bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbothriid (Monogenean) Infection and Treatment in Captive Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)
Authors: Ko Hee Jun , Lee Sung Bin , Kim Kee Hoon , Jeon So Young , Jung Ji Yun , Choi Yun Mi , Park Se Chang
Published: December 2024

Unlike other microbothriid monogenean infections in elasmobranchs, limited information is available on the biology and treatment of Dermophthirius melanopteri. As parasitic infection with D. melanopteri was found in 21 juvenile blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) at the Lotteworld aquarium in Seoul, South Korea, we aimed to investigate the anatomical features and treatment protocols for D. melanopteri in this study. The parasites were sampled and fixed in 10% neutral-buffered formalin, and examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The treatments included short-term praziquantel baths, freshwater immersion, and long-term trichlorfon baths. Manual removal of parasites was also attempted. Examination and manual removal revealed that, similar to other microbothriids, D. melanopteri attaches to the placoid scale using opisthaptoral secretion in the posterior region. The effectiveness of the treatments varied, with trichlorfon proving the most effective and safe option for complete parasite eradication. Praziquantel facilitated parasite removal by weakening their attachment, suggesting the potential for higher doses and prolonged exposure times for enhanced antiparasitic effects. To our knowledge, this is the first study providing the microscopic details of D. melanopteri infection and its treatment outcomes in captive blacktip reef sharks, thereby providing valuable insights for future research and management.
Nitrogen-Fixing Paenibacillus haidiansis and Paenibacillus sanfengchensis: Two Novel Species from Plant Rhizospheres
Authors: Zhang Weilong , Gao Miao , Hu Rui , Shang Yimin , Liu Minzhi , Lan Peichun , Jiao Shuo , Wei Gehong , Chen Sanfeng
Published: December 2024

Two strains, M1 and H32 with nitrogen-fixing ability, were isolated from the rhizospheres of different plants. Genome sequence analysis showed that a nif (nitrogen fixation) gene cluster composed of nine genes (nifB nifH nifD nifK nifE nifN nifX hesA nifV) was conserved in the two strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that strains M1 and H32 are members of the genus Paenibacillus. Strains M1 and H32 had 97% similarity in the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Strain M1 had the highest similarity (97.25%) with Paenibacillus vini LAM 0504T in the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Strain H32 had the highest similarity (97.48%) with Paenibacillus faecis TCIP 101062T in the 16S rRNA gene sequences. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain M1 and its closest member P. vini were 78.17% and 22.3%, respectively. ANI and dDDH values between strain H32 and its closest member P. faecis were 88.94% and 66.02%, respectively. The predominant fatty acid of both strains is anteiso-C15:0. The major polar lipids of both strains are DPG (diphosphatidylglycerol) and PG (phosphatidylglycerol). The predominant isoprenoid quinone of both strains is MK-7. With all the phylogenetic and phenotypic divergency, two novel species Paenibacillus haidiansis sp. nov and Paenibacillus sanfengchensis sp. nov are proposed with the type strain M1T [=GDMCC (Guangdong Culture Collection Centre of Microbiology) 1.4871 = JCM (Japan Collection of Microorganisms) 37487] and with type strain H32T (=GDMCC 1.4872 = JCM37488).
Resuspension and Dissemination of MS2 Virus from Flooring After Human Activities in Built Environment: Impact of Dust Particles
Authors: Boone Stephanie A. , Ijaz M. Khalid , McKinney Julie , Gerba Charles P.
Published: December 2024

Resuspended particles from human activities can contribute to pathogen exposure via airborne fomite contamination in built environments. Studies investigating the dissemination of resuspended viruses are limited. The goal of this study was to explore viral dissemination after aerosolized resuspension via human activities on indoor flooring. Nylon carpet or wood flooring was seeded with virus (MS2) or virus laden dust then evaluated after activities, i.e., walking and vacuuming. Statistically significant differences were found in dispersal of virus laden dust after vacuuming carpet (p-value = 5.8 × 10−6) and wood (p-value = 0.003, distance > 12 in/30 cm). Significant differences were also found between floor materials and virus laden dust dispersal vacuuming (p = 2.09 × 10−5) and walking (p = 2.68 × 10−2). A quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) scenario using Norovirus and a single fomite touch followed by a single hand-to-mouth touch indicated a statistically significant difference associated with virus laden dust particles and vacuuming carpet(p < 0.001). Infection risks were 1 to 5 log10 greater for dust exposure. The greatest risk reductions from fomites were seen across vacuuming carpet no-dust scenarios for surfaces <30 cm from flooring. More research is needed to determine the role resuspension plays in exposure and transmission of potentially infectious agents.
Effect of Co-Solvents, Modified Starch and Physical Parameters on the Solubility and Release Rate of Cryptotanshinone from Alcohologels
Authors: Kobryń Justyna , Demski Patryk , Raszewski Bartosz , Zięba Tomasz , Musiał Witold
Published: December 2024

