bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emerging Hybrid Nanocomposite Photocatalysts for the Degradation of Antibiotics: Insights into Their Designs and Mechanisms
Authors: Rokesh Karuppannan , Sakar Mohan , Do Trong-On
Published: February 2021

The raising occurrence of antibiotics in the global water bodies has received the emerging concern due to their potential threats of generating the antibiotic-resistive and genotoxic effects into humans and aquatic species. In this direction, the solar energy assisted photocatalytic technique offers a promising solution to address such emerging concern and paves ways for the complete degradation of antibiotics with the generation of less or non-toxic by-products. Particularly, the designing of hybrid photocatalyticcomposite materials has been found to show higher antibiotics degradation efficiencies. As the hybrid photocatalysts are found as the systems with ideal characteristic properties such as superior structural, surface and interfacial properties, they offer enhanced photoabsorbance, charge-separation, -transfer, redox properties, photostability and easy recovery. In this context, this review study presents an overview on the recent developments in the designing of various hybrid photocatalytic systems and their efficiency towards the degradation of various emerging antibiotic pharmaceutical contaminants in water environments.
Integration of Stable Ionic Liquid-Based Nanofluids into Polymer Membranes. Part II: Gas Separation Properties toward Fluorinated Greenhouse Gases
Authors: Pardo Fernando , Gutiérrez-Hernández Sergio V. , Hermida-Merino Carolina , Araújo João M. M. , Piñeiro Manuel M. , Pereiro Ana B. , Zarca Gabriel , Urtiaga Ane
Published: February 2021

Membrane technology can play a very influential role in the separation of the constituents of HFC refrigerant gas mixtures, which usually exhibit azeotropic or near-azeotropic behavior, with the goal of promoting the reuse of value-added compounds in the manufacture of new low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerant mixtures that abide by the current F-gases regulations. In this context, the selective recovery of difluorometane (R32, GWP = 677) from the commercial blend R410A (GWP = 1924), an equimass mixture of R32 and pentafluoroethane (R125, GWP = 3170), is sought. To that end, this work explores for the first time the separation performance of novel mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) functionalized with ioNanofluids (IoNFs) consisting in a stable suspension of exfoliated graphene nanoplatelets (xGnP) into a fluorinated ionic liquid (FIL), 1-ethyl-3-methylpyridinium perfluorobutanesulfonate ([C2C1py][C4F9SO3]). The results show that the presence of IoNF in the MMMs significantly enhances gas permeation, yet at the expense of slightly decreasing the selectivity of the base polymer. The best results were obtained with the MMM containing 40 wt% IoNF, which led to an improved permeability of the gas of interest (PR32 = 496 barrer) with respect to that of the neat polymer (PR32 = 279 barrer) with a mixed-gas separation factor of 3.0 at the highest feed R410A pressure tested. Overall, the newly fabricated IoNF-MMMs allowed the separation of the near-azeotropic R410A mixture to recover the low-GWP R32 gas, which is of great interest for the circular economy of the refrigeration sector.
Formation of a Low-Density Liquid Phase during the Dissociation of Gas Hydrates in Confined Environments
Authors: Wan Lihua , Zang Xiaoya , Fu Juan , Zhou Xuebing , Lu Jingsheng , Guan Jinan , Liang Deqing
Published: February 2021

The large amounts of natural gas in a dense solid phase stored in the confined environment of porous materials have become a new, potential method for storing and transporting natural gas. However, there is no experimental evidence to accurately determine the phase state of water during nanoscale gas hydrate dissociation. The results on the dissociation behavior of methane hydrates confined in a nanosilica gel and the contained water phase state during hydrate dissociation at temperatures below the ice point and under atmospheric pressure are presented. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were used to trace the dissociation of confined methane hydrate synthesized from pore water confined inside the nanosilica gel. The characterization of the confined methane hydrate was also analyzed by PXRD. It was found that the confined methane hydrates dissociated into ultra viscous low-density liquid water (LDL) and methane gas. The results showed that the mechanism of confined methane hydrate dissociation at temperatures below the ice point depended on the phase state of water during hydrate dissociation.
Laser Ablation-Assisted Synthesis of Plasmonic Si@Au Core-Satellite Nanocomposites for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Al-Kattan Ahmed , Tselikov Gleb , Metwally Khaled , Popov Anton A. , Mensah Serge , Kabashin Andrei V.
Published: February 2021

Owing to strong plasmonic absorption and excellent biocompatibility, gold nanostructures are among best candidates for photoacoustic bioimaging and photothermal therapy, but such applications require ultrapure Au-based nanoformulations of complex geometry (core-shells, nanorods) in order to shift the absorption band toward the region of relative tissue transparency (650–1000 nm). Here, we present a methodology for the fabrication of Si@Au core-satellite nanostructures, comprising of a Si core covered with small Au nanoparticles (NP), based on laser ablative synthesis of Si and Au NPs in water/ethanol solutions, followed by a chemical modification of the Si NPs by 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and their subsequent decoration by the Au NPs. We show that the formed core-satellites have a red-shifted plasmonic absorption feature compared to that of pure Au NPs (520 nm), with the position of the peak depending on APTMS amount, water−ethanol solvent percentage and Si−Au volume ratio. As an example, even relatively small 40-nm core-satellites (34 nm Si core + 4 nm Au shell) provided a much red shifted peak centered around 610 nm and having a large tail over 700 nm. The generation of the plasmonic peak is confirmed by modeling of Si@Au core-shells of relevant parameters via Mie theory. Being relatively small and exempt of any toxic impurity due to ultraclean laser synthesis, the Si@Au core-satellites promise a major advancement of imaging and phototherapy modalities based on plasmonic properties of nanomaterials.
HIV Drug Resistance Mutations Detection by Next-Generation Sequencing during Antiretroviral Therapy Interruption in China
Authors: Li Miaomiao , Liang Shujia , Zhou Chao , Chen Min , Liang Shu , Liu Chunhua , Zuo Zhongbao , Liu Lei , Feng Yi , Song Chang , Xing Hui , Ruan Yuhua , Shao Yiming , Liao Lingjie
Published: February 2021

