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Predictive maintenance, facilitated by smart devices and cyber infrastructure, is used for essential equipment like power transformers, enhancing power grid stability and reducing operating costs. As part of predictive maintenance, machine learning (ML) methods are employed to predict the remaining useful life (RUL) of power transformers, which can be vulnerable to cyber-attacks, especially data contamination attacks. Hence, this work introduces false data injection (FDI) attacks in ML-based RUL prediction and investigates the impacts on lifetime prediction. Three different attack templates of FDI attacks are implemented to corrupt the input data of extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), extra trees (ETs) and random forest (RF)-based lifetime predictor models, where single attack templates are found severe compared to a mixed attack template of FDI attacks. Also, adversarial training is presented as a countermeasure, where the adversarially trained XGBoost model outperforms the other two models under normal conditions and cyber-attacks. Experiment results indicate that the lifetime prediction errors of the proposed model in all scenarios can be maintained at about 6 and 3 in terms of RMSE and MAE, respectively. • Introducing cyber-attacks on ML-based power transformer lifetime predictors. • Investigating the severity of single and mixed models of FDI attacks on predictors. • Presenting a comparative analysis of predictors under normal cases and cyber-attacks. • Proposing an adversarial training-based countermeasure to mitigate the severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Exploring PLS in energy research, revealing applications and addressing challenges. • Tackling limitations in PLS implementation, considering confounding variables, sample sizes, and integration. • Beyond replication issues, focusing on reliability, multi-physics phenomena, and optimized designs. • Balancing thermal, fluid, and electrical factors, enhancing PLS performance across energy applications. • Innovative fabrication techniques, scaling up PLS production for efficient, cost-effective energy solutions. Lattice structures, with their exceptional characteristics such as high specific strength and stiffness, thermal insulation, and biocompatibility, find a wide range of applications including bio-medical, thermal, automobile and aerospace industry. This study explores their potential for energy research, provides an overview of Periodic lattice structure (PLS) design and fabrication, and classifies them based on their energy function. It aims to provide insights into the potential applications, advancements, challenges, and future directions related to PLS implementation in energy research. The study categorized the recent advances and challenges of using PLS in energy conversion, storage, and transport applications and examines the challenges and limitations associated with them. The challenges and limitations include problems related to study design, reproducibility, sample sizes, multi-physics phenomena, integration with other energy storage components, interdisciplinary research, manufacturing accuracy, durability, scalability, and economic feasibility. Future research directions are suggested to address these challenges and opportunities, such as evaluating PLS performance on a broader scale, developing accurate modeling techniques, investigating underlying mechanisms, utilizing multi-physics modeling tools, examining long-term performance, exploring practical applications, and exploring alternative fabrication methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning provides a probabilistic framework for metabolic pathway inference from genomic sequence information at different levels of complexity and completion. However, several challenges, including pathway features engineering, multiple mapping of enzymatic reactions, and emergent or distributed metabolism within populations or communities of cells, can limit prediction performance. In this article, we present triUMPF (triple non-negative matrix factorization [NMF] with community detection for metabolic pathway inference), which combines three stages of NMF to capture myriad relationships between enzymes and pathways within a graph network. This is followed by community detection to extract a higher-order structure based on the clustering of vertices that share similar statistical properties. We evaluated triUMPF performance by using experimental datasets manifesting diverse multi-label properties, including Tier 1 genomes from the BioCyc collection of organismal Pathway/Genome Databases and low complexity microbial communities. Resulting performance metrics equaled or exceeded other prediction methods on organismal genomes with improved precision on multi-organismal datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Tunable structural colors are realized using an Au/Si 3 N 4 /Al trilayer structure. • Arc plasma deposition (APD) is employed to control the morphology of the Au layer. • Bruggeman's EMA can be used for estimating the refractive indices of APD Au layers. • Changing the Au coverage and Si 3 N 4 layer thickness yields a wide range of colors. Structural colors have diverse applications in optical filters, surface decoration, photovoltaics, and digital displays. In this study, an arc plasma deposition (APD) method was employed