bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fertilizer Potential of Organic-Based Soil Amendments on cv. Sangiovese (V. vinifera L.) Vines: Preliminary Results
Authors: Baldi Elena , Polidori Greta , Germani Margherita , Larocca Greta Nicla , Mazzon Martina , Allegro Gianluca , Pastore Chiara , Quartieri Maurizio , Marzadori Claudio , Filippetti Ilaria , Ciavatta Claudio , Toselli Moreno
Published: July 2022

The intensification of highly specialized viticulture has led to a dramatic decrease of soil fertility that can be restored by increasing soil organic matter using organic fertilizers. The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of different organic amendments on vine vegetative growth and nutritional status, soil N availability and microbial biomass, as well as on yield and grape quality. The experiment was carried out in 2020 and 2021, on cv. Sangiovese (Vitis vinifera L.) vines grafted on 110 Richter (V. berlandieri × V. rupestris) planted in February 2019. Plants were fertilized yearly in spring with (1) mineral fertilization (MIN), (2) municipal organic waste compost (MOW), and (3) sewage sludge compost (SS). The application of SS increased nitrate availability in both years, while the supply of organic matter (no matter the source) enhanced soil microbial biomass content. Plant nutritional status was in the optimal range for all treatments, with an increase of N in SS and K in MOW. Fruit yield in 2020 was not influenced by treatments, while in 2021 it was enhanced by MIN and MOW, which also induced a higher berry quality. Plant vegetative growth was stimulated by the application of SS. In conclusion, from these preliminary results we observed a higher N availability as a consequence of SS supply that resulted in a higher plant biomass, but reduced yield and berry quality, supporting the theory that for vineyards, N should be carefully managed to reach an equilibrium between vegetative and reproductive activity.
Oil Media on Paper: Investigating the Effect of Linseed Oils on Lignocellulosic Paper Supports
Authors: Banou Penelope , Boyatzis Stamatis , Choulis Konstantinos , Karabotsos Thanasis , Tsimogiannis Dimitris , Tsakanika Lamprini-Areti , Tzia Constantina , Alexopoulou Athena
Published: July 2022

Condition assessment of works of art created with oil media on paper could be a complex matter when presenting problems of damage due to the absorption of oil binders by the paper support, since they depend on several factors and occur in variable conditions. The present work refers to the results of an investigation on the effect of linseed oils on the color, opacity, morphology, tensile strength, and chemical properties of lignocellulosic papers, in comparison to that of pure cellulosic papers. Lignocellulosic papers are involved in research on new, yet significant, parameters that might influence the behavior of the oil-impregnated areas of the supports upon aging. The research was applied to mock-ups, made of two types of lignocellulosic paper impregnated with three types of linseed oil and subjected to accelaratated ageing in specific conditions of relative humidity and temperature in closed environment. The research involved colorimetry, opacity, tensile strength, pH measurements, SEM, FTIR, and VOC analysis with GC-MS. The results indicated that thermal-humid ageing caused the gradual darkening of the oil-impregnated mock-ups, alterations in opacity, and decrease of pH values, depending mainly on the formulation of linseed oil, as well as a reduction in tensile strength. FTIR analysis results indicated that the chemical changes that occur upon ageing supported the recorded optical and mechanical alterations, while VOC emissions are both associated with the paper type and the kinetics of degradation of the different types of linseed oil.
Molecular Survey and Genetic Characterization of Anaplasma marginale in Ticks Collected from Livestock Hosts in Pakistan
Authors: Khan Zaibullah , Shehla Shehla , Alouffi Abdulaziz , Kashif Obaid Muhammad , Zeb Khan Alam , Almutairi Mashal M. , Numan Muhammad , Aiman Ome , Alam Shumaila , Ullah Shafi , Zaman Safi Sher , Tanaka Tetsuya , Ali Abid
Published: July 2022

Ticks transmit pathogens to animals and humans more often than any other arthropod vector. The rural economy of Pakistan mainly depends on livestock farming, and tick infestations cause severe problems in this sector. The present study aimed to molecularly characterize the Anaplasma spp. in hard ticks collected from six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Ticks were collected from various livestock hosts, including cattle breeds (Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Sahiwal, and Achai), Asian water buffaloes, sheep, and goats from March 2018 to February 2019. Collected ticks were morphologically identified and subjected to molecular screening of Anaplasma spp. by amplifying 16S rDNA sequences. Six hundred seventy-six ticks were collected from infested hosts (224/350, 64%). Among the nine morphologically identified tick species, the highest occurrence was noted for Rhipicephalus microplus (254, 37.6%), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (136, 20.1%), Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (119, 17.6%), Rhipicephalus turanicus (116, 17.1%), Haemaphysalis montgomeryi (14, 2.1%), Hyalomma dromedarii (11, 1.6%), Haemaphysalis bispinosa (10, 1.5%), Hyalomma scupense (8, 1.2%), and Haemaphysalis kashmirensis (8, 1.2%). The occurrence of tick females was highest (260, 38.5%), followed by nymphs (246, 36.4%) and males (170, 25.1%). Overall, the highest occurrence of ticks was recorded in the Peshawar district (239, 35.3%), followed by Mardan (183, 27.1%), Charsadda (110, 16.3%), Swat (52, 7.7%), Shangla (48, 7.1%), and Chitral (44, 6.5%). Among these ticks, Anaplasma marginale was detected in R. microplus, R. turanicus, and R. haemaphysaloides. The 16S rDNA sequences showed high identity (98–100%) with A. marginale reported from Australia, China, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Uganda, and the USA. In phylogenetic analysis, the sequence of A. marginale clustered with the same species reported from Australia, China, Pakistan, Thailand, Uruguay, and the USA. Further molecular work regarding the diversity of tick species and associated pathogens is essential across the country.
Dietary Inclusion of Dried Chicory Root Affects Cecal Mucosa Proteome of Nursery Pigs
Authors: Herosimczyk Agnieszka , Lepczyński Adam , Werkowska Martyna , Barszcz Marcin , Taciak Marcin , Tuśnio Anna , Ciechanowicz Andrzej Krzysztof , Kucia Magdalena , Susfał Karolina , Cabała Sandra , Ożgo Małgorzata
Published: July 2022

