bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Building DeFi Applications Using Cross-Blockchain Interaction on the Wish Swap Platform
Authors: Tsepeleva Rita , Korkhov Vladimir
Published: June 2022

Blockchain is a developing technology that can provide users with such advantages as decentralization, data security, and transparency of transactions. Blockchain has many applications, one of them is the decentralized finance (DeFi) industry. DeFi is a huge aggregator of various financial blockchain protocols. At the moment, the total value locked in these protocols reaches USD 82 billion. Every day more and more new users come to DeFi with their investments. The concept of decentralized finance involves the creation of a single ecosystem of many blockchains that interact with each other. The problem of combining and interacting blockchains becomes crucial to enable DeFi. In this paper, we look at the essence of the DeFi industry, the possibilities of overcoming the problem of cross-blockchain interaction, present our approach to solving this problem with the Wish Swap platform, which, in particular, provides improved fault-tolerance for cross-chain interaction by using multiple backend nodes and multisignatures. We analyze the results of the proposed solution and demonstrate how a prototype pre-sale application can be created based on the proposed concept.
Effect of Coffee Berry Extract on Anti-Aging for Skin and Hair—In Vitro Approach
Authors: Saewan Nisakorn
Published: June 2022

The aging process encompasses gradual and continuous changes at the cellular level that slowly accumulate with age. The signs of aging include many physiological changes in both skin and hair such as fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, hair thinning and hair loss. The aim of the current study was to investigate the anti-aging potential of coffee berry extract (CBE) on human dermal fibroblast (HDF) and hair follicle dermal papilla (HFDP) cells. Coffee berry was extracted by 50% ethanol and determined for chemical constituents by HPLC technique. Cytotoxicity of the extract was examined on both cells by MTT assay. Then, HDF cells were used to evaluate antioxidant properties by using superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) and nitric oxide inhibition as well as anti-collagenase inhibition assays. The effectiveness of anti-hair loss properties was investigated in HFDP cells by considering cell proliferation, 5α-reductase inhibition (5AR), and growth factor expression. The results showed that caffeine and chlorogenic acid were identified as major constituents in CBE. CBE had lower toxicity and cell proliferation than caffeine and chlorogenic acid on both cells. CBE showed SOD and nitric oxide inhibition activities that were higher than those of caffeine but lower than those of chlorogenic acid. Interestingly, CBE had the highest significant anti-collagenase activity, and its 5AR inhibition activity was comparable to that of chlorogenic acid, which was higher than caffeine. CBE also stimulated hair-related gene expression, especially insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The results confirmed that CBE provided anti-aging activity on both skin and hair cells and could be beneficial for applications in cosmeceuticals.
Mechanical Response and Fracture of Pultruded Carbon Fiber/Epoxy in Various Modes of Loading
Authors: Bussiba Arie , Gilad Ilan , Lugassi Snir , David Sigal , Bortman Jacob , Yosibash Zohar
Published: June 2022

Pultrusion is a continuous process of forming constant cross-sections of unidirectional composites with a significant long length. This unique process is implemented widely in the composites industry due to its continuous, automated, and highly productive nature. The current research focused on mechanical response characterization at three modes of loading: tensile, compression, and shear loading of coupons made from a graphite/epoxy 1 mm sheet. In addition, the effects of holes and notches were examined in terms of mechanical properties. The mechanical behavior was assessed through stress–strain curves with careful attention on the curve profile, macroscopic fracture modes observations, and optical microscopic tracking with continuous video records. The mechanical tests follow standards with some critiques on the shear test. Finite element analysis (FEA) was used to accurately determine the shear modulus, and for other mechanical investigations. By nature, under tension, the unidirectional fiber composite at 0° orientation exhibits high strength (2800 MPa), with very low strength at 90° orientation (40 MPa). Both orientations display linear mechanical behavior. Under compression, 0° orientation exhibits low strength (1175 MPa), as compared to tension due to the kinking phenomena, which is the origin in the deviation from linear behavior. Under shear, both orientations exhibit approximately the same shear strength (45 MPa for 0° and 47 MPa for 90°), which is mainly related to the mechanical properties of the epoxy resin. In general, in the presence of holes, the remote fracture stress in the various modes of loading did not change significantly, as compared to uniform coupons; however, some localized delamination crack growth occurred at the vicinity of the holes, manifested by load drops up to the final fracture. This behavior is also attributed to the tension of notched coupons. FEA shows that the shear values were unaffected by manufacturing imperfections, coupon thickness, and by asymmetrical gripping up to 3 mm, with minor effect in the case of a small deviation from the load line. Selected experimental tests support the FEA tendencies.
Luminescence and Structural Characterization of Gd2O2S Scintillators Doped with Tb3+, Ce3+, Pr3+ and F for Imaging Applications
Authors: De Martinis Alessia , Montalto Luigi , Scalise Lorenzo , Rinaldi Daniele , Mengucci Paolo , Michail Christos , Fountos George , Martini Nicki , Koukou Vaia , Valais Ioannis , Bakas Athanasios , Fountzoula Christine , Kandarakis Ioannis , David Stratos
Published: June 2022

