bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety Analysis and Ship Recycling Yard Evaluation of Hong Kong International Convention for The Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships
Authors: Jamaluddin  , Zaman M B , Pitana T , Prastowo Hari , priyanta Dwi , Siswantoro N , Hasanuddin  , Purnomo A , Sunaryo  , Hariyanto Surya
Published: February 2022

The condition of the Indonesian fleet, which is in its old age, allows ships to be recycled as the best solution. However, conditions in the field, there are still many ship recycling processes that do not obey the rules, especially on the effect of workers and also the effect on the environment. In Indonesia, there are still many ship recycling yards that do not pay attention to the effects on workers and the effects on the environment and most of them are still traditional shipyards. Therefore, one of the best solutions is to renew existing regulations, namely the Hong Kong International Convention for The Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. When the implementation of this convention, the ship recycling shipyard must adjust to the convention. This study focused on the analysis of the assessment of the condition of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). To evaluate the condition of the shipyard, the Gap Analysis method is by comparing the ideal conditions with the existing conditions at that time. The analysis is carried out using the Hazard Identification Risk Assessment Risk Control (HIRARC) method. This method is carried out by identifying hazards, which then provides a risk assessment and recommends how to control it. Based on result, risk matrix were obtained, which contained the assessment categories of Low, Moderate, High and Extreme. The results of this study through the gap analysis method, the average value is 2.1, which means that this value is still very low because the value of 0 - 2 is categorized as still many sub-clause indicators that do not exist or are not handled. Furthermore, in research using the HIRARC method, 60 risk matrices were obtained, which contained the assessment categories of Low, Moderate, High and Extreme.
Resistance Comparison of Flat Plate and Conventional Streamline Vessel
Authors: Baidowi Achmad , Amiadji  , Musriyadi T B , Aried I S , Ricinsi F P
Published: February 2022

There was a phenomenal vessel which has unique hull shape, the shape of the hull is flattened not conventional streamlined as normal vessel. This phenomenal design is dedicated for small vessels such as fishing vessel, patrol vessel and a prototype has been built. This design raised a question regarding the resistance compared to conventional streamline vessel. This paper compares a flat plate vessel with 282.56 ton displacement with a conventional vessel with same displacement and same speed. The resistance comparison was conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) on each ship with speed range 5-10 knots of operational speed. The results of the CFD shows that the resistance of flat plate ship is higher compared to conventional vessel for 5 knots speed. The resistance value for 5 knots of flat plate vessel is 11,618 kN while the conventional vessel shape is 9.23kN. While for 10 knots speed, the flat plate vessel is also higher compared to conventional vessel with 54.53 kN for flat plate and 49.96 kN for conventional vessel.
The Influence of Baffle Inclination on Fluid Flow and Temperature Distribution of HPH Heat Exchanger
Authors: Putri R A A , Amalia R , Satrio D
Published: February 2022

High Pressure Heater is one of the heat exchanger type shell and tube in the plant consisting of a shell on the outside and a tube on the inside where the temperature of a fluid in the shell is different from the temperature inside the tube, resulting in heat transfer between fluid flows. The use of baffle inclination on the shell side serves to direct the fluid flow so that the flow occurs turbulence that can affect the temperature distribution on the shell side. This study aimed to determine the influence of baffle inclination angle on temperature distribution and fluid flow. The results showed that using variations in the angle of baffle inclination can increase the outlet temperature value and the higher temperature at a 20° variation in baffle inclination angle of 349.74 K, the pressure on the shell side decreases at each variation lowest value of 793.19 pa at 0° variation of baffle inclination and the velocity value produced is higher with the increasing angle of the baffle. Given the variation in baffle angle, the change in value in the high-pressure heater is caused by turbulence caused by baffle inclination on the shell side.
A Comparative of Component Resistance and Form Factor of Four Patrol Boat
Authors: Purnamasari Dian , Maulana Fariz , Suwarni Endah
Published: February 2022

The most common type of patrol boats is semi-displacement ships, the design of a 60 meters patrol boat has been built by several shipyards for the Indonesian Navy. Four patrol boats model were retested at the Indonesian Hydrodynamic Laboratory for a resistance test. Based on resistance test, the total resistance components of the model were decomposed into the individual resistance components. The scale ratio effects and form factor were investigated. This study was undertaken to determine the form factor using Prohaska method. The frictional resistance coefficient of the model is calculated based on ITTC correlation line proposed by ITTC 57 and the residual resistance coefficient is derived for each model test. Result of this study show L/B ratio of model ship gets larger, on otherwise the value of the form factor k is smaller. Frictional resistance coefficient (C
F) becomes smaller when Reynolds number becomes greater. The residual resistance coefficients (C
R) of the model decrease while the size of the model ship increases. this study reveals the relationship between the changes in frictional resistance coefficient (C
F) and residual resistance coefficient (C
R) caused by the scale ratio.
A Systematic Literature Review of Influencing Factors and Strategies of Artificial Intelligence Adoption in the Construction Industry
Authors: Tjebane M M , Musonda I , Okoro C S
Published: February 2022

