bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Lightweight Authentication Protocol for UAVs Based on ECC Scheme
Authors: Zhang Shuo , Liu Yaping , Han Zhiyu , Yang Zhikai
Published: May 2023

With the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often referred to as drones, their security issues are attracting more and more attention. Due to open-access communication environments, UAVs may raise security concerns, including authentication threats as well as the leakage of location and other sensitive data to unauthorized entities. Elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) is widely favored in authentication protocol design due to its security and performance. However, we found it still has the following two problems: inflexibility and a lack of backward security. This paper proposes an ECC-based identity authentication protocol LAPEC for UAVs. LAPEC can guarantee the backward secrecy of session keys and is more flexible to use. The time cost of LAPEC was analyzed, and its overhead did not increase too much when compared with other authentication methods.
Why Do Students Attend STEM Clubs, What Do They Get Out of It, and Where Are They Heading?
Authors: Blanchard Margaret R. , Gutierrez Kristie S. , Swanson Kylie J. , Collier Karen M.
Published: May 2023

This research investigated what motivated and sustained the involvement of 376 students in culturally relevant, afterschool STEM clubs at four rural, under-resourced schools. A longitudinal, convergent parallel mixed methods research design was used to investigate participants’ participation in and perceptions of the clubs, their motivations to attend, and their future goals, over three years. Situated Expectancy-Value Theory (SEVT) served as a guiding theoretical and analytical framework. Overall, students who attended the clubs were African American (55%), female (56%), and 6th graders (42%), attended approximately half of the clubs (43%), and agreed with quality measures on the STEM Club Survey (M = 4.0/5). Students interviewed (n = 131) were most likely (99%) to describe what they enjoyed (intrinsic value), what was useful to them (utility value; 55%), personally important (42%; attainment value), or related to their personal or collective identity (40%). Most participants (78%) planned to attend a 4-year university and expressed interest in at least one STEM career (77%); highest attendees (48%) expressed the most interest. Our study reveals that a culturally relevant, afterschool STEM club can motivate underserved students to participate, learn, feel a sense of belonging as a club member, and positively influence their college and career pathways.
Balancing Password Security and User Convenience: Exploring the Potential of Prompt Models for Password Generation
Authors: Umejiaku Afamefuna P. , Dhakal Prastab , Sheng Victor S.
Published: May 2023

With the increasing prevalence of cyber attacks and data breaches, the importance of strong passwords cannot be overstated. Password generating software has been widely used to generate complex passwords that are difficult to crack, but it has its limitations. One of the main problems with this kind of software is that it often generates passwords that are difficult to remember, leading to users write them down or reuse them across multiple accounts. In recent years, prompt models such as ChatGPT have emerged as a promising solution for generating strong and memorable passwords. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, these models can generate unique and complex passwords tailored to individual users’ preferences, making them easier to remember and more secure. However, the use of prompt models to generate passwords also raises concerns about exposing vulnerable passwords. Hackers can potentially use these models to predict passwords by analyzing a user’s online activity and personal data. Additionally, the constant need to change passwords to stay secure poses a challenge for both password generating software and prompt models. As technology continues to evolve, finding a balance between password security and user convenience remains a complex issue. While prompt models such as ChatGPT can offer a promising solution, it is essential to consider the potential risks and challenges associated with their use, including the constant need for password changes and the potential vulnerability of the generated passwords.
Power Optimization of Systems for Direct Thermal to Electrical Energy Conversion
Authors: Ciarpi Gabriele , Del Vecchio Matteo , Dimaggio Elisabetta , Macucci Massimo , Pennelli Giovanni
Published: May 2023

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) offer the possibility of extracting electrical power from any heat source, including low-enthalpy heat. The operation of thermoelectric generators is closely related to not only thermal factors but also the electrical load conditions. Consequently, simulations of TEG-based thermoelectric systems require the adequate modeling of both thermal and electric phenomena. In this paper, the developed TEG model is presented and verified through the design of a complete thermoelectric system able to optimize the extraction of electrical power according to the thermal conditions. The system consisted of a TEG, a properly designed low-cost DC/DC converter, and an energy storage element. The DC/DC converter was controlled by a specific algorithm that optimized the electrical power extraction following the maximum power point. The choices adopted for the system design, the implementation of the DC/DC converter, and the algorithm development were verified with experimental measurements.
Advances of Future IoE Wireless Network Technology
Authors: Horng Gwo-Jiun
Published: May 2023

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is a concept that refers to the interconnectivity of various devices, objects, and systems, which can communicate and exchange data to enable intelligent decision making [...]
Adaptive Mesh Generation Technique for Efficient Electromagnetic Computation in RFIC Designs
Authors: Wang Xianbing , Zhao Peng , Wang Gaofeng
Published: May 2023

