bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Study on the Mineralogy and Volatile Fraction of Scapolite from Mogok, Myanmar
Authors: Yuan Pengyu , Zhao Yi , Xu Bo , Shen Jiaqi
Published: December 2022

The Mogok metamorphic belt (MMB) of Myanmar is a famous geographical origin acknowledged by the whole world for its large mineral resources. In this study, basic gemological tests (density, UV fluorescence, refractive index, etc.), spectroscopic tests (infrared spectrum, Raman spectrum, and ultra-violet visible spectrum) and chemical composition analysis (electron microprobe and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer) were carried out on scapolites from Myanmar. This paper explores the mineralogical characteristics of Burmese scapolites and provides additional information on its origin. Burmese scapolites are colorless and transparent with a yellow tone and belong to Cl-rich dipyre. The infrared spectra of the samples show the vibrations of Si-O and Al-O (400–1300 cm−1), (CO3)2− (1400–300 cm−1), and OH (3048 cm−1 and 3568 cm−1). The Raman spectra are mainly the vibrational spectra of Si (Al)-O-Si (Al) and the absorption peaks at 992 cm−1 and 1110 cm−1 caused by the vibrations of sulfate and carbonate ions, respectively. Black inclusions were found inside the scapolites, and the dark inclusions were identified as graphite by Raman spectroscopy. Moreover, the composition of the scapolite could be influenced by the αCl−/α(CO3)2− of the fluid. The Cl activity degree could control the scapolite content as the ion exchange between scapolite and plagioclase was gradually balanced. The enrichment of rare earth elements and the apparent positive Eu anomaly indicate that Burmese scapolites have a high degree of light and heavy rare earth element differentiation and an oxidizing environment of mineralization.
Wetting of Refractory Ceramics with High-Manganese and Structural Steel and Description of Interfacial Interaction
Authors: Novák Vlastimil , Řeháčková Lenka , Rosypalová Silvie , Matýsek Dalibor
Published: December 2022

This work aims to describe the interfacial interaction at the interface between refractory material and high-manganese (XT 720) and structural (11 523) steel using a wetting test up to 1600 °C. The contact angles were determined through the sessile drop method, and the results were put into context through degradation testing and the characterization of the interfacial interface by Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses, and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The lowest resistance to molten steel was observed for chamotte materials, while the highest was observed for materials based on electrofused corundum. High-manganese steel was strongly erosive to the materials tested, with the wetting angle decreasing significantly from 10 to 103° with decreasing Al2O3 content (an increase of 2.4 to 59.4% corundum) in the refractories. Structural steel showed wetting angles from 103 to 127° for identical refractories. These results were consistent with the average erosion depth for Mn steel (0.2–7.8 mm) and structural steel (0–2.4 mm).
Investigation of Magnetocaloric Properties in the TbCo2-H System
Authors: Politova Galina , Tereshina Irina , Ovchenkova Ioulia , Aleroev Abdu-Rahman , Koshkid’ko Yurii , Ćwik Jacek , Drulis Henryk
Published: December 2022

In this work the magnetocaloric effect in the TbCo2-H system in the region of the Curie temperature was studied both by direct and indirect methods in external magnetic fields up to ~1.4 and 14 T, respectively. We have paid special attention to the magnetic and magnetothermal properties of the TbCo2–H with high hydrogen content. The mechanisms responsible for the change in the Curie temperature were established, and the field and temperature dependences of the magnetocaloric effect were analyzed in detail. In addition, the magnetocaloric properties (including critical parameters) for various systems based on the TbCo2 compound were compared. The main regularities of the change in the MCE value and the Curie temperature depending on the composition are discovered and discussed.
Effect of Sintering Conditions on the Electrical Properties of Lead-Free Piezoelectric Potassium Sodium Niobate-Based Ceramics
Authors: Tang Yan , Wang Lingyan , Ren Wei , Quan Yi , Zhao Jinyan , Wang Zhe , Zheng Kun , Zhuang Jian , Niu Gang
Published: December 2022

Lead-free piezoelectric 0.92(K0.445Na0.5Li0.05)NbO3-0.08BaZrO3 (KNLN-BZ) ceramics were prepared via conventional sintering. Single-step, 2-step and 3-step temperature-controlled conditions were designed. The structure and electrical properties of ceramics obtained using different temperature-controlled procedures were systematically studied. It was found that ceramic prepared using the 3-step method with a holding time of 20 h showed the highest electrical properties. The Curie temperature was approximately 286 °C, and the dielectric constant and dielectric loss at room temperature were 1350 and 4.5% at the frequency of 1 kHz, respectively. The highest remanent polarization, piezoelectric strain and piezoelectric coefficient, d33*, were obtained 60 °C, indicating a phase transition between ferroelectric phases. Although the ceramics did not show excellent piezoelectric properties, the 3-step sintering method can be considered an effective method to optimize the electrical performances of KNN-based ceramics. Combined with an appropriate composition, ceramics with excellent electrical properties could be obtained. This study provides a path to enhance the density and electrical properties for KNN-based ceramics with simple composition and potential for industry application.
Synthesis and X-ray Structure Combined with Hirshfeld and AIM Studies on a New Trinuclear Zn(II)-Azido Complex with s-Triazine Pincer Ligand
Authors: Dahlous Kholood A. , Soliman Saied M. , El-Faham Ayman , Massoud Raghdaa A.
Published: December 2022

