bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Humic and Acetic Acids Have the Potential to Enhance Deterioration of Select Plastic Soil-Biodegradable Mulches in a Mediterranean Climate
Authors: Madrid Brenda , Zhang Huan , Miles Carol A. , Kraft Michael , Griffin-LaHue Deirdre , Wasko DeVetter Lisa
Published: June 2022

The perceived variability of plastic soil-biodegradable mulch (BDM) degradation has generated concerns about its functionality and sustainability, especially in climates and regions where biodegradation may be limited. This study evaluated the effects of surface-applied products (compost tea, dairy-based compost, humic and acetic acids) on the surface deterioration and visible degradation of three plastic BDMs (BASF 0.6, Novamont 0.6, and Novamont 0.7) and one cellulose paper mulch (WeedGuard Plus) in a Mediterranean climate. Deterioration was monitored for 10 months, and degradation was evaluated 6- and 12 months following soil incorporation. Deterioration varied between the two years of the study; however, the average deterioration for WeedGuard Plus reached 100%, BASF 0.6 and Novamont 0.6 achieved ≥80%, while Novamont 0.7 reached ≥70%. Application of humic and acetic acids increased BASF 0.6 deterioration, but only humic acid increased Novamont 0.7 deterioration. Scanning electron microscopy of mulch surfaces demonstrated evidence of microbial colonization; however, the surface-applied products did not enhance microbial counts. In-soil degradation of BDMs was inconsistent, but faster degradation occurred overall for starch- and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT)-based BDMs. Future studies should continue to explore on-farm strategies to enhance in-soil degradation to meet the production system’s goals.
A Conceptual Model for Development of Small Farm Management Information System: A Case of Indonesian Smallholder Chili Farmers
Authors: Henriyadi Henriyadi , Esichaikul Vatcharaporn , Anutariya Chutiporn
Published: June 2022

Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) assists farmers in managing their farms more effectively and efficiently. However, the use of FMIS to support crop cultivation is, at the present time, relatively expensive for smallholder farmers. Due to some handicaps, providing an FMIS that is suitable for small-holder farmers is a challenge. To analyze this gap, this study followed 3 steps, namely: (1) identified commodity and research area, (2) performed Farmers’ Information Needs Assessment (FINA), and (3) developed the conceptual model using the Soft System Methodology. Indonesian smallholder chili farmers are used as a case study. The most required information of smallholder’ farmers was identified through a qualitative questionnaire. Despite this, not all identified information needs could be accurately mapped. Thus, this indicates the need for a new FMIS conceptual model that is suitable for smallholder farmers. This study proposes an FMIS conceptual model for farm efficiency that incorporates five layers, namely farmers’ information needs, data quality assessment, data extraction, SMM (split, match and merge), and presentation layer. SMM layer also provides a method to comprehensively tackle three main problems in data interoperability problems, namely schema heterogeneity, schema granularity, and mismatch entity naming.
Structural Design and Simulation of Pneumatic Conveying Line for a Paddy Side-Deep Fertilisation System
Authors: Zhu Qingzhen , Zhang Hengyuan , Zhu Zhihao , Gao Yuanyuan , Chen Liping
Published: June 2022

To improve the consistency of sectional gas velocities in different rows in the pneumatic conveying line for a paddy side-deep fertilisation system, a new airflow equaliser was designed based on the mechanism of gas flow in ventilation engineering. Subsequently, the effects of key structural parameters and a position parameter of the airflow equaliser on the consistency of sectional gas velocities in different rows were investigated using the method of single-factor tests in Fluent, which provided a reasonable range for the next orthogonal test (notch angle (A): 120–180°, extended length (B): 18–30 mm and distance between adjacent branches (C): 120–160 mm). Thereafter, the parameters were optimised through an orthogonal test, using the coefficient of variation of the consistency of the sectional gas velocities in different rows (CV) as an indicator and using Fluent software. The results revealed that the order of primary and secondary factors was evaluated as B > A × B > C > A, and when A, B and C were selected as 150°, 30 mm and 120 mm, respectively, the consistency of the sectional gas velocities in different rows could get a very effective result (CV = 7.07%). Finally, to validate the feasibility of simulations of the performance of the airflow equalisers and to practically evaluate the contribution of the optimised airflow equalisers to improve the consistency of the sectional gas velocities in different rows, a bench test for the line with the optimised airflow equalisers and a simulation test for the line without the optimised airflow equalisers were carried out and the results showed that the CV values were 9.53%, 20.69%, respectively. It concluded that the optimised airflow equalisers could significantly improve the consistency of the sectional gas velocities in different rows by comparing the CV in the three tests including the simulation test for the line with the optimised airflow equalisers. This research provides a good reference for optimising the pneumatic conveying line for a paddy side-deep fertilisation system.
Analysis on Heat Characteristics for Summer Maize Cropping in a Semi-Arid Region
Authors: Wang Zhiwei , Sun Weiwei , Liu Xiaoli , Li Yangyang , Collins Brian , Ullah Najeeb , Song Youhong
Published: June 2022

