bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating Soil Penetration Resistance of Paddy Soils in the Plastic State Using Physical Properties
Authors: Jiang Qianjing , Cao Ming , Wang Yongwei , Wang Jun
Published: December 2020

Soil penetration resistance (SPR) is an important indicator for soil strength which not only affects the growth of crop roots and crop yield but also is crucial in the design and selection of agricultural machinery. The determination of SPR in the laboratory is complex and time-consuming, while measuring SPR on-site shows high uncertainty at different times and locations due to soil heterogeneity. Therefore, this paper investigated the impact of soil parameters on SPR for paddy soils in the plastic state and then established a simple regression model to predict SPR using easy-to-obtain soil physical properties, including clay content, water content and density. Using the combined approaches of central composition rotatable design (CCRD) with response surface methodology (RSM), SPR of 20 soil samples from five paddy fields were measured in the laboratory. The results from the experiments showed that the contribution rate of each single factor to SPR from high to low was soil density, clay content and water content. Statistical analysis for the established equation suggested that the p-value for goodness of fit was significant (p < 0.001) and the p-value for lack of fit was insignificant (p > 0.05); meanwhile, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.95, indicating that the model was effective in predicting the SPR. Subsequently, the performance of the regression model was validated by comparing the estimated SPR with in situ field measurements, which showed high accuracy, with percent errors within 10%. Our study successfully proposed a method to estimate SPR using easy-to-measure soil properties that could be obtained from sensors in the soil or field investigations, including soil clay content, water content and wet bulk density.
Iodine Biofortification of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Grown in Field
Authors: Ledwożyw-Smoleń Iwona , Smoleń Sylwester , Rożek Stanisław , Sady Włodzimierz , Strzetelski Piotr
Published: December 2020

Despite wide prevention programmes, iodine deficiency remains a substantial problem in various populations around the world. Consumption of crop plants with increased iodine content may help supply additional amounts of that element in a daily diet. The aim of the work was to evaluate the efficiency of iodine biofortification of potato tubers. Soil application of KI and foliar application of KIO3 in doses up to 2.0 kg I ha−1 were tested in a three-year field experiment. Biomass, yield as well as dry matter, iodine, starch, and soluble sugar content in potato tubers were analyzed. No negative effect of tested methods of iodine application on potato yield or dry matter content was observed. Both soil and foliar application of iodine allowed to obtain potato tubers with increased content of that element with no decrease of starch or sugar content. The highest efficiency of iodine biofortification was noted for foliar spraying with KIO3 in a dose of 2.0 kg I ha−1. The obtained level of iodine in 100 g of potatoes could be sufficient to cover up to 25% of Recommended Daily Allowance for that element. The findings of the study indicate that potatoes biofortified with iodine can become an additional source of I in a daily diet.
Broadening the Variability for Peanut Breeding with a Wild Species-Derived Induced Allotetraploid
Authors: Suassuna Taís , Suassuna Nelson , Martins Kennedy , Matos Ramon , Heuert Jair , Bertioli David , Leal-Bertioli Soraya , Moretzsohn Márcio
Published: December 2020

The use of wild species in peanut breeding provides remarkable opportunities for introducing new traits to the peanut crop and it has increased in recent years. Here, we report the morphological and agronomic, including disease resistance, variation observed in 87 Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) that were derived from the wild ancestors of peanut and the cultivar Runner IAC-886. These lines exhibited a wide range of variation for these traits, with transgressive segregation and novel phenotypes being observed in many lines. Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) for agronomic and resistance traits were detected. Six RILs with contrasting phenotypes for agronomic traits and moderate resistance to leaf spots were genotyped. All of the lines had, on average, 50% wild alleles, with at least one large wild segment and multiple interspersed alleles in all of the chromosomes. Genetic exchange between subgenomes was observed. On four lines, the top of Chr 05/15, which is tetrasomic AAAA in A. hypogaea, has been restored to its AABB state by the introgression of A. ipaënsis alleles. We identified lines with good agronomic traits while harboring genome composition and structure completely different from each other and from the cultivated peanut. The variation that is observed for the fruit type is also important for a better comprehension of the domestication process in peanut. This increase in genetic diversity has great potential benefits for the peanut breeding programs.
Identification of microRNAs and Their Expression in Leaf Tissues of Guava (Psidium guajava L.) under Salinity Stress
Authors: Sharma Ashutosh , Ruiz-Manriquez Luis M. , Serrano-Cano Francisco I. , Reyes-Pérez Paula Roxana , Tovar Alfaro Cynthia Karina , Barrón Andrade Yulissa Esmeralda , Hernández Aros Ana Karen , Srivastava Aashish , Paul Sujay
Published: December 2020

