bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cytogenetic Study and Pollen Viability of Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’
Authors: Sevilleno Samantha Serafin , An Hye Ryun , Cabahug-Braza Raisa Aone M. , Ahn Yun-Jae , Hwang Yoon-Jung
Published: July 2023

Intergeneric and interspecific hybridization has been employed for the breeding of Phalaenopsis to transfer desirable traits between species, producing novel phenotypes with improved size, color, form, and flower-bearing ability. These characteristics are often enhanced; however, many of these hybrids are triploids and have reduced or complete sterility, for example, Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’, an important novelty-type cultivar in Asia, particularly in China, Japan, and Republic of Korea. Despite the increasing demand for the crop for ornamental purposes, little is known about its cytogenetics, which is essential for breeding and, consequently, crop improvement. In this study, karyotyping using fluorescence in situ hybridization, meiotic chromosome behavior analysis, pollen staining, and in vitro viability germination tests were performed to understand the cause of hybrid sterility and pollen abnormality in Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ from a cytogenetic perspective. Viability tests revealed pollen infertility at all flower developmental stages, confirmed by the absence of pollen tube growth. Aberrant chromosomal behavior was observed in pollen mother cells (PMCs), frequently forming univalents, chromosomal bridges, and laggards during the entire meiotic process. PMCs were also divided irregularly into sporads with varying numbers of micronuclei, which may be responsible for pollen sterility in this cultivar. Altogether, the cytogenetic analyses provided insights into the pollen development of Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ and the conceivable causes of its infertility.
Identification and Expression Analysis of the Alfin-like Gene Family in Tomato and the Role of SlAL3 in Salt and Drought Stresses
Authors: Jin Ruixin , Wang Juan , Guo Bin , Yang Tao , Hu Jiahui , Wang Baike , Yu Qinghui
Published: July 2023

Alfin-like (AL) transcription factors are a family of plant-specific genes with a PHD-finger-like structural domain at the C-terminus and a DUF3594 structural domain at the N-terminus that play important roles in plant development and stress response. In the present study, genome-wide identification and analysis were performed of the AL protein family in cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and three wild relatives (S. pennellii, S. pimpinellifolium, and S. lycopersicoides) to evaluate their response to different abiotic stresses. A total of 39 ALs were identified and classified into four groups and based on phylogenetic tree and evolutionary analysis were shown to have formed prior to the differentiation of monocotyledons and dicots. Moreover, cis-acting element analysis revealed that various phytohormone response and abiotic stress response elements were highly existed in tomato. In addition, further analysis of the SlAL3 gene revealed that its expression was induced by drought and salt stresses and localized to the nucleus. In conclusion, our findings concerning AL genes provide useful information for further studies on their functions and regulatory mechanisms and provide theoretical references for studying AL gene response to abiotic stresses in plants.
A Frameshift Mutation in the Mg-Chelatase I Subunit Gene OsCHLI Is Associated with a Lethal Chlorophyll-Deficient, Yellow Seedling Phenotype in Rice
Authors: Shim Kyu-Chan , Kang Yuna , Song Jun-Ho , Kim Ye Jin , Kim Jae Kwang , Kim Changsoo , Tai Thomas H. , Park Inkyu , Ahn Sang-Nag
Published: July 2023

Chlorophyll biosynthesis is a crucial biological process in plants, and chlorophyll content is one of the most important traits in rice breeding programs. In this study, we identified a lethal, chlorophyll-deficient, yellow seedling (YS) phenotype segregating in progeny of CR5055-21, an F2 plant derived from a backcross between Korean japonica variety ‘Hwaseong’ (Oryza sativa) and CR5029, which is mostly Hwaseong with a small amount of Oryza grandiglumis chromosome segments. The segregation of the mutant phenotype was consistent with a single gene recessive mutation. Light microscopy of YS leaf cross-sections revealed loosely arranged mesophyll cells and sparse parenchyma in contrast to wildtype. In addition, transmission electron microscopy showed that chloroplasts did not develop in the mesophyll cells of the YS mutant. Quantitative trait loci (QTL)-seq analysis did not detect any significant QTL, however, examination of the individual delta-SNP index identified a 2-bp deletion (AG) in the OsCHLI gene, a magnesium (Mg)-chelatase subunit. A dCAPs marker was designed and genotyping of a segregating population (n = 275) showed that the mutant phenotype co-segregated with the marker. The 2-bp deletion was predicted to result in a frameshift mutation generating a premature termination. The truncated protein likely affects formation and function of Mg-chelatase, which consists of three different subunits that together catalyze the first committed step of chlorophyll biosynthesis. Transcriptome analysis showed that photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism pathways were significantly altered although expression of OsCHLI was not. Chlorophyll- and carotenoid-related genes were also differentially expressed in the YS mutant. Our findings demonstrated that OsCHLI plays an important role in leaf pigment biosynthesis and leaf structure development in rice.
Response of Flavor Substances in Tomato Fruit to Light Spectrum and Daily Light Integral
Authors: Fan Xiaoxue , Lu Na , Xu Wenshuo , Zhuang Yunfei , Jin Jing , Mao Xiaojuan , Ren Ni
Published: July 2023