Heat stress during flowering is a critical limitation for summer maize production. However, the incidence of heat varies with years and locations, and it poses a great risk to successful maize reproduction and kernel setting. Therefore, it is essential to provide a sound quantification of heat occurrence in relation to maize growth and development. Here, we analyzed the characteristics of heat occurrence based on climate data for over 60 years on Huaibei Plain, China. The effective accumulated temperature showed a slight interannual variation. The average maximum temperature (T¯max) during flowering was 32 °C–33 °C, which was approximately 2 °C higher than that over the whole growing season. The probability (P) for the daily Tmax > 33 °C during flowering was closer to 50% and this maximum temperature ranged between 33 °C and 37 °C. The five levels from normal to extreme heat for Tmax were defined. Across the six studied sites, the mild level heat stress accounted for most of incidents (P, 25–50%), followed by moderate (P, 13–25%) and severe (P, 0.5–13%), and the minimum for extreme heat stress (P, 0.5%). Four phases bracketing flowering during maize development were given, i.e., 1 week prior to anthesis, 1 week during anthesis, 1 week for anthesis-silking, and 1week post silking. There was a greater probability for heat stress incidents from anthesis to silking compared to the other developmental stages. Additionally, maize grain yield slightly increased with the increase in Tmax to 33 °C, but it declined as Tmax surpassed 33 °C. In conclusion, the pattern and characteristics of heat stress were quantified bracketing maize flowering. These findings assist to advise summer maize cropping strategies on the semi-arid and semi-humid Huaibei Plain, China or similar climate and cropping regions.
Irrigation and Nitrogen Application Promote Population Density through Altered Bud Bank Size and Components in Leymus chinensis
Authors: Yu Dafu , Zheng Xingyu , Mu Chunsheng , Wang Junfeng
Published: June 2022

The bud bank of perennial grasses is a controlling factor in population dynamics and is estrongly affected by soil water and nitrogen status. To explore how the bud bank size and its components affect shoot population density under different soil moisture and nitrogen contents in spring and autumn. A three-full-factorial field experiment with factors of treatment timing (spring and autumn), nitrogen rate (control and 10 g N m−2 yr−1) and irrigation rate (control and +40 mm rainfall) was conducted in Leymus chinensis (a C3 plant) in the northeast of China. The number of two types of buds (axillary shoot bud and rhizome bud), shoot population density, soil properties and rhizome traits (rhizome length and rhizome number) were determined to explore what and how changes in bud bank composition influences shoot population density in spring and autumn. The results showed that: (1) Regardless of the irrigation and nitrogen application timing, the simultaneous irrigation and nitrogen application significantly increased the number of two types of buds and promoted the shoot population density in spring and autumn by 56.75% and 47.74%, respectively. (2) The bud bank was dominated by rhizome buds in spring under control and dominated by axillary shoot buds under the combined irrigation and nitrogen treatment in autumn. Axillary shoot bud was the determining component in the population density increases in both spring and autumn, which were significantly associated with soil available phosphorus, available nitrogen and rhizome length and number. In summary, the number of different buds was strongly impacted by irrigation and nitrogen application at the crucial bud-bank formation stage. Agronomically, the forage yield could be largely increased through the increase in the axillary shoot bud density by using irrigation and nitrogen application in L. chinensis and other rhizomatous perennial grasses.
Impact of Super-High Density Olive Orchard Management System on Soil Free-Living and Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Central and South Italy
Authors: Landi Silvia , d’Errico Giada , Papini Rossella , Cutino Ilaria , Simoncini Stefania , Rocchini Andrea , Brandi Giorgio , Rizzo Roberto , Gugliuzza Giovanni , Germinara Giacinto Salvatore , Nucifora Salvatore , Mazzeo Gaetana , Roversi Pio Federico
Published: June 2022

The soil nematode community plays an important role in ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Super-high density (SHD) olive orchards on the nematode community in five sites with different soils, climates, and cultivars. At each site, the SHD management system was compared to the adjacent olive orchard traditional (TRAD) system, in which the same soil management and phytosanitary measures were applied. Soil management was assessed by total organic carbon content (TOC), while the soil nematode community was evaluated using the nematode taxa abundances and soil nematode indicators. TOC was significantly decreased in the SHD olive orchard system compared to TRAD in the sites characterized by conventional tillage and mineral fertilization. The two-way ANOSIM analysis on nematode abundance showed no difference between the two olive management methods, instead showing only a significant difference per site mainly due to variabilities in plant-parasitic nematode assemblage. However, a negative impact of SHD management was evident in environments stressed by summer droughts and conventional tillage: the ratio of obligate plant-parasites to bacterivores and fungivores (Pp/(B+F)) was significantly higher in SHD than in the TRAD olive orchard system, and the prey-to-predator θ mass ratio showed the lowest values in the sites under organic fertilization or green manure. The canonical correspondence analysis showed that the free-living nematodes were only slightly affected by SHD olive orchards; instead, the presence of plant-parasitic nematodes families such as Telotylenchidae, Paratylenchidae, Meloidogynidae, and Criconematidae was favored, in comparison to Longidoridae, Heteroderidae, and Pratylenchidae.
Determination of the Optimal Level of Dietary Zinc for Newly Weaned Pigs: A Dose-Response Study
Authors: Hansen Sally V. , Nørskov Natalja P. , Nørgaard Jan V. , Woyengo Tofuko A. , Poulsen Hanne D. , Nielsen Tina S.
Published: June 2022