Prebiotics are known to have many beneficial effects on intestinal health by modulating the gut microbiota composition, thereby affecting epithelial cell proliferation and metabolism. This study had two aims: (1) to identify the protein constituents in the cecal mucosa of 50-day-old healthy (PIC × Penarlan P76) barrows, and (2) to assess the effects of 4% inclusion of dried chicory root in a cereal-based diet on the cecal mucosa proteome changes. Pigs (eight per group) were randomly allotted to the groups and were fed a control diet from the tenth day of life (C) or a diet supplemented with 4% of died chicory root (CR), for 40 days. At the age of 50 days, animals were sacrificed and cecal tissue samples were collected. It was found that feeding a CR diet significantly decreased the expression of 16 cecal mucosa proteins. Among them, fifteen proteins were down-regulated, while only one (KRT20) was shown to be up-regulated when compared to the C group. Dietary supplementation with CR caused down-expression of metabolism-associated proteins including enzymes involved in the process of glycolysis (G6PD, TPI1, ALDH9A1, CKMT1 and AKR1A1) as well as those engaged in transcriptional and translational activity (PRPF19, EEF1G) and several structural proteins (ACTR3, KRT77, CAP1 and actin). From our findings, it is possible to conclude that dietary chicory root at 4% had beneficial effects on the gut health of pigs as indicated by a changed abundance of certain cecal proteins such as KRT20, SERPINB1, HSP27, ANAXA2 and ANAXA4.
Sexual Dimorphism in the Chinese Endemic Species Hynobius maoershanensis (Urodela: Hynobiidae)
Authors: Chen Huiqun , Bu Rongping , Ning Meihong , Yang Bo , Wu Zhengjun , Huang Huayuan
Published: July 2022

Sexual dimorphism is common in most vertebrate species and has diverse manifestations. The study of sexual dimorphism has critical significance for evolutionary biological and ecological adaptation. In this study, we analysed the morphometric data of Hynobius maoershanensis, a rare and endangered species, to examine sexual dimorphism in size and shape. A total of 61 H. maoershanensis individuals (9 adult females and 52 adult males) were used in this study. We measured 14 morphological variables and weight of each individual. Analysis of covariance using snout–vent length (SVL) as the covariate showed significant differences in head width (HW), tail length (TL), tail height (TH), forelimb length (FLL), hindlimb length (HLL) and space between axilla and groin (AGS) between the male and female. The female AGS was greater than that of the male, whereas males had greater HW, TL, TH, FLL and HLL than females. The findings show that sexual dimorphism is present in terms of shape but not in terms of size. The wider head of the male could improve mating success, and its thicker limbs and longer tail might facilitate courtship. The females’ wider AGS may increase reproductive output. Our results support sexual dimorphism in H. maoershanensis, which could be explained by the sexual selection and fecundity theory hypothesis.
Coexistence between Humans and ‘Misunderstood’ Domestic Cats in the Anthropocene: Exploring Behavioural Plasticity as a Gatekeeper of Evolution
Authors: Natoli Eugenia , Litchfield Carla , Pontier Dominique
Published: July 2022

Welfare and management decisions for unowned free-ranging cats in urban environments should no longer be based on knowledge about behavioural ecology of solitary cats living and breeding in more natural ‘wild’ environments. We provide evidence that urban free-ranging domestic cats in the Anthropocene have responded to rapidly changing environments, such as abundance of food and higher population densities of conspecifics by adapting their behaviour (behavioural plasticity—the ability of a genotype (individual) to express different behaviours according to its environment) and social organisation to living in complex social groups, especially those living in colonies. Urban free-ranging cats are now more social, as demonstrated by different breeding patterns, lower infanticide, more frequent affiliative interactions in general, and different spatial groupings. We argue that this knowledge should be disseminated widely, and inform future research and strategies used to manage free-ranging cats across environments. Understanding behavioural plasticity and other recently evolved traits of domestic cats may lead to management strategies that maximise health and welfare of cats, wildlife, and humans—otherwise domestic cat behaviour may be ‘misunderstood’. Importantly, interdisciplinary research using expertise from biological and social sciences, and engaging human communities, should evaluate these management strategies to ensure they maintain optimal welfare of free-ranging domestic cats while preserving biodiversity and protecting wildcats.
Proteomics Insights into the Gene Network of cis9, trans11-Conjugated Linoleic Acid Biosynthesis in Bovine Mammary Gland Epithelial Cells
Authors: Peng Liying , Bai Ge , Wang Chunzheng , Dong Jianan , Liu Yongjun , Sun Zhe , Zhen Yuguo , Qin Guixin , Zhang Xuefeng , Demelash Natnael , Wang Tao
Published: July 2022

