bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and Insecticidal Activity of Novel Anthranilic Diamide Insecticides Containing Indane and Its Analogs
Authors: Yang Zhihui , Hu Ruihan , Chen Jingjing , Du Xiaohua
Published: February 2024

Diamide insecticides have always been a hot research topic in the field of pesticides. To further discover new compounds with high activity and safety, indane and its analogs were introduced into chlorantraniliprole, and a battery of chlorfenil derivatives, including indane and its analogs, were designed and prepared for biological testing. Their characterization and verification were carried out through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). Biological detection showed that all the compounds exhibited good insecticidal activity against Mythimna separata. At 0.8 mg/L, the insecticidal activity of compound 8q against Mythimna separata was 80%, which was slightly better than that of chlorantraniliprole. The results of the structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis indicated that the indane moiety had a significant effect on insecticidal activity, especially in the R-configuration. The results indicated that chlorantraniliprole derivatives containing indane groups could serve as pilot compounds for the further development of new insecticides.
Genetic Ablation of STE20-Type Kinase MST4 Does Not Alleviate Diet-Induced MASLD Susceptibility in Mice
Authors: Caputo Mara , Andersson Emma , Xia Ying , Hou Wei , Cansby Emmelie , Erikson Max , Lind Dan Emil , Hallberg Bengt , Amrutkar Manoj , Mahlapuu Margit
Published: February 2024

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and its advanced subtype, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), have emerged as the most common chronic liver disease worldwide, yet there is no targeted pharmacotherapy presently available. This study aimed to investigate the possible in vivo function of STE20-type protein kinase MST4, which was earlier implicated in the regulation of hepatocellular lipotoxic milieu in vitro, in the control of the diet-induced impairment of systemic glucose and insulin homeostasis as well as MASLD susceptibility. Whole-body and liver-specific Mst4 knockout mice were generated by crossbreeding conditional Mst4fl/fl mice with mice expressing Cre recombinase under the Sox2 or Alb promoters, respectively. To replicate the environment in high-risk subjects, Mst4–/– mice and their wild-type littermates were fed a high-fat or a methionine–choline-deficient (MCD) diet. Different in vivo tests were conducted in obese mice to describe the whole-body metabolism. MASLD progression in the liver and lipotoxic damage to adipose tissue, kidney, and skeletal muscle were analyzed by histological and immunofluorescence analysis, biochemical assays, and protein and gene expression profiling. In parallel, intracellular fat storage and oxidative stress were assessed in primary mouse hepatocytes, where MST4 was silenced by small interfering RNA. We found that global MST4 depletion had no effect on body weight or composition, locomotor activity, whole-body glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity in obese mice. Furthermore, we observed no alterations in lipotoxic injuries to the liver, adipose, kidney, or skeletal muscle tissue in high-fat diet-fed whole-body Mst4–/– vs. wild-type mice. Liver-specific Mst4–/– mice and wild-type littermates displayed a similar severity of MASLD when subjected to an MCD diet, as evidenced by equal levels of steatosis, inflammation, hepatic stellate cell activation, fibrosis, oxidative/ER stress, and apoptosis in the liver. In contrast, the in vitro silencing of MST4 effectively protected primary mouse hepatocytes against ectopic lipid accumulation and oxidative cell injury triggered by exposure to fatty acids. In summary, these results suggest that the genetic ablation of MST4 in mice does not mitigate the initiation or progression of MASLD and has no effect on systemic glucose or insulin homeostasis in the context of nutritional stress. The functional compensation for the genetic loss of MST4 by yet undefined mechanisms may contribute to the apparent discrepancy between in vivo and in vitro phenotypic consequences of MST4 silencing.
Factors Affecting the Formation of False Health Information and the Role of Social Media Literacy in Reducing Its Effects
Authors: Ho Kevin K. W. , Ye Shaoyu
Published: February 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic heightened concerns about health and safety, leading people to seek information to protect themselves from infection. Even before the pandemic, false health information was spreading on social media. We conducted a review of recent literature in health and social sciences and proposed a theoretical model to understand the factors influencing the spread of false health information. Our focus was on how false health information circulated before and during the pandemic, impacting people’s perceptions of believing information on social media. We identified four possible strategies to counteract the negative effects of false health information: prebunking, refuting, legislation, and media literacy. We argue that improving people’s social media literacy skills is among the most effective ways to address this issue. Our findings provide a basis for future research and the development of policies to minimize the impact of false health information on society.
Information Systems Strategy for Multi-National Corporations: Towards an Operational Model and Action List
Authors: Wynn Martin , Weber Christian
Published: February 2024

