bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is It Time for a Requiem for Creatine Supplementation-Induced Kidney Failure? A Narrative Review
Authors: Longobardi Igor , Gualano Bruno , Seguro Antonio Carlos , Roschel Hamilton
Published: March 2023

Creatine has become one of the most popular dietary supplements among a wide range of healthy and clinical populations. However, its potential adverse effects on kidney health are still a matter of concern. This is a narrative review of the effects of creatine supplementation on kidney function. Despite a few case reports and animal studies suggesting that creatine may impair kidney function, clinical trials with controlled designs do not support this claim. Creatine supplementation may increase serum creatinine (Crn) concentration for some individuals, but it does not necessarily indicate kidney dysfunction, as creatine is spontaneously converted into Crn. Based on studies assessing kidney function using reliable methods, creatine supplements have been shown to be safe for human consumption. Further studies with people who have pre-existing kidney disease remain necessary.
Control of Redox Homeostasis by Short-Chain Fatty Acids: Implications for the Prevention and Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: González-Bosch Carmen , Zunszain Patricia A. , Mann Giovanni E.
Published: March 2023

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women worldwide, and certain subtypes are highly aggressive and drug resistant. As oxidative stress is linked to the onset and progression of cancer, new alternative therapies, based on plant-derived compounds that activate signaling pathways involved in the maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis, have received increasing interest. Among the bioactive dietary compounds considered for cancer prevention and treatment are flavonoids, such as quercetin, carotenoids, such as lycopene, polyphenols, such as resveratrol and stilbenes, and isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane. In healthy cells, these bioactive phytochemicals exhibit antioxidant, anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties through intracellular signaling pathways and epigenetic regulation. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), produced by intestinal microbiota and obtained from the diet, also exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties related to their redox signaling activity—and are thus key for cell homeostasis. There is evidence supporting an antioxidant role for SCFAs, mainly butyrate, as modulators of Nrf2-Keap1 signaling involving the inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and/or Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Incorporation of SCFAs in nutritional and pharmacological interventions changes the composition of the the intestinal microbiota, which has been shown to be relevant for cancer prevention and treatment. In this review, we focused on the antioxidant properties of SCFAs and their impact on cancer development and treatment, with special emphasis on breast cancer.
Food By-Products and Agro-Industrial Wastes as a Source of β-Glucans for the Formulation of Novel Nutraceuticals
Authors: Morales Diego
Published: March 2023

Food and agro-industrial by-products provoke a great environmental and economic impact that must be minimized by adding value to these wastes within the framework of circular economy. The relevance of β-glucans obtained from natural sources (cereals, mushrooms, yeasts, algae, etc.), in terms of their interesting biological activities (hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, immune-modulatory, antioxidant, etc.), has been validated by many scientific publications. Since most of these by-products contain high levels of these polysaccharides or can serve as a substrate of β-glucan-producing species, this work reviewed the scientific literature, searching for studies that utilized food and agro-industrial wastes to obtain β-glucan fractions, attending to the applied procedures for extraction and/or purification, the characterization of the glucans and the tested biological activities. Although the results related to β-glucan production or extraction using wastes are promising, it can be concluded that further research on the glucans’ characterization, and particularly on the biological activities in vitro and in vivo (apart from antioxidant capacity), is required to reach the final goal of formulating novel nutraceuticals based on these molecules and these raw materials.
Wheel-Based MDM-PON System Incorporating OCDMA for Secure Network Resiliency
Authors: Kumari Meet , Arya Vivek , Al-Khafaji Hamza Mohammed Ridha
Published: March 2023

Wheel-based network resilience passive optical network (PON) based on mode division multiplexing (MDM) can be integrated with optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) schemes efficiently for the fixed and backhaul traffic under normal and break/failure fiber operating conditions. In this work, a bidirectional 10/2.5 Gbit/s hybrid MDM-OCDMA-PON system using multi-weight zero cross-correlation (MWZCC) code is proposed. Donut modes 0 and 1 are incorporated by the MDM technique in the proposed system. The benefit of this work is to offer an inexpensive, high-bandwidth and advanced long-haul network with satisfactory resource utilization ability for fiber links with protection against faults and to improve the reliability along with survivability of the network. The simulation results show the successful realization of the multimode fiber (MMF) link at 1.6 km in the uplink and 1.2 km in the downlink directions under an acceptable bit error rate (BER). The minimum accepted received power of −31 dBm in uplink and −27 dBm in downlink over 1 km link at 10/2.5 Gbit/s rate is obtained. Moreover, the minimum received power of −20 dBm in uplink and −30 dBm downlink is achieved by using MWZCC code compared to other codes handling 58 simultaneous end users. Further, the influence of fiber impairments and connected devices on the proposed approach is numerically evaluated. Moreover, it is shown that the wheel based proposed approach performs well than other topologies for the bidirectional network resilience transmission.
Globisporangium and Pythium Species Associated with Yield Decline of Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) in Australia
Authors: Liu Yuzhu , Vaghefi Niloofar , Ades Peter K. , Idnurm Alexander , Ahmed Aabroo , Taylor Paul W. J.
Published: March 2023

Pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) cultivation in Australia, which accounts for the majority of global production of natural insecticidal pyrethrins, is affected by a persistent yield decline which in part is caused by a complex of pathogens. Globisporangium and Pythium species were isolated from crown and roots of pyrethrum plants showing stunting and brown discoloration of crown tissue, and from soil adjacent to diseased plants from yield-decline-affected sites in Tasmania and Victoria, Australia. Ten known Globisporangium species (Globisporangium attrantheridium, G. erinaceum, G. intermedium, G. irregulare, G. macrosporum, G. recalcitrans, G. rostratifingens, G. sylvaticum, G. terrestris and G. ultimum var. ultimum), two new Globisporangium species (Globisporangium capense sp. nov. and Globisporangium commune sp. nov.) and three Pythium species (Pythium diclinum/lutarium, P. tracheiphilum and P. vanterpoolii) were identified through morphological studies and multigene phylogenetic analyses using ITS and Cox1 sequences. Globisporangium ultimum var. ultimum, G. sylvaticum, G. commune sp. nov. and G. irregulare were most abundant. Globisporangium attrantheridium, G. macrosporum and G. terrestris were reported for the first time in Australia. Seven Globisporangium species were pathogenic on both pyrethrum seeds (in vitro assays) and seedlings (glasshouse bioassays), while two Globisporangium species and three Pythium species only caused significant symptoms on pyrethrum seeds. Globisporangium irregulare and G. ultimum var. ultimum were the most aggressive species, causing pyrethrum seed rot, seedling damping-off and significant plant biomass reduction. This is the first report of Globisporangium and Pythium species causing disease in pyrethrum globally and suggests that oomycete species in the family Pythiaceae may have an important role in the yield decline of pyrethrum in Australia.
Physiological Response of Nutrient-Stressed Lemna gibba to Pulse Colloidal Silver Treatment
Authors: Varga Martina , Žuna Pfeiffer Tanja , Begović Lidija , Mlinarić Selma , Horvatić Janja , Miloloža Tihana , Štolfa Čamagajevac Ivna
Published: March 2023

Wastewater is a source of many environmental pollutants and potentially high concentrations of essential plant nutrients. Site-specific nutrient levels may influence the response of exposed plants to a chemical stressor. In the present study, we focused on the responses of model aquatic macrophyte swollen duckweed (Lemna gibba L.) to a short pulse exposure and a commercially available colloidal silver product as a potential environmental chemical stressor, combined with two levels of total nitrogen and phosphorus nutrition. Treatment with the commercially available colloidal silver product caused oxidative stress in L. gibba plants under both high and low nutrient levels. Plants grown and treated under high nutrient levels showed lower levels of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide accumulation, as well as higher levels of photosynthetic pigment content in comparison to treated plants under low nutrient levels. Higher free radical scavenging activity for plants treated with silver in combination with high nutrient levels resulted in better overall protection from silver-induced oxidative stress. The results showed that external nutrient levels significantly affected the L. gibba plant’s response to the colloidal silver presence in the environment and that nutrient levels should be considered in the assessment of potential environmental impact for contaminants.
Appropriate Application Methods for Salicylic Acid and Plant Nutrients Combinations to Promote Morpho-Physiological Traits, Production, and Water Use Efficiency of Wheat under Normal and Deficit Irrigation in an Arid Climate
Authors: Alotaibi Majed , El-Hendawy Salah , Mohammed Nabil , Alsamin Bazel , Refay Yahya
Published: March 2023

Freshwater shortage and inadequate nutrient management are the two major challenges for sustainable wheat production in arid agro-ecosystems. Relatively little is known about the positive roles of the application methods for the combination of salicylic acid (SA) and plant nutrients in sustaining wheat production under arid climatic conditions. A two-year field study was undertaken to assess the impact of seven treatments for the integrated application of SA, macronutrients, and micronutrients on the morpho-physiological traits, yield, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) of wheat subjected to full (FL) and limited (LM) irrigation regimes. The results showed that the LM regime caused a significant reduction in different plant growth traits, relative water content, chlorophyll pigments, yield components, and yield, while a significant increase was observed in IWUE. The sole application of SA or co-application with micronutrients through soil did not significantly affect the studied traits under the FL regime, while they achieved some improvement over untreated plants under the LM regime. Based on the different multivariate analyses, the soil and foliar applications for the combinations of SA and micronutrients, as well as a foliar application for the combinations of SA, macronutrients, and micronutrients were identified as an efficient option for mitigating the negative impacts of water deficit stress and enhancing the growth and production of wheat under normal conditions. In conclusion, the results obtained herein indicated that the co-application of SA and macro- and micronutrients is an effective option to greatly enhance and improve the growth and production of wheat crops in water-scarce countries of arid regions, such as Saudi Arabia, while an appropriate application method for this combination was required for positive effects.
Citrus Bright Spot Virus: A New Dichorhavirus, Transmitted by Brevipalpus azores, Causing Citrus Leprosis Disease in Brazil
Authors: Chabi-Jesus Camila , Ramos-González Pedro Luis , Tassi Aline Daniele , Rossetto Pereira Laura , Bastianel Marinês , Lau Douglas , Canale Maria Cristina , Harakava Ricardo , Novelli Valdenice Moreira , Kitajima Elliot Watanabe , Freitas-Astúa Juliana
Published: March 2023

