Docking and Recharging of a Mobile Robot for Machine Tending in Autonomous Manufacturing Environments
Authors: Jia Feiyu , Afaq Misha , Ripka Ben , Huda Quamrul , Ahmad Rafiq
Published: September 2023

Autonomous docking and recharging are among the critical tasks for autonomous mobile robots that work continuously in manufacturing environments. This requires robots to demonstrate the following abilities: (i) detecting the charging station, typically in an unstructured environment and (ii) autonomously docking to the charging station. However, the existing research, such as that on infrared range (IR) sensor-based, vision-based, and laser-based methods, identifies many difficulties and challenges, including lighting conditions, severe weather, and the need for time-consuming computation. With the development of deep learning techniques, real-time object detection methods have been widely applied in the manufacturing field for the recognition and localization of target objects. Nevertheless, those methods require a large amount of proper and high-quality data to achieve a good performance. In this study, a Hikvision camera was used to collect data from a charging station in a manufacturing environment; then, a dataset for the wireless charger was built. In addition, the authors of this paper propose an autonomous docking and recharging method based on the deep learning model and the Lidar sensor for a mobile robot operating in a manufacturing environment. In the proposed method, a YOLOv7-based object detection method was developed, trained, and evaluated to enable the robot to quickly and accurately recognize the charging station. Mobile robots can achieve autonomous docking to the charging station using the proposed Lidar-based approach. Compared to other methods, the proposed method has the potential to improve recognition accuracy and efficiency and reduce the computation costs for the mobile robot system in various manufacturing environments. The developed method was tested in real-world scenarios and achieved an average accuracy of 95% in recognizing the target charging station. This vision-based charger detection method, if fused with the proposed Lidar-based docking method, can improve the overall accuracy of the docking alignment process.
A Simulation-Based Approach to Evaluate the Performance of Automated Surveillance Camera Systems for Smart Cities
Authors: Kim Youngboo , Jeong Junho
Published: September 2023

A surveillance camera is the typical device that makes up a surveillance camera system in a modern city. It will still be a representative surveillance unit in future scenarios such as in smart cities. Furthermore, as the demand for public safety increases, a massive number of surveillance cameras will be in use in the future, and an automated system that controls surveillance cameras intelligently will also be required. Meanwhile, installing a surveillance system without any verification system might not be cost-effective, so a simulation that evaluates the system’s performance is required in advance. For this reason, we introduce how to simulate a surveillance area and evaluate surveillance performance in this paper to assess a surveillance system consisting of large amounts of surveillance cameras. Our simulator defined the surveillance area as a pair of two-dimensional planes, which depend on various camera-related configurations. Both surveillance areas are used to determine if the moving object belongs to the coverage of a surveillance camera. In addition, our simulator adopts several performance indices to evaluate a surveillance camera system in terms of target detection and quality. The simulation study provides comprehensive results on how various components of the surveillance system affect the performance of the surveillance system, leading to the conclusion that building a sophisticated scheme to control a large number of surveillance cameras can provide a cost-effective and reliable surveillance system for smart cities.
Permafrost Probability Mapping at a 30 m Resolution in Arxan Based on Multiple Characteristic Variables and Maximum Entropy Classifier
Authors: Guo Ying , Liu Shuai , Qiu Lisha , Wang Yan , Zhang Chengcheng , Shan Wei
Published: September 2023

High-resolution permafrost mapping is an important direction in permafrost research. Arxan is a typical area with permafrost degradation and is situated on the southern boundary of the permafrost region in Northeast China. With the help of Google Earth Engine (GEE), the maximum entropy classifier (MaxEnt) is used for permafrost mapping using the land surface temperature (LST) of different seasons, deviation from mean elevation (DEV), solar radiation (SR), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and normalized difference water index (NDWI) as the characteristic variables. The prior data of permafrost distribution were primarily based on 201 borehole data and field investigation data. A permafrost probability (PP) distribution map with a resolution of 30 m was obtained. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to test the distribution results, with an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.986. The results characterize the distribution of permafrost at a high resolution. Permafrost is mainly distributed in the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM) in the research area, which run from the northeast to the southwest, followed by low-altitude area in the northwest. According to topographic distribution, permafrost is primarily found on slope surfaces, with minor amounts present in peaks, ridges, and valleys. The employed PP distribution mapping method offers a suggestion for high-resolution permafrost mapping in permafrost degradation areas.
100 Picosecond/Sub-10−17 Level GPS Differential Precise Time and Frequency Transfer
Authors: Song Wei , Zheng Fu , Wang Haoyuan , Shi Chuang
Published: September 2023

A Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is a high-precision method for comparing clocks and time transfer. The GNSS carrier phase can provide more precise observable information than pseudorange. However, the carrier phase is ambiguous, and only pseudorange can provide the absolute time difference between two clocks. In our study, by taking full advantage of GNSS pseudorange and carrier-phase observables, a differential precise time transfer (DPT) method with a clustering constraint was employed to estimate the time difference between two clocks, aiming to achieve accurate and precise time and frequency transfer. Using this method, several time transfer results were analyzed for different baselines. For the common clock experiment, the time transfer results showed good consistency across different days, with an intra-day accuracy of within 20 ps. Furthermore, we evaluated the self-consistency of DPT using closure among three stations. DPT closure of the three stations had a peak-to-peak value of closure of about 25 ps. The closure did not change over time, indicating the self-consistency of the DPT processing in time transfer. Moreover, our results were compared to station clock solutions provided by the International GNSS Service (IGS), and the standard deviations (STDs) of the four baselines were all less than 100 ps within one month, confirming the time and frequency stability of the DPT method. In addition, we found that the time stability of DPT was less than 20 ps within one week. As for frequency stability, DPT achieved a 10−16 level of modified Allan deviation (MDEV) at an averaging time of about 1 day and a sub-10−17 level at an averaging time of one week.
Smart Platform for Monitoring and Control of Discrete Event System in Industry 4.0 Concept
Authors: Žemla Filip , Cigánek Ján , Rosinová Danica , Kučera Erik , Haffner Oto
Published: September 2023

We are now living in a time when the fourth industrial revolution is bringing new technologies with intensive digitalization of all levels of production. This paper presents a complex solution for the monitoring, diagnosis, and control of the production process, in our case, discrete event systems. The proposed solution—a mechatronic platform—further develops and extends our recent results where the overall concept was outlined and some partial tasks were studied. The present paper provides the complete structure of the proposed platform together with implementation details for all functionalities. The developed platform uses the latest technologies, such as OPC UA; industrial communication and visualization protocols and tools; and augmented reality, which enables comfortable interaction with real processes. The laboratory-scaled case study shows the qualities of the proposed solution.
Rudomain Iron Ore Treatment by High-Temperature Reduction
Authors: Legemza Jaroslav , Findorák Róbert , Baricová Dana , Buľko Branislav , Demeter Peter , Hubatka Slavomír , Karamanits Kostyantyn
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct experiments comprising the high-temperature reduction treatment of commercially produced iron ore fines and lumps aimed at increasing the use value of the ore. The analysed ore was Ukrainian iron ore sold under the Rudomain commercial name, mined from a bed located in the southern part of the Saksagan region (Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine). The study describes in detail the basic physical, chemical, and physico-chemical properties of the analysed ore, and it comprised a thermodynamic analysis, which is typically used as the basis for defining reduction conditions. The Ukrainian ore—Rudomain—exhibited a lower total Fe content (58.20 wt%) and, by contrast, the highest SiO2 content (13.40 wt%), whereas SiO2 is present in this type of ore not only in form of silica (SiO2) but also in form of hydrated iron silicate (Fe3Si2O5(OH)4), i.e., the form of iron that is the most difficult to reduce. In the study, tests of thermal stability and thermal shock stability were carried out in various conditions, while the hardened pellets were thermally stable up to temperatures of 950 °C. The results of the performed experiments in high-temperature reduction of Rudomain iron ore were then compared with the results obtained with two other types of iron ores, in particular Krivbas and Carajas. Krivbas and Carajas ores show higher degrees of reduction and degrees of metallization than Rudomain ore. High-temperature experiments in thermal stability and carbothermic reduction have brought favourable information that is useful for the treatment of lower-grade ores with higher contents of SiO2, while Rudomain iron ore exhibited a rather good potential for effective metallisation.
The Community Museum of Sierra Hermosa (Zacatecas): Rethinking the Museology, Landscapes, and Archives from the Desert
Authors: De la Rosa Natalia
Published: September 2023

