bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential Responses to Integrated Nutrient Management of Cabbage–Capsicum–Radish Cropping Sequence with Fertilizers and Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria
Authors: Thakur Shivender , Sharma A. K. , Thakur Kuldeep , Sharma Sunny , Gudeta Kasahun , Hashem Abeer , Avila-Quezada Graciela Dolores , Moubayed Nadine M. S. , Abd_Allah Elsayed Fathi
Published: July 2023

The present investigation was carried out to study the differential responses to assimilated nutrient management in the cabbage–capsicum–radish cropping system to develop an integrated plant nutrient supply. The experimental trial was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates and included assimilations of 15 various combinations: T1—recommended dose of fertilizers (RDFs) + farmyard manure (FYM) (Control); T2—nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) + vermicompost (VC) (75% + 2.5 t/ha); T3—NP + VC (50% + 2.5 t/ha); T4—NP + enriched compost (EC) (75% + 2.5 t/ha); T5—NP + EC (50% + 2.5 t/ha); T6—NP + plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) (75% + 5 kg/ha); T7—NP + PGPR (50% + 5 kg/ha); T8—NP + VC + PGPR (75% + 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha); T9—NP + VC + PGPR (50% + 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha); T10—NP + EC + PGPR (50% + 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha); T11—NP + EC + PGPR (50% + 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha); T12—NP + VC and EC (75% + 2.5 t/ha and 2.5 t/ha); T13—NP + VC and EC (50% + 2.5 t/ha and 2.5 t/ha); T14—NP + VC and EC + PGPR (75% + 2.5 t/ha and 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha); T15—NP + VC and EC + PGPR (50% + 2.5 t/ha and 2.5 t/ha + 5 kg/ha) for two consecutive years. Seedlings of the cabbage cultivar were transplanted with a spacing of 45 × 30 cm, whereas the capsicum seedlings were transplanted with a spacing of 60 × 45 cm. The radish cultivar was sown directly in the field with a spacing of 30 × 7.5 cm. The yield and growth attributes of all three crops were notably impacted by the INM modules. The utilization of a combination of 75% of the recommended quantity of NP + VC and EC, along with PGPR, at a rate of 2.5 t/ha, during cabbage cultivation, led to a noteworthy rise in plant height, equatorial diameter, gross head weight, net head weight, and ultimately, the maximum head yield, as per the statistical analysis. In the case of capsicum, the treatment (T14) module demonstrated superior performance in terms of the major yielding components, namely, fruit size, fruit weight, and number of fruits per plant, resulting in the highest yield compared to the other modules, including RDFs. The cabbage exhibited high protein content and inorganic modules in terms of quality traits, whereas ascorbic acid and total soluble solids (TSSs) levels were high due to strong organic support across all three crops. Thus, it can be inferred that the integrated combination of 75% NP, VC, and EC at 2.5 t/ha, and PGPR, along with the basic application of the full recommended potash and farmyard manure (FYM), led to a reduction of 25% in fertilizers (NP), improved growth and yield, and higher annual net returns. Thus, this incorporation can be suggested as an economically efficient strategy for consistently attaining increased productivity with enhanced excellence.
Comprehensive Control System for Ginger Bacterial Wilt Disease Based on Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation
Authors: Horita Mitsuo , Kobara Yuso , Yano Kazutaka , Hayashi Kazusa , Nakamura Yoshihide , Iiyama Kazuhiro , Oki Tomoka
Published: July 2023

Bacterial wilt is a soil-borne disease that causes severe damage in ginger-growing regions of Japan (eight prefectures in the Shikoku, Kyushu, and Honshu regions). Because the pathogen Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum usually lives in deeper soil and infects host plants via the roots, it is not easy to eliminate even with chemical pesticides (such as soil fumigants). In our previous study, we found that anaerobic soil disinfestation with diluted ethanol (Et-ASD) effectively eliminated this pathogen. We conducted field experiments to confirm the effectiveness of Et-ASD in a ginger monoculture system. Eight trials were conducted in seven different ginger fields from spring to autumn. Excluding one trial in early spring, seven trials in summer successfully eliminated the pathogen from the field soil (below the detection limit by the developed sensitive bio-PCR method), and no disease recurrence was observed after ASD treatment. In addition, other useful methods for controlling the disease were explored, including proper field management after the disease outbreak and the disinfection of seed rhizomes. Based on these results, a comprehensive control system for bacterial wilt disease in ginger was developed.
Cross-Platform Wheat Ear Counting Model Using Deep Learning for UAV and Ground Systems
Authors: Yang Baohua , Pan Ming , Gao Zhiwei , Zhi Hongbo , Zhang Xiangxuan
Published: July 2023

