Search Results (1,224)

Fresh water is vital for human activities; however, an increase in the contamination of water bodies has been observed, so it is necessary to monitor the degree of contamination and take measures to preserve it. In Altamira, Tamaulipas, the Guayalejo-Tamesí River basin has three estuaries and seven lagoons, including Laguna El Conejo, of which the National Water Commission only monitors one. The objective of this research is to determine water quality on the basis of the parameters COD, BOD₅, T, pH, and sediment characteristics. The open reflux method was used according to NMX-AA-030-SCFI-2012 for COD, BOD Track II, HACH equipment for BOD₅, and the granulometric characterization recommended by the Unified Soil Classification System ASTM D-2487-17. The water was found to be uniformly contaminated throughout its length in the range of 117.3–200 mg/L COD, and BOD₅ ranged from 15.8–112.75 mg/L throughout the study period, with sediments dominated by poorly graded soil and fine clay. Comprehensive management is needed because the BOD₅/COD ratio varies between 0.11and 0.56, indicating that it contains recalcitrant organic matter, which is difficult to biodegrade. Full article

This study addresses the limitations of conventional filtering methods in handling irregular outliers and missing observations, which can compromise filter robustness and accuracy. We propose the Transformer-based Outlier-Robust Kalman Filter (TORKF), a hybrid data and knowledge hybrid-driven framework for stochastic discrete-time systems. Initially, this study derives the filtering formulas applicable when outliers exist in observation vectors and, based on these formulations, proposes a novel method capable of accurately identifying observation vectors containing outliers. In addition, a transformer-based prediction compensation approach is employed to compute the prediction vector compensation value in scenarios involving outliers. This method utilizes a specially designed data structure to ensure the transformer encoder fully extracts the input features. Furthermore, to address outlier-induced inaccuracy in prediction error covariance, a compensation method aggregating all prediction outcomes is proposed, leading to enhanced filtering accuracy. Aircraft tracking presents challenges from complex motion models and outlier-prone observations, making it an ideal testbed for robust filtering algorithms. TORKF demonstrates superior performance, with a 12.7% lower RMSE than state-of-the-art methods across both propeller and jet datasets, while maintaining sub-90 ms single-frame processing to meet real-time requirements. Ablation studies confirm that all three proposed methods enhance accuracy and demonstrate synergistic improvements. Full article

Modified oligonucleotides (oligos) are widely used as convenient tools in many scientific fields, including biomedical applications and therapies. In particular, oligos with lipophilic groups attached to the backbone ensure penetration of the cell membrane without the need for transfection. This study examines the interaction between amphiphilic DNA duplexes, in which one of the chains contains a lipophilic substituent, and several DNA repair proteins, particularly DNA-damage-dependent PARPs, using various biochemical approaches. DNA with a lipophilic substituent (LS-DNA) demonstrates more efficient binding with DNA damage activated poly(AD-ribose) polymerases 1-3 (PARP1, PARP2, PARP3) and DNA polymerase β. Chemically reactive LS-DNA derivatives containing a photoactivatable nucleotide (photo-LS-DNAs) or a 5′ deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) group in the vicinity of double-strand breaks (DSBs) are used for the affinity labelling of PARPs and other proteins in several whole-cell extracts of human cells. In particular, photo-LS-DNAs are used to track the level of Ku antigen in the extracts of neuron-like differentiated SH-SY5Y, undifferentiated SH-SY5Y, and olfactory epithelial cells. In vitro, PARP1–PARP3 are shown to be able to slowly excise the 5′ dRP group at DSBs. LS-DNAs can activate PARP1 and PARP2 for autoPARylation, albeit less effectively than regular DNA duplexes. Full article

Distributed photovoltaic storage charging piles in remote rural areas can solve the problem of charging difficulties for new energy vehicles in the countryside, but these storage charging piles contain a large number of power electronic devices, and there is a risk of resonance in the system under weak grid conditions. Firstly, the topology of a photovoltaic storage charging pile is introduced, including a bidirectional DC/DC converter, unidirectional DC/DC converter, and single-phase grid-connected inverter. Then, the maximum power tracking control strategy based on improved conductance micro-increment is derived for a photovoltaic power generation system, and a constant voltage and constant current charge–discharge control strategy is derived for energy storage equipment. Additionally, a segmented reflective charging control strategy is introduced for charging piles, and the quasi-PR controller is introduced for single-phase grid-connected inverters. In addition, an improved second-order general integrator phase-locked loop (SOGI-PLL) based on feed-forward of the grid current is derived. Finally, a simulation model is built to verify the performance of the solar–storage charging pile and lay the technical groundwork for future integrated control strategies. Full article