The construction industry has seen an increase in Artificial Intelligence(AI) in recent years, a paradigm shift in many industries. It puts under pressure for technological advancement. Therefore, AI is under great attention in the construction industry as a new strategic paver. This paper adopts a systematic literature review (SLR) approach and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to observe and understand the influencing factors and strategies for AI adoption. The SLR for AI-related research carried out between 2010 and 2020. Data was collected from ASCE Journals, Emerald Insight, Elsevier ScienceDirect, Engineering Village, Google Scholar, ICE virtual library, IOPscience, IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Scopus, SpringerLink and Taylor & Francis. The paper identifies and classifies the new developments in AI research, making its implementation and adoption a reality in the construction industry. This review has the potential for construction industry stakeholders, especially those in developing countries, to utilise the accumulated evidence from selected systematic reviews to enable the usage of AI for infrastructure development
Integrated Prescriptive Maintenance System (PREMSYS) for Construction Equipment Based on Productivity
Authors: Petroutsatou K , Ladopoulos I
Published: February 2022

It is now imperative to create smart systems that prevent mechanical damage through timely preventive maintenance, particularly in construction projects with strict time schedules and budgets. Construction equipment is the largest capital investment for construction companies. Proper maintenance is of major importance for efficiency, productivity, minimization of equipment costs, and environmental management. The aim of this study is to propose an integrated smart system that will monitor the condition based on productivity of the equipment and will provide diagnostic data, helping to optimize the production process, achieve timely maintenance and increasing the expected “economic” life of the equipment. At the same time, it will positively provide the concept for sustainable or green construction with the minimization and elimination of harmful effects on the environment and on the human. The system will include sensors, placed on specific construction equipment components, and will collect measurements for their use and condition, through real-time data export. These data will then be sent using wireless networks to a main server. Extraction of performance measurements and machine learning (ML) data processing will determine when the equipment needs predictive maintenance and repair. Proper, timely and prescriptive maintenance of construction equipment will reduce their environmental footprint and any human harmful emissions, while saving energy during their operating phase and optimizing production processes through monitoring “dead” time.
IoT System for Maintenance Monitoring of Historic Buildings – Smart Monitoring
Authors: Vidovszky I , Pintér F
Published: February 2022

Maintenance monitoring is an essential task in the field of preservation of historic buildings. The continuously developing IoT-based systems for monitoring already exist in many areas, like the maintenance of complicated mechanical systems or large industrial facilities, but there are only a few examples of the application of such methods in the field of cultural heritage preservation. In this paper, the possible elements and system of an automatized maintenance monitoring network are tested by analyzing the possible options of the survey units and the system to be established in cases of altering circumstances of the investigated site, highlighting the factors which have to be considered in the case of developing a network on-site. Finally, typical application cases were distinguished, and configuration options were suggested for the automated maintenance monitoring systems.
Blueprint for Construction 4.0 Technologies: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Ammar A , Nassereddine H
Published: February 2022

To survive in an increasingly complex environment, the Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry needs a game-changing innovation. As, the industrial sector has provided compelling evidence that Industry 4.0 gives the opportunity to gain competitive advantages, the construction industry started embracing what is now acknowledged as Construction 4.0. While Building Information modeling (BIM) has been extensively discussed and is perceived as a core enabler of Construction 4.0, this next revolution in the AEC industry goes beyond BIM. As Construction 4.0 is gaining momentum in the construction body of knowledge, there is still no consensus on what Construction 4.0 really means and what technologies it encompasses. Building on insights collected from the extant research corpus through a systematic literature review of the published scientific research in the last ten years, this paper proposes a blueprint for Construction 4.0. Bibliometric analysis was employed to map the currently discussed Construction 4.0 technologies, group them into clusters based on their occurrences, and determine the least researched ones. This blueprint sheds light on how well-defined the concept of Construction 4.0 is, detects the least researched technologies, and provides AEC stakeholders with a reference to better understand this transformation and where it stands today.
Creating a tiny home building code to positively affect long-term sustainability
Authors: Boyer K , Simons A
Published: February 2022

