bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Behavior of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Germplasm Governing Heavy Metal Tolerance and Yield Traits under Wastewater Irrigation
Authors: Raja Shameem , Farhat Fozia , Tariq Arneeb , Malik Zaffar , Aziz Rana Badar , Kamran Muhamamd , Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed , Ali Asif , Al-Hashimi Abdulrahman , Elshikh Mohamed S.
Published: November 2022

Wastewater irrigation is a substitute for surface water scarcity, but traces of heavy metals (HMs) result in deleterious implications for soil, crop productivity, and in humans. Crops presenting HMs tolerance in genetic behavior are important for producing tolerant genotypes cultivated under wastewater irrigation. In the first part of this experiment, the results obtained previously are re-assessed in a hydroponic system and similar patterns and concentrations of HMs are found in different tomato organs. Following this trial, the tomato’s (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genetic basis of traits conferring HMs tolerance and yield are assessed when irrigated with waste or canal water. The North Carolina Mating II analysis illustrate the amount of gene action, nature, and inheritance pattern. Genetic components depict the involvement of non-additive, additive, and maternal genetic effects in HMs tolerance inheritance and yield. A noticeable increase in cumulative additive variance for the number of flowers (11,907.2) and the number of fruits (10,557.9) is recorded for tomato plants irrigated with wastewater, illustrating additive gene action. However, female and male (MSf/MSm) square ratios also show an association with cytoplasmic inheritance. For HMs tolerance, both additive and dominant variances appeared to be significant; cumulative dominance variance (4.83, 16.1, 4.69, 76.95, and 249.37) is higher compared to additive variance (0.18, 2.36, 0.19, −0.27, and 14.14) for nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn), respectively, indicating dominance gene action. The genotype RIOGRANDI accumulated and translocated fewer HMs to the aerial part of the plant compared to CLN-2418A and PB-017906, thus presenting a tolerant tomato genotype according to the hydroponic experiment. This also exhibited a differential pattern of gene action for HMs tolerance, suggesting that genotypes possess significant differences for HMs tolerance.
Root Electrical Capacitance Can Be a Promising Plant Phenotyping Parameter in Wheat
Authors: Cseresnyés Imre , Pokovai Klára , Bányai Judit , Mikó Péter
Published: November 2022

As root electrical capacitance (CR*) was assumed to depend on the stem properties, the efficiency of measuring CR* at flowering for whole-plant phenotyping was assessed in five wheat cultivars in three replicate plots over two years. Linear regression analysis was used to correlate CR* with plant-size parameters and flag-leaf traits (extension and SPAD chlorophyll content) at flowering, and with yield components at maturity. The plot-mean CR* was correlated with the plot leaf area index (LAI), the chlorophyll quantity (LAI×SPAD), and the grain yield across years. At plant scale, CR* was found to show the strongest positive regression with total chlorophyll in the flag leaf (flag leaf area × SPAD; R2: 0.65–0.74) and with grain mass (R2: 0.55–0.70) for each cultivar and year (p < 0.001). Likewise, at plot scale, the regression was strongest between CR* and the LAI×SPAD value (R2: 0.86–0.99; p < 0.01) for the cultivars. Consequently, CR* indicated the total plant nutrient and photosynthate supply at flowering, which depended on root uptake capacity, and strongly influenced the final yield. Our results suggested that the polarization of the active root membrane surfaces was the main contributor to CR*, and that the measurement could be suitable for evaluating root size and functional intensity. In conclusion, the capacitance method can be applied for nondestructive whole-plant phenotyping, with potential to estimate root and shoot traits linked to the nutrient supply, and to predict grain yield. CR* can be incorporated into allometric models of cereal development, contributing to optimal crop management and genetic improvement.
Oxidative Stability and Protective Effect of the Mixture between Helianthus annuus L. and Oenothera biennis L. Oils on 3D Tissue Models of Skin Irritation and Phototoxicity
Authors: Fecker Ramona , Magyari-Pavel Ioana Zinuca , Cocan Ileana , Alexa Ersilia , Popescu Iuliana Maria , Lombrea Adelina , Bora Larisa , Dehelean Cristina Adriana , Buda Valentina , Folescu Roxana , Danciu Corina
Published: November 2022

