bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HISFCOS: Half-Inverted Stage Block for Efficient Object Detection Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Hwang Beomyeon , Lee Sanghun , Lee Seunghyun
Published: April 2022

Recent advances in object detection play a key role in various industrial applications. However, a fully convolutional one-stage detector (FCOS), a conventional object detection method, has low detection accuracy given the calculation cost. Thus, in this study, we propose a half-inverted stage FCOS (HISFCOS) with improved detection accuracy at a computational cost comparable to FCOS based on the proposed half inverted stage (HIS) block. First, FCOS has low detection accuracy owing to low-level information loss. Therefore, an HIS block that minimizes feature loss by extracting spatial and channel information in parallel is proposed. Second, detection accuracy was improved by reconstructing the feature pyramid on the basis of the proposed block and improving the low-level information. Lastly, the improved detection head structure reduced the computational cost and amount compared to the conventional method. Through experiments, the proposed method defined the optimal HISFCOS parameters and evaluated several datasets for fair comparison. The HISFCOS was trained and evaluated using the PASCAL VOC and MSCOCO2017 datasets. Additionally, the average precision (AP) was used as an evaluation index to quantitatively evaluate detection performance. As a result of the experiment, the parameters were increased by 0.5 M compared to the conventional method, but the detection accuracy was improved by 3.0 AP and 1.5 AP in the PASCAL VOC and MSCOCO datasets, respectively. in addition, an ablation study was conducted, and the results for the proposed block and detection head were analyzed.
Efficacy of LD Bio Aspergillus ICT Lateral Flow Assay for Serodiagnosis of Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Ray Animesh , Chowdhury Mohit , Sachdev Janya , Sethi Prayas , Meena Ved Prakash , Singh Gagandeep , Xess Immaculata , Vyas Surabhi , Khan Maroof Ahmad , Sinha Sanjeev , Denning David W. , Wig Naveet , Kabra Sushil Kumar
Published: April 2022

Background: The diagnosis of CPA relies on the detection of the IgG Aspergillus antibody, which is not freely available, especially in resource-poor settings. Point-of-care tests like LDBio Aspergillus ICT lateral flow assay, evaluated in only a few studies, have shown promising results for the diagnosis of CPA. However, no study has compared the diagnostic performances of LDBio LFA in setting of tuberculosis endemic countries and have compared it with that of IgG Aspergillus. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performances of LDBio LFA in CPA and compare it with existing the diagnostic algorithm utilising ImmunoCAP IgG Aspergillus. Methods: Serial patients presenting with respiratory symptoms (cough, haemoptysis, fever, etc.) for >4 weeks were screened for eligibility. Relevant investigations, including direct microscopy and culture of respiratory secretions, IgG Aspergillus, chest imaging, etc., were done according to existing algorithm. Serums of all patients were tested by LDBio LFA and IgG Aspergillus (ImmunoCAP Asp IgG) and their diagnostic performances were compared. Results: A total of 174 patients were included in the study with ~66.7% patients having past history of tuberculosis. A diagnosis of CPA was made in 74 (42.5%) of patients. The estimated sensitivity and specificity of LDBio LFA was 67.6% (95% CI: 55.7–78%) and 81% (95% CI: 71.9–88.2%), respectively, which increased to 73.3% (95% CI: 60.3–83.9%) and 83.9% (95% CI: 71.7–92.4%), respectively, in patients with a past history of tuberculosis. The sensitivity and specificity of IgG Aspergillus was 82.4% (95% CI: 71.8–90.3%) and 82% (95% CI: 73.1–89%); 86.7% (95% CI: 75.4–94.1%) and 80.4% (95% CI: 67.6–89.8%), in the whole group and those with past history of tuberculosis, respectively. Conclusions: LDBio LFA is a point-of-care test with reasonable sensitivity and specificity. However, further tests may have to be done to rule-in or rule-out the diagnosis of CPA in the appropriate setting.
Production of Microsclerotia by Metarhizium sp., and Factors Affecting Their Survival, Germination, and Conidial Yield
Authors: Yousef-Yousef Meelad , Romero-Conde Antonia , Quesada-Moraga Enrique , Garrido-Jurado Inmaculada
Published: April 2022

Microsclerotia (MS) produced by some species of Metarhizium can be used as active ingredients in mycoinsecticides for the control of soil-dwelling stages of geophilic pests. In this study, the MS production potential of two Metarhizium brunneum strains and one M. robertsii strain was evaluated. The three strains were able to produce MS in liquid fermentation, yielding between 4.0 × 106 (M. robertsii EAMa 01/158-Su strain) and 1.0 × 107 (M. brunneum EAMa 01/58-Su strain) infective propagules (CFU) per gram of MS. The EAMa 01/58-Su strain was selected for further investigation into the effects of key abiotic factors on their survival and conidial yield. The MS were demonstrated to be stable at different storage temperatures (−80, −18, and 4 °C), with a shelf-life up to one year. The best temperature for MS storage was −80 °C, ensuring good viability of MS for up to one year (4.9 × 1010 CFU/g MS). Moreover, soil texture significantly affected CFU production by MS; sandy soils were the best driver of infective propagule production. Finally, the best combination of soil temperature and humidity for MS germination was 22.7 °C and 7.3% (wt./wt.), with no significant effect of UV-B exposure time on MS viability. These results provide key insights into the handling and storage of MS, and for decision making on MS dosage and timing of application.
Evaluation of the Antifungal Activities of Photorhabdus akhurstii and Its Secondary Metabolites against Phytopathogenic Colletotrichum gloeosporioides
Authors: Tu Po-Wen , Chiu Jie-Siang , Lin Chih , Chien Chih-Cheng , Hsieh Feng-Chia , Shih Ming-Che , Yang Yu-Liang
Published: April 2022

