bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prioritizating Birds’ Habitats for Conservation to Mitigate Urbanization Impacts Using Field Survey-Based Integrated Models in the Yangtze River Estuary
Authors: Gao Meihua , Fang Shubo , Deitch Matthew J. , Hu Yang , Zhang Dongsheng , Wan Zhongrong , He Peimin , Pan Yanlin , Gebremicael Tesfay G.
Published: November 2023

The aim of this study was to provide practical suggestions for land use regulation to mitigate the impacts of intense urbanization using integrated modeling. To achieve effective urbanization management, it is essential to quantify the habitats of critical species and predict their dynamics in response to urbanization impacts in the future. In this study, we developed an integrated bird-habitat modeling that combines maximum entropy and patch-generating land use simulation based on a field survey of bird populations to characterize the habitat dynamics of birds in the Yangtze River Estuary (YRE) under urbanization impacts. Our findings revealed the following: (1) The YRE experienced fundamental fragmentation from 2000. (2) The year 2010 was a turning point, and from 2000 to 2037, habitats for all bird species tended to overlap and fragment, and decreased from 66% to 45%, resulting in a loss of about 4340 km2. (3) The maintenance of a buffer area of 300 m around built-up areas was crucial for preserving bird habitats. Based on the identified variables, the hotspots of birds’ habitats were prioritized and the regulation measures to mitigate urbanization impacts are proposed in YRE.
Current Approaches to Heritage Spanish and the Identity Construction of Spanish Heritage Speakers: Lessons Learnt from Five European Countries
Authors: Ainciburu María Cecilia , Buyse Kris , Gallego-García Marta , González Melón Eva
Published: November 2023

An individual’s social identity, often overlooked in Europe in the field of Spanish as a second or foreign language (S2L/SFL), has always been the focus of attention in the teaching of heritage Spanish in the USA, especially in programmes designed from critical pedagogy and based on a reconstructive narrative of Latino immigration. There, heritage speakers (HS) strengthen their identity as linguistic experts and contribute to positive social change that counteracts the scholastic subordination of Spanish to English in primary schools. In this research based on verified questionnaires, we investigate in the European context (Italy, Poland, Germany, Portugal, and Belgium) how primary–middle school HSs attending extracurricular S2L/SFL classes self-perceive their identity in comparison to S2L/SFL students. The results show that the incidence of the factor “country of origin” is central to identity recognition and highlight the feelings linked to different classroom conditions and dynamics for heritage and S2L/SFL students. To conclude, these results are contrasted with those obtained in the United States.
Magnetic, Antiferroelectric-like Behavior and Resistance Switching Properties in BiFeO3-CaMnO3 Polycrystalline Thin Films
Authors: Lahmar Abdelilah , Zidani Jacem , Belhadi Jamal , Alaoui Ilham Hamdi , Musleh Hussam , Asad Jehad , Al Dahoudi Naji , El Marssi Mimoun
Published: November 2023

The effect of ferromagnetic CaMnO3 (CMO) addition to structural, magnetic, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of BiFeO3 is presented. X-ray diffraction and Raman investigation allowed the identification of a single pseudocubic perovskite structure. The magnetic measurement showed that the prepared films exhibit a ferromagnetic behavior at a low temperature with both coercive field and remnant magnetization increased with increasing CMO content. However, a deterioration of magnetization was observed at room temperature. Ferroelectric study revealed an antiferroelectric-like behavior with a pinched P–E hysteresis loop for 5% CMO doping BFO, resulting in low remnant polarization and double hysteresis loops. Whereas, high remnant polarization and coercive field with a likely square hysteresis loop are obtained for 10% CMO addition. Furthermore, a bipolar resistive switching behavior with a threshold voltage of about 1.8 V is observed for high doped film that can be linked to the ferroelectric polarization switching.
Effect of Aging Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Novel β Titanium Alloy
Authors: Xiang Wei , Yuan Wuhua , Deng Hao , Luo Hengjun , Chen Longqing , Yin Weidong
Published: November 2023

High-strength metastable β titanium alloys are promising structural materials to be used in aviation industries. In order to achieve a high strength level, solid solution treatment within β region and subsequent low-temperature aging are usually necessary to obtain fine α precipitates. The selection of the aging temperature is considered critical to the mechanical performance of metastable β titanium alloys. In this work, we investigated the effect of aging temperature on the microscopic structure and mechanical properties of a novel type of titanium alloy TB18 (Ti-4.5Al-5Mo-5V-6Cr-1Nb). A series of aging treatments were conducted on TB18 specimens at 510 °C, 520 °C, 530 °C, and 540 °C after the solid solution treatment at 870 °C. On the basis of the systematic results of scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, the behavior of the α phases affected by the varied aging temperatures were studied. As the aging temperature rose, the grain width of the α phase increased from 60 nm (510 °C) to 140 nm (540 °C). For the TB18 samples aged at 510 °C and 540 °C, the tensile strength/yield strength/impact toughness values were 1365 ± 3 MPa/1260 ± 0.9 MPa/26.5 ± 1.2 J/cm2 and 1240 ± 0.9 MPa/1138 ± 0.8 MPa/36.2 ± 1.3 J/cm2, respectively. As a result, the tensile performance and the grain width of the α phase agreed well with the Hall–Petch relationship. This work offers valuable support for both theoretical analyses and the heat treatment strategies on the novel TB18 titanium alloy.
Changes in the Rheological and Adhesive Properties of Epoxy Resin Used in the Technology of Reinforcement of Structural Elements with CFRP Tapes
Authors: Szewczak Andrzej
Published: November 2023

