Initial Stage Research Articles

Carbon emission efficiency in the age of digital economy: New insights on green technology progress and industrial structure distortion

AbstractThere is a dual impact of the digital economy (DE) on carbon emission efficiency (CE). An in‐depth study of the impact of the DE on “local‐adjacent” CE at different spatial scales can support the debate on whether the digital economy is empowerment or impairment. This study reassesses the DE at the urban level from a micro‐perspective by cross‐referencing the data of listed companies with the information obtained from city yearbooks. Considering the potential spatial correlation of the digital economy, we use the spatial Durbin model to examine 281 cities from 2011 to 2019 and study the influence of the DE on “local‐adjacent” CE. We further explain the pathways of this influence from the perspectives of green technological progress and industrial structural distortion. The study findings indicate that the impact of DE on local CE exhibits a “U”‐shaped pattern overall while its impact on neighboring CE shows an inverted “U”‐shaped pattern. These conclusions are still valid even after conducting a series of robustness tests, including spatial difference‐in‐differences and spatial replacement matrix. Further research reveals that the impact of DE on neighboring CE weakens with increasing spatial distance. The promoting effect of DE on neighboring CE peaks at 250 km, and the inverted “U”‐shaped pattern holds within a range of 300 km. In the initial stages, green technological progress can mask the negative impact of DE on local CE while simultaneously improving CE within a 250‐km range of neighboring areas. However, in the later stages, DE exacerbates the distortion of neighboring industrial structures, thereby reducing neighboring CE. The lack of synergy in the scale and growth rate of DE development in different regions significantly reduces the enhancement effect of the digital economy on CE.

Thermal characteristic evolution of lithium–ion batteries during the whole lifecycle

This work extensively investigates the thermal characteristic evolution of lithium-ion batteries under different degradation paths, and the evolution mechanism through multi-angle characterization is revealed. Under different degradation paths, the evolution trend of temperature rise rate remains unchanged with respect to depth of discharge during the adiabatic discharge process, albeit to varying degrees of alteration. The temperature rise rate changes significantly with aging during the adiabatic discharge process under low-temperature cycling and high-rate cycling paths. The total heat generation rate, irreversible heat generation rate, and reversible heat generation rate exhibit similar evolution behavior with aging under different degradation paths. The interval range of endothermic process of reversible electrochemical reactions increases and the contribution of irreversible heat to the total heat increases with aging. To further standardize the assessment of different degradation paths on the thermal characteristics, this work introduces the innovative concept of “Ampere-hour temperature rise”. In low-temperature cycling and high-rate cycling paths, the ampere-hour temperature rise increases significantly with aging, particularly accentuated with higher discharge rates. Conversely, in high-temperature cycling and high-temperature storage paths, the ampere-hour temperature rise remains relatively stable during the initial stages of aging, yet undergoes a notable increase in the later stages of aging. The multi-angle characterization reveals distinct thermal evolution behavior under different degradation paths primarily attributed to different behavior changes of severe side reactions, such as lithium plating. The findings provide crucial insights for the safe utilization and management of lithium–ion batteries throughout the whole lifecycle.

Magnetic properties of NdFeB-based alloy under high-pressure torsion

Abstract When a multicomponent NdFeB-based magnetic alloy is deformed using high-pressure torsion (HPT), a quasi-stationary state is reached after 2.5 anvil revolutions, which corresponds to an equivalent strain of ∼40 at the sample mid-radius. In this state, torque self-oscillations are observed with a period of about 1.5 s and an amplitude of ∼10 % around the average value of 550 N m−1. Such self-oscillations are accompanied by strong acoustic emission. Before HPT, the alloy under study has an almost rectangular hysteresis loop with saturation magnetization J s = 135 emu g−1 and coercivity H c = 34.8 kOe. HPT deformation at initial stages transforms this alloy to the class of soft magnets: H c drops to 1.35 × 10−4 kOe, while J s practically does not change. An increase in strain leads to a gradual increase in H c to 9.61 kOe and a decrease in J s to ∼100 emu g−1 at the number of anvil revolutions n = 7. This is explained by HPT modification of the regular grain-boundary network of neodymium-rich paramagnetic phase layers. These layers provide magnetic isolation between grains of the Nd2Fe14B ferromagnetic phase. Periodic changes in torque and J s with increasing torsion angle are caused by transitions from the amorphous phase to the crystalline one and vice versa.

