bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Electron Temperature in the Topside Ionosphere as Seen by Swarm Satellites, Incoherent Scatter Radars, and the International Reference Ionosphere Model
Authors: Pignalberi Alessio , Giannattasio Fabio , Truhlik Vladimir , Coco Igino , Pezzopane Michael , Consolini Giuseppe , De Michelis Paola , Tozzi Roberta
Published: October 2021

The global statistical median behavior of the electron temperature (Te) in the topside ionosphere was investigated through in-situ data collected by Langmuir Probes on-board the European Space Agency Swarm satellites constellation from the beginning of 2014 to the end of 2020. This is the first time that such an analysis, based on such a large time window, has been carried out globally, encompassing more than half a solar cycle, from the activity peak of 2014 to the minimum of 2020. The results show that Swarm data can help in understanding the main features of Te in the topside ionosphere in a way never achieved before. Te data measured by Swarm satellites were also compared to data modeled by the empirical climatological International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model and data measured by Jicamarca (12.0°S, 76.8°W), Arecibo (18.2°N, 66.4°W), and Millstone Hill (42.6°N, 71.5°W) Incoherent Scatter Radars (ISRs). Moreover, the correction of Swarm Te data recently proposed by Lomidze was applied and evaluated. These analyses were performed for two main reasons: (1) to understand how the IRI model deviates from the measurements; and (2) to test the reliability of the Swarm dataset as a new possible dataset to be included in the underlying empirical dataset layer of the IRI model. The results show that the application of the Lomidze correction improved the agreement with ISR data above all at mid latitudes and during daytime, and it was effective in reducing the mismatch between Swarm and IRI Te values. This suggests that future developments of the IRI Te model should include the Swarm dataset with the Lomidze correction. However, the existence of a quasi-linear relation between measured and modeled Te values was well verified only below about 2200 K, while for higher values it was completely lost. This is an important result that IRI Te model developers should properly consider when using the Swarm dataset.
Scale-Adaptive Adversarial Patch Attack for Remote Sensing Image Aircraft Detection
Authors: Lu Mingming , Li Qi , Chen Li , Li Haifeng
Published: October 2021

With the adversarial attack of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), we are able to generate adversarial patches to make an aircraft undetectable by object detectors instead of covering the aircraft with large camouflage nets. However, aircraft in remote sensing images (RSIs) have the problem of large variations in scale, which can easily cause size mismatches between an adversarial patch and an aircraft. A small adversarial patch has no attack effect on large aircraft, and a large adversarial patch will completely cover small aircraft so that it is impossible to judge whether the adversarial patch has an attack effect. Therefore, we propose the adversarial attack method Patch-Noobj for the problem of large-scale variation in aircraft in RSIs. Patch-Noobj adaptively scales the width and height of the adversarial patch according to the size of the attacked aircraft and generates a universal adversarial patch that can attack aircraft of different sizes. In the experiment, we use the YOLOv3 detector to verify the effectiveness of Patch-Noobj on multiple datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our universal adversarial patches are well adapted to aircraft of different sizes on multiple datasets and effectively reduce the Average Precision (AP) of the YOLOv3 detector on the DOTA, NWPU VHR-10, and RSOD datasets by 48.2%, 23.9%, and 20.2%, respectively. Moreover, the universal adversarial patch generated on one dataset is also effective in attacking aircraft on the remaining two datasets, while the adversarial patch generated on YOLOv3 is also effective in attacking YOLOv5 and Faster R-CNN, which demonstrates the attack transferability of the adversarial patch.
Dynamic Digital Signal Processing Algorithm for Vital Signs Extraction in Continuous-Wave Radars
Authors: Gouveia Carolina , Albuquerque Daniel , Vieira José , Pinho Pedro
Published: October 2021

Radar systems have been widely explored as a monitoring tool able to assess the subject’s vital signs remotely. However, their implementation in real application scenarios is not straightforward. Received signals encompass parasitic reflections that occur in the monitoring environment. Generally, those parasitic components, often treated as a complex DC (CDC) offsets, must be removed in order to correctly extract the bio-signals information. Fitting methods can be used, but their implementation were revealed to be challenging when bio-signals are weak or when these parasitic reflections arise from non-static targets, changing the CDC offset properties over time. In this work, we propose a dynamic digital signal processing algorithm to extract the vital signs from radar systems. This algorithm includes a novel arc fitting method to estimate the CDC offsets on the received signal. The method revealed being robust to weaker signals, presenting a success rate of 95%, irrespective of the considered monitoring conditions. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is able to adapt to slow changes in the propagation environment.
Multi-Classification of Complex Microseismic Waveforms Using Convolutional Neural Network: A Case Study in Tunnel Engineering
Authors: Zhang Hang , Zeng Jun , Ma Chunchi , Li Tianbin , Deng Yelin , Song Tao
Published: October 2021

