bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Multi-Port Ship Traffic Prediction Method Based on Spatiotemporal Graph Neural Networks
Authors: Li Yong , Li Zhaoxuan , Mei Qiang , Wang Peng , Hu Wenlong , Wang Zhishan , Xie Wenxin , Yang Yang , Chen Yuhaoran
Published: July 2023

The intelligent maritime transportation system has emerged as a pivotal component in port management, owing to the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and big data technology. Its essence lies in the application of digital modeling techniques, which leverage extensive ship data to facilitate efficient operations. In this regard, effective modeling and accurate prediction of the fluctuation patterns of ship traffic in multiple port regions will provide data support for trade analysis, port construction planning, and traffic safety management. In order to better express the potential interdependencies between ports, inspired by graph neural networks, this paper proposes a data-driven approach to construct a multi-port network and designs a spatiotemporal graph neural network model. The model incorporates graph attention networks and a dilated causal convolutional architecture to capture the temporal and spatial dimensions of traffic variation patterns. It also employs a gated-mechanism-based spatiotemporal bi-dimensional feature fusion strategy to handle the potential unequal relationships between the two dimensions of features. Compared to existing methods for port traffic prediction, this model fully considers the network characteristics of the overall port and fills the research gap in multi-port scenarios. In the experiments, real port ship traffic datasets were constructed using data from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) and port geographical information data for model validation. The results demonstrate that the model exhibits outstanding robustness and performs well in predicting traffic in multiple sub-regional port clusters.
The Gastrointestinal Tract Is Pinpointed as a Reservoir of Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida tropicalis Genotypes Found in Blood and Intra-Abdominal Samples
Authors: Mesquida Aina , Machado Marina , Dávila-Cherres Lorena , Vicente Teresa , Sánchez-Carrillo Carlos , Alcalá Luis , Reigadas Elena , Muñoz Patricia , Guinea Jesús , Escribano Pilar
Published: July 2023

Background: Candida spp., as part of the microbiota, can colonise the gastrointestinal tract. We hypothesised that genotyping Candida spp. isolates from the gastrointestinal tract could help spot genotypes able to cause invasive infections. Materials/methods: A total of 816 isolates of C. albicans (n = 595), C. parapsilosis (n = 118), and C. tropicalis (n = 103) from rectal swabs (n = 754 patients) were studied. Genotyping was conducted using species-specific microsatellite markers. Rectal swab genotypes were compared with previously studied blood (n = 814) and intra-abdominal (n = 202) genotypes. Results: A total of 36/754 patients had the same Candida spp. isolated from blood cultures, intra-abdominal samples, or both; these patients had candidemia (n = 18), intra-abdominal candidiasis (n = 11), both clinical forms (n = 1), and non-significant isolation (n = 6). Genotypes matching the rectal swab and their blood cultures (84.2%) or their intra-abdominal samples (92.3%) were found in most of the significant patients. We detected 656 genotypes from rectal swabs, 88.4% of which were singletons and 11.6% were clusters. Of these 656 rectal swab genotypes, 94 (14.3%) were also detected in blood cultures and 34 (5.2%) in intra-abdominal samples. Of the rectal swab clusters, 62.7% were previously defined as a widespread genotype. Conclusions: Our study pinpoints the gastrointestinal tract as a potential reservoir of potentially invasive Candida spp. genotypes.
Towards an Early Clinical and Biological Resistance Detection in Dermatophytosis: About 2 Cases of Trichophyton indotineae
Authors: Russo Giuseppe , Toutous Trellu Laurence , Fontao Lionel , Ninet Béatrice
Published: July 2023