The trinuclear [Zn3(PMT)2(Cl4)(N3)2] complex of the N-pincer ligand, 2,4-bis(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-methoxy-1,3,5-triazine (PMT), was obtained by self-assembly of the polydentate ligand (PMT) with ZnCl2 in the presence of azide ion as an auxiliary bridging ligand. The X-ray structure analysis revealed a monoclinic crystal system and centrosymmetric space group C2/c. There are two crystallographically independent Zn(II) sites where the Zn1 and Zn2 are tetra- and penta-coordinated with ZnN2Cl2 and ZnN4Cl coordination environments, respectively. The distortion τ4 and τ5 parameters for the Zn1 and Zn2 sites are 0.93 and 0.52, respectively. Hence, the Zn(1)N2Cl2 has a distorted tetrahedral configuration, while the Zn(2)N4Cl coordination sphere is intermediate between the square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal configurations. In this complex, the PMT is a tridentate N-chelate, while the chloride and azide anions are terminal and μ(1,1) bridged ligands, respectively. The %H…H, N…H, Cl…H, and C…H are 40.8, 17.2, 16.0, and 10.1%, respectively, based on Hirshfeld analysis. The charges at the Zn1 (+0.996 e) and Zn2 (+1.067 e) sites are calculated to be less than the official charge of the isolated Zn(II) ion. The μ(1,1) bridged azide has two asymmetric N–N bonds with clear covalent characters. In contrast, the Zn–N and Zn–Cl bonds have predominant closed-shell characters.
Study on the Surface Morphology of Micro-Particles and the Oxide Layer on Silicon Carbide Crystal Using Nanosecond Green Laser Cleaning Assisted with Airflow
Authors: Xiao Haibing , Du Chenlin , Zhang Songling , Zhu Yixin
Published: December 2022

With a focus on the particle pollutants on the surface of silicon carbide crystal materials, this paper establishes a laser cleaning model for the fine particles found in silicon carbide crystal materials and proposes a new nanosecond green laser cleaning method assisted by airflow, which can effectively remove microparticles and the oxide layer on the substrate surface. Abaqus software and ANSYS Fluent software were used to simulate changes in the cleaning temperature field and the distribution of particles and dust during cleaning simulation, respectively. Based on the experimental research, and by using a nanosecond green laser to produce a wavelength of 532 nm, the direct irradiation of a nanosecond green laser on the surface of the element, and the particle contaminants on the surface of the silicon carbide material, optimized the process parameters to achieve a better cleaning efficiency. A green laser was used as a light source to conduct experiments to control the wind force of the gas chamber. The influence of the laser energy, scanning speed, and other parameters on the final cleaning efficiency was studied. The parameters of the silicon carbide before and after cleaning were characterized. The research shows that laser cleaning assisted with airflow is an efficient cleaning method that can be used to clean microparticles without damaging silicon carbide crystal substrate and to reduce the surface roughness of silicon carbide material from 1.63 to 0.34 μm, with an airflow of 0.2 Mpa.
Numerical Modelling for the Experimental Improvement of Growth Uniformity in a Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy Reactor for Manufacturing β-Ga2O3 Layers
Authors: Pozina Galia , Hsu Chih-Wei , Abrikossova Natalia , Hemmingsson Carl
Published: December 2022

