Slow Route Research Articles

Passive unmanned maritime search and rescue routing method

Addressing the challenges inherent in passive unmanned search and rescue missions at sea, including difficulties in target identification, broad search areas, and slow route planning, a strategic process was introduced for maritime search and rescue area planning and a route planning model specifically designed for passive unmanned missions. By thoroughly understanding the emergency response operations at sea and the specific needs for route planning, an optimal routing model have been developed considering factors such as the efficiency of search and rescue area coverage and the cost of rescue routes. The objective function is constructed within these constraints and solved using the Whale Optimization Algorithm. The validity of the model is confirmed through designated scenario experiments, indicating that our proposed model for maritime passive unmanned search and rescue route planning is capable of swiftly identifying the search and rescue area and efficiently discovering a route with reduced costs. This innovation offers valuable decision-making support for the planning of future emergency maritime search and rescue operations in both military and civilian sectors.

Multi-radio fast routing recovery protocol based on spectrum situation awareness

UAV networks often encounter jamming attacks, under which multi-radio protocols have to switch radios to accelerate communication recovery. However, the existing protocols rely on exchange of hello messages to detect jamming, leading to long sensing time and thus slow routing recovery. To address the issues raised by jamming attacks, we propose a new routing protocol, Electromagnetic Spectrum situation awareness Optimized Link State Routing (ESOLSR) protocol, to improve the existing OLSRv2 protocol. ESOLSR utilizes the spectrum situation awareness capability from the physical layer, and adopts joint-updating of link status, updating of interface functions, and adaptive adjustment of parameters. Our simulation results show that the improved protocol, ESOLSR, can recover routing and resume normal communication 26.6% faster compared to the existing protocols.

Exploring the luminescence properties and dosimetric characteristics of CaSO4:Tb, CaSO4:Mn, and CaSO4:Mn,Tb phosphors synthesized by slow evaporation route

This work aimed to investigate and compare the luminescence properties of CaSO4:Tb, CaSO4:Mn, and CaSO4:Mn,Tb synthesized by slow evaporation route. The crystalline structure, morphology, and optical properties of the phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), photoluminescence (PL), radioluminescence (RL), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) were used to comprehensively investigate the dosimetric properties of the phosphors, such as the TL glow curve and continuous wave OSL (CW-OSL) curves, dose-response and its reproducibility, fading, and sensitivity. For dosimetric analyses, the samples were irradiated with beta radiation. PL and RL emission spectra confirmed the presence of Tb3+ and Mn2+ ions in crystalline matrices. The samples showed a typical exponential OSL decay curve, indicating that the charge traps have a high photoionization cross-section for blue LEDs. The synthesized pellets exhibited good luminescent and dosimetric properties, with linear luminescent response over a wide dose range (169 mGy–100 Gy) and reproducibility of both OSL and TL signals. Furthermore, the incorporation of terbium as a co-dopant in the CaSO4:Mn matrix reduced its fading from 75% to only 17%. The phosphors had high TL and OSL sensitivities in comparison to some commercially available dosimeters.

Development of CaSO4:RE,Li (RE = Tm, Eu, Tb) composites for thermally or optically stimulated luminescence dosimetry

This work proposed the development of CaSO4:Tm,Li, CaSO4:Tb,Li and CaSO4:Eu,Li composites for application in radiation dosimetry, using luminescent techniques such as thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). The CaSO4 crystals were produced by the adapted slow evaporation route and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), TL and OSL techniques. XRD analyses showed that the doped CaSO4 samples presented a single phase. The CaSO4:Eu,Li composites showed TL signals with peaks around 145 °C and 180 °C. The CaSO4:Tb,Li and CaSO4:Tm,Li composites showed TL signals with peaks centered at 165 °C and 275 °C. For the CaSO4:Tb and CaSO4:Tm samples, the addition of lithium as co-dopant resulted into a significant increase (2x) in the total TL signal of the samples. The CaSO4:Tm,Li samples presented a very intense OSL signal, about 80x greater than the signal of the other samples produced. This allows the applicability of TL/OSL detectors even more sensitives. The TL emission spectra of the samples showed typical emissions of Eu2+ ions (280 nm), Eu3+ (614 nm), Tb3+ (544 nm) and Tm3+ (455 nm). No emission corresponding to lithium was identified. All the samples produced showed linearity in the dose range used and good reproducibility, with variations below 10%. The CaSO4:Tm,Li samples showed the lowest limit of detection and fading. The evaluated dosimetric characteristics denote that these developed composites have potential application as TL/OSL detectors.

