bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Service Quality and Customer Satisfaction in the Post Pandemic World: A Study of Saudi Auto Care Industry
Authors: Zygiaris Sotirios , Hameed Zahid , Ayidh Alsubaie Mubarak , Ur Rehman Shafiq
Published: March 2022

The aim of this research is to examine the impact of service quality on customer satisfaction in the post pandemic world in auto care industry. The car care vendor in the study made effective use of social media to provide responsive updates to the customers in the post pandemic world; such use of social media provides bases for service quality and customer satisfaction. The study examined the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction using the SERVQUAL framework. According to the findings, empathy, reliability, assurance, responsiveness, and tangibles have a significant positive relationship with customer satisfaction. Our findings suggest that it is critical for workshops to recognize the service quality factors that contribute to customer satisfaction. Findings also suggest that empathy, assurance, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibles contribute to customer satisfaction. Auto repair industry must regularly provide personal attention, greet customers in a friendly manner, deliver cars after services, notify customers when additional repairs are required, and take the time to clarify problems to customers. Furthermore, workshops must screen and hire courteous staff who can clearly communicate the services required to customers both in-person and online and effectively communicate the risks associated with repairs. Service quality seems to be aided by prompt services.
Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Brief State Rumination Inventory
Authors: Wang Chanyu , Song Xiaoqi , Lee Tatia M. C. , Zhang Ruibin
Published: March 2022

State rumination, unlike trait rumination which is described as a persistent and stable response style, is usually triggered by a specific stressful event and causes negative emotions within a short period of time. The measurement methods of trait rumination, such as the ruminative response scale (RRS), are therefore not fully applicable to state rumination. Recently, researchers have developed the brief state rumination inventory (BSRI) to characterize state rumination, addressing the gap in the field of accurate measurement of state rumination. To develop such an effective tool in the Chinese context, we developed a Chinese version of the BSRI and tested its psychometric properties. Two studies were conducted to address the research goal. In Study 1, we recruited 512 subjects, each of whom completed the Chinese version of the BSRI, RRS, emotional regulation questionnaire (ERQ), depression–anxiety–stress scale (DASS), and positive and negative affect scale (PANAS). Results showed that the scores of the BSRI were positively correlated with all other scale scores (ps < 0.001), and the correlation with the RRS was the highest, indicating that the BSRI showed good convergent validity. Additionally, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the Chinese version of the BSRI was 0.93. Study 2 aimed to examine the ecological validity of the Chinese version of the BSRI. We recruited another 54 subjects who were randomly divided into two groups, with 27 in the rumination induction group and 27 in the distraction group, and recorded the BSRI scores of the two groups before and after a specific experiment. We found there was a significant increase in BSRI scores after rumination induction (t = 3.91, p < 0.001), while there was no significant difference in the concrete distraction group before and after the experiment (t = 0.70, p = 0.48). In sum, the Chinese version of the BSRI showed good reliability and validity for assessing state rumination in the general Chinese population.
Artificial Intelligence Policies to Enhance Urban Mobility in Southeast Asia
Authors: Chong Yung-Wey , Villanueva-Libunao Kris , Chee Su-Yin , Alvarez Mary Jane , Yau Kok-Lim Alvin , Keoh Sye Loong
Published: March 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a powerful tool for technological progress with profound impacts on governments, industries, universities, and societies. In Southeast Asia, AI has presented both opportunities and challenges. Local governments are increasingly experimenting and piloting AI technology to create smart, sustainable, and inclusive cities. Nevertheless, the adoption of artificial intelligence in cities requires proper planning, management, and implementation. Consequently, there is a need for a concerted effort to establish collaboration between industries, governments, academics, and societies in Southeast Asia. This policy brief aims to provide an overview of how artificial intelligence can be implemented to enhance urban mobility in Southeast Asia. To maximize the relevance of the policy brief, experts from various fields have been consulted in its preparation.
Temporal Variation of the Shortwave Spherical Albedo of the Earth
Authors: Penttilä A. , Muinonen K. , Ihalainen O. , Uvarova E. , Vuori M. , Xu G. , Näränen J. , Wilkman O. , Peltoniemi J. , Gritsevich M. , Järvinen H. , Marshak A.
Published: March 2022

The Earth’s spherical albedo describes the ratio of light reflected from the Earth to that incident from the Sun, an important variable for the Earth’s radiation balance. The spherical albedo has been previously estimated from satellites in low-Earth orbits, and from light reflected from the Moon. We developed a method to derive the Earth’s spherical shortwave albedo using the images from the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) on board National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR). The satellite is located in the Lagrange 1 point between the Earth and the Sun and observes the complete illuminated part of the Earth at once. The method allows us to provide continuously updated spherical albedo time series data starting from 2015. This time series shows a systematic seasonal variation with the mean annual albedo estimated as 0.295±0.008 and an exceptional albedo maximum in 2020, attributed to unusually abundant cloudiness over the Southern Oceans.
Land Use and Land Cover Shape River Water Quality at a Continental Caribbean Land-Ocean Interface
Authors: Clark Kasey E. , Bravo Viviana D. , Giddings Sarah N. , Davis Kristen A. , Pawlak Geno , Torres Mark A. , Adelson Anne E. , César-Ávila Carolina I. , Boza Ximena , Collin Rachel
Published: March 2022