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have been widely used as light sources for plant production in plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), and light spectrum and light amount have great impacts on plant growth and development. With the expansion of the product list of PFALs, tomato production in PFALs has received attention, but studies on fruit quality influenced by artificial light are lacking. In this study, precisely modulated LED light sources based on white light combined with additional red, blue, and green lights were used to investigate the effects of light spectrum and daily light integral (DLI) on the main quality indicators and flavor substances of “Micro-Tom” tomato fruits. The highest sugar–acid ratio was obtained under the white light with addition of red light with high DLI and blue light with low DLI. The contents of β-carotene, lycopene, and lutein were significantly increased by higher DLI conditions except for under the blue light treatment, and the cross-interactions between the light spectrum and DLI were observed. The accumulation of the main flavor substances in tomato fruits was decreased by addition of green light with a high DLI and red light with a low DLI; notably, the percentage of 2-isobutylthiazole, which is associated with fresh tomato aroma, was decreased by green light. This study provides insights for improving tomato fruit quality and flavor by regulating light conditions in PFALs.
Understanding the Effect of Grain Boundaries on the Mechanical Properties of Epoxy/Graphene Composites
Authors: Ding Qiuyue , Ding Ning , Chen Xiangfeng , Guo Wenyue , Zaïri Fahmi
Published: July 2023

This work presents a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study on the effect of grain boundaries (GBs) on the mechanical properties of epoxy/graphene composites. Ten types of GB models were constructed and comparisons were made for epoxy/graphene composites containing graphene with GBs. The results showed that the tensile and compressive behaviors, the glass transition temperature (Tg), and the configurations of epoxy/graphene composites were significantly affected by GBs. The tensile yield strength of epoxy/graphene composites could be either enhanced or weakened by GBs under a tensile load parallel to the graphene sheet. The underlying mechanisms may be attributed to multi-factor coupling, including the tensile strength of the reinforcements, the interfacial interaction energy, and the inflection degree of reinforcements. A balance exists among these effect factors, resulting in the diversity in the tensile yield strength of epoxy/graphene composites. The compressive yield strength for epoxy/graphene composites is higher than their counterpart in tension. The tensile/compressive yield strength for the same configuration presents diversity in different directions. Both an excellent interfacial interaction and the appropriate inflection degree of wrinkles for GB configurations restrict the translational and rotational movements of epoxy chains during volume expansion, which eventually improves the overall Tg. Understanding the reinforcing mechanism for graphene with GBs from the atomistic level provides new physical insights to material design for epoxy-based composites containing defective reinforcements.
Chitosan-Based Films Containing Rutin for Potential Cosmetic Applications
Authors: Sionkowska Alina , Lewandowska Katarzyna , Kurzawa Marzanna
Published: July 2023

Chitosan is a polysaccharide with film-forming properties. Such properties are widely used for the preparation of beauty masks and wound-healing materials. In this work, chitosan-based films containing hyaluronic acid and rutin have been researched for potential cosmetic applications. Rutin was added to a chitosan solution in lactic acid, and then thin films were fabricated. The structure of the films was studied using FTIR spectroscopy. Surface properties were studied using an AFM microscope. The release of rutin from chitosan-based film was researched by the HPLC method. The properties of the skin, such as elasticity and moisturization, were studied using the Aramo TS 2 apparatus. It was found that the addition of rutin did not have an influence on the chitosan structure but affected its thermal stability. The roughness of the films was bigger after the addition of rutin to chitosan-based films. Skin elasticity and skin moisturization were somewhat improved after the topical application of the proposed chitosan–rutin mask. The maximum release of rutin was found after 20 min at pH 5.5, related to the pH of normal human skin. The average percentage of release from chitosan-based film containing hyaluronic acid was smaller than from chitosan-based films.
Smart Polymers for Soft Materials: From Solution Processing to Organic Solids
Authors: Mukherji Debashish , Kremer Kurt
Published: July 2023

Polymeric materials are ubiquitous in our everyday life, where they find a broad range of uses—spanning across common household items to advanced materials for modern technologies. In the context of the latter, so called “smart polymers” have received a lot of attention. These systems are soluble in water below their lower critical solution temperature Tℓ and often exhibit counterintuitive solvation behavior in mixed solvents. A polymer is known as smart-responsive when a slight change in external stimuli can significantly change its structure, functionm and stability. The interplay of different interactions, especially hydrogen bonds, can also be used for the design of lightweight high-performance organic solids with tunable properties. Here, a general scheme for establishing a structure–property relationship is a challenge using the conventional simulation techniques and also in standard experiments. From the theoretical side, a broad range of all-atom, multiscale, generic, and analytical techniques have been developed linking monomer level interaction details with macroscopic material properties. In this review, we briefly summarize the recent developments in the field of smart polymers, together with complementary experiments. For this purpose, we will specifically discuss the following: (1) the solution processing of responsive polymers and (2) their use in organic solids, with a goal to provide a microscopic understanding that may be used as a guiding tool for future experiments and/or simulations regarding designing advanced functional materials.
Concurrent Measurement of Local and Global in-Plane Permeability of Reinforcement Fabrics through Real-Time Image Processing
Authors: Yang Bin , Wang Jihui , Feng Yuwei , Zhan Mingfan , Ni Aiqing
Published: July 2023

