bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Running Speed Estimation Using Shoe-Worn Inertial Sensors: Direct Integration, Linear, and Personalized Model
Authors: Falbriard Mathieu , Soltani Abolfazl , Aminian Kamiar
Published: March 2021

The overground speed is a key component of running analysis. Today, most speed estimation wearable systems are based on GNSS technology. However, these devices can suffer from sparse communication with the satellites and have a high-power consumption. In this study, we propose three different approaches to estimate the overground speed in running based on foot-worn inertial sensors and compare the results against a reference GNSS system. First, a method is proposed by direct strapdown integration of the foot acceleration. Second, a feature-based linear model and finally a personalized online-model based on the recursive least squares' method were devised. We also evaluated the performance differences between two sets of features; one automatically selected set (i.e., optimized) and a set of features based on the existing literature. The data set of this study was recorded in a real-world setting, with 33 healthy individuals running at low, preferred, and high speed. The direct estimation of the running speed achieved an inter-subject mean ± STD accuracy of 0.08 ± 0.1 m/s and a precision of 0.16 ± 0.04 m/s. In comparison, the best feature-based linear model achieved 0.00 ± 0.11 m/s accuracy and 0.11 ± 0.05 m/s precision, while the personalized model obtained a 0.00 ± 0.01 m/s accuracy and 0.09 ± 0.06 m/s precision. The results of this study suggest that (1) the direct estimation of the velocity of the foot are biased, and the error is affected by the overground velocity and the slope; (2) the main limitation of a general linear model is the relatively high inter-subject variance of the bias, which reflects the intrinsic differences in gait patterns among individuals; (3) this inter-subject variance can be nulled using a personalized model.
Corneal Ulcer in Dogs and Cats: Novel Clinical Application of Regenerative Therapy Using Subconjunctival Injection of Autologous Platelet-Rich Plasma
Authors: Farghali Haithem A. , AbdElKader Naglaa A. , AbuBakr Huda O. , Ramadan Eman S. , Khattab Marwa S. , Salem Noha Y. , Emam Ibrahim A.
Published: March 2021

Background:Corneal ulcer could be a major source of distress in small animals, with many contributing agents. In recent years, few studies evaluated the efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in healing corneal ulcers.

Aim:This study aimed to assess the ability of subconjunctival injection of autologous PRP in the treatment of corneal ulcers in dogs and cats as well as estimate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, and oxidative stress biomarkers in these patients.

Methods:A total number of 28 animals (16 cats and 12 dogs) were enrolled in this study. Each animal was subjected to clinical, neurologic, and ophthalmic examinations where the type of ulcer was documented. Tear samples were collected for evaluation of oxidative biomarkers and MMPs; conjunctival swabs were taken to identify the involved organism. PRP was prepared from each animal and given as subconjunctival injection; numbers of injections were done according to case response. Clinical follow-up was done and documented for each case.

Results:In cat patients, female and Persian cats were most affected; unilateral and superficial ulcers were most recorded. In male dogs, unilateral, and superficial ulcers were most recorded. FHV-1 was most identified in cats, whileStaphylococcus aureuswas most identified in dogs. Numbers of injections needed to achieve healing were recorded, with 50% of dogs needing two injections with 1-week intervals and 50% of cats needed three injections with 1-week intervals. Alterations in both oxidative biomarkers and MMPs were recorded in affected animals.

Conclusion:The use of autologous PRP as a subconjunctival injection in treating corneal ulcers in dogs and cats is effective. The number of injections is the case and corneal ulcer type-dependent.

Clinical Significance:Autologous PRP as a subconjunctival injection in treating corneal ulcer is a relatively cheap, safe method and can be done in the clinical setting.
A Peristaltic Micropump Based on the Fast Electrochemical Actuator: Design, Fabrication, and Preliminary Testing
Authors: Uvarov Ilia V. , Shlepakov Pavel S. , Melenev Artem E. , Ma Kechun , Svetovoy Vitaly B. , Krijnen Gijs J. M.
Published: March 2021

Microfluidic devices providing an accurate delivery of fluids at required rates are of considerable interest, especially for the biomedical field. The progress is limited by the lack of micropumps, which are compact, have high performance, and are compatible with standard microfabrication. This paper describes a micropump based on a new driving principle. The pump contains three membrane actuators operating peristaltically. The actuators are driven by nanobubbles of hydrogen and oxygen, which are generated in the chamber by a series of short voltage pulses of alternating polarity applied to the electrodes. This process guaranties the response time of the actuators to be much shorter than that of any other electrochemical device. The main part of the pump has a size of about 3 mm, which is an order of magnitude smaller in comparison with conventional micropumps. The pump is fabricated in glass and silicon wafers using standard cleanroom processes. The channels are formed in SU-8 photoresist and the membrane is made of SiNx. The channels are sealed by two processes of bonding between SU-8 and SiNx. Functionality of the channels and membranes is demonstrated. A defect of electrodes related to the lift-off fabrication procedure did not allow a demonstration of the pumping process although a flow rate of 1.5 µL/min and dosage accuracy of 0.25 nL are expected. The working characteristics of the pump make it attractive for the use in portable drug delivery systems, but the fabrication technology must be improved.
Dust Ingestion in a Rotorcraft Engine Compressor: Experimental and Numerical Study of the Fouling Rate
Authors: Vulpio Alessandro , Suman Alessio , Casari Nicola , Pinelli Michele
Published: March 2021