The development and implementation of information systems strategy in multi-national corporations (MNCs) faces particular challenges—cultural differences and variations in work values and practices across different countries, numerous technology landscapes and legacy issues, language and accounting particularities, and differing business models. This article builds upon the existing literature and in-depth interviews with eighteen industry practitioners employed in six MNCs to construct an operational model to address these challenges. The research design is based on an inductive, qualitative approach that develops an initial conceptual framework—derived from the literature—into an operational model, which is then applied and refined in a case study company. The final model consists of change components and process phases. Six change components are identified that drive and underpin IS strategy—business strategy, systems projects, technology infrastructure, process change, skills and competencies, and costs and benefits. Five core process phases are recognized—review, align, engage, execute, and control. The model is based on the interaction between these two dimensions—change components and process phases—and an action list is also developed to support the application of the model, which contributes to the theory and practice of information systems deployment in MNCs.
Mitogenomes Provide Insights into the Species Boundaries and Phylogenetic Relationships among Three Dolycoris Sloe Bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) from China
Authors: Zheng Chenguang , Zhu Xiuxiu , Wang Ying , Dong Xue , Yang Ruijuan , Tang Zechen , Bu Wenjun
Published: February 2024

(1) Background: The three sloe bugs, Dolycoris baccarum, Dolycoris indicus, and Dolycoris penicillatus, are found in the Chinese mainland and are morphologically similar. The species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships of the three species remain uncertain; (2) Methods: In this study, we generated multiple mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) for each of the three species and conducted comparative mitogenomic analysis, species delimitation, and phylogenetic analysis based on these data; (3) Results: Mitogenomes of the three Dolycoris species are conserved in nucleotide composition, gene arrangement, and codon usage. All protein-coding genes (PCGs) were found to be under purifying selection, and the ND4 evolved at the fastest rate. Most species delimitation analyses based on the COI gene and the concatenated 13 PCGs retrieved three operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which corresponded well with the three Dolycoris species identified based on morphological characters. A clear-cut barcode gap was discovered between the interspecific and intraspecific genetic distances of the three Dolycoris species. Phylogenetic analyses strongly supported the monophyly of Dolycoris, with interspecific relationship inferred as (D. indicus + (D. baccarum + D. penicillatus)); (4) Conclusions: Our study provides the first insight into the species boundaries and phylogenetic relationships of the three Dolycoris species distributed across the Chinese mainland.
Retinal Adaptation in Response to Light and Dark Regimes in the Oriental Armyworm Mythimna separata (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Authors: Chen Qing-Xiao , Han Ying
Published: February 2024

The oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker), is a well-known nocturnal migratory pest that relies on its exceptional nocturnal vision for navigation during long-distance flights. In this study, we investigated the ultrastructure of the compound eyes of adult M. separata using transmission electron microscopy and quantitatively evaluated adaptational changes in the retina under light and dark conditions. The compound eyes of M. separata are superposition eyes with a clear zone. The retina shows remarkable anatomical differences under light and dark adaptation, primarily characterized by distinct patterns of rhabdoms within the clear zone: the rhabdoms are nearly absent under light adaptation, but become more voluminous under dark adaptation. In the distal, middle, and proximal sections of the clear zone, the cross-sectional areas of retinulae and rhabdoms, as well as the rhabdom occupation ratio, are significantly larger under dark adaptation than under light adaptation. Conversely, the opposite trend is observed beneath the clear zone. These results indicate remarkable plasticity in the M. separata retina throughout a normal daily cycle, providing a theoretical basis for improving searchlight and ground light trap techniques for the management of this migratory species.
Nutritional Status, Sex, and Ambient Temperature Modulate the Wingbeat Frequency of the Diamondback Moth Plutella xylostella
Authors: Wang Menglun , Wang Jialin , Liang Pei , Wu Kongming
Published: February 2024

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), is a cosmopolitan horticultural pest that is undergoing a fast, climate-driven range expansion. Its wide geographic distribution, pest status, and high incidence of insecticide resistance are directly tied to long-distance migration. Wingbeat frequency (WBF) is a key aspect of P. xylostella migratory behavior, but has received limited scientific attention. Here, we investigated the effects of environmental parameters, age, adult nutrition, and sex on P. xylostella WBF. Across experimental regimes, WBF ranged from 31.39 Hz to 78.87 Hz. Over a 10–35 °C range, the WBF of both male and female moths increased with temperature up to 62.96 Hz. Though male WBF was unaffected by humidity, females exhibited the highest WBF at 15% relative humidity (RH). WBF was unaffected by adult age, but adult nutrition exerted important impacts. Specifically, the WBF of moths fed honey water (54.66 Hz) was higher than that of water-fed individuals (49.42 Hz). Lastly, males consistently exhibited a higher WBF than females. By uncovering the biological and (nutritional) ecological determinants of diamondback moth flight, our work provides invaluable guidance to radar-based monitoring, migration forecasting, and the targeted deployment of preventative mitigation tactics.
Transcriptome-Wide Identification of Cytochrome P450s in Tea Black Tussock Moth (Dasychira baibarana) and Candidate Genes Involved in Type-II Sex Pheromone Biosynthesis
Authors: Wang Tiekuang , Liu Xufei , Luo Zongxiu , Cai Xiaoming , Li Zhaoqun , Bian Lei , Xiu Chunli , Chen Zongmao , Li Qiurong , Fu Nanxia
Published: February 2024

