bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Remote Sensing Vegetation Indices for the Discrimination and Monitoring of Agricultural Crops: A Critical Review
Authors: Vidican Roxana , Mălinaș Anamaria , Ranta Ovidiu , Moldovan Cristina , Marian Ovidiu , Ghețe Alexandru , Ghișe Ciprian Radu , Popovici Flavia , Cătunescu Giorgiana M.
Published: December 2023

The agricultural sector is currently confronting multifaceted challenges such as an increased food demand, slow adoption of sustainable farming, a need for climate-resilient food systems, resource inequity, and the protection of small-scale farmers’ practices. These issues are integral to food security and environmental health. Remote sensing technologies can assist precision agriculture in effectively addressing these complex problems by providing farmers with high-resolution lenses. The use of vegetation indices (VIs) is an essential component of remote sensing, which combines the variability of spectral reflectance value (derived from remote sensing data) with the growth stage of crops. A wide array of VIs can be used to classify the crops and evaluate their state and health. However, precisely this high number leads to difficulty in selecting the best VI and their combination for specific objectives. Without thorough documentation and analysis of appropriate VIs, users might find it difficult to use remote sensing data or obtain results with very low accuracy. Thus, the objective of this review is to conduct a critical analysis of the existing state of the art on the effective use of VIs for the discrimination and monitoring of several important agricultural crops (wheat, corn, sunflower, soybean, rape, potatoes, and forage crops), grasslands and meadows. This data could be highly useful for all the stakeholders involved in agricultural activities. The current review has shown that VIs appear to be suitable for mapping and monitoring agricultural crops, forage crops, meadows and pastures. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data were the most utilized sources, while some of the frequently used VIs were EVI, LAI, NDVI, GNDVI, PSRI, and SAVI. In most of the studies, an array of VIs needed to be employed to achieve a good discrimination of crops or prediction of yields. The main challenges in using VIs are related to the variation of the spectral characteristics during the vegetation period and to the similarities of the spectral signatures of various crops and semi-natural meadows. Thus, further studies are needed to establish appropriate models for the use of satellite data that would prove to have greater accuracy and provide more relevant information for the efficient monitoring of agricultural crops.
Morphophysiological Responses of the Goat Mammary Gland to Water Scarcity in Arid and Semi-Arid Environments: Are They Enough to Generate Adaptation to New Climatic Challenges?
Authors: Geldsetzer-Mendoza Carolina , Riveros José
Published: December 2023

Due to climate change, diverse territories of the planet will suffer from water restrictions. Goats are perceived as the most resilient ruminants in this scenario. So, various studies have focused on describing how a lower water intake influences milk production, especially in breeds adapted to desert environments. In water-stress situations, goats lose up to 32% of their body weight (BW), the rate of passage is reduced, and the digestibility of the feed increases. When goats consume water again, the rumen prevents hemolysis and osmotic shock from occurring. Regarding milk production, the response varies depending on the breed and the level of water restriction, maintaining the milk volume or reducing it by up to 41%. Systemically, it decreases the urinary volume and glomerular filtration rate, increasing blood osmolality and the vasopressin (ADH) concentration. Studies are scarce regarding changes in blood flow to the mammary gland, but there would be a reduction in blood flow velocity of up to 40% without changing blood pressure. New studies must be undertaken to determine which breeds or crosses are the best adapted to changing environmental conditions and to improve our understanding of the changes that occur at the morphophysiological level of the caprine mammary gland.
Phage-Based Biosanitation Strategies for Minimizing Persistent Salmonella and Campylobacter Bacteria in Poultry
Authors: Jordá Jaume , Lorenzo-Rebenaque Laura , Montoro-Dasi Laura , Marco-Fuertes Ana , Vega Santiago , Marin Clara
Published: December 2023

Control strategies to minimize pathogenic bacteria in food animal production are one of the key components in ensuring safer food for consumers. The most significant challenges confronting the food industry, particularly in the major poultry and swine sectors, are antibiotic resistance and resistance to cleaning and disinfection in zoonotic bacteria. In this context, bacteriophages have emerged as a promising tool for zoonotic bacteria control in the food industry, from animals and farm facilities to the final product. Phages are viruses that infect bacteria, with several advantages as a biocontrol agent such as high specificity, self-replication, self-limitation, continuous adaptation, low inherent toxicity and easy isolation. Their development as a biocontrol agent is of particular interest, as it would allow the application of a promising and even necessary “green” technology to combat pathogenic bacteria in the environment. However, bacteriophage applications have limitations, including selecting appropriate phages, legal restrictions, purification, dosage determination and bacterial resistance. Overcoming these limitations is crucial to enhance phage therapy’s effectiveness against zoonotic bacteria in poultry. Thus, this review aims to provide a comprehensive view of the phage-biosanitation strategies for minimizing persistent Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria in poultry.
DMRT3 Allele Frequencies in Batida- and Picada-Gaited Donkeys and Mules in Brazil
Authors: Herman Mariana , Caceres Amanda Manara , Albuquerque Ana Luísa H. , Leite Raíssa O. , Araújo César Erineudo T. , Delfiol Diego José Z. , Curi Rogério A. , Borges Alexandre S. , Oliveira-Filho José P.
Published: December 2023

