bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are We on the Way to Successfully Educating Future Citizens?—A Spotlight on Critical Thinking Skills and Beliefs about the Nature of Science among Pre-Service Biology Teachers in Germany
Authors: Welter Virginia Deborah Elaine , Emmerichs-Knapp Lars , Krell Moritz
Published: March 2023

A rapidly changing world and constantly expanding knowledge requires education to no longer focus on teaching subject-matter knowledge but also to promote students’ critical thinking (CT) and an accurate understanding of the nature of science (NOS). However, several studies have shown that these skills are still poorly acquired during formal education. Given the cause–effect sequence from teacher education to teacher action to student learning, it seems reasonable to consider individual factors on the part of (pre-service) teachers as possible contributors to such skill gaps. In our study, we therefore investigated how pre-service biology teachers perform on tasks assessing their CT skills and NOS beliefs. In addition, we addressed the questions of whether test performance and/or the relationships between CT skills and NOS beliefs differ as a function of the number of learning opportunities. Our results show that our participants’ CT skills were only in the low–average range. Moreover, 86% of them did not have an informed understanding of NOS. Although participants in the master’s program demonstrated clearly superior CT skills than those in the bachelor’s program, no such difference was found in terms of NOS beliefs. However, there was a consistent advantage for pre-service teachers who were aspiring to a teaching qualification in two (as opposed to only one) scientific subjects. Our findings provide useful implications, particularly with respect to the influence of learning opportunities in university teacher education and the effectiveness of CT- and NOS-based instructional settings. On a more prospective note, our findings underscore that, given the grand global tasks of the 21st century, it seems more important than ever to ensure that pre-service science teachers have sufficient expertise in CT and NOS in order to increase the likelihood that these teachers will be able to successfully help their future students develop these skills.
Bimetal–Organic Framework-Derived CoMn@C Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis
Authors: Yang Linyan , Gao Yu , Guo Yupeng , Li Zhengjia , Cen Jie , Yao Nan , Li Xiaonian
Published: March 2023

Introducing promoters to cobalt-based catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) has been found to be efficient in adjusting their performance in converting syngas into long-chain hydrocarbons. High spatial proximity of the promoter and reactive metal is desired to maximize the effectiveness of the promoters. In this work, CoMn@C composites were synthesized by the one-step carbonization of bimetal–organic frameworks (BMOFs: CoMn-BTC). BMOF-derived catalysts naturally exhibited that cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) are confined in the carbon matrix, with a concentrated particle size distribution around 13.0 nm and configurated with MnO highly dispersed throughout the catalyst particles. Mn species preferentially bind to the surfaces of Co NPs rather than embedded into the Co lattice. The number of Mn–Co interfaces on the catalyst surface results in the weakened adsorption of H but enhanced adsorption strength of CO and C. Hence, the incorporation of Mn significantly inhibits the production of CH4 and C2–C4 paraffin boosts light olefin (C2–4=) and C5+ production. Furthermore, the FTS activity observed for the Mn-promoted catalysts increases with increased Mn loading and peaks at 2Co1Mn@C due to the abundance of Co–Mn interfaces. These prominent FTS catalytic properties highlight the concept of synthesizing BMOF-derived mixed metal oxides with close contact between promoters and reactive metals.
Giving New Life to Waste Cigarette Butts: Transformation into Platinum Group Metal-Free Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction in Acid, Neutral and Alkaline Environment
Authors: Testa Davide , Zuccante Giovanni , Muhyuddin Mohsin , Landone Roberto , Scommegna Axel , Lorenzi Roberto , Acciarri Maurizio , Petri Elisabetta , Soavi Francesca , Poggini Lorenzo , Capozzoli Laura , Lavacchi Alessandro , Lamanna Niccolò , Franzetti Andrea , Zoia Luca , Santoro Carlo
Published: March 2023

Following the core theme of a circular economy, a novel strategy to upcycle cigarette butt waste into platinum group metal (PGM)-free metal nitrogen carbon (M-N-C) electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is presented. The experimental route was composed of (i) the transformation of the powdered cigarette butts into carbonaceous char via pyrolysis at 450 °C, 600 °C, 750 °C and 900 °C, (ii) the porosity activation with KOH and (iii) the functionalization of the activated chars with iron (II) phthalocyanine (FePc). The electrochemical outcomes obtained by the rotating disk electrode (RRDE) technique revealed that the sample pyrolyzed at 450 °C (i.e., cig_450) outperformed the other counterparts with its highest onset (Eon) and half-wave potentials (E1/2) and demonstrated nearly tetra-electronic ORR in acidic, neutral and alkaline electrolytes, all resulting from the optimal surface chemistry and textural properties.
A Review of Transition Metal Nitride-Based Catalysts for Electrochemical Nitrogen Reduction to Ammonia
Authors: Park So Young , Jang Youn Jeong , Youn Duck Hyun
Published: March 2023

