bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Investigation of Knotted Related Homeobox Genes and Identification of a Fiber-Growth-Repressed Knotted Related Homeobox Gene in Ramie
Authors: Chen Jianrong , Zhang Xueyu , Liu Fang , Liu Chan , Tang Yinghong , Li Chunyan , Gong Yuan , Xu Xiaojiang , Wang Yanzhou , Liu Touming
Published: August 2023

The KNOX transcription factor plays crucial roles in regulating fiber growth in plants. Although the genome of ramie, an important fiber crop in China, is available, knotted related homeobox (KNOX) genes have not been systematically explored in this crop. In this study, seven members of the KNOX gene from the ramie genome were identified and assigned to two groups, Class I and II. The intron–exon structure, conserved domain architecture, cis-regulating elements, and expression pattern showed distinct differences among the seven KNOX regulators. One of the genes, Bnt07G011994, encodes an ortholog of Arabidopsis fiber-growth-related KNAT7, and is differentially expressed among barks undergoing different stages of fiber growth. The overexpression of Bnt07G011994 dramatically decreases the fiber number in transgenic Arabidopsis, indicating a negative role played by this gene in modulating fiber growth. Further transcriptome analysis of transgenic Arabidopsis revealed that the overexpression of Bnt07G011994 resulted in an expression change in 14 pectin biosynthesis-/metabolism-related genes. These findings provide a useful foundation for further investigating the function of KNOX genes in ramie, and provide an important insight into the involvement of the ramie KNOX gene in fiber growth.
Changes in Molecular Structure of Humic Substances in Cambisols under Agricultural Use
Authors: Vishnyakova Oksana , Ubugunov Leonid
Published: August 2023

Soil organic matter stability and transformation affected by agriculture is a global problem of great concern. This study aimed to reveal structural changes in humic molecules under conventional soil tillage in Cambisols of the Transbaikal area. Humic acids were isolated from the humus horizons of native and arable variants of Eutric Cambisol Cryic (gleyic, humic, loamic) from the forest steppe, and Haplic Cambisol (arenic, humic, protocalcic) from the steppe zone. The changes in the humic substances’ quality were evaluated by means of an elemental analysis and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results indicate that different agronomic management affected the changes in the composition and molecular structure of humic acids. Soil tillage induced an increase in the carbon content, the proportion of aromatic compounds and carboxyl groups and the depletion in nitrogen. As measured by 13C NMR spectroscopy, the intensity of these changes was determined by soil properties and the hydrothermal regime. Organic matter from Eutric Cambisol Cryic was suggested as providing significant environmental resistance to the agricultural impact due to the optimization of the water regime and a loamy texture. Prolonged ploughing of sandy Haplic Cambisol under the arid conditions promoted deep changes in the humic substances’ composition and chemical structure.
The Effect of the Mixing Ratio of Barley and Mung Bean Seeds on the Quality of Sprouted Green Fodder and Silage in a Hydroponic System
Authors: Soufan Walid
Published: August 2023

Securing good feed and sustaining production is one of the main pillars of the livestock production sector. However, this is difficult to achieve in many different environments or circumstances. The production of fodder in a hydroponic system allows for sustainable production throughout the year and provides many benefits to the animal. However, ways must be found to improve the quality of hydroponic fodder and extend its shelf life. In this study, hydroponic barley fodder was produced by mixing it with mung bean seeds at different mixing ratios. In addition, silage was prepared from the resulting fodder by mixing it with barley straw to reduce the high moisture. The results of this study showed that the proportions of the components of nutritional value in the produced fodder were increased, especially the proportion of proteins, when the percentage of mung beans in the mixture was increased. In addition, the preservation of hydroponic fodder using the silage method resulted in obtaining a higher percentage of dry matter compared to fresh fodder and increased the preservation time. This brings many advantages to farmers and livestock producers, as well as researchers in the field, to expand the scope of experiments to other fodder mixtures and the sustainable production of good fodder in hydroponic systems.
Machine Learning-Driven Remote Sensing Applications for Agriculture in India—A Systematic Review
Authors: Pokhariyal Shweta , Patel N. R. , Govind Ajit
Published: August 2023

In India, agriculture serves as the backbone of the economy, and is a primary source of employment. Despite the setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the agriculture and allied sectors in India exhibited resilience, registered a growth of 3.4% during 2020–2121, even as the overall economic growth declined by 7.2% during the same period. The improvement of the agriculture sector holds paramount importance in sustaining the increasing population and safeguarding food security. Consequently, researchers worldwide have been concentrating on digitally transforming agriculture by leveraging advanced technologies to establish smart, sustainable, and lucrative farming systems. The advancement in remote sensing (RS) and machine learning (ML) has proven beneficial for farmers and policymakers in minimizing crop losses and optimizing resource utilization through valuable crop insights. In this paper, we present a comprehensive review of studies dedicated to the application of RS and ML in addressing agriculture-related challenges in India. We conducted a systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and evaluated research articles published from 2015 to 2022. The objective of this study is to shed light on the application of both RS and ML technique across key agricultural domains, encompassing “crop management”, “soil management”, and “water management, ultimately leading to their improvement. This study primarily focuses on assessing the current status of using intelligent geospatial data analytics in Indian agriculture. Majority of the studies were carried out in the crop management category, where the deployment of various RS sensors led yielded substantial improvements in agricultural monitoring. The integration of remote sensing technology and machine learning techniques can enable an intelligent approach to agricultural monitoring, thereby providing valuable recommendations and insights for effective agricultural management.
Seasonal Effect of Grass Nutritional Value on Enteric Methane Emission in Islands Pasture Systems
Authors: Nunes Helder P. B. , Maduro Dias Cristiana S. A. M. , Vouzela Carlos M. , Borba Alfredo E. S.
Published: August 2023