Properties of reinforcement fabrics, such as permeability, are typically characterized in a volume-averaging sense, whereas the fabric microstructure may vary spatially. This makes designing an effective resin infusion strategy for defect-free composite fabrication challenging. Our work presents a concurrent method for simultaneously measuring the local and global in-plane permeability and offers a handy technique for evaluating spatial variability. This experimental setup was similar to that of unidirectional in-plane permeability tests. The fabric, however, should be cut and tested along the angle bisector of warp and weft directions. The evolution of resin flow fronts was analyzed in real-time using in-house code through live video monitoring. The local and global in-plane permeability components were then obtained by applying Darcy’s law regionally and globally. The results are in good agreement with those obtained by radial permeability experiments. Statistical analysis of local permeability reveals that the microstructure variability follows a normal distribution. A complete description of fabric microstructure provided by X-ray microcomputed tomography suggests that local permeability and microstructure variation are closely related, confirming the efficacy of the newly proposed method. This work enables the estimation of fabric structure variability and local and global in-plane permeability in a single test without resorting to expensive volume imaging techniques.
Dye-Doped Polymeric Microplastics: Light Tools for Bioimaging in Test Organisms
Authors: Bertelà Federica , Battocchio Chiara , Iucci Giovanna , Ceschin Simona , Di Lernia Dario , Mariani Flaminia , Di Giulio Andrea , Muzzi Maurizio , Venditti Iole
Published: July 2023

Ecosystems around the world are experiencing a major environmental impact from microplastic particles (MPs 0.1 µm–1 mm). Water, sediments, and aquatic biota show the widespread presence of this pollutant. However, MPs are rarely used in laboratory studies as they are scarcely available for purchase or expensive, especially if one wishes to trace the particle with a dye or fluorescent. Furthermore, existing preparation techniques have limited application in biological studies. In this work, we propose a new, easy, and cheap way to prepare fluorescent MPs. The protocol is based on the osmosis method in order to obtain spherical polymeric particles of P(S-co-MMA), with 0.7–9 micron diameter, made fluorescent because dye-doped with rhodamine B isothiocyanate (RITC) or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). The dye loading was studied and optimized, and the MPs–dye conjugates were characterized by UV-vis FTIR and XPS spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, preliminary tests on aquatic organisms demonstrated the possible use of these fluorescent MPs in bioimaging studies, showing their absorption/adsorption by duckweeds (Lemna minuta) and insect larvae (Cataclysta lemnata).
Enhanced Adsorption Performance Cross-Linked Chitosan/Citrus reticulata Peel Waste Composites as Low-Cost and Green Bio-Adsorbents: Kinetic, Equilibrium Isotherm, and Thermodynamic Studies
Authors: Akin Sahbaz Deniz Akin
Published: July 2023

This study revealed the synthesis of cross-linked chitosan/Citrus reticulata peel waste (C/CRPW) composites that could be used as low-cost and green bio-adsorbents for the removal of Congo red (CR) dye from aqueous solutions. C/CRPW composites containing different amounts of Citrus reticulata peel waste (CRPW) and chitosan were prepared and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. The composites were characterized by FESEM, EDS, FTIR, XRD, BET, and zeta potential measurements. The C/CRPW composites as a new type of bio-adsorbents displayed superior adsorption capability toward anionic CR molecules, and the adsorption capacities increased with the incorporation of CRPW. Effects of different ambient conditions, such as contact time, pH, adsorbent dosage, initial adsorbate concentration, and temperature, were fully studied. The conditions which obtained 43.57 mg/g of the highest adsorption capacity were conducted at pH 4 with an initial concentration of 100 mg/L, adsorbent dosage of 2.0 g/L, and contact time of 24 h at 328 K. The adsorption data was found to follow the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and the Freundlich isotherm model. According to the findings of this investigation, it was observed that the C/CRWP composites could be used as adsorbents due to their advantages, including the simple preparation process, being environmentally friendly, renewable, efficient, and low-cost.
A Hyperbranched Polyol Process for Designing and Manufacturing Nontoxic Cobalt Nanocomposite
Authors: Burmatova Anastasia , Khannanov Artur , Gerasimov Alexander , Ignateva Klara , Khaldeeva Elena , Gorovaia Arina , Kiiamov Airat , Evtugyn Vladimir , Kutyreva Marianna
Published: July 2023

