bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
QTL Mapping and GWAS Reveal the Genetic Mechanism Controlling Soluble Solids Content in Brassica napus Shoots
Authors: Wu Xu , Chen Feng , Zhao Xiaozhen , Pang Chengke , Shi Rui , Liu Changle , Sun Chengming , Zhang Wei , Wang Xiaodong , Zhang Jiefu
Published: October 2021

Oilseed–vegetable-dual-purpose (OVDP) rapeseed can effectively alleviate the land contradiction between crops and it supplements vegetable supplies in winter or spring. The soluble solids content (SSC) is an important index that is used to evaluate the quality and sugar content of fruits and vegetables. However, the genetic architecture underlying the SSC in Brassica napus shoots is still unclear. Here, quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the SSC in B. napus shoots were investigated by performing linkage mapping using a recombinant inbred line population containing 189 lines. A germplasm set comprising 302 accessions was also used to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The QTL mapping revealed six QTLs located on chromosomes A01, A04, A08, and A09 in two experiments. Among them, two major QTLs, qSSC/21GY.A04-1 and qSSC/21NJ.A08-1, accounted for 12.92% and 10.18% of the phenotypic variance, respectively. In addition, eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms with phenotypic variances between 5.62% and 10.18% were identified by the GWAS method. However, no locus was simultaneously identified by QTL mapping and GWAS. We identified AH174 (7.55 °Brix and 7.9 °Brix), L166 (8.9 °Brix and 8.38 °Brix), and L380 (8.9 °Brix and 7.74 °Brix) accessions can be used as superior parents. These results provide valuable information that increases our understanding of the genetic control of SSC and will facilitate the breeding of high-SSC B. napus shoots.
Dual-Gendered Leadership: Gender-Inclusive Scientific-Political Public Health Communication Supporting Government COVID-19 Responses in Atlantic Canada
Authors: Wu Haorui , Mackenzie Jason
Published: October 2021

This research aims to identify the influence of woman leadership on improving the traditional man-dominated scientific-political communication towards positive COVID-19-driven public health interventions. Across Canada, dual-gendered leadership (women chief medical officers and men prime minister/premiers) at both federal and provincial levels illustrated a positive approach to “flatten the curve” during the first and second waves of COVID-19. With the four provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Canada formed the “Atlantic Bubble”, which has become a great example domestically and internationally of successfully mitigating the pandemic while maintaining societal operation. Three provinces have benefitted from this complementary dual-gendered leadership. This case study utilized a scoping media coverage review approach, quantitatively examining how gender-inclusive scientific-political cooperation supported effective provincial responses in Atlantic Canada during the first two waves of COVID-19. This case study discovers that (1) at the provincial government level, woman leadership of mitigation, advocating, and coordination encouraged provincial authorities to adapt science-based interventions and deliver consistent and supportive public health information to the general public; and (2) at the community level, this dual-gendered leadership advanced community cohesion toward managing the community-based spread of COVID-19. Future studies may apply a longitudinal, retrospective approach with Canada-wide or cross-national comparison to further evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of dual-gendered leadership.
Artificial Intelligence in Digital Pathology: What Is the Future? Part 2: An Investigation on the Insiders
Authors: Giovagnoli Maria Rosaria , Ciucciarelli Sara , Castrichella Livia , Giansanti Daniele
Published: October 2021

Motivation: This study deals with the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital pathology (DP). The study starts from the highlights of a companion paper. Objective: The aim was to investigate the consensus and acceptance of the insiders on this issue. Procedure: An electronic survey based on the standardized package Microsoft Forms (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) was proposed to a sample of biomedical laboratory technicians (149 admitted in the study, 76 males, 73 females, mean age 44.2 years). Results: The survey showed no criticality. It highlighted (a) the good perception of the basic training on both groups, and (b) a uniformly low perceived knowledge of AI (as arisen from the graded questions). Expectations, perceived general impact, perceived changes in the work-flow, and worries clearly emerged in the study. Conclusions: The of AI in DP is an unstoppable process, as well as the increase of the digitalization in the health domain. Stakeholders must not look with suspicion towards AI, which can represent an important resource, but should invest in monitoring and consensus training initiatives based also on electronic surveys.
Metalaxyl Resistance of Phytophthora palmivora Causing Durian Diseases in Thailand
Authors: Kongtragoul Pornprapa , Ishikawa Koichiro , Ishii Hideo
Published: October 2021

