bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Approaches Used to Construct Antibiograms for Dogs in a Veterinary Teaching Hospital in the United States
Authors: Ekakoro John E. , Guptill Lynn , Hendrix Kenitra , Anderson Melinda , Ruple Audrey
Published: June 2023

Non-judicious antimicrobial use (AMU) is a major driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In human hospitals, cumulative antibiograms are often used by clinicians to evaluate local susceptibility rates and to select the most appropriate empiric therapy with the aim of minimizing inappropriate AMU. However, the use of cumulative antibiograms to guide empiric antimicrobial therapy in veterinary hospitals in the United States is limited, and there are no specific guidelines or standardized methods available for the construction of antibiograms in veterinary clinical settings. The objective of this methods article is to describe the approaches that were used to construct antibiograms from clinical samples collected from dogs seen at a veterinary teaching hospital. Laboratory data for 563 dogs for the period from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2015 was utilized. We used the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines for use in the construction of the antibiograms in human healthcare settings as the basis for the veterinary antibiograms. One general antibiogram and antibiograms stratified by hospital section, the anatomic region of sample collection/by sample type, were created and the challenges encountered in preparing these antibiograms were highlighted. The approaches described could be useful in guiding veterinary antibiogram development for empiric therapy.
Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Effects of Leaves and Sheath from Bamboo (Phyllostacys edulis J. Houz)
Authors: Tundis Rosa , Augimeri Giuseppina , Vivacqua Adele , Romeo Rosa , Sicari Vincenzo , Bonofiglio Daniela , Loizzo Monica Rosa
Published: June 2023

Bamboo (Phyllostacys edulis J. Houz) has become an emerging forest resource of economic and ecological significance with health benefits. Since the beneficial effects of the non-edible parts of bamboo have not been thoroughly explored, we characterized in this study bamboo leaf (BL) and sheath (BS) extracts. The total phenol and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC), antioxidant activity (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP and β-carotene bleaching test) and anti-inflammatory properties were determined. Leaves exhibited a TPC value of 73.92 mg equivalent (eq) gallic acid/g fresh weight (FW) and a TFC value of 56.75 mg eq quercetin/g FW. Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) coupled with photo diode array detector (PDA) analysis revealed evidence for the presence of protocatechuic acid, isoorientin, orientin and isovitexin in BL, whereas BS was rich in phenolic acids. Both samples demonstrated a significant ability to scavenge radicals against ABTS·+, with an inhibitory concentration of 50% of 3.07 μg/mL for BL and 6.78 μg/mL for BS. At a concentration of 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL, BS decreased reactive oxygen species production without hampering cell viability in HepG2 liver cells, while at the same concentrations, BL exhibited cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells. In addition, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/mL BS and BL reduced Interleukin-6 and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 production in human lipopolysaccharide-stimulated THP-1 macrophages, without affecting cell viability. These findings highlight the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of BL and BS, corroborating their different potential applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Effects of Hydrogen Gas Inhalation on Community-Dwelling Adults of Various Ages: A Single-Arm, Open-Label, Prospective Clinical Trial
Authors: Rahman Md. Habibur , Bajgai Johny , Sharma Subham , Jeong Eun-Sook , Goh Seong Hoon , Jang Yeon-Gyu , Kim Cheol-Su , Lee Kyu-Jae
Published: June 2023

Molecular hydrogen (H2) is a versatile therapeutic agent. H2 gas inhalation is reportedly safe and has a positive impact on a range of illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Herein, we investigated the effects of 4 weeks of H2 gas inhalation on community-dwelling adults of various ages. Fifty-four participants, including those who dropped out (5%), were screened and enrolled. The selected participants were treated as a single group without randomization. We evaluated the association between total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts and AD risk at individual levels after 4 weeks of H2 gas inhalation treatment. The total and differential WBC counts were not adversely affected after H2 gas inhalation, indicating that it was safe and well tolerated. Investigation of oxidative stress markers such as reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide showed that their levels decreased post-treatment. Furthermore, evaluation of dementia-related biomarkers, such as beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1), amyloid beta (Aβ), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), T-tau, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), and inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6), showed that their cognitive condition significantly improved after treatment, in most cases. Collectively, our results indicate that H2 gas inhalation may be a good candidate for improving AD with cognitive dysfunction in community-dwelling adults of different ages.
Different Extraction Procedures Revealed the Anti-Proliferation Activity from Vegetable Semi-Purified Sources on Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Mandrich Luigi , Piccolella Simona , Esposito Antonia Valeria , Costa Silvio , Mercadante Vincenzo , Pacifico Severina , Caputo Emilia
Published: June 2023

