bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coping with Abiotic Stress in Plants—An Endomembrane Trafficking Perspective
Authors: Sampaio Miguel , Neves João , Cardoso Tatiana , Pissarra José , Pereira Susana , Pereira Cláudia
Published: January 2022

Plant cells face many changes through their life cycle and develop several mechanisms to cope with adversity. Stress caused by environmental factors is turning out to be more and more relevant as the human population grows and plant cultures start to fail. As eukaryotes, plant cells must coordinate several processes occurring between compartments and combine different pathways for protein transport to several cellular locations. Conventionally, these pathways begin at the ER, or endoplasmic reticulum, move through the Golgi and deliver cargo to the vacuole or to the plasma membrane. However, when under stress, protein trafficking in plants is compromised, usually leading to changes in the endomembrane system that may include protein transport through unconventional routes and alteration of morphology, activity and content of key organelles, as the ER and the vacuole. Such events provide the tools for cells to adapt and overcome the challenges brought on by stress. With this review, we gathered fragmented information on the subject, highlighting how such changes are processed within the endomembrane system and how it responds to an ever-changing environment. Even though the available data on this subject are still sparse, novel information is starting to untangle the complexity and dynamics of protein transport routes and their role in maintaining cell homeostasis under harsh conditions.
War and Peas: Molecular Bases of Resistance to Powdery Mildew in Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and Other Legumes
Authors: Sulima Anton S. , Zhukov Vladimir A.
Published: January 2022

Grain legumes, or pulses, have many beneficial properties that make them potentially attractive to agriculture. However, the large-scale cultivation of legumes faces a number of difficulties, in particular the vulnerability of the currently available cultivars to various diseases that significantly impair yields and seed quality. One of the most dangerous legume pathogens is powdery mildew (a common name for parasitic fungi of the order Erisyphales). This review examines the methods of controlling powdery mildew that are used in modern practice, including fungicides and biological agents. Special attention is paid to the plant genetic mechanisms of resistance, which are the most durable, universal and environmentally friendly. The most studied legume plant in this regard is the garden pea (Pisum sativum L.), which possesses naturally occurring resistance conferred by mutations in the gene MLO1 (Er1), for which we list here all the known resistant alleles, including er1-12 discovered by the authors of this review. Recent achievements in the genetics of resistance to powdery mildew in other legumes and prospects for the introduction of this resistance into other agriculturally important legume species are also discussed.
The Impact of LED Lighting Spectra in a Plant Factory on the Growth, Physiological Traits and Essential Oil Content of Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
Authors: Rihan Hail Z. , Aljafer Naofel , Jbara Marwa , McCallum Lynn , Lengger Sabine , Fuller Michael P.
Published: January 2022

With the recent development of LED lighting systems for plant cultivation, the use of vertical farming under controlled conditions is attracting increased attention. This study investigated the impact of a number of LED light spectra (red, blue, green and white) on the growth, development and essential oil content of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a herb and pharmaceutical plant species used across the world. White light and red-rich light spectra gave the best outputs in terms of impact on the growth and yield. For blue-rich spectra, the development and yield was lower despite having a significant impact on the photosynthesis activity, including Fv/Fm and NDVI values. For the blue-rich spectra, a peak wavelength of 450 mn was better than that of 435 nm. The results have practical value in terms of increased yield and the reduction of electricity consumption under controlled environmental conditions for the commercial production of lemon balm.
Welsh Onion (Allium fistulosum L.) Seed Physiology, Breeding, Production and Trade
Authors: Padula Gregorio , Xia Xianzong , Hołubowicz Roman
Published: January 2022

In the coming years, it is expected that the European Union countries will increase their interest in the use of the Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum L.). It is a little-known vegetable from the Far East. Consequently, growers might be asking their extension advisors increasingly about its seed physiology and commercial production. This article provides basic information on the origin of the species, its botanical characteristics, the main breeding directions and achievements, seed production methods and areas, main plant breeding and seed production companies, seed dormancy and the best methods for seed storage, use of the crop and market responses to promotion activities.
PGPR-Mediated Salt Tolerance in Maize by Modulating Plant Physiology, Antioxidant Defense, Compatible Solutes Accumulation and Bio-Surfactant Producing Genes
Authors: Ali Baber , Wang Xiukang , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Sumaira  , Hafeez Aqsa , Afridi Muhammad Siddique , Khan Shahid , Zaib-Un-Nisa  , Ullah Izhar , Amaral Júnior Antônio Teixeira do , Alatawi Aishah , Ali Shafaqat
Published: January 2022

