bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Water Resistance of Super Adhesive Emulsified Asphalt Based on Dynamic Water Scouring
Authors: Li Xiujun , Sun Yue , Wang Ningning , Shi Fangzhi , Peng Bin
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to address the issue of inadequate water resistance in asphalt pavement tack coat materials by preparing super adhesive emulsified asphalt (SAE). Due to the lack of consideration of dynamic water scouring in previous studies on the water resistance analysis of tack coat materials, this research employed self-designed inclined shear, pullout, and dynamic water scouring devices to examine the shear and tensile strength of matrix emulsified asphalt, styrene block copolymer (SBS)-modified emulsified asphalt, and SAE under various conditions of sprinkling volumes, temperatures, and scouring times. The findings indicate that, in the dynamic water scouring test conducted under the optimal sprinkling amount of tack coat material and the most unfavorable temperature conditions between layers, SAE exhibited residual shear and tensile strengths that were higher than SBS-modified emulsified asphalt and matrix emulsified asphalt. Combining polymerized styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) and polyurethane (PU) as two modifiers in the mix exhibits a synergistic effect, enhancing the bonding performance, scouring resistance, and water resistance of SAE as the tack coat material.
Facile Fabrication of High-Performance Superhydrophobic Reusable Oil-Absorbing Sponges
Authors: Kudaibergenova Rabiga , Sugurbekov Yerzhigit , Demeuova Gulzat , Sugurbekova Gulnar
Published: October 2023

Wastewater treatment from oil, oil products and organic mixtures is a very relevant topic that can be successfully utilized to solve problems of severe environmental pollution, such as oil spills, industrial oily wastewater discharges and water treatment in the water treatment process. In this work, we have developed new superhydrophobic magnetic polyurethane (PU) sponges, functionalized with reduced graphene oxide (RGO), MgFe2O4 nanoparticles, and silicone oil AS 100 (SO), as a selective and reusable sorbent for the purification and separation of wastewater from oil and organic solvents. The surface morphology and wettability of the sponge surface were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a contact angle analysis system, respectively. The results showed that the obtained PU sponge PU/RGO/MgFe2O4/SO had excellent mechanical and water-repellent properties, good reusability (lasted more than 20 cycles), as well as fast (immersion time 20 s) and excellent absorption capacity (16.61–44.86 g/g), and additional good magnetic properties, which made it easy to separate the sponge from the water with a magnet. The presence of RGO in the composition of the nanomaterial improves the separating and cleaning properties of the materials and also leads to an increase in the absorption capacity of oil and various organic solvents. The synthesized PU sponge has great potential for practical applications due to its facile fabrication and excellent oil–water separation properties.
Fully Bio-Based and Solvent-Free Polyester Polyol for Two-Component Polyurethane Coatings
Authors: Čuk Nataša , Steinbücher Miha , Vidmar Nejc , Ocepek Martin , Venturini Peter
Published: October 2023

In recent years, many efforts are being devoted to the development of new materials that originate from renewable resources. Polyesters are one of the most important classes of such materials and several bio-based monomers are available for their synthesis. In this work, the development of fully bio-based and solvent-free polyester polyol used for two-component polyurethane coatings on industrial scale is presented. Fossil-based raw materials were substituted with bio-based alternatives that are commercially available on a large scale. Properties of polyols and coatings were determined and measured. Polyols were characterized by the determination of acid number, hydroxyl number, glass transition temperature and refractive index, and measurement of viscosity, color and molecular weight. Coatings were characterized by the determination of mechanical properties, such as hardness, elasticity and impact resistance, and the measurement of optical properties such as gloss, haze, distinctness of image (DOI) and reflected image quality (RIQ) and weathering resistance. Three variations of bio-based polyol were synthesized, then the most suitable version was validated in a clear coat. The results showed that the properties of the bio-based polyol and coating met the requirements and were comparable to the properties of the synthetic counterpart. Results indicate that this newly developed 100% bio-based and solvent-free polyol can be used as a drop-in replacement for synthetic polyol. Furthermore, this work implies that the supply chain is established which allows the green transition in the paint industry.
The Role of Boron Addition on Solidification Behavior and Microstructural Evolution of a High Niobium-Containing TiAl Alloy
Authors: Zhang Fan , Wu Zeen , Wang Xiaoye , Zhang Tiebang , Zhang Yongchun , Li Qiao
Published: October 2023

This work investigates the role of boron addition in the solidification behavior and microstructural evolution during the heat treatment process of Ti-46Al-8Nb-xB (x = 0.1, 0.7, 1.4, 2.5 at.%). The results show that the solid solution boron element prefers to occupy the interstitial vacancies of the α2 phase in the alloy. However, the solid solubility of the boron element in high Nb-containing TiAl alloys is extremely low. Therefore, it does not have a significant effect on the lattice distortion of α2 and γ phases in the alloy. When the boron content is added up to 0.1%, a B27-type TiB precipitated phase is produced in the alloy. The morphology of borides mostly shows short rod-like structures, and a few show long curved shapes. And the addition of boron refines both the alloy colony size and the lamellar structure. Furthermore, it is also found that boron addition weakens the casting texture of the alloy. After a solid solution and different time aging heat treatment process, the microstructure of different boron content alloys have experienced obvious coarsening phenomenon. However, the morphology of the boride is closely related to boron content and heat treatment.
A New Charge-Ordered Molecular Conductor: κ-(BEDT-TTF)2K+(18-crown-6)[CoII(NCS)4]∙(H2O)
Authors: Bardin Andrei A. , Prokhorova Tatiana G. , Buravov Lev I.
Published: October 2023