A method for the design and synthesis of a metallopolymer composite (CoNP) based on cobalt nanoparticles using the hyperbranched polyol process was developed. It was shown that hyperbranched polyester polyols in a melted state can be both a reducing agent and a stabilizer of metal nanoparticles at the same time. The mechanism of oxidation of hyperbranched polyol was studied using diffuse reflectance IR spectroscopy. The process of oxidation of OH groups in G4-OH started from 90 °C and finished with the oxidation of aldehyde groups. The composition and properties of nanomaterials were determined with FT-IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TG), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), NMR relaxation, and in vitro biological tests. The cobalt-containing nanocomposite (CoNP) had a high colloidal stability and contained spheroid polymer aggregates with a diameter of 35–50 nm with immobilized cobalt nanoparticles of 5–7 nm. The values of R2 and R1 according to the NMR relaxation method for CoNPs were 6.77 mM·ms−1 × 10−5 and 4.14 mM·ms−1 × 10−5 for, respectively. The ratio R2/R1 = 0.61 defines the cobalt-containing nanocomposite as a T1 contrast agent. The synthesized CoNPs were nonhemotoxic (HC50 > 8 g/mL) multifunctional reagents and exhibited the properties of synthetic modulators of the enzymatic activity of chymosin aspartic proteinase and exhibited antimycotic activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. The results of the study show the unique prospects of the developed two-component method of the hyperbranched polyol process for the creation of colloidal multifunctional metal–polymer nanocomposites for theranostics.
Recent Advances in Polymer-Based Biosensors for Food Safety Detection
Authors: Wang Binhui , Huang Da , Weng Zuquan
Published: July 2023

The excessive use of pesticides and drugs, coupled with environmental pollution, has resulted in the persistence of contaminants on food. These pollutants tend to accumulate in humans through the food chain, posing a significant threat to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to develop rapid, low-cost, portable, and on-site biosensors for detecting food contaminants. Among various biosensors, polymer-based biosensors have emerged as promising probes for detection of food contaminants in recent years, due to their various functions such as target binding, enrichment, and simple signal reading. This paper aims to discuss the characteristics of five types of food pollutants—heavy metals, pesticide residues, pathogenic bacteria, allergens, and antibiotics—and their adverse effects on human health. Additionally, this paper focuses on the principle of polymer-based biosensors and their latest applications in detecting these five types of food contaminants in actual food samples. Furthermore, this review briefly examines the future prospects and challenges of biosensors for food safety detection. The insights provided in this review will facilitate the development of biosensors for food safety detection.
Polymeric Denture Base Materials: A Review
Authors: Alqutaibi Ahmed Yaseen , Baik Abdulmajeed , Almuzaini Sarah A. , Farghal Ahmed E. , Alnazzawi Ahmad Abdulkareem , Borzangy Sary , Aboalrejal Afaf Noman , AbdElaziz Mohammed Hosny , Mahmoud Ihab Ismail , Zafar Muhammad Sohail
Published: July 2023

An ideal denture base must have good physical and mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and esthetic properties. Various polymeric materials have been used to construct denture bases. Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is the most used biomaterial for dentures fabrication due to its favorable properties, which include ease of processing and pigmenting, sufficient mechanical properties, economy, and low toxicity. This article aimed to comprehensively review the current knowledge about denture base materials (DBMs) types, properties, modifications, applications, and construction methods. We searched for articles about denture base materials in PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Journals covering topics including dental materials, prosthodontics, and restorative dentistry were also combed through. Denture base material variations, types, qualities, applications, and fabrication research published in English were considered. Although PMMA has several benefits and gained popularity as a denture base material, it has certain limitations and cannot be classified as an ideal biomaterial for fabricating dental prostheses. Accordingly, several studies have been performed to enhance the physical and mechanical properties of PMMA by chemical modifications and mechanical reinforcement using fibers, nanofillers, and hybrid materials. This review aimed to update the current knowledge about DBMs’ types, properties, applications, and recent developments. There is a need for specific research to improve their biological properties due to patient and dental staff adverse reactions to possibly harmful substances produced during their manufacturing and use.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Polymer Nanocomposites with Supramolecular Network Constructed via Functionalized Polymer End-Grafted Nanoparticles
Authors: Hou Guanyi , Ren Runhan , Shang Wei , Weng Yunxuan , Liu Jun
Published: July 2023

Since the proposal of self-healing materials, numerous researchers have focused on exploring their potential applications in flexible sensors, bionic robots, satellites, etc. However, there have been few studies on the relationship between the morphology of the dynamic crosslink network and the comprehensive properties of self-healing polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). In this study, we designed a series of modified nanoparticles with different sphericity (η) to establish a supramolecular network, which provide the self-healing ability to PNCs. We analyzed the relationship between the morphology of the supramolecular network and the mechanical performance and self-healing behavior. We observed that as η increased, the distribution of the supramolecular network became more uniform in most cases. Examination of the segment dynamics of polymer chains showed that the completeness of the supramolecular network significantly hindered the mobility of polymer matrix chains. The mechanical performance and self-healing behavior of the PNCs showed that the supramolecular network mainly contributed to the mechanical performance, while the self-healing efficiency was dominated by the variation of η. We observed that appropriate grafting density is the proper way to effectively enhance the mechanical and self-healing performance of PNCs. This study provides a unique guideline for designing and fabricating self-healing PNCs with modified Nanoparticles (NPs).
Prediction of Physical Properties and Phase Characteristics of Ethane and Ethane Mixture in the Ethane Pipeline
Authors: Ban Jiuqing , Li Changjun , Yang Wei , Zhang Wei , Yuan Xiaoyun , Xu Yingying
Published: July 2023