The present study was aimed to evaluate the oxidative stability as well as to assess the protective effect of the mixture of Helianthus annuus L. (HAO) and Oenothera biennis L. (OBO) oils on 3D tissue models of skin irritation and phototoxicity. The following methods were used: GS analysis (fatty acids composition), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay (TBA) (lipid oxidation degree of tested samples), 3D EpiDerm models (skin irritation and phototoxicity). For HAO the detected saturated fatty acids (SFA) were palmitic acid (7.179%), stearic acid (3.586%), eicosanoic (0.138%) and docosanoic acid (0.548%) The monounsaturated acids (MUFA) were palmitoleic acid (0.158%) and oleic acid (28.249%) and the polyunsaturated acids (PUFA) were linoleic acid (59.941%) and linolenic acid (0.208%). For OBO the detected SFA were myristic acid (0.325%), pentadecylic acid (0.281%), palmitic (7.2%), stearic (2.88%), and arachidic acid (0.275%). Regarding MUFA, even a lower proportion (8.196%) was observed, predominantly being oleic acid, cis form (7.175%), oleic (n10) (0.558%) and 11-eicosenoic (0.210%) acids. The higher content was found for PUFA (82.247%), the most significant proportions being linoleic acid (72.093%), arachidonic acid (9.812%) and linolenic (0.233%). Obtained data indicate a good oxidative stability and biocompatibility of the mixture on the 3D EpiDerm models with no irritant and no phototoxic effects. Oenothera biennis L. oil may be an excellent natural choice in order to delay or prevent oxidative damage of Helianthus annuus L. oil.
Decreased Salinity Offsets the Stimulation of Elevated pCO2 on Photosynthesis and Synergistically Inhibits the Growth of Juvenile Sporophyte of Saccharina japonica (Laminariaceae, Phaeophyta)
Authors: Zhang Wenze , Shi Yunyun , He Lianghua , Chen Xinhua , Hu Fengxiao , Chen Yinrong , Pang Yun , Li Sufang , Chu Yaoyao
Published: November 2022

The combined effect of elevated pCO2 (Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide) and decreased salinity, which is mainly caused by freshwater input, on the growth and physiological traits of algae has been poorly assessed. In order to investigate their individual and interactive effects on the development of commercially farmed algae, the juvenile sporophytes of Saccharina japonica were cultivated under different levels of salinity (30, 25 and 20 psu) and pCO2 (400 and 1000 µatm). Individually, decreased salinity significantly reduced the growth rate and pigments of S. japonica, indicating that the alga was low-salinity stressed. The maximum quantum yield, Fv/Fm, declined at low salinities independent of pCO2, suggesting that the hyposalinity showed the main effect. Unexpectedly, the higher pCO2 enhanced the maximum relative electron transport rate (rETRmax) but decreased the growth rate, pigments and soluble carbohydrates contents. This implies a decoupling between the photosynthesis and growth of this alga, which may be linked to an energetic reallocation among the different metabolic processes. Interactively and previously untested, the decreased salinity offset the improvement of rETRmax and aggravated the declines of growth rate and pigment content caused by the elevated pCO2. These behaviors could be associated with the additionally decreased pH that was induced by the low salinity. Our data, therefore, unveils that the decreased salinity may increase the risks of future CO2-induced ocean acidification on the production of S. japonica.
Effects of Low Pressure Injection on Fuel Atomization and Mixture Formation for Heavy Fuel Engines
Authors: Liu Rui , Huang Kaisheng , Qiao Yuan , Ji Haocheng , Zhong Lingfeng , Wu Hao
Published: November 2022

The application of direct injection (DI) technology can effectively improve the atomization effect of heavy fuel to reduce the fuel loss of heavy fuel engines (HFE). The fuel spray characteristics directly affect the combustion performance of the engine. To investigate the atomization process and evaporation characteristics of heavy fuel in-cylinder for an air-assisted direct injection (AADI) engine, a simulation calculation model of AADI HFE was established with the use of a computational fluid dynamics tool. The air-assisted injector model and the one-dimensional performance calculation model were verified by test data. The influences of injection timing and injection pressure on the spray characteristics and mixture formation in the engine cylinder were discussed. The results show that the mixture concentration distribution is uniform after the injection timing is advanced, and the mass fraction of the fuel evaporation increases. The earlier injection timing can provide the fuel with sufficient time to evaporate, while the later injection timing will result in increasing the Sauter mean diameter (SMD) of the fuel droplets, and the unevaporated heavy fuel in the combustion chamber tends to become concentrated. With the increase in air injection pressure, the distribution of the mixed gas in the cylinder becomes uniform, and the SMD of the fuel droplets in the cylinder decreases. When the injection pressure is 0.65 MPa and 0.75 MPa, the difference between the SMD of the fuel droplets in-cylinder decreases, and a favorable fuel atomization effect can be maintained.
Examination of the Effect of Triangular Plate on the Performances of Reverse Rotating Dual Savonius Wind Turbines
Authors: Altan Burcin Deda , Gungor Afsin
Published: November 2022

In the present study, the performance of the Savonius wind turbine in designs with dual turbines rotating opposite to each other was examined. To improve the performance of the Savonius wind turbine in the dual turbine design, a triangular plate was placed in front of the turbines. The effects of the geometric parameters of this triangular plate which was placed on the turbine performance were studied. The numerical analyses performed were confirmed by the experimental data of a previous study in the literature. The performance values of Savonius wind turbines were analyzed by numerical analysis, the accuracy of which was proven by experimental data. ANSYS Fluent, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program, was used for the performance analysis. In the first stage, the maximum power coefficient (Cp) of the conventional Savonius wind turbine was obtained around 0.17. With the optimum geometric parameter studies, the maximum power coefficient of the Savonius wind turbine in the triangular plate dual turbine design was determined to be around 0.22. Thus, it was found that the power coefficient obtained by a single Savonius wind turbine in a triangular plate dual turbine design was around 30% higher compared to the power coefficient of the conventional Savonius wind turbine.
Calibration and Experimental Studies on the Mixing Parameters of Red Clover Seeds and Coated Powders
Authors: Ma Xuejie , Liu Min , Hou Zhanfeng , Li Junru , Gao Xiangyu , Bai Yang , Guo Mengjun
Published: November 2022