Radiodiagnostic technologies are powerful tools for preventing diseases and monitoring the condition of patients. Medicine and sectors such as industry and research all use this inspection methodology. This field demands innovative and more sophisticated systems and materials for improving resolution and sensitivity, leading to a faster, reliable, and safe diagnosis. In this study, a large characterization of gadolinium oxysulfide (Gd2O2S) scintillator screens for imaging applications has been carried out. Seven scintillator samples were doped with praseodymium (Pr3+), terbium (Tb3+) activators and co-doped with praseodymium, cerium, and fluorine (Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce,F). The sample screens were prepared in the laboratory in the form of high packing density screens, following the methodology used in screen sample preparation in infrared spectroscopy and luminescence. Parameters such as quantum detection efficiency (QDE), energy absorption efficiency (EAE), and absolute luminescence efficiency (ALE) were evaluated. In parallel, a structural characterization was performed, via XRD and SEM analysis, for quality control purposes as well as for correlation with optical properties. Spatial resolution properties were experimentally evaluated via the Modulation Transfer Function. Results were compared with published data about Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce,F screens produced with a standard method of a sedimentation technique. In particular, the ALE rose with the X-ray tube voltage up to 100 kVp, while among the different dopants, Gd2O2S:Pr exhibited the highest ALE value. When comparing screens with different thicknesses, a linear trend for the ALE value was not observed; the highest ALE value was measured for the 0.57 mm thick Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce,F sample, while the best MTF values were found in the thinner Gd2O2S:Pr,Ce,F screen with 0.38 mm thickness.
Thermodynamic Characterization of a Highly Transparent Microfluidic Chip with Multiple On-Chip Temperature Control Units
Authors: Yang Tianhang , Wang Jinxian , Lv Sining , Li Songjing , Luo Gangyin
Published: June 2022

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a functional material with great transparency, machinability, electrical conductivity and thermo–sensitivity. Based on its excellent thermoelectric performance, we designed and fabricated a multilayer transparent microfluidic chip with multiple sets of on–chip heating, local temperature measurement and positive on–chip cooling function units. Temperature control plays a significant role in microfluidic approaches, especially in the devices that are designed for bioengineering, chemical synthesis and disease detection. The transparency of the chip contributes to achieve the real–time observation of fluid flow and optical detection. The chip consists of a temperature control layer made with an etched ITO deposited glass, a PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) fluid layer, a PDMS cooling and flow control layer. The performances of the ITO on–chip microheaters, ITO on–chip temperature sensors and two coolants were tested and analyzed in different working conditions. The positive on–chip heating and cooling were proved to be area-specific under a large temperature–regulating range. This PDMS–ITO–glass based chip could be applied to both temporal and spatial stable temperature–regulating principles for various purposes.
The Effect of Doping High Volume Magnesium Sulfate on Properties of Magnesium Oxychloride Cement
Authors: Huang Qing , Zheng Weixin , Li Ying , Chang Chenggong , Wen Jing , Dong Jinmei , Xiao Xueying
Published: June 2022

The composite gelling system of chlorine and magnesium thioxide was prepared by mixing different mass fractions of magnesium sulfate solution into MOC. Detailed studies regarding the influences of magnesium sulfate replacing magnesium chloride on the setting time, compressive strength, and water resistance of magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) have been carried out in this paper. The phase composition and micro morphology of the hydration products in the mixed system were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The results show that the addition of magnesium sulfate prolongs the setting time and reduces the compressive strength of the mixed MOC. Compared with the primordial MOC system, the water resistance of the mixed system improved, with the mixed system exhibiting optimal water resistance when the mass fraction of magnesium sulfate was 30%. The phases of the mixed system were composed of 5Mg(OH)2·MgCl2·8H2O and 5Mg(OH)2·MgSO4·7H2O phases. The microscopic morphology shows that the interior of air-cured MOC was composed of a large number of needle-like crystals, and continuous crystal structures have close contact and a strong bonding force. Cracks and pores appear on the surface after submerging in water, and the crystallization state of the internal crystals becomes worse. The compressive strength and water stability of MOC were closely related to the crystal morphology.
Deformation of the Titanium Plate Stabilizing the Lateral Ankle Fracture Due to Its Overloading in Case of the Young, Obese Patient: Case Report Including the Biomechanical Analysis
Authors: Szczęsny Grzegorz , Kopec Mateusz , Szolc Tomasz , Kowalewski Zbigniew L. , Małdyk Paweł
Published: June 2022