The development of growth processes for the synthesis of high-quality epitaxial layers is one of the requirements for utilizing the ultrawide band gap semiconductor Ga2O3 for high-voltage, high-power electronics. A halide vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) process used to grow β-Ga2O3 layer was optimized by modifying the gas inlet, resulting in improved growth uniformity. A conventional tube acting as an inlet for the Ga precursor GaCl gas was replaced with a shower head with four outlets at 45 degrees to the horizontal axis of the reactor. The modification was performed based on numerical calculations of the three-dimensional distribution of gases inside the growth chamber with different designs of the GaCl precursor inlet. It was shown that variation in the Ga/O ratio over the substrate holder was ~10% for a shower head compared with ~40% for a tube. In addition, growth with a tube leads to the film thickness varying by a factor of ~4 depending on the position on the holder, whereas when using a shower head, the thickness of the grown Ga2O3 layers became much more uniform with a total spread of just ~30% over the entire substrate holder.
Properties of Perovskite-like Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite Ceramics with Variation in Lanthanum Concentration
Authors: Borgekov Daryn B. , Kozlovskiy Artem L. , Shakirzyanov Rafael I. , Zhumazhanova Ainash T. , Zdorovets Maxim V. , Shlimas Dmitriy I.
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this work is to study the effect of lanthanum (La) concentration on the phase formation, conductivity, and thermophysical properties of perovskite-like strontium ferrite ceramics. At the same time, the key difference from similar studies is the study of the possibility of obtaining two-phase composite ceramics, the presence of various phases in which will lead to a change in the structural, strength, and conductive properties. To obtain two-phase composite ceramics by mechanochemical solid-phase synthesis, the method of the component molar ratio variation was used, which, when mixed, makes it possible to obtain a different ratio of elements and, as a result, to vary the phase composition of the ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, and impedance spectroscopy were used as research methods, the combination of which made it possible to comprehensively study the properties of the synthesized ceramics. Analysis of phase changes depending on lanthanum concentration change can be written as follows: (La0.3Sr0.7)2FeO4/LaSr2Fe3O8 → (La0.3Sr0.7)2FeO4/LaSr2Fe3O8/Sr2Fe2O5 → (La0.3Sr0.7)2FeO4/Sr2Fe2O5. Results of impedance spectroscopy showed that with an increase in lanthanum concentration from 0.10 to 0.25 mol in the synthesized ceramics, the value of the dielectric permittivity increases significantly from 40.72 to 231.69, the dielectric loss tangent increases from 1.07 to 1.29 at a frequency of 10,000 Hz, and electrical resistivity decreases from 1.29 × 108 to 2.37 × 107 Ω∙cm.
Evaluation of Biological Characteristics of Soil as Indicator for Sustainable Rehabilitation of a Post-Bauxite-Mining Land
Authors: Oneț Aurelia , Brejea Radu , Dincă Lucian , Enescu Raluca , Oneț Cristian , Besliu Emanuel
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a study of the microbial abundance in post-bauxite-mining land soil from Zece Hotare, Bihor county, Romania. The soil samples were collected from 12 soil variants, in the year 2020, after 15 years of long-term restoration. Some chemical parameters and bacterial numbers of six groups of microorganisms were determined in the restored mining land, and these characteristics were compared with those of the soil from a beech forest situated in an adjacent area unaffected by bauxite exploitation. On the basis of the total number of microorganisms belonging to each group studied, the bacterial potential of the soil quality was assessed, calculating the bacterial soil quality index (BSQI), while the Shannon diversity index and the Jaccard distance were applied to show the level of bacterial diversity. The characteristics of the studied chemical and microbiological parameters determined in the beech adjacent area were very similar to those observed in the high-level plateau, low-level plateau, and Black locust areas, indicating similar soil conditions; therefore, the ecological reconstruction 15 years ago, had a very favorable impact on restoration in some affected areas.
The Effect of Adding Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea) on the Physical Quality, Nutritional Composition and Consumer Acceptability of a Provitamin A-Biofortified Maize Complementary Instant Porridge
Authors: Govender Laurencia , Siwela Muthulisi , Denhere Sandra
Published: December 2022

Undernutrition is prevalent in developing regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), especially among children under five. Biofortification of staple crops and using indigenous and traditional crops could be an affordable and sustainable strategy together with other existing strategies to reduce undernutrition. This study aimed to determine the effect of adding bambara groundnut (BGN) on the physical quality, nutritional composition and consumer acceptability of a provitamin A-biofortified maize (PVABM) complementary instant porridge. The PVABM flour was substituted with flour of either red or brown BGN variety at 0, 10, 20 and 30% (w/w) levels. The composite flours were used to make an instantized complementary porridge. The physical quality (texture, color, water absorption capacity (WAC), solubility index (SI) and swelling volume (SV)) of the grains and the composite complementary instant porridges were assessed. Nutritional analysis was conducted using standard AOAC methods. A 55-member consumer panel evaluated the acceptability of the porridge samples using a nine-point hedonic scale. The firmness, WAC, SI and SV decreased with increasing concentration of flour of either of the BGN varieties. The decrease in SV would positively affect the porridge quality as nutrient density and viscosity decreased. The protein, fat, fiber and total mineral (ash) content of the porridges increased with an increase in either BGN variety. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the overall acceptability of the BGN–PVABM composite porridge samples and the porridge without BGN (control). The improved nutritional composition and positive consumer acceptability of BGN–PVABM are encouraging as consumption could contribute to the alleviation of nutrient deficiencies, including protein-energy malnutrition and mineral deficiencies, especially in SSA.
Spatio-Temporal Distribution Patterns and Determinant Factors of Wintering Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) Population
Authors: Sun Xuetao , Zhou Lizhi , Zhang Zhongfang , Meng Lei
Published: December 2022