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a phytopathogenic fungus that causes devastating losses in strawberries without effective countermeasures. Members of the genus Photorhabdus exhibit antimicrobial capability and have been found to have the potential for use as biocontrol agents against C. gloeosporioides. Photorhabdus species exhibit two phase variations with a differentiated composition of secondary metabolites designated to each phase. In this study, Photorhabdus akhurstii sp. nov. 0813-124 exhibited phase I (PL1) and phase II (PL2); however, only PL1 displayed distinct inhibition of C. gloeosporioides in the confrontation assay. We identified the bioactive ingredients of P. akhurstii sp. nov. 0813-124 to be glidobactin A and cepafungin I, with MIC values lower than 1.5 and 2.0 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, we revealed the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) of corresponding bioactive molecules through genomics analysis and determined its expression level in PL1 and PL2. The expression of glidobactin BGC in PL1 increased rapidly within 24 h, while PL2 was eventually stimulated after 60 h. In summary, we demonstrated that P. akhurstii sp. nov. 0813-124 could potentially be used as a biocontrol agent or part of a natural product repertoire for combating C. gloeosporioides.
Differential Gene Expression of Mucor lusitanicus under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions
Authors: Homa Mónika , Ibragimova Sandugash , Szebenyi Csilla , Nagy Gábor , Zsindely Nóra , Bodai László , Vágvölgyi Csaba , Nagy Gábor , Papp Tamás
Published: April 2022

Mucor lusitanicus and some other members of the fungal order Mucorales display the phenomenon of morphological dimorphism. This means that these fungi aerobically produce filamentous hyphae, developing a coenocytic mycelium, but they grow in a multipolar yeast-like form under anaerobiosis. Revealing the molecular mechanism of the reversible yeast-hyphal transition can be interesting for both the biotechnological application and in the understanding of the pathomechanism of mucormycosis. In the present study, transcriptomic analyses were carried out after cultivating the fungus either aerobically or anaerobically revealing significant changes in gene expression under the two conditions. In total, 539 differentially expressed genes (FDR < 0.05, |log2FC| ≥ 3) were identified, including 190 upregulated and 349 downregulated transcripts. Within the metabolism-related genes, carbohydrate metabolism was proven to be especially affected. Anaerobiosis also affected the transcription of transporters: among the 14 up- and 42 downregulated transporters, several putative sugar transporters were detected. Moreover, a considerable number of transcripts related to amino acid transport and metabolism, lipid transport and metabolism, and energy production and conversion were proven to be downregulated when the culture had been transferred into an anaerobic atmosphere.
Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Analyses of Three New Wood-Inhabiting Fungi of Xylodon (Basidiomycota) in a Forest Ecological System
Authors: Luo Kai-Yue , Chen Zhuo-Yue , Zhao Chang-Lin
Published: April 2022

Wood-inhabiting fungi are a cosmopolitan group and show a rich diversity, growing in the vegetation of boreal, temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions. Xylodon grandineus, X. punctus, and X. wenshanensis spp. nov. were found in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, China, suggested here to be new fungal species in light of their morphology and phylogeny. Xylodon grandineus is characterized by a grandinioid hymenophore and ellipsoid basidiospores; X. punctus has a membranous hymenophore, a smooth hymenial surface with a speckled distribution, and absent cystidia; X. wenshanensis has a grandinioid hymenophore with a cream to slightly buff hymenial surface and cystidia of two types. Sequences of the ITS and nLSU rRNA markers of the studied samples were generated, and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian inference methods. After a series of phylogenetic studies, the ITS+nLSU analysis of the order Hymenochaetales indicated that, at the generic level, six genera (i.e., Fasciodontia, Hastodontia, Hyphodontia, Lyomyces, Kneiffiella, and Xylodon) should be accepted to accommodate the members of Hyphodontia sensu lato. According to a further analysis of the ITS dataset, X. grandineus was retrieved as a sister to X. nesporii; X. punctus formed a monophyletic lineage and then grouped with X. filicinus, X. hastifer, X. hyphodontinus, and X. tropicus; and X. wenshanensis was a sister to X. xinpingensis.
Regulatory Mechanism of Trap Formation in the Nematode-Trapping Fungi
Authors: Zhu Mei-Chen , Li Xue-Mei , Zhao Na , Yang Le , Zhang Ke-Qin , Yang Jin-Kui
Published: April 2022

