bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
2,5-Bis((E)-2-ferrocenylvinyl)-N,N,N′,N′-tetrapropylbenzene-1,4-diamine
Authors: Jochem Matthias , Proz Igor , Schollmeyer Dieter , Detert Heiner
Published: August 2022

The synthesis and spectroscopic investigation of an acidochromic phenylenevinylene dye with two ferrocene groups is presented.
Formation of Nanochannels Using Polypropylene and Acetylcellulose for Stable Separators
Authors: Lee Hye Ji , Cho Younghyun , Kang Sang Wook
Published: August 2022

In this study, a polymer separator with enhanced thermal stability is prepared to solve the problem of thermal durability of lithium-ion battery separators. This separator is manufactured by coating a solution of acetyl cellulose and glycerin on polypropylene. The added glycerin reacts with the acetyl cellulose chains, helping the chains become flexible, and promotes the formation of many pores in the acetyl cellulose. To improve the thermal stability of the separator, a mixed solution of acetyl cellulose and glycerin was coated twice on the PP membrane film. Water pressure is applied using a water treatment equipment to partially connect the pores of a small size in each layer and for the interaction between the PP and acetyl cellulose. SEM is used to observe the shape, size, and quantity of pores. TGA and FT-IR are used to observe the interactions. Average water flux data of the separators is 1.42 LMH and the decomposition temperature increases by about 60 °C compared to the neat acetyl cellulose. It is confirmed that there is an interaction with PP between the functional groups of acetyl cellulose.
Probiotic Ameliorating Effects of Altered GABA/Glutamate Signaling in a Rodent Model of Autism
Authors: Bin-Khattaf Rawan M. , Alonazi Mona A. , Al-Dbass Abeer M. , Almnaizel Ahmad T. , Aloudah Hisham S. , Soliman Dina A. , El-Ansary Afaf K.
Published: August 2022

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) comprise a heterogeneous group of pathological conditions, mainly of genetic origin, characterized by stereotyped behavior, such as marked impairment in verbal and nonverbal communication, social skills, and cognition. Excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) imbalances have been recorded as an etiological mechanism of ASD. Furthermore, GABA, the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in adult life, is known to be much lower in both patients and rodent models of ASD. We propose correcting GABA signaling as a therapeutic strategy for ASD. In this study, 40 young male western Albino rats, 3–4 weeks in age, weighing about 60–70 g, were used. The animals were randomly assigned into six experimental groups, each including eight rats. Group I served as the control group and was orally administered phosphate-buffered saline. Groups II and III served as rodent models of ASD and were orally administered a neurotoxic dose of propionic acid (PPA). The rats in the three therapeutic groups (IV, V, and IV) received the same doses of PPA, followed by 0.2 g/kg body weight of pure Bifidobacterium infantis, a probiotic mixture of ProtexinR, and pure Lactobacillus bulgaricus, respectively, for 3 weeks. Selected variables related to oxidative stress, glutamate excitotoxicity, and gut bacteria were measured in the six groups. Both pure and mixed Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were effective in ameliorating glutamate excitotoxicity as an autistic feature developed in the PPA-induced rodent model. Their therapeutic effects mostly involved the correction of oxidative stress, restoration of depleted GABA, and up-regulation of GABA receptor gene expression. Pure Bifidobacterium was the most effective, followed by the mixture of probiotics and finally lactobacillus. In conclusion, Bifidobacteria and lactobacilli can be used independently or in combination as psychobiotics to ameliorate oxidative stress and glutamate excitotoxicity as two confirmed etiological mechanisms through the gut–brain axis.
A Review of Symmetric Silicon MEMS Gyroscope Mode-Matching Technologies
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhang Chen , Chen Jing , Li Ang
Published: August 2022

The symmetric MEMS gyroscope is a typical representative of inertial navigation sensors in recent years. It is different from the traditional mechanical rotor gyroscope in that it structurally discards the high-speed rotor and other moving parts to extend the service life and significantly improve accuracy. The highest accuracy is achieved when the ideal mode-matching state is realized. Due to the processing limitation, this index cannot be achieved, and we can only explore ways to approach this index continuously. This paper’s results of error suppression for the symmetric MEMS gyroscope are initially classified into three categories. The first category mainly introduces the processing structure and working mode of the symmetrical gyroscope. The second is mechanical tuning from the structure and the third is electrostatic tuning from the peripheral control circuit. Based on the listed results, the paper compares the two tuning modes and analyzes their advantages and disadvantages. The fourth category is the tuning means incorporating the emerging algorithm. On this basis, the elements of improvement for future high-precision symmetric MEMS gyroscopes are envisioned to provide a part of the theoretical reference for the future development direction of sensors in inertial navigation.
Carbon-Related Materials: Graphene and Carbon Nanotubes in Semiconductor Applications and Design
Authors: Kolahdouz Mohammadreza , Xu Buqing , Nasiri Aryanaz Faghih , Fathollahzadeh Maryam , Manian Mahmoud , Aghababa Hossein , Wu Yuanyuan , Radamson Henry H.
Published: August 2022

