bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tailoring Can Improve Consumers’ Hygienic Food-Handling Behavior to Reduce the Transmission Risk of Antimicrobial-Resistant Bacteria through Food
Authors: Freivogel Claudia , Lehmann Sarah H. , Visschers Vivianne H. M.
Published: February 2022

Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria spread via food to humans and can seriously impair infection treatment. Hygienic food handling is an effective measure to avoid the transmission of bacteria. Therefore, we tested three types of interventions (tailored, generic, and no intervention) for their effectiveness in improving consumers’ hygienic food handling against the spread of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria through foods in a longitudinal randomized control trial. We based the determinants of hygienic food-handling behavior on the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA). The tailored intervention raised self-reported hygienic food handling, self-efficacy, and perceived likelihood of risk compared to no intervention. Moreover, interventions yielded different effects for participants with high vs. low intentions to improve their food-handling behavior. However, there were no differences between the tailored and generic interventions. More research is needed to find out whether including other behavior change techniques in the tailored intervention may increase the effect of tailoring.
A 48 GHz Fundamental Frequency PLL with Quadrature Clock Generation for 60 GHz Transceiver
Authors: Niu Xiaokang , Wu Xu , Li Lianming , He Long , Cheng Depeng , Wang Dongming
Published: January 2022

This paper presents a design of a 48 GHz CMOS phase-locked loop (PLL) for 60 GHz millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication systems. For the sliding intermediate frequency (sliding-IF) transceiver applications, a fundamental frequency PLL with quadrature clock generation scheme is proposed. Specifically, with an implicit capacitive-bridged shunt peaking network, a second order harmonic filtering technique is realized in the voltage control oscillator (VCO) to broaden the bandpass response, thereby avoiding the complex common-mode resonant tank calibration and improving the phase noise performance. A robust current mode logic (CML) static frequency divider topology is adopted to realize the prescaler and to generate the quadrature clock. With the capacitive-bridged shunt peaking load and robust biasing circuit, the static frequency divider locking range and high frequency performance is improved and its reliability is enhanced over the PVT corners. To improve the image suppression ratio of the transceiver, a quadrature clock phase calibration scheme is proposed and verified. Fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS process, the PLL occupies a core area of 800 μm × 950 μm. Over the frequency range of 45.2 to 52.6 GHz, the measured PLL in-band phase noise PLL is better than −90 dBc/Hz@100 KHz offset, and its jitter is less than 155 fs. Moreover, the reference spur is less than −60 dBc/Hz.
A Multi-Scale Multi-Task Learning Model for Continuous Dimensional Emotion Recognition from Audio
Authors: Li Xia , Lu Guanming , Yan Jingjie , Zhang Zhengyan
Published: January 2022

Due to the advantages of many aspects of the dimensional emotion model, continuous dimensional emotion recognition from audio has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Features and dimensional emotion labels on different time scales have different characteristics and contain different information. To make full use of the advantages of features and emotion representations from multiple time scales, a novel multi-scale multi-task (MSMT) learning model is proposed in this paper. The MSMT model is constructed by a deep belief network (DBN) with only one hidden layer. The same hidden layer parameters and linear layer parameters are shared by all features. Multiple temporal pooling operations are inserted between the hidden layer and the linear layer to obtain information on multiple time scales. The mean squared error (MSE) of the main and the secondary task are combined to form the final objective function. Extensive experiments were conducted on RECOLA and SEMAINE datasets to illustrate the effectiveness of our model. The results for the two sets show that even adding a secondary scale to the scale with optimal single-scale single-task performance can achieve significant performance improvements.
Dense Residual Transformer for Image Denoising
Authors: Yao Chao , Jin Shuo , Liu Meiqin , Ban Xiaojuan
Published: January 2022

Image denoising is an important low-level computer vision task, which aims to reconstruct a noise-free and high-quality image from a noisy image. With the development of deep learning, convolutional neural network (CNN) has been gradually applied and achieved great success in image denoising, image compression, image enhancement, etc. Recently, Transformer has been a hot technique, which is widely used to tackle computer vision tasks. However, few Transformer-based methods have been proposed for low-level vision tasks. In this paper, we proposed an image denoising network structure based on Transformer, which is named DenSformer. DenSformer consists of three modules, including a preprocessing module, a local-global feature extraction module, and a reconstruction module. Specifically, the local-global feature extraction module consists of several Sformer groups, each of which has several ETransformer layers and a convolution layer, together with a residual connection. These Sformer groups are densely skip-connected to fuse the feature of different layers, and they jointly capture the local and global information from the given noisy images. We conduct our model on comprehensive experiments. In synthetic noise removal, DenSformer outperforms other state-of-the-art methods by up to 0.06–0.28 dB in gray-scale images and 0.57–1.19 dB in color images. In real noise removal, DenSformer can achieve comparable performance, while the number of parameters can be reduced by up to 40%. Experimental results prove that our DenSformer achieves improvement compared to some state-of-the-art methods, both for the synthetic noise data and real noise data, in the objective and subjective evaluations.
The Adaptation of Internet of Things in the Indian Insurance Industry—Reviewing the Challenges and Potential Solutions
Authors: Saeed Maryam , Arshed Noman , Zhang Haikuan
Published: January 2022

