bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preliminary Study on Species Diversity and Community Characteristics of Gamasid Mites on Small Mammals in Three Parallel Rivers Area of China
Authors: Zhou Juan-Xiu , Guo Xian-Guo , Song Wen-Yu , Zhao Cheng-Fu , Zhang Zhi-Wei , Fan Rong , Chen Ting , Lv Yan , Yin Peng-Wu , Jin Dao-Chao
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: Gamasid mites are a large group of arthropods, and some of them are of medical importance. Besides directly biting humans and causing dermatitis, some gamasid mites are the vector of rickettsialpox and potential vector of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The Three Parallel Rivers Area of China is one of the hotspots of biodiversity research in the world, with complicated topographic landforms, different types of vegetation, special elevation gradients and high biodiversity. (2) Methods: Species richness (S): the Shannon–Wiener diversity index (H), Simpson dominance index (D) and Pielou evenness index (E) were used to analyze the basic community structure. The β diversity (Cody index) was used to reflect the diversity difference between any two adjacent elevation gradients. The method based on Preston’s lognormal model for species abundance distribution was used to estimate the total number of gamasid mite species. (3) Results: A total of 3830 small mammal hosts captured from the nine survey sites were identified as 44 species, 27 genera and nine families in five orders. Apodemus chevrieri, Eothenomys miletus and A. draco were the dominant host species with a total constituent ratio Cr = 52.037%. From the body surface of the hosts, 26,048 gamasid mites were collected and identified as 10 families, 21 genera and 82 species (excluding 847 unidentified specimens) with high species richness (S = 82) and diversity (H = 2.33). The three dominant mite species were Dipolaelaps anourosorecis, Laelaps nuttalli and L. echidninus, with a total Cr = 64.46% (16,791/26,048). There are significant differences in the species composition, species diversity and dominant species of gamasid mites on different hosts. The species diversity of the mite community fluctuated greatly in different elevation gradients. The highest peaks of species richness and β diversity appeared at altitudes of 3000–3500 m (S = 42) and 1500–2000 m (β = 17.5), respectively. The species abundance distribution of the mites was successfully fitted by Preston’s lognormal model with S^(R)=19e−[0.22(R−0)]2 (α = 0.22, R2 = 0.9879). Based on fitting the theoretical curve by Preston’s model, the total number of gamasid mite species was estimated to be 153 species. (4) Conclusions: Gamasid mites on small mammals are abundant with complex community structures and high species diversity in the Three Parallel Rivers Area of China. There is an apparent community heterogeneity of the mites on different hosts and in different environments.
Limited Therapeutic Options in Mexico for the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Miranda-Novales Guadalupe , Flores-Moreno Karen , López-Vidal Yolanda , Ponce de León-Rosales Samuel ,   PUCRA Network Members
Published: November 2022

The rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has complicated the management of urinary tract infections (UTIs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Design: prospective observational study. Bacteria were classified as susceptible or resistant to ampicillin-sulbactam, amikacin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, nitrofurantoin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMZ), ertapenem, meropenem, and fosfomycin. The sensitivity to fosfomycin and chloramphenicol was evaluated by the disk diffusion method. Statistical analysis: the chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare differences between categories. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Isolates were collected from January 2019 to November 2020 from 21 hospitals and laboratories. A total of 238 isolates were received: a total of 156 E. coli isolates and 82 K. pneumoniae isolates. The majority were community-acquired infections (64.1%). Resistance was >20% for beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, and TMP/SMZ. For E. coli isolates, resistance was <20% for amikacin, fosfomycin, and nitrofurantoin; for K. pneumoniae, amikacin, fosfomycin, chloramphenicol, and norfloxacin. All were susceptible to carbapenems. K. pneumoniae isolates registered a higher proportion of extensively drug-resistant bacteria in comparison with E. coli (p = 0.0004). In total, multidrug-resistant bacteria represented 61% of all isolates. Isolates demonstrated high resistance to beta-lactams, fluoro-quinolones, and TMP/SMZ.
Colonization with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Contributes to Unfavorable Outcomes in End-Stage Liver Disease Patients
Authors: Zeng Guofen , Pang Yihua , Zheng Jiaxin , Zhuo Chuyue , Guo Yingyi , Liang Jiayin , Li Xiaojie , Lei Ziying , Zhu Jianyun , Xu Lejia , Gao Zhiliang , Zhuo Chao , Liu Jing
Published: November 2022

