bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determining the Effects of Pelleted Cranberry Vine Grains on the Ewe and Offspring during Pregnancy and Lactation
Authors: Smith Delaney , Petersson Katherine , Peterson Maria L.
Published: June 2023

When creating any new anti-parasitic interventions, it is important to evaluate their effects across all life stages. This study had three objectives, which were to evaluate the effect of feeding cranberry vine pellet (CVP) on (1) ewes’ body weights and BCS during late gestation and lactation; (2) ewes’ milk quality during lactation; and (3) lambs’ body weight and growth parameters from birth to 65 days of age. Across two years, 41 Dorset ewes were fed either a 50% CVP or a matching control pellet (CON) from 104 ± 1.60 days of gestation for 62.8 ± 0.68 days of lactation. Measurements were collected from ewes (BW, BCS, and milk) and lambs (BW and body size). Milk from CVP ewes exhibited reduced milk fat and solids (p < 0.01) and increased concentrations of milk urea nitrogen (p = 0.02) when evaluated for the treatment–time. There was no significant difference in the BCS, protein, lamb BW, or growth measurements for treatment–time (p ≥ 0.05). Additional research that targets blood biochemistry and metabolic assessments is needed to fully determine the impact of this pellet on ewes and lambs.
Prevalence of Encephalitozoon cuniculi Infection in Guinea Pigs (Cavia porcellus) in Poland with Different Clinical Disorders—A Pilot Study
Authors: Wilczyńska Anna , Komsta Renata , Szadkowski Mateusz , Ziętek Jerzy , Adaszek Łukasz
Published: June 2023

Encephalitozoonosis is a disease caused by E. cuniculi. It is diagnosed primarily in rabbits but is less frequently so in other animal species. E. cuniculi is classified among Microsporidia—fungi frequently found in the environment, that are resistant to numerous external factors. Apart from rabbits, rodents form the next group of animals most exposed to infection with these pathogens. The objective of the study was to analyze the prevalence of E. cuniculi infection in guinea pigs with different clinical disorders. The study included 67 animals with E. cuniculi infection confirmed via real-time PCR. The infected animals most frequently exhibited nervous and urinary system symptoms, as well as issues with vision organs, while several animals were also recorded as having problems with the respiratory system and thyroid gland dysfunction. The study shows that encephalitozoonosis constitutes a significant problem in rodents kept as domestic animals, which in turn may be a source of infection for humans.
Integrating New Prehistoric Palaeopathological Finds from Hungary
Authors: Gál Erika , Bartosiewicz László
Published: June 2023

Eight newly identified pathological animal remains identified in two Middle Neolithic assemblages (ca 5330–4940 calBC) in northern and western Hungary were placed within the broader context of relevant prehistoric finds. The aim was to understand the underrepresented Middle Neolithic finds in light of the better-known cases from other prehistoric periods. The newly reported cases include arthritic and inflammatory lesions, as well as dental disorders, such as linear enamel hypoplasia, recognized for the first time in the Hungarian Neolithic. Identifications were based on bone macromorphology. When large samples are available, the frequencies of pathological bone specimens reflect the taxonomic composition. Along with the increasing number of cases, longevity related to exploitation for secondary products also became manifest. Therefore, the effects of assemblage size, disease classification and differences between authors (related to training and the time of publication) need to be considered before pathological lesions can be interpreted in terms of diachronic changes in animal husbandry.
Rapid Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing of Gram-Negative Bacteria Directly from Urine Samples of UTI Patients Using MALDI-TOF MS
Authors: Neuenschwander Felix R. , Groß Birgit , Schubert Sören
Published: June 2023

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common human infections and are most often caused by Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli. In view of the increasing number of antibiotic-resistant isolates, rapidly initiating effective antibiotic therapy is essential. Therefore, a faster antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) is desirable. The MALDI-TOF MS-based phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility test (MALDI AST) has been used in blood culture diagnostics to rapidly detect antibiotic susceptibility. This study demonstrates for the first time that MALDI AST can be used to rapidly determine antibiotic susceptibility in UTIs directly from patients’ urine samples. MALDI-TOF MS enables the rapid identification and AST of Gram-negative UTIs within 4.5 h of receiving urine samples. Six urinary tract infection antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, fosfomycin, meropenem, cefuroxime, and nitrofurantoin, were analyzed and compared with conventional culture-based AST methods. A total of 105 urine samples from UTI patients contained bacterial isolates for MALDI AST. The combination of ID and AST by MALDI-TOF allowed us to interpret the result according to EUCAST guidelines. An overall agreement of 94.7% was found between MALDI AST and conventional AST for the urinary tract pathogens tested.
Blueberry Supplementation and Skin Health
Authors: Ivarsson John , Pecorelli Alessandra , Lila Mary Ann , Valacchi Giuseppe
Published: June 2023