One hundred and eighty individually housed piglets with an initial body weight of 7.63 ± 0.98 kg (at 28 days of age) were fed a diet containing either 153, 493, 1022, 1601, 2052 or 2407 mg zinc/kg (added Zn as zinc oxide; ZnO) from day 0–21 post weaning to determine the optimal level of Zn for weaned piglets. Body weight, feed intake and faecal scores were recorded, and blood and faecal samples were collected. Dietary Zn content quadratically affected both feed intake and gain in the first two weeks, with an approximately 1400 mg Zn/kg diet and a Zn intake of 400 mg/day as the optimal levels. The relative risk of diarrhoea increased up to 60% at day 7 and 14 if serum Zn status dropped below the weaning level (767 µg/L), and maintain the weaning serum Zn status required approximately 1100 mg Zn/kg (166 mg Zn/day) during week 1. Blood markers of intestinal integrity (D-lactate and diamine oxidase) were unaffected by dietary Zn, and dietary Zn levels of 1022 and 1601 mg/kg did not affect the faecal numbers of total bacteria, Lactobacilli and E. Coli bacteria compared to 153 mg Zn/kg. These results indicate that the requirement for Zn in newly weaned piglets may be substantially higher than currently assumed.
Real-World Effectiveness and Optimal Dosage of Favipiravir for Treatment of COVID-19: Results from a Multicenter Observational Study in Thailand
Authors: Rattanaumpawan Pinyo , Jirajariyavej Supunnee , Lerdlamyong Kanokorn , Palavutitotai Nattawan , Saiyarin Jatuporn
Published: June 2022

Favipiravir is a broad-spectrum oral antiviral agent that shows in vitro activity against SARS-CoV-2. Presently, data on the real-world effectiveness and optimal dosage of favipiravir for treating COVID-19 are limited. We conducted a retrospective observational study of hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19 at five tertiary care hospitals in Thailand. We reviewed patient charts to obtain all necessary data. Among 247 COVID-19 patients, 63 (23.0%) received ≥1 dose of favipiravir. Of these 63 patients, 61.9% were male with a median age of 48 years (range 22–85 years), 27.0% required an O2 nasal cannula, 9.5% required non-invasive ventilation and/or high-flow O2 therapy, and 6.4% required invasive mechanical ventilation and/or ECMO. The median baseline NEWS2 score was 5 (0–16). The Day-7 clinical improvement rate [95%CI] was 66.7% [53.7–78.0%] in all patients, 92.5% [75.7–99.1%] in patients who did not require O2 supplementation, and 47.2% [0.4–64.5%] in patients who required O2 supplementation. No life-threatening adverse events were identified. The 28-day mortality rate was 4.8%. A multivariate analysis revealed three poor prognostic factors for Day-7 clinical improvement (odds ratio (95%CI); p-value): older age (0.94 (0.89–0.99); p = 0.04), a higher baseline NEWS2 score (0.64 (0.47–0.88); p = 0.006), and a lower favipiravir loading dose (≤45 mg/kg/day) (0.04 (0.005–0.4); p = 0.006). In conclusion, our study reports the promising effectiveness of favipiravir for treating COVID-19 patients. In addition to older age and a high baseline NEWS2 score, a low loading dose of favipiravir (≤45 mg/kg/day) was also identified as a poor prognostic factor for early clinical improvement. Further studies to explore the optimal dose and the optimal timing of drug initiation for favipiravir should be performed.
Effects of Typical Antimicrobials on Growth Performance, Morphology and Antimicrobial Residues of Mung Bean Sprouts
Authors: Cao Jing , Wang Yajie , Wang Guanzhao , Ren Pingping , Wu Yongning , He Qinghua
Published: June 2022

Antimicrobials may be used to inhibit the growth of micro-organisms in the cultivation of mung bean sprouts, but the effects on mung bean sprouts are unclear. In the present study, the growth performance, morphology, antimicrobial effect and antimicrobial residues of mung bean sprouts cultivated in typical antimicrobial solutions were investigated. A screening of antimicrobial residues in thick-bud and rootless mung bean sprouts from local markets showed that the positive ratios of chloramphenicol, enrofloxacin, and furazolidone were 2.78%, 22.22%, and 13.89%, respectively. The cultivating experiment indicated that the production of mung bean sprouts in antimicrobial groups was significantly reduced over 96 h (p < 0.05). The bud and root length of mung bean sprouts in enrofloxacin, olaquindox, doxycycline and furazolidone groups were significantly shortened (p < 0.05), which cultivated thick-bud and rootless mung bean sprouts similar to the 6-benzyl-adenine group. Furthermore, linear regression analysis showed average optical density of 450 nm in circulating water and average production had no obvious correlation in mung bean sprouts (p > 0.05). Antimicrobial residues were found in both mung bean sprouts and circulating water. These novel findings reveal that the antimicrobials could cultivate thick-bud and rootless mung bean sprouts due to their toxicity. This study also proposed a new question regarding the abuse of antimicrobials in fast-growing vegetables, which could be a potential food safety issue.
Oxidative Stress Parameters as Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease towards the Development and Progression
Authors: Kong Amanda Shen-Yee , Lai Kok Song , Hee Cheng-Wan , Loh Jiun Yan , Lim Swee Hua Erin , Sathiya Maran
Published: June 2022