“I left home for better opportunities elsewhere”: An Autoethnographic Study of what it means to be an International Student

Canada is increasingly receiving international students despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Informed by the media, friends and family members, many international students are motivated by the prospects of studying in Canadian post-secondary institutions. This is due to factors such as the reputation of education in Canada, scholarship opportunities, and future employment opportunities. Upon arrival, international students become aware of the challenges associated with living in a new country. They become disappointed and stressed, especially during the initial stage of settlement due to various challenges such as financial difficulties, discrimination and racism, environment-related challenges, loneliness and other mental health issues. Their challenging experiences affect their overall satisfaction and success in their studies. Given the cultural, social and economic benefits international students bring to Canada, it is essential to understand their experiences and how to better support them. In this study, I contributed to the existing literature by focusing on my past experiences as an international student from Ghana using evocative ethnography. I shared the challenges, successes and supports that shaped my overall perspective and settlement in Canada. The major challenges were financial problems, environmental and cultural adjustment, discrimination and loneliness, and COVID-19 pandemic-related challenges. Support strategies involved my personal motivation to succeed, institutional supports (i.e., scholarships, food bank, English language centres, international student centre), my peers in Canada, and my family in my home country. I hope that international students who intend to migrate to Canada and those presently in Canada will learn from the experiences that I have had. This is a singular narrative, but has the potential to influence migration decisions and policies to foster quality international students’ experiences in Canada.

Nonthermal Plasma Synthesis of Metallic Ti Nanocrystals

Nanoscale metallic titanium (Ti) offers unique energetic and biocompatible characteristics for the aerospace and biomedical industries. A rapid and sustainable method to form purified Ti nanocrystals is still in demand due to their high oxygen affinity. Herein, we report the production of highly purified Ti nanoparticles with a nonequilibrium face center cubic (FCC) structure from titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) via a capacitively coupled plasma (CCP) route. Furthermore, we demonstrate a secondary H2 treatment plasma as an effective strategy to improve the air stability of a thin layer of nanoparticles by further removal of chlorine from the particle surface. Hexagonal and cubic-shaped Ti nanocrystals of high purity were maintained in the air after the secondary H2 plasma treatment. The FCC phase potentially originates from small-sized grains in the initial stage of nucleation inside the plasma environment, which is revealed by a size evolution study with variations of plasma power input.

A comparative analysis of CNN-based deep learning architectures for early diagnosis of bone cancer using CT images

Bone cancer is a rare in which cells in the bone grow out of control, resulting in destroying the normal bone tissue. A benign type of bone cancer is harmless and does not spread to other body parts, whereas a malignant type can spread to other body parts and might be harmful. According to Cancer Research UK (2021), the survival rate for patients with bone cancer is 40% and early detection can increase the chances of survival by providing treatment at the initial stages. Prior detection of these lumps or masses can reduce the risk of death and treat bone cancer early. The goal of this current study is to utilize image processing techniques and deep learning-based Convolution neural network (CNN) to classify normal and cancerous bone images. Medical image processing techniques, like pre-processing (e.g., median filter), K-means clustering segmentation, and, canny edge detection were used to detect the cancer region in Computer Tomography (CT) images for parosteal osteosarcoma, enchondroma and osteochondroma types of bone cancer. After segmentation, the normal and cancerous affected images were classified using various existing CNN-based models. The results revealed that AlexNet model showed a better performance with a training accuracy of 98%, validation accuracy of 98%, and testing accuracy of 100%.

