bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Swine Colibacillosis: Global Epidemiologic and Antimicrobial Scenario
Authors: Barros Maria Margarida , Castro Joana , Araújo Daniela , Campos Ana Maria , Oliveira Ricardo , Silva Sónia , Outor-Monteiro Divanildo , Almeida Carina
Published: March 2023

Swine pathogenic infection caused by Escherichia coli, known as swine colibacillosis, represents an epidemiological challenge not only for animal husbandry but also for health authorities. To note, virulent E. coli strains might be transmitted, and also cause disease, in humans. In the last decades, diverse successful multidrug-resistant strains have been detected, mainly due to the growing selective pressure of antibiotic use, in which animal practices have played a relevant role. In fact, according to the different features and particular virulence factor combination, there are four different pathotypes of E. coli that can cause illness in swine: enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) that comprises edema disease E. coli (EDEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Nevertheless, the most relevant pathotype in a colibacillosis scenario is ETEC, responsible for neonatal and postweaning diarrhea (PWD), in which some ETEC strains present enhanced fitness and pathogenicity. To explore the distribution of pathogenic ETEC in swine farms and their diversity, resistance, and virulence profiles, this review summarizes the most relevant works on these subjects over the past 10 years and discusses the importance of these bacteria as zoonotic agents.
Ship Defense Strategy Using a Planar Grid Formation of Multiple Drones
Authors: Kim Jonghoek
Published: March 2023

This article introduces a ship defense strategy using a planar grid formation of multiple drones. We handle a scenario where a high-speed target with variable velocity heads towards the ship. The ship measures the position of the target in real time. Based on the measured target, the drones guidance laws are calculated by the ships on-board computer and are sent to every drone in real time. The drones form a planar grid formation, whose center blocks the Line-Of-Sight (LOS) line connecting the target and the ship. Since the target is guided to hit its goal (ship), the drones can effectively block the target by blocking the LOS line. We enable slow drones to capture a fast target by making the drones stay close to the ship while blocking the LOS at all times. By using a grid formation of drones, we can increase the capture rate, even when there exists error in the prediction of the target’s position. To the best of our knowledge, this article is unique in using a formation of multiple drones to intercept a fast target with variable velocity. Through MATLAB simulations, the effectiveness of our multi-agent guidance law is verified by comparing it with other state-of-the-art guidance controls.
Refined 3D Solar Temperature Field and Effect Simulation of Ultra-High Steel Bridge Pylon
Authors: Liu Yongjian , Han Shi , Gong Boxu , Wang Zhuang , Liu Jiang , Shen Zhenlong
Published: March 2023

In order to accurately calculate the sunshine-induced temperature effect of an ultra-high bridge pylon, a refined numerical simulation model for the 3D bridge temperature field was established based on the proposed automatic sunshine shadow recognition method and pylon-height-related convection modification method. A suspension bridge H-shaped pylon with a height of 280 m was taken as an example, and the temperature field and corresponding thermal stress and deformation were calculated under typical meteorological conditions in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The results show that the maximum temperature differences between the outer surfaces of the pylon can reach 19 °C and 16 °C for north–south walls and east–west walls, respectively, and exceed the recommended value of ±5 °C in the Chinese Specification. The maximum displacements can reach 370 mm and 110 mm at the top of the bridge pylon in the longitudinal and transverse directions of the bridge, respectively. After the modification of the convective coefficient of the outer surfaces with different wind speeds at different pylon heights, the temperature gradually decreased from the top to the bottom of the pylon, with a temperature difference of 8 °C. The significant influence of the sunshine shadow was shown on the temperature field and temperature effect of the bridge pylon. By considering the shadow effect, the maximum temperature difference can reach 12 °C between adjacent sunlit and shaded areas and can reach 14 °C between two pylon columns. A significant mutation of thermal stress existed in the shaded area, and the maximum stress could be reduced by 13 MPa compared with the adjacent sunlit area. Obvious asynchronous deformation was shown between two pylon columns, and the maximum asynchronous displacement at the top of the pylon can reach 18 mm and 45 mm in the longitudinal and transverse directions, respectively.
Calcareous Tufa: Deposition and Erosion during Geological Times
Authors: Fubelli Giandomenico , Dramis Francesco
Published: March 2023