Trichophyton indotineae causes resistant dermatophytosis to terbinafine. The global spread of terbinafine-resistant Trichophyton indotineae strains with mutations in the squalene epoxidase gene is a major issue. This emerging species is now more frequently isolated in Europe and we report here two cases of T. indotineae tinea corporis in Switzerland, one with in vitro resistance to terbinafine and a second with in vitro susceptibility but a clinical resistance. Mycology isolation from cultures and sequencing ITS gene were used to confirm T. indotineae infection. In vitro antifungal susceptibility was tested in a microplate with a colorimetric detection of fungal viability for the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Facing these emerging resistances and since there are a limited number of antifungal agents available to treat dermatophytosis, the early detection of terbinafine resistance should be a prerequisite in the management of T. indotineae infections.
Upper Airway Changes and OSAS Risk in Patients after Mandibular Setback Surgery to Treat III Class Skeletal Malocclusion
Authors: Ronchi Paolo , Saccomanno Sabina , Disconzi Barbara , Saran Stefano , Carganico Andrea , Bocchieri Salvatore , Mastrapasqua Rodolfo Francesco , Fiorillo Luca , Sambataro Sergio , Cicciù Marco , Levrini Luca
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Mandibular setback surgery (MSS) is one of the treatment options to resolve mandibular prognathism in patients suffering from skeletal class III malocclusion, which cannot be treated with simple orthodontic treatment. The mandibular setback surgical operation can involve changes in the pharyngeal morphology, resulting in a narrowing of the posterior airway space (PAS). This aspect is associated with an increase in airflow resistance, which increases the risk of developing snoring or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the medium- and long-term effects of mandibular setback surgery on the upper airways and its possible association with OSAS in patients suffering from class III skeletal malocclusion. Material and methods: A total of 12 patients (5 males and 7 females) were enrolled in this study. The statistical tests highlighted a significant change in the PAS and BMI values in relation to T0, before surgery (PAS: 12.7 SD: 1.2; BMI: 21.7 SD: 1.2), and T1, after surgery (PAS: 10.3 SD: 0.6, p < 0.01; BMI: 23.8 SD: 1.2, p < 0.05). Sample size was calculated to detect an effect size of 0.9, with statistical power set at 0.8 and the significance level set at 0.05. Results: No statistically significant correlation was found between the extent of mandibular setback, PAS and BMI change. Conclusion: This study confirms the effects of mandibular setback surgery on the upper airways, reporting a statistically significant PAS reduction in the medium- and long-term follow-up. On the other hand, no direct correlation was identified with OSAS risk, at least for the small mandibular setback (<8 mm), despite the statistically significant increase in BMI.
DDoS Attack and Detection Methods in Internet-Enabled Networks: Concept, Research Perspectives, and Challenges
Authors: Adedeji Kazeem B. , Abu-Mahfouz Adnan M. , Kurien Anish M.
Published: July 2023

In recent times, distributed denial of service (DDoS) has been one of the most prevalent security threats in internet-enabled networks, with many internet of things (IoT) devices having been exploited to carry out attacks. Due to their inherent security flaws, the attacks seek to deplete the resources of the target network by flooding it with numerous spoofed requests from a distributed system. Research studies have demonstrated that a DDoS attack has a considerable impact on the target network resources and can result in an extended operational outage if not detected. The detection of DDoS attacks has been approached using a variety of methods. In this paper, a comprehensive survey of the methods used for DDoS attack detection on selected internet-enabled networks is presented. This survey aimed to provide a concise introductory reference for early researchers in the development and application of attack detection methodologies in IoT-based applications. Unlike other studies, a wide variety of methods, ranging from the traditional methods to machine and deep learning methods, were covered. These methods were classified based on their nature of operation, investigated as to their strengths and weaknesses, and then examined via several research studies which made use of each approach. In addition, attack scenarios and detection studies in emerging networks such as the internet of drones, routing protocol based IoT, and named data networking were also covered. Furthermore, technical challenges in each research study were identified. Finally, some remarks for enhancing the research studies were provided, and potential directions for future research were highlighted.
Spatial Distribution Pattern and Evolution Characteristics of Elderly Population in Wuhan Based on Census Data
Authors: Li Fan , Zhou Jie , Wei Wei , Yin Li
Published: July 2023

Understanding the spatial distribution pattern and evolution characteristics of the elderly population in urban areas is of great significance for the development of urban planning and the implementation of public management policies in the context of rapid aging. Accurately identifying the spatial distribution and evolution characteristics of the elderly population in a city requires a comprehensive analysis of multiple indicators and large-scale data. Taking Wuhan City as an example, this article measures the spatial distribution characteristics and evolution trend of the elderly population from 2000 to 2020 at the street/township level based on data from the fifth, sixth, and seventh censuses, using methods such as kernel density hotspot detection, spatial clustering analysis, and standard deviation ellipse analysis. The results show that (1) there are significant differences in the aging spatial pattern between the central area and the suburban areas of Wuhan; (2) overall, Wuhan’s aging rate shows a typical “core–periphery” growth mode in space, while the density of the elderly population has significant spatial aggregation characteristics and shows an evolution trend of “centralized concentration, peripheral outliers, axial development, and near-field growth”; (3) the center of gravity of the elderly population remains relatively stable over time.
Public Space Planning in Urban Resettlement Community in China: Addressing Diverse Needs of Rural Migrants through Function Programming Based on Architectural Planning Theory
Authors: Qiu Zhi , Hua Yi , Yun Binwei , Wang Zhu , Zhou Yi
Published: July 2023