Patients with antiretroviral therapy interruption have a high risk of virological failure when re-initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), especially those with HIV drug resistance. Next-generation sequencing may provide close scrutiny on their minority drug resistance variant. A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with ART interruption in five regions in China in 2016. Through Sanger and next-generation sequencing in parallel, HIV drug resistance was genotyped on their plasma samples. Rates of HIV drug resistance were compared by the McNemar tests. In total, 174 patients were included in this study, with a median 12 (interquartile range (IQR), 6–24) months of ART interruption. Most (86.2%) of them had received efavirenz (EFV)/nevirapine (NVP)-based first-line therapy for a median 16 (IQR, 7–26) months before ART interruption. Sixty-one (35.1%) patients had CRF07_BC HIV-1 strains, 58 (33.3%) CRF08_BC and 35 (20.1%) CRF01_AE. Thirty-four (19.5%) of the 174 patients were detected to harbor HIV drug-resistant variants on Sanger sequencing. Thirty-six (20.7%), 37 (21.3%), 42 (24.1%), 79 (45.4%) and 139 (79.9) patients were identified to have HIV drug resistance by next-generation sequencing at 20% (v.s. Sanger, p = 0.317), 10% (v.s. Sanger, p = 0.180), 5% (v.s. Sanger, p = 0.011), 2% (v.s. Sanger, p < 0.001) and 1% (v.s. Sanger, p < 0.001) of detection thresholds, respectively. K65R was the most common minority mutation, of 95.1% (58/61) and 93.1% (54/58) in CRF07_BC and CRF08_BC, respectively, when compared with 5.7% (2/35) in CRF01_AE (p < 0.001). In 49 patients that followed-up a median 10 months later, HIV drug resistance mutations at >20% frequency such as K103N, M184VI and P225H still existed, but with decreased frequencies. The prevalence of HIV drug resistance in ART interruption was higher than 15% in the survey. Next-generation sequencing was able to detect more minority drug resistance variants than Sanger. There was a sharp increase in minority drug resistance variants when the detection threshold was below 5%.
First Evidence of Ehrlichia minasensis Infection in Horses from Brazil
Authors: Muraro Lívia S. , Souza Aneliza de O. , Leite Tamyres N. S. , Cândido Stefhano L. , Melo Andréia L. T. , Toma Hugo S. , Carvalho Mariana B. , Dutra Valéria , Nakazato Luciano , Cabezas-Cruz Alejandro , Aguiar Daniel M. de
Published: February 2021

The genus Ehrlichia includes tick-borne bacterial pathogens affecting humans, domestic and wild mammals. Ehrlichia minasensis has been identified in different animal species and geographical locations, suggesting that this is a widely distributed and generalist Ehrlichia. In the present study, we evaluated Ehrlichial infection in 148 Equidae presented to the Medical Clinic Department of a Veterinary Hospital from a midwestern region of Brazil. Blood samples and ticks collected from the animals were tested by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for the presence of Ehrlichia spp. A multigenic approach including Anaplasmataceae-specific (i.e., 16S rRNA, groEL, gltA) and Ehrlichia-specific (i.e., dsb and trp36) genes was used for accurate bacteria identification. Sera samples were also collected and evaluated for the detection of anti-Ehrlichia antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA). Possible associations between molecular and serological diagnostics and clinical and hematological manifestations were tested using chi-squared or Fisher’s exact tests. Sequence analysis of the dsb fragment revealed that three horses (2.03%) were exposed to E. minasensis. Sixty-one (41.2%) Equidae (58 equines and three mules), were seropositive for Ehrlichia spp., with antibody titers ranging between 40 and 2560. Seropositivity to ehrlichial antigens was statistically associated with tick infestation, rural origin, hypoalbuminemia and hyperproteinemia (p ≤ 0.05). The present study reports the first evidence of natural infection by E. minasensis in horses from Brazil.
Application of Plant Growth Regulators Modulates the Profile of Chlorogenic Acids in Cultured Bidens pilosa Cells
Authors: Ramabulana Anza-Tshilidzi , Steenkamp Paul A. , Madala Ntakadzeni E. , Dubery Ian A.
Published: February 2021

