bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth of Zr/ZrO2 Core–Shell Structures by Fast Thermal Oxidation
Authors: Ramos-Justicia Juan Francisco , Ballester-Andújar José Luis , Urbieta Ana , Fernández Paloma
Published: March 2023

This research has been conducted to characterize and validate resistive heating as a synthesis method for zirconium oxides (ZrO2). A wire of Zr has been oxidized to form a core–shell structure, in which the core is a metal wire, and the shell is an oxide layer that is around 10 μm thick. The characterization of the samples has been performed by means of several techniques based on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The topography images show that thermal gradient appears to have little influence on morphology, unlike time, which plays an important role. The chemical composition was analyzed by X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy has been used to assess crystallinity and crystal structure. The oxide layer is mainly formed by monoclinic ZrO2, alongside other, less significant, phases. Photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements have allowed us to study the distribution of defects along the shell and to confirm the degree of uniformity. The oxygen vacancies, either as isolated defects or forming complexes with impurities, play a determinant role in the luminescent processes. Color centers, mainly electron centers such as F, FA and FAA, give rise to several visible emissions extending from blue to green, with main components at around 2 eV, 2.4–2.5 eV and 2.7 eV. The differences between PL and CL in relation to distinct recombination paths are also discussed.
Development of Autonomous Driving Patrol Robot for Improving Underground Mine Safety
Authors: Kim Heonmoo , Choi Yosoon
Published: March 2023

To improve the working conditions in underground mines and eliminate the risk of human casualties, patrol robots that can operate autonomously are necessary. This study developed an autonomous patrol robot for underground mines and conducted field experiments at underground mine sites. The driving robot estimated its own location and autonomously operated via encoders, IMUs, and LiDAR sensors; it measured hazards using gas sensors, dust particle sensors, and thermal imaging cameras. The developed autonomous driving robot can perform waypoint-based path planning. It can also automatically return to the starting point after driving along waypoints sequentially. In addition, the robot acquires the dust and gas concentration levels along with thermal images and then combines them with location data to create an environmental map. The results of the field experiment conducted in an underground limestone mine in Korea are as follows. The O2 concentration was maintained at a constant level of 15.7%; toxic gases such as H2S, CO, and LEL were not detected; and thermal imaging data showed that humans could be detected. The maximum dust concentration in the experimental area was measured to be about 0.01 mg/m3, and the dust concentration was highly distributed in the 25–35 m section on the environmental map. This study is expected to improve the safety of work by exploring areas that are dangerous for humans to access using autonomous patrol robots and to improve productivity by automating exploration tasks.
Recent Advances in Smart Mining Technology
Authors: Choi Yosoon
Published: March 2023

Mining is a crucial industry for our modern society, providing valuable resources that fuel our economies and drive technological progress [...]
The Potency of Graphitic Carbon Nitride (gC3N4) and Bismuth Sulphide Nanoparticles (Bi2S3) in the Management of Foliar Fungal Pathogens of Maize
Authors: Akanmu Akinlolu Olalekan , Ajiboye Timothy Oladiran , Seleke Masego , Mhlanga Sabelo D. , Onwudiwe Damian C. , Babalola Olubukola Oluranti
Published: March 2023

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the most significant grain crop in South Africa. Despite its importance, the cereal is ravaged by several foliar fungal pathogens, which reduce maize quality and quantity at harvest. Hence, this study investigates the fungi associated with foliar diseases of maize in Molelwane, North-West Province, South Africa. The fungi were isolated, characterized and subjected to in vitro nanoparticle control. Samples of diseased maize leaves were aseptically collected from two maize-growing farms. Fungi associated with the samples were isolated and characterized using standard procedures. Bi2S3 (metal-containing) and gC3N4 (non-metallic carbon-based) nanoparticles were synthesized and used to challenge the pathogens using standard procedures. Foliar fungal pathogens isolated from the diseased maize leaves in this study were characterized as Bipolaris zeicola, Phoma herbarum, Epicoccum nigrum, Alternaria alternata and Fusarium brachygibbosum. Phoma herbarium > A. alternata > B. zeicola > F. brachygibbosum > E. nigrum was the order of percentage fungal inhibition by the nanoparticles. Bi2S3 was more effective against the pathogens at lower concentrations and gC3N4 at higher concentration levels. The two nanoparticle types evaluated in vitro shows potential for managing the foliar fungal pathogens, and this needs to be further validated in field studies.
Effectiveness of High-Pressure Processing Treatment for Inactivation of Listeria monocytogenes in Cold-Smoked and Warm-Smoked Rainbow Trout
Authors: Riekkinen Kati , Martikainen Kati , Korhonen Jenni
Published: March 2023

