bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Organoalkoxysilanes: Versatile Organic–Inorganic Building Blocks
Authors: Crucho Carina I. C.
Published: March 2023

Organic–inorganic building blocks are an important class of hybrid materials due to the synergistic versatility of organic compounds with the robust properties of inorganic materials. Currently, the growing interest in silica hybrid materials to modify the physical and chemical properties of the silica network has led to an increasing interest in organoalkoxysilanes. A general formula of R-[Si-(OR’)3]n, with OR’ as a hydrolysable alkoxy group and R acting as the organic functional group (n ≥ 1), has led to precursors for many molecules. By introducing adequate organic moieties (R), organoalkoxysilanes effectively engage in surface and matrix modification of silica-based materials with smart-responsive units, coupling agents, targeting moieties, bioactive moieties etc., opening promising applications, specifically biomedical ones. Several synthetic procedures have been established to introduce the alkoxysilane moieties, including hydrosilylation, coupling reactions, and addition reactions to isocyanates. Herein, we review synthetic routes to organoalkoxysilanes and the relationship between structural features to design appropriate organoalkoxysilanes for specific applications.
Influence of Laser Beam Power on the Temperature Distribution and Dimensions of the Molten-Pool Formed during Laser Boriding of Nimonic 80A-Alloy
Authors: Makuch Natalia , Dziarski Piotr
Published: March 2023

Laser boriding is a surface treatment that involves the simultaneous re-melting and mixing of the alloying material, containing amorphous boron blended with diluted polyvinyl alcohol, with the substrate material (Nimonic 80A-alloy). As a result of high cooling rates, the boride layer is formed from a solidifying molten pool. The thickness of the produced layer depends on the laser treatment parameters, e.g., power of the laser beam, scanning rate, and laser beam radius. These parameters influence the temperature distribution on the cross-section of laser tracks and, thus, directly determine the size of the molten pool, from which the boride layer is formed after crystallization. In the present study, laser borided layers were produced on Nimonic 80A alloy using a CO2 molecular laser. Differences in the laser beam power used resulted in the formation of layers of different thicknesses, which resulted directly from the differences in the temperature distribution in the treated material. The amount of boron in the molten pool directly influenced the obtained hardness of the laser borided layer. It was found that the lower laser beam power had an advantageous effect on the hardness due to the higher percentage of nickel borides and chromium borides in the layer. The reasons for this situation are discussed in detail.
Evidence of Non-Random Social Interactions between Pairs of Bait-Attracted White Sharks in Gansbaai (South Africa)
Authors: Micarelli Primo , Reinero Francesca Romana , D’Agnese Riccardo , Pacifico Antonio , Giglio Gianni , Sperone Emilio
Published: March 2023

Knowledge about the social behavior of sharks is a growing research field, but not many observations are available on the social interactions between pairs of sharks in the presence of passive surface bait and mainly related to aggregations. Between 2009 and 2018, in Gansbaai, South Africa, 415 white sharks were sighted, and 525 surface-generated social interactions were identified, exhibited by 169 different white sharks. The mean sighting rate was 0.91 (range 0.18–1.53) white sharks per hour. Eight patterns of social interaction were exhibited: swim by, parallel swim, follow/give way, follow, give way, stand back, splash fights, and piggyback. Non-random interactions occurred when pairs of specimens approached the passive surface bait, confirming that the white sharks made a real choice, showing a dominance hierarchy during the ten years of data collection. Evidence of non-random social interactions in the surface behavior of bait-attracted white sharks Carcharodon carcharias in Gansbaai’s transient population was the goal of this research.
Reviewing Introduction Histories, Pathways, Invasiveness, and Impact of Non-Indigenous Species in Danish Marine Waters
Authors: Jensen Kathe R. , Andersen Per , Andersen Nikolaj R. , Bruhn Annette , Buur Helle , Carl Henrik , Jakobsen Hans , Jaspers Cornelia , Lundgreen Kim , Nielsen Ruth , Strandberg Beate , Stæhr Peter A. U.
Published: March 2023

Non-indigenous species (NIS) are of concern for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem functioning. We present an updated list of NIS, including cryptogenic species, from Danish marine waters containing 123 species. Benthic invertebrates (36%) and phytoplankton (28%) dominate the list, but fish (15%) and macroalgae (13%) are also important. The Limfjord in Northern Jutland emerges as a hotspot for the introduction of NIS. Data from multiple sources were included, i.e., the National Monitoring Program (NOVANA), the National Fish Atlas project, the citizen science project Arter.dk, research articles, and annual national reports of the ICES working group ITMO. Forty-six NIS species were subject to expert judging using a modified Harmonia protocol; 19 were found to fulfil the four selected criteria identifying a species as being ‘invasive’. Additionally, 38 species, not yet recorded in Danish waters, were evaluated using the same method, and 31 were found to fulfil the ‘invasive’ criteria. For nine selected species, introduction history, distribution maps, and time-series diagrams are presented. Our data document that the national monitoring efforts should be expanded to record macrozooplankton, coastal fish, and mobile epibenthic species. Furthermore, the national data repository, Arter.dk, should be expanded to enable more detailed documentation of new NIS records.
Recent Developments in Electrospun Nanofibers as Delivery of Phytoconstituents for Wound Healing
Authors: Ajith Govindaraj , Tamilarasi Ganesan Padmini , Sabarees Govindaraj , Gouthaman Siddan , Manikandan Krishnan , Velmurugan Vadivel , Alagarsamy Veerachamy , Solomon Viswas Raja
Published: March 2023

