bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral Macrocystis pyrifera Fucoidan Administration Exhibits Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties and Improves DSS-Induced Colitis in C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Ahmad Tauseef , Ishaq Muhammad , Karpiniec Samuel , Park Ahyoung , Stringer Damien , Singh Neeraj , Ratanpaul Vishal , Wolfswinkel Karen , Fitton Helen , Caruso Vanni , Eri Rajaraman
Published: November 2022

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex and multifactorial disorder characterised by relapsing and remitting inflammation of the intestinal tract. Oxidative stress (OS) is the result of an imbalance between production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which has been associated with inflammatory responses and implicated in the exacerbation of IBD. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide from brown seaweed, is a well-known anti-inflammatory agent and emerging evidence indicates that fucoidan extracts from Macrocystis pyrifera (MPF and DP-MPF) may also modulate oxidative stress. This study investigated the impact of fucoidan extracts, MPF and DP-MPF in a dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced mouse model of acute colitis. 3% DSS was administered in C57BL/6J male mice over a period of 7 days, and MPF and DP-MPF were co-administered orally at a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight. Our results indicated that MPF and DP-MPF significantly prevented body weight loss, improved the disease activity index (DAI), restored colon lengths, reduced the wet colon weight, reduced spleen enlargement, and improved the overall histopathological score. Consistent with the reported anti-inflammatory functions, fucoidan extracts, MPF and DP-MPF significantly reduced the colonic levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased the levels of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). In addition, MPF and DP-MPF significantly inhibited levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in colon-derived tissues. Collectively, our results indicate that MPF and DP-MPF exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects representing a promising therapeutic strategy for the cure of IBD.
Development of Guar Gum-Pectin-Based Colon Targeted Solid Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System of Xanthohumol
Authors: Hanmantrao Mahesh , Chaterjee Sourabh , Kumar Rajan , Vishwas Sukriti , Harish Vancha , Porwal Omji , Alrouji Mohammed , Alomeir Othman , Alhajlah Sharif , Gulati Monica , Gupta Gaurav , Dua Kamal , Singh Sachin Kumar
Published: November 2022

Present study deciphers development of oral polysaccharide-based colon targeted solid self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (S-SNEDDS) of xanthohumol (XH). Several studies have shown that XH has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, suggesting that it could be a good candidate for the treatment of colorectal diseases (CRD). Despite its potential, XH has a low aqueous solubility. As a result, its bioavailability is constrained by the dissolution rate. The liquid (L)-SNEDDS was constituted using Labrafac PG as oil, Tween 80 as surfactant and Transcutol P as co-surfactant. The L-SNEDDS was then adsorbed onto the surface of guar gum and pectin and developed into S-SNEDDS powder. Ternary phase diagram was used to optimize the process of developing L-SNEDDS. The formulation showed mean droplet size of 118.96 ± 5.94 nm and zeta potential of −19.08 ± 0.95 mV and drug loading of 94.20 ± 4.71%. Dissolution studies carried out in medium containing rat caecal contents (RCC) represented the targeted release of S-SNEDDS powder. It was observed that S-SNEDDS showed less than 10% release XH in initial 5 h and rapid release occurred between the 5th and 10th hour. Results of cytotoxicity studies revealed good cytotoxicity of XH loaded S-SNEDDS for Caco2 cells as compared to raw-XH.
Inhibition of Crystal Nucleation and Growth in Aqueous Drug Solutions: Impact of Different Polymers on the Supersaturation Profiles of Amorphous Drugs—The Case of Alpha-Mangostin
Authors: Budiman Arif , Citraloka Zahra Ganesya , Muchtaridi Muchtaridi , Sriwidodo Sriwidodo , Aulifa Diah Lia , Rusdin Agus
Published: November 2022

The polymer used in supersaturated solutions plays a critical role in maintaining supersaturation levels of amorphous drugs. The prevention of drug crystallization in the supersaturated solutions by adding polymers depends on their ability to inhibit nucleation and crystal growth of drugs. This showed that understanding the mechanism of nucleation inhibition by polymers is necessary to develop the drug formulation in supersaturated solutions. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of water-soluble polymers on the supersaturation behavior of drugs and elucidate the mechanism of maintaining the supersaturation levels in an aqueous solution. It was carried out using alpha-mangostin (AM) as a model of the poorly water-soluble drug, while hypromellose (HPMC), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and eudragit were used as polymers. Their ability to inhibit the nucleation and crystal growth of AM was also evaluated. The supersaturation profiles of AM were measured in biorelevant dissolution media, while the crystal growth rate of AM was evaluated from the decrease in dissolved drug concentration by determining the induction time for AM nucleation. The interaction of AM with each polymer was evaluated and predicted by FT-IR, NMR measurement, and an in silico study, respectively. Based on observation, the PVP effectively maintained AM in a supersaturated state for the long term while eudragit conserved for 15 min. Meanwhile, an inhibitory effect of HPMC on the AM crystal nucleation was not observed. It was also discovered that the effectiveness of the various polymers depends on the interaction between the polymer and the drug. FT-IR and in silico studies demonstrated that the interaction of PVP-AM had the best polymer compared to eudragit and HPMC. NMR analysis suggested that the interaction between the methyl group from PVP with the carbonyl group of AM occurred in the PVP solution. The viscosity measurement revealed that the inhibition of nucleation and crystal growth of AM was not caused by increasing the viscosity. These results indicated that polymer–AM interactions could contribute to the crystallization inhibition and maintenance of AM in a supersaturated state. Therefore, an investigation of the mechanism of drug nucleation inhibition by polymers is recommended in the selection of crystallization inhibitors and a planned strategy to develop supersaturated formulations of drugs.
Antisense Oligonucleotide Therapy for the Nervous System: From Bench to Bedside with Emphasis on Pediatric Neurology
Authors: Amanat Man , Nemeth Christina L. , Fine Amena Smith , Leung Doris G. , Fatemi Ali
Published: November 2022