Plant cell culture offers an alternative to whole plants for the production of biologically important specialised metabolites. In cultured plant cells, manipulation by auxin and cytokinin plant growth regulators (PGRs) may lead to in vitro organogenesis and metabolome changes. In this study, six different combination ratios of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and benzylaminopurine (BAP) were investigated with the aim to induce indirect organogenesis from Bidens pilosa callus and to investigate the associated induced changes in the metabolomes of these calli. Phenotypic appearance of the calli and total phenolic contents of hydromethanolic extracts indicated underlying biochemical differences that were investigated using untargeted metabolomics, based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC–qTOF–MS), combined with multivariate data analysis. The concentration and combination ratios of PGRs were shown to induce differential metabolic responses and, thus, distinct metabolomic profiles, dominated by chlorogenic acids consisting of caffeoyl- and feruloyl-derivatives of quinic acid. Although organogenesis was not achieved, the results demonstrate that exogenous application PGRs can be used to manipulate the metabolome of B. pilosa for in vitro production of specialised metabolites with purported pharmacological properties.
Effects of Acute and Chronic Gamma Irradiation on the Cell Biology and Physiology of Rice Plants
Authors: Choi Hong-Il , Han Sung Min , Jo Yeong Deuk , Hong Min Jeong , Kim Sang Hoon , Kim Jin-Baek
Published: February 2021

The response to gamma irradiation varies among plant species and is affected by the total irradiation dose and dose rate. In this study, we examined the immediate and ensuing responses to acute and chronic gamma irradiation in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Rice plants at the tillering stage were exposed to gamma rays for 8 h (acute irradiation) or 10 days (chronic irradiation), with a total irradiation dose of 100, 200, or 300 Gy. Plants exposed to gamma irradiation were then analyzed for DNA damage, oxidative stress indicators including free radical content and lipid peroxidation, radical scavenging, and antioxidant activity. The results showed that all stress indices increased immediately after exposure to both acute and chronic irradiation in a dose-dependent manner, and acute irradiation had a greater effect on plants than chronic irradiation. The photosynthetic efficiency and growth of plants measured at 10, 20, and 30 days post-irradiation decreased in irradiated plants, i.e., these two parameters were more severely affected by acute irradiation than by chronic irradiation. In contrast, acutely irradiated plants produced seeds with dramatically decreased fertility rate, and chronically irradiated plants failed to produce fertile seeds, i.e., reproduction was more severely affected by chronic irradiation than by acute irradiation. Overall, our findings suggest that acute gamma irradiation causes instantaneous and greater damage to plant physiology, whereas chronic gamma irradiation causes long-term damage, leading to reproductive failure.
Comparative Analysis of Phenology Algorithms of the Spring Barley Model in APSIM 7.9 and APSIM Next Generation: A Case Study for High Latitudes
Authors: Kumar Uttam , Morel Julien , Bergkvist Göran , Palosuo Taru , Gustavsson Anne-Maj , Peake Allan , Brown Hamish , Ahmed Mukhtar , Parsons David
Published: February 2021

Phenology algorithms in crop growth models have inevitable systematic errors and uncertainties. In this study, the phenology simulation algorithms in APSIM classical (APSIM 7.9) and APSIM next generation (APSIM-NG) were compared for spring barley models at high latitudes. Phenological data of twelve spring barley varieties were used for the 2014–2018 cropping seasons from northern Sweden and Finland. A factorial-based calibration approach provided within APSIM-NG was performed to calibrate both models. The models have different mechanisms to simulate days to anthesis. The calibration was performed separately for days to anthesis and physiological maturity, and evaluations for the calibrations were done with independent datasets. The calibration performance for both growth stages of APSIM-NG was better compared to APSIM 7.9. However, in the evaluation, APSIM-NG showed an inclination to overestimate days to physiological maturity. The differences between the models are possibly due to slower thermal time accumulation mechanism, with higher cardinal temperatures in APSIM-NG. For a robust phenology prediction at high latitudes with APSIM-NG, more research on the conception of thermal time computation and implementation is suggested.
Cytochrome c Deficiency Differentially Affects the In Vivo Mitochondrial Electron Partitioning and Primary Metabolism Depending on the Photoperiod
Authors: Florez-Sarasa Igor , Welchen Elina , Racca Sofia , Gonzalez Daniel H. , Vallarino José G. , Fernie Alisdair R. , Ribas-Carbo Miquel , Del-Saz Nestor Fernandez
Published: February 2021

Plant respiration provides metabolic flexibility under changing environmental conditions by modulating the activity of the nonphosphorylating alternative pathways from the mitochondrial electron transport chain, which bypass the main energy-producing components of the cytochrome oxidase pathway (COP). While adjustments in leaf primary metabolism induced by changes in day length are well studied, possible differences in the in vivo contribution of the COP and the alternative oxidase pathway (AOP) between different photoperiods remain unknown. In our study, in vivo electron partitioning between AOP and COP and expression analysis of respiratory components, photosynthesis, and the levels of primary metabolites were studied in leaves of wild-type (WT) plants and cytochrome c (CYTc) mutants, with reduced levels of COP components, under short- and long-day photoperiods. Our results clearly show that differences in AOP and COP in vivo activities between WT and cytc mutants depend on the photoperiod likely due to energy and stress signaling constraints. Parallel responses observed between in vivo respiratory activities, TCA cycle intermediates, amino acids, and stress signaling metabolites indicate the coordination of different pathways of primary metabolism to support growth adaptation under different photoperiods.
Rapid Light-Response Curve of Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Terrestrial Plants: Relationship to CO2 Exchange among Five Woody and Four Fern Species Adapted to Different Light and Water Regimes
Authors: Huang Meng-Yuan , Wong Shau-Lian , Weng Jen-Hsien
Published: February 2021

