bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nano-Spray-Dried Levocetirizine Dihydrochloride with Mucoadhesive Carriers and Cyclodextrins for Nasal Administration
Authors: Mirankó Mirella , Tóth Judit , Bartos Csilla , Ambrus Rita , Feczkó Tivadar
Published: January 2023

Antihistamines such as levocetirizine dihydrochloride (LC) are commercially used in oral tablets and oral drops to reduce allergic symptoms. In this study, LC was nano-spray-dried using three mucoadhesive polymers and four cyclodextrin species to form composite powders for nasal administration. The product was composed of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose polymer, including LC as a zwitterion, after neutralization by NaOH, and XRD investigations verified its amorphous state. This and a sulfobutylated-beta-cyclodextrin sodium salt-containing sample showed crystal peaks due to NaCl content as products of the neutralization reaction in the solutions before drying. The average particle size of the spherical microparticles was between 2.42 and 3.44 µm, except for those containing a polyvinyl alcohol excipient, which were characterized by a medium diameter of 29.80 µm. The drug was completely and immediately liberated from all the samples at pH 5.6 and 32 °C; i.e., the carriers did not change the good dissolution behavior of LC. A permeability test was carried out by dipping the synthetic cellulose ester membrane in isopropyl myristate using modified horizontal diffusion cells. The spray-dried powder with β-cyclodextrin showed the highest permeability (188.37 µg/cm2/h), as this additive was the least hydrophilic. Products prepared with other cyclodextrins (randomly methylated-beta-cyclodextrin, sulfobutylated-beta-cyclodextrin sodium salt and (hydroxypropyl)-beta-cyclodextrin) showed similar or slightly higher penetration abilities than LC. Other polymer excipients resulted in lower penetration of the active agent than the pure LC.
Revision on the Genus Paris in Thailand, with a New Species Paris siamensis
Authors: Ruchisansakun Saroj , Sraphet Supajit , Yothawut Chatchai , Thamanukornsri Chompunooch , Suksee Nawarat , Kongsawadworakul Panida , Srisawad Nattaya , Thawara Nicha , Umpunjun Puangpaka , Rodpradit Supaporn , Sangkaew Winai , Triwitayakorn Kanokporn
Published: January 2023

The genus Paris is an important and confusing taxon due to high variation within species, and differences between species are sometimes difficult to delimit. Thus, the status of some taxa has changed over time. To clarify the status of Paris species for plant conservation and effective management of this genus in Thailand, we performed an intensive survey in northern Thailand, studied morphological characteristics, and constructed a molecular phylogenic tree, which we compared to recently published results of this genus. Our results indicate that there are two species in Thailand: P. yunnanensis and a new species, P. siamensis. Detailed descriptions, illustrations, and the phylogenetic position of these two species are provided here.
Blackleg Yield Losses and Interactions with Verticillium Stripe in Canola (Brassica napus) in Canada
Authors: Wang Yixiao , Strelkov Stephen E. , Hwang Sheau-Fang
Published: January 2023

Blackleg, caused by Leptosphaeria maculans, is an important disease of canola (Brassica napus). The pathogen can attack stems, leaves and pods, but basal stem cankers are most damaging and can result in significant yield losses. In Canada, Verticillium stripe (Verticillium longisporum) has recently emerged as another disease threat to canola. Symptoms of Verticillium stripe can resemble those of blackleg, and the two diseases may occur together. The effect of blackleg on yield was explored in field experiments with two canola hybrids and by evaluating a wider variety of hybrids in commercial crops in central Alberta, Canada. The impact on yield of L. maculans/V. longisporum interactions was also assessed under field and greenhouse conditions. In most hybrids, the relationship between blackleg severity and yield components was best explained by second-degree quadratic equations, although a linear relationship was found for one variety sampled in commercial fields. When L. maculans was co-inoculated with V. longisporum, blackleg severity and yield losses increased. In some cases, Verticillium stripe caused greater yield losses than blackleg. The results suggest that the interaction between L. maculans/V. longisporum may cause more severe losses in canola, highlighting the need for proactive disease management strategies.
The Chlorophyll Fluorescence Parameter Fv/Fm Correlates with Loss of Grain Yield after Severe Drought in Three Wheat Genotypes Grown at Two CO2 Concentrations
Authors: Sommer Søren Gjedde , Han Eusun , Li Xiangnan , Rosenqvist Eva , Liu Fulai
Published: January 2023

