bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Future Rainfall Characteristics over India from Large Ensemble Global Warming Experiments
Authors: Nayak Sridhara
Published: April 2023

We investigated rainfall patterns over India for the period from 1951 to 2010 and predicted changes for the next century (2051–2100) with an assumed 4K warming from large ensemble experiments (190 members). We focused on rainfall patterns during two periods of present-day climate (1951–1980 and 1981–2010) and their projected changes for the near and far future (2051–2080 and 2081–2110). Our analysis found that the northeastern region of India and some southern regions received higher rainfall during the period of 1951–2010, which is consistent with daily observations from the Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation (APHRODITE). In the warming climate, rainfall events in India are predicted to carry more precipitation, with the northeast and southern regions experiencing stronger rainfall events. The frequency and intensity of these events (with more than 20 mm of rainfall per day, on average) are also expected to increase. Overall, our study suggests that water-related disasters such as flooding and landslides could be much worse in India in the future due to climate warming.
Plant Diversity in the Diet of Costa Rican Primates in Contrasting Habitats: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chaves Óscar M. , Morales-Cerdas Vanessa , Calderón-Quirós Jazmín , Azofeifa-Rojas Inés , Riba-Hernández Pablo , Solano-Rojas Daniela , Chaves-Cordero Catalina , Chacón-Madrigal Eduardo , Melin Amanda D.
Published: April 2023

In human-modified tropical landscapes, the survival of arboreal vertebrates, particularly primates, depends on their plant dietary diversity. Here, we assess the diversity of plants included in the diet of Costa Rican non-human primates, CR-NHP (i.e., Alouatta palliata palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, Cebus imitator, and Saimiri oerstedii) inhabiting different habitat types across the country. Specifically, we analyzed 37 published and unpublished datasets to assess: (i) richness and dietary α-plant diversity, (ii) the β-diversity of dietary plant species and the relative importance of plant species turnover and nestedness contributing to these patterns, and (iii) the main ecological drivers of the observed patterns in dietary plants. Dietary data were available for 34 Alouatta, 16 Cebus, eight Ateles, and five Saimiri groups. Overall dietary plant species richness was higher in Alouatta (476 spp.), followed by Ateles (329 spp.), Cebus (236 spp.), and Saimiri (183 spp.). However, rarefaction curves showed that α-diversity of plant species was higher in Ateles than in the other three primate species. The γ-diversity of plants was 868 species (95% C.I. = 829–907 species). The three most frequently reported food species for all CR-NHP were Spondias mombin, Bursera simaruba, and Samanea saman, and the most consumed plant parts were leaves, fruits, and flowers. In general, plant species turnover, rather than nestedness, explained the dissimilarity in plant diet diversity (βsim > 0.60) of CR-NHP. Finally, primate species, habitat type (life zone and disturbance level) and, to a lesser degree, study province, were the best predictors of the dietary plant assemblages. Our findings suggest that CR-NHP diets are diverse, even in severely disturbed habitats.
Alternaria muriformis sp. nov., a New Species in Section Chalastospora Isolated from Herbivore Dung in Spain
Authors: Iturrieta-González Isabel , Gené Josepa
Published: April 2023

In a survey of the mycobiota from the dung of herbivorous animals collected in natural areas in Spain, an Alternaria isolate was found. Morphological data and a multi-locus phylogenetic approach carried out through Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses with three gene markers (i.e., the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and plasma membrane ATPase) revealed that it represents a novel Alternaria species in Chalastospora. Alternaria muriformis sp. nov. is described and illustrated here. It is closely related to Alternaria abundans, Alternaria armoraciae, and Alternaria breviramosa, but can be easily differentiated by its production of muriform conidia. Key morphological features of the members of the Chalastospora section are provided.
A Tumour and Liver Automatic Segmentation (ATLAS) Dataset on Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Quinton Félix , Popoff Romain , Presles Benoît , Leclerc Sarah , Meriaudeau Fabrice , Nodari Guillaume , Lopez Olivier , Pellegrinelli Julie , Chevallier Olivier , Ginhac Dominique , Vrigneaud Jean-Marc , Alberini Jean-Louis
Published: April 2023

Liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world and the fourth leading cause of cancer mortality. In unresectable liver cancers, especially hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), transarterial radioembolisation (TARE) can be considered for treatment. TARE treatment involves a contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) exam performed beforehand to delineate the liver and tumour(s) in order to perform dosimetry calculation. Due to the significant amount of time and expertise required to perform the delineation process, there is a strong need for automation. Unfortunately, the lack of publicly available CE-MRI datasets with liver tumour annotations has hindered the development of fully automatic solutions for liver and tumour segmentation. The “Tumour and Liver Automatic Segmentation” (ATLAS) dataset that we present consists of 90 liver-focused CE-MRI covering the entire liver of 90 patients with unresectable HCC, along with 90 liver and liver tumour segmentation masks. To the best of our knowledge, the ATLAS dataset is the first public dataset providing CE-MRI of HCC with annotations. The public availability of this dataset should greatly facilitate the development of automated tools designed to optimise the delineation process, which is essential for treatment planning in liver cancer patients.
Inverse Dynamics Modeling and Simulation Analysis of Multi-Flexible-Body Spatial Parallel Manipulators
Authors: Zhang Qingyun , Zhao Xinhua
Published: April 2023