This study investigates eye movement patterns as indicators of text complexity in Arabic, focusing on the comparative analysis of Classical Arabic (CA) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) text. Using the AraEyebility corpus, which contains eye-tracking data from readers of both CA and MSA text, we examined differences in fixation patterns, regression rates, and overall reading behavior between these two forms of Arabic. Our analyses revealed significant differences in eye movement metrics between CA and MSA text, with CA text consistently eliciting more fixations, longer fixation durations, and more frequent revisits. Multivariate analysis confirmed that language type has a significant combined effect on eye movement patterns. Additionally, we identified different relationships between text features and eye movements for CA versus MSA text, with sentence-level features emerging as significant predictors across both language types. Notably, we observed an interaction between language type and readability level, with readers showing less sensitivity to readability variations in CA text compared to MSA text. These findings contribute to our understanding of how historical language evolution affects reading behavior and have practical implications for Arabic language education, publishing, and assessment. The study demonstrates the value of eye movement analysis for understanding text complexity in Arabic and highlights the importance of considering language-specific features when studying reading processes. Full article

This article identifies the nature of Traditional Owners’ interests in Sea Country and addresses issues associated with all offshore energy projects—gas and wind. Exploring the impacts of offshore development on First Nations’ cultural heritage, the article proposes integration of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), into the regulatory and legislative offshore environment. In the Australian context, this particularly regards administrative and regulatory reforms to overcome uncertainty arising from recent decisions in the Federal Court. The international focus on new energy has fast-tracked many processes that sideline First Nations’ rights, hitherto understood within the onshore minerals extraction regimes. The reforms proposed in this article recognise an international commitment to enact the principles contained in the UNDRIP and other relevant international law. Full article

Inefficient inland repositioning of empty containers between depots remains a persistent challenge in container logistics, contributing significantly to unnecessary truck movements, elevated operational costs, and increased CO₂ emissions. Acknowledging the importance of this problem, a large amount of relevant literature has appeared. The objective of this paper is to track the empty container flow between ports, empty depots, inland terminals, and customer premises. Additionally, it aims to simulate and assess CO₂ emissions, capturing the dynamic interactions between different agents. In this study, agent-based modeling (ABM) was proposed to simulate the empty container movements with an emphasis on inland transportation. ABM is an emerging approach that is increasingly used to simulate complex economic systems and artificial market behaviours. NetLogo was used to incorporate real-world geographic data and quantify CO₂ emissions based on truckload status and to evaluate the other operational aspects. Behavior Space was also utilized to systematically conduct multiple simulation experiments, varying parameters to analyze different scenarios. The results of the study show that customer demand frequency plays a crucial role in system efficiency, affecting container availability and logistical tension. Full article

Although asphalt mixtures can be applied to railway tracks due to their viscoelastic properties, caution is required, as their ductility and brittleness are highly sensitive to temperature variations. In recent years, interest in the application of asphalt in railway infrastructure has increased, driven by the development of modified mixtures and the broader availability of performance-enhancing additives. Additionally, evaluation methods for railway tracks should be adapted to account for the distinct loading mechanisms involved, which differ from those of conventional roadways. In this study, the comprehensive properties of asphalt binders, mixtures, and testing methods—including physical and engineering characteristics—were assessed to improve the performance of asphalt concrete layers for potential applications in railroad infrastructure. The results of this study indicate that (1) the higher the performance grade (PG), the higher the indirect tensile strength (ITS) value achieved by the 13 mm mixture using PG76-22, which is higher than that of the PG64-22 mixture. This indicates that higher PG grades and modification contribute to improved tensile strength, beneficial for upper layers subjected to dynamic railroad loads. (2) The tensile strength ratio (TSR) increased from the unmodified mixture to over 92% in mixtures containing crumb rubber modifier (CRM) and styrenic thermoplastic elastomer (STE), demonstrating enhanced durability under freeze–thaw conditions. (3) Wheel tracking test results showed that modified mixtures exhibited more than twice the rutting resistance compared to PG64-22. The 13 mm aggregate mixtures also generally performed better than the 19 mm mixtures, indicating reduced permanent deformation under repeated loading. (4) It was concluded that asphalt is a suitable material for railroads, as its overall characteristics comply with standard specifications. Full article