Environmental stressors such as air pollutants, ozone, and UV radiation are among the most noxious outdoor stressors affecting human skin and leading to premature skin aging. To prevent the extrinsic aging, the skin is equipped with an effective defensive system. However, cutaneous defense mechanisms can be overwhelmed through chronic exposure to environmental pollutants. Recent studies have suggested that the topical usage of natural compounds, such as blueberries, could be a good strategy to prevent skin damage from the environment. Indeed, blueberries contain bioactive compounds found to induce an active skin response against the environmental noxious effects. In this review, results from recent studies on this topic are discussed in order to build the argument for blueberries to possibly be an effective agent for skin health. In addition, we hope to highlight the need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms behind the use of both topical application and dietary supplementation with blueberries to bolster cutaneous systems and defensive mechanisms.
Seed Priming Based on Iodine and Selenium Influences the Nutraceutical Compounds in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Crop
Authors: Mejía-Ramírez Fernando , Benavides-Mendoza Adalberto , González-Morales Susana , Juárez-Maldonado Antonio , Lara-Viveros Francisco Marcelo , Morales-Díaz América Berenice , Morelos-Moreno Álvaro
Published: June 2023

The use of trace elements in agriculture as a complement to crop fertilization programs is a practice that is gaining importance and relevance worldwide. Iodine and selenium perform essential functions in human health, related to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, acting as antioxidants and antiproliferatives, and their limited intake through food consumption can cause malnutrition, reflected in the abnormal development and growth of humans. This research aimed to evaluate the nutraceutical quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in response to seed priming based on KIO3 (0, 100, 150, 200, 250 mg L−1) and Na2SeO3 (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3 mg L−1), performed by interaction from a 52-factorial design and by independent factors in a 24-h imbibition time. The tomato crop was established under greenhouse conditions in 10-L polyethylene containers containing peat moss and perlite 1:1 (v/v). Regarding non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds, lycopene, β-carotene and flavonoid contents in tomato fruits significantly increased with KIO3 and Na2SeO3 treatments; however, vitamin C content was negatively affected. KIO3 increased the phenol and chlorophyll-a contents of leaves. In relation to enzymatic activity, KIO3 positively influenced GSH content and PAL activity in tomato fruits. KIO3 also positively influenced GSH content in leaves while negatively affecting PAL and APX activities. Na2SeO3 favored GSH content and GPX activity in tomato fruits and leaves. Na2SeO3 negatively affected the antioxidant capacity of hydrophilic compounds by ABTS in fruits and leaves and favored hydrophilic compounds by DPPH in leaves. Seed imbibition based on KIO3 and Na2SeO3 is a method that is implemented in the tomato crop and presents interesting aspects that favor the nutraceutical quality of tomato fruits, which may contribute to increasing the intake of these minerals in humans through tomato consumption.
Efficacy of the Radical Scavenger, Tempol, to Reduce Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in a Murine Model of Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Ardizzone Alessio , Repici Alberto , Capra Anna Paola , De Gaetano Federica , Bova Valentina , Casili Giovanna , Campolo Michela , Esposito Emanuela
Published: June 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease, predominantly common in children; it is characterized by an eczematous pattern generally referable to skin dryness and itchy papules that become excoriated and lichenified in the more advanced stages of the disease. Although the pathophysiology of AD is not completely understood, numerous studies have demonstrated the complex interaction between genetic, immunological, and environmental factors, which acts to disrupt skin barrier function. Free radicals play a key role by directly damaging skin structure, inducing inflammation and weakening of the skin barrier. Tempol (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) is a membrane-permeable radical scavenger, known to be a stable nitroxide, which exhibits excellent antioxidant effects in several human disorders, such as osteoarthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Considering the few existing studies on dermatological pathologies, this study aimed to evaluate tempol, in a cream formulation, in a murine model of AD. Dermatitis was induced in mice via dorsal skin application of 0.5% Oxazolone, three times a week for two weeks. After induction, mice were treated with tempol-based cream for another two weeks at three different doses of 0.5%, 1% and 2%. Our results demonstrated the ability of tempol, at the highest percentages, to counteract AD by reducing the histological damage, decreasing mast cell infiltration, and improving the skin barrier properties, by restoring the tight junction (TJs) and filaggrin. Moreover, tempol, at 1% and 2%, was able to modulate inflammation by reducing the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of the activated B cell (NF-κB) pathway, as well as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β expression. Topical treatment also attenuated oxidative stress by modulating nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), and heme oxygenase I (HO-1) expression levels. The obtained results demonstrate the numerous advantages provided by the topical administration of a tempol-based cream formulation, in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress through modulation of the NF-κB/Nrf2 signaling pathways. Therefore, tempol could represent an alternative anti-atopic approach to treating AD, thereby improving skin barrier function.
A Novel Method for Calculating Diffusion Coefficient of Shale Gas Reservoirs: A Case Study of Longmaxi Formation in Weiyuan Area, Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Wang Guozhen , Jiang Zhenxue , Gong Houjian , Shi Yuguang , He Shijie , Miao Huan
Published: June 2023

