bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silicon modifies leaf nutriome and improves growth of oak seedlings exposed to phosphorus deficiency and Phytophthora plurivora infection
Authors: Kostic Igor , Nikolic Nina , Milanovic Slobodan , Milenkovic Ivan , Pavlovic Jelena , Paravinja Ana , Nikolic Miroslav
Published: August 2023

Beneficial effects of silicon (Si) on plants have primarily been studied in crop species under single stress. Moreover, nutrient acquisition-based responses to combination of biotic and abiotic stresses (a common situation in natural habitats) have rarely been reported, in particular in conjunction with soil amendments with Si. Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), one of the ecologically and economically most important tree species in Europe, is facing a severe decline due to combined stresses, but also problems in assisted regeneration in nurseries. Here, we studied the effect of Si supply on the leaf nutriome, root traits and overall growth of 12-weeks-old oak seedlings exposed to abiotic stress [low phosphorus (P) supply], biotic stress (Phytophthora plurivora root infection), and their combination. The application of Si had the strongest ameliorative effect on growth, root health and root phenome under the most severe stress conditions (i.e., combination of P deficiency and P. plurivora root infection), where it differentially affected the uptake and leaf accumulation in 11 out of 13 analysed nutrients. Silicon supply tended to reverse the pattern of change of some, but not all, leaf nutrients affected by stresses: P, boron (B) and magnesium (Mg) under P deficiency, and P, B and sulphur (S) under pathogen attack, but also nickel (Ni) and molybdenum (Mo) under all three stresses. Surprisingly, Si affected some nutrients that were not changed by a particular stress itself and decreased leaf Mg levels under all the stresses. On the other hand, pathogen attack increased leaf accumulation of Si. This exploratory work presents the complexity of nutrient crosstalk under three stresses, and opens more questions about genetic networks that control plant physiological responses. Practically, we show a potential of Si application to improve P status and root health in oak seedlings, particularly in nurseries.
Metatranscriptomic analysis of tomato rhizospheres reveals insight into plant-microbiome molecular response to biochar-amended organic soil
Authors: Hewitt Seanna , Ghogare Rishikesh , Troxel William , Tenic Elvir , Isaac Daylen , Dhingra Amit
Published: August 2023

We characterized the effects of crop residue derived biochar on tomato growth, soil microbial diversity, and rhizosphere-level gene expression responses in an organic production system. Shoot fresh biomass and fruit yield were assessed at the end of the growing cycle. The corresponding transcriptomic response of the roots, the soil microbial community profiles, and the active transcripts within the communities were quantified using a metatranscriptomic approach at four different developmental stages of the plant. Biochar treatment did not impact shoot biomass or fruit production; however, metatranscriptome analysis revealed that the gene expression activity of the tomato rhizosphere changes over time in response to the biochar treatment, with a number of bacteria with known benefits to soil health and plant growth displaying increased gene expression (e.g., Rhizobiaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Micromonosporaceae, Sphingomonadaceae). Streptomycetaceae were expressed at the highest levels in the rhizosphere. Biochar seemed to attenuate the expression of this bacteria by the end of the time course, possibly due to the rise in competition for resources driven by the increased activity of other beneficial microbes. Notably, pathogenic fungi in the soil displayed generally reduced expression in the biochar-amended rhizosphere in comparison with the control. In addition to the assessment of the rhizosphere microbiome, transcriptome analysis and gene ontology analysis of tomato roots revealed functional enrichment of genes associated with nitrogen metabolic processes, regulation of metabolic processes, and production of organic compounds in the biochar treated rhizosphere. Together, these results suggest that biochar amendment enhances gene expression of beneficial soil microbes, and also impacts gene expression in the plant roots, which may in turn lead to improvements in soil and plant health. The results of this study provide foundations and a methodology for using metatranscriptomic approaches to investigate the impacts of biochar or other soil amendments in different crops, varying soil types, and with greater experimental complexity. The findings of such investigations will inform the development of biochar-based soil amendment strategies to enhance soil fertility and crop health in a wide range of production systems.
How Do We Learn and Why Do We Use Abstract Concepts and Words
Authors: Borghi Anna M. , Falcinelli Ilenia , Fini Chiara , Gervasi Angelo Mattia , Mazzuca Claudia
Published: August 2023

Grouping things together, also called categorizing, is fundamental for humans. We can form categories such as people, tools, and buildings. Concepts are what we mentally associate with categories. For example, we associate cats with what they look like and how they behave. “Cat” is a concrete concept, meaning that it refers to a specific animal that we can point to. Some concepts, such as “truth” or “sympathy,” do not refer to concrete objects you can point to. These are called abstract concepts. Abstract words—the words that we use to express abstract concepts—make up more than 70% of adult speech. Children use fewer abstract words because they are harder to learn. How do we learn and use abstract concepts, from emotions to numbers? Do we need more help from others to learn abstract concepts? In this article, we address these questions and discuss current research on abstract concepts.
Condition-Based Maintenance in Aviation: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Verhagen Wim J. C. , Santos Bruno F. , Freeman Floris , van Kessel Paul , Zarouchas Dimitrios , Loutas Theodoros , Yeun Richard C. K. , Heiets Iryna
Published: August 2023

Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) is a policy that uses information about the health condition of systems and structures to identify optimal maintenance interventions over time, increasing the efficiency of maintenance operations. Despite CBM being a well-established concept in academic research, the practical uptake in aviation needs to catch up to expectations. This research aims to identify challenges, limitations, solution directions, and policy implications related to adopting CBM in aviation. We use a generalizable and holistic assessment framework to achieve this aim, following a process-oriented view of CBM development as an aircraft lifecycle management policy. Based on various inputs from industry and academia, we identified several major sets of challenges and suggested three primary solution categories. These address data quantity and quality, CBM implementation, and the integration of CBM with future technologies, highlighting future research and practice directions.
Harvesting Route Detection and Crop Height Estimation Methods for Lodged Farmland Based on AdaBoost
Authors: Li Yanming , Guo Yibo , Gong Liang , Liu Chengliang
Published: August 2023

Addressing the challenge of the current harvester route detection method’s reduced robustness within lodging-affected farmland environments and its limited perception of crop lodging, this paper proposes a harvesting operation image segmentation method based on SLIC superpixel segmentation and the AdaBoost ensemble learning algorithm. This segmentation enables two essential tasks. Firstly, the RANSAC algorithm is employed to extract the harvester’s operational route through straight-line fitting from the segmented image. Secondly, the method utilizes a 3D point cloud generated by binocular vision, combined with IMU information for attitude correction, to estimate the height of the harvested crop in front of the harvester. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in successfully segmenting the harvested and unharvested areas of the farmland. The average angle error for the detected harvesting route is approximately 1.97°, and the average error for crop height detection in the unharvested area is around 0.054 m. Moreover, the algorithm exhibits a total running time of approximately 437 ms. The innovation of this paper lies in its simultaneous implementation of two distinct perception tasks, leveraging the same image segmentation results. This approach offers a robust and effective solution for addressing both route detection and crop height estimation challenges within lodging-affected farmland during harvesting operations.
Citrus Canopy SPAD Prediction under Bordeaux Solution Coverage Based on Texture- and Spectral-Information Fusion
Authors: Ding Shunshun , Jing Juanli , Dou Shiqing , Zhai Menglin , Zhang Wenjie
Published: August 2023

Rapid and nondestructive prediction of chlorophyll content and response to the growth of various crops using remote sensing technology is a prominent topic in agricultural remote sensing research. Bordeaux mixture has been extensively employed for managing citrus diseases, such as black star and ulcer disease. However, the presence of pesticide residues in Bordeaux mixture can significantly modify the spectral response of the citrus canopy, thereby exerting a substantial influence on the accurate prediction of agronomic indices in fruit trees. In this study, we used unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imaging technology to obtain remote sensing imagery of Bordeaux-covered citrus canopies during the months of July, September, and November. We integrated spectral and texture information to construct a high-dimensional feature dataset and performed data downscaling and feature optimization. Furthermore, we established four machine learning models, namely, partial least squares regression (PLS), ridge regression (RR), ridge, random forest (RF), and support vector regression (SVR). Our objectives were to identify the most effective prediction model for estimating the SPAD (soil plant analysis development) value of Bordeaux-covered citrus canopies, assess the variation in prediction accuracy between fused features and individual features, and investigate the impact of Bordeaux solution on the spectral reflectance of the citrus canopy. The results showed that (1) the impact of Bordeaux mixture on citrus canopy reflectance bands ranked from the highest to the lowest as follows: near-infrared band at 840 nm, red-edge band at 730 nm, blue band at 450 nm, green band at 560 nm, and red band at 650 nm. (2) Fused feature models had better prediction ability than single-feature modeling, with an average R2 value of 0.641 for the four model test sets, improving by 0.117 and 0.039, respectively, compared with single-TF (texture feature) and -VI (vegetation index) modeling, and the test-set root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 2.594 on average, which was 0.533 and 0.264 lower than single-TF and -VI modeling, respectively. (3) Multiperiod data fusion effectively enhanced the correlation between features and SPAD values and consequently improved model prediction accuracy. Compared with accuracy based on individual months, R improved by 0.013 and 0.011, while RMSE decreased by 0.112 and 0.305. (4) The SVR model demonstrated the best performance in predicting citrus canopy SPAD under Bordeaux solution coverage, with R2 values of 0.629 and 0.658, and RMSE values of 2.722 and 2.752 for the training and test sets, respectively.
The Impact of Climate Change on the Urban–Rural Income Gap in China
Authors: Xie Yifeng , Wu Haitao , Yao Ruikuan
Published: August 2023

