bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumer Attitudes toward Energy Reduction and Changing Energy Consumption Behaviors
Authors: Rausser Gordon , Strielkowski Wadim , Mentel Grzegorz
Published: February 2023

This editorial paper tackles the issue of the consumer attitudes toward energy reduction and changing energy consumption behaviors. This topic is of special relevance today as Europe faces an unprecedented energy crisis as a result of diverting from Russian supplies of oil and gas due to the war in Ukraine. For many years now, Europe has relied upon cheap and affordable Russian oil and gas (in fact, the European Green Deal and the strategy for the decarbonization of the economy by 2030 were indirectly based on it), but the transition to the renewable future now appears to be jeopardized. As energy prices are soaring globally, it is not yet clear whether this would have an effect on significantly changing consumer behavior and increasing energy efficiency and security as many consumers are reluctant to change their old habits and are used to having their energy on demand and for any possible occasion. However, changing energy consumption behaviors would be beneficial not only for handling the current energy crisis but also for setting the long-term trends with respect to energy saving, which is crucial for fighting global warming and climate change while sustaining economic growth.
Load Forecasting Techniques and Their Applications in Smart Grids
Authors: Habbak Hany , Mahmoud Mohamed , Metwally Khaled , Fouda Mostafa M. , Ibrahem Mohamed I.
Published: February 2023

The growing success of smart grids (SGs) is driving increased interest in load forecasting (LF) as accurate predictions of energy demand are crucial for ensuring the reliability, stability, and efficiency of SGs. LF techniques aid SGs in making decisions related to power operation and planning upgrades, and can help provide efficient and reliable power services at fair prices. Advances in artificial intelligence (AI), specifically in machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), have also played a significant role in improving the precision of demand forecasting. It is important to evaluate different LF techniques to identify the most accurate and appropriate one for use in SGs. This paper conducts a systematic review of state-of-the-art forecasting techniques, including traditional techniques, clustering-based techniques, AI-based techniques, and time series-based techniques, and provides an analysis of their performance and results. The aim of this paper is to determine which LF technique is most suitable for specific applications in SGs. The findings indicate that AI-based LF techniques, using ML and neural network (NN) models, have shown the best forecast performance compared to other methods, achieving higher overall root mean squared (RMS) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values.
Evaluation of Heated Window System to Enhance Indoor Thermal Comfort and Reduce Heating Demands Based on Simulation Analysis in South Korea
Authors: Lee Hyomun , Lee Kyungwoo , Kang Eunho , Kim Dongsu , Oh Myunghwan , Yoon Jongho
Published: February 2023

Heated glass can be applied to improve windows’ condensation resistance and indoor thermal comfort in buildings. Although this applied technology has advantages, there are still some concerns in practical applications, such as additional energy consumption and control issues. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a heated window heating (HWH) system in terms of thermal comfort and heating energy performance (HEP). The simulation-based analysis is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the HWH using a residential building model and to compare it with radiant floor heating (RFH) and hybrid heating (HH) systems (i.e., combined HWH and RFH). This study also investigates the peak and cumulative heating loads using HWH systems with various scenarios of control methods and setpoint temperature. The predicted mean vote (PMV) is used as an indoor thermal comfort index. The ratio of cumulative thermal comfort time to the entire heating period is calculated. The results show that HWH and HH can reduce the heating load by up to 65.60% and 50.95%, respectively, compared to RFH. In addition, the times of thermal comfort can be increased by 12.55% and 6.98% with HWH and HH, respectively. However, considering the social practices of South Korea, HH is more suitable than HWH. Further investigations for HH show that a surface setpoint of 26 °C is proper, considering both heating demands and thermal comfort. In addition, the setpoint temperature should be determined considering HEP and the thermal comfort for HWH, and the optimal setpoint temperature was suggested under specific conditions.
A Review on Methanol as a Clean Energy Carrier: Roles of Zeolite in Improving Production Efficiency
Authors: Ullah Aubaid , Hashim Nur Awanis , Rabuni Mohamad Fairus , Mohd Junaidi Mohd Usman
Published: February 2023

Clean methanol can play an important role in achieving net zero emission targets by decarbonizing the energy and chemical sectors. Conventionally, methanol is produced by using fossil fuel as raw material, which releases a significant amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the environment. Clean methanol, which is produced by hydrogen (H2) from renewable sources (green H2) and captured carbon dioxide (CO2), is totally free from the influence of fossil fuel. Due to its vast applications, clean methanol has potential to substitute for fossil fuels while preventing further GHGs emissions. This review addresses the feasibility of producing clean methanol from renewable resources, i.e., green H2 and captured CO2. Availability of these raw materials is the main factor involved in establishing the circular economy of methanol, therefore, their potential sources and the possible pathways to access these sources are also summarized. Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass should be utilized for producing green H2, while CO2 captured from air, and more likely from point emission sources, can be recycled to produce clean methanol. After producing methanol from CO2 and H2, the removal of by-product water by distillation is a big challenge due its high energy consumption. An alternative approach for this methanol-water separation is membrane technology, which is an energy saving option. Water-selective zeolite membranes can separate water post-synthesis, as well as during the synthesis. Production efficiency of methanol can be enhanced by utilizing zeolite membranes inside the methanol synthesis reactor. Furthermore, CO2 conversion as well as methanol selectivity, purity and yield can also be increased significantly by selectively removing by-product water using a zeolite membrane reactor.
Experimental Investigations and Numerical Studies of Two-Phase Countercurrent Flow Limitation in a Pressurized Water Reactor: A Review
Authors: Zhu Xixi , Wang Zhengguang , Xu Chende , Wang Naihua
Published: February 2023

