bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth Quality and Development of Olive Plants Cultured In-Vitro under Different Illumination Regimes
Authors: Díaz-Rueda Pablo , Cantos-Barragán Manuel , Colmenero-Flores José Manuel
Published: October 2021

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are useful for the in-vitro micropropagation of plants, but little information is available on woody species. This work compares the effects of light quality and intensity on the growth and development of micropropagated olive plants from two different subspecies. Illumination was provided with fluorescent and LED lamps covering different red/blue ratios (90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40) or red/blue/white combinations, as well as different light intensities (30, 34, 40, 52, 56, 84, 98 and 137 µmol m−2 s−1 of photosynthetic photon fluxes, PPF). Olive plants exhibited high sensitivity to light quality and intensity. Higher red/blue ratios or lower light intensities stimulated plant growth and biomass mainly as a consequence of a higher internodal elongation rate, not affecting either the total number of nodes or shoots. In comparison to fluorescent illumination, LED lighting improved leaf area and biomass, which additionally was positively correlated with light intensity. Stomatal frequency was positively, and pigments content negatively, correlated with light intensity, while no clear correlation was observed with light quality. In comparison with fluorescent lamps, LED illumination (particularly the 70/30 red/blue ratio with 34 µmol m−2 s−1 PPF intensity) allowed optimal manipulation and improved the quality of in-vitro micropropagated olive plants.
Wheat Leaf Antioxidative Status—Variety-Specific Mechanisms of Zinc Tolerance during Biofortification
Authors: Štolfa Čamagajevac Ivna , Vuković Rosemary , Vuković Kristina , Vuković Ana , Ivezić Vladimir , Žuna Pfeiffer Tanja , Krstin Ljiljana , Lončarić Zdenko
Published: October 2021

In this study, we evaluated the leaf antioxidative responses of three wheat varieties (Srpanjka, Divana, and Simonida) treated with two different forms of zinc (Zn), Zn-sulfate and Zn-EDTA, in concentrations commonly used in agronomic biofortification. Zn concentration was significantly higher in the flag leaves of all three wheat varieties treated with Zn-EDTA compared to control and leaves treated with Zn-sulfate. Both forms of Zn increased malondialdehyde level and total phenolics content in varieties Srpanjka and Divana. Total glutathione content was not affected after the Zn treatment. Zn-sulfate increased the activities of glutathione reductase (GR) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPOD) in both Srpanjka and Divana, while glutathione S-transferase (GST) was only induced in var. Srpanjka. Chelate form of Zn increased the activities of GST and GPOD in both Simonida and Divana. Catalase activity was shown to be less sensitive to Zn treatment and was only induced in var. Srpanjka treated with Zn-EDTA where GPOD activity was not induced. Concentrations of Zn used for agronomic biofortification can induce oxidative stress in wheat leaves. The antioxidative status of wheat leaves could be a good indicator of Zn tolerance, whereas wheat genotype and chemical form of Zn are the most critical factors influencing Zn toxicity.
Alkali and Alkali-Earth Metals Incorporation to Ni/USY Catalysts for CO2 Methanation: The Effect of the Metal Nature
Authors: Bacariza M. Carmen , Grilo Cláudia , Teixeira Paula , Lopes José M. , Henriques Carlos
Published: October 2021

CO2 methanation is typically carried out using Ni-supported catalysts containing promoters such as alkali or alkali-earth metals to improve their properties. In this work, bimetallic Ni-based USY zeolite catalysts containing alkali (Li, K and Cs) and alkali-earth (Mg, Ca) metal compounds were prepared using the same conditions (15 wt% of metals; co-impregnation), characterized by N2 sorption, XRD, TGA, CO2 adsorption–desorption, DRS UV-Vis and H2-TPR, and finally applied in CO2 methanation reaction (86,100 mL h−1 g−1, PCO2 = 0.16 bar, H2:CO2 = 4:1). For each group, the effects of the second metal nature on the properties and performances were assessed. Alkali metals incorporation induced considerably low catalytic performances (CH4 yields < 26%), attributed to their negative impact on zeolite structure preservation. On the contrary, alkali-earth metal-containing catalysts exhibited lower structural damage. However, the formation of Ni-Mg mixed oxides in Ni-Mg/USY catalyst and CaCO3 during the reaction in Ni-Ca/USY sample could explain their performances, similar or lower than those obtained for Ni/USY catalyst. Among the studied metals, calcium was identified as the most interesting (CH4 yield of 65% at 415 °C), which was ascribed to the slight improvement of the Ni0 dispersion.
Voltage Stability Index Using New Single-Port Equivalent Based on Component Peculiarity and Sensitivity Persistence
Authors: Bhutta Muhammad Shoaib , Sarfraz Muddassar , Ivascu Larisa , Li Hui , Rasool Ghulam , ul Abidin Jaffri Zain , Farooq Umer , Ali Shaikh Jamshed , Nazir Muhammad Shahzad
Published: October 2021