The tea black tussock moth (Dasychira baibarana), a devastating pest in Chinese tea plantations, uses a ternary Type-II pheromone blend containing (3Z,6Z)-cis-9,10-epoxyhenicosa-3,6-diene (Z3,Z6,epo9-21:H), (3Z,6Z,11E)-cis-9,10-epoxyhenicosa-3,6,11-triene (Z3,Z6,epo9,E11-21:H), and (3Z,6Z)-henicosa-3,6-dien-11-one (Z3,Z6-21:11-one) for mate communication. To elucidate the P450 candidates associated with the biosynthesis of these sex pheromone components, we sequenced the female D. baibarana pheromone gland and the abdomen excluding the pheromone gland. A total of 75 DbP450s were identified. Function annotation suggested six CYPs were orthologous genes that are linked to molting hormone metabolism, and eight antennae specifically and significantly up-regulated CYPs may play roles in odorant processing. Based on a combination of comparative RNAseq, phylogenetic, and tissue expression pattern analysis, one CYP4G with abdomen specifically predominant expression pattern was likely to be the P450 decarbonylase, while the pheromone-gland specifically and most abundant CYP341B65 was the most promising epoxidase candidate for the D. baibarana sex pheromone biosynthesis. Collectively, our research laid a valuable basis not only for further functional elucidation of the candidate P450 decarbonylase and epoxidase for the sex pheromone biosynthesis but also for understanding the physiological functions and functional diversity of the CYP gene superfamily in the D. baibarana.
Anaerobic Digestion of Cuttings from Grassland in Protected Landscape Areas
Authors: Brandhorst Christina , Hülsemann Benedikt , Ohnmacht Benjamin , Lemmer Andreas
Published: February 2024

Orchard meadows are biodiversity hotspots, as the understory often consists of species-rich lowland hay meadows. Due to the low energy density of the grass, it is not suitable as feed, but the energetic utilisation of cuttings from orchard meadows for biogas production could facilitate the protection of these semi-natural grasslands. Here, lowland hay meadows and extensively used orchards were investigated to assess their potential for anaerobic digestion in biogas plants. Aboveground biomass was harvested weekly from three lowland hay meadows differing in conservation statuses and analysed for cell wall components (aNDF, ADF, and ADL), nutritional values (XF, XL, XP), and methane formation potential by anaerobic digestion. Further, orchard meadows were harvested twice during summer and analysed in the same way. Specific methane yield decreased linearly with cutting dates from 0.325 m3 kg−1(oDM) to 0.237 m3 kg−1(oDM). The cumulated area-related methane yields of the orchards ranged from 818 m3 ha−1 to 1036 m3 ha−1. Specific methane yields were linearly correlated with XL, aNDF, ADF, and ADL.
Effects of Proprioceptive Insoles and Specific Core Training on Postural Stability for Preventing Injuries in Tennis
Authors: Messina Giuseppe , Francavilla Vincenzo Cristian , Lima Francesco , Padua Elvira , Secolo Giuseppe , Secolo Innocenzo , Iovane Angelo , Parisi Maria Chiara , Di Corrado Donatella
Published: February 2024

Tennis is a complex sport based on unpredictability that requires adequate physical and psychological preparation to prevent injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 8-week specific core stability training on postural stability in competitive adolescent tennis players, aged between 14 and 19 years old. Sixty-one participants were randomly allocated into two groups: experimental (n = 32) and control (n = 29) groups. The first group wore proprioceptive insoles 8 h a day and performed a detailed training 3 times a week for 8 weeks; the second group only received proprioceptive insoles to wear 8 h a day for 8 weeks. The postural stability parameters (center-of-pressure length, center-of-pressure velocity, and 95% confidence ellipse sway area) included three assessment times: baseline (T0), intermediate test (T1), post-test (T2), and retention test (T3). Data analysis showed a significant improvement in the experimental group compared with the control group, indicating a large effect size in center-of-pressure length, ellipse sway area, and center-of-pressure velocity at T2 and T3 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our results suggest that a specific and detailed core stability training plays a significant role in improving balance and postural stability in young tennis players, especially in terms of preventing the risk of injury.
Uncertainty Quantification of Neural Reflectance Fields for Underwater Scenes
Authors: Lian Haojie , Li Xinhao , Chen Leilei , Wen Xin , Zhang Mengxi , Zhang Jieyuan , Qu Yilin
Published: February 2024

Neural radiance fields and neural reflectance fields are novel deep learning methods for generating novel views of 3D scenes from 2D images. To extend the neural scene representation techniques to complex underwater environments, beyond neural reflectance fields underwater (BNU) was proposed, which considers the relighting conditions of on-aboard light sources by using neural reflectance fields, and approximates the attenuation and backscatter effects of water with an additional constant. Because the quality of the neural representation of underwater scenes is critical to downstream tasks such as marine surveying and mapping, the model reliability should be considered and evaluated. However, current neural reflectance models lack the ability of quantifying the uncertainty of underwater scenes that are not directly observed during training, which hinders their widespread use in the field of underwater unmanned autonomous navigation. To address this issue, we introduce an ensemble strategy to BNU that quantifies cognitive uncertainty in color space and unobserved regions with the expectation and variance of RGB values and termination probabilities along the ray. We also employ a regularization method to smooth the density of the underwater neural reflectance model. The effectiveness of the present method is demonstrated in numerical experiments.
Sonar Image Target Detection Based on Simulated Stain-like Noise and Shadow Enhancement in Optical Images under Zero-Shot Learning
Authors: Xi Jier , Ye Xiufen
Published: February 2024

