bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Profiling of Self Assembled Monolayer (SAM) Patterns Based on Vapor Deposition Technique
Authors: Li Shi , Zhang Hongru , Liu Zheng , Xu Junquan , Fan Guofang , Li Wei , Li Qi , Hu Xiaodong , Jing Gaoshan
Published: January 2022

It is crucial to develop novel metrology techniques in the semiconductor fabrication process to accurately measure a film’s thickness in a few nanometers, as well as the material profile of the film. Highly uniform trichlorosilane (1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane, FDTS) derived SAM film patterns were fabricated by several conventional semiconductor fabrication methods combined, including photolithography, SAM vapor deposition, and the lift-off technique. Substantial information can be collected for FDTS SAM film patterns when Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques are incorporated to investigate this material. Precise two-dimensional (2D) FDTS SAM film patterns were reconstructed through mapping analysis of corresponding elements and chemical state peaks by AES and XPS. Additionally, three-dimensional (3D) FDTS SAM film patterns were also reconstructed layer by layer through gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etching and XPS analysis. These characterization results demonstrate that FDTS SAM film patterns based on the vapor deposition method are highly uniform because the vacuum and precise gas-delivery system exclude ambient environmental interference efficiently and ensure reaction process repeatability. AES and XPS techniques could be used for metrology applications in the semiconductor process with high-quality SAM microstructures and nanostructures.
Deeply-Supervised 3D Convolutional Neural Networks for Automated Ovary and Follicle Detection from Ultrasound Volumes
Authors: Potočnik Božidar , Šavc Martin
Published: January 2022

Automated detection of ovarian follicles in ultrasound images is much appreciated when its effectiveness is comparable with the experts’ annotations. Today’s best methods estimate follicles notably worse than the experts. This paper describes the development of two-stage deeply-supervised 3D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) based on the established U-Net. Either the entire U-Net or specific parts of the U-Net decoder were replicated in order to integrate the prior knowledge into the detection. Methods were trained end-to-end by follicle detection, while transfer learning was employed for ovary detection. The USOVA3D database of annotated ultrasound volumes, with its verification protocol, was used to verify the effectiveness. In follicle detection, the proposed methods estimate follicles up to 2.9% more accurately than the compared methods. With our two-stage CNNs trained by transfer learning, the effectiveness of ovary detection surpasses the up-to-date automated detection methods by about 7.6%. The obtained results demonstrated that our methods estimate follicles only slightly worse than the experts, while the ovaries are detected almost as accurately as by the experts. Statistical analysis of 50 repetitions of CNN model training proved that the training is stable, and that the effectiveness improvements are not only due to random initialisation. Our deeply-supervised 3D CNNs can be adapted easily to other problem domains.
Concatenated Network Fusion Algorithm (CNFA) Based on Deep Learning: Improving the Detection Accuracy of Surface Defects for Ceramic Tile
Authors: Wang Kan , Li Zeren , Wang Xu
Published: January 2022

The low accuracy of detection algorithms is one impediment in detecting ceramic tile’s surface defects online utilizing intelligent detection instead of human inspection. The purpose of this paper is to present a CNFA for resolving the obstacle. Firstly, a negative sample set is generated online by non-defective images of ceramic tiles, and a comparator based on a modified VGG16 extracts a reference image from it. Disguised rectangle boxes, including defective and non-defective, are acquired from the image to be inspected by a detector. A reference rectangle box most similar to the disguised rectangle box is extracted from the reference image. A discriminator is constituted with a modified MobileNetV3 network serving as the backbone and a metric learning loss function strengthening feature recognition, distinguishing the true and false of disguised and reference rectangle boxes. Results exhibit that the discriminator appears to have an accuracy of 98.02%, 13% more than other algorithms. Furthermore, the CNFA performs an average accuracy of 98.19%, and the consumption time of a single image extends by only 64.35 ms, which has little influence on production efficiency. It provides a theoretical and practical reference for surface defect detection of products with complex and changeable textures in industrial environments.
Characterizing the Grating-like Nanostructures Formed on BaF2 Surfaces Exposed to Extreme Ultraviolet Laser Radiation
Authors: Cui Huaiyu , Frolov Alexandr , Schmidt Jiri , Straus Jaroslav , Burian Tomas , Hajkova Vera , Chalupsky Jaromir , Zhao Yongpeng , Kolacek Karel , Juha Libor
Published: January 2022

Monocrystalline barium fluoride (BaF2) slab targets were irradiated by focused 46.9-nm laser radiation at various fluence levels above the ablation threshold. Well-developed ablation patterns with sharp edges were studied by AFM (atomic force microscopy). Their inner surfaces were uniformly covered by periodic structures. The spatial period of the ripples depends on the laser fluence. When the sample is rotated by 45°, the orientation of the grating-like structure changes accordingly. Thus, the grating vector of the periodic structure seems to be coupled to the crystallographic planes of the single crystal. This means that the XUV-laser induced ripples reported here differ from LIPSS (laser-induced periodic surface structures) associated with interference phenomena occurring on illuminated surfaces. Therefore, other mechanisms are discussed to explain the formation of the periodic nanostructures reported in this article.
Bioelectroanalytical Detection of Lactic Acid Bacteria
Authors: Han Evelina Jing Ying , Olias Lola Gonzalez , Wuertz Stefan , Hinks Jamie
Published: January 2022

