bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial Cholesterol Metabolites in a Bile Acid Synthetic Pathway Drive Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Revised “Two-Hit” Hypothesis
Authors: Kakiyama Genta , Rodriguez-Agudo Daniel , Pandak William M.
Published: May 2023

The rising prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)-related cirrhosis highlights the need for a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms responsible for driving the transition of hepatic steatosis (fatty liver; NAFL) to steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis/cirrhosis. Obesity-related insulin resistance (IR) is a well-known hallmark of early NAFLD progression, yet the mechanism linking aberrant insulin signaling to hepatocyte inflammation has remained unclear. Recently, as a function of more distinctly defining the regulation of mechanistic pathways, hepatocyte toxicity as mediated by hepatic free cholesterol and its metabolites has emerged as fundamental to the subsequent necroinflammation/fibrosis characteristics of NASH. More specifically, aberrant hepatocyte insulin signaling, as found with IR, leads to dysregulation in bile acid biosynthetic pathways with the subsequent intracellular accumulation of mitochondrial CYP27A1-derived cholesterol metabolites, (25R)26-hydroxycholesterol and 3β-Hydroxy-5-cholesten-(25R)26-oic acid, which appear to be responsible for driving hepatocyte toxicity. These findings bring forth a “two-hit” interpretation as to how NAFL progresses to NAFLD: abnormal hepatocyte insulin signaling, as occurs with IR, develops as a “first hit” that sequentially drives the accumulation of toxic CYP27A1-driven cholesterol metabolites as the “second hit”. In the following review, we examine the mechanistic pathway by which mitochondria-derived cholesterol metabolites drive the development of NASH. Insights into mechanistic approaches for effective NASH intervention are provided.
Urothelial Oxidative Stress and ERK Activation Mediate HMGB1-Induced Bladder Pain
Authors: Ye Shaojing , Mahmood Dlovan F. D. , Ma Fei , Leng Lin , Bucala Richard , Vera Pedro L.
Published: May 2023

Activation of intravesical protease activated receptors-4 (PAR4) results in bladder pain through the release of urothelial macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1). We aimed to identify HMGB1 downstream signaling events at the bladder that mediate HMGB1-induced bladder pain in MIF-deficient mice to exclude any MIF-related effects. We studied whether oxidative stress and ERK activation are involved by examining bladder tissue in mice treated with intravesical disulfide HMGB1 for 1 h and analyzed with Western blot and immunohistochemistry. HMGB1 intravesical treatment increased urothelium 4HNE and phospho-ERK1/2 staining, suggesting that HMGB1 increased urothelial oxidative stress and ERK activation. Furthermore, we examined the functional roles of these events. We evaluated lower abdominal mechanical thresholds (an index of bladder pain) before and 24 h after intravesical PAR4 or disulfide HMGB1. Intravesical pre-treatments (10 min prior) included: N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA, reactive oxygen species scavenger) and FR180204 (FR, selective ERK1/2 inhibitor). Awake micturition parameters (voided volume; frequency) were assessed at 24 h after treatment. Bladders were collected for histology at the end of the experiment. Pre-treatment with NACA or FR significantly prevented HMGB1-induced bladder pain. No significant effects were noted on micturition volume, frequency, inflammation, or edema. Thus, HMGB1 activates downstream urothelial oxidative stress production and ERK1/2 activation to mediate bladder pain. Further dissection of HMGB1 downstream signaling pathway may lead to novel potential therapeutic strategies to treat bladder pain.
Tribological Properties of TiN Coating on Cotton Picker Spindle
Authors: Pan Peng , Gao Jie , Si Chaorun , Yao Qiang , Guo Zhanhong , Zhang Youqiang
Published: May 2023

The spindle is the key working part of the horizontal cotton picker, and the wear resistance of its surface directly affects the service life of the spindle. Improving the surface performance of the spindle is fundamental for improving the performance of cotton pickers. To enhance the wear resistance of the spindle surface, this study used the physical vapor deposition (PVD) technique to prepare TiN coating on the spindle substrate surface of the cotton-picking machine to improve the spindle surface rather than the original electroplated chromium coating. The microscopic morphology of the spindle was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the mechanical and frictional properties of the spindle were tested by a nanoindentation tester and a friction wear tester, and the morphology of the worn spindle was observed by a portable microscope and a 3D surface profiler. The test results indicated that after the PVD treatment, the surface hardness of the spindle was about 2.5 times that of the electroplated chromium spindle, and the H/E value was 2.2 times that of the electroplated chromium spindle. PVD-TiN spindle showed better mechanical properties. In the friction test, under the same conditions, the wear rate of the PVD-TiN spindle was less than that of the chrome plating spindle. In a field test of 100 hm2, the average wear area of the second tooth tip surface of the electroplated chromium spindle was about 2.17 times that of the PVD-TiN spindle. It was verified that the PVD-TiN spindle surface had better wear resistance than the electroplated chromium spindle. This study has certain research significance for the performance optimization of cotton pickers. Also, it is indicated that PVD-TiN coating can effectively improve the wear resistance of the spindle surface and provides a new method for enhancing the service life of the spindle.
Effect of HfO2 Particles on Ceramic Coating Fabricated on Ti6Al4V Alloy via Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation
Authors: Sun Manxi , Jiang Meiling , Huang Hongjian , Yang Biao , Lin Yuhang , Wang Ping
Published: May 2023