There is a general agreement in referring the deposition of calcareous tufa to climatic causes. Warm climates are believed to favor calcareous tufa formation due to higher concentrations of biogenic CO2 in soils, enhancing the dissolution rates of CaCO3 and the broader development of aquatic plants that remove CO2 from spring waters. Conversely, cold climates are considered less favorable because of the reduced biological activity of soils and the lesser development of aquatic plants. Dry climates are also considered unfavorable to the deposition of calcareous tufa due to scarcity of rainwater and the consequent reduction of water circulating in the ground and spring discharge contrary to humid climates, which, besides allowing abundant water infiltration and emergence, favor the spreading of vegetation cover, the development of biogenic processes in the soils, and the growth of aquatic plants. An additional factor controlling calcareous tufa deposition may be the temperature difference between the ground surface and the aquifer in connection with major climatic changes due to the low thermal conductivity of the limestone bedrock. With climate warming, the infiltrating water, made highly acidic when crossing the soil due to the elevated partial pressure of biogenic CO2 present therein, percolating through the progressively colder levels of the aquifer, induces a relevant dissolution of CaCO3, definitely higher than in normal conditions. At emergence, because of the higher surface temperatures, running water turbulence, photosynthetic activity of mosses and algae, and evaporation of spray droplets, the groundwater loses CO2, becoming oversaturated with CaCO3 and causing tufa deposition, even at a great distance from the spring. Opposite effects, such as the deposition of dissolved carbonate in the upper bedrock layers and the emergence of spring waters undersaturated with CaCO3, capable of further dissolution, are expected to occur with major climatic changes to cold conditions. This model appears to be confirmed by the deposition/erosion stages of calcareous tufa, which repeatedly occurred during the Holocene and the late Pleistocene in different parts of the world.
Blood from Horses and Cows In Vitro Exposed to Quaternium-15 and Thiacloprid: Haematology and Erythrocyte Osmotic Fragility Alterations
Authors: Arrigo Federica , Arfuso Francesca , Impellitteri Federica , Giannetto Claudia , Piccione Giuseppe , Faggio Caterina
Published: March 2023

Blood cells are constantly exposed to several pollutants, including xenobiotics, and they can be considered a useful target for pollution exposition of the animal. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two xenobiotics (Quaternium-15, a preservative used in personal care products, and Thiacloprid, a neonicotinoid pesticide) on the haematological profile and erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF) of equine and bovine blood samples. Ten blood samples from horses and cows were exposed for 24 h to Quaternium-15 at a concentration of 0.1 and 1 mg/L and to Thiacloprid at a concentration of 30 and 60 µg/mL. A decrease in the values of the red blood cells, white blood cells, haematocrit, haemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, and platelets, and an increase of EOF were found in blood samples exposed to xenobiotics compared to the control. According to the results gathered in the current study, the two xenobiotic compounds herein tested negatively affect the haematological indices causing haemolysis both in cattle and horse blood. This study, despite being preliminary, emphasizes the concept that blood cells are an excellent target for evaluating the effects of xenobiotics.
Real-Time Indoor Positioning Based on BLE Beacons and Pedestrian Dead Reckoning for Smartphones
Authors: Jin Zhiang , Li Yanjun , Yang Zhe , Zhang Yufan , Cheng Zhen
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, smartphones have become indispensable in people’s daily work and life. Since various sensors and communication chips have been integrated into smartphones, it has become feasible to provide indoor positioning using phones. This paper proposes such a solution based on a smartphone, combining Bluetooth low energy (BLE) and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) in the particle filter framework to realize real-time and reliable indoor positioning. First, the smartphone’s built-in accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope are used to provide data measurements and formulate a feasible method for PDR. Second, a range-free weighted centroid algorithm is proposed to realize BLE-based localization with low computation complexity. However, a single positioning technology has limitations, e.g., the cumulative error of PDR and the received signal strength fluctuation of BLE. Finally, to exploit the complementary strengths of each technology, a fusion framework utilizing a particle filter is proposed to combine PDR and BLE-based methods and provides more stable and accurate positioning results. Experiments are conducted on a floor in a campus building. Experimental results show that our proposed fused positioning method offers more accurate and stable performance in the long run compared with single PDR or BLE-based positioning. The achieved average positioning error is 1.34 m, which is reduced by 24.16% compared with PDR positioning and 10.60% compared with BLE-based positioning. Moreover, about 95% of the positioning errors are smaller than 1.7 m. The proposed fused positioning method has a vast application prospect in indoor navigation, indoor user tracking, and interactive experience for indoor visitors.
Selection of Investment Policy Using a Novel Three-Way Group Decision Model under Intuitionistic Hesitant Fuzzy Sets
Authors: Ali Wajid , Shaheen Tanzeela , Toor Hamza Ghazanfar , Akram Faraz , Uddin Md. Zia , Hassan Mohammad Mehedi
Published: March 2023

In today’s fast-paced and dynamic business environment, investment decision making is becoming increasingly complex due to the inherent uncertainty and ambiguity of the financial data. Traditional decision-making models that rely on crisp and precise data are no longer sufficient to address these challenges. Fuzzy logic-based models that can handle uncertain and imprecise data have become popular in recent years. However, they still face limitations when dealing with complex, multi-criteria decision-making problems. To overcome these limitations, in this paper, we propose a novel three-way group decision model that incorporates decision-theoretic rough sets and intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy sets to provide a more robust and accurate decision-making approach for selecting an investment policy. The decision-theoretic rough set theory is used to reduce the information redundancy and inconsistency in the group decision-making process. The intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy sets allow the decision makers to express their degrees of hesitancy in making a decision, which is not possible in traditional fuzzy sets. To combine the group opinions, we introduce novel aggregation operators under intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy sets (IHFSs), including the IHF Aczel-Alsina average (IHFAAA) operator, the IHF Aczel-Alsina weighted average (IHFAAWAϣ) operator, the IHF Aczel-Alsina ordered weighted average (IHFAAOWAϣ) operator, and the IHF Aczel-Alsina hybrid average  (IHFAAHAϣ) operator. These operators have desirable properties such as idempotency, boundedness, and monotonicity, which are essential for a reliable decision-making process. A mathematical model is presented as a case study to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model in selecting an investment policy. The results show that the proposed model is effective and provides more accurate investment policy recommendations compared to existing methods. This research can help investors and financial analysts in making better decisions and achieving their investment goals.
Deep Learning for Microstructural Characterization of Synchrotron Radiation-Based Collagen Bundle Imaging in Peri-Implant Soft Tissues
Authors: Riberti Nicole , Furlani Michele , D’Amico Emira , Comuzzi Luca , Piattelli Adriano , Iezzi Giovanna , Giuliani Alessandra
Published: March 2023