Nowadays, FRP composites are widely applied in the construction industry. Their inherent characteristics are used to strengthen structural elements made of various materials and to increase their durability. The following paper contains the results obtained in a conducted research program aimed at determining the ability to improve the durability of epoxy resin modified with the sonication process, microsilica and carbon nanotubes. The adhesive modified was used to adhere a CFRP tape to a concrete surface. Changes in the viscosity, physicochemical parameters and adhesion of the resin were studied. Selected parameters of the concrete substrate prepared using the sandblasting method, determined with the contact profilometry, were also taken into account. During the tests, attention was paid to the thorough execution and preparation of the samples. As a result of the research, it was demonstrated that the adhesion of the modified epoxy adhesive to concrete could be increased by approximately 28% in the case of the addition of carbon nanotubes and by up to 66% in the case of the addition of microsilica. The modifications used, in addition to increasing the adhesion of the resin to the concrete substrate, were also aimed at reducing the weakening of the adhesive joints caused by oxidation of the resin over time. The results obtained will serve as a basis for evaluating the possibility of their use in the practical reinforcement of structural reinforced-concrete elements.
A New Automated Classification Framework for Gear Fault Diagnosis Using Fourier–Bessel Domain-Based Empirical Wavelet Transform
Authors: Ramteke Dada Saheb , Parey Anand , Pachori Ram Bilas
Published: November 2023

Gears are the most important parts of a rotary system, and they are used for mechanical power transmission. The health monitoring of such a system is needed to observe its effective and reliable working. An approach that is based on vibration is typically utilized while carrying out fault diagnostics on a gearbox. Using the Fourier–Bessel series expansion (FBSE) as the basis for an empirical wavelet transform (EWT), a novel automated technique has been proposed in this paper, with a combination of these two approaches, i.e., FBSE-EWT. To improve the frequency resolution, the current empirical wavelet transform will be reformed utilizing the FBSE technique. The proposed novel method includes the decomposition of different levels of gear crack vibration signals into narrow-band components (NBCs) or sub-bands. The Kruskal–Wallis test is utilized to choose the features that are statistically significant in order to separate them from the sub-bands. Three classifiers are used for fault classification, i.e., random forest, J48 decision tree classifiers, and multilayer perceptron function classifier. A comparative study has been performed between the existing EWT and the proposed novel methodology. It has been observed that the FBSE-EWT with a random forest classifier shows a better gear fault detection performance compared to the existing EWT.
A Convolutional Sequence-to-Sequence Attention Fusion Framework for Commonsense Causal Reasoning
Authors: Luo Zhiyi , Liu Yizhu , Luo Shuyun
Published: November 2023

Commonsense causal reasoning is the process of understanding the causal dependency between common events or actions. Traditionally, it was framed as a selection problem. However, we cannot obtain enough candidates and need more flexible causes (or effects) in many scenarios, such as causal-based QA problems. Thus, the ability to generate causes (or effects) is an important problem. In this paper, we propose a causal attention mechanism that leverages external knowledge from CausalNet, followed by a novel fusion mechanism that combines global causal dependency guidance from the causal attention with local causal dependency obtained through multi-layer soft attention within the CNN seq2seq architecture. Experimental results consistently demonstrate the superiority of the proposed framework, achieving BLEU-1 scores of 20.06 and 36.94, BLEU-2 scores of 9.98 and 27.78, and human-evaluated accuracy rates of 35% and 52% for two evaluation datasets, outperforming all other baselines across all metrics on both evaluation datasets.
Polo: Adaptive Trie-Based Log Parser for Anomaly Detection
Authors: Zhou Yuezhou , Su Yuxin
Published: November 2023

Automated log parsing is essential for many log-mining applications, as logs provide a vast range of information on events and variations within an operating system or software at runtime. Over the years, various methods have been proposed for log parsing. With improved log-parsing methods, log-mining applications can gain deeper insights into system behaviors and identify anomalies or failures promptly. However, current log parsers still face limitations, such as insufficient parsing of log templates and a lack of parallelism, as well as inaccurate log template parsing. To overcome these limitations, we have designed Polo, a parser that leverages a prefix forest composed of ternary search trees to mine templates from logs. We then conducted extensive experiments to evaluate the accuracy of Polo on nine representative system logs, achieving an average accuracy of 0.987. It is 9.93% to 40.95% faster than the state-of-the-art parsing methods. Furthermore, we evaluated our approach on a downstream log analysis task, specifically anomaly detection. The experimental results demonstrated that, in terms of F1-score, our parser outperformed Deeplog, LogAnomaly, CNN, and LogRobust by 11.5%, 4%, 1%, and 19.1%, respectively, exhibiting a promising recall score of 0.971. These results indicate the effectiveness of Polo for anomaly detection.
Lightlike Hypersurfaces of Meta-Golden Semi-Riemannian Manifolds
Authors: Erdoğan Feyza Esra , Perktaş Selcen Yüksel , Bozdağ Şerife Nur , Acet Bilal Eftal
Published: November 2023

