bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Semicryptic Diversity around Chaetoceros elegans (Bacillariophyta, Mediophyceae), and the Description of Two New Species
Authors: Chen Xiumei , Chen Zuoyi , Lundholm Nina , Teng Sing Tung , Xu Xiaojing , Li Yang
Published: August 2022

The globally distributed Chaetoceros elegans belongs to the Chaetoceros lorenzianus (C. lorenzianus) complex and is characterized by having tear-shaped setae poroids. Several strains of C. elegans were established from Chinese coastal waters. The vegetative cells and the resting spores were observed using light and electron microscopy. Phylogenetic analyses of two nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (SSU and the D1–D3 region of LSU) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) revealed that the C. elegans strains clustered into three clades, corresponding to different morphotypes. Based on the type material, the delineation of C. elegans was amended, and two new taxa, (Chaetoceros macroelegans) C. macroelegans sp. nov. and (Chaetoceros densoelegans) C.densoelegans sp. nov., were described. The two new taxa are featured by the presence of two types of setae poroids, tear-shaped and round-oval setae poroids, whereas only tear-shaped setae poroids are seen in C. elegans. The setae base is distinct in C. elegans, but absent or short in the two new taxa. In C. macroelegans, the tear-shaped poroids on the intercalary setae are larger and less densely spaced than in the other two species. The round-oval setae poroids are more densely spaced in C.densoelegans than in C. macroelegans, although they have more or less the same size. Resting spores characterize the two new taxa, but are unknown in the amended C. elegans. When comparing the ITS2 secondary structure, two and four compensatory base changes (CBCs) distinguish C. elegans from C. macroelegans and C.densoelegans, respectively. Between the two new taxa, no CBC but five hemi-CBCs (HCBCs) are present. The shape, size and density of the setae poroids, as well as the morphology of the resting spores, are important characteristics for species identification among the presently nine known species within the C. lorenzianus complex.
Mapping Ecological Units in Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of San Andrés Island (Southwestern Caribbean)
Authors: Mejía-Quintero Katherine , Cedeño-Posso Cristina , Millán Santiago , Chasqui Luis
Published: August 2022

To map ecological units in mesophotic coral ecosystems on the western side of San Andrés Island (Colombia) considering biotic components and geomorphic zonation among 30–140 m deep, 27 video transects were done using an ROV. In total, 14 h of video were recorded and 5742 still images were extracted from them, from which 753 met quality criteria for bottom coverage and organisms’ abundance estimations. These estimates were calculated from images through the Planar-Point Intercept method (PPI) using a 1 m × 0.5 m quadrant gridded 0.1 m × 0.1 m. CLUSTER, SIMPROF, and SIMPER analysis of benthic composition considering depth ranges in the group’s formation were done. The clusters formed were simplified and generalized using a color matrix to support the mapping process. Two geomorphological units were found, the deep reef terrace (30–60 m) and the reef slope (60–357 m), overlapping with five ecological units spanning 268 ha. The units Bioturbed sediments–Calcareous algae, Octocorals–Mixed corals, and Octocorals–Sponges sited on the deep reef terrace have been previously described in the shallow waters of the island, and the units Octocorals–Sponges–Antipatharians and Encrusting Sponges sited on the reef slope are described as new here. These findings contribute to the knowledge of Caribbean mesophotic coral ecosystems and are useful to update the Colombian coral reef atlas.
Organic Farm Bedded Pack System Microbiomes: A Case Study with Comparisons to Similar and Different Bedded Packs
Authors: Neher Deborah A. , Andrews Tucker D. , Weicht Thomas R. , Hurd Asa , Barlow John W.
Published: August 2022

Animal housing and bedding materials influence cow and farm worker exposure to microbial pathogens, biocontrol agents, and/or allergens. This case study represents an effort to characterize the bacterial and fungal community of bedding systems using an amplicon sequencing approach supplemented with the ecological assessment of cultured Trichocomaceae isolates (focusing on Penicillium and Aspergillus species) and yeasts (Saccharomycetales). Bedding from five certified organic dairy farms in northern Vermont USA were sampled monthly between October 2015 and May 2016. Additional herd level samples from bulk tank milk and two bedding types were collected from two farms to collect fungal isolates for culturing and ecology. Most of the microorganisms in cattle bedding were microbial decomposers (saprophytes) or coprophiles, on account of the bedding being composed of dead plant matter, cattle feces, and urine. Composition of bacterial and fungal communities exhibited distinct patterns of ecological succession measured through time and by bedding depth. Community composition patterns were related to management practices and choice of bedding material. Aspergillus and Penicillium species exhibited niche differentiation expressed as differential substrate requirements; however, they generally exhibited traits of early colonizers of bedding substrates, typically rich in carbon and low in nitrogen. Pichia kudriavzevii was the most prevalent species cultured from milk and bedding. P. kudriavzevii produced protease and its abundance directly related to temperature. The choice of bedding and its management represent a potential opportunity to curate the microbial community of the housing environment.
Acral Melanocytic Neoplasms: A Comprehensive Review of Acral Nevus and Acral Melanoma in Asian Perspective
Authors: Park Sanghyun , Yun Sook-Jung
Published: August 2022