Salinity stress is a barrier to crop production, quality yield, and sustainable agriculture. The current study investigated the plant growth promotion, biochemical and molecular characterization of bacterial strain Enterobacter cloacae PM23 under salinity stress (i.e., 0, 300, 600, and 900 mM). E. cloacae PM23 showed tolerance of up to 3 M NaCl when subjected to salinity stress. Antibiotic-resistant Iturin C (ItuC) and bio-surfactant-producing genes (sfp and srfAA) were amplified in E. cloacae PM23, indicating its multi-stress resistance potential under biotic and abiotic stresses. Moreover, the upregulation of stress-related genes (APX and SOD) helped to mitigate salinity stress and improved plant growth. Inoculation of E. cloacae PM23 enhanced plant growth, biomass, and photosynthetic pigments under salinity stress. Bacterial strain E. cloacae PM23 showed distinctive salinity tolerance and plant growth-promoting traits such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), siderophore, ACC deaminase, and exopolysaccharides production under salinity stress. To alleviate salinity stress, E. cloacae PM23 inoculation enhanced radical scavenging capacity, relative water content, soluble sugars, proteins, total phenolic, and flavonoid content in maize compared to uninoculated (control) plants. Moreover, elevated levels of antioxidant enzymes and osmoprotectants (Free amino acids, glycine betaine, and proline) were noticed in E. cloacae PM23 inoculated plants compared to control plants. The inoculation of E. cloacae PM23 significantly reduced oxidative stress markers under salinity stress. These findings suggest that multi-stress tolerant E. cloacae PM23 could enhance plant growth by mitigating salt stress and provide a baseline and ecofriendly approach to address salinity stress for sustainable agriculture.
Hydrosols from Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Cupressus sempervirens: Phytochemical Analysis and Bioactivity Evaluation
Authors: Politi Matteo , Ferrante Claudio , Menghini Luigi , Angelini Paola , Flores Giancarlo Angeles , Muscatello Beatrice , Braca Alessandra , De Leo Marinella
Published: January 2022

The present work evaluates the aromatic waters of rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Spenn. syn. Rosmarinus officinalis L.), sage (Salvia officinalis L.), and cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.) obtained as innovative commercial products of a hydrodistillation process. All extracts were exhaustively analysed by GC-MS, 1H-NMR, and LC-MS in order to evaluate potential metabolite fingerprint differences. GC-MS appears to be the most exhaustive technique for the qualitative identification of the single constituents, although in this case, the use of 1H-NMR and LC-MS techniques allowed some useful considerations in semi-quantitative terms. Antimycotic effects were studied against Tricophyton, Candida, and Arthroderma species, resulting in weak activity. The toxicological impact was partly evaluated in vitro by means of allelopathy and brine shrimp lethality. Cytotoxicity was investigated in human colon cancer cells (HCT116) and in hypothalamic cells (Hypo-E22) challenged with hydrogen peroxide. Sage and rosemary hydrosols were the most effective antimycotics, whereas all hydrosols displayed antiradical effects. Cytotoxic effects against HCT116 cells (at 500 µL/mL) were related in silico to the endovanilloid TRPM8 and TRPV1 receptors. At lower concentrations (5–50 µL/mL), the hydrosols protected hypothalamic neurons Hypo-E22 cells from hydrogen peroxide-induced toxicity. The overall experience indicates that hydrolates are an important source of relevant phytochemicals with significant pharmacological potential.
Interactome of Arabidopsis Thaliana
Authors: Yilmaz Merve , Paulic Merle , Seidel Thorsten
Published: January 2022

More than 95,000 protein–protein interactions of Arabidopsis thaliana have been published and deposited in databases. This dataset was supplemented by approximately 900 additional interactions, which were identified in the literature from the years 2002–2021. These protein–protein interactions were used as the basis for a Cytoscape network and were supplemented with data on subcellular localization, gene ontologies, biochemical properties and co-expression. The resulting network has been exemplarily applied in unraveling the PPI-network of the plant vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase (V-ATPase), which was selected due to its central importance for the plant cell. In particular, it is involved in cellular pH homeostasis, providing proton motive force necessary for transport processes, trafficking of proteins and, thereby, cell wall synthesis. The data points to regulation taking place on multiple levels: (a) a phosphorylation-dependent regulation by 14-3-3 proteins and by kinases such as WNK8 and NDPK1a, (b) an energy-dependent regulation via HXK1 and the glucose receptor RGS1 and (c) a Ca2+-dependent regulation by SOS2 and IDQ6. The known importance of V-ATPase for cell wall synthesis is supported by its interactions with several proteins involved in cell wall synthesis. The resulting network was further analyzed for (experimental) biases and was found to be enriched in nuclear, cytosolic and plasma membrane proteins but depleted in extracellular and mitochondrial proteins, in comparison to the entity of protein-coding genes. Among the processes and functions, proteins involved in transcription were highly abundant in the network. Subnetworks were extracted for organelles, processes and protein families. The degree of representation of organelles and processes reveals limitations and advantages in the current knowledge of protein–protein interactions, which have been mainly caused by a high number of database entries being contributed by only a few publications with highly specific motivations and methodologies that favor, for instance, interactions in the cytosol and the nucleus.
Medicinal Plants in Semi-Natural Grasslands: Impact of Management
Authors: Kose Marika , Melts Indrek , Heinsoo Katrin
Published: January 2022