Electrochemical nitrogen reduction (NRR) has attracted much attention as a promising technique to produce ammonia at ambient conditions in an environmentally benign and less energy-consuming manner compared to the current Haber–Bosch process. However, even though much research on the NRR catalysts has been conducted, their low selectivity and reaction rate still hinder the practical application of the NRR process. Among various catalysts, transition metal nitride (TMN)-based catalysts are expected to be promising catalysts for NRR. This is because the NRR process can proceed via the unique Mars–Van Krevelen (MvK) mechanism with a compressed competing hydrogen evolution reaction. However, a controversial issue exists regarding the origin of ammonia produced on TMN-based catalysts. The instability of the TMN-based catalysts can lead to ammonia generation from lattice nitrogen instead of supplied N2 gas. Thus, this review summarizes the recent progress of TMN-based catalysts for NRR, encompassing the NRR mechanism, synthetic routes, characterizations, and controversial opinions. Furthermore, future perspectives on producing ammonia electrochemically using TMN-based catalysts are provided.
Molecularly Imprinted Plasmonic Sensors as Nano-Transducers: An Effective Approach for Environmental Monitoring Applications
Authors: Ayivi Raphael D. , Adesanmi Bukola O. , McLamore Eric S. , Wei Jianjun , Obare Sherine O.
Published: March 2023

Molecularly imprinted plasmonic nanosensors are robust devices capable of selective target interaction, and in some cases reaction catalysis. Recent advances in control of nanoscale structure have opened the door for development of a wide range of chemosensors for environmental monitoring. The soaring rate of environmental pollution through human activities and its negative impact on the ecosystem demands an urgent interest in developing rapid and efficient techniques that can easily be deployed for in-field assessment and environmental monitoring purposes. Organophosphate pesticides (OPPs) play a significant role for agricultural use; however, they also present environmental threats to human health due to their chemical toxicity. Plasmonic sensors are thus vital analytical detection tools that have been explored for many environmental applications and OPP detection due to their excellent properties such as high sensitivity, selectivity, and rapid recognition capability. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have also significantly been recognized as a highly efficient, low-cost, and sensitive synthetic sensing technique that has been adopted for environmental monitoring of a wide array of environmental contaminants, specifically for very small molecule detection. In this review, the general concept of MIPs and their synthesis, a summary of OPPs and environmental pollution, plasmonic sensing with MIPs, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) MIP sensors, and nanomaterial-based sensors for environmental monitoring applications and OPP detection have been elucidated according to the recent literature. In addition, a conclusion and future perspectives section at the end summarizes the scope of molecularly imprinted plasmonic sensors for environmental applications.
Effects of Sepsis on Immune Response, Microbiome and Oxidative Metabolism in Preterm Infants
Authors: Parra-Llorca Anna , Pinilla-Gonzlez Alejandro , Torrejón-Rodríguez Laura , Lara-Cantón Inmaculada , Kuligowski Julia , Collado María Carmen , Gormaz María , Aguar Marta , Vento Máximo , Serna Eva , Cernada María
Published: March 2023

This is a narrative review about the mechanisms involved in bacterial sepsis in preterm infants, which is an illness with a high incidence, morbidity, and mortality. The role of the innate immune response and its relationship with oxidative stress in the pathogenesis are described as well as their potential implementation as early biomarkers. Moreover, we address the impact that all the mechanisms triggered by sepsis have on the dysbiosis and the changes on neonatal microbiota.
Optimizing Protein Production in Therapeutic Phages against a Bacterial Pathogen, Mycobacterium abscessus
Authors: Xia Xuhua
Published: March 2023

Therapeutic phages against pathogenic bacteria should kill the bacteria efficiently before the latter evolve resistance against the phages. While many factors contribute to phage efficiency in killing bacteria, such as phage attachment to host, delivery of phage genome into the host, phage mechanisms against host defense, phage biosynthesis rate, and phage life cycle, this paper focuses only on the optimization of phage mRNA for efficient translation. Phage mRNA may not be adapted to its host translation machinery for three reasons: (1) mutation disrupting adaptation, (2) a recent host switch leaving no time for adaptation, and (3) multiple hosts with different translation machineries so that adaptation to one host implies suboptimal adaptation to another host. It is therefore important to optimize phage mRNAs in therapeutic phages. Theoretical and practical principles based on many experiments were developed and applied to phages engineered against a drug-resistant Mycobacterium abscessus that infected a young cystic fibrosis patient. I provide a detailed genomic evaluation of the three therapeutic phages with respect to translation initiation, elongation, and termination, by making use of both experimental results and highly expressed genes in the host. For optimizing phage genes against M. abscessus, the start codon should be AUG. The DtoStart distance from base-pairing between the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence and the anti-SD sequence should be 14–16. The stop codon should be UAA. If UAG or UGA is used as a stop codon, they should be followed by nucleotide U. Start codon, SD, or stop codon should not be embedded in a secondary structure that may obscure the signals and interfere with their decoding. The optimization framework should be generally applicable to developing therapeutic phages against bacterial pathogens.
Mammaglobin-A Expression Is Highly Specific for Tumors Derived from the Breast, the Female Genital Tract, and the Salivary Gland
Authors: Gorbokon Natalia , Timm Patrick , Dum David , Menz Anne , Büscheck Franziska , Völkel Cosima , Hinsch Andrea , Lennartz Maximilian , Luebke Andreas M , Hube-Magg Claudia , Fraune Christoph , Krech Till , Lebok Patrick , Clauditz Till S , Jacobsen Frank , Sauter Guido , Uhlig Ria , Steurer Stefan , Minner Sarah , Marx Andreas H. , Simon Ronald , Burandt Eike , Bernreuther Christian , Höflmayer Doris
Published: March 2023

