bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Liquid and Solid Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SEDDs) as Carriers for the Oral Delivery of Azithromycin: Optimization, In Vitro Characterization and Stability Assessment
Authors: Abou Assi Reem , M. Abdulbaqi Ibrahim , Seok Ming Toh , Siok Yee Chan , A. Wahab Habibah , Asif Shaik Mohammed , Darwis Yusrida
Published: November 2020

Azithromycin (AZM) is a macrolide antibiotic used for the treatment of various bacterial infections. The drug is known to have low oral bioavailability (37%) which may be attributed to its relatively high molecular weight, low solubility, dissolution rate, and incomplete intestinal absorption. To overcome these drawbacks, liquid (L) and solid (S) self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDs) of AZM were developed and optimized. Eight different pseudo-ternary diagrams were constructed based on the drug solubility and the emulsification studies in various SEDDs excipients at different surfactant to co-surfactant (Smix) ratios. Droplet size (DS) < 150 nm, dispersity (Đ) ≤ 0.7, and transmittance (T)% > 85 in three diluents of distilled water (DW), 0.1 mM HCl, and simulated intestinal fluids (SIF) were considered as the selection criteria. The final formulations of L-SEDDs (L-F1(H)), and S-SEDDs (S-F1(H)) were able to meet the selection requirements. Both formulations were proven to be cytocompatible and able to open up the cellular epithelial tight junctions (TJ). The drug dissolution studies showed that after 5 min > 90% and 52.22% of the AZM was released from liquid and solid SEDDs formulations in DW, respectively, compared to 11.27% of the pure AZM, suggesting the developed SEDDs may enhance the oral delivery of the drug. The formulations were stable at refrigerator storage conditions.
Co-Microencapsulation of Flavonoids from Yellow Onion Skins and Lactic Acid Bacteria Lead to Multifunctional Ingredient for Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutics Applications
Authors: Milea Ștefania Adelina , Vasile Mihaela Aida , Crăciunescu Oana , Prelipcean Ana-Maria , Bahrim Gabriela Elena , Râpeanu Gabriela , Oancea Anca , Stănciuc Nicoleta
Published: November 2020

In this study, flavonoids extracted from yellow onion skins and Lactobacillus casei were encapsulated in a combination of whey protein isolate, inulin and maltodextrin with an encapsulation efficiency of 84.82 ± 0.72% for flavonoids and 72.49 ± 0.11% for lactic acid bacteria. The obtained powder showed a flavonoid content of 89.49 ± 4.12 mg quercetin equivalents/g dry weight (DW) and an antioxidant activity of 39.27 ± 0.45 mM Trolox/g DW. The powder presented a significant antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory potential, with an inhibitory effect on α-amylase, lipase and lipoxygenase of 76.40 ± 2.30%, 82.58 ± 3.36% and 49.01 ± 0.62%, respectively. The results obtained for in vitro digestion showed that the coating materials have a protective effect on the flavonoids release. Cytotoxicity results indicated that the powder was cytocompatible up to a concentration of 500 μg/mL. The functional potential of the powder was tested by adding in a selected food matrix, highlighting a good stability of the phytochemicals, whereas an increase with 1 log cell forming unit (CFU)/g DW was observed after 21 days of storage. The obtained results are promising in the valorization of natural antioxidants in combination with lactic acid bacteria in order to develop multifunctional ingredients with value-added for food and pharmaceutics applications.
Tailoring Midazolam-Loaded Chitosan Nanoparticulate Formulation for Enhanced Brain Delivery via Intranasal Route
Authors: Shrestha Nikesh , Khan Saba , Neupane Yub Raj , Dang Shweta , Md Shadab , Fahmy Usama A. , Kotta Sabna , Alhakamy Nabil A. , Baboota Sanjula , Ali Javed
Published: November 2020

In the present study, midazolam (MDZ)-loaded chitosan nanoparticle formulation was investigated for enhanced transport to the brain through the intranasal (IN) route. These days, IN MDZ is very much in demand for treating life-threatening seizure emergencies; therefore, its nanoparticle formulation was formulated in the present work because it could substantially improve its brain targeting via the IN route. MDZ-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (MDZ-CSNPs) were formulated and optimized by the ionic gelation method and then evaluated for particle size, particle size distribution (PDI), drug loading (DL), encapsulation efficiency (EE), and in vitro release as well as in vitro permeation. The concentration of MDZ in the brain after the intranasal administration of MDZ-CSNPs (Cmax 423.41 ± 10.23 ng/mL, tmax 2 h, and area under the curve from 0 to 480 min (AUC0-480) of 1920.87 ng.min/mL) was found to be comparatively higher to that achieved following intravenous (IV) administration of MDZ solution (Cmax 245.44 ± 12.83 ng/mL, tmax 1 h, and AUC0-480 1208.94 ng.min/mL) and IN administration of MDZ solution (Cmax 211.67 ± 12.82, tmax 2 h, and AUC0-480 1036.78 ng.min/mL). The brain–blood ratio of MDZ-CSNPs (IN) were significantly greater at all sampling time points when compared to that of MDZ solution (IV) and MDZ (IN), which indicate that direct nose-to-brain delivery by bypassing the blood–brain barrier demonstrates superiority in brain delivery. The drug-targeting efficiency (DTE%) as well as nose-to-brain direct transport percentage (DTP%) of MDZ-CSNPs (IN) was found to be comparatively higher than that for other formulations, suggesting better brain targeting potential. Thus, the obtained results demonstrated that IN MDZ-CSNP has come up as a promising approach, which exhibits tremendous potential to mark a new landscape for the treatment of status epilepticus.
Multiscale Structural Evolution and Its Relationship to Dielectric Properties of Micro-/Nano-Layer Coextruded PVDF-HFP/PC Films
Authors: Wang Jie , Adami Daniel , Lu Bo , Liu Chuntai , Maazouz Abderrahim , Lamnawar Khalid
Published: November 2020