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are disease-modifying agents affecting protein-coding and noncoding ribonucleic acids. Depending on the chemical modification and the location of hybridization, ASOs are able to reduce the level of toxic proteins, increase the level of functional protein, or modify the structure of impaired protein to improve function. There are multiple challenges in delivering ASOs to their site of action. Chemical modifications in the phosphodiester bond, nucleotide sugar, and nucleobase can increase structural thermodynamic stability and prevent ASO degradation. Furthermore, different particles, including viral vectors, conjugated peptides, conjugated antibodies, and nanocarriers, may improve ASO delivery. To date, six ASOs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in three neurological disorders: spinal muscular atrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and polyneuropathy caused by hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis. Ongoing preclinical and clinical studies are assessing the safety and efficacy of ASOs in multiple genetic and acquired neurological conditions. The current review provides an update on underlying mechanisms, design, chemical modifications, and delivery of ASOs. The administration of FDA-approved ASOs in neurological disorders is described, and current evidence on the safety and efficacy of ASOs in other neurological conditions, including pediatric neurological disorders, is reviewed.
Directly Modulated Tunable Single-Mode Lasers Based on a Coupled Microcavity
Authors: Wang Miao-Qing , Hao You-Zeng , Zhang Zhen-Ning , Zhang Bin , Yang Yue-De , Xiao Jin-Long , Teixeira António L. , Huang Yong-Zhen
Published: November 2022

In this work, we investigate an alternative directly modulated laser solution with applications to multiwavelength 25 Gb/s systems. The presented solution is based on a hybrid square/rhombus-rectangular laser (HSRRL), which consists of a Fabry–Pérot (FP) cavity and a square/rhombus microcavity (SRM). This structure is implemented and demonstrates single-mode lasing over a wide wavelength tuning range (30.8 nm). Single-mode operation is achieved with a side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) greater than 30 dB and a linewidth of 10 MHz. Furthermore, with an electrical 3 dB bandwidth of 10 GHz. It is possible to directly modulate at 25 Gb/s with promising performance. These devices are simple and they are expected to meet the cost and power requirements of current networks.
Mode-Conversion-Based Chirped Bragg Gratings on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate
Authors: Tu Donghe , Huang Xingrui , Yin Yuxiang , Yu Hang , Yu Zhiguo , Guan Huan , Li Zhiyong
Published: November 2022

In this work, we propose a mode-conversion-based chirped Bragg grating on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN). The device is mainly composed of a 4.7-mm long chirped asymmetric Bragg grating and an adiabatic directional coupler (ADC). The mode conversion introduced by the ADC allows the chirped Bragg grating operates in reflection without using an off-chip circulator. The proposed device has experimentally achieved a total time delay of 73.4 ps over an operating bandwidth of 15 nm. This mode-conversion-based chirped Bragg grating shows excellent compatibility with other devices on TFLN, making it suitable in monolithically integrated microwave photonics, sensing, and optical communication systems.
Niobium Pentoxide Films with High Laser-Induced Damage Threshold under High Temperature Environment
Authors: Gao Yi , Zhang Miao , Han Sun , Xu Leihua , Li Dawei , Feng Peizhong , Xu Cheng
Published: November 2022

Laser damage resistance of films is the key to the performance and durability of high-power laser systems. High temperature, however, often leads to a certain degree of decline in film properties. Here, aiming to explore the mechanism of laser damage under high temperatures, Nb2O5 films were prepared using sol–gel method with NbCl5 as precursor and citric acid as additive. The effect of annealing temperatures in optical performance, microstructure, surface morphologies, and chemical composition of films were studied. Further investigation was carried out of the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) under different in situ high temperatures of the as-deposited films. The results showed that the films had prominent optical transmittance and high LIDT. Under 293 K, the LIDT of the film was the highest of 24.8 J/cm2. The increase of temperature brought down the LIDT of the films. It was attributed to the occurrence of oxygen vacancies, the sharp increase of temperature, and rise of defects and destruction of network structure. In this study, even though the LIDT of the film decreased a lot at 523 K, it was still high up to 14.1 J/cm2, representing the great potential for applications in authentic high-temperature environments.
Light Quality Impacts Vertical Growth Rate, Phytochemical Yield and Cannabinoid Production Efficiency in Cannabis sativa
Authors: Morello Victorio , Brousseau Vincent Desaulniers , Wu Natalie , Wu Bo-Sen , MacPherson Sarah , Lefsrud Mark
Published: November 2022

