bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Blood Cell Analysis: From Traditional Methods to Super-Resolution Microscopy
Authors: Tian Zexu , Wei Yongchang , Yu Yalan , Zhou Fuling , Huang Zhen-Li
Published: April 2022

Blood cell analysis is essential for the diagnosis and identification of hematological malignancies. The use of digital microscopy systems has been extended in clinical laboratories. Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) has attracted wide attention in the medical field due to its nanoscale spatial resolution and high sensitivity. It is considered to be a potential method of blood cell analysis that may have more advantages than traditional approaches such as conventional optical microscopy and hematology analyzers in certain examination projects. In this review, we firstly summarize several common blood cell analysis technologies in the clinic, and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of these technologies. Then, we focus on the basic principles and characteristics of three representative SRM techniques, as well as the latest advances in these techniques for blood cell analysis. Finally, we discuss the developmental trend and possible research directions of SRM, and provide some discussions on further development of technologies for blood cell analysis.
Low-Complexity Chromatic Dispersion Equalization FIR Digital Filter for Coherent Receiver
Authors: Wu Zicheng , Li Sida , Huang Zhiping , Shen Fangqi , Zhao Yongjie
Published: April 2022

This paper proposes a novel and efficient low-complexity chromatic dispersion equalizer (CDE) based on finite impulse response (FIR) filter architecture for polarization-multiplexed coherent optical communication systems. The FIR filter coefficients are optimized by weights to reduce the energy leakage caused by the truncation effect, and then quantization is used uniformly to reduce the number of real number additions and real number multiplications by utilizing the diversity of the quantized coefficients. Using Optisystem 15 to build a coherent optical communication system for simulation and experimental demonstration, the results show that after the filter coefficients are optimized by weights. Compared with the time-domain chromatic dispersion equalizer (TD-CDE), the proposed design has a lower bit error rate (BER) and better equalization effect. When the transmission distance is 4000 km and the system quantization stages M = 16, the multiplication operation and addition operations reduce computing resources by 99% and 43%, and the BER only increases by 5%. Compared with frequency-domain chromatic dispersion equalizer (FD-CDE), widely used in long-distance communication, the multiplication operation reduces computing resources by 30%. The proposed method provides a new idea for high-performance CDE in long-distance coherent optical communication systems.
Design of PCF Supporting 86 OAM Modes with High Mode Quality and Low Nonlinear Coefficient
Authors: Yu Yang , Lian Yudong , Hu Qi , Xie Luyang , Ding Jie , Wang Yulei , Lu Zhiwei
Published: April 2022

A unique photonic crystal fiber with square and circular air holes (SC-PCF) is designed in this research. Three layers of circular air holes and two levels of square air holes make up the fiber cladding. The finite element approach is used to simulate the fiber construction, and numerical calculations are used to examine the transmission properties in the S+C+L band. The results reveal that the SC-PCF can sustain 86 Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) modes in the wavelength range of 1400 nm to 1700 nm (300 nm), with an effective refractive index difference (ERID) of 5.88 × 10−3 between them, thus avoiding mode coupling. The mode purity of all modes is greater than 96% at 1550 nm, and the lowest dispersion and dispersion change are 4.939 ps/nm/km and 0.956 ps/nm/km, respectively. The confinement loss (CL) of all modes is lower than 10−9 dB/m, and the nonlinear coefficient (NC) is lower than 1.5 W−1·km−1 in the whole band. The proposed SC-PCF has important value in long-distance and large-capacity communication systems.
Flexible Silicon Dimer Nanocavity with Electric and Magnetic Enhancement
Authors: Pan Chengda , Bian Yajie , Zhang Yuchan , Zhang Shiyu , Zhang Xiaolei , Wu Botao , Jin Qingyuan , Wu E
Published: April 2022

High-index dielectrics have recently been regarded as promising building blocks in nanophotonics owing to optical electric and magnetic Mie resonances. In particular, silicon is gaining great interest as the backbone of modern technology. Here, silicon dimer nanocavities with different sizes of silicon nanospheres were constructed using a probe nanomanipulation method and interacted with a few-layered R6G membrane to investigate the enhancement of electric and magnetic mode coupling. The evidence of the enhancement of fluorescence and slightly prolonged lifetime of R6G indicated the existence of nanocavities. In addition, the simulated electric and magnetic field distributions and decomposed mode of nanocavity were used to analyze the contribution of electric and magnetic modes to the R6G enhanced fluorescence. Such silicon dimer is a flexible nanocavity with electric and magnetic mode enhancement and has promising applications in sensing and all-dielectric metamaterials or nanophotonic devices.
Attosecond Transient Absorption Below the Excited States
Authors: Xue Jinxing , Wang Xinliang , Wang Meng , Zhou Cangtao , Ruan Shuangchen
Published: April 2022