Rural migrants, who are widespread in China, experience diverse production and living needs upon resettlement in towns because of their various population attributes. However, the planning of resettlement community public spaces solely follows urban community function programming, which is misaligned with rural migrants’ needs, leading to a conflict between migrants and community regulation. Under the architectural planning theory and founded on previous research about rural migrants’ needs by the authors, this study involves expanded research that explores an approach to transforming migrants’ needs into resettlement community public space function programming. This approach includes three steps: (1) judging the dividing line between high and low levels of migrants’ needs, (2) extracting “Basic–Expansion–Potential” function item sets from the permutation and combination of different migrant types, and (3) calibrating function item sets with the current national architecture standard. In addition, this study compared the transformed data results with the need characteristics of migrants to inspect the rationality of the research method, formed two types of resettlement community public space function programming, namely “medium-high” and “medium-low” urbanization resettlement communities, and proposed elastic design strategies to respond to the complex functional programming. This research will provide a theoretical reference for the planning and construction of such resettlement spaces in China as well as other countries with the same migration and resettlement situation.
Effects of Land Transfer on Agricultural Carbon Productivity and Its Regional Differentiation in China
Authors: Liao Xisheng , Qin Shaoyi , Wang Yajuan , Zhu Hongbo , Qi Xuexiang
Published: July 2023

Facing the realistic threat of natural environment deterioration and frequent extreme weather, improving agricultural carbon productivity has become an objective requirement for achieving the goal of double carbon and for promoting the high-quality development of agriculture. As an important path toward improving land-use efficiency and promoting agricultural technological progress, land transfer has a potential positive effect on improving agricultural output and inhibiting agricultural carbon emissions. Based on the current situation of land transfer and the characteristics of agricultural carbon productivity in China, this study used the panel data of 30 provinces, from 2006 to 2019, in China to empirically test the relationship between land transfer and agricultural carbon productivity via the spatial Durbin model. The results show that (1) land transfer has a positive effect on agricultural carbon productivity; (2) agricultural carbon productivity has a spatial correlation, and the impact of land transfer on agricultural carbon productivity has a spillover effect; and (3) there are regional differences in the impact of land transfer on agriculture carbon productivity. Based on the results of the study, this paper puts forward policy recommendations from three aspects through which to optimize land transfer and enhance agricultural carbon productivity.
Editorial Special Issue on “Migrants and Human Rights Protections”
Authors: Da Lomba Sylvie
Published: July 2023

The idea for this Special Issue on ‘Human Rights Protection for Migrants’ was born out of a combination of frustration and scepticism in the face of International Human Rights Law’s enduring struggles to extend protections to non-nationals, but also out of hope in the light of (some) human rights bodies’ attempts to carve out ‘protective spaces’ for migrants against the backdrop of hostile migration laws and policies across the globe [...]
New Species of Neocosmospora (Ascomycota) from China as Evidenced by Morphological and Molecular Data
Authors: Zeng Zhao-Qing , Zhuang Wen-Ying
Published: July 2023

Species of Neocosmospora are commonly found in soil, plant debris, and living woody or herbaceous substrates and occasionally found in water and air. Some species are reported as saprobes, endophytes, opportunistic pathogens of plants and animals, or producers of bioactive natural products, cytotoxic compounds, and industrial enzymes. To reveal the species diversity of Neocosmospora, specimens from different provinces of China were investigated. Five new species, Neocosmospora anhuiensis, N. aurantia, N. dimorpha, N. galbana, and N. maoershanica, were introduced based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence analyses of combined calmodulin (CAM), the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2), and the translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) regions. Differences between these new species and their close relatives are compared in detail.
The Relationship between Fixation Stability and Retinal Structural Parameters in Children with Anisometropic, Strabismic and Mixed Amblyopia
Authors: Mompart-Martínez Raquel , Argilés Marc , Cardona Genis , Cavero-Roig Lluís , González-Sanchís Lluís , Pighin Maria Soledad
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: Amblyopia is an ocular condition leading to structural and functional changes. The relationship between these changes is complex and remains poorly understood. (2) Methods: Participants included 31 children aged 5 to 9 years with strabismic (n = 9), anisometropic (n = 16) and mixed (n = 6) unilateral amblyopia, and 14 age-matched non-amblyopic children. The 95% and 63% Bivariate Contour Ellipse Area (BCEA), axial length, Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ) area, center macular thickness and volume were assessed. The relationship between these parameters was explored. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found among the four groups in best corrected distance visual acuity (BCVA) (p < 0.001), BCEA 95% (p = 0.002) and BCEA 63% (p = 0.002), but not in the FAZ area, central macular thickness, central macular volume and axial length. Eyes with amblyopia had poorer BCVA and larger fixation instability than controls. Inter-ocular differences were more significant in patients with strabismic amblyopia, particularly in BCVA (p = 0.003), central macular thickness (p < 0.001) and central macular volume (p = 0.002). In amblyopic eyes, BCEA 95% and 63% were correlated with BCVA, but not with the FAZ area. (4) Conclusion: Amblyopia is associated with a reduction in fixation stability and BCVA, although there is a general lack of correlation with structural changes, suggesting a complex interaction between anatomy and function in amblyopia.
Data-Driven Diffraction Loss Estimation for Future Intelligent Transportation Systems in 6G Networks
Authors: Pattanaik Sambit , Imoize Agbotiname Lucky , Li Chun-Ta , Francis Sharmila Anand John , Lee Cheng-Chi , Roy Diptendu Sinha
Published: July 2023