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are the highest priority pathogens of the World Health Organization, and their prevalence in end-stage liver disease (ESLD) patients is increasing. CRE colonization is an independent risk factor for CRE infections. We aimed to assess risk factors and explore the relationship between CRE colonization, infection, and prognosis in patients with ESLD. A total of 311 patients with ESLD were screened for CRE colonization by fecal swabs from October 2020 to January 2022. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using the broth microdilution method. Carbapenem resistance genes, multilocus sequence type, and capsular serotype were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Seventeen CRE strains were detected, among which the most common was Klebsiella pneumoniae. The CRE colonization rate was 5.5%. Artificial liver support was an independent risk factor for CRE colonization. Compared to the non-CRE colonization group, the colonization group had a higher incidence of CRE infection and a worse prognosis. Furthermore, these strains were not closely related, and all were sensitive to polymyxin and tigecycline. There was a high colonization rate in ESLD patients, and colonization strains were highly diverse. CRE colonization deserves attention in these patients, especially when treated with artificial liver support.
Genome-Wide Analysis of Innate Susceptibility Mechanisms of Escherichia coli to Colistin
Authors: Yasir Muhammad , Turner A. Keith , Bastkowski Sarah , Lott Martin , Holden Emma R. , Telatin Andrea , Page Andrew J. , Webber Mark A. , Charles Ian G.
Published: November 2022

Colistin is an antibiotic that has seen increasing clinical use for the treatment of human infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens, particularly due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant pathogens. Colistin resistance is also a growing problem and typically results from alterations to lipopolysaccharides mediated by phosphoethanolamine (pETn) transferase enzymes which can be encoded on the chromosome, or plasmids. In this study, we used ‘TraDIS-Xpress’ (Transposon Directed Insertion site Sequencing with expression), where a high-density transposon mutant library including outward facing promoters in Escherichia coli BW25113 identified genes involved in colistin susceptibility. We examined the genome-wide response of E. coli following exposure to a range of concentrations of colistin. Our TraDIS-Xpress screen confirmed the importance of overexpression of the two-component system basSR (which regulates pETn transferases) but also identified a wider range of genes important for survival in the presence of colistin, including genes encoding membrane associated proteins, DNA repair machinery, various transporters, RNA helicases, general stress response genes, fimbriae and phosphonate metabolism. Validation experiments supported a role in colistin susceptibility for novel candidate genes tested. TraDIS-Xpress is a powerful tool that expands our understanding of the wider landscape of genes involved in response to colistin susceptibility mechanisms.
Effect of Zeolite Content on Permeability of Stone Chip-Bentonite-Zeolite Mixture Using a Single Solution
Authors: Xu Sifa , Fu Yajun , Wang Jun , Lv Jianwei , Xu Xiaobing , Wei Weiwei , Wang Zhe
Published: November 2022

Bentonite is frequently utilized as a landfill lining material due to its high impermeability. Due to the fact that heavy metal ions in leachate can alter the permeability of bentonite liner, the impermeability and metal adsorption effect of bentonite liner is typically enhanced by the use of external admixtures. In this investigation, zeolite was combined with stone chips and bentonite. Using a flexible wall permeation test, zeta potential test, and X-ray diffraction test, the effect of zeolite on the permeability and adsorption properties of the mixture was investigated. The results indicate that the addition of zeolite can enhance the impermeability of the mixed soil. The permeability coefficient of the mixed soil in DIW is 3.74 × 10−7 cm/s when bentonite is incorporated at 11% and decreases to 6.55 × 10−8, 4.65 × 10−8, and 5.10 × 10−8 cm/s when 12.50%, 25%, and 50% of zeolite are incorporated; the permeability coefficient of the mixed soil in DIW was 3.74 × 10−7 cm/s when the permeate concentration was 0.01 mol/L of ZnCl2 solution, the permeation coefficients were 5.73 × 10−7, 5.98 × 10−8, 5.8 × 10−8, and 5.7 × 10−8 cm/s when the zeolite doping was 0, 12.50, 25, or 50%, respectively, and the Zn2+ concentration of the leachate decreased compared to the no-zeolite case by 92.48, 97.29, and 98.65%, respectively; the competitive adsorption of metal ions by zeolites in ionic solutions of different concentrations reduced the ionic concentration in the solution and decreased the inhibition of bentonite swelling, while the adsorption characteristics of stone chip-bentonite-zeolite mixture on Zn2+ were measured by the Langmuir and Freundlich et al. model.
A Fast Calibration Method for Sensors of Atmospheric Detection System
Authors: Chen Aobei , Li Dapeng , Zheng Dezhi , Li Zhongxiang , Na Rui
Published: November 2022

To meet the needs of a large number of high-altitude meteorological detections, we need to perform fast, high-precision, and high-reliability calibrations of the sensors in the atmospheric detection system (ADS). However, using the traditional method to calibrate the sensor with high precision often takes a lot of time and increases the cost of workforce and material resources. Therefore, a method for realizing fast sensor calibration under the current system hardware conditions is required. A physical field model of Tube–Air–ADS is proposed for the first time, and the transfer function is obtained by combining the system identification, which provides the possibility for dynamic analysis of the calibration system. A Multi-Criteria Adaptive (MCA) PID controller design method is proposed, which provides a new idea for the parameter design of the controller. It controls the amplitude and switching frequency of the controller’s output signal, ensuring the safe and stable operation of the calibration system. Combined with the hardware parameters of the system, we propose the Variable Precision Steady-State Discrimination (VPSSD) method, which can further shorten the calibration time. Comparing and analyzing the current simulation results under Matlab/Simulink, the proposed MCA method, compared with other PID controller design methods, ensures the stable operation of the calibration system. At the same time, compared with the original system, the calibration time is shortened to 47.7%. Combined with the VPSSD method, the calibration time further shortens to 38.7 s.
Normal-Weight Concrete with Improved Stress–Strain Characteristics Reinforced with Dispersed Coconut Fibers
Authors: Shcherban’ Evgenii M. , Stel’makh Sergey A. , Beskopylny Alexey N. , Mailyan Levon R. , Meskhi Besarion , Shilov Alexandr A. , Chernil’nik Andrei , Özkılıç Yasin Onuralp , Aksoylu Ceyhun
Published: November 2022