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are an industrial important group of organisms that are notable for their inability to respire without growth supplements. Recently described bioelectroanalytical detectors that can specifically detect and enumerate microorganisms depend on a phenomenon known as extracellular electron transport (EET) for effective detection. EET is often described as a type of microbial respiration, which logically excludes LAB from such a detection platform. However, members of the LAB have recently been described as electroactive with the ability to carry out EET, providing a timely impetus to revisit the utility of bioelectroanalytical detectors in LAB detection. Here, we show that an LAB, Enterococcus faecalis, is easily detected bioelectroanalytically using the defined substrate resorufin-β-d-galactopyranoside. Detection is rapid, ranging from 34 to 235 min for inoculum sizes between 107 and 104 CFU mL−1, respectively. We show that, although the signal achieved by Enterococcus faecalis is comparable to systems that rely on the respiratory EET strategies of target bacteria, E. faecalis is not dependent on the electrode for energy, and it is only necessary to capture small amounts of an organism’s metabolic energy to, in this case 1.6%, to achieve good detection. The results pave the way for new means of detecting an industrially important group of organisms, particularly in the food industry.
Numerical Analysis of the Effects of Ship Motion on Hydrogen Release and Dispersion in an Enclosed Area
Authors: Kim Byeol , Hwang Kwang-Il
Published: January 2022

Hydrogen is an alternative to conventional heavy marine fuel oil following the initial strategy of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Although hydrogen energy has many advantages (zero-emission, high efficiency, and low noise), it has considerable fire and explosion risks due to its thermal and chemical characteristics (wide flammable concentration range and low ignition energy). Thus, safety is a key concern related to the use of hydrogen. Whereas most previous studies focused on the terrestrial environment, we aim to analyze the effects of the ship’s motion on hydrogen dispersion (using commercial FLUENT code) in an enclosed area. When compared to the steady state, our results revealed that hydrogen reached specific sensors in 63% and 52% less time depending on vessel motion type and direction. Since ships carry and use a large amount of hydrogen as a power source, the risk of hydrogen leakage from collision or damage necessitates studying the correspondence between leakage, diffusion, and motion characteristics of the ship to position the sensor correctly.
A Two-Step Process for Improved Biomass Production and Non-Destructive Astaxanthin and Carotenoids Accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis
Authors: Rizzo Arianna , Ross Michael E. , Norici Alessandra , Jesus Bruno
Published: January 2022

Carotenoids extracted from microalgae have a considerable economic interest in numerous high-value markets. Natural astaxanthin has gained much interest in its powerful antioxidant properties, however, its commercial-scale production is still challenging. In this study, a simple and economical way to cultivate Haematococcus pluvialis (CCAP 34/1D) by a two-step process was investigated by exploring alternative strategies to maximise algal growth and astaxanthin yield. During the first step—improving biomass production—four nitrogen sources were tested (NH4Cl, NaNO3, Fe(III)NO3, and urea). The second step—carotenogenesis induction—was achieved by using a mix of moderate stressors that worked in synergy (i.e., mild light, nitrogen limitation, the addition of sodium acetate at 0.25% w/v), thereby minimising potential losses of the accumulated biomass caused, for example, by photobleaching or nitrogen starvation. Results showed that urea was the nitrogen source, allowing the highest cell density and growth rate. In terms of carotenogenesis induction, the use of mild stressors resulted in three out of four treatments having a relative increase in cell number (13.8–26.7%) and a concomitant increase in astaxanthin yield. Simple low-cost strategies, such as small adjustments to media recipes and synergism between mild stressors, could bring a disproportionate effect on the future successes of making algal biotechnology a widespread reality.
Role of Bimodal Water Retention Curve on the Unsaturated Shear Strength
Authors: Satyanaga Alfrendo , Bairakhmetov Nail , Kim Jong R. , Moon Sung-Woo
Published: January 2022

Changes in climatic conditions are expected globally resulting in a higher rainfall intensity and longer duration of rainfall. The increase in the rainwater infiltration into the soil contributes to many geotechnical issues, such as excessive settlement, retaining wall failure and rainfall-induced slope failures. These geotechnical problems could be mitigated by the improvement of the problematic soil with the incorporation of the unsaturated soil mechanic principles. Dual-porosity soils or soils with bimodal water retention curve (WRC) are able to retain more water during prolonged drying and they would be able to drain out water faster during intense rainfall to maintain the slope stability. The objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics of the unsaturated shear strength of soil with bimodal WRC. In addition, the new mathematical equation is proposed to estimate the unsaturated shear strength of soils with a bimodal WRC. The results of the study indicated that the nonlinearity of the unsaturated shear strength is a function of the shape of bimodal WRC limited by the first and second air-entry value (AEV) of dual-porosity soils. The proposed equation agreed well with the experimental data of the unsaturated shear strength for dual-porosity soil.
Comparative Efficiency of Lutein and Astaxanthin in the Protection of Human Corneal Epithelial Cells In Vitro from Blue-Violet Light Photo-Oxidative Damage
Authors: Cristaldi Martina , Anfuso Carmelina Daniela , Spampinato Giorgia , Rusciano Dario , Lupo Gabriella
Published: January 2022

