bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Overview of Short-Bowel Syndrome in Pediatric Patients: Focus on Clinical Management and Prevention of Complications
Authors: Caporilli Chiara , Giannì Giuliana , Grassi Federica , Esposito Susanna
Published: May 2023

Short-bowel syndrome (SBS) in pediatric age is defined as a malabsorptive state, resulting from congenital malformations, significant small intestine surgical resection or disease-associated loss of absorption. SBS is the leading cause of intestinal failure in children and the underlying cause in 50% of patients on home parental nutrition. It is a life-altering and life-threatening disease due to the inability of the residual intestinal function to maintain nutritional homeostasis of protein, fluid, electrolyte or micronutrient without parenteral or enteral supplementation. The use of parenteral nutrition (PN) has improved medical care in SBS, decreasing mortality and improving the overall prognosis. However, the long-term use of PN is associated with the incidence of many complications, including liver disease and catheter-associated malfunction and bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). This manuscript is a narrative review of the current available evidence on the management of SBS in the pediatric population, focusing on prognostic factors and outcome. The literature review showed that in recent years, the standardization of management has demonstrated to improve the quality of life in these complex patients. Moreover, the development of knowledge in clinical practice has led to a reduction in mortality and morbidity. Diagnostic and therapeutic decisions should be made by a multidisciplinary team that includes neonatologists, pediatric surgeons, gastroenterologists, pediatricians, nutritionists and nurses. A significant improvement in prognosis can occur through the careful monitoring of nutritional status, avoiding dependence on PN and favoring an early introduction of enteral nutrition, and through the prevention, diagnosis and aggressive treatment of CRSBIs and SIBO. Multicenter initiatives, such as research consortium or data registries, are mandatory in order to personalize the management of these patients, improve their quality of life and reduce the cost of care.
GC/MS-Based Analysis of Fatty Acids and Amino Acids in H460 Cells Treated with Short-Chain and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Highly Sensitive Approach
Authors: Zhou Tianxiao , Yang Kaige , Ma Yinjie , Huang Jin , Fu Wenchang , Yan Chao , Li Xinyan , Wang Yan
Published: May 2023

The important metabolic characteristics of cancer cells include increased fat production and changes in amino acid metabolism. Based on the category of tumor, tumor cells are capable of synthesizing as much as 95% of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids through de novo synthesis, even in the presence of sufficient dietary lipid intake. This fat transformation starts early when cell cancerization and further spread along with the tumor cells grow more malignant. In addition, local catabolism of tryptophan, a common feature, can weaken anti-tumor immunity in primary tumor lesions and TDLN. Arginine catabolism is likewise related with the inhibition of anti-tumor immunity. Due to the crucial role of amino acids in tumor growth, increasing tryptophan along with arginine catabolism will promote tumor growth. However, immune cells also require amino acids to expand and distinguish into effector cells that can kill tumor cells. Therefore, it is necessary to have a deeper understanding of the metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids within cells. In this study, we established a method for the simultaneous analysis of 64 metabolites consisting of fatty acids and amino acids, covering biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, and fatty acid biosynthesis using the Agilent GC-MS system. We selected linoleic acid, linolenic acid, sodium acetate, and sodium butyrate to treat H460 cells to validate the current method. The differential metabolites observed in the four fatty acid groups in comparison with the control group indicate the metabolic effects of various fatty acids on H460 cells. These differential metabolites could potentially become biomarkers for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
Differentiation of African Swine Fever Virus Strains Isolated in Estonia by Multiple Genetic Markers
Authors: Vilem Annika , Nurmoja Imbi , Tummeleht Lea , Viltrop Arvo
Published: May 2023

The African swine fever virus (ASFV) was first detected in Estonia, in September 2014. In the subsequent three years, the virus spread explosively all over the country. Only one county, the island of Hiiumaa, remained free of the disease. Due to the drastic decrease in the wild boar population in the period of 2015–2018, the number of ASFV-positive cases among wild boar decreased substantially. From the beginning of 2019 to the autumn of 2020, no ASFV-positive wild boar or domestic pigs were detected in Estonia. A new occurrence of ASFV was detected in August 2020, and by the end of 2022, ASFV had been confirmed in seven counties in Estonia. Investigations into proven molecular markers, such as IGR I73R/I329L, MGF505-5R, K145R, O174L, and B602L, were performed with the aim of clarifying whether these cases of ASFV were new entries or remnants of previous epidemics. The sequences from the period of 2014–2022 were compared to the Georgia 2007/1 reference sequence and the variant strains present in Europe. The results indicated that not all the molecular markers of the virus successfully used in other geographical regions were suitable for tracing the spread of ASFV in Estonia. Only the B602L-gene analysis enabled us to place the ASFV isolates spreading in 2020–2022 into two epidemiologically different clusters.
Old and Novel Enteric Parvoviruses of Dogs
Authors: Capozza Paolo , Buonavoglia Alessio , Pratelli Annamaria , Martella Vito , Decaro Nicola
Published: May 2023