In this study, the attosecond transient absorption (ATA) spectrum below the excited states of the helium atom was investigated by numerically solving the fully three-dimensional time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Under single-active electron approximation, the helium atom was illuminated by a combined field comprising of extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and delayed infrared (IR) fields. The response function demonstrates that the absorption near the central frequency (ωX) of the XUV field is periodically modulated during the overlapping between the XUV and IR pulses. Using the time-dependent perturbation, the absorption near ωX is attributed to the wavepacket excited by the XUV pulse. The wave function oscillating at the frequency of the XUV pulse was obtained. Furthermore, the chirp-dependent absorption spectrum near ωX potentially provides an all-optical method for characterizing the attosecond pulse duration. Finally, these results can extend to other systems, such as solids or liquids, indicating a potential for application in photonic devices, and they may be meaningful for quantum manipulation.
Study of Single Event Burnout Mechanism in GaN Power Devices Using Femtosecond Pulsed Laser
Authors: Cui Yixin , Ma Yingqi , Shangguan Shipeng , Han Jianwei
Published: April 2022

Single event burnout (SEB) is a great threat to gallium nitride (GaN) power devices for aerospace applications. This paper is dedicated to the investigation of the SEB mechanism in a GaN power device using a femtosecond pulsed laser. In the test, the SEB of a commercial p-GaN power device was triggered by a focused laser beam with a wavelength of 620 nm, and the irradiation-sensitive area of the devices was identified. We observed that the damage modes were consistent with the results of heavy ion experiments. The vertical breakdown of the drain is proposed as the dominant mechanism of SEB. We also provide a schematic representation of the leakage path formation using the electrical data obtained following laser-induced SEB. This study provides an important reference for consideration of device reliability and application prospects.
Phase-Inserted Fiber Gratings and Their Applications to Optical Filtering, Optical Signal Processing, and Optical Sensing: Review
Authors: Zhu Chengliang , Wang Lei , Li Hongpu
Published: April 2022

Phase-inserted fiber gratings (PI-FGs) refer to those gratings where there exist a number of the phase-shifts (spatial spacing) among different sections (or local periods) of the gratings themselves. All the PI-FGs developed to date can mainly be divided into three categories: phase-shifted gratings, phase-only sampled gratings, and phase-modulated gratings, of which the utilized gratings could be either the Bragg ones (FBGs) or the long-period ones (LPGs). As results of the proposed the PI-FGs where the numbers, quantities, and positions of the inserted phases along the fiber direction are optimally selected, PI-FGs have already been designed and used as various complex filters such as the ultra-narrow filters, the triangular (edge) filters, the high channel-count filters, and the flat-top band-pass/band-stop filters, which, however, are extremely difficult or even impossible to be realized by using the ordinary fiber gratings. In this paper, we have briefly but fully reviewed the past and recent advances on PI-FGs, in which the principles and design methods, the corresponding fabrication techniques, and applications of the different PI-FGs to the fields of optical filtering, optical signal processing, and optical sensing, etc., have been highlighted.
A CMOS-Compatible Carrier-Injection Plasmonic Micro-Ring Modulator with Resonance Tuning by Carrier Concentration
Authors: Sun Jiaqi , Wang Wenwu , Li Zhihua
Published: April 2022

A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible carrier-injection plasmonic micro-ring modulator (CIPMRM) is designed and analyzed theoretically. The CIPMRM has a compacted footprint of 49.3 μm2 (R = 2 μm), a bit rate of 36.5 Gbps, insertion loss of −9.8 dB, a static extinction ratio of 21.7 dB, and energy consumption of 4.40 pJ/bit as 2.2 V peak-to-peak voltage is applied at 1550 nm. Besides, the method of resonance tuning by carrier concentration is proposed to compensate for the wavelength mismatch between the CIPMRM resonance and the laser, resulting from temperature and line width variation of the CIPMRM. This method has a faster response time and a greater ability to shift the resonant wavelength compared with the method of thermo-optic resonance tuning. The proposed scheme provides a route for realizing the compacted size modulator for optoelectronic integration.
Differential Impact of Nitric Oxide and Abscisic Acid on the Cellular and Physiological Functioning of sub1A QTL Bearing Rice Genotype under Salt Stress
Authors: Saha Indraneel , Ghosh Arijit , Dolui Debabrata , Fujita Masayuki , Hasanuzzaman Mirza , Adak Malay Kumar
Published: April 2022

