Expansion Factors Research Articles

A Lightweight Neural Network for Palm Vein Recognition

Due to the advantages of lightweight networks such as efficiency, portability, and fast inference, we propose a palm vein recognition network based on lightweight neural networks. The network consists of three stages combining Blocks of ShuffleNetV2, Blocks of MobileNetV3, and MBConv of EfficientNet. The number of each stage in the network is chosen based on the baseline parameters and computational effort, and the expansion factors are re-analyzed and selected. The performance of the proposed network is compared to the baseline with a 16.78% reduction in error rate and a 10.91% compression of parameters. The experimental results show that the proposed palm vein recognition network is effective, which can potentially contribute to the development of more accurate, portable and reliable biometric systems.

Effects of Pilates exercises on idiopathic scoliosis: a scoping review of the literature.

Scoliosis is a deformity involving changes in three planes. These changes include lateral curvature in the frontal plane, changes in physiological thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis angles in the sagittal plane, and rotation of the vertebrae in the transverse plane. The aim of this scoping review was to review and summarize the available literature to determine whether Pilates exercises are an effective treatment for scoliosis. The Cochrane Library (reviews, protocols, trials), PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, Scopus, PEDro, Medline, CINAHL (EBSCO), ProQuest, and Google Scholar electronic databases were used to search for published articles from inception to February 2022. All the searches included English language studies. Keywords were determined as "scoliosis and Pilates" or "idiopathic scoliosis and Pilates", "curve and Pilates", "spinal deformity and Pilates." Seven studies were included; one study was a meta-analysis study, three studies compared Pilates and Schroth exercises, and three applied Pilates exercises in combined therapy. The studies included in this review used outcome measurements of Cobb angle, ATR, chest expansion, SRS-22r, posture assessment, weight distribution, and psychological factors such as depression. The results of this review suggest that the level of evidence regarding the effect of Pilates exercises on scoliosis-related deformity is very limited. Pilates exercises can be applied to reduce asymmetrical posture in individuals with mild scoliosis with reduced growth potential and progression risk.

Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Biomass Conversion and Expansion Factors of Natural White Birch Forest (Betula platyphylla Suk.) in Northeast China

Biomass conversion and expansion factors (BCEFs) are widely utilized in national and regional biomass estimates and greenhouse gas reporting, as they can be used to directly transform the stocking volume into biomass. In this study, the power function was used as the basic model form with biotic variables, and abiotic variables were considered to improve the fitting results. Then, the random effects parameters were also introduced into the models to describe the variation of BCEFs among different forest management units. Random sampling strategies were applied to calibrate the random effects. The results showed that the stocking volume exhibited a negative proportional relationship in the stem BCEF (BCEFst), the root BCEF (BCEFro) and the total tree BCEF (BCEFto) models, and the quadratic mean diameter exhibited a positive proportional relationship in the branch BCEF (BCEFbr) and the foliage BCEF (BCEFfol) models. In addition, the fitting effect of generalized models with abiotic predictors was superior to that of the basic models. Considering the effects of abiotic variables on the BCEFs of each component, the results showed that BCEFst and BCEFto decreased as the mean annual precipitation increased; BCEFbr increased as the annual temperature increased; BCEFfol gradually decreased as the elevation increased; and BCEFro first increased with increasing mean annual temperature and then declined. In conclusion, abiotic factors explained the variation in BCEFs for the biomass components of the natural white birch forest. Although the fitting effect of generalized models with abiotic predictors was superior to that of the basic models, the mixed-effects model was preferable for modeling the BCEFs of each component. In addition, the prediction precision of the mixed-effects models enhanced gradually with increasing sample size, and the selection of eight plots for calibration and prediction based on the mixed-effects model was the best sampling strategy in this study of a natural white birch forest.