High-pressure processing (HPP) is a promising method for preserving food, for example by inactivating pathogens and spoilage microbes. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about the optimal processing parameters for different food products. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of different pressures to inactivate Listeria monocytogenes in cold-smoked and warm-smoked rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ready-to-eat (RTE) fish products. L. monocytogenes ATCC 7644 was inoculated into sliced cold-smoked rainbow trout fillets and whole warm-smoked rainbow trout fillets. The fish samples were pressure-treated at three different pressures, either at 200, 400, or 600 MPa, at 4 ± 1 °C for 3 min in each pressure. Bacterial enumeration of the samples and control samples were analysed 1, 14, and 28 days after the HPP treatment by using serial dilution and the spread plate technique. Based on the study results, the most effective pressure was 600 MPa and the number of L. monocytogenes colonies, both in cold-smoked and in warm-smoked fish samples, was within the official limit of the Regulation (EC) No. 2073/2005 (100 cfu/g) even after 28 days of storage.
Microalgae as a Nutraceutical Tool to Antagonize the Impairment of Redox Status Induced by SNPs: Implications on Insulin Resistance
Authors: Melloni Mattia , Sergi Domenico , Simioni Carolina , Passaro Angelina , Neri Luca Maria
Published: March 2023

Microalgae represent a growing innovative source of nutraceuticals such as carotenoids and phenolic compound which are naturally present within these single-celled organisms or can be induced in response to specific growth conditions. The presence of the unfavourable allelic variant in genes involved in the control of oxidative stress, due to one or more SNPs in gene encoding protein involved in the regulation of redox balance, can lead to pathological conditions such as insulin resistance, which, in turn, is directly involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this review we provide an overview of the main SNPs in antioxidant genes involved in the promotion of insulin resistance with a focus on the potential role of microalgae-derived antioxidant molecules as novel nutritional tools to mitigate oxidative stress and improve insulin sensitivity.
Editorial to the Special Issue “Human Bodywork: Applications in Health, Disease, and Rehabilitation”
Authors: Taiar Redha
Published: March 2023

In this research topic, the question concerning how the human body functions through the musculoskeletal system was addressed [...]
TNFR2 as a Potential Biomarker for Early Detection and Progression of CKD
Authors: Lousa Irina , Reis Flávio , Viana Sofia , Vieira Pedro , Vala Helena , Belo Luís , Santos-Silva Alice
Published: March 2023

The inflammatory pathway driven by TNF-α, through its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2, is a common feature in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), regardless of the initial disease cause. Evidence correlates the chronic inflammatory status with decreased renal function. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of TNF receptors as biomarkers for CKD diagnosis and staging, as well as their association with the progression of renal lesions, in rat models of early and moderate CKD. We analyzed the circulating levels of inflammatory molecules—tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and 2 (TNFR2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1)—and studied their associations with TNFR1 and TNFR2 renal expression, glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions, and with biomarkers of renal (dys)function. An increase in all inflammatory markers was observed in moderate CKD, as compared to controls, but only circulating levels of both TNFR1 and TNFR2 were significantly increased in the early disease; TNFR2 serum levels were negatively correlated with eGFR. However, only TNFR2 renal expression increased with CKD severity and showed correlations with the score of mild and advanced tubular lesions. Our findings suggest that renal TNFR2 plays a role in CKD development, and has potential to be used as a biomarker for the early detection and progression of the disease. Still, the potential value of this biomarker in disease progression warrants further investigation.
Effect of Aggregate on the Performance of Fly-Ash-Based Geopolymer Concrete
Authors: Malkawi Ahmad B.
Published: March 2023

The influence of geopolymer binder characteristics on the performance of geopolymer concrete has been extensively investigated. Yet, the influence of aggregate properties has not been thoroughly studied, and it is usually assumed that their effect is the same as in cement concrete. This study investigates the effect of aggregate on the performance of fly-ash-based geopolymer concrete. A systematic experimental study was undertaken to investigate the effect of aggregate parameters, including volume fractions (AVFs), coarse aggregate to the total aggregate ratio (CAR), maximum coarse aggregate size (MAS), and fineness modulus of fine aggregate (FFM) on the compressive strength, slump, apparent volume of permeable pores (AVPPs), and the air content of geopolymer concrete. Response surface methodology (RSM) using the central composite design approach was utilized to design the experiments and analyze the results statistically. The analysis shows that all of the investigated aggregate parameters have significant first-order effects on the measured properties. No significant interaction between any of the investigated parameters was found. The aggregate may alter the geopolymerization processes, whereby SEM-EDS analysis revealed statistically significant variations in the elemental concentrations of the produced paste as the aggregate parameters changed. Quantitative weights were assigned to the effect of the investigated aggregate parameters on the measured properties. Multi-objective optimization was carried out to obtain the best combinations of the investigated parameters. Additionally, the developed contour graphs may provide an effective tool that can be used as a guide in establishing the first trial mixtures. A wide range of consistencies (10–210 mm slump) and compressive strengths (15–55 MPa) can be obtained by controlling the aggregate grading and proportions.
The Nature of Plasma Spraying
Authors: Heimann Robert B.
Published: March 2023