The entire process of shale gas generation, migration, and accumulation involves the diffusion of shale gas, and it is impossible to disregard the harm that gas diffusion does to gas reservoirs. The research object for this paper is the Longmaxi Formation shale gas reservoir in the Weiyuan area of the Sichuan Basin. Based on Fick’s diffusion law, an innovative mathematical model of shale gas diffusion is established, and it is clarified that the diffusion amount mainly depends on the free gas content and the diffusion coefficient. Based on the theory of fluid dynamics, the calculation equation of formation paleo-pressure is innovatively deduced. The equation fully considers gas migration, temperature and pressure changes, and the pressure control effect of organic matter gas generation, and restores the evolution history of free gas content in the reservoir. The evolution process of temperature, pressure and stratigraphic physical properties in the study area is the first to calculate the diffusion evolution history and cumulative diffusion amount of shale gas reservoirs in the study area, the reliability of the calculation results is verified by geochemical parameters. Studies have revealed that the existing Longmaxi Formation shale in the Weiyuan area of Sichuan Basin varies from 14.10 to 16.50 × 104 m3/m2 per unit area, with an average diffusion loss of 0.30 × 1012 m3 gas in the positive part and 0.30 × 1012 m3 in the negative part. The total lost gas accounts for around 1.72 times the present recappable reserves and is estimated to be 0.43 × 1012 m3 in volume. It is clear that the migration and accumulation of natural gas are significantly influenced by the research of diffusion loss.
Experimental Study on Shield-Receiving Steel Sleeve Sealing Performance and Filler Pressure Regulation
Authors: Qi Jiarui , Pan Yiheng , Zhang Jinfeng
Published: June 2023

Pressure balance control between steel sleeve fillings and stratum is the key to ensuring project safety in the receiving construction of subway shield tunnels. Here, to realize the active regulation of the filing pressure in the steel sleeve, this study first improves the fixed cover of a conventional steel sleeve to a piston cover that can slide freely along the longitudinal direction of the sleeve and puts forward the corresponding methods for hydraulic pressure regulation and mechanical pressure regulation. The pressure-holding sealing performance of a new steel sleeve structure was tested, and a hydraulic pressure regulation method and a mechanical pressure regulation method were proposed. Finally, an effective path to proactive filler pressure regulation in the steel sleeve was explored. By improving the structure scheme of the steel sleeve, A steel sleeve model was designed at a 1:5 proportion, following the shield receiving steel sleeve structures and their sizes in practical tunneling. The model test was performed for several processes of active control of filler pressure, including pressurization by injection, decompression by discharge, machinal pressurization in low pressure, machinal pressurization in high pressure, and machinal decompression. The laws of filler pressure variation with hydraulic pressure and machinal thrust, the reactive force of hydraulic jack, and stress of steel sleeve were researched. The results revealed that the maximum stress of the new steel sleeve structure was 14.5 MPa under an elastic stress state, and the circumferential stress was always eight times the longitudinal stress. The new steel sleeve structure shows controllable pressure-holding sealing performance. The hydraulic pressure decrease appears as a slow linear trend of about 0.1% of the initial pressure per min after 1 min of pressure holding. The variation in the filler pressure at the central position of the steel sleeve is 16~24% greater than that at the periphery. Both hydraulic pressure regulation and mechanical pressure regulation could achieve controllable proactive regulation effects on a steel sleeve’s filler pressure. The proposed new shield-receiving steel sleeve structure and the study results about its sealing performance and filler pressure regulation will promote the shield-receiving technology to be more controllable and safer.
The Use of Effective Microorganisms as a Sustainable Alternative to Improve the Quality of Potatoes in Food Processing
Authors: Pszczółkowski Piotr , Sawicka Barbara , Barbaś Piotr , Skiba Dominika , Krochmal-Marczak Barbara
Published: June 2023

Background: The ecological approach to agriculture causes the desire to eliminate pesticides. Work is underway to replace them with natural agents. Aim: The aim of the research was to introduce an innovative factor and non-invasively increase the yield of dry matter and starch and thus improve the quality of the raw material for the production of potato-enriched products. Material and methods: The field experiment was carried out in central-eastern Poland, using the randomized sub-block method, in a dependent split-split-plot design in three repetitions. The superior factor of the first order was pre-planting treatments by treating seed potatoes with a microbiological preparation for (a) 10 min, (b) 15 min, and (c) untreated seed potatoes (untreated control). The second-order factor was 14 potato cultivars of all groups of earliness. Qualitative research was carried out under laboratory conditions. Results: Pre-planting treatments with the use of a microbiological preparation had a positive effect on the yield of dry matter and starch compared to the control while modifying the characteristics related to the quality of potato chips. The tested cultivars determined both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the chips to the greatest extent. Conclusions: Alternative solutions will allow the effective replacement of pesticides in potato production and processing.
Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization for High-Dimensional Latin Hypercube Design Problem
Authors: Xu Zhixin , Xia Dongqin , Yong Nuo , Wang Jinkai , Lin Jian , Wang Feipeng , Xu Song , Ge Daochuan
Published: June 2023