Taking a spatial parallel robot with flexible joints and links as the research object, a dynamic modeling method for a multi-flexible-body robot system is proposed. Its effectiveness is verified by comparing the numerical model with a simulation model. (1) Background: The elastic deformation of the flexible joints and links in the multi-flexible-body spatial parallel robot under high-speed operation and the coupling effect between the flexible and the rigid components substantially affect the system stability and trajectory accuracy. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the dynamic characteristics of multi-flexible-body robot systems by establishing accurate dynamic models. (2) Methods: First, the finite element method was used to discretize the flexible joints and links. Subsequently, according to the floating frame of the reference coordinate method, the deformation coordinates of the flexible joints and links were described. The first six modal information were retained to develop a dynamic model considering the coupling effect between the flexible joint and rigid link and between the flexible joint and link. Second, a dynamic model of the end-effector with small displacement changes was established according to the coordination matrix. Furthermore, a dynamic model of rigid links was established based on the vector method and combined with the higher-order dynamic model of flexible joints and links to form the dynamic model of multi-flexible-body kinematic chains. Finally, the dynamic model of the three kinematic chains was assembled with that of the end-effector to obtain an accurate dynamic model of the multi-flexible-body robot systems. (3) Results: The motion trajectory of the multi-flexible-body robot floats around the fully rigid spatial parallel robot in a certain range. Its range of travel in the x, y, and z directions was 0 to 3.14, 0 to 4.06, and 0 to 0.483 mm, respectively. With increasing angular velocity, the maximum absolute amplitude of the driving torque of each branch chain also increases, whereas its motion trend remains unchanged. (4) Conclusions: The proposed dynamic modeling method and its simulation model for multi-flexible-body robots are correct, which can lay a solid foundation for further control performance analysis.
Hydrogen Production from Supercritical Water Gasification of Model Compounds of Crude Glycerol from Biodiesel Industries
Authors: Khandelwal Kapil , Boahene Philip , Nanda Sonil , Dalai Ajay K.
Published: April 2023

Biodiesel production through transesterification results in a large quantity of crude glycerol as a byproduct, the utilization of which is technically and economically challenging. Because of the ability to efficiently process wet feedstocks, supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is utilized in this study to convert crude glycerol into hydrogen-rich syngas. A significant challenge addressed through this study is the decomposition routes of different heterogeneous components of crude glycerol during SCWG. Pure glycerol, methanol and oleic acid were investigated for SCWG as the model compounds of crude glycerol. SCWG of model compounds at temperature, pressure, feedstock concentration and reaction time of 500 °C, 23–25 MPa, 10 wt% and 1 h, respectively, revealed methanol to exhibit the highest H2 yield of 7.7 mmol/g, followed by pure glycerol (4.4 mmol/g) and oleic acid (1.1 mmol/g). The effects of feedstock concentration from 30 wt% to 10 wt% increased H2 yield from all model compounds. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to develop a response curve to visualize the interactive behavior and develop model equations for the prediction of H2-rich gas yields as a function of the composition of model compounds in the crude glycerol mixture. Predictive models showed a good agreement with experimental results, demonstrating high accuracy and robustness of the model. These findings demonstrated a strong potential of crude glycerol for SCWG to generate H2-rich syngas.
A CNN-Architecture-Based Photovoltaic Cell Fault Classification Method Using Thermographic Images
Authors: Bu Chiwu , Liu Tao , Wang Tao , Zhang Hai , Sfarra Stefano
Published: April 2023