There are many challenges in using side-scan sonar (SSS) images to detect objects. The challenge of object detection and recognition in sonar data is greater than in optical images due to the sparsity of detectable targets. The complexity of real-world underwater scanning presents additional difficulties, as different angles produce sonar images of varying characteristics. This heterogeneity makes it difficult for algorithms to accurately identify and detect sonar objects. To solve these problems, this paper presents a novel method for sonar image target detection based on a transformer and YOLOv7. Thus, two data augmentation techniques are introduced to improve the performance of the detection system. The first technique applies stain-like noise to the training optical image data to simulate the real sonar image environment. The second technique adds multiple shadows to the optical image and 3D data targets to represent the direction of the target in the sonar image. The proposed method is evaluated on a public sonar image dataset, and the experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy and speed. The experimental results show that our method achieves better precision.
Research on the Drift Prediction of Marine Floating Debris: A Case Study of the South China Sea Maritime Drift Experiment
Authors: Mu Lin , Tu Haiwen , Geng Xiongfei , Qiao Fangli , Chen Zhihui , Jia Sen , Zhu Ruifei , Zhang Tianyu , Chen Zhi
Published: February 2024

Annually, hundreds of individuals tragically lose their lives at sea due to shipwrecks or aircraft accidents. For search and rescue personnel, the task of locating the debris of a downed aircraft in the vastness of the ocean presents a formidable challenge. A primary task these teams face is determining the search area, which is a critical step in the rescue operation. The movement of aircraft wreckage on the ocean surface is extremely complex, influenced by the combined effects of surface winds, waves, and currents. Establishing an appropriate drift motion prediction model is instrumental in accurately determining the search area for the wreckage. This article initially conducts maritime drift observation experiments on wreckage, and based on the results of these experiments, analyzes the drift characteristics and patterns of the debris. Subsequently, employing a wealth of observational experimental data, three types of drift prediction models for the wreckage are established using the least squares method. These models include the AP98 model, the dynamics model, and an improved model. In conclusion, the effectiveness and accuracy of the three models is evaluated and analyzed using Monte Carlo techniques. The results indicate that the probability of positive crosswind leeway (CWL) is 47.4%, while the probability of negative crosswind leeway (CWL) is 52.6%. The jibing frequency is 7.7% per hour, and the maximum leeway divergence angle observed is 40.4 degrees. Among the three drift prediction models, the refined AP98 drift model demonstrates the highest forecasting precision. The findings of this study offer a more accurate drift prediction model for the search of an aircraft lost at sea. These results hold significant guiding importance for maritime search and rescue operations in the South China Sea.
Agent-Guided Non-Local Network for Underwater Image Enhancement and Super-Resolution Using Multi-Color Space
Authors: Wang Rong , Zhang Yonghui , Zhang Yulu
Published: February 2024

The absorption and scattering of light in water usually result in the degradation of underwater image quality, such as color distortion and low contrast. Additionally, the performance of acquisition devices may limit the spatial resolution of underwater images, resulting in the loss of image details. Efficient modeling of long-range dependency is essential for understanding the global structure and local context of underwater images to enhance and restore details, which is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose an agent-guided non-local attention network using a multi-color space for underwater image enhancement and super-resolution. Specifically, local features with different receptive fields are first extracted simultaneously in the RGB, Lab, and HSI color spaces of underwater images. Then, the designed agent-guided non-local attention module with high expressiveness and lower computational complexity is utilized to model long-range dependency. Subsequently, the results from the multi-color space are adaptively fused with learned weights, and finally, the reconstruction block composed of deconvolution and the designed non-local attention module is used to output enhanced and super-resolution images. Experiments on multiple datasets demonstrated that our method significantly improves the visual perception of degraded underwater images and efficiently reconstructs missing details, and objective evaluations confirmed the superiority of our method over other state-of-the-art methods.
Three Biopolymers and Origin of Life Scenarios
Authors: Agmon Ilana
Published: February 2024