Superfruit guava (Psidium guajava L.) is one of the healthiest fruits due to its high antioxidant dietary fiber and vitamin content. However, the growth and development of this plant are severely affected by salinity stress, mostly at the seedling stage. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding, endogenous, highly conserved RNA molecules that play key regulatory roles in plant development, organ morphogenesis, and stress response signaling. In this study, applying computational approaches and following high stringent filtering criteria, a total of 40 potential microRNAs belonging to 19 families were characterized from guava. The identified miRNA precursors formed stable stem-loop structures and exhibited high sequence conservation among diverse and evolutionarily distant plant species. Differential expression pattern of seven selected guava miRNAs (pgu-miR156f-5p, pgu-miR160c-5p, pgu-miR162-3p, pgu-miR164b-5p, pgu-miR166t, pgu-miR167a-5p, and pgu-miR390b-5p) were recorded under salinity stress and pgu-miR162-3p, pgu-miR164b-5p as well as pgu-miR166t were found to be the most affected ones. Using the psRNATarget tool, a total of 49 potential target transcripts of the characterized guava miRNAs were identified in this study which are mostly involved in metabolic pathways, cellular development, and stress response signaling. A biological network has also been constructed to understand the miRNA mediated gene regulation using the minimum free energy (MFE) values of the miRNA-target interaction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of guava miRNAs and their targets.
Fragments of a Wheat Hevein-Like Antimicrobial Peptide Augment the Inhibitory Effect of a Triazole Fungicide on Spore Germination of Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria solani
Authors: Shcherbakova Larisa , Odintsova Tatyana , Pasechnik Tatyana , Arslanova Lenara , Smetanina Tatyana , Kartashov Maxim , Slezina Marina , Dzhavakhiya Vitaly
Published: December 2020

There are increasing environmental risks associated with extensive use of fungicides for crop protection. Hence, the use of new approaches using natural plant defense mechanisms, including application of plant antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), is of great interest. Recently, we studied the structural–function relationships between antifungal activity and five hevein-like AMPs from the WAMP (wheat AMP) family of Triticum kiharae Dorof. et Migush. We first discovered that short peptides derived from the central, N-, and C-terminal regions of one of the WAMPs (WAMP-2) were able to augment the inhibitory effect of Folicur® EC 250, a triazole fungicide, on spore germination of the wheat pathogenic fungi, including Fusarium spp. and Alternaria alternata. In this research, we explored the ability of chemically synthesized WAMP-2-derived peptides for enhancing the sensitivity of two other Fusarium and Alternaria species, F. oxysporum and A. solani, causing wilt and early blight of tomato, respectively, to Folicur®. The synthesized WAMP-2-derived peptides synergistically interacted with the fungicide and significantly increased its efficacy, inhibiting conidial germination at much lower Folicur® concentrations than required for the same efficiency using the fungicide alone. The experiments on co-applications of some of WAMP-2-fragments and the fungicide on tomato leaves and seedlings, which confirmed the results obtained in vitro, are described.
Diazoxide and Exercise Enhance Muscle Contraction during Obesity by Decreasing ROS Levels, Lipid Peroxidation, and Improving Glutathione Redox Status
Authors: Gómez-Barroso Mariana , Moreno-Calderón Koré M. , Sánchez-Duarte Elizabeth , Cortés-Rojo Christian , Saavedra-Molina Alfredo , Rodríguez-Orozco Alain R. , Montoya-Pérez Rocío
Published: December 2020

Obesity causes insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia which causes skeletal muscle dysfunction resulting in a decrease in contraction force and a reduced capacity to avoid fatigue, which overall, causes an increase in oxidative stress. KATP channel openers such as diazoxide and the implementation of exercise protocols have been reported to be actively involved in protecting skeletal muscle against metabolic stress; however, the effects of diazoxide and exercise on muscle contraction and oxidative stress during obesity have not been explored. This study aimed to determine the effect of diazoxide in the contraction of skeletal muscle of obese male Wistar rats (35 mg/kg), and with an exercise protocol (five weeks) and the combination from both. Results showed that the treatment with diazoxide and exercise improved muscular contraction, showing an increase in maximum tension and total tension due to decreased ROS and lipid peroxidation levels and improved glutathione redox state. Therefore, these results suggest that diazoxide and exercise improve muscle function during obesity, possibly through its effects as KATP channel openers.
Photo-Oxidative Protection of Chlorophyll a in C-Phycocyanin Aqueous Medium
Authors: Hong Ji-Eun , Lim Jae-Hyun , Kim Tae-Yoon , Jang Hwa-Yong , Oh Han-Bin , Chung Bong-Geun , Lee Seung-Yop
Published: December 2020

In this study, potential protection of chlorophyll a from illumination and oxidation-induced decomposition has been examined using C-phycocyanin (C-PC) aqueous medium. Photo-oxidation resistance of chlorophyll a was monitored in various aqueous media using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and direct-infusion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry analysis. The spectroscopy results showed that chlorophyll a in C-PC medium experienced the lowest rate of conversion to its derivatives; thus, it was demonstrated that chlorophyll a was mostly intact in the C-PC medium. Furthermore, the C-PC treated with chlorophyll a showed the lowest concentrations of malondialdehyde, and chlorophyll a in C-PC medium did not cause serious damage to human liver cells in vitro after intensive illumination. Therefore, we propose a new method of protecting chlorophyll a from photodegradation and oxidation using C-PC aqueous medium.
Paraoxonase-2 Silencing Enhances Sensitivity of A375 Melanoma Cells to Treatment with Cisplatin
Authors: Campagna Roberto , Bacchetti Tiziana , Salvolini Eleonora , Pozzi Valentina , Molinelli Elisa , Brisigotti Valerio , Sartini Davide , Campanati Anna , Ferretti Gianna , Offidani Annamaria , Emanuelli Monica
Published: December 2020