There is an ongoing effort in the tiny home construction industry in the United States to create a tiny home specific building code. To date, there has been little data collected to reflect how the creation of a building code could affect the tiny home industry. Mixed methods research was conducted, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data. Interviews were conducted with tiny home experts, builders, owners, advocates, insurers, financers, and building officials. The results of the research indicated that creating a tiny home building code would positively affect the sustainability of the tiny home movement. Of the different types of tiny homes identified in the research, those associated with tiny homes on wheels (THOW) would likely benefit the most from a creation of a tiny home specific building code. The majority of those surveyed (76%) were in support of creating a THOW specific building code. Five main categories were identified as necessary for inclusion in a THOW specific building code including trailer foundations, trailer to structure connections, framing, electrical, and sanitation. Eleven subcategories, or specific items, were identified as essential for inclusion in a THOW specific building code. Future research should validate the data collected and ensure all pertinent code items are addressed.
A Theoretical Assessment of the Impacts of Poor Maintenance of Public Infrastructure
Authors: Matse Ncamiso , Mashwama Nokulunga Xolile , Thwala Didibhuku , Aigbavboa Clinton
Published: February 2022

The study examines previous literature on the impacts of poor maintenance of public infrastructure in the Kingdom of Eswatini. In the past two decades the kingdom of Eswatini has experienced a huge growth of public building development. Construction of new facilities alone is not enough but the most critical activities in public buildings is to provide adequate and proper maintenance for the structures to accomplish their intended purpose. It is worth noting that building maintenance prevents accumulated decay and deterioration, which is contributing to health concerns and reducing the profitability of occupants. Therefore, absence or poor performance of facility management in an institution is accompanied by negative impacts. Moreover, to correct these negative consequences a massive financial cost and worst severe financial loss would be generated to those institutions concerned. The study is conducted with reference to existing theoretical literature, published and unpublished research. The study is mainly a literature review on the impacts of poor maintenance of public infrastructure. One of the primary findings regarding the impact of poor building maintenance are: that it reduces the value of existing public buildings and it also increases budgets for untreated maintenance faults, increased costs for emergency repairs, insufficient provision and delivery of public services. The study explores the effects of poor maintenance of public infrastructure and presents a robust background on the theories of poor infrastructure maintenance. This study will enable the public facility management and the government at large to know the importance of maintaining a building.
Analysis of Challenges to BIM Adoption in Mega Construction Projects
Authors: Akcay E C
Published: February 2022

Megaprojects are large-scale and complex investments, including a long construction period, as a result need efficient management skills during their life cycle. The success rate of the megaprojects is lower compared to the traditional projects due to their complex characteristics. By adopting new technologies, such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), more efficient project management can be performed for mega construction projects. Hence, the success of projects could be increased in terms of time, cost and quality. In this study, the challenges to BIM implementation in mega construction projects are investigated. To achieve this aim, the challenges for BIM adoption extracted through a literature review. Then, a questionnaire survey was designed to collect the data from practitioners. Furthermore, the challenges were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Assessment of existing BIM implementation processes of a public organization to improve building assets management and maintenance
Authors: Boufares N , Motamedi A , Iordanova I , Forgues D
Published: February 2022

In the lifecycle of a building, the longest phase is generally that of operation and maintenance (O&M). The data needed to support O&M is mainly generated during the design, construction, and commissioning of the built asset phases. However, the extraction and transfer of relevant O&M data from the project documents remain a major issue in that it is time consuming and error prone. Nowadays, Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows different project team members to collaborate and share building data in real time. However, as-built models handed-over to the asset management team are quite voluminous and usually lack the necessary information for the O&M phase. This is due to an absence of O&M information requirements specification, and the lack of compliance monitoring and control during the project. This paper presents an action research focused on the issues encountered by a public building owner to manage their BIM processes. It demonstrates issues of BIM readiness and capabilities, both at the project and O&M levels, by mapping the gaps in the existing processes. Building owners rely on the design professionals’ expertise to guide them but do not have the adequate resources, knowledge, and tools to ensure the quality of the models delivered regarding O&M requirements. Major issues in the management of information for O&M were identified, and some recommendations are proposed.
Platforms - A Novel Paradigm of Construction Collaboration
Authors: Turk Žiga , Giddey Mewail , Klinc Robert
Published: February 2022

Business and innovation models based on an idea of a digital platform have revolutionized information technology use in many consumer areas where uptake of IT would have otherwise been slow. Slow is also the uptake of information technology in construction. The hypothesis of this paper is that the delivery mechanism for technology has not been the most suitable one and that this can be improved upon – using the digital platforms. Term platform has been used before. In this paper we define the concept of a digital construction platform. We then analyse their potential in construction processes, focusing on construction design. The paper contributes to the understanding of an emerging new paradigm for the delivery, marketing, and innovation in digital technology in construction. Follow up work will examine the platforms from the structure-function-behaviour perspective and present their architectural foundations.
Reflections on the Performance of South Africa’s Construction Industry: Hope Beyond Covid-19 Effects
Authors: Dithebe K , Thwala W D , Aigbavboa C , Madumelane B
Published: February 2022