Land use and land cover (LULC) can significantly alter river water, which can in turn have important impacts on downstream coastal ecosystems by delivering nutrients that promote marine eutrophication and hypoxia. Well-documented in temperate systems, less is known about the way land cover relates to water quality in low-lying coastal zones in the tropics. Here we evaluate the catchment LULC and the physical and chemical characteristics of six rivers that contribute flow into a seasonally hypoxic tropical bay in Bocas del Toro, Panama. From July 2019 to March 2020, we routinely surveyed eight physical and chemical characteristics (temperature, specific conductivity, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrate and nitrite, ammonium, and phosphate). Our goals were to determine how these physical and chemical characteristics of the rivers reflect the LULC, to compare the water quality of the focal rivers to rivers across Panama, and to discuss the potential impacts of river discharge in the Bay. Overall, we found that the six focal rivers have significantly different river water characteristics that can be linked to catchment LULC and that water quality of rivers 10 s of kilometers apart could differ drastically. Two focal catchments dominated by pristine peat swamp vegetation in San San Pond Sak, showed characteristics typical of blackwater rivers, with low pH, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients. The remaining four catchments were largely mountainous with >50% forest cover. In these rivers, variation in nutrient concentrations were associated with percent urbanization. Comparisons across Panamanian rivers covered in a national survey to our focal rivers shows that saltwater intrusions and low DO of coastal swamp rivers may result in their classification by a standardized water quality index as having slightly contaminated water quality, despite this being their natural state. Examination of deforestation over the last 20 years, show that changes were <10% in the focal catchments, were larger in the small mountainous catchments and suggest that in the past 20 years the physical and chemical characteristics of river water that contributes to Almirante Bay may have shifted slightly in response to these moderate land use changes. (See supplementary information for Spanish-language abstract).
Supplemental Stingless Bee Pollination in Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.): An Assessment of Impacts on Native Pollinators and Crop Yield
Authors: Layek Ujjwal , Das Alokesh , Karmakar Prakash
Published: March 2022

The yield of many crops benefits from pollinating insects; thus, recently reported declines in pollinator abundance and diversity are concerning for global food production. The pollinator dependency and amount of yield enhancement may vary according to crop species and geographical location. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is an important spice crop cultivated in Indian states. However, comprehensive knowledge about pollination demand and yield enhancement potential of managed bees is still unknown. Here, we conducted a replicated study in two successive years (2020 and 2021) in West Bengal by combining pollinator surveys, pollinator-exclusion experiments, and field manipulation on fennel, which quantifies the impacts of supplemental stingless bees (Tetragonula iridipennis) pollination on native pollinators and crop yield. The crop species attracted many insect species belonging to diverse groups. Among those, important native pollinators (based on “approximate pollination value”) were Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, Apis florea, and Oxybelus furculatus in open condition (i.e., without field manipulation and in the absence of managed bees). We derived the coefficient of pollination deficit (D) from the fruit set percentages in open and manual cross-pollination treatments. The obtained value (D = 0.18) implies that the crop species have pollen transfer limitations, resulting in retardation of crop yield. From field manipulation with managed stingless bee colonies, the abundance of visitors (especially stingless bee foragers) on fennel increased (without altering the foraging activity of other native pollinators), thereby fruit set and crop yield increased by about 14.89 and 19.31%, respectively. Native managed stingless bees had no negative impacts on other native unmanaged species and can be promoted as complementary and short-term means of boosting yields and improving agricultural sustainability.
Comparing Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty Stems at a High-Volume Revision Center
Authors: Kemker Bernard P. , Sowers Christopher B. , Seedat Raees , Satpathy Jibanananda , Patel Nirav K. , Lombardo Daniel J. , Golladay Gregory J.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Hybrid fixation and fully cemented fixation are commonly used in revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA). These two techniques are typically done based on surgeon preference and one has not demonstrated superiority over the other. The purpose of this study was to examine if there was a difference in survivorship between the two different techniques.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of all consecutive patients undergoing rTKA (CPT 27487) from January 1, 2011 to January 1, 2018 at a single academic center was performed. Patients were divided into cemented and hybrid rTKA groups with comparison of patient demographic, clinical and radiological outcomes, reoperation, change in post-operative hemoglobin (HgB), and length of stay (LOS).

Results

A total of 133 rTKA for 122 patients were identified: 30.1% in the cemented and 69.9% in the hybrid groups. There was no significant difference in age (p = 0.491), sex (p = 0.250), laterality (p = 0.421), or body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.609) between the two groups. Mean LOS (hybrid 4.13 days, cemented 3.65 days; p = 0.356) and change in Hgb (hybrid 2.95 mg/dL, cemented 2.62mg/dL; p = 0.181) were not statistically different between the groups. Mean follow up for the hybrid (25.4 months, range 2–114 months) and cemented (24.6 months, range 3–75.5 months) rTKA was not statistically significant (p = 0.825). Overall survival rates were 80.9% in the hybrid and 84.6% in the cemented groups (p = 0.642).