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally, with unhealthy lifestyles today greatly increasing the risk. Over the decades, scientific investigation has been carried out on reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their resultant oxidative stress based on their changes made on biological targets such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. Since the existing clinical studies with antioxidants failed to provide relevant findings on CVD prediction, the focus has shifted towards recognition of oxidised targets as biomarkers to predict prognosis and response to accurate treatment. The identification of redox markers could help clinicians in providing risk stratification for CVD events beyond the traditional prognostic and diagnostic targets. This review will focus on how oxidant-related parameters can be applied as biomarkers for CVD based on recent clinical evidence.
Exogenous Melatonin in the Culture Medium Does Not Affect the Development of In Vivo-Derived Pig Embryos but Substantially Improves the Quality of In Vitro-Produced Embryos
Authors: Martinez Cristina A. , Cuello Cristina , Parrilla Inmaculada , Maside Carolina , Ramis Guillermo , Cambra Josep M. , Vazquez Juan M. , Rodriguez-Martinez Heriberto , Gil Maria A. , Martinez Emilio A.
Published: June 2022

Cloned and transgenic pigs are relevant human disease models and serve as potential donors for regenerative medicine and xenotransplantation. These technologies demand oocytes and embryos of good quality. However, the current protocols for in vitro production (IVP) of pig embryos give reduced blastocyst efficiency and embryo quality compared to in vivo controls. This is likely due to culture conditions jeopardizing embryonic homeostasis including the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) influence. In this study, the antioxidant melatonin (1 nM) in the maturation medium, fertilization medium, or both media was ineffective in enhancing fertilization or embryonic development parameters of in vitro fertilized oocytes. Supplementation of melatonin in the fertilization medium also had no effect on sperm function. In contrast, the addition of melatonin to the embryo culture medium accelerated the timing of embryonic development and increased the percentages of cleaved embryos and presumed zygotes that developed to the blastocyst stage. Furthermore, it increased the number of inner mass cells and the inner mass cell/total cell number ratio per blastocyst while increasing intracellular glutathione and reducing ROS and DNA damage levels in embryos. Contrarily, the addition of melatonin to the embryo culture medium had no evident effect on in vivo-derived embryos, including the developmental capacity and the quality of in vivo-derived 4-cell embryos or the percentage of genome-edited in vivo-derived zygotes achieving the blastocyst stage. In conclusion, exogenous melatonin in the embryo culture medium enhances the development and quality of in vitro-derived embryos but not in in vivo-derived embryos. Exogenous melatonin is thus recommended during embryo culture of oocytes matured and fertilized in vitro for improving porcine IVP efficiency.
A Study on Customized Prediction of Daily Illness Risk Using Medical and Meteorological Data
Authors: Kim Minji , Jang Jiwon , Jeon Seungjin , Youm Sekyoung
Published: June 2022

This study selected the most common illnesses in children and older adults and aimed to provide a customized degree of daily risk for each illness based on patient data for specific regions and illnesses. Sample medical data of one million people provided by the National Health Insurance Corporation and information regarding the meteorological environment and atmosphere from the Korea Meteorological Administration and a public data portal using application programing interface were collected. Learning and predictions were carried out with machine learning. Models with high R2 were selected and tuned to determine the optimal hyperparameter for predicting the degree of daily risk of an illness. Illnesses with an R2 value greater than 0.65 were considered significant. For children, these consisted of acute bronchitis, the common cold, rhinitis and tonsillitis, and middle ear inflammation. For older adults, they consisted of high blood pressure and heart disease, the common cold, esophageal inflammation and gastritis, acute bronchitis, eczema and dermatitis, and chronic bronchitis. This study provides the degree of daily risk for the most common illnesses in each age group. Furthermore, the results of this study are expected to raise awareness of illnesses that occur in certain climates and to help prevent them.
Determining Optimal Sampling Numbers to Investigate the Soil Organic Matter in a Typical County of the Yellow River Delta, China
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Duan Mengqi , Zhang Xiaoguang , Song Xiangyun , Liu Xinwei , Cui Dejie
Published: June 2022

