bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of PMSG on Superstimulation and Embryo Development Following Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer in Holstein Cows in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Son Young-Bum , Jeong Yeon Ik , Hossein Mohammad Shamim , Yu Xianfeng , Olsson Per Olof , Kang Mina , Kim Huijeong , Bae Yura , Tinson Alex , Singh Kuhad Kuldip , Rajesh Singh , Noura Al Shamsi , Hwang Woo Suk
Published: April 2022

The present study investigated the effect of superstimulation to improve in vitro embryo production in the Gulf area, where the temperature is high. Holstein cows were classified into the control and superstimulation groups. Superstimulation was induced with a single intramuscular injection of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG; 2500 IU) on day 14 of the estrus cycle (day 0; estrus). The development of follicles was evaluated by ultrasonography of the ovaries daily. At 40 h after the PMSG injection, oocytes were collected by the ovum pick-up (OPU) technique. OPU was performed at the same stage of the estrus cycle in the control group as in the superstimulation group. The number of follicles with a diameter of more than 6 mm and the number of retrieved cumulus-oocyte complexes were significantly higher in the superstimulation group than in the control group. Furthermore, the maturation rate was higher in the superstimulation group than in the control group. Cloned embryos were produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer using matured oocytes. The cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were significantly higher in the superstimulation group than in the control group. In conclusion, a single injection of PMSG can facilitate the efficient production of cloned cow embryos.
Effects of Seed Priming on Vitality and Preservation of Pepper Seeds
Authors: Tu Keling , Cheng Ying , Pan Tong , Wang Jianhua , Sun Qun
Published: April 2022

Seed priming is a method for improving seed vigor, which can improve seed germinability, but the disappearance of positive priming effects and decrease of seed longevity during storage may limit its application. To determine the effect of priming on hot pepper seeds and the time during which priming effects can be maintained, it is necessary to monitor and study the variability of primed seeds during storage. In this study, several priming treatments with 3% KNO3, 20% PEG, or 3% KNO3 + 20% PEG and up to 8 months of storage of primed seeds were conducted on seeds of pepper strains No.63, No.73, and No.101. Germinability was improved by priming treatment. The germination percentage of primed seeds did not vary compared to non-primed ones, seeds germinated quickly and had strengthened emergence, especially for those primed with 3% KNO3 solution, which germinated significantly faster and the seedlings grew stronger. During the 8-month storage process, the beneficial effects of priming disappear after 6 months, beyond which the performance of primed seeds is worse than non-primed seeds. After 8 months of storage, the viability of primed pepper seeds dropped sharply. In general, preservation at −4 °C can retain the priming effects to the greatest degree and prevent the seed from losing viability for up to 6 months. Resistance to aging differed across varieties, with No.101 pepper seeds more resistant to aging than the other two varieties, regardless of priming treatment.
Zeolite H-Beta as a Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction Sorbent for the Determination of Eight Neonicotinoid Insecticides Using Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography—Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Si Wenshuai , Wang Shouying , Bai Bing , Wu Nan , Ye Tai , Xu Fei , Kong Cong
Published: April 2022

In this study, a dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) pretreatment procedure using zeolite H-Beta as a sorbent was exploited for the determination of eight neonicotinoids in bottled water and honey products based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis. The zeolite H-Beta was demonstrated to be a suitable sorbent for neonicotinoid insecticides, even after 10 recycles of reuse. The method performance was evaluated by the linearity (R2 ≥ 0.998), recovery (71–108%), precision (0.1–7.8%), limit of detection (0.05–0.1 ng/mL) and limit of quantification (0.1–0.2 ng/mL), which suggested excellent stability and high sensitivity with the use of the DSPE procedure. The method was further successfully applied in the test of neonicotinoid insecticides in 34 samples. Zeolite H-Beta shows promise as an efficient and practical material for monitoring neonicotinoid insecticides in bottled water and multiplex honey matrices.
Simulation and Experimental Investigation of the Radial Groove Effect on Slurry Flow in Oxide Chemical Mechanical Polishing
Authors: Cho Yeongkwang , Liu Pengzhan , Jeon Sanghuck , Lee Jungryul , Bae Sunghoon , Hong Seokjun , Kim Young Hwan , Kim Taesung
Published: April 2022

Slurry flow on the pad surface and its effects on oxide chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) performance were investigated in simulations and experiments. A concentric groove pad and the same pad with radial grooves were used to quantitatively compare the slurry saturation time (SST), material removal rate (MRR), and non-uniformity (NU) in polishing. The monitored coefficient of friction (COF) and its slope were analyzed and used to determine SSTs of 25.52 s for the concentric groove pad and 16.06 s for a certain radial groove pad. These values were well correlated with the simulation prediction, with around 5% error. Both the laminar flow and turbulent flow were included in the sliding mesh model. The back mixing effect, which delays fresh slurry supply, was found in the pressure distribution of the wafer–pad interface.
Dysprosium Absorption of Aluminum Tolerant- and Absorbing-Yeast
Authors: Kishida Masao , Kakita Kosuke
Published: April 2022