In Brazil, the production of mules with a comfortable gait primarily involves the breeding of marching saddle mules. This is achieved by crossing gaited Pêga donkeys with horses from the Mangalarga Marchador and Campolina breeds. The DMRT3:g.22999655C>A SNP is implicated in regulating gait phenotypes observed in various horse breeds, including the batida (CC) and picada (CA) gaits found in these horse breeds. We aimed to determine if genotypes influenced gait type in 159 mules and 203 donkeys genotyped for the DMRT3 SNP by PCR-RFLP analysis. About 47% of mules had the CC-genotype, while 53% had the CA-genotype. Donkeys predominantly had the CC-genotype (97%), and none had AA. Both CC- and CA-genotypes were evenly distributed among mules with the batida or picada gaits. In donkeys, the CC-genotype frequencies were consistent regardless of gait type. However, the CA-genotype was more common in picada-gaited donkeys than in batida-gaited donkeys. The prevalence of CA mules and the rare presence of the non-reference allele in donkeys align with previous findings in Mangalarga Marchador and Campolina horses. This suggests that the non-reference allele likely originated from the mares involved in donkey crosses. Our results also imply that factors beyond this variant, such as other genes and polymorphisms, influence gait traits in equids.
Associations of Grazing and Rumination Behaviours with Performance Parameters in Spring-Calving Dairy Cows in a Pasture-Based Grazing System
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Wasim , Draganova Ina , Morel Patrick Charles Henry , Morris Stephen Todd
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the relationship of the length of time spent grazing and ruminating with the performance parameters of spring-calved grazing dairy cows (n = 162) over the lactation period for three lactation seasons (n = 54 per season). The cows were Holstein Friesian (HFR), Jersey (JE), and a crossbreed of Holstein Friesian/Jersey (KiwiCross), with 18 cows from each breed. The cows were either in their 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th lactation year, and had different breeding worth (BW) index values (103 < BW > 151). The cows were managed through a rotational grazing scheme with once-a-day milking in the morning at 05:00 h. The cows were mainly fed on grazed pastures consisting of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), red clover (Trifolium pretense), and white clover (Trifolium repens), and received additional feeds on various days in the summer and autumn seasons. This study used an automated AfiCollar device to continuously record the grazing time and rumination time (min/h) of the individual cows throughout the lactation period (~270 days) for three consecutive years (Year-1, Year-2, and Year-3). The milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score data of the individual animals for the study years were provided by the farm. PROC CORR was used in SAS to determine the correlation coefficients (r) between the behaviour and production parameters. A general linear model fitted with breed × lactation year, individual cows, seasons, feed within the season, grazing time, rumination time, as well as their interactions, was assessed to test the differences in milk yield, milk fat, milk protein, milk solids, liveweight, and body condition score. The type I sum of squares values were used to quantify the magnitude of variance explained by each of the study factors and their interactions in the study variables. Grazing time exhibited positive associations with MY (r = 0.34), MF (r = 0.43), MP (r = 0.22), MS (r = 0.39), LW (r = −0.47), and BCS (r = −0.24) throughout the study years. Rumination time was associated with MY (r = 0.64), MF (r = 0.57), MP (r = 0.52), and MS (r = 0.57) in all study years, while there were no effects of rumination time on LW (r = 0.26) and BCS (r = −0.26). Grazing time explained up to 0.32%, 0.49%, 0.17%, 0.31%, 0.2%, and 0.02%, and rumination time explained up to 0.39%, 6.73%, 4.63%, 6.53%, 0.44%, and 0.17% of the variance in MY, MF, MP, MS, LW, and BCS, respectively.
Understanding Knowledge and Attitude of Farmers towards Antibiotic Use and Antimicrobial Resistance in Jhunjhunu District, Rajasthan India
Authors: Dhayal Virendra Singh , Krishnan Ayana , Rehman Bilal Ur , Singh Vijay Pal
Published: December 2023