The advancement of 6G networks is driven by the need for customer-centric communication and network control, particularly in applications such as intelligent transport systems. These applications rely on outdoor communication in extremely high-frequency (EHF) bands, including millimeter wave (mmWave) frequencies exceeding 30 GHz. However, EHF signals face challenges such as higher attenuation, diffraction, and reflective losses caused by obstacles in outdoor environments. To overcome these challenges, 6G networks must focus on system designs that enhance propagation characteristics by predicting and mitigating diffraction, reflection, and scattering losses. Strategies such as proper handovers, antenna orientation, and link adaptation techniques based on losses can optimize the propagation environment. Among the network components, aerial networks, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), are particularly susceptible to diffraction losses due to surrounding buildings in urban and suburban areas. Traditional statistical models for estimating the height of tall objects like buildings or trees are insufficient for accurately calculating diffraction losses due to the dynamic nature of user mobility, resulting in increased latency unsuitable for ultra-low latency applications. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a deep learning framework that utilizes easily accessible Google Street View imagery to estimate building heights and predict diffraction losses across various locations. The framework enables real-time decision-making to improve the propagation environment based on users’ locations. The proposed approach achieves high accuracy rates, with an accuracy of 39% for relative error below 2%, 83% for relative error below 4%, and 96% for both relative errors below 7% and 10%. Compared to traditional statistical methods, the proposed deep learning approach offers significant advantages in height prediction accuracy, demonstrating its efficacy in supporting the development of 6G networks. The ability to accurately estimate heights and map diffraction losses before network deployment enables proactive optimization and ensures real-time decision-making, enhancing the overall performance of 6G systems.
Probability-Distribution-Guided Adversarial Sample Attacks for Boosting Transferability and Interpretability
Authors: Li Hongying , Yu Miaomiao , Li Xiaofei , Zhang Jun , Li Shuohao , Lei Jun , Huang Hairong
Published: July 2023

In recent years, with the rapid development of technology, artificial intelligence (AI) security issues represented by adversarial sample attack have aroused widespread concern in society. Adversarial samples are often generated by surrogate models and then transfer to attack the target model, and most AI models in real-world scenarios belong to black boxes; thus, transferability becomes a key factor to measure the quality of adversarial samples. The traditional method relies on the decision boundary of the classifier and takes the boundary crossing as the only judgment metric without considering the probability distribution of the sample itself, which results in an irregular way of adding perturbations to the adversarial sample, an unclear path of generation, and a lack of transferability and interpretability. In the probabilistic generative model, after learning the probability distribution of the samples, a random term can be added to the sampling to gradually transform the noise into a new independent and identically distributed sample. Inspired by this idea, we believe that by removing the random term, the adversarial sample generation process can be regarded as the static sampling of the probabilistic generative model, which guides the adversarial samples out of the original probability distribution and into the target probability distribution and helps to boost transferability and interpretability. Therefore, we proposed a score-matching-based attack (SMBA) method to perform adversarial sample attacks by manipulating the probability distribution of the samples, which showed good transferability in the face of different datasets and models and provided reasonable explanations from the perspective of mathematical theory and feature space. Compared with the current best methods based on the decision boundary of the classifier, our method increased the attack success rate by 51.36% and 30.54% to the maximum extent in non-targeted and targeted attack scenarios, respectively. In conclusion, our research established a bridge between probabilistic generative models and adversarial samples, provided a new entry angle for the study of adversarial samples, and brought new thinking to AI security.
Cluster-Based Vehicle-to-Everything Model with a Shared Cache
Authors: Vladyko Andrei , Tambovtsev Gleb , Podgornaya Elena , Chelloug Samia Allaoua , Alkanhel Reem , Plotnikov Pavel
Published: July 2023

This paper presents an analysis of the effectiveness of the element interaction model in a vehicular ad hoc network (VANET). An analysis of the mathematical model and its numerical solution for the system of boundary device interactions in the traditional configuration of roadside unit (RSU) placement using single- and dual-channel connection between on-board units (OBU) and RSU is given. In addition, the model efficiency is improved using a clustering approach. The efficiency evaluation is based on calculating the percentage of unprocessed requests generated by OBUs during their mobility, the average power consumption and the magnitude of the delay in transmitting and processing the generated requests in the OBU–RSU system. The traditional and cluster models are compared. The results obtained in this paper show that each of the proposed models can be effectively implemented in mobile nodes and will significantly reduce the overall expected query processing time to improve the organization and algorithmic support of VANET. Along with this, it is shown that the developed approach allows for efficient power consumption when combining RSUs into clusters with a shared cache. The novelty of solving the problems is due to the lack of a comprehensive model that allows the distribution and prediction of the parameters and resources of the system for different computational tasks, which is essential when implementing and using V2X technology to solve the problems of complex management of VANET elements.
The Structural Characteristics and Bioactivity Stability of Cucumaria frondosa Intestines and Ovum Hydrolysates Obtained by Different Proteases
Authors: Wang Qiuting , Wang Gongming , Liu Chuyi , Sun Zuli , Li Ruimin , Gao Jiarun , Li Mingbo , Sun Leilei
Published: July 2023