Citrus leprosis (CL) is the main viral disease affecting the Brazilian citriculture. Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) trees affected by CL were identified in small orchards in Southern Brazil. Rod-like particles of 40 × 100 nm and electron lucent viroplasm were observed in the nucleus of infected cells in symptomatic tissues. RNA extracts from three plants, which proved negative by RT-PCR for known CL-causing viruses, were analyzed by high throughput sequencing and Sanger sequencing after RT-PCR. The genomes of bi-segmented ss(−)RNA viruses, with ORFs in a typical organization of members of the genus Dichorhavirus, were recovered. These genomes shared 98–99% nt sequence identity among them but <73% with those of known dichorhavirids, a value below the threshold for new species demarcation within that genus. Phylogenetically, the three haplotypes of the new virus called citrus bright spot virus (CiBSV) are clustered with citrus leprosis virus N, which is a dichorhavirus transmitted by Brevipalpus phoenicis sensu stricto. In CiBSV-infected citrus plants, B. papayensis and B. azores were found, but the virus could only be transmitted to Arabidopsis plants by B. azores. The study provides the first evidence of the role of B. azores as a viral vector and supports the assignment of CiBSV to the tentative new species Dichorhavirus australis.
Accumulation Rule of Sugar Content in Corn Stalk
Authors: Chen Jianjian , Bian Yunlong , Wu Zhenxing , Li Xiangnan , Wang Tingzhen , Lv Guihua
Published: March 2023

The primary parts of corn stalks are the leaves and the stems, which comprise the cortex and the pith. Corn has long been cultivated as an grain crops, and now it is a primary global source of sugar, ethanol, and biomass-generated energy. Even though increasing the sugar content in the stalk is an important breeding goal, progress has been modest in many breeding researchers. Accumulation is the gradual rise in quantity when new additions are made. The challenging characteristics of such sugar content in corn stalks are below the protein, bio-economy, and mechanical injury. Hence, in this research, plant water-content-enabled micro-Ribonucleic acids (PWC-miRNAs) were designed to increase the sugar content in corn stalks following an accumulation rule. High-throughput sequencing of the transcriptome, short RNAs, and coding RNAs was performed here; leaf and stem degradation from two early-maturing Corn genotypes revealed new information on miRNA-associated gene regulation in corn during the sucrose accumulation process. For sugar content in corn stalk, PWC-miRNAs were used to establish the application of the accumulation rule for data-processing monitoring throughout. Through simulation, management, and monitoring, the condition is accurately predicted, providing a new scientific and technological means to improve the efficiency of the construction of sugar content in corn stalks. The experimental analysis of PWC-miRNAs outperforms sugar content in terms of performance, accuracy, prediction ratio, and evaluation. This study aims to provide a framework for increasing the sugar content of corn stalk.
Prediction of the Potential Distribution of the Endangered Species Meconopsis punicea Maxim under Future Climate Change Based on Four Species Distribution Models
Authors: Zhang Hao-Tian , Wang Wen-Ting
Published: March 2023

Climate change increases the extinction risk of species, and studying the impact of climate change on endangered species is of great significance to biodiversity conservation. In this study, the endangered plant Meconopsis punicea Maxim (M. punicea) was selected as the research object. Four species distribution models (SDMs): the generalized linear model, the generalized boosted regression tree model, random forest and flexible discriminant analysis were applied to predict the potential distribution of M. punicea under current and future climates scenarios. Among them, two emission scenarios of sharing socio-economic pathways (SSPs; i.e., SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) and two global circulation models (GCMs) were considered for future climate conditions. Our results showed that temperature seasonality, mean temperature of coldest quarter, precipitation seasonality and precipitation of warmest quarter were the most important factors shaping the potential distribution of M. punicea. The prediction of the four SDMs consistently indicated that the current potential distribution area of M. punicea is concentrated between 29.02° N–39.06° N and 91.40° E–105.89° E. Under future climate change, the potential distribution of M. punicea will expand from the southeast to the northwest, and the expansion area under SSP5-8.5 would be wider than that under SSP2-4.5. In addition, there were significant differences in the potential distribution of M. punicea predicted by different SDMs, with slight differences caused by GCMs and emission scenarios. Our study suggests using agreement results from different SDMs as the basis for developing conservation strategies to improve reliability.
Transcriptional Regulation of Female and Male Flower Bud Initiation and Development in Pecan (Carya illinoensis)
Authors: Xie Yifei , Hou Zhiying , Shi Miao , Wang Qiaoyan , Yang Zhengfu , Lim Kean-Jin , Wang Zhengjia
Published: March 2023