Hafnium dioxide (HfO2) has a wide bandgap and high dielectric constant. We prepared ceramic coatings on Ti6Al4V alloys via plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in an electrolyte with HfO2 particles. The influence of the HfO2 particles on the microstructure, phase composition, elemental distribution, and corrosion resistance of the PEO coatings was systematically investigated. The results showed that the addition of HfO2 increased the oxidation voltage (from 462 to 472 V) and promoted the microarc sintering reaction so that the thickness and hardness of the resulting PEO coating increased. Moreover, the quantity of the micropores on the coating surface caused by the discharge decreased after adding the HfO2 particles. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed that the HfO2 particles were incorporated into the coating by remelting and sintering the microarc. Furthermore, the corrosion resistance of the PEO coating was remarkably increased after introducing HfO2, which was attributed to the increase in the electrode potential and the densification of the coating structure.
Cultivated Manatee Meat Aiding Amazon Biodiversity Conservation: Discussing a Proposed Model
Authors: Abrahao Ana Flavia S. , Rufino Joao Paulo F. , Reis Germano Glufke , Cabral Alexandre
Published: May 2023

Cultivated meat (CM) is a disruptive technology that provides an alternative to animal protein. In this context, the Amazon manatee (Trichechus inunguis) emerges as an important case. Although it is illegal to hunt this large mammal, its meat continues to be consumed, causing several threats to its natural habitat. The aim of this study is to explore the impacts of introducing the Amazon manatee CM into the traditional meat value chain as a tool to aid the biodiversity of the Amazon Basin. Thus, we developed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats matrix from the content analysis of 11 interviews conducted between October 2021 and May 2022. The interviewees were experts in different fields, ranging from financial analysts of novel food technologies to biologists, researchers, and others. We presented the theme of illegal hunting and its consequences during the interviews, followed by the CM process, and explained how the royalties from the sale of this innovative product could help to preserve Amazon biodiversity through the proposal of a new business model. The main findings suggest that the proposed model would produce good results, but the threat of a rebound effect from the consumption of wild animals was mentioned in most responses, especially by actors involved in conservation. The strengths and opportunities of this disruptive narrative mainly focused on preserving biodiversity and promoting environmental awareness, combining the conservation of wildlife and the consumption of novel food. The weaknesses included the lack of knowledge and the non-existent market. This framework is relevant for policymakers, nongovernmental organizations, and researchers seeking to improve the sustainability not only of the species found in the Amazon, but also around the world.
Reflections of High-Frequency Pulsed Ultrasound by Underwater Acoustic Metasurfaces Composed of Subwavelength Phase-Gradient Slits
Authors: Hsu Jin-Chen , Alwi Herwandi , Wei Chun-Hao , Liao Kai-Li , Huang Che-Ting
Published: May 2023

We numerically and experimentally investigated the behavior of high-frequency underwater ultrasounds reflected by gradient acoustic metasurfaces. Metasurfaces were fabricated with a periodic array of gradient slits along the surface of a steel specimen. The finite element method was adopted for the acoustics–structure interaction problem to design the metasurfaces and simulate the reflected fields of the incident ultrasound. Our metasurfaces yielded anomalous reflection, specular reflection, apparent negative reflection, and radiation of surface-bounded modes for ultrasonic waves impinging on the metasurfaces at different incident angles. The occurrence of these reflection behaviors could be explained by the generalized Snell’s law for a gradient metasurface with periodic supercells. We showed that at some incident angles, strong anomalous reflection could be generated, which could lead to strong retroreflection at specific incident angles. Furthermore, we characterized the time evolution of the reflections using pulsed ultrasound. The simulated transient process revealed the formation of propagating reflected ultrasound fields. The experimentally measured reflected ultrasound signals verified the distinct reflection behaviors of the metasurfaces; strong anomalous reflection steering the ultrasound pulse and causing retroreflection was observed. This study paves the way for designing underwater acoustic metasurfaces for ultrasound imaging and caustic engineering applications using pulsed ultrasound in the high-frequency regime.
Analogous Black Holes in Type-III Dirac Semimetal Ni3In2X2 (X = S, Se)
Authors: Sims Christopher
Published: May 2023

Black holes are objects that have a large mass and curve space time, characterized by their event horizon and singularity. Recently, an interesting concept of analogous black holes has emerged in the field of condensed matter physics. In this work, the possibility of realizing analogous black holes in topological material is Ni3In2X2 (X = S, Se) discussed. This work shows that the type-III Dirac cones of the material can lead to the emergence of an event horizon and the formation of a black hole-like region near the Dirac point. In addition, the possible experimental signatures of such a system are discussed and the potential implications of an analogous black hole for the study of black hole physics in condensed matter systems.
Investigation of Structural and Electrical Properties of Al2O3/Al Composites Prepared by Aerosol Co-Deposition
Authors: Regis Victor , Šadl Matej , Brennecka Geoff , Bradeško Andraž , Tomc Urban , Uršič Hana
Published: May 2023

