bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2D Numerical Study on the Flow Mechanisms of Boundary Layer Ingestion through Power-Based Analysis
Authors: Lv Peijian , Zhang Mengmeng , Cao Fei , Lin Defu , Mo Li
Published: March 2022

This paper aims to establish an approach of power bookkeeping in a numerical study. To study the process of power conversion coursed in the flow field, the methodology employs a power-based analysis to quantify power terms. This approach is examined in a simulation of jet flow and then applied to the cases of an isolated actuator disc and an isolated flat plate. Eventually, a numerical simulation is carried out for the boundary layer ingestion (BLI) case that integrates the flat plate and a wake-filling actuator disc. This study quantitatively discusses the mechanisms of BLI under the conditions of laminar and turbulent flow. The proposed power-based analysis might offer insights for the aircraft aerodynamic design using favorable airframe propulsion integration.
Barley-Based Cropping Systems and Weed Control Strategies Influence Weed Infestation, Soil Properties and Barley Productivity
Authors: Naeem Muhammad , Minhas Waqas Ahmed , Hussain Shahid , Ul-Allah Sami , Farooq Muhammad , Farooq Shahid , Hussain Mubshar
Published: March 2022

Barley-based cropping systems (BCS) alter barley production by influencing weed infestation rates and soil nutrient dynamics. This two-year field study evaluated the interactive effects of five BCS and five weed control strategies (WCS) on soil properties and the growth and yield of barley. Barley was planted in five different cropping systems, i.e., fallow-barley (FB), maize-barley (MaB), cotton-barley (CB), mungbean-barley (MuB) and sorghum-barley (SB). Similarly, five different WCS, weed-free (control, WF), weedy-check (control, WC), false seedbeds (FS), chemical control (CC) and use of allelopathic water extracts (AWE), were included in the study. The SB system had the highest soil bulk density (1.48 and 1.47 g cm−3 during the period 2017–2018 and 2018–2019, respectively) and lowest total soil porosity (41.40 and 41.07% during the period 2017–2018 and 2018–2019, respectively). However, WCS remained non-significant for bulk density and total soil porosity during both years of the study. Barley with WF had a higher leaf area index (5.28 and 4.75) and specific leaf area (65.5 and 64.9 cm−2 g−1) compared with barley grown under WC. The MuB system under WC had the highest values of extractable NH4-N (5.42 and 5.58 mg kg−1), NO3-N (5.79 and 5.93 mg kg−1), P (19.9 and 19.5 mg kg−1), and K (195.6 and 194.3 mg kg−1) with statistically similar NO3-N in the MaB system under WC and extractable K in the MuB system under FS. Grain yield ranged between 2.8–3.2 and 2.9–3.3 t ha−1 during the period 2017–2018 and 2018–2019, respectively, among different WCS. Similarly, grain yield ranged between 2.9–3.2 and 3.0–3.2 t ha−1 during the period 2017–2018 and 2018–2019, respectively, within different BCS. Among WCS, the highest grain yield (3.29 and 3.32 t ha−1) along with yield-related traits of barley were in WF as compared to WC. Overall, MuB system recorded better yield and yield-related traits, whereas the lowest values of these traits were recorded for FB systems. In conclusion, the MuB system with WF improved soil characteristics and barley yield over other cropping systems. The AWE significantly suppressed weeds and was equally effective as the chemical control. Therefore, MuB and AWE could be used to improve barley productivity and suppress weeds infestation.
Machine Learning Model for Assuring Bird Welfare during Transportation
Authors: Moghadam Ali , Thippareddi Harshavardhan , Pidaparti Ramana
Published: March 2022

Bird welfare and comfort is highly impacted by extreme environments, including hot/cold temperatures, relative humidity, and heat production within the coops during loading at the farm, transportation, and holding at the processing plants. Due to the complexity of the multiphysics phenomena involving fluid flow, heat transfer, and multispecies mixtures (humidity) within the coops, machine learning models may be helpful to evaluate broiler welfare under various environments. Machine learning techniques (Artificial Neural Networks and Bayesian Optimization) were applied to estimate the desired parameters required to ensure broiler welfare inside the coops. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) were trained with the results of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations for various ranges of inputs related to the microenvironment. Input variables included air velocity, broiler heat production, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. The Output variable was the Enthalpy Comfort Index (ECI), which is a measure of the bird welfare. The trained networks were then analyzed using Bayesian Optimization (BO) for the inverse mapping of ANNs and to predict the range of acceptable input parameters for a desired output, i.e., ECI in the comfort level. Results indicate that reducing the broilers heat production inside the coop along with increasing fan velocity enhances the broiler welfare and the thermal microenvironment. The BO developed in this study provide the microenvironmental parameters to estimate the bird welfare that is comfortable.
Freezing Protocol Optimization for Iberian Red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) Epididymal Sperm under Field Conditions
Authors: Medina-Chávez Daniela Alejandra , Soler Ana Josefa , Martín-Maestro Alicia , Villaverde Silvia , Sánchez-Ajofrín Irene , Peris-Frau Patricia , del Olmo Enrique , Bisbal Alfonso , García-Álvarez Olga , Fernández-Santos María del Rocío , Garde José Julián
Published: March 2022

