bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydroxyl-Terminated Saponified Natural Rubber Based on the H2O2/P25-TiO2 Powder/UVC-Irradiation System
Authors: Nijpanich Supinya , Nimpaiboon Adun , Rojruthai Porntip , Sakdapipanich Jitladda
Published: April 2021

Natural rubber (NR), a long-chain hydrocarbon polymer mostly consisting of cis-1,4-polyisoprene units, has a high molecular weight (MW) and viscosity, enabling it to show excellent physical properties. However, NR has no reactive functional group, making it difficult to react with other molecules, especially in manufacturing processes. The functionalized low-molecular-weight NR (FLNR) is a requirement to disperse ingredients into the rubber adequately. Here, the FLNR was prepared by a photochemical degradation process under UVC-irradiation in the presence of H2O2 using P25-titanium oxide (TiO2) powder as a photocatalyst. The optimum condition for the preparation of FLNR was the use of 2.0 g of TiO2 powder per 100 g of rubber and H2O2 at 20% w/w under UVC-irradiation for 5 h. The hydroxyl groups were found on the NR chains due to the chain-scission of polyisoprene chains and hydroxyl radicals in the system. The weight average MW of NR decreased from 12.6 × 105 to 0.6 × 105 gmol−1, while the number average MW decreased from 3.3 × 105 to 0.1 × 105 gmol−1.
“All Polyimide” Mixed Matrix Membranes for High Performance Gas Separation
Authors: Li Maijun , Zheng Zhibo , Zhang Zhiguang , Li Nanwen , Liu Siwei , Chi Zhenguo , Xu Jiarui , Zhang Yi
Published: April 2021

To improve the interfacial compatibility of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for gas separation, microporous polyimide particle (AP) was designed, synthesized, and introduced into intrinsic microporous polyimide matrix (6FDA-Durene) to form “all polyimide” MMMs. The AP fillers showed the feature of thermal stability, similar density with polyimide matrix, high porosity, high fractional free volume, large microporous dimension, and interpenetrating network architecture. As expected, the excellent interfacial compatibility between 6FDA-Durene and AP without obvious agglomeration even at a high AP loading of 10 wt.% was observed. As a result, the CO2 permeability coefficient of MMM with AP loading as low as 5 wt.% reaches up to 1291.13 Barrer, which is 2.58 times that of the pristine 6FDA-Durene membrane without the significant sacrificing of ideal selectivity of CO2/CH4. The improvement of permeability properties is much better than that of the previously reported MMMs, where high filler content is required to achieve a high permeability increase but usually leads to significant agglomeration or phase separation of fillers. It is believed that the excellent interfacial compatibility between the PI fillers and the PI matrix induce the effective utilization of porosity and free volume of AP fillers during gas transport. Thus, a higher diffusion coefficient of MMMs has been observed than that of the pristine PI membrane. Furthermore, the rigid polyimide fillers also result in the excellent anti-plasticization ability for CO2. The MMMs with a 10 wt.% AP loading shows a CO2 plasticization pressure of 300 psi.
Synthesis of New Amino—β-Cyclodextrin Polymer, Cross-Linked with Pyromellitic Dianhydride and Their Use for the Synthesis of Polymeric Cyclodextrin Based Nanoparticles
Authors: Kozieł Kinga , Łagiewka Jakub , Girek Beata , Folentarska Agnieszka , Girek Tomasz , Ciesielski Wojciech
Published: April 2021

New water soluble amino β-cyclodextrin-based polymer was synthesized by reaction between amino cyclodextrin derivatives and pyromellitic anhydride. This experiment presents amino derivatives, which were synthesized by attaching amino groups to β-cyclodextrins (β-CDs) used mono-6-azido-6-deoxy-β-cyclodextrin (β-CD-N3) and triphenylphosphine (Ph3P) in anhydrous N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). An amino blocking reaction was conducted. The obtained polymer was purified by ultrafiltration. In addition, an attempt was made to create nanospheres by encapsulating the polymer with chitosan (CT) in an acidic condition. For the first time, nanospheres were obtained in the reaction between an amino β-cyclodextrin polymer and chitosan. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). 1H NMR and ESI-MS methods for confirmation of reaction product and for structural characterization were employed. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of polymers were also carried out.
A Short Review on Polymeric Biomaterials as Additives for Lubricants
Authors: Karmakar Gobinda , Dey Koushik , Ghosh Pranab , Sharma Brajendra K. , Erhan Sevim Z.
Published: April 2021

With increasing environmental concerns and the depletion of petroleum resources, the development of lubricant additives from bioresources has attracted much attention recently. In this review, we reported a few polymers and polymer composites that are synthesized from vegetable oils (soybean oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil, and castor oil) and used as multifunctional additives in the formulation of eco-friendly lubricant compositions. We mentioned the preparation of vegetable oil-based homo- and copolymers and their characterization by different spectral techniques (FTIR/NMR). The average molecular weights of the polymers are determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Performance evaluations of the polymeric materials mainly as a viscosity index improver (VII), pour point depressant (PPD), and most importantly antifriction additives when blended with lubricating base oils are indicated. Standard ASTM methods have been applied to evaluate their performances. The findings have shown that all the additives discussed are non-toxic, biodegradable, and showed excellent performances compared to commercial petroleum-based additives.
The Reversion of DNA Methylation at Coronary Heart Disease Risk Loci in Response to Prevention Therapy
Authors: Philibert Willem , Andersen Allan M. , Hoffman Eric A. , Philibert Robert , Dogan Meeshanthini
Published: April 2021