Hooded Cranes (Grus monacha) rely on wetlands for the majority of their life cycle and respond to the environmental conditions during the wintering period. Future conservation planning should be driven by an understanding of how cranes respond to environmental factors at degraded wetland sites and the changes in their spatio-temporal distribution. In recent years, the spatial and temporal distribution of waterbirds and determinant factors have become a research focus. However, research on the specific factors influencing the relative abundance of Hooded Cranes from multiple perspectives in the different habitat patches at Shengjin and Caizi Lakes is lacking. Therefore, from 2021 to 2022, we investigated the quantity and distribution of Hooded Cranes in the upper part of Shengjin and Baitu Lake part of Caizi Lakes. We considered multiple habitat variables, including patch size, food biomass, food availability, and human disturbance, and analyzed the dynamic changes in the distribution of the population in different wintering periods. We used model selection and averaging to select the best model and identify key variables. During different wintering periods, the spatio-temporal distribution of the crane population differed in the upper part of Shengjin Lake, but the crane was mainly distributed in the northern part of the Baitu Lake part of Caizi Lake. The model that included food biomass and patch size was the best for predicting the relative abundance of Hooded Cranes. Cranes foraged in areas with large patches and abundant food resources. Therefore, we suggest reserving patch integrity and availability in the current habitats and protecting and restoring the main food resources to provide high-quality habitat patches and plentiful food resources for wintering populations of Hooded Cranes.
Dose Dependence Effect in Biallelic WNT10A Variant-Associated Tooth Agenesis Phenotype
Authors: Liu Haochen , Lin Bichen , Liu Hangbo , Su Lanxin , Feng Hailan , Liu Yang , Yu Miao , Han Dong
Published: December 2022

The goal of this study was to identify the pathogenic gene variants in patients with odonto-onycho-dermal dysplasia syndrome (OODD) or nonsyndromic tooth agenesis. Four unrelated individuals with tooth agenesis and their available family members were recruited. Peripheral blood was collected from four probands and five family members. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing were used to identify the pathogenic gene variants. The harmfulness of these variations was predicted by bioinformatics. We identified four biallelic variants of the WNT10A gene in four patients, respectively: the proband#660: c.1176C > A (p.Cys392*) and c.812G > A (p.Cys271Tyr); the proband#681: c.637G > A (p.Gly213Ser) and c.985C > T (p.Arg329*); the proband#829: c.511C > T (p.Arg171Cys) and c.637G > A (p.Gly213Ser); and the proband#338: c.926A> G (p.Gln309Arg) and c.511C > T (p.Arg171Cys). Among them, two variants (c.812G > A; p.Cys271Tyr and c.985C > T; p.Arg329*) were previously unreported. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the pathogenicity of these six variants was different. Tertiary structure analysis showed that these variants were predicted to cause structural damage to the WNT10A protein. Genotype–phenotype analysis showed that the biallelic variants with more harmful effects, such as nonsense variants, caused OODD syndrome (#660 Ⅱ-1) or severe nonsyndromic tooth agenesis (NSTA) (#681 Ⅱ-1); the biallelic variants with less harmful effects, such as missense variants, caused a mild form of NSTA (#829 Ⅱ-2 and #338 Ⅱ-1). Individuals with a heterozygous variant presented a mild form of NSTA or a normal state. Our results further suggest the existence of the dose dependence of WNT10A pathogenicity on the tooth agenesis pattern, which broadens the variation spectrum and phenotype spectrum of WNT10A and could help with clinical diagnosis, treatment, and genetic counseling.
Breast Cancer Detection in Mammogram Images Using K–Means++ Clustering Based on Cuckoo Search Optimization
Authors: Wisaeng Kittipol
Published: December 2022

Traditional breast cancer detection algorithms require manual extraction of features from mammogram images and professional medical knowledge. Still, the quality of mammogram images hampers this and extracting high–quality features, which can result in very long processing times. Therefore, this paper proposes a new K–means++ clustering based on Cuckoo Search Optimization (KM++CSO) for breast cancer detection. The pre-processing method is used to improve the proposed KM++CSO method more segmentation efficiently. Furthermore, the interpretability is further enhanced using mathematical morphology and OTSU’s threshold. To this end, we tested the effectiveness of the KM++CSO methods on the mammogram image analysis society of the Mini–Mammographic Image Analysis Society (Mini–MIAS), the Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM), and the Breast Cancer Digital Repository (BCDR) dataset through cross-validation. We maximize the accuracy and Jaccard index score, which is a measure that indicates the similarity between detected cancer and their corresponding reference cancer regions. The experimental results showed that the detection method obtained an accuracy of 96.42% (Mini–MIAS), 95.49% (DDSM), and 96.92% (BCDR). On overage, the KM++CSO method obtained 96.27% accuracy for three publicly available datasets. In addition, the detection results provided the 91.05% Jaccard index score.
Design and Experimental Study on an Innovative UAV-LiDAR Topographic Mapping System for Precision Land Levelling
Authors: Du Mengmeng , Li Hanyuan , Roshanianfard Ali
Published: December 2022