Quantifying entericCH4 from grazing systems is a challenge for all regions of the world, especially when cattle feed mostly on pasture throughout the year, as pasture quality varies with the seasons. In this study, we examine the influence of seasonality on enteric methane emissions in the Azores, considering the most recent IPCC updates, to minimise errors in estimating enteric methane emissions in this region. For this purpose, samples of corn and grass silage, different types of concentrate, and pasture were collected throughout the year, and their nutritional value and digestibility were determined according to standard conventional methods. The estimation of methane production was conducted using the 2006 IPCC Tier 2 methodology, refined in 2019. The results revealed significant differences (p < 0.05) between the chemical composition of winter and summer pastures. However, it was in the autumn that these pastures presented the best nutritional quality. We estimated that the total volume of enteric methane produced in the Azores was 20,341 t CH4, with peak enteric methane emissions (5837 t CH4) reached during the summer. Breeding bulls, beef cows, and heifers are the categories that produce the highest amount of methane per animal. However, if we consider the total number of animals existing in the region, pregnant dairy cows are the category of cattle with the highest emissions of CH4. Thus, considering the current system of cattle production in the region, we can infer that the pastures are better managed during the autumn, which translates into lower emissions of enteric methane into the atmosphere during this season.
Stress Factors and Their Effects on Productivity in Sheep
Authors: Tüfekci Hacer , Sejian Veerasamy
Published: August 2023

Products obtained from sheep have an economically important place in the world. Their adaptability to different climatic conditions, their ease of care and feeding, their high utilization of poor pasture areas with low yield and quality, the ease of flock management, their high twinning rate, and their short intergenerational period are some of the advantages of sheep production. Sheep production has the ability to adapt better to environmental stress factors, as can be understood from the presence of sheep in different geographical regions at a global level. However, the changes in environmental conditions and production cause some negative results in animals. All these negative results expose animals to various stress factors (heat, cold, transport, treatment, nutritional, shearing, weaning, etc.). All stress factors that directly and indirectly affect sheep production ultimately lead to compromised performance, decreased productivity, increased mortality, and adverse effects on the immune system. In order to cope with the current stress parameters in animals and to achieve optimum production, a holistic approach is needed according to the environmental conditions and available resources. It is important to consider the factors involved in these responses in order to manage these processes correctly and to develop adequate strategies and improve sheep welfare. This review aimed to reveal the importance of some stress factors in sheep and their effects on sheep productivity.
Relationship between Microflora Changes and Mammary Lipid Metabolism in Dairy Cows with Mastitis
Authors: Luo Yang , Kong Zhiwei , Yang Bin , He Fang , Huan Cheng , Li Jianbo , Yi Kangle
Published: August 2023

Dairy mastitis is an inflammatory reaction caused by mechanical injury and stress within the mammary gland, during which microbial changes and abnormal lipid metabolism occur. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. The present study used a combination of 16S rDNA sequencing technology and lipidomics techniques to reveal the effects of mastitis on lactic microbiota and metabolites in the milk of dairy cows. Twenty multiparous Holstein dairy cows (2–3 parities) with an average body weight of 580 ± 30 kg were selected for this study. The dairy cows were allocated to control group (<5 × 104 cells /mL)) and mastitis group (>5 × 106 cells /mL) based on the somatic cell count. The results showed that mastitis caused a decrease trend in milk production (p = 0.058). The results of the 16 s sequencing indicated a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the number of Proteobacteria, Tenericutes colonized in mastitis milk, and the number of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria communities increased significantly (p < 0.05). The lipidomics results revealed that the changes in lipid content in mastitis milk were correlated with arachidonic acid metabolism, α -linolenic acid metabolism and glycerol phospholipid metabolism. The results showed that mastitis may cause abnormal lipid metabolism in milk by regulating the diversity of milk microflora, and ultimately affect the milk quality.
Heat Tolerance of Siberian Husky Dogs Living in Brazil: A Case Study on the Perceptions and Attitudes of Their Owners
Authors: Veríssimo Tarsys Noan Silva , Saraiva Edilson Paes , Sant’Anna Aline Cristina , Loureiro Bruna Agy , Nascimento Pavlos Vinicius do , Lima Luiz Arthur dos Anjos , Maia Maria Isabelly Leite , Morais Larissa Kellen da Cunha , Santos Severino Guilherme Caetano Gonçalves dos , Lima Eduardo Henrique Santos de , Fonseca Vinícius de França Carvalho
Published: August 2023