The study of the organizational kinetics in the area surrounding the transmucosal part of dental implants promises to ensure an accurate diagnosis of the healing process, in terms of osseointegration and long-term implant success. In this demonstrative work, the morphological, qualitative and quantitative characteristics of 3D images of collagen bundles obtained by synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray tomography were analyzed. Data analysis was performed using deep learning algorithms, neural networks that were applied on multiple volumes extracted from connective portions of different patients. The neural network was trained with mutually consistent examples from different patients; in particular, we used a neural network model, U-Net, well established when applying deep learning to datasets of images. It was trained not only to distinguish the collagen fibers from the background, but also to subdivide the collagen bundles based on the orientation of the fibers. In fact, differently from conventional thresholding methods, deep learning semantic segmentation assigns a label to each pixel, not only relying on grey level distribution but also on the image morphometric (shape or direction) characteristics. With the exception of Pt2 biopsies that, as confirmed by the polarized light investigation, were shown to present an immature tissue condition, the quantity, the anisotropy degree and the connectivity density of transverse bundles were always demonstrated to be higher than for longitudinal ones. These are interesting and new data; indeed, as collagen bundles are organized in an intertwining pattern, these morphometric and 3D complexity parameters, distinguished in transversal and longitudinal directions, give precise indications on the amount and distribution of connective tissue forces exerted during the healing process.
Performance Analysis of Different Gun Silencers
Authors: Kilikevičius Artūras , Giedraitis Vytautas , Kilikevičienė Kristina , Matijošius Jonas , Selech Jaroslaw , Buckiūnas Gytis , Rucki Mirosław
Published: March 2023

With the rapid development of the military industry and the increasing focus on the safety of those in these fields, there is an increasing search for solutions to existing and emerging weapons for the user and the environment. In this case, components for firearm suppression are used to reduce the effects of noxious impulse sound, to minimize the severity of the weapon’s recoil to the user’s body, and maintain important accuracy, maneuverability and other parameters. The analysis and investigation of silencer designs can provide essential values for acoustic characteristics that reduce risk in real situations. The gun silencer analysis was performed in two steps. The modeling processes of the silencer configuration were performed to choose the optimal construction, and the main parameters were selected, including different angles and forms of the tilt. The angle of inclination of the partitions was changed to 60° and 135°. Due to the reduced results observed in the last zones with closed cavities and created additional configurations, the number of partitions was shortened by three partitions and the angle of inclination was adjusted to 60°; the simulation of the initial variant was also supplemented with 135° partitions. The second step was an experimental validation of the optimal tilt angle and form according to the modeling data. The silencer was found to achieve a sound pressure damping value and the sound pressure level during the shot was reduced to below a dangerous level. The search to find the optimal configurations will lead to the parameters of production and efficiency.
Polymer-Metal Adhesion of Single-Lap Joints Using Fused Filament Fabrication Process: Aluminium with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polyamide
Authors: Martins Guilherme , Vicente Carlos M. S. , Leite Marco
Published: March 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) is often used for prototyping; however, in recent years, there have been several final product applications, namely the development of polymer-metal hybrid (PMH) components that have emerged. In this paper, the objective is to characterize the adhesion of single-lap joints between two different materials: aluminium and a polymer-based material manufactured by fused filament fabrication (FFF). Single-lap joints were fabricated using an aluminium substrate with different surface treatments: sandpaper polishing (SP) and grit blasting (GB). Three filaments for FFF were tested: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide (PA), and polyamide reinforced with short carbon fibers (PA + CF). To characterize the behaviour of these single-lap joints, mechanical tension loading tests were performed. The analysis of the fractured surface of the joints aimed to correlate the adhesion performance of each joint with the occurred failure mode. The obtained results show the impact of surface roughness (0.16 < Ra < 1.65 µm) on the mechanical properties of the PMH joint. The ultimate lap shear strength (ULSS) of PMH single-lap joints produced by FFF (1 < ULSS < 6.6 MPa) agree with the reported values in the literature and increases for substrates with a higher surface roughness, remelting of the primer (PA and PA + CF), and higher stiffness of the polymer-based adherent.
The Role of Transliterated Words in Linking Bilingual News Articles in an Archive
Authors: Khan Muzammil , Khan Sarwar Shah , Alharbi Yasser , Alferaidi Ali , Alharbi Talal Saad , Yadav Kusum
Published: March 2023