Due to the complexity of the various waveforms of microseismic data, there are high requirements on the automatic multi-classification of such data; an accurate classification is conducive for further signal processing and stability analysis of surrounding rock masses. In this study, a microseismic multi-classification (MMC) model is proposed based on the short time Fourier transform (STFT) technology and convolutional neural network (CNN). The real and imaginary parts of the coefficients of microseismic data are inputted to the proposed model to generate three classes of targets. Compared with existing methods, the MMC has an optimal performance in multi-classification of microseismic data in terms of Precision, Recall, and F1-score, even when the waveform of a microseismic signal is similar to that of some special noise. Moreover, semisynthetic data constructed by clean microseismic data and noise are used to prove the low sensitivity of the MMC to noise. Microseismic data recorded under different geological conditions are also tested to prove the generality of the model, and a microseismic signal with Mw ≥ 0.2 can be detected with a high accuracy. The proposed method has great potential to be extended to the study of exploration seismology and earthquakes.
GNSS Spoofing Detection Based on Coupled Visual/Inertial/GNSS Navigation System
Authors: Gu Nianzu , Xing Fei , You Zheng
Published: October 2021

Spoofing attacks are one of the severest threats for global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs). This kind of attack can damage the navigation systems of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and other unmanned vehicles (UVs), which are highly dependent on GNSSs. A novel method for GNSS spoofing detection based on a coupled visual/inertial/GNSS positioning algorithm is proposed in this paper. Visual inertial odometry (VIO) has high accuracy for state estimation in the short term and is a good supplement for GNSSs. Coupled VIO/GNSS navigation systems are, unfortunately, also vulnerable when the GNSS is subject to spoofing attacks. The method proposed in this article involves monitoring the deviation between the VIO and GNSS under an optimization framework. A modified Chi-square test triggers the spoofing alarm when the detection factors become abnormal. After spoofing detection, the optimal estimation algorithm is modified to prevent it being deceived by the spoofed GNSS data and to enable it to carry on positioning. The performance of the proposed spoofing detection method is evaluated through a real-world visual/inertial/GNSS dataset and a real GNSS spoofing attack experiment. The results indicate that the proposed method works well even when the deviation caused by spoofing is small, which proves the efficiency of the method.
Unsupervised Learning with Generative Adversarial Network for Automatic Tire Defect Detection from X-ray Images
Authors: Wang Yilin , Zhang Yulong , Zheng Li , Yin Liedong , Chen Jinshui , Lu Jiangang
Published: October 2021

Automatic defect detection of tire has become an essential issue in the tire industry. However, it is challenging to inspect the inner structure of tire by surface detection. Therefore, an X-ray image sensor is used for tire defect inspection. At present, detection of defective tires is inefficient because tire factories commonly conduct detection by manually checking X-ray images. With the development of deep learning, supervised learning has been introduced to replace human resources. However, in actual industrial scenes, defective samples are rare in comparison to defect-free samples. The quantity of defective samples is insufficient for supervised models to extract features and identify nonconforming products from qualified ones. To address these problems, we propose an unsupervised approach, using no labeled defect samples for training. Moreover, we introduce an augmented reconstruction method and a self-supervised training strategy. The approach is based on the idea of reconstruction. In the training phase, only defect-free samples are used for training the model and updating memory items in the memory module, so the reproduced images in the test phase are bound to resemble defect-free images. The reconstruction residual is utilized to detect defects. The introduction of self-supervised training strategy further strengthens the reconstruction residual to improve detection performance. The proposed method is experimentally proved to be effective. The Area Under Curve (AUC) on a tire X-ray dataset reaches 0.873, so the proposed method is promising for application.
Action Recognition Using Close-Up of Maximum Activation and ETRI-Activity3D LivingLab Dataset
Authors: Kim Doyoung , Lee Inwoong , Kim Dohyung , Lee Sanghoon
Published: October 2021

The development of action recognition models has shown great performance on various video datasets. Nevertheless, because there is no rich data on target actions in existing datasets, it is insufficient to perform action recognition applications required by industries. To satisfy this requirement, datasets composed of target actions with high availability have been created, but it is difficult to capture various characteristics in actual environments because video data are generated in a specific environment. In this paper, we introduce a new ETRI-Activity3D-LivingLab dataset, which provides action sequences in actual environments and helps to handle a network generalization issue due to the dataset shift. When the action recognition model is trained on the ETRI-Activity3D and KIST SynADL datasets and evaluated on the ETRI-Activity3D-LivingLab dataset, the performance can be severely degraded because the datasets were captured in different environments domains. To reduce this dataset shift between training and testing datasets, we propose a close-up of maximum activation, which magnifies the most activated part of a video input in detail. In addition, we present various experimental results and analysis that show the dataset shift and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Obstacle Avoidance of Multi-Sensor Intelligent Robot Based on Road Sign Detection
Authors: Zhao Jianwei , Fang Jianhua , Wang Shouzhong , Wang Kun , Liu Chengxiang , Han Tao
Published: October 2021