Prognostic impact of KIHON checklist score in elderly patients with hemodialysis initiation

BackgroundFrailty pervades the demographic of individuals afflicted by chronic kidney disease (CKD) and exhibits a robust correlation with a less favorable prognosis. Nonetheless, the evaluation and prognostication of frailty within the incipient stages of dialysis initiation remain shrouded in ambiguity. The necessity arises for an uncomplicated metric that holistically assesses frailty among aged CKD patients, one which lends itself to pragmatic clinical application.MethodsIn our prospective endeavor, we conducted assessments using the “KIHON checklist (KCL),” a questionnaire comprising 25 points, thoughtfully crafted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to provide a thorough evaluation of the elderly population. This assessment was administered at the commencement of hemodialysis in patients aged 65 years or older. Subsequently, we analyzed the prognostic ramifications of the initial KCL scores on the composite primary endpoint, which encompassed the undesirable outcomes of either being bedridden or succumbing to mortality.ResultsA total of 24 patients (median age 76 years, 20 men) were included. The median KCL score was 6 [4, 10] points, and it was significantly correlated with the number of components in the revised Japanese Cardiovascular Health Study, which is a diagnostic criterion for frailty (p < 0.05). The group with a KCL score ≥ 10 points had a significantly lower 1-year freedom from the primary endpoints than the other group (43% versus 87%, p < 0.05). Among the components of the KCL, physical strength was significantly associated with the prognosis (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe screening protocol employing the KCL during the commencement of hemodialysis among elderly individuals proved to be a valuable tool for the anticipation of both the state of being bedridden and mortality.

Clinical and pathological analysis of 345 cases of vulvar lichen sclerosus and a preliminary study on the frequency of maintenance treatment

Objective: To analyze and summarize the clinical and pathological characteristics, management, and efficacy of patients with vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) through a single center large sample study, and preliminarily to explore the frequency of maintenance treatment medication for VLS. Methods: The clinical data of VLS patients in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University from 2018 to 2021 were retrospectively collected. The clinicopathological characteristics (patients' age, course of disease, complicated disease history, family history, symptoms, signs and pathology), treatment and effects were retrospectively analyzed. The patients in the maintenance treatment stage were followed up regularly to explore the minimum frequency of individual medication to maintain the stability of the disease. Results: (1) General situation: a total of 345 patients with VLS were included in this study. The average age was (50.4±14.7) years (ranged from 8 to 84 years old), prevalence was highest in the 50-59 years group (30.1%, 104/345). Immune diseases occurred in 18.6% (33/177) of patients, 24.3% (43/177) of patients had allergic skin diseases, and 5.6% (10/177) of the patients' immediate family members had chronic vulvar pruritus or vulvar hypopigmentation. (2) Clinical features: the most common symptom was vulvar pruritus (96.1%, 196/204) among 204 patients with recorded symptoms. The most common sign was hypopigmentation of the vulva (96.3%, 206/214). The most common involved sites were labia minora (70.3%, 142/202), labia majora (67.8%, 137/202), and labial sulcus (59.4%, 120/202). The cumulative number of sites involved in 62 vulvar atrophy patients (2.7±1.1) was significantly higher than that in 152 non-atrophy patients (2.2±1.0; t=3.48, P=0.001). The course of vulvar atrophy was (9.3±8.5) years, which was significantly longer than that of non-atrophy patients [(6.6±5.6) years; t=2.04, P=0.046]. (3) Pathological features: among the 286 patients with electronic pathological sections, the most common pathological feature in the epidermis was epithelial nail process passivation (71.3%, 204/286). The common pathological features in the dermis were interstitial collagenization (84.6%, 242/286), and inflammatory cell infiltration (73.8%, 211/286). (4) Treatment: 177 patients received standardized treatment after diagnosis and were followed up regularly in our hospital. In the initial treatment stage, 26.0% (46/177) of the patients were treated with 0.05% clobetasol propionate cream, and 74.0% (131/177) of the patients were treated with 0.1% mometasone furoate ointment. The complete remission rates of the two methods were respectively 80.4% (37/46) and 74.0% (97/131), and there was no statistically significant difference (χ²=0.76, P=0.385). During maintenance treatment, 27.1% (48/177) of the patients took the medication twice a week, 35.0% (62/177) took the medication once a week, and 37.9% (67/177) took the medication once every 10 days. During follow-up after 6 months of maintenance treatment, there were no patients with recurrence of pruritus or progression of vulvar signs. Conclusions: The majority of VLS patients have itching, hypopigmentation, involvement of labia minora and labia majora, progressive atrophy, and inflammatory infiltration of dermis. Local treatments of mometasone furoate and clobetasol propionate have good initial therapeutic effects. The frequency exploration of individualized maintenance treatment could minimize the occurrence of adverse reactions when ensuring the stability of the patients' condition.