Retrieving a specific digital information object from a multi-lingual huge and evolving news archives is challenging and complicated against a user query. The processing becomes more difficult to understand and analyze when low-resourced and morphologically complex languages like Urdu and Arabic scripts are included in the archive. Computing similarity against a query and among news articles in huge and evolving collections may be inaccurate and time-consuming at run time. This paper introduces a Similarity Measure based on Transliteration Words (SMTW) from the English language in the Urdu scripts for linking news articles extracted from multiple online sources during the preservation process. The SMTW link Urdu-to-English news articles using an upgraded Urdu-to-English lexicon, including transliteration words. The SMTW was exhaustively evaluated to assess the effectiveness using different size datasets and the results were compared with the Common Ratio Measure for Dual Language (CRMDL). The experimental results show that the SMTW was more effective than the CRMDL for linking Urdu-to-English news articles. The precision improved from 50% to 60%, recall improved from 67% to 82%, and the impact of common terms also improved.
Upgrades of a Small Electrostatic Dust Accelerator at the University of Stuttgart
Authors: Li Yanwei , Bauer Marcel , Kelz Sebastian , Strack Heiko , Simolka Jonas , Mazur Christian , Sommer Maximilian , Mocker Anna , Srama Ralf
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we describe the upgrade of a small electrostatic dust accelerator located at the University of Stuttgart. The newly developed dust source, focusing lens, differential detector and linac stage were successfully installed and tested in the beam line. The input voltage range of the dust source was extended from 0–20 kV to 0–30 kV. A newly developed dust detector with two differential charge sensitive amplifiers is employed to monitor particles with speeds from several m/s to several km/s and with surface charges above 0.028 fC. The post-stage linac provides an additional acceleration ability with a total voltage of up to 120 kV. The entire system of this dust accelerator works without protection gas and without a complex high voltage terminal. The volumes to be pumped down are small and can be quickly evacuated. The new system was used to accelerate micron- and submicron-sized metal particles or coated mineral materials. Improvements in the acceleration system allow for a wider variety of dust materials and new applications.
Deformation Failure Characteristics and Maintenance Control Technologies of High-Stress Crossing-Seam Roadways: A Case Study
Authors: Xie Zhengzheng , He Zhe , Xiang Zhe , Zhang Nong , Su Jingbo , Li Yongle , Zhang Chenghao
Published: March 2023

The surrounding rock structure of the crossing-seam roadway is poor and is susceptible to anchorage failure phenomena, such as top plate sinking and convergence deformation under high ground stress. These issues can cause significant deformation of the surrounding rock over time, resulting in challenging engineering problems. To address this issue, we studied the failure modes and destabilization mechanisms of the surrounding rock in different crossing-seam roadways by field tests and numerical simulations. The results show that since the rock strata in these roadways are extremely unstable and highly susceptible to high horizontal stress, the weak surrounding rock presents the mode of full-section plastic failure. The roof is damaged more seriously than the floor and both walls. In this case, the basic anchorage layer in the original scheme is not thick and rigid enough to support these roadways. Thus, the surrounding rock deforms severely and persistently, which is one of the engineering failure characteristics. To solve this problem, a new scheme of “prompt thick-layer end anchorage + full-length lag grouting anchorage + secondary continuous reinforcement” was proposed based on the continuous roof control theory. According to the industrial test, this scheme can successfully control the long-term large deformation of the weak surrounding rock in crossing-seam roadways. Notably, the deformation of the top plate decreased by 56.65% and the deformation of the two walls decreased by 66.35%. Its design concept will provide important references for controlling the surrounding rock in similar soft rock roadways.
Comparative Studies on Steel Corrosion Resistance of Different Inhibitors in Chloride Environment: The Effects of Multi-Functional Protective Film
Authors: Cui Lei , Gao Xiaojian , Hang Meiyan , Chen Tiefeng
Published: March 2023

A corrosion inhibitor was widely used to improve corrosion resistance of steel bar in reinforcement concrete structure. A kind of multi-component corrosion inhibitor, which is composed of organic and inorganic substances, was developed in this research. This corrosion inhibitor was comparatively studied with various other inhibitors by using open circuit potential (OCP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods. The results show that the OCP values and charge transfer resistance (calculated by EIS curves) of the multi-component corrosion inhibitor remain, respectively, as high as −0.45 V and 932.19 kΩ·cm−2 after 60 days immersion, which are significantly better than other groups. Wide passivation interval and various peaks in cyclic voltammograms (CV) were applied to analyze the mechanism of adsorption (organic substance) and oxidation–reduction reactions (inorganic substance). The functional groups -OH in triethanolamine (TEA) and tri-isopropanolamine (TIPA) bond to the steel bar surface quickly, behaving as an adsorbent of organic substance in early age. An additional protective precipitate related to the reactions of Fe3+ was formed by inorganic substances (Fe2(MoO4)3 and FePO4), which is consistent with the EIS results and equivalent electrochemical circuits. As an eco-friendly substitute, multi-component corrosion inhibitors possess similar or even better protecting effects on steel bars in comparison to calcium nitrite. In addition, the concept of a “multi-functional protective film” was proposed, providing a new insight to achieve modified anti-corrosion capacity of inhibitors.
BTDM: A Bi-Directional Translating Decoding Model-Based Relational Triple Extraction
Authors: Zhang Zhi , Yang Junan , Liu Hui , Hu Pengjiang
Published: March 2023