(1) Background: The aim of the work was to investigate the influence of selected physico-chemical factors on the solubility and release rate of CT (cryptotanshinone) in alcohologels. (2) Methods: The alcohologels of methylcellulose (MC), hydroksyethylcellulose (HEC), polyacrylic acid (PA) and polyacrylic acid crosspolymer (PACP) with CT were prepared and/or doped with native potato starch (SN) and modified citrate starches (SM2.5 and SM10). The analytical methods included evaluation of CT release profiles, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images were performed. (3) Results: The release and decomposition kinetics of CT in relation to the phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and methanol were observed. The amount of cryptotanshinone (CT) released into PBS was significantly lower (2.5%) compared to its release into methanol, where 22.5% of the CT was released into the model medium. The addition of SM2.5 to the alcohologel significantly increased the CT content to 70% in the alcohologel preparation containing NaOH (40%), and this enhanced stability was maintained for up to two months. The ATR-FTIR exhibited interactions between PA and 2-amino-2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (AMPD) as well as between PA and NaOH in case of the alcohologels. Moreover, it indicated the interaction between CT and NaOH. PXRD diffractograms confirmed the FTIR study. (4) Conclusions: The study observed the influence of a number of factors on the solubility and release rate of CT, as: alkalizers and their concentration, SM2.5 addition. The transition of CT in the presence of NaOH to the tanshinone V sodium (T-V sodium) form was suspected.
Carbonized Plant Powder Gel for Rapid Hemostasis and Sterilization in Regard to Irregular Wounds
Authors: Liu Zhong , Ding Shaolei , Zhang Guodong , Yan Bingyu , Zhang Chao , Yu Pihang , Long Yunze , Zhang Jun
Published: December 2024

Irregularly shaped wounds cause severe chronic infections, which have attracted worldwide attention due to their high prevalence and poor treatment outcomes. In this study, we designed a new composite functional dressing consisting of traditional Chinese herb carbonized plant powder (CPP) and a polyacrylic acid (PAA)/polyethylenimine (PEI) gel. The rapid gelation of the dressing within 6–8 s allowed the gel to be firmly attached to an irregularly shaped wound surface and avoided powder detachment. In addition, through an infrared thermography analysis, a coagulation assay, and a morphological examination of regenerative tissue in animal wound models, it was found that the dressing substrates had synergistic effects on photothermal sterilization, rapid hemostasis, and anti-inflammatory activity, thereby achieving an 88% wound closure rate on the 9th day after the formation of the wound. This multifunctional hemostatic material is expected to be adaptable to irregular wounds and promote rapid wound healing.
VOC Gas Sensors Based on Zinc Stannate Nanoparticles Decorated with Silver
Authors: Nalimova Svetlana S. , Shomakhov Zamir V. , Kozodaev Dmitry A. , Rybina Arina A. , Buzovkin Sergey S. , Bui Cong D. , Novikov Ivan A. , Moshnikov Vyacheslav A.
Published: December 2024

Today, air pollution is a global environmental problem. A huge amount of explosive and combustible gas emissions that negatively affect nature and human health. Gas sensors are one of the ways to prevent this impact. Several types of sensors have been developed, but the main problem with them is the high operating temperature. This leads to a decrease in reproducibility and stability over time. The aim of the work is to synthesize zinc stannate nanoparticles, study their phase composition, and modify the structure with silver nanoparticles to improve gas-sensing characteristics. This paper presents the synthesis of zinc stannate nanoparticles by the coprecipitation method and annealing at varying temperatures. A method of decorating zinc stannate with silver nanoparticles was proposed. Using XRD, it was found that a change in the annealing temperature leads to a change in the initial phase composition of the sample. Decoration with silver nanoparticles allows for increasing the sensor response of zinc stannate layers to isopropyl alcohol by 20 times. The corresponding increase in response to ethanol is 16 times.
Laser Synthesis and Photocatalytic Properties of Bismuth Oxyhalides Nanoparticles
Authors: Korepanov Vyacheslav E. , Reutova Olesia A. , Kharlamova Tamara S. , Vodyankina Olga V. , Kulinich Sergei A. , Svetlichnyi Valery A.
Published: December 2024

Photocatalysis offers a powerful approach for water purification from toxic organics, hydrogen production, biosolids processing, and the conversion of CO2 into useful products. Further advancements in photocatalytic technologies depend on the development of novel, highly efficient catalysts and optimized synthesis methods. This study aimed to develop a laser synthesis technique for bismuth oxyhalide nanoparticles (NPs) as efficient and multifunctional photocatalysts. Laser ablation of a Bi target in a solution containing halogen salt precursors, followed by laser plasma treatment of the resulting colloid, yielded crystalline bismuth oxyhalides (BixOyXz, where X = Cl, Br, or I) NPs without the need for additional annealing. The composition, structure, morphology, and optical properties of the synthesized BixOyXz (X = Cl, Br, I) NPs were characterized using XRD analysis, electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The effect of the halogen on the photocatalytic activity of the double oxides was investigated. The materials exhibited high photocatalytic activity in the degradation of persistent model pollutants like Rhodamine B, tetracycline, and phenol. Furthermore, the BixOyXz NPs demonstrated good efficiency and high yield in the selective oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA). The obtained results highlight the promising potential of this laser synthesis approach for producing high-performance bismuth oxyhalide photocatalysts.
Quantifying the Spatiotemporal Variations of Soil Nitrogen Fixation or Absorption from Soybean, Cotton, and Maize Planted Fields to Support Sustainable Agriculture Practices
Authors: Bofana José , Mussane Raul Domingos , Tamele Rosalina Armando , Costa Ana Cristina , Savanguane Barreta , Popinsky Ivans , Matusse António F.
Published: December 2024