Creating germplasm banks of wild species, such as the Iberian red Deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) can be challenging. One of the main difficulties is the obtention and cryopreservation of good-quality reproductive cells when the spermatozoa are obtained from epididymides after death. To avoid a loss of seminal quality during transport, developing alternative methods for cooling and freezing sperm samples under field conditions is necessary. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different durations of equilibrium and different techniques of cooling and freezing on Iberian red deer epididymal sperm quality after thawing to optimize the processing conditions in this species. Three experiments were carried out: (I) evaluation of refrigeration in straws or tubes of 15 mL; (II) study of equilibration period (0, 30, 60, or 120 min); and (III) comparison of four freezing techniques (liquid nitrogen vapor in a tank (C), liquid nitrogen vapor in a polystyrene box (B), dry ice (DY), and placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen (MP)). For all experiments, sperm motility and kinematic parameters, acrosomal integrity, sperm viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, and DNA integrity were evaluated after thawing. All statistical analyses were performed by GLM-ANOVA analysis. Samples refrigerated in straws showed higher values (p ≤ 0.05) for mitochondrial activity and lower values (p ≤ 0.05) for apoptotic cells. Moreover, the acrosome integrity showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between 0 and 120 min, but not between 30 and 60 min, of equilibration. Finally, no significant differences were found between freezing in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or in a box, although there was a low quality after thawing when the samples were cryopreserved in dry ice or by placing straws on a solid metallic plate floating on the surface of liquid nitrogen. In conclusion, under field conditions, it would be possible to refrigerate the sperm samples by storing them in straws with a 120 min equilibration period and freezing them in liquid nitrogen vapors in a tank or box.
CircMGA Depresses Myoblast Proliferation and Promotes Myotube Formation through miR-144-5p/FAP Signal
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Zhang Min , Li Kan , Chen Yangfeng , Cai Danfeng , Chen Biao , Nie Qinghua
Published: March 2022

Circular RNAs are endogenous and abundant in skeletal muscle, and may not only be involved in regulating gene expression in a variety of ways, but also function as important regulators in poultry muscle development. Our previous research found that circMGA was differentially expressed during chicken muscle embryo development; however, as a novel circular RNA, the regulating mechanism of circMGA in myogenesis has never been studied before. In this study, we aimed to investigate the functional roles and related molecular mechanisms of circMGA in chicken primary myoblast cells. CircMGA originated from the exon 13–14 of MGA gene, was differentially expressed during embryo development and myogenesis differentiation, and could inhibit myoblast cell proliferation by repressing cell cycle related genes and promote myotube formation through MyoD and MyHC. Biotin-labeled miRNA pulldown assay and luciferase reporter assay result showed that miR-144-5p could directly target circMGA and FAP, indicating that there could be a competing endogenous RNA mechanism between circMGA and FAP. In function, miR-144-5p showed opposite regulation in myoblast cell with circMGA and FAP, just as expected. circMGA co-transfected with miR-144-5p or si-FAP could effectively eliminate the inhibition of miR-144-5p on myoblast proliferation and differentiation. In conclusion, we found a novel circRNA, named circMGA, which generated from the 13–14 exon of the MGA gene, and could inhibit myoblast proliferation and promote myotube formation by acting as the sponge of miR-144-5p and through miR-144-5p/FAP signal. Moreover, circMGA could effectively eliminate the inhibition of miR-144-5p on myoblast differentiation, thus releasing FAP and promoting myotube formation.
Expression of Oocyte Vitellogenesis Receptor Was Regulated by C/EBPα in Developing Follicle of Wanxi White Goose
Authors: Du Yeye , Chen Xingyong , Yang Han , Sun Linghong , Wei Congcong , Yang Wanli , Zhao Yutong , Liu Zhengquan , Geng Zhaoyu
Published: March 2022

Yolk precursor was synthesized under regulation of hormone secretion, while the mechanism of its incorporation into follicle is still unknown. The reproductive hormones, oocyte vitellogenesis receptor (OVR) expression at pre-, early-, peak- and ceased-laying period, and localization of Wanxi White goose were determined in this study. The results showed that the concentration of LH was lowest in serum at peak laying period compared to the other periods (p < 0.01). Moreover, the concentration of E2 was highest (p < 0.01) in serum at early laying period than that of other periods. Moreover, the gene expression level of OVR was highest at ceased laying period compared to other periods (p = 0.014) and was higher in developing follicles than other follicles (p < 0.01). The OVR was distributed in the granular cell layer and decreased with the maturation of follicles. Five transcription factors were predicted in the promoter of OVR, then were screened and verified by overexpression in granulosa cells. C/EBPα and MF3 significantly stimulated the expression of OVR. The combined overexpression of C/EBPα and OVR significantly stimulated the transportation of lipid from culture medium to cytoplasm. In conclusion, C/EBPα is the key transcription factor promoting OVR expression in goose follicle granulosa cells.
The Geometric World of Fishes: A Synthesis on Spatial Reorientation in Teleosts
Authors: Baratti Greta , Potrich Davide , Lee Sang Ah , Morandi-Raikova Anastasia , Sovrano Valeria Anna
Published: March 2022