Gas–liquid two-phase countercurrent flow limitation (CCFL) phenomena widely exist in nuclear power plants. In particular, the gas–liquid countercurrent flow limitation phenomena in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) or a small-break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) play an important role in nuclear reactor safety research. Over several decades, a series of experimental investigations and numerical studies have been carried out to study the CCFL phenomena in a PWR. For the experimental investigations, numerous experiments have been conducted, and different CCFL mechanisms and CCFL characteristics have been obtained in various test facilities simulating different scenarios in a PWR. The CCFL phenomena are affected by many factors, such as geometrical characteristics, liquid flow rates, and fluid properties. For the numerical studies, more and more numerical models were presented and applied to the calculations of two-phase countercurrent flow over the past several decades. It is considered that the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools can simulate most of the two-phase flow configurations encountered in nuclear power plants. In this paper, the experimental investigations and the numerical studies on two-phase countercurrent flow limitation in a PWR are comprehensively reviewed. This review provides a further understanding of CCFL in a PWR and gives directions regarding future studies. It is found that relatively fewer investigations using steam–water under high system pressures are performed due to the limitation of the test facilities and test conditions. There are a number of numerical studies on countercurrent two-phase flow in a PWR hot leg geometry, but the simulations in other flow channels were relatively rare. In addition, almost all of the numerical simulations do not include heat and mass transfer. Thus, it is necessary to investigate the effects of heat and mass transfer experimentally and numerically. Furthermore, it is of significance to perform numerical simulations for countercurrent two-phase flow with a fine computational grid and suitable models to predict the formation of small waves and the details in two-phase flow.
Analysis of Reconstruction Energy Efficiency in EIT and ECT 3D Tomography Based on Elastic Net
Authors: Przysucha Bartosz , Wójcik Dariusz , Rymarczyk Tomasz , Król Krzysztof , Kozłowski Edward , Gąsior Marcin
Published: February 2023

The main goal of this paper is to research and analyze the problem of image reconstruction performance using machine learning methods in 3D electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) and electrical impedance tomography (EIT) by comparing the areas inside the tank to determine the finite elements for which one of the method reconstructions is more effective. The research was conducted on 5000 simulated cases, which ranged from one to five inclusions generated for a cylindrical tank. The authors first used the elastic net learning method to perform the reconstruction and then proposed a method for testing the effectiveness of reconstruction. Based on this approach, the reconstructions obtained by each method were compared, and the areas within the object were identified. Finally, the results obtained from the simulation tests were verified on real measurements made with two types of tomographs. It was found that areas closer to the edge of the tank were more effectively reconstructed by EIT, while ECT reconstructed areas closer to the center of the tank. Extensive analysis of the inclusions makes it possible to use this measurement for energy optimization of industrial processes and biogas plant operation.
Optimal Control of a Single-Stage Modular PV-Grid-Driven System Using a Gradient Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Altbawi Saleh Masoud Abdallah , Mokhtar Ahmad Safawi Bin , Khalid Saifulnizam Bin Abdul , Husain Nusrat , Yahya Ashraf , Haider Syed Aqeel , Alsisi Rayan Hamza , Moin Lubna
Published: February 2023

There are many studies that focus on extracting harmonics from both DC and AC sides of grid-interfaced photovoltaic (PV) systems. Based on these studies, the paper introduces an efficient method depending on hybrid DC voltage, and an active and reactive power (DC-V PQ) control scheme in a single-stage three-phase grid-interfaced PV system. The proposed scheme is designed to regulate DC voltage to minimize power loss and energy share between the network reconfiguration and the utility grid. Moreover, the technique is more effective at dealing with uncertainty and has higher reliability under various operating scenarios. These operations are the insertion of linear load 1, nonlinear load, and linear load 2. Moreover, a novel objective function (OF) is developed to improve the dynamic response of the system. OF is coupled with a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and a gradient optimization (GBO) algorithm. The analysis and the comparative study prove the superiority of GBO with counterfeits algorithm.
Comparative Assessment of Supervisory Control Algorithms for a Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Aletras Nikolaos , Doulgeris Stylianos , Samaras Zissis , Ntziachristos Leonidas
Published: February 2023

