bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptable Resilience Assessment Framework to Evaluate an Impact of a Disruptive Event on Freight Operations
Authors: Arabi Mehrdad , Kyung Hyun Kate , Mattingly Stephen
Published: August 2021

Freight transportation is a major economic backbone of the United States. Ports, as one of the primary components of freight transportation, have experienced significant growth and increased capacity during the past two decades. This study develops an adaptable resilience assessment framework that evaluates the impact of a disruptive event on transportation operations. The framework identifies dynamic performance levels over an extended period of an event including five distinct phases of responses: staging, reduction, peak, restoration, and overloading. This study applies the framework to the Port of Houston, Texas, during a major hurricane event, Harvey, and two holiday events in 2017. The framework evaluates proactive and reactive responses of port truck activities during the disruptions and provides a comprehensive assessment of resilience and adaptability in port truck operations. This study showed that a short proactive response before a disaster results in a long recovery period with over 250% increases in volume between a port terminal (Barbours Cut) to its regional destinations. Trucks serving local facilities show stable and shorter response phases, while regional operations maintain a prolonged staging or overloading phases to handle the excess demands especially for significant multi-day disruptive events. The economic analysis shows that the increased economic gain during a proactive or reactive stage could substantially alleviate the losses resulting from impaired port operations. Evaluating response systems and resilience of port truck activities during severe weather events represents the first step for designing plans that support a fast system recovery that minimizes the economic, social, and human impacts.
Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of a Cooperative Dynamic Bus Lane System With Connected Vehicles
Authors: Xie Meng , Winsor Michael , Ma Tao , Rau Andreas , Busch Fritz , Antoniou Constantinos
Published: August 2021

This paper aims to evaluate the sensitivity of the proposed cooperative dynamic bus lane system with microscopic traffic simulation models. The system creates a flexible bus priority lane that is only activated on demand at an appropriate time with advanced information and communication technologies, which can maximize the use of road space. A decentralized multi-lane cooperative algorithm is developed and implemented in a microscopic simulation environment to coordinate lane changing, gap acceptance, and car-following driving behavior for the connected vehicles (CVs) on the bus lane and the adjacent lanes. The key parameters for the sensitivity study include the penetration rate and communication range of CVs, considering the transition period and gradual uptake of CVs. Multiple scenarios are developed and compared to analyze the impact of key parameters on the system’s performance, such as total saved travel time of all passengers and travel time variation among buses and private vehicles. The microscopic simulation models showed that the cooperative dynamic bus lane system is significantly sensitive to the variations of the penetration rate and the communication range in a congested traffic state. With a CV system and a communication range of 150 m, buses obtain maximum benefits with minimal impacts on private vehicles in the study simulation. The safety concerns induced by cooperative driving behavior are also discussed in this paper.
Review of Learning-Based Longitudinal Motion Planning for Autonomous Vehicles: Research Gaps Between Self-Driving and Traffic Congestion
Authors: Zhou Hao , Laval Jorge , Zhou Anye , Wang Yu , Wu Wenchao , Qing Zhu , Peeta Srinivas
Published: August 2021

Self-driving technology companies and the research community are accelerating the pace of use of machine learning longitudinal motion planning (mMP) for autonomous vehicles (AVs). This paper reviews the current state of the art in mMP, with an exclusive focus on its impact on traffic congestion. The paper identifies the availability of congestion scenarios in current datasets, and summarizes the required features for training mMP. For learning methods, the major methods in both imitation learning and non-imitation learning are surveyed. The emerging technologies adopted by some leading AV companies, such as Tesla, Waymo, and Comma.ai, are also highlighted. It is found that: (i) the AV industry has been mostly focusing on the long tail problem related to safety and has overlooked the impact on traffic congestion, (ii) the current public self-driving datasets have not included enough congestion scenarios, and mostly lack the necessary input features/output labels to train mMP, and (iii) although the reinforcement learning approach can integrate congestion mitigation into the learning goal, the major mMP method adopted by industry is still behavior cloning, whose capability to learn a congestion-mitigating mMP remains to be seen. Based on the review, the study identifies the research gaps in current mMP development. Some suggestions for congestion mitigation for future mMP studies are proposed: (i) enrich data collection to facilitate the congestion learning, (ii) incorporate non-imitation learning methods to combine traffic efficiency into a safety-oriented technical route, and (iii) integrate domain knowledge from the traditional car-following theory to improve the string stability of mMP.
Enhanced Spatial–Temporal Map-Based Video Analytic Platform and Its Local- Versus Cloud-Based Deployment with Regional 511 Camera Network
Authors: Ge Yi , Jin Peter J. , Zhang Tianya , Martinez Jonathan
Published: August 2021