The aim of this study was to compare in vitro the protective and antioxidant properties of lutein and astaxanthin on human primary corneal epithelial cells (HCE-F). To this purpose, HCE-F cells were irradiated with a blue-violet light lamp (415–420 nm) at different energies (20 to 80 J/cm2). Lutein and astaxanthin (50 to 250 μM) were added to HCE-F right before blue-violet light irradiation at 50 J/cm2. Viability was evaluated by the CKK-8 assay while the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the H2DCF-DA assay. Results have shown that the viability of HCE-F cells decreased at light energies from 20 J/cm2 to 80 J/cm2, while ROS production increased at 50 and 80 J/cm2. The presence of lutein or astaxanthin protected the cells from phototoxicity, with lutein slightly more efficient than astaxanthin also on the blunting of ROS, prevention of apoptotic cell death and modulation of the Nrf-2 pathway. The association of lutein and astaxanthin did not give a significant advantage over the use of lutein alone. Taken together, these results suggest that the association of lutein and astaxanthin might be useful to protect cells of the ocular surface from short (lutein) and longer (astaxanthin) wavelengths, as these are the most damaging radiations hitting the eye from many different LED screens and solar light.
Comparison between Helical Axis and SARA Approaches for the Estimation of Functional Joint Axes on Multi-Body Modeling Data
Authors: De Benedictis Carlo
Published: January 2022

Functional methods usually allow for a flexible and accurate representation of joint kinematics and are increasingly implemented both for clinical and biomechanics research purposes. This paper presents a quantitative comparison between two widely adopted methods for functional axis estimation, that is, the helical axis theory and the symmetrical axis of rotation approach (SARA). To this purpose, a multi-body model was developed to simulate the lower limb of a subject. This model was designed to reproduce different motion patterns, that is, by selecting the active degrees of freedom of the simulated ankle joint. Thanks to virtual markers attached to each segment, the multi-body model was used to generate simulated motion capture data that were then analyzed by instantaneous helical axes and SARA algorithms. To achieve a synthetic representation of joint kinematics, a mean helical axis and an average SARA functional axis were estimated, along with dispersion parameters and rms distance data that were used to quantitatively assess the performance of each method. The sensitivity of each algorithm to different combinations of range and speed of motion, scattering of marker clusters, sampling rate, and additive noise on markers’ trajectories, was finally evaluated.
Noninvasive Magnetic-Marking-Based Flow Metering with Optically Pumped Magnetometers
Authors: Schmieder Leonhard , Koss Peter A. , Lambrecht Armin , Kühnemann Frank
Published: January 2022

We present a noninvasive procedure that measures the flow velocity of a fluid by using polarized hydrogen nuclei in the fluid. The measurement procedure is based on a time-of-flight method where magnetic information is applied on the fluid with a permanent magnet and an RF-pulse. In contrast to other methods, this magnetic-marking method works without tracers. The read-out of the magnetic information is performed by optically pumped magnetometers downstream. In order to function, the magnetometers have to be operated in a magnetic shield with magnetic field strengths lower than 100 nT, i.e., in the zero-to-ultra-low-field regime. In this regime, the magnetometers are capable of detecting induced magnetic signals of 10 pT or less with an inline-flow setup. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the viability of optically pumped magnetometers for flow metering. The first metering results yielded an average accuracy of 3% at flow velocities between 13 cm/s and 22.4 cm/s.
Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value as a Biomarker for Detecting Muscle-Invasive and High-Grade Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review
Authors: Kobayashi Shuichiro , Takemura Kosuke , Koga Fumitaka
Published: January 2022

Background: Several studies have investigated the potential role of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging as a biomarker of high-grade and invasive bladder cancer. Methods: PubMed and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched in September 2021 to extract studies that evaluated the associations between ADC values, pathological T stage, and histological grade bladder cancers. The diagnostic performance of ADC values in detecting muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and high-grade disease was systematically reviewed. Results: Six studies were included in this systematic review. MIBC showed significantly lower ADC values than non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) in all six studies. The median (range) sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of ADC values to detect MIBC among the four eligible studies were 73.5% (68.8–90.0%), 79.9% (66.7–84.4%), and 0.762 (0.730–0.884), respectively. Similarly, high-grade disease showed significantly lower ADC values than did low-grade disease in all four eligible studies. The median (range) sensitivity, specificity, and AUC of ADC values for detecting high-grade disease among the three eligible studies were 75.0% (73.0–76.5%), 95.8% (76.2–100%), and 0.902 (0.804–0.906), respectively. Conclusions: The ADC value is a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for discriminating muscle-invasive and high-grade bladder cancer.
Thinning Methods to Regulate Sweet Cherry Crops—A Review
Authors: Rutkowski Krzysztof , Łysiak Grzegorz P.
Published: January 2022