Human mammaglobin-A (SCGB2A2) is a secretory protein with an unknown function that is used as a diagnostic marker for breast cancer. However, other tumors can also express mammaglobin-A. To comprehensively study patterns of mammaglobin-A expression, a tissue microarray containing 16,328 samples from 128 different tumor types as well as 608 samples of 76 different normal tissue types was analyzed using immunohistochemistry. Mammaglobin-A positivity was found in only a few normal tissues, including luminal cells of the breast as well as endocervical and endometrial glands. In tumor tissues, 37 of 128 tumor categories showed mamma-globin-A staining, 32 of which were derived from one of four organs: breast (6 tumor categories), endometrium (5 tumor categories), ovary (5 tumor categories), and salivary glands (16 tumor categories). Only five additional tumor types showed occasional weak mammaglobin positivity, including medullary thyroid cancer, teratoma of the testis, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin and pharynx, and prostatic adenocarcinoma. Among 1139 evaluable invasive breast carcinomas of no special type, low mammaglobin-A immunostaining was linked to high BRE grade (p = 0.0011), loss of estrogen and progesterone receptor expression (p < 0.0001 each), and triple-negative status (p < 0.0001) but not to patient survival. In endometrial cancer, mammaglobin-A loss was linked to an advanced tumor stage (p = 0.0198). Our data characterize mammaglobin-A as a highly specific marker for tumors derived from either the breast, female genitals, or salivary gland.
Drone-Based Emergent Distribution of Packages to an Island from a Land Base
Authors: Hu Zhi-Hua , Li Tao , Tian Xi-Dan , Wei Yue-He
Published: March 2023

An island logistics system is vulnerable in emergency conditions and even isolated from land logistics. Drone-based distribution is an emerging solution investigated in this study to transport packages from a land base to the islands. Considering the drone costs, drone landing platforms in islands, and incorporation into the island ground distribution system, this study categorizes the direct, point-to-point, and cyclic bi-stage distribution modes: in the direct mode, the packages are distributed from the drone base station to the customers directly by drones; in the point-to-point mode, the packages are transported to the drone landing platform and then distributed to the customers independently; in the cyclic mode, the packages are distributed from a drone landing platform by a closed route. The modes are formulated, and evaluation metrics and solution methods are developed. In the experiments based on an island case, the models and solution methods are demonstrated, compared, and analyzed. The cyclic bi-stage distribution mode can improve drone flying distance by 50%, and an iterative heuristic algorithm can further improve drone flying distance by 27.8%, and the ground costs by 3.16%, average for the settings of twenty to sixty customers and two to four drone landing platforms. Based on the modeling and experimental studies, managerial implications and possible extensions are discussed.
A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial Evaluating a Regenerative Epithelial Suspension for Medium-Size Partial-Thickness Burns in Children: The BRACS Trial
Authors: Bairagi Anjana , Tyack Zephanie , Kimble Roy , Vagenas Dimitrios , McPhail Steven M. , Griffin Bronwyn
Published: March 2023

Background: There is little evidence regarding the efficacy of Regenerative Epidermal Suspension (RES™) management for paediatric partial-thickness burns. The Biobrane® RECELL® Autologous skin Cell suspension and Silver dressings (BRACS) Trial evaluated three dressings for the re-epithelialisation of partial-thickness burns in children. Methods: Eligible children (age ≤ 16 years; ≥5% TBSA; ≤48 h of injury) were randomised to silver dressings, RES™/Biobrane® or Biobrane®. The measured outcomes were the time to re-epithelialisation (primary outcome), pain, itch, intervention fidelity, treatment satisfaction, health-related quality of life, health resource utilisation and adverse effects. Results: The median time to re-epithelialisation in days was no different for RES™/Biobrane® at 12 (IQR: 5.6–18.4; n = 7) and slower by two days for Biobrane® at 14 (IQR: 6.3–21.7; n = 7) when compared to silver dressings 12 (IQR: 3.7–20.3; n = 8). Reduced pain, fewer infections, no sepsis, no skin graft, and the lowest impact on health-related quality of life were reported in the RES™/Biobrane® group compared to other groups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recruitment suspension resulted in a smaller cohort than expected and an underpowered study. Conclusions: The pilot trial findings should be interpreted cautiously; however, they indicate that a fully powered randomised controlled trial is warranted to substantiate the role of RES™ for medium to large paediatric partial-thickness burn management.
Influence of Agricultural Expansion and Human Disturbance on the Encounter Rates of Nocturnal Mammals in Tropical Hill Forests in Bangladesh
Authors: Al-Razi Hassan , Campera Marco , Hasan Sabit , Maria Marjan , Nijman Vincent , Nekaris K. Anne-Isola
Published: March 2023