Acral melanocytic neoplasms, including acral melanocytic nevus and acral melanoma, are common melanocytic lesions in Asian populations. Both lesions occur on the volar surface of the hands and feet, and on nail units. Acral melanocytic nevi occur on the arch area of the sole, whereas acral melanomas frequently occur on weight-bearing areas of the sole, and on the fingernails. Therefore, the development of acral melanoma may be associated with chronic pressure, physical stress, or trauma. Dermoscopy is a useful adjunctive diagnostic tool for differential diagnosis. Acral melanocytic nevus is characterized by a parallel furrow pattern, whereas acral melanoma has a parallel ridge pattern. Genetic alterations are also different between the two types of lesion. BRAF and NRAS mutations are common in acral melanocytic nevus, whereas acral melanoma shows lower rates of KIT, NF1, BRAF, and NRAS mutations and remarkable copy number variations in genes such as CCND1, CDK4, hTERT, PAK1, and GAB2. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is important for staging and prognosis. Contemporary treatments for melanoma include targeted therapy for mutations and immunotherapy, such as anti-PD1 inhibitors.
Acute Kidney Injury in COVID-19 Patients: Pathogenesis, Clinical Characteristics, Therapy, and Mortality
Authors: Chávez-Valencia Venice , Orizaga-de-la-Cruz Citlalli , Lagunas-Rangel Francisco Alejandro
Published: August 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus and has represented one of the greatest challenges humanity has faced in recent years. The virus can infect a large number of organs, including the lungs and upper respiratory tract, brain, liver, kidneys, and intestines, among many others. Although the greatest damage occurs in the lungs, the kidneys are not exempt, and acute kidney injury (AKI) can occur in patients with COVID-19. Indeed, AKI is one of the most frequent and serious organic complications of COVID-19. The incidence of COVID-19 AKI varies widely, and the exact mechanisms of how the virus damages the kidney are still unknown. For this reason, the purpose of this review was to assess current findings on the pathogenesis, clinical features, therapy, and mortality of COVID-19 AKI.
The Wind Dynamics of Super-Eddington Sources in FRADO
Authors: Naddaf Mohammad-Hassan , Czerny Bożena , Zajaček Michal
Published: August 2022

We perform non-hydrodynamical 2.5D simulations to study the dynamics of material above accretion disk based on the disk radiation pressure acting on dust. We assume a super-accreting underlying disk with the accretion rate of 10 times the Eddington rate with central black hole mass ranging from 107 up to 109M⊙. Such high accretion rates are characteristic for extreme sources. We show that for high accretors the radiatively dust-driving mechanism based on the FRADO model always leads to a massive outflow from the disk surface, and the failed wind develops only at larger radii. The outflow rate strongly depends on the black hole mass, and an optically thick energy-driven solution can exceed the accretion rate for masses larger than 108M⊙ but momentum-driven outflow does not exceed the accretion rate even for super-Eddington accretion, therefore not violating the adopted stationarity of the disk. However, even in this case the outflow from the disk implies a strong mechanical feedback.
Entropy-Based Discovery of Summary Causal Graphs in Time Series
Authors: Assaad Charles K. , Devijver Emilie , Gaussier Eric
Published: August 2022

This study addresses the problem of learning a summary causal graph on time series with potentially different sampling rates. To do so, we first propose a new causal temporal mutual information measure for time series. We then show how this measure relates to an entropy reduction principle that can be seen as a special case of the probability raising principle. We finally combine these two ingredients in PC-like and FCI-like algorithms to construct the summary causal graph. There algorithm are evaluated on several datasets, which shows both their efficacy and efficiency.
Smartphone Camera Identification from Low-Mid Frequency DCT Coefficients of Dark Images
Authors: Berdich Adriana , Groza Bogdan
Published: August 2022

Camera sensor identification can have numerous forensics and authentication applications. In this work, we follow an identification methodology for smartphone camera sensors using properties of the Dark Signal Nonuniformity (DSNU) in the collected images. This requires taking dark pictures, which the users can easily do by keeping the phone against their palm, and has already been proposed by various works. From such pictures, we extract low and mid frequency AC coefficients from the DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform) and classify the data with the help of machine learning techniques. Traditional algorithms such as KNN (K-Nearest Neighbor) give reasonable results in the classification, but we obtain the best results with a wide neural network, which, despite its simplicity, surpassed even a more complex network architecture that we tried. Our analysis showed that the blue channel provided the best separation, which is in contrast to previous works that have recommended the green channel for its higher encoding power.
The Detection of Early Reading Performance and Its Relationship with Biopsychosocial Risk Factors in the Study of Learning Difficulties
Authors: Quiroga Bernardos Cristina , López Gómez Santiago , Iglesias Souto Patricia María , Rivas Torres Rosa María , Taboada Ares Eva María
Published: August 2022