A novel adaptive mesh generation technique for efficient electromagnetic simulation of radio-frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) is herein presented. By exploring the geometrical and physical characteristics of RFICs, some adaptive mesh treatments, such as mesh projection, edge refinement, via polymerization, etc., are utilized to improve the accuracy and efficiency of electromagnetic computations. For strong coupling structures, such as two conductors in close proximity for a relatively large area, a projection-based mesh scheme is introduced to improve the accuracy of numerical integration. Moreover, the current most likely concentrates near the edges of conductors due to the edge effect. To better model the edge effect, an edge refinement scheme is applied. For via arrays that appear common in RFICs, an automatic via aggregation approach is adopted to improve computational efficiency yet still keep good computational accuracy. Finally, some numerical examples are given to validate the computational accuracy and efficiency of the novel adaptive mesh generation technique.
FASTune: Towards Fast and Stable Database Tuning System with Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Shi Lei , Li Tian , Wei Lin , Tao Yongcai , Li Cuixia , Gao Yufei
Published: May 2023

Configuration tuning is vital to achieving high performance for a database management system (DBMS). Recently, automatic tuning methods using Reinforcement Learning (RL) have been explored to find better configurations compared with database administrators (DBAs) and heuristics. However, existing RL-based methods still have several limitations: (1) Excessive overhead due to reliance on cloned databases; (2) trial-and-error strategy may produce dangerous configurations that lead to database failure; (3) lack the ability to handle dynamic workload. To address the above challenges, a fast and stable RL-based database tuning system, FASTune, is proposed. A virtual environment is proposed to evaluate configurations which is an equivalent yet more efficient scheme than the cloned database. To ensure stability during tuning, FASTune adopts an environment proxy to avoid dangerous configurations. In addition, a Multi-State Soft Actor–Critic (MS-SAC) model is proposed to handle dynamic workloads, which utilizes the soft actor–critic network to tune the database according to workload and database states. The experimental results indicate that, compared with the state-of-the-art methods, FASTune can achieve improvements in performance while maintaining stability in the tuning.
Optimization of Biomethane Yield of Xyris capensis Grass Using Oxidative Pretreatment
Authors: Olatunji Kehinde O. , Madyira Daniel M.
Published: May 2023

Biogas production from lignocellulose feedstocks has become an acceptable energy source globally due to their availability and economy. Lignocellulose materials have a complex arrangement that hinders digestion during the process. Therefore, applying the pretreatment process to lower the recalcitrant properties is required to utilize the full potential of the feedstock. This study, therefore, examines the influence of the oxidative pretreatment on the microstructural arrangement and biomethane yield of Xyris capensis. Piranha solution was prepared using H2O2 and H2SO4 at 100, 95:5, 85:15, and 75:25% of H2O2:H2SO4, respectively, and Xyris capensis grass was soaked in the prepared solution. The pretreated and untreated feedstocks were examined under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study the effect of the pretreatment on the microstructural arrangement. The effect of the pretreatment on biomethane yield was investigated during anaerobic digestion in a laboratory-scale batch digester at a mesophilic temperature (37 °C). The SEM analysis shows that the oxidative pretreatment method significantly affects the substrate’s microstructure, and the pretreatment’s severity depends on the percentage of H2SO4 added. A biomethane yield of 174.41, 188.61, 192.23, 207.51, and 139.71 mL CH4/g VSadded was observed, and the yield was increased by between 24.84 and 48.52% compared to the untreated substrate. Therefore, applying oxidative pretreatment using low-cost H2O2 is a clear method of improving the biomethane yield of lignocellulose feedstocks.
Comparison of Secondary Flow Characteristics in Mixed-Flow Turbine between Nozzleless and Symmetric Nozzle Vane Angles under Steady-State Flow at Full Admission
Authors: Jama’a Mohd Jazmi Asyraff , Gurunathan Balamurugan Annamalai , Botas Ricardo Martinez , Khairuddin Uswah
Published: May 2023

In industrial applications, radial or mixed-flow turbines are frequently used in energy recovery systems, small turbines for producing power, and turbochargers. The implementation of radial or mixed-flow turbines helps to maintain high efficiency at a large range of pressure ratios by reducing the overall turbine losses and secondary flow losses. Numerous findings on secondary flow development research adopting double-entry turbines can be obtained in the public domain, except asymmetric volute, which is less well-researched. The focus of the present work is to investigate the evolution of secondary flows and their losses in a mixed-flow turbine used in an asymmetric volute turbine, by employing an experimentally validated three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The flow topology is analyzed to explain the formation and evolution of flow separations at the pressure, suction, and hub surfaces. As the opening angle of the nozzle vane increases, the incidence angle falls into the positive range while the maximum pressure difference between the shroud and hub decreases by about 40%. The results also show that the development of secondary flow accounts for the majority of losses and induced the centrifugal pressure head influence. The presence of symmetric nozzle vanes in both large and small scrolls is also found to have a significant detrimental effect on the turbine efficiency, which is 4% lower than the nozzleless case. Furthermore, significant flow separation is observed in the symmetrical nozzle vane configuration as opposed to that of nozzleless. In addition, the centrifugal pressure head indicated by the maximum pressure difference between the hub and shroud influences the overall turbine efficiency, as the symmetrical nozzle vane arrangement is introduced with two different turbine rotational speeds of 30 K rpm and 48 K rpm.
Charge Estimation of Piezoelectric Actuators: A Comparative Study
Authors: Mohammadzaheri Morteza , Al-Sulti Sami , Ghodsi Mojtaba , Soltani Payam
Published: May 2023