Design and Development of Sustainable Cu2 (II)- and Mn2 (III)-Embedded Bifunctional Electrocatalysts: Enhanced Hydrogen and Oxygen Generation.

Nowadays, environmentally friendly, low-cost-effective, and sustainable electrocatalysts used widely for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions have come into the limelight as a new research topic for scientists. This study highlights the preparation of two unique and symmetrical dinuclear Cu (II) and Mn (III) bifunctional catalysts by a facile simple slow evaporation and diffusion route. [C32H24Cu2F4N4O4] (1) and [C32H24Mn2F4N4O4] (2) both have monoclinic (C2/c (15)) crystal systems, with oxidation states +2 and +3, respectively. Prominent SPR peaks at 372 and 412 nm indicate an M-L charge transfer transition in both complexes. The synthesized electrocatalysts display exceptional catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Complex 1 exhibits enhanced hydrogen generation in 0.5 M H2SO4 with a small overpotential of 216 mV at -10 mA cm-2 along with a significantly lower Tafel value of 97 mV/dec compared to Complex 2. Moreover, Complex 1 is highly active for the OER in 1 M KOH with a small Tafel slope of 103 mV/dec and a low overpotential of 340 mV to acquire 10 mA cm-2 current density, compared to Complex 2. Complex 1 and Complex 2 remain stable up to 20 h in acidic electrolyte and up to 36 h and 20 h in the basic electrolyte, respectively.

Attentional ERPs in consumers of smoked and insufflated cocaine associated with neuropsychological performance

BackgroundCocaine consumption is associated with reduced attentional event-related potentials (ERPs), namely P3a and P3b, indicating bottom-up and top-down deficits respectively. At cognitive level, these impairments are larger for faster routes of administration (e.g., smoked cocaine [SC]) than slower routes (e.g., insufflated cocaine [IC]). Here we assess these ERPs considering the route of cocaine administration. We hypothesized that SC dependent (SCD) would exhibit reduced amplitude of the P3a, while both SCD and IC dependent (ICD) would show reduced amplitude of the P3b. MethodsWe examined 25 SCD, 22 ICD matched by poly-consumption profiles, and 25 controls matched by demographic variables. We combined EEG data from the Global-Local task with behavioral data from attentional cognitive tasks. ResultsAt the behavioral level, SCD exhibited attentional deficits in both bottom-up and top-down processes, while ICD only showed a tendency for top-down deficits. The amplitude of P3a and P3b was lower in Users groups. We observed subtle route-based differences, with larger differences in the P3a for SCD and in the P3b for ICD. Neurophysiological and behavioral data converged, with the P3a associated to bottom-up performance and P3b to top-down. ConclusionsDifferent routes of administration lead to distinct attentional neurocognitive profiles. Specifically, SCD showed greater attentional impairment, mainly at bottom-up/P3a, while ICD showed a trend of top-down/P3b deficits. These findings emphasize the crucial role of considering the route of administration in both clinical and research settings and support the use of attentional ERPs as valid measures for assessing attentional deficits in substance Dependence.

