bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Value of IP-10 Level in Plasma and Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid in Children with Tuberculosis and Other Lung Diseases
Authors: Strzelak Agnieszka , Komorowska-Piotrowska Anna , Krenke Katarzyna , Zagórska Wioletta , Bartosiewicz Witold , Feleszko Wojciech , Kulus Marek
Published: March 2022

Objectives: IP-10 has been proposed as a new diagnostic biomarker for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (MTBI). However, data on IP-10 concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for pediatric tuberculosis are lacking. Aim: To determine IP-10 levels in unstimulated BALF and plasma in children with and without MTBI. Methods: IP-10 concentrations in BALF and plasma were measured in children hospitalized with suspected tuberculosis or other respiratory disease and scheduled for bronchoscopy. Thirty-five children were enrolled: 13 with suspected tuberculosis and 22 controls. The association between IP-10 and age was examined. Results: The IP-10 expression was increased in BALF compared to plasma (p = 0.008). We noticed higher BALF IP-10 levels in children with asthma, interstitial lung disease, and lung anomaly than in children with MTBI and other respiratory tract infections, but the differences were statistically insignificant. There was a moderate correlation between plasma and BALF IP-10 concentrations (rs = 0.46, p = 0.018). No correlation between IP-10 level and age was detected. Conclusions: IP-10 is detectable in unstimulated BALF in children with respiratory diseases, reaches higher concentrations in unstimulated BALF vs plasma, and does not correlate with age. However, it could not discriminate MTBI from other respiratory diseases.
Evaluation of Ultrasound-Based Point Shear Wave Elastography for Differential Diagnosis of Pancreatic Diseases
Authors: Hristov Bozhidar , Andonov Vladimir , Doykov Daniel , Tsvetkova Silvia , Doykova Katya , Doykov Mladen
Published: March 2022

Introduction: A variety of imaging techniques exists for the diagnosis of pancreatic disorders. None of the broadly applied diagnostic methods utilizes elasticity as an indicator of tissue damage. A well-known fact is that both chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) are associated with the development of prominent fibrosis (increased tissue stiffness). Purpose: To prospectively assess the accuracy of point shear wave elastography (pSWE) in differentiating between benign and malignant pancreatic diseases, establish a cut-off value for the diagnosis of PDA, and evaluate the influence of certain variables on the obtained results. Materials and methods: The present study included 78 patients who were admitted at the Department of Gastroenterology at the university hospital “Kaspela” between December 2017 and August 2021 for diagnosis and/or treatment of pancreatic disorders. Based on the clinical criteria, diagnostic imaging, and histological findings, patients were divided into the CP and PDA group. The ultrasound based pSWE technique was applied and shear wave velocity (SWV) was measured. The depth of region of interest (ROI) and successful measurement rate were also recorded. Results: The mean ± SD SWV values established through pSWE were 1.75 ± 0.34 m/s and 2.93 ± 0.91 m/s for the CP and PDA, respectively. With a cut-off value of 2.09 m/s, we calculated the sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), and accuracy for differentiating between CP and PDA of 89.47%, 91.20%, and 88.60%, respectively. Of the examined variables, BMI and depth of ROI in the CP group and sex in the PDA group showed a statistically significant influence on the obtained results. Conclusions: pSWE may be utilized as a differential diagnostic modality in patients with suspected CP or PDA.
Non-Perfect Propagation of Information to a Noisy Environment with Self-Evolution
Authors: Mironowicz Piotr , Horodecki Paweł , Horodecki Ryszard
Published: March 2022

We study the non-perfect propagation of information for evolving a low-dimensional environment that includes self-evolution as well as noisy initial states and analyse the interrelations between the degree of objectivization and environment parameters. In particular, we consider an analytical model of three interacting qubits and derive its objectivity parameters. The numerical analysis shows that the quality of the spectrum broadcast structure formed during the interaction may exhibit non-monotonicity both in the speed of self-dynamics of the environment as well as its mixedness. The former effect is particularly strong, showing that—considering part of the environment as a measurement apparatus—an increase of the external magnetic field acting on the environment may turn the vague measurement into close to ideal. The above effects suggest that quantum objectivity may appear after increasing the dynamics of the environment, although not with respect to the pointer basis, but some other, which we call the generalized pointer or indicator basis. Furthermore, it seems also that, when the objectivity is poor, it may be improved, at least by some amount, by increasing the thermal noise. We provide further evidence of this by analysing the upper bounds on distance to the set of states representing perfect objectivity in the case of a higher number of qubits.
Knowledge Reuse of Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning in Cooperative Tasks
Authors: Shi Daming , Tong Junbo , Liu Yi , Fan Wenhui
Published: March 2022