The study aimed to investigate the effects of alcalase, papain, flavourzyme, and neutrase on the structural characteristics and bioactivity stability of Cucumaria frondosa intestines and ovum hydrolysates (CFHs). The findings revealed that flavourzyme exhibited the highest hydrolysis rate (51.88% ± 1.87%). At pH 2.0, the solubility of hydrolysate was the lowest across all treatments, while the solubility at other pH levels was over 60%. The primary structures of hydrolysates of different proteases were similar, whereas the surface hydrophobicity of hydrolysates was influenced by the types of proteases used. The hydrolysates produced by different proteases were also analyzed for their absorption peaks and antioxidant activity. The hydrolysates of flavourzyme had β-fold absorption peaks (1637 cm−1), while the neutrase and papain hydrolysates had N-H bending vibrations. The tertiary structure of CFHs was unfolded by different proteases, exposing the aromatic amino acids and red-shifting of the λ-peak of the hydrolysate. The alcalase hydrolysates showed better antioxidant activity in vitro and better surface hydrophobicity than the other hydrolysates. The flavourzyme hydrolysates displayed excellent antioxidant stability and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity during gastrointestinal digestion, indicating their potential use as antioxidants in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
The Impact of Physical Effort on the Gut Microbiota of Long-Distance Fliers
Authors: Ferrari Elís Domingos , Oliveira Bruno César Miranda , Creasey Hannah N. , Romualdo da Silva Débora R. , Nakamura Alex Akira , Bresciani Katia D. Saraiva , Widmer Giovanni
Published: July 2023

Flying pigeons (Columbia livia) are extensively studied for their physical endurance and superior sense of orientation. The extreme physical endurance of which these birds are capable creates a unique opportunity to investigate the possible impact of long-distance flying on the taxonomy and metabolic function of the gut microbiota. This project was enabled by access to two groups of pigeons raised by the same breeder in the same conditions, except that one group was trained in long-distance flying and participated in multiple races covering a total distance of over 2600 km over a 9-week period. In contrast, the second group did not fly. The fecal microbiota was analyzed using 16S amplicon sequencing, and the taxonomy and metabolic function were inferred from this sequence data. Based on phylogenetic distance and metabolic function, flying and non-flying pigeons were found to harbor distinct bacterial microbiota. The microbiota taxonomy varied extensively between the birds, whereas the inferred metabolic potential was relatively stable. Age was not a significant determinant of the fecal microbiota profile. In flying birds, the metabolic pathways annotated with biosynthesis were enriched, representing 60% of the 20 metabolic pathways that were most closely associated with flying.
Optimization of the Composition of Mesoporous Polymer–Ceramic Nanocomposite Granules for Bone Regeneration
Authors: Trzaskowska Marta , Vivcharenko Vladyslav , Franus Wojciech , Goryczka Tomasz , Barylski Adrian , Przekora Agata
Published: July 2023

Difficult-to-treat bone damage resulting from metabolic bone diseases, mechanical injuries, or tumor resection requires support in the form of biomaterials. The aim of this research was to optimize the concentration of individual components of polymer–ceramic nanocomposite granules (nanofilled polymer composites) for application in orthopedics and maxillofacial surgery to fill small bone defects and stimulate the regeneration process. Two types of granules were made using nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHA) and chitosan-based matrix (agarose/chitosan or curdlan/chitosan), which served as binder for ceramic nanopowder. Different concentrations of the components (nanoHA and curdlan), foaming agent (sodium bicarbonate—NaHCO3), and chitosan solvent (acetic acid—CH3COOH) were tested during the production process. Agarose and chitosan concentrations were fixed to be 5% w/v and 2% w/v, respectively, based on our previous research. Subsequently, the produced granules were subjected to cytotoxicity testing (indirect and direct contact methods), microhardness testing (Young’s modulus evaluation), and microstructure analysis (porosity, specific surface area, and surface roughness) in order to identify the biomaterial with the most favorable properties. The results demonstrated only slight differences among the resultant granules with respect to their microstructural, mechanical, and biological properties. All variants of the biomaterials were non-toxic to a mouse preosteoblast cell line (MC3T3-E1), supported cell growth on their surface, had high porosity (46–51%), and showed relatively high specific surface area (25–33 m2/g) and Young’s modulus values (2–10 GPa). Apart from biomaterials containing 8% w/v curdlan, all samples were predominantly characterized by mesoporosity. Nevertheless, materials with the greatest biomedical potential were obtained using 5% w/v agarose, 2% w/v chitosan, and 50% or 70% w/v nanoHA when the chitosan solvent/foaming agent ratio was equal to 2:2. In the case of the granules containing curdlan/chitosan matrix, the most optimal composition was as follows: 2% w/v chitosan, 4% w/v curdlan, and 30% w/v nanoHA. The obtained test results indicate that both manufactured types of granules are promising implantable biomaterials for filling small bone defects that can be used in maxillofacial surgery.
Designing Nonconventional Luminescent Materials with Efficient Emission in Dilute Solutions via Modulation of Dynamic Hydrogen Bonds
Authors: Tang Xuansi , Jiang Bingli , Gong Yongyang , Jin Yuxin , He Jiao , Xie Huihong , Guo Song , Liu Yuanli
Published: July 2023