The study of the multiple processes involved in learning how to read can contribute towards the early detection of good and bad readers. However, it is necessary to take into consideration different biopsychosocial risk factors (pre- and perigestational, neonatal, medical, developmental and family-related) that may have a significant impact on neurodevelopment, producing atypical cognitive development that could lead to the presence of reading difficulties. The objective of this study was to identify the main psycholinguistic abilities involved in the early reading performance and analyse their relationship to biopsychosocial risk factors. A total of 110 subjects between the ages of 4 and 7 years old and enrolled in state-run schools in Spain participated in the study. Significant correlations were found between different psycholinguistic abilities and certain biopsychosocial risk factors (having had hyperbilirubinemia, having obtained a score lower than 9 on the Apgar test, having had language problems or a sibling with dyslexia). This relationship should be taken into account in the study of learning difficulties as a potential indicator to predict later reading development and even the presence of developmental dyslexia.
Multiple Mechanisms to Strengthen the Ability of YOLOv5s for Real-Time Identification of Vehicle Type
Authors: Luo Qiang , Wang Junfan , Gao Mingyu , He Zhiwei , Yang Yuxiang , Zhou Hongtao
Published: August 2022

Identifying the type of vehicle on the road is a challenging task, especially in the natural environment with all its complexities, such that the traditional architecture for object detection requires an excessively large amount of computation. Such lightweight networks as MobileNet are fast but cannot satisfy the performance-related requirements of this task. Improving the detection-related performance of small networks is, thus, an outstanding challenge. In this paper, we use YOLOv5s as the backbone network to propose a large-scale convolutional fusion module called the ghost cross-stage partial network (G_CSP), which can integrate large-scale information from different feature maps to identify vehicles on the road. We use the convolutional triplet attention network (C_TA) module to extract attention-based information from different dimensions. We also optimize the original spatial pyramid pooling fast (SPPF) module and use the dilated convolution to increase the capability of the network to extract information. The optimized module is called the DSPPF. The results of extensive experiments on the bdd100K, VOC2012 + 2007, and VOC2019 datasets showed that the improved YOLOv5s network performs well and can be used on mobile devices in real time.
Observer Based Improved Position Estimation in Field-Oriented Controlled PMSM with Misplaced Hall-Effect Sensors
Authors: Zhao Mengji , An Quntao , Chen Changqing , Cao Fuqiang , Li Siwen
Published: August 2022

Low resolution Hall-effect sensors have been commonly applied in PMSM drives for the reason of cost and volume. Generally, rotor speed and position are estimated inaccurately due to the installation error of the sensors. The inaccurate position degrades the performance of current control and also increases torque ripples, which aggravates mechanical vibration and noise. An improved dual observer is proposed in this paper to suppress the impact of misplaced Hall-effect sensors and improve estimation accuracy. By a cascading dual Luenberger observer and combining feedback decoupling control, the low-order noises produced by the deviation of Hall signals are effectively suppressed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by experimental results.
Is Energy Use in the EU Countries Moving toward Sustainable Development?
Authors: Bąk Iwona , Tarczyńska-Łuniewska Małgorzata , Barwińska-Małajowicz Anna , Hydzik Paweł , Kusz Dariusz
Published: August 2022

The increase in energy demand requires urgent investments in sustainable energy. It is vital to the success of the 2030 Agenda, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly. The article aimed to assess the situation of the European Union countries with regard to energy use. Indicators related to the implementation of SDG7 and environmental and resource productivity of the economy were adopted for the study. The research presented in this article fits into contemporary debates on the effectiveness of implementing one of the SDG7: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The analysis included 26 countries that have been in the European Union since 2010. The study’s originality lies in the use of primary data obtained from the Eurostat database for three research periods: 2010, 2015, and 2020, which will allow for assessing the situation of the surveyed EU countries in the area of energy use. In order to achieve the research objective, selected methods of descriptive statistics and vector measurement were used. The application of a vector measure made it possible to rank the studied countries in terms of efficient energy use. Based on the results obtained, there is a significant variation in space and time in the evolution of the energy system of the European Union’s member states toward sustainable development. Rational energy use is primarily the domain of north-western European countries, with Sweden and Austria always leading the rankings. However, this does not mean that in these countries, in spite of their high position in the ranking, the levels of some indicators in 2015 and 2020 as compared with those in 2010 did not deteriorate. Due to this fact, attention should be paid to the energy use process and identification of signals responsible for deteriorating the outcomes. The research results can help diagnose the results obtained so far and correct the European Union’s climate and energy policy in the future.
On the Use of Quantum Reinforcement Learning in Energy-Efficiency Scenarios
Authors: Andrés Eva , Cuéllar Manuel Pegalajar , Navarro Gabriel
Published: August 2022