Nematode-trapping (NT) fungi play a significant role in the biological control of plant- parasitic nematodes. NT fungi, as a predator, can differentiate into specialized structures called “traps” to capture, kill, and consume nematodes at a nutrient-deprived condition. Therefore, trap formation is also an important indicator that NT fungi transition from a saprophytic to a predacious lifestyle. With the development of gene knockout and multiple omics such as genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, increasing studies have tried to investigate the regulation mechanism of trap formation in NT fungi. This review summarizes the potential regulatory mechanism of trap formation in NT fungi based on the latest findings in this field. Signaling pathways have been confirmed to play an especially vital role in trap formation based on phenotypes of various mutants and multi-omics analysis, and the involvement of small molecule compounds, woronin body, peroxisome, autophagy, and pH-sensing receptors in the formation of traps are also discussed. In addition, we also highlight the research focus for elucidating the mechanism underlying trap formation of NT fungi in the future.
Revisit of the Association between Cytomegalovirus Infection and Invasive Fungal Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Real-World Analysis from a High CMV Seroprevalence Area
Authors: Yeh Tsung-Jang , Yang Ching-I , Huang Chien-Tzu , Wang Min-Hung , Chuang Tzer-Ming , Ke Ya-Lun , Gau Yuh-Ching , Du Jeng-Shiun , Wang Hui-Ching , Cho Shih-Feng , Lee Ching-Ping , Hsu Chin-Mu , Hsiao Hui-Hua , Liu Yi-Chang
Published: April 2022

Infection is a major complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) especially cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and invasive fungal infection (IFI). Taiwan is a high CMV seroprevalence area. Our study aimed to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, the impact on survival of CMV infection (including reactivation and disease) and the association of CMV infection and IFI in recipients after allo-HSCT during the first 100 days after transplantation. This was a retrospective study including 180 recipients of allo-HSCT. A total of 99 patients had CMV reactivation, and nine patients had CMV diseases. There were more mismatched donors, more ATG usage and more transplantation from CMV IgG-negative donor in patients with CMV reactivation. There was no survival difference in patients with or without CMV reactivation. A total of 34 patients had IFIs, and IFI after allo-HSCT was associated with significantly inferior survival. Patients with CMV reactivation did not increase the incidence of overall IFI, but they did result in more late-onset (>40 days) IFI (p = 0.056). In this study, we demonstrated real-world data of CMV infection and IFI from a high CMV seroprevalence area.
Culturable Yeast Diversity of Grape Berries from Vitis vinifera ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi
Authors: Cordero-Bueso Gustavo , Vigentini Ileana , Foschino Roberto , Maghradze David , Ruiz-Muñoz Marina , Benitez-Trujillo Francisco , Cantoral Jesús M.
Published: April 2022

Vitis vinifera L. ssp. sylvestris (Gmelin) Hegi is recognized as the dioecious parental generation of today’s cultivars. Climatic change and the arrival of pathogens and pests in Europe led it to be included on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 1997. The present work focused on the study of culturable yeast occurrence and diversity of grape berries collected from wild vines. Sampling was performed in 29 locations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Italy, Romania, and Spain. In total, 3431 yeast colonies were isolated and identified as belonging to 49 species, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, by 26S rDNA D1/D2 domains and ITS region sequencing. Isolates of S. cerevisiae were also analyzed by SSR–PCR obtaining 185 different genotypes. Classical ecology indices were used to obtain the richness (S), the biodiversity (H’), and the dominance (D) of the species studied. This study highlights the biodiversity potential of natural environments that still represent a fascinating source of solutions to common problems in winemaking.
Unravelling the Molecular Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility Profiles of Aspergillus spp. Isolated from Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis Patients in Jakarta, Indonesia: The Emergence of Cryptic Species
Authors: Rozaliyani Anna , Abdullah Asriyani , Setianingrum Findra , Sjamsuridzal Wellyzar , Wahyuningsih Retno , Bowolaksono Anom , Fatril Ayu Eka , Adawiyah Robiatul , Tugiran Mulyati , Syam Ridhawati , Wibowo Heri , Kosmidis Chris , Denning David W.
Published: April 2022

Cryptic species of Aspergillus have rapidly increased in the last few decades. Chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA) is a debilitating fungal infection frequently affecting patients with previous TB. The identification and antifungal susceptibility profiles of different species of Aspergillus are important to support the management of CPA. The aim of this study was to describe the molecular and susceptibility profiles of Aspergillus isolated from CPA patients. The species identity of isolates was determined by combined DNA analyses of internal transcribed space (ITS), partial β-tubulin genes, and part of the calmodulin gene. We revealed a high (27%) prevalence of cryptic species among previous tuberculosis patients with persistent symptoms. Twenty-nine (49%) patients met the criteria for diagnosis of CPA with 24% containing Aspergillus cryptic species. This is the first report of five cryptic Aspergillus species from clinical isolates in Indonesia: A. aculea tus, A. neoniger, A. brunneoviolacues, A. welwitschiae, and A. tubingensis. Significantly, there was decreased sensitivity against itraconazole in the CPA group (66% susceptible to itraconazole) compared to the non-CPA group (90% susceptible to itraconazole) (p = 0.003). The species-level characterisation of Aspergillus and its antifungal susceptibility tests demands greater attention to better the management of CPA patients.
Coyote Killing Contests: Persistence of Differences among Oregonians
Authors: Merskin Debra
Published: April 2022