Global toolpath smoothing for CNC machining based on B-spline approximation with tool tip position adjustment

B-spline curve approximation is widely used for fitting linear toolpaths to improve machining quality and efficiency in CNC machining. For a high-quality smoothing method, the control of both approximation error and curve curvature needs to be taken into account. To reduce the maximum curve curvature while meeting the precision requirements, a B-spline approximation scheme with tool tip position adjustment is proposed in this paper. Toolpaths are first divided into several subdivisions according to the discrete curvature of each tool tip point. For subdivisions that need adjustment, tool tip positions are adjusted to minimize the maximum discrete curvature. An existing approximation method named energy-term-incorporated progressive and iterative approximation for least square fitting (ELSPIA) is selected and improved to fit the adjusted toolpaths and lower the chord errors. For improving the numerical stability of the ELSPIA method, the way of searching appropriate foot point parameters is discussed in this paper. Deviation expansion factors of tooltip points are also defined to make the ELSPIA method suitable for fitting the adjusted toolpaths. Both simulations and experimental studies are conducted to prove that the proposed method can significantly decrease the maximum curvature of fitted B-spline curves and improve the machining efficiency without exceeding the tolerance. For example, experimental results show that for the tested butterfly and rabbit toolpaths, the proposed method can improve the machining efficiency by 2.61% and 2.37%, compared with the ELSPIA method without tool tip position adjustment.

Impact of Various Transportation Modes on the Air Quality of Dhaka City: A Case Study at Motijheel

Transportation sector significantly contributes to air pollution. This study calculates the daily load of emission of some criteria pollutants (Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Oxides, Carbon Monoxide and Suspended Particulate Matter) and hydrocarbons from vehicular fleet at Toyenbee Circular Road, Motijheel, Dhaka. It also analyzes relative contribution of certain types of vehicles to emission of a specific type of pollutant. Primary volume data is collected from field video graphic survey and expansion factors and emission factors are taken from literature. Results show that different types of vehicles contribute to air pollution differently. For Carbon Monoxide and hydrocarbons pollution, motor cars are mainly responsible while bus is the main contributor of Nitrogen Oxides and Sulfur Oxides pollution. Motorcycle is the main contributor of Suspended Particulate Matter pollution in this case. These comparisons imply that it is necessary to determine the focus point of pollution reduction before taking any preventive measures. Journal of Engineering Science 13(2), 2022, 83-89

Histological, transcriptomic, and gene functional analyses reveal the regulatory events underlying gibberellin-induced parthenocarpy in tomato

Gibberellin (GA) is one of the major plant hormones that promote parthenocarpy, a highly valuable agronomic trait. Here, we demonstrated that exogenous GA3 application triggered the formation of parthenocarpic fruits with smaller size but unchanged shape in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). These fruits exhibited a thicker pericarp, undeveloped ovules, and few jelly tissues, leading to smaller locules with empty cavities. Histological investigation showed that GA treatment produced more cell layers with larger cells in the pericarp, suggesting its promotion in both cell division and expansion. Transcriptomic analyses between GA3- and mock-treated unpollinated ovaries/fruits identified a large number of differentially expressed genes related to hormones, cell division, cell expansion, and transcription factors, implying that they coordinately regulated parthenocarpy conferred by GA. In particular, the downregulation of five reported repressors of tomato parthenocarpy, including two auxin signaling components, AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR5 (SlARF5) and SlARF7, and three MADS-box genes, TOMATO APETALA3 (TAP3), TOMATO PISTILLATA (TPI), and AGAMOUS-LIKE6 (SlAGL6), after GA treatment might play a key role in this process. Furthermore, we found that the knockdown of a GA signaling factor SlMYB33, which was depressed by GA treatment, induced parthenocarpic fruit set in tomato, an effect that might have been achieved by enhancing GA biosynthesis and decreasing the expression of some repressors of tomato parthenocarpy. Thus, our results provide a basis for understanding the regulatory mechanism of GA in tomato parthenocarpy.

Harmonization and standardization of nucleus pulposus cell extraction and culture methods.

