bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anmyungambi Decoction Ameliorates Obesity through Activation of Non-Shivering Thermogenesis in Brown and White Adipose Tissues
Authors: Park Woo Yong , Song Gahee , Boo Mina , Kim Hyo In , Park Ja Yeon , Jung Se Jin , Choi Minji , Kim Beomsu , Kim Young Doo , Kim Myung-Ho , Kim Kwan-Il , Kwak Hyun Jeong , Leem Jungtae , Um Jae-Young , Park Jinbong
Published: December 2022

Obesity is a burden to global health. Non-shivering thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) is a novel strategy for obesity treatment. Anmyungambi (AMGB) decoction is a multi-herb decoction with clinical anti-obesity effects. Here, we show the effects of AMGB decoction using high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL6/J mice. All four versions of AMGB decoction (100 mg/kg/day, oral gavage for 28 days) suppressed body weight gain and obesity-related blood parameters in the HFD-fed obese mice. They also inhibited adipogenesis and induced lipolysis in inguinal WAT (iWAT). Especially, the AMGB-4 with 2:1:3:3 composition was the most effective; thus, further studies were performed with the AMGB-4 decoction. The AMGB-4 decoction displayed a dose-dependent body weight gain suppression. Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and blood glucose decreased as well. In epididymal WAT, iWAT, and BAT, the AMGB-4 decoction increased lipolysis markers. Additionally, the AMGB-4 decoction-fed mice showed an increased non-shivering thermogenic program in BAT and iWAT. Excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and suppressed antioxidative factors induced by the HFD feeding were also altered to normal levels by the AMGB-4 decoction treatment. Overall, our study supports the clinical use of AMGB decoction for obesity treatment by studying its mechanisms. AMGB decoction alleviates obesity through the activation of the lipolysis–thermogenesis program and the elimination of pathological ROS in thermogenic adipose tissues.
LC-MS Based Phytochemical Profiling towards the Identification of Antioxidant Markers in Some Endemic Aloe Species from Mascarene Islands
Authors: Breaud Célia , Lallemand Laura , Mares Gary , Mabrouki Fathi , Bertolotti Myriam , Simmler Charlotte , Greff Stéphane , Mauduit Morgane , Herbette Gaëtan , Garayev Eldar , Lavergne Christophe , Cesari Maya , Bun-Llopet Sok-Siya , Baghdikian Béatrice , Garayev Elnur
Published: December 2022

Aloe plant species have been used for centuries in traditional medicine and are reported to be an important source of natural products. However, despite the large number of species within the Aloe genus, only a few have been investigated chemotaxonomically. A Molecular Network approach was used to highlight the different chemical classes characterizing the leaves of five Aloe species: Aloe macra, Aloe vera, Aloe tormentorii, Aloe ferox, and Aloe purpurea. Aloe macra, A. tormentorii, and A. purpurea are endemic from the Mascarene Islands comprising Reunion, Mauritius, and Rodrigues. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis followed by a dereplication process allowed the characterization of 93 metabolites. The newly developed MolNotator algorithm was usedfor molecular networking and allowed a better exploration of the Aloe metabolome chemodiversity. The five species appeared rich in polyphenols (anthracene derivatives, flavonoids, phenolic acids). Therefore, the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the five species were evaluated, and a DPPH-On-Line-HPLC assay was used to determine the metabolites responsible for the radical scavenging activity. The use of computational tools allowed a better description of the comparative phytochemical profiling of five Aloe species, which showed differences in their metabolite composition, both qualitative and quantitative. Moreover, the molecular network approach combined with the On-Line-HPLC assay allowed the identification of 9 metabolites responsible for the antioxidant activity. Two of them, aloeresin A and coumaroylaloesin, could be the principal metabolites responsible for the activity. From 374 metabolites calculated by MolNator, 93 could be characterized. Therefore, the Aloe species can be a rich source of new chemical structures that need to be discovered.
High-Intensity Exercise Training Alters the Effect of N-Acetylcysteine on Exercise-Related Muscle Ionic Shifts in Men
Authors: Lemminger Anders K. , Fiorenza Matteo , Eibye Kasper , Bangsbo Jens , Hostrup Morten
Published: December 2022