Based on the annual average climate data and economic and social data from 262 prefecture-level cities in China from 2001 to 2019, this paper explores the impact of climate change on urban–rural income inequality and its mechanisms using fixed-effects (FEs) and mediated-effects (MEs) models. This study finds that (1) climate change has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the urban–rural income disparity; (2) climate change can affect the urban–rural income disparity by influencing urban and rural income levels, the regional degree of urbanization, and the labor force employment structure; (3) the impact of climate change on the urban–rural income gap is heterogeneous in East, Center, and West China; and (4) extreme heat can widen the urban–rural income gap, and extreme drought can narrow the urban–rural income gap. Climate change has a significant impact on the urban–rural income gap, and there is a need to continue to promote urbanization and the optimization of the employment structure of the workforce, reduce the vulnerability of rural residents to climate change, and narrow the urban–rural income gap.
Antimicrobial Resistance, Biofilm Formation, and Virulence Determinants in Enterococcus faecalis Isolated from Cultured and Wild Fish
Authors: Rana Md. Liton , Firdous Zannatul , Ferdous Farhana Binte , Ullah Md. Ashek , Siddique Mahbubul Pratik , Rahman Md. Tanvir
Published: August 2023

Fish has always been an integral part of Bengali cuisine and economy. Fish could also be a potential reservoir of pathogens. This study aimed to inquisite the distribution of virulence, biofilm formation, and antimicrobial resistance of Enterococcus faecalis isolated from wild and cultivated fish in Bangladesh. A total of 132 koi fish (Anabas scandens) and catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) were collected from different markets in the Mymensingh district and analyzed to detect E. faecalis. E. faecalis was detected by conventional culture and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), followed by the detection of virulence genes by PCR. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined using the disk diffusion method, and biofilm-forming ability was investigated by crystal violet microtiter plate (CVMP) methods. A total of 47 wild and 40 cultured fish samples were confirmed positive for E. faecalis by PCR. The CVMP method revealed four per cent of isolates from cultured fish as strong biofilm formers, but no strong producers were found from the wild fish. In the PCR test, 45% of the isolates from the wild and cultivated fish samples were found to be positive for at least one biofilm-producing virulence gene, where agg, ace, gelE, pil, and fsrC genes were detected in 80, 95, 100, 93, and 100% of the isolates, respectively. Many of the isolates from both types of samples were multidrug resistant (MDR) (73% in local fish and 100% in cultured fish), with 100% resistance to erythromycin, linezolid, penicillin, and rifampicin in E. faecalis from cultured fish and 73.08, 69.23, 69.23, and 76.92%, respectively, in E. faecalis from wild fish. This study shows that E. faecalis from wild fish have a higher frequency of virulence genes and biofilm-forming genes than cultivated fish. However, compared to wild fish, cultured fish were found to carry E. faecalis that was more highly multidrug resistant. Present findings suggest that both wild and cultured fish could be potential sources for MDR E. faecalis, having potential public health implications.
New Insights into the Dermocosmetic Potential of the Red Seaweed Gelidium corneum
Authors: Matias Margarida , Martins Alice , Alves Celso , Silva Joana , Pinteus Susete , Fitas Manuel , Pinto Pedro , Marto Joana , Ribeiro Helena , Murray Patrick , Pedrosa Rui
Published: August 2023

This work addresses the potential of the red seaweed Gelidium corneum as a source of bioactive ingredients for skin health and wellness in response to the growing awareness regarding the significance of sustainable strategies in developing new nature-based dermocosmetic products. Hydroalcoholic extracts from the dried biomass were subjected to sequential liquid–liquid partitions, affording five different fractions (F1–F5). Their cosmetic potential was assessed through a set of in vitro assays concerning their antioxidant, photoprotective, and healing properties. Additionally, their cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells and their capacity to induce inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells were also evaluated. As a proof-of-concept, O/W emulsions were prepared, and emulsion stability was assessed by optical microscopy, droplet size analysis, centrifugation tests, and rheology analysis. Furthermore, in vivo tests were conducted with the final formulation to assess its antioxidant capacity. At subtoxic concentrations, the most lipophilic fraction has provided photoprotection against UV light-induced photooxidation in HaCaT cells. This was conducted together with the aqueous fraction, which also displayed healing capacities. Regarding the physical and stability assays, the best performance was achieved with the formulation containing 1% aqueous extract, which exhibited water retention and antioxidant properties in the in vivo assay. In summary, Gelidium corneum displayed itself as a potential source of bioactive ingredients with multitarget properties for dermatological use.
Selenomethionine Attenuated H2O2-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis by Nrf2 in Chicken Liver Cells
Authors: Xie Lingyu , Xu Yibin , Ding Xiaoqing , Li Kaixuan , Liang Shuang , Li Danlei , Wang Yongxia , Fu Aikun , Yu Weixiang , Zhan Xiuan
Published: August 2023