Pecan (Carya illinoensis) nuts are delicious and rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for human health. Their yield is closely related to several factors, such as the ratio of female and male flowers. We sampled and paraffin-sectioned female and male flower buds for one year and determined the stages of initial flower bud differentiation, floral primordium formation, and pistil and stamen primordium formation. We then performed transcriptome sequencing on these stages. Our data analysis suggested that FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 play a role in flower bud differentiation. J3 was highly expressed in the early stage of female flower buds and may play a role in regulating flower bud differentiation and flowering time. Genes such as NF-YA1 and STM were expressed during male flower bud development. NF-YA1 belongs to the NF-Y transcription factor family and may initiate downstream events leading to floral transformation. STM promoted the transformation of leaf buds to flower buds. AP2 may have been involved in the establishment of floral meristem characteristics and the determination of floral organ characteristics. Our results lay a foundation for the control and subsequent regulation of female and male flower bud differentiation and yield improvement.
Evaluation of Resource Utilization Efficiency in the Machining Process Based on the SBM-DEA Model with Non-Expected Output
Authors: Shen Zhaoxin , Zhao Xiuxu
Published: March 2023

As one of the basic industries in the manufacturing industry, the modeling and evaluation of resource utilization efficiency in the machining process is the premise of energy conservation and consumption reduction in the manufacturing industry. Mechanical processing is the process of using resources to change the shape and performance of the blank to form the workpiece and generate emissions. However, the current research on the utilization of machining process resources, whether focusing on energy efficiency or emissions, cannot provide a comprehensive solution to this problem. Therefore, this paper proposes a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model with a slacks-based measure (SBM) to evaluate the resource utilization efficiency of a machining process with non-expected output. Through the relative effectiveness of DEA, the resource utilization efficiency of each processing process can be compared, which can provide a feasible and specific method for enterprises to evaluate their existing processing processes from the perspective of reducing unexpected output. In this case, the input-output model of the machining process is used to analyze the processed resource list. Then the mathematical model of each process in the processing process is established, and the dynamic resources are determined quantitatively. Finally, the accuracy of the method is verified by combining the resource utilization efficiency of each working procedure in the shaft gear machining process of an enterprise.
Experimental Study on Rapid Determination Method of Coal Seam Gas Content by Indirect Method
Authors: Lei Hongyan , Dai Linchao , Cao Jie , Li Rifu , Wang Bo
Published: March 2023

In view of the problems of heavy work, long cycle, high cost and low efficiency in the process of indirect determination of coal seam gas content, the basic gas parameters and coal quality indexes of 24 coal samples from 5 coal mines in the Hancheng area of Shanxi Province are measured by the laboratory measurement method. The raw coal gas content–gas desorption index of drilling cuttings (W–K1) relationship model is characterized by logarithmic function. Using SPSS data analysis software, a stepwise multiple linear regression method is used for statistical analysis. The results show that the factors that have a significant impact on the regression slope C in the W–K1 relationship model are gas adsorption constant (a), apparent density (ARD), initial velocity of gas diffusion (Δp) and consistent coefficient (f). The factors that have a significant impact on the regression constant D are Δp and atmospheric adsorption (Q). Then, the mathematical model of rapid prediction of coal seam gas content is determined. Compared with the measured values, the average absolute error rate is 12.84%, which meets the prediction requirements and provides a simple and easy method for rapid determination of coal seam gas content in coal mines in the Hancheng area.
Graphene in Polymeric Nanocomposite Membranes—Current State and Progress
Authors: Kausar Ayesha , Ahmad Ishaq , Zhao Tingkai , Aldaghri O. , Eisa M. H.
Published: March 2023

One important application of polymer/graphene nanocomposites is in membrane technology. In this context, promising polymer/graphene nanocomposites have been developed and applied in the production of high-performance membranes. This review basically highlights the designs, properties, and use of polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes in the field of gas separation and purification. Various polymer matrices (polysulfone, poly(dimethylsiloxane), poly(methyl methacrylate), polyimide, etc.), have been reinforced with graphene to develop nanocomposite membranes. Various facile strategies, such as solution casting, phase separation, infiltration, self-assembly, etc., have been employed in the design of gas separation polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes. The inclusion of graphene in polymeric membranes affects their morphology, physical properties, gas permeability, selectivity, and separation processes. Furthermore, the final membrane properties are affected by the nanofiller content, modification, dispersion, and processing conditions. Moreover, the development of polymer/graphene nanofibrous membranes has introduced novelty in the field of gas separation membranes. These high-performance membranes have the potential to overcome challenges arising from gas separation conditions. Hence, this overview provides up-to-date coverage of advances in polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes, especially for gas separation applications. The separation processes of polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes (in parting gases) are dependent upon variations in the structural design and processing techniques used. Current challenges and future opportunities related to polymer/graphene nanocomposite membranes are also discussed.
Chemical Looping Enhanced Oil Shale-to-Liquid Fuels Process: Modeling, Parameter Optimization, and Performance Analysis
Authors: Wang Qiang , Yang Yong , Zhou Huairong
Published: March 2023