Wound healing is an unresolved therapeutic challenge for the medical community, as wound assessment and management is a complex procedure involving numerous factors that play a significant role in the healing process. Several factors, including bacterial infections, underlying conditions, malnutrition, obesity, aging, and smoking are the most frequent causes of a delayed wound-healing process. The shortcomings related to the currently used wound dressings include poor antimicrobial properties, weak mechanical features, poor biodegradability, biocompatibility, etc. Modern medicine has expanded the use of phytoconstituents based on nanotechnology to regenerate and repair soft and hard tissues. Electrospun nanofiber platforms are the most recent and promising among many types of conventional wound dressings due to their distinct characteristics. Many plant extracts and their phytoconstituents are well-known as adequate substitutes for wound healing agents because of their wide range of active ingredients, accessibility, and limited side effects. Incorporating these phytoconstituents into electrospun nanofibers combines the structural properties of the nanofibers with the antibacterial and therapeutic properties of the plants, making the nanofibers ideal for use as wound dressings. This review focuses on the antibacterial and therapeutic applications of nanofiber wound dressings containing phytoconstituents and their potential to revolutionize wound healing.
Predicting Malignancy of Breast Imaging Findings Using Quantitative Analysis of Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM)
Authors: Miller Matthew M. , Rubaiyat Abu Hasnat Mohammad , Rohde Gustavo K.
Published: March 2023

We sought to develop new quantitative approaches to characterize the spatial distribution of mammographic density and contrast enhancement of suspicious contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) findings to improve malignant vs. benign classifications of breast lesions. We retrospectively analyzed all breast lesions that underwent CEM imaging and tissue sampling at our institution from 2014–2020 in this IRB-approved study. A penalized linear discriminant analysis was used to classify lesions based on the averaged histograms of radial distributions of mammographic density and contrast enhancement. T-tests were used to compare the classification accuracies of density, contrast, and concatenated density and contrast histograms. Logistic regression and AUC-ROC analyses were used to assess if adding demographic and clinical data improved the model accuracy. A total of 159 suspicious findings were evaluated. Density histograms were more accurate in classifying lesions as malignant or benign than a random classifier (62.37% vs. 48%; p < 0.001), but the concatenated density and contrast histograms demonstrated a higher accuracy (71.25%; p < 0.001) than the density histograms alone. Including the demographic and clinical data in our models led to a higher AUC-ROC than concatenated density and contrast images (0.81 vs. 0.70; p < 0.001). In the classification of invasive vs. non-invasive malignancy, the concatenated density and contrast histograms demonstrated no significant improvement in accuracy over the density histograms alone (77.63% vs. 78.59%; p = 0.504). Our findings suggest that quantitative differences in the radial distribution of mammographic density could be used to discriminate malignant from benign breast findings; however, classification accuracy was significantly improved with the addition of contrast-enhanced imaging data from CEM. Adding patient demographic and clinical information further improved the classification accuracy.
Study of Laser Light Scattering Methods in Rapid Viability Assessment of Microorganisms under Antibiotics Exposure for Adaptation in Lab-on-A-Chip Format
Authors: Zimina Tatiana M. , Pinchuk Olga A. , Kaplun Dmitry I. , Kraeva Lyudmila A. , Sitkov Nikita O.
Published: March 2023

The antibiotic resistance (ABR) problem is becoming increasingly disturbing and it is important to implement express methods of ABR testing to allow operative antibiotic therapy decisions. The application of laser light scattering (LLS) in microbiological analysis for express ABR testing of microorganisms has been considered. The ways of miniaturization of laser light scattering for creating the bases of their integration into microbiological laboratory-on-a-chip (MLOC) for clinical express diagnostics have been analysed. The advantage of miniaturization in the context of clinical express analysis realization problems are investigated. A system of parallel measuring cells and illumination, enabling simultaneous testing of a group of antibiotics, was tested by splitting a laser beam with a two-dimensional collimator prepared of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide. It has been demonstrated that the application of LLS methods, providing high concentration and mass sensitivity as well as a miniaturization potential, is an effective approach in the development of new generation diagnostic instruments. The studies have demonstrated the ability of methods to register effects of antibiotics on microbiological samples within 10 min. The following microorganisms were used in the study: Escherichia coli M-17, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.
Optimal UAV Hangar Locations for Emergency Services Considering Restricted Areas
Authors: Braßel Hannes , Zeh Thomas , Fricke Hartmut , Eltner Anette
Published: March 2023