Management practices of nonhuman animals in nature (“wildlife”) are globally controversial. In some places, individuals believe it should be up to individual landowners to “manage” wildlife. In others, wildlife is seen as belonging to everyone and should be respected, or least hunted ethically. Wildlife killing contests are legal in most U.S. states. Coyote killing contests take place in many of them and several states have enacted legislation to ban them. In Oregon, efforts have failed three times. This paper is a critical discourse analysis of testimonies in the 2021 Oregon hearings. Opposition to the bill is analyzed according to five psychological rationalizations to unpack the pro-contest arguments as an example of rural resistance. The findings suggest unpacking these as more productive for activist groups when creating strategies to counter pro-killing beliefs.
Sail Away to a Safe Harbor? COVID-19 Vaccinations and the Volatility of Travel and Leisure Companies
Authors: Demir Ender , Kizys Renatas , Rouatbi Wael , Zaremba Adam
Published: April 2022

This paper examines the impact of vaccination programs on the stock market volatility of the travel and leisure sector. Using daily data from 56 countries over the period from January 2020 to March 2021, we find that vaccination leads to a decrease in the investment risk of travel and leisure companies. Vaccination results in a decrease in the volatility of stock prices of travel and leisure companies. The drop in volatility is robust to many alternative estimation techniques, different volatility measures, and various proxies for vaccinations. Moreover, this effect cannot be explained by an array of control variables; this includes the pandemic itself and both the containment and closure policies that followed. Furthermore, the beneficial role of vaccinations is relatively stronger in emerging markets than in developed ones.
Exploring the Spatiotemporal Integration Evolution of the Urban Agglomeration through City Networks
Authors: Su Dan , Fang Xiaoqian , Wu Qing , Cao Yu
Published: April 2022

Regional integration is a global trend and an integrated region consists of different cities of different sizes and functions, against which researching their organized structure is an important issue when discussing regional coordinated development. So, we construct the city networks, among which cities and their linkages are regarded as nodes and connections, to explore the spatial characteristics of a region and evaluate the integration level. The Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) is taken as the study area. For city nodes, this paper first evaluates the cities’ qualities comprehensively based on the multidimensional indicators during the rapid cities’ developmental period from 2005 to 2019. For city linkages, the interactions between different cities are then assessed by the improved gravity model. Then, the city networks consisting of city nodes and their linkages are constructed and analyzed by the social network analysis to deeply understand the orientations and relationships of cities in an integrated region. The results show that the developmental pace of different cities is imbalanced. The overall network of the YRDUA is relatively compact of the city-pair linkages forming the overlapping structure from primary to secondary axes, and different cities have specific functions. However, some small cities do not reach a mutual connection with big cities and face the risk of social resource outflow. In conclusion, attention to the existence of latent hierarchy should be paid to avoid the marginalization of small cities, especially under administrative intervention. The findings can enrich research on cities′ relationship and integration level of the YRDUA, and the specific characteristics of spatial organization paralleling with the leading development of the YRDUA can provide the reference to other regions under the strategy of national regional coordination.
Ecological Grassland Restoration—A South African Perspective
Authors: Carbutt Clinton , Kirkman Kevin
Published: April 2022

The principal drivers of Grassland Biome conversion and degradation in South Africa include agricultural intensification, plantation forestry, urban expansion and mining, together with invasive non-native plants and insidious rural sprawl. This biome is poorly conserved and in dire need of restoration, an ecologically centred practice gaining increasing traction given its wide application to people and biodiversity in this emerging culture of renewal. The pioneering proponent of restoration in South Africa is the mining industry, primarily to restore surface stability using vegetation cover. We noticed a historical progression from production-focussed non-native pastures to more diverse suites of native species and habitats in the restoration landscape. This paradigm shift towards the proactive “biodiversity approach” necessitates assisted natural regeneration, mainly through revegetation with grasses, using plugs, sods and/or seeds, together with long-lived perennial forbs. We discuss key management interventions such as ongoing control of invasive non-native plants, the merits of fire and grazing, and the deleterious impacts of fertilisers. We also highlight areas of research requiring further investigation. The “biodiversity approach” has limitations and is best suited to restoring ecological processes rather than attempting to match the original pristine state. We advocate conserving intact grassland ecosystems as the key strategy for protecting grassland biodiversity, including small patches with disproportionately high biodiversity conservation value.
Identifying Key Environmental Factors for Paulownia coreana Habitats: Implementing National On-Site Survey and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Shin Yeeun , Kim Suyeon , Park Se-Rin , Yi Taewoo , Kim Chulgoo , Lee Sang-Woo , An Kyungjin
Published: April 2022