Helicopters often operate in dusty sites, ingesting huge amounts of contaminants during landing, take-off, hover-taxi, and ground operations. In specific locations, the downwash of the rotor may spread soil particles from the ground into the environment and, once ingested by the engine, may stick to the compressor airfoils. In the present work, the Allison 250 C18 engine’s multistage axial-flow compressor is employed to study the fouling rate on rotor blades and stator vanes from both numerical and experimental standpoints. The compressor is operated in a typical ground-idle operation, in terms of the rotational regime and contaminant concentration, in laboratory-controlled conditions. The mass of deposits is collected from the airfoil surfaces at the end of the test and compared to that estimated through the numerical model. The experimental test shows that the airfoils collect almost 1.6% of the engine’s total mass ingested during a ground-idle operation. The capability of numerical methods to predict the fouling rate on the rotating and stationary airfoils of a multistage compressor is tested through the implementation of literature based deposition models. Sticking models show a good agreement in terms of the relative results; nevertheless, an overestimation of the deposited mass predicted is observed.
Impact of an Education-Based Antimicrobial Stewardship Program on the Appropriateness of Antibiotic Prescribing: Results of a Multicenter Observational Study
Authors: Calò Federica , Onorato Lorenzo , Macera Margherita , Di Caprio Giovanni , Monari Caterina , Russo Antonio , Galdieri Anna , Giordano Antonio , Cuccaro Patrizia , Coppola Nicola
Published: March 2021

To evaluate the effect that an education-based Antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) implemented in two hospitals in southern Italy had on the quality and appropriateness of antibiotic prescription. We conducted a multicenter observational study in two hospitals in the Campania region. Only some departments of both hospitals were already participating in the ASP. We collected data on all patients admitted on the day of evaluation in antibiotic therapy or prophylaxis through a case report form. The primary outcome was to investigate the difference in the appropriateness of the antibiotic prescriptive practice in the departments that had joined the ASP and in those that had not participated in the project (non-ASP). The total number of patients assessed was 486. Of these, 78 (16.05%) were in antibiotic prophylaxis and 130 (26.7%) in antibiotic therapy. The prescriptive appropriateness was better in the units that had joined ASP than in those that had not, with respectively 65.8% versus 22.7% (p < 0.01). Patients in the non-ASP units more frequently received unnecessary antibiotics (44.9% versus 0%, p = 0.03) and, as surgical prophylaxis, the use of antibiotics not recommended by the guidelines (44.2% versus 0%, p = 0.036). Multivariable analysis of the factors associated with prescriptive appropriateness identified ASP units (p = 0.02) and bloodstream or cardiovascular infections (p = 0.03) as independent predictors of better prescriptive appropriateness. The findings of the present study reinforce the importance of adopting an educational ASP to improve the quality of antimicrobial prescription in clinical practice.
Protective Effects of Taurine Chloramine on Experimentally Induced Colitis: NFκB, STAT3, and Nrf2 as Potential Targets
Authors: Kim Seong Hoon , Yum Hye-Won , Kim Seung Hyeon , Kim Wonki , Kim Su-Jung , Kim Chaekyun , Kim Kyeojin , Suh Young-Ger , Surh Young-Joon
Published: March 2021

Taurine chloramine (TauCl) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory substance which is derived from taurine, a semi-essential sulfur-containing β-amino acid found in some foods including meat, fish, eggs and milk. In general, TauCl as well as its parent compound taurine downregulates production of tissue-damaging proinflammatory mediators, such as chemokines and cytokines in many different types of cells. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of TauCl on experimentally induced colon inflammation. Oral administration of TauCl protected against mouse colitis caused by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). TauCl administration attenuated apoptosis in the colonic mucosa of TNBS-treated mice. This was accompanied by reduced expression of an oxidative stress marker, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and proinflammatory molecules including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 in mouse colon. TauCl also inhibited activation of NFκB and STAT3, two key transcription factors mediating proinflammatory signaling. Notably, the protective effect of TauCl on oxidative stress and inflammation in the colon of TNBS-treated mice was associated with elevated activation of Nrf2 and upregulation of its target genes encoding heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, and glutathione S-transferase. Taken together, these results suggest that TauCl exerts the protective effect against colitis through upregulation of Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective gene expression while blocking the proinflammatory signaling mediated by NFκB and STAT3.
3D Roughness Measurement of Failure Surface in CFA Pile Samples Using Three-Dimensional Laser Scanning
Authors: Seo Hyungjoon
Published: March 2021