Fishes navigate through underwater environments with remarkable spatial precision and memory. Freshwater and seawater species make use of several orientation strategies for adaptative behavior that is on par with terrestrial organisms, and research on cognitive mapping and landmark use in fish have shown that relational and associative spatial learning guide goal-directed navigation not only in terrestrial but also in aquatic habitats. In the past thirty years, researchers explored spatial cognition in fishes in relation to the use of environmental geometry, perhaps because of the scientific value to compare them with land-dwelling animals. Geometric navigation involves the encoding of macrostructural characteristics of space, which are based on the Euclidean concepts of “points”, “surfaces”, and “boundaries”. The current review aims to inspect the extant literature on navigation by geometry in fishes, emphasizing both the recruitment of visual/extra-visual strategies and the nature of the behavioral task on orientation performance.
Lyme Disease: A Role for Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation?
Authors: Mantle David , Turton Nadia , Hargreaves Iain P.
Published: March 2022

Lyme disease results from a bacterial infection following a bite from an infected tick. Patients are initially treated with antibiotics; however, in cases where antibiotic treatment is delayed, or when patients do not respond to antibiotic treatment, fatigue may develop alongside problems affecting the nervous system, cardiovascular system, and joints. It is thought that most of the damage to these tissues results from the excessive inflammatory response of the host, involving a self-reinforcing cycle of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation. In this article, we review the potential role of supplementary coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) in mediating the pathogenic mechanism underlying Lyme disease, on the basis of its role in mitochondrial function, as well as its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions.
Is Nucleoredoxin a Master Regulator of Cellular Redox Homeostasis? Its Implication in Different Pathologies
Authors: Idelfonso-García Osiris Germán , Alarcón-Sánchez Brisa Rodope , Vásquez-Garzón Verónica Rocío , Baltiérrez-Hoyos Rafael , Villa-Treviño Saúl , Muriel Pablo , Serrano Héctor , Pérez-Carreón Julio Isael , Arellanes-Robledo Jaime
Published: March 2022

Nucleoredoxin (NXN), an oxidoreductase enzyme, contributes to cellular redox homeostasis by regulating different signaling pathways in a redox-dependent manner. By interacting with seven proteins so far, namely disheveled (DVL), protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK1), translocation protein SEC63 homolog (SEC63), myeloid differentiation primary response gene-88 (MYD88), flightless-I (FLII), and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II type alpha (CAMK2A), NXN is involved in the regulation of several key cellular processes, including proliferation, organogenesis, cell cycle progression, glycolysis, innate immunity and inflammation, motility, contraction, protein transport into the endoplasmic reticulum, neuronal plasticity, among others; as a result, NXN has been implicated in different pathologies, such as cancer, alcoholic and polycystic liver disease, liver fibrogenesis, obesity, Robinow syndrome, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer’s disease, and retinitis pigmentosa. Together, this evidence places NXN as a strong candidate to be a master redox regulator of cell physiology and as the hub of different redox-sensitive signaling pathways and associated pathologies. This review summarizes and discusses the current insights on NXN-dependent redox regulation and its implication in different pathologies.
Microencapsulation and Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds of Vaccinium Leaf Extracts
Authors: Ștefănescu Bianca Eugenia , Nemes Silvia-Amalia , Teleky Bernadette-Emőke , Călinoiu Lavinia Florina , Mitrea Laura , Martău Gheorghe Adrian , Szabo Katalin , Mihai Mihaela , Vodnar Dan Cristian , Crișan Gianina
Published: March 2022

In recent years, Vaccinium spp. (bilberry-VMT, lingonberry-VVIT, and blueberry-VCS) have sparked particular interest for their prospective health benefits. The latest investigations have place them as important alternative sources of nutraceuticals as their leaves are the main by-products of berry harvesting. The present study is aimed at investigating the bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds from leaves of the Vaccinium species, both as microencapsulated powder and aqueous extracts, following exposure to in vitro simulated digestion. Moreover, the impact of maltodextrin and glucose microencapsulation carriers on the extracts’ phenolic content was assessed. Prior to encapsulation, the viscosity of the emulsions was shown at a shear stress of 50 s−1 dilatant and a Newtonian behaviour above this value with a final viscosity between 1.024 and 1.049 mPa·s. The final microencapsulation yield for the samples ranged between 79 and 81%. Although the microencapsulated forms presented a targeted release at the intestinal level, the phenolic content decreased after gastrointestinal digestion. The bioaccessibility of the microencapsulated extracts showed higher values than their non-encapsulated counterparts, with the highest value of 45.43% in the VVIT sample, followed by VCS with 41.07%. However, the non-encapsulated VCS sample presented high bioaccessibility after in vitro digestion (38.65%). As concluded, further in vivo research should be conducted on the leaves of the Vaccinium species.
Impacts of Cetylpyridinium Chloride on the Survival, Development, Behavior, and Oxidative Stress of Early-Life-Stage Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Qiu Xuchun , Tengbe Michaela Sia , Xia Xingyi , Dong Kejun , Chen Chen , Shi Yanhong , Li Ming , Xu Hai , Wu Xiangyang , Chen Kun
Published: March 2022

Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) is a widely used surfactant that has been detected in various water ecosystems. However, knowledge on the toxicity of CPC to fish remains scarce. Here, we examined the survival, development, behavior, and oxidative stress in the early life stages of zebrafish exposed to CPC (0, 4, 40, 400, and 1200 μg/L) until 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). Results showed that CPC induced significant mortality at 400 and 1200 μg/L, with a 120 h-EC50 value of 175.9 μg/L. CPC significantly decreased the heart rate of embryos (48 hpf; 4–400 μg/L) and larvae (72 hpf; 40 and 400 μg/L). At 120 hpf, CPC exhibited a dual effect on the locomotion activity (decreased at 400 μg/L and increased at 4 and 40 μg/L) and elevated the reactive oxygen species, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione levels in zebrafish larvae at 400 µg/L. In addition, a correlation analysis revealed that CPC-induced oxidative stress might play a critical role in mediating the cardiac and behavioral toxicity of CPC to zebrafish larvae. Our findings suggest that CPC may disturb the fish’s development, behavior, and oxidative status at environmentally relevant concentrations, which should not be ignored when assessing its potential risks to aquatic ecosystems.
Heparan Sulfate, Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB and Sulfur Metabolism Disorders
Authors: Kaczor-Kamińska Marta , Kamiński Kamil , Wróbel Maria
Published: March 2022

Mucopolysaccharidosis, type IIIB (MPS IIIB) is a rare disease caused by mutations in the N-alpha-acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU) gene resulting in decreased or absent enzyme activity. On the cellular level, the disorder is characterized by the massive lysosomal storage of heparan sulfate (HS)—one species of glycosaminoglycans. HS is a sulfur-rich macromolecule, and its accumulation should affect the turnover of total sulfur in cells; according to the studies presented here, it, indeed, does. The lysosomal degradation of HS in cells produces monosaccharides and inorganic sulfate (SO42−). Sulfate is a product of L-cysteine metabolism, and any disruption of its levels affects the entire L-cysteine catabolism pathway, which was first reported in 2019. It is known that L-cysteine level is elevated in cells with the Naglu−/− gene mutation and in selected tissues of individuals with MPS IIIB. The level of glutathione and the Naglu−/− cells’ antioxidant potential are significantly reduced, as well as the activity of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST, EC 2.8.1.2) and the level of sulfane sulfur-containing compounds. The direct reason is not yet known. This paper attempts to identify some of cause-and-effect correlations that may lead to this condition and identifies research directions that should be explored.
Antibacterial Activity of Nanoparticles of Garlic (Allium sativum) Extract against Different Bacteria Such as Streptococcus mutans and Poryphormonas gingivalis
Authors: Gabriel Tuyishime , Vestine Abimana , Kim Ki Deok , Kwon Seong Jung , Sivanesan Iyyakkannu , Chun Se Chul
Published: March 2022

To combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance, it is important to discover innovative and effective alternative antibacterial agents. Garlic has been recommended as a medicinal plant with antibacterial qualities. Hence, we conducted this study to evaluate the antibacterial activity of ultrasonicated garlic extract against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus sub. aureus, Streptococcus mutans, and Poryphyromonas gingivalis. Aqueous ultrasonicated garlic extract was tested against these strains, and their antibacterial activity quantified using both agar disk diffusion and agar well diffusion methods; the plate count technique was used to estimate the total viable count. Moreover, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and microplate spectrophotometry were used to characterize garlic nanoparticles. The results confirmed that all tested bacteria were sensitive to both sonicated and non-sonicated garlic extracts. Streptococcus mutans was the most susceptible bacteria; on the other hand, Escherichia coli was the most resistant bacteria. Furthermore, characterization of the prepared garlic nanoparticles, showed the presence of organosulfur and phenolic compounds, carboxyl groups, and protein particles. Based on the obtained results, ultrasonicated garlic extract is a potent antibacterial agent. It can come in handy while developing novel antibiotics against bacteria that have developed resistance.
Lateral Loading of a Rock–Socketed Pile Using the Strain Wedge Model Based on Hoek–Brown Criterion
Authors: Xu Feng , Dai Guoliang , Gong Weiming , Zhao Xueliang , Zhang Fan
Published: March 2022

Rock–socketed pile under lateral loading is important in engineering practice. It is very significant to calculate the lateral bearing capacity of rock–socketed piles since few studies focus on this problem. The rock cohesion and instantaneous angle of friction, which have a high correlation with confining pressure, are obtained. Moreover, the strain wedge model is modified from three aspects: the assumption of nonlinear displacement; the stress level related to cohesion and friction angle; and the pile side resistance. Then, the modified strain wedge model is employed to deduce p–y criterion for rock–socketed pile considering Hoek–Brown failure criterion. The fourth-order partial differential equation constructed according to the p–y curve is solved by using the finite difference method. A numerical method with 2 m diameter rock-socketed pile is given to validate the rationality of the proposed method. It is shown that the proposed could predict the pile deformation well, and the responses are considered acceptable.
Burst Channel Error Reduction Based on Interleaving for Efficient High-Speed Wireless Communication
Authors: El-Fouly Fatma H. , Ramadan Rabie A. , Abd El-Samie Fathi E. , Kachout Mnaouer , Alzahrani Abdullah J. , Alshudukhi Jalawi Sulaiman
Published: March 2022