Hydroponic culture containing 200 mM NaCl was used to induce oxidative stress in seedlings of cultivars initially primed with 1 mM SNP and 10 µM ABA. Exogenous application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP – a nitric oxide donor) and abscisic acid (ABA) was well sensitized more in cv. Swarna Sub1 than cv. Swarna and also reflected in different cellular responses. The major effects of salinity, irrespective of the cultivar, were lowering the water relation, including relative water content and osmotic potential, and decreasing the compatible solutes like alanine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and glycine betaine. The accumulated polyamines were reduced more in cv. Swarna with a concomitant decrease in photosynthetic reserves. NADP-malic enzyme activity, sucrose accumulation, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase activities gradually declined under NaCl stress and the catabolizing enzymes like invertase (both wall and cytosolic forms) also declined. On the contrary, plants suffered from oxidative stress through superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and their biosynthetic enzymes like NADP(H) oxidase. Moderation of Na+/K+ by both SNP and ABA were correlated with other salt sensitivities in the plants. The maximum effects of SNP and ABA were found in the recovery of antioxidation pathways, osmotic tolerance, and carbohydrate metabolism. Findings predict the efficacy of SNP and ABA either independently or cumulatively in overcoming NaCl toxicity in rice.
Secondary Metabolites in Basil, Bio-Insecticide, Inhibition Effect, and In Silico Molecular Docking against Proteolytic Enzymes of the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus)
Authors: Darrag Hossam Moustafa , Almuhanna Hani Taher , Hakami Emadaldeen Hamad
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this work was to determine the secondary metabolites generated by O. basilicum cell suspensions, as well as their insecticide and inhibitory activity against R. ferrugineus. The growth kinetics with inoculation Verticillium dahliae were determined and identified using LC-MS. Determination of total phenolic components (TFC), flavonoids (TF), and condensed tannins (TCT) were measured. Insecticidal activity of O. basilicum extract against R. ferrugineus (larva and adult) and proteolytic enzymes activity were assessed (in vitro and in vivo). The O.basilicum extract had an LC50 of 1238 µg/mL and an LD50 of 13.4 µg/larva. The LC50 of chicoric acid, ursolic acid, salvigenin, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, rosmarinyl glucoside, and nepetoidin B demonstrated activity at an LC50 of 1132, 1167, 1189, 1214, 1275, and 1317 µg/mL, respectively. Chicoric acid, salvigenin, nepetoidin B, and rosmarinic acid demonstrated an LD50 activity of 10.23, 11.4, 11.9, and 12.4 µg/larva, respectively. The active extract of O. basilicum inhibited total protease, trypsin-like serine proteinases, elastase, cysteine, and metalloprotease activity with an IC50 (in vitro) of 119.4, 91, 102.4, 76.4, and 52.4 µg/mL, respectively. In silico studies of compounds were conducted, such as molecular docking and ADMET analysis. The study proposes using an efficient cell suspension technique to produce O. basilicum extract containing active secondary metabolites and accessible using as bio-insecticide.
Improved Medicago sativa Nodulation under Stress Assisted by Variovorax sp. Endophytes
Authors: Flores-Duarte Noris J. , Pérez-Pérez Julia , Navarro-Torre Salvadora , Mateos-Naranjo Enrique , Redondo-Gómez Susana , Pajuelo Eloísa , Rodríguez-Llorente Ignacio D.
Published: April 2022

Legumes are the recommended crops to fight against soil degradation and loss of fertility because of their known positive impacts on soils. Our interest is focused on the identification of plant-growth-promoting endophytes inhabiting nodules able to enhance legume growth in poor and/or degraded soils. The ability of Variovorax paradoxus S110T and Variovorax gossypii JM-310T to promote alfalfa growth in nutrient-poor and metal-contaminated estuarine soils was studied. Both strains behaved as nodule endophytes and improved in vitro seed germination and plant growth, as well as nodulation in co-inoculation with Ensifer medicae MA11. Variovorax ameliorated the physiological status of the plant, increased nodulation, chlorophyll and nitrogen content, and the response to stress and metal accumulation in the roots of alfalfa growing in degraded soils with moderate to high levels of contamination. The presence of plant-growth-promoting traits in Variovorax, particularly ACC deaminase activity, could be under the observed in planta effects. Although the couple V. gossypii-MA11 reported a great benefit to plant growth and nodulation, the best result was observed in plants inoculated with the combination of the three bacteria. These results suggest that Variovorax strains could be used as biofertilizers to improve the adaptation of legumes to degraded soils in soil-recovery programs.
Screening and Evaluation for Antixenosis Resistance in Wheat Accessions and Varieties to Grain Aphid, Sitobion miscanthi (Takahashi) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Gebretsadik Kifle Gebreegziabiher , Zhang Yong , Chen Julian
Published: April 2022

The grain aphid, Sitobion miscanthi causes serious damage by removing nutritional content from wheat plants and transmitting viral diseases. The use of resistant wheat cultivars is an effective method of aphid management. To identify S. miscanthi resistant cultivars, preliminary antixenosis resistance screening was conducted on 112 Ethiopian and 21 Chinese wheat accessions and varieties along with bioassay to test for further antixenosis resistance, identification of aphid feeding behavior using electrical penetration graph (EPG), and imaging of leaf trichome densities using a 3D microscope. According to antixenosis resistance screening, one highly-resistant, 25 moderately-resistant, and 38 slightly-resistant wheat cultivars to S. miscanthi were identified. Aphid choice tests showed that Luxuan266, 243726, and 213312 were the least preferred after 12, 24, 48, and 72 h of S. miscanthi release. Longer duration of Np, longer time to first probe, and shorter duration of E2 waveforms were recorded in Lunxuan266, 243726, and 213312 than in Beijing 837. The trichome density on adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces of Lunxuan266, 243726 and 213312 was significantly higher than on those of Beijing 837. We concluded that Lunxuan266, 243726, and 213312 were antixenosis resistant to S. miscanthi based on the choice test, EPG results, and leaf trichome densities.
Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. Essential Oil Improved Brain Function via Cholinergic Modulation and Antioxidant Effects in the Scopolamine-Induced Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Model
Authors: Boiangiu Razvan Stefan , Bagci Eyup , Dumitru Gabriela , Hritcu Lucian , Todirascu-Ciornea Elena
Published: April 2022

