bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of 6,3’,4´- and 7,3´,4´-Trihydroxyflavone on 2D and 3D RAW264.7 Models
Authors: Wang Xiang , Cao Yujia , Chen Siyu , Yang Xin , Bian Jinsong , Huang Dejian
Published: January 2023

Dietary flavones 6,3´,4´-trihydroxyflavone (6,3´,4´-HOFL) and 7,3´,4´-trihydroxyflavone (7,3´,4´-HOFL) showed preliminary antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in a two-dimensional (2D) cell culture model. However, their action mechanisms remain unclear, and the anti-inflammatory activities have not been studied in a reliable three-dimensional (3D) cell model. Therefore, in the current study, the antioxidant potency was examined by their scavenging ability of cellular reactive oxygen species. Anti-inflammatory activities were examined via their inhibitory effects on inflammatory mediators in vitro on 2D and 3D macrophage models, and their mechanisms were determined through transcriptome. In the 3D macrophages, two flavones were less bioactive than they were in 2D macrophages, but they both significantly suppressed the overexpression of proinflammatory mediators in two cell models. The divergent position of the hydroxyl group on the A ring resulted in activity differences. Compared to 6,3´,4´-HOFL, 7,3´,4´-HOFL showed lower activity on NO, IL-1β suppression, and c-Src binding (IC50: 12.0 and 20.9 µM) but higher ROS-scavenging capacity (IC50: 3.20 and 2.71 µM) and less cytotoxicity. In addition to the IL-17 and TNF pathways of 6,3´,4´-HOFL, 7,3´,4´-HOFL also exerted anti-inflammatory activity through JAK-STAT, as indicated by the RNA-sequencing results. Two flavones showed prominent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities on 2D and 3D models.
Valorization of Peels of Eight Peach Varieties: GC–MS Profile, Free and Bound Phenolics and Corresponding Biological Activities
Authors: Mihaylova Dasha , Popova Aneta , Desseva Ivelina , Dincheva Ivayla , Tumbarski Yulian
Published: January 2023

Sustainability, becoming essential for food processing and technology, sets goals for the characterization of resources considered as food waste. In this work, information about the GC-MS metabolites of peach peels was provided as a tool that can shed more light on the studied biological activities. In addition, distribution patterns and contribution of the chemical profile and free and bound phenolic compounds as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and enzymatic clusters in peach peels of different varieties of Bulgarian origin were studied. The two applied techniques (alkaline and acid hydrolysis) for releasing the bound phenolics reveal that alkaline hydrolysis is a better extraction approach. Still, the results indicate the prevalence of the free phenolics in the studied peach peel varieties. Total phenolics of peach wastes were positively correlated with their antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity results certainly defined the need of an individual interpretation for each variety, but the free phenolics fractions could be outlined with the strongest potential. The limited ability of the peels’ extracts to inhibit α-amylase and acetylcholinesterase, and the moderate antimicrobial activity, on the other hand, indicate that the potential of peach peels is still sufficient to seek ways to valorize this waste. Indeed, this new information about peach peels can be used to characterize peach fruits from different countries and/or different food processes, as well as to promote the use of this fruit waste in food preparation.
MASISCo—Methodological Approach for the Selection of Information Security Controls
Authors: Diéguez Mauricio , Cares Carlos , Cachero Cristina , Hochstetter Jorge
Published: January 2023

As cyber-attacks grow worldwide, companies have begun to realize the importance of being protected against malicious actions that seek to violate their systems and access their information assets. Faced with this scenario, organizations must carry out correct and efficient management of their information security, which implies that they must adopt a proactive attitude, implementing standards that allow them to reduce the risk of computer attacks. Unfortunately, the problem is not only implementing a standard but also determining the best way to do it, defining an implementation path that considers the particular objectives and conditions of the organization and its availability of resources. This paper proposes a methodological approach for selecting and planning security controls, standardizing and systematizing the process by modeling the situation (objectives and constraints), and applying optimization techniques. The work presents an evaluation of the proposal through a methodology adoption study. This study showed a tendency of the study subjects to adopt the proposal, perceiving it as a helpful element that adapts to their way of working. The main weakness of the proposal was centered on ease of use since the modeling and resolution of the problem require advanced knowledge of optimization techniques.
MONWS: Multi-Objective Normalization Workflow Scheduling for Cloud Computing
Authors: Pillareddy Vamsheedhar Reddy , Karri Ganesh Reddy
Published: January 2023

Cloud computing is a prominent approach for complex scientific and business workflow applications in the pay-as-you-go model. Workflow scheduling poses a challenge in cloud computing due to its widespread applications in physics, astronomy, bioinformatics, and healthcare, etc. Resource allocation for workflow scheduling is problematic due to the computationally intensive nature of the workflow, the interdependence of tasks, and the heterogeneity of cloud resources. During resource allocation, the time and cost of execution are significant issues in the cloud-computing environment, which can potentially degrade the service quality that is provided to end users. This study proposes a method focusing on makespan, average utilization, and cost. The authors propose a task’s dynamic priority for workflow scheduling using MONWS, which uses the min-max algorithm to minimize the finish time and maximize resource utilization by calculating the dynamic threshold value for scheduling tasks on virtual machines. When the experimental results were compared to existing algorithms, MONWS achieved a 35% improvement in makespan, an 8% increase in maximum average cloud utilization, and a 4% decrease in cost.
The Study of Thermal Stability of Mechanically Alloyed Al-5 wt.% TiO2 Composites with Cu and Stearic Acid Additives
Authors: Prosviryakov Alexey , Bazlov Andrey
Published: January 2023