The solid heat carrier moving bed with internals is an advanced oil shale retorting technology. However, the retorting gas produced by pyrolysis is generally used as fuel gas. The content of CO, H2, and CH4 in the retorting gas is high, and direct combustion leads to resource waste and environmental pollution. In addition, heteroatomic sulfur and nitrogen, as well as unsaturated hydrocarbons, reduce the quality of shale oil. To solve these problems, this paper proposed a chemical looping enhanced oil shale-to-liquid fuels (CLeSTL) process. The chemical looping hydrogen production technology is applied to convert retorting gas to hydrogen, and the hydrogen produced is used for shale oil hydrogenation to improve the oil quality. In this paper, the new process is modeled and simulated; then technoeconomic analysis is carried out. Technical analysis shows that shale oil yield is increased from 65% to 95.7% and the yield of light fraction is increased from 20% to 64%–83%. Economic analysis shows that the CLeSTL process with ligh fraction hydrogenation has the highest investment profit rate and large profit space. In addition, when the oil price is lower than 50 USD/bbl, the investment profit is 5%, which shows strong anti-risk ability.
Inhibitory Potential of Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil against Growth, Biofilm Formation, Swarming, and Swimming in Pseudomonas syringae Isolates
Authors: Carezzano María Evangelina , Paletti Rovey María Fernanda , Sotelo Jesica P. , Giordano Melina , Bogino Pablo , Oliva María de las Mercedes , Giordano Walter
Published: March 2023

As a follow-up to previous studies, the effects of Thymus vulgaris essential oil on selected virulence factors (growth, sessile cell survival, swimming, swarming, and exopolysaccharide production) were evaluated in phytopathogenic Pseudomonas syringae strains isolated from soybean fields in Argentina; reference strains Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. glycinea B076 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. P. syringae are responsible for bacterial blight, a disease that affects crops worldwide. Plant bacterioses are usually treated with antibiotics and copper compounds, which may contribute to the development of resistance in pathogens and damage the environment. For these reasons, eco-friendly alternatives are necessary. Although aromatic plants are a natural source of antimicrobial substances, the effects of these substances on phytopathogenic bacteria remain largely unexplored. Subinhibitory concentrations of the oil significantly reduced the slope and rate of bacterial growth. In addition, biofilm and exopolysaccharide (EPS) production were inhibited, with swimming and swarming motility patterns being affected at all of the oil concentrations tested. Therefore, TEO could potentially be a highly efficient antipseudomonal agent for treating plant infections caused by P. syringae.
Properties of Selected Alternative Petroleum Fractions and Sustainable Aviation Fuels
Authors: Kittel Hugo , Horský Jiří , Šimáček Pavel
Published: March 2023

With regard to speed, comfort, and a dense network of destinations, the popularity of air transport is on the rise. For this reason, jet fuel is a commodity with rapidly growing consumption and interesting refinery margins. At the same time, however, it is becoming a focus of attention in terms of reducing negative environmental impacts. As a response to these trends, it will be necessary to coprocess alternative petroleum fractions with sustainable aviation components in oil refineries. Six alternative jet fuel samples of different origin were used to investigate their jet fuel-specific properties, that is, aromatics (from 0 to 59.7 vol%), smoke point (from 12.2 to >50 mm), freezing point (from −49 to <−80 °C) and net specific energy (41.2–43.7 MJ·kg−1), and these properties were compared to standard hydrotreated straight-run Jet A-1 kerosene. The properties of the components studied differed significantly with respect to each other and to the requirements of Jet A-1. Nevertheless, the properties could be well correlated. This provides an opportunity to study possible synergies in blending these components. It was also found that the current methods and instruments used do not always allow a precise determination of the smoke point (>50 mm) and freezing point (<80 °C).
Development of a Zero-Dimensional Model for a Low-Speed Two-Stroke Marine Diesel Engine with Exhaust Gas Bypass and Performance Evaluation
Authors: Zhang Defu , Shen Zhenyu , Xu Nan , Zhu Tingting , Chang Lei , Song Hui
Published: March 2023

Most large commercial vessels are propelled by low-speed two-stroke diesel engines due to their fuel economy and reliability. With increasing international concern about emissions and the rise in oil prices, improvements in engine efficiency are urgently needed. In the present work, a zero-dimensional model for a low-speed two-stroke diesel engine is developed that considers the exhaust gas bypass and geometry structures for the gas exchange model. The model was applied to a low-speed two-stroke 7G80 ME-C9 marine diesel engine and validated with engine shop test data, which consisted of the main engine performance parameters and cylinder pressure diagrams at different loads. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data. Thus, the model has the ability to predict engine performance with good accuracy. After model validation, the variations in compression ratio, fuel injection timing, exhaust gas bypass valve opening portion, exhaust valve opening timing, and exhaust valve closing timing effects on engine performance were tested. Finally, the influence level of different parameters on engine performance was summarized, which can be used as a reference to determine the reasons for high fuel consumption in some cases. The developed engine performance model is considerable in digital twins for performance simulation, health management, and optimization.
Optimizing Clinical Workflow Using Precision Medicine and Advanced Data Analytics
Authors: Zhai Kevin , Yousef Mohammad S. , Mohammed Sawsan , Al-Dewik Nader I. , Qoronfleh M. Walid
Published: March 2023