In this research, we embark on the examination of lightlike hypersurfaces within an almost meta-Golden semi-Riemannian manifold. We investigate the properties of the induced structure on a lightlike hypersurface by meta-Golden semi-Riemannian structure. Then, we introduce invariant lightlike hypersurfaces, anti-invariant lightlike hypersurfaces and screen semi-invariant lightlike hypersurfaces of almost meta-Golden semi-Riemannian manifolds and give examples.
On a Non Local Initial Boundary Value Problem for a Semi-Linear Pseudo-Hyperbolic Equation in the Theory of Vibration
Authors: Alhazzani Eman , Mesloub Said
Published: November 2023

This research article addresses a nonclassical initial boundary value problem characterized by a non-local constraint within the framework of a pseudo-hyperbolic equation. Employing rigorous analytical techniques, the paper establishes the existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence of a strong solution to the problem at hand. With respect to the associated linear problem, the uniqueness of its solution is ascertained through an energy inequality, which provides an a priori bound for the solution. Moreover, the solvability of this linear problem is verified by proving that the operator range engendered by the problem is indeed dense. Extending the analysis to the nonlinear problem, an iterative methodology is utilized. This approach is predicated on the insights gained from the linear problem and facilitates the demonstration of both the existence and uniqueness of a solution for the nonlinear problem under study. Consequently, the paper contributes a robust mathematical framework for solving both linear and nonlinear variants of complex initial boundary value problems with non-local constraints.
Algorithm for the Accelerated Calculation of Conceptual Distances in Large Knowledge Graphs
Authors: Quintero Rolando , Mendiola Esteban , Guzmán Giovanni , Torres-Ruiz Miguel , Guzmán Sánchez-Mejorada Carlos
Published: November 2023

Conceptual distance refers to the degree of proximity between two concepts within a conceptualization. It is closely related to semantic similarity and relationships, but its measurement strongly depends on the context of the given concepts. DIS-C represents an advancement in the computation of semantic similarity/relationships that is independent of the type of knowledge structure and semantic relations when generating a graph from a knowledge base (ontologies, semantic networks, and hierarchies, among others). This approach determines the semantic similarity between two indirectly connected concepts in an ontology by propagating local distances by applying an algorithm based on the All Pairs Shortest Path (APSP) problem. This process is implemented for each pair of concepts to establish the most effective and efficient paths to connect these concepts. The algorithm identifies the shortest path between concepts, which allows for an inference of the most relevant relationships between them. However, one of the critical issues with this process is computational complexity, combined with the design of APSP algorithms, such as Dijkstra, which is 𝒪n3. This paper studies different alternatives to improve the DIS-C approach by adapting approximation algorithms, focusing on Dijkstra, pruned Dijkstra, and sketch-based methods, to compute the conceptual distance according to the need to scale DIS-C to analyze very large graphs; therefore, reducing the related computational complexity is critical. Tests were performed using different datasets to calculate the conceptual distance when using the original version of DIS-C and when using the influence area of nodes. In situations where time optimization is necessary for generating results, using the original DIS-C model is not the optimal method. Therefore, we propose a simplified version of DIS-C to calculate conceptual distances based on centrality estimation. The obtained results for the simple version of DIS-C indicated that the processing time decreased 2.381 times when compared to the original DIS-C version. Additionally, for both versions of DIS-C (normal and simple), the APSP algorithm decreased the computational cost when using a two-hop coverage-based approach.
Preparation of Spinel-Type Black Pigments Using Microwave-Assisted Calcination of Stainless Steel Dust: The Effect of Manganese Molar Content
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Xu Yanghui , Li Zhiqiao , Liu Mengke , Du Tianyu , He Ruixiang , Ma Guojun
Published: November 2023

Stainless steel dust is rich in valuable metal elements including Fe, Cr, Ni and Mn, which can be utilized to prepare Fe–Cr–Ni–Mn series black pigments. Meanwhile, manganese can absorb the majority of the visible light wavelength range, which improves the color rendering performance of Fe–Cr–Ni–Mn series black pigments. However, the coloring mechanism of manganese in the above black pigments is not clear. Therefore, the effect of manganese oxide content on the preparation of spinel-type black pigments from microwave-assisted calcination of stainless steel dust was studied in this work. The results show that with the increase in MnO content in the raw mixture, the crystal plane spacing of black pigments increases from 0.2525 nm to 0.2535 nm, the grain size grows from 61.4619 nm to 79.7171 nm, and the lattice constant grows from 0.8377 to 0.8406 nm. Moreover, the band gap is decreased from 1.483 eV to 1.244 eV, the absorbance increases significantly and has a consistent absorbance in the visible range, and the L*, a* and b* values reduce from 41.8, 0.6, 1.6 to 32.0, 1.0, 0.8, respectively. MnO can react with the spinel in stainless steel dust, forming Mn3O4, MnCr2O4 and Ni (Fe,Cr)O4 in the system, with a regular polyhedral structure. The prepared pigments have excellent thermal stability at 1100 °C and good compatibility with transparent glazes, which can be adhered to the surface of ceramic tiles after calcination to demonstrate better compatibility as the content of MnO increases.
Fabrication of Electron Beam Melted Titanium Aluminide: The Effects of Machining Parameters and Heat Treatment on Surface Roughness and Hardness
Authors: Isik Murat , Yildiz Mehmet , Secer Ragip Orkun , Sen Ceren , Bilgin Guney Mert , Orhangul Akin , Akbulut Guray , Javidrad Hamidreza , Koc Bahattin
Published: November 2023

