bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outer Space Treaty and Land Grab – False Security?
Authors: Zarzycki-Siek Jerzy
Published: June 2022

W artykule omówiono początki prawa kosmicznego w kontekście obaw strategicznych mocarstw, które je stworzyły – USA i ZSRR. W przeciwieństwie do powszechnej opinii prawo kosmiczne nie zapobiega tzw. land grab, czyli zagarnięciu terytorium niczyjego. Na gruncie tego prawa kwestia ta bowiem została zamrożona na czas nieokreślony, ale pozostały furtki do podjęcia takich działań w razie potrzeby. Obydwa mocarstwa celowo do tego dążyły. Z jednej strony pragnęły stabilności, jaką daje umowa międzynarodowa, z drugiej starały się uniemożliwić konkurentowi uzyskanie przewagi. Ale nie chciały też stracić możliwości uzyskania tejże przewagi samodzielnie. W rezultacie prawo przestrzeni kosmicznej ucieleśnione w traktacie o przestrzenni kosmicznej (Outer Space Treaty) stało się nieprecyzyjne, stwarzające pole do interpretacji, podczas gdy w powszechnym postrzeganiu traktat miał określać kosmos w całości jako znajdujący się pod klauzulą wspólnego dziedzictwa ludzkości. O tym, że tak jednak nie jest, powszechnie wiedziano.
W ostatnich latach zmiany w kosztach dostępu do przestrzeni kosmicznej zmieniły kalkulacje ryzyka i zysków oraz rozproszyły obawy strategiczne, które wstrzymywały mocarstwa kosmiczne od wykorzystania luk w prawie. W rezultacie niektóre państwa, szczególnie USA, zaczęły ekspansywniej działać w przestrzeni kosmicznej, by uniemożliwić rywalom wykorzystanie owych luk, zarazem utrzymywały, że wszystkie te działania są legalne w świetle prawa międzynarodowego.
Poprawa bezpieczeństwa w przetwarzaniu odpadów z wykorzystaniem bezzałogowych statków powietrznych
Authors: Parczewski Rafał
Published: June 2022

Bezzałogowe statki powietrzne mogą odegrać ważną rolę w zapewnianiu właściwego poziomu bezpieczeństwa w gospodarce odpadami w Polsce. Dzięki nowoczesnym funkcjonalnościom systemów bezzałogowych istnieje możliwość ich użycia w przedsiębiorstwach przetwarzających odpady. Zastosowanie najnowszej generacji linii technologicznych pozwoli tym zakładom wytwarzać z odpadów paliwo alternatywne. Drony natomiast mogą zapewnić im bezpieczeństwo. W artykule przedstawiono rolę bezzałogowych statków powietrznych w tym obszarze na przykładzie przedsiębiorstwa Recykl S.A. Oddział w Chełmie oraz zagrożenia, z jakimi wiąże się niewłaściwe przechowywanie odpadów.
Retorno a los entrenamientos del mini básquet: una propuesta de entrenamiento seguro
Authors: NOROÑA CASA LUIS ENRIQUE
Published: June 2022

En marzo del 2020 en el Ecuador se emite un decreto presidencial que suspende todo tipo de enseñanza y práctica deportiva; el objetivo de esta investigación es plantear objetivos estratégicos de entrenamiento seguro en el mini básquet. La metodología de este estudio es teórica descriptiva basada en dos componentes: protocolos de entrenamientos seguros y programa de enseñanza. Los resultados de esta investigación han permitido la elaboración de objetivos estratégicos de entrenamiento de mini básquet en el contexto de la pandemia a través del diagnóstico del centro deportivos, número de deportistas y análisis de las normativas de bioseguridad contextualizadas a la realidad, la cual garantiza entrenamientos libres de contagios y con calidad en la formación deportiva. Se concluye que es necesario que los equipos y clubes deportivos realicen propuestas de entrenamiento seguro, contextualizadas a las necesidades y requerimientos de los deportistas en la cual se siga los lineamientos de bioseguridad emitidos por el Centro de Operaciones de Emergencia Nacional.
Cryptoassets: The Guide to Bitcoin, Blockchain, and Cryptocurrency for Investment Professionals
Authors: Hougan Matt , Lawant David
Published: June 2022

Download the CFA Institute Research Foundation guide to cryptoassets and blockchain to learn about cryptocurrency basics, crypto trading, cryptoasset regulations, and more.
Perspective Chapter: Multi-Material in 3D Printing for Engineering Applications
Authors: Velu Rajkumar , Sathishkumar R. , Saiyathibrahim A.
Published: June 2022