The management of the thermal environment to which dogs are exposed should be included in strategies to improve their welfare. An online questionnaire was administered to 624 owners of Siberian Husky dogs residing in Brazil, with the objective of assessing their perceptions regarding their dogs’ capacity to adapt to heat, and its association with the owners’ routine care. Owners who believed that dogs are low-heat-tolerant animals were more likely to report heat response behaviors from their dogs. Overall, owners reported walk with their dogs during early morning, late afternoon and nighttime. They also reported solar radiation as the primary criteria for determining the time to walk with their dogs. However, owners who reported walking with their dogs at noon mentioned time availability as their primary criteria. In conclusion, owners perceive Siberian Husky dogs living in Brazil as being poorly adapted to heat, and this perception appeared to influence their positive attitudes towards protecting their dogs from heat stress by choosing to walk them during times with less solar exposure. However, the lack of time for owners to walk with their dogs during cooler periods can still be a risk factor in exposing the animals to extreme hot conditions.
Key Factors behind the Dynamic Stability of Pairs of Egyptian Vultures in Continental Spain
Authors: Cerecedo-Iglesias Catuxa , Pretus Joan Lluís , Hernández-Matías Antonio , Cortés-Avizanda Ainara , Real Joan
Published: August 2023

Conservation science aims to identify the factors influencing the distribution of threatened species, thereby permitting the implementation of effective management strategies. This is key for long-lived species that require long-term monitoring such as the worldwide endangered Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus). We studied temporal and spatial variations in the distribution of breeding pairs and examined the intrinsic and anthropic factors that may be influencing the abundance of breeding territories in continental Spain. Based on the census data of breeding pairs from 2000, 2008, and 2018, we used Rank Occupancy–Abundance Profiles to assess the temporal stability of the population and identified the spatial heterogeneity through a Local Index of Spatial Autocorrelation analysis. The GLMs showed that the abundance distribution was mainly influenced by the abundance of griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) and cattle at a regional scale. Nonparametric comparisons showed that the presence of wind farms had a significant negative effect on local breeding pairs abundance, but that supplementary feeding stations and food resource-related variables had a positive impact. In light of these findings, we recommend a hierarchical approach in future conservation programs involving actions promoting regional-scale food resource availability and highlight the need to address the negative impact of wind farms at local levels.
Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Target Attainment of Continuous Infusion Piperacillin–Tazobactam or Meropenem and Microbiological Outcome among Urologic Patients with Documented Gram-Negative Infections
Authors: Berrino Pasquale Maria , Gatti Milo , Rinaldi Matteo , Brunocilla Eugenio , Viale Pierluigi , Pea Federico
Published: August 2023

(1) Objectives: To describe the relationship between pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) target attainment of continuous infusion (CI) piperacillin–tazobactam or meropenem monotherapy and microbiological outcome in a case series of urological patients with documented Gram-negative infections. (2) Methods: Patients admitted to the urology ward who were treated with CI piperacillin–tazobactam or meropenem monotherapy for documented Gram-negative infections and underwent real-time therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)-guided expert clinical pharmacological advice (ECPA) program from June 2021 to May 2023 were retrospectively retrieved. Average steady-state (Css) piperacillin–tazobactam and meropenem concentrations were determined, and the free fractions (fCss) were calculated. Optimal PK/PD target attainments were defined as an fCss/MIC ratio >4 for CI meropenem and an fCss/MIC ratio of piperacillin >4 coupled with an fCss/CT ratio for tazobactam >1 for piperacillin–tazobactam (joint PK/PD target). The relationship between beta-lactam PK/PD targets and microbiological outcome was explored. (3) Results: Sixteen urologic patients with documented Gram-negative infections (62.5% complicated urinary tract infections (cUTI)) had 30 TDM-guided ECPAs. At first TDM assessment, beta-lactam dosing adjustments were recommended in 11 out of 16 cases (68.75%, of which 62.5% decreases and 6.25% increases). Overall, beta-lactam dosing adjustments were recommended in 14 out of 30 ECPAs (46.6%). Beta-lactam PK/PD target attainments were optimal in 100.0% of cases. Microbiological failure occurred in two patients, both developing beta-lactam resistance. (4) Conclusion: A TDM-guided ECPA program may allow for optimizing beta-lactam treatment in urologic patients with documented Gram-negative infections, ensuring microbiological eradication in most cases.
Pharmacokinetic, Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic, and Safety Investigations of Lefamulin in Healthy Chinese Subjects
Authors: Hu Yingying , Wei Qiong , Bian Xingchen , Yang Xinyi , Yu Jicheng , Wang Jingjing , Yang Haijing , Cao Guoying , Wu Xiaojie , Zhang Jing
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to explore the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of oral (PO) and intravenous (IV) lefamulin in healthy Chinese subjects and to evaluate the efficacy of the intravenous administration regimen using pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis. This study was a randomized, open-label, single- and multiple-dose, intravenous and oral administration study. PK parameters were calculated, and the probability of target attainment (PTA) and the cumulative fraction of response (CFR) after IV administration of lefamulin 150 mg 1 h q12 h were analyzed with Monte Carlo simulations. Lefamulin exhibited extensive distribution. The mean steady-state AUC0–24 h of 150 mg lefamulin IV and 600 mg lefamulin PO were 10.03 and 13.96 μg·h/mL, respectively. For Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus, based on the free-drug AUC over MIC ratio (fAUC/MIC) target of 1-log10 cfu reduction, the PK/PD breakpoints were 0.25 and 0.125 mg/L, respectively. The CFR was over 90% for both types of strains with 95% protein binding rate, suggesting that the regimen was microbiologically effective. Lefamulin was safe and well-tolerated. The PK of lefamulin in healthy Chinese subjects were consistent with that in foreign countries. Lefamulin demonstrated the microbiological effectiveness against Streptococcus pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus.
High-Frequency Repetitive Magnetic Stimulation Activates Bactericidal Activity of Macrophages via Modulation of p62/Keap1/Nrf2 and p38 MAPK Pathways
Authors: Deramaudt Therese B. , Chehaitly Ahmad , Charrière Théo , Arnaud Julie , Bonay Marcel
Published: August 2023

