bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coordination of Density and Nitrogen Fertilization Improves Stalk Lodging Resistance of Strip-Intercropped Maize with Soybeans by Affecting Stalk Quality Traits
Authors: Zhao Xuyang , Hu Yun , Liang Bing , Chen Guopeng , Feng Liang , Pu Tian , Sun Xin , Yong Taiwen , Liu Weiguo , Liu Jiang , Du Junbo , Yang Feng , Wang Xiaochun , Yang Wenyu
Published: May 2023

To ensure yield in strip-intercropped maize with soybeans (SM), it is crucial to plant at a density comparable to that of monoculture maize (MM). This requires reducing spacing by more than half, increasing intraspecific competition, and altering stalk lodging resistance traits compared with MM. Nitrogen fertilization can effectively mediate stalk lodging resistance. However, it is still unclear how nitrogen rates influence SM’s stalk lodging resistance under high-density conditions and how that resistance compares to MM. The experiment involved four N fertilizer treatments with two planting densities: medium density (60,000 plants/ha) and high density (75,000 plants/ha). Additionally, different planting patterns of strip-cropped (S) and monoculture (M) were implemented. The N fertilizer application rates were N0 (0 kg/ha), N225 (225 kg/ha), N300 (300 kg/ha), and N375 (375 kg/ha). The stalk lodging resistance was represented by the breaking strength of the third basal internode. The study revealed that, at the same planting density, the third basal internode of the stalk exhibited consistent results in terms of its diameter, crushing strength, total number and area of vascular bundles, and N content. Notably, all these traits exhibited a significant positive relationship with breaking strength. The highest values for these parameters and yield were observed under N225 and N300 fertilization rates for medium-density monoculture and strip-cropped maize, respectively. In contrast, the high-density monoculture and strip-cropped maize showed peak performance under N300 and N375 fertilization rates. At both medium and high planting densities, the strip-cropped maize exhibited 8.9% and 10.9% lower breaking strength than the monoculture maize under N225 treatment. However, increasing the N fertilizer application resulted in comparable lodging resistance between the strip-cropped maize and the maximum values of the monoculture maize, at N300 treatment for medium density and N375 treatment for high density. Hence, strip-cropped maize planted at high density (75,000 plants/ha) with a lower nitrogen rate had lower lodging resistance than monoculture maize, but it can be improved to match the monoculture maize by increasing the nitrogen rate.
Application of Computational Intelligence in Describing Dust Emissions in Different Soil Tillage Applications in Middle Anatolia
Authors: Çarman Kazım , Taner Alper , Mikailsoy Fariz , Selvi Kemal Çağatay , Ungureanu Nicoleta , Vlăduț Nicolae-Valentin
Published: May 2023

Soil degradation is an increasing problem in Turkey, especially in the Middle Anatolia region where the annual precipitation is approximately 300 mm, resulting from conventional farming methods. To address this issue, the artificial neural networks (ANNs) are used, as they are flexible mathematical tools that capture data. This study aims to investigate the relationships between dust emission (PM10) and the mean weight diameter, shear stress, and stubble amount of the soil, which were measured in eight different tillage practices (conventional tillage, six types of reduced tillage, and direct seeding). The results show that the mean weight diameter, shear stress, and stubble amount of the soil varied between 4.89 and 14.17 mm, 0.40–1.23 N·cm−2, and 30.5–158 g·m−2, respectively, depending on the type of tillage works. Additionally, dust emissions generated during different tillage applications ranged from 27.73 to 153.45 mg·m−3. The horizontal shaft rototiller produced the highest dust emission, approximately 150% higher than those of disc harrow and winged chisel plows. The impact of tillage practices on dust emission was statistically significant (p < 0.01). A sophisticated 3-(7-7)-1 ANNs model using a backpropagation learning algorithm was developed to predict the concentration of dust, which outperformed the traditional statistical models. The model was based on the values of mean weight diameter, shear stress, and stubble amount of the soil after tillage. The best result was obtained from the ANN model among the polynomial and ANN models. In the ANN model, the coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and mean error were found to be 0.98, 6.70, and 6.11%, respectively. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of ANNs in predicting the levels of dust concentration based on soil tillage data, and it highlighted the importance of adopting alternative tillage practices to reduce soil degradation and dust emissions.
Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to Examine the Sustainable Extension of Rural Food Preparation Techniques
Authors: Lee Ching-Sung , Chen Yen-Cheng , Tsui Pei-Ling , Chiang Ming-Chen
Published: May 2023

Social transformation has caused traditional rural food preparation techniques and cultural heritage to disappear gradually. Traditional rural women are in charge of rural traditional food preparation techniques, which they inherit through the family. Therefore, this study primarily aimed to employ the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to analyze the effects of attitudes toward rural food preparation techniques, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on behavioral intention to ultimately understand the behavioral intention of rural women in the sustainable extension of rural food preparation techniques. The TPB was utilized as a basis for conducting a quantitative study using questionnaire surveys. Purposive sampling and snowball sampling were employed, and 800 questionnaires were distributed. In total, 649 valid questionnaires were collected, and the recovery rate was 81.1%. The study tools used included the attitude scale, subjective norms scale, perceived behavioral control scale, and behavioral intention scale. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson product difference correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The results showed that attitudes toward rural food preparation techniques, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control in rural women significantly affected the behavioral intention of sustainable extension. These results can provide agricultural organizations and relevant units with a reference for the sustainable extension of traditional food preparation techniques.
The Impact of Carbon Tariffs on China’s Agricultural Trade
Authors: Yang Fang , Zou Chuanxin , Li Chutong
Published: May 2023