This article first reviews the position control of piezoelectric actuators, particularly charge-based sensorless control systems, which often include a charge estimator as a key component. The rest of the paper is about charge estimators for piezoelectric actuators. Two of the most recent/effective types of these estimators utilise either a sensing capacitor (type I in this paper) or a sensing resistor (type II); the latter (and the newer) type is broadly known as a digital charge estimator. Some experimental results in the literature show that, with the same loss in excitation voltage, a considerably higher amount of charge can be estimated with a type II estimator in comparison with a type I estimator; therefore, the superiority of type II estimators was acknowledged. In order to re-assess this conclusion, this paper equitably compares type I and II estimators through analytical modelling and experimentation. The results indicate that type II estimators have only a slight advantage in estimating higher amounts of charge, if both type I and II estimators are designed appropriately. At the same time, type II estimators have disadvantages; e.g., the resistance of type II estimators has to be tuned to suit different excitation frequencies. This research concludes that capacitor-based (type I) charge estimators for piezoelectric actuators, with pertinent design and implementation, can be still the prime solution for many charge estimation problems despite claims in the literature in the last decade.
Reliability Improvement of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Integrated Distribution System
Authors: Sripriya Ramalingam , Kumar Chandrasekaran , Xavier Felix Joseph , Kumar Jeyaraj Senthil , Kotsampopoulos Panos , Fayek Hady H.
Published: May 2023

The recent trend in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) has increased the need for vehicle charging stations (VCS) in the distribution system. In this condition, the additional load in the system leads to an increase in power loss, reduction in voltage and reliability of the system. The drawbacks of introducing this additional load can be rectified by integrating distributed generation (DG) into the distribution system. In this paper, the ideal location for placing DG is identified through the voltage stability index. The power loss minimization objective function is formulated with all the required constraints to estimate the size of DG required for the distribution system. Moreover, loss of load probability is used as a reliability assessment technique, through which the system reliability is analyzed after assessing the impact of integrating VCS and DG. Simulations are carried out to compare the following cases: a system without VCS and DG, a system that has only VCS and a system that has both VCS and DG. The IEEE 12-bus and 33-bus test systems are considered. In the 12-bus system with both VCS and DG, the power loss is reduced by 56% when compared with the system with only VCS, while the net reliability is also improved. The reliability of the system is evaluated for a 24 h load variation. The proposed work provides an efficient tool to improve the reliability of the system with support from DG.
A Review of Research on Dynamic and Static Economic Dispatching of Hybrid Wind–Thermal Power Microgrids
Authors: Li Lingling , Pei Jiarui , Shen Qiang
Published: May 2023

As fossil energy is increasingly depleted, promoting the integration of renewable energy into the grid and improving its utilization rate has become an irresistible development trend in China’s power industry. However, the volatility of wind power increases the difficulty of economic dispatch in power systems. With the rising participation of wind power in the system, the complexity of traditional microgrid dynamic scheduling problems has increased, transforming into a dynamic economic scheduling problem for wind power thermal power hybrid microgrids. Starting from the concept and research significance of economic dispatch, this article analyzes the current research status of microgrid economic dispatch as well as the impact and influencing factors of wind energy grid connection on it. It summarizes the research performed by scholars in two aspects: scheduling models and solving algorithms in static dispatch, as well as how to deal with wind power randomness in dynamic dispatch and how to balance environmental protection while ensuring economic maximization. Finally, the existing problems in current research were summarized and future development directions were prospected. This research has important application prospects in improving the economy of the system and protecting the ecological environment.
PSO-Based Identification of the Li-Ion Battery Cell Parameters
Authors: Białoń Tadeusz , Niestrój Roman , Korski Wojciech
Published: May 2023

The article describes the results of research aimed at identifying the parameters of the equivalent circuit of a lithium-ion battery cell, based on the results of HPPC (hybrid pulse power characterization) tests. The OCV (open circuit voltage) characteristic was determined, which was approximated using functions of various types, while making their comparison. The internal impedance of the cell was also identified in the form of a Thevenin RC circuit with one or two time constants. For this purpose, the HPPC pulse transients were approximated with a multi-exponential function. All of the mentioned approximations were carried out using an original method developed for this purpose, based on the PSO (particle swarm optimization) algorithm. As a result of the optimization experiments, the optimal configuration of the PSO algorithm was found. Three different cognition methods have been analyzed here: GB (global best), LB (local best), and FIPS (fully informed particle swarm). Three different swarm topologies were used: ring lattice, von Neumann, and FDR (fitness distance ratio). The choice of the cognition factor value was also analyzed, in order to provide a proper PSO convergence. The identified parameters of the cell model were used to build simulation models. Finally, the simulation results were compared with the results of the laboratory CDC (charge depleting cycle) test.
Larger Soil Water-Stable Aggregate May Exert a Negative Effect on Nutrient Availability: Results from Red Soil (Ultisol), in South China
Authors: Feng Ming , Xiang Jian , Ji Xiaofang , Jiang Jiang
Published: May 2023