The study examines alternative on-board energy management system (EMS) supervisory control algorithms for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The optimum fuel consumption was sought between an equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) algorithm and a back-engineered commercial rule-based (RB) one, under different operating conditions. The RB algorithm was first validated with experimental data. A method to assess different algorithms under identical states of charge variations, vehicle distance travelled, and wheel power demand criteria is first demonstrated. Implementing this method to evaluate the two algorithms leads to fuel consumption corrections of up to 8%, compared to applying no correction. We argue that such a correction should always be used in relevant studies. Overall, results show that the ECMS algorithm leads to lower fuel consumption than the RB one in most driving conditions. The difference maximizes at low average speeds (<40 km/h), where the RB leads to more frequent low load engine operation. The two algorithms lead to fuel consumption differences of 3.4% over the WLTC, while the maximum difference of 24.2% was observed for a driving cycle with low average speed (18.4 km/h). Further to fuel consumption performance optimization, the ECMS algorithm also appears superior in terms of adaptability to different driving cycles.
Computer Vision and Machine Learning Methods for Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Complex Structural Microchannels: A Review
Authors: Yang Bin , Zhu Xin , Wei Boan , Liu Minzhang , Li Yifan , Lv Zhihan , Wang Faming
Published: February 2023

Heat dissipation in high-heat flux micro-devices has become a pressing issue. One of the most effective methods for removing the high heat load of micro-devices is boiling heat transfer in microchannels. A novel approach to flow pattern and heat transfer recognition in microchannels is provided by the combination of image and machine learning techniques. The support vector machine method in texture characteristics successfully recognizes flow patterns. To determine the bubble dynamics behavior and flow pattern in the micro-device, image features are combined with machine learning algorithms and applied in the recognition of boiling flow patterns. As a result, the relationship between flow pattern evolution and boiling heat transfer is established, and the mechanism of boiling heat transfer is revealed.
Comparison on Hydraulic Characteristics of Vertical and Horizontal Air-Cushion Surge Chambers in the Hydropower Station under Load Disturbances
Authors: Xu Tingyu , Chen Sheng , Zhang Jian , Yu Xiaodong , Lyu Jiawen , Yan Haibin
Published: February 2023

Hydroelectric energy is an increasingly vital and effective renewable energy for modern society. The protective effect on the water hammer in the pipeline, the operational stability of the hydropower system, and the flow regime in the air-cushion surge chamber (ACSC) are three main problems during the design of the hydropower station with an ACSC. Comprehensively comparing the above issues between the horizontal and vertical ACSCs is meaningful. This study established the one-dimensional (1D) model based on the Method of Characteristics (MOC) under large load disturbances (LLD) and the rigid water column theory under small load disturbances (SLD). At the same time, the three-dimensional (3D) model was built based on the Volume of Fluid (VOF) to obtain a more detailed flow regime in the ACSC under the load acceptance condition. The results showed that the vertical ACSC was superior to the horizontal one for its large safe water depth, smaller maximum air pressure, and more stable flow under LLD. In contrast, the horizontal one was better than the vertical one for its extensive water area to calm the SLD during the transient process and smaller fluctuation of the surge under SLD. This study will provide a reference for a future project on selecting the structure of the ACSC.
Phase Selection and Location Method of Generator Stator Winding Ground Fault Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Li Qinwei , Jia Wenchao
Published: February 2023

The phase selection and fault location methods of generator stator winding single-phase grounding fault are greatly affected by the transition resistance. A new phase selection and generator stator ground fault location approach based on the BP neural network is proposed in this research from a data-driven angle. This method uses a neural network to calculate the probability of three-phase fault occurrence to identify the fault phase and directly calculate the fault location that takes the amplitude and phase angle characteristics of zero-sequence voltage as input. The simulation results show that the stator ground fault phase selection and location algorithm based on the neural network can achieve correct phase selection and small positioning error, which has verified the effectiveness of the method.
Net-Zero Climate Emissions Districts: Potentials and Constraints for Social Housing in Milan
Authors: Famiglietti Jacopo , Aprile Marcello , Spirito Giulia , Motta Mario
Published: February 2023

Net-zero climate districts are gaining wide attention at the European and international levels. Urban regeneration competitions have been launched recently to stimulate development; nevertheless, the literature does not yet provide a shared scope definition (i.e., product system). Using the process-based life cycle assessment method, the authors evaluate the climate profile of a new district in Milan (14 buildings with 36,000 m2 of gross surface area in total) aiming to become the first net-zero social housing project in Italy. The authors show in the results section how climate neutrality is achieved on the part of the real estate operator by varying the scope. The most conservative scenario (including all the emission sources considered in the analysis) indicates that the net-zero climate target is reached only by purchasing voluntary carbon credits. The authors also highlight: (i) a district composed of nearly-zero energy buildings is far from the definition of a net-zero climate emissions district; (ii) a net-zero climate emissions district may not be a positive energy district and vice-versa; and (iii) constraints linked with the lack of space in a densely populated city due to insufficient area to install renewables on site.
Short-Term Heavy Overload Forecasting of Public Transformers Based on Combined LSTM-XGBoost Model
Authors: Ma Hao , Yang Peng , Wang Fei , Wang Xiaotian , Yang Di , Feng Bo
Published: February 2023