Agricultural expansion has had a detrimental effect on tropical forests and the animal communities that depend on them. Agroforestry systems, however, with their more complex tree and plant communities, have been shown to be important habitats for a range of globally threatened species, including nocturnal animals. Here, we present novel data on the encounter rates of seven species of nocturnal mammals in relation to agroforestry systems within four national parks and associated plantations in Bangladesh to examine if encounter rates were influenced by the human population density, presence of plantations, and human access as represented by a Human Influence Index of anthropogenic disturbance. We walked 70.3 km of transects with only semi-natural forest, 26.9 km of transects with semi-natural forest and gardens, and 21.7 km of transects with semi-natural forest and monocultures over 55 nights from 2017–2019. Of the seven species of nocturnal mammals we detected, all were present in Satachari National Park, whereas six occurred in Lawachara National Park, Rajkandi Forest Range, and Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary. Within these national parks, three species (Bengal slow loris, large Indian civet, particolored flying squirrel) were more frequently recorded in areas with human disturbance, especially agroforestry plantations. With declining forest cover in Bangladesh, we highlight here the potential of agroforestry systems as emerging important habitats for these species. We encourage long-term studies of these lesser-studied taxa to understand fully the capacity of agroforestry systems in order to support their long-term conservation.
How Administrative Regulation Institutional Factors Affect the Business Efficiency in a Region: A Case Study of Russian Regions
Authors: Gamidullaeva Leyla , Agamagomedova Saniyat
Published: March 2023

Different business environments may have differential impacts. The improvement in the institutional environment and increased certainty about the future greatly impact entrepreneurial activity and business results. The reform of inspection and regulatory enforcement activities aims at improving the business environment, i.e., property, lawful rights, and interests against a variety of risks. Although the reform has been ongoing for several years in Russia, no systematic, independent evaluation of its efficiency and impact on the business efficiency at the meso-level of the Russian economic system has yet been implemented. The research aimed to investigate administrative barriers to business in (1) subdivisions of the Russian Federation on the example of monitoring and supervision activities of state bodies, and (2) the provision of public services. Besides, we measured the impact of administrative regulation on the effectiveness of entrepreneurial activity in the region. Findings from this research are useful in managerial practice, and for academic researchers and policymakers in emerging economies to adopt and consider to improve further the contribution of the administrative regulation institutions in regional economic development.
Caught in the Middle—Experiences of Student Peer Mentors in Nursing Education: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Rivenes Lafontan Sara , Hougaard Peter Forde , Knutstad Unni , Jensen Kari Toverud , Jerpseth Heidi
Published: March 2023

The use of digital and remote teaching has expanded in higher education and reached a peak during the COVID-19 pandemic. Reducing the social component of the learning process may increase students’ isolation, loneliness, and dropout rates. This study aimed to investigate the experiences of student peer mentors who participated in a mentoring program that was implemented to increase student well-being and prevent dropping out among first-year Bachelor of Nursing students at a university in Norway during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eleven semi-structured interviews were carried out with student peer mentors. Using a thematic analysis, four themes were identified: being someone who can ease the transition, defining roles and boundaries, developing communication strategies, and developing their own professional competence. Knowing how difficult the transition to higher education was and being a student during the COVID-19 pandemic made it challenging for the mentors to set boundaries. It was also challenging to develop effective ways to communicate with the first-year students. Being a mentor was considered beneficial for developing professional skills such as empathy and communication and to gain self-confidence. There is a need for more knowledge about how to support mentors in clarifying the peer mentoring role, setting boundaries, and coping with the emotional labor involved in peer mentoring.
Nonlinear Simulation and Performance Characterisation of an Adaptive Model Predictive Control Method for Booster Separation and Re-Entry
Authors: Chai Joseph , Kayacan Erkan
Published: March 2023

This paper evaluates the L1 adaptive model predictive control (AMPC-L1) method in terms of its control performance and computational load. The control performance is assessed on the basis of the nonlinear simulation of a fly-back booster conducting stage separation and re-entry, and compared to baseline nonadaptive MPC and as a pole placement controller in both longitudinal and lateral control tasks. Simulation results show that AMPC-L1 exhibits superior control performance under nominal conditions, and aerodynamic and guidance law uncertainties. The computational load of AMPC-L1 is also evaluated on an embedded platform to demonstrate that AMPC-L1 preserves the efficiency properties of AMPC while improving its performance.
System-Level Consideration and Multiphysics Design of Propulsion Motor for Fully Electrified Battery Powered Car Ferry Propulsion System
Authors: Tran Vu-Khanh , Paul Sarbajit , Lee Jae-Woon , Choi Jae-Hak , Han Pil-Wan , Chun Yon-Do
Published: March 2023