Parvovirus infections have been well known for around 100 years in domestic carnivores. However, the use of molecular assays and metagenomic approaches for virus discovery and characterization has led to the detection of novel parvovirus species and/or variants in dogs. Although some evidence suggests that these emerging canine parvoviruses may act as primary causative agents or as synergistic pathogens in the diseases of domestic carnivores, several aspects regarding epidemiology and virus–host interaction remain to be elucidated.
GC/MS Profiling, Antibacterial, Anti-Quorum Sensing, and Antibiofilm Properties of Anethum graveolens L. Essential Oil: Molecular Docking Study and In-Silico ADME Profiling
Authors: Noumi Emira , Ahmad Iqrar , Adnan Mohd , Merghni Abderrahmen , Patel Harun , Haddaji Najla , Bouali Nouha , Alabbosh Khulood Fahad , Ghannay Siwar , Aouadi Kaïss , Kadri Adel , Polito Flavio , Snoussi Mejdi , De Feo Vincenzo
Published: May 2023

Anethum graveolens L. has been known as an aromatic, medicinal, and culinary herb since ancient times. The main purpose of this study was to determine the chemical composition, antibacterial, antibiofilm, and anti-quorum sensing activities of the essential oil (EO) obtained by hydro-distillation of the aerial parts. Twelve components were identified, representing 92.55% of the analyzed essential oil. Limonene (48.05%), carvone (37.94%), cis-dihydrocarvone (3.5%), and trans-carvone (1.07%) were the main identified constituents. Results showed that the obtained EO was effective against eight bacterial strains at different degrees. Concerning the antibiofilm activity, limonene was more effective against biofilm formation than the essential oil when tested using sub-inhibitory concentrations. The results of anti-swarming activity tested against P. aeruginosa PAO1 revealed that A. graveolens induced more potent inhibitory effects in the swarming behavior of the PAO1 strain when compared to limonene, with a percentage reaching 33.33% at a concentration of 100 µg/mL. The ADME profiling of the identified phytocompounds confirms their important pharmacokinetic and drug-like properties. The in-silico study using molecular docking approaches reveals a high binding score between the identified compounds and known target enzymes involved in antibacterial and anti-quorum sensing (QS) activities. Overall, the obtained results highlight the possible use of A. graveolens EO to prevent food contamination with foodborne pathogenic bacteria.
Exogenous Calcium Induces Different Hydraulic Strategies in Response to Osmotic Stress in Maize Seedlings
Authors: Li Dongyang , Yan Minfei , Liang Haofeng , Li Zhe , Zhang Suiqi
Published: May 2023

Recent discoveries regarding the signal molecules involved in abiotic stresses require integration into the field of plant hydraulic property research. Although calcium (Ca) is an important second messenger involved in numerous complex, abiotic stress−induced signaling pathways, it remains unclear how exogenous calcium mediates cellular signaling to promote plant drought resistance. We investigated the effects of calcium on the water balance and hydraulic properties in maize seedlings (Zea mays L.) under osmotic stress simulated by 10% (m/v) PEG−6000 in a hydroponic culture. The osmotic stress dramatically decreased the photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, leaf water content, and root water absorption. However, the short−term (2 h) and long−term (10 d) exogenous Ca2+ (CaCl2: 10 mM) treatments had different effects on the maize gas exchange parameters and leaf water status. The short−term treatment improved the leaf transpiration by inhibiting the abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis and accumulation in the leaves, generating a stronger transpiration pull and enhancing the root water absorption and axial flow path water transport by increasing the root hydraulic conductance to relieve the osmotic stress−induced inhibition. The long−term treatment induced the ABA and H2O2 accumulation in the roots and leaves. Under osmotic stress, the accumulation of ABA, H2O2, and Ca2+ rapidly repressed the transpiration and enhanced the radial flow path water transport, decreasing the water loss and improving the stress tolerance. These insights suggest a role for a judicious use of Ca fertilizer in reducing the adverse effects of drought on agricultural production.
Facultative Annual Life Cycles in Seagrasses
Authors: van Katwijk Marieke M. , van Tussenbroek Brigitta I.
Published: May 2023

Plant species usually have either annual or perennial life cycles, but facultative annual species have annual or perennial populations depending on their environment. In terrestrial angiosperms, facultative annual species are rare, with wild rice being one of the few examples. Our review shows that in marine angiosperms (seagrasses) facultative annual species are more common: six (of 63) seagrass species are facultative annual. It concerns Zostera marina, Z. japonica, Halophila decipiens, H. beccarii, Ruppia maritima, and R. spiralis. The annual populations generally produce five times more seeds than their conspecific perennial populations. Facultative annual seagrass species occur worldwide. Populations of seagrasses are commonly perennial, but the facultative annual species had annual populations when exposed to desiccation, anoxia-related factors, shading, or heat stress. A system-wide ‘experiment’ (closure of two out of three connected estuaries for large-scale coastal protection works) showed that the initial annual Z. marina population could shift to a perennial life cycle within 5 years, depending on environmental circumstances. We discuss potential mechanisms and implications for plant culture. Further exploration of flexible life histories in plant species, and seagrasses in particular, may aid in answering questions about trade-offs between vegetative and sexual reproduction, and preprogrammed senescence.
Soybean Yield and Nutrition Grown on the Straw of Grain Sorghum Inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense and Intercropped with BRS Paiaguás Grass
Authors: de Asevedo Soares Deyvison , Modesto Viviane Cristina , Nakao Allan Hisashi , Soares Wellington Rosa , Freitas Leandro Alves , Dickmann Lourdes , Pascoaloto Isabô Melina , Andreotti Marcelo
Published: May 2023