Background: Biosorption plays important roles in the recovery of rare earth metals. The absorption of dysprosium (Dy) was tested in yeast. Interestingly, brewing yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, showed Dy absorption, and two strains, Alt-OF2 and Alt-OF5—previously isolated as highly aluminum-tolerant and -absorbing yeast strains—were screened and shown to be superior in terms of their Dy absorption when compared to S. cerevisiae. Here, we analyzed the Dy absorption in these yeast strains. Methods: Dy absorption in yeast strains was measured using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Dy concentration and localization in yeast cells and the effect of treated pH on the Dy absorption were assayed. Results: The Dy absorption of Alt-OF2 and Alt-OF5 was more than two times that of S. cerevisiae. The absorption of Dy took place inside of the cells, and a small amount was found in the cell wall fraction. Conclusion: These results suggest that yeast offers a promising solution to the biosorption of rare earth metals and that it is possible to use the highly absorbent strains to breed a yeast strain that can recover even higher concentrations of Dy.
Current Sensorless MPPT Control for PV Systems Based on Robust Observer
Authors: Cortes-Vega David , Alazki Hussain , Rullan-Lara Jose Luis
Published: April 2022

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are among the most used alternatives for electrical power generation from renewable sources. To ensure that PV systems make the most of the available solar energy, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) schemes must be implemented, which usually require voltage and current sensors to track the PV power. This paper presents the design of a robust observer using the Attractive Ellipsoid Method to achieve a precise estimation of PV current under parametric uncertainty and output perturbations. The application of such an observer enables the PV generation system to operate in a current sensorless mode, which reduces the overall cost of the system and enhances its reliability. The convergence of the observer is guaranteed by solving an optimization problem which generates the optimal gains using Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI). To prove the effectiveness of the proposed sensorless scheme, simulations are performed in Matlab under test profiles based on the EN50530 standard and parameter uncertainty conditions, obtaining an accurate estimation which is used for MPPT operation.
Kaczmarz Anomaly in Tomography Problems
Authors: Dax Achiya
Published: April 2022

The Kaczmarz method is an important tool for solving large sparse linear systems that arise in computerized tomography. The Kaczmarz anomaly phenomenon has been observed recently when solving certain types of random systems. This raises the question of whether a similar anomaly occurs in tomography problems. The aim of the paper is to answer this question, to examine the extent of the phenomenon and to explain its reasons. Another tested issue is the ability of random row shuffles to sharpen the anomaly and to accelerate the rate of convergence. The results add important insight into the nature of the Kaczmarz method.
Fruit Juices: Technology, Chemistry, and Nutrition 2.0
Authors: Attanzio Alessandro , Garcia-Llatas Guadalupe , Cilla Antonio
Published: April 2022

In recent years, the food industry has increased its interest in the development of functional foods, including fruit juices, due to the increased demand among consumers for foods and beverages that benefit and improve our health [...]
Immunomodulation by Gut Microbiome on Gastrointestinal Cancers: Focusing on Colorectal Cancer
Authors: AL-Ishaq Raghad Khalid , Koklesova Lenka , Kubatka Peter , Büsselberg Dietrich
Published: April 2022

Gastrointestinal cancer (GI) is a global health disease with a huge burden on a patient’s physical and psychological aspects of life and on health care providers. It is associated with multiple disease related challenges which can alter the patient’s quality of life and well-being. GI cancer development is influenced by multiple factors such as diet, infection, environment, and genetics. Although activating immune pathways and components during cancer is critical for the host’s survival, cancerous cells can target those pathways to escape and survive. As the gut microbiome influences the development and function of the immune system, research is conducted to investigate the gut microbiome–immune interactions, the underlying mechanisms, and how they reduce the risk of GI cancer. This review addresses and summarizes the current knowledge on the major immune cells and gut microbiome interactions. Additionally, it highlights the underlying mechanisms of immune dysregulation caused by gut microbiota on four major cancerous pathways, inflammation, cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis. Overall, gut-immune interactions might be a key to understanding GI cancer development, but further research is needed for more detailed clarification.
Habitat Imaging of Tumors Enables High Confidence Sub-Regional Assessment of Response to Therapy
Authors: Tar Paul David , Thacker Neil A. , Babur Muhammad , Lipowska-Bhalla Grazyna , Cheung Susan , Little Ross A. , Williams Kaye J. , O’Connor James P. B.
Published: April 2022