On 15 March 2022, the European Council reached an agreement on the relevant rules of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). In order to study the impact of the implementation of carbon tariffs on China’s agricultural trade, this paper sets three control groups, namely, economic development, the impact of the “Belt and Road” initiative’s (BRI’s) trade facilitation level, and separate taxation by different countries, and uses the dynamic Global Trade Analysis Project—Environment (GTAP-E) model for policy simulation. The empirical results show that, firstly, carbon tariffs can suppress international demand for agricultural products and increase international market prices. At the same time, under the pressure of carbon tariffs, China will reduce the main agricultural product’s Free on Board (FOB) prices to ensure that their Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) prices can maintain a competitive advantage in the international market after increasing the cost of carbon tariffs, and the market share of China’s agricultural products exported to recipient countries will decline. Secondly, China’s “Belt and Road” initiative has a two-way impact on carbon tariff policy. On the one hand, it reduces the negative impact of carbon tariffs through trade facilitation, and on the other hand, it will decrease the effectiveness of carbon emission reduction because of the huge trade demand and encourage countries to develop green and low-carbon agriculture. Finally, there is heterogeneity in the impact of carbon tariffs imposed by the United States, Japan, and Europe on Chinese agricultural trade.
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling Provides Insights into Flavonoid Biosynthesis and Flower Coloring in Loropetalum chinense and Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum
Authors: Zhang Xia , Zhang Li , Zhang Damao , Liu Yang , Lin Ling , Xiong Xingyao , Zhang Donglin , Sun Ming , Cai Ming , Yu Xiaoying , Li Yanlin
Published: May 2023

The Loropetalum chinense and Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum are typical as well as traditional ornamental and Chinese herbal medicines in Asia; however, more information is needed on the mechanisms underlying their flower coloring. Here, we profiled the flavonoid metabolome and carried out full-length sequencing in addition to transcriptome analyses to investigate the flavonoid biosynthesis and global transcriptome changes among different petal coloring cultivars of L. chinense and L. chinense var. rubrum. The total anthocyanins in addition to the RHSCC values and CIE 1976 L*a*b* values of petals were highly consistent with petal color. Moreover, a total of 207 flavonoid components were identified. Of these, 13 flavonoid compounds were considered significantly different expression compounds highly consistent with color information in the 4 samples. Meanwhile, the first reference full-length transcriptome of L. chinense var. rubrum was built, which had 171,783 high-quality nonredundant transcripts with correcting with next-generation sequencing (NGS). Among them, 52,851 transcripts were annotated in the seven databases of NR, KOG, GO, NT, Pfam, Swiss-Port, and KEGG. Combined with NGS analyses, the DETs involved in flavonoids and anthocyanins contributed greatest to the flower coloring. Additionally, the different expressions of eight LcDFRs and four LcANS genes were positively correlated with flavonoid biosynthesis, and the four LcBZ1 as well as one Lc3Mat1 were positively correlated with the content of seven anthocyanins revealed by coupling with metabolomics and transcriptomics analyses. Together, these results were used to mine candidate genes by analyzing flower coloring changes at comprehensive metabolic and transcriptomic levels in L. chinense and L. chinense var. rubrum.
Long-Term Conservation Tillage Increases Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) by Regulating Substances Related to Stress on the Semi-Arid Loess Plateau of China
Authors: Du Changliang , Li Lingling , Xie Junhong , Effah Zechariah , Luo Zhuzhu , Wang Linlin
Published: May 2023

Improving the water-use efficiency (WUE) of crops is the most effective way to increase yields in semi-arid regions. Field research was carried out based on a long-term experiment initiated in 2001, aimed to explore the mechanisms of different tillage practices effects on grain yield and WUE of spring wheat. Tillage practices in the research including conventional tillage (CT), no tillage with no straw mulching (NT), conventional tillage with straw incorporation (TS), and no tillage with straw mulching (NTS). The effects of tillage practices on soil’s physical and chemical properties, dry matter accumulation, grain yield, dynamics of stress-related substances, and WUE were observed. Soil and plant samples in this research were collected in 2020 (wet year), 2021 (dry year), and 2022 (dry year). The results indicated that NTS improved the soil’s physical and chemical properties. The NTS treatment had the lowest soil bulk and pH and the highest total N, NO3--N, and available P. Throughout the whole growth stage, soil water content in the NTS and TS treatments were significantly higher than that of CT by 8.77–20.40% and 2.19–18.83, respectively. Averaged catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and soluble protein across the three years with NTS and TS were significantly increased by 1.26–25.52% compared to CT. Meanwhile, the NTS treatment had the lowest malondialdehyde (MDA) content among the different tillage practices. NTS maintained the highest dry matter accumulation throughout the whole growth stage among different treatments; it was increased by 10.47–73.33% compared with CT. The average grain yields and WUE of NTS across the three years were 6.09–30.70% and 6.79–40.55% higher than other tillage practices, respectively. It is concluded that NTS influences dry matter accumulation and water-use efficiency during the whole growth stage of spring wheat by improving the soil’s physicochemical properties and modulating spring wheat substances related to stress, which in turn promotes yield formation.
Alterations of the Gut Microbiota and Metabolomics Associated with the Different Growth Performances of Macrobrachium rosenbergii Families
Authors: Lan Xuan , Peng Xin , Du Tingting , Xia Zhenglong , Gao Quanxin , Tang Qiongying , Yi Shaokui , Yang Guoliang
Published: May 2023