Latin Hypercube Design (LHD) is widely used in computer simulation to solve large-scale, complex, nonlinear problems. The high-dimensional LHD (HLHD) problem is one of the crucial issues and has been a large concern in the long run. This paper proposes an improved Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization (IHPSO) algorithm to find the near-optimal HLHD by increasing the particle evolution speed and strengthening the local search. In the proposed algorithm, firstly, the diversity of the population is ensured through comprehensive learning. Secondly, the Minimum Point Distance (MPD) method is adopted to solve the oscillation problem of the PSO algorithm. Thirdly, the Ranked Ordered Value (ROV) rule is used to realize the discretization of the PSO algorithm. Finally, local and global searches are executed to find the near-optimal HLHD. The comparisons show the superiority of the proposed method compared with the existing algorithms in obtaining the near-optimal HLHD.
A Novel Prognostic Model for Gastric Cancer with EP_Dis-Based Co-Expression Network Analysis
Authors: Xu Yalan , Zhang Hongyan , Cao Dan , Ning Zilan , Zhu Liu , Liu Xueyan
Published: June 2023

Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death that involves iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs) play an essential role in the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer (GC), which is one of the most common and lethal cancers worldwide. Understanding the prognostic significance of FRGs in GC can shed light on GC treatment and diagnosis. In this study, we proposed a new gene co-expression network analysis method, namely EP-WGCNA. This method used Euclidean and Pearson weighted distance (EP_dis) to construct a weighted gene co-expression network instead of the Pearson’s correlation coefficient used in the original WGCNA method. The aim was to better capture the interactions and functional associations among genes. We used EP-WGCNA to identify the FRGs related to GC phenotype and applied bioinformatics methods to select the FRGs associated with the prognosis (P-FRGs) of GC patients. Firstly, we screened the FRGs that were differentially expressed based on the TCGA and GTEx databases. Then, we selected the P-FRGs using EP-WGCNA, Cox regression, and Kaplan–Meier analysis. The prognostic model based on P-FRGs-Cox (ALB, BNIP3, DPEP1, GLS2, MEG3, PDK4, TF, and TSC22D3) was constructed on the TCGA-GTEx dataset. According to the median risk score, all patients in the TCGA training dataset and GSE84426 testing dataset were classified into a high- or low-risk group. GC patients in the low-risk group showed higher survival probability than those in the high-risk group. The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (timeROC) showed that EP-WGCNA-Cox predicted 0.77 in the training set and 0.64 in the testing set for the 5-year survival rate of GC patients, which was better than traditional WGCNA-Cox (P-WGCNA-Cox). In addition, we validated that the P-FRGs were significantly differentially expressed in the adjacent non-tumor gastric tissues and tumor tissues by immunohistochemical staining from the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) database. We also found that the P-FRGs were enriched in tumorigenic pathways by enrichment analysis. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that EP-WGCNA can mine the key FRGs related to the phenotype of GC and is superior to the P-WGCNA. The EP-WGCNA-Cox model based on P-FRGs is reliable in predicting the survival rate of GC patients and can provide potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for GC.
Source Microphone Identification Using Swin Transformer
Authors: Qamhan Mustafa , Alotaibi Yousef A. , Selouani Sid-Ahmed
Published: June 2023

Microphone identification is a crucial challenge in the field of digital audio forensics. The ability to accurately identify the type of microphone used to record a piece of audio can provide important information for forensic analysis and crime investigations. In recent years, transformer-based deep-learning models have been shown to be effective in many different tasks. This paper proposes a system based on a transformer for microphone identification based on recorded audio. Two types of experiments were conducted: one to identify the model of the microphones and another in which identical microphones were identified within the same model. Furthermore, extensive experiments were performed to study the effects of different input types and sub-band frequencies on system accuracy. The proposed system is evaluated on the Audio Forensic Dataset for Digital Multimedia Forensics (AF-DB). The experimental results demonstrate that our model achieves state-of-the-art accuracy for inter-model and intra-model microphone classification with 5-fold cross-validation.
Reliability Evaluation of a Nonlinear Frame Structure under Explosive Ground Motions Generated by Dimension-Reduction Method
Authors: Jiang Yunmu , Liu Zixin , Ruan Xinxin , Liu Zhangjun
Published: June 2023

In the present study, a stochastic model of explosive ground motions applying the dimension-reduction method is proposed, and the reliability evaluation of a nonlinear frame structure under such excitations is realized by means of the probability density evolution method and an equivalent extreme-value-based reliability evaluation strategy. Firstly, the evolutionary power spectrum density function of the explosive ground motions is modeled by respectively identifying the normalized total energy distribution function and the frequency total energy distribution function on the basis of the measured motion records. In addition, an exponential model is constructed to forecast the seismic characteristics of the explosive ground motions based on the given distance to the explosive source and the charge quantity. Then, the representative samples of the explosive ground motions are simulated using the dimension-reduction method. The simulation results show that the generated acceleration samples have significant seismic characteristics of the explosive ground motions, and the accuracy is verified by comparing the second-order statistics with the sample set and the corresponding targets. Due to the fact that the probabilities of the representative samples simulated by the dimension-reduction method can compose a comprehensive probability set, it contributes to the refined dynamic response analysis and reliability evaluation of complex structures combining with the probability density evolution method. The accurate dynamic response analysis and reliability evaluation of a nonlinear frame structure illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed model and the dimension-reduction method for simulating the explosive ground motions. The numerical results demonstrate that the explosive ground motions have a substantial effect on the nonlinear behavior and the security of engineering structures.
Emotion Classification Algorithm for Audiovisual Scenes Based on Low-Frequency Signals
Authors: Jin Peiyuan , Si Zhiwei , Wan Haibin , Xiong Xiangrui
Published: June 2023