With the development and appliance of multi-agent systems, multi-agent cooperation is becoming an important problem in artificial intelligence. Multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) is one of the most effective methods for solving multi-agent cooperative tasks. However, the huge sample complexity of traditional reinforcement learning methods results in two kinds of training waste in MARL for cooperative tasks: all homogeneous agents are trained independently and repetitively, and multi-agent systems need training from scratch when adding a new teammate. To tackle these two problems, we propose the knowledge reuse methods of MARL. On the one hand, this paper proposes sharing experience and policy within agents to mitigate training waste. On the other hand, this paper proposes reusing the policies learned by original teams to avoid knowledge waste when adding a new agent. Experimentally, the Pursuit task demonstrates how sharing experience and policy can accelerate the training speed and enhance the performance simultaneously. Additionally, transferring the learned policies from the N-agent enables the (N+1)–agent team to immediately perform cooperative tasks successfully, and only a minor training resource can allow the multi-agents to reach optimal performance identical to that from scratch.
Experimentation and Research in the Physics Course for the Preparation of Primary School Teachers in Naples
Authors: Amabile Alessandro , Annunziata Annarita , Artiano Giancarlo , Balzano Emilio
Published: March 2022

Physics preparation for primary school teachers has received attention only in recent decades. Research on science education provides useful guidelines, often disregarded. Several interrelated research questions must be addressed by field research, namely, (a) which physics subjects to teach in primary school and its relationships with other sciences, technology, and mathematics; (b) how to prepare teachers to grasp the complexity of their tasks; and (c) how to bridge pre-service and in-service training. In this study, we describe innovative aspects of a course, based on the research and action research of our research group, that aims to overcome the limitations of a purely academic approach. Future teachers are dynamically involved in activities in informal and formal contexts and in the training of in-service teachers’ activities. The idea of cognitive resonance and a phenomenological approach to the modeling process are the basis of the activities that integrate key concepts of physics with transversal ones to develop skills in physics, mathematics, technology, and language. Field research carried out with qualitative methods shows that the course, despite being demanding, is well received by students. Dozens of students are then involved in the activities of the group when they start a teaching career at school.
Effects of First-Time Experiences and Self-Regulation on College Students’ Online Learning Motivation: Based on a National Survey during COVID-19
Authors: Li Gege , Luo Heng , Lei Jing , Xu Shuxian , Chen Tianjiao
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many college students in developing countries to engage in online learning for the first time, and the sudden transit has raised concerns regarding students’ competencies for, perception of, and attitude towards online learning. To address those concerns, this study measured three essential constructs of online learning (self-regulated learning, perceived presences, and learning motivation) based on a national survey in China (N = 12,826) and employed structural equation modeling to investigate their intertwined relationship. The study results reveal that (1) college students’ academic achievement cannot effectively predict their self-regulated learning in an online learning context; (2) self-regulation can be further differentiated into general and task-specific strategies with a varying impact on three types of presences; (3) online learning motivation is best predicted by cognitive presence, followed by social presence and teaching presence; and (4) the path of task-specific self-regulated learning → cognitive presence → online learning motivation generates the largest positive compound effect. Implications for online teaching and learning practice are also discussed through the stakeholder perspectives of students, teachers, and platform developers.
Activity-Based Block Partitioning Decision Method for Versatile Video Coding
Authors: Yoon Yong-Uk , Kim Jae-Gon
Published: March 2022

Versatile Video Coding (VVC), the latest international video coding standard, has more than twice the compression performance of High-Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) through adopting various coding techniques. The multi-type tree (MTT) block structure offers more advanced flexible block partitioning by allowing the binary tree (BT) and ternary tree (TT) structures, as well as the quadtree (QT) structure. Because VVC selects the optimal block partition by performing encoding on all possible CU partitions, the encoding complexity increases enormously. In this paper, we observe the relationship between block partitions and activity that indicates block texture complexity. Based on experimental observations, we propose an activity-based fast block partitioning decision method to reduce the encoding complexity. The proposed method uses only information of the current block without using the information of neighboring or upper blocks, and also minimizes the dependency on QP. For these reasons, the proposed algorithm is simple and parallelizable. In addition, by utilizing the gradient calculation used in VVC’s ALF, a VVC-friendly fast algorithm was designed. The proposed method consists of two-step decision-making processes. The first step terminates the block partitioning early based on observed posterior probability through the relationship between the block size and activity per sample. Next, the sub-activities of the current block are used to determine the type and direction of partitioning. The experimental results show that in the all-intra configuration, the proposed method can reduce the encoding time of the VVC test model (VTM) by up to 45.15% with 2.80% BD-rate loss.
BlockchainBot: A Novel Botnet Infrastructure Enhanced by Blockchain Technology and IoT
Authors: Gao Haoyu , Li Leixiao , Chang Xiangyang , Wan Jianxiong , Li Jie , Du Jinze , Zhang Xiaoxu
Published: March 2022