Sustainable agricultural practices are pivotal for environmental preservation and enhancing crop quality. Understanding soil nutrient levels is crucial in determining appropriate fertilizer application in agriculture production systems. In the 2022/23 agricultural season, an experiment that aimed to investigate the spatial distribution of nitrogen (N2) fixation or absorption in fields cultivated with diverse crops was carried out in Mozambique. Three experimental fields were established, and the following crops were used—maize (local variety), soybean (SAN-BEIB variety), and cotton (ALBAR SZ9314 variety)—each measuring 83.35 m × 30 m. A sampling grid of 13.9 m × 10 m facilitated the collection of 24 composite soil samples per field, consisting of 5 sub-samples within 12 cells, taken at a depth of 0.0–0.20 m before planting and after harvesting, totaling 12 samples per period per field. Laboratory analysis employed the Kjeldahl method to determine total soil nitrogen levels. The Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) method was used for mapping the spatial total soil nitrogen distribution. The results revealed distinct total soil nitrogen credit and debit patterns. Variations were notable between pre-planting and post-harvest analyses in maize and cotton, showcasing high absorption and minimal fixation. Contrary to expectations, soybeans exhibited high absorption and low fixation, challenging the determination of optimal crop rotation intervals. Quantitative results identified specific total soil nitrogen debit efficiencies of approximately 1692.29 kg ha−1 in cotton and 1081.5 kg ha−1 in maize, respectively, and a credit of 459.215 kg ha−1 in soybeans. Despite discrepancies, this study serves as a foundational platform for future research. As the findings of this study advocate for continued crop rotation practices to bolster soil health and enhance nutrient utilization, it provides the first novel insights into nitrogen dynamics of global key crops in Mozambique, revealing significant variations in nitrogen fixation and absorption across different crop types and fields, which is crucial for informing tailored agricultural practices and soil fertility management strategies.
Preparation and Efficacy Evaluation of Antihyperuricemic Peptides from Marine Sources
Authors: Qiao Kun , Huang Qiongmei , Sun Tongtong , Chen Bei , Huang Wenmei , Su Yongchang , Lin Hetong , Liu Zhiyu
Published: December 2024

Marine-derived foods, often called blue foods, are promising sustainable alternatives to conventional food sources owing to their abundant amino acids and high protein content. Current treatments for hyperuricemia, a chronic condition attributed to purine metabolism disorders, are associated with various side effects. Novel peptide xanthine oxidase inhibitors have been discovered in the hydrolyzed products of marine fish and invertebrate proteins, which have demonstrated promising therapeutic potential by reducing uric acid levels in vitro and in vivo. This review explores the potential therapeutic effects of xanthine oxidase inhibitors derived from marine fish and invertebrates, summarizes the methods for extracting bioactive peptides from marine organisms, and emphasizes the impact of different proteases on the structure–activity relationship of bioactive peptides. The hypouricemic effects of these bioactive peptides warrant further verification. There is consensus on the in vitro chemical methods used to verify the xanthine oxidase inhibitory effects of these peptides. Considering several cell and animal model development strategies, this review summarizes several highly recognized modeling methods, proposes strategies to improve the bioavailability of bioactive peptides, and advocates for a diversified evaluation system. Although the screening and evaluation methods for antihyperuricemic peptides have been shown to be feasible across numerous studies, they are not optimal. This review examines the deficiencies in bioavailability, synthesis efficiency, and evaluation mechanisms in terms of their future development and proposes potential solutions to address these issues. This review provides a novel perspective for the exploration and application of marine-derived hypouricemic bioactive peptides.
Exploring the Neutron Magic Number in Superheavy Nuclei: Insights into N = 258
Authors: Du Pengxiang , Li Jian
Published: December 2024

In the framework of axial symmetric relativistic Hartree–Bogoliubov (RHB) theory and the Skyrme Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov (HFB) theory, the evolution of shell structure, density distribution, and ground state deformation in superheavy nuclei proximate to N=258 are investigated within the relativistic functionals DD-PC1 and DD-ME2, as well as the non-relativistic functional UNEDF0. The results from DD-ME2 and UNEDF0 indicate that N=258 is a neutron magic number, whereas DD-PC1 does not anticipate the existence of a bound N=258 magic nucleus. Further discussion suggests that the emergence of the magic number N=258 is related to the depression of the central density.
Optimizing Swine Oral Fluid Sampling Procedures for Growing Pigs in Commercial Settings
Authors: Tarasiuk Grzegorz , Remmenga Marta D. , O’Hara Kathleen C. , Talbert Marian K. , Mielke Sarah , Rotolo Marisa L. , Zaabel Pam , Zhang Danyang , Zimmerman Jeffrey J.
Published: December 2024