The goal of relational triple extraction is to extract knowledge-rich relational triples from unstructured text. Although the previous methods obtain considerable performance, there are still some problems, such as error propagation, the overlapping triple problem, and suboptimal subject–object alignment. To address the shortcomings above, in this paper, we decompose this task into three subtasks from a fresh perspective: entity extraction, subject–object alignment and relation judgement, as well as propose a novel bi-directional translating decoding model (BTDM). Specifically, a bidirectional translating decoding structure is designed to perform entity extraction and subject–object alignment, which decodes entity pairs from both forward and backward extraction. The bidirectional structure effectively mitigates the error propagation problem and aligns the subject–object pairs. The translating decoding approach handles the overlapping triple problem. Finally, a (entity pair, relation) bipartite graph is designed to achieve practical relationship judgement. Experiments show that our model outperforms previous methods and achieves state-of-the-art performance on NYT and WebNLG. We achieved F1-scores of 92.7% and 93.8% on the two datasets. Meanwhile, in various complementary experiments on complex scenarios, our model demonstrates consistent performance gain in various complex scenarios.
A Self-Supervised Tree-Structured Framework for Fine-Grained Classification
Authors: Cai Qihang , Niu Lei , Shang Xibin , Ding Heng
Published: March 2023

In computer vision, fine-grained classification has become an important issue in recognizing objects with slight visual differences. Usually, it is challenging to generate good performance when solving fine-grained classification problems using traditional convolutional neural networks. To improve the accuracy and training time of convolutional neural networks in solving fine-grained classification problems, this paper proposes a tree-structured framework by eliminating the effect of differences between clusters. The contributions of the proposed method include the following three aspects: (1) a self-supervised method that automatically creates a classification tree, eliminating the need for manual labeling; (2) a machine-learning matcher which determines the cluster to which an item belongs, minimizing the impact of inter-cluster variations on classification; and (3) a pruning criterion which filters the tree-structured classifier, retaining only the models with superior classification performance. The experimental evaluation of the proposed tree-structured framework demonstrates its effectiveness in reducing training time and improving the accuracy of fine-grained classification across various datasets in comparison with conventional convolutional neural network models. Specifically, for the CUB 200 2011, FGVC aircraft, and Stanford car datasets, the proposed method achieves a reduction in training time of 32.91%, 35.87%, and 14.48%, and improves the accuracy of fine-grained classification by 1.17%, 2.01%, and 0.59%, respectively.
Research on Wavelet Transform Modulus Maxima and OTSU in Edge Detection
Authors: You Ning , Han Libo , Liu Yuming , Zhu Daming , Zuo Xiaoqing , Song Weiwei
Published: March 2023

During routine bridge maintenance, edge detection allows the partial condition of the bridge to be viewed. However, many edge detection methods often have unsatisfactory performances when dealing with images with complex backgrounds. Moreover, the processing often involves the manual selection of thresholds, which can result in repeated testing and comparisons. To address these problems in this paper, the wavelet transform modulus maxima method is used to detect the target image, and then the threshold value of the image can be determined automatically according to the OTSU method to remove the pseudo-edges. Thus, the real image edges can be detected. The results show that the information entropy and SSIM of the detection results are the highest when compared with the commonly used Canny and Laplace algorithms, which means that the detection quality is optimal. To more fully illustrate the advantages of the algorithms, images with more complex backgrounds were detected and the processing results of the algorithms in this paper are still optimal. In addition, the automatic selection of thresholds saves the operator’s effort and improves the detection efficiency. Thanks to the combined use of the above two methods, detection quality and efficiency are significantly improved, which has a good application in engineering practice.
Research on the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Pentamaran in Calm Water and Regular Waves
Authors: Zhao Bowen , Jiang Haoyu , Sun Jiyuan , Zhang Dapeng
Published: March 2023

As a typical multi-hull ship, the pentamaran has a wider deck, higher damage stability, and low-speed seaworthiness in harsh sea conditions compared with other multi-hull types such as the catamaran and trimaran, having more potential for becoming a new type of freight merchant ship in line with the development trend of the marine economy. In this paper, on the basis of the finite volume method, the numerical simulations and detailed comparative analysis of the monohull and pentamaran in viscous flow were carried out. The resistance prediction in calm water and regular waves and the changes of each resistance component of the pentamaran were explored. The dynamic fluid body interaction (DFBI) module was used for the calculations in calm water, and the overset mesh was used for the calculations in regular waves. The results show that in calm water, the adverse effect of the side hulls on the resistance was mainly reflected in the low-speed range. In the high-speed range, the influence of the side hulls on the resistance can be ignored. At high speeds, the main hull and side hulls of the pentamaran will produce favorable wave-making interference, thereby improving the wave-making performance of the pentamaran. In regular waves, although the added resistance of the pentamaran increased most of the time, its amplitude was smaller than that of the monohull under the same wave condition. This work provides a technical basis for the research on the design and hydrodynamic performance of the pentamaran.
Special Issue on Authentication of Honey
Authors: Serrano Salud
Published: March 2023