Semi-natural grasslands (SNG) are valuable for their high biodiversity, cultural and landscape values. Quantitative information about medicinal plants (MP) in SNG facilitates the evaluation of ecosystem services of these habitats. Different literature sources were used to assess the ratio and frequency of MP species in several Estonian SNG and to evaluate the impact of management on these values. Lists of MP species according to different MP definition scenarios are available. The ratio of MP species in the local plant species list was the largest in alvars, followed by floodplain and wooded meadows. The average number of MP species in wooded meadows and alvars was about twice of that found in naturally growing broadleaved forest (according to the most detailed MP species list, 7.2, 7.8 and 4.3 plot−1, respectively). Fertilization of wooded meadows had no significant impact on MP species ratio, but decreased the percentage of MP biomass. Coastal meadows had few MP species and the impact of management quality depended on adopted MP scenarios. Comparison of Ellenberg indicator values revealed that MP species were more drought-tolerant, with higher commonness and more anthropophyte than the rest of studied grassland species.
Synthesis of Polyacids by Copolymerization of l-Lactide with MTC-COOH Using Zn[(acac)(L)H2O] Complex as an Initiator
Authors: Jaworska Joanna , Sobota Michał , Pastusiak Małgorzata , Kawalec Michał , Janeczek Henryk , Rychter Piotr , Lewicka Kamila , Dobrzyński Piotr
Published: January 2022

This work presents the results of research on the preparation of bioresorbable functional polyestercarbonates containing side carboxyl groups. These copolymers were synthesized in two ways: the classic two-step process involving the copolymerization of l-lactide and a cyclic carbonate containing a blocked side carboxylate group in the form of a benzyl ester (MTC-Bz) and its subsequent deprotection, and a new way involving the one-step copolymerization of l-lactide with this same carbonate, but containing an unprotected carboxyl group (MTC-COOH). Both reactions were carried out under identical conditions in the melt, using a specially selected zinc chelate complex, with Zn[(acac)(L)H2O] (where: L—N-(pyridin-4-ylmethylene) phenylalaninate ligand) as an initiator. The differences in the kinetics of both reactions and their courses were pictured. The reactivity of the MTC-COOH monomer without a blocking group in the studied co-polymerization was much higher, even slightly higher than l-lactide, which allowed the practically complete conversion of the comonomers in a much shorter time. The basic final properties of the obtained copolymers and the microstructures of their chains were determined. The single-step synthesis of biodegradable polyacids was much simpler. Contrary to the conventional method, this made it possible to obtain copolymers containing all carbonate units with carboxyl groups, without even traces of the heavy metals used in the deprotection of the carboxyl groups, the presence of which is known to be very difficult to completely remove from the copolymers obtained in the two-step process.
Drug Delivery from Stimuli-Responsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide)/Chitosan Core/Shell Nanohydrogels
Authors: Ortega-García Andrés , Martínez-Bernal Bryan Giovanny , Ceja Israel , Mendizábal Eduardo , Puig-Arévalo Jorge Emilio , Pérez-Carrillo Lourdes Adriana
Published: January 2022

The synthesis of stimulus-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-isopropylmethacrylamide)/chitosan core/shell nanohydrogels made by batch emulsion polymerization in the presence of chitosan (CS) micelles is reported. The ratio of monomers required to obtain copolymers with a volume phase transition temperature (TVPT) in the range of the temperatures observed in the human body in response to an infection (38 to 40 °C) was estimated with the Fox equation. The conversion was determined by gravimetry; mean particle size, size distribution, and thermal response were measured by quasi-elastic light scattering (QLS). The core/shell structure was confirmed by TEM, and FTIR showed the presence of N-isopropyl acrilamide (NIPA), N-isopropyl methacrylamide (NIPMA), and CS in the nanohydrogels. The nanohydrogels were loaded with the drug doxycycline hyclate, and their release kinetic profile was determined at pH = 2.0 and 7.4 at their volume phase transition temperatures (TVPT). A higher amount of drug was released at acidic pH. Some mathematical models described in the literature were used to fit the experimental drug release data.
Effects of Metal Boundary Stretching and Sample Translational Motion on Microwave Heating
Authors: Gu Hao , Ye Jinghua , Wang Ge , Yan Xueting , Zhu Huacheng , Yang Yang
Published: January 2022

For the purpose of improving uniformity and efficiency of microwave heating, moving components are widely used. In this paper, a kind of stretching microwave oven with a conveyor belt is designed. The conveyor belt and the stretching motion of the upper surface of the microwave oven make the electric field in the microwave cavity continuously change during heating, so that the absorption pattern of materials does not remain constant. The transformation optics method is used to simulate the stretching motion of the upper wall of the microwave oven, and the implicit function method is used to simulate the translational motion of the sample on the conveyor belt. The correctness of the simulation model is validated by experiments. The heating effects for the cases of fixed heating, stretching and translational motion are compared. Finally, the heating effects for the proposed model with different heated materials are also discussed.
Influence of Yield Pillar Width on Coal Mine Roadway Stability in Western China: A Case Study
Authors: Wang Qingwei , Feng Hao , Tang Peng , Peng Yuting , Li Chunang , Jiang Lishuai , Mitri Hani S.
Published: January 2022

