bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Could electrohypersensitivity be a specific form of high sensory processing sensitivity?
Authors: Bordarie Jimmy , Ledent Maryse , Dieudonné Mael , Choisay Frédéric , De Clercq Eva
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Electrohypersensitivity (EHS) refers to a syndrome in which individuals claim to suffer from a variety of symptoms that they attribute to electromagnetic fields. The characteristics of this specific hypersensitivity, particularly in terms of symptoms, are similar to those associated with high sensory processing sensitivity (HSPS). This article raises the question of the superposition of these two types of sensitivity and investigates the existence of a link between the two.

Methods

Participants (n = 100) completed a questionnaire measuring EHS and HSPS, as well as absorption, risk perception and avoidance strategies related to electromagnetic fields, and anxiety and depressive disorders.

Results

They showed an overrepresentation of highly sensitive people within the electrohypersensitive group. Furthermore, the results showed differences in terms of anxiety-depressive symptomatology and cognitive strategies (risk perception and avoidance strategies).

Discussion

The article discusses these results in the light of the literature and suggests avenues for future research and ways to help highly sensitive people, whether wor not this condition is considered to be caused by electromagnetic radiation.
Enhancing security of mobile crowd sensing in unmanned aerial vehicle ecosystems
Authors: Sumaidaa Sara , AlMenhali Hamda , Alazzani Mohammed , Han Kyusuk
Published: February 2025

The rapid expansion of mobile devices with enhanced sensing and computing capabilities has driven the growth of mobile crowd sensing (MCS), enabling applications that collect large datasets from sources like smartphones and smartwatches. However, this data aggregation raises substantial security and privacy concerns, especially when MCS integrates with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), where potential risks are further amplified. This study identifies and analyzes specific security and privacy threats in UAV-based MCS through the framework of the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) triad. We categorize potential vulnerabilities and propose comprehensive countermeasures targeting hardware, software, and communication models. Our findings outline strategic and actionable countermeasures to mitigate identified risks, thus ensuring data integrity and reliable functionality within MCS systems. Additionally, we present a security scenario involving mitigation suggested for data integrity and recovery. This work underscores the critical need for robust security frameworks in UAV-enhanced MCS applications, offering a holistic approach to mitigate emerging security threats.
Restorative initiatives: emerging insights from design, implementation and collaboration in five countries
Authors: Wailling Jo , Cameron Graham , Stolarek Iwona , Turner Stephanie , Bleakley Beelah , O’Connor Nick , Harwood Catriona , Power Michael , Turner Kathryn , Kooijman Allison , Oelke Nelly D. , Gustafson David , Robson Rob , Anderson Wallace Murray , Drennan Gerard , Hughes Jo , O'Hara Jane K. , Swanepoel Fin , LeMaster Christopher H.
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Restorative systems are human centred and distinguished by an emphasis on relational principles and practices. Emerging evidence indicates that a restorative approach holds promise to mitigate and respond to harm in the complex health environment. Advocates are collaborating with clinicians and institutions to develop restorative responses to adverse events.

Method

This paper shares the insights of an international network who have been collaborating to nurture the development of restorative policy and practice in five countries since 2019 (Aotearoa New Zealand, Australia [New South Wales & Queensland]; Canada [British Columbia], England and the United States [California]). Our work is at varying stages of maturity and incorporates co-designing, implementing, and evaluating restorative responses to adverse events.

Results & discussion

The viewpoint provides an overview of the core principles, emerging evidence, and shares our collective reflections about the constraining and enabling factors to development. We recognise that we cannot speak to the breadth of work underway worldwide. Our hope is that by drawing on our experiences, we can offer some thoughts about what a restorative lens offers the future of patient and family involvement in patient safety, whilst providing the opportunity for transparent critique of work to date.
Staining susceptibility and the effect of different stain removal techniques on the optical properties of injectable composite resins
Authors: Farghal Nancy Soliman , Awadalkreem Fadia , Dasnadi Shahistha Parveen , Habush Shatha , Hatab Nur Ali , Harhash Asmaa
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The injectable composite resin technique using highly filled flowable composite for anterior restorations is relatively new. This study aims to detect the staining susceptibility and the effect of polishing and bleaching agents and their combination on the stain removal and surface gloss of the injectable composite resins compared to sculptable nanofilled composite.

Methods

Eighty-four disc-shaped specimens were prepared from two injectable composite resins: Beautifil Flow Plus X (BFP) and G-ænial Universal Injectable (GUI) and one sculptable nanofilled composite; Filtek™ Z350XT Universal Restorative (FUR), immersed in an instant coffee solution for 12 days. The specimens from each material were divided into four groups (n = 7) according to the stain-removal method: Group 1 (control): no stain removal treatment. Group 2: Polished with Super-Snap Buff Polisher and Direct DiaPaste for 60 s. Group 3: Bleached with Opalescence Boost 40% for one hour (3 rounds/20 min each). Group 4: bleached and polished. A Spectrophotometer recorded the color parameter initially (T0), after staining (T1) and after stain removal methods (T2) and color change (ΔE00) was calculated. Gloss (GU) was recorded initially and after stain removal methods using a glossmeter. Surface morphology was examined with Scanning Electron Microscopy. The data was analyzed using One and Two-way ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc test using SPSS software at a 5% significance level.

