bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of an Advanced Inspection of the Degradation of Volatile Organic Compounds in Electrochemical Water Treatment of Paint-Industrial Water Effluents
Authors: Szarka Agneša , Mihová Veronika , Horváth Gabriel , Hrouzková Svetlana
Published: December 2022

This study presents a compact system developed to treat paint-industrial water contaminated by the residues of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using hybrid electrothermochemical wastewater treatment technology. Different treatment parameters (sample dilution, working current) were studied, and the power of the removal was expressed by the removal efficiency factor. It was shown that for all of the VOCs, significant removal was obtained with dilution 1:3 (industrial water: deionized water, V:V) and electric current set at 30 A. For advanced inspection of the treatment process, a simple and solventless method has been developed and validated, using headspace sampling combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Parameters affecting the headspace sampling efficiency were thoroughly studied, including the temperature, time, and mixing rate. The proposed method was partially validated utilizing the selected sampling parameters. The limits of detection ranged between 0.19 µg/L and 4.02 μg/L. The validated analytical method was an efficient tool for the inspection of residual VOCs in paint-industrial water and treated water samples. The new electrochemical water treatment was shown to be helpful in the paint industry’s effluent reuse.
Development of Ultrasonic Pulsed Plasma Jet Source for Remote Surface Treatment
Authors: Ohta Takashi , Ogasawara Daisuke , Iwai Takahiro , Miyahara Hidekazu , Okino Akitoshi
Published: December 2022

We have developed a supersonic pulsed plasma jet device capable of long-distance and high-speed processing, and investigated its basic characteristics for surface treatment applications, mainly in the material and medical fields. The developed apparatus is equipped with a mechanism to transport active species in the plasma to the object to be treated by jetting the generated high-density plasma outward with supersonic pulse jets, which allows the gas flow velocity to increase significantly during pulse jetting compared with plasma generation. This enables the active species in the plasma to reach the treatment target before deactivation, thereby realizing surface treatment at a distance. Measurements using the Schlieren method revealed that the velocity of the jet flow reached Mach 1.7.
Number of Lines of Image Reconstructed from a Revealing Emission Signal as an Important Parameter of Rasterization and Coherent Summation Processes
Authors: Kubiak Ireneusz , Przybysz Artur , Grzesiak Krystian
Published: December 2022

An important issue in the protection of information against electromagnetic penetration is the possibility of its non-invasive acquisition. In many cases, getting hold of protected information involves recreating and presenting it in a readable and understandable form. In particular, this applies to data processed in graphic form and in such a form presented on the side of eavesdropping system. The effectiveness of reconstructing data in graphic form requires knowledge of raster parameters, i.e., the line length and the number of lines of the reproduced image. This article presents new measures allowing for the determination of the correct number of lines in an image. The maximum value of the measures has been proposed as a criterion for the correctness of determining the number of image lines. A predetermined number of image lines was assumed as the input data, which was determined on the basis of the analysis of the amplitude variability of the recorded revealing emission signal. The result of the considerations of the effectiveness of the measures adopted in the process of electromagnetic infiltration was the indication of methods that allow for the correct determination of the number of lines of the reproduced image. The correct number of image lines allows the use of the coherent summation algorithm of tens of images.
Resource Allocation for Network Slicing in RAN Using Case-Based Reasoning
Authors: Yan Dandan , Yang Xu , Cuthbert Laurie
Published: December 2022

As a key technology of 5G, network slicing can meet the diverse needs of users. In this research, we study network slicing resource allocation in radio access networks (RAN) by case-based reasoning (CBR). We treat the user distribution scenario as a case and stored a massive number of cases in the library. CBR is used to match a new case with cases in the case library to find similar cases and determine the best slice bandwidth ratio of the new case based on these similar cases. In the matching process, the k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm is used to retrieve similar cases, the nearest k neighbors being determined by considering sparsity reduction and locality-preserving projections. Although only an initial study, the results confirm that the proposed architecture is capable of allocating resources efficiently in terms of prediction error and computational cost.
Operator-Based Adaptive Tracking Capacity Control in Complex Manufacturing Processes
Authors: Liu Ping , Zhang Qiang , Wang Aihui , Wen Shengjun , Pannek Jürgen
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, quickly changing customer demands are a big challenge in the manufacturing industry, especially for job shops, which are typical coupling and nonlinear multi-input–multi-output (MIMO) systems. In order to achieve good shop floor performance in the presence of short-term demand fluctuations, a key performance indicator—work in process (WIP)—is required to be effectively controlled in the vicinity of the desired levels. For this purpose, a machinery-oriented capacity adjustment approach via a reconfigurable machine tool (RMT) is employed to flexibly balance capacity and load in the case of a bottleneck. A mathematical model concerning the RMT and WIP was first established in the presence of uncertainty and delays. The operator-based robust right coprime factorization (RRCF) method was adopted to stabilize the uncertain system, and adaptive integral separated proportional–integral (ISPI) tracking controllers were further designed to improve the transient and robustness performance. The performance of the proposed ISPI-RRCF was analyzed and compared with that of a state-of-the-art method in a simulation. The results showed that both control systems could ensure that the WIP was within an allowed bound, while the former had lower overshoots, shorter setting times, and more concentrated distributions facing stochastic demands. This further indicated the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in the avoidance of serious bottlenecks and unbalanced capacity distributions.
Landslide Displacement Prediction Based on Variational Mode Decomposition and GA–Elman Model
Authors: Guo Wei , Meng Qingjia , Wang Xi , Zhang Zhitao , Yang Kai , Wang Chenhui
Published: December 2022