The number of overweight and obese patients in developed countries is gradually increasing. It was reported that 1287 (64%) out of 2007 adults operated on in 2017 had a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 kg/m2, and 26.4% even greater than 30, while the BMI of the most obese patient was as high as 57.6 kg/m2. Such distressing statistics raised an issue related to the inadequate durability of implants used for the fixation of bone fractures. Implants for the lower-extremity fractures may not be durable enough to fit the requirements of overweight and obese patients. This case report presents the history of a 23-year-old obese male with a BMI of 38.7, who bent the angularly stabile titanium plate stabilizing his broken lateral ankle and torn distal tibiofibular syndesmosis. Biomechanical analysis showed that the maximal static bending moment registered during one-leg standing was equal to 1.55 Nm. This value was circa one-third of the maximally admissible bending moment for this particular plate (5.34 Nm) that could be transmitted without its plastic deformation. Since dynamic forces exceed static ones several (3–12) times during typical activities, such as walking, climbing the stairs, running, and jumping, unpredictable forces may occur and increase the risk of loosening, bending, and even breaking implants. None of these situations should have occurred for the typical patient’s body mass of 75 kg, or even for the analyzed mass of the young patient (120 kg) who tried to avoid excessive loading during his daily routine. Subsequent implant bending and destabilization of the fracture shows that for the significantly high and still growing number of obese patients, a very strict physical regime should be recommended to prevent overabundant dynamic loads. On the other hand, the geometry of implants dedicated to these patients should be reconsidered.
Assessment of Orbital Compartment Pressure: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Enz Tim J. , Tschopp Markus
Published: June 2022

The orbit is a closed compartment defined by the orbital bones and the orbital septum. Some diseases of the orbit and the optic nerve are associated with an increased orbital compartment pressure (OCP), e.g., retrobulbar hemorrhage or thyroid eye disease. Our aim was to review the literature on the different approaches to assess OCP. Historically, an assessment of the tissue resistance provoked by the retropulsion of the eye bulb was the method of choice for estimating OCP, either by digital palpation or with specifically designed devices. We found a total of 20 articles reporting direct OCP measurement in animals, cadavers and humans. In nine studies, OCP was directly measured in humans, of which five used a minimally invasive approach. Two groups used experimental/custom devices, whilst the others applied commercially available devices commonly used for monitoring the compartment syndromes of the limbs. None of the nine articles on direct OCP measurements in humans reported complications. Today, OCP is mainly estimated using clinical findings considered surrogates, e.g., elevated intraocular pressure or proptosis. These diagnostic markers appear to reliably indicate elevated OCP. However, particularly minimally invasive approaches show promises for direct OCP measurements. In the future, more sophisticated, specifically designed equipment might allow for even better and safer measurements and hence facilitate the diagnosis and monitoring of orbital diseases.
Systematic Review on Post-Mortem Protein Alterations: Analysis of Experimental Models and Evaluation of Potential Biomarkers of Time of Death
Authors: Sacco Matteo Antonio , Cordasco Fabrizio , Scalise Carmen , Ricci Pietrantonio , Aquila Isabella
Published: June 2022

Estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is a very complex issue due to numerous variables that may affect the calculation. Several authors have investigated the quantitative and qualitative variations of protein expression on post-mortem biological samples in certain time intervals, both in animals and in humans. However, the literature data are very numerous and often inhomogeneous, with different models, tissues and proteins evaluated, such that the practical application of these methods is limited to date. The aim of this paper was to offer an organic view of the state of the art about post-mortem protein alterations for the calculation of PMI through the analysis of the various experimental models proposed. The purpose was to investigate the validity of some proteins as “molecular clocks” candidates, focusing on the evidence obtained in the early, intermediate and late post-mortem interval. This study demonstrates how the study of post-mortem protein alterations may be useful for estimating the PMI, although there are still technical limits, especially in the experimental models performed on humans. We suggest a protocol to homogenize the study of future experimental models, with a view to the next concrete application of these methods also at the crime scene.
Nonlinear Modeling Study of Aerodynamic Characteristics of an X38-like Vehicle at Strong Viscous Interaction Regions
Authors: Jiang Dingwu , Wang Pei , Li Jin , Mao Meiliang
Published: June 2022