Effect of wet clothing removal on skin temperature in subjects exposed to cold and wrapped in a vapor barrier: a human, randomized, crossover field study

BackgroundPrehospital care for cold-stressed and hypothermic patients focuses on effective insulation and rewarming. When encountering patients wearing wet clothing, rescuers can either remove the wet clothing before isolating the patient or isolate the patient using a vapor barrier. Wet clothing removal increases skin exposure but avoids the need to heat the wet clothing during rewarming. Leaving wet clothing on will avoid skin exposure but is likely to increase heat loss during rewarming. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of wet clothing removal compared to containing the moisture using a vapor barrier on skin temperature in a prehospital setting.MethodsThis randomized crossover experimental field study was conducted in a snow cave in Hemsedal, Norway. After an initial cooling phase of 30 min while wearing wet clothes, the participants were subjected to one of two rewarming scenarios: (1) wet clothing removal and wrapping in a vapor barrier, insulating blankets, and windproof outer shell (dry group) or (2) wrapping in a vapor barrier, insulating blankets, and windproof outer shell (wet group). The mean skin temperature was the primary outcome whereas subjective scores for both thermal comfort and degree of shivering were secondary outcomes. Primary outcome data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA).ResultsAfter an initial decrease in temperature during the exposure phase, the dry group had a higher mean skin temperature compared to the wet group after only 2 min. The skin-rewarming rate was highest in the initial rewarming stages for both groups, but increased in the dry group as compared to the wet group in the first 10 min. Return to baseline temperature occurred significantly faster in the dry group (mean 12.5 min [dry] vs. 28.1 min [wet]). No intergroup differences in the subjective thermal comfort or shivering were observed.ConclusionRemoval of wet clothing in combination with a vapor barrier increases skin rewarming rate compared to encasing the wet clothing in a vapor barrier, in mild cold and environments without wind.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT05996757, retrospectively registered 18/08/2023.

Poised for growth: Exploring the relationship between accelerator program design and startup performance

AbstractResearch SummaryAccelerator programs provide valuable market feedback and education to participants that may improve startup performance. However, it is unclear whether the average effect of accelerator participation on startup performance post acceleration is positive, and if so, how this effect varies with accelerator program design. We analyze data from 8580 startups that made it past the initial selection stage at 408 accelerators in 176 countries between 2013 and 2019. We compare accelerated and non‐accelerated startups and find a positive average effect of accelerator participation on startup performance post acceleration. Moreover, we find that this effect varies substantially with program design, and depends on venture stage, industry, and founder expertise. Our findings highlight the impact of program design on the benefits that startups derive from accelerator participation.Managerial SummaryThe purpose of this study is to determine whether participation in startup accelerator programs generally leads to improved startup performance post acceleration and how the benefits of participation might vary with the design of these programs. We analyze data from 8580 startups that applied to and passed the initial selection phase at 408 accelerators in 176 countries over multiple cohorts between 2013 and 2019. Our results indicate that on average, startups that participate in accelerators perform better than those that are also selected but not accelerated. Furthermore, we find that the benefits that startups gain from being accelerated vary with the design of the program. Our findings highlight the importance of accelerator program design in influencing the extent of improvement in startup performance post acceleration.

Первопроходцы дошкольного образования в России С. А. Люгебиль и А. С. Симонович

The aim of the study is to characterize the efforts of Sofia Andreevna Lyugebil (1824-1914) and Adelaida Semyonovna Simonovich (1844-1933) to open the very first preschool institutions in Russia. The article reveals little-known facts of their biographies and provides data on their practical teaching activities. The text of the article includes memoirs of contemporaries (E. N. Vodovozova, the ‘Sovremennik’ journal), as well as those of former students (A. N. Benois, I. V. Petrashen) of K. I. May’s private gymnasium, where S. A. Lyugebil worked. The scientific novelty of the study lies in introducing into scientific use factual material related to the initial stage of preschool education development in Russia, which remains little known. The participation of S. A. Lyugebil, A. S. Simonovich and their spouses in the work of the first Russian pedagogical society is noted. The contribution of A. S. Simonovich to the development of the theory of preschool education is characterized, her efforts to open the ‘Detsky sad’ journal, the first Russian periodical on preschool subjects, are shown. Information is provided on the initial stage of the organization of preschool education abroad, as well as in Russia (in the pre-Soviet period). The publication of the article coincides with the 200th anniversary of the birth of S. A. Lyugebil and the 180th anniversary of the birth of A. S. Simonovich.

