bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structuring the water quality policy problem: Using Q methodology to explore discourses in the Brantas River basin
Authors: Houser R. Schuyler , Pramana Kharis Erasta Reza , Ertsen Maurits Willem
Published: November 2022

Recognizing the interrelatedness of water use and conceptual value of IWRM, progressive water resource management systems are moving beyond hierarchical arrangements toward more integrated networks. Increasing calls for participation recognize the value of broadened perspectives that provide both technical expertise as well as social, cultural, and administrative knowledge. Moreover, the call for evidence-based policy of '00s has been tempered by recognition of the political nature of data and science. As such, water decision-makers striving to coproduce and employ shared knowledge must grapple with integrating inputs from diverse participant groups to characterize policy problems and identify effective and feasible solutions. Participatory mandates, coordination bodies, and collaborative networks have emerged to facilitate such integration, and their effective cooperation and alignment relies upon some degree of shared purpose, rather than command and control. But guidance is limited with respect to how to accomplish such integrative aims, including how to support discussions across sectors and silos of practice in order to foster better understanding regarding the problems a policy network collectively aims to address. Motivated by observations within the discourse on water quality in the Brantas River basin in Indonesia, this research explores alternative concepts and problem structures regarding river health via Q methodology. Q methodology, an approach that uses factor analysis to explore human subjectivity, is applied to explore conceptualizations of water quality and the structures of the “water quality problem” in the Brantas. The results show that different groups of perspectives emerge regarding the concept itself, as well as characterization of the current condition of the Brantas. Surprisingly, these variant perspectives do not follow oft-cited government-business-civil society divisions. Moreover, the emergent perspectives demonstrate which aspects of the policy problem are consistent and which are contested, suggesting several starting points for early collaboration and several areas that require further research and facilitated deliberation. The results also offer participants in the collaborative network greater appreciation of the various perspectives and definitions in use, within and across organizations, when discussing water quality.
Use of drinkers by finisher pigs depend on drinker location, pig age, time of day, stocking density and tail damage
Authors: Larsen Mona Lilian Vestbjerg , Pedersen Lene Juul
Published: November 2022

Water is a vital nutrient for mammals, including the pig. Despite this, the use of drinkers and water have not yet been explicitly quantified across the finisher period. The current study aimed at gaining greater insight into finisher pigs' drinker use and its relation to drinker location, age, time of day, stocking density, enrichment provision and tail damage. The experiment included 110 pens of finisher pigs over a 9-week period, with two drinker cups per pen. Pens had a stocking density of either 0.73 m2/pig (n = 54 pens, 18 pigs per pen) or 1.21 m2/pig (n = 56 pens, 11 pigs per pen), were either provided with straw (n = 54, 150 g per pig and day) or not (n = 56), and had pigs with either undocked (n = 50) or docked tails (n = 60). Drinker use was recorded automatically by water-flow meters and summed to L and number of activations per hour and pig. Pens never experiencing a tail damage event (at least one pig in the pen with a bleeding tail) were used to investigate the normal drinker use of finisher pigs (n = 56). The water use of pigs increased from 3.7 to 8.2 L per pig and day during the 9 weeks, and this increase was mainly seen during the two large peaks of the diurnal pattern within the pigs' active period (06:00–18:00 h). No such increase was seen in the activation frequency at average 50 activations per pig and day. A decrease in stocking density increased both water use and activation frequency during the active period, suggesting that pigs at the standard space allowance and pig:drinker ratio could be restricted in their access to the drinking cups. The pigs also seemed to prefer to use the drinking cup closest to the feeder. Water use and activation frequency did not change the last 3 days prior to an event of tail damage, but general differences were seen between pens with and without a tail damage event. The current results may explain the success of previous studies in classifying tail damage pens from pens without tail damage using sensor data on drinker use.
Improved Nitrogen Utilization of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Roots and Plant Physiological Characteristics under the Combined Application of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers
Authors: Liu Zhenyu , Xing Yutong , Jin Dian , Liu Yuting , Lu Yi , Chen Yuan , Chen Dehua , Zhang Xiang
Published: November 2022