South Africa’s economic activity has declined in recent years owing its troubles to years of policy uncertainty, bad governance, corruption and limited budget and finance for the development of infrastructure. The woes are no different to the ones experienced by the construction industry. It must be categorically stated that the woes currently experienced by the industry did not begin with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic was simply the last nail to the coffin. The study thus provides a clear reflection on the dynamics and challenges that were encountered by the industry, with the hope of resuscitating it to what is used to be – a key sector in growing South Africa’s economy. A quantitative approach was adopted. Reviewed literature formed basis of secondary data whilst the distribution of a close-ended questionnaire to construction professionals, economists and researchers formed the basis of primary data collection. Snowballing sampling technique was employed. A total of 77 questionnaires were returned. SPSS was used to analyse data using mean item scores to determine the level of agreement between respondents. From the results it was clear that corruption and fraudulent activities contributed significantly to the progression of South Africa’s construction industry. Unregulated adoption of technology, political uncertainty and non-compliance to laws and safety standards emerged as key factors affecting the productivity of the industry. The adoption of advanced technologies such as robots and automated machines need to be formally regulated by government to be inclusive, this requires inclusive procurement practices to SMMEs and policy certainty and decisiveness from government. Government must be able to inform or direct business, firms who do not comply state departments must impose fines or sanctions (from bidding for government projects in the future).
Relationship between real estate and stock market during the coronavirus crises in the Czech Republic
Authors: Holcman J , Prostejovská Z
Published: February 2022

This paper deals with the relationship between the residential house price index and the stock markets at the time of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The research focuses primarily on the real estate market in the Czech Republic and the development of the Prague Stock Exchange index. The period from 2007 to the end of 2020 is monitored. The subject of the examination is not the assessment of the severity or type of crisis, only the development of markets and their shocks. House price index (HPI) and stock market indices are used for consistent analysis. To find a broader context the mortgage interest rate and the unemployment rate are used. With the help of correlation and analysis of implemented government measures, the basic conditions for the development of indices and measures are sought. Government measures are not only aimed at local conditions, but often also affect cooperation in international trade and traveling. The aim is to evaluate the degree of dependence of the development of real estate and stock markets on measures implemented to reduce the effects of the crisis. The reason is also the fact that there are many common variables (tradable banking companies, local and international investors, etc.).
Stigmatized Properties: Filter Theory
Authors: Hajnal I
Published: February 2022

International literature does not treat stigmatized properties in a uniform manner. In the proposed article, the Author employs the following definition: “A stigmatized property is one assigned with a real or perceived negative external effect on the users. That external effect modifies or reduces property market value through a specific, multilayered filter.” Many property-related stigma cases are mentioned in the literature, such as high-voltage lines, noise, air pollution, airports, haunted properties, and many other similar situations. The various stigmas, as well as identical stigmas on different properties, have been assessed individually so far. Knowing the depreciating mechanism of a stigma allows for valuers the uniform handling of stigmas on different properties, as well as understanding the depreciating mechanisms of new stigmas. Using extensive literature research on various stigma cases, the Author built up a framework that explains the major variables and their interdependencies. As the result of the research, the new theory describes the change in value caused by the stigma takes place through a filter that combines the distance between the stigmatizing factor and the stigmatized property, the environmental conditions and community perceptions and interprets them differently over time.
Success Factors in Projects
Authors: Ktaish Bilal , Hajdu Miklós
Published: February 2022

The literature of project success is very wide one. Various articles focus on the evolution of the understanding of project success. Most of the projects we hear of in media are either over budget, late or are simply not good enough and still different lobbies of people claim that those projects have been successful. Neither the practitioners nor the academicians seem to agree on what constitutes project success. It seems to be a rather elusive concept. This paper attempts to put forth the points of views of different researchers in this field and focuses primarily on the factors that affect the project outcome regardless of the type of project. Two sets of factors contributed to successful outcome of a project: the macro and micro factors. A set of macro includes the realm of the owner, while micro factors fall in construction domain. Other factors were grouped into four areas: factors related to: project, project manager and team, organization, and the external environment. More factors were investigated by other researchers, factors including applied methods, individuals in projects, and organizational context. Therefore, every party in the project has its own perception thus forming different criteria of project success. These differences of perception explain the reason why the same project could be considered a success by one and unsuccessful by another.
System-theoretical Approach to Fundamental Limits of Controllability in Complex Organization Networks
Authors: Eber Wolfgang
Published: February 2022