In this work, we studied the effect of thermal exposure on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an Al-5 wt.% TiO2 composite material with additions of 5 wt.% Cu and 2 wt.% stearic acid as a process control agent (PCA), obtained by mechanical alloying. The composite was processed in a ball mill for 10 h. Composite granules were consolidated by hot pressing at 400 °C. SEM, XRD, and DSC analyses were used to study the microstructure, phase composition, and thermal behavior, respectively. Studies showed that the hot pressing of the material with copper addition leads to the precipitation of Al2Cu particles from the supersaturated solid solution and a decrease in the microhardness to 233 HV in comparison with the as-milled state (291 HV). In the material with a PCA additive, on the other hand, the microhardness increases from 162 to 187 HV due to the formation of aluminum carbide nanoparticles. In both cases, no reduction reaction products were found. At the same time, the Al-5TiO2-2PCA material after hot pressing shows a more stable grain structure than the Al-5TiO2-5Cu material. In addition, the compressive strength at 300 °C of the former material is 1.7 times higher than that of the latter one.
RJA-Star Algorithm for UAV Path Planning Based on Improved R5DOS Model
Authors: Li Jian , Zhang Weijian , Hu Yating , Fu Shengliang , Liao Changyi , Yu Weilin
Published: January 2023

To improve the obstacle avoidance ability of agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in farmland settings, a three-dimensional space path planning model based on the R5DOS model is proposed in this paper. The direction layer of the R5DOS intersection model is improved, and the RJA-star algorithm is constructed with the improved jump point search A-star algorithm in our paper. The R5DOS model is simulated in MATLAB. The simulation results show that this model can reduce the computational complexity, computation time, the number of corners and the maximum angles of the A-star algorithm. Compared with the traditional algorithm, the model can avoid obstacles effectively and reduce the reaction times of the UAV. The final fitting results show that compared with A-star algorithm, the RJA-star algorithm reduced the total distance by 2.53%, the computation time by 97.65%, the number of nodes by 99.96% and the number of corners by 96.08% with the maximum corners reduced by approximately 63.30%. Compared with the geometric A-star algorithm, the running time of the RJA-star algorithm is reduced by 95.84%, the number of nodes is reduced by 99.95%, and the number of turns is reduced by 67.28%. In general, the experimental results confirm the effectiveness and feasibility of RJA star algorithm in three-dimensional space obstacle avoidance.
Estimation of Grain Size and Composition in Steel Using Laser UltraSonics Simulations at Different Temperatures
Authors: Duijster Arno , Volker Arno , Van den Berg Frenk , Celada-Casero Carola
Published: January 2023

The applicability of laser ultrasonics for the determination of grain size and phase composition in steels under different temperatures was investigated. This was done by obtaining the velocity and attenuation of propagating ultrasonic waves in a simulated steel medium. Samples of ferrite and austenite with varying microstructures were modelled and simulated with the finite difference method, as were samples with varying ratios of austenite and martensite. The temperature of the medium was taken into account as an essential parameter, since both velocity and attenuation are temperature dependent. Results of the velocity and attenuation analysis showed that the use of the wave propagation velocity is not feasible for determination of grain size or phase composition due to a high sensitivity to temperature and sample thickness. The frequency-dependent ultrasonic wave attenuation was less sensitive to the variation of temperature and sample thickness. It can be concluded that accurate knowledge of the temperature is essential for obtaining a correct grain size or phase ratio estimation: a temperature accuracy of 100 °C yields a grain size accuracy in the order of a micrometer using the attenuation. Similarly, a temperature accuracy of 70 °C leads to a phase ratio estimation accuracy of 10%.
Consumption of Energy Drinks among University Students in Eastern Croatia
Authors: Pavlovic Nika , Miskulin Ivan , Jokic Stela , Kovacevic Jelena , Miskulin Maja
Published: January 2023