Wheat is one of the widely cultivated crops. Accurate and efficient high-throughput ear counting is important for wheat production, yield evaluation, and seed breeding. The traditional wheat ear counting method is inefficient due to the small scope of investigation. Especially in the wheat field scene, the images obtained from different platforms, including ground systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), have differences in density, scale, and wheat ear distribution, which makes the wheat ear counting task still face some challenges. To this end, a density map counting network (LWDNet) model was constructed for cross-platform wheat ear statistics. Firstly, CA-MobileNetV3 was constructed by introducing a collaborative attention mechanism (CA) to optimize the lightweight neural network MobileNetV3, which was used as the front end of the feature extraction network, aiming to solve the problem of occlusion and adhesion of wheat ears in the field. Secondly, to enhance the model’s ability to learn the detailed features of wheat ears, the CARAFE upsampling module was introduced in the feature fusion layer to better restore the characteristics of wheat ears and improve the counting accuracy of the model for wheat ears. Finally, density map regression was used to achieve high-density, small-target ear counting, and the model was tested on datasets from different platforms. The results showed that our method can efficiently count wheat ears of different spatial scales, achieving good accuracy while maintaining a competitive number of parameters (2.38 million with a size of 9.24 MB), which will benefit wheat breeding and screening analysis to provide technical support.
Sex-Linked Loci on the W Chromosome in the Multi-Ocellated Racerunner (Eremias multiocellata) Confirm Genetic Sex-Determination Stability in Lacertid Lizards
Authors: Chu Zhangqing , Wang Ziwen , Zheng Yuchi , Xia Yun , Guo Xianguang
Published: July 2023

The multi-ocellated racerunner, Eremias multiocellata, was considered to have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), as its sex ratio can be influenced at different temperatures. However, such an observation contrasts with recent findings that suggest TSD is less common than previously thought. Here, a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach was employed to identify sex-linked markers in the E. multiocellata, for which the mechanism choice of TSD or GSD is still controversial. We preliminarily identified 119 sex-linked markers based on sex-associated sex-specific sequences, 97% of which indicated female heterogamety. After eliminating the false positives, 38 sex-linked markers were recognized, all of which showed the ZW/ZZ system. Then, eight of the novel markers were verified by PCR amplification from 15 populations of E. multiocellata, which support the GSD in E. multiocellata without geographic variation. To test the conservation of sex chromosome in Eremias, the eight markers were further cross-tested by PCR amplification in 10 individuals of the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), two of which exhibited cross-utility. The novel sex-linked markers could be mapped on the W chromosome of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis). Our finding that the sex-linked markers are shared in closely related species, along with a conserved synteny of the W chromosome, further supports the homology and conservation of sex chromosomes in the lacertid lizards.
Attention-Guided Instance Segmentation for Group-Raised Pigs
Authors: Hu Zhiwei , Yang Hua , Yan Hongwen
Published: July 2023

In the pig farming environment, complex factors such as pig adhesion, occlusion, and changes in body posture pose significant challenges for segmenting multiple target pigs. To address these challenges, this study collected video data using a horizontal angle of view and a non-fixed lens. Specifically, a total of 45 pigs aged 20–105 days in 8 pens were selected as research subjects, resulting in 1917 labeled images. These images were divided into 959 for training, 192 for validation, and 766 for testing. The grouped attention module was employed in the feature pyramid network to fuse the feature maps from deep and shallow layers. The grouped attention module consists of a channel attention branch and a spatial attention branch. The channel attention branch effectively models dependencies between channels to enhance feature mapping between related channels and improve semantic feature representation. The spatial attention branch establishes pixel-level dependencies by applying the response values of all pixels in a single-channel feature map to the target pixel. It further guides the original feature map to filter spatial location information and generate context-related outputs. The grouped attention, along with data augmentation strategies, was incorporated into the Mask R-CNN and Cascade Mask R-CNN task networks to explore their impact on pig segmentation. The experiments showed that introducing data augmentation strategies improved the segmentation performance of the model to a certain extent. Taking Mask-RCNN as an example, under the same experimental conditions, the introduction of data augmentation strategies resulted in improvements of 1.5%, 0.7%, 0.4%, and 0.5% in metrics AP50, AP75, APL, and AP, respectively. Furthermore, our grouped attention module achieved the best performance. For example, compared to the existing attention module CBAM, taking Mask R-CNN as an example, in terms of the metric AP50, AP75, APL, and AP, the grouped attention outperformed 1.0%, 0.3%, 1.1%, and 1.2%, respectively. We further studied the impact of the number of groups in the grouped attention on the final segmentation results. Additionally, visualizations of predictions on third-party data collected using a top-down data acquisition method, which was not involved in the model training, demonstrated that the proposed model in this paper still achieved good segmentation results, proving the transferability and robustness of the grouped attention. Through comprehensive analysis, we found that grouped attention is beneficial for achieving high-precision segmentation of individual pigs in different scenes, ages, and time periods. The research results can provide references for subsequent applications such as pig identification and behavior analysis in mobile settings.
Effects of the Breeding Strategy Beef-on-Dairy at Animal, Farm and Sector Levels
Authors: Ahmed Rana Hamas , Schmidtmann Christin , Mugambe Julius , Thaller Georg
Published: July 2023