Earlier studies have shown that selenomethionine (SM) supplements in broiler breeders had higher deposition in eggs, further reduced the mortality of chicken embryos, and exerted a stronger antioxidant ability in offspring than sodium selenite (SS). Since previous studies also confirmed that Se deposition in eggs was positively correlated with maternal supplementation, this study aimed to directly investigate the antioxidant activities and underlying mechanisms of SS and SM on the chicken hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (LMH). The cytotoxicity results showed that the safe concentration of SM was up to 1000 ng/mL, while SS was 100 ng/mL. In Se treatments, both SS and SM significantly elevated mRNA stability and the protein synthesis rate of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), two Se-containing antioxidant enzymes. Furthermore, SM exerted protective effects in the H2O2-induced oxidant stress model by reducing free radicals (including ROS, MDA, and NO) and elevating the activities of antioxidative enzymes, which performed better than SS. Furthermore, the results showed that cotreatment with SM significantly induced apoptosis induced by H2O2 on elevating the content of Bcl-2 and decreasing caspase-3. Moreover, investigations of the mechanism revealed that SM might exert antioxidant effects on H2O2-induced LMHs by activating the Nrf2 pathway and enhancing the activities of major antioxidant selenoenzymes downstream. These findings provide evidence for the effectiveness of SM on ameliorating H2O2-induced oxidative impairment and suggest SM has the potential to be used in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of oxidative-related impairment in poultry feeds.
LED Lights Influenced Phytochemical Contents and Biological Activities in Kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) Microgreens
Authors: Lee Seom , Park Chang Ha , Kim Jin Kyung , Ahn Kyungmin , Kwon Haejin , Kim Jae Kwang , Park Sang Un , Yeo Hyeon Ji
Published: August 2023

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are regarded as an effective artificial light source for producing sprouts, microgreens, and baby leaves. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the influence of different LED lights (white, red, and blue) on the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites (glucosinolates, carotenoids, and phenolics) and the biological effects on kale microgreens. Microgreens irradiated with white LEDs showed higher levels of carotenoids, including lutein, 13-cis-β-carotene, α-carotene, β-carotene, and 9-cis-β-carotene, than those irradiated with red or blue LEDs. These findings were consistent with higher expression levels of carotenoid biosynthetic genes (BoPDS and BoZDS) in white-irradiated kale microgreens. Similarly, microgreens irradiated with white and blue LEDs showed slightly higher levels of glucosinolates, including glucoiberin, progoitrin, sinigrin, and glucobrassicanapin, than those irradiated with red LEDs. These results agree with the high expression levels of BoMYB28-2, BoMYB28-3, and BoMYB29 in white- and blue-irradiated kale microgreens. In contrast, kale microgreens irradiated with blue LEDs contained higher levels of phenolic compounds (gallic acid, catechin, ferulic acid, sinapic acid, and quercetin). According to the total phenolic content (TPC) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) inhibition assays, the extracts of kale microgreens irradiated with blue LEDs had slightly higher antioxidant activities, and the DPPH inhibition percentage had a positive correlation with TPC in the microgreens. Furthermore, the extracts of kale microgreens irradiated with blue LEDs exhibited stronger antibacterial properties against normal pathogens and multidrug-resistant pathogens than those irradiated with white and red LEDs. These results indicate that white-LED lights are suitable for carotenoid production, whereas blue-LED lights are efficient in increasing the accumulation of phenolics and their biological activities in kale microgreens.
The Association between Malaria and β-Carotene Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kotepui Kwuntida Uthaisar , Mahittikorn Aongart , Wilairatana Polrat , Masangkay Frederick Ramirez , Kotepui Manas
Published: August 2023

Background: β-Carotene, which is a prominent carotenoid with notable antioxidant properties, may play a role in countering the oxidative stresses induced by malaria. The association between β-carotene levels and malaria is not yet fully understood, prompting this systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A rigorous search of databases, including Nursing and Allied Health Premium, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, was undertaken to collate studies that focused on β-carotene levels in malaria patients. The selected studies underwent critical appraisal, followed by data extraction for a meta-analysis. Results: Of the 2498 records initially identified, 10 were deemed suitable for synthesis. A considerable number of these studies indicated a pronounced reduction in β-carotene levels among malaria patients in contrast with uninfected individuals. The meta-analysis, encompassing 421 malaria patients and 240 uninfected controls, revealed a significant correlation between reduced β-carotene levels and malaria (p < 0.01, Hedges’s g: −1.26, 95% CI: −2.00–(−0.53), I2: 93.86%, seven studies). Conclusions: The conducted systematic review and meta-analysis corroborated the correlation between lower β-carotene levels and malaria. The intricate relationship between malaria and β-carotene merits deeper exploration. A comprehensive understanding of this association might pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches leveraging the antioxidant attributes of β-carotene to combat malaria-induced oxidative stress.
An Effective Med-VQA Method Using a Transformer with Weights Fusion of Multiple Fine-Tuned Models
Authors: Al-Hadhrami Suheer , Menai Mohamed El Bachir , Al-Ahmadi Saad , Alnafessah Ahmad
Published: August 2023