To track down the possible roots of life, various models for the initial living system composed of different combinations of the three extant biopolymers, RNA, DNA, and proteins, are presented. The suitability of each molecular set is assessed according to its ability to emerge autonomously, sustain, and evolve continuously towards life as we know it. The analysis incorporates current biological knowledge gained from high-resolution structural data and large sequence datasets, together with experimental results concerned with RNA replication and with the activity demonstrated by standalone constructs of the ribosomal Peptidyl Transferase Center region. The scrutiny excludes the DNA–protein combination and assigns negligible likelihood to the existence of an RNA–DNA world, as well as to an RNA world that contained a replicase made of RNA. It points to the precedence of an RNA–protein system, whose model of emergence suggests specific processes whereby a coded proto-ribosome ribozyme, specifically aminoacylated proto-tRNAs and a proto-polymerase enzyme, could have autonomously emerged, cross-catalyzing the formation of each other. This molecular set constitutes a feasible starting point for a continuous evolutionary path, proceeding via natural processes from the inanimate matter towards life as we know it.
Digital Technology 4.0 on Halal Supply Chain: A Systematic Review
Authors: Harsanto Budi , Farras Joval Ifghaniyafi , Firmansyah Egi Arvian , Pradana Mahir , Apriliadi Ardi
Published: February 2024

Background: The halal supply chain is a focused type of supply chain that ensures halal products throughout the entire process, from upstream to downstream. This paper aims to identify the innovative digital technology 4.0 utilized within the halal supply chain and understand its impact on firm performance, both financial and non-financial. Methods: A systematic review methodology was employed on the academic database of Scopus, resulting in 70 articles. We analyze the included articles with two main aspects that are of concern in this research, namely what technology is used in certain parts of the supply chain (procurement, manufacturing, distribution, and/or logistics), as well as the impact on firm performance (financial and/or non-financial); Results: Our findings reveal that the technologies widely used include blockchain technology, halal financial technology, and halal traceability system (RFID, IoT). Conclusions: Innovative digital technology has been implemented in the halal supply chain and has affected the firm’s performance both financially and non-financially. Future research is suggested to focus on investigations regarding holistic technology integration, quantitative analysis to measure the specific financial performance of firms adopting digital technologies, and the feasibility and importance of technology adoption for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the halal industry.
Advances and Trends in Non-Conventional, Abrasive and Precision Machining 2021
Authors: Deja Mariusz , Markopoulos Angelos P.
Published: February 2024

Advances and Trends in Non-conventional, Abrasive and Precision Machining 2021 [...]
Research on Grinding Force Prediction of Flexible Abrasive Disc Grinding Process of TC17 Titanium Alloy
Authors: Duan Jihao , Wu Zhuofan , Ren Jianbo , Zhang Gaochen
Published: February 2024

Abrasive disc grinding is currently a key manufacturing process to achieve better accuracy and high-quality surfaces of TC17 components. Grinding force, which results from the friction and elastic–plastic deformation during the contact and interaction between the abrasive grains and the workpiece, is a critical parameter that represents the grinding accuracy and efficiency. In order to understand the influence factors of grinding force, the characteristics of the flexible abrasive disc grinding process were studied. Considering the contact state between the abrasive tool and the workpiece, the theoretical model of normal grinding force was established in detail, from macro- and micro-perspectives. By conducting single-factor and orthogonal grinding experiments of TC17 components, the influence of different process parameters on the normal grinding force was revealed. The normal grinding force prediction models of the abrasive disc grinding process were developed based on the Box–Behnken design (BBD) and particle swarm optimization–back propagation (PSO-BP) neural networks, respectively. The results showed that the normal grinding force was negatively correlated with the disc rotational speed, and positively correlated with the contact angle, grinding depth, and feed rate, and the interaction of the factor feed rate and grinding depth was the more influential factor. Both the BBD and PSO-BP force models had good reliability and accuracy, and the mean absolute error (MAE) and mean relative error (MRE) of the above two prediction models were 0.22 N and 0.16 N, and 13.3% and 10.9%, respectively.
Tolerance Specifications Management Integrated into the Product Development Cycle
Authors: Maltauro Mattia , Meneghello Roberto , Concheri Gianmaria
Published: February 2024

In tolerancing activities focusing on the allocation of geometrical tolerances, many critical issues originate from the non-optimal assignment of responsibilities among the organization units involved. This paper aims to depict relations between different tolerancing activities and relevant specifications, assigning them to the proper actor and, therefore, expanding the ISO 8015:2011 “responsibility principle”. A classification among tolerancing activities, specifications, and media is proposed; a horizontal hierarchical framework among functional, manufacturing, and verification specifications and a vertical hierarchical framework along the supply chain are discussed. Examples of both hierarchical structures are presented.
On the Parallelization of Square-Root Vélu’s Formulas
Authors: Chávez-Saab Jorge , Ortega Odalis , Pizarro-Madariaga Amalia
Published: February 2024

A primary challenge in isogeny-based cryptography lies in the substantial computational cost associated to computing and evaluating prime-degree isogenies. This computation traditionally relied on Vélu’s formulas, an approach with time complexity linear in the degree but which was further enhanced by Bernstein, De Feo, Leroux, and Smith to a square-root complexity. The improved square-root Vélu’s formulas exhibit a degree of parallelizability that has not been exploited in major implementations. In this study, we introduce a theoretical framework for parallelizing isogeny computations and provide a proof-of-concept implementation in C with OpenMP. While the parallelization effectiveness exhibits diminishing returns with the number of cores, we still obtain strong results when using a small number of cores. Concretely, our implementation shows that for large degrees it is easy to achieve speedup factors of up to 1.74, 2.54, and 3.44 for two, four, and eight cores, respectively.
The Effect of Fe on the Mechanical Properties of Stellite 6
Authors: Baek Min Ah , Kang Gyu Byeong , Suk Gyeong Chan , Hong Seong Chan , Kim Young Do , Na Tae-Wook
Published: February 2024

