bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacy Technician Efficacies and Workforce Planning: A Consensus Building Study on Expanded Pharmacy Technician Roles
Authors: Sparkmon Wesley , Barnard Marie , Rosenthal Meagen , Desselle Shane , Ballou Jordan Marie , Holmes Erin
Published: February 2023

The expansion of pharmacy technician scope of practice in recent years, though remaining somewhat contentious, has afforded multiple opportunities for pharmacy technicians to provide additional assistance within the pharmacy. However, much of the research examining this growth has focused on specific tasks, which were determined by either the researchers themselves or the respective state boards of pharmacy. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of what expanded tasks pharmacists believe technicians should have an increased role in performing. A consensus-building research methodology was used to survey practicing pharmacists to determine which tasks those pharmacists believed technicians should take an increased role in performing. This study used modified Delphi techniques to build consensus among panels of both hospital and community pharmacists regarding 20 setting-specific technician tasks. Results of our study indicated that both hospital and community pharmacists believed technicians should have an increased involvement in performing tasks which are more related to the operations of the pharmacy rather than tasks which are more clinical in nature. This finding illustrates a belief among a segment of pharmacists that expanded roles for technicians should do more to alleviate the managerial and operational burden placed on pharmacists, potentially allowing pharmacists to take on increased clinical roles.
Effect of Pre-Storage CO2 Treatment and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on Sweet Pepper Chilling Injury
Authors: Afolabi Abiodun Samuel , Choi In-Lee , Lee Joo Hwan , Kwon Yong Beom , Yoon Hyuk Sung , Kang Ho-Min
Published: February 2023

The effect of 10% CO2 pre-storage treatment for 12, 24, and 48 h alongside modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on chilling injury was determined in this study. This study found significant interactions between chilling injuries and cell membrane damage indicators. The results show that chilling injuries can be somewhat reduced by the use of CO2 treatment for sweet peppers. It was noticed that the fruit’s respiration rate increased as the treatment duration increased immediately after the treatments, while the resultant did not affect the ethylene production rate, electrolyte leakage, or malondialdehyde. Similarly, after cold storage and on the final day, no really significant differences were shown in all those parameters except for the weight loss rate, chilling injury, calyx browning, and firmness, which were at the poorest state in the control group. Of all the treatments in this study, MAP appeared to be the best treatment, and preference may be given to the 24 h treatment of pretreated fruits. Weight loss, firmness, calyx browning, and chilling injury were maintained best in MAP due to the presence of CO2 and high humidity.
Enzymatic Antioxidant System Activation Assures the Viability of Guadua chacoensis (Bambusoideae, Poaceae) Embryogenic Cultures during Cryopreservation
Authors: Polesi Luiza Giacomolli , Goeten Daniela , Fraga Hugo Pacheco de Freitas , Steiner Neusa , Guerra Miguel Pedro
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to establish a cryopreservation protocol for G. chacoensis embryogenic cultures (ECs) and to investigate the role of antioxidant enzymes activities during cryopreservation. The growth dynamics of cell suspensions were also investigated, followed by a phytotoxicity test to assess the ECs’ ability to tolerate the use of cryoprotective solutions for different incubation times (0, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min). We evaluated the EC redox state in three steps of cryopreservation: after incubation in cryoprotection solution, after thawing, and 60 days after regrowth. Our results showed that the ECs support the use of cryoprotective solution until 120 min, showing phytotoxic effects with 240 min of incubation. This study reports a 100% survival of the cultures and a 10% increase ratio in fresh material for both incubation times tested (60 and 120 min). Increased malonaldehyde content was identified after incubation in the cryoprotective solution. An increase in the activities of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase was also identified in the subsequent steps, suggesting that the activation of antioxidant enzymes is essential for maintaining cell homeostasis during cryopreservation.
Investigation of Carbon Fibres Reclamation by Pyrolysis Process for Their Reuse Potential
Authors: Termine Stefania , Naxaki Valentina , Semitekolos Dionisis , Trompeta Aikaterini-Flora , Rovere Massimo , Tagliaferro Alberto , Charitidis Costas
Published: February 2023

During Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) manufacturing, large quantities of scrap are being produced and usually disposed to landfill or incinerated, resulting in a high environmental impact. Furthermore, CFRP parts that have been damaged or reached their end-of-life, follow the same disposal route and because of this, not only the environment is affected, but also high added-value materials, such as carbon fibres (CFs) are lost without further valorisation. Several recycling technologies have been suggested, such as pyrolysis, to retrieve the CF reinforcement from the CFRPs. However, pyrolysis produces CFs that have residual resin and pyrolytic carbon at their surface. In order to retrieve clean long fibres, oxidation treatment in high temperatures is required. The oxidation treatment, however, has a high impact on the mechanical properties of the reclaimed CFs; therefore, an optimised pyrolysis procedure of CFRPs and post-pyrolysis treatment of reclaimed fibres (rCFs) is required. In this study, CFRPs have been subjected to pyrolysis to investigate the reclamation of CF fabrics in their primal form. The temperature of 550 °C was selected as the optimum processing temperature for the investigated composites. A parametric study on the post-pyrolysis treatment was performed in order to remove the residues from the fabrics and at the same time to investigate the CFs reusability, in terms of their mechanical and surface properties.
Assessment of fib Bulletin 90 Design Provisions for Intermediate Crack Debonding in Flexural Concrete Elements Strengthened with Externally Bonded FRP
Authors: Codina Alba , Barris Cristina , Jahani Younes , Baena Marta , Torres Lluís
Published: February 2023