Conclusions

Hybrid and fully cemented rTKA techniques have similar survival rates at a minimum followup of 2 years. Additionally, in our cohort, age, gender, and BMI were not associated with failure in either group. Furthermore, we did not observe differences in LOS or change in hemoglobin suggesting early postoperative complications may not differ between cemented and hybrid stemmed groups. Continued long-term research is required for defining the best rTKA technique.
A Bi-State Shape Memory Material Composite Soft Actuator
Authors: Rajagopalan Ramprasad , Petruska Andrew J. , Howard David
Published: March 2022

Shape memory materials have been widely used as programmable soft matter for developing multifunctional hybrid actuators. Several challenges of fabrication and effective modelling of these soft actuating systems can be addressed by implementing novel 3D printing techniques and simulations to aid the designer. In this study, the temperature-dependent recovery of an embedded U-shaped Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) and the shape fixity of a 3D-printed Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) matrix were exploited to create a bi-state Shape Memory Composite (SMC) soft actuator. Electrical heating allowed the SMA to achieve the bi-state condition, undergoing phase transformation to a U shape in the rubbery phase and a flat shape in the glassy phase of the SMP. A COMSOL Multiphysics model was developed to predict the deformation and recovery of the SMC by leveraging the in-built SMA constitutive relations and user-defined material subroutine for the SMP. The bi-state actuation model was validated by capturing the mid-point displacement of the 80 mm length × 10 mm width × 2 mm-thick 3D-printed SMC. The viability of the SMC as a periodic actuator in terms of shape recovery was addressed through modelling and simulation. Results indicated that the proposed COMSOL model was in good agreement with the experiment. In addition, the effect of varying the volume ratio of the SMA wire in the SMC on the maximum and recovered deflection was also obtained. Our model can be used to design SMC actuators with various performance profiles to facilitate future designs in soft robotics and wearable technology applications.
Effects on Germination and Plantlet Development of Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Seeds with Chitosan Coatings
Authors: Godínez-Garrido Nancy A. , Torres-Castillo Jorge A. , Ramírez-Pimentel Juan G. , Covarrubias-Prieto Jorge , Cervantes-Ortiz Francisco , Aguirre-Mancilla Cesar L.
Published: March 2022

In seed technology, the use of biocompatible materials, such as chitosan, has been demonstrated to improve the germination process and establishment of seedlings. This research is focused on the effect of a chitosan coating on the germination and development of sesame and bean plantlets. The seeds were treated with different coating techniques and combinations of chitosan: chitosan solutions at 0.1, 0.5 and 1% were used in film coating, chitosan flakes with particle sizes of 1.19 mm and 0.71 mm were used as a crusted coating, and chitosan flakes with a size of 1.19 mm were used for coating with acrylic resin. Images of the coatings were obtained by means of scanning electron microscopy; the effect on germination, germination speed, vigor index, length and root area of plantlets were also determined. Chitosan treatments increased germination by 26% in bean and 16% in sesame compared with the control; the germination speed index showed an increase of 61% in bean and 58% in sesame. The treatments with chitosan increased the length of the root in bean by 77%, and in sesame four times more, compared with the control treatments. Different forms of chitosan coatings improve germination and seedling establishment; however, the response to the type of coating at a given stage of seedling development will depend on the crop species.
Use of Copper-Based Fungicides in Organic Agriculture in Twelve European Countries
Authors: Tamm Lucius , Thuerig Barbara , Apostolov Stoilko , Blogg Hugh , Borgo Esmeralda , Corneo Paola Elisa , Fittje Susanne , de Palma Michelangelo , Donko Adam , Experton Catherine , Alcázar Marín Évelyne , Morell Pérez Ángela , Pertot Ilaria , Rasmussen Anton , Steinshamn Håvard , Vetemaa Airi , Willer Helga , Herforth-Rahmé Joëlle
Published: March 2022

The reduction of copper-based plant-protection products with the final aim of phasing out has a high priority in European policy, as well as in organic agriculture. Our survey aims at providing an overview of the current use of these products in European organic agriculture and the need for alternatives to allow policymakers to develop strategies for a complete phasing out. Due to a lack of centralized databases on pesticide use, our survey combines expert knowledge on permitted and real copper use per crop and country, with statistics on organic area. In the 12 surveyed countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK), we calculated that approximately 3258 t copper metal per year is consumed by organic agriculture, equaling to 52% of the permitted annual dosage. This amount is split between olives (1263 t y−1, 39%), grapevine (990 t y−1, 30%), and almonds (317 t y−1, 10%), followed by other crops with much smaller annual uses (<80 t y−1). In 56% of the allowed cases (countries × crops), farmers use less than half of the allowed amount, and in 27%, they use less than a quarter. At the time being, completely abandoning copper fungicides would lead to high yield losses in many crops. To successfully reduce or avoid copper use, all preventive strategies have to be fully implemented, breeding programs need to be intensified, and several affordable alternative products need to be brought to the market.
Combined Effect of Animal Manures and Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) on Growth, Physiology, Root Nodulation and Yield of Chickpea
Authors: Khan Muhammad Shaharyar , Naveed Muhammad , Qadir Muhammad Farhan , Bashir Muhammad Asaad , Rafique Munazza , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Alamri Saud , Brtnicky Martin , Holatko Jiri , Mustafa Adnan
Published: March 2022

