bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potassium silicate and vinasse enhance biometric characteristics of perennial sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) under greenhouse conditions
Authors: Rady Mahmoud S. , Ghoneim Ibrahim M. , Feleafel Mostafa N. , Hassan Shimaa M.
Published: May 2024

An effective strategy for enhancing fruit production continuity during extended sweet pepper season involves adopting innovative biostimulants such as potassium silicate (PS) and vinasse. Adjusting PS and vinasse concentrations are crucial for maintaining the balance between vegetative and fruit growth, particularly in sweet pepper with a shallow root system, to sustain fruiting over prolonged season. However, the interaction between PS and vinasse and the underlying physiological mechanisms that extend the sweet pepper season under greenhouse conditions remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of PS and vinasse treatments on the yield and biochemical constituents of perennial pepper plants cultivated under greenhouse conditions. For two consecutive seasons [2018/2019 and 2019/2020], pepper plants were sprayed with PS (0, 0.5, and 1 g/l) and drenched with vinasse (0, 1, 2, and 3 l/m3). To estimate the impact of PS and vinasse on the growth, yield, and biochemical constituents of pepper plants, fresh and dry biomass, potential fruit yield, and some biochemical constituents were evaluated. Results revealed that PS (0.5 g/l) coupled with vinasse (3 l/m3) generated the most remarkable enhancement, in terms of plant biomass, total leaf area, total yield, and fruit weight during both growing seasons. The implementation of vinasse at 3 l/m3 with PS at 0.5 and 1 g/l demonstrated the most pronounced augmentation in leaf contents (chlorophyll index, nitrogen and potassium), alongside improved fruit quality, including total soluble solid and ascorbic acid contents, of extended sweet pepper season. By implementing the optimal combination of PS and vinasse, growers can significantly enhance the biomass production while maintaining a balance in fruiting, thereby maximizing the prolonged fruit production of superior sweet pepper under greenhouse conditions.
Developing a virtual reality and AI-based framework for advanced digital manufacturing and nearshoring opportunities in Mexico
Authors: Ponce Pedro , Anthony Brian , Bradley Russel , Maldonado-Romo Javier , Méndez Juana Isabel , Montesinos Luis , Molina Arturo
Published: May 2024

The growing expansion of the manufacturing sector, particularly in Mexico, has revealed a spectrum of nearshoring opportunities yet is paralleled by a discernible void in educational tools for various stakeholders, such as engineers, students, and decision-makers. This paper introduces a state-of-the-art framework, incorporating virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to metamorphose the pedagogy of advanced manufacturing systems. Through a case study focused on the design, production, and evaluation of a robotic platform, the framework endeavors to offer an exhaustive educational experience via an interactive VR environment, encapsulating (1) Robotic platform system design and modeling, enabling users to immerse themselves in the design and simulation of robotic platforms under varied conditions; (2) Virtual manufacturing company, presenting a detailed virtual manufacturing setup to enhance users’ comprehension of manufacturing processes and systems, and problem-solving in realistic settings; and (3) Product evaluation, wherein users employ VR to meticulously assess the robotic platform, ensuring optimal functionality and customer satisfaction. This innovative framework melds theoretical acumen with practical application in advanced manufacturing, preparing entities to navigate Mexico’s manufacturing sector’s vibrant and competitive nearshoring landscape. It creates an immersive environment for understanding modern manufacturing challenges, fostering Mexico’s manufacturing sector growth, and maximizing nearshoring opportunities for stakeholders.
Effect of olfactory stimulation from aromatherapy on the autonomic nervous activity during aerobic exercises
Authors: Okada Katsuki , Shimatani Koji
Published: May 2024

Variations in the autonomic nervous system activity during exercise therapy in patients with cardiovascular diseases may lead to adverse events. Aromatherapy may reduce these adverse events by enhancing parasympathetic nervous activity (PNA). However, the effects of aromatherapy during exercise remain relatively unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aromatherapy on autonomic nervous activity during exercise and recovery. This randomized crossover study included 20 healthy men subjected to both aroma and placebo conditions which involved rest and moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer, followed by recovery. Blood pressure, heart rate variability indices, and SpO2 were measured during the rest, exercise, and recovery phases. Moreover, aroma preferences and emotional changes in response to the aroma were assessed. Under the placebo condition, high frequency (HF), root mean square of successive differences indices, and heart rate showed delayed recovery (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a moderate positive correlation was identified between aroma preference, pleasant emotions induced by aromatherapy, and the HF index (P < 0.05). These results indicate that aromatherapy facilitates the recovery of PNA after exercise. Furthermore, these effects were more pronounced among individuals who exhibited a stronger preference for and more positive emotions toward aromas.
Aspartic protease supplementation enhancing the performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility and economic viability, without changing blood parameters and salivary cortisol of pigs
Authors: da Cruz Thiago Augusto , Donatelli Muro Bruno Bracco , Machado Costa Lima Eduardo , dos Santos Moreira Valéria , de Carvalho Julio Cesar Carrera , Pospissil Garbossa Cesar Augusto , Batista Costa Leandro
Published: May 2024