Breast cancer (BC) remains the leading cause of mortality in women, despite significant advancements in diagnosis. Thus, the identification of new compounds for its treatment is critical. Phytochemicals are known to exhibit anti-cancer properties. Here, we investigated the anti-proliferation potential of extracts from carrot, Calendula officinalis flower, and Aloe vera on breast cancer vs. epithelial cell lines. Various extraction methods were used, and the proliferative effect of the resulting extracts was assessed by proliferation assay on breast cancer and epithelial cell lines. Carrot, Aloe leaf, and Calendula flower extracts were extracted by hexane and methanol methods, and their semi-purified extracts were able to specifically inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cell lines. The extract composition was investigated by colorimetric assays, UHPLC-HRMS, and MS/MS analysis. All the extracts contained monogalactosyl-monoacylglycerol (MGMG), while digalactosyl-monoacylglycerol (DGMG) and aloe-emodin were found in Aloe, and glycerophosphocholine (GPC) derivatives were identified in Calendula, except for the isomer 2 detected in carrot, suggesting that their observed different anti-proliferative properties may be associated with the different lipid compounds. Interestingly, Calendula extract was able to strongly inhibit the triple negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line proliferation (about 20% cell survival), supporting MGMG and GPC derivatives as potential drugs for this BC subtype treatment.
Innovative Fibrous Materials Loaded with 5-Nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline via Electrospinning/Electrospraying Demonstrate Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities
Authors: Spasova Mariya , Stoyanova Nikoleta , Nachev Nasko , Ignatova Milena , Manolova Nevena , Rashkov Iliya , Georgieva Ani , Toshkova Reneta , Markova Nadya
Published: June 2023

A new type of fibrous mat based on a cellulose derivative—cellulose acetate (CA) or CA and water-soluble polymers (polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP or poly(vinyl alcohol), PVA)—loaded with the model drug 5-nitro-8-hydroxyquinoline (5N) was fabricated via electrospinning or electrospinning in conjunction with electrospraying. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle measurements and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) were used for the complex characterization of the obtained novel material. The decoration of CA fibers with a water-soluble polymer containing the drug resulted in the facilitation of wetting and fast drug release. The 5N-containing fibrous material showed antioxidant activity. Moreover, the proposed materials’ antibacterial and antifungal properties were tested against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. Well-distinguished, sterile zones with diameters above 3.5 cm were observed around all 5N-containing mats. The mats’ cytotoxicity toward HeLa carcinoma cells and normal mouse BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts was assessed. The 5N-in-CA, PVP,5N-on-(5N-in-CA) and PVA,5N-on-(5N-in-CA) fibrous mats possessed anticancer efficacies and much lower levels of toxicity against normal cells. Therefore, the as-created novel electrospun materials, which are based on polymers loaded with the drug 5N via electrospinning/electrospraying, can potentially be applied for topical wound healing and for local cancer therapy.
Caffeine Inhibits Oxidative Stress- and Low Dose Endotoxemia-Induced Senescence—Role of Thioredoxin-1
Authors: Merk Dennis , Greulich Jan , Vierkant Annika , Cox Fiona , Eckermann Olaf , von Ameln Florian , Dyballa-Rukes Nadine , Altschmied Joachim , Ale-Agha Niloofar , Jakobs Philipp , Haendeler Judith
Published: June 2023

The maintenance of Thioredoxin-1 (Trx-1) levels, and thus of cellular redox homeostasis, is vital for endothelial cells (ECs) to prevent senescence induction. One hallmark of EC functionality, their migratory capacity, which depends on intact mitochondria, is reduced in senescence. Caffeine improves the migratory capacity and mitochondrial functionality of ECs. However, the impact of caffeine on EC senescence has never been investigated. Moreover, a high-fat diet, which can induce EC senescence, results in approximately 1 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the blood. Therefore, we investigated if low dose endotoxemia induces EC senescence and concomitantly reduces Trx-1 levels, and if caffeine prevents or even reverses senescence. We show that caffeine precludes H2O2-triggered senescence induction by maintaining endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) levels and preventing the elevation of p21. Notably, 1 ng/mL LPS also increases p21 levels and reduces eNOS and Trx-1 amounts. These effects are completely blocked by co-treatment with caffeine. This prevention of senescence induction is similarly accomplished by the permanent expression of mitochondrial p27, a downstream effector of caffeine. Most importantly, after senescence induction by LPS, a single bolus of caffeine inhibits the increase in p21. This treatment also blocks Trx-1 degradation, suggesting that the reversion of senescence is intimately associated with a normalized redox balance.
Resveratrol Mitigates Metabolism in Human Microglia Cells
Authors: Schlotterose Luise , Pravdivtseva Mariya S. , Ellermann Frowin , Jansen Olav , Hövener Jan-Bernd , Sönnichsen Frank D. , Cossais François , Lucius Ralph , Hattermann Kirsten
Published: June 2023