Soil aggregates are the basic units of soil, which regulate soil carbon cycling and nutrient availability through the protective effect of soil aggregates on soil organic matter. It is still uncertain whether larger aggregates are more conducive to soil nutrient availability in red soil. This study explored the regulation of soil aggregates on soil nutrient availability by studying the distribution of soil aggregates, nutrient concentrations, nutrient availability and organo-mineral bonds in soil aggregates in a low-productivity Chinese fir forest, in south China. We sampled the 0–10 cm soil with nine repeated plots and analyzed the soil aggregate structure, total nutrients, available nutrients and organo-mineral bonds of soil aggregates. The results showed that the contribution of >2 mm soil aggregates to soil nutrients was highest, because the mass of >2 mm soil aggregates accounted for about 50% of the total mass of aggregates and was much higher than that of other aggregates. The availability (available nutrient/total nutrient) of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium increased with decreases in soil aggregate size, indicating that soil aggregates with a larger particle size were more averse to nutrient availability. Strong organo-mineral bonds accounted for more than 80% of the total organo-mineral bonds in the soil aggregates of each size, and the proportion of weak organo-mineral bonds in the soil aggregate increased with decreases in the soil aggregate size. There was a significant negative correlation between the size of soil aggregates and the proportion of weak organo-mineral bonds in soil aggregates. The availability of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil aggregates was positively correlated with the proportion of weak organo-mineral bonds. These results suggest that Fe/Al oxides may play an important role in regulating nutrient availability, especially in red soil. A higher proportion of strong organo-mineral bonds in larger soil aggregates may exert a stronger negative effect on the accessibility of microorganisms to organic matter and result in a lower nutrient availability. In conclusion, this study shows that larger-sized soil macroaggregates may exert a negative effect on nutrient availability, owing to a higher proportion of strong binding bonds, which can better prevent microorganisms from mineralizing organic matter into effective nutrients in red soil.
Internal Decay in Landscape Oaks (Quercus spp.): Incidence, Severity, Explanatory Variables, and Estimates of Strength Loss
Authors: Brazee Nicholas J. , Burcham Daniel C.
Published: May 2023

As trees age, internal decay and the risk of stem failure become important management issues for arborists. To characterize the incidence and severity of internal decay in landscape oaks, 323 pairs of sonic and electrical resistance tomograms were generated from 186 trees, representing five species: Q. alba, Q. bicolor, Q. palustris, Q. rubra, and Q. velutina. Overall, 135 (73%) oaks had detectable decay. When intermediate sonic velocities were included, the mean area of decay (AD) was 41% with a mean strength loss (ZLOSS) of 35%. Among all oaks, Q. rubra had the highest frequency of decay symptoms and signs of a pathogen. Binomial regression showed that diameter, symptoms, and oak species were the best predictors of decay incidence, and beta regression showed that diameter, scanning height, and species were the best predictors of decay severity. Quercus alba had the highest mean AD while Q. bicolor or Q. palustris had significantly less decay, depending on tomogram interpretation, across all modeled conditions. Despite considerable variability, the empirical model of decay incidence and severity fit to tomography measurements can inform decay assessments of landscape oaks, but the detailed tomograms allowed more precise strength loss estimates, especially for offset decay columns.
UAV Photogrammetry for Soil Surface Deformation Detection in a Timber Harvesting Area, South Korea
Authors: Kim Jeongjae , Kim Ikhyun , Ha Eugene , Choi Byoungkoo
Published: May 2023

During forest operations, canopy removal results in the soil surface being vulnerable to deformation, negatively impacting soil fertility and water quality. This study utilized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry to accurately detect soil surface deformation (SSD). Two-dimensional images were safely collected on a steep slope without real-time kinematics by conducting vertically parallel flights (VPFs). A high-resolution digital surface model (DSM) with a <3 cm resolution was acquired for precise SSD detection. Using DSM of difference (DoD), SSDs were calculated from DSMs acquired in June, July, September, and October 2022. By checking spatial distances at ground control points, errors of DSM alignments were confirmed as only 3 cm, 11.1 cm, and 4 cm from July to June, September to June, and October to June, respectively. From the first month of monitoring, erosion and deposition of approximately 7 cm and 9 cm, respectively, were detected at validation points (VPs). However, from total monitoring, cumulative SSD was assessed as having deposition tendencies at all VPs, even compared to ground truths. Although UAV photogrammetry can detect SSDs, spatial distortion may occur during UAV surveys. For vegetation growth issues, UAV photogrammetry may be unable to capture data on the soil surface itself.
Correction: Nagahama et al. Critical Aspects of People’s Participation in Community-Based Forest Management from the Case of Van Panchayat in Indian Himalaya. Forests 2022, 13, 1667
Authors: Nagahama Kazuyo , Tachibana Satoshi , Rakwal Randeep
Published: May 2023