Melanoma represents the most aggressive skin cancer, being responsible for the majority of deaths related with these neoplasms. Despite chemotherapy represents a frontline approach for management of the advanced stages of the disease, it displayed poor response rates and short-term efficacy due to melanoma cell resistance. Therefore, the discovery of molecules that can be used for effective targeted therapy of melanoma is crucial. In this study, we evaluated the impact of paraoxonase-2 (PON2) silencing on proliferation, viability, and resistance to treatment of the A375 melanoma cell line with chemotherapeutic drugs dacarbazine (DTIC) and cisplatin (CDDP). Due to the enzymes ability to counteract oxidative stress, we also evaluated the effect of enzyme knockdown on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cells treated with CDDP. The data reported clearly demonstrated that PON2 knockdown led to a significant reduction of cell proliferation and viability, as well as to an enhancement of A375 sensitivity to CDDP treatment. Moreover, enzyme downregulation was associated with an increase of ROS production in CDDP-treated cells. Although further analyses will be necessary to understand how PON2 could influence melanoma cell metabolism and phenotype, our results seem to suggest that the enzyme may serve as an interesting molecular target for effective melanoma treatment.
Intravenous Administration of Coenzyme Q10 in Acute Period of Cerebral Ischemia Decreases Mortality by Reducing Brain Necrosis and Limiting Its Increase within 4 Days in Rat Stroke Model
Authors: Obolenskaia Olga , Gorodetskaya Evgeniya , Kalenikova Elena , Belousova Margarita , Gulyaev Mikhail , Makarov Valery , Pirogov Yury , Medvedev Oleg
Published: December 2020

Oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke. Coenzyme Q10 has a multi-targeting effect and may protect the brain against ischemic damage. The aim of our study was to evaluate the neuroprotective potential of ubiquinol by its intravenous administration. The study was performed on rats; a stroke was modeled by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. On days 1 and 4 after ischemia, the neurological deficit and volume of the brain lesion were determined by MRI and TTC staining. Intravenous administration of coenzyme Q10 led to a decrease in rat mortality rate, improvement in neurological status, and decrease in the brain necrosis area in acute and delayed period after cerebral ischemia. A single intravenous administration of ubiquinol led to a limitation of the size of the brain damage for at least four days after ischemia. Thus, intravenous administration of coenzyme Q10 has a persistent neuroprotective potential. This finding suggests a possible therapeutic role of ubiquinol in acute ischemic conditions.
Short- and Long-Term Effectiveness of Supplementation with Non-Animal Chondroitin Sulphate on Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Functional Status in Obese Subjects with Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis before and after Physical Stress: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Rondanelli Mariangela , Miraglia Niccolò , Putignano Pietro , Peroni Gabriella , Faliva Milena Anna , Naso Maurizio , Gasparri Clara , Infantino Vittoria , Nichetti Mara , Volpi Nicola , Capitani Federica , Mantovani Veronica , Perna Simone
Published: December 2020

It has recently been demonstrated that chronic supplementation with nonanimal chondroitin sulfate (nonanimal CS) in overweight subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA) improves the function, pain and inflammation, but there are no studies of its effectiveness in an acute setting. In 48 obese subjects with moderate knee OA, we investigated the effectiveness of nonanimal CS supplementation for eight weeks on the inflammation, functional status, oxidative stress, cartilage catabolism markers, metabolic profile and body composition, by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) at the baseline, after 15 days and at the end of the eight-week study. To evaluate the acute effectiveness on inflammation, 15-min cycle training sessions were done 15 days after the start of the study and at the end. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assayed in blood samples collected before and after the two cycling exercises. The 48 obese subjects (M and F, 20–50 years, body mass index (BMI) 30–35 kg/m2) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (N = 24, 600-mg tablet of nonanimal CS/day) or the control group (N = 24, placebo). The between-groups analysis of covariance showed a significant effect on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis index (WOMAC) scale (p = 0.000) and CRP (p = 0.022). For intra-group differences, the result was significant in the CS group for BMI, WOMAC, CRP, total cholesterol and Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA). In these obese adults with OA, nonanimal CS improved the inflammation, knee function, metabolic profile and body composition.
Visible and Near-Infrared Image Synthesis Using PCA Fusion of Multiscale Layers
Authors: Son Dong-Min , Kwon Hyuk-Ju , Lee Sung-Hak
Published: December 2020