The objective of the study was to elucidate the stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD1)-dependent gene network of c9, t11-CLA biosynthesis in MAC-T cells from an energy metabolism perspective. The cells were divided into the CAY group (firstly incubated with CAY10566, a chemical inhibitor of SCD1, then incubated with trans-11-octadecenoic acid, (TVA)), the TVA group (only TVA), and the control group (without CAY, TVA). The c9, t11-CLA, and TVA contents were determined by gas chromatography. The mRNA levels of SCD1 and candidate genes were analyzed via real-time PCR. Tandem mass tag (TMT)-based quantitative proteomics, bioinformatic analysis, parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), and small RNA interference were used to explore genes involved in the SCD1-dependent c9, t11-CLA biosynthesis. The results showed that the SCD1 deficiency led by CAY10566 blocked the biosynthesis of c9, t11-CLA. In total, 60 SCD1-related proteins mainly involved in energy metabolism pathways were primarily screened by TMT-based quantitative proteomics analysis. Moreover, 17 proteins were validated using PRM analysis. Then, 11 genes were verified to have negative relationships with SCD1 after the small RNA interference analysis. Based on the above results, we concluded that genes involved in energy metabolism pathways have an impact on the SCD1-dependent molecular mechanism of c9, t11-CLA biosynthesis.
Effect on Broiler Production Performance and Meat Quality of Feeding Ulva lactuca Supplemented with Carbohydrases
Authors: Costa Mónica M. , Pestana José M. , Carvalho Patrícia , Alfaia Cristina M. , Martins Cátia F. , Carvalho Daniela , Mourato Miguel , Gueifão Sandra , Delgado Inês , Coelho Inês , Lemos José P. C. , Lordelo Madalena M. , Prates José A. M.
Published: July 2022

The aim of the study was to test if feeding 15% U. lactuca to broilers, alone or combined with carbohydrases, enhanced meat nutritional quality, without compromising growth performance. One hundred and twenty 22-day-old broilers were allocated to the following diets and replicated 10 times for 14 days: (1) maize and soy-based diet (control); (2) control with 15% U. lactuca (UL); (3) UL diet with 0.005% commercial carbohydrase mixture (ULC); and (4) UL diet with 0.01% ulvan lyase (ULE). Final body weight and average daily gain decreased (p < 0.050) with the ULE diet compared with the control, but no significant differences were found for the other diets. The intestinal viscosity increased (p < 0.001) with all alga diets but was lowered (p < 0.050) in the ileum with the ULE diet, relative to UL and ULC diets. Meat lightness and redness values, off-flavours, and total carotenoids increased (p < 0.001), while yellow values, tenderness, juiciness, overall acceptability, α- and γ-tocopherol, and total lipids decreased (p < 0.001) with alga diets. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased (p < 0.050), and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio decreased (p < 0.001) with the ULE diet. Total minerals in meat increased (p < 0.001) with alga diets, conversely to sodium and zinc (p < 0.001). Feeding 15% of U. lactuca to broilers did not impair growth but increased meat nutritional value through the accumulation of health-promoting antioxidant carotenoids, n-3 PUFA and total minerals, although reducing overall meat acceptability.
Identification of Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene mcr-10 in Disinfectant and Antibiotic Resistant Escherichia coli from Disinfected Tableware
Authors: Zhang Senlin , Sun Honghu , Lao Guangjie , Zhou Zhiwei , Liu Zhuochong , Cai Jiong , Sun Qun
Published: July 2022

The widespread escalation of bacterial resistance threatens the safety of the food chain. To investigate the resistance characteristics of E. coli strains isolated from disinfected tableware against both disinfectants and antibiotics, 311 disinfected tableware samples, including 54 chopsticks, 32 dinner plates, 61 bowls, 11 cups, and three spoons were collected in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China to screen for disinfectant- (benzalkonium chloride and cetylpyridinium chloride) and tigecycline-resistant isolates, which were then subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing (WGS). The coliform-positive detection rate was 51.8% (161/311) and among 161 coliform-positive samples, eight E. coli strains were multidrug-resistant to benzalkonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride, ampicillin, and tigecycline. Notably, a recently described mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-10 present on the novel IncFIB-type plasmid of E. coli EC2641 screened was able to successfully transform the resistance. Global phylogenetic analysis revealed E. coli EC2641 clustered together with two clinically disinfectant- and colistin-multidrug-resistant E. coli strains from the US. This is the first report of mcr-10-bearing E. coli detected in disinfected tableware, suggesting that continuous monitoring of resistance genes in the catering industry is essential to understand and respond to the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes from the environment and food to humans and clinics.
Special Issue: Recent Advances in Energy Efficiency of Buildings
Authors: Zamorano Montserrat
Published: July 2022