In the last few years, deep reinforcement learning has been proposed as a method to perform online learning in energy-efficiency scenarios such as HVAC control, electric car energy management, or building energy management, just to mention a few. On the other hand, quantum machine learning was born during the last decade to extend classic machine learning to a quantum level. In this work, we propose to study the benefits and limitations of quantum reinforcement learning to solve energy-efficiency scenarios. As a testbed, we use existing energy-efficiency-based reinforcement learning simulators and compare classic algorithms with the quantum proposal. Results in HVAC control, electric vehicle fuel consumption, and profit optimization of electrical charging stations applications suggest that quantum neural networks are able to solve problems in reinforcement learning scenarios with better accuracy than their classical counterpart, obtaining a better cumulative reward with fewer parameters to be learned.
Electric Vehicle Traction Drives and Charging Station Power Electronics: Current Status and Challenges
Authors: Amry Youssef , Elbouchikhi Elhoussin , Le Gall Franck , Ghogho Mounir , El Hani Soumia
Published: August 2022

With the need for more environmentally friendly transportation and the wide deployment of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have become a major issue for car manufacturers and a real challenge for researchers all over the world. Indeed, the high cost of battery energy storage, the limited EV autonomy and battery lifespan, the battery charging time, the deployment cost of a fast charging infrastructure, and the significant impact on the power grid are the origin of several research projects focused on advanced power electronics topologies and the optimization of the EV charging stations in terms of power transfer and geographical location. Three charging levels can be distinguished, which differ in terms of output power and charging time. The higher the level of charging, the faster the charging process, as more power is delivered to the vehicle at the expense of power quality issues and disturbances. Moreover, three types of charging systems can be distinguished, which are inductive recharging (contactless power transfer), conductive charging systems, and battery swapping. Additionally, EVs encompass fuel cell (FC) EVs, which uses hydrogen as primary energy resources, which is nowadays under extensive research activities in academia and industry. This review paper aims at presenting a state of the art review of major advances in power electronics architectures for EVs traction drives, and battery-based EVs charging stations. Specifically, the focus is made on light-duty electric vehicles drivetrain power electronics and charging stations specifications, the proposed power electronics solutions, the advantages and drawbacks of all these technologies, and perspectives for future research works in terms of smart EV charging and up-to-date solutions for power system disturbances mitigation.
Coal Modeling Investigations in International Collaboration in the Light of Bibliometric Analysis of the Problem
Authors: Saramak Agnieszka , Saramak Daniel
Published: August 2022

The article concerns an analysis of records registered in Web of Science (WoS) database related to the problem of coal modeling. All publications registered in the WoS from the time period 1951–2021 were analyzed, mostly in terms of international collaboration, merit content and research areas. It appeared that international scientific cooperation on this topic is differently considered, depending on the country. The leader in terms of the number of documents remains China, while the highest citation counts were gained by research teams, with the USA as the leader. Several sub-categories within research areas could be also divided on the basis of key words, while the most popular topic is connected with energetical aspects of coal utilization.
Insight into Class G Wellbore Cement Hydration and Mechanism at 150 °C Using Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Liu Rengguang , Li Yan , Du Tao , Zhou Shiming , Lu Peiqing , Wang Yongliang
Published: August 2022

Neat well cement experience significant strength retrogression at high temperatures above 110 °C, especially at approximately 150 °C. To reveal the mechanism of performance degradation and guide the preparation of high-performance cement, we investigate the hydration process, mechanical behavior, and fracture process for well cement at the temperature of 150 °C based on molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. From triaxial pressure tests and Brazilian splitting tests, the strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson’s ratio of well cement decrease drastically with temperature increases from 80 °C to 150 °C. According to XRD, TG/DTG/DSC, and SEM, the hydration degree is insufficient, and larger pores exist in the microstructures. As the main binding phase of well cement, the mechanism of calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H) influenced by curing temperatures is investigated through molecular dynamics simulations. C-S-H with calcium/silicon ratios (C/S) of 1.1 and 1.8 are simulated in the aqueous and solid states to investigate precipitation and mechanical behaviors. By reducing the C/S ratio to 1.1, the strength rebounds to a certain extent, and the adequacy of the hydration degree improved. It is found from the polymerization process that the increasing temperature promotes the polymerization rate, which is higher with C/S = 1.8 than that of 1.1. However, an increase in the C/S ratio will lead to a decrease in bridging oxygen content, thus a lower polymerization degree. The fracture simulations of C-S-H gels at different temperatures indicate that the failure of the C-S-H structure is mainly attributed to the disassembling of the calcium oxygen layers. With a higher temperature, there are fewer Ca-O bonds breaking, thus less strain energy consumed, resulting in worse performance. The elasticity of C-S-H, including Young’s and shear moduli, also exhibits certain degradations at a higher temperature. The elastic behavior of C-S-H with a low C/S ratio is generally higher than the high C/S.
Rock Mineral Components’ Effects on Heavy and Shale Oil Transformation during Aquathermolysis
Authors: Vakhin Alexey V.
Published: August 2022