Landslide displacement prediction is an important part of monitoring and early warning systems. Effective displacement prediction is instrumental in reducing the risk of landslide disasters. This paper proposes a displacement prediction model based on variational mode decomposition and a genetic algorithm optimization of the Elman neural network (VMD–GA–Elman). First, using VMD, the landslide displacement sequence is decomposed into the three subsequences of the trend term, the periodic term, and the random term. Then, appropriate influencing factors are selected for each of the three subsequences to construct input datasets; the rationality of the selection of the influencing factors is evaluated using the gray correlation analysis method. The GA–Elman model is used to forecast the trend item, periodic item and random item. Finally, the total displacement is obtained by superimposing the three subsequences to verify the performance of the model. A case study of the Shuizhuyuan landslide (China) is presented for the validation of the developed model. The results show that the model in this paper is in good agreement with the actual situation and has good prediction accuracy; it can, therefore, provide a basis for early warning systems for landslide displacement and deformation.
Pre-Reinforcement Mechanism and Effect Analysis of Surface Infiltration Grouting in Shallow Buried Section of Long-Span Tunnel
Authors: Cao Weiwen , Su Yonghua , Wang Xin , Liu Houcheng
Published: December 2022

In order to solve the problem that the hole-forming rate of boreholes is low and it is difficult to reach the designed length when supporting a long pipe shed in loose stratum in a shallow buried section of a long-span tunnel, it is necessary to pre-reinforce the loose stratum in order to improve the strength and integrity of the surrounding rock. Relying on the grouting project of the shallow buried section at the exit of Botanggou tunnel, it is assumed that the grouting material is Newtonian fluid and the steel floral tube shows cylindrical infiltration and diffusion. Through the analysis of the structural characteristics of the injected stratum, the conceptual model of infiltration grouting is established. Twelve groups of test slurry were prepared with ordinary Portland cement and ultra-fine cement, and through the analysis of the slurry parameters of each group, ordinary Portland cement slurry was selected with a water–cement ratio of 1:1 plus 3% water glass to strengthen the gravel layer, and ultra-fine cement slurry with a water–cement ratio of 1:1 plus 3% water glass and 0.3% polycarboxylate superplasticizer to strengthen the fully and strongly weathered porphyritic granite layer. Through the on-site single-hole grouting test and combining with the empirical formula, the maximum diffusion radius of single-hole infiltration grouting is calculated, and the sliding width of the sidewall is deduced using Terzaghi theory. To ensure the grouting effect, the 5 m expansion of the excavation profile is taken as the grouting range. Grouting construction adopts the overall order of periphery and then interior, and three-sequence opening and grouting are adopted in the same row of grouting holes, which can effectively prevent grouting running and grouting. For the strata treated by surface grouting, the construction of the long pipe shed is smooth and reaches the designed length, and there is no large deformation of the surrounding rock when excavated using the CD method. The treatment effect is analyzed by the P-Q-t control method, excavation observation method, and deformation monitoring method. The results show that the injected stratum is fully infiltrated and gelled, forms an obvious grouting stone body, the integrity and strength of surrounding rock are obviously improved, and the convergence values of the tunnel surface, vault subsidence, and clearance do not exceed the alarm value of 60 mm. The research results provide some awareness and understanding of the grouting pre-reinforcement of loose stratum in a shallow buried section of a long-span tunnel in the future.
Current Issues in Dental Identification in Severely Burned Bodies from a Studio Arson Attack in Japan
Authors: Ichioka Hiroaki , Bandou Risa , Idota Nozomi , Shintani-Ishida Kaori , Ikegaya Hiroshi
Published: December 2022

A studio arson attack in Japan caused 36 deaths. Dentists obtained dental findings from 33 unidentified bodies immediately after the attack and autopsy. The dental findings before autopsy were obtained on the day of the incident and the next day. Dental findings after autopsy were obtained at 1 week from the day after the incident. We examined issues associated with collecting these dental findings. Other findings recorded were CT images, autopsy findings, and various blood and pathological examinations. Among the 33 unidentified bodies, for 30 bodies, the number of teeth from which the dental findings were obtained was significantly higher after autopsy than before autopsy. The dental findings of the remaining three bodies were not obtained before or after the autopsy. Five percent of anterior teeth and 28.7% of molars had differing pre-autopsy and post-autopsy findings. This discrepancy can be attributed to various factors. One of the major influencing factors was the carbonization of the facial surface muscles and skin along with limited mouth opening due to thermocoagulation. For the scientific identification of an individual based on dental findings, it is mandatory to examine the teeth in all quadrants. The collection of dental findings solely from anterior teeth may not be adequate to establish identity. The present article describes the challenges faced by the dentists while identifying charred bodies in an arson attack.
Reducing Actuators in Soft Continuum Robots and Manipulators
Authors: Shoani Mohamed , Ribuan Mohamed Najib , Mohd Faudzi Ahmad Athif , Mohamaddan Shahrol
Published: December 2022