In perennial fruit crops, bearing can be influenced by various factors, including environmental conditions, germplasm, rootstocks, and cultivation methods. Cherries, one of the most important and popular fruit species from the temperate climate zone, achieve high prices on the market. New agricultural technologies and environmental factors force a change in the approach to cherry cultivation. Old-type cherry orchards, with their high demand for water, nutrients, and manual work, are replaced by orchards of self-pollinating cherry cultivars grown on dwarf rootstocks. These changes make it necessary to search for ways to regulate fruiting, in particular to thin buds, flower, and fruit. In light of environmental regulations and consumer pressure, thinning methods are being sought that either do not involve the use of chemicals or that use eco-friendly chemical agents. This review examines recent progress in understanding the effect of thinning methods on the physiology, tree growth, and fruit quality of cherries; discusses horticultural practices aimed to ensure regular cropping and their influence on fruit quality; and provides suggestions for future research.
Necrotizing Follicular Lymphoma of the Inguinal Region with Sternbergoid Cells: Clinical–Pathological Features of a Challenging Entity
Authors: Scarmozzino Federico , Pizzi Marco , Sbaraglia Marta , Santoro Luisa , Frison Luca , Nalio Silvia , Bonaldi Laura , Trentin Livio , Dei Tos Angelo Paolo
Published: January 2022

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is one of the most common B-cell malignancies worldwide. While the diagnosis of conventional cases is straightforward, rare clinical–pathological variants may be challenging due to their misleading morphology, aberrant phenotype and/or atypical presentation. To add to the spectrum of unusual FLs, we report on a rare disease pattern characterized by (i) inguinal presentation, (ii) massive necrosis, (iii) Hodgkin/Reed–Sternberg (HRS)-like cells, and (iv) adjacent areas of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma evolution. All cases occurred in elderly patients (median age at diagnosis: 69.5 years), disclosed a low stage at diagnosis (Ann Arbor stage IA-IIA), and had deceiving clinical features. Despite the alarming histology, excellent responses to conventional therapies were reported in all patients. In conclusion, necrotizing FL of the inguinal region is a rare neoplasm characterized by peculiar clinical and histological features. This lymphoma should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of massively necrotic inguinal lesions.
Treatment of Bone Defects Resulted after Excision of Enchondroma of the Hand in 15 Patients, Comparing the Techniques of Autologous Bone Graft, Injectable Bone Substitute and Spontaneous Healing
Authors: Ciobanu Petru , Panuta Andrian , Radu Iulian , Forna Norin , Arcana Stefanita , Tudor Razvan , Covaciu Alexandru , Niculescu Victor , Poroch Vladimir , Puha Bogdan
Published: January 2022

Background: Enchondroma is the most common benign bone tumor of the hand. Surgical excision of the tumor using curettage is the treatment of choice. The management of the resulting defects is still a controversial topic in the literature. Methods: This retrospective study includes 15 patients diagnosed with solitary enchondroma in the hand bones: eight cases with type A, three cases with type B and four cases with type D according to Takigawa classification. The aim of this study was to compare the course and outcome in the three patient groups treated by curettage associated with natural consolidation of the bone defect, autologous bone graft or injectable synthetic bone substitute in association with plate and screw osteosynthesis. Results: Outcomes were assessed using the DASH score (mean score 2.5) and TAM score (excellent in all patients) with no significant functional differences between the three groups. Defects managed with k-IBS® injectable bone substitute were associated with shorter operating time, simpler surgical technique and less postoperative pain assessed by VAS score. Conclusion: The use of k-IBS® bone substitute is efficient and less technically demanding than autologous bone grafting. The Takigawa classification could be a good indicator for treatment choice.
Catalase Activity in Hot-Air Dried Mango as an Indicator of Heat Exposure for Rapid Detection of Heat Stress
Authors: Mukhtar Adnan , Latif Sajid , Salvatierra-Rojas Ana , Müller Joachim
Published: January 2022

The growing market for dried fruits requires more attention to quality parameters. Mango and other tropical fruits are commonly dried at temperatures ranging from 40 °C to 80 °C. Convincing evidence suggests that the nutritional quality of dried fruits is best preserved when dried at low temperatures ≤50 °C, whereas increasing drying temperatures lead to the degradation of the most valuable nutrients inside the fruit. Currently, there is no system or direct measurement method that can assist in identifying the quality deterioration of dried fruits caused by excessive heat exposure during drying. From this perspective, the activity of the heat-sensitive enzyme ‘catalase’ was used for the first time to evaluate and compare mango slices dried at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C. Various methods, including direct and indirect flotation tests and spectrophotometric measurements, were explored to measure the residual catalase activity in the dried samples. Results showed that the spectrophotometry and indirect flotation test produced the best results, revealing a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the catalase activity of mango slices dried at 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C, which the direct-dried mango flotation test failed to predict. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential applicability of catalase activity to indicate heat stress in dried mango slices processed at different temperatures.
TobSet: A New Tobacco Crop and Weeds Image Dataset and Its Utilization for Vision-Based Spraying by Agricultural Robots
Authors: Alam Muhammad Shahab , Alam Mansoor , Tufail Muhammad , Khan Muhammad Umer , Güneş Ahmet , Salah Bashir , Nasir Fazal E. , Saleem Waqas , Khan Muhammad Tahir
Published: January 2022