Roadway excavation technology in underground coal mines has an important impact on mining efficiency and production safety. High-efficiency and rapid excavation of underground roadways in coal mines are important means to improve the production efficiency of coal mines. To tackle the problems of instability of roadway and support difficulties, the tail entry of panel 3105 in Mataihao Mine was used as the case study. The methods of underground investigation, theoretical analysis, and FLAC3D numerical simulation were used to analyze the stability of the surrounding rock under different yield pillar widths. Through the stress field, displacement field, and plastic zone of roadway surrounding rock, the stability of the rock surrounding the roadway under different yield pillar widths (4 m, 6 m, and 8 m) was analyzed. The results show that, with the increase in the yield pillar width, the plastic zone failure and displacement of the roadway surrounding rock are mainly manifested in the narrow pillar rib, seam rib, roof, and floor. The plastic zone distribution changes slightly; the roadway displacement exhibits basic symmetry. The vertical stress and the displacement of the two sides increase with the increase in the yield pillar width, and the roof displacement and the ratio of tensile failure of the surrounding rock decrease with the increase in the yield pillar width. According to the dynamic evolution law of the rock surrounding the roadway along the goaf side, the effect of the yield pillar size is revealed, and a reasonable yield pillar width is determined. When the yield pillar width is 6 m, the plastic zone failure of the surrounding rock and the displacement of the two sides of the roof are the most balanced among the three schemes. This provides a reference for the selection of the narrow yield pillar size in coal mines under the same geological conditions.
Modelling of Surface Roughness and Change in Out-of-Roundness of Tool during Electrical Discharge Machining with Cermet Tool Tip Using Machine Learning
Authors: Walia Arminder Singh , Srivastava Vineet , Verma Karun
Published: January 2022

Surface roughness of the finished part and profile of the tool electrode are significant factors to assess the functionality of electrical discharge machining process. In this study, EDM was utilized for the machining of hardened EN31 steel. A sintered cermet tool tip with 75% copper–25% titanium carbide was fabricated and used as tool electrode. A data set of 262 such samples was developed with machining variables including discharge current (Ip), gap voltage (Vg), pulse on time (Ton), pulse off time (Toff) and flushing pressure (P). By correlating the machining variables, a machine learning-based regression model was developed for the prediction of surface roughness of the machined surface and change in out-of-roundness of tool during the EDM process. With the help of heat maps and a probability table, it was found that Ip, Ton, Toff and P had significant effect on SR, and Ip, Ton and Toff affected OOR. The machine learning-based regression equation predicted SR with average error of 1.6% and OOR with average error of 0.48%. It was found that machine learning-based regression equation had better accuracy as compared to a DOE-based regression equation.
Assessment of Rainwater Retention Efficiency in Urban Drainage Systems—Model Studies
Authors: Pochwat Kamil
Published: January 2022

Around the world, there is growing interest in the use of rainwater retention, and in particular channel retention, as part of urban drainage systems. This is made possible by means of intentional damming of rainwater in the existing sewer collectors in order to maximise the use of gravitational spaces in the channels. This approach is particularly favourable for drainage types related to high levels of urban development, where construction of a building is difficult due to the low amount of space available. This article explains the results of a study concerning the efficiency assessment of three retention devices characterised by different hydraulic systems, one of which uses channel retention in its operation. The analysis conducted within the simulation study has demonstrated that the use of standard single-chamber reservoirs is the least efficient solution. A comparison of the functions of different hydraulic systems of retention reservoirs under equal conditions has shown that the necessary retention capacity of a single-chamber reservoir is many times greater in comparison to highly efficient solutions and it may constitute up to 582% of the reservoir’s capacity and works in conjunction with the channel retention system. At the same time, it has been demonstrated that the application of channel retention is not the most efficient solution for all hydraulic conditions for a drainage system or for all hydrological conditions. In addition, the article proposes a set of retention efficiency indices that may be used in the future assessment of individual rainwater storage solutions. Estimation of the necessary capacity of the retention facilities operating in specific hydraulic conditions was made on the basis of model tests—hydrodynamic modelling with the use of SWMM 5.0 software. The course of the research was planned using the theory of experiment planning (DOE) with the use of Statistica software, whereas efficiency indices were developed with the use of artificial neural networks (ANNs). The study results include practical and cognitive aspects. These may constitute guidelines for the designers and potential investors, as well as a tool with the aim of promoting the most efficient rainwater retention solutions in urban drainage systems.
Screwdriving Gripper That Mimics Human Two-Handed Assembly Tasks
Authors: Han Sangchul , Choi Myoung-Su , Shin Yong-Woo , Jang Ga-Ram , Lee Dong-Hyuk , Cho Jungsan , Park Jae-Han , Bae Ji-Hun
Published: January 2022