Effect of rapid/slow annealing routes on the magnetic and photoelectric properties of BiFeO3/CoFe2O4 multilayer thin films

With the development of electronic information technology, the miniaturization of lightweight devices and their integration have increased the requirements for materials, and two-dimensional composite multiferroic materials have become a major research hotspot in recent years. However, it is difficult for traditional solid multiferroic material to directly switch the magnetic/polarization direction under the action of an applied electric/magnetic field, limiting the improvement of the magnetoelectric coupling coefficient. In this study, a series of BiFeO3 (BFO)/CoFe2O4 (CFO) composite film multiferroic materials were prepared by changing the annealing routes and annealing atmosphere, the microstructure, ferroelectric properties, dielectric properties, photovoltaic properties, magnetic properties, and magnetoelectric coupling properties of composite films were routeatically studied. The results showed that under the slow annealing route, the composite film has obvious ellipsoidal grains with distinct grain boundaries and better crystallinity. Moreover, the performance of the film after annealing in different atmospheres of the slow annealing route was improved compared with that of the rapid annealing route after annealing in different atmospheres. Simultaneously, by changing the annealing atmosphere of the composite film, the film exhibited better magnetic optical properties and coupling properties after annealing in oxygen. In addition, this study showed that the dielectric constant and residual polarization value of the film increase under the action of magnetic field and illumination, and the maximum photomagnetic dielectric response (3.19%) and photomagnetic response (1.58%) are observed in the annealed film under the oxygen atmosphere of the slow annealing regime, indicating that the magnetoelectric coupling effect of the film is improved under the action of applied light.

Interruption Tolerance Strategy for LEO Constellation With Optical Inter-Satellite Link

Optical inter-satellite link (ISL) with tens/hundreds Gbps is applied into LEO constellation to overcome the insufficient bandwidth of microwave ISL. Moreover, compared with GEO/MEO constellation, LEO constellation suffers from frequent topology switching because of the lowest orbital-altitude. Topology switching between adjacent topology snapshots is generally done through ISL handover (remove or establish ISL). However, service interruption caused by ISL handover within topology switching is a vital issue to address. After ISL handover occurs, isolated topology and slow route convergence (derived from long ISL delay and forwarding the updated message among hundreds/thousands of satellites) may cause severe service interruption. But considering the fact that time-varying topology is predictable and all the ISL handover could be pre-scheduled for topology management purpose, service interruption problem is investigated from the aspect of ISL handover and routing strategy in this paper. Owing to long establishing time of optical ISL, grouped optical ISL handover scheme is raised to decrease route convergence time during topology switching. Furthermore, predictive-update routing scheme based on Open Shortest Path First (OSPF-PUR) is proposed to minimize route convergence time for each ISL handover. For predictable ISL handover, in OSPF-PUR scheme, forwarding table is refreshed according to locally stored ISL handover information but without flooding. Simulation results illustrate that grouped optical ISL handover scheme reduces route convergence time within topology switching while topology connectivity is guaranteed. The route convergence time of ISL handover is effectively decreased by OSPF-PUR scheme. Besides, for OSPF-PUR scheme, packet loss rate remains unchanged while topology switching frequency increases.

Investigation of dosimetric properties of CaSO4:Mn phosphor prepared using slow evaporation route

The objective of this work was to investigate the luminescent properties of CaSO4:Mn synthesized by slow evaporation route. The crystalline structure, morphology, thermal and optical properties of the phosphors were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Moreover, using thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques, the dosimetric properties of the phosphors, such as emission spectra, glow curve reproducibility, dose-response linearity, fading of the luminescent signal, variation of the TL intensity with the heating rate, OSL decay curves, correlation between TL and OSL emissions and minimum detectable dose (MDD) were comprehensively investigated. For dosimetric analyses, the samples were irradiated with doses from 169 mGy to 10 Gy. The emission band fits with the characteristic line of the Mn2+ emission features, ascribed to 6A1→4T1 transition. CaSO4:Mn pellets present a TL glow curve with a single typical peak centered around 494 nm, an OSL decay curve with predominance of a fast decay component, and a MDD on the order of mGy. The luminescent signals showed to be linear and reproducible in the studied dose range. The trapping centers located between 0.83 eV and 1.07 eV were revealed for different heating rates in the TL study. The high TL sensitivity of CaSO4:Mn was proven when comparing with commercially available dosimeters. The luminescent signals exhibit a smaller fading than described in the literature for CaSO4:Mn produced by other methods.