Precision medicine—of which precision prescribing is a core component—is becoming a new frontier in today’s healthcare. Both artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to enhance our understanding of data and therefore our ability to accurately diagnose and treat patients. By leveraging these technologies and processes, we can uncover associations between a person’s genomic makeup and their health, identify biomarkers associated with diseases, fine-tune patient selection for clinical trials, reduce costs, and accelerate drug discovery and vaccine development. Although real-world data pose challenges in terms of collection, representation, and missing or inaccurate data sets, the integration of precision medicine into healthcare is critical. Clearly, precision medicine can benefit from health information innovations that empower decision-making at the patient level. Healthcare fusion is an example of an innovative framework and process [K Zhai et al. ECKM 2022, 20(3), pp. 179–192]. Data science and process improvement are also expected to play a role in resource planning and operational efficiency for optimal patient-centered care. Driving this transformation are advances in ‘omics’ technologies, digital devices, and imaging capabilities, along with an arsenal of powerful analytics tools working across a multitude of institutions and stakeholders. Encompassing this entire ecosystem, medicine will be evidence-based and driven by three key components: (1) Data curation through clinical diagnostics and behavioral apps that capture health and disease states; (2) Individualized solutions driven by advanced data analytics and personalized therapies; and (3) Business models that deliver value and incentivize growth. The aim of this paper is to present a novel conceptual framework to leverage AI and enhance information flow to serve the patient as per components one and two.
Using ANN and Combined Capacitive Sensors to Predict the Void Fraction for a Two-Phase Homogeneous Fluid Independent of the Liquid Phase Type
Authors: Chen Tzu-Chia , Alizadeh Seyed Mehdi , Alanazi Abdullah K. , Grimaldo Guerrero John William , Abo-Dief Hala M. , Eftekhari-Zadeh Ehsan , Fouladinia Farhad
Published: March 2023

Measuring the void fraction of different multiphase flows in various fields such as gas, oil, chemical, and petrochemical industries is very important. Various methods exist for this purpose. Among these methods, the capacitive sensor has been widely used. The thing that affects the performance of capacitance sensors is fluid properties. For instance, density, pressure, and temperature can cause vast errors in the measurement of the void fraction. A routine calibration, which is very grueling, is one approach to tackling this issue. In the present investigation, an artificial neural network (ANN) was modeled to measure the gas percentage of a two-phase flow regardless of the liquid phase type and changes, without having to recalibrate. For this goal, a new combined capacitance-based sensor was designed. This combined sensor was simulated with COMSOL Multiphysics software. Five different liquids were simulated: oil, gasoil, gasoline, crude oil, and water. To estimate the gas percentage of a homogeneous two-phase fluid with a distinct type of liquid, data obtained from COMSOL Multiphysics were used as input to train a multilayer perceptron network (MLP). The proposed neural network was modeled in MATLAB software. Using the new and accurate metering system, the proposed MLP model could predict the void fraction with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.919.
Decision Support Tool for the Optimal Sizing of Solar Irrigation Systems
Authors: Sarr Aminata , Mérida-García Aida , Diop Lamine , Mateos Luciano , Lamaddalena Nicola , Rodríguez-Díaz Juan Antonio
Published: March 2023

Solar photovoltaic (PV) irrigation is increasingly used in agriculture, driven by its low operation cost and virtually zero emissions, providing electricity access in rural areas. However, the high investment cost requires an optimal design. The objective of this work was to develop a user-friendly tool to optimally size a PV generator that satisfies crop irrigation needs under local constrictions. The ODSIS (Optimal Design of Solar Irrigation System) tool, was organized in three calculation modules, preceded by two complements, which determine the daily crop irrigation needs and power demand of the pumping system. Then, the first module sizes the PV plant, considering a multiplication factor, and provides the PV production potential throughout each day of the season. The second and third modules evaluate the total investment cost and equivalent greenhouse gas emissions avoided by comparison with traditional energy sources. This tool was applied to a case study in Senegal for which a multiplication factor of 1.4 was obtained for the optimal PV plant size. Between 22% to 64% of the investment cost corresponded to the PV pumping system, depending on the irrigation technique. The use of PV energy in the case study would represent an annual economic saving for the farmer after 5 to 8 years of payback period, avoiding the emission of between 29.8 and 37.9 tCO2eq/year for the case study area.
Separation of Molar Weight-Distributed Polyethylene Glycols by Reversed-Phase Chromatography—II. Preparative Isolation of Pure Single Homologs
Authors: Supper Malvina , Jost Rosanna , Bornschein Benedikt , Kaspereit Malte
Published: March 2023

