bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Project Approach to the Implementation of Individual Educational Paths in Modern University
Authors: Daneykin Yu. V. , Kalpinskaya O. E. , Fedotova N. G.
Published: September 2020

The article discusses the project approach to the implementation of individual educational trajectories (IET) in modern Russian university. The relevance of the study stems from the lack of effective models of individualization of the educational process in higher education. The aim of this work is to analyze the project approach as a key subjective factor in the implementation of individual educational paths in the structure of a modern university. The interdisciplinary methodology lies as the basis of the study, which allows integrating the educational practices of higher education in a single context at the fundamental level and achieving a synergistic effect in their implementation. The majority of modern scientific works are devoted either to the problems of individualization of higher education, or to the implementation of project activities at a university, without a detailed analysis of the correlations of these concepts of modern educational discourse.

As results, the article presents the key principles of the project approach to the implementation of IET (systemicity, teamwork, interaction with the external environment, digital transformation of the learning process, staffing of project work), as well as a list of issues requiring discussion by the scientific community exploring modern educational practices of higher education in Russia. The authors emphasize that the project approach to the implementation of IEP in higher education can be considered as a special technique based on the competency-based approach to individualization of education and focusing on the active position of the student to recognize educational deficits and make an individual choice of the educational route, to see and comprehend the directions of competency-based growth and self-development. The awareness of individualization of learning is determined by the project approach, while the individual educational path becomes more conscious and logical for the student, provoking his (her) educational needs and providing the need for the development of certain competencies. The results of the study were used by the authors to develop and implement an adaptive model for constructing individual educational trajectories at the Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University.
Pengaruh Badan Air pada Iklim Mikro di Kota Pontianak
Authors: Syafrina Andina , Koerniawan Mochamad Donny
Published: September 2020

Badan air merupakan salah satu potensi softscape pada lingkungan perkotaan yang dapat mempengaruhi ligkungan termal disamping fungsi hidrologis. Beberapa penelitian terdahulu telah mengukur sejauh mana badan air mempengaruhi iklim mikro, sehingga keberadaan badan air dapat menjadi pertimbangan dalam perencanaan suatu kawasan di perkotaan. Namun, saat ini belum banyak diteliti untuk iklim tropis lembab khususnya di Indonesia. Penelitian ini mengambil Kota Pontianak sebagai studi kasus. Penelitian menggunakan metode kuantitatif yang bersifat deskriptif dengan pengumpulan data melalui pengukuran lapangan dan observasi. Data pengukuran lapangan dan observasi kemudian dianalisis menggunakan analisis anova dan regresi. Hasil analisis menunjukkan jarak terhadap badan air, orientasi koridor badan air dan zona waktu memiliki pengaruh yang berbeda terhadap iklim mikro di koridor jalan yang terdapat badan air. Temuan juga menunjukkan pengaruh badan air pada koridor jalan menimbulkan nilai temperatur udara yang bervariasi (dapat lebih tinggi dan lebih rendah).
Dominasi Konsep Lokal pada Rancangan Karsten
Authors: Muljadinata Albertus Sidharta , Antariksa  , Salura Purnama
Published: September 2020

Di dalam perkembangan kota pada era globalisasi ini, terjadi fenomena yang menarik, banyak bagian kota yang chaos dalam perkembangannya, namun terdapat kota yang tetap, tidak berubah. Kota Semarang yang dirancang oleh Herman Thomas Karsten sebagai kota modern mulai tahun 1916, merupakan kota yang tidak berubah karena perkembangan jaman. Sejarah menunjukkan, karya arsitektur yang bertahan adalah yang memiliki aspek lokal dalam konsep rancangannya. Melalui telaah literatur tentang teori kota, arsitektur dan aspek lokal, dan dengan mengambil kasus pada Kota Semarang sebagai kota modern hasil rancangan Karsten, akan didapat dominasi aspek lokal dalam karya Karsten, serta relasi antara aspek lokal dan elemen kota rancangan Karsten. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap konsep Karsten, mengupas semua aspek lokal dalam arsitektur dan kota yang mempengaruhi Karsten, mengungkap dominasi aspek lokal yang terdapat pada kasus studi. Penelitian ini akan memberi manfaat bagi pengembangan keilmuan arsitektur, dan akan memberi wawasan baru kepada para masyarakat akademisi tentang pentingnya aspek lokal pada rancangan kota dan arsitektur. Penelitian ini akan memberi kejelasan, bahwa suatu kota akan tetap bertahan bila arsitektur kotanya memiliki relasi dengan aspek lokal yang ada. Sedangkan bagi masyarakat, penelitian ini akan memberi kontribusi dalam membantu penciptaan lingkungan binaan baru pada artefak benda cagar budaya melalui strategi kerja konservasi arsitektur yang baik.
Preferensi Masyarakat Sarbagita dalam Membangun Rumah
Authors: Budhiari Ni Made Dwi Sulistia , Kasuma I Putu Agus Wira
Published: September 2020