Light is one of the most crucial parameters for enclosed cannabis (Cannabis sativa) production, as it highly influences growth, secondary metabolite production, and operational costs. The objective of this study was to investigate and evaluate the impact of six light spectra on C. sativa (‘Babbas Erkle Cookies’ accession) growth traits and secondary metabolite (cannabinoid and terpene) profiles. The light spectra evaluated included blue (430 nm), red (630 nm), rose (430 + 630 nm, ratio 1:10), purple (430 + 630 nm, ratio 2:1), and amber (595 nm) LED treatments, in addition to a high-pressure sodium (HPS, amber-rich light) treatment as a control. All the LED light treatments had lower fresh mean inflorescence mass than the control (HPS, 133.59 g plant−1), and monochromatic blue light yielded the least fresh inflorescence mass (76.39 g plant−1). Measurement of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration (%) and total yield (g plant−1) showed how inflorescence mass and THC concentration need to be analyzed conjointly. Blue treatment resulted in the highest THC concentration (10.17% m/m), yet the lowest THC concentration per plant (1.44 g plant−1). The highest THC concentration per plant was achieved with HPS (2.54 g plant−1). As with THC, blue light increased cannabigerol (CBG) and terpene concentration. Conversely, blue light had a lesser impact on cannabidiol (CBD) biosynthesis in this C. sativa chemotype. As the combined effects of the light spectrum on both growth traits and secondary metabolites have important ramifications for the industry, the inappropriate spectral design could cause a reduction in cannabinoid production (20–40%). These findings show promise in helping producers choose spectral designs that meet specific C. sativa production goals.
Time Course RNA-seq Reveals Soybean Responses against Root-Lesion Nematode and Resistance Players
Authors: Lopes-Caitar Valéria Stefania , Nomura Rafael Bruno Guayato , Hishinuma-Silva Suellen Mika , de Carvalho Mayra Costa da Cruz Gallo , Abdelnoor Ricardo Vilela , Dias Waldir Pereira , Marcelino-Guimarães Francismar Corrêa
Published: November 2022

Pratylenchus brachyurus causes serious damage to soybean production and other crops worldwide. Plant molecular responses to RLN infection remain largely unknown and no resistance genes have been identified in soybean. In this study, we analyzed molecular responses to RLN infection in moderately resistant BRSGO (Chapadões—BRS) and susceptible TMG115 RR (TMG) Glycine max genotypes. Differential expression analysis revealed two stages of response to RLN infection and a set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the first stage suggested a pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) in both genotypes. The divergent time-point of DEGs between genotypes was observed four days post-infection, which included the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and plant–pathogen interaction genes in the BRS, suggesting the occurrence of an effector-triggered immunity response (ETI) in BRS. The co-expression analyses combined with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) uncovered a key element, a transcription factor phytochrome-interacting factor (PIF7) that is a potential regulator of moderate resistance to RLN infection. Two genes for resistance-related leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins were found as BRS-specific expressed genes. In addition, alternative splicing analysis revealed an intron retention in a myo-inositol oxygenase (MIOX) transcript, a gene related to susceptibility, may cause a loss of function in BRS.
In planta Production and Validation of Neuraminidase Derived from Genotype 4 Reassortant Eurasian Avian-like H1N1 Virus as a Vaccine Candidate
Authors: Kim Da Been , Lee Sun Min , Geem Kyoung Rok , Kim Jitae , Kim Eui Ho , Lee Dong Wook
Published: November 2022

Influenza viruses are a major public health threat that causes repetitive outbreaks. In recent years, genotype 4 (G4) reassortant Eurasian avian-like (EA) H1N1 (G4 EA H1N1) has garnered attention as a potential novel pandemic strain. The necessity of developing vaccines against G4 EA H1N1 is growing because of the increasing cases of human infection and the low cross-reactivity of the strain with current immunity. In this study, we produced a G4 EA H1N1-derived neuraminidase (G4NA) as a vaccine candidate in Nicotiana benthamiana. The expressed G4NA was designed to be accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The M-domain of the human receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase C was incorporated into the expression cassette to enhance the translation of G4NA. In addition, the family 3 cellulose-binding module and Brachypodium distachyon small ubiquitin-like modifier sequences were used to enable the cost-effective purification and removal of unnecessary domains after purification, respectively. The G4NA produced in plants displayed high solubility and assembled as a tetramer, which is required for the efficacy of an NA-based vaccine. In a mouse immunization model, the G4NA produced in plants could induce significant humoral immune responses. The plant-produced G4NA also stimulated antigen-specific CD4 T cell activation. These G4NA vaccine-induced immune responses were intensified by the administration of the antigen with a vaccine adjuvant. These results suggest that G4NA produced in plants has great potential as a vaccine candidate against G4 EA H1N1.
Contribution of Fertilizer, Density and Row Spacing Practices for Maize Yield and Efficiency Enhancement in Northeast China
Authors: Piao Lin , Zhang Shiyu , Yan Junyao , Xiang Tianxu , Chen Yang , Li Ming , Gu Wanrong
Published: November 2022