Soft continuum robots and manipulators (SCRaMs) are elongated structures that can be used in many applications, such as exploration, inspection, and minimally invasive surgery. Multi-segment SCRaMs employ numerous actuators to perform their tasks. The large number of actuators increases the cost and complexity of a SCRaM and reduces its reliability. In this paper, a methodology is presented to reduce the number of actuators employed by SCRaMs while maintaining their volumetric workspace. The method presents a new design approach involving one rotary and two linear actuators, providing three degrees of freedom (DOF) and a volumetric workspace. The result of applying the transformation is a 50–86% reduction in the total number of actuators typically employed by multi-segment SCRaMs. The application of this methodology reduces the cost and complexity of conventional multi-segment SCRaMs while improving their efficiency and reliability.
Non-Linear Regression Model for Estimating the Efficiency of Heavy Metals Removal by Soil Washing with Chitosan Solution
Authors: Micle Valer , Damian Gianina Elena , Rogozan George Calin , Sur Ioana Monica
Published: December 2022

The process of heavy metals removal by soil washing using chitosan as washing agent is a multivariate problem. According to the experimental data sets obtained during experiments performed at laboratory scale, the main parameters that influenced the efficiency of the soil washing process were the stirring time of the polluted soil with the investigated washing agent, washing solution concentration, and solid/liquid ratio (S/L ratio). This study explores the statistical relationships between the removal efficiency of Cu and Pb from polluted soil by washing with chitosan and factors influencing the soil washing process by use of a non-linear regression model. The non-linear regression model contains a non-linear component and a component of interaction among the two parameters (S/L ratio “X1”, the stirring time “X2”) which influences the efficiency of the Cu and Pb removal from soil by soil washing with the investigated washing agent. The proposed model is useful for predicting and estimating the effectiveness of the soil decontamination process by washing with chitosan. A comparison between the data calculated using the proposed mathematical model and the experimental data was also performed in order to determine the integrity and conformity of the mathematical model obtained. The results showed a good fit of the obtained model to the experimental data.
Application of Microtremor Survey Technology in a Coal Mine Goaf
Authors: Yu Chuantao , Wang Zheng , Tang Mingyu
Published: December 2022

Goafs are one of the main factors that endanger the safety of mining areas, leading to roadway collapse, land subsidence and other problems. Determining how to detect goafs accurately and efficiently is an important issue faced in engineering geophysical exploration research. Microtremor survey technology, used in geophysical exploration, has been developed in recent years. It has the advantages of low cost, flexible construction, low topographic impact and high efficiency. In this paper, microtremor survey technology was applied to the detection of a coal mine goaf. In the known goaf area of the Taiyuan Nanling Coal Mine, a linear observation array was arranged to conduct rolling acquisition, observe the microtremor signal records of the natural field and use the extended spatial autocorrelation method to extract the dispersion curve. Through the inversion of the extracted dispersion curve, the apparent shear wave velocity profile of the underground medium clearly showed the location of the goaf. It was roughly consistent with the goaf data obtained from the mine. The detection results reflect the advantages of micromotion exploration. The goaf of Coal Seam #2 and its affected area appear to be due to an obvious low-speed phenomenon. The boundary of the apparent shear wave velocity profile of micromotion detection was basically consistent with the boundary of the goaf, indicating that micromotion exploration technology has good technical advantages and application prospects in the detection of coal mine goafs. The rolling acquisition method of linear arrays can be used to ensure accurate detection, improve exploration efficiency and save on exploration costs.
An Electroglottograph Auxiliary Neural Network for Target Speaker Extraction
Authors: Chen Lijiang , Mo Zhendong , Ren Jie , Cui Chunfeng , Zhao Qi
Published: December 2022