Thailand is the leading producer and exporter of durians worldwide. Serious diseases in durians include root rot, stem rot, and fruit rot, which are caused by Phytophthora palmivora, P. nicotianae, and Pythium cucurbitacearum, respectively. Thai farmers have applied fungicides for more than 20 years to control rot, but it remains difficult to control. Thus, the monitoring of fungicide-resistance development in pathogens is important for disease management. Pathogens were isolated from naturally infected durians between 2016 and 2017 in southern Thailand. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 5.8S regions of rDNA were used for the identification of their species. Seventeen out of twenty isolates were confirmed to be P. palmivora. All the isolates were tested for mycelium-growth sensitivity to metalaxyl, azoxystrobin, and dimethomorph. The results showed that nine isolates were resistant to metalaxyl with the 50% effective concentration (EC50) higher than 100 mg L−1. By contrast, all the isolates were sensitive to both azoxystrobin and dimethomorph, with EC50 < 1 mg L−1. Metalaxyl-resistant isolates were not controlled (−25.6% to 22.2%) by the treatment of the detached leaves of ‘Monthong’ durian with 100 mg L−1 metalaxyl prior to inoculation, but all the metalaxyl-sensitive and moderately metalaxyl-resistant isolates were better controlled (33.0% to 62.6%). These results clearly indicate that metalaxyl-resistant strains are present in the populations of P. palmivora in Thailand.
Dehydrins and Soluble Sugars Involved in Cold Acclimation of Rosa wichurana and Rose Cultivar ‘Yesterday’
Authors: Ouyang Lin , Leus Leen , De Keyser Ellen , Van Labeke Marie-Christine
Published: October 2021

Rose is the most economically important ornamental plant. However, cold stress seriously affects the survival and regrowth of garden roses in northern regions. Cold acclimation was studied using two genotypes (Rosa wichurana and R. hybrida ‘Yesterday’) selected from a rose breeding program. During the winter season (November to April), the cold hardiness of stems, soluble sugar content, and expression of dehydrins and the related key genes in the soluble sugar metabolism were analyzed. ‘Yesterday’ is more cold-hardy and acclimated faster, reaching its maximum cold hardiness in December. R. wichurana is relatively less cold-hardy, only reaching its maximum cold hardiness in January after prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures. Dehydrin transcripts accumulated significantly during November–January in both genotypes. Soluble sugars are highly involved in cold acclimation, with sucrose and oligosaccharides significantly correlated with cold hardiness. Sucrose occupied the highest proportion of total soluble sugars in both genotypes. During November–January, downregulation of RhSUS was found in both genotypes, while upregulation of RhSPS was observed in ‘Yesterday’ and upregulation of RhINV2 was found in R. wichurana. Oligosaccharides accumulated from November to February and decreased to a significantly low level in April. RhRS6 had a significant upregulation in December in R. wichurana. This study provides insight into the cold acclimation mechanism of roses by combining transcription patterns with metabolite quantification.
Effects of 1-MCP on the Physiological Attributes, Volatile Components and Ester-Biosynthesis-Related Gene Expression during Storage of ‘Jinyan’ Kiwifruit
Authors: Wang Qiang , An Xiaoxia , Xiang Miaolian , Chen Xiu , Luo Zhenyu , Fu Yongqi , Chen Ming , Chen Jinyin
Published: October 2021

The effects of 1.0 μL/L 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on aroma quality and ester-biosynthesis-related gene expression of ‘Jinyan’ kiwifruit during room storage were examined, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for the postharvest storage of kiwifruit. The results demonstrate that 1-MCP treatment conspicuously inhibited respiration rate, delayed a decrease in fruit firmness and increased soluble solid content (SSC) in ‘Jinyan’ kiwifruit. Compared to the control, the relative content of aroma components markedly changed in 1-MCP treatment kiwifruit during fruit ripening. The characteristic aroma of ‘Jinyan’ kiwifruit included ethyl butanoate, methyl butanoate, E-2-hexanal and hexenal, and 1-MCP treatment significantly reduced the ester content in kiwifruit. During the entire shelf life, the expression levels of AcLOX1, AcLOX5, AcLOX6, AcHPL and AcAAT were significantly inhibited in 1-MCP-treated fruit. However, the transcript level of AcADH was not suppressed by 1-MCP. The lower content of ester volatiles maybe ascribed to the suppression of AcLOXs, AcHPL and AcAAT.
Optimum Castor Meal Application in the Cultivation of Pak Choi (Brassica chinensis L.) with Toxicity Survey for Earthworms (Eisenia andrei)
Authors: Liu Zheng-Shang , Wu Jia-Mei , Lin Yong-Hong
Published: October 2021

In Taiwan, castor meal (CM) is often used by farmers as an organic fertilizer for the supplement of plant nutrition. It can rapidly increase nitrogen availability for crops. However, the excessive application of CM will affect the ecosystem. This study was conducted to evaluate the optimum concentration of CM that can be used as a fertilizer for balancing crop production and soil ecosystem health (by considering earthworms). Pak choi was selected for the experiment. A randomized block design with three replications was used, with treatments consisting of five concentrations of CM (namely 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg/0.1 ha) and fermented livestock compost 800 kg/0.1 ha, represented as CM25, CM50, CM100, CM150, CM200, and LC800, respectively. The results revealed that soil properties, leaf nutrient concentration, and plant traits, namely plant diameter, plant height, and fresh and dry root and shoot matter, improved with the increasing concentrations of CM, and CM100–CM200, and led to the highest production of pak choi which was equivalent to that with LC800. However, the weight of earthworms decreased as CM concentrations increased. The weight of earthworms was similar between CM25, CM50, CM100, and LC800. In conclusion, given the characteristics of high nitrogen as a fertilizer, the optimal dose of CM was 100–150 kg/0.1 ha for obtaining a balance between crop production and ecosystem safety.
Impact of Trichoderma asperellum on Chilling and Drought Stress in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Authors: Cornejo-Ríos Karen , Osorno-Suárez María del Pilar , Hernández-León Sergio , Reyes-Santamaría Ma Isabel , Juárez-Díaz Javier Andrés , Pérez-España Víctor Hugo , Peláez-Acero Armando , Madariaga-Navarrete Alfredo , Saucedo-García Mariana
Published: October 2021