The misuse of antibiotics in veterinary practices by farmers is harming livestock production and food safety and leading to the rise of antibiotic resistance (AMR). This can also transfer resistant bacteria from animals to humans, posing a serious public health threat. However, we have not paid enough attention to understanding how farmers behave in this regard. Our study aims to explore farmers’ behaviors and identify the factors that influence their choices. To conduct this study, we used a questionnaire with 40 questions and surveyed 208 farmers in Jhunjhunu district, Rajasthan. We analyzed the data using SPSS. Here are the key findings: About 58.3% of the farmers have some awareness of antibiotics, and 49.5% are aware of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Notably, as the level of education increases, so does awareness of antibiotics. Unfortunately, 63.9% of the farmers are not aware of the withdrawal time, and 64% have no idea about the presence of antibiotic residues during this period. Around 75% of farmers vaccinate their animals, but approximately 56.9% of individuals have never undergone an antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST) for milk. Around 48.6% of farmers are unaware of government testing centers. Several factors hinder farmers from implementing proper animal management practices, such as the high fees of veterinarians. When their animals become sick, their first choice is home remedies, followed by using old prescriptions. Additionally, 63.9% stop treatment once the animal looks better. A significant portion (83.8%) of farmers rely on local pharmacists for medicine. It has been determined that there is no significant correlation between education, experience, age, and the level of awareness concerning withdrawal periods, the existence of government antibiotic sensitivity test (ABST) centers, and entities responsible for sending samples for ABST. In our qualitative analysis, focus groups identified significant barriers to following best farm practices and spreading awareness about AMR. These findings suggest that addressing AMR in livestock requires a comprehensive approach. This should include targeted education and awareness programs for farmers, as well as improved access to veterinary services.
Bioengineering the Antimicrobial Activity of Yeast by Recombinant Thanatin Production
Authors: Pipiya Sofiya O. , Kudzhaev Arsen M. , Mirzoeva Nisso Z. , Mokrushina Yuliana A. , Ziganshin Rustam H. , Komlev Alexey S. , Petrova Polina E. , Smirnov Ivan V. , Gabibov Alexander G. , Shamova Olga V. , Terekhov Stanislav S.
Published: December 2023

The global spread of antibiotic resistance marks the end of the era of conventional antibiotics. Mankind desires new molecular tools to fight pathogenic bacteria. In this regard, the development of new antimicrobials based on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is again of particular interest. AMPs have various mechanisms of action on bacterial cells. Moreover, AMPs have been reported to be efficient in preclinical studies, demonstrating a low level of resistance formation. Thanatin is a small, beta-hairpin antimicrobial peptide with a bacterial-specific mode of action, predetermining its low cytotoxicity toward eukaryotic cells. This makes thanatin an exceptional candidate for new antibiotic development. Here, a microorganism was bioengineered to produce an antimicrobial agent, providing novel opportunities in antibiotic research through the directed creation of biocontrol agents. The constitutive heterologous production of recombinant thanatin (rThan) in the yeast Pichia pastoris endows the latter with antibacterial properties. Optimized expression and purification conditions enable a high production level, yielding up to 20 mg/L of rThan from the culture medium. rThan shows a wide spectrum of activity against pathogenic bacteria, similarly to its chemically synthesized analogue. The designed approach provides new avenues for AMP engineering and creating live biocontrol agents to fight antibiotic resistance.
Coenzyme Q10: A Biomarker in the Differential Diagnosis of Parkinsonian Syndromes
Authors: Bartošová Tereza , Klempíř Jiří , Hansíková Hana
Published: December 2023

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is generally a sporadic neurodegenerative disease which ranks among atypical Parkinson’s syndromes. The main clinical manifestation is a combination of autonomic dysfunction and parkinsonism and/or cerebellar disability. The disease may resemble other Parkinsonian syndromes, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), from which MSA could be hardly distinguishable during the first years of progression. Due to the lack of a reliable and easily accessible biomarker, the diagnosis is still based primarily on the clinical picture. Recently, reduced levels of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) were described in MSA in various tissues, including the central nervous system. The aim of our study was to verify whether the level of CoQ10 in plasma and lymphocytes could serve as an easily available diagnostic biomarker of MSA. The study reported significantly lower levels of CoQ10 in the lymphocytes of patients with MSA compared to patients with PD and controls. The reduction in CoQ10 levels in lymphocytes correlated with the increasing degree of clinical involvement of patients with MSA. CoQ10 levels in lymphocytes seem to be a potential biomarker of disease progression.
Examination of Determinants and Predictive Modeling of Artificially Frozen Soil Strength Utilizing the XGBoost Algorithm
Authors: Wang Chenguang , Yang Chaoyue , Qin Haoran , Wang Yanning
Published: December 2023

A freezing method is usually employed in the construction of metro links. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) is a pivotal mechanical parameter in freezing design. Due to the limitations of indoor experiments and the complexity of influencing factors, the applicability of empirical strength formulas is poor. This study predicts the strength of frozen soil with different particle size distributions based on the highly integrated XGBoost algorithm. Compared with other empirical formula methods, the accuracy is high. Through the analysis of Pearson’s correlation coefficient results, further analysis is needed on the nonlinear correlation between the temperature, the strain rate, and the unconfined compressive strength of frozen soil. The results indicated a strong negative correlation between temperature and unconfined compressive strength; the strength initially increased at a faster rate, slowed down during the intermediate phase, and again increased at a faster rate toward the end. There was a positive correlation between the strain rate and the unconfined compressive strength, with the strength exhibiting varying sensitivities to different sizes of strain rates. When the strain rate was relatively small, the strength increased slightly; as the strain rate increased, the strength increased more significantly. Different soils showed similar trends, but differences in the particle size distribution resulted in variations in the final strength. This study can provide a scientific basis for predicting the strength of soil bodies in the freeze–thaw construction of subway connection tunnels.
Not All Seeds Are Important: Fuzzing Guided by Untouched Edges
Authors: Xie Chen , Jia Peng , Yang Pin , Hu Chi , Kuang Hongbo , Ye Genzuo , Hong Xuanquan
Published: December 2023