The Korean government is facing growing concern over the increasing levels of fine dust. A significant contribution to this problem comes from coastal vessels. To mitigate this, an electric ship propulsion system has been proposed as a solution to reduce air pollution. The application of a fully electric propulsion system in a ship is challenging due to size, capacity limitations, and the cost investment of the battery system. To address the challenges of battery limitation and initial investment costs, the development and supply of removable battery supply systems (RBSSs) for fully electrified battery powered (F-EBP) car ferries are studied. A permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) for the F-EBP car ferry using a roll-on/roll-off-type RBSS is developed in this work. Firstly, the concept of the F-EBP car ferry is discussed, and the specifications of the electric car ferry propulsion system are provided. Secondly, motor design and electromagnetic analysis are performed using finite-element analysis (FEA), where the heat sources including copper loss, core loss, and PM loss are calculated. Mechanical loss is also considered. Finally, a thermal network of the motor is built considering the lumped-parameter model. The results of the thermal analysis indicate that the motor operates within the safe region and can perform well in rated working conditions.
Statistical Characteristics of Differential Communication Scheme Based on Chaotic Radio Pulses
Authors: Dmitriev Alexander , Ryzhov Anton , Sierra-Teran Christian
Published: March 2023

The aim of this paper is to analyze statistical characteristics of the new differential communication scheme based on chaotic radio pulses in the presence of additive white noise (Gaussian) and using various distributions of instantaneous values of the chaotic signal. The characteristic feature of the presented scheme is the usage of significantly shorter time delays compared to the classical differential chaotic shift keying (DCSK) scheme. In order to investigate noise immunity of the direct chaotic differential communication (DC2) scheme, numerical statistical simulation is performed in terms of the bit error probability (BER) of the transmitted information. Then, the results of this simulation are compared to the results of analytical research. It is shown that due to the inherent internal noises of the scheme, the bit error probability (BER) for arbitrarily large values of the ratio of the signal energy to the Gaussian noise spectral density (Eb/N0) is higher than 10−3 for the values of processing gain K < 30 for any distribution of instantaneous values of the chaotic signal. With the increase of the K values, there is a rapid decrease in BER in a system with a channel without white noise. Numeric simulation is performed, which verifies and clarifies the analytical estimates obtained earlier regarding the bit error probabilities as functions of processing gain and ratio of the signal energy to the Gaussian noise spectral density. The minimum values of Eb/N0 are obtained, which provide necessary error probabilities with the processing gain set. It is shown that with a high processing gain (K > 30), the communication scheme considered here operates effectively both in a channel without fluctuation noises and in a channel with additive white Gaussian noise. The statistical characteristics of the proposed scheme do not depend on the choice of a particular distribution of instantaneous values of the chaotic signal. Taking into account that the scheme uses short delays, which do not depend on the processing gain of the used signal and are easily implemented, for example, on fragments of a high-frequency cable, the results obtained show good prospects for its implementation in a physical experiment.
AoI-Bounded Scheduling for Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Pu Chenggen , Yang Han , Wang Ping , Dong Changjie
Published: March 2023

Age of information (AoI) is an emerging network metric that measures information freshness from an application layer perspective. It can evaluate the timeliness of information in industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs). Previous research has primarily focused on minimizing the long-term average AoI of the entire system. However, in practical industrial applications, optimizing the average AoI does not guarantee that the peak AoI of each data packet is within a bounded interval. If the AoI of certain packets exceeds the predetermined threshold, it can have a significant impact on the stability of the industrial control system. Therefore, this paper studies the scheduling problem subject to a hard AoI performance requirement in IWSNs. First, we propose a low-complexity AoI-bounded scheduling algorithm for IWSNs that guarantees that the AoI of each packet is within a bounded interval. Then, we analyze the schedulability conditions of the algorithm and propose a method to decrease the peak AoI of nodes with higher AoI requirements. Finally, we present a numerical example that illustrates the proposed algorithm step by step. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithm, which can guarantee bounded AoI intervals (BAIs) for all nodes.
Robust Graph Neural-Network-Based Encoder for Node and Edge Deep Anomaly Detection on Attributed Networks
Authors: Daniel G. Victor , Chandrasekaran Kandasamy , Meenakshi Venkatesan , Paneer Prabhavathy
Published: March 2023