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays a crucial role in promoting soil tillage, improving soil fertility and providing crop nutrients. Investigation and sampling are the premise and basis for understanding the spatial distribution of SOM. The number of sampling points will affect the accuracy of spatial variation of SOM. Therefore, it is important scientific work to determine a reasonable number of sampling points under the premise of ensuring accuracy. In this study, Kenli County, a typical area of the Yellow River Delta in China, was taken as an example to investigate the effect of different sampling points on spatial-variation expression of SOM. A total of 12 sample subsets (including 900 samples) were randomly sampled at equal intervals from the 900 sample points, using geographic information system (GIS) technology and geostatistical analyses to explore the optimal number of samples. The results showed that the SOM content in the study area had a lower-middle degree of variation. As the number of sample points decreased, the spatial distribution of SOM showed the gradual weakening of detail-characterization ability; and when the number of sample points was too small (<100), there was a wrong expression that was not consistent with the actual situation. The value of RMSE has no obvious regularity with the change of sample number. The values of both ME and ASE showed a significant inflection point when the number of samples was 150 and remained around 0 and 4 as the number of samples increased, respectively. Combined with the three indicators of ME, RMSE and ASE, collecting at least 150 samples can satisfy the spatial-variation expression of SOM, equivalent to 107 sample points within the area of 1000 km2. The research results could provide important references for investigation of SOM content in areas with similar natural geographical conditions.
A Semantic Model in the Context of Maintenance: A Predictive Maintenance Case Study
Authors: May Gokan , Cho Sangje , Majidirad AmirHossein , Kiritsis Dimitris
Published: June 2022

Advanced technologies in modern industry collect massive volumes of data from a plethora of sources, such as processes, machines, components, and documents. This also applies to predictive maintenance. To provide access to these data in a standard and structured way, researchers and practitioners need to design and develop a semantic model of maintenance entities to build a reference ontology for maintenance. To date, there have been numerous studies combining the domain of predictive maintenance and ontology engineering. However, such earlier works, which focused on semantic interoperability to exchange data with standardized meanings, did not fully leverage the opportunities provided by data federation to elaborate these semantic technologies further. Therefore, in this paper, we fill this research gap by addressing interoperability in smart manufacturing and the issue of federating different data formats effectively by using semantic technologies in the context of maintenance. Furthermore, we introduce a semantic model in the form of an ontology for mapping relevant data. The proposed solution is validated and verified using an industrial implementation.
Ethyl Formate-Based Quarantine Treatment for Exotic Ants and Termites in Imported Rubber Plants and Stone Products
Authors: Kim Dongbin , Kwon Tae Hyung , Park Min-Goo , Kim Kyung Won , Cha Dong H. , Lee Byung-Ho
Published: June 2022

Exotic ants and termites, including Solenopsis invicta, are frequent hitchhikers intercepted from miscellaneous nonfood commodities. In particular, S. invicta has been intercepted in Korea in imported nursery plants, stone, and lumber products, which increases the potential for establishment of this destructive invasive pest in Korea. In this study, we conducted commercial-scale fumigation trials to evaluate ethyl formate (EF) as a potential alternative of methyl bromide using two species of imported rubber plants and pieces of marble as representative good and workers of Reticulitermes speratus as an EF-resistant surrogate for S. invicta. An EF treatment at 35 g/m3 for 4 h at >15 °C, the dose required for LCt99% (lethal concentration × time product required for 99% mortality of R. speratus), resulted in the complete control of R. speratus workers tested with rubber plants (Ficus benghalensis and F. retusa) and marble, 9% (w/v) and 60% (v/v) loading ratios, respectively. EF treatment did not adversely affect the leaf chlorophyll content, leaf color, and overall health of rubber plants or the visual appearance of the marble. Our results suggest that EF fumigation is a potential alternative to methyl bromide for the disinfestation of hitchhiking invasive termites and ants, including S. invicta, on imported rubber plants and stone products.
Robust Sentimental Class Prediction Based on Cryptocurrency-Related Tweets Using Tetrad of Feature Selection Techniques in Combination with Filtered Classifier
Authors: Alanazi Saad Awadh
Published: June 2022

Individual mental feelings and reactions are getting more significant as they help researchers, domain experts, businesses, companies, and other individuals understand the overall response of every individual in specific situations or circumstances. Every pure and compound sentiment can be classified using a dataset, which can be in the form of Twitter text by various Twitter users. Twitter is one of the vital platforms for individuals to participate and share their ideas about different topics; it is also considered to be one of the most famous and the biggest website for micro-blogging on the Internet. One of the key purposes of this study is to classify pure and compound sentiments based on text related to cryptocurrencies, an innovative way of trading and flourishing daily. The cryptocurrency market incurs many fluctuations in the coins’ value. A small positive or negative piece of news can sensate the whole scenario about the specific cryptocurrencies. In this paper, individuals’ pure and compound sentiments based on cryptocurrency-related Twitter text are classified. The dataset is collected through the Twitter API. In WEKA, the two deployment schemes are compared; firstly, straight with single feature selection technique (Tweet to lexicon feature vector), and secondly, a tetrad of feature selection techniques (Tweet to lexicon feature vector, Tweet to input lexicon feature vector, Tweet to SentiStrength feature vector, and Tweet to embedding feature vector) are used to purify the data LibLINEAR (LL) classifier, which contains fast algorithms for linear classification using L2-regularization L2-loss support vector machines (Dual SVM). The LL classifier differs in that it can potentially alleviate the sum of the absolute values of errors rather than the sum of the squared errors and is typically much speedier. Based on the overall performance parameters, the deployment scheme containing the tetrad of feature selection techniques with the LL classifier is considered the best choice for the purpose of classification. Among machine learning techniques, LL produces effective results and gives an efficient performance compared to other prevailing techniques. The findings of this research would be beneficial for Twitter users as well as cryptocurrency traders.
On the Track to Application Architectures in Public Transport Service Companies
Authors: Jüngling Stephan , Fetai Ilir , Rogger André , Morandi David , Peraic Martin
Published: June 2022