In order to realize the safe transportation of liquefied ethane pipeline in the Oilfield of China, it is necessary to fully study the process of pipeline replacement, operation and shutdown. The accurate calculation of physical property parameters and critical parameters is the basis of studying the gas-liquid two-phase flow and heat and mass transfer process of liquefied ethane in the pipeline. In this paper, different equations of states (EOSs) were used to predict the physical properties (such as density, dew point and dynamic viscosity) of ethane or ethane mixture, and the predicted results were compared with the corresponding experimental data from the literature. The prediction performance of different EOSs were evaluated by using two evaluation indicators, including average absolute deviation (AAD) and average relative deviation (ARD). The results showed that the PR-Peneloux EOS has the best performance for predicting the density of CH4-C2H6-N2 mixture with an ARD value of 4.46%; for predicting the dew point, the BWRS EOS exhibits the superior performance with an ARD value of 0.58%; and for predicting dynamic viscosity, the SuperTRAPP formula has the smallest calculation error, with an ARD value of 1.33%. Considering the comparison results of the calculation accuracy of density, dew point and dynamic viscosity of ethane or ethane mixture by using different EOSs, PR-Peneloux EOS was recommended to calculate the phase characteristics in the process of ethane pipeline replacement operation. The phase characteristics of ethane for pipeline transport in the oilfield of China were obtained. The critical temperature is 32.79℃ and the critical pressure is 4.97 MPa.
Harnessing Digestate Potential: Impact of Biochar and Reagent Addition on Biomethane Production in Anaerobic Digestion Systems
Authors: Salma Alaa , Binti Faeruz Nur Maisarah , Fryda Lydia , Djelal Hayet
Published: July 2023

This article reports on an experiment that aimed to investigate the effects of digestate and cosubstrate input with varying biochar concentrations on methane production in anaerobic digestion processes. The findings revealed distinct trends in methane production among the substrates. Further investigations were conducted to evaluate the effects of different types of biochars on biomethane production from raw cattle manure digestate. Four conditions were tested: one raw digestate condition and three digestate conditions containing 1% of a different biochar type to one another. BC1 (PEFC-certified spruce BC) and BC2 (oak wood BC) showed promising results in enhancing biomethane production. About 884.23 NmL of methane was produced, with a yield and productivity of 22.80 NmL.g−1 and 1.62 NmL.g−1.day−1 with BC1. However, BC3 (cow and chicken manure digestate BC) demonstrated lower biomethane production compared to raw digestate. Additionally, the study explored the effects of adding reagents to digestate. Hematite and iron chloride salt did not show any positive effects on biomethane production when biochar was introduced, while activated carbon powder significantly improved biomethane production rates by approximately 11.18%.
Cause Analysis of Condensed Water Induced Bulging in High-Pressure Steam Tee Joints of a Pyrolyzer
Authors: Lian Weiqi , Sun Zhiwei , Lyu Yunrong , Duan Zhihong
Published: July 2023

High-pressure steam pipes inevitably suffered from the reciprocal interaction of high pressure and temperature during a long-period service, causing deformation and cracking. However, only limited studies about abnormal bulging caused by condensed water have been carried out. To study the relationship between bulging and condensed water, bulging tee joints belonging to high-pressure steam pipes were investigated with a macro visual inspection, chemical composition analysis, and metallographic microscopy. According to the analysis of the bulging samples, pearlite spheroidization was found in the abnormal bulging tee joint. The ANSYS FLUENT modeling indicated that the tube wall of bulging tees was continuously subjected to alternating stress, causing the cyclic transformation of the liquid–gas phase inside the tee joint. The results indicate that the stress produced by a condensed water droplet ranges from 532.8 MPa to 59 MPa, continuously exerting pressure on the tube wall of the tee joint. When combined with the variation in the temperature field, the temperature of the severe bulging tee joint and slight bulging tee joint alternates. Further modeling illustrates that the stress generated by the impact of condensed water droplets on the high-temperature tee joints causes a ratcheting effect, which is identified as the main factor contributing to the bulging of the tee joint. Deterioration of the microstructure is considered a secondary mechanism.
An Interpretable Predictive Model for Health Aspects of Solvents via Rough Set Theory
Authors: Hoo Wey Ying , Ooi Jecksin , Chemmangattuvalappil Nishanth Gopalakrishnan , Chong Jia Wen , Lim Chun Hsion , Eden Mario Richard
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a machine learning (ML) approach to predict the potential health issues of solvents by uncovering the hidden relationship between substances and toxicity. Solvent selection is a crucial step in industrial processes. However, prolonged exposure to solvents has been found to pose significant risks to human health. To mitigate these hazards, it is crucial to develop a predictive model for health performance by identifying the contributing factors to solvent toxicity. This research aims to develop a predictive model for health issues related to solvent toxicity. Among various algorithms in ML, Rough Set Machine Learning (RSML) was chosen for this work due to its interpretable nature of the generated models. The models have been developed through data collection on the toxicity of various organic solvents, the construction of predictive models with decision rules, and model verification. The results reveal correlations between solvent toxicity and the Balaban index, valence connectivity index, Wiener index, and boiling points. The generated predictive model using RSML has successfully provided insightful observations about the correlation between human toxicity and molecular attributes.
Cadmium Elimination via Magnetic Biochar Derived from Cow Manure: Parameter Optimization and Mechanism Insights
Authors: Wen Yi , Chen Dingxiang , Zhang Yong , Wang Huabin , Xu Rui
Published: July 2023