Pemenuhan kebutuhan perumahan merupakan salah satu indikator capaian keberhasilan Kementerian PUPR dalam bidang perumahan untuk menurunkan angka backlog. Salah satu upaya penyedian perumahan adalah melalui rumah swadaya. Penyedian rumah secara swadaya pada wilayah tertentu umumnya dipengaruhi oleh beberapa faktor seperti faktor budaya dan arsitektur didaerah kelahiran pemilik serta beberapa faktor lainnya. Metodelogi kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan analisis crostab atau tabulasi silang untuk mengetahui preferensi yang mempengaruhi masyarakat di wilayah kajian dalam proses membangun rumah. Secara keseluruhan yang memiliki pengaruh terhadap pembangunan rumah berdasarkan preferensi masyarakat adalah jenis kelamin, pendidikan, agama, pekerjaan, tingkat penghasilan. Berdasarkan faktor-faktor atau parameter tersebut akan menghasilkan jawaban masyarakat terkait dengan preferensi membangun rumah dan keterkaitan antar faktor-faktor yang berpengaruh akan menjadi dasar pertimbangan untuk membantu mengeluarkan kebijakan terkait penyediaan rumah.
El impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas ante la moral
Authors: Higuera Gonzalo
Published: September 2020

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Research on the Improvement of Calculation Method for the Interference Assembly of Locomotive Traction Gear
Authors: Guan Tianmin , Qin Meichao , Lei Lei
Published: September 2020

The interference assembly is the main method for the connection between the traction gear and the shaft. The selection of the interference plays a critical role in the design of the traction gear. The traditional method of the calculation of the interference of the traction gear oversimply the mathematical model. The error goes out of the acceptable range so that the old method is not suitable for the design of the web structure. In this paper we propose an improved algorithm for solving the interference of the traction gear by combining the classical elastic mechanics theory and the finite element segmentation technique. The results from our improved algorithm is compared with that from the traditional method and the finite element simulation data is compared with the experimental results. Both comparisons verified the rationality and the feasibility of our algorithm. Our research provides the theoretical reference significance and practical guiding value for the selection of the range of interference.
Patterns of prescription, hospitalizations and costs of herpes zoster in patients at risk, from a large Italian claims database
Authors: Calabria Silvia , Ronconi Giulia , Dondi Letizia , Piccinni Carlo , Pedrini Antonella , Esposito Immacolata , Viale Pierluigi , Martini Nello
Published: September 2020

Purpose: This observational study aimed to investigate the incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) among at-risk subjects aged ≥50 years, characterize them and assess annual healthcare utilization and costs from the Italian National Health System (NHS) perspective.
Methods: Records of reimbursed drug prescriptions, hospitalizations and outpatient specialist care from the Fondazione ReS database were linked to identify patients aged ≥50 years at HZ risk (i.e. cardiovascular disease/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/diabetes/immunosuppression, according to the Italian National Vaccine Prevention Plan – PNPV 2017-2019) in 2013. New HZ events (incidence per 1,000) were researched in 2 years, and subjects with HZ in the previous year were excluded. Antiviral and pain therapy consumptions, hospitalizations for HZ and costs paid by NHS were assessed annually.
Results: From 12,562,609 inhabitants in 2013, a total of 1,004,705 patients (18.5% aged ≥50 years) at risk without a previous event were selected. The 2-year incidence of HZ was 5.9 per 1,000 (mean age 74 ± 10 years; 54.3% female). Patients aged 80-89 (7.2 per 1,000), females (6.7 per 1,000) and immunosuppressed subjects (6.9 per 1,000) had the highest incidence rates. One year after the new HZ episode, 82.2% were treated with specific antivirals (79.3% brivudine), generating an annual average cost/treated of €106; 8.0% were hospitalized for HZ, with an average cost/hospitalized of €3,927; the overall mean cost/incident patient was €402.
Conclusions: This analysis provided HZ incidence in subjects aged ≥50 years considered at risk by the PNPV and its burden from the NHS perspective. Our findings can help health governance to improve clinical decisions and economic positioning concerning zoster vaccine plan.
Seasonal monitoring of Hida salamander Hynobius kimurae using environmental DNA with a genus-specific primer set
Authors: Jo T , Tomita S , Kohmatsu Y , Osathanunkul M , Ushimaru A , Minamoto T
Published: September 2020

The diversity and the abundance of amphibians have dramatically declined globally over the past 30 years, and the monitoring and conservation of their habitats is essential. However, traditional methods such as bait trapping and mark-recapture are costly, and morphological identification usually requires a high level of taxonomic expertise. Here, seasonal surveillances of Hida salamanderHynobius kimuraewere performed by means of environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis withHynobius-specific primers and a species-specific TaqMan probe. Water sampling and visual surveys were conducted seasonally in a stream in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Detection rates of eDNA were then calculated by real-time PCR, and eDNA site occupancy probability was estimated by multi-scale occupancy modeling. The eDNA-based detection rate of Hida salamander was 76.7%, whereas the visual survey-based detection rate was 23.3%, and target eDNA was detected at almost all sites where the presence of target species was visually confirmed. Moreover, factors relating to the site- and sample-level occurrence probabilities of the target eDNA differed depending on the developmental stage of the target species. Our findings support previous studies showing that eDNA analysis enables an effective assessment of amphibian distributions without damaging the organisms or their habitat, and we compare for the first time the site occupancy probability of amphibian eDNA throughout the life cycle of an amphibian species. The present study contributes to the development of eDNA analysis as a tool for understanding the distribution and seasonal activity of amphibian species and will thus aid in the planning of conservation measures and habitat restoration for these species.
La tomografía computerizada más allá de la medicina: Aplicaciones al estudio microestructural del hormigón y otros materiales de la ingeniería
Authors: Mena Alonso Álvaro , González Cabrera Dorys Carmen , Mínguez Algarra Jesús , Vicente Cabrera Miguel Ángel
Published: September 2020