This paper explores the cloud- versus server-based deployment scenarios of an enhanced computer vision platform for potential deployment on low-resolution 511 traffic video streams. An existing computer vision algorithm based on a spatial–temporal map and designed for high-angle traffic video like that of NGSIM (Next Generation SIMulation) is enhanced for roadside CCTV traffic camera angles. Because of the lower visual angle, determining the directions, splitting vehicles from occlusions, and identifying lane changes become difficult. A motion-flow-based direction determination method, a bisection occlusion detection and splitting algorithm, and a lane-change tracking method are proposed. The model evaluation is conducted by using videos from multiple cameras from the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s 511 traffic video surveillance system. The results show promising performance in both accuracy and computational efficiency for potential large-scale cloud deployment. The cost analysis reveals that at the current pricing model of cloud computing, the cloud-based deployment is more convenient and cost-effective for an on-demand network assessment. In contrast, the dedicated-server-based deployment is more economical for long-term traffic detection deployment.
Sulfur dioxide-induced exacerbation of airway inflammation via reactive oxygen species production and the toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB pathway in asthmatic mice
Authors: Zhang Lingxiu , Yi Huilan , Sang Nan
Published: August 2021

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a common air pollutant that can exacerbate asthmatic airway inflammation. The mechanisms underlying these effects are not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of SO2 exposure (10 mg/m3) on asthmatic airway inflammation in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice. Our results showed that SO2 exposure alone induced slight airway injury, decreased superoxide dismutase activity, and increased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression in the lungs of mice. Moreover, SO2 exposure in asthmatic mice induced marked pathological damage, significantly increased the counts of inflammatory cells (e.g., macrophages, lymphocytes, and eosinophils) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and significantly enhanced malondialdehyde and glutathione levels in the lungs. Moreover, the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), NF-κB, pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6), and type II T-helper cell (Th2) cytokines was found to be elevated in the mice exposed to SO2 and ovalbumin compared to those exposed to ovalbumin alone. These results suggest that SO2 amplifies Th2-mediated inflammatory responses, which involve reactive oxygen species and TLR4/NF-κB pathway activation; these can further enhance Th2 cytokine expression and eosinophilic inflammation. Thus, our findings provide important evidence to understand a potential mechanism through which SO2 may exacerbate airway asthmatic inflammation.
Analyzing the Administrative Burden of Competency Based Medical Education
Authors: Cheung Kevin , Rogoza Christina , Chung Andrew D. , Kwan Benjamin Yin Ming
Published: August 2021

Purpose:

Postgraduate residency programs in Canada are transitioning to a competency-based medical education (CBME) system. Within this system, resident performance is documented through frequent assessments that provide continual feedback and guidance for resident progression. An area of concern is the perception by faculty of added administrative burden imposed by the frequent evaluations. This study investigated the time spent in the documentation and submission of required assessment forms through analysis of quantitative data from the Queen’s University Diagnostic Radiology program.

Methods and Materials:

Data regarding time taken to complete Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) assessments was collected from 24 full-time and part-time radiologists over a period of 18 months. This data was analyzed using SPSS to determine mean time of completion by individuals, departments, and by experience with the assessment process.

Results:

The average time taken to complete an EPA assessment form was 3 minutes and 6 seconds. Assuming 3 completed EPA assessment forms per week for each resident (n = 12) and equal distribution among all staff, this averaged out to an additional 18 minutes of administrative burden per staff member over a 4 week block.

Conclusions:

This study investigated the perception by faculty of additional administrative burden for assessment in the CBME framework. The data provided quantitative evidence of administrative burden for the documentation and submission of assessments. The data indicated that the added administrative burden may be reasonable given mandate for CBME implementation and the advantages of adoption for postgraduate medical education.
Leisure time of working children in Addis Ababa
Authors: Eriksen Sissel H , Mulugeta Emebet
Published: August 2021

Based on Article 31(1), the rights of the child to rest and leisure, and applying sociology of childhood as our theoretical approach, we investigated leisure and play among working children in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data from 45 qualitative interviews shows that the reasons behind work vary among children. For some, the primary motivation for work is getting money for recreation, while others are obliged to help families. Accordingly, leisure and play have different meanings for different children.
A review of assembly line balancing optimisation with energy consideration using meta-heuristic algorithms
Authors: Ramli Ariff Nijay , Ab Rashid Mohd Fadzil Faisae
Published: August 2021