With the assessment of intermediate crack debonding (ICD) being a subject of main importance in the design of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened in flexure with externally bonded fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP), several approaches to predict the debonding loads have been developed in recent decades considering different models and strategies. This study presents an analysis of formulations with different levels of approximation collected in the fib Bulletin 90 regarding this failure mode, comparing the theoretical predictions with experimental results. The carried-out experiments consisted of three RC beams strengthened with carbon FRP (CFRP) tested under a four-point bending configuration with different concrete strengths and internal steel reinforcement ratios. With failure after steel yielding, higher concrete strength, as well as a higher reinforcement ratio, lead to a higher bending capacity. In addition, the performance of the models is assessed through the experimental-to-predicted failure load ratios from an experimental database of 65 RC beams strengthened with CFRP gathered from the literature. The results of the comparative study show that the intermediate crack debonding failure mode is well predicted by all models with a mean experimental-to-predicted failure load ratio between 0.96 and 1.10 in beams tested under three- or four-point bending configurations.
Effect of Manufacture-Induced Interfaces on the Tensile Properties of 3D Printed Polyamide and Short Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polyamide Composites
Authors: Hou Yingwei , Panesar Ajit
Published: February 2023

This study aims to elucidate the structure–property–process relationship of 3D printed polyamide and short carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide composites. The macroscopic properties (tensile modulus) of the 3D printed samples are quantitatively correlated to the printing process-induced intrinsic microstructure with multiple interfaces. The samples were printed with different layer thicknesses (0.1, 0.125 and 0.2 mm) to obtain the varied number of interface densities (number of interfaces per unit sample thickness). The result shows that the printed short carbon fibre-reinforced polyamide composites had inferior partially bonded interfaces compared to the printed polyamide, and consequently exhibited interface-dependent elastic performance. The tensile modulus of 3 mm thick composites decreased up to 18% as a function of interface density, whilst the other influencing aspects including porosity, crystallinity and fibre volume fraction (9%) were the same. Injection moulding was also employed to fabricate samples without induced interfaces, and their tensile properties were used as a benchmark. Predictions based on the shear-lag model were in close agreement (<5%) with the experimental data for the injection-moulded composites, whereas the tensile modulus of the printed composites was up to 38% lower than the predicted modulus due to the partial bonded interfaces.
Exploring the Surface Potential of Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate Composite Supports on the Collagen Contamination Level
Authors: Epure Elena-Luiza , Cojocaru Florina Daniela , Aradoaei Mihaela , Ciobanu Romeo Cristian , Dodi Gianina
Published: February 2023

With a significant number of features (namely being multipurpose, inexpensive and durable), thermoplastic polymers, most often named plastics, are part of our daily routine, with an increasing production over the last decade. Among them, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are distinguished as the five most commonly used plastics in various fields, mainly in the packaging industry. Even if it is difficult to imagine the world without plastics, the boosted plastic assembly comes with huge plastic waste, creating a number of challenges, as the most important threat for our environment, but also opportunities for recycling. Currently, a special attention is dedicated on how to improve the current recycling methods or to find new ones, since the quality of recycled plastics and potential chemical or biological contaminations are two problematic aspects. Understanding the properties of each thermoplastic polymer and the interaction with possible contaminants may be the key for an efficient recycling process. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the surface behaviour of different composite supports based on recycled PET before and after interaction with collagen (used as a biological contaminant). The surface contamination bias of PET supports was studied through different techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water uptake through swelling studies, contact angle measurements and attenuated total reflection–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).
Detection of Limbal Stem Cells Adhered to Melt Electrospun Silk Fibroin and Gelatin-Modified Polylactic Acid Scaffolds
Authors: Zdraveva Emilija , Bendelja Krešo , Bočkor Luka , Dolenec Tamara , Mijović Budimir
Published: February 2023