The modern lifestyle today creates a certain pressure on people who are forced to adapt to such a way of living. Energy drinks (EDs), beverages containing certain stimulating ingredients, are increasingly being offered on the market. Given the unclear impact of EDs consumption on the health of the individual, the focus of this study was to determine the prevalence of EDs consumption among the student population at the University of Osijek (Eastern Croatia). The cross-sectional study via an anonymous questionnaire included 424 students, with an average age of 22.8 years. It was discovered that 52.4% of participants consume EDs. Males were significantly more likely to drink EDs than females (χ2-test; p = 0.006). They more frequently consume EDs six or more times per month (χ2-test; p = 0.045) as well as consume more EDs on one occasion (χ2-test; p < 0.001). University students who were engaged in sports or physical activity were significantly more likely to consume EDs (χ2-test; p = 0.024) as well as smokers in comparison to non-smokers (χ2-test; p = 0.034). In conclusion, the study proved the frequent consumption of EDs among Croatian university students consequently highlighting the need to raise awareness of the possible adverse effects of EDs consumption.
Clinical and Functional Evolution in Subjects with Parkinson’s Disease during SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Capecci Marianna , Baldini Nicolò , Campignoli Francesca , Lombardo Lorenzo Pasquale , Andrenelli Elisa , Ceravolo Maria Gabriella
Published: January 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stress test for the population, especially for people with chronic disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). In addition to public health restrictions that contrast with PD management recommendations, there were deep changes in health care delivery. This retrospective study evaluates the impact of COVID-19 on the clinical and functional evolution of a cohort of 221 PD patients consecutively referred to the Movement Disorders Center between 2018 and 2021. We analyzed the trend in motor and non-motor symptoms and functional status across years based on the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS). We also compared the number of emerging complications, neurologic visits, and rehabilitation sessions per subject per year. In 2020, all primary endpoint measures worsened compared to 2019, without age, disease duration, or greater neurologic impairment explaining this outcome. Concurrently, the percentage of patients receiving neurologic visits or rehabilitation sessions reduced by 53% and 58%, respectively. The subgroup analysis of 167 subjects revealed that those who received at least one cycle of rehabilitation sessions in 2020 maintained their independence level. These findings lead to emphasizing the importance of regular monitoring and rehabilitation delivery in people with chronic neurological disorders.
Independent or Combinational Application of Sheep Manure and Litter from Indigenous Field Vegetation of Quercus sp. Influences Nutrient Uptake, Photosynthesis, Intrinsic Water Use Efficiency, and Foliar Sugar Concentrations in Olive Plants (Olea europaea L., cv. “Koroneiki”)
Authors: Chatzistathis Theocharis , Chatzissavvidis Christos , Papaioannou Athanasios , Papadakis Ioannis E.
Published: January 2023

The recent energy crisis has increased the cost of fertilization for olive growers. This is why alternative nutrient sources, such as manures and other organic materials, could be used to sustain olive production within the framework of sustainable agriculture, by decreasing chemical fertilization inputs. A greenhouse pot experiment was established with a marl soil substrate that was modified with three amendments (sheep manure, or SM; litter from evergreen broadleaf species, or EBLS, such as Quercus sp.; their combination, i.e., SM + EBLS) and a control soil (no application of amendments) to investigate their influence on the nutrition, physiology, and leaf sugar concentrations of olive plants. Plant growth was not significantly affected by the amendments, while the lowest leaf N, K, and Zn concentrations were determined in the control soil. Significantly higher photosynthetic rate was determined in the SM + EBLS, compared to SM. Significantly higher intercellular CO2 was found in the EBLS and SM + EBLS, while significantly higher intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi) was found in the SM + EBLS and the control. Significantly higher translocated sugar content was recorded in the SM + EBLS compared to the control. Overall, it was concluded that the optimum treatment was SM + EBLS, i.e., the combinational application of SM and EBLS. However, multi-year research under field conditions is necessary to draw more stable conclusions about the beneficial role of organic amendments on the nutrition and physiology of olive trees.
Artificial Neural Networks Applied in Civil Engineering
Authors: Lagaros Nikos D.
Published: January 2023

In recent years, artificial neural networks (ANN) and artificial intelligence (AI), in general, have garnered significant attention with respect to their applications in several scientific fields, varying from big data management to medical diagnosis [...]
Lithium-Ion Battery Health Estimation Using an Adaptive Dual Interacting Model Algorithm for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Bustos Richard , Gadsden S. Andrew , Al-Shabi Mohammad , Mahmud Shohel
Published: January 2023

To ensure reliable operation of electrical systems, batteries require robust battery monitoring systems (BMSs). A BMS’s main task is to accurately estimate a battery’s available power, referred to as the state of charge (SOC). Unfortunately, the SOC cannot be measured directly due to its structure, and so must be estimated using indirect measurements. In addition, the methods used to estimate SOC are highly dependent on the battery’s available capacity, known as the state of health (SOH), which degrades as the battery is used, resulting in a complex problem. In this paper, a novel adaptive battery health estimation method is proposed. The proposed method uses a dual-filter architecture in conjunction with the interacting multiple model (IMM) algorithm. The dual filter strategy allows for the model’s parameters to be updated while the IMM allows access to different degradation rates. The well-known Kalman filter (KF) and relatively new sliding innovation filter (SIF) are implemented to estimate the battery’s SOC. The resulting methods are referred to as the dual-KF-IMM and dual-SIF-IMM, respectively. As demonstrated in this paper, both algorithms show accurate estimation of the SOC and SOH of a lithium-ion battery under different cycling conditions. The results of the proposed strategies will be of interest for the safe and reliable operation of electrical systems, with particular focus on electric vehicles.
Understanding VR-Based Construction Safety Training Effectiveness: The Role of Telepresence, Risk Perception, and Training Satisfaction
Authors: Yoo Joon Woo , Park Jun Sung , Park Hee Jun
Published: January 2023