Pen-based oral fluids are used extensively for surveillance and disease detection in swine, but there is sparse information on the sampling process itself. To address this shortcoming, we documented the pen-based oral fluid sampling process with the aim of optimizing the number of pigs in a pen that contributed to the sample. We quantified the effects of (1) previous experience with rope sampling (training), (2) the number of ropes suspended in the pen, and (3) sampling time on pig participation and pig-rope contact. A subset of pigs was clearly marked for individual identification and their interactions with ropes video recorded. Thereafter, pig-rope contacts were counted from the recordings, with “contact” defined as an individually identified pig clearly taking the rope into its mouth. Data were analyzed using appropriate models (R version 4.4.1 R core team 2024). Training, provision of additional ropes, and extended sampling time all increased pig participation across pen sizes. However, for routine oral fluid collection in the field, we recommend training pigs prior to hanging ropes for sample collection and increasing sampling time to maximize the pigs’ contribution to the oral fluid sample. Importantly, these studies focused on pig behavior and not detection; thus, future studies should evaluate the impact of these same factors on the probability of detection.
Invasive Streptococcus intermedius Infections in Children: Two Cases from a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit in Italy
Authors: Veronese Piero , Cella Simone , Giacometti Alessandra , Lapetina Irene , Maffini Valentina , Pappalardo Marco , Rubini Monica , Ruozi Maria Beatrice , Dodi Icilio
Published: December 2024

In recent years, an increasing number of reports have described invasive infections caused by bacteria from Streptococcus anginosus group (SAGs). S. intermedius seems to be more related with pleuropulmonary infections and abscess of the brain and deep soft tissues, and it is more likely to cause suppurative and non-bacteremic infections compared to other members of the same genus. We present two clinical cases of invasive S. intermedius infections in pediatric patients: a liver abscess case and a pansinusitis case associated with bilateral otomastoiditis and parapharyngeal abscess complicated by acute mediastinitis, thrombophlebitis of the cavernous sinus, and thrombosis of the cranial tract of the ipsilateral jugular vein. In both cases, prompt broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy and operative drainage of the collections resulted in a good clinical response with full recovery.
An Ultrafast Optical Imaging System with Anamorphic Transformation Based on STEAM Structure
Authors: Wang Guoqing , Zhou Yuan , Min Rui , Zhao Fang , Du E , Li Xingquan , Qiu Cong , Xiao Dongrui , Wang Chao
Published: December 2024

The time-stretch (TS) imaging system is one type of ultrafast optical imaging system that enables imaging with an unprecedented imaging speed of tens of hundreds of megahertz. The TS imaging achieves linear one-to-one mapping between wavelength and time using a temporal dispersive medium. However, the data issue of high throughput and the fixed resolution in TS imaging limits its wide applications. In this paper, we propose an ultrafast optical imaging system with anamorphic transformation (AT) based on the STEAM structure, which has the benefit of data compression and changing group delay-related resolution. AT is obtained by the usage of chirped fiber Bragg grating (CFBG) with a nonlinear group delay profile. A state-of-the-art experimental demonstration shows that more acquired data are employed to describe the dense information region and the group delay-related resolution is improved by 58% using our proposed ultrafast optical imaging system without reducing the line scanning speed of 50 MHz. The proposal could increase the group delay-related resolution of the target image without adding extra data acquisition or changing the system setup, which has great potential in ultrafast optical imaging systems. Furthermore, the AT in our proposal could also be applied to data compression algorithms to mitigate the data issue in ultrafast optical imaging systems.
Magnetite Thin Films by Solvothermal Synthesis on a Microstructured Si Substrate as a Model to Study Energy Storage Mechanisms of Supercapacitors
Authors: Chavez Karina , Quiroga-González Enrique
Published: December 2024

Fast electrochemical phenomena occurring in supercapacitors are hard to analyze by ex situ or in situ techniques because many of them are meta-stable (the supercapacitor relaxes once it is not further polarized). In a steady state, one observes the effect of charge storage but not necessarily the mechanism. This is a problem for Raman spectroscopy, too, even though Raman spectra of the electrodes of supercapacitors are commonly recorded ex situ or in a steady state in situ. Raman operando is desired, but it represents a technological challenge since the electrochemical events in a supercapacitor are very fast (occurring within seconds), and in contrast, Raman requires from seconds to minutes to collect enough photons for reliable spectra. This work presents the development of electrodes made of thin layers of iron oxide grown solvothermally on Si wafers, with a porosified surface and resistivity of 0.005 Ωcm, to study their performance as electrodes in supercapacitors and analyze their energy storage mechanisms by cyclic voltammetry and Raman operando. Being flat and containing just iron oxide and silicon, these electrodes allow for studying interfacial phenomena with minor interferents.
Heat Wave Adaptations: Unraveling the Competitive Dynamics Between Invasive Wedelia trilobata and Native Wedelia chinensis
Authors: Yu Haochen , Han Cheng , Ren Guangqian , Wu Xuanwen , Qi Shanshan , Yang Bin , Cui Miaomiao , Fan Xue , Zhu Zhaoqi , Dai Zhicong , Du Daolin
Published: December 2024