The rapid light response of electron transport rate (ETRR), obtained from chlorophyll fluorescence parameters by short illumination periods (10–30 s) at each light level, can provide a rapid and easy measurement of photosynthetic light response in plants. However, the relationship between ETRR and the steady-state light response of CO2 exchange rate (AS) of terrestrial plants has not been studied in detail. In this study, we compared the ETRR and AS for five woody and four fern species with different light and/or water adaptations. Under well-watered conditions, a constant temperature (25 °C) and with stomatal conductance (gs) not being a main limiting factor for photosynthesis, ETRR and AS were closely related, even when merging data for regression analysis for a species grown under different light conditions and measured under different light intensity and air humidity. However, when Alnus formosana was treated with low soil water and air humidity, because of the decrease in AS mainly due to stomatal closure, the ETRR–AS relation was not so close. In addition, at both 100 and 2000 μmol m−2 s−1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), ETRR and AS were significantly correlated within a plant group (i.e., woody plants and ferns) regardless of the broad difference in AS due to different species or environmental factors. The results indicate that the relationship between the ETRR and AS is varied by species. We concluded that 1) ETRR could reflect the variation in AS at each irradiance level within a species under well-watered conditions and 2) ETRR at 100 μmol m−2 s−1 PPFD (as the efficiency of light capture) or 2000 μmol m−2 s−1 PPFD (as a maximum photosynthetic parameter) could be used to compare the photosynthetic capacity within a plant group, such as woody plants and ferns.
Muslimness on Demand: Critical Voices of Islam in Egypt
Authors: Franke Lisa Maria
Published: February 2021

Academic research on Islam in Egypt often focuses on the entanglement of religion and politics, mostly analysed with regard to public spaces. This article seeks to nuance the focus on pious activism and the idea that Islam is dominating everyday life in Egypt by taking individuals’ intimate non-religious perspectives into consideration. This research on individual pieties, on being religious and doing being religious, especially opened up the worlds of individuals who are different. Drawing on fieldwork with young Alexandrians this article considers the subtle voices that are currently becoming increasingly louder, which hint at tendencies away from mainstream Islam and express alternative options and different versions of belief. These silent, and often silenced, voices are heard only under exceptional circumstances, because they often coincide with criticism of present social and political conditions. Criticism that mixes religious, social, and political content is almost impossible to express publicly in Egypt. By focusing on these narratives, this article tries to understand the relationship between criticism of Islam and processes of individualization. In addition, it seeks to analyse these narratives in order to explore the dynamic character of the self in the realm of religiosities and non-religiosities.
Temperature Variations in Multiple Air Layers before the Mw 6.2 2014 Ludian Earthquake, Yunnan, China
Authors: Zhang Ying , Meng Qingyan , Wang Zian , Lu Xian , Hu Die
Published: February 2021

On 3 August 2014, an Mw 6.2 earthquake occurred in Ludian, Yunnan Province, China (27.245° N 103.427° E). This damaging earthquake caused approximately 400 fatalities, 1800 injuries, and the destruction of at least 12,000 houses. Using air temperature data of the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and the tidal force fluctuant analysis (TFFA) method, we derive the temperature variations in multiple air layers between before and after the Ludian earthquake. In the spatial range of 30° × 30° (12°–42° N, 88°–118° E) of China, a thermal anomaly appeared only on or near the epicenter before earthquake, and air was heated from the land, then uplifted by a heat flux, and then cooled and dissipated upon rising. With the approaching earthquake, the duration and range of the thermal anomaly during each tidal cycle was found to increase, and the amplitude of the thermal anomaly varied with the tidal force potential: air temperature was found to rise during the negative phase of the tidal force potential, to reach peak at its trough, and to attenuate when the tidal force potential was rising again. A significance test supports the hypothesis that the thermal anomalies are physically related to Ludian earthquakes rather than being coincidences. Based on these results, we argue that the change of air temperature could reflect the stress changes modulated under the tidal force. Moreover, unlike the thermal infrared remote sensing data, the air temperature data provided by NCEP are not affected by clouds, so it has a clear advantage for monitoring the pre-earthquake temperature variation in cloudy areas.
Distributed Channel Ranking Scheduling Function for Dense Industrial 6TiSCH Networks
Authors: Amezcua Valdovinos Ismael , Figueroa Millán Patricia Elizabeth , Pérez-Díaz Jesús Arturo , Vargas-Rosales Cesar
Published: February 2021