Coverage-guided greybox fuzzing (CGF) has become the mainstream technology used in the field of vulnerability mining, which has been proven to be effective. Seed scheduling, the process of selecting seeds from the seeds pool for subsequent fuzzing iterations, is a critical component of CGF. While many seed scheduling strategies have been proposed in academia, they all focus on the explored regions within programs. In response to the inefficiencies of traditional seed scheduling strategies, which often allocate resources to ineffective seeds, we introduce a novel seed scheduling strategy guided by untouched edges. The strategy generates the optional seed set according to the information on the untouched edges. We also present a new instrumentation method to capture unexplored areas and guide the fuzzing process toward them. We implemented the prototype UntouchFuzz on top of American Fuzzy Lop (AFL) and conducted evaluation experiments against the most advanced seed scheduling strategies. Our results demonstrate that UntouchFuzz has improved in code coverage and unique vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the method proposed is transplanted into the fuzzer MOpt, which further proves the scalability of the method. In particular, 13 vulnerabilities were found in the open-source projects, with 7 of them having assigned CVEs.
Diversity Challenge in Skin Care: Adaptations of a Simple Emulsion for Efficient Moisturization across Multiple Geographies
Authors: Roso Alicia , Kern Catherine , Cambos Sophie , Garcia Christine
Published: December 2023

Moisturization is a primary need in skin care. This study aimed to investigate whether the C12-C20 glucolipid emulsifier could provide minimalist water-in-oil emulsions (i.e., a minimum number of ingredients, in reasonable quantities) with a significant moisturizing effect across multiple geographies even if the emulsion structure needed to be adapted to meet local expectations. Four structures were tested containing a stabilizer and an oily phase that were adapted to address consumers’ skin feel expectations in each location. In vivo corneometry and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) measurements were carried out on volunteers with dry skin up to 24 h after application (leg or forearm; phototypes I to VI). The first investigation was completed in France comparing corneometry measurements to the control without the emulsifier and an untreated area. Studies were then performed in Brazil, India and Mauritius, combining corneometry and TEWL assessments. Significant increase in skin capacitance was observed in the four countries, compared to the untreated area, at 5/6/8 h after application and up to 24 h. The effect was also significant versus the control in the French study at 5 h. A significant decrease in TEWL compared to the untreated area was observed concurrently in Brazil, India and Mauritius.
Exploring Multi-Fidelity Data in Materials Science: Challenges, Applications, and Optimized Learning Strategies
Authors: Wang Ziming , Liu Xiaotong , Chen Haotian , Yang Tao , He Yurong
Published: December 2023

Machine learning techniques offer tremendous potential for optimizing resource allocation in solving real-world problems. However, the emergence of multi-fidelity data introduces new challenges. This paper offers an overview of the definition, applications, data preprocessing methodologies, and learning approaches associated with multi-fidelity data. To validate the algorithms, we examine three widely-used learning methods relevant to multi-fidelity data through the design of multi-fidelity datasets that encompass various types of noise. As we expected, employing multi-fidelity data learning methods yields better results compared to solely using high-fidelity data learning methods. Additionally, considering the inherent various types of noise within datasets, the comprehensive correction strategy proves to be the most effective. Moreover, multi-fidelity learning methods facilitate effective decision-making processes by enabling the combination of datasets from various sources. They extract knowledge from lower fidelity data, improving model accuracy compared to models solely relying on high-fidelity data.
An Efficient Document Retrieval for Korean Open-Domain Question Answering Based on ColBERT
Authors: Kang Byungha , Kim Yeonghwa , Shin Youhyun
Published: December 2023

Open-domain question answering requires the task of retrieving documents with high relevance to the query from a large-scale corpus. Deep learning-based dense retrieval methods have become the primary approach for finding related documents. Although deep learning-based methods have improved search accuracy compared to traditional techniques, they simultaneously impose a considerable increase in computational burden. Consequently, research on efficient models and methods that optimize the trade-off between search accuracy and time to alleviate computational demands is required. In this paper, we propose a Korean document retrieval method utilizing ColBERT’s late interaction paradigm to efficiently calculate the relevance between questions and documents. For open-domain Korean question answering document retrieval, we construct a Korean dataset using various corpora from AI-Hub. We conduct experiments comparing the search accuracy and inference time among the traditional IR (information retrieval) model BM25, the dense retrieval approach utilizing BERT-based models for Korean, and our proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach achieves a higher accuracy than BM25 and requires less search time than the dense retrieval method employing KoBERT. Moreover, the most outstanding performance is observed when using KoSBERT, a pre-trained Korean language model that learned to position semantically similar sentences closely in vector space.
Load and Deformation Analysis in Experimental and Numerical Studies of Full-Size Wooden Beams Reinforced with Prestressed FRP and Steel Bars
Authors: Wdowiak-Postulak Agnieszka , Gocál Jozef , Bahleda František , Prokop Jozef
Published: December 2023