for fabrication of the top Au layer in the asymmetric Fabry–Perot cavity structure of Au/Si 3 N 4 /Al. With an increasing number of APD pulses (n P), the morphology of the Au layer gradually changed from a dispersion of nanoparticles (NPs) to a nanoporous film and then to a dense film, which in turn led to a change in the refractive index of the Au layer. The structural colors of the Au/Si 3 N 4 /Al structure were mainly governed by the interference effect. The optical constants of the NP-dispersed and nanoporous Au layers could be reasonably estimated based on Bruggeman's effective medium approximation. When the Au layers deposited with different n P were combined with dielectric Si 3 N 4 layers of various thicknesses (h d), the full range of color hue with a wide range of color chroma could be realized using the Au/Si 3 N 4 /Al trilayer structure. The color hue was predominantly governed by h d , and the color chroma gradually increased with n P for a given value of h d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of biodiesel with hydroxy is expected to be one of the most viable fuels to enhance engine performance besides stringent emission norms. In this study, biodiesel was produced from water hyacinth and injected into the engine along with HHO in a volumetric ratio of 40% (BD40). The test was performed in a 4-stroke cycle, single cylinder, and water cool CI engine to evaluate performance, emission, combustion, and heat loss characteristics. The maximum biodiesel yield of 87% was obtained at 1% KOH, 9:1 M ratio, 500 rpm, and 55 °C for 90 min. The engine results showed that a mixture of hydroxy and biodiesel blends caused an increment of BTE by 12.4% while reducing BSEC by 13.5%, HC by 48% and CO by 21.9% as compared to DF. However, the induction of hydroxy increased NOx emission by 47.3% at full operational mode. The peak HHR, peak cylinder pressure, and ID were higher for hydroxy operated engine. The supplementation of hydroxy increased heat loss through the cooling water, and the exhaust. Thus, the present investigation has proved that the induction of hydroxy with BD40 in the CI engine improves performance and reduces exhaust emission like CO and HC except for NOx. • The maximum yield of biodiesel is found to be 87% through transesterification. • The effect of hydroxy on engine performance, combustion, and heat loss is evaluated. • The addition of hydroxy improves BTE and BSEC by 12.4% and 13.5% respectively. • Hydroxy reduces CO and HC by 21.9% and 48% respectively but increases NOx by 47.3%. • Hydroxy increases HHR, cylinder pressure, ID, cooling and exhaust heat loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The miniaturization of electronic devices has facilitated increasing interest in new applications of wireless communication. In this paper, a new miniature microstrip fed boomerang-shaped patch antenna has been proposed and designed for a wireless sensor network (WSN) application. In this design, the proposed antenna possesses a wide bandwidth by loading of a boomerang-shaped patch; with a 50 Ω microstrip feed line and a partial ground plane. A one-step staircase slot is embedded in the ground plane to enhance the impedance matching over a wide frequency range. The antenna occupies a small size of 10 × 12 mm2, or 1.2 cm2. The simulated results are verified with measured results. The measured result shows that the achievable bandwidth of 69% (8.48–17.45 GHz). The antenna possesses stable radiation patterns and acceptable gain. The proposed low profile antenna is suitable to integrate with sensors for wireless sensor network in X-band and Ku band applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the role of fish sludge (FS) as an organic fertilizer in fish ponds alone or in combined with some industrial wastes such as sawdust (SD) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) and their influences on productivity, blood biochemistry, antioxidant and immune status of Nile tilapia compared to the well-known fertilizer cow dung. Fish were distributed into the following experimental groups: control group (with no fertilizers); CD group (cow dung fertilized group); FS group (fish sludge fertilized group); FS + SD (fertilized with fish sludge combined with sawdust); FS + SBP group (fertilized with fish sludge combined with sugar beet pulp) in 3 replicates ponds per each. Fish raised in ponds fertilized with FS + SD, FS, and FS + SBP respectively, recorded higher final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) values and the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) values when compared to the control group. Fish raised in CD fertilized ponds showed significantly higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. While, FS + SD group had the highest GSH content followed by FS and FS + SBP groups. The catalase (CAT) activity was also significantly higher in FS, FS + SD and FS + SB groups compared to control and CD groups. FS significantly reduced the Malondialdehyde (MDA) content than control and CD groups and a more significant reduction was recorded in FS + SD and FS + SBP groups. The highest total antioxidant activity (TAC) was recorded in the FS + SBP group. The results also showed that FS + SBP followed by FS + SD obtained the highest Alternative Complement pathway (ACH50) activity. FS, FS + SD and FS + SBP groups showed significantly higher lysozyme activity than the CD group. All added fertilizers