There are quite some machine learning (ML) models, frameworks, AI-based services or products from different IT solution providers available, which can be used as building blocks to embed and use in IT solution architectures of companies. However, the path from initial prototypical proof of concept solutions until the deployment of proven systems into the operational environment remains a major challenge. The potential of AI-based software components using ML or knowledge engineering (KE) is huge and the majority of small to medium enterprises are still unsure whether their internal developer teams should be extended by additional ML or KE skills to enrich their IT solution architectures with novel AI-based components where appropriate. How can enterprises manage the change and visualize the current state and foreseeable road-map? In the current paper, we propose an AI system landscape for the public transport sector, which is based on existing AI-domains and AI-categories defined by different technical reports of the European Commission. We collect use-cases from three different enterprises in the transportation sector and visualize them on the proposed domain specific AI-landscape. We provide some insights into different maturity levels of different AI-based components and how the different ML and KE based components can be embedded into an AI-based software development life-cycle (SDLC). We visualize, how the AI-based IT-solution architecture evolved over the last decades with respect to coupling and decoupling of layers and tiers in the overall Enterprise Architecture.
Steering of Beam Using Cylindrical Arrangements in a Metallic Parallel Plates Structure Operating over Ku-Band
Authors: Shrestha Sujan , Abbas Syed Muzahir , Asadnia Mohsen , Esselle Karu P.
Published: June 2022

A novel flat beam steering prototype based on the specific arrangement of a cylindrical unit cell is designed, manufactured and tested. The wideband and broad scanning capability is demonstrated at the Ku-band. We have considered two configurations, first with circular rings (CR) of the defined permittivity values for respective radial distance from the center of the aperture, second with cylindrical rods that shall be placed on a respective CR, which mimics the defined permittivity. The structure is generated from Vero CMYK full color wax, which utilizes the Multijet 3D printing method. The proposed prototype is designed in the operating frequency of 12 GHz (λ = 25 mm) and separation distance between the two parallel plates are maintained at 12.5 mm (0.5λ) for the TE10 mode of operation. The diameter of the two parallel plates and the proposed structure is of 100 mm (4λ) where the radius of cylinders varies from 0.5 to 3.5 mm and corresponding relative permittivity varies from 0.6687 to 2.4395. The overall height of the structure is 12.5 mm and is placed between two parallel plates. The minimum separation distance is maintained between the proposed structure and the feed WR-75 waveguide. Irises effect is performed to obtain impedance matching in the operating frequency bands. Beam steering of the radiated waves is observed for relative rotation angles of 0∘, 30∘, 45∘, 75∘ and 90∘ of the WR-75 waveguide along the edge of parallel plates. The overall proposed system weighs 179 g, which signifies the light weight characteristics. Moreover, the proposed structure shows low return loss over 10 GHz to 15 GHz operating frequency band.
Theoretical and Experimental Analysis on Statistical Properties of Coupling Efficiency for Single-Mode Fiber in Free-Space Optical Communication Link Based on Non-Kolmogorov Turbulence
Authors: Ma Lie , Gao Shijie , Chen Bo , Liu Yongkai
Published: June 2022

Non-Kolmogorov turbulence has been widely observed in free-space optical communication links and should be used to evaluate the system performance. We calculated the wavefront residual variance in the condition of the non-Kolmogorov turbulence model and deduced the mathematical expression of the probability density function (PDF) for the coupling efficiency (CE) of a single-mode fiber (SMF). The PDF was simulated, and the results showed its robustness and rationality. Moreover, an experiment was set up to verify the PDF with experimental distribution. The correlation coefficients are above 0.95 in all cases, which means the statistical model of the CE fitted the experimental distribution well.
Design Criteria and Accommodating Capacity Analysis of Vertiports for Urban Air Mobility and Its Application at Gimpo Airport in Korea
Authors: Ahn Byeongseon , Hwang Ho-Yon
Published: June 2022

This study establishes design criteria for touchdown and liftoff (TLOF) pads, final approach and takeoff (FATO), safety areas, gates, and taxiways, which are components necessary for the operation of vertiports for urban air mobility (UAM), and analyzed vertiport capacity compliant with the arrangement of the components in a limited space. We used new vertiport design regulations from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the vertiport design criteria. Vertiport components were sized based on Hyundai Motor’s S-A1 aircraft, and the layouts were classified as linear, satellite, and pier according to the arrangement of the TLOF pad and gate. The characteristics of each layout were analyzed for the same area. Based on these layouts, the parking space of Gimpo Airport that will be used for operating airport shuttles in the Seoul metropolitan area was measured and each layout was arranged to validate the characteristics of the layouts. Using the MATLAB program, we selected the most efficient layout among linear, satellite, and pier layouts, and estimated the TLOF pad and gate utilization rate. In addition, we evaluated the capacity of the two-story vertiport proposed by the Korea Airports Corporation for efficient use of space.
Influence Analysis of Simulation Parameters on Numerical Prediction of Compressible External Flow Field Based on NACA0012 Airfoil under Hypersonic Speed
Authors: Yang Lu , Zhang Guangming
Published: June 2022