As the microelectronic industry develops, components that can perform several different tasks receive increasingly more attention, resulting in multifunctional materials being highly sought after. Al2O3 is widely present in electronic applications as a protective coating or as an electrical and thermal insulator due to its mechanical and thermal stabilities and chemical inertness. Al2O3 is also an important dielectric material, with high resistivity and stable permittivity over a wide range of temperatures and electric fields, but its modest permittivity necessitates large effective areas or extremely thin layers when a large capacitance is desired. Composites consisting of discrete conducting phases within an insulating matrix can produce large capacitance via Maxwell–Wagner polarization. In this work, Al2O3/Al composite thick films with different volume ratios of Al were prepared using the aerosol deposition method. A relative dielectric permittivity (εr′) of 800 at 1 MHz was achieved at 27 vol% of Al, a sixty-sevenfold enhancement compared to Al2O3. On the other hand, dielectric losses, tan(δ), at 1 MHz increased from 0.01 for Al2O3 up to 0.58 for the composite with 27 vol% of Al. A finite-element model of the composites was implemented, supporting the nonlinear electrical behavior of the composites as function of vol% of Al. Our results show novel possibilities for the applications of Al2O3-based materials in the microelectronic industry, especially for temperature-sensitive applications, for which the integration strengths of aerosol deposition are valuable.
Importance of Bark Physicochemical Properties in an Epiphytic Bryophyte Community within a Temperate Deciduous Broadleaf Forest
Authors: Shao Yizhen , Wang Senlin , Li Yushan , Chen Yun , Zhao He , Wang Jing , Liu Fengqin , Yuan Zhiliang
Published: May 2023

Epiphytic bryophytes are important components of forest ecosystems and play important roles in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem function. However, the main factors driving epiphytic bryophyte diversity remain unclear. We collected the tree epiphytic bryophytes from a one-hectare plot within a temperate deciduous broadleaf forest (China). Canonical correspondence analyses and Mantel tests were used to establish linear regression models and thus dissect the effects of environmental variables (topography, light and bark physicochemical properties) on the species diversity, functional diversity, and phylogenetic diversity of epiphytic bryophytes. The relationship between environmental variables and epiphytic bryophyte diversity was analyzed using piecewise structural equation modeling. Results showed that the physicochemical properties of the bark directly influenced the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of the epiphytic bryophytes. The physical and chemical properties of bark also indirectly affected the functional diversity of the epiphytic bryophytes. Elucidation of the factors driving epiphytic bryophyte diversity provides insights into their conservation.
Spiny Keratoderma in Association with Melanoma
Authors: Pukhalskaya Tatsiana , Mully Thaddeus W. , Wei Maria L.
Published: May 2023

Spiny keratoderma (SK) was first described by Brown in 1871 and is characterized by numerous 1–2 mm spines of keratin on the palms and soles, usually sparing the dorsal surfaces, or disseminated over the trunk. Histologically, the “spine” represents a column of hyperkeratosis. Several different forms are known, including familial, sporadic, post-inflammatory and paraneoplastic. Although an association of SK with melanoma has been reported, the significance of such co-occurrence remains unclear due to the limited number of cases. To increase the body of knowledge and shed further light on this rare condition, we present a case of SK in a patient with a recent history of melanoma in situ.
Comparison of Three Algorithms for Predicting Infarct Volume in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke by CT Perfusion Software: Bayesian, CSVD, and OSVD
Authors: Yao Yunzhuo , Gu Sirun , Liu Jiayang , Li Jing , Wu Jiajing , Luo Tianyou , Li Yongmei , Ge Bing , Wang Jingjie
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to compare the performance of the Bayesian probabilistic method, circular Singular Value Decomposition (cSVD), and oscillation index Singular Value Decomposition (oSVD) algorithms in Olea Sphere for predicting infarct volume in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Eighty-seven patients suffering from AIS with large vessel occlusion were divided into improvement and progression groups. The improvement group included patients with successful recanalization (TICI 2b-3) after thrombectomy or whose clinical symptoms improved after thrombolysis. The progression group consisted of patients whose clinical symptoms did not improve or even got worse. The infarct core volume from the Olea Sphere software was used as the predicted infarct volume (PIV) in the improvement group, whereas the hypoperfusion volume was used as the PIV in the progression group. We defined predicted difference (PD) as PIV minus final infarct volume (FIV) measured at follow-up imaging. Differences among the three algorithms were assessed by the Friedman test. Spearman correlation analysis was used to verify the correlation between PIV and FIV. In addition, we performed a subgroup analysis of the progression group based on collateral circulation status. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] of the PD and Spearman correlation coefficients (SCCs) between PIV and FIV for the improvement group (n = 22) were: Bayesian = [6.99 (−14.72, 18.99), 0.500]; oSVD = [−12.74 (−41.06, −3.46), 0.423]; cSVD = [−15.38 (−38.92, −4.68), 0.586]. For the progression group (n = 65), the median (IQR) of PD and SCCs were: Bayesian = [1.00 (−34.07, 49.37), 0.748]; oSVD = [−0.17 (−53.42, 29.73), 0.712]; cSVD = [66.55 (7.94, 106.32), 0.674]. The Bayesian algorithm in the Olea Sphere software predicted infarct volumes with better accuracy and stability than the other two algorithms in both the progression and improvement groups.
Adrenal Failure: An Evidence-Based Diagnostic Approach
Authors: Shaikh Salomi , Nagendra Lakshmi , Shaikh Shehla , Pappachan Joseph M.
Published: May 2023

The diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency (AI) requires a high index of suspicion, detailed clinical assessment including detailed drug history, and appropriate laboratory evaluation. The clinical characteristics of adrenal insufficiency vary according to the cause, and the presentation may be myriad, e.g. insidious onset to a catastrophic adrenal crisis presenting with circulatory shock and coma. Secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI) often presents with only glucocorticoid deficiency because aldosterone production, which is controlled by the renin angiotensin system, is usually intact, and rarely presents with an adrenal crisis. Measurements of the basal serum cortisol at 8 am (<140 nmol/L or 5 mcg/dL) coupled with adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) remain the initial tests of choice. The cosyntropin stimulation (short synacthen) test is used for the confirmation of the diagnosis. Newer highly specific cortisol assays have reduced the cut-off points for cortisol in the diagnosis of AI. The salivary cortisol test is increasingly being used in conditions associated with abnormal cortisol binding globulin (CBG) levels such as pregnancy. Children and infants require lower doses of cosyntropin for testing. 21-hydoxylase antibodies are routinely evaluated to rule out autoimmunity, the absence of which would require secondary causes of adrenal insufficiency to be ruled out. Testing the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, imaging, and ruling out systemic causes are necessary for the diagnosis of AI. Cancer treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is an emerging cause of both primary AI and SAI and requires close follow up. Several antibodies are being implicated, but more clarity is required. We update the diagnostic evaluation of AI in this evidence-based review.
Conservative Management and Ultrasound Follow-Up of Parasitic Myoma: Our Experience and Literature Review
Authors: Bruno Matteo , Pelaccia Erika , Di Florio Christian , Palumbo Pierpaolo , Sollima Laura , Ludovisi Manuela , Guido Maurizio
Published: May 2023

A uterine fibroid is a benign smooth muscle neoplasm of the uterus. Parasitic fibroids (PMs) are a type of myoma that do not have any direct attachment to the uterus. PMs can arise from the implantation of tissue fragments generated during the morcellation process in previous laparoscopic myomectomies or hysterectomies. Transvaginal ultrasound (TV-US) may be helpful in the diagnosis of these benign tumors. Almost all the case reports in the literature suggest surgical management of parasitic fibroids. Conversely, we report an ultrasound-guided histological diagnosis and a non-surgical treatment of a parasitic myoma that arose twenty years after a total laparotomic hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy in a patient with multiple comorbidities, in order to offer a follow-up alternative to the management of this rare pathology. Our experience reveals that a non-surgical conservative approach can be considered as an alternative therapeutic option for the management of rare cases such as PMs in highly selected patients.
Sliding Mode Controller with Disturbance Observer for Quadcopters; Experiments with Dynamic Disturbances and in Turbulent Indoor Space
Authors: Jing Yutao , Mirza Adam , Sipahi Rifat , Martinez-Lorenzo Jose
Published: May 2023

In this study, a sliding mode surface controller (SMC) designed for a quadcopter is experimentally tested. The SMC was combined with disturbance observers in six degrees of freedom of the quadcopter to effectively reject external disturbances. While respecting stability conditions all control parameters were automatically initialized and tuned using a simulation-based offline particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, followed by onboard manual fine-tuning. To demonstrate its superiority, the SMC was compared with a PSO-optimized PID controller in terms of agility, stability, and the accurate tracking of hover, rectangular, and figure-eight pattern trajectories. To evaluate its robustness, the SMC controller was extensively tested in a small, enclosed, turbulent space while being subjected to a series of external disturbances, such as hanging payloads and lateral wind.
A Kind of (t, n) Threshold Quantum Secret Sharing with Identity Authentication
Authors: Meng Depeng , Li Zhihui , Luo Shuangshuang , Han Zhaowei
Published: May 2023