Stellite 6 is a Co-based alloy with excellent wear and corrosion resistance, resulting in it frequently being used as a hard-facing material. The main defect that occurs in the hard-facing process is the peeling of the hard-facing layer, which is caused by thermal stress due to differences in thermal expansion coefficients. This peeling phenomenon can be prevented by using a material with an intermediate coefficient of thermal expansion as a buffer layer. Component surfaces are strengthened through a technique called hard-facing, which increases the components’ resistance to wear. In order to increase the wear and corrosion resistance of metal components, a high-hardness substance is usually coated onto their surface. Grinding is carried out to smooth the surface after the material is welded onto the base component. Small pieces, also referred to as “scrap”, are frequently produced during this surface machining procedure. In the hard-facing process, scrap containing a mixture of base material and Stellite 6 is generated during material processing. If this scrap can be used as a buffer layer, the cost of raw materials can be reduced through the recycling of resources, and the overall energy consumption for recycling can be reduced because the process of separating Stellite 6 from the scrap is eliminated. In this study, the physical properties of Stellite 6 with Fe added were explored to determine whether the scrap produced could be used as a buffer layer. When iron was added to the mixture, the amount of carbide decreased, in addition to the wear resistance and hardness decreasing. Regarding the thermal expansion coefficient, the thermal expansion coefficient of Stellite 6 was found to be 15.879 μm/m·°C at 300 °C, and that of Stellite 6 with 40% Fe added was found to be 14.313 μm /m·°C at 300 °C. The thermal expansion coefficient of carbon steel is reported to be 12.8 μm /m·°C at 300 °C; thus, Stellite 6 with 40% Fe can be used as a buffer layer for Stellite 6 and carbon steel because of its suitable thermal expansion coefficient.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Low-Alloy Hot-Rolled Strip Cooling Process Based on Gray Correlation Analysis
Authors: Xue Rundong , Fei Aigeng
Published: February 2024

The residual stress in low-alloy hot-rolled strips seriously affects the use and processing of products. Reducing residual stress is important for improving the product quality of hot-rolled strips. In this paper, the changes in grain size and residual stress of hot-rolled strips under different cooling processes were investigated via thermal simulation experiments and electron backscatter diffraction. It was found that the optimum cooling process solution for single-objective optimization of grain size was a final rolling temperature of 875 °C, a laminar cooling speed of 50 °C/s, and a coiling temperature of 550 °C. When single-objective optimization of residual stress was carried out, the optimal cooling process scheme was 900 °C for final rolling temperature, 20 °C/s for laminar cooling speed, and 625 °C for coiling temperature. The significance of the effect of cooling processes on grain size and residual stress was analyzed based on the extreme deviation of the effect of each cooling process on grain size and residual stress in orthogonal experiments. The results show that the coiling temperature was the most influential factor on grain size and residual stress among the cooling process parameters. The difference was that grain size increased with increasing coiling temperature, and residual stress decreased with increasing coiling temperature. Using both grain size and residual stress as evaluation indicators, a multi-objective optimization of the cooling process for hot-rolled strips was carried out via the gray correlation analysis method. The optimized solution was 875 °C final rolling temperature, 30 °C/s laminar cooling speed, and 625 °C coiling temperature. At this time, the grain size was 4.8 μm, and the KAM (Kernel Average Misorientation) was 0.40°. The grain size under the actual production process scheme was 4.4 μm with a KAM of 0.78°. Compared to the actual production process solution, the multi-objective optimization solution showed little change in grain size, with only a 9% increase and a 49% reduction in KAM. The optimization scheme in this paper could significantly reduce the level of residual stresses while ensuring the fine grain size of hot-rolled strips, thus improving the overall quality of hot-rolled strips.
Atomistic Simulation of the Interaction between the Σ9[110](221) Shear-Coupled Grain Boundary Motion and the Cu-rich Precipitates in α-Iron
Authors: Yin Jian , Hou Huaiyu , Wang Jing-Tao , Liu Xiangbing , Xu Chaoliang , Li Yuanfei , Qian Wangjie , Jin Xiao , Wu Huanchun , Jia Wenqing , Quan Qiwei
Published: February 2024