Imaging biomarkers are used in therapy development to identify and quantify therapeutic response. In oncology, use of MRI, PET and other imaging methods can be complicated by spatially complex and heterogeneous tumor micro-environments, non-Gaussian data and small sample sizes. Linear Poisson Modelling (LPM) enables analysis of complex data that is quantitative and can operate in small data domains. We performed experiments in 5 mouse models to evaluate the ability of LPM to identify responding tumor habitats across a range of radiation and targeted drug therapies. We tested if LPM could identify differential biological response rates. We calculated the theoretical sample size constraints for applying LPM to new data. We then performed a co-clinical trial using small data to test if LPM could detect multiple therapeutics with both improved power and reduced animal numbers compared to conventional t-test approaches. Our data showed that LPM greatly increased the amount of information extracted from diffusion-weighted imaging, compared to cohort t-tests. LPM distinguished biological response rates between Calu6 tumors treated with 3 different therapies and between Calu6 tumors and 4 other xenograft models treated with radiotherapy. A simulated co-clinical trial using real data detected high precision per-tumor treatment effects in as few as 3 mice per cohort, with p-values as low as 1 in 10,000. These findings provide a route to simultaneously improve the information derived from preclinical imaging while reducing and refining the use of animals in cancer research.
Ex Vivo High-Resolution Magic Angle Spinning (HRMAS) 1H NMR Spectroscopy for Early Prostate Cancer Detection
Authors: Steiner Annabel , Schmidt Stefan Andreas , Fellmann Cara Sophie , Nowak Johannes , Wu Chin-Lee , Feldman Adam Scott , Beer Meinrad , Cheng Leo L.
Published: April 2022

The aim of our study was to assess ex vivo HRMAS (high-resolution magic angle spinning) 1H NMR spectroscopy as a diagnostic tool for early PCa detection by testing whether metabolomic alterations in prostate biopsy samples can predict future PCa diagnosis. In a primary prospective study (04/2006–10/2018), fresh biopsy samples of 351 prostate biopsy patients were NMR spectroscopically analyzed (Bruker 14.1 Tesla, Billerica, MA, USA) and histopathologically evaluated. Three groups of 16 patients were compared: group 1 and 2 represented patients whose NMR scanned biopsy was histobenign, but patients in group 1 were diagnosed with cancer before the end of the study period, whereas patients in group 2 remained histobenign. Group 3 included cancer patients. Single-metabolite concentrations and metabolomic profiles were not only able to separate histobenign and malignant prostate tissue but also to differentiate between samples of histobenign patients who received a PCa diagnosis in the following years and those who remained histobenign. Our results support the hypothesis that metabolomic alterations significantly precede histologically visible changes, making metabolomic information highly beneficial for early PCa detection. Thanks to its predictive power, metabolomic information can be very valuable for the individualization of PCa active surveillance strategies.
Neonatal Resuscitation in Low Volume Hospital Settings
Authors: Hand Ivan
Published: April 2022

The vast majority of term newborns will begin breathing and make a successful transition to extrauterine life, whereas a small percentage of infants will require some intervention immediately after birth by a skilled provider [...]
Guided Growth of the Proximal Femur for the Management of the ‘Hip at Risk’ in Children with Cerebral Palsy—A Systematic Review
Authors: Lebe Moritz , van Stralen Renée , Buddhdev Pranai
Published: April 2022

Background: Guided growth is frequently used to modify lower-limb alignment in children, and recently temporary medial hemiepiphysiodesis of the proximal femur (TMH-PF) has been used for the management of hips at risk of subluxation in cerebral palsy (CP) patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of TMH-PF in the management of neuromuscular hip dysplasia in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: A systematic search of the literature was performed by using PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus and Cochrane databases. Pre- and postoperative radiographic changes of the migration percentage (MP), head-shaft angle (HSA) and acetabular index (AI) were included in a meta-analysis. Secondary outcomes were treatment complication rates, technical considerations and the limitations of this novel technique. Results: Four studies (93 patients; 178 hips) met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. All three radiographic measurements showed significant changes at a minimum of 2 years of follow-up. Mean changes for MP were 8.48% (95% CI 3.81–13.14), HSA 12.28° (95% CI 11.17–13.39) and AI 3.41° (95% CI 0.72–6.10), with I2 of 75.74%, 0% and 87.68%, respectively. The serious complication rate was overall low; however, physeal ‘growing off’ of the screw was reported in up to 43% of hips treated. Conclusion: TMH-PF is an effective and predictable method to treat CP patients with ‘hips at risk’, and the overall complication rate is low; however, further work is required to identify the best candidates and surgical timing, as well as choice of technique and implant.
Characterization and Phylogenetic Analyses of the Complete Mitochondrial Genome of Sugarcane (Saccharum spp. Hybrids) Line A1
Authors: Zhou Dinggang , Liu Ying , Yao Jingzuo , Yin Ze , Wang Xinwen , Xu Liping , Que Youxiong , Mo Ping , Liu Xiaolan
Published: April 2022

