bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Central Bank Independence and Monetary Stability in Hungary, 1920s and 1990s
Authors: Eichengreen Barry
Published: January 2025

This study compares monetary policy and inflation in Hungary in the first half of the 1920s and the first half of the 1990s. In both periods, economic and financial imbalances placed pressure on the central bank to provide inflationary finance. Eventually, in response to the resulting inflation, central bank independence was significantly strengthened. But while central bank independence helped, in neither case did it suffice to prevent subsequent instability. The central bank inevitably felt pressure to accommodate problems emanating from the banking sector, the balance of payments, the government budget and weakened sectors of the economy. The paper concludes by drawing out the implications for current legislation potentially affecting the independence of Hungary’s central bank.
Fiscal Risks in an Ageing World and the Implications for Monetary Policy
Authors: Pradhan Manoj , Goodhart Charles
Published: January 2025

Ageing societies are likely to face rapidly changing structural macroeconomic trends, with fiscal balances likely to worsen over time. It is widely acknowledged by forecasters and financial markets that debt-to-GDP ratios are tending to rise over time, but there are signs that the size and persistence of future deficits and debts may be underestimated. This underestimation comes from three sources: i) incorrect consideration of the medical complications of older cohorts; ii) a demography-driven rise in inflation, real interest rates and interest expenses; and iii) misalignment of fiscal and monetary policy incentives in an inflationary environment. We argue that a new era is starting, when we will have to face complicated relations between demography, and fiscal and monetary policy.
Impacts and Internal Mechanisms of High-Standard Farmland Construction on the Reduction of Agricultural Carbon Emission in China
Authors: Li Shuangqiang , Li Mingyue , Chen Jiaojiao , Shao Siyuan , Tian Yu
Published: January 2025

In response to climate change, the reduction of carbon emissions during agricultural production has garnered increasing global focus. This study takes high-standard farmland construction (HSFC) implemented in 2011 as the standard natural experiment and adopts the continuous differences-in-differences (DID) model to explore the impact and internal mechanism of HSFC on agricultural carbon emissions based on a panel data of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China from 2003 to 2021. The results show that HSFC can effectively reduce the carbon emissions in agricultural production, and the average annual reduction can reach 53.8%. The effects of HSFC on agriculture carbon emissions could be associated with reducing agricultural fossil energy consumption and reducing agricultural chemical use. Further, the heterogeneity study shows that the carbon reduction effect of HSFC was mainly reflected in non-major grain-producing areas, while there was no significant impact in major grain-producing areas. Policymakers should unswervingly continue to promote HSFC, considering their own economic and geographical conditions. This study can provide valuable information and references for developing countries similar to China to formulate policies on agricultural carbon reduction.
Design and Performance Evaluation of a Self-Propelled Mugwort Harvester for Hilly and Mountainous Regions
Authors: Li Yi , He Yongsheng , Zhang Kai , Wang Siqi , Hu Xinyu , Chen Junnan
Published: January 2025

There are extensive areas of mugwort cultivation in China, making efficient harvesting crucial for the industry’s economic performance. However, the lack of specialized harvesting machinery for hilly and mountainous regions leads to reliance on manual operations, characterized by high labor intensity and low efficiency. To address these issues, a self-propelled mugwort harvester is designed based on mugwort planting patterns and the physical characteristics of mugwort during the harvesting period. Key structural components, such as drum dimensions, tooth shapes, and tine arrangements, are developed, and a defoliation force model is established to identify factors influencing the net rate of mugwort leaf harvesting, impurity rate, and mugwort leaf usability. The harvester employs a fully hydraulic drive system, for which the hydraulic system is designed and components are selected. A quadratic regression orthogonal rotary test determines the optimal parameters: a forward speed of 0.8 m/s, drum speed of 200 r/min, and cutting table height of 50 mm. Field tests show that the harvester achieves a net rate of mugwort leaf harvesting of 93.78%, an impurity rate of 13.96%, a mugwort leaf usability of 86.23%, and an operational efficiency of 0.155 hm2/h, while maintaining stable operation under field conditions. Beyond these performance metrics, the harvester reduces dependency on manual labor, lowers operational costs, and increases profitability for farmers. By improving the sustainability and mechanization of mugwort harvesting, this study provides an efficient solution for mugwort cultivation in hilly and mountainous regions and contributes to the sustainable development of the industry.
Research on Global Navigation Operations for Rotary Burying of Stubbles Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Zhou Mingkuan , Wang Weiwei , Shi Shenqing , Huang Zhen , Wang Tao
Published: January 2025