One of the main topics that generate the interest of experts nowadays involves the processes of organic matter chemical transformation during heavy and shale oil reservoirs’ development via thermally enhanced oil recovery. It is common knowledge that the host rock has a catalytic effect on the ongoing processes. In addition, oil transformation is mostly associated with destructive processes of resins and asphaltenes molecules. As a result, this would provide an increase in oil mobility as a result of kerogen destruction in shale oil. This ensures the formation of synthetic oil and an increase in the filtration characteristics of the rock. Besides, iron-containing compounds in the composition of the rock are catalytically active in the above processes. Moreover, clay minerals have high catalytic activity for many reactions of organic matter transformation. This review considers publications that study the role played by the rock and its individual components in the processes of in situ upgrading of heavy and shale oil.
Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power Systems: The Prospects for a Distributed Micro-Generator in the ‘Net-Zero’ Transition within the UK
Authors: Hammond Geoffrey P. , Titley Adam A.
Published: August 2022

Small-scale combined heat and power (micro-CHP or mCHP) plants generate heat in the process of localised electricity production that can usefully be captured and employed for domestic space and water heating. Studies of the relative merits of three alternative network-connected mCHP plants are reviewed based respectively on an Internal Combustion engine (ICE), a Stirling engine (SE), and a Fuel Cell (FC). Each plant will, in most cases, result in lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, relative to those from the most efficient condensing boilers. In addition, they lead to operational cost savings for the consumer, depending on house type. However, their capital costs are presently more expensive than a conventional boiler, with the FC being prohibitively so. The ICE and SE variants display the greatest economic and environmental benefit. Nevertheless, the performance and costs associated with these innovative technologies have rapidly improved over the last decade or so. Comparisons are also made with heat pumps that are seen as a major low-carbon competitor by the United Kingdom (UK) Government. Finally, the potential role of micro-CHP as part of a cluster of different micro-generators attached to contrasting dwellings is considered. The review places mCHP systems in the context of the UK transition pathway to net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050, whilst meeting residential energy demand. However, the lessons learned are applicable to many industrialised countries.
PLC Physical Layer Link Identification with Imperfect Channel State Information
Authors: Hernandez Fernandez Javier , Omri Aymen , Di Pietro Roberto
Published: August 2022

This paper proposes an accurate physical layer technique to uniquely identify the links of a power line communication network. First, the power line communications (PLC) multipath channel characterization is presented and detailed. Then, a multipath channel delay detection technique is introduced to provide an accurate physical layer identification (PL ID) for the considered PLC links. The accuracy and efficiency are tested by evaluating the successful path detection probability (SPDP) in a simulated scenario under both perfect and imperfect channel state information conditions. The results confirm the advantages of the proposed scheme. Indeed, for a common PLC noise power around 90 dBuV, the provided accuracy reaches ≈90%, while for a noise power below 80 dBuV, the accuracy plateaus at 100%. Overall, the low complexity of the proposed approach and its staggering performance results pave the way for further possible applications in both the PLC and the security domain.
Lithium Battery State-of-Charge Estimation Based on AdaBoost.Rt-RNN
Authors: Li Ran , Sun Hui , Wei Xue , Ta Weiwen , Wang Haiying
Published: August 2022

Real-time and accurate state-of-charge estimation performs an important role in the smooth operation of various electric vehicle battery management systems. Neural network theory represents one of the most effective and commonly used methods of SOC prediction. However, traditional neural network methods are disadvantaged by such issues as the limited range of application, limited generalization ability, and low accuracy, which makes it difficult to meet the increasing safety requirements on electric vehicles. In view of these problems, an ensemble learning algorithm based on the AdaBoost.Rt is proposed in this paper. AdaBoost.Rt recurrent neural network model is purposed to ensure the accurate prediction of lithium battery SOC. Relying on a chain-connected recurrent neural network model, this method enables the correlation adaptability of sample data in the spatio-temporal dimension. The ensemble learning method was adopted to devise a method of multi-RNN model integration, with the RNN model as the base learner, thus constructing the AdaBoost.Rt-RNN strong learner model. According to the results of simulation and experimental comparisons, the integrated algorithm proposed in this paper is applicable to improve the accuracy of SOC prediction and the generalization performance of the model.
Optimization of the Load Capacity System of Powered Roof Support: A Review
Authors: Szurgacz Dawid , Borska Beata , Zhironkin Sergey , Diederichs Ryszard , Spearing Anthony J. S.
Published: August 2022

Powered roof support is equipped with a hydraulic control system to ensure its required load capacity. The main problem arising from powered roof support during exploitation is providing the necessary load capacity. A decrease in load capacity is mainly associated with internal and external leakage in the cylinders, mainly in the hydraulic props. The hydraulic prop’s role is to ensure stability for the powered roof support. A special double block with an additional pressure boost was developed to counter the props’ leakage phenomenon. Pressure loss is replenished based on the solution proposed here. For this purpose, bench tests were commenced, in which a prop with an internal leakage was used. The research included the analysis of the operation of a boosted double block. The results allowed us to assess whether the developed solution can be the subject of further research conducted in real conditions.
Quantum Energy Storage in Dielectric Porous Clathrates
Authors: Chabecki Piotr
Published: August 2022