As one of the most important edible legumes worldwide, faba bean can be grown for grain, feed, vegetable, fertilizer, medicine and deep processing. In this study, experiments were designed to determine the combined effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and development of faba bean. Dabaipi (a cultivar of Vicia faba L.) was used for the experiments. Five treatments with different ratios of organic nitrogen (N) to total N were applied, including 0% organic fertilizer (0% OF), 25% OF, 50% OF, 75% OF, 100% OF and 0% OF. Chemical urea was used as an inorganic fertilizer. The experimental results showed that 50% OF resulted in the highest faba bean yield, up to 10,337.39 and 13,595.7 kg ha−1 in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Compared with 0% OF, 50% OF increased the yield by 84.47% and 183.17%, respectively. The regression analysis showed that the yield could be maximized when ROT accounted for 51.1%. The 50% OF treatment significantly increased N accumulation in seeds, resulting in higher N partial factor productivity and N harvest index (NHI). N accumulation in green seeds and aboveground plant parts had a significantly positive linear correlation with the yield and NHI, respectively. The 50% OF treatment maintained appropriate N accumulation in vegetative organs and higher N accumulation in reproductive organs and whole plants. Compared to 0% OF, the 50% OF treatment increased the total nodule number per plant (52.5%), fresh nodule weight (55.8%), nitrate reductase activity (70.7%), glutamine synthetase (18.2%) and glutamate synthase activity (42.4%). Therefore, the combined application of 50% OF and 50% inorganic fertilizer can be recommended for faba bean cultivation. This study will provide a theoretical basis for high-yield cultivation of faba bean.
Spatiotemporal Distribution Patterns of Pest Species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Affected by Meteorological Factors in an Agroecosystem
Authors: Hussain Zafar , Sarwar Zahid Mahmood , Akbar Atif , Alhag Sadeq K. , Ahmed Nazeer , Alam Pravej , Almadiy Abdulrahman A. , Zouidi Ferjeni , Jawalkar Nilesh Baburao
Published: November 2022

Knowing pests’ spatiotemporal distribution patterns is essential for forecasting population outbreaks and designing control tactics or long-term management plans. The family Noctuidae is one of the largest families of the Lepidoptera order. The noctuid’s moths are well represented in all zoogeographic regions in various habitats and have immeasurable ecological and economic importance. Although the species’ ecology has been extensively studied, little is known about the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of noctuid moths in an agroecosystem. Therefore, in this study, the spatial and temporal fluctuations in the abundance of 24 important species in the family were quantified. Yellow light traps were mounted in 11 different selected localities of the Multan district. The maximum species abundance was observed in September but declined in December, January, and February. Spatial contour maps were used to determine the species’ dissemination over space. Meteorological factors such as temperature and humidity showed a significantly positive correlation, while rainfall showed a significantly negative correlation, with species richness. The maximum species abundance was recorded in crop areas as compared to forest areas. This study provides a scientific basis for developing and timely applying control strategies for localized pest control.
Classification of Mountain Silvopastoral Farming Systems in Walnut Forests of Kyrgyzstan: Determining Opportunities for Sustainable Livelihoods
Authors: Azarov Azamat , Polesny Zbynek , Darr Dietrich , Kulikov Maksim , Verner Vladimir , Sidle Roy C.
Published: November 2022

Kyrgyz walnut-fruit forests are unique ecosystems inhabited by silvopastoral farm households that depend on forest resources for their livelihoods. Illegal logging, excessive collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs), and overgrazing of forest pastures negatively affect forest regeneration and biodiversity, ultimately impacting sustainable livelihoods in the region. Understanding farm heterogeneity is critical to identify targeted interventions that have the potential to improve livelihood sustainability for local populations. This study identifies and elucidates the typology of farms in walnut-fruit forests. Data were collected from 220 farm-households in three villages located within or in the buffer zone of protected areas. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were used to analyze quantitative data and aggregate farms into clusters according to forest resource availability and use, production means, and socioeconomic characteristics. Three distinct silvopastoral farming systems were identified, in which farmers collect and sell NTFPs, but also have: (i) relatively high NTFP income, medium-sized livestock herds, and low off-farm income; (ii) moderate NTFP income, large livestock herds, and high off-farm income; and (iii) low NTFP income, small herds, and moderate off-farm income. Overall, all types of farms showed different livelihood strategies; specific recommendations aimed at increasing sustainability were provided for each type. While both improved forages for livestock and grazing in forests are relevant for all types of farms, in some cases, value-added processing of NTFPs and contributions from off-farm activities such as tourism are necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of forests.
Wild Boars (Sus scrofa, L. 1758) from Castile and Leon Region (Spain): A Histopathology Survey
Authors: Jota Baptista Catarina , Gonzalo-Orden José M. , Merino-Goyenechea Luís J. , Oliveira Paula A. , Seixas Fernanda
Published: November 2022

Wild boars are wild ungulates with a wide distribution in Europe, with a relevant role in wildlife and public health. In Spain, high (and sometimes artificial) densities of wild boars are responsible for several health problems. Regular surveys, with hunters’ collaboration, are crucial to monitor these diseases. Histological analyses were performed for lung, liver, and kidneys from 72 wild boars (58 from Zamora, 16 from Palencia). Lungs were the most affected organs, mainly revealing parasitic pneumonia (34.7%). Hydropic, vacuolar, and other cellular changes (33.3%) and congestion (16.7%) were found in the liver, and only 30.6% of the wild boars presented no alterations in this organ. Regarding the kidney, non-purulent nephritis (22.2%) was the most common lesion. This study gives an overview of the health status of wild boar populations in Castile and León. Other laboratory analyses are needed to obtain definitive diagnoses of these lesions, reach other conclusions, or apply any mitigation strategies to protect animals’ or consumers’ health.
Time-Synchronized Microwave Cavity Resonance Spectroscopy and Laser Light Extinction Measurements as a Diagnostic for Dust Particle Size and Dust Density in a Low-Pressure Radio-Frequency Driven Nanodusty Plasma
Authors: Donders Tim , Staps Tim , Beckers Job
Published: November 2022