The acceleration of climate change is necessitating the adoption of shifts in farming practices and technology to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production and food security. Because abiotic stresses such as drought and chilling represent major constraints on agricultural productivity worldwide, in this study, the mitigation of such stresses by the fungus Trichoderma asperellum HK703 was evaluated. The fungus was grown on whole grain oats, kaolin and vermiculite for 5 days and then the formulation was mixed with the potting soil to colonize the roots of the plants. The effect of the bioinoculant on tomato under drought or chilling was analyzed in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. Leaf, stem and root succulence, electrolyte leakage, the relative growth rate of plant height, stem thickness and leaf area, as well new leaf emergence and chlorophyll content were determined. The results showed that drought or chilling increased electrolyte leakage and reduced plant growth and development traits and chlorophyll (a,b) content. However, inoculation with T. asperellum eliminated or reduced most of the negative impacts of drought compared to the non-stressed plants, with the exception of chlorophyll b content. Furthermore, inoculation with T. asperellum improved some of the evaluated features in chilling stressed plants but had no effect on plant height or chlorophyll (a,b) content. The results of this study indicate that T. asperellum was more effective in alleviating drought than chilling stress in tomato plants.
Efficiency Evaluation of China’s Public Sports Services: A Three-Stage DEA Model
Authors: Ren Pengyu , Liu Zhaoxia
Published: October 2021

Improving the level of public sports services enhances citizens’ physical fitness by implementing the national fitness program. A systematic and scientific efficiency evaluation is a prerequisite for optimizing and improving the level of public sports services in China. Based on data of the Chinese Statistic Yearbook, this study adopted the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to measure and analyze the efficiency of public sports services in 31 provinces in China in 2016. To analyze the efficiency of public sports services, technical efficiency was decomposed into pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency. Simultaneously, environmental variables were added to improve accuracy. The results showed that scale efficiency was overestimated, and external technical efficiency was underestimated, before the elimination of external factors and environmental variables. Environmental factors significantly impacted the efficiency of public sports services. Regional gross domestic product (GDP) had a potentially positive impact, while population size partially restricted public sports service efficiency. After eliminating the impact of environmental and random factors, the comprehensive efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency of public sports services all showed improvement in varying degrees. The results provide beneficial insights for the formulation of rational improvement policies for public sports services.
SARS-CoV-2 and Atherosclerosis: Should COVID-19 Be Recognized as a New Predisposing Cardiovascular Risk Factor?
Authors: Vinciguerra Mattia , Romiti Silvia , Sangiorgi Giuseppe Massimo , Rose David , Miraldi Fabio , Greco Ernesto
Published: October 2021

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lung was recognized as the main target organ; now, new evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to vascular disease. In a previous review, we supposed a bidirectional link between endothelial dysfunction and COVID-19, identifying atherosclerosis as having a crucial role in its pathogenesis. Atherosclerosis with an existing endothelial dysfunction may worsen COVID-19 manifestations, leading to adverse outcomes, as largely reported. However, COVID-19 may be the trigger factor in the progression of the atherosclerotic process up to making it clinically manifest. The thrombotic complications can involve not only the atherosclerotic plaque, but also the durability of the surgical device implanted to treat a pre-existing coronary artery disease as recently reported. The burden of the disease makes necessary a long-term stratification of patients, revising drastically targeted therapy among others.
Post-Fire Mechanical Properties of Concrete Reinforced with Spanish Broom Fibers
Authors: Juradin Sandra , Vranješ Lidia Karla , Jozić Dražan , Boko Ivica
Published: October 2021

In this study, we conducted an initial investigation of the post-fire mechanical properties of concrete reinforced with Spanish broom fibers. The mechanical properties were determined at room temperature, and the post-fire mechanical properties were determined at elevated temperature, so that the fire resistance of the concrete could be determined. Five mixtures were considered: three with differently treated Spanish broom fibers, a polypropylene fiber mixture, and a reference concrete mixture. The concrete and reinforced concrete samples were first dried to 100 °C, then heated to 400 °C, and left to cool to room temperature. The samples were tested immediately and 96 h after cooling. The compressive strength, weight loss, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and dynamic modulus of elasticity were determined and compared. The cross-sectional images of the concrete samples captured through an optical microscope were observed and analyzed. The changes in fiber structure were monitored by TG/DTG analysis. The results of the study indicate that even the reference concrete mixture did not have satisfactory residual properties. The reinforced concretes did not improve the residual properties of the reference concrete, but reduced the spalling and explosive failure performance under a compressive load. The concrete reinforced with Spanish broom fibers showed improved residual properties compared with concrete reinforced with polypropylene fibers.
Wind–Wave Coupling Effect on the Dynamic Response of a Combined Wind–Wave Energy Converter
Authors: Li Jinghui , Shi Wei , Zhang Lixian , Michailides Constantine , Li Xin
Published: October 2021