Selective agrochemical spraying is a highly intricate task in precision agriculture. It requires spraying equipment to distinguish between crop (plants) and weeds and perform spray operations in real-time accordingly. The study presented in this paper entails the development of two convolutional neural networks (CNNs)-based vision frameworks, i.e., Faster R-CNN and YOLOv5, for the detection and classification of tobacco crops/weeds in real time. An essential requirement for CNN is to pre-train it well on a large dataset to distinguish crops from weeds, lately the same trained network can be utilized in real fields. We present an open access image dataset (TobSet) of tobacco plants and weeds acquired from local fields at different growth stages and varying lighting conditions. The TobSet comprises 7000 images of tobacco plants and 1000 images of weeds and bare soil, taken manually with digital cameras periodically over two months. Both vision frameworks are trained and then tested using this dataset. The Faster R-CNN-based vision framework manifested supremacy over the YOLOv5-based vision framework in terms of accuracy and robustness, whereas the YOLOv5-based vision framework demonstrated faster inference. Experimental evaluation of the system is performed in tobacco fields via a four-wheeled mobile robot sprayer controlled using a computer equipped with NVIDIA GTX 1650 GPU. The results demonstrate that Faster R-CNN and YOLOv5-based vision systems can analyze plants at 10 and 16 frames per second (fps) with a classification accuracy of 98% and 94%, respectively. Moreover, the precise smart application of pesticides with the proposed system offered a 52% reduction in pesticide usage by spotting the targets only, i.e., tobacco plants.
The Investigation of Detect Position of Partial Discharge in Cast-Resin Transformer Using High-Frequency Current Transformer Sensor and Acoustic Emission Sensor
Authors: Thungsuk Nuttee , Mungkung Narong , Songruk Apidat , Tunlasakun Khanchai , Tikakosol Kittimasak , Nilawat Siriwut , Boonsomchuae Kanitphan , Yuji Toshifumi , Arunrungrusmi Somchai , Kinoshita Hiroyuki
Published: January 2022

The lifetime of a cast-resin transformer mainly depends on the condition of insulation material. Partial discharge (PD) is an important reason for insulation deterioration in cast-resin transformers. Identifying the position of PD is very necessary for damage assessment while the transformer is still operating, and the transformer is covered by housing. This paper proposes the investigation of a cast-resin transformer using an AE sensor and HFCT sensor to specify the precise source of PD. In this study, four AE sensors were used to find PD sources, and the high-frequency current transducer (HFCT) technique was used to identify the PD source and the criteria level. The experiment, in the first two parts, identified the possibility of PD, which includes the position of PD. The final part of the experiment verified the position of the PD source of a cast-resin transformer and confirmed the inspection results. AE and HFCT sensors can be used to detect the location of PD sources, confirming the position of the PD source by sensor detection. In addition, the evident partial discharge picture on the insulator surface of high voltage side. The process successfully and accurately identifies and locates the PD source.
Arthrospira platensis Cultivation in a Bench-Scale Helical Tubular Photobioreactor
Authors: Casazza Alessandro Alberto , de Souza Oliveira Ricardo Pinheiro , Silva Milena Fernandes da , Solisio Carlo , Farias Charles Bronzo Barbosa , Sarubbo Leonie Asfora , Converti Attilio
Published: January 2022

Cultivations of Arthrospira platensis were carried out to evaluate the CO2 capture capacity of this cyanobacterium under bench-scale conditions. For this purpose, the influence of light intensity on the microbial growth and the photosynthetic efficiency has been investigated in a helical photobioreactor. Five cultivations were performed at different photosynthetic photon flux densities (23 ≤ PPFD ≤ 225 µmol photons m−2 s−1) by fed-batch pulse-feeding pure carbon dioxide from a cylinder into the helicoidal photobioreactor. In particular, a range of PPFD (82–190 µmol photons m−2 s−1) was identified in which biomass concentration reached values (9–11 gDW L−1) significantly higher than those reported in the literature for other configurations of closed photobioreactors. Furthermore, as A. platensis suspensions behave as Newtonian and non-Newtonian (pseudoplastic) fluids at very low and high biomass concentrations, respectively, a flow analysis was carried out for evaluating the most suitable mixing conditions depending on growth. The results obtained in this study appear to be very promising and suggest the use of this helicoidal photobioreactor configuration to reduce CO2 emissions from industrial gaseous effluents.
Transformer-Based Graph Convolutional Network for Sentiment Analysis
Authors: AlBadani Barakat , Shi Ronghua , Dong Jian , Al-Sabri Raeed , Moctard Oloulade Babatounde
Published: January 2022