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is preventable, but the methods for assessing risk and monitoring response rely on imprecise lipid-based assessments. Recently, we have shown that an integrated genetic–epigenetic test that includes three methylation-sensitive digital PCR assays predicts 3-year risk for incident CHD better than lipid-based methods. However, whether methylation sites change in response to therapies that alter CHD risk is not known. Therefore, we assessed methylation at these three incident CHD-related sites in DNA from 39 subjects before and after three months of biochemically verified smoking cessation, then analyzed the relationship between change in methylation at each of the sites to the change in smoking intensity as assessed by cg05575921 methylation. We found that, in those who quit smoking, methylation change at one CHD risk marker (cg00300879) was significantly associated with change in cg05575921 methylation (p < 0.04). We conclude that changes in incident CHD-related methylation occur within three months of cessation of smoking, a major risk factor for CHD. This suggests that the effectiveness of treatment of other CHD risk factors, such as high cholesterol, may be similarly quantifiable using epigenetic approaches. Further studies to determine the relationship of changes of methylation status in response to treatment of other CHD risk factors are indicated.
Acute and Chronic Effects of a Glyphosate and a Cypermethrin-Based Pesticide on a Non-Target Species Eucypris sp. Vavra, 1891 (Crustacea, Ostracoda)
Authors: Houssou Arsène Mathieu , Cocan Daniel , Răducu Camelia Maria , Daguégué Eric Joslin , Miresan Vioara , Montchowui Elie
Published: April 2021

Ostracoda species are indicators of their current and past environment (paleoenvironment). The study aims to evaluate the acute and chronic sensitivities of a freshwater ostracod species (Eucypris sp.) to agricultural pesticides (a cypermethrin-based insecticide and a glyphosate herbicide-based formulation). Lethal concentrations (LC50) of each pesticide for the species at 24 and 48 h were determined. The chronic exposure allowed assessing the effects of low concentrations of both pesticides; firstly, on the parthenogenetic reproduction of Eucypris sp., and, secondly, on its population growth. Then, individuals of Eucypris sp. were exposed to 0.536 ppb and 1.072 ppb of cypermethrin and 4.51 ppm and 9.03 ppm of glyphosate. These concentrations are respectively the 10%, and the 20% of the 48-h LC50 (median lethal concentration) of both pesticides for the species. The estimated 24-h LC50 of cypermethrin was 7.287 ppb. At 48-h, it was 5.361 ppb. For glyphosate, the 24-h LC50 was 50.521 ppm, while at 48-h it was 45.149 ppm. After 10 days of exposure to low concentrations of cypermehrin, only 30% of females reproduced parthenogenetically with 10% and 20% of LC50-48-h. For the control treatment, reproduction in 80% of females was observed. Eucypris sp. population growth after 28 days of exposure to low concentrations of cypermethrin showed significant retardation. Regarding glyphosate chronic exposure, 60%, 50%, and 90% of individuals were able to reproduce at 10% of LC50-48-h, 20% LC50-48-h, and the control treatment, respectively. The population growth was also affected by the tested low concentrations of glyphosate. The study showed high sensitivity of Eucypris sp. to cypermethrin compared to glyphosate. However, low concentrations of both pesticides affected the species at individual and population level.
Tuning Metal–Support Interactions on Ni/Al2O3 Catalysts to Improve Catalytic Activity and Stability for Dry Reforming of Methane
Authors: He Lulu , Ren Yuanhang , Yue Bin , Tsang Shik Chi Edman , He Heyong
Published: April 2021

Ni-based catalysts supported on alumina derived from the pseudo-boehmite prepared by the impregnation method were employed for catalytic dry reforming of methane reaction at the temperature of 550–750 °C. The effect of calcination temperature on physicochemical properties such as the Ni dispersion, reduction degree, nickel crystallite sizes, and metal–support interaction of the catalysts was investigated. The characterization results show that increasing the catalyst calcination temperature leads to the formation of nickel-alumina spinel, which enhances the metal–support interaction and increases the reduction temperature. The nickel nanoparticle size decreases and the effective dispersion increases with the increasing calcination temperature from 450 °C to 750 °C due to the formation of nickel aluminate. The catalyst calcined at 750 °C exhibits the highest CH4 and CO2 conversion owing to the small Ni0 active sites and high Ni dispersion. In a 200 h stability test in dry reforming of methane at 700 °C, the Ni/Al2O3-750 catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic stability and anti-coking ability.
Development of TLC Chromatographic-Densitometric Procedure for Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Ceftobiprole
Authors: Binert-Kusztal Żaneta , Starek Małgorzata , Żandarek Joanna , Dąbrowska Monika
Published: April 2021