3D Printing or Additive Manufacturing is one of a novel method in manufacturing of materials with increased accuracy of manufacturing in terms of complexity in parts, design of aerospace and defense parts, light-weighting, etc., This manufacturing method involves layer-by-layer printing or deposition of materials or metals into the perfectly aligned especially in corners, edges and in most complex designs. The design process mostly involved software so that production cost could be estimated in the design stage itself. Additive Manufacturing is one of the most promising approach for small and low-volume productions. The filament used for the process is prominent to the designer, along with the various printing processes. Recent modern printing techniques involve multiple nozzles, whereas designers can use multiple materials on single printing. The use of multi-material in a single part enables the manufacturer to rapidly produce products which have specific applications. This chapter discusses about various multi-material with different mechanical properties that can be used for structural applications through different printing technologies on various precious applications. This technology is quickly adopted by even small-scale industries in recent times.
Lightweight Cryptographic Techniques in 5G Software-Defined Internet of Things Networking
Authors: Majhi Sumita , Mitra Pinaki
Published: June 2022

Lightweight cryptography (LWC) is an area of cryptographic techniques with low computational complexity and resource requirements. There must be a reason for using it in Internet of Things (IoT) network with a strict resource constraints environment. The key features of a 5G network are low latency, high throughput, heterogeneous network architecture, and massive connectivity. A new area of network architecture called SDN-IoT comes into the picture to control and manage IoT devices in a network with low latency and high throughput. SDN helps to reprogram the network according to the application’s requirements. Also, higher mobile applications lead to higher data growth. SDN helps to secure, manage, and control the huge data in the network. SDN-IoT architecture divides the network into three layers: The infrastructure layer, the control layer, and the service or application layer. In this chapter, we are focusing on the LWC algorithms from different perspectives so that they will fit into different layers of SDN-IoT network. We will discuss all the pros and cons of implementing LWC algorithms in hardware and software environments and also, the different layers of the SDN-IoT network. We also discuss SDN security architecture and different performance metrics for LWC algorithms.
Surgical Education: Focus on Gender Equality in Academic Surgery and Related Areas
Authors: Laessig Minuette , Ullrich Lauryn , J. Papadimos Thomas , A. Handspiker Erin , A. Cama Cara , P. Stawicki Stanislaw
Published: June 2022

Despite progress and advancements made to achieve gender equality, a glass ceiling still exists for women in surgery. Women remain largely underrepresented in academic surgery, with appointments to only 18% of surgery program director roles and 6.3% of surgical chair positions in the United States as of 2018. Inequities across various surgical subspecialties are also significant, especially in the areas of neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery. Additional barriers exist for women in academics, including lack of high-quality female mentorship, implicit bias within letters of recommendation, and a greater incidence of reported moral injury and burn-out. Further efforts to address these inequities are necessary to retain the talents and contributions of women in surgery. Interventions that may counterbalance the continued gender gap within surgical fields include the implementation of implicit bias training, increasing institutional support, establishing formal mentorship initiatives, the introduction of early exposure programs during medical training, transparent institutional promotion policies, childcare support, and accommodation of maternity leave. The purpose of this chapter is to educate the reader regarding gender inequality in surgery and related fields and to highlight key issues central to the propagation of gender biases specifically as they relate to female surgeons across various roles and responsibilities (e.g., clinical practice, education/training, and leadership) within the contemporary academic landscape.
Wind Turbine Aerodynamics and Flow Control
Authors: Jayanarasimhan Karthik , Subramani-Mahalakshmi Vignesh
Published: June 2022

Aerodynamics is one of the prime topics in wind turbine research. In aerodynamics, the design of a flow control mechanism lays the foundation for an efficient power output. Lift generation in the airfoil section leading to rotary motion of blade and transfer of mechanical to electrical power generation through gearbox assembly. The primary objective of a flow control mechanism in wind turbine blades is to delay the stall and increase the lift, thereby an efficient power generation. Flow control is classified into active and passive flow control mechanisms. Active flow control works on an actuation mechanism that comes into action when required during varied operating conditions. Passive flow control devices are designed, developed, and fixed on the surface to extract the required output through effective flow control. Vortex generators are the simplest, most cost-effective and efficient passive flow control devices. These devices influence the power of wind turbine blades in various ways, such as placement of generator along the chord, distance between pairs of a generator, angle of inclination of a generator with the blade surface, the height of generator. Flow control device needs to be optimized with the aforementioned parameters for efficient stall delay and power generation.
Trauma Resuscitation, Mass Casualty Incident Management and COVID 19: Experience from a South African Trauma Unit
Authors: Laher Naadiyah
Published: June 2022

The COVID 19 pandemic has spanned 2 years and is still ongoing with many questions arising. We attempt to answer some pertinent questions with literature as well as anecdotal evidence from our facility. To describe any changes to the resuscitation of trauma patients during the COVID 19 pandemic if any. During the COVID 19 pandemic, Johannesburg a city in the Gauteng Province of South Africa experienced civil unrest and a fire at one of its trauma units, this resulted in a mass casualty incident (MCI) at the only functional trauma unit in the public sector. Results of this observational study will be elucidated. Focus is placed on PPE protocols, trauma resuscitations, MCI management, triage principles and the changing surgeon’s role within the pandemic.
Research Status in Computational Thinking in STEM Education
Authors: Govender Irene
Published: June 2022