Although the traditional P2P botnet has significant resilience against termination, its dependence on neighbor lists (NL) has left it vulnerable to infiltration and destruction. In addition, it is not sufficient in protecting the botmaster’s identity. To overcome these weaknesses, we proposed BlockchainBot, a botnet model that leveraged IoT devices as maintainers, and integrated blockchain, also known as distributed ledger technology (DLT). The BlockchainBot was able to fully deploy bots on public blockchains. It was versatile for multiple botnet applications and eliminated the dependence on NL. In addition, we further introduced a novel method, the forking of a channel, to kick out spy nodes that infiltrate a botnet. To further enforce the resistance against a single point of failure (SPoF), we introduced bot-cluster dispersing to prevent clustering around full nodes and more evenly scatter bots to prevent hostile takeovers. The analysis of the security of BlockchainBot indicated that it had strong resilience against DDoS attacks, Sybil attacks, and forensic investigations. Furthermore, the security of the forking of the channel and bot-cluster dispersing were also shown to be effective. The robustness of the BlockchainBot against the Sybil attack was also briefly discussed. Experimental results authenticated the effectiveness and performance of the BlockchainBot, as compared to previous models.
Low-Computational-Cost Algorithm for Inclination Correction of Independent Handwritten Digits on Microcontrollers
Authors: Premachandra H. Waruna H. , Yamada Maika , Premachandra Chinthaka , Kawanaka Hiroharu
Published: March 2022

In recent years, the digitization of documents has progressed, and opportunities for handwritten document creation have decreased. However, handwritten notes are still taken for memorizing data, and automated digitalization is needed in some cases, such as making Excel sheets. When digitizing handwritten notes, manual input is required. Therefore, the automatic recognition and input of characters using a character recognition system is useful. However, if the characters are inclined, the recognition rate will be low. Therefore, we focus on the inclination correction problem of characters. The conventional method corrects the inclination and estimates the character line inclination. However, these methods do not work when characters exist in independent positions. Therefore, in this study, we propose a new method for estimating and correcting the tilt of independent handwritten digits by analyzing a circumscribed rectangle and other digital features. The proposed method is not based on an AI-based learning model or a complicated mathematical model. It is developed following a comparatively simple mathematical calculation that can be implemented on a microcontroller. Based on the results of the experiments using digits written in independent positions, the proposed method can correct the inclination with high accuracy. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is low-computational cost and can be implemented in real-time on a microcontroller.
Cascade Parallel Random Forest Algorithm for Predicting Rice Diseases in Big Data Analysis
Authors: Zhang Lei , Xie Lun , Wang Zhiliang , Huang Chen
Published: March 2022

Experts in agriculture have conducted considerable work on rice plant protection. However, in-depth exploration of the plant disease problem has not been performed. In this paper, we find the trend of rice diseases by using the cascade parallel random forest (CPRF) algorithm on the basis of relevant data analysis in the recent 20 years. To confront the problems of high dimensions and imbalanced data distributions in agricultural data. The proposed method diminishes the dimensions and the negative effect of imbalanced data by cascading several random forests. For experimental evaluation, we utilize the Spark platform to analyze botanic data from several provinces of China in the past 20 years. Results for the CPRF model of plant diseases that affect rice yield, as well as results for samples by using random forest, CRF, and Spark-MLRF are presented, and the accuracy of CPRF is 96.253%, which is higher than that of the other algorithms. These results indicate that the CPRF and the utilization of big data analysis are beneficial in solving the problem of plant diseases.
Contemporary Atrium Architecture: A Sustainable Approach to the Determination of Smoke Ventilation Criteria in the Event of a Fire
Authors: Brzezińska Maria , Brzezińska Dorota
Published: March 2022

Atria within buildings present an environment which allows smoke to spread around a building in a fire situation. This could create dangerous conditions for the evacuation of people. Smoke control ventilation systems in atria work in the case of a fire, keeping evacuation routes available for people. They play a significant role in sustainable, holistic building fire strategies, and are most often designed following prescriptive requirements. However, contemporary, complex atria with additional architectural elements—such as transversal balconies—may not meet the standard approach, and require individual, performance-based research. This article proves a thesis that the atrium’s architecture can impact the effectiveness of smoke control systems, and suggests how to verify them based on CFD simulations. In the presented example, the authors suggest an improvement of people’s safety in a fire scenario by extending the preliminary smoke control system parameters, or by providing smoke curtains at additional levels of the atrium.
Experimental Study on Gas–Liquid Interface Evolution during Liquid Displaced by Gas of Mobile Pipeline
Authors: Duan Jimiao , Liu Huishu , Tao Jiali , Shen Ting’ao , Hua Weixing , Guan Jinfa
Published: March 2022

The mobile pipeline is the most effective and reliable means for the emergency oil transfer task, which is temporarily laid on the field. After completing the task, the oil in the pipeline should be emptied before the mobile pipeline is removed. The oil in pipeline gradually displaced by the air is a main method of pipeline evacuation, which is the only choice of jet fuel pipeline. Due to the convection between gas and oil phases, the length of the oil–gas mixing section and the evolution of the oil–gas interface change with time. The evolution of the gas–liquid interface directly determines the different flow patterns of oil–gas two phases, which are very important for the mobile pipeline evacuation. In this paper, the characteristics of the gas–liquid interface evolution during the water displaced by air are studied, using the multi-phase pipeline experiment. Through the change of the gas–liquid interface in the initial stage of gas cap evacuation, it is found that the gas–liquid interface can be divided into smooth, wavy, and dispersed forms under different initial gas flow rates and different inclination angles. Slug phenomenon may occur in the process of gas-carrying liquid flow in the pipeline. The emergence of slug is mainly affected by hydraulic conditions and pipeline operating conditions. The liquid plug body is complex and unstable, and there will be a mutual transition between different liquid slug shapes. The increase of the inclination angle and gas phase velocity will accelerate the occurrence of liquid slug frequency.
Intermediate Pyrolysis of Brewer’s Spent Grain: Impact of Gas Atmosphere
Authors: Bieniek Artur , Jerzak Wojciech , Sieradzka Małgorzata , Mika Łukasz , Sztekler Karol , Magdziarz Aneta
Published: March 2022