The bearing capacity of CFA (Continuous Flight Auger) pile is not able to reach the design capacity if proper construction is not performed due to the soil collapse at the bottom of the pile. In this paper, three pile samples were prepared to simulate the bottom of the CFA pile: grouting sample; mixture of grouting and gravel; mixture of grouting and sand. The failure surfaces of each sample obtained by a uniaxial compression tests were represented as a three-dimensional point cloud by three-dimensional laser scanning. Therefore, high resolution of point clouds can be obtained to simulate the failure surfaces of three samples. The three-dimensional point cloud of each failure surface was analyzed by a plane to points histogram (P2PH) method and a roughness detection method by kernel proposed in this paper. These methods can analyze the global roughness as well as the local roughness of the three pile samples in three dimensions. The roughness features of the grouting sample, the mixed sample of grouting and sand, and the mixed sample of grouting and gravel can be distinguished by the sections where points of each sample are predominantly distributed in the histogram of the proposed method.
A Green’s Function for Acoustic Problems in Pekeris Waveguide Using a Rigorous Image Source Method
Authors: Qian Zhiwen , Shang Dejiang , Hu Yuan , Xu Xinyang , Zhao Haihan , Zhai Jingsheng
Published: March 2021

The Green’s function (GF) directly eases the efficient computation for acoustic radiation problems in shallow water with the use of the Helmholtz integral equation. The difficulty in solving the GF in shallow water lies in the need to consider the boundary effects. In this paper, a rigorous theoretical model of interactions between the spherical wave and the liquid boundary is established by Fourier transform. The accurate and adaptive GF for the acoustic problems in the Pekeris waveguide with lossy seabed is derived, which is based on the image source method (ISM) and wave acoustics. First, the spherical wave is decomposed into plane waves in different incident angles. Second, each plane wave is multiplied by the corresponding reflection coefficient to obtain the reflected sound field, and the field is superposed to obtain the reflected sound field of the spherical wave. Then, the sound field of all image sources and the physical source are summed to obtain the GF in the Pekeris waveguide. The results computed by this method are compared with the standard wavenumber integration method, which verifies the accuracy of the GF for the near- and far-field acoustic problems. The influence of seabed attenuation on modal interference patterns is analyzed.
Classification of Shoulder X-ray Images with Deep Learning Ensemble Models
Authors: Uysal Fatih , Hardalaç Fırat , Peker Ozan , Tolunay Tolga , Tokgöz Nil
Published: March 2021

Fractures occur in the shoulder area, which has a wider range of motion than other joints in the body, for various reasons. To diagnose these fractures, data gathered from X-radiation (X-ray), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or computed tomography (CT) are used. This study aims to help physicians by classifying shoulder images taken from X-ray devices as fracture/non-fracture with artificial intelligence. For this purpose, the performances of 26 deep learning-based pre-trained models in the detection of shoulder fractures were evaluated on the musculoskeletal radiographs (MURA) dataset, and two ensemble learning models (EL1 and EL2) were developed. The pre-trained models used are ResNet, ResNeXt, DenseNet, VGG, Inception, MobileNet, and their spinal fully connected (Spinal FC) versions. In the EL1 and EL2 models developed using pre-trained models with the best performance, test accuracy was 0.8455, 0.8472, Cohen’s kappa was 0.6907, 0.6942 and the area that was related with fracture class under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) was 0.8862, 0.8695. As a result of 28 different classifications in total, the highest test accuracy and Cohen’s kappa values were obtained in the EL2 model, and the highest AUC value was obtained in the EL1 model.
Optimization of Inventory Management to Prevent Drug Shortages in the Hospital Supply Chain
Authors: Abu Zwaida Tarek , Pham Chuan , Beauregard Yvan
Published: March 2021

Drug shortage is always a critical issue of inventory management in healthcare systems since it potentially invokes several negative impacts. In supply chain management, optimization goes hand-in-hand with inventory control to address several issues of the supply, management, and use of drugs. However, it is difficult to determine a shortage situation in a hospital due to multiple unpredictable reasons, such as manufacturing problems, supply and demand issues, and raw material problems. To avoid the shortage problem in a hospital, efficient inventory management is required to operate the system in a sustainable way and maximize the profit of the organization in the Hospital Supply Chain (HSC). In this work, we study a drug refilling optimization problem, a general model for drug inventory management in a hospital. We then investigate a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) model to address this problem under an online solution that can automatically make a drug refilling decision in order to prevent a drug shortage. We further present a numerical result to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm, which outperforms the baselines (e.g., over-provisioning, ski-rental, and max-min) in terms of the refilling cost and the shortage rate.
Influence of Dopamine on Fluorescent Advanced Glycation End Products Formation Using Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Filošević Vujnović Ana , Jović Katarina , Pištan Emanuel , Andretić Waldowski Rozi
Published: March 2021