A voltage stability index is proposed using a new single-port equivalent depending on component peculiarity representation and sensitivity persistence to locate and determine long-term voltage instability in transmission and distribution power networks. The suggested single-port equivalent effectively represents the equivalence of various component types and assures the consistency of sensitivity information before and after the equivalence which is compulsory for the equivalent accuracy in estimating the voltage stability analysis. The stability index is derived from the new single-port equivalent to determine the system voltage instability. The proposed stability index is compared with indices based on virtual impedance and Thevenin impedance models. This new stability index shows more accuracy and effectiveness as compared to the indices based on virtual and Thevenin equivalent models. The index also determines the weak buses, where an improvement or functional measure can be used to reduce the system voltage instability. The validity of the proposed equivalent approach and stability index is presented by utilizing two radial systems, four IEEE systems and an actual system having bus size from five to 1010 buses.
Optimization of Compression Molding Process Parameters for NFPC Manufacturing Using Taguchi Design of Experiment and Moldflow Analysis
Authors: Chauhan Vardaan , Kärki Timo , Varis Juha
Published: October 2021

This paper presents the application of Taguchi design of experiment and Autodesk Moldflow® simulation in finding the optimal processing parameters for the manufacturing of natural fiber–polymer composite products. The material used in the study is a composite of recycled thermoplastic reinforced with 10% wood fibers. For the study, four critical processing parameters, namely compression time, mold temperature, melt temperate, and pressure, were selected for optimization. Process analysis was carried out in Moldflow® utilizing a combination of process parameters based on an L9 orthogonal array. Later, the warpage output from Moldflow® simulation was converted into a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio response, and the optimum values of each processing parameter were obtained using the smaller-the-better quality characteristic. The results show that the optimum values were 60 °C, 40 s, 210 °C, and 600 kN for the mold temperature, compression time, melt temperature, and pressure, respectively. Afterward, a confirmation test was performed to test the optimum parameters. Using analysis of variance (ANOVA), melt temperature was found to be the most significant processing parameter, followed by mold temperature, compression time, and pressure.
Thermoeconomic Evaluation and Optimization of Using Different Environmentally Friendly Refrigerant Pairs for a Dual-Evaporator Cascade Refrigeration System
Authors: Mohammadi Kasra , Powell Kody M.
Published: October 2021

Applications of dual-evaporator refrigeration systems have recently gained much attention both in academia and industry due to their multiple benefits. In this study, a comprehensive thermodynamic and economic analysis is conducted to evaluate the potential of using several environmentally friendly refrigerant couples and identifies the most suitable one yielding the best economic results. To achieve this goal, a detailed parametric study is conducted, and an optimization process is performed using a particle swarm optimization (PSO) approach to minimize the unit production cost of cooling (UPCC) of the cascade refrigeration system. The results showed that among all selected 18 refrigerant pairs and for all ranges of examined operating parameters, the R170-R161 pair and R1150-R1234yf pair are identified as the best and worst pairs, respectively, from both thermodynamic and economic viewpoints. The results also confirm that R170-R161 pair has an improvement over R717-R744, used as a typical refrigerant pair of cascade refrigeration cycles. For a base case analysis, the COP of R170-R161 and R1150-R1234yf pairs is determined as 1.727 and 1.552, respectively, while their UPCC is found to be $0.395/ton-hr and $0.419/ton-hr, respectively, showing the influence of proper selection of refrigerant pairs on the cascade cycle’s performance. Overall, this study offers a useful thermodynamic and economic insight regarding the selection of proper refrigerant pairs for a dual-evaporator cascade vapor compression refrigeration system.
Modified SPWM Control for a Single-Stage Differential Boost Inverter Applied in a BESS
Authors: Lee Yu-Lin , Chen Kun-Feng , Pai Kai-Jun , Lin Chang-Hua , Cheng Yuan-Hong
Published: October 2021

This study aims to implement a single-stage differential boost inverter (SSDBI) applied in a single-stage battery energy storage system (BESS) topology that can supply power from a lower-voltage battery module to an alternating current (AC) load. Compared with the common two-stage topology, which has a two-stage converter and higher-voltage battery module array, the single-stage topology can reduce the number of cells and components and improve the power density. In addition, a modified sinusoidal pulse-width modulation (SPWM) control was proposed to reduce the control complexity of the SSDBI while improving the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the inverter. The modified SPWM control can reduce the duty ratio of the SSDBI and the stress on the components in order to improve the AC voltage output waveform and reduce the THD.
Salicylate or Phthalate: The Main Intermediates in the Bacterial Degradation of Naphthalene
Authors: Travkin Vasili M. , Solyanikova Inna P.
Published: October 2021