In order to effectively carry out the heavy overload monitoring and maintenance of public transformers in the distribution network, ensure the reliability of the distribution network power supply, and improve customer satisfaction with electricity consumption, this paper presents a short-term heavy overload forecasting method for public transformers based on the LSTM-XGBOOST combined model. The model extracts heavy overload feature variables from four dimensions, including basic parameter information, weather, time, and recent load, and constructs a short-term second highest load prediction model based on the LSTM algorithm to obtain the predicted value of the second highest load rate. After aggregating the heavy overload feature variables and the predicted second highest load rate, the XGboost algorithm is employed to construct a short-term heavy overload prediction model for public transformers to judge whether the public transformers display heavy overload. The test results show that this method has high accuracy in short-term heavy overload forecasting, and can effectively assist in the key monitoring and control of heavy overload in public transformers.
Sustainability in Blockchain: A Systematic Literature Review on Scalability and Power Consumption Issues
Authors: Alshahrani Hani , Islam Noman , Syed Darakhshan , Sulaiman Adel , Al Reshan Mana Saleh , Rajab Khairan , Shaikh Asadullah , Shuja-Uddin Jaweed , Soomro Aadar
Published: February 2023

Blockchain is a peer-to-peer trustless network that keeps records of digital assets without any central authority. With the passage of time, the sustainability issue of blockchain is rising. This paper discusses two major sustainability issues of blockchain: power consumption and scalability. It discusses the challenge of power consumption by analyzing various approaches to estimating power consumption in the literature. A case study of bitcoin is presented for this purpose. The study presents a review of the growing energy consumption of bitcoin along with a solution for immersion cooling in blockchain mining. The second challenge addressed in this research is scalability. With the increase in network size, scalability issues are also increasing as the number of transactions per second is decreasing. In other words, blockchain is observing low throughput with its increase in size. The paper discusses research studies and techniques proposed in the literature. The paper then investigates how to scale blockchain for better performance.
Economic Viability and Engine Performance Evaluation of Biodiesel Derived from Desert Palm Date Seeds
Authors: Kamil Mohammed , Almarashda Fatima M.
Published: February 2023

Desert palm date seeds are a potential feedstock for biodiesel and biomass pellet production, particularly in the Middle East and Africa. A model was developed in this study based on optimal conditions for the production of biodiesel, and it was used to evaluate the financial viability of a small-scale biodiesel plant (1000 t/y) using economic performance metrics including net present value, rate of investment, and payback period. Biodiesel was then produced from date seed oil (DSO) and blended with petrol diesel to make four blends (B5, B10, B15, and B20). The technical performance of these blends was investigated using a test engine rig under differing operating conditions, including variations in load and rpm. The investment performance of the proposed biodiesel plant was very sensitive to the price of biomass pellets; the project was feasible only when this was 70% that of wood pellets or higher. The baseline diesel outperformed the biodiesel blends in terms of engine power, thermal efficiency, and fuel economy, with average decreases of 4.5%, 7.65%, and 9.84%, respectively, at full load for B20. However, the biodiesel blends outperformed the baseline diesel in exhaust gas temperature (EGT), with average drops of 29 and 46.7 °C at full load for B5 and B20, respectively. Our study clearly demonstrates that due to it being obtained from existing waste materials, having a cleaner but comparable performance, and its economic viability, date seed oil has excellent potential as a feedstock for biodiesel production.
MIMO-SAR Interferometric Measurements for Wind Turbine Tower Deformation Monitoring
Authors: Baumann-Ouyang Andreas , Butt Jemil Avers , Varga Matej , Wieser Andreas
Published: February 2023

Deformations affect the structural integrity of wind turbine towers. The health of such structures is thus assessed by monitoring. The majority of sensors used for this purpose are costly and require in situ installations. We investigated whether Multiple-Input Multiple-Output Synthetic Aperture Radar (MIMO-SAR) sensors can be used to monitor wind turbine towers. We used an automotive-grade, low-cost, off-the-shelf MIMO-SAR sensor operating in the W-band with an acquisition frequency of 100 Hz to derive Line-Of-Sight (LOS) deformation measurements in ranges up to about 175 m. Time series of displacement measurements for areas at different heights of the tower were analyzed and compared to reference measurements acquired by processing video camera recordings and total station measurements. The results showed movements in the range of up to 1 m at the top of the tower. We were able to detect the deformations also with the W-band MIMO-SAR sensor; for areas with sufficient radar backscattering, the results suggest a sub-mm noise level of the radar measurements and agreement with the reference measurements at the mm- to sub-mm level. We further applied Fourier transformation to detect the dominant vibration frequencies and identified values ranging from 0.17 to 24 Hz. The outcomes confirmed the potential of MIMO-SAR sensors for highly precise, cost-efficient, and time-efficient structural monitoring of wind turbine towers. The sensors are likely also applicable for monitoring other high-rise structures such as skyscrapers or chimneys.
Distributed Network-Constrained P2P Community-Based Market for Distribution Networks
Authors: Oliveira Carlos , Simões Micael , Bitencourt Leonardo , Soares Tiago , Matos Manuel A.
Published: February 2023