Visual question answering (VQA) is a task that generates or predicts an answer to a question in human language about visual images. VQA is an active field combining two AI branches: NLP and computer vision. VQA in the medical field is still at an early stage, and it needs vast efforts and exploration to reach practical usage. This paper proposes two models that are utilized in the latest vision and NLP transformers that outperform the SOTA and have not yet been utilized in medical VQA. The ELECTRA-base transformer is used for textual feature extraction, whereas SWIN is used for visual feature extraction. In the SOTA medical VQA, selecting the model is based on the model that achieves the highest validation accuracy or the last model in training. The first proposed model, the best-value-based model, is selected based on the highest validation accuracy. The second model, the greedy-soup-based model, uses a greedy soup technique based on the fusion of multiple fine-tuned models to set the model parameters. The greedy soup selects the model parameters by fusing the model parameters that have significant performance on the validation accuracy in training. The greedy-soup-based model outperforms the best-value-based model, and both proposed models outperform the SOTA, which has an accuracy of 83.49%. The greedy-soup-based model is optimized with batch size and learning rate. During the optimization, seven extra models exceed the SOTA accuracy. The best model trained with a learning rate of 1.0×10−4 and batch size 16 achieves an accuracy of 87.41%.
Application of Dynamic Time Warping to Determine the Shear Wave Velocity from the Down-Hole Test
Authors: Duda-Mróz Natalia , Koperska Wioletta , Stefaniak Paweł , Anufriiev Sergii , Stachowiak Maria , Stefanek Paweł
Published: August 2023

A tailing storage facility (TSF) is a complex hydrotechnical structure that requires continuous monitoring to prevent catastrophic dam damage. One critical issue to control is the soil’s characteristics, which is why many field and laboratory tests are carried out on the dam to determine the relevant soil parameters. Among these tests, down-hole seismic tests, such as SCPT, are performed to determine, e.g., the shear wave velocity. However, accurately calculating the difference in the times of the arrival of the wave at the two geophones is crucial to determining its value. This article proposes a novel method for estimating this variable using the DTW (Dynamic Time Warping) algorithm, which calculates the shift between two signals by determining their optimal match. The article also addresses signal interference and proposes methods for clearing it to obtain more accurate results. Furthermore, the article introduces a method for measuring the signals’ quality based on their similarity, which helps assess whether determining the shear wave velocity is possible for a given sample.
Advancements in Biomonitoring and Remediation Treatments of Pollutants in Aquatic Environments, 2nd Edition
Authors: Ferri Elida Nora
Published: August 2023

Worldwide anthropogenic activities continuously produce and release hundreds of potentially toxic chemicals that contaminate ecosystems, leaving devastating effects on the environment and living beings, humans included [...]
Hyperspectral Imaging for Fresh-Cut Fruit and Vegetable Quality Assessment: Basic Concepts and Applications
Authors: Vignati Sara , Tugnolo Alessio , Giovenzana Valentina , Pampuri Alessia , Casson Andrea , Guidetti Riccardo , Beghi Roberto
Published: August 2023

During the last two decades, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) has been one of the most studied and applied techniques in the field of nondestructive monitoring systems for the fruit and vegetable supply chain. This review provides HSI technical aspects (i.e., device features) and data analysis approaches (i.e., data processing and qualitative/quantitative modeling) for fresh-cut products, focusing on the different applications which the literature offers and the possible scale-up for process monitoring. Moreover, new frontiers in the development of possible process analytical technologies of cost-effective and hand-held HSI devices are presented and discussed. Even though the performance of these new proximal sensing tools needs to be carefully evaluated, new applicative research perspectives in the development of a proximal sensing approach based on HSI sensor networks are ready to be studied and developed for finding field applications (i.e., precision agriculture, food processing, and more) and enabling faster and more convenient analysis while maintaining the accuracy and capabilities of traditional HSI systems.
Field Testing and Numerical Simulation of the Effectiveness of Trench Isolation for Reducing Vibration Due to Dynamic Compaction
Authors: Zheng Yonglai , Lan Xin , Pan Tanbo , Cui Dingding , Li Guangxin , Shen Longyin , Xu Xubing
Published: August 2023

Dynamic compaction is a widely used method to strengthen the foundation, which can cause significant impacts on surrounding structures, making vibration control measures necessary. This study investigates the effectiveness of isolation trenches in reducing ground vibration caused by dynamic compaction in a typical multi-layered alluvial soil foundation adjacent to the Yangtze River. A combination of field testing and numerical simulation was employed to evaluate the vibration isolation effect of trenches at different depths and locations. The results show that trenches have a significant vibration isolation effect on the side away from the tamping point, but they can have an amplifying effect between the trench and tamping point. The effectiveness of the isolation trenches increases with deeper trenches and distance from the tamping point, but the amplification effect decreases with increasing depth. Therefore, when employing trenches, reinforcement measures must be adopted, and a suitable trench depth should be selected. The closer the isolation trench to the dike, the better the protection will be. The study provides effective guidance for designing isolation trenches in similar dynamic compaction processes, emphasizing the importance of considering spatial attenuation characteristics and selecting appropriate trench depths and locations.
A Methodology to Improve Energy Efficiency and Sustainability in Urban Environments
Authors: Giorio Martina , Paparella Rossana
Published: August 2023