Recently, the demand for reliable and high-speed wireless communication has rapidly increased. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is a modulation scheme that is the newest competitor against other modulation schemes used for this purpose. OFDM is mostly used for wireless data transfer, although it may also be used for cable and fiber optic connections. However, in many applications, OFDM suffers from burst errors and high bit error rates. This paper presents the utilization of a helical interleaver with OFDM systems to efficiently handle burst channel errors and allow for Bit Error Rate (BER) reduction. The paper also presents a new interleaver, FRF, the initial letters of the authors’ names, for the same purpose. This newly proposed interleaver summarizes our previous experience with many recent interleavers. Fast Fourier transform OFDM (FFT-OFDM) and Discrete Wavelet Transform OFDM (DWT-OFDM) systems are used to test the efficiency of the suggested scheme in terms of burst channel error removal and BER reduction. Finally, the general complexity of the FRF interleaver is different from that of the helical interleaver in terms of hardware requirements. The performance of the proposed scheme was studied over different channel models. The obtained simulation results show a noticeable performance improvement over the conventional FFT-OFDM and the FFT-OFDM systems with the helical interleaver. Finally, the disadvantage of the proposed FRF interleaver is that it is more complex than the helical interleaver.
Classifying the Severity of Cyberbullying Incidents by Using a Hierarchical Squashing-Attention Network
Authors: Wu Jheng-Long , Tang Chiao-Yu
Published: March 2022

Cyberbullying has become more prevalent in online social media platforms. Natural language processing and machine learning techniques have been employed to develop automatic cyberbullying detection models, which are only designed for binary classification tasks that can only detect whether the text contains cyberbullying content. Cyberbullying severity is a critical factor that can provide organizations with valuable information for developing cyberbullying prevention strategies. This paper proposes a hierarchical squashing-attention network (HSAN) for classifying the severity of cyberbullying incidents. Therefore, the study aimed to (1) establish a Chinese-language cyberbullying severity dataset marked with three severity ratings (slight, medium, and serious) and (2) develop a new squashing-attention mechanism (SAM) of HSAN according to the squashing function, which uses vector length to estimate the weight of attention. Experiments indicated that the SAM could sufficiently analyze sentences to determine cyberbullying severity. The proposed HSAN model outperformed other machine-learning-based and deep-learning-based models in determining the severity of cyberbullying incidents.
Multimode Physics in the Mode Locking of Semiconductor Quantum Dot Lasers
Authors: Grillot Frédéric , Chow Weng W. , Dong Bozhang , Ding Shihao , Huang Heming , Bowers John
Published: March 2022

Quantum dot lasers are an attractive option for light sources in silicon photonic integrated circuits. Thanks to the three-dimensional charge carrier confinement in quantum dots, high material gain, low noise and large temperature stability can be achieved. This paper discusses, both theoretically and experimentally, the advantages of silicon-based quantum dot lasers for passive mode-locking applications. Using a frequency domain approach, i.e., with the laser electric field described in terms of a superposition of passive cavity eigenmodes, a precise quantitative description of the conditions for frequency comb and pulse train formation is supported, along with a concise explanation of the progression to mode locking via Adler’s equation. The path to transform-limited performance is discussed and compared to the experimental beat-note spectrum and mode-locked pulse generation. A theory/experiment comparison is also used to extract the experimental group velocity dispersion, which is a key obstacle to transform-limited performance. Finally, the linewidth enhancement contribution to the group velocity dispersion is investigated. For passively mode-locked quantum dot lasers directly grown on silicon, our experimental and theoretical investigations provide a self-consistent accounting of the multimode interactions giving rise to the locking mechanism, gain saturation, mode competition and carrier-induced refractive index.
An Efficient Multivariate Autoscaling Framework Using Bi-LSTM for Cloud Computing
Authors: Dang-Quang Nhat-Minh , Yoo Myungsik
Published: March 2022

With the rapid development of 5G technology, the need for a flexible and scalable real-time system for data processing has become increasingly important. By predicting future resource workloads, cloud service providers can automatically provision and deprovision user resources for the system beforehand, to meet service level agreements. However, workload demands fluctuate continuously over time, which makes their prediction difficult. Hence, several studies have proposed a technique called time series forecasting to accurately predict the resource workload. However, most of these studies focused solely on univariate time series forecasting; in other words, they only analyzed the measurement of a single feature. This study proposes an efficient multivariate autoscaling framework using bidirectional long short-term memory (Bi-LSTM) for cloud computing. The system framework was designed based on the monitor–analyze–plan–execute loop. The results obtained from our experiments on different actual workload datasets indicated that the proposed multivariate Bi-LSTM exhibited a root-mean-squared error (RMSE) prediction error 1.84-times smaller than that of the univariate one. Furthermore, it reduced the RMSE prediction error by 6.7% and 5.4% when compared with the multivariate LSTM and convolutional neural network-long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) models, respectively. Finally, in terms of resource provisioning, the multivariate Bi-LSTM autoscaler was 47.2% and 14.7% more efficient than the multivariate LSTM and CNN-LSTM autoscalers, respectively.
Core Classifier Algorithm: A Hybrid Classification Algorithm Based on Class Core and Clustering
Authors: Alarbi Abdalraouf , Albayrak Zafer
Published: March 2022