Sentiment Analysis is an essential research topic in the field of natural language processing (NLP) and has attracted the attention of many researchers in the last few years. Recently, deep neural network (DNN) models have been used for sentiment analysis tasks, achieving promising results. Although these models can analyze sequences of arbitrary length, utilizing them in the feature extraction layer of a DNN increases the dimensionality of the feature space. More recently, graph neural networks (GNNs) have achieved a promising performance in different NLP tasks. However, previous models cannot be transferred to a large corpus and neglect the heterogeneity of textual graphs. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a new Transformer-based graph convolutional network for heterogeneous graphs called Sentiment Transformer Graph Convolutional Network (ST-GCN). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to model the sentiment corpus as a heterogeneous graph and learn document and word embeddings using the proposed sentiment graph transformer neural network. In addition, our model offers an easy mechanism to fuse node positional information for graph datasets using Laplacian eigenvectors. Extensive experiments on four standard datasets show that our model outperforms the existing state-of-the-art models.
Intelligent Trust-Based Utility and Reusability Model: Enhanced Security Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on Sensor Nodes
Authors: Sahoo Santosh Kumar , Mudligiriyappa Niranjanamurthy , Algethami Abdullah A. , Manoharan Poongodi , Hamdi Mounir , Raahemifar Kaamran
Published: January 2022

Due to its importance in prolonging the lifetime of battery-restricted wireless sensor networks, network longevity has garnered considerable research attention, with the rechargeable wireless sensor network emerging as a viable solution. In this research, the novel methodology of a trust-based mechanism for enhanced security integrated with an energy utility and re-usability model is proposed with software-defined networking (SDN) to maximize energy utilization. We proposed a novel framework with SDN for the service station in a wireless sensor network (WSN). The results showed that the life capacity of the network increases to a maximum of 290% when compared with no charging, with the charge increasing by 30% intervals. We also present how the network survives through this choice of sink. As there is variation in the network size while it increases, the proposed approach with the static method works well until the network size reaches 200. Furthermore, the proposed approach also uses the heuristic method to achieve the best performance.
Analysis of the New Thomson Scattering Diagnostic System on WEST Tokamak
Authors: Chelihi Brahim , Colledani Gilles , Doceul Louis , Lefèvre Nicolas , Batal Tristan , Garitta Silvia , Faïsse Frédéric , Verger Jean-Marc , Bec Antony
Published: January 2022

The French tokamak WEST supports the ITER design and operation. IRFM is designing a new Thomson scattering diagnostic to measure plasma density and temperature profiles. The diagnostic system consists of an endoscope inside a vacuum vessel, composed of actively cooled optical components. In order to validate and guarantee the diagnostic performances during normal operations, mechanical, thermal, hydraulic and vibratory behavior must be checked. Moreover, perpendicular displacement of the optical surface shall not be higher than 40 µm. Since this diagnostic operates in near infrared light, the temperature of all components must stay lower than 200 °C as not to bias the measurements. The differences in water temperature and pressure between the inlet and outlet of the diagnostic must be lower than 50 °C and 5.6 bar, respectively. The natural frequencies of the structure must be higher than 20 Hz and far enough from the frequency of external components. In this study, the worst radiative plasma scenario was chosen. The results of this study validate the accuracy of the measurements. Before manufacturing, electromagnetic disruption events must also be considered.
Investigating Coherent Magnetization Control with Ultrashort THz Pulses
Authors: Liu Xuan , Jal Emmanuelle , Delaunay Renaud , Jarrier Romain , Chiuzbaian Gheorghe Sorin , Malinowski Grégory , Golz Torsten , Zapolnova Ekaterina , Pan Rui , Stojanovic Nikola , Lüning Jan , Vodungbo Boris
Published: January 2022

Coherent terahertz control of magnetization dynamics is an area of current interest due to its great potential for the realization of magnetization control on ultrafast timescales in commercial devices. Here we report on an experiment realized at the THz beamline of the free electron laser FLASH at DESY which offers a tunable terahertz radiation source and spontaneously synchronized free-electron laser X-ray pulses to resonantly probe the magnetization state of a ferromagnetic film. In this proof-of-principle experiment, we have excited a thin Permalloy film at different THz wavelengths and recorded the induced magnetization dynamics with photons resonantly tuned to the Ni M2,3 absorption edge. For THz pump pulses including higher orders of the undulator source we observed demagnetization dynamics, which precise shape depended on the employed fundamental wavelength of the undulator source. Analyzing the shape in detail, we can reconstruct the temporal profile of the electric field of the THz pump pulse. This offers a new method for the realization of an in-situ terahertz beamline diagnostic which will help researchers to adjust the pulse characteristics as needed, for example, for future studies of THz induced coherent control of magnetization dynamics.
All You Need Is a Few Dots to Label CT Images for Organ Segmentation
Authors: Ju Mingeon , Lee Moonhyun , Lee Jaeyoung , Yang Jaewoo , Yoon Seunghan , Kim Younghoon
Published: January 2022