Computational thinking (CT) is an approach to problem-solving that has its roots in computer science. However, its inherent value in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines cannot be over-emphasized, considering that we are in the fourth industrial revolution. The chapter draws attention to its close affinity to problem-solving and programming, and the impact of computational thinking on the labour market, and in turn the digital economy is highlighted. A global overview of recent research findings and initiatives to implement CT education in school curricula are discussed. Because of the importance of STEM education, and the inherent value of CT, it is necessary to explore the status and inclinations of CT in STEM disciplines. Hence, a snapshot of research over the last two years was used in a systematic review to determine the trends and challenges for integrating CT in the curriculum of STEM related fields. Using the ERIC database of journals, and specific criteria for selection of publications, 31 articles were examined in this study. Overall, it was found several tools and instructional strategies are used to develop CT, but more needs to be done to increase teachers’ knowledge and enactment for CT in the STEM fields.
Development of Antibiofilm Substances by Endophytic Microorganisms with an Emphasis on Medicine
Authors: Henrique Rodrigues Saulo , Assis Marcelo , Cristina de Foggi Camila , Cristina Bogas Andréa , Ottaiano Gonçalves Mariana , Cipriano Lavinia , Longo Elson , Leite de Souza Evandro , Paiva de Sousa Cristina
Published: June 2022

The growing antimicrobial resistance and persistence of pathogenic microorganisms in infections–particularly in nosocomial infections–have become a major problem for public health worldwide. One of the main causes of these issues is the formation of biofilms, which are microbial communities associated with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that form a slimy extracellular matrix, causing the bacteria to become more tolerant to usual drugs in these structures. Thus, the search for new antibiofilm compounds is part of a strategy to deal with this problem. Endophytic microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi, mutualistically associated with plants, are sources of compounds with biological properties, including antimicrobials, and can be important allies in the synthesis of antibiofilm. These secondary metabolites can interfere with cell-to-cell communication and cell adhesion ability, promoting the dispersal of bacterial colonies and affecting biofilm. Since endophytes are cultivable in laboratory conditions, these microorganisms are environmentally friendly, as they do not contribute to pollution, are easy to handle and are produced on a large scale. Furthermore, metabolites from endophytes are of natural origin and may contribute to the reduced use of synthetic drugs. Considering these aspects, this chapter will focus on the characterization of endophytic microorganisms as potential active sources of antibiofilm and antimicrobial compounds with applications in medicine.
Paracetamol-Induced Hepatotoxicity
Authors: Mirza Nida
Published: June 2022

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity is common in clinical settings, one of the commonly used drugs leading to liver injury is paracetamol. It is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic drug. The toxicity of paracetamol has been described in accidental, iatrogenic, and intentional ingestion; also, the extent of liver injury varies from person to person depending on host factors, nutritional status, age, etc. The toxicity of paracetamol is not usually recognized by clinicians as initially, the symptoms are subtle. There is a specific antidote available for paracetamol-induced liver injury to prevent acute liver failure; however, it needs to be given time for proper action, therefore a strong clinical suspicion is to be taken when there is no proper history of ingestion.
Ethnobotany
Authors: Siraj Jafer
Published: June 2022

Ethnobotany is a life science which studies the interaction between human beings and flora in particular and broadly deals with the investigations, observations, and identifications of botanical diversity used for the prevention and treatment of human and livestock ailments. The current chapter reviews the history and development of ethnobotany and the involvement of this branch of science in the innovation and derivation of drug products which is originated from plants and claimed by the traditional healers and indigenous people used for the prevention and treatment of disease. This chapter also combines interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary methods that can lead to further productive, comprehensive, and systemic guesstimates in the investigation of the relationship between the plants and humans. Regardless of its various bottlenecks, ethnobotany becomes an attractive and hopeful area of research. It also covers ethnobotanical knowledge and modern science, ethnobotany research and their applications, plant conservation and sustainable management practices, taxonomy, and economic botany. The chapter also deals with the ways in which different societies and cultures have come to perceive, know, use, classify, and symbolically represent plants and animals.
Biological Determinants of Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Authors: Izurieta Ricardo , Gardellini Tatiana , Campos Adriana , Parikh Jeegan
Published: June 2022

In epidemic and pandemic circumstances, mutant RNA viruses go into a Darwinian selection of species with the predominance of the most transmissible, pathogenic, and virulent variants. Nevertheless, our current knowledge about the determinants of emergence of the new mutants is limited. The perspective chapter presents theoretical concepts related to biological determinants responsible for viral mutations or potential variant emergence. A scoping literature review was done in biomedical databases (PubMed, Medline) and google search engine with papers selected based about the book chapter. Public health and governmental agency websites were utilized for most recent information. Molecular determinants, the heterogenic herd immunity achieved by world populations, partial induced natural immunity by the disease, partial artificial immunity caused by incomplete immunization schedules, animal reservoirs, immunosuppression and chemical and biological antiviral therapies can result in genomic mutations combined with immunological selective pressure resulting in emergence of variants of concern. These variants could be resistant to current vaccines and monoclonal antibodies and can influence the future directions of the COVID-19 pandemic. This can be a threat to international health security and thus it is important to increase the genomic surveillance for mutations and research into modified vaccines and monoclonal antibodies against newer antigens to prevent the prolongation of the pandemic.
Exploiting the Attributes of Biocontrol Agent (Neochetina bruchi) as a Potential Ecosystem Engineer’s
Authors: Gupta Prerna , Tamot Sadhna
Published: June 2022