In vitro studies using nucleus pulposus (NP) cells are commonly used to investigate disc cell biology and pathogenesis, or to aid in the development of new therapies. However, lab-to-lab variability jeopardizes the much-needed progress in the field. Here, an international group of spine scientists collaborated to standardize extraction and expansion techniques for NP cells to reduce variability, improve comparability between labs and improve utilization of funding and resources. The most commonly applied methods for NP cell extraction, expansion, and re-differentiation were identified using a questionnaire to research groups worldwide. NP cell extraction methods from rat, rabbit, pig, dog, cow, and human NP tissue were experimentally assessed. Expansion and re-differentiation media and techniques were also investigated. Recommended protocols are provided for extraction, expansion, and re-differentiation of NP cells from common species utilized for NP cell culture. This international, multilab and multispecies study identified cell extraction methods for greater cell yield and fewer gene expression changes by applying species-specific pronase usage, 60-100 U/ml collagenase for shorter durations. Recommendations for NP cell expansion, passage number, and many factors driving successful cell culture in different species are also addressed to support harmonization, rigor, and cross-lab comparisons on NP cells worldwide.

Stem volume and above ground biomass models for Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) in Iceland

The prediction of tree biomass and stem volume is necessary for monitoring and assessing of national forest biomass, carbon stock and sustainable forest management. Such predictions of biomass or carbon stocks are generated by using either allometric models or applying biomass expansion factors (BEFs), where the former is a better method. Volume models are generated by using allometric models. The data for development of the new volume and biomass models for Iceland presented in this paper were collected between years 2000-2021, from 48 locations in even aged stands that were planted between 1942-1983. Because of the young age of forest plantations in Iceland, existing biomass and volume models need to be updated regularly as trees get older and larger. The new models use the same independent variables as the previous ones for Iceland but use a wider approach and have a different form than the older ones. Using the previous Icelandic models outside their data range results in underestimation for both aboveground biomass and stem volume.

Effect of Ovarian Extract on Oocyte Maturation and Early Embryonic Development in Pigs

Various factors in the ovary are known to regulate oocyte maturation and hormone secretory functions; however, the effect of ovarian extract (OE) on oocyte maturation and embryonic development in pigs remains unknown. In this study, we first evaluated whether OE supplementation in the in vitro maturation (IVM) medium alters the oocyte maturation capacity by affecting glucose/amino acid metabolites, meiotic maturation, cumulus cell (CC) expansion, and antioxidants. Various OE concentrations (50, 100, 200, 500, and 5000 μg/mL) were included in the IVM medium. Only the oocytes treated with 100 μg/mL OE exhibited an improved meiotic maturation rate when compared with that of the other groups (non-treated group, 78.6 ± 3.0% vs. 100 μg/mL OE-treated group, 81.6 ± 4.3%); however, the difference was not significant. To observe the changes in glucose and amino acid metabolism in the OE-treated oocytes, we measured the amounts of diverse constituents (glucose, lactate, glutamine, and ammonia) in the IVM medium containing OE. Lactate and ammonia levels in the OE-treated group after 44 h of IVM were higher (p < 0.01) than those in the non-treated group. In addition, the expression of the CC expansion factors (Has2 and Tnfaip6) significantly increased (p < 0.05), whereas the mRNA expression levels of antioxidative enzymes (Sod1, Cat, and Gpx1) significantly diminished (p < 0.05) in the OE-treated group. Moreover, mature oocytes treated with 100 μg/mL OE demonstrated increased subsequent embryonic development rates after 144 h of IVM. Thus, the addition of OE in IVM mediums may improve oocyte maturation capacity which could enhance antioxidative enzyme activation, energy metabolism, and expression of the CC expansion factors in porcine oocytes.

A Modelling System for Dead Wood Assessment in the Forests of Northern Eurasia

Dead wood, including coarse woody debris, CWD, and fine woody debris, FWD, plays a substantial role in forest ecosystem functioning. However, the amount and dynamics of dead wood in the forests of Northern Eurasia are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to develop a spatially distributed modelling system (limited to the territories of the former Soviet Union) to assess the amount and structure of dead wood by its components (including snags, logs, stumps, and the dry branches of living trees) based on the most comprehensive database of field measurements to date. The system is intended to be used to assess the dead wood volume and the amount of dead wood in carbon units as part of the carbon budget calculation of forests at different scales. It is presented using multi-dimensional regression equations of dead wood expansion factors (DWEF)—the ratio of the dead wood component volume to the growing stock volume of the stands. The system can be also used for the accounting of dead wood stock and its dynamics in national greenhouse gas inventories and UNFCCC reporting. The system’s accuracy is satisfactory for the average level of disturbance regimes but it may require corrections for regions with accelerated disturbance regimes.