The current work represents results for the encapsulation of 1-Allyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquid (IL) in the cavities of the SBA-15 mesoporous dielectric matrix for the first time to our knowledge. Obtained SBA-15 clathrate is a structure with a nanodimensional phase of IL matrix-ordered and isolated by dielectric SiO2. The character of frequency dependent impedance, loss tangent, and dielectric constant for obtained clathrate was investigated under normal conditions, under illumination, and in constant magnetic field. Current-voltage characterisation revealed the capacitive properties of the obtained nanohybrid structure and Cole-Cole diagrams confirmed the Jonscher mechanism of charge relaxation in it. The conditions of the synthesised SBA-15 accumulating the electric energy at a quantum level were determined. The results presented in this work are unique and they prove that the synthesised substance is promising for application in quantum accumulators.
A Method for Grading the Hidden Dangers of Urban Gas Polyethylene Pipelines Based on Improved PLC Methods
Authors: Wang Yunlong , Liu Zhiting , Huang Xinru , Lv Haizhou , Wu Yun , Zhou Kai
Published: August 2022

The classification of hidden dangers in urban gas pipelines plays a vital role in the smooth operation of urban gas pipelines and in solving the problem of hidden safety dangers in urban gas pipelines. In recent years, the number and proportion of polyethylene (PE) pipelines in urban gas pipelines are increasing day by day, but the current classification of hidden dangers in urban gas pipelines is still based on steel pipelines, and the classification method is highly subjective. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved PLC method that integrates the use of a risk matrix and compensation coefficient to solve the problem of grading the hidden dangers of PE pipelines of urban gas. The improved PLC method is based on the failure database of urban gas PE pipelines to obtain the vulnerability and severity of consequences when determining the initial level of hidden dangers, and the compensation coefficient is modified according to regional vulnerability, ease of rectification, condition around the pipeline, positioning technology, leak detection technology, and emergency ability, which can effectively reduce the subjectivity of hidden danger classification. Using the improved PLC method to classify urban gas pipelines for hidden dangers can provide pipeline operating companies with a basis for decision making in the process of hidden danger disposal and effectively reduce pipeline safety risks.
Genetic Diversity of Nanmu (Phoebe zhennan S. Lee. et F. N. Wei) Breeding Population and Extraction of Core Collection Using nSSR, cpSSR and Phenotypic Markers
Authors: Zhu Yan , An Wenna , Peng Jian , Li Jinwu , Gu Yunjie , Jiang Bo , Chen Lianghua , Zhu Peng , Yang Hanbo
Published: August 2022

Genetic characterization is vital for tree germplasm utilization and conservation. Nanmu (Phoebe zhennan S. Lee. et F. N. Wei) is an extremely valuable tree species that can provide logs for many industrial products. This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity of a Nanmu breeding population using nine nSSR, five newly-developed cpSSR markers, and nine phenotypic traits, and extract a core collection. In general, the Na, Ne, and PIC for each nSSR/cpSSR were 2–37/2–3, 1.160–11.276/1.020–1.940, and 0.306–0.934/0.109–0.384, respectively. Fifteen chlorotype haplotypes were detected in 102 germplasms. The breeding population exhibited a relatively high level of genetic diversity for both nSSR (I = 1.768), cpSSR (I = 0.440, h = 0.286), and phenotypic traits (H′ = 1.98). Bayesian and cluster analysis clustered these germplasms into three groups. The germplasms revealed a high level of admixture between clusters, which indicated a relatively high level of gene exchange between germplasms. The F value (0.124) also showed a moderate genetic differentiation in the breeding population. A core collection consisting of 64 germplasms (62.7% of the whole germplasm) was extracted from phenotypic and molecular data, and the diversity parameters were not significantly different from those of the whole germplasm. Thereafter, a molecular identity was made up for each core germplasm. These results may contribute to germplasm management and conservation in the Nanmu breeding program, as well as genetics estimation and core collection extraction in other wood production rare species.
Drivers of Native Species Regeneration in the Process of Restoring a Dry Evergreen Forest from Exotic Tree Plantations in Northeastern Thailand
Authors: Staporn Duriya , Marod Dokrak , Wongprom Jetsada , Diloksumpun Sapit
Published: August 2022