The effects of repetitive magnetic stimulation (rMS) have predominantly been studied in excitable cells, with limited research in non-excitable cells. This study aimed to investigate the impact of rMS on macrophages, which are crucial cells in the innate immune defense. THP-1-derived macrophages subjected to a 5 min session of 10 Hz rMS exhibited increased Nrf2 activation and decreased Keap1 expression. We found that activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway relied on rMS-induced phosphorylation of p62. Notably, rMS reduced the intracellular survival of Staphylococcus aureus in macrophages. Silencing Nrf2 using siRNA in THP-1-derived macrophages or utilizing Nrf2 knockout in alveolar macrophages abolished this effect. Additionally, rMS attenuated the expression of IL-1β and TNF-α inflammatory genes by S. aureus and inhibited p38 MAPK activation. These findings highlight the capacity of rMS to activate the non-canonical Nrf2 pathway, modulate macrophage function, and enhance the host’s defense against bacterial infection.
A Runway Overrun Risk Assessment Model for Civil Aircraft Based on Quick Access Recorder Data
Authors: Li Xiuyi , Zhang Lin , Shang Jiaxing , Li Xiaoquan , Qian Yu , Zheng Linjiang
Published: August 2023

The quick access recorder (QAR), as an airborne device used to monitor and record flight parameters, has been widely installed on various types of aircraft. Based on QAR data, research on runway overrun, a typical flight safety incident, has attracted widespread attention in recent years. However, existing runway overrun risk models generally suffer from oversimplified risk metrics or insufficient consideration of risk dynamics. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic runway overrun risk assessment model based on QAR data. We first consider the noise of aircraft trajectory data in the QAR parameters and present a landing trajectory correction method combining ground speed and runway position information. Second, to improve the accuracy of the risk assessment model, we design an algorithm to automatically recognize the aircraft autobrake level during the landing phase, based on which a new dynamic risk assessment model is developed. Finally, feature engineering is performed to extract the relevant contributing factors of runway overrun risk, based on which classification and regression models are applied to identify risky flights and predict the risk values. The proposed risk assessment model was evaluated using QAR data from an airline in China. The results show that the automatic deceleration rate, the way that the aircraft approaches the runway, the touchdown distance, and the kinetic energy at 50 ft are key factors in the risk of runway overrun during the landing phase.
Cloud Server-Assisted Remote Monitoring and Core Device Fault Identification for Dynamically Tuned Passive Power Filters
Authors: Wang Yifei , Chen Zhenglong , Deng Yi
Published: August 2023

Reliability and safety are crucial for the operation of a dynamically tuned passive power filter (DTPPF). Safe performance of DTTPFs implies complete normal filtering without failure within a specified period. To prevent potential disaster or economic loss, it is desirable to achieve early warning of any core device faults in a DTPPF based on its running state and to optimize its harmonic mitigation performance. In this paper, we explore effective methods for identifying core device faults in DTPPFs. First, we summarize the characteristic parameters of faults, running state parameters, parameters required for fault monitoring, and fault type parameters. Then, a cloud server-assisted remote monitoring and fault identification system for DTPPF is proposed, which consists of monitoring system’s architecture and cloud servers’ software architecture as well as software design of the back-end service layer and functional design of the front-end application layer. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed system can monitor the real-time operational status of the DTPPF, enabling remote diagnosis and identification of core device faults. Moreover, it is user-friendly, as it is capable of optimizing equipment maintenance schedules and utilizing manufacturers’ service capacities. Therefore, this research provides a theoretical foundation for harmonic mitigation in low-voltage distribution networks and is valuable for practical engineering applications in industrial power grids.
A Method for Extracting a Laser Center Line Based on an Improved Grayscale Center of Gravity Method: Application on the 3D Reconstruction of Battery Film Defects
Authors: Yao Rongbin , Wang Baiyi , Hu Mengya , Hua Dezheng , Wu Lequn , Lu He , Liu Xinhua
Published: August 2023