Machine learning classification algorithms vary drastically in their approaches, and researchers have always been trying to reduce the common boundaries of nonlinear classification, overlapping, or noise. This study summarizes the steps of hybridizing a new algorithm named Core Classify Algorithm (CCA) derived from K-nearest neighbor (KNN) and an unsupervised learning partitioning algorithm (K-means), aiming to avoid the unrepresentative Cores of the clusters while finding the similarities. This hybridization step is meant to harvest the benefits of combining two algorithms by changing results through iteration to obtain the most optimal results and classifying the data according to the labels with two or more clusters with higher accuracy and better computational efficiency. Our new approach was tested on a total of five datasets from two different domains: one phishing URL, three healthcare, and one synthetic dataset. Our results demonstrate that the accuracy of the CCA model in non-linear experiments representing datasets two to five was lower than that of dataset one which represented a linear classification and achieved an accuracy of 100%, equal in rank with Random Forest, Support Vector Machine, and Decision Trees. Moreover, our results also demonstrate that hybridization can be used to exploit flaws in specific algorithms to further improve their performance.
Simulation of Two-Phase Flow of Shotcrete in a Bent Pipe Based on a CFD–DEM Coupling Model
Authors: Ma Guanguo , Ma Hui , Sun Zhenjiao
Published: March 2022

To solve the problems in determining the interactions among particles and between particles and pipe walls in pneumatic conveying systems in field tests, this article studied the two-phase flow motion characteristics of shotcrete in pipes based on a CFD–DEM coupling model and field measurement. The movement of the shotcrete, which is affected by the gas phase in the pipe, was simulated for different bend angles, and the velocity of the shotcrete material and pressure distribution within the pipeline were determined. The simulation results show that at the ideal wind pressure, the inelastic collisions among the particles and between the particles and pipe wall cause the accumulation of shotcrete material in the outside area of the bent pipe section, which may block the pipe; nevertheless, the blockage is prevented by the turbulent and secondary flows, which disperse the particles to different degrees. In addition, the wear amounts caused by particles in pipes with different bend angles were quantified. With increasing bend angle, the wear points gradually diffuse radially toward the outside wall of the bent pipe. Additionally, the wear loss decreases and then increases with increasing bend angle. The particle velocity exhibits the minimal loss at a bend angle of 90°. It was concluded that the energy loss of the aggregate particles in the elbow of the pipe is approximately 30 times that in a horizontal, straight pipe. The results of this study can provide guidance in the construction field and for numerical simulations of the pneumatic conveying process of shotcrete.
Characterization of Aerosol Pollution in Two Hungarian Cities in Winter 2009–2010
Authors: Furu Enikő , Angyal Anikó , Szoboszlai Zoltán , Papp Enikő , Török Zsófia , Kertész Zsófia
Published: March 2022

In this study, atmospheric particulate matter (APM) pollution was compared in urban background sites of two cities in Hungary—namely the capital Budapest and Debrecen—by analyzing daily aerosol samples collected between 8 December 2009 and 18 March 2010. Concentration, elemental composition, including BC, and sources of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5–10) aerosol pollution, as well as their variation due to meteorological conditions and anthropogenic activities, were determined for both cities. The average PM2.5 concentrations were 22 μg/m3 and 17 μg/m3 in Budapest and Debrecen, respectively. In the case of PM10, the mean concentration was 32 μg/m3 in Budapest and 23 μg/m3 in Debrecen. The concentration of the coarse fraction decreased significantly over the weekends compared to working days. The number of exceedances of the WHO recommended limit value for PM2.5 (15 μg/m3) were 67 in Budapest and 46 in Debrecen, which corresponds to 73% and 50% of the sampling days, respectively. At the time of the exceedances the daily average temperature was below freezing. The average PM2.5/PM10 ratio was 70% and 75% for the two sites, indicating the dominance of the fine fraction aerosol particles during the study period. Elements of natural origin (Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ba) and chlorine were found to be dominant in the coarse fraction, while elements of anthropogenic origin (S, K, Cu, Zn, Pb) were characteristic to the fine fraction. Similar concentrations were measured in the two cities in the case of S which originates from regional transport and K which serves as a tracer for biomass combustion. Traffic-related elements were present in 2–3 times higher concentrations in Budapest. The episodic peaks in the Cl time series could be attributed to salting after snowfalls. The following sources of APM pollution were identified by using the EPA Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) 5.0 receptor model: soil, traffic, road dust, secondary sulfate, biomass burning, and de-icing of streets. On polluted days when the PM2.5 concentration exceeded the 25 μg/m3 value the contribution of secondary sulfate, domestic heating, and traffic increased significantly compared to the average. On weekends and holidays the contribution of soil and traffic decreased. The main pollution sources and their contributions were similar to the ones in other cities in the region. Comparing our findings to results from winter 2015 it can be concluded that while the PM2.5 pollution level remained almost the same, a significant increase in the contribution of biomass burning was observed in both cities from 2010 to 2015, indicating a change of heating habits.
Vorticity Budget and Formation Mechanisms of a Mesoscale Convective Vortex in a Heavy-Rainstorm Episode
Authors: Shu Yu , Sun Jisong , Jin Chenlu , Zhuang Bingliang
Published: March 2022