Currently, there is still a need for broad-spectrum antibiotics. The new cephalosporin antibiotics include, among others, ceftobiprole, a fifth-generation gram-positive cephalosporin, active against Staphylococcus aureus methicillin agonist (MRSA). The main focus of the work was to optimize the conditions of ceftobiprole qualitative determination and to validate the developed procedure according to ICH guidelines. As a result of the optimization process, HPTLC Cellulose chromatographic plates as a stationary phase and a mixture consisting of ethanol:2-propanol: glacial acetic acid: water (4:4:1:3, v/v/v/v) as a mobile phase were chosen. The densitometric detection was carried out at maximum absorbance of ceftobiprole (λ = 232 nm). Next, the validation process of the developed procedure was carried out. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for precision was less than 1.65%, which proves the high compatibility of the results, as well as the LOD = 0.0257 µg/spot and LOQ = 0.0779 µg/spot values, which also confirm the high sensitivity of the procedure. The usefulness of the developed method for the stability studies of ceftobiprole was analyzed. Study was carried out under stress conditions, i.e., acid and alkaline environments, exposure to radiation imitating sunlight and high temperature (40–60 °C). It was found that cefotbiprole is unstable in an alkaline environment and during exposure to UV-VIS radiation. Moreover, the lipophilicity parameter, as a main physicochemical property of the biologically active compound, was determined using experimental and computational methods.
Purification and Characterization of Fractions Containing Polysaccharides from Talinum triangulare and Their Immunomodulatory Effects
Authors: Yeh Shu-Hui , Hsu Wen-Kuang , Chang Zi-Qing , Wang Sue-Hong , Hsieh Chang-Wei , Liou Gunn-Guang , Lee Hung-Bin , Jiang Bo-Hao , Tsou Hsi-Kai , Tsai Ming-Shiun
Published: April 2021

Previous studies identified that extracts of Talinum triangulare rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids showed antioxidative and immunomodulatory activities. In this study, the L9 orthogonal array was used to determine the optimal extraction conditions for water-extracted polysaccharides of T. triangulare (TTP) by hot reflux extraction and ultrasonic assisted extraction (UAE) methods. Results showed that while both extraction methods obtained a maximum polysaccharide yield of 3.1%, the optimal conditions for obtaining TTP was by UAE method. TTP was separated into large (LTTP) and small (STTP) molecular weights by dialysis. Since LTTP showed better effects than STTP in inducing macrophages to produce nitric oxide (NO) and indirectly inhibiting human cervical cancer HeLa cells, six different LTTP fractions were separated using anion-exchange chromatography. Contents of polysaccharides, triterpenoids, polyphenols, and proteins and molecular weights of major polysaccharide in each fraction were analyzed. The F1 fraction of LTTP, which showed the highest inducing ability of mouse RAW264.7 macrophages to secrete NO and tumor necrosis factor-α, showed the most significant indirect inhibitory effect of human colon cancer SW620 cells. These results suggest that LTTP, especially the F1 fraction, of T. triangulare may be used in health foods or Chinese medicine for its immunomodulatory potential.
Efficient Two-Step Parametrization of a Control-Oriented Zero-Dimensional Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Model Based on Measured Stack Data
Authors: Du Zhang Peng , Steindl Christoph , Jakubek Stefan
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a new efficient two-step method for parametrizing control-oriented zero-dimensional physical polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) models with measured stack data. Parametrizations of these models are computationally intensive due to the numerous unknown parameters and the typically nonlinear, stiff model properties. This work reduces an existing model to decrease its stiffness for accelerated numerical simulations. Subdividing the parametrization into two consecutive subproblems (thermodynamic and electrochemical ones) reduces the solution space significantly. A parameter sensitivity analysis further reduces each sub-solution space by excluding non-significant parameters. The method results in an efficient parametrization process. The two-step approach minimizes each sub-solution space’s dimension by two-thirds, respectively three-fourths, compared to the global one. An achieved R2 value between simulation and measurement of 91% on average provides the required accuracy for control-oriented models.
Gene Expression of Mouse Hippocampal Stem Cells Grown in a Galactose-Derived Molecular Gel Compared to In Vivo and Neurospheres
Authors: Bayram Keziban Korkmaz , Fitremann Juliette , Bayram Arslan , Yılmaz Zeynep , Mehmetbeyoğlu Ecmel , Özkul Yusuf , Rassoulzadegan Minoo
Published: April 2021