Angelica purpurascens (Avé-Lall.) Gilli. is a medicinal plant that displays antioxidant, anticholinesterase, and neuroprotective properties. The effect of A. purpurascens essential oil (APO) on memory impairments and brain oxidative stress in zebrafish (Danio rerio) treated with scopolamine (Sco), as well as the underlying mechanism involved, were investigated in this study. Exposure to Sco (100 μM) resulted in anxiety in zebrafish, as assessed by the novel tank diving test (NTT), whereas spatial memory and novelty response dysfunctions, as evidenced by the Y-maze test and novel object recognition test (NOR), were noticed. When zebrafish were given Sco and simultaneously given APO (25 and 150 μL/L, once daily for 13 days), the deficits were averted. An increase in brain antioxidant enzymes, a reduction of lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation were linked to this impact. Furthermore, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly reduced in the brains of APO-treated zebrafish. The main detected components in the APO composition were β-phellandrene (33.80%), sabinene (6.80%), α-pinene (5.30%), germacrene-D (4.50%), α-phellandrene (4.20%), and p-cymene (3.80%) based on gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) investigations. Our findings show that APO’s beneficial effect in a zebrafish model of Sco-induced memory impairment is mediated through multiple mechanisms, including the restoration of cholinergic system function and the improvement of the brain antioxidant state. As a result, APO could be employed as a potential source of bioactive molecules with useful biological properties and medicinal uses.
Plantlet Anatomy of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and Hybrid Aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx. × Populus tremula L.) Shows Intraspecific Reactions to Illumination In Vitro
Authors: Zeps Mārtiņš , Kondratovičs Toms , Grigžde Elva , Jansons Āris , Zeltiņš Pauls , Samsone Ineta , Matisons Roberts
Published: April 2022

Micropropagation of forest reproductive material is becoming an increasingly important tool of climate-smart forest management, whose efficiency is depending on artificial illumination, which in turn can have species-specific effects. To improve the energy-efficiency of micropropagation, light emitting diodes (LED) are becoming more popular; however, they emit light of narrow spectral composition, synergic effects of which can alter plantlet development. Regarding the in vitro cultures of trees, such effects have been scarcely studied. In this study, three clones of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) and three clones of hybrid aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx. × Populus tremula L.) from the eastern Baltic region were tested. The responses of leaf and stem anatomy of in vitro cultures to three LED light illumination treatments differing by spectral composition and to illumination by fluorescent tubes were estimated by linear (mixed) models. The studied light treatments had non-interacted effects on stomata density and on the secondary xylem cell wall in the stem of silver birch and in the stomata length, stem radius, and phloem width of hybrid aspen. Furthermore, clone-specific responses to illumination were observed for number of chloroplasts and phloem width of silver birch and for leaf thickness and xylem cell wall thickness of hybrid aspen, implying different mechanisms of shade avoidance. In general, the responses of plantlet anatomy differed according to the width of the light spectrum in case of LED, as well as for fluorescent tubes. Considering the legacy effects of early development of plantlets, adaptability of illumination in terms of spectral composition according to the requirements of genotypes appear highly beneficial for micropropagation of sustainable forest reproductive material.
First Study of Improved Nutritional Properties and Anti-Oxidant Activity in Novel Sesame Mutant Lines as Compared to Their Wild-Types
Authors: Kouighat Mohamed , Nabloussi Abdelghani , Adiba Atman , Fechtali Mohamed El , Hanine Hafida
Published: April 2022

Sesame seed represents a reservoir of nutritional components with many medicinal properties. With the current trend to increase both seed yield and nutritional quality, the cultivation of new high-quality sesame varieties is a necessity to improve human health and promote the economic efficiency of this crop. However, research efforts for the development of cultivars of high nutritional quality are too scarce. In this study, we evaluated the nutritional value and antioxidant activity of seeds of selected M3 sesame mutants, in comparison with their two wild-type cultivars. The measurements included ash, proteins, crude fibers, sugars, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), total anthocyanin content (TAC), lignans and free radical scavenging activity (FRSA). The results show higher FRSA, TPC, TAC and lignans in the mutant “US2-6”, compared to the wild type “US06”. Besides this, seeds of the mutant “US1-DL” are rich in ash and sugars, while high protein and fiber contents were found in the mutants “ML2-5” and “US2-7”, respectively. This work highlights the possibility of improving the nutritional value of sesame germplasm through mutagenesis. The valuable germplasm obtained will be used in the sesame breeding program to develop cultivars with high nutritional quality and antioxidant activity, which could contribute to the prevention of diseases related to free radicals and nutritional deficiencies.
Abiotic Stresses in Plants and Their Markers: A Practice View of Plant Stress Responses and Programmed Cell Death Mechanisms
Authors: Paes de Melo Bruno , Carpinetti Paola de Avelar , Fraga Otto Teixeira , Rodrigues-Silva Paolo Lucas , Fioresi Vinícius Sartori , de Camargos Luiz Fernando , Ferreira Marcia Flores da Silva
Published: April 2022