The biodiversity of lakes is continuously declining and diverse communities are being substituted by monoculture of invasive Eichhornia crassipes, resulting in a slew of environmental cascade effects. The ability of the Neochetina bruchi to self-perpetuate is a desirable aspect of biological control since it decreases the population to a reasonable level, making the approach more sustainable. N. bruchi is often referred to as “ecological engineers” because of the number of services it provides to the environment and enables herbicide application to be substantially reduced. Despite the presence of highly effective weevils against this weed, its effect on water hyacinth in association with the nutrients present in sites, is likely to vary with levels of disturbance caused by natural and anthropogenic factors. Understanding the aspects that determine the performance of these eco-engineers as valuable management tools will help to guide future endeavors. Our objective is to better comprehend their utility and limitations, along with critical knowledge gaps, to further enhance future applications.
Waveguide Amplifier for Extended Reach of WDM/FSO
Authors: Attaouia Bentahar , Malika Kandouci , Samir Ghouali , Amina Elbatoul Dinar
Published: June 2022

In this chapter, EYDWA (erbium ytterbium doped waveguide amplifier) is characterized for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) approach on free space optical (FSO) transmission systems with channels being spaced at 0.4 nm interval. Moreover, in this paper, was study different characterizations of EYDWA amplifier, which depend essentially on the opt-geometric parameters, such as concentrations of ions erbium, length of the waveguide and the effect of those parameters to optimize the performance of proposed system. Furthermore, the results reveal that the EYDWA booster (post-amplification) can improve the high performance remarkably under clear rain and the acceptable transmission can be carried out up to 26 km while it get reduced to 19.5 km by using pre-amplification.
Terahertz Conductivity of Nanoscale Materials and Systems
Authors: Goyal Rahul , Tiwari Akash
Published: June 2022

The history of RF technology can provide human beings a powerful lesson that the infrastructure of modern-day wireless communication depends on the complexity and configurability of silicon-based solid-state devices and integrated circuits. The field of THz technology is undergoing a developmental revolution which is at an inflection point and will bridge the ‘technology’ and ‘application’ gap in meaningful ways. This quantitative progress is a result of continuous and concerted efforts in a wide range of areas including solid-state devices, 2D materials, heterogeneous integration, nanofabrication and system packaging. In this chapter, the innovative theoretical approaches that have enabled significant advancement in the field of system-level THz technology are discussed. The focus is kept on the formulation of terahertz conductivity which plays a critical role in the modeling of devices that integrate technologies across electronics and photonics. Further, the findings build on coupling a probe pulse of terahertz illumination into the photoexcited region of amorphous silicon are presented and discussed in detail. Terahertz light has a higher penetration depth for opaque semiconductor materials which provides an accurate method to measure the conductivity of novel materials for the construction of efficient solar cells. This paves the way for the possibility to develop energy systems can address the need for reconfigurability, adaptability and scalability beyond the classical metrics.
Value and Limitations of Formaldehyde for Hatch Cabinet Applications: The Search for Alternatives
Authors: B. Graham Danielle , N. Vuong Christine , E. Graham Lucas , Tellez-Isaias Guillermo , M. Hargis Billy
Published: June 2022

Pioneer colonization by beneficial microorganisms promote a shift in the composition of the gut microbiota, excluding opportunistic pathogens. Commercially, the horizontal transmission of both apathogenic and pathogenic organisms is common during the hatching phase. The microbial bloom occurs as the humidity rises during hatch, exposing naïve chicks to a plethora of potentially harmful microbes. Horizontal transmission or introduction of pathogens may occur as infected chicks hatch or during handling after hatch pull. Moreover, contaminated infertile or non-viable embryonated eggs can serve as reservoirs for pathogenic organisms and even rupture during incubation. The organisms within the contents of these eggs can penetrate the shell of the embryonated eggs and subsequently contaminate the entire cabinet. Formaldehyde fumigation is commonly applied during the hatching phase to control the microbial bloom in the environment, but does not penetrate the eggshell prior to hatch. Additionally, this fumigation technique eliminates microbial organisms in the environment at hatch, including beneficial species. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to formaldehyde can damage the tracheal epithelia of neonatal chicks increasing susceptibility to infection by opportunistic microbes. Laboratory challenge models that mimic the microbial bloom that occurs in commercial hatch cabinets can be used to evaluate effective alternatives to control the microbial bloom and promote colonization by beneficial bacteria without the use of formaldehyde fumigation.
Assessment of Solar Energy Potential Limits within Solids on Heating-Melting Interval
Authors: Vizureanu Petrica , Baltatu Madalina-Simona , Sandu Andrei-Victor , Achitei Dragos-Cristian , Burduhos-Nergis Dumitru-Doru , Perju Manuela-Cristina
Published: June 2022