This work focuses on the impact of carrier gas on the quantity and quality of pyrolytic products received from intermediate pyrolysis of the brewer’s spent grain. In this study, three types of carrier gases were tested: argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide at three temperatures of 500, 600, and 700 °C. On the basis of the process conditions, the yield of products was determined. The ultimate analysis of the char was performed, and for selected chars, the combustion properties were determined. Gas chromatography of the organic fraction of oil was performed, and the compounds were determined. Additionally, microscale investigation of the spent grain pyrolysis was performed by thermogravimetric analysis. The results showed that there were no significant differences in product yields in various atmospheres. Char yield changed only with temperature from 28% at 500 °C up to 19% at 700 °C. According to ultimate analysis, the char from CO2 pyrolysis was approximately 2% richer in carbon and this fact did not influence on the combustion properties of the char. The oil fraction was characterized mainly by acids with a maximum content of 68% at 600 °C in an argon atmosphere and the acid concentration depended on the carrier gas as follows line: Ar > N2 > CO2.
Shielding Sensor Coil to Reduce the Leakage Magnetic Field and Detect the Receiver Position in Wireless Power Transfer System for Electric Vehicle
Authors: Son Seokhyeon , Woo Seongho , Kim Haerim , Ahn Jangyong , Huh Sungryul , Lee Sanguk , Ahn Seungyoung
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes a shielding sensor (SS) coil to solve the misalignment issue and the leakage magnetic field issue of the wireless power transfer (WPT) system for electric vehicles (EVs). The misalignment issue and leakage magnetic field issue must be solved because they can cause problems with power transfer efficiency reduction and electronic device malfunction. To solve these problems, the proposed SS coils are located over the Tx coil. The newly created mutual inductance between the Tx coil and the SS coil is used to detect the misalignment of the receiver in the Tx coil. In addition, the current phase of the SS coil is adjusted through impedance control of the SS coil to reduce the leakage magnetic field. The proposed SS coils were applied to the standard SAE J2954 model for the wireless charging of an EV. The WPT3/Z2 model of SAE J2954 with output power of 10 kW was simulated to compare the shielding effect according to the power transfer efficiency, and it was confirmed that a shielding effect of 76% was shown under the condition of a 3% reduction in the power transfer efficiency. In addition, the occurrence and direction of the misalignment between the receiver and the Tx coil were confirmed by using the tendency of mutual inductance between each SS coil and the Tx coil. In addition, as in the simulation result, the shielding effect and tendency were confirmed in an experiment conducted with the output power downscaled to 500 W.
Modeling and Control of Energy Conversion during Underground Coal Gasification Process
Authors: Laciak Marek , Kačur Ján , Durdán Milan
Published: March 2022

The underground coal gasification (UCG) technology is an unconventional method of coal mining, and its approaches represent new scientific knowledge [...]
Position-Based Impedance Control Design for a Hydraulically Actuated Series Elastic Actuator
Authors: Mustalahti Pauli , Mattila Jouni
Published: March 2022

Series elastic actuators (SEAs) have become a common actuation method in torque-controlled electric lightweight arm applications that physically interact with the environment in assembly tasks. Compared to traditional actuators, SEAs can provide high force fidelity, shock tolerance, and force sensing for interaction control. Considering inherent system dynamics and the variable stiffness of the fluid, the control design for hydraulic SEAs (HSEAs) that lead into fifth-order system is a challenging task. As a novelty, a full state feedback controller design for the developed fifth-order HSEA system is presented to serve as an inner-loop controller to handle highly nonlinear dynamics behavior. In addition, as an outer-loop impedance controller for HSEAs in heavy-duty applications, the position-based impedance controller is designed to handle control of the HSEA system during the contact motion. Experimental results with a one-degree-of-freedom real-size experimental setup with a payload of 200 kilos demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed HSEA control methods both in the free-space motion and in a contact impedance motion.
Influence of Geometrical Parameters on the Shape of the Cycloidal Function Curve of a Fan with a Cycloidal Rotor
Authors: Staśko Tomasz , Tomala Martyna , Majkut Mirosław , Nawrat Krzysztof , Smołka Krystian
Published: March 2022