Aiming to study the performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, salivary cortisol levels, and economic viability of pigs administered aspartic protease, a total of 135 pigs were housed in pens in a randomized block design, divided into five treatments with nine replications. The experimental diets were positive control (PC), basic diet with a 5.0% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; negative control (NC) with a 7.5% reduction in protein and amino acid requirements; NC + 100 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC100); NC + 150 g/mT of aspartic protease (NC150); and NC + 200 g/mT of neutral serine protease (NC200). The inclusion of protease, independently of the source and amount, increased the average daily weight gain (P < 0.05) of animals compared with the control treatments (PC and NC), improved feed conversion (P < 0.05) in early stages, and improved diet digestibility (P < 0.05) compared with the PC. Treatment with NC150 and NC200 resulted in greater carcass weights (P < 0.05) than treatment with the PC. NC100 led to a greater carcass yield than PC (P < 0.05), and NC150 resulted in a greater loin eye area than PC (P < 0.05). No differences (P > 0.05) in the blood parameters or salivary cortisol levels were found. Regarding economic viability, proteases increased the profitability, with NC150 leading to the best results. Thus, the use of aspartic proteases is recommended to improve performance and further facilitate pork production.
Research on sound quality of roller chain transmission system based on multi-source transfer learning
Authors: Li Jiabao , An Lichi , Cheng Yabing , Wang Haoxiang
Published: May 2024

To establish the sound quality evaluation model of roller chain transmission system, we collect the running noise under different working conditions. After the noise samples are preprocessed, a group of experienced testers are organized to evaluate them subjectively. Mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC) of each noise sample is calculated, and the MFCC feature map is used as an objective evaluation. Combining with the subjective and objective evaluation results of the roller chain system noise, we can get the original dataset of its sound quality research. However, the number of high-quality noise samples is relatively small. Based on the sound quality research of various chain transmission systems, a novel method called multi-source transfer learning convolutional neural network (MSTL-CNN) is proposed. By transferring knowledge from multiple source tasks to target task, the difficulty of small sample sound quality prediction is solved. Compared with the problem that single source task transfer learning has too much error on some samples, MSTL-CNN can give full play to the advantages of all transfer learning models. The results also show that the MSTL-CNN proposed in this paper is significantly better than the traditional sound quality evaluation methods.
Compressed fluid-based technology for downstream isolation of bluish anthocyanin-derived pigments obtained from blueberry surplus
Authors: Nunes Ana N. , Oliveira Joana , Bronze Maria Rosário , Matias Ana A.
Published: May 2024

An enriched fraction of portisins was obtained through a two-step compressed fluid separation process, demonstrating a lower environmental impact due to reduced solvent waste generation.
Metal-based carbon monoxide releasing molecules with promising cytotoxic properties
Authors: Mansour Ahmed M. , Khaled Rabaa M. , Ferraro Giarita , Shehab Ola R. , Merlino Antonello
Published: May 2024

An overview of transition metal-based CORMs with cytotoxic properties is here reported.
Insights into lithium inventory quantification of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4–graphite full cells
Authors: Bao Wurigumula , Yao Weiliang , Li Yixuan , Sayahpour Baharak , Han Bing , Raghavendran Ganesh , Shimizu Ryosuke , Cronk Ashley , Zhang Minghao , Li Weikang , Meng Ying Shirley
Published: May 2024

A systematic methodology for the quantification of lithium inventory is developed and the degradation mechanisms of high-voltage lithium batteries are revealed.
Recent advances in 3D bioprinting of polysaccharide-based bioinks for fabrication of bioengineered tissues
Authors: Nagaraja Kasula , Dhokare Pratik , Bhattacharyya Amitava , Noh Insup
Published: May 2024

Complex multilayered tissues have been regenerated by extrusion-based 3D bioprinting with biocompatible polymers. Multilayer fabrications with tissue-specific bioinks are possible by controlling gel properties including interaction between layers.
Composition-dependent morphologies of CeO2 nanoparticles in the presence of Co-adsorbed H2O and CO2: a density functional theory study
Authors: Moxon Samuel , Symington Adam R. , Tse Joshua S. , Flitcroft Joseph M. , Skelton Jonathan M. , Gillie Lisa J. , Cooke David J. , Parker Stephen C. , Molinari Marco
Published: May 2024

A theoretical framework for analysing surface speciation and predicting the thermodynamically stable particle morphologies accessible under a set of environmental conditions. This is applied to cerium dioxide but can be used on other materials.
A robust single compartment peroxide fuel cell using mesoporous antimony doped tin oxide as the cathode material
Authors: Devassy Anu Maria Chittilappilly , Wankhede Karuna Dagaji , Kamalakshan Adithya , Mandal Sarthak
Published: May 2024

Mesoporous antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) prepared using the resorcinol–formaldehyde polymer network templated sol–gel method has emerged as a potential candidate for cathode materials in the advancement of single compartment peroxide fuel cells.
Alkaline stability of pendant C2-protected poly(imidazolium)s
Authors: Fraser Kate , Konovalova Anastasiia , Skalski Thomas , Cassegrain Simon , Holdcroft Steven
Published: May 2024

Synthesis of polycations with C2-sterically protected imidazolium pendant groups incorporated via an olefinic backbone accompanied by accelerated hydroxide-promoted degradation studies.
Gold-catalyzed intermolecular tandem cyclization/[4 + 3] cycloaddition of 2-(1-alkynyl)-cyclopropyl pyridines with nitrones: an efficient strategy for the synthesis of [1,2]oxazepino[5,4-a] indolizines
Authors: Rao Fucai , Cheng Meng , Hu Zhiwei , Chen Xinyi , Zhao Suyang , Chen Zuliang
Published: May 2024