Three genotypes of wheat grown at two CO2 concentrations were used in a drought experiment, where water was withheld from the pots at anthesis until stomatal conductance (gs) dropped below 10% of the control and photosynthesis (A) approached zero. The genotypes had different leaf area (Gladius < LM19 < LM62) and while photosynthesis and shoot growth were boosted by elevated CO2, the water use and drying rate were more determined by canopy size than by stomatal density and conductance. The genotypes responded differently regarding number of fertile tillers, seeds per spike and 1000 kernel weight and, surprisingly, the largest genotype (LM62) with high water use showed the lowest relative decrease in grain yield. The maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was only affected on the last day of the drought when the stomata were almost closed although some variation in A was still seen between the genotypes. A close correlation was found between Fv/Fm and % loss of grain yield. It indicates that the precise final physiological stress level measured by Fv/Fm at anthesis/early kernel filling could effectively predict percentage final yield loss, and LM62 was slightly less stressed than the other genotypes, due to only a small discrepancy in finalising the drying period. Therefore, Fv/Fm can be used as a proxy for estimating the yield performance of wheat after severe drought at anthesis.
Synthesis and Properties of Ethylene/propylene and Ethylene/propylene/5-ethylidene-2-norbornene Copolymers Obtained on Rac-Et(2-MeInd)2ZrMe2/Isobutylaluminium Aryloxide Catalytic Systems
Authors: Faingol’d Evgeny E. , Saratovskikh Stanislav L. , Panin Andrei N. , Babkina Olga N. , Zharkov Igor V. , Kapasharov Artur T. , Bubnova Maria L. , Shilov Gennady V. , Bravaya Natalia M.
Published: January 2023

Ethylene/propylene (E/P) and ethylene/propylene/5-ethylidene-2-norbornene (E/P/ENB) copolymers were obtained on rac-Et(2-MeInd)2ZrMe2 activated by a number of isobutylaluminium aryloxides: (2,6-tBu2PhO-)AliBu2 (1-DTBP) (2,6-tBu2,4-Me-PhO-)AliBu2 (1-BHT), (2,4,6-tBu2PhO-)AliBu2 (1-TTBP), (2,6-tBu2,4-Me-PhO-)2AliBu (2-BHT), (2,6-tBu2PhO-)2AliBu (2-DTBP), [(2-Me,6-tBu-C6H3O)AliBu2]2 (1-MTBP), [(2,6-Ph2-PhO)AliBu2]2 (1-DPP). This study shows how the structure of an activator influences catalytic activity and polymer properties, such as the copolymer composition, molecular weight characteristics, and thermophysical and mechanical properties. It has been shown that both the introduction of a bulky substituent in the para-position of the aryloxy group and the additional aryloxy group in the structure of an activator lead to a significant decrease in activity of the catalytic system in all studied copolymerization processes. Moreover, activation by bulkier aryloxides leads to lower levels of comonomer insertion and gives rise to higher molecular weight polymers. Broad or multiple endothermic peaks with different values of melting points are observed on the DSC curves of the copolymers obtained with different catalytic systems. The DSC of the thermally fractionated samples makes it possible to reveal the heterogeneity of the copolymer microstructure, which manifests itself in the presence of a set of lamellar crystallites of different thickness. The results also present the mechanical properties of the copolymers, such as the tensile strength (σ), elongation at break (ε), and engineering strain (EL). The synthesized E/P and E/P/ENB copolymers contain about 1–4 wt.% of the sterically hindered phenols obtained in situ as a residue of the hydrolyzed activators in the course of reaction quenching. This determines the increased thermooxidative stability of the copolymers.
Influence of Acetone and Primer on Strength and Ductility of Chlorinated Poly(vinyl chloride)
Authors: Mi Hanlin , Huang Xiaokang , Jar Pean-Yue Ben
Published: January 2023

Primer is widely used to prepare bonding of chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (CPVC) pipe. The study examined the influences of primer and its major component, acetone, on CPVC’s mechanical properties. Two types of CPVC product, sheet and pipe, were used in the mechanical testing. Sheet specimens were immersed in acetone or primer for 40 and 10 min, respectively, i.e., the maximum allowable time without mass loss, and then dried in air before the mechanical testing. Pipe (ring) specimens were treated either through immersion in acetone or primer for 30 min or in contact with these solvents locally on the inner surface for 2.5 h, and then air dried for 10.5 days before the mechanical testing. Results showed that CPVC’s strength decreased after the absorption of these solvents, and air dry could remove acetone but not completely primer. The study also showed that pipe specimens by local contact with primer could generate brittle fracture. In view that sheet specimens always fractured in a ductile manner, brittle fracture of the pipe specimens could not be caused by CPVC degradation. Rather, strength decrease in the local region could provide a plausible explanation for the brittle fracture behavior, though further investigation is needed.
Semi-Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Based on Hydroxy-Ethyl Methacrylate and Poly(4-vinylpyridine)/Polybetaines, as Supports for Sorption and Release of Tetracycline
Authors: Gugoasa Aurica Ionela , Racovita Stefania , Vasiliu Silvia , Popa Marcel
Published: January 2023

Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPN) represent a type of polymeric material that has gained increasing amount of interest for their potential biomedical application. This study presents the synthesis, characterization and tetracycline loading/release capacities of semi-IPNs based on hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) or poly (1-vinyl-4-(1-carboxymethyl) pyridinium betaine) (P4VPB-1) and poly (1-vinyl-4-(2-carboxyethyl) pyridinium betaine) (P4VPB-2). The optimization of the semi-IPNs synthesis was achieved by studying the influence of reaction parameters (chemical structure of the cross-linking agent, HEMA:crosslinker ratio, HEMA:linear polymers ratio and the type of solvent of the linear polymers) on the yield of obtaining semi-IPNs and swelling capacity of these systems. Fourier-transform infrared analysis and scanning electron microscopy highlighted the chemical structures and morphologies of the semi-IPNs. The higher swelling capacity was observed in the case of the PHEMA/P4VPB-2 network due to the increased hydrophilicity of P4VPB-2 compared with P4VP and P4VPB-1 polymers. In vitro release studies of tetracycline reveal that the release mechanism is represented by non-Fickian diffusion being controlled by both diffusion and swelling processes. The antimicrobial activity of semi-IPN–tetracycline systems was tested against E. coli and S. aureus, demonstrating that tetracycline is released from the semi-IPN and retains its bactericidal activity. An increased value of the inhibition zone diameter compared with that of tetracycline indicates the possibility that the semi-IPN containing P4VPB-2 also exhibits intrinsic antimicrobial activity due to the presence of the polybetaine in the network structure.
Artificial Neural Network Study on the Pyrolysis of Polypropylene with a Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Dubdub Ibrahim
Published: January 2023

Among machine learning (ML) studies, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis is the most widely used technique in pyrolysis research. In this work, the pyrolysis of polypropylene (PP) polymers was established using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) with five sets of heating rates (5–40 K min−1). TGA data was used to exploit an ANN network by achieving a feed-forward backpropagation optimization technique in order to predict the weight-left percentage. Two important ANN model input variables were identified as the heating rate (K min−1) and temperature (K). For the range of TGA values, a 2-10-10-1 network with two hidden layers (Logsig-Tansig) was concluded to be the best structure for predicting the weight-left percentage. The ANN demonstrated a good agreement between the experimental and calculated values, with a high correlation coefficient (R) of greater than 0.9999. The final network was then simulated with the new input data set for effective performance. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the uncertainties associated with the relationship between the output and input parameters. Temperature was found to be a more sensitive input parameter than the heating rate on the weight-left percentage calculation.
Fibrx Rocking Chair: Design and Application of Tailored Timber as an Embedded Frame for Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (NFRP) Coreless Winding
Authors: Pittiglio Alexandra , Simpson Ailey , Costalonga Martins Vanessa , Dahy Hanaa
Published: January 2023

The building industry needs to innovate towards a more sustainable future and can do so through a combination of more renewable material choices and less wasteful fabrication processes. To address these issues, a hybrid material and fabrication system was developed using laminated timber veneer and natural fibre-reinforced composites (NFRPs), two materials that are leveraged for their potential of strategic material placement in additive processes towards programmed material behaviour and performance. The main contribution is in the hybrid fabrication approach, using thin, bent laminated veneer as an embedded frame for coreless filament winding of NFRP, which removes the need for temporary, wasteful formwork that is typically required to achieve structurally performative bent timber or FRP elements. Integrative methods are developed for the design, simulation, and fabrication of a rocking chair prototype that illustrates the architectural potential of the developed fabrication approach.
An Empirical Torsional Spring Model for the Inclined Crack in a 3D-Printed Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) Cantilever Beam
Authors: Yang Zhichao , He Feiyang , Khan Muhammad
Published: January 2023

This paper presents an empirical torsional spring model for the inclined crack on a 3D-printed ABS cantilever beam. The work outlined deals mainly with our previous research about an improved torsional spring model (Khan-He model), which can represent the deep vertical (90°) crack in the structure. This study used an experimental approach to investigate the relationships between the crack angle and torsional spring stiffness. ABS cantilever beams with different crack depths (1, 1.3 and 1.6 mm) and angles (30, 45, 60, 75 and 90°) were manufactured by fused deposition modelling (FDM). The impact tests were performed to obtain the dynamic response of cracked beams. The equivalent spring stiffness was calculated based on the specimen’s fundamental frequency. The results suggested that an increased crack incline angle yielded higher fundamental frequency and vibration amplitude, representing higher spring stiffness. The authors then developed an empirical spring stiffness model for inclined cracks based on the test data. These results extended the Khan-He model’s application from vertical to inclined crack prediction in FDM ABS structures.
Seismic Response of Cable-Stayed Spanning Pipeline Considering Medium-Pipeline Fluid–Solid Coupling Dynamic Effect
Authors: Weng Guangyuan , Xie Qixuan , Xu Chenxi , Zhang Peng , Zhang Xiang
Published: January 2023