Organisation is fundamentally based on elaborating the equilibrium of two contradicting forces. An increasing degree of separation of work leads to specialisation and therefore significant increase of productivity in terms of time and cost. This advantage is compensated for by the therewith rising effort required to define, shape and delegate the subtasks to the different players and have them well-informed, coordinated and motivated to successfully contribute to the overall project. The well-known and common approaches to optimize division of work are mainly based on strict hierarchical structures like work breakdown structures in order to perfectly identify work-packages and their respective interfaces. Control loops are then established maintaining the certainty to achieve the previously defined results of the subtasks so that they will perfectly fit and will be ready to flawlessly form the total product. However, this traditional approach presupposes perfectly defined stable and separable systems as well as perfectly operating controlling mechanisms. As soon as some imperfection of either of these is given, which can be safely assumed in reality, the method is bound to fail principally. With this paper, we propose a system-theoretical framework modelling in particular a local imperfect however controlled situation and providing the principal limits on a mathematical basis as well as allowing for means for a practical approach. Organisations are represented by slightly contradicting systems while interactions as well as controlling mechanisms are given by first and second order differential equations according to the Theory of Systems. The resulting long-term behavior of the model, optimally avoiding oscillating and probably escalating development, indicates the principal limits of controllability. We find that the concepts of Lean Construction mainly address exactly these requirements and therefore find their formal justification including some quantitative framework.
Using new tools for building construction teaching during the sanitary emergency
Authors: Brioso X , Calderon-Hernandez C , Fuentes-Hurtado D
Published: February 2022

Covid-19 pandemic has originated that a great number of countries’ governments demand universities to teach online classes, presenting a challenge to redesign the courses that had construction site visits included in the curricula. The purpose of this work is to present the successful strategies employed on the teaching of building construction, applied in a third-year civil engineering program of the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. The methodology was designed so that one can adapt the pandemic and post-pandemic stages proposing a balanced use of virtual platforms and software for video conferences and laboratories, incorporating tools like Building Information Modeling, Lean construction, among other systems. Given the sanitary emergency, the construction site visits were replaced by virtual visits to construction projects generated with scanner laser technology, photogrammetry, and BIM, generating digital twins that were stored in online platforms. Students toured the construction project virtually and in an interactive manner, and along with the description of the professionals in charge of the project they were able to reach a good level of comprehension of the organization and the construction processes. In addition, students developed the layout plans of the temporary works with BIM models. On the other hand, the course taught to generate and analyze the unit prices and quantity surveying of activities using the BIM methodology with 5D software, developing the project budget. The success of this methodology is shown through the notable quality of papers and evaluations taken, through the results of surveys taken on students--which had an effectiveness rate of 96.4 % --, and on the improvement opportunities determined. This paper presents tools relevant that may be adapted by the academia and practitioners related to building constructions, for virtual or face-to-face learning.
Construction and Climate Change; Challenges and Opportunities: A Case Study of the Northeast U.S
Authors: Pourmokhtarian Afshin , Bakhshi Payam , Bannon Zachary , Everett Benjamin
Published: February 2022

The Northeast megalopolis of the United States, which covers a high-density corridor from Washington, D.C., north to Boston, is one of the most developed environments in the world. It contains a gigantic, complicated, and intertwined network of supporting infrastructure with average score of D+, hence requiring substantial rehabilitation and renewal. The 2020 North American Construction report forecasted a CAGR of 8.4% by 2024 despite the pandemic. The pace of growth will recover from 2021 onwards as the ongoing infrastructure investments and smart city projects will add momentum for the region’s construction industry. On the other hand, climate change impacts are underway across the globe and the Northeast of the U.S. is not an exception. Populations and aging infrastructures that they depend on, are highly vulnerable to climate hazards including heat waves, as well as flooding due to a combination of sea level rise, storm surge, and extreme precipitation events.

In this study, future projections of climate change in the Northeast of the U.S. were used to explore their potential impacts on construction industry including but not limited to safety of workforce, selection of building materials and their lifecycle, logistics, scheduling, costs, and insurance. The challenges and opportunities that construction industry faces under climate change were also covered. Later, the feedback loop between the construction and climate change were discussed as well as how sustainable construction practices could mitigate climate change impacts while providing safety for construction workforce. Finally, this paper focuses on resilience, buildings carbon footprint, green infrastructure, sustainability, and a prototype decision-support tool for construction projects to better manage weather risk from contract to project completion, known as Climate-i Construction, and how construction industry can benefit from them under 21st century changing climate.
The Automated Farmlands of Tomorrow: An IoT Integration with Farmlands
Authors: Singh Priyanka , Dixit Saurav , Sammanit Debaroti , Krishnan Paritosh
Published: February 2022

The rapid urbanization and industrialization of the population have resulted in a critical shortage of agricultural land and manpower to meet the growing population’s needs. The future of tomorrow requires impetus through concepts such as IoT Automation in farmlands to meet the increased demand for labour and inspection while maintaining economic efficiency without depleting the environment. Monitoring becomes difficult with a reduced manpower base, which may result in crop failures. The purpose of this paper is to propose how IoT, in conjunction with basic service automation, can be used to influence climate control. Thus, a working model is created using sensors that control the humidity and required temperature conditions, thereby maintaining a suitable growth environment while monitoring and analyzing in real time.
The effect of the fibrocalcific pathological process on aortic valve stenosis in female patients: a finite element study
Authors: Karnibad Maya , Sharabi Mirit , Lavon Karin , Morany Adi , Hamdan Ashraf , Haj-Ali Rami
Published: February 2022

Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) is the most common heart valvular disease in the developed world. Most of the relevant research has been sex-blind, ignoring sex-related biological variables and thus under-appreciate sex differences. However, females present pronounced fibrosis for the same aortic stenosis (AS) severity compared with males, who exhibit more calcification. Herein, we present a computational model of fibrocalcific AV, aiming to investigate its effect on AS development. A parametric study was conducted to explore the influence of the total collagen fiber volume and its architecture on the aortic valve area (AVA). Towards that goal, computational models were generated for three females with stenotic AVs and different volumes of calcium. We have tested the influence of fibrosis on various parameters as fiber architecture, fibrosis location, and transvalvular pressure. We found that increased fiber volume with a low calcium volume could actively contribute to AS and reduce the AVA similarly to high calcium volume. Thus, the computed AVAs for our fibrocalcific models were 0.94 and 0.84 cm2 and the clinical (Echo) AVAs were 0.82 and 0.8 cm2. For the heavily calcified model, the computed AVA was 0.8 cm2 and the clinical AVA was 0.73 cm2. The proposed models demonstrated how collagen thickening influence the fibrocalcific-AS process in female patients. These models can assist in the clinical decision-making process and treatment development in valve therapy for female patients.
The engaging symmetry of Riemann surfaces: A historical perspective
Authors: Broughton S. , Jones Gareth , Singerman David
Published: February 2022

The historical development of Riemann surfaces, starting in the late 1800’s, was driven in large part by the study of highly symmetrical surfaces. Not only do these surfaces have an engaging beauty, but they have very strong interconnections with other structures such as maps on a surface. In this expository article we first develop the basics of Riemann surfaces and their automorphism groups, laying out the tools for the historical treatment of the highly symmetrical surfaces in the later sections. The main topics of the later sections will be Hurwitz surfaces and groups, maps and dessins d’enfant on surfaces, and platonic and quasiplatonic surfaces and groups. For the novice reader, the introductory material will also be helpful background for reading some of the other papers in this volume, particularly the companion article on future directions in the field.
Finitely generated non-cocompact NEC groups
Authors: Cirre F. , Monerri A.
Published: February 2022

We study finitely generated discrete groups of hyperbolic plane isometries (including those which reverse orientation) with non-compact orbit space. A presentation by generators and relations of this type of group is obtained. To that end, we use the geometrical properties of a fundamental region with a canonical form, and apply Macbeath’s classical theorem on presentations of groups of isometries of simply connected spaces. Our main result here is a complete version of a structure theorem stated without proof by Zieschang, Vogt and Coldewey in \cite{Zieschang1980}.
PACKMAN-Molecule: Python Toolbox for Structural Bioinformatics
Authors: Khade Pranav M , Jernigan Robert L
Published: February 2022

PACKMAN-molecule is a Structural Bioinformatics toolbox in the form of an Application Programming Interface (API) that contains several utilities that can be used for structural bioinformatics applications. It has already been used in several applications, and its added features and unique object hierarchy make it readily extensible, feature-rich, and user-friendly. The tutorial for it is available at: https://py-packman.readthedocs.io/en/latest/tutorials/molecule.html

Availability

PACKMAN-Molecule is freely available with an MIT license on GitHub at https://github.com/Pranavkhade/PACKMAN

Supplementary information

No Supplementary data.
Preoperative morphometric measurements of liver vasculature to predict postoperative liver failure: bicentric study
Authors: Saleh Nour Bou , Golse Nicolas , Abdallah Mourad , Véziant Julie , Pereira Bruno , Le Roy Bertrand , Magnin Benoît , Adam René , Buc Emmanuel
Published: February 2022

Patients that require major liver resection for various hepatic diseases have a high risk of postoperative liver failure if the remaining postoperative liver is not adequate. Preoperative volumetry of the future liver remnant is not a strong predictor of postoperative liver failure, as function does not always correlate with volume. Our study proposed a new indicator of postoperative liver failure based on preoperative ratio of the diameter of the portal vein (inflow) and the hepatic vein (outflow), which are more predictive of postoperative liver failure than standard volumetry.
Presence of testicle in indirect hernia sac during laparoscopic inguinoscrotal hernia repair
Authors: Li Junsheng
Published: February 2022