The concept of insurance was found several centuries before Christ. Correspondingly, Chinese and Babylonian traders practiced moving or dispensing risks in the second and third millennia BC. Nowadays, insurance is the backbone of the economy. The recent introduction of big data, IoT, and other forms of InsurTech led to the fourth industrial revolution in insurance in the developed world. The industry is looking to improve the ergonomics of remote sensing technology to improve the acceptability of the clients. The adaptation of IoT in developing economies may provide a solution in increasing insurance penetration. This study explores the challenges and solutions in adopting IoT to increase insurance penetration in India. This study applied a systematic literature review (SLR) to extract the themes/variables related to challenges and solutions in adopting IoT in India’s insurance sector. Several keywords were used to search the relevant literature from Google Scholar. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, the filtered studies were explored. This study listed several challenges and their solutions in the adaption of IoT in the Indian insurance industry. Policymakers could adapt the suggestions provided to improve the service delivery insurance sector. The authors listed several challenges and solutions in the adaption of IoT in the Indian insurance industry through a systematic literature review to facilitate the policymakers to make the right decisions.
Machine Learning Technologies for Big Data Analytics
Authors: Gandomi Amir H. , Chen Fang , Abualigah Laith
Published: January 2022

Big data analytics is one high focus of data science and there is no doubt that big data is now quickly growing in all science and engineering fields [...]
Situation Awareness by Simple Intuitive Traffic Light Signals for Smart Utilisation of Local Demand and Supply Flexibility
Authors: Franzl Gerald , Wilker Stefan , Efkarpidis Nikolaos , Sauter Thilo
Published: January 2022

To realise the energy transition, every renewable source shall at least partially contribute to the demand–supply balancing, including customer-owned controllable loads and energy sources. Their commonly small size and spatial occurrence suggests addressing volatility issues locally, using local flexibilities to mitigate their impact. This calls for simple and effective signalling that enables interaction among local stakeholders, including local producers and customers. According interfaces and information formats appear to not yet exist. In this article, we propose a traffic-light-like system that enables the local grid operator to trigger situation-aware customer behaviour, supporting grid stability when needed and, in return, allowing customers to fully exploit temporary grid capacity when no safety or stability issues persist. The applied intuitive deduction method based on existing coordination mechanisms and objectives indicates, without proof, that the proposed granular traffic light system can enable the distribution grid flexibility required to facilitate more renewable energy being produced and inserted by local customers, to relieve grid levels above from transporting and equalising volatile energy shares, and to improve the economics of distributed renewable energy sources.
Dynamic Performance Enhancement of a Renewable Energy System for Grid Connection and Stand-Alone Operation with Battery Storage
Authors: Mossa Mahmoud A. , Gam Olfa , Bianchi Nicola
Published: January 2022

This paper introduces a new formulated control scheme for enhancing the dynamic performance of a wind driven surface permanent magnet synchronous generator. The designed control scheme is based on predictive control theory, in which the shortcomings of previous predictive controllers are avoided. To visualize the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, the performance of the generator was dynamically evaluated under two different operating regimes: grid connection and standalone operation in which a battery storage system was used to enhance the power delivery to the isolated loads. In addition, a detailed performance comparison between the proposed controller and traditional predictive controllers was carried out. The traditional control topologies used for comparison were the model predictive direct power control, model predictive direct torque control, and model predictive current control. A detailed description of each control scheme is introduced illustrating how it is configured to manage the generator operation. Furthermore, to achieve the optimal exploitation of the wind energy and limit the power in case of exceeding the nominal wind speed, maximum power point tracking and blade pitch angle controls were adopted. A detailed performance comparison effectively outlined the features of each controller, confirming the superiority of the proposed control scheme over other predictive controllers. This fact is illustrated through its simple structure, low ripples, low computation burdens and low current harmonics obtained with the proposed control scheme.
Consumer-Driven Demand-Side Management Using K-Mean Clustering and Integer Programming in Standalone Renewable Grid
Authors: Ayub Muhammad Ahsan , Khan Hufsa , Peng Jianchun , Liu Yitao
Published: January 2022

Many countries have larger land areas and scattered communities. Therefore, to electrify them, small standalone power systems are the more preferred and cost-efficient solution as compared to utility grid extensions. The main objective of a standalone power system is to supply cleaner, cheaper, and uninterrupted electricity. However, for standalone power systems, demand-side management always remains a challenging task. In this paper, a load scheduling algorithm driven by K-mean clustering and linear integer programming to schedule consumers’ appliances for the upcoming day is proposed. In addition, the basic power to run the necessary appliances is kept available in the system all the time. Furthermore, to assist the consumer in every situation, the battery storage system and the overall system size reduction are also taken into consideration. Consumer input is also used in scheduling the appliances. The proposed method is evaluated on the publicly available real-world dataset; the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach performs better, due to which the reliability and continuity of the system are increased.
Latent Thermal Energy Storage Application in a Residential Building at a Mediterranean Climate
Authors: Coelho Luis , Koukou Maria K. , Dogkas George , Konstantaras John , Vrachopoulos Michail Gr. , Rebola Amandio , Benou Anastasia , Choropanitis John , Karytsas Constantine , Sourkounis Constantinos , Chrysanthou Zenon
Published: January 2022