Photovoltaic (PV) cells are a major part of solar power stations, and the inevitable faults of a cell affect its work efficiency and the safety of the power station. During manufacturing and service, it is necessary to carry out fault detection and classification. A convolutional-neural-network (CNN)-architecture-based PV cell fault classification method is proposed and trained on an infrared image data set. In order to overcome the problem of the original dataset’s scarcity, an offline data augmentation method is adopted to improve the generalization ability of the network. During the experiment, the effectiveness of the proposed model is evaluated by quantifying the obtained results with four deep learning models through evaluation indicators. The fault classification accuracy of the CNN model proposed here has been drawn by the experiment and reaches 97.42%, and it is superior to that of the models of AlexNet, VGG 16, ResNet 18 and existing models. In addition, the proposed model has faster calculation, prediction speed and the highest accuracy. This method can well-identify and classify PV cell faults and has high application potential in automatic fault identification and classification.
Optimal Neutral Grounding in Bipolar DC Networks with Asymmetric Loading: A Recursive Mixed-Integer Quadratic Formulation
Authors: Gil-González Walter , Montoya Oscar Danilo , Hernández Jesús C.
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a novel approach to tackle the problem of optimal neutral wire grounding in bipolar DC networks including asymmetric loading, which naturally involves mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) and is challenging to solve. This MINLP model is transformed into a recursive mixed-integer quadratic (MIQ) model by linearizing the hyperbolic relation between voltage and powers in constant power terminals. A recursive algorithm is implemented to eliminate the possible errors generated by linearization. The proposed recursive MIQ model is assessed in two bipolar DC systems and compared against three solvers of the GAMS software. The results obtained validate the performance of the proposed MIQ model, which finds the global optimum of the model while reducing power losses for bipolar DC systems with 21, 33, and 85 buses by 4.08%, 2.75%, and 7.40%, respectively, when three nodes connected to the ground are considered. Furthermore, the model exhibits a superior performance when compared to the GAMS solvers. The impact of grounding the neutral wire in bipolar DC networks is also studied by varying the number of available nodes to be grounded. The results show that the reduction in power losses is imperceptible after grounding the third node for the three bipolar DC systems under study.
Investigation of Heat Extraction in an Enhanced Geothermal System Embedded with Fracture Networks Using the Thermal–Hydraulic–Mechanical Coupling Model
Authors: Duan Xin-Yue , Huang Di , Lei Wen-Xian , Chen Shi-Chao , Huang Zhao-Qin , Zhu Chuan-Yong
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a numerical study on thermal energy mining from hot dry rock (HDR) using an enhanced geothermal system (EGS). In these simulations, the thermal–hydraulic–mechanical (THM) coupling model is employed on the basis of the embedded discrete fracture model. The evolution of physical fields of the fractured reservoir, including temperature field, pressure field, and stress field is studied over time, and the effects of different controllable factors, such as fracture morphology, fluid injection rate, and the distances between the injection well and producing well on the heat recovery capacity are investigated. The results show that the fracture morphology significantly influences heat extraction performance. The working fluid mainly flows along with the fracture networks, which causes locally low temperatures and low mean effective stress near fractures. The porosity and permeability increase due to the decrease in mean effective stress. For reservoir models with inclined fractures, there will be a significant decrease in the extraction temperature. In the 30th year, the decline in the heat recovery rate is 46.6%, which is much higher than the model without inclined fractures. Moreover, the increasing injection temperature barely influences the production temperature, while it significantly decreases the heat recovery of the EGS. When the injection and production well spacing is small, increasing the well spacing is an effective way to improve the thermal extraction performance of the EGS. In the model in the paper, the heat production increases up to 13.7% when the injection-production well spacing is increased from 150 m to 450 m. The results of this work could provide guidance for the optimization and operation of EGS.
Lab-Scale Investigation of the Integrated Backup/Storage System for Wind Turbines Using Alkaline Electrolyzer
Authors: Pourrahmani Hossein , Zahedi Rahim , Daneshgar Sareh , Van herle Jan
Published: April 2023

The depletion of fossil fuel sources has encouraged the authorities to use renewable resources such as wind energy to generate electricity. A backup/storage system can improve the performance of wind turbines, due to fluctuations in power demand. The novelty of this study is to utilize a hybrid system for a wind farm, using the excess electricity generated by the wind turbines to produce hydrogen in an alkaline electrolyzer (AEL). The hydrogen storage tank stores the produced hydrogen and provides hydrogen to the proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to generate electricity once the power demand is higher than the electricity generated by the wind turbines. The goal of this study is to use the wind profile of a region in Iran, namely the Cohen region, to analyze the performance of the suggested integrated system on a micro scale. The output results of this study can be used as a case study for construction in the future, based on the exact specification of NTK300 wind turbines. The results indicate that, with the minimum power supply of 30 kW from the wind turbines on a lab scale, the generated power by the PEMFC will be 1008 W, while the maximum generated hydrogen will be 304 mL/h.
On the Thermal Stability of a Counter-Current Fixed-Bed Gasifier
Authors: Mancini Marco , Schwabauer Andreas
Published: April 2023

In recent years, gasification gained attention again, both as an industrial application and as a research topic. This trend has led to the necessity to understand the process and optimize reactors for various materials and configurations. In this article, the thermal structure of a counter-current reactor is investigated to demonstrate that constraints on the temperature mainly determine the oxidation and the pyrolysis region. A non-dimensional set of equations is written and numerically solved using the method of lines (MOL) with spatial discretization based on a spectral algorithm. The results show that four thermal structures can be identified, two of which are the most common ones found in reactors of practical applications. Two stationary operation positions have been determined, one in the upper and one in the lower part of the reactor. Existence and stability conditions have been discussed based on non-dimensional parameters. The knowledge derived from this analysis was applied to two configurations, one typical of a biomass gasifier and one proposed for waste gasification.
Fast and Robust Prediction of Multiphase Flow in Complex Fractured Reservoir Using a Fourier Neural Operator
Authors: Kuang Tie , Liu Jianqiao , Yin Zhilin , Jing Hongbin , Lan Yubo , Lan Zhengkai , Pan Huanquan
Published: April 2023