In order to plan suitable navigation operation paths for the characteristics of rice fields in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the operational requirements of straw rotary burying, this paper proposes a combination of the Hough matrix and RANSAC algorithms to extract the starting routes of straw boundaries; the algorithm adopts the Hough matrix to extract the characteristic points of the straw boundaries and remove the redundancies, and then reduces the influence of noise points caused by different straw shapes using the RANSAC algorithm to improve the accuracy of the starting route extraction. The algorithm extracts the starting routes of straw boundaries and the characteristic points of the straw boundaries and removes the redundancies, so as to improve the accuracy of the starting route extraction. The extraction test shows that under different scenes, the recognition accuracy of the path extraction method combining the Hough matrix and RANSAC algorithm is above 90%, and the algorithm takes no more than 0.51 s. Finally, the road test shows that the method meets the characteristics of tractor operation with a large turning radius and without reversing and satisfies the unmanned operation requirements of straw rotary burying in the field.
Design and Experimental Evaluation of a Smart Intra-Row Weed Control System for Open-Field Cabbage
Authors: Zheng Shenyu , Zhao Xueguan , Fu Hao , Tan Haoran , Zhai Changyuan , Chen Liping
Published: January 2025

Addressing the challenges of complex structure, limited modularization capability, and insufficient responsiveness in traditional hydraulically driven inter-plant mechanical weeding equipment, this study designed and developed an electric swing-type opening and closing intra-row weeding control system. The system integrates deep learning technology for accurate identification and localization of cabbage, enabling precise control and dynamic obstacle avoidance for the weeding knives. The system’s performance was comprehensively evaluated through laboratory and field experiments. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that, under conditions of low speed and large plant spacing, the system achieved a weeding accuracy of 96.67%, with a minimum crop injury rate of 0.83%. However, as the operational speed increased, the weeding accuracy decreased while the crop injury rate increased. Two-way ANOVA results indicated that operational speed significantly affected both weeding accuracy and crop injury rate, whereas plant spacing had a significant effect on weeding accuracy but no significant effect on crop injury rate. Field experiment results further confirmed that the system maintained high weeding accuracy and crop protection under varying speed conditions. At a low speed of 0.1 m/s, the weeding accuracy was 96.00%, with a crop injury rate of 1.57%. However, as the speed increased to 0.5 m/s, the weeding accuracy dropped to 81.79%, while the crop injury rate rose to 5.49%. These experimental results verified the system’s adaptability and reliability in complex field environments, providing technical support for the adoption of intelligent mechanical weeding systems. Future research will focus on optimizing control algorithms and feedback mechanisms to enhance the system’s dynamic response capability and adaptability, thereby advancing the development of sustainable agriculture and precision field management.
The Effects of Biomass Materials and Nitrogen Application on the Composition of the Microbial Community in Moderately Saline Soils
Authors: Yin Chunyan , Liu Hu , Zhao Ju , Feng Liang , Guo Shuchun , Li Yu , Li Xiaoqi
Published: January 2025

[Objective] Soil microorganisms are the most active parts in soil and are sensitive to soil additives. This study aimed to clarify the impacts of the addition of biomass materials (corn straw and biochar) and nitrogen application on the compositions of the soil microbial community in moderately saline soils (salt content was 0.4%). [Method] Indoor constant-temperature cultivation experiments were conducted to study the effects of biomass materials and nitrogen application on the microbial diversity and community structure in moderately saline soils. This experiment had a two-way factorial design, with the biomass materials and nitrogen application rates as the treatments. The biomass materials included no addition of biomass materials as a control (C0), corn straw (C1, 0.64 g/pot), and biochar (C2, 0.85 g/pot), and the nitrogen application rates included 0 g N (N0), 0.015 g N (N1), and 0.03 g N (N2). There were nine treatments, as follows: C0N0, C0N1, C0N2, C1N0, C1N1, C1N2, C2N0, C2N1, and C2N2. [Results] (1) The different biomass materials and nitrogen application levels significantly influenced the α-diversity and composition of the bacterial community. At the initial stage of cultivation, the soil bacterial diversity was relatively high, and it significantly decreased after 35 days of cultivation. Moreover, the improvement of the bacterial community structure by the biochar treatment was better than that of corn straw. After 35 days of cultivation, the relative abundance of Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes in the soil significantly increased, while the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadete, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Patescibacteria significantly decreased. Ammonium nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, and nitrate reductase were the main environmental factors affecting the bacterial community. (2) The different biomass materials and nitrogen treatments significantly affected the richness of the fungal communities. The fungal richness index significantly increased after adding the corn straw and biochar treatments, and the addition of corn straw promoted an increase in the beneficial bacterial abundance in the moderately saline soil. Soil nitrate reductase and ammonium nitrogen were the main environmental factors affecting the fungal community. [Conclusions] In summary, biomass materials and nitrogen application can effectively increase the diversity of soil microbial communities and optimize the structure of microbial communities, thereby ameliorating the ecosystem health of moderately saline soil.
Split Application of Potassium Reduces Rice Chalkiness by Regulating Starch Accumulation Process Under High Temperatures
Authors: Zhang Xinyue , Li Youfa , Dong Junjie , Sun Yuanze , Fu Haowei
Published: January 2025