Non-enzymatic glycation and covalent modification of proteins leads to Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs). AGEs are biomarkers of aging and neurodegenerative disease, and can be induced by impaired neuronal signaling. The objective of this study was to investigate if manipulation of dopamine (DA) in vitro using the model protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and in vivo using the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, influences fluorescent AGEs (fAGEs) formation as an indicator of dopamine-induced oxidation events. DA inhibited fAGEs-BSA synthesis in vitro, suggesting an anti-oxidative effect, which was not observed when flies were fed DA. Feeding flies cocaine and methamphetamine led to increased fAGEs formation. Mutants lacking the dopaminergic transporter or the D1-type showed further elevation of fAGEs accumulation, indicating that the long-term perturbation in DA function leads to higher production of fAGEs. To confirm that DA has oxidative properties in vivo, we fed flies antioxidant quercetin (QUE) together with methamphetamine. QUE significantly decreased methamphetamine-induced fAGEs formation suggesting that the perturbation of DA function in vivo leads to increased oxidation. These findings present arguments for the use of fAGEs as a biomarker of DA-associated neurodegenerative changes and for assessment of antioxidant interventions such as QUE treatment.
The Role of Exosomes in Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Piombino Claudia , Mastrolia Ilenia , Omarini Claudia , Candini Olivia , Dominici Massimo , Piacentini Federico , Toss Angela
Published: March 2021

The importance of molecular re-characterization of metastatic disease with the purpose of monitoring tumor evolution has been acknowledged in numerous clinical guidelines for the management of advanced malignancies. In this context, an attractive alternative to overcome the limitations of repeated tissue sampling is represented by the analysis of peripheral blood samples as a ‘liquid biopsy’. In recent years, liquid biopsies have been studied for the early diagnosis of cancer, the monitoring of tumor burden, tumor heterogeneity and the emergence of molecular resistance, along with the detection of minimal residual disease. Interestingly, liquid biopsy consents the analysis of circulating tumor cells, circulating tumor DNA and extracellular vesicles (EVs). In particular, EVs play a crucial role in cell communication, carrying transmembrane and nonmembrane proteins, as well as metabolites, lipids and nucleic acids. Of all EVs, exosomes mirror the biological fingerprints of the parental cells from which they originate, and therefore, are considered one of the most promising predictors of early cancer diagnosis and treatment response. The present review discusses current knowledge on the possible applications of exosomes in breast cancer (BC) diagnosis, with a focus on patients at higher risk.
Nanosheet-Like Ho2O3 and Sr-Ho2O3 Catalysts for Oxidative Coupling of Methane
Authors: Fan Yuqiao , Miao Changxi , Yue Yinghong , Hua Weiming , Gao Zi
Published: March 2021

In this work, Ho2O3 nanosheets were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. A series of Sr-modified Ho2O3 nanosheets (Sr-Ho2O3-NS) with a Sr/Ho molar ratio between 0.02 and 0.06 were prepared via an impregnation method. These catalysts were characterized by several techniques such as XRD, N2 adsorption, SEM, TEM, XPS, O2-TPD (temperature-programmed desorption), and CO2-TPD, and they were studied with respect to their performances in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). In contrast to Ho2O3 nanoparticles, Ho2O3 nanosheets display greater CH4 conversion and C2-C3 selectivity, which could be related to the preferentially exposed (222) facet on the surface of the latter catalyst. The incorporation of small amounts of Sr into Ho2O3 nanosheets leads to a higher ratio of (O− + O2−)/O2− as well as an enhanced amount of chemisorbed oxygen species and moderate basic sites, which in turn improves the OCM performance. The optimal catalytic behavior is achievable on the 0.04Sr-Ho2O3-NS catalyst with a Sr/Ho molar ratio of 0.04, which gives a 24.0% conversion of CH4 with 56.7% selectivity to C2-C3 at 650 °C. The C2-C3 yield is well correlated with the amount of moderate basic sites present on the catalysts.
Predictive and Prognostic Molecular Factors in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphomas
Authors: Pileri Stefano A. , Tripodo Claudio , Melle Federica , Motta Giovanna , Tabanelli Valentina , Fiori Stefano , Vegliante Maria Carmela , Mazzara Saveria , Ciavarella Sabino , Derenzini Enrico
Published: March 2021

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the commonest form of lymphoid malignancy, with a prevalence of about 40% worldwide. Its classification encompasses a common form, also termed as “not otherwise specified” (NOS), and a series of variants, which are rare and at least in part related to viral agents. Over the last two decades, DLBCL-NOS, which accounts for more than 80% of the neoplasms included in the DLBCL chapter, has been the object of an increasing number of molecular studies which have led to the identification of prognostic/predictive factors that are increasingly entering daily practice. In this review, the main achievements obtained by gene expression profiling (with respect to both neoplastic cells and the microenvironment) and next-generation sequencing will be discussed and compared. Only the amalgamation of molecular attributes will lead to the achievement of the long-term goal of using tailored therapies and possibly chemotherapy-free protocols capable of curing most (if not all) patients with minimal or no toxic effects.
Supervised Distributed Multi-Instance and Unsupervised Single-Instance Autoencoder Machine Learning for Damage Diagnostics with High-Dimensional Data—A Hybrid Approach and Comparison Study
Authors: Bosse Stefan , Weiss Dennis , Schmidt Daniel
Published: March 2021