Results

All tested materials showed clinically unacceptable staining susceptibility after coffee immersion and stain removing methods (ΔE00 >1.8), with FUR exhibiting the highest change (26.2 ± 2.6). In-office bleaching and combined bleaching/polishing significantly reduced color change for FUR (P < 0.05), while all stain removal methods was equally effective for BPF and GUI (P > 0.05). Surface gloss remained unchanged with the highest values after staining and bleaching for all materials (52.8 ± 11.2–49.7 ± 9.4, P > 0.05) but significantly decreased after polishing alone or combined with bleaching (31.6 ± 5.7–15.4 ± 1.5, P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Injectable composites exhibited lower staining susceptibility than the sculptable nanofilled composite. No stain-removing method restored the color for all composites to the clinically acceptable threshold. In-office bleaching with Opalescence Boost 40% effectively maintained optimal surface gloss, while polishing alone or after bleaching is not recommended due to its negative impact on gloss.
An integrated adoption model of cloud computing-based human resource management by SMEs in developing countries: evidence from Bahrain
Authors: Milhem Marwan , Ayyash Mohannad Moufeed , Ateeq Ali , Alzaghal Qadri , Alzoraiki Mohammed , Almuraqab Nasser A. Saif , Almeer Sara
Published: February 2025

Despite the increasing awareness of efficient and technology-driven human resource management at almost all levels of analysis in all organizations, more needs to be done regarding small- and medium-sized enterprises in developing country contexts like Bahrain to explore using cloud computing in HRM. This study applies the Technology, Organization, and Environment framework, extended to include individual managerial innovativeness, in examining the factors influencing the adoption of sustainable cloud computing-based HRM. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 280 upper-level managers and human resource specialists across various SMEs in Bahrain. This data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with the help of partial least square (PLS) software. The findings indicate that the technological, organizational, and environmental contexts greatly impact the adoption of sustainable cloud computing-based HRM, while individual managerial innovativeness does not. This study has significant implications for any human resource department looking to shift its operation onto a sustainable cloud computing platform in a developing country.
Metaverse, implemented. A philosophical perspective on agenda-setting ethical tools for the development of immersive technologies
Authors: Tirinzoni Mariachiara
Published: February 2025

The specific application of immersive technologies known as metaverse emerges as a potential substitute for current social networks. Given the social and anthropological effects we have been able to observe as a consequence of the mass adoption of social networks, the following work aims to provide the initial sketch of a framework for structuring an approach to the design and deployment of the metaverse that safeguards the values of transparency, justice and fairness, avoiding simplistic but potentially distorting drifts already suggested by major actors. The reflection works on a definition of the metaverse as an object endowed by both the features of a space and the ones of a tool, exploring a shift of perspective that, drawing on the theory of affordances, sees an important role of ethical thinking not just in the design of the metaverse, but in its deployment and implementation too.
Global assessment of terrestrial precipitation and evapotranspiration in CMIP6 simulations using observation-based estimates
Authors: Sun Shanshan , Xu Shiqin , Li Lingcheng , Lin Yihua , Liu Hongbo , Maggioni Viviana , Xu Yan , Fu Congsheng
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Rising concerns about climate change underscore the need to understand precipitation and evapotranspiration variability across multiple temporal scales.

Methods

This study evaluates historical simulations from Phase Six of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) for precipitation (Pr), evapotranspiration (ET), and its components—soil evaporation (Es), transpiration (Et), and interception loss (Ei)—from 1981 to 2014, focusing on the temporal agreement of the mean seasonal cycle and interannual variability. We assess these variables using observation-based estimates from three Pr datasets (CRU4.0, GPCP v2.3, ERA5) and four land surface flux datasets (GLEAM v3.3a, GLDAS v2.0, ERA5-Land, MERRA-Land). Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r) are used to identify “consensus regions”.

Results and discussion

The results indicate that consensus regions of the mean seasonal cycle for Pr cover 92.9% of global land area, decreasing to 81.7% at the interannual scale. For ET and its components, the consistency of the mean seasonal cycle is observed over 79.0% of land area for ET, 55.5% for Es, 57.7% for Et, and 65.1% for Ei, with values dropping to 38.1%, 11.7%, 23.4%, and 21.2%, respectively, at the interannual scale. The multi-model means generally correlate better with observations than individual CMIP6 models. Across latitudes, Pr and ET exhibit the highest performance in reproducing the observed mean seasonal cycle, while Es and Et demonstrate the lowest performance. CESM2 shows the highest consistency in reproducing the mean seasonal cycle for Pr, while CMCC-CM2-HR4 performs best for ET and its components. Despite relatively high correlations with the observed mean seasonal cycle, the individual models and multi-model mean underestimates Pr in tropical regions and overestimates ET, Es, and Ei, while underestimating Et in general. The agreement between CMIP6 simulations and observational datasets deteriorates at the interannual scale. These findings highlight the need to improve Pr and ET simulations in CMIP6 models, particularly in tropics.
Pathological and molecular investigation of infectious bronchitis in broilers: analyzing the impact of biosecurity lapses
Authors: Maletić Jelena , Jezdimirović Nemanja , Spalević Ljiljana , Milovanović Bojan , Vasić Ana , Kureljušić Jasna , Kureljušić Branislav
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Infectious Bronchitis (IB) is an acute, highly contagious disease of poultry that leads to significant economic losses in intensive production systems. Preventive biosecurity measures are essential to control its spread, particularly in broiler farms. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between IB outbreaks and biosecurity practices on a broiler farm.