According to the sustainable development concept, it is necessary to solve the issue of replacing fiber from synthetic materials with natural, environmentally friendly, and cheap-to-manufacture renewable resources and agricultural waste. Concrete is the primary material for which fibers are intended. Therefore, the use of vegetable waste in concrete is an essential and urgent task. Coconut fiber has attracted attention in this matter, which is a by-product of the processing of coconuts and makes it relevant. This work aims to investigate the experimental base for the strength properties of dispersed fiber-reinforced concrete with coconut fibers, as well as the influence of the fiber percentage on the mechanical, physical, and deformation characteristics. The samples were made of concrete with a compressive strength at 28 days from 40 to 50 MPa. The main mechanical characteristics such as strength in compression (cubic and prismatic) and tension (axial and bending), as well as the material’s compressive and tensile strains, were investigated. The percentage of reinforcement with coconut fibers was taken in the range of 0% to 2.5% with an increment of 0.25 wt.%. Tests were carried out 28 days after the manufacture. The microstructure of the resulting compositions was investigating using the electron microscopy method. The most rational percentage of coconut fibers was obtained at 1.75%. The increase in mechanical indicators was 24% and 26% for compression and axial compression, respectively, and 42% and 43% for tensile bending and axial tension, respectively. The ultimate strains in compression were raised by 46% and in tension by 51%. The elastic modulus was increased by 16%.
Evaluation of the Potential of Brazilian Red Propolis Extracts: An Analysis of the Chemical Composition and Biological Properties
Authors: Barreto Gabriele de Abreu , Cerqueira Jamile Costa , Reis João Henrique de Oliveira , Hodel Katharine Valéria Saraiva , Gama Letícia Amaral , Anjos Jeancarlo Pereira , Minafra-Rezende Cintia Silva , Andrade Luciana Nalone , Amaral Ricardo Guimarães , Pessoa Cláudia do Ó. , Luciano Maria Cláudia dos Santos , Barbosa Josiane Dantas Viana , Umsza-Guez Marcelo Andrés , Machado Bruna Aparecida Souza
Published: November 2022

The optimized extraction process of natural matrices such as propolis that results in extracts with significant compounds has been one of the main needs of the industry. The aim of this work was to analyze the content of the active components of Brazilian red propolis extracts previously treated with ultrasound, as well as to evaluate in vitro their performance regarding antioxidant capacity and against bacteria and tumor cells. The results of the chromatographic analysis showed the influence of ultrasound treatment for higher yields of formononetin and kaempferol. However, just a higher content of these two components was not enough to interfere with higher concentrations of phenolic compounds and flavonoids among the extracts. The ten extracts obtained showed activity against two bacterial strains, and eight of them showed >70% cytotoxicity against five neoplastic cell lines. These results demonstrated the influence of ultrasound technology as a pretreatment in obtaining the ethanolic extracts of propolis, increasing the possibility of the applicability of Brazilian red propolis in different areas.
Bibliometric Analysis of the Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques to the Management of Innovation Projects
Authors: Mesa Fernández José Manuel , González Moreno Juan José , Vergara-González Eliseo P. , Alonso Iglesias Guillermo
Published: November 2022

Due to their specific characteristics, innovation projects are developed in contexts with great volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and even ambiguity. Project management has needed to adopt changes to ensure success in this type of project. Artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are being used in these changing environments to increase productivity. This work collected and analyzed those areas of technological innovation project management, such as risk management, costs, and deadlines, in which the application of artificial-intelligence techniques is having the greatest impact. With this objective, a search was carried out in the Scopus database including the three areas involved, that is, artificial intelligence, project management, and research and innovation. The resulting document set was analyzed using the co-word bibliographic method. Then, the results obtained were analyzed first from a global point of view and then specifically for each of the domains that the Project Management Institute (PMI) defines in project management. Some of the findings obtained indicate that sectors such as construction, software and product development, and systems such as knowledge management or decision-support systems have studied and applied the possibilities of artificial intelligence more intensively.
Discrete-Time Design of Dual Internal Model-Based Repetitive Control Systems
Authors: Prakosa Jalu A. , Purwowibowo Purwowibowo , Kurniawan Edi , Wijonarko Sensus , Maftukhah Tatik , Sari Farakka , Pratiwi Enggar B. , Rustandi Dadang
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a novel design of discrete-time dual internal model-based repetitive control systems. The design strategy is accomplished by combining general and high-order modified repetitive control schemes for simultaneous tracking repetitive tasks and rejection of uncertain periodic disturbances. The proposed controller is constructed from two different discrete-time internal models, rendering a dual internal model-based repetitive controller (DIMRC). The first internal model is intended to track repetitive commands with a fixed fundamental frequency. Meanwhile, the second internal model is coupled to compensate for an exogenous periodic disturbance with an uncertain frequency. The controller structure, stability conditions, and convergence analysis are discussed in this paper. The performance of the proposed controller is validated through simulation studies showing accurate tracking and excellent disturbance rejection simultaneously.
A Deep Learning Approach to Upscaling “Low-Quality” MR Images: An In Silico Comparison Study Based on the UNet Framework
Authors: Sharma Rishabh , Tsiamyrtzis Panagiotis , Webb Andrew G. , Seimenis Ioannis , Loukas Constantinos , Leiss Ernst , Tsekos Nikolaos V.
Published: November 2022