After publication of the research paper [...]
In Vivo Digestibility and In Vitro Fermentation of High Dietary Fiber Forages in Growing Pigs’ Diets
Authors: Gandarillas Mónica , Valenzuela María Isidora , Molina Jorge , Arias Rodrigo , Keim Juan
Published: May 2023

The pig farming industry is constantly challenged to seek low-cost ingredients that fulfill animal requirements. In this study, two summer forage brassica meals were assessed as sources of dietary fiber in growing pigs by in vivo digestibility and in vitro fermentation experiments. The control diet included corn, soybean meal, and wheat middlings. The experimental diets replaced wheat middlings (15%) with turnip (Brassica rapa) roots or fodder rape (Brassica napus) whole plant meal, respectively. All diets were elaborated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. The turnip diet had a greater digestibility rate for gross energy (p = 0.020). The ash digestibility was greater for the rape diet and intermediate for the turnip diet, with the lowest value for the control diet (p = 0.003). When incubating pure brassica forages, only gas production at 72 h was greater for the turnip than rape diet (p = 0.04). No differences (p > 0.05) in the in vitro gas production parameters were observed among the diets. The pure fermentation of turnip increased the VFA concentration and propionate molar proportion, whereas acetate was reduced (p < 0.05), which resulted in a trend towards a greater propionate molar proportion with the inclusion of turnip in the diet (p = 0.067). The inclusion of 15% of turnip meal increased the in vivo energy digestibility and tended to modify the fermentation parameters, increasing the molar proportion of propionate, whereas the inclusion of whole plant fodder rape did not affect the in vivo digestibility or in vitro fermentation compared with the control diet.
Characteristics of Substrates Used for Biogas Production in Terms of Water Content
Authors: Czekała Wojciech , Nowak Mateusz , Bojarski Wiktor
Published: May 2023

New technologies based on the anaerobic digestion process make it possible to manage problematic waste. Methane efficiency depends largely on the level of the hydration of the substrates used for biogas production and their ability to decompose easily. The aim of this study was to present the current state of knowledge and practices in substrate hydration characteristics, focusing on pretreatment methods as the preferred method for improving efficiency. The paper discusses issues related to the degree of hydration of substrates in the context of their use in biogas plants. Reference was also made to topics related to the transportation and logistics of raw material supply regarding environmental impact. Biogas plant projects should be expanded to include an element related to assessing the impact of raw material deliveries on the immediate environment. Previous papers have not sufficiently analyzed the aspect related to the hydration of substrates used in anaerobic digestion processes. The presented and discussed research results can be implemented to optimize biogas plant water management processes. By replacing standard feedstock transportation methods with a pipeline, the environmental impact can be reduced by nearly ten times.
Effects of Caffeic Acid and Chlorogenic Acid Addition on the Chemical Constituents of Lychee Wine Fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae DV10
Authors: Wu Xuexin , Zhong Qiuping , Zhang Yunzhu
Published: May 2023

This study evaluated the effects of caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid on the chemical constituents of lychee wine fermented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae DV10 when added at 200 mg/L and 300 mg/L before fermentation. Results showed that the caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid addition had no effect on the ability of alcoholic fermentation of S. cerevisiae. The addition of both acids decreased the utilization of amino nitrogen sources and produced less α-ketoglutaric, succinic, and acetic acid. The addition of 200 mg/L of caffeic acid induced a higher product of typical aroma components of the lychee wine, including trans-rose-oxide, precursors of 1-octane-3-ol, octanoic acid, and isoamyl acetate, and produced more esters, such as ethyl caprylate, ethyl caprate, ethyl hexanoate, isoamyl acetate, citronellyl acetate, ethyl-9-decenoate, geranyl acetate, and phenethyl acetate, compared with the chlorogenic acid addition. These findings indicate that caffeic acid addition could enhance the flavorful character and improve the quality of lychee wine.
Learning from Tradition: Health-Promoting Potential of Traditional Lactic Acid Fermentation to Drive Innovation in Fermented Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives
Authors: Horlacher Nicholas , Oey Indrawati , Agyei Dominic
Published: May 2023