Since informatization and digitization came into life, audio signal emotion classification has been widely studied and discussed as a hot issue in many application fields. With the continuous development of artificial intelligence, in addition to speech and music audio signal emotion classification technology, which is widely used in production life, its application is also becoming more and more abundant. Current research on audiovisual scene emotion classification mainly focuses on the frame-by-frame processing of video images to achieve the discrimination of emotion classification. However, those methods have the problems of algorithms with high complexity and high computing cost, making it difficult to meet the engineering needs of real-time online automatic classification. Therefore, this paper proposes an automatic algorithm for the detection of effective movie shock scenes that can be used for engineering applications by exploring the law of low-frequency sound effects on the perception of known emotions, based on a database of movie emotion scene clips in 5.1 sound format, extracting audio signal feature parameters and performing dichotomous classification of shock and other types of emotions. As LFS can enhance a sense of shock, a monaural algorithm for detecting emotional scenes with impact using a subwoofer (SW) is proposed, which trained a classification model using SW monaural features and achieved a maximum accuracy of 87% on the test set using a convolutional neural network (CNN) model. To expand the application scope of the above algorithm, a monaural algorithm for detecting emotional scenes with impact based on low-pass filtering (with a cutoff frequency of 120 Hz) is proposed, which achieved a maximum accuracy of 91.5% on the test set using a CNN model.
The Use of Construction Waste to Remediate a Thermally Active Spoil Heap
Authors: Pertile Eva , Dvorský Tomáš , Václavík Vojtěch , Syrová Lucie , Charvát Jakub , Máčalová Kateřina , Balcařík Lukáš
Published: June 2023

This article presents the results of experimental research on the possible use of construction and demolition waste (CDW) to improve the properties of unburnt tailings originating from the thermally active spoil heap in Heřmanice (Ostrava, Czech Republic). Mining activity anywhere in the world generally entails a lot of negative impacts on the environment, which are of a long-term nature. One of the most pressing challenges in the remediation of the consequences of mining activity is the thermal activity of spoil heaps associated with the high acidity of the tailings. Active acidity (pH/H2O), exchangeable acidity (pH/CaCl2), hydrolytic acidity (Ha), and elemental composition of tailings and CDW have been monitored. Based on an acidity study, it has been proven that compared to burnt tailings (pH/H2O = 8.4, pH/CaCl2 = 8.9 and Ha = 1.4 mmol kg−1), unburnt tailings show acidic properties (pH/H2O = 3.7, pH/CaCl2 = 3.6 and Ha = 205 mmol kg−1). The bioavailability of two selected potentially toxic elements (PTEs), namely Al and Fe, was examined based on the elemental composition. BCR sequential extraction analysis was used to determine their bioavailability. It has been proven that mixing CDW with tailings has a positive effect on the pH value, which has a positive effect on the further development of the entire site. The increase in the pH value is provably dependent on the amount of construction waste added, so it can be said that the increasing amount of construction waste will result in improved parameters of the burnt tailings. The results of the BCR analysis show that aluminum from the tailings will be released both from the reducible and oxidisable fractions, where it will be mainly bound to sulphides. The relatively high concentration of Fe in the oxidisable fraction (2002 mg Fe kg−1) suggests that Fe is bound to sulphides in the tailings, and it is due to the high residual pyrite and sulphide content in the dumped material, as expected. This work has found no limits where CDW no longer positively affects the acidity of unburnt tailings. For practical application, however, it is important that the mixture of CDW and tailings is properly mixed and then used for remediation.
Differentiated Content Acquisition Integrating Network Coding and Edge Computing for Industrial Internet
Authors: Wang Yunmin , Li Hui
Published: June 2023

The construction of the Industrial Internet has become a concrete implementation and an essential starting point in accelerating the digital transformation and intelligent upgrading of industrial manufacturing enterprises. The problem of addressing and forwarding for resource-constrained devices restricts data acquisition and dissemination on the Industrial Internet. In order to retrieve content reasonably, we propose IDEANE, an identity-differentiated content acquisition and multipath forwarding scheme with network coding and edge computing. In IDEANE, content requests are disseminated based on the identity and location information carried in a multi-identifier network, which can improve the efficiency of interest message requests and reduce idle links in the network. Moreover, the content acquisition computation is offloaded to multiple edge nodes, and the encoded data are transmitted to the edge nodes for recovery. IDEANE offloads the less demanding computing tasks to the edge nodes close to the content requesters, to relieve the pressure on providers. In addition, a collaboration method among multiple edge nodes is also studied. Multiple edge nodes collaborate to support the mobility of content requesters, save energy consumption in terminal devices, reduce transmission latency, and ensure data security. The experimental results show that IDEANE can avoid duplicated transmission, reduce the network link overhead, improve network throughput, and enhance network robustness and reliability.
Ovicidal Effect on Haemonchus contortus of Extract Partitions Shrubby Plants of the Tropical Dry Forest and Potentially Active Compounds Identification by UHPLC-Q/Orbitrap/MS/MS
Authors: Romero-Jola Néstor Jaime , Cubides-Cárdenas Jaime Andrés , Escobar Natalia , Simirgiotis Mario J.
Published: June 2023