A new molecular conductor, i.e., κ-(BEDT-TTF)2K+(18-crown-6)[CoII(NCS)4]∙(H2O), is semiconductive with substantial charge gap values (ΔE) of 0.57 eV (measured) and 0.37 eV (calculated). There is a full band separation despite formal average charge on BEDT-TTF of +0.5 and κ(kappa)-type packing of BEDT-TTF dimers that favors high conductivity. X-ray crystal structure analysis reveals complete charge ordering with full Coulomb charge on unique BEDT-TTF radical cations A (QA = +1), while unique molecules B are uncharged (QB = 0). Geometries of A (flat) and B (bent) differ considerably and are in accordance with the ascribing charges. Charge segregation is enhanced by forming tight face-to-face BEDT-TTF dimers AA (QAA = +2) and BB (QBB = 0). Strongly interacting double-charged dimers AA form “superstripes” running along a that are interleaved along b with chains of neutral dimers BB. Peculiar extremely thick (13.7 Å) four-decker insulating anion layers cast strong Coulomb potential onto the conductive layers predetermining charge localization in the latter.
Impact of Helicobacter pylori Infection upon the Evolution and Outcome of Pediatric Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Săsăran Maria Oana , Mărginean Cristina Oana , Koller Ana Maria
Published: October 2023

In adults with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), the identification of H. pylori infection and its subsequent eradication proved to aid platelet recovery. Similar findings, at a smaller scale, were allegedly reported by some pediatric studies. This review’s objective was to establish the influence of H. pylori infection and its eradication upon platelet count and recovery in pediatric ITP. Three databases, namely Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science, were searched for pediatric studies which investigated a link between H. pylori infection and thrombocytopenia. The search results retrieved a number of 21 articles which complied to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Some studies report lower platelet values among children with ITP and documented H. pylori infection, as well as an improve in platelet numbers after H. pylori treatment. However, results are controversial, as multiple authors failed to identify a higher prevalence of H. pylori among children with ITP or a lack of significant change in therapeutic outcome with the addition of an eradication regimen to standard treatment. The main limitations of current pediatric studies remain the small study samples and the short follow-up periods of the included subjects. Hence, the long-term impact of H. pylori in children with ITP is still uncertain.
Discrepancies between Radiology Specialists and Residents in Fracture Detection from Musculoskeletal Radiographs
Authors: Huhtanen Jarno , Nyman Mikko , Sequeiros Roberto , Koskinen Seppo , Pudas Tomi , Kajander Sami , Niemi Pekka , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Aronen Hannu , Hirvonen Jussi
Published: October 2023

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to compare the competence in appendicular trauma radiograph image interpretation between radiology specialists and residents. (2) Methods: In this multicenter retrospective cohort study, we collected radiology reports from radiology specialists (N = 506) and residents (N = 500) during 2018–2021. As a reference standard, we used the consensus of two subspecialty-level musculoskeletal (MSK) radiologists, who reviewed all original reports. (3) Results: A total of 1006 radiograph reports were reviewed by the two subspecialty-level MSK radiologists. Of the 1006 radiographs, 41% were abnormal. In total, 67 radiographic findings were missed (6.7%) and 32 findings were overcalled (3.2%) in the original reports. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 0.86, 0.92, 0.88, and 0.91, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between radiology specialists’ and residents’ competence in interpretation (p = 0.44). However, radiology specialists reported more subtle cases than residents did (p = 0.04). There were no statistically significant differences between errors made in the morning, evening, or night shifts (p = 0.57). (4) Conclusions: This study found a lack of major discrepancies between radiology specialists and residents in radiograph interpretation, although there were differences between MSK regions and in subtle or obvious radiographic findings. In addition, missed findings found in this study often affected patient treatment. Finally, there are MSK regions where the sensitivity or specificity is below 90%, and these should raise concerns and highlight the need for double reading and should be taken into consideration in radiology education.
Can Whole-Body Baseline CT Radiomics Add Information to the Prediction of Best Response, Progression-Free Survival, and Overall Survival of Stage IV Melanoma Patients Receiving First-Line Targeted Therapy: A Retrospective Register Study
Authors: Peisen Felix , Gerken Annika , Hering Alessa , Dahm Isabel , Nikolaou Konstantin , Gatidis Sergios , Eigentler Thomas K. , Amaral Teresa , Moltz Jan H. , Othman Ahmed E.
Published: October 2023