By its nature, plasma spraying is a rapid solidification process in which finely powdered material injected into a plasma jet is almost instantly melted and propelled with high velocity, created by a strong magnetohydrodynamic force against a suitable surface [...]
Temperature Dependent Crystal Structure of Nd2CuTiO6: An In Situ Low Temperature Powder Neutron Diffraction Study
Authors: Kumar N. , Kaushik S. D. , Rao K. Sandeep , Babu P. D. , Deshpande S. K. , Achary S. N. , Errandonea Daniel
Published: March 2023

Herein we reported the crystal structure and crystal chemistry of orthorhombic perovskite type Nd2CuTiO6 in between 2 K and 290 K as observed from the in situ temperature-dependent powder neutron diffraction (PND) studies. It is observed that the cations in octahedral sites are statistically occupied, and the ambient temperature orthorhombic structure is retained throughout the temperature range of the study. Absence of any long-range magnetic ordering down to 2 K is confirmed by both low-temperature PND and magnetization studies. The lattice shows strong anisotropic thermal expansion with increasing temperature, viz. almost no or feeble negative expansion along the a-axis while appreciably larger expansion along the other two axes (αb = 10.6 × 10−6 K−1 and αc = 9.8 × 10−6 K−1). A systematic change in the rotation of octahedral units with temperature was observed in the studied temperature range, while the expansion of unit cells is predominantly associated with the polyhedral units around the Nd3Ions. The temperature-dependent relative change in unit cell parameters as well as coefficients of axial thermal expansion show anomalous behavior at lower temperatures, and that seems to be related to the electronic contributions to lattice expansion.
Impact of Suspected Preterm Labor during Pregnancy on Cardiometabolic Profile and Neurodevelopment during Childhood: A Prospective Cohort Study Protocol
Authors: González Jesús , Vilella Marina , Ruiz Sonia , Iglesia Iris , Clavero-Adell Marcos , Ayerza-Casas Ariadna , Matute-Llorente Angel , Oros Daniel , Casajús Jose Antonio , Pueyo Victoria , Rodriguez Gerardo , Paules Cristina
Published: March 2023

Introduction: Suspected preterm labor (SPL), defined as the presence of regular and painful uterine contractions and cervical shortening, represents a prenatal insult with potential long-term consequences. However, despite recent evidence demonstrating suboptimal neurodevelopment at 2 years in this population, it remains underestimated as a significant risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders or other chronic diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of suspected preterm labor during pregnancy on cardiometabolic profile and neurodevelopment during childhood (6–8 years). Methods and analysis: Prospective cohort study including children whose mothers suffered suspected preterm labour during pregnancy and paired controls. Neurodevelopmental, cardiovascular, and metabolic assessments will be performed at 6–8 years of age. A trained psychologist will carry out the neurodevelopment assessment including intelligence, visual perception, and behavioral assessment. Body composition and physical fitness assessment will be performed by one trained pediatrician and nurse. Finally, cardiovascular evaluation, including echocardiography and blood pressure, will be performed by two pediatric cardiologists. Data regarding perinatal and postnatal characteristics, diet, lifestyle, and weekly screen time of the child will be obtained from medical history and direct interviews with families. Primary outcome measures will include body mass index and adiposity, percentage of fat mass and total and regional lean mass, bone mineral content and density, cardiorespiratory resistance, isometric muscle strength, dynamic lower body strength, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, left ventricle (LV) systolic and diastolic function, general intelligence index, visuospatial working memory span, oculomotor control test, index of emotional, and behavioral problems.
Upraising Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in Critically Ill Patients: A New Enemy?
Authors: Dimopoulos George , Garnacho-Montero José , Paramythiotou Elisabeth , Gutierrez-Pizarraya Antonio , Gogos Charalambos , Adriansen-Pérez Maria , Diakaki Chrysa , Matthaiou Dimitrios K. , Poulakou Garyphalia , Akinosoglou Karolina
Published: March 2023

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (S. maltophilia), an important pathogen in immuno-compromised patients, has recently gained attention in patients admitted in intensive care units (ICU). We sought to investigate clinical features of infections caused by S. maltophilia in ICU patients and identify risk factors for mortality. We conducted a retrospective study in two multivalent non-COVID-19 ICUs of tertiary-teaching hospitals in Greece and Spain, including patients with isolated S. maltophilia from at least one clinical specimen along with clinical signs of infection. A total of 103 patients (66% male) were analyzed. Median age was 65.5 (54–73.3) years and mean APACHE II and SOFA scores upon ICU admission were 18.36 (±7.22) and 18.17 (±6.95), respectively. Pneumonia was the predominant clinical syndrome (72.8%), while 22% of cases were among hemato/oncology patients. Crude 28-day mortality rate was 54.8%, even though, 14-day clinical and microbiological response was 96%. Age, APACHE II on ICU admission, hemato-oncologic disease, and multi-organ failure were initially identified as potential predictors of mortality. In the multivariable analysis, only increasing age and hemato-oncologic disease were shown to be independent risk factors for 28-day mortality. High all-cause mortality was observed in critically ill patients with predominantly respiratory infections by S. maltophilia, despite initial clinical and laboratory response after targeted treatment. The study elucidates a potentially worrisome emerging pathogen in the ICU.
Evaluation of the Performance Characteristics of a New POC Multiplex PCR Assay for the Diagnosis of Viral and Bacterial Neuromeningeal Infections
Authors: Le Bars Hervé , Madany Neil , Lamoureux Claudie , Beauruelle Clémence , Vallet Sophie , Payan Christopher , Pilorgé Léa
Published: March 2023