MR scans of low-gamma X-nuclei, low-concentration metabolites, or standard imaging at very low field entail a challenging tradeoff between resolution, signal-to-noise, and acquisition duration. Deep learning (DL) techniques, such as UNets, can potentially be used to improve such “low-quality” (LQ) images. We investigate three UNets for upscaling LQ MRI: dense (DUNet), robust (RUNet), and anisotropic (AUNet). These were evaluated for two acquisition scenarios. In the same-subject High-Quality Complementary Priors (HQCP) scenario, an LQ and a high quality (HQ) image are collected and both LQ and HQ were inputs to the UNets. In the No Complementary Priors (NoCP) scenario, only the LQ images are collected and used as the sole input to the UNets. To address the lack of same-subject LQ and HQ images, we added data from the OASIS-1 database. The UNets were tested in upscaling 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 undersampled images for both scenarios. As manifested by non-statically significant differences of matrices, also supported by subjective observation, the three UNets upscaled images equally well. This was in contrast to mixed effects statistics that clearly illustrated significant differences. Observations suggest that the detailed architecture of these UNets may not play a critical role. As expected, HQCP substantially improves upscaling with any of the UNets. The outcomes support the notion that DL methods may have merit as an integral part of integrated holistic approaches in advancing special MRI acquisitions; however, primary attention should be paid to the foundational step of such approaches, i.e., the actual data collected.
Comparison of the Optimal Design of Spinal Hybrid Elastic Rod for Dynamic Stabilization: A Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Hsieh Jui-Yang , Chen Chen-Sheng , Chuang Shao-Ming , Wang Jyh-Horng , Chen Po-Quang , Huang Yi-You
Published: November 2022

The spinal hybrid elastic (SHE) rod is a semi-rigid pedicle screw-based rod for spinal dynamic stabilization. This study investigated the biomechanical effects of different ratios of SHE rod using finite element analysis (FEA). A three-dimensional nonlinear FEA of an intact lumbar spine model (INT) was constructed. The SHE rod was composed of an inner nitinol stick (NS) and an outer polycarbonate urethane shell (PS). Four groups implanted at L3–L4 had the same outer diameter (5.5 mm) but different NS diameter/PS thickness ratios: Nt45, Nt35, Nt25, and Nt15. The resultant intervertebral range of motion (ROM), disc stress, facet joint contact force, screw stress, NS stress, and PCU stress were analyzed. The results indicated that ROM, disc stress, and facet force decreased moderately in the implanted L3–L4 levels and increased slightly in the adjacent L2–L3 levels. The NS stress and NS diameter trended towards inverse proportionality. Changing the ratio did not markedly influence screw or PS stress. The SHE rod system with elastic NS and insulated PS has a 5.5 mm diameter for universal pedicle screws. The SHE rod system provides sufficient spinal support and increases gentle adjacent segment stress. Considering the durability, the optimal NS diameter/PS thickness ratio of the SHE rod system is 3.5/2.0 mm.
Seismic Response of Utility Tunnels with Different Burial Depths at the Non-Homogeneous Liquefiable Site
Authors: Tian Tian , Yao Aijun , Li Yanlin , Gong Yifei
Published: November 2022

Damage to underground structures induced by soil liquefaction under cyclic loads such as earthquakes has long been an important issue in underground engineering practice. In this paper, five models are developed using Flac3D software to analyze the effect of burial depth on the force, deformation characteristics, and uplift behavior of utility tunnels in the non-homogeneous site containing a liquefied layer. The cyclic shear property of saturated sand and the increase in pore water pressure during the earthquake are modeled using a cyclic load-volume strain increment model, using Shell-Type structural elements to model underground utility tunnels, and by using plastic hinges to represent the bending moment capacity of member’s joints. Numerical results show that for shallow-buried utility tunnels, increasing the burial depth increases the bending moment, shear force, and deformation of the structure while significantly reducing its uplift. Therefore, for high-strength shallow-buried utility tunnels, appropriate increase in burial depth can improve its seismic safety.
Nonlinear UGV Identification Methods via the Gaussian Process Regression Model for Control System Design
Authors: Trombetta Enza Incoronata , Carminati Davide , Capello Elisa
Published: November 2022