Image segmentation is used to analyze medical images quantitatively for diagnosis and treatment planning. Since manual segmentation requires considerable time and effort from experts, research to automatically perform segmentation is in progress. Recent studies using deep learning have improved performance but need many labeled data. Although there are public datasets for research, manual labeling is required in an area where labeling is not performed to train a model. We propose a deep-learning-based tool that can easily create training data to alleviate this inconvenience. The proposed tool receives a CT image and the pixels of organs the user wants to segment as inputs and extract the features of the CT image using a deep learning network. Then, pixels that have similar features are classified to the identical organ. The advantage of the proposed tool is that it can be trained with a small number of labeled data. After training with 25 labeled CT images, our tool shows competitive results when it is compared to the state-of-the-art segmentation algorithms, such as UNet and DeepNetV3.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of ASI in 2021
Authors:   ASI Editorial Office
Published: January 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Phylogenetic Diversity of Ossification Patterns in the Avian Vertebral Column: A Review and New Data from the Domestic Pigeon and Two Species of Grebes
Authors: Skawiński Tomasz , Kuziak Piotr , Kloskowski Janusz , Borczyk Bartosz
Published: January 2022

Despite many decades of studies, our knowledge of skeletal development in birds is limited in many aspects. One of them is the development of the vertebral column. For many years it was widely believed that the column ossifies anteroposteriorly. However, later studies indicated that such a pattern is not universal in birds and in many groups the ossification starts in the thoracic rather than cervical region. Recent analyses suggest that two loci, located in the cervical and thoracic vertebrae, were ancestrally present in birds. However, the data on skeletal development are very scarce in the Neoaves, a clade that includes approximately 95% of extant species. We review the available information about the vertebral column development in birds and describe the ossification pattern in three neoavians, the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica), the great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus) and the red-necked grebe (Podiceps grisegena). In P. cristatus, the vertebral column starts ossifying in the thoracic region. The second locus is present in the cervical vertebrae. In the pigeon, the cervical vertebrae ossify before the thoracics, but both the thoracic and cervical loci are present. Our ancestral state reconstructions confirm that both these loci were ancestrally present in birds, but the thoracic locus was later lost in psittacopasserans and at least some galloanserans.
Estimating the Demographic Parameters of Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) Using Temperature-Dependent Development Models and Their Validation under Fluctuating Temperature
Authors: Mohamed Samira Abuelgasim , Azrag Abdelmutalab G. A. , Obala Francis , Ndlela Shepard
Published: January 2022

The tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is an invasive pest that devastates the production of tomatoes and other solanaceous vegetables. Since its trans-Atlantic invasion in 2006, T. absoluta has spread and established in many countries across the Afro-Eurasian Supercontinent, causing huge yield losses. This study aimed to determine the relationship between temperature and the life history traits of T. absoluta and provide the thermal thresholds for development using life cycle modelling. Linear and non-linear models were fitted to life table data collected at five constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C, with Relative Humidity 70 ± 5% and photoperiod 12L:12D. Another experiment was conducted at fluctuating temperatures to validate the laboratory results. Tuta absoluta completed its life cycle at temperatures between 15 and 35 °C. The development time ranged between 4.0–11 days, 6.3–16.0 days, and 5.4–20.7 days for egg, larva, and pupa, respectively. The lowest thermal threshold was estimated at 8.10, 7.83, and 11.62 °C, respectively for egg, larva, and pupa. While the optimum temperature for T. absoluta immature stages survival and female fecundity were predicted at a temperature range of 21–23 °C. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm), gross reproductive (GRR), and net reproductive (Ro) rates were significantly higher at temperatures between 20–25 °C. The model validation outcome showed similarities between observed and simulated values for development time, mortality rate, and life table parameters, attesting to the quality of the phenology model. Our results will help in predicting the effect of climate warming on the distribution and population dynamics of T. absoluta. Furthermore, the results could be used to develop management strategies adapted to different agroecological zones.
Molecular Diet Analysis of Adélie Penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) in the Ross Sea Using Fecal DNA
Authors: Tabassum Nazia , Lee Ji-Hyun , Lee Soo-Rin , Kim Jong-U , Park Hyun , Kim Hyun-Woo , Kim Jeong-Hoon
Published: January 2022

The diet of Adélie penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae, is a useful indicator in understanding the ecological conditions of their habitats. The diets of Adélie penguins were studied using metabarcoding and quantitative PCR (qPCR) analyses of fecal DNA from seven habitats along the Ross Sea region. Using metabarcoding analysis with dual universal primers (18Sv9 and miniFish), the overall diet composition and detailed information about piscine prey were clearly elucidated. It was found that two krill species (Euphausia superba and Euphausia crystallorophias) and notothenioid fish were the most abundant in the diets of Adélie penguins. Among the notothenioid prey, Pleuragramma antarctica (56.50%) and Pagothenia borchgrevinki (18.21%) were the two most abundant species. qPCR analysis showed a significant geographic difference in the composition of main prey. Penguins inhabiting outbound parts of the Ross Sea (Capes Adare (CA) and Duke of York Island (DY)) mainly preyed on E. superba, without any significant changes in prey composition. By contrast, those inhabiting the inbound parts of the Ross Sea (Edmonson Point (EP) and Inexpressible Island (II)) preyed on E. crystallorophias and notothenioid fish rather than E. superba. Compared with the outbound habitats, prey compositions for penguins inhabiting the inbound regions were significantly different year to year, which was presumably due to the food availability based on the annual environmental and meteorological conditions of the coastal region along with the inbound parts of the Ross Sea.
Conjunctival Swab Real Time-PCR in Leishmania infantum Seropositive Dogs: Diagnostic and Prognostic Values
Authors: Cavalera Maria Alfonsa , Zatelli Andrea , Donghia Rossella , Mendoza-Roldan Jairo Alfonso , Gernone Floriana , Otranto Domenico , Iatta Roberta
Published: January 2022