Currently, the influence of numerical parameters on the prediction accuracy of the compressible external flow field characterized by a NACA0012 airfoil under hypersonic speed, especially the influence analyses of the trailing edge shape, the modeling methods, and the adopted data points on it are relatively sparse. In this paper, using three modeling approaches and two data point sources, six NACA0012 airfoils are designed including two types of trailing edge shapes. Unlike under the incompressible external flow field, the comparative analysis shows that though the optimal accuracy is obtained by the sharp trailing edge, the improper sharp trailing edge design could result in a greater error ratio than that of the blunt trailing edge. Similarly, the definition formula could provide the best performance, while in other cases, NACA4 is preferred and the selection between them depends on the adopted data point source. Furthermore, the increase in the number of the adopted two types of data points would lead to a decrease in prediction accuracy. According to the comparison among all the optimal total error ratios, the suggested configuration is the sharp trailing edge based on the definition formula adopting 200 points sourced from NACA4 + 16 m far-field distance + SA turbulence model + ROE flux type and the best result is 2.05%.
A Short-Term Wind Speed Forecasting Model Based on EMD/CEEMD and ARIMA-SVM Algorithms
Authors: Chen Ning , Sun Hongxin , Zhang Qi , Li Shouke
Published: June 2022

In order to ensure the driving safety of vehicles in windy environments, a wind monitoring and warning system is widely used, in which a wind speed prediction algorithm with better stability and sufficient accuracy is one of the key factors to ensure the smooth operation of the system. In this paper, a novel short-term wind speed forecasting model, combining complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD), auto-regressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), and support vector machine (SVM) technology, is proposed. Firstly, EMD and CEEMD are used to decompose the measured wind speed sequence into a finite number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and a decomposed residual. Each of the IMF subseries has better linear characteristics. The ARIMA algorithm is adopted to predict each of the subseries. Then, a new subseries is reconstructed using the sum of the predicted errors of all subseries. The high nonlinear features of the reconstructed error subseries are modeled using SVM, which is suitable to process nonlinear data. Finally, the superposition of all prediction results is performed to obtain the final predicted wind speed. To verify the stability and accuracy of the model, two typhoon datasets, measured from the south coast of China, are used to test the proposed methods. The results show that the proposed hybrid model has a better predictive ability than single models and other combined models. The root mean squared errors (RMSEs) of the hybrid model for the three wind speed datasets are 0.839, 0.529, and 0.377, respectively. The combination of CEEMD with ARIMA contributes most of the prediction performance to the hybrid model. It is feasible to apply the hybrid model to wind speed prediction.
Optimal Placement of Vibration Sensors for Industrial Robots Based on Bayesian Theory
Authors: Hu Qiao , Zhang Yangkun , Xie Xingju , Su Wenbin , Li Yangyang , Shan Liuhao , Yu Xiaojie
Published: June 2022

This paper presents an optimal sensor placement method for vibration signal acquisition in the field of industrial robot health monitoring and fault diagnosis. Based on the general formula of Bayes and relative entropy, the evaluation function of sensor placement is deduced, and the modal confidence matrix is used to express the redundancy of sensor placement. The optimal placement of vibration sensors is described as a discrete variable optimization problem, which is defined as whether the existing sensor layout can obtain joint state information efficiently. The initial layout of the sensor was obtained from the structural simulation results of the industrial robots, and the initial layout was optimized by the derived objective function. The efficiency of the optimized layout in capturing joint state information is proven by the validation experiment with a simulation model. The problem of popularizing the optimization method in engineering is solved by a verification experiment without a simulation model. The optimal sensor placement method provides a theoretical basis for industrial robots to acquire vibration data effectively.
Development of the Effect of Video Assistant Referee Application on Football Parameters
Authors: Buyukcelebi Hakan , Duz Serkan , Acak Mahmut , Nalbant Umut , Svatora Karel , Gabrys Tomasz , Karayigit Raci
Published: June 2022

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) application is a technological development that gives referees the chance to review their critical decisions. The current study aimed to determine the effect of the VAR system in international football organizations on the game over the years. The sample of the study consists of 115 football matches, specifically 64 matches played in the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 51 matches played in the 2020 European Football Championship. In the competitions handled, the number of goals, the number of yellow cards, the number of red cards, the first half time, the second half time, the total match time, the number of penalties and the number of offsides were examined. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare two independent groups. As a result, in the 2020 European Football Championship, there was a decrease in the second half time (p = 0.01) and total match time (p = 0.01), and a significant increase in the number of offsides (p = 0.03) compared to the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the two tournaments in the variables of number of goals, number of yellow cards, number of red cards, half time and penalty shootout (p > 0.05). In light of the data obtained, it can be said that the effect of the VAR system on the spirit of the game will decrease as the share of the VAR system in the pauses during the competition decreases over the years. The data revealed in the study may be a clue to explaining why the effect of the VAR system on game dynamics and game spirit has decreased over the years. Therefore, the concerns of football stakeholders about the effects of the system on the game may gradually decrease with the arrangements made for VAR.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Exhibit Low Cytotoxic and Inflammatory Properties in Macrophages In Vitro
Authors: Sternbæk Louise , Kimani Martha , Gawlitza Kornelia , Rurack Knut , Janicke Birgit , Alm Kersti , Wingren Anette Gjörloff , Eriksson Håkan
Published: June 2022