Buildings are important consumers of energy; in fact, they represent 30–45% of global energy use and one-third of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [...]
Factors Affecting Trueness of Intraoral Scans: An Update
Authors: Cortes Arthur Rodriguez Gonzalez , Agius Anne-Marie , No-Cortes Juliana
Published: July 2022

Background: Intraoral scanning (IOS) technologies have been constantly developed and improved. This systematic review aimed at assessing studies in the recent literature describing factors that influence the trueness of intraoral scans. Methods: Comparative in vitro and in vivo (i.e., interventional and observational) studies that quantitatively assessed the trueness of intraoral scans and that identified factors significantly affecting IOS trueness values were considered eligible for inclusion. The PUBMED and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published in the last two years (from February 2020 to February 2022). Data assessment and extraction were performed according to the guidelines of the PRISMA statement. Results: The present search strategy yielded 13 publications. An initial screening of the publications was performed using abstracts and key words, and after application of exclusion criteria, a total of nine studies were finally identified as eligible to be discussed. Several factors significantly affecting IOS were identified. Conclusions: Studies using current IOS technologies revealed that the device, scanning distance, operator experience, rescanning and post-processing scans, conditions of the preparations and presence of adjacent teeth are factors significantly affecting IOS trueness.
Biological Activities and Phytochemicals of Lungworts (Genus Pulmonaria) Focusing on Pulmonaria officinalis
Authors: Chauhan Shweta , Jaiswal Varun , Cho Yeong-Im , Lee Hae-Jeung
Published: July 2022

Lungworts (members of genus Pulmonaria), especially Pulmonaria officinalis, have been used as medicinal plants in folk and traditional medicine. The potential biological activities of lungworts, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-neurodegenerative, skin whitening, anticoagulant, antibacterial, anti-anemic, anticonvulsant, and wound-healing properties, have been observed in different studies. More than 90 phytochemicals belonging to pharmacologically active phytochemical classes have been reported for lungworts, which can be considered as one of the important contributors to the biological properties along with micronutrients. However, safety studies and clinical trials are missing for lungworts to establish most of their potential biological properties. Similarly, in vivo studies are lacking for anti-inflammatory and anti-neurodegenerative disorders and more in vivo studies are required to strengthen the knowledge of their antioxidant, anticoagulant, and anti-convulsant properties. A comprehensive compilation of the phytochemicals and biological properties of lungworts is also lacking in the literature, which can provide future direction for further pharmacological research. Hence, an attempt has been made in this study to compile the phytochemicals and biological properties to not only provide the resources for the design of further research to develop the pharmacological application of lungworts, but also to highlight the gaps and provide suggestions for future development.
Seismic Performance Evaluation of Highway Bridges under Scour and Chloride Ion Corrosion
Authors: Zhou Mi , Yin Shujun , Zhu Guoqiang , Fu Jiafei
Published: July 2022

Cross-river bridges located in seismically active areas are exposed to two major natural hazards, namely earthquakes and flooding. As the scour depth increases, more parts of the bridge substructure will inevitably be exposed to unfavorable conditions such as chloride ion (Cl−) corrosion. To investigate the seismic performance of highway bridges under the action of scour and Cl− corrosion, a spatial finite element dynamic model of a continuous rigid bridge was established and a Cl−-accelerated electrochemical corrosion test and quasi-static test were carried out. The results showed that a reasonable scour depth and the combination sub-factors under the joint probability density of scour action and seismic action can be obtained to establish the combined expression of the action effect. Cl− corrosion can cause a reduction in displacement ductility, load-bearing, and energy dissipation capacity, and increase inequivalent viscous damping coefficient of the columns. Seismic damage of the columns grows linearly to twice the ultimate displacement under Cl− corrosion, which becomes more significant with the increase of the reinforcement ratio.
Explanations of Machine Learning Models in Repeated Nested Cross-Validation: An Application in Age Prediction Using Brain Complexity Features
Authors: Scheda Riccardo , Diciotti Stefano
Published: July 2022

SHAP (Shapley additive explanations) is a framework for explainable AI that makes explanations locally and globally. In this work, we propose a general method to obtain representative SHAP values within a repeated nested cross-validation procedure and separately for the training and test sets of the different cross-validation rounds to assess the real generalization abilities of the explanations. We applied this method to predict individual age using brain complexity features extracted from MRI scans of 159 healthy subjects. In particular, we used four implementations of the fractal dimension (FD) of the cerebral cortex—a measurement of brain complexity. Representative SHAP values highlighted that the most recent implementation of the FD had the highest impact over the others and was among the top-ranking features for predicting age. SHAP rankings were not the same in the training and test sets, but the top-ranking features were consistent. In conclusion, we propose a method—and share all the source code—that allows a rigorous assessment of the SHAP explanations of a trained model in a repeated nested cross-validation setting.
Use of Hydrogels to Regulate Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Animal Models: A Systematic Review
Authors: Montero Jiménez Olin Guadalupe , Dib Kanán Alejandro , Dipp Velázquez Farid Alfonso , Aristizábal Pérez Juan Fernando , Moyaho Bernal María de los Ángeles , Salas Orozco Marco Felipe , Casillas Santana Miguel Angel
Published: July 2022