This paper presents a methodology to improve energy efficiency and sustainability in urban environments. The ongoing climate change is causing increasingly important consequences for cities and their inhabitants. Temperatures are rising and human thermal comfort conditions are becoming worse. For this reason, it is essential to evaluate how parts of cities react to these phenomena and how they could improve their behavior. To do this, the area of interest has to be analyzed from various aspects, starting with an assessment of the microclimatic conditions. Through these analyses, it is possible to observe the interactions between climate and the urban context on a macro-scale. The actual results, such as surface temperature and air temperature, will be useful for hypothesizing where different paved surfaces need to be restored with mitigative actions. Another aspect that needs to be considered for a comprehensive analysis of the area’s potential concerns the study of solar potential. We will describe how this topic was approached, making in-depth evaluations of the quality of the results obtained through the analysis of simplified models. The portability of these data within a spatial domain was also evaluated, integrating the values on a territorial database. Another important topic that needs to be analyzed to plan an improvement of an area in terms of energy production is the installation of new solar active production systems. The appropriate inclusion of photovoltaic panels could lead to the near self-sustainability of buildings by decreasing the external energy demand. The results obtained by applying the methodology in a case study highlight that all these aspects must be taken into account simultaneously to improve the existing conditions of entire city areas, leading to a more sustainable urban environment.
PVTReID: A Quick Person Reidentification-Based Pyramid Vision Transformer
Authors: Han Ke , Wang Qianlong , Zhu Mingming , Zhang Xiyan
Published: August 2023

Person re-identification (ReID) has attracted the attention of a large number of researchers due to its wide range of applications. However, due to the difficulty of extracting robust features and the complexity of the feature extraction process, ReID is difficult to truly apply in practice. In this paper, we utilize Pyramid Vision Transformer (PVT) as the backbone for feature extraction and propose a PVT-based ReID method in conjunction with other studies. First, we establish a basic model using powerful methods verified on CNN-based ReID. Second, to further improve the robustness of the features extracted from the PVT backbone, we design two new modules: (1) a local feature clustering (LFC) module is used to select the most discrete local features and cluster them individually by calculating the distance between local and global features, and (2) side information embeddings (SIE) are used to encode nonvisual information and send it to the network for use training in order to reduce its impact on the features. Our experiments show that the proposed PVTReID achieves an mAP of 63.2% on MSMT17 and 80.5% on DukeMTMC-reID. In addition, we evaluated the inference speed for images achieved by different methods, proving that image inference is faster with our proposed method. These results clearly illustrate that using PVT as a backbone network with LFC and SIE modules can improve inference speed while extracting robust features.
The Application of the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method in the Sealing Evaluation of Caprocks in Underground Gas Storage
Authors: Ban Shengnan , Liu Hejuan , Wei Xinxing , Shi Xilin , Mao Haijun , Song Yujia , Tan Hongying
Published: August 2023

The good sealing caprocks are significant for the integrity of underground gas storage (UGS) in depleted natural gas reservoirs. The screening of parameters, weight assignment, and evaluation method are important for evaluating the sealing performance of caprocks. Many factors can affect the sealing performance of caprocks, including caprock thickness, lithology, brittleness, porosity and permeability, breakthrough pressure, etc. In this paper, the dominant factors in the sealing performance of caprocks in UGSs are systematically analyzed, and the weights of these factors are analyzed by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCEM) is applied in the sealing evaluation of caprocks in three typical underground gas reservoirs (i.e., Zhujiadun, Xu-2, and Xing-9) in China. The sandstone reservoir in the Zhujiadun gas field is only about 20 m, and the thickness of the overlying mudstone is about 600 m. The caprock of the Xu-2 gas reservoir in Zhongba gas field is well distributed and developed, and the breakthrough pressure is relatively large. The caprock of Xing-9 gas field is mudstone with a thickness of over 400 m. The results show that the breakthrough pressure and permeability are the key parameters affecting the sealing ability of caprocks, with weights of 0.4291 and 0.2157, respectively. Among these three examples of gas fields, the sealing performance of caprocks in Zhujiadun gas storage is the best. The evaluation procedure and methods proposed in this paper are valuable for the evaluation of the tightness of caprocks in depleted gas reservoirs.
Clinical Approaches to the Three-Dimensional Endodontic Obturation Protocol for Teeth with Periapical Bone Lesions
Authors: Gusiyska Angela , Dyulgerova Elena
Published: August 2023