The adoption of diversified agricultural systems that employ integrated cultural practices appears to be the way to sustainably intensify tropical agriculture. Our objectives were to evaluate the dry matter (DM) accumulation of sorghum inoculated with Azospirillum brasilense, with or without a nitrogen fertilization split, intercropped with palisade grass (Urochloa brizantha cv. BRS Paiaguás), and how these practices influenced the nutrition and development of soybean in succession. The design was a randomized complete block in a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial, consisting of sorghum monoculture cropped or intercropped with palisade grass, sorghum either inoculated or not with A. brasilense, and nitrogen applied at 120 kg ha−1 N only at sowing, only at topdressing, or split—30% at sowing and 70% at topdressing at the beginning of the panicle initiation stage. The residual impacts of these treatments on the following soybean crop were also evaluated. Higher DM yield occurred in sorghum inoculated with A. brasilense, however, this result varied by year. The sorghum–palisade grass intercrop produced a higher amount of straw than sorghum monoculture. The nutrition of soybean was adequate regardless of treatments, but grain yield was higher when the sorghum residue was inoculated. The inoculation of A. brasilense in sorghum intercropped with palisade grass increased yield. The nutrition of soybean was adequate regardless of the treatments, while grain yield was higher on the inoculated sorghum residues. The inoculation of A. brasilense in sorghum intercropped with palisade grass increased DM yield. The intercropping increased the production of biomass for animal grazing and DM for soil coverage. The inoculation of sorghum by A. brasilense and its intercropping with palisade grass contributed to higher soybean yield in succession.
Thermal Conductivity and Phase-Change Properties of Boron Nitride–Lead Oxide Nanoparticle-Doped Polymer Nanocomposites
Authors: Ortaç Bülend , Mutlu Saliha , Baskan Taylan , Savaskan Yilmaz Sevil , Yilmaz Ahmet Hakan , Erol Burcu
Published: May 2023

Thermally conductive phase-change materials (PCMs) were produced using the crosslinked Poly (Styrene-block-Ethylene Glycol Di Methyl Methacrylate) (PS-PEG DM) copolymer by employing boron nitride (BN)/lead oxide (PbO) nanoparticles. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) methods were used to research the phase transition temperatures, the phase-change enthalpies (melting enthalpy (ΔHm), and crystallization enthalpies (ΔHc)). The thermal conductivities (λ) of the PS-PEG/BN/PbO PCM nanocomposites were investigated. The λ value of PS-PEG/BN/PbO PCM nanocomposite containing BN 13 wt%, PbO 60.90 wt%, and PS-PEG 26.10 wt% was determined to be 18.874 W/(mK). The crystallization fraction (Fc) values of PS-PEG (1000), PS-PEG (1500), and PS-PEG (10,000) copolymers were 0.032, 0.034, and 0.063, respectively. XRD results of the PCM nanocomposites showed that the sharp diffraction peaks at 17.00 and 25.28 °C of the PS-PEG copolymer belonged to the PEG part. Since the PS-PEG/PbO and the PS-PEG/PbO/BN nanocomposites show remarkable thermal conductivity performance, they can be used as conductive polymer nanocomposites for effective heat dissipation in heat exchangers, power electronics, electric motors, generators, communication, and lighting equipment. At the same time, according to our results, PCM nanocomposites can be considered as heat storage materials in energy storage systems.
Thermal Conductivity of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Films with a Multi-Scale Framework
Authors: Wang Qin , Liu Shixin , Guo Hong , Hu Boyang , Li Yi , Wang Jixiao , Li Baoan
Published: May 2023

The orientation of amorphous regions in pure polymers has been noted to be critical to the enhancement of thermal conductivity (TC), but the available reports are still rather few. Here, we propose to prepare a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film with a multi-scale framework by introducing anisotropic amorphous nanophases in the form of cross-planar alignments among the in-planar oriented extended-chain crystals (ECCs) lamellae, which show an enhanced TC of 1.99 Wm−1 K−1 in the through-plane direction (K⊥) and 4.35 Wm−1 K−1 in the in-plane direction (K∥). Structural characterization determination using scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution synchrotron X-ray scattering showed that shrinking the dimension of the amorphous nanophases can effectively reduce entanglement and lead to alignments formation. Moreover, the thermal anisotropy of the amorphous region is quantitatively discussed with the aid of the two-phase model. Superior thermal dissipation performances are intuitively displayed by means of finite element numerical analysis and heat exchanger applications. Moreover, such unique multi-scale architecture also results in significant benefit in the improvement of dimensional stability and thermal stability. This paper provides a reasonable solution for fabricating inexpensive thermal conducting polymer films from the perspective of practical applications.
Online Monitoring of Flowmeter Anomaly in Tobacco Production Process Using Sliding Window Recursive Lasso
Authors: Guan Ziyi , Liu Suijun , Liu Ying , Cui Ting , Yang Linchao , Cai Jinhui , Liu Bin , Liu Yuhao , Li Jinming
Published: May 2023