Chalkiness in rice is adversely affected by high temperatures during the flowering and grain-filling stages. Potassium (K) is essential for improving grain quality and heat resilience. The effects of split application K fertilizer on rice chalkiness under high temperatures during the flowering and grain-filling stages were investigated in this study. Four treatments, including ambient temperatures with basal K fertilizer (AT-K1), high temperatures with basal K fertilizer (HT-K1), high temperatures with 70% K pre-transplanting and 30% K at the heading stage (HT-K2), and high temperatures with 30% K pre-transplanting and 70% K at the heading stage (HT-K3), were conducted. The results revealed that the chalky grain rate and chalkiness degree were reduced by 9.2–13.72% and 12.16–19.91%, respectively, by the split application of K fertilizer through effectively modulating the sucrose-to-starch conversion process in the rice grains, relative to the single basal application of K fertilizer under high temperatures. Specifically, the split application of K fertilizer reduced the enzymatic activities of SuSy, ADPGase, and SBE by 3.17–34.20% at 5–10 DAA, and GBSS and SSS by 6.48–13.50% at 5 DAA, but enhanced them by 5.50–54.90% from 15 DAA and 2.07–97.10% from 10 DAA. Similarly, the gene expression levels of enzymes involved in this process were decreased by 3.52–24.12% at 5 DAA but increased by 8.61–30.00% at 20 DAA by the split application of K fertilizer. This modulation led to a retardation in the excessive accumulation of starch during the early grain-filling stage but a higher starch accumulation rate during the middle and later stages, combined with a longer duration of starch accumulation, ultimately resulting in higher starch accumulation and reduced rice chalkiness. These results suggest that the application of K fertilizer during the heading stage is effective in compensating the deterioration of rice chalkiness by high temperatures.
Verification of the Introgression of Narenga porphyrocoma Germplasm into Saccharum officinarum Using Molecular Markers and GISH Analysis
Authors: Wang Gang , Zhang Wei , Qin Yuanxia , Wu Qingdan , Liang Qinggan , Wu Jiantao , Sun Shengren , Wang Zhuqing , An Yuxing , Wang Jianqiang , Wang Qinnan , Chang Hailong
Published: January 2025

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.), a critical crop for sugar and bioenergy production, faces challenges in genetic improvement due to limited genetic diversity from selective breeding. Expanding genetic resources through intergeneric hybridization, particularly with Narenga porphyrocoma, offers a promising avenue to introduce traits like stress resistance and high biomass productivity. However, verifying true hybrids remains challenging with traditional morphological methods. This study employed tetra-primer ARMS-PCR and genomic in situ hybridization (GISH) to accurately identify intergeneric hybrids between S. officinarum and N. porphyrocoma. Species-specific primers were designed based on SNPs in the nrDNA-ITS region for ARMS-PCR, enabling effective differentiation of parental and hybrid genotypes, while GISH confirmed the chromosomal composition of hybrids, revealing an n + n inheritance pattern. The results demonstrated the potential of N. porphyrocoma to improve sugarcane’s tillering and leaf length, although sucrose content was lower in hybrids, suggesting the need for further breeding efforts. This study uniquely contributes to sugarcane breeding by providing an effective method for hybrid verification and laying a foundation for incorporating beneficial N. porphyrocoma genes into sugarcane cultivars.
Environmental DNA Insights into the Spatial Status of Fish Diversity in the Mainstem of the Jialing River
Authors: Zhou Xinxin , Dong Xiaohan , Huang Jiaxin , Zhu Shuli , Chen Weitao , Shen Yanjun
Published: January 2025

Preserving healthy river habitats is essential for maintaining fish diversity. Over time, anthropogenic activities have severely damaged river habitats, leading to notable changes in fish diversity patterns. Conducting thorough and reliable investigations into fish diversity is crucial for assessing anthropogenic impacts on diversity. In August 2023, a water ecology survey was conducted across 20 terraced river sections in the mainstem of the Jialing River, resulting in the collection of 60 environmental DNA water samples. The survey identified 99 fish species, representing 74 genera across 7 orders and 20 families, with the Cyprinidae exhibiting the highest number of species. The fish communities are predominantly composed of species inhabiting slow flowing water, demersal fish, omnivores, and fish spawning adhesive eggs. Overall, small-bodied fish dominate the mainstem of the Jialing River, and the species preferring flowing habitats are relatively scarce. In addition, geographic division analyses revealed minimal variations in fish species composition and diversity among the terraced reservoirs and across the upper, middle, and lower reaches. Notably, the fish compositions in the middle and lower reaches were found to be similar, indicating a certain degree of convergence in these sections of the Jialing River. In conclusion, this study unveils the current status and distribution pattern of fish diversity in the Jialing River and highlights the extent of anthropogenic activities’ impact on fish diversity.
Revealing the Complexity of Host-Parasite Relationships Between Syringophilid Mites and Sunbirds in Their Global Range
Authors: Sikora Bozena , Unsoeld Markus , Melzer Roland R. , Friedrich Stefan , Hromada Martin
Published: January 2025