Food fermentation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is an ancient technique that has been deemed a simple and economical way to modify nutritional contents of plant-based foods. In many cultures, this practice shows a long history with a wide variety of fermented liquid and semi-liquid traditional foods being produced from cereals, legumes, and tubers. Nutritionally relevant benefits of the fermentation process are becoming increasingly evident and can be linked to the accumulation of bioactive compounds (exopolysaccharides, short-chain fatty acids, bioactive peptides), degradation of antinutritional factors, and improved bioavailability of essential nutrients (amino acids, minerals, vitamins). This manuscript discusses the current understanding on the impact of LAB fermentation on plant macro- and micronutrients in traditionally fermented foods and how this knowledge could aid to drive innovation in the emerging research and development (R&D) sector of plant-based dairy alternatives. Key-points include that the improved health-promoting properties and rich sensory appeal found in traditional foods results from a low and slow fermentation (prolonged fermentation time at suboptimal temperatures), which depends on the complex interplay of mixed microbial cultures found in such foods.
Effect of Compound Additives on Nutritional Composition, Fermentation Quality, and Bacterial Community of High-Moisture Alfalfa Silage
Authors: Jiang Heng , Wang Haoran , Bao Buhe , Qu Hui , Wang Jiao , Sun Le , Liu Bin , Gao Fengqin
Published: May 2023

The wilting process is required for the preparation of traditional low-moisture silage, which is not only subject to the interference of rainfall during the harvest season in many areas, but also increases labor, economic, and time costs. Therefore, in this experiment, newly harvested alfalfa was supplemented with a complex additive consisting of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), sucrose, and corn flour, and then ensiled directly in order to explore a suitable high-moisture silage processing method. There were four groups: control (CK), 0.01 g/kg LAB plus 2% sugar (S), 0.01 g/kg LAB plus 5% corn flour (C5), and 0.01 g/kg LAB plus 5% corn flour (C10). The results show that all four types of silage had significantly reduced acid detergent fiber, acetic acid content, and ammonia/total nitrogen (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. was significantly higher (p < 0.05), and that of Weissella, Clostridium sensu stricto 12, and Pantoea genera was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in all four treatments. Group S had significantly increased crude protein content, and groups C5 and C10 had significantly reduced neutral detergent fiber. Overall, group C10 had the highest LA concentration, the highest relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp., and the lowest pH, ammonia/total nitrogen, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber. Silage with a complex additive consisting of LAB + 10% corn flour is recommended to achieve good fermentation with high nutritional quality.
Piscine orthoreovirus Genotype-1 (PRV-1) in Wild Pacific Salmon of British Columbia, Canada: 2011–2020
Authors: Turcotte Lenora D. M. , Bradshaw Julia C. , Polinski Mark P. , Johnson Stewart C.
Published: May 2023

Piscine orthoreovirus genotype 1 (PRV-1) is an endemic virus to the Northeastern Pacific that infects both wild and farmed salmon. To better understand PRV-1 prevalence and transmission pathways in the region, we targeted out-migrating juvenile Pacific Salmon in the Strait of Georgia and Johnstone Strait in British Columbia, Canada, for PRV-1 molecular screening with an emphasis on Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) salmon. A total of 4031 individuals were screened for PRV-1 and we identified an overall virus prevalence of 3.5% from 2011 to 2020. PRV-1 was absent in enhancement facilities and freshwater catchments and predominately found in the marine environment. The detection of PRV-1 varied greatly between species, year and stock of origin, but cumulatively identified that life history and migratory behaviors likely influenced viral prevalence. Specifically, Chinook salmon, which demonstrate long residence time in the Strait of Georgia relative to other species, had the highest PRV-1 prevalence in this study (7.4%). Varying stock composition and regional detection between year classes within the Strait of Georgia further indicated that the sources for Chinook infection were highly variable between years. These findings enhance our understanding for PRV-1 transmission in the region and more generally between/within salmon species.
Glycomacropeptide Protects against Inflammation and Oxidative Stress, and Promotes Wound Healing in an Atopic Dermatitis Model of Human Keratinocytes
Authors: Gallegos-Alcalá Pamela , Jiménez Mariela , Cervantes-García Daniel , Córdova-Dávalos Laura Elena , Gonzalez-Curiel Irma , Salinas Eva
Published: May 2023

Keratinocytes are actively implicated in the physiopathology of atopic dermatitis (AD), a skin allergy condition widely distributed worldwide. Glycomacropeptide (GMP) is a milk-derived bioactive peptide generated during cheese making processes or gastric digestion. It has antiallergic and skin barrier restoring properties when it is orally administered in experimental AD. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of GMP on the inflammatory, oxidative, proliferative, and migratory responses of HaCaT keratinocytes in an in vitro AD model. GMP protected keratinocytes from death and apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. GMP at 6.3 and 25 mg/mL, respectively, reduced nitric oxide by 50% and 83.2% as well as lipid hydroperoxides by 27.5% and 45.18% in activated HaCaT cells. The gene expression of TSLP, IL33, TARC, MDC, and NGF was significantly downregulated comparably to control by GMP treatment in activated keratinocytes, while that of cGRP was enhanced. Finally, in an AD microenvironment, GMP at 25 mg/mL stimulated HaCaT cell proliferation, while concentrations of 0.01 and 0.1 mg/mL promoted the HaCaT cell migration. Therefore, we demonstrate that GMP has anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties and stimulates wound closure on an AD model of keratinocytes, which could support its reported bioactivity in vivo.
Relationship between Remanence and Micromorphology of Nd-Fe-B Permanent Magnets Revealed by Fractal Theory and EBSD Data
Authors: Sun Qisong , Zhu Minggang , Bai Jiaming , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2023