The recognition of the role of microglia cells in neurodegenerative diseases has steadily increased over the past few years. There is growing evidence that the uncontrolled and persisting activation of microglial cells is involved in the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease. The inflammatory activation of microglia cells is often accompanied by a switch in metabolism to higher glucose consumption and aerobic glycolysis. In this study, we investigate the changes induced by the natural antioxidant resveratrol in a human microglia cell line. Resveratrol is renowned for its neuroprotective properties, but little is known about its direct effect on human microglia cells. By analyzing a variety of inflammatory, neuroprotective, and metabolic aspects, resveratrol was observed to reduce inflammasome activity, increase the release of insulin-like growth factor 1, decrease glucose uptake, lower mitochondrial activity, and attenuate cellular metabolism in a 1H NMR-based analysis of whole-cell extracts. To this end, studies were mainly performed by analyzing the effect of exogenous stressors such as lipopolysaccharide or interferon gamma on the metabolic profile of microglial cells. Therefore, this study focuses on changes in metabolism without any exogenous stressors, demonstrating how resveratrol might provide protection from persisting neuroinflammation.
Escaping Printable Encoded Streams to Embed Out-of-Band Data
Authors: Botta Marco , Cavagnino Davide
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we propose to exploit the unused configurations of a printable encoding such as Base41, Base45 or Base85 to create a side channel that can store extra data such as error detection or correction codes, integrity verification and authentication information or application defined data. After introducing the encoding of binary octet strings in printable form, we present some case studies that show possible applications of the unused configurations.
Cutting-Edge Technologies for Digital Therapeutics: A Review and Architecture Proposals for Future Directions
Authors: Yoo Joo Hun , Jeong Harim , Chung Tai-Myoung
Published: June 2023

Digital therapeutics, evidence-based treatments delivered through software programs, are revolutionizing healthcare by utilizing cutting-edge computing technologies. Unlike conventional medical treatment methods, digital therapeutics are based on multiple information technologies, from data collection to analysis algorithms, and treatment support approaches. In this research, we provide a comprehensive overview of the latest technologies involved in the development of digital therapeutics and highlight specific technologies necessary for the future growth of the rapidly evolving digital therapeutics market. Furthermore, we present a system design of digital therapeutics for depression, currently being developed by our research team, to provide a detailed explanation of the technical process. Digital therapeutics require various technical supports, such as collecting user data in a security-enhanced medical environment, processing and analyzing the collected data, and providing personalized treatment methods to the user. The findings from this research will enable digital therapeutic companies to enhance their product performance, consequently bolstering their market competitiveness. Additionally, the research can be further extended to explore applicable methodologies at different stages of digital therapeutic environments.
On-Board Parameter Optimization for Space-Based Infrared Air Vehicle Detection Based on ADS-B Data
Authors: Li Yejin , Rao Peng , Li Zhengda , Ai Jianliang
Published: June 2023

Frequent aviation safety accidents of civil aircraft misses and crashes lead to an urgent need for flight safety assurance. Due to long-time flights over different backgrounds, accompanied by the changes in flight altitude and speed, it is difficult for a conventional space-based infrared detection system to use a set of fixed parameters to meet the stable detection requirement. To enhance the awareness of civil aircraft surveillance, a real-time parameter optimization method based on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data is proposed. According to the background spectral characteristics and the real-time flight data, the most reasonable spectral band is analyzed, using the joint signal-to-noise/clutter ratio (JSNCR) as the evaluation criteria. Then, an automatic parameter adjustment is used to maximize the integration time and switch the integration capacitor gear. Numerical simulation results show that the JSNCR increased by 1.16 to 1.31 times, and the corresponding noise equivalent target radiant intensity (NET) reduced from 2.4 W/Sr to 1.2 W/Sr compared with a conventional fixed-parameter detection system. This study lays a solid theoretical foundation for the spectral band analysis of space-based AVD system design. Meanwhile, the proposed method can be used as a standard procedure to improve on-board performance.
DMA-Net: Decoupled Multi-Scale Attention for Few-Shot Object Detection
Authors: Xie Xijun , Lee Feifei , Chen Qiu
Published: June 2023

As one of the most important fields in computer vision, object detection has undergone marked development in recent years. Generally, object detection requires many labeled samples for training, but it is not easy to collect and label samples in many specialized fields. In the case of few samples, general detectors typically exhibit overfitting and poor generalizability when recognizing unknown objects, and many FSOD methods also cannot make good use of support information or manage the potential problem of information relationships between the support branch and the query branch. To address this issue, we propose in this paper a novel framework called Decoupled Multi-scale Attention (DMA-Net), the core of which is the Decoupled Multi-scale Attention Module (DMAM), which consists of three primary parts: a multi-scale feature extractor, a multi-scale attention module, and a decoupled gradient module (DGM). DMAM performs multi-scale feature extraction and layer-to-layer information fusion, which can use support information more efficiently, and DGM can reduce the impact of potential optimization information exchange between two branches. DMA-Net can implement incremental FSOD, which is suitable for practical applications. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that DMA-Net has comparable results on generic FSOD benchmarks, particularly in the incremental FSOD setting, where it achieves a state-of-the-art performance.
Influence of Joint Stiffness and Motion Time on the Trajectories of Underactuated Robots
Authors: Tonan Michele , Doria Alberto , Bottin Matteo , Rosati Giulio
Published: June 2023