This article emphasises the importance of parasitological research in understanding ecological dynamics and biodiversity conservation through a global analysis of quill mites (Syringophilidae) parasitising Sunbirds (Nectariniidae). Data from 764 Sunbird individuals across seventy-six species revealed twelve quill mite species, including three newly described species: Aulonastus aethopygus Sikora and Unsoeld sp. n., Syringophiloidus haeckeli Sikora and Unsoeld sp. n., and Aulonastus arachnotherus Sikora and Unsoeld sp. n. A bipartite network analysis indicated a low connectance of 0.10, suggesting that only 10% of potential bird–parasite connections are realised. This high specialisation is further supported by an H2′ index of 0.94 and a C score of 0.83, indicating low co-occurrence among mite species. The temperature of nestedness at 13.49 suggests a well-organised network structure. Additionally, normalised specialisation (d’) ranged from 0.60 to 1, reflecting unique host–parasite interactions. High modularity (likelihood = 0.80) with nine modules was identified, with hosts ranging from one to seven. The study concludes by discussing the host–parasite dynamics and their ecological implications within this system.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Vancomycin in Hemodialysis Patients in a Hospital in North-East Romania
Authors: Crețu Aurelia , Mititiuc Luanda Irina , Lungu Iulia-Daniela , Mihaila Mihaela , Dima Irina , Covic Adrian , Ghiciuc Cristina Mihaela
Published: January 2025

Background/Objectives: Vancomycin is a reserve antibiotic that is frequently prescribed for central venous catheter (CVC)-associated infections in hemodialysis patients. Hemodialysis patients are very fragile patients and the presence of CVCs increases the risk of sepsis. We conducted a prospective study, evaluating the needs of changes in vancomycin dosing for treatment based on the use of the new 2020 vancomycin dosing guidelines, to increase drug safety (preventing subtherapeutic or supratherapeutic doses and offering therapeutic concentrations of the drug) in a particular group of patients with sepsis caused by catheter infections and being on intermittent hemodialysis. Methods: This prospective study included patients with sepsis caused by catheter infections and being on intermittent hemodialysis, treated with vancomycin, admitted in the nephrology department and intensive care unit (ICU). Vancomycin levels were adjusted according to the 2020 vancomycin guidelines. Results: In our study, nine (45%) patients had a vancomycin AUC between 400 and 600 mcg × h/mL, five (25%) patients had a subtherapeutic AUC, and six (30%) patients had a supratherapeutic AUC. It is important to mention that in 10 (50%) of the patients included in the study, the loading and maintenance doses mentioned in the protocol were respected, but 50% of them had a supratherapeutic AUC. We observed that a supratherapeutic AUC occurred when the loading dose was 1500 mg or 2000 mg, and in one case at 1000 mg with a low BMI. Conclusions: a therapeutic level of vancomycin can often be difficult to achieve because of different reasons, mainly in hemodialysis patients.
Glucose Supplementation Enhances the Bactericidal Effect of Penicillin and Gentamicin on Streptococcus sanguinis Persisters
Authors: Takada Kazuya , Yoshioka Yoshie , Morikawa Kazumasa , Ariyoshi Wataru , Yamasaki Ryota
Published: January 2025

Background: Streptococcus sanguinis is a leading cause of infective endocarditis (IE), which causes diverse clinical symptoms and even death. Recurrence after treatment is a crucial problem in IE, possibly caused by the presence of “persister” cells, a small bacterial population that can survive antimicrobials. In this study, the residual risk for penicillin G (PCG) and gentamicin (GM), used for treating IE, to induce Streptococcus sanguinis persisters, was investigated. Methods: The bactericidal effects of PCG and GM on S. sanguinis were evaluated. Furthermore, we confirmed whether the S. sanguinis that survived following combination treatment with PCG and GM were persisters. The bactericidal effect of the combination of PCG and GM against S. sanguinis was measured after the addition of glucose or arginine. Results: Following 48 h of treatment with PCG (1600 μg/mL) and GM (64 μg/mL), S. sanguinis survived, albeit with a low bacterial count, indicating the presence of persisters. The addition of glucose or arginine to PCG and GM increased the bactericidal effect on residual persister cells and reduced the number of persister cells. Moreover, the addition of glucose at concentrations of 10 mg/mL or higher was substantially effective in achieving sterilization. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that persisters of S. sanguinis that survive antimicrobial treatment may make the treatment of IE challenging, and that combining antimicrobial treatment with glucose is effective for eliminating persisters of S. sanguinis. Taken together, these findings may facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies against IE caused by oral streptococcal infection.
Emerging Challenges in Methicillin Resistance of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci
Authors: Katkowska Marta , Kosecka-Strojek Maja , Wolska-Gębarzewska Mariola , Kwapisz Ewa , Wierzbowska Maria , Międzobrodzki Jacek , Garbacz Katarzyna
Published: January 2025