In a typical laboratory nanodusty plasma, nanometer-sized solid dust particles can be generated from the polymerization of reactive plasma species. The interplay between the plasma and the dust gives rise to behavior that is vastly different from that of pristine plasmas. Two of the key parameters in nanodusty plasma physics are, among other things, the dust particle size and the dust density. In this work, we introduce a novel method for the determination of these two quantities from the measurement of the free electron density using microwave cavity resonance spectroscopy and laser light extinction measurements. When comparing these two measurements to theory, one can determine the best-fitting dust particle size and dust density. Generally, cyclic behavior of the dust particle size and dust density was observed, of which the trends were relatively insensitive to varying the most stringent input assumptions. Finally, this method has been used to explore the behavior of the dust particle size and dust density for varying plasma powers.
Towards Explainable Quantum Machine Learning for Mobile Malware Detection and Classification
Authors: Mercaldo Francesco , Ciaramella Giovanni , Iadarola Giacomo , Storto Marco , Martinelli Fabio , Santone Antonella
Published: November 2022

Through the years, the market for mobile devices has been rapidly increasing, and as a result of this trend, mobile malware has become sophisticated. Researchers are focused on the design and development of malware detection systems to strengthen the security and integrity of sensitive and private information. In this context, deep learning is exploited, also in cybersecurity, showing the ability to build models aimed at detecting whether an application is Trusted or malicious. Recently, with the introduction of quantum computing, we have been witnessing the introduction of quantum algorithms in Machine Learning. In this paper, we provide a comparison between five state-of-the-art Convolutional Neural Network models (i.e., AlexNet, MobileNet, EfficientNet, VGG16, and VGG19), one network developed by the authors (called Standard-CNN), and two quantum models (i.e., a hybrid quantum model and a fully quantum neural network) to classify malware. In addition to the classification, we provide explainability behind the model predictions, by adopting the Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping to highlight the areas of the image obtained from the application symptomatic of a certain prediction, to the convolutional and to the quantum models obtaining the best performances in Android malware detection. Real-world experiments were performed on a dataset composed of 8446 Android malicious and legitimate applications, obtaining interesting results.
BChainGuard: A New Framework for Cyberthreats Detection in Blockchain Using Machine Learning
Authors: Aladhadh Suliman , Alwabli Huda , Moulahi Tarek , Al Asqah Muneerah
Published: November 2022

Recently, blockchain technology has appeared as a powerful decentralized tool for data integrity protection. The use of smart contracts in blockchain helped to provide a secure environment for developing peer-to-peer applications. Blockchain has been used by the research community as a tool for protection against attacks. The blockchain itself can be the objective of many cyberthreats. In the literature, there are few research works aimed to protect the blockchain against cyberthreats adopting, in most cases, statistical schemes based on smart contracts and causing deployment and runtime overheads. Although, the power of machine learning tools there is insufficient use of these techniques to protect blockchain against attacks. For that reason, we aim, in this paper, to propose a new framework called BChainGuard for cyberthreat detection in blockchain. Our framework’s main goal is to distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior of the traffic linked to the blockchain network. In BChainGuard, the execution of the classification technique will be local. Next, we embed only the decision function as a smart contract. The experimental result shows encouraging results with an accuracy of detection of around 95% using SVM and 98.02% using MLP with a low runtime and overhead in terms of consumed gas.
In Vitro Model for Evaluation of Cancer Cell Proliferative Activity under Simulated Acidosis and Using Chitosan Microparticles
Authors: Ivanova Donika , Tacheva Tanya , Semkova Severina , Panovska Radmila , Yaneva Zvezdelina
Published: November 2022

This investigation provides experimental data related to the development of a useful in vitro model allowing for a deeper analysis of invasive (metastatic) cancer cells using the effect of forced acidosis on the behavior of an epithelial colon cancer cell line. The results demonstrate that incubation in the medium with different pH values, adjusted by hydrochloric or lactic acids, increased more than 20 fold the proliferative activity of cancer cells at 48 h of incubation without affecting their cell viability. The newly synthesized chitosan micro-formulations were tested as a potential system for the screening of cancer progression, based on the attachment of cancer cells to the chitosan surface, without radically disturbing their viability. The latter could allow us to develop a versatile and useful in vitro model for the detailed investigation of the biological and molecular biochemical processes of invasive (metastatic) cancer cells.
Central Composite Design Optimisation of Banana Peels/Magnetite for Anaerobic Biogas Production from Wastewater
Authors: Adedeji Jeremiah A. , Tetteh Emmanuel Kweinor , Amo-Duodu Gloria , Armah Edward Kwaku , Rathilal Sudesh , Chetty Maggie
Published: November 2022