The use of composite precast or steel bars as reinforcements for timber beams is an important technique that can improve effectiveness or allow cross sections to be reduced. This paper presents experimental, theoretical, and numerical studies of full-size timber beams measuring 82 × 162 × 3650 mm3 using prestressed steel bars and 10 mm diameter basalt and glass bars with a prestress of 10 MPa. In addition, parametric studies were carried out using FEM numerical simulations. In the experimental tests, an increase in load-bearing capacity and stiffness of up to 58% and 10.7% for steel bars, 32% and 10.1% for basalt bars, and 27% and 7.8% for glass bars, respectively, was obtained compared to unreinforced beams. The different levels of improvement in reinforcement efficiency was also related to the different elastic modulus of the reinforcement itself. Unreinforced beams showed a linear elastic range. In contrast, on beams reinforced with steel bars, the curve had a slightly steeper line than the control beam, and the slope of the curve then decreased when a certain load was reached. All beams failed when the lower wood fibers reached maximum tensile strain. The allowable compressive strain then decreased by 36.6% for basalt bars, 32.9% for glass bars, and 30.4% for steel bars. The use of prestressing further exploited the strength of the reinforcement beyond the yield point. All unreinforced beams primarily failed in the tension zone due to fracture of the timber fibers. Prestressed and reinforced beams were already failing due to bending and shear. The experimental and numerical analysis was also compared, and the results showed a good agreement and a maximum difference of approximately 5.7%.
Numerical Investigation on the Influence of Super-Large-Diameter Shield Tunneling on Nearby Existing Metro Tunnels and the Protection Scheme
Authors: Li Yixiang , Zou Zongxing
Published: December 2023

To reduce traffic congestion and meet the demand for rail transportation, the diameters of shield tunnels are constantly expanded. The super-large diameter, deep depth and long distance of super-large-diameter shield tunnels, coupled with the limitation of existing structures on underground construction space, cause many problems in the construction of these tunnels, such as affecting existing structures. This study takes a shield project in Wuhan as the research object, uses the finite element method to simulate the influence of super-large-diameter shield tunnelling on the displacement of the existing Line 5 tunnel segments, and analyzes the influence of the isolation pile arrangement and length on the isolation effect. The analysis indicates that (1) the displacement of Line 5 decreases with an increasing horizontal center distance between the tunnels and increases with an increasing vertical center distance between the tunnels, with a maximum displacement of 17.9 mm; (2) the displacement direction and position of the maximum displacement of Line 5 vary with changes in the vertical center distance between the tunnels, but remain essentially constant with changes in the horizontal center distance; and (3) the isolation piles closer to the shield tunnel improve support, with its isolation effect on the Line 5 segment becoming limited.
Robust Control of An Inverted Pendulum System Based on Policy Iteration in Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Ma Yan , Xu Dengguo , Huang Jiashun , Li Yahui
Published: December 2023

This paper is primarily focused on the robust control of an inverted pendulum system based on policy iteration in reinforcement learning. First, a mathematical model of the single inverted pendulum system is established through a force analysis of the pendulum and trolley. Second, based on the theory of robust optimal control, the robust control of the uncertain linear inverted pendulum system is transformed into an optimal control problem with an appropriate performance index. Moreover, for the uncertain linear and nonlinear systems, two reinforcement-learning control algorithms are proposed using the policy iteration method. Finally, two numerical examples are provided to validate the reinforcement learning algorithms for the robust control of the inverted pendulum systems.
Seismic Performance Evaluation and Analysis of Vertical Hydrogen Storage Vessels Based on Shaking Table Testing
Authors: Lee Sangmoon , Jeon Bubgyu , Jung Wooyoung
Published: December 2023

In this study, the structural integrity of a system installed on protrusion concrete, considering the usability of a vertical hydrogen storage vessel, was verified. To achieve this, a site survey was conducted to select the target structure, and analytical validation was performed to design specimens for shaking table tests. Subsequently, dynamic behavior characteristics were analyzed using an artificial earthquake simulated according to the procedures outlined in ICC-ES AC 156, which is the seismic design criterion. As a result, it was observed that the seismic motion was amplified by approximately 10 times compared to the original load magnitude, based on the acceleration response of the test specimen. It is inferred that the seismic motion occurring during an earthquake could cause significant damage to both the internal and external aspects of the structure, depending on the structure’s form and the composition of materials. Through analytical verification and testing, it was revealed that the main structure of the test specimen and the anchor bolts for installation met the seismic performance criteria. However, the protrusion concrete area exhibited damage, indicating a structural vulnerability when subjected to external forces such as earthquakes. Consequently, on-site measures to address this structural risk need to be explored.
Analysis of the Slanted-Edge Measurement Method for the Modulation Transfer Function of Remote Sensing Cameras
Authors: Yu Jian , Zhang Yu , Qi Biao , Bai Xiaotian , Wu Wei , Liu Hongxing
Published: December 2023