Extraction of the laser fringe center line is a key step in the 3D reconstruction of linear structured light, the accuracy of which is directly related to the quality of the 3D model. A laser center line extraction method based on an improved gray center of gravity method is proposed to solve the problem of low extraction accuracy. Firstly, a smoothing method is used to eliminate the flat top of the laser line, and the Gaussian curve is adopted to fit the peak position of the curve. Then, the gray threshold is set to automatically extract the laser linewidth, and based on the window opening, the grayscale center of gravity method is improved to extract the coordinates of the center pixel for the second time. Finally, experiments show that the average absolute error of the improved laser line extraction method is 0.026 pixels, which is 2.3 times lower than the gray center of gravity method, 1.9 times lower than the curve fitting method, and the standard error can reach 0.005 pixels. Compared with the gray center of gravity method and the curve fitting method, the influence of gray value change on the center line extraction is more fully considered, and the center of the light strip can be extracted more accurately, achieving sub-pixel accuracy.
Ultra-Fast Heating Treatment Effect on Microstructure, Mechanical Properties and Magnetic Characteristics of Non-Oriented Grain Electrical Steels
Authors: Gaggiotti Matteo , Albini Luciano , Stornelli Giulia , Tiracorrendo Giulia , Landi Luca , Di Schino Andrea
Published: August 2023

This paper focuses on the effect of rapid annealing on Non-Grain Oriented Electrical Steel (NGO) in terms of microstructure, mechanical properties, and magnetic properties. The Ultra-Fast Heating (UFH) tests were performed by a transversal induction heater on NGO electrical steel samples (cold rolled down to 0.5 mm), varying the heating power (80 kW and 90 kW) and the speed of the strip through the induction heater. This allowed us to exploit heating rates (HR) in the range of 200–300 °C/s and targeting peak temperature (Tpeak) up to a maximum of 1250 °C. The comparison between the microstructure as obtained by conventional annealing and the ultra-fast heating process highlights a clear effect in terms of grain size refinement provided by the UFH. In particular, the average grain size as obtained by UFH ranges two/three times lower than by a conventional process. The results show the possibility of applying UFH to NGO steels, targeting mechanical properties such as those obtained by the standard process, combined with the benefits from this innovative heat treatment in terms of green energy and the minimization of CO2 emissions. Magnetic characterization performed by a single sheet tester (30 × 90 mm) showed that the values of core losses are comparable with conventional NGO grades.
Spatial, Temporal, and Vertical Variability of Ambient Environmental Conditions in Chinese Solar Greenhouses during Winter
Authors: Reza Md Nasim , Islam Md Nafiul , Iqbal Md Zafar , Kabir Md Shaha Nur , Chowdhury Milon , Gulandaz Md Ashrafuzzaman , Ali Mohammod , Jang Moon-Ki , Chung Sun-Ok
Published: August 2023

The monitoring and control of environmental conditions are crucial as they influence crop quality and yield in Chinese solar greenhouses (CSGs). The objectives of this study were to assess the spatial, temporal, and vertical variability of major environmental parameters in CSGs during winter and to provide greenhouse climate/microclimate characteristics in order to facilitate the monitoring and control of greenhouse environmental conditions. A wireless sensor network (WSN) was deployed in two CSGs: one with crops and one without. Sensors were placed at different locations inside and outside the greenhouses, and the air temperature, humidity, CO2 concentration, light intensity, solar radiation, and wind conditions were measured and analyzed. Significant variability in the spatial, temporal, and vertical distribution of environmental factors was observed in both greenhouses. The average minimum and maximum temperatures and humidity inside the CSG with crops were 9.96 °C (4:00 h) and 24.5 °C (12:00 h), and 32.6% (12:00 h) and 92.1% (5:00 h), respectively. The temperature difference was 2.2 °C between layers in the CSG without crops and 1.4 °C between layers in the CSG with crops. The CO2 concentration in the different layers inside the CSG with crops was highest at night. The average maximum light intensity inside the CSG with crops was 32,660.19 lx, 36,618.12 lx, and 40,660.48 lx (12:00 h to 13:00 h) in the bottom, middle, and top layers, respectively. Sensor positioning in the greenhouse was evaluated by considering the sensors’ data variability. The findings of this study could aid in the development of a better monitoring and control system for CSG’s microclimate during winter. More research is needed on greenhouse microclimate control systems based on this variability analysis, which could improve crop quality and yield in greenhouses.
Dosimetric Evaluation of 177Lu Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy Using GATE and Planet Dose
Authors: Stamouli Ioanna , Nanos Thomas , Chatzipapas Konstantinos , Papadimitroulas Panagiotis , Zoglopitou Lydia-Aggeliki , Kalathas Theodoros , Katsakiori Paraskevi F. , Makridou Anna , Kagadis George C.
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to compare the commercial dosimetric software Planet® Dose (version 3.1.1) from DOSIsoft and the open-source toolkit GATE. Dosimetry was performed for six patients receiving 200 mCi of Lutathera® every 8 weeks for four treatment cycles. For the dose calculation with Planet®, SPECT/CT images were acquired at 4, 24, 72 and 192 h post-injection. After the registration of all the time points to T0, the organs of interest (OOIs) were segmented. Time-activity curves were produced and the absorbed dose was calculated using the bi- and tri-exponential fitting methods. Regarding GATE simulations, the SPECT images of the 24 h time point were utilized for the radiopharmaceutical biodistribution in the OOIs and the attenuation maps were produced using the CT images. For liver and spleen, the average relative difference between GATE and Planet® was 9.6% and 11.1% for biexponential and 12.4% and 30.5% for triexponential fitting, respectively. The right and left kidneys showed differences up to 10.7% and 10.4% for the biexponential and up to 60.6% and 11.9% for the triexponential model, respectively. The absorbed dose calculated with GATE, Planet®(bi-exp) and Planet®(tri-exp) was in agreement with the literature. The results of the bi-exponential fitting were similar to the GATE-resulted calculations, while the tri-exponential fitting had a higher relative difference.
Multi-Modal Clustering Discovery Method for Illegal Websites Based on Network Surveying and Mapping Big Data
Authors: Wang Bo , Shi Fan , Zheng Haiyang
Published: August 2023