Designing an efficient and recyclable adsorbent for cadmium pollution control is an urgent necessity. In this paper, cow manure, an abundant agricultural/animal husbandry byproduct, was employed as the raw material for the synthesis of magnetic cow manure biochar. The optimal preparation conditions were found using the response surface methodology model: 160 °C for the hydrothermal temperature, 600 °C for the pyrolysis temperature, and Fe-loading with 10 wt%. The optimal reaction conditions were also identified via the response surface methodology model: a dosage of 1 g·L−1, a pH of 7, and an initial concentration of 100 mg·L−1. The pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model were used to fit the Cd(II) adsorption, and the adsorption capacity was 612.43 mg·g−1. The adsorption was dominated by chemisorption with the mechanisms of ion-exchange, electrostatic attraction, pore-filling, co-precipitation, and the formation of complexations. Compared to the response surface methodology model, the back-propagation artificial neural network model fit the Cd(II) adsorption better as the error values were less. All these results demonstrate the potential application of CM for Cd(II) removal and its optimization through machine-learning processes.
The Secular Moral Project and the Moral Argument for God: A Brief Synopsis History
Authors: Kratt Dale
Published: July 2023

This article provides an overview of the history of what is termed the secular moral project by providing a synopsis of the history of the moral argument for God’s existence and the various historical processes that have contributed to the secularization of ethics. I argue that three key thinkers propel the secular moral project forward from the middle of the 19th century into the 20th century: John Stuart Mill, whose ethical thinking in Utilitarianism serves as the background to all late 19th century secular ethical thinking, Henry Sidgwick, who, in the Methods, indisputably establishes the secular autonomy of ethics as a distinctive discipline (metaethics), and finally, G.E. Moore, whose work, the Principia Ethica, stands at the forefront of virtually all secular metaethical debates concerning naturalism and non-naturalism in the first half of the 20th century. Although secular metaethics continues to be the dominant ethical view of the academy, it is shown that theistic metaethics is a strong reemerging position in the early 21st century.
Adolescence as a “Radical” Age and Prevention of Violent Radicalisation: A Qualitative Study of Operators of a Juvenile Penal Circuit in Italy
Authors: Rhazzali Mohammed Khalid , Schiavinato Valentina
Published: July 2023

In the scientific community, the topic of the risk of violent radicalisation within the juvenile penal circuit is infrequently explored compared to the attention devoted to the adult prison population or to other areas of social and educational intervention. This article presents some results of a study conducted, within the framework of a European project led by the Italian Ministry of Justice, at some institutions of the juvenile penal circuit in Italy, with the involvement of staff working at the Offices of Social Services for Minors (USSM), the Juvenile Penal Institutes (IPM), and the reception communities of two Italian regions (North and South). The article aims to explore the viewpoint of the professionals working in these facilities, analysing their perceptions and experiences regarding the radicalisation of young people in the penal circuit. This concept is understood both in a broader sense, evoking the characteristics of adolescence, as experienced by the population in their charge, and also in the more specific sense of religious radicalisation and its possible violent outcomes. The article shows how, when referring to the task of detecting possible signs of (violent) radicalisation in the behaviour of young people, penal-circuit professionals highlight the difficulties and risks they encounter in the attempt to reconcile educational and supervisory tasks. The personal and social characteristics of the population under their care and the more specific characteristics of the adolescent phase, in fact, seem to constitute factors that make the process of the detection of radicalisation more complex, with the risk of increasing the labelling and stigmatisation of these young offenders, thus, paradoxically, favouring outcomes that would be desirable to prevent.
Lie Group Equivariant Convolutional Neural Network Based on Laplace Distribution
Authors: Liao Dengfeng , Liu Guangzhong
Published: July 2023

Traditional convolutional neural networks (CNNs) lack equivariance for transformations such as rotation and scaling. Consequently, they typically exhibit weak robustness when an input image undergoes generic transformations. Moreover, the complex model structure complicates the interpretation of learned low- and mid-level features. To address these issues, we introduce a Lie group equivariant convolutional neural network predicated on the Laplace distribution. This model’s Lie group characteristics blend multiple mid- and low-level features in image representation, unveiling the Lie group geometry and spatial structure of the Laplace distribution function space. It efficiently computes and resists noise while capturing pertinent information between image regions and features. Additionally, it refines and formulates an equivariant convolutional network appropriate for the Lie group feature map, maximizing the utilization of the equivariant feature at each level and boosting data efficiency. Experimental validation of our methodology using three remote sensing datasets confirms its feasibility and superiority. By ensuring a high accuracy rate, it enhances data utility and interpretability, proving to be an innovative and effective approach.
Remote Sensing Estimates of Particulate Organic Carbon Sources in the Zhanjiang Bay Using Sentinel-2 Data and Carbon Isotopes
Authors: Yu Guo , Zhong Yafeng , Liu Sihai , Lao Qibin , Chen Chunqing , Fu Dongyang , Chen Fajin
Published: July 2023