Energy utilisation is one of the global trending issues. Various approaches have been introduced to minimise energy utilisation especially in the manufacturing sector, which is the largest consumer sector. One of the approaches includes the consideration of energy utilisation in the Assembly Line Balancing (ALB) optimisation. This paper reviews the ALB with energy consideration from 2012 to 2020. The selected articles were limited to problems solved using meta-heuristic algorithms. The review mainly focusses on the soft computing aspect such as problem variant, optimisation objectives, energy modelling and optimisation algorithm for ALB with energy consideration. Based on the review, the ALB with energy consideration was able to reduce energy utilisation up to 11.9%. It was found that the contribution in future ALB with energy research will be human-oriented, either social factor consideration in optimisation or energy utilisation modelling for workers. In addition, the effort to introduce an algorithm with efficient performance must be pursued because ALB problems have become more complicated. The findings from this review could assist future researchers to align their research direction with the observed trend. This paper also provides the research gap and research opportunities in the future.
Optimum design of middle stage tool geometry and addendum surfaces in sheet metal stamping processes using a new isogeometric-based framework
Authors: Shamloofard Mansoor , Isazadeh Amir Reza , Shirin Mehdi Bostan , Assempour Ahmad
Published: August 2021

An efficient isogeometric-based framework is presented to integrate optimum design and formability analysis of sheet metal forming processes. To assess the quality of the formed parts, several objective functions such as fracture, wrinkling, thickness variation, and stretching are studied. In this framework, geometric parameters of addendum surfaces and middle tools are considered as design variables, the objective functions are calculated using the recently developed one-step and multi-step inverse isogeometric methods, and the optimum design variables are obtained using the genetic global optimization algorithm. The major advantage of employing the inverse methods is to analyze the formability of the parts with a low computation time. In this research, the effects of altering addendum surfaces and/or middle tools on the quality of the formed parts are simultaneously observed since modeling, formability analysis, and optimization stages of sheet metal forming simulation are integrated using the NURBS functions. To evaluate the performance of the inverse isogeometric models in calculation of the studied objective functions, the results obtained by these models are compared to those of experiment and forward FEM. Comparisons of the results indicate that these models predict the objective functions with acceptable accuracy at a low computation time. For instance, in sheet metal forming analysis of a rectangular box with three different addendum surfaces, the maximum error in prediction of minimum thickness using the one-step inverse model is approximately 4.65% more than forward FEM, while the solution time of forward FEM is around 40 times greater. Finally, the presented optimization procedure is applied to design addendum surfaces in forming of a rectangular box and the middle tools in a two-stage drawing of a square box. The results of these problems confirm the credibility of the present approach in rapid optimum design of addendum surfaces and intermediate tools with acceptable accuracy.
Role of localized heating on the workability of powder metallurgical Al–4% Ti components in cold compression
Authors: Tharmaraj R , Joseph Davidson M , Richard S
Published: August 2021

In the present work, localised heating has been adopted at the damage site of the cold upset materials and the role of this mechanism on the workability has been analysed. Cylindrical specimens containing 96% aluminium and 4% titanium were prepared through powder metallurgy technique with an aspect ratio (height to diameter) of 1 by suitable pressures. A series of cold upsetting test was conducted and the material properties for various preforms initial relative densities (80%, 85% and 90%) were determined under the stable strain rate. The flow of metals was analysed using a finite element tool and it was observed that the metal flow starts from near the centre zone to the equatorial zone and the damage happens in the outer position because of more amount of accumulated stresses and the pores. These stresses and pores decrease the workability of the final component. Hence, the present research is intended to reduce the stresses and minimize the pores by applying a localized heating (100 °C–250 °C) at the equatorial sites of the components and thereby increasing the workability of the material. Also, heating selectively at the equatorial site of the workpiece improves the workability due to change in grain size and it was noticed that the grain size of the developed porous preforms was high for the higher heating conditions due to the growth of the grains. Therefore, the localized heating adopted in this work is a superior method to enhance the workability of the powder samples and this novel technique could be useful in improving the workability of the structural components that have extensive applications in the automobile and aerospace industries.
Natural convection of nanofluids in a wavy porous cavity
Authors: Barman Prabir , Rao PS
Published: August 2021

In this piece of work, a numerical investigation of natural convection is carried out on the buoyancy-driven flow of nanofluids and heat transfer through porous media packed inside a wavy cavity. The cavity is placed horizontal, and its right vertical wall is of wavy nature, the bottom and top walls of the cavity are adiabatic, and there is a temperature difference between the left and right vertical wall. The dimensionless governing equations for the flow of nanofluids through the Darcian porous media are solved iteratively by using finite difference method. The study is conducted for wide range of governing parameters, such as Rayleigh-Darcy number [Formula: see text], nanoparticle volume fraction [Formula: see text] for three types of nanofluids [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text], Cu-[Formula: see text], TiO2-[Formula: see text], the waviness of the vertical wall controlled by dimensionless length of amplitude of the wave [Formula: see text] and number of undulations per unit length ( N = 1, 3, 5). The simulated results reveals that the presence of nanoparticles enhances the convective heat transfer process at low Ra, and the wall affects the local convection rate and it also controls the overall heat transfer rate. For a cavity with N = 3, [Formula: see text] is increased by about 68% at Ra = 10, and at [Formula: see text] the increment is about 11% as the a is increased from 0.05 to 0.25 having 20% of nanoparticles volume friction.
Evaluation analysis on industrial green total factor productivity and energy transition policy in resource-based region
Authors: Xue Yaozu
Published: August 2021