Modern sugarcane cultivars are highly polyploid with complex nuclear genomic genetic background, while their mitochondrion (mt) genomes are much simpler, smaller and more manageable and could provide useful phylogenetic information. In this study, the mt genome of a modern commercial cultivar A1 was sequenced via Illumina Hiseq XTen and PacBio Sequel platform. The assembled and annotated mitochondrial genomes of A1 were composed of two circular DNA molecules, one large and one small, which were named Chromosome 1 and Chromosome 2. The two distinct circular chromosomes of mitogenome construct is consisted with other sugarcane cultivars i.e., Saccharum officinarum Khon Kaen 3 and Saccharum spp. hybrids ROC22 and FN15. The Chromosome 1 of A1 mitogenome is 300,822 bp in length with the GC content of 43.94%, and 7.14% of Chromosome 1 sequences (21,468 nucleotides) are protein coding genes (PCGs) while 92.86% (279,354 nucleotides) are intergenic region. The length of Chromosome 2 is 144,744 bp with the GC content of 43.57%, and 8.20% of Chromosome 2 sequences (11,865 nucleotides) are PCGs while 91.80% (132,879 nucleotides) are intergenic region. A total of 43 genes are located on Chromosome 1, which contains 22 PCGs (six nad genes, four rps genes, four atp genes, three ccm genes, three cox genes, one mat gene and one mtt gene) and 21 non-coding genes including 15 tRNAs and 6 rRNAs. Chromosome 2 includes 18 genes in total, which contains 13 PCGs (four nad genes, three rps genes, two atp genes, one ccm gene, one cob gene, one cox gene and one rpl gene) and five non-coding genes (tRNA genes). Analysis of codon usage of 35 PCGs showed that codon ending in A/U was preferred. Investigation of gene composition indicated that the types and copy numbers of CDS genes, tRNAs and rRNAs of A1 and FN15 were identical. The cox1 gene has two copies and the trnP gene has one copy in A1, FN15 and ROC22 three lines, while there is only one copy of cox1 and two copies of trnP in S. officinarum Khon Kaen 3. In addition, S. officinarum Khon Kaen 3 have no nad1 gene and rps7 gene. 100 sequence repeats, 38 SSRs and 444 RNA editing sites in A1 mt genome were detected. Moreover, the maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis found that A1 were more closely related to S. spp. hybrid (ROC22 and FN15) and S. officinarum (Khon Kaen 3). Herein, the complete mt genome of A1 will provide essential DNA molecular information for further phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for Saccharum and Poaceae.
Emergency Uterine Artery Embolization Used for Managing Profuse Intra-Abdominal Bleeding and Uterine Rupture in a Patient with Advanced Cervical Cancer
Authors: Habanova Hana , Mikula Peter , Tvrdik Tomas , Dedinska Eva , Komaromy Katarina , Rusnak Igor
Published: April 2022

Advanced cervical cancer can lead to life-threatening vaginal bleeding. Emergency uterine artery embolization (UAE) has been successfully used in such cases to achieve hemostasis. Our case demonstrates the unusual emergency use of this procedure to cease heavy hemorrhage, which led to hematometra, uterine rupture and hemoperitoneum in a patient with a large tumor in the cervical region. Vaginal bleeding was minimal in this case. The emergency UAE controlled the bleeding, and the patient was scheduled for laparotomy soon after the procedure, where a supracervical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and the removal of blood and blood clots was performed. Since the tumor primarily involved the parametria, a sample was taken for histopathology examination with the following result: squamocellular HPV-associated cervical carcinoma. The postoperative management of the patient consisted of combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with no complications related to the UAE. Four months after the procedure the patient is reasonably well. Urgent surgery was not the optimal decision because of the alteration of the pelvic anatomy by the tumor, and thus the UAE enabled us to manage this life-threatening condition quickly, allowing us to best prepare the patient for further therapeutic modalities.
Information Inequalities via Submodularity and a Problem in Extremal Graph Theory
Authors: Sason Igal
Published: April 2022

The present paper offers, in its first part, a unified approach for the derivation of families of inequalities for set functions which satisfy sub/supermodularity properties. It applies this approach for the derivation of information inequalities with Shannon information measures. Connections of the considered approach to a generalized version of Shearer’s lemma, and other related results in the literature are considered. Some of the derived information inequalities are new, and also known results (such as a generalized version of Han’s inequality) are reproduced in a simple and unified way. In its second part, this paper applies the generalized Han’s inequality to analyze a problem in extremal graph theory. This problem is motivated and analyzed from the perspective of information theory, and the analysis leads to generalized and refined bounds. The two parts of this paper are meant to be independently accessible to the reader.
A Skew Logistic Distribution for Modelling COVID-19 Waves and Its Evaluation Using the Empirical Survival Jensen–Shannon Divergence
Authors: Levene Mark
Published: April 2022

A novel yet simple extension of the symmetric logistic distribution is proposed by introducing a skewness parameter. It is shown how the three parameters of the ensuing skew logistic distribution may be estimated using maximum likelihood. The skew logistic distribution is then extended to the skew bi-logistic distribution to allow the modelling of multiple waves in epidemic time series data. The proposed skew-logistic model is validated on COVID-19 data from the UK, and is evaluated for goodness-of-fit against the logistic and normal distributions using the recently formulated empirical survival Jensen–Shannon divergence (ESJS) and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov two-sample test statistic (KS2). We employ 95% bootstrap confidence intervals to assess the improvement in goodness-of-fit of the skew logistic distribution over the other distributions. The obtained confidence intervals for the ESJS are narrower than those for the KS2 on using this dataset, implying that the ESJS is more powerful than the KS2.
Linearly Swept Tunable Laser Source with Closed-Loop Control of Drive Waveform
Authors: Yeh Yunhae
Published: April 2022