Background: N-heptyl-D-galactonamide (GalC7) is a small synthetic carbohydrate derivative that forms a biocompatible supramolecular hydrogel. In this study, the objective was to analyze more in-depth how neural cells differentiate in contact with GalC7. Method: Direct (ex vivo) cells of the fresh hippocampus and culture (In vitro) of the primary cells were investigated. In vitro, investigation performed under three conditions: on culture in neurospheres for 19 days, on culture in GalC7 gel for 7 days, and on culture in both neurospheres and GalC7 gel. Total RNA was isolated with TRIzol from each group, Sox8, Sox9, Sox10, Dcx, and Neurod1 expression levels were measured by qPCR. Result: Sox8 and Sox10, oligodendrocyte markers, and Sox9, an astrocyte marker, were expressed at a much higher level after 7 days of culture in GalC7 hydrogel compared to all other conditions. Dcx, a marker of neurogenesis, and Neurod1, a marker of neuronal differentiation, were expressed at better levels in the GalC7 gel culture compared to the neurosphere. Conclusions: These results show that the GalC7 hydrogel brings different and interesting conditions for inducing the differentiation and maturation of neural progenitor cells compared with polymer-based scaffolds or cell-only conditions. The differences observed open new perspectives in tissue engineering, induction, and transcript analysis.
Silent Accord: Qi 契 as a Metaphor for Enlightenment and Transmission in Chan Buddhist Discourse
Authors: Järvelä Aleksi , Tähtinen Tero
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we explore the historical background and the semantic underpinnings of a central, if marginally treated, metaphor of enlightenment and transmission in Chan discourse, “silent accord” 默契. It features centrally in Essentials of the Transmission of Mind 傳心法要, a text that gathers the teachings of Chan master Huangbo Xiyun (d. ca. 850), a major Tang dynasty figure. “Silent accord” is related to the concept of mind-to-mind transmission, which lies at the very core of Chan Buddhist self-understanding. However, Chan historiography has shown that this self-understanding was partially a product of the Song dynasty lineage records, historically retroactive syncretic constructs produced by monks and literati as efforts towards doctrinal and political recognition and orthodoxy. There are thus lacunae in the history of Chan thought opened up by the retrospective fictions of Song dynasty, and a lack of reliable, dateable documents from the preceding Tang dynasty era, possibly fraught with later additions. We situate the metaphor “silent accord” in the history of Chan thought by searching for its origins, mapping its functions in Chan literature, arguing for its influence and thereby its role in helping to bridge the ninth century gap.
Gods and Things: Is “Animism” an Operable Concept in Korea?
Authors: Kendall Laurel
Published: April 2021

Shamanship is a thing-ish practice. Early missionary observers in Korea noted that features of the landscape, quotidian objects, and specialized paraphernalia figure in the work of shamans (mansin) and in popular religious practice more generally. Subsequent ethnographers observed similar engagements with numinous things, from mountains to painted images, things vested with the presence of soul stuff (yŏng). Should this be considered “animism” as the term is being rethought in anthropological discourse today? Should we consider shamanic materiality in Korea as one more ontological challenge to the nature/culture divide? Drawing on existing ethnography and her own fieldwork, the author examines the (far from uniform) premises that govern the deployment of material things in Korean shaman practice. She argues that while the question of “animism” opens a deeper inquiry into things that have been described but not well-analyzed, the term must be used with clarity, precision, and caution. Most of the material she describes becomes sacred through acts of human agency, revealing an ontology of mobile, mutable spirits who are inducted into or appropriate objects. Some of these things are quotidian, some produced for religious use, and even the presence of gods in landscapes can be affected by human agency. These qualities enable the adaptability of shaman practices in a much transformed and highly commercialized South Korea.
Extended Pseudo Invariant Calibration Site-Based Trend-to-Trend Cross-Calibration of Optical Satellite Sensors
Authors: Khakurel Prathana , Leigh Larry , Kaewmanee Morakot , Pinto Cibele Teixeira
Published: April 2021

Satellite sensors have been extremely useful and are in massive demand in the understanding of the Earth’s surface and monitoring of changes. For quantitative analysis and acquiring consistent measurements, absolute radiometric calibration is necessary. The most common vicarious approach of radiometric calibration is cross-calibration, which helps to tie all the sensors to a common radiometric scale for consistent measurement. One of the traditional methods of cross-calibration is performed using temporally and spectrally stable pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS). This technique is limited by adequate cloud-free acquisitions for cross-calibration which would require a longer time to study the differences in sensor measurements. To address the limitation of traditional PICS-based approaches and to increase the cross-calibration opportunity for quickly achieving high-quality results, the approach presented here is based on using extended pseudo invariant calibration sites (EPICS) over North Africa. With the EPICS-based approach, the area of extent of the cross-calibration site covers a large portion of the North African continent. With targets this large, many sensors should image some portion of EPICS nearlydaily, allowing for evaluation of performance with much greater frequency. By using these near-daily measurements, trends of the sensor’s performance are then used to evaluate sensor-to-sensor daily cross-calibration. With the use of the proposed methodology, the dataset for cross-calibration is increased by an order of magnitude compared to traditional approaches, resulting in the differences between any two sensors being detected within a much shorter time. Using this new trend in trend cross-calibration approaches, gains were evaluated for Landsat 7/8 and Sentinel 2A/B, with the results showing that the sensors are calibrated within 2.5% (within less than 8% uncertainty) or better for all sensor pairs, which is consistent with what the traditional PICS-based approach detects. The proposed cross-calibration technique is useful to cross-calibrate any two sensors without the requirement of any coincident or near-coincident scene pairs, while still achieving results similar to traditional approaches in a short time.
Automation of Pan-Sharpening Methods for Pléiades Images Using GIS Basic Functions
Authors: Alcaras Emanuele , Parente Claudio , Vallario Andrea
Published: April 2021