La tomografía computerizada (TC) es una tecnología muy potente para el estudio de la microestructura de los materiales, lo que se refleja en la gran cantidad de trabajos publicados durante los últimos años. Más allá de su conocido uso en medicina, la TC se ha extendido a otros muchos campos científicos. En este trabajo se recogen algunos de ellos, con especial interés en el estudio del hormigón. Entre sus aplicaciones más relevantes, destaca su uso en paleontología y patrimonio para analizar el interior de fósiles y reliquias sin dañarlos. Por otro lado, también es muy empleado en el estudio de materiales de la ingeniería, como los metales, los materiales compuestos, las mezclas bituminosas de los firmes, las rocas y el hormigón. En todos los casos, los datos obtenidos por los escáneres de TC se usan para mejorar el conocimiento de la respuesta macroscópica de dichos materiales frente a todo tipo de acciones, mecánicas o ambientales. En el caso particular el hormigón, entre sus aplicaciones principales se encuentran la del análisis de la matriz interna, el estudio de los patrones de fisuración y, finalmente, el estudio del hormigón reforzado con fibras.
Thermal Oxidating Stabilization and Cleaning from Conductive Impurities of Dielectric Liquid - Esters
Authors: Abdullayeva M.
Published: September 2020

In this work are developed the basic electrophysical properties of the ester- acetoxymethyl-sec.hexyl-o-xylene; methods for its purification and stabilization. There were chosen the adsorption method of thermo-oxidative stabilization to clean dielectric fluid from conductive impurities. As a result of The electrophysical characteristics of the acetoxymethyl-sec.hexyl-o-xylene ester, as well as the method of its purification using alumina, and hydrogenation on a catalyst representing 0.2% palladium on alumina and stabilization using additives NG-2246. As a result of the research, it was possible to obtain an ester with improved electrophysical parameters.
Thermoelectronic Conversion of Solar Energy Using a Heterostructural Cathode
Authors: Ismanov Yu. , Niyazov  , Dzhamankyzov N. , Zhumaliev K.
Published: September 2020

The article presents a theoretical analysis of the features of the operation of a thermionic solar energy converter using a heterostructure cathode. A heterostructure is considered, into which a window layer with a sufficiently wide band gap and an absorbing layer, the band gap of which remains constant, are introduced. This makes it possible to greatly reduce the recombination losses at the contact surface. However, the presence of a wide band gap in the window layer leads to the emergence of a barrier for the forming photoelectrons, and this, in turn, leads to losses during energy conversion, since photons with energies less than the band gap stop working for energy conversion. That is, only part of the Sun’s energy will be converted into electrical energy — only part of the solar radiation spectrum is working. It is shown that this drawback can be overcome by creating a gradient of the band gap. This gradient makes it possible to create a reverse internal field, which reduces the height of the barrier at the contact surface, which increases the photoelectron yield and, ultimately, the overall conversion factor of the thermionic converter. Theoretical values are obtained for the output current and the conversion factor of a thermionic solar energy converter with a heterostructure cathode.
A Study in the Syntax of the Luwian Language
Authors: Giusfredi Federico
Published: September 2020

The Ancient Anatolian corpora represent the earliest documented examples of the Indo-European languages. In this book, an analysis of the syntactic structure of the Luwian phrases, clauses, and sentences is attempted, basing on a phrase-structural approach that entails a mild application of the theoretical framework of generative grammar. While obvious limits exist as regards the use of theory-driven models to the study and description of ancient corpus-languages, this books aims at demonstrating and illustrating the main configurational features of the Luwian syntax.
Trends in Incidence and Mortality of Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Yin Xuejiao , Chen Lei , Fan Fengjuan , Yan Han , Zhang Yuyang , Huang Zhenli , Sun Chunyan , Hu Yu
Published: September 2020

Background: The incidence of Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) has increased in certain groups over several decades in the United States. It is unclear whether the increasing incidence is associated with mortality trends.

Methods: The incidence and incidence-based mortality (IBM) rates were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1980–2016) with SEER*Stat software. The secular trends stratified by demographic characteristics were analyzed by joinpoint regression.

Results: The incidence of WM showed an initial rapid increase from 1980 to 1993 {annual percentage change (APC), 14.1% [95% confidence interval (CI), 10 to 18.4%]}, whereas it began to stabilize from 1993 to 2016 [APC, 0.5% (95% CI, −0.3 to 1.3%)]. The WM IBM trend followed a similar pattern, with a decrease occurring around 1994. The trends in the incidence and mortality significantly differed according to geographic location, race, age, sex, primary site of involvement and subtype, which could help in further investigations into the specific etiology. Moreover, a dramatic increase in the 5-year survival rate from the 1980s to 2010s was observed (47.84 vs. 69.41%).