The physical and mechanical properties of the materials in the swirling fluidized-bed seed pelleting unit affect the mixing degree of the materials in the pelleting and coating process, which is of great significance to research on pelleting and coating. The problem of discrete particle model parameters affecting CFD-DEM simulation results is addressed. In this paper, red clover seeds (referred to as seeds) and pelletized coating powder (referred to as powder) were used as the research objects, and the JKR. model was selected to calibrate the contact parameters between seeds and powder based on particle amplification theory. With the powder rest angle as the response value, a simulation calibration test was conducted; the parameters with significant effects on the response value were screened based on the Plackett–Burman test, and the steepest climb test determined the range of factor levels of essential parameters. The Box–Behnken test was used to establish the curvilinear response surface and quadratic regression equation to determine the best combination of simulation parameters for the powder. The discrete element rest angle was conducted with the best combination of parameters. The error of the test compared with the physical examination was 1%. The particles calibrated by simulation were subjected to the pneumatic suspension velocity test and particle mixing test. The test results matched the physical test results, which further verified the accuracy and applicability of the established discrete element model and parameters for coated powders.
Research on the Siting Model of Emergency Centers in a Chemical Industry Park to Prevent the Domino Effect
Authors: Cao Kerang , Liang Linqi , Liu Yaru , Wang Liwei , Choi Kwang-Nam , Gao Jingyu
Published: November 2022

A chemical industry park (CIP) has a wide variety of hazardous chemicals, and once an accident occurs, the level of danger increases geometrically, while the domino effect may bring devastating consequences. To improve the emergency rescue capability of a chemical park and prevent the domino effect, a certain number of emergency centers are built at sites near the park for the purpose of rapid emergency rescue and deployment of emergency supplies. Based on this, in our study, a siting model of the emergency center of the chemical park, which aims to prevent the domino effect, was constructed by considering the timeliness and safety, while adopting the prevention of the domino effect as a constraint. The NSGA-II algorithm is used to solve the siting model, and the CPLEX method is used for the comparison. This study combines the prevention of the domino effect with multi-objective optimization theory, which has a good and simple applicability for solving the considered problem and can obtain solutions in line with science and reality. It also adds the risk radius of the demand point based on the traditional siting model and proposes a model that combines the risk and distance to reduce the risk of accidents across the whole region. Finally, the model is applied to a chemical park in China for an arithmetic analysis to provide decision makers with a targeted reference base for the siting of an emergency center. The experimental results show that the NSGA-II algorithm can effectively solve the model of the emergency center in the chemical park and outperforms the results obtained from the CPLEX solution in terms of its cost and safety.
Challenges and Construction Applications of Solid Waste Management in Middle East Arab Countries
Authors: Ibrahim Osama , Al-Kindi Ghassan , Qureshi Mohsin Usman , Maghawry Salma Al
Published: November 2022

Over the past few decades, solid waste production, specifically construction waste, in Middle Eastern Arab countries has dramatically increased. This is characterized by several factors, including rapid urbanization, common food wasting habits, diverse culture, lack of proper planning of solid waste processes, insufficient equipment, as well as lack of proper funding. The exponential growth in solid waste generation rates has led to hazards to health and the environment, causing issues related to air and water pollution under the already increasing pressure of climate change. In this review, we analyze the current solid waste challenges in 13 Arab countries, common diseases, and actual projects applied. The selection of Arab countries was mainly based on the countries with the highest population as well as the availability of data in the field of study. This review also highlights the efforts of the Arab governments that implemented several pilot projects that are not sustainable or effective in the long term. We discuss the main issues facing each Arab country and the main challenges they have in common, as well as the potential to use the great amounts of construction waste in these countries. It is recommended that proper disposal and collection plans should be prioritized in the municipalities’ agendas since air and water pollution represent the main challenge in all Arab countries. Adequate treatment, recycling, and compost production facilities should be initiated and monitored regularly to take advantage of the relatively high percentage of organic matter in most Arab countries. Proper cooperation between the informal sector, private companies, and governments should be ensured in order to achieve long-term goals in the solid waste management (SWM) sector in MENA (Middle East and Northern Africa) Arab countries. This review provides a comprehensive study of the construction waste in MENA Arab countries that will help reach the goal of achieving sustainable countries.
Observer-Based Predefined-Time Attitude Control for Spacecraft Subject to Loss of Actuator Effectiveness
Authors: Cao Teng , Gong Huajun , Han Bing
Published: November 2022

The predefined-time tracking problem of spacecraft attitude systems with loss of actuator effectiveness and lumped disturbance including the external disturbance and system uncertainty is studied. In order to obtain the estimation of the actuator efficiency factor more quickly and accurately, a robust learning observer is designed. Based on the fault reconstruction information of the learning observer and the predefined-time stability lemma, a predefined-time tracking fault-tolerant control scheme is proposed for the faulty spacecraft attitude system. The stability of the learning observer and the whole control system is verified by the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed scheme are illustrated by simulation results including comparisons with existing works.
Nutritional, Health and Lifestyle Status of a Highly Physically Active and Health-Conscious Long-Term Vegan Man: A Case Report from Slovenia
Authors: Jakše Boštjan , Pinter Stanislav
Published: November 2022