Biogas production from wastewater as a function to curb waste and provide energy security has gained worldwide attention. Ensuring the stability of anaerobic digestion (AD) of physiochemical and biological complexity necessitates optimization. In this study, a central composite design (CCD) from a response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to evaluate and optimize the effects of bio-stimulation of banana peels coupled with magnetite on the anaerobic digestion of wastewater to produce biogas. An experimental matrix of 14 runs using the CCD, with two factors (nanoparticle and biochar load) as a function of pH, biogas production, and COD removal by the AD process was operated at a constant mesophilic temperature (37 °C) for 28 days. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the quadratic models attained were significant (p-values < 0.05) with a high coefficient of determination (R2) values closer to 1. The optimized conditions, including nanoparticle (0.46 g) and biochar (0.66 mgVS/L), resulted in biogas production (19.26 mL/day), pH (7.07), and COD removal (75.17%). This suggests 100% desirability at a 95% confidence level. This finding depicts the trade-off between biogas productivity, biodegradability, and stability of the AD process established for future consideration of using nanoparticles as bio-stimulant.
Effect of Ultrafine Calcium Silicate on the Mechanical Properties of Oil Well Cement-Based Composite at Low Temperature
Authors: Zhu Jianglin , Jiang Xiangguang , Xu Mingbiao , Song Jianjian
Published: November 2022

A low-temperature environment will reduce the hydration rate of oil well cement-based composites, resulting in the slow development of mechanical strength, which cannot meet the requirements of cementing operations. In order to improve the early strength of cement paste under low temperature, the influence of ultrafine calcium silicate powder on the rheological properties, water loss, thickening time and permeability of oil well cement-based composites was evaluated. The compressive strength, flexural strength and impact strength of cement paste with different contents of ultrafine calcium silicate were studied. The hydration process and microstructure of cement paste were analyzed by hydration heat measurement system, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The experimental results show that the ultrafine calcium silicate has a certain impact on the rheology and thickening time of cement slurry, and dispersants and retarders are required to adjust these properties when it is used. The ultrafine calcium silicate can improve the stability of cement slurry and reduce water loss and permeability. In addition, under the condition of curing at 20 °C for 24 h, the compressive strength, flexural strength and impact strength of cement paste with 8% ultrafine calcium silicate content increased by 243.0%, 278.5% and 66.3%, respectively, compared with the pure cement paste. The hydration of cement slurry is accelerated by ultrafine calcium silicate, the hydration temperature is enhanced and the heat release of hydration is increased. The ultrafine calcium silicate improves the formation degree of hydration products and makes the structure of cement paste more compact. The research results help to design a low-temperature and early-strength cement slurry system.
Preface to the Special Issue on Nano-Enabled Approaches for Sustainable Development of the Construction Industry
Authors: Ahmad Muhammad Arslan , Xu Jing , Deng Xu
Published: November 2022

Concrete is the most consumed substance on Earth, and its production is expected to rise from 4 [...]
RT-GAN: GAN Based Architecture for Precise Segmentation of Railway Tracks
Authors: Yang Han , Li Xiaofeng , Guo Yuxin , Jia Limin
Published: November 2022

Identifying and locating track areas in images through machine vision technology is the primary task of autonomous UAV inspection. Aiming at the problems that railway track images are greatly affected by light and perspective, the background environment is complex and easy to misidentify, and existing methods are difficult to reason correctly about the obscured track area, this paper proposes a generative adversarial network (GAN)-based railway track precision segmentation framework, RT-GAN. RT-GAN consists of an encoder–decoder generator (named RT-seg) and a patch-based track discriminator. For the generator design, a linear span unit (LSU) and linear extension pyramid (LSP) are used to concatenate network features with different resolutions. In addition, a loss function containing gradient information is designed, and the gradient image of the segmentation result is added into the input of the track discriminator, aiming to guide the generator, RT-seg, to focus on the linear features of the railway tracks faster and more accurately. Experiments on the railway track dataset proposed in this paper show that with the improved loss function and adversarial training, RT-GAN provides a more accurate segmentation of rail tracks than the state-of-the-art techniques and has stronger occlusion inference capabilities, achieving 88.07% and 81.34% IoU in unaugmented and augmented datasets.
Uniform vs. Lognormal Kinematics in Robots: Perceptual Preferences for Robotic Movements
Authors: Quintana Jose J. , Ferrer Miguel A. , Diaz Moises , Feo Jose J. , Wolniakowski Adam , Miatliuk Konstantsin
Published: November 2022

Collaborative robots or cobots interact with humans in a common work environment. In cobots, one under-investigated but important issue is related to their movement and how it is perceived by humans. This paper tries to analyze whether humans prefer a robot moving in a human or in a robotic fashion. To this end, the present work lays out what differentiates the movement performed by an industrial robotic arm from that performed by a human one. The main difference lies in the fact that the robotic movement has a trapezoidal speed profile, while for the human arm, the speed profile is bell-shaped and during complex movements, it can be considered as a sum of superimposed bell-shaped movements. Based on the lognormality principle, a procedure was developed for a robotic arm to perform human-like movements. Both speed profiles were implemented in two industrial robots, namely, an ABB IRB 120 and a Universal Robot UR3. Three tests were used to study the subjects’ preference when seeing both movements and another analyzed the same when interacting with the robot by touching its ends with their fingers.
An Approach to Assess the 500 kV Insulator String Condition Using Ultraviolet Imager
Authors: Dewanto Faiq Arkan , Khakim Adityadika Miftakhul , Tumiran  , Wahyudi Mochammad , Setiawan Noor Akhmad , Saputra Dharma
Published: November 2022