An innovative thermal energy storage system (TESSe2b) was retrofitted in a residential building in Cyprus with a typical Mediterranean climate. The system comprises flat-plate solar collectors, thermal energy storage tanks filled with organic phase change material, a geothermal installation consisting of borehole heat exchangers with and without phase change material and a ground source heat pump, an advanced self-learning control system, backup devices and several other auxiliary components. The thermal energy storage tanks cover the building’s needs at certain temperature ranges (10–17 °C for cooling, 38–45 °C for heating and 50–60 °C for domestic hot water). A performance evaluation was conducted by comparing the TESSe2b system with the existing conventional heating and cooling system. The systems were simulated using commercial software, and the performance of the systems and the building’s energy needs were calculated. Based on the energy quantities, an economic analysis followed. The equivalent annual primary energy consumption with the conventional system resulted in being 43335 kWh, while for the storage system, it was only 8398 kWh. The payback period for the storage system was calculated to be equal to 9.76 years. The operation of the installed storage system provided data for calculations of the seasonal performance factor and storage performance. The seasonal performance factor values were very high during June, July and August, since the TESSe2b system works very efficiently in cooling mode due to the very high temperatures that dominate in Cyprus. The measured stored thermal energy for cooling, heating and domestic hot water resulted in being 14.5, 21.9 and 6.2 kWh, respectively. Moreover, the total volume of the phase change material thermal energy storage tanks for heating and domestic hot water was calculated to be roughly several times smaller than the volume of a tank with water as a storage medium.
Use of Participatory Processes in Wood Residue Management from a Circular Bioeconomy Perspective: An Approach Adopted in Italy
Authors: Paletto Alessandro , Becagli Claudia , Geri Francesco , Sacchelli Sandro , De Meo Isabella
Published: January 2022

The circular bioeconomy is aimed at achieving sustainable development through high efficiency utilization and resource recycling, and through combining environmental, economic and social objectives. Although the implementation of circular bioeconomy principles is based on a bottom-up approach, the participatory process has often been neglected. To overcome this problem, the present study investigated a case-study with a three-step participatory process. The process aimed to evaluate a forest-wood supply chain with consideration of the circular bioeconomy principles. A set of indicators was identified and assessed by a pool of experts. Then the members of a forest-wood supply chain were consulted to implement the identified actions. Finally, a focus group was organized with key stakeholders to discuss critical issues and strategies for enhancing the forest-wood supply chain locally. The results show that the proposed set of indicators is a useful tool to evaluate the performance of the forest-wood supply chain considering the circular bioeconomy principles. The results of the participatory process and related indicators’ assessment identified the main weaknesses of the forest-wood supply chain. The main strategies to develop the local forest-wood supply chain toward the circular bioeconomy principles were also defined with a participatory approach.
A Comparison in Combustion Characteristics in a CVCC with Biodiesel Blends
Authors: Nghia Nguyen , Truong Nguyen , Khoa Nguyen , Tuan Le , Tuan Nguyen
Published: January 2022

This paper presents the comparison of combustion characteristics in a constant volume combustion chamber (CVCC) with alternative fuel biodiesel blends. To achieve this goal, a CVCC experimental was established, and the biodiesel was made from fish oil and was used as test fuel. The combustion process of diesel fuel (B0) and bio-diesel 10% (B10) will be investigated based on doing experiments with two conditions: air-fuel mixed before and after ignition timing. The influence of the oxygen concentration on the burning process is also being investigated. The results of the research show that the heat release rate of B0 is faster and higher than that of B10 in the case of air-fuel mixed before ignition timing. In the case of after ignition timing, these values are almost similar to B0 and B10.
Numerical Study on Vortex Structures and Loss Characteristics in a Transonic Turbine with Various Squealer Tips
Authors: Wang Yufan , Zhang Weihao , Huang Dongming , Jiang Shoumin , Chen Yun
Published: January 2022

Cavity width and height are two key geometric parameters of squealer tips, which could affect the control effect of squealer tips on tip leakage flow (TLF) of gas turbines. To explore the optimal values and the control mechanisms of cavity width and height, various cases with different cavity widths and heights are investigated by solving the steady Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. In this study, the range of cavity width is 9.2–15.1 τ, and that of cavity height is 1.0–3.5 τ. The results show that the optimal value of cavity height is 2.5–3.0 τ, and that of cavity width is about 10.0–10.5 τ. The small cavity width could restrain the breakdown of tip leakage vortex (TLV) and reduce the extra mixing loss. Both small cavity width and large cavity height could enhance the blocking effect on the TLF, reducing the corresponding mixing loss. However, both of them will inhibit the length of the scraping vortex (SV), which is bad for the control of loss. In addition, large cavity height could reduce the loss inside the clearance, while small cavity width could not. This work could provide a reference for the design of squealer tip.
Research on Low Voltage Ride through Control of a Marine Photovoltaic Grid-Connected System Based on a Super Capacitor
Authors: Wang Shihao , Tang Xujing , Liu Xionghang , Xu Chen
Published: January 2022