There is a huge energy demand from offshore renewable energy resources. To maximize the use of various renewable energy sources, a combined floating energy system consisting of different types of energy devices is an ideal option to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) by sharing the infrastructure of the platform and enhancing the power production capacity. This study proposed a combined concept of energy systems by combing a heave-type wave energy converter (WEC) with a semisubmersible floating wind turbine. In order to investigate the power performance and dynamic response of the combined concept, coupled aero-hydro-servo-elastic analysis was carried out using the open-source code F2A, which is based on the coupling of the FAST and AQWA tools by integrating all the possible environmental loadings (e.g., aerodynamic, hydrodynamic). Numerical results obtained by AQWA are used to verify the accuracy of the coupled model in F2A in predicting dynamic responses of the combined system. The main hydrodynamic characteristics of the combined system under typical operational conditions were examined, and the calculated responses (motions, mooring line tension and produced wave power) are discussed. Additionally, the effect of aerodynamic damping on the dynamic response of the combined system was examined and presented. Moreover, a second fully coupled analysis model was developed, and its response predictions were compared with the predictions of the model developed with F2A in order for the differences of the calculated responses resulted by the different modeling techniques to be discussed and explained. Finally, the survivability of the combined concept has been examined for different possible proposed survival modes.
Selection of Pneumocystis jirovecii Inosine 5′-Monophosphate Dehydrogenase Mutants in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: Implication of Mycophenolic Acid
Authors: Hoffmann Claire V. , Nevez Gilles , Moal Marie-Christine , Quinio Dorothée , Le Nan Nathan , Papon Nicolas , Bouchara Jean-Philippe , Le Meur Yannick , Le Gal Solène
Published: October 2021

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) targets the inosine 5′-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) of human lymphocytes. It is widely used as an immunosuppressant to prevent rejection in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients who, incidentally, are at risk for Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). We hypothesized that MPA exerts selective pressure on P. jirovecii microorganisms considering its in vitro antifungal activity on other fungi. Thus, we analysed impdh gene in P. jirovecii isolates from SOT recipients. P. jirovecii specimens from 26 patients diagnosed with PCP from 2010 to 2020 were retrospectively examined: 10 SOT recipients treated with MPA and 16 non-SOT patients without prior exposure to MPA. The P. jirovecii impdh gene was amplified and sequenced. Nucleotide sequences were aligned with the reference sequences retrieved from available P. jirovecii whole genomes. The deduced IMPDH protein sequences were aligned with available IMPDH proteins from Pneumocystis spp. and other fungal species known to be in vitro sensitive or resistant to MPA. A total of nine SNPs was identified. One SNP (G1020A) that results in an Ala261Thr substitution was identified in all SOT recipients and in none of the non-SOT patients. Considering that IMPDHs of other fungi, resistant to MPA, harbour Thr (or Ser) at the analogous position, the Ala261Thr mutation observed in MPA-treated patients was considered to represent the signature of P. jirovecii exposure to MPA. These results suggest that MPA may be involved in the selection of specific P. jirovecii strains that circulate in the SOT recipient population.
The Ecosystem Services Value Change and Its Driving Forces Responding to Spatio-Temporal Process of Landscape Pattern in the Co-Urbanized Area
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Li Huawei , Xia Hua , Tian Guohang , Yin Yuxing , Lei Yakai , Kim Gunwoo
Published: October 2021

The development of urbanization is still expanding on the earth, and the rapid expansion of cities has changed the regional landscape pattern and significantly affected the value of regional ecosystem services in developing countries such as China. Zhongmu County, as the core area of Zhengzhou-Kaifeng integration, studying the temporal and spatial transformations of its landscape pattern and ecosystem service value (ESV) is of great significance to the region’s sustainable development. Based on remote sensing images and socioeconomic data, this study aims to explore the landscape pattern of Zhongmu County from 2005 to 2018 and its impact on ESV. Research methods include an ESV equivalent factor method, landscape pattern index, spatial autocorrelation, and other methods. The results showed that: (1) During the study period, the patch density and shape complexity, landscape diversity, and fragmentation of the overall landscape in the study area continued to increase while landscape connectivity decreased. (2) The total amount of ESV increased by 10.05 million USD; ESV had certain differences in spatial distribution: high-value clusters were mainly located at the boundary of the Yellow River in the north, while low-value clusters had a significant eastward expansion trend. (3) ESV increased significantly in areas where cultivated land was transferred to waters and forests, and ESV in areas where waters transferred to construction land and cultivated land was significantly reduced. (4) ESV had a significant positive spatial correlation with patch density, edge density, mean patch fractal dimension, mean patch size, and the landscape shape index, and a spatially negative correlation with the contagion index and cohesion index. The spatial and temporal changes in landscape patterns and ESV were all mainly driven by the regional development “Zhengzhou-Kaifeng integration” policy. Therefore, the ESV can be improved, and the ecological security of the urban integration area can be guaranteed through policy measures such as optimizing the layout of construction land and adjusting the uniform distribution of green areas by the land-use policy.
Improvement in NO2 Gas Sensing Properties of Semiconductor-Type Sensors by Loading Pt into BiVO4 Nanocomposites at Room Temperature
Authors: Lin Wang-De , Lin Shu-Yun , Chavali Murthy
Published: October 2021