An understanding of the structural evolution in micro-/nano-layer co-extrusion process is essential to fabricate high-performance multilayered products. Therefore, in this work, we reveal systematically the multiscale structural development, involving both the layer architecture and microstructure within layers of micro-/nano-layer coextruded polymer films, as well as its relationship to dielectric properties, based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP)/polycarbonate (PC) system. Interestingly, layer architecture and morphology show strong dependences on the nominal layer thicknesses. Particularly, with layer thickness reduced to nanometer scale, interfacial instabilities triggered by viscoelastic differences between components emerge with the creation of micro-droplets and micro-sheets. Films show an enhanced crystallization with the formation of two-dimensional (2D) spherulites in microlayer coextruded systems and the oriented in-plane lamellae in nanolayer coextruded counterparts, where layer breakup in the thinner layers further changes the crystallization behaviors. These macro- and microscopic structures, developed from the co-extrusion process, substantially influence the dielectric properties of coextruded films. Mechanism responsible for dielectric performance is further proposed by considering these effects of multiscale structure on the dipole switching and charge hopping in the multilayered structures. This work clearly demonstrates how the multiscale structural evolution during the micro-/nano-layer coextrusion process can control the dielectric properties of multilayered products.
Engineering and Characterization of Antibacterial Coaxial Nanofiber Membranes for Oil/Water Separation
Authors: Mousa Hamouda M. , Alfadhel Husain , Abouel Nasr Emad
Published: November 2020

In the present study, a coaxial nanofiber membrane was developed using the electrospinning technique. The developed membranes were fabricated from hydrophilic cellulose acetate (CA) polymer and hydrophobic polysulfone (PSf) polymer as a core and shell in an alternative way with addition of 0.1 wt.% of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). The membranes were treated with a 2M NaOH solution to enhance hydrophilicity and thus increase water separation flux. Chemical and physical characterizations were performed, such as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and surface wettability was measured by means of water contact angle (WCA), mechanical properties, surface morphology via field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and microscopy energy dispersive (EDS) mapping and point analysis. The results show higher mechanical properties for the coaxial nanofiber membranes which reached a tensile strength of 7.58 MPa, a Young’s modulus of 0.2 MPa, and 23.4 M J.m−3 of toughness. However, treated mebranes show lower mechanical properties (tensile strength of 0.25 MPa, Young’s modulus of 0.01 MPa, and 0.4 M J.m−3 of toughness). In addition, the core and shell nanofiber membranes showed a uniform distribution of coaxial nanofibers. Membranes with ZnO NPs showed a porous structure and elimination of nanofibers after treatment due to the formation of nanosheets. Interestingly, membranes changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic (the WCA changed from 90 ± 8° to 14 ± 2°). Besides that, composite nanofiber membranes with ZnO NPs showed antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Furthermore, the water flux for the modified membranes was improved by 1.6 times compared to the untreated membranes.
Improving the Photostability of Small-Molecule-Based Organic Photovoltaics by Providing a Charge Percolation Pathway of Crystalline Conjugated Polymer
Authors: Kim Jihee , Koh Chang , Uddin Mohammad , Ryu Ka , Jang Song-Rim , Woo Han , Lim Bogyu , Kim Kyungkon
Published: November 2020

Photostability of small-molecule (SM)-based organic photovoltaics (SM-OPVs) is greatly improved by utilizing a ternary photo-active layer incorporating a small amount of a conjugated polymer (CP). Semi-crystalline poly[(2,5-bis(2-hexyldecyloxy)phenylene)-alt-(5,6-difluoro-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PPDT2FBT) and amorphous poly[(2,5-bis(2-decyltetradecyloxy)phenylene)-alt-(5,6-dicyano-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole)] (PPDT2CNBT) with similar chemical structures were used for preparing SM:fullerene:CP ternary photo-active layers. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the ternary device with PPDT2FBT (Ternary-F) was higher than those of the ternary device with PPDT2CNBT (Ternary-CN) and a binary SM-OPV device (Binary) by 15% and 17%, respectively. The photostability of the SM-OPV was considerably improved by the addition of the crystalline CP, PPDT2FBT. Ternary-F retained 76% of its initial PCE after 1500 h of light soaking, whereas Ternary-CN and Binary retained only 38% and 17% of their initial PCEs, respectively. The electrical and morphological analyses of the SM-OPV devices revealed that the addition of the semi-crystalline CP led to the formation of percolation pathways for charge transport without disturbing the optimized bulk heterojunction morphology. The CP also suppressed trap-assisted recombination and enhanced the hole mobility in Ternary-F. The percolation pathways enabled the hole mobility of Ternary-F to remain constant during the light-soaking test. The photostability of Ternary-CN did not improve because the addition of the amorphous CP inhibited the formation of ordered SM domains.
Frozen Bodies and Future Imaginaries: Assisted Dying, Cryonics, and a Good Death
Authors: Cohen Jeremy
Published: November 2020