A new method for the synthesis of seven-membered heterocycle-fused indolizine scaffolds from 2-(1-alkynyl-cyclopropyl)pyridines and nitrones under the catalysis of PPh3AuNTf2.
Concise synthesis of (25S)-Δ4-dafachronic acid and desulfated boophiline enabled by photoinduced decarboxylative allylation and asymmetric hydrogenation
Authors: Li Xiaotong , Zhang Yuxuan , Zhang Zhaoguo , Wu Jingjing
Published: May 2024

(25S)-Δ4-Dafachronic acid and boophiline exhibit intriguing bioactivities.
Band gap tuning of perovskite solar cells for enhancing the efficiency and stability: issues and prospects
Authors: Miah Md. Helal , Khandaker Mayeen Uddin , Rahman Md. Bulu , Nur-E-Alam Mohammad , Islam Mohammad Aminul
Published: May 2024

State-of-the-art processes for the band gap tuning of perovskite solar cells for enhancing their efficiency and stability.
Rational design and investigation of nonlinear optical response properties of pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY-based novel push–pull chromophores
Authors: Kothoori Naga Pranava Sree , Sivasakthi Pandiyan , Baithy Mallesham , Misra Ramprasad , Samanta Pralok K.
Published: May 2024

Intramolecular charge transfer plays crucial role in shaping linear and nonlinear optical response properties of novel pyrrolopyrrole aza-BODIPY-based push–pull chromophores.
“Visualizing” the partially reversible conversion of gold nanoclusters via the Au23(S-c-C6H11)17 intermediate
Authors: Gratious Saniya , Afreen  , Mahal Eti , Thomas Jibin , Saha Shubhadeep , Nair Akhil S. , Adarsh K. V. , Pathak Biswarup , Mandal Sukhendu
Published: May 2024

Identification of the Au23(SR)17 intermediate species during the partially reversible transformation of Au23 to Au25 nanoclusters.
Re-pairing DNA: binding of a ruthenium phi complex to a double mismatch
Authors: Prieto Otoya Tayler D. , McQuaid Kane T. , Paterson Neil G. , Cardin David J. , Kellett Andrew , Cardin Christine J.
Published: May 2024

The complex [Ru(phen)2phi]2+ creates a bulge site when crystallised with a DNA dodecamer which includes the Pribnow box sequence.
Increased CO2/N2 selectivity by stepwise fluorination in isoreticular ultramicroporous metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Di Tuo , Yoshida Yukihiro , Otake Ken-ichi , Kitagawa Susumu , Kitagawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

A series of isoreticular ultramicroporous fluorinated MOFs were synthesized. Both experimental and simulation studies showed that increasing the fluorine content leads to a marked increase in CO2/N2 selectivity owing to the CF⋯C(CO2) interactions.
Self-assembled molecular hybrids comprising lacunary polyoxometalates and multidentate imidazole ligands
Authors: Sun Haoran , Jimbo Atsuhiro , Li Chifeng , Yonesato Kentaro , Yamaguchi Kazuya , Suzuki Kosuke
Published: May 2024

This work presents a synthesis method for self-assembled molecular hybrids utilizing the reversible coordination of multidentate imidazole ligands to the vacant sites of lacunary polyoxometalates.
Charged hollow microgel capsules
Authors: Hazra Nabanita , Lammertz Janik , Babenyshev Andrey , Erkes Rebecca , Hagemans Fabian , Misra Chandeshwar , Richtering Walter , Crassous Jérôme J.
Published: May 2024

Well-defined fluorescent microgel capsules responsive to pH, ionic strength, temperature and osmotic stress were synthesized using micrometer-sized silica particles as sacrificial templates and characterized via scattering and microscopy techniques.
Visible-light-driven oxygen evolution by a BaTiO3 based ferroelectric photocatalyst via water splitting
Authors: Billah Areef , Anju Anjuman Nesa , Hirose Fumihiko , Ahmmad Bashir
Published: May 2024

Co-doping of BaTiO3 with Mn and Nb makes it visible light active and retains its ferroelectricity at a satisfactory level. This ferroelectricity is found to have contributed to charge separation during photocatalytic reactions.
Controlled 2D growth approach via atomic layer deposition for improved stability and performance in flexible SnO thin-film transistors
Authors: Kim Hye-Mi , Lee Won-Bum , Koo Haklim , Kim Seo-Yeong , Park Jin-Seong
Published: May 2024

Atomic layer deposition based controlled lateral growth leads the formation of 2D-like SnO thin film. This approach also enabled the fabrication of record stability of SnO TFTs and flexible SnO TFT, stable until 10,000 cycles of bending tests.
Matching the experimental chemical composition configuration and theoretical model in Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposites to improve coercivity
Authors: Li Yuqing , Wang Jinjin , Liu Manying , Xu Xuerui , Bian Mengying , Liu Weiqiang , Zhang Dongtao , Zhang Hongguo , Yue Ming
Published: May 2024