This study investigated whether high-intensity exercise training alters the effect of N-acetylcysteine (a precursor of antioxidant glutathione) on exercise-related muscle ionic shifts. We assigned 20 recreationally-active men to 6 weeks of high-intensity exercise training, comprising three weekly sessions of 4–10 × 20-s all-out bouts interspersed by 2 min recovery (SET, n = 10), or habitual lifestyle maintenance (n = 10). Before and after SET, we measured ionic shifts across the working muscle, using leg arteriovenous balance technique, during one-legged knee-extensor exercise to exhaustion with and without N-acetylcysteine infusion. Furthermore, we sampled vastus lateralis muscle biopsies for analyses of metabolites, mitochondrial respiratory function, and proteins regulating ion transport and antioxidant defense. SET lowered exercise-related H+, K+, lactate−, and Na+ shifts and enhanced exercise performance by ≈45%. While N-acetylcysteine did not affect exercise-related ionic shifts before SET, it lowered H+, HCO3−, and Na+ shifts after SET. SET enhanced muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity and augmented the abundance of Na+/K+-ATPase subunits (α1 and β1), ATP-sensitive K+ channel subunit (Kir6.2), and monocarboxylate transporter-1, as well as superoxide dismutase-2 and glutathione peroxidase-1. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that high-intensity exercise training not only induces multiple adaptations that enhance the ability to counter exercise-related ionic shifts but also potentiates the effect of N-acetylcysteine on ionic shifts during exercise.
Elastic Scattering Time–Gated Multi–Static Lidar Scheme for Mapping and Identifying Contaminated Atmospheric Droplets
Authors: Mui Luong Viet , Hung Tran Ngoc , Shinohara Keito , Yamanoi Kohei , Shimizu Toshihiko , Sarukura Nobuhiko , Shimadera Hikari , Kondo Akira , Sumimura Yoshinori , Hai Bui Van , Nguyen Diep Van , Minh Pham Hong , Trung Dinh Van , Cadatal-Raduban Marilou
Published: December 2022

Numerical simulations are performed to determine the angular dependence of the MIe scattering cross-section intensities of pure water droplets and pollutants such as contaminated water droplets and black carbon as a function of the wavelength of the incident laser light, complex refractive index, and size of the scatterer. Our results show distinct scattering features when varying the various scattering parameters, thereby allowing the identification of the scattering particle with specific application to the identification of atmospheric pollutants including black carbon. Regardless of the type of scatterer, the scattering intensity is nearly uniform with a slight preference for forward scattering when the size of the particle is within 20% of the incident laser’s wavelength. The scattering patterns start to exhibit distinguishable features when the size parameter equals 1.77, corresponding to an incident laser wavelength of 0.355 μm and a particle radius of 0.1 μm. The patterns then become increasingly unique as the size parameter increases. Based on these calculations, we propose a time-gated lidar scheme consisting of multiple detectors that can rotate through a telescopic angle and be placed equidistantly around the scattering particles to collect the backscattered light and a commercially available Q-switched laser system emitting at tunable laser wavelengths. By using a pulsed laser with 10-ns pulse duration, our scheme could distinguish scattering centers that are at least 3 m apart. Our scheme called MIe Scattering Time-gated multi-Static LIDAR (MISTS–LIDAR) would be capable of identifying the type of atmospheric pollutant and mapping its location with a spatial resolution of a few meters.
Syntrophic Butyrate-Oxidizing Consortium Mitigates Acetate Inhibition through a Shift from Acetoclastic to Hydrogenotrophic Methanogenesis and Alleviates VFA Stress in Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion
Authors: Nikitina Anna A. , Kallistova Anna Y. , Grouzdev Denis S. , Kolganova Tat’yana V. , Kovalev Andrey A. , Kovalev Dmitriy A. , Panchenko Vladimir , Zekker Ivar , Nozhevnikova Alla N. , Litti Yuriy V.
Published: December 2022

In anaerobic digestion (AD), butyrate is degraded by syntrophic consortium, but can accumulate in highly loaded AD systems. The effect of butyrate on the AD process attracts much less attention than propionate or acetate. In this work, an enrichment culture of the thermophilic butyrate-oxidizing syntrophic consortium was obtained by gradually increasing the initial butyrate concentration from 20 to 170 mM. Surprisingly, even the highest butyrate concentration did not significantly inhibit the methanogenic community, and the stage of acetate degradation was the limiting overall rate of the process. At 170 mM butyrate, the bacterial community changed towards the dominance of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing (SAO) bacteria related to Syntrophaceticus (42.9%), Syntrophomonas (26.2%) and Firmicutes (26.2%), while the archaeal community experienced a sharp decrease in the abundance of Methanosarcina thermophila (from 86.0 to 25.0%) and increase in Methanothermobacter thermautotrophicus (from 3.2 to 53.1%) and Methanomassiliicoccus (from 3.2 to 21.9%). Thus, the shift from acetoclastic methanogenesis to SAO coupled to hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis occurred as an adaptive strategy to overcome high acetate (~200 mM) build-up. Bioaugmentation with the obtained enrichment culture was effective in mitigating the butyrate-dominated VFA build-up during the AD of readily biodegradable waste, increasing the methane production rate, methane yield and volatile solids removal by more than 3.5, 6.2 and 2.9 times, respectively. Our study revealed that the thermophilic butyrate-oxidizing consortia as bioaugmented culture could be the potential strategy to alleviate the high organic load and VFA stress of AD.
Resistance of Concretes to External Chlorides in the Presence and Absence of Sulphates: A Review
Authors: Ukpata Joseph Onah , Ogirigbo Okiemute Roland , Black Leon
Published: December 2022