The use of virtual reality as a safety training technology is gaining attention in the construction industry. While current studies focus mainly on the development of VR-based safety training programs, studies focusing on improving its effectiveness is still lacking. Thus, this study aims to understand the psychological process of training transfer and determine the factors that affect VR safety training effectiveness. The study analysed survey data from 248 construction workers who finished construction safety training using VR using PLS-SEM. The results show that the telepresence experienced through the VR and the risk perception of the trainees regarding occupational accidents significantly affect their satisfaction with VR safety training, which affected its effectiveness. Considering that the use of VR in the construction safety training context is still in its early stages, the results of our study, which comprehensively analyses both the technological and psychological aspects of VR safety training, could provide meaningful implications to VR training content developers. Furthermore, the theoretical approach of our study could be implemented in future studies focusing on the topic of training effectiveness.
Enhancing Laser Damage Resistance of Co2+:MgAl2O4 Crystal by Plasma Etching
Authors: Abromavičius Giedrius , Skapas Martynas , Juškėnas Remigijus
Published: January 2023

Co2+:MgAl2O4 crystals are successfully used as passive Q-switches within the cavity of erbium glass lasers. Their limited resistance to laser radiation might also put constraints on the generated output peak power. Usually, polishing of optical substrates induces a contaminated Beilby layer and damages the subsurface layer, which leads to a considerably lower optical resistance of the obtained surface. Low-energy oxygen plasma etching using different depths of 50, 100, 250 and 400 nm was performed on polished crystals. The surface morphology by atomic force microscopy, transmission spectra, subsurface structure by transmission electron microscopy and the LIDT (R(1)-in-1) using 1540 nm nanosecond pulses were analyzed. It was demonstrated that plasma etching substantially increased the initial crystal surface LIDT. It also allowed the removal of the damaged subsurface layer and almost maintained the initial surface roughness. The presented results demonstrated the good potential of oxygen plasma etching for obtaining highly laser-damage-resistant Co2+:MgAl2O4 crystals for high-power laser applications.
Active Equalization of Lithium-Ion Battery Based on Reconfigurable Topology
Authors: Li Yanbo , Yin Pu , Chen Junshuo
Published: January 2023

The equalization technique is a key technique in the secondary utilization of retired batteries. In this paper, a double-layer equalization method is proposed, which combines the reconfigurable topology with the converter active equalization method. The inner layer uses the reconfigurable topology to have a balanced set of battery cells. Thanks to isolating the lowest SOC (state of charge) cell in the battery group, the energy transfer loss among cells is avoided. In addition, this topology can reduce cost and control complexity and the number of components. In the outer layer, a Buck–Boost converter is added for each battery group, and the outputs of the converters are connected in series. The output voltage of the converter varies as the SOC of the group varies while the total output voltage is stable. In order to validate the proposed method, an equalization circuit consisting of 12 battery cells is built on Matlab/Simulink. Simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively balance the battery pack and maintain a stable output voltage. Compared to the conventional active equalization method, the proposed method has significantly improved the equalization efficiency.
Characteristics, Dynamic Analyses and Hazard Assessment of Debris Flows in Niumiangou Valley of Wenchuan County
Authors: Yang Zhiquan , Zhao Xuguang , Chen Mao , Zhang Jie , Yang Yi , Chen Wentao , Bai Xianfu , Wang Miaomiao , Wu Qi
Published: January 2023

Niumiangou valley, the epicenter of the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (MS 8.0), became an area with frequent and dense debris flow disasters post-earthquake. Based on the in situ investigations after the earthquake on 14 August 2010 and a series of gathered data, characteristics and dynamic analyses of post-earthquake debris flows in Niumiangou valley were conducted, and then their hazard degree was assessed. Some research conclusions are obtained: (1) these post-earthquake debris flows have some typical characteristics, such as rainstorm viscous-type debris flow, happening usually between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., broken out in the main channel as well as six branch gullies at the same time and also induced in the branches with good vegetation; (2) the dynamic parameters of Niumiangou debris flow (including volumetric weight, velocity, peak discharge, impact force, total amount of debris flow, total amount of solid materials washed out by single debris flow, maximum height of the debris flow rises and super elevation in bend) are relatively significant, and due to which it can be indicated that these debris flow disasters have great destructive power and harmfulness; (3) the hazard degree of debris flow in Niumiangou valley is very high, compared with the debris flows that occurred in the years of 2008 and 2013 in Niumiangou valley post-Wenchuan earthquake, and the comparison result shows that the hazard degree of debris flow in Niumiangou valley is relatively higher, which is consistent with the current situation. Therefore, according to these results, debris flows in Niumiangou valley are in the development phase and large-scale rainfall-induced debris flow disasters, with greater damage and stronger wallop, will easily occur in the rainy seasons of the 20 years after the earthquake.
Calculation of Main Circuit Steady-State Parameters for Capacitor Commutated Converter System
Authors: Yan Ming , Zhang Zheren , Xu Zheng
Published: January 2023