Objective: In the present study, we used phenotypic and molecular methods to determine susceptibility to oxacillin in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) and estimate the prevalence of strains with low-level resistance to oxacillin, mecA-positive oxacillin-susceptible methicillin-resistant (OS-MRCoNS), and borderline oxacillin-resistant (BORCoNS). Methods: One hundred one CoNS strains were screened for oxacillin and cefoxitin susceptibility using phenotypic (disk diffusion, agar dilution, latex agglutination, and chromagar) and molecular (detection of mecA, mecB, and mecC) methods. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing was performed. Results: Sixteen (15.8%) CoNS strains were mecA-positive, and 85 (84.2%) were mec-negative. Seven (6.9%) were classified as OS-MRCoNS, accounting for 43.8% of all mecA-positive strains. Twelve (11.9%) mec-negative strains were classified as borderline oxacillin resistant (BORCoNS). Compared with MRCoNS and BORCoNS, OS-MRCoNS strains demonstrated lower resistance to non-beta-lactams. SCCmec type I cassette was predominant. The disc-diffusion method with oxacillin accurately predicted OS-MRCoNS strains but did not provide reliable results for BORCoNS strains. Meanwhile, the latex agglutination test and CHROMagar culture accurately identified BORCoNS but not OS-MRCoNS. Conclusions: Finally, our findings imply that the recognition of methicillin resistance in CoNS requires a meticulous approach and that further research is needed to develop unified laboratory diagnostic algorithms to prevent the misreporting of borderline CoNS.
Chick Early Amniotic Fluid Alleviates Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice via T-Cell Receptor Pathway
Authors: Chen Fan , Zhao Yining , Dai Yanfa , Sun Ning , Gao Xuezheng , Yin Jiajun , Zhou Zhenhe , Wu Ke-jia
Published: January 2025

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic immune disease that is difficult to cure. We recently found that chick early amniotic fluid (ceAF) has notable anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties, through its active components. This study demonstrates the potential of ceAF as a protective agent against UC. UPLC-MS mass spectrometry identified key components of ceAF, including various fatty acids and nucleosides. In vitro, ceAF improved viability in DSS-induced Caco-2 cells, reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α, and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. It also upregulated the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. In DSS-induced UC mice, ceAF treatment alleviated weight loss, colon shortening, and disease activity, while improving histopathology, crypt depth, and colonic fibrosis. Mechanistically, ceAF’s anti-inflammatory effects are mediated by inhibiting the overactivation of TCR signaling through the LCK/ZAP70/LAT pathway. Our findings suggest that ceAF could be a valuable nutritional intervention for UC, potentially enhancing existing functional foods aimed at managing this condition.
Detecting Rug-Pull: Analyzing Smart Contract Backdoor Codes in Ethereum
Authors: Yu Kwan Woo , Lee Byung Mun
Published: January 2025

Smart contracts enable autonomous execution between contracting parties without a centralized authority, thereby reducing contract management costs and enhancing the transparency and reliability of contracts. However, the absence of such a certification authority increases the risk of fraud. Rug-pull, a typical form of fraud, involves developers hiding backdoor codes in smart contracts to steal funds under certain conditions, causing significant damage to users. A Rug-pull list warns users of potential fraud, but it only identifies risks after damage has occurred. Additionally, existing backdoor code analysis tools are limited in their ability to detect backdoor codes hidden through modifications to existing patterns or suffer from low accuracy because they rely on comparisons with predefined backdoor codes. Therefore, this paper proposes a balance-tracking-based backdoor code detection model to identify backdoor codes in smart contracts. The proposed model detects backdoor codes by extracting functions from Ethereum bytecodes and inspecting the extracted functions to track balance changes. This approach allows for the detection of balance changes even when backdoor codes are concealed. Experimental results verifying the effectiveness of this model demonstrate 98% accuracy, 0.96 recall, and 0.98 precision. These results are expected to contribute significantly to effectively reducing fraud risks such as Rug-pull.
A Real-Time Green and Lightweight Model for Detection of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Cylinder Surface Defects Based on YOLOv5
Authors: Duman Burhan
Published: January 2025

Industry requires defect detection to ensure the quality and safety of products. In resource-constrained devices, real-time speed, accuracy, and computational efficiency are the most critical requirements for defect detection. This paper presents a novel approach for real-time detection of surface defects on LPG cylinders, utilising an enhanced YOLOv5 architecture referred to as GLDD-YOLOv5. The architecture integrates ghost convolution and ECA blocks to improve feature extraction with less computational overhead in the network’s backbone. It also modifies the P3–P4 head structure to increase detection speed. These changes enable the model to focus more effectively on small and medium-sized defects. Based on comparative analysis with other YOLO models, the proposed method demonstrates superior performance. Compared to the base YOLOv5s model, the proposed method achieved a 4.6% increase in average accuracy, a 44% reduction in computational cost, a 45% decrease in parameter counts, and a 26% reduction in file size. In experimental evaluations on the RTX2080Ti, the model achieved an inference rate of 163.9 FPS with a total carbon footprint of 0.549 × 10−3 gCO2e. The proposed technique offers an efficient and robust defect detection model with an eco-friendly solution compatible with edge computing devices.
A Video-Based Cognitive Emotion Recognition Method Using an Active Learning Algorithm Based on Complexity and Uncertainty
Authors: Wu Hongduo , Zhou Dong , Guo Ziyue , Song Zicheng , Li Yu , Wei Xingzheng , Zhou Qidi
Published: January 2025