To investigate the key gut microbiota and metabolites associated with the growth performance of Macrobrachium rosenbergii families, 16S rRNA sequencing and LC–MS metabolomic methods were used. In this study, 90 M. rosenbergii families were bred to evaluate growth performance. After 92 days of culture, high (H), medium (M), and low (L) experimental groups representing three levels of growth performance, respectively, were collected according to the weight gain and specific growth rate of families. The composition of gut microbiota showed that the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus, and Blautia were much higher in Group H than those in M and L groups. Meanwhile, compared to the M and L groups, Group H had significantly higher levels of spermidine, adenosine, and creatinine, and lower levels of L-citrulline. Correlation analysis showed that the abundances of Lactobacillus and Blautia were positively correlated with the levels of alpha-ketoglutaric acid and L-arginine. The abundance of Blautia was also positively correlated with the levels of adenosine, taurine, and spermidine. Notably, lots of metabolites related to the metabolism and biosynthesis of arginine, taurine, hypotaurine, and fatty acid were upregulated in Group H. This study contributes to figuring out the landscape of the gut microbiota and metabolites associated with prawn growth performance and provides a basis for selective breeding.
Flipped Classroom to Facilitate Deeper Learning in Veterinary Undergraduate Students: An Educational Change Pilot Study Limited to the Imaging Module Bones
Authors: Kneissl Sibylle Maria , Tichy Alexander , Mitlacher Sophie Felicia
Published: May 2023

In a flipped classroom, learners study at home and do the ‘homework’ in class. This approach respects the limitations of memory and allows more interaction between learners. The overall vision is self-paced activities for learners with decreased boredom and greater task value, which should facilitate deeper learning. To implement a flipped classroom, a bumpy incremental change process characterized by periods of relative stillness punctuated by the acceleration of pace was planned. All veterinary undergraduate students used an existing eLearning platform to access relevant text and selected image examples before class. Only for the randomly selected students in the flipped classroom (FC) was this content amended with purposeful audio content and concrete tasks. Further, FC learners discussed their opinions in an online class forum. To measure the educational change, a pre- and post-class formative test and a standardized questionnaire for students in the FC versus in the traditional classroom (TC) were performed. To assess engagement, students were invited to measure all learning activities, categorized into attendance, or self-study. The educational change project resulted in more commitment and less resistance from teachers. The FC consisted of 20 students, while the TC had 40. The mean pre-class scores difference between FC students and TC students was +1.7/20 points, and the mean post-class scores difference was +3/20 points. The chance of answering item 10 of the formative test (describe site of the fracture) correctly was about seven times higher for FC compared to TC learners (OR = 6.96; p = 0.002). The questionnaire revealed more satisfaction and greater task value in the FC compared to TC (p = 0.048). FC students invested 21 h into the course on average, while TC students invested 16 h. The results of this pilot agree with previous reports: A transparent process was helpful to initiate mainly positive interactions between teachers and students. Higher scores, higher chance to give the correct answer, greater task value, and more positive emotions are observed in the FC compared to the TC. Higher measures of learning time are not expected to affect exam results but indicate more engagement.
Comparison of the Efficiency of Different Eradication Treatments to Minimize the Impacts Caused by the Invasive Tunicate Styela plicata in Mussel Aquaculture
Authors: Santos Pedro M. , Venâncio Eliana , Dionísio Maria Ana , Heumüller Joshua , Chainho Paula , Pombo Ana
Published: May 2023