In October of 2018, Norman Hardy became the first individual to be cryopreserved after successful recourse to California’s then recently passed End of Life Options Act. This was a right not afforded to Thomas Donaldson, who in 1993 was legally denied the ability to end his own life before a tumor irreversibly destroyed his brain tissue. The cases of Norman Hardy and Thomas Donaldson reflect ethical and moral issues common to the practice of assisted dying, but unique to cryonics. In this essay, I explore the intersections between ideologies of immortality and assisted dying among two social movements with seemingly opposing epistemologies: cryonicists and medical aid in dying (MAiD) advocates. How is MAiD understood among cryonicists, and how has it been deployed by cryonicists in the United States? What are the historical and cultural circumstances that have made access to euthanasia a moral necessity for proponents of cryonics and MAiD? In this comparative essay, I examine the similarities between the biotechnological and future imaginaries of cryonics and MAiD. I aim to show that proponents of both practices are in search of a good death, and how both conceptualize dying as an ethical good. Cryonics members and terminal patients constitute unique biosocial worlds, which can intersect in unconventional ways. As temporalizing practices, both cryonics and MAiD reflect a will to master the time and manner of death.
Mysticism among the Pedandas of Bali
Authors: McDaniel June
Published: November 2020

On the island of Bali in Indonesia, the traditional Hindu religious leaders are the pedandas, or brahmin high priests. Their religious status is largely based on their mystical states, during which they create the highest and most valuable form of holy water, which is needed for all religious rituals on the island. It is one of the rare examples in world religions where mysticism is not only integrated into the daily life of the community but is vital to it. These are the religious authorities who maintain the ancient forms of Indonesian Hinduism, standing against the encroachment of Westernization, Islamization and modernization. Little ethnographic research has been done on them—there are no books about their lives and experiences in any Western languages, and only a few biographies in Indonesian. In this paper, we examine the lives of some Shiva pedandas, discussing their mystical experiences, and the ways that their states fit in with other sorts of mystical experiences in Bali. These other sorts of experiences include those of Buddhist priests, local healers or balians, and the debatably mystical experiences of possession trance.
Evaluation of HF Radar Wave Measurements in Iberian Peninsula by Comparison with Satellite Altimetry and in Situ Wave Buoy Observations
Authors: Bué Isabel , Semedo Álvaro , Catalão João
Published: November 2020

The skills of CODAR SeaSonde coastal high-frequency radars (HFR) located in the West Iberian Peninsula on measuring wave parameters are compared to in situ (buoy) and satellite altimeters (SA) wave observations. Significant wave heights (SWH), wave periods, and wave directions are compared over a time window of 36-months, from January 2017 to December 2019. The ability of HFR systems to capture extreme wave events is also assessed by comparing SWH measurements during the Emma storm, which hit the Iberian Peninsula in March 2018. The analysis presented in this study shows a slight overestimation of the SWH by the HFR systems. Comparisons with in situ observations revealed correlation coefficients (R) of the order of 0.69–0.87, biases below 0.60 m, root-mean-squared errors (RMSE) between 0.89 m to 1.18 m, and a slope regression between 1.01 and 1.26. Using buoy observations as reference ground truth, the comparisons with SA revealed Rs higher than 0.94, biases under 0.19 m, and RMSEs between 0.17 m and 0.42 m. Since in situ observations do not overlap all the HFR range cells (RC), and its correlation coefficients with SA have shown good agreement (R > 0.94), Sentinel-3 SA (SRAL) SWH measurements are further used for the validation of the HFR systems SWH observations. The comparison between the HFR and the SA collocated SWH observations allowed the evaluation of the ability of the radars to retrieve wave data as a function of the distance to the coast, particularly during extreme wave events. The comparison of the lower frequency (4.86 MHz) HFR coastal radars with the SA measurements showed an R of 0.94–0.99, a negative but reduced bias (−0.37), and an RMSE of 0.53 m. The higher frequency HFR systems (12–13.5 MHz) showed R between 0.53 and 0.82, and a clear overestimation of the SWH by the HFR sites.
Multisensor Characterization of the Incandescent Jet Region of Lava Fountain-Fed Tephra Plumes
Authors: Mereu Luigi , Scollo Simona , Bonadonna Costanza , Freret-Lorgeril Valentin , Marzano Frank Silvio
Published: November 2020