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the combination of radiomics and clinical parameters in a machine-learning model offers additive information compared with the use of only clinical parameters in predicting the best response, progression-free survival after six months, as well as overall survival after six and twelve months in patients with stage IV malignant melanoma undergoing first-line targeted therapy. Methods: A baseline machine-learning model using clinical variables (demographic parameters and tumor markers) was compared with an extended model using clinical variables and radiomic features of the whole tumor burden, utilizing repeated five-fold cross-validation. Baseline CTs of 91 stage IV malignant melanoma patients, all treated in the same university hospital, were identified in the Central Malignant Melanoma Registry and all metastases were volumetrically segmented (n = 4727). Results: Compared with the baseline model, the extended radiomics model did not add significantly more information to the best-response prediction (AUC [95% CI] 0.548 (0.188, 0.808) vs. 0.487 (0.139, 0.743)), the prediction of PFS after six months (AUC [95% CI] 0.699 (0.436, 0.958) vs. 0.604 (0.373, 0.867)), or the overall survival prediction after six and twelve months (AUC [95% CI] 0.685 (0.188, 0.967) vs. 0.766 (0.433, 1.000) and AUC [95% CI] 0.554 (0.163, 0.781) vs. 0.616 (0.271, 1.000), respectively). Conclusions: The results showed no additional value of baseline whole-body CT radiomics for best-response prediction, progression-free survival prediction for six months, or six-month and twelve-month overall survival prediction for stage IV melanoma patients receiving first-line targeted therapy. These results need to be validated in a larger cohort.
Basic Principles of Rotational Thromboelastometry (ROTEM®) and the Role of ROTEM—Guided Fibrinogen Replacement Therapy in the Management of Coagulopathies
Authors: Drotarova Miroslava , Zolkova Jana , Belakova Kristina , Brunclikova Monika , Skornova Ingrid , Stasko Jan , Simurda Tomas
Published: October 2023

Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) is a viscoelastic method, which provides a graphical and numerical representation of induced hemostasis in whole blood samples. Its ability to quickly assess the state of hemostasis is used in the management of bleeding from a variety of causes. The separate activation of particular parts of hemocoagulation in INTEM, EXTEM, and FIBTEM tests allows for a more comprehensive and faster evaluation of the missing component of hemostasis followed by targeted therapy. One of the most common cause of coagulopathy is trauma-induced coagulopathy. Fibrinogen replacement therapy by ROTEM allows for the use of a standard dosage of fibrinogen, which has been shown to be successful in preventing dilutional coagulopathy following colloid and crystalloid replacement and excessive amount of allogeneic blood transfusions. The best reflection of fibrinogen activity is observed in the FIBTEM assay, where fibrinogen replacement therapy is recommended at an MCF (maximum clot firmness) of FIBTEM < 10 mm and FIBTEM A10 < 7 mm. ROTEM also plays an important role in the diagnostic and management of inherited fibrinogen disorders. These can be manifested by bleeding complications, where changes in the MCF parameter are the most useful tool for assessing the effectiveness of fibrinogen replacement therapy. ROTEM-guided bleeding management algorithms effectively reduce the number of transfusions, healthcare costs, and complications, leading to the improvement of patient safety and overall health.
A Multi-Disciplinary MRI Assessment May Optimize the Evaluation of Chondral Lesions in Acute Ankle Fractures: A Prospective Study
Authors: Darwich Ali , Nörenberg Dominik , Adam Julia , Hetjens Svetlana , Schilder Andreas , Obertacke Udo , Gravius Sascha , Jawhar Ahmed
Published: October 2023

Chondral lesions (CL) in the ankle following acute fractures are frequently overlooked immediately after the injury or diagnosed at a later stage, leading to persistent symptoms despite successful surgery. The literature presents a wide range of discrepancies in the reported incidence of CLs in acute ankle fractures. The objective of this prospective study is to provide a precise assessment of the occurrence of chondral lesions (CLs) in acute ankle fractures through MRI scans conducted immediately after the trauma and prior to scheduled surgery. Furthermore, the study aims to highlight the disparities in the interpretation of these MRI scans, particularly concerning the size and extent of chondral damage, between radiologists and orthopedic surgeons. Over the period of three years, all patients presenting with an unstable ankle fracture that underwent operative treatment were consecutively included in this single-center prospective study. Preoperative MRIs were obtained for all included patients within 10 days of the trauma and were evaluated by a trauma surgeon and a radiologist specialized in musculoskeletal MRI blinded to each other’s results. The location of the lesions was documented, as well as their size and ICRS classification. Correlations and kappa coefficients as well as the p-values were calculated. A total of 65 patients were included, with a mean age of 41 years. The evaluation of the orthopedic surgeon showed CLs in 52.3% of patients. CLs occurred mainly on the tibial articular surface (70.6%). Most talar lesions were located laterally (11.2%). The observed CLs were mainly ICRS grade 4. According to the radiologist, 69.2% of the patients presented with CLs. The most common location was the talar dome (48.9%), especially laterally. Most detected CLs were graded ICRS 3a. The correlation between the two observers was weak/fair regarding the detection and classification of CLs and moderate regarding the size of the detected CLs. To enhance the planning of surgical treatment for ankle chondral lesions (CLs), it may be beneficial to conduct an interdisciplinary preoperative assessment of the performed scans. This collaborative approach can optimize the evaluation of ankle CLs and improve overall treatment strategies.
Comparison of Electrocardiographic Parameters by Gender in Heart Failure Patients with Preserved Ejection Fraction via Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Yilmaz Rustem , Öz Ersoy
Published: October 2023