Methods

The farm, housing 96,000 broilers, experienced increased mortality (over 11%) during two consecutive production cycles. Consequently, serological, pathological, molecular and biosecurity investigations were conducted.

Results

Despite a vaccination program using two types of live vaccines (Massachusetts serotype and serotype 793B), serological testing revealed elevated antibody titers against the IB virus, suggesting exposure to a wild viral strain. Necropsy revealed various lesions, including hemorrhagic tracheitis, pulmonary hyperemia, fibrinous pericarditis, splenomegaly, and ascites. Histopathological findings showed necrotic tracheitis, multifocal hepatitis, and purulent bronchopneumonia. By PCR IB viral RNA was detected in all 24 swabs and tissue samples. Biosecurity evaluation revealed significant deficiencies in both external and internal measures, including improper cross-contamination prevention, inadequate flock management, and insufficient vaccination strategies.

Discussion

These biosecurity deficiencies, coupled with the inadequate selection of vaccines not tailored to the prevalent serotypes in the local area, allowed for the introduction and spread of wild IB virus strains. This highlights the critical importance of robust, well-implemented biosecurity protocols in preventing IB on poultry farms.
Tactical Coordination-Based Decision Making for Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles Maneuvering in Within-Visual-Range Air Combat
Authors: Liu Yidong , Ding Dali , Tan Mulai , Luo Yuequn , Li Ning , Zhou Huan
Published: February 2025

Targeting the autonomous decision-making problem of unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in a two-versus-one (2v1) within-visual-range (WVR) air combat scenario, this paper proposes a maneuver decision-making method based on tactical coordination. First, a coordinated situation assessment model is designed, which subdivides the air combat situation into optimization-driven and tactical coordinated situations. The former combines missile attack zone calculation and trajectory prediction to optimize the control quantity of a single aircraft, while the latter uses fuzzy logic to analyze the overall situation of the three aircraft to drive tactical selection. Second, a decision-making model based on a hierarchical expert system is constructed, establishing a hierarchical decision-making framework with a UCAV-coordinated combat knowledge base. The coordinated situation assessment results are used to match corresponding tactics and maneuver control quantities. Finally, an improved particle swarm optimization algorithm (I-PSO) is proposed, which enhances the optimization ability and real-time performance through the design of local social factor iterative components and adaptive adjustment of inertia weights. Air combat simulations in four different scenarios verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed decision-making method. The results show that the method can achieve autonomous decision making in dynamic air combat. Compared with decision-making methods based on optimization algorithms and differential games, the win rate is increased by about 17% and 18%, respectively, and the single-step decision-making time is less than 0.02 s, demonstrating high real-time performance and win rate. This research provides new ideas and methods for the autonomous decision making of UCAVs in complex air combat scenarios.
Active Flow Control Technology Based on Simple Droop Devices and a Co-Flow Jet for Lift Enhancement
Authors: Jiao Jin , Chen Cheng , Wang Bo , Ying Pei , Wei Qiong , Nie Shengyang
Published: February 2025

The missions of modern aircraft require multiple abilities, such as highly efficient taking-off and landing, fast arrival, and long-endurance hovering. It is difficult to achieve all technical objectives using traditional aircraft design technology. The active flow control technology using the concept of a co-flow jet (CFJ) is a flow control method without a mass source that does not require air from the engine. It has strong flow control ability in low-speed flow, can greatly improve the stall angle of the aircraft, and can obtain large lift enhancement. At transonic conditions, it can lead to a larger lift–drag ratio with a small expense. CFJ technology has great application potential for aircraft due to its flexible control strategy and remarkable control effect. In this paper, the concept of a combination of CFJ and variable camber technology is proposed which realizes the change of airfoil camber to meet different task requirements with the movable droop head. By using the built-in ducted fan, air is blown and sucked in the jet channel so as to realize CFJ flow control. In a state of high-speed flight, complete geometric restoration is achieved by closing the channel and retracting the droop head. In this paper, the design and aerodynamic analysis of a CFJ device with variable camber based on a supercritical airfoil with small camber and a small leading-edge radius are carried out using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. Comparative studies are conducted for different schemes on the taking off and landing performances, and discussions are had on core technical parameters such as power consumption. The results indicate that by utilizing the CFJ technology with more than 10 degrees of droop device, the maximum lift coefficient of a supercritical airfoil with a small camber and leading-edge radius, which is suitable for transonic flight, can be increased to a value larger than 4.0.
Protease Supplementation in the Diet of Finishing Pigs: Implications on the Quality of Organic Fertilizers for Forage Production and Soil Chemical Composition
Authors: Moreira Ana Carla , Gomide Ana Paula Cardoso , Cardoso Robson Evangelista , Moraes Ruscarla Carvalho , Guimarães Kátia Cylene , Neto Francisco Ribeiro de Araujo , Cardoso Fabiana de Freitas , Fernandes Patrick Bezerra
Published: February 2025