With the aim of determining the influence of the fluid–structure coupling dynamic effect of the oil and gas transmission medium and pipeline on the seismic response, an oil pipeline supported by a cable-stayed spanning structure was taken as the study object. Kinetic equations taking into account the action of oil and gas medium were studied, and a finite element model structure considering the additional-mass method and the fluid–structure coupling effect were established separately. In addition, the mechanism of the oil–gas–pipeline coupling action on the seismic response of pipeline structure was analyzed, and the results were obtained. The results show that the pipeline has a minimal seismic response at the abutment location, the seismic response gradually increases along the abutment to the main tower, and the seismic response reach is maximized at about one-fifth of the bridge platform. The seismic response of the oil and gas pipeline model structure using the additional-mass method is generally more significant than that based on the fluid–solid coupled dynamic model; moreover, the maximum displacement response differs by about 24%, and the maximum acceleration response differs by approximately 30%, indicating that the oil and gas medium has a certain viscoelastic damping effect on the seismic response of the oil pipeline, which provides a reference for the seismic response calculation theory and analysis method of cable-stayed spanning oil pipelines.
Fluidized Bed Spray Coating for Improved Mechanical Properties of Particles
Authors: Orth Maike , Rotter Sonja , Safdar Wasif , Tasdemir Süreyya , Pietsch-Braune Swantje , Heinrich Stefan , Düster Alexander
Published: January 2023

When designing crash absorber particles for application as a filling material in the double-hull of ships, the main goal is to achieve an optimal mechanical performance, in combination with a low-density particle structure, while fulfilling several additional requirements regarding, for example, non-toxic and hydrophobic behavior. In this study, a fluidized bed was used to coat Poraver® glass particles with Candelilla wax and silicone to attain these specifications. A uniform coating was achieved with wax, but the process turned out to be far more challenging when using silicone. To evaluate the suitability of coated particles as a granular filling material, and to compare their performances with that of untreated Poraver® particles, several mechanical tests, as well as structural investigations, were conducted. While no notable improvement in mechanical behavior was observed on the single-particle level, bulk tests showed promising results regarding compressibility and abrasion resistance of coated particles compared to untreated ones.
Reconstruction of Daily MODIS/Aqua Chlorophyll-a Concentration in Turbid Estuarine Waters Based on Attention U-NET
Authors: Ye Haibin , Tang Shilin , Yang Chaoyu , Chen Chuqun
Published: January 2023

An attention U-Net was proposed to reconstruct the missing chlorophyll-a concentration (Cchla) data. The U-Net is a lightweight full convolution neural network architecture consisting of an enccoder-decoder (i.e., down-sampling and up-sampling). The attention gates (AGs) were integrated into the U-Net. Training the U-Net with AGs could implicitly teach it to suppress irrelevant areas and highlight the salient features in the missing data areas, which would increase the network sensitivity and reconstruction accuracy. The neural network uses the satellite-derived Cchla anomalies and its variance as the input, and the reconstructed fields along with their variances as outputs. The trained network was applied to long-term daily MODIS/Aqua Cchla products in the Pearl River estuary (PRE) and adjacent continental shelf area. The model performance was evaluated by using an independent test dataset from both satellite-derived and in-situ measurements. The results showed that the proposed neural network not only had good performance in the reconstruction of valid pixels, but also provided a more reasonable reconstruction compared to the standard U-Net without AGs. This study provided a feasible method for the reconstruction task in the field of ocean color, which should be helpful in producing a creditable dataset to study the ecological effects of extreme weather conditions such as typhoons on the upper ocean in the PRE waters. Based on the reconstructed Cchla products, the footprints of the typhoons were studied. An increase in surface Cchla near the typhoons’ track and a decrease in estuary were found. The composite results illustrated that the Cchla increases occurred for almost the entire area within a radius of 100 km. The time series analysis showed that the Cchla peak appeared on the fifth day after the typhoon’s passage.
First Demonstration of Space-Borne Polarization Coherence Tomography for Characterizing Hyrcanian Forest Structural Diversity
Authors: Poorazimy Maryam , Shataee Shaban , Aghababaei Hossein , Tomppo Erkki , Praks Jaan
Published: January 2023

Structural diversity is recognized as a complementary aspect of biological diversity and plays a fundamental role in forest management, conservation, and restoration. Hence, the assessment of structural diversity has become a major effort in the primary international processes, dealing with biodiversity and sustainable forest management. Because of prohibitive costs associated with the ground measurements of forest structure, despite their high accuracy, space-borne polarization coherence tomography (PCT) can introduce an alternative approach given its ability to provide a vertical reflectivity profile and spatiotemporal resolutions related to detecting forest structural changes. In this study, for the first time ever, the potential of space-borne PCT was evaluated in a broad-leaved Hyrcanian forest of Iran over 308 circular sample plots with an area of 0.1 ha. Two aspects of horizontal structure diversity, including standard deviation of diameter at breast height (σdbh) and the number of trees (N), were predicted as important characteristics in wood production and biomass estimation. In addition, the performance of prediction algorithms, including multiple linear regression (MLR), k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), random forest (RF), and support vector regression (SVR) were compared. We addressed the issue of temporal decorrelation in space-borne PCT utilizing the single-pass TanDEM-X interferometer. The data were acquired in standard DEM mode with single polarization of HH. Consequently, airborne laser scanning (ALS) was used to estimate initial values of height hv and ground phase φ0. The Fourier–Legendre series was used to approximate the relative reflectivity profile of each pixel. To link the relative reflectivity profile averaged within each plot with corresponding ground measurements of σdbh and N, thirteen geometrical and physical parameters were defined (P1−P13). Leave-one-out cross validation (LOOCV) showed a better performance of k-NN than the other algorithms in predicting σdbh and N. It resulted in a relative root mean square error (rRMSE) of 32.80%, mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.69 cm, and R2* of 0.25 for σdbh, whereas only 22% of the variation in N was explained using the PCT algorithm with an rRMSE of 41.56%. This study revealed promising results utilizing TanDEM-X data even though the accuracy is still limited. Hence, an entire assessment of the used framework in characterizing the reflectivity profile and the possible effect of the scale is necessary for future studies.
Mutual Interference Mitigation of Millimeter-Wave Radar Based on Variational Mode Decomposition and Signal Reconstruction
Authors: Li Yanbing , Feng Bo , Zhang Weichuan
Published: January 2023