The research aimed to assess the contribution of fertilizer, density, and row spacing in integrated cultivation measures and identify their regulation mechanism on canopy architecture and factors in biomass accumulation in spring maize. Zhengdan 958 was used as the experimental material, and the optimum mode (OM) was identified based on a preliminary experiment, including the optimal fertilizer management, suitable plant density and wide-narrow row spacing, and dramatic yield performance (11,445.16 kg ha−1 in 2017). Then, the effects of these practices on maize canopy structure performance were analyzed using the omission factors design experiment in optimum mode (OM). Treatments were set as follows: without fertilization (OM-F), without density (OM-D), and without wide-narrow plant spacing (OM-S). The results showed that the contribution of fertilization was maximum (23.85%), the second was intensive planting (16.05%), which promoted nitrogen accumulation and transport in leaves and stems via increased leaf area index and dry matter accumulation around the anthesis simultaneously, elevating the radiation utilization efficiency of the canopy and allowing a higher grain weight to be obtained. Wide-narrow row spacing yield contribution is minimum among the measures (8.649%), which could regulate the leaf and radiation transmittance in the middle and bottom layer of the canopy, while increasing the nitrogen accumulation of leaves and stalks in the silking stage, then significantly enhance the nitrogen transport and the matter accumulation of maize after anthesis. Our results showed that fertilizer management and density were the essential practices for integrated cultivation mode for northeast China. Moreover, wide-narrow row planting was advocated if permitted, which could elevate the utilization efficiency of radiation to 1%, and the yield of more than 11,000 kg ha−1 was obtained in Northeast China.
Interspecific Gene Flow and Selective Sweeps in Picea wilsonii, P. neoveitchii and P. likiangensis
Authors: Liu Yifu , Qin Aili , Wang Ya , Nie Wen , Tan Cancan , An Sanping , Wang Junhui , Chang Ermei , Jiang Zeping , Jia Zirui
Published: November 2022

Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers were obtained by genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) technology to study the genetic relationships, population structure, gene flow and selective sweeps during species differentiation of Picea wilsonii, P. neoveitchii and P. likiangensis from a genome-wide perspective. We used P. jezoensis and P. pungens as outgroups, and three evolutionary branches were obtained: P. likiangensis was located on one branch, two P. wilsonii populations were grouped onto a second branch, and two P. neoveitchii populations were grouped onto a third branch. The relationship of P. wilsonii with P. likiangensis was closer than that with P. neoveitchii. ABBA-BABA analysis revealed that the gene flow between P. neoveitchii and P. wilsonii was greater than that between P. neoveitchii and P. likiangensis. Compared with the background population of P. neoveitchii, the genes that were selected in the P. wilsonii population were mainly related to plant stress resistance, stomatal regulation, plant morphology and flowering. The genes selected in the P. likiangensis population were mainly related to plant stress resistance, leaf morphology and flowering. Selective sweeps were beneficial for improving the adaptability of spruce species to different habitats as well as to accelerate species differentiation. The frequent gene flow between spruce species makes their evolutionary relationships complicated. Insight into gene flow and selection pressure in spruce species will help us further understand their phylogenetic relationships and provide a scientific basis for their introduction, domestication and genetic improvement.
Expression of Genes Involved in ABA and Auxin Metabolism and LEA Gene during Embryogenesis in Hemp
Authors: Král Daniel , Šenkyřík Josef Baltazar , Ondřej Vladan
Published: November 2022

The level of phytohormones such as abscisic acid (ABA) and auxins (Aux) changes dynamically during embryogenesis. Knowledge of the transcriptional activity of the genes of their metabolic pathways is essential for a deeper understanding of embryogenesis itself; however, it could also help breeding programs of important plants, such as Cannabis sativa, attractive for the pharmaceutical, textile, cosmetic, and food industries. This work aimed to find out how genes of metabolic pathways of Aux (IAA-1, IAA-2, X15-1, X15-2) and ABA (PP2C-1) alongside one member of the LEA gene family (CanLea34) are expressed in embryos depending on the developmental stage and the embryo cultivation in vitro. Walking stick (WS) and mature (M) cultivated and uncultivated embryos of C. sativa cultivars ‘KC Dora’ and ‘USO 31’ were analyzed. The RT-qPCR results indicated that for the development of immature (VH) embryos, the genes (IAA-1, IAA-2) are likely to be fundamental. Only an increased expression of the CanLea34 gene was characteristic of the fully maturated (M) embryos. In addition, this feature was significantly increased by cultivation. In conclusion, the cultivation led to the upsurge of expression of all studied genes.
Solvent Evaporation Rate as a Tool for Tuning the Performance of a Solid Polymer Electrolyte Gas Sensor
Authors: Sedlak Petr , Kaspar Pavel , Sobola Dinara , Gajdos Adam , Majzner Jiri , Sedlakova Vlasta , Kubersky Petr
Published: November 2022