The modulation transfer function (MTF) serves as a crucial technical index for assessing the imaging quality of remote sensing cameras, which is integral throughout their entire operational cycle. Currently, the MTF evaluation of remote sensing cameras primarily relies on the slanted-edge method. The factors influencing the slanted-edge method’s effectiveness are broadly classified into two categories: algorithmic factors and image factors. This paper innovatively comprehensively analyzes the influencing factors of the slanted-edge method and proposes an improved slanted-edge method to calculate the MTF testing method of remote sensing cameras, which is applied to the MTF testing of remote sensing cameras. Since the traditional algorithm can only be applied in the small angle situation, this paper proposes a new method of slanted-edge method test calculation based on the optimal oversampling rate (OSR) adaptive model of the slanted edge and uses simulation experiments to verify the reliability of the algorithm model through the deviation of the slanted-edge angle calculation and MTF measurement, and the results show that the algorithm improves the accuracy of the MTF measurement compared with the ISO-cos and OMINI-sine methods. Then, the effects of the slanted-edge angle, image region of interest (ROI), as well as image contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the accuracy of the MTF calculation by the slanted-edge method were quantitatively analyzed as the constraints of the slanted-edge method test. Based on the laboratory target experiment, the algorithm flow and various influencing factors obtained in the simulation stage are verified, and the experimental results are more consistent with the various test results obtained in the simulation stage. Consequently, the slanted-edge method introduced in this paper is applicable for future remote sensing camera MTF testing. This approach offers a valuable reference for on-orbit focusing, satellite operational condition monitoring, lifespan estimation, and image restoration.
Facile Synthesis of Ni3+/Co3+ Ion-Doped Zn2SnO4 Microspheres toward Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Yu Yanlong , Zhang Jun , Lin Yi , Zhao Dandan , Li Ziying , Yan Sai
Published: December 2023

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbons is a promising solution for the energy crisis and greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, the fabrication and development of a new type of photocatalyst is of great importance for the practical application of CO2 reduction. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of Zn2SnO4 (ZTO) microspheres doped with Co3+ ions or Ni3+ ions. The doped Co3+/Ni3+ ions substitute the lattice Zn/Sn ions. DFT calculations and experimental results reveal that the doped Co3+/Ni3+ ions would induce new doping energy levels in the band gap, extend the light response from the UV to the visible region, and separate the charge carriers. As a result, compared with pure ZTO, the photocatalytic activity of a CO2 reduction into CH4 is significantly improved for Co-doped ZTO (Co-ZTO) and Ni-doped ZTO (Ni-ZTO).
Effect of Subglottic Stenosis on Expiratory Sound Using Direct Noise Calculation
Authors: Geng Biao , Xue Qian , Thomson Scott , Zheng Xudong
Published: December 2023

Subglottic stenosis (SGS) is a rare yet potentially life-threatening condition that requires prompt identification and treatment. One of the primary symptoms of SGS is a respiratory sound that is tonal. To better understand the effect of SGS on expiratory sound, we used direct noise calculation to simulate sound production in a simplified axisymmetric configuration that included the trachea, the vocal folds, the supraglottal tract, and an open environmental space. This study focused on flow-sustained tones and explored the impact of various parameters, such as the SGS severity, the SGS distance, the flowrate, and the glottal opening size. It was found that the sound pressure level (SPL) of the expiratory sound increased with flowrate. SGS had little effect on the sound until its severity approached 75% and SPL increased rapidly as the severity approached 100%. The results also revealed that the tonal components of the sound predominantly came from hole tones and tract harmonics and their coupling. The spectra of the sound were greatly influenced by constricting the glottis, which suggests that respiratory tasks that involve maneuvers to change the glottal opening size could be useful in gathering more information on respiratory sound to aid in the diagnosis of subglottic stenosis.
Evaluation of Different Work Zone Road-Occupation Schemes for Monorail Construction
Authors: Wang Ya , Pan Binghong , Xie Zilong , Shao Mengyu , Shi Mengmeng , Tian Xin
Published: December 2023

Due to the increasing demand for transportation, road renovation is inevitable, and the emergence of work zones has become the most common problem in traffic control. There are many research results on the impact of work zones on traffic operation, but most of them focus on various capacity theoretical models or traffic flow control strategies and are mostly concentrated in highway work areas and urban road subway construction work areas. The location of these work zones is often unable to be changed and is mostly considered reasonable. At present, there is still a gap in selecting and evaluating the location of the work zone. Therefore, this article studied a bidirectional six-lane intersection in Xi’an and investigated the situation of traffic flow distortion caused by the setting of work zones at the intersection. Two different positions and forms of work zones were designed for evaluation and analysis. Firstly, we used VISSIM (2022 student) to simulate the original and proposed work zone road-occupation schemes and analyzed six indicators. Finally, in order to determine the optimal work zone locations under different traffic situations, we applied the entropy weight method (EWM) to assign weights to multiple indicators, thereby achieving a comprehensive assessment of various schemes. The results showed that the highest improvement level among the six indicators was 50.2%, and different schemes adapted to different traffic situations. However, occupying two lanes of the median opposite the exit lane performed better under high traffic volume. Occupying the median and lanes on both sides of the median is suitable for low traffic volume. Occupying two lanes of the entrance lane and using the opposite lane as the left-turn entrance lane is suitable for situations with high traffic volume in the opposite lane.
Seismic Capacity of R/C Buildings Retrofitted with a V-Bracing System Equipped with a Novel Laterally Layered Friction Damper
Authors: Lee Bok-Gi , Kim Jin-Young , Jung Ju-Seong , Lee Kang-Seok
Published: December 2023