Adopting a vegan diet as a long-term diet has recently become a new global trend among healthy and physically active adult populations. Unfortunately, scarce scientific data are available on the nutritional and health status and lifestyle patterns of long-term highly physically active vegan populations. In the present case study, we present the results of the nutritional, health and lifestyle status of a highly physically active and health-conscious long-term vegan man. The following research methods were used to assess overall health and lifestyle status: (i) analysis of blood serum (selected cardiovascular risk factors (e.g., lipoproteins, triglycerides, glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin, and homocysteine), safety markers (e.g., insulin-like growth factor 1, total testosterone, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, uric acid, and creatinine), and micronutrients (e.g., vitamin B12, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, iron and ferritin); (ii) erythrocyte membranes analysis (omega-3 index); (iii) urine sample analysis (creatinine and iodine); (iv) blood pressure measurement; (v) bioimpedance and densitometry measurement (initial and current anthropometric variables and body composition); (vi) seven-day weighted dietary records (energy and nutrient intake from regular foods only were compared with the recommended daily intake); and (vii) standardized questionnaires (sociodemographic status, economic status and lifestyle status). The most remarkable results related to dietary intake were high energy (4420 kcal/d) and fibre intake (143 g/d) and nutritional sufficiency from foods only compared with dietary recommendations, with the exception of eicosapentaenoic omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. Overall dietary acid load (DAL) scores, calculated from the potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAPF), were rated as lower compared to those of other dietary patterns. In addition, we found that the overall health and lifestyle status of the subject was satisfactory, with some minor deviations that we interpreted.
Related Party Transactions and Firm Value in Indonesia: Opportunistic vs. Efficient Transactions
Authors: Wulandari Trisninik Ratih , Setiawan Doddy , Widagdo Ari Kuncara
Published: November 2022

Related party transactions (RPT) are a common transaction conducted among companies and are the focus of the business world today. The purpose of this study is twofold, as follows: first, to provide empirical evidence for whether the RPT of related party loans in manufacturing companies in Indonesia is an opportunistic transaction or an efficient transaction, and second, to provide evidence for whether there are differences in company perspectives before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employs data from all manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The data analysis techniques include descriptive statistical and hypothesis testing. The results of this study in the period 2018–2021 show that RPT has a positive effect on company value. During this period, that is, the years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, RPT had a negative effect on company value. In contrast, the 2020–2021 period (during the COVID-19 pandemic) shows the opposite result: RPT has a positive effect on company value. The results of this study suggest that in the 2018–2021 and the pandemic period (2020–2021), companies conducted RPT for efficiency purposes, while prior to the pandemic (2018–2019) RPT was conducted for opportunistic purposes.
Pre-Launch Polarization Assessment of JPSS-2 VIIRS VNIR Bands
Authors: Moyer David , McIntire Jeff , Xiong Xiaoxiong
Published: November 2022

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instruments on-board the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 20 (NOAA-20) and Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-2) spacecraft, with launch dates of October 2011, November 2017 and late 2022, respectively, have polarization sensitivity that affects the at-aperture radiometric Sensor Data Record (SDR) calibration in the Visible Near InfraRed (VNIR) spectral region. These SDRs are used as inputs into the VIIRS atmospheric, land, and water Environmental Data Records (EDRs) that are integral to climate and weather applications. Pre-launch characterization of the VIIRS polarization sensitivity was performed that provides an SDR radiance correction factor to enable high fidelity EDR products for the user community. The pre-launch polarization sensitivity used an external source that consisted of a 100 cm diameter Spherical Integrating Source (SIS) in combination with several sheet polarizers. These sheet polarizers were illuminated by the SIS and viewed by the VIIRS instrument. The sheet was then rotated to measure the variation in the VIIRS response relative to the at-aperture polarization orientation. There are sensor requirements that define the maximum allowed polarization amplitude to be below 2.5–3.0% depending on the band and have an uncertainty in both amplitude and phase of less than 0.5%. The pre-launch data analysis evaluated the VIIRS response through the rotating sheet polarizer to quantify each VNIR bands polarization amplitude, phase, and uncertainty. These parameters were compared with the sensor requirements and used to create on-orbit Look-Up Tables (LUTs) for EDR ground processing. The results of the analysis showed that all bands met the uncertainty requirement of 0.5%, but band M1 failed the 3% polarization amplitude requirement. A root-cause analysis identified the optical element responsible for the non-compliance and has been modified for JPSS-3 and -4 builds. The large polarization amplitudes observed in the NOAA-20 VIIRS build, for bands M1-M4, are greatly reduced for JPSS-2 VIIRS. This improved polarization performance was due to modifications to the band M1-M4 bandpass filters between these sensor builds.
A Method of SAR Image Automatic Target Recognition Based on Convolution Auto-Encode and Support Vector Machine
Authors: Deng Yang , Deng Yunkai
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a method of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) based on Convolution Auto-encode (CAE) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) is proposed. Using SVM replaces the traditional softmax as the classifier of the CAE model to classify the feature vectors extracted by the CAE model, which solves the problem that the softmax classifier is less effective in the nonlinear case. Since the SVM can only solve the binary classification problem, and in order to realize the classification of the class objectives, the SVM were designed to achieve the classification of the input samples. After unsupervised training for CAE, the coding layer is connected with SVM to form a classification network. CAE can extract the features of the data by an unsupervised method, and the nonlinear classification advantage of SVM can classify the features extracted by CAE and improve the accuracy of the object recognition. At the same time, the high-accuracy identification of key targets is required in some special cases. A new initialization method is proposed, which initializes the network parameters by pretraining the key targets and changes the weights of different targets in the loss function to obtain better feature extraction, so it can ensure good multitarget recognition ability while realizing the high recognition accuracy of the key targets.
Variation of Seed Traits and Initial Quality among Selected Cowpea, Mungbean, and Soybean Accessions
Authors: N’Danikou Sognigbé , Shango Abdul J. , Sigalla Jeremiah P.
Published: November 2022