Energy communities have been designed to empower consumers while maximizing the self-consumption of local renewable energy sources (RESs). Their presence in distribution systems can result in strong modifications in the operation and management of such systems, moving from a centralized operation to a distributed one. In this scope, this work proposes a distributed community-based local energy market that aims at minimizing the costs of each community member, accounting for the technical network constraints. The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is adopted to distribute the market, and preserve, as much as possible, the privacy of the prosumers’ assets, production, and demand. The proposed method is tested on a 10-bus medium voltage radial distribution network, in which each node contains a large prosumer, and the relaxed branch flow model is adopted to model the optimization problem. The market framework is proposed and modeled in a centralized and distributed fashion. Market clearing on a day-ahead basis is carried out taking into account actual energy exchanges, as generation from renewable sources is uncertain. The comparison between the centralized and distributed ADMM approach shows an 0.098% error for the nodes’ voltages. The integrated OPF in the community-based market is a computational burden that increases the resolution of the market dispatch problem by about eight times the computation time, from 200.7 s (without OPF) to 1670.2 s. An important conclusion is that the proposed market structure guarantees that P2P exchanges avoid the violation of the network constraints, and ensures that community agents’ can still benefit from the community-based architecture advantages.
Implementation of EFC Charging Station by Multiport Converter with Integration of RES
Authors: Suvvala Jayaprakash , Kumar Kannaiah Sathish
Published: February 2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) are gradually becoming an integral part of the drive to accomplish sustainable energy standards. Due to their limited onboard battery capacity, EVs’ expanding popularity creates a need for widespread charging stations. However, fast charging stations, particularly Extreme Fast Charging (EFC), may impose a hassle on the electrical system due to overload during peak hours, frequent power gaps, and voltage sag. To flatten the power supply, the photovoltaic (PV) Hybrid Energy Storage Systems (HESS) and the uncertain and variable nature of PV systems always include solar and hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) such as batteries and supercapacitors. This research suggests a multi-port DC-DC converter (MPC) with a bidirectional DC-DC converter for battery ESS-integrated PV systems. The MPC can regulate the majority of active power through PV to a battery, PV to an EV charging station, HESS to an EV charging station, and PV to AC grid. Additionally, a PI controller is used for the MPC, taking both the PV and battery voltage variations into account. Therefore, the presented configuration can achieve the key benefits of greater integration, more efficiency, and reduced cost. Simulation results show the advantages of this multiport EV charging circuit with PV-HESS and design in different modes.
Biogenic Elements of Atmospheric Fallout and Impact of Sub-Mediterranean Forest Communities of Downy Oaks on Changes in the Chemical Composition of Atmospheric Precipitation
Authors: Pham Cam Nhung , Gorbunov Roman , Lapchenko Vladimir , Gorbunova Tatiana , Tabunshchik Vladimir
Published: February 2023

In this work, a study of the biogenic composition of atmospheric precipitation and its change during the passage through the crowns of trees of a downy oak forest was carried out. First of all, the content of rainwater-soluble compounds of all the considered elements in rainwater under the forest canopy was higher than in rainwater in an open area. It was revealed that the main forms of nitrogen in the atmospheric fallout were nitrates and ammonium. The average concentrations of nitrogen anions in rainwater collected under the canopy were higher than in rainwater collected in the open area. The proportion of nitrite nitrogen in rainwater under the canopy was 6% higher than in rainwater collected in the open area. Simultaneously with the increase in the proportion of nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen decreased. For all considered biogenic substances, an increase in their content was observed in the warm period of the year. We found an inverse relationship between the concentration of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in precipitation and the relative air humidity and wind speed. It was established that the pH of precipitation falling under the crowns of trees was lower than the pH of precipitation in the open area. It was revealed that the increase in the concentration of biogenic elements was in accordance with the phase of plant development during the growing season.
Coppice Management for Young Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.)
Authors: Strimbu Bogdan M. , Nicolescu Valeriu-Norocel
Published: February 2023