Point-of-care syndromic PCR (POC SPCR) assays are useful tools for the rapid detection of the most common causative agents of community-acquired infections responsible for meningitis and encephalitis infections. We evaluated the performance characteristics of the new QIAstat-Dx® Meningitis/Encephalitis panel (QS) compared to the laboratory reference methods and the POC SPCR Biofire® FilmArray® Meningitis Encephalitis Panel (FA). Viral (Enterovirus, Parechovirus, HSV-1, HSV-2, HHV-6, VZV) and bacterial (E. coli K1, H. influenzae, L. monocytogenes, encapsulated N. meningitidis, M. pneumoniae, S. agalactiae, S. pneumoniae, S. pyogenes) pathogens were suspended at low concentrations and tested with the POC SPCR systems. The reproducibility, analytical specificity, carryover contamination, interferences and clinical samples were evaluated. All samples tested positive with both QS and FA except for those containing the lowest concentrations of Enterovirus-D68-B3, Echovirus-30 and S. agalactiae which were only detected by FA. In terms of analytical specificity, we observed 3 false positive results out of 48 QS tests versus 1 out of 37 FA tests. For the other studied criteria, both QS and FA performed as expected. Our results suggest that the performance characteristics of QS are close to those of FA. A prospective multicenter study would be useful to complete the performances evaluation of QS.
Noise Reduction Using Singular Value Decomposition with Jensen–Shannon Divergence for Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography
Authors: Kasai Ryosuke , Otsuka Hideki
Published: March 2023

Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is widely used due to its improvements in computed tomography (CT) diagnostic performance. Unlike other CT examinations, CCTA requires shorter rotation times of the X-ray tube, improving the temporal resolution and facilitating the imaging of the beating heart in a stationary state. However, reconstructed CT images, including those of the coronary arteries, contain insufficient X-ray photons and considerable noise. In this study, we introduce an image-processing technique for noise reduction using singular value decomposition (SVD) for CCTA images. The threshold of SVD was determined on the basis of minimization of Jensen–Shannon (JS) divergence. Experiments were performed with various numerical phantoms and varying levels of noise to reduce noise in clinical CCTA images using the determined threshold value. The numerical phantoms produced 10% higher-quality images than the conventional noise reduction method when compared on a quantitative SSIM basis. The threshold value determined by minimizing the JS–divergence was found to be useful for efficient noise reduction in actual clinical images, depending on the level of noise.
Outcomes of Double Balloon-Enteroscopy in Elderly vs. Adult Patients: A Retrospective 16-Year Single-Centre Study
Authors: Trebbi Margherita , Casadei Cesare , Dari Silvia , Buzzi Andrea , Brancaccio Mario , Feletti Valentina , Mussetto Alessandro
Published: March 2023