Corrosion of steel reinforcement due to chloride attack remains a major reinforced concrete durability concern. The problem is prevalent for concrete structures located within marine environments or frost-prone locations where chlorides containing de-icing salts are used. This paper is a state-of-the-art review into chloride binding in Portland cement concrete, with consideration of the differences induced by the presence of sulphates, such as found in seawater. The review also considers the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), the use of which has increased because of their potential to enhance durability and reduce the carbon footprint of concrete production. Such materials impact on phase assemblage and microstructure, affecting chloride binding and transport properties. Therefore, field and laboratory studies are critically reviewed to understand how these could help in the design of more durable concretes. The contributions of chloride binding, hydrate compositions and microstructures of the binding materials affecting chloride transport in concretes are also evaluated to suggest a more robust approach for controlling the problem of chloride attack.
A New Monocular Pose Estimation Method for the Coplanar P4P Problem
Authors: Yu Xudong , Shang Yang
Published: December 2022

The Perspective of N Points (PNP) problem in optical measurement and machine vision is to estimate the pose parameters of an object by a monocular image. For traditional coplanar P4P methods, the four points must have known coordinates or be a rectangle’s four vertices. In this paper, a new method of the P4P problem for parallelogram objects without shape parameters is proposed to solve the objects’ pose and shape parameters based on the parallelogram vertices’ relative coordinate constraints. The correctness and effectiveness of the method have been verified through experiments. In addition to being used to estimate a parallelogram object’s pose and shape, the new method extends the conclusions of the coplanar P4P problem when the four points are a parallelogram’s four vertices.
Anti-Melanogenesis Effect of Rosa rugosa on α-MSH-Induced B16F10 Cells via PKA/CREB Pathway Activation
Authors: Zhou Xianrong , Oh Jung Hwan , Karadeniz Fatih , Yang Jiho , Lee Hyunjung , Seo Youngwan , Kong Chang-Suk
Published: December 2022

Melanin protects the skin against UV damage, whereas excessive melanin accumulation causes abnormal pigmentation and even melanoma. It has been reported that Rosa rugosa exhibits antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammation activities. The current study evaluated the melanogenesis-suppressing effect of R. rugosa extract and its solvent fractions (H2O, n-BuOH, 85% aq. MeOH, and n-hexane). The effect of R. rugosa on the extra/intra-cellular melanin and intracellular active tyrosinase levels, melanogenesis-related gene and protein expression, and PKA/CREB signaling pathway activation was investigated in α-MSH-induced B16F10 cells. The results showed that R. rugosa effectively suppressed melanin secretion and tyrosinase activity at non-cytotoxic concentrations. R. rugosa extract down-regulated the melanogenesis-related expression of genes and proteins of tyrosinase, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. Furthermore, R. rugosa effectively inhibited the phosphorylation of the PKA/CREB proteins. Finally, the total polyphenol content of R. rugosa crude extract and its H2O, n-BuOH, 85% aq. MeOH, and n-hexane solvent fractions were 1383.9 ± 44.5, 2004.7 ± 43.4, 7270.3 ± 54.5, 2064.1 ± 34.8, and 1091.1 ± 26.2 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 g extract, respectively. The anti-melanogenesis effect of R. rugosa was suggested to be exhibited by downregulating the PKA/CREB signaling pathway potentially due to a high content of polyphenols. Overall, R. rugosa crude extract and its solvent fractions could be considered sources of bioactive ingredients that can be used against hyperpigmentation.
Estimation of Shallow Shear Velocity Structure in a Site with Weak Interlayer Based on Microtremor Array
Authors: Jin Cong , Lin Song , Wang Jing , Zhou Hongwei , Cheng Miao
Published: December 2022

A site condition survey is extremely important for the seismic fortification of major projects. The distribution of underlying weak interlayer in sites is extremely harmful to buildings. However, it is a technical problem to find out the distribution of weak interlayer in the overburden. The shallow velocity structure can directly reflect the change characteristics of a stratigraphic structure. In this paper, acquisition of background noise is conducted using a microtremor linear array method, and the distribution characteristics of two typical stratigraphic structures in Wuhan, Hubei Province, are obtained through an inversion of the apparent S-wave velocity; meanwhile, the equivalent shear-wave velocity and the overburden thickness are estimated, which provides a basis for site classification. The research results are as follows: (1) The two-dimensional profile of the apparent S-wave velocity obtained by the microtremor linear array method can be used for fine imaging of the stratum with weak interlayer, and its distribution form and velocity structure characteristics are highly consistent with those of the drilling data. (2) Compared to the borehole data obtained through in situ test, the error of the overburden thickness and the equivalent shear-wave velocity estimated by the inversion of the apparent S-wave velocity is only about 10%, and the estimated parameters can be directly used for site classification. These results can provide important parameters for seismic fortification of major projects, and also provide reference for the exploration of unfavorable geological bodies, such as weak interlayer in complex urban areas, in the future, which can have good scientific significance and popularization value.
Experimental Assessment of the Acoustic Performance of Nozzles Designed for Clean Agent Fire Suppression
Authors: Strianese Marco , Torricelli Nicolò , Tarozzi Luca , Santangelo Paolo E.
Published: December 2022