This study proposed a novel V-bracing system equipped with a laterally layered friction damper (LLFD), which can supplement the shortcomings of conventional vibration control systems and is applicable to existing reinforced concrete (R/C) buildings. A material test was used to evaluate the material performance and energy dissipation capacity of this LLFD. Pseudo-dynamic testing was conducted on two-story frame specimens based on an existing R/C building with non-seismic details to verify the seismic retrofitting effects of applying the LLFD V-bracing system to existing R/C frames, i.e., the restoring force characteristics, energy dissipation capacity, and seismic response control capacity. Based on the results of the material and pseudo-dynamic tests, restoring characteristics were proposed for the non-linear dynamic analysis of a building (frame specimen) retrofitted with the LLFD V-bracing system. A non-linear dynamic analysis was conducted based on the proposed restoring force characteristics, and the results obtained were compared with the pseudo-dynamic test results. Finally, for evaluating the commercialization potential of the LLFD V-bracing system, a non-linear dynamic analysis was conducted on an existing R/C building with non-seismic details retrofitted with the system. The seismic retrofitting effect was verified by examining the seismic response load and displacement characteristics, energy dissipation capacity, and damper load and displacement response before and after seismic retrofitting. The study results showed that the R/C frame (building) with non-seismic details exhibited shear failure at a design basis earthquake scale of 200 cm/s2; however, light seismic damage could be expected for a frame (building) retrofitted with the LLFD V-bracing system. At a maximum considered earthquake scale of 300 cm/s2, insignificant seismic damage was also anticipated, thereby verifying the validity of the newly developed LLFD V-bracing system.
First-Stage Dynamics of the Immune System and Cancer
Authors: Herrero Roberto , Nieves Joan , Gonzalez Augusto
Published: December 2023

The innate immune system is the first line of defense against pathogens. Its composition includes barriers, mucus, and other substances as well as phagocytic and other cells. The purpose of the present paper is to compare tissues with regard to their immune response to infections and to cancer. Simple ideas and the qualitative theory of differential equations are used along with general principles such as the minimization of the pathogen load and economy of resources. In the simplest linear model, the annihilation rate of pathogens in any tissue should be greater than the pathogen’s average replication rate. When nonlinearities are added, a stability condition emerges, which relates the strength of regular threats, barrier height, and annihilation rate. The stability condition allows for a comparison of immunity in different tissues. On the other hand, in cancer immunity, the linear model leads to an expression for the lifetime risk, which accounts for both the effects of carcinogens (endogenous or external) and the immune response. The way the tissue responds to an infection shows a correlation with the way it responds to cancer. The results of this paper are formulated in the form of precise statements in such a way that they could be checked by present-day quantitative immunology.
Quantifying Landscape Pattern–Hydrological Process Linkage in Northwest Iran
Authors: Rasoulzadeh Ali , Mostafazadeh Raoof , Mobaser Javanshir Azizi , Alaei Nazila , Hazbavi Zeinab , Kisi Ozgur
Published: December 2023

The enormous heterogeneity and complexity of landscape patterns and their linkage with the hydrological responses have rarely been quantified and cataloged, especially in ungauged regions. This research therefore linked the landscape characteristics to hydrological processes using a newly developed runoff landscape index (RLI) at the watershed scale in Ardabil Province, northwest Iran. First, 11 common landscape metrics were calculated using Fragstats 4.2.1 software. Then, a runoff landscape index (RLI) was developed based on land cover (λC), soil (λK), and topography (λS) factors in 28 watersheds. Correlation and regression analyses were also conducted to determine the relationship between RLI, commonly used landscape metrics, and mean base flow. The spatial variations of all meaningful landscape metrics and RLI were considerable throughout the study watersheds. The mean values of λC, λK, and λS were found to be 2.78 ± 1.08, 0.50 ± 0.10, and 1.22 ± 0.30, respectively. The mean RLI varied from 0.00009 in the Lay Watershed with an area of 19.09 km2 to 0.28 in the Boran Watershed with 10,268.95 km2. The correlation coefficient (r > 0.42; p-value < 0.05) was obtained significantly between RLI and only five landscape metrics, including the largest patch index (LPI), landscape shape index (LSI), landscape division index (DIVISION), splitting index (SPLIT), and Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI). In addition, a regression model with R2 of 0.97 and 0.67, respectively, in calibration and validation steps was established between river base flow as the dependent variable and main waterway length, LPI, LSI, SPLIT, modified Simpson’s diversity index (MSIDI), and λS as independent variables. The result confirms the significant interdependence of RLI and landscape characteristics, which can be used to interpret the landscape’s dynamic and its effects on hydrological processes.
A Novel Method for State of Health Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Deep Learning Neural Network and Transfer Learning
Authors: Ren Zhong , Du Changqing , Zhao Yifang
Published: December 2023