The study evaluated the inclusion of protease in the diet of pigs in the final phase, analyzing its effects on residues used as organic fertilizer (OF) for corn silage cultivation. Conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Goiano, Rio Verde Campus, the experiment had three phases: the use of protease in intensive pig production, production of OF—pig slurry (PS), and its application in corn silage cultivation. The inclusion of protease in the diet did not affect the final weight of the pigs, with a mean of 89.75 kg. The use of PS from this production system did not affect the forage mass (23.64 Mg ha−1). On the other hand, in the short term, PS without enzyme both at sowing and covering, biofertilizer with enzyme at sowing and urea at covering, and PS with enzyme both at sowing and covering increased magnesium levels in the soil, with values ranging from 1.40 to 1.44 cmolc dm−3. Although protease did not affect animal performance in the finishing phase, the waste produced by this production system influenced the soil’s chemical composition; furthermore, the use of PS from systems with or without enzymes could partially replace chemical fertilization.
A Network Bounded Adjusted Measure for Assessing the Efficiency of Agricultural and Pastoral Systems with Shared Factors and Undesirable Outputs
Authors: Chen Chunhua , Ma Chongyu
Published: February 2025

The acts of assessing the efficiency of agricultural and pastoral systems and improving their production levels have profound implications for the sustainable development of the agricultural economy. Agricultural and pastoral systems are composed of agricultural sub-systems and pastoral sub-systems, which encompass both the production stage and the sales stage. These two sub-systems include shared factors and undesirable outputs, the latter of which refer to by-products such as CO2 emissions, among others. These factors create significant challenges in assessing the efficiency of agricultural and pastoral systems. To address this issue, this study first proposes divisional system network bounded adjusted measure (BAM) models that consider shared factors and undesirable outputs for assessing the efficiency of agricultural sub-systems and pastoral sub-systems. Subsequently, an overall efficiency model for evaluating the efficiency of agricultural and pastoral systems is developed. The new method is applied to evaluate the efficiency of agricultural and pastoral systems across 30 provinces and cities in China. To explore the impact of undesirable outputs, the efficiency that ignores undesirable outputs is compared with our method. The results indicate that efficiency may be misestimated when ignoring undesirable outputs. Additionally, efficiency under different conditions of intermediate products is also computed, revealing that efficiency under the fixed link of intermediate products tends to be overestimated compared to the free link method we used.
Potential of Steinernema feltiae (Nematoda: Steinernematidae) Native Populations in the Biocontrol of Lycoriella ingenua (Diptera: Sciaridae) and Their Impact on Mushroom Production
Authors: Drobnjaković Tanja , Grujić Nikola , Luković Jelena , Anđelković Nikola , Potočnik Ivana , Milijašević-Marčić Svetlana , Šantrić Ljiljana , Popović Angelina , Marčić Dejan
Published: February 2025

Lycoriella ingenua (Dufour) is a major pest in mushroom facilities in Serbia and worldwide. The study aimed to determine the virulence (in vitro) and effectiveness (in vivo) of three Serbian native populations of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev), P9, K2, and ZŠT, compared to a commercial population of S. feltiae against L. ingenua, and their impact on mushroom yield. In vitro bioassays showed that seven days after exposure to a series of nematode suspensions (IJ cm−2), two of the three native (P9 and K2) populations and the commercial population of S. feltiae caused significant mortality of L4 instar larvae of L. ingenua. The following LC50s were estimated: 18.47, 15.77, and 11.48 IJ cm−2 for P9, K2, and the commercial populations, respectively. These populations were further used for in vivo bioassays, where their IJs were applied as drench treatment twice (at the rate of 75 IJ cm−2) during casing time and seven days later. Control of L. ingenua larvae with the commercial population of S. feltiae was 85%, while the effectiveness of the native populations was 70%. The lack of adequate pest control measures emphasizes a need to promote local EPNs as biologically based and ecotoxicologically safe products.
Review and Validation of Plant Gene Function Research Methods Bypassing Tissue Culture
Authors: Jiang Huanghuang , Huang Suya , Wang Jiayi , Sun Deming , Wang Min , Lin Su , Liu Jinhua , Xu Kai , Liu Bei , Ma Haijie
Published: February 2025