Conjunctival swabs (CS) are the most promising non-invasive samples for the diagnosis and the regular screening of Leishmania infantum infection in dogs although knowledge on their diagnostic performance is still inconclusive. This study evaluates CS real time-PCR (qPCR) analysis for the diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis (CanL) and its prognostic value in seropositive dogs from an endemic area. In October 2020 (T0), 26 dogs were enrolled, divided in two groups according to anti-L. infantum antibody titres (n = 13, group low titre (LT) and n = 13, group high titre (HT)), and followed-up in August 2021. At both timepoints, animals underwent clinical examination, complete blood count and biochemical analyses, and serological (indirect fluorescent antibody test) and molecular (CS and peripheral blood qPCR) testing. At T0, 10 out of 26 enrolled dogs were positive at CS qPCR, with the number of positive animals significantly higher in group HT than in LT. After 10 months, only 5 out of 21 dogs that completed the trial still tested CS qPCR positive, and none of them developed an active CanL based on clinical score and antibody titre. None of the dogs required any leishmanicidal and/or leishmaniostatic treatments. This prospective study showed unsatisfying diagnostic and prognostic performances of CS qPCR analysis in L. infantum seropositive asymptomatic dogs from an endemic area.
Population Genomics of Megalobrama Provides Insights into Evolutionary History and Dietary Adaptation
Authors: Chen Jing , Liu Han , Gooneratne Ravi , Wang Yao , Wang Weimin
Published: January 2022

Megalobrama, a genus of cyprinid fish, is an economically important freshwater fish widely distributed in major waters of China. Here, we report the genome resequencing of 180 Megalobrama fish including M. amblycephala, M. skolkovii, M. hoffmanni, and M. pellegrini. Population structure indicated that geographically divergent Megalobrama populations were separated into six subgroups. A phylogenetic tree showed that M. skolkovii was more closely related to M. pellegrini than other species and M. hoffmanni was clustered apart from other Megalobrama species, showing a high nucleotide diversity in geographic groups. Treemix validated gene flow from M. amblycephala to M. skolkovii, suggesting that introgression may provide an important source of genetic variation in the M. skolkovii populations. According to the demographic history analysis, it is speculated that Megalobrama might have been originally distributed in the Pearl River with some spread to Hainan Island and northern China due to lower sea levels during the glacial period. Whole-genome selective sweeps analysis demonstrated that M. amblycephala likely developed an enhanced energy metabolism mostly through fatty acid degradation pathways whereas M. hoffmanni possibly regulate lipid absorption via the cholesterol metabolism pathway. Taken together, this study provides a valuable genomic resource for future genetic investigations aiming to improve genome-assisted breeding of Megalobrama species.
Crop Wild Relatives (CWRs) Threatened and Endemic to Italy: Urgent Actions for Protection and Use
Authors: Perrino Enrico Vito , Wagensommer Robert Philipp
Published: January 2022

An updated overview of the 29 threatened crop wild relatives (CWRs) endemic to Italy is presented, namely: Arrhenatherum elatius subsp. nebrodense, Barbarea rupicola, Brassica baldensis, Brassica glabrescens, Brassica macrocarpa, Brassica rupestris subsp. hispida, Brassica rupestris subsp. rupestris, Brassica tardarae, Brassicatrichocarpa, Brassica tyrrhena, Brassica villosa subsp. bivonana, Brassica villosa subsp. brevisiliqua, Brassica villosa subsp. drepanensis, Brassica villosa subsp. tineoi, Brassica villosa subsp. villosa, Daucus broteroi, Daucus carota subsp. rupestris, Daucus nebrodensis, Diplotaxis scaposa, Festuca centroapenninica, Lathyrus apenninus, Lathyrus odoratus, Malus crescimannoi, Phalaris arundinacea subsp. rotgesii, Vicia brulloi, Vicia consentina, Vicia giacominiana, Vicia ochroleuca subsp. ochroleuca, Vicia tenuifolia subsp. elegans. Data concerning geographical distribution, ecology (including plant communities and habitats of the Directive 92/43/EEC), genetics (chromosome number, breeding system, and/or the existence of gene pools), threat status at the national and international level (Red Lists), key plant properties, and in situ and ex situ conservation were analyzed and shown. At present, most of the listed endemic CWRs, 23 out of 29, have no gene pool at all, so they are CWRs only according to the taxon group and not according to the gene pool concept. In addition, there is a serious lack of data on the ex situ conservation in gene banks, with 16 species identified as high priority (HP) while 22 taxa have high priority (A) for in situ conservation. With the aim of their protection, conservation, and valorization, specific and urgent actions are recommended.