As an important remote sensing technology, millimeter-wave radar is used for environmental sensing in many fields due to its advantages of all-day, all-weather operation. With the increasing use of radars, inter-radar interference becomes increasingly critical. Severe mutual interference degrades radar signal quality and affects the performance of post-processing, e.g., synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging and target tracking. Aiming to deal with mutual interference, we propose an interference mitigation method based on variational mode decomposition (VMD). With the characteristics that the target is a single-frequency sine wave and the interference is a broadband signal, VMD is used for decomposing the radar received signal and separating the target from the interference. Interference mitigation is then implemented in each decomposed mode, and an interference-free signal is obtained through the reconstruction process. Simulation results of multi-target scenarios demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms existing decomposition-based methods. This conclusion is also confirmed by the experimental results on real data.
DOA Estimation in Impulsive Noise Based on FISTA Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Jinfeng , Chu Ping , Liao Bin
Published: January 2023

This paper investigates the challenging problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation in impulsive noise and presents a fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (FISTA)-based approach to tackle the difficulty. More specifically, the underlying noise is modelled as the superposition of outliers in the white Gaussian noise. Leveraging on the spot-sparse characteristic of the outlier matrix, the FISTA is conducted on each snapshot of the array output. With the estimated outlier matrix and the coarse on-grid DOA estimates, an alternating optimization method is developed to retrieve the final off-grid DOA estimates. Simulation results show that the proposed method outperforms existing methods in terms of resolution capability and estimation accuracy especially in severe noise environments.
Isolation, Determination and Analysis of Bioactive Natural Sulfur Compounds
Authors: Francioso Antonio
Published: January 2023

Sulfur-containing products contribute significantly to natural chemical diversity and allow fundamental biological functions that no other compounds allow [...]
Towards a Soldier-Based View in Research on The Military: An Empathetically Critical Approach
Authors: Molendijk Tine , Kalkman Jori Pascal
Published: January 2023

The military has long been a topic of interest in the social sciences. However, to date, military studies tend to take an overly researcher-oriented viewpoint rather than actually engaging with the ‘native’ experience of the soldier. This article intends to reorient military studies to a perspective that encompasses the lived and embodied worldviews, actions, and experiences of military personnel. Reviewing existing research on the military, it identifies two dominant approaches—a functionalist and a ‘condemnatory critical’ approach—which, despite important differences, share an ‘etic’ viewpoint. Subsequently, it proposes an alternative approach that includes ‘emic’ attention to soldiers’ lifeworlds and comprises an empathetically critical approach. This new line of scholarship also involves empirical redirection. At least five major themes merit empirical attention: military identity, boredom and thrill, humor, violence and death, and homesickness for war. Moreover, the proposed reorientation has theoretical and methodological implications, including ontological and epistemological reconsideration towards critical realism, the development of an interdisciplinarity perspective, and new methodological approaches such as basenographies, visual data, and fictional novels by veterans. These novel empirical, theoretical, and methodological venues are valuable not only for research on the military but for all fields of study that are dominated by an etic approach. They contribute to a more scientifically holistic perspective that includes and takes seriously the experiences and meaning making of the people being studied.
Predicting Soil Erosion Rate at Transboundary Sub-Watersheds in Ali Al-Gharbi, Southern Iraq, Using RUSLE-Based GIS Model
Authors: Ali Ammar Ak. , Al-Abbadi Alaa M. , Jabbar Fadhil K. , Alzahrani Hassan , Hamad Samie
Published: January 2023