Conventional assembly methods using robots need to change end-effectors or operate two robot arms for assembly. In this study, we propose a screwdriving gripper that can perform the tasks required for the assembly using a single robot arm. The proposed screwdriving gripper mimics a human-two-handed operation and has three features: (1) it performs pick-and-place, peg-in-hole, and screwdriving tasks required for assembly with a single gripper; (2) it uses a flexible link that complies with the contact force in the environment; and (3) it employs the same joints as the pronation and supination of the wrist, which help the manipulator to create a path. We propose a new gripper with 3 fingers and 12 degrees of freedom to implement these features; this gripper is composed of grasping and screwdriving parts. The grasping part has two fingers with a roll-yaw-pitch-pitch joint configuration. Its pitch joint implements wrist pronation and supination. The screwdriving part includes one finger with a roll-pitch-pitch joint configuration and a flexible link that can comply with the environment; this facilitates compliance based on the direction of the external force. The end of the screwdriving finger has a motor with a hex key attached, and an insert tip is attached to the back of the motor. A prototype of the proposed screwdriving gripper is manufactured, and a strategy for assembly using a prototype is proposed. The features of the proposed gripper are verified through screwdriving task experiments using a cooperative robotic arm. The experiments showed that the screwdriving gripper can perform tasks required for the assembly such as pick and place, peg-in-hole, and screwdriving.
Assessing the Accuracy of MODIS MCD64A1 C6 and FireCCI51 Burned Area Products in Mediterranean Ecosystems
Authors: Katagis Thomas , Gitas Ioannis Z.
Published: January 2022

The catastrophic impact of wildfires on the economy and ecosystems of Mediterranean countries in recent years, along with insufficient policies that favor disproportionally high funding for fire suppression, demand a more comprehensive understanding of fire regimes. Satellite remote sensing products support the generation of relevant burned-area (BA) information, since they provide the means for the systematic monitoring of large areas worldwide at low cost. This research study assesses the accuracy of the two publicly available MODIS BA products, MCD64A1 C6 and FireCCI51, at a national scale in a Mediterranean country. The research period covered four fire seasons, and a comparison was conducted against a higher-resolution Sentinel-2 dataset. The specific objectives were to assess their performance in detecting fire events occurring primarily in forest and semi-natural lands and to investigate their spatial and temporal uncertainties. Monthly fire observations were processed and analyzed to derive a comprehensive set of accuracy metrics. We found that fire size has an impact on their detection accuracy, with higher detection occurring in fires larger than 100 ha. Detection of smaller (<100 ha) fires was favored by the 250 m FireCCI51 product, but not from MCD64A1 C6, which exhibited less than 50% detection probability in the same range. Their spatial estimates of burned area exhibited a fairly satisfactory agreement with the reference data, reaching an average of 78% in detection rate. MCD64A1 C6 exhibited a more consistent spatial performance overall and better temporal accuracy, whereas FireCCI51 did not substantially outperform the former despite its finer resolution. Additional research is required for a more rigorous assessment of the variability of these burned area products, yet this research provides further insight and has implications for their use in fire-related applications at the local to the national scale.
Measurement of Aspect Angle of Field-Aligned Plasma Irregularities in Mid-Latitude E Region Using VHF Atmospheric Radar Imaging and Interferometry Techniques
Authors: Chen Jenn-Shyong , Wang Chien-Ya , Chu Yen-Hsyang
Published: January 2022

Multireceiver and multifrequency radar imaging were carried out with the 46.5 MHz MU radar in Japan (34.85°N and 136.10°E) to examine the aspect sensitivity of field-aligned plasma irregularities (FAIs) in the mid-latitude ionosphere E region. A radar beam was directed to geographic north and at 51° zenith angle, which was normal to the geomagnetic field line around 100 km height. Nineteen receivers and five carrier frequencies were used for radar imaging to retrieve the power distribution in the radar volume, and then the aspect angle along the geomagnetic field line was calculated according to the angular power distribution. Retrieval algorithms such as Fourier, Capon, and norm-constrained Capon (NC-Capon) were employed, in which the NC-Capon was applied to FAIs for the first time and found to be more suitable for the present study. The aspect angles estimated by the NC-Capon ranged between 0.1° and 0.4° mostly, and averaged around 0.2°, which were the same order to the previous measurements with radar interferometry (RI), made for equatorial electrojet irregularities and the lower mid-latitude sporadic E region. For comparison, RI-estimated aspect angles were also investigated and found to be close to that of NC-Capon, but distributed over a wider extent of angles.
Quantifying Changes in Groundwater Storage and Response to Hydroclimatic Extremes in a Coastal Aquifer Using Remote Sensing and Ground-Based Measurements: The Texas Gulf Coast Aquifer
Authors: Gyawali Bimal , Murgulet Dorina , Ahmed Mohamed
Published: January 2022