In the present study, we report the first attempt to prepare a conducive environment for Pt/BiVO4 nanocomposite material reusability for the promotion of sustainable development. Here, the Pt/BiVO4 nanocomposite was prepared using a hydrothermal method with various weight percentages of platinum for use in NO2 gas sensors. The surface morphologies and structure of the Pt/BiVO4 nanocomposite were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that Pt added to BiVO4 with 3 wt.% Pt/BiVO4 was best at a concentration of 100 ppm NO2, with a response at 167.7, and a response/recovery time of 12/35 s, respectively. The Pt/BiVO4 nanocomposite-based gas sensor exhibits promising nitrogen dioxide gas-sensing characteristics, such as fast response, highly selective detection, and extremely short response/recovery time. Additionally, the mechanisms of gas sensing in Pt/BiVO4 nanocomposites were explored in this paper.
Discretization of Fractional Operators: Analysis by Means of Advanced Computational Techniques
Authors: Tenreiro Machado Jose , Galhano Alexandra M. , Cordeiro Carla S.
Published: October 2021

This paper studies the discretization of fractional operators by means of advanced clustering methods. The Grünwald–Letnikov fractional operator is approximated by series generated by the Euler, Tustin and generalized mean. The series for different fractional orders form the objects to be assessed. For this purpose, the several distances associated with the hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling computational techniques are tested. The Arc-cosine distance and the 3-dim multidimensional scaling produce good results. The visualization of the graphical representations allows a better understanding of the properties embedded in each type of approximation of the fractional operators.
On Golden Lorentzian Manifolds Equipped with Generalized Symmetric Metric Connection
Authors: Choudhary Majid Ali , Khedher Khaled Mohamed , Bahadır Oğuzhan , Siddiqi Mohd Danish
Published: October 2021

This research deals with the generalized symmetric metric U-connection defined on golden Lorentzian manifolds. We also derive sharp geometric inequalities that involve generalized normalized δ-Casorati curvatures for submanifolds of golden Lorentzian manifolds equipped with generalized symmetric metric U-connection.
Simulation of Heat and Water Transport on Different Tree Canopies: A Finite Element Approach
Authors: Villarreal-Olavarrieta Carlos E. , García-Chan Néstor , Vázquez-Méndez Miguel E.
Published: October 2021

Heat and water transport modeling is a widely explored topic in micro-meteorology, agriculture, and forestry. One of the most popular models is the Simultaneous Heat and Water (SHAW) model, which includes partial differential equations (PDEs) for air-soil temperature and humidity, but with a priori discretized PDE for the foliage temperature in each canopy layer; it is solved using the finite difference method and the canopy shape is defined as a simple rule of proportionality of total quantities such as the total leaf area index. This work proposes a novel canopy shape characterization based on Weibull distribution, providing a continuous vertical shape function capable of fitting any tree species. This allows formulating a fully continuous SHAW-derived model, which is numerically solved by a finite element approach of P1 Lagrange type. For this novel approach, several numerical experiments were carried out to understand how the shape of well distinguishable canopies influences heat and water transport.
On an Extension of a Hardy–Hilbert-Type Inequality with Multi-Parameters
Authors: Yang Bicheng , Rassias Michael Th. , Raigorodskii Andrei
Published: October 2021

Making use of weight coefficients as well as real/complex analytic methods, an extension of a Hardy–Hilbert-type inequality with a best possible constant factor and multiparameters is established. Equivalent forms, reverses, operator expression with the norm, and a few particular cases are also considered.
Hour-Ahead Photovoltaic Output Forecasting Using Wavelet-ANFIS
Authors: Chen Chao-Rong , Ouedraogo Faouzi Brice , Chang Yu-Ming , Larasati Devita Ayu , Tan Shih-Wei
Published: October 2021

The operational challenge of a photovoltaic (PV) integrated system is the uncertainty (irregularity) of the future power output. The integration and correct operation can be carried out with accurate forecasting of the PV output power. A distinct artificial intelligence method was employed in the present study to forecast the PV output power and investigate the accuracy using endogenous data. Discrete wavelet transforms were used to decompose PV output power into approximate and detailed components. The decomposed PV output was fed into an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) input model to forecast the short-term PV power output. Various wavelet mother functions were also investigated, including Haar, Daubechies, Coiflets, and Symlets. The proposed model performance was highly correlated to the input set and wavelet mother function. The statistical performance of the wavelet-ANFIS was found to have better efficiency compared with the ANFIS and ANN models. In addition, wavelet-ANFIS coif2 and sym4 offer the best precision among all the studied models. The result highlights that the combination of wavelet decomposition and the ANFIS model can be a helpful tool for accurate short-term PV output forecasting and yield better efficiency and performance than the conventional model.
Hermite B-Splines: n-Refinability and Mask Factorization
Authors: Cotronei Mariantonia , Moosmüller Caroline
Published: October 2021