With unmanned aerial vehicle(s) (UAV), swift responses to urgent needs (such as search and rescue missions or medical deliveries) can be realized. Simultaneously, legislators are establishing so-called geographical zones, which restrict UAV operations to mitigate air and ground risks to third parties. These geographical zones serve particular safety interests but they may also hinder the efficient usage of UAVs in time-critical missions with range-limiting battery capacities. In this study, we address a facility location problem for up to two UAV hangars and combine it with a routing problem of a standard UAV mission to consider geographical zones as restricted areas, battery constraints, and the impact of wind to increase the robustness of the solution. To this end, water rescue missions are used exemplary, for which positive and negative location factors for UAV hangars and areas of increased drowning risk as demand points are derived from open-source georeferenced data. Optimum UAV mission trajectories are computed with an A* algorithm, considering five different restriction scenarios. As this pathfinding is very time-consuming, binary occupancy grids and image-processing algorithms accelerate the computation by identifying either entirely inaccessible or restriction-free connections beforehand. For the optimum UAV hangar locations, we maximize accessibility while minimizing the service times to the hotspots, resulting in a decrease from the average service time of 570.4 s for all facility candidates to 351.1 s for one and 287.2 s for two optimum UAV hangar locations.
Study of the Within-Batch TID Response Variability on Silicon-Based VDMOS Devices
Authors: Li Xiao , Cui Jiangwei , Zheng Qiwen , Li Pengwei , Cui Xu , Li Yudong , Guo Qi
Published: March 2023

Silicon-based vertical double-diffused MOSFET (VDMOS) devices are important components of the power system of spacecraft. However, VDMOS is sensitive to the total ionizing dose (TID) effect and may have TID response variability. The within-batch TID response variability on silicon-based VDMOS devices is studied by the 60Co gamma-ray irradiation experiment in this paper. The variations in device parameters after irradiation is obtained, and the damage mechanism is revealed. Experimental results show that the standard deviations of threshold voltage, subthreshold swing, output capacitance, and diode forward voltage increase, while the standard deviation of maximum transconductance decreases after irradiation. The standard deviation of on-state resistance is basically unchanged before and after irradiation. By separating the trapped charges generated by TID irradiation, it is found that the deviation of the oxide trapped charges and the interface traps increase with the increase in the total dose. The reasons for the variation in device parameters after irradiation are revealed by establishing the relationship between the trapped charges and the electrical parameters before and after irradiation.
A Framework for Data Privacy Preserving in Supply Chain Management Using Hybrid Meta-Heuristic Algorithm with Ethereum Blockchain Technology
Authors: Viswanadham Yedida Venkata Rama Subramanya , Jayavel Kayalvizhi
Published: March 2023

Blockchain is a recently developed advanced technology. It has been assisted by a lot of interest in a decentralized and distributed public ledger system integrated as a peer-to-peer network. A tamper-proof digital framework is created for sharing and storing data, where the linked block structure is utilized to verify and store the data. A trusted consensus method has been adopted to synchronize the changes in the original data. However, it is challenging for Ethereum to maintain security at all blockchain levels. As such, “public–private key cryptography” can be utilized to provide privacy over Ethereum networks. Several privacy issues make it difficult to use blockchain approaches over various applications. Another issue is that the existing blockchain systems operate poorly over large-scale data. Owing to these issues, a novel blockchain framework in the Ethereum network with soft computing is proposed. The major intent of the proposed technology is to preserve the data for transmission purposes. This new model is enhanced with the help of a new hybrid algorithm: Adaptive Border Collie Rain Optimization Algorithm (ABC-ROA). This hybrid algorithm generates the optimal key for data restoration and sanitization. Optimal key generation is followed by deriving the multi objective constraints. Here, some of the noteworthy objectives, such as information preservation (IP) rate, degree of modification (DM), false rule (FR) generation, and hiding failure (HF) rate are considered. Finally, the proposed method is successfully implemented, and its results are validated through various measures. The recommended module ensures a higher security level for data sharing.
COVID-ResNet: COVID-19 Recognition Based on Improved Attention ResNet
Authors: Zhou Tao , Chang Xiaoyu , Liu Yuncan , Ye Xinyu , Lu Huiling , Hu Fuyuan
Published: March 2023