The solar furnace works by using the electric energy produced by a photovoltaic system, which converts solar energy, solar radiation, into electric energy. The performances of the solar furnace used in various applications from industry are influenced by various factors. One of these factors imposes the acquisitions of certain large densities of the radiant power, and it requires a geometric form of the concentrator. The research is based on the behavior of some metallic alloys at elevated temperatures, for purifying some materials and for the achievement of some chemical synthesis. An important technological condition is a temperature which is achieved by concentrating solar radiation. This temperature is necessary to produce metallic material in the crucible, without other complementary energy for the thermal process. Steel or aluminum production requires very high quantities of thermal energy. Usually, this energy is given by electric power, natural gases, or conventional fuels. The solar furnace uses the energy given by the sun. For the manufacturing of the electrothermal furnaces, a series of specific materials are used, which are necessary for the obtaining of the furnace chamber, for the heating elements, as well as for the measurement systems of the temperature.
Block Cave Mine Ventilation: Research Findings
Authors: Tukkaraja Purushotham , Jayaraman Sridharan Srivatsan , Ajayi Kayode , Jha Ankit , Pan Yong , Bhargava Rahul , Turi Gemechu , Erogul Doruk , Baysal Anil , Sreekumar Ajitha Saiprasad
Published: June 2022

The primary objective of this research is to provide practical mine ventilation engineering tools (i.e., cave resistances and pollutant emission rates) to model and predict adequate airflows and pressure drops across the cave with respect to cave propagation in underground block or panel cave mines. We used several research methods to investigate the phenomenon of cave ventilation and pollutant gas emissions in block or panel cave mines. The research methods include computational fluid dynamics (CFD)—continuum and discrete approaches in conjunction with advanced geo-mechanical analysis through numerical modeling, scale model studies, mathematical modeling, field observations, discrete fracture network (DFN), flow through porous media, particle flow code (PFC), Ventsim, MATLAB, and Python programming. The study investigated the several research questions related to block or panel cave mines: immature and mature cave properties, radon and airflow behavior, radon control measures, cave characteristics, ventilation on demand, blasting fumes, prediction of porosity, and permeability of different cave zones, the effect of undercut ventilation, forcing, exhaust and the push-pull system, the effect of airgap, and broken rock porosity and permeability on the cave ventilation system. The findings from this study provide useful information for optimizing the block or panel cave mine ventilation systems.
A Review of Optical Interferometry Techniques for Quantitative Determination of Optically Active Materials in a Solution
Authors: Ullah Rahim , Yasir Mehmood Khan Raja , Faisal Muhammad
Published: June 2022

Human diet is primarily comprised of optically active ingredients like glucose, sucrose, fructose, amino acids, lactic acid, cholesterol etc. Quality control is one of the most important processes in food industries to test, measure and verify the product for quality control standards. Optical techniques are mostly adopted in these industries for standardization of purity and concentration of optically active ingredients in their products. Quantitative measurements of optically active materials (OAMs) in a solution by interferometry have attracted the intention in present days due to their wide working range, high sensitivity and lower limit of detection. OAMs cause rotation of the angle of polarization when a plane-polarized light passes through them. The angle of rotation is distinct for different materials at different concentrations. For interferometric quantitative determination, the OAMs are generically placed in an arm of the interferometer and their effect on the interference fringe patterns are monitored as a function of their concentrations. Furthermore, the refractive indices of OAMs varies with their concentrations which directly affect the resultant interference pattern. Owing to the vast range of interferometric arrangements and processing techniques, this review assesses the different approaches adopted in detection of concentration of OAMs in a solution by interferometry.
Coronary Arteries Bypass Grafting as a Salvage Surgery in Ischemic Heart Failure
Authors: Jacob Samuel , Garg Pankaj , Gramm Games , Masroor Saqib
Published: June 2022

Ischemic cardiomyopathy accounts for approximately two-thirds of all Heart Failure (HF) cases. Recent studies indicates that revascularization provides superior outcomes compared with optimal medical therapy (OMT) alone. Current European and American guidelines recommend an invasive approach in patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 35% and with multivessel disease (MVD). Randomized controlled trials in these patients have proven that long-term survival is greater following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) than with OMT alone. Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease that is amenable to surgical revascularization should undergo combination of surgical revascularization and medical therapy rather than medical therapy alone. In some cases, combined CABG with other surgeries are vital salvage procedures, such as atrial fibrillation, mitral valve, tricuspid valve, and LV remodeling. Based on small but, nontrivial, early mortality risk associated with CABG surgery as well as other post-CABG morbidities, patients may also reasonably choose medical therapy as initial treatment option. Revascularization remains an important treatment option for patients with ongoing anginal symptoms despite optimal medical therapy. In this chapter, we will highlight the role of CABG in heart failure treatment and when to use it as a salvage surgery before referring the patient for heart transplantation.
Skill Acquisition for Resource-Constrained Mobile Robots through Continuous Exploration
Authors: D. Kobelrausch Markus , Jantsch Axel
Published: June 2022