The key plant nutrients determine the crop’s nutritional status and vigor, while their deficiency impairs the plant growth resulting in absolute failure of crop productivity. Phosphorus is the second major essential nutrient for the growth and establishment of crops. Drastic variations in climatic conditions across the world and low soil fertility, especially phosphorous (P) fixation in alkaline calcareous soils of arid climate have become serious issues threatening the productivity of crops. In this regard, the application of different organic fertilizers in combination with the lower dose of chemical fertilizers has been proved as an effective strategy to improve plant growth and yield. Thus, a pot experiment was conducted in order to evaluate the combined effects of animal manures (normal and processed) along with the recommended and half of the chemical fertilizer di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) on the growth, physiology, nodulation, and yield of chickpea. Results show that the animal manure (normal and processed) with half or recommended dose of DAP significantly improved the growth, yield, and physiological attributes of the chickpea. However, the combined application of normal animal manure with half DAP showed the highest results among all other treatments. It increased the contents of leghaemoglobin, P, K, primary branches, pods, and seed weight up to 113.7%, 97.8%, 80.6%, 78.5%, 119%, and 145% over control, respectively. This treatment also increased protein contents, nodule count, and nodule weight up to 78.38%, 147%, and 93.59% than the control, respectively. Maximum chlorophyll b contents (0.78 μg/mL) were obtained with the application of a recommended dose of DAP alone. These indigenous manure applications provide a novel value addition that is critical to boosting crop yield and agricultural sustainability.
Influence of Bunch Compactness and Berry Thinning Methods on Wine Grape Quality and Sensory Attributes of Wine in Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Monastrell’
Authors: Piernas Jorge , Giménez María J. , Noguera-Artiaga Luis , García-Pastor María E. , García-Martínez Santiago , Zapata Pedro J.
Published: March 2022

Presently, there is no information available about the effect of bunch compactness and berry thinning methods on wine grape quality and sensory attributes of wine in the ‘Monastrell’ cultivar. Thus, the main aim of the present study was to determine the influence of bunch compactness and two berry thinning methods, which consisted of the reduction of 25% and 50% of the number of berries in each bunch, on wine grape quality and organoleptic quality of wine in this cultivar. Non-compact bunches and both berry thinning methods showed a significant reduction in total yield, bunch compactness, and bunch fresh mass compared with compact and control ones, respectively. However, these methods, especially the 50% one, significantly increased the content of total soluble solids and total phenolics. Furthermore, both berry thinning methods promoted the increase in total anthocyanins concentration in berries, as well as the hydrophilic total antioxidant activity. Berry thinning methods led to wines with greater sensory descriptors, such as fruity (odor and flavor), sour, sweet, aftertaste, and color, and were preferred by consumers. Finally, 50% berry thinning is the most useful tool to decrease bunch compactness and improve the overall quality of berries and sensory attributes of wines.
Clinical and Microbiological Effects of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Urology—A Single Center Before-After Study
Authors: Joean Oana , Tahedl Daniel , Flintrop Madita , Winkler Thorben , Sabau Ruxandra , Welte Tobias , Kuczyk Markus A. , Vonberg Ralf-Peter , Rademacher Jessica
Published: March 2022

Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health issue caused by antibiotic overuse and misuse. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) has been increasingly endorsed worldwide, but its effect has been studied scarcely in urologic settings. A before-after study was performed from 2018 through 2020 to evaluate changes in antimicrobial prescription, resistance rates and clinical safety upon implementation of an AMS audit and feedback program in the Urology Department of a large German academic medical center. The primary endpoints were safety clinical outcomes: the rate of infection-related readmissions and of infectious complications after transrectal prostate biopsies. Resistance rates and antimicrobial consumption rates were the secondary endpoints. The AMS team reviewed 196 cases (12% of all admitted in the department). The overall antibiotic use dropped by 18.7%. Quinolone prescriptions sank by 78.8% (p = 0.02) and 69.8% (p > 0.05) for ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin, respectively. The resistance rate of E. coli isolates declined against ceftriaxone (−9%), ceftazidime (−12%) and quinolones (−25%) in the AMS period. No significant increase in infection-related readmissions or infectious complications after prostate biopsies was observed (p = 0.42). Due to the potential to reduce antibiotic use and resistance rates with no surge of infection-related complications, AMS programs should be widely implemented in urologic departments.
Comparison of Six Phenotypic Assays with Reference Methods for Assessing Colistin Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacterales: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Főldes Annamária , Székely Edit , Voidăzan Septimiu Toader , Dobreanu Minodora
Published: March 2022