COVID-19 is the most widespread infectious disease in the world. There is an incubation period in the early stage of infection. At present, there are some difficulties in the diagnosis of COVID-19. Medical image analysis based on computed tomography (CT) images is an important tool for clinical diagnosis. However, the lesion size of COVID-19 is smaller, and the lesion shape of COVID-19 is more complex. The effect of the aided diagnosis model is not good. To solve this problem, an aided diagnostic model of COVID-ResNet was proposed based on CT images. Firstly, an improved attention ResNet model was designed based on CT images to focus on the focal lesion area. Secondly, the SE-Res block was constructed. The squeeze excitation mechanism with the residual connection was introduced into the ResNet. The SE-Res block can enhance the correlation degree among different channels and improve the overall accuracy of the model. Thirdly, MFCA (multi-layer feature converge attention) blocks were proposed, which extract multi-layer features. In this model, coordinated attention was used to focus on the direction information of the lesion area. Different layer features were concatenated so that the shallow layer and deep layer features were fused. The experimental results showed that the model could significantly improve the recognition accuracy of COVID-19. Compared with similar models, COVID-ResNet has better performance. On the COVID-19 CT dataset, the accuracy, recall rate, F1 score, and AUC value could reach 96.89%, 98.15%,96.96%, and 99.04%, respectively. Compared with the ResNet model, the accuracy, recall rate, F1 score, and AUC value were higher by 3.1%, 2.46%, 3.0%, and 1.16%, respectively. In ablation experiments, the experimental results showed that the SE-Res block and MFCA model proposed by us were effective. COVID-ResNet transfers the shallow features to the deep, gathers the features, and makes the information complementary. COVID-ResNet can improve the work efficiency of doctors and reduce the misdiagnosis rate. It has a positive significance for the computer-aided diagnosis of COVID-19.
Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) Driving System Using Vision Sensor and Color Code
Authors: Jang Jun-Yeong , Yoon Su-Jeong , Lin Chi-Ho
Published: March 2023

Recently, the use of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) at production sites has been increasing due to industrial development, such as the introduction of smart factories. AGVs utilizing the wired induction method, which is cheaper and faster than the wireless induction method, are mainly used at production sites. However, the wired guidance AGV operation system has the disadvantage of being limited to small-batch or collaboration-based production sites, since it is difficult to change the driving route. In this paper, we propose an AGV line-scan algorithm that can perform route recognition, driving commands, and operation through color-code recognition using an Arduino controller and a low-cost vision sensor, instead of the optical sensor conventionally used for these functions. When the proposed algorithm is applied to the AGV car, the CMUcam 5 Pixy2 camera identifies the driving path to follow by tracking a black line using the Otsu method. In addition, it can be confirmed that the driving command is executed using the proposed color code by applying the color recognition function of the CMUcam 5 Pixy2.
Numerical Investigation of Pelton Turbine Distributor Systems with Axial Inflow
Authors: Hahn Franz Josef Johann , Maly Anton , Semlitsch Bernhard , Bauer Christian
Published: March 2023

In an agile power grid environment, hydroelectric power plants must operate flexibly to follow the demand. Their wide operating range and high part-load efficiencies allow for multi-injector Pelton turbines to fulfil these demands as long as the water jet quality is maintained. The water jet shape is governed by the flow in the distributor system. Pelton distributor systems with axial feed can potentially reduce the costs of the power station. Providing the flow quality at the nozzle outlet challenges the design of such Pelton distributors. Therefore, numerical simulations are performed to optimise a parameterised Pelton distributor system with axial feed. The effects of geometric parameter variations on its performance are studied. The criteria to evaluate the flow in distributor systems are presented, which are applied to quantify the power losses and secondary flows. Additionally, the second law analysis illustrates where the losses are generated. Due to various pipe bends, all designs exhibit a distinct S-shaped secondary flow pattern at the nozzle inlet. The simulations reveal that the power losses are greatly reduced by shaping the initial part of the branch line as a conical frustum. Deviation angles of the branch line close to 90° allow for lower secondary flow magnitudes at the nozzle inlet.
Development of a High-Voltage Pulsed Electric Field Sterilization Power Supply Using a New Topology Circuit
Authors: Zhu Bo , Su He , Fang Zhihan , Wu Guoyan , Wei Xinlao
Published: March 2023

Traditional thermal sterilization technology is easy to implement and safe, but it will destroy food nutrition and change food taste. Therefore, people began to turn their attention to non-thermal sterilization. High-voltage pulsed electric field sterilization technology is one of them; it has attracted much attention because of its high efficiency and little damage to food. Different types of loads will cause serious trailing of the pulse falling edge. In view of this situation, this paper proposes a new topology circuit that combines a solid-state switch with a half-bridge Marx generator. It can be used for high-voltage pulsed electric field sterilization. By improving the structure of the classical Marx circuit, the high-voltage pulse power supply of the new topology circuit has the characteristics of steep rising edge and short falling edge delay; does not require isolation inductance or isolation resistance, which solves the isolation problem between the DC charging power supply and the high-voltage terminal; and has a good voltage-clamping function and load adaptability. The working process of the topology circuit under resistive, capacitive and inductive loads and the voltage clamping effect when the solid-state switch does not work properly in the discharge process are analyzed in detail. The power supply is composed of an adjustable DC power supply, five-stage half-bridge Marx generator and control protection circuit. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) is used as the controller to generate control signals, and optical fiber isolation is used to provide control signals for the main loop. The power supply can output a high-voltage square wave pulse with a voltage amplitude of 10 kV, maximum pulse number of 1000 per second, maximum pulse width of 20 μs, pulse rise time of smaller than 300 ns and short pulse drop time, and the repeated voltage amplitude, frequency and pulse width are adjustable, which can meet the requirements of a high-voltage pulse sterilization experiment.
Mixed-Mode Ventilation Based on Adjustable Air Velocity for Energy Benefits in Residential Buildings
Authors: Su Lichen , Ouyang Jinlong , Yang Li
Published: March 2023