We present a cognitive mobile robot that acquires knowledge, and autonomously learns higher-level abstract capabilities based on play instincts, inspired by human behavior. To this end, we (i) model skills, (ii) model the robot’s sensor and actuator space based on elementary physical properties, and (iii) propose algorithms inspired by humans’ play instincts that allow the robot to autonomously learn the skills based on its sensor and actuator capabilities. We model general knowledge in the form of competencies (skills) of the mobile robot based on kinematic properties using physical quantities. Thus, by design, our approach has the potential to cover very generic application domains. To connect desired skills to the primitive capabilities of the robot’s sensors and actuators, it playfully explores the effects of its actions on its sensory input, thus autonomously learning relations and dependencies and eventually the desired skill. KnowRob is used for knowledge representation and reasoning, and the robot’s operation is based on ROS. In the experiments, we use a millirobot, sized 2 cm2, equipped with two wheels, motion, and distance sensors. We show that our cognitive mobile robot can successfully and autonomously learn elementary motion skills based on a playful exploration of its wheels and sensors.
ADHD Training for Primary Care Professionals
Authors: French Blandine
Published: June 2022

Despite ADHD impacting around 5% of children in the UK, a lot of healthcare professionals are ill-equipped to deal with this disorder, especially in primary care. Untreated and undiagnosed ADHD can strongly impact individuals throughout their lifetime. It is therefore vital that individuals access treatment and diagnosis at an early stage. The diagnosis pathway for ADHD is complex and varies across countries. However, in many countries, specialist services are responsible for ADHD diagnosis and treatment, following a referral from a primary care physician (PCP). Without such referral, individuals are often unable to access care. Previous studies have shown that PCPs are often ill-equipped to deal with individuals with ADHD, highlighting a lack of knowledge and training, directly impacting access to care. To increase PCPs’ knowledge of ADHD, a novel online training program was developed. This innovative approach included co-production with PCPs throughout the development process and is the only online ADHD training to date tailored for PCPs that has been evaluated through a randomised control trial. This chapter first presents common ADHD pathways to care and the barriers to PCPs’ understanding of ADHD. The chapter then looks at the development and evaluation of an online intervention aimed at increasing PCPs’ confidence and understanding of ADHD.
Behaviors of Multi-Droplets Impacting on a Flat Wall
Authors: Luo Hongliang , Chang Feixiang
Published: June 2022

Microscopic characteristics of fuel spray are very important for atomization and mixture formation. The droplet size, number density, velocity distribution as well as minimum distance reveal the quality of spray and atomization, which affects the subsequent combustion and emissions for different engines such as vehicle, marine and aircraft. Moreover, in the internal combustion engine, the spray-wall impingement is difficult to avoid, which is the main source for soot emissions. Nowadays, regulations for emissions become straight by governments. Therefore, it is urgent for us to alleviate the energy and emissions crisis. In this study, the droplets behaviors will be characterized under the related engine working state. Firstly, the experimental setup and measurement were explained in detail. Then, images process method was induced to calculate the droplet size, velocity and distance among them. Finally, results of the impinging spray were presented. One thing should be noted, as the dense region is not available to detect the droplets by the observation. Therefore, a spray “slicer” was designed and applied to cut the spray slim. Finally, multi-droplets were generated, and the results can be concluded as well. All the results could provide insights into the impacting behaviors for better understanding the droplet dynamics.
Challenges in the Construction of Highways in the Brazilian Amazonia Environment: Part II – Engineering Solutions
Authors: de Souza Campelo Nilton , Maria Lamêgo da Silva Campos Arlene , Valério Mendonça Baia Marcos , Jardim Almeida Daniel , Humberto Cavalcante Lima Raimundo , Kelly dos Reis Dias Danielly , Augusto de Alencar Júnior Júlio , Jorge Gonçalves Santoro Filho Mário
Published: June 2022

The Chapter “Challenges in the construction of highways in the Brazilian Amazonia environment: Part I: Identification of Engineering Problems” dealt with the identification of Engineering problems concerning the implementation of road infrastructure in the Brazilian Amazon. This present chapter deals with Engineering solutions to overcome the obstacles mentioned in that previously chapter, focusing on alternatives that contemplate the use of the synthetic coarse aggregate of calcined clay (SCACC), recycled materials from ceramic waste, soil–emulsion mixes, and chemical additives, in partial or total replacement of coarse and fine natural aggregates, in addition to the use of piled embankments, for the reinforcement of the natural subgrade in the presence of a very thick, soft soil layer in the foundation of the highway.
Heat Transfer in Double-Pass Solar Air Heater: Mathematical Models and Solution Strategy
Authors: Van Hap Nguyen , Minh Phu Nguyen
Published: June 2022