This study proposes a method of blending visible and near-infrared (NIR) images to enhance their edge details and local contrast based on the Laplacian pyramid and principal component analysis (PCA). In the proposed method, both the Laplacian pyramid and PCA are implemented to generate a radiance map. Using the PCA algorithm, the soft-mixing method and the mask-skipping filter were applied when the images were fused. The color compensation method uses the ratio between the radiance map fused by the Laplacian pyramid and the PCA algorithm and the luminance channel of the visible image to preserve the chrominance of the visible image. The results show that the proposed method improves edge details and local contrast effectively.
Corrosion Behavior of Pre-Rusted Rebars in Cement Mortar Exposed to Harsh Environments
Authors: Burtuujin Gankhuyag , Son Dasom , Jang Indong , Yi Chongku , Lee Hyerin
Published: December 2020

Rebar embedded inside reinforced concrete structures becomes corroded due to various factors. However, few studies have focused on the corrosion of pre-rusted rebar embedded in cement composites, and the findings reported thus far are inconsistent. Therefore, in this study, an experimental program was undertaken to examine the effect of pre-rusting on the further corrosion of reinforcements in cement composites. Pre-rust was induced using two different solutions (CaCl2 and HCl). The corrosion rate in the cement composite was analyzed using the half-cell potential and polarization resistance methods. In addition, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction analysis were used to examine the morphology of the rust. The results show that the corrosion rate of the rebar embedded in the cement composite can be increased by more than 3.8 times depending on the pre-rust conditions (RE: 0.0009 mm/year, HCl: 0.0035 mm/year). In addition, we found that the corrosion products in the pre-rusted layer were comparable to those of the rebar corroded in the marine atmosphere.
Treatment of Full and Partial Arches with Internal-Conical-Connection Dental Implants: Clinical Results after 5 Years of Follow-Up
Authors: Lops Diego , Guazzo Riccardo , Rossi Alessandro , Palazzolo Antonino , Favero Vittorio , Manfredini Mattia , Sbricoli Luca , Romeo Eugenio
Published: December 2020

The aim of the present investigation is to evaluate the implant therapy outcomes over a period of 5 years and to analyze several patient risk factors influencing the stability of the peri-implant tissues. Seventy-eight patients were consecutively treated between 2009 and 2017 and restored with implant-supported fixed prostheses. The following inclusion criteria were considered: partial or complete edentulism; residual bone volume of at least 3.3 mm in diameter and 8 mm in length; a favorable relationship between maxilla and mandible; at least a minimum 5 year follow-up for each implant included in the statistical analysis. Intraoral radiographs were taken at implant loading and every 12 months during the follow-up visits. They were subsequently stored on a personal computer and analyzed to determine the changes in bone level. Seventy-eight patients receiving 209 implants completed a minimum follow-up period of 5 years. One-hundred dental implants were inserted in the maxilla while 109 were placed in the mandible. Eleven (14.1%) out of 78 treated patients who received 29 (13.9%) dental implants were considered as drop-outs. On the whole, peri-implantitis was diagnosed in three implants. The average final pocket probing depth at implant level was 2.5 ± 1.2 mm. The average final bone loss after 5 years was 0.3 ± 0.4 mm, both at the mesial and distal aspect of the implant. The effects of the prosthesis type, sex and implant site did not statistically influence the marginal bone loss; on the contrary, a statistically significant difference regarding marginal bone loss was detected between smoker and non-smoker patients (p = 0.021). Implants with internal-conical abutment connection showed stable peri-implant bone levels at the medium-term follow-up. Nevertheless, further prospective long-term clinical studies are necessary to confirm these data.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Applicator for Spinal Pain and Muscular Contracture: A New Design Approach
Authors: Dobreci Lucian Daniel , Zichil Valentin , Nechita Elena , Grigoraș Cosmin Constantin , Ciubotariu Vlad Andrei
Published: December 2020

Shockwave therapy is a noninvasive treatment technique used in multidisciplinary fields, such as sports medicine, physical therapy, and orthopedics. This method of treatment is recommended for medical conditions, such as muscle contractions, intramuscular hematoma, or Dupuytren’s contracture. The shockwaves are high-energy pressure waves characterized by nonlinearity, high frequency, and peak pressure followed by low-pressure amplitude which are transmitted through an applicator to the affected tissue. In the case of spinal muscles, the conventional applicator can only be used on one side of the spinal cord at a time. Taking this into consideration, the approach suggested in this paper involves the design of a dedicated dual-tip applicator. This process implied predesign, finite element analysis, statistical analysis of the data, and optimization. We analyzed the input factors, such as frequency, pressure, applicator tip distance, shape, flatness, and material along with their effects, namely induced stress, tissue contact pressure, total strain energy, and propagation velocity. The proposed final design of the applicator uses geometric features suggested by the optimization analysis and also mechanical design features.
A Novel VBSHM Strategy to Identify Geometrical Damage Properties Using Only Frequency Changes and Damage Library
Authors: Dubey Anurag , Denis Vivien , Serra Roger
Published: December 2020