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are widely presented in the environment and pose a serious environmental threat due to their toxicity. Among PAHs, naphthalene is the simplest compound. Nevertheless, due to its high toxicity and presence in the waste of chemical and oil processing industries, naphthalene is one of the most critical pollutants. Similar to other PAHs, naphthalene is released into the environment via the incomplete combustion of organic compounds, pyrolysis, oil spills, oil processing, household waste disposal, and use of fumigants and deodorants. One of the main ways to detoxify such compounds in the natural environment is through their microbial degradation. For the first time, the pathway of naphthalene degradation was investigated in pseudomonades. The salicylate was found to be a key intermediate. For some time, this pathway was considered the main, if not the only one, in the bacterial destruction of naphthalene. However, later, data emerged which indicated that gram-positive bacteria in the overwhelming majority of cases are not capable of the formation/destruction of salicylate. The obtained data made it possible to reveal that protocatechoate, phthalate, and cinnamic acids are predominant intermediates in the destruction of naphthalene by rhodococci. Pathways of naphthalene degradation, the key enzymes, and genetic regulation are the main subjects of the present review, representing an attempt to summarize the current knowledge about the mechanism of the microbial degradation of PAHs. Modern molecular methods are also discussed in the context of the development of “omics” approaches, namely genomic, metabolomic, and proteomic, used as tools for studying the mechanisms of microbial biodegradation. Lastly, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms of the formation of specific ecosystems is also provided.
Plagiarism through Paraphrasing Tools—The Story of One Plagiarized Text
Authors: Ansorge Libor , Ansorgeová Klára , Sixsmith Mark
Published: October 2021

This paper describes a unique case study wherein real plagiarism revealed in a scientific journal is compared with the original article. The plagiarized text contains many typical errors, such as inconsistent terminology, unclear meanings of sentence, missing tables and figures, and an incorrect literature list. The occurrence of similar errors in other manuscripts may serve as a warning against plagiarism. During the analysis of the plagiarized text, it was assumed that a paraphrasing tool was used for preparing this plagiarized text. To confirm this assumption, the chosen paraphrasing tool was used to create a paraphrased version of the article and this version was compared with the plagiarized text. The paraphrased version had far fewer changes from the plagiarized text than the plagiarized text had from the original article. Thus, it was confirmed that the plagiarized text was created using a paraphrasing tool. Information contained in this article can be used for detecting this type of plagiarism.
Main Group Catalysis: Cationic Si(II) and Ge(II) Compounds as Catalysts in Organosilicon Chemistry
Authors: Fritz-Langhals Elke
Published: October 2021

Cyclopentadienyl (Cp)-coordinated cationic Si(II) (1) and Ge(II) compounds (2) are a new class of catalysts for various transformations in organosilicon chemistry. This review demonstrates that these compounds effectively catalyze technically important reactions, such as the hydrosilylation of carbon-carbon multiple bonds and various types of siloxane-coupling reactions, e.g., the Piers-Rubinsztajn reaction and the oxidative siloxane coupling reaction. Whereas the cationic Si(II) compounds are sensitive to air and moisture, the corresponding cationic Ge(II) compounds are bench stable, thus offering further advantages. The new catalysts contribute to the growing need for the substitution of transition metals and heavier main group metals by their lighter congeners, especially in industrially relevant organosilicon chemistry.
Variation of Used Vegetable Oils’ Composition upon Treatment with Algerian Clays
Authors: Serouri Abdelhak , Taleb Zoubida , Mannu Alberto , Garroni Sebastiano , Senes Nina , Taleb Safia , Brini Sara , Abdoun Sabrine Kawther
Published: October 2021

The treatment of used vegetable oils (UVOs) with clays represents a pivotal step in their industrial recycling process as well as one of the most challenging topics for researchers. In particular, cheap, effective, and sustainable powders need to be explored in order to develop new processes which produce beneficial results in relation to economic and environmental aspects. In this context, five samples within commercial and waste vegetable oils were treated with two sodium- and calcium-based bentonites employing a low oil/bentonite ratio (0.15 wt%). The outcomes of the processes were monitored by FT-IR spectroscopy and compared with the data relative to the parent commercial edible oil. In particular, treatment of FT-IR data by multivariate statistical analysis allowed us to determine a chemical fingerprint characteristic of each sample. Important relationships between the overall chemical composition and the specific clay employed and the treatment time (2 or 4 h) were highlighted. Finally, N2 physisorption, TEM microscopy, and FT-IR analyses of the more efficient Na bentonite allowed us to characterize the material and thus to furnish all the information needed to set-up a general protocol for the partial regeneration of waste vegetable oil destined for further processing.
Drunk with Wisdom: Metaphors of Ecstasy in Plato’s Symposium and Lucian of Samosata
Authors: Anagnostou-Laoutides Eva
Published: October 2021

Among the metaphors that Plato employed in the context of his apophatic approach to philosophical truth and its experience, inebriation stands out in the Symposium, where famously Socrates is compared to Dionysian figures such as the Silenoi and Marsyas (215a-c), and to frenzied Corybantic dancers (215e; 216d; 218b). The contentious nature of inebriation as a proxy of ecstasy is aptly exemplified in Euripides’ Bacchae, where Pentheus, the distrusting new tyrant of Thebes, is keen to associate the Bacchic trance with common intoxication and lewd behavior; although Plato tries to anticipate such criticisms by repeatedly stating in the Symposium that Socrates is sober and of sound mind (e.g., 214a; 216d; 219d; 220a), later authors are unforgiving of his metaphorical style, which is deemed inconsistent with Plato’s stern disapproval of poetry. Among such later authors, Lucian of Samosata deserves closer attention apropos his treatment of inebriation as a most confusing and inappropriate metaphor for philosophical inspiration. Despite the jocular style of his dialogues, Lucian’s depiction of Platonic inebriation powerfully sketches a deep intellectual crisis that especially afflicts the young people of his time. Thus, Lucian sheds unexpected light on a less prominent chapter of Plato’s reception during the Roman imperial period.
Revisiting Impurity in Republican China: An Evaluation of the Modern Rediscovery of Bujing guan 不淨觀
Authors: Bianchi Ester
Published: October 2021