Fluids that exhibit self-rewetting properties, such as aqueous long-chain alcohol solutions, display a unique quadratic relationship between surface tension and temperature and are marked by a positive gradient. This characteristic leads to distinctive patterns of thermocapillary convection and associated interfacial dynamics, setting self-rewetting fluids apart from normal fluids (NFs). The potential to improve heat transfer using self-rewetting fluids (SRFs) is garnering interest for use in various technologies, including low-gravity conditions and microfluidic systems. Our research aims to shed light on the contrasting behaviors of SRFs in comparison to NFs regarding interfacial transport phenomena. This study focuses on the thermocapillary convection in SRF layers with a deformable interface enclosed inside a closed container modeled as a square cavity, which is subject to nonuniform heating, represented using a Gaussian profile for the heat flux variation on one of its sides, in the absence of gravity. To achieve this, we have enhanced a central-moment-based lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) utilizing three distribution functions for tracking interfaces, computing two-fluid motions with temperature-dependent surface tension and energy transport, respectively. Through numerical simulations, the impacts of several characteristic parameters, including the viscosity and thermal conductivity ratios, as well as the surface tension–temperature sensitivity parameters, on the distribution and magnitude of the thermocapillary-driven motion are examined. In contrast to that in NFs, the counter-rotating pair of vortices generated in the SRF layers, due to the surface tension gradient at the interface, is found to be directed toward the SRF layers’ hotter zones. Significant interfacial deformations are observed, especially when there are contrasts in the viscosities of the SRF layers. The thermocapillary convection is found to be enhanced if the bottom SRF layer has a higher thermal conductivity or viscosity than that of the top layer or when distributed, rather than localized, heating is applied. Furthermore, the higher the magnitude of the effect of the dimensionless quadratic surface tension sensitivity coefficient on the temperature, or of the effect of the imposed heat flux, the greater the peak interfacial velocity current generated due to the Marangoni stresses. In addition, an examination of the Nusselt number profiles reveals significant redistribution of the heat transfer rates in the SRF layers due to concomitant nonlinear thermocapillary effects. Full article

In this paper, a robust tracking control problem for underactuated underwater vehicles in horizontal motion is investigated. The presented control scheme that performs the trajectory tracking task is a combination of the backstepping technique and the integral sliding mode control method using the inertial quasi velocities (IQVs) resulting from the inertia matrix decomposition. Unlike many known solutions, the proposed approach allows not only trajectory tracking, but also, due to the fact that IQV includes dynamic and geometric model parameters, allows us to obtain additional information about changes in vehicle behavior during movement. In this way, some insight into its dynamics is obtained. Moreover, the control strategy takes into account model inaccuracies and external disturbances, which makes it more useful from a technical point of view. Another advantage of this work is to indicate problems occurring during the implementation of trajectory tracking in algorithms with a dynamics model containing a diagonal inertia matrix, i.e., without inertial couplings. The theoretical results are illustrated by simulation tests conducted on two models of underwater vehicles with three degrees of freedom (DOF). Full article

This paper presents an approach for integrating data between a production system and its digital twin, focusing on achieving proactivity in production control. Recognizing the unique nature of each production system, this research highlights that a universal, plug-and-play solution is only partially feasible, primarily through general guidelines. The study successfully applied and automated proposed data acquisition methods, resulting in a functional, simulation-based digital twin that adheres to the latest ISO standards. The developed solution incorporates multiple data acquisition strategies, including files containing comma-separated values, a permanent connection to the production control system database, open platform communications unified architecture, and external command files for scenario alteration. The main motivation behind the presented implementation is its application on the shop-floors of small and medium enterprises, where it could provide useful tools for keeping up with the ever-rising competition in the manufacturing sector. This integrated approach allows for affordable and accurate system representation within the proactive simulation concept. The methodology was empirically validated across two distinct production systems: a lab-scale food and beverage line focusing on product tracking, and a sub-assembly line with automated guided vehicle optimization. Despite system variability, the core data acquisition methods demonstrated remarkable adaptability. Full article