The task of identifying anomalous users on attributed social networks requires the detection of users whose profile attributes and network structure significantly differ from those of the majority of the reference profiles. GNN-based models are well-suited for addressing the challenge of integrating network structure and node attributes into the learning process because they can efficiently incorporate demographic data, activity patterns, and other relevant information. Aggregate operations, such as sum or mean pooling, are utilized by Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to combine the representations of neighboring nodes within a graph. However, these aggregate operations can cause problems in detecting anomalous nodes. There are two main issues to consider when utilizing aggregate operations in GNNs. Firstly, the presence of anomalous neighboring nodes may affect the representation of normal nodes, leading to false positives. Secondly, anomalous nodes may be overlooked as their representation is flattened during the aggregate operation, leading to false negatives. The proposed approach, AnomEn, is a robust graph neural network developed for anomaly detection. It addresses the challenges of false positives and false negatives using a weighted aggregate mechanism. This mechanism is designed to differentiate between a node’s own features and the features of its neighbors by placing greater emphasis on a node’s own features and less emphasis on its neighbors’ features. The system can preserve the node’s original characteristics, whether the node is normal or anomalous. This work proposes not only a robust graph neural network, namely, AnomEn, but also specific anomaly detection structures for nodes and edges. The proposed AnomEn method serves as the encoder in the node and edge anomaly detection architectures and was tested on multiple datasets. Experiments were conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method as a graph neural network encoder. The findings demonstrated the robustness of the proposed method in detecting anomalies. The proposed method outperforms other existing methods in node anomaly detection tasks by 5.63% and edge anomaly detection tasks by 7.87%.
Query Join Order Optimization Method Based on Dynamic Double Deep Q-Network
Authors: Ji Lixia , Zhao Runzhe , Dang Yiping , Liu Junxiu , Zhang Han
Published: March 2023

A join order directly affects database query performance and computational overhead. Deep reinforcement learning (DRL) can explore efficient query plans while not exhausting the search space. However, the deep Q network (DQN) suffers from the overestimation of action values in query optimization, which can lead to limited query performance. In addition, ε-greedy exploration is not efficient enough and does not enable deep exploration. Accordingly, in this paper, we propose a dynamic double DQN (DDQN) order selection method(DDOS) for join order optimization. First, the method models the join query as a Markov decision process (MDP), then solves the DRL model by integrating the network model DQN and DDQN weighting into the DRL model’s estimation error problem in query joining, and finally improves the quality of developing query plans. And actions are selected using a dynamic progressive search strategy to improve the randomness and depth of exploration and accumulate a high information gain of exploration. The performance of the proposed method is compared with those of dynamic programming, heuristic algorithms, and DRL optimization methods based on the query set Join Order Benchmark (JOB). The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the query performance with a favorable generalization ability and robustness, and outperforms other baselines in multi-join query applications.
Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach for Optimum Site Selection for Off-Grid Solar Photovoltaic Microgrids in Mozambique
Authors: Tafula José Eduardo , Justo Constantino Dário , Moura Pedro , Mendes Jérôme , Soares Ana
Published: March 2023

Given the constraints associated with grid expansion costs, limited access to reliable electricity, and priorities in addressing the climate agenda and Sustainable Development Goals in low-income countries, microgrids and off-grid solar projects represent a viable solution for rural electrification. This type of solution has the advantage of being less expensive than conventional technologies, is rapidly scalable, affordable, environmentally sustainable, and can play a critical role in empowering rural communities. In this context, this study proposed a spatial framework for off-grid solar energy planning based on a Geographical Information System and Boolean logic, Fuzzy logic, and Analytic Hierarchy Process Multicriteria Decision-Making methods. The results of the applied methodology show that the selection of optimal locations for off-grid solar photovoltaic microgrid projects in Mozambique is significantly influenced by the following order of criteria: climatology, orography, technical and location, social, and institutional criteria. Geographically, about 49% or 344,664.36 km2 of the total study area is initially suitable for an off-grid solar photovoltaic microgrid project; 4% is low suitable, 14% is moderately suitable, 18% is suitable, and 13% is highly suitable. However, 51% of the ranked areas fall into the not feasible and restricted areas, mainly in conservation areas, protected areas, and areas at high risk of flooding and cyclones, covering a total of 387,005.5 km2 within the study area. In general, the approach helps to reduce uncertainty and increase flexibility to identify appropriate sites and strengthen indicators of sustainable development impacts of decentralized rural electrification.
Optimized Hierarchical Tree Deep Convolutional Neural Network of a Tree-Based Workload Prediction Scheme for Enhancing Power Efficiency in Cloud Computing
Authors: Selvan Chenni Chetty Thirumalai , Bolshev Vadim , Shankar Subramanian Siva , Chakrabarti Tulika , Chakrabarti Prasun , Panchenko Vladimir , Yudaev Igor , Daus Yuliia
Published: March 2023

Workload prediction is essential in cloud data centers (CDCs) for establishing scalability and resource elasticity. However, the workload prediction accuracy in the cloud data center could be better due to noise, redundancy, and low performance for workload prediction. This paper designs a hierarchical tree-based deep convolutional neural network (T-CNN) model with sheep flock optimization (SFO) to enhance CDCs’ power efficiency and workload prediction. The kernel method is used to preprocess historical information from the CDCs. Additionally, T-CNN model weight parameters are optimized using SFO. The suggested TCNN-SFO technology has successfully reduced excessive power consumption while correctly forecasting the incoming demand. Further, the proposed model is assessed using two benchmark datasets: Saskatchewan HTTP traces and NASA. The developed model is executed in a Java tool. Therefore, associated with existing methods, the developed technique has achieved higher accuracy of 20.75%, 19.06%, 29.09%, 23.8%, and 20.5%, as well as lower energy consumption of 20.84%, 18.03%, 28.64%, 30.72%, and 33.74% when validating the Saskatchewan HTTP traces dataset. It has also achieved higher accuracy of 32.95%, 12.05%, 32.65%, and 26.54%.
Formation Timing and Features of Stylolites and Controlling Factors for the Second-Period Stylolites in the Carboniferous KT-I Formation of NT Oilfield
Authors: Li Changhai , Zhao Lun , Li Weiqiang , Zhao Wenqi , Sun Meng , Zhang Yu , Zheng Tianyu
Published: March 2023