Background and Aim: Double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) is a well-established procedure for direct visualisation of the entire small bowel mucosa, and, in contrast with other imaging techniques, allows to perform biopsies and therapeutic interventions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the indications, diagnostic yield, therapeutic yield, and complications of DBE in a cohort of consecutive patients according to patients’ age. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of consecutive patients who underwent DBE in our endoscopy unit between January 2006 and December 2021. Results: A total of 387 consecutive patients who underwent 460 DBE procedures were included. Mean age of the patients was 63 years. The overall diagnostic yield was 67.6%; vascular lesions were the predominant endoscopic findings (31.5%), followed by polyps or neoplastic masses (17.6%). Older patients (≥65 years) showed statistically higher rates of clinically relevant findings than adult patients (18–65 years) (p = 0.001). Crohn’s disease and polyps or neoplastic masses were more frequent in the younger group (p = 0.009 and p = 0.066, respectively), while vascular lesions and non-specific inflammation were the most common findings in the older group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). The therapeutic intervention rate was 31.7%. Rates of endoscopic treatment were significantly higher in the older group (p < 0.001). Total complications occurred in five procedures (1.1%). Conclusion: In clinical practice, DBE is an efficient diagnostic and therapeutic tool with a high safety profile, particularly in the elderly population.
Evaluation of the Corneal Endothelium Following Cataract Surgery in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients
Authors: Ciorba Adela-Laura , Roiu George , Abdelhamid Amir Mohamed , Saber Sameh , Cavalu Simona
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of phacoemulsification cataract surgery on the state of the corneal endothelium in diabetic versus non-diabetic patients. We compared the corneal cell morphology in 48 diabetics with good glycemic control and 72 non-diabetic patients before and after uneventful phacoemulsification. Corneal cell density, central corneal thickness, and hexagonality were measured preoperatively and post-surgery (at 1 and 4 weeks) by specular microscopy. The effect of age, gender, axial length, and anterior chamber depth on the parameters of the corneal endothelium were evaluated. We noticed a drop in the endothelial density in both groups postoperatively: a mean endothelial cell loss of 472.7 ± 369.1 in the diabetic group was recorded versus 165.7 ± 214.6 mean loss in the non-diabetic group after the first week. A significant increase in central corneal thickness was also noticed in both groups one week after phacoemulsification, but no statistical significance after 4 weeks in the diabetic group. In terms of cell hexagonality, statistically significant differences were noticed after 4 weeks in both groups. Overall, a significant difference between diabetic and non-diabetic population was noticed in terms of corneal endothelial cell loss after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Routine specular microscopy and HbA1c evaluation is recommended before cataract surgery, while intraoperative precautions and high monitorisation in terms of pacho power intensity and ultrasound energy, along with a proper application of the dispersive viscoelastic substances are essential to reduce the risk of endothelial damage.
Adolescents’ Participation in School Physical Activity before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Educational Priority
Authors: Frömel Karel , Groffik Dorota , Mitáš Josef
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to identify the structure of weekly physical activity (PA) of adolescents with varying degrees of participation in school PA and motivation for PA before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. PA was assessed using the IPAQ-long form and motivation by using the MPAM-R questionnaire. Participants (N = 1257) were divided into groups involved and not involved in school PA. During the pandemic, the greatest decrease was observed in vigorous and moderate PA in boys (H = 98.52, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.179) and girls (H = 56.86, p < 0.001, η2 = 0.075) involved in school PA and in boys involved and not involved in school PA and in transportation PA. Physical education (PE) teachers should focus on promoting vigorous PA and home PA for boys and girls in the post-pandemic period. Student participation in school PA and an increase in overall PA should be supported through distance PE, which should be a mandatory part of PE programs and comprehensive school PA programs.
Reliability and Validity of the Four Station Fundamental Motor Test (4-SFMT) for Assessing Motor Skills in Preschool Children—A Pilot Study
Authors: Pavletić Leutar Petra , Krstulović Saša , De Giorgio Andrea , Kuvačić Goran
Published: March 2023

The main aim of this study was to create a new test to assess the motor skills of children of preschool and early school age and to determine its reliability and validity. Thirty children (5–6 years old) were tested on two occasions 14 days apart. The testing procedures included measuring the participants’ performance on the Four Station Fundamental Motor Test (4-SFMT). The newly constructed 4-SFMT tested four fundamental skills/tasks: space covering (ROLL), overcoming resistance (PULL), object control (BALL), and overcoming obstacles (CLIMB). The performance was evaluated with a 22-point scale with different criteria for each skill, and the time taken to perform the test was measured. The concurrent validity was assessed by determining the correlation with a Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2). The level of agreement across trials was statistically significant for all three raters, with two variables presenting excellent reliability (ICC > 0.9) and two variables having good reliability (ICC > 0.75 and <0.9). No significant differences were found between the test and retest scores, indicating the test’s high reliability. A factor analysis isolated only one motor factor (accounting for 43.99% of the variance with the eigenvalue of 1.768) from the four tasks. There was a large correlation (r = −0.576, p < 0.01) between the process- and product-oriented assessments of the 4-SFMT. Moreover, significant correlations were found between the 4-SFMT and TGMD-2 regarding the scores (r = 0.824, p < 0.001) and time taken to perform the tasks (r = −0.652, p < 0.001), which indicates the good concurrent validity of the newly constructed test. Small to moderate correlations between tasks (0.016 to 0.497) and no differences between boys and girls in the total score (p = 0.943) and time taken to complete the tasks (p = 0.49) were determined. The 4-SFMT appears to be a valid and reliable tool that can be used to evaluate motor skills performance in children between the ages of 5 and 6 and is reasonably simple to use.
Knowledge-Based Visual Question Answering Using Multi-Modal Semantic Graph
Authors: Jiang Lei , Meng Zuqiang
Published: March 2023

The field of visual question answering (VQA) has seen a growing trend of integrating external knowledge sources to improve performance. However, owing to the potential incompleteness of external knowledge sources and the inherent mismatch between different forms of data, current knowledge-based visual question answering (KBVQA) techniques are still confronted with the challenge of effectively integrating and utilizing multiple heterogeneous data. To address this issue, a novel approach centered on a multi-modal semantic graph (MSG) is proposed. The MSG serves as a mechanism for effectively unifying the representation of heterogeneous data and diverse types of knowledge. Additionally, a multi-modal semantic graph knowledge reasoning model (MSG-KRM) is introduced to perform reasoning and deep fusion of image–text information and external knowledge sources. The development of the semantic graph involves extracting keywords from the image object detection information, question text, and external knowledge texts, which are then represented as symbol nodes. Three types of semantic graphs are then constructed based on the knowledge graph, including vision, question, and the external knowledge text, with non-symbol nodes added to connect these three independent graphs and marked with respective node and edge types. During the inference stage, the multi-modal semantic graph and image–text information are embedded into the feature semantic graph through three embedding methods, and a type-aware graph attention module is employed for deep reasoning. The final answer prediction is a blend of the output from the pre-trained model, graph pooling results, and the characteristics of non-symbolic nodes. The experimental results on the OK-VQA dataset show that the MSG-KRM model is superior to existing methods in terms of overall accuracy score, achieving a score of 43.58, and with improved accuracy for most subclass questions, proving the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A New Time-Series Fluctuation Study Method Applied to Flow and Pressure Data in a Heating Network
Authors: Zhao Shuai , Cao Huizhe , Zhu Jiguang , Chen Jinxiang , Chang Chein-Chi
Published: March 2023