Even though the cycloidal rotor concept has been around for almost a century, it is still not as popular as it should be. Most often it is used to propel unmanned aerial vehicles or sea-going ships, or it is applied as a river- or sea-energy converter. Despite the possibility of directing the flow by changing the inclination angle of blades and the possibility of working in both directions, there are no scientific studies on the use of the concept in HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning). One of the most important elements characterizing the operation of the cycloidal rotor is the cycloidal function describing the change in the angles of the blades during rotation. To properly design a cycloidal rotor for a preferred application, an analysis of the rotor geometrical parameters must be performed and analyzed. This was performed on a four-blade rotor equipped with CLARK Y blades. Using Ansys CFX software, a CFD model of a fan operating with various cycloidal functions was created. The results were compared with the experimental data with the use of the LDA technique. Different velocity profiles were obtained despite the use of cycloidal functions with similar waveforms and small angular differences. This is due to the considerable sensitivity of the cycloidal regulation system to differences in the geometrical sizes that describe it.
Optimal Service Restoration Scheme for Radial Distribution Network Using Teaching Learning Based Optimization
Authors: Ayalew Mulusew , Khan Baseem , Alaas Zuhair Muhammed
Published: March 2022

In the event of a fault isolation process, all loads located downstream from the faulted point become out of service, and as a consequence, the power interruption affects a greater portion of the radial distribution system. This paper proposes an optimal Service Restoration (SR) method that entails changing the network topology configuration via optimal tie-switch and section switch combinations. However, when the network topology configuration is performed, it results in increased load currents. As a result, some Protective Devices (PDs) can operate undesirably and some network branches may become unprotected. Therefore, it is essential to consider protection constraints in the SR problem to maintain service continuity during power interruptions. The proposed method aims at optimal SR with minimum out-of-service loads, minimum power loss, and improved voltage profiles and at the same time ensures PDs operate correctly during the normal and overloading conditions. The proposed method was carried out on the Debre Markos distribution networks, using the Teaching Learning Based Optimization (TLBO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Differential Evolutionary (DEV) algorithms. The proposed SR was carried out considering and without considering protection constraints. The obtained SR topology was not feasible for SR without considering protection constraints, since some PDs fail to operate properly in normal loading conditions. After executing the proposed SR algorithms by considering protection constraints for a single fault case, the power loss reductions in TLBO, DEV, and PSO were 64.9073%, 45.9073%, and 55.358 %, respectively. The minimum voltage profiles obtained in each proposed TLBO, DEV, and PSO algorithm were 0.96%, 0.95%, and 0.96%, respectively. In each algorithm, except for the branch under fault, all healthy out-of-service branches were restored. When the protection constraints were considered in an optimal SR, load current did not exceed the rating of the fuses. The results show the importance of considering protection constraints during SR to prevent dysfunction of the PDs in the network. Comparative analyses were carried out on each algorithm and TLBO algorithms performed better than PSO and DEV for search functions.
A Carbonate Reservoir Prediction Method Based on Deep Learning and Multiparameter Joint Inversion
Authors: Tian Xingda , Huang Handong , Cheng Suo , Wang Chao , Li Pengfei , Hao Yaju
Published: March 2022

Deep-water carbonate reservoirs are currently the focus of global oil and gas production activities. The characterization of strongly heterogeneous carbonate reservoirs, especially the prediction of fluids in deep-water presalt carbonate reservoirs, exposes difficulties in reservoir inversion due to their complex structures and weak seismic signals. Therefore, a multiparameter joint inversion method is proposed to comprehensively utilize the information of different seismic angle gathers and the simultaneous inversion of multiple seismic parameters. Compared with the commonly used simultaneous constrained sparse-pulse inversion method, the multiparameter joint inversion method can characterize thinner layers that are consistent with data and can obtain higher-resolution presalt reservoir results. Based on the results of multiparameter joint inversion, in this paper, we further integrate the long short-term memory network algorithm to predict the porosity of presalt reef reservoirs. Compared with a fully connected neural network based on the backpropagation algorithm, the porosity results are in better agreement with the new log porosity curves, with the average porosity of the four wells increasing from 89.48% to 97.76%. The results show that the method, which is based on deep learning and multiparameter joint inversion, can more accurately identify porosity and has good application prospects in the prediction of carbonate reservoirs with complex structures.
Environmental and Economic Performance of CO2-Based Methanol Production Using Long-Distance Transport for H2 in Combination with CO2 Point Sources: A Case Study for Germany
Authors: Kaiser Simon , Siems Felix , Mostert Clemens , Bringezu Stefan
Published: March 2022