The cognitive emotions of individuals during tasks largely determine the success or failure of tasks in various fields such as the military, medical, industrial fields, etc. Facial video data can carry more emotional information than static images because emotional expression is a temporal process. Video-based Facial Expression Recognition (FER) has received increasing attention from the relevant scholars in recent years. However, due to the high cost of marking and training video samples, feature extraction is inefficient and ineffective, which leads to a low accuracy and poor real-time performance. In this paper, a cognitive emotion recognition method based on video data is proposed, in which 49 emotion description points were initially defined, and the spatial–temporal features of cognitive emotions were extracted from the video data through a feature extraction method that combines geodesic distances and sample entropy. Then, an active learning algorithm based on complexity and uncertainty was proposed to automatically select the most valuable samples, thereby reducing the cost of sample labeling and model training. Finally, the effectiveness, superiority, and real-time performance of the proposed method were verified utilizing the MMI Facial Expression Database and some real-time-collected data. Through comparisons and testing, the proposed method showed satisfactory real-time performance and a higher accuracy, which can effectively support the development of a real-time monitoring system for cognitive emotions.
Development of HfO₂-Based Solar-Blind SAW UV-C Sensor for Corona Discharge Detection Application
Authors: Lee Hyunho , Nawaz Faisal , Shim Eeunsun , Lee Jinjae , Choi Cheol , Lee Keekeun
Published: January 2025

This study presents a novel surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based solar-blind ultraviolet-C (UV-C) corona sensor, marking the first reported use of HfO₂ as a sensing material for UV-C corona sensing. A 222 MHz two-port SAW delay line structure was selected as a sensor platform, and its optimal parameters were determined through Coupling of Mode (COM) modeling analysis. COMSOL simulations were conducted to investigate the effect of UV-C exposure on the HfO2 thin film, highlighting its contribution to conductivity changes. A 30 nm-thick HfO2 thin film was deposited using atomic layer deposition (ALD) within the cavity of a two-port SAW delay line, providing sufficient volume and density of absorption sites for UV-C exposure. Comprehensive material characterization of the HfO2 thin film was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The effect of annealing temperature was analyzed in detail, with results confirming that 500 °C is the optimal temperature for achieving the best performance in a SAW-based UV-C corona sensor. The sensor characteristics were measured using custom-made interface electronics, allowing frequency shifts to be visually observed on a PC monitor with compensation for environmental factors such as humidity and temperature. The developed sensor demonstrated response and recovery times of 2.8 s and 4 s, respectively, with a measured sensitivity of 563 ppm/(mW·cm−2). Furthermore, the effect of HfO₂ film thickness on the sensor’s response to UV-C exposure was examined in detail, showing that increased thickness leads to a higher frequency shift, thereby enhancing sensitivity. The feasibility of the sensor for real-world applications was validated through successful testing under simulated corona discharge detection.
Co-Simulation Model for Determination of Optimal Active Power Filters Settings in Low-Voltage Network
Authors: Primorac Mario , Klaić Zvonimir , Adrić Heidi , Žnidarec Matej
Published: January 2025

Current trends in the use of energy storage, electric mobility, and the integration of a large number of distributed generations at the distribution level can have positive effects on reducing loads and losses in the network. An excessive and uncontrolled level of integration of the above trends leads to various problems related to the power quality. Distortion of the voltage and current waveforms caused by nonlinear loads is manifested through harmonics and can be classified as one of the most essential parameters of electricity quality. Reducing harmonics thus becomes the primary goal for improving the quality of electricity at the distribution level. This paper, along with a detailed analysis of the literature, provides an overview of different views on the problems of optimal allocation of active filters and emphasizes the importance that the problem of optimal allocation of active filters should be based on the variability of the harmonic spectrum as a function of time. Installing devices for reducing harmonics in the network, in terms of improving the quality of electricity, is one of the essential elements from both a technical and an economic point of view and can solve these challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to develop methods for solving the problem of determining the position, size and parameters of filters, as well as the number of buses on which such devices can be integrated. Applying optimization techniques enables the development of more realistic models for applying active power filters. The research in this paper is directed toward developing a co-simulation optimization model to determine optimal settings of the parallel APF due to harmonic reduction in a real low-voltage network using particle swarm optimization for 24 h intervals. The research in this paper was conducted on a real radial low-voltage feeder, where at each node, the variability of production and/or consumption is taken, which is obtained on the basis of real measurements and tests. Based on this, the position and dimensioning of the shunt active power filters (APFs) depend on the load range within a 24 h interval at all nodes in the observed time interval. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the importance of observing Voltage Total Harmonic Distortion (THDV) on the busbars in the depth of the feeder as well as the importance of observing THDV in each phase.
On the Normalized Laplacian Spectrum of the Zero-Divisor Graph of the Commutative Ring Zp1T1p2T2
Authors: Al Khabyah Ali , Nazim  , Rehman Nadeem Ur
Published: January 2025