In 2017, aquaculture producers of the Albufeira lagoon, Portugal, reported an invasion of tunicates that was disrupting mussel production, particularly the tunicate Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823). A totally effective eradication method still does not exist, particularly for S. plicata, and the effects of the eradication treatments on bivalves’ performance are also poorly understood. Our study examined the effectiveness of eradication treatments using three laboratory trials and five treatments (air exposure, freshwater immersion, sodium hypochlorite, hypersaline solution and acetic acid) for S. plicata, as well as their effects on survival and growth of blue mussel Mytilus edulis Linnaeus, 1758. While air exposure and freshwater immersion caused a 27% mortality rate in S. plicata, the acetic acid treatment was the most effective in eliminating this species (>90% mortality). However, a 33–40% mortality rate was registered in mussels. Both species were not affected by the hypersaline treatment in the last trial, but the sodium hypochlorite treatment led to a 57% mortality rate in mussels. Differences in mussels’ growth rates were not detected. These trials represent a step forward in responding to the needs of aquaculture producers. However, further studies are needed to investigate the susceptibility of tunicates to treatments according to sexual maturation, as well as to ensure minimum mussel mortality in the most effective treatments, and to better understand the effects on mussel physiological performance in the long-term.
Porcupettes Management at Wildlife Rescue Centers and Liberation into the Wild: Implications for Post-Liberation Success
Authors: Coppola Francesca , Dari Chiara , Vecchio Giuseppe , Aloisi Marco , Romeo Giorgia , Biliotti Claudia , Felicioli Antonio
Published: May 2023

The crested porcupine is a frequent host species in wildlife rescue centers and no guidelines for its management, liberation and post-liberation monitoring are yet available. Here, captive-grown porcupines’ behavior and survival in the wild after liberation were investigated and described for the first time. Management strategies adopted at the centers could affect porcupine adaptation to the natural environment. The detention of porcupettes in single cages and fed only human-supplied food may not ensure ethological welfare, nor a suitable behavioral development compatible with wildlife. The liberation of captive-grown porcupines should also be carefully planned to promote and increase the possibility of post-liberation success.
Diagnostic Findings and Surgical Management of Three Dogs Affected by Osseous Metaplasia Secondary to a Salivary Mucocele
Authors: Olimpo Matteo , Ferraris Erica Ilaria , Parisi Lorenza , Buracco Paolo , Rizzo Sara Gioele , Giacobino Davide , Degiovanni Andrea , Maniscalco Lorella , Morello Emanuela
Published: May 2023

Saliva is an irritant of the subcutaneous tissue, thus causing the development of a non-epithelial reactive pseudocapsule. Metaplastic ossification of the pseudocapsule is a condition rarely described in the veterinary literature. The main causes of calcification are trauma, tumours, various chronic inflammatory conditions and fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. The aim of the present case series was to describe three dogs affected by a calcified salivary mucocele. The medical records of dogs affected by a cervical sialocele were retrospectively evaluated, and three cases met the inclusion criteria. All the dogs in this study were referred to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) of the Department of Veterinary Sciences of the University of Turin (Turin, Italy) for a large solid mass in the intermandibular region. The diagnosis of a mucocele was confirmed clinically by centesis and by radiography or CT. Complete excision of both the pseudocyst and the ipsilateral mandibular/monostomatic sublingual salivary gland was performed in all cases. The histological report showed large areas of bone metaplasia within the pseudocapsule and chronic sialadenitis. Based on this limited case series, complete excision of the pseudocyst and a concurrent sialoadenectomy provided an effective treatment for this rare salivary mucocele disorder.
Microsatellite-Based Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Huacaya Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in Southern Peru
Authors: Figueroa Deyanira , Corredor Flor-Anita , Mamani-Cato Ruben H. , Gallegos-Acero Roberto F. , Condori-Rojas Nicoll , Estrada Richard , Heredia Lizeth , Salazar Wilian , Quilcate Carlos , Arbizu Carlos I.
Published: May 2023

The alpaca population mostly consists of the Huacaya phenotype and is widely distributed in Southern Peru. This study aimed to estimate the genetic diversity and population structure of two Huacaya alpaca populations (Ajoyani and Quimsachata) using fourteen and twelve microsatellite markers for each population, respectively. A total of 168 alpaca biological samples were outsourced to Peruvian laboratories for DNA extraction and genotyping. For genetic diversity, observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), polymorphism information content (PIC), and fixation indices values were estimated. An admixture analysis was performed for the population structure analysis. Different programs were used for these estimations. In total, 133 (Ajoyani) and 129 (Quimsachata) alleles were found, with a range of 4 to 17 by locus. The mean HO, HE, and PIC per marker for Ajoyani were 0.764 ± 0.112, 0.771 ± 0.1, and 0.736; for Quimsachata, they were 0.783 ± 0.087, 0.773 ± 0.095, and 0.738, respectively. The population structure showed no structure with K = 2. This study provides useful indicators for the creation of appropriate alpaca conservation programs.
Systemic Antibiotics and Chlorhexidine Associated with Periodontal Therapy: Microbiological Effect on Intraoral Surfaces and Saliva
Authors: Mendes Stella de Noronha Campos , Esteves Camila Machado , Mendes Juliana Alethusa Velloso , Feres Magda , Figueiredo Nathalia , de Miranda Tamires Szeremeske , Shibli Jamil Awad , Figueiredo Luciene Cristina
Published: May 2023