As the scaling technology in the silicon-based semiconductor industry is approaching physical limits, it is necessary to search for proper materials to be utilized as alternatives for nanoscale devices and technologies. On the other hand, carbon-related nanomaterials have attracted so much attention from a vast variety of research and industry groups due to the outstanding electrical, optical, mechanical and thermal characteristics. Such materials have been used in a variety of devices in microelectronics. In particular, graphene and carbon nanotubes are extraordinarily favorable substances in the literature. Hence, investigation of carbon-related nanomaterials and nanostructures in different ranges of applications in science, technology and engineering is mandatory. This paper reviews the basics, advantages, drawbacks and investigates the recent progress and advances of such materials in micro and nanoelectronics, optoelectronics and biotechnology.
HPLC Analysis and the Antioxidant and Preventive Actions of Opuntia stricta Juice Extract against Hepato-Nephrotoxicity and Testicular Injury Induced by Cadmium Exposure
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Athmouni Khaled
Published: August 2022

Opuntia stricta is a rich source of phenolic compounds. This species generally has strong antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to analyze the antioxidant properties of phenolic compounds isolated from Opuntia stricta, including its radical scavenging activities and preventive action against Cd-induced oxidative stress in rats. To assess the protection of prickly pear juice extract (PPJE) against Cd-induced hepato-nephrotoxicity and testicular damage, male albino rats received PPJE (250 mg kg−1) and/or Cd (1 mg kg−1) by oral administration and injection, respectively, for five consecutive weeks. The preventive action of PPJE was estimated using biochemical markers of kidney and liver tissues, antioxidant status, and histological examinations. In the present study, the lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyls, antioxidant status, and metallothionein levels were determined in different tissues. The chromatographic analysis indicated that PPJE extract is very rich in phenolic compounds such as verbascoside, catechin hydrate, and oleuropein. Our results showed that PPJE-treated rats had significantly (p < 0.05) decreased Cd levels in liver and kidney tissues. In addition, the administration of PPJE induced a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in lipid peroxidation of 30.5, 54.54, and 40.8 in the liver, kidney, and testicle, respectively, and an increase in antioxidant status in these tissues. Additionally, PPJE showed a strong ability to protect renal, hepatic, and testicular architectures against Cd exposure. This study revealed that PPJE protects against the toxic effects of Cd, possibly through its free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.
Long Non-Coding RNAs: The New Frontier into Understanding the Etiology of Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Denham Allie N. , Drake John , Gavrilov Matthew , Taylor Zachary N. , Bacanu Silviu-Alin , Vladimirov Vladimir I.
Published: August 2022

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex, chronic, debilitating condition impacting millions worldwide. Genetic, environmental, and epigenetic factors are known to contribute to the development of AUD. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of regulatory RNAs, commonly referred to as the “dark matter” of the genome, with little to no protein-coding potential. LncRNAs have been implicated in numerous processes critical for cell survival, suggesting that they play important functional roles in regulating different cell processes. LncRNAs were also shown to display higher tissue specificity than protein-coding genes and have a higher abundance in the brain and central nervous system, demonstrating a possible role in the etiology of psychiatric disorders. Indeed, genetic (e.g., genome-wide association studies (GWAS)), molecular (e.g., expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL)) and epigenetic studies from postmortem brain tissues have identified a growing list of lncRNAs associated with neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders. Given that the expression patterns of lncRNAs have been associated with widespread changes in the transcriptome, including methylation, chromatin architecture, and activation or suppression of translational activity, the regulatory nature of lncRNAs may be ubiquitous and an innate component of gene regulation. In this review, we present a synopsis of the functional impact that lncRNAs may play in the etiology of AUD. We also discuss the classifications of lncRNAs, their known functional roles, and therapeutic advancements in the field of lncRNAs to further clarify the functional relationship between lncRNAs and AUD.
Relative Validity of Food Intake in Each Meal Type and Overall Food Intake Derived Using the Meal-Based Diet History Questionnaire against the 4-Day Weighed Dietary Record in Japanese Adults
Authors: Murakami Kentaro , Shinozaki Nana , Kimoto Nana , Masayasu Shizuko , Sasaki Satoshi
Published: August 2022

We examined the relative validity of food intake for each meal type (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) and overall food intake obtained through the Meal-based Diet History Questionnaire (MDHQ). In total, 222 Japanese adults (111 for each sex) aged 30–76 years completed the web version of the MDHQ and then the 4-non-consecutive-day weighed dietary record (DR). The number of major food groups (n = 24 in total) for which no statistically significant difference was observed between median intakes estimated using the DR and MDHQ ranged from 8 (snacks) to 12 (dinner) among women, and from 8 (breakfast) to 13 (lunch) among men. The median values of the Spearman’s correlation coefficients between the MDHQ and DR estimates ranged from 0.28 (dinner) to 0.54 (breakfast) among women, and from 0.24 (dinner) and 0.60 (breakfast) among men. Bland–Altman analyses generally showed wide limits of agreement and proportional bias. Similar results were obtained using the paper version of the MDHQ, which was completed after conducting the DR. In conclusion, the MDHQ has a satisfactory ability to estimate median intake and rank individuals according to consumption for many food groups, despite a limited ability to estimate food group intakes on an individual level.
Extracts Rich in Nutrients as Novel Food Ingredients to Be Used in Food Supplements: A Proposal Classification
Authors: López-Rodríguez Ricardo , Domínguez Laura , Fernández-Ruiz Virginia , Cámara Montaña
Published: August 2022