Explosive basaltic eruptions eject a great amount of pyroclastic material into the atmosphere, forming columns rising to several kilometers above the eruptive vent and causing significant disruption to both proximal and distal communities. Here, we analyze data, collected by an X-band polarimetric weather radar and an L-band Doppler fixed-pointing radar, as well as by a thermal infrared (TIR) camera, in relation to lava fountain-fed tephra plumes at the Etna volcano in Italy. We clearly identify a jet, mainly composed of lapilli and bombs mixed with hot gas in the first portion of these volcanic plumes and here called the incandescent jet region (IJR). At Etna and due to the TIR camera configuration, the IJR typically corresponds to the region that saturates thermal images. We find that the IJR is correlated to a unique signature in polarimetric radar data as it represents a zone with a relatively high reflectivity and a low copolar correlation coefficient. Analyzing five recent Etna eruptions occurring in 2013 and 2015, we propose a jet region radar retrieval algorithm (JR3A), based on a decision-tree combining polarimetric X-band observables with L-band radar constraints, aiming at the IJR height detection during the explosive eruptions. The height of the IJR does not exactly correspond to the height of the lava fountain due to a different altitude, potentially reached by lapilli and blocks detected by the X-band weather radar. Nonetheless, it can be used as a proxy of the lava fountain height in order to obtain a first approximation of the exit velocity of the mixture and, therefore, of the mass eruption rate. The comparisons between the JR3A estimates of IJR heights with the corresponding values recovered from TIR imagery, show a fairly good agreement with differences of less than 20% in clear air conditions, whereas the difference between JR3A estimates of IJR height values and those derived from L-band radar data only are greater than 40%. The advantage of using an X-band polarimetric weather radar in an early warning system is that it provides information in all weather conditions. As a matter of fact, we show that JR3A retrievals can also be obtained in cloudy conditions when the TIR camera data cannot be processed.
Car Seats with Capacitive ECG Electrodes Can Detect Cardiac Pacemaker Spikes
Authors: Uguz Durmus , Dettori Rosalia , Napp Andreas , Walter Marian , Marx Nikolaus , Leonhardt Steffen , Hoog Antink Christoph
Published: November 2020

The capacitive electrocardiograph (cECG) has been tested for several measurement scenarios, including hospital beds, car seats and chairs since it was first proposed. The inferior signal quality of the cECG compared to the gold standard ECG guides the ongoing research in the direction of out-of-hospital applications, where unobtrusiveness is sought and high-level diagnostic signal quality is not essential. This study aims to expand the application range of cECG not in terms of the measurement scenario but in the profile of the subjects by including subjects with implanted cardiac pacemakers. Within this study, 20 patients with cardiac pacemakers were recruited during their clinical device follow-up and cECG measurements were conducted using a seat equipped with integrated cECG electrodes. The multichannel cECG recordings of active unipolar and bipolar pacemaker stimulation were analyzed offline and evaluated in terms of Fβ scores using a pacemaker spike detection algorithm. Fβ scores from 3652 pacing events, varying from 0.62 to 0.78, are presented with influencing parameters in the algorithm and the comparison of cECG channels. By tuning the parameters of the algorithm, different ranges of Fβ scores were found as 0.32 to 0.49 and 0.78 to 0.88 for bipolar and unipolar stimulations, respectively. For the first time, this study shows the feasibility of a cECG system allowing health monitoring in daily use on subjects wearing cardiac pacemakers.
Accuracy of Mobile Applications versus Wearable Devices in Long-Term Step Measurements
Authors: Piccinini Filippo , Martinelli Giovanni , Carbonaro Antonella
Published: November 2020

Fitness sensors and health systems are paving the way toward improving the quality of medical care by exploiting the benefits of new technology. For example, the great amount of patient-generated health data available today gives new opportunities to measure life parameters in real time and create a revolution in communication for professionals and patients. In this work, we concentrated on the basic parameter typically measured by fitness applications and devices—the number of steps taken daily. In particular, the main goal of this study was to compare the accuracy and precision of smartphone applications versus those of wearable devices to give users an idea about what can be expected regarding the relative difference in measurements achieved using different system typologies. In particular, the data obtained showed a difference of approximately 30%, proving that smartphone applications provide inaccurate measurements in long-term analysis, while wearable devices are precise and accurate. Accordingly, we challenge the reliability of previous studies reporting data collected with phone-based applications, and besides discussing the current limitations, we support the use of wearable devices for mHealth.
Dual-Task Gait Stability after Concussion and Subsequent Injury: An Exploratory Investigation
Authors: Howell David R. , Bonnette Scott , Diekfuss Jed A. , Grooms Dustin R. , Myer Gregory D. , Wilson Julie C. , Meehan William P.
Published: November 2020