Solid polymer electrolytes show their potential to partially replace conventional electrolytes in electrochemical devices. The solvent evaporation rate represents one of many options for modifying the electrode–electrolyte interface by affecting the structural and electrical properties of polymer electrolytes used in batteries. This paper evaluates the effect of solvent evaporation during the preparation of solid polymer electrolytes on the overall performance of an amperometric gas sensor. A mixture of the polymer host, solvent and an ionic liquid was thermally treated under different evaporation rates to prepare four polymer electrolytes. A carbon nanotube-based working electrode deposited by spray-coating the polymer electrolyte layer allowed the preparation of the electrode–electrolyte interface with different morphologies, which were then investigated using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. All prepared sensors were exposed to nitrogen dioxide concentration of 0–10 ppm, and the current responses and their fluctuations were analyzed. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to describe the sensor with an equivalent electric circuit. Experimental results showed that a higher solvent evaporation rate leads to lower sensor sensitivity, affects associated parameters (such as the detection/quantification limit) and increases the limit of the maximum current flowing through the sensor, while the other properties (hysteresis, repeatability, response time, recovery time) change insignificantly.
Self-Attractive Semiflexible Polymers under an External Force Field
Authors: Lamura Antonio
Published: November 2022

The dynamical response of a tethered semiflexible polymer with self-attractive interactions and subjected to an external force field is numerically investigated by varying stiffness and self-interaction strength. The chain is confined in two spatial dimensions and placed in contact with a heat bath described by the Brownian multi-particle collision method. For strong self-attraction the equilibrium conformations range from compact structures to double-stranded chains, and to rods when increasing the stiffness. Under the external field at small rigidities, the initial close-packed chain is continuously unwound by the force before being completely elongated. For double-stranded conformations the transition from the folded state to the open one is sharp being steeper for larger stiffnesses. The discontinuity in the transition appears in the force-extension relation, as well as in the probability distribution function of the gyration radius. The relative deformation with respect to the equilibrium case along the direction normal to the force is found to decay as the inverse of the applied force.
A Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and Nano-Al2O3 Based Composite Coating with a Bacteriostatic Effect against E. coli and Low Cytotoxicity
Authors: Burmistrov Dmitriy E. , Serov Dmitriy A. , Simakin Aleksander V. , Baimler Ilya V. , Uvarov Oleg V. , Gudkov Sergey V.
Published: November 2022

The problem of bacterial contamination through surfaces is important for the food industry. In this regard, there is a growing interest in new coatings based on nanoparticles that can provide a long-term antibacterial effect. Aluminum oxide nanoparticles are a good candidate for such coatings due to their availability and good biocompatibility. In this study, a coating containing aluminum oxide nanoparticles was produced using polytetrafluoroethylene as a polymer matrix—a polymer that exhibits excellent mechanical and physicochemical properties and it is not toxic. The obtained coatings based on “liquid Teflon” containing various concentrations of nanoparticles (0.001–0.1 wt%) prevented the bacterial growth, and they did not exhibit a cytotoxicity on animal cells in vitro. Such coatings are designed not only to provide an antibacterial surface effect, but also to eliminate micro damages on surfaces that inevitably occur in the process of food production.
Gas Generation and Its Carbon Isotopic Composition during Pyrite-Catalyzed Pyrolysis of Shale with Different Maturities
Authors: Cao Yuanhao , Chen Wei , Yuan Yinnan , Wang Tengxi , Sun Jiafeng
Published: November 2022

In this study, two shale samples with different maturities, from Geniai, Lithuania (Ro = 0.7%), and Wenjiaba, China (Ro = 2.7%), were selected for open-system pyrolysis experiments at 400 °C and 500 °C, respectively. The generation of isotopic gases from the shales with different maturities was investigated, and the effects of pyrite catalysis on the carbon isotopic compositions were also studied. It was found that CO2, CH4 and their isotopic gases were the main gaseous products of the pyrolysis of both shales, and more hydrocarbon gases were generated from the low-maturity Geniai shale. The δ13C1 values fluctuated from −40‰ to −38‰, and δ13C2 showed higher values (−38‰~−34‰) for the Geniai shale. In addition, its δ13CCO2 values ranged from −28‰ to −26‰. Compared with the Geniai shale, lower δ13C1 values (−43‰~−42‰) and higher δ13CCO2 values (−19‰~−14‰) were detected for the Wenjiaba shale. As temperature increased, CH4 became isotopically lighter and C2H6 became isotopically heavier, which changes were due to the mass-induced different reaction rates of 12C and 13C radicals. Furthermore, the pyrite made the kinetic isotope effect stronger and thus made the CH4 isotopically lighter for both shales, especially at the lower temperature of 400 °C.
Research on Parameter Matching of the Asymmetric Pump Potential Energy Recovery System Based on Multi-Core Parallel Optimization Method
Authors: Wei Lixin , Ning Zhiqiang , Quan Long , Wang Aihong , Gao Youshan
Published: November 2022