This article presents the methodology and collective work strategies that constitute the Club de Lectura y Museo Comunitario de Sierra Hermosa (Sierra Hermosa Community Museum and Reading Club) in Zacatecas, Mexico, a space founded by visual artist Juan Manuel de la Rosa, a native of this place. The museum emerged as a small library in 2000; and a short time after its founding, the museological program incorporated textile workshops and an exhibition gallery for a collection organized with local and external donations. It also operates with a system of rotation within the town. This article reviews the historical, theoretical, and critical implications around the conception and action of the museum, with a focus on the colonial and the migration status that sustains the reality and history of this rural locality, situated on the Tropic of Cancer in the north of Mexico. In the context of extreme violence, extractive politics, and migratory crisis in Zacatecas, this article analyzes two artistic productions by the local painter Luis Lara and artist Cristóbal Gracia, developed in the context of this experimental and rural museum curatorial program. Moreover, this article redefines concepts such as the border, mobility, and cultural contact in an artistic, museological, and pedagogical context, and proposes alternatives to study Sierra Hermosa’s memory, history, and landscape.
Similarity Classes of the Longest-Edge Trisection of Triangles
Authors: Perdomo Francisco , Plaza Ángel
Published: September 2023

This paper studies the triangle similarity classes obtained by iterative application of the longest-edge trisection of triangles. The longest-edge trisection (3T-LE) of a triangle is obtained by joining the two points which divide the longest edge in three equal parts with the opposite vertex. This partition, as well as the longest-edge bisection (2T-LE), does not degenerate, which means that there is a positive lower bound to the minimum angle generated. However, unlike what happens with the 2T-LE, the number of similarity classes appearing by the iterative application of the 3T-LE to a single initial triangle is not finite in general. There are only three exceptions to this fact: the right triangle with its sides in the ratio 1:2:3 and the other two triangles in its orbit. This result, although of a combinatorial nature, is proved here with the machinery of discrete dynamics in a triangle shape space with hyperbolic metric. It is also shown that for a point with an infinite orbit, infinite points of the orbit are in three circles with centers at the points with finite orbits.
A Pruning Method Based on Feature Map Similarity Score
Authors: Cui Jihua , Wang Zhenbang , Yang Ziheng , Guan Xin
Published: September 2023

As the number of layers of deep learning models increases, the number of parameters and computation increases, making it difficult to deploy on edge devices. Pruning has the potential to significantly reduce the number of parameters and computations in a deep learning model. Existing pruning methods frequently require a specific distribution of network parameters to achieve good results when measuring filter importance. As a result, a feature map similarity score-based pruning method is proposed. We calculate the similarity score of each feature map to measure the importance of the filter and guide filter pruning using the similarity between the filter output feature maps to measure the redundancy of the corresponding filter. Pruning experiments on ResNet-56 and ResNet-110 networks on Cifar-10 datasets can compress the model by more than 70% while maintaining a higher compression ratio and accuracy than traditional methods.
Thermal Characterization and Interaction of the Subunits from the Multimeric Bacteriophage Endolysin PlyC
Authors: Hoopes J. Todd , Heselpoth Ryan D. , Schwarz Frederick P. , Nelson Daniel C.
Published: September 2023