Energy efficiency and air quality in residential buildings have aroused intensive interest. Generally speaking, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is widely used to regulate indoor environmental spaces. Meanwhile, mixed-mode ventilation has been proven to reduce energy consumption and introduce fresh air effectively. This study aims to discuss the correlations between air velocity, temperature and indoor thermal comfort and establish corresponding statistical models based on the ASHRAE_db II database and the Predicted Mean Vote (PMV). On this basis, the air-velocity adjustment strategy, including determining adjustability and establishing adjustable intervals, is optimized based on support vector machine and envelope curve methods. The results show that the recognition accuracy of the adjustability determination model is over 98%, and the air-velocity adjustable interval in the envelope is increased, facilitating control of mixed-mode ventilation. The case shows that interval adjustment increases the sample points by 18.6% (18.1% above 20 °C and 4.5% above 28 °C). Therefore, further research can be supported on improving thermal comfort by air-velocity adjustment to take advantage of the mixed-mode ventilation mode, which is beneficial to building energy efficiency.
OpenEdgePMU: An Open PMU Architecture with Edge Processing for Future Resilient Smart Grids
Authors: Livanos Nikolaos-Antonios , Hammal Sami , Giamarelos Nikolaos , Alifragkis Vagelis , Psomopoulos Constantinos , Zois Elias
Published: March 2023

The increase in renewable energy sources (RESs) in distribution grids is a major driver for achieving green energy goals worldwide. However, RES power inverters affect power quality, increase power losses, and, in certain cases, may cause power interruptions due to harmonics, deterioration of the rate of change of frequency, and inability to rapidly react in grid faults. Today, phasor measurement units (PMUs) are the ultimate tools for real-time monitoring of distribution grids’ health, and they enable several data-driven added-value services such as fast and automated fault detection, isolation, and recovery; state estimation; power quality monitoring; dynamic events analysis, etc. The present paper proposes an open hardware and software PMU platform, which is low cost, high performance, expandable, and, in general, suitable for research and innovation activities. The system is based on two processor modules (a digital signal processor from Texas Instruments TMS320c5517, and a microprocessor System-in-Package from Octavo Systems OSD3358), two local databases of 64 Gbytes each, GPS module, 5G modem interface, as well as analog and signal conditioning circuits to interface three-phase power voltage and current signals. The entire hardware design, schematics, and instrumentation components, as well as all firmware and software functions are completely open source. Pilot operation of the prototype design has been installed in three medium-/low-voltage substations in Cyprus, as well as twelve substations in Spain and Italy.
Primary Progenitor Tenocytes: Cytotherapeutics and Cell-Free Derivatives
Authors: Laurent Alexis , Scaletta Corinne , Abdel-Sayed Philippe , Raffoul Wassim , Hirt-Burri Nathalie , Applegate Lee Ann
Published: March 2023

Primary progenitor tenocytes are diploid cells that may be cultured in vitro and therapeutically used for allogeneic musculoskeletal regenerative medicine. Firstly, technical aspects of cell banking, biotechnological manufacturing, and extensive preclinical characterization data have confirmed that FE002-Ten primary progenitor tenocytes may be safely considered for human cytotherapeutic use (e.g., in tissue engineering products, standardized transplants). Parallelly, lyophilized progenitor tenocyte extracts (e.g., stabilized cells or cell-free derivatives) were shown to optimally act as potent hyaluronan-based hydrogel functionalizing agents, useful for stability enhancement against oxidative product degradation. Therefore, primary progenitor tenocytes (e.g., FE002-Ten cell source) may potentially be used in diverse clinical presentations of tendon-related pathologies, ranging from volumetric tissue replacement (i.e., for the promotion of enhanced graft bio-integration) to local management of tissular inflammation and pain (i.e., ancillary action of the cellular extracts for the functional enhancement of injectable hyaluronan-based preparations). Overall, the primary progenitor tenocytes investigated under the Swiss progenitor cell transplantation program were shown to represent highly standardized biotechnological materials with a versatility of potential therapeutic uses after formulation into an array of cytotherapeutic preparations or cell-free devices.
Comparing the Productivity of the Latest Models of Li-Ion Battery and Petrol Chainsaws in a Conifer Clear-Cut Site
Authors: Laschi Andrea , Neri Francesco , Marra Elena , Fabiano Fabio , Frassinelli Niccolò , Marchi Enrico , Paoloni Riccardo , Foderi Cristiano
Published: March 2023