During the era of the Republic of China, a number of Buddhists rediscovered early meditation techniques. These practices were mainly revived from canonical scriptures, following a modern text-based approach to Buddhism. Within this framework, specific attention was devoted to the ‘visualization of the impure’ (bujing guan 不淨觀, Sk. aśubhabhāvanā), particularly in the form of the visualization of one’s own body transforming into a putrefying corpse and skeleton. Masters with various backgrounds (Modernist Buddhists, Yogācāra scholars, Tiantai 天台 and tantric masters) wrote articles and guides on this practice, which had the advantage of being common to both Hīnayāna/Śrāvakayāna and Mahāyāna. This study considers a selection of modern texts on bujing guan in an attempt to uncover why the meditation on impurity was favored and how it was revived.
Pregnancy, Incantations, and Talismans in Early Medieval Japan: Chinese Influences on the Ritual Activities of Court Physicians
Authors: Poletto Alessandro
Published: October 2021

Court physicians (ishi or kusushi 医師), officials in the Bureau of Medications, were responsible for the well-being of court aristocracy since the establishment of a centralized state on the Japanese archipelago in the eighth century. Despite an increasing interest in the therapeutic arena of premodern Japan, scholars have tended to emphasize an epistemic divide between physicians and technicians employing other healing modalities, such as Buddhist monks and onmyōji 陰陽師, so that the former would be concerned with the physical body while the latter would not. However, this study focuses on the ritual and hemerological dimensions of the activities of court physicians within the crucial context of pregnancy and childbirth. By the twelfth century, court physicians affixed land-leasing talismans (shakuchimon 借地文) in the birthing room, pacified the birthing bed through incantations, and partook in the adjudication of a pregnancy-related hemerological notion known as hanshi (Ch: fanzhi). These practices appear in Ishinpō 医心方, which is a compendium of Chinese classics on therapeutics, hygiene, divination, and ritual that was compiled by Tanba no Yasuyori and presented to the court in 984. Ishinpō incorporates elements from multiple continental traditions, and some of the ritual practices discussed in this paper have at times been framed as “Daoist”. Since Daoist texts and institutions were never systematically brought or established in Japan, this study will rather stress the necessity of examining how Chinese textual traditions and ritual regimes were transmitted and distributed among institutions and technical groups within the Japanese state, in particular physicians from the Bureau of Medications and onmyōji from the Bureau of Yin and Yang.
Risking Sustainability: Political Risk Culture as Inhibiting Ecology-Centered Sustainability
Authors: Jackson Susan T.
Published: October 2021

This exploratory study aims to understand why, and propose remedies for, the treatment of political risk and sustainability as siloed risk areas in risk analyses. I employ an interdisciplinary theoretical approach that focuses on the roles of values and worldviews, stages of sustainability and hybrid knowledge to understand this siloing. The large-N interpretive method used here combines content frequency counts with discourse analysis to examine over 400 corporate communication documents from 37 companies. The study also explores how, through corporate communication, companies that provide political risk analysis convey what is at risk and what counts as sustainability. I argue that the broad shared ‘cultural’ tones of what it means to be in the political risk field pose challenges for integrating political risk and sustainability. The study concludes with several recommendations on how to overcome the current barriers in order to integrate political risk and sustainability in risk analyses.
Highly Efficient Spatial–Temporal Correlation Basis for 5G IoT Networks
Authors: Gu Xiangping , Zhu Mingxue , Zhuang Liyun
Published: October 2021

One of the major concerns in 5G IoT networks is that most of the sensor nodes are powered through limited lifetime, which seriously affects the performance of the networks. In this article, Compressive sensing (CS) technique is used to decrease transmission cost in 5G IoT networks. Sparse basis is one of the important steps in the CS. However, most of the existing sparse basis-based method such as DCT (Discrete cosine transform) and DFT (Discrete Fourier Transform) basis do not capture data structure characteristics in the networks. They also do not take into consideration multi-resolution representations. In addition, some of sparse basis-driven methods exploit either spatial or temporal features, resulting in performance degradation of CS-based strategies. To address these challenging problems, we propose a novel spatial–temporal correlation basis algorithm (SCBA). Subsequently, an optimal basis algorithm (OBA) is provided considering greedy scoring criteria. To evaluate the efficiency of OBA, orthogonal wavelet basis algorithm (OWBA) by employing NS (Numerical Sparsity) and GI (Gini Index) sparse metrics is also presented. In addition, we discuss the complexity of the above three algorithms, and prove that OBA has low numerical rank. After experimental evaluation, we found that OBA is capable of the sparsest representing original signal compared to spatial, DCT, haar-1, haar-2, and rbio5.5. Furthermore, OBA has the low recovery error and the highest efficiency.
A Compact and Lightweight Rehabilitative Exoskeleton to Restore Grasping Functions for People with Hand Paralysis
Authors: Nazari Vaheh , Pouladian Majid , Zheng Yong-Ping , Alam Monzurul
Published: October 2021