Predicting multiphase flow in complex fractured reservoirs is essential for developing unconventional resources, such as shale gas and oil. Traditional numerical methods are computationally expensive, and deep learning methods, as an alternative approach, have become an increasingly popular topic. Fourier neural operator (FNO) networks have been shown to be a hundred times faster than convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in predicting multiphase flow in conventional reservoirs. However, there are few relevant studies on applying FNO to predict multiphase flow in reservoirs with complex fractures. In the present study, FNO-net and U-net (CNN-based) were successfully applied to predict pressure and gas saturation fields for the 2D heterogeneous fractured reservoirs. The tested results show that FNO can accurately depict the influence of fine fractures, while the CNN-based method has relatively poor performance in the treatment of fracture systems, both in terms of accuracy and computational speed. In addition, by adding initial conditions and boundary conditions to the loss function of FNO, we prove the necessity of adding physical constraints to the data-driven model. This work contributes to improving the understanding of the applicability of FNO-net, and provides new insights into deep learning methods for predicting multiphase flow in complex fractured reservoirs.
Computer Skills and Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in a State Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Sibiya Maureen Nokuthula , Akinyemi Oluwatoyin Rhoda , Oladimeji Olanrewaju
Published: April 2023

Adopting change is something that is often resisted, as is often the case in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in healthcare organizations. Embracing this will require computer knowledge to handle the system for the management of patients and their care. This study aims to determine the computer skills required for the uptake of electronic health records (EHR) by healthcare workers in an annex of the state teaching hospital, Okela Health Centre (OHC) Ado-Ekiti. The study uses a cross-sectional research design with a structured questionnaire distributed to 30 healthcare workers across seven disciplines working in the hospital. Descriptive statistics of frequency tables and percentages were used to ascertain the relationship between computer skill usage and the adoption of EHR. The majority of respondents were only efficient in Microsoft Word (MW), email, and WhatsApp, with efficiency rates of 63.4%, 76.6%, and 73.3%, respectively. The majority were not efficient in Microsoft Excel (ME) and Microsoft Access (MA), at 56.7% and 70%, respectively. Computer appreciation is an important basis for the adoption of EHR in hospitals.
Characteristics of Dieback of Pinus densiflora and Risk Assessment in the Wangpicheon Ecosystem and Landscape Conservation Area in Uljin, South Korea
Authors: Lee Seung-Jae , Shin Dong-Bin , Lee Ah-Rim , Oh Seung-Hwan
Published: April 2023

The correlation between climate change and pine tree dieback must be understood to implement a proactive forest management system. In this study, an ensemble model combining random forest, the generalized boosting model, and the generalized linear model was used to analyze the topographical and environmental characteristics of pine trees suffering from dieback in the Wangpicheon Ecosystem and Landscape Conservation Area, and the areas in which pine trees are at risk of dieback were evaluated to promote efficient pine forest management. The results showed that pine trees suffering from dieback in the conservation area were mainly located on ridges, were age class 6 or older, or were in areas with a low topographic wetness index south of the conservation area. An evaluation of the risk of dieback among pine trees was performed based on the results of two ensemble models. An area of 365 ha accounting for 6.8% of the total area was identified as requiring “caution” with respect to the risk of dieback of coniferous forests and mixed forests. The developed methodology is expected to provide valuable information for the implementation of an appropriate management system for the protection of pine and mixed forests from the negative effects of climate change.
A Geoprocessing Tool for the Calculation of Primary Wood Transportation Distance
Authors: Sačkov Ivan , Barka Ivan
Published: April 2023

Knowledge about wood transportation distances is essential for sustainable forest management and related decision making in forest protection against fire or flood events. In this context, we developed the geoprocessing tool TraDis to allow for the calculation of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) distance between a forest stand and the nearest forest road (i.e., pre-skidding distance) and the distance between this road and the nearest hauling place (i.e., skidding distance). The first aim of this study is to present the workflow for the calculation of the primary wood transportation distance using the TraDis tool. A detailed description, flowchart, and scheme are provided for these purposes. The second aim is to present the applicability of this workflow through a case study. The study area included 391 ha of forest stands, 58 km of forest roads, and 18 hauling places, and the transportation distances were calculated for various target objects, such as 366 forest stands, 10,341 square cells, 7220 hexagon cells, and 83,120 tree crowns. The results show that, while there is the ability to calculate the 2D distances for six forests, eight cells, and three crowns in one second, the calculation time for 3D distances is 1.6 times longer. Moreover, the pre-skidding distance and skidding distance at the 3D level were 3.6% and 0.9% greater than these distances at the 2D level, respectively.
Environmental Drivers of Gross Primary Production and Evapotranspiration at a Robinia pseudoacacia L. Restoration Plantation
Authors: Markos Nikos , Radoglou Kalliopi , Fotelli Mariangela N.
Published: April 2023