significantly increased the NBT value compared to the control group. In conclusion, fish sludge showed a more promising property as an organic fertilizer in fish ponds than cow dung, particularly in the presence of adequate water purifying material such as sawdust or sugar beet pulp. • Enriched tilapia fish rearing water with fish sludge and saw dust increased production and boosted immunological responses. • Applied adsorbent such as saw dust or sugar beet pulp is recommended to purify water from impurities. • Sawdust was somewhat more effective than sugar beet pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated the role of fish sludge (FS) as an organic fertilizer in fish ponds alone or in combined with some industrial wastes such as sawdust (SD) and sugar beet pulp (SBP) and their influences on productivity, blood biochemistry, antioxidant and immune status of Nile tilapia compared to the well-known fertilizer cow dung. Fish were distributed into the following experimental groups: control group (with no fertilizers); CD group (cow dung fertilized group); FS group (fish sludge fertilized group); FS + SD (fertilized with fish sludge combined with sawdust); FS + SBP group (fertilized with fish sludge combined with sugar beet pulp) in 3 replicates ponds per each. Fish raised in ponds fertilized with FS + SD, FS, and FS + SBP respectively, recorded higher final weight (FW), weight gain (WG), specific growth rate (SGR), and protein efficiency ratio (PER) values and the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) values when compared to the control group. Fish raised in CD fertilized ponds showed significantly higher alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. While, FS + SD group had the highest GSH content followed by FS and FS + SBP groups. The catalase (CAT) activity was also significantly higher in FS, FS + SD and FS + SB groups compared to control and CD groups. FS significantly reduced the Malondialdehyde (MDA) content than control and CD groups and a more significant reduction was recorded in FS + SD and FS + SBP groups. The highest total antioxidant activity (TAC) was recorded in the FS + SBP group. The results also showed that FS + SBP followed by FS + SD obtained the highest Alternative Complement pathway (ACH50) activity. FS, FS + SD and FS + SBP groups showed significantly higher lysozyme activity than the CD group. All added fertilizers significantly increased the NBT value compared to the control group. In conclusion, fish sludge showed a more promising property as an organic fertilizer in fish ponds than cow dung, particularly in the presence of adequate water purifying material such as sawdust or sugar beet pulp. • Enriched tilapia fish rearing water with fish sludge and saw dust increased production and boosted immunological responses. • Applied adsorbent such as saw dust or sugar beet pulp is recommended to purify water from impurities. • Sawdust was somewhat more effective than sugar beet pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducing ZIF-8 into the PES-cSMM membranes played a pivotal role in the development of proton-conducting pathways and an effective methanol barrier. We employed dry-wet phase inversion techniques to fabricate PES-cSMM, finding that a 3 wt% cSMM content yielded optimal results. The resulting PES-cSMM exhibits impressive performance, with a 38% higher selectivity and a 95% greater methanol barrier compared to Nafion® 117. The imidazole-N-H linker in the terminal PES-cSMM/ZIF-8 promotes proton transport through a hydrogen bond chain, while the hydrophobic backbone acts as an effective methanol filter. As a result, PES-cSMM/ZIF-8 boasts a 13-fold higher water uptake than Nafion® 117 and achieves a 99% improvement in methanol sieving performance, a highly promising breakthrough for DMFC systems. Proton conductivity for the PES-cSMM/ZIF-8 immersion membrane reaches 19.5 × 10-3 Scm-1, comparable to Nafion® 117, which is 20.4 × 10-3 Scm-1. The structural flexibility of ZIF-8 within PES-cSMM facilitates efficient proton conduction, while the ZIF-8 cage acts as a robust methanol barrier. Computational analysis revealed covalent bonding within the PES-cSMM system. We characterized the chemical interactions in PES-cSMM/ZIF-8 using topology analysis, specifically the Atom in Molecules/Non-covalent analysis (AIM/NCI) technique. [Display omitted] • PES-cSMM made via dry-wet phase inversion; ZIF-8 added in-situ by growth immersion technique. • PES-cSMM/ZIF-8 shows promise in reducing methanol crossover, with good selectivity, stability, and proton conductivity for DMFC. • Proton transport occurs through non-covalent interactions with exposed sulfonic acid groups on the cSMMs within the membrane. • Computational findings suggest ZIF-8 interacts with methanol mainly via van der Waals forces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• R. pseudoacacia is more water use efficient than T. cordata. • This is particularly true under drought conditions. • R. pseudoacacia limits its microclimatic cooling effect more than T. cordata. • T. cordata is more prone to growth limitations due to drought conditions. Urban trees are supposed to have an important regulating function for the urban microclimate, carbon sequestration and a number of other ecosystem services. Vice versa, urban trees suffer from droughts that are typically enhanced within the urban heat island. In the present study, we examined