With the development of internet technology, the number of illicit websites such as gambling and pornography has dramatically increased, posing serious threats to people’s physical and mental health, as well as their financial security. Currently, the governance of such illicit websites mainly focuses on limited-scale detection through manual annotation. However, the need for effective solutions to govern illicit websites is urgent, requiring the ability to rapidly acquire large volumes of existing website data from the internet. Web mapping engines can provide massive, near real-time web data, which plays a crucial role in batch detection of illicit websites. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method that combines web mapping engine big data to perform unsupervised multimodal clustering (MDC) for illicit website discovery. By extracting features based on contrastive learning methods from webpage screenshots and OCR text, we conduct feature similarity clustering to identify illicit websites. Finally, our unsupervised clustering model achieved an overall accuracy of 84.1% on all confidence levels, and a 92.39% accuracy at a confidence level of 0.999 or higher. By applying the MDC model to 3.7 million real web mapping data, we obtained 397,275 illicit websites primarily focused on gambling and pornography, with 14 attributes. This dataset is made publicly.
Symptomatic Diastasis Rectus Abdominis in Children: Review of Current Management Options and Presentation of a Novel Minimally Invasive Epifascial Repair Technique
Authors: Denzinger Markus , Stark Domitille , Memmel Clemens , Reis Wolfertstetter Patricia , Knorr Christian
Published: August 2023

Several surgical techniques are available for an adult patient collective with diastasis recti. Only few research papers addresses the treatment options of diastasis of the rectus abdominis in children. In this case series, we present a new technique of epifascial repair as a novel possibility in successfully repairing defects of the anterior abdominal wall using minimally invasive surgery. In this case series, we present an epifascial repair technique for patients with a diastasis recti with a dehiscence cranial of the umbilicus. Four pediatric patients with symptomatic rectus diastasis were treated with this new surgical technique. All procedures were conducted successfully, and no recurrence was observed in the follow up. All patients showed clinical regression of the rectus diastasis without any postoperative abdominal wall protrusion and good improvement of the symptoms. Intraoperative intraperitoneal air loss, postoperative scar keloid, thermal lesions due to Ultracision and one seroma/hematoma after the removal of the drain were minor complications observed during the follow-up.
A Case Study of SW · AI Education for Multicultural Students in Jeju, Korea: Changes in Perception of SW · AI
Authors: Choi Eunsun , Kim Jinsu , Park Namje
Published: August 2023

The ratio of students with a multicultural background relative to the total number of students in South Korea is consistently going up due to the increasing number of multicultural students and decreasing school age population. Yet, the low level of digitalization in multicultural households requires an effort to address digital divide. This paper, accordingly, held an SW (software) and AI (artificial intelligence) camp on four occasions to 314 multicultural students living in Jeju and observed how the perception of participating students changed on SW and AI. The education camp was organized after analyzing the limitations of existing multicultural education and computer education as well as their issues. To validate effects of the education, a paired sample t-test before and after education and an independent sample t-test were carried out to make an analysis by education period and analyze education effect by background variables. Furthermore, text network analysis on short answers was made for an in-depth analysis of research results. It shows the research participants’ awareness of SW · AI changing for the positive post-camp in most sub-elements. However, self-efficacy of jobs related to SW · AI, which was one of the sub-elements, was lower post-camp than in pre-camp in a few cases. Since the average score of this particular element is noticeably lower than other average scores and research participants were not evenly distributed by grade, further improvement is warranted in follow-up research.
Special Issue on Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory, Methods, and Applications
Authors: Feng Deshan , Liu Yuxin , Zhang Bin , Wang Xun
Published: August 2023

Ground penetrating radar (GPR), geophysics exploring technology, could non-destructively acquire high-precision information about the shallow subsurface [...]
Improving Mobile-Based Cervical Cytology Screening: A Deep Learning Nucleus-Based Approach for Lesion Detection
Authors: Mosiichuk Vladyslav , Sampaio Ana , Viana Paula , Oliveira Tiago , Rosado Luís
Published: August 2023