Pan-sharpening methods allow the transfer of higher resolution panchromatic images to multispectral ones concerning the same scene. Different approaches are available in the literature, and only a part of these approaches is included in remote sensing software for automatic application. In addition, the quality of the results supplied by a specific method varies according to the characteristics of the scene; for consequence, different algorithms must be compared to find the best performing one. Nevertheless, pan-sharpening methods can be applied using GIS basic functions in the absence of specific pan-sharpening tools, but this operation is expensive and time-consuming. This paper aims to explain the approach implemented in Quantum GIS (QGIS) for automatic pan-sharpening of Pléiades images. The experiments are carried out on data concerning the Greek island named Lesbo. In total, 14 different pan-sharpening methods are applied to reduce pixel dimensions of the four multispectral bands from 2 m to 0.5 m. The automatic procedure involves basic functions already included in GIS software; it also permits the evaluation of the quality of the resulting images supplying the values of appropriate indices. The results demonstrate that the approach provides the user with the highest performing method every time, so the best possible fused products are obtained with minimal effort in a reduced timeframe.
Assessment of Quad-Frequency Long-Baseline Positioning with BeiDou-3 and Galileo Observations
Authors: Liu Liwei , Pan Shuguo , Gao Wang , Ma Chun , Tao Ju , Zhao Qing
Published: April 2021

Quad-frequency signals have thus far been available for all satellites of BeiDou-3 and Galileo systems. The major benefit of quad-frequency signals is that more extra-wide-lane (EWL) combinations can be formed with quad-frequency than with triple- or dual-frequency, of which the ambiguities can be fixed instantaneously in medium and long baselines. In this paper, the long-baseline positioning algorithm based on optimal triple-frequency EWL/wide-lane (WL) combinations of BeiDou-3 and Galileo is proposed. First, the theoretical precision of multi-frequency combinations of BeiDou-3 and Galileo is studied, and EWL/WL combinations with a small noise amplitude factor and a small ionospheric scalar factor are selected. Then, geometry-free methods are used to estimate the a priori precision of EWL/second EWL/WL signals for different combination schemes. Second, the double-differenced (DD) geometry-based function models of quad-frequency configurations and three different triple-frequency configurations are given, and the DD ionospheric delays are estimated as unknown parameters. In the end, the real BeiDou-3 and Galileo data are used to evaluate the positioning preference. The results show that, when using fixed EWL observations to constrain WL ambiguities, the proposed triple-frequency EWL/WL signals composed of (B1I,B3I,B2a) of BeiDou-3 and (E1,E5a,E6) of Galileo can achieve the same precision as the quad-frequency signals. Therefore, the method proposed in this article can realize long-baseline instantaneous decimeter-level positioning while reducing the dimension of matrix and improving calculation efficiency.
Quantitative Recognition and Characteristic Analysis of Production-Living-Ecological Space Evolution for Five Resource-Based Cities: Zululand, Xuzhou, Lota, Surf Coast and Ruhr
Authors: Tao Yuanyuan , Wang Qianxin
Published: April 2021

The accurate identification of PLES changes and the discovery of their evolution characteristics is a key issue to improve the ability of the sustainable development for resource-based urban areas. However, the current methods are unsuitable for the long-term and large-scale PLES investigation. In this study, a modified method of PLES recognition is proposed based on the remote sensing image classification and land function evaluation technology. A multi-dimensional index system is constructed, which can provide a comprehensive evaluation for PLES evolution characteristics. For validation of the proposed methods, the remote sensing image, geographic information, and socio-economic data of five resource-based urbans (Zululand in South Africa, Xuzhou in China, Lota in Chile, Surf Coast in Australia, and Ruhr in Germany) from 1975 to 2020 are collected and tested. The results show that the data availability and calculation efficiency are significantly improved by the proposed method, and the recognition precision is better than 87% (Kappa coefficient). Furthermore, the PLES evolution characteristics show obvious differences at the different urban development stages. The expansions of production, living, and ecological space are fastest at the mining, the initial, and the middle ecological restoration stages, respectively. However, the expansion of living space is always increasing at any stage, and the disorder expansion of living space has led to the decrease of integration of production and ecological spaces. Therefore, the active polices should be formulated to guide the transformation of the living space expansion from jumping-type and spreading-type to filling-type, and the renovation of abandoned industrial and mining lands should be encouraged.
DeepLabV3-Refiner-Based Semantic Segmentation Model for Dense 3D Point Clouds
Authors: Kwak Jeonghoon , Sung Yunsick
Published: April 2021