Persistent gait alterations can occur after concussion and may underlie future musculoskeletal injury risk. We compared dual-task gait stability measures among adolescents who did/did not sustain a subsequent injury post-concussion, and uninjured controls. Forty-seven athletes completed a dual-task gait evaluation. One year later, they reported sport-related injuries and sport participation volumes. There were three groups: concussion participants who sustained a sport-related injury (n = 8; age =15.4 ± 3.5 years; 63% female), concussion participants who did not sustain a sport-related injury (n = 24; 14.0 ± 2.6 years; 46% female), and controls (n = 15; 14.2 ± 1.9 years; 53% female). Using cross-recurrence quantification, we quantified dual-task gait stability using diagonal line length, trapping time, percent determinism, and laminarity. The three groups reported similar levels of sports participation (11.8 ± 5.8 vs. 8.6 ± 4.4 vs. 10.9 ± 4.3 hours/week; p = 0.37). The concussion/subsequent injury group walked slower (0.76 ± 0.14 vs. 0.65 ± 0.13 m/s; p = 0.008) and demonstrated higher diagonal line length (0.67 ± 0.08 vs. 0.58 ± 0.05; p = 0.02) and trapping time (5.3 ± 1.5 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6; p = 0.006) than uninjured controls. Dual-task diagonal line length (hazard ratio =1.95, 95% CI = 1.05–3.60), trapping time (hazard ratio = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.09–2.52), and walking speed (hazard ratio = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.00–0.51) were associated with subsequent injury. Dual-task gait stability measures can identify altered movement that persists despite clinical concussion recovery and is associated with future injury risk.
Quantifying Reliable Walking Activity with a Wearable Device in Aged Residential Care: How Many Days Are Enough?
Authors: Buckley Christopher , Cavadino Alana , Del Din Silvia , Lord Sue , Taylor Lynne , Rochester Lynn , Kerse Ngaire
Published: November 2020

Strong associations exist between quality of life and physical activity for those living in aged residential care (ARC). Suitable and reliable tools are required to quantify physical activity for descriptive and evaluative purposes. We calculated the number of days required for reliable walking outcomes indicative of physical activity in an ARC population using a trunk-worn device. ARC participants (n = 257) wore the device for up to 7 days. Reasons for data loss were also recorded. The volume, pattern, and variability of walking was calculated. For 197 participants who wore the device for at least 3 days, linear mixed models determined the impact of week structure and number of days required to achieve reliable outcomes, collectively and then stratified by care level. The average days recorded by the wearable device was 5.2 days. Day of the week did not impact walking activity. Depending on the outcome and level of care, 2–5 days was sufficient for reliable estimates. This study provides informative evidence for future studies aiming to use a wearable device located on the trunk to quantify physical activity walking out in the ARC population.
Harvester Productivity in Inclined Terrain with Extended Machine Operating Trail Intervals: A German Case Study Comparison of Standing and Bunched Trees
Authors: Berendt Ferréol , Tolosana Eduardo , Hoffmann Stephan , Alonso Paula , Schweier Janine
Published: November 2020

The complexity of highly structured forests with multiple tree species, especially when coniferous and broadleaved tree species are mixed, as well as stands with extended machine operating trail spacing and inclined terrain, create challenging operational conditions for mechanized timber harvesting and extraction. Motor-manually felling trees within the midfield and bunching them at the machine operating trails, prior to the arrival of a harvester-forwarder system, is a complex operation. The aim of this study was to assess and compare tethered harvester productivities of a thinning operation, for felling and processing standing trees and for processing bunched trees, through a time study in forest stands with 40-m distances between machine operating trails. Total operational costs of the analyzed thinning operation were 69 €/m3o.b., including extraction using a multiple forwarder approach. Tree species, merchantable timber volume, and whether the trees were standing or presented as bunched logs all had a significant effect on the harvester time consumption. Moreover, harvester positioning time was significantly shorter when trees were already bunched at the machine operating trail. While the productivity of standing or bunched spruce trees did not differ significantly between the cases (approximately 18 m3o.b./productive machine hours excluding all delays (PMH0)), the productivity of standing broadleaved tree species (8.3 m3o.b./PMH0) was much lower than that of bunched trees (15.5 m3o.b./PMH0). Thus, the described timber harvesting and extraction system may be a valuable option for forest stands with high proportion of broadleaved trees.
A Survey on the Usage of Blockchain Technology for Cyber-Threats in the Context of Industry 4.0
Authors: ElMamy Sidi Boubacar , Mrabet Hichem , Gharbi Hassen , Jemai Abderrazak , Trentesaux Damien
Published: November 2020

A systematic review of the literature is presented related to the usage of blockchain technology (BCT) for cyber-threats in the context of Industry 4.0. BCT plays a crucial role in creating smart factories and it is recognized as a core technology that triggers a disruptive revolution in Industry 4.0. Beyond security, authentication, asset tracking and the exchange of smart contracts, BCTs allow terminals to exchange information according to mutually agreed rules within a secured manner. Consequently, BCT can play a crucial role in industrial sustainability by preserving the assets and the environment and by enhancing the quality of life of citizens. In this work, a classification of the most important cyber-attacks that occurred in the last decade in Industry 4.0 is proposed based on four classes. The latter classes cover scanning, local to remote, power of root and denial of service (DoS). BCT is also defined and various types belong to BCT are introduced and highlighted. Likewise, BCT protocols and implementations are discussed as well. BCT implementation includes linear structure and directed acyclic graph (DAG) technology. Then, a comparative study of the most relevant works based on BCT in Industry 4.0 is conducted in terms of confidentiality, integrity, availability, privacy and multifactor authentication features. Our review shows that the integration of BCT in industry can ensure data confidentiality and integrity and should be enforced to preserve data availability and privacy. Future research directions towards enforcing BCT in the industrial field by considering machine learning, 5G/6G mobile systems and new emergent technologies are presented.
Differential Efficacy of an Intelligent Tutoring System for University Students: A Case Study with Learning Disabilities
Authors: Cerezo Rebeca , Esteban Maria , Vallejo Guillermo , Sanchez-Santillan Miguel , Nuñez Jose
Published: November 2020