The extraction of a target speaker from mixtures of different speakers has attracted extensive amounts of attention and research. Previous studies have proposed several methods, such as SpeakerBeam, to tackle this speech extraction problem using clean speech from the target speaker to provide information. However, clean speech cannot be obtained immediately in most cases. In this study, we addressed this problem by extracting features from the electroglottographs (EGGs) of target speakers. An EGG is a laryngeal function detection technology that can detect the impedance and condition of vocal cords. Since EGGs have excellent anti-noise performance due to the collection method, they can be obtained in rather noisy environments. In order to obtain clean speech from target speakers out of the mixtures of different speakers, we utilized deep learning methods and used EGG signals as additional information to extract target speaker. In this way, we could extract target speaker from mixtures of different speakers without needing clean speech from the target speakers. According to the characteristics of the EGG signals, we developed an EGG_auxiliary network to train a speaker extraction model under the assumption that EGG signals carry information about speech signals. Additionally, we took the correlations between EGGs and speech signals in silent and unvoiced segments into consideration to develop a new network involving EGG preprocessing. We achieved improvements in the scale invariant signal-to-distortion ratio improvement (SISDRi) of 0.89 dB on the Chinese Dual-Mode Emotional Speech Database (CDESD) and 1.41 dB on the EMO-DB dataset. In addition, our methods solved the problem of poor performance with target speakers of the same gender and the different between the same gender situation and the problem of greatly reduced precision under the low SNR circumstances.
Experimental Study on the Deformation and Mechanical Properties of Bamboo Forest Slopes
Authors: Yang Hui , Cao Zhengyi , Jiang Xueliang , Wang Yixian
Published: December 2022

In this paper, model tests on a plain soil slope and a bamboo-rooted slope under slope top loading were carried out to analyze the slope surface displacement, the change in earth pressure, and the failure mode of the slope. Furthermore, the influence of rainfall on the deformation and mechanical properties of bamboo-rooted slope sliding was studied. The results show that: (1) the failure mode of the plain soil slope was block sliding failure, while the failure mode of the bamboo-rooted slope was progressive backward failure. (2) Under the slope top load, the slope displacement shows the rule that the top of the slope was large and the foot of the slope was small. The presence of bamboo rhizomes had a negligible effect on the slope displacement, but it significantly contributed to the sliding area’s increase. (3) Compared with the plain soil slope, the earth pressure in the area of the foot of the slope under the same level of the load was elevated more obviously by the bamboo-rooted slope, which indicates that bamboo rhizomes could play a specific role in reinforcing the slope. Still, the scope of its influence was limited and mainly concentrated in the shallow soil. (4) There was a significant increase in the displacement of the bamboo-rooted slope under rainfall conditions, and the magnitude of the upward slope earth pressure was small in the process of step-by-step loading. The test results may have important guiding significance for the in-depth study of the instability law and disaster prevention in bamboo forest areas.
Fast Vibration Reduction Optimization Approach for Complex Thin-Walled Shells Accelerated by Global Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Reduced-Order Model
Authors: Shi Yongxin , Ke Zhao , Sun Wei , Zhang Peng , Yang Qiang , Tian Kuo
Published: December 2022

A fast vibration reduction optimization approach accelerated by the global proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) reduced-order model (ROM) is proposed, aiming at increasing the efficiency of frequency response analysis and vibration reduction optimization of complex thin-walled shells. At the offline stage, the global POD ROM is adaptively updated using the sample configurations generated by the CV (cross validation)–Voronoi sequence sampling method. In comparison to the traditional direct sampling method, the proposed approach achieves higher global prediction accuracy. At the online stage, the fast vibration reduction optimization is performed by combining the surrogate-based efficient global optimization (EGO) method and the proposed ROM. Two representative examples are carried out to verify the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed approach, including examples of an aerospace S-shaped curved stiffened shell and a Payload Attach Fitting. The results indicate that the proposed approach achieves high prediction accuracy and efficiency through the verification by FOM and obtains better optimization ability over the direct optimization method based on FOM.
Study on the Influence of Groundwater Variation on the Bearing Capacity of Sandy Shallow Foundation
Authors: Chen Wenfeng , Xia Weishu , Zhang Shanshan , Wang Erlei
Published: December 2022

Groundwater variation has a significant effect on the bearing capacity of sandy shallow foundations. Groundwater and capillary water in the shallow foundation would result in the various water distributions in the soil mass. Therefore, there are three types of water conditions in the shallow foundation. They are the total saturated, capillary-water-effect zone and dry soil. In this study, a physical mode experimental was developed to investigate the effect of groundwater variation on the deformation behavior under different loading conditions. The effect of water level and fluctuation times were examined by a novel setup with a water-pressure control system. A total of 10 group model tests were carried out. The results indicated that the relationship between water level height and foundation bearing capacity is negatively correlated. In addition, the numerical analysis was carried out to investigate the effect of water-level change on the bearing capacity of the foundation. The bearing capacity of the foundation decreases as the water-level cycles increase. The increase in the fluctuation range of the water level will decrease the bearing capacity of the foundation. The outcome of this study would be helpful to predict the bearing capacity of shallow foundations due to the change of the water level.
M-ary Amplitude Shift Keying Power and Information Synchronous Transmission Based on Phase-Shifted Full-Bridge
Authors: Zhang Xin , Pan Xuetong , Geng Yuehua , Chu Zhiqi , Han Rongmei , Xue Ming
Published: December 2022