The calculation of the main circuit parameters is the basic part of the engineering design for high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems. Compared to the conventional line commutated converter (LCC), the application of the capacitor commutated converter (CCC) can reduce the probability of commutation failures and the shunt capacitor reactive compensation. This paper proposes a calculation method of main circuit parameters for the CCC-based HVDC system. Firstly, the topology of a CCC-HVDC transmission system is described. Secondly, based on the steady-state mathematical model of the CCC, the paper proposes the calculation method of the commutation capacitor to satisfy the system requirements, and the calculation formulas of the main circuit parameters are also given. Then the calculation procedure of the main circuit steady-state parameters is described in detail considering system parameters, control modes, calculation tolerances and operating conditions. Finally, a two-terminal ±500 kV/3000 MW LCC-CCC HVDC transmission system is presented to verify the validity of the main circuit parameter calculation method. The proposed method has great significance for the AC filter design in practical engineering application.
The Fast Detection of Crop Disease Leaves Based on Single-Channel Gravitational Kernel Density Clustering
Authors: Ren Yifeng , Li Qingyan , Liu Zhe
Published: January 2023

Plant diseases and pests may seriously affect the yield of crops and even threaten the survival of human beings. The characteristics of plant diseases and insect pests are mainly reflected in the occurrence of lesions on crop leaves. Machine vision disease detection is of great significance for the early detection and prevention of plant diseases and insect pests. A fast detection method for lesions based on a single-channel gravitational kernel density clustering algorithm was designed to examine the complexity and ambiguity of diseased leaf images. Firstly, a polynomial was used to fit the R-channel feature histogram curve of a diseased leaf image in the RGB color space, and then the peak point and peak area of the fitted feature histogram curve were determined according to the derivative attribute. Secondly, the cluster numbers and the initial cluster center of the diseased leaf images were determined according to the peak area and peak point. Thirdly, according to the clustering center of the preliminarily determined diseased leaf images, the single-channel gravity kernel density clustering algorithm in this paper was used to achieve the rapid segmentation of the diseased leaf lesions. Finally, the experimental results showed that our method could segment the lesions quickly and accurately.
Design and Testing of Torveastro: An Outer Space Service Robot
Authors: Cafolla Daniele , Araque-Isidro Jorge E. , Ceccarelli Marco
Published: January 2023

Space robots are one of the most promising solutions for on-orbit servicing (OOS) duties like docking, berthing, refueling, re-pairing, upgrading, transporting, rescuing, and orbital trash disposal. Numerous enabling techniques and technological demonstration missions have been developed and completed over the past two decades. There have been several successful manned on-orbit service missions, but unmanned service missions have not yet been conducted. Robotic maintenance continues to be an important area of investigation with numerous technical challenges. This report outlines the design and initial testing of Torveastro, an astronaut service robot. The specifications are provided concurrently with the design and simulation. In comparison with the simulation results, preliminary tests demonstrated promising behavior for future development.
Economic Feasibility of Retrofitting an Ageing Ship to Improve the Environmental Footprint
Authors: Yalamov Dimitar , Georgiev Petar , Garbatov Yordan
Published: January 2023

Natural gas is cheaper than fuel on an energy basis, making it an alternative ship fuel which leads to a reduced operating cost and clean gas environmental conditions. The current study analyses the retrofit of an ageing multi-purpose ship to use liquefied natural gas as a primary ship fuel in the context of a short-ship sea operation. The objective is to transform an existing commercial ageing ship propulsion system into a green energy propulsion one and to analyse the economic feasibility considering the high volatility and increased LNG price. Four scenarios were analysed based on the net present value representing Denying, Disinterested, Good and Acceptable financial cash outflow. It was concluded that in the present economic instability and price of LNG fuel and CO2 taxes, the ship owner needs to rely on the long-term contract of buying LNG fuel to implement measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep good benefits in shipping.
Physiological and Behavioral Changes of Passive Fatigue on Drivers during On-Road Driving
Authors: He Jibo , Li Zixu , Ma Yidan , Sun Long , Ma Ko-Hsuan
Published: January 2023

Driver fatigue can be further categorized into passive fatigue and active fatigue based on the task-induced fatigue perspective, with its categorization necessary from a theoretical basis and practical needs. Passive fatigue is caused by mental underload and inactive task engagement, which is considered more hazardous. To facilitate the construction of the driver monitoring system (DMS), the current study aims to investigate the physiological and behavioral changes of passive fatigue. A total of thirty-six participants completed a 90 min driving task on a monotonous highway, during which subjective fatigue level, eye tracking indicators, and driving dynamics were recorded using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Smart Eye Pro, and CAN Bus system. Results showed that drivers reported higher levels of fatigue as driving duration increased. An increase in pupil diameters and gaze dispersions were observed during the task. Drivers gradually reduced the control of the vehicle, in which faster speed and lower speed compliance were witnessed. In addition, a compensatory process was found as passive fatigue increased. Drivers tended to lower their standards to maintain the lateral position but recovered their lateral control when they lost control of the car speed. The current study emphasizes the importance of investigating active and passive fatigue of drivers independently, and the unique physiological and behavioral changes accompanied by passive fatigue should be considered in designing driver monitoring systems.
Low-Resource Neural Machine Translation Improvement Using Source-Side Monolingual Data
Authors: Tonja Atnafu Lambebo , Kolesnikova Olga , Gelbukh Alexander , Sidorov Grigori
Published: January 2023