Mesoscale convective vortices (MCVs) often cause rainstorms. To deepen our understanding of MCV formation mechanisms, reanalysis data from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and the Weather Research and Forecasting model were used to simulate MCV activity in East China in August 2009. The simulations could reproduce the MCV and associated convective activities well. The vorticity budget and MCV formation mechanisms were then analyzed. The results show that the planetary vorticity advection is much smaller than other terms of the vorticity equation. The MCV initiates in the convective precipitation region and below 800 hPa. When the MCV initiates, there are vorticity-variation couplets within the vortex, and the MCV moves towards the positive vorticity-variation direction. In positive vorticity-variation areas, the divergence term and the tilting term are the vorticity source. The equilibrium response to diabatic heating is one of the forming mechanisms of this MCV. The latent-heating level is relatively low in this MCV case, and the MCV-forming level is also relatively low. Another forming mechanism of this MCV is the tilting of the horizontal vortex tube caused by the upward motion. At the MCV initiation, the perturbation scale of the vortex is found to be larger than the Rossby deformation radius, and thus the MCV could have a long duration.
Crop Residue Burning Emissions and the Impact on Ambient Particulate Matters over South Korea
Authors: Han Kyung M. , Lee Byung T. , Bae Min-Suk , Lee Sojin , Jung Chang H. , Kim Hyun S.
Published: March 2022

In the study, crop residue burning (CRB) emissions were estimated based on field surveys and combustion experiments to assess the impact of the CRB on particulate matter over South Korea. The estimates of CRB emissions over South Korea are 9514, 8089, 4002, 2010, 172,407, 7675, 33, and 5053 Mg year−1 for PM10, PM2.5, OC, EC, CO, NOx, SO2, and NH3, respectively. Compared with another study, our estimates in the magnitudes of CRB emissions were not significantly different. When the CRB emissions are additionally considered in the simulation, the monthly mean differences in PM2.5 (i.e., △PM2.5) were marginal between 0.07 and 0.55 μg m−3 over South Korea. Those corresponded to 0.6–4.3% in relative differences. Additionally, the △PM10 was 0.07–0.60 μg m−3 over South Korea. In the spatial and temporal aspects, the increases in PM10 and PM2.5 were high in Gyeongbuk (GB) and Gyeongnam (GN) provinces in June, October, November, and December.
Effect of Age and Acute-Moderate Intensity Exercise on Biomarkers of Renal Health and Filtration
Authors: Forsse Jeffrey S. , Buckley David , Ismaeel Ahmed , Richardson Kathleen A. , Oliver Autumn , Koutakis Panagiotis
Published: March 2022

Aerobic exercise elicits a multitude of physiological improvements in both healthy and diseased populations. However, acute changes in renal health and filtration with aerobic exercise remain difficult to quantify by traditional biomarkers to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). This study aimed to determine if an acute bout of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise transiently improves non-traditional biomarkers when compared to traditional biomarkers of renal health and filtration in individuals without cardiometabolic diseases. Thirty-nine participants (n = 18 men; n = 21 women; age 32.5 + 12.6 yr; height 171.1 + 11.4 cm; weight 78.7 + 15.6 kg; BMI 27.1 + 5.8) completed a single bout of moderate-intensity (50–60% HRR) aerobic exercise. Blood and urine samples were collected and compared before and post-exercise. Serum creatinine, urine epidermal growth factor (uEGF), uEGF/urine creatinine ratio (uEGFR), and cystatin C (CyC) were measured. In addition, eGFR-MDRD and the CKD-epidemiology equations were used to analyze renal clearance. Relative to pre-exercise measures: serum creatinine (p = 0.26), uEGF (p = 0.35), and uEGFR (p = 0.09) remained unchanged, whereas cystatin C (p = 0.00) significantly increased post-exercise. CyC eGFR was the only estimator of renal filtration to significantly change (p = 0.04). In conclusion, CyC is the only biomarker of renal health and filtration to significantly increase after aerobic exercise. Further investigation focused on sampling time and exercise-intensity is needed to solidify the current understanding of renal health and filtration.
From Water to Land: The Structural Construction and Molecular Switches in Lungs during Metamorphosis of Microhyla fissipes
Authors: Chang Liming , Zhang Meihua , Chen Qiheng , Liu Jiongyu , Zhu Wei , Jiang Jianping
Published: March 2022