Background: Heart failure (HF) causes high morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prevalence of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasing compared with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Patients with HFpEF are a patient group with a high rate of hospitalization despite medical treatment. Early diagnosis is very important in this group of patients, and early treatment can improve their prognosis. Although electrocardiographic (ECG) findings have been adequately studied in patients with HFrEF, there are not enough studies on these parameters in patients with HFpEF. There are very few studies in the literature, especially on gender-specific changes. The current research aims to compare gender-specific ECG parameters in patients with HFpEF based on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI). Methods: A total of 118 patients participated in the study, of which 66 (56%) were women with HFpEF and 52 (44%) were men with HFpEF. Demographic, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic characteristics of the patients were analyzed to compare gender-specific ECG parameters in patients with HFpEF. The AI approach combined with machine learning approaches (gradient boosting machine, k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machines) was applied for distinguishing male patients with HFpEF from female patients with HFpEF. Results: After determining the parameters (demographic, echocardiographic, and electrocardiographic) to distinguish male patients with HFpEF from female patients with HFpEF, machine learning methods were applied, and among these methods, the random forest model achieved an average accuracy of 84.7%. The random forest algorithm results showed that smoking, P-wave dispersion, P-wave amplitude, T-end P/(PQ*Age), Cornell product, and P-wave duration were the most influential parameters for distinguishing male patients with HFpEF from female patients with HFpEF. Conclusions: The proposed model serves as a valuable tool for physicians, facilitating the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for distinguishing male patients with HFpEF from female patients with HFpEF. Analyzing readily accessible electrocardiographic parameters empowers medical professionals to make informed decisions and provide enhanced care to a wide range of individuals.
Clinical Research of Lupus Retinopathy: Quantitative Analysis of Retinal Vessels by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Wang Ximin , Xie Huan , Yi Yao , Zhou Jinhan , Yang Huimin , Li Jin
Published: October 2023

Background: Lupus retinopathy, an ocular manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), is the major pathology attributed to retinal vasculopathy. Our study is to analyze the changes in retinal vessels in patients with SLE by optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods: A total of 61 SLE patients without obvious retinal manifestation and 71 healthy people were included. The SLE patients were further divided into a lupus nephritis (LN) group and a non-LN group. The changes in central macular thickness (CMT) and the retinal vessel densities were compared between the two groups, and the correlation between retinal vascular changes and disease activity was analyzed. Results: Compared with healthy control, the CMT and the retinal vascular densities in both superficial and deep retina were decreased significantly in SLE patients. There was no significant difference in retinal vascular densities between LN groups and non-LN groups. Conclusion: The CMT and retinal vessel densities were decreased in SLE patients without clinical manifestations, which might serve as a sensitive biomarker for early changes of lupus retinopathy in SLE patients.
Noncoding RNA Profile in Reovirus Treated KRAS-Mutated Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Saperstein Rafael , Goel Sanjay , Maitra Radhashree
Published: October 2023

Purpose: To investigate the alterations in the expression of noncoding, micro, and small RNA expression during treatment with oncolytic reovirus in KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer. Methods: Oncolytic reovirus treatment was administered in phase 1 clinical trial (NCT01274624) for 5 days every 28 days, and blood samples were collected before the administration of the reovirus and 48 h, 8 days, and 15 days after its administration on day 1. Data from the blood samples were sorted using Transcriptome Analysis Software (TAC) 4.0, where a two-tailed t-test and a fold change filter were used to ascertain which sample signals had a statistically significant relative fold change of greater than 2 at multiple timepoints before or after oncolytic reovirus administration. Results: The long noncoding RNA’s RP11-332M2.1 (−6.1 x), LINC01506 (−16.18 x), and LINC00534 (−1.94 x) were downregulated at 48 h after reovirus administration [p < 0.05]. ncRNA’s EPB41L4A-AS1 (−6.34 x, 48 h; 11.99 x, day 8), JAK2 (2.2 x, 48 h; −2.23 x, day 8), ANXA4 (20.47 x, day 8; −7.54 x, day 15), and PCDH9 (−2.09, day 8; 1.82 x, day 15) were affected by the reovirus treatment and reflected the progress of the treatment [p < 0.05]. The small RNA SNORA26 (−1.59 x, day 8) was downregulated 48 h after the reovirus administration [p < 0.05]. The microRNA MIR-4461 (6.18 x, day 8; −3.76 x, day 15) was also affected by the reovirus administration [p < 0.05]. Conclusion: The administration of oncolytic reovirus to treat KRAS-mutated colorectal cancer is reflected in a noncoding RNA profile, and expression levels of the ncRNAs in that profile may thus be able to be used as a potential predictive marker for reovirus-treated colorectal cancer.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle 3D Path Planning Based on an Improved Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Tao , Yu Liya , Li Shaobo , Wu Fengbin , Song Qisong , Zhang Xingxing
Published: October 2023