The isolation of single homologs of polyethylene glycol by preparative reversed-phase chromatography is investigated. A thermodynamic model developed accurately previously describes the retention times of individual homologs as function of their size, temperature, and mobile phase composition under linear, diluted conditions. The model is extended to predict limiting retention times for linear gradient operation in preparative applications. Isocratic and gradient-based separations are studied under strongly overloaded conditions. Baseline separation of homologs up to 3000 g/mol is demonstrated. Quantitative production of pure single homologs up to molar weights of 1000 g/mol was performed using an automated setup.
Experimental Study on Creep Characteristics and Long–Term Strength of Anthracite
Authors: Yan Jianbing , Zhang Xiaoqiang , Wang Kai , Song Xuanmin , Yue Shaofei , Hou Jian
Published: March 2023

Coal pillars from old mines undergo creep, a type of time−dependent deformation. Research on underground engineering stability of coal mines has increasingly focused on long−term strength as an important mechanical index of the creep characteristics of coal pillars. This study performed conventional triaxial compression and triaxial creep tests of anthracite under different confining pressures. The creep law of anthracite and the long−term strength of anthracite was studied according to the test results. The test results demonstrated the following: (1) The conventional elastic modulus and peak strain of anthracite increased exponentially with the confining pressure. (2) Under low stress levels, anthracite exhibited only instantaneous deformation and attenuation creep. In contrast, anthracite exhibited instantaneous deformation, attenuation creep, and steady creep under high stress levels; accelerated creep occurred until failure when the stress reached a particular value. (3) By fitting the steady−state creep rate of anthracite under high stress levels, the functional relationship between axial stress and steady−state creep rate was established, and the threshold of the steady−state creep rate in high−stress−level areas was suggested as the optimum long−term strength of anthracite. (4) The ratio of the long−term strength to instantaneous strength under various confining pressure grades ranged from 70% to 91%.
Simulation and Optimization of Optical Fiber Irradiation with X-rays at Different Energies
Authors: Meyer Arnaud , Lambert Damien , Morana Adriana , Paillet Philippe , Boukenter Aziz , Girard Sylvain
Published: March 2023

We investigated the influence of modifying the voltage of an X-ray tube with a tungsten anode between 30 kV and 225 kV, and therefore its photon energy spectrum (up to 225 keV), on the Total Ionizing Dose deposited in a single-mode, phosphorus-doped optical fiber, already identified as a promising dosimeter. Simulation data, obtained using a toolchain combining SpekPy and Geant4 software, are compared to experimental results obtained on this radiosensitive optical fiber and demonstrate an increase of the deposited dose with operating voltage, at a factor of 4.5 between 30 kV and 225 kV, while keeping the same operating current of 20 mA. Analysis of simulation results shows that dose deposition in such optical fibers is mainly caused by the low-energy part of the spectrum, with 90% of the deposited energy originating from photons with an energy below 30 keV. Comparison between simulation and various experimental measurements indicates that phosphosilicate fibers are adapted for performing X-ray dosimetry at different voltages.
Hira Makes a Sound: Nepali Diasporic Worldviewing through Asian American Studies Praxis during the COVID-19 Anti-Asian Hate Pandemics
Authors: Ty Kim Soun , Tang Shirley Suet-ling , Gurung Parmita , Ty Ammany , Duong Nia , Kiang Peter Nien-chu
Published: March 2023

In this article, we offer a specific example from our programmatic research and teaching praxis during the COVID-19 anti-Asian hate pandemic period. We demonstrate how Asian American Studies community-centered knowledge coproduction and narrative generational wealth investment can address critical experiences of young learners from underrepresented, religiously-diverse populations through content that supports culturally sustaining child development and challenges disparately impactful realities of racism, misrepresentation, and systemic Western biases which undermine their health and wellbeing. Focusing on religious themes in relation to child development was not an explicit intention of our collaboratively developed storybook project titled, Hira Makes a Sound. Nevertheless, centering a women-led, intergenerational Nepali immigrant story in both our process and final product necessarily led to foregrounding religious, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of diasporic family and community life that are essential to coping and development for the fictional lead character, Hira, and her loved ones. Robust story data themes—paradoxically grounded in the ether of a shared Gurung worldview—provide generative lessons for researchers, educators, artists, and community advocates who work with or need to account for the lived experiences of young learners within religiously diverse, multi-generational immigrant family households and community ecologies.
New Insights into the Internal Structures and Geotechnical Rock Properties of the Giant San Andrés Landslide, El Hierro Island, Spain
Authors: Klimeš Jan , Hussain Yawar , Mreyen Anne-Sophie , Cauchie Léna , Schlögel Romy , Piroton Valentine , Petružálek Matěj , Blahůt Jan , René Miloš , Meletlidis Stavros , Havenith Hans-Balder
Published: March 2023