Accurate state of health (SOH) estimation of lithium-ion batteries is critical for maintaining reliable and safe working conditions for electric vehicles (EVs). The machine learning-based method with health features (HFs) is encouraging for health prognostics. However, the machine learning method assumes that the training and testing data have the same distribution, which restricts its application for different types of batteries. Thus, in this paper, a deep learning neural network and fine-tuning-based transfer learning strategy are proposed for accurate and robust SOH estimation toward different types of batteries. First, a universal HF extraction strategy is proposed to obtain four highly related HFs. Second, a deep learning neural network consisting of long short-term memory (LSTM) and fully connected layers is established to model the relationship between the HFs and SOH. Third, the fine-tuning-based transfer learning strategy is exploited for SOH estimation of various types of batteries. The proposed methods are comprehensively verified using three open-source datasets. Experimental results show that the proposed deep learning neural network with the HFs can estimate the SOH accurately in a single dataset without using the transfer learning strategy where the mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) are constrained to 1.21% and 1.83%. For the transfer learning between different aging datasets, the overall MAE and RMSE are limited to 1.09% and 1.41%, demonstrating the reliability of the fine-tuning strategy.
Multi-Method Model for the Investigation of Disassembly Scenarios for Electric Vehicle Batteries
Authors: Baazouzi Sabri , Grimm Julian , Birke Kai Peter
Published: December 2023

Disassembly is a pivotal technology to enable the circularity of electric vehicle batteries through the application of circular economy strategies to extend the life cycle of battery components through solutions such as remanufacturng, repurposing, and efficient recycling, ultimately reintegrating gained materials into the production of new battery systems. This paper aims to develop a multi-method self-configuring simulation model to investigate disassembly scenarios, taking into account battery design as well as the configuration and layout of the disassembly station. We demonstrate the developed model in a case study using a Mercedes–Benz battery and the automated disassembly station of the DeMoBat project at Fraunhofer IPA. Furthermore, we introduce two disassembly scenarios: component-oriented and accessibility-oriented disassembly. These scenarios are compared using the simulation model to determine several indicators, including the frequency of tool change, the number and distribution of robot routes, tool utilization, and disassembly time.
Ionic Liquid-Laden Zn-MOF-74-Based Solid-State Electrolyte for Sodium Batteries
Authors: Mirandona-Olaeta Alexander , Goikolea Eider , Lanceros-Mendez Senentxu , Fidalgo-Marijuan Arkaitz , Ruiz de Larramendi Idoia
Published: December 2023

Sodium batteries are receiving increasing interest as an alternative to reduce dependence on lithium-based systems. Furthermore, the development of solid-state electrolytes will lead to higher-performing and safer devices. In this work, a Zn-based metal–organic framework (Zn-MOF-74) is combined as a physical barrier against the growth of dendrites, together with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIm][TFSI]) ionic liquid, which provides improved mobility to sodium ions. It is demonstrated that the incorporation of the appropriate amount of ionic liquid within the pores of the MOF produces a considerable increase in ionic conductivity, achieving values as high as 5 × 10−4 S cm−1 at room temperature, in addition to an acceptable Na+ transference number. Furthermore, the developed Na[EMIm][TFSI]@Zn-MOF-74 hybrid solid electrolyte contributes to stable and dendrite-free sodium plating/stripping for more than 100 h. Finally, a more than notable extension of the electrochemical stability window of the electrolyte has been determined, being useful even above 7 V vs. Na+/Na. Overall, this work presents a suitable strategy for the next generation of solid-state sodium batteries.
Tuning Fatty Acid Profile and Yield in Pichia pastoris
Authors: Kobalter Simon , Voit Alena , Bekerle-Bogner Myria , Rudalija Haris , Haas Anne , Wriessnegger Tamara , Pichler Harald
Published: December 2023

Fatty acids have been supplied for diverse non-food, industrial applications from plant oils and animal fats for many decades. Due to the massively increasing world population demanding a nutritious diet and the thrive to provide feedstocks for industrial production lines in a sustainable way, i.e., independent from food supply chains, alternative fatty acid sources have massively gained in importance. Carbohydrate-rich side-streams of agricultural production, e.g., molasses, lignocellulosic waste, glycerol from biodiesel production, and even CO2, are considered and employed as carbon sources for the fermentative accumulation of fatty acids in selected microbial hosts. While certain fatty acid species are readily accumulated in native microbial metabolic routes, other fatty acid species are scarce, and host strains need to be metabolically engineered for their high-level production. We report the metabolic engineering of Pichia pastoris to produce palmitoleic acid from glucose and discuss the beneficial and detrimental engineering steps in detail. Fatty acid secretion was achieved through the deletion of fatty acyl-CoA synthetases and overexpression of the truncated E. coli thioesterase ‘TesA. The best strains secreted >1 g/L free fatty acids into the culture medium. Additionally, the introduction of C16-specific ∆9-desaturases and fatty acid synthases, coupled with improved cultivation conditions, increased the palmitoleic acid content from 5.5% to 22%.
Editorial for the Special Issue, ‘Secondary Metabolites from Microorganisms or Microorganism–Host Interaction?’
Authors: Zhang Fengli , Denis Michel
Published: December 2023

In this Special Issue, there are 13 published papers from over 10 countries [...]