This paper proposes an M-ary amplitude shift keying (MASK) power and information synchronous transmission system based on phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) for applications in wireless power transmission (WPT). The Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) waveform uses different phases to control the MOSFET in the full-bridge inverter for MASK modulation. The inverter voltage generates M amplitude transformation, forming a comprehensive power information flow. The demodulation circuit processes the information transmitted to the secondary side, following the power supply with a differential amplifier, to realize synchronous transmission of power supply and information. Compared with conventional amplitude modulation, the system’s volume is significantly reduced, and the DC-DC modulation circuit has no filtering effect. It transmits comprehensive high-level data and improves the information transmission rate from the perspective of bit width. In the experiment, 16-bit width data are transmitted, and the bit rate is increased by four times compared to conventional amplitude modulation. Combined with DSP, the designed demodulation circuit reduces the voltage amplitude fluctuation at the receiving end to 5% and minimizes the impact of amplitude modulation voltage fluctuation on the system.
A Case Study to Explore a UDL Evaluation Framework Based on MOOCs
Authors: Iniesto Francisco , Rodrigo Covadonga , Hillaire Garron
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we focus on 23 undergraduate students’ application of a universal design for learning (UDL) evaluation framework for assessing a massive open online course (MOOC) in the context of a usability and accessibility university course. Using a mixed-methods approach, we first report the extent to which untrained raters agree when evaluating their course with the framework and then examine their feedback on using UDL for assessment purposes. Our results indicate user feedback provides great value for both the future development of accessible MOOCs and identifies opportunities to improve the evaluation framework. For that purpose, we suggest an iterative process comprised of refining the framework while working with students and which could help students to internalise UDL principles and guidelines to become expert learners and evaluators. The complexities and redundancies that surfaced in our research, as reported in this paper, illustrate that there is variability in the perception of both the course design and the interpretation of the framework. Results indicate that UDL cannot be applied as a list of simple checkpoints, but also provide insights into aspects of the framework that can be improved to make the framework itself more accessible to students.
Status, Features, and Future Development of the LIFUS5/Mod4 Experimental Facility Design
Authors: Badodi Nicolò , Eboli Marica , Cammi Antonio , Del Nevo Alessandro
Published: December 2022

The Water-Cooled Lithium–Lead (WCLL) is one of the most promising technologies for power conversion and tritium production in future fusion-powered reactors; it will be implemented in one of the Test Breeding Modules (TBM) inside the ITER reactor and the DEMO EU reactor. However, the simultaneous presence in the system of high-temperature PbLi and high-pressure water poses significant safety issues in the event of an in-box LOCA (Loss Of Coolant Accident). For this reason, a complete understanding of the system response is crucial to avoid extensive damage in such a scenario. This paper describes the status and design features of the LIFUS5/Mod4 facility, an experimental plant that is currently being designed and constructed at ENEA CR Brasimone in the framework of the FP9 EUROfusion Horizon Europe to address these issues. This facility aims at being representative of the geometry and operational conditions of the Test Breeding System (TBS) to allow the precise reproduction of its behavior under simulated incidental scenarios. For this reason, peculiar design choices have been made, which will be extensively discussed throughout this work and which will allow the generation of high-quality data useful for the TBS development. Moreover, the facility is expected to become a test stand for the implementation of different safety functions, to identify the best accident-mitigation strategy. Possible upgrade plans for the facility are described as well, with the chance for it to become a fully functional test stand for any component of the TBS in their operative conditions.
Effectiveness of a Cucumber Extract Supplement on Articular Pain in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Pérez-Piñero Silvia , Muñoz-Carrillo Juan Carlos , Victoria-Montesinos Desirée , García-Muñoz Ana María , Ávila-Gandía Vicente , López-Román Francisco Javier
Published: December 2022

This 8-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study aimed to assess the effectiveness of supplementation with an extract of Cucumis sativus L. (20 mg/day) on pain and other variables in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) over 40 years. The change in pain intensity using a 1–10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) was the primary endpoint. Fifty-five patients (mean age 50.6 ± 8.6 years) were included (experimental group, n = 29; placebo, n = 26). VAS scores for pain decreased significantly in both study groups, but decreases were higher in the experimental group (between-group p = 0.013). Improvements in pain, stiffness, and physical function according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) were also significantly higher in the experimental group. The Timed Up and Go test result also decreased significantly in the experimental group. An improvement in muscle function was associated with significant increases in isokinetic and isometric dynamometry variables, particularly for isometric 60°·s−1 and 180°·s−1 knee flexion exercises in the experimental group. Plasma levels of interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) also decreased significantly in the experimental group. Based on the beneficial effects of cucumber on symptomatology and inflammatory and cartilage degradation biomarkers in knee OA, cucumber extract supplementation may a useful natural approach to maintain healthy joints.
MDA-Based Approach for Blockchain Smart Contract Development
Authors: Jurgelaitis Mantas , Čeponienė Lina , Butkus Karolis , Butkienė Rita , Drungilas Vaidotas
Published: December 2022