Remanence is an important parameter of magnetic property for Nd-Fe-B magnets, and high remanent magnetization is a prerequisite for high-performance magnets. In this paper, the surface morphology perpendicular to the texture orientation direction and parallel to the texture orientation direction is analyzed by Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets with different compositions. For the first time, the relationship between the remanence of a magnet and the degree of texture orientation is explained in depth using the fractal dimension. The fractal dimension of surface morphology combined with the remanence equation yields the degree of texture orientation of the magnet, which is in agreement with the trend of the squareness factor of the demagnetization curves. Among the three samples, the Nd-Fe-B sample has the highest degree of texture orientation, the Pr-Nd-Fe-B sample has the lowest degree of texture orientation, and the Nd-Ce-Fe-B sample is in between the first two. The multiples of uniform (pole) density obtained by EBSD further prove the correctness of the degree of texture orientation calculated by the fractal dimension. The combination of EBSD morphology and fractal dimension to obtain novel insights into the correlation between remanence and the degree of texture orientation will contribute to the development of high-performance Nd-Fe-B with high remanence.
In Vitro and In Silico Characterization of Curcumin-Loaded Chitosan–PVA Hydrogels: Antimicrobial and Potential Wound Healing Activity
Authors: Chopra Hitesh , Bibi Shabana , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Kumar Mohanta Tapan , Kumar Sandeep , Singh Inderbir , Saad Khan Muhammad , Ranjan Rauta Pradipta , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Alharbi Metab , F. Alasmari Abdullah
Published: May 2023

Curcumin has been used in traditional medicine forages. The present study aimed to develop a curcumin-based hydrogel system and assess its antimicrobial potential and wound healing (WH) activity on an invitro and in silico basis. A topical hydrogel was prepared using chitosan, PVA, and Curcumin in varied ratios, and hydrogels were evaluated for physicochemical properties. The hydrogel showed antimicrobial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms. In silico studies showed good binding energy scores and significant interaction of curcumin components with key residues of inflammatory proteins that help in WH activity. Dissolution studies showed sustained release of curcumin. Overall, the results indicated wound healing potential of chitosan–PVA–curcumin hydrogel films. Further in vivo experiments are needed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of such films for wound healing.
Biocompatible Glycol Chitosan Microgels as Effective Drug Carriers
Authors: Sahiner Mehtap , Yilmaz Aynur S. , Ayyala Ramesh S. , Sahiner Nurettin
Published: May 2023

Glycol chitosan (GC) is a chitosan (CH) derivative with improved water solubility with regards to CH which affords significant solubility advantages. In this study, microgels of GC as p(GC) were synthesized by a microemulsion technique at various crosslinking ratios e.g., 5%, 10%, 50%, 75%, and 150% based on the repeating unit of GC using divinyl sulfone (DVS) as a crosslinker. The prepared p(GC) microgels were tested for blood compatibility and it was found that p(GC) microgels at 1.0 mg/mL concentration possessed a 1.15 ± 0.1% hemolysis ratio and 89 ± 5% blood clotting index value confirming their hemocompatibility. In addition, p(GC) microgels were found biocompatible with 75.5 ± 5% cell viability against L929 fibroblasts even at a 2.0 mg/mL concentration. By loading and releasing tannic acid (TA) (a polyphenolic compound with high antioxidant activity) as an active agent, p(GC) microgels’ possible drug delivery device application was examined. The TA loading amount of p(GC) microgels was determined as 323.89 mg/g, and TA releases from TA loaded microgels (TA@p(GC)) were found to be linear within 9 h and a total amount of TA released was determined as 42.56 ± 2 mg/g within 57 h. According to the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) test, 400 µL of the sample added to the ABTS+ solution inhibited 68.5 ± 1.7% of the radicals. On the other hand, the total phenol content (FC) test revealed that 2000 μg/mL of TA@p(GC) microgels resulted in 27.5 ± 9.5 mg/mL GA eq antioxidant properties.
The Risk of Cardiovascular Disease among Male and Female Participants Treated for Gout in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)
Authors: Gupta Surbhi , Miller Elizabeth , Merkin Sharon Stein , McMahon Maureen , Watson Karol E. , FitzGerald John D.
Published: May 2023