Monitoring and preserving natural habitats has become an essential activity in many countries today. As a native tree species in Korea, Paulownia coreana has periodically been surveyed in national ecological surveys and was identified as an important target for conservation as well as habitat monitoring and management. This study explores habitat suitability models (HSMs) for Paulownia coreana in conjunction with national ecological survey data and various environmental factors. Together with environmental variables, the national ecological survey data were run through machine learning algorithms such as Artificial Neural Network and Decision Tree & Rules, which were used to identify the impact of individual variables and create HSMs for Paulownia coreana, respectively. Unlike other studies, which used remote sensing data to create HSMs, this study employed periodical on-site survey data for enhanced validity. Moreover, localized environmental resources such as topography, soil, and rainfall were taken into account to project habitat suitability. Among the environment variables used, the study identified critical attributes that affect the habitat conditions of Paulownia coreana. Therefore, the habitat suitability modelling methods employed in this study could play key roles in planning, monitoring, and managing plants species in regional and national levels. Furthermore, it could shed light on existing challenges and future research needs.
Suppression of Pepper Root Rot and Wilt Diseases Caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: El-kazzaz Mohamed Kamal , Ghoneim Kamal Elsayed , Agha Mohamed Khaled Mohamed , Helmy Asmaa , Behiry Said I. , Abdelkhalek Ahmed , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Arishi Amr A. , Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed
Published: April 2022

Pepper is vulnerable to soil-borne fungal pathogens such as Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum. The potential of beneficial rhizosphere microorganisms to control R. solani and F. oxysporum f.sp. capsici was evaluated in pepper plants. Paenibacillus polymyxa and Trichoderma longibrachiatum were isolated from rhizospheric soil samples of healthy pepper plants. In vitro, both isolates caused clear reductions in the radial growth of root rot and wilt pathogens. Scanning electron microscopy displayed lysis and abnormal shape of the pathogens in dual cultures with P. polymyxa and T. longibrachiatum. The incidence and severity of root rot and wilt diseases were significantly reduced in pepper plants treated with the growth-promoting fungi (PGPF isolates; Fusarium equiseti GF19-1, Fusarium equiseti GF18-3, and Phoma sp. GS8-3), P. polymyxa, or T. longibrachiatum in comparison to the control. Moreover, the induction treatments led to increased pepper growth compared with their control. The defense related gene (CaPR4) expression was shown to be significantly higher in the treated plants than in the control plants. In conclusion, the antagonistic isolates (P. polymyxa and T. longibrachiatum) and PGPF isolates have a clear impact on the prevention of root rot and wilt diseases in pepper plants incited by R. solani and F. oxysporum f.sp. capsici. The expression of the CaPR4 gene added to the evidence that PGPF isolates generate systemic resistance to pathogen infections.
Transportation-Induced Carbon Emissions Jeopardize Healthcare Logistics Sustainability: Toward a Healthier Today and a Better Tomorrow
Authors: Zaman Khalid , Anser Muhammad Khalid , Awan Usama , Handayani Wiwik , Salamun Hailan , Abdul Aziz Abdul Rashid , Jabor Mohd Khata , Subari Kamalularifin
Published: April 2022

Background: Logistics operations are considered essential for transporting commodities from one location to another, helping to promote global economic activity. On the other hand, its negative impact eclipses its positive impact, namely the rise in healthcare expenditures due to its ecological footprint. Globally, rising out-of-pocket health expenses result from logistic-induced carbon emissions, posing a danger to the long-term viability of healthcare. Methods: Based on this critical fact, this study examined the impact of logistics operations on healthcare costs by controlling for carbon emissions, fuel imports, and economic development across a large cross-section of 131 nations by using the Robust Least Squares Regression. Results: The findings demonstrate a U-shaped association between logistical operations and healthcare expenditures, i.e., if there is a 1% increase in logistics operations, healthcare expenditures decrease by −2.421% initially, while at later stages, healthcare costs would increase by 0.139%. On the other hand, increased fuel imports and economic growth due to logistics activities are increasing healthcare expenditures with an elasticity estimate of 0.087% and 0.147%, respectively. According to the forecasting predictions, logistics-induced carbon emissions, fuel imports, and economic expansion will increase healthcare expenses. Conclusions: A sustainable logistics operation is critical for strengthening healthcare infrastructure and meeting the global carbon neutrality goal.
Seismic Performance of F3D Free-Form Structures Using Small-Scale Shaking Table Tests
Authors: Park Min Jae , Cheon Gain , Alemayehu Robel Wondimu , Ju Young K.
Published: April 2022

In recent years, studies that can maximize irregularity have increased as technological constraints weaken owing to the development of construction technology and the increase in demand for free-form structures. Considering this, free-form structures have been constructed using various materials. Concrete is considered most suitable for realizing an atypical shape because it is highly economical and can be assembled in a free form. However, not many studies have evaluated the structural performance of free-form concrete structures using free-form formwork 3D printer (F3D) technology, a 3D printing technology. Free-form structures must be designed to secure structural stability under both dead and live loads, as well as natural hazards such as wind, snow, and earthquakes. Therefore, in this study, we tested a free-form structure constructed by F3D printing using small-scale models that satisfy the similitude law with shaking tables. Furthermore, a finite element analysis was conducted to validate the small-scale tests. Lastly, the seismic performance of free-form concrete structures was evaluated based on the test and analysis results.
A Numerical Simulation Method Considering Solid Phase Transformation and the Experimental Verification of Ti6Al4V Titanium Alloy Sheet Welding Processes
Authors: Li Yu , Hou Jia-Yi , Zheng Wen-Jian , Wan Zheng-Quan , Tang Wen-Yong
Published: April 2022