Conclusions: Although both the incidence and IBM of WM continued to increase during the study period, a reduction in the rate of increase occurred around 1993. We believe that further advances in healthcare delivery and research can ensure a low mortality rate. Future studies can use the findings of this paper to monitor the results of WM therapy.
Proof of Principle of a Rotating Actuator Based on Magnetostrictive Material with Simultaneous Vibration Amplitude
Authors: Titsch Christian , Li Qiang , Kimme Simon , Drossel Welf-Guntram
Published: September 2020

Magnetostrictive materials are a group of smart materials with comparable properties to piezoelectric materials regarding strain and operating frequency. In contrast, the Curie temperature is much higher and the principle effect allows different actuator designs. Especially in the case of rotating actuators in ultrasonic assisted machining, a high potential is seen for a simplified energy transmission. In the study, a test stand for a rotating actuator with simultaneous vibration in longitudinal direction was designed to show the proof of principle for this idea. It was shown that the current inducing the magnetic field as well as its frequency influence the amplitude of the rotating actuator. This is a first step to developing a rotating actuator for ultrasonic machining.
The Impact of Industry 4.0 on Jobs Creation within the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Family Businesses in Slovakia
Authors: Grenčíková Adriana , Kordoš Marcel , Berkovič Vladislav
Published: September 2020

Industry 4.0 has been creating new jobs for several years, and people are already being employed in work positions that did not exist ten years ago. Due to the speed and complexity of the changes brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, it will be necessary to respond adequately and flexibly to this challenge. This research paper is devoted to the issue of Industry 4.0 outbreak into industrial enterprises, while the issue of job structure will become an increasingly urgent one. The main objective of this problem-oriented quantitative type of research is based on the analysis of the state and course of Industry 4.0 implementation process to estimate the impact of Industry 4.0 concept implementation on job creation in small and medium-sized enterprises and family businesses in Slovak Republic. A questionnaire survey in small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovak Republic was chosen as the fundamental research method. The results have shown that new technologies will increasingly displace physical labor in particular, and emerging jobs will put ever-increasing demands on human intellect. The conclusions from our findings can be the basis for the creation of educational programs not only within the workplace but also in the educational system in Slovak Republic.
The Antioxidant Activities of Betula etnensis Rafin. Ethanolic Extract Exert Protective and Anti-diabetic Effects on Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes in Rats
Authors: Malfa Giuseppe Antonio , Tomasello Barbara , Acquaviva Rosaria , Mantia Alfonsina La , Pappalardo Francesco , Ragusa Monica , Renis Marcella , Di Giacomo Claudia
Published: September 2020

Pathophysiological mechanisms correlating diabetes mellitus with associated complications are still not completely clear, even though oxidative stress seems to play a pivotal role. Literature data suggest that cell damages induced by hyperglycemia, although multifactorial, have a common pathway in oxidative/nitrosative stress. The present study evaluated the effects of Betula etnensis Raf. bark extract, a plant belonging to the Betulaceae family endemic to Sicily, on oxidative stress and in preventing and/or retarding diabetes-associated complications in streptozotocin diabetic rats treated with the extract at dose of 0.5 g/kg body weight per day for 28 consecutive days. The extract administration significant decreased food and water intake, fasting blood glucose, weight loss and polyuria, compared with untreated diabetic animals. Furthermore, oxidative stress markers particularly, lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) and nitrite/nitrate levels, non-proteic thiol groups (RSH), γ-glutamyl-cysteine-synthetase (γ-GCS) activities and expression, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases (i-NOS e-NOS) expression, significantly changed by streptozocin treatment, were markedly restored both in plasma and tissues together with nuclear sirtuins activity (Sirt1). Results suggested that B. etnensis bark alcoholic extract is able to counteract oxidative stress and to ameliorate some general parameters related to diabetes.
Microbiota-Mitochondria Inter-Talk: A Potential Therapeutic Strategy in Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Vezza Teresa , Abad-Jiménez Zaida , Marti-Cabrera Miguel , Rocha Milagros , Víctor Víctor Manuel
Published: September 2020

The rising prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a growing concern worldwide. New discoveries in the field of metagenomics and clinical research have revealed that the gut microbiota plays a key role in these metabolic disorders. The mechanisms regulating microbiota composition are multifactorial and include resistance to stress, presence of pathogens, diet, cultural habits and general health conditions. Recent evidence has shed light on the influence of microbiota quality and diversity on mitochondrial functions. Of note, the gut microbiota has been shown to regulate crucial transcription factors, coactivators, as well as enzymes implicated in mitochondrial biogenesis and metabolism. Moreover, microbiota metabolites seem to interfere with mitochondrial oxidative/nitrosative stress and autophagosome formation, thus regulating the activation of the inflammasome and the production of inflammatory cytokines, key players in chronic metabolic disorders. This review focuses on the association between intestinal microbiota and mitochondrial function and examines the mechanisms that may be the key to their use as potential therapeutic strategies in obesity and T2D management.
Traffic Measurement and Congestion Detection Based on Real-Time Highway Video Data
Authors: Sonnleitner Erik , Barth Oliver , Palmanshofer Alexander , Kurz Marc
Published: September 2020