The decline in farm revenue due to volatile milk prices has led to an increase in the use of beef semen in dairy herds. While this strategy (“Beef-on-dairy” (BoD)) can have economic benefits, it can also lead to unintended consequences affecting animal welfare. Semen sale trends from breeding organizations depict increasing sales of beef semen across the globe. Calves born from such breeding strategies can perform better when compared to purebred dairy calves, especially in terms of meat quality and growth traits. The Beef-on-dairy strategy can lead to unintentional negative impacts including an increase in gestation length, and increased dystocia and stillbirth rates. Studies in this regard have found the highest gestation length for Limousin crossbred calves followed by calves from the Angus breed. This increase in gestation length can lead to economic losses ranging from 3 to 5 US$ per animal for each additional day. In terms of the growth performance of crossbred animals, literature studies are inconclusive due to the vast differences in farming structure across the regions. But almost all the studies agree regarding improvement in the meat quality in terms of color, fiber type, and intra-muscular fat content for crossbred animals. Utilization of genomic selection, and development of specialized Beef-on-dairy indexes for the sires, can be a viable strategy to make selection easier for the farmers.
Secretory IgA as Biomarker for Gastrointestinal Nematodes Natural Infection in Different Breed Sheep
Authors: Castilla Gómez de Agüero Verónica , Valderas-García Elora , González del Palacio Laura , Giráldez F. Javier , Balaña-Fouce Rafael , Martínez-Valladares María
Published: July 2023

Specific IgA antibody has been shown to play an important role in resistance to gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in sheep, particularly in Teladorsagia circumcincta parasitosis. In some breeds, negative associations have been shown between IgA levels and worm burden in experimentally infected sheep. In the present study, we have studied the relationship between IgA levels in naturally infected sheep (582 ewes in total; 193 younger than one year old and 389 older than one year old) and fecal egg count (FEC) in the Assaf, Castellana, and Churra breeds. ELISA assays were performed to measure IgA levels against the somatic antigen of T. circumcincta third larval stage (L3) and a 203-amino-acid fragment of the protein disulfide isomerase from the same GIN species. A multilevel random intercept model was developed to predict the infection risk according to age or breed. Spearman’s correlation rank was used for statistical analysis. The prediction model showed that breed was not an influential factor in this study, although the Assaf breed could be considered slightly more susceptible than the others. In addition, age affected the infection risk, with the young ewes more susceptible to infection than the adult groups, except for the Castellana breed, whose risk of infection was similar at all ages. The most significant positive association was found between FEC and IgA measured in the nasal secretions of young ewes using both antigens (Rho = 0.5; p = 0.00); the correlation of FEC with IgA in serum was moderately significant (Rho = 0.306; p = 0.00). Comparing both antigens, the protein disulfide isomerase antigen was less reactive than the somatic antigen from L3. In conclusion, under natural conditions, specific IgA against GIN was positively associated with FEC in sheep, with nasal secretions from young animals being the sample where this association is stronger, which, therefore, could be used as a marker of infection in further studies.
Proportion-Based Analytical Hierarchy Process for Determining Prominent Reasons Causing Severe Crashes
Authors: Islam Md Kamrul , Gazder Uneb
Published: July 2023

Governments and authorities worldwide consider road traffic crashes (RTCs) to be a major concern. These crashes incur losses in terms of productivity, property, and life. For a country to establish its road and action plans, it is crucial to comprehend the reasons for and consequences of traffic collisions. The main objective of this research study was to evaluate and rank the important and supporting factors influencing traffic crashes on the road. To identify the most significant accident causation elements, the proportion-based analytic hierarchy process (PBAHP) was used to order the factors in terms of their relative importance. In this study, the city of Al-Ahsa, located in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, was used as a case study, since this city is the highest RTC-prone area in the region. PBAHP was used to calculate relative importance/weights for different crash types and reasons in terms of their impact on crash severity. It was found that vehicle-overturned collisions which result in fatal crashes have the most weight, whereas “hit motorcycle” crashes result in serious injury crashes. When vehicles (two or more) collide with one another while they are moving, it appears that the likelihood of a fatality in a collision increases. The highest weights for serious injury crashes came from “driver distraction”, “leaving insufficient safe distance”, and “speeding”, which also generated similar and relatively high weights for fatal crashes. Weights from the PBAHP approach were also used to develop utility functions for predicting the severity of crashes. This approach could assist decision-makers in concentrating on the key elements affecting road traffic crashes and enhancing road safety.
VR Training System to Help Improve Photography Skills
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroki , Nagao Katashi
Published: July 2023

People aspiring to enhance their photography skills face multiple challenges, such as finding subjects and understanding camera-specific parameters. To address this, we present the VR Photo Training System. This system allows users to practice photography in a virtual space and provides feedback on user-taken photos using machine-learning models. These models, trained on datasets from the virtual environment, evaluate the aesthetics, composition, and color of photos. The system also includes a feature offering composition advice, which further aids in skill development. The evaluation and recommendation functions of our system have shown sufficient accuracy, proving its effectiveness for photography training.
Accurate Estimation of Inter-Story Drift Ratio in Multistory Framed Buildings Using a Novel Continuous Beam Model
Authors: Çolak Hacer , Türker Hakan T. , Coşkun Hilmi
Published: July 2023