Topographic maps provide detailed information on variations in ground elevation, which is essential for precision farmland levelling. This paper reports the development and experimental study on an innovative approach of generating topographic maps at farmland-level with the advantages of high efficiency and simplicity of implementation. The experiment uses a low-altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) as a platform and integrates Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) distance measurements with Post-Processing Kinematic Global Positioning System (PPK-GNSS) coordinates. A topographic mapping experiment was conducted over two fields in Henan Province, China, and primitive errors of the topographic surveying data were evaluated. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) between elevation data of the UAV-LiDAR topographic mapping system and ground truth data was calculated as 4.1 cm and 3.6 cm for Field 1 and Field 2, respectively, which proved the feasibility and high accuracy of the topographic mapping system. Furthermore, the accuracies of topographic maps generated using different geo-spatial interpolation models were also evaluated. The results showed that a TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) interpolation model expressed the best performances for both Field 1 with sparse topographic surveying points, and Field 2 with relatively dense topographic surveying points, when compared with other interpolation models. Moreover, we concluded that as the spatial resolution of topographic surveying points is intensified from 5 m × 0.5 m to 2.5 m × 0.5 m, the accuracy of the topographic map based on the TIN model improves drastically from 7.7 cm to 4.6 cm. Cut-fill analysis was also implemented based on the topographic maps of the TIN interpolation model. The result indicated that the UAV-LiDAR topographic mapping system could be successfully used to generate topographic maps with high accuracy, which could provide instructive information for precision farmland levelling.
Effectiveness of a Laboratory Course with Arduino and Smartphones
Authors: Organtini Giovanni , Tufino Eugenio
Published: December 2022

Arduino and Smartphones have been used since 2021 in a class of practicals held at Sapienza Università di Roma, to train physics undergraduates in laboratory activities. This paper briefly describes the organisation of the activities and report about the results of questionnaires administered to participating students before and after the course.
Periodic Signal Suppression in Position Domain Based on Repetitive Control
Authors: Li Haitao , Chen Xiangwen , Xiang Biao , Wang Xiaoyu
Published: December 2022

In this paper, a periodic signal suppression method in position domain based on repetitive control (RC) is proposed to realize high-precision speed control for the gimbal servo system of the single gimbal control moment gyro (SGCMG). To reduce the volume and weight while outputting large torque, the gimbal servo system usually needs to install the harmonic drive. However, the nonlinear transmission characteristics of the harmonic drive are also introduced into the gimbal servo system and make the speed fluctuate. Considering the speed fluctuation signal shown as a fixed frequency in the position domain, a position domain RC method combined with acceleration feedback is designed to realize the speed fluctuation minimization. The position domain RC improves the dynamic characteristics, while the acceleration feedback increases the damping of the system. To analyze the stability, the position domain RC is converted into the time domain through the domain transformation method, and a phase compensator is designed to improve the stability and increase the bandwidth of the position domain RC by compensating for the phase lag of the middle and low frequency, respectively. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by the simulation and experimental results. These results illustrate that after applying the proposed approach, the output speed fluctuation and harmonic components decrease more than 20% and 24.1%, respectively.
Service Migration Strategy Based on Multi-Attribute MDP in Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Tian Pengxin , Si Guannan , An Zhaoliang , Li Jianxin , Zhou Fengyu
Published: December 2022

In order to solve the problem of service interruption caused by user movement and the limited service range of edge nodes, a service migration algorithm based on the multi-attribute Markov decision process was proposed for mobile edge computing. By performing service migration, the distance between the user and the service is always kept to a small range. In addition, in order to prevent the service quality from being affected by the frequent migration of users, the return function of the model was defined by comprehensively considering the service quality, the resource demand of the service, the migration cost, and the movement income of users in each node, and on the premise of taking into account the migration cost and resource conditions, which did not only make up the deficiency of the service migration scheme based solely on distance. The number of migrations is also reduced, and a single migration target server is no longer used. The candidate server set was constructed based on the user’s motion trajectory, and the Q-Learning algorithm was used to solve the problem. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can reduce the number of migrations and ensure the balance between the number of migrations and the cost of migrations.
PG-Based Vehicle-In-the-Loop Simulation for System Development and Consistency Validation
Authors: Son Weonil , Ha Yunchul , Oh Taeyoung , Woo Seunghoon , Cho Sungwoo , Yoo Jinwoo
Published: December 2022

The concern over safety features in autonomous vehicles is increasing due to the rapid development and increasing use of autonomous driving technology. The safety evaluations performed for an autonomous driving system cannot depend only on existing safety verification methods, due to the lack of scenario reproducibility and the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle. Vehicle-In-the-Loop Simulation (VILS) utilizes both real vehicles and virtual simulations for the driving environment to overcome these drawbacks and is a suitable candidate for ensuring reproducibility. However, there may be differences between the behavior of the vehicle in the VILS and vehicle tests due to the implementation level of the virtual environment. This study proposes a novel VILS system that displays consistency with the vehicle tests. The proposed VILS system comprises virtual road generation, synchronization, virtual traffic manager generation, and perception sensor modeling, and implements a virtual driving environment similar to the vehicle test environment. Additionally, the effectiveness of the proposed VILS system and its consistency with the vehicle test is demonstrated using various verification methods. The proposed VILS system can be applied to various speeds, road types, and surrounding environments.
Clean Forest—Project Concept and Early Results
Authors: Gomes João , Puna Jaime , Marques António , Gominho Jorge , Lourenço Ana , Galhano Rui , Ozkan Sila
Published: December 2022