Titanium aluminide alloys have gained attention for their lightweight and high-performance properties, particularly in aerospace and automotive applications. Traditional manufacturing methods such as casting and forging have limitations on part size and complexity, but additive manufacturing (AM), specifically electron beam melting (EBM), has overcome these challenges. However, the surface quality of AM parts is not ideal for sensitive applications, so post-processing techniques such as machining are used to improve it. The combination of AM and machining is seen as a promising solution. However, research on optimizing machining parameters and their impact on surface quality characteristics is lacking. Limited studies exist on additively manufactured TiAl alloys, necessitating further investigation into surface roughness during EBM TiAl machining and its relationship to cutting speed. As-built and heat-treated TiAl samples undergo machining at different feed rates and surface speeds. Profilometer analysis reveals worsened surface roughness in both heat-treated and non-heat-treated specimens at certain machining conditions, with higher speeds exacerbating edge cracks and material pull-outs. The hardness of the machined surfaces remains consistent within the range of 32–33.1 HRC at condition 3C (45 SFM and 0.1 mm/tooth). As-built hardness remains unchanged with increasing spindle and cutting head speeds. Conversely, heat-treated condition 3C surfaces demonstrate greater hardness than condition 1A (15 SFM, and 0.04 mm/tooth), indicating increased hardness with varying feed and surface speeds. This suggests crack formation in the as-built condition is considered to be influenced by factors beyond hardness, such as deformation-related grain refinement/strain hardening, while hardness and the existence of the α2 phase play a more significant role in heat-treated surfaces.
Colombian Fungal Diversity: Untapped Potential for Diverse Applications
Authors: Charria-Girón Esteban , Vasco-Palacios Aída M. , Moncada Bibiana , Marin-Felix Yasmina
Published: November 2023

The current list of fungi from Colombia updated in the present review contains a total of 7619 species. The Ascomycota appears as the most diverse group, with 4818 species, followed by the Basidiomycota, with 2555 species. Despite this, we presume that the actual fungal diversity in Colombia could amount to between 105,600 and 300,000 species. Fungi represent an underestimated resource, indispensable for human well-being. Even though the current knowledge on potential applications of Colombian fungi is still limited, the number of studies on areas such as natural products discovery, biological control, and food and beverages, among other biotechnological applications, are increasing. With the current review, we aim to present a comprehensive update on the fungal diversity in Colombia and its potential applications. Colombia’s native fungal biodiversity holds much potential within the country’s current social-economical context, and the future must ensure efforts to preserve both the biodiversity and the untapped resources of the fungi in Colombia, which in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) might result in new bioeconomy avenues for the country.
Evaluation of Outer Surface Protein Vaccine Candidates of Borrelia burgdorferi for Lyme Disease
Authors: Liekniņa Ilva , Kozlova Anna , Šaško Marina , Akopjana Ināra , Brangulis Kalvis , Tārs Kaspars
Published: November 2023

Lyme disease affects several hundred thousand people worldwide annually, yet there is no registered vaccine for the disease available for human use. The disease is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato complex bacteria, which harbor numerous outer surface proteins, and many of which have been targeted for vaccine development. However, to effectively combat various Borrelia species, the target protein should ideally be conserved and located in the chromosome. In this study, we evaluated the potential of seven conservative, chromosome-encoded outer surface proteins as vaccine candidates. Unfortunately, four of the initial candidates could not be produced in E. coli. The remaining BB0028, BB0158, and BB0689 proteins were administered to mice in both the free form and as conjugates with virus-like particles (VLPs). In most cases, high antibody titers were obtained, confirming the good immunogenicity of the selected proteins. However, for BB0158 and BB0689 proteins, adverse effects were observed following the injection of free proteins, which were not observed when they were coupled to VLPs. Bactericidity tests of the obtained antibodies suggested that none of the vaccine candidates could induce the production of bactericidal antibodies.
Functional Characterization of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Tang Lei , Zhai Huanchen , Zhang Shuaibing , Lv Yangyong , Li Yanqing , Wei Shan , Ma Pingan , Wei Shanshan , Hu Yuansen , Cai Jingping
Published: November 2023

Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), a common oxidoreductase in organisms, is an aldehyde scavenger involved in various metabolic processes. However, its function in different pathogenic fungi remains unknown. Fusarium graminearum causes Fusarium head blight in cereals, which reduces grain yield and quality and is an important global food security problem. To elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of F. graminearum, seven genes encoding ALDH were knocked out and then studied for their function. Single deletions of seven ALDH genes caused a decrease in spore production and weakened the pathogenicity. Furthermore, these deletions altered susceptibility to various abiotic stresses. FGSG_04194 is associated with a number of functions, including mycelial growth and development, stress sensitivity, pathogenicity, toxin production, and energy metabolism. FGSG_00139 and FGSG_11482 are involved in sporulation, pathogenicity, and SDH activity, while the other five genes are multifunctional. Notably, we found that FGSG_04194 has an inhibitory impact on ALDH activity, whereas FGSG_00979 has a positive impact. RNA sequencing and subcellular location analysis revealed that FGSG_04194 is responsible for biological process regulation, including glucose and lipid metabolism. Our results suggest that ALDH contributes to growth, stress responses, pathogenicity, deoxynivalenol synthesis, and mitochondrial energy metabolism in F. graminearum. Finally, ALDH presents a potential target and theoretical basis for fungicide development.
Antibiotic Utilization in Hospitalized Children with Bronchiolitis: A Prospective Study Investigating Clinical and Epidemiological Characteristics at a Secondary Hospital in Madrid (2004–2022)
Authors: García-García María Luz , Alcolea Sonia , Alonso-López Patricia , Martín-Martín Clara , Tena-García Guadalupe , Casas Inmaculada , Pozo Francisco , Méndez-Echevarría Ana , Hurtado-Gallego Jara , Calvo Cristina
Published: November 2023

Bronchiolitis is a viral respiratory infection, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being the most frequent agent, requiring hospitalization in 1% of affected children. However, there continues to be a noteworthy incidence of antibiotic prescription in this setting, further exacerbating the global issue of antibiotic resistance. This study, conducted at Severo Ochoa Hospital in Madrid, Spain, focused on antibiotic usage in children under 2 years of age who were hospitalized for bronchiolitis between 2004 and 2022. In that time, 5438 children were admitted with acute respiratory infection, and 1715 infants (31.5%) with acute bronchiolitis were included. In total, 1470 (87%) had a positive viral identification (66% RSV, 32% HRV). Initially, antibiotics were prescribed to 13.4% of infants, but this percentage decreased to 7% during the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to adherence to guidelines and the implementation of rapid and precise viral diagnostic methods in the hospital. HBoV- and HAdV-infected children and those with viral coinfections were more likely to receive antibiotics in the univariate analysis. A multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a statistically independent association between antibiotic prescription and fever > 38 °C (p < 0.001), abnormal chest-X ray (p < 0.001), ICU admission (p = 0.015), and serum CRP (p < 0.001). In conclusion, following guidelines and the availability of rapid and reliable viral diagnostic methods dramatically reduces the unnecessary use of antibiotics in infants with severe bronchiolitis.
Photoprotective Steering of Previtamin D3 Photochemistry by Phenylalanine in Solution
Authors: Ochsner Gordon A. , Meikle Jaren S. , Dean Jacob C.
Published: November 2023

Provitamin D3 is the biological precursor to naturally formed vitamin D3 in humans, and its conversion is initiated via photoexcitation by near ultraviolet light. Following an initial photolysis, the primary intermediate, known as previtamin D3, is prone to light-induced isomerization or recyclization, which creates byproducts that limit the desired final thermal conversion to vitamin D3. The branching of the photochemical reaction is highly wavelength-dependent, whereby excitation toward the blue edge of the provitamin D3 absorption spectrum tends to terminate the reaction with the most undesired tachysterol byproduct and the lowest previtamin D3 concentration. In this work, the influence of introducing the natural amino acid phenyalanine as an excitation energy donor to the photochemical reaction is investigated. We find that the incorporation of phenylalanine into provitamin D3 solution results in greater intermediate concentrations and prolonged lifetimes of the desired previtamin D3 while simultaneously reducing the final concentration of tachysterol when exposing the solution to wavelengths at the blue edge of the provitamin D3 spectrum. The results, coupled with quantum chemical analysis, suggest that phenylalanine indeed helps to funnel energy from shorter wavelengths more effectively into the provitamin D3 precursor, while simultaneously screening those wavelengths from direct excitation, which otherwise leads to enhanced concentrations of tachysterol byproduct at the expense of previtamin D3.
An All-Digital Optical Phase-Locked Loop Suitable for Satellite Downlinks
Authors: Panasiewicz Jognes , Arab Nisrine , Destic Fabien , Pacheco Gefeson M. , Rissons Angélique
Published: November 2023

The optical signal propagation used in satellite uplinks and downlinks is influenced by absorption, scattering, and changes in the atmospheric refractive index or turbulence, causing optical signal attenuation. A free space optics (FSO) communications system using coherent communication can improve the link sensitivity and reach higher distances. This article proposes a new architecture for the phase detector in an all-digital optical phase-locked loop (OPLL) for coherent optical detection. Firstly, the performance of the proposed phase detector is evaluated under Gaussian noise, where the best operation point is found for the OPLL working with two sample rates: 625 MSa/s and 10 GSa/s. The system analyses also take a non-negligible delay into account. Then, it will be evaluated and compared with an OPLL using an analog phase detector in the presence of atmospheric turbulence. Finally, in three different atmospheric turbulence conditions, the effect of wind speed on communication quality is investigated through the obtained bit error rate (BER) from the recovered data for a bit rate of 20 Gbps. The results show that the proposed digital phase detector can track a signal under longer feedback loop delays and fading signals.
Biotechnological Strategies Adopted for Sugarcane Disease Management in Tucumán, Argentina
Authors: Racedo Josefina , Noguera Aldo Sergio , Castagnaro Atilio Pedro , Perera María Francisca
Published: November 2023