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) against sialic acid (SA) have been developed as a detection tool to target cancer cells. Before proceeding to in vivo studies, a better knowledge of the overall effects of MIPs on the innate immune system is needed. The aim of this study thus was to exemplarily assess whether SA-MIPs lead to inflammatory and/or cytotoxic responses when administered to phagocytosing cells in the innate immune system. The response of monocytic/macrophage cell lines to two different reference particles, Alhydrogel and PLGA, was compared to their response to SA-MIPs. In vitro culture showed a cellular association of SA-MIPs and Alhydrogel, as analyzed by flow cytometry. The reference particle Alhydrogel induced secretion of IL-1β from the monocytic cell line THP-1, whereas almost no secretion was provoked for SA-MIPs. A reduced number of both THP-1 and RAW 264.7 cells were observed after incubation with SA-MIPs and this was not caused by cytotoxicity. Digital holographic cytometry showed that SA-MIP treatment affected cell division, with much fewer cells dividing. Thus, the reduced number of cells after SA-MIP treatment was not linked to SA-MIPs cytotoxicity. In conclusion, SA-MIPs have a low degree of inflammatory properties, are not cytotoxic, and can be applicable for future in vivo studies.
Drift Potential Characteristics of a Flat Fan Nozzle: A Numerical and Experimental Study
Authors: Wang Juan , Liang Qifu , Zeng Tiwei , Zhang Xirui , Fu Wei , Lan Yubin
Published: June 2022

This study explores the drift potential characteristics of a flat fan nozzle. The atomization and drift characteristics of fan-shaped pressure nozzles were studied at a spraying height of 0.6 m and a lateral wind speed of 0–6 m/s through a combination of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses and wind tunnel experiments. The nozzle Lu 120-03 had a spraying pressure of 0.3 MPa. The results show that as the wind speed varies from 0 m/s to 6 m/s, the spray droplet spectrum also changes, and the droplet volume medium diameter increases. The cumulative droplet ratio and droplet spectral width of M oscillate within certain ranges. The amount of spray drift increases at higher wind speeds. The concentration of droplet deposition on the bottom of the wind tunnel gradually spreads downward in the wind direction. The determination coefficient R2 of the straight-line fitting of the drift characteristics is 0.982, which is highly consistent with the CFD simulation results. A CFD simulation-assisted wind tunnel test method, which is more convenient and repeatable than traditional field tests, is proposed to analyze the droplet spectrum and drift of Lechler series nozzles. The program can accurately simulate the actual drift and provide theoretical and data support for the optimization of atomization and drift characteristics of several types of flat fan nozzles under different spraying pressures and crosswinds in practical applications.
Metagenomic Research of Infectious Diseases in Archaeological Contexts: Evidence from the Hospital Real de Todos-os-Santos (Portugal)
Authors: Alves-Cardoso Francisca , Palomo-Díez Sara , Conde Alejandro Alonso , Gomes Cláudia , Casimiro Silvia , da Silva Rodrigo Banha , Arroyo-Pardo Eduardo
Published: June 2022

Syphilis is one of the most exciting diseases explored in paleopathology and, therefore, tracing back its origin and development has provided a prolific debate. The combination of paleopathological data with historical sources, iconography, and archaeological contexts were the primary sources used to reconstruct its historical path. However, there are some limitations to paleopathological diagnosis due to the nature of bone reaction to stimuli. In addition, historical sources are subjected to a bias of social and cultural nature and the knowledge of those who wrote them. Hence, ancient DNA analysis offers the possibility of acquiring proof of cause by identifying pathogens in an organism. We undertook a metagenomic study of a skeleton exhumed from the Royal Hospital of All Saints (Portugal), renowned for treating syphilis from the 16th century onwards. The skeleton had previously been diagnosed with syphilis according to paleopathological analysis. However, the metagenomics analysis showed no presence of the pathogen associated with syphilis (i.e., Treponema pallidum) but revealed pathogenic microorganisms related to respiratory diseases (pneumonia), nonspecific bone infections (osteomyelitis), and oral bacterial pathologies as well as Hansen’s disease (also known as leprosy). The results are exciting and demand a reappraisal of the observed bone changes, recontextualizing their characterization as syphilis related. They prove that past reconstruction of health and disease diagnoses based on assessing human osteological remains of known context (such as a syphilitic hospital) may bias interpretations and, therefore, caution is recommended, not forgetting that the absence of evidence is not evidence of absence (in this case of syphilis) in life.