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is considered a key enabler for Industry 4.0. Modern wireless industrial protocols such as the IEEE 802.15.4e Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) deliver high reliability to fulfill the requirements in IIoT by following strict schedules computed in a Scheduling Function (SF) to avoid collisions and to provide determinism. The standard does not define how such schedules are built. The SF plays an essential role in 6TiSCH networks since it dictates when and where the nodes are communicating according to the application requirements, thus directly influencing the reliability of the network. Moreover, typical industrial environments consist of heavy machinery and complementary wireless communication systems that can create interference. Hence, we propose a distributed SF, namely the Channel Ranking Scheduling Function (CRSF), for IIoT networks supporting IPv6 over the IEEE 802.15.4e TSCH mode. CRSF computes the number of cells required for each node using a buffer-based bandwidth allocation mechanism with a Kalman filtering technique to avoid sudden allocation/deallocation of cells. CRSF also ranks channel quality using Exponential Weighted Moving Averages (EWMAs) based on the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Background Noise (BN) level measurements, and the Packet Delivery Rate (PDR) metrics to select the best available channel to communicate. We compare the performance of CRSF with Orchestra and the Minimal Scheduling Function (MSF), in scenarios resembling industrial environmental characteristics. Performance is evaluated in terms of PDR, end-to-end latency, Radio Duty Cycle (RDC), and the elapsed time of first packet arrival. Results show that CRSF achieves high PDR and low RDC across all scenarios with periodic and burst traffic patterns at the cost of increased end-to-end latency. Moreover, CRSF delivers the first packet earlier than Orchestra and MSF in all scenarios. We conclude that CRSF is a viable option for IIoT networks with a large number of nodes and interference. The main contributions of our paper are threefold: (i) a bandwidth allocation mechanism that uses Kalman filtering techniques to effectively calculate the number of cells required for a given time, (ii) a channel ranking mechanism that combines metrics such as the PDR, RSSI, and BN to select channels with the best performance, and (iii) a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) that measures the elapsed time from network formation until the first packet reception at the root.
An Investigation of Precise Orbit and Clock Products for BDS-3 from Different Analysis Centers
Authors: Shen Pengli , Cheng Fang , Lu Xiaochun , Xiao Xia , Ge Yulong
Published: February 2021

A quality evaluation of precise products for BDS-3 constellations is presented for the first time in this contribution. Then, the tropospheric delay retrieval and positioning performance of BDS-3 precise point positioning (PPP) solutions using the precise products (gbm, wum, iac, sha, cnt) with observations from 24 stations from DOY 280 to 317 in 2020 was comprehensively investigated. The orbit comparisons present consistencies of 0.09–0.22 m for the C19–C37 satellites and of 0.5–1.2 m for the C38–C46 satellites among the final products. The standard deviation (STD) values of the clock differences of iac showed the best agreement with those of gbm, followed by wum, sha. The clock differences performance of cnt was the worst. For BDS-3 PPP solutions with five Analysis centers (ACs) products, the median convergence times of static PPP mode incorporating the gbm, wum, iac, sha, and cnt products were 31.0, 33.5, 34.5, 37.8, and 72.0 min, respectively; the median convergence times of kinematic PPP model incorporating the same products were 40.5, 41.0, 50.5, 55.0, and 94.0 min, respectively. The positioning accuracies in the static and kinematic modes were approximately 1–4 cm, 2–6 cm in the horizontal and vertical components, respectively. With the final products in kinematic mode, the performance of PPP with real-time products (cnt) is poorer than all PPP with final products. The median of ZTD accuracies of the five products gbm, wum, iac, sha, and cnt were 7.84, 7.58, 7.04, 7.19, and 10.1 mm, respectively, and the accuracy differences were very small among five AC products (gbm, wum, iac, sha).
State-of-the-Art Software-Based Remote Attestation: Opportunities and Open Issues for Internet of Things
Authors: Ankergård Sigurd Frej Joel Jørgensen , Dushku Edlira , Dragoni Nicola
Published: February 2021

The Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem comprises billions of heterogeneous Internet-connected devices which are revolutionizing many domains, such as healthcare, transportation, smart cities, to mention only a few. Along with the unprecedented new opportunities, the IoT revolution is creating an enormous attack surface for potential sophisticated cyber attacks. In this context, Remote Attestation (RA) has gained wide interest as an important security technique to remotely detect adversarial presence and assure the legitimate state of an IoT device. While many RA approaches proposed in the literature make different assumptions regarding the architecture of IoT devices and adversary capabilities, most typical RA schemes rely on minimal Root of Trust by leveraging hardware that guarantees code and memory isolation. However, the presence of a specialized hardware is not always a realistic assumption, for instance, in the context of legacy IoT devices and resource-constrained IoT devices. In this paper, we survey and analyze existing software-based RA schemes (i.e., RA schemes not relying on specialized hardware components) through the lens of IoT. In particular, we provide a comprehensive overview of their design characteristics and security capabilities, analyzing their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we discuss the opportunities that these RA schemes bring in attesting legacy and resource-constrained IoT devices, along with open research issues.
Ultra-High Resolution Imaging Method for Distributed Small Satellite Spotlight MIMO-SAR Based on Sub-Aperture Image Fusion
Authors: Zhou Fang , Yang Jun , Jia Lu , Yang Xingming , Xing Mengdao
Published: February 2021

Small satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has become a new development direction of spaceborne SAR due to its advantages of flexible launch, short development cycle, and low cost. However, there are fewer researches on distributed small satellite multiple input multiple output (MIMO) SAR. This paper proposes an ultra-high resolution imaging method for the distributed small satellite spotlight MIMO-SAR, which applies the sub-aperture division technique and the sub-aperture image coherent fusion algorithm to MIMO-SAR. After deblurring the sub-aperture signal, the large bandwidth signal is obtained by using an improved time domain bandwidth synthesis (TBS) method, and then the ultra-high resolution image is obtained by using a sub-aperture image coherent fusion algorithm. Simulation results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Protection of Sensitive Loads in Distribution Systems Using a BSFCL-DVR System
Authors: Firouzi Mehdi , Mobayen Saleh , Kartijkolaie Hossein Shahbabaei , Nasiri Mojtaba , Chen Chih-Chiang
Published: February 2021