Thermal expansion and steam oxidation of uranium mononitride analysed via in situ neutron diffraction

In situ neutron powder diffraction experiments are applied to physical, kinetic, and microstructural characterization of uranium mononitride as a promising light water reactor fuel material. The temperature-variable coefficient of thermal expansion and isotropic Debye Waller factors are obtained by sequential Rietveld refinement over 499–1873 K. Oxidation of a UN pellet (95.2% density) under flow of 11 mg/min D2O is observed to initiate above 623 K and the rate increases by a factor of approximately 10 from 673 to 773 K, with activation energy 50.6 ± 1.3 kJ/mol; uranium oxide is the only solid corrosion product.

Analysis of factors influencing regional economic expansion based on OOB coefficients under RF algorithm

In the context of China's economic growth, the economic situation of national new areas is particularly important, and it is of great significance to study its economic expansion factors. In this paper, the regression random forest algorithm (RF) is used and the economic panel data of Shanghai, China from 2011-2022 is selected for algorithm learning, which obtained algorithm with low error and high accuracy. After the algorithm was learned, the OOB coefficients of the influencing factors were obtained and analyzed to study their impact on regional economic inflation. The results show that the per capita disposable income and the ratio of the added value of the tertiary industry to the GDP play an important role in economic expansion. Finally, policy recommendations for regional economic development are offered, which can help address regional economic risks and contribute to regional economic improvement and growth. The research in this paper analyses the importance of factors influencing regional economic growth by using machine learning methods and quarterly and annual provincial panel data, making the conclusions drawn more innovative and robust.

Challenges in trade-off governance of ecosystem services: Evidence from the Loess Plateau in China

Trade-offs of ecosystem services (ESs) are valuable for decision-making when integrating growth, the achievement of human well-being, and the maintenance of ecosystem functions. Incorporating trade-offs of ESs into land-use decisions has become a major challenge for regional environmental governance, and a deeper understanding of the complex interaction patterns between ESs is a prerequisite for achieving sustainable management of social and ecological systems. This study analyzed the spatial and temporal dynamics and trade-off changes in eight ESs on the Loess Plateau during 2000–2015 using multi-source data and integrated explicit assessment methods, with the following results: 1) Grain production was widely distributed, raw material provision and net primary productivity (NPP) showed northwest to southeast stepwise growth, carbon sequestration and soil conservation were concentrated in high vegetation coverage areas in the southeast, oxygen production was similarly distributed to raw material provision, and recreational and cultural services were centered in urbanized areas. 2) There were significant synergies among raw material provision, oxygen production and NPP, with trade-offs existing mainly between water conservation and NPP, oxygen production, and raw material provision, all of which had consistently increasing correlation coefficients. 3) The number of trade-off service pairs increased, and the intensity of trade-offs strengthened where the pairs between grain production and oxygen production, recreation, and NPP changed from synergy to trade-off. It is recommended that the long-term impacts of urban land expansion, slope afforestation, and climatic factors such as precipitation and temperature on water conservation and other services be assessed in an integrated manner in ecosystem management and that appropriate, scientific response strategies be developed. This study provides theoretical and decision-making references for regulating the complex trade-offs of ESs in ecologically fragile regions worldwide.