Black locust is the second-most-often planted tree worldwide, particularly for restoration plantations, but drought dieback and growth declines are being reported. Currently, we lack information on these ecosystems’ water and carbon fluxes, in relation to climatic variability. Here, we employed eddy covariance to determine the gross primary production (GPP) and evapotranspiration (ET) of a black locust post-mining restoration plantation in NW Greece over c. 2.5 years. Additionally, we applied Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to study the effects of key environmental drivers (vapour pressure deficit—VPD, soil water content—SWC, solar radiation—Rg and enhanced vegetation index—EVI) on GPP and ET during summer months. Both diurnally and seasonally, GPP increased with increasing Rg, SWC and EVI, but was saturated after certain thresholds (Rg: 400 W m−2, SWC: 25%, EVI: 0.65). In contrast, GPP declined strongly with increasing VPD. Overall, GPP was maintained at a high level, at the cost of ET, which constantly raised with increasing solar radiation and SWC and was not responsive to enhanced VPD, indicating a non-conservative water use. At present, these black locust plantations exhibit favourable productivity and no drought stress, but increasing VPD in the context of climate change may, ultimately, negatively impact these ecosystems.
Forest Health Assessment in Four Jordanian Reserves Located in Semi-Arid Environments
Authors: Alananbeh Kholoud M. , Othman Yahia A. , Tahat Monther M. , Al-Dakil Hussen , Yahya Anas Abu , Ayasrah Bilal , Al-Share Thabit , Alkhatatbeh Sameh , Al-Zoubi Rafat , Alnaanah Malik , Malkawy Sufian , Alananbeh Muslim B.
Published: April 2023

Healthy forests are essential to human life because they provide food, energy, and other benefits including carbon sequestration. The objective of this study was to assess the forests health status in Mediterranean ecosystems, specifically, arid to semi-arid. Four forest reserves directed by Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, Jordan were evaluated. Plant health indicators [(gas exchange (photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration), chlorophyll, middy stem water potential (Ψsmd), relative water content], regeneration, lichens, plant disease, as well as soil variables (respiration CO2-C, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, microorganisms’ abundance) were measured. The Ψsmd values in those semi-arid/arid ecosystems were within the normal ranges (−0.3 to −1.3 MPa) in spring but was under extreme water stress (−1.6 to −5.3 MPa) in summer in three reserves. Similarly, gas exchange variables reduced by 25%–90% in summer (compared to spring) across the studied forests. Although the regeneration (seedling per 1000 m2) was higher than 100 in two forest (Ajloun and Dibbeen), the number of seedlings in hiking sites was extremely low in both forests. Soil health indicators reveled that soil respiration CO2-C were higher than 25 mg kg−1 in two forests [Ajloun, Dibbeen, (except hiking zone)]. The mean soil saprophytes (number g−1) ranged from 86 to 377 across the forests reserves. In addition, the mean arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (spores 100g−1 soil) was between 350 and 877. Soil EC was consistently optimal (less than 0.5 dS m−1) and pH was slightly basic (7.5–8.3) across the reserves. The results revealed that the fluctuation of rainfall and anthropogenic pressures (grazing, hiking) led to partial forest degradation. When forests (Dana Biosphere Reserve) received 81 mm annual precipitation, Ψsmd values in Juniperus phoenicea at summer ranged from −4.4 to −5.3 MPa, regeneration and lichens were less than 20 per 1000 m2, and several trees were dead after infected with soil and air borne pathogens including wilt diseases and die back. Intensive hiking activities (Dibbeen forests, tourism area) and heavy grazing (Yarmouk frosts) reduced regeneration, lichens and soil respiration. Interestingly, the native species had better water relations (RWC, Ψsmd) and gas exchange performance than the introduced species. Overall, it is better to grow native species, and exclude anthropogenic pressure on the territory of introduced species. The conservation programs must persist to sustain several native historical forest trees including Juniperus phoenicea (>600 year old), Quercus ithaburensis (>500 year old), and Pinus halepensis (>100 year old) at Mediterranean semi-arid forests.
The Future of the Human–Machine Interface (HMI) in Society 5.0
Authors: Mourtzis Dimitris , Angelopoulos John , Panopoulos Nikos
Published: April 2023

The blending of human and mechanical capabilities has become a reality in the realm of Industry 4.0. Enterprises are encouraged to design frameworks capable of harnessing the power of human and technological resources to enhance the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Over the past decade, AI technologies have transformed the competitive landscape, particularly during the pandemic. Consequently, the job market, at an international level, is transforming towards the integration of suitably skilled people in cutting edge technologies, emphasizing the need to focus on the upcoming super-smart society known as Society 5.0. The concept of a Humachine builds on the notion that humans and machines have a common future that capitalizes on the strengths of both humans and machines. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify the capabilities and distinguishing characteristics of both humans and machines, laying the groundwork for improving human–machine interaction (HMI).
Theory and Applications of Web 3.0 in the Media Sector
Authors: Dimoulas Charalampos A. , Veglis Andreas
Published: April 2023