Consumers’ commitment to healthy lifestyles and a varied diet has experienced rapid growth in recent decades, causing an increase in the demand of better food quality and variety. The food industry has opted for innovation and the search for new sources of food, and these trends led to the need to develop a European regulatory framework. Novel foods are under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 (formerly Regulation (EC) No 258/97), and this concept includes all food not used in an important measure for human consumption in the EU before 15 May 1997, and which is included in any of the food categories established. Currently, there are 26 extracts authorized as novel foods or ingredients, being one of the most numerous groups. These extracts are concentrated sources of nutrients, and 23 of them can be used in food supplements. Given their heterogeneous composition and the perceptive risk assessments performed, sometimes, the authorizations are limited to certain population groups. The present work is a comprehensive review of the extracts rich in nutrients authorized as novel ingredients to be used in food supplements within the EU. A classification is proposed according to their source of origin, resulting in four main groups: extracts of plant, animal, algae, and fungal origins. A description of each extract as well as the evaluation of the potential use restriction and health benefits are also addressed.
Special Diets in Infants and Children and Impact on Gut Microbioma
Authors: Di Profio Elisabetta , Magenes Vittoria Carlotta , Fiore Giulia , Agostinelli Marta , La Mendola Alice , Acunzo Miriam , Francavilla Ruggiero , Indrio Flavia , Bosetti Alessandra , D’Auria Enza , Borghi Elisa , Zuccotti Gianvincenzo , Verduci Elvira
Published: August 2022

Gut microbiota is a complex system that starts to take shape early in life. Several factors influence the rise of microbial gut colonization, such as term and mode of delivery, exposure to antibiotics, maternal diet, presence of siblings and family members, pets, genetics, local environment, and geographical location. Breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and later dietary patterns during infancy and toddlerhood are major players in the proper development of microbial communities. Nonetheless, if dysbiosis occurs, gut microbiota may remain impaired throughout life, leading to deleterious consequences, such as greater predisposition to non-communicable diseases, more susceptible immune system and altered gut–brain axis. Children with specific diseases (i.e., food allergies, inborn errors of metabolism, celiac disease) need a special formula and later a special diet, excluding certain foods or nutrients. We searched on PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Embase for relevant pediatric studies published over the last twenty years on gut microbiota dietary patterns and excluded case reports or series and letters. The aim of this review is to highlight the changes in the gut microbiota in infants and children fed with special formula or diets for therapeutic requirements and, its potential health implications, with respect to gut microbiota under standard diets.
Estimation of Sodium Availability and Food Sources from 2018 to 2019 and Its Trends during the 2004–2019 Period in Costa Rica
Authors: Roselló-Araya Marlene , Madriz-Morales Karol , Vega-Solano Jaritza , Blanco-Metzler Adriana , Núñez-Rivas Hilda , Benavides-Aguilar Karla , Claro Rafael
Published: August 2022

Sodium availability and food sources in 2018–2019 were estimated and trends analyzed for 15 years (2004–2019) in Costa Rica. Food purchase records from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (ENIGH) 2018–2019 were converted to energy and sodium using food composition tables measuring “apparent consumption”. Foods were classified by sodium content. ENIGH is a probabilistic, stratified, two-stage and replicated national survey, carried out regularly by the national statistics institution. Results from the 2004–2005 and 2012–2013 ENIGHs came from previous analysis. Differences between periods were determined through descriptive and inferential statistics. The available sodium adjusted to 2000 kcal/person/day was 3.40, 3.86, and 3.84 g/person/day (g/p/d) for periods 2004–2005, 2013–2014, and 2018–2019, respectively. In this last period, this was 3.94 urban and 3.60 g/p/d rural (p < 0.05), with a non-linear increase with income. During 2004–2019 sodium from salt and salt-based condiments increased from 69.5 to 75.5%; the contribution of common salt increased, from 60.2 to 64.8% and condiments without added salt from 9.3 to 10.7%. From 2012–2013 to 2018–2019, processed and ultra-processed foods with added sodium intake increased from 14.2 to 16.9% and decreased in prepared meals (7.2 to 2.8%). Costa Rica has been successful in reducing salt/sodium available for consumption; after a 12% increase of salt consumption between 2004–2005 and 2012–2013, to a level almost twice as high as recommended, it has stabilized in the last period.
Genetics of Type 2 Diabetes: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Laakso Markku , Fernandes Silva Lilian
Published: August 2022