Knowledge of dental anatomy and the three-dimensional principles of debridement, sterilization and obturation is necessary for effective root canal treatment. The chemo–mechanical preparation of the root canal biomechanically significantly reduces the number of microorganisms present. However, research has demonstrated that microorganisms frequently persist. The antimicrobial effect of the irrigants is essential to their biological function. Several obturation techniques are currently available, the selection of which depends on the canal’s morphology and the individual therapeutic goals of each instance. New sealing materials and methods for regenerative root canal obturation are enhancing and improving the predictability of three-dimensional (3D) sealing procedures. Epoxy sealers and gutta-percha are currently employed by clinicians as the gold standard in obturation procedures. The most recent developments in endodontic sealing materials are related to bioceramic sealers. Reports indicate that bioceramic sealers are biocompatible, harmless, hydrophilic, expandable and antibacterial. In the therapy of teeth with periapical lesions, not only the effective treatment of the root canal system but also the quality of the used sealer are of particular importance. Regenerative processes in the bone lesion are potentiated by the action of the sealer due to its highly biocompatible, non-toxic, aluminum-free and antibacterial capabilities. This paper discusses sophisticated root canal sealing materials and contemporary filling techniques in the regenerative therapy protocol for teeth with periapical bone lesions.
Personalized Advertising Design Based on Automatic Analysis of an Individual’s Appearance
Authors: Moreno-Armendáriz Marco A. , Calvo Hiram , Faustinos José , Duchanoy Carlos A.
Published: August 2023

Market segmentation is a crucial marketing strategy that involves identifying and defining distinct groups of buyers to target a company’s marketing efforts effectively. To achieve this, the use of data to estimate consumer preferences and behavior is both appropriate and adequate. Visual elements, such as color and shape, in advertising can effectively communicate the product or service being promoted and influence consumer perceptions of its quality. Similarly, a person’s outward appearance plays a pivotal role in nonverbal communication, significantly impacting human social interactions and providing insights into individuals’ emotional states. In this study, we introduce an innovative deep learning model capable of predicting one of the styles in the seven universal styles model. By employing various advanced deep learning techniques, our models automatically extract features from full-body images, enabling the identification of style-defining traits in clothing subjects. Among the models proposed, the XCEPTION-based approach achieved an impressive top accuracy of 98.27%, highlighting its efficacy in accurately predicting styles. Furthermore, we developed a personalized ad generator that enjoyed a high acceptance rate of 80.56% among surveyed users, demonstrating the power of data-driven approaches in generating engaging and relevant content. Overall, the utilization of data to estimate consumer preferences and style traits is appropriate and effective in enhancing marketing strategies, as evidenced by the success of our deep learning models and personalized ad generator. By leveraging data-driven insights, businesses can create targeted and compelling marketing campaigns, thereby increasing their overall success in reaching and resonating with their desired audience.
Measuring Carbon in Cities and Their Buildings through Reverse Engineering of Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Bragança Luís , Verde Muniesa María Concepción
Published: August 2023

According to the European Green Deal, excessive carbon emissions are the origin of global warming and must be drastically reduced. Given that the building sector is one of the major sources of carbon emissions, results imperative to limit these emissions, especially in a city context where the density of buildings is commonly higher and rapidly increasing. All stages of the life cycle of a building, including raw material harvesting, manufacturing of products, use phase of the building, end of life, all generate or reduce carbon. The manufacture of construction materials accounts for 11% of all energy and process-related emissions annually. Additionally, recent estimates indicate that over 80% of all product-related environmental impacts of a building are determined during the design phase of the building. These indicators reflect the urgent need to explore a low-carbon measure method for building design. This is here done using a linear regression Reverse Engineering model and percentage calculation. One of the hypotheses formulated relates Global Warming Potential (GWP) of −30.000 CO2eq or lower (around −165 CO2eq/m2) in the 25% of a block of houses, to carbon further reductions by 11%. This paper has identified barriers in terms of the databases needed to achieve this task.
Thermal Runaway Early Warning and Risk Estimation Based on Gas Production Characteristics of Different Types of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Cui Yi , Shi Dong , Wang Zheng , Mou Lisha , Ou Mei , Fan Tianchi , Bi Shansong , Zhang Xiaohua , Yu Zhanglong , Fang Yanyan
Published: August 2023

Gas production analysis during the thermal runaway (TR) process plays a crucial role in early fire accident detection in electric vehicles. To assess the TR behavior of lithium-ion batteries and perform early warning and risk estimation, gas production and analysis were conducted on LiNixCoyMn1-x-yO2/graphite and LiFePO4/graphite cells under various trigger conditions. The findings indicate that the unique gas signals can provide TR warnings earlier than temperature, voltage, and pressure signals, with an advanced warning time ranging from 16 to 26 min. A new parameter called the thermal runaway degree (TRD) is introduced, which is the product of the molar quantity of gas production and the square root of the maximum temperature during the TR process. TRD is proposed to evaluate the severity of TR. The research reveals that TRD is influenced by the energy density of cells and the trigger conditions of TR. This parameter allows for a quantitative assessment of the safety risk associated with different battery types and the level of harm caused by various abuse conditions. Despite the uncertainties in the TR process, TRD demonstrates good repeatability (maximum relative deviation < 5%) and can be utilized as a characteristic parameter for risk estimation in lithium-ion batteries.
Advances in Extraction Techniques for Beer Flavor Compounds
Authors: Ferreira Inês M. , Guido Luis F.
Published: August 2023