The existing ultrasonic obstacle avoidance robot only uses an ultrasonic sensor in the process of obstacle avoidance, which can only be avoided according to the fixed obstacle avoidance route. Obstacle avoidance cannot follow additional information. At the same time, existing robots rarely involve the obstacle avoidance strategy of avoiding pits. In this study, on the basis of ultrasonic sensor obstacle avoidance, visual information is added so the robot in the process of obstacle avoidance can refer to the direction indicated by road signs to avoid obstacles, at the same time, the study added an infrared ranging sensor, so the robot can avoid potholes. Aiming at this situation, this paper proposes an intelligent obstacle avoidance design of an autonomous mobile robot based on a multi-sensor in a multi-obstruction environment. A CascadeClassifier is used to train positive and negative samples for road signs with similar color and shape. A multi-sensor information fusion is used for path planning and the obstacle avoidance logic of the intelligent robot is designed to realize autonomous obstacle avoidance. The infrared sensor is used to obtain the environmental information of the ground depression on the wheel path, the ultrasonic sensor is used to obtain the distance information of the surrounding obstacles and road signs, and the information of the road signs obtained by the camera is processed by the computer and transmitted to the main controller. The environment information obtained is processed by the microprocessor and the control command is output to the execution unit. The feasibility of the design is verified by analyzing the distance acquired by the ultrasonic sensor, infrared distance measuring sensors, and the model obtained by training the sample of the road sign, as well as by experiments in the complex environment constructed manually.
A Methodological Model to Evaluate Smart City Sustainability
Authors: Valencia-Arias Alejandro , Urrego-Marín María Lucelly , Bran-Piedrahita Lemy
Published: October 2021

This study aims to identify the key elements that should be included in a methodological model to evaluate the sustainability of smart cities and examines the case of Medellín, Colombia, from 2020 to 2021. For this purpose, it adopted a qualitative descriptive methodology divided into three stages: (1) reviewing existing methodologies for smart city evaluation; (2) designing, validating, and administering information collection instruments; and (3) systematizing and analyzing in-depth interviews. The results indicate that the said model should focus on six key variables: government, mobility, sustainability, people, economy, and quality of life. Smart cities should generate synergies, ensuring the interoperability of their services so that their inhabitants have a better quality of life. The added value of the model proposed here is that it incorporates social and political dynamics, which is noteworthy because most tools in this field do not prioritize them and focus on technical, environmental, transportation, planning, and technological factors.
Epiphytic Cryptogams as Bioindicators of Air Quality in a Tropical Andean City
Authors: Díaz Juan , Montaño Luis , Salinas Paul , Benítez Ángel
Published: October 2021

Air pollution is one of the main environmental problems in developed and developing countries. Epiphytic cryptogams (bryophytes and lichens) are proposed as a reliable indicator to detect environmental changes, given to their sensitivity to pollutants. In this study we evaluated air quality in the city of Ambato using bryophytes and epiphytic lichens on three land uses (urban, peri-urban and control). In each zone we selected ten trees (a total of 90 trees) for each station (a total of nine stations), where we recorded the frequency and cover of epiphytic cryptogams in a quadrat of 10 × 50 cm that was divided into 5 × 5 cm squares. Differences in richness, index of atmospheric purity (IAP) and diversity were analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM) and changes in species composition using multivariate analysis. We recorded 39 species of cryptogams (25 lichens and 14 bryophytes). Richness, diversity and index of atmospheric purity were higher in the control zone compared to the urbanized zones. Community composition changed between the different zones, with increasing differences between the control and urban zones. The urban areas of the city of Ambato were identified with high levels of air pollution due to their lower diversity related to higher vehicular traffic and industrial activities (e.g., footwear and textile factories, tanneries). Thus, epiphytic cryptogams are a fast and low-cost method for air quality assessment in tropical areas.
Comparing Multi-Criteria Decision Making Models for Evaluating Environmental Education Programs
Authors: Kabassi Katerina
Published: October 2021

Educators in the field of Environmental Education often have difficulty identifying and selecting programs that have the potential to best maximize needed resources to implement and achieve desired outcomes. This difficulty is, in part, due to their lack of expertise in evaluation knowledge and practice. The use of multi-criteria decision-making models in evaluating environmental education programs is new and, as a result, not many models have been used and tested in the specific domain. Comparisons of multi-criteria decision-making models have been implemented in various domains but not for environmental education programs’ evaluation. Therefore, we investigate the comparative performance of the SAW, WPM, TOPSIS, and PROMETHEE II models in evaluating and selecting the most appropriate environmental education program. The main objective of this paper is on presenting the different steps of the comparative analysis of multi-criteria decision-making models and on making conclusions on the suitability and robustness of the SAW, WPM, TOPSIS, and PROMETHEE II models in evaluating environmental education programs.
Tripartite Dynamic Game among Government, Bike-Sharing Enterprises, and Consumers under the Influence of Seasons and Quota
Authors: Cui Wenya , Xiao Guangnian
Published: October 2021