Quantum secret sharing (QSS) is an important branch of quantum cryptography. Identity authentication is a significant means to achieve information protection, which can effectively confirm the identity information of both communication parties. Due to the importance of information security, more and more communications require identity authentication. We propose a d-level (t,n) threshold QSS scheme in which both sides of the communication use mutually unbiased bases for mutual identity authentication. In the secret recovery phase, the sharing of secrets that only the participant holds will not be disclosed or transmitted. Therefore, external eavesdroppers will not get any information about secrets at this phase. This protocol is more secure, effective, and practical. Security analysis shows that this scheme can effectively resist intercept–resend attacks, entangle–measure attacks, collusion attacks, and forgery attacks.
Research on Adaptive Cruise Systems Based on Adjacent Vehicle Trajectory Prediction
Authors: Xiao Pengbo , Xie Hui
Published: May 2023

Vehicles in the adjacent lane making abrupt lane changes is a common and frequent action during traffic movement. Being aware of adjacent vehicles ahead of time, determining their cut-in intention, monitoring their cut-in trajectory in real time, and actively adjusting following speed are all critical for adaptive cruise systems for vehicles. This study proposes a flexible following-factor-calculation approach that considers the driver’s willingness to take risks for the purpose of identifying cut-in intent, predicting trajectory, and narrowing the window for following cruise speed adjustment to improve passenger ride comfort. To begin, a lane-change trajectory prediction algorithm based on driver adventitious factor correction is proposed in order to correctly predict the lane-change trajectory of adjacent vehicles in urban road traffic scenarios. Second, the flexible following factor and the flexible switching factor of the following target are constructed to overcome the influence of the uncertainty caused by internal and external disturbances on the vehicle following the motion process, and to reduce the impact of cut-in events on passenger comfort. An anti-disturbance rejection control and an adaptive cruise controller based on the vehicle’s longitudinal inverse dynamics model are proposed in order to compensate for and suppress the internal perturbations caused by the vehicle’s internal parameter changes and the random disturbances caused by external road environment changes. The results of simulation and real-world testing showed an average of 28% improvement in passenger comfort.
DC-YOLOv8: Small-Size Object Detection Algorithm Based on Camera Sensor
Authors: Lou Haitong , Duan Xuehu , Guo Junmei , Liu Haiying , Gu Jason , Bi Lingyun , Chen Haonan
Published: May 2023

Traditional camera sensors rely on human eyes for observation. However, human eyes are prone to fatigue when observing objects of different sizes for a long time in complex scenes, and human cognition is limited, which often leads to judgment errors and greatly reduces efficiency. Object recognition technology is an important technology used to judge the object’s category on a camera sensor. In order to solve this problem, a small-size object detection algorithm for special scenarios was proposed in this paper. The advantage of this algorithm is that it not only has higher precision for small-size object detection but also can ensure that the detection accuracy for each size is not lower than that of the existing algorithm. There are three main innovations in this paper, as follows: (1) A new downsampling method which could better preserve the context feature information is proposed. (2) The feature fusion network is improved to effectively combine shallow information and deep information. (3) A new network structure is proposed to effectively improve the detection accuracy of the model. From the point of view of detection accuracy, it is better than YOLOX, YOLOR, YOLOv3, scaled YOLOv5, YOLOv7-Tiny, and YOLOv8. Three authoritative public datasets are used in these experiments: (a) In the Visdron dataset (small-size objects), the map, precision, and recall ratios of DC-YOLOv8 are 2.5%, 1.9%, and 2.1% higher than those of YOLOv8s, respectively. (b) On the Tinyperson dataset (minimal-size objects), the map, precision, and recall ratios of DC-YOLOv8 are 1%, 0.2%, and 1.2% higher than those of YOLOv8s, respectively. (c) On the PASCAL VOC2007 dataset (normal-size objects), the map, precision, and recall ratios of DC-YOLOv8 are 0.5%, 0.3%, and 0.4% higher than those of YOLOv8s, respectively.
A Novel AI-Based Thermal Conductivity Predictor in the Insulation Performance Analysis of Signal-Transmissive Wall
Authors: Wang Xiaolei , Lü Xiaoshu , Vähä-Savo Lauri , Haneda Katsuyuki
Published: May 2023