Honey is an appreciated and widely used product, not only due to its nutritional aspects, but also its medical properties [...]
Neural Network-Based Identification of Cloud Types from Ground-Based Images of Cloud Layers
Authors: Li Zijun , Kong Hoiio , Wong Chan-Seng
Published: March 2023

Clouds are a significant factor in regional climates and play a crucial role in regulating the Earth’s water cycle through the interaction of sunlight and wind. Meteorological agencies around the world must regularly observe and record cloud data. Unfortunately, the current methods for collecting cloud data mainly rely on manual observation. This paper presents a novel approach to identifying ground-based cloud images to aid in the collection of cloud data. However, there is currently no publicly available dataset that is suitable for this research. To solve this, we built a dataset of surface-shot images of clouds called the SSC, which was overseen by the Macao Meteorological Society. Compared to previous datasets, the SSC dataset offers a more balanced distribution of data samples across various cloud genera and provides a more precise classification of cloud genera. This paper presents a method for identifying cloud genera based on cloud texture, using convolutional neural networks. To extract cloud texture effectively, we apply Gamma Correction to the images. The experiments were conducted on the SSC dataset. The results show that the proposed model performs well in identifying 10 cloud genera, achieving an accuracy rate of 80% for the top three possibilities.
Organic Matter Structural Composition of Vascular Epiphytic Suspended Soils of South Vietnam
Authors: Abakumov Evgeny , Eskov Alen
Published: March 2023

The biosphere organic matter is stored in nature in various forms. Most of it is associated with classical terrestrial organo-mineral soils. The carbon of woody plant biomass is counted separately from soil as carbon of the standing biomass. Nevertheless, humification as a universal process already begins in plant residues before they reach the surface of the classical tropical mineral soil. Moreover, in tropical humid-forest ecosystems, most of the organic matter does not reach the soil surface at all and accumulates in the state of suspended soils. The data obtained in this study characterize, for the first time, the component and structural composition of the organic matter of plant residues of suspended soils, as well as the products of their transformation—humic substances formed in suspended soils. With the use of micro morphological methods, it was shown that humification appears in merged areas of organic remnants. There were statistically significant differences in the elemental composition of humic acids and initial organic material for all elements—C, H, O and N. It has been shown that the aliphatic part dominates (75–93%) in the initial organic materials of suspended soils, whereas the humic substances are characterized by a relatively increased fraction of aromatic fragments (31–42%) in the composition of their molecules, which confirms that humification takes place. Thus, even in the suspended soils, classical humification occurs, and this is not limited by the low content of mineral particles and cations in the suspended soils and the rather acidic reaction of the material. Therefore, the existence of tiering and the formation of the corresponding layers of suspended soils is accompanied by the stabilization and humification of organic matter, which is accompanied by a radical change in its structural and component composition. This process is the “natural biotechnology” of organic matter conservation and stabilization is discussed in article.
Design and Simulation of Aerosol Inlet System for Particulate Matter with a Wide Size Range
Authors: Du Xubing , Zhuo Zeming , Li Xue , Li Xuan , Li Mei , Yang Junlin , Zhou Zhen , Gao Wei , Huang Zhengxu , Li Lei
Published: March 2023

A novel aerodynamic lens-based inlet system was developed for a wide particle size range, and it could extend the size range of transmitted particulate matter (PM) to 50 nm–10 μm. The lens system adopted a seven-stage aerodynamic focusing orifice to extend the range of transmitted PM, and a relaxation system with a virtual impact function was introduced at the front of the aerodynamic lens. Through the innovative design, the system could concentrate the input samples as well as effectively enhance the focusing effect on large PM. Furthermore, an additional aerodynamic pre-focusing inlet system was innovatively added to the front of the sampling orifice of the traditional aerodynamic lens, and it could pre-focus large PM into the axis region before it entered the small orifice and then solve the previous problem with loss of large PM. Fluid simulations indicated that the inlet system could achieve 100% effective transmission and focusing for PM in the range of 0.18–10 μm. The characterization and verification results obtained from the improved single-particle aerosol mass spectrometer (SPAMS) were remarkably consistent with the theoretical values. The practical tests indicated that bioaerosol particles up to 10 μm could be detected. Compared with the observation for the same type of lens, the focusing performance of this novel lens system has better advantages in particle size range and transmission efficiency and therefore, it has broad application prospects in bioaerosol research, single-cell analysis, etc.
Characteristics, Ozone Formation Potential and Sources of VOCs in Shandong Province, Eastern China
Authors: Cao Fangfang , Tan Li , Shi Jinghua , Li Jinjun , Xu Xiuyan , Chen Ye , Zhang Fengju , You Xihua
Published: March 2023