Despite the many proposals to solve the neural machine translation (NMT) problem of low-resource languages, it continues to be difficult. The issue becomes even more complicated when few resources cover only a single domain. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of a source-side monolingual dataset of low-resource languages to improve the NMT system for such languages. In our experiments, we used Wolaytta–English translation as a low-resource language. We discuss the use of self-learning and fine-tuning approaches to improve the NMT system for Wolaytta–English translation using both authentic and synthetic datasets. The self-learning approach showed +2.7 and +2.4 BLEU score improvements for Wolaytta–English and English–Wolaytta translations, respectively, over the best-performing baseline model. Further fine-tuning the best-performing self-learning model showed +1.2 and +0.6 BLEU score improvements for Wolaytta–English and English–Wolaytta translations, respectively. We reflect on our contributions and plan for the future of this difficult field of study.
Whole Genome Sequencing Evidences High Rates of Relapse in Clostridioides difficile Infection Caused by the Epidemic Ribotype 106
Authors: Suárez-Bode Loreto , López-Causapé Carla , Arcay Ricardo M. , Oliver Antonio , Mena Ana
Published: January 2023

An increasing prevalence and spread of Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) caused by DH/NAP11/106/ST-42 has been observed worldwide, probably fostered by its great capacity to produce spores or by the higher resistance rates observed for some strains. Based on the results of our previous study where RT106 showed higher recurrence rates than other relevant ribotypes, a genetic analysis by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of primary and recurrent RT106 isolates from ten patients was performed to determine whether the higher rate of recurrence associated with RT106 is due to relapses, caused by the same strain, or reinfections, caused by different strains. MLST profiles, resistance mutations, and phylogenetic relatedness were determined by comparative single nucleotide variant (SNV) analysis. All isolates were classified as ST42, and those belonging to the same patient were isogenic, with one exception; strains belonging to different patients were not with two exceptions, pointing to putative transmission events. Phylogenetic analysis also suggested the presence of similar local epidemic lineages associated with moxifloxacin resistance, except for one patient whose isolates clustered with different nonresistant US strains. Our results show that recurrent CDIs caused by RT06/ST42 are mainly due to relapses caused by the primary strains, showing the higher capacity of RT106/ST42 to persist and cause recurrences as compared to other ribotypes.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Applied Microbiology in 2022
Authors:   Applied Microbiology Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
The Effects of Atrazine, Diuron, Fluazifop-P-butyl, Haloxyfop-P-methyl, and Pendimethalin on Soil Microbial Activity and Diversity
Authors: Dennis Paul G. , Kukulies Tegan , Forstner Christian , Plisson Fabien , Eaglesham Geoff , Pattison Anthony B.
Published: January 2023

Understanding the impacts of herbicides on soil microbial communities is important, as these organisms mediate a wide range of ecosystem services. Here, we investigated whether the diversity and function of soil microbial communities were significantly influenced by one-off applications of atrazine, diuron, fluazifop-P-butyl, haloxyfop-P-methyl and pendimethalin as pure compounds at their recommended doses over multiple time points (1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days). Phylogenetic marker gene sequencing revealed that none of the herbicides influenced the numbers of bacterial and archaeal taxa or the evenness of their abundances. Similarly, none of the herbicides influenced the composition of bacterial and archaeal communities, except for diuron, fluazifop-P-methyl and pendimethalin, which were associated with larger relative abundances of a small number of OTUs on day 30 only. Functionally, none of the herbicides significantly influenced fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis (FDA) and beta-glucosidase activities or the induced respiratory responses of soil microbial communities to a range of substrates. These data indicate that the active herbicide ingredients tested may have minimal non-target effects when applied once at their recommended dose. Given their frequent use, it is important to next consider whether these herbicides have more pronounced effects at higher doses and application frequencies.
Innovative Usage of Grid Solutions with a Technology Behavior Model in a Medium-Size Enterprise
Authors: JosephNg Poh Soon
Published: January 2023

Integrating technology innovation within human behaviour challenged a new paradigm shift during business uncertainty. Virtualized grid server implementation is still in its infancy for the “Medium Size Enterprise” that is sandwiched between financial constraints and growing economies of scale opportunities. Grounded by the “Technology Acceptance Model” with the “Theory of Planned Behaviour”, the proposed “Technology Behaviour Model” is developed. A “convenient sampling” method was applied to gather feedback through mixed methods from various enterprises in Malaysia on several considerations that influence technology and behaviour. The research applies “PLS-SEM” with statistic triangulation, exploratory, and cross-sectional analysis. The results show that the adoption of the BOINC share-product solution to structure the returns, by encouraging monetary savings, utilized composed interworks which were consequently further developed. In ascertaining union legitimacy, the extensive unwavering quality is more noteworthy than 0.9, and the mean Average Variance Extracted is above 0.85. The Hetero-Trait-Mono-Trait relationship proportion above 0.85 is normally used to assess the Dependent Variable, with a time span of 95% arriving at 1. This new model uses “Exostructure as a Service” organic server virtualization to drive digital transformation that relooks into the infrastructure overheads. From the tested hypothesis at the Slightly Critical and Most Critical correlation, further theoretical and management contributions were elaborated.
VOC Emission Characteristics of the Glass Deep-Processing Industry in China
Authors: Zhang Fan , Wang Mingya , Wang Mingshi , Chen Chun , Wang Xiyue , Nie Xiaojun , Wang Wenju , Xiong Qinqing , Zhang Chunhui , Li Penghao , Wang Yidong , Zhang Xuechun
Published: January 2023