Since global road traffic is steadily increasing, the need for intelligent traffic management and observation systems is becoming an important and critical aspect of modern traffic analysis. In this paper, we cover the development and evaluation of a traffic measurement system for tracking, counting and classifying different vehicle types based on real-time input data from ordinary highway cameras by using a hybrid approach including computer vision and machine learning techniques. Moreover, due to the relatively low framerate of such cameras, we also present a prediction model to estimate driving paths based on previous detections. We evaluate the proposed system with respect to different real-life road situations including highway-, toll station- and bridge-cameras and manage to keep the error rate of lost vehicles under 10%.
Uniform Pooling for Graph Networks
Authors: Qin Jian , Liu Li , Shen Hui , Hu Dewen
Published: September 2020

The graph convolution network has received a lot of attention because it extends the convolution to non-Euclidean domains. However, the graph pooling method is still less concerned, which can learn coarse graph embedding to facilitate graph classification. Previous pooling methods were based on assigning a score to each node and then pooling only the highest-scoring nodes, which might throw away whole neighbourhoods of nodes and therefore information. Here, we proposed a novel pooling method UGPool with a new point-of-view on selecting nodes. UGPool learns node scores based on node features and uniformly pools neighboring nodes instead of top nodes in the score-space, resulting in a uniformly coarsened graph. In multiple graph classification tasks, including the protein graphs, the biological graphs and the brain connectivity graphs, we demonstrated that UGPool outperforms other graph pooling methods while maintaining high efficiency. Moreover, we also show that UGPool can be integrated with multiple graph convolution networks to effectively improve performance compared to no pooling.
Rock Breaking Performance of TBM Disc Cutter Assisted by High-Pressure Water Jet
Authors: Wang Fengchao , Zhou Dapeng , Zhou Xin , Xiao Nanzhe , Guo Chuwen
Published: September 2020

A high-pressure water jet can break rock efficiently, which is of great potential to overcome the problems of a tunnel boring machine (TBM) in full-face hard rock tunnel digging, such as low digging efficiency and high disc cutter wear rate. Therefore, this paper presented a new tunneling method that is a TBM coupled with a high-pressure water jet. The rock failure mechanism under the coupled forces of a disc cutter and water jet was analyzed at first. Then, the finite element method (FEM) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method were used to establish a numerical model of rock broken by the disc cutter and water jet. Effects of parameters on rock breaking performance were studied based on the numerical model. Moreover, an experiment of the water jet cutting marble was carried out to verify the reliability of the numerical simulation. Results showed that the high-pressure water jet can increase the TBM digging efficiency and decrease the forces and wear rate of the disc cutter. The optimum nozzle diameter is 1.5 mm, while the optimum jet velocity is 224.5 m/s in this simulation. The results can provide theoretical guidance and data support for designing the most efficient system of a TBM with a water jet for digging a full-face hard rock tunnel.
Ultrasound DMAS Beamforming for Estimation of Tissue Speed of Sound in Multi-Angle Plane-Wave Imaging
Authors: Shen Che-Chou , Tu Kuan-Lin
Published: September 2020

Various methods have been proposed to estimate the tissue speed of sound (SOS) of propagating medium using the curvature of received channel waveform or the analysis of resultant image quality. In our previous study, baseband delay-multiply-and-sum (DMAS) beamforming methods have been developed for multi-angle plane-wave (PW) imaging which relies on signal coherence among transmit events (Tx-DMAS) or receive channel (Rx-DMAS) or both (2D-DMAS) to suppress low-coherence clutters. In this study, we further extend our DMAS beamforming to quantify the level of signal coherence for determining the average SOS in multi-angle PW imaging. The signal coherence in multi-angle PW imaging is represented as the DMAS coherence factor (DCF) which can be easily estimated from the magnitude ratio of the pixel value of DMAS image to that of DAS image. By searching the beamforming velocity that provides the highest signal coherence of echo matrix, the average tissue SOS of the imaged object can be determined. For the PICMUS experimental dataset, the optimal beamforming velocity (Copt) estimated by the proposed DCF method does provide the best image quality. For the Prodigy dataset, the estimated tissue SOS is 1426 ± 6 m/s which is very close to the actual tissue SOS of 1427 m/s and the estimated SOS also corresponds to the Copt with the minimal −6-dB lateral width and the maximal contrast within an error of 10 m/s. Estimation of tissue SOS in the proposed DCF method is also robust even in the presence of transmit delay error due to deviation of SOS.
Stroke Kinematics Analysis and Hydrodynamic Modeling of a Buoyancy-Supported Water Strider Robot
Authors: Huang Haocai , Sheng Chaowu , Wu Gang , Shen Yun , Wang Hangzhou
Published: September 2020