Establishment of exotic plantations is one of the most effective ways to induce natural regeneration for the restoration of degraded lands, as it has the potential to improve soil properties and creates favorable microclimates. This study aims to determine the effects of stand structure and composition as well as environmental factors under the canopies of three exotic plantations in northeastern Thailand on the regeneration of native species. For each plantation, we conducted three 10 m × 150 m transect lines with fifteen 10 m × 10 m subplots along a forest remnant gradient. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) was used to identify the environmental factors responsible for the differences in natural regeneration among these stands. Three exotic plantations had different stand structure in terms of number of tree species, basal area, and tree density but similar dominant native tree species. Across all stands, 74 native tree species, 60 genera, and 30 families were observed. Some physical and chemical properties in the topsoil were significantly different between species but similar among stands within a species. On the other hand, differences in environmental factors such as RLI were significant among species and stands within a species. The CCA ordination identified that the soil particles, soil pH, and light intensity were key factors influencing the native species composition, which could be categorized into three groups: drought-tolerant pioneer species; light-demanding pioneer species; and shade-tolerant climax species. However, most of the climax species were incapable of regenerating and maturing along the forest edge gradient to plantation stands. To accelerate the restoration process by converting these old exotic plantations to a dry evergreen forest, further research is required to determine the appropriate canopy management and/or dominant climax species for planting beneath their canopies.
Investigating the Relation between Skin Cell Wall Composition and Phenolic Extractability in Cabernet Sauvignon Wines
Authors: Medina-Plaza Cristina , Meade Haley , Dokoozlian Nick , Ponangi Ravi , Blair Tom , Block David E. , Oberholster Anita
Published: August 2022

In this study, phenolic extractability of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from two California regions (Sonoma County and Central Coast) and its relation with skin cell wall composition was investigated. Phenolic grape composition, wine phenolic content as well as berry and pomace cell wall composition of three sites per region were determined. Grape cell wall material (CWM) composition, and thus pomace CWM composition, was impacted by the growing region. The process of fermentation modified CWM composition, solubilizing some of the compounds such as pectin and polysaccharides making pomace CWM composition from different sites more similar in the case of Sonoma County and more different for the samples grown in the Central Coast. Growing region had a significant impact on grape phenolics, particularly on flavan−3-ols and polymeric phenols, whereas polymeric pigments and anthocyanin contents were more similar among samples. Wines made from Sonoma County grapes showed higher anthocyanin and polymeric phenol content when compared to wines made from Central Coast grapes. Comparing wine to grape phenolic composition suggests a large difference in extractability based on region. Of all the CWM components analyzed, only lignin and the amount of cell wall isolated were found to have a significant impact on phenolic extractability.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Staphylococcus equorum KM1031, Isolated from the High-Salt Fermented Seafood Jeotgal, under Salt Stress
Authors: Heo Sojeong , Park Junghyun , Lee Eungyo , Lee Jong-Hoon , Jeong Do-Won
Published: August 2022

Staphylococcus equorum is a potential starter for Korean high-salt fermented foods because of its salt tolerance and enzymatic activities that contribute to enhanced sensory properties of the food products. However, the mechanisms of salt tolerance of S. equorum are not fully understood. Here, RNA sequencing was performed on S. equorum strain KM1031 exposed to 7% NaCl (w/v) for 2 and 4 h to determine global gene expression changes. Salt pressure for 2 and 4 h resulted in significant differential expression of 4.8% (106/2209) and 6.1% (134/2209) of S. equorum KM1031 genes, respectively. Twenty-five core genes were differentially expressed on salt treatment for both 2 and 4 h, seven of which were related to osmoprotectant uptake and synthesis. We analyzed the genome of strain KM1031 and identified osmoprotectant uptake (Opu) systems, potassium importers, sodium exporters, and the glycine betaine synthesis system. The RNA sequencing results indicated that the OpuD system and glycine betaine synthesis might play the main roles in the salt tolerance of strain KM1031. Finally, the results of RNA sequencing were validated by quantitative real-time PCR of likely salt stress-related genes. This transcriptomic analysis provides evidence regarding the osmotic stress responses of S. equorum strain KM1031.
A Framework for Burnt Area Mapping and Evacuation Problem Using Aerial Imagery Analysis
Authors: Munawar Hafiz Suliman , Gharineiat Zahra , Akram Junaid , Imran Khan Sara
Published: August 2022

The study aims to develop a holistic framework for maximum area coverage of a disaster region during a bushfire event. The monitoring and detection of bushfires are essential to assess the extent of damage, its direction of spread, and action to be taken for its containment. Bushfires limit human’s access to gather data to understand the ground situation. Therefore, the application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) could be a suitable and technically advanced approach to grasp the dynamics of fires and take measures to mitigate them. The study proposes an optimization model for a maximal area coverage of the fire-affected region. The advanced Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm will be applied to the swarm of drones to capture images and gather data vital for enhancing disaster response. The captured images will facilitate the development of burnt area maps, locating access points to the region, estimating damages, and preventing the further spread of fire. The proposed algorithm showed optimum responses for exploration, exploitation, and estimation of the maximum height of the drones for the coverage of wildfires and it outperformed the benchmarking algorithm. The results showed that area coverage of the affected region was directly proportional to drone height. At a maximum drone height of 121 m, the area coverage was improved by 30%. These results further led to a proposed framework for bushfire relief and rescue missions. The framework is grounded on the ABC algorithm and requires the coordination of the State Emergency Services (SES) for quick and efficient disaster response.
Effects of Alkalinity on the Antioxidant Capacity, Nonspecific Immune Response and Tissue Structure of Chinese Mitten Crab Eriocheir sinensis
Authors: Li Mingshuai , Wang Shihui , Zhao Zhigang , Luo Liang , Zhang Rui , Guo Kun , Zhang Lanlan , Yang Yuhong
Published: August 2022