A well-organized path can assist unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in performing tasks efficiently. The artificial fish swarm algorithm (AFSA) is a widely used intelligent optimization algorithm. However, the traditional AFSA exhibits issues of non-uniform population distribution and susceptibility to local optimization. Despite the numerous AFSA variants introduced in recent years, many of them still grapple with challenges like slow convergence rates. To tackle the UAV path planning problem more effectively, we present an improved AFSA algorithm (IAFSA), which is primarily rooted in the following considerations: (1) The prevailing AFSA variants have not entirely resolved concerns related to population distribution disparities and a predisposition for local optimization. (2) Recognizing the specific demands of the UAV path planning problem, an algorithm that can combine global search capabilities with swift convergence becomes imperative. To evaluate the performance of IAFSA, it was tested on 10 constrained benchmark functions from CEC2020; the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified on the UAV 3D path planning problem; and comparative algorithmic experiments of IAFSA are conducted in different maps. The results of the comparison experiments show that IAFSA has high global convergence ability and speed.
Eyes in the Sky: Drones Applications in the Built Environment under Climate Change Challenges
Authors: Bayomi Norhan , Fernandez John E.
Published: October 2023

This paper reviews the diverse applications of drone technologies in the built environment and their role in climate change research. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have emerged as valuable tools for environmental scientists, offering new possibilities for data collection, monitoring, and analysis in the urban environment. The paper begins by providing an overview of the different types of drones used in the built environment, including quadcopters, fixed-wing drones, and hybrid models. It explores their capabilities and features, such as high-resolution cameras, LiDAR sensors, and thermal imaging, which enable detailed data acquisition for studying climate change impacts in urban areas. The paper then examines the specific applications of drones in the built environment and their contribution to climate change research. These applications include mapping urban heat islands, assessing the energy efficiency of buildings, monitoring air quality, and identifying sources of greenhouse gas emissions. UAVs enable researchers to collect spatially and temporally rich data, allowing for a detailed analysis and identifying trends and patterns. Furthermore, the paper discusses integrating UAVs with artificial intelligence (AI) to derive insights and develop predictive models for climate change mitigation and adaptation in urban environments. Finally, the paper addresses drone technologies’ challenges and the future directions in the built environment. These challenges encompass regulatory frameworks, privacy concerns, data management, and the need for an interdisciplinary collaboration. By harnessing the potential of drones, environmental scientists can enhance their understanding of climate change impacts in urban areas and contribute to developing sustainable strategies for resilient cities.
Quantum Probabilities for the Causal Ordering of Events
Authors: Anastopoulos Charis , Plakitsi Maria-Electra
Published: October 2023

We develop a new formalism for constructing probabilities associated with the causal ordering of events in quantum theory, where an event is defined as the emergence of a measurement record on a detector. We start with constructing probabilities for the causal ordering events in classical physics, where events are defined in terms of worldline coincidences. Then, we show how these notions generalize to quantum systems, where there exists no fundamental notion of trajectory. The probabilities constructed here are experimentally accessible, at least in principle. Our analysis here clarifies that the existence of quantum orderings of events do not require quantum gravity effects: it is a consequence of the quantum dynamics of matter, and it appears in the presence of a fixed background spacetime.
An Analysis of the Mediational Effect of Socio-Cultural Factors on Student’s Career Choice Outcomes in the Built Environment: Applying the Socio-Cognitive Career Theory
Authors: Akinlolu Mariam , Omotayo Temitope , Ebohon Obas John , Ekundayo Damilola
Published: October 2023

Investigations into career development revealed the significant influence of social and cultural determinants, notably familial factors, on children’s professional aspirations. Such aspirations are moulded by their milieu, individual interests, academic environments, and socio-economic contexts. South Africa’s unique socio-political history introduces complexity into career development pathways. The intricate relationships between ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds vis-a-vis career outcomes of South African youth remain underexplored. This research aimed to understand these influences within the construction domain, emphasising cognitive facets such as self-efficacy and societal endorsements. The Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) served as the foundational framework, with structural equation modelling employed for causal analysis. A focus was given to early university students, predominantly from Construction Management. The study showcased pathways for informed career decisions in construction and underscored the relevance of the SCCT, especially for women in traditionally male-dominated sectors. The study culminated in unveiling pathways for informed career decisions in construction, reinforcing the pertinence of the SCCT framework, especially concerning women in traditionally male-dominated spheres like construction. Acknowledging the scarcity of empirical studies using SCCT within the construction sphere is pertinent.
Chromatography Denoising with Improved Wavelet Thresholding Based on Modified Genetic Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Zhu Jinhui , Fu Zhongjun , Li Keyang , Su Anjie
Published: October 2023