Millions of individuals suffer from upper extremity paralysis caused by neurological disorders including stroke, traumatic brain injury, or spinal cord injury. Robotic hand exoskeletons can substitute the missing motor control and help restore the functions in daily operations. However, most of the hand exoskeletons are bulky, stationary, and cumbersome to use. We have modified a recent existing design (Tenoexo) to prototype a motorized, lightweight, fully wearable rehabilitative hand exoskeleton by combining rigid parts with a soft mechanism capable of producing various grasps needed for the execution of daily tasks. Mechanical evaluation of our exoskeleton showed that it can produce fingertip force up to 8 N and can cover 91.5° of range of motion in just 3 s. We further tested the performance of the developed robotic exoskeleton in two quadriplegics with chronic hand paralysis and observed immediate success on independent grasping of different daily objects. The results suggested that our exoskeleton is a viable option for hand function assistance, allowing patients to regain lost finger control for everyday activities.
Messaging Protocols for IoT Systems—A Pragmatic Comparison
Authors: Wytrębowicz Jacek , Cabaj Krzysztof , Krawiec Jerzy
Published: October 2021

There are a dozen messaging protocols proposed for IoT systems. Choosing one for a new design is complicated, and a non-optimal selection can result in slower development and higher design costs. This paper aims to help select appropriate protocols, considering IoT applications’ specificity and communication requirements. We have identified the protocol features that are significant for the design and operation of IoT systems. This paper gives a substantial comparison of the protocols using the features and is based on a thorough analysis of the protocol specifications. The results contain an assessment of the suitability of the protocols for the defined types of IoT devices and the identified communication purposes. We conclude the comparison with some recommendations of the protocol selection and usage.
Spatial Scale Effects of the Relationship between Fractional Vegetation Coverage and Land Surface Temperature in Horqin Sandy Land, North China
Authors: Qiao Rongrong , Dong Chunyuan , Ji Shuxin , Chang Xueli
Published: October 2021

Sandy range land refers to a major component of grassland area types in the semi-arid area of northern China. Monitoring of vegetation and land surface temperature (LST) using remote sensing technology can help determine the degree of desertification in a regional and/or sub regional scale, as in the Horqin Sandy Land selected in this study. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between the fractional vegetation coverage (FVC) and the LST within one growing season (from May to August 2017), at different spatial scales. The results showed that the FVC increased from 0.12 in May to 0.29 in August, and the LST increased first and then declined. The highest LST was 41.68 °C in July, while the lowest was 28.62 °C in August. At the grid scale, the LST increased first and then declined with the increase of the FVC on 25 May, 10 June, and 29 August; the FVC ranged from 0.29–0.38, 0.27–0.32, and 0.29–0.38 with the preference of the ‘turning point’, respectively. A negative correlation was identified between the FVC and the LST and without any ‘turning point’ in the fitting curve on 28 July. The correlation between FVC and LST complied with the grid scale at the sample area scale. The coupling analysis of landscape pattern expressed by FVC and LST showed that, the landscape evenness, Euclidean nearest neighbor distance, and landscape splitting degree all showed strong coupling correlation in any study period (P). The landscape aggregation of FVC and LST showed a good coupling at the relatively high and low air temperature conditions of P1 and P3. Landscape contagion showed a good coupling between FVC and LST at relatively moderate air temperature condition of P1 and P4. Air temperature conditions and characteristics of vegetation coverage should be considered for a more targeted analysis when analyzing the relationship between FVC and LST and attention should be paid to the timing and type of study area in practical application.
Acoustic Emission Monitoring of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Composites with Embedded Sensors for In-Situ Damage Identification
Authors: Huijer Arnaud , Kassapoglou Christos , Pahlavan Lotfollah
Published: October 2021

Piezoelectric sensors can be embedded in carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) for continuous measurement of acoustic emissions (AE) without the sensor being exposed or disrupting hydro- or aerodynamics. Insights into the sensitivity of the embedded sensor are essential for accurate identification of AE sources. Embedded sensors are considered to evoke additional modes of degradation into the composite laminate, accompanied by additional AE. Hence, to monitor CFRPs with embedded sensors, identification of this type of AE is of interest. This study (i) assesses experimentally the performance of embedded sensors for AE measurements, and (ii) investigates AE that emanates from embedded sensor-related degradation. CFRP specimens have been manufactured with and without embedded sensors and tested under four-point bending. AE signals have been recorded by the embedded sensor and two reference surface-bonded sensors. Sensitivity of the embedded sensor has been assessed by comparing centroid frequencies of AE measured using two sizes of embedded sensors. For identification of embedded sensor-induced AE, a hierarchical clustering approach has been implemented based on waveform similarity. It has been confirmed that both types of embedded sensors (7 mm and 20 mm diameter) can measure AE during specimen degradation and final failure. The 7 mm sensor showed higher sensitivity in the 350–450 kHz frequency range. The 20 mm sensor and the reference surface-bounded sensors predominately featured high sensitivity in ranges of 200–300 kHz and 150–350 kHz, respectively. The clustering procedure revealed a type of AE that seems unique to the region of the embedded sensor when under combined in-plane tension and out-of-plane shear stress.
Computational Three-Dimensional Imaging System via Diffraction Grating Imaging with Multiple Wavelengths
Authors: Jang Jae-Young , Yoo Hoon
Published: October 2021