We live in a digital era, with vast technological advancements, which, among others, have a major impact on the media domain. More specifically, progress in the last two decades led to the end-to-end digitalization of the media industry, resulting in a rapidly evolving media landscape. In addition to news digitization, User-Generated Content (UGC) is dominant in this new environment, also fueled by Social Media, which has become commonplace for news publishing, propagation, consumption, and interactions. However, the exponential increase in produced and distributed content, with the multiplied growth in the number of plenary individuals involved in the processes, created urgent needs and challenges that need careful treatment. Hence, intelligent processing and automation incorporated into the Semantic Web vision, also known as Web 3.0, aim at providing sophisticated data documentation, retrieval, and management solutions to meet the demands of the new digital world. Specifically, for the sensitive news and media domains, necessities are created both at the production and consumption ends, dealing with content production and validation, as well as tools empowering and engaging audiences (professionals and end users). In this direction, state-of-the-art works studying news detection, modeling, generation, recommendation, evaluation, and utilization are included in the current Special Issue, enlightening multiple contemporary journalistic practices and media perspectives.
Characterization of SNX5 in Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides) during In Vitro Viral Infection
Authors: Wu Riming , Li Jinze , Liang Zhenyu , Han Honglin , Tang Jufen , Huang Yu , Wang Bei , Jian Jichang , Cai Jia
Published: April 2023

SNX5 is a protein that is involved in endosomal sorting, signal transduction and endocytosis pathways. However, the roles of fish SNX5 were largely unknown. In this study, we identified an SNX5 homolog (EcSNX5) from an orange-spotted grouper (E. coioides) and investigated its role during viral infection. EcSNX5 encoded 412 amino acids with a PX domain and a BAR domain. In addition, it shared high identities with other known fish SNX5. Through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), the high expression of EcSNX5 was observed in the head, kidney and heart. After stimulation with the red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) in vitro, EcSNX5 expression was significantly induced. After RGNNV infection in vitro, EcSNX5 overexpression enhanced the expression of RGNNV genes, including coat protein (CP) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). EcSNX5 knockdown downregulates expression of CP and RdRp. The TCID50 assay showed a higher viral titer when EcSNX5 is over expressed. Moreover, EcSNX5 overexpression could reduce the expression of interferon genes (IRF1, IRF3, IRF7, MX1, ISG15, ISG56, MDA5 and TRIF) and inflammatory genes (IL6, IL8, IL-1β and TNF-α). EcSNX5 knockdown could promote the expression of interferon factors and inflammatory factors. Moreover, EcSNX5 overexpression suppresses the expression of autophagy genes (LC3-II, BECN1, ATG5 and ATG16L1) and upregulates the expression of apoptosis genes (Bax, BNIP3), but EcSNX5 knockdown had the opposite effect. According to the subcellular localization, EcSNX5 is localized in the cytoplasm and co-localizaed with RGNNV CP protein. The results showed EcSNX5 can influence viral infections by regulating the expression of interferon factors and inflammatory factors as well as adjusting virus-induced autophagy. These data will contribute to a better understanding of the immune response of fish during virus infection.
Outlook on Magnetohydrodynamical Turbulence and Its Astrophysical Implications
Authors: Popova Elena , Lazarian Alexandre
Published: April 2023

Magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) turbulence is ubiquitous in magnetized astrophysical plasmas, and it radically changes a great variety of astrophysical processes. In this review, we introduce the concept of MHD turbulence and explain the origin of its scaling. We consider the implications of MHD turbulence for various problems: dynamo in different types of stars, flare activity, solar and stellar wind from different stars, the propagation of cosmic rays, and star formation. We also discuss how the properties of MHD turbulence provide a new means of tracing magnetic fields in interstellar and intracluster media.
Numerical Modelling of Water Flashing at Sub-Atmopsheric Pressure with a Multi-Regime Approach
Authors: Loiseau Clément , Mimouni Stéphane , Colmont Didier , Vincent Stéphane
Published: April 2023

The CFD numerical study of the flash boiling phenomenon of a water film was conducted using an Euler–Euler method, and compared to the experiments on the flashing of a water film. The water film is initially heated at temperatures ranging from 34 to 74 ∘C (frim 1 to 41 ∘C superheat), and the pressure is decreased from 1 bar to 50 mbar during the experiments. This paper shows that the experiments could not be correctly modelled by a simple liquid/bubble model because of the overestimation of the drag force above the water film (in the gas/droplet region). The generalised large interface model (GLIM), however, a multi-regime approach implemented in the version 7.0 of the neptune_cfd software, is able to differentiate the water film, where liquid/bubble interactions are predominant from the gas region where gas/droplet interactions are predominant, and gives nice qualitative results. Finally, this paper shows that the interfacial heat transfer model of Berne for superheated liquids could accurately predict the evolution of the water temperature over time.
Dynamic Properties for a Second-Order Stochastic SEIR Model with Infectivity in Incubation Period and Homestead-Isolation of the Susceptible Population
Authors: Lu Chun , Liu Honghui , Zhou Junhua
Published: April 2023