Blockchain smart contracts can support the decentralisation of business processes, but due to smart contracts’ specifics, their development is a complicated process. Introducing model-driven development principles in smart contract development can facilitate requirement specification, design, and implementation activities. This paper presents a model-driven development method MDAsmartCD (Model-Driven Architecture-based Smart Contract Development) to alleviate smart contract development by supporting the complete MDA life cycle, covering the definition of Computation-Independent Model, Platform-Independent Model, and two instances of Platform-Specific Models. In MDAsmartCD, model transformations (model-to-model and model-to-text) are used to produce smart contract code in the Hyperledger Fabric platform Go and the Ethereum platform Solidity programming languages. The method application was demonstrated by implementing the smart contract for the hackathon solution and executing the generated Solidity and Go smart contracts in the workflow of issuing certificates for hackathon participants. During the execution of the workflow, both deployed smart contracts behaved identically and recorded analogous results in respective blockchain data storages. This demonstrated that the MDAsmartCD method enables the generation of compilable and executable smart contract code, ready for deployment on a blockchain platform.
Design and Numerical-Method-Aided Optimization of a Novel Attachment System for Implant-Retained Dental Prostheses Using NiTi Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Shayanfard Pejman , Wendler Frank , Hempel Philipp , Karl Matthias
Published: December 2022

While nickel-titanium (NiTi) is the primary shape memory alloy (SMA) used in endodontic instruments, restorative dental components so far have not been fabricated from SMAs. The flexibility of these materials may solve problems in implant prosthodontics resulting from non-parallel implant positions and transfer inaccuracies. Based on a prototype of a novel attachment system for implant overdentures, a finite element model was created and used for studying different loading situations and design parameters followed by numerical analysis aided design optimization. The results revealed that the basic design of the attachment is capable of compensating misalignments of supporting implants as well as transfer inaccuracies of a clinically relevant magnitude by accommodating the large deformations induced under masticatory loading upon martensitic phase transformation at almost constant stress. The application of NiTi resulted in the reduction of the reaction forces recorded in the surrounding of the supporting implant, as well, the reaction forces between male and female parts of the attachment system could be reduced which will minimize wear phenomena and subsequent maintenance costs. These effects were seen to be enhanced in the optimized design.
NextGen ADS-B Software-Defined Reception with Enhanced Techniques
Authors: Habibi Markani Jamal , Amrhar Abdessamad , Gagné Jean-Marc , Landry René Jr
Published: December 2022

This paper provides research on the enhanced NextGen ADS-B reception method and its performance in laboratory and flight tests. It sheds the light on end-to-end reception techniques to comply with key requirements. ADS-B has emerged as among the most intriguing avionics for both researchers and companies since the launch of NextGen in 2009. ADS-B provides authorities with a mechanism for use in continuously monitoring the position and track of an airplane using periodic and independent broadcast messages that transmit Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) position information. The enhanced pulse detection technique is used to detect and validated preamble pulses. Besides the utilization of multiple amplitude samples technique not only improve bit and confidence declaration accuracy but also make it capable of deploying error detection/correction algorithms which are two aspects of enhanced Extended Squitter reception. In addition, applying a slow attack automatic gain control (AGC) algorithm improves system sensitivity and performance. The implementation is done in MATLAB Simulink and C++. Software Defined Radio (SDR) module, BladeRF, is used programable platform for the communication system. Subsequently, the lab experimental and flight test results show that when applying these strategies in a real environment, significant performance is achievable.
Scattering of Plane Waves by Cylindrical Cavity in Unsaturated Poroelastic Medium
Authors: Li Weihua , Yang Zhe , Zhang Aichen , Feng Fengcui
Published: December 2022

The scattering of elastic waves by underground cavities is an active research topic for its broad applications in various fields, such as earthquake engineering, the blast resistance of underground structures, geophysical exploration, etc. In most previous studies, the sounding medium was treated as an ideal elastic medium or a saturated poroelastic medium. The understanding of the scattering of elastic waves by cavities in unsaturated porous media is limited. In this study, the scattering of plane P1 waves and SV waves by a cavity with a permeable surface in an infinite unsaturated porous medium is solved by the wave function expansion method. The dynamic stress concentration at the cavity surface is investigated by taking P1 wave incidence, for example. Numerical results illustrate that the scattering of plane waves around the cavity strongly depends on the frequency of the incident waves, and the saturation, Poisson’s ratio, and porosity of the surrounding medium.
Spatial–Temporal Analysis of a Summer Heat Wave Associated with Downslope Flows in Southern Brazil: Implications in the Atmospheric Boundary Layer
Authors: Stefanello Michel , da Rosa Cinara Ewerling , Bresciani Caroline , dos Reis Nicolle Cordero Simões , Facco Douglas Stefanello , Ferraz Simone E. Teleginski , Boiaski Nathalie Tissot , Herdies Dirceu Luis , Acevedo Otávio , Tirabassi Tiziano , Roberti Débora Regina , Degrazia Gervásio Annes
Published: December 2022