Limbal stem cells (LSCs) are of paramount importance in corneal epithelial tissue repair. The cornea becomes opaque in case of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), which may cause serious damage to the ocular visual function. There are many techniques to restore damaged epithelium, one of which is the transplantation of healthy cultured LSCs, usually onto a human amniotic membrane or onto bio-based engineered scaffolds in recent years. In this study, melt electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) was modified by silk fibroin or gelatin and further cultured with LSCs originating from three different donors. In terms of physicochemical properties, both modifications slightly increased PLA scaffold porosity (with a significantly larger pore area for the PLA/gelatin) and improved the scaffolds’ swelling percentage, as well as their biodegradation rate. In terms of the scaffold application function, the aim was to detect/visualize whether LSCs adhered to the scaffolds and to further determine cell viability (total number), as well as to observe p63 and CK3 expressions in the LSCs. LSCs were attached to the surface of microfibers, showing flattened conformations or 3D spheres in the formation of colonies or agglomerations, respectively. All scaffolds showed the ability to bind the cells onto the surface of individual microfibers (PLA and PLA/gelatin), or in between the microfibers (PLA/silk fibroin), with the latter showing the most intense red fluorescence of the stained cells. All scaffolds proved to be biocompatible, while the PLA/silk fibroin scaffolds showed the highest 98% viability of 2.9 × 106 LSCs, with more than 98% of p63 and less than 20% of CK3 expressions in the LSCs, thus confirming the support of their growth, proliferation and corneal epithelial differentiation. The results show the potential of these bio-engineered scaffolds to be used as an alternative clinical approach.
Study on the Mechanical Properties and Energy Absorbing Capability of Polyurethane Microcellular Elastomers under Different Compressive Strain Rates
Authors: Zhao Zhiying , Li Xiaodong , Jiang Hao , Su Xing , Zhang Xudong , Zou Meishuai
Published: February 2023

Polyurethane microcellular elastomers (PUME) are good at impact protection and energy absorption, and belong to rate sensitive- and strain history-dependent materials. In this study, PUME with different densities of 800 kg/m3, 600 kg/m3 and 400 kg/m3 were prepared, then the compressive responses of PUME in the strain rate range of 0.001 s−1 to 3400 s−1 were systemically investigated. By studying the energy absorption and efficiency diagram of PUME, the compressive properties of materials with different densities under compressive impact load were described, which showed that PUME with a density of 600 kg/m3 had better performance. A visco–hyperelasticity–air constitutive model was established to describe the large deformation response of PUME at high strain rates. The model included three components: hyperelastic part, viscoelastic part and gas pressure part. Quasi-static and dynamic compression tests were used to determine the constitutive relations of seven parameters. The samples with a density of 600 kg/m3 at different strain rates were fitted by MATLAB software, and the constitutive model parameters were obtained. The comparison between the constitutive equation and the experimental results showed that there was a good consistency. The constitutive model can provide data support for simulation analysis and application of PUME as energy absorbing protective facilities.
Correction: Xu et al. Preparation of Long-Term Antibacterial SiO2-Cinnamaldehyde Microcapsule via Sol–Gel Approach as a Functional Additive for PBAT Film. Processes 2020, 8, 897
Authors: Xu Yangfan , Huang Chongxing , Dang Xiujie , Khan Muhammad Rafiullah , Huang Haohe , Zhao Yuan , Wang Shuangfei
Published: February 2023

In the original publication [...]
Coupling of Anammox Activity and PAH Biodegradation: Current Insights and Future Directions
Authors: Bianco Francesco , Ali Saeed Al-Gheethi Adel , Race Marco
Published: February 2023

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has shown success in past years for the treatment of municipal and industrial wastewater containing inorganic nutrients (i.e., nitrogen). However, the increase in polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated matrices calls for new strategies for efficient and environmentally sustainable remediation. Therefore, the present review examined the literature on the connection between the anammox process and PAHs using VOSviewer to shed light on the mechanisms involved during PAH biodegradation and the key factors affecting anammox bacteria. The scientific literature thoroughly discussed here shows that PAHs can be involved in nitrogen removal by acting as electron donors, and their presence does not adversely affect the anammox bacteria. Anammox activity can be improved by regulating the operating parameters (e.g., organic load, dissolved oxygen, carbon-to-nitrogen ratio) and external supplementation (i.e., calcium nitrate) that promote changes in the microbial community (e.g., Candidatus Jettenia), favoring PAH degradation. The onset of a synergistic dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and partial denitrification can be beneficial for PAH and nitrogen removal.
Experimental Study on Optimizing Steam Solvent Co-Injection Process in Akan Carbonate Oilfield
Authors: Suwaid Muneer A. , Minkhanov Ilgiz F. , Varfolomeev Mikhail A. , Al-Muntaser Ameen A. , Bolotov Alexander V. , Djimasbe Richard , Saeed Shadi A. , Emelianov Dmitrii A. , Khairtdinov Ruslan K. , Sattarov Aidar I. , Khelkhal Mohammed Amine
Published: February 2023