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Currently, approximately 537 million adults (20–79 years) have diabetes, and the total number of people with diabetes is continuously increasing. Diabetes includes several subtypes. About 80% of all cases of diabetes are type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is a polygenic disease with an inheritance ranging from 30 to 70%. Genetic and environment/lifestyle factors, especially obesity and sedentary lifestyle, increase the risk of T2D. In this review, we discuss how studies on the genetics of diabetes started, how they expanded when genome-wide association studies and exome and whole-genome sequencing became available, and the current challenges in genetic studies of diabetes. T2D is heterogeneous with respect to clinical presentation, disease course, and response to treatment, and has several subgroups which differ in pathophysiology and risk of micro- and macrovascular complications. Currently, genetic studies of T2D focus on these subgroups to find the best diagnoses and treatments for these patients according to the principles of precision medicine.
Molecular Oxygen as a Probe Molecule in EPR Spin Labeling Studies of Membrane Structure and Dynamics
Authors: Subczynski Witold K. , Widomska Justyna , Raguz Marija , Pasenkiewicz-Gierula Marta
Published: August 2022

Molecular oxygen (O2) is the perfect probe molecule for membrane studies carried out using the saturation recovery EPR technique. O2 is a small, paramagnetic, hydrophobic enough molecule that easily partitions into a membrane’s different phases and domains. In membrane studies, the saturation recovery EPR method requires two paramagnetic probes: a lipid-analog nitroxide spin label and an oxygen molecule. The experimentally derived parameters of this method are the spin–lattice relaxation times (T1s) of spin labels and rates of bimolecular collisions between O2 and the nitroxide fragment. Thanks to the long T1 of lipid spin labels (from 1 to 10 µs), the approach is very sensitive to changes of the local (around the nitroxide fragment) O2 diffusion-concentration product. Small variations in the lipid packing affect O2 solubility and O2 diffusion, which can be detected by the shortening of T1 of spin labels. Using O2 as a probe molecule and a different lipid spin label inserted into specific phases of the membrane and membrane domains allows data about the lateral arrangement of lipid membranes to be obtained. Moreover, using a lipid spin label with the nitroxide fragment attached to its head group or a hydrocarbon chain at different positions also enables data about molecular dynamics and structure at different membrane depths to be obtained. Thus, the method can be used to investigate not only the lateral organization of the membrane (i.e., the presence of membrane domains and phases), but also the depth-dependent membrane structure and dynamics and, hence, the membrane properties in three dimensions.
Morpho-Anatomical, Physiological, and Mineral Composition Responses Induced by a Vegetal-Based Biostimulant at Three Rates of Foliar Application in Greenhouse Lettuce
Authors: Carillo Petronia , De Micco Veronica , Ciriello Michele , Formisano Luigi , El-Nakhel Christophe , Giordano Maria , Colla Giuseppe , Rouphael Youssef
Published: August 2022

A promising strategy for sustainably increasing the quality and yield of horticultural products is the use of natural plant biostimulants. In this work, through a greenhouse experiment, we evaluated the effect of a legume-derived biostimulant at three dose treatments (0.0 control, 2.5 mL L−1, and 5.0 mL L−1) on the yield performance, nutrients traits, leaf anatomical traits, gas exchanges, and carbon photosynthetic assimilation of greenhouse lettuce. The lettuce plants were foliar sprayed every 7 days for 5 weeks. The application of plant biostimulant, at both lower and higher dosages, increased the nutrient use efficiency, root dry weight, and leaf area. However, it is noteworthy that the 5.0 mL L−1 dose enhanced photosynthetic activity in the early phase of growth (15 DAT), thus supplying carbon skeletons useful for increasing the number of leaves and their efficiency (higher SPAD), and for boosting nutrient uptake (P, S, and K) and transport to leaves, while the 2.5 mL L−1 dose exerted specific effects on roots, increasing their dimension and enabling them to better use nitrate and Ca. A higher dose of biostimulant application might find its way in shorter growing cycle, thus presenting new horizons for new lines of research in baby leaves production.
The Pyramiding of Three Key Root Traits Aid Breeding of Flood-Tolerant Rice
Authors: Lin Chen , Zhu Tongtong , Ogorek Lucas León Peralta , Wang Youping , Sauter Margret , Pedersen Ole
Published: August 2022

Flooding is constantly threatening the growth and yield of crops worldwide. When flooding kicks in, the soil becomes water-saturated and, therefore, the roots are the first organs to be exposed to excess water. Soon after flooding, the soil turns anoxic and the roots can no longer obtain molecular oxygen for respiration from the rhizosphere, rendering the roots dysfunctional. Rice, however, is a semi-aquatic plant and therefore relatively tolerant to flooding due to adaptive traits developed during evolution. In the present review, we have identified three key root traits, viz. cortical aerenchyma formation, a barrier to radial oxygen loss and adventitious root growth. The understanding of the physiological function, the molecular mechanisms, and the genetic regulation of these three traits has grown substantially and therefore forms the backbone of this review. Our synthesis of the recent literature shows each of the three key root traits contributes to flood tolerance in rice. One trait, however, is generally insufficient to enhance plant tolerance to flooding. Consequently, we suggest comprehensive use of all three adaptive traits in a pyramiding approach in order to improve tolerance to flooding in our major crops, in general, and in rice, in particular.
Preparation and Characterisation of Wood Polymer Composites Using Sustainable Raw Materials
Authors: Nukala Satya Guha , Kong Ing , Kakarla Akesh Babu , Tshai Kim Yeow , Kong Win
Published: August 2022