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is a promising technique for in-service inspection of technical structures in a broad field of applications in order to reduce maintenance efforts as well as the overall structural weight. SHM is basically an inverse problem deriving physical properties such as damages or material inhomogeneity (target features) from sensor data. Often models defining the relationship between predictable features and sensors are required but not available. The main objective of this work is the investigation of model-free distributed machine learning (DML) for damage diagnostics under resource and failure constraints by using multi-instance ensemble and model fusion strategies and featuring improved scaling and stability compared with centralised single-instance approaches. The diagnostic system delivers two features: A binary damage classification (damaged or non-damaged) and an estimation of the spatial damage position in case of a damaged structure. The proposed damage diagnostics architecture should be able to be used in low-resource sensor networks with soft real-time capabilities. Two different machine learning methodologies and architectures are evaluated and compared posing low- and high-resolution sensor processing for low- and high-resolution damage diagnostics, i.e., a dedicated supervised trained low-resource and an unsupervised trained high-resource deep learning approach, respectively. In both architectures state-based recurrent artificial neural networks are used that process spatially and time-resolved sensor data from experimental ultrasonic guided wave measurements of a hybrid material (carbon fibre laminate) plate with pseudo defects. Finally, both architectures can be fused to a hybrid architecture with improved damage detection accuracy and reliability. An extensive evaluation of the damage prediction by both systems shows high reliability and accuracy of damage detection and localisation, even by the distributed multi-instance architecture with a resolution in the order of the sensor distance.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of CEA and CA19-9 in Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Lakemeyer Leilani , Sander Silvia , Wittau Mathias , Henne-Bruns Doris , Kornmann Marko , Lemke Johannes
Published: March 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. A diagnosis at early stages with enhanced screening methods is vital as metastases and recurrences increase mortality. The aim of this study was to analyze the tumor markers CEA and CA19-9 combined in correlation with diagnostics and prognosis. Therefore, 1487 patients with CRC who were diagnosed and treated between 2000 and 2015 at the University Hospital Ulm, Germany, were retrospectively evaluated. Overall and recurrence-free survival was analyzed in association with preoperative CEA and CA19-9 separately and combined and a multivariate analysis was performed. The 5-year overall survival was significantly shorter in patients with a CEA or CA19-9 level ≥200 compared to patients with an increased, but <200, or normal level (CEA: 69%/44%/7%; CA19-9: 66%/38%/8%). Patients with both tumor markers increased also showed a remarkably shorter 5-year survival rate (CEA+/CA19-9+: 23%). The multivariate analysis emphasizes these results (p-value < 0.0001). Patients with both tumor markers elevated had the shortest 5-year recurrence-free survival rate, followed by patients with either CEA or CA19-9 elevated (CEA-/CA19-9-: 79%; CEA+/CA19-9; CEA-/CA19-9+: 65%; CEA+/CA19-9+: 44%). In conclusion, measuring CEA and CA19-9 preoperatively in CRC patients is reasonable and could be useful as a prognostic factor.
Mechanism Integrated Information
Authors: Barbosa Leonardo S. , Marshall William , Albantakis Larissa , Tononi Giulio
Published: March 2021

The Integrated Information Theory (IIT) of consciousness starts from essential phenomenological properties, which are then translated into postulates that any physical system must satisfy in order to specify the physical substrate of consciousness. We recently introduced an information measure (Barbosa et al., 2020) that captures three postulates of IIT—existence, intrinsicality and information—and is unique. Here we show that the new measure also satisfies the remaining postulates of IIT—integration and exclusion—and create the framework that identifies maximally irreducible mechanisms. These mechanisms can then form maximally irreducible systems, which in turn will specify the physical substrate of conscious experience.
Formative Potential of the Development and Assessment of an Educational Escape Room Designed to Integrate Music-Mathematical Knowledge
Authors: Piñero Charlo José Carlos , Ortega García Paula , Román García Sara
Published: March 2021