Sugarcane diseases can be controlled by an integrated management approach where biotechnological tools can successfully contribute. The Obispo Colombres Agroindustrial Experimental Station (EEAOC) in Tucumán (Argentina’s main sugarcane producer) has successfully implemented multiple strategies that greatly enhance the productivity of sugarcane fields. The local breeding program develops resistant varieties by applying molecular markers to reveal the presence of Bru1 gene for brown rust resistance throughout the EEAOC germplasm collection. In addition, SNP alleles linked to novel sources of resistance were identified following a selective genotyping strategy. Another strategy is the implementation of a seed cane sanitation project using hydrothermal therapy, an in vitro culture technique, molecular diagnosis of diseases, and bionanoparticles. As a result, the incidence of systemic diseases has significantly decreased in the production fields. More recently, the use of biological products has shown to be effective for disease control in EEAOC varieties. In summary, several biotechnological strategies including molecular markers associated with resistant sources, in vitro culture of apical meristems, molecular diagnostic techniques, and the use of bioproducts are being successfully used for the sustainable management of sugarcane diseases in Tucumán, Argentina.
Comparative Study of Plastomes in Solanum tuberosum with Different Cytoplasm Types
Authors: Goryunova Svetlana , Sivolapova Anastasia , Polivanova Oksana , Sotnikova Evgeniia , Meleshin Alexey , Gaitova Natalia , Egorova Anna , Semenov Anatoly , Gins Ekaterina , Koroleva Alina , Moskalev Evgeny , Oves Elena , Kazakov Oleg , Troitsky Aleksey , Goryunov Denis
Published: November 2023

The potato is one of the most important food crops in the world. Improving the efficiency of potato breeding is of great importance for solving the global food problem. Today, researchers distinguish between six potato cytoplasm types: A, M, P, T, W, D. In the current study, the complete chloroplast genomes of Solanum tuberosum accessions with five out of the six major cytoplasmic genome types were sequenced (T-, W-, D-, A-, and P-genomes). A comparative analysis of the plastomes in potato accessions with different cytoplasm types was carried out for the first time. The time of origin of the different cytoplasm types was estimated. The presence of two main groups of chloroplast genomes among cultivated potato was confirmed. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the complete plastome sequences, five main evolutionary branches of chloroplast genomes can be distinguished within the Petota section. Samples with A- and P- cytoplasm formed isolated and distant groups within a large and polymorphic group of samples with M-type cytoplasm, suggesting that A and P genomes arose independently. The findings suggest that the diversity of the T-genome in S. tuberosum Group Tuberosum could be initially low due to a bottle neck already existing at the origin of the Chilean clade. Differences in the rbcL gene sequence may be one of the factors causing differences in economically important traits in species with A and T-type cytoplasm. The data obtained will contribute to the development of methods for molecular marking of cytoplasm types and increase knowledge about the evolution and diversity of potato.
The Underexplored Mechanisms of Wheat Resistance to Leaf Rust
Authors: Mapuranga Johannes , Chang Jiaying , Zhao Jiaojie , Liang Maili , Li Ruolin , Wu Yanhui , Zhang Na , Zhang Lirong , Yang Wenxiang
Published: November 2023

Wheat leaf rust, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Puccinia triticina Eriks. (Pt), is one of the most common wheat foliar diseases that continuously threatens global wheat production. Currently, the approaches used to mitigate pathogen infestation include the application of fungicides and the deployment of resistance genes or cultivars. However, the continuous deployment of selected resistant varieties causes host selection pressures that drive Pt evolution and promote the incessant emergence of new virulent races, resulting in the demise of wheat-resistant cultivars after several years of planting. Intriguingly, diploid wheat accessions were found to confer haustorium formation-based resistance to leaf rust, which involves prehaustorial and posthaustorial resistance mechanisms. The prehaustorial resistance in the interaction between einkorn and wheat leaf rust is not influenced by specific races of the pathogen. The induced defense mechanism, known as systemic acquired resistance, also confers durable resistance against a wide array of pathogens. This review summarizes the host range, pathogenic profile, and evolutionary basis of Pt; the molecular basis underlying wheat–Pt interactions; the cloning and characterization of wheat leaf rust resistance genes; prehaustorial and posthaustorial resistance; systemic acquired resistance; and the role of reactive oxygen species. The interplay between climatic factors, genetic features, planting dates, and disease dynamics in imparting resistance is also discussed.
Latin American Plants against Microorganisms
Authors: Cuevas-Cianca Sofía Isabel , Romero-Castillo Cristian , Gálvez-Romero José Luis , Sánchez-Arreola Eugenio , Juárez Zaida Nelly , Hernández Luis Ricardo
Published: November 2023