The wavelet threshold functions are widely used in oil chromatography denoising because high-quality signals are the basis for Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA), which determines the accuracy of transformer fault monitoring. However, there are certain limitations of the wavelet threshold functions, such as the Pseudo-Gibbs phenomenon and improper threshold selection. To this purpose, a modified genetic particle swarm optimization-based improved threshold function denoising method (MGPSO-ITF) is proposed. Specifically, the method constructs a new parametric threshold function that possesses high-order derivability and a small constant deviation. To obtain optimal values for the tunable parameters, MGPSO is employed, which outperforms other methods in identifying the optimum and achieving fast convergence. The simulation results demonstrate that the enhanced thresholding function yields a higher Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), higher Noise Suppression Ratio (NSR), and smaller Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) compared to prior methods. Specifically, for the originally relatively smooth signal, MGPSO-ITF does not over-correct it to cause distortion. Furthermore, experiments on measured signals illustrate that the MGPSO-ITF is highly effective at denoising and preserving the original signal properties. Particularly in cases where peak deformation is prominent, the algorithm outperforms both hard and soft thresholding methods, achieving a reduction of 2.934% and 1.029% in peak area error, respectively.
An Ensemble of Text Convolutional Neural Networks and Multi-Head Attention Layers for Classifying Threats in Network Packets
Authors: Kim Hyeonmin , Yoon Young
Published: October 2023

Using traditional methods based on detection rules written by human security experts presents significant challenges for the accurate detection of network threats, which are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In order to deal with the limitations of traditional methods, network threat detection techniques utilizing artificial intelligence technologies such as machine learning are being extensively studied. Research has also been conducted on analyzing various string patterns in network packet payloads through natural language processing techniques to detect attack intent. However, due to the nature of packet payloads that contain binary and text data, a new approach is needed that goes beyond typical natural language processing techniques. In this paper, we study a token extraction method optimized for payloads using n-gram and byte-pair encoding techniques. Furthermore, we generate embedding vectors that can understand the context of the packet payload using algorithms such as Word2Vec and FastText. We also compute the embedding of various header data associated with packets such as IP addresses and ports. Given these features, we combine a text 1D CNN and a multi-head attention network in a novel fashion. We validated the effectiveness of our classification technique on the CICIDS2017 open dataset and over half a million data collected by The Education Cyber Security Center (ECSC), currently operating in South Korea. The proposed model showed remarkable performance compared to previous studies, achieving highly accurate classification with an F1-score of 0.998. Our model can also preprocess and classify 150,000 network threats per minute, helping security agents in the field maximize their time and analyze more complex attack patterns.
An Enhanced DOA Estimation Method for Coherent Sources via Toeplitz Matrix Reconstruction and Khatri–Rao Subspace
Authors: Qi Bingbing , Liu Xiaogang , Dou Daowei , Zhang Yan , Hu Runze
Published: October 2023

The Toeplitz matrix reconstruction methods are capable of resolving coherent signals, playing a crucial role in the direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of acoustic sources. However, the decoherence processing sacrifices the array aperture and further results in a reduced resolution capability for the number of identifiable sources. To solve this issue, we propose an enhanced method using the Khatri–Rao subspace to resolve more coherent sources than that of the existing Toeplitz matrix reconstruction methods. Firstly, a full set of Toeplitz matrices with full rank is obtained. Then, the virtual array aperture can be obtained using the Khatri–Rao product of the array response, and the degree of freedom provided inherently in the virtual array structure is about twice the size of that of the existing Toeplitz methods. Next, linear processing is further used to achieve complexity reduction without losing the effective degree of freedom. Finally, the DOA estimation for more coherent sources can be achieved by combining it with conventional methods. Numerical simulations verify the superiority of the proposed method.
A Survey of Automatic Speech Recognition for Dysarthric Speech
Authors: Qian Zhaopeng , Xiao Kejing
Published: October 2023

Dysarthric speech has several pathological characteristics, such as discontinuous pronunciation, uncontrolled volume, slow speech, explosive pronunciation, improper pauses, excessive nasal sounds, and air-flow noise during pronunciation, which differ from healthy speech. Automatic speech recognition (ASR) can be very helpful for speakers with dysarthria. Our research aims to provide a scoping review of ASR for dysarthric speech, covering papers in this field from 1990 to 2022. Our survey found that the development of research studies about the acoustic features and acoustic models of dysarthric speech is nearly synchronous. During the 2010s, deep learning technologies were widely applied to improve the performance of ASR systems. In the era of deep learning, many advanced methods (such as convolutional neural networks, deep neural networks, and recurrent neural networks) are being applied to design acoustic models and lexical and language models for dysarthric-speech-recognition tasks. Deep learning methods are also used to extract acoustic features from dysarthric speech. Additionally, this scoping review found that speaker-dependent problems seriously limit the generalization applicability of the acoustic model. The scarce available speech data cannot satisfy the amount required to train models using big data.
Large-Scale Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic Power Production Potential Assessment: A Case Study for Tehran Metropolitan Area, Iran
Authors: Ranjgar Babak , Niccolai Alessandro
Published: October 2023