A method for a linearly swept tunable laser source with a simple configuration is proposed. The principle of the method is based on the fact that the interval of the transmission peaks of a fixed etalon can be used as a stable reference. The reference provided by the fixed etalon is used to deform the drive signal waveform for linear optical-frequency tuning. To verify the validity of the methodology, an optical system augmented with two fiber Bragg gratings, one fixed etalon, and a dedicated signal-processing circuit was built and experimentally tested, confirming that it works well for a linearly tuned tunable laser source. Moreover, the potential for extending the scope of the application of the proposed method is suggested and some ways to improve its performance are also discussed.
Market Electrification for BEV and PHEV in Relation to the Level of Vehicle Autonomy
Authors: Dudziak Agnieszka , Droździel Paweł , Stoma Monika , Caban Jacek
Published: April 2022

The automotive market has been developing very dynamically recently. Contemporary trends focus on the development of the so-called intelligent vehicles, often combined with modern technology and supporting systems. Cars with a large scope of operation in terms of driving autonomy can increasingly be found. These types of solutions can lead to changes in production processes through the emergence and growing importance of new concepts and technologies. The article presents the concept of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) vehicles in relation to modern solutions and their levels of autonomy. The research was conducted in various groups of respondents, while the analyses were carried out mainly with the use of two grouping variables: gender and place of residence. Based on our own research, it can be concluded that due to many different factors, most respondents believe that PHEV hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles (BEV) are currently, and will most likely be in the near future, the dominant type of vehicles appearing on roads in Poland, at the same time indicating the level of advancement of autonomy as average (mainly level 1, 2 and 3).
Additive Manufacturing of Bulk Thermoelectric Architectures: A Review
Authors: Oztan Cagri , Welch Ryan , LeBlanc Saniya
Published: April 2022

Additive manufacturing offers several opportunities for thermoelectric energy harvesting systems. This new manufacturing approach enables customized leg geometries, minimized thermal boundary resistances, less retooling, reduced thermoelectric material waste, and strong potential to manipulate microstructure for higher values of figure of merit. Although additive manufacturing has been used to fabricate thin thermoelectric films, there has been comparatively limited demonstrations of additive manufacturing for bulk thermoelectric structures. This review provides insights about the current progress of bulk thermoelectric material and device additive manufacturing. Each additive manufacturing technique used to produce bulk thermoelectric structures is discussed in detail along with future directions and challenges.
Forecasting of Short-Term Load Using the MFF-SAM-GCN Model
Authors: Zou Yongqi , Feng Wenjiang , Zhang Juntao , Li Jingfu
Published: April 2022

Short-term load forecasting plays a significant role in the operation of power systems. Recently, deep learning has been generally employed in short-term load forecasting, primarily in the extraction of the characteristics of digital information in a single dimension without taking into account of the impact of external variables, particularly non-digital elements on load characteristics. In this paper, we propose a joint MFF-SAM-GCN to realize short-term load forecasting. First, we utilize a Bi-directional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) network and One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D-CNN) in parallel connection to form a multi-feature fusion (MFF) framework, which can extract spatiotemporal correlation features of the load data. In addition, we introduce a Self-Attention Mechanism (SAM) to further enhance the feature extraction capability of the 1D-CNN network. Then with the deployment of a Graph Convolutional Network (GCN), the external non-digital features such as weather, strength, and direction of wind, etc., are extracted. Moreover, the generated weight matrices are incorporated into the load features to enhance feature recognition ability. Finally, we exploit Bayesian Optimization (BO) to find the optimal hyperparameters of the model to further improve the prediction accuracy. The simulation is taken from our proposed model and six benchmark schemes by using the bus load dataset of the Shandong Open Data Network, China. The results show that the RMSE of our proposed MFF-SAM-GCN model is 0.0284, while the SMAPE is 9.453%,the MBE is 0.025, and R-squared is 0.989, which is better than the selected three traditional machine learning methods and the three deep learning models.
Solar PV Penetration Scenarios for a University Campus in KSA
Authors: Alsulamy Sager , Bahaj AbuBakr S. , James Patrick , Alghamdi Nasser
Published: April 2022

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is committed to transition its fossil fuel-driven electricity generation to that from renewable energy technologies, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has led it to announce an ambitious target of 40 GW of PV power capacity by 2030. The deployment of such a capacity needs to be augmented with analyses to overcome the challenges faced in terms of the technical capability of the country. This work contributes to this goal by investigating the utilisation of solar photovoltaic PV systems to supply medium-size entities such as universities with clean power, displacing the current fossil fuel power supply. Currently, such considerations are not fully addressed in KSA. The study used the University of Jeddah campus electrical load profile, taking into account future power needs. The methodology encompassed modelling the installation of multi-MW PV systems for the university by considering weather conditions, actual university consumption, load segregation, and economics under different development scenarios informed by surveys with decision makers at the university. The results showed that air conditioning loads alone were responsible for 79% of the campus electrical load and that a 4.5 MW PV system is able to supply half of the total campus annual electrical energy consumption of the year of 2019. The optimum scenario showed that utilising grid-connected PVs would decrease the total cost of electricity over the next two decades by 28 to 35 percent and would result in halving the current campus carbon emissions. The analysis concludes that the business-as-usual case is no longer the cheapest option for the campus.
Thermal Analysis of Power Converters for DFIG-Based Wind Energy Conversion Systems during Voltage Sags
Authors: de Oliveira Igor , Tofoli Fernando , Mendes Victor
Published: April 2022

The doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) and back-to-back converter are very sensitive to power quality disturbances in grid-connected wind energy conversion systems (WECSs). Special attention has been given to protect the system from voltage sags, considering the introduction of several low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) techniques in the literature. However, only few works have really analyzed the behavior of power semiconductors during such phenomena in terms of the thermal stresses, whereas the existing studies are focused on balanced voltage sags only. In this context, this work presents a thermal profile analysis of power semiconductors in the grid-side converter (GSC) and rotor-side converter (RSC) considering a DFIG-based WECS submitted to symmetrical and asymmetrical voltage sags. The system is modeled using PLECS software and results on a 2.0 MW system are presented and thoroughly discussed. The results show that it is possible to meet the ride-through requirements during both balanced and unbalanced sags in terms of acceptable thermal stresses on the semiconductors as long as the back-to-back converter and its respective control system are properly designed.
A Novel TSA-PSO Based Hybrid Algorithm for GMPP Tracking under Partial Shading Conditions
Authors: Sharma Abhishek , Sharma Abhinav , Jately Vibhu , Averbukh Moshe , Rajput Shailendra , Azzopardi Brian
Published: April 2022

In this paper, a new hybrid TSA-PSO algorithm is proposed that combines tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA) with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique for efficient maximum power extraction from a photovoltaic (PV) system subjected to partial shading conditions (PSCs). The performance of the proposed algorithm was enhanced by incorporating the PSO algorithm, which improves the exploitation capability of TSA. The response of the proposed TSA-PSO-based MPPT was investigated by performing a detailed comparative study with other recently published MPPT algorithms, such as tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), grey wolf optimization (GWO), flower pollination algorithm (FPA), and perturb and observe (P&O). A quantitative and qualitative analysis was carried out based on three distinct partial shading conditions. It was observed that the proposed TSA-PSO technique had remarkable success in locating the maximum power point and had quick convergence at the global maximum power point. The presented TSA-PSO MPPT algorithm achieved a PV tracking efficiency of 97.64%. Furthermore, two nonparametric tests, Friedman ranking and Wilcoxon rank-sum, were also employed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed TSA-PSO MPPT method.
Modelling Response of Norway Spruce Forest Vegetation to Projected Climate and Environmental Changes in Central Balkans Using Different Sets of Species
Authors: Obratov-Petković Dragica , Beloica Jelena , Čavlović Dragana , Djurdjević Vladimir , Belanović Simić Snežana , Bjedov Ivana
Published: April 2022

The structure and function of many forest ecosystems will be modified as a result of air pollution and climate change. Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) forests are among the first terrestrial ecosystems to respond to this change. We analysed how changes in climate and environmental factors will affect vegetation cover in Norway spruce forests and whether it is possible to assemble a list of diagnostically important/sensitive species that would be the first to react to changes in habitats of Norway spruce in Central Balkan. Significant changes in the vegetation cover of Norway spruce forests are mainly influenced by temperature increases (≈4 °C), and precipitation decreases (≈102 mm) by the end of the 21st century. Projections show that vegetation cover changes and future habitat conditions for Norway spruce forests on podzolic brown soils with a low base saturation and soil pH decreases, and temperature growth and precipitation decline, with the worst in the Rodope montane forest ecoregion. In Dinaric Mountain and Balkan mixed forest ecoregions, the range of natural occurrence of Norway spruce forest will shift to higher altitudes, or to the north. One of the cognitions of this paper is that, through available environmental models and their indices, species from the IUCN Red List should be recognised more properly and included in model calculations.
Multi-AUV Dynamic Maneuver Countermeasure Algorithm Based on Interval Information Game and Fractional-Order DE
Authors: Liu Lu , Wang Jian , Zhang Lichuan , Zhang Shuo
Published: April 2022

The instability of the underwater environment and underwater communication brings great challenges to the coordination and cooperation of the multi-Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). In this paper, a multi-AUV dynamic maneuver countermeasure algorithm is proposed based on the interval information game theory and fractional-order Differential Evolution (DE), in order to highlight the features of the underwater countermeasure. Firstly, an advantage function comprising the situation and energy efficiency advantages is proposed on account of the multi-AUV maneuver strategies. Then, the payoff matrix with interval information is established and the payment interval ranking is achieved based on relative entropy. Subsequently, the maneuver countermeasure model is presented along with the Nash equilibrium condition satisfying the interval information game. The fractional-order DE algorithm is applied for solving the established problem to determine the optimal strategy. Finally, the superiority of the proposed multi-AUV maneuver countermeasure algorithm is verified through an example.
Recent Progress of Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Photocatalysts and Their Applications
Authors: Yang Jinyu , Liu Dongliang , Song Xiaofang , Zhao Yuan , Wang Yayang , Rao Lu , Fu Lili , Wang Zhijun , Yang Xiaojie , Li Yuesheng , Liu Yi
Published: April 2022