This study presents a novel method for accurately predicting the dynamic behavior of multistory frame buildings under earthquake ground motion. The proposed method allows approximately estimating the inter-story drift ratio, a crucial parameter strongly associated with building damage, its distribution along the building height, and its maximum value location. An equivalent continuous beam model with a rotation at the base, consisting of a combination of a shear beam and a flexural beam, is proposed to achieve this. This model derives closed-form solutions for the building’s dynamic characteristics. The lateral deformations along the height of frame buildings subjected to a given earthquake load, particularly the inter-story drift ratio profiles, and the maximum inter-story drift ratio parameter, are investigated. The proposed continuous model requires two dimensionless parameters: the lateral stiffness ratio (α) and the rotation at the base (θ), representing the drift ratio of the first story. For the expression of the lateral stiffness ratio (α) coefficient, a simple equation is also proposed using the beam-to-column stiffness ratio (ρ, or Blume coefficient) associated with the framed (discrete) system. Various building models are employed to validate the proposed method, demonstrating its applicability to both high-rise and low-rise building configurations. With the results obtained, it is shown that the proposed continuous model can be used not only for high-rise or multistory building models but also for low-rise building models.
Influence of the Mechanism of Fluid-Structure Interaction on Stiffness of Static Pressure Spindles and Slides
Authors: Liu Liang , Qi Lizi , Gao Qiang , Zhu Min , Lu Lihua
Published: July 2023

The stiffness of static pressure spindles and slides is affected by the phenomenon of fluid-structure interaction (FSI). Many methods have been proposed to calculate the stiffness with FSI considered. However, the influence of FSI on stiffness is still unknown. This paper studies the lateral stiffness of an aerostatic slide. The relationship between the lateral stiffness of the aerostatic slide, the lateral bearings, and the solid structure is deduced. According to the relationship, this paper proposes a theory that reveals the influence mechanism of FSI on the stiffness of static pressure spindles and slides. The proposed theory is also valid for the normal stiffness of the aerostatic slide and the thrust stiffness of an aerostatic spindle.
Formulation and Evaluation of Hydrogels Based on Sodium Alginate and Cellulose Derivatives with Quercetin for Topical Application
Authors: Szulc-Musioł Beata , Siemiradzka Wioletta , Dolińska Barbara
Published: July 2023

Topical drug delivery in skin diseases provides a non-invasive, direct application of treatments to the affected area and avoids systemic toxicity. Quercetin is a natural polyphenol with documented activity to alleviate the symptoms of many skin diseases. The objective of this study was to prepare and assess the physicochemical properties of hydrogels made of sodium alginate (SA) and cellulose derivatives (methyl cellulose (MC) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)), containing different concentrations of quercetin (0.4 and 0.7%). The physicochemical evaluation of the obtained hydrogels included organoleptic evaluation, texture analysis, spreadability, rheological properties, pH, and stability. Among the prepared formulations, MC-based gels had the highest viscosity, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and stickiness. The results of this study indicate that MC-based hydrogels were superior to CMC- or SA-based gels in their ability to effectively deliver quercetin to the porcine skin ex vivo. The amount of quercetin retained in the skin after application of MC-based preparations containing higher concentrations of quercetin was 2.04-fold higher for CMC-based hydrogels and 2.6-fold higher for SA-based hydrogels.
Investigation of Load Environment and Bending Load Capacities of Aged Prestressed Concrete Sleepers
Authors: Watanabe Tsutomu , Goto Keiichi , Minoura Shintaro
Published: July 2023

In this study, field measurements of the bending moments of prestressed concrete (PC) sleepers installed on commercial lines were obtained, and numerical analyses to identify the effects of different parameters on their bending moments were conducted. The bending load capacities of aged PC sleepers collected from commercial lines via bending tests were also determined. According to the field measurement results of the wheel loads and bending moments of the PC sleepers, the measured values were smaller than the design values. In addition, neither the wheel load nor the bending moment depended on train speed. The numerical analysis results indicate that the positive bending moment at the rail seat section is unlikely to exceed the design decompression moment (DDM). However, the negative bending moment at the center section may exceed the DDM if center support is provided with a reduced spring constant under the rail (the “hanging” rail seat section). In addition, the bending moment increased with the rail surface roughness, so the rail should be kept smooth. Moreover, the results of the JIS E 1201 bending tests on the aged PC sleepers showed that the crack generation load and ultimate load decreased gradually with increases in age and passing tonnage. However, all samples satisfied the JIS standard values. Furthermore, the bending moments generated in the PC sleepers during train passage were considerably smaller than the crack generation load and ultimate load during the bending test. Thus, Japanese PC sleepers aged more than 50 years currently satisfy the standard flexural fracture values specified by the JIS, and safety is not immediately compromised.
Production Planning Forecasting System Based on M5P Algorithms and Master Data in Manufacturing Processes
Authors: Song Hasup , Gi Injong , Ryu Jihyuk , Kwon Yonghwan , Jeong Jongpil
Published: July 2023