Strong viscous interaction and multiple flow regimes exist when vehicles fly at high altitude and high Mach number conditions. The Navier–Stokes(NS) solver is no longer applicable in the above situation. Instead, the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method or Boltzmann model equation solvers are usually needed. However, they are computationally more expensive than the NS solver. Therefore, it is of great engineering value to establish the aerodynamic prediction model of vehicles at high altitude and high Mach number conditions. In this paper, the hypersonic aerodynamic characteristics of an X38-like vehicle in typical conditions from 70 km to 110 km are simulated using the unified gas kinetic scheme (UGKS), which is applicable for all flow regimes. The contributions of pressure and viscous stress on the force coefficients are analyzed. The viscous interaction parameters, Mach number, and angle of attack are used as independent variables, and the difference between the force coefficients calculated by UGKS and the Euler solver is used as a dependent variable to establish a nonlinear viscous interaction model between them in the range of 70–110 km. The evaluation of the model is completed using the correlation coefficient and the relative orthogonal distance. The conventional viscous interaction effect and rarefied effect are both taken into account in the model. The model can be used to quickly obtain the hypersonic aerodynamic characteristics of X38-like vehicle in a wide range, which is meaningful for engineering design.
Belavkin–Staszewski Relative Entropy, Conditional Entropy, and Mutual Information
Authors: Zhai Yuan , Yang Bo , Xi Zhengjun
Published: June 2022

Belavkin–Staszewski relative entropy can naturally characterize the effects of the possible noncommutativity of quantum states. In this paper, two new conditional entropy terms and four new mutual information terms are first defined by replacing quantum relative entropy with Belavkin–Staszewski relative entropy. Next, their basic properties are investigated, especially in classical-quantum settings. In particular, we show the weak concavity of the Belavkin–Staszewski conditional entropy and obtain the chain rule for the Belavkin–Staszewski mutual information. Finally, the subadditivity of the Belavkin–Staszewski relative entropy is established, i.e., the Belavkin–Staszewski relative entropy of a joint system is less than the sum of that of its corresponding subsystems with the help of some multiplicative and additive factors. Meanwhile, we also provide a certain subadditivity of the geometric Rényi relative entropy.
What Fuels the Fire: A Narrative Review of the Role Social Determinants of Health Play in Burn Injuries
Authors: Khoo Kimberly H. , Ross Emily S. , Yoon Joshua S. , Lagziel Tomer , Shamoun Feras , Puthumana Joseph S. , Caffrey Julie A. , Lerman Sheera F. , Hultman Charles Scott
Published: June 2022

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are the conditions where people live, learn, work, and play that affect their health and quality of life. There has been an increasing focus on the SDOH in the field of medicine to both explain and address health outcomes. Both the risk of burn injuries and outcomes after burns have been found to be associated with multiple aspects of the SDOH. This narrative review seeks to explore the main domains of the social determinants of health, reiterate their importance to the general and burn injury population, examine each’s association with risks of burn injuries and burn-related outcomes, and provide an overview of the current burn research landscape that describes the social determinants of health.
Nexus between Macroeconomic Factors and Economic Growth in Palestine: An Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach
Authors: Tabash Mosab I. , Farooq Umar , Safi Samir K. , Shafiq Muhammad Nouman , Drachal Krzysztof
Published: June 2022

All countries are trying their best to achieve maximum economic prosperity through employing efficient economic strategies. Countries seem to be conscious of various factors that can potentially affect economic growth. Given that, the current study examines the impact of various macroeconomic factors on the economic growth of Palestine. By employing the large range of quarterly data spanning from 2001 to 2020, the statistical outputs of the ARDL model show that government debt, donations, government expenditures, and unemployment rate adversely impact economic growth. However, other factors including credit facilities, inflation, and total investments positively impinge upon the economic growth of Palestine. Such dynamic impacts of various macroeconomic factors display both the detrimental and growth-promoting role of macroeconomic factors in determining economic prosperity. Our analysis suggests various policy implications to economic policy officials regarding the effectiveness of various factors for economic health. It is further recommended that international agencies working in aid- and donation-intensive countries should design efficient economic policies that can help such economies in coming out from economic distress.
Analysis of Maximization Strategy Intangible Assets through the Speed of Innovation on Knowledge-Driven Business Performance Improvement
Authors: Purnamawati I Gusti Ayu , Jie Ferry , Hong Puah Chin , Yuniarta Gede Adi
Published: June 2022

This study aims to determine the effect of human capital, structural capital, and consumer capital on financial performance and moderate the speed of innovation. The type of research used in the study is quantitative—data collection techniques in distributing questionnaires measured using a Likert scale. The sampling technique used was random sampling and was determined by the slovin formula. The population in this study was MSMEs in Buleleng Regency, and the samples used in this study amounted to 392 MSMEs. Data or statistical analysis techniques in the study were considered using the Structural Equation Model with WarpPLS 5.0 software modelling. The results show that the technology and commitment variables have no significant effect on the development of religious ecotourism villages. In contrast, cultural changes significantly impact the development of religious ecotourism villages. This study uses the speed of innovation as a moderating variable, the speed of innovation is one of the essential things for MSMEs to improve financial performance. The speed of innovation supports intellectual capital, which is currently focused on knowledge-driven business to create a competitive advantage.
Supporting Students’ Science Content Knowledge and Motivation through Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global in a Cross-School Collaboration
Authors: Spires Hiller A. , Himes Marie P. , Krupa Erin
Published: June 2022