Based on the input-output panel data of industrial sectors of Shanxi Province, which is the only province-wide resource-based region in China, this paper uses the non-parametric DEA model and the Malmquist productivity index to construct the DEA-Malmquist model for evaluation analysis of the green total factor productivity (GTFP) and its decomposition value of the sub-sector, and then through fixed effect panel regression model studies the ways of energy transition of the SDG’s. The results show that the technological progress index has the greatest contribution to the growth of GTFP, while the scale efficiency index has the lowest contribution. And the amount of investment in environmental pollution control has a significant positive relationship with the GTFP of the three major polluting industries in Shanxi. Among them, investment in environmental pollution control has the greatest positive effect on the GTFP of light polluting industries characterized by high technology, high added value and low emissions; investment in environmental pollution control has the largest positive effect on the GTFP of heavy polluting industries with heavy chemical industry and pollution-intensive industries; investment in environmental pollution control has the weakest positive effect on the GTFP of the medium polluting industries that manufacture life service products and some heavy industrial products. Based on these results, the paper puts forward effective policy for the energy transition of resource-based regions.
Bayesian approaches to the weighted kappa-like inter-rater agreement measures
Authors: Tran Quoc Duyet , Demirhan Haydar , Dolgun Anil
Published: August 2021

Inter-rater agreement measures are used to estimate the degree of agreement between two or more assessors. When the agreement table is ordinal, different weight functions that incorporate row and column scores are used along with the agreement measures. The selection of row and column scores is effectual on the estimated degree of agreement. The weighted measures are prone to the anomalies frequently seen in agreement tables such as unbalanced table structures or grey zones due to the assessment behaviour of the raters. In this study, Bayesian approaches for the estimation of inter-rater agreement measures are proposed. The Bayesian approaches make it possible to include prior information on the assessment behaviour of the raters in the analysis and impose order restrictions on the row and column scores. In this way, we improve the accuracy of the agreement measures and mitigate the impact of the anomalies in the estimation of the strength of agreement between the raters. The elicitation of prior distributions is described theoretically and practically for the Bayesian estimation of five agreement measures with three different weights using an agreement table having two grey zones. A Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to assess the classification accuracy of the Bayesian and classical approaches for the considered agreement measures for a given level of agreement. Recommendations for the selection of the highest performing agreement measure and weight combination are made in the breakdown of the table structure and sample size.
Book review: Mohammad Mustafa. Demystifying Venture Capital: How it Works and How to Get It
Authors: Dwivedi Amit Kumar , Randhar Sanjay Kumar
Published: August 2021

Mohammad Mustafa. Demystifying Venture Capital: How it Works and How to Get It, Simon & Schuster India, 2020, 400 pp.
Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty for Online Food Services Provider in India: An Empirical Study
Authors: Sinha Anand Prasad , Srivastava Praveen , Srivastava Sanjiv Kumar , Asthana Ashok Kumar , Nag Aditi
Published: August 2021

In the food sector, customers have been voting by their feet since ages. However, due to the technological changes clubbed with present COVID-19 pandemic, the trend has changed rapidly. Customers are confined to their home and technology has emerged as the only saviour. The number of increased downloads of food ordering app is an indication of both popularity of these apps and helplessness of the present age customer. With restricted movement, they have these apps to either get the food delivered at their doorstep or take away with pre-orders. Hence, it becomes imperative for the app designer and food service provider to brainstorm and develop an app which can focus on the customer ease rather than forcing their design and interface to customer. In this backdrop, this study is a novel attempt which primarily focuses on relationship amid customer satisfaction and app quality. The inter-related relationship among service quality, satisfaction of customer and their loyalty using the app has been explored. Collection of the data used stratified random sampling. A total of 380 usable data have been collected from customers who have been using this app for ordering since last one year.
The Art of Trade War: Spurring Investments in Indonesia Amidst the US–China Trade War
Authors: Jong Hilda Yanuar
Published: August 2021

The US–China trade war creates significant opportunities for developing countries, as global manufacturers need to relocate their production facilities out of China to avoid future tariff hikes. However, Indonesia as the biggest economy in the ASEAN is not experiencing any substantial advantage relative to its neighbors, especially compared to Vietnam. While there is no clarity on how long the trade war will last, it is important for Indonesia to strategize quickly to capitalize the opportunities. This article addresses the question of how Indonesia should strategize through country comparison and analysis of two types of policy competition, namely, incentives-based (IBC) and rules-based competition (RBC). In the short-term, Indonesia should be more accommodating for investors of all sizes and maximize the trade-related investment assistance. In the longer term, Indonesia should prudently open up to trade, improve cooperation between investment and trade functions, and build a positive public mindset for free trade.
The Centrality of Cultural Considerations in Facilitating Training for Adults
Authors: Brion Corinne
Published: August 2021