The use of CO2-based hydrocarbons plays a crucial role in reducing the climate footprint for several industry sectors, such as the chemical industry. Recent studies showed that regions which are favorable for the production of CO2-based hydrocarbons from an energy perspective often do not provide concentrated point sources for CO2, which leads to an increased environmental impact due to the higher energy demand of direct air capture processes. Thus, producing H2 in regions with high renewable power potential and transporting it to industrialized regions with concentrated CO2 point sources could provide favorable options for the whole process chain. The aim of this study is to analyze and compare pathways to produce CO2-based methanol in Germany using a local CO2 point source in combination with the import of H2 per pipeline or per ship as well as H2 produced in Germany. The environmental and economic performance of the pathways are assessed using life cycle assessment and cost analysis. As environmental indicators, the climate, material, water, and land footprints were calculated. The pathway that uses H2 produced with electricity from offshore wind parks in Germany shows the least environmental impacts, whereas the import via pipeline shows the best results among the importing pathways. The production costs are the lowest for import via pipeline now and in the near future. Import via ship is only cost-efficient in the status quo if waste heat sources are available, but it could be more competitive in the future if more energy and cost-efficient options for regional H2 distribution are available. It is shown that the climate mitigation effect is more cost-effective if the H2 is produced domestically or imported via pipeline. Compared to the import of CO2-based methanol, the analyzed H2 import pathways show a comparable (pipeline) or worse environmental and economic performance (ship).
A Study of the Segment Assembly Error and Quality Control Standard of Special-Shaped Shield Tunnels
Authors: Li Peinan , Dai Zeyu , Wang Xi , Liu Jun , Rui Yi , Li Xiaojun , Fan Jie , Chen Peixin
Published: March 2022

Large-section special-shaped shield tunnels feature many advantages, such as versatility and a large space utilization rate in energy transmission and public transport; however, guaranteeing the quality of segments’ assembly is difficult. Based on the quasi-rectangular shield tunnel project of Hangzhou Line 9 in China, this study investigated the formation mechanism and control measures of lining segment assembly defects. By quantifying the manufacturing error and positioning error, a simulation program for segment assembly is developed to calculate the error. Furthermore, considering the relative accumulative error between the upper and lower T blocks, the finite element model of key blocks (T-LZ block) is established to perform mechanical analysis, based on which the relative error control standard of the key block under the corresponding working conditions is proposed. The results show that the assembly quality can be effectively improved by assembling the LZ block first and applying corresponding error control measures, and the displacement of the segment along the rZ direction should be carefully controlled during the construction. The error caused by normal assembly will not damage the LZ block, and the corresponding control standard under the action of multi-degree-of-freedom error (extreme case) is 9.8 mm. Using this method to predict the assembly quality of segments can provide a basis for actual construction control of segment assembly.
An Experimental Study on Thermal Performance of Graphite-Based Phase-Change Materials for High-Power Batteries
Authors: Karimi Danial , Behi Hamidreza , Van Mierlo Joeri , Berecibar Maitane
Published: March 2022

High-power lithium-ion capacitors (LiC) are hybrid energy storage systems (EES) with the combined benefits of lithium-ion batteries (LiB) and supercapacitors, such as high specific energy, high specific power, and a long lifetime. Such advanced technology can be used in high-power applications when high charging and discharging are demanded. Nevertheless, their performance and lifetime highly depend on temperature. In this context, this paper presents an optimal passive thermal management system (TMS) employing phase-change materials (PCM) combined with graphite to maintain the LiC maximum temperature. To evaluate the thermal response of the PCM and the PCM/G, experimental tests have been performed. The results exhibit that when the cell is under natural convection, the maximum temperature exceeds 55 °C, which is very harmful for the cell’s lifetime. Using the pure paraffin PCM, the maximum temperature of the LiC was reduced from 55.3 °C to 40.2 °C, which shows a 27.3% temperature reduction compared to natural convection. Using the PCM/G composite, the maximum temperature was reduced from 55.3 °C (natural convection) to 38.5 °C, a 30.4% temperature reduction compared to natural convection. The main reason for this temperature reduction is the PCM’s high latent heat fusion, as well as the graphite thermal conductivity. Moreover, different PCM/G thicknesses were investigated for which the maximum temperature of the LiC reached 38.02 °C, 38.57 °C, 41.18 °C, 43.61 °C, and 46.98 °C for the thicknesses of 15 mm, 10 mm, 7 mm, 5 mm, and 2 mm, respectively. In this context, a thickness of 10 mm is the optimum thickness to reduce the cost, weight, volume, and temperature.
Proximate, Physicochemical, Techno-Functional and Antioxidant Properties of Three Edible Insect (Gonimbrasia belina, Hermetia illucens and Macrotermes subhylanus) Flours
Authors: Vanqa Nthabeleng , Mshayisa Vusi Vincent , Basitere Moses
Published: March 2022

In this study, edible insect flours from Gonimbrasia belina (Mashonzha), Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly larvae) and Macrotermes subhylanus (Madzhulu) were prepared and assessed in terms of proximal, physicochemical, techno-functional and antioxidant properties. The crude protein of the edible insect flours varied between 34.90–52.74%. The crude fat of the insect flours differed significantly (p < 0.05), with H. illucens (27.93%) having the highest crude fat. G. belina was lighter (L*) and yellower (+b*) compared to H. illucens and M. subhylanus, and there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the redness (+a*) of the edible insect flours. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in foam capacity and foam stability of all three edible insect flours. Moreover, the antioxidant activity against the DPPH radical was low for H. illucens (3.63%), with M. subhylanus (55.37%) exhibiting the highest DPPH radical. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the techno-functional properties and antioxidant indices of the edible insect flours. PC1 accounted for 51.39% of the total variability, while component 2 accounted for 24.71%. In terms of PC1, the FS, OBC and FC were responsible for the major differences in the edible insect flours. The findings revealed that edible insect flours are a good source of antioxidants and can be used as an alternative protein source and a potential novel food additive due to their techno-functional qualities.
Understanding Consumers’ Preferences for Protected Geographical Indications: A Choice Experiment with Hungarian Sausage Consumers
Authors: Török Áron , Gorton Matthew , Yeh Ching-Hua , Czine Péter , Balogh Péter
Published: March 2022