Dyed wool samples and lake pigments prepared from the same dyestuffs were exposed to light over the course of 14 months. Brazilwood or sappanwood, cochineal, madder, and weld were used for both wools and pigments, with the addition of dyer’s broom, indigo, and tannin-containing black dyes for the wools and eosin for the pigments. The wools were dyed within the MODHT European project on historic tapestries (2002–2005), using recipes derived from fifteenth- to seventeenth-century sources. The pigments were prepared according to European recipes of the same period, or using late nineteenth-century French or English recipes. Colour measurements made throughout the experiment allowed for overall colour difference (ΔE₀₀) to be tracked and half-lives to be calculated for some of the colour changes. Alterations in the samples’ hue and chroma were also monitored, and spectral information was collected. The results showed that, for both textiles and pigments, madder is the most stable red dye, followed by cochineal, and then brazilwood. Eosin was the most fugitive sample examined. Comparisons of textile and lake samples derived from the same dyestuff, whether red or yellow, indicate that the colourants are more stable when used as textile dyes than in analogous lake pigments. Full article

Conflict adaptation reflects the dynamic modulation of information processing by the cognitive control system following conflict detection. A central question in language processing research concerns whether control elicited by non-linguistic tasks generalizes across tasks to influence higher-order processes such as sentence comprehension. The present study employed color-word Stroop tasks of varying complexity and, in conjunction with eye-tracking technology, examined their cross-task regulatory effects of conflict adaptation on thematic role assignment in Chinese. Across two experiments, participants read sentences containing either congruent or conflicting thematic roles following Stroop trials with congruent or incongruent stimuli. The temporal dynamics of syntactic processing were captured via eye movement measures. Results indicated that both conflict tasks triggered cross-task conflict adaptation, as evidenced by accelerated syntactic processing and reduced regression behaviors when thematically incongruent sentences followed conflict trials. Notably, the more complex color-word Stroop task imposed greater demands on cognitive control resources and elicited earlier cognitive adaptation effects during comprehension. Theoretically, these findings extend conflict monitoring theory to the domain of language processing, demonstrating that cognitive control mechanisms contribute to real-time syntactic parsing. Methodologically, the use of eye-tracking to examine thematic role assignment provides fine-grained empirical evidence for the interaction between domain-general control and language-specific processing. Full article

Bistatic active sonar enables robust and precise target position and tracking, making it a key technology for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) in underwater surveillance. This paper proposes a multi-information-assisted target tracking algorithm for bistatic active sonar, leveraging spatial and temporal echo signal structures to address the challenges of AUVs in shallow water. First, broadened cluster formations in sonar echoes are analyzed, leading to the integration of a spatial clustering-based data association. This paper departs from conventional methods by fusing target position, echo amplitude, and Doppler information during the movement of AUVs, which can improve the efficiency of association probability computation. The re-derived multi-information-assisted association probability calculation method and algorithmic workflow are explicitly designed for real-time implementation in AUV systems. Simulation experiments verify the feasibility of integrating Doppler and amplitude information. The sea trial data from simulated AUV-deployed bistatic sonar contained only amplitude information due to experimental limitations. By utilizing this amplitude information, the algorithm proposed in this paper demonstrates a 23.95% performance improvement over the traditional probabilistic data association algorithm. The proposed algorithm provides AUVs with enhanced tracking autonomy, significantly advancing their capability in ocean engineering applications. Full article

This paper presents MZAP, a mobile application designed to digitalize basketball match tracking and generate secure, searchable endgame reports. Used by the Basketball League of Serbia, MZAP creates tamper-proof digitally signed records stored as password-protected PDFs with unique UUIDs, digital signatures, and QR codes. Each report is accompanied by a JSON file containing match data, enabling efficient validation through hashed checksums and facilitating data extraction and searchability. The system supports both online and offline modes, bilingual interfaces, mobile and tablet use, and includes features such as WiFi-based monitoring, physical printing, and various sharing options. The solution aims to reduce officials’ working time and increase data accuracy by minimizing human error through structural and UI-level validation methods and real-time monitoring by multiple observers during games. As part of the MZAP software suite, MZAP Converter is under development to support the digitization of legacy paper-based reports using custom CRNN neural networks to optically recognize and digitize historical paper-based reports, bringing them to the same standard as newly created digital ones. The paper also reflects on the broader impact of digital transformation within the Basketball League of Serbia. Full article