It is well known that thermal conductivity measurement is a challenging task, due to the weaknesses of the traditional methods, such as the high cost, complex data analysis, and limitations of sample size. Nowadays, the requirement of quality of life and tightening energy efficiency regulations of buildings promote the demand for new construction materials. However, limited by the size and inhomogeneous structure, the thermal conductivity measurement of wall samples becomes a demanding topic. Additionally, we find the thermal parameter values of the samples measured in the laboratory are different from those obtained by theoretical computation. In this paper, a novel signal-transmissive wall is designed to provide the problem solving of signal connectivity in 5G. We further propose a new thermal conductivity predictor based on the Harmony Search (HS) algorithm to estimate the thermal properties of laboratory-made wall samples. The advantages of our approach over the conventional methods are simplicity and robustness, which can be generalized to a wide range of solid samples in the laboratory measurement.
Estimation of Petrophysical Parameters of Carbonates Based on Well Logs and Laboratory Measurements, a Review
Authors: Stadtműller Marek , Jarzyna Jadwiga A.
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this review paper is to show the possibilities of carbonate reservoir characterization using well logging and laboratory measurements. Attention was focused on standard and new methods of well logging acquisition and interpretation including laboratory experiments to show a part of the history of carbonate rock investigations as hydrocarbon or water reservoirs. Brief information on the geology, mineralogy and petrography of carbonate rocks was delivered. Reservoir properties, i.e., porosity (including fracturing), permeability, and saturation, were defined to emphasize the specific features of carbonates, such as fractures, and vugs. Examples of methodologies were selected from the commonly used laboratory techniques (thin sections examination, mercury and helium porosimetry, X-ray diffraction—XRD) combined with the standard well logs (bulk density—RHOB, neutron porosity—NPHI, sonic slowness—DT, and deep resistivity—Rd) to show the methods that have been used since the very beginning of the scientific and engineering studies of carbonates. Novelty in well logging, i.e., resistivity and acoustic imaging, nuclear magnetic resonance–NMR, dipole shear sonic imaging–DSI, and a spectral neutron-gamma log-geochemical device–GLT combined with modern laboratory investigations (NMR laboratory experiments, scanning electron microscopy SEM), showed how continuous information on mineral composition, porosity and saturation could be obtained and juxtaposed with very detailed laboratory data. Computed X-ray tomography (CT) enabling the 2D and 3D analyses of pores and fractures was presented as a quantitative methodology, effective in pore space characterization, revealing rock filtration abilities. Deep learning and artificial intelligence were used for joining various types of data. It was shown that thanks to new computational technologies original data from very small samples (micro scale), extensively describing the flow ability of the reservoir, could be extended to mezzo scale (core samples) and macro scale (well log images). Selected examples from the published papers illustrated the review. References cited in the text, together with the issues included in them, were the rich source of the practical knowledge processed These were checked by the authors and could be used in other projects.
Lightning Protection of Floating Photovoltaic Power Plants—Simulation Analysis of Sample Solutions
Authors: Sobolewski Konrad , Sobieska Emilia
Published: May 2023

Photovoltaic power plants are gaining in popularity and availability every year, resulting in a massive increase in their number and size. However, each such investment involves allocating large land areas, the cost of which may be high. For this reason, there has been an increasing interest in the use of post-industrial wastelands in the form of artificial water reservoirs which often occupy large areas. Because their use as places of recreation can be dangerous for people, it is a cheap alternative for the foundation of a floating photovoltaic power plant. In addition, it has an advantage over the land version in that it is possible to produce a more significant amount of energy by using the sun’s rays reflected from the water’s surface. Despite these undeniable advantages, such a structure poses several technological challenges. This article focuses on the aspect of lightning protection, which is particularly important due to the structure’s location in the open, and also a specific ground type with noticeably different mechanical and electrical characteristics than typical soil. Aspects such as the lightning hazard, arrangement of lightning rods, down conductors, lightning equipotential bonding, and various earthing configurations are discussed. The presented analysis is based on geometric models and simulations made in the Ansys/Maxwell 3D environment and is supplemented with calculations in Matlab/Simulink.
Optimal Inverter Control Strategies for a PV Power Generation with Battery Storage System in Microgrid
Authors: Rahman Md Jahidur , Tafticht Tahar , Doumbia Mamadou Lamine , Messaïf Iqbal
Published: May 2023

Power generation from Renewable Energy Sources (RESs) is unpredictable due to climate or weather changes. Therefore, more control strategies are required to maintain the proper power supply in the entire microgrid. This paper presents a simulation scheme utilizing a solar system instanced by Photovoltaic (PV) panels coupled to the grid, loads, and an energy storage device. At first, modeling the PV panels cell and their operation were analyzed. The synthesis of the adaptive notch filter was designed to compensate for the input currents. The power converter’s/inverter’s efficiency and control facility allowed us to link the energy storage system with an electrical grid. Several simulations were accomplished consistently with nonlinear control techniques for the simple inverter, multi-variable filter, notch filter, and without a filter. Finally, the performances of the nonlinear controller with various filters were carried out to regulate the DC bus of the proposed grid. The advantage of these controllers is compensating the reactive power and harmonic currents to obtain a disturbance-free power network. The overall installations and simulations were established using the Matlab/Simulink software.
Capacity Degradation and Aging Mechanisms Evolution of Lithium-Ion Batteries under Different Operation Conditions
Authors: Luo Guoqing , Zhang Yongzhi , Tang Aihua
Published: May 2023