The key to achieving smart heating is the rational use of large amounts of data from the heating network. However, many current relevant studies based on generalized mathematical methods are unable to accurately describe the physical relationships between pipe network variables. In order to solve this problem, this paper proposes a new time-series fluctuation research method, which can be applied to the measured data of the hot water heating pipe network. This method is a new approach to identifying step data. Then, we propose the concept of time-series disturbance to quantify the degree of data anomaly. Finally, the results of a case study demonstrate the transfer process of a significant disturbance in the pipe network from the supply end to the return end. The time-series fluctuation method in this paper precisely describes two physical relationships between heating system variables and provides a feasible and convenient new research idea for self-perception and self-analysis of smart heating.
Comparative Production of Bio-Oil from In Situ Catalytic Upgrading of Fast Pyrolysis of Lignocellulosic Biomass
Authors: Abdulkhani Ali , Zadeh Zahra Echresh , Bawa Solomon Gajere , Sun Fubao , Madadi Meysam , Zhang Xueming , Saha Basudeb
Published: March 2023

Catalytic upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oil from two different types of lignocellulosic biomass was conducted using an H-ZSM-5 catalyst at different temperatures. A fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor has been used to perform in situ catalytic pyrolysis experiments at temperatures of 673, 773, and 873 K, where the catalyst (H-ZSM-5) has been mixed with wood chips or lignin, and the pyrolysis and upgrading processes have been performed simultaneously. The fractionation method has been employed to determine the chemical composition of bio-oil samples after catalytic pyrolysis experiments by gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy (GCMS). Other characterization techniques, e.g., water content, viscosity, elemental analysis, pH, and bomb calorimetry have been used, and the obtained results have been compared with the non-catalytic pyrolysis method. The highest bio-oil yield has been reported for bio-oil obtained from softwood at 873 K for both non-catalytic and catalytic bio-oil samples. The results indicate that the main effect of H-ZSM-5 has been observed on the amount of water and oxygen for all bio-oil samples at three different temperatures, where a significant reduction has been achieved compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples. In addition, a significant viscosity reduction has been reported compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples, and less viscous bio-oil samples have been produced by catalytic pyrolysis. Furthermore, the obtained results show that the heating values have been increased for upgraded bio-oil samples compared to non-catalytic bio-oil samples. The GCMS analysis of the catalytic bio-oil samples (H-ZSM-5) indicates that toluene and methanol have shown very similar behavior in extracting bio-oil samples in contrast to non-catalytic experiments. However, methanol performed better for extracting chemicals at a higher temperature.
Prospect Evaluation of the Cretaceous Yageliemu Clastic Reservoir Based on Geophysical Log Data: A Case Study from the Yakela Gas Condensate Field, Tarim Basin, China
Authors: Hussain Wakeel , Ehsan Muhsan , Pan Lin , Wang Xiao , Ali Muhammad , Din Shahab Ud , Hussain Hadi , Jawad Ali , Chen Shuyang , Liang Honggang , Liang Lixia
Published: March 2023

This paper evaluated the oil and gas potential of the Cretaceous Yageliemu clastic reservoir within the Yakela condensed gas field lying in the Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, China. The petrophysical properties of the interest zones in the Kuqa area were characterized using geophysical logs from five wells. The results reveal that the gas-bearing zones are characterized by high resistivity, good permeability (K) and effective porosity (Φeff), low water saturation (Sw), and low shale concentration (Vsh), reflecting clean sand. The shale distribution model showed that these shales have no major influence on porosity and fluid saturation. The average shale volume, average effective porosity, and hydrocarbon saturation indicate that the Cretaceous Yageliemu Formation in the studied area contains prospective reservoir properties. The spatial distribution of petrophysical parameters, reservoir rock typing (RRT), and lithofacies were analyzed using the cross plots of litho saturation (volumetric analysis), iso-parametric representations of the petrophysical characteristics, cluster analysis, and self-organizing feature maps, respectively. The southeastern and northeastern regions of the research area should be ignored because of their high water and shale concentrations. The sediments in the southwest and northwest include the most potential reservoir intervals that should be considered for the future exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the study area.
From Secondary Biomass to Bio-Methanol through CONVERGE Technology: An Environmental Analysis
Authors: Galusnyak Stefan Cristian , Petrescu Letitia , Chisalita Dora Andreea , Cormos Calin-Cristian , Ugolini Marco
Published: March 2023