Ensuring the accuracy of flow measurement is crucial to promoting high-quality cigarette production. In order to monitor the working status of flowmeters, this paper proposes an anomaly detection method based on the sliding-window recursive Lasso (Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator), which is able to track the changes in flowmeter operating conditions by self-adapting model parameters based on observed measurements. Due to the frequent mode switch and high sampling frequency of flow data, this paper introduces the sliding-window strategy to remove the effect of outdated data and accelerate the optimization. The tracking errors are used as a measure of anomaly and different thresholds are introduced based on the operating manual of cigarette production, which are used to distinguish between mode switch and flowmeter anomalies. The method’s effectiveness is verified by detecting flowmeter anomalies in a real cigarette production line. The mean absolute error (MAE) is 8.1479 and the root mean squared error (RMSE) is 2.8544, which outperforms methods such as Lasso and the ridge regression.
Graphene Oxide Membranes for Ionic/Molecular Filtration: From Self-Assembly to Design
Authors: Ma Niping , Xu Ke , Guo Jianhua , Wei Ning , Yan Junxia
Published: May 2023

The graphene oxide (GO) membrane holds great promise in desalination and green energy fields due to its naturally occurring nanochannels, which provide significant advantages in gas and ion filtration. In this study, the sizes and distributions of nanopore/channels in GO membranes and the relationship of GO flakes size and membrane thickness are explored by molecular dynamics simulations. Our results demonstrate that the size of GO flakes influences the distribution of nanopore sizes in GO membranes, while it almost has no influence on the total nanopore area in membranes with the same thickness. Additionally, our findings confirm that the total nanopore area of the GO membranes decreases exponentially as the membrane thickness increases, which is consistent with experimental observations. To expand the range of nanopore size regulation, we developed a columnar-array substrate model to create GO membranes customized for specific filtration functions, such as virus filtration. Our findings provide physical insights into the rational design of functional membranes for energy and environmental applications and offer theoretical guidance and technical support for the practical application of GO membranes in separation and filtration.
Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-Based Measurement of Properties in Liquid–Liquid Systems
Authors: Neuendorf Laura , Müller Pascal , Lammers Keno , Kockmann Norbert
Published: May 2023

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-based image analysis has led to novel application possibilities in the field of solvent analytics. Using convolutional neural networks (CNNs), better and more automated analysis of optically visible phenomena becomes feasible, broadening the spectrum of non-invasive measurements. These so-called smart sensors have attracted increasing attention in pharmaceutical and chemical process engineering; their additional sensor data enables more precise process control as additional process parameters can be monitored. This contribution presents an approach to analyzing single rising droplets to determine their physical properties; for example, geometrical parameters such as diameter, projection area and volume. Additionally, the rising velocity is determined, as well as the density and interfacial tension of the rising liquid droplet, determined from the force balance. Thus, a method was developed for analyzing liquid–liquid properties suitable for real-time applications. Here, the size range of the investigated droplet diameters lies between 0.68 mm and 7 mm with an accuracy for AI detecting droplets of ±4 µm. The obtained densities lie between 0.822 kg·m−3 for rising n-butanol droplets and 0.894 kg·m−3 for toluene droplets. For the derived parameters, such as the interfacial tension estimation, all of the data points lie in a range from 12.75 mN·m−1 to 15.25 mN·m−1. The trueness of the investigated system thus is in a range from −1 to +0.4 mN·m−1, with a precision of ±0.3 to ±0.6 mN·m−1. For density estimation using our system, a standard deviation of 1.4 kg m−3 from the literature was determined. Using camera images in conjunction with image analysis improved by artificial intelligence algorithms, combined with using empirical mathematical formulas, this article contributes to the development of easily accessible, cheap sensors.
Making loca sacra in Visigothic Iberia: The Case of Churches
Authors: Poveda Arias Pablo
Published: May 2023

Curiously, we have no previous studies that deal monographically with the question of the sacralisation of spaces in Visigoth Iberia. It is intended in the following pages to fill this historiographical gap by focusing on the particular case of the churches. By means of the compilation and exhaustive analysis of all the available documentary sources, particularly the available conciliar canons, it is aimed to identify the different prescriptions and strategies that were used to sacralise new places of worship in Iberia during the Visigothic period. Particular emphasis will be placed on ritual procedures, which are mandatory for the consecration of any church, but also on material and sensorial factors as complementary determinants in the definition of sacred space. The final result obtained provides us with a reality dominated by a heterogeneity of situations that were sometimes far from conforming to the reality desired by canon law.
Effects of Land Use/Cover and Meteorological Changes on Regional Climate under Different SSP-RCP Scenarios: A Case Study in Zhengzhou, China
Authors: Bai Tianqi , Fan Like , Song Genxin , Song Hongquan , Ru Xutong , Wang Yaobin , Zhang Haopeng , Min Ruiqi , Wang Weijiao
Published: May 2023