Inquiry is featured prominently in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as a promising pedagogical approach. Building on current conceptions of inquiry, a mixed-methods research design was used to explore the effects of Project-Based Inquiry (PBI) Global on student science content knowledge, motivation, and perspectives related to inquiry in a cross-school collaboration. The data sources included pre-/post-tests on science content and student motivation (n = 75), transcripts from student focus groups (n = 26), and students’ multimodal learning products (n = 18 teams). The quantitative findings indicated School B students were more motivated by the project than School A students, which mirrored student performance. The student focus group findings generated three themes: constructing empathy, learning for impact, and navigating challenges. The discussion focuses on an integrated view of what students gained and did not gain from the PBI Global experience, including a nuanced explanation of how motivation and content knowledge may be influenced by student experiences and school contextual factors during PBI Global. Implications for instructional practice highlight how relationship building, mutual respect, and consensus making are essential components of constructing cross-school collaborations and the importance of integrating instructional frameworks with teachers and students. Future research will focus on investigating the effects of PBI Global on student learning in cross-school partnerships through experimental-designed studies, and the systemic and structural barriers to scaling cross-school inquiry-based learning.
Teaching Physiotherapy during the Initial Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: What Did We Learn?
Authors: Bampton Julie , Tang Clarice , McKay Marnee J. , Paul Serene S. , Allen Natalie E. , Darwell Christina , Frawley Jessica , Dennis Sarah
Published: June 2022

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 resulted in a rapid shift to online learning for physiotherapy education in Australia and around the world. This Sydney-based qualitative study explored the reflections of physiotherapy educators and leaders involved in delivering physiotherapy programs with the aim of gaining insight into what happened to physiotherapy education during the initial stages of the pandemic and what lessons were learnt that will inform future physiotherapy education. Many pedagogical challenges were identified including the need to rapidly shift content online whilst still meeting competency requirements, how to effectively engage students, and the challenges of teaching and assessing practical psychomotor skills. The benefits of the rapid shift were the upskilling of educators, innovations in teaching and resources, and recognising that some aspects of physiotherapy education were improved by the change. Overall educators and leaders felt time was needed to effectively design physiotherapy content to fit different delivery modes and it was important some aspects of physiotherapy education should continue to be taught in-person. Future physiotherapy education is likely to be a combination of in-person and online delivery and lessons learnt from this time need to be incorporated into physiotherapy programs to achieve the best educational outcomes.
Secure and Anonymous Voting D-App with IoT Embedded Device Using Blockchain Technology
Authors: Toma Cristian , Popa Marius , Boja Catalin , Ciurea Cristian , Doinea Mihai
Published: June 2022

The paper presents the construction of a proof-of-concept for a distributed and decentralized e-voting application in an IoT embedded device with the help of blockchain technology. A SoC board was used as an IoT embedded device for testing the PoC. This solution ensures complete voter anonymity and end-to-end security for all entities participating in the electronic voting process. The paper outlines the solution’s two layers. Implementation details are presented for the e-voting application, which was deployed inside of an IoT embedded device. The solution and presented protocols provide two major properties: privacy and verifiability. To ensure privacy, the proposed solution protects the secrecy of each electronic vote. As for implementing verifiability, the solution prevents a corrupt authority from faking in any way the process of counting the votes. Both properties are achieved in the presented solution e-VoteD-App.
Autonomous Modulation Categorization Algorithm for Amplify and Forward Relaying Diversity Systems
Authors: Marey Mohamed , Mostafa Hala
Published: June 2022

Modulation categorization, which is a significant duty performed by smart receivers, is critical for applications in both the military and civilian sectors. This research topic has been intensively investigated for single-hop wireless communications. However, there are a few studies that concentrate on multiple hop communications systems. In this paper, we design a novel autonomous modulation categorization technique for amplify-and-forward relaying systems. Analytical formulations of correlation functions used as the foundation of the proposed method are developed. By exploiting the spatial redundancy, we theoretically demonstrate that a set of modulation forms produces peaks for particular correlation functions whereas the other set does not. We design a multiple-level hypothesis assessment for judgment based on this property. The suggested approach has the benefit of not requiring channel coefficients or noise power information. Computer simulations are conducted to test the proposed method’s categorization performance. The findings demonstrate that the suggested method produces appropriate results under various operating situations. The suggested approach reaches an accuracy of about one hundred percent when the SNR is 10 dB or higher. On the other hand, the traditional algorithms fail to provide acceptable performance even at high SNR.
Digital Forensics Classification Based on a Hybrid Neural Network and the Salp Swarm Algorithm
Authors: Alazab Moutaz , Abu Khurma Ruba , Awajan Albara , Wedyan Mohammad
Published: June 2022