Matching the experimental chemical composition configuration and theoretical model in Nd2Fe14B/α-Fe nanocomposites to improve coercivity provides reliable guidance for the improvement of the magnetic properties of nanocomposite permanent magnets.
Demonstration of high-performance STO-based WORM devices controlled by oxygen-vacancies and metal filament growth
Authors: Hsu Chih-Chieh , Wen Xiu-Ming , Xiao Kai-Zer , Jhang Wun-Ciang , Joodaki Mojtaba
Published: May 2024

This study realizes high-performance Ti/STO/n+-Si VCM-type and Ag/STO/n+-Si ECM-type resistive memories with ILRS/IHRS ratios of 107 and 108.
Designing an aromatic moiety-free neutral luminescent manganese(ii) halide scintillator for efficient X-ray imaging
Authors: Zheng Xiaokang , Zhou Zijian , Li Zikang , Tran Ka-Yan , She Pengfei , Wang Hua , Wong Wai-Yeung , Zhao Qiang , Tao Peng
Published: May 2024

An aromatic moiety-free strategy is proposed for the excited state manipulation of a neutral manganese(ii) halide scintillator towards efficient X-ray imaging with high spatial resolution of 11.3 lp mm−1 and low detection limit of 34.95 nGy s−1.
Multi-purpose InSTRument for Astronomy at Low-resolution: MISTRAL at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence
Authors: Schmitt J. , Adami C. , Dennefeld M. , Agneray F. , Basa S. , Brunei J. C. , Buat V. , Burgarella D. , Carvalho C. , Castagnoli G. , Grosso N. , Huppert F. , Moreau C. , Moreau F. , Moreau L. , Muslimov E. , Pascal S. , Perruchot S. , Russeil D. , Beuzit J. L. , Dolon F. , Ferrari M. , Hamelin B. , Le Van Suu A. , Aravind K. , Gotz D. , Jehin E. , LeFloc’h E. , Palmerio J. , Saccardi A. , Schneider B. , Schüssler F. , Turpin D. , Vergani S. D.
Published: May 2024

Context. Multi-purpose InSTRument for Astronomy at Low-resolution (MISTRAL) is the new Faint Object Spectroscopic Camera mounted at the folded Cassegrain focus of the 1.93 m telescope of the Haute-Provence Observatory (OHP).

Aims. We describe the design and components of the instrument and give some details about its operation.

Methods. We emphasize in particular the various observing modes and the performance of the detector. A short description of the working environment is also provided. Various types of objects, including stars, nebulae, comets, novae, and galaxies, have been observed during various test phases to evaluate the performance of the instrument.

Results. The instrument covers the range of 4000-8000 Å with the blue setting, or from 6000 to 10 000 Å with the red setting, at an average spectral resolution of 700. Its peak efficiency is about 22% at 6000 Å. In spectroscopy, a limiting magnitude of r ~ 19.5 can be achieved for a point source in one hour with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 in the continuum (and better when emission lines are present). In imaging mode, limiting magnitudes of 20–21 can be obtained in 10–20 mn (with average seeing conditions of 2.5 arcsec at the OHP). The instrument is very user-friendly and can be put into operations in less than 15 mn (rapid change-over from the other instrument in use) if required by the science (e.g. for gamma-ray bursts). Some first scientific results are described for various types of objects, and in particular, for the follow-up of gamma-ray bursts.

Conclusions. While some further improvements are still under way, in particular, to facilitate the switch from blue to red setting and add more grisms or filters, MISTRAL is ready for the follow-up of transients and other variable objects, in the soon-to-come era of the Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Objects Monitor satellite and of the Rubin telescope, for instance.
Long term variability of Cygnus X-1
Authors: König Ole , Mastroserio Guglielmo , Dauser Thomas , Méndez Mariano , Wang Jingyi , García Javier A. , Steiner James F. , Pottschmidt Katja , Ballhausen Ralf , Connors Riley M. , García Federico , Grinberg Victoria , Horn David , Ingram Adam , Kara Erin , Kallman Timothy R. , Lucchini Matteo , Nathan Edward , Nowak Michael A. , Thalhammer Philipp , van der Klis Michiel , Wilms Jörn
Published: May 2024

The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) monitoring campaign of Cyg X-1 allows us to study its spectral-timing behavior at energies < 1 keV across all states. The hard state power spectrum can be decomposed into two main broad Lorentzians with a transition at around 1 Hz. The lower-frequency Lorentzian is the dominant component at low energies. The higher-frequency Lorentzian begins to contribute significantly to the variability above 1.5 keV and dominates at high energies. We show that the low- and high-frequency Lorentzians likely represent individual physical processes. The lower-frequency Lorentzian can be associated with a (possibly Comptonized) disk component, while the higher-frequency Lorentzian is clearly associated with the Comptonizing plasma. At the transition of these components, we discover a low-energy timing phenomenon characterized by an abrupt lag change of hard (≳2 keV) with respect to soft (≲1.5 keV) photons, accompanied by a drop in coherence, and a reduction in amplitude of the second broad Lorentzian. The frequency of the phenomenon increases with the frequencies of the Lorentzians as the source softens and cannot be seen when the power spectrum is single-humped. A comparison to transient low-mass X-ray binaries shows that this feature does not only appear in Cyg X-1, but that it is a general property of accreting black hole binaries. In Cyg X-1, we find that the variability at low and high energies is overall highly coherent in the hard and intermediate states. The high coherence shows that there is a process at work which links the variability, suggesting a physical connection between the accretion disk and Comptonizing plasma. This process fundamentally changes in the soft state, where strong red noise at high energies is incoherent to the variability at low energies.
Burnout: Hintergründe, Konzepte, Perspektiven
Authors: Hillert Andreas
Published: May 2024