Teaching and learning are social and cultural activities. Across cultures, people have different ways of communicating, interacting, and learning. Consequently, learning may not occur without understanding the role national cultures play on organizing and facilitating training events. This study is part of a larger study that took place over a period of 6 years, from 2013 to 2019, in West Africa. Using Hofstede et al.’s Six Cultural Dimensions model as a conceptual framework, the researcher sought to examine the extent to which factors of national culture influence the facilitation of professional learning among school principals in two West African countries. Findings indicated that facilitators adapted to national culture in the dimensions of Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Long-Term Orientation. This study is significant because teaching does not always equate to learning, and understanding the role of cultural factors can improve learning transfer. If facilitators and practitioners understood how national cultures influence teaching, they would adapt and adjust their practices to the national cultures they serve to improve learning outcomes. Based on the study findings, the researcher offers recommendations for those practitioners who work with adults in international contexts and/or who attend to learners from various cultural backgrounds.
Designing nonlinear observer for topography estimation in trolling mode atomic force microscopy
Authors: Sajjadi Mohammadreza , Chahari Mahmood , Pishkenari Hossein Nejat , Vossoughi Gholamreza
Published: August 2021

In this study, a nonlinear observer for high-speed estimation of the sample surface topography in a small duration of the probe transient motion utilizing a 2DOF model of TR-AFM is proposed. Since the time duration to reach the steady-state periodic motion of the oscillating probe in conventional imaging methods is relatively high, the proposed nonlinear observer in this research is able to address this limitation and estimate the surface topography throughout transient oscillation of the microcantilever. With this aim, topography estimation process utilizing a Thau observer without any linearization of the system dynamics is designed and coupled with the system dynamics to achieve sample topography. The stability of the proposed observer coupled with controller is verified by the Lyapunov stability theorem for the first time, and hence, linearization of the model is not required. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the presented approach to estimate different sample heights with high accuracy and a relatively high scanning speed. Additionally, the effects of measurement noise and horizontal nanoneedle tip displacement on the performance of proposed technique are investigated.
Lubricating oil deterioration modeling and remaining useful life prediction based on hidden semi-Markov modeling
Authors: Du Ying , Duan Chaoqun , Wu Tonghai
Published: August 2021

Lubricating oil, which carries information about machine’s health condition, is of great importance to the performance of machines in the full life cycle. The main purpose of oil deterioration modeling and its remaining useful life prediction is to determine the exact time that the lubricating oil has degraded and it is no longer able to maintain its functions. Generally, lubricating oil deterioration can be partially detected by condition monitoring based on wear debris analysis, and thus can be categorized into three states. In our paper, vector data, which contain wear debris concentration and carry information about the state of lubricating oil, are obtained by an on-line visual ferrograph sensor from a four-ball tester at regular sampling epochs. The oil’s state process is described by a hidden semi-Markov model, and its sojourn times in each state are assumed to be Erlang distributed. A vector autoregressive method based on time series modeling is presented to obtain residual observations, which are regarded as the observable process of oil information in the hidden semi-Markov model framework. The unknown parameters of the hidden semi-Markov model are then estimated by using expectation-maximization algorithm. Afterward, a Bayesian updating approach is presented to derive the explicit formulas of the conditional reliability and mean residual life. To validate the proposed approach, a real case study of lubricating oil deterioration is demonstrated and a comparison with the hidden Markov model is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the new developed remaining useful life prediction approach for lubricating oil.
Pre-adolescents with multiple health complaints redeem more prescriptions: A follow-up study in the Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Bernstorff Martin , Rask Charlotte Ulrikka , Rytter Dorte , Hansen Stefan Nygaard , Bech Bodil Hammer
Published: August 2021