Since lithium-ion batteries are rarely utilized in their full state-of-charge (SOC) range (0–100%); therefore, in practice, understanding the performance degradation with different SOC swing ranges is critical for optimizing battery usage. We modeled battery aging under different depths of discharge (DODs), SOC swing ranges and temperatures by coupling four aging mechanisms, including the solid–electrolyte interface (SEI) layer growth, lithium (li) plating, particle cracking, and loss of active material (LAM) with a P2D model. Additionally, the mechanisms causing accelerated capacity to drop near a battery’s end of life (EOL) were investigated systematically. The results indicated that when the battery operated with a high SOC range, the capacity was more prone to accelerated degradation near the EOL. Among the four degradation mechanisms, li plating was mainly sensitive to the operation temperature and SOC swing ranges, while the SEI growth was mainly sensitive to temperature. Furthermore, there was an inhibitory interaction between li plating and SEI growth, as well as positive feedback between LAM and particle cracking during battery aging. Additionally, we discovered that the extremely low local porosity around the anode separator could cause the ‘knee point’ of capacity degradation.
Review: Factors Affecting the Performance of Ground Electrodes under High Impulse Currents
Authors: Nor Normiza Mohamad
Published: May 2023

Most studies have observed that the impedance values of ground electrodes under high impulse conditions (Zimp) are lower than the resistance values under steady-state conditions (RDC). It has been suggested that this is due to the ionisation process in soil, where streamers will propagate away from the electrodes, causing an increase in the ionisation zone, thus reducing the Zimp values. The percentage difference between Zimp and RDC is found to be dependent on several factors. This paper aims to review and present the findings of previously published work on the percentage difference between Zimp and RDC in relation to various factors.
Deterministic and Probabilistic Prediction of Wind Power Based on a Hybrid Intelligent Model
Authors: Zhang Jiawei , Zhang Rongquan , Zhao Yanfeng , Qiu Jing , Bu Siqi , Zhu Yuxiang , Li Gangqiang
Published: May 2023

Uncertainty in wind power is often unacceptably large and can easily affect the proper operation, quality of generation, and economics of the power system. In order to mitigate the potential negative impact of wind power uncertainty on the power system, accurate wind power forecasting is an essential technical tool of great value to ensure safe, stable, and efficient power generation. Therefore, in this paper, a hybrid intelligent model based on isolated forest, wavelet transform, categorical boosting, and quantile regression is proposed for deterministic and probabilistic wind power prediction. First, isolated forest is used to pre-process the original wind power data and detect anomalous data points in the power sequence. Then, the pre-processed original power sequence is decomposed into sub-frequency signals with better profiles by wavelet transform, and the nonlinear features of each sub-frequency are extracted by categorical boosting. Finally, a quantile-regression-based wind power probabilistic predictor is developed to evaluate uncertainty with different confidence levels. Moreover, the proposed hybrid intelligent model is extensively validated on real wind power data. Numerical results show that the proposed model achieves competitive performance compared to benchmark methods.
Design and Optimization of Microbial Fuel Cells and Evaluation of a New Air-Breathing Cathode Based on Carbon Felt Modified with a Hydrogel—Ion Jelly®
Authors: Carvalho Rui N. L. , Monteiro Luisa L. , Sousa Silvia A. , Ramanaiah Sudarsu V. , Leitão Jorge H. , Cordas Cristina M. , Fonseca Luis P.
Published: May 2023

The increased demand for alternative sustainable energy sources has boosted research in the field of fuel cells (FC). Among these, microbial fuel cells (MFC), based on microbial anodes and different types of cathodes, have been the subject of renewed interest due to their ability to simultaneously perform wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. Several different MFCs have been proposed in this work using different conditions and configurations, namely cathode materials, membranes, external resistances, and microbial composition, among other factors. This work reports the design and optimization of MFC performance and evaluates a hydrogel (Ion Jelly®) modified air-breathing cathode, with and without an immobilized laccase enzyme. This MFC configuration was also compared with other MFC configuration performances, namely abiotic and biocathodes, concerning wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Similar efficiencies in COD reduction, voltage (375 mV), PD (48 mW/m2), CD (130 mA/m2), and OCP (534 mV) were obtained. The results point out the important role of Ion Jelly® in improving the MFC air-breathing cathode performance as it has the advantage that its electroconductivity properties can be designed before modifying the cathode electrodes. The biofilm on MFC anodic electrodes presented a lower microbial diversity than the wastewater treatment effluent used as inocula, and inclusively Geobacteracea was also identified due to the high microbial selective niches constituted by MFC systems.
Effect of Irradiation Process on Physical and Chemical Properties and Mildew Resistance of Bamboo
Authors: Mao Shengfeng , Xu Zhuchao , Wang Qiuyi , Han Xin , Wang Xinzhou , Chen Meiling , Li Yanjun
Published: May 2023

With the scarcity of wood resources and calls for “substituting bamboo for wood” and “substituting bamboo for plastic”, bamboo has gained greater popularity for its abundant reserves and outstanding mechanical properties. However, Mildew is a common problem for bamboo, which can significantly reduce the quality and service lives of bamboo products. In this work, a safe, eco-friendly, controllable and efficient method of gamma-ray irradiation was used to modify bamboo. The irradiation dose, moisture content (MC), and irradiation dose rate were adopted as factors of an orthogonal experiment. The results showed that the bamboo strips reached their best mechanical properties under the condition of irradiation at 150 KGy doses, moisture content of 40%, and irradiation dose rate of 44 KGy/H. In addition, the change in the chemical composition of bamboo and mildew resistance was also explored in this paper. The major chemical components (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin), as well as starch, were degraded, and the bamboo strips exhibited excellent mildew resistance after gamma-ray irradiation.
The Sensitivity Feature Analysis for Tree Species Based on Image Statistical Properties
Authors: Shi Xin , Kan Jiangming
Published: May 2023