The constant emergence of severe health threats, such as antibacterial resistance or highly transmissible viruses, necessitates the investigation of novel therapeutic approaches for discovering and developing new antimicrobials, which will be critical in combating resistance and ensuring available options. Due to the richness and structural variety of natural compounds, techniques centered on obtaining novel active principles from natural sources have yielded promising results. This review describes natural products and extracts from Latin America with antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant strains, as well as classes and subclasses of plant secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity and the structures of promising compounds for combating drug-resistant pathogenic microbes. The main mechanisms of action of the plant antimicrobial compounds found in medicinal plants are discussed, and extracts of plants with activity against pathogenic fungi and antiviral properties and their possible mechanisms of action are also summarized. For example, the secondary metabolites obtained from Isatis indigotica that show activity against SARS-CoV are aloe-emodin, β-sitosterol, hesperetin, indigo, and sinigrin. The structures of the plant antimicrobial compounds found in medicinal plants from Latin America are discussed. Most relevant studies, reviewed in the present work, have focused on evaluating different types of extracts with several classes and subclasses of secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity. More studies on structure–activity relationships are needed.
Do Traits Travel? Multiple-Herbicide-Resistant A. tuberculatus, an Alien Weed Species in Israel
Authors: Roth Idan S. , Singer Aviv , Yadid Inon , Sibony Moshe , Peleg Zvi , Rubin Baruch
Published: November 2023

Amaranthus tuberculatus is the most common weed in soybean and corn in the USA and Canada. In Israel, it has been a minor riverbank weed. However, in recent years, growing densities of this plant have been observed in field crops, orchards, and roadsides. Between 2017 and 2022, we surveyed the distribution of A. tuberculatus and collected seeds for further study. We identified three main distribution zones in Israel: the Jezreel Valley, Hula Valley, and Coastal Plain. Most of the populations were found near water sources, fishponds, barns, dairies, or bird-feeding sites, suggesting the involvement of imported grain in introducing A. tuberculatus to Israel. Populations were screened for their responses to various post-emergence herbicides (i.e., ALS, EPSPS, PPO, HPPD, and PSII inhibitors). Several populations from the Jezreel Valley were found to be putatively resistant to ALS, EPSPS, and PPO inhibitors. The responses of those populations to trifloxysulfuron, glyphosate, and carfentrazone-ethyl were also studied. A single ALS-, EPSPS- and PPO-resistant plant was vegetatively propagated to create a clonal population, which was treated with foramsulfuron, glyphosate, and carfentrazone-ethyl. No resistance to PSII or HPPD inhibitors was observed, but resistance to herbicides that inhibit ALS, EPSPS, and PPO was observed. A clonal propagation assay revealed the existence of a population that was resistant to ALS, EPSPS, and PPO inhibitors. Since the local A. tuberculatus populations have not been exposed to herbicide selection pressure, these traits probably reached Israel through seed-mediated gene flow via imported grain.
OsALB3 Is Required for Chloroplast Development by Promoting the Accumulation of Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll-Binding Proteins in Rice
Authors: Zhang Chao , Mao Xinchen , Feng Xiaoxiao , Sun Yali , Wang Zirui , Tang Jiaqi , Yu Hengxiu
Published: November 2023

ALBINO3 (ALB3) protein functions in the insertion and assembly of thylakoid membrane protein complexes and plays a critical role for chloroplast development in Arabidopsis. However, the biological function of ALB3 homologs in rice, OsALB3, remains elusive. Here, we identified a rice mutant, yellow leaf and lethal1 (yll1), that displayed yellow leaves and died at the seedling stage. The content of chlorophyll in yll1, compared with wild type, was significantly decreased. Transmission electron microscopy observation shows that the chloroplast of yll1 lacks thylakoid membranes. The causal mutation, which is located in OsALB3, was isolated by Mutmap+ combined with a simple mutation filtering process. Knockout of OsALB3 leads to yellow leaves and seedling lethality, mimicking the phenotype of yll1. OsALB3 is widely expressed and OsALB3 is chloroplast-localized. Moreover, the content of light-harvesting chlorophyll-binding proteins in yll1 is reduced. Together, our study demonstrated the essential role of OsALB3 in chloroplast development and provided clues to the possible conserved molecular function of ALB3 in rice.
The Biological Properties of the Essential Oil from the Jordan Accession of Phagnalon sinaicum Bornm. & Kneuck.
Authors: Badalamenti Natale , Di Napoli Michela , Castagliuolo Giusy , Varcamonti Mario , Bruno Maurizio , Zanfardino Anna
Published: November 2023

The genus Phagnalon Cass. (Asteraceae) is composed of widely distributed species and most of them, due to the medicinal properties they possess, are widely used in folk medicine but also as spices in the culinary field. The polar and non-polar extracts, as well as the complex mixtures of their essential oils, from several Phagnalon species and ssp., have shown antibiotic, antiviral, cytotoxic, and several other biological properties. In this work, the chemical composition and the antimicrobial, cytotoxic, and antioxidant properties of the Jordan accession of Phagnalon sinaicum Bornm. & Kneuck. essential oil (EO), an extremely rare plant that grows in ravines in the Middle East, were investigated. The EO, analyzed by GC-MS, was found to be rich in terpenoid compounds, and, in particular, in oxygenated monoterpenes, with the main compound being artemisia ketone (22.3%), followed by α-thujone (17.7%), and santolin alcohol (14.8%). The EO had good antimicrobial activity, especially against Escherichia coli Gram-negative bacterium (3 mg/mL MIC values) and was also effective in counteracting in vitro biofilm formation. Furthermore, this EO showed low cytotoxicity against immortalized human keratinocytes lines, but had good antioxidant activity on the same eukaryotic cellular models.
Mine Surface Settlement Prediction Based on Optimized VMD and Multi-Model Combination
Authors: Shen Liyu , Lv Weicai
Published: November 2023