Steam solvent co-injection processes are generating considerable interest in terms of improving heavy oil upgrading in unconventional reservoirs. The characteristics of the opted solvents in the field have not been dealt with in depth. This paper presents a study on selecting the most optimal solvent for the Akan oilfield enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The first step in this work consisted of determining the Akan oil field viscosity, through an elemental and SARA analyses. Next, a set of physical and chemical methods was used to understand the mechanism of solvents’ effect on oil viscosity dynamics. The compositions of the used solvents were analyzed by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometer system equipped with a mass selective detector ISQ (USA). The evidence from the present study suggests that toluene and o-xylene are the most optimal solvents for enhancing the Akan oil recovery and reducing its viscosity. The obtained data demonstrated a higher efficiency of the used solvents on the oil viscosity reduction where the maximum oil viscosity reduction was observed in the presence of toluene, which led to a value of 178.1 mPa.s. Moreover, the obtained results reported that the solvent co-injection process efficiency increases gradually depending on the chemical composition of the used solvent, as witnessed by the obtained oil recovery factor (RF) values. It has been found that the oil recovery factor values during the capillary soaking in the presence of water was equal to 20%, in the presence of o-xylene it was equal to 61%, and in the presence of toluene, it was equal to 69%. Likewise, a similar efficiency behavior has been demonstrated during filtration experiments where water led to a 26% recovery factor, o-xylene to 69%, and toluene to 78%, meanwhile the solvent slug led to 65%. The results of this study would seem to suggest that the viscosity of the investigated oil decreases in the presence of aromatic solvents, such as toluene and o-xylene, as witnessed by the recovery factors they demonstrated. A consequence of these changes is the possibility that aromatic solvent molecules tend to separate the asphaltene layers and reduce the overlap between large asphaltene macromolecules, which leads to the dissociation of asphaltene aggregates.
Special Issue: Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
Authors: Einarsrud Kristian Etienne , Loomba Varun , Olsen Jan Erik
Published: February 2023

Many industrial and manufacturing processes exhibit complex and coupled fluid flow phenomena [...]
An Investigation on Gel-State Electrolytes for Solar Cells Sensitized with β-Substituted Porphyrinic Dyes
Authors: Sangiorgi Nicola , Sangiorgi Alex , Sanson Alessandra , Licchelli Maurizio , Orbelli Biroli Alessio
Published: February 2023

The presence of a liquid electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is known to limit the time stability of these devices due to leakage and evaporation phenomena. To overcome this issue, gel-state electrolytes may represent a good solution in order to maintain stability and good performances, albeit at lower costs. In the present work, two different kinds of gel-electrolytes, based on poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and nanoclay agents, were investigated in DSSC-devices sensitized using β-substituted Zn-porphyrins (namely ZnPC4 and ZnPC12) with enveloping alkoxy chains of different lengths, able to produce a coverage of the photoanode surface. The highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) values equal to 1.06 ± 0.04% and 1.55 ± 0.26% were obtained for ZnPC12 (with longer alkoxy chains) with PMMA- and nanoclay-based electrolytes respectively. The properties of the photoanode/electrolyte interface as well as the influence of the gelling agents on the final properties of the obtained devices were thoroughly characterized.
A Social Psychological Critique on Islamic Feminism
Authors: Bakhshizadeh Marziyeh
Published: February 2023

Islamic feminism, as a discourse within feminism, aims to re-read the Qur’an from a modern egalitarian perspective, which is outside the traditional and patriarchal interpretation of Islam. Islamic feminists reclaim an ethical vision of the Qur’an by presenting a reinterpretation, especially regarding verses that deprive women from having equal rights in the family, as well as in society. However, while Islamic feminism presents a gender equal interpretation of the Qur’an and raises new discourses and debates on gender relations in an Islamic context, a critical insight of Islamic feminism can provide a new gender and religious consciousness that, in turn, develops further perspectives on gender equality in a religious context. This paper aims to provide a critique of Islamic feminism from a social psychological perspective of gender using the theory of Abdulkarim Soroush. His theory considers revelation as the prophet’s word resulting from his religious experience. Soroush defines revelation as an inspiration; in this way, revelation or Qur’an is not directly God’s word, but Muhammad’s word resulting from a divine experience. Accordingly, this paper deals with a social psychological perspective of the lived experience of the prophet as a man in a certain epoch of history, in which the lived experiences of women were not represented, and the revelation or the Qur’an is based on a male lived experience. It begins with an overview of Islamic feminists as well as the more general current of Islamic reformists and their efforts to view the revelation as the word of the prophet in order to avoid attributing the non-scientific content of the Qur’an to the direct word of God. This is followed by a critique of Islamic feminism based on Abdulkarim Soroush’s theory of the recognition of the revelation as the word of the prophet, as well as gender theories from the field of social psychology.
Cruelty against Leniency: The Case of Imperial Zoroastrian Criminal Law
Authors: Jany Janos
Published: February 2023

The article examines the impact of Zoroastrianism on criminal law and legal theory during the reign of the Sasanian dynasty (224–651 C.E) in late Antique Persia. This was the historic period when Zoroastrianism was also the ideology of the Iranian state, which granted the Zoroastrian church extraordinary power and influence, a unique situation which is termed by the author as ‘imperial Zoroastrianism’. The first part of the paper examines how imperial Zoroastrianism evolved from previous understanding of religion and law. The second part of the paper scrutinises the Zoroastrian understanding of wrong in the light of eschatology and cosmology, and the ethical principles that follow from this very particular world view. Next, an individual section is devoted to the criminal theory of Zoroastrianism, which regards criminal punishment not as a punishment but as a means to save the soul of the offender from sufferings in Hell. With such an underlying principle in mind, the text looks for examples of cruelty and leniency in substantive criminal law and criminal procedure. This main body of the article examines contemporary legal sources and apocalyptic works. Finally, a comparison of Hindu and Islamic criminal legal theory follows the description of the Zoroastrian criminal law, highlighting astonishing similarities. Considering the results of both the analytic and the comparative methods, the author comes to the conclusion that it is not religion in itself that suppresses crimes, but rather their eschatology and cosmology: religions that are based on divine justice are less lenient toward crimes and offenders than religions in which alternative concepts like divine grace or non-violence are also operative.
A Case of Sex Discordant Dichorionic Diamniotic Twins after Single Embryo Transfer and the Importance of Zygosity Testing
Authors: Vatti Thanvi , Coyne Kathryn , Kim Sung Tae , Findley Joseph , Flyckt Rebecca , Weinerman Rachel
Published: February 2023