The San Andrés landslide on El Hierro (Canary Islands) represents a rare opportunity to study an incipient volcanic island flank collapse with an extensive onshore part. The presented research improves the knowledge of the internal structure and rock characteristics of a mega-landslide before its complete failure. The investigation combines multiple geophysical measurement techniques (active and passive seismic) and remotely sensed, high spatial resolution surveys (unmanned aerial vehicle) with in situ and laboratory geotechnical descriptions to characterize the rock properties inside and outside the San Andrés landslide. The available geophysical and geological data have been integrated into 3D geomodels to enhance their visual interpretation. The onshore geophysical investigations helped detect the possible San Andrés landslide sliding surfaces at depths between 320 m and 420 m, with a rather planar geometry. They also revealed that rocks inside and outside of the landslide had similar properties, which suggests that the previous fast movements of the landslide did not affect the bulk properties of the displaced rocks as the failure chiefly occurred along the weakened sliding plane. Uniaxial strength tests on basalt rocks further indicate a high variability and spatial heterogeneity of the rock strength properties due to the different types of volcanic rocks and their texture. The new information on the rock properties and structural setting of the San Andrés landslide can now be used to develop realistic geotechnical slope models of the onshore part of the flank collapse that are possibly applicable for slope stability or deformation calculations. It will also help assess related hazards marked by a low occurrence probability and a high impact potential.
SVM-Based Sea Ice Extent Retrieval Using Multisource Scatterometer Measurements
Authors: Xu Changjing , Wang Zhixiong , Zhai Xiaochun , Lin Wenming , He Yijun
Published: March 2023

This study aims to explore the joint usage of multisource scatterometer measurements in polar sea water and ice discrimination. All radar backscatter measurements from current operating satellite scatterometers are considered, including the C-band ASCAT scatterometer on board the MetOp series satellites, the Ku-band scatterometer on board the HY-2B satellite (HSCAT), and the Ku-band scatterometer on board the CFOSAT satellite (CSCAT). By performing seven experiments that use the same support vector machine (SVM) classifier method but with different input data, we find that the SVM model with all available HSCAT, CSCAT, and ASCAT scatterometer data as inputs gives the best performance. In addition to the SVM outputs, we employ the image erosion/dilation techniques and area growth method to reduce misclassifications of sea water and ice. The sea ice extent obtained in this study shows a good agreement with the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) sea ice concentration data from the years 2019 to 2021. More specifically, the sea ice areas are closer to the sea ice areas calculated using 15% as the threshold for NSIDC sea ice concentration data in both Arctic and Antarctic. The sea ice edges acquired by the multisource scatterometer show a close correlation with sea ice edges from the Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. In addition, we found that the coverage of multisource scatterometer data in a half-day is usually above 97%, and more importantly, the sea ice areas obtained on the basis of half-day and daily multisource scatterometer data are very close to each other. The presented work can serve as guidance on the usage of all available scatterometer measurements in sea ice monitoring.
Reusing Remote Sensing-Based Validation Data: Comparing Direct and Indirect Approaches for Afforestation Monitoring
Authors: Francini Saverio , Cavalli Alice , D’Amico Giovanni , McRoberts Ronald E. , Maesano Mauro , Munafò Michele , Scarascia Mugnozza Giuseppe , Chirici Gherardo
Published: March 2023

Afforestation is one of the most effective processes for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and combating global warming. Landsat data and machine learning approaches can be used to map afforestation (i) indirectly, by constructing two maps of the same area over different periods and then predicting changes, or (ii) directly, by constructing a single map and analyzing observations of change in both the response and remotely sensed variables. Of crucial importance, no comprehensive comparisons of direct and indirect approaches for afforestation monitoring are known to have been conducted to date. Afforestation maps estimated through the analysis of remotely sensed data may serve as intermediate products for guiding the selection of samples and the production of statistics. In this and similar studies, a huge effort is dedicated to collecting validation data. In turn, those validation datasets have varying sampling intensities in different areas, which complicates their use for assessing the accuracies of new maps. As a result, the work done to collect data is often not sufficiently exploited, with some validation datasets being used just once. In this study, we addressed two main aims. First, we implemented a methodology to reuse validation data acquired via stratified sampling with strata constructed from remote sensing maps. Second, we used this method for acquiring data for comparing map accuracy estimates and the precision of estimates for direct and indirect approaches for country-wide mapping of afforestation that occurred in Italy between 1985 and 2019. To facilitate these comparisons, we used Landsat imagery, random forest classification, and Google Earth Engine. The herein-presented method produced different accuracy estimates with 95% confidence interval and for different map classes. Afforestation accuracies ranged between 53 ± 5.9% for the indirect map class inside the buffer—defined as a stratum within 120 m of the forest/non-forest mask boundaries—and 26 ± 3.4% for the direct map outside the buffer. The accuracy in non-afforestation map classes was much greater, ranging from 87 ± 1.9% for the indirect map inside the buffer to 99 ± 1.3% for the direct map outside the buffer. Additionally, overall accuracies (with 95% CI) were estimated with large precision for both direct and indirect maps (87 ± 1.3% and 89 ± 1.6%, respectively), confirming (i) the effectiveness of the method we introduced for reusing samples and (ii) the relevance of remotely sensed data and machine learning for monitoring afforestation.