With the increase of photovoltaic penetration rate, the fluctuation of photovoltaic power generation affects the reliability of ship power grids. Marine PV grid-connected systems with high penetration rates should generally have a low voltage ride-through capability. In the present paper, a strategy in which super capacitors are applied for energy storage in a marine photovoltaic grid-connected system is proposed, and an inverter adopts independent decoupling control of active and reactive currents to improve the LVRT capability of photovoltaic grid-connected systems. In addition, a comprehensive control strategy is also designed to control the supercapacitor, to regulate the active power through the control method of the voltage outer loop and the current inner loop, in order to maintain the DC bus voltage stability. At the same time, the inverter can increase the reactive power output to support the grid voltage. The advantage of this system is in smoothing the power imbalance in a short time, enhancing the low voltage ride-through capability of the photovoltaic grid-connected system, improving the power quality, and ensuring the safety and stability of the ship’s power grid. MATLAB/Simulink were employed to establish a ro-ro ship super capacitor–marine photovoltaic grid-connected power system model and to carry out simulation experiments by setting the grid voltage drop. The results show that when the grid voltage drops, the inverter adjusts the distribution of active and reactive power. The power factor drops from 1 to 0.77, and the effective value of the voltage drop increases from 150 V to 156 V, which proves that this strategy effectively reduces the depth of the grid voltage drop and improves the low voltage ride-through capability of the photovoltaic grid-connected system.
Multidisciplinary Assessment of a Novel Carbon Capture and Utilization Concept including Underground Sun Conversion
Authors: Zauner Andreas , Fazeni-Fraisl Karin , Wolf-Zoellner Philipp , Veseli Argjenta , Holzleitner Marie-Theres , Lehner Markus , Bauer Stephan , Pichler Markus
Published: January 2022

The current work investigates the feasibility of a novel Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) approach—also known as Underground Sun Conversion (USC) or geo-methanation. The overall objective of the current work is a comprehensive assessment on the technical, economic and legal aspects as well as greenhouse gas impacts to be concerned for establishing USC technology concept. This is achieved by applying multidisciplinary research approach combining process simulation, techno-economic and greenhouse gas assessment as well as legal analysis allows answering questions about technical, economic feasibility and greenhouse gas performance as well as on legal constraints related to large scale CCU using geo-methanation in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs. CO2 from the industry and renewable H2 from the electrolyser are converted to geomethane in an underground gas storage and used in industry again to close the carbon cycle. Process simulation results showed the conversion rates vary due to operation mode and gas cleaning is necessary in any case to achieve natural gas grid compliant feed in quality. The geomethane production costs are found to be similar or even lower than the costs for synthetic methane from Above Ground Methanation (AGM). The GHG-assessment shows a significant saving compared to fossil natural gas and conventional power-to-gas applications. From a legal perspective the major challenge arises from a regulative gap of CCU in the ETS regime. Accordingly, a far-reaching exemption from the obligation to surrender certificates would be fraught with many legal and technical problems and uncertainties.
Jet Impingement Cooling Enhanced with Nano-Encapsulated PCM
Authors: Mohaghegh Mohammad Reza , Tasnim Syeda Humaira , Aliabadi Amir A. , Mahmud Shohel
Published: January 2022

In the present study, the laminar flow and heat transfer of water jet impingement enhanced with nano-encapsulated phase change material (NEPCM) slurry on a hot plate is analytically investigated for the first time. A similarity solution approach is applied to momentum and energy equations in order to determine the flow velocity and heat transfer fields. The effect of different physical parameters such as jet velocity, Reynolds number, jet inlet temperature, and the NEPCM concentration on the cooling performance of the impinging jet are investigated. The volume fraction of NEPCM particles plays an essential role in the flow and heat transfer fields. The results show that NEPCM slurry can significantly enhance the cooling performance of the system as it improves the latent heat storage capacity of the liquid jet. However, the maximum cooling performance of the system is achieved under an optimum NEPCM concentration (15%). A further increase in NEPCM volume fraction has an unfavorable effect due to increasing the viscosity and reducing the conductivity simultaneously. The effect of adding nano-metal particles on the heat transfer performance is also investigated and compared with NEPCM slurry. NEPCM slurry shows a better result in its maximum performance. Compared with the water jet, adding nano and NEPCM particles would overall enhance the system’s thermal performance by 16% and 7%, respectively.
Forecasting Building Energy Consumption Using Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition, Wavelet Transformation, and Long Short-Term Memory Algorithms
Authors: Chou Shuo-Yan , Dewabharata Anindhita , Zulvia Ferani E. , Fadil Mochamad
Published: January 2022