The condition of each cup-and-pin insulator that forms a string must be considered in order to obtain effective guidance for contamination flashover mitigation. This paper describes an approach to assess the string condition based on the ultraviolet (UV) emitted by each cup-and-pin insulator during partial discharge condition. The UV patterns on the string were observed visually in the laboratory test. The criteria of string condition level was built based on the patterns and applied to the strings installed in the field. The index value expressing the string condition level in the field (level status) was then compared with the UV quantitative parameter extracted from the UV video. At the final stage, a logarithmic regression classification model was built based on these two values. The laboratory test results showed that there were three levels of string condition, namely level one (safest), level two, and level three (most dangerous). Most strings in the field had category level two, while most strings with level three were of the suspension type. The UV emission area parameters expressed in pixels and percentages were able to represent the sporadic nature of the discharge phenomenon. The proposed approach provided a predictive model with a mean absolute error of 0.182.
The Politics of Seeing Double: Klaus Michael Grüber’s Die Bakchen and the Visual Arts
Authors: Gerogianni Irene
Published: November 2022

Euripides’ The Bacchae is a Greek tragedy that relies on its capacity to give double vision, by confusing and dismembering the senses. This idea of doubling is taken to the extreme in the Berlin Schaubühne production Die Bakchen, directed by Klaus Michael Grüber in 1974, which formed part of the Antikenprojekt, realized along with Peter Stein. For theatre historians, Grüber’s Die Bakchen delivered a completely new concept of theatre—a theatre of images—capable to bewitch and fascinate the spectators, but distant from a hermeneutic approach with reference to the dramatic text. What is often missed here, however, is the specificity of the visual aspect of the production, which features references to historical works of classical and Renaissance art, as well as to modern sculpture, Arte Povera and conceptual, as well as performance, art pieces. In fact, the idea of doubling seems to be translated by Grüber into an intertextual, intermedial play between the text, the performance on stage, and the visual arts. As a result, the different aspects of the production look familiar and unfamiliar at the same time, not merely by the uneasy separation of theatre and text, but also by the double’s interplay between vision and knowledge.
Flavobacterium psychrophilum: Response of Vaccinated Large Rainbow Trout to Different Strains
Authors: Marana Moonika H. , Dalsgaard Inger , Kania Per Walter , Mohamed Abdu , Hannibal Jens , Buchmann Kurt
Published: November 2022

Background: Although Flavobacterium psychrophilum is recognized as the causative pathogen of rainbow trout fry syndrome (RTFS), often resulting in high fry mortality, it is also responsible for bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) in large and older rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). These older fish do not experience high mortality, but sustain, through the shedding of bacteria, a constant infection pressure at farm level, which exposes fry to an unnecessary infection risk. We have produced and assessed the immunogenicity of an experimental injection BCWD vaccine, which may be used to decrease the shedding of bacteria from older fish. Methods: A total of 800 fish were i.p.-injected: 200 fish received the bacterin with adjuvant, 200 fish received the bacterin alone, 200 fish received adjuvant alone and 200 fish were injected with physiological saline. Blood samples were taken at day 0 and at three different time points (4, 8 and 14 weeks) post-vaccination. Plasma antibody levels were measured by ELISA for reactivity against both the homologous F. psychrophilum vaccine strain (serotype Fd) and heterologous strains (serotype Th). Results: Significantly elevated antibody titers were found against all serotypes in vaccinated fish. Welfare parameters associated with the vaccination process were evaluated by analyzing trout plasma samples for six different biochemical parameters, but no adverse effects associated with injection were indicated. Conclusions: The study suggests that an injection vaccine containing formalin-inactivated whole cells of F. psychrophilum (serotype Fd), adjuvanted with FIA, may also induce protection against heterologous strains. We advocate for, as the next step, the performance of field trials evaluating if the vaccination of older rainbow trout will (1) reduce the infection pressure in farms, (2) elevate the general health level in all groups and (3) minimize F. psychrophilum infection in fry at farm level. This may reduce the need for the administration of antibiotics in all age classes.
Enhancing Electrochemical Biosensor Performance for 17β-Estradiol Determination with Short Split—Aptamers
Authors: Rozi Normazida , Hanifah Sharina Abu , Abd Karim Nurul Huda , Heng Lee Yook , Higashi Sayuri L. , Ikeda Masato
Published: November 2022