This study investigates a summer heat wave (HW) associated with downslope winds (DWs) affecting the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. The temporal evolution of both phenomena is analyzed in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) using a combination of micrometeorological and rawinsonde data. For spatial characterization, ERA-5 reanalysis data are used. The HW covered a large area in southern Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The main features of the HW were locally enhanced in the central region of RS by the development of DWs. The establishment of DWs near the surface depends on the dynamics of the ABL and local topographic features. The results showed that DWs that occurred during the HW contributed to the extreme temperatures and were associated with strong northerly winds, low relative humidity, and a drop in the dew points. Together, these extreme events influenced the turbulent and mean flow patterns of the ABL. The increase in turbulent activity associated with the warming of the ABL favored enhanced growth of morning ABL, while at night the simultaneous effects of radiative and turbulence cooling inhibited the formation of a strong stable ABL. The analysis highlights the complex interplay of synoptic and local factors associated with DWs and HW.
Water Resources Evaluation in Arid Areas Based on Agricultural Water Footprint—A Case Study on the Edge of the Taklimakan Desert
Authors: Zhang Lingyun , Yu Yang , Malik Ireneusz , Wistuba Malgorzata , Sun Lingxiao , Yang Meiling , Wang Qian , Yu Ruide
Published: December 2022

Water scarcity is an important factor limiting agricultural development in arid areas. Clarifying and evaluating the current situation of water resources in arid regions is helpful for decision-makers in the rational use of water resources. This study takes a typical arid region located at the edge of Taklamakan Desert-Hotan region as the study area. The water footprint (WF) of the Hotan region was calculated based on 20 years of data information from 2000–2019. An evaluation system was established using four aspects of the WF: structural indicators, efficiency indicators, ecological safety indicators, and sustainability indicators. The results show that the WF of the study area is mainly dominated by blue water consumption, with a proportion of 65.74%. The WF of crop production is larger than that of livestock production. The produced WF of grain crops is the highest of all products with a share of 44.21%. The increase in the local agricultural WF reached 53.18% from 2000 to 2019, but it was still lower than the amount of water available for agriculture. The evaluation results indicated that the region’s WF import dependency is lower than the global level, with an annual average self-sufficiency rate of 91.13% and an increase of 878.95% in the WF economic efficiency index. The agricultural WF produced in Hotan is exported in the form of trade, but the quantitative contribution is small and does little to relieve water stress in other regions. The agricultural water consumption was still within the range of local water resources that could be carried but only 6 years of sustainable water use, and the future development was not optimistic. With the ratio of produced WF to available water resources maintained at about 58%, the local available water resources should be above 43.21 × 108 m3 to initially ensure the sustainable use of water resources. There were 12 drought years in the study period, which are prone to droughts and high disaster levels. The drought-water scarcity systems behaved in three phases: 2000–2011 (uncoordinated level), 2012–2015 (transitional phase), and 2016–2019 (coordinated level). Water scarcity threatened by drought reduced. The occurrence of meteorological droughts was more related to natural factors while the changes in WF were mainly driven by socio-economic elements such as human activities.
Influence of Madden–Julian Oscillation on Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau in Boreal Summer
Authors: Bai Lina , Ren Hong-Li , Wei Yuntao , Wang Yuwen , Chen Bin
Published: December 2022

The influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during boreal summer is investigated using observational and reanalysis data during 1980–2020. The results show that summer precipitation over most areas of the eastern TP increases (decreases) in MJO Phases 1–2 (5–6), especially when the eastward-propagating MJO active convection is located over the Indian Ocean (Western Pacific) in Phase 2 (6). The most significant negative precipitation anomalies in Phase 4 (8) are located over the southern (northeastern) TP. Moreover, MJO has a relatively weakened effect on the TP summer precipitation in Phases 3 and 7 when its convection migrates to the eastern Indian Ocean and the western–central Pacific, respectively. The MJO-phase dependence of the TP summer precipitation anomalies is closely associated with the anomalous atmospheric circulation and evolution of the horizontal moisture flux convergence directly induced by MJO. When the MJO convection centers are located over the western Indian Ocean and the Pacific, high-level anticyclonic and low-level cyclonic anomalous circulations over the TP are excited. In contrast, when MJO locates over the Indian Ocean and the Maritime Continent, its diabatic heating can inspire high-level cyclonic and low-level anticyclonic circulation anomalies over the TP. The vertical motions and moisture transport from the Bay of Bengal caused by the MJO-excited large-scale circulation can modulate the TP summer precipitation. This study advances the understanding of the TP intraseasonal variability.
A Dual-Attention-Mechanism Multi-Channel Convolutional LSTM for Short-Term Wind Speed Prediction
Authors: He Jinhui , Yang Hao , Zhou Shijie , Chen Jing , Chen Min
Published: December 2022