The recent technological development of batteries has allowed the production of powerful tools that are also used in forestry operations. For this reason, this study aimed to compare the performance of two latest chainsaw models in a conifer clear-cut. The examined chainsaws, the battery-powered Stihl MSA 300 and the petrol-powered MS 261 C-M, have comparable power and weight. The overall working times were recorded and then gross, net and felling/processing productivities were quantified. Our findings reported that in a working day (7.4 h gross time), each chainsaw felled and processed an average of 20 trees of 0.64 m3 with an average diameter at breast height of 28 cm. Considering the net productivity, no statistically significant differences were recorded between the two chainsaws. Investigating the productivities on operations conducted using the chainsaws, the battery chainsaw showed a lower average tree-processing productivity than that recorded for the petrol chainsaw. On average, the battery duration was 0.88 h, while the petrol tank duration was 0.97 h. Our study shows that battery chainsaws have great potential in forestry operations; however, considering the actual need for 8 charges per standard workday, optimizing battery management is an important objective for future work.
Use of Drone RGB Imagery to Quantify Indicator Variables of Tropical-Forest-Ecosystem Degradation and Restoration
Authors: Lee Kyuho , Elliott Stephen , Tiansawat Pimonrat
Published: March 2023

Recognizing initial degradation levels is essential to planning effective measures to restore tropical forest ecosystems. However, measuring indicators of forest degradation is labour-intensive, time-consuming, and expensive. This study explored the use of canopy-height models and orthophotos, derived from drone-captured RGB images, above sites at various stages of degradation in northern Thailand to quantify variables related to initial degradation levels and subsequent restoration progression. Stocking density (R2 = 0.71) and relative cover of forest canopy (R2 = 0.83), ground vegetation (R2 = 0.71) and exposed soil + rock (R2 = 0.56) correlated highly with the corresponding ground-survey data. However, mean tree height (R2 = 0.31) and above-ground carbon density (R2 = 0.45) were not well correlated. Differences in correlation strength appeared to be site-specific and related to tree size distribution, canopy openness, and soil exposure. We concluded that drone-based quantification of forest-degradation indicator variables is not yet accurate enough to replace conventional ground surveys when planning forest restoration projects. However, the development of better geo-referencing in parallel with AI systems may improve the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of drone-based techniques in the near future.
Comparative Analysis of the Characteristics, Phylogenetic Relationships of the Complete Chloroplast Genome, and Maternal Origin Track of White Poplar Interspecific Hybrid GM107
Authors: Guo Bin , Chen Tingting , Li Ying , Li Shanwen , Khan Wasif Ullah , Zhang Ren-Gang , Jia Kai-Hua , An Xinmin
Published: March 2023

White poplars are a dominant tree species in natural ecosystems throughout China, where they are also widely planted for agroforestry and industrial uses. However, the phylogenetic relationships among poplars in section Populus have a complex genetic background influenced by frequent hybridization events and, to date, only a few studies have attempted to clarify this background. In this study, we performed de novo assembly of the whole chloroplast (cp) genome of an elite individual GM107 with the size of 156,493 bp, which consists of a large single-copy (LSR) (84,610 bp), a small single-copy (SSC) (16,567 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (27,658 bp). It comprises 127 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 36 tRNAs, and 6 rRNAs. Comparative analysis of the cp genomes was conducted among 7 poplars in section Populus and 4 cp DNA markers with >1% variable sites were detected. We found that Populus alba was the most closely related species to GM107 by phylogenetic analyses. RNA sequencing detected 66 genes that participated in translation, transcription, and photosynthesis. The expression levels of almost all 66 genes were higher in leaves than in other tissues, except for PtatpF and PtatpH. In all tissues, we detected higher transcript abundances of PtndhF, PtpsbA, PtpsbB, Ptrps14, PtatpF, and PtatpH than of other genes. Both cp genome and transcriptome data help understand evolution events in section Populus and unravel the origin of Chinese white poplars, and may contribute to the molecular genetic improvement of wood properties and carbon sink capacities in the breeding of poplars in this section.
Ad-Valorem Taxes, Prices and Content Diversification in the News Market
Authors: Garcia Pires Armando José
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we look at two research questions. First, can lower ad-valorem taxes, on the selling of news and on the selling of advertising, conduce to lower prices in the media sector? Second, can lower ad-valorem taxes stimulate firms to increase the diversity of content that they offer? The purpose of this work is to give tax political guidelines to policy makers for the media sector. This is important for a sector that has seen the reduction in payment subscriptions by readers (due to competition from free news from the Internet), and reduction of advertisement revenues due to competition from media giants like Google and Facebook. With this purpose we build on the Hoteling product competition model, which is the workhorse model in media economics. We show that ad-valorem taxes on the selling of advertising are preferable to ad-valorem taxes on the selling of news because the former conduce to reduction in prices of newspaper. However, both ad-valorem taxes on the selling of news and on the selling of advertisement reduces media diversity, because they reduce revenues that media firms can use to invest in media content.
Hypercholesterolemia in the Malaysian Cohort Participants: Genetic and Non-Genetic Risk Factors
Authors: Abdul Murad Nor Azian , Mohammad Noor Yusuf , Mohd. Rani Zam Zureena , Sulaiman Siti Aishah , Chow Yock Ping , Abdullah Noraidatulakma , Ahmad Norfazilah , Ismail Norliza , Abdul Jalal Nazihah , Kamaruddin Mohd. Arman , Saperi Amalia Afzan , Jamal Rahman
Published: March 2023