Underactuated robots have fewer actuators than degrees of freedom (DOF). Nonactuated joints can be equipped with torsional springs. Underactuated robots can be controlled in a point-to-point motion if they have a particular mass distribution that makes them differentially flat. The trajectory described by the robot moving from the start point to the end point largely depends on the torsional stiffness of the nonactuated joints and on motion time. Thus, the same point-to-point motion can be obtained by sweeping different parts of the workspace. This property increases the dexterity of the robot. This paper focuses on the trajectories of a 3-DOF robot moving in the horizontal plane with two actuators and a torsional spring. Parametric analyses showing the effect of torsional stiffness and motion time are presented. The existence of combinations of torsional stiffness and motion time that minimize the motion torques or the swept area is discussed. The area swept by the underactuated robot is compared with the one swept by an equivalent actuated robot performing the same task. Reductions in the swept area of up to 36% are obtained. Finally, numerical results are validated by means of experimental tests on a simplified prototype.
Electromagnetic Ultrasonic Shear-Horizontal Wave to Detect Corrosion Defect of Flat Steel for Grounding Device of Transmission Pole Tower
Authors: Fang Chunhua , Lv Junjie , Pu Ziheng , Li Peng , Wu Tian , Hu Tao
Published: June 2023

Detecting defects in grounded flat steel is essential for ensuring the safety and reliability of transmission tower grounding devices. However, traditional inspection methods, such as physical excavation and verification, are costly and time-consuming. This paper proposes a corrosion defect detection method for flat steel transmission tower grounding devices based on electromagnetic ultrasonic SH waves. In addition, using commercial software, a three-dimensional finite element simulation model of grounded flat steel with simulated pitting corrosion defects is constructed. The specified displacements applied to multiple surface sources mimic the horizontal shear vibrations generated by the electromagnetic ultrasonic transducer on the surface of the grounded flat steel during actual inspection. A simulation was used to investigate the propagation and attenuation characteristics of shear-horizontal ultrasonic SH0guided waves for simulated corrosion defects with various geometric configurations in grounded flat steel. The simulation investigated the propagation and attenuation characteristics of the SH0 wave in grounded flat steel and the detection of various defects for linear analysis of the results. The simulation results show that the attenuation of the electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave is small, at only 0.0016 dB/mm, and the displacement amplitude of the echo signal decreases with the increase of the SH0 wave propagation distance. Increasing the depth and length of corrosion defects increases the echo signal amplitude. At the same time, the width of corrosion defects has little effect on the echo amplitude. Finally, a flat steel defect detection experiment was conducted, and the experimental results fit with the simulation to verify the accuracy of the simulation model. This detection method introduces a new idea for the on-site detection and quantitative identification of corrosion defects in grounded flat steel, which has significant reference value and can provide a more effective and economical method for ensuring the safety and dependability of transmission tower grounding devices.
Effect of Cohesive Properties on Low-Velocity Impact Simulations of Woven Composite Shells
Authors: Ferreira Luis M. , Coelho Carlos A. C. P. , Reis Paulo N. B.
Published: June 2023

The effect of the interface stiffness and interface strength on the low-velocity impact response of woven-fabric semicylindrical composite shells is studied using finite element (FE) models generated with continuum shell elements and cohesive surfaces. The intralaminar damage is accounted for using the constitutive model provided within the ABAQUS software, while the interlaminar is addressed utilising cohesive surfaces. The results show that the interface stiffness has a negligible effect on the force and energy histories for values between 101 N/mm3 and 2.43 × 106 N/mm3. However, it has a significant impact on the delamination predictions. It is observed that only the normal interface strength affects the maximum impact force and the delamination predictions. Increasing its value from 15 MPa to 30 MPa resulted in an 8% growth in the maximum force, and a substantial reduction in the delaminated area. The obtained results serve as guidelines for the accurate and efficient computation of delamination. The successful validation of the FE models establishes a solid foundation for further numerical investigations and offers the potential to significantly reduce the time and expenses associated with experimental testing.
Road Pavement, Road Pollution, and Sustainability under Climate Change Increased Temperature
Authors: Barbosa Ana Estela , Fontul Simona , Freire Ana Cristina , Simões Ana Rita
Published: June 2023