Aims: This study aimed to examine the association between multiple health complaints (MHC) in pre-adolescence and prescription redemption in adolescence. Methods: This was a nationwide population-based study based on the Danish National Birth Cohort for an average of 6.9 years (2010–2018). A total of 96,382 children were invited at the age of 11. A modified version of the Health Behaviour in School Children Symptom Checklist was dichotomised into the World Health Organization’s definition of MHC (⩾2 complaints, each with a frequency of at least weekly, yes/no). The number of prescriptions was retrieved from Danish registries. Negative binomial regression estimated incidence rate ratios (IRRs) comparing children with MHC to children without. Prescription redemption was further stratified by psychiatric/somatic medication and into subtypes of prescriptions. Results: A total of 47,365 (49.1%) children participated ( Mage=11.2 years, 52% girls). MHC were reported by 10.3%. The unadjusted IRR (MHC vs. no MHC) of all types of redemptions was 1.57 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–1.64). Results were robust to adjustment for socio-demographic variables and somatic/psychiatric morbidity at baseline (IRR=1.47; 95% CI 1.40–1.54). Associations were especially strong for psychiatric medication (adjusted IRR=3.88; 95% CI 3.43–4.40) and were modified by neither sex nor maternal education. Conclusions: MHC in pre-adolescents predict prescription redemption. This implies that changes in MHC might be indicative of changes in public health. This requires further study, as the cause of a change in reporting of symptoms might also cause a change in treatment response. The latter determines whether prescriptions are treating ill-being or needlessly medicalising subjective symptoms.
Life-cycle cost analysis for façade retrofit measures of residential buildings in Cairo
Authors: Kazem Medhat , Ezzeldin Sherif , Tolba Osama
Published: August 2021

Nowadays, energy retrofit for existing buildings has become a worldwide approach to reduce total energy consumption. A wide range of energy-efficient retrofit measures is actively affecting the decision process, of which retrofit alternatives should be used. The existing study aims to evaluate the effects of façade retrofit measures in residential buildings in Cairo using life-cycle cost analysis. An extensive variety of façade retrofit alternatives was explored individually and combined. A hypothetical benchmark building was used as a reference to represent typical residential buildings in Cairo. DesignBuilder was adopted to assess and quantify the energy-saving potentials for the proposed measures. The evaluation process was based on a parametric analysis of four major façade parameters that are affecting building energy performance; exterior wall configuration, glazing type, window-to-wall ratio and external shading. Thermal characteristics for façade retrofit measures were analysed to give a better understanding of the thermal performance for each retrofitting case. Results showed that the most cost-effective alternative for façade retrofit is to install a 1 m overhang as an external shading device, which reached 1.4% life-cycle cost saving and 18% energy saving. Finally, a sensitivity analysis for the main life-cycle cost supplements was presented to show major variables that are affecting life-cycle cost analysis.
COVID-19 and the Counter-cyclical Role of the State in South Africa
Authors: Khambule Isaac
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted social and economic activities across the world, resulting in the contraction of national economies and the global economy, causing an unprecedented loss of employment. The pandemic’s detrimental impact has meant that governments have to play an interventionist role to mitigate the staggering social and economic effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on sustainable development. In light of the damaging impact of the pandemic on the economy, employment and poverty, this article assesses the socio-economic contribution and effectiveness of the counter-cyclical policies in mitigating the socio-economic impact of COVID-19 in South Africa. Methodologically, the article used secondary qualitative and quantitative data to assess the government’s fiscal and monetary measures. The findings suggest that South Africa adopted extensive counter-cyclical fiscal and monetary policies, such as increased government spending on social and economic public goods, tax relief, interest rate cuts and job protection measures. While these counter-cyclical measures had some degree of effectiveness, they were undermined by the lack of comprehensively targeted measures for low-income households. This article argues that the country needs to find proactive ways of managing its counter-cyclical fiscal measures to ensure a higher degree of effectiveness and economic stabilization to reach those in greatest need.
Self-Directed Exergaming for Stroke Upper Limb Impairment Increases Exercise Dose Compared to Standard Care
Authors: Broderick Michelle , Almedom Leeza , Burdet Etienne , Burridge Jane , Bentley Paul
Published: August 2021

Background. One of the strongest modifiable determinants of rehabilitation outcome is exercise dose. Technologies enabling self-directed exercise offer a pragmatic means to increase dose, but the extent to which they achieve this in unselected cohorts, under real-world constraints, is poorly understood. Objective. Here we quantify the exercise dose achieved by inpatient stroke survivors using an adapted upper limb (UL) exercise gaming (exergaming) device and compare this with conventional (supervised) therapy. Methods. Over 4 months, patients presenting with acute stroke and associated UL impairment were screened at a single stroke centre. Participants were trained in a single session and provided with the device for unsupervised use during their inpatient admission. Results. From 75 patients referred for inpatient UL therapy, we recruited 30 (40%), of whom 26 (35%) were able to use the device meaningfully with their affected UL. Over a median enrolment time of 8 days (IQR: 5–14), self-directed UL exercise duration using the device was 26 minutes per day (median; IQR: 16–31), in addition to 25 minutes daily conventional UL therapy (IQR: 12–34; same cohort plus standard care audit; joint n = 50); thereby doubling total exercise duration (51 minutes; IQR: 32–64) relative to standard care (Z = 4.0, P <.001). The device enabled 104 UL repetitions per day (IQR: 38–393), whereas conventional therapy achieved 15 UL repetitions per day (IQR: 11–23; Z = 4.3, P <.001). Conclusion. Self-directed adapted exergaming enabled participants in our stroke inpatient cohort to increase exercise duration 2-fold, and repetitions 8-fold, compared to standard care, without requiring additional professional supervision.
Energy harvesting effect on prolonging low-power lossy networks lifespan
Authors: Habaebi Mohamed Hadi , Basaloom Abdullah Ahmed S , Islam Md Rafiqul , Yacine Merrad , Mesri M , Elsheikh Elfatih AA , Suliman FM
Published: August 2021