In the particular case of Spain, student and teacher difficulties associated with the mathematical discipline have been evidenced in PISA and TEDS-M reports. As we consider that the teachers’ difficulties are connected to the students’ performance, we propose a multi-disciplinary approach to deliver specific didactic/mathematical knowledge to the trainee teachers. Such additional instruction shall be meaningfully connected to the real needs of the schools, so a service-learning approach is proposed here. In the present manuscript, the trainee teachers have co-designed educational escape rooms (in coordination with local schools) with the aim of mobilizing curricular knowledge. The goal of the educational escape rooms is to foster the mathematic-related competencies by establishing meaningful connections to other curricular disciplines (music-related knowledge, in the case of this study). This paper reports on the particular experience developed with a group of students (trainee teachers) while designing their educational escape rooms, focusing on the particular case of a specific student to evidence the formative potential of the procedure. The didactic suitability of the proposed escape room has been analyzed and professional development has also been discussed, showing the mobilization of relevant professional skills and fostering the related music and mathematical didactic competencies by shifting the teaching perspective from an algorithmic point of view to a more “reasoning and designing” strategy. This constitutes an evidence of the formative potential on the co-design of educational escape rooms, when designed in the frame of a service learning approach.
A Multi-Position Approach in a Smart Fiber-Optic Surveillance System for Pipeline Integrity Threat Detection
Authors: Tejedor Javier , Macias-Guarasa Javier , Martins Hugo F. , Martin-Lopez Sonia , Gonzalez-Herraez Miguel
Published: March 2021

We present a new pipeline integrity surveillance system for long gas pipeline threat detection and classification. The system is based on distributed acoustic sensing with phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (ϕ-OTDR) and pattern recognition for event classification. The proposal incorporates a multi-position approach in a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM)-based pattern classification system which operates in a real-field scenario with a thorough experimental procedure. The objective is exploiting the availability of vibration-related data at positions nearby the one actually producing the main disturbance to improve the robustness of the trained models. The system integrates two classification tasks: (1) machine + activity identification, which identifies the machine that is working over the pipeline along with the activity being carried out, and (2) threat detection, which aims to detect suspicious threats for the pipeline integrity (independently of the activity being carried out). For the machine + activity identification mode, the multi-position approach for model training obtains better performance than the previously presented single-position approach for activities that show consistent behavior and high energy (between 6% and 11% absolute) with an overall increase of 3% absolute in the classification accuracy. For the threat detection mode, the proposed approach gets an 8% absolute reduction in the false alarm rate with an overall increase of 4.5% absolute in the classification accuracy.
Stereo Matching with Spatiotemporal Disparity Refinement Using Simple Linear Iterative Clustering Segmentation
Authors: Huang Hui-Yu , Liu Zhe-Hao
Published: March 2021

Stereo matching is a challenging problem, especially for computer vision, e.g., three-dimensional television (3DTV) or 3D visualization. The disparity maps from the video streams must be estimated. However, the estimated disparity sequences may cause undesirable flickering errors. These errors result in poor visual quality for the synthesized video and reduce the video coding information. In order to solve this problem, we here propose a spatiotemporal disparity refinement method for local stereo matching using the simple linear iterative clustering (SLIC) segmentation strategy, outlier detection, and refinements of the temporal and spatial domains. In the outlier detection, the segmented region in the initial disparity is used to distinguish errors in the binocular disparity. Based on the color similarity and disparity difference, we recalculate the aggregated cost to determine adaptive disparities to recover the disparity errors in disparity sequences. The flickering errors are also effectively removed, and the object boundaries are well preserved. Experiments using public datasets demonstrated that our proposed method creates high-quality disparity maps and obtains a high peak signal-to-noise ratio compared to state-of-the-art methods.
Security Framework for IoT Based Real-Time Health Applications
Authors: Hussain Aamir , Ali Tariq , Althobiani Faisal , Draz Umar , Irfan Muhammad , Yasin Sana , Shafiq Saher , Safdar Zanab , Glowacz Adam , Nowakowski Grzegorz , Khan Muhammad Salman , Alqhtani Samar
Published: March 2021

The amazing fusion of the internet of things (IoT) into traditional health monitoring systems has produced remarkable advances in the field of e-health. Different wireless body area network devices and sensors are providing real-time health monitoring services. As the number of IoT devices is rapidly booming, technological and security challenges are also rising day by day. The data generated from sensor-based devices need confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and end-to-end security for safe communication over the public network. IoT-based health monitoring systems work in a layered manner, comprising a perception layer, a network layer, and an application layer. Each layer has some security, and privacy concerns that need to be addressed accordingly. A lot of research has been conducted to resolve these security issues in different domains of IoT. Several frameworks for the security of IoT-based e-health systems have also been developed. This paper introduces a security framework for real-time health monitoring systems to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity by using two common IoT protocols, namely constrained application protocol (CoAP) and message query telemetry transports (MQTT). This security framework aims to defend sensor data against the security loopholes while it is continuously transmitting over the layers and uses hypertext transfer protocols (HTTPs) for this purpose. As a result, it shields from the breach with a very low ratio of risk. The methodology of this paper focuses on how the security framework of IoT-based real-time health systems is protected under the tiers of CoAP and HTTPs. CoAP works alongside HTTPs and is responsible for providing end-to-end security solutions.
The Emerging Potential of Microgrids in the Transition to 100% Renewable Energy Systems
Authors: Wallsgrove Richard , Woo Jisuk , Lee Jae-Hyup , Akiba Lorraine
Published: March 2021