A building, a central location of human activities, is equipped with many devices that consume a lot of electricity. Therefore, predicting the energy consumption of a building is essential because it helps the building management to make better energy management policies. Thus, predicting energy consumption of a building is very important, and this study proposes a forecasting framework for energy consumption of a building. The proposed framework combines a decomposition method with a forecasting algorithm. This study applies two decomposition algorithms, namely the empirical mode decomposition and wavelet transformation. Furthermore, it applies the long short term memory algorithm to predict energy consumption. This study applies the proposed framework to predict the energy consumption of 20 buildings. The buildings are located in different time zones and have different functionalities. The experiment results reveal that the best forecasting algorithm applies the long short term memory algorithm with the empirical mode decomposition. In addition to the proposed framework, this research also provides the recommendation of the forecasting model for each building. The result of this study could enrich the study about the building energy forecasting approach. The proposed framework also can be applied to the real case of electricity consumption.
Participation of Aggregated DERs to the Ancillary Services Market: A Monte Carlo Simulation-Based Heuristic Greedy-Indexing Model
Authors: Falabretti Davide , Gulotta Francesco , Spinelli Lorenzo
Published: January 2022

In an effort to improve the stability and secure operation of the grid, regulatory bodies are opening Ancillary Services Markets participation to Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), energy storage systems, and demand response. Within this framework, this study proposes a model that simulates the coordinated operation of an aggregate of power plants, including non-dispatchable DERs and, as regulating units, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) generation and electrochemical energy storage systems. A Monte Carlo procedure is adopted to realistically create a population of aggregation scenarios. The real-time operation of the DER portfolio is managed through a Heuristic Greedy-Indexing logic, which allows the Aggregator to select the optimal control action to implement according to the technical and economic quantities characterizing the market and the grid. The techno-economic performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by simulating its interaction with the electricity markets. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to analyze the profitability in different scenarios. The novel mathematical model proposed showed to be effective in managing a complex problem like the one at hand with an acceptable computational effort. The numerical results obtained confirmed that the aggregated participation in the market could provide interesting economic returns, especially if a CHP unit is involved as regulating unit, while the feasibility of the batteries adoption is still limited by the actual cost of the technology.
Silicium-Carbide-Based Isolated DC/DC Converter for Medium-Voltage Photovoltaic Power Plants
Authors: Ngo Minh Nhut , Ladoux Philippe , Martin Jérémy , Sanchez Sébastien
Published: January 2022

The production of large-scale photovoltaics (PVs) is becoming increasingly popular in the field of power generation; they require the construction of power plants of several hundred megawatts. Nevertheless, the construction of these PV power plants with conventional low-voltage (LV) conversion systems is not an appropriate technological path. Particularly, large cross-section cables, a high quantity of semiconductors, and the bulky layout of 50/60-Hz step-up transformers make the PV system less competitive in terms of energy efficiency and cost. To overcome these drawbacks, this paper introduces new PV plant topologies with an intermediate medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) collector that requires galvanic isolation for connecting the PV arrays. Then, the design of a power electronic transformer (PET) is proposed, implementing 1.7-kV and 3.3-kV silicium carbide (SiC) power modules. The study confirms that this converter allows the use of medium-frequency (MF) transformers with high power densities while maintaining high efficiency, which facilitates the implementation of isolated medium-voltage (MV) topologies for utility-scale PV power plants.
The Biological Drying of Municipal Waste in an Industrial Reactor—A Case Study
Authors: Latosińska Jolanta , Żygadło Maria , Dębicka Marlena
Published: January 2022

One of the methods of municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment is biodrying. The literature describes mainly the results obtained in a laboratory- and a pilot-scale reactor. The manuscript presents the results of MSW treatment in a full-scale bio-drying reactor (150 m3). The reactor is operated in one of the Polish installations specializing in mechanical-biological treatment (MBT). During the 14 day period of biodrying in the reactor, the parameters of MSW such as the moisture, temperature, loss on ignition (LOI), and net heating value (NHV) were examined. The temperature of the air in the reactor was also examined. The research also included changes in the above-mentioned parameters of MSW located in three parts of the reactor: the front, middle, and back. The test results showed that the moisture content of the waste decreased from the initial level of 55% to the level of 30%. This was accompanied by an increase in the NHV from 6.3 MJ kg−1 to 9.6 MJ kg−1. At the same time, the LOI decreased from 68% d.m. to 45% d.m. The LOI decrease is not favorable from the point of view of using MSW as refuse-derived fuel (RDF), as was expected in the final usage stage. The results have application value as the plant operator, having at their disposal the controlling of the reactor’s ventilation and the temperature inside the reactor, should select the speed of the moisture removal from MSW at such a level as to minimize the LOI decrease.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Forests in 2021
Authors:   Forests Editorial Office
Published: January 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Analysis of Water Deer Roadkills Using Point Process Modeling in Chungcheongnamdo, South Korea
Authors: Jang Woongsoon , Kim Bongkyun , Chung Ok-Sik , Lee Jong Koo
Published: January 2022