To understand the pollution characteristics of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the glass deep-processing industry, samples were collected using polyvinyl fluoride bags and quickly transferred to summa tanks for GC/MS/FID analysis. The emission characteristics of VOCs, the ozone formation potential and the secondary aerosol formation potential were studied. The results showed that the VOCs emitted by the six enterprises were mainly aromatics and OVOCs, accounting for 35% to 97% of the emissions, with high emission loads of alkanes and halocarbons from individual enterprises. The stack emissions from Enterprise 2 were as high as 38 mg/m3, while the emissions from the remaining five enterprises were all in the range of 1.7~4.1 mg/m3, probably because the terminal treatment facilities were not updated in a timely manner, resulting in excessive stack emissions from Enterprise 2. The characteristic pollutants, including OVOCs, aromatics and alkanes, which are mainly derived from spray painting and gluing, were screened in the six enterprises. Aromatics and OVOCs contributed the most to the ozone formation potential in the six enterprises, with some enterprises having a high contribution from alkanes and alkenes. On the basis of the secondary aerosol formation potential, toluene, benzene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene and m/p-xylene account for 98% of the six enterprises’ emissions. Glass enterprises should prioritise the control of benzene and OVOCs emissions. The glass processing industry mainly emits aromatics, OVOCs and alkanes. Through a preliminary study on the emission characteristics of VOCs in the glass deep-processing industry, we provided basic data for the reduction and control of VOCs in the glass deep-processing industry in China.
Impact of North African Sand and Dust Storms on the Middle East Using Iraq as an Example: Causes, Sources, and Mitigation
Authors: Awadh Salih Muhammad
Published: January 2023

This study aims to determine the reasons for the increase in the frequency of sand and dust storms in the Middle East and to identify their sources and mitigate them. A set of climatic data from 60 years (1960–2022) was analyzed. Sand storms in Iraq are a silty sand mature arkose composed of 72.7% sand, 25.1% silt, and 2.19% clay; the clay fraction in dust storms constitutes 70%, with a small amount of silt (20.6%) and sand (9.4%). Dust and sand storms (%) are composed of quartz (49.2, 67.1), feldspar (4.9, 20.9), calcite (38, 5), gypsum (4.8, 0.4), dolomite (0.8, 1.0), and heavy minerals (3.2, 6.6). Increasing temperatures in Iraq, by an average of 2 °C for sixty years, have contributed to an increase in the number of dust storms from 75 to 200 times annually. North African storms affect the Middle East, with a monthly average exceeding 300 g/m3 in peak dust seasons. To reduce the negative impacts on public health, property, and infrastructure, the study suggests solutions to mitigate them, including reducing carbon dioxide gas emissions to prevent the expansion of drought and the afforestation of the desert with plants adapted to drought using advanced techniques and avoiding land overuse.
The Impact of Local Environment and Neighboring Pollution on the Spatial Variation of Particulate Matter in Chinese Mainland
Authors: Gao Chanchan , Liu Min
Published: January 2023

Particulate matter (PM) pollution has caused several environmental problems and damaged human health. To understand the different driving forces of PM2.5 and PM10, we investigated the spatial distribution of PM2.5, PM10, and the ratio of PM2.5 to PM10 (PM2.5/PM10), and simulated how they respond to socioeconomic, natural conditions and pollutant transmission in 336 cities across Chinese mainland in 2017. The results indicated that 35.4% and 49.7% of cities in Chinese mainland satisfied the national level II standard for PM2.5 (35 μg/m3) and PM10 (70 μg/m3), respectively. The average PM2.5/PM10 was 57.5 ± 9.4%, which is a relatively high value across the world. Global spatial regression results revealed that the transport of pollutants emitted from neighboring regions was the most important factor for local PM concentrations, while population density was the dominant local variable. The influence of socioeconomic factors and the neighboring pollution level on PM2.5 was greater than that on PM10, while the effect of precipitation was greater on PM10. Cluster analysis revealed that 336 Chinese cities could be classified into three groups. The regions with a high PM concentration and a high level of social economy were included in Group 1 (G1). Group 2 (G2) was predominantly observed in southern China, while Group 3 (G3) was seen in western China. Furthermore, population density significantly affected the PM in G2 and PM2.5 in G3, and PM levels in G1 and G3 had a sensitive response to the variation in precipitation, especially PM10.
Summer Onset in Northern East Asia: Feature, Mechanism and Variability
Authors: Shi Chen , Lin Zhongda , Lian Yi , Li Shangfeng , Yang Xu , Shen Baizhu , Su Lixin , Liu Gang
Published: January 2023