The global escalation of severe infections due to carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) isolates has prompted increased usage of parenteral colistin. Considering the reported difficulties in assessing their susceptibility to colistin, the purpose of the study was to perform a comparative evaluation of six phenotypic assays—the colistin broth disc elution (CBDE), Vitek 2 Compact (bioMérieux SA, Marcy l’Etoile, France), the Micronaut MIC-Strip Colistin (Merlin Diagnostika GMBH, Bornheim-Hensel, Germany), the gradient diffusion strip Etest (bioMérieux SA, Marcy l’Etoile, France), ChromID Colistin R Agar (COLR) (bioMérieux SA, Marcy l’Etoile, France), and the Rapid Polymyxin NP Test (ELITechGroup, Signes, France)—versus the reference method of broth microdilution (BMD). All false resistance results were further assessed using population analysis profiling (PAP). Ninety-two nonrepetitive clinical CPE strains collected from two hospitals were evaluated. The BMD confirmed 36 (39.13%) isolates susceptible to colistin. According to the BMD, the Micronaut MIC-Strip Colistin, the CBDE, and the COLR medium exhibited category agreement (CA) of 100%. In comparison with the BMD, the highest very major discrepancy (VMD) was noted for Etest (n = 15), and the only false resistance results were recorded for the Rapid Polymyxin NP Test (n = 3). Only the PAP method and the Rapid Polymyxin NP Test were able to detect heteroresistant isolates (n = 2). Thus, there is an urgent need to further optimize the diagnosis strategies for colistin resistance.
Technical Aspects of Coenzyme Q10 Analysis: Validation of a New HPLC-ED Method
Authors: Paredes-Fuentes Abraham J. , Oliva Clara , Montero Raquel , Alcaide Patricia , Ruijter George J. G. , García-Villoria Judit , Ruiz-Sala Pedro , Artuch Rafael
Published: March 2022

The biochemical measurement of the CoQ status in different tissues can be performed using HPLC with electrochemical detection (ED). Because the production of the electrochemical cells used with the Coulochem series detectors was discontinued, we aimed to standardize a new HPLC-ED method with new equipment. We report all technical aspects, troubleshooting and its performance in different biological samples, including plasma, skeletal muscle homogenates, urine and cultured skin fibroblasts. Analytical variables (intra- and inter-assay precision, linearity, analytical measurement range, limit of quantification, limit of detection and accuracy) were validated in calibrators and plasma samples and displayed adequate results. The comparison of the results of a new ERNDIM external quality control (EQC) scheme for the plasma CoQ determination between HPLC-ED (Lab 1) and LC-MS/MS (Lab 2) methods shows that the results of the latter were slightly higher in most cases, although a good consistency was generally observed. In conclusion, the new method reported here showed a good analytical performance. The global quality of the EQC scheme results among different participants can be improved with the contribution of more laboratories.
Changes in Quality Traits and Oxidation Stability of Syzygium aromaticum Extract-Added Cooked Ground Beef during Frozen Storage
Authors: Zahid Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman , Eom Jeong-Uk , Parvin Rashida , Seo Jin-Kyu , Yang Han-Sul
Published: March 2022

This study was accomplished by comparing the oxidative stability of (0.1%) Syzygium aromaticum extract (SAE) and (0.02%) butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)-added cooked ground beef with an antioxidant free-control sample during frozen storage. All samples showed a non-significant (p > 0.05) effect on pH, thawing loss, redness, and yellowness values during storage. Incorporation of BHT and SAE led to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) and volatile levels as an active antioxidant. The generation of less volatiles found in SAE-treated samples up to 6 months (p < 0.05) of storage. Therefore, SAE-protected ground beef can lead to lower lightness, lipid oxidation, and volatile compounds levels after cooking compared with control and BHT samples.
Modelling Virgin Olive Oil Potential Shelf-Life from Antioxidants and Lipid Oxidation Progress
Authors: Mancebo-Campos Vanessa , Salvador María Desamparados , Fregapane Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

The development of effective shelf-life prediction models is extremely important for the olive oil industry. This research is the continuation of a previous accelerated shelf-life test at mild temperature (40–60 °C), applied in this case to evaluate the oxidation effect of temperature on minor components (phenols, tocopherol, pigments) to properly complete a shelf-life predictive model. The kinetic behaviour of phenolic compounds, α-tocopherol and pigments during storage of different virgin olive oil samples at different temperatures (25–60 °C) is reported. Hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and α-tocopherol fitted to pseudo-zero-order kinetics, whereas secoiridoid derivatives of hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol, o-diphenols and total phenols apparently followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. The temperature-dependent kinetic of phenolic compounds and α-tocopherol were well described by the linear Arrhenius model. The apparent activation energy was calculated. Principal component analysis was used to transform the considered compositional and degradation variables into fewer uncorrelated principal components resulting in 4: “no oxidizable substrate”, “initial oxidation state and conditions”, “free simple phenols”, and “degradation rates”. In addition, multivariate linear regression was used to yield several modelling equations for shelf-life prediction, considering initial composition and experimental variables easily determined in accelerated storage.
Lp-Order Time–Frequency Spectra and Its Application in Edge Detection
Authors: Liu Houjun , Cao Junxing , He Zhenhua , Li Yong , Lin Kai , Zhang Gulan
Published: March 2022