Computer-Based Learning Environments (CBLEs) have emerged as an almost limitless source of education, challenging not only students but also education providers; teaching and learning in these virtual environments requires greater self-regulation of learning. More research is needed in order to assess how self-regulation of learning strategies can contribute to better performance. This study aims to report how an Intelligent Tutoring System can help students both with and without learning difficulties to self-regulate their learning processes. A total of 119 university students with and without learning difficulties took part in an educational experiment; they spent 90 min learning in a CBLE specifically designed to assess and promote self-regulated learning strategies. Results show that as a consequence of the training, the experimental group applied more self-regulation strategies than the control group, not only as a response to a system prompt but also self-initiated. In addition, there were some differences in improvement of learning processes in students with and without learning difficulties. Our results show that when students with learning difficulties have tools that facilitate applying self-regulated learning strategies, they do so even more than students without learning difficulties.
GIS-Enabled Digital Twin System for Sustainable Evaluation of Carbon Emissions: A Case Study of Jeonju City, South Korea
Authors: Park Jiman , Yang Byungyun
Published: November 2020

Despite the growing interest in digital twins (DTs) in geospatial technology, the scientific literature is still at the early stage, and concepts of DTs vary. In common perspectives, the primary goals of DTs are to reduce the uncertainty of the physical systems in real-world projects to reduce cost. Thus, this study is aimed at developing a structural schematic of a geographic information system (GIS)-enabled DT system and exploring geospatial technologies that can aid in deploying a DT system for a real-world project—in particular, for the sustainable evaluation of carbon emissions. The schematic includes three major phases: (1) data collection and visualization, (2) analytics, and (3) deployment. Three steps are designed to propose an optimal strategy to reduce carbon emissions in an urban area. In the analytics phase, mapping, machine learning algorithms, and spatial statistics are applied, mapping an ideal counterpart to physical assets. Furthermore, not only are GIS maps able to analyze geographic data that represent the counterparts of physical assets but can also display and analyze spatial relationships between physical assets. In the first step of the analytics phase, a GIS map spatially represented the most vulnerable area based on the values of carbon emissions computed according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines. Next, the radial basis function (RBF) kernel algorithm, a machine learning technique, was used to forecast spatial trends of carbon emissions. A backpropagation neural network (BPNN) was used to quantitatively determine which factor was the most influential among the four data sources: electricity, city gas, household waste, and vehicle. Then, a hot spot analysis was used to assess where high values of carbon emissions clustered in the study area. This study on the development of DTs contributes the following. First, with DTs, sustainable urban management systems will be improved and new insights developed more publicly. Ultimately, such improvements can reduce the failures of projects associated with urban planning and management. Second, the structural schematic proposed here is a data-driven approach; consequently, its outputs are more reliable and feasible. Ultimately, innovative approaches become available and services are transformed. Consequently, urban planners or policy makers can apply the system to scenario-based approaches.
Low Energy Architecture and Low Carbon Cities: Exploring Links, Scales, and Environmental Impacts
Authors: Pomponi Francesco , D’Amico Bernardino
Published: November 2020

Projected population growth and urbanization rates will create a huge demand for new buildings and put an unprecedented pressure on the natural environment and its limited resources. Architectural design has often focused on passive or low-energy approaches to reduce the energy consumption of buildings but it is evident that a more holistic, whole-life based mindset is imperative. On another scale, the movement for, and global initiatives around, low carbon cities promise to deliver the built environment of tomorrow, in harmony with the natural boundary of our planet, the societal needs of its human habitants, and the required growth for economic prosperity. However, cities are made up of individual buildings and this intimate relationship is often poorly understood and under-researched. This multi-scale problem (materials, buildings, and cities) requires plural, trans-disciplinary, and creative ways to develop a range of viable solutions. The unknown about our built environment is vast: the articles in this special issue aim to contribute to the ongoing global efforts to ensure our built environments will be fit for the challenges of our time.
Waste Management in Australia Is an Environmental Crisis: What Needs to Change so Adaptive Governance Can Help?
Authors: Jones Stephen
Published: November 2020

Research suggests that strengthening cooperation between governments is required to support improved policy outcomes. Despite established cooperative agreements between the levels of government in Australia, a lack of urgency and consistency continues to drive unsustainable approaches toward waste management practices. Adaptive governance has emerged as a potential approach for addressing complexity, with multiple actors collaborating in the design and implementation of challenging environmental issues. The main findings of this research highlight key challenges in multilevel systems and reforms required to establish institutional arrangements that support key adaptive governance enablers in the context of cooperative approaches to waste management.
A Probabilistic Prediction Approach for Memory Resource of Complex System Simulation in Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Wang Shuai , Yao Yiping , Zhu Feng , Tang Wenjie , Xiao Yuhao
Published: November 2020