A prediction model of the welding process of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy was established by using the finite element method, which was used to evaluate the phase composition, residual stress and deformation of the welded joints of Ti-6Al-4V sheets with different processes (including tungsten inert gas welding, TIG, and laser beam welding, LBW). The Ti-6Al-4V structures of TIG welding and LBW are widely used in marine engineering. In order to quantitatively study the effects of different welding processes (including TIG welding and LBW) on the microstructure evolution, macro residual stress and deformation of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy sheets during welding, a unified prediction model considering solid-state phase transformation was established based on the ABAQUS subroutine. In this paper, LBW and TIG welding experiments of 1.6 mm thick Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy sheets were designed. The microstructure distribution of the welded joints observed in the experiment was consistent with the phase composition predicted by the model, and the hardness measurement experiment could also verify the phase composition and proportion. From the residual stress measured by experiment and the residual stress and deformation calculated by finite element simulation of LBW and TIG weldments, it is concluded that the effect of phase transformation on residual stress is mainly in the weld area, which has an effect on the distribution of tensile and compressive stress in the weld area. The overall deformation of the welded joint is mainly related to the welding process, and the phase transformation only affects the local volume change of the weld seam. Importantly, the phase composition and residual stress, which are scalar fields, calculated by the established model can be introduced into the numerical analysis of structural fracture failure as input influence factors.
Assessment of the Quality and Mechanical Parameters of Castings Using Machine Learning Methods
Authors: Jaśkowiec Krzysztof , Wilk-Kołodziejczyk Dorota , Bartłomiej Śnieżyński , Reczek Witor , Bitka Adam , Małysza Marcin , Doroszewski Maciej , Pirowski Zenon , Boroń Łukasz
Published: April 2022

The aim of the work is to investigate the effectiveness of selected classification algorithms and their extensions in assessing microstructure of castings. Experiments were carried out in which the prepared algorithms and machine learning methods were tested in various conditions and configurations, as well as for various input data, which are photos of castings (photos of the microstructure) or information about the material (e.g., type, composition). As shown by the literature review, there are few scientific papers on this subject (i.e., in the use of machine learning to assess the quality of the microstructure and the obtained strength properties of cast iron). The effectiveness of machine learning algorithms in assessing the quality of castings will be tested using the most universal methods. Results obtained by classic machine learning methods and by neural networks will be compared with each other, taking into account aspects such as interpretability of results, ease of model implementation, algorithm simplicity, and learning time.
Torrefaction of Napier Grass and Oil Palm Petiole Waste Using Drop-Type Fixed-Bed Pyrolysis Reactor
Authors: Saadon Syazmi Zul Arif Hakimi , Osman Noridah Binti , Damodaran Moviin , Liew Shan En
Published: April 2022

The torrefaction process in the preparation of energy materials has garnered a lot of attention and has been investigated as a means of improving biomass solid fuels. The aim of this study is to study the effect of the temperature and holding time of two biomass samples: wild Napier grass and oil palm petiole. The torrefied samples are operated in a pyrolysis reactor to replicate the torrefaction procedure. The temperature parameter ranges between 220 and 300 °C while the holding time of the reaction parameter ranges from 10 to 50 min. It is found that with increasing temperature and time, the moisture content and number of O and H atoms decrease and also cause both mass and energy yield to decrease. It is found that the calorific value and the energy density increase with both parameters, which shows that optimization is needed for better solid fuel production. Between the two parameters, temperature changes have more significant effects on the torrefied samples. The optimized temperature and time are found to be 260 °C and 30 min, respectively. The usage of the pyrolysis reactor for the torrefaction reaction has been proven to serve as a good option due to similar product characteristics and equivalent results.
A DFT/TD-DFT Study on the ESIPT-Type Flavonoid Derivatives with High Emission Intensity
Authors: Yu Xiangrui , Shang Changjiao , Cao Yunjian , Cui Jingang , Sun Chaofan
Published: April 2022

To reveal the influence of different substituents on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process and photophysical properties of 4′-N, N-dimethylamino-3-hydroxyflavone (DMA3HF), two novel molecules (DMA3HF-CN and DMA3HF-NH2) were designed by introducing the classical electron-withdrawing group cyano (-CN) and electron-donating group amino (-NH2). The three molecules in the acetonitrile phase were systematically researched by applying the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT) methods. The excited-state hydrogen bond enhancement mechanism was confirmed, and the hydrogen bond intensity followed the decreasing order of DMA3HF-NH2 > DMA3HF > DMA3HF-CN, which can be explained at the electronic level by natural bond orbital, fuzzy bond order, and frontier molecular orbital analyses. Moreover, we found from the electronic spectra that the fluorescence intensity of the three molecules in keto form is relatively strong. Moreover, the calculated absorption properties indicated that introducing the electron-withdrawing group -CN could significantly improve the absorption of DMA3HF in the ultraviolet band. In summary, the introduction of an electron-donating group -NH2 can promote the ESIPT reaction of DMA3HF, without changing the photophysical properties, while introducing the electron-withdrawing group -CN can greatly improve the absorption of DMA3HF in the ultraviolet band, but hinders the occurrence of the ESIPT reaction.
Biological Responses in the Blood and Organs of Rats to Intraperitoneal Inoculation of Graphene and Graphene Oxide
Authors: Aguado-Henche Soledad , Escudero María Lorenza , García-Alonso María Cristina , Lozano-Puerto Rosa María , Clemente de Arriba Celia
Published: April 2022