In this paper, two identification methods are proposed for a ground robotic system. A Gaussian process regression (GPR) model is presented and adopted for a system identification framework. Its performance and features were compared with a wavelet-based nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) model. Both algorithms were compared and experimentally validated for a small ground robot. Moreover, data were collected throughout the onboard sensors. The results show better prediction performance in the case of the GPR method, as an estimation algorithm and in providing a measure of uncertainty.
Marination as a Hurdle to Microbial Pathogens and Spoilers in Poultry Meat Products: A Brief Review
Authors: Meneses Rui , Teixeira Paula
Published: November 2022

Poultry meat, due to its low price and nutritional value, is a healthy and easily accessible option for many households worldwide. Poultry consumption is, therefore, expected to continue to grow. However, this increase may lead to the rising numbers of cases of bacterial gastroenteritis, as poultry meat often carries foodborne pathogens such as Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. While the current on-farm biosecurity programs and food safety management systems implemented by the poultry industry are intended to mitigate the presence of these pathogens, some find their way to the retail level, posing a risk to the consumer. A safeguard for the consumer could potentially result from meat marination. However, the current marinated meat products sold on the market aim to extend the shelf life and overall taste and tenderness of the meat rather than its safety. Marination could be optimised not only to reduce any foodborne pathogen present in the meat but also to increase the shelf life reducing waste at the retail level. Formulations composed of various ingredients with different active principles may be used to achieve this objective. Wines present a superb component for marinades. Due to their complex nature, wines possess organic acids, phenolic compounds, and ethanol, all of which own significant antimicrobial potential. Essential oils may be another option. By combining different active principles in a marinade, we could potentially reduce the concentrations of the overall bactericidal ingredients. The objective of this review was to analyse the recent studies in this field and try to understand the best options for developing a convenient, natural-based bactericidal marinade.
Hyperglycaemia-Linked Diabetic Foot Complications and Their Management Using Conventional and Alternative Therapies
Authors: Ansari Prawej , Akther Samia , Khan Joyeeta T. , Islam Sara S. , Masud Md. Samim R. , Rahman Anisur , Seidel Veronique , Abdel-Wahab Yasser H. A.
Published: November 2022

Diabetes mellitus, a major cause of mortality around the globe, can result in several secondary complications, including diabetic foot syndrome, which is brought on by diabetic neuropathy and ischemia. Approximately 15% of diabetic patients suffer from diabetic foot complications, and among them 25% are at risk of lower limb amputations. Diabetic foot ulcers are characterized as skin lesions, gangrene, or necrosis, and may develop due to several reasons, including hyperglycemia and slower wound healing in diabetic patients. A management protocol involving wound cleaning, oral antibiotics, skin ointments, and removing dead tissue is currently followed to treat diabetic foot ulcers. In severe cases, amputation is performed to prevent the infection from spreading further. The existing therapy can be costly and present adverse side effects. Combined with a lack of vascular surgeons, this ultimately results in disability, especially in developing nations. There is a growing interest in the use of alternative therapies, such as medicinal plants, to discover more efficient and affordable treatments for diabetic foot syndrome. It has been observed that treatment with numerous plants, including Carica papaya, Annona squamosa, Catharanthus roseus, and Centella asiatica, promotes wound healing, reduces inflammation, and may decrease the number of amputations. However, little information is currently available on the prevention and management of diabetic foot ulcers, and additional research is necessary to completely understand the role of alternative therapies in the treatment of diabetic foot complications.
Quality Tests of Hybrid Joint–Clinching and Adhesive—Case Study
Authors: Kowalczyk Jakub , Matysiak Waldemar , Sawczuk Wojciech , Wieczorek Daniel , Sędłak Kamil , Nowak Michał
Published: November 2022

Inseparable joints are widely used in machine and vehicle construction. Hybrid joints include bonding with sheet metal clinching. This combination reduces costs as well as the time of production compared to welded joints. Tests on the samples made of DC01 sheets were carried out. A case study was conducted on four research series. For each series, the shear forces of the joint were measured. The first series consisted of adhesive bonding, and the second and third series consisted of hybrid bonding, during which the sheet metal clinching joint was developed immediately after the completion of adhesive application and after full joint formation. The last test series only includes sheet metal clinching. In the series where bonding was used, the homogeneity of the prepared joints was analysed using the ultrasonic echo technique. The shear strength of the bonded joints was 476 N, whereas the shear strength of sheet metal clinching was 965 N. For the hybrid joint, the average forces were 1085 N (for the specimens in which the lap joint was made after the joint was fully cured) and 1486 N (for the specimens in which the lap joints were made immediately after the adhesive was applied). It was discovered that the clinching of the steel sheets significantly increases the strength of the joint. The stabilisation of the joint causes better crosslinking conditions. This results in an increase in the strength of the hybrid joint.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Plate-Fin Heat Exchangers via Non-Dominated Sequencing Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II)
Authors: Li Shengchen , Deng Zixin , Liu Jian , Liu Defu
Published: November 2022