Vibration-based structural health monitoring is an efficient way to diagnose damage and structural integrity at the earliest stage. In this paper, a new strategy is developed for damage localization and estimation, as well as damage properties identification for a rectangular geometry damage using only eigenfrequencies of the healthy and damaged structure. This strategy is applied to a cantilever beam. In this framework, a damage library is built by correlating 2D and 3D finite element models. The correlation is done by minimizing a so-called frequency shift coefficient. The proposed strategy also uses the frequency shift coefficient to correlate a 2D damaged model with an unknown beam case. The 2D damage, represented by a bending stiffness reduction, is then associated to a 3D damage by employing the damage library. Numerical cases with single and double damage of varying position and severity are tested and used to validate the approach. Finally, experimental results are proposed that show the relevance of the strategy.
AE-RTISNet: Aeronautics Engine Radiographic Testing Inspection System Net with an Improved Fast Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network Framework
Authors: Chen Zhi-Hao , Juang Jyh-Ching
Published: December 2020

To ensure safety in aircraft flying, we aimed to use deep learning methods of nondestructive examination with multiple defect detection paradigms for X-ray image detection. The use of the fast region-based convolutional neural network (Fast R-CNN)-driven model was to augment and improve the existing automated non-destructive testing (NDT) diagnosis. Within the context of X-ray screening, limited numbers and insufficient types of X-ray aeronautics engine defect data samples can, thus, pose another problem in the performance accuracy of training models tackling multiple detections. To overcome this issue, we employed a deep learning paradigm of transfer learning tackling both single and multiple detection. Overall, the achieved results obtained more than 90% accuracy based on the aeronautics engine radiographic testing inspection system net (AE-RTISNet) retrained with eight types of defect detection. Caffe structure software was used to perform network tracking detection over multiple Fast R-CNNs. We determined that the AE-RTISNet provided the best results compared with the more traditional multiple Fast R-CNN approaches, which were simple to translate to C++ code and installed in the Jetson™ TX2 embedded computer. With the use of the lightning memory-mapped database (LMDB) format, all input images were 640 × 480 pixels. The results achieved a 0.9 mean average precision (mAP) on eight types of material defect classifier problems and required approximately 100 microseconds.
Long-Term Analysis of Wave Climate and Shoreline Change along the Gulf of California
Authors: Franco-Ochoa Cuauhtémoc , Zambrano-Medina Yedid , Plata-Rocha Wenseslao , Monjardín-Armenta Sergio , Rodríguez-Cueto Yandy , Escudero Mireille , Mendoza Edgar
Published: December 2020

The last ten years have shown that Climate Change (CC) is a major global issue to attend to. The integration of its effects into coastal impact assessments and adaptation plans has gained great attention and interest, focused on avoiding or minimizing human lives and asset losses. Future scenarios of mean sea level rises and wave energy increase rates have then been computed, but downscaling still remains necessary to assess the possible local effects in small areas. In this context, the effects of CC on the wave climate in the Gulf of California (GC), Mexico, have received little attention, and no previous studies have tackled the long-term trend of wave climate at a regional scale. In this paper, the long-term trends of the wave height, wave period and wave energy in the GC were thus investigated, using the fifth-generation climate reanalysis dataset (ERA5). The long-term shoreline evolution was also examined from historical Landsat images, so as to identify erosional hotspots where intervention can be prioritized. The results indicate that both the mean and extreme wave regimes in the GC are getting more energetic and that two-thirds of the coast is suffering chronic erosion. A discrepancy between the trends of the wave period and wave height in some regions of the Gulf was also found. Finally, the importance of natural processes, human activity and CC in the shoreline change is highlighted, while addressing the need for future permanent field observations and studies in the GC.
Changes in Air Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Health Benefits in Korea
Authors: Seo Ji Hoon , Kim Ji Soo , Yang Jinho , Yun Hyunjun , Roh Minwoo , Kim Jung Woon , Yu Songhun , Jeong Na Na , Jeon Hyun Woo , Choi Joung Sook , Sohn Jong Ryeul
Published: December 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by a highly contagious coronavirus that has triggered worldwide control actions such as social distancing and lockdowns. COVID-19 control actions have resulted in improved air quality locally and around the world in the short-term by limiting human activity. We analyzed the impacts of social distancing and transboundary pollutants on air quality changes using open data and examined the corresponding health benefits focusing on two domestic cities (Seoul and Daegu) in Korea where the spread of coronavirus was severe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, PM2.5, PM10, and NO2 concentrations decreased significantly by 31%, 61%, and 33%, respectively, compared to the previous three years. In particular, the PM2.5/PM10 ratio fell 24.5% after the implementation of social distancing, suggesting a decrease in anthropogenic emissions. Moreover, we found that the air quality index (AQI) also improved significantly, with a focus on reducing exposure to sensitive groups. In Seoul and Daegu, improved air quality prevented 250 and 78 premature deaths, and health costs were USD 884 million and USD 278 million, respectively. On the other hand, health loss due to COVID-19 deaths was in sharp contrast to USD 7.1 million and USD 543.6 million. Our findings indicate a significant association between COVID-19 prevalence patterns and health outcomes.
Numerical Investigation of Tip Vortex Cavitation Inception and Noise of Underwater Propellers of Submarine Using Sequential Eulerian–Lagrangian Approaches
Authors: Ku Garam , Cheong Cheolung , Park Ilryong , Seol Hanshin
Published: December 2020