Nonconventional luminescent materials (NLMs) which do not contain traditional aromatic chromophores are of great interest due to their unique chemical structures, optical properties, and their potential applications in various areas, such as cellular imaging and chemical sensing. However, most reported NLMs show weak or no emission in dilute solutions, which severely limits their applications. In this work, dynamic hydrogen bonds were utilized to design NLMs with efficient emission in dilute solutions. To further validate the results, polymers P1 and P2 were successfully prepared and investigated. It was found that the luminescence quantum efficiency of P1 and P2 at a concentration of 0.1 mg/mL in water solution was 8.9 and 0.6%, respectively. The high efficiency can be attributed to the fact that polymer P1 has more intra- or intermolecular dynamic hydrogen bonds and other short interactions than P2 in dilute solutions, allowing P1 to achieve the through-space conjugation effect to increase the degree of system conjugation, restrict molecular motion, and decrease nonradiative transitions, which can effectively improve luminescence. In addition, polymer P2 exhibits the characteristics of clustering-triggered emission, excitation wavelength-dependent and concentration-dependent fluorescence properties, excellent photobleaching resistance, low cytotoxicity, and selective recognition of Fe3+. The present study investigates the manipulation of luminescence properties of NLMs in dilute solutions through the modulation of dynamic hydrogen bonds. This approach can serve as a semi-empirical technique for designing and building innovative NLMs in the times ahead.
Research Methods and New Advances in Drug–Drug Interactions Mediated by Renal Transporters
Authors: Lin Kexin , Kong Xiaorui , Tao Xufeng , Zhai Xiaohan , Lv Linlin , Dong Deshi , Yang Shilei , Zhu Yanna
Published: July 2023

The kidney is critical in the human body’s excretion of drugs and their metabolites. Renal transporters participate in actively secreting substances from the proximal tubular cells and reabsorbing them in the distal renal tubules. They can affect the clearance rates (CLr) of drugs and their metabolites, eventually influence the clinical efficiency and side effects of drugs, and may produce drug–drug interactions (DDIs) of clinical significance. Renal transporters and renal transporter-mediated DDIs have also been studied by many researchers. In this article, the main types of in vitro research models used for the study of renal transporter-mediated DDIs are membrane-based assays, cell-based assays, and the renal slice uptake model. In vivo research models include animal experiments, gene knockout animal models, positron emission tomography (PET) technology, and studies on human beings. In addition, in vitro–in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE), ex vivo kidney perfusion (EVKP) models, and, more recently, biomarker methods and in silico models are included. This article reviews the traditional research methods of renal transporter-mediated DDIs, updates the recent progress in the development of the methods, and then classifies and summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of each method. Through the sorting work conducted in this paper, it will be convenient for researchers at different learning stages to choose the best method for their own research based on their own subject’s situation when they are going to study DDIs mediated by renal transporters.
Effects of Plant-Derived Polyphenols on the Antioxidant Activity and Aroma of Sulfur-Dioxide-Free Red Wine
Authors: Ma Yi , Yu Kangjie , Chen Xiaojiao , Wu Huixiang , Xiao Xiongjun , Xie Liming , Wei Ziyun , Xiong Rong , Zhou Xun
Published: July 2023

Significant efforts have been made in recent years to produce healthier wines, with the primary goal of reducing the use of sulfur dioxide (SO2), which poses health risks. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of three plant-derived polyphenols (dihydromyricetin, resveratrol, and catechins) as alternatives to SO2 in wine. After a three-month aging process, the wines were evaluated using analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography, colorimetry, gas chromatography–olfactometry–mass spectrometry, as well as electronic nose and electronic tongue analyses, with the purpose to assess parameters including antioxidant activity, color, contents of volatile aroma compounds, and sensory characteristics. The results demonstrated various degrees of improvement in the antioxidant activity, aromatic intensity, and sensory characteristics of wines using polyphenols. Notably, dihydromyricetin (200 mg/L) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity, with increases of 18.84%, 23.28%, and 20.87% in 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2’azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), and ferric-ion-reducing antioxidant power assays, respectively. Resveratrol (200 mg/L) made the most significant contribution to volatile aroma compounds, with an 8.89% increase in the total content of alcohol esters. In E-nose analysis, catechins (200 mg/L) showed the highest response to aromatic compounds and the lowest response to volatile sulfur compounds, while also exhibiting the best sensory characteristics. Therefore, the three plant-derived polyphenols investigated here exhibited the potential to enhance wine quality as alternatives to SO2. However, it is important to consider the specific impact of different polyphenols on wine; hence, suitable antioxidants should be selected in wine production according to specific requirements.
Theoretical Study on the Photoemission Performance of a Transmission Mode In0.15Ga0.85As Photocathode in the Near-Infrared Region
Authors: Wang Huan , Linghu Jiajun , Zou Pengfei , Wang Xuezhi , Shen Hao , Hai Bingru
Published: July 2023