The objective of this article is to conduct a systematic review of the literature to contrast the existing evidence regarding the use of hydrogels during and after experimental orthodontic treatment in animals. An extensive search was performed through the electronic databases, Medline, Web of Science and Scopus, from December 2020 to April 2021 for in vivo animal studies. A total of 282 studies were reviewed. Eight studies were included for final revision; four studies were conducted in rats, two in rabbits, one study in mice and one study in guinea pigs. The quality assessment of the eight included studies was performed according to the ARRIVE guidelines and the risk of bias was assessed using the Center for Systematic Review of Laboratory Animal Experimentation tool; in four of the eight articles evaluated, a high risk-of-bias rating was obtained in 40% of the criteria evaluated. In the studies reviewed, the hydrogel acted as a carrier, and inhibition (post-treatment retention) or acceleration of orthodontic tooth movement was assessed according to the active substance used in each of the articles. The uses of hydrogels for transporting active substances to regulate the rate of orthodontic tooth movement remains debatable. Future studies are suggested to evaluate the feasibility of hydrogel as a transport method in humans.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of (Ti, Nb)C Ceramic-Reinforced 316L Stainless Steel Coating by Laser Cladding
Authors: Yu Jinsu , Ho Hsinshen
Published: July 2022

The poor wear resistance of 316L stainless steel restricts further practical application. In this study, to improve its microhardness and wear resistance, the TiC and NbC ceramic particles were introduced to 316L powder fabricate (Ti, Nb)C ceramics-reinforced composite coatings by laser cladding. The effects of ceramics addition on the phase composition, microstructure, microhardness, and wear properties of the composite coating were investigated with an X-ray diffractometer, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, a Vickers hardness tester, and a multi-functional surface performance tester. Results indicate that the TiC and NbC ceramic particles were distributed at the grain boundaries, effectively inhibiting the grain growth and refining the microstructure. The addition of ceramic particles could have decreased the temperature gradient and promoted the transformation from columnar crystals to equiaxed crystals. In addition, the microhardness was improved due to fine grain strengthening and solid solution strengthening. The friction coefficient and cross-sectional area of the composite coating were 0.381 and 8164.732 μm2, which was 0.846 and 0.603 times that of the 316L coating, respectively. Moreover, severe adhesive wear and plastic deformation was transformed into slight adhesive wear and abrasive wear due to the addition of TiC and NbC particles. This study provides new approaches to improving the wear resistance of 316L stainless steel and broadens its application.
Resonant Asymmetrical Half-Bridge Flyback Converter
Authors: Yau Yeu-Torng
Published: July 2022

The active clamp flyback (ACF) converter is gradually becoming popular in the application field of low or medium output power range due to its advantage of soft switching and high conversion efficiency. An asymmetric half-bridge (AHB) flyback converter has been proposed in previous studies. The main advantages of the AHB flyback are the same number of components as the ACF converter and the soft switching technique. In this paper, an AHB flyback converter with constant off-time (COT) plus pulse frequency modulation (PFM) is proposed, so that the resonant time is not affected by the input voltage and load, and can achieve a wide range of zero voltage switching (ZVS) operating range. Compared to pulse width modulation (PWM), the PFM control with COT can make the system more stable. Finally, a prototype circuit with a specification input of 48 V to an output of 2.5 V/8 A is made for verification.
Non-Linear Interactions of Jeffcott-Rotor System Controlled by a Radial PD-Control Algorithm and Eight-Pole Magnetic Bearings Actuator
Authors: Saeed Nasser A. , Omara Osama M. , Sayed M. , Awrejcewicz Jan , Mohamed Mohamed S.
Published: July 2022

Within this work, the radial Proportional Derivative (PD-) controller along with the eight-poles electro-magnetic actuator are introduced as a novel control strategy to suppress the lateral oscillations of a non-linear Jeffcott-rotor system. The proposed control strategy has been designed such that each pole of the magnetic actuator generates an attractive magnetic force proportional to the radial displacement and radial velocity of the rotating shaft in the direction of that pole. According to the proposed control mechanism, the mathematical model that governs the non-linear interactions between the Jeffcott system and the magnetic actuator has been established. Then, an analytical solution for the obtained non-linear dynamic model has been derived using perturbation analysis. Based on the extracted analytical solution, the motion bifurcation of the Jeffcott system has been investigated before and after control via plotting the different response curves. The obtained results illustrate that the uncontrolled Jeffcott-rotor behaves like a hard-spring duffing oscillator and responds with bi-stable periodic oscillation when the rotor angular speed is higher than the system’s natural frequency. It is alsomfound that the system, before control, can exhibit stable symmetric motion with high vibration amplitudes in both the horizontal and vertical directions, regardless of the eccentricity magnitude. In addition, the acquired results demonstrate that the introduced control technique can eliminate catastrophic bifurcation behaviors and undesired vibration of the system when the control parameters are designed properly. However, it is reported that the improper design of the controller gains may destabilize the Jeffcott system and force it to perform either chaotic or quasi-periodic motions depending on the magnitudes of both the shaft eccentricity and the control parameters. Finally, to validate the accuracy of the obtained results, numerical simulations for all response curves have been introduced which have been in excellent agreement with the analytical investigations.
Evaluating Effective Dose: A Comparison of Methods Based on Organ Dose Calculations versus Dose-Length Product and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Abuelhia Elfatih , Tajaldeen Abdulrahman , Alghamdi Ali , Mabrouk Osama , Aluraik Wejdan , Msmar Amir , Elsadig Muawia , Osman Entisar , Al-Othman Abdullah , Alghamdi Salem , Albadri Mesbah , Aljondi Rowa
Published: July 2022