International, national, and subnational laws and policies call for rapidly decarbonizing energy systems around the globe. This effort relies heavily on renewable electricity and calls for a transition that is: (i) flexible enough to accommodate existing and new electricity end uses and users; (ii) resilient in response to climate change and other threats to electricity infrastructure; (iii) cost-effective in comparison to alternatives; and (iv) just in the face of energy systems that are often the result of—or the cause of—procedural, distributive, and historical injustices. Acknowledging the intertwined roles of technology and policy, this work provides a cross-disciplinary review of how microgrids may contribute to renewable electricity systems that are flexible, resilient, cost-effective, and just (including illustrative examples from Korea, California, New York, the European Union, and elsewhere). Following this review of generalized microgrid characteristics, we more closely examine the role and potential of microgrids in two United States jurisdictions that have adopted 100% renewable electricity standards (Hawai‘i and Puerto Rico), and which are actively developing regulatory regimes putatively designed to enable renewable microgrids. Collectively, this review shows that although microgrids have the potential to support the transition to 100% renewable electricity in a variety of ways, the emerging policy structures require substantial further development to operationalize that potential. We conclude that unresolved fundamental policy tensions arise from justice considerations, such as how to distribute the benefits and burdens of microgrid infrastructure, rather than from technical questions about microgrid topologies and operating characteristics. Nonetheless, technical and quantitative future research will be necessary to assist regulators as they develop microgrid policies. In particular, there is a need to develop socio–techno–economic analyses of cost-effectiveness, which consider a broad range of potential benefits and costs.
The Impact of Oil Price Shocks on National Income: Evidence from Azerbaijan
Authors: Mukhtarov Shahriyar , Humbatova Sugra , Mammadli Mubariz , Hajiyev Natig Gadim‒Oglu
Published: March 2021

This study investigates the influence of oil price shocks on GDP per capita, exchange rate, and total trade turnover in Azerbaijan using the Structural Vector Autoregressive (SVAR) method to data collected from 1992 to 2019. The estimation results of the SVAR method conclude that oil price shocks (rise in oil prices) affect GDP per capita and total trade turnover positively, whereas its influence on the exchange rate is negative in the case of Azerbaijan. According to results of this study, Azerbaijan and similar oil-exporting countries should reduce the dependence of GDP per capita, the exchange rate, and total trade turnover from oil resources and its prices in the global market. Therefore, these countries should attempt to the diversification of GDP per capita, the exchange rate, and other sources of total trade turnover.
Does Energy Poverty Affect Energy Efficiency Investment Decisions? First Evidence from a Stated Choice Experiment
Authors: Damigos Dimitris , Kaliampakou Christina , Balaskas Anastasios , Papada Lefkothea
Published: March 2021

Energy poverty is a multidimensional and continuously growing societal problem, with political roots. In pursuit of mitigating the problem, the European Commission has adopted a bundle of policies, such as consumer protection measures, short-term financial interventions, motivations for energy efficiency (e.g., energy retrofits and replacement of old household appliance) and information campaigns, among others. There is no doubt, however, that increasing the income of vulnerable households would be the most preferred and effective option. Focusing on energy efficiency, a measure typically incorporated in the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) of many Member States as a means to fight energy poverty, this paper aims to shed light on the need to gradually move towards more localized—not to say personalized—actions. In this direction, a labeled choice-based experiment is used, which involves a hypothetical selection between three alternative energy interventions, i.e., house retrofit, upgrading of heating system and upgrading of household electrical appliances. The research aims to integrate the preferences of households from the choice experiment with indicators of energy poverty and establish a connection between energy poverty and energy efficiency investment decisions. The results demonstrate that households’ preferences are affected by qualitative and quantitative aspects of energy vulnerability and sociodemographic characteristics. Furthermore, vulnerable households seem to be more prone to the so-called “discounting gap”, as previous studies also suggest. These findings are worrisome because, without tailor-made support, these households may never escape the vicious circle of energy poverty. To this end, the survey could provide useful information to policy-makers towards developing more robust policies of energy poverty alleviation.
The Risk of Lightning Losses in a Structure Equipped with RTC Devices According to the Standard EN 62305-2.2008
Authors: Wróbel Zofia , Jagiełło Adam St.
Published: March 2021