Owing to residual biomass availability, the share of advanced biofuels produced from secondary biomass is forecasted to increase and significantly contribute towards achieving net-zero emissions. The current work investigates bio-methanol production through a new process configuration designed to improve the environmental performance when compared to the state-of-the art technologies (Base Case). The environmental evaluation is conducted according to the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. ReCiPe was employed as an impact assessment method with the aid of GaBi software. Depending on the plant geographical location, wooden biomass and exhausted olive pomace were evaluated as biomass sources. A scenario analysis targeting different energy sources was performed as well. The outcome of the environmental evaluation highlights a better performance in eight of a total of nine impact categories studied in the wooden biomass scenarios compared to the exhausted olive pomace. Moreover, two of the CONVERGE technology cases were compared against the Base Case. As the results show, CONVERGE technology registers a lower score in at least six of the impact categories studied. Concerning the total CO2 emissions, CONVERGE exhibits a better performance compared to the Base Case, if the additional amount of CO2 is either stored, sold as a by-product or vented into the atmosphere.
Ultra-Short-Term Prediction Method of Wind Power for Massive Wind Power Clusters Based on Feature Mining of Spatiotemporal Correlation
Authors: Wang Bo , Wang Tiancheng , Yang Mao , Han Chao , Huang Dawei , Gu Dake
Published: March 2023

With the centralization of wind power development, power-prediction technology based on wind power clusters has become an important means to reduce the volatility of wind power, so a large-scale power-prediction method of wind power clusters is proposed considering the prediction stability. Firstly, the fluctuating features of wind farms are constructed by acquiring statistical features to further build a divided model of wind power clusters using fuzzy clustering algorithm. Then the spatiotemporal features of the data of wind power are obtained using a spatiotemporal attention network to train the prediction model of wind power clusters in a large scale. Finally, the stability of predictive performance of wind power is analyzed using the comprehensive index evaluation system. The results show that the RMSE of wind power prediction is lower than 0.079 at large-scale wind farms based on the prediction method of wind power proposed in this paper using experience based on the data of 159 wind farms in the Nei Monggol Autonomous Region in China and the extreme error is better than 25% for the total capacity of wind farms, which indicates high stability and accuracy.
Investigating the Spatial Spillover Effect of Transportation Infrastructure on Green Total Factor Productivity
Authors: Wang Jian , Yang Xuying , Kumari Sonia
Published: March 2023

Green development and the high-quality economic growth model have replaced the extensive growth model in an effort to reduce the large amounts of energy consumption and pollution emissions. Green total factor productivity has become an important indicator to more accurately measure the quality of economic growth. Transportation infrastructure is a fundamental component that may effectively integrate regional resources, increase regional cooperation, and encourage the sensible use of resources, and is a key factor in increasing productivity. At present, transportation infrastructure should focus on the speed of construction and the quality level, expand the radiation range of the transportation system, improve the service level of transportation facilities, and promote the spatial coordination between transportation facilities and resources and the environment in each province. Therefore, it is of great significance to study the spatial effect of the transport infrastructure on green total factor productivity in order to understand the role of transport infrastructure and its impact on the quality of economic growth. In this study, the slacks-based measure (SBM) model and the global Malmquist–Luenberger (GML) index were used to calculate the green total factor productivity of 30 provinces in China, while the spatial effect of the transportation infrastructure on green total factor productivity was investigated based on the spatial Durbin model. At the national level, road density, railway density, and road service level show positive spillover effects. The railway service level inhibits the growth of green total factor productivity, and there is obvious regional heterogeneity in transport infrastructure construction in eastern, central, and western regions. Therefore, in the process of transportation infrastructure construction, we should not only pay attention to the scale of expansion but also pursue the quality of service. At the same time, measures such as the flow of talent and the introduction of foreign capital within the region should be constantly coordinated to promote the improvement of green total factor productivity and achieve a win–win situation between economic growth and environmental protection.
Pitx1 Enhancer Variants in Spined and Spine-Reduced Subarctic European Sticklebacks
Authors: Adhikari Dhurba , Hanssen Ida K. , Johansen Steinar D. , Moum Truls B. , Nordeide Jarle T.
Published: March 2023

Loss of body armour, sometimes including a reduction in or loss of pelvic spines, is an adaptation observed in many isolated freshwater populations. Pelvic reduction in sticklebacks has previously been associated with recurrent, but variant, deletions within pelvic enhancer regions PelA and PelB, which regulate expression of the homeodomain transcription factor gene Pitx1. We investigated variation in nucleotide sequences of pelvic enhancers in sticklebacks collected from two small freshwater lakes in the same watercourse and a nearby marine site in subarctic Norway. Spineless, as well as asymmetrically spined and completely spined sticklebacks are present in the upper lake, while only specimens with complete spines are found at the other lake and the marine site. Observed variation at PelA between the three sites was mainly due to variable numbers of repeats at three fragile TG-repeat loci. The length of PelA, mainly at one of the TG-repeat loci, was consistently shorter among individuals in the upper lake compared with specimens from the two other sites. However, no obvious association was revealed between enhancer variants and pelvic status. No polymorphism was found at PelB. Thus, additional genetic factors and/or environmental cues need to be identified to fully explain the occurrence of pelvic reduction in sticklebacks in this lake.
Adaptive Stimulations in a Biophysical Network Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Stojsavljevic Thomas , Guo Yixin , Macaluso Dominick
Published: March 2023