The expansion of road networks and increased traffic loads have resulted in an increase in the problem of wildlife roadkill, which has a serious impact on both human safety and the wildlife population. However, roadkill data are collected primarily from the incidental sighting, thus they often lack the true-absence information. This study aims to identify the factors associated with Korean water deer (Hydropotes inermis) roadkill in Korea using the point processing modeling (PPM) approach. Water deer roadkill point data were fitted with explanatory variables derived from forest cover type, topography, and human demography maps and an animal distribution survey. Water deer roadkill showed positive associations with road density, human population density, road width, and water deer detection point density. Slope and elevation showed negative associations with roadkill. The traffic volume and adjacent water deer population may be the major driving factors in roadkill events. The results also imply that the PPM can be a flexible tool for developing roadkill mitigation strategy, providing analytical advantages of roadkill data, such as clarification of model specification and interpretation, while avoiding issues derived from a lack of true-absence information.
A Comparison of the Environmental Performance between Construction Materials and Operational Energy of Nearly Zero-Energy Wood-Based Educational Building
Authors: Mitterpach Jozef , Vaňová Rozália , Šedivka Přemysl , Štefko Jozef
Published: February 2022

This paper focused on the environmental performance of a nearly zero-energy wood-based educational building (NZEB-W) via the life cycle impact assessment (LCIA). It identifies the environmental impacts of construction materials and operational energy demands of the NZEB-W and compares them using the SimaPro 8 software with the IMPACT 2002+ method. The LCIA results from NZEB-W show that the overall environmental impact of construction materials (98.9 Pt) and 45 years operational energy demands (98.6 Pt) will be at the same level. Its overall environmental impact 197.75 Pt for 45 years is relatively small. NZEB-W has the greatest impact on the environment in the category of damage respiratory inorganics (34.5%), 419 kg PM2.5 eq from construction materials, and 271 kg PM2.5 eq from operational energy for 45 years; follows global warming (31.7%), 1.98 × 105 kg CO2 eq from construction materials, and 4.23 × 105 kg CO2 eq from operational energy for 45 years; and non-renewable energy (21.8%), 2.82 × 106 MJ primary from construction materials, and 3.73 × 106 MJ primary from operational energy for 45 years. As this environmental assessment shows, the material composition of construction materials compared to the energy consumption in the use phase is an essential element for understanding the life cycle impact of buildings.
Bioethanol Production as an Alternative End for Maple Syrups with Flavor Defects
Authors: de Medeiros Dantas Julia Maria , Álvares Monge Neto André , Ghislain Thierry , Lavoie Jean-Michel
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the validity of an alternative route to valorize declassified maple syrups affected by flavor defects such as ropy maple syrup (RMS) and buddy maple syrup (BMS) as feedstocks for ethanol production. An acid hydrolysis treatment (0.1 M, 0.5 M, 5 M, and 10 M) was performed on the RMS to break the polysaccharide chains which are responsible for the flavor defect. The sugars and inhibitors composition of these hydrolysates were analyzed by ion chromatography and ion exclusion chromatography, respectively. Maple syrup samples were fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 96 h at 30 °C, and ethanol content was measured to determine the kinetic parameters of the process. RMS and BMS demonstrated a good potential to be used as feedstocks to produce ethanol achieving high efficiencies (RMS: 90.08%; BMS: 93.34%). The acid hydrolysis (25 min, 50 °C, with the addition of 5 M sulfuric acid solution) was effective to maximize ethanol production when using RMS as feedstock. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time that such an approach is used to valorize declassified maple syrups.
Enrichment of Pistachio Shell with Olive Mill Waste or Lathyrus clymenum Pericarp Mixtures via Solid State Fermentation with Pleurotus ostreatus
Authors: Eliopoulos Christos , Markou Giorgos , Kremmyda Alexandra , Haroutounian Serkos A. , Arapoglou Dimitrios
Published: January 2022

The study herein concerns the application of the solid-state fermentation (SSF) bioprocess of agro-industrial wastes as a means to improve their nutritional composition, targeting their utilization as proteinaceous animal feed. The fermentation outcome resulted from the mixtures of Olive Mill Stone Waste (OMSW) with Pistachio Shell (PS) and PS with Lathyrus clymenum pericarp (LP) at various proportions via SSF initiated by P. ostreatus. The addition of 20% w/w of LPs to PS recorded the highest crude protein content (%) increase of 33.87% while concerning cellulose content, 50% w/w addition presented the highest value (37.68%). Concerning lignin presence, PS and its additions to OMSW recorded a reduction, the ratio of 100% w/w of PS was found to be decreased by 14.22% whereas, 20% w/w of LP additions to PS displayed an increment of 38.25%. Regarding β-glucans content, the mixture of 50% w/w of LP to PS recorded the highest value (5.19%) while 100% w/w of PS presented a vast increment exceeding 480-folds. The OMSW, PS and LP mixtures revealed their potential as supplements in animals’ diets after their nutritional upgrade through SSF. Such studies highlight the contribution to the confrontation of the unavailability of proteinaceous animal feed in the terms of a circular economy.
Changes in Phytochemical Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Two Irradiated Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Monech) Cultivars during the Fermentation and Cooking of Traditional Sudanese Asida
Authors: Mohamed Layla K. , Sulieman Mashair A. , Yagoub Abu ElGasim A. , Mohammed Mohammed A. , Alhuthayli Haya F. , Mohamed Ahmed Isam A. , Almaiman Salah A. , Alfawaz Mohammed A. , Osman Magdi A. , Hassan Amro B.
Published: January 2022