In recent times, cybercrime has increased significantly and dramatically. This made the need for Digital Forensics (DF) urgent. The main objective of DF is to keep proof in its original state by identifying, collecting, analyzing, and evaluating digital data to rebuild past acts. The proof of cybercrime can be found inside a computer’s system files. This paper investigates the viability of Multilayer perceptron (MLP) in DF application. The proposed method relies on analyzing the file system in a computer to determine if it is tampered by a specific computer program. A dataset describes a set of features of file system activities in a given period. These data are used to train the MLP and build a training model for classification purposes. Identifying the optimal set of MLP parameters (weights and biases) is a challenging matter in training MLPs. Using traditional training algorithms causes stagnation in local minima and slow convergence. This paper proposes a Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) as a trainer for MLP using an optimized set of MLP parameters. SSA has proved its applicability in different applications and obtained promising optimization results. This motivated us to apply SSA in the context of DF to train MLP as it was never used for this purpose before. The results are validated by comparisons with other meta-heuristic algorithms. The SSAMLP-DF is the best algorithm because it achieves the highest accuracy results, minimum error rate, and best convergence scale.
Institutional Logic of Carbon Neutrality Policies in China: What Can We Learn?
Authors: Zhou Cheng , Zhang Ruilian , Loginova Julia , Sharma Vigya , Zhang Zhonghua , Qian Zaijian
Published: June 2022

Global warming is a critical crisis threatening human survival and development. International organizations and countries worldwide are introducing policies and practices to achieve carbon neutrality. In China, numerous carbon neutrality policies have been established; however, a systematic understanding of the underlying policy logic is lacking. Using the institutional analysis and development (IAD) framework, this paper analyzes selected carbon neutrality policies in China. We conducted a bibliometric visualization analysis of the texts of 20 policies and matched their logic to the elements of the IAD framework. We established 90 keywords with occurrences of no less than 10 times in China’s carbon neutrality policies. The network visualization analysis identified six clusters. We discuss implementation challenges of China’s carbon neutrality policies, address the policy implementation, and finally outline impacts on China’s carbon neutrality governance. This study responds to the global concern over China’s carbon neutrality commitments by clarifying the institutional logic of China’s policies and actions. This study could provide a reference for countries worldwide that are designing and introducing carbon neutrality policies.
Analysis of Principal Factors on Energy Consumption of Expressway Service Buildings
Authors: Jiao Lichao , Rong Xian
Published: June 2022

As commercial transportation complexes, expressway service buildings have large passenger flow and a poor energy-saving effect, and have become the focus of energy conservation and emissions reduction efforts in the transportation field. At the same time, the particularity of the function determines that it is within the scope of no municipal supporting facilities, which renders them typical energy island-type buildings. This paper takes the expressway service buildings in a cold area as the research object, and carries out the correlation and partial correlation analysis of the factors influencing the operating energy consumption of the air-conditioning system. For the analysis of factors affecting the energy consumption of expressway service buildings during the operation period, considering that most of the service buildings are in the form of heating and cooling air conditioners, this paper chooses to represent the “refrigeration period” with a more obvious degree of influence. At the same time, during the operation period, because the ontological characteristics have been determined according to the analysis results, the outdoor meteorological characteristics are the main factors affecting the energy consumption of expressway service buildings. These include the dry bulb temperature and horizontal plane solar irradiance index, as well as the indoor comprehensive environment parameters: temperature, CO2 concentration index, indoor personnel density index. Based on the above analysis, a low energy consumption operation strategy for the air-conditioning system is proposed. The results of this article are of great significance for the construction of energy consumption models for expressway service buildings and the adoption of low energy consumption strategies.
Fuzzy Dynamic Thermal Rating System-Based Thermal Aging Model for Transmission Lines
Authors: Yaqoob Yasir , Marzuki Arjuna , Lai Ching-Ming , Teh Jiashen
Published: June 2022

Electricity demand has surged over the last several years and will persist in the future. Increased transmission loads cause transmission lines to operate much closer to their security limits, leading to thermal and mechanical stress and thus affecting the transmission reliability and thermal aging. Accordingly, monitoring the conductor temperature over time is critical to identifying power transmission networks that may need extra attention and perhaps maintenance. This paper presents a fuzzy thermal aging model for transmission lines equipped with a fuzzy dynamic thermal rating system based on the IEEE 738 standard. In this framework, the ampacity of the transmission line was calculated. The conductor temperature was computed with the back-calculation method by considering the fully loaded transmission line. The estimated conductor temperature was employed to determine the corresponding conductor fuzzy loss of tensile strength, i.e., the fuzzy annealing degree of the conductor based on the Harvey model. Additionally, a tensile strength loss cost profile is provided. Simulation and numerical results indicate that the proposed framework is robust against various operating conditions of the parameters considered in the study and provides crucial information for managing transmission assets and transmission network operation.
A New Hybrid Neural Network Method for State-of-Health Estimation of Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Bao Zhengyi , Jiang Jiahao , Zhu Chunxiang , Gao Mingyu
Published: June 2022