The Clean Forest project aims to valorize forest biomass wastes (and then prevent their occurrence as a fuel source in forests), converting it to bioenergy, such as the production of 2nd generation synthetic biofuels, like bio-methanol, bio-DME, and biogas, depending on the process operating conditions. Valorization of potential forest waste biomass thus enhances the reduction of the probability of occurrence of forest fires and, therefore, presents a major value for local rural communities. The proposed process is easy to implement, and energetically, it shows significantly reduced costs than the conventional process of gasification. Additionally, the input of energy necessary to promote electrolysis can be achieved with solar energy, using photovoltaic panels. This paper refers to the actual progress of the project, as well as the further steps which consist of a set of measures aimed at the minimization of the occurrence of forest fires by the valorization of forest wastes into energy sources.
Nickel and Chromium Origin in Fluvisols of the Petruševec Well Field, Zagreb Aquifer
Authors: Ružičić Stanko , Balaž Borna-Ivan , Kovač Zoran , Filipović Lana , Nakić Zoran , Kopić Jasna
Published: December 2022

Soil plays an important role in the accumulation and transport of potentially toxic elements (PTEs), from surface into aquifer. PTEs can get to the environment naturally, but also from different kinds of contamination sources. In this study, a soil profile located in the vicinity of well field Petruševec, one of the most important well fields related to the public water supply of the City of Zagreb, was analyzed. The main aim of this study was to determine soil properties which can influence retention/mobilization of Ni and Cr in alluvial soil, as well as to define their origin in the investigated soil profile. Results suggest that Cr is geogenic, while Ni is probably of dominantly anthropogenic origin. Observed concentrations, enrichment factors and Igeo values showed no enrichment for Cr, while for Ni, they showed minor to very severe enrichment, i.e., that in some soil horizons, moderate to strong pollution exists. Evaluation of wind directions and location of possible contamination sources that prevail in the study area suggest that Ni can come by aerodeposition from different sources. Results showed that mineral composition can have important influence on retention of analyzed PTEs. Soil horizons, which have very high concentrations of Ni, in general have higher proportion of clay minerals, especially chlorites, as well as Fe oxyhydroxides which can act as an adsorption phase for the investigated PTEs. Results suggest that more detailed research about the investigated PTEs presents a necessity if measures for soil and groundwater protection want to be effectively implemented.
Promoter-Adjacent DNA Hypermethylation Can Downmodulate Gene Expression: TBX15 in the Muscle Lineage
Authors: Ehrlich Kenneth C. , Lacey Michelle , Baribault Carl , Sen Sagnik , Esteve Pierre Olivier , Pradhan Sriharsa , Ehrlich Melanie
Published: December 2022

TBX15, which encodes a differentiation-related transcription factor, displays promoter-adjacent DNA hypermethylation in myoblasts and skeletal muscle (psoas) that is absent from non-expressing cells in other lineages. By whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq), these hypermethylated regions were found to border both sides of a constitutively unmethylated promoter. To understand the functionality of this DNA hypermethylation, we cloned the differentially methylated sequences (DMRs) in CpG-free reporter vectors and tested them for promoter or enhancer activity upon transient transfection. These cloned regions exhibited strong promoter activity and, when placed upstream of a weak promoter, strong enhancer activity specifically in myoblast host cells. In vitro CpG methylation targeted to the DMR sequences in the plasmids resulted in 86–100% loss of promoter or enhancer activity, depending on the insert sequence. These results as well as chromatin epigenetic and transcription profiles for this gene in various cell types support the hypothesis that DNA hypermethylation immediately upstream and downstream of the unmethylated promoter region suppresses enhancer/extended promoter activity, thereby downmodulating, but not silencing, expression in myoblasts and certain kinds of skeletal muscle. This promoter-border hypermethylation was not found in cell types with a silent TBX15 gene, and these cells, instead, exhibit repressive chromatin in and around the promoter. TBX18, TBX2, TBX3 and TBX1 display TBX15-like hypermethylated DMRs at their promoter borders and preferential expression in myoblasts. Therefore, promoter-adjacent DNA hypermethylation for downmodulating transcription to prevent overexpression may be used more frequently for transcription regulation than currently appreciated.
Enhancing Soil Quality of Short Rotation Forest Operations Using Biochar and Manure
Authors: Zhao Ruirui , Liu Yong , Page-Dumroese Deborah S. , Dumroese R. Kasten , Wang Kai
Published: December 2022

Biochar and manure may be used to enhance soil quality and productivity for sustainable agriculture and forestry operations. However, the response of surface and belowground wood decomposition (i.e., soil processes) and nutrient flux to soil amendments is unknown, and more site-specific information about soil property responses is also essential. In a split-plot design, the soil was amended with three rates of manure (whole plot; 0, 3, and 9 Mg ha−1) and three rates of biochar (split-plot; 0, 2.5, and 10 Mg ha−1). Soil physical properties, nutrients, and enzyme activities were evaluated in two years. In addition, wood stakes of three species (poplar, triploid Populus tomentosa Carr.; aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx.; and pine, Pinus taeda L.) were installed both horizontally on the soil surface and vertically in the mineral soil to serve as an index of soil abiotic and biotic changes. Wood stake mass loss, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) flux were tested. The high rate of both manure and biochar increased soil water content by an average of 18%, but the increase in total soil P, K, organic carbon (C) content, and enzyme activities were restricted to single sample dates or soil depths. Wood stakes decomposed faster according to stake location (mineral > surface) and species (two Populus > pine). On average, soil amendments significantly increased the mass loss of surface and mineral stakes by 18% and 5%, respectively, and it also altered wood stake nutrient cycling. Overall, the decomposition of standard wood stakes can be a great indicator of soil quality changes, and 10 Mg ha−1 of biochar alone or combined with 9 Mg ha−1 of manure can be used for long-term carbon sequestration in plantations with similar soil conditions to the present study.
Introducing N2-Fixing Tree Species into Eucalyptus Plantation in Subtropical China Alleviated Carbon and Nitrogen Constraints within Soil Aggregates
Authors: Yan Jinliu , Huang Xueman , Su Xiaoyan , Zhang Wen , Gao Guannv , You Yeming
Published: December 2022