Bacteriophage endolysins degrade the bacterial peptidoglycan and are considered enzymatic alternatives to small-molecule antibiotics. In particular, the multimeric streptococcal endolysin PlyC has appealing antibacterial properties. However, a comprehensive thermal analysis of PlyC is lacking, which is necessary for evaluating its long-term stability and downstream therapeutic potential. Biochemical and kinetic-based methods were used in combination with differential scanning calorimetry to investigate the structural, kinetic, and thermodynamic stability of PlyC and its various subunits and domains. The PlyC holoenzyme structure is irreversibly compromised due to partial unfolding and aggregation at 46 °C. Unfolding of the catalytic subunit, PlyCA, instigates this event, resulting in the kinetic inactivation of the endolysin. In contrast to PlyCA, the PlyCB octamer (the cell wall-binding domain) is thermostable, denaturing at ~75 °C. The isolation of PlyCA or PlyCB alone altered their thermal properties. Contrary to the holoenzyme, PlyCA alone unfolds uncooperatively and is thermodynamically destabilized, whereas the PlyCB octamer reversibly dissociates into monomers and forms an intermediate state at 74 °C in phosphate-buffered saline with each subunit subsequently denaturing at 92 °C. Adding folded PlyCA to an intermediate state PlyCB, followed by cooling, allowed for in vitro reconstitution of the active holoenzyme.
Monitoring the Spread of Grapevine Viruses in Vineyards of Contrasting Agronomic Practices: A Metagenomic Investigation
Authors: Vu Minh , McFadden-Smith Wendy , Poojari Sudarsana
Published: September 2023

This study investigated the transmission of grapevine viruses, specifically grapevine red blotch virus (GRBV) and grapevine Pinot gris virus (GPGV), in vineyards in Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. Forty sentinel vines that were confirmed free of GRBV and GPGV by both high-throughput sequencing (HTS) and endpoint polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were introduced to two vineyards (one organic and one conventional) that were heavily infected with both GRBV and GPGV. Four months post-introduction, the sentinel vines were relocated to a phytotron. The HTS results from 15 months post-introduction revealed a widespread infection of GPGV among the sentinel vines but did not detect any GRBV. The GPGV infection rate of sentinel vines in the organic vineyard (13/18) was higher than in the conventional vineyard (1/19). The possibility of an alternative viral reservoir was assessed by testing the most abundant plants in between rows (Medicago sativa, Trifolium repens, Cirsium arvense and Taraxacum officinale), perennial plants in border areas (Fraxinus americana, Ulmus americana, Rhamnus cathartica) and wild grape (unknown Vitis sp.). The HTS result showed that cover crops and perennial plants did not harbor any grapevine viruses, while 4/5 wild grapes tested positive for GPGV but not GRBV. A pairwise sequence identity analysis revealed high similarities between the GPGV isolates found in the established vines on the vineyard and the newly contracted GPGV isolates in the sentinel vines, implicating a recent transmission event. This work provides novel insights into the spread of grapevine viruses in Niagara Region and is also the first direct proof of the spread of GPGV in natural vineyard conditions in North America.
Optimizing Microsatellite Marker Panels for Genetic Diversity and Population Genetic Studies: An Ant Colony Algorithm Approach with Polymorphic Information Content
Authors: Rasoarahona Ryan , Wattanadilokchatkun Pish , Panthum Thitipong , Thong Thanyapat , Singchat Worapong , Ahmad Syed Farhan , Chaiyes Aingorn , Han Kyudong , Kraichak Ekaphan , Muangmai Narongrit , Koga Akihiko , Duengkae Prateep , Antunes Agostinho , Srikulnath Kornsorn
Published: September 2023

Microsatellites are polymorphic and cost-effective. Optimizing reduced microsatellite panels using heuristic algorithms eases budget constraints in genetic diversity and population genetic assessments. Microsatellite marker efficiency is strongly associated with its polymorphism and is quantified as the polymorphic information content (PIC). Nevertheless, marker selection cannot rely solely on PIC. In this study, the ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm, a widely recognized optimization method, was adopted to create an enhanced selection scheme for refining microsatellite marker panels, called the PIC–ACO selection scheme. The algorithm was fine-tuned and validated using extensive datasets of chicken (Gallus gallus) and Chinese gorals (Naemorhedus griseus) from our previous studies. In contrast to basic optimization algorithms that stochastically initialize potential outputs, our selection algorithm utilizes the PIC values of markers to prime the ACO process. This increases the global solution discovery speed while reducing the likelihood of becoming trapped in local solutions. This process facilitated the acquisition of a cost-efficient and optimized microsatellite marker panel for studying genetic diversity and population genetic datasets. The established microsatellite efficiency metrics such as PIC, allele richness, and heterozygosity were correlated with the actual effectiveness of the microsatellite marker panel. This approach could substantially reduce budgetary barriers to population genetic assessments, breeding, and conservation programs.