This paper presents a multidisciplinary approach to understand the impacts of temperature increase on the retention of particulate pollutants, such as heavy metals and microplastics, by the road pavement material. A soil with a particle size distribution similar to road dust was selected. A Wheel Tracking device was used to assess the permanent deformation behavior of prismatic specimens and the retention of the dust, at controlled temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C, likely to occur on pavement in the future. The soil representing road pollutants was placed at the top of the slabs prior to the Wheel Tracking Test (WTT), based on the European Standard EN 12697-22:2020. After the WTT, two common methods were used, in order to evaluate the soil retention (pollution accumulation) on road pavement. The results confirm that the viscoelastic behavior of bituminous mixtures under increased temperatures can contribute to particle retention at the pavement. Future studies are needed to understand the phenomena, the retention characteristics by different bituminous mixtures, and the efficiency of pollutants capture. The work opens the opportunity to develop innovative road pavement bituminous mixtures that can reduce the discharge of road particulate pollutants, and have increased resilience and sustainability in extreme weather conditions.
Ergodic Rate and Outage Performance of Full-Duplex NOMA Relaying with Channel Estimation Errors and Low-Resolution ADCs
Authors: Wang Siye , Huang Yeqin , Yang Yong
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we analyze the performance of a full-duplex (FD) cooperative non-orthogonal multiple access (C-NOMA) relaying system with an amplify-and-forward (AF) protocol in the presence of loopback interference in FD transceivers. Particularly, by considering channel estimation errors and quantization noise in low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), the accurate approximation expression for the ergodic rate and closed-form solution for the outage probability are derived, respectively. The validity of the theoretical results is verified by Monte Carlo simulations, which show that both channel estimation errors and quantization noise have deleterious effects on ergodic rate and outage performance for moderate and high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). In the second phase of the C-NOMA system, both the outage performance and ergodic sum rate decrease at high SNRs due to the effects of loop interference. When the ADC dynamic range reaches a certain level, the system performance is more affected by loopback interference and channel estimation errors compared to the quantization noise of the ADCs.
Improvements of Computational Ghost Imaging by Using Sequenced Speckle
Authors: Oh Sukyoon , Sun Zhe , Tian Tong , Spielmann Christian
Published: June 2023

This study presents a computational ghost imaging (GI) scheme that utilizes sequenced random speckle pattern illumination. The primary objective is to develop a speckle pattern/sequence that improves computational time without compromising image quality. To achieve this, we modulate the sequence of speckle sizes and design experiments based on three sequence rules for ordering the random speckle patterns. Through theoretical analysis and experimental validation, we demonstrate that our proposed scheme achieves a significantly better contrast-to-noise rate (CNR) compared to traditional GI at a similar resolution. Notably, the sequential GI method outperforms conventional approaches by providing over 10 times faster computational speed in certain speckle composition groups. Furthermore, we identify the corresponding speckle sizes that yield superior image quality, which are found to be geometrically proportional to the reference object area. This innovative approach utilizing sequenced random speckle patterns demonstrates potential suitability for imaging objects with complex or unknown shapes. The findings of this study hold great promise for advancing the field of computational GI and pseudo-thermal GI, addressing the need for improved computational efficiency while maintaining high-quality imaging.
Estimation of the Ultimate Strength of FRP Strips-to-Masonry Substrates Bond
Authors: Kamgar Reza , Komleh Houman Ebrahimpour , Jakubczyk-Gałczyńska Anna , Jankowski Robert
Published: June 2023

Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) were developed as a new method over the past decades due to their many beneficial mechanical properties, and they are commonly applied to strengthen masonry structures. In this paper, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), K-fold Cross-Validation (KFCV) technique, Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) method, and M5 Model Tree (M5MT) method were utilized to predict the ultimate strength of FRP strips applied on masonry substrates. The results obtained via ANN, KFCV, MARS, and M5MT were compared with the existing models. The results clearly indicate that the considered approaches have better efficiency and higher precision compared to the models available in the literature. The correlation coefficient values for the considered models (i.e., ANN, KFCV, MARS, and M5MT) are promising results, with up to 99% reliability.
The Structure-Forming Potential of Selected Polysaccharides and Protein Hydrocolloids in Shaping the Properties of Composite Films Using Pumpkin Purée
Authors: Janowicz Monika , Kadzińska Justyna , Ciurzyńska Agnieszka , Szulc Karolina , Galus Sabina , Karwacka Magdalena , Nowacka Małgorzata
Published: June 2023

The work aimed to investigate the rheological properties and the gelling process of selected film-forming solutions obtained based on hydrocolloids, such as sodium alginate, highly methylated pectin, and soy protein isolate with the addition of pumpkin purée. It was found that both concentration of hydrocolloid and the addition of pumpkin purée affected the rheological parameters. The non-linear nature of the flow curves was demonstrated, which allowed the curves to be described using the Ostwald de Waele model. The addition of pumpkin purée and the concentration of the structure-forming substance affected the apparent viscosity of the composite film-forming solutions. Considering the applied parameters, only the gelation temperature of composite gelatin film-forming solutions with the addition of pumpkin purée was possible to determine. Additionally, degassing of the solutions with the addition of pumpkin purée resulted in the reduction of the aeration degree and smoothening of the edible films’ surface.
Research on the Influence of Tunnel Invert Excavation on the Rheological Deformation of Different Levels of Surrounding Rock
Authors: Fu Helin , Xu Wu , Wu Yimin
Published: June 2023