how ecosystem services cooling and carbon sequestration by urban trees were impaired due to the extreme Central European drought periods in the years 2018 and 2019. The analysis was based on continuous measurements of tree growth, sap flow and meteorological characteristics along a transect of five sites of Tilia cordata and three sites of Robinia pseudoacacia spread over the urban area of Würzburg, Germany. The biomass increment of both tree species was reduced up to 50 % with respect to normal weather conditions, especially in the extreme drought year 2018. The studied tree species revealed contrasting growth strategies with T. cordata being more prone to droughts than R. pseudoacacia. Under drought conditions R. pseudoacacia showed twice as much carbon sequestration as T. cordata , which means that R. pseudoacacia is much more water use efficient than T. cordata. In drought years the water use efficiency increases up to 4.4 kg (kg H 2 O)−1 for R. pseudoacacia , while it remains at 0.83–0.86 kg (kg H 2 O)−1 for T. cordata. Whereas both species have shown substantially reduced transpiration rates in both years, T. cordata had a higher transpiration activity than R. pseudoacacia , Hence, T. cordata made a larger contribution to microclimatic cooling in drought and normal years. These findings are systematically depending on the specific sites within the urban area. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a new PEM for fuel cell applications consisting of PSU/SPEKEKK/SGO membranes with improved physiochemical properties to surmount the low power generation of Nafion. The DFT calculations using NCI plots show that there are network interactions between PSU and SPEKEKK, established by the hydrogen bonding and vdW interactions. SGO was incorporated into the as-prepared PSU/SPEKEKK membrane. A solution casting method was employed to fabricate SGO-loaded composite membranes in the range of 0.1% to 1.5% (wt%). Structural evidence of the SGO and composite membranes was characterized by ATR-FTIR and FESEM, respectively. Adding SGO to PSU/SPEKEKK shows a significant increase in proton conductivity due to the presence of more protonated sites (SO 3 H) and water-mediated interactions for proton conduction. Of all the compositions considered, PSU/SPEKEKK/SGO-0.6-1.5% loading was found to have the highest proton conductivity, 0.03Scm−1. Although adding SGO to the composite membrane has reduced water absorption, the hydrophilic oxygenated functional groups in SGO, the bound water molecules, and the increased –SO 3 H groups have successfully improved the proton conductivity. The findings reveal that all composite membranes show excellent oxidative stabilities for 32 h in Fenton's reagent. To summarize, all composite membranes fabricated in this study show acceptable water uptake and swelling ratio, high oxidation, excellent thermal stability, and high proton conductivity. • SGO-incorporated PSU/SPK nanocomposite membranes using the simple solution-casting method. • The composite membranes showed reasonable water uptake and excellent thermal and oxidative stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salinity is one of the most widespread abiotic stresses affecting crop growth and productivity, particularly when soil and irrigation water are salty. Field experiments were performed in an arid Mediterranean climate to investigate agronomic responses of twenty-one diverse barley genotypes to naturally occurring salinity. Three saline fields (7.72 dS/m) were irrigated with well water of three incremental salinity levels, low (5.25 dS/m), intermediate (8.35 dS/m), and high (11.12 dS/m). The results revealed considerable genotypic variability at the three salinity levels and significant genotype by salinity interaction that could be traced to specific yield components. Increasing salinity level decreased performance of all agronomic traits, but with different patterns, with yield components determined earlier being more affected than traits determined later. Days to heading exhibited a strong and negative relationship with grain yield across all salinity levels, while 1000-grain weight demonstrated the highest association with grain yield, followed by number of grains per spike, plant height, and harvest index, consistently at the three salinity levels. The genotypes were classified based on their yield indices at the three salinity levels into six groups varying from highly salt-tolerant (group A) to highly salt-sensitive genotypes (group F). Genotype-by-salinity interaction was studied based on rankings of performance across salinity levels. Close examination of yield component trends across levels allowed the identification of genotypes with different behaviors, indicating the presence of variation in potentially different mechanisms of response to salinity. This diversity of responses could be used in breeding to improve tolerance over the whole crop cycle, from plant establishment and tillering to grain filling. • Increasing salinity level decreased performance of all agronomic traits but with different patterns. • Yield components determined earlier being more affected by salinity than traits determined later. • Twenty-one barley genotypes were classified based on their yield indices at three salinity levels. • The diversity of responses could be used in breeding to improve salt tolerance over the whole crop cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]