While the statistical properties of images are vital in forestry engineering, the usefulness of these properties in various forestry tasks may vary, and certain image properties might not be enough to adequately describe a particular tree species. To address this problem, we propose a novel method to comprehensively analyze the relationship between various image statistical properties and images of different tree species, and to determine the subset of features that best describe each individual tree species. In this study, we employed various image statistical properties to quantify images of five distinct tree species from diverse places. Multiple feature-filtering methods were used to find the feature subset with the greatest correlation with the tree species category variable. Support Vector Machines (SVM) were employed to determine the number of features with the greatest correlation with the tree species, and a grid search was used to optimize the model. For each type of tree species image, we obtained the important ranking of all features in this type of tree species, and the sensitive feature subset of various tree species according to the order of features was determined by adding them to the Deep Support Vector Data Description (Deep SVDD). Finally, the feasibility of using a sensitive subset of the tree species was confirmed. The experimental results revealed that by utilizing the filtering method in conjunction with SVM, a total of eight feature subsets with the highest correlation with tree species categories were identified. Additionally, the sensitive feature subsets of different tree species exhibited significant differences. Remarkably, employing the sensitive feature subset of each tree species resulted in F1-score higher than 0.7 for all tree species. These experimental results demonstrate that the sensitive feature subset of tree species based on image statistical properties can serve as a potential representation of a specific tree species, while features that are less strongly associated with tree species may be significant in related areas, such as forestry protection and other related fields.
Prediction of Potential Distribution Patterns of Three Larix Species on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under Future Climate Scenarios
Authors: An Xiu , Huang Tousheng , Zhang Huayong , Yue Junjie , Zhao Bingjian
Published: May 2023

How climate change affects the plants on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) has become a hot research topic in recent years. It was widely recognized that Larix. are sensitive to climate change, while the corresponding research of Larix. on the QTP has been rare. Using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, we predicted the potential distribution patterns of Larix potaninii Batalin, Larix griffithii and Larix speciosa on the QTP in this study under different future climate scenarios. The results demonstrated that the area of suitable habitat for Larix potaninii Batalin (Larix griffithii) presented a loss (gain) trend, while that for Larix speciosa remained unchanged on the whole. The centroids of their suitable habits all migrated to the high-altitude and high-latitude areas, suggesting the three species may take the same survival strategy in response to climate change. Annual Precipitation was the most significant environmental factor influencing the distribution pattern of Larix potaninii Batalin, while Temperature Annual Range was the most significant for Larix griffithii and Larix speciosa. The overlapping potential suitable area for the three Larix species was the maximum under the 2041–2060 SSP126 future climate scenarios and decreased with the increasing emission concentration, suggesting that the niches of these species may step towards separation. This study suggested the survival strategies of the Larix species in response to climate change and the findings may provide a reliable basis for conserving the endangered Larix species under different future climate scenarios.
Biomass Spatial Pattern and Driving Factors of Different Vegetation Types of Public Welfare Forests in Hunan Province
Authors: Liu Huiting , Fu Yue , Pan Jun , Wang Guangjun , Hu Kongfei
Published: May 2023

An ecological public welfare forest is an important basis for the construction of national ecological security. This study took public welfare forests at the provincial level or above in Hunan Province as the research object. Based on the in situ monitoring data and remote sensing data, we constructed a random forest (RF) model for inversing the biomass of public welfare forests with different types. Then, based on the inversion results, we investigated the biomass spatial pattern. Combined with topographical and socio-economic factors, we constructed a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to analyze the biomass driving factors of different vegetation types in public forests. The results showed the following: (1) The biomass of public welfare forests in Hunan Province presented a strip distribution pattern that gradually increases from the central to the southwest and northeast. The total biomass of public welfare forests in Hunan Province was 338.13 million tons, with an average biomass of 68.31 t·hm−2. In the different types of public welfare forests, the mean biomass of the types were as follows: shrub (4.65 t·hm−2) < broadleaf forest (59.27 t·hm−2) < conifer–broadleaf mixed forest (62.44 t·hm−2) < bamboo forest (71.33 t·hm−2) < coniferous forest (100.33 t·hm−2). (2) Topographic and socio-economic factors have a significant impact on the spatial pattern of biomass in public welfare forests. Slope had the greatest effect on coniferous forest, conifer–broadleaf mixed forest, and shrub forest, while POP had the greatest effect on broadleaf forest and bamboo forest. This study investigates the spatial patterns and driving factors of biomass in public welfare forests at the provincial level, filling the gap in forest biomass monitoring in public welfare forests in Hunan Province. It provides a new method to improve the accuracy of forest biomass estimation and data support for the sustainable management of public welfare forests.