With the increasing adoption of smart factories in manufacturing sites, a large amount of raw data is being generated from manufacturers’ sensors and Internet of Things devices. In the manufacturing environment, the collection of reliable data has become an important issue. When utilizing the collected data or establishing production plans based on user-defined data, the actual performance may differ from the established plan. This is particularly so when there are modifications in the physical production line, such as manual processes, newly developed processes, or the addition of new equipment. Hence, the reliability of the current data cannot be ensured. The complex characteristics of manufacturers hinder the prediction of future data based on existing data. To minimize this reliability problem, the M5P algorithm, is used to predict dynamic data using baseline information that can be predicted. It combines linear regression and decision-tree-supervised machine learning algorithms. The algorithm recommends the means to reflect the predicted data in the production plan and provides results that can be compared with the existing baseline information. By comparing the existing production plan with the planning results based on the changed master data, it provides data results that help production management determine the impact of work time and quantity and confirm production plans. This means that forecasting data directly affects production capacity and resources, as well as production times and schedules, to help ensure efficient production planning.
Vision-Based Automatic Collection of Nodes of In/Off Block and Docking/Undocking in Aircraft Turnaround
Authors: Xu Juan , Ding Meng , Zhang Zhen-Zhen , Xu Yu-Bin , Wang Xu-Hui , Zhao Fan
Published: July 2023

The automatic collection of key milestone nodes in the process of aircraft turnaround plays an important role in the development needs of airport collaborative decision-making. This article exploits a computer vision-based framework to automatically recognize activities of the flight in/off-block and docking/undocking and record corresponding key milestone nodes. The proposed framework, which seamlessly integrates state-of-the-art algorithms and techniques in the field of computer vision, comprises two modules for the preprocessing and collection of key milestones. The preprocessing module extracts the spatiotemporal information of the executor of key milestone nodes from the complex background of the airport ground. In the second module, aiming at two categories of key milestone nodes, namely, single-target-based nodes represented by in-block and off-block and interaction-of-two-targets-based nodes represented by docking and undocking stairs, two methods for the collection of key milestone are designed, respectively. Two datasets are constructed for the training, testing, and evaluation of the proposed framework. Results of field experiments demonstrate how the proposed framework can contribute to the automatic collection of these key milestone nodes by replacing the manual recording method routinely used today.
Impact of Crack Inclination Angle on the Splitting Failure and Energy Analysis of Fine-Grained Sandstone
Authors: Wang Tao , Ye Weiwei , Liu Liyuan , Li Aiguo , Jiang Naisheng , Zhang Le , Zhu Sitao
Published: July 2023

To investigate the impact of crack inclination angle on the tensile strength and characteristics of splitting failure in rock, split tests were conducted on fine-grained sandstone with pre-existing cracks under different crack inclination angle conditions. Acoustic emission and digital image techniques were continuously monitored during the tests. The evolution of absorbed energy during the loading and failure processes was calculated and discussed, aiming to elucidate the interconnections among the maximum absorbed energy, the pre-existing crack inclination angle, the tensile strength, and the acoustic emission energy of the rock, which can provide a reference for the design and construction of tunnels or mines in rock formations with pre-existing cracks. The experimental findings indicate the following: (1) The tensile strength and failure displacement decrease first and then increase with the increase in the pre-existing crack inclination angle, demonstrating an approximate “V”-shaped alteration. (2) The failure modes of specimens with pre-existing cracks can be classified into three types: tensile failure along the center of the disk, tensile failure along the tip of the pre-existing crack, and tensile–shear composite failure along the tip of the pre-existing crack. (3) The crack inclination angle exerts a substantial influence on the evolution curve of energy absorption. The maximum energy absorption of the specimens first increases and then decreases with the increase in the crack inclination angle. Moreover, a corresponding nonlinear relationship is observed between the maximum energy absorption and the tensile strength, as well as the AE energy.
Thermoeconomic Analysis of Concentrated Solar Power Plants Based on Supercritical Power Cycles
Authors: Montes María José , Guedez Rafael , D’Souza David , Linares José Ignacio
Published: July 2023

Solar thermal power plants are an alternative for the future energy context, allowing for a progressive decarbonisation of electricity production. One way to improve the performance of such plants is the use of supercritical CO2 power cycles. This article focuses on a solar thermal plant with a central solar receiver coupled to a partial cooling cycle, and it conducts a comparative study from both a thermal and economic perspective with the aim of optimising the configuration of the receiver. The design of the solar receiver is based on a radial configuration, with absorber panels converging on the tower axis; the absorber panels are compact structures through which a pressurised gas circulates. The different configurations analysed keep a constant thermal power provided by the receiver while varying the number of panels and their dimensions. The results demonstrate the existence of an optimal configuration that maximises the exergy efficiency of the solar subsystem, taking into account both the receiver exergy efficiency and the heliostat field optical efficiency. The evolution of electricity generation cost follows a similar trend to that of the exergy efficiency, exhibiting minimum values when this efficiency is at its maximum.
Special Issue on Advances in Flexible Electronics toward Wearable Sensing
Authors: Coyle Shirley
Published: July 2023