Aiming at the parameters of the different displacements and related components of the variable-displacement asymmetric axial piston pump (VAPP) required by the energy-recovery system of excavator booms of different tonnages, a rapid multi-process parallel optimization method of complex hydraulic products based on a multi-core CPU was proposed for parameter matching. The parameter matching was used to reasonably select relevant parameters so that the excavator’s boom energy-recovery and utilization system can improve operational efficiency and energy-saving efficiency under the premise of satisfying the normal working conditions of the working mechanism, and achieving the purpose of serializing VAPP products. A multi-objective optimization model was put forward according to energy-saving efficiency and operational efficiency. First, the accuracy of the acceleration method of the CVODE, a solver for stiff and non-stiff ordinary differential equation (ODE) systems, was verified by a physical prototype test. The results showed that the test and simulation results were in good agreement. A particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) was used to optimize the main parameters of the boom energy-recovery system to obtain the appropriate energy-saving efficiency and obtain the VAPP displacement and related component parameters required by the energy-recovery system of excavator booms of different tonnages. The simulation results showed that a motor working condition was necessary in the guaranteed descending stage, and the process of lifting–descending–lifting was completed under the condition that the total time did not exceed a certain value. The energy-saving rates of the 7-ton (7T), 12-ton (12T), 20-ton (20T), and 30-ton (30T) excavator boom energy-recovery systems reached 29.8%, 35.3%, 31.25%, and 27.88%, respectively. In the eight-core CPU workstation under the simulation conditions, compared with the Simulation X platform simulation method, the simulation efficiency of the multi-core CPU parallel method was improved by more than 80 times.
A Review of Generators and Power Converters for Multi-MW Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Authors: Rajendran Saravanakumar , Diaz Matias , Cárdenas Roberto , Espina Enrique , Contreras Emilio , Rodriguez Jose
Published: November 2022

The rated power of wind turbines has consistently enlarged as large installations can reduce energy production costs. Multi-megawatt wind turbines are frequently used in offshore and onshore facilities, and today is possible to find wind turbines rated over 15 MW. New developments in generators and power converters for multi-MW wind turbines are needed, as the trend toward upscaling the dimensions of wind turbines is expected to continue. Therefore, this paper provides a detailed review of commercially available and recently proposed multi-MW wind turbine generators and power converters. Furthermore, comparative analyses indicate the advantages and disadvantages of commercially available and promising technologies for generators and power converters at the multi-MW target.
Temporal and Spatial Evolution Law of the Freezing Temperature Field of Water-Rich Sandy Soil under Groundwater Seepage: A Case Study
Authors: Long Wei , Rong Chuanxin , Shi Hao , Huang Shiqing , Wang Bin , Duan Yin , Wang Zhi , Shi Xin , Ma Haochen
Published: November 2022

We aimed to assess the temporal and spatial evolution law of the freezing temperature field of water-rich sandy soil in underground freezing engineering, taking the newly built west ventilating shaft freezing engineering in the Yuandian No. 2 Mine of Huaibei Coalfield as the engineering background. The influence of groundwater seepage on the freezing temperature field was qualitatively analyzed using field measured data. Based on the mixture medium theory, a hydrothermal coupling numerical calculation model of the freezing temperature field was established. The temporal and spatial evolution law of the freezing temperature field of water-rich sandy soil was obtained via the analysis of field measured data and numerical calculation results. It was found that the proportion of water that froze into ice in the soil mass within the freezing pipe circle is more than that outside of the freezing pipe circle; thus, the phase change in the soil mass within the freezing pipe circle is highly obvious. Groundwater seepage has an “erosion” effect on the upstream and side frozen walls and a “cooling superposition” effect on the downstream frozen wall. Under the effect of groundwater seepage of 2.81 m/d, the average temperature of the effective frozen wall during excavation is below −15 °C, while the thickness is above 5 m for the selected sandy layer at the site, meeting the construction and design requirements. When the groundwater flow rate increases from 0 to 10 m/d, the closure time of the frozen wall increases from 27 to 49 days, an 81.48% increase; the upstream thickness of the effective frozen wall decreases from 5.635 to 4.65 m, which represents a 17.48% decrease, while the downstream thickness increases from 5.664 to 7.393 m, an increase of 30.60%. The numerical calculation model in this paper can be used to predict the development law of the freezing temperature field of the water-rich sandy layers in the Yuandian No. 2 mine and to adjust the on-site cooling plan in real time according to the construction progress. This study provides some theoretical basis and reference for the construction and designs of the freezing temperature fields of water-rich sandy soil layers.
Late-Holocene Sediment Storage in Upland Valley Systems in the Gamo Highlands of Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Tilahun Alemayehu Kasaye , Verstraeten Gert , Chen Margaret , Gulie Guchie , Augustijns Femke , Swinnen Ward
Published: November 2022