The formation timing of stylolites, which is of great importance for analyzing the controls of stylolites, has nearly never been examined. In this paper, based on the data of cores, imaging logging, conventional logging, and mercury injection, the characteristics of stylolites formed in different stages of tectonic movement were investigated, and the controlling factors of oil-stained stylolites, formed in the second period of tectonic movement, were analyzed in particular. Furthermore, the influence of different controlling factors on the development of stylolites was compared, by using grey correlation analysis. The results show that there are three periods of stylolites in the study area, and all three periods developed both low-angle stylolites and high-angle stylolites. The prominent characteristics of both the low-angle and high-angle stylolites of the second period, are being oil-stained. The higher the structural location, the greater the buried depth, the lower the dolomite content, the higher the calcite content, the higher the clay content, the smaller the rock density, the greater the porosity, the smaller the rock grain size, the easier it is to develop both the low-angle stylolites and the high-angle stylolites. The influence of different controlling factors on the development of low-angle stylolites is given by depth, porosity, curvature, rock density, rock grain size, clay content, dolomite content, and calcite content, in this order. The importance of the influences on the development of high-angle stylolites proceeds as follows: curvature, calcite content, depth, rock particle size, clay content, rock density, dolomite content, and porosity. Tectonism is the most important influencing factor on the development of stylolites.
Preferential Concentration of Particles in Forced Turbulent Flows: Effects of Gravity
Authors: Gai Guodong , Thomine Olivier , Hadjadj Abdellah , Kudriakov Sergey , Wachs Anthony
Published: March 2023

The impact of gravity on the particle preferential concentration is investigated by direct numerical simulations in an Eulerian–Lagrangian framework for a large range of Stokes numbers Stη=0.01∼4. For particles with small Stokes numbers such as Stη=0.01, the gravity has minor effects on the particle spatial distribution in the turbulence. With increasing Stη, stripped structures of the high number density of particles appear and expand along the gravity direction. Different evaluation methods of particle preferential concentration are discussed such as the spatial distribution, the box index, and the probability density function. The number density of particles in the accumulating regions reduced under the influence of gravity. The reduction becomes prominent for the particle cloud at Stokes number Stη≈1, especially in the clusters of high particle number density. For large Stokes number Stη, the slip velocity significantly increases due to the particle gravity. Due to the gravity, the particle concentration reduces globally, particularly in the low vorticity regions. For the Stokes number range explored in this paper, gravity has a considerable impact on the particle-turbulence interaction.
A Review of the Mathematical Models for the Flow and Heat Transfer of Microencapsulated Phase Change Slurry (MEPCS)
Authors: Li Huyu , Yu Guojun , Xu Huijin , Han Xue , Liu Huihao
Published: March 2023

Microencapsulated phase change slurry (MEPCS), prepared by mixing microencapsulated phase change materials (MEPCMs) with water or other carrier fluids, is widely used in different applications such as for thermal regulation or heat storage systems. The transient thermal-hydraulic behavior accompanying the phase change process of the MEEPCS has a significant impact on the system performance. However, the heat and mass transfer during the phase change of the MEPCS is a complex multiscale process, due to the complex phase change of small particles and the complex coupling between the particles and carrier fluids. The numerical methods have been proved to be efficient and powerful means to investigate such complex phase change problems. However, the mathematical model is the critical factor determining the accuracy of the numerical methods, and is still under development. This review summarized the mathematical models proposed for the thermal-hydraulic processes of the MEPCS, compared the adaptabilities of different models, and provided suggestions for the selection of models.
A Critical Review and Bibliometric Analysis on Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar in Science Based on Web of Science Database
Authors: Elshaboury Nehal , Mohammed Abdelkader Eslam , Al-Sakkaf Abobakr , Zayed Tarek
Published: March 2023

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is an established technology with a wide range of applications for civil engineering, geological research, archaeological studies, and hydrological practices. In this regard, this study applies bibliometric and scientometric assessment to provide a systematic review of the literature on GPR-related research. This study reports the publication trends, sources of publications and subject categories, cooperation of countries, productivity of authors, citations of publications, and clusters of keywords in GPR-related research. The Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) and the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), which can be accessed through the Web of Science Core Collection, are used as references. The findings report that the number of publications is 6880 between 2001 and 2021. The number of annual publications has increased significantly, from 139 in 2001 to 576 in 2021. The studies are published in 894 journals, and the annual number of active journals increased from 68 in 2001 to 215 in 2021. Throughout the study, the number of subject categories involved in GPR-related research fluctuated, ranging from 38 in 2001 to 68 in 2021. The research studies originated from 118 countries on 6 continents, where the United States and the People’s Republic of China led the research articles. The top five most common keywords are ground-penetrating radar, non-destructive testing, geophysics, electrical resistivity tomography, and radar. After investigating the clusters of keywords, it is determined that civil engineering, geological research, archaeological studies, and hydrological practices are the four main research fields incorporating GPR utilization. This study offers academics and practitioners an in-depth review of the latest research in GPR research as well as a multidisciplinary reference for future studies.
Structural Properties of a Heteropolysaccharide Released from Isaria cicadae Miq. Solid-State Fermented Wheat Bran
Authors: Liu Rui , Liu Ruixin , Yan Xuebing , Li Ningjie , Li Ming , Zhi Zijian , Guo Boli , Zhang Min
Published: March 2023