The genetic transformation of plants has provided fundamental insights into plant biology. However, the genetic transformation systems for most horticultural plants remain incomplete. Genome editing has significantly contributed to the improvement of crop traits, but it heavily relies on effective genetic transformation. Currently, reducing costs and improving the efficiency of genetic transformation are crucial for promoting the widespread application of genome editing in plants. Here, we review the advances in plant genetic transformation research, performing analysis of three methods for plant gene function analysis that bypass tissue culture: Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated root genetic transformation, developmental regulators (DRs)-mediated genetic transformation, and virus-mediated genome editing. We analyzed transformation efficiency in strawberry and citrus using the A. rhizogenes infiltration method, employing GFP to label different subcellular locations to investigate the morphology of microfilaments, nuclei, and peroxisomes in strawberry cells. Sequence analysis revealed that a series of developmental regulators critical for enhancing genetic transformation efficiency in specific species are highly conserved across different plant species. Additionally, we successfully edited the endogenous Pds gene in Cas9-overexpressing transgenic tobacco using TRV and CLBV containing the gRNA module. These three methods offer the benefits of being cost-effective and time-efficient, providing valuable technical insights for the application of plant genome editing.
Contribution of Biological Nitrogen Fixation to the Biomass Productivity of Elephant Grass Grown in Low-Fertility Soil for Energy Purposes
Authors: Oliveira Carolina Almada Gomes de , Monteiro Edevaldo de Castro , Souza Wesley dos Santos , Pio Paulo Vitor Alves , Machado Juarez Campolina , Alves Bruno José Rodrigues , Boddey Robert Michael , Urquiaga Segundo
Published: February 2025

Elephant grass has high biomass production potential and can benefit from biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) as its main external nitrogen source. This study evaluated the effect of BNF on biomass productivity and total nitrogen accumulation in different elephant grass genotypes. This experiment was conducted in a 120 m2 concrete tank filled with soil labeled with 15N to estimate the contribution of BNF. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications, and the evaluation was over three years of cultivation, with semiannual cuts. The productivity of fresh and dry mass of the shoot, Nitrogen (N) accumulation, and the contribution of BNF by the 15N natural abundance technique were evaluated. The annual average of BNF was 38%. There was a statistical difference between the treatments, with the genotype P13G13 presenting fresh and dry mass productivity 50% higher than P6G4. The annual average of fresh mass, dry matter, total N, and N derived from BNF in the genotypes was approximately 70, 30, 100 Mg ha−1, and 35 kg ha−1, respectively. The results obtained by the P13G13 genotype allow us to recommend its use for biomass production aimed at bioenergy, favoring sustainability, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and dependence on synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.
The Potential Role of Nitrogen Management in Enhancing Grain Yield and Lodging Resistance of Shanlan Upland Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Wu Jun , Liao Qiansi , Shah Farooq , Li Zhaojie , Tao Yang , Wang Peng , Xiong Li , Yuan Qianhua , Wu Wei
Published: February 2025

As a drought-resistant and water-saving rice (Oryza sativa L.), the Shanlan upland rice germplasm can provide solutions to the food security problems caused by frequent water shortages. In most nitrogen (N) fertilizer management strategies targeting maximum rice yields, lodging (both root and stem) is often ignored. Hence, this study aimed to determine an optimal N fertilizer management strategy that balanced the trade-off between yield and lodging in Shanlan upland rice. Our research employed the “safety factor” (SF) technique to explore the root-lodging resistance (represented by SFr) and stem-lodging resistance (represented by SFs) of Shanlan upland rice using three N fertilizer methods, including conventional N fertilization (CNF), split–postponed N fertilization (SPNF), and controlled-release N fertilizer (CRNF), and three N application rates (80, 120, and 160 kg N ha−1) for two consecutive years. Compared with CNF, the SFr improved by 14.9% for CRNF and 9.1% for SPNF. Likewise, the SFs increased by 22.7% for CRNF and 15.3% for SPNF. Moreover, Shanlan upland rice was found to be more prone to the risk of root lodging than stem lodging. At the same time, the grain yield and net benefit improved by 14.6% and 18.1% for CRNF, respectively, compared with CNF. Hence, employing the CRNF technique was more effective at reducing the lodging risk of Shanlan upland rice. Moreover, increasing the N application rate beyond 120 kg N ha−1 did not significantly increase the grain yield for CRNF but the lodging resistance and net benefit were reduced. In conclusion, with an N application rate of 120 kg N ha−1 for CRNF, Shanlan upland rice could achieve a relatively stable and high net income and can be recommended to growers for adoption.
Optimizing Olive (Olea europaea) Leaves as a Sustainable Ruminant Feed: Effects of Chemical Treatments on Nutritional Value and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Authors: Ammar Hajer , Kholif Ahmed Eid , Adegbeye Moyòsore J. , Anele Uchenna Y. , Morsy Tarek A. , Abdo Mohamed M. , Gouda Gouda A. , Azzaz Hossam H. , Ghzayel Soha , Zoabi Halimeh , Abu Aziz Bassam , López Secundino , de Haro-Martí Mario , Chahine Mireille
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of treating olive (Olea europaea) leaves with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) or urea (both at 4% for 40 d) or supplementing with polyethylene glycol (PEG) at 100 mg/g DM on their nutrient composition, gas production, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) productions, and fermentation profile. The results showed that NaOH-treated leaves had the lowest organic matter and fiber fractions, while urea-treated olive leaves exhibited the highest crude protein content (p < 0.001). Asymptotic gas production was significantly higher (p = 0.015) in urea-treated olive leaves compared to NaOH-treated leaves. Methane production was highest (p < 0.05) in urea-treated leaves and lowest in NaOH-treated leaves. During incubation, urea-treated leaves produced the highest CO2 per gram of degradable neutral detergent fiber (p = 0.015). Degradability parameters indicated that PEG supplementation led to the highest DM, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber degradability (p < 0.05) compared to the untreated and NaOH-treated leaves. Urea-treated leaves produced the highest acetic acid (p = 0.016) compared to PEG-supplemented and NaOH-treated leaves, showing no significant difference from the control. Butyric acid levels were higher (p = 0.011) in NaOH-treated and PEG-supplemented leaves than in the control and urea-treated leaves. Metabolizable energy (ME) was significantly higher (p = 0.013) in urea-treated leaves than in untreated and NaOH-treated leaves, with the latter producing the lowest ME. PEG supplementation resulted in significantly higher microbial protein (MCP) production (p = 0.023) compared to NaOH-treated and untreated leaves, while the MCP level in the urea-treated group was comparable to all other treatments. In conclusion, PEG supplementation was the most effective treatment for olive leaves’ degradability and MCP, with urea treatment being the second option. From an environmental perspective, NaOH treatment was the most effective for reducing CH4 and CO2 productions during the fermentation of olive leaves.
Study on the Toxicological Impacts of Intraperitoneal Microcystin-LR Injection on GIFT Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Through Multi-Omics Analysis
Authors: Wu Haizheng , Zhu Haojun , Li Quanjie , Gao Jiancao , Du Jinliang , Cao Liping , Sun Yi , Xu Gangchun
Published: February 2025