Sycamore is a valuable tree not only economically but also ecological and culturally. Even though it has a vigorous regeneration system from its stump, its coppice management has triggered limited formal investigations. Therefore, the present study focused on finding the most suitable coppice strategy for achieving ground coverage and biomass, as well as developing growth and yield models for sycamore maples. Using a series of eight measurements spanning twenty-one years, starting from age six, we found that single-shoot coppices provided superior yields for height than seed-managed trees up to age twelve and up to age twenty for DBH. The coppice trees outperformed the seed trees up to age 10. The yield of DBH and the height for single-shoots and seed-managed trees were described by parsimonious formulations, namely the Schumacher model for DBH and the square root for height. The relationship of DBH–height exhibited a clear linear form, pointing toward the main limitation of the study, namely the confinement to ages less than 20 years. Nevertheless, all the models exhibited a bias <10−7 and an R2 around 80%, except for the height and DBH change throughout time, which was around 67%.
Markets for Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs): The Role of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) in Enhancing Brazil’s Sociobiodiversity
Authors: Bachi Laura , Carvalho-Ribeiro Sónia
Published: February 2023

Under detailed settings, tourism can add to the material and immaterial values of the use of biodiversity, such as non-timber forest products (NTFPs) collected by traditional communities, towards sustainability in rural landscapes. A critical aspect is to effectively assess where to implement tourism modalities that enhance NTFP extractivism and reduce the emphasis on the quantities extracted (yields). Here, we map NTFP extractivism and community-based tourism initiatives in Brazil to explore local markets, use a spatially explicit modeling approach and map landscape-scale governance mechanisms to upscale where sociobiodiversity can be successfully cherished through a community-led visitation and management model. Our results show suitable large areas to upscale community-based tourism (CBT) markets for NTFP extractivism in the Amazon and Cerrado, which can be supported by available social capital and partnerships. However, there is a lack of infrastructure and institutions to support their implementation. We evidence innovative ways for enhancing the role of tourism for Brazil’s sociobiodiversity and fostering transitions towards multifunctional sustainable land uses.
Estimating Above-Ground Biomass from Land Surface Temperature and Evapotranspiration Data at the Temperate Forests of Durango, Mexico
Authors: Rosas-Chavoya Marcela , López-Serrano Pablito Marcelo , Vega-Nieva Daniel José , Hernández-Díaz José Ciro , Wehenkel Christian , Corral-Rivas José Javier
Published: February 2023

The study of above-ground biomass (AGB) is important for monitoring the dynamics of the carbon cycle in forest ecosystems. The emergence of remote sensing has made it possible to analyze vegetation using land surface temperature (LST), Vegetation Temperature Condition Index (VTCI) and evapotranspiration (ET) information. However, relatively few studies have evaluated the ability of these variables to estimate AGB in temperate forests. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship of LST, VTCI and ET with AGB in temperate forests of Durango, Mexico, regarding each season of the year and to develop a AGB estimation model using as predictors LST, VCTI and ET, together with topographic, reflectance and Gray-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix (GLCM) texture variables. A semi-parametric model was generated to analyze the linear and non-linear responses of the predictive variables of AGB using a generalized linear model (GAM). The results show that the best predictors of AGB were longitude, latitude, spring LST, ET, elevation VTCI, NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), slope and GLCM mean (R2 = 0.61; RMSE = 28.33 Mgha−1). The developed GAM model was evaluated with an independent dataset (R2 = 0.58; RMSE = 31.21 Mgha−1), suggesting the potential of this modeling approach to predict AGB for the analyzed temperate forest ecosystems.
Lacto-Fermented and Unfermented Soybean Differently Modulate Serum Lipids, Blood Pressure and Gut Microbiota during Hypertension
Authors: Daliri Eric Banan-Mwine , Ofosu Fred Kwame , Chelliah Ramachandran , Oh Deog-Hwan
Published: February 2023

Soy consumption may reduce hypertension but the impact of food processing on the antihypertensive effect is unclear. Hence, we ascertained the effects of lacto-fermented (FSB) and unfermented soybean (USB) consumption on serum atherogenic lipids, hypertension and gut microbiota of spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). FSB displayed a strong in vitro angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory ability of 70 ± 5% while USB inhibited 5 ± 3% of the enzyme activity. Consumption of USB reduced serum ACE activity by 19.8 ± 12.85 U while FSB reduced the enzyme activity by 47.6 ± 11.35 U, respectively. FSB significantly improved cholesterol levels and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressures by 14 ± 3 mmHg and 10 ± 3 mmHg, respectively, while USB only had a marginal impact on blood pressure. Analysis of FSB showed the abundance of ACE inhibitory peptides EGEQPRPFPFP and AIPVNKP (which were absent in USB) and 30 phenolic compounds (only 12 were abundant in USB). Feeding SHR with FSB promoted the growth of Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Intestinimonas, Phocaeicola, Lactobacillus and Prevotella (short chain fatty acid producers) while USB promoted only Prevotellamassilia, Prevotella and Intestimonas levels signifying the prebiotic ability of FSB. Our results show that, relative to USB, FSB are richer in bioactive compounds that reduce hypertension by inhibiting ACE, improving cholesterol levels and mitigating gut dysbiosis.
Investigating the Effect of Oxidants on the Quantification and Characterization of Charcoal in Two Southeast Australian Sedimentary Records
Authors: Constantine IV Mark , Zhu Xiaohong , Cadd Haidee , Mooney Scott
Published: February 2023