The effect of systemic antibiotics on the microbial profile of extracrevicular sites after periodontal treatment is currently the subject of research. This study evaluated the microbiological effects on different oral cavity sites of scaling and root planing (SRP) combined with antimicrobial chemical control in the treatment of periodontitis. Sixty subjects were randomly assigned to receive SRP alone or combined with metronidazole (MTZ) + amoxicillin (AMX) for 14 days, with or without chlorhexidine mouth rinse (CHX) for 60 days. Microbiological samples were evaluated by checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization until 180 days post therapy. The adjunctive use of antibiotics plus CHX significantly reduced the mean proportions of red complex species from subgingival biofilm and saliva (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the analysis of all intraoral niches showed a significantly lower mean proportion of the red complex species in the same group. In conclusion, the concomitant use of antimicrobial chemical control (systemic and local) demonstrated a beneficial effect on the composition of the oral microbiota.
Optimizing Antibiotic Prescribing for Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in German Primary Care: Results of the Regional Intervention Study CHANGE-3 and the Nested cRCT
Authors: Feldmeier Gregor , Löffler Christin , Altiner Attila , Wollny Anja , Garbe Katharina , Kronsteiner Dorothea , Köppen Martina , Szecsenyi Joachim , Leyh Mirko , Voss Arwed , Kamradt Martina , Poß-Doering Regina , Wensing Michel , Kaufmann-Kolle Petra
Published: May 2023

Within primary care, acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are the most common reason for prescribing antibiotics. The aim of the CHANGE-3 study was to investigate how antibiotic prescribing for non-complicated ARTIs can be reduced to a reasonable level. The trial was conducted as a prospective study consisting of a regional public awareness intervention in two regions of Germany and a nested cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT) of a complex implementation strategy. The study involved 114 primary care practices and comprised an intervention period of six winter months for the nested cRCT and two times six winter months for the regional intervention. The primary outcome was the percentage of antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs between baseline and the two following winter seasons. The regression analysis confirmed a general trend toward the restrained use of antibiotics in German primary care. This trend was found in both groups of the cRCT without significant differences between groups. At the same time, antibiotic prescribing was higher in routine care (with the public campaign only) than in both groups of the cRCT. With regard to secondary outcomes, in the nested cRCT, the prescribing of quinolones was reduced, and the proportion of guideline-recommended antibiotics increased.
Microalgae Produce Antioxidant Molecules with Potential Preventive Effects on Mitochondrial Functions and Skeletal Muscular Oxidative Stress
Authors: Vignaud Jordi , Loiseau Céline , Hérault Josiane , Mayer Claire , Côme Martine , Martin Isabelle , Ulmann Lionel
Published: May 2023

In recent years, microalgae have become a source of molecules for a healthy life. Their composition of carbohydrates, peptides, lipids, vitamins and carotenoids makes them a promising new source of antioxidant molecules. Skeletal muscle is a tissue that requires constant remodeling via protein turnover, and its regular functioning consumes energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is produced by mitochondria. Under conditions of traumatic exercise or muscular diseases, a high production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) at the origin of oxidative stress (OS) will lead to inflammation and muscle atrophy, with life-long consequences. In this review, we describe the potential antioxidant effects of microalgae and their biomolecules on mitochondrial functions and skeletal muscular oxidative stress during exercises or in musculoskeletal diseases, as in sarcopenia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), through the increase in and regulation of antioxidant pathways and protein synthesis.
Detection of Bad Stapled Nails in Wooden Packages
Authors: Ricolfe-Viala Carlos , Correcher Antonio , Blanes Carlos
Published: May 2023

Wooden nail-stitched crates are widely used for fruit transportation. Bad stapled nails are transformed into severe product damage that creates stains on the crate due to its juice. In consequence, the final customer depreciates the product because the quality product is in doubt. Human visual inspection of badly stapled nails is a non-effective solution since constant criteria are difficult to reach for all of crate production. A system for the in-line inspection based on a conveyor belt of badly stapled nails in stitched crates is presented. The developed inspection system is discussed with the definition of the computer vision system used to identify fails and the description of image processing algorithms. The experiments are focused on a comparative analysis of the performance of five state-of-the-art classification algorithms based on a deep neural network and traditional computer vision algorithms, highlighting the trade-off between speed and precision in the detection. An accuracy of over 95% is achieved if the user defines the nail location in the image. The presented work constitutes a benchmark to guide deep-learning computer vision algorithms in realistic applications.
Design and Implementation of an Energy-Efficient Vehicle Platoon Control Algorithm Using Prescribed Performance and Extremum Seeking Control
Authors: Katsanikakis Andreas , Bechlioulis Charalampos P.
Published: May 2023

Platooning has emerged as a promising approach to enhancing the fuel efficiency of vehicles, but determining the inter-vehicular distance that achieves the minimum consumption remains a challenge. In this article, an algorithm is proposed that employs extremum seeking control integrated with the prescribed performance control technique to find the optimal inter-vehicular distance. The algorithm utilizes the predecessor-following architecture to track the desired distance while minimizing the estimated aerodynamic drag coefficient to seek the optimal value. To estimate the coefficient, an observer is designed. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach. The proposed algorithm exhibits a significant improvement over existing methods that do not incorporate prescribed performance. Consequently, our scheme provides a valuable contribution to the field of platooning and paves the way for future research directions.
The Bearing Characteristics of Sand Anchors under Vibrating Load
Authors: Dong Jie , Zhang Shuai , Wu Zhi-Hui , Hu Jian-Lin , Liu Yu-Qian , Wang Yin-Chen , Cheng Si-Wu
Published: May 2023