This study employed multi-omics analysis to systematically evaluate the toxic effects of intraperitoneal injection of MC-LR on GIFT tilapia. The results showed that 96 h post injection, serum levels of aspartate GOT, GPT, LYZ, T-AOC, and SOD significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In contrast, hepatic levels of CAT and MDA significantly increased. The 16S rDNA sequencing method revealed a significant reduction in the α diversity of the intestinal microbiota. At the phylum level, the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota significantly decreased; at the genus level, several genera, including Bacteroides and Pseudomonas, also exhibited significant changes. Functional prediction indicated that the affected pathways were primarily related to metabolism and disease. Additionally, targeted metabolomics analysis showed a significant decrease in the levels of several SCFAs, such as butyric acid. Correlation analysis further elucidated the complex interactions between the intestinal microbiota, biochemical indicators, and SCFA metabolism. Overall, the study demonstrated that MC-LR induced oxidative stress and liver damage and led to intestinal microbiota imbalance and metabolic dysfunction in GIFT tilapia.
Numerical Study on the Coupled Impact of Periodic Wake and Pulsating Jet on Film Cooling Efficiency on a Flat Wall
Authors: Peng Qiushou , Shi Liuliu
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a numerical study investigating the coupled effects of periodic incoming wake and pulsating jets on the film cooling efficiency of a flat wall. The sweeping frequency of the wake is maintained at a constant 10 Hz, while the blowing ratio (M) varies from 0.3 to 1. By adjusting the initial position of the rod, different phase lags are generated to assess the interaction between the incoming wake and the pulsating jet concerning film cooling efficiency. The results reveal that coupling the wake-affected surface with the low-blowing-ratio phase of the pulsating jet can effectively enhance film cooling efficiency at lower blowing ratios. Conversely, at higher blowing ratios, aligning the low-pressure phase of the pulsating jet at the film hole with the high-blowing-ratio jet pulsation results in an improved film cooling effect. Notably, when the phase lag (ψ) is set to zero, the cooling efficiency of the pulsating film reaches its maximum across all blowing ratios, indicating an optimal coupling strategy.
Biform Game Approach to Strategy Optimization of Autonomous Vehicle Lane Changes on Highway Ramps
Authors: Wang Xiaorong , Li Yinzhen , Ma Changxi , Cao Shurui
Published: February 2025

The traditional non-cooperative and cooperative game methods have limitations in solving the traffic problems of autonomous or assisted driving vehicles using vehicle-to-everything communication. In this paper, the biform game method is introduced to optimize the lane-changing behavior of autonomous or assisted driving vehicles in highway on-ramp areas based on vehicle-to-everything. Considering the lane-changing and speed adjustment needs of autonomous vehicles in high-speed scenarios, a forced lane-changing framework was constructed, and the speed gain allocation was determined based on the target vehicle lane-changing time, and a speed increase was regarded as a benefit. Through the constructed biform game model, research was carried out on conflicting and cooperative vehicles. A strategy combination is first constructed in the non-cooperative situation, and then the cooperative game competition stage begins. The Shapley value is used to deduce the distribution value of each participant in the cooperative game stage, which is the profit value in the non-cooperative stage, and then the pure-strategy Nash equilibrium solution is calculated. The interaction with other vehicles in the lane-change process is based on maximizing the benefit to all the vehicles participating in the lane change, and the optimal speed solution of the biform game model when changing lanes is obtained. Numerical examples were used to verify the validity and feasibility of the model and broaden the application range of the biform game method. In future research, this method will be applied to more complex traffic models, such as driving models in emergency situations and research from the perspective of road infrastructure designers, providing new ideas and directions for optimization strategies for autonomous vehicle lane changes in the Internet of Vehicles.
Increasing the Accessibility of Causal Domain Knowledge via Causal Information Extraction Methods: A Case Study in the Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Razouk Houssam , Benischke Leonie , Gärber Daniel , Kern Roman
Published: February 2025