The zero-divisor graph of a commutative ring R with a nonzero identity, denoted by Γ(R), is an undirected graph where the vertex set Z(R)* consists of all nonzero zero-divisors of R. Two distinct vertices a and b in Γ(R) are adjacent if and only if ab=0. The normalized Laplacian spectrum of zero-divisor graphs has been studied extensively due to its algebraic and combinatorial significance. Notably, Pirzada and his co-authors computed the normalized Laplacian spectrum of Γ(Zn) for specific values of n in the set {pq,p2q,p3,p4}, where p and q are distinct primes satisfying p<q. Motivated by their work, this article investigates the normalized Laplacian spectrum of Γ(Zn) for a more general class of n, where n is represented as p1T1p2T2, with p1 and p2 being distinct primes (p1<p2), and T1,T2 are positive integers.
A Note on Generalized k-Order F&L Hybrinomials
Authors: Aydınyüz Süleyman , Gözeri Gül Karadeniz
Published: January 2025

In this study, we introduce generalized k-order Fibonacci and Lucas (F&L) polynomials that allow the derivation of well-known polynomial and integer sequences such as the sequences of k-order Pell polynomials, k-order Jacobsthal polynomials and k-order Jacobsthal F&L numbers. Within the scope of this research, a generalization of hybrid polynomials is given by moving them to the k-order. Hybrid polynomials defined by this generalization are called k-order F&L hybrinomials. A key aspect of our research is the establishment of the recurrence relations for generalized k-order F&L hybrinomials. After we give the recurrence relations for these hybrinomials, we obtain the generating functions of hybrinomials, shedding light on some of their important properties. Finally, we introduce the matrix representations of the generalized k-order F&L hybrinomials and give some properties of the matrix representations.
Bioactive Potential of Pogostemon benghalensis (Burm.f.) Kuntze: Antibacterial, Antioxidant, and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Activities
Authors: Jaishwal Nitesh , Jayswal Mamta , Gupta Deep Chand , Dhakal Bishnu , Koirala Santosh , Khadka Ram Bahadur , Devkota Hari Prasad , Pandey Jitendra
Published: January 2025

This research is focused on assessing the antibacterial properties of Pogostemon benghalensis stem bark and inflorescence extracts, as well as their inhibitory effects on xanthine oxidase, antioxidant potential, overall phenolic content, and flavonoid concentration. The cold maceration technique was used to obtain extracts using water, methanol, and ethyl acetate solvents. The disk diffusion method demonstrated the significant antibacterial efficacy of the methanol stem bark extract against Staphylococcus epidermidis, with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 13 mm, and the inflorescence methanol extract against Klebsiella pneumonia (ZOI: 12.9 mm). Moreover, the methanol stem bark extract exhibited the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) at 1.56 mg/mL and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 0.78 mg/mL against S. epidermidis. The ethyl acetate inflorescence extract displayed noteworthy xanthine oxidase inhibition (IC50: 29.1 µg/mL) comparable to allopurinol (IC50: 12.7 µg/mL). Furthermore, the methanol stem bark extract exhibited a remarkable DPPH free radical inhibitory effect, showing an IC50 value of 42.5 µg/mL. The total polyphenol content ranged from 29.9 μg to 161.3 µg GAE per mg of dried extract weight in the methanol inflorescence extract, while the total flavonoid content ranged from 38.4 μg to 96.8 μg QE per mg of dried extract weight within the water-derived extract. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potent antibacterial properties, xanthine oxidase inhibition, and antioxidant activity of P. benghalensis extracts.
The Therapeutic Potential of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound in Enhancing Gallbladder Function and Reducing Inflammation in Cholesterol Gallstone Disease
Authors: Chen Fang , Guo Run , Chen Tian , Liu Liping , Ding Fan , Zhao Gang , Zhang Bo
Published: January 2025

Background: Cholesterol gallstone disease (CGS) is often accompanied by gallbladder contraction dysfunction and chronic inflammation, but effective therapeutic options remain limited. This study investigates whether a low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) treatment can improve gallbladder motility and alleviate chronic inflammation while exploring the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Gallbladder motility was assessed through in vitro and in vivo contraction tests, while bile condition was evaluated by observing bile crystal clearance. Tissue analysis and Western blotting were performed to examine the expression of the cholecystokinin A receptor (CCKAR) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) as markers of gallbladder smooth muscle health and the inflammatory microenvironment. Blood cholesterol levels were measured via biochemical assays. Results: LIPUS treatment obviously enhanced gallbladder contractility in response to CCK-8 stimulation and accelerated bile crystal clearance. It also reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and tissue edema, and promoted new capillary formation in the gallbladder, mitigating the progression of CGS. Furthermore, LIPUS restored CCKAR expression and improved the thickness of the gallbladder smooth muscle layer, providing a structural basis for increased smooth muscle contractility. Conclusion: LIPUS improves gallbladder motility and reduces chronic inflammation in CGS by enhancing CCKAR expression and smooth muscle integrity. These findings highlight the potential of LIPUS as a non-invasive therapeutic approach for managing CGS.
Integrating Wearable Sensor Signal Processing with Unsupervised Learning Methods for Tremor Classification in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Dattola Serena , Ielo Augusto , Quartarone Angelo , De Cola Maria Cristina
Published: January 2025