Cognitive Processes Underlying the Weapon Identification Task: A Comparison of Models Accounting for Both Response Frequencies and Response Times

The weapon identification task (WIT) is a sequential priming paradigm designed to assess effects of racial priming on visual discrimination between weapons (guns) and innocuous objects (tools). We compare four process models that differ in their assumptions on the nature and interplay of cognitive processes underlying prime-related weapon-bias effects in the WIT. All four models are variants of the process dissociation procedure, a widely used measurement model to disentangle effects of controlled and automatic processes. We formalized these models as response time-extended multinomial processing tree models and applied them to eight data sets. Overall, the default interventionist model (DIM) and the preemptive conflict-resolution model (PCRM) provided good model fit. Both assume fast automatic and slow controlled process routes. Additional comparisons favored the former model. In line with the DIM, we thus conclude that automatically evoked stereotype associations interfere with correct object identification from the outset of each WIT trial.

Rural Slow Routes as Connectors of Local Communities for the Promotion of Place Identity

European, national, and regional policies have promoted slow routes in recent decades. This paper aims to define a multi-scale method to use these routes to promote the identities of rural places. The method develops (i) a GIS-based network analysis to define the boundaries of the service area of the route and then (ii) a participatory strategy to promote its rural identity. Furthermore, this paper studies the quality criteria for slow European routes (iii) to define quality criteria specifically for rural slow routes and to connect the case study to the broader European network. The results show that the European certification standard of EuroVelo is a valid document to evaluate the quality of slow routes in rural contexts. The case study is a slow route along the Trasimeno lake (Italy), 61 km long, called the Trasimeno ring. The service area of the route has a surface of 325 km2 and is defined as the surface that can be reached with detours from the route not exceeding 5 km along rural roads with low traffic (max 2000 v/d) and gentle slopes (maximum gradient of 15% and a cumulative elevation change for every kilometer of the road lower than 50 m). The participatory process was developed for one municipality (15.35% of the service area) with 326 km of rural streets and 35 activities linked to agriculture. In total, 80% of the rural stakeholders participated in building an online collaborative map to promote the area. The results show that rural stakeholders evaluate collaborative maps as an effective strategy for encouraging tourists and inhabitants to discover, use and respect rural place identities.

Influence of succinic acid species on structural, spectroscopic,optical, Z-scan, frequency doubling, photoconductivity and antibacterial properties of glycine single crystals

With succinic acid as an additive, glycine single crystals were grown by conventional solvent slow evaporation route. Effect of succinic acid on the growth, optical and dielectric properties of glycine polymorphs has been investigated. The occurrence of functional groups has been identified by vibrational FTIR spectrophotometer. The low value of dielectric constant and dielectric loss at higher frequency range attested the grown crystal for frequency doubling applications. The laser damage threshold energy of the grown crystal was calculated. Third order nonlinear susceptibilityχ (3) (esu) of succinic acid added glycine crystals were evaluated from Z-scan experiment.

A Method to Select and Optimize Slow Tourism Routes Using a Quality Index Procedure Based on Image Segmentation and DTM Modelling Based on NURBS: The Case Study of Multimodal Access to Inner Places from the Nodes of the Adriatic Coastline’s Infrastructure Bundle

This paper tests a combination of methods that allows for the optimization of a mobility network through the multimodal interchange between fast and slow routes. These routes contribute to mending the relationship between the existing infrastructural networks and the places of interest in the landscape while respecting morphological adaptability. The case study that generated the research question explained above is the Costa dei Trabucchi in Abruzzo, Italy. The choice of a single paradigmatic case study to evaluate the method is based on the need to analyse an edge context with very scarce data, except for the coast. The advantage of this method is the efficiency based on three main conditions: overcoming limitations due to data scarcity, the use of open-source data and the multiscalarity of analyses. The result of this research work is the creation of a useful strategy to identify the most suitable routes in terms of spatial quality and walkability/cyclability. The case study is formed by the territories crossed by a railway line that has recently been decommissioned. The displacement of a railway line creates opportunities to improve the quality and use of the territory locally, with a natural evolution of the track in a greenway, and at the territorial level because it generates a network of better multimodal and sustainable mobility solutions inside and between the surrounding areas.