Causal domain knowledge is commonly documented using natural language either in unstructured or semi-structured forms. This study aims to increase the usability of causal domain knowledge in industrial documents by transforming the information into a more structured format. The paper presents our work on developing automated methods for causal information extraction from real-world industrial documents in the semiconductor manufacturing industry, including presentation slides and FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) documents. Specifically, we evaluate two types of causal information extraction methods: single-stage sequence tagging (SST) and multi-stage sequence tagging (MST). The presented case study showcases that the proposed MST methods for extracting causal information from industrial documents are suitable for practical applications, especially for semi-structured documents such as FMEAs, with a 93% F1 score. Additionally, the study shows that extracting causal information from presentation slides is more challenging. The study highlights the importance of choosing a language model that is more aligned with the domain and in-domain pre-training.
Metabolic Regulation and Molecular Mechanism of Salt Stress Response in Salt-Tolerant Astragalus mongholicus
Authors: Liu Yuxiao , Sheng Jinhua , Yang Jiaqing , Li Xingcong
Published: February 2025

Astragalus mongholicus, an important medicinal plant species, exhibits low tolerance to high-salt environments, which restricts its growth in saline–alkaline areas. Understanding its salt-tolerance mechanisms is crucial for overcoming the technical challenges of industrialized cultivation in these regions. However, studies on the salt-tolerance mechanisms of Astragalus mongholicus are limited. This study examines two Astragalus mongholicus germplasms with distinct differences in salt tolerance (LQ: salt-tolerant, DT: salt-sensitive), and investigates their physiological adaptations and molecular mechanisms under salt stress (200 mmol/L NaCl) using an integrated analysis of morphology, physiology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics. Specifically, LQ showed smaller reductions in plant height, root length, root thickness, and fresh weight (29.0%, 5.0%, 2.8%, and 22.3%, respectively), compared to DT, which exhibited larger reductions (42.9%, 44.9%, 46.3%, and 41.4%, respectively). The results indicated that the salt-tolerant germplasm (LQ) enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities in response to salt stress, including SOD, POD, and CAT, and accumulating osmoregulatory substances. In LQ, the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT increased by 22.8%, 10.9%, and 8.8%, respectively, significantly higher than those of DT, which showed increases of 2.9%, 8.5%, and 1.4% in SOD, POD, and CAT activities, respectively. The contents of soluble sugar and protein in LQ increased by 2-fold and 16.9%, respectively, compared to 67.0% and 18.8% increases in DT. Additionally, the levels of MDA, H2O2, and OFR in LQ showed smaller increases (14.7%, 41.0%, and 13.6%, respectively), compared to the larger increases observed in DT (58.0%, 51.2%, and 18.6%), indicating a reduced level of oxidative damage in LQ and enhanced tolerance to salt stress. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that 3510 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 882 differentially expressed metabolites (DAMs) were identified in the leaves of salt-tolerant germplasm LQ under salt stress, whereas the sensitive germplasm DT had 1632 DEGs and 797 DAMs, respectively. Differential genes and metabolites were involved in metabolic pathways such as flavonoid biosynthesis, isoquinoline alkaloid synthesis, and phenylalanine metabolism. In particular, LQ alleviated salt stress damage and enhanced salt tolerance by increasing oxidase activities in its flavonoid and phenylalanine metabolic pathways and regulating the expression of key genes and enzymes. This study provides valuable insights and empirical data to support the selection of appropriate Astragalus mongholicus germplasms for saline regions and the development of improved cultivars.
Preparation and Characterization of Novel Nanofibrous Composites Prepared by Electrospinning as Multifunctional Platforms for Guided Bone Regeneration Procedures
Authors: Sierakowska-Byczek Aleksandra , Radwan-Pragłowska Julia , Janus Łukasz , Galek Tomasz , Radwan-Pragłowska Natalia , Łysiak Karol , Radomski Piotr , Tupaj Mirosław
Published: February 2025

Prosthetics, a rapidly advancing field in dentistry, aims to improve patient comfort and aesthetics by addressing the challenge of replacing missing teeth. A critical obstacle in dental implantation is the condition of the jawbone, which often necessitates reconstruction prior to implant placement. Guided bone regeneration (GBR) and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) techniques utilize membranes that act as scaffolds for bone and tissue growth while serving as barriers against rapidly proliferating cells and pathogens. Commonly used membranes, such as poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) and collagen, have significant limitations—PTFE is non-bioresorbable and requires secondary removal, while collagen lacks adequate mechanical strength and exhibits unpredictable degradation rates. To overcome these challenges, nanofiber membranes produced via electrospinning using polylactic acid (PLA) were developed. The novel composites were functionalized with bioactive additives, including periclase (MgO) nanoparticles and polydopamine (PDA), to enhance osteoblast adhesion, antibacterial properties, and tissue regeneration. This study comprehensively evaluated the biological, mechanical, and physicochemical properties of the prepared nanofibrous scaffolds. Experimental results revealed controlled degradation rates and improved hydrophilicity due to surface modifications with PDA and MgO. Moreover, the nanofibers exhibited enhanced swelling behavior, which promoted nutrient exchange while maintaining structural integrity over prolonged periods. The incorporation of bioactive additives contributed to superior osteoblast proliferation, antibacterial activity, and growth factor immobilization, supporting bone tissue regeneration. These findings suggest that the developed nanofibrous composites are a promising candidate for GBR and GTR applications, offering a balanced combination of biological activity, mechanical performance, and degradation behavior tailored for clinical use.
CraftFuzz: Generating Precise Requests for PHP Web Vulnerability Validation
Authors: Zhao Jiazhen , Zhu Kailong , Yang Guozheng , Zhang Yifan , Lu Yuliang
Published: February 2025