Liquid-based cytology (LBC) plays a crucial role in the effective early detection of cervical cancer, contributing to substantially decreasing mortality rates. However, the visual examination of microscopic slides is a challenging, time-consuming, and ambiguous task. Shortages of specialized staff and equipment are increasing the interest in developing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered portable solutions to support screening programs. This paper presents a novel approach based on a RetinaNet model with a ResNet50 backbone to detect the nuclei of cervical lesions on mobile-acquired microscopic images of cytology samples, stratifying the lesions according to The Bethesda System (TBS) guidelines. This work was supported by a new dataset of images from LBC samples digitalized with a portable smartphone-based microscope, encompassing nucleus annotations of 31,698 normal squamous cells and 1395 lesions. Several experiments were conducted to optimize the model’s detection performance, namely hyperparameter tuning, transfer learning, detected class adjustments, and per-class score threshold optimization. The proposed nucleus-based methodology improved the best baseline reported in the literature for detecting cervical lesions on microscopic images exclusively acquired with mobile devices coupled to the µSmartScope prototype, with per-class average precision, recall, and F1 scores up to 17.6%, 22.9%, and 16.0%, respectively. Performance improvements were obtained by transferring knowledge from networks pre-trained on a smaller dataset closer to the target application domain, as well as including normal squamous nuclei as a class detected by the model. Per-class tuning of the score threshold also allowed us to obtain a model more suitable to support screening procedures, achieving F1 score improvements in most TBS classes. While further improvements are still required to use the proposed approach in a clinical context, this work reinforces the potential of using AI-powered mobile-based solutions to support cervical cancer screening. Such solutions can significantly impact screening programs worldwide, particularly in areas with limited access and restricted healthcare resources.
Recovery and Control Strategy of Electro-Hydraulic Composite Braking Energy for Electric Loader with Braking Intention Recognition
Authors: Huang Sude , Wu Xia , Lin Tianliang , Chen Qihuai , Ren Haoling
Published: August 2023

The loader has a lot of recoverable braking energy due to its larger mass and frequent starts/stops. For a 5-ton pure electric drive loader, an emergency braking intention recognition strategy based on hydraulic braking pressure was proposed. The braking intention recognition strategy of an acceleration pedal and brake pedal was used to distinguish different braking intentions, and the hydraulic braking system pressure was used as a feedback parameter for emergency braking intention recognition to improve braking safety. Aiming at electro-hydraulic composite braking mode switching, a collaborative control strategy of walking regenerative braking and mechanical braking is proposed. Simulation analysis by AMESim and vehicle test results show that the proposed control strategy can realize driver braking intention recognition and electro-hydraulic braking force distribution under different working conditions and improve braking smoothness. According to the calculation of the energy recovery effect evaluation index, the energy recovery efficiency is up to 71.64%, the braking recovery rate is above 42.50%, and the maximum energy saving for the whole vehicle is 7.58% under one cycle condition. The proposed strategy has a good energy-saving effect.
Complexation of Terpenes for the Production of New Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Molecules and Their Encapsulation in Order to Improve Their Activities
Authors: El Fannassi Yousra , Gharsallaoui Adem , Khelissa Simon , El Amrani Mohamed Amin , Suisse Isabelle , Sauthier Mathieu , Jama Charafeddine , Boudra Saïd , Chihib Nour-Eddine
Published: August 2023

Microbiological risk associated with abiotic surfaces is one of the most important issues worldwide. Surface contaminations by pathogenic bacterial biofilms or adherent cells affect a number of sectors, including medical services, food industries, human services, and the environment. There is a need to synthesize or to set up novel biosource-based antimicrobials. Terpenes such as limonene carvacrol are usually found in essential oils and have potent antimicrobial activities. However, the direct use of these molecules is often inefficient due to their low water solubility, loss of volatile compounds, thermal degradation, oxidation, and toxicity. The organic synthesis of stable metal complexes based on terpene ligands seems to be a promising issue, since it can allow for and promote the use of terpenes and challenge the drawbacks of these molecules. Spray drying could be the most suitable method for encapsulating metal complexes based on terpene ligands to protect and enhance their activity against bacterial biofilms. The goal of this review is to discuss the microbiological risk associated with pathogenic bacterial biofilm and the organic synthesis of novel antimicrobial complexes based on terpene ligands. In addition, this review explores how to improve their bioactivities and characteristics using a formulation based on encapsulation.
Effect of an Organic Rectorite on the Properties of a Waste Engine Oil-Modified Asphalt
Authors: Jia Meng , Ling Xianwu , Yao Shengbiao , Wang Di , Falchetto Augusto Cannone , Yuan Dongdong
Published: August 2023