Flexible electronics enable the design of wearable sensors that truly conform to the body [...]
The Quest for Proximity: A Systematic Review of Computational Approaches towards 15-Minute Cities
Authors: Lima Fernando T. , Costa Frederico
Published: July 2023

How can computational tools support the proposition of 15-minute cities? This paper examines the implementation of computer-aided approaches that support the analysis and proposition of urban areas where residents can access all their basic needs within a 15-minute walk, bike ride, or public transportation ride—the ultimate goal of a 15-minute city. Although this concept has gained significant attention as a sustainable and equitable urban development model, more efficient implementations require complex spatial and temporal analysis. At the same time, computational approaches such as those within the generative and parametric logic can utilize algorithms to create and test design solutions quickly and efficiently, allowing designers to address a variety of scenarios and options for producing more walkable, integrated, and resilient urban environments. Exploring a systematic review of the scientific literature (n = 244 peer-reviewed empirical studies) on Scopus and Web of Science databases, this paper synthesizes approaches to support the analysis and design of 15-minute cities, emphasizing the use of computer-aided techniques. The work contributes to developing a knowledge base on computational tools for 15-minute cities, highlighting their strengths, limitations, and potential for further development.
Fixed Point Results in Generalized Menger Probabilistic Metric Spaces with Applications to Decomposable Measures
Authors: Huang Huaping , Došenović Tatjana , Rakić Dušan , Radenović Stojan
Published: July 2023

The aim of this paper is to give some fixed point results in generalized Menger probabilistic metric spaces. Moreover, some nontrivial examples are presented to illustrate the superiority of the obtained results. In addition, several interesting applications are given to show that our results are meaningful and valuable.
Peptide G-Protein-Coupled Receptors and ErbB Receptor Tyrosine Kinases in Cancer
Authors: Moody Terry W. , Ramos-Alvarez Irene , Jensen Robert T.
Published: July 2023

The ErbB RTKs (EGFR, HER2, HER3, and HER4) have been well-studied in cancer. EGFR, HER2, and HER3 stimulate cancer proliferation, principally by activating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways, resulting in increased cancer cell survival and proliferation. Cancer cells have high densities of the EGFR, HER2, and HER3 causing phosphorylation of tyrosine amino acids on protein substrates and tyrosine amino acids near the C-terminal of the RTKs. After transforming growth factor (TGF) α binds to the EGFR, homodimers or EGFR heterodimers form. HER2 forms heterodimers with the EGFR, HER3, and HER4. The EGFR, HER2, and HER3 are overexpressed in lung cancer patient tumors, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), such as Herceptin against HER2, are used to treat breast cancer patients. Patients with EGFR mutations are treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as gefitinib or osimertinib. Peptide GPCRs, such as NTSR1, are present in many cancers, and neurotensin (NTS) stimulates the growth of cancer cells. Lung cancer proliferation is impaired by SR48692, an NTSR1 antagonist. SR48692 is synergistic with gefitinib at inhibiting lung cancer growth. Adding NTS to lung cancer cells increases the shedding of TGFα, which activates the EGFR, or neuregulin-1, which activates HER3. The transactivation process is impaired by SRC, matrix metalloprotease, and reactive oxygen species inhibitors. While the transactivation process is complicated, it is fast and occurs within minutes after adding NTS to cancer cells. This review emphasizes the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors and SR48692 to impair transactivation and cancer growth.
Deep Learning Vision System for Quadruped Robot Gait Pattern Regulation
Authors: Cruz Ulloa Christyan , Sánchez Lourdes , Del Cerro Jaime , Barrientos Antonio
Published: July 2023

Robots with bio-inspired locomotion systems, such as quadruped robots, have recently attracted significant scientific interest, especially those designed to tackle missions in unstructured terrains, such as search-and-rescue robotics. On the other hand, artificial intelligence systems have allowed for the improvement and adaptation of the locomotion capabilities of these robots based on specific terrains, imitating the natural behavior of quadruped animals. The main contribution of this work is a method to adjust adaptive gait patterns to overcome unstructured terrains using the ARTU-R (A1 Rescue Task UPM Robot) quadruped robot based on a central pattern generator (CPG), and the automatic identification of terrain and characterization of its obstacles (number, size, position and superability analysis) through convolutional neural networks for pattern regulation. To develop this method, a study of dog gait patterns was carried out, with validation and adjustment through simulation on the robot model in ROS-Gazebo and subsequent transfer to the real robot. Outdoor tests were carried out to evaluate and validate the efficiency of the proposed method in terms of its percentage of success in overcoming stretches of unstructured terrains, as well as the kinematic and dynamic variables of the robot. The main results show that the proposed method has an efficiency of over 93% for terrain characterization (identification of terrain, segmentation and obstacle characterization) and over 91% success in overcoming unstructured terrains. This work was also compared against main developments in state-of-the-art and benchmark models.
Effect of Curing Regime on the Mechanical Properties and Durability of Steam Cured-Concrete
Authors: Wang Ling , Wei Wenzhu , Zhang Junfei , Hu Yuanchen , Zhang Lei
Published: July 2023