In this paper, an incorporated bridge-type superconducting fault current limiter (BSFCL) and Dynamic Voltage Restorer (DVR) is presented to improve the voltage quality and limiting fault current problems in distribution systems. In order to achieve these capabilities, the BSFCL and DVR are integrated through a common DC link as a BSFCL-DVR system. The FCL and DVR ports of the BSFCL-DVR system are located in the beginning and end of the sensitive loads’ feeder integrated to the point of common coupling (PCC) in the distribution system. At first, the principle operation of the BSFCL-DVR is discussed. Then, a control system for the BSFCL-DVR system is designed to enhance the voltage quality and limit the fault current. Eventually, the efficiency of the BSFCL-DVR system is verified through the PSCAD/EMTDC simulation.
Optical Camera Communication as an Enabling Technology for Microalgae Cultivation
Authors: Jurado-Verdu Cristo , Guerra Victor , Matus Vicente , Almeida Carlos , Rabadan Jose
Published: February 2021

Optical Camera Communication (OCC) systems have a potential application in microalgae production plants. In this work, a proof-of-concept prototype consisting of an artificial lighting photobioreactor is proposed. This reactor optimises the culture’s photosynthetic efficiency while transmitting on-off keying signals to a rolling-shutter camera. Upon reception, both signal decoding and biomass concentration sensing are performed simultaneously using image processing techniques. Moreover, the communication channel’s theoretical modelling, the data rate system’s performance, and the plant distribution requirements and restrictions for a production-scale facility are detailed. A case study is conducted to classify three different node arrangements in a real facility, considering node visibility, channel capacity, and space exploitation. Finally, several experiments comprising radiance evaluation and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) computation are performed at different angles of view in both indoor and outdoor environments. It is observed that the Lambertian-like emission patterns are affected by increasing concentrations, reducing the effective emission angles. Furthermore, significant differences in the SNR, up to 20 dB, perceived along the illuminated surface (centre versus border), gradually reduce as light is affected by greater dispersion. The experimental analysis in terms of scattering and selective wavelength attenuation for green (Arthrospira platensis) and brown (Rhodosorus marinus) microalgae species determines that the selected strain must be considered in the development of this system.
Point Cloud Semantic Segmentation Network Based on Multi-Scale Feature Fusion
Authors: Du Jing , Jiang Zuning , Huang Shangfeng , Wang Zongyue , Su Jinhe , Su Songjian , Wu Yundong , Cai Guorong
Published: February 2021

The semantic segmentation of small objects in point clouds is currently one of the most demanding tasks in photogrammetry and remote sensing applications. Multi-resolution feature extraction and fusion can significantly enhance the ability of object classification and segmentation, so it is widely used in the image field. For this motivation, we propose a point cloud semantic segmentation network based on multi-scale feature fusion (MSSCN) to aggregate the feature of a point cloud with different densities and improve the performance of semantic segmentation. In our method, random downsampling is first applied to obtain point clouds of different densities. A Spatial Aggregation Net (SAN) is then employed as the backbone network to extract local features from these point clouds, followed by concatenation of the extracted feature descriptors at different scales. Finally, a loss function is used to combine the different semantic information from point clouds of different densities for network optimization. Experiments were conducted on the S3DIS and ScanNet datasets, and our MSSCN achieved accuracies of 89.80% and 86.3%, respectively, on these datasets. Our method showed better performance than the recent methods PointNet, PointNet++, PointCNN, PointSIFT, and SAN.
Design and Optimization of ECG Modeling for Generating Different Cardiac Dysrhythmias
Authors: Awal Md. Abdul , Mostafa Sheikh Shanawaz , Ahmad Mohiuddin , Alahe Mohammad Ashik , Rashid Mohd Abdur , Kouzani Abbas Z. , Mahmud M. A. Parvez
Published: February 2021

The electrocardiogram (ECG) has significant clinical importance for analyzing most cardiovascular diseases. ECGs beat morphologies, beat durations, and amplitudes vary from subject to subject and diseases to diseases. Therefore, ECG morphology-based modeling has long-standing research interests. This work aims to develop a simplified ECG model based on a minimum number of parameters that could correctly represent ECG morphology in different cardiac dysrhythmias. A simple mathematical model based on the sum of two Gaussian functions is proposed. However, fitting more than one Gaussian function in a deterministic way has accuracy and localization problems. To solve these fitting problems, two hybrid optimization methods have been developed to select the optimal ECG model parameters. The first method is the combination of an approximation and global search technique (ApproxiGlo), and the second method is the combination of an approximation and multi-start search technique (ApproxiMul). The proposed model and optimization methods have been applied to real ECGs in different cardiac dysrhythmias, and the effectiveness of the model performance was measured in time, frequency, and the time-frequency domain. The model fit different types of ECG beats representing different cardiac dysrhythmias with high correlation coefficients (>0.98). Compared to the nonlinear fitting method, ApproxiGlo and ApproxiMul are 3.32 and 7.88 times better in terms of root mean square error (RMSE), respectively. Regarding optimization, the ApproxiMul performs better than the ApproxiGlo method in many metrics. Different uses of this model are possible, such as a syntactic ECG generator using a graphical user interface has been developed and tested. In addition, the model can be used as a lossy compression with a variable compression rate. A compression ratio of 20:1 can be achieved with 1 kHz sampling frequency and 75 beats per minute. These optimization methods can be used in different engineering fields where the sum of Gaussians is used.
An Attention-Based Multilayer GRU Model for Multistep-Ahead Short-Term Load Forecasting
Authors: Jung Seungmin , Moon Jihoon , Park Sungwoo , Hwang Eenjun
Published: February 2021