The rules of heat transfer and fluid flow in plate-fin heat exchanger are intricate and complex, and the selection of boundary conditions is the key to giving full play to the performance of heat exchanger. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and non-dominated sequencing genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) was carried out to obtain the optimal performance of a plate-fin heat exchanger for an extended-range hybrid vehicle engine. The angle of serrated staggered fin, oil flow rate, and water flow rate were taken as input parameters, and the heat transfer quantity, oil pressure drop, and oil outlet temperature were taken as objective functions to perform the optimization analysis of the heat exchanger. Support vector machine regression (SVR) was used to establish the objective function, and the NSGA-II algorithm was adopted to obtain the Pareto optimal solution set. The optimal solution was determined in the Pareto optimal solution set by comprehensive evaluation based on technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results showed that the best comprehensive performance of the heat exchanger was achieved at a fin angle of 63.01°, an oil flow rate of 9.7 L/min, and a water flow rate of 6.45 L/min. At this time, the heat transfer quantity was 9.79 kW, the oil pressure drop was 13.63 kPa, and the oil outlet temperature was 65.11 °C.
The Effectiveness of Different Training Methods in Soccer for Repeated Sprint Ability: A Brief Review
Authors: Michailidis Yiannis
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on the effect of exercise programs on the Repeated Sprint Ability (RSA) performance of soccer players. PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar databases were searched for original research articles. The inclusion criteria for a study were to include different groups of intervention in soccer players and present the protocol’s characteristics and the study’s results. Twenty-one (21) studies met the criteria. For each study, the effect size (ES) and 95% confidential interval (CI) were calculated and evaluated as trivial, small, moderate or large. The results showed that in adults, the various programs showed from trivial (e.g., ES 0.185; 95% CI ± 0.089) to large beneficial effects (ES 2.92; 95% CI ± 0.29). At developmental ages, the beneficial effect was from trivial to moderate (ES 0.163; 95% CI ± 0.174, ES 0.787; 95% CI ± 0.074). Concerning the interventional programs, studies carried out by sprint and Small-Sided Games (SSG) interventions presented a large ES, while studies that carried out RSA exercises presented moderate ES. A variety of stimuli can improve the RSA performance of soccer players by causing trivial-to-large improvements. However, more effective are interventional exercises that include stimuli related to repeated sprint ability.
Application and Assessment of Cooperative Localization in Three-Dimensional Vehicle Networks
Authors: Oliveros Juan Carlos , Ashrafiuon Hashem
Published: November 2022

The trajectory planning and control of multi-agent systems requires accurate localization, which may not be possible when GPS signals and fixed features required for SLAM are not available. Cooperative Localization (CL) in multi-agent systems offers a short-term solution that may significantly improve vehicle pose estimation. CL algorithms have been mainly developed and assessed for planar mobile robot networks due to complexities and singularities in three-dimensional (3D) motion. In this paper, we develop the required singularity-free equations and apply and assess an EKF-based CL for 3D vehicle networks. We assess the performance of CL with respect to the number of simultaneous and redundant measurements. We further assess CL performance with only relative position measurements available. Finally, experiments are performed to validate the proposed algorithms. We further investigate the effect of absolute position measurements in CL. Conclusions: Cooperative localization is an effective method when applied to 3D vehicle networks. However, CL does not improve localization with only relative position measurements, and thus previously reported results for 2D vehicle models were only effective due to relative orientation measurements. Absolute measurement reduces the overall localization errors much more significantly when there has been CL with prior relative position measurements.
An Efficient Boundary-Type Meshless Computational Approach for the Axial Compression on the Part Boundary of the Circular Shaft (Brazilian Test)
Authors: Ling Jing , Wang Hongying , Mou Hongzhong
Published: November 2022

An efficient boundary-type meshless computational approach, namely, the virtual boundary meshless Galerkin method (VBMGM), as the partial differential equation on the weak term is shown for solving the axial compression on the part boundary of the circular shaft (Brazilian test), which is used to obtain the compressive strength of concrete or rock-like material. The Galerkin method is used to achieve the VBMGM. The radial basis function with compact support is employed to approximate the virtual load on the virtual boundary; therefore, the suggested approach combines the benefits of the boundary element method, the meshless method, and the Galerkin method. The detailed numerical discrete formula of the VBMGM is derived. Many scholars have found the VBMGM convenient to programme and use when studying other engineering problems. A comparison is made between the numerical results achieved by using the VBMGM and results achieved by using other methods. The proposed method is proven to be accurate.
Experimental Study on Coal Specimens Subjected to Uniaxial Cyclic Loading and Unloading
Authors: Gao Mingtao , Yan Hongyu , Duan Huiqiang , Xiong Si
Published: November 2022