This paper deals with polynomial Hermite splines. In the first part, we provide a simple and fast procedure to compute the refinement mask of the Hermite B-splines of any order and in the case of a general scaling factor. Our procedure is solely derived from the polynomial reproduction properties satisfied by Hermite splines and it does not require the explicit construction or evaluation of the basis functions. The second part of the paper discusses the factorization properties of the Hermite B-spline masks in terms of the augmented Taylor operator, which is shown to be the minimal annihilator for the space of discrete monomial Hermite sequences of a fixed degree. All our results can be of use, in particular, in the context of Hermite subdivision schemes and multi-wavelets.
Analytical Stress Solution and Numerical Mechanical Behavior of Rock Mass Containing an Opening under Different Confining Stress Conditions
Authors: Tan Lihai , Ren Ting , Dou Linming , Yang Xiaohan , Wang Gaofeng , Peng Huaide
Published: October 2021

In this study, the triangle interpolation method for the calculation of mapping functions of plates containing an opening with arbitrary shapes is investigated with an improved method for point adjudgment during iterations. Afterwards, four kinds of openings with typical shapes are considered and the mapping functions for them are calculated, based on which the influence of calculation parameters such as iteration time and the number of terms on the accuracy of mapping function is discussed. Finally, the stress around an inverted U-shaped opening and around an arched opening under different far-field stress conditions is calculated and the effect of opening shape and lateral pressure coefficient on stress distribution and rock mechanical behaviors is further analyzed combined with the discrete element method (DEM) numerical simulation. The result shows that the stability and failure pattern of the rock mass is correlated with the stress around the opening, which is affected by the opening shape. The existence of opening also greatly reduces the enhancing influence of confining stress on rock specimen.
Analysis of a Novel Two-Dimensional Lattice Hydrodynamic Model Considering Predictive Effect
Authors: Liu Huimin , Cheng Rongjun , Xu Tingliu
Published: October 2021

In actual driving, the driver can estimate the traffic condition ahead at the next moment in terms of the current traffic information, which describes the driver’s predictive effect. Due to this factor, a novel two-dimensional lattice hydrodynamic model considering a driver’s predictive effect is proposed in this paper. The stability condition of the novel model is obtained by performing the linear stability analysis method, and the phase diagram between the driver’s sensitivity coefficient and traffic density is drawn. The nonlinear analysis of the model is conducted and the kink-antikink of modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation is derived, which describes the propagation characteristics of the traffic density flow waves near the critical point. The numerical simulation is executed to explore how the driver’s predictive effect affects the traffic flow stability. Numerical results coincide well with theoretical analysis results, which indicates that the predictive effect of drivers can effectively avoid traffic congestion and the fraction of eastbound cars can also improve the stability of traffic flow to a certain extent.
Automatic Feature Selection for Stenosis Detection in X-ray Coronary Angiograms
Authors: Gil-Rios Miguel-Angel , Guryev Igor V. , Cruz-Aceves Ivan , Avina-Cervantes Juan Gabriel , Hernandez-Gonzalez Martha Alicia , Solorio-Meza Sergio Eduardo , Lopez-Hernandez Juan Manuel
Published: October 2021

The automatic detection of coronary stenosis is a very important task in computer aided diagnosis systems in the cardiology area. The main contribution of this paper is the identification of a suitable subset of 20 features that allows for the classification of stenosis cases in X-ray coronary images with a high performance overcoming different state-of-the-art classification techniques including deep learning strategies. The automatic feature selection stage was driven by the Univariate Marginal Distribution Algorithm and carried out by statistical comparison between five metaheuristics in order to explore the search space, which is O(249) computational complexity. Moreover, the proposed method is compared with six state-of-the-art classification methods, probing its effectiveness in terms of the Accuracy and Jaccard Index evaluation metrics. All the experiments were performed using two X-ray image databases of coronary angiograms. The first database contains 500 instances and the second one 250 images. In the experimental results, the proposed method achieved an Accuracy rate of 0.89 and 0.88 and Jaccard Index of 0.80 and 0.79, respectively. Finally, the average computational time of the proposed method to classify stenosis cases was ≈0.02 s, which made it highly suitable to be used in clinical practice.
Can Recurrent Neural Networks Predict Inflation in Euro Zone as Good as Professional Forecasters?
Authors: Šestanović Tea , Arnerić Josip
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates whether a specific type of a recurrent neural network, in particular Jordan neural network (JNN), captures the expected inflation better than commonly used feedforward neural networks and traditional parametric time-series models. It also considers competing survey-based and model-based expected inflation towards ex-post actual inflation to find whose predictions are more accurate; predictions from survey respondents or forecasting modelers. Further, it proposes neural network modelling strategy when dealing with nonstationary time-series which exhibit long-memory property and nonlinear dependence with respect to lagged inputs and exogenous inputs as well. Following this strategy, overfitting problem was reduced until no improvement in forecasting accuracy of expected inflation is achieved. The main finding is that JNN predicts inflation in euro zone quite accurately within forecasting horizon of 2 years. Regarding rational expectation principle we have found a set of demand-pull and cost-push inflation characteristics as exogenous inputs which helps in reducing overfitting problem of recurrent neural network even more. The sample includes euro zone aggregated monthly observations from January 2000 to December 2019. The results also confirm that inflation expectations obtained from JNN are consistent with Survey of professional forecasters (SPF), and thus, monetary policy makers can use JNN as a complementary tool in shortcomings of other inflation expectations measures.
Machine Learning Applied to the Oxygen-18 Isotopic Composition, Salinity and Temperature/Potential Temperature in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Astray Gonzalo , Soto Benedicto , Barreiro Enrique , Gálvez Juan F. , Mejuto Juan C.
Published: October 2021