Soil extracellular enzymatic activity (EEA) and extracellular enzymatic stoichiometry (EES) within aggregates indicate variations in soil-nutrient effectiveness and the nutrient requirements of microorganisms. However, the responses of soil EEA and EES after introducing N2-fixing tree species into Eucalyptus plantations are poorly understood. Therefore, we examined soils from a 15-year-old pure Eucalyptus urophylla plantation (PP) and mixed E. urophylla and Acacia mangium plantation (MP) based on the theory of EEA and EES at the aggregate scale. Aggregates were separated into four fractions using a dry-sieving procedure: >2, 1–2, 0.25–1, and <0.25 mm. We measured the EEA of soil carbon (C)-, nitrogen (N)-, and phosphorus (P)-acquiring enzymes, and examined potential factors (soil physicochemical properties, microbial biomass, and litterfall [LF]) that may influence EEA and EES. Significantly higher (p < 0.05) EEA levels in all aggregates were found in MP than in PP. The average natural logarithmic ratio of C-, N-, and P-acquiring enzyme activities in our study was 1.44:1.21:1, which deviated from the global mean ratio of 1:1:1 and implied that soil microbes were limited by C and N. Moreover, the enzyme C:N ratio (EC:N), C:P ratio (EC:P), and vector length (VL) were markedly lower (p < 0.05) in bulk soil and most aggregates in MP compared to PP, suggesting that C limitation was more serious in PP than in MP. Furthermore, while the vector angle (VA) of bulk soil and four aggregate sizes were all <45° in both the PP and the MP, they were markedly higher (p < 0.05) in bulk soil and >2 mm aggregate in MP than in PP. This indicated that mixing N2-fixing species with Eucalyptus alleviated but did not eliminate N limitation. Our study also found that nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), total nitrogen (TN), and microbial biomass C:P ratio (MBC:MBP) were the main factors driving changes in EEA, while LF was a key factor controlling EES (p < 0.05). Overall, introducing N2-fixing species into the Eucalyptus plantation alleviated but did not eliminate C and N limitation. The results provide specific recommendations for soil-nutrient management in Eucalyptus plantations in subtropical China.
Algal Biomass Accumulation in Waste Digestate after Anaerobic Digestion of Wheat Straw
Authors: Kabaivanova Lyudmila , Ivanova Juliana , Chorukova Elena , Hubenov Veneren , Nacheva Lilyana , Simeonov Ivan
Published: December 2022

Cultivation of microalgae in waste digestate is a promising cost-effective and environmentally friendly strategy for algal biomass accumulation and valuable product production. Two different digestates obtained as by-products of the anaerobic fermentation at 35 °C and 55 °C of wheat straw as a renewable source for biogas production in laboratory-scale bioreactors were tested as cultivation media for microalgae after pretreatment with active carbon for clarification. The strains of microalgae involved were the red marine microalga Porphyridium cruentum, which reached 4.7 mg/mL dry matter when grown in thermophilic digestate and green freshwater microalga-Scenedesmus acutus, whose growth was the highest—7.3 mg/mL in the mesophilic digestate. During cultivation, algae reduced the available nutrient components in the liquid digestate at the expense of increasing their biomass. This biomass can find further applications in cosmetics, pharmacy, and feed. The nitrogen and phosphorus uptake from both digestates during algae cultivation was monitored and modeled. The results led to the idea of nonlinear dynamic approximations with an exponential character. The purpose was to develop relatively simple nonlinear dynamic models based on available experimental data, as knowing the mechanisms of the considered processes can permit creating protocols for industrial-scale algal production toward obtaining economically valuable products from microalgae grown in organic waste digestate.
Growth, Muscle Nutrition Composition, and Digestive Enzyme Activities of the Juvenile and Adult Siniperca chuatsi Fed on Live Baits and a Formulated Diet
Authors: Ding Liyun , Zhang Yanping , Chen Jiacheng , Chen Wenjing , Xie Shouqi , Chen Qingtang
Published: December 2022