Owing to the unique chemical properties exhibited by beer flavor compounds, different extraction methods have been utilized to extract these compounds from the sample matrix. Carbonyl compounds, which significantly contribute to flavor instability in beer, pose challenges in detection due to their low concentrations and reactivity. Consequently, the analysis of beer flavor compounds has focused on improving sensitivity and specificity through techniques that minimize sample preparation requirements and reduce interactions between factors involved in the analysis. Notably, extraction techniques such as headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME), stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE), and gas diffusion microextraction (GDME) have been successfully applied to the analysis of carbonyl compounds in alcoholic beverages, including beer. Derivatization agents like 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine (DNPH) and O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) enhance the volatility and stability of analytes, facilitating their separation and detection in gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Chromatographic separation methods, particularly gas chromatography and liquid chromatography, are extensively employed to identify and quantify aroma/flavor compounds in various foodstuffs, including beer. This review provides a comprehensive overview of extraction techniques and chromatographic methods used in the analysis of beer compounds.
Waste Activated Sludge-High Rate (WASHR) Treatment Process: A Novel, Economically Viable, and Environmentally Sustainable Method to Co-Treat High-Strength Wastewaters at Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Johnson Melody Blythe , Mehrvar Mehrab
Published: August 2023

High-strength wastewaters from a variety of sources, including the food industry, domestic septage, and landfill leachate, are often hauled to municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for co-treatment. Due to their high organic loadings, these wastewaters can cause process upsets in both a WWTP’s liquid and solids treatment trains and consume organic treatment capacity, leaving less capacity available to service customers in the catchment area. A novel pre-treatment method, the Waste Activated Sludge-High Rate (WASHR) process, is proposed to optimize the co-treatment of high-strength wastewaters. The WASHR process combines the contact stabilization and sequencing batch reactor processes. It utilizes waste activated sludge from a municipal WWTP as its biomass source, allowing for a rapid start-up. Bench-scale treatment trials of winery wastewater confirm the WASHR process can reduce loadings on the downstream WWTP’s liquid and solids treatment trains. A case study approach is used to confirm the economic viability and environmental sustainability of the WASHR process compared to direct co-treatment, using life-cycle cost analyses and greenhouse gas emissions estimates.
Comparison of Mid-Infrared Handheld and Benchtop Spectrometers to Detect Staphylococcus epidermidis in Bone Grafts
Authors: Lindtner Richard , Wurm Alexander , Kugel Katrin , Kühn Julia , Putzer David , Arora Rohit , Coraça-Huber Débora Cristina , Zelger Philipp , Schirmer Michael , Badzoka Jovan , Kappacher Christoph , Huck Christian Wolfgang , Pallua Johannes Dominikus
Published: August 2023

Bone analyses using mid-infrared spectroscopy are gaining popularity, especially with handheld spectrometers that enable on-site testing as long as the data quality meets standards. In order to diagnose Staphylococcus epidermidis in human bone grafts, this study was carried out to compare the effectiveness of the Agilent 4300 Handheld Fourier-transform infrared with the Perkin Elmer Spectrum 100 attenuated-total-reflectance infrared spectroscopy benchtop instrument. The study analyzed 40 non-infected and 10 infected human bone samples with Staphylococcus epidermidis, collecting reflectance data between 650 cm−1 and 4000 cm−1, with a spectral resolution of 2 cm−1 (Agilent 4300 Handheld) and 0.5 cm−1 (Perkin Elmer Spectrum 100). The acquired spectral information was used for spectral and unsupervised classification, such as a principal component analysis. Both methods yielded significant results when using the recommended settings and data analysis strategies, detecting a loss in bone quality due to the infection. MIR spectroscopy provides a valuable diagnostic tool when there is a tissue shortage and time is of the essence. However, it is essential to conduct further research with larger sample sizes to verify its pros and cons thoroughly.
Functionalized 3D-Printed PLA Biomimetic Scaffold for Repairing Critical-Size Bone Defects
Authors: Liu Xiao , Gao Jianpeng , Cui Xiang , Nie Shaobo , Wu Xiaoyong , Zhang Licheng , Tang Peifu , Liu Jianheng , Li Ming
Published: August 2023

The treatment of critical-size bone defects remains a complicated clinical challenge. Recently, bone tissue engineering has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach for defect repair. This study examined the biocompatibility and repair efficacy of hydroxyapatite-mineralized bionic polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds, which were prepared through a combination of 3D printing technology, plasma modification, collagen coating, and hydroxyapatite mineralization coating techniques. Physicochemical analysis, mechanical testing, and in vitro and animal experiments were conducted to elucidate the impact of structural design and microenvironment on osteogenesis. Results indicated that the PLA scaffold exhibited a porosity of 84.1% and a pore size of 350 μm, and its macrostructure was maintained following functionalization modification. The functionalized scaffold demonstrated favorable hydrophilicity and biocompatibility and promoted cell adhesion, proliferation, and the expression of osteogenic genes such as ALP, OPN, Col-1, OCN, and RUNX2. Moreover, the scaffold was able to effectively repair critical-size bone defects in the rabbit radius, suggesting a novel strategy for the treatment of critical-size bone defects.