Discharge through nozzles used in gas-based fire protection of data centers may generate noise that causes the performance of hard drives to decay considerably; silent nozzles are employed to limit this harmful effect. This work focuses on proposing an experimental methodology to assess the impact of sound emitted by gaseous jets by comparing various nozzles under several operating conditions, together with relating that impact to design parameters. A setup was developed and repeatability of the experiments was evaluated; standard and silent nozzles were tested regarding the discharge of inert gases and halocarbon compounds. The ability of silent nozzles to contain the emitted noise—generally below the 110 dB reference threshold—was proven effective; a relationship between Reynolds number and peak noise level is suggested to support the reported increase in noise maxima as released flow rate increases. Hard drives with lower speed were the most affected. Spectral analysis was conducted, with sound at the higher frequency range causing performance decay even if lower than the acknowledged threshold. Independence of emitted noise from the selected clean agent was also observed in terms of released volumetric flow rate, yet the denser the fluid, the lower the generated noise under the same released mass flow rate.
Peak Carbon Dioxide Emissions Strategy Based on the Gray Model between Carbon Emissions and Urban Spatial Expansion for a Built-Up Area
Authors: Liu Luyun , Xun Lingling , Wang Zhiyuan , Liu Huaiwan , Huang Yu , Bedra Komi Bernard
Published: December 2022

Urban spatial expansion affects almost every dimension of sustainable urban development. A good grasp of the relationship between urban spatial evolution and carbon emissions can be the key to urban spatial governance. As a central city in the central region and a national low-carbon pilot city, Changsha has experienced a rapid expansion of construction land and growing carbon emissions. In this paper, four variable factors and five variable factors of carbon emission were used for the case city Changsha in 1979, 1996, 2003, 2008, 2013 and 2016. Based on the “double carbon” constraint target, the total carbon emissions, carbon-emission intensity and per capita carbon emission constraint indices were forecasted until 2030. They are 87.29 million t-CO2, 0.45 t-CO2/CNY104 and 8.73 t-CO2/person, respectively. The scale of urban land is controlled at 889.61; the constraint indices of residential, commercial service land, industrial land and road square land scales are 231.3 km2, 143.88 km2, 150.17 km2 and 135.83 km2, respectively. The land expansion intensity, urban compactness and shortest travel distance constraint indices are 6.19, 0.236 and 96,086.76 km, respectively. The results of this analysis can provide scientific guidance for the next step in territorial spatial master planning and low-carbon governance.
Advances in Room Acoustics of Non-Performing Public Spaces
Authors: Sakagami Kimihiro , Hanyu Toshiki
Published: December 2022

Room acoustics is one of the most important areas of acoustics and is the study of acoustics in predominantly enclosed spaces such as rooms in the built environment [...]
Neuroprotective Effect of the Mixture of Gastrodiae elata and Glycyrrhizae uralensis In Vitro
Authors: Hwang Su-Ha , Park Su-Bin , Yu Da-Young , Cho Jae-Yeon , Lee Won-Woo , Park Mi-Ran , Lee Jang-Won , Jeon Yong-Deok
Published: December 2022

Background: This study investigated the effect of a mixture of Gastrodiae elata and Glycyrrhizae uralensis (GGW) on β-amyloid-induced neuronal damage in vitro. Methods: For finding the appropriate GGW ratio, we performed MTT assays using the ratios of 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2 and 9:1 in SK-N-SH cell and SH-SY-5Y cell. Treatment with β-amyloid (10 μM) caused cell death and overexpression of acetylcholinesterase (ACHE) in SH-SY-5Y cells. β-amyloid treatment increased the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). In addition, we detected the antioxidant activity of GGW using DCF-DA staining of SK-N-SH cells. To determine the effect of GGW on oxidative stress, we used a hydrogen peroxidase-induced in vitro model. Results: We selected the ratios of 5:5 and 7:3 mixtures with the least cytotoxicity. The 7:3 ratio of GGW (GGW73) decreased the mRNA expression of ACHE in SH-SY-5Y cell more than the 5:5 ratio of GGW (GGW55). GGW73 suppressed p-ERK protein expression in β-amyloid-treated SH-SY-5Y cells. Additionally, GGW73 regulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vitro. GGW73 treatment regulated apoptotic factors in β-amyloid-stimulated neuronal cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that GGW73 exerts neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro. These results also showed that GGW73 had a protective effect against H2O2 induced cell damage in an in vitro model. These results indicate the potential of GGW as a therapeutic agent for cognitive disorders.
Enhanced Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis Combining Novel Fluctuation Entropy Guided-VMD with Neighborhood Statistical Model
Authors: Yuan Xing , Liu Hui , Zhang Huijie
Published: December 2022

Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD) provides a robust and feasible scheme for the analysis of mechanical non-stationary signals based on the variational principle, but this method still has no adaptability, which greatly limits the application of this method in bearing fault diagnosis. To solve this problem effectively, this paper proposes a novel fluctuation entropy (FE) guided-VMD method based on the essential characteristics of fault impulse signals. The FE reported in this paper not only considers the order of amplitude values but also considers the variation of amplitude, and hence it can comprehensively characterize the transient and fluctuation characteristics of rolling bearing fault impulse signal. On the basis of establishing FE, the FE-based fitness functions are then conducted, after which the mode number and balance parameter can be adaptively determined. Meanwhile, an adaptive neighborhood statistical model is developed to further reduce the noise of the mode component containing fault information so as to highlight the periodic impulse component more significantly and improve the diagnostic accuracy. Simulation and case analysis show that this research is effective and quite accurate in fault mode separation and fault feature enhancement. Compared with the traditional VMD method and the current common diagnosis methods, the proposed method has obvious advantages in the comprehensive utilization of fault impulse information and enhanced diagnosis.
Study on Mechanical Properties of Simply-Supported Composite Beams Considering Creep and Slip
Authors: Lei Qinan , Wang Peng , Nan Hongliang
Published: December 2022