After the cast ban on bike-sharing was lifted, bike-sharing entered the quota period. This notion means that the management of bike-sharing began to change from the unified to the diversified government governance, including all sectors of society. This work creates a dynamic game model based on the tripartite interest relationship among the government, bike-sharing enterprises, and consumers, and introduces the government quota policy and seasonal characteristics of bike-sharing into the game model. This model explores the multi-stage dynamic game process among the government, bike-sharing enterprises, and consumers. We draw the following conclusions. The government’s quota policy was effective during peak demand for bike-sharing, but not before the off-peak season. Through the case studies, we verify the feasibility of the government to relax the regulation appropriately in the peak season. We also changed the punishment and reward intensity of bike-sharing enterprises to consumers in the case studies and analyzed the influence of regulation intensity of bike-sharing enterprises on consumer behaviors. The final suggestion is that the government should appropriately relax regulation during peak demand season to reduce costs and strengthen regulation before the off-season of bike-sharing demand. Bike-sharing enterprises should maintain a high level of regulation on consumers, and a low level of regulation has no constraint on consumer behaviors.
Analysis and Assessment of New Permanent Teacher Training Activities under the Erasmus+ Program from the Perspective of the Participants of Spain in Times of COVID-19
Authors: Salcedo-López Daniel , Cuevas-López Mercedes
Published: October 2021

The Erasmus+ program (2014–2020) is one of the main initiatives developed by the European Commission in the field of education and is the final joint evolution of other minor and prior actions that provide schools and teachers with funding to carry out international mobility projects with a variety of formative activities. The benefits of carrying out international mobility activities to strengthen student learning and teacher training are well known and have been researched or reported even from the early stages of a program that was born back in the 1980s but has always been focused on the university level. When considering teachers at early levels (schools and high schools), the 2014–2020 Erasmus+ program was the main source of funding to grant Spanish teachers permanent training activities abroad with a direct positive impact on their careers. The year 2020 is the last year of the first evolution of the Erasmus+ program, which has been renewed, extended, and strengthened for a new six-year term (2021–2027). However, 2020 has also been a significant year. The COVID-19 global pandemic continues to affect the mobility of citizens within the different territories of the union and, thus, have a direct negative impact on international teacher and student mobility. Being 2020 the end of a cycle and a critical moment, it is the perfect time to conduct an analysis of the data associated with the participation of teachers and schools in Spain, their perceptions of the program, the different activities carried out, and the impact of the pandemic. This research study is based on an analysis of an opinion survey through a nationwide sample of teachers participating in KA101 Erasmus+ projects. This paper gathers and presents data and conclusions using information previously not available that most of the time is published in official reports globally without considering the particularities of the different states of the European Union.
The Impact of the Opening of Producer Services on the International Competitiveness of Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Yu Cuiping , Tang Decai , Tenkorang Acheampong Paul , Bethel Brandon J.
Published: October 2021

Countries participating in the international division of labor each try to occupy the industrial highlands, obtain competitive advantages, and promote sustainability of economic development. Based on Porter’s Diamond model, it is widely believed that producer services are vital to support the manufacturing industry. Consequently, this paper selects samples of 55 countries and uses data from 2010 to 2017 to empirically test the impact of producer service’s opening on the export competitiveness of the manufacturing industry. The results show that the opening of producer services in a country promotes the improvement of international competitiveness of manufacturing industry, and the improvement effect is more significant in developed countries than in developing countries. Additionally, the negative impact of foreign capital access restrictions on the export competitiveness of the manufacturing industry is greater than the positive impact of service trade opening. It is also found that the restrictions on foreign capital’s opening in the financial sector have the biggest negative impact on manufacturing exports than that of other divisions of the producer service industry. To improve national competitiveness, it is suggested that the integration of service and manufacturing industries should be enhanced and to decrease FDI access to financial and transportation services restrictions.
Effects of Biochar and Biochar–Compost Mix on Growth, Performance and Physiological Responses of Potted Alpinia zerumbet
Authors: Zulfiqar Faisal , Wei Xiangying , Shaukat Narmeen , Chen Jianjun , Raza Ali , Younis Adnan , Nafees Muhammad , Abideen Zainul , Zaid Abbu , Latif Nadeem , Naveed Muhammad , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: October 2021