A new technique for fault diagnosis in transformer insulating oil based on infrared spectroscopy measurements

AbstractCondition monitoring of the insulating system within power transformers has a massive importance according to the electrical utilities. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is frequently used for this purpose. However, DGA lacks the necessary level of accuracy to identify all equipment faults, particularly in their initial stages of degradation. Also, it does not have the capability for real‐time monitoring and relies on manual sampling and laboratory testing, causing potential delays in fault identification. Additionally, the interpretation of DGA data necessitates specialised expertise, which may pose difficulties for smaller entities that have limited access to resources. Therefore, the contribution of this research is to use infrared spectroscopy measurements as a new effective technique substituting the DGA method for fault diagnosis in insulating oil. The inception faults that were considered in this study were the electrical fault (discharges of high energy) and the thermal fault (300°C &lt; Temperature &lt; 700°C). Regarding that, two test cells were crafted especially for serving the simulation processes inside the laboratory for both types of inception faults. Subsequently, six samples of pure paraffinic mineral oil were taken to be degraded in the laboratory. Following that, all of them besides another sample that were not subjected to any kind of faults were taken to be examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to obtain an overview of the oil's behaviour in each fault case. After that, the FTIR analysis was initially verified utilising the DGA method. Then, for further affirmation, the dielectric dissipation factor (DDF) for all samples was measured. In the final analysis, the verification tests provide experimental evidence about the outperformance of this new optical technique in detecting the transformer's inception faults in addition to proving its potential for being a superior alternative to the well‐known traditional diagnostic techniques.

Sex modulation of faces prediction error in the autistic brain

Recent research suggests that autistic females may have superior socio-cognitive abilities compared to autistic males, potentially contributing to underdiagnosis in females. However, it remains unclear whether these differences arise from distinct neurophysiological functioning in autistic males and females. This study addresses this question by presenting 41 autistic and 48 non-autistic adults with a spatially filtered faces oddball paradigm. Analysis of event-related potentials from scalp electroencephalography reveal a neurophysiological profile in autistic females that fell between those of autistic males and non-autistic females, highlighting sex differences in autism from the initial stages of face processing. This finding underscores the urgent need to explore neurophysiological sex differences in autism and encourages efforts toward a better comprehension of compensation mechanism and a clearer definition of what is meant by camouflaging.

Evaluation of Nano-DAP on Plant Growth, Enzymatic Activity and Yield in Paddy (Oryza sativa L.)

A field experiment was conducted during Rabi 2022-23 at the College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, focusing on the impact of using nano-DAP through foliar application on plant growth, yield, enzymatic activity and nutrient content in paddy variety KNM 1638. The experiment employed a randomized block design (RBD) with seven different treatments, each replicated three times. The study recorded various growth parameters, enzymatic activity, yield and nutrient content. The results demonstrated that, application of 100% NK + 75% P in combination with two foliar sprays of nano-DAP at both tillering and panicle initiation stages (T6) led to superior plant growth parameters such as number of tillers hill-1 (13.18), total dry matter (42.12 g hill-1), increased yield parameters such as number of productive tillers hill-1 (11.25), number of grains panicle-1 (297) and yield (7530.86 kg ha-1) and nutrient content such as N (2.33%), P (0.19%) and K content (1.68%). The enzyme Glutamine Synthetase (GS) activity was found to be significantly higher with the application of 100% NPK with two foliar sprays of nano-DAP at tillering and panicle initiation stages (T3). While the acid and alkaline phosphatase activity recorded maximum with 100%.