Understanding how plants cope with stress and the intricate mechanisms thereby used to adapt and survive environmental imbalances comprise one of the most powerful tools for modern agriculture. Interdisciplinary studies suggest that knowledge in how plants perceive, transduce and respond to abiotic stresses are a meaningful way to design engineered crops since the manipulation of basic characteristics leads to physiological remodeling for plant adaption to different environments. Herein, we discussed the main pathways involved in stress-sensing, signal transduction and plant adaption, highlighting biochemical, physiological and genetic events involved in abiotic stress responses. Finally, we have proposed a list of practice markers for studying plant responses to multiple stresses, highlighting how plant molecular biology, phenotyping and genetic engineering interconnect for creating superior crops.
Gelatin/Chitosan Films Incorporated with Curcumin Based on Photodynamic Inactivation Technology for Antibacterial Food Packaging
Authors: Wang Fan , Wang Ronghan , Pan Yingjie , Du Ming , Zhao Yong , Liu Haiquan
Published: April 2022

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a new type of non-thermal sterilization technology that combines visible light with photosensitizers to generate a bioactive effect against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. In the present investigation, gelatin (GEL)/chitosan (CS)-based functional films with PDI potency were prepared by incorporating curcumin (Cur) as a photosensitizer. The properties of GEL/CS/Cur (0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2 mmol/L) films were investigated by evaluating the surface morphology, chemical structure, light transmittance, and mechanical properties, as well as the photochemical and thermal stability. The results showed a strong interaction and good compatibility between the molecules present in the GEL/CS/Cur films. The addition of Cur improved different film characteristics, including thickness, mechanical properties, and solubility. More importantly, when Cur was present at a concentration of 0.1 mM, the curcumin-mediated PDI inactivated >4.5 Log CFU/mL (>99.99%) of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, and Shewanella putrefaciens after 70 min (15.96 J/cm2) of irradiation with blue LED (455 ± 5) nm. Moreover, Listeria monocytogenes and Shewanella putrefaciens were completely inactivated after 70 min of light exposure when the Cur concentration was 0.2 mM. In contrast, the highest inactivation effect was observed in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. This study showed that the inclusion of Cur in the biopolymer-based film transport system in combination with photodynamic activation represents a promising option for the preparation of food packaging films.
Numerical Simulation of Influencing Factors of Hydraulic Fracture Network Development in Reservoirs with Pre-Existing Fractures
Authors: Zhao Kai , Li Runsen , Lei Haoran , Gao Wei , Zhang Zhenwei , Wang Xiaoyun , Qu Le
Published: April 2022

The intersection behavior of hydraulic fractures and single natural fractures has been studied in detail; however, in fractured reservoirs, natural fractures are numerous and interlaced and the intersection of hydraulic fractures and multiple natural fractures occurs during the fracturing process. This intersection behavior is more complex and there is a lack of research on this topic at present. In this study, a numerical simulation model of the interaction between hydraulic fractures and a series of natural fractures was established, the main factors that affect the formation scale of a fracture network during the hydraulic fracturing of a fractured reservoir were studied using the numerical simulation method, and the parameters were also studied. The results showed that the natural fracture trend, in situ stress difference, and injection flow rate have an impact on the scale of a fracture network. The larger the in situ stress difference, the smaller the scale of the fracture network, which gradually changes from multiple clusters of fractures to single fractures. The larger the injection flow rate, the larger the scale of the fracture network. In the uniform stress field, the direction of a natural fracture is closer to the direction of principal stress, so the lower the fracture extension pressure, the smaller the scale of the network. On the contrary, the farther away from the principal stress direction, the lower the fracture extension pressure and the higher the extension pressure, the larger the scale of the fracture network.
Stochastic Review Inventory Systems with Deteriorating Items; A Steady-State Non-Linear Approach
Authors: Alrasheedi Adel F. , Alnowibet Khalid A. , Alotaibi Ibtisam T.
Published: April 2022

The primary goal of business organization is optimally maximizing their productivity and profit whilst reducing the cost resulting from lost sales and services given to their customers, which can be achieved by exceeding the balance between the demand and supply. Analyzing real-world situations, including integrated queuing-inventory systems, such as M/M/1-systems and M/M/1/∞-systems, can help business organizations reach this goal. This research analyzes integrated queuing-inventory systems with lost sales validated under a deterministic and uniformly distributed order size scheme under continuous review. The limited integrated inventory-queuing M/M/1/N-1-system was chosen as subject of our interest due to its closeness to reality. Thus, this system with exponentially distributed deteriorating products and random planning time with lost sales was simulated. This research aimed to analyze customers’ sanctification by studying the addition of the deterioration parameter γ to the model under consideration. The proposed model’s demand was based on Poisson, wherein service times and lead times are exponentially distributed. We also examined M/M/1/∞ and M/M/1/N-1-systems investigated by Shwarz et al. using the proposed method to solve the linear system of equations obtained from the steady-state system balance equations results obtained are compared to those obtained from simulating the Schwarz approach. The analyzed model was tested for different values of Q, demand rate λ, and γ. The obtained results showed a strong dependency between γ, Q, and λ, providing the needed information for decision-makers to reach their goals depending on the performance measure of interest.
Flash Smelting Settler Design Modifications to Reduce Copper Losses Using Numerical Methods
Authors: Khan Nadir Ali , Jokilaakso Ari
Published: April 2022