Container crop production has become increasingly popular over the last 50 years. A major component of container or potting media is peat. Peatlands are a natural carbon sink, and peat is a nonrenewable natural resource. Peat harvesting has become an important environmental issue. There is a growing effort to explore alternative organic materials to completely or partially replace peat as a medium component. Biochar is a carbon-rich product that has gained increasing interest as a component of growing media. In the present study, biochar was produced from rice straw. Peat/perlite/biochar (PPB; 40/30/30 v/v) and peat/perlite/biochar/vermicompost (PPBC; 30/30/35/5 v/v) were evaluated relative to a basal or control medium of peat/perlite (PP; 70:30 v/v). Alpinia (Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata Dwarf’) was used as a test plant. Amending biochar and biochar–compost mix increased the pH of the growing media. Hydrophysical properties including container capacity, bulk density, air space and total porosity were all within or near the standard ranges for soilless growing media. Chlorophyll a and b contents of A. zerumbet plants grown in PPB medium were reduced by more than 20% and 28%, respectively, compared to those grown in PP or PPBC media. The net photosynthetic rate of PPB-grown plants was more than 28% lower than those grown in PP and PPBC media. As a result, shoot and root dry weights of plants produced in PPB medium were more than 42% and 22% less, respectively, than those grown in PP and PPBC media. Although visual quality of PPB-grown plants was lower, they still exhibited marketable quality, which was largely due to the fact that their side shoots, leaf numbers, leaf areas, leaf thickness, and shoot diameters were comparable to those produced in PP and PPBC media. The present study showed that in a peat/perlite basal medium, substitution of peat by biochar derived from rice straw at 30% affected the growth of A. zerumbet plants, mainly in dry matter accumulation, but the plants were still marketable. On the other hand, plants grown in the same basal medium with peat replaced by the biochar at 35% plus an amendment of compost at 5% were comparable to those grown in the control medium. As the value of ornamental plants depends on their aesthetic appearance, a potting medium comprised of peat/perlite/biochar/vermicompost at 30/30/35/5 by volume is recommended for the production of A. zerumbet plants. The substitution of peat at 35% suggests that peat use can be reduced in the formulation of potting media, thus contributing to the conservation of peatlands.
Application of Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram under Flooding Situation to Traffic Management Measures
Authors: Suwanno Piyapong , Kasemsri Rattanaporn , Duan Kaifeng , Fukuda Atsushi
Published: October 2021

Bangkok, Thailand is prone to flooding after heavy rain. Many road sections become impassable, causing severe traffic congestion and greatly impacting activities. Optimal vehicle management requires the knowledge of flooding impact on road traffic conditions in specific areas. A method is proposed to quantify urban flood situations by expressing traffic conditions in specific ranges using the concept of macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD). MFD-based judgement allows for a road manager to understand the current traffic situation and take appropriate traffic control measures. MFD analysis identified traffic flow–density and density–velocity relationships by using the shape of the estimated MFD travel time-series plots. Then, results were applied to develop a traffic model with vehicle-flow parameters as a measuring method for road-network performance. The developed model improved road-network traffic-flow performance under different flood conditions. A method is also presented for traffic management evaluation on the assumption that flooding occurs.
Digital Logistics Platforms in the BRICS Countries: Comparative Analysis and Development Prospects
Authors: Barykin Sergey Evgenievich , Kapustina Irina Vasilievna , Korchagina Elena Viktorovna , Sergeev Sergey Mikhailovich , Yadykin Vladimir Konstantinovich , Abdimomynova Almakul , Stepanova Diana
Published: October 2021

The BRICS Group unites the most rapidly developing large countries, the trade and economic interaction between which can make a significant contribution to both the region’s and world’s development. The purpose of this article is to analyze the development of trade and economic interaction and logistics infrastructure in the BRICS countries, as well as to develop an analytical concept of the BRICS Digital Logistics Platform (DLP) as a tool for the BRICS development. The research methodology includes methods for statistical data analysis, a case study of the DLP development in the BRICS countries, an analysis of the existing definitions and methods for developing DLP, and methods of systemic analysis. The research results present the trade and logistics interaction between the BRICS countries. The level of logistics development in these countries is analyzed based on the World Bank Logistics Performance Index. The article highlights the existing restrictions for the expansion of the economic interaction between countries, one of which is the uneven development of the logistics infrastructure. The article states that the BRICS DLP can be a tool for overcoming the limitation of uneven logistics infrastructure and intensifying trade interaction between the BRICS countries. The experience of creating national DLPs in each of the BRICS countries is analyzed. It is shown that the BRICS countries cannot join one of the existing national DLPs because of the risks for the national sovereignty of the participants. Therefore, an original analytical description for the international BRICS DLP is proposed. It will focus on the simplicity and transparency of the interaction between all of the participants of trade and economic interactions at various levels, as well as on the reduction of economic and logistics risks.
Agri-Food Trade Competitiveness: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Mizik Tamás
Published: October 2021

Being competitive in the international agri-food trade is an important aim of every country. It should be noted that this term has neither a commonly accepted definition nor a synthetized index to quantify it. The most commonly used indices in the international literature are the Balassa index and its modified versions (revealed trade advantage, revealed competitiveness, normalized revealed comparative advantage, and revealed symmetric comparative advantage) and different export and/or import-related indices (e.g., the Grubel–Lloyd index or the trade balance index). Based on a systematic review of the literature, these measurements were identified along with the major factors suggested for higher agri-food trade competitiveness. It seems that supportive legislation and/or (trade) policy is the most crucial factor, followed by higher value-added/more sophisticated goods, and high, efficient, and profitable production. Although the EU and its member states were overrepresented in the analyzed literature, the candidate countries, as well as other important trading partners of the EU, e.g., Canada, China, or the ASEAN countries, were also analyzed. Thus, some of these findings may be generalized.
The Influence of Cork and Manufacturing Parameters on the Properties of Cork–Rubber Composites for Vibration Isolation Applications
Authors: Lopes Helena , Silva Susana P. , Carvalho João Paulo , Machado José
Published: October 2021