Part of the eroded soil material from the hillslopes is temporarily stored on hillslopes and in river valleys as colluvial and alluvial storage, respectively. This storage component of a catchment’s sediment budget is an important archive reflecting past erosion and sediment delivery processes in relation to both natural and anthropogenic environmental changes. Information on long-term sediment dynamics (i.e., centennial to millennial timescales) is generally lacking for tropical mountain environments. Here, we quantify long-term floodplain sediment storage and sedimentation dynamics in the Gamo highlands of the southern Ethiopia Rift Valley. In two upstream catchments (Chencha and Dembelle), a detailed survey of the floodplain sediment archive was conducted through hand augering of 37 cross-valley transects. Sediment thicknesses vary between 4 and 8 m and total storage equals 0.03 Mt ha−1 floodplain area for the Chencha area and 0.05 Mt ha−1 floodplain area for the Dembelle area. Radiocarbon dating of organic material retrieved from the sediment archives provided a temporal framework for interpretation of sedimentation processes dynamic. The mean sedimentation rate in the Chencha floodplain is ~3.22 ± 0.33 kt ha−1 catchment area, whereas it is ~3.76 ± 0.22 kt ha−1 catchment area for the Dembelle floodplain. Up to 70% of the total sediment mass is stored in the floodplains within the most recent 2000 years. Cumulative probability function plots of radiocarbon dates show that sedimentation started to increase from ca 2000 to ca 1600 cal BP, roughly coincident with an increase in human presence, as is indicated through archaeological data.
T.S. Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral: Divine vs. Human?
Authors: Petersen Nils Holger
Published: November 2022

This article discusses the relationship between the divine and the human, as it appears in T.S. Eliot’s play Murder in the Cathedral, written for and performed at the Cathedral of Canterbury in 1935. On the one hand, and most obviously, this play about the martyrdom of Archbishop Thomas Becket in the Cathedral on 29 December 1170 owes much to a medieval Catholic as well as Anglo-Catholic tradition. On the other hand, the unbridgeable distance between the divine and the human, pronounced by Thomas Becket in all his utterances in the play, resembles the contemporary theology of the Reformed theologian Karl Barth, whose theology Eliot had been aware of since 1934. Recent scholarship has discussed the influence of Barth’s theology on Eliot’s poetry, especially the Four Quartets (1936–1940). Contemporary sources, on the other hand, show Eliot’s ambivalence towards what he understood to be Barth’s theology. However, the article does not aim at a biographical understanding; it concerns Eliot’s text and how it relates to the radical separation between God and the human world, as found in Barth’s theology. The analysis of Murder in the Cathedral emphasizes the polyphony of voices in the play, which counterbalances the radical contrast between divine and human in the play’s presentation of Thomas Becket’s voice.
Exploring the Influencing Factors in Identifying Soil Texture Classes Using Multitemporal Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Data
Authors: Zhou Yanan , Wu Wei , Liu Hongbin
Published: November 2022

Soil texture is a key soil property driving physical, chemical, biological, and hydrological processes in soils. The rapid development of remote sensing techniques shows great potential for mapping soil properties. This study highlights the effectiveness of multitemporal remote sensing data in identifying soil textural class by using retrieved vegetation properties as proxies of soil properties. The impacts of sensors, modeling resolutions, and modeling techniques on the accuracy of soil texture classification were explored. Multitemporal Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 images were individually acquired at the same time periods. Three satellite-based experiments with different inputs, i.e., Landsat-8 data, Sentinel-2 data (excluding red-edge parameters), and Sentinel-2 data (including red-edge parameters) were conducted. Modeling was carried out at three spatial resolutions (10, 30, 60 m) using five machine-learning (ML) methods: random forest, support vector machine, gradient-boosting decision tree, categorical boosting, and super learner that combined the four former classifiers based on the stacking concept. In addition, a novel SHapley Addictive Explanation (SHAP) technique was introduced to explain the outputs of the ML model. The results showed that the sensors, modeling resolutions, and modeling techniques significantly affected the prediction accuracy. The models using Sentinel-2 data with red-edge parameters performed consistently best. The models usually gave better results at fine (10 m) and medium (30 m) modeling resolutions than at a coarse (60 m) resolution. The super learner provided higher accuracies than other modeling techniques and gave the highest values of overall accuracy (0.8429), kappa (0.7611), precision (0.8378), recall rate (0.8393), and F1-score (0.8398) at 30 m with Sentinel-2 data involving red-edge parameters. The SHAP technique quantified the contribution of each variable for different soil textural classes, revealing the critical roles of red-edge parameters in separating loamy soils. This study provides comprehensive insights into the effective modeling of soil properties on various scales using multitemporal optical images.
A Machine Learning-Based Method for Modeling TEC Regional Temporal-Spatial Map
Authors: Liu Yiran , Wang Jian , Yang Cheng , Zheng Yu , Fu Haipeng
Published: November 2022