A mathematical modeling approach was used to test different design modifications in a flash smelting settler to reduce the copper losses in slag, which is economically disadvantageous for copper processing using the pyrometallurgical route. The main purpose of this study was to find ways to reduce copper losses in slag by improving the settling and coalescence of copper matte droplets, in particular, the smallest droplet sizes of ≤100 µm. These improvements inside the flash smelting (FS) settler were targeted through different settler design modifications. Three different design schemes were tested using the commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software, Ansys Fluent. These settler design modification schemes included the impact of various baffle types, positioning, the height inside the settler, and settler bottom inclinations. Simulations were carried out with and without coalescence and the results were compared with normal settler design. The results revealed that the settling phenomenon and coalescence efficiency were improved significantly with these design modifications. It was concluded that a single baffle design was optimal for reducing copper losses and increasing coalescence efficiency instead of using multiple baffle arrangements. The top-mounted baffle outperformed the bottom-mounted baffle and inclined settler design.
Development and Evaluation of a Passive Mechanism for a Transfemoral Prosthetic Knee That Prevents Falls during Running Stance
Authors: Murabayashi Mai , Mitani Takuya , Inoue Koh
Published: April 2022

Existing prosthetic knees used by transfemoral amputees have function almost akin to non-friction hinge joints during the running stance phase. Therefore, transfemoral amputees who wish to run need sufficient strength in their hip extension muscles and appropriate prosthetic leg swing motion to avoid falling due to unintended prosthetic knee flexion. This requires much training and practice. The present study aimed to develop a passive mechanism for a transfemoral prosthetic knee to prevent unintended prosthetic knee flexion during the running stance phase. The proposed mechanism restricts only flexion during the prosthetic stance phase with a load on the prosthetic knee regardless of the joint angle of the prosthetic knee. The load on the prosthetic knee required to maintain locked flexion was analyzed. We developed a rough prototype and conducted an evaluation experiment with an intact participant attached to a simulated prosthetic limb and the prototype. The results of level walking showed that the proposed mechanism limits knee flexion, as designed. The results of the preliminary trial suggest that the proposed mechanism functions appropriately during running, where the load on the prosthetic knee is larger than that during walking.
Recycling of Pretreated Polyolefin-Based Ocean-Bound Plastic Waste by Incorporating Clay and Rubber
Authors: Martey Shawn , Hendren Keith , Farfaras Nicholas , Kelly Jesse C. , Newsome Matthew , Ciesielska-Wrobel Izabela , Sobkowicz Margaret J. , Chen Wan-Ting
Published: April 2022

Plastic waste found in oceans has become a major concern because of its impact on marine organisms and human health. There is significant global interest in recycling these materials, but their reclamation, sorting, cleaning, and reprocessing, along with the degradation that occurs in the natural environment, all make it difficult to achieve high quality recycled resins from ocean plastic waste. To mitigate these limitations, various additives including clay and rubber were explored. In this study, we compounded different types of ocean-bound (o-HDPE and o-PP) and virgin polymers (v-LDPE and v-PS) with various additives including a functionalized clay, styrene-multi-block-copolymer (SMB), and ethylene-propylene-based rubber (EPR). Physical observation showed that all blends containing PS were brittle due to the weak interfaces between the polyolefin regions and the PS domains within the polymer blend matrix. Blends containing clay showed rough surfaces and brittleness because of the non-uniform distribution of clay particles in the polymer matrix. To evaluate the properties and compatibility of the blends, characterizations using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) rheology were carried out. The polymer blend (v-LDPE, o-HDPE, o-PP) containing EPR showed improved elasticity. Incorporating additives such as rubber could improve the mechanical properties of polymer blends for recycling purposes.
Children in Need: Evidence for a Children’s Cult from the Roman Temple of Omrit in Northern Israel
Authors: Erlich Adi
Published: April 2022

Excavations of the Roman temple at Horvat Omrit, situated in the foothills of Mount Hermon and the Golan, yielded terracotta figurines dated from the first century BC—first century AD. Some 100 fragments of figurines portray young children standing with arms lifted up from the sides and bent at the elbow, palm turned outward. Although this group is unique in its iconography, it fits in with nearby temples in Phoenicia, where numerous figurines and statues of children were consecrated. Images of children from temples around the Mediterranean are often associated with healing cults and rites of passage. The child figurines from Omrit are examined with regard to their gesture, age, and gender, in order to reconstruct the likely cult that took place in the temple. The picture emerging from the terracottas is of family rites celebrating a crucial threshold in life, when passing from infancy to childhood at around the age of three. This is a vulnerable stage in childhood, since mortality rate among young children was very high in ancient societies, and rites were performed to protect them. These rites have further significance in terms of socialization, in introducing the infant to the family, to the cult, and to society in general.
Waking up from Delusion: Mindfulness (Sati) and Right Mind-and-Heart (Bodhicitta) for Educating Activists
Authors: Bai Heesoon , Voulgaris Mel A. V. , Williams Heather
Published: April 2022