This study examined the effects of commonly used oxidants in sedimentary macroscopic charcoal analysis on two sediment cores from Thirlmere Lakes National Park, Southeast Australia. The cores, from Lake Werri Berri (WB3) and Lake Couridjah (LC2), span ~900 years and 135,000 years, respectively. The Charcoal Accumulation Rate (CHAR) for both charcoal area and count was quantified using four different chemical treatments and compared to a control using only water. We also quantified the Charring Intensity (CI) of isolated charcoal fragments, a proxy for the severity/intensity of fire, determined using the FTIR spectral characteristics of the remaining charcoal after each treatment. We found significant differences in both the area and number of particles across all treatments in both cores. Significantly, we found substantial differences in CI between treatments, with few charcoal particles formed in low-severity fire (e.g., below ~400 °C or 3.0 °C.s.106) in groups treated with an oxidant. In contrast, the control group displayed a wider range of CI values and contained lightly pyrolyzed particles. This suggests that methods using an oxidant to concentrate sedimentary charcoal are potentially biasing records towards high-intensity or -severity fires. We suggest that consideration should be used when choosing laboratory methods based on the hypotheses being tested.
The Effect of the Species and Harvesting Location on Dried Salted Cod Fatty Acid Signatures and Nutritional Quality
Authors: Quaresma Mário , Pereira Gonçalo , Nunes Maria Leonor , Jardim Angela , Santos Carlos , Bandarra Narcisa , Roseiro Cristina
Published: February 2023

The Atlantic cod was listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a condition that persists today. Fishing pressure on the Atlantic cod could be partially transferred to the Pacific cod, since the two cod species share genetic and phenotypic similarities. The aim of this study is to expand knowledge of the composition of dried salted cod obtained from Atlantic and Pacific cod species, with the Atlantic cod being from two different harvesting locations. The comparison of these cod species revealed the existence of nine significant differences among individual FAs (accountable for 63.2% of total FAs), which was at a similar level to that observed between different harvesting locations for the Atlantic cod (ten significant differences among individual FAs, accountable for 61.6% of total FAs). Canonical discriminant analysis and cross-validation achieved full discrimination of the cod’s origin and 100% accuracy in the cod’s origin classification. The amount of EPA plus DHA in dried salted cod reached its higher value among the Pacific cod (302.3 mg/100 g), while the Atlantic cod averaged 284.1 g/100 g of edible portion. The Pacific cod presented a higher α-tocopherol content than its Atlantic counterpart (8.04 vs. 4.94 µg/g).
Quality Improvement in Apple Ciders during Simultaneous Co-Fermentation through Triple Mixed-Cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia kudriavzevii, and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Authors: Hu Lujun , Chen Xiaodie , Lin Rui , Xu Teng , Xiong Dake , Li Li , Zhao Zhifeng
Published: February 2023

This study explored the effect of the combination of Saccharomyces yeast, non-Saccharomyces yeast (Pichia kudriavzevii), and Lactiplantibacillus plantarum during cider fermentation on physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, flavor and aroma compounds, as well as sensory qualities. Ciders fermented with the triple mixed-cultures of these three species showed lower acid and alcohol content than those fermented with the single-culture of S. cerevisiae. The antioxidant activities were enhanced by the triple mixed-culture fermentation, giving a higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate and total antioxidant capacity; specifically, the SPL5 cider showed the highest DPPH radical scavenging rate (77.28%), while the SPL2 gave the highest total antioxidant capacity (39.57 mmol/L). Additionally, the triple mixed-culture fermentation resulted in improved flavor and aroma with a lower acidity (L-malic acid) and higher aroma compounds (Esters), when compared with the single-culture fermented ciders (Saccharomyces cerevisiae); more specifically, the SPL4 cider resulted in the highest total flavor and aroma compounds. In addition, sensory evaluation demonstrated that ciders produced using the triple mixed-cultures gained higher scores than those fermented using the single-culture of S. cerevisiae, giving better floral aroma, fruity flavor, and overall acceptability. Therefore, our results indicated that the triple mixed-cultures (S. cerevisiae, P. kudriavzevii, and L. plantarum) were found to make up some enological shortages of the single S. cerevisiae fermented cider. This study is believed to provide a potential strategy to enhance cider quality and further give a reference for new industrial development protocols for cider fermentation that have better sensory qualities with higher antioxidant properties.
Sensory Wheel and Lexicon for the Description of Cold-Pressed Hemp Seed Oil
Authors: Tura Matilde , Mandrioli Mara , Valli Enrico , Dinnella Caterina , Gallina Toschi Tullia
Published: February 2023