During the laparoscopic right inguinoscrotal hernia repair in an adult male patient, the right testicle was clearly viewed in the inguinal hernia sac. The presence of testicle in indirect hernia sac is not uncommon, especially in congenital hernia types, surgeons should be aware of this condition, and avoid injury during hernia sac dissection.
Short-distance gene flow and morphological divergence inEschscholzia parishii(Papaveraceae): implications for speciation in desert winter annuals
Authors: Spalink Daniel , Karimi Nisa , Richards Jeannine H , Eifler Evan , Dinicola Alexa , Thein Thomas , Schomaker Lisa , Drew Bryan T , Mcculloh Katherine A , Givnish Thomas J
Published: February 2022

Winter annuals comprise a large fraction of warm-desert plant species, but the drivers of their diversity are little understood. One factor that has generally been overlooked is the lack of obvious means of long-distance seed dispersal in many desert-annual lineages, which could lead to genetic differentiation at small spatial scales and, ultimately, to speciation and narrow endemism. If our gene-flow hypothesis is correct, individual winter-annual species should have populations with genetic spatial structures implying short distances of gene flow. To test this idea, we sampled six populations of Eschscholzia parishii (Papaveraceae) in three pairs of watersheds within a 28-km radius in southern California. We quantified genetic diversity and structure and inferred the distance of gene flow in these populations using single nucleotide polymorphisms derived from genotyping-by-sequencing. Estimated distances of gene flow were quite small (σ = 10.4–14.9 m), with strong genetic structure observed within and between populations. Kinship declined steeply with ln distance (r2 = 0.85). Petal size and shape differed significantly between the northernmost and southernmost populations. These findings support the hypothesis that the high diversity of warm-desert winter annuals might result, in part, from genetic differentiation within species at small spatial scales driven by poor seed dispersal.
Understanding responses to chemical mixtures: looking forward from the past
Authors: Derby Charles D , McClintock Timothy S , Caprio John
Published: February 2022

Our goal in this article is to provide a perspective on how to understand the nature of responses to chemical mixtures. In studying responses to mixtures, researchers often identify “mixture interactions”—responses to mixtures that are not accurately predicted from the responses to the mixture’s individual components. Critical in these studies is how to predict responses to mixtures and thus to identify a mixture interaction. We explore this issue with a focus on olfaction and on the first level of neural processing—olfactory sensory neurons—although we use examples from taste systems as well and we consider responses beyond sensory neurons, including behavior and psychophysics. We provide a broadly comparative perspective that includes examples from vertebrates and invertebrates, from genetic and nongenetic animal models, and from literature old and new. In the end, we attempt to recommend how to approach these problems, including possible future research directions.
Qualitative and Quantitative Analyses of Four Active Components in Different Organs ofSalvia DesertaSchang by High-Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography
Authors: Wang Liwa , Wu Wenxia , Tian Shuge
Published: February 2022

This method aims to analyze rosmarinic acid (RA), caffeic acid (CA), ursolic acid (UA) and oleanolic acid (OA) in different organs of Salvia deserta Schang qualitatively and quantitatively by high-performance thin-layer chromatography. Using chloroform–methanol–formic acid (10: 2: 0.5, v/v/v) as mobile phase and silica gel plate as stationary phase to analyze RA and CA at 330 nm. Using cyclohexane–ethyl acetate–methanol (10: 2: 0.5, v/v/v) as mobile phase and silica gel F254 plate as stationary phase to analyze UA and OA at 550 nm. The linearity ranges of RA, CA, UA and OA were 0.1250–0.4375, 0.0145–0.0870, 0.5000–2.5000 and 0.5000–2.5000 mg, respectively, with corresponding correlation coefficients of 0.9938, 0.9981, 0.9971 and 0.9969, respectively. Good precision, stability, accuracy (recovery rates were between 95 and 105%) of the method were determined. The limits of detection and the limits of quantification of RA, CA, UA and OA were determined, respectively, as 50, 58, 25, 33 and 160, 191, 80, 106 ng. The established method is simple, rapid, effective and can be easily used to determine the contents of RA, CA, UA and OA in different parts of S. deserta Schang.
Social Vulnerability and Rurality Associated With Higher Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection–Induced Seroprevalence: A Nationwide Blood Donor Study—United States, July 2020–June 2021
Authors: Li Zheng , Lewis Brian , Berney Kevin , Hallisey Elaine , Williams Austin M , Whiteman Ari , Rivera-González Luis O , Clarke Kristie E N , Clayton Heather B , Tincher Terry , Opsomer Jean D , Busch Michael P , Gundlapalli Adi V , Jones Jefferson M
Published: February 2022

Background

Most studies on health disparities during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic focused on reported cases and deaths, which are influenced by testing availability and access to care. This study aimed to examine severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibody seroprevalence in the United States and its associations with race/ethnicity, rurality, and social vulnerability over time.