Web applications have become a crucial part of modern society’s infrastructure, and vulnerabilities in them can lead to significant social and economic losses. Static analysis remains the predominant approach for vulnerability detection, due to its extensive coverage. However, its high false positive rate demands significant expert effort to confirm the actual presence of vulnerabilities. In contrast, dynamic analysis can generate accurate vulnerability reports. Nevertheless, existing fuzzers are often constrained in their methodologies, making it challenging to effectively explore deeper code regions where vulnerabilities are more likely to reside. To address these limitations, we propose CraftFuzz, a directed fuzzing approach that combines static and dynamic analysis. It aims to bypass extensive ineffective path exploration and generate precise requests for validating PHP web vulnerabilities. CraftFuzz adopts a multi-stage refinement-solving strategy, including static extraction of path constraints and routing rules for entry URL generation, solving path constraints through fuzzing and parameter mutation, and payload construction based on various reflection strategies to effectively handle data constraints. Ultimately, CraftFuzz ensures that fuzzing requests accurately reach the target sink and successfully trigger vulnerabilities. The experimental results demonstrated that CraftFuzz could solve each entry URL and path constraint within 6 s and 20 s, respectively, achieving a 97.1% success rate in entry URL generation and a 95% success rate in path constraint solving. For known vulnerability verification, CraftFuzz validated 88.88% of vulnerabilities, outperforming state-of-the-art fuzzers by 32.28%.
Solving Action Semantic Conflict in Physically Heterogeneous Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning with Generalized Action-Prediction Optimization
Authors: Yu Xiaoyang , Lin Youfang , Wang Shuo , Han Sheng
Published: February 2025

Traditional multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) algorithms typically implement global parameter sharing across various types of heterogeneous agents without meticulously differentiating between different action semantics. This approach results in the action semantic conflict problem, which decreases the generalization ability of policy networks across heterogeneous types of agents and decreases the cooperation among agents in intricate scenarios. Conversely, completely independent agent parameters significantly escalate computational costs and training complexity. To address these challenges, we introduce an adaptive MARL algorithm named Generalized Action-Prediction Optimization (GAPO). First, we introduce the Generalized Action Space (GAS), which represents the union of all agent actions with distinct semantics. All agents first compute their unified representation in the GAS, and then generate their heterogeneous action policies with different available action masks. Second, in order to further improve cooperation between heterogeneous groups, we propose a Cross-Group Prediction (CGP) loss, which adaptively predicts the action policies of other groups by leveraging trajectory information. We integrate the GAPO into both value-based and policy-based MARL algorithms, giving rise to two practical algorithms: G-QMIX and G-MAPPO. Experimental results obtained within the SMAC, MPE, MAMuJoCo, and RPE environments demonstrate the superiority of G-QMIX and G-MAPPO over several state-of-the-art MARL methods, validating the effectiveness of our proposed adaptive generalized MARL approach.
Application Research on Contour Feature Extraction of Solidified Region Image in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Based on SA-TransUNet
Authors: Dang Mengxiang , Zhou Xin , Huang Guorong , Wang Xuede , Zhang Ting , Tian Ying , Ding Guoquan , Gao Hanyu
Published: February 2025

The solidified state after the melting of the forming layer in the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) directly reflects the final forming quality. Compared with the powder layer and the melt pool, it is easier to recognize and remove the defects of contour parts in time by monitoring and processing the solidified region after the melting of the forming layer. To explore the application of a solidified region image in defect contour detection of the forming layer, an improved image segmentation model based on TranUNet is designed to extract the image features of the solidified region as process data, on which basis this paper analyzes the similarities and differences between forming process data and CT scanning results data. Addressing the characteristics of large data volume and significant feature scale variation in the solidified region image obtained during the LPBF process, an SA-TransUNet semantic segmentation model integrating SE attention mechanism and ASPP multi-scale feature extraction module is developed to achieve high-precision solidified region image segmentation, with an IoU and a dice coefficient index up to 94.24% and 97.02%, respectively. By extracting the solidified region image of the LPBF forming layer through this model and calculating the geometric feature values of its contour, a comparative analysis is conducted with the corresponding contour geometric feature values of the formed part CT scan image, which verifies the feasibility of the solidified region image extraction method proposed in this paper for contour defect detection.