Seed traits are essential quantitative variables to assess seed quality and are also indicators of crop success. The World Vegetable Center Genebank in Arusha, Tanzania, has an important legume collection; however, there is limited information on seed traits per genotype, i.e., 1000-seed weight, the number of seeds per gram, germination percentage (GP), and mean germination time (MGT). In this study, 8 cowpea, 54 mungbean, and 15 soybean accessions were evaluated for the abovementioned parameters. A significant difference was observed among the genotypes of the selected legumes with respect to all the measured parameters. An intraspecific variation was also observed for the measured seed traits. The 1000-seed weight decreased with an increase in the number of seeds per gram. Unlike cowpea, the GP of mungbean and soybean accessions was significantly and negatively influenced by the number of seeds per 1 g. Hence, the smaller-sized seeds (with many seeds in 1 g) exhibited lower GP. It is concluded that the seed traits and initial quality among the selected legumes are strongly influenced by their genetic makeup. These results are useful to inform seed management, exchange, utilization, and have a high potential in breeding programs, and require further research attention.
Variability of Hydraulic Properties and Hydrophobicity in a Coarse-Textured Inceptisol Cultivated with Maize in Central Chile
Authors: Riveras-Muñoz Nicolás , Silva Carla , Salazar Osvaldo , Scholten Thomas , Seitz Steffen , Seguel Oscar
Published: November 2022

The O’Higgins Region, located in Central Chile, concentrates 40% of the country’s maize production, mainly under conventional tillage. This has generated soil physical degradation, modifying water movement on it, which varies even in short distances. In this study, we wanted to evaluate the spatial variability of different physical and hydraulic properties in relation to the agricultural use of Inceptisol. The study was conducted on a farm in Central Chile, in a fallow–maize rotation under conventional tillage. Penetration resistance (PR) was measured by using systematic sampling, defining areas of high and low PR, where soil samples were collected in places with frequent crossing of machinery (+M) and places without crossing (−M) and on topsoil and subsoil, establishing four treatments: +M—topsoil, +M—subsoil, −M—topsoil, and −M—subsoil. Organic matter (OM), texture, bulk density (BD), hydraulic conductivity (K), and hydrophobicity (R) were measured. The soil order was Inceptisol with a sandy-loam texture. The PR ranged from 200,000 to 2,000,000 Pa on topsoil and 600,000 to 2,400,000 Pa in subsoil, and the OM content was higher with a low PR. The K varied from 0.6 to 18 cm h−1, being greater in depth, as tillage disturbs the topsoil stabilized during the season. A linear relationship was found between the K and R, explaining differences between high- and low-PR sites. There was an association between Ksat with position (subsoil/topsoil) and PR (high/low) that may allow us to use the PR as a proxy for K.
Spatiotemporal Changes in Waterfowl Habitat Suitability in the Caohai Lake Wetland and Responses to Human Activities
Authors: Liu Xian , Qiu Ying , Zheng Zuli , Hong Qingwen , Zhang Yanjiao , Qian Qiao , Wan Baodan , Chen Qunli
Published: November 2022

The Caohai Lake wetland is one of the most important wetlands in China and is also one of the most important overwintering areas for waterfowl. However, the spatiotemporal changes in the waterfowl habitat’s suitability and its response patterns to human activities are still unclear. Understanding these patterns is key to plateau wetland biodiversity conservation. In this study, remote sensing, the geographic information system, and global positioning system (3S) technology were employed, and the water source status, disturbance, shelter, and food availability were used as evaluation factors for waterfowl habitat selection. A suitability evaluation model was constructed to evaluate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the Caohai Lake wetland habitat’s suitability in 2000, 2010, and 2022, and to evaluate the response mechanisms of the waterfowl toward human activities. The results show the following: (1) there were frequent changes in the suitability grade of the study area from 2000 to 2022, and there was an overall trend toward improvement as the areas of suitable regions continuously increased. This was due to the continuous improvements in water source status, food availability, and shelter. (2) Human disturbances gradually increased from 2000 to 2022, and the human disturbance index was negatively correlated with the waterfowl habitat suitability. (3) There were significant spatial differences in the suitable waterfowl habitats. The marshlands near the banks of the lake were the regions with optimum and good suitability, while the areas of poor suitability and unsuitable regions were the deep-water areas, roads, and residential areas with high human disturbance, along with the regions near these areas. It is vital to further decrease human disturbances, in order to increase the habitat suitability of the study area.
Multi-Model Attention Fusion Multilayer Perceptron Prediction Method for Subway OD Passenger Flow under COVID-19
Authors: Cao Yi , Li Xue
Published: November 2022