Heat waves (HW) are projected to become more frequent and intense with climate change, potentially enhancing the invasiveness of certain plant species. This study aims to compare the physiological and photosynthetic responses of the invasive Wedelia trilobata and its native congener Wedelia chinensis under simulated heat wave conditions (40.1 °C, derived from local historical data). Results show that W. trilobata maintained higher photosynthetic efficiency, water-use efficiency (WUE), and total biomass under HW, suggesting that its ability to optimize above-ground growth contributes to its success in heat-prone environments. In contrast, W. chinensis focused more on root development and antioxidant protection, exhibiting a decrease in total biomass under heat wave conditions. These results indicate that W. trilobata employs a more effective strategy to cope with heat stress, likely enhancing its competitive advantage in regions affected by heat waves. This study highlights the importance of understanding species-specific responses to extreme climate events and underscores the potential for heat waves to drive ecological shifts, favoring invasive species with higher phenotypic plasticity.
Continuous Cropping of Patchouli Alleviate Soil Properties, Enzyme Activities, and Bacterial Community Structures
Authors: Zeeshan Ul Haq Muhammad , Gu Guangtao , Liu Ya , Yang Dongmei , Yang Huageng , Yu Jing , Wu Yougen
Published: December 2024

Pogostemon cablin (Patchouli), an essential medicinal plant in the Lamiaceae family, faces significant challenges under continuous cropping (CC) obstacles. This study examined the rhizospheric soil bacterial communities of patchouli under four different CC years, zero (CK), one (T1), two (T2), and three (T3) years through high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Results showed long-term CC led to significant soil properties and enzyme activity shifts. Key parameters such as soil pH and total potassium (TK) decreased, while ammonium nitrogen (NH4+–N), soil organic carbon (SOC), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−–N), available potassium (AK), available phosphorus (AP), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) increased over the cropping years. Enzyme activities, including ß-glucosidase (ß-GC), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catalase (CAT), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP), were notably affected. The CC altered the bacterial community structure and composition, reducing the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Planctomycetota over time. These findings highlight the impact of CC on patchouli rhizosphere bacteria, providing insights for improved soil management and fertilization strategies in CC systems.
Soil and Site Productivity Effects on Above- and Belowground Radiata Pine Carbon Pools at Harvesting Age
Authors: Bozo Daniel , Rubilar Rafael , Campoe Otávio Camargo , Alzamora Rosa M. , Elissetche Juan Pedro , Valverde Juan Carlos , Pizarro Roberto , Pincheira Matías , Valencia Juan Carlos , Sanhueza Claudia
Published: December 2024

Pinus radiata D. Don is the most widely planted forest species in Chile, making it crucial to understand carbon pools in adult plantations. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of soil type and site productivity on the total carbon stock in adult radiata pine plantations, considering sites with contrasting water and nutrient availability. We selected 10 sites with sandy and recent volcanic ash soils, representing a productivity gradient. At each site, three 1000 m2 plots were established to quantify the carbon stock of total biomass using allometric equations and in situ carbon assessments of the forest floor and mineral soil (up to 1 m deep). The results indicated significantly higher carbon stocks in the mineral soil of recent ash sites (281.4 Mg ha⁻1) compared to sandy soils (139.9 Mg ha⁻1). The total site carbon was also higher in recent ash (473.2 Mg ha⁻1) than in sandy sites (330.9 Mg ha⁻1). A significant relationship was found between stand productivity and soil organic carbon (r2 = 0.88), as well as total carbon stock (r2 = 0.91) when considering soil type. These findings highlight the importance of including assessments up to 1 m depth and developing soil type and productivity models to improve site carbon stock estimates.
Optimal Scheduling of Zero-Carbon Parks Considering Flexible Response of Source–Load Bilaterals in Multiple Timescales
Authors: Wang Fuyu , Wang Weiqing
Published: December 2024

In order to enhance the carbon reduction potential of a park, a low-carbon economic dispatch method applicable to zero-carbon parks is proposed to optimize the energy dispatch of the park at multiple timescales; this is achieved by introducing a flexible response mechanism for source–load bilaterals, so as to achieve low-carbon, economic, and efficient operation. First, a park model that accounts for the energy flow characteristics and carbon potential distribution of the energy hub is established. Then, based on the flexible operation of energy supply equipment and multi-type integrated demand response, the flexible response mechanism of source–load bilaterally and the multi-timescale scheduling framework are proposed; the mechanisms of source–load coordination and electricity–carbon coupling are analyzed in depth. Finally, with the objective of optimal system operation economy, the optimal scheduling model is established for three timescales, namely, day-ahead, intraday, and real-time scheduling. The equipment output and demand response are optimized step by step according to the source–load prediction information and scheduling results at each stage. The simulation results show that the proposed model can effectively utilize the source and load resources to participate in scheduling and can effectively reduce carbon emissions while ensuring the energy supply demand of the park, realizing the low-carbon, economic operation of the system. Therefore, this study provides a new theoretical basis and practical solution for the optimal dispatch of energy in zero-carbon parks, which helps to promote the development of a low-carbon economy.
The Early Pleistocene Carnivoran of Coste San Giacomo (Anagni, Central Italy): Biochronological Implications
Authors: Bellucci Luca , Bona Fabio , Conti Jacopo , Mecozzi Beniamino , Strani Flavia , Sardella Raffaele
Published: December 2024