To better understand the possible role of projected land use and cover change (LUCC) in future regional climate projections, we explored the regional climate change response from land use/cover change under different climate scenarios. To do so, we propose a research framework based on different SSP-RCPs to simulate and explore the impacts of future land use/cover changes on the future climate of Zhengzhou City, China, using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with land use/cover and meteorological data under different SSP-RCP scenarios based on CMIP6. Two scenarios, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, were compared and analyzed by simulating changes in future climate factors of temperature at 2 m height above ground(T2) and precipitation. The results show that T2 is higher for all 4 months by the year 2060 compared to that in the year 2030. Furthermore, a comparison of the abovementioned years showed that the mean temperatures of January and July were higher than those of SSP2-4.5 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario in both years, but in 2030, the mean T2 of April and October were lower than those of SSP2-4.5 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. In terms of precipitation, both scenarios have no significant precipitation in July in 2030 and 2060, but there is an unusual increase in January and October.
Behavioural Models of Risk-Taking in Human–Robot Tactile Interactions
Authors: Ren Qiaoqiao , Hou Yuanbo , Botteldooren Dick , Belpaeme Tony
Published: May 2023

Touch can have a strong effect on interactions between people, and as such, it is expected to be important to the interactions people have with robots. In an earlier work, we showed that the intensity of tactile interaction with a robot can change how much people are willing to take risks. This study further develops our understanding of the relationship between human risk-taking behaviour, the physiological responses by the user, and the intensity of the tactile interaction with a social robot. We used data collected with physiological sensors during the playing of a risk-taking game (the Balloon Analogue Risk Task, or BART). The results of a mixed-effects model were used as a baseline to predict risk-taking propensity from physiological measures, and these results were further improved through the use of two machine learning techniques—support vector regression (SVR) and multi-input convolutional multihead attention (MCMA)—to achieve low-latency risk-taking behaviour prediction during human–robot tactile interaction. The performance of the models was evaluated based on mean absolute error (MAE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and R squared score (R2), which obtained the optimal result with MCMA yielding an MAE of 3.17, an RMSE of 4.38, and an R2 of 0.93 compared with the baseline of 10.97 MAE, 14.73 RMSE, and 0.30 R2. The results of this study offer new insights into the interplay between physiological data and the intensity of risk-taking behaviour in predicting human risk-taking behaviour during human–robot tactile interactions. This work illustrates that physiological activation and the intensity of tactile interaction play a prominent role in risk processing during human–robot tactile interaction and demonstrates that it is feasible to use human physiological data and behavioural data to predict risk-taking behaviour in human–robot tactile interaction.
Research on the Measurement Technology of Rotational Inertia of Rigid Body Based on the Principles of Monocular Vision and Torsion Pendulum
Authors: Chen Yeqing , Zeng Yi , Li Haoran , Zhang Jiye , Zhang Lieshan
Published: May 2023

Damping is an important factor contributing to errors in the measurement of rotational inertia using the torsion pendulum method. Identifying the system damping allows for minimizing the measurement errors of rotational inertia, and accurate continuous sampling of torsional vibration angular displacement is the key to realizing system damping identification. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel method for measuring the rotational inertia of rigid bodies based on monocular vision and the torsion pendulum method. In this study, a mathematical model of torsional oscillation under a linear damping condition is established, and an analytical relationship between the damping coefficient, torsional period, and measured rotational inertia is obtained. A high-speed industrial camera is used to continuously photograph the markers on a torsion vibration motion test bench. After several data processing steps, including image preprocessing, edge detection, and feature extraction, with the aid of a geometric model of the imaging system, the angular displacement of each frame of the image corresponding to the torsion vibration motion is calculated. From the characteristic points on the angular displacement curve, the period and amplitude modulation parameters of the torsion vibration motion can be obtained, and finally the rotational inertia of the load can be derived. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method and system described in this paper can achieve accurate measurements of the rotational inertia of objects. Within the range of 0–100 × 10−3 kg·m2, the standard deviation of the measurements is better than 0.90 × 10−4 kg·m2, and the absolute value of the measurement error is less than 2.00 × 10−4 kg·m2. Compared to conventional torsion pendulum methods, the proposed method effectively identifies damping using machine vision, thereby significantly reducing measurement errors caused by damping. The system has a simple structure, low cost, and promising prospects for practical applications.
Research on Signal Feature Extraction of Natural Gas Pipeline Ball Valve Based on the NWTD-WP Algorithm
Authors: Yang Lingxia , Li Shuxun , Wang Zhihui , Hou Jianjun , Zhang Xuedong
Published: May 2023