Deep brain stimulation (DBS)—through a surgically implanted electrode to the subthalamic nucleus (STN)—has become a widely used therapeutic option for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders. The standard conventional high-frequency stimulation (HF) that is currently used has several drawbacks. To overcome the limitations of HF, researchers have been developing closed-loop and demand-controlled, adaptive stimulation protocols wherein the amount of current that is delivered is turned on and off in real-time in accordance with a biophysical signal. Computational modeling of DBS in neural network models is an increasingly important tool in the development of new protocols that aid researchers in animal and clinical studies. In this computational study, we seek to implement a novel technique of DBS where we stimulate the STN in an adaptive fashion using the interspike time of the neurons to control stimulation. Our results show that our protocol eliminates bursts in the synchronized bursting neuronal activity of the STN, which is hypothesized to cause the failure of thalamocortical neurons (TC) to respond properly to excitatory cortical inputs. Further, we are able to significantly decrease the TC relay errors, representing potential therapeutics for Parkinson’s disease.
Microstructural and Mechanical Characterization of Al Nanocomposites Using GCNs as a Reinforcement Fabricated by Induction Sintering
Authors: Orozco Verónica Gallegos , Beltrán Audel Santos , Beltrán Miriam Santos , Prieto Hansel Medrano , Orozco Carmen Gallegos , Guel Ivanovich Estrada , Sánchez Roberto Martínez , Duarte José Manuel Mendoza
Published: March 2023

High-energy ball milling is a process suitable for producing composite powders whose achieved microstructure can be controlled by the processing parameters. Through this technique, it is possible to obtain a homogeneous distribution of reinforced material into a ductile metal matrix. In this work, some Al/CGNs nanocomposites were fabricated through a high-energy ball mill to disperse nanostructured graphite reinforcements produced in situ in the Al matrix. To retain the dispersed CGNs in the Al matrix, avoiding the precipitation of the Al4C3 phase during sintering, the high-frequency induction sintering (HFIS) method was used, which allows rapid heating rates. For comparative purposes, samples in the green and sintered state processed in a conventional electric furnace (CFS) were used. Microhardness testing was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the reinforcement in samples under different processing conditions. Structural analyses were carried out through an X-ray diffractometer coupled with a convolutional multiple whole profile (CMWP) fitting program to determine the crystallite size and dislocation density; both strengthening contributions were calculated using the Langford–Cohen and Taylor equations. According to the results, the CGNs dispersed in the Al matrix played an important role in the reinforcement of the Al matrix, promoting the increase in the dislocation density during the milling process. The strengthening contribution of the dislocation density was ~50% of the total hardening value, while the contribution by dispersion of CGNs was ~22% in samples with 3 wt. % C and sintered by the HFIS method. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the morphology, size, and distribution of phases present in the Al matrix. From the analyses carried out in AFM (topography and phase images), the CGNs are located mainly around crystallites and present height profiles of 1.6 to 2 nm.
The Influence of Single Whole-Body Cryostimulation on Cytokine Status and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers during Exhaustive Physical Effort: A Crossover Study
Authors: Jurecka Alicja , Woźniak Alina , Mila-Kierzenkowska Celestyna , Augustyńska Beata , Oleksy Łukasz , Stolarczyk Artur , Gądek Artur
Published: March 2023

The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of single whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) preceding submaximal exercise on oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in professional, male athletes. The subjects (n = 32, age 25.2 ± 37) were exposed to low temperatures (−130 °C) in a cryochamber and then participated in 40 min of exercise (85% HRmax). Two weeks afterwards, the control exercise (without WBC) was performed. Blood samples were taken before the start of the study, immediately after the WBC procedure, after exercise preceded by WBC (WBC exercise) and after exercise without WBC. It has been shown that catalase activity after WBC exercise is lower in comparison with activity after control exercise. The interleukin 1β (IL-1-1β) level was higher after control exercise than after WBC exercise, after the WBC procedure and before the start of the study (p < 0.01). The WBC procedure interleukin 6 (IL-6) level was compared with the baseline level (p < 0.01). The level of Il-6 was higher both after WBC exercise and after control exercise compared with the level recorded after the WBC procedure (p < 0.05). Several significant correlations between the studied parameters were shown. In conclusion, the changes in the cytokine concentration in the athletes’ blood confirm that body exposition to extremely low temperatures before exercise could regulate the inflammatory reaction course and secretion of cytokines during exercise. A single session of WBC in the case of well-trained, male athletes does not significantly affect the level of oxidative stress indicators.