The work aimed to improve the extraction efficiency of wheat bran polysaccharide by solid-state fermentation using the bioactive fungus Isaria cicadae Miq. and identify the structural properties of fermented wheat bran polysaccharide (IC-FWBP). The polysaccharide fraction of IC-FWBP was isolated with an extraction yield of 2.88% and an average molecular weight of 3.31 × 106 Da. The IC-FWBP was comprised of mannose, glucose, and galactose. The methylation, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Congo red analysis results suggested that IC-FWBP contained glycosidic linkages of T-β-D-Glcf, 1→2-α-D-Manp, 1→5,6-β-D-Galf, 1→2,3,4-α-D-Galp and 1→2,3,4-β-D-Manp, with triple-helix conformations. The morphological observation showed that IC-FWBP was composed of rod-like and spherical particles. These investigations on the structural properties of IC-FWBP will be beneficial to further research on the functional properties of wheat bran polysaccharides.
Combined Ensiling of Tropical Beans and Sugarcane Stalks: Effects on Their Secondary Metabolites
Authors: Artiles-Ortega Einar , Andrade-Yucailla Verónica , Medina-López Beatriz , de la Fe-Rodríguez Pedro Yoelvys , Acosta-Lozano Néstor , Fievez Veerle , Lima-Orozco Raciel
Published: March 2023

In this study, the effect of mixed silage on the chemical composition, ensilability, in vitro cellulase digestibility and some of their plant secondary metabolites (PSM) were assessed. The lab-scale silage mixes were made in triplicate from sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) stalk and Canavalia ensiformis or Mucuna pruriens beans (Santa Clara, Cuba). Sugarcane stalks and beans were mixed at a ratio of 40:60 (on DM basis), respectively, in combination with a mixture of microbial inoculants (Lactobacillus acidophilus, and two Kluyveromyces fragilis strains, 4 × 105 colony forming units (CFU)/g of fresh matter). Before and after ensiling, the chemical composition, ensilability and contents of some PSM (trypsin inhibitor, L-canavanine, total tannins, L-dopa and phytic acid) were determined. A complete factorial design to assess the effect of the ensiling time (30, 60 or 90 days), the legume type (LT) and their interactions on the assessed parameters were performed. A better silage fermentation quality of the M. pruriens–sugarcane mixed material [e.g., lower (p < 0.05) pH and ammonia N content and higher (p < 0.05) concentration of lactic acid] was observed as compared with the C. ensiformis–sugarcane mixed material. The ensiling process reduced (p < 0.001) the studied PSM, being higher (p < 0.001) in the M. pruriens–sugarcane silages than in the C. ensiformis–sugarcane silages [trypsin inhibitor (86 vs. 76%); L-canavanine (70 vs. 53%); total tannins (54 vs. 50%); L-Dopa (89 vs. 86%)], except for phytic acid (65 vs. 68%), respectively]. It was concluded that ensiling enhances the quality of the feeds by predigestive reduction of the amount of secondary plant metabolites.
Integration of Metabolome and Transcriptome Profiling Reveals the Effect of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) on the Browning of Fresh-Cut Lanzhou Lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) Bulbs during Storage
Authors: Li Xu , Zhang Chaoyang , Wang Xueqi , Liu Xiaoxiao , Zhu Xinliang , Zhang Ji
Published: March 2023

The fresh-cut bulbs of the Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor) experience browning problems during storage. To solve the problem of browning in the preservation of Lanzhou lily bulbs, we first investigated the optimal storage temperature and gas ratio of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) of Lanzhou lily bulbs. Then, we tested the browning index (BD), activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), the content of malonaldehyde (MDA) and other physiological activity indicators related to browning. The results showed that the storage conditions of 10% O2 + 5% CO2 + 85% N2 and 4 °C were the best. To further explore the anti-browning mechanism of MAP in fresh-cut Lanzhou lily bulbs, the integration of metabolome and transcriptome analyses showed that MAP mainly retarded the unsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio in the cell membrane, inhibited the lipid peroxidation of the membrane and thus maintained the integrity of the cell membrane of Lanzhou lily bulbs. In addition, MAP inhibited the oxidation of phenolic substances and provided an anti-tanning effect. This study provided a preservation scheme to solve the problem of the browning of freshly cut Lanzhou lily bulbs, and discussed the mechanism of MAP in preventing browning during the storage of the bulbs.