The application of pre-cast components in building structures has become increasingly widespread, with projects often utilizing steam curing methods. The utilization of pre-fabricated concrete has demonstrated the capacity to enhance construction efficiency. However, strength and durability issues arising from steam curing of concrete have become prominent considering the quality of concrete construction. The use of fly ash and slag in steam-cured concrete to improve its performance has gained extensive popularity. While research into single-blended mineral admixtures has been conducted with notable achievements, the study of steam-cured concrete with binary blended mineral admixtures remains relatively limited. This paper focuses on the mechanical properties and durability of steam-cured concrete with mineral admixtures (fly ash and slag), exploring the influence of mineral admixture ratios and steam-curing regimes on the mechanical properties and durability of concrete. The properties of the steam-cured concrete were further analyzed through compressive strength tests, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and thermogravimetric analyses. It was found that when fly ash and slag were added in equal proportions, the compressive strength and microstructure of the concrete were optimized. In addition, the optimized static resting time and constant temperature time should be controlled as 3 h and 6 h, respectively, to improve the compressive strength and microstructure of the steam-cured concrete.
Accuracy of Non-Destructive Estimation of Length of Soil Nails
Authors: Wang Yonghong , Jin Jiamin , Zhang Qijun , Zhang Ming , Lin Xiwei , Wang Xin , Lin Peiyuan
Published: July 2023

The effective length of soil nails is one of the critical parameters ensuring the reinforcing effect, and its accurate estimation is of great significance for the safety of the slope and deep foundation pit supporting projects. Traditional quality insurance methods, such as nail pullout tests, suffer from a series of drawbacks including being destructive, high cost, and time-consuming. In contrast, non-destructive testing (NDT) has been increasingly applied in various engineering fields in the past decades given its advantages of not damaging the material and easy operation. However, the current application of NDT in soil nail length measurement is relatively limited, and its accuracy and reliability are yet to be quantitatively evaluated. This paper introduces three methods for estimating soil nail length based on guided wave theory and collects 116 sets of NDT data for nail length. The accuracy of the NDT in soil nail prediction is statistically analyzed using the model bias method. The results show that those methods can accurately predict the nail length with an average error of less than 3% and a low dispersion of 12%. The accuracy of the NDT methods is not affected by the hammer type or estimation method. Furthermore, this paper proposes a model calibration to the original NDT method, which improves the model’s average accuracy by 3% and reduces dispersion by 4% without increasing computational complexity. Finally, the probability distributions of the model biases are characterized. This study can provide practical tools for fast estimation of in situ nail length, which is of high significance to supporting slopes and deep foundation pits.
Study on the Mechanical Characteristics, Heat Resistance, and Corrosion Resistance of Unsaturated Polyester Resin Composite
Authors: Qin Changpei , Jin Qikai , Zhao Junxian , Wang Yixuan , Jiang Chaohua
Published: July 2023

In this study, the researchers aimed to broaden the applications of unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) composites in the building field by incorporating surface-modified titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and reinforced chopped glass fibers within the UPR matrix. Specifically, the composites containing 4 wt.% TiO2 nanoparticles and 30 wt.% chopped glass fiber exhibited remarkable properties of 46.1 kJ/m2 in impact strength, 90.1 MPa in flexural strength, 78.8 MPa in tensile strength, and 121.5 °C in heat deflection temperature, which improve 207.5%, 80.3%, 62.5%, and 73.6%, respectively, when compared with the blank sample. Furthermore, the results of the corrosion resistance test showed that the composites performed poorly against polar organic and alkaline solutions, presented good corrosion resistance against acidic media, and behaved relatively stable in the salt solution.
Hygrothermal Simulation of Interior Insulated Brick Wall—Perspectives on Uncertainty and Sensitivity
Authors: Knarud Jon Ivar , Kvande Tore , Geving Stig
Published: July 2023

Energy retrofit of existing masonry buildings has become attractive to meet demands for reduction in energy consumption. Retrofit may, however, introduce moisture risk that needs to be assessed. Hygrothermal simulation analysis is often conducted in this respect. Nevertheless, hygrothermal simulation of interior insulated bare brick masonry exposed to driving rain can be challenging due to the many aspects involved that determine heat- and moisture-transport behavior, and which should be addressed by an applied model. The present study highlights uncertainty encountered when establishing a hygrothermal simulation model. Furthermore, different modeling choices or simplifications are studied to determine impact on results. As a check of realism, results of 2D simulations are compared to results of a previous laboratory experiment of masonry wall segments subjected to severe rain wetting and subsequent drying. Rain absorption is modeled conservatively, attempting simulation results to envelope experiment results. Conservative results were not achieved for a relative humidity sensor placed on the masonry interior without inclusion of a “leaky” mortar joint. Simultaneously, the conservative approach underestimated drying experienced by the relative humidity sensor in two of three experiment wall segments. Regarding beam-end moisture content, the modeling approach conservatively enveloped experiment results in 3D but not in 2D.
Promoting Effects of Copper and Iron on Ni/MSN Catalysts for Methane Decomposition
Authors: Hasnan Nur Shamimie Nadzwin , Pudukudy Manoj , Yaakob Zahira , Kamarudin Nur Hidayatul Nazirah , Lim Kean Long , Timmiati Sharifah Najiha
Published: July 2023