Computed tomography (CT) has had a massive impact on diagnostic radiology over the past few decades. Serious concerns exist because of the increase in the effective radiation dose associated with CT scans, which could pose significant health risks. In CT, the effective dose can be estimated by Monte Carlo simulations. The aim of the study was to estimate and compare the effective doses for CT from organ dose-based calculations using the tissue weighting factors of the International Commission on Radiological Protection publications (ICRP 60, 103), Monte Carlo CT-Expo v2.6, and dose-length product (DLP)-based estimates. For 165 CT scans, the effective doses (Ed) of the most common routine radiological investigations were assessed. There were 112 male patients (68%) and 53 female patients (32%). When compared to organ dose-based estimates, the DLP-based estimates of the effective dose produced by applying ICRP 60 coefficients were less than 55–57% (head) and more than 18.1% (chest) and 20% (abdomen). The ICRP 103 values of the Ed were less than 79% (head) and more than 17% (chest), and they changed randomly with the tissue weighting factors for the abdomen. For Monte Carlo CT-Expo, the Ed values were lower by 54% (head), 6% (abdomen), and more than 2% (chest) compared to organ dose-based estimates. Effective doses calculated using the tissue-weighting factors of ICRP 103 values comparable to ICRP 60 differ greatly by an average of 2.3, 2.9, and 4.5 mSv for the head, chest, and abdomen, respectively. In conclusion, all estimates of Ed are subject to the biases inflicted by the assumptions in the methods used; therefore, no significant agreement should be expected. The reason for evaluating ICRP 60 is to make a point that ICRP’s update is indeed more accurate. The variability associated with the use of various methodologies to estimate and compare the effective dose Ed in CT scans was shown to be significant in this study.
Adaptive Fading-Memory Receding-Horizon Filters and Smoother for Linear Discrete Time-Varying Systems
Authors: Kwon Bokyu
Published: July 2022

In this paper, an adaptive fading-memory receding-horizon (AFMRH) filter is proposed by combining the receding-horizon structure and the adaptive fading-memory method. In the recent finite horizon, state error covariance is adapted with an adaptive fading factor; then the process noise covariance matrix adaption is realized by adjusting the properties of systems. An AFMRH fixed-lag smoother is also proposed by combining the proposed AFMRH filtering algorithm and a Rauch–Tung–Striebel smoothing algorithm to improve the estimation accuracy. Because the proposed AFMRH filter and smoother are reduced to the optimal receding-horizon (RH) filter and smoother when all measurements have the same weight, the proposed adaptive RH estimators could provide a more general solution than the optimal RH filter and smoother. To reduce the complexity and improve the estimation performance of the proposed RH estimators, an adaptive horizon adjustment method and a switching filtering algorithm based on an adaptive fading factor are also proposed. In particular, the proposed adaptive horizon adjustment method is designed to be computationally efficient, which makes it suitable for online and real-time applications. Through computer simulation, the performance and adaptiveness of the proposed approaches were verified by comparing them with existing fading-memory approaches.
Experimental Setup and Graphical User Interface for Zero-Length Column Chromatography
Authors: Vargas-Bustamante Jaquebet , Martínez-Ortiz Pedro , Alvarado-Alvarado Daniel , Torres-Herrera Ulises , Balmaseda Jorge
Published: July 2022

This work describes the design and implementation of a Zero-Length Column system to measure: diffusion coefficients, adsorption isotherm parameters of pure components and mixtures. In addition, a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed in LabVIEW for the semi-automatic operation of the system. The system is novel because it integrates all the aforementioned functionalities without using mass spectrometry. Two adsorbents, zeolite 5A and Basolite® C300 (Copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) and two adsorbates methane and ethane were used to perform the validation of adsorption and diffusion experiments. The Henry constants and diffusion coefficients obtained reproduce those previously reported. The combination of the experimental setup and the GUI significantly reduce the amount of sample and measurement time needed in the characterization of the molecular sieves by conventional volumetric and gravimetric systems. The proposed system is relatively inexpensive, robust, easy to build, and capable of reproducing the results of other techniques.
Real-Time Safety Decision-Making Method for Multirotor Flight Strategies Based on TOPSIS Model
Authors: Cui Xiaoyu , Zhang Xiaomin , Zhao Zhiyao
Published: July 2022