The empirical soil loss model, RUSLE, was used in conjunction with remotely sensed data and geographic information system technology to delineate the soil erosion and watershed priorities in terms of conservation practices at seven boundary sub-watersheds (labeled as SW-00, SW-01, …, SW-06) between Iraq and Iran in the district of Ali Al-Gharbi, southern Iraq. The six factors of the RUSLE model, i.e., the rainfall erosivity, the soil erodibility, the slope steepness length, the crop management, and management practice, were calculated or estimated using information from different data sources such as remotely sensed data and previous studies. The results revealed that the annual soil erosion loss ranges from 0 to 1890 (tons h−1 y−1) with an average of 0.66 (tons h−1 y−1). Values of soil erosion were classified into five classes: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The potential soil loss in the high and very high classes ranges from 14.84 to 1890 (tons h−1 y−1), and these classes occupy only 27 km2 of the study area, indicating that the soil loss is very low in the area being examined. In terms of the spatial distribution of soil loss, the northern and northeastern parts (mountains and hills) of the sub-watersheds where the slope is steeper are more likely to erode than the plain area in the southern and southeastern portions, indicating that slope, in addition to rainfall erosivity, has a dominant effect on the soil erosion rate. The study of soil erosion in the watersheds under consideration reveals that only the northern portions of the SW-00, SW-02, and SW-04 watersheds require high priority conservation plans; however, these portions are primarily located in mountain regions, making the implementation of conservation plans in these areas impractical. Due to low soil loss, other sub-watersheds, particularly SW-01, SW-03, SW-05, and SW-06, are given low priority.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Ethics and Corporate Reputation on the Retention of Users of Third-Sector Institutions
Authors: Cabrera-Luján Samuel Leroy , Sánchez-Lima David Josías , Guevara-Flores Segundo Alberto , Millones-Liza Dany Yudet , García-Salirrosas Elizabeth Emperatriz , Villar-Guevara Miluska
Published: January 2023

Third-sector organizations have achieved an important place in the world due to the multiple social and humanitarian activities they carry out, generating a high impact on society. Maintaining their sustainability basically depends on the retention of their users, but what factor could contribute to this retention? To dispel this question, the purpose of the study is to understand corporate social responsibility (CSR), business ethics (BE) and corporate reputation (CR), and their connections with user retention (RT). Using structural equation analysis (SEM) and non-probabilistic sampling, 501 users of third-sector organizations (199 Uruguay and 302 Peru) were surveyed. The results show a positive and significant impact of CSR on CR, influence of BE on CR, effect of CSR on RT, effect of CR and BE on RT. It is highlighted that CR would have a greater effect on RT and BE, followed by CSR. It is concluded that CR represents a very important and sensitive value at the same time, which is a characteristic that takes a long time to achieve, so it is important to manage it properly, being the one that contributes most to RT.
Application of Sustainable Development of Teaching in Engineering Education: A Case Study of Undergraduate Course Design of Raman Spectroscopy Based on Virtual Reality (VR) Technology
Authors: Li Fei , Jiang Jianfeng , Qin Qingao , Wang Xiaobo , Zeng Guoqiang , Gu Yi , Guo Wentai
Published: January 2023

One of the core objectives of the Washington Agreement, the most influential international agreement on the mutual recognition of degrees in engineering education, is to ensure the continuous improvement of professional teaching. Education for sustainable development is a vital direction of teaching reform and development of higher engineering education. Taking a Raman spectroscopy course as an example, this paper discusses VR-based course design and the strengths and limitations of a VR-based course. The idea of computational thinking and immersive learning is realized by introducing VR technology. Based on the research status in the field of Raman spectroscopy, the contents of 10 Raman spectroscopy courses are redesigned. Through a questionnaire survey, peer review, and interview, the rationality of the course design is evaluated, and based on this, a feedback mechanism is established to ensure the continuous improvement of the course. Eventually, the advantages and disadvantages of the new curriculum are evaluated, and the development direction and limitations of the corresponding teaching model are put forward. According to the research, although 85% of the students said that it is difficult to accept the VR-based course at short notice, 90% and more of the students recognize this new teaching model. They believe that the VR-based course changes their traditional learning habits and helps cultivate self-learning ability. The research results can be utilized as a crucial reference for engineering education reform and provide a reliable model for the sustainable development of education.
Real-Time Early Indoor Fire Detection and Localization on Embedded Platforms with Fully Convolutional One-Stage Object Detection
Authors: Li Yimang , Shang Jingwei , Yan Meng , Ding Bei , Zhong Jiacheng
Published: January 2023

Fire disasters usually cause significant damage to human lives and property. Thus, early fire detection and localization in real time are crucial in minimizing fire disasters and reducing ecological losses. Studies of convolution neural networks (CNNs) show their capabilities in image processing tasks such as image classification, visual recognition, and object detection. Using CNNs for fire detection could improve detection accuracy. However, the high computational cost of CNNs requires an extensive training model size, making it difficult to deploy to resource-constrained edge devices. Moreover, the large size of the training model is challenging for real-time object detection. This paper develops a real-time early indoor fire-detection and -localization system that could be deployed on embedded platforms such as Jetson Nano. First, we propose a fully convolutional one-stage object detection framework for fire detection with real-time surveillance videos. The combination of backbone, path aggregation network, and detection head with generalized focal loss is used in the framework. We evaluate several networks as backbones and select the one with balanced efficiency and accuracy. Then we develop a fire localization strategy to locate the fire with two cameras in the indoor setting. Results show that the proposed architecture can achieve similar accuracy compared with the Yolo framework but using one-tenth of the model size. Moreover, the localization accuracy could be achieved within 0.7 m.
Intelligent Demand Side Management for Exhaustive Techno-Economic Analysis of Microgrid System
Authors: Dey Bishwajit , Dutta Soham , Garcia Marquez Fausto Pedro
Published: January 2023