Coste San Giacomo (CSG) represents a significant paleontological site to investigate the faunal and environmental changes that occurred in Mediterranean Europe during the Early Pleistocene. In this work, we described for the first time the Carnivoran assemblage. We ascribed the fossil remains to the following taxa: Ursus sp., Homotherium latidens, Canis etruscus, Pliocrocuta perrieri, Martellictis ardea and Vulpes alopecoides. Considering the value of the carnivoran taxa here identified, we discuss their particular biochronological significance, since the CSG site records the last occurrence of P. perrieri and the first occurrences of H. latidens, C. etruscus, M. ardea and V. alopecoides for the Italian Peninsula. These results will allow us to improve the data of the biochronological scheme of the Villafranchian European Land Mammal Age, recognizing the earliest dispersals and latest occurrences across Europe.
Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
Authors: Li Guoping
Published: December 2024

Han Yu 韓愈 was a prominent literatus in the Tang dynasty and an influential figure in the history of Chaozhou culture. From the Song dynasty, the Neo-Confucian teachings became popular, and Han Yu was revered as a significant pioneer; hence, his position was raised to a new height. In Chaozhou, local officials and the literati continuously emphasized Han Yu’s significance to Chaozhou culture and education and built many temples and academies devoted to him. As a deity, Han Yu was viewed as a representative of Confucianism and was typical of orthodoxy sacrifices. The present article clarifies the origination and transmission of the Han Yu belief in the Chaozhou region and explores the process of deification and the spread of Chinese popular religion. Although local officials and the literati spared no efforts in promoting the Han Yu belief, the belief never became popular among Chaozhou people. Local officials and the literati focused on different aspects of the Han Yu belief. They stressed the orthodoxy of the belief and were never concerned with miracles. What they were concerned with and endeavored for somewhat hampered the spread of the belief among the masses.
On the Old Uyghur Fragments of the Bāvari Narrative Housed in the Berlin Turfan Collection
Authors: Kılıç Cengiz Ayşe
Published: December 2024

The ancient oasis of Turfan, located on the Northern Silk Road, was a centre for interactions between the East and the West and witnessed numerous cultural, religious, and linguistic changes throughout history. A large number of texts were composed, translated, copied, and published there. One of the outcomes of these efforts is the Old Uyghur Buddhist narrative literature, parts of which have remained almost completely preserved, while a significant portion has survived as single fragments or small pieces of a fragment. For some of these texts, definitive conclusions about their original content or which work they belong to have yet to be reached. The Old Uyghur Bāvari narrative discussed in this study bears parallels, particularly in terms of themes, settings, and characters, with sections of the Pārāyaṇasūtra—known for its resemblance to the final chapter of the Sutta Nipāta, i.e., the Pārāyanavagga—as well as parts of the Maitreyasamitināṭaka and Xianyujing. This study first introduces this narrative formed by the Old Uyghur fragments preserved in the Turfan Collection of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences. Then, the text is transcribed and translated. Finally, the similarities and differences with other parallel narratives are analysed and presented.
Diving Deep into the Word of God: A Sufi Approach to Religious and Trans-Religious Images
Authors: Dervišević Haris , Teparić Meliha
Published: December 2024

This study examines art inspired by Sufi thought in Bosnia and Herzegovina, focusing on the artistic contributions of Meliha Teparić (b. 1978 in Sarajevo), a Bosnian artist and professor of fine arts and the history of art. Teparić’s art, particularly in pieces like To Douse Out Hell and Burn Down Paradise and Gens Una Sumus, delves into Sufi thought, reflecting the belief that divine love transcends religious boundaries. Her work fosters trans-religious dialogue through visual expression. By employing a comparative analysis of Sufi symbolism alongside other religious traditions, this article reveals shared metaphysical values that emerge in her art. The findings emphasize the power of art in promoting spiritual connection and cross-cultural understanding in contemporary society. Ultimately, this study concludes that Teparić’s work embodies a core Sufi principle: the pursuit of divine love as a unifying force that transcends religious and cultural distinctions.
Paul Revisited: A Constellation of Alain Badiou’s Discernments on Saint Paul
Authors: Kadiroglu Murat , Akan Adnan
Published: December 2024

This study aims to contribute to the ongoing Pauline discourse by presenting Alain Badiou’s infusion of his own thinking of event theory into Pauline thinking of Jesus’ Resurrection and explores a constellation of Alain Badiou’s conceptualization and contemporization of Paul. Badiou’s reading of Paul constitutes a constellation of Paul’s position as a “universalist”, “anti-misogynist”, “anti-philosopher”, “anti-dialectician”, “revolutionist”, “politician”, “militant”, “activist”, “poet-thinker”, “militant artist”, “theoretician”, “analogist”, “inventor”, and “founder”, along with diverse figures pervading his writing in Paul’s context such as Lenin, Mao, Nietzsche, Wittgenstein, Spinoza, Marx, Mallarme, Dickinson, Picasso, Schoenberg, Lacan, and Cantor. As for the methodology, this study tracks the trajectory in Badiou’s thinking based on events, truth, fidelity, love, and subjectivation, together with relevant Badiouian connections, and traces Badiou’s theoretical framing of Paul. Tracing the cluster of Pauline representations within Badiou’s space of thought offers an alternative understanding of the scope of Paul’s role in Badiou’s criticism of progressive politics in search of a new militant figure and Paul’s enduring influence and relevance within contemporary socio-political discourse.
Formwork Technique with Mesh in Elevations of Sinus Floors with Large Perforations of the Schneider Membrane: A Case Pilot
Authors: Castellano Erick Rafael Fernández , Galletti Cosimo , Fraile Javier Flores
Published: December 2024