Three-dimensional virtual environments can be configured as test environments of autonomous things, and remote sensing by 3D point clouds collected by light detection and range (LiDAR) can be used to detect virtual human objects by segmenting collected 3D point clouds in a virtual environment. The use of a traditional encoder-decoder model, such as DeepLabV3, improves the quality of the low-density 3D point clouds of human objects, where the quality is determined by the measurement gap of the LiDAR lasers. However, whenever a human object with a surrounding environment in a 3D point cloud is used by the traditional encoder-decoder model, it is difficult to increase the density fitting of the human object. This paper proposes a DeepLabV3-Refiner model, which is a model that refines the fit of human objects using human objects whose density has been increased through DeepLabV3. An RGB image that has a segmented human object is defined as a dense segmented image. DeepLabV3 is used to make predictions of dense segmented images and 3D point clouds for human objects in 3D point clouds. In the Refiner model, the results of DeepLabV3 are refined to fit human objects, and a dense segmented image fit to human objects is predicted. The dense 3D point cloud is calculated using the dense segmented image provided by the DeepLabV3-Refiner model. The 3D point clouds that were analyzed by the DeepLabV3-Refiner model had a 4-fold increase in density, which was verified experimentally. The proposed method had a 0.6% increase in density accuracy compared to that of DeepLabV3, and a 2.8-fold increase in the density corresponding to the human object. The proposed method was able to provide a 3D point cloud that increased the density to fit the human object. The proposed method can be used to provide an accurate 3D virtual environment by using the improved 3D point clouds.
Fast and Accurate Power Line Corridor Survey Using Spatial Line Clustering of Point Cloud
Authors: Huang Yuchun , Du Yingli , Shi Wenxuan
Published: April 2021

High-voltage and ultra-high-voltage overhead power lines are important to meet the electricity demand of our daily activities and productions. Due to the overgrowth of trees/vegetation within the corridor area, the distance between the power lines and its surroundings may break through the safety threshold, which could cause potential hazards such as discharge and fire. To ensure the safe and stable operation of the power lines, it is necessary to survey them regularly so that the potential hazards from the surroundings within the power line corridor could be investigated timely. This paper is motivated to quickly and accurately survey the power line corridor with the 3D point clouds. The main contributions of this paper include: (1) the spatial line clustering is proposed to accurately classify and complete the power line points, which can greatly overcome the sparsity and missing of LiDAR points within the complex power line corridor. (2) The contextual relationship between power lines and pylon is well investigated by the grid-based analysis, so that the suspension points of power lines on the pylon are well located. (3) The catenary plane-based simplification of 3D spatial distance calculation between power lines and ground objects facilitates the survey of the power line corridor. Experimental results show that the accuracy of safety distance surveying is 5 cm for power line corridors of all voltage levels. Compared to the ground-truth point-to-point calculation, the speed of surveying is enhanced thousands of times. It is promising to greatly improve both the accuracy and efficiency of surveying the potential hazards of power line corridor.
On the Geopolitics of Fire, Conflict and Land in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Eklund Lina , Abdi Abdulhakim M. , Shahpurwala Aiman , Dinc Pinar
Published: April 2021

There is limited understanding of the geopolitics of fire, conflict, and land, for example, how conflict and fire are related and how conflict impacts the biophysical environment. Since 2014, the natural environment in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has been negatively affected by recurrent conflict that coincided with a sharp increase in the number of reported fires. Against this background, this study explores the spatiotemporal aspects of conflict, fire, and land use and land cover in this region. We combine several satellite-derived products, including land use and land cover, active fire, and precipitation. We apply a partial correlation analysis to understand the relationship between fire, conflict, climate, and land use and land cover. Conflict events and fires have increased since 2014 and have followed a similar temporal pattern, and we show that certain conflicts were particular to certain land use and land cover contexts. For example, the conflict involving the Islamic State was concentrated in southern areas with bare soil/sparse vegetation, and the conflict involving Turkey largely took place in northern mountainous areas characterized by natural vegetation and rugged topography. This dichotomy indicates divergent effects of conflict on the land system. A surprising finding was that fire hotspots had a low positive correlation with the amplitude of distance to conflict while accounting for other variables such as land cover and climate. The high statistical significance of this relationship indicates nonlinearity and implies that a larger range of distances to conflict creates more space for the fires to spread in the surrounding landscape. At the same time, fire hotspots had a weaker but negative correlation to distance from conflict events, which is somewhat expected as areas farther away from conflict locations have lower exposure risk to fires. We discuss the implications of these findings within the geopolitical context of the region and acknowledge the limitations of the study. We conclude with a summary of the main findings and recommendations for future research.
BIM Supported Surveying and Imaging Combination for Heritage Conservation
Authors: Martín-Lerones Pedro , Olmedo David , López-Vidal Ana , Gómez-García-Bermejo Jaime , Zalama Eduardo
Published: April 2021

As the basis for analysis and management of heritage assets, 3D laser scanning and photogrammetric 3D reconstruction have been probed as adequate techniques for point cloud data acquisition. The European Directive 2014/24/EU imposes BIM Level 2 for government centrally procured projects as a collaborative process of producing federated discipline-specific models. Although BIM software resources are intensified and increasingly growing, distinct specifications for heritage (H-BIM) are essential to driving particular processes and tools to efficiency shifting from point clouds to meaningful information ready to be exchanged using non-proprietary formats, such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC). This paper details a procedure for processing enriched 3D point clouds into the REVIT software package due to its worldwide popularity and how closely it integrates with the BIM concept. The procedure will be additionally supported by a tailored plug-in to make high-quality 3D digital survey datasets usable together with 2D imaging, enhancing the capability to depict contextualized important graphical data to properly planning conservation actions. As a practical example, a 2D/3D enhanced combination is worked to accurately include into a BIM project, the length, orientation, and width of a big crack on the walls of the Castle of Torrelobatón (Spain) as a representative heritage building.
A New Type of Wireless Transmission Based on Digital Direct Modulation for Use in Partially Implantable Hearing Aids
Authors: Kim Jong-Hoon , Cho Jin-Ho , Seong Ki-Woong , Kim Myoung-Nam
Published: April 2021