This paper describes a computational 3-D imaging system based on diffraction grating imaging with laser sources of multiple wavelengths. It was proven that a diffraction grating imaging system works well as a 3-D imaging system in our previous studies. The diffraction grating imaging system has advantages such as no spherical aberration and a low-cost system, compared with the well-known 3-D imaging systems based on a lens array or a camera array. However, a diffraction grating imaging system still suffers from noises, artifacts, and blurring due to the diffraction nature and illumination of single wavelength lasers. In this paper, we propose a diffraction grating imaging system with multiple wavelengths to overcome these problems. The proposed imaging system can produce multiple volumes through multiple laser illuminators with different wavelengths. Integration of these volumes can reduce noises, artifacts, and blurring in grating imaging since the original signals of 3-D objects inside these volumes are integrated by our computational reconstruction method. To apply the multiple wavelength system to a diffraction grating imaging system efficiently, we analyze the effects on the system parameters such as spatial periods and parallax angles for different wavelengths. A computational 3-D imaging system based on the analysis is proposed to enhance the image quality in diffraction grating imaging. Optical experiments with three-wavelength lasers are conducted to evaluate the proposed system. The results indicate that our diffraction grating imaging system is superior to the existing method.
Application of Machine Learning to Predict Dielectric Properties of In Vivo Biological Tissue
Authors: Gerazov Branislav , Caligari Conti Daphne Anne , Farina Laura , Farrugia Lourdes , Sammut Charles V. , Schembri Wismayer Pierre , Conceição Raquel C.
Published: October 2021

In this paper we revisited a database with measurements of the dielectric properties of rat muscles. Measurements were performed both in vivo and ex vivo; the latter were performed in tissues with varying levels of hydration. Dielectric property measurements were performed with an open-ended coaxial probe between the frequencies of 500 MHz and 50 GHz at a room temperature of 25 °C. In vivo dielectric properties are more valuable for creating realistic electromagnetic models of biological tissue, but these are more difficult to measure and scarcer in the literature. In this paper, we used machine learning models to predict the in vivo dielectric properties of rat muscle from ex vivo dielectric property measurements for varying levels of hydration. We observed promising results that suggest that our model can make a fair estimation of in vivo properties from ex vivo properties.
Mobile Computing with a Smart Cricket Ball: Discovery of Novel Performance Parameters and Their Practical Application to Performance Analysis, Advanced Profiling, Talent Identification and Training Interventions of Spin Bowlers
Authors: Fuss Franz Konstantin , Doljin Batdelger , Ferdinands René E. D.
Published: October 2021

Introduction: Profiling of cricket bowlers is performed with motion analyses systems that require the placement of markers on the bowler’s body and on the ball. Conventional smart balls such as cricket and baseballs provide only one speed and one spin rate datum at the release point, which is insufficient for biomechanical profiling. Method: In this study, we used an advanced smart cricket ball that measures the angular velocity at 815 Hz and calculates four further physical performance parameters (resultant torque, spin torque, power and angular acceleration) and five new skill parameters (precession, normalised precession, precession torque, efficiency and ratio of angular acceleration to spin rate), which we used for profiling and talent identification of spin bowlers. Results: The results showed that the spin rate is a function of physical (torque) and skill proficiency, namely how efficiently the torque is converted to angular velocity rather than being wasted for precession. The kind of delivery also influences the efficiency, as finger-spin deliveries were less efficient than wrist-spin ones by 6.8% on average; and topspin deliveries were generally more efficient than backspin ones by 15% on average. We tested three bowlers in terms of physical and skill performance during a 10-over spell, revealing that some parameters can improve or decline. When profiling a topspinner, we detected from the performance parameters a lower skill performance than expected, because there was an initial arm motion for backspin delivery before releasing the ball with a topspin. After training intervention, the skill parameters improved significantly (the efficiency increased from 39% to 59%). Conclusions: The advanced smart cricket ball is a classic example of mobile computing for sport performance analysis that can conducted indoors as well as outdoors, generating instant data from 10 performance parameters that provide critical feedback to the coach and bowler.
Design of a Data Glove for Assessment of Hand Performance Using Supervised Machine Learning
Authors: Sarwat Hussein , Sarwat Hassan , Maged Shady A. , Emara Tamer H. , Elbokl Ahmed M. , Awad Mohammed Ibrahim
Published: October 2021