At present, machine learning has been successfully applied in many fields and has achieved amazing results. Meanwhile, over the past few years, the pandemic has transformed the transportation industry. The two hot issues prompt us to rethink the traditional problem of passenger flow forecasting. As a special structure embedded in the machine learning model, the attention mechanism is used to automatically learn and calculate the contribution degree of input data to output data. Therefore, this paper uses the attention mechanism to find the best model to predict OD passenger flow under COVID-19. Holiday characteristics, minimum temperature, COVID-19 factors, and past origin-destination (OD) passenger flow were used as input characteristics. In the first stage, the attention mechanism was used to capture the advantages of the trained random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), and Adaboost models, and then the MLP was trained. Afterward, the weight distribution of the two models is carried out by using the historical passenger flow. The multi-model attention+ MLP model was used to evaluate the OD passenger flow prediction of Dalian Metro Line 1 under COVID-19. All the possible choices in this process were taken as a comparison experiment. The results show that only the fusion model combining the attention mechanism of random forest and XGBoost with MLP has the highest prediction accuracy.
Allocation Efficiency Measurement and Spatio-Temporal Differences Analysis of Digital Infrastructure: The Case of China’s Shandong Province
Authors: Cong Xuhui , Wang Sai , Wang Liang , Šaparauskas Jonas , Górecki Jarosław , Skibniewski Miroslaw J.
Published: November 2022

After Shandong Province started the construction about digital infrastructure, the construction of digital infrastructure reached social consensus, promoting digital development of the province. However, it inevitably exposed problems such as non-targeted policies and uneven development levels. This study uses the non-expectation super-efficiency SBM model and kernel density estimation method to compare the digital infrastructure allocation efficiency of 16 prefecture-level cities in Shandong Province and analyzes the spatial and temporal differences. Results show that the overall level of digital infrastructure allocation efficiency in Shandong Province shows a steady and policy-stimulated growth, but no high-value aggregation area has been formed and regional synergistic development remains to be strengthened. Recommendations are provided on four aspects: increased government expenditure, policy heterogeneity, attention to low-level construction areas, and promotion of regional synergistic development to improve the construction of digital infrastructure in Shandong and sustain its strong digital thrust.
FGAC: A Fine-Grained Access Control Framework for Supply Chain Data Sharing
Authors: Liu Yang , Li Xiangyu , Ma Yan
Published: November 2022

With the rapid development of digital economics, a large number of data have been accumulated in the supply chain system, and data islands have appeared. Data sharing is an imperative way to unlock the data value of a supply chain system. A safe and effective access control mechanism for privacy-sensitive data is key in data sharing. At present, traditional access control mechanisms are static, single-factor control, and prone to a single point of failure. For dealing with these, a fine-grained access control (FGAC) framework for supply chain data sharing is proposed, based on the blockchain Hyperledger Fabric. It augments role-based access control (RBAC) by giving different attribute keywords to different types of users. This framework is implemented in smart contract Chaincodes and quantitatively verified by using the model-checking tool UPPAAL. The experiment results show that the FGAC framework enhances the efficiency and safety in the process of data sharing for the supply chain system, compared with the existing works.
Occurrence and Distribution of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) from Sele River, Southern Italy: Analysis of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Organochlorine Pesticides in a Water–Sediment System
Authors: De Rosa Elvira , Montuori Paolo , Triassi Maria , Masucci Armando , Nardone Antonio
Published: November 2022

The concentrations, possible sources, and ecological risk of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were studied by analyzing water column (DP), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and sediment samples from 10 sites on the Sele River. Total PCBs concentration ranged from 2.94 to 54.4 ng/L and 5.01 to 79.3 ng/g in the seawater and sediment samples, with OCPs concentration in the range of 0.51 to 8.76 ng/L and 0.50 to 10.2 ng/g, respectively. Pollutants loads in the seaside were measured in approximately 89.7 kg/year (73.2 kg/year of PCBs and 16.5 kg/year of OCPs), indicating that the watercourse could be an important cause of contamination to the Tyrrhenian Sea. Statistical analysis indicates that all polychlorinated biphenyls analytes are more probable to derive from surface runoff than an atmospheric deposition. The results explain that higher concentrations of these pollutants were built in sediment samples rather than in the other two phases, which are evidence of historical loads of PCBs and OCPs contaminants. The Sediment Quality Guidelines (SQGs), the Ecological Risk Index (ERI) and the Risk Quotient (RQ) show that the Sele river and its estuary would reputedly be a zone possibly at risk.
Association of Short-Term Exposure to PM2.5 with Blood Lipids and the Modification Effects of Insulin Resistance: A Panel Study in Wuhan
Authors: Sun Jinhui , Peng Shouxin , Li Zhaoyuan , Liu Feifei , Wu Chuangxin , Lu Yuanan , Xiang Hao
Published: November 2022