In the face of current turbulent times including climate emergencies, species extinction, the erosion of democracy and the rise of authoritarianism—in short, a suffering world—the authors of this paper propose that education needs to be centrally an activist effort dedicated to healing and repairing the increasingly wounded and damaged world. To this end, this paper explores Buddhism as an educational program that centralizes a healing curriculum based on the understanding that healing comes from waking up from the delusion of possessive individualism (ego-selves) that gives rise to neoliberal capitalist societies. This delusion is the existential home of suffering. Waking up requires the disciplined effort of seeing through and past individualism to the workings of mutual causality within a universe of interconnection (Interbeing), such as ours. The mindfulness (sati) practice that the historical Buddha taught is such a form of mental discipline. Through the agentic cultivation of sati and subsequent remembrance of our inherent Interbeing, we can rediscover and rekindle the inherently enlightened mind of bodhicitta. This paper explores various psychological, sociocultural, ideological, and relational conditionings that act as barriers to seriously practicing mindfulness, including the currently popular conceptions of mindfulness in North America. While acknowledging that successful practice takes setting up the right conditions, our paper also delves into helpful and supportive conditions for mindfulness practice for activists, namely, ethical motivation and contemplative/healing emotions such as the Four Immeasurables.
The Northern Stronghold Sacrifice and the Political Legitimacy of Ethnic Minority Regimes in the Late Imperial China
Authors: Huang Chenxi , Chen Siyu
Published: April 2022

Traditional Chinese state sacrificial ritual represented a symbolic system of integrating religious belief, divine authority, and political legitimacy. The Northern Stronghold (Beizhen 北鎮, i.e., Mount Yiwulü 醫巫閭山) was equal in status to the other four strongholds, which, moreover, served as a strategic military fortress and represented the earth virtue in the early state sacrifice system. In the late imperial era of China, and during the Yuan (1279–1368) and Qing (1644–1911) dynasties in particular, the Northern Stronghold swiftly achieved prominence and eventually became an instrument used by minority ethnic groups, namely the Mongolians and Manchus, when elaborating upon the legitimacy of their political regimes. During the Yuan dynasty, the mountain spirits of the five strongholds (Wuzhen 五鎮) were formally invested as kings and, as a result, were accorded equivalent sacrifices in comparison to those given to the five sacred peaks (Wuyue 五嶽). Given that the Northern Stronghold was located near the northeast of Beijing, the Yuan government considered it the foundation of the state. Thereafter, the Northern Stronghold was regarded as the most important of the five stronghold mountains. In the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the Northern Stronghold Temple (Beizhenmiao 北鎮廟) was reconstructed as both a military fortress and religious site, while its representation as a significant site for a foreign conquest dynasty diminished and its significance as a bastion of anti-insurgent suppression emerged. By the Qing dynasty, the Northern Stronghold was regarded as an integral component of the geographic origin of the Manchu people and thereby assumed once again a position of substantial political significance. Several Qing emperors visited the Northern Stronghold and left poems and prose written in graceful Chinese to present their high respect and their mastery of Chinese culture. The history of the Northern Stronghold demonstrates how the ethnic minority regimes successfully utilized the traditional Chinese state sacrificial ritual to serve their political purpose.
Research on Distributed Multi-Sensor Cooperative Scheduling Model Based on Partially Observable Markov Decision Process
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Wu Jianfeng , Zhao Yan , Luo Ruining
Published: April 2022

In the context of distributed defense, multi-sensor networks are required to be able to carry out reasonable planning and scheduling to achieve the purpose of continuous, accurate and rapid target detection. In this paper, a multi-sensor cooperative scheduling model based on the partially observable Markov decision process is proposed. By studying the partially observable Markov decision process and the posterior Cramer–Rao lower bound, a multi-sensor cooperative scheduling model and optimization objective function were established. The improvement of the particle filter algorithm by the beetle swarm optimization algorithm was studied to improve the tracking accuracy of the particle filter. Finally, the improved elephant herding optimization algorithm was used as the solution algorithm of the scheduling scheme, which further improved the algorithm performance of the solution model. The simulation results showed that the model could solve the distributed multi-sensor cooperative scheduling problem well, had higher solution performance than other algorithms, and met the real-time requirements.
Smart and Adaptive Architecture for a Dedicated Internet of Things Network Comprised of Diverse Entities: A Proposal and Evaluation
Authors: Singh Shailesh Pratap , Ali Nauman Bin , Lundberg Lars
Published: April 2022

Advances in 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) have to cater to the diverse and varying needs of different stakeholders, devices, sensors, applications, networks, and access technologies that come together for a dedicated IoT network for a synergistic purpose. Therefore, there is a need for a solution that can assimilate the various requirements and policies to dynamically and intelligently orchestrate them in the dedicated IoT network. Thus we identify and describe a representative industry-relevant use case for such a smart and adaptive environment through interviews with experts from a leading telecommunication vendor. We further propose and evaluate candidate architectures to achieve dynamic and intelligent orchestration in such a smart environment using a systematic approach for architecture design and by engaging six senior domain and IoT experts. The candidate architecture with an adaptive and intelligent element (“Smart AAA agent”) was found superior for modifiability, scalability, and performance in the assessments. This architecture also explores the enhanced role of authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) and makes the base for complete orchestration. The results indicate that the proposed architecture can meet the requirements for a dedicated IoT network, which may be used in further research or as a reference for industry solutions.
RSS/TDoA-Based Source Localization in Microwave UWB Sensors Networks Using Two Anchor Nodes
Authors: Ivanov Sergei , Kuptsov Vladimir , Badenko Vladimir , Fedotov Alexander
Published: April 2022