The exponential growth of population and industries has brought about an increase in energy consumption, causing severe climatic and environmental problems. Therefore, the move towards green renewable energy is being ever more intensified. This study aims at estimating the rooftop solar power production for Tehran, the capital city of Iran, using a Geospatial Information System (GIS) to assess the big data of city building parcels. Tehran is faced with severe air pollution due to its excessive fossil fuel usage, and its electricity demand is increasing. As a result, this paper attempts to provide the quantified solar power potential of city roof tops for policymakers and authorities in order to facilitate decision-making in relation to integrating renewable energies into the power production infrastructure. The results shows that approximately 3000 GWh (more than 14% of the total electric energy consumption) of solar power can be produced by the rooftop PV installations in Tehran. The potential nominal power of rooftop PV installations is estimated to be more than 2000 MW, which is four times the current installed PV capacity of the whole country. The findings of the study suggest that there is great potential hidden on the rooftops of the city, which can be utilized to assist the power systems of the city in the longer run for a more sustainable future.
Transcription Factor and Zeatin Co-Regulate Mixed Catkin Differentiation of Chinese Chestnut (Castanea mollissima)
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Wang Lu , Yin Qian , Liu Xinghui , Masabni Joseph , Xiong Huan , Yuan Deyi , Zou Feng
Published: October 2023

Castanea mollissima is an important monoecious fruit crop with high economic and ecological value in China. However, its yield is restricted by an imbalanced ratio of male and female flowers for chestnut production. To address this issue, we examined the morphology of bisexual flower organs, measured the levels of endogenous hormones in the flowers, profiled gene expression related to plant hormone biosynthesis and signaling pathways and transcription factors, and investigated the effects of exogenous jasmonic acid (JA) and zeatin (ZT) hormone application on flower development in C. mollissima ‘Tanqiao’. Morphological studies indicated that the development of male and female flowers can be divided into nine and eight stages, respectively. Male flowers contained higher levels of gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) than female flowers, whereas female flowers had higher levels of JA and ZT. The analysis of the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathways revealed that the major significant enrichment pathways of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) consisted of plant hormone signal transduction and zeatin biosynthesis. Through time-series analyses, we screened 3 genes related to jasmonic acid biosynthesis and signal transduction and 21 genes related to zeatin biosynthesis and transduction. Among these genes, only the gene family LOG, related to zeatin biosynthesis, was highly expressed in female flowers. This result indicated that LOG may be the core gene hormone family involved in regulating female flower development. However, a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) suggested that IDD7 was the core gene involved in regulating female flower development. The results of exogenous hormone application indicated that zeatin could greatly increase the quantity of fertile female flowers, but JA was not significant. These findings demonstrated that zeatin and transcription factors were crucial regulators in the formation of female flowers in C. mollissima.
Changes in Soil Substrate and Microbial Properties Associated with Permafrost Thaw Reduce Nitrogen Mineralization
Authors: Yang Xue , Jin Xiaoying , Yang Sizhong , Jin Huijun , Wang Hongwei , Li Xiaoying , He Ruixia , Wang Junfeng , Sun Zhizhong , Yun Hanbo
Published: October 2023

Anticipated permafrost thaw in upcoming decades may exert significant impacts on forest soil nitrogen (N) dynamics. The rate of soil N mineralization (Nmin) plays a crucial role in determining soil N availability. Nevertheless, our understanding remains limited regarding how biotic and abiotic factors influence the Nmin of forest soil in response to permafrost thaw. In this study, we investigated the implications of permafrost thaw on Nmin within a hemiboreal forest based on a field investigation along the degree of permafrost thaw, having monitored permafrost conditions for eight years. The results indicate that permafrost thaw markedly decreased Nmin values. Furthermore, Nmin demonstrated positive associations with soil substrates (namely, soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen), microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen, and soil moisture content. The decline in Nmin due to permafrost thaw was primarily attributed to the diminished quality and quantity of soil substrates rather than alterations in plant community composition. Collectively, our results underscore the pivotal role of soil substrate and microbial biomass in guiding forest soil N transformations in the face of climate-induced permafrost thaw.
A Lightweight Forest Scene Image Dehazing Network Based on Joint Image Priors
Authors: Zhao Xixuan , Miao Yu , Jin Zihui , Zhang Jiaming , Kan Jiangming
Published: October 2023