Multipass air collectors are commonly used because they produce higher air temperature than that of a single-pass one due to reduced top heat loss. In this chapter, two mathematical models of convection and radiant heat transfer in a double-pass solar air heater were presented. They included an average temperature model and a model of temperature variation along the airflow direction. The method for solving these two mathematical models was reported. The average temperature model was solved by dealing with a system of linear algebraic equations, whereas the other model was derived as ordinary differential equations and solved by a numerical integration. The calculation programs were developed in EES software. The computation time of temperature variation model was about 0.9 s, but that of the average temperature model was negligible. Outcomes from two solutions were almost identical. The largest error of the outlet air temperature was 2.1%. The models are applicable to multipass collectors with or without recycling airflow.
Leveraging Soil Microbes with Good Farming Practices for Higher Soil Carbon Sequestration (SCS) and Farm Productivity
Authors: Singh Dalip
Published: June 2022

Plants reduce carbon dioxide content in atmosphere through photosynthetic absorption. Though they also add it by respiration, the amount absorbed is more than the amount added as evident from the growth of plants having more than 50% carbon. It makes agriculture as the net carbon sink. The movement of carbon dioxide from atmosphere to plants is under carbon cycle of the natural ecosystem. Though the ecosystem is resilient, human activities releasing carbon dioxide intensively can disturb it. Any farming activity releasing carbon dioxide from soil to atmosphere including injury to soil microbes, which are integral to ecosystem, can disrupt the ecosystem processes. Soil microbes playing key role in exchange of nutrients between soil and plants receive the photosynthetic food via roots. They repeatedly process it turning it into stable humus. This is “soil carbon sequestration (SCS).” These creatures can be leveraged with good farming practices that ensure their food and safety. Such a leverage can enhance soil health, farm output, and SCS reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide level which imply a perfect business case. However, as only informed farmers can do it, they need to be oriented to understand good farming practices and their benefits. This chapter aims at just that.
Reusable Cities: A Circular Design Approach to Urban Regeneration through Materials Reuse
Authors: Baiani Serena , Altamura Paola
Published: June 2022

The “circular city” reduces its environmental impacts from many points of view: from construction-related CO2 emissions to energy production. The key areas for the implementation of an “urban policy for transition” are mainly oriented toward the reuse and recycling of materials from the building processes and urban value chains (urban mining), also through reuse practices of the existing building stock. The results of the research activities, reported in the present contribution, demonstrate the possibility of integrating studies on the environmental benefits of recycling in the building sector, with investigations on the potential of reuse to increase the overall eco-effectiveness of building interventions, interpreting the urban built environment in the perspective of a “reusable city.” The hypothesis for a real reduction of raw material consumption in the construction sector is to combine the use of secondary materials with the reuse of building components, resulting from partial or total deconstruction and of materials from other waste streams, not belonging to the construction sector. Therefore, the research sought to understand to what extent the reuse of architectural components and waste materials from other industries can contribute to increasing resource efficiency at the local scale, reducing the consumption of materials, land, and energy.
Socialization Experiences among Undergraduate Students in Higher Learning Institutions (HLI)
Authors: Birhanu Ayalew Mulusew
Published: June 2022

This work portrays the problems of socialization among undergraduate students in higher learning institutions. The socialization processes in higher learning institution are significant for the successful navigation of students in the academic programs and university environment in preparing the next generation of professional practitioners and scholars. But the undergraduate student socialization experiences of students at university environment are overlooked. To navigate in the higher learning institutions, students should be socialized effectively to the normative contexts of the higher learning institutions. The normative contexts of the higher learning institutions are generally categorized into social and academic contexts, because these context academic and social context integration have been linked to student retention and success. Social integration involves interpersonal relationships, support, interactions with others, and a sense of belonging at a university, which stems from extracurricular activities, informal dealings with peer groups, and interactions with faculty and staff, whereas academic integration is described through grade performance and intellectual development that reflects an ability to meet the standards of the academic system; intellectual development involves a student valuing their education as a process of development in which they gain knowledge and ideas. Students’ background is also the contributing factor for students’ socialization in the University.
Analysis of the Clinical Efficacy of Infliximab in the Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Ulcerative Colitis in Children
Authors: Chen Ying , Xiao Feiwen , Wang Yang , Sun Mei , Teng Xu
Published: June 2022