The manuscript presents an algorithm for the optimal estimation of the amplitude and propagation delay time of an ultra-wideband radio signal, in systems for the passive location of fixed targets based on the hybrid RSS/TDoA method in two-dimensional space with two base stations. The optimal estimate is based on the Bayesian strategy of maximum a posteriori probability density, taking into account a priori data on the statistical properties of the Line of Sight radio channel during Gaussian monocycle propagation. The Bayesian Cramer–Rao lower bound (BCRLB) of the delay time and the amplitude estimates for a time-discrete signal are calculated, and the resulting parameter estimate is compared with BCRLB. An algorithm has been developed for optimal estimation of distances from the radiation source to base stations, based on the results of the measurements of the amplitude and the propagation delay time of the UWB radio signal. The calculation of the statistical characteristics of the obtained estimate is carried out, and the functional dependence of the characteristics on various parameters is analyzed.
Research on Measurement Principle and Key Measuring Devices of Pressure Change Rate for Electronically Controlled Pneumatic Brake of Commercial Vehicle Based on Poiseuille’s Law
Authors: Hu Jian , Yan Min , Yang Rui , Yang Fan , Li Gangyan
Published: April 2022

For intelligence brakes in the electronic pneumatic brake system of commercial vehicles, the pressure change rate is used as the key control parameter and evaluation index. This can improve the brake safety, stability, and ride comfort of the vehicle. The real-time detection of the brake pressure change rate for commercial vehicles is the premise for realizing the accurate control of brake pressure change rate. Based on Poiseuille’s law, an efficient measurement method of brake pressure change rate is proposed for commercial vehicles, and a new measuring device with an isothermal container and laminar flow resistance tube as the core components is designed. Through thermal insulation performance tests, flow resistance tests and measurement accuracy tests, combined with simulations, the effects of structural parameters and copper wire filling density on the performance of the isothermal container are analyzed, and these key parameters are optimized to improve the thermal insulation performance. A tubular laminar flow resistance tube composed of 304 stainless steel capillaries in parallel is designed. The influence mechanism of core parameters such as the number, radius, and length of laminar flow channels on its performance is studied, and the optimal parameter array is selected to optimize its performance. The experimental platform for measuring brake pressure change rate is constructed. By comparing the measurement curve of brake pressure change rate under simulation and experiment, the correctness and effectiveness of the pressure change rate measurement principle and the key components for electronically controlled pneumatic brakes of commercial vehicles are verified to meet engineering requirements.
LC Passive Wireless Sensor System Based on Two Switches for Detection of Triple Parameters
Authors: Mustafa Muhammad , Rizwan Mian , Kashif Muhammad , Khan Tahir , Waseem Muhammad , Annuk Andres
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the LC-type passive wireless sensing system for the simultaneous and independent detection of triple parameters, featuring three different capacitive sensors controlled by two mechanical switches. The sensor coil was connected with three different capacitors in parallel and two mechanical switches were in series between every two capacitors, which made the whole system have three resonant frequencies. The readout coil was magnetically coupled with the sensor coil to interrogate the sensor wirelessly. The circuit was simulated advanced design system (ADS) software, and the LC sensor system was mathematically analyzed by MATLAB. Results showed that the proposed LC sensing system could test three different capacitive sensors by detecting three different resonant frequencies. The sensitivity of sensors could be determined by the capacitance calculated from the detected resonant frequencies, and the resolution of capacitance was 0.1 PF and 0.2 PF when using the proposed sensor system in practical applications. To validate the proposed scheme, a PCB inductor and three variable capacitors were constructed with two mechanical switches to realize the desired system. Experimental results closely verified the simulation outputs.
Reliable and Energy-Efficient LEO Satellite Communication with IR-HARQ via Power Allocation
Authors: Bian Hongxiu , Liu Rongke
Published: April 2022

This paper examines reliable and energy-efficient transmission in low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication systems. In particular, we analyze the link transmission characteristics of the LEO satellite to the ground user and model the channel as a combination of large-scale fading and small-scale fading. Based on this, we consider an incremental redundancy hybrid automatic repeat request (IR-HARQ) technique with a variable-power allocation method, and we call it the IR-HARQ-VPA scheme. In this method, the outage probability after each IR-HARQ round can be obtained through numerical integration based on the fast Fourier transform (NI-FFT). This method is suitable for any number of HARQ transmission rounds and can improve the accuracy compared with previous approximation methods. In addition, variable-power allocation based on the genetic algorithm (VPA-GA) is introduced to reduce the energy consumption. The simulation results show that the proposed IR-HARQ-VPA scheme cannot only meet the requirements of transmission reliability but also achieves higher energy efficiency than IR-HARQ with equal power (IR-HARQ-EP) transmission and a previously proposed variable-power allocation method. Moreover, the simulation results in a LEO satellite communication window also confirm the effectiveness of the proposed IR-HARQ-VPA scheme.