SELECTION AND JUSTIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF CAMERAS OF THE ALLROUND VISION SYSTEM ON AN UNMANNED DUMP TRUCK

The choice of equipment installation location on the sides of an unmanned vehicle, and especially such a dump truck, is a difficult task, which is solved, as a rule, intuitively and by the method of fullscale modeling. The authors of the article have solved the formulated problem, on substantiation of the choice of places of sensorics arrangement on the dump truck, using the developed specialized software application. The Carla simulator was chosen as a tool for carrying out the research as it has wide possibilities of visualization of the surrounding world. At the initial stage of selecting the location of the camera arrangement, the requirements for their viewing angles and the quality of the image obtained from them were formulated. This required the development of a software application in the Python language using the Open3D library, the choice of which is justified by the fact that the Carla simulator provides access to its API through a library for this language, and also because it allows rapid prototyping of applications. The developed software application helps the user to select the location of the video cameras on the dump truck in order to experience the unmanned control system. Further research is aimed at automating the selection of camera locations on board an unmanned dump truck.

Surface-Mediated Modulation of Different Biological Responses on Anatase-Coated Titanium.

Various surface modification strategies are being developed to endow dental titanium implant surfaces with micro- and nano-structures to improve their biocompatibility, and first of all their osseointegration. These modifications have the potential to address clinical concerns by stimulating different biological processes. This study aims to evaluate the biological responses of ananatase-modified blasted/etched titanium (SLA-anatase) surfaces compared to blasted/acid etched (SLA) and machined titanium surfaces. Using unipolar pulsed direct current (DC) sputtering, a nanocrystalline anatase layer was fabricated. In vitro experiments have shown that SLA-anatase discs can effectively promote osteoblast adhesion and proliferation, which are regarded as important features of a successful dental implant with bone contact. Furthermore, anatase surface modification has been shown to partially enhance osteoblast mineralization in vitro, while not significantly affecting bacterial colonization. Consequently, the recently created anatase coating holds significant potential as a promising candidate for future advancements in dental implant surface modification for improving the initial stages of osseointegration.

The effect of the faults to the tectono-stratigraphy evolution in the Panyu low uplift

Introduction: The Panyu low uplift is located in the middle of the Central Uplift Belt of the Pearl River Mouth Basin, which has experienced multiple episodes of tectonic movements since the Cenozoic, and the faults are extensively developed there. The fault activities had a significant influence on the migration and accumulation of oil and gas, as well as the sedimentation.Methods: In order to recognize the effect of the faults on the tectono-straigraphy evolution in the Panyu low uplift, based on the high-resolution seismic and latest drilling well data, the study has comprehensively analyzed the geometry and kinematics of these faults, as well as the sedimentary filling evolution of the residual depressions.Results: The results show that two major fault systems has developed in the Panyu low uplift: the deep and shallow fault systems. The former was dominated by a series of NEE and NW-trending high-angle listric/plane faults, along with several low-angle detachment normal faults, which were under the joint control of the NW-SE and NS-trending extensional stress during the Eocene. The latter was dominated by NW-NWW trending strike-slip normal faults with tension-shear properties under the NEE trending dextral strike-slip stress field in the late Miocene. The uplift had undergone five tectonic evolution stages: the initial rifting stage (Tg-T83), the intensive rifting stage (T83-T80), the rifting and depression transitional stage (T80-T70), the thermal subsidence depression stage (T70-T35), and the tectonic reactivation stage (T35-T10).Discussion: Based on the 3D seismic phase interpretation and drilling sample analyses, the study also indicates that during the initial rifting stage, the Panyu low uplift manifested as multistage depositional center. The sedimentary strata were distributed in the downthrown wall of the depression-controlling faults, exhibiting multiple subsidence and sedimentary centers, and the depressions was supplied by multi-provenance systems. During the intense rifting period, the depression widened, the lacustrine basins were connected with each other, and the sedimentary center migrated. During the rifting and depression transitional stage, the faults controlling on deposition weakened. The thick Enping formation from the northwest provenance direction is unconformably overlaid on the Panyu low uplift. Meanwhile, the depressions was characterized by the sedimentary deposits of lacustrine basin. Various types of sedimentary facies were developed, including the delta, semi-deep lacustrine, shallow lacustrine, and shore-shallow lacustrine deposits, and the mudstone of the semi-deep lacustrine facies could serve as a high-quality source rock for the hydrocarbon production.