In particular environments, such as the Gobi Desert, the problems encountered in a project are complex, resulting in reduced stability of the anchoring system and multiple forms of failure. This paper takes the factors influencing the stability of sand anchors under vibration loads as the research background. Theoretical analysis and indoor model tests were used to study the load-bearing performance of sand anchors under vibration loads; in addition, a comparative analysis of this performance along with failure forms of sand anchor systems, various sand soil moisture contents, and vibration parameters was performed. The results of the study showed that as the water content becomes higher, the cohesive force of the sand decreases and produces a higher displacement in the water content, with most of the anchor solids becoming prone to fatigue failure. When the water content and vibration frequency remain stable and the vibration amplitude increases, the anchor rod is disturbed after the ultimate pullout bearing capacity forms a decreasing trend, with a decline rate of approximately 40%. By keeping the water content and vibration amplitude stable and changing the vibration frequency, the ultimate pullout capacity of the anchor does not change significantly, and the frequency reaches a certain level when it attains a compacting effect on the surrounding soil and thus has less influence on the anchor. The anchor pullout resistance bearing is most sensitive to the change in sand moisture content, more sensitive to the vibration amplitude, and less sensitive to the vibration frequency, but its correlation is not significant.
Clutter Suppression Algorithm with Joint Intrinsic Clutter Motion Errors Calibration and Off-Grid Effects Mitigation in Airborne Passive Radars
Authors: Deng Yaqi , Pei Zhengwang , Li Wenguo , Jiang Dongchu
Published: May 2023

In an airborne passive radar, multipath (MP) clutter, which is caused by MP signals contained in the contaminated reference signal, degrades the space-time adaptive processing (STAP) performance. The MP clutter suppression algorithm before STAP can mitigate the influence of impure reference signals. However, the performances of the existing MP clutter suppression methods deteriorate when the intrinsic clutter motion (ICM) exists because the sparse model of MP clutter is disturbed. To eliminate the impacts of ICM on MP clutter suppression, a joint optimization algorithm is developed for airborne passive radar. Firstly, the sparse model of MP clutter is modified by taking ICM fluctuation into account. Subsequently, the joint optimization function of the ICM fluctuation and MP clutter profile is derived. Finally, based on the local search technique, MP clutter is suppressed with ICM error calibration and off-grid effects mitigation. A range of simulations verify the reliability and superiority of the proposed method.
Fluid–Structure Interaction Analysis in Ball Bearings Subjected to Hydrodynamic and Mixed Lubrication
Authors: Almeida Marvelúcia , Bastos Flávia , Vecchio Sara
Published: May 2023

The mathematical and computational modeling of the lubricated contact between bearing surfaces is presented to analyze the sliding friction using a realistic 3D model on a microscopic scale. The fluid–structure interaction model evaluates the effects of lubricant film thickness on friction in hydrodynamic and mixed lubrication regimes. Higher contact pressures are seen at the peaks of asperities, especially during mixed lubrication, in which the fluid volume is smaller. Calculated friction coefficients from a homogenization procedure of shear and normal forces in the hydrodynamic and mixed lubrication, close to 0.0045 and 0.014, respectively, were accurate and within the range specified in the Stribeck curve. Results demonstrate the computational model allows examining the effects of lubrication on contact between rough surfaces.
Geophysical Monitoring of Leachate Injection in Pretreated Waste Landfill
Authors: Godio Alberto , Chiampo Fulvia
Published: May 2023

Landfill leachate recirculation is applied to manage the landfill as a bioreactor to enhance biogas production, limiting the impact due to greenhouse gas emissions and optimizing the energy recovery from biogas. This study deals with the geophysical monitoring of the leachate recirculation within the waste of a pretreated waste landfill. For this aim, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was adopted, detecting the main distribution of moisture within the waste both through the surface and through several boreholes. The electrical resistivity of waste mainly depends on water content, leachate salinity and temperature. The method is sensitive to the transient phenomena associated with leachate flow within the waste; moreover, the ERT long-term monitoring data suffer from anomalous and unexpected polarization phenomena induced by the measurements themselves. Results demonstrated the reliability of this approach to qualitatively detect the landfill volume affected by the leachate circulation. The effects of moisture changes by leachate infiltration on biogas production are still challenging, notwithstanding a positive effect on methane concentration in biogas itself is evident.
Web Page Content Block Identification with Extended Block Properties
Authors: Griazev Kiril , Ramanauskaitė Simona
Published: May 2023