The large number of poststroke recovery patients poses a burden on rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and physiotherapists. The advent of rehabilitation robotics and automated assessment systems can ease this burden by assisting in the rehabilitation of patients with a high level of recovery. This assistance will enable medical professionals to either better provide for patients with severe injuries or treat more patients. It also translates into financial assistance as well in the long run. This paper demonstrated an automated assessment system for in-home rehabilitation utilizing a data glove, a mobile application, and machine learning algorithms. The system can be used by poststroke patients with a high level of recovery to assess their performance. Furthermore, this assessment can be sent to a medical professional for supervision. Additionally, a comparison between two machine learning classifiers was performed on their assessment of physical exercises. The proposed system has an accuracy of 85% (±5.1%) with careful feature and classifier selection.
Ergonomics and Human Factors as a Requirement to Implement Safer Collaborative Robotic Workstations: A Literature Review
Authors: Cardoso André , Colim Ana , Bicho Estela , Braga Ana Cristina , Menozzi Marino , Arezes Pedro
Published: October 2021

There is a worldwide interest in implementing collaborative robots (Cobots) to reduce work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) risk. While prior work in this field has recognized the importance of considering Ergonomics & Human Factors (E&HF) in the design phase, most works tend to highlight workstations’ improvements due to Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC). Based on a literature review, the current study summarises studies where E&HF was considered a requirement rather than an output. In this article, the authors are interested in understanding the existing studies focused on Cobots’ implementation with ergonomic requirements, and the methods applied to design safer collaborative workstations. This review was performed in four prominent publications databases: Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, and Google Scholar, searching for the keywords ‘Collaborative robots’ or ‘Cobots’ or ‘HRC’ and ‘Ergonomics’ or ‘Human factors’. Based on the inclusion criterion, 20 articles were reviewed, and the main conclusions of each are provided. Additionally, the focus was given to the segmentation between studies considering E&HF during the design phase of HRC systems and studies applying E&HF in real-time on HRC systems. The results demonstrate the novelty of this topic, especially of the real-time applications of ergonomics as a requirement. Globally, the results of the reviewed studies showed the potential of E&HF requirements integrated into HRC systems as a relevant input for reducing WMSD risk.
Factors Associated with Four Sexual Behaviors among Married/Partnered Women Ages 60 and Older in the United States
Authors: Bergeron Caroline D. , Goltz Heather H. , Boolani Ali , Smith Matthew Lee
Published: October 2021

Women ages 60 and older vary in sexual behaviors. This study examined the prevalence of vaginal intercourse, outercourse, and receipt and performance of oral sex reported among 461 married/partnered women age ≥ 60 years in the United States and factors associated with these four sexual behaviors. Using data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, associations between participants’ socio-demographics, health indicators, sexual perceptions, communication, and sexual behaviors were examined. In the past year, 53.6% reported having vaginal intercourse, 56.0% outercourse, and 21.7% receiving and 20.6% performing oral sex. Women with depressive symptomology were less likely to report intercourse and outercourse (p < 0.05). Women endorsing pleasurable sex as necessary to maintain relationships were more likely to report all four behaviors (p < 0.01). Women who communicated openly with partners were more likely to report intercourse (p = 0.002), outercourse (p = 0.001), and performing oral sex (p = 0.025). Findings may inform strategies about positive sex perceptions and strengthening partner communication.
What Works in School-Based Programs for Child Abuse Prevention? The Perspectives of Young Child Abuse Survivors
Authors: Gubbels Jeanne , Assink Mark , Prinzie Peter , van der Put Claudia E.
Published: October 2021

Previous research has shown that youth consider school-based child abuse prevention programs as one of the most important strategies for preventing child abuse and neglect. This study asked young child abuse survivors how school-based child abuse prevention programs should be shaped and what program components they perceive as essential. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 Dutch young adults that were a victim of child abuse or neglect. A literature review that resulted in 12 potential program components was used to guide the interviews. All young adults agreed that school-based child abuse prevention programs are important and have positive effects on children’s awareness of child abuse. Teaching children that they are never to blame for child abuse occurrences was considered one of the most important components of school-based programs, next to teaching children how to escape from threatening situations and to find help, increasing children’s social–emotional skills, promoting child abuse related knowledge, recognizing risky situations, and increasing children’s self-esteem. Further, the participants found it important to provide children with aftercare when a school program has ended. Overall, young child abuse survivors have a strong view on what should be addressed in school-based child abuse prevention programs to effectively prevent child abuse.
Lessons Learned from Applying Adaptation Pathways in Heatwave Risk Management in Antwerp and Key Challenges for Further Development
Authors: Mendizabal Maddalen , Peña Nieves , Hooyberghs Hans , Lambrechts Griet , Sepúlveda Joel , Zorita Saioa
Published: October 2021