In this study, we developed a new type of wireless transmission system for use in partially implantable hearing aids. This system was designed for miniaturization and low distortion, and features direct digital modulation. The sigma-delta output, which has a high SNR due to oversampling and noise shaping technology, is used as the data signal and is transmitted using a wireless transmission system to the implant unit through OOK without restoration as an audio signal, thus eliminating the need for additional circuits (i.e., LPF and a reference voltage supply circuit) and improving the ease of implantation and reliability of the circuit. We selected a carrier frequency of 27 MHz after analysis of carrier attenuation by human tissue, and designed the communication coil with reference to both the geometry and required communication distance. Circuit design and simulation for wireless transmission were performed using Multisim 13.0. The system was fabricated based on the circuit design; the size of the device board was 13 mm × 13 mm, the size of the implanted part was 9 mm × 9 mm, the diameter of the transmitting/receiving coil was 26 mm, and the thicknesses of these coils were 0.5 and 0.3 mm, respectively. The difference (error) between the detected and simulation waveforms was about 5%, and was thought to be due to the tolerances of the fabricated communication coil and elements (resistors, capacitors, etc.) used in the circuit configuration of the system. The number of windings was reduced more than 9-fold compared to the communication coil described by Taghavi et al. The measured THD was <1% in the frequency band from 100 Hz to 10 kHz, thus easily meeting the standard specification for hearing aids.
Effect of Supplementation of Flour with Fruit Fiber on the Volatile Compound Profile in Bread
Authors: Rusinek Robert , Gawrysiak-Witulska Marzena , Siger Aleksander , Oniszczuk Anna , Ptaszyńska Aneta A. , Knaga Jarosław , Malaga-Toboła Urszula , Gancarz Marek
Published: April 2021

This paper presents the analyses of the effect of fiber additives on volatile organic compounds in bread. The bread was baked from wheat flour with the addition of 3% of fruit fiber, following common procedures. After baking, volatile organic compounds contained in the control bread and breads supplemented with cranberry, apple, and chokeberry fiber were determined. The SPME/GC-MS technique was used for the identification of the odor profile, and the electronic nose Agrinose (e-nose) was used to assess the intensity of the aroma. The results of the analyses revealed the profile of volatile organic compounds in each experimental variant, which was correlated with responses of the electronic nose. The results indicate that the volatile compound profile depends on the bread additives used and influences the intensity of bread aroma. Moreover, the profile of volatile organic compounds in terms of their amount and type, as well as the intensity of their interaction with the active surface of the electrochemical sensors, was specific exclusively for the additive in each case.
An Artificial Intelligence of Things-Based Picking Algorithm for Online Shop in the Society 5.0’s Context
Authors: Muslikhin Muslikhin , Horng Jenq-Ruey , Yang Szu-Yueh , Wang Ming-Shyan , Awaluddin Baiti-Ahmad
Published: April 2021

In this study, an Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT)-based automated picking system was proposed for the development of an online shop and the services for automated shipping systems. Speed and convenience are two key points in Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0. In the context of online shopping, speed and convenience can be provided by integrating e-commerce platforms with AIoT systems and robots that are following consumers’ needs. Therefore, this proposed system diverts consumers who are moved by AIoT, while robotic manipulators replace human tasks to pick. To prove this idea, we implemented a modified YOLO (You Only Look Once) algorithm as a detection and localization tool for items purchased by consumers. At the same time, the modified YOLOv2 with data-driven mode was used for the process of taking goods from unstructured shop shelves. Our system performance is proven by experiments to meet the expectations in evaluating efficiency, speed, and convenience of the system in Society 5.0’s context.
New Sensor Data Structuring for Deeper Feature Extraction in Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Alemayoh Tsige Tadesse , Lee Jae Hoon , Okamoto Shingo
Published: April 2021

For the effective application of thriving human-assistive technologies in healthcare services and human–robot collaborative tasks, computing devices must be aware of human movements. Developing a reliable real-time activity recognition method for the continuous and smooth operation of such smart devices is imperative. To achieve this, light and intelligent methods that use ubiquitous sensors are pivotal. In this study, with the correlation of time series data in mind, a new method of data structuring for deeper feature extraction is introduced herein. The activity data were collected using a smartphone with the help of an exclusively developed iOS application. Data from eight activities were shaped into single and double-channels to extract deep temporal and spatial features of the signals. In addition to the time domain, raw data were represented via the Fourier and wavelet domains. Among the several neural network models used to fit the deep-learning classification of the activities, a convolutional neural network with a double-channeled time-domain input performed well. This method was further evaluated using other public datasets, and better performance was obtained. The practicability of the trained model was finally tested on a computer and a smartphone in real-time, where it demonstrated promising results.
Phenotypes of professional bronchial asthma: features of respiratory disorders
Authors: Baikova Antonina Gennadievna , Vostroknutova Marina Yurievna , Borisova Dinara Kolgarovna , Babanov Sergey Anatolievich
Published: April 2021