Chronic exposure of 17β-estradiol (E2) even at low concentration can disorganize the endocrine system and lead to undesirable health problems in the long run. An electrochemical biosensor for rapid detection of E2 in water samples was successfully developed. The biosensor was based on split DNA aptamers attached onto poly (methacrylic acid-co-n butyl acrylate-succinimide) microspheres deposited on polypyrrole nanowires coated electrode (PPY/PMAA-NBA). The sandwich paired of split DNA aptamers used were truncated from 75 mer parent aptamers. These two strands of 12-mer and 14-mer split DNA aptamers were then immobilized on the PMAA-NBA microspheres. In the presence of E2, the split DNA aptamers formed an apt12-E2-apt14 complex, where the binding reaction on the electrode surface led to the detection of E2 by differential pulse voltammetry using ferrocyanide as a redox indicator. Under optimum conditions, the aptasensor detected E2 concentrations in the range of 1 × 10−4 M to 1 × 10−12 M (R2 = 0.9772) with a detection limit of 4.8 × 10−13 M. E2, which were successfully measured in a real sample with 97–104% recovery and showed a good correlation (R2 = 0.9999) with the established method, such as high-performance liquid chromatography. Interactions between short and sandwich-type aptamers (split aptamers) demonstrated improvement in aptasensor performance, especially the selectivity towards several potential interferents.
Stakeholder Behavior Risk Evaluation of Hydropower Projects Based on Social Network Analysis—A Case Study from a Project
Authors: An Min , Xiao Weidong , An Hui , Huang Jin
Published: November 2022

Since construction involves many stakeholders and their behavioral risk interaction, which brings risks to the project construction, it is necessary to strengthen the research on the risk management of hydropower projects. This study comprehensively considers the characteristics of hydropower project construction and identifies relevant stakeholders to build and improve the stakeholder behavior risk evaluation index system. On this basis, the social network analysis method is used to build an evaluation model of stakeholders’ behavioral risk transmission network, identify core factors and key relationships, analyze the path of behavioral risk transmission, take measures to cut off the transmission of core factors and key relationships, and test the effect of the risk network after control. The results show that: the evaluation model can effectively identify the core behavioral risk factors and key relationships in the construction process. Then, after taking targeted measures on the core behavioral risk factors and key relationships, hydropower projects are less affected by behavioral risk factors, and the risk transmission paths are reduced, which reduces the probability of behavioral risks arising from stakeholders and improves the behavioral governance efficiency of stakeholders. Applying this research model to the risk management of international hydropower projects can provide better guidance to the stakeholders and improve the accuracy and effectiveness of analyzing the behavioral risks of stakeholders in hydropower projects.
Photocatalytic Transformations of the Resveratrol Derivative in Microflow Reactor
Authors: Mlakić Milena , Ljubić Anabela , Šalić Anita , Zelić Bruno , Horváth Ottó , Milašinović Valentina , Gojun Martin , Molčanov Krešimir , Škorić Irena
Published: November 2022

A simple and efficient protocol is utilized for the transformation studies of a thiophene analog of E-resveratrol by photocatalytic oxygenation using an anionic and a cationic free-base porphyrin, as well as their manganese(III) complexes. The starting substrate was chosen as a representative of heterostilbenes with proven good antioxidant activity. The experiments were carried out in two photoreactor types (batch and microflow reactor) to investigate the impact of the reactor type and design on conversion and photoproduct composition. NMR spectroscopy and UHPLC/MS analyses were applied for the identification and quantification of four photoproducts (Z-1, 2, 3, and 4), results of isomerization, dimerization, cyclization, and oxygenation. Different yields of photoproducts were obtained in a batch reactor and microflow reactor. In the experiments performed in a microflow reactor, Z-1 was most dominant because it was constantly removed from the reaction mixture. Therefore, the formation of other products (2, 3, 4, and undefined) whose precursor is Z-1 was avoided. This was not the case in the experiments performed in a batch reactor. Additionally, all the reactions tested were significantly accelerated in a microflow reactor, making it the preferred reactor type and design for the photocatalytic transformation of resveratrol derivative.
Novel Nano-Drug Delivery System for Brain Tumor Treatment
Authors: Qiu Ziyi , Yu Zhenhua , Xu Ting , Wang Liuyou , Meng Nanxin , Jin Huawei , Xu Bingzhe
Published: November 2022

As the most dangerous tumors, brain tumors are usually treated with surgical removal, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. However, due to the aggressive growth of gliomas and their resistance to conventional chemoradiotherapy, it is difficult to cure brain tumors by conventional means. In addition, the higher dose requirement of chemotherapeutic drugs caused by the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and the untargeted nature of the drug inevitably leads to low efficacy and systemic toxicity of chemotherapy. In recent years, nanodrug carriers have attracted extensive attention because of their superior drug transport capacity and easy-to-control properties. This review systematically summarizes the major strategies of novel nano-drug delivery systems for the treatment of brain tumors in recent years that cross the BBB and enhance brain targeting, and compares the advantages and disadvantages of several strategies.
The Role of Chitinases in Chronic Airway Inflammation Associated with Tobacco Smoke Exposure
Authors: Przysucha Natalia , Górska Katarzyna , Maskey-Warzęchowska Marta , Proboszcz Małgorzata , Nejman-Gryz Patrycja , Paplińska-Goryca Magdalena , Dymek Barbara , Zagozdzon Agnieszka , Krenke Rafał
Published: November 2022