In the current industry, steel–concrete composite beams are used in large-span bridges and super-high-rise building structures due to their excellent overall performance. Concrete’s creep and slip effects in the combined structure can adversely affect the structure, thus affecting the safe use of bridges and buildings. It is necessary to study the mechanical properties of the combined structure considering creep and slip. In order to further study the mechanical properties of steel–concrete composite beams under creep–sliding coupling, in this study, based on the energy variational method principle, the energy equation of a composite beam considering creep and slip coupling is established. The second-order differential equation of the axial force of steel–concrete composite beams is derived by introducing basic assumptions. The calculation formulas for the axial force, deflection, and slip of simply-supported composite beams under different loads are obtained using different boundary conditions. Then, the creep effect of composite beams is simulated using the creep criterion in the ANSYS finite element software when the concrete material parameters change with time. The results show that a simply-supported composite beam considering both slip and creep will have a significant effect on the structure; the more strongly the studs constrain the concrete slab, the greater the adverse effect of concrete creep on the combined beam. The formula derived in this paper is consistent with the numerical simulation solution and is suitable for different creep and slip conditions. The research results can provide a theoretical basis for the calculation of the axial force, deflection, and slip of combined beams under uniform and concentrated loads in practical engineering considering slip and creep.
Research on Monitoring and Early Warning of the Mine Backfill System Based on Blockchain Technology
Authors: Qin Xuebin , Huo Jingtao , Zhang Jing , Liu Lang , Wang Pai , Dong Lihong
Published: December 2022

At present, the mine filling system is a mostly automated operation process, and it has many problems, such as centralized data storage and low safety performance. Aiming at solving the above problems, this paper proposes a mine filling overlimit warning system based on blockchain to achieve the functions of an equipment operation overlimit warning, data storage, and data retrieval. Firstly, the original data model is trained based on transfer learning to obtain the overlimit early warning model and predict the overlimit of equipment operation. Then, the interplanetary file system (IPFS) storage device is used to store the running data and overlimit data, and the corresponding file identifier CID is stored on the blockchain. At the same time, alliance chain technology is used to allow administrators and users to retrieve data based on credentials to ensure the privacy of the data retrieval process. System experiments and analysis evaluations show that the combination of blockchain and IPFS to store monitoring data can effectively save storage space and improve the efficiency of storage and retrieval. The application of an overlimit early warning model can optimize the mine filling process and prolong the operational life of system equipment.
Metaheuristic Algorithms to Optimal Parameters Estimation of a Model of Two-Stage Anaerobic Digestion of Corn Steep Liquor
Authors: Roeva Olympia , Chorukova Elena
Published: December 2022

Anaerobic Digestion (AD) of wastewater for hydrogen production is a promising technology resulting in the generation of value-added products and the reduction of the organic load of wastewater. The Two-Stage Anaerobic Digestion (TSAD) has several advantages over the conventional single-stage process due to the ability to control the acidification phase in the first bioreactor, preventing the overloading and/or the inhibition of the methanogenic population in the second bioreactor. To carry out any process research and process optimization, adequate mathematical models are required. To the best of our knowledge, no mathematical models of TSAD have been published in the literature so far. Therefore, the authors’ motivation is to present a high-quality model of the TSAD corn steeping process for the sequential production of H2 and CH4 considered in this paper. Four metaheuristics, namely Genetic Algorithm (GA), Firefly Algorithm (FA), Cuckoo Search Algorithm (CS), and Coyote Optimization Algorithm (COA), have been adapted and implemented for the first time for parameter identification of a new nonlinear mathematical model of TSAD of corn steep liquor proposed here. The superiority of some of the algorithms has been confirmed by a comparison of the observed numerical results, graphical results, and statistical analysis. The simulation results show that the four metaheuristics have achieved similar results in modelling the process dynamics in the first bioreactor. In the case of modelling the second bioreactor, a better description of the process dynamics trend has been obtained by FA, although GA has acquired the lowest value of the objective function.
An Insight into the Chemistry of Cement—A Review
Authors: Lavagna Luca , Nisticò Roberto
Published: December 2022