Web page segmentation is one of the most influential factors for the automated integration of web page content with other systems. Existing solutions are focused on segmentation but do not provide a more detailed description of the segment including its range (minimum and maximum HTML code bounds, covering the segment content) and variants (the same segments with different content). Therefore the paper proposes a novel solution designed to find all web page content blocks and detail them for further usage. It applies text similarity and document object model (DOM) tree analysis methods to indicate the maximum and minimum ranges of each identified HTML block. In addition, it indicates its relation to other blocks, including hierarchical as well as sibling blocks. The evaluation of the method reveals its ability to identify more content blocks in comparison to human labeling (in manual labeling only 24% of blocks were labeled). By using the proposed method, manual labeling effort could be reduced by at least 70%. Better performance was observed in comparison to other analyzed web page segmentation methods, and better recall was achieved due to focus on processing every block present on a page, and providing a more detailed web page division into content block data by presenting block boundary range and block variation data.
Effect of Varied Nitrogen Sources and Type of Cultivation on the Yield and Physicochemical Parameters of Flowering Chinese Cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee)
Authors: Liu Wenping , Muzolf-Panek Małgorzata , Kleiber Tomasz
Published: May 2023

The aim of our study was to determine the effect of various nitrogen sources (NH4NO3 (N, 34%), Ca(NO3)2 (N, 15.5%; Ca, 18%), Mg(NO3)2 (N, 11%; Mg, 12%), NaNO3 (N, 15%; Na, 25%) and urea (N, 46%)) and increasing the intensity of N nutrition with these fertilisers (50, 70, and 90 mg N·dm−3) on the yield and quality of flowering Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis var. utilis Tsen et Lee). The plants were grown in two different soilless systems, namely pot cultivation (substrate system—mixture of peat and sand) and hydroponic cultivation. The quality of plants was expressed as macro- and microelement contents, pigment contents, antioxidant activity and phenolic content. It was observed that the yield of flowering Chinese cabbage was about 43–70% higher in the hydroponic system than in the substrate. The N source and N nutrition affected the yield volume. The highest mean yield was observed in pot cultivation after fertilisation with Mg(NO3)2 and in hydroponics with Ca(NO3)2. We found a rather high tolerance of flowering cabbage to sodium and an excessive content of ammonium in the nutrient solution. The nitrogen source and N doses modified plant contents of macro- and microelements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Zn and Cu) and other quality parameters of plants. In pot cultivation, the highest element contents as well as the highest antioxidant activity were obtained after fertilisation with Mg(NO3)2 at N-70 and N-90. The highest pigment contents (chlorophylls and carotenoids) were obtained in the samples treated with urea at the N-90 dose. Those samples were also characterised by a high Mn content. Generally, the pigment content in the pot system positively correlated with the Mn content in leaves, the microelement which is involved in the process of photosynthesis, but it did not correlate with colour coordinates. In the hydroponic system, the highest pigment contents were observed in the samples treated with Mg(NO3)2 at the N-70 dose. Generally, in hydroponics, chlorophyll levels positively correlated with Ca levels in the aboveground parts of the plants. Additionally, the content of Chl b inversely correlated with L* and b* values. In hydroponic systems, the highest DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) activity was observed after treatment with NH4NO3 at the N-70 and N-90 doses and it did not correlate with phenolic content but rather with pigment content. In conclusion, both the intensity of N nutrition and the fertiliser applied can significantly modify the yield of plants and their quality parameters. For pot cultivation, the most effective fertiliser was Mg(NO3)2 at the N-70/N-90 doses, while for hydroponic cultivation, it is difficult to indicate the most effective fertiliser as the responses varied depending on the method of fertilisation.
Reversible Data Hiding in Encrypted Images Based on the Mixed Multi-Bit Layer Embedding Strategy
Authors: Liu Rui-Hua , Zhou Quan
Published: May 2023

With the increasing requirements for the security of medical data, military data, and other data transmission, data hiding technology has gradually developed from only protecting the security of secret data to all transmission data. As a necessary technical means, reversible data hiding in encrypted images (RDH-EIs) provides superior performance in terms of security. To simultaneously improve the effectiveness of RDH-EIs, this work proposes a mixed multi-bit layer embedding strategy in encrypted images. The cover image is processed into two categories: available hidden blocks (AHBs) and unavailable hidden blocks (UHBs) at the sender. Then, all data are embedded in the multi-bit layer of the encrypted pixels in AHBs through two embedding strategies to obtain the transmission image. At the receiver, the user can extract the needed data separably according to different keys to achieve error-free extraction of the secret data and lossless recovery of the cover image. The experimental results show that the proposed scheme has the advantages of superior embedding capacity and high decryption quality over the current state-of-the-art works.
Trust-Aware Evidence Reasoning and Spatiotemporal Feature Aggregation for Explainable Fake News Detection
Authors: Chen Jing , Zhou Gang , Lu Jicang , Wang Shiyu , Li Shunhang
Published: May 2023