The addition of cork to a natural rubber compound and the vulcanization parameters were studied in terms of their influence on the properties of cork–rubber materials. The characterization of different compounds was carried out and included in the determination of mechanical properties related to the application of cork–rubber composites as vibration isolation pads, such as static and dynamic behavior under compressive loading. Statistical methods, such as ANOVA and regression analysis, were used in this study. The results showed that the introduction of cork as an additional filler in the studied rubber compound increased its hardness and static stiffness, while maintaining a similar dynamic behavior to the base rubber compound when subjected to compressive loading. In addition, it was found that increasing the amount and granulometry of cork and lower vulcanization temperatures resulted in stiffer vulcanizates. Materials with higher cork granule contents were found to be affected in their final properties by molding pressure. A study involving the use of linear regression models as a tool to predict or optimize properties related to vibration isolation applications was also developed.
Municipal Solid Waste Management Policies, Practices, and Challenges in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Hirpe Lemesa , Yeom Chunho
Published: October 2021

Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) affects several spheres, including environmental, social, and economic activities. In Ethiopia, massive waste generation and unbalanced management have worsened the issue. Hence, this systematic review investigates the Ethiopian MSWM policy and legal frameworks, practices, and challenges. The Scopus and Web of Science databases and Google Scholar were used to search published and unpublished studies from 2005 to 2021, and a website search was used to find studies from 1995 to 2021. The search was restricted to the English language, and the last search was conducted on 25 June 2021. The study was extracted from the characteristics of the developed study. A risk of bias assessment was conducted for the included studies using the AMSTAR 2. Among the 1135 identified records, 72 studies were found to be eligible. This systematic review identified numerous legal frameworks that enhance the implementation of MSWM in Ethiopia, which is mainly focused on waste collection, transportation, and disposal. Lack of policy enforcement, weak capacity, public awareness, and minimal cooperation among stakeholders were the main challenges. MSWM problems in Ethiopia have seen an increase in recent decades and are affecting daily life. Therefore, these findings may help to improve MSWM in Ethiopia.
Faecal immunochemical test for suspected colorectal cancer symptoms: patient survey of usability and acceptability
Authors: Georgiou Delisle Theo , D'Souza Nigel , Davies Bethan , Benton Sally , Chen Michelle , Ward Helen , Abulafi Muti
Published: October 2021

Background

Recent evidence suggests that the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) can rule out colorectal cancer (CRC) in symptomatic patients. To date, there is no research on usability and perception of FIT for these patients.

Aim

To measure variation in attitudes and perception of FIT in patients with suspected CRC symptoms.

Design & setting

A cross-sectional survey of a subset of participants of the NICE FIT study.

Method

A questionnaire was co-developed with patients covering four themes on a Likert scale: FIT feasibility, faecal aversion, patient knowledge, and future intentions. Questionnaire and FIT kits were sent to patients with suspected CRC symptoms participating in the NICE FIT study. Logistic regression explored differences in patients’ test perception by ethnic group, language, age, location, deprivation, FIT use, and previous experience.

Results

A total of 1151 questionnaires were analysed; 90.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 88.3% to 91.8%) of patients found faecal collection straightforward, 76.3% (95% CI = 73.7% to 78.6%) disagreed FIT was unhygienic, and 78.1% (95% CI = 75.6% to 80.4%) preferred FIT to colonoscopy. Preference for FIT over colonoscopy was weaker in patients aged 40–64 years than those >65 years (odds ratio [OR] 0.60; 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.84). Intention to use FIT again was stronger in patients who successfully used FIT than those unsuccessful (OR 11.08; 95% CI = 2.74 to 44.75), and white compared with non-white patients assessed (OR 3.20; 95% CI = 1.32 to 7.75).

Conclusion

While most patients found FIT practical and hygienic, perception differences were found. Strategies to engage patients with more negative FIT perception should underpin symptomatic FIT pathways.
Patient and practitioner views on cancer risk discussions in primary care: a qualitative study
Authors: Blane David N , MacDonald Sara , O'Donnell Catherine A
Published: October 2021

Background

It is estimated that nearly 600 000 cancer cases in the UK could have been avoided in the past 5 years if people had healthier lifestyles, with the principle modifiable risk factors being smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption, and inactivity. There is growing interest in the use of cancer risk information in general practice to encourage lifestyle modification.

Aim

To explore the views and experiences of patients and practitioners in relation to cancer prevention and cancer risk discussions in general practice.

Design & setting

Qualitative study among patients and practitioners in general practices in Glasgow, UK.

Method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine practitioners (five GPs and four practice nurses, recruited purposively from practices based on list size and deprivation status), and 13 patients (aged 30–60 years, with two or more specified comorbidities).

Results

Currently, cancer risk discussions focus on smoking and cancer, with links between alcohol and/or obesity and cancer rarely made. There was support for the use of the personalised cancer risk tool as an additional resource in primary care. Practitioners felt practice nurses were best placed to use it. Use in planned appointments (for example, chronic disease reviews) was preferred over opportunistic use. Concerns were expressed, however, about generating anxiety, time constraints, and widening inequalities.