The paper represents a test investigation of the mechanical properties and acoustic emission (AE) characteristics of low-strength coal specimens subjected to cyclic loading and unloading. From the lab tests, the following conclusions can be obtained: (1) The axial strain is very well linear with the loading–unloading cycle number, and the circumferential and volumetric strains are approximately quadratic functions with the loading–unloading cycle number; (2) Under the same loading stress interval, the elastic modulus firstly increases and then remains stable with the loading–unloading cycle number. In addition, the higher the maximum stress of a loading–unloading cycle, the more significant the plastic strengthening effect produced by this cycle; (3) The damage calculated by the cumulative AE hit count can better reflect the fact that the damage has been increasing in the loading phase and keeps basically unchanged in the unloading phase. So, the AE hit count, as a damage variable, can better describe the damage development of coal specimens. (4) The significant fluctuation of the AE b value can be used as the precursor of coal specimen failure. Additionally, the AE b value decreases rapidly at coal specimen failure. (5) The closer to the loading–unloading cycle of coal specimen failure, the more accurate the predicted “maximum magnitude” at coal specimen failure.
Rapid Prototyping of Reduced-Height Dielectric Lens with One-Take 3D Printing for Antenna Directivity Enhancement
Authors: Kim Wonkyo , Kim Jungho , Won Jonghyo , Yu Dongho , Yoon Ick-Jae
Published: November 2022

In this work, we present a method for designing a dielectric lens with a reduced height that is easily printed with one-take 3D printing. For the first time, we prove that the configuration of a printout made of resin material can be modified for effective permittivity variation and apply the technique to a lens antenna design. The lens is printed with SLA printing and mounted on top of a conventional patch antenna, resulting in a 6.87 dB directivity improvement. The height of the proposed lens is reduced by about 15% compared to the reference lens design. The final proposed lens antenna operates at 5.8 GHz, with a height and diameter of 1.35 λ and 1.35 λ, respectively. A prototype was built, and all of the computed expectations from the full-wave electromagnetic simulations in this work were verified experimentally.
Biocontrol of Grapevine Crown Gall Performed Using Allorhizobium vitis Strain ARK-1
Authors: Kawaguchi Akira
Published: November 2022

Grapevine crown gall (GCG), which is caused by tumorigenic Allorhizobium vitis (=Rhizobium vitis), is the most important bacterial disease in grapevine, and its economic impact on grapevine is very high. When young vines develop GCG, they often die, whereas older vines may show stress and poor growth depending on the severity of GCG, because GCG interferes with the vascular system of the grapevine trunk and prevents nutrient flow, leading to inferior growth and death. Viticultural practices and chemical control designed to inhibit GCG are only partially effective presently; thus, a biocontrol procedure could be a desirable and effective approach for GCG prevention. This article reviews the practical use of biocontrol options for GCG inhibition that involve using nonpathogenic and antagonistic A. vitis strains. In these studies, screening tests of biocontrol agents discovered nonpathogenic A. vitis strains VAR03-1, ARK-1, ARK-2, and ARK-3. After dipping grapevine roots in a suspension of candidate strains prior to planting in the field, treatment using ARK-1 was shown to significantly reduce the number of plants with GCG. A meta-analysis indicated that ARK-1 is very useful for controlling crown gall in various plant species, including grapevine. It was reported that when a mixture of ARK-1 and a tumorigenic strain was examined in grapevines, the expression levels of several virulence genes of the virulent strain were significantly lower. ARK-1 can reduce the pathogen population in grapevines and gall incidence. Moreover, ARK-1 can prime the induction of certain defense genes of grapevine. These results indicate that ARK-1 has a unique biocontrol mechanism and that it is a promising new biocontrol agent to control GCG.
Analysis of the Spatial–Temporal Distribution Characteristics of NO2 and Their Influencing Factors in the Yangtze River Delta Based on Sentinel-5P Satellite Data
Authors: Guo Xiaohui , Zhang Zhen , Cai Zongcai , Wang Leilei , Gu Zhengnan , Xu Yangyang , Zhao Jinbiao
Published: November 2022

The recent rapid economic development in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has led to atmospheric destruction; therefore, it is imperative to solve the issue of atmospheric environmental pollution to ensure stable long-term development. Based on the NO2 column concentration observed by the TROPOMI (a tropospheric monitoring instrument) on the Sentinel-5P, the spatial–temporal distribution characteristics of the NO2 column concentration in the YRD from 2019 to 2020 were analyzed using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, and the Geographical Detector (Geodetector) model was used to determine the driving factors of the NO2 column concentration. The results show that the correlation between the NO2 column concentration and the ground-monitored NO2 concentrations reached 70%. The annual variation trend of the NO2 column concentration exhibited a ‘U’-shaped curve, with the characteristics of ‘high in winter and low in summer, with a transition between spring and autumn’. It exhibited obvious agglomeration characteristics in terms of the spatial distribution, with a high-value agglomeration in the central region of the YRD, followed by the northern region, and a low-value agglomeration in the southern region, with higher altitudes. The change in the NO2 column concentration in the YRD was affected by both physical geographical factors and socio-economic factors; it is clear that the influence of socio-economic factors has increased.
Using Neural Network NO2-Predictions to Understand Air Quality Changes in Urban Areas—A Case Study in Hamburg
Authors: Jesemann Anne-Sophie , Matthias Volker , Böhner Jürgen , Bechtel Benjamin
Published: November 2022