Shear-coupled grain boundary motion (SCGBM) is an important and efficacious plasticity mechanism in the deformation of metals. In this work, a molecular dynamic (MD) simulation of the interaction between the SCGBM of Σ9[110](221) GB and Cu-rich precipitates in α-iron was carried out. The effects of the size, the temperature, and the composition of the Cu precipitates were also studied. It was found that the precipitates inhibited the GB motion significantly, and the configuration transformation from spheroid to ellipsoid was also investigated in the simulation results. The critical stress of the interaction increased with the size of the precipitates. At higher temperatures, the GB sliding event increased the critical stress of the GB motion, which was higher than that of the interaction, inducing no stress-rise stage in the stress–time curve. The critical stress of the CuNi precipitates on the SCGBM was higher than that of the pure Cu precipitates with the same size, which was one of the reasons for the outstanding strength of the high-strength low-alloy (HSLA) steels compared with the traditional Cu-containing steels.
Confined Space Nanoarchitectonics for Dynamic Functions and Molecular Machines
Authors: Ariga Katsuhiko
Published: February 2024

Nanotechnology has advanced the techniques for elucidating phenomena at the atomic, molecular, and nano-level. As a post nanotechnology concept, nanoarchitectonics has emerged to create functional materials from unit structures. Consider the material function when nanoarchitectonics enables the design of materials whose internal structure is controlled at the nanometer level. Material function is determined by two elements. These are the functional unit that forms the core of the function and the environment (matrix) that surrounds it. This review paper discusses the nanoarchitectonics of confined space, which is a field for controlling functional materials and molecular machines. The first few sections introduce some of the various dynamic functions in confined spaces, considering molecular space, materials space, and biospace. In the latter two sections, examples of research on the behavior of molecular machines, such as molecular motors, in confined spaces are discussed. In particular, surface space and internal nanospace are taken up as typical examples of confined space. What these examples show is that not only the central functional unit, but also the surrounding spatial configuration is necessary for higher functional expression. Nanoarchitectonics will play important roles in the architecture of such a total system.
Magnetically Driven Biopsy Capsule Robot with Spring Mechanism
Authors: Rashid Md Harun Or , Lin Feng
Published: February 2024

In recent years, capsule endoscopes (CEs) have appeared as an advanced technology for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases. However, only capturing the images limits the advanced diagnostic procedures and so on in CE’s applications. Herein, considering other extended functions like tissue sampling, a novel wireless biopsy CE has been presented employing active locomotion. Two permanent magnets (PMs) have been placed into the robots, which control the actuation of the capsule robot (CR) and biopsy mechanism by employing an external electromagnetic actuation (EMA) system. A spring has been attached to the biopsy mechanism to retract the biopsy tool after tissue collection. A camera module has also been attached to the front side of the CR to detect the target point and observe the biopsy process on the lesion. A prototype of CR was fabricated with a diameter of 12 mm and a length of 32 mm. A spring mechanism with a biopsy needle was placed inside the CR and sprang out around 5 mm. An in vitro experiment was conducted, which demonstrated the precise control translation (2 mm/s and 3 mm/s in the x and y directions, respectively) and desired extrusion of the biopsy mechanism (~5 mm) for sampling the tissue. A needle-based biopsy capsule robot (NBBCR) has been designed to perform the desired controlled locomotion and biopsy function by external force. This proposed active locomoted untethered NBBCR can be wirelessly controlled to perform extended function precisely, advancing the intestinal CE technique for clinical applications.
Measurement and Data Correction of Channel Sampling Timing Walk-Off of Photonic Analog-to-Digital Converter in Signal Recovery
Authors: Qi Junli , Chen Xin , Fu Meicheng , Zhang Hongyu , Yi Wenjun , Zhang Hui , Wei Xiaoming , Shi Bo , Xu Tengfei , Su Dezhi , Wang Weihua , Li Xiujian
Published: February 2024

A two-channel, time–wavelength interleaved photonic analog-to-digital converter (PADC) system with a sampling rate of 10.4 GSa/s was established, and a concise method for measuring and data correcting the channel sampling timing walk-off of PADCs for signal recovery was proposed. The measurements show that for the two RF signals of f1 = 100 MHz and f2 = 200 MHz, the channel sampling timing walk-off was 12 sampling periods, which results in an ENOB = −0.1051 bits for the 100 MHz directly synthesized signal, while the ENOB improved up to 4.0136 bits using shift synthesis. In addition, the peak limit method (PLM) and normalization processing were introduced to reduce the impacts of signal peak jitter and power inconsistency between two channels, which further improve the ENOB of the 100 MHz signal up to 4.5668 bits. All signals were analyzed and discussed in both time and frequency domains. The 21.1 GHz signal was also collected and converted using the established two-channel PADC system with the data correction method, combining the PLM, normalization, and shift synthesis, showing that the ENOB increased from the initial −0.9181 to 4.1913 bits, which demonstrates that our method can be effectively used for signal recovery in channel-interleaved PADCs.
The Microbial Community Structure in the Rhizosphere of Theobroma cacao L. and Euterpe oleracea Mart. Is Influenced by Agriculture System in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Sousa Rosiane do Socorro dos Reis de , Lima Giulia Victória Silva , Garcias Josinete Torres , Gomes Graziane de Oliveira , Mateus Jackeline Rossetti , Madeira Lucimar Di Paula dos Santos , Seldin Lucy , Rogez Hervé Louis Ghislain , Marques Joana Montezano
Published: February 2024