Benefiting from a high quantum efficiency, low thermal emittance, and large absorption coefficient, InxGa1−xAs is an excellent group III–V compound for negative electron affinity (NEA) photocathodes. As the emission layer, InxGa1−xAs, where x = 0.15, has the optimal performance for detection in the near-infrared (NIR) region. Herein, an NEA In0.15Ga0.85As photocathode with Al0.63Ga0.37As as the buffer layer is designed in the form of a transmission mode module. The electronic band structures and optical properties of In0.15Ga0.85As and Al0.63Ga0.37As are calculated based on density functional theory. The time response characteristics of the In0.15Ga0.85As photocathode have been fully investigated by changing the photoelectron diffusion coefficient, the interface recombination velocity, and the thickness of the emission layer. Our results demonstrate that the response time of the In0.15Ga0.85As photocathode can be reduced to 6.1 ps with an incident wavelength of 1064 nm. The quantum efficiency of the In0.15Ga0.85As photocathode is simulated by taking into account multilayer optical thin film theory. The results indicate that a high quantum efficiency can be obtained by parameter optimization of the emission layer. This paper provides significant theoretical support for the applications of semiconductor photocathodes in the near-infrared region, especially for the study of ultrafast responses in the photoemission process.
Power-Dependent Optical Characterization of the InGaN/GaN-Based Micro-Light-Emitting-Diode (LED) in High Spatial Resolution
Authors: Yang Haifeng , Li Yufeng , Wang Jiawei , Li Aixing , Li Kun , Xu Chuangcheng , Zhang Minyan , Tian Zhenhuan , Li Qiang , Yun Feng
Published: July 2023

Spatially resolved photoluminescence at the sub-micro scale was used to study the optical non-uniformity of the micro-LED under varied power density excitation levels. The trend of the efficiency along injection levels were found to be highly dependent on the location of the chip mesa. The sidewall was 80% lower than the center under low-power density excitation, but was 50% higher under high-power density excitation. The external quantum efficiency droop at the center and the sidewall was 86% and 52%, respectively. A 2 µm band area near the sidewall was characterized where the efficiency and its trends changed rapidly. Beyond such band, the full width at half maximum and peak wavelength variation across the chip varied less than 1 nm, indicating high uniformity of the material composition. The sudden change = in the band, especially under high level excitation indicates the indium composition change formed by ion residues on the sidewall affect the distribution of charge carriers. These findings contribute to the understanding of cause of efficiency disadvantage and non-uniformity problems in small-size micro-LEDs.
Overcoming Difficulties in Molecular Biological Analysis through a Combination of Genetic Engineering, Genome Editing, and Genome Analysis in Hexaploid Chrysanthemum morifolium
Authors: Sasaki Katsutomo , Tanaka Tsuyoshi
Published: July 2023

Chrysanthemum is one of the most commercially important ornamental plants globally, of which many new varieties are produced annually. Among these new varieties, many are the result of crossbreeding, while some are the result of mutation breeding. Recent advances in gene and genome sequencing technology have raised expectations about the use of biotechnology and genome breeding to efficiently breed new varieties. However, some features of chrysanthemum complicate molecular biological analysis. For example, chrysanthemum is a hexaploid hyperploid plant with a large genome, while its genome is heterogeneous because of the difficulty of obtaining pure lines due to self-incompatibility. Despite these difficulties, an increased number of reports on transcriptome analysis in chrysanthemum have been published as a result of recent technological advances in gene sequencing, which should deepen our understanding of the properties of these plants. In this review, we discuss recent studies using gene engineering, genome editing, and genome analysis, including transcriptome analysis, to analyze chrysanthemum, as well as the current status of and future prospects for chrysanthemum.
A Systematic Review on the Therapeutic Effects of Ayahuasca
Authors: Gonçalves Joana , Luís Ângelo , Gallardo Eugenia , Duarte Ana Paula
Published: July 2023