The closed section of the inverted arch, formed by the surrounding rock, acts as a bearing ring. Combined with the upper initial support, it ensures stable initial support. However, excavating the inverted arch can disturb the original balance, significantly affecting the tunnel’s stability. To determine the optimal exposure length and excavation length of the elevation arches at different rock levels, numerical analyses were conducted. These analyses used the classical Burgers creep intrinsic structure model for the three-step excavation mode. Various closure distances and exposure distances of the elevation arch were considered. The study aimed to investigate the influence of these factors on the stability of the primary lining, comparing it with the maximum displacement of the vault. The results indicate that the strength of the surrounding rock primarily affects the displacement of the arch crown. Lower rock strength corresponds to greater arch crown displacement. Additionally, increasing the closure distance of the inverted arch leads to increased arch displacement. On the other hand, the exposure distance of the inverted arch has minimal impact on arch displacement. Longer exposure distances result in greater arch displacement. These findings can serve as a basis for improving current standards and adapting them to meet the spatial requirements of large-scale mechanized operations.
Optimization of Rollover Crashworthiness and Vehicle Mass Based on Unreplicated Saturated Factorial Design
Authors: Zhang Delai , Mo Yimin , Ding Minghao , Liang Yongbin
Published: June 2023

In the realm of van design, researchers have been diligently working to enhance rollover crashworthiness while concurrently achieving lightweight body structures. Unlike front and side impacts, rollover crashworthiness is impacted by a greater number of structural dimensions and material parameters. As such, this paper implements an unreplicated saturated factorial design to conduct factor screening for vehicle rollover crashworthiness. This approach effectively and accurately resolves the screening challenges that arise from large numbers of factors, and eliminates dependence on traditional design experience. Consequently, it shortens the design cycle and reduces development costs. In addition, this paper establishes four Kriging approximate models that describe the specific energy absorption and total mass of the key body structure, the displacement of the roof, and the maximum angular velocity of the body’s center of mass. To address the multi-objective optimization problem of improving rollover crashworthiness while reducing mass, this paper combines the particle swarm optimization algorithm with the artificial immune algorithm. This hybrid algorithm converges rapidly, and the Pareto solution set exhibits superior uniformity and diversity. Finally, the shortest distance method is employed to identify the optimal design scheme that can enhance the rollover crashworthiness of vans and reduce the mass of body parts.
Research on Mechanism Design and Kinematic Characteristics of Self-Propelled Photovoltaic Cleaning Robot
Authors: Yang Jing , Zhao Xiaolong , Gao Yingjie , Guo Rui , Zhao Jingyi
Published: June 2023

A hydraulic drive-based self-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning robot was developed to tackle the challenges of harsh environmental conditions, difficult roads, and incomplete cleaning of dust particles on the photovoltaic panel surface in photovoltaic power plants. The robot has the characteristics of the crawler wheel drive, rear-wheel-independent turning and three-point-independent suspension design, which makes it adhere to the walking requirements of complex environmental terrains, more flexible in turning and automatically levelling so that the stability of the boom mechanism during walking can be ensured. The kinematics model of the upper arm structure equipped with the end cleaning device was built, and the optimized Circle chaotic map and nonlinear weight factor were introduced to enhance the search ability and convergence speed of the sparrow algorithm. Furthermore, the boom running track was optimized in combination with the seven-order non-uniform B-spline curve. Through optimization, the running time of the boom was reduced by 18.7%, and the cleaning efficiency of photovoltaic panel surface was increased. The effectiveness of self-propelled photovoltaic panel cleaning robot cleaning and the reliability of time-optimal trajectory planning were confirmed through simulation and experiment.
Multidisciplinary Study of Mud Emissions Following the 2016 Norcia Earthquake
Authors: Del Gaudio Pierdomenico , Misiti Valeria , Cantucci Barbara , Liotta Marcello , Ventura Guido , Ricci Tullio , Sciarra Alessandra , Di Naccio Deborah , Amoroso Sara , Monaco Paola
Published: June 2023

We report composition, grain size, and rheological data related to the mud emitted as a consequence of the maximum moment magnitude (Mw max = 6.5) on 30 October 2016, commonly referred to as the Norcia earthquake (central Italy), and on the activity of pre-existent mud volcanoes affected by the central Italy seismic sequence started on 24 August 2016. The emission sites were located at Monteleone di Fermo and Santa Vittoria in Matenano, two municipalities near the town of Fermo (Marche Region, Italy). We sampled, measured, and analyzed the products of mud emissions 3 days after the mainshock to characterize the mud by geochemical, mineralogical, and rheological analyses. The muds’ geochemical composition and low electrical conductivity suggest a continental origin, likely belonging to the Colombacci Formation. The collected muds are silt–sand–water-rich suspensions characterized by a Bigham rheology with viscosity values between 6.3∙107 and 6.9∙105 Pa∙s. The calculated minimum fluidization velocity of the mud suspensions is between 0.05 m/s (grain size of 2 μm) and 0.74 m/s (grain size of 8 μm). Water-rich mud suspensions flowing on a slope move faster as the water content increases up to 30 wt.%. At higher values, the velocity remains almost constant due to the disaggregation of bonds among the solid particles in the mixtures.
Injury Risk Assessment and Interpretation for Roadway Crashes Based on Pre-Crash Indicators and Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Gu Chenwei , Xu Jinliang , Li Shuqi , Gao Chao , Ma Yongji
Published: June 2023