In a typical microgrid (MG) structure, the requisite of load varies from hour to hour. On the basis of the rise and fall of the load demand curve, the power system utilities fix the rate of electric power at different times of the day. This process is known as time-of-usage (TOU)-based pricing of electricity. The hourly basis load demand can be categorized into elastic hourly load demand and inelastic hourly load demand. For the duration of the peak hours, when the utility charges more, the elastic loads are shifted to low demand hours by the demand side management (DSM) to save the cost. This rebuilds the total demand model on the pillars of demand price elasticity. Keeping in view the fact that the total load in an hour in an MG structure consists of 10% to 40% of elastic loads, the paper proposes an intelligence-technique-based DSM to achieve reduction in the overall cost of using loads in an MG structure. Seven different cases are studied which cover diverse grid participation and electricity market pricing strategies, including DSM programs. The results obtained for all the MGs showcase the applicability and appropriateness of using the proposed DSM strategy in terms of cost savings.
A Suggestion of the Alternatives Evaluation Method through IFC-Based Building Energy Performance Analysis
Authors: Choi Jungsik , Lee Sejin
Published: January 2023

In a rapidly changing modern society, the construction industry is facing various issues, including the Fourth Industrial Revolution and climate change. Research on convergence between technologies such as artificial intelligence, AR/VR, IoT, and metaverse, and sustainable technologies such as green buildings and eco-friendly energy is being attempted in each field. The most important thing in the development of these technologies will be the interoperability of data. BIM is a technology that can effectively store data regardless of the size of a building or the amount of information and can be shared and stored without loss of data through an open format called IFC (industry foundation classes). This study aims to present a plan to generate alternatives and evaluate energy performance by analyzing the shape of the envelope for amorphous buildings through IFC. Design elements were derived through analysis of previous studies, and alternatives were automated by developing interfaces that can generate shapes according to the derived design elements. The generated alternatives can be compared and analyzed through the analysis of building energy by developing an evaluation system based on IFC. Based on the quantitative results in the initial design stage, the reliability of the design proposal considering the performance of the building is improved, and the process and cost can be predicted in advance; thus, it is expected to be an efficient decision support tool.
Application Potential of Constructed Wetlands on Different Operation Mode for Biologically Pre-Treatment of Rural Domestic Wastewater
Authors: Wang Siyu , Teng Yifei , Cheng Fangkui , Lu Xiwu
Published: January 2023

In order to satisfy the requirements of rural domestic sewage, a bio-ecological combination system was proposed, including a biological treatment section (anaerobic hydrolysis tank and aerobic tank) and an ecological post-treatment section. This study observed the application potential of constructed wetlands (CW) on different operation modes for biologically pre-treated rural domestic wastewater. The organics and nutrient removal efficiency of the tidal flow constructed wetland (TFCW) and the horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland (HFCW) were compared at a temperature range of 20–40 °C. During the stable phase, the higher chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N), and total phosphorus (TP) removal efficiencies existed in TFCW than HFCW, corresponding to the efficiency of COD 69.46%, NH4+-N 96.47%, and TP 57.38%, but lower performance on COD (61.43%), NH4+-N (84.99%), and TP (46.75%) removal in HFCW, which should be attributed to the increasement of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria (Arthrobact and Sphingomonas), nitrifiers (Nitrospira), and phosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) (Pseudomonas). The microbial biomass was also increased from 2.13 ± 0.14 mg/g (HFCW) to 4.64 ± 0.18 mg/g (TFCW), which proved to strengthen the formation and growth of biofilm under a better oxygen supplement. Based on the relative abundance of functional genera in the microbial community, it showed that TFCW was more favorable for promoting the growth of heterotrophic bacteria, nitrifiers, and phosphate-accumulating organisms (PAOs). When temperature changed from −4 °C to 15 °C, the two-stage constructed wetlands (TFCW-HFCW and HFCW-TFCW) were used for improving the performance of pollutants removal. The results demonstrated that the effluent concentrations of TFCW-HFCW and HFCW-TFCW met the Class 1A discharge standard of DB32/3462-2020 in JiangSu Province, China. Therefore, this study will provide a useful and easy-to-implement technology for the operation as an ecological post-treatment section.
Effects of Sodium Salinity on Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Cultivation: A Review
Authors: Rodríguez Coca Liuder Isidoro , García González Marcos Tulio , Gil Unday Zuleiqui , Jiménez Hernández Janet , Rodríguez Jáuregui Marcia María , Fernández Cancio Yander
Published: January 2023