Hypercholesterolemia was prevalent in 44.9% of The Malaysian Cohort participants, of which 51% were Malay. This study aimed to identify the variants involved in hypercholesterolemia among Malays and to determine the association between genetic and non-genetic risk factors. This nested case–control study included 25 Malay participants with the highest low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, >4.9 mmol/L) and total cholesterol (TC, >7.5 mmol/L) and 25 participants with the lowest LDL-C/TC. Genomic DNA was extracted, and whole-exome sequencing was performed using the Ion ProtonTM system. All variants were annotated, filtered, and cross-referenced against publicly available databases. Forty-five selected variants were genotyped in 677 TMC Malay participants using the MassARRAY® System. The association between genetic and non-genetic risk factors was determined using logistic regression analysis. Age, fasting blood glucose, tobacco use, and family history of hyperlipidemia were significantly associated with hypercholesterolemia. Participants with the novel OSBPL7 (oxysterol-binding protein-like 7) c.651_652del variant had 17 times higher odds for hypercholesterolemia. Type 2 diabetes patients on medication and those with PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) rs151193009 had low odds for hypercholesterolemia. Genetic predisposition can interact with non-genetic factors to increase hypercholesterolemia risk in Malaysian Malays.
Colchicine Use and Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Male Patients with Gout and Established Coronary Artery Disease: A Veterans Affairs Nested Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ho Gary H. , Toprover Michael , Crittenden Daria B. , Shah Binita , Pillinger Michael H.
Published: March 2023

Background: Despite colchicine’s proven efficacy in the non-gout population, the effects of colchicine on the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) among high-risk patients with gout remain to be determined. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between colchicine use and MACE in gout patients with preexisting coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: This retrospective cohort study followed patients with gout and established CAD within the VA New York Harbor Healthcare System who did or did not use colchicine regularly (>30 continuous days prescription with at least 1 refill). The primary outcome was first MACE, defined as a composite of non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, non-fatal stroke, and all-cause mortality. Part I of the primary analysis compared MACE between colchicine users and nonusers. Part II of the study compared MACE within the colchicine-use group, divided into quartiles based on consistency of colchicine use (i.e., percentage of time on colchicine). Results: Among 1638 patients with gout, 355 had established CAD (239 colchicine users and 116 nonusers). In this cohort, the odds of MACE were similar between any colchicine use compared to nonuse (OR 1.14; 95% CI (0.59–2.20)); however, colchicine users overall had a higher baseline cardiovascular risk profile than nonusers, suggesting that colchicine may have served to equilibrate risk between the two groups. Moreover, patients in the highest continuous colchicine-use quartile (>70% of observation period on colchicine) demonstrated lower odds of MACE compared to those in the lowest three quartiles (OR 0.35; 95% CI (0.13–0.93)), with no difference in baseline risk. Additionally, colchicine users had a numerically lower rate of MACE during periods of active use compared with periods of lapse. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed a difference in cumulative MACE over time, favoring the subgroup with the most consistent colchicine use (plog-rank = 0.01). Conclusions: Despite higher CV risk, gout patients with CAD receiving colchicine had no higher rates of MACE than those not receiving colchicine. Among all patients with gout and CAD treated with colchicine, those with the most consistent colchicine use had lower odds of MACE, and event rates were lower during active use. Colchicine protection against cardiovascular events may require maintenance of colchicine bloodstream levels.
Are Football Players More Prone to Muscle Injury after COVID-19 Infection? The “Italian Injury Study” during the Serie a Championship
Authors: Corsini Alessandro , Bisciotti Andrea , Canonico Raffaele , Causarano Andrea , Del Vescovo Riccardo , Gatto Pierluigi , Gola Paolo , Iera Massimo , Mazzoni Stefano , Minafra Paolo , Nanni Gianni , Pasta Giulio , Pulcini Ivo , Salvatori Stefano , Scorcu Marco , Stefanini Luca , Tenore Fabio , Palermi Stefano , Casasco Maurizio , Calza Stefano
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Football was the first sport to resume competitions after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown and promptly the hypothesis was raised of a potential relationship between the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and musculoskeletal injuries in athletes. This study aimed to confirm the association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and muscle strain injury in a large population of elite football players and to investigate if the COVID-19 severity level could affect the risk of injury. Methods: A retrospective cohort study involving 15 Italian professional male football teams was performed during the Italian Serie A 2020–2021 season. Injuries and SARS-CoV-2 positivity data were collected by team doctors through an online database. Results: Of the 433 included players, we observed 173 SARS-CoV-2 infections and 332 indirect muscle strains. COVID-19 episodes mostly belonged to severity level I and II. The injury risk significantly increased after a COVID-19 event, by 36% (HR = 1.36, CI95% 1.05; 1.77, p-value = 0.02). The injury burden demonstrated an 86% increase (ratio = 1.86, CI95% 1.21; 2.86, p-value = 0.005) in the COVID-19 severity level II/III versus players without a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, while level I (asymptomatic) patients showed a similar average burden (ratio = 0.92, CI95% 0.54; 1.58, p-value = 0.77). A significantly higher proportion of muscle–tendon junction injuries (40.6% vs. 27.1%, difference = 13.5%, CI95% 0.002%; 26.9%, p-value = 0.047) was found when comparing level II/III versus Non-COVID-19. Conclusions: This study confirms the correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infection and indirect muscle injuries and highlights how the severity of the infection would represent an additional risk factor.
Assessing Physical Activity Levels among Chinese College Students by BMI, HR, and Multi-Sensor Activity Monitors
Authors: Liu Dansong , Li Xiaojuan , Han Qi , Zhang Bo , Wei Xin , Li Shuang , Sui Xuemei , Wang Qirong
Published: March 2023