In this article, we analyze a second-order stochastic SEIR epidemic model with latent infectious and susceptible populations isolated at home. Firstly, by putting forward a novel inequality, we provide a criterion for the presence of an ergodic stationary distribution of the model. Secondly, we establish sufficient conditions for extinction. Thirdly, by solving the corresponding Fokker–Plank equation, we derive the probability density function around the quasi-endemic equilibrium of the stochastic model. Finally, by using the epidemic data of the corresponding deterministic model, two numerical tests are presented to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results. Our conclusions demonstrate that nations should persevere in their quarantine policies to curb viral transmission when the COVID-19 pandemic proceeds to spread internationally.
Combined Liouville–Caputo Fractional Differential Equation
Authors: Omaba McSylvester Ejighikeme , Al Sulaimani Hamdan , Mukiawa Soh Edwin , Enyi Cyril Dennis , Apalara Tijani Abdul-Aziz
Published: April 2023

This paper studies a fractional differential equation combined with a Liouville–Caputo fractional differential operator, namely, LCDηβ,γQ(t)=λϑ(t,Q(t)),t∈[c,d],β,γ∈(0,1],η∈[0,1], where Q(c)=qc is a bounded and non-negative initial value. The function ϑ:[c,d]×R→R is Lipschitz continuous in the second variable, λ>0 is a constant and the operator LCDηβ,γ is a convex combination of the left and the right Liouville–Caputo fractional derivatives. We study the well-posedness using the fixed-point theorem, estimate the growth bounds of the solution and examine the asymptotic behaviours of the solutions. Our findings are illustrated with some analytical and numerical examples. Furthermore, we investigate the effect of noise on the growth behaviour of the solution to the combined Liouville–Caputo fractional differential equation.
Coronin 1C, Regulated by Multiple microRNAs, Facilitates Cancer Cell Aggressiveness in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Fukuda Kosuke , Seki Naohiko , Yasudome Ryutaro , Mitsueda Reiko , Asai Shunichi , Kato Mayuko , Idichi Tetsuya , Kurahara Hiroshi , Ohtsuka Takao
Published: April 2023

Coronin proteins are actin-related proteins containing WD repeat domains encoded by seven genes (CORO1A, CORO1B, CORO1C, CORO2A, CORO2B, CORO6, and CORO7) in the human genome. Analysis of large cohort data from The Cancer Genome Atlas revealed that expression of CORO1A, CORO1B, CORO1C, CORO2A, and CORO7 was significantly upregulated in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tissues (p < 0.05). Moreover, high expression of CORO1C and CORO2A significantly predicted the 5 year survival rate of patients with PDAC (p = 0.0071 and p = 0.0389, respectively). In this study, we focused on CORO1C and investigated its functional significance and epigenetic regulation in PDAC cells. Knockdown assays using siRNAs targeting CORO1C were performed in PDAC cells. Aggressive cancer cell phenotypes, especially cancer cell migration and invasion, were inhibited by CORO1C knockdown. The involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) is a molecular mechanism underlying the aberrant expression of cancer-related genes in cancer cells. Our in silico analysis revealed that five miRNAs (miR-26a-5p, miR-29c-3p, miR-130b-5p, miR-148a-5p, and miR-217) are putative candidate miRNAs regulating CORO1C expression in PDAC cells. Importantly, all five miRNAs exhibited tumor-suppressive functions and four miRNAs except miR-130b-5p negatively regulated CORO1C expression in PDAC cells. CORO1C and its downstream signaling molecules are potential therapeutic targets in PDAC.
Mimicked Mixing-Induced Heterogeneities of Industrial Bioreactors Stimulate Long-Lasting Adaption Programs in Ethanol-Producing Yeasts
Authors: Minden Steven , Aniolek Maria , Noorman Henk , Takors Ralf
Published: April 2023

Commercial-scale bioreactors create an unnatural environment for microbes from an evolutionary point of view. Mixing insufficiencies expose individual cells to fluctuating nutrient concentrations on a second-to-minute scale while transcriptional and translational capacities limit the microbial adaptation time from minutes to hours. This mismatch carries the risk of inadequate adaptation effects, especially considering that nutrients are available at optimal concentrations on average. Consequently, industrial bioprocesses that strive to maintain microbes in a phenotypic sweet spot, during lab-scale development, might suffer performance losses when said adaptive misconfigurations arise during scale-up. Here, we investigated the influence of fluctuating glucose availability on the gene-expression profile in the industrial yeast Ethanol Red™. The stimulus–response experiment introduced 2 min glucose depletion phases to cells growing under glucose limitation in a chemostat. Even though Ethanol Red™ displayed robust growth and productivity, a single 2 min depletion of glucose transiently triggered the environmental stress response. Furthermore, a new growth phenotype with an increased ribosome portfolio emerged after complete adaptation to recurring glucose shortages. The results of this study serve a twofold purpose. First, it highlights the necessity to consider the large-scale environment already at the experimental development stage, even when process-related stressors are moderate. Second, it allowed the deduction of strain engineering guidelines to optimize the genetic background of large-scale production hosts.
The Low-Copy-Number Satellite DNAs of the Model Beetle Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Gržan Tena , Dombi Mira , Despot-Slade Evelin , Veseljak Damira , Volarić Marin , Meštrović Nevenka , Plohl Miroslav , Mravinac Brankica
Published: April 2023