The source information of coastal particulate organic carbon (POC) with high spatial and temporal resolution is of great significance for the study of marine carbon cycles and marine biogeochemical processes. Over the past decade, satellite ocean color remote sensing has greatly improved our understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of ocean particulate organic carbon concentrations. However, due to the complexity of coastal POC sources, remote sensing methods for coastal POC sources have not yet been established. With an attempt to fill the gap, this study developed an algorithm for retrieving coastal POC sources using remote sensing and geochemical isotope technology. The isotope end-member mixing model was used to calculate the proportion of POC sources, and the response relationship between POC source information and in situ remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) was established to develop a retrieval algorithm for POC sources with the following four bands: (Rrs(443)/Rrs(492)) × (Rrs(704)/Rrs(665)). The results showed that the four-band algorithm performed well with R2, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and root mean square error (RMSE) values of 0.78, 33.57% and 13.74%, respectively. Validation against in situ data showed that the four-band algorithm derived calculated the proportion of marine POC accurately, with an MAPE and RMSE of 27.49% and 13.58%, respectively. The accuracy of the algorithm was verified based on the Sentinel-2 data, with an MAPE and RMSE of 28.02% and 15.72%, respectively. Additionally, we found that the proportion of marine POC sources was higher outside the Zhanjiang Bay than inside it using in situ survey data, which was consistent with the retrieved results. Influencing factors of POC sources may be due to the occurrence of phytoplankton blooms outside the bay and the impact of terrestrial inputs inside the bay. Remote sensing in combination with carbon isotopes provides important technical assistance in comprehending the biogeochemical process of POC and uncovering spatiotemporal variations in POC sources and their underlying causes.
An Improved UAV-Based ATI Method Incorporating Solar Radiation for Farm-Scale Bare Soil Moisture Measurement
Authors: Jia Renhao , Liu Jianli , Zhang Jiabao , Niu Yujie , Jiang Yifei , Xuan Kefan , Wang Can , Ji Jingchun , Ma Bin , Li Xiaopeng
Published: July 2023

The use of UAV-based remote sensing for soil moisture has developed rapidly in recent decades, with advantages such as high spatial resolution, flexible work arrangement, and ease of operation. In bare and low-vegetation-covered soils, the apparent thermal inertia (ATI) method, which adopts thermal infrared data from UAV-based remote sensing, has been widely used for soil moisture estimation at the field scale. However, the ATI method may not perform well under inconsistent weather conditions due to inconsistency of the intensity of the soil surface energy input. In this study, an improvement of the ATI method (ATI-R), considering the variation in soil surface energy input, was developed by the incorporation of solar radiation measurements. The performances of the two methods were compared using field experiment data during multiple heating processes under various weather conditions. It showed that on consistently sunny days, both ATI-R and ATI methods obtained good correlations with the volumetric water contents (VWC) (R2ATI-R = 0.775, RMSEATI-R = 0.023 cm3·cm−3 and R2ATI = 0.778, RMSEATI = 0.018 cm3·cm−3) on cloudy or a combination of sunny and cloudy days as long as there were significant soil-heating processes despite the different energy input intensities; the ATI-R method could perform better than the ATI method (cloudy: R2ATI-R = 0.565, RMSEATI-R = 0.024 cm3·cm−3 and R2ATI = 0.156, RMSEATI = 0.033 cm3·cm−3; combined: R2ATI-R = 0.673, RMSEATI-R = 0.028 cm3·cm−3 and R2ATI = 0.310, RMSEATI = 0.032 cm3·cm−3); and on overcast days, both the ATI-R and ATI methods could not perform satisfactorily (R2ATI-R = 0.027, RMSEATI-R = 0.024 cm3·cm−3 and R2ATI = 0.027, RMSEATI = 0.031 cm3·cm−3). The results indicate that supplemental solar radiation data could effectively expand applications of the ATI method, especially for inconsistent weather conditions.
Point Cloud Registration Based on Fast Point Feature Histogram Descriptors for 3D Reconstruction of Trees
Authors: Peng Yeping , Lin Shengdong , Wu Hongkun , Cao Guangzhong
Published: July 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction is an essential technique to visualize and monitor the growth of agricultural and forestry plants. However, inspecting tall plants (trees) remains a challenging task for single-camera systems. A combination of low-altitude remote sensing (an unmanned aerial vehicle) and a terrestrial capture platform (a mobile robot) is suggested to obtain the overall structural features of trees including the trunk and crown. To address the registration problem of the point clouds from different sensors, a registration method based on a fast point feature histogram (FPFH) is proposed to align the tree point clouds captured by terrestrial and airborne sensors. Normal vectors are extracted to define a Darboux coordinate frame whereby FPFH is calculated. The initial correspondences of point cloud pairs are calculated according to the Bhattacharyya distance. Reliable matching point pairs are then selected via random sample consensus. Finally, the 3D transformation is solved by singular value decomposition. For verification, experiments are conducted with real-world data. In the registration experiment on noisy and partial data, the root-mean-square error of the proposed method is 0.35% and 1.18% of SAC-IA and SAC-IA + ICP, respectively. The proposed method is useful for the extraction, monitoring, and analysis of plant phenotypes.
Classification of Large-Scale Mobile Laser Scanning Data in Urban Area with LightGBM
Authors: Sevgen Eray , Abdikan Saygin
Published: July 2023