Due to the link between air pollutants and human health, reliable model estimates of hourly pollutant concentrations are of particular interest. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are powerful modeling tools capable of reproducing the observed variations in pollutants with high accuracy. We present a simple ANN for the city of Hamburg that estimated the hourly NO2 concentration. The model was trained with a ten-year dataset (2007–2016), tested for the year 2017, and then applied to assess the efficiency of countermeasures against air pollution implemented since 2018. Using both meteorological data and describing the weekday dependent traffic variabilities as predictors, the model performed accurately and showed high consistency over the test data. This proved to be very efficient in detecting anomalies in the time series. The further the prediction was from the time of the training data, the more the modeled data deviated from the measured data. Using the model, we could detect changes in the time series that did not follow previous trends in the training data. The largest deviation occurred during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, when traffic volumes decreased significantly. Concluding our case study, the ANN based approach proved suitable for modeling the NO2 concentrations and allowed for the assessment of the efficiency of policy measures addressing air pollution.
Adaptive Syllable Training Improves Phoneme Identification in Older Listeners with and without Hearing Loss
Authors: Schumann Annette , Ross Bernhard
Published: November 2022

Acoustic-phonetic speech training mitigates confusion between consonants and improves phoneme identification in noise. A novel training paradigm addressed two principles of perceptual learning. First, training benefits are often specific to the trained material; therefore, stimulus variability was reduced by training small sets of phonetically similar consonant–vowel–consonant syllables. Second, the training is most efficient at an optimal difficulty level; accordingly, the noise level was adapted to the participant’s competency. Fifty-two adults aged between sixty and ninety years with normal hearing or moderate hearing loss participated in five training sessions within two weeks. Training sets of phonetically similar syllables contained voiced and voiceless stop and fricative consonants, as well as voiced nasals and liquids. Listeners identified consonants at the onset or the coda syllable position by matching the syllables with their orthographic equivalent within a closed set of three alternative symbols. The noise level was adjusted in a staircase procedure. Pre–post-training benefits were quantified as increased accuracy and a decrease in the required signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and analyzed with regard to the stimulus sets and the participant’s hearing abilities. The adaptive training was feasible for older adults with various degrees of hearing loss. Normal-hearing listeners performed with high accuracy at lower SNR after the training. Participants with hearing loss improved consonant accuracy but still required a high SNR. Phoneme identification improved for all stimulus sets. However, syllables within a set required noticeably different SNRs. Most significant gains occurred for voiced and voiceless stop and (af)fricative consonants. The training was beneficial for difficult consonants, but the easiest to identify consonants improved most prominently. The training enabled older listeners with different capabilities to train and improve at an individual ‘edge of competence’.
A Unified Asymptotic Theory of Supersonic, Transonic, and Hypersonic Far Fields
Authors: Yang Lung-Jieh , Feng Chao-Kang
Published: November 2022

The problems of steady, inviscid, isentropic, irrotational supersonic plane flow passing a body with a small thickness ratio was solved by the linearized theory, which is a first approximation at and near the surface but fails at far fields from the body. Such a problem with far fields was solved by W.D. Hayes’ “pseudo-transonic” nonlinear theory in 1954. This far field small disturbance theory is reexamined in this study first by using asymptotic expansion theory. A systematic approach is adopted to obtain the nonlinear Burgers’ equation for supersonic far fields. We also use the similarity method to solve this boundary value problem (BVP) of the inviscid Burgers’ equation and obtain the nonlinear flow patterns, including the jump condition for the shock wave. Secondly, the transonic and hypersonic far field equations were obtained from the supersonic Burgers’ equation by stretching the coordinate in the y direction and considering an expansion of the freestream Mach number in terms of the transonic and hypersonic similarity parameters. The mathematical structures of the far fields of the supersonic, transonic, and hypersonic flows are unified to be the same. The similar far field flow patterns including the shock positions of a parabolic airfoil for the supersonic, transonic, and hypersonic flow regimes are exemplified and discussed.
Computation of the Deuteron Mass and Force Unification via the Rotating Lepton Model
Authors: Vayenas Constantinos G. , Grigoriou Dimitrios , Tsousis Dionysios , Parisis Konstantinos , Aifantis Elias C.
Published: November 2022

The rotating lepton model (RLM), which is a 2D Bohr-type model of three gravitating rotating neutrinos, combining Newton’s gravitational law, special relativity, and the de Broglie equation of quantum mechanics, and which has already been used to model successfully quarks and the strong force in several hadrons, has been extended to 3D and to six rotating neutrinos located at the vertices of a normal triangular octahedron in order to compute the Lorentz factors, gamma, of the six neutrinos and, thus, to compute the total energy and mass of the deuteron, which is the lightest nucleus. The computation includes no adjustable parameters, and the computed deuteron mass agrees within 0.05% with the experimental mass value. This very good agreement suggests that, similarly to the strong force in hadrons, the nuclear force in nuclei can also be modeled as relativistic gravity. This implies that, via the combination of special relativity and quantum mechanics, the Newtonian gravity gets unified with the strong force, including the residual strong force.