Background and Clinical Significance: Currently, maxillary sinus floor elevation is one of the most common procedures used in implantology practice. Despite its predictability, the technique is not without complications, such as graft material dispersion in the sinus cavity, wound dehiscence, hematoma, fenestrations, oroantral fistulas, epistaxis, acute sinusitis, and Schneider membrane perforations. The treatment of the latter can be complex, and depending on its extent, surgery deferral may be necessary, leading to increased patient morbidity. Case Presentation: A patient with apical surgery underwent sinus floor elevation with a significant Schneider membrane perforation using a new approach involving titanium mesh, resorbable membrane, and xenograft. This allowed the continuation of surgery, reducing the number of interventions and patient morbidity. Conclusions: Despite limitations due to a small sample size, this case report demonstrates that addressing large Schneider membrane perforations and placing implants is effective and predictable using the technology and approach of mesh formwork with titanium.
A Novel Index for Detecting Bare Coal in Open-Pit Mining Areas Based on Landsat Imagery
Authors: Li Zhibin , Zhao Yanling , Ren He , Sun Yueming
Published: December 2024

Open-pit mining offers significant benefits, such as enhanced safety conditions and high efficiency, making it a crucial method for use in the modern coal industry. Nevertheless, the comprehensive process of “stripping-mining-discharge-reclamation” inevitably leads to ecological disturbances in the mine and surrounding areas. Consequently, dynamic monitoring and supervision of open-pit mining activities are imperative. Unfortunately, current methods are inadequate for accurately identifying and continuously monitoring bare coal identification using medium spatial resolution satellite images (e.g., Landsat). This is due to the complex environmental conditions around mining areas and the need for specific image acquisition times, which pose significant challenges for large-scale bare coal area mapping. To address these issues, the paper proposes a novel bare coal index (BCI) based on Landsat OLI imagery. This index is derived from the spectral analysis, sensitivity assessment, and separability study of bare coal. The effectiveness and recognition capability of the proposed BCI are rigorously validated. Our findings demonstrate that the BCI can rapidly and accurately identify bare coal, overcoming limitations related to image acquisition timing, thus enabling year-round image availability. Compared to existing identification methods, the BCI exhibits superior resistance to interference in complex environments. The application of the BCI in the Chenqi Coalfield, Shengli Coalfield, and Dongsheng Coalfield in Inner Mongolia, China, yielded an average overall accuracy of 97% and a kappa coefficient of 0.87. Additionally, the BCI was also applied for bare coal area identification across the entire Inner Mongolia region, with a correct classification accuracy of 90.56%. These results confirm that the proposed index is highly effective for bare coal identification and can facilitate digital mapping of extensive bare coal (BC) coverage in open-pit mining areas.
ENSO Significantly Changes the Carbon Sink and Source Pattern in the Pacific Ocean with Regional Differences
Authors: Tang Xue , Wan Xuhao , Wei Maohong , Nie Hongtao , Qian Wei , Lu Xueqiang , Zhu Lin , Feng Jianfeng
Published: December 2024

The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) alters ocean–atmosphere carbon exchange, but the mechanisms by which it affects the air–sea carbon flux (FCO2) remain unclear. Here, we used gridded FCO2 data from 2003 to 2021 to elucidate the control processes and regional differences in the influence of the ENSO on FCO2 in the mid–low latitude Pacific Ocean. Overall, the mid–low latitude Pacific Ocean region was a net sink for CO2, with an average uptake rate of −0.39 molC·m−2·year−1. Specifically, during the La Niña period in 2010–2012, the absorption rate decreased by 15.38%, while during the El Niño period in 2015–2016, it increased by 30.77%. El Niño (La Niña) suppressed (promoted) biological primary production in the North Pacific, leading to reduced (enhanced) carbon uptake. El Niño (La Niña) also inhibited (promoted) physical vertical mixing in the Equatorial Pacific, leading to reduced (enhanced) carbon emissions. In the South Pacific, however, El Niño increased carbon uptake and La Niña decreased carbon uptake; although, not by these two processes. More frequent El Niño in the future will further reduce carbon absorption in the North Pacific and carbon emission in the Equatorial Pacific but increase carbon absorption in the South Pacific.
Leveraging Neural Radiance Fields for Large-Scale 3D Reconstruction from Aerial Imagery
Authors: Hermann Max , Kwak Hyovin , Ruf Boitumelo , Weinmann Martin
Published: December 2024