Multirotors play an important role in electric power inspection, border control, modern agriculture, forest fire fighting, flood control, disaster prevention, etc. Multirotor failures, such as a communication fault, a sensor failure, or a power system anomaly, may well lead to mission interruption, multirotor crashes, and even casualties. To ensure flight safety, a multirotor decision module should be established to prevent or reduce the adverse effects caused by failure. Therefore, this paper proposes a real-time safety decision-making method for multirotor flight strategies based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS). Firstly, the flight of the multirotor was simulated based on the Rflysim UAV flight simulation platform, and a fault-injection module was constructed to simulate different types of faults, so as to realize real-time monitoring of the flight status of the multirotor, and to collect flight data under various faults to establish condition assessment information sources. Then, based on the random forest algorithm, a failure level classification model of the multirotor was constructed, the model was trained and verified by inputting flight data of three types of safety level failures, and the model effectively classified the failure levels of the multirotor. Under this framework, a real-time safety decision-making model for the multirotor based on the TOPSIS model was constructed to realize the flight safety decision-making of the multirotor under different faults. This method can effectively realize the real-time decision-making for the flight strategy of a multirotor. By comparison with other models, the classification accuracy of the failure level classification model is higher, and the consideration of flight decision-making is more comprehensive and accurate, thus effectively ensuring the flight safety of the multirotor.
Automatic Tracking of Weak Acoustic Targets within Jamming Environment by Using Image Processing Methods
Authors: Yin Fan , Li Chao , Wang Haibin , Yang Fan
Published: July 2022

Bear time records, which are the accumulations of spatial spectrum estimates on the time axis, are often employed for passive sonar information processing. Multi-target jamming is a common difficulty in this approach due to the constraints of Rayleigh limit, and neither the conventional beamforming (CBF) nor minimum variance distortionless response (MVDR) technique can handle it well. This work presents a post-processing tracking framework based on visual pattern recognition algorithms to track weak acoustic targets within jamming environments, which includes target motion analysis, matched filtering, and principal component analysis-based denoising, and we call this ‘P-Gabor’ algorithm. The simulations and sea-trial experiments show that the proposed method can track a weak target successfully under −23 dB (signal-to-interference ratio) SIR, which is more effective than the references, especially in terms of using real-world data from sea trials. We further demonstrate that the method also has stable tracking performance at even −25 dB SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) circumstances.
An In-Depth Survey of Bypassing Buffer Overflow Mitigation Techniques
Authors: Butt Muhammad Arif , Ajmal Zarafshan , Khan Zafar Iqbal , Idrees Muhammad , Javed Yasir
Published: July 2022

Buffer Overflow (BOF) has been a ubiquitous security vulnerability for more than three decades, potentially compromising any software application or system. This vulnerability occurs primarily when someone attempts to write more bytes of data (shellcode) than a buffer can handle. To date, this primitive attack has been used to attack many different software systems, resulting in numerous buffer overflows. The most common type of buffer overflow is the stack overflow vulnerability, through which an adversary can gain admin privileges remotely, which can then be used to execute shellcode. Numerous mitigation techniques have been developed and deployed to reduce the likelihood of BOF attacks, but attackers still manage to bypass these techniques. A variety of mitigation techniques have been proposed and implemented on the hardware, operating system, and compiler levels. These techniques include No-EXecute (NX) and Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR). The NX bit prevents the execution of malicious code by making various portions of the address space of a process inoperable. The ASLR algorithm randomly assigns addresses to various parts of the logical address space of a process as it is loaded in memory for execution. Position Independent Executable (PIE) and ASLR provide more robust protection by randomly generating binary segments. Read-only relocation (RELRO) protects the Global Offset Table (GOT) from overwriting attacks. StackGuard protects the stack by placing the canary before the return address in order to prevent stack smashing attacks. Despite all the mitigation techniques in place, hackers continue to be successful in bypassing them, making buffer overflow a persistent vulnerability. The current work aims to describe the stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability and review in detail the mitigation techniques reported in the literature as well as how hackers attempt to bypass them.
PF-ClusterCache: Popularity and Freshness-Aware Collaborative Cache Clustering for Named Data Networking of Things
Authors: Alduayji Samar , Belghith Abdelfettah , Gazdar Achraf , Al-Ahmadi Saad
Published: July 2022

Named Data Networking (NDN) has been recognized as the most promising information-centric networking architecture that fits the application model of IoT systems. In-network caching is one of NDN’s most fundamental features for improving data availability and diversity and reducing the content retrieval delay and network traffic load. Several caching decision algorithms have been proposed; however, retrieving and delivering data content with minimal resource usage, reduced communication overhead, and a short retrieval time remains a great challenge. In this article, we propose an efficient popularity and freshness caching approach named PF-ClusterCache that efficiently aggregates the storage of different nodes within a given cluster as global shareable storage so that zero redundancy be obtained in any cluster of nodes. This increases the storage capacity for caching with no additional storage resource. PF-ClusterCache ensures that only the newest, most frequent data content is cached, and caching is only performed at the edge of the network, resulting in a wide diversity of cached data content across the entire network and much better overall performance. In-depth simulations using the ndnSIM simulator are performed using a large transit stub topology and various networking scenarios. The results show the effectiveness of PF-ClusterCache in sharing and controlling the local global storage, and in accounting for the popularity and freshness of data content. PF-ClusterCache clearly outperforms the benchmark caching schemes considered, especially in terms of the significantly greater server access reduction and much lower content retrieval time, while efficiently conserving network resources.
Analysis of the Mode Shapes of Kaplan Runners
Authors: Moraga Greco , Egusquiza Mònica , Valentín David , Valero Carme , Presas Alexandre
Published: July 2022