The measured signals of internal leakage detection of the large-diameter pipeline ball valve in natural gas pipeline systems usually contain background noise, which will affect the accuracy of internal leakage detection and sound localization of internal leakage points due to the interference of noise. Aiming at this problem, this paper proposes an NWTD-WP feature extraction algorithm by combining the wavelet packet (WP) algorithm and the improved two-parameter threshold quantization function. The results show that the WP algorithm has a good feature extraction effect on the valve leakage signal, and the improved threshold quantization function can avoid the defects of the traditional soft threshold function and hard threshold function, such as discontinuity and the pseudo-Gibbs phenomenon, when reconstructing the signal. The NWTD-WP algorithm is effective in extracting the features of the measured signals with low signal/noise ratio. The denoise effect is much better than that of the traditional soft and hard threshold quantization functions. It proved that the NWTD-WP algorithm can be used for studying the existing safety valve leakage vibration signals in the laboratory and the internal leakage signals of the scaled-down model of the large-diameter pipeline’s ball valve.
A Hybrid Feature Selection and Multi-Label Driven Intelligent Fault Diagnosis Method for Gearbox
Authors: Liu Di , Zhang Xiangfeng , Zhang Zhiyu , Jiang Hong
Published: May 2023

Gearboxes are utilized in practically all complicated machinery equipment because they have great transmission accuracy and load capacities, so their failure frequently results in significant financial losses. The classification of high-dimensional data remains a difficult topic despite the fact that numerous data-driven intelligent diagnosis approaches have been suggested and employed for compound fault diagnosis in recent years with successful outcomes. In order to achieve the best diagnostic performance as the ultimate objective, a feature selection and fault decoupling framework is proposed in this paper. That is based on multi-label K-nearest neighbors (ML-kNN) as classifiers and can automatically determine the optimal subset from the original high-dimensional feature set. The proposed feature selection method is a hybrid framework that can be divided into three stages. The Fisher score, information gain, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient are three filter models that are used in the first stage to pre-rank candidate features. In the second stage, a weighting scheme based on the weighted average method is proposed to fuse the pre-ranking results obtained in the first stage and optimize the weights using a genetic algorithm to re-rank the features. The optimal subset is automatically and iteratively found in the third stage using three heuristic strategies, including binary search, sequential forward search, and sequential backward search. The method takes into account the consideration of feature irrelevance, redundancy and inter-feature interaction in the selection process, and the selected optimal subsets have better diagnostic performance. In two gearbox compound fault datasets, ML-kNN performs exceptionally well using the optimal subset with subset accuracy of 96.22% and 100%. The experimental findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in predicting various labels for compound fault samples to identify and decouple compound faults. The proposed method performs better in terms of classification accuracy and optimal subset dimensionality when compared to other existing methods.
EM and SAGE Algorithms for DOA Estimation in the Presence of Unknown Uniform Noise
Authors: Gong Ming-Yan , Lyu Bin
Published: May 2023

The existing expectation maximization (EM) and space-alternating generalized EM (SAGE) algorithms are only applied to direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in known noise. In this paper, the two algorithms are designed for DOA estimation in unknown uniform noise. Both the deterministic and random signal models are considered. In addition, a new modified EM (MEM) algorithm applicable to the noise assumption is also proposed. Next, these EM-type algorithms are improved to ensure the stability when the powers of sources are not equal. After being improved, simulation results illustrate that the EM algorithm has similar convergence with the MEM algorithm, the SAGE algorithm outperforms the EM and MEM algorithms for the deterministic signal model, and the SAGE algorithm cannot always outperform the EM and MEM algorithms for the random signal model. Furthermore, simulation results show that processing the same snapshots from the random signal model, the SAGE algorithm for the deterministic signal model can require the fewest computations.
College Students’ Stereotyped Beliefs
Authors: Alonso-Ruido Patricia , Estévez Iris , Varela-Portela Cristina , Regueiro Bibiana
Published: May 2023

Over recent years, socio-political discourse has been full of language aimed at reaching gender equality. This is a complex goal that should address the underlying bases of inequality—gender stereotypes that continue to legitimize unequal consideration and treatment. It is also a reality that universities are not exempt from. The objective of this study was to analyze university students’ stereotyped beliefs and look at the differences based on self-identified gender and branch of knowledge. The analysis looked at a sample of 3433 university students (67.9% women), aged between 17 and 56 (M = 18.95; SD = 2.35) and reported low rates of prevalence of stereotyped beliefs, with significantly higher means in men and in engineering students. The survival of gender stereotypes in a population who were born and raised in a legally egalitarian society points to the importance of education programs aimed at university teachers that would give them the capacity to incorporate a gender perspective in all disciplines, especially those disciplines reporting greater adherence to stereotyped beliefs.
Does the Region Make a Difference? Social Inequality in Transitions to Adulthood across Cohorts in West Germany
Authors: Weßling Katarina
Published: May 2023