Since conventional photogrammetric approaches struggle with with low-texture, reflective, and transparent regions, this study explores the application of Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) for large-scale 3D reconstruction of outdoor scenes, since NeRF-based methods have recently shown very impressive results in these areas. We evaluate three approaches: Mega-NeRF, Block-NeRF, and Direct Voxel Grid Optimization, focusing on their accuracy and completeness compared to ground truth point clouds. In addition, we analyze the effects of using multiple sub-modules, estimating the visibility by an additional neural network and varying the density threshold for the extraction of the point cloud. For performance evaluation, we use benchmark datasets that correspond to the setting off standard flight campaigns and therefore typically have nadir camera perspective and relatively little image overlap, which can be challenging for NeRF-based approaches that are typically trained with significantly more images and varying camera angles. We show that despite lower quality compared to classic photogrammetric approaches, NeRF-based reconstructions provide visually convincing results in challenging areas. Furthermore, our study shows that in particular increasing the number of sub-modules and predicting the visibility using an additional neural network improves the quality of the resulting reconstructions significantly.
Semantically-Enhanced Feature Extraction with CLIP and Transformer Networks for Driver Fatigue Detection
Authors: Gao Zhen , Chen Xiaowen , Xu Jingning , Yu Rongjie , Zhang Heng , Yang Jinqiu
Published: December 2024

Drowsy driving is a leading cause of commercial vehicle traffic crashes. The trend is to train fatigue detection models using deep neural networks on driver video data, but challenges remain in coarse and incomplete high-level feature extraction and network architecture optimization. This paper pioneers the use of the CLIP (Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training) model for fatigue detection. And by harnessing the power of a Transformer architecture, sophisticated and long-term temporal features are adeptly extracted from video sequences, paving the way for more nuanced and accurate fatigue analysis. The proposed CT-Net (CLIP-Transformer Network) achieves an AUC (Area Under the Curve) of 0.892, a 36% accuracy improvement over the prevalent CNN-LSTM (Convolutional Neural Network-Long Short-Term Memory) end-to-end model, reaching state-of-the-art performance. Experiments show that the CLIP pre-trained model more accurately extracts facial and behavioral features from driver video frames, improving the model’s AUC by 7% over the ImageNet-based pre-trained model. Moreover, compared with LSTM, the Transformer more flexibly captures long-term dependencies among temporal features, further enhancing the model’s AUC by 4%.
Surfacing Gender: Designing Care Homes for Women in All Their Diversity
Authors: Armstrong Pat , Braedley Susan
Published: December 2024

Reflecting on findings from over ten years of research, four studies, and a focused two-day workshop, this article argues that it is past time to surface gender as a critical consideration in reimagining care homes to create conditions of dignity and respect for residents, workers, and families in all their diversity. Considering care homes as an indicator of equity in welfare states, we deploy a concept of gender that acknowledges the relationship between bodies and social relations, and an inclusive concept of women that interrogates the differences among women. We outline the reasons that make care homes a women’s issue, explaining why women are the majority of care home residents and staff across jurisdictions in high-income countries. We draw insights from our workshop and research studies to discuss how gender is both ignored and embedded in care home design and offer considerations and possibilities for designing care homes for women in all their diversity.
Audiovisual Ethnography, Community Cinema, and Youth Participation: Filmed and Filming Fieldwork Experiences from Chile
Authors: Villegas-Campillo Víctor
Published: December 2024

This article examines audiovisual ethnography as an anthropological method to understanding community cinema and youth participation through the audiovisual chain of a film piece, which encompasses the processes of watching, making, and exhibiting as an integrated sequence. This chain allows us to understand the dynamics of youth participation in all stages of audiovisual production, from creating an idea through production to the reception by the community. To this end, the relationship between participatory audiovisual practices and the promotion of youth mental health is explored through the case study “Aquí Nos Vemos Program”, which involves the creation of audiovisual narratives as a means of emotional and community expression. Fieldwork in Pudahuel, Santiago, Chile, provides ethnographic data on the creative audiovisual processes of young people around cinema and how these activities foster recognition and improvement of youth well-being.
Bayesian Models Are More Sensitive than Frequentist Models in Identifying Differences in Small Datasets Comprising Phonetic Data
Authors: Georgiou Georgios P.
Published: December 2024

While many studies have previously conducted direct comparisons between results obtained from frequentist and Bayesian models, our research introduces a novel perspective by examining these models in the context of a small dataset comprising phonetic data. Specifically, we employed mixed-effects models and Bayesian regression models to explore differences between monolingual and bilingual populations in the acoustic values of produced vowels. The former models are widely utilized in linguistic and phonetic research, whereas the latter offer promising approaches for achieving greater precision in data analysis. Our findings revealed that Bayesian hypothesis testing identified more differences compared to the post hoc test. Specifically, the post hoc test identified differences solely in the F1 of the vowel /a/, whereas the evidence ratios provided strong evidence of differences across multiple vowels and all measured parameters, including F1, F2, F3, and duration. These results may call into question the findings of a large number of studies incorporating frequentist models. In conclusion, our study supports the assertion that different statistical frameworks can lead to divergent interpretations, especially in cases with small sample sizes and complex data structures like those commonly found in phonetics. This can open a discussion about the need for careful methodological considerations and the potential benefits of Bayesian approaches in such situations.