Most anurans must undergo metamorphosis to adapt to terrestrial life. This process enhances the air-breathing ability of the lungs to cope with the change in oxygen medium from water to air. Revealing the structural construction and molecular switches of lung organogenesis is essential to understanding the realization of the air-breathing function. In this study, histology and transcriptomics were conducted in combination to explore these issues in Microhyla fissipes’ lungs during metamorphosis. During the pro-metamorphic phase, histological structural improvement of the alveolar wall is accompanied by robust substrate metabolism and protein turnover. The lungs, at the metamorphic climax phase, are characterized by an increased number of cilia in the alveolar epithelial cells and collagenous fibers in the connective tissues, corresponding to the transcriptional upregulation of cilia and extracellular matrix-related genes. Post-metamorphic lungs strengthen their contracting function, as suggested by the thickened muscle layer and the upregulated expression of genes involved in muscle contraction. The blood–gas barrier is fully developed in adult lungs, the transcriptional features of which are tissue growth and regulation of differentiation and immunity. Importantly, significant transcriptional switches of pulmonary surfactant protein and hemoglobin facilitate air breathing. Our results illuminated four key steps of lung development for amphibians to transition from water to land.
Comparative Analysis and Structural Modeling of Elaeis oleifera FAD2, a Fatty Acid Desaturase Involved in Unsaturated Fatty Acid Composition of American Oil Palm
Authors: Ben Ayed Rayda , Chirmade Tejas , Hanana Mohsen , Khamassi Khalil , Ercisli Sezai , Choudhary Ravish , Kadoo Narendra , Karunakaran Rohini
Published: March 2022

American oil palm (Elaeis oleifera) is an important source of dietary oil that could fulfill the increasing worldwide demand for cooking oil. Therefore, improving its production is crucial and could be realized through breeding and genetic engineering approaches aiming to obtain high-yielding varieties with improved oil content and quality. The fatty acid composition and particularly the oleic/linoleic acid ratio are major factors influencing oil quality. Our work focused on a fatty acid desaturase (FAD) enzyme involved in the desaturation and conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid. Following the in silico identification and annotation of Elaeis oleifera FAD2, its molecular and structural features characterization was performed to better understand the mechanistic bases of its enzymatic activity. EoFAD2 is 1173 nucleotides long and encodes a protein of 390 amino acids that shares similarities with other FADs. Interestingly, the phylogenetic study showed three distinguished groups where EoFAD2 clustered among monocotyledonous taxa. EoFAD2 is a membrane-bound protein with five transmembrane domains presumably located in the endoplasmic reticulum. The homodimer organization model of EoFAD2 enzyme and substrates and respective substrate-binding residues were predicted and described. Moreover, the comparison between 24 FAD2 sequences from different species generated two interesting single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the oleic/linoleic acid contents.
Diversity Patterns of Macrofungi in Xerothermic Grasslands from the Nida Basin (Małopolska Upland, Southern Poland): A Case Study
Authors: Łuszczyński Janusz , Adamska Edyta , Wojciechowska Anna , Czerwik-Marcinkowska Joanna
Published: March 2022

Macrofungal communities were investigated in seven plant associations of xerothermic grasslands in the Nida Basin located in the Małopolska Upland of southern Poland. Designation of associations at selected study sites was based on phytosociological relevés using the Braun-Blanquet method. During the years 2010–2013, we studied the diversity and distribution of macrofungi in dry grasslands, where 164 species of basidio- and ascomycetes were recovered. We determined the properties of the studied fungal communities and habitat preferences of individual species found in the analyzed xerothermic plant associations using ecological indicators for macrofungi according to Ellenberg indicator values. Diversity patterns of fungal communities in xerothermic grasslands are strongly influenced by various environmental factors. In our study, we focused on recording the fruiting bodies of all macrofungi and the proportion of each species in the study communities, as well as possible identification of the most likely indicator species for particular habitats. We found significant differences for two of the seven associations analyzed, namely Thalictro-Salvietum pratensis and Inuletum ensifoliae. However, based on Ellenberg indicator values for fungi, it is not possible to clearly define fungi as indicator species.
Long-Term Effects of Climate Variability on Seed Rain Dynamics of Four Fagaceae Sympatric Species in Qinling Mountains, China
Authors: Wang Jing , Hou Xiang , Zhang Bo , Han Ning , Feng Tuo , An Xiaolei , Chen Xiaoning , Zhao Jidong , Chang Gang
Published: March 2022

Seed rain, as the beginning of species dispersal, is a key process for forest structure and regeneration. In this study, the seed rain of four Fagaceae sympatric plant species (Castaneamollissima, Quercus aliena, Quercus variabilis, and Quercus serrata) in the Qinling Mountains were monitored for ten consecutive years, and the responses of seed rain dynamics of the four species to major climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) were analyzed. We found there were significant differences in the seed rain dynamics between C. mollissima of Castanea and the other three species of Quercus in the initial period and end period and the duration of the whole seed rain process among the 10 years. This could indicate to some extent that there was no concentrated flowering and fruiting among different plants of different genera, and they could well avoid fierce competition for similar resources and coexist in the same region. This may also be a reproductive strategy for plants. Seed rain dynamics of different plant species had different sensitivities to climate factors (temperature and precipitation), which indicated that mainly because of their different responses to climate factors, they could well avoid fierce competition for similar climate resources. In addition, the differences in seed rain dropping dynamics could reduce consumption in large numbers by seed predators, thereby promoting their own dispersal and regeneration. All of the above contribute to their better coexistence in the same domain.