Accurate memory resource prediction can achieve optimal performance for complex system simulation (CSS) using optimistic parallel execution in the cloud computing environment. However, because of the varying memory resource demands of CSS applications caused by the simulation entity scale and frequent optimistic synchronization, the existing approaches are unable to predict the memory resource required by a CSS application accurately, which cannot take full advantage of the elasticity and symmetry of cloud computing. In this paper, a probabilistic prediction approach based on ensemble learning, which regards the entity scale and frequent optimistic synchronization as the important features, is proposed. The approach using stacking strategy consists of a two-layer architecture. The first-layer architecture includes two kinds of base models, namely, back-propagation neural network (BPNN) and random forest (RF). The root mean squared error-based pruning algorithm is designed to choose the optimal subset of the base models. The second-layer is the Gaussian process regression (GPR) model, which is applied to quantify the uncertainty information in the probabilistic prediction for memory resources. A series of experiments are presented to prove that the proposed approach can achieve higher accuracy and performance compared to RF, BPNN, GPR, Bagging ensemble approach, and Regressive Ensemble Approach for Prediction.
Removal of Positively Buoyant Planktothrix rubescens in Lake Restoration
Authors: Lürling Miquel , Mucci Maíra , Waajen Guido
Published: November 2020

The combination of a low-dose coagulant (polyaluminium chloride—‘Floc’) and a ballast able to bind phosphate (lanthanum modified bentonite, LMB—‘Sink/Lock’) have been used successfully to manage cyanobacterial blooms and eutrophication. In a recent ‘Floc and Lock’ intervention in Lake de Kuil (the Netherlands), cyanobacterial chlorophyll-a was reduced by 90% but, surprisingly, after one week elevated cyanobacterial concentrations were observed again that faded away during following weeks. Hence, to better understand why and how to avoid an increase in cyanobacterial concentration, experiments with collected cyanobacteria from Lakes De Kuil and Rauwbraken were performed. We showed that the Planktothrix rubescens from Lake de Kuil could initially be precipitated using a coagulant and ballast but, after one day, most of the filaments resurfaced again, even using a higher ballast dose. By contrast, the P. rubescens from Lake Rauwbraken remained precipitated after the Floc and Sink/Lock treatment. We highlight the need to test selected measures for each lake as the same technique with similar species (P. rubescens) yielded different results. Moreover, we show that damaging the cells first with hydrogen peroxide before adding the coagulant and ballast (a ‘Kill, Floc and Lock/Sink’ approach) could be promising to keep P. rubescens precipitated.
Use of Animal Models in Studying Roles of Antibodies and Their Secretion Cells in Dengue Vaccine Development
Authors: Chokephaibulkit Kulkanya , Chien Yu-Wen , AbuBakar Sazaly , Pattanapanyasat Kovit , Perng Guey Chuen
Published: November 2020

The cardinal feature of adaptive immunity is its ability to form memory responses that can be rapidly recalled to contain pathogens upon reencountering. Conferring a robust memory immune response to an infection is a key feature for a successful vaccination program. The plasmablasts are cells that not only can secret non-neutralizing antibodies but also can secrete the specific antibodies essential to neutralize and inactivate the invading pathogens. Dengue has been recognized as one of the most important vector-borne human viral diseases globally. Currently, supportive care with vigilant monitoring is the standard practice since there is as yet no approved therapeutic modality to treat dengue. Even though the approved vaccine has become available, its low efficacy with the potential to cause harm is the major hurdle to promote the widespread usage of the vaccine. Despite the decades of research on dengue, the major challenge in dengue vaccine development is the absence of suitable experimental animal models that reflect the pathological features and clinical symptoms, as seen in humans. Dengue is transmitted by the bite of mosquitoes carrying infectious dengue virus (DENV), which has four distinct serotypes. Recently, cases resulting from unconventional transmission routes, such as blood transfusion, organs as well as stem cells and bone marrow transplantations, and mother-to-infant vertical transmission, have been reported, suggesting an alternate route of DENV transmission exists in nature. This review discusses issues and challenges needing to be resolved to develop an effective dengue vaccine. Development of a robust and reliable dengue animal model that can reflect not only dynamic human clinical symptoms but also can answer around why preexisting neutralizing antibodies do not confer protection upon re-infection and immune protection marker for dengue vaccine efficacy evaluation.
Evaluation and Comparison of Daily GPM/TRMM Precipitation Products over the Tianshan Mountains in China
Authors: Zhang Yin , Hanati Gulimire , Danierhan Sulitan , Liu Qianqian , Xu Zhiyuan
Published: November 2020