Using waste engine oil (WEO) to partially replace petroleum-based asphalt binders offers a promising solution to mitigate the environmental impact of waste WEO while reducing the dependence on non-renewable asphalt resources. To enhance the comprehensive properties of a modified asphalt containing 6 wt% WEO, an organic rectorite (OREC) with various contents was introduced to the modified asphalt system. The effect of OREC on the structure, storage stability, rheological properties, and self-healing property of WEO-modified asphalt were evaluated using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, softening point instrument, and rheometer. The results demonstrated that that no chemical reaction occurs between OREC and WEO-modified asphalt. The addition of OREC can enhance the storage stability and high-temperature stability while marginally decreasing the low-temperature cracking resistance and self-healing properties of WEO-modified asphalt. When the content of OREC increases to 2 wt%, the 48 h softening point difference value of the OREC + WEO composite-modified asphalt drops to 1.8 °C, and this composite-modified asphalt exhibits superior high-temperature rutting resistance, low-temperature cracking resistance, and self-healing property compared to the corresponding base asphalt. In summary, the addition of OREC can effectively offset the adverse effects of WEO on the properties of base asphalt.
A Few-Shot Automatic Modulation Classification Method Based on Temporal Singular Spectrum Graph and Meta-Learning
Authors: Yang Hanhui , Xu Hua , Shi Yunhao , Zhang Yue , Zhao Siyuan
Published: August 2023

Deep learning-based Automatic Modulation Classification (AMC) has achieved excellent classification accuracy. However, most deep learning-based AMC methods have an inherent drawback. They exhibit a strong dependency on massive labeled samples, which is precisely difficult to obtain in real-world scenarios. This paper presents a few-shot AMC approach that integrates signal transformation and meta-learning. The former enhances class separability, while the latter addresses challenges posed by limited sample sizes. The results of simulation experiments conducted on the RadioML.2018.01a dataset demonstrate that the proposed technique achieves a classification accuracy of 74.21% when using one sample per class and increases to 82.27% when using five samples. The few-shot AMC efficacy of this proposed approach exhibits an outperformance over the classical deep learning methods.
Land Surface Albedo Retrieval in the Visible Band in Hefei, China, Based on BRDF Archetypes Using FY-2G Satellite Data
Authors: Han Lu , Cai Yi , Shi Min , Xu Qingshan , Xu Chidong , Cheng Chen , Lu Wenqiang , Shi Jianjun
Published: August 2023

Land surface albedo inversion based on satellite data requires multiple consecutive (generally greater than or equal to 7) observations. Due to weather reasons such as cloud occlusion, it is difficult to obtain sufficient observation data, which leads to low inversion accuracy and even unsuccessful inversion. The anisotropic flat index (AFX) index was used to classify the 5-year multiangle observation data set of reflectance and eight bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) archetypes were obtained in Hefei, Anhui, China. The eight obtained BRDF archetypes in the Hefei area were applied to FY-2G satellite data for land surface albedo retrieval, and the retrieved land surface albedo was compared with MODIS land surface albedo products. The results show that the land surface albedo can be retrieved well using FY-2G data by BRDF archetypes.
Adaptive Bandwidth Allocation for Massive MIMO Systems Based on Multiple Services
Authors: Liu Qingli , Li Rui , Li Yangyang , Wang Peiling , Sun Jiaxu
Published: August 2023

Aiming at the characteristics of resource periodicity in massive MIMO systems and bandwidth allocation without comprehensive consideration of user service QoS and channel state information, resulting in poor user satisfaction and low bandwidth utilization, this paper proposes an adaptive bandwidth allocation method based on user services. This method comprehensively considers factors, such as user service QoS, channel state information, and resource periodicity, to adaptively allocate bandwidth for users using different services. Firstly, based on the service priority, the user priority is dynamically adjusted according to the current channel state information and the continuous periodicity of the allocation, and the user is scheduled.; Secondly, the dynamic priority is combined with the minimum guaranteed time slot to establish the objective function of adaptive bandwidth allocation. Finally, chaos theory, Levy flight, and reverse learning are integrated to improve the bald eagle optimization algorithm. The improved bald eagle algorithm is used to solve the problem, and the optimal solution to bandwidth allocation is obtained. The simulation shows that compared with the traditional bandwidth allocation method based on user service quality perception, the bandwidth allocation algorithm based on the minimum rate requirement, and the ant colony-based allocation algorithm, the bandwidth allocation method proposed in this paper improves the system utility value, bandwidth utilization rate, throughput, and user satisfaction by 23.70%, 4.22%, 6.55%, and 4.28%, respectively, and better meets the business needs of users.
Keypoint-Based Automated Component Placement Inspection for Printed Circuit Boards
Authors: Chung Si-Tung , Hwang Wen-Jyi , Tai Tsung-Ming
Published: August 2023

This study aims to develop novel automated computer vision algorithms and systems for component replacement inspection for printed circuit boards (PCBs). The proposed algorithms are able to identify the locations and sizes of different components. They are object detection algorithms based on key points of the target components. The algorithms can be implemented as neural networks consisting of two portions: frontend networks and backend networks. The frontend networks are used for the feature extractions of input images. The backend networks are adopted to produce component inspection results. Each component class can has its own frontend and backend networks. In this way, the neural model for the component class can be effectively reused for different PCBs. To reduce the computation time for the inference of the networks, different component classes can share the same frontend networks. A two-stage training process is proposed to effectively explore features of different components for accurate component inspection. The proposed algorithm has the advantages of simplicity in training for data collection, high accuracy in defect detection, and high reusability and flexibility for online inspection. The algorithm is an effective alternative for automated inspection in smart factories, with growing demand for product quality and diversification.