With the development of science and technology, photocatalytic technology is of great interest. Nanosized photocatalysts are easy to agglomerate in an aqueous solution, which is unfavorable for recycling. Therefore, hydrogel-based photocatalytic composites were born. Compared with other photocatalytic carriers, hydrogels have a three-dimensional network structure, high water absorption, and a controllable shape. Meanwhile, the high permeability of these composites is an effective way to promote photocatalysis technology by inhibiting nanoparticle photo corrosion, while significantly ensuring the catalytic activity of the photocatalysts. With the growing energy crisis and limited reserves of traditional energy sources such as oil, the attention of researchers was drawn to natural polymers. Like almost all abundant natural polymer compounds in the world, cellulose has the advantages of non-toxicity, degradability, and biocompatibility. It is used as a class of reproducible crude material for the preparation of hydrogel photocatalytic composites. The network structure and high hydroxyl active sites of cellulose-based hydrogels improve the adsorption performance of catalysts and avoid nanoparticle collisions, indirectly enhancing their photocatalytic performance. In this paper, we sum up the current research progress of cellulose-based hydrogels. After briefly discussing the properties and preparation methods of cellulose and its descendant hydrogels, we explore the effects of hydrogels on photocatalytic properties. Next, the cellulose-based hydrogel photocatalytic composites are classified according to the type of catalyst, and the research progress in different fields is reviewed. Finally, the challenges they will face are summarized, and the development trends are prospected.
Evaluation of Artificial Intelligence Methods to Estimate the Compressive Strength of Geopolymers
Authors: Zou Yong , Zheng Chao , Alzahrani Abdullah Mossa , Ahmad Waqas , Ahmad Ayaz , Mohamed Abdeliazim Mustafa , Khallaf Rana , Elattar Samia
Published: April 2022

The depletion of natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions related to the manufacture and use of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) pose serious concerns to the environment and human life. The present research focuses on using alternative binders to replace OPC. Geopolymer might be the best option because it requires waste materials enriched in aluminosilicate for its production. The research on geopolymer concrete (GPC) is growing rapidly. However, substantial effort and expenses are required to cast specimens, cures, and tests. Applying novel techniques for the said purpose is the key requirement for rapid and cost-effective research. In this research, supervised machine learning (SML) techniques, including two individual (decision tree (DT) and gene expression programming (GEP)) and two ensembled (bagging regressor (BR) and random forest (RF)) algorithms were employed to estimate the compressive strength (CS) of GPC. The validity and comparison of all the models were made using the coefficient of determination (R2), k-fold, and statistical assessments. It was noticed that the ensembled SML techniques performed better than the individual SML techniques in forecasting the CS of GPC. However, individual SML model results were also in the reasonable range. The R2 value for BR, RF, GEP, and DT models was 0.96, 0.95, 0.93, and 0.88, respectively. The models’ lower error values such as mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square errors (RMSE) also verified the higher precision of ensemble SML methods. The RF (MAE = 2.585 MPa, RMSE = 3.702 MPa) and BR (MAE = 2.044 MPa, RMSE = 3.180) results are better than the DT (MAE = 4.136 MPa, RMSE = 6.256 MPa) and GEP (MAE = 3.102 MPa, RMSE = 4.049 MPa). The application of SML techniques will benefit the construction sector with fast and cost-effective methods for estimating the properties of materials.
Macrophage Polarization in Atherosclerosis
Authors: Eshghjoo Sahar , Kim Da Mi , Jayaraman Arul , Sun Yuxiang , Alaniz Robert C.
Published: April 2022

The implication of the heterogeneous spectrum of pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophages (Macs) has been an important area of investigation over the last decade. The polarization of Macs alters their functional phenotype in response to their surrounding microenvironment. Macs are the major immune cells implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. A hallmark pathology of atherosclerosis is the accumulation of pro-inflammatory M1-like macrophages in coronary arteries induced by pro-atherogenic stimuli; these M1-like pro-inflammatory macrophages are incapable of digesting lipids, thus resulting in foam cell formation in the atherosclerotic plaques. Recent findings suggest that the progression and stability of atherosclerotic plaques are dependent on the quantity of infiltrated Macs, the polarization state of the Macs, and the ratios of different types of Mac populations. The polarization of Macs is defined by signature markers on the cell surface, as well as by factors in intracellular and intranuclear compartments. At the same time, pro- and anti-inflammatory polarized Macs also exhibit different gene expression patterns, with differential cellular characteristics in oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. Macs are reflective of different metabolic states and various types of diseases. In this review, we discuss the major differences between M1-like Macs and M2-like Macs, their associated metabolic pathways, and their roles in atherosclerosis.
Genome-Wide Identification and Expressional Profiling of the Metal Tolerance Protein Gene Family in Brassica napus
Authors: Xie Tao , Yang Wenjing , Chen Xin , Rong Hao , Wang Youping , Jiang Jinjin
Published: April 2022