Allometry, Biomass and Productivity in Pinus massoniana Forests of China: An Updated Review of Published Data

Field measurements of forest biomass are labor-consuming and usually destructive, but such direct datasets are the foundation for further developing indirect estimation such as biomass equation and biomass expansion factors that were used to scale biomass estimation or carbon storage from site or local surveys up to regional or national level. Pinus massoniana is widely distributed throughout 17 provinces of China and has a high economic value. This study is an updated review of the allometric equations, biomass allocation data and productivity estimations in Pinus massoniana forests of China published in articles during the period from 1982 to 2019. Different allometric equations of Pinus massoniana showed site-specific dependences. The aboveground and total tree biomass were expressed as power equations of mean age for Pinus massoniana forests. The mean value of aboveground tree biomass, total tree biomass and ecosystem biomass across all ages for Masson pine forests was 109.81, 127.65 and 138.76 Mg/ha, respectively. The mean proportion of stem, branch and foliage to aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana was 77.1%, 15.9% and 7%, respectively. The tree root biomass continuously increased with the aboveground tree biomass and a power relationship was found between the tree root biomass and aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana forests. The tree net primary productivity increased with aboveground tree biomass for Pinus massoniana forests, and the relationship was expressed as a linear equation. The mean tree, litter and ecosystem net primary productivity was 7.04, 4.88 and 8.30 Mg/ha/year, respectively. These findings provide key parameters for the biomass estimation and carbon accounting studies of widely planted Pinus massoniana forests in China.

Error Analysis on the Five Stand Biomass Growth Estimation Methods for a Sub-Alpine Natural Pine Forest in Yunnan, Southwestern China

Forest biomass measurement or estimation is critical for forest monitoring at the stand scale, but errors among different estimations in stand investigation are unclear. Thus, the Pinus densata natural forest in Shangri-La City, southwestern China, was selected as the research object to investigate the biomass of 84 plots and 100 samples of P. densata. The stand biomass was calculated using five methods: stand biomass growth with age (SBA), stem biomass combined with the biomass expansion factors (SB+BEF), stand volume combined with biomass conversion and expansion factors (SV+BCEF), individual tree biomass combined with stand diameter structure (IB+SDS), and individual tree biomass combined with stand density (IB+SD). The estimation errors of the five methods were then analyzed. The results showed that the suitable methods for estimating stand biomass are SB+BEF, M+BCEF, and IB+SDS. When using these three methods (SB+BEF, SV+BCEF, and IB+SDS) to estimate the biomass of different components, wood biomass estimation using SB+BEF is unsuitable, and root biomass estimation employing the IB+SDS method was not preferred. The SV+BCEF method was better for biomass estimation. Except for the branches, the mean relative error (MRE) of the other components presented minor errors in the estimation, while MRE was lower than other components in the range from −0.11%–28.93%. The SB+BEF was more appealing for branches biomass estimation, and its MRE is only 0.31% lower than SV+BCEF. The stand biomass strongly correlated with BEF, BCEF, stand structure, stand age, and other factors. Hence, the stand biomass growth model system established in this study effectively predicted the stand biomass dynamics and provided a theoretical basis and practical support for accurately estimating forest biomass growth.

A Universal Efficient Circular-Shift Network for Reconfigurable Quasi-Cyclic LDPC Decoders

Quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC) codes for modern communication standards usually have multiple code rates and block lengths. Therefore, reconfigurable LDPC decoders have received widespread attention, which require circular-shift networks to support various expansion factors. Besides, for inputs smaller than the network size, the circular-shift network is desired to process multiple frames in parallel to maximize hardware utilization efficiency. The increasing demands put severe challenges to low-complexity implementations of shift networks, especially for codes with numerous expansion factors, such as 5G LDPC codes. In this brief, we present a universal design of efficient reconfigurable circular-shift networks. Through an ingenious modification on the order of permutations, the generation of control signals is considerably simplified, leading to a significant reduction of area and critical path. Moreover, a hybrid architecture organically integrating different networks is proposed for further complexity reduction. Implementation results under TSMC 90 nm technology demonstrate that the proposed network can achieve 25% area reduction and 46% area-efficiency (AE) improvement over the state-of-the-art ones.