In recent years, composites consisting of polymers and cellulosic materials have attracted increasing research attention. Polypropylene (PP) is among the most common polymer types found in excavated waste from landfills. Moreover, wood waste generated from wood products manufacturing such as sawdust (SD) offers a good potential for the fabrication of composite materials, and it is readily available in the environment. In this paper, wood polymer composites (WPC) consisting of recycled PP (rPP) and (SD) were prepared and characterised. A range of mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural properties, creep and hardness were studied, along with morphology, thermal properties, water degradation and contact angle. The results showed that the mechanical and thermal properties of rPP increased with an increase in 40 wt% of the SD content. Furthermore, the SD content significantly influenced the water uptake of the composites. Time–temperature superposition (TTS) was applied to predict the long-term mechanical performance from short-term accelerated creep tests at a range of elevated temperatures. The short-term creep test showed efficient homogeneity between the fillers and matrix with increasing temperature. The produced wood polymer composites displayed a comparable physical property to virgin polymer and wood and could potentially be used for various structural materials.
Dynamical Behaviors of a Translating Liquid Crystal Elastomer Fiber in a Linear Temperature Field
Authors: Zhou Lin , Yu Wangyang , Li Kai
Published: August 2022

Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fiber with a fixed end in an inhomogeneous temperature field is capable of self-oscillating because of coupling between heat transfer and deformation, and the dynamics of a translating LCE fiber in an inhomogeneous temperature field are worth investigating to widen its applications. In this paper, we propose a theoretic constitutive model and the asymptotic relationship of a LCE fiber translating in a linear temperature field and investigate the dynamical behaviors of a corresponding fiber-mass system. In the three cases of the frame at rest, uniform, and accelerating translation, the fiber-mass system can still self-oscillate, which is determined by the combination of the heat-transfer characteristic time, the temperature gradient, and the thermal expansion coefficient. The self-oscillation is maintained by the energy input from the ambient linear temperature field to compensate for damping dissipation. Meanwhile, the amplitude and frequency of the self-oscillation are not affected by the translating frame for the three cases. Compared with the cases of the frame at rest, the translating frame can change the equilibrium position of the self-oscillation. The results are expected to provide some useful recommendations for the design and motion control in the fields of micro-robots, energy harvesters, and clinical surgical scenarios.
Why the Many-Worlds Interpretation?
Authors: Vaidman Lev
Published: August 2022

A brief (subjective) description of the state of the art of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI) is presented. It is argued that the MWI is the only interpretation which removes action at a distance and randomness from quantum theory. Limitations of the MWI regarding questions of probability which can be legitimately asked are specified. The ontological picture of the MWI as a theory of the universal wave function decomposed into a superposition of world wave functions, the important parts of which are defined in three-dimensional space, is presented from the point of view of our particular branch. Some speculations about misconceptions, which apparently prevent the MWI from being in the consensus, are mentioned.
A Novel Method of Ship Detection under Cloud Interference for Optical Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Wang Wensheng , Zhang Xinbo , Sun Wu , Huang Min
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a novel method developed for detecting incomplete ship targets under cloud interference and low-contrast ship targets in thin fog based on superpixel segmentation, and outline its application to optical remote sensing images. The detection of ship targets often requires the target to be complete, and the overall features of the ship are used for detection and recognition. When the ship target is obscured by clouds, or the contrast between the ship target and the sea-clutter background is low, there may be incomplete targets, which reduce the effectiveness of recognition. Here, we propose a new method combining constant false alarm rate (CFAR) and superpixel segmentation with feature points (SFCFAR) to solve the above problems. Our newly developed SFCFAR utilizes superpixel segmentation to divide large scenes into many small regions which include target regions and background regions. In remote sensing images, the target occupies a small proportion of pixels in the entire image. In our method, we use superpixel segmentation to divide remote sensing images into meaningful blocks. The target regions are identified using the characteristics of clusters of ship texture features and the texture differences between the target and background regions. This step not only detects the ship target quickly, but also detects ships with low contrast and under cloud cover. In optical remote sensing, ships at sea under thin clouds are not common in practice, and the sample size generated is relatively small, so this problem is not applicable to deep learning algorithms for training, while the SFCFAR algorithm does not require data training to complete the detection task. Experiments show that the proposed SFCFAR algorithm enhances the detection of obscured ship targets under clouds and low-contrast targets in thin fog, compared with traditional target detection methods and as deep learning algorithms, further complementing existing ship detection methods.
Performance of SMAP and SMOS Salinity Products under Tropical Cyclones in the Bay of Bengal
Authors: Xu Huabing , Shan Yucai , Xu Guangjun
Published: August 2022