Geographical Indications (GIs) can increase producer margins and contribute to local economic development, but the extent to which they do so depends on the nature of consumer demand. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) considers the value that consumers place on a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) in comparison with a leading manufacturer’s brand, as well as the importance of taste variations. Based on an application of DCE to sausages in Hungary, results indicate that a PGI can generate value to consumers exceeding that conveyed by the leading manufacturer’s brand. Consumers’ taste preferences, however, may not be consistent with the specification of GI products. Latent Class (LC) and Random parameter Latent Class (RLC) analyses identify two consumer segments, with the majority of consumers (71%-LC, 65%-RLC) classified as traditionalists, who most value the GI label, while a minority (29%-LC, 35%-RLC) is brand conscious, for whom the GI status is less salient. Both theoretical and business implications for GI marketing and club branding are drawn.
Inhibitory Effect of Tamarix ramosissima Extract on the Formation of Heterocyclic Amines in Roast Lamb Patties by Retarding the Consumption of Precursors and Preventing Free Radicals
Authors: Ren Xiaopu , Li Mingyang , Wang Wei , Niu Xiyue , Xu Qian , Zhang Ruili
Published: March 2022

Tamarix ramosissima has been widely used as barbecue skewers for the good taste and unique flavor it gives to the meat, but the effects of T. ramosissima on heterocyclic amine (HA) formation in roast lamb are unknown. The influence of T. ramosissima extract (TRE) on HA formation, precursors’ consumption, and free radicals’ generation in roast lamb patties were elucidated by UPLC-MS, HPLC, and electron spin resonance (ESR) analysis, respectively. Six HAs were identified and compared with the control group; the total and polar HAs decreased by 30.51% and 56.92% with TRE addition at 0.30 g/kg. The highest inhibitory effect was found against 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-f]pyridine (PhIP) formation (70.83%) at 0.45 g/kg. The addition of TRE retarded the consumption of HA precursors, resulting in fewer HAs formed. The typical signal intensity of free radicals in roast lamb patties significantly decreased with TRE addition versus the control group (p < 0.05), and the higher the levels of the TRE, the greater the decrease in signal intensity. We propose that the inhibitory effects of TRE on HA formation, especially on polar HAs, were probably achieved by retarding the consumption of precursors and preventing free radicals from being generated in roast lamb patties. These findings provide valuable information concerning TRE’s effectiveness in preventing HA formation through both the precursor consumption and free radical scavenging mechanisms.
Early Evolution of the Adelaide Superbasin
Authors: Lloyd Jarred C. , Collins Alan S. , Blades Morgan L. , Gilbert Sarah E. , Amos Kathryn J.
Published: March 2022

Continental rifts have a significant role in supercontinent breakup and the development of sedimentary basins. The Australian Adelaide Superbasin is one of the largest and best-preserved rift systems that initiated during the breakup of Rodinia, yet substantial challenges still hinder our understanding of its early evolution and place within the Rodinian supercontinent. In the past decade, our understanding of rift and passive margin development, mantle plumes and their role in tectonics, geodynamics of supercontinent breakup, and sequence stratigraphy in tectonic settings has advanced significantly. However, literature on the early evolution of the Adelaide Superbasin has not been updated to reflect these advancements. Using new detrital zircon age data for provenance, combined with existing literature, we examine the earliest tectonic evolution of the Adelaide Superbasin in the context of our modern understanding of rift system development. A new maximum depositional age of 893 ± 9 Ma from the lowermost stratigraphic unit provides a revised limit on the initiation of sedimentation and rifting within the basin. Our model suggests that the basin evolved through an initial pulse of extension exploiting pre-existing crustal weakness to form half-grabens. Tectonic quiescence and stable subsidence followed, with deposition of a sourceward-shifting facies tract. Emplacement and extrusion of the Willouran Large Igneous Province occurred at c. 830 Ma, initiating a new phase of rifting. This rift renewal led to widespread extension and subsidence with the deposition of the Curdimurka Subgroup, which constitutes the main cyclic rift sequence in the Adelaide Superbasin. Our model suggests that the Adelaide Superbasin formed through rift propagation to an apparent triple junction, rather than apical extension outward from this point. In addition, we provide evidence suggesting a late Mesoproterozoic zircon source to the east of the basin, and show that the lowermost stratigraphy of the Centralian Superbasin, which is thought to be deposited coevally, had different primary detrital sources.
3D Engineering Geological Modeling to Investigate a Liquefaction Site: An Example in Alluvial Holocene Sediments in the Po Plain, Italy
Authors: Meisina Claudia , Bonì Roberta , Bordoni Massimiliano , Lai Carlo Giovanni , Bozzoni Francesca , Cosentini Renato Maria , Castaldini Doriano , Fontana Daniela , Lugli Stefano , Ghinoi Alessandro , Martelli Luca , Severi Paolo
Published: March 2022