Background: The discrepancy among the in vivo results found in the literature regarding graphene’s side effects led us to conduct an in vivo study with graphene. Methods: In vivo tests involving intraperitoneal inoculation of graphene and graphene oxide nanosheets in rats were carried out to assess potential changes in the blood and organs after 15 and 30 days. Graphene and graphene oxide nanosheets at a concentration of 4 mg per kilogram were suspended in an aqueous solution of 0.9% NaCl at a 1:1 proportion (graphene or graphene oxide), i.e., 1 mg/mL. Results: Optical microscopy of liver, kidney, spleen, and lung tissues revealed no visible histological changes. However, particle traces were found in the peritoneal cavity. Thirty days after inoculation, blood samples were collected for hematological analysis. The blood analysis showed changes indicating a hepatic inflammatory process. Hematological changes after 30 days consisted of alterations to the red series, including microcytosis or higher mean hemoglobin concentrations. In addition, changes in prothrombin and thromboplastin caused longer coagulation times. Conclusion: This study contributes to further clarifying the possible toxicity of graphene and its potential biomedical applications.
Impact Resistant Structure Design and Optimization Inspired by Turtle Carapace
Authors: Pei Baoqing , Guo Lei , Wu Xueqing , Hu Mengyuan , Wu Shuqin , Wang Yangwei
Published: April 2022

The turtle carapace has a high level of protection, due to its unique biological structure, and there is great potential to use the turtle carapace structure to improve the impact resistance of composite materials using bionic theory. In this paper, the chemical elements of the turtle carapace structure, as well as its mechanical properties, were investigated by studying the composition of the compounds in each part. In addition, the bionic sandwich structure, composed of the plate, core, and backplate, was designed using modeling software based on the microstructure of the keratin scutes, spongy bone, and the spine of the turtle carapace. Additionally, finite element analysis and drop-weight experiments were utilized to validate the impact-resistant performance of the bionic structures. The numerical results show that all of the bionic structures had improved impact resistance to varying degrees when compared with the control group. The experimental results show that the split plate, the core with changing pore gradients, and the backplate with stiffener all have a considerable effect on the impact-resistance performance of overall composite structures. This preliminary study provides theoretical support for composite material optimization.
Bibliometric Analysis of Artificial Intelligence in Textiles
Authors: Halepoto Habiba , Gong Tao , Noor Saleha , Memon Hafeezullah
Published: April 2022

Generally, comprehensive documents are needed to provide the research community with relevant details of any research direction. This study conducted the first descriptive bibliometric analysis to examine the most influential journals, institutions, and countries in the field of artificial intelligence in textiles. Furthermore, bibliometric mapping analysis was also used to examine diverse research topics of artificial intelligence in textiles. VOSviewer was used to process 996 articles retrieved from Web of Science—Core Collection from 2007 to 2020. The results show that China and the United States have the largest number of publications, while Donghua University and Jiangnan University have the highest output. These three themes have also appeared in textile artificial intelligence publications and played a significant role in the textile structure, textile inspection, and textile clothing production. The authors believe that this research will unfold new research domains for researchers in computer science, electronics, material science, imaging science, and optics and will benefit academic and industrial circles.
Experimental Study on Chloride Ion Diffusion in Concrete Affected by Exposure Conditions
Authors: Qu Fulai , Zhang Jinkai , Liu Guirong , Zhao Shunbo
Published: April 2022

The transport mechanism of chloride ions in concrete is relatively complicated since the erosion process is influenced by many factors. To investigate the effect of exposure conditions on the chloride ion diffusion property, three exposure conditions (long-term immersion in static sodium chloride solution, long-term immersion in circulating sodium chloride solution and dry–wet cycles in circulating sodium chloride solution) were considered in chloride ion diffusion experiments. Experimental results indicated that the chloride ion content at a certain depth increased with erosion age. The chloride ions in static sodium chloride solution transported more rapidly than those under dry–wet cycle conditions. Moreover, the chloride ion content of concrete under dry–wet cycles of the circulating sodium chloride solution was slightly higher than that under long-term immersion in the circulating solution. Based on Fick’s second law, empirical equations for the chloride diffusion coefficient and chloride content at the surface of concrete were proposed by fitting experimental data, and the values of correlation coefficients of different exposure conditions were suggested. By comparison with the experiment results, it was verified that the calculation formula had better applicability. This method could be used to predict and analyze the chloride ion content under different exposure conditions.
Recycling Unused Midazolam Drug as Efficient Corrosion Inhibitor for Copper in Nitric Acid Solution
Authors: Kellenberger Andrea , Duca Delia Andrada , Dan Mircea Laurentiu , Medeleanu Mihai
Published: April 2022