Low-power lossy networks performance relies heavily on the wireless node battery status. Furthermore, Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Network routing protocol was not optimally designed with sustainable energy consumption in mind to suit these networks. Prolonging the lifespan of these networks is of utmost priority. This article introduces a solar energy harvesting module to power energy-constrained network devices and quantifies the effect of using harvested energy on prolonging their network lifetime when Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Network routing protocol is used. Simulation of the new developed module is conducted in three different scenarios using Contiki Cooja simulator sporting Zolertia Z1 motes. Furthermore, the harvested energy used was fed from a Cooja-based Simulation model of actual PV supercapacitor circuit design. All battery levels were set to 1% of their total capacity for all nodes in the network to speed up observing the energy harvesting effect. The performance evaluation results showed that the network with no-energy harvesting operated for time duration of 4:08:04 time units (i.e. hour:minute:second) with a dramatic decrease in connection between nodes in the network. However, the same network, when using the harvested energy to back up the battery operation, lasted for 6:40:01 in time units with improved connectivity, a total extended network lifetime of 2:31:97-time units. Furthermore, for the Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Network routing metrics, OF0 outperformed ETX in term of throughput, packet delivery ratio, energy consumption, and network connectivity. Results indicate that the developed harvested energy module fits perfectly for any Cooja-based simulation and mimics actual photovoltaic-based supercapacitor battery. It should also help researchers introduce and quantify accurately new energy consumption-based routing metrics for Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Network.
The perspective of emerging adults with Down syndrome – On quality of life and well-being
Authors: Jevne Kjersti Wessel , Kollstad Marit , Dolva Anne-Stine
Published: August 2021

This study explored the thoughts of emerging adults with Down syndrome on quality of life and subjective well-being. Eight 22-year-olds participated in interviews. Data was analysed with content analysis. Four themes were revealed: Work based on interest and capability, having an active and social leisure life, a safe place to live and the use of information and communication technology. Two context related patterns were identified showing that quality of life and subjective well-being were related to individualised support to enhance independency in work, social leisure and place of living. Knowledge of their perception of independency and their awareness of needing customised help and support is valuable. This study supports the proposed emerging Quality of Life Supports Paradigm in the field of intellectual disabilities, which integrates key concepts of quality of life and supports.
Failure behavior of multi-state system considering functional and physical isolation effects
Authors: Chen Ying , Wang Ze , Wang Yanfang , Kang Rui
Published: August 2021

The multi-state system (MSS) is a system that may exhibit multiple states or performance levels. Most existing studies assumed that the transition probabilities from states to states are known. However, in practical engineering, the complex stress conditions lead to great difficulty of collecting the statistical data of state transitions. In this paper, based on physics-of-failure theory, we consider different levels of damages caused by failure mechanisms (FMs) are the main reasons to components’ multiple states. Besides, the physical isolation (PI) effect on degradations of FMs is also studied, which is neglected in the existing studies about the MSS with functional dependence groups. Decision-diagram based methods are used for modeling the failure behavior of the MSS. An automatic collision avoidance system is analyzed for illustrating the proposed modeling and analyzing methods. The results show that comparing to the results without the consideration of PI effect, the probabilities of different states with PI effect of multi-state components and system may decrease or increase, which depends on the actual PI effects to the stress conditions.
Increasing the longitudinal bending stiffness of runners’ habitual shoes: An appropriate choice for improving running performance?
Authors: Flores Nicolas , Rao Guillaume , Berton Eric , Delattre Nicolas
Published: August 2021