Chitinases and chitinase-like proteins are thought to play a role in innate inflammatory responses. Our study aimed to assess whether chitinase concentration and activity in induced sputum (IS) of patients exposed to tobacco smoke are related to the level of airway inflammation including the level and activity of chitinases and chitinase-like proteins. The study included 22 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 12 non-COPD smokers, and nine nonsmoking subjects. Sputum CHIT1 and YKL-40 levels and chitinolytic activity were compared with sputum IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, and MMP-9 levels. A hierarchical cluster analysis was also performed. Sputum YKL-40 was higher in COPD patients than in the control groups. Sputum CHIT1 and YKL-40 levels correlated with IS inflammatory cell count as well as with MMP-9 and IL-8 levels. Two main clusters were revealed: Cluster 1 had lower chitinase levels and activity, lower IS macrophage and neutrophil count, and lower IS IL-8, IL-18, and MMP-9 than Cluster 2. Comparison of COPD patients from both clusters revealed significant differences in the IS inflammatory profile despite comparable clinical and functional data. Our findings seem to confirm the involvement of chitinases in smoking-associated chronic airway inflammation and show that airway chitinases may be a potential novel marker in COPD phenotyping.
Photoresist Microlens Arrays Fabricated by Nanoimprint Technique to Improve the Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency of Solar Cells
Authors: Zhang Xuehua , Lv Liangwei , Zhang Xinwen , Hu Fangren
Published: November 2022

Silicon solar cells have the advantages of non-toxicity, reliability, low price, and stability. Microlens arrays (MLAs) are widely used in solar cells to improve photoelectrical conversion efficiency (PCE). In this research, different MLAs mold was designed by a method of thermal reflow. Then the photoresist film MLAs structure was replicated on the surface of silicon solar cells through UV nanoimprint technology. The optical transmission and surface morphology of these photoresist films were respectively measured by using a UV spectrometer and an atomic force microscope. The surface morphology and imaging capabilities of photoresist film MLAs were respectively measured by using a scanning electron microscope and optical microscope. Finally, the photovoltaic performance of the silicon solar cell with the photoresist film MLAs was investigated, and the PCE value of the silicon solar cell improved from 11.53% for the sample without MLAs to 13.19% for the sample with the square MLAs and the PCE improvement is about 14.40%. All these results above show that the photoresist film MLAs can significantly improve the efficiency of silicon solar cells and have great application potential in the field of solar cells.
A Comparative Study of Microstructure and Hot Deformability of a Fe–Al–Ta Iron Aluminide Prepared via Additive Manufacturing and Conventional Casting
Authors: Emdadi Aliakbar , Weiß Sabine
Published: November 2022

In this work, the microstructure and hot deformation behavior of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) and conventionally cast Fe-25Al-1.5Ta (at.%) alloys were compared. The L-PBF builds recrystallized comparably to the as-cast samples during hot deformation. Nevertheless, distinct differences were observed in the flow behavior characteristics between the as-cast and L-PBF samples. The L-PBF builds exhibited lower flow stress than the as-cast material over the entire deformation conditions tested. The average activation energy of hot deformation (Q) of 344 kJ mol−1 was calculated for the L-PBF build and 385 kJ mol−1 for the cast material. The lower Q indicates lower deformation resistance of the L-PBF sample. The peak work hardening rate (θ) in the L-PBF sample (1.72 × 103 MPa) was significantly smaller than that of the as-cast sample (3.02 × 103 MPa), suggesting that the dislocation glide in the L-PBF sample is less hindered during deformation. Possible sources of the observed differences in the deformation behavior between the L-PBF and cast materials will be discussed. Initial and post-deformation microstructures were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and ultra-high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) detector. The C14-(Fe, Al)2Ta Laves phase (P63/mmc) was predominantly formed at the A2 α-(Fe, Al) matrix phase grain boundaries in both the as-cast and L-PBF materials. The XRD results suggest that the ordering transition from B2-FeAl to a D03-Fe3Al phase occurs during casting, but rarely during ultra-high-cooling L-PBF processing. In summary, the L-PBF creates samples that are subject to less work hardening and require less deformation resistance, and thus, can be formed by a lower deformation force. It, in turn, reduces the loads imposed on the tooling and dies during the deformation processing, contributing to less wear and the high durability of dies.
Clinical and Pathological Profiles of Vertebral Bone Metastases from Endometrial Cancers: Evidence from a Twenty-Year Case Series
Authors: Bandiera Stefano , Salamanna Francesca , Borsari Veronica , Contartese Deyanira , Bontempi Marco , Tschon Matilde , Tosini Giovanni , Pasini Stefano , Terzi Silvia , Fini Milena , Gasbarrini Alessandro
Published: November 2022