The Cation Diffusion Facilitator (CDF) family, also named Metal Tolerance Protein (MTP), is one of the gene families involved in heavy metal transport in plants. However, a comprehensive study of MTPs in Brassica napus has not been reported yet. In the present study, we identified 33 BnMTP genes from the rapeseed genome using bioinformatic analyses. Subsequently, we analyzed the phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, chromosome distribution, conserved domains, and motifs of the BnMTP gene family. The 33 BnMTPs were phylogenetically divided into three major clusters (Zn-CDFs, Fe/Zn-CDFs, and Mn-CDFs) and seven groups (group 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12). The structural characteristics of the BnMTP members were similar in the same group, but different among groups. Evolutionary analysis indicated that the BnMTP gene family mainly expanded through whole-genome duplication (WGD) and segmental duplication events. Moreover, the prediction of cis-acting elements and microRNA target sites suggested that BnMTPs might be involved in plant growth, development, and stress responses. In addition, we found the expression of 24 BnMTPs in rapeseed leaves or roots could respond to heavy metal ion treatments. These results provided an important basis for clarifying the biological functions of BnMTPs, especially in heavy metal detoxification, and will be helpful in the phytoremediation of heavy metal pollution in soil.
Analysis of the PRA1 Genes in Cotton Identifies the Role of GhPRA1.B1-1A in Verticillium dahliae Resistance
Authors: Wu Na , Li Wen-Jie , Chen Chen , Zhao Yan-Peng , Hou Yu-Xia
Published: April 2022

Verticillium wilt in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is primarily caused by Verticillium dahliae. Previous data suggest that prenylated RAB acceptors (PRAs) play essential roles in environmental plant adaptation, although the potential roles of PRA1 in cotton are unclear. Therefore, in this study, PRA1 family members were identified in G. hirsutum, and their roles in biotic and abiotic stresses were analyzed. Thirty-seven GhPRA1 family members were identified in upland cotton, which were divided into eight groups. Gene structure and domain analyses revealed that the sequences of GhPRA1 members in each group were highly conserved. Many environmental stress-related and hormone-response cis-acting elements were identified in the GhPRA1 promoter regions, indicating that they may respond to biotic and abiotic stresses. Expression analysis revealed that GhPRA1 members were widely expressed in upland cotton. The GhPRA1 genes responded to abiotic stress: drought, cold, salt, and heat stress. GhPRA1.B1-1A expression increased after V. dahliae infection. Furthermore, the functional role of GhPRA1.B1-1A was confirmed by overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana, which enhanced the resistance to V. dahliae. In contrast, V. dahliae resistance was significantly weakened via virus-induced gene silencing of GhPRA1.B1-1A in upland cotton. Simultaneously, reactive oxygen species accumulation; the H2O2, salicylic acid, and jasmonic acid contents; and callose deposition were significantly decreased in cotton plants with GhPRA1.B1-1A silencing. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the biological roles of GhPRA1 proteins and provide candidate genes for cotton breeders for breeding V. dahliae-resistant cultivars.
Phytonutrient Composition of Two Phenotypes of Physalis alkekengi L. Fruit
Authors: Popova Venelina , Mazova Nadezhda , Ivanova Tanya , Petkova Nadezhda , Stoyanova Magdalena , Stoyanova Albena , Ercisli Sezai , Assouguem Amine , Kara Mohammed , Alshawwa Samar Zuhair , Al Kamaly Omkulthom
Published: April 2022

Physalis alkekengi L. is the only representative of the genus Physalis (Solanaceae) that is native to Bulgaria, found in wild habitats under different climatic and soil conditions. The plant is poisonous, but produces edible fruit, which are a source of functional nutrients—vitamins, phenolic antioxidants, minerals, etc. Therefore, the objective of this work was to determine the presence of certain nutrient and bioactive substances in two phenotypes of P. alkekengi fruit from Bulgaria, in order to better reveal the prospects of fruit use in nutrition. Different macro and micronutrients were determined in the fruit—protein, ash, lipids, fiber, natural pigments, sugars, amino acids, minerals—and the results showed differences between the phenotypes. Fruit energy values were low and identical in the samples, 43 kcal/100 g. The fruits were rich in extractable phenolics (TPC, 17.74–20.25 mg GAE/100 g FW; flavonoids, 15.84–18.03 mg QE/100 g FW) and demonstrated good antioxidant activity (DPPH, 171.55–221.26 mM TE/g; FRAP, 193.18–256.35 mM TE/g). P. alkekengi fruits were processed to obtain a dry extract with ethanol (yield 47.92–58.6%), and its individual composition was identified (GC-MS). The results in this study supported the presumed phytonutritive potential of P. alkekengi fruit, thus, opening doors for further research.