Copper and iron-based bimetallic nickel catalysts supported on Mesostructured Silica Nanoparticles (MSNs) with compositions of 50% Ni–5% Cu/MSN and 50% Ni–5% Fe/MSN were prepared using an impregnation method, and they were compared with a monometallic 50% Ni–MSN catalyst for their activity and stability in methane decomposition reaction. The influence of promoters, such as Cu and Fe, at different reaction temperatures (700 °C, 800 °C and 900 °C) was investigated. The results revealed that the Cu and Fe-promoted catalysts significantly increased the hydrogen yield in methane decomposition compared with the unpromoted catalyst. This could be attributed to the formation of Ni–Cu and Ni–Fe bimetallic alloys in the catalysts, respectively, and this favored the stability of the catalysts. With increasing reaction temperature, the hydrogen yield also increased. However, the hydrogen yield and the lifetime of the nickel catalyst were enhanced upon the addition of iron compared to copper at all the reaction temperatures. The analysis conducted over the spent catalysts validated the formation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with a bamboo-like internal channel over the catalysts along with a high crystallinity and graphitization degree of the carbon produced.
Isotopic Tracing of Nucleotide Sugar Metabolism in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Conte Federica , Noga Marek J. , van Scherpenzeel Monique , Veizaj Raisa , Scharn Rik , Sam Juda-El , Palumbo Chiara , van den Brandt Frans C. A. , Freund Christian , Soares Eduardo , Zhou Huiqing , Lefeber Dirk J.
Published: July 2023

Metabolism not only produces energy necessary for the cell but is also a key regulator of several cellular functions, including pluripotency and self-renewal. Nucleotide sugars (NSs) are activated sugars that link glucose metabolism with cellular functions via protein N-glycosylation and O-GlcNAcylation. Thus, understanding how different metabolic pathways converge in the synthesis of NSs is critical to explore new opportunities for metabolic interference and modulation of stem cell functions. Tracer-based metabolomics is suited for this challenge, however chemically-defined, customizable media for stem cell culture in which nutrients can be replaced with isotopically labeled analogs are scarcely available. Here, we established a customizable flux-conditioned E8 (FC-E8) medium that enables stem cell culture with stable isotopes for metabolic tracing, and a dedicated liquid chromatography mass-spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method targeting metabolic pathways converging in NS biosynthesis. By 13C6-glucose feeding, we successfully traced the time-course of carbon incorporation into NSs directly via glucose, and indirectly via other pathways, such as glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathways, in induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and embryonic stem cells. Then, we applied these tools to investigate the NS biosynthesis in hiPSC lines from a patient affected by deficiency of phosphoglucomutase 1 (PGM1), an enzyme regulating the synthesis of the two most abundant NSs, UDP-glucose and UDP-galactose.
Inflammasomes: Mechanisms of Action and Involvement in Human Diseases
Authors: Bulté Dimitri , Rigamonti Chiara , Romano Alessandro , Mortellaro Alessandra
Published: July 2023

Inflammasome complexes and their integral receptor proteins have essential roles in regulating the innate immune response and inflammation at the post-translational level. Yet despite their protective role, aberrant activation of inflammasome proteins and gain of function mutations in inflammasome component genes seem to contribute to the development and progression of human autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases. In the past decade, our understanding of inflammasome biology and activation mechanisms has greatly progressed. We therefore provide an up-to-date overview of the various inflammasomes and their known mechanisms of action. In addition, we highlight the involvement of various inflammasomes and their pathogenic mechanisms in common autoinflammatory, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases, including atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. We conclude by speculating on the future avenues of research needed to better understand the roles of inflammasomes in health and disease.
Exploring New Mechanism of Depression from the Effects of Virus on Nerve Cells
Authors: Yu Xinxin , Wang Shihao , Wu Wenzheng , Chang Hongyuan , Shan Pufan , Yang Lin , Zhang Wenjie , Wang Xiaoyu
Published: July 2023

Depression is a common neuropsychiatric disorder with long-term recurrent depressed mood, pain and despair, pessimism and anxiety, and even suicidal tendencies as the main symptoms. Depression usually induces or aggravates the development of other related diseases, such as sleep disorders and endocrine disorders. In today’s society, the incidence of depression is increasing worldwide, and its pathogenesis is complex and generally believed to be related to genetic, psychological, environmental, and biological factors. Current studies have shown the key role of glial cells in the development of depression, and it is noteworthy that some recent evidence suggests that the development of depression may be closely related to viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, BoDV-1, ZIKV, HIV, and HHV6, which infect the organism and cause some degree of glial cells, such as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglia. This can affect the transmission of related proteins, neurotransmitters, and cytokines, which in turn leads to neuroinflammation and depression. Based on the close relationship between viruses and depression, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the new mechanism of virus-induced depression, which is expected to provide a new perspective on the mechanism of depression and a new idea for the diagnosis of depression in the future.