Between 9 July and 19 August 2016, the air concentrations of 57 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured in Shandong Province, eastern China. Seven sampling sites representing urban, coastal and background sites were selected for sampling. The measured data were employed to investigate the VOCs’ characteristics, ozone formation potential, and main sources. During the sampling period, the concentrations of the VOCs ranged between 15.3 and 883 ppbv, with a mean of 139 ppbv. The most severely polluted city was Zibo (833 ppbv), followed by Jinan (33.5 ppbv) and Qingdao (32.8 ppbv). Propane was the most abundant species in all of the sampling sites, with a concentration range of 1.05–9.86 ppbv. Ethene, i-butane, 1-butene, cis-2-butene, n-butane, i-pentane, n-pentane, benzene and toluene were the predominant species in both the urban and coastal sites. Propylene equivalent concentrations (Pro-Equiv) and maximum incremental reactivity (MIR) were employed to assess the reactivity and contribution of each species to the photochemical ozone formation. The results showed that alkenes and aromatics were the most active species performing a key function in the ozone formation, accounting for 43.9–90.7% of the Pro-Equiv and 41.0–93% of the ozone formation potential (OFP). The ratios of ethylbenzene and m/p-xylene were calculated, and the results showed that local emissions were the main sources. Gasoline exhaust/fuel evaporation, industry process/solvent usage, diesel exhaust/petrochemical emission and coal burning were the dominant sources of VOCs in Shandong Province.
A Proof of Chaos for a Seasonally Perturbed Version of Goodwin Growth Cycle Model: Linear and Nonlinear Formulations
Authors: Pireddu Marina
Published: March 2023

We show the existence of complex dynamics for a seasonally perturbed version of the Goodwin growth cycle model, both in its original formulation and for a modified formulation, encompassing nonlinear expressions of the real wage bargaining function and of the investment function. The need to deal with a modified formulation of the Goodwin model is connected with the economically sensible position of orbits, which have to lie in the unit square, in contrast to what occurs in the model’s original formulation. In proving the existence of chaos, we follow the seminal idea by Goodwin of studying forced models in economics. Namely, the original and the modified formulations of Goodwin model are described by Hamiltonian systems, characterized by the presence of a nonisochronous center, and the seasonal variation of the parameter, representing the ratio between capital and output, which is common to both frameworks, is empirically grounded. Hence, exploiting the periodic dependence on time of that model parameter we enter the framework of Linked Twist Maps. The topological results valid in this context allow us to prove that the Poincaré map, associated with the considered systems, is chaotic, focusing on sets that lie in the unit square, and also when dealing with the original version of the Goodwin model. Accordingly, the trademark features of chaos follow, such as sensitive dependence on initial conditions and positive topological entropy.
Should the Identification Guidelines for Siamese Crocodiles Be Revised? Differing Post-Occipital Scute Scale Numbers Show Phenotypic Variation Does Not Result from Hybridization with Saltwater Crocodiles
Authors: Ariyaraphong Nattakan , Wongloet Wongsathit , Wattanadilokchatkun Pish , Panthum Thitipong , Singchat Worapong , Thong Thanyapat , Lisachov Artem , Ahmad Syed Farhan , Muangmai Narongrit , Han Kyudong , Duengkae Prateep , Temsiripong Yosapong , Srikulnath Kornsorn
Published: March 2023

Populations of Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) have severely declined because of hunting and habitat fragmentation, necessitating a reintroduction plan involving commercial captive-bred populations. However, hybridization between Siamese and saltwater crocodiles (C. porosus) has occurred in captivity. Siamese crocodiles commonly have post-occipital scutes (P.O.) with 4–6 scales, but 2–6 P.O. scales were found in captives on Thai farms. Here, the genetic diversity and population structure of Siamese crocodiles with large P.O. variations and saltwater crocodiles were analyzed using mitochondrial DNA D-loop and microsatellite genotyping. Possible crocodile hybrids or phenotypic variations were ascertained by comparison with our previous library from the Siam Crocodile Bioresource Project. Siamese crocodiles with <4 P.O. scales in a row exhibit normal species-level phenotypic variation. This evidence encourages the revised description of Siamese crocodiles. Moreover, the STRUCTURE plot revealed large distinct gene pools, suggesting crocodiles in each farm were derived from distinct lineages. However, combining both genetic approaches provides evidence of introgression for several individual crocodiles, suggesting possible hybridization between Siamese and saltwater crocodiles. We proposed a schematic protocol with patterns observed in phenotypic and molecular data to screen hybrids. Identifying non-hybrid and hybrid individuals is important for long-term in situ/ex situ conservation.
Effects of Mass Change on Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation of the RNA-Binding Protein Fused in Sarcoma
Authors: Dong Weiqian , Tang Chun , Chu Wen-Ting , Wang Erkang , Wang Jin
Published: March 2023