To prevent lifetime shortening and premature failure in turbine runners, it is of paramount importance to analyse and understand its dynamic response and determine the factors that affect it. In this paper, the dynamic response of a Kaplan runner is analysed in air by numerical and experimental methods. First, to start the analysis of Kaplan runner mode shapes, its geometry is simplified and modelled as a bladed disk. Bladed disks with different blade numbers are investigated, by numerical simulation, in order to understand the influence of this parameter on its modal characteristics. Then, mode shapes extracted are characterized and a classification is proposed. Second, an existing Kaplan runner is simulated by Finite Elements Method (FEM) and its mode shapes are extracted. The obtained results are contrasted with the bladed disks mode shapes, in order to validate the classification proposed. The simulated Kaplan runner is also experimentally studied. A numerical modal analysis is carried out in the real runner. Different, global and local, mode shapes are identified. The global mode shapes extracted by numerical and experimental modal analysis are compared and discussed. Finally, the local mode shapes identified are commented and explained by means of numerical simulation.
Learned Semantic Index Structure Using Knowledge Graph Embedding and Density-Based Spatial Clustering Techniques
Authors: Sun Yuxiang , Chun Seok-Ju , Lee Yongju
Published: July 2022

Recently, a pragmatic approach toward achieving semantic search has made significant progress with knowledge graph embedding (KGE). Although many standards, methods, and technologies are applicable to the linked open data (LOD) cloud, there are still several ongoing problems in this area. As LOD are modeled as resource description framework (RDF) graphs, we cannot directly adopt existing solutions from database management or information retrieval systems. This study addresses the issue of efficient LOD annotation organization, retrieval, and evaluation. We propose a hybrid strategy between the index and distributed approaches based on KGE to increase join query performance. Using a learned semantic index structure for semantic search, we can efficiently discover interlinked data distributed across multiple resources. Because this approach rapidly prunes numerous false hits, the performance of join query processing is remarkably improved. The performance of the proposed index structure is compared with some existing methods on real RDF datasets. As a result, the proposed indexing method outperforms existing methods due to its ability to prune a lot of unnecessary data scanned during semantic searching.
Tunnel Slotting-Blasting Numerical Modeling Using Rock Tension-Compression Coupling Damage Algorithm
Authors: Xu Jiancong , Wang Zelong , Rui Guorong
Published: July 2022

Slotting-blasting is the most critical technology in the construction of rock tunnels using the drilling and blasting method. At present, there is no effective method to simulate the effect of slotting-blasting. In this paper, we proposed that the weight coefficient of tension damage or compression damage is calculated by the proportion relation of current principal stresses, and the damage properties of rock were denoted by the tension-compression weighted damage variable. The blasting damage constitutive model of rock was established by coupling the tension-compression weighted damage variable and the classical PLASTIC_KINEMATIC model. The proposed method was used to simulate tunnel slotting-blasting and investigate the rock damage evolution law in slotting-blasting construction. The numerical simulation of the explosive blasting test shows that the proposed method may effectively simulate the slot cavity formation process, the blasting damage law and the dynamic response characteristics of surrounding rock in slotting-blasting construction. The findings in this paper could be significant for the slotting-blasting design of rock tunnels.
Feasibility of Pilates for Late-Stage Frail Older Adults to Minimize Falls and Enhance Cognitive Functions
Authors: Sarashina Eri , Mizukami Katsuyoshi , Yoshizawa Yasuyo , Sakurai Junko , Tsuji Akane , Begg Rezaul
Published: July 2022

Globally, we are facing the tendency of aging, and demands for health enhancement among the older population have been steadily increasing. Among various exercise interventions, Pilates has been popularly utilized in rehabilitation; therefore, it is considered suitable for vulnerable populations. In this study, frail late-stage older adults (>75 years) participated in a modified Pilates program (30 min per session, once a week for eight weeks). Age- and condition-matched Controls were also involved as the benchmark to reveal the effect of Pilates. While only the Pilates group participated in the exercise intervention, both groups undertook the health assessments twice (before and after the intervention period). Assessments included: (i) falling risk based on 3D motion capture systems and (ii) overall cognitive functions utilizing Mini-Mental State Examination and executive function with the use of Trail Making Test-A (TMT-A). Two-dimensional mood state was also used to measure changes in mood due to Pilates intervention. An 8-week Pilates intervention was effective in achieving higher and symmetrical swing foot control. Dynamic balance at heel contact was also improved by extending the spatial margin in case of slipping. Despite the trend of positive Pilates effects on executive functions (29% improvement) confirmed by TMT-A, no significant effects were observed for cognitive functions. Positive mood changes were achieved by Pilates intervention, which may be the key for late-stage seniors to continue their participation in exercise programs. While further studies with a larger sample size are essential, Pilates appears to provide adequate exercise for the frail late-stage older population to minimize frailty.