To compare the accuracy of satellite salinity data of level-3 Soil Moisture Active Passive V4.0 (SSMAP) and debiased v5 CATDS level-3 Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SSMOS) before and after tropical cyclones (TCs) in the Bay of Bengal (BoB), this study used the sea surface salinity of Argo (SArgo) to assess SSMAP and SSMOS before and after the passage of 10 TCs from 2015 to 2019. The results indicate that the SSMAP and SSMOS agreed well with SArgo before and after 10 TCs. It can be seen that the correlation between SSMAP and SArgo (before TCs: SSMAP = 0.95SArgo + 1.52, R2 = 0.83; after TCs: SSMAP = 0.87SArgo + 4.34, R2 = 0.79) was obviously higher than that of SSMOS and SArgo (before TCs: SSMOS = 0.68SArgo + 10.38, R2 = 0.62; after TCs: SSMOS = 0.88SArgo + 3.98, R2 = 0.58). The root mean square error (RMSE) was also significantly higher between SSMOS and SArgo (before TCs: 0.84 psu; after TCs: 0.78 psu) than between SSMAP and SArgo (before TCs: 0.58 psu; after TCs: 0.47 psu). In addition, this study compared SSMAP and SSMOS during two TCs that swept in nearshore and offshore waters, and the results show good agreement between SSMAP and SArgo in the nearshore and offshore waters of BoB. In the BoB, both SSMAP and SSMOS can retrieve sea surface salinity well, and SSMAP is overall better than SSMOS, but the SMOS salinity product can fill the gap of SMAP from 2010 to 2015.
A Local and Nonlocal Feature Interaction Network for Pansharpening
Authors: Yin Junru , Qu Jiantao , Sun Le , Huang Wei , Chen Qiqiang
Published: August 2022

Pansharpening based on deep learning (DL) has shown great advantages. Most convolutional neural network (CNN)-based methods focus on obtaining local features from multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) images, but ignore the nonlocal dependence on images. Therefore, Transformer-based methods are introduced to obtain long-range information on images. However, the representational capabilities of features extracted by CNN or Transformer alone are weak. To solve this problem, a local and nonlocal feature interaction network (LNFIN) is proposed in this paper for pansharpening. It comprises Transformer and CNN branches. Furthermore, a feature interaction module (FIM) is proposed to fuse different features and return to the two branches to enhance the representational capability of features. Specifically, a CNN branch consisting of multiscale dense modules (MDMs) is proposed for acquiring local features of the image, and a Transformer branch consisting of pansharpening Transformer modules (PTMs) is introduced for acquiring nonlocal features of the image. In addition, inspired by the PTM, a shift pansharpening Transformer module (SPTM) is proposed for the learning of texture features to further enhance the spatial representation of features. The LNFIN outperforms the state-of-the-art method experimentally on three datasets.
Comparison of Long-Term Albedo Products against Spatially Representative Stations over Snow
Authors: Urraca Ruben , Lanconelli Christian , Cappucci Fabrizio , Gobron Nadine
Published: August 2022

Multiple satellite products are available to monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface albedo. They are extensively assessed over snow-free surfaces but less over snow. However, snow albedo is critical for climate monitoring applications, so a better understating of the accuracy of these products over snow is needed. This work analyzes long-term (+20 years) products (MCD43C3 v6/v6.1, GLASS-AVHRR, C3S v1/v2) by comparing them against the 11 most spatially representative stations from FLUXNET and BSRN during the snow-free and snow-covered season. Our goal is to understand how the performance of these products is affected by different snow cover conditions to use this information in an upcoming product inter-comparison that extends the analysis spatially and temporally. MCD43C3 has the smallest bias during the snow season (−0.017), and more importantly, the most stable bias with different snow cover conditions. Both v6 and v6.1 have similar performance, with v6.1 just increasing slightly the coverage at high latitudes. On the contrary, the quality of both GLASS-AVHRR and C3S-v1/v2 albedo decreases over snow. Particularly, the bias of both products varies strongly with the snow cover conditions, underestimating albedo over snow and overestimating snow-free albedo. GLASS bias strongly increases during the melting season, which is most likely due to an artificially extended snow season. C3S-v2 has the largest negative bias overall over snow during both the AVHRR (−0.141) and SPOT/VGT (−0.134) period. In addition, despite the improvements from v1 to v2, C3S-v2 still is not consistent enough during the transition from AVHRR to SPOT/VGT.
Fast and Robust Visual Tracking with Few-Iteration Meta-Learning
Authors: Li Zhenxin , Zhang Xuande , Xu Long , Zhang Weiqiang
Published: August 2022