The small GTPase RAB10 regulates endosomal recycling of the LDL receptor and transferrin receptor in hepatocytes

The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mediates the hepatic uptake of circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), a process that modulates the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We recently identified RAB10, encoding a small GTPase, as a positive regulator of LDL uptake in hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HuH7) in a genome-wide CRISPR screen, though the underlying molecular mechanism for this effect was unknown. We now report that RAB10 regulates hepatocyte LDL uptake by promoting the recycling of endocytosed LDLR from RAB11-positive endosomes to the plasma membrane. We also show that RAB10 similarly promotes the recycling of the transferrin receptor, which binds the transferrin protein that mediates the transport of iron in the blood, albeit from a distinct RAB4-positive compartment. Taken together, our findings suggest a model in which RAB10 regulates LDL and transferrin uptake by promoting both slow and rapid recycling routes for their respective receptor proteins.

Effects of manganese and terbium on the dosimetric properties of CaSO4

In this study, a new CaSO4 crystal doped with manganese and terbium is described and its potential for dosimetric applications is evaluated. Crystals were synthesized using the slow evaporation route, and were prepared in pellet form with the addition of Teflon. CaSO4 was doped with manganese and terbium at a concentration of 0.1 mol% in each case. The crystalline structure and optical properties of the crystals were evaluated by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and photoluminescence. The suitability of these crystals for thermoluminescent (TL) and optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) dosimetry was also investigated. The material showed adequate OSL and TL characteristics, such as a TL glow curve with two peaks at approximately 205 °C and 325 °C, an adequate OSL decay curve, good reproducibility, and linearity of the luminescent signals, when irradiated with doses of between 200 mGy and 150 Gy. Two trapping centers located at 0.77 and 1.02 eV were revealed. The heating rate dependence was also evaluated. The lowest detectable dose was investigated by the TL and OSL techniques, and the results were presented in mGy for both methods. It was also observed that co-doping with Mn and Tb contributed to a reduction in fading compared to CaSO4:Mn and CaSO4:Tb.

Binary mixture of lithium chloride and methyl orange dye on adipic acid crystallization from methanol solvent and their characterization studies

The binary mixture of lithium chloride and methyl orange dye in crystallizing the adipic acid in methanol solvent has been examined for the first attempt. The red colored superior quality single crystals were grown by slow solvent evaporation route at ambient temperature. SXRD, PXRD, EDAX-SEM, FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR, TG-DTA, NLO characterization and anti bacterial studies were performed on the grown crystals. The SHG efficiency value was lowered due to binary dopant. The grown doped ADLM crystals proved to be better antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus can be devoted for pharamaceutical applications to employ an effective antibiotic drug.

HISTORICAL AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES: MAPPING SEASONAL CONDITIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

Abstract. The current research aims at exploring the relationships between historical agricultural landscapes and sustainable tourism, by combining the potential of aerial and ground observation methods, that are able to detect the seasonal landscape changes. These phenomena are strongly interlaced with the annual cycle of plants, which have many implications for ecological processes, agriculture, health, tourism, regional/urban planning and economy. In many countries, similar phenomena as the timing of spring-blooming or the timing of autumn coloring foliage are of great visual value and can be of touristic interest, so to enhance the overall attractiveness of a territory. The research analyzes the case study of the historical agricultural landscape, localized in the in-between territories Turin and Milan, which is characterized by large portions of paddy-rice fields, which assume different aesthetical configurations over the year. This landscape, made up of an articulated system of waterways that support large portions of rice cultivation, protected natural areas, historical farmhouses, urban settlements, is the result of a long process of interaction between natural elements and human activities. Remote sensing and ground observations can play an important role in a high-accuracy mapping of the seasonal conditions of this kind of landscape. The flooding of paddy-rice fields determines a high scenic value of large portions of the rural landscape, that can be detected through remote sensing. The specificity of rice cultivation is that plants grow on flooded soils. Such a temporary condition of the landscape can become an unexpected tourist destination. From the methodological point of view, the research combines the potential of time series of satellite high-resolution imagery, for computing vegetation indexes (i.e. NDVI, NDWI etc.), and ground observations, through GIS mapping tools. This interpretation tools are useful to trace a network of slow scenic routes that allow perceiving such temporary landscape conditions and that support a territorial strategy aiming at a sustainable development of these fragile territories.