The present study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a formulated diet to replace live baits as feed for Siniperca chuatsi. A 2 × 2 factorial design with three replicates was used to investigate the effects of conventional live baits (LB) and a formulated diet (FD) on the growth, muscle nutrition composition, and digestive enzyme activities of S. chuatsi at two growth stages. The results showed that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the FD group was significantly lower than that in the LB group. The final body weight (FBW) and weight gain (WG) were not significantly different between the two feeding modes. However, at the juvenile stage, the specific growth rate (SGR) in the FD group was significantly lower than that in the LB group. Muscle moisture, crude protein, and crude lipid contents were not influenced by dietary treatments. There were no significant differences in ∑EAA, ∑NEAA, and ∑AA compositions of the juvenile and adult stages fed the two kinds of diets. At the juvenile stage, histidine (His) content in the FD group was significantly higher than that in the LB group; at the adult stage, cysteine (Cys) content in the FD group was significantly higher than that in the LB group; at both growth stages, Met content in the FD group was significantly lower than that in the LB group. The FD group showed higher levels of ∑SFA, ∑HUFA, ∑n-3PUFA, n-3/n-6, EPA, and DHA than the LB group did, whilst the opposite occurred in the MUFA levels. In addition, fish fed with LB had significantly higher values of pepsin and intestinal trypsin activities in the juvenile fish compared to the FD group, but the activities were not significantly different between the two feeding modes at the adult stage. The activities of stomach and intestine amylase in the FD group were significantly higher than those in the LB group. Overall, these results showed that under long-term feeding conditions, S. chuatsi fed with the artificial diet had no significant difference in muscle crude protein, crude lipid, amino acid composition, and digestive capacity, but showed superiority in the composition of fatty acids such as EPA and DHA levels compared to the live baits group. Therefore, the artificially formulated diet might be a more appropriate feeding approach for sustainable development of the S. chuatsi industry.
Changes in Fish Assemblage Structure after Pen Culture Removal in Gehu Lake, China
Authors: Ren Xiaoliang , Jiang Shulun , Ren Long , Liang Yidong , Fang Di’an , Xu Dongpo
Published: December 2022

The removal of the net enclosure has been used as a lake management strategy in various regions of China as ecological development is given more attention. Nevertheless, little is known about the substantive impact of this measure on fish communities in inland lakes. To this end, the fish community composition and structural features after the removal of the net enclosure in Gehu Lake were explored and evaluated in this study from 2021 to 2022 and compared to the investigation before the net enclosure removal from 2017 to 2018. Belonging to 7 orders, 10 families, and 46 species, a total of 17,151 fish were collected, with pelagic, sedentary, and omnivorous species dominating. In comparison, the number of species increased by 10 after removal, and fish alpha diversity increased. The Index of Relative Importance (IRI) revealed that the composition of dominating species remained constant, including Coilia nasus, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, and Hypophthalmichthys nobilis; Parabramis pekinensis, Megalobrama amblycephal, and Culter mongolicus were upgraded from common species to general species. Culter alburnus, Hemiculter bleekeri, and Pseudobrama simoni were downgraded from general species to common species. Elopichthys bambusa had become a common species (IRI = 109.35), which was not discovered before removal. According to the hierarchical clustering (HC) and non-metric multidimensional sequencing (NMDS), the fish community of the northern reserve was highly aggregated. As the Abundance Biomass Comparison (ABC) curve and biodiversity index indicated, the fish community structure of the whole lake was in a state of moderate anthropogenic disturbance with reduced stability, while that of the northern reserve was in a state of light anthropogenic disturbance with greater stability. The number of fish species increased in this survey compared to the period before removal, species and dominant species composition altered dramatically, and total lake stability declined. This study demonstrates that the fish diversity in Gehu Lake increased after the removal of the net enclosure. Meanwhile, the stability of the fish community structure was decreased temporarily. Lake restoration is a long-term process, and the underlying impact of the removal of the net enclosure still requires continuous monitoring and further studies.
Ready-to-Use Nutraceutical Formulations from Edible and Waste Organs of Algerian Artichokes
Authors: Brahmi-Chendouh Nabila , Piccolella Simona , Gravina Claudia , Fiorentino Marika , Formato Marialuisa , Kheyar Naoual , Pacifico Severina
Published: December 2022

Edible, plant-derived foodstuffs are recognized as precious sources of polyphenol compounds, whose consumption has proven to have multiple beneficial effects on human health. However, the awareness that cooking processes are able to induce quali-quantitatively changes in their native occurrence and that their bioavailability after food ingestion is poor led the research to move toward the preparation of nutraceutical supplements aimed at maximizing their content by effective extractive techniques and protecting them from degradation. The present work fits into this context, proposing a green, ready-to-use formulation of capitula, stems, and leaves of Algerian artichokes, in which natural deep eutectic solvents were exploited as extracting solvents but not removed at the end of the process. MTT test on the Caco-2 cell line highlighted that mitochondrial redox activity inhibition was absent below the 50 µg/mL tested dose. Simulated in vitro digestion was used as a predictive model for formulation bioaccessibility, where the joint approach with UHPLC-HRMS techniques allowed to define the release of each polyphenol from the investigated matrices. The capitula-based sample was the richest one in flavonoids, especially luteolin and apigenin glycosides, which survived in the intestinal digesta. On the contrary, simple phenols characterized the stem sample, whose release was mainly in the gastric chyme.