Automatic point cloud classification (PCC) is a challenging task in large-scale urban point clouds due to the heterogeneous density of points, the high number of points and the incomplete set of objects. Although recent PCC studies rely on automatic feature extraction through deep learning (DL), there is still a gap for traditional machine learning (ML) models with hand-crafted features, particularly after emerging gradient boosting machine (GBM) methods. In this study, we are using the traditional ML framework for the problem of PCC in large-scale datasets following the steps of neighborhood definition, multi-scale feature extraction, and classification. Different from others, our framework takes advantage of the fast feature calculation with multi-scale radius neighborhood and a recent state-of-the-art GBM classifier, LightGBM. We tested our framework using three mobile urban datasets, Paris–Rau–Madame, Paris–Rue–Cassette and Toronto3D. According to the results, our framework outperforms traditional machine learning models and competes with DL-based methods.
Advances in Hyperspectral Image Classification Methods with Small Samples: A Review
Authors: Wang Xiaozhen , Liu Jiahang , Chi Weijian , Wang Weigang , Ni Yue
Published: July 2023

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification is one of the hotspots in remote sensing, and many methods have been continuously proposed in recent years. However, it is still challenging to achieve high accuracy classification in applications. One of the main reasons is the lack of labeled data. Due to the limitation of spatial resolution, manual labeling of HSI data is time-consuming and costly, so it is difficult to obtain a large amount of labeled data. In such a situation, many researchers turn their attention to the study of HSI classification with small samples. Focusing on this topic, this paper provides a systematic review of the research progress in recent years. Specifically, this paper contains three aspects. First, considering that the taxonomy used in previous review articles is not well-developed and confuses the reader, we propose a novel taxonomy based on the form of data utilization. This taxonomy provides a more accurate and comprehensive framework for categorizing the various approaches. Then, using the proposed taxonomy as a guideline, we analyze and summarize the existing methods, especially the latest research results (both deep and non-deep models) that were not included in the previous reviews, so that readers can understand the latest progress more clearly. Finally, we conduct several sets of experiments and present our opinions on current problems and future directions.
Coalition Game Theoretic Power Allocation Strategy for Multi-Target Detection in Distributed Radar Networks
Authors: Dai Xiangrong , Shi Chenguang , Wang Ziwei , Zhou Jianjiang
Published: July 2023

This paper studies a coalition game theoretic power allocation algorithm for multi-target detection in radar networks based on low probability of intercept (LPI). The main goal of the algorithm is to reduce the total radiated power of the radar networks while satisfying the predetermined target detection performance of each radar. Firstly, a utility function that comprehensively considers both target detection performance and the radiated power of the radar networks is designed with LPI performance as the guiding principle. Secondly, it causes a coalition to form between cooperating radars, and radars within the same coalition share information. On this basis, a mathematical model for power allocation in radar networks based on coalition game theory is established. The model takes the given target detection performance as a constraint and maximizing system energy efficiency and optimal power allocation as the optimization objective. Furthermore, this paper proposes a game algorithm for joint coalition formation and power allocation in a multi-target detection scenario. Finally, the existence and uniqueness of the Nash equilibrium (NE) solution are proven through strict mathematical deduction. Simulation results validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm.
Spatial Characteristics of Global Strong Constant-Frequency Electromagnetic Disturbances from Electric-Field VLF Data of the CSES
Authors: Han Ying , Wang Qiao , Huang Jianping , Yuan Jing , Li Zhong , Wang Yali , Jin Jingyi , Shen Xuhui
Published: July 2023

Ionospheric disturbances are mainly caused by solar and Earth surface activity. The electromagnetic data collected by the CSES (China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite, popularly known as the Zhangheng-1 satellite) can capture many space disturbances. Different spatial disturbances can exhibit distinctive shapes on spectrograms. Constant-frequency electromagnetic disturbances (CFEDs) such as artificially transmitted VLF radio waves, power line harmonics, and satellite platform disturbances can appear as horizontal lines on spectrograms. Therefore, we used computer vision and machine learning techniques to extract the frequency of global CFEDs and analyze their strong spatial signal characteristics. First, we obtained time-frequency spectrograms from CSES VLF electric-field waveform data using Fourier transform. Next, we employed an unsupervised clustering algorithm to automatically recognize CFED horizontal lines on spectrograms, merging horizontal lines from different spectrograms, to obtain the CFED horizontal-line frequency range. In the third stage, we verified the presence of CFEDs in power spectrograms, thus extracting their true frequency values. Finally, for strong CFED signals, we generated eight revisited periods, resulting in 10,230 power spectrograms for analyzing each CFED’s spatial characteristics using a combined periodic sequence and spatial region that included frequency offsets, frequency fluctuations, and signal non-observation areas. These findings contribute to enhancing the quality of CSES observational data and provides a theoretical basis for constructing global CFED spatial background fields and earthquake monitoring and early prediction systems.