Since the availability of study opportunities is unequal across regions, entering the phase of post-secondary education is often accompanied by leaving (the parental) home. In these life-course transitions, social background plays a crucial role in the form of resources, e.g., to afford living independently while studying. We use a unique set of geospatial data by aggregating information on the municipality level flexibly within travel-time radii and link the data to the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) to examine whether socioeconomic and university infrastructure in the region can compensate for a lack of parental resources (i) in transitions to university and (ii) in the likelihood of staying in or leaving the home region to study. We analyse this across cohorts between 1986 and 2015. We find that the region makes a difference: a wide availability of universities in the region offsets social inequality in the transition to university. Yet, the increasing availability of alternative educational routes over time via vocational training and universities of applied sciences causes this moderating influence to decrease across cohorts. Our findings call for gearing the attention of policymakers towards the varying relevance of regional conditions over time and across social groups for individuals’ life-course transitions.
Assessing CO2 Emissions of Online Food Delivery in Japan
Authors: Hu Xujie , Liu Chen , Zhuo Qiannan , Moon Dami
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown of cities have led to the rapid growth of online food delivery (OFD). Moreover, there are concerns that OFD platforms may impose offers on users in order to continue to increase their market share, leading to numerous environmental issues such as overconsumption and a significant increase in plastic packaging waste. Most studies have focused on the environmental impacts associated with food packaging and have been mostly limited to China. However, less research has been carried out on the overall CO2 emissions of an OFD order including food. In this study, the CO2 emissions of an OFD order were assessed by considering the production, distribution, consumption and disposal of the ingredients, based on lifecycle thinking and existing secondary data, for three representative food groups (Western food, Japanese food and Chinese food) in Japan. This study found that the food production of an OFD order accounts for more than 70% of the CO2 emissions of the entire process, especially food ingredient production. Policy support and initiatives such as OFD platforms being able to serve different quantities of food based on actual consumer demand to avoid food waste, as well as changes in delivery methods, would help reduce the CO2 emissions of OFD.
Estimating Travel Choice Probability of Link-Based Congestion Charging Scheme for Car Commuter Trips in Jakarta
Authors: Yugihartiman Masrono , Budiono B. , Setiawan Maman , Hidayat Achmad Kemal
Published: May 2023

The likely effects on car commuters of enforcing congestion charging using the link-based corridor method include that they may shift to public transport, divert their route of travel, or decide not to travel to the related area. However, most recent research has focused mainly on the choice of modes. This paper examined the travel choices of private car commuters resulting from the congestion charging scheme set to be implemented in Jakarta, Indonesia. The scheme is intended to replace the current odd-even strategy. It is imperative to study all possible mutually exclusive alternatives faced by car commuters. A web-based e-survey was used for data collection, employing the stated preference method. The discrete choice multinomial logit model was chosen to analyze the data. A total of 401 of the 2125 respondents to the e-survey questionnaire link, evenly distributed to all areas of Greater Jakarta, were sampled in this study. The sample respondents who traveled by car, passing through the eight designated corridors, were analyzed. NLOGIT6 software was used to analyze the parameter of attributes, the probability of alternatives chosen, and the marginal effects of congestion charging on such corridors, employing the multinomial logit model (MNLM). One surprising finding was that the load factor and taxi fares were not significant, indicating that the level of in-vehicle overcrowding is not a concern of respondents, and taxi services are not a substitute for car travel. Another surprising finding was that income variables and job type do not significantly influence travel behavior. In terms of the probability of commuters to continue to travel by car when link-based congestion charging is imposed, only around half of the car travelers were willing to pay the congestion levy and pass through congestion charging corridors. The probability of car travelers diverting onto alternative roads is high, i.e., around 16.82% to 22.88%, while the probability of car travelers shifting to mass transportation is 17.69%. When interpreting direct marginal effects, there is a change in the probability of all travelers choosing to use private cars through the congestion charging corridor of −0.0338, or a decrease of −3.38% for every IDR 1000 increase in the congestion charging levy rate, ceteris paribus.
Unexpected Challenges in the Modular Construction Implementation: Are UK Contractors Ready?
Authors: Thurairajah Niraj , Rathnasinghe Akila , Ali Mehvish , Shashwat Shashwat
Published: May 2023

Despite the growing attention given to modular construction in the UK, a lack of investigation into the practical challenges and limitations experienced by contractors has been noted. Hence, this study aims to critically assess the feasibility of volumetric modular construction from the perspective of contractors who have applied this method in real-world projects. The study adopted a qualitative research approach using a case study technique and selected two modular construction projects in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, as case studies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine professionals from the contracting organisations involved in these projects in addition to project document reviews from the selected cases and data analysis using a content analysis approach. The study found that while modular construction can be costly, it is appreciated by contractors for its ability to reduce construction schedules and save costs. However, program delays, skill gaps, and reduced design flexibility pose significant challenges. This study offers unique insights into the practical challenges and limitations of volumetric modular construction and provides recommendations for improvement. Its contribution to the body of knowledge is significant as it sheds light on the trade-offs involved in using modular construction and highlights the need for further research to enhance its application in real-world projects.
Application of Multicriteria Methods for Improvement of Information Security Metrics
Authors: Abdiraman Aliya , Goranin Nikolaj , Balevicius Simas , Nurusheva Assel , Tumasonienė Inga
Published: May 2023