Liquefaction-induced surface manifestations are the result of a complex geological–geotechnical phenomenon, driven by several controlling factors. We propose a multidisciplinary methodological approach, involving engineering geologists, geomorphologists, sedimentologists, and geotechnical engineers, to build a 3D engineering geological model for liquefaction assessment studies. The study area is Cavezzo (Po Plain, Italy), which is a municipality hit by superficial liquefaction manifestations during the Emilia seismic crisis of May–June 2012. The site is characterized by a Holocene alluvial sequence of the floodplain, fluvial channel, and crevasse splay deposits prone to liquefaction. The integration of different geotechnical investigations, such as boreholes, CPTm, CPTu, and laboratory tests, allowed us to recognize potentially liquefiable lithological units, crucial for hazard assessment studies. The resulting 3D engineering geological model reveals a strict correlation of co-seismic surface manifestations with buried silty sands and sandy silts within the shallow 10 m in fluvial channel setting, which is capped and laterally confined by clayey and silty deposits.
Influence of Secondary School Students’ Physical Fitness on Sports Performance during an Ultimate Frisbee Competition
Authors: Portillo Javier , Bravo-Sánchez Alfredo , Abián Pablo , Dorado-Suárez Alberto , Abián-Vicén Javier
Published: March 2022

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of secondary school students’ fitness profile on physical and technical–tactical performance in simulated competition conditions of ultimate frisbee when there is no previous experience in the practice of the sport. Forty-three secondary school students participated in this research. The students were divided into two groups according to their results in the Assessing Levels of Physical Activity and fitness test battery (ALPHA fitness test): poor physical fitness (PPF) (N = 24; age: 14.9 ± 0.8 years; height: 166.1 ± 10.9 cm; body mass: 62.2 ± 11.0 kg; ALPHA fitness score: 2.7 ± 0.7 points) and good physical fitness (GPF) (N = 19; age: 14.5 ± 0.6 years; height: 165.9 ± 5.8 cm; body mass: 58.9 ± 7.5 kg; ALPHA fitness score: 4.4 ± 0.3 points). Physical variables during the ultimate frisbee match were assessed using Global Positioning System technology. The matches were video-recorded, and individual technical actions were noted afterwards. The GPF group showed higher values for running (p = 0.039), high-speed running (p = 0.015), sprinting (p = 0.022) and total distance covered (p = 0.025) than the PPF group. In addition, more passes (p = 0.019), offensive decision making (p = 0.009) and player participation (p = 0.046) were recorded in the GPF group than the PPF group. Correlational analysis revealed a positive relationship (p < 0.05) between individual participation and the meters covered for jogging, running, running at high speed and sprinting during the game. In conclusion, although the students were novices in ultimate frisbee, the high physical fitness level had a positive effect on the game performance. Physical education teachers should consider this information when introducing new sports into their physical education classes.
Review of Nitrification Monitoring and Control Strategies in Drinking Water System
Authors: Hossain Sharif , Chow Christopher W. K. , Cook David , Sawade Emma , Hewa Guna A.
Published: March 2022

Nitrification is a major challenge in chloraminated drinking water systems, resulting in undesirable loss of disinfectant residual. Consequently, heterotrophic bacteria growth is increased, which adversely affects the water quality, causing taste, odour, and health issues. Regular monitoring of various water quality parameters at susceptible areas of the water distribution system (WDS) helps to detect nitrification at an earlier stage and allows sufficient time to take corrective actions to control it. Strategies to monitor nitrification in a WDS require conducting various microbiological tests or assessing surrogate parameters that are affected by microbiological activities. Additionally, microbial decay factor (Fm) is used by water utilities to monitor the status of nitrification. In contrast, approaches to manage nitrification in a WDS include controlling various factors that affect monochloramine decay rate and ammonium substrate availability, and that can inhibit nitrification. However, some of these control strategies may increase the regulated disinfection-by-products level, which may be a potential health concern. In this paper, various strategies to monitor and control nitrification in a WDS are critically examined. The key findings are: (i) the applicability of some methods require further validation using real WDS, as the original studies were conducted on laboratory or pilot systems; (ii) there is no linkage/formula found to relate the surrogate parameters to the concentration of nitrifying bacteria, which possibly improve nitrification monitoring performance; (iii) improved methods/monitoring tools are required to detect nitrification at an earlier stage; (iv) further studies are required to understand the effect of soluble microbial products on the change of surrogate parameters. Based on the current review, we recommend that the successful outcome using many of these methods is often site-specific, hence, water utilities should decide based on their regular experiences when considering economic and sustainability aspects.