Generalized Hilbert transform (GHT) has been widely and successfully used in signal processing and interpretation for many years. However, the order parameter in GHT can only be chosen in a certain range, and the GHT result is not stable with respect to the chosen order parameter, which usually leads to poor-stability and low-resolution outputs. To improve the stability of GHT and broaden its order parameter chosen range, and finally achieve high-efficiency and high-resolution results, we extend GHT by introducing the sign function, the two frequency integration parameters, and propose the Lp-order time–frequency spectra (LTFS). In LTFS, the sign function aims to broaden the chosen range of the order parameter into any positive numbers, and then leads to high-stability and high-resolution LTFS results; the two frequency integration parameters aim to optimize the computation efficiency and output resolution of LTFS. Synthetic one-dimensional (1D) channel data testing, synthetic two-dimensional (2D) seismic data, and actual three-dimensional (3D) seismic data examples demonstrate favorable capability of LTFS for edge detection.
Time-Evolving Graph Convolutional Recurrent Network for Traffic Prediction
Authors: Mai Weimin , Chen Junxin , Chen Xiang
Published: March 2022

Accurate traffic prediction is crucial to the construction of intelligent transportation systems. This task remains challenging because of the complicated and dynamic spatiotemporal dependency in traffic networks. While various graph-based spatiotemporal networks have been proposed for traffic prediction, most of them rely on predefined graphs from different views or static adaptive matrices. Some implicit dynamics of inter-node dependency may be neglected, which limits the performance of prediction. To address this problem and make more accurate predictions, we propose a traffic prediction model named Time-Evolving Graph Convolution Recurrent Network (TEGCRN), which takes advantage of time-evolving graph convolution to capture the dynamic inter-node dependency adaptively at different time slots. Specifically, we first propose a tensor-composing method to generate adaptive time-evolving adjacency graphs. Based on these time-evolving graphs and a predefined distance-based graph, a graph convolution module with mix-hop operation is applied to extract comprehensive inter-node information. Then the resulting graph convolution module is integrated into the Recurrent Neural Network structure to form an general predicting model. Experiments on two real-world traffic datasets demonstrate the superiority of TEGCRN over multiple competitive baseline models, especially in short-term prediction, which also verifies the effectiveness of time-evolving graph convolution in capturing more comprehensive inter-node dependency.
Computational Study on Rogue Wave and Its Application to a Floating Body
Authors: Jeon Wooyoung , Park Sunho , Jeon Gyu-Mok , Park Jong-Chun
Published: March 2022

A rogue wave is a huge wave that is generated by wave energy focusing. Rogue waves can cause critical damage to ships and offshore platforms due to their great wave energy and unpredictability. In this paper, to generate a rogue wave, a bull’s-eye wave, which is a focusing of multi-directional waves, was simulated in a numerical wave tank. A multi-directional wave generating boundary was developed using OpenFOAM, which is an open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) library. The wave height and profile of the generated rogue wave were compared to those of the regular wave. In addition, the pressure and velocity contours of water particles and velocity vectors at the free surface of the rogue wave were studied, along with the kinematic and dynamic effects of the rogue wave on a floating body.
Hydrodynamic Investigation on a Land-Fixed OWC Wave Energy Device under Irregular Waves
Authors: Zhou Zhimin , Ke Song , Wang Rongquan , Mayon Robert , Ning Dezhi
Published: March 2022

The hydrodynamic response of a land-based oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy converter under various irregular wave conditions is investigated numerically. Based on the potential flow theory, a two-dimensional fully nonlinear numerical wave flume (NWF) is developed to model the hydrodynamic characteristics using the time-domain higher-order boundary element method (HOBEM). The inner-domain sources method and JONSWAP energy spectrum is used to generate the irregular incident waves, and a linear pneumatic model is used to determine the pneumatic pressure inside the chamber. The free surface elevations at the chamber centre and the oscillatory pneumatic pressures induced by the vertical motion of the water column are recorded. The influence of irregular waves on the hydrodynamic characteristics of the OWC device is carried out by comparison with the regular waves, and a number of significant wave heights and peak wave periods are considered. The hydrodynamic efficiency of the OWC device in irregular wave conditions is observed to be lower than that in regular waves for most wave frequencies, especially near the resonant frequency.
Reliability Uncertainty Analysis Method for Aircraft Electrical Power System Design Based on Variance Decomposition
Authors: Wang Yao , Cai Yuanfeng , Hu Xiaomin , Gao Xinqin , Li Shujuan , Li Yan
Published: March 2022