Traditional therapies, resorting to the use of plants, have acquired a great demand over the years, both for economic reasons and the preference for natural treatments. Some studies suggest that ayahuasca may have beneficial properties in treating some physical and psychological imbalances. Thus, we carried out a systematic review of studies published up to December 2022, where these themes were addressed. The search was carried out in the PubMed database, and only studies written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals were included. Thus, 228 publications were identified, of which 66 were included in the present study. The reviewed studies suggest that ayahuasca may have beneficial effects on various physical and psychological conditions, namely in the treatment of depression, anxiety and various diseases of the neurobiological system, as well as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, demonstrating its therapeutic potential. The number of studies that address this issue has also been growing, demonstrating interest in the search for alternative treatments. However, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review where all the findings of therapeutic effects associated with the consumption of ayahuasca are reviewed.
Efficient Multi-Objective Optimization on Dynamic Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Using Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach
Authors: Wu Zufa , Fan Hongbo , Sun Yimeng , Peng Manyu
Published: July 2023

Previous research focuses on approaches of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to optimize diverse types of the single-objective dynamic flexible job shop scheduling problem (DFJSP), e.g., energy consumption, earliness and tardiness penalty and machine utilization rate, which gain many improvements in terms of objective metrics in comparison with metaheuristic algorithms such as GA (genetic algorithm) and dispatching rules such as MRT (most remaining time first). However, single-objective optimization in the job shop floor cannot satisfy the requirements of modern smart manufacturing systems, and the multiple-objective DFJSP has become mainstream and the core of intelligent workshops. A complex production environment in a real-world factory causes scheduling entities to have sophisticated characteristics, e.g., a job’s non-uniform processing time, uncertainty of the operation number and restraint of the due time, avoidance of the single machine’s prolonged slack time as well as overweight load, which make a method of the combination of dispatching rules in DRL brought up to adapt to the manufacturing environment at different rescheduling points and accumulate maximum rewards for a global optimum. In our work, we apply the structure of a dual layer DDQN (DLDDQN) to solve the DFJSP in real time with new job arrivals, and two objectives are optimized simultaneously, i.e., the minimization of the delay time sum and makespan. The framework includes two layers (agents): the higher one is named as a goal selector, which utilizes DDQN as a function approximator for selecting one reward form from six proposed ones that embody the two optimization objectives, while the lower one, called an actuator, utilizes DDQN to decide on an optimal rule that has a maximum Q value. The generated benchmark instances trained in our framework converged perfectly, and the comparative experiments validated the superiority and generality of the proposed DLDDQN.
Influence of Gas Inlet Slit Width on Gas-Assisted Plastic Micro-Tube Extrusion
Authors: Chen Shuiquan , Huang Xingyuan , Liu Bin , Zhang Xiaohui
Published: July 2023

In the process of the double-layer gas-assisted extrusion of plastic micro-tubes, the external size and surface quality of the micro-tubes are greatly affected by the size of the assisting gas inlet slit inside the mold. Therefore, in this experiment, a two-phase flow model was established based on a compressible gas and a non-compressible melt. The Polyflow finite element solution software module was used to solve the velocity field, temperature field, pressure field, and section size of the melt under the condition of double-layer gas-assisted extrusion in a mold under different gas inlet slit widths. The results show that, with an increase in the width of the gas inlet slit, the melt outlet velocity increases, the surface temperature increases, wall thickness shrinkage increases, and interior diameter expansion increases. In the process of gas-assisted extrusion, the thickness of the air cushion is affected by adjusting the size of the gas inlet slit, and, hence, changes the shape and size of the plastic micro-tubes.
Secure Data Aggregation Based on End-to-End Homomorphic Encryption in IoT-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kumar Mukesh , Sethi Monika , Rani Shalli , Sah Dipak Kumar , AlQahtani Salman A. , Al-Rakhami Mabrook S.
Published: July 2023

By definition, the aggregating methodology ensures that transmitted data remain visible in clear text in the aggregated units or nodes. Data transmission without encryption is vulnerable to security issues such as data confidentiality, integrity, authentication and attacks by adversaries. On the other hand, encryption at each hop requires extra computation for decrypting, aggregating, and then re-encrypting the data, which results in increased complexity, not only in terms of computation but also due to the required sharing of keys. Sharing the same key across various nodes makes the security more vulnerable. An alternative solution to secure the aggregation process is to provide an end-to-end security protocol, wherein intermediary nodes combine the data without decoding the acquired data. As a consequence, the intermediary aggregating nodes do not have to maintain confidential key values, enabling end-to-end security across sensor devices and base stations. This research presents End-to-End Homomorphic Encryption (EEHE)-based safe and secure data gathering in IoT-based Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), whereby it protects end-to-end security and enables the use of aggregator functions such as COUNT, SUM and AVERAGE upon encrypted messages. Such an approach could also employ message authentication codes (MAC) to validate data integrity throughout data aggregation and transmission activities, allowing fraudulent content to also be identified as soon as feasible. Additionally, if data are communicated across a WSN, then there is a higher likelihood of a wormhole attack within the data aggregation process. The proposed solution also ensures the early detection of wormhole attacks during data aggregation.