Background: Incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) in children has increased worldwide. Objectives: In the current study, we summarized our clinical experience using infliximab (IFX) in the treatment of children with steroid-refractory UC. Methods: The clinical data of 9 steroid-refractory UC patients with average age of 8 years who were treated with IFX in our hospital were analyzed. Results: At the end of the induction period, 6 achieved a clinically significant response. Of the 6 children, 4 had mucosal healing and 2 had endoscopic remission. At week 30, among the 6 children who achieved a clinically significant response, 3 had persistent clinical remission and mucosal healing, 1 achieved mucosal healing from endoscopic remission, 1 had mild disease, and the other child had not reached 30 weeks of treatment as of this writing. At week 54, 6 of 9 children achieved clinical remission and 5 had mucosal healing. The hemoglobin concentration in the children who achieved a clinically significant response was higher than pre-treatment and the inflammation markers were lower than pre-treatment. During IFX treatment, five children had a loss of response, three had a primary non-response, and two had a secondary non-response. The latter children achieved clinical remission with optimized treatment. Conclusions: IFX is a salvage treatment option for children with moderate-to-severe steroid-refractory UC. The course of treatment and the timing of drug withdrawal warrants further study.
Assessment of pan coefficient models for the estimation of the reference evapotranspiration in a Mediterranean environment in Turkey
Authors: Koç Deniz Levent
Published: June 2022

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is essential for irrigation practices and the management of water resources and plays a vital role in agricultural and hydro-meteorological studies. The FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (PM) equation, recommended as the sole standard method of calculating ETo by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), is the most commonly used and accurate model to determine the ETo and evaluate ETo equations. However, it requires many meteorological variables, often restricting its applicability in regions with poor or missing meteorological observations. Many empirical and semi-empirical equations have been developed to predict the ET0 from numerous meteorological data. The FAO-24 Pan method is commonly used worldwide to estimate ETo because it is simple and requires only pan coefficients. However, pan coefficients (Kpan) should be determined accurately to estimate ET0 using the FAO-24 Pan method. As the accuracy and reliability of the Kpan models can be different from one location to another, they should be tested or calibrated for different climates and surrounding conditions. In this study, the performance of the eight Kpan models was evaluated using 22-year daily climate data for the summer growing season in Adana, which has a Mediterranean climate in Turkey. The results showed that the mean seasonal pan coefficients estimated by all Kpan models differed significantly at a 1% significance level from those observed by FAO-56 PM according to the two-tail z test. In the study, ETo values estimated by Kpan models were compared against those obtained by the FAO-56 PM equation. The seasonal and monthly performance of Kpan models was varied, and the Wahed & Snyder model presented the best performance for ETo estimates at the seasonal scale. (RMSE = 0.550 mm d−1; MAE = 0.425 mm d−1; MBE = −0.378 mm d−1; RE = 0.134). In addition, it showed a good performance in estimating ETo on a monthly scale. The Orang model showed the lowest performance in estimating ETo among all models, with a very high relative error on the seasonal scale. (RMSE = 1.867 mm d−1; MAE = 1.806 mm d−1; MBE = −1.806 mm d−1; RE = 0.455). In addition, it showed the poorest performance on a monthly scale. Hence, the Wahed & Snyder model can be considered to estimate ETo under Adana region conditions after doing the necessary calibration.
Wine Quality Classification Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Benjamin Agbo Chijioke
Published: June 2022

It has been long-established that wine making is an old craft that requires deep knowledge about the conditions and components that may be present in a wine. The need for quality control has always played a crucial role in the production of wines. Different regulatory agencies stipulate permissible production strategies of using some of the additives and processing agents. Assessing the wine quality using the usual traditional methods is not only tedious but also lack that level of consistency and reproducibility in production. Modern, through the machine learning algorithms it's more fitted to predict with the help of an automatic predictive system infused into a decision support system. In this paper, I have explored different machine learning models for classifying wine quality based on various metrics and components associated to wine quality, the ranking of the wine quality as well as investigation surrounding wine taste differing from another using machine learning models such as Naive Bayes algorithm, K-Nearest Neighbor algorithm, and Support Vector Machines algorithm.
Assessment of Mental Health Status among Medical Graduates during COVID-19 Lockdown Period: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Tondehal Nikhil Ravindranath , Kumar V Sampath , Reddy J Mayurnatha , Srinivas M , Sasikala Thallapaneni
Published: June 2022

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought an unprecedented challenge to the health system and infrastructure. As health workers are at the frontline fighting the pandemic, medical students have been affected due to the lockdown and forced to attend their curriculum in online mode. This has brought some amount of distress to the medical students. Aim: To assess medical students mental health status during the COVID-19 lockdown period using Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 330 undergraduate medical students (MBBS) at ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Sanathnagar, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. The data regarding mental health status (DASS-21) was collected using google forms from March to June 2020. Kolmogorov Smirnov test was used to test the normality of data. Demographic data were described using numbers and percentages for categorical variables. Mean difference among all batches was analysed by analysis of variance. Pearson correlation analysis was done for correlation between the variables. Results: A total of 330 medical college students with a mean age of 19.8±2.5 years and with male and female ratio of 1:1.5. Depression was seen in 138 members (41.9%), anxiety in 147 members (44.5%), and stress in 91 members (27.5%). The year of graduation had a significant positive correlation with severity of anxiety (r=0.160, p=0.004) and stress (r=0.141, p=0.010). Conclusion: Prolonged lockdown of COVID-19 has affected the mental health of medical students. Continuous monitoring with appropriate counseling and therapeutic support is necessary till the pandemic ends.