The in vitro anthelmintic effect of the extracts on Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) of three forage species in the tropical dry forest is known; however, there is no information about the effects of the extract partitions, nor their chemical composition. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the in vitro ovicidal activity of H. contortus in extract partitions of the species Gliricidia sepium, Leucaena leucocephala, and Pithecellobium dulce, and to identify the compounds present in the extract partitions with the highest activity by employing ultra HPLC Quadrupole orbitrap mass spectrometry. Four extract partitions, hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and hydroethanolic from the three forage species were assessed in an inhibition of egg hatching (IEH) assay. The extract partitions with the highest anthelmintic activity (AA) were subjected to analysis, from which the tentative identification of the compounds was established. The extract partitions, including dichloromethane from Gliricidia sepium, ethyl acetate from Leucaena leucocephala, and hydroethanolic from Pithecellobium dulce showed a greater anthelmintic effect, with IC50 values of 0.39, 0.86, and 0.27 mg/mL for the IEH, respectively. Metabolites with in vitro AA potential included flavonoids, fatty acid esters, hydroxycinnamic acids, organic oxygenated compounds of the benzene class and substituted derivatives, phenolic glycosides, and phenols.
A Graph Neural Network Node Classification Application Model with Enhanced Node Association
Authors: Zhang Yuhang , Xu Yaoqun , Zhang Yu
Published: June 2023

This study combines the present stage of the node classification problem with the fact that there is frequent noise in the graph structure of the graph convolution calculation, which can lead to the omission of some of the actual edge relations between nodes and the appearance of numerous isolated nodes. In this paper, we propose the graph neural network model ENode-GAT for improving the accuracy of small sample node classification using the method of external referencing of similar word nodes, combined with Graph Convolutional Neural Network (GCN), Graph Attention Network (GAT), and the early stop algorithm. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the model, this paper employs two distinct types of node datasets for its investigations. The first is the Cora dataset, which is widely used in node classification at this time, and the second is a small-sample Stock dataset created by Eastern Fortune’s stock prospectus of the Science and Technology Board (STB). The experimental results demonstrate that the ENode-GAT model proposed in this paper obtains 85.1% classification accuracy on the Cora dataset and 85.3% classification accuracy on the Stock dataset, with certain classification advantages. It also verifies the future applicability of the model to the fields of stock classification, tender document classification, news classification, and government announcement classification, among others.
Tracking Control Method for Greenhouse Environment Prediction Model Based on Real-Time Optimization Error Constraints
Authors: Ma Lili , He Chaoxing , Jin Yuanning , Hou Wenjian
Published: June 2023

Model predictive control, without strict constraints on the control model, effectively overcomes problems, such as poor system dynamic quality caused by time delay, can improve control accuracy to a certain extent, and can directly process input and output constraints of the system online. It is applied in greenhouse system control. The appropriate objective optimization function and its corresponding constraint conditions have a direct impact on the solution of the optimal control rate of the model predictive control. In response to this issue, this paper proposes a simple and fast optimal predictive tracking control method. Based on the current prediction model of the greenhouse system, which reflects the dynamic relationship between various control equipment actions and greenhouse environmental factors, a multi degree of freedom discrete time state space model with tracking errors is established. Based on this model, in establishing the corresponding objective optimization function, the gradient descent theory and the two-norm definition are applied, and combined with actual constraints, iterative constraint conditions for real-time error tracking updates are established. Compared with traditional constraint ranges, a constraint function with real-time update characteristics is formed, achieving more accurate constraint conditions. By using rolling optimization and iterative methods, the optimal control rate corresponding to the minimum value of the objective optimization function within a finite time is solved. Through simulation examples, it is demonstrated that the model predictive control with optimization constraints can achieve a more accurate prediction and tracking control of indoor environmental parameters. This method has the advantages of simple control, energy-saving optimization, stable control, and accurate tracking, providing a reference for online real-time prediction and tracking control of future greenhouse environmental parameters.
Leader–Follower Formation Tracking Control of Underactuated Surface Vehicles Based on Event-Trigged Control
Authors: Xia Xiaoming , Yang Zhaodi , Yang Tianxiang
Published: June 2023