Erschöpft, müde, gekränkt und/oder reizbar? Burnout bzw. Ausgebranntsein ist ein
prägnanter Begriff, der niemandem erklärt werden muss. Er beschreibt Zustände,
die als Nebenwirkung einer zunehmend aus den Fugen geratenen
Leistungsgesellschaft von vielen Menschen als entsprechend fatal erlebt werden.
Der Beitrag wirft einen Blick auf die unterschiedlichen Perspektiven
verschiedener Disziplinen auf das Burnout-Phänomen.
Cell-Mediated Immune Responses May Play Roles in Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation Osteointegration Failures
Authors: Luk Josephine , Bozynski Chantelle C. , Williams Jonathan , Stoker Aaron M. , Stannard James P. , Teixeiro Emma , Cook James L.
Published: May 2024

Prolonged and incomplete osteochondral allograft (OCA) osteointegration is consistently cited as a major mechanism for OCA treatment failure. Subrejection immune responses may play roles in this mode of failure. Preimplantation OCA preparation techniques, including subchondral bone drilling, thorough irrigation, and autogenous bone marrow aspirate concentrate saturation, may dampen immune responses and improve OCA osteointegration. This study sought to further characterize potential immune system contributions to OCA transplantation treatment failures by analyzing donor–recipient ABO and Rh-factor mismatches and histological and immunohistochemical assessments of transplanted OCA tissues recovered from revision surgeries. Using a dedicated registry, OCA transplant recipients with documented treatment failures who met inclusion criteria (n = 33) as well as age-, body mass index-, and joint-matched patients with successful outcomes (n = 70) were analyzed to compare matched cohorts of patients with successful versus failed OCA transplantation outcomes. Tissues recovered from 18 failed OCA transplants and portions of 7 nonimplanted OCA controls were further analyzed to provide contributing evidence for potential immune response mechanisms. For patients analyzed, no statistically significant differences in proportions for treatment success versus failure based on mismatches for ABO type, Rh factor, or both were noted. Further, no statistically significant differences in proportions for histological immune response presence or absence based on mismatches for ABO type, Rh factor, or both were noted. Twelve (67%) of the failed OCA tissues contained lymphocyte aggregations in the subchondral bone, which were comprised of combinations of CD3 + , CD4 + , CD8 + , and CD20+ lymphocytes. The mechanisms of failure for these 12 OCA transplants involved insufficient OCA osteointegration. Results of this study suggest that T- and B-cell-mediated subrejection immune responses may play roles in OCA transplant treatment failures independent of donor–recipient blood type mismatch effects.
Moisture measuring antenna promises a bounty of potential for farmers
Authors: Ikenson Ben
Published: May 2024

Slot modifications in microstrip patch shown to significantly enhance liquid permittivity sensing
Recreating 3D cell environments in the lab
Authors: Patrick Chris
Published: May 2024

Advancements in 3D cell culturing and bioprinting platforms will allow a better understanding of cellular behavior for tissue engineering and biomedical research.
Sensitivity enhancement for moisture content detection using modified microstrip patch antennas
Authors: Khan Muhammad Talha , Lin Xian Qi , Khan Abid Muhammad , Chen Zhe
Published: May 2024

A modified slotted microstrip patch sensor antenna has been developed for sensitivity enhancement to measure the moisture content of leaves. The design incorporates a rectangular slot positioned above the feed of a rectangular patch antenna. The antenna achieves resonant frequency at a lower range than the operating frequency of a traditional patch antenna without slot while maintaining a miniaturized form factor. To evaluate the sensitivity of the proposed modified slotted patch antenna, the variation in the resonant frequency and the reflection coefficient (S11) is observed with the sample under test (SUT), i.e., leaf is placed above the patch. A comparative analysis with regard to sensitivity and shift in frequency is performed between the designed antenna structures. The designed antenna is fabricated on a 0.8 mm F4B substrate in order to resonate within the 2.40–2.80 GHz range under unloaded conditions. The antenna’s sensitivity is tested by performing parametric analysis with respect to the permittivity of the leaf ranging from 20 to 30. The experimental results reveal that the sensitivity of the proposed patch antenna is enhanced by a factor of 1.67 as compared to traditional patch antenna for the four levels of SUT, demonstrating an enhanced sensitivity in detecting the moisture content of leaves.
Capacitive flexible pressure sensor based on porous GR/PDMS composite dielectric layer
Authors: Chen Tong , Wang Ruirong , Li Xiaohong
Published: May 2024