Even if cement is a well-consolidated material, the chemistry of cement (and the chemistry inside cement) remains very complex and still non-obvious. What is sure is that the hydration mechanism plays a pivotal role in the development of cements with specific final chemical compositions, mechanical properties, and porosities. This document provides a survey of the chemistry behind such inorganic material. The text has been organized into five parts describing: (i) the manufacture process of Portland cement, (ii) the chemical composition and hydration reactions involving a Portland cement, (iii) the mechanisms of setting, (iv) the classification of the different types of porosities available in a cement, with particular attention given to the role of water in driving the formation of pores, and (v) the recent findings on the use of recycled waste materials in cementitious matrices, with a particular focus on the sustainable development of cementitious formulations. From this study, the influence of water on the main relevant chemical transformations occurring in cement clearly emerged, with the formation of specific intermediates/products that might affect the final chemical composition of cements. Within the text, a clear distinction between setting and hardening has been provided. The physical/structural role of water in influencing the porosities in cements has been analyzed, making a correlation between types of bound water and porosities. Lastly, some considerations on the recent trends in the sustainable reuse of waste materials to form “green” cementitious composites has been discussed and future considerations proposed.
A Non-Uniform Offset Algorithm for Milling Toolpath Generation Based on Boolean Operations
Authors: Venturini Giuseppe , Grossi Niccolò , Morelli Lorenzo , Scippa Antonio
Published: December 2022

In milling, the advancement of CAM strategies has increased the need for tailored algorithms for semi-finished phase computation. In some cases (e.g., thin-wall milling), variable radial engagement of the tool during the toolpath is desired, leading to the need of non-uniform machining allowance on the component that could be achieved only with a non-uniform offset algorithm, i.e., offset where the distance to the initial contour varies along that input. This work presents a general algorithm for non-uniform offset of polyline curves. The approach is based on 2D polygons and Boolean union operation, following these steps: (i) projection segments are generated, (ii) polygons (trapezoids and circular sectors) are created, (iii) Boolean union of all the polygons is performed, (iv) boundary of interest is extracted. The proposed algorithm is able to handle both internal and external offset and is robust for complexity of both the polyline and variable offset magnitude along that line, as proven by several examples and two applications to thin-wall milling provided.
Phase-Pure Epitaxial b-Axis-Oriented Bronze TiO2 Films
Authors: Herklotz Andreas , Herklotz Frank , Rus Florina Stefania
Published: December 2022

We demonstrate the heteroepitaxial growth of phase-pure bronze-phase TiO2 films using pulsed laser deposition on MgAl2O4 single-crystal substrates. While the growth on cubic substrates with smaller lattice parameters favors the stabilization of an out-of-plane-oriented anatase phase, and the use of substrates with larger lattice parameters leads to formation of the rutile phase, MgAl2O4 lies in a narrow intermediate range where the bronze phase is stabilized. X-ray diffraction shows that the b-axis is oriented out-of-plane, while the a–c lattice plane lies within the film plane. The bronze films show twinned domains due to their monoclinic structure that are aligned along all four in-plane directions of the MgAl2O4 lattice. In a subsequent step, TiO2 films are grown on top of MgAl2O4-buffered MgO single crystals in order to demonstrate a route to stabilize the bronze phase on a larger variety of substrates. The growth of bronze-type TiO2 films with the unique, open, one-dimensional framework aligned along the film normally may allow for the investigation of its basic functional properties related to ion diffusion that cannot otherwise be studied easily in other crystal forms.
Research on the Landslide Prediction Based on the Dual Mutual-Inductance Deep Displacement 3D Measuring Sensor
Authors: Shentu Nanying , Yang Jiacheng , Li Qing , Qiu Guohua , Wang Feng
Published: December 2022

Landslides are frequent and catastrophic geological hazards, and forecasting their movement is an important aspect of risk assessment and engineering prevention. Based on the integrated deep displacement three-dimensional measuring sensor with sensing unit array structure, an improved multivariable grey model based on dynamic background value and multivariable feedback is proposed to build predictive models for the evolutionary condition of landslides. In the modeling process, the traditional grey model was replaced by extracting the trend information of each variable, instead of summing up each independent variable after assigning weights to it, besides, the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) is used to modify the default value in the model’s background variables. By predicting more than 1000 sets of deep displacement monitoring data collected in the landslide simulation test conducted at the landslide simulation test device, the displacement prediction accuracy of our purposed model is 26%, 47%, and 87% respectively higher than the optimizing grey model (OGM) for three sensing units at different depths. Moreover, a new landslide risk assessment approach based on the orientation vector angle is proposed to make stability discriminations which is less susceptible to volatile data than the TOPSIS-Entropy weight theory and avoids the problem of lack of uniform standards due to the complexity of environmental factors.
Application of Infrared Spectroscopy and Thermal Analysis in Explaining the Variability of Soil Water Repellency
Authors: Šimkovic Ivan , Dlapa Pavel , Feketeová Zuzana
Published: December 2022