Accurate estimation of lithium-ion battery state-of-health (SOH) is important for the safe operation of electric vehicles; however, in practical applications, the accuracy of SOH estimation is affected by uncertainty factors, including human operation, working conditions, etc. To accurately estimate the battery SOH, a hybrid neural network based on the dilated convolutional neural network and the bidirectional gated recurrent unit, namely dilated CNN-BiGRU, is proposed in this paper. The proposed data-driven method uses the voltage distribution and capacity changes in the extracted battery discharge curve to learn the serial data time dependence and correlation. This method can obtain more accurate temporal and spatial features of the original battery data, resulting higher accuracy and robustness. The effectiveness of dilated CNN-BiGRU for SOH estimation is verified on two publicly lithium-ion battery datasets, the NASA Battery Aging Dataset and Oxford Battery Degradation Dataset. The experimental results reveal that the proposed model outperforms the compared data-driven methods, e.g., CNN-series and RNN-series. Furthermore, the mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) are limited to within 1.9% and 3.3%, respectively, on the NASA Battery Aging Dataset.
Design and Control of a Multi-Axis Servo Motion Chair System Based on a Microcontroller
Authors: Wei Ming-Yen , Yeh Yen-Liang , Liu Ji-Wei , Wu Hsiu-Ming
Published: June 2022

In this study, we present a design and a control based on a microcontroller for a multi-axis servo motion chair. The main purpose was to provide the pilot with the tactile sensations required by the human body to increase the immersion of simulation training. With high system control reliability and multi-functionality, the proposed architecture was built with an effective split of the control tasks involved between a master controller and five slave drivers. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed control system, RS485 and RS232 communication transmission interfaces were provided for the control system to obtain related movement information. The performance of the motion chair was assessed through various experimental tests. The results confirmed that the proposed multi-core system-on-chip microcontroller (MCU) with independent communication and real-time control subsystems was feasible to control a multi-axis servo motion chair system.
An Integrated Energy System Operation Optimization Model for Water Consumption Control Analysis in Park Scale from the Perspective of Energy–Water Nexus
Authors: Gou Ruixin , He Guiping , Yu Bo , Xiao Yanli , Luo Zhiwei , Xie Yulei
Published: June 2022

The water–energy nexus has become a key factor in the implementation of low-carbon green development, which has led to the need for exploring effective management within the coupled integrated system with multi-energy flow supplies. In this study, the coupled relationship between water resources and energy in the integrated energy system was systematically analyzed, and a system operation optimization model was proposed through comprehensively considering cold, heat and electricity load, and nine kinds of energy conversion and supply equipment/technology from the perspective of a water resources and energy nexus in a typical industry park. The system operation scheme, energy supply mode, net benefit and water resource consumption under different water resource control scenarios were obtained. The results show that water resource control would directly bring about a directly positive influence on renewable energy utilization and energy storage reduction, and that a system’s external dependence and benefits, renewable energy utilization potential and other factors in an integrated energy system should be comprehensively considered. The development of more effective control indicators could be better to promote the effectiveness of bidirectional regulation in a water–energy nexus.
Numerical Investigation on Backward-Injection Film Cooling with Upstream Ramps
Authors: Zhang Shengchang , Wang Chunhua , Tan Xiaoming , Zhang Jingzhou , Guo Jiachen
Published: June 2022

The present study investigates the effects of upstream ramps on a backward-injection film cooling over a flat surface. Two ramp structures, referred to as a straight-wedge-shaped ramp (SWR) and sand-dune-shaped ramp (SDR), are considered under a series of blowing ratios ranging from M = 0.5 to M = 1.5. Regarding the backward injection, the key mechanism of upstream ramps on film cooling enhancement is suggested to be the enlargement of the horizontal scale of the separate wake vortices and the reduction of their normal dimension. When compared to the SDR, the SWR modifies the backward coolant injection well, such that a larger volume of coolant is suctioned and concentrated in the near-field region at the film-hole trailing edge. As a consequence, the SWR demonstrates a more pronounced enhancement in film cooling than the SDR in the backward-injection process, which is the opposite of the result for the forward-injection scheme. For the SWR, the backward injection provides a better film cooling effectiveness than the forward injection, regardless of blowing ratios. However, for the SDR, the backward injection could show a superior effect to the forward injection on film cooling enhancement, when the blowing ratio is beyond a critical blowing ratio. In the present SDR situation, the critical blowing ratio is identified to be M = 1.0.
Modeling the Process and Properties of Ash Formation during Pulverized Biomass Combustion
Authors: Xu Mingzi , Sheng Changdong
Published: June 2022