Incorrect adjustment of railway traffic control devices (rtc) to the specificity of the area in terms of lightning density may result in their damage by lightning-caused electromagnetic pulses. An associated risk assessment, as the standard in the analyses of the strength of rtc devices, should be made. However, manufacturers of rtc devices typically do not perform tests with respect to such high overvoltage conditions. Particularly in the case of the EN 62305-2 standard, the manufacturers of new rail traffic control devices usually do not carry out such analyses. In this paper, an analysis of the damage vulnerability of rtc devices caused by lightning discharges for a selected structure, including a signal box equipped with digital rtc devices is presented. The necessity of conducting a lightning damage vulnerability analysis for rtc devices is demonstrated. A part of the railway track where lightning discharges occur was analyzed. The results of the risk analysis obtained with the use of the DEHN Risk Tool software and based on the standard EN 62305-2 (2008, Lightning protection. Part 2. Risk management) are presented. Due to the fact that railway devices are not included in the current standard, three documents were adopted for the analysis: two editions of EN/IEC 62305-2 (from 2008 and 2012) and the recommendations of the ITU-International Telecommunication Union ITU-T K.39 (10/1996). The presented analysis is performed according to the 2008 standard version and to the chosen device.
The Evaluation of Dark Chocolate-Elicited Emotions and Their Relation with Physico Chemical Attributes of Chocolate
Authors: Bartkiene Elena , Mockus Ernestas , Mozuriene Ema , Klementaviciute Jolita , Monstaviciute Erika , Starkute Vytaute , Zavistanaviciute Paulina , Zokaityte Egle , Cernauskas Darius , Klupsaite Dovile
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different origin (Venezuela, Ghana, Peru) dark chocolates on emotions induced for consumers, and to analyse the relationships among overall acceptability (OA), emotions, and physicochemical attributes of the chocolate (fatty acids (FAs) and volatile compounds (VC)). Chocolate-elicited emotions were measured with FaceReader 8 software, scaling 10 emotion patterns (neutral, happy, sad, angry, surprised, scared, disgusted, contempt, valence, arousal). The OA was carried out by using a 10-point hedonic scale, ranging from 1 (extremely dislike) to 10 (extremely like). The obtained results showed that, among all chocolate-elicited emotions, the intensity of “happy” was the highest. In most cases, the influence of the different origin chocolate on the emotions induced for consumers was significant (except on emotions “neutral”, “scared”, and “disgusted”). Significant differences between the tested chocolates OA were not found. The origin of chocolate had a significant effect on most of the identified VC and the content of the main FAs (methyl palmitate, methyl stearate, cis,trans-9- oleic acid methyl ester, and methyl linoleate). Significant correlations between chocolate-elicited emotions and separate FAs and VC were found. Finally, this study showed that the origin of dark chocolate significantly influenced most of chocolate-elicited emotions and physicochemical attributes of chocolate, while separate FAs or VC can be used as chocolate quality indicators related to the chocolate OA, as well as chocolate-elicited emotions.
Remote Monitoring of Critically-Ill Post-Surgical Patients: Lessons from a Biosensor Implementation Trial
Authors: Restrepo Mariana , Huffenberger Ann Marie , Hanson C William , Draugelis Michael , Laudanski Krzysztof
Published: March 2021

Biosensors represent one of the numerous promising technologies envisioned to extend healthcare delivery. In perioperative care, the healthcare delivery system can use biosensors to remotely supervise patients who would otherwise be admitted to a hospital. This novel technology has gained a foothold in healthcare with significant acceleration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies have attempted to narrate, or systematically analyze, the process of their implementation. We performed an observational study of biosensor implementation. The data accuracy provided by the commercially available biosensors was compared to those offered by standard clinical monitoring on patients admitted to the intensive care unit/perioperative unit. Surveys were also conducted to examine the acceptance of technology by patients and medical staff. We demonstrated a significant difference in vital signs between sensors and standard monitoring which was very dependent on the measured variables. Sensors seemed to integrate into the workflow relatively quickly, with almost no reported problems. The acceptance of the biosensors was high by patients and slightly less by nurses directly involved in the patients’ care. The staff forecast a broad implementation of biosensors in approximately three to five years, yet are eager to learn more about them. Reliability considerations proved particularly troublesome in our implementation trial. Careful evaluation of sensor readiness is most likely necessary prior to system-wide implementation by each hospital to assess for data accuracy and acceptance by the staff.
Development and Validation of a Social Media Questionnaire for Nursing Training: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jiménez-Rodríguez Diana , Belmonte García María Teresa , Arcos García Jesús , Castro-Luna Gracia
Published: March 2021

Background: Social media platforms are integrated into the lives of students. Their use in education has been studied, but this research is scarce in nursing. The objective of this study was to develop and validate the questionnaire “Use and views of the social media for nursing education” through a pilot study, to describe the use and attitudes of nursing students to social media. Methods: Cross-sectional design to validate the modified scale “Students’ Use and Views of the Social Media questionnaire.” The sample consisted of 107 undergraduate nursing students. Results: The factor analysis extracted three main components to explain social media use for nursing education, with component 1 being the “Need to use media in my professional training,” component 2—“To deepen my professional knowledge” and component 3 “Contrast information.” High reliability was demonstrated with Chronbach’s alpha value (0.84). Conclusion: The final tool was proven to have high validity and reliability values, so it is positioned as a viable tool to explore this reality. Students use social media for education in a high proportion and have positive attitudes regarding their education inclusion.