Cold-pressed hemp seed oil (CP-HSO) has become available on the market and is gaining popularity mainly for its appeal and nutritional profile. The sensory quality largely depends on seed quality and processing as well as oil storage conditions. Given the “native” nature of the product, obtained by cold-pressing, the development of a standardized methodology to evaluate and describe the sensory quality of HSOs is of the utmost importance. To this aim, 16 commercial HSOs were evaluated, covering the main differences in brands and sales channels. A trained panel developed a vocabulary to describe the HSO profile consisting of 44 attributes, and a practical sensory wheel was proposed to classify attributes in different clusters and according to sensory modality. A sensory profile sheet was developed including two color descriptors (yellow, green), seven main positive (sunflower/pumpkin seeds, nutty, toasted nutty, hay, sweet, bitter, and pungent), several secondary positive (herbs, coffee, tobacco, etc.), four main defects (rancid, paint, burnt, and fish), and other secondary negative descriptors (boiled vegetables, cucumber, etc.). Subsequently, specific training of the panelists was carried out, and a satisfactory performance level was reached. This study represents the first attempt to standardize the sensory quality and terminology of HSO.
Effect of Flaxseed Mucilage and Gum Arabic on Probiotic Survival and Quality of Kefir during Cold Storage
Authors: Alhssan Eiman , Ercan Songül Şahin , Bozkurt Hüseyin
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to assess the survival of probiotic cultures in kefir. Kefir is a fermented dairy product, and in this study we incorporated nutritionally rich flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic as a prebiotic, then monitored for improvement in the the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis. In addition, some physicochemical variables of kefir were investigated. The addition of flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic significantly (p ˂ 0.05) increased the growth of both Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium lactis compared to the control. Samples enriched with flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic had significantly (p ˂ 0.05) reduced pH and increased viscosity. Flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic significantly (p ˂ 0.05) changed the color parameters L*, a*, and b*. However, as the concentration of flaxseed mucilage increased, the L* value decreased. Moreover, adding flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic into kefir increased (p ˂ 0.05) the protein content. These results showed that flaxseed mucilage and gum arabic could be used to increase the survival of probiotic cultures in kefir without changing its physicochemical properties.
Metagenomic Insights into the Anti-Obesity Effect of a Polysaccharide from Saccharina japonica
Authors: Song Ying , Lu Dongze , Wang Honggang , Zhou Zhenyi , Luo Xian , Ma Manjing , Ke Songze , Wang Hong , Yu Yanlei , Wei Bin
Published: February 2023

Saccharina japonica polysaccharides exhibit great potential to be developed as anti-obesity and prebiotic health products, but the underlying mechanism has not been adequately addressed. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanism of a S. japonica polysaccharide fraction (SjC) in preventing high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity in mice using 16S rRNA gene and shotgun metagenomic sequencing analysis. SjC was characterized as a 756 kDa sulfated polysaccharide and 16 weeks of SjC supplementation significantly alleviated HFD-induced obesity, insulin resistance, and glucose metabolism disorders. The 16S rRNA and metagenomic sequencing analysis demonstrated that SjC supplementation prevented gut microbiota dysbiosis mainly by regulating the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio and Akkermansia. Metagenomic functional profiling demonstrated that SjC treatment predominantly suppressed the amino acid metabolism of gut microbiota. Linking of 16S rRNA genes with metagenome-assembled genomes indicated that SjC enriched at least 22 gut bacterial species with fucoidan-degrading potential including Desulfovibrio and Akkermansia, which showed significant correlations with bodyweight. In conclusion, our results suggest that SjC exhibits a promising potential as an anti-obesity health product and the interaction between SjC and fucoidan-degrading bacteria may be associated with its anti-obesity effect.
In Vitro Infant Digestion of Whey Proteins Isolate–Lactose
Authors: Sabari Sarizan , Julmohammad Norliza , Jahurul Haque Akanda Md , Matanjun Patricia , Ab. Wahab Noorakmar
Published: February 2023

The model in vitro protein digestion technique has received greater attention due to providing significant advantages compared to in vivo experiments. This research employed an in vitro infant digestive static model to examine the protein digestibility of whey proteins isolate–lactose (WPI–Lac). The polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) pattern for alpha-lactalbumin of WPI at 60 min showed no detectable bands, while the alpha-lactalbumin of the WPI–Lac was completely digested after 5 min of gastric digestion. The beta-lactoglobulin of the WPI–Lac was found to be similar to the beta-lactoglobulin of the WPI, being insignificant at pH 3.0. The alpha-lactalbumin of the WPI decreased after 100 min of duodenal digestion at pH 6.5, and the WPI–Lac was completely digested after 60 min. The peptides were identified as ~2 kilodalton (kDa) in conjugated protein, which indicated that the level of degradation of the protein was high, due to the hydrolysis progress. The conjugated protein increased the responsiveness to digestive proteolysis, potentially leading to the release of immunogenic protein by lactose, and to the creation of hypoallergenic protein.