Fake news detection has become a significant topic based on the fast-spreading and detrimental effects of such news. Many methods based on deep neural networks learn clues from claim content and message propagation structure or temporal information, which have been widely recognized. However, firstly, such models ignore the fact that information quality is uneven in propagation, which makes semantic representations unreliable. Additionally, most models do not fully leverage spatial and temporal structures in combination. Finally, internal decision-making processes and results are non-transparent and unexplained. In this study, we developed a trust-aware evidence reasoning and spatiotemporal feature aggregation model for more interpretable and accurate fake news detection. Specifically, we first designed a trust-aware evidence reasoning module to calculate the credibility of posts based on a random walk model to discover high-quality evidence. Next, from the perspective of spatiotemporal structure, we designed an evidence-representation module to capture the semantic interactions granularly and enhance the reliable representation of evidence. Finally, a two-layer capsule network was designed to aggregate the implicit bias in evidence while capturing the false portions of source information in a transparent and interpretable manner. Extensive experiments on two benchmark datasets indicate that the proposed model can provide explanations for fake news detection results, and can also achieve better performance, boosting the F1-score 3.5% on average.
Understanding the Characteristics of the Heta-Uma Illustration Works in the 1980s: A Case Study of Teruhiko Yumura and Yosuke Kawamura
Authors: Wang Siyu
Published: May 2023

Heta-Uma, a Japanese illustration style, was first proposed in the 1970s and flourished in the 1980s. It involves illustration that expresses a unique artistic temperament through the use of childlike and naive forms. However, such a special cultural phenomenon has not been widely explored in the literature. The aim of this article is to examine the Heta-Uma works during the 1980s and reveal the role of these works’ characteristics. We conduct a case study of the two most representative Heta-Uma illustrators: Teruhiko Yumura and Yosuke Kawamura. Specifically, we analyze a total of their 514 works using the combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Our key findings suggest that the number and the type of Heta-Uma works changed from the early 1980s to the end of 1980s and the text in Heta-Uma works potentially plays an important role in supporting their understanding. In addition, the study demonstrates that Heta-Uma is likely to have a relationship with Japanese aesthetics. We take a first step towards understanding Heta-Uma systematically, and believe that this article complements the knowledge gap in the context of Japanese illustrations. Meanwhile, our study opens up avenues for future work, such as investigating the birth of Heta-Uma, the relationship between the works and the social impact, and the effect of Heta-Uma on the modern Japanese illustrations.
From the Feminist Ethic of Care to Tender Attunement: Olga Tokarczuk’s Tenderness as a New Ethical and Aesthetic Imperative
Authors: Michna Natalia Anna
Published: May 2023

In her Nobel speech in 2019, Olga Tokarczuk presented the category of tenderness as a new way of narrating the contemporary world. This article is a proposal for the analysis and interpretation of tenderness in ethical and aesthetic terms. (1) From an ethical perspective, tenderness is interpreted as an extension and complement of feminist relational ethics, i.e., the ethics of care. In the proposed approach, tenderness is a broader and more universal quality than care in the feminist understanding. This article opens with a brief discussion of feminist interventions in ethics, with particular emphasis on the ethics of care. Next, the differences between care and tenderness are enumerated and described, in order to show how tenderness can serve as an extension and complement of the feminist ethic of care. These considerations are guided by the question of why tenderness is a better—more appropriate and more responsive to contemporary challenges—moral guidepost than care. (2) From the aesthetic perspective, tenderness is the negation of a contemplative, distanced, impersonal, and rational view of reality. As an aesthetic imperative, tenderness implies engaged experience of the beauty of reality in all of its manifestations. Therefore, in the last part of the article, existential tender attunement is described in aesthetic terms, as a position serving to sensitize others to the beauty and complexity of the post-anthropocentric world.
Isogeometric Schwarz Preconditioners with Generalized B-Splines for the Biharmonic Problem
Authors: Cho Durkbin
Published: May 2023

We construct an overlapping additive Schwarz preconditioner for the biharmonic Dirichlet problems discretized by isogeometric analysis based on generalized B-splines (GB-splines) and analyze its optimal convergence rate bound that is cubic in the ratio between subdomains and overlap sizes. Our analysis is validated through a set of numerical experiments that illustrate good behavior of the proposed preconditioner with respect to the model parameters.
Initial Coefficients Upper Bounds for Certain Subclasses of Bi-Prestarlike Functions
Authors: Hamadneh Tareq , Abu Falahah Ibraheem , AL-Khassawneh Yazan Alaya , Al-Husban Abdallah , Wanas Abbas Kareem , Bulboacă Teodor
Published: May 2023

In this article, we introduce and study the behavior of the modules of the first two coefficients for the classes NΣ(γ,λ,δ,μ;α) and NΣ*(γ,λ,δ,μ;β) of normalized holomorphic and bi-univalent functions that are connected with the prestarlike functions. We determine the upper bounds for the initial Taylor–Maclaurin coefficients |a2| and |a3| for the functions of each of these families, and we also point out some special cases and consequences of our main results. The study of these classes is closely connected with those of Ruscheweyh who in 1977 introduced the classes of prestarlike functions of order μ using a convolution operator and the proofs of our results are based on the well-known Carathédory’s inequality for the functions with real positive part in the open unit disk. Our results generalize a few of the earlier ones obtained by Li and Wang, Murugusundaramoorthy et al., Brannan and Taha, and could be useful for those that work with the geometric function theory of one-variable functions.