Conclusion

Health behaviour change is complex and the provision of information alone is unlikely to have significant effects. Personalised risk tools may have a role, but important concerns about their use remain, particularly in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage.
Safer Prescribing and Care for the Elderly (SPACE): a cluster randomised controlled trial in general practice
Authors: Wallis Katharine A , Elley Carolyn Raina , Moyes Simon A , Lee Arier , Hikaka Joanna F , Kerse Ngaire M
Published: October 2021

Background

Safer prescribing in general practice may help to decrease preventable adverse drug events (ADE) and related hospitalisations.

Aim

To test the effect of the Safer Prescribing and Care for the Elderly (SPACE) intervention on high-risk prescribing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and/or antiplatelet medicines and related hospitalisations.

Design & setting

A pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial in general practice. Participants were patients at increased risk of ADEs from NSAIDs and/or antiplatelet medicines at baseline. SPACE comprises automated search to generate for each GP a list of patients with high-risk prescribing; pharmacist outreach to provide education and one-on-one review of list with GP; and automated letter inviting patients to seek medication review with their GP.

Method

The primary outcome was the difference in high-risk prescribing of NSAIDs and/or antiplatelet medicines at 6 months. Secondary outcomes were high-risk prescribing for gastrointestinal, renal, or cardiac ADEs separately, 12-month outcomes, and related ADE hospitalisations.

Results

Thirty-nine practices were recruited with 205 GPs and 191 593 patients, of which 21 877 (11.4%) were participants. Of the participants, 1479 (6.8%) had high-risk prescribing. High-risk prescribing improved in both groups at 6 and 12 months compared with baseline. At 6 months, there was no significant difference between groups (odds ratio [OR] 0.99; 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.87 to 1.13) although SPACE improved more for gastrointestinal ADEs (OR 0.81; 95% CI = 0.68 to 0.96). At 12 months, the control group improved more (OR 1.29; 95% CI = 1.11 to 1.49). There was no significant difference for related hospitalisations.

Conclusion

Further work is needed to identify scalable interventions that support safer prescribing in general practice. The use of automated search and feedback plus letter to patient warrants further exploration.
THE INFLUENCE OF MICROORGANISMS ON THE PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE
Authors: Strokin K. , Novikov D. , Konovalova V. , Kasiyanenko N.
Published: October 2021

The article considers the change in the physical and mechanical characteristics of cement stone made of the CEM I 42,5 N Portland cement in the process of bacterial and fungal corrosion for 6 months in the air and moisture conditions. It is established that the density of concrete during microbiological corrosion increases under constant moistening of the sample. However, after drying, a decrease in the density of concrete is recorded by 10 % under the influence of Bacillus subtilis bacteria and by 14 % under the influence of black mold. The degree of influence of microorganisms on the amount of water absorption of cement stone is established experimentally. Bacteria increases water absorption by 7 %, black mold increases water absorption by 10 %. Within 6 months, water absorption increased from 21 to 24,5 % for bacterial corrosion in indoor conditions, and from 24 to 29 % for fungal corrosion. When exposed to capillary moisture for 6 months, the water absorption of concrete increased to 30,4 % under the influence of Bacillus subtilis bacteria and to 37,3% under the influence of Aspergillus niger van Tieghem fungi. An increase in the water absorption of concrete is associated with an increase in porosity due to biodegradation. Under room conditions of exposure to bacteria, the porosity increases from 14,1 to 15,3 %, and from 14,3 to 17,9 % after exposure to black mold. With constant moistening, the porosity of cement concrete increases to 19,1 and 25,6 % with bacterial and fungal corrosion, respectively. The loss of compressive strength of cement stone is 13 % under the influence of bacteria and 15 % under the influence of fungi in the air for 6 months. In case of microbiological corrosion of concrete under conditions of constant wetting, the strength decreases by about 35 % in 6 months
Développement technique de la fouille des Abîmes de la Fage
Authors: Philippe Michel
Published: October 2021

La fouille scientifique du gisement de la Fage a commencé en 1964. Elle s'est poursuivie méthodiquement durant cinq années.

La fouille a couvert une surface supérieure à 100 m2 ; elle a atteint une profondeur locale de 12 m² ; plus de 300 m3 ont été extraits dont 175 ont été lavés, tamisés et triés.
Les grands herbivores rissiens des «Abîmes de la Fage» en Corrèze (Cervidés, Bovidés, Capridés, Rupicaprinés, Suidés et Equidés)
Authors: Bouchud Jean
Published: October 2021