Patients with endometrial cancer (EC) frequently have metastases to lungs, extra-pelvic nodes, and liver. Although an uncommon occurrence, cases of EC metastasis to bone, prevalently in vertebral bone, have also been reported. The objective of this study was to analyze clinical and pathological profiles of patients with EC metastatic to vertebral bone. We carried out a retrospective case series on surgically treated patients for this pathology. From 2001 to 2021, out of 775 patients with bone metastasis, 1.6% had bone metastasis from EC. The median time between the diagnosis of primary tumor and that of bone metastases was 31.5 months. Solitary bone lesion was present in 7 patients and lumbar vertebrae were the segments most affected. Pathological fractures in 46.2% of patients and spinal pain in all were present. In terms of location, 46.2% of bone metastases resided within the anterior section of the vertebra, while the remaining presented an extension within the anterior and posterior sections, with 46.1% of cases showing an extradural extra-osseous extension and paraspinous envelope. Median survival after diagnosis of bone metastasis was 11.5 months. Vertebral bone metastasis in EC is a rare phenomenon, with severe prognosis. An in-depth understanding of this topic may guide future management and treatment decisions, thus improving life expectancy and quality.
Teachers’ and Students’ Views of Using an AI-Aided Educational Platform for Supporting Teaching and Learning at Chinese Schools
Authors: Niu Shuanghong Jenny , Luo Jiutong , Niemi Hannele , Li Xiaoqing , Lu Yu
Published: November 2022

In Chinese schools in less advanced places, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of education and educational equity. This study aims to investigate how an AI-aided educational platform can be used to provide additional teaching and learning resources to serve this need. The AI-aided educational platform used in this study is called Smart-Learning Partner (SLP), which is based on AI technology to provide new opportunities for personalized learning and more educational resources. A qualitative research method was applied in this study. We interviewed and surveyed 98 students and 32 teachers at 9 Chinese schools located in less developed areas. We used content analysis to interpret the findings based on students’ and teachers’ experiences of using the SLP platform. The data demonstrated that this kind of AI-aided educational platform was viewed by students and teachers as a useful tool in students’ learning and teachers’ work. It provided additional possibilities to students and teachers with its rich assessment tools, personalized and overall student learning analysis reports, plentiful high-quality mini-lecture videos, and recommendations from the platform based on the students’ needs for further enhancement study. However, challenges still exist. Adequate electronic devices for students are needed, especially in schools in less developed areas. Students and teachers called for user-friendly interfaces and features, social interaction aspects, and gamification mechanisms with recent online learning platforms. We conclude that based on the teachers’ and students’ views, AI-aided education platforms are useful tools for supporting teaching and learning in Chinese school.
Designing a Spintronic Based Magnetoresistive Bridge Sensor for Current Measurement and Low Field Sensing
Authors: Mușuroi Cristian , Volmer Marius , Oproiu Mihai , Neamtu Jenica , Helerea Elena
Published: November 2022

An exchanged-biased anisotropic magnetoresistance bridge sensor for low currents measurement is designed and implemented. The sensor has a simple construction (single mask) and is based on results from micromagnetic simulations. For increasing the sensitivity of the sensor, the magnetic field generated by the measurement current passing through the printed circuit board trace is determined through an analytical method and, for comparative analysis, finite elements method simulations are used. The sensor performance is experimentally tested with a demonstrator chip. Four case studies are considered in the analytical method: neglecting the thickness of the trace, dividing the thickness of the trace in several layers, and assuming a finite or very long conductive trace. Additionally, the influence of several adjacent traces in the sensor area is evaluated. The study shows that the analytical design method can be used for optimizing the geometric selectivity of a non-contacting magnetoresistive bridge sensor setup in single trace, differential, and multi-trace (planar coil) configurations. Further, the results can be applied for developing highly performant magnetoresistance sensors and optimizations for low field detection, small dimensions, and low costs.
Simulation of Active Echo Cancellation Effects Using the ARCS Concept
Authors: Ding Jianxin , Xie Yongjun , Zhang Jian , Gao Jie , Wu Peiyu
Published: November 2022

Active echo cancellation is an efficient method for reducing the target detected probability. The radar cross section (RCS) of the target detected by radar after using the active echo cancellation method is defined as the active radar cross section (ARCS). The ARCS concept, which may be used to evaluate reflection of the target under the effect of multiple antennas, is employed to design and achieve echo cancellation. In this paper, numerical simulation for active echo cancellation using antennas is designed. The direction of the radiation source is obtained by means of dual antenna angle measurement. Active echo cancellation is implemented by adjusting the radiation power and phase of the echo cancellation antenna. By using the proposed dual antenna structure, ARCS in the direction of the object facing the radiation source and its vicinity is significantly reduced. In addition, the effect of antenna position on reflection cancellation is discussed. From these simulation results, we conclude that the proposed method is efficient in reducing the target scattering intensity. Such investigation can be extensively applied into designing active echo cancellation strategies.