This study analysed the effects of increasing the longitudinal bending stiffness (LBS) of runners’ habitual shoes on the metabolic energetic demand, lower limb muscle activation and stride spatiotemporal parameters during a prolonged running session through classical group investigation, as well as a more individualised approach. Eleven recreational male participants ran overground for 40 min at 95% of their ventilatory anaerobic threshold with their own shoes or their shoes with higher LBS (stiff carbon plate inserted under insole). The net energetic cost of running, lower leg muscle activation and spatiotemporal parameters were measured during the prolonged running. The variables of interest were analysed for 1 min in seven time intervals. There were no main effects of LBS or interaction effects with running duration on the group averaged variables. Overall, the participant-specific metabolic effects induced by an increased shoe LBS were not beneficial. Beneficial metabolic effects were more likely to occur when the increased LBS induced a decrease or no change in the ground contact time relative to their habitual shoes, as well as for taller runners. Increasing the LBS in runners’ habitual shoes did not induce systematic metabolic effects for all the runners and may not be beneficial for performance purposes if the runners’ shoe habits were too disrupted.
Barriers to linkage to care in hepatitis C patients with substance use disorders and dual diagnoses, despite centralized management
Authors: Grau-López Lara , Marcos-Fosch Cristina , Daigre Constanza , Palma-Alvarez Raúl Felipe , Rando-Segura Ariadna , Llaneras Jordi , Perea-Ortueta Marta , Rodriguez-Frias Francisco , Martínez-Luna Nieves , Riveiro-Barciela Mar , Ramos-Quiroga Josep Antoni , Colom Joan , Esteban Rafael , Buti María
Published: August 2021

Background:

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) management is a challenge in patients with substance use disorder (SUD). This study aimed to describe an HCV screening and linkage to care program in SUD patients, and analyze the characteristics of this population in relation to HCV infection, particularly the impact of psychiatric comorbidities (dual diagnosis).

Methods:

This study was a prospective clinical cohort study using a collaborative, multidisciplinary model to offer HCV care (screening, diagnosis, and therapy) to individuals with SUD attending a dedicated hospital clinic. The characteristics of the participants, prevalence of HCV infection, percentage who started therapy, and adherence to treatment were compared according to the patients’ consumption characteristics and presence of dual diagnosis. HCV screening, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and sustained virologic response were analyzed.

Results:

528 individuals attended the center (November 2018–June 2019) and 401 (76%) accepted screening. In total, 112 (28%) were anti-HCV-positive and 42 (10%) had detectable HCV RNA, but only 20 of the latter started HCV therapy. Among the 253 (63%) patients with a dual diagnosis, there were no differences in HCV infection prevalence versus patients with SUD alone ( p = 0.28). Dual diagnosis did not lead to a higher risk of HCV infection or interfere with linkage to care or treatment.

Conclusion:

This study found a high prevalence of dual diagnosis and HCV infection in SUD patients, but dual diagnosis was not associated with an increased risk of acquiring HCV or more complex access to care. Despite use of a multidisciplinary management approach, considerable barriers to HCV care remain in this population that would need more specific focus.
The conditions of access to parental leave in the EU: An adequate delimitation of qualifying periods by the Court of Justice?
Authors: De la Corte-Rodríguez Miguel
Published: August 2021

This article makes a critical analysis of the Caisse pour l’avenir des enfants case, in which the Court of Justice of the EU examined the conditions of access Member States are allowed to impose on workers to be entitled to parental leave, according to Directive 2010/18.
Microvascular fragment spheroids: Three-dimensional vascularization units for tissue engineering and regeneration
Authors: Nalbach Lisa , Müller Danièle , Wrublewsky Selina , Metzger Wolfgang , Menger Michael D , Laschke Matthias W , Ampofo Emmanuel
Published: August 2021

Adipose tissue-derived microvascular fragments (MVF) serve as vascularization units in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Because a three-dimensional cellular arrangement has been shown to improve cell function, we herein generated for the first time MVF spheroids to investigate whether this further increases their vascularization potential. These spheroids exhibited a morphology, size, and viability comparable to that of previously introduced stromal vascular fraction (SVF) spheroids. However, MVF spheroids contained a significantly higher number of CD31-positive endothelial cells and α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive perivascular cells, resulting in an enhanced angiogenic sprouting activity. Accordingly, they also exhibited an improved in vivo vascularization and engraftment after transplantation into mouse dorsal skinfold chambers. These findings indicate that MVF spheroids are superior to SVF spheroids and, thus, may be highly suitable to improve the vascularization of tissue defects and implanted tissue constructs.
Digital platforms and speed-based competition: The case of secondhand clothing
Authors: Juge Elodie , Pomiès Anissa , Collin-Lachaud Isabelle
Published: August 2021

Recent research studies have explored what digital platforms do as well as the behaviour they generate among users. This article builds on the existing literature by studying how P2P digital platforms are speeding up market activities and how this acceleration is shaping inter-user relationships. A qualitative ethnographic study was conducted on the secondhand clothing market from 2013 to 2020. Drawing on social acceleration theory, we show how the affordances of digital platforms encourage an acceleration in the pace of life, an acceleration in the renewal of items owned, and a technical acceleration across multiple domains. These accelerations are inciting speed-based competition between users, who must now be more responsive, more trend-conscious, and more savvy than others. The platforms also constitute a particular digital space that invites us to rethink the notion of alienation in various forms, specifically spatial and temporal alienation. In addition to these theoretical contributions, this research offers societal insights that will help users become more aware of the scale of their sped-up activities on digital platforms.