Capacitive flexible pressure sensors, with the advantages of simple structure, reliable repeatability, and low energy consumption, have been widely used in wearable devices, soft robots, and other fields. This article describes the preparation of a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) sponge dielectric layer with a surface microstructure and dense internal bubbles by adding ammonium bicarbonate to PDMS, using sandpaper as a template, and utilizing the thermal decomposition of ammonium bicarbonate into three gases: ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water vapor (NH3, CO2, and H2O). Meanwhile, the sensitivity of the capacitive flexible pressure sensor using the sandwich structure with PDMS sponge can reach 0.4321 kPa−1 within the range of 0–3 kPa, and it has a fast response time and recovery time, good repeatability, and a wide detection range. The pressure sensor based on a porous graphene/PDMS (GR/PDMS) sponge dielectric layer can achieve human physiological signal detection and has broad application prospects in fields such as robot skin.
Physical treatment and protease or probiotic supplementation and feather meal digestibility by broilers
Authors: Sun Y. M. , Li X. , Zhang D. , Bryden W. L.
Published: May 2024

Context Improving the utilisation of alternative protein ingredients in livestock production will reduce feeding costs and improve industry sustainability. Feather meal (FM) is an abundant, alternative protein source with a high protein content but poor amino acid (AA) digestibility. Aim This study evaluated strategies for improving AA digestibility of FM. Methods Experiment 1 examined the effects of physical treatment with ultrasound, microwave and autoclaving on FM AA profile and digestibility. Experiment 2 evaluated the dietary addition of a protease (Ronozyme ProAct, 200 and 600 mg/kg; RPA) and a probiotic (BioPlus 400, 1500 mg/kg) on FM AA digestibility. Apparent ileal digestibility was determined by feeding each treatment to four replicate groups of six birds in Experiment 1 and five replicate groups of seven birds in Experiment 2, and then collecting the contents of the lower half of the ileum. Key results None of the physical treatments improved (P > 0.05) the AA profile or ileal AA digestibility of FM. Dietary supplementation with RPA at 200 mg/kg or BioPlus 400 at 1500 mg/kg did not significantly (P > 0.05) influence the apparent ileal AA digestibility of FM. However, the higher concentration of RPA (600 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.05) increased the apparent ileal AA digestibility of FM. Conclusion The increased digestibility of FM by the protease and numerical increase (P < 0.1) by the probiotic (1500 mg/kg) presumably reflects keratinase activity of both feed supplements. Implications The results of this study indicated that there is scope for further improvement in the nutritive value of FM for broilers.
Stochastic model for migration and breakage of detrital and authigenic fines
Authors: Dang-Le Bryant , Hashemi Abolfazl , Nguyen Cuong , Loi Grace , Khazali Nastaran , Yang Yutong , Badalyan Alexander , Russell Thomas , Bedrikovetsky Pavel
Published: May 2024

Mobilisation of attached particles during flow in rocks occurs in geo-energy processes. Particle mobilisation, their migration through rocks and pore plugging yield significant decline in permeability and well injectivity and productivity. While much is currently known about the underlying mechanisms governing the detachment of detrital particles against attracting electrostatic forces, a critical gap exists in the theoretical understanding of detachment by breakage of widely spread authigenic particles, which naturally grow on rock grains during geological times. Previous works derived micro-scale mechanical equilibrium equations for both detrital and authigenic particles, and the upscaling procedure from particle to pore and core scales for detrital fines. In this paper, for the first time we derive a stochastic model for migration and breakage of authigenic fines and authigenic–detrital mixtures. This allows for core-scale transport modelling based on the particle-scale torque balance. We introduce a novel framework for predictive stochastic detachment modelling by particle–rock bond breakage that integrates the beam theory of elastic particle deformation, strength failure criteria and viscous flow around the attached particle. The analytical expressions for stress maxima and stress diagrams for a single particle allow determining the critical failure stresses, breakage points of the beam and breakage flow velocity. The mathematical model describing lab coreflood includes the maximum retention function for both authigenic and detrital fines. The matching laboratory coreflood data under increasing velocity at micro- and core-scales achieved high matching of the experimental data by the model. High matching validates the upscaling and downscaling procedures derived.
Ammonia – an assessment of potential environmental impacts including prevention and mitigation measures
Authors: Saeed Anam , Parnum Bethan
Published: May 2024

Ammonia (chemical formula NH3) is one of the most widely produced chemicals for industrial and agricultural uses. Ammonia has gained attention as a potential hydrogen and energy carrier, and low carbon substitute fuel for rail and maritime transport. The potential of ammonia for new use cases may lead to an increased footprint of potential environmental impacts. The physical and chemical properties of ammonia offer significant benefits for transportation and storage, but challenges remain due to its highly toxic nature and uses outside of dedicated industrial precincts. Ammonia is typically liquefied to increase density for ready storage and transportation. Unplanned releases of liquid ammonia will result in immediate environmental impacts. Unplanned releases may adversely affect receptor species in aquatic and terrestrial environments, human health, as well as the reputation of the responsible organisation. Dispersion of ammonia into the environment depends on factors that include mixture density, temperature, humidity, wind and wave action, and release mode and direction. Understanding the fate of ammonia is fundamental to adoption of effective mitigation measures. Consequently, it is necessary to understand the behaviour of ammonia in the environment, how unplanned releases can be minimised, and how they can be combatted, in order to appraise its suitability as a low carbon liquid transport fuel. This paper assesses the risks posed by ammonia spills, its fate in aquatic environments, and the applicability of available spill models. It also addresses management measures for the prevention and mitigation of spills noting the highly soluble and toxic nature of the chemical.
The Rafael gas-condensate discovery – a potential game-changer in the Canning Basin
Authors: Chambers Kurt
Published: May 2024