Results of previous studies about the acute effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on blood lipids were inconsistent. This study aimed to quantify the short-term effects of PM2.5 on blood lipids and estimate the modifying role of insulin resistance, reflected by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). From September 2019 to January 2020, the study recruited 70 healthy adults from Wuhan University for a total of eight repeated data collections. At each visit, three consecutive days were monitored for personal exposure to PM2.5, and then a physical examination was carried out on the fourth day. The linear mixed-effect models were operated to investigate the impact of PM2.5 over diverse exposure windows on blood lipids. With the median of the HOMA-IR 1.820 as the cut-off point, participants were assigned to two groups for the interaction analyses. We found the overall mean level (standard deviation, SD) of PM2.5 was 38.34 (18.33) μg/m3. Additionally, with a 10 μg/m3 rise in PM2.5, the corresponding largest responses in triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), as well as high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), were −0.91% (95% confidence interval (CI): −1.63%, −0.18%), −0.33% (95% CI: −0.64%, −0.01%,), −0.94% (95% CI: −1.53%, −0.35%), and 0.67% (95% CI: 0.32%, 1.02%), respectively. The interaction analyses revealed that a significantly greater reduction in the four lipids corresponded to PM2.5 exposure when in the group with the lower HOMA-IR (<1.820). In conclusion, short-term PM2.5 exposure over specific time windows among healthy adults was associated with reduced TG, TC, as well as LDL-C levels, and elevated HDL-C. Additionally, the association of PM2.5–lipids may be modulated by insulin resistance.
Asymptomatic Cryptosporidiosis in Children Living with HIV
Authors: Diptyanusa Ajib , Sari Ika Puspa , Kurniawan Agnes
Published: November 2022

Children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have an increased risk of opportunistic Cryptosporidium infection. Cryptosporidium usually causes chronic diarrhea that may lead to impaired growth and cognitive function in children. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in children, describe its clinical characteristics, and the risk factors. A cross-sectional study involving children aged 6 months to 18 years old with confirmed HIV infection was carried out in Sardjito General Hospital, Yogyakarta. Diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis was made by PCR of 18S rRNA after being screened by microscopic examination. The clinical characteristics and risk factors were obtained from medical records and structured questionnaires. A total of 52 participants were included in the final analysis. The prevalence of cryptosporidiosis was 42.3%. Approximately 68% of the HIV children with cryptosporidiosis were asymptomatic, while those who reported symptoms showed weight loss and diarrhea. Independent risk factors of cryptosporidiosis were diarrhea (AOR 6.5; 95% CI 1.16–36.67), well water as drinking water source (AOR 6.7; 95% CI 1.83–24.93), and drink untreated water (AOR 5.8; 95% CI 1.04–32.64). A high prevalence of asymptomatic cryptosporidiosis was observed among children with HIV infection and PCR screening of Cryptosporidium in high-risk children is advisable.
Seroprevalence of Measles Antibodies in a Highly MMR-Vaccinated Population
Authors: Quach Huy Quang , Ovsyannikova Inna G. , Grill Diane E. , Warner Nathaniel D. , Poland Gregory A. , Kennedy Richard B.
Published: November 2022

As an extremely contagious pathogen, a high rate of vaccine coverage and the durability of vaccine-induced immunity are key factors to control and eliminate measles. Herein, we assessed the seroprevalence of antibodies specific to measles in a cohort of 1393 adults (20–44 years old). ELISA results showed a nontrivial proportion of 37.6% study subjects being negative for measles immunoglobulin G (IgG). We also found significant influences of sex and age of the study cohort on the IgG level. Our findings suggest that even within a highly vaccinated population, a subset of individuals may still have sub-optimal immunity against measles and potentially be susceptible during any future measles outbreaks.
Short- and Long-Term Self-Reported Symptoms in Adolescents Aged 12–19 Years after Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 Compared to Adolescents Not Vaccinated—A Danish Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Berg Selina Kikkenborg , Wallach-Kildemoes Helle , Rasmussen Line Ryberg , Nygaard Ulrikka , Bundgaard Henning , Petersen Maria Nivi Schmidt , Hammer Cecilie Bech , Ersbøll Annette Kjær , Thygesen Lau Caspar , Nielsen Susanne Dam , Christensen Anne Vinggaard
Published: November 2022