As a safety critical system, affected by cognitive uncertainty and flight environment variability, aircraft electrical power system proves highly uncertain in its failure occurrence and consequences. However, there are few studies on how to reduce the uncertainty in the system design stage, which is of great significance for shortening the development cycle and ensuring flight safety during the operation phrase. For this reason, based on the variance decomposition theory, this paper proposes an importance measure index of the influence of component failure rate uncertainty on the uncertainty of power supply reliability (system reliability). Furthermore, an algorithm to calculate the measure index is proposed by combining with the minimum path set and Monte Carlo simulation method. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a typical series-parallel system and an aircraft electrical power system, and a criteria named as “quantity and degree optimization criteria” is drawn from the case study. Results demonstrate that the proposed method indeed realizes the measurement of the contribution degree of component failure rate uncertainty to system reliability uncertainty, and combined with the criteria, proper solutions can be quickly determined to reduce system reliability uncertainty, which can be a theoretical guidance for aircraft electrical power system reliability design.
Passive Thermal Control Design Methods, Analysis, Comparison, and Evaluation for Micro and Nanosatellites Carrying Infrared Imager
Authors: Selvadurai Shanmugasundaram , Chandran Amal , Valentini David , Lamprecht Bret
Published: March 2022

Advancements in satellite technologies are increasing the power density of electronics and payloads. When the power consumption increases within a limited volume, waste heat generation also increases and this necessitates a proper and efficient thermal management system. Mostly, micro and nanosatellites use passive thermal control methods because of the low cost, no additional power requirement, ease of implementation, and better thermal performance. Passive methods lack the ability to meet certain thermal requirements on larger and smaller satellite platforms. This work numerically studies the performance of some of the passive thermal control techniques such as thermal straps, surface coatings, multi-layer insulation (MLI), and radiators for a 6U small satellite configuration carrying a mid-wave infrared (MWIR) payload whose temperature needs to be cooled down to 100K. Infrared (IR) imagers require low temperature, and the level of cooling is entirely dependent on the infrared wavelengths. These instruments are used for various applications including Earth observations, defence, and imaging at IR wavelengths. To achieve these low temperatures on such instruments, a micro-cryocooler is considered in this study. Most of the higher heat dissipating elements in the satellite are mounted to a heat exchanger plate, which is thermally coupled to an external radiator using thermal straps and heat pipes. The effects of the radiator size, orbital inclinations, space environments, satellite attitude with respect to the sun, and surface coatings are discussed elaborately for a 6U satellite configuration.
Performance of Flow Allocation with Successive Interference Cancelation for Random Access WMNs
Authors: Ploumidis Manolis , Pappas Nikolaos , Traganitis Apostolos
Published: March 2022

In this study, we explore the gain that can be achieved by jointly allocating flow on multiple paths and applying successive interference cancelation (SIC), for random access wireless mesh networks with multi-packet reception capabilities. We explore a distributed flow allocation scheme aimed at maximizing average aggregate flow throughput, while also providing bounded delay when SIC is employed. The aforementioned scheme is evaluated both in terms of delay and throughput, and is also compared with other simple flow allocation schemes. We present simulation results from three illustrative topologies. Our results show that the gain for the scheme with SIC, when compared with a variant that treats interference as noise (IAN), can be up to 15.2%, for an SINR threshold value equal to 0.5. For SINR threshold values as high as 2.0 however, SIC does not always result in higher throughput. In some scenarios, the gain of SIC over IAN is insignificant, while in some others treating interference as noise proves to be better. The reason is that, although SIC improves the throughput on a specific link, it also increases the interference imposed on neighboring receivers. We also show that the gain from applying SIC is more profound in cases of a large degree of asymmetry among interfering links.
Investigation of Breakaway Time Delay Phenomenon in Isothermal Test with Zircaloy-4 under Oxygen Atmosphere at 1000 °C
Authors: Kim Gippeum , Seo Siwon , Lee Jaeyoung
Published: March 2022

Zircaloy-4 isothermal oxidation tests were conducted at 1000 °C under an oxygen atmosphere with flow rates varying from 20 to 200 mL/min. In this research, a breakaway time delay phenomenon was discovered. The temperature of the atmosphere near the cladding was measured in order to estimate the oxidation rate and identify the condition of the phenomenon. A sharp escalation in the cladding temperature was observed in the early stage of oxidation as the flow rate increased. In addition, macroscopic and microscopic observations were performed to identify the effects of initial temperature escalation. The results showed that the thickness of the dense columnar oxide increased in the oxide scale when the initial peak temperature exceeded 1050 °C. Based on these observations, it can be assumed that temperature escalation in the early stage can influence the thickness of dense oxides, and this in turn affects the oxidation behaviors, especially the breakaway time.
A Cost-Efficient Approach towards Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations on Quantum Devices
Authors: Jóczik Szabolcs , Zimborás Zoltán , Majoros Tamás , Kiss Attila
Published: March 2022