The current work explores the potential for recycling unused or expired Midazolam (MID) drug, a benzodiazepine derivative, as an efficient corrosion inhibitor for copper in nitric acid solution. The technical advantage of recycling expired MID drug relates to the avoidance of organic inhibitor production costs and the reduction of disposal costs of the expired medication. A combination of electrochemical methods (potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), weight loss, and quantum chemical calculation were used to assess the inhibition mechanism and efficiency of MID. It was found that inhibition efficiency increases with inhibitor concentration, reaching a highest value of 92.9% for a concentration of 10−4 M MID. MID was classified as a mixed-type inhibitor, showing a preferential cathodic suppression mechanism. The obtained values of −45.89 kJ mol−1 for the standard free energy of adsorption indicate that the inhibition mechanism is based on chemisorption of MID molecules on the copper surface, which obeys the Langmuir isotherm. Surface analysis using scanning electronic microscopy revealed that MID offers high protection against corrosion during both immersion and polarization tests. Molecular modelling and quantum chemical calculations indicated chemical interactions between MID molecules and the copper surface, as well as electrostatic interactions. The results obtained using the different techniques were in good agreement and highlight the effectiveness of MID in the corrosion inhibition of copper.
Process Optimization of Robotic Polishing for Mold Steel Based on Response Surface Method
Authors: Xie Yinhui , Chang Guangsheng , Yang Jinxing , Zhao Mingyang , Li Jun
Published: April 2022

Aimed to reduce surface roughness (Ra) and improve surface quality of mold steel, the optimizations of process parameters for robotic polishing, such as polishing pressure, feed speed and rotating speed of tool, are accomplish in this research. The optimum range of each parameter is obtained according to a single factor experiment, and the central composite design experiments on the three polishing parameters are conducted to establish a prediction model of surface roughness. Furthermore, a significance test of the prediction model is carried out through variance analysis. The optimum polishing parameters are obtained based on the analysis of response surface, and are then adopted in the polishing experiments of mold steel for validation. The experiment result of model verification indicates that the relative errors of predicted Ra ratio and actual Ra ratio are within the allowable range (maximum is 13.47%). It proves the accuracy of the roughness prediction model. Meanwhile, the experimental results of multipath polishing show that the surface roughness decreased effectively after polishing with the optimum polishing parameters. The prediction model of surface roughness and optimum polishing parameters are helpful to improve surface quality in robotic polishing for mold steel.
Simple Realistic Model of Spin Reorientation in 4f-3d Compounds
Authors: Moskvin Alexander , Vasinovich Evgenii , Shadrin Anton
Published: April 2022

This is a simple but realistic microscopic theory of spontaneous spin reorientation in rare-earth perovskites, orthoferrites RFeO3 and orthochromites RCrO3, induced by the 4f-3d interaction, namely, the interaction of the well-isolated ground-state Kramers doublet or non-Kramers quasi-doublet of the 4f ion with an effective magnetic field induced by 3d sublattice. Both the temperature and the nature of the spin-reorientation transition are the result of competition between the second- and fourth-order spin anisotropy of the 3d sublattice, the crystal field for 4f ions, and 4f-3d interaction.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Cochlear Implantation in Children with Severe Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Authors: Асланов П.Р.
Published: April 2022

Обследовано 87 пациентов в возрасте от 1 года до 12 лет (средний возраст 2,41,2 года) с диагнозом двусторонняя хроническая нейросенсорная потеря слуха IV степени, пограничная с глухотой, состояние после односторонней кохлеарной имплантации . Лица женского пола составили 58,6 (51 человек), мужского 41,4 (36 человек) от общего количества отобранных пациентов. Продолжительность периода глухоты в среднем составила 2,21,7 года (от 6 мес. до 11 лет). В ходе проведенного исследования установлено, что через 3 и 9 месяцев после активации речевого процессора системы кохлеарной имплантации индекс его функционирования во всех группах был низким, однако наименьшие значения зафиксированы в подгруппе IIБ. Усовершенствованный алгоритм настройки речевых процессоров позволяет повысить эффективность реабилитации пациентов после кохлеарной имплантации и дополнить сведения об эффективности функционирования кохлеарного импланта.

87 patients aged from 1 to 12 years (average age 2.41.2 years) were examined with the diagnosis of bilateral chronic sensorineural hearing loss of the IV degree, borderline with deafness, a condition after unilateral cochlear implantation. Women accounted for 58.6 (51 people) and men 41.4 (36 people) of the total number of selected patients. The duration of the period of deafness on average was 2.21.7 years (from 6 months up to 11 years). The study found that 3 and 9 months after activation of the speech processor of the cochlear implantation system, the index of its functioning in all groups was low, but the lowest values were recorded in subgroup II B. The improved algorithm for configuring speech processors allows increasing the efficiency of rehabilitation of patients after cochlear implantation and adding information about the effectiveness of the cochlear implant.