Metrics are a set of numbers that are used to obtain information about the operation of a process or system. In our case, metrics are used to assess the level of information security of information and communication infrastructure facilities. Metrics in the field of information security are used to quantify the possibility of damage due to unauthorized hacking of an information system, which make it possible to assess the cyber sustainability of the system. The purpose of the paper is to improve information security metrics using multicriteria decision–making methods (MCDM). This is achieved by proposing aggregated information security metrics and evaluating the effectiveness of their application. Classical information security metrics consist of one size or one variable. We obtained the total value by adding at least two different metrics and evaluating the weighting factors that determine their importance. This is what we call aggregated or multicriteria metrics of information security. Consequently, MCDM methods are applied to compile aggregated metrics of information security. These are derived from expert judgement and are proposed for the three management domains of the ISO/IEC 27001 information security standard. The proposed methods for improving cyber sustainability metrics are also relevant to information security metrics. Using AHP, WASPAS and Fuzzy TOPSIS methods to solve the problem, the weights of classical metrics are calculated and three aggregated metrics are proposed. As a result, to confirm the fulfilment of the task of improving information security metrics, a verification experiment is conducted, during which aggregated and classical information security metrics are compared. The experiment shows that the use of aggregated metrics can be a more convenient and faster process and higher intelligibility is also achieved.
A Novel 3D Complex Welding Seam Tracking Method in Symmetrical Robotic MAG Welding Process Using a Laser Vision Sensing
Authors: Zhang Gong , Huang Jing , Wu Yueyu , Yang Gen , Di Si , Yuan Hai , Cao Xuepeng , Shin Kyoosik
Published: May 2023

The welding seam tracking operation ensures that the welding torch of the welding robot can go with the welding seam during the whole symmetrical robotic welding procession. To achieve three-dimensional complex welding seams tracking, a four-step welding seam tracking system is suggested based on segmented scanning, combined filtering, feature-point extraction, and welding path planning. From using the laser sensor installed at the end of welding robot, the welding seam data was continuously collected in multiple segments by segmented scanning. For the purpose of improving seam tracking accuracy, a combined filtering technique was used to correct the data to reduce the effects of burrs, data distortion, and noise on the surface of the weldment. Then, the feature points were collected so that the coordinate system will be calibrated to identify the welding points. Finally, a spatial welding path was obtained by welding path planning. Experimental investigations of the two-dimensional (2D) symmetrical S-shaped and three-dimensional (3D) curved welding seams were conducted. The obtained results demonstrate the proposed method can form a complete welding path. The average errors of the two weldments are about 0.296 mm and 0.292 mm, respectively. This shows that the proposed tracking method is effective and can provide a reference for the research of high-precision seam tracking and automatic welding.
Application of Explicit Symplectic Integrators in the Magnetized Reissner–Nordström Spacetime
Authors: Hu Ai-Rong , Huang Guo-Qing
Published: May 2023

In recent works by Wu and Wang a class of explicit symplectic integrators in curved spacetimes was presented. Different splitting forms or appropriate choices of time-transformed Hamiltonians are determined based on specific Hamiltonian problems. As its application, we constructed a suitable explicit symplectic integrator for surveying the dynamics of test particles in a magnetized Reissner–Nordström spacetime. In addition to computational efficiency, the scheme exhibits good stability and high precision for long-term integration. From the global phase-space structure of Poincaré sections, the extent of chaos can be strengthened when energy E, magnetic parameter B, or the charge q become larger. On the contrary, the occurrence of chaoticity is weakened with an increase of electric parameter Q and angular momentum L. The conclusion can also be supported by fast Lyapunov indicators.
Parametric Symmetries in Architectures Involving Indefinite Causal Order and Path Superposition for Quantum Parameter Estimation of Pauli Channels
Authors: Delgado Francisco
Published: May 2023

Parameter estimation for devices containing or supporting quantum systems is a field of quantum metrology using quantum probe states to reach their characterization. Pauli channels are ideal structures where qubits are transmitted or contained, commonly altering them with specific fingerprints. The ultimate limit imposed on such estimation is addressed using the quantum Fisher information, stating a lower bound for it. Although the most simple scheme suggests performing such an estimation directly using the individual channel, other approaches have shown improved outcomes by repeating identical copies of the channel for the characterization, or otherwise those connected inside of specific circuit arrangements. These connections commonly include path superposition or causal indefinite architectures. In addition, other improvements have been observed in concrete channels when complementary unitary controls are included. The current research analyses the complete set of Pauli channels under some of those architectures in a comparative approach to reach a better estimation, thus stating hierarchies. It is observed that the use of those unitary controls notably improves previous outcomes by several orders of magnitude.