The Rafael 1 exploration well discovered an abnormally high-pressured gas-condensate pool in the Kimberley region in late 2021. Data supports a minimum gross gas column of 165 m at the well location trapped within a large faulted four-way closure in a dolomite reservoir sequence with strong similarities and age equivalent to the oil-bearing Ungani Dolomite reservoir in the Ungani Field. A successful production test in March 2022 resulted in sustained natural flows of gas and condensate to surface. The presence of thick sandstones of the Anderson Formation and a complete Laurel section beneath the Meda Unconformity were unexpected based on the pre-drill interpretation. Serendipitously, it provided the perfect geological setting for a significant hydrocarbon accumulation and emphasised the need to consider multiple geological scenarios when evaluating prospects to capture the full range of uncertainties and potential pool sizes. Although the range in size of the contingent resources is wide and requires further drilling for refinement, the Rafael 1 discovery could be one of the most significant onshore gas discoveries since Waitsia 1 and provides impetus and incentive for continued exploration in the basin. Several pathways for commercialisation have been identified linked to the resource size. A comprehensive appraisal program is underway including the recently completed acquisition of a 200 km2 3D seismic survey to optimally locate wells, and plans for drilling to reduce uncertainty and support the first phase of development based on a low case contingent resource that could underpin the energy needs of the Kimberley region.
New insights into the Kingia Sandstone facies distribution, and implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity, north Perth Basin, Western Australia
Authors: Sloan Aisling , Wright Matthew , Cortis Anthony , Farley Andrew , Wilkins Michael
Published: May 2024

The Kingia Sandstone has proven to be a prolific play fairway within the north Perth Basin, with primary porosity preservation observed down to at least 4600 mSS. However, the distribution of the Early Permian depositional and diagenetic facies has remained enigmatic. This is especially true given recent exploration results. Recent wells targeting the Kingia Sandstone have highlighted facies variability. As such, an opportunity exists to leverage legacy well data to investigate the interplay between sediment supply and accommodation space, resulting in improved reservoir characterisation. Through the integration of well logs, core and petrography studies, new insights into the spatial and temporal trends governing the presence and effectiveness of the Kingia are proposed. Implications of this work include Kingia Sandstone facies models that may be extended beyond known well control to help reduce subsurface uncertainty.
Monitor and reduce emissions to meet compliance and sustainability goals
Authors: Castelijns Nicolas
Published: May 2024

In today’s climate-conscious world, companies across the globe continue to push to optimise energy use and reduce or eliminate their greenhouse gas emissions. Investments aimed at emission monitoring and reduction are driven by the need to optimise consumption of electricity, gas, oil, and water to meet emissions reduction targets and sustainability goals. Tracking and reducing emissions can improve process uptime through predictive maintenance and reduce product losses across the process. Methane emissions are in particular focus as methane is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stated that a third of methane emissions in North America come from the industrial sector, and similar figures come from the European Commission. It is no wonder that government and industry are laser-focussed on improving their approach to the reduction of methane emissions. As companies drive their own corporate standards to achieve net zero emissions, there is also a need to comply with existing and upcoming governmental emissions standards and regulations, and report emissions on a periodic basis. The trend to move fugitive emissions monitoring from periodic to continuous provides operators with a greater insight into emissions sources which drives efficiencies through the reduction of lost product and a more predictive approach to maintenance. Investors are increasingly focussed on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting and favouring companies that can demonstrate strong ESG performance. Fugitive emission leaks can translate into billions of dollars of lost productivity annually, and serious occupational accidents.
Passive well monitoring systems and carbon, capture and storage (CCS) application
Authors: Jaffrey Andrew , Gordon Jim
Published: May 2024

With an increasing number of ageing subsea wells and a tightening of global regulations for well management, assuring well integrity is a key feature of risk management for oil and gas operators. Baker Hughes, in collaboration with Sentinel Subsea, has successfully deployed patented passive well monitoring systems able to detect a range of subsea emissions and alert well owners. This early detection and warning technology harnesses the natural forces and processes of chemistry and physics but does not use any electrical power for the monitoring and detection of fluids. Static mechanical structures and the natural buoyancy of escaping fluids of interest are used to gather fluids in the subsea environment where they are detected chemically using specially developed Triggers. By using fluid-specific Triggers, systems respond only to the fluid(s) of interest, not to other fluids typically encountered around subsea assets. When the target fluid has been detected passively, a coded signal beacon (previously dormant) is mechanically released to the ocean surface using self-buoyancy where an alarm is transmitted via satellite and the responsible party alerted. Systems are currently supporting multiple major and independent operators mitigate the risks associated with subsea wells globally. Based on these experiences, this paper discusses the development process of a passive well integrity monitoring system with application for carbon, capture and storage (CCS) sites.
Can Australia become APAC’s CCS hub of choice?
Authors: Chiang Stephanie
Published: May 2024