This study proposed different techniques to estimate the isotope composition (δ18O), salinity and temperature/potential temperature in the Mediterranean Sea using five different variables: (i–ii) geographic coordinates (Longitude, Latitude), (iii) year, (iv) month and (v) depth. Three kinds of models based on artificial neural network (ANN), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) were developed. According to the results, the random forest models presents the best prediction accuracy for the querying phase and can be used to predict the isotope composition (mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) around 4.98%), salinity (MAPE below 0.20%) and temperature (MAPE around 2.44%). These models could be useful for research works that require the use of past data for these variables.
Heat Transport Phenomena for the Darcy–Forchheimer Flow of Casson Fluid over Stretching Sheets with Electro-Osmosis Forces and Newtonian Heating
Authors: Zhang Xianqin , Yang Dezhi , Israr Ur Rehman Muhammad , Hamid Aamir
Published: October 2021

In this study, an investigation has been carried out to analyze the impact of electro-osmotic effects on the Darcy–Forchheimer flow of Casson nanofluid past a stretching sheet. The energy equation was modelled with the inclusion of electro-osmotic effects with viscous and Joule dissipations. The governing system of partial differential equations were transformed by using the suitable similarity transformations to a system of ordinary differential equations and then numerically solved by using the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method with a shooting scheme. The effects of various parameters of interest on dimensionless velocity and temperature distributions, as well as skin friction and heat transfer coefficient, have been adequately delineated via graphs and tables. A comparison with previous published results was performed, and good agreement was found. The results suggested that the electric and Forchheimer parameters have the tendency to enhance the fluid velocity as well as momentum boundary layer thickness. Enhancements in temperature distribution were observed for growing values of Eckert number. It was also observed that higher values of electric field parameter diminished the wall shear stress and local Nusselt number.
Vibration and Flutter of a Honeycomb Sandwich Plate with Zero Poisson’s Ratio
Authors: Zhang Junhua , Yan Zhaochen , Xia Lili
Published: October 2021

A honeycomb is a kind of excellent lightweight structure and a honeycomb sandwich plate with zero Poisson’s ratio (ZPR) core is used widely in morphing structures. In this paper, a sandwich plate composed of a honeycomb core with zero Poisson’s ratio is analyzed for free vibrations and flutter under supersonic airflows. The equivalent elastic parametric formulas of the honeycomb core for zero Poisson’s ratio are proposed. The models are compared for their natural frequencies by theoretical and finite element methods respectively, which verifies the validity of the equivalent elastic parametric formulas and the model for the honeycomb sandwich plate with zero Poisson’s ratio. The influence of the geometric parameters of the honeycomb plate on the vibration frequencies is obtained. Three kinds of honeycomb cores, namely, regular hexagon, auxetic and hybrid with zero Poisson’s ratio, are compared through natural frequencies of the sandwich plate. It is found that the frequency of the zero Poisson’s ratio honeycomb sandwich plate is the second one when the other parameters are the same. The flutter of the honeycomb plate is analyzed by using the first order piston theory under supersonic flows. The critical flutter velocity of the plate is obtained, and the influence of geometric parameters of the honeycomb plate on the critical flutter velocities is obtained.
A Novel Averaging Principle Provides Insights in the Impact of Intratumoral Heterogeneity on Tumor Progression
Authors: Hatzikirou Haralampos , Kavallaris Nikos I. , Leocata Marta
Published: October 2021

Typically stochastic differential equations (SDEs) involve an additive or multiplicative noise term. Here, we are interested in stochastic differential equations for which the white noise is nonlinearly integrated into the corresponding evolution term, typically termed as random ordinary differential equations (RODEs). The classical averaging methods fail to treat such RODEs. Therefore, we introduce a novel averaging method appropriate to be applied to a specific class of RODEs. To exemplify the importance of our method, we apply it to an important biomedical problem, in particular, we implement the method to the assessment of intratumoral heterogeneity impact on tumor dynamics. Precisely, we model gliomas according to a well-known Go or Grow (GoG) model, and tumor heterogeneity is modeled as a stochastic process. It has been shown that the corresponding deterministic GoG model exhibits an emerging Allee effect (bistability). In contrast, we analytically and computationally show that the introduction of white noise, as a model of intratumoral heterogeneity, leads to monostable tumor growth. This monostability behavior is also derived even when spatial cell diffusion is taken into account.
Discrete Hypergeometric Legendre Polynomials
Authors: Cuchta Tom , Luketic Rebecca
Published: October 2021