This paper investigates the leader–follower formation tracking control of underactuated surface vessels (USVs) with input saturation. Each vessel is subject to the uncertainties induced by model uncertainties and environmental disturbances. First, an event-triggered extended-state observer (ETESO) is used to recover the velocity, yaw rate and uncertainties. Then, an estimator is used to estimate the velocity of the leader. An event-triggered controller (ETC) is constructed based on the estimator, the observer and extra variables. Specifically, extra variables are used to solve the problems of underactuation and input saturation. Stability analysis of the control system is conducted to prove that all signals are bounded. Simulations demonstrate that the ETESO can accurately estimate the uncertainties, velocity and yaw rate, and the ETC can largely reduce the action times of actuator.
Evaluation of CMIP6 HighResMIP Models and ERA5 Reanalysis in Simulating Summer Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Chen Tianru , Zhang Yi , Li Nina
Published: June 2023

The High Resolution Model Intercomparison Project (HighResMIP) experiment within the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) has enabled the evaluation of the performance of climate models over complex terrain for the first time. The study aims to evaluate summer (June to August) precipitation characteristics over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Precipitation derived from HighResMIP models and ERA5 are compared against the China Merged Precipitation Analysis (CMPA). The nineteen models that participated in HighResMIP are classified into three categories based on their horizontal resolution: high resolution (HR), middle resolution (MR), and low resolution (LR). The multimodel ensemble means (MMEs) of the three categories of models are evaluated. The spatial distribution and elevation dependency of the hourly precipitation characteristics, which include the diurnal peak hour, diurnal variation amplitude, and frequency–intensity structure, are our main focus. The MME-HR and ERA5 both show comparable ability in simulating precipitation in the TP. The MME-HR has a smaller deviation in the precipitation amount and diurnal variation at various altitudes. The ERA5 can better simulate the elevation dependence of the frequency–intensity structure, but its elevation dependence of diurnal variation shows a trend opposite to the observations. Although the MME-HR produces the best simulation results among the three MMEs, the simulation effects of HighResMIP’s precipitation in the TP do not necessarily improve with increasing the horizontal resolution from LR to MR. The finer model resolution has a small impact on the simulation effect of precipitation intensity, but the coarser model resolution will limit the generation of heavy precipitation. These findings give intensive measures for evaluating precipitation in complex terrain and can help us in comprehending rainfall biases in global climate model simulation.
Consideration of Altered Anthropogenic Behavior during the First Lockdown and Its Effects on Air Pollutants and Land Surface Temperature in European Cities
Authors: Glocke Patricia , Bechtel Benjamin , Sismanidis Panagiotis
Published: June 2023

Substantial reductions in human and economic activities such as road traffic for several months in 2020 were one of the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic. This unprecedented change in urban metabolism also affected temperature and air pollutants. This study investigates the effects of the first COVID-19 lockdown across 43 cities in Europe. It determines the influence of anthropogenic activities on nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter (PM2.5), as well as on land surface temperature (LST) and the surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) using satellite, modeled, and mobility data. Our findings show that there are great temporal and spatial differences and distinct patterns between the cities regarding the magnitude of change in the variables under study. In general, the results indicate a substantial decrease in NO2 concentrations in most of the studied cities compared with the reference period of 2015–2019. However, reductions could not be attributed to mobility changes such as less traffic at transit stations, contrary to the results of previous studies. O3 levels increased during the first lockdown in accordance with the decreasing NO2 concentrations. The PM pattern was inconsistent over time and space. Similar to the NO2 results, no relation to the altered mobility behavior was found. No clear signal could be detected for LST and the SUHII, likely due to dominating meteorological influences.
Faber Polynomial Coefficient Estimates for Bi-Close-to-Convex Functions Defined by the q-Fractional Derivative
Authors: Srivastava Hari Mohan , Al-Shbeil Isra , Xin Qin , Tchier Fairouz , Khan Shahid , Malik Sarfraz Nawaz
Published: June 2023

By utilizing the concept of the q-fractional derivative operator and bi-close-to-convex functions, we define a new subclass of A, where the class A contains normalized analytic functions in the open unit disk E and is invariant or symmetric under rotation. First, using the Faber polynomial expansion (FPE) technique, we determine the lth coefficient bound for the functions contained within this class. We provide a further explanation for the first few coefficients of bi-close-to-convex functions defined by the q-fractional derivative. We also emphasize upon a few well-known outcomes of the major findings in this article.
Lithiophilic Quinone Lithium Salt Formed by Tetrafluoro-1,4-Benzoquinone Guides Uniform Lithium Deposition to Stabilize the Interface of Anode and PVDF-Based Solid Electrolytes
Authors: Hu Yinglu , Liu Li , Zhao Jingwei , Zhang Dechao , Shen Jiadong , Li Fangkun , Yang Yan , Liu Zhengbo , He Weixin , Zhao Weiming , Liu Jun
Published: June 2023