Single embryo transfer (SET) is a technique used in assisted reproductive treatment (ART) that is used to promote singleton pregnancies. To date, there are five reported cases of dizygotic twin pregnancies with mothers who underwent SET. Here, we present a sixth case of a dichorionic, diamniotic twin pregnancy with sex discordance. The patient is a 34-year-old woman with unexplained secondary infertility who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and frozen-thawed embryo transfer from a SET. The ultrasonographic images from the first and second trimester scans identified dichorionic, diamniotic twin gestations. The delivery was full term and postnatal genetic testing confirmed 46, XX, and 46, XY offspring. Pathology reports of the placental and membrane findings reported diamniotic, dichorionic twins. There was no zygosity testing conducted, thus it is unknown if the twins are monozygotic or dizygotic. Two possible etiologies for sex-discordant twins, in this case, are concurrent natural conception via breakthrough ovulation at the time of SET, or discordant postzygotic nondisjunction of a single embryo. Multiple gestations may still occur in the setting of SET and zygosity testing in these instances would better elucidate our understanding of this occurrence. Moreover, improved data on the zygosity of multiple gestations following SET may enhance patient counseling.
Urate-Lowering Therapy Use among US Adults with Gout and the Relationship between Patients’ Gout Treatment Status and Associated Comorbidities
Authors: Ortiz-Uriarte Marcos , Betancourt-Gaztambide Jeanlouis , Perez Alexandra , Roman Youssef M.
Published: February 2023

Gout is one of the most common inflammatory conditions with a growing global prevalence. Individuals with gout are at higher risk of developing chronic conditions, such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, the association between urate-lowering therapy (ULT) use and the prevalence of these conditions was evaluated. This observational cross-sectional pharmacoepidemiologic study used the 2013–2018 biannual cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The inclusion criteria were adults that were 30 years of age or older that had a diagnosis of gout. The association between patients’ ULT treatment status and dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease was evaluated as well as its association with select clinical laboratory biomarkers. The prevalence of ULT use was 28.9% (95% CI 24.3–33.9%). Those receiving ULT had a higher prevalence of CKD diagnoses, of a college graduate or higher and of health insurance coverage, and they were older obese males. There was no significant association between ULT use and the prevalence of heart failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, or dyslipidemia (p > 0.05). Those receiving ULT had lower high-sensitivity c-reactive protein levels compared to those who were not on treatment (4.74 versus 7.21 mg/L, p = 0.044). LDL and total cholesterol were significantly lower among those receiving ULT treatment (p < 0.05). ULT use continues to be low among US individuals diagnosed with gout. Socioeconomic factors may influence patients’ ULT treatment status. Also, gout risk factors, including obesity, male sex, and CKD, are associated with receiving ULT. While our findings may have reflected the guideline recommendations for ULT use in CKD patients, worsening kidney functions while receiving ULT is unlikely. Gout patients receiving ULT may garner added health benefits beyond lower urate levels. Further research is necessary to determine the long-term impact of ULTs on lipid fractions, kidney functions, and other cardiovascular biomarkers.
Accuracy Analysis and Appropriate Strategy for Determining Dynamic and Quasi-Static Bridge Structural Response Using Simultaneous Measurements with Two Real Aperture Ground-Based Radars
Authors: Talich Milan , Havrlant Jan , Soukup Lubomír , Plachý Tomáš , Polák Michal , Antoš Filip , Ryjáček Pavel , Stančík Vojtěch
Published: February 2023

Over the past 10 years, ground-based radar interferometry has become a frequently used technology for determining dynamic deflections of bridge structures induced by vehicle passages. When measuring with only one radar device, the so-called Interpretation Error (EI) considerably rises. When using two radars, it is possible to simultaneously determine, for example, vertical and longitudinal displacements and to eliminate the Interpretation Error. The aim of the article is to establish a suitable strategy for determining dynamic and quasi-static response of bridge structures based on the accuracy analysis of measurement by two radars. The necessary theory for displacements determination by means of two radar devices is presented. This is followed by an analysis of errors when measuring with only one radar. For the first time in the literature, mathematical formulas are derived here for determining the accuracy of the resulting displacements by simultaneous measurement with two radars. The practical examples of bridge structures displacements determination by measuring with two radar devices in the field are presented. The key contribution of the paper is the possibility to estimate and plan in advance the achievable accuracy of the resulting displacements for the given radar configurations in relation to the bridge structure.
An Integrated Multi-Factor Coupling Approach for Marine Dynamic Disaster Assessment in China’s Coastal Waters
Authors: Zhou Lin , Sun Meng , Liu Yueming , Yang Yongzeng , Su Tianyun , Jia Zhen
Published: February 2023