The red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum is an important pest of stored agricultural products and the first beetle whose genome was sequenced. So far, one high-copy-number and ten moderate-copy-number satellite DNAs (satDNAs) have been described in the assembled part of its genome. In this work, we aimed to catalog the entire collection of T. castaneum satDNAs. We resequenced the genome using Illumina technology and predicted potential satDNAs via graph-based sequence clustering. In this way, we discovered 46 novel satDNAs that occupied a total of 2.1% of the genome and were, therefore, considered low-copy-number satellites. Their repeat units, preferentially 140–180 bp and 300–340 bp long, showed a high A + T composition ranging from 59.2 to 80.1%. In the current assembly, we annotated the majority of the low-copy-number satDNAs on one or a few chromosomes, discovering mainly transposable elements in their vicinity. The current assembly also revealed that many of the in silico predicted satDNAs were organized into short arrays not much longer than five consecutive repeats, and some of them also had numerous repeat units scattered throughout the genome. Although 20% of the unassembled genome sequence masked the genuine state, the predominance of scattered repeats for some low-copy satDNAs raises the question of whether these are essentially interspersed repeats that occur in tandem only sporadically, with the potential to be satDNA “seeds”.
Barriers and Facilitators to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis by Men Who Have Sex with Men and Community Stakeholders in Malaysia
Authors: Rosen Aviana O. , Wickersham Jeffrey A. , Altice Frederick L. , Khati Antoine , Azwa Iskandar , Tee Vincent , Jeri-Wahrhaftig Alma , Luces Jeffrey Ralph , Ni Zhao , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Saifi Rumana , Shrestha Roman
Published: April 2023

Background: Men who have sex with men (MSM) in Malaysia are disproportionately affected by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an evidence-based HIV prevention strategy; yet, uptake remains low among Malaysian MSM, who have a limited understanding of barriers to PrEP. Methods: We employed the nominal group technique (NGT), a structured mixed-methods strategy to understand the barriers and facilitators to PrEP use among Malaysian MSM, combined with a qualitative focus group. Six virtual focus group sessions, three among MSM (n = 20) and three among stakeholders (n = 16), were conducted using a video-conferencing platform. Rank-ordering of barriers from NGT was recorded, and thematic analysis was conducted for content. Results: Similar barriers were reported by MSM and community stakeholders, with aggregated costs associated with PrEP care (e.g., consultation with a clinician, medication, laboratory testing) being the greatest barrier, followed by limited knowledge and awareness of PrEP. Additionally, the lack of access to PrEP providers, the complex clinical protocol for PrEP initiation and follow-up, and social stigma undermined PrEP delivery. Qualitative discussions identified potential new strategies to overcome these barriers, including expanded outreach efforts to reach hard-to-reach MSM, a ‘one-stop’ delivery model for PrEP services, a patient-centered decision aid to guide PrEP uptake, and easy access to LGBT-friendly PrEP providers. Conclusion: Current barriers may be overcome through governmental subsidy for PrEP and evidence-informed shared decision aids to support both MSM and PrEP providers.
Experimental Setups for In Vitro Studies on Radon Exposure in Mammalian Cells—A Critical Overview
Authors: Maier Andreas , Bailey Tarryn , Hinrichs Annika , Lerchl Sylvie , Newman Richard T. , Fournier Claudia , Vandevoorde Charlot
Published: April 2023

Naturally occurring radon and its short lived progeny are the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and the main risk factor for non-smokers. The radon progeny, mainly Polonium-218 (218Po) and Polonium-214 (214Po), are responsible for the highest dose deposition in the bronchial epithelium via alpha-decay. These alpha-particles release a large amount of energy over a short penetration range, which results in severe and complex DNA damage. In order to unravel the underlying biological mechanisms which are triggered by this complex DNA damage and eventually give rise to carcinogenesis, in vitro radiobiology experiments on mammalian cells have been performed using radon exposure setups, or radon analogues, which mimic alpha-particle exposure. This review provides an overview of the different experimental setups, which have been developed and used over the past decades for in vitro radon experiments. In order to guarantee reliable results, the design and dosimetry of these setups require careful consideration, which will be emphasized in this work. Results of these in vitro experiments, particularly on bronchial epithelial cells, can provide valuable information on biomarkers, which can assist to identify exposures, as well as to study the effects of localized high dose depositions and the heterogeneous dose distribution of radon.
Climate Change, Environmental Health, and Challenges for Nursing Discipline
Authors: Portela Dos Santos Omar , Melly Pauline , Joost Stéphane , Verloo Henk
Published: April 2023

Current data and scientific predictions about the consequences of climate change are accurate in suggesting disaster. Since 2019, climate change has become a threat to human health, and major consequences on health and health systems are already observed. Climate change is a central concern for the nursing discipline, even though nursing theorists’ understanding of the environment has led to problematic gaps that impact the current context. Today, nursing discipline is facing new challenges. Nurses are strategically placed to respond to the impacts of climate change through their practice, research, and training in developing, implementing, and sustaining innovation towards climate change mitigation and adaptation. It is urgent for them to adapt their practice to this reality to become agents of change.