Fog interference is an unfavorable issue when using vision sensors to monitor forest environmental resources. The existence of fog causes intelligent forest vision sensor equipment to fail to obtain accurate information on environmental resources. Therefore, this study proposes a lightweight forest scene image dehazing network to remove fog interference from the vision system. To deal with the extraction of detailed forest image features, we propose utilizing joint image priors including white balance, contrast, and gamma correction feature maps as inputs of the network to strengthen the learning ability of the deep network. Focusing on reducing the computational cost of the network, four different kinds of Ghost Bottleneck blocks, which adopt an SE attention mechanism to better learn the abundant forest image features for our network, are adopted. Moreover, a lightweight upsampling module combining a bilinear interpolation method and a convolution operation is proposed, thus reducing the computing space used by the fog removal module in the intelligent equipment. In order to adapt to the unique color and texture features of forest scene images, the cost function consisting of L1 loss and multi-scale structural similarity (MS-SSIM) loss is specially designed to train the proposed network. The experimental results show that our proposed method obtains more natural visual effects and better evaluation indices. The proposed network is trained both on indoor and outdoor synthetic datasets and tested on synthetic and real foggy images. The PSNR achieves an average value of 26.00 dB and SSIM achieves 0.96 on the indoor synthetic dataset, while PSNR achieves an average value of 25.58 dB and SSIM achieves 0.94 on the outdoor synthetic test images. The average processing time of our proposed dehazing network for a single foggy image with a size of 480 × 640 is 0.26 s.
Effects of Bacillus cereus NJSZ-13 on Fatty Acid Metabolism of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus
Authors: Pan Min , Xu Jialin , Han Shengjie , Sun Yufeng , Tan Jiajin
Published: October 2023

In order to explore the changes in the fatty acid metabolism of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus under the treatment of Bacillus cereus NJSZ-13, the surface changes in lipid droplets were observed under a Zeiss microscope after the B. xylophilus was stained with modified Oil Red O. The triglyceride (TG) content in B. xylophilus was determined according to the TG kit instructions. The type and content of fatty acids in B. xylophilus were detected by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS); the stearyl coenzyme A of B. xylophilus was analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. The change in Bx-SCD (gene regulating stearyl CoA desaturase in B. xylophilus) expression was observed. The results showed that the lipid droplets of B. xylophilus treated with NJSZ-13 were broken to varying degrees, and the TGs in B. xylophilus decreased continuously. The total fatty acid content in the bodies of treated B. xylophilus decreased: the difference between the fermentation broth treatment and the control was extremely significant (p < 0.01); that between the fermentation filtrate and the control was significant (p < 0.05); and that between the bacterial suspension and the control was not significant (p > 0.05). Saturated fatty acids decreased in all treatments, but not significantly. Compared with the control group, the unsaturated fatty acid content in fermentation broth and fermentation filtrate treatments was extremely significantly reduced, and the unsaturated fatty acid content of the bacterial suspension group was significantly decreased, which indicated that NJSZ-13 mainly caused a decrease in the unsaturated fatty acids in B. xylophilus. The trend in changes in monounsaturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids was the same, but for polyunsaturated fatty acids, the fermentation broth and fermentation filtrate treatments caused a significant decrease in content, but the bacterial suspension resulted in no significant change. The results showed that NJSZ-13 mainly caused a decrease in monounsaturated fatty acid content in B. xylophilus. In addition, the contents of C16:1, C18:1, and C18:2 fatty acids were significantly decreased after treatment with strain NJSZ-13 for 48 h, and the contents of C16:1, C18:1, C18:2, and C20:4 were extremely significantly decreased after the fermentation broth and filtrate treatments. The expression of Bx-SCD in B. xylophilus was significantly lower than that of the control (p < 0.0001). This study analyzed the changes in the content of related substances and relative gene expression in fatty acid metabolism of B. xylophilus treated with strain NJSZ-13, and preliminarily reveals the nematicidal mechanism of strain NJSZ-13 against B. xylophilus. This provides a theoretical basis for further exploration of the key cause of death induced by this strain in B. xylophilus.
Effects of Different Cutting Widths on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Moso Bamboo under Strip Cutting
Authors: Liu Liyang , Zhou Xiao , Li Zhen , Zhang Xuan , Guan Fengying
Published: October 2023

We aimed to explore the effect of strip cutting width on the physical and mechanical properties of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis). Four-year-old hairy bamboo with different cutting bandwidths (3 m, 5 m, 8 m, 12 m and 15 m) was used as the experimental material, and the traditional management forest (CK) was used as the control. Eight physical and mechanical properties—radial line shrinkage, chordal line shrinkage, volume shrinkage, total dry density, basic density, compressive strength, shear strength and flexural strength—were studied. ANOVA, bivariate correlation analysis, and principal component analysis were performed, which showed the effect of strip cutting on the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo. The results showed that the density, the total dry density, basic density, flexural strength and compressive strength of the strip cut bamboo were lower than those of the control stand. The radial line shrinkage and volume shrinkage were higher than those of the control stand. The chordal line shrinkage was higher than that of the control stand when the cutting bandwidth was 3 m and 5 m and lower than that of the control stand when the cutting bandwidth was 8 m, 12 m and 15 m. The shear strength was lower than that of the control stand when the harvesting bandwidth was 3 m, 5 m and 8 m and higher than that of the control stand when the harvesting bandwidth was 12 m and 15 m. There are different degrees of correlation between the eight physical and mechanical performance indicators. The comprehensive score of the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo in the control stand was 1.30, and the comprehensive score of bamboo in strip harvesting was between 0.37 and 1.25, with an average score of 0.95. The results show that strip cutting can save the time and costs associated with harvesting Moso bamboo forests, but different cutting widths can reduce the physical and mechanical properties of Moso bamboo in different degrees.