Heat exposure is a well-known health hazard, which causes several problems ranging from thermal discomfort or productivity reduction to the aggravation of existing illnesses and death. Climate projections foresee an increase in the frequency and intensity of heat-related impacts on human health. To reduce these climate risks, governments need a better understanding of not only the scale and the factors affecting those risks, but also how to prepare and protect the city and citizens against these risks and prevent them through effective policy making. Therefore, climate adaptation decisions need to be made in complex systems with manifold uncertainties. In response to these deep uncertainties, different planning approaches have been developed to assist policymakers in decision making. This paper is focused on one of the dynamic adaptive policy planning approaches: the adaptation pathway. This approach allows designing alternative feasible plans that are flexible and can respond when new information appears or when conditions in the environment change. This paper presents a structured methodology for designing adaptation pathways. The work describes a high-level adaptation pathway covering heatwave impacts on productivity and health at city level in Antwerp to ensure the city adapts to future conditions. Lastly, a summary is provided of the lessons learned and the challenges of this approach are discussed.
Matching of Manufacturing Resources in Cloud Manufacturing Environment
Authors: Hu Yanjuan , Pan Leiting , Gu Dongwei , Wang Zhanli , Liu Hongliang , Wang Yilin
Published: October 2021

With the introduction and application of new information technology in manufacturing, various advanced manufacturing models and national strategies have received more and more attention. The goal of cloud manufacturing is to closely link the resources and capabilities of manufacturers through a variety of services to create a dedicated platform for complex manufacturing process needs. How to achieve effective matching of various manufacturing resources and capabilities in the form of services will be a common problem in the future. In order to effectively improve cloud manufacturing tasks and resource matching efficiency and save resources, this study considers the common aspects of cloud manufacturing resource matching as service quality indicators, and extends the scope to the requirements of manufacturing resources, and the matching pattern of traditional service resources. There are additional restrictions on the resource service matching process. At the same time, the resource service matching is usually asymmetric. Therefore, we introduce the concept of task complexity of demand resources, and propose a combination system based on task complexity and service quality evaluation. The artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC) is used for analysis and verification. The experimental paper further validates the proposed the feasibility and efficiency of the method.
Dose-Dependent Response to the Environmental Pollutant Dichlorodipheniletylhene (DDE) in HepG2 Cells: Focus on Cell Viability and Mitochondrial Fusion/Fission Proteins
Authors: Burgos Aceves Mario Alberto , Migliaccio Vincenzo , Lepretti Marilena , Paolella Gaetana , Di Gregorio Ilaria , Penna Serena , Faggio Caterina , Lionetti Lillà
Published: October 2021

Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), the primary persistent metabolite of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), has toxic effects on cells, but its dose-dependent impact on mitochondrial proteins involved in mitochondrial fusion and fission processes associated with cell viability impairment has not yet been analysed. Mitochondrial fusion and fission processes are critical to maintaining the mitochondrial network and allowing the cell to respond to external stressors such as environmental pollutants. Fusion processes are associated with optimizing mitochondrial function, whereas fission processes are associated with removing damaged mitochondria. We assessed the effects of different DDE doses, ranging between 0.5 and 100 µM, on cell viability and mitochondrial fusion/fission proteins in an in vitro hepatic cell model (human hepatocarcinomatous cells, HepG2); the DDE induced a decrease in cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, and its effect was enhanced in conditions of coincubation with dietary fatty acids. Fusion protein markers exhibited an inverted U-shape dose-response curve, showing the highest content in the 2.5–25 μM DDE dose range. The fission protein marker was found to increase significantly, leading to an increased fission/fusion ratio with high DDE doses. The low DDE doses elicited cell adaption by stimulating mitochondrial dynamics machinery, whereas high DDE doses induced cell viability loss associated with mitochondrial dynamics to shift toward fission. Present results are helpful to clarify the mechanisms underlying the cell fate towards survival or death in response to increasing doses of environmental pollutants.
Intergenerational Patterns of DNA Methylation in Procambarus clarkii Following Exposure to Genotoxicants: A Conjugation in Past Simple or Past Continuous?
Authors: Marçal Raquel , Llorente Lola , Herrero Oscar , Planelló Rosario , Guilherme Sofia , Pacheco Mário
Published: October 2021

Epigenome is susceptible to modulation by environmental pressures—namely, through alterations in global DNA methylation, impacting the organism condition and, ultimately, reverberating on the phenotype of the subsequent generations. Hence, an intergenerational study was conducted, aiming to clarify the influence of genotoxicants on global DNA methylation of the crayfish Procambarus clarkii. Two subsequent generations were exposed to the herbicide penoxsulam (Px; 23 µg·L−1) and to the genotoxicant model ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS; 5 mg·L−1). Px did not induce changes in DNA methylation of adult crayfish (F0). However, the hypomethylation occurring in unexposed F1 juveniles demonstrated that the history of exposure per se can modulate epigenome. In F1 descendants of the Px-exposed group, methylome (hypermethylated) was more affected in males than in females. EMS-induced hypomethylation in adult females (F0), also showed gender specificity. In addition, hypomethylation was also observed in the unexposed F1 crayfish, indicating an intergenerational epigenetic effect. The modulatory role of past exposure to penoxsulam or to EMS also showed a dependency on the crayfish developmental stage. Overall, this research revealed that indirect experiences (events occurring in a predecessor generation) can have an impact even greater than direct experiences (present events) on the epigenetic dynamics.