Les grands mammifères du gisement de la Fage ont fourni une importante quantité de matériel paléontologique d'âge rissien. Les Cervidés constituent le groupe le plus important. On a identifié les espèces suivantes : Cervus cf. elaphus , Dama cf. clactoniana, Capreolus capreolus, Rangifer sp. et Megaceros giganteus. Les Equidés et les Bovidés occupent la seconde place ; leurs métapodes et leurs dents ont permis d'identifier Equus cf. steinheimensis et Bison cf. schoetensacki. Sus scrofa, Capra ibex et Rupicapra rupicapra sont médiocrement représentés. Toutes ces espèces sont longuement décrites et comparées à d'autres formes d'âge rissien. Leur variabilité biométrique est consignée dans une trentaine de tableaux de mesures.
Les amphibiens et les reptiles du gisement des Abîmes de la Fage
Authors: Rage Jean-Claude
Published: October 2021

L'herpétofaune recueillie aux Abîmes de la Fage est très riche. Les Anoures sont particulièrement nombreux ; par le nombre des espèces et des individus, les Bufonidae et les Ranidae dominent. Rana mehelyi Bolkay et Rana temporaria L. ne sont pas reconnues comme des espèces distinctes. La présence de Discoglossus et de Testudo hermanni, qui vivent actuellement dans la région méditerranéenne, est quelque peu surprenante. Deux périodes principales sont reconnues : la première (couche 5) indique un climat humide et la seconde (couches supérieures) correspond à un climat plus sec.
Présentation du gisement paléontologique pléistocène des Abîmes de la Fage
Authors: David Louis
Published: October 2021

Présentation historique de la découverte du gisement et du déroulement des fouilles. Personnel technique et scientifique ayant réalisé la fouille et l'étude. Remerciements aux personnes et autorités qui nous ont aidé. Références bibliographiques.
Organisation et réalisation techniques du chantier de fouille des Abîmes de la Fage
Authors: Philippe Michel , Vilain Robert
Published: October 2021

Pour organiser le chantier de fouille, ont été résolus des problèmes de logement, de nourriture, d'alimentation en eau, et d'éclairage. La réalisation de la fouille a nécessité l'utilisation de moyens techniques importants (échafaudage, compresseurs, station de tamisage...), et la protection du gisement a été assurée par une construction. Les méthodes de fouille, adaptées aux conditions du gisement, sont inspirées de celles qui sont utilisées en préhistoire.
Analyses polliniques du gisement pléistocène moyen des Abîmes de la Fage à Noailles (Corrèze)
Authors: Beaulieu Jacques-Louis de
Published: October 2021

The samples gathered in the deposits of the «Abîmes de la Fage » hardly enclose some pollens. Only two levels enabled significant countings. The deepest one shows a vegetation of a dry and cold climate, the upper one rather indicates a climatic improvement.
Les canidés (Mammalia, Carnivora) du gisement pléistocène moyen des Abîmes de la Fage à Noailles (Corrèze)
Authors: Martin Robert
Published: October 2021

Les Canidés ne sont représentés à la Fage que par Canis lupus, le loup, et Vulpes vulpes, le renard commun.
Les chiroptères (Mammalia) du gisement pléistocène moyen des Abîmes de la Fage à Noailles (Corrèze)
Authors: Mein Pierre
Published: October 2021

Les Chiroptères étudiés dans cette note, proviennent du Riss des grottes de La Fage (Corrèze, France).

Cette faune essentiellement composée de Vespertilionidae montre une abondance toute particulière de Myotis bechsteini. Dans l'ensemble, les formes rencontrées sont très pro¬ ches des espèces actuelles ; quelques-unes cependant s'en distinguent par leur taille soit plus grande qu'actuellement (Plecotus auritus), soit plus petite (Myotis myotis).
Les grands herbivores rissiens des Abîmes de la Fage en Corrèze. La conservation des restes osseux et leur interprétation climatique
Authors: Bouchud Jean
Published: October 2021

Les avens sont des pièges pour la faune qui habite la région. Très souvent ils renferment des squelettes complets et parfois intacts. Ce sont des pièges sélectifs à cause des préférences écologiques et des déplacements saisonniers des animaux. Dans les stations préhistoriques, les os sont toujours brisés par les hommes qui consommaient la moelle. Les chasseurs ne choisissaient par leurs victimes et les restes recueillis constituent un échantillon significatif de la population animale qui vivait dans la région. Aussi est-il possible d'étudier la conservation différentielle des os dans le sol.

Le climat des dépôts rissiens de la Fage était un peu plus froid que l'actuel. L'humidité de la couche 5 diminue dans lès niveaux supérieurs. La couche 4 est un épisode froid tandis que le climat s'améliore dans les niveaux 2-3.
Les grands mammifères de la grotte de Cottier à Retournac (Haute-Loire)
Authors: Delpech Françoise
Published: October 2021

La grande faune de la grotte de Cottier indique un climat froid et sec dans un environnement montagnard.
Présentation du gisement pléistocène moyen de l'Aven II des Abîmes de La Fage à Noailles (Corrèze)
Authors: Philippe Michel
Published: October 2021

The palaeontological site of the Aven II of «Abîmes de la Fage » is replaced in its geographical and geological framework. It belongs to the same karstic network as the Rissian site known as Aven I of «Abîmes de la Fage ».

After reminding the discovery and the excavations of this site, the main stratigraphical data which enable to situate the different palaeontological documents are given, with topographical plans of the cave.