Tremor is one of the most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), assessed using clinician-assigned clinical scales, which can be subjective and prone to variability. This study evaluates the potential of unsupervised learning for the classification and assessment of tremor severity from wearable sensor data. We analyzed 25 resting tremor signals from 24 participants (13 PD patients and 11 controls), focusing on motion intensities derived from accelerometer recordings. The k-means clustering algorithm was employed, achieving a classification accuracy of 76% for tremor versus non-tremor states. However, performance decreased for multiclass tremor severity classification (57.1%) and binary classification of severe versus mild tremor (71.4%), highlighting challenges in detecting subtle intensity variations. The findings underscore the utility of unsupervised learning in enabling scalable, objective tremor analysis. Integration of such models into wearable systems could improve continuous monitoring, enhance rehabilitation strategies, and support standardized clinical assessments. Future work should explore advanced algorithms, enriched feature sets, and larger datasets to improve robustness and generalizability.
Changes in Antioxidant and Photosynthetic Capacity in Rice Under Different Substrates
Authors: Zhou Hang , Zhao Liming , Song Yiwen , Du Xiaole , Huo Jingxin , Mei Wanqi , Wang Xi , Feng Naijie , Zheng Dianfeng , Wu Zhaohui
Published: January 2025

Against the backdrop of a changing global climate, the soil environment may undergo significant changes, directly affecting agricultural productivity and exacerbating global food security issues. Three different substrates were set up in this study, namely, S (high sand and low nutrient content), T (medium sand and medium nutrient content), and TT (low sand and high nutrient content). The results showed that the root/shoot ratio increased as the sand content increased (nutrient content decreased). Rice in different substrates had various degrees of dependence on antioxidant enzymes and antioxidants. For example, seedlings in TT treatment may depend more on ascorbic acid (AsA) compared to T. In addition, compared with S and T, the photosynthetic activity of rice in the optimized substrate (TT) was the highest; the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) of TT seedlings was significantly higher than that of T. This study also detected that the change in substrates affected the gas exchange parameters of rice leaves. The transpiration rate (Tr) and stomatal conductance (Gs) of the TT treatment were higher than those of the T treatment. The results of this study may provide a scientific basis for formulating agricultural management strategies.
ITS2 rRNA Gene Sequence–Structure Phylogeny of the Chytridiomycota (Opisthokonta, Fungi)
Authors: Kalaiventhan Yuveantheni , Seto Kensuke , Wolf Matthias
Published: January 2025

To date, standard rRNA marker genes have had limited success in resolving the phylogeny of the phylum Chytridiomycota. Whereas the conserved and easily alignable ribosomal small subunit 18S rRNA gene had problems resolving nodes relating orders, the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) has been claimed to not be alignable for this group of organisms. Although the ITS2 is a fast-evolving locus, its secondary structure is well conserved. To improve the accuracy and robustness of Chytridiomycota phylogeny, in this study, we attempt, for the first, time to reconstruct an ITS2 sequence–structure phylogeny using the primary sequence and the secondary structure information simultaneously in inferring alignments and trees. Although currently only possible for a fraction of the available data, we show a well-supported ITS2 tree for selected organisms. The results are promising for further exploration of the large number of available ITS2 sequences.
No Relation Between Cognitive Impairment, Physical Disability and Serum Biomarkers in a Cohort of Progressive Multiple Sclerosis Patients
Authors: Gajewski Bartosz , Karlińska Iwona , Domowicz Małgorzata , Bednarski Igor , Świderek-Matysiak Mariola , Stasiołek Mariusz
Published: January 2025

Despite significant efforts, there is still an existing need to identify diagnostic tools that would enable fast and reliable detection of the progressive stage of multiple sclerosis (MS) and help in monitoring the disease course and/or treatment effects. The aim of this prospective study in a group of people with progressive MS was to determine whether changes in the levels of selected serum biomarkers and in cognitive function may predict disease progression, and therefore refine the decision-making process in the evaluation of MS patients. Forty two (42) patients with progressive MS completed all the study procedures; the mean duration of follow-up was 12.97 months. During the observation period, serum concentration of chitinase-3 like-protein-1 (CHI3L1/YKL-40) decreased significantly in the whole study group (from 4034.95 ± 262.62 to 2866.43 ± 173.37; p = 0.0005), as well as in subgroups of people with secondary progressive and primary progressive MS (SPMS: from 3693.81 ± 388.68 to 2542.76 ± 256.59; p = 0.0207; and PPMS: from 4376.09 ± 353.27 to 3190.09 ± 233.22; p = 0.0089, respectively). A significant worsening of Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) scores was detected in the whole study group (from 1.18 ± 0.14 to 1.34 ± 0.15; p = 0.0331) as well as in the PPMS subgroup (from 1.04 ± 0.18 to 1.26 ± 0.20; p = 0.0216). No correlations between the analyzed molecular parameters or the results of neuropsychological tests and physical disability were observed. In conclusion, an emphasis should be placed on furthering the search for multimodal biomarkers of disease progression, especially in the PMS population, based on simultaneous analysis of several factors, such as blood biomarkers and cognitive profiles.