Numerical simulations of physical systems are found in many industries, as they currently play a crucial role in product development. There are many numerical methods for solving differential equations that describe the underlying physics behind the mathematical models in the simulation, among which, the finite element method (FEM) is one of the most commonly used. Although in many applications the FEM seems to provide an acceptable solution to the problem, there are still many complex real-life processes that can be challenging to simulate numerically due to their complexity and large size. Recently, there has been a shift in research towards efficiently applying quantum algorithms in finite element analysis (FEA), as the potential and speedup that they could offer have been shown, but little to no effort has been made towards the applicability and cost efficiency of these algorithms in real-world quantum devices. In this paper, we propose a cost-efficient method for applying quantum algorithms in FEA for industrial problems post-processed by classical algorithms in order to address the limitations of available quantum hardware and their cost when accessing them through different cloud-based services. We carry this out by approximating the solution of the initially large system with a suitable quantum algorithm and using the obtained solutions to generate a set of reduced-order models (ROMs) that are much smaller in complexity and size than the original model. This allows the simulation of the original model with different parameter sets and excitations to be run efficiently on classical computers without having the need to access quantum subroutines again. This way, we have reduced the usage of quantum hardware (and thus the development cost) while still taking advantage of its quantum speedup.
On the Semi-Group Property of the Perpendicular Bisector in a Normed Space
Authors: Zbăganu Gheorghiță
Published: March 2022

Let (X,d) be a metric linear space and a∈X. The point a divides the space into three sets: Ha = {x ∈ X: d(0,x) < d(x,a)}, Ma = {x ∈ X: d(0,x) = d(x,a)} and La = {x ∈ X: d(0,x) > d(x,a)}. If the distance is generated by a norm, Ha is called the Leibnizian halfspace of a, Ma is the perpendicular bisector of the segment 0,a and La is the remaining set La = X\(Ha∪ Ma). It is known that the perpendicular bisector of the segment [0,a] is an affine subspace of X for all a ∈ X if, and only if, X is an inner product space, that is, if and only if the norm is generated by an inner product. In this case, it is also true that if x,y ∈ La ∪ Ma, then x + y ∈ La∪ Ma. Otherwise written, the set La∪ Ma is a semi-group with respect to addition. We investigate the problem: for what kind of norms in X the pair (La ∪ Ma,+) is a semi-group for all a ∈ X? In that case, we say that “(X,‖.‖)has the semi-group property” or that “the norm ‖.‖ has the semi-group property”. This is a threedimensional property, meaning that if all the three-dimensional subspaces of X have it, then X also has it. We prove that for two-dimensional spaces, (La,+) is a semi-group for any norm, that (X,‖.‖) has the semi-group property if, and only if, the norm is strictly convex, and, in higher dimensions, the property fails to be true even if the norm is strictly convex. Moreover, studying the Lp norms in higher dimensions, we prove that the semi-group property holds if, and only if, p = 2. This fact leads us to the conjecture that in dimensions greater than three, the semi-group property holds if, and only if, X is an inner-product space.
Draining the Pleural Space: Lymphatic Vessels Facing the Most Challenging Task
Authors: Solari Eleonora , Marcozzi Cristiana , Ottaviani Chiara , Negrini Daniela , Moriondo Andrea
Published: March 2022

Lymphatic vessels exploit the mechanical stresses of their surroundings together with intrinsic rhythmic contractions to drain lymph from interstitial spaces and serosal cavities to eventually empty into the blood venous stream. This task is more difficult when the liquid to be drained has a very subatmospheric pressure, as it occurs in the pleural cavity. This peculiar space must maintain a very low fluid volume at negative hydraulic pressure in order to guarantee a proper mechanical coupling between the chest wall and lungs. To better understand the potential for liquid drainage, the key parameter to be considered is the difference in hydraulic pressure between the pleural space and the lymphatic lumen. In this review we collected old and new findings from in vivo direct measurements of hydraulic pressures in anaesthetized animals with the aim to better frame the complex physiology of diaphragmatic and intercostal lymphatics which drain liquid from the pleural cavity.
Functional and Conformational Plasticity of an Animal Group 1 LEA Protein
Authors: Janis Brett , Belott Clinton , Brockman Tyler , Menze Michael A.
Published: March 2022

Group 1 (Dur-19, PF00477, LEA_5) Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins are present in organisms from all three domains of life, Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. Surprisingly, Artemia is the only genus known to include animals that express group 1 LEA proteins in their desiccation-tolerant life-history stages. Bioinformatics analysis of circular dichroism data indicates that the group 1 LEA protein AfLEA1 is surprisingly ordered in the hydrated state and undergoes during desiccation one of the most pronounced disorder-to-order transitions described for LEA proteins from A. franciscana. The secondary structure in the hydrated state is dominated by random coils (42%) and β-sheets (35%) but converts to predominately α-helices (85%) when desiccated. Interestingly, AfLEA1 interacts with other proteins and nucleic acids, and RNA promotes liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) of the protein from the solvent during dehydration in vitro. Furthermore, AfLEA1 protects the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) during desiccation but does not aid in restoring LDH activity after desiccation-induced inactivation. Ectopically expressed in D. melanogaster Kc167 cells, AfLEA1 localizes predominantly to the cytosol and increases the cytosolic viscosity during desiccation compared to untransfected control cells. Furthermore, the protein formed small biomolecular condensates in the cytoplasm of about 38% of Kc167 cells. These findings provide additional evidence for the hypothesis that the formation of biomolecular condensates to promote water stress tolerance during anhydrobiosis may be a shared feature across several groups of LEA proteins that display LLPS behaviors.