We investigated the use of multi-sensor physical activity monitors, body mass index (BMI), and heart rate (HR) to measure energy expenditure (EE) of various physical activity levels among Chinese collegiate students, compared with portable indirect calorimetry. Methods: In a laboratory experiment, 100 college students, 18–25 years old, wore the SenseWear Pro3 Armband™ (SWA; BodyMedia, Inc., Pittsburg, PA, USA) and performed 7 different physical activities. EE was measured by indirect calorimetry, while body motion and accelerations were measured with an SWA accelerometer. Special attention was paid to the analysis of unidirectional and three-directional accelerometer output. Results: Seven physical activities were recorded and distinguished by SWA, and different physical activities demonstrated different data features. The mean values of acceleration ACz (longitudinal accel point, axis Z) and VM (vector magnitude) were significantly different (p = 0.000, p < 0.05) for different physical activities, whereas no significant difference was found in one single physical activity with varied speeds (p = 0.9486, p > 0.05). When all physical activities were included in a correlation regression analysis, a strong linear correlation between the EE and accelerometer reporting value was found. According to the correlation analysis, sex, BMI, HR, ACz, and VM were independent variables, and the EE algorithm model demonstrated a high correlation coefficient R2 value of 0.7. Conclusions: The predictive energy consumption model of physical activity based on multi-sensor physical activity monitors, BMI, and HR demonstrated high accuracy and can be applied to daily physical activity monitoring among Chinese collegiate students.
Going Vegan for the Gain: A Cross-Sectional Study of Vegan Diets in Bodybuilders during Different Preparation Phases
Authors: Amatori Stefano , Callarelli Chiara , Gobbi Erica , Bertuccioli Alexander , Donati Zeppa Sabrina , Sisti Davide , Rocchi Marco B. L. , Perroni Fabrizio
Published: March 2023

Numerous athletes compete at a high level without consuming animal products; although a well-planned vegan diet might be appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, a few elements need to be addressed to build a balanced plant-based diet for an athlete, particularly in bodybuilding, in which muscle growth should be maximised, as athletes are judged on their aesthetics. In this observational study, nutritional intakes were compared in a cohort of natural omnivorous and vegan bodybuilders, during two different phases of preparation. To this end, 18 male and female bodybuilders (8 vegans and 10 omnivores) completed a food diary for 5 days during the bulking and cutting phases of their preparation. A mixed-model analysis was used to compare macro- and micronutrient intakes between the groups in the two phases. Both vegans and omnivores behaved similarly regarding energy, carbohydrate, and fat intakes, but vegans decreased their protein intake during the cutting phase. Our results suggest that vegan bodybuilders may find difficulties in reaching protein needs while undergoing a caloric deficit, and they might benefit from nutritional professionals’ assistance to bridge the gap between the assumed proteins and those needed to maintain muscle mass through better nutrition and supplementation planning.
Recognition Mechanism of Dangerous Goods Marks: Evidence from an Event-Related Potential Study
Authors: Wei Qiang , Du Xinyu , Lin Yixin , Hou Guanhua , Liu Siyuan , Fang Hao , Jin Ming
Published: March 2023

Dangerous goods marks are the most effective means of alerting individuals to the potential dangers associated with the transport of dangerous goods. In order to gain a better understanding of how dangerous goods marks convey risk information, the cognitive processing of dangerous goods marks was examined by measuring event-related potentials (ERPs). We recruited 23 participants, and their ERP data were recorded. We discovered that the dangerous goods marks elicited a larger P200 amplitude and a smaller N300 amplitude, indicating that, compared to other marks, the dangerous goods marks exhibited stronger warning information and drew more attention from the subjects. Simultaneously, dangerous goods marks elicited insufficient emotional arousal in individuals. Therefore, these findings suggest that the designs of dangerous goods marks need to be improved, such as improving the graphic consistency. Changes in ERP patterns can be used to measure the risk perception level of dangerous goods marks, which can be used as an accurate indicator of the effectiveness of warning sign design. In addition, this study provides a theoretical foundation for the cognitive understanding mechanism of dangerous goods marks.