Assessing logging residues availability for energy production by using forest management plans data and geographic information system (GIS)

The aim of the work was to quantify the mass of logging residues (branches and tops; t yr−1 dry matter, DM) for energy generation starting from Forest Management Plans (FMP) data. The methodology was applied to public stands of an Italian district (area: 3.60 × 104 ha; period: 2009–2018). Compared to the previous preliminary analysis, the potentially available residues were computed considering forest accessibility and road traversability, by combining FMPs data with a geographic information system (GIS). New issues that were assessed here were: (i) representation of stands consisting of multiple disconnected parts; (ii) calculation of producible residues by using different values of biomass expansion factors (Scenario 1, S1; Scenario 2, S2). The potentially available residues computed for the analyzed period were used to quantify the current sustainable supply. Then, the potentially generated heat (thermal energy, TE; GJ yr−1) and electricity (EE; GJ yr−1), and the potentially avoided CO2 emissions into the atmosphere (EM; t yr−1 CO2) related to the final combustion process were computed by assuming that the current supply of residues was used as woodchips in a local centralized heating plant currently operating. For both S1 and S2, the large difference between the potentially producible and the potentially available residues demonstrated that geodata are essential for reliable estimations. Moreover, as the required information for the GIS analysis can be easily found in databases made available by forestry authorities, the proposed approach can be applied also to other areas; this could be helpful to support local decision-makers in defining sustainable practices for residues recovery.

A qualitative exploration of the franchise establishment process: a case study analysis of “Moana Pasifika” and “Fijian Drua”

PurposeLeague expansion involves a significant investment of time, money and resources. Therefore, ensuring the success of new franchises is imperative to the commercial health of a competition; however, there is an absence of studies examining the establishment process of franchises. In 2020, Super Rugby announced that it would expand in 2022 with the inclusion of two new franchises, Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika. The article explores what implementation challenges Drua and Pasifika faced during franchise establishment.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a qualitative case study methodology, data were collected via newspaper, website and document repository ‘Nexis’, and triangulated against interviews with five expert individuals involved in franchise establishment. Applying mixed-coding, thematic analysis using Redmond's franchise expansion factors framework, six deductive and two inductive themes were generated.FindingsIn accordance with Redmond's franchise expansion factors framework, financial sustainability, competitive balance and labour market challenges were identified as internal challenges, whilst media relationships, market competition and community engagement were highlighted as external challenges. Additionally, two new factors, infrastructure and business operations and youth development, were inductively identified as issues during franchise establishment extending Redmond's model.Originality/valueThe study offers strategic guidance to practitioners on franchise establishment and provides insight into cross-border expansion processes. Theoretically, the research supports and extends the applicability of Redmond's expansion factors framework for future research.

Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM) in Trypanosoma cruzi: localization of tubulin isoforms and isotypes.

Ultrastructure Expansion Microscopy (U-ExM) is a recently developed technique that enables the increase of the spatial resolution within a cell or a tissue for microscopic imaging by physically expanding the sample. For the first time, I report a detailed protocol validating the use of U-ExM in Trypanosoma cruzi and quantifying the expansion factors of different subcellular compartments. I was able to determine the localization patterns of different tubulin isoforms, such as α-tubulin and β-tubulin. Also, I immunolocalized acetylated and tyrosinated α-tubulin isotypes in epimastigotes and use mitochondrial cell-permeable dyes to identify this organelle. Finally, U-ExM was also performed in trypomastigotes and amastigotes validating this technique in all life cycle stages of T. cruzi.

Energy potential of woody biomass in Ukraine’s forests and prospects for its utilization as an alternative energy source

Woody biomass in Ukraine is currently seen as an important resource for securing development of national renewable energy sector, avoiding dependence on the imported fossil fuels, and for building a low-carbon economy. This research highlights the indices of the overall energy potential of Ukraine’s forests of the dominant tree species, expressed in units of primary energy. The indices are differentiated by biomass components and stand age groups. The information basis of the research consists of two main components: data on biometric assessment of trees collected at temporary sample plots, and mathematical models of biomass expansion factors. The research features the assessment results on the annual potential of woody biomass for stem wood (fuel wood), logging residues and wood processing residues. This resource forms a part of the sources of renewable energy and can be used for securing energy needs of the society. The proposed indices of woody biomass energy potential serve as an information basis for shaping the regional programs of forest bioenergy development in Ukraine.