A discrete analog of the Legendre polynomials defined by discrete hypergeometric series is investigated. The resulting polynomials have qualitatively similar properties to classical Legendre polynomials. We derive their difference equations, recurrence relations, and generating function.
Lignosulfonate Rapidly Inactivates Human Immunodeficiency and Herpes Simplex Viruses
Authors: Fukuchi Kunihiko , Koshikawa Takuro , Asai Daisuke , Inomata Megumi , Sakagami Hiroshi , Takemura Hiromu , Kanamoto Taisei , Aimi Hikaru , Kikkawa Yuji
Published: October 2021

Background: Very few studies of the antiviral potential of lignosulfonates have been published. With the aim of oral application, among various groups of natural products, the relative antiviral potency of lignosulfonate and its ability to rapidly inactivate viruses were investigated. Methods: As target cells, MT-4 cells in suspension and attached Vero cells were used for infections with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human herpes simplex type-1 virus (HSV). Mock- or virus-infected cells were incubated for 3–5 days with various concentrations of test samples, and the viable cell number was determined with the MTT method. For the shorter exposure experiments, higher titers of HIV or HSV were exposed to test samples for 10 or 3 min, diluted to a normal multiplicity of infection (MOI), and applied to the cells. Antiviral activity was quantified by using the chemotherapy index. Results: In the long-exposure system, lignosulfonates showed comparable anti-HIV activity with those of AZT, ddC, and sulfated polysaccharides, and it exceeded those of hundreds of tannins and flavonoids. When the exposure time was shortened, the chemotherapeutic index of the lignosulfonates for HIV was increased 27-fold. At a physiological pH, lignosulfonate showed higher anti-HIV activity than commercial alkali-lignin, dealkali-lignin, and humic acid, possibly due to the higher solubility and purity. Conclusions: With their rapid virus-inactivation capabilities, lignosulfonates may be useful for the prevention or treatment of virally induced oral diseases.
Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Microbiota of Human Gut and Its Direct Environment in a Household Cohort with High Background of Antibiotic Use
Authors: Vu Thi Ngoc Bich , Ho Bich Hai , Galazzo Gianluca , Vu Tien Viet Dung , Oomen Melissa , Nghiem Nguyen Minh Trang , Tran Huy Hoang , van Doorn Hindrik Rogier , Wertheim Heiman F. L. , Penders John
Published: October 2021

Comprehensive insight into the microbiota of the gut of humans and animals, as well as their living environment, in communities with a high background of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance genes is scarce. Here, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to describe the (dis)similarities in the microbiota of feces from humans (n = 107), domestic animals (n = 36), water (n = 89), and processed food (n = 74) in a cohort with individual history of antibiotic use in northern Vietnam. A significantly lower microbial diversity was observed among individuals who used antibiotics in the past 4 months (n = 44) compared to those who did not (n = 63). Fecal microbiota of humans was more diverse than nonhuman samples and shared a small part of its amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) with feces from animals (7.4% (3.2–9.9)), water (2.2% (1.2–2.8)), and food (3.1% (1.5–3.1)). Sharing of ASVs between humans and companion animals was not associated with the household. However, we did observe a correlation between an Enterobacteriaceae ASV and the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase CTX-M-group-2 encoding genes in feces from humans and animals (p = 1.6 × 10−3 and p = 2.6 × 10−2, respectively), hinting toward an exchange of antimicrobial-resistant strains between reservoirs.
COVID-19 and Beyond: Exploring Public Health Benefits from Non-Specific Effects of BCG Vaccination
Authors: Koster Kent J. , Webb Hilary L. , Cirillo Jeffrey D.
Published: October 2021

Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccination, widely used throughout the world to protect against infant tuberculous meningitis and miliary tuberculosis (TB), can provide broad non-specific protection against infectious respiratory diseases in certain groups. Interest in BCG has seen a resurgence within the scientific community as the mechanisms for non-specific protection have begun to be elucidated. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nearly every aspect of society has profoundly illustrated the pressure that respiratory infections can place on a national healthcare system, further renewing interest in BCG vaccination as a public health policy to reduce the burden of those illnesses. However, the United States does not recommend BCG vaccination due to its variable effectiveness against adult TB, the relatively low risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in most of the United States, and the vaccine’s interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity that complicates TB screening. In this review, we explore the broad immune training effects of BCG vaccination and literature on the effects of BCG vaccination on COVID-19 spread, disease severity, and mortality. We further discuss barriers to scheduled BCG vaccination in the United States and how those barriers could potentially be overcome.