This study investigated the chemical changes of phytochemicals and antioxidant activity during the preparation of traditional Sudanese asida prepared from gamma-radiated (1.0 and 2.0 kGy) flour of two sorghum cultivars (Tabat and Wad Ahmed). For both cultivars, the irradiation process significantly (p < 0.05) increased the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the raw flour, while it caused a significant reduction in total flavonoid content and tannin content. Traditional asida (fermented food) prepared from irradiated sorghum flour caused a significant reduction in TPC, TFC, and tannin content in both sorghum cultivars, while the antioxidant activities (DPPH, reducing power, and H2O2 scavenging) were significantly increased in both the Tabat (85.0%, 3.8 mg AAE/g, and 84.6%, respectively) and the Wad Ahmed (89.6%, 3.9 mg AAE/g, and 83.1%, respectively) sorghum cultivar grains, particularly in those processed from 2.0 kGy-irradiated flour. A positive high correlation was observed between gamma radiation (2.0 kGy) and the antioxidant activity of asida prepared from both cultivars. In conclusion, traditional fermented asida obtained from irradiated flour showed high antioxidant activity in both sorghum cultivars.
Characterization and Viability Prediction of Commercial Probiotic Supplements under Temperature and Concentration Conditioning Factors by NIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Aguinaga Bósquez Juan Pablo , Oǧuz Esma , Cebeci Aybike , Majadi Mariem , Kiskó Gabriella , Gillay Zoltan , Kovacs Zoltan
Published: February 2022

The quality of probiotics has been associated with bacteria and yeast strains’ contents and their stability against conditioning factors. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), as a non-destructive, fast, real-time, and cost-effective analytical technique, can provide some advantages over more traditional food quality control methods in quality evaluation. The aim of our study was to evaluate the applicability of NIRS to the characterization and viability prediction of three commercial probiotic food supplement powders containing lactic acid bacteria (LAB) subjected to concentration and temperature conditioning factors. For each probiotic, 3 different concentrations were considered, and besides normal preparation (25 °C, control), samples were subjected to heat treatment at 60 or 90 °C and left to cool down until reaching room temperature prior to further analysis. Overall, after applying chemometrics to the NIR spectra, the obtained principal component analysis-based linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA) classification models showed a high accuracy in both recognition and prediction. The temperature has an important impact on the discrimination of samples. According to the concentration, the best models were identified for the 90 °C temperature treatment, reaching 100% average correct classification for recognition and over 90% for prediction. However, the prediction accuracy decreased substantially at lower temperatures. For the 25 °C temperature treatment, the prediction accuracy decreased to nearly 60% for 2 of the 3 probiotics. Moreover, according to the temperature level, both the recognition and prediction accuracies were close to 100%. Additionally, the partial least square regression (PLSR) model achieved respectable values for the prediction of the colony-forming units (log CFU/g) of the probiotic samples, with a determination coefficient for prediction (R2Pr) of 0.82 and root mean square error for prediction (RMSEP) of 0.64. The results of our study show that NIRS is a fast, reliable, and promising alternative to the conventional microbiology technique for the characterization and prediction of the viability of probiotic supplement drink preparations.
Simulation of Evacuation from Stadiums and Entertainment Arenas of Different Epochs on the Example of the Roman Colosseum and the Gazprom Arena
Authors: Gravit Marina , Kirik Ekaterina , Savchenko Egor , Vitova Tatiana , Shabunina Daria
Published: February 2022

Space-planning decisions of two sports and entertainment arenas with large crowds—the Roman Colosseum (Italy) and the modern Gazprom Arena stadium (St. Petersburg, Russia)— were analyzed to compare the flow of people during evacuation by simulation. It was shown that the space-planning decisions of the Colosseum seem more advantageous compared with the Gazprom Arena in calculation of evacuation time and evacuation organization process: the capacity of the stairs of the Colosseum with a width of 2.8 m is comparable with the capacity of the Gazprom Arena’s stairs (4 m). In the Colosseum the average specific flow is qaverage = 1.14 person/s/m, while in the Gazprom Arena the average specific flow is qaverage = 0.65 (with a march width of 2.6 m) and qaverage = 0.8 person/s/m (with a march width of 4 m). It was found that the Colosseum complies with current standards for on-time evacuation; while modern sports and entertainment arenas are currently designed with additional services, infrastructure, comfort and, in general, high commercialization. The antique arenas are currently being reborn and used for concerts and other public events, so the obtained results have practical significance.
Flow Control in Wings and Discovery of Novel Approaches via Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Vinuesa Ricardo , Lehmkuhl Oriol , Lozano-Durán Adrian , Rabault Jean
Published: February 2022