Marine dynamic disasters, such as storm surges and huge waves, can cause large economic and human losses. The assessment of marine dynamic disasters is, thus, important, but improvements to its reliability are needed. The current study improved and integrated the assessment from the perspective of multi-factor coupling. Using a weighted index system, a marine dynamic disaster assessment indicator system suitable for China’s coastal waters was established, and a method for calculating the weight of disaster indicators was proposed from the perspective of rapid assessment. To reduce the assessment deviation in coastal waters, a multi-factor coupling algorithm was proposed. This algorithm obtained amplitude variations of wave orbital motion in horizontal and vertical directions, which was used to evaluate the influence of background current and terrain slope on coastal ocean waves. Landsat 8 remote sensing images were used to carry out an object-oriented extraction of raft and cage aquaculture areas in China’s coastal waters. The aquaculture density was then used as the main basis for a vulnerability assessment. Finally, the whole assessment system was integrated and verified during a typical storm surge process in coastal waters around the Shandong Peninsula in China. The coupled variations were also added to the assessment process and increased the risk value by an average of 12% in the High Sea States of the case study.
Urbanization Trends Analysis Using Hybrid Modeling of Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process-Cellular Automata-Markov Chain and Investigating Its Impact on Land Surface Temperature over Gharbia City, Egypt
Authors: Mostafa Eman , Li Xuxiang , Sadek Mohammed
Published: February 2023

Quick population increase and the desire for urbanization are the main drivers for accelerating urban expansion on agricultural lands in Egypt. This issue is obvious in governorates with no desert backyards. This study aims to (1) explore the trend of Land Use Land Cover Change (LULCC) through the period of 1991–2018; (2) upgrade the reliability of predicting LULCC by integrating the Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov chain and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP); and (3) perform analysis of urbanization risk on LST trends over the Gharbia governorate for the decision makers to implement effective strategies for sustainable land use. Multi-temporal Landsat images were used to monitor LULCC dynamics from 1991 to 2018 and then simulate LULCC in 2033 and 2048. Two comparable models were adopted for the simulation of spatiotemporal dynamics of land use in the study area: CA-Markov chain and FAHP-CA-Markov chain hybrid models. The second model upgrades the potential of the CA-Markov chain for prediction by its integration with FAHP, which can determine the locations of high potential to be urbanized. The outcomes stated a significant LULCC in Gharbia during the study period—specifically, urban sprawl on agricultural land, and this trend is predicted to carry on. The agricultural sector represented 91.2% in 1991 and reduced to 83.7% in 2018. The built-up area is almost doubled by 2048 with respect to 2018. The regression analysis revealed the LST increase due to urbanization, causing an urban heat island phenomenon. Criteria-based analysis reveals the district’s vulnerability to rapid urbanization, which is efficient for data-gap zones. The simulation results make sense since the FAHP-CA-Markov simulated the LULCC in a thoughtful way, considering the driving forces of LULCC, while the CA-Markov chain results were relatively random. Therefore, the FAHP-CA-Markov chain is the pioneer to be relied upon for future projection. The findings of this work provide a better understanding of LULCC trends over the years supporting decision makers toward sustainable land use. Thus, further urbanization should be planned to avert the loss of agricultural land and uninterrupted increasing temperatures.
Very High Resolution Automotive SAR Imaging from Burst Data
Authors: Polisano Mattia Giovanni , Manzoni Marco , Tebaldini Stefano , Monti-Guarnieri Andrea , Prati Claudio Maria , Russo Ivan
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes a method for efficient and accurate removal of grating lobes in automotive Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images. Grating lobes can indeed be mistaken as real targets, inducing in this way false alarms in the target detection procedure. Grating lobes are present whenever SAR focusing is performed using data acquired on a non-continuous basis. This kind of acquisition is typical in the automotive scenario, where regulations do not allow for a continuous operation of the radar. Radar pulses are thus transmitted and received in bursts, leading to a spectrum of the signal containing gaps. We start by deriving a suitable reference frame in which SAR images are focused. It will be shown that working in this coordinate system is particularly convenient since it allows for a signal spectrum that is space-invariant and with spectral gaps described by a simple one-dimensional function. After an inter-burst calibration step, we exploit these spectral characteristics of the signal by implementing a compressive sensing algorithm aimed at removing grating lobes. The proposed approach is validated using real data acquired by an eight-channel automotive radar operating in burst mode at 77 GHz. Results demonstrate the practical possibility to process a synthetic aperture length as long as up to 2 m reaching in this way extremely fine angular resolutions.
Coupling Flank Collapse and Magma Dynamics on Stratovolcanoes: The Mt. Etna Example from InSAR and GNSS Observations
Authors: Pezzo Giuseppe , Palano Mimmo , Beccaro Lisa , Tolomei Cristiano , Albano Matteo , Atzori Simone , Chiarabba Claudio
Published: February 2023