With the increasing vulnerability of groundwater resources, especially in coastal regions, there is a growing need to monitor changes in groundwater storage (GWS). Estimations of GWS have been conducted extensively at regional to global scales using GRACE and GRACE-FO observations. The major goal of this study was to evaluate the applicability of uninterrupted monthly GRACE-derived terrestrial water storage (TWSGRACE) records in facilitating detection of long- and short-term hydroclimatic events affecting the GWS in a coastal area. The TWSGRACE data gap was filled with reconstructed values from multi-linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models and used to estimate changes in GWS in the Texas coastal region (Gulf Coast and Carrizo–Wilcox Aquifers) between 2002 and 2019. The reconstructed TWSGRACE, along with soil moisture storage (SMS) from land surface models (LSMs), and surface water storage (SWS) were used to estimate the GRACE-derived GWS (GWSGRACE), validated against the GWS estimated from groundwater level observations (GWSwell) and extreme hydroclimatic event records. The results of this study show: (1) Good agreement between the predicted TWSGRACE data gaps from the MLR and ANN models with high accuracy of predictions; (2) good agreement between the GWSGRACE and GWSwell records (CC = 0.56, p-value < 0.01) for the 2011–2019 period for which continuous GWLwell data exists, thus validating the approach and increasing confidence in using the reconstructed TWSGRACE data to monitor coastal GWS; (3) a significant decline in the coastal GWSGRACE, at a rate of 0.35 ± 0.078 km3·yr−1 (p-value < 0.01), for the 2002–2019 period; and (4) the reliable applicability of GWSGRACE records in detecting multi-year drought and wet periods with good accuracy: Two drought periods were identified between 2005–2006 and 2010–2015, with significant respective depletion rates of −8.9 ± 0.95 km3·yr−1 and −2.67 ± 0.44 km3·yr−1 and one wet period between 2007 and 2010 with a significant increasing rate of 2.6 ± 0.63 km3·yr−1. Thus, this study provides a reliable approach to examine the long- and short-term trends in GWS in response to changing climate conditions with significant implications for water management practices and improved decision-making capabilities.
Comparison of Hemispheric and Regional Sea Ice Extent and Area Trends from NOAA and NASA Passive Microwave-Derived Climate Records
Authors: Meier Walter N. , Stewart J. Scott , Windnagel Ann , Fetterer Florence M.
Published: January 2022

Three passive microwave-based sea ice products archived at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) are compared: (1) the NASA Team (NT) algorithm product, (2) Bootstrap (BT) algorithm product, and (3) a new version (Version 4) of the NOAA/NSIDC Climate Data Record (CDR) product. Most notable for the CDR Version 4 is the addition of the early passive microwave record, 1979 to 1987. The focus of this study is on long-term trends in monthly extent and area. In addition to hemispheric trends, regional analysis is also carried out, including use of a new Northern Hemisphere regional mask. The results indicate overall good consistency between the products, with all three products showing strong statistically significant negative trends in the Arctic and small borderline significant positive trends in the Antarctic. Regionally, the patterns are similar, except for a notable outlier of the NT area having a steeper trend in the Central Arctic, likely related to increasing surface melt. Other differences are due to varied approaches to quality control, e.g., weather filtering and correction of mixed land-ocean grid cells. Another factor, particularly in regards to NT trends with BT or CDR, is the inter-sensor calibration approach, which yields small discontinuities between the products. These varied approaches yield small differences in trends. In the Arctic, such differences are not critical, but in the Antarctic, where overall trends are near zero and borderline statistically significant, the differences are potentially important in the interpretation of trends.
Urban Traffic Monitoring and Analysis Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Butilă Eugen Valentin , Boboc Răzvan Gabriel
Published: January 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are gaining considerable interest in transportation engineering in order to monitor and analyze traffic. This systematic review surveys the scientific contributions in the application of UAVs for civil engineering, especially those related to traffic monitoring. Following the PRISMA framework, 34 papers were identified in five scientific databases. First, this paper introduces previous works in this field. In addition, the selected papers were analyzed, and some conclusions were drawn to complement the findings. It can be stated that this is still a field in its infancy and that progress in advanced image processing techniques and technologies used in the construction of UAVs will lead to an explosion in the number of applications, which will result in increased benefits for society, reducing unpleasant situations, such as congestion and collisions in major urban centers of the world.
LiDAR-Visual-Inertial Odometry Based on Optimized Visual Point-Line Features
Authors: He Xuan , Gao Wang , Sheng Chuanzhen , Zhang Ziteng , Pan Shuguo , Duan Lijin , Zhang Hui , Lu Xinyu
Published: January 2022

This study presents a LiDAR-Visual-Inertial Odometry (LVIO) based on optimized visual point-line features, which can effectively compensate for the limitations of a single sensor in real-time localization and mapping. Firstly, an improved line feature extraction in scale space and constraint matching strategy, using the least square method, is proposed to provide a richer visual feature for the front-end of LVIO. Secondly, multi-frame LiDAR point clouds were projected into the visual frame for feature depth correlation. Thirdly, the initial estimation results of Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO) were carried out to optimize the scanning matching accuracy of LiDAR. Finally, a factor graph based on Bayesian network is proposed to build the LVIO fusion system, in which GNSS factor and loop factor are introduced to constrain LVIO globally. The evaluations on indoor and outdoor datasets show that the proposed algorithm is superior to other state-of-the-art algorithms in real-time efficiency, positioning accuracy, and mapping effect. Specifically, the average RMSE of absolute trajectory in the indoor environment is 0.075 m and that in the outdoor environment is 3.77 m. These experimental results can prove that the proposed algorithm can effectively solve the problem of line feature mismatching and the accumulated error of local sensors in mobile carrier positioning.
Bit-Level Automotive Controller Area Network Message Reverse Framework Based on Linear Regression
Authors: Bi Zixiang , Xu Guoai , Xu Guosheng , Wang Chenyu , Zhang Sutao
Published: January 2022