The effects of various levels of alkalinity stress (0, 18.25, 35.41, 52.53 and 69.74 mmol/L) in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) were investigated by means of measuring hepatopancreas antioxidant system and serum nonspecific immune system-related indices at 0, 12, 24, 48 and 96 h, hepatopancreas tissue structure at 96 h. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in each concentration group generally showed a trend of a first increasing and then decreasing during the 96-h stress process (p < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the blank group during this period (p > 0.05). The activities of CAT, GSH and AST in all treatment reached peak values at 24–48 h. At 96 h of alkalinity stress, the activities of GSH, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), acid phosphatise (ACP) and alkaline phosphatise (AKP) in the 18.25 mmol/L group were not significantly different with the control group (p > 0.05). The activities of SOD and CAT in the 52.53 and 69.74 mmol/L treatment were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05), and the level of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC), ALT, ACP and AKP in the 69.74 mmol/L group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (p < 0.05). Hepatopancreatic histological observation showed that the hepatopancreas of E. sinensis in the control group was normal. With increasing alkalinity, the basal membrane of the hepatopancreas fell off or even ruptured. Additionally, the number of hepatopancreas vacuoles increased, the volume of B cells and their internal transport vesicles increased, epithelial cells disintegrated, and the nucleus gradually shrank. E. sinensis can activate antioxidant and nonspecific immune systems to adapt to alkalinity stress. However, oxidative stress, immune system damage and hepatopancreas structure damage were caused when the stress exceeded the adaptive capacity of the body.
Comprehensive Utilization of Land Resources for Photovoltaic Power Generation to Culture Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis): Growth Performance, Nutritional Composition and Tissue Color
Authors: Pang Yangyang , Niu Chao , Wu Lifeng , Song Yameng , Song Xiaozhe , Shi Ao-ya , Shi Xingliang , Wu Zong-wen , Tang Boping , Yang Xiaozhen , Cheng Yongxu
Published: August 2022

The assertive growth of photovoltaics (PV) will occupy a lot of land resources. There is also a needed land resource to expand the culturing area of Eriocheir sinensis. The aquavoltaic systems offer a potential solution to integrate PV power and E. sinensis culturing. In this study, we cultured E. sinensis in an area of PV panels (PV group) and an area with no PV panels (control group), respectively. The results showed that the weight gain rate, body length, body width, and meat yield of male crabs in the PV group significantly increases. In addition, the moisture of muscles, hepatopancreas, and testes in the PV group has significantly increased, and the total lipids of the hepatopancreas and muscles in the PV group were significantly decreased. Moreover, the PV panels affected the content of eight amino acids in different tissues, including Met, Arg, Cys, Pro, Gly, Leu, Tyr, and His. In addition, several saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) had been significantly influenced by the PV panels. ∑MUFA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), ∑n-3 PUFA, ∑n-6 PUFA, and n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio (p < 0.05) in the PV group had significantly decreased. The results of tissue color showed that the L* value of ovaries was significantly higher than in the control group, and a* and b* values of hepatopancreas were significantly lower. In conclusion, PV panels could promote growth performance and amino acid nutrition of crabs. However, the PV panels had a few negative influences on the fatty acid composition and tissue color.
An Insight into the Feeding Ecology of Serranus scriba, a Shallow Water Mesopredator in the Northern Adriatic Sea, with a Non-Destructive Method
Authors: Lokovšek Ana , Orlando-Bonaca Martina , Trkov Domen , Lipej Lovrenc
Published: August 2022

Serranus scriba is a common member of the coastal fish community in the Adriatic Sea, but knowledge about its feeding ecology is scarce. The aim of this paper is to present new evidence about its food preferences and feeding habits. An innovative non-destructive method of fecal pellet analysis was used for this study. This method does not require sacrificing specimens and the fish can be released back into the sea alive after the laboratory work. The results demonstrated that S. scriba mainly preys on decapods, followed by polychaetes, isopods, fish, mollusks and swarming shrimps. The calculated index of trophic diversity (ITD) value of 0.89 indicates that it is an opportunistic feeder that feeds on a wide range of different prey. According to the calculated trophic level of 3.43, which is higher than that of other members of the community, S. scriba is also an important piscivorous predator. With age, S. scriba undergoes an ontogenetic shift. The proportion of crustaceans, gastropods and polychaetes decreases with age and body size, while the proportion of fish increases.