The article is devoted to the study of spirographic indicators FEV1, FEV1/FVC, PEF, MEF75, MEF50, MEF25 as the most informative indicators reflecting the state of bronchial patency at the level of the proximal and distal parts of the bronchial tree in various phenotypes of professional bronchial asthma. Signs of respiratory distress are most pronounced in patients with the phenotype «PBA-occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary disease». Significantly,the» most favorable «spirographic picture in terms of FVC, FEV1, PEF, and MEF25VC is observed in the «PBA allergic» phenotype. Dynamic determination of speed indicators of forced expiration in various phenotypes of professional bronchial asthma can improve the diagnosis of obstructive disorders in this pathology, optimize the choice of treatment and prevention tactics, and predict the course of this pathology.
Chekhov in the mirror of everyday life of Anton Pavlovich Chekhov
Authors: Rozin V.
Published: April 2021

The paper discusses the problem that has arisen in recent decades in connection with discussions on the Internet, the publication of memoirs, as well as studies of the lives of famous writers and poets. On the example of the interpretation of the life and work of Marina Tsvetaeva and Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, two hypotheses of the relationship between the work of the author and his ordinary life are examined. The author tries to show that if a special reconstruction of both is carried out, then one can understand the essential features of the author’s work.
Comparative physiological and immunological assessment of carp crosses
Authors: Pronina Galina Iozepovna , Rozumnaya Lyubov Anatolyevna , Mannapov Alfir Gabdulovich
Published: April 2021

One of the methods of increasing the efficiency of agricultural production is the widespread introduction into production practice of highly productive first-generation hybrids (F) with the effect of heterosis, obtained on the basis of interbreeding. With positive heterosis, the resulting offspring exceeds the parents in a number of selected economically useful indicators. This paper shows the results of physiological and immunological evaluation of young and two-year-old carp crosses of different origin by hematological (erythropoiesis and leukogram), cytochemical (lysosomal cation test) and biochemical parameters. Cross «Sursky malokostny» — a hybrid of Anish mirror females and males of Angelin mirror immuno-resistant breeds; cross «Petrovsky» — a reciprocal hybrid of Anish mirror and Chuvash scaly productive breeds. It was found that the cross «Sursky malokostny» has a high survival rate at different stages of ontogenesis: from embryonic to two-year-olds. In the leucogram of fingerlings of the cross «Sursky malokostny» there are significantly more myeloid cells in comparison with the cross «Petrovsky», which characterizes the strengthening of non-specific cellular immunity. Nevertheless, the proportion of myelocytes, metamyelocytes, and rod-shaped neutrophils increases in two-year-olds of the Petrovsky cross. The average cytochemical coefficient of the lysomal cationic protein of the cross «Sursky malokostny» is lower than that of the productive cross «Petrovsky», which is consistent with the previously obtained data on immune-resistant fish. The cross «Sursky malokostny» has more intensive carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism, judging by the higher content of lactate, total protein, albumins, triglycerides, cholesterol and amylase activity in the blood serum than the cross «Petrovsky».
Prospects for using the preparation “Aldofix” as a substitute for formalin in studies of juvenile fish
Authors: Interesova Elena Aleksandrovna , Rostovtsev Alexander Alekseevich , Knyazev Alexey Sergeevich
Published: April 2021

The study of juvenile fish is a necessary component of fishery research, is of great theoretical interest and is widely used in the study of ontogeny, influence of various environmental factors on the final trophic link of aquatic ecosystems. Traditionally, fry samples are fixed with a 4–5 % formalin solution. However, formalin is a toxic compound, which entails special requirements for the organization of work in laboratory. In order to search for alternative means of fixing biological preparations, an experimental assessment of the possibility of using the drug “Aldofix” as a substitute for formalin in studies of juvenile fish. It was shown that the fixation of juvenile fish with the “Aldofix” preparation immediately after collection of samples is possible only for the subsequent analysis of the length and weight of the specimens. For species identification and for the study of the morphology of fish specimens, fixed with the preparation “Aldofix” immediately after capture unsuitable. However, the re-fixation of fish juvenile samples with “Aldofix”, initially fixed with formalin, seems reasonable, since the quality of the material does not decrease, but at the same time, due to the non-toxicity of the “Aldofix” preparation, there is no negative impact on the health of specialists and students who process these wet preparations.
Suggestions for using secondary stock units spare parts in multifunctional stands for quality control of repair of transmission and hydraulic drive units
Authors: Petrishchev N. А. , Makarkin I. M. , Kapustkin A. O. , Sayapin A. S.
Published: April 2021

The article presents proposals for the possible use of secondary Fund units and aggregates as an Autonomous drive for multifunctional control and diagnostic stands, which will improve the quality of repair of transmission and hydraulic drive units.