Methods

This repeated cross-sectional study used data from blood donations in 50 states and Washington, DC, from July 2020 through June 2021. Donor zip codes were matched to counties and linked with Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and urban-rural classification. SARS-CoV-2 antibody seroprevalences induced by infection and infection-vaccination combined were estimated. Association of infection-induced seropositivity with demographics, rurality, SVI, and its 4 themes were quantified using multivariate regression models.

Results

Weighted seroprevalence differed significantly by race/ethnicity and rurality, and increased with increasing social vulnerability. During the study period, infection-induced seroprevalence increased from 1.6% to 27.2% and 3.7% to 20.0% in rural and urban counties, respectively, while rural counties had lower combined infection- and vaccination-induced seroprevalence (80.0% vs 88.1%) in June 2021. Infection-induced seropositivity was associated with being Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and living in rural or more socially vulnerable counties, after adjusting for demographic and geographic covariates.

Conclusions

The findings demonstrated increasing SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence in the United States across all geographic, demographic, and social sectors. The study illustrated disparities by race-ethnicity, rurality, and social vulnerability. The findings identified areas for targeted vaccination strategies and can inform efforts to reduce inequities and prepare for future outbreaks.
Melioidosis of the Central Nervous System: Impact of the bimA
Bm Allele on Patient Presentation and Outcome
Authors: Gora Hannah , Hasan Tasnim , Smith Simon , Wilson Ian , Mayo Mark , Woerle Celeste , Webb Jessica R , Currie Bart J , Hanson Josh , Meumann Ella M
Published: February 2022

Background

The autotransporter protein Burkholderia intracellular motility A (BimA) facilitates the entry of Burkholderia pseudomallei into the central nervous system (CNS) in mouse models of melioidosis. Its role in the pathogenesis of human cases of CNS melioidosis is incompletely defined.

Methods

Consecutive culture-confirmed cases of melioidosis at 2 sites in tropical Australia after 1989 were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and radiological data of the patients with CNS melioidosis were recorded. The bimA allele (bimABm or bimABp) of the B. pseudomallei isolated from each patient was determined.

Results

Of the 1587 cases diagnosed at the 2 sites during the study period, 52 (3.3%) had confirmed CNS melioidosis: 20 (38.5%) had a brain abscess, 18 (34.6%) had encephalomyelitis, 4 (7.7%) had isolated meningitis, and 10 (19.2%) had extra-meningeal disease. Among the 52 patients, there were 8 (15.4%) deaths; 17/44 (38.6%) survivors had residual disability. The bimA allele was characterized in 47/52; 17/47 (36.2%) had the bimABm allele and 30 (63.8%) had the bimABp allele. Patients with a bimABm variant were more likely to have a predominantly neurological presentation (odds ratio [OR]: 5.60; 95% confidence interval: 1.52–20.61; P = .01), to have brainstem involvement (OR: 7.33; 1.92–27.95; P = .004), and to have encephalomyelitis (OR: 4.69; 1.30–16.95; P = .02). Patients with a bimABm variant were more likely to die or have residual disability (OR: 4.88; 1.28–18.57; P = .01).

Conclusions

The bimA allele of B. pseudomallei has a significant impact on the clinical presentation and outcome of patients with CNS melioidosis.
Combined large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: clinical characteristics, prognosis and postoperative management
Authors: Yang Zhengyu , Wang Yanan , Chen Ya , Qian Fangfei , Zhang Yanwei , Hu Minjuan , Zhang Wei , Han Baohui
Published: February 2022

OBJECTIVES

Combined large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (C-LCNEC) is pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) mixed with other components, such as adenocarcinoma (AD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This study aimed to describe the distinct features between C-LCNEC with different components and explore the treatment strategy.

METHODS

We retrospectively collected data of 96 C-LCNEC patients who underwent surgical resection. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics of LCNEC combined with AD (LCNEC/AD) and LCNEC combined with SCC (LCNEC/SCC).

RESULTS

In our final cohort, 71 (74%) were LCNEC/AD, while 25 (26%) were LCNEC/SCC. LCNEC/AD was more likely to occur in female, younger adults, with visceral pleural invasion and with driver gene expression. However, there was no significant difference in disease-free survival and overall survival between the 2 groups (before matching: P = 0.79 and P = 0.85; after matching: P = 0.87 and P = 0.48), while adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.019 and P = 0.043) was an independent predictor. C-LCNEC patients of stage II or III receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had longer disease-free survival and overall survival (P = 0.054 and P = 0.025), and the benefit of etoposide-based chemotherapy was greater than the other regimens (P = 0.010 and P = 0.030). EGFR and ALK mutations were present in 28% (17/60) and 7% (4/60) of C-LCNEC patients, respectively, and they responded well to targeted therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

LCNEC/AD was the most common type of C-LCNEC, and there were many differences between different combined components. Adjuvant chemotherapy, especially etoposide-based chemotherapy, was a beneficial option for resected C-LCNEC.

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