This study tested the hypothesis that cocoa monoculture (MS) and cocoa-açai agroforestry systems (AFS) may influence the microbial community structure and populations of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR). Accordingly, the aim was to analyze the microbial community structure and PGPR populations in different agroecosystems in the Brazilian Amazon. To achieve this, the rhizosphere microbial community of cocoa and açai plants in both Amazonian seasons (dry and rainy) was analyzed using culture-dependent (PGPR screening) and -independent methods [PCR-DGGE based on rrs, alp, nifH gene, and intergenic region (ITS) of fungi]. Concerning PGPR screening, out of 48 isolated bacterial strains, 25% were capable of siderophore production, 29% of mineralized organic phosphate, 8% of inorganic phosphate solubilization, and 4% of indole acetic acid production. Moreover, 17% of isolates could inhibit the growth of various phytopathogenic fungi. Statistical analyses of DGGE fingerprints (p < 0.05) showed that bacterial and fungal community structures in the rhizosphere were influenced by the seasons, supporting the results of the physicochemical analysis of the environment. Furthermore, as hypothesized, microbial communities differed statistically when comparing the MS and AFS. These findings provide important insights into the influence of climate and cultivation systems on soil microbial communities to guide the development of sustainable agricultural practices.
Fungal-Bacterial Combinations in Plant Health under Stress: Physiological and Biochemical Characteristics of the Filamentous Fungus Serendipita indica and the Actinobacterium Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4 under In Vitro Arsenic Stress
Authors: Sharma Neha , Koul Monika , Joshi Naveen Chandra , Dufossé Laurent , Mishra Arti
Published: February 2024

Fungal-bacterial combinations have a significant role in increasing and improving plant health under various stress conditions. Metabolites secreted by fungi and bacteria play an important role in this process. Our study emphasizes the significance of secondary metabolites secreted by the fungus Serendipita indica alone and by an actinobacterium Zhihengliuella sp. ISTPL4 under normal growth conditions and arsenic (As) stress condition. Here, we evaluated the arsenic tolerance ability of S. indica alone and in combination with Z. sp. ISTPL4 under in vitro conditions. The growth of S. indica and Z. sp. ISTPL4 was measured in varying concentrations of arsenic and the effect of arsenic on spore size and morphology of S. indica was determined using confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The metabolomics study indicated that S. indica alone in normal growth conditions and under As stress released pentadecanoic acid, glycerol tricaprylate, L-proline and cyclo(L-prolyl-L-valine). Similarly, d-Ribose, 2-deoxy-bis(thioheptyl)-dithioacetal were secreted by a combination of S. indica and Z. sp. ISTPL4. Confocal studies revealed that spore size of S. indica decreased by 18% at 1.9 mM and by 15% when in combination with Z. sp. ISTPL4 at a 2.4 mM concentration of As. Arsenic above this concentration resulted in spore degeneration and hyphae fragmentation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results indicated an increased spore size of S. indica in the presence of Z. sp. ISTPL4 (18 ± 0.75 µm) compared to S. indica alone (14 ± 0.24 µm) under normal growth conditions. Our study concluded that the suggested combination of microbial consortium can be used to increase sustainable agriculture by combating biotic as well as abiotic stress. This is because the metabolites released by the microbial combination display antifungal and antibacterial properties. The metabolites, besides evading stress, also confer other survival strategies. Therefore, the choice of consortia and combination partners is important and can help in developing strategies for coping with As stress.
In Vitro Interaction between Mycoplasma agalactiae and Small Ruminants’ Endogenous Bacterial Strains of Enterococcus spp. and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococcus
Authors: Toquet Marion , Bataller Esther , Toledo-Perona Raquel , Gomis Jesús , Contreras Antonio , Sánchez Antonio , Jiménez-Trigos Estrella , Gómez-Martín Ángel
Published: February 2024

Recently, an antimicrobial effect on Mycoplasma agalactiae (Ma), the main etiological agent of contagious agalactia (CA), was reported in vitro with strains of Enterococcus spp. from ovine and caprine milk. The aim of this work was to evaluate the interaction of Ma with the same Enterococcus spp. isolated from other anatomical locations (vagina) and other bacterial populations present in milk, such as coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). The vaginal Enterococcus strains and the raw milk CNS were isolated from sheep and goats. Experimental in vitro conditions were prepared to assess the growth of Ma with and without the presence of these strains. The selected vaginal strains were identified as Enterococcus (E.) hirae and E. mundtii, and the strains of CNS were identified as Staphylococcus petrasii. Different interactions of Ma with ovine and caprine wild vaginal strains of Enterococcus and dairy strains of CNS are described for the first time: Ma can grow exponentially during 15 h with the selected strains, although with certain strains, its optimal growth can be negatively affected (p < 0.05). The colonization and/or excretion of Ma could, therefore, be influenced by certain endogenous bacterial strains. Our results increase the knowledge about possible bacterial ecology dynamics surrounding CA.