In this study, the high-fidelity numerical methods are developed to investigate the tip vortex cavitation (TVC) inception and noise of underwater propellers, namely, Model-A and Model-B, which are designed to investigate the effects of sweep angle on cavitation inception and noise. In addition, the entire body of the DARPA Suboff submarine is included to consider the effects of the inflow distortion originating from the boundary layer flow of the submarine body on the cavitating flow of the propellers. The Eulerian approach consisting of Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver and the vortex model is coupled with the Lagrangian approach using the bubble dynamics equations and the acoustic analogy for nuclei initially distributed in inlet flow. First, three-dimensional incompressible unsteady RANS simulations are performed to predict the hydrodynamic flow field driven by underwater propellers installed on a DARPA Suboff submarine body. The Scully vortex model and dissipation vortex model (DVM) are used to regenerate the tip vortex dissipated by artificial numerical damping and low grid resolution around the vortex core center, which is identified by using minimum λ2-criterion in the swirling flow field originating from the propeller blade tip. Then, tip vortex cavitation inception is simulated by applying the bubble dynamics equations to nuclei initially distributed in the inflow region. The volume and location of each nucleus are obtained by solving the bubble dynamics equations on the flow field obtained using the Eulerian method. Finally, the cavitation noise is predicted by modeling each bubble with a point monopole source whose strength is proportional to its volume acceleration. The validity of the present numerical methods is confirmed by comparing the predicted acoustic pressure spectrum with the measured ones.
Detecting and Measuring Defects in Wafer Die Using GAN and YOLOv3
Authors: Chen Ssu-Han , Kang Chih-Hsiang , Perng Der-Baau
Published: December 2020

This research used deep learning methods to develop a set of algorithms to detect die particle defects. Generative adversarial network (GAN) generated natural and realistic images, which improved the ability of you only look once version 3 (YOLOv3) to detect die defects. Then defects were measured based on the bounding boxes predicted by YOLOv3, which potentially provided the criteria for die quality sorting. The pseudo defective images generated by GAN from the real defective images were used as the training image set. The results obtained after training with the combination of the real and pseudo defective images were 7.33% higher in testing average precision (AP) and more accurate by one decimal place in testing coordinate error than after training with the real images alone. The GAN can enhance the diversity of defects, which improves the versatility of YOLOv3 somewhat. In summary, the method of combining GAN and YOLOv3 employed in this study creates a feature-free algorithm that does not require a massive collection of defective samples and does not require additional annotation of pseudo defects. The proposed method is feasible and advantageous for cases that deal with various kinds of die patterns.
Dynamic Performance of a New-Type PSC I-girder for Railway Bridge Application
Authors: Yoon Hyejin , Kim Sung Tae , Chin Won Jong , Kim Young Jin , Cho Jeong-Rae
Published: December 2020

This study intends to verify analytically and experimentally the performance of a new type of prestressed concrete (PSC) I-girder for its application as railway bridge. Since the girder-type railway bridge develops relatively low torsional rigidity, there is risk for the dynamic responses to amplify due to the superposition of the torsional mode and flexural mode. The superposition of the torsional and flexural modes as well as the dynamic stability of the railway bridge were examined through dynamic analysis. Three-dimensional modelling was built to be suitable for carrying out moving load analysis. Four different span lengths of 30, 35, 40 and 45 m adopted considering the most applied span length currently and future lengthening of the span length. Moreover, a full-scale girder specimen with span length of 35 m was fabricated and subjected to dynamic loading. The measured dynamic responses were then compared to the analytic values. Finally, the ultimate bearing capacity of the specimen was verified by static loading test.
Spatial Data Analysis for Deformation Monitoring of Bridge Structures
Authors: Erdélyi Ján , Kopáčik Alojz , Kyrinovič Peter
Published: December 2020

Weather conditions and different operational loads often cause changes in essential parts of engineering structures, and this affects the static and dynamic behavior and reliability of these structures. Therefore, geodetic monitoring is an integral part of the diagnosis of engineering structures and provides essential information about the current state (condition) of the structure. The development of measuring instruments enables deformation analyses of engineering structures using non-conventional surveying methods. Nowadays, one of the most effective techniques for spatial data collection is terrestrial laser scanning (TLS). TLS is frequently used for data acquisition in cases where three-dimensional (3D) data with high resolution is needed. Using suitable data processing, TLS can be used for static deformation analysis of the structure being monitored. For dynamic deformation measurements (structural health monitoring) of bridge structures, ground-based radar interferometry and accelerometers are often used for vibration mode determination using spectral analysis of frequencies. This paper describes experimental deformation monitoring of structures performed using TLS and ground-based radar interferometry. The procedure of measurement, the analysis of the acquired spatial data, and the results of deformation monitoring are explained and described.
Response of a Tensegrity Simplex in Experimental Tests of a Modal Hammer at Different Self-Stress Levels
Authors: Małyszko Leszek , Rutkiewicz Andrzej
Published: December 2020