Volcano ground deformation is a tricky puzzle in which different phenomena contribute to the surface displacements with different spatial–temporal patterns. We documented some high variable deformation patterns in response to the different volcanic and seismic activities occurring at Mt. Etna through the January 2015–March 2021 period by exploiting an extensive dataset of GNSS and InSAR observations. The most spectacular pattern is the superfast seaward motion of the eastern flank. We also observed that rare flank motion reversal indicates that the short-term contraction of the volcano occasionally overcomes the gravity-controlled sliding of the eastern flank. Conversely, fast dike intrusion led to the acceleration of the sliding flank, which could potentially evolve into sudden collapses, fault creep, and seismic release, increasing the hazard. A better comprehension of these interactions can be of relevance for addressing short-term scenarios, yielding a tentative forecasting of the quantity of magma accumulating within the plumbing system.
Construction of a Database of Pi-SAR2 Observation Data by Calibration and Scattering Power Decomposition Using the ABCI
Authors: Arima Yuya , Moriyama Toshifumi , Yamaguchi Yoshio , Nakamura Ryosuke , Tsutsumi Chiaki , Kojima Shoichiro
Published: February 2023

Pi-SAR2 is an airborne polarimetric synthetic aperture radar operated by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. The polarimetric observation data of Pi-SAR2 are very valuable because of its high resolution, but it cannot be used effectively because the data are not well calibrated with respect to elevation. Therefore, we have calibrated the data according to the observation conditions. The Pi-SAR2 observation data are very large due to its high resolution and require sufficient computational resources to be calibrated. We utilized the AI Bridging Cloud Infrastructure (ABCI), constructed and operated by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, to calculate them. This paper reports on the calibration, scattering power decomposition, and orthorectification of the Pi-SAR2 observation data using the ABCI.
Evaluation of Sea Surface Wind Products from Scatterometer Onboard the Chinese HY-2D Satellite
Authors: Yang Sheng , Zhang Lu , Lin Mingsen , Zou Juhong , Mu Bo , Peng Hailong
Published: February 2023

The Chinese new marine dynamic environment satellite HY-2D was launched on 19 May 2021, carrying a Ku-band scatterometer (named HSCAT-D). In this study, wind products observed by the HSCAT-D were validated by comparing with wind data from the U.S. National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model. The statistical results show that the HSCAT-D winds have a good agreement with the buoys’ wind measurements: in comparison with buoy winds, the wind speed standard deviation (STD) and root-mean-squared errors (RMSE) of direction were 0.78 m/s and 14.10°, respectively. Other scatterometers’ wind data are also employed for comparisons, including the HY-2B scatterometer (HSCAT-B), HY-2C scatterometer (HSCAT-C), and MetOp-B scatterometer (ASCAT-B) winds. The statistical results indicate that errors for HSCAT-D winds are smaller than HSCAT-C but a little bit larger than HSCAT-B. The spectral analysis shows that the HSCAT-D wind products contain less small-scale information than ASCAT-B. Moreover, the Extended Triple Collocation (ETC) results show that the HSCAT-D wind product is of good quality and well-calibrated. We believe that the HSCAT-D wind products will be helpful for the scientific community, as shown by the encouraging validation results.
An Object-Oriented Method for Extracting Single-Object Aquaculture Ponds from 10 m Resolution Sentinel-2 Images on Google Earth Engine
Authors: Li Boyi , Gong Adu , Chen Zikun , Pan Xiang , Li Lingling , Li Jinglin , Bao Wenxuan
Published: February 2023

Aquaculture plays a key role in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while it is difficult to accurately extract single-object aquaculture ponds (SOAPs) from medium-resolution remote sensing images (Mr-RSIs). Due to the limited spatial resolutions of Mr-RSIs, most studies have aimed to obtain aquaculture areas rather than SOAPs. This study proposed an object-oriented method for extracting SOAPs. We developed an iterative algorithm combining grayscale morphology and edge detection to segment water bodies and proposed a segmentation degree detection approach to select and edit potential SOAPs. Then a classification decision tree combining aquaculture knowledge about morphological, spectral, and spatial characteristics of SOAPs was constructed for object filter. We selected a 707.26 km2 study region in Sri Lanka and realized our method on Google Earth Engine (GEE). A 25.11 km2 plot was chosen for verification, where 433 SOAPs were manually labeled from 0.5 m high-resolution RSIs. The results showed that our method could extract SOAPs with high accuracy. The relative error of total areas between extracted result and the labeled dataset was 1.13%. The MIoU of the proposed method was 0.6965, representing an improvement of between 0.1925 and 0.3268 over the comparative segmentation algorithms provided by GEE. The proposed method provides an available solution for extracting SOAPs over a large region and shows high spatiotemporal transferability and potential for identifying other objects.
Novel Corrugated Long Period Grating Surface Balloon-Shaped Heterocore-Structured Plastic Optical Fibre Sensor for Microalgal Bioethanol Production
Authors: Memon Sanober Farheen , Wang Ruoning , Strunz Bob , Chowdhry Bhawani Shankar , Pembroke J. Tony , Lewis Elfed
Published: February 2023