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is critical in Australia for future production of lower-carbon natural gas for domestic use and international export. There may also be targeted applications in other sectors, such as electricity, industrial heat generation and manufacturing, but only a small portion of the country’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are likely to be addressed with carbon capture. That leaves significant CO2 storage potential untapped. Wood Mackenzie’s analysis suggests that Australia’s CCS opportunity lies less in the reduction of domestic emissions, and more in enabling other countries’ net zero ambitions. This involves building hubs to transport and store CO2 at scale, using Australia’s vast geological resources. Such hubs are major capital projects and typically require billions of dollars of investment. However, supporting CO2 storage hubs with public funding may feel like a bitter policy pill to swallow, if there is not a large Australian emissions reduction number on the other side of it. So, why should Australia put its money towards this, and fast? In this paper, we will size the economic opportunity, benchmark Australia’s competitiveness with other aspiring hubs in the region and assess the amount of investment and policies required to get there.
Insights into the depositional setting for the Gippsland Basin from modern basin-wide 3D datasets
Authors: Goody Angus , Davies Clare , Rheinberg Paul
Published: May 2024

The Gippsland Basin is a prolific hydrocarbon basin, with gas and oil initially discovered in the Barracouta (1965) and Kingfish (1967) fields. Historically the basin was covered with a patchwork of legacy 3D seismic surveys acquired from 1980 to mid-2000s, shot with old technology resulting in sub-optimal imaging of the subsurface. CGG reprocessed 10,190 km2 of legacy 3D data as part of their ReGeneration project in 2018 and in 2020 acquired 8751 km2 of long offset, deep tow and undershot seismic data. With these data sets, Woodside has been able to extract images of the regional depositional systems through the basin’s evolution. These observations range in scale from interpretation of individual channels and channel belts to the distribution of the major shoreface systems and marine fans.
Charting a path to low-carbon leadership: unlocking up to 90% emissions reductions in greenfield LNG
Authors: Carydias Peter , Flowers Simon
Published: May 2024

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry stands at the cusp of a transformation driven by the climate imperative. Focussing on the Middle Arm Industrial Precinct, this paper shows how carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are being reduced in a proposed world-class LNG project by assessing, screening and selecting known technologies using a Marginal Abatement philosophy linked to key emissions drivers. (1) We propose a new breed of electrified LNG facilities that could deliver an up to 90% reduction in CO2 intensity. (2) We show that through developing strategic partnerships in upstream renewable power, hydrogen supply, and enabled downstream carbon capture and storage (CCS), the significant low carbon energy requirements of an LNG facility can be delivered. (3) We discuss a Marginal Abatement assessment strategy which ensures a pathway to viable lowest cost opportunities selected in an ‘Avoid & Mitigate’ first approach. This proposed strategy ensures that CO2 emission reduction opportunities are assessed and selected consistently to determine both a lifecycle cost ($) and volume (tons CO2e) of emission reduction. These innovative strategies collectively articulate a roadmap for a low carbon future for LNG and other heavy industrial industries, underlining Australia’s potential to become a leading provider of low-carbon natural resources.
Foundations of reasoning with uncertainty via real-valued logics
Authors: Fagin Ronald , Riegel Ryan , Gray Alexander
Published: May 2024

Interest in logics with some notion of real-valued truths has existed since at least Boole and has been increasing in AI due to the emergence of neuro-symbolic approaches, though often their logical inference capabilities are characterized only qualitatively. We provide foundations for establishing the correctness and power of such systems. We introduce a rich class of multidimensional sentences, with a sound and complete axiomatization that can be parameterized to cover many real-valued logics, including all the common fuzzy logics, and extend these to weighted versions, and to the case where the truth values are probabilities. Our multidimensional sentences form a very rich class. Each of our multidimensional sentences describes a set of possible truth values for a collection of formulas of the real-valued logic, including which combinations of truth values are possible. Our completeness result is strong, in the sense that it allows us to derive exactly what information can be inferred about the combinations of truth values of a collection of formulas given information about the combinations of truth values of a finite number of other collections of formulas. We give a decision procedure based on linear programming for deciding, for certain real-valued logics and under certain natural assumptions, whether a set of our sentences logically implies another of our sentences. The generality of this work, compared to many previous works on special cases, may provide insights for both existing and new real-valued logics whose inference properties have never been characterized. This work may also provide insights into the reasoning capabilities of deep learning models.
MACSPI enables tissue-selective proteomic and interactomic analyses in multicellular organisms
Authors: Huang Siyue , Ran Qiao , Li Xiao-Meng , Bao Xiucong , Zheng Chaogu , Li Xiang David
Published: May 2024

Multicellular organisms are composed of many tissue types that have distinct morphologies and functions, which are largely driven by specialized proteomes and interactomes. To define the proteome and interactome of a specific type of tissue in an intact animal, we developed a localized proteomics approach called Methionine Analog-based Cell-Specific Proteomics and Interactomics (MACSPI). This method uses the tissue-specific expression of an engineered methionyl-tRNA synthetase to label proteins with a bifunctional amino acid 2-amino-5-diazirinylnonynoic acid in selected cells. We applied MACSPI inCaenorhabditis elegans,a model multicellular organism, to selectively label, capture, and profile the proteomes of the body wall muscle and the nervous system, which led to the identification of tissue-specific proteins. Using the photo-cross-linker, we successfully profiled HSP90 interactors in muscles and neurons and identified tissue-specific interactors and stress-related interactors. Our study demonstrates that MACSPI can be used to profile tissue-specific proteomes and interactomes in intact multicellular organisms.