Summer in the East Asian monsoon region is characterized by heavy rainfall and high temperature. Its onset, depicted by monsoon rainfall and/or airflow as well as surface air temperature, has been well documented. However, the onset of summer season is rarely addressed in northern East Asia (NEA) around the northern edge of the East Asian summer monsoon. This study investigates the feature, mechanism, and variability of the summer onset in NEA based on the ERA-5 reanalysis dataset for 1979–2020. Results show that, in climatology, the onset of summer in NEA occurs in pentad 31 when the spring-to-summer warming process is decelerated at the highest rate. The change in the warming rate is mainly attributed to a decrease in the diabatic heat, mostly surface sensible heat, and temperature advection plays a small role. After the onset of summer, regional low-level northwesterly winds are weakened, and a local NEA cyclonic low forms. The latter, coupled with monsoon southerly airflow to the south, advects more moisture into NEA and increases regional rainfall. Furthermore, a temperature threshold of 17 °C, the climatological regional mean surface air temperature in pentad 31, was proposed to depict summer onset in NEA. Based on the temperature threshold, the year-to-year variability of summer onset timing in NEA is revealed, ranging from pentad 29 (late May) to 34 (middle June), with the standard deviation of 1.2 pentads. It advanced by 0.6 pentads, on average, after the late 1990s. This study provides a new method to objectively quantify the timing of summer onset in East Asia, which is thermodynamically explainable and may help us to depict and monitor summer onset in different latitudes and topography.
On the Left Properness of the Model Category of Permutative Categories
Authors: Sharma Amit
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we introduce a notion of free cofibrations of permutative categories. We show that each cofibration of permutative categories is a retract of a free cofibration. The main goal of this paper is to show that the natural model category of permutative categories is a left proper model category.
Two Convergence Results for Inexact Infinite Products of Non-Expansive Mappings
Authors: Zaslavski Alexander J.
Published: January 2023

We analyze the asymptotic behavior of infinite products of non-linear operators which take a non-empty, closed subset of a complete metric space into the space, taking into account summable computational errors. Our results can be applied in methods for solving convex feasibility and optimization problems.
NASICON-Type Li1+xAlxZryTi2−x−y(PO4)3 Solid Electrolytes: Effect of Al, Zr Co-Doping and Synthesis Method
Authors: Stenina Irina , Pyrkova Anastasia , Yaroslavtsev Andrey
Published: January 2023

Replacing liquid electrolytes with solid-state conductors is one of the key challenges to increasing the safety and energy density of next-generation Li secondary batteries. In this work, the NASICON-type Li1+xAlxZryTi2−x−y(PO4)3 with 0 ≤ x, y ≤ 0.2 solid electrolytes were synthesized using solid-state and sol-gel techniques at various sintering temperatures (800, 900, and 1000 °C). Their morphology and conducting properties were studied to determine the optimal dopant content and synthesis method. Li1.2Al0.2Zr0.1Ti1.7(PO4)3 and Li1.1Al0.1Zr0.2Ti1.7(PO4)3 prepared at 900 °C using a solid-state reaction exhibit the highest total conductivity at 25 °C (7.9 × 10−4 and 5.4 × 10−4 S cm−1, respectively), which is due to the optimal size of lithium transport channels, as well as the high density of these samples. The potential profile of Li|Li1.2Al0.2Zr0.1Ti1.7(PO4)3|Li cells was retained during cycling at a current density of 0.05 mA cm−2 for 100 h, indicating a high interfacial Li metal/electrolyte stability.
Effect of Phase Change Materials on Lithium-Ion Plate Batteries
Authors: Mustafa Jawed , Alqaed Saeed , Husain Shahid , Jamil Basharat , Sharifpur Mohsen , Cheraghian Goshtasp
Published: January 2023

This paper presents the simulations of the cooling system of a battery pack (BTPC) consisting of lithium-ion (LIN) plate batteries. The BTPC includes six battery cells (BTCL) in two rows with three BTCLs, which are placed in a channel with one inlet and two outlets. The laminar and steady airflow flows in the channel. Phase-change material (PCM)-filled rectangular cubic enclosures enclose every BTCL. Transiently adjusting the cavity aspect ratio (AR) every 6000 s is how this investigation is conducted. For four values of AR, the values of the PCM volume percentage surrounding each BTCL in the BTPC, and the temperature of each BTCL are calculated. The simulations are performed using the FEM and COMSOL software. The results demonstrate that the maximum changes in temperature of the battery (TOB) pack by changing the AR occur when the TOB pack is reduced. The maximum temperature reduction at this time is 1.88 °C which occurs between AR2 and AR4 at 720 s. The maximum temperature corresponds to AR3 and AR4 and the minimum one is related to AR1 and AR2. From 1260 to 3500 s, the effect of AR on PCM volume fraction is maximal. The value of solid PCM for AR1 and AR2 is higher than that for AR3 and AR4 at different times. Additionally, an increment in the value of the AR enhances the amount of channel pressure drop by 14%.