The natural frequencies and eigenmodes of the tensegrity simplex are determined experimentally in impact hammer tests. To study an effect of prestressing, the tests are carried out on a physical model 1.2 m high and 0.5 m diameter with build-in transducers for measuring actual values of forces in cables at 13 prestress levels. The recorded data for each pre-stress level from three three-axial accelerometers are combined to extract the first five natural frequencies and modes by means of the method of experimental modal analysis. It was experimentally confirmed that the first rotational frequency depends on the pre-stress level and its sensitivity to the self-stress state is high enough to be successfully used in vibrational health monitoring. A proprietary formula was proposed for the relationship between frequency and the pre-stress level to control the dynamic properties of the simplex. An excellent comparison between the experimental results of the frequency and the formula was obtained. A comparison of numerical results of the finite element method with truss element and experiment is also shown.
An Efficient Estimation of the Number of Optimal Iterations for GS Pre-coding in Downlink Massive MIMO Systems
Authors: Ro Jae-Hyun , Lee Woon-Sang , Hwang Hyun-Sun , Hwang Duckdong , You Young-Hwan , Song Hyoung-Kyu
Published: December 2020

This paper proposes an estimation scheme of the number iterations for optimal Gauss–Seidel (GS) pre-coding in the downlink massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems for the first time. The number of iterations in GS pre-coding is one of the key parameters and should be estimated accurately prior to signal transmission in the downlink systems. For efficient estimation without presentations of the closed-form solution for the GS pre-coding symbols, the proposed estimation scheme uses the relative method which calculates the normalized Euclidean distance (NED) between consecutive GS solutions by using the property of the monotonic decrease function of the GS solutions. Additionally, an efficient initial solution for the GS pre-coding is proposed as a two term Neumann series (NS) based on the stair matrix for improving the accuracy of estimation and accelerating the convergence rate of the GS solution. The evaluated estimation performances verify high accuracy in the downlink massive MIMO systems even in low loading factors. In addition, an additional complexity for estimating the number of the optimal iterations is nearly negligible.
Grasp Planning Pipeline for Robust Manipulation of 3D Deformable Objects with Industrial Robotic Hand + Arm Systems
Authors: Zaidi Lazher , Corrales Ramon Juan Antonio , Sabourin Laurent , Bouzgarrou Belhassen Chedli , Mezouar Youcef
Published: December 2020

In the grasping and manipulation of 3D deformable objects by robotic hands, the physical contact constraints between the fingers and the object have to be considered in order to validate the robustness of the task. Nevertheless, previous works rarely establish contact interaction models based on these constraints that enable the precise control of forces and deformations during the grasping process. This paper considers all steps of the grasping process of deformable objects in order to implement a complete grasp planning pipeline by computing the initial contact points (pregrasp strategy), and later, the contact forces and local deformations of the contact regions while the fingers close over the grasped object (grasp strategy). The deformable object behavior is modeled using a nonlinear isotropic mass-spring system, which is able to produce potential deformation. By combining both models (the contact interaction and the object deformation) in a simulation process, a new grasp planning method is proposed in order to guarantee the stability of the 3D grasped deformable object. Experimental grasping experiments of several 3D deformable objects with a Barrett hand (3-fingered) and a 6-DOF industrial robotic arm are executed. Not only will the final stable grasp configuration of the hand + object system be obtained, but an arm + hand approaching strategy (pregrasp) will also be computed.
Impact of Horse Hoof Wall with Different Solid Surfaces
Authors: Zhao Jing , Marghitu Dan B. , Schumacher John , Wang Wenzhong
Published: December 2020

This study aimed to investigate the impact of a horse hoof wall on three solid surfaces: steel, concrete and asphalt. Impact experiments were conducted for different impact angles and different initial impact velocities. The effect of impact surfaces, impact angles and initial impact velocities on the coefficient of restitution and the effective coefficient of friction were tested using one-way ANOVA. Analytical and numerical modeling of the impact were developed. The impact interval was divided into two phases: compression and restitution. For compression, a contact force with a damping term was used. The restitution was characterized by an elastic contact force. The stiffness and damping coefficients of the contact force were estimated from the normal impacts. The simulated velocities after the oblique impacts were compared to the velocities in the in vitro investigation. The coefficient of restitution varied significantly on different surfaces. The effective coefficient of friction was lower on steel compared to concrete and asphalt. The model presented in this study can be applied to refine the impact simulation of the equine hoof during locomotion.
Parsing Expression Grammars and Their Induction Algorithm
Authors: Wieczorek Wojciech , Unold Olgierd , Strąk Łukasz
Published: December 2020

Grammatical inference (GI), i.e., the task of finding a rule that lies behind given words, can be used in the analyses of amyloidogenic sequence fragments, which are essential in studies of neurodegenerative diseases. In this paper, we developed a new method that generates non-circular parsing expression grammars (PEGs) and compares it with other GI algorithms on the sequences from a real dataset. The main contribution of this paper is a genetic programming-based algorithm for the induction of parsing expression grammars from a finite sample. The induction method has been tested on a real bioinformatics dataset and its classification performance has been compared to the achievements of existing grammatical inference methods. The evaluation of the generated PEG on an amyloidogenic dataset revealed its accuracy when predicting amyloid segments. We show that the new grammatical inference algorithm achieves the best ACC (Accuracy), AUC (Area under ROC curve), and MCC (Mathew’s correlation coefficient) scores in comparison to five other automata or grammar learning methods.
BFRVSR: A Bidirectional Frame Recurrent Method for Video Super-Resolution
Authors: Xue Xiongxiong , Han Zhenqi , Tong Weiqin , Li Mingqi , Liu Lizhuang
Published: December 2020