In recent years, many experimental and theoretical studies of protein liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) have shown its important role in the processes of physiology and pathology. However, there is a lack of definite information on the regulation mechanism of LLPS in vital activities. Recently, we found that the intrinsically disordered proteins with the insertion/deletion of a non-interacting peptide segment or upon isotope replacement could form droplets, and the LLPS states are different from the proteins without those. We believed that there is an opportunity to decipher the LLPS mechanism with the mass change perspective. To investigate the effect of molecular mass on LLPS, we developed a coarse-grained model with different bead masses, including mass 1.0, mass 1.1, mass 1.2, mass 1.3, and mass 1.5 in atomic units or with the insertion of a non-interacting peptide (10 aa) and performed molecular dynamic simulations. Consequently, we found that the mass increase promotes the LLPS stability, which is based on decreasing the z motion rate and increasing the density and the inter-chain interaction of droplets. This insight into LLPS by mass change paves the way for the regulation and relevant diseases on LLPS.
Oscillating Glucose Induces the Increase in Inflammatory Stress through Ninjurin-1 Up-Regulation and Stimulation of Transport Proteins in Human Endothelial Cells
Authors: Toma Laura , Sanda Gabriela M. , Stancu Camelia S. , Niculescu Loredan S. , Raileanu Mina , Sima Anca V.
Published: March 2023

Clinical data implicate fluctuations of high levels of plasma glucose in cardiovascular diseases. Endothelial cells (EC) are the first cells of the vessel wall exposed to them. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of oscillating glucose (OG) on EC function and to decipher new molecular mechanisms involved. Cultured human ECs (EA.hy926 line and primary cells) were exposed to OG (5/25 mM alternatively at 3 h), constant HG (25 mM) or physiological concentration (5 mM, NG) for 72 h. Markers of inflammation (Ninj-1, MCP-1, RAGE, TNFR1, NF-kB, and p38 MAPK), oxidative stress (ROS, VPO1, and HO-1), and transendothelial transport proteins (SR-BI, caveolin-1, and VAMP-3) were assessed. Inhibitors of ROS (NAC), NF-kB (Bay 11-7085), and Ninj-1 silencing were used to identify the mechanisms of OG-induced EC dysfunction. The results revealed that OG determined an increased expression of Ninj-1, MCP-1, RAGE, TNFR1, SR-B1, and VAMP-3 andstimulated monocyte adhesion. All of these effects were induced bymechanisms involving ROS production or NF-kB activation. NINJ-1 silencing inhibited the upregulation of caveolin-1 and VAMP-3 induced by OG in EC. In conclusion, OG induces increased inflammatory stress, ROS production, and NF-kB activation and stimulates transendothelial transport. To this end, we propose a novel mechanism linking Ninj-1 up-regulation to increased expression of transendothelial transport proteins.
AmberMDrun: A Scripting Tool for Running Amber MD in an Easy Way
Authors: Zhang Zhi-Wei , Lu Wen-Cai
Published: March 2023

MD simulations have been widely applied and become a powerful tool in the field of biomacromolecule simulations and computer-aided drug design, etc., which can estimate binding free energy between receptor and ligand. However, the inputs and force field preparation for performing Amber MD is somewhat complicated, and challenging for beginners. To address this issue, we have developed a script for automatically preparing Amber MD input files, balancing the system, performing Amber MD for production, and predicting receptor-ligand binding free energy. This script is open-source, extensible and can support customization. The core code is written in C++ and has a Python interface, providing both efficient performance and convenience.
Optimization Strategy of Rolling Mill Hydraulic Roll Gap Control System Based on Improved Particle Swarm PID Algorithm
Authors: Yu Ying , Zeng Ruifeng , Xue Yuezhao , Zhao Xiaoguo
Published: March 2023

Medium and heavy plates are important strategic materials, which are widely used in many fields, such as large ships, weapons and armor, large bridges, and super high-rise buildings. However, the traditional control technology cannot meet the high-precision control requirements of the roll gap of the thick plate mill, resulting in errors in the thickness of the medium and heavy plate, thereby reducing the quality of the product. In response to this problem, this paper takes the 5500 mm thick plate production line as the research background, and establishes the model of the rolling mill plate thickness automatic control system, using the Ziegler–Nichol response curve method (Z-N), particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and linear weight particle swarm optimization (LWPSO) algorithm, respectively, optimizes the parameter setting of the PID controller of the system, and uses OPC UA communication technology to realize the online semi-physical simulation of Siemens S7-1500 series PLC (Siemens, Munich, Germany) and MATLAB R2018b (The MathWorks, Natick, Massachusetts, United States). Comparative studies show that when the same roll gap displacement step signal is given, the overshoot of the system response using the LWPSO algorithm is reduced by 14.26% and 10.18% compared with the Z-N algorithm and the PSO algorithm, and the peak time is advanced by 0.31 s and 0.05 s. The stabilization time is reduced by 3.71 s and 4.31 s, which effectively improves the control accuracy and speed of the system and has stronger anti-interference ability. It has certain engineering reference and application value.
New and Improved Nanomaterials and Approaches for Optical Bio- and Immunosensors
Authors: Dzantiev Boris B.
Published: March 2023

The current state in the development of biosensors is largely associated with the search for new approaches to simplify measurements and lower detection limits [...]