Visual object tracking has been a major research topic in the field of computer vision for many years. Object tracking aims to identify and localize objects of interest in subsequent frames, given the bounding box of the first frame. In addition, the object-tracking algorithms are also required to have robustness and real-time performance. These requirements create some unique challenges, which can easily become overfitting if given a very small training dataset of objects during offline training. On the other hand, if there are too many iterations in the model-optimization process during offline training or in the model-update process during online tracking, it will cause the problem of poor real-time performance. We address these problems by introducing a meta-learning method based on fast optimization. Our proposed tracking architecture mainly contains two parts, one is the base learner and the other is the meta learner. The base learner is primarily a target and background classifier, in addition, there is an object bounding box prediction regression network. The primary goal of a meta learner based on the transformer is to learn the representations used by the classifier. The accuracy of our proposed algorithm on OTB2015 and LaSOT is 0.930 and 0.688, respectively. Moreover, it performs well on VOT2018 and GOT-10k datasets. Combined with the comparative experiments on real-time performance, our algorithm is fast and robust.
Intelligent User Interfaces and Their Evaluation: A Systematic Mapping Study
Authors: Brdnik Saša , Heričko Tjaša , Šumak Boštjan
Published: August 2022

Intelligent user interfaces (IUI) are driven by the goal of improvement in human–computer interaction (HCI), mainly improving user interfaces’ user experience (UX) or usability with the help of artificial intelligence. The main goal of this study is to find, assess, and synthesize existing state-of-the-art work in the field of IUI with an additional focus on the evaluation of IUI. This study analyzed 211 studies published in the field between 2012 and 2022. Studies are most frequently tied to HCI and SE domains. Definitions of IUI were observed, showing that adaptation, representation, and intelligence are key characteristics associated with IUIs, whereas adaptation, reasoning, and representation are the most commonly used verbs in their description. Evaluation of IUI is mainly conducted with experiments and questionnaires, though usability and UX are not considered together in evaluations. Most evaluations (81% of studies) reported partial or complete improvement in usability or UX. A shortage of evaluation tools, methods, and metrics, tailored for IUI, is noticed. Most often, empirical data collection methods and data sources in IUI evaluation studies are experiment, prototype development, and questionnaire.
Study on Rural Development Evaluation and Drivers of Sustainable Development: Evidence from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China
Authors: Li He , He Hua , Zhang Jian
Published: August 2022

Rural areas are the basic units of social development and contain residents’ production and living activities, so understanding the nature of rural development has essential theoretical and practical significance. This paper first constructs a rural development evaluation index system, then analyzes the changes in the development level and development pattern of rural areas in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei from 2009 to 2020 in five aspects: prosperous industry, eco-friendly, civilized countryside, effective governance, and affluent living, and then further explore the changes in their comprehensive rural development level and development pattern. Finally, the main drivers of sustainable development in rural areas and their dynamic impacts are studied and analyzed using the boosted regression trees method. The research results show that: (1) from 2009 to 2020, all five aspects of rural development in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei rural areas have progressed to different degrees, among which the development level of affluent living has progressed very significantly and is the primary driver of sustainable rural development in the region; (2) the development level of rural areas in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region has improved in general, but the development speed of major agricultural areas such as Baoding, Xingtai and Handan slower; (3) improving rural medical and health conditions, narrowing the urban–rural gap, and activating farmers’ vitality are the main ways to promote sustainable rural development. The results of the study help to gain an in-depth understanding of the rural development in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region and also have important reference significance for sustainable rural development in other countries or regions.
Echium vulgare and Echium plantagineum: A Comparative Study to Evaluate Their Inclusion in Mediterranean Urban Green Roofs
Authors: Latini Arianna , Papagni Ilaria , Gatti Lorenzo , De Rossi Patrizia , Campiotti Alessandro , Giagnacovo Germina , Mirabile Gattia Daniele , Mariani Susanna
Published: August 2022

Green roofs (GRs) are proposed to offset against numerous environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with climate change and urban sprawl. In Mediterranean urban areas, to protect and conserve biodiversity through GRs, the use of native plant species from arid environments and with shallow roots is generally recommended. In north Europe, Echium vulgare L. is widely used on GRs for its tolerance to abiotic stresses and its attractiveness for bees; unfortunately, since this species requires cold winters to induce flowering and warm wet summers for vegetative growths, its adaptability to Mediterranean GRs has been questioned. The current study is based on the hypothesis that Echium plantagineum L. can adapt better to the Mediterranean environment than E. vulgare and offer blooms to pollinators, thus providing the important urban ecosystem service (UES) of protecting entomofauna biodiversity. To compare the adaptability of E. plantagineum vs. E. vulgare, both Echium species were grown and studied on the extensive GR installed at ENEA Casaccia Research Center, in the north of Rome, Lazio, Italy. The comparative analysis of the GR performance of the two species was based on several plant-related traits, including seed morphology, rosette stage, inflorescence, flower and root-related traits, and their biological life cycle, most of them showing significant differences (for example, rosette area was 1.42-fold major in E. plantagineum than in E. vulgare). The information provided in this manuscript will be useful to update the herbarium records for conservation biology. A dramatic water stress was purposely applied in the GR before the end of the hot summer season, and while E. plantagineum faced with success the imposed dehydration (88.4% vegetation cover), E. vulgare did not (7.5% vegetation cover), presumably because of its biennial life cycle which did not allow it to complete seed maturation (only 46.9% percentage mature seeds in E. vulgare respect to 89.5% in E. plantagineum). In summary, as the main result, this work shows that in Mediterranean areas, the inclusion of E. plantagineum in seed mixes for flower meadow GRs could represent a valuable alternative to E. vulgare in temperate areas, providing a safeguard for pollinators and allowing water and energy saving.
University–Industry Technology Transfer: Empirical Findings from Chinese Industrial Firms
Authors: Jiang Jiaming , Zhao Yu , Feng Junshi
Published: August 2022