Modern intelligent and networked vehicles are increasingly equipped with electronic control units (ECUs) with increased computing power. These electronic devices form an in-vehicle network via the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus, the de facto standard for modern vehicles. Although many ECUs provide convenience to drivers and passengers, they also increase the potential for cyber security threats in motor vehicles. Numerous attacks on vehicles have been reported, and the commonality among these attacks is that they inject malicious messages into the CAN network. To close the security holes of CAN, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) keep the Database CAN (DBC) file describing the content of CAN messages, confidential. This policy is ineffective against cyberattacks but limits in-depth investigation of CAN messages and hinders the development of in-vehicle intrusion detection systems (IDS) and CAN fuzz testing. Current research reverses CAN messages through tokenization, machine learning, and diagnostic information matching to obtain details of CAN messages. However, the results of these algorithms yield only a fraction of the information specified in the DBC file regarding CAN messages, such as field boundaries and message IDs associated with specific functions. In this study, we propose multiple linear regression-based frameworks for bit-level inversion of CAN messages that can approximate the inversion of DBC files. The framework builds a multiple linear regression model for vehicle behavior and CAN traffic, filters the candidate messages based on the decision coefficients, and finally locates the bits describing the vehicle behavior to obtain the data length and alignment based on the model parameters. Moreover, this work shows that the system has high reversion accuracy and outperforms existing systems in boundary delineation and filtering relevant messages in actual vehicles.
On the Security of Bluetooth Low Energy in Two Consumer Wearable Heart Rate Monitors/Sensing Devices
Authors: Kurt Peker Yeṣem , Bello Gabriel , Perez Alfredo J.
Published: January 2022

Since its inception in 2013, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has become the standard for short-distance wireless communication in many consumer devices, as well as special-purpose devices. In this study, we analyze the security features available in Bluetooth LE standards and evaluate the features implemented in two BLE wearable devices (a Fitbit heart rate wristband and a Polar heart rate chest wearable) and a BLE keyboard to explore which security features in the BLE standards are implemented in the devices. In this study, we used the ComProbe Bluetooth Protocol Analyzer, along with the ComProbe software to capture the BLE traffic of these three devices. We found that even though the standards provide security mechanisms, because the Bluetooth Special Interest Group does not require that manufacturers fully comply with the standards, some manufacturers fail to implement proper security mechanisms. The circumvention of security in Bluetooth devices could leak private data that could be exploited by rogue actors/hackers, thus creating security, privacy, and, possibly, safety issues for consumers and the public. We propose the design of a Bluetooth Security Facts Label (BSFL) to be included on a Bluetooth/BLE enabled device’s commercial packaging and conclude that there should be better mechanisms for informing users about the security and privacy provisions of the devices they acquire and use and to educate the public on protection of their privacy when buying a connected device.
A Simple and Robust Spectral Index for Identifying Lodged Maize Using Gaofen1 Satellite Data
Authors: Chen Yuanyuan , Sun Li , Pei Zhiyuan , Sun Juanying , Li He , Jiao Weijie , You Jiong
Published: January 2022

Crop lodging is a major destructive factor for agricultural production. Developing a cost-efficient and accurate method to assess crop lodging is crucial for informing crop management decisions and reducing lodging losses. Satellite remote sensing can provide continuous data on a large scale; however, its utility in detecting lodging crops is limited due to the complexity of lodging events and the unavailability of high spatial and temporal resolution data. Gaofen1 satellite was launched in 2013. The short revisit cycle and wide orbit coverage of the Gaofen1 satellite make it suitable for lodging identification. However, few studies have explored lodging detection using Gaofen1 data, and the operational application of existing approaches over large spatial extents seems to be unrealistic. In this paper, we discuss the identification method of lodged maize and explore the potential of using Gaofen1 data. An analysis of the spectral features after maize lodging revealed that reflectance increased significantly in all bands, compared to non-lodged maize. A spectral sum index was proposed to distinguish lodged and non-lodged maize. Two study areas were considered: Zhaodong City in Heilongjiang Province and Ningjiang District in Jilin Province. The results of the identified lodged maize from the Gaofen1 data were validated based on three methods: first, ground sample points exhibited the overall accuracies of 92.86% and 88.24% for Zhaodong City and Ningjiang District, respectively; second, the cross-comparison differences of 1.01% for Zhaodong City and 1.13% for Ningjiang District were obtained, compared to the results acquired from the finer-resolution Planet data; and third, the identified results from Gaofen1 data and those from farmer survey questionnaires were found to be consistent. The validation results indicate that the proposed index is promising, and the Gaofen1 data have the potential for rapid lodging monitoring.
Coalitional Distributed Model Predictive Control Strategy for Vehicle Platooning Applications
Authors: Maxim Anca , Caruntu Constantin-Florin
Published: January 2022