The present work mainly developed a mathematical model based on the plug flow model and coarse fly ash particles’ fragmentation model to describe the behavior and evolution of ash formation and the influence of the biomass feeding rate and flue gas cooling rate on ash properties, which is validated by literature data. The model considers homogeneous nucleation of alkali vapors, heterogeneous condensation of vapors on newly formed particles and fly ash particles, and collision-coagulation between aerosol particles, which is also applied to numerically study and analyze the ash formation characteristics in the cases of practical boiler pulverized fuel combustion and SO2 sulfation. The results show that the mathematical model can reasonably describe the ash formation and the influence of the biomass feeding rate and the flue gas cooling rate on the mass PSDs of PM10 and its elements. The initial nucleation temperature and initial nucleation particle size increase with the biomass feeding rate, which is of great importance to the cooling rate on the initial nucleation number concentration and the initial nucleation particle size. Elements Na, K, and Cl are mainly concentrated in PM1, but rarely distributed in PM1–10. The condensation of Na, K, and Cl on coarse particles increases with the biomass feeding rate and decreases with the cooling rate. The ash characteristics obtained from the experiment condition with an ultra-high flue gas cooling rate and minimum biomass selected may have a large deviation from that of practical biomass combustion, and the sulfated reaction may reduce Cl corrosion rather than ash deposition.
Multiobjective Optimization Based Framework for Early Stage Design of Modular Multilevel Converter for All-Electric Ship Application
Authors: Toshon Tanvir Ahmed , Faruque M. O.
Published: June 2022

The Medium Voltage DC (MVDC) architecture for All Electric Ships (AES) has the potential to provide superior features compared to traditional 60-HZ AC distribution systems in terms of power density, power quality, and system stability. The MVDC system introduces extensive use of power electronics equipment into the shipboard power system (SPS) design that brings complexity to the system design. These power electronics equipment connect the power sources and load centers to the MVDC bus and play a major role in handling system faults. This paper focuses on developing a framework to determine the volume and failure rate of a Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) for early stage ship design. Two different methodologies (Taguchi method and a genetic algorithm) were used to determine the best design from a robust set of design options. Once the design parameters have been identified, the Taguchi method forms orthogonal array to explore and evaluate designs. At the end of the design cycle, it identifies the best parameters from a large set of design parameters to achieve lower volume and failure rate. These parameters are used as input to the optimization process. This helps to narrow out the number of inputs for optimization algorithm. The Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) has been integrated with converter design tool to minimize the volume and failure rate of MMC. The results show that the optimization algorithm coupled with Taguchi Method provides the lowest volume and failure rate for MMC. One of the goals of early-stage ship design is to develop preliminary design and evaluation of trade space to narrow it down. This paper is expected to aid early-stage ship design of power electronics converter design for MVDC systems in SPS.
LCL Filter Parameter and Hardware Design Methodology for Minimum Volume Considering Capacitor Lifetimes
Authors: Bolsi Pedro C. , Prado Edemar O. , Sartori Hamiltom C. , Lenz João Manuel , Pinheiro José Renes
Published: June 2022

A design methodology for minimum volume of LCL filters applied to grid connected converters is proposed. It combines the determination of filter parameter values (inductances and capacitances) to hardware design (component technology and inductor construction). Using the proposed strategy, different combinations of L-C-L that meet standard restrictions are determined. The influence of the harmonic content that results from filter design is considered in order to estimate component losses, and filter and bus capacitor lifetimes. Results are presented for filters that lead to the smallest volume, highest capacitor lifetime, or a compromise between both. A case study with three different magnetic material technologies and two types of capacitors is done. The design methodology is experimentally validated for a 1 kW converter. Step-by-step procedures for the determination of filter parameters and inductor hardware design are provided.
Mixed-Mode Ventilation in HVAC System for Energy and Economic Benefits in Residential Buildings
Authors: Do Huyen , Cetin Kristen S.
Published: June 2022

In the U.S., approximately 47% of the total electricity use comes from residential buildings. Most of the residential buildings use HVAC system to ventilate, cool, or heat the indoor environmental spaces mechanically, rather than using natural outdoor air in transition seasons, even though the outdoor environmental conditions are favorable for indoor thermal comfort. In this case, an HVAC system using mixed-mode ventilation with an appropriate ratio of using indoor air and outdoor air could decrease the energy use in residential buildings. This research uses high-granular HVAC electricity use data with indoor thermostat data and outdoor weather data from residential buildings in Austin, Texas, to evaluate the benefits of energy and economics when using HVAC mixed-mode ventilation in spring and fall transition seasons. The results demonstrate that the household owners could save approximately 150.79 kWh of total HVAC energy use and 24.41% of HVAC cost in spring transition months (April/May), and similarly, 143.86 kWh of energy use and 27.2% cost savings in fall transition months (October/November). The results could support further study to use automatically operated windows for natural ventilation to reduce energy use in residential buildings toward sustainable development.