Forests play important role in hydrological processes such as evapotranspiration, infiltration, surface runoff, and distribution of precipitation waters. This study evaluates soil water repellency (SWR) in a mountain forest area of Slovakia (Central Europe). Findings of previous studies suggest that the variability of SWR is associated mainly with differences in soil moisture. On the other hand, the role of soil organic matter (SOM) quality in spatial and/or temporal WR changes is less clear, particularly at the plot scale. To measure SOM quality, we used Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetry (TG). It was found that FTIR data and the results of thermal analysis are linked to dissimilar wettability of the studied soils. WR samples contained more aliphatic structural units in comparison to wettable soils, which showed a higher relative amount of polar functional groups. Thermogravimetric data suggest that SOM in all 45 samples is relatively labile. This is in accordance with strongly acidic pH and high C/N ratio. The amount of SOM degraded at around 250 °C was significantly correlated with SWR data and at the same time with FTIR peak areas characteristic for aliphatic structural units. This suggests that the accumulation of raw (labile) OM, containing nonpolar functional groups, supports the susceptibility of soils to WR. A significant portion of the variability in WR data was explained by multiple regression analysis, using field water content, FTIR peak areas, and SOM thermal characteristics as predictors. The results confirmed that even the soils occurring in a relatively humid and cold climate may show considerable WR during summer.
Zero-Trust Model for Smart Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Paul Biplob , Rao Muzaffar
Published: December 2022

Traditional security architectures use a perimeter-based security model where everything internal to the corporate network is trusted by default. This type of architecture was designed to protect static servers and endpoints; however, we need to adapt to emerging technologies where serverless applications are running on containers, mobile endpoints, IoT, and cyber-physical systems. Since the beginning of the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), there has been a massive investment in smart manufacturing which responds in real-time to the supply chain and connects the digital and physical environments using IoT, cloud computing, and data analytics. The zero-trust security model is a concept of implementing cybersecurity techniques considering all networks and hosts to be hostile irrespective of their location. Over the past few years, this model has proven to be a remarkably effective security solution in conventional networks and devices. In this paper, the zero-trust approach will be fully explored and documented explaining its principles, architecture, and implementation procedure. It will also include a background of the smart manufacturing industry and a review of the existing cyber security solutions followed by a proposed design of the zero-trust model along with all the enabling factors for on-premises and cloud-hosted infrastructure. Various security solutions such as micro-segmentation of the industrial network, device discovery, and compliance management tools that are essential in achieving complete zero-trust security are considered in the proposed architecture.
Research on Mechanical Properties and Failure Mode of Conglomerate Based on Discrete Element Method
Authors: Zhang Jiawei , Liu Xiangjun , Xiong Jian , Liang Lixi , Zhang Wen
Published: December 2022

Conglomerate reservoir is an important part of unconventional oil and gas resources, which has great developmental potential. However, its sedimentary environment and structural background are complex, and its cementation types, gravel volume fraction and shape are quite different, which leads to its strong heterogeneity. When developing a conglomerate reservoir, it is extremely difficult to drill because of its strong heterogeneity. It is difficult to obtain the mechanical properties and laws of the conglomerate through physical experiments, which further restricts the development process of conglomerate reservoirs. In order to study its failure law, a three-dimensional numerical model of a conglomerate is built based on the discrete element method, and the effects of cementation strength and gravel characteristics on the mechanical properties of the conglomerate are emphatically studied. The results show that the elastic modulus and uniaxial compressive strength of the conglomerate decrease obviously with the decrease in cementation strength. With the increase in cementation strength, the normal contact force of the conglomerate model increases significantly, the distribution of normal contact force changes from cylinder to sphere, and the heterogeneity of the conglomerate decreases. There is a threshold value for the influence of cementation strength on mechanical properties of the conglomerate, and when the threshold is exceeded, the mechanical properties of the conglomerate no longer change obviously. With the increase in gravel content, the uniaxial compressive strength of the conglomerate decreases at first and then increases, the phenomenon of penetrating gravels and bypassing gravels increases, and the single diagonal crack changes into diagonal cross cracks; the cementation strength and gravel content of gravel jointly affect the mechanical properties and fracture morphology of the conglomerate, and its stress–strain relationship is the external macroscopic expression of normal contact force of internal particles.
Anthropometric Characteristics of Road Cyclists of Different Performance Levels
Authors: Sitko Sebastian , Cirer-Sastre Rafel , Garatachea Nuria , López-Laval Isaac
Published: December 2022

Road cycling is an endurance sport characterized by several anthropometric performance factors, such as reduced body mass and body fat percentage. As the power to weight ratio is considered one of the most important markers of performance in this sport discipline, it is speculated that anthropometric factors could relate to the physiological parameters found in road cyclists of different performance levels. The current study aimed to describe the anthropometric differences across road cyclists of different performance levels and to assess whether anthropometric values could relate to physiological markers that are commonly used to classify road cyclists, according to their performance level. We classified 46 cyclists as recreationally trained, trained, well trained and professional, according to their VO2max, and performed graded exercise tests and complete anthropometric assessments. The results showed that there were no significant anthropometric differences between trained, well trained and professional cyclists, with only recreationally trained cyclists exhibiting larger perimeters and skinfolds than professional cyclists. Further, although physiological performance, such as VO2max and respiratory compensation point, correlated negatively with several skinfolds and perimeters, these correlations remained restrained and did not distinguish between cyclists of different specialties.
Next-Generation Approaches to Echocardiography: Clinical Perspectives
Authors: Scicchitano Pietro , Ciccone Marco Matteo
Published: December 2022