Folding and misfolding of potassium channel monomers during assembly and tetramerization

The dynamics and folding of potassium channel pore domain monomers are connected to the kinetics of tetramer assembly. In all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of Kv1.2 and KcsA channels, monomers adopt multiple nonnative conformations while the three helices remain folded. Consistent with this picture, NMR studies also find the monomers to be dynamic and structurally heterogeneous. However, a KcsA construct with a disulfide bridge engineered between the two transmembrane helices has an NMR spectrum with well-dispersed peaks, suggesting that the monomer can be locked into a native-like conformation that is similar to that observed in the folded tetramer. During tetramerization, fluoresence resonance energy transfer (FRET) data indicate that monomers rapidly oligomerize upon insertion into liposomes, likely forming a protein-dense region. Folding within this region occurs along separate fast and slow routes, with τfold ∼40 and 1,500 s, respectively. In contrast, constructs bearing the disulfide bond mainly fold via the faster pathway, suggesting that maintaining the transmembrane helices in their native orientation reduces misfolding. Interestingly, folding is concentration independent despite the tetrameric nature of the channel, indicating that the rate-limiting step is unimolecular and occurs after monomer association in the protein-dense region. We propose that the rapid formation of protein-dense regions may help with the assembly of multimeric membrane proteins by bringing together the nascent components prior to assembly. Finally, despite its name, the addition of KcsA's C-terminal "tetramerization" domain does not hasten the kinetics of tetramerization.

All-Liquid-Phase Reaction Mechanism Enabling Cryogenic Li–S Batteries

The sluggish solid-solid conversion kinetics from Li2S4 to Li2S during discharge is considered the main problem for cryogenic Li-S batteries. Herein, an all-liquid-phase reaction mechanism, where all the discharging intermediates are dissolved in the functional thioether-based electrolyte, is proposed to significantly enhance the kinetics of Li-S battery chemistry at low temperatures. A fast liquid-phase reaction pathway thus replaces the conventional slow solid-solid conversion route. Spectral investigations and molecular dynamics simulations jointly elucidate the greatly enhanced kinetics due to the highly decentralized state of solvated intermediates in the electrolyte. Overall, the battery brings an ultrahigh specific capacity of 1563 mAh g-1sulfur in the cathode at -60 °C. This work provides a strategy for developing cryogenic Li-S batteries.

Telematics-Based Traffic Law Enforcement and Network Management System for Connected Vehicles

This article introduces a telematics-based traffic law enforcement and management system (SLEM), which leverages connected vehicle and telematics technologies. The system assigns each driver a real-time score that measures her/his driving performance. Using these driver scores, SLEM then adopts a personalized route guidance strategy that favors high-performing drivers by guiding them to less congested routes at the expense of low-performing drivers who are directed to alternative, slower routes. This routing strategy shifts the network traffic distribution pattern from the undesirable user equilibrium pattern to the system optimal pattern. Hence, SLEM not only incentivizes drivers to improve their driving performance but it also provides a mechanism to manage network congestion. A bilevel mathematical program and an efficient solution methodology were developed to derive SLEM's optimal routing strategy. A set of experiments that was conducted to evaluate the performance of SLEM under different operation scenarios showed that the adoption of SLEM's routing strategy reduced travel time during recurrent congestion situations by about 5%.