Sodium salinity negatively affects and reduces yields in international agricultural systems. This stress decreases crop growth and development, causing tissue death, flowering abortion, and senescence of the fertilized embryo, and negatively affects enzymatic activity, protein synthesis, among other processes. Rice is a cereal of great international demand for its nutritional properties and its productivity is affected by the presence of salts in agricultural surfaces. The objective of this article is to review the main effects of sodium salinity on morpho-physiological characteristics in rice cultivation. For the design and strategy of the information search, a methodology was followed to compile and summarize the existing studies on the effects of sodium salinity on this crop. The results of this search showed that sodium salts cause poor root growth, chlorosis, leaf curling and leaf scorching in this cereal; it also induces stomatal closure, inhibits photosynthesis, alters cell metabolism, causes oxidative stress in the crop, influences spikelet sterility and grain yield, among other effects.
Visual Analysis of Image Processing in the Mining Field Based on a Knowledge Map
Authors: Qin Shifan , Li Longjiang
Published: January 2023

In machine vision–based image processing, machine vision products are used to convert the image of an object into image signals and then into digital signals for subsequent processing on a computer. Image processing is widely applicable in research fields such as biomedicine, remote sensing, industrial production, military production, and aerospace. This paper provides a detailed overview of the research status of image processing in the mining field and makes a comparative evaluation of some technologies and research directions. First, the application of image processing in the mining field is discussed in detail in the paper. Second, a literature review is conducted, using keywords and citation counts to determine the overall distribution of the published literature on this subject in terms of journals, countries, institutes, and authors. Finally, we analyze this topic in detail, put forward our ideas and what we learned from our analysis, and provide a summary. The analysis shows that image-processing technology is a hot research topic for future development. In addition, this paper proposes future research challenges and directions. The latest progress, development characteristics, and research prospects discussed in this paper will provide a useful reference for scholars who deeply study image processing in the field of mining.
Quality Assessment of Sludge from Filter Backwash Water in Swimming Pool Facilities
Authors: Łaskawiec Edyta
Published: January 2023

Swimming pools are examples of water-intensive facilities, where solutions for reducing economic and environmental costs are searched with increased frequency. One of the solutions supporting savings is the recovery of water from wastewater, including backwash water obtained while rinsing the filter bed. The study objective was the qualitative and quantitative assessment of post-coagulation sludges, the main pollutant found in the washings. During the analyses, assessment of the sedimentation capabilities of the sludges was performed (gravitationally), particle size distribution was assessed (particle size distribution analyser) and assessment of phytotoxicity with the use of plant indicators in short-term tests was performed (Lemna minor, Lepidium sativum, Sinapis alba, Raphanus sativus). The samples were collected from two independent circulations, which differed in terms of capacity and type of coagulant used. The tested post-coagulation sludges were characterized by high content of total suspended solids: in samples from Circuit 1 from 251 to 128 mg/L, in Circuit 2 from 489 to 228 mg/L. However, the sedimentation processes enabled significant separation of sludges. The hydrolyzed coagulant contributed to the improvement of sedimentation capabilities of the sludges. Despite the fact that in many samples low sludge concentrations favored stimulation of plant growth, the post-coagulation sludges can constitute a hazard to plant growth, particularly in the long-term perspective.
Oxidative Stress Trajectories during Lifespan: The Possible Mediation Role of Hormones in Redox Imbalance and Aging
Authors: Bono Roberto , Squillacioti Giulia , Ghelli Federica , Panizzolo Marco , Comoretto Rosanna Irene , Dalmasso Paola , Bellisario Valeria
Published: January 2023

Aging, a natural multifactorial process, increases Oxidative Stress (OS) and inflammatory responses. Sexual hormones could upregulate OS during lifespan, with opposite systemic effects: anti-oxidant protection and cellular pro-oxidant toxicity. Hormonal changes are crucial phases in human growth and aging, but their mediating role on OS is still incomplete. The main purpose of this work was to analyze the trend of OS during the lifespan and, in particular, during puberty and menopause. Data from standardized questionnaires and biological OS measurements (15-F2t-Isop) of 815 subjects (7–60 years old) from five previous studies (2009–2015) were analyzed. The age variable was categorized into two hormonal age windows: puberty and menopause. A regression model was performed to assess the association between 15-F2t-Isop and the hormonal age window, sex, weight, and smoking habits. The results showed a significant V-shape decrease of OS levels both during puberty [OR = −0.06 95% CI −0.07–−0.04, p = 0.41] and in menopause [OR = −1.01 95% CI −1.5–−0.5, p < 0.001], but only in females. Our results support the view that hormones, and specifically estrogen, could modulate OS, especially during puberty and menopause. The V-shape decreasing trend of OS may be related to intrinsic characteristics of estrogen, which is able to modulate and upregulate OS pro- and anti-oxidant mechanisms.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Surfaces in 2022
Authors:   Surfaces Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

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