The application of imaging to cardiovascular diseases fosters the diagnosis, clinical management, and risk stratification of patients, thus leading to the early detection of cardiac and vascular diseases [...]
The Isothermal Oxidation of High-Purity Aluminum at High Temperature
Authors: Coker Eric N. , Donaldson Burl , Gill Walter , Yilmaz Nadir , Vigil Francisco M.
Published: December 2022

The isothermal oxidation in air of high purity aluminum sheet was studied as a function of temperature using Thermogravimetric Analysis simultaneously with Differential Scanning Calorimetry (TGA/DSC). The rates and extents of oxidation were found to be non-linear functions of the temperature, in agreement with the literature. Between 650 °C and 750 °C very little oxidation took place; at 850 °C oxidation occurred after an induction period, while at 950 °C oxidation occurred without an induction period. At oxidation temperatures between 1050 °C and 1150 °C rapid passivation of the surface of the aluminum occurred, while at 1250 °C and above, an initial rapid mass increase was observed, followed by a more gradual increase in mass. The initial rapid increase in mass was accompanied by a significant exotherm, which was quantified by DSC. At temperatures of 1050 °C and above the specimen coalesced into a spheroidal particle, whereas at lower temperatures the original morphology was retained due to the cohesive strength of the native oxide layer. Cross-sections of oxidized specimens were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the observed alumina skin thicknesses correlated qualitatively with the observed mass increases. Interrogation of the surface of an oxidized spheroidal particle by SEM showed a fractured alumina shell around a partially hollow core of aluminum which appeared to have grain boundaries.
Exploitation of an Industrial Low-Bandwidth Communication Line for Modulation-Level Synchronization of Voltage Source Converters
Authors: Lodi Rizzini Gabriele , Bassani Marco , Concari Carlo , Soldati Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Parallelization of power electronic converter units is a way to meet the high current requirements of modern electrification applications. In case of voltage source converters, parallel operation can be attained only if the voltages of all the units are equal. In the current state of the art, this voltage synchronization can be achieved at the fundamental frequency, but not at modulation frequency, hence requiring bulky filters to limit circulating currents; this lowers the system performance in terms of cost, volume, weight and sustainability. In this paper, the authors propose a novel approach to synchronization, acting directly at the modulation frequency level, thus removing the need for any filter. This technique relies on the natural parasitic inductance and resistance of the wiring among parallel units. Specifically, this paper presents the first of two synchronization stages required to reach the sub-nanosecond synchronization necessary to completely remove the filters. At start-up, a low-bandwidth industrial communication line, based on the CAN protocol, is exploited to guarantee that the error in the synchronization of PWM signals among all the parallel units is lower than 0.1%. This limits the initial circulating current, supporting the subsequent control stage that achieves sub-nanosecond synchronization. The proposed concept is validated by experiments using a commercial MCU unit with an unadorned CAN peripheral.
Evaluation of the Aerodynamic Effect of a Smooth Rounded Roof on Crosswind Stability of a Train by Wind Tunnel Tests
Authors: Araya Reyes Carlos Esteban , Brambilla Elia , Tomasini Gisella
Published: December 2022

The advent of high-speed trains led to new issues and constraints for railway network manufacturers and operators. This is the case of crosswind effect, that occurs when train is running in strong wind conditions. The combination of train speed and wind speed generates a relative flow that affects the train stability. Wind tunnel tests on still railway vehicles (relative wind-train velocity in coincidence with absolute wind velocity) are mandatory according to Technical Specification for Interoperability (TSI) to ensure high-speed train safety. However, issues related to the correct evaluation of the full-scale aerodynamic behaviour of the trains can arise. In the present work, aerodynamic force and pressure coefficients measured in wind tunnel tests on a scaled model of ETR1000 high-speed train on single track ballast and rails are presented. The tests were performed in the GVPM wind tunnel of Politecnico di Milano. Results show that different flow behaviours can occur at high yaw angles when the train behaves like a bluff body depending on wind speed used during the test.
Industrial Performance Measurement Systems Coherence: A Comparative Analysis of Current Methodologies, Validation and Introduction to Key Activity Indicators
Authors: Fantozzi Italo Cesidio , Di Luozzo Sebastiano , Schiraldi Massimiliano Maria
Published: December 2022

This paper discusses and integrates the concept of complexity in the industrial performance measurement and management systems (PMM) theory, providing a comprehensive overview of the different methodologies used within the decision systems research area. It also discusses the importance of introducing Key Activity Indicators (KAI) within PMM, specifically related to the Operations and Supply Chain management research and industrial areas. Moreover, it provides validation of the methodology through a case study concerning the production environment of a multinational pharmaceutical company. The main research objective is to design appropriate industrial PMM systems with the aim of increasing the industrial efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing and service organizations. An analysis of the central industrial performance measurement systems design methods is conducted, classifying them into macro-categories and conducting a comparative study. Based on the analysis of the different proposed methods, organisations will be able to choose the best one based on their needs to design effective decision systems. The research work allows organisations to evaluate, assess, and design effective industrial performance measurement systems. Moreover, the proposed methodology can be easily integrated within an Industry 4.0 context, and benefit from the digitalization environment to obtain continuous feedback on the effectiveness of the industrial PMM.