Recently, multistep-ahead prediction has attracted much attention in electric load forecasting because it can deal with sudden changes in power consumption caused by various events such as fire and heat wave for a day from the present time. On the other hand, recurrent neural networks (RNNs), including long short-term memory and gated recurrent unit (GRU) networks, can reflect the previous point well to predict the current point. Due to this property, they have been widely used for multistep-ahead prediction. The GRU model is simple and easy to implement; however, its prediction performance is limited because it considers all input variables equally. In this paper, we propose a short-term load forecasting model using an attention based GRU to focus more on the crucial variables and demonstrate that this can achieve significant performance improvements, especially when the input sequence of RNN is long. Through extensive experiments, we show that the proposed model outperforms other recent multistep-ahead prediction models in the building-level power consumption forecasting.
Social Workers’ Reflections on Forced Migration and Cultural Diversity—Towards Anti-Oppressive Expertise in Child and Family Social Work
Authors: Anis Merja , Turtiainen Kati
Published: February 2021

Social work in Finland, like in many other countries, has faced various challenges after the large scale of forced migration in 2015. Although working with migrants is not a new area in social work, the exceptionally large amount of asylum seekers in the Finnish society caused a need for improved social work expertise. Our article deals with Finnish social work practitioners’ reflections on multicultural, multilingual and transnational issues with a client group, which is in a vulnerable situation after forced or other forms of migration. The practitioners participating in our study have either attended a specializing education of child, youth and family social work or taken part in peer group discussions in order to develop multicultural expertise. All attendants worked in child and family social work during the study periods in the years 2018–2020. Applying a qualitative methodology by using thematic analysis, we analyze the social workers’ texts and discussions in order to find out the challenges and possibilities as well as needs and tools towards anti-oppressive practice in social work. The identified challenges are connected to differentiated local services, social workers’ uncertainty of their expertise in working with forced migrants, nationally defined welfare services and communication skills in client encounters. Some ways ahead were recognized in structural social work and further education to improve knowledge and skills. Social workers emphasize the need for self-reflection on their prejudices and in developing anti-oppressive practices, which contain human rights aspects and client-oriented practices. Specializing education and reflective group discussion gave a platform to social workers for reflective professional discussions and writings, which seem to have broadened their expertise in multicultural social work.
Internal and External Validity of Social Media and Mobile Technology-Driven HPV Vaccination Interventions: Systematic Review Using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework
Authors: Asare Matthew , Popelsky Braden , Akowuah Emmanuel , Lanning Beth A. , Montealegre Jane R.
Published: February 2021

Social media human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination interventions show promise for increasing HPV vaccination rates. An important consideration for the implementation of effective interventions into real-world practice is the translation potential, or external validity, of the intervention. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review to describe the current body of evidence regarding the external validity of social media HPV vaccination-related interventions. Constructs related to external validity were based on the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Seventeen articles published between 2006 and 2020 met the inclusion criteria. Three researchers independently coded each article using a validated RE-AIM framework. Discrepant codes were discussed with a fourth reviewer to gain consensus. Of these 17 studies, 3 were pilot efficacy studies, 10 were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate effectiveness, 1 was a population-based study, and 3 did not explicitly state which type of study was conducted. Reflecting this distribution of study types, across all studies the mean level of reporting RE-AIM dimensions varied with reach recording 90.8%, effectiveness (72.1%), adoption (40.3%), implementation (45.6%), and maintenance (26.5%). This review suggests that while the current HPV vaccination social media-driven interventions provide sufficient information on internal validity (reach and effectiveness), few have aimed to gather data on external validity needed to translate the interventions into real world implementation. Our data suggest that implementation research is needed to move HPV vaccination-related interventions into practice. Included in this review are recommendations for enhancing the design and reporting of these HPV vaccination social media-related interventions.
Constitutional measurements of public interest, protected in the performance of executive activity
Authors: Nikolova Raina
Published: February 2021

The public interest in carrying out enforcement activities in a constitutional sense is to provide guarantees for compliance with the fundamental principles. In order to exercise the fundamental rights of citizens in the performance of their enforcement activities, the common interest can be formulated by imposing restrictions on them.
Діалектика повтору і антитези у вірші Георгія Іванова «Над закатами и розами...»
Authors: Гармаш Людмила Вікторівна
Published: February 2021