Pre-crash injury risk (IR) assessment is essential for guiding efforts toward active vehicle safety. This work aims to conduct crash severity assessment using pre-crash information and establish the intrinsic mechanism of IR with proper interpretation methods. The impulse–momentum theory is used to propose novel a priori formulations of several severity indicators, including velocity change (ΔV), energy equivalent speed (EES), crash momentum index (CMI), and crash severity index (CSI). Six IR models based on different machine learning methods were applied to a fusion dataset containing 24,082 vehicle-level samples. Prediction results indicate that the pre-crash indicators (PCIs) are more influential than the commonly used basic crash information because the average accuracy of six models can be improved by 14.35% after utilizing PCIs. Furthermore, the features’ importance and their marginal effects are interpreted based on parameter estimation, Shapley additive explanation value, and partial dependence. The ΔV, EES, and CMI are identified as the determinant indicators of the potential IR, and their partial distributions are significantly influenced by the crash type and impact position. Based on partial dependence probabilities, the study establishes decision thresholds for PCIs for each severity category for different impact positions, which can serve as a useful reference for developing targeted safety strategies. These results suggest that the proposed method can effectively improve pre-crash IR assessment, which can be readily transferred to safety-related modeling in an active traffic management system.
Improved Combined Inertial Control of Wind Turbine Based on CAE and DNN for Temporary Frequency Support
Authors: Ji Ziyang , Zhang Jie , Liu Yi , Zhou Tao
Published: June 2023

With the continuous and large-scale development of renewable energy, there is a prominent decrease in the level of inertia in new power systems. This decrease leads to the weakening of the system’s capability to provide inertia support and frequency regulation during disturbance events. The wind turbines (WT), as the main representatives of renewable energy generation, should be more efficiently involved in the power system frequency regulation dynamics. However, optimal frequency regulation is difficult to achieve through the combined inertial control strategy of wind turbines because it greatly depends on control parameters and fluctuates in different scenarios. To cope with disturbance efficiently and quickly in different scenarios and obtain the optimal frequency regulation results, this paper presents an improved combined inertial intelligent control strategy of WT based on contractive autoencoder (CAE) and deep neural network (DNN). This method obtains the optimal parameters for combined inertial control using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, then effectively extracts features from actual data using CAE followed by building a network model to predict the optimal combined inertial control parameters online. To verify and test the proposed method, it is applied in the IEEE 9-bus test system. The simulation results show that the method can obtain optimal control parameters with a faster computational time, good prediction accuracy, and generalization capability.
Simplified Model Predicts Binder Behavior in Sand Mold Printing
Authors: Li Yen-Ting , Cheng Yih-Lin , Tang Kea-Tiong
Published: June 2023

Binder jetting is a crucial process in additive manufacturing (AM) and is widely used in sand mold casting. This study explores the challenges of simulating binder droplets in ANSYS Fluent, including complexity and computational time. To overcome these challenges, we propose a geometric approach that models the binder droplet as a circular shape instead of an actual droplet. Additionally, the dynamic mesh feature is employed to transform the initial boundary condition into a wall condition at a specified time interval (Δt). This simplified approach eliminates the need to simulate actual droplets, leading to significant computational resource and time savings. By adopting this geometric approach, we can accurately predict the diffusion and penetration behavior of binder droplets with varying materials and volumes in porous media with different porosities. Through data analysis, it was found that the main variables affecting the diffusion diameter and penetration depth are binder volume and porosity. The successful implementation of this simplified model enables researchers and engineers to expedite the simulation of binder behavior, facilitating process optimization and enhancing the understanding of binder jetting technology in the field of additive manufacturing.
Antioxidant Capacity and Total Phenolic Content of Spice Extracts Obtained by Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Using Deep Eutectic and Conventional Solvents
Authors: Tymczewska Alicja , Klebba Julia , Szydłowska-Czerniak Aleksandra
Published: June 2023

This study investigated the use of eco-friendly novel formulations of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) with water in ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of antioxidant compounds from six spices, comparing them to traditional ethanol-based solvents. Significant differences in antioxidant capacity (AC) determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and total phenolic content (TPC) analysed using Folin-Ciocalteu (F-C) method were observed among the prepared extracts of spices. Regardless of the solvent used, clove extracts exhibited the highest antioxidant properties, whereas coriander presented the lowest values of AC and TPC. Choline chloride (ChCl)-based DES3 with propylene glycol (PG) as the hydrogen bond donor was more promising for effectively extracting antioxidants from the studied spices than ChCl-based DES1 and DES2 containing urea (U) and glycerol (Gly), respectively. Although DESs showed lower efficiency in this study, they represent a viable and environmentally sustainable approach for the extraction of bioactive compounds from spices. However, DES-based extracts can be recommended as potential sources of bioactive compounds and sustainable solvent systems for the plasticization and modification of active food packaging. This research offers valuable insights for the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and spice industries, particularly for future developments in sustainable extraction techniques and potential applications in eco-friendly solutions and health-related areas.
Sustainable Additives for the Production of Hydrogen via Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis
Authors: Gómez-Coma Lucía , Silva Diogo L. , Ortiz Alfredo , Rangel Carmen M. , Ortiz-Martínez Víctor Manuel , Pinto Alexandra M. F. R. , Ortiz Inmaculada
Published: June 2023