In this review, we summarize existing trends of flow control used to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of wings. We first discuss active methods to control turbulence, starting with flat-plate geometries and building towards the more complicated flow around wings. Then, we discuss active approaches to control separation, a crucial aspect towards achieving a high aerodynamic efficiency. Furthermore, we highlight methods relying on turbulence simulation, and discuss various levels of modeling. Finally, we thoroughly revise data-driven methods and their application to flow control, and focus on deep reinforcement learning (DRL). We conclude that this methodology has the potential to discover novel control strategies in complex turbulent flows of aerodynamic relevance.
The Structuring of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) Extract-Incorporating Edible Zein-Based Materials with Antioxidant and Antibacterial Functionality by Solvent Casting versus Electrospinning
Authors: Salević Ana , Stojanović Dušica , Lević Steva , Pantić Milena , Đorđević Verica , Pešić Radojica , Bugarski Branko , Pavlović Vladimir , Uskoković Petar , Nedović Viktor
Published: January 2022

In this study, in order to develop zein-based, edible, functional food-contact materials in different forms incorporating sage extract (10, 20, and 30%), solvent casting and electrospinning were employed. The study aimed to assess the effects of the applied techniques and the extract’s incorporation on the materials’ properties. The solvent casting generated continuous and compact films, where the extract’s incorporation provided more homogenous surfaces. The electrospinning resulted in non-woven mats composed of ribbon-like fibers in the range of 1.275–1.829 µm, while the extract’s incorporation provided thinner and branched fibers. The results indicated the compatibility between the materials’ constituents, and efficient and homogenous extract incorporation within the zein matrices, with more probable interactions occurring during the solvent casting. All of the formulations had a high dry matter content, whereas the mats and the formulations incorporating the extract had higher solubility and swelling in water. The films and mats presented similar DPPH• and ABTS•+ radical scavenging abilities, while the influence on Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium bacteria, and the growth inhibition, were complex. The antioxidant and antibacterial activity of the materials were more potent after the extract’s incorporation. Overall, the results highlight the potential of the developed edible materials for use as food-contact materials with active/bioactive functionality.
Optimisation and Characterisation of Novel Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides Prepared by Double Enzymatic Hydrolysis from Agaricus bisporus Scraps
Authors: Wang Rui , Yun Jianmin , Wu Shujuan , Bi Yang , Zhao Fengyun
Published: January 2022

Food-derived hypotensive peptides have attracted attention in the field of active peptide research in recent years. In this study, based on ACE inhibition rate and using the Box–Behnken central combination design principle to optimise the process of ACE inhibitor peptides prepared by double-enzyme hydrolysis. The amino acid sequences of ACE inhibitor peptides were determined by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and their binding to ACE was studied by molecular docking. The optimal processing conditions were 1:1 alkaline protease: compound protease, pH was 8.43, enzymolysis temperature was 44.32 °C, and enzymolysis time was 3.52 h. Under these conditions, the ACE inhibition rate reached 65.12%, and the inhibition rate after separation and purification was 80.68% (IC50 = 0.9 mg/mL). Three novel peptides with ACE inhibitory activity were detected by LC-MS/MS, with sequences LVYP (Leu-Val-Tyr-Pro), VYPW(Val-Tyr-Pro-Trp) and YPWT(Tyr-Pro-Trp-Thr). Molecular docking revealed that the three novel peptides all established hydrogen bonds with the S1(Tyr523, Glu384, Ala354) and S2 (His353) pockets of ACE. Among them, LVYP, VYPW and YPWT, respectively, formed eleven hydrogen bonds, six hydrogen bonds and nine hydrogen bonds with ACE. The study revealed that these peptides have the potential for the development of novel ACE inhibitor drugs and provide a new avenue for high-value utilisation of mushrooms scraps.
Antifungal Preservation of Food by Lactic Acid Bacteria
Authors: Nasrollahzadeh Ahmad , Mokhtari Samira , Khomeiri Morteza , Saris Per E. J.
Published: January 2022

Fungal growth and consequent mycotoxin release in food and feed threatens human health, which might even, in acute cases, lead to death. Control and prevention of foodborne poisoning is a major task of public health that will be faced in the 21st century. Nowadays, consumers increasingly demand healthier and more natural food with minimal use of chemical preservatives, whose negative effects on human health are well known. Biopreservation is among the safest and most reliable methods for inhibiting fungi in food. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are of great interest as biological additives in food owing to their Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) classification and probiotic properties. LAB produce bioactive compounds such as reuterin, cyclic peptides, fatty acids, etc., with antifungal properties. This review highlights the great potential of LAB as biopreservatives by summarizing various reported antifungal activities/metabolites of LAB against fungal growth into foods. In the end, it provides profound insight into the possibilities and different factors to be considered in the application of LAB in different foods as well as enhancing their efficiency in biodetoxification and biopreservative activities.