The accurate prediction of mining area surface deformation is essential to preventing large-scale coal mining-related surface collapse and ensure safety and daily life continuity. Monitoring subsidence in mining areas is challenged by environmental interference, causing data noise. This paper employs the Sparrow Search Algorithm, which integrates Sine Cosine and Cauchy mutation (SCSSA), to optimize variational mode decomposition (VMD) and combine multi-models for prediction. Firstly, SCSSA is employed to adaptively determine the parameters of VMD using envelope entropy as the fitness value. Subsequently, the VMD method optimized using SCSSA adaptively decomposes the original mining area subsidence data sequence into various sub-sequences. Then, SCSSA-VMD is applied to adaptively decompose the original mining subsidence data sequence into multiple sub-sequences. Meanwhile, using sample entropy, the sub-sequences are categorized into trend sequences and fluctuation sequences, and different models are employed to predict sub-sequences at different frequencies. Finally, the prediction results from different sub-sequences are integrated to obtain the final prediction of mining area subsidence. To validate the predictive performance of the established model, experiments are conducted using GNSS monitoring data from the 110801 working face of Banji Coal Mine in Bozhou. The results demonstrate the following: (1) The hybrid model enhanced the prediction accuracy and trends by decomposing the data and optimizing the parameters with VMD. It outperformed single models, reducing errors and improving predictive trends. (2) The hybrid model significantly improved the prediction accuracy for subsidence data at work surface monitoring stations. It is particularly effective at critical subsidence points, making it a valuable reference for safety in mining operations.
Spiritualities of the Body: Yoga, Spirituality and Health in Italy
Authors: Di Placido Matteo
Published: November 2023

Modern postural yoga, a body–mind practice developed in the last hundred and fifty years at the intersection of therapeutic, fitness and spiritual logics, is experiencing an unprecedented worldwide diffusion, including in Italy. This article, relying on discourse analysis of three yoga manuals and twenty-seven biographical interviews of yoga practitioners, aims at exploring yoga’s positioning in the Italian context, with particular attention paid to its practical–discursive construction as a contemporary form of spiritualities of the body, defined as spiritualities oriented towards practitioners’ ‘unmediated’ relationship with the sacred and the cultivation of well-being through “body work”. More specifically, the article investigates the “cultural pragmatics” of a selection of Italian yoga manuals, scripted performances (regarding health and spirituality) capable of directly influencing and impacting practitioners’ “social imaginaries” of yoga in their everyday practice. In so doing, it also contributes to discussing the circular and reciprocal relationship between “discourses” and “practices” within specific contexts of practice, such as yoga classes and teacher training courses. The article concludes by emphasizing which conceptualizations of health and spirituality are promoted, transmitted and in turn embodied during yoga practice, the role of health discourses and pedagogies in the professionalization of yoga and the growing practical–discursive construction of the yoga teacher as a spiritual director and health expert.
Nonlinear Modeling of Mortality Data and Its Implications for Longevity Bond Pricing
Authors: Li Huijing , Zhou Rui , Ji Min
Published: November 2023

Human mortality has been improving faster than expected over the past few decades. This unprecedented improvement has caused significant financial stress to pension plan sponsors and annuity providers. The widely recognized Lee–Carter model often assumes linearity in its period effect as an integral part of the model. Nevertheless, deviation from linearity has been observed in historical mortality data. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of four nonlinear time-series models: threshold autoregressive model, Markov switching model, structural change model, and generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity model for mortality data. By analyzing the mortality data from England and Wales and Italy spanning the years 1900 to 2019, we compare the goodness of fit and forecasting performance of the four nonlinear models. We then demonstrate the implications of nonlinearity in mortality modeling on the pricing of longevity bonds as a practical illustration of our findings.
Coarse-to-Fine Network-Based Intra Prediction in Versatile Video Coding
Authors: Park Dohyeon , Moon Gihwa , Oh Byung Tae , Kim Jae-Gon
Published: November 2023

After the development of the Versatile Video Coding (VVC) standard, research on neural network-based video coding technologies continues as a potential approach for future video coding standards. Particularly, neural network-based intra prediction is receiving attention as a solution to mitigate the limitations of traditional intra prediction performance in intricate images with limited spatial redundancy. This study presents an intra prediction method based on coarse-to-fine networks that employ both convolutional neural networks and fully connected layers to enhance VVC intra prediction performance. The coarse networks are designed to adjust the influence on prediction performance depending on the positions and conditions of reference samples. Moreover, the fine networks generate refined prediction samples by considering continuity with adjacent reference samples and facilitate prediction through upscaling at a block size unsupported by the coarse networks. The proposed networks are integrated into the VVC test model (VTM) as an additional intra prediction mode to evaluate the coding performance. The experimental results show that our coarse-to-fine network architecture provides an average gain of 1.31% Bjøntegaard delta-rate (BD-rate) saving for the luma component compared with VTM 11.0 and an average of 0.47% BD-rate saving compared with the previous related work.