This work aims at developing and testing a novel Coalitional Distributed Model Predictive Control (C-DMPC) strategy suitable for vehicle platooning applications. The stability of the algorithm is ensured via the terminal constraint region formulation, with robust positively invariant sets. To ensure a greater flexibility, in the initialization part of the method, an invariant table set is created containing several invariant sets computed for different constraints values. The algorithm was tested in simulation, using both homogeneous and heterogeneous initial conditions for a platoon with four homogeneous vehicles, using a predecessor-following, uni-directionally communication topology. The simulation results show that the coalitions between vehicles are formed in the beginning of the experiment, when the local feasibility of each vehicle is lost. These findings successfully prove the usefulness of the proposed coalitional DMPC method in a vehicle platooning application, and illustrate the robustness of the algorithm, when tested in different initial conditions.
Linear Combination Properties of the Phasor Space in Fluorescence Imaging
Authors: Torrado Belén , Malacrida Leonel , Ranjit Suman
Published: January 2022

The phasor approach to fluorescence lifetime imaging, and more recently hyperspectral fluorescence imaging, has increased the use of these techniques, and improved the ease and intuitiveness of the data analysis. The fit-free nature of the phasor plots increases the speed of the analysis and reduces the dimensionality, optimization of data handling and storage. The reciprocity principle between the real and imaginary space—where the phasor and the pixel that the phasor originated from are linked and can be converted from one another—has helped the expansion of this method. The phasor coordinates calculated from a pixel, where multiple fluorescent species are present, depends on the phasor positions of those components. The relative positions are governed by the linear combination properties of the phasor space. According to this principle, the phasor position of a pixel with multiple components lies inside the polygon whose vertices are occupied by the phasor positions of these individual components and the distance between the image phasor to any of the vertices is inversely proportional to the fractional intensity contribution of that component to the total fluorescence from that image pixel. The higher the fractional intensity contribution of a vertex, the closer is the resultant phasor. The linear additivity in the phasor space can be exploited to obtain the fractional intensity contribution from multiple species and quantify their contribution. This review details the various mathematical models that can be used to obtain two/three/four components from phasor space with known phasor signatures and then how to obtain both the fractional intensities and phasor positions without any prior knowledge of either, assuming they are mono-exponential in nature. We note that other than for blind components, there are no restrictions on the type of the decay or their phasor positions for linear combinations to be valid—and they are applicable to complicated fluorescence lifetime decays from components with intensity decays described by multi-exponentials.
Student Teachers’ Willingness to Act in the Climate Change Context
Authors: Vukelić Nena , Rončević Nena , Toljan Sven
Published: January 2022

In education for sustainable development, widely regarded as a framework that offers us the opportunity to improve the ways in which we cope with climate change issues, the need for student teachers to express willingness to act in order to deal with numerous issues and challenges of sustainable development, especially climate change, is of particular importance. Therefore, the focus of this study is on the examination of predictors of student teachers’ willingness to act in a climate-change mitigation and adaptation context. For the purpose of this study, measurement instruments of willingness to act in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, attitudes towards climate change, perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context, interest in climate change and concern for ecological problems were validated. A total of 201 student teachers from the University of Rijeka (Croatia) participated in the study. It was determined that (I) attitudes towards climate change, (II) perception of action possibilities in climate change mitigation and adaptation context and (III) interest in climate change represent significant predictors of willingness to act in climate-change direction and mitigation contexts. Based on the results of this study, recommendations for teacher education in the climate change context have been offered.
Characterization of Recently Planted Coffee Cultivars from Vegetation Indices Obtained by a Remotely Piloted Aircraft System
Authors: Bento Nicole Lopes , Ferraz Gabriel Araújo e Silva , Barata Rafael Alexandre Pena , Soares Daniel Veiga , Santos Luana Mendes dos , Santana Lucas Santos , Ferraz Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano , Conti Leonardo , Palchetti Enrico
Published: January 2022

Brazil is the main producer and exporter and the second-largest consumer of coffee in the world, and Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems stands out as an efficient remote detection technique applied to the study and mapping of crops. The objective of this study was to characterize three recently planted cultivars of Coffea arabica L. The study area is in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with a coffee plantation of the initial age of 5 months. The temporal behavior was determined based on monthly mean values. The spectral profile was obtained with mean values of the last month of dry and rainy periods. The statistical differences were obtained based on the non-parametric test of multiple comparisons. The estimation of the exponential equation was obtained through the Spearman correlation coefficient of determination and root mean square error. It was concluded that the seasons influence the behavior and development of cultivars, and significant statistical differences were detected for the variables, except for the chlorophyll variable. Due to the proximity and overlap of the reflectance values, spectral bands were not used to individualize cultivars. A correlation between the vegetation indices and leaf area index was observed and the exponential regression equation was estimated for each cultivar under study.
Business Ecosystem Management and Editorial on the Special Issue
Authors: Joo Jaehun , Shin Matthew Minsuk
Published: January 2022

Regarding business ecosystem management, it is important to approach the ecosystem beyond the macro-level and through the micro-level [...]