The locomotive ability of a water strider that generates an ellipse-like spatial stroke trajectory when moving is proved to improve its moving efficiency and is seldom imitated by water strider robots. A hydrodynamic analysis can predict the performance of the robots, but research in this area is not enough. A buoyancy-supported water strider robot with the ability of producing an ellipse-like spatial stroke trajectory was designed and analyzed in this study. A semiempirical hydrodynamic model suitable for the buoyancy-supported robot was proposed to study the hydrodynamic characteristics, based on the Newton’s second law of motion. The speed, power and efficiency of the robot were analyzed on the basis of the model which confirmed that the robot performing an ellipse-like spatial stroke trajectory was conducive to its moving efficiency. The experimental results verified that the stroke mechanism produced an ellipse-like spatial trajectory in a practical application and that the robot had good mobility. The proposed hydrodynamic model was validated by comparing the theoretical speed of the robot to the experimental results.
Influencing Factors and Shear Capacity Formula of Single-Keyed Dry Joints in Segmental Precast Bridges under Direct Shear Loading
Authors: Hou Wenqi , Peng Meng , Jin Bo , Tao Yong , Guo Wei , Zhou Lingyu
Published: September 2020

This article investigates the nonlinear behavior of single-keyed dry joints in segmental precast bridges under direct shear loading on the basis of nonlinear finite element analysis on lots of specimens with concrete plastic damage considered. Through detailed discussion on existing research, influence factors of the ultimate shear capacity of the keyed dry joint are analyzed, a new shear capacity formula was proposed and evaluated. The feasibility and correctness of the FE simulation method were verified by comparison with the existed experimental results. Concrete tensile strength at the key root is critical to the ultimate bearing capacity of the single-keyed dry joint under the direct shear loading. Friction on the joint interface and dimension parameters of the key do not have much effect on the ultimate shear capacity. However, reasonable key inclination (tanθ) would be suggested as 0.7~0.9. In comparison with the predicted results obtained by other existed formulas, the proposed formula is demonstrated to be in perfect consistency with both tests and the FE simulation results.
The Spatio—Temporal Variation of Pacific Blocking Frequency within Winter Months and Its Relationship with Surface Air Temperature
Authors: Gao Mingxiang , Yang Shuangyan , Li Tim
Published: September 2020

The spatio–temporal evolution of the Pacific blocking frequency (PBF) that is based on a two–dimensional blocking index is investigated during the recent 40–winter (1979/80–2018/19) months (December–January–February). It is found that maximum PBF appears in January within the key area of 140° E–160° W, 50°–70° N. The key–area Pacific blocking in January is more active during the first (1980–1988) and the third (2009–2019) periods than during the second period (1989–2008). There is a positive 500 hPa–geopotential height (Z500) anomaly over the mid–latitude Pacific and a negative one over the high latitude area between the first two periods (second minus first). This pattern can cause an anomalous westerly circulation over the mid–high Pacific sector, which indicates a weakening of the Pacific blocking activity during the second period. This connects to a positive two–meter air temperature (T2m) anomaly over the northeastern Asia and mid–western Pacific, and a negative one over the high–latitude area. The difference of Z500 between the third and the second periods (third minus first) is opposite to that between the second and the first periods, which leads to more Pacific blocking events during the third period. This is related to a positive T2m anomaly over the high–latitude area and a negative one over the mid–latitude area of Asia and the western Pacific. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient between the variables (Z500, T2m, 200 hPa–zonal wind) and the key–area PBF confirms the above results.
Analysis of Separation Distances under Varying Odour Emission Rates and Meteorology: A WWTP Case Study
Authors: Ravina Marco , Bruzzese Salvatore , Panepinto Deborah , Zanetti Mariachiara
Published: September 2020

A wide variability of odour impact criteria is found around the world. The objective of this research work was to evaluate the influence of the uncertainties related to some individual stages of odour impact assessment in the application of regulatory criteria. The evaluation procedure was established by following the guidelines of the Northern Italian regions. A wastewater treatment plant located in Northern Italy was considered as a case study. Odour dispersion modelling was carried out with the CALPUFF model. The study focused on two phases of the assessment. The first phase was the selection of the meteorology datasets. For low odour concentration thresholds (CT = 1 OU m−3), the results showed that two different years (2018 and 2019) provided similar patterns of the separation distances. The difference between the two years tended to increase by increasing the value of the concentration threshold (CT = 3 OU m−3 and CT = 5 OU m−3). The second phase of the assessment was the selection of the open field correction method for wind velocity used in the calculation of odour emission rates (OERs). Three different relationships were considered: the power law, the logarithmic law and the Deaves–Harris (D–H) law. The results showed that OERs and separation distances varied depending on the selected method. Taking the power law as the reference, the average variability of the separation distances was between −7% (D–H law) and +10% (logarithmic law). Higher variability (up to 25%) was found for single transport distances. The present study provides knowledge towards a better alignment of the concept of the odour impact criteria.
Characterization of Urban Greening in a District of Lecce (Southern Italy) for the Analysis of CO2 Storage and Air Pollutant Dispersion
Authors: Buccolieri Riccardo , Gatto Elisa , Manisco Michela , Ippolito Fabio , Santiago Jose Luis , Gao Zhi
Published: September 2020