Finding stable solutions for hydrogen storage is one of the main challenges to boosting its deployment as an energy vector and contributing to the decarbonization of the energy sector. In this context, sodium borohydride (NaBH4) has been largely studied as a hydrogen storage material due to its significant advantages, such as low pressure, stability, and high hydrogen storage density. The development of catalysts and additive materials for the on-demand hydrolysis of NaBH4 for hydrogen release is a key research area. This work studies the effects of non-toxic and environmentally friendly additives for the hydrolysis process in terms of yield, lag time, hydrogen generation rate, and gravimetric density. Specifically, four additives, including sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), polyacrylamide (PAM), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and β-cyclodextrin (BCD), were studied for their application in the storage and release of hydrogen. The best results were provided by the use of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and polyacrylamide. In the first case, a hydrolysis yield of 85%, a lag time of 70 s, a hydrogen production rate of 1374 mL·min−1·gcat−1, and a storage capacity of 1.8 wt% were obtained. Using polyacrylamide as additive, a hydrolysis yield of almost 100% was achieved, although it required a significantly higher time period for complete conversion.
Soil Organic Matter in Urban Areas of the Russian Arctic: A Review
Authors: Abakumov Evgeny , Petrov Alexey , Polyakov Vyacheslav , Nizamutdinov Timur
Published: June 2023

Polar ecosystems are the most important storage and source of climatically active gases. Currently, natural biogeochemical processes of organic matter circulation in the soil-atmosphere system are disturbed in urban ecosystems of the cryolithozone. Urbanized ecosystems in the Arctic are extremely under-investigated in terms of their functions in regulating the cycle of climatically active gases. The role of urban soils and soil-like bodies in the sequestration and stabilization of organic matter is of particular interest. The percentage of gravimetric concentrations of organic matter in Arctic urban soils are almost always determined by the method of dichromate oxidation and are subject to extreme variability (from tenths of a percent to more than 90% in man-made soil formations), but the average carbon content in the surface soil horizons can be estimated at 5–7%. The surface humus-accumulative horizons are represented by a variety of morphological forms with the content of organic matter of various origins. The work also focuses on those forms of organic matter, the content of which is extremely small, but very important for the biogeochemical functioning of soils-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and components of petroleum products, as well as labile forms of soil organic matter. We recommend that further studies of the organic matter system be conducted in urbanized areas since the carbon cycle there is severely disrupted, as well as carbon flows. The urbanization and industrialization processes in the Arctic are progressing, which could lead to a radical transformation of carbon ecosystem services.
Changes to Sea Surface Temperatures and Vertical Wind Shear and Their Influence on Tropical Cyclone Activity in the Caribbean and the Main Developing Region
Authors: Hibbert Keneshia , Glenn Equisha , Smith Thomas M. , González-Cruz Jorge E.
Published: June 2023

Sea surface temperatures and vertical wind shear are essential to tropical cyclone formation. TCs need warm SSTs and low shear for genesis. Increasing SSTs and decreasing VWS influences storm development. This work analyzes SST and VWS trends for the Caribbean, surrounding region, and the Atlantic hurricane main developing region from 1982–2020. Storm intensity increases significantly during this period. Annual and seasonal trends show that regional SSTs in the MDR are warming annually at 0.0219 °C yr−1 and, per season, 0.0280 °C yr−1. Simultaneously, VWS decreases during the late rainfall season, at 0.056 m/s yr−1 in the MDR and 0.0167 m/s yr−1 in the Caribbean and surrounding area. The Atlantic Warm Pool is expanding at 0.51 km2 per decade, increasing upper atmospheric winds and driving VWS changes. Correlations of large-area averages do not show significant relationships between TC intensity, frequency, and SSTs/VWS during the LRS. The observed changes appear to be associated with regional warming SSTs impacting TC changes. Plain Language Abstract: Tropical cyclone (TC) formation requires warm ocean waters and low wind shear. Changes to sea surface anomalies and wind shear influences are essential to understanding storm development and intensification. The ability to forecast storm changes is vital to human lives and livelihoods. This work analyzes sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and vertical wind shear (VWS) trends in the Caribbean, surrounding areas, and the Atlantic main developing region (MDR). We found increasing SSTs, decreasing wind shears, an expanding Atlantic Warm Pool (AWP), and increased storm intensity during the Atlantic hurricane season.