Повтор і антитеза, які є універсальними стилістичними принципами, забезпечують інтонаційно-ритмічну, смислову, композиційну, емоційну єдність поетичного тексту. Мета статті полягає у виявленні функцій повтору і антитези у вірші Георгія Іванова та аналізі особливостей ідіостилю поета. У роботі використані традиційні методи аналізу поетичного тексту, який розуміється як єдина художня система. Сенс цілого автор статті інтерпретує, виокремлюючи елементи цієї системи, до яких відносяться різні види повторів. У процесі аналізу встановлено взаємозв’язки між повторюваними одиницями тексту, визначено функції повторів, їхню семантику, з’ясовано, в яких стосунках вони складаються з такою стилістичною фігурою як антитеза (протиставлення). Для поглибленого проникнення в структуру поетичного тексту були задіяні загальнонаукові методи дедукції та індукції, метод концептуального аналізу та метод повільного читання, запропонований Роланом Бартом. Автор статті дійшов висновку, що Георгій Іванов використовує повтори практично на всіх рівнях поетичного тексту – морфологічному, лексичному, семантичному, композиційному та ін. Повтори і антитези забезпечують інтонаційне багатство вірша, розподіляючи в тексті смислові і ритмічні акценти, визначають динамічний розвиток поетичного тексту, служать засобом прискорення і уповільнення руху поетичної думки. Вони є тими засобами, які надають тексту завершеність, об’єднуючи його в цілісну структуру, окремі елементи якої тісно пов’язані один з одним і перебувають у постійній взаємодії. Повтор і антитеза є діалектичною парою протилежностей, що передбачають одна іншу і утворюють систему взаємних тяжінь і відштовхувань, встановлюючи межі між окремими елементами тексту і порушуючи їх, в результаті чого ми можемо розглядати художній твір як живу систему, яка здатна до самоорганізації. Аналіз повторів і антитез в контексті художнього твору дає ключ до розуміння й адекватної інтерпретації сенсу вірша
Quantitative Autofluorescence Imaging of A375 Human Melanoma Cell Samples: A Pilot Study
Authors: Shirkavand Afshan , Mohajerani Ezeddin , Farivar Shirin , Ataie-Fashtami Leila , Ghazimoradi Mohammad Hossein
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Skin cancer is one of the most common types of malignancy worldwide. Human skin naturally contains several endogenous fluorophores, as potential sources can emit inherent fluorescence, called intrinsic autofluorescence (AF). The melanin endogenous fluorophore in the basal cell layer of the epidermis seems to have a strong autofluorescence signal among other ones in the skin. This pilot study aimed to investigate the feasibility of the detection of autofluorescence signals in the A375 human melanoma cell line in the cell culture stage using the FluoVision optical imaging system. Methods: The human skin melanoma cell line (A375) donated as a gift from Switzerland (University Hospital Basel) was cultured. For the imaging of the A375 human melanoma cell sample in this pilot study, the FluoVision optical imaging device (Tajhiz Afarinan Noori Parseh Co) was applied. The proposed clustering image processing code was developed based on the K-mean segmentation method, using MATLAB software (version 16). Results: The quantification of color pixels in the color bar along with the intensity score of the autofluorescence signal ranged between 0 and 70 was written in the image processing code execution and a threshold higher than 40%, proportional to the ratio of autofluorescent cells. The percentage of the signal of A375 autofluorescent melanoma cells in the 3 studied cell samples was calculated as 3.11%±0.6. Conclusion: This imaging method has the advantage of no need for fluorophore labels over the existing fluorescence imaging methods, and it can be regarded as one of the important choices of label-free imaging for this A375 melanoma cell line containing the intrinsic endogenous fluorophore in cell studies.
Hubungan Pola Asuh Dan Dukungan Keluarga Dengan Kemandirian Personal Hygiene Pada Anak Usia Sekolah Di SD Muhammadiyah 14 Balayudha Palembang in 2019
Authors: Aprilie Dya Vionie Reccy , Majid Yudi Abdul , Rini Puji Setya
Published: February 2021

Kemandirian personal hygiene merupakan suatu tindakan dalam memelihara kebersihan pribadi baik itu kebersihan secara fisik maupun pisikis. Salah satu faktor yang dapat mempengaruhi kemandirian personal hygiene anak usia sekolah adalah pola asuh orang tua dan dukungan keluarga.  Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui hubungan pola asuh dan dukungan keluarga dengan kemandirian personal hygiene anak usia sekolah di SD Muhammadiyah 14 Balayuda Palembang. Metode penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif dengan menggunakan desain penelitian observasional analitik dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Jumlah sampel yang digunakan berjumlah 176 anak. Pengambilan sampel menggunakan non – probability dengan menggunakan metode total sampling. Pengumpulan data dilakukan pada bulan maret 2019 dengan menggunakan kuesioner. Uji statistik menggunakan Chi Square. Hasil penelitian menyatakan bahwa orang tua yang menerapkan pola asuh permisif sebanyak 27 orang (15,3%), pola asuh demokratis 112 orang (63,6%) dan pola asuh otoriter 37 orang (21,0%). Dukungan keluarga baik 92 orang (52,3%) dan dukungan keluarga buruk 84 orang (47,7%). Sedangkan kemandirian personal hygiene mandiri 92 orang (52,3%) dan kemandirian personal hygiene yang tidak mandiri 84 orang (47,7%). Analisa bivariat dengan uji chi square untuk hubungan pola asuh dengan kemandirian personal hygiene didapat nilai p = 0,100, uji chi square untuk hubungan dukungan keluarga dengan kemandirian personal hygiene didapat p = 0,000. Tidak ada hubungan antara pola asuh dengan kemandirian personal hygiene anak usia sekolah di SD Muhammadiyah 14 Balayuda Palembang. Ada hubungan antara dukungan keluarga dengan kemandirin personal hygiene anak usia sekolah di SD Muhammadiyah Balayuda Palembang. Orang tua diharapakn dapat menerapkan pola asuh yang sesuai dengan perkembangan usia anak.