This study investigated self-reported short- and long-term symptoms among adolescents receiving the BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and those who did not. A retrospective cohort study based on Danish national survey (collected between 20 July and 15 September 2021) and register data was conducted. Differences in short-term (<14 days) and long-term (>two months) symptoms were explored using logistic regression adjusted for confounders. A total of 747 vaccinated (first dose n = 326; second dose n = 421) and 6300 unvaccinated adolescents were included in analyses of short-term symptoms and 32 vaccinated and 704 unvaccinated adolescents in long-term symptom analyses. In the first 14 days after the first and second vaccine dose the most reported symptoms included headache and muscle or joint symptoms. In both vaccinated and unvaccinated adolescents, the 15–19-year-olds reported significantly higher proportions of all symptoms compared to the 12–14-year-olds. After the second vaccine dose vaccinated 12–14-year-olds reported significantly more headache in adjusted analyses (OR 2.20 (95% CI 1.24; 3.90)). Among the 15–19-year-olds, significantly more vaccinated adolescents reported gastrointestinal symptoms (1.38 (1.06; 1.81)), headache (1.66 (1.24; 2.22)), and tiredness (1.44 (1.08; 1.93)). No differences were found in long-term symptoms. Vaccinated adolescents reported significantly more short-term symptoms including headache, tiredness, and gastrointestinal symptoms after the second vaccine dose than unvaccinated adolescents. Long-term symptom results should be interpreted with caution due to limited sample size.
Efficacy, Immunogenicity, and Safety of the Two-Dose Schedules of TURKOVAC versus CoronaVac in Healthy Subjects: A Randomized, Observer-Blinded, Non-Inferiority Phase III Trial
Authors: Tanriover Mine Durusu , Aydin Ozlem Altuntas , Guner Rahmet , Yildiz Orhan , Celik Ilhami , Doganay Hamdi Levent , Kose Sukran , Akhan Sila , Akalin Emin Halis , Sezer Zafer , Ozdarendeli Aykut , Unal Serhat ,   on behalf of the TURKOVAC Study Group
Published: November 2022

We present the interim results of the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of the two-dose schedules of TURKOVAC versus CoronaVac. This was a randomized, observer-blinded, non-inferiority trial (NCT04942405). Volunteers were 18–55 years old and randomized at a 1:1 ratio to receive either TURKOVAC or CoronaVac at Day 0 and Day 28, both of which are 3 μg/0.5 mL of inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. The primary efficacy outcome was the prevention of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed symptomatic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) at least 14 days after the second dose in the modified per-protocol (mPP) group. Safety analyses were performed in the modified intention-to-treat (mITT) group. Between 22 June 2021 and 7 January 2022, 1290 participants were randomized. The mITT group consisted of 915 participants, and the mPP group consisted of 732 participants. During a median follow-up of 90 (IQR 86–90) days, the relative risk reduction with TURKOVAC compared to CoronaVac was 41.03% (95% CI 12.95–60.06) for preventing PCR-confirmed symptomatic COVID-19. The incidences of adverse events (AEs) overall were 58.8% in TURKOVAC and 49.7% in CoronaVac arms (p = 0.006), with no fatalities or grade four AEs. TURKOVAC was non-inferior to CoronaVac in terms of efficacy and demonstrated a good safety and tolerability profile.
Intelligent Motor Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Channel Attention-Based CNN
Authors: Yin Jianguo , Cen Gang
Published: November 2022

Many components of electric vehicles contain rolling bearings, and the operating condition of rolling bearings often affects the operating performance of electric vehicles. Monitoring the operating status of the bearings is one of the key technologies to ensure the safe operation of the bearings. We propose a channel attention-based convolutional neural network (CA-CNN) model for rolling bearing fault diagnosis. The model can directly use the raw vibration signal of the bearing as input to achieve bearing fault diagnosis under different operating loads and different noise environments. The experimental results show that, compared with other intelligent diagnosis methods, the proposed model CA-CNN achieves a high diagnostic accuracy under different load cases and still has advantages in different noisy environments. It is also beneficial to promote the intelligent fault diagnosis and maintenance of electric vehicles.
A novel blood based triage test for colorectal cancer in primary care: a pilot study
Authors: Jenkins Cerys , Woods Freya , Chandler Susan , Carter Kym , Jenkins Rhys , Cunningham Andrew , Nelson Kayleigh , Still Rachel , Walters Jenna A , Gwynn Non , Chea Wilson , Harford Rachel , O'Neill Claire , Hepburn Julie , Hill Ian , Wilkes Heather , Fegan Greg , Dunstan Peter , Harris Dean A
Published: November 2022

Background

The majority of colorectal cancers (CRCs) are detected after symptomatic presentation to primary care. Given the shared symptoms of CRC and benign disorders, it is challenging to manage the risk of missed diagnosis. Colonoscopy resources cannot keep pace with increasing demand. There is a pressing need for access to simple triage tools in primary care to help prioritise patients for referral.

Aim

To evaluate the performance of a novel spectroscopy-based CRC blood test in primary care.

Design & setting

Mixed-methods pilot study of test performance and GP focus group discussions in South Wales.

Method

Patients on the urgent suspected cancer (USC) pathway were recruited for the Raman spectroscopy (RS) test coupled to machine learning classification (‘Raman-CRC’) to identify CRC within the referred population. Qualitative focus group work evaluated the acceptability of the test in primary care by thematic analysis of focus group theorising.

Results

A total of 532 patients aged ≥50 years referred on the USC pathway were recruited from 27 GP practices. Twenty-nine patients (5.0%) were diagnosed with CRC. Raman-CRC identified CRC with sensitivity 95.7%, specificity 69.3% with area under curve (AUC) of 0.80 compared with colonoscopy as the reference test (248 patients). Stage I and II cancers were detected with 78.6% sensitivity. Focus group themes underlined the convenience of a blood test for the patient and the test’s value as a risk assessment tool in primary care.

Conclusion

The findings support this novel, non-invasive, blood-based method to prioritise those patients most likely to have CRC. Raman-CRC may accelerate access to diagnosis with potential to improve cancer outcomes.