Video super-resolution is a challenging task. One possible solution, called the sliding window method, tries to divide the generation of high-resolution video sequences into independent subtasks. Another popular method, named the recurrent algorithm, utilizes the generated high-resolution images of previous frames to generate the high-resolution image. However, both methods have some unavoidable disadvantages. The former method usually leads to bad temporal consistency and has higher computational cost, while the latter method cannot always make full use of information contained by optical flow or any other calculated features. Thus, more investigations need to be done to explore the balance between these two methods. In this work, a bidirectional frame recurrent video super-resolution method is proposed. To be specific, reverse training is proposed that also utilizes a generated high-resolution frame to help estimate the high-resolution version of the former frame. The bidirectional recurrent method guarantees temporal consistency and also makes full use of the adjacent information due to the bidirectional training operation, while the computational cost is acceptable. Experimental results demonstrate that the bidirectional super-resolution framework gives remarkable performance and it solves time-related problems.
Soil Stabilization Using Waste Paper Fly Ash: Precautions for Its Correct Use
Authors: Baloochi Hani , Aponte Diego , Barra Marilda
Published: December 2020

This paper deals with the valorization of waste paper fly ash (WPFA) as a binder for soil stabilization. The mineralogical characterization shows the presence of free lime, as well as some non-reactive and cementitious phases. The hydration of lime is an expansive reaction and can be problematic in soil stabilization. Therefore, to study its effect on stabilized soil, an in-house experimental set-up is proposed to measure the possible expansion. Furthermore, to study the effect of water reduction and delay time on strength, unconfined compressive strength with different mixes is conducted. The obtained results showed that using WPFA causes expansion in stabilized soil, but a delay time of 30 min, after mixing the material with water and then compacting it, can decrease the expansion. Additionally, decreasing the water content by a point of Proctor can be essential for improving the strength in soil samples, even reaching the same strength values as control samples cured at 7 days. Finally, all the results obtained in this study have shown that WPFA is a suitable material for use as a binder for soil stabilization while reducing its optimum water content, adding a proper delay time, and taking into consideration WPFA’s expansive behavior at the moment of its use.
A Critical Review of Flood Risk Management and the Selection of Suitable Measures
Authors: Tariq Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman , Farooq Rashid , van de Giesen Nick
Published: December 2020

Modern-day flood management has evolved into a variety of flood management alternatives. The selection of appropriate flood measures is crucial under a variety of flood management practices, approaches, and assessment criteria. Many leading countries appraise the significance of risk-based flood management, but the fixed return period is still the de facto standard of flood management practices. Several measures, approaches, and design criteria have been developed over time. Understanding their role, significance, and correlation toward risk-based flood management is crucial for integrating them into a plan for a floodplain. The direct impacts of a flood are caused by direct contact with the flood, while indirect impacts occur as a result of the interruptions and disruptions of the socio-economical aspects. To proceed with a risk-based flood management approach, the fundamental requirement is to understand the risk dynamics of a floodplain and to identify the principal parameter that should primarily be addressed so as to reduce the risk. Risk is a potential loss that may arise from a hazard. On the one hand, exposure and susceptibility of the vulnerable system, and on the other, the intensity and probability of the hazard, are the parameters that can be used to quantitatively determine risk. The selection of suitable measures for a flood management scheme requires a firm apprehension of the risk mechanism. Under socio-economic and environmental constraints, several measures can be employed at the catchments, channels, and floodplains. The effectiveness of flood measures depends on the floodplain characteristics and supporting measures.
A Statistical Estimation of 5G Massive MIMO Networks’ Exposure Using Stochastic Geometry in mmWave Bands
Authors: Al Hajj Maarouf , Wang Shanshan , Thanh Tu Lam , Azzi Soumaya , Wiart Joe
Published: December 2020

This paper aims to derive an analytical modelling of the downlink exposure in 5G massive Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna networks using stochastic geometry. The Poisson point process (PPP) is assumed for base station (BS) distribution. The power received at the transmitter is modeled as a shot-noise process with a modified power law. The distributions of 5G massive MIMO antenna gain and channel gain were obtained by fitting simulation results from the NYUSIM channel simulator. The fitted distributions, e.g., exponential and gamma distribution for antenna and channel gain respectively, were then implemented into an analytical framework. In this paper, we obtained the closed-form expression of the moment-generating function (MGF) for the total exposure in the network. The framework is then validated by numerical simulations. The sensitivity analysis is carried out to investigate the impact of key parameters, e.g., BS density, path loss exponent, and transmission probability. We then proved and quantified the significant impact the transmission probability on global exposure, which indicates the importance of considering the network usage in 5G exposure estimations.