This paper is devoted to the assessment of urban greening effects on two important ecosystem services, i.e., air quality and CO2 storage, including the corresponding economic impacts in a real urban area, i.e., a district located in the Mediterranean city of Lecce (southern Italy). Two tools were employed, i-Tree Canopy and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) microclimate model ENVI-met. i-Tree Canopy allowed fully determining the land-cover percentage on the basis of different ground cover classes and obtaining an estimate of annual values of CO2 storage, air pollutant removal, and economic benefits in the presence of urban greening. The estimate in i-Tree Canopy considered only the amount of greening; therefore, air pollutant removal estimates were only potential. As the vegetation was located in street canyons, its interaction with local meteorology and urban geometry strictly affected the dispersion of nitrogen oxides (NOx) (taken here as an example) as obtained from ENVI-met simulations. In ENVI-met, both deposition/absorption and aerodynamic effects were considered, and local increases in concentration were found in the district. The analysis of results obtained from different tools (one complex (CFD model) and the other simple (i-Tree model)) showed the error associated with the simple model in the computation of impacts if the interaction among the vegetation characteristics, the meteorological conditions, and the urban geometry was neglected; however, it also uncovers a novel approach for comprehensively characterizing a given area in terms of its vegetation cover, CO2 storage, and economic benefits, as well as local effects on air quality. This study is set in a broader context aimed at assessing the air quality in urban canopies of Mediterranean areas characterized by the presence of narrow street canyons where pollutants can accumulate due to ineffective air exchange with the above atmosphere.
Light Cycle Oil Source for Hydrogen Production through Autothermal Reforming using Ruthenium doped Perovskite Catalysts
Authors: Jeon Yukwon , Jung Hoi-Kyoeng , Park Cho-I , Shul Yonggun , Park Joo-il
Published: September 2020

As the hydrogen economy is coming soon, the development of an efficient H2 production system is the first issue to focus on. In this study, a first attempt to utilize light cycle oil (LCO) feedstock is introduced for H2 production through autothermal reforming (ATR) using perovskite catalysts. From a careful characterization, it is found that LCO possesses a high content of C–H and S/N compounds with over 3–4 ring bonds. These various compounds can directly cause catalyst deactivations to lower the capability of H2 extraction from LCO. To achieve a heteroatom resistance, two different perovskite micro-tubular catalysts are designed with a Ru substitution at the B-site. The activity and stability of the Ru doped perovskite were controlled by modifying the Ru electronic structure, which also affects the oxygen structures. The perovskite with a B-site of Cr reveals a relatively high portion of active Ru and O, demonstrating an effective catalyst structure with a comparable LCO reforming activity at the harsh ATR reaction conditions. The greater stability due to the Ru in the perovskite is investigated post-characterization, showing the possibility of H2 production by LCO fuel through the perovskite catalysts.
Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Peroxide Nanoparticles for the Photodegradation of Nitrobenzene Assisted by UV-Light
Authors: Ramírez Jesús Isaías De León , Villegas Víctor Alfredo Reyes , Sicairos Sergio Pérez , Guevara Esteban Hernández , Brito Perea Mirna Del Carmen , Sánchez Bertha Landeros
Published: September 2020

The contamination of both soil and water by nitrobenzene (NB) is a problem that has been studied, where several reactive agents have been developed for the degradation of this compound as well as different methods. Nanoparticles with semiconductive properties have been studied for organic compounds photodegradation due to their assistance in optimizing the degradation processes. Two of the most promising photocatalysts are ZnO and TiO2 because of their optimal results. In the present work the performance of the zinc peroxide (ZnO2) nanoparticles was evaluated. ZnO2 nanoparticles were synthesized from zinc acetate and hydrogen peroxide using the Sol-Gel method under ultrasound assistance. The characterization was carried out by UV–Vis spectroscopy, infrared Fourier transform total reflectance (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Zeta potential, dynamic light scattering (DLS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The experiments for the degradation of NB were carried out in a photoreactor with UV lamps of 254 nm at 25 °C, using a solution of nitrobenzene with the nanoparticles. The best conditions for NB photodegradation were 30 ppm (ZnO2) and 15 ppm (NB) at pH 2, reaching up to 90% degradation in 2 h. The intermediates formed during the photodegradation of NB were identified by gas chromatography mass spectrometry.
One-Step Fabrication of PtSn/γ-Al2O3 Catalysts with La Post-Modification for Propane Dehydrogenation
Authors: Wang Guangjian , Lu Kai , Yin Chaoqun , Meng Fanfei , Zhang Qinqin , Yan Xinlong , Bing Liancheng , Wang Fang , Han Dezhi
Published: September 2020