Accurate wind speed prediction plays a crucial role in wind power generation and disaster avoidance. However, stochasticity and instability increase the difficulty of wind speed prediction. In this study, we proposed a dual-attention mechanism multi-channel convolutional LSTM (DACLSTM), collected European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Reanalysis v5 (ERA5) near-ground element-grid data from some parts of North China, and selected elements with high correlations with wind speed to form multiple channels. We used a convolutional network for the feature extraction of spatial information, a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network for the feature extraction of time-series information, and used channel attention with spatial attention for feature extraction. The experimental results show that the DACLSTM model can improve the accuracy of six-hour lead time wind speed prediction relative to the traditional ConvLSTM model and fully connected network long short-term memory (FC_LSTM).
Existence Results for Generalized Vector Quasi-Equilibrium Problems in Hadamard Manifolds
Authors: Huang Shuechin
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this article was to establish manifold versions of existence theorems for generalized vector quasi-equilibrium problems in locally compact and σ-compact spaces without any continuity assumption. The fixed-point theorem in a product Hadamard manifold is the key focus of our discussion. We further applied our theorems to saddle point and minimax problems.
The Stabilizing of 1T-MoS2 for All-Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Chong Peidian , Zhou Ziwang , Wang Kaihong , Zhai Wenhao , Li Yafeng , Wang Jianbiao , Wei Mingdeng
Published: December 2022

All-solid-state batteries (SSBs) are prospective candidates for a range of energy accumulation systems, delivering higher energy densities compared to batteries which use liquid electrolytes. Amongst the numerous solid-state electrolytes (SEs), sulfide-based electrolytes in particular have received more attention given that they have a high ionic conductivity. However, the incompatibility between the electrode and SEs is still an ongoing challenge that leads to poor electrochemical performance. In this work, we focus on 1T-MoS2. It is well known that 1T metallic MoS2 is unstable even at room temperature. However, we showed that 1T-MoS2 can be stabilized at 600 °C for at least 2 h, and the 1T-MoS2-600 interlayer spacing expanded to 0.95 nm. The high crystallinity of the 1T phase is highly compatible with solid electrolytes and coupled with the increased interlayer spacing, so in the all-solid-state lithium-ion battery (ALLLIB), we achieved outstanding cycling performance. At the current density of 0.2 C (1 C = 670 mA g−1), this material delivered a capacity of 406 mA h g−1 after 50 cycles.
Progress and Prospect of Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries Based on Solid-Phase Conversion
Authors: Yi Yikun , Hai Feng , Guo Jingyu , Tian Xiaolu , Zheng Shentuo , Wu Zhendi , Wang Tao , Li Mingtao
Published: December 2022

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries hold great promise in the field of power and energy storage due to their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, the “shuttle effect” that originates from the dissolution of intermediate lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) during the charging and discharging process is prone to causing continuous irreversible capacity loss, which restricts the practical development. Beyond the traditional Li–S batteries based on the dissolution-diffusion mechanism, novel Li–S batteries based on solid-phase conversion exhibit superior cycling stability owing to the absolute prevention of polysulfides shuttling. Radically eliminating the formation of polysulfides in cathodes or cutting off their diffusion in electrolytes are the two main ways to achieve solid-phase conversion. Generally, direct transformation of sulfur to final Li2S without polysulfides participation tends to occur in short-chain sulfur polymers or special molecular forms of sulfur substances, while specific regulations of liquid electrolytes with solvating structure or solid-state electrolytes can effectively suppressing the polysulfides dissolution. In this review, we systematically organized and summarized the structures and approaches to achieve solid-phase conversion, introduce their preparation methods, discuss their advantages and disadvantages, and analyze the factors and effects of different structures on battery performances. Finally, the problems demanding a prompt solution for the practical development of solid-phase conversion-based Li–S batteries, as well as their future development direction, are suggested.
In Situ Solidified Gel Polymer Electrolytes for Stable Solid−State Lithium Batteries at High Temperatures
Authors: Ma Junfeng , Wang Zhiyan , Wu Jinghua , Gu Zhi , Xin Xing , Yao Xiayin
Published: December 2022

Lithium metal batteries have attracted much attention due to their high energy density. However, the critical safety issues and chemical instability of conventional liquid electrolytes in lithium metal batteries significantly limit their practical application. Herein, we propose polyethylene (PE)−based gel polymer electrolytes by in situ polymerization, which comprise a PE skeleton, polyethylene glycol and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide as well as liquid carbonate electrolytes. The obtained PE−based gel polymer electrolyte exhibits good interfacial compatibility with electrodes, high ion conductivity, and wide electrochemical window at high temperatures. Moreover, the assembled LiFePO4//Li solid−state batteries employing PE−based gel polymer electrolyte with 50% liquid carbonate electrolytes deliver good rate performance and excellent cyclic life at both 60 °C and 80 °C. In particular, they achieve high specific capacities of 158.5 mA h g−1 with a retention of 98.87% after 100 cycles under 80 °C at 0.5 C. The in situ solidified method for preparing PE−based gel polymer electrolytes proposes a feasible approach for the practical application of lithium metal batteries.