The knowledge and innovation generated by researchers at universities is transferred to industries through patent licensing, leading to the commercialization of academic output. In order to investigate the development of Chinese university–industry technology transfer and whether this kind of collaboration may affect a firm’s innovation output, we collected approximately 6400 license contracts made between more than 4000 Chinese firms and 300 Chinese universities for the period between 2009 and 2014. This is the first study on Chinese university–industry knowledge transfer using a bipartite social network analysis (SNA) method, which emphasizes centrality estimates. We are able to investigate empirically how patent license transfer behavior may affect each firm’s innovative output by allocating a centrality score to each firm in the university–firm technology transfer network. We elucidate the academic–industry knowledge by visualizing flow patterns for different regions with the SNA tool, Gephi. We find that innovation capabilities, R&D resources, and technology transfer performance all vary across China, and that patent licensing networks present clear small-world phenomena. We also highlight the Bipartite Graph Reinforcement Model (BGRM) and BiRank centrality in the bipartite network. Our empirical results reveal that firms with high BGRM and BiRank centrality scores, long history, and fewer employees have greater innovative output.
Carbon Emission Measurement of Urban Green Passenger Transport: A Case Study of Qingdao
Authors: Li Xinguang , Lv Tong , Zhan Jun , Wang Shen , Pan Fuquan
Published: August 2022

Urban passenger transport is one of the most significant sources of fossil energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission, especially in developing countries. The rapid growth of urban transport makes it a critical target for carbon reduction. This paper establishes a method for calculating carbon emission from urban passenger transport including ground buses, private cars, cruising taxis, online-hailing taxis, and rail transit. The scope of the study is determined according to the transportation mode and energy type, and the carbon emission factor of each energy source is also determined according to the local energy structure, etc. Taking into consideration the development trend of new energy vehicles, a combination of “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches is used to estimate the carbon dioxide emission of each transportation mode. The results reveal that carbon emission from Qingdao’s passenger transport in 2020 was 8.15 million tons, of which 84.31% came from private cars, while the share of private cars of total travel was only 45.66%. Ground buses are the most efficient mode of transport. Fossil fuels emit more greenhouse gases than other clean energy sources. The emission intensity of hydrogen fuel cell buses is better than that of other fuel type vehicles. Battery electric buses have the largest sensitivity coefficient, therefore the carbon emission reduction potentially achieved by developing battery electric buses is most significant.
Stability Analysis of Karst Tunnels Based on a Strain Hardening–Softening Model and Seepage Characteristics
Authors: Liu Hongyang , Lin Zhibin , Liu Chengwei , Zhang Boyang , Wang Chen , Liu Jiangang , Liang Huajie
Published: August 2022

There are more and more tunnel projects in the karst-developed areas in Southwest China. Affected by karst caves and water, karst tunnels often experience geological disasters such as local collapses and water inrush. A simplified rock stress hardening-softening model was established based on the triaxial compression test results of two kinds of carbonatite to accurately analyze the deformation and water inrush characteristics of the surrounding rocks after karst tunnel excavation. The total stress–strain curve of rocks was simplified into four linear stages: the linear elastic stage, strain hardening stage, strain-softening stage, and residual stage. The volumetric strain–axial strain curve was simplified into four corresponding linear stages: the elastic expansion stage, slow expansion stage, rapid expansion stage, and stable expansion stage. The stress hardening–softening model was used to deduce the relationship between the rocks’ mechanical parameters such as cohesion, internal friction angle, dilatancy angle, and plastic strain, as well as the relationship between seepage characteristic parameters such as permeability coefficient, porosity, and volumetric strain. A karst tunnel in Chongqing, China was taken as the engineering background. The stress hardening–softening constitutive model and seepage characteristic parameters were applied to the FLAC3D numerical simulation by the programming language FISH to analyze the stability and water inrush characteristics of karst tunnels in overlying confining caves. The results showed that rock masses between the cave and tunnel were prone to overall sliding instability. Confined water in the karst cave intruded into the tunnel through the shear-slip rupture zone on both sides instead of the shortest path. Two water inrush points existed on the tunnel surface. The variation law of the permeability coefficients of the surrounding rocks could more truly reflect whether there was a seepage channel between the tunnel and karst cave, as well as the permeable area and water inrush speed of the seepage channel. The work provides a new idea for the stability control of karst tunnels.