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) are attracting widespread attention due to their superior electrochemical and mechanical properties. However, the PVDF has a strong polar group -CF2-, which easily continuously reacts with lithium metal, resulting in the instability of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI), which intensifies the formation of lithium dendrites. Herein, Tetrafluoro-1,4-benzoquinone (TFBQ) was selected as an additive in trace amounts to the PVDF/Li-based electrolytes. TFBQ uniformly formed lithophilic quinone lithium salt (Li2TFBQ) in the SEI. Li2TFBQ has high lithium-ion affinity and low potential barrier and can be used as the dominant agent to guide uniform lithium deposition. The results showed that PVDF/Li-TFBQ 0.05 with a mass ratio of PVDF to TFBQ of 1:0.05 had the highest ionic conductivity of 2.39 × 10−4 S cm−1, and the electrochemical stability window reached 5.0 V. Moreover, PVDF/Li-TFBQ CSE demonstrated superior lithium dendrite suppression, which was confirmed by long-term lithium stripping/sedimentation tests over 2000 and 650 h at a current of 0.1 and 0.2 mA cm−2, respectively. The assembled solid-state LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2||Li cell showed an excellent performance rate and cycle stability at 30 °C. This study greatly promotes the practical research of solid-state electrolytes.
Construction of Fe3O4@Fe2P Heterostructures as Electrode Materials for Supercapacitors
Authors: Lu Congcong , Tu Chengyu , Yang Yu , Ma Yunping , Zhu Maiyong
Published: June 2023

Considering their high abundance in the earth, iron-based materials have occasionally been regarded as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors. However, monometallic iron-based electrodes still demonstrate an insufficient specific capacitance value in comparison to monometallic Mn-, Ni-, and Co-based compounds and their combined materials. Herein, an enhanced iron-based heterostructure of Fe3O4@Fe2P was prepared via the in situ phosphorization of Fe3O4. Compared to pristine Fe3O4, the Fe3O4@Fe2P heterostructure showed a capacity enhancement in KOH aqueous solution. The improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to both the core shell structure, which favors buffering the collapse of the electrode, and the synergistic effect between the two iron compounds, which may provide abundant interfaces and additional electrochemically active sites. Moreover, the assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device using the Fe3O4@Fe2P heterostructure as the positive electrode and activated carbon as the negative electrode delivers a high energy density of 13.47 Wh kg−1, a high power density of 424.98 W kg−1, and an acceptable capacitance retention of 78.5% after 5000 cycles. These results clarify that monometallic Fe based materials can deliver a potential practical application. In addition, the construction method for the heterostructure developed here, in which different anion species are combined, may represent a promising strategy for designing high-performance electrodes.
Automatic Levothyroxine Dosing Algorithm for Patients Suffering from Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
Authors: Sharma Ravi , Theiler-Schwetz Verena , Trummer Christian , Pilz Stefan , Reichhartinger Markus
Published: June 2023

Hypothyroidism is a condition where the patient’s thyroid gland cannot produce sufficient thyroid hormones (mainly triiodothyronine and thyroxine). The primary cause of hypothyroidism is autoimmune-mediated destruction of the thyroid gland, referred to as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. A patient’s desired thyroid hormone concentration is achieved by oral administration of thyroid hormone, usually levothyroxine. Establishing individual levothyroxine doses to achieve desired thyroid hormone concentrations requires several patient visits. Additionally, clear guidance for the dosing regimen is lacking, and significant inter-individual differences exist. This study aims to design a digital automatic dosing algorithm for patients suffering from Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The dynamic behaviour of the relevant thyroid function is mathematically modelled. Methods of automatic control are exploited for the design of the proposed robust model-based levothyroxine dosing algorithm. Numerical simulations are performed to evaluate the mathematical model and the dosing algorithm. With the help of the developed controller thyroid hormone concentrations of patients, emulated using Thyrosim, have been regulated under the euthyroid state. The proposed concept demonstrates reliable responses amidst varying patient parameters. Our developed model provides a useful basis for the design of automatic levothyroxine dosing algorithms. The proposed robust feedback loop contributes to the first results for computer-assisted thyroid dosing algorithms.
Multiple Instances of Adaptive Evolution in Aquaporins of Amphibious Fishes
Authors: Lorente-Martínez Héctor , Agorreta Ainhoa , Irisarri Iker , Zardoya Rafael , Edwards Scott V. , San Mauro Diego
Published: June 2023

Aquaporins (AQPs) are a highly diverse family of transmembrane proteins involved in osmotic regulation that played an important role in the conquest of land by tetrapods. However, little is known about their possible implication in the acquisition of an amphibious lifestyle in actinopterygian fishes. Herein, we investigated the molecular evolution of AQPs in 22 amphibious actinopterygian fishes by assembling a comprehensive dataset that was used to (1) catalogue AQP paralog members and classes; (2) determine the gene family birth and death process; (3) test for positive selection in a phylogenetic framework; and (4) reconstruct structural protein models. We found evidence of adaptive evolution in 21 AQPs belonging to 5 different classes. Almost half of the tree branches and protein sites that were under positive selection were found in the AQP11 class. The detected sequence changes indicate modifications in molecular function and/or structure, which could be related to adaptation to an amphibious lifestyle. AQP11 orthologues appear to be the most promising candidates to have facilitated the processes of the water-to-land transition in amphibious fishes. Additionally, the signature of positive selection found in the AQP11b stem branch of the Gobiidae clade suggests a possible case of exaptation in this clade.