In order to achieve the high-accuracy prediction of the total electron content (TEC) of the regional ionosphere for supporting the application of satellite navigation, positioning, measurement, and controlling, we proposed a modeling method based on machine learning (ML) and use this method to establish an empirical prediction model of TEC for parts of Europe. The model has three main characteristics: (1) The principal component analysis (PCA) is used to separate TEC’s temporal and spatial variation characteristics and to establish its corresponding map, (2) the solar activity parameters of the 12-month mean flux of the solar radio waves at 10.7 cm (F10.712) and the 12-month mean sunspot number (R12) are introduced into the temporal map as independent variables to reflect the temporal variation characteristics of TEC, and (3) The modified Kriging spatial interpolation method is used to achieve the spatial reconstruction of TEC. Finally, the regression learning method is used to determine the coefficients and harmonic numbers of the model by using the root mean square error (RMSE) and its relative value (RRMSE) as the evaluation standard. Specially, the modeling process is easy to understand, and the determined model parameters are interpretable. The statistical results show that the monthly mean values of TEC predicted by the proposed model in this paper are highly consistent with the observed values curve of TEC, and the RRMSE of the predicted results is 12.76%. Furthermore, comparing the proposed model with the IRI model, it can be found that the prediction accuracy of TEC by the proposed model is much higher than that of the IRI model either with CCIR or URSI coefficients, and the improvement is 38.63% and 35.79%, respectively.
ConstDet: Control Semantics-Based Detection for GPS Spoofing Attacks on UAVs
Authors: Wei Xiaomin , Sun Cong , Lyu Minjie , Song Qipeng , Li Yue
Published: November 2022

UAVs are widely used in agriculture, the military, and industry. However, it is easy to perform GPS spoofing attacks on UAVs, which can lead to catastrophic consequences. In this paper, we propose ConstDet, a control semantics-based detection approach for GPS spoofing attacks of UAVs using machine learning algorithms. Various real experiments are conducted to collect real flight data, on the basis of which ConstDet is designed as a practical detection framework. To train models for the detection of GPS spoofing attacks, specified flight data types are selected as features based on the control semantics, including the altitude control process and the horizontal position control process, since these data are able to represent the dynamic flight and control processes. Multiple machine learning algorithms are used to train and generate the best classifier for GPS spoofing attacks. ConstDet is further implemented and deployed on a real UAV to support onboard detection. Experiments and evaluations validate that ConstDet can effectively detect GPS spoofing attacks and the detection rate can reach 97.70%. The experimental comparison demonstrates that ConstDet has better performance than existing detection approaches.
Parametric Study to Evaluate the Geometry and Coupling Effect on the Efficiency of a Novel FMM Tool Embedded in Cover Concrete for Corrosion Monitoring
Authors: Kadkhodazadeh Sima , Ihamouten Amine , Souriou David , Dérobert Xavier , Guilbert David
Published: November 2022

Rebar corrosion represents a major threat to the durability of reinforced concrete structures, primarily in marine environments. Various Non-Destructive Evaluations (NDE) have been developed to detect rebar corrosion; although most of these have delivered successful results, a lack of reliable techniques for proper corrosion prognosis still remains. Under the French Research Agency (ANR) project’s “LabCom OHMIGOD” framework, we introduce here a novel embedded tool to evaluate the level of cover concrete contamination from aggressive agents responsible for causing corrosion. This tool is divided into two parts: a reactive part exposed to corrosion, and a permanent part protected against corrosion. Using magnetic materials in both parts entails “Functional Magnetic Materials” (FMM) and generates a Magnetic Observable (MO). Through the evolution of corrosion on the reactive part, its magnetic properties become affected, which in turn modifies the MO. By means of regular monitoring of MO variations, it is possible to evaluate the aggressive agent ingress. Consequently, by using a variety of FMM tools placed at different concrete depths, it is possible to indirectly evaluate the rebar corrosion risk. This paper presents a numerical model of the tool employing Ansys software. The underlying objective is to investigate tool accuracy through its key parameters, namely, geometry, relative distance to the receiver, coupling effect, and border effect from the rebar. Simulation results demonstrate that by choosing an efficient geometry for the reactive part (25 mm × 25 mm × 1 mm) and position for the tool (between 1 and 3 mm), both a sufficient MO variation range and a negligible coupling effect can be obtained when the FMM is more than 5 cm from any ferromagnetic material.
IRA-MRSNet: A Network Model for Change Detection in High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Ling Jie , Hu Lei , Cheng Lang , Chen Minghui , Yang Xin
Published: November 2022

Deep learning (DL)-based change detection (CD) methods for high-resolution (HR) remote sensing images can still be improved by effective acquisition of multi-scale feature and accurate detection of the edge of change regions. We propose a new end-to-end CD network, named the Multi-Scale Residual Siamese Network fusing Integrated Residual Attention (IRA-MRSNet), which adopts an encoder-decoder structure, introduces the Multi-Res block to extract multi-scale features and deep semantic information, and uses the Attention Gates module before the skip connection to highlight the change region features. Considering that the residual connection and attention module benefits the edge feature extraction, we proposed an IRA unit, consisting of the Res2net+ module, the Split and Concat (SPC) module, and the Channel Attention Module (CAM), which can make the CD results better through finer-grained multi-scale feature extraction and adaptive feature refinement of the feature map channel dimension. The experimental results show that the F1 and OA values of our network model outperform other state-of-the-art (SOTA) CD methods on the Seasonal Change Detection Dataset (CDD) and the Sun Yat-Sen University Change Detection Dataset (SYSU-CD), and the number of parameters and the calculated amount are reduced significantly.