(1) The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) is a multi-center longitudinal cohort study designed to investigate the risk factors associated with the incidence of CVD. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of gout on incident CVD. (2) Participants reporting the use of gout-specific medications (urate lowering drugs or colchicine) were compared with non-users. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and multivariable models to control for known CV risk factors evaluated hazard ratios (HR) between participants taking gout medications versus those not taking gout medications. (3) For the 6734 participants, analyses were stratified by gender owing to a gout-gender interaction. For the 164 male and 59 female participants taking gout medications, Kaplan–Meier (unadjusted) survival curves demonstrate that participants taking gout medications have higher rates of CVD than participants not taking gout medications, particularly for women. After controlling for known CV risk factors, the adjusted HR for female participants taking gout medications was 1.79 (0.99, 3.23), p = 0.05; the adjusted HR for male participants on gout medications was 1.20 (0.81, 1.77), p = 0.36; (4) Participants treated for gout in this study have many comorbid conditions with known CVD risk factors, making it difficult to confirm the independent effect of gout on CVD. There are a paucity of data on women with gout. These findings suggest that there is a clinically meaningful and potentially greater risk of CVD among women with gout as compared to men.
Comparison of Cervical Cancer Screening Used between Individuals with Disabilities and Individuals without Disabilities
Authors: Chen Chia-Yu , Kung Pei-Tseng , Chiu Li-Ting , Tsai Wen-Chen
Published: May 2023

Objective: Cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer in women worldwide. It is vital to achieve a high cervical cancer screening rate among women. We compared the Pap smear test (PST) used between individuals with disabilities and those without disabilities in Taiwan. Methods: Individuals registered in the Taiwan Disability Registration File and the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) were screened for this nationally representative retrospective cohort study. Women aged 30 and above in 2016 and who were still alive in 2016 were matched in a 1:1 ratio via propensity score matching (PSM); 186,717 individuals with disabilities and 186,717 individuals without disabilities were included. Controlling for relevant variables, the odds of receiving PST were compared using conditional logistic regression analysis. Results: A lower percentage of individuals with disabilities (16.93%) received PST than those without disabilities (21.82%). The odds of individuals with disabilities receiving PST were 0.74 times that of individuals without disabilities (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.73–0.76). Compared to individuals without disabilities, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities had the lower odds of receiving PST (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.36–0.40), followed by individuals with dementia (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.33–0.48) or multiple disabilities (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.49–0.54). Conclusions: We highly recommend that healthcare practitioners recognize the unique needs of individuals with different types of disabilities, especially those with cognitive impairments.
The Preschool Eating, Lifestyle, and Sleeping Attitudes Scale (PRELSA Scale): Construction and Pilot Testing of a Tool to Measure Factors Associated with Childhood Obesity
Authors: Carretero-Bravo Jesús , Díaz-Rodríguez Mercedes , Ferriz-Mas Bernardo Carlos , Pérez-Muñoz Celia , González-Caballero Juan Luis
Published: May 2023

(1) Background: Childhood obesity poses a global health challenge. In the period from two to six years, the fundamental risk factors are associated with modifiable habits, related to parental attitudes. In this study, we will analyze the construction and pilot test of the PRELSA Scale, designed to be a comprehensive tool that covers the whole problem of childhood obesity, from which we can later develop a brief instrument. (2) Methods: First, we described the scale construction process. After that, we conducted a pilot test on parents to check the instrument’s comprehensibility, acceptability, and feasibility. We detected items to be modified or eliminated through two criteria: the frequencies of the categories of each item and responses in the Not Understood/Confused category. Finally, we sought expert opinion through a questionnaire to ensure the content validity of the scale. (3) Results: The pilot test on parents detected 20 possible items for modification and other changes in the instrument. The experts’ questionnaire showed good values on the scale’s content, highlighting some feasibility problems. The final version of the scale went from 69 items to 60. (4) Conclusions: Developing scales that detect parental attitudes associated with the onset of childhood obesity may be the basis for future interventions to address this health challenge.
Fusion-Extracted Features by Deep Networks for Improved COVID-19 Classification with Chest X-ray Radiography
Authors: Lin Kuo-Hsuan , Lu Nan-Han , Okamoto Takahide , Huang Yung-Hui , Liu Kuo-Ying , Matsushima Akari , Chang Che-Cheng , Chen Tai-Been
Published: May 2023

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have shown promise in accurately diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and bacterial pneumonia using chest X-ray images. However, determining the optimal feature extraction approach is challenging. This study investigates the use of fusion-extracted features by deep networks to improve the accuracy of COVID-19 and bacterial pneumonia classification with chest X-ray radiography. A Fusion CNN method was developed using five different deep learning models after transferred learning to extract image features (Fusion CNN). The combined features were used to build a support vector machine (SVM) classifier with a RBF kernel. The performance of the model was evaluated using accuracy, Kappa values, recall rate, and precision scores. The Fusion CNN model achieved an accuracy and Kappa value of 0.994 and 0.991, with precision scores for normal, COVID-19, and bacterial groups of 0.991, 0.998, and 0.994, respectively. The results indicate that the Fusion CNN models with the SVM classifier provided reliable and accurate classification performance, with Kappa values no less than 0.990. Using a Fusion CNN approach could be a possible solution to enhance accuracy further. Therefore, the study demonstrates the potential of deep learning and fusion-extracted features for accurate COVID-19 and bacterial pneumonia classification with chest X-ray radiography.