The catalytic dehydrogenation of propane to propene is an alternative technique to supplement the traditional steam cracking and catalytic cracking process for satisfying the continuously increasing demand for propylene downstream products. In this study, the parent PtSn/γ-Al2O3 catalyst was fabricated via the one-step method for the subsequent La post-modification to prepare the catalysts for propane dehydrogenation. The prepared and spent catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 adsorption–desorption, scanning electron microscope (SEM), NH3 temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD), H2 temperature-programmed desorption (H2-TPR), and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The catalytic performance and characterization results demonstrated that the addition of La into the parent catalyst could significantly improve the catalytic performance of the prepared catalyst. Especially, the PtSn-La2.2 catalyst with the 2.2 wt.% La addition exhibited the stable and highest propylene selectivity (>84%) under the investigation time of 800 min. The introduced La exhibits the ability to adjust the textural properties of the obtained catalysts, curb the acidity of support, promote the reduction of Pt species, and reduce the carbon accumulation on the prepared catalysts.
Body Fat Parameters, Glucose and Lipid Profiles, and Thyroid Hormone Levels in Schizophrenia Patients with or without Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Kornetova Elena G. , Kornetov Alexander N. , Mednova Irina A. , Lobacheva Olga A. , Gerasimova Valeria I. , Dubrovskaya Viktoria V. , Tolmachev Ivan V. , Semke Arkadiy V. , Loonen Anton J. M. , Bokhan Nikolay A. , Ivanova Svetlana A.
Published: September 2020

In this study, we aim to investigate associations between body fat parameters, glucose and lipid profiles, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid hormones (THs) levels in Tomsk-region schizophrenia patients depending upon the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). A total of 156 psychiatric inpatients with schizophrenia who had been treated with antipsychotics for at least six months before entry were studied: 56 with and 100 without MetS. Reference groups consisted of general hospital inpatients with MetS and without schizophrenia (n = 35) and healthy individuals (n = 35). Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann–Whitney U-test, chi-square test, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, multiple regression analyses, and descriptive statistics. Patients with schizophrenia and MetS had significantly higher levels of free triiodothyronine (FT3) and thyroxine (FT4) compared to schizophrenia patients without MetS (3.68 [3.25; 5.50] vs. 3.24 [2.81; 3.66], p = 0.0001, and 12.68 [10.73; 15.54] vs. 10.81 [9.76; 12.3], p = 0.0001, in pmol/L, respectively). FT3 maintained an association with MetS (p = 0.0001), sex (p = 0.0001), age (p = 0.022), and high-density lipoproteins (p = 0.033). FT4 maintained an association with MetS (p = 0.0001), sex (p = 0.001), age (p = 0.014), and glucose (p = 0.009). The data obtained showed body fat parameters, glucose and lipid profiles, and THs levels in Western-Siberian schizophrenia patients depending on MetS presence or absence.
Integrated Decision-Making Method for Heterogeneous Attributes Based on Probabilistic Linguistic Cross-Entropy and Priority Relations
Authors: Wang Lei , Xue Huifeng
Published: September 2020

The meta-synthesis method has achieved good results in China’s aerospace engineering and population economic regulation. This theoretical achievement obtained from engineering practice becomes an effective way to solve complex decision-making problems. The meta-synthesis method obtains the final decision-making result by comprehensively considering qualitative and quantitative criteria and gathering multivariate heterogeneous attribute information. In view of the broad application of entropy theory in quantitative evaluation and fuzzy decision-making, this paper proposes a meta-synthesis decision-making method based on probabilistic linguistic cross-entropy and priority relations for multicriteria decision-making problems including qualitative and quantitative multivariate heterogeneous attribute information. First, the quantitative attribute weight is calculated based on the entropy weight method, and the qualitative attribute weight is calculated by considering the individual effects and interactions of the probabilistic linguistic term sets under qualitative attributes comprehensively through probabilistic linguistic entropy and cross-entropy. Then, the weight preference coefficient is used to integrate the qualitative and quantitative heterogeneous attribute weights to obtain standardized processing weight information, and, on the basis of the 0–1 priority relation matrix, we compare and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of alternatives under all criteria and obtain an overall ranking result of the alternatives. Finally, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method are verified by a comparative analysis of a numerical example and the decision-making method.
Designing Two Secure Keyed Hash Functions Based on Sponge Construction and the Chaotic Neural Network
Authors: Abdoun Nabil , El Assad Safwan , Manh Hoang Thang , Deforges Olivier , Assaf Rima , Khalil Mohamad
Published: September 2020

In this paper, we propose, implement, and analyze the structures of two keyed hash functions using the Chaotic Neural Network (CNN). These structures are based on Sponge construction, and they produce two variants of hash value lengths, i.e., 256 and 512 bits. The first structure is composed of two-layered CNN, while the second one is formed by one-layered CNN and a combination of nonlinear functions. Indeed, the proposed structures employ two strong nonlinear systems, precisely a chaotic system and a neural network system. In addition, the proposed study is a new methodology of combining chaotic neural networks and Sponge construction that is proved secure against known attacks. The performance of the two proposed structures is analyzed in terms of security and speed. For the security measures, the number of hits of the two proposed structures doesn’t exceed 2 for 256-bit hash values and does not exceed 3 for 512-bit hash values. In terms of speed, the average number of cycles to hash one data byte (NCpB) is equal to 50.30 for Structure 1, and 21.21 and 24.56 for Structure 2 with 8 and 24 rounds, respectively. In addition, the performance of the two proposed structures is compared with that of the standard hash functions SHA-3, SHA-2, and with other classical chaos-based hash functions in the literature. The results of cryptanalytic analysis and the statistical tests highlight the robustness of the proposed keyed hash functions. It also shows the suitability of the proposed hash functions for the application such as Message Authentication, Data Integrity, Digital Signature, and Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data.