HGSSA-bi LSTM: A Secure Multimodal Biometric Sensing Using Optimized Bi-Directional Long Short-Term Memory with Self-Attention

Biometric sensing technology has become a frequent element of everyday life as a result of the global demand for information security and safety legislation. In recent years, multimodal biometrics technology has become increasingly popular due to its ability to overcome the shortcomings of unimodal biometric systems. A HGSSA-Bi LSTM (Bi-directional long short-term memory) modal is presented in this paper for multimodal biometric identification. For removal of noise (unwanted) the pre-processing stage is used in the initial stage. An extended cascaded filter (ECF) is used with a combination of median and wiener filter in the pre-processing stage. Then, using the CNN model, feature extraction is utilized to extract features from the processed images. After feature extraction, fusing of feature is used with the aid of discriminant correlation analysis (DCA). Finally, the recognition process is performed by using the novel optimized hunger game search self-attention based Bi-LSTM model (HGSSA-Bi LSTM). The obtained outcome for the developed model is finally compared with other previous approaches such as CNN, RNN, DNN, and autoencoder models and the calculated performance based on accuracy 98.5%, precision 98%, F1-score 97.5%, sensitivity 98.5%, and specificity 99% accordingly.

Searching for memories: narratives about the initiation process of former athletes of the Brazilian futsal national team

Through the Development Model of Sport Participation framework and methodological perspective of oral history, this manuscript aims to narrate some fragments of the history of the sports initiation process of former elite athletes of the Brazilian Futsal Team. To this end, two interviews were conducted with athletes in the Brazilian Futsal Team during the 1980s and 1990s. From the oral history of two former futsal players, we identified evidence about the contribution of deliberate play in their initial stage of sport involvement. First, they highlighted the importance of the street and the family in their first contact with games played with feet, particularly futsal. Afterward, they emphasized the school, promoted diversified sports practices, and mentioned the role of the teacher in encouraging futsal practice in the scholar team. Finally, they evidenced the importance of social clubs and soccer practice during the transition to specialization years in futsal. It certainly contributed to their long-life athlete career. Key Words: Athlete development; School; Club; Family; Sport career

Transcriptome analysis reveals the molecular mechanisms of rubber biosynthesis and laticifer differentiation during rubber seed germination.

The molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation of natural rubber synthesis and laticifer differentiation have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we conducted a time-series transcriptome analysis of five rubber tree tissues at four stages of seed germination. A total of 161,199 DEGs were identified between the two groups, including most 16,673 DEGs (A3 vs B3 and A3 vs C3) and lest 1,210 DEGs (C2 vs D2). We found that the maturation of the seed is accompanied by the formation of laticifer cells in cotyledon. Meanwhile, the analysis of hormones related genes expression may provide effective clues for us to promote the differentiation of laticifer cells in seeds by hormones in the future. In this study, hormone-related gene enrichment analyses revealed that IAA, GA, and CTK were activated in laticifer containing tissues. Similarly, GO and GEGG analysis showed that hormone pathways, especially the auxin pathway, are enriched. Gene expression clustering was analyzed using the short time-series expression miner (STEM), and the analysis revealed four distinct trends in the gene expression profiles. Moreover, we enriched transcription factor (TF) enrichment in cotyledon and embryonic axis tissues, and the MYB type exhibited the most significant difference. Furthermore, our findings revealed that genes related to rubber synthesis exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns during seed germination. Notably, key genes associated with rubber biosynthesis, specifically small rubber particle protein (SRPP) and cis-prenyltransferase (CPT), exhibited significant changes in expression in cotyledon and embryonic axis tissues, suggesting synchronous rubber synthesis with seed germination. Our staining results reveled that laticifer cells were exits in the cotyledon before seed imbibition stage. In conclusion, these results lay the foundation for exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying laticifer differentiation and rubber synthesis during seed germination, deepening our understanding of the initiation stages of rubber biosynthesis and laticifer differentiation.