A novel long period grating (LPG) inscribed balloon-shaped heterocore-structured plastic optical fibre (POF) sensor is described and experimentally demonstrated for real-time measurement of the ultra-low concentrations of ethanol in microalgal bioethanol production applications. The heterocore structure is established by coupling a 250 μm core diameter POF between two 1000 μm diameter POFs, thus representing a large core—small core—large core configuration. Before coupling as a heterocore structure, the sensing region or small core fibre (SCF; i.e., 250 μm POF) is modified by polishing, LPG inscription, and macro bending into a balloon shape to enhance the sensitivity of the sensor. The sensor was characterized for ethanol–water solutions in the ethanol concentration ranges of 20 to 80 %v/v, 1 to 10 %v/v, 0.1 to 1 %v/v, and 0.00633 to 0.0633 %v/v demonstrating a maximum sensitivity of 3 × 106 %/RIU, a resolution of 7.9 × 10−6 RIU, and a limit of detection (LOD) of 9.7 × 10−6 RIU. The experimental results are included for the intended application of bioethanol production using microalgae. The characterization was performed in the ultra-low-level ethanol concentration range, i.e., 0.00633 to 0.03165 %v/v, that is present in real culturing and production conditions, e.g., ethanol-producing blue-green microalgae mixtures. The sensor demonstrated a maximum sensitivity of 210,632.8 %T/%v/v (or 5 × 106 %/RIU as referenced from the RI values of ethanol–water solutions), resolution of 2 × 10−4%v/v (or 9.4 × 10−6 RIU), and LOD of 4.9 × 10−4%v/v (or 2.3 × 10−5 RIU). Additionally, the response and recovery times of the sensor were investigated in the case of measurement in the air and the ethanol-microalgae mixtures. The experimentally verified, extremely high sensitivity and resolution and very low LOD corresponding to the initial rate of bioethanol production using microalgae of this sensor design, combined with ease of fabrication, low cost, and wide measurement range, makes it a promising candidate to be incorporated into the bioethanol production industry as a real-time sensing solution as well as in other ethanol sensing and/or RI sensing applications.
Design and Fabrication of a Flexible Gravimetric Sensor Based on a Thin-Film Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonator
Authors: Niro Giovanni , Marasco Ilaria , Rizzi Francesco , D’Orazio Antonella , Grande Marco , De Vittorio Massimo
Published: February 2023

Sensing systems are becoming less and less invasive. In this context, flexible materials offer new opportunities that are impossible to achieve with bulky and rigid chips. Standard silicon sensors cannot be adapted to curved shapes and are susceptible to big deformations, thus discouraging their use in wearable applications. Another step forward toward minimising the impacts of the sensors can be to avoid the use of cables and connectors by exploiting wireless transmissions at ultra-high frequencies (UHFs). Thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBARs) represent the most promising choice among all of the piezoelectric microelectromechanical system (MEMS) resonators for the climbing of radio frequencies. Accordingly, the fabrication of FBARs on flexible and wearable substrates represents a strategic step toward obtaining a new generation of highly sensitive wireless sensors. In this work, we propose the design and fabrication of a flexible gravimetric sensor based on an FBAR on a polymeric substrate. The resonator presents one of the highest electromechanical coupling factors in the category of flexible AlN-based FBARs, equal to 6%. Moreover, thanks to the polymeric support layer, the presence of membranes can be avoided, which leads to a faster and cheaper fabrication process and higher robustness of the structure. The mass sensitivity of the device was evaluated, obtaining a promising value of 23.31 ppm/pg. We strongly believe that these results can pave the way to a new class of wearable MEMS sensors that exploit ultra-high-frequency (UHF) transmissions.
Health to Eat: A Smart Plate with Food Recognition, Classification, and Weight Measurement for Type-2 Diabetic Mellitus Patients’ Nutrition Control
Authors: Joshua Salaki Reynaldo , Shin Seungheon , Lee Je-Hoon , Kim Seong Kun
Published: February 2023

The management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is generally not only focused on pharmacological therapy. Medical nutrition therapy is often forgotten by patients for several reasons, such as difficulty determining the right nutritional pattern for themselves, regulating their daily nutritional patterns, or even not heeding nutritional diet recommendations given by doctors. Management of nutritional therapy is one of the important efforts that can be made by diabetic patients to prevent an increase in the complexity of the disease. Setting a diet with proper nutrition will help patients manage a healthy diet. The development of Smart Plate Health to Eat is a technological innovation that helps patients and users know the type of food, weight, and nutrients contained in certain foods. This study involved 50 types of food with a total of 30,800 foods using the YOLOv5s algorithm, where the identification, measurement of weight, and nutrition of food were investigated using a Chenbo load cell weight sensor (1 kg), an HX711 weight weighing A/D module pressure sensor, and an IMX219-160 camera module (waveshare). The results of this study showed good identification accuracy in the analysis of four types of food: rice (58%), braised quail eggs in soy sauce (60%), spicy beef soup (62%), and dried radish (31%), with accuracy for weight and nutrition (100%).