Based on the complex topography and climate conditions over the Tianshan Mountains (TSM) in Xinjiang, China, the new precipitation product, the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) (IMERG), and its predecessor, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) 3B42 (TMPA), were evaluated and compared. The evaluation was based on daily-scale data from April 2014 to March 2015 and analyses at annual, seasonal and daily scales were performed. The results indicated that, overall, the annual precipitation in the Tianshan area tends to be greater in the north than in the south and greater in the west than in the east. Compared with the ground reference dataset, GPM and TRMM datasets represent the spatial variation of annual and seasonal precipitation over the TSM well; however, both measurements underestimate the annual precipitation. Seasonal analysis found that the spatial variability of seasonal precipitation has been underestimated. For the daily assessment, the coefficient of variation (CV), correlation coefficient (R) and relative bias (RB) were calculated. It was found that the GPM and TRMM data underestimated the larger CV. The TRMM data performed better on the daily variability of precipitation in the TSM. The R and RB data indicate that the performance of GPM is generally better than that of TRMM. The R value of GPM is generally greater than that of TRMM, and the RB value is closer to 0, indicating that it is closer to the measured value. As for the ability to detect precipitation events, the GPM products have significantly improved the probability of detection (POD) (POD values are all above 0.8, the highest is 0.979, increased by nearly 17%), and the critical success index (CSI) (increased by nearly 9% in the TSM) is also better than TRMM, although it is only slightly weaker than TRMM in terms of the false alarm ratio (FAR) and frequency bias index (FBI). Overall, GPM underestimates the low rainfall rate by 6.4% and high rainfall rate by 22.8% and overestimates middle rain rates by 29.1%. However, GPM is better than TRMM in capturing all types of rainfall events. Based on these results, GPM-IMERG presents significant improvement over its predecessor TRMM 3B42. Considering the performance of GPM in different subregions, a lot of work still needs to be done to improve the performance of the satellite before being used for research.
Abacus to Predict Groundwater Recharge at Non-Instrumented Hydrographic Basins
Authors: Santos Ronaldo Medeiros dos , Koide Sérgio , Távora Bruno Esteves , Araujo Daiana Lira de
Published: November 2020

One of the first steps to implement a policy for groundwater resources management is knowing the groundwater recharge. However, the unavailability of data and resources to execute field studies increase the uncertainty associated with the estimation of groundwater recharge. To fill this gap, the present work aimed to propose a method to predict groundwater recharge at non-instrumented hydrographic basins. The approach proposed is based on using an abacus to execute the transposition and/or regionalization of results generated in an experimental basin. The methodology comprised the estimation and mapping of recharge rates in the experimental basin using three distinct approaches—numerical modelling of the saturated zone, distributed hydrological modelling of the vadose zone, and the method of fluctuation of the water table elevation—and the following generation of the abacus, with average recharge values for combinations of soil class, land use/cover and slope using geographic information systems. The results indicate that the abacus is consistent for some Ferrasol areas, that the reliability of average regionalized values depends on the complexity of the physical environment—soil class, land use/cover, and slope—and that new studies, focusing on the hydro-physical characterization of soils, might produce more reliable estimations.
Modeling of Nonhydrostatic Dynamics and Hydrology of the Lombok Strait
Authors: Androsov Alexey , Voltzinger Naum , Kuznetsov Ivan , Fofonova Vera
Published: November 2020

The long-wave dynamics of the Lombok Strait, which is the most important link of the West Indonesian throughflow connecting the Pacific and Indian Ocean waters, was simulated and analyzed. A feature of the strait is its extremely complex relief, on which water transport creates a field of pronounced vertical velocities, which requires consideration of the nonhydrostatic component of pressure. The work presents a 3-D nonhydrostatic model in curvilinear coordinates, which is verified on a test problem. Particular attention is paid to the method of solving the 3-D elliptical solver for a nonhydrostatic problem in boundary-matched coordinates and a vertical σ level. The difference in transport through the Lombok Strait is determined by the difference in atmospheric pressure over the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Based on the results of the global simulation, the role of these factors in terms of their variability is analyzed, and the value of nonhydrostatic pressure in the dynamics of the Lombok Strait is revealed and evaluated. The vertical dynamics of the Lombok Strait are considered in detail based on hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic approaches.
Data-Driven Approach to Assess Spatial-Temporal Interactions of Groundwater and Precipitation in Choushui River Groundwater Basin, Taiwan
Authors: Nainggolan Lamtupa , Ni Chuen-Fa , Darmawan Yahya , Lee I-Hsien , Lin Chi-Ping , Li Wei-Ci
Published: November 2020

The scarcity of groundwater and precipitation stations has limited accurate assessments of basin-scale groundwater systems. This study proposes a workflow that integrates satellite and on-site observations to improve the spatial and temporal resolution of the groundwater level and enable recharge estimations for the Choushui River groundwater basin (CRGB) in Western Taiwan. The workflow involves multiple data processing steps, including analysis of correlation, evaluation of residuals, and geostatistical interpolation based on kriging methods. The observed groundwater levels and recharge are then the basis to assess spatial-temporal interactions between groundwater and recharge in the CRGB from 2006 to 2015. Results of correlation analyses show the high correlation between the groundwater level and the land surface elevation in the study area. However, the multicollinearity problem exists for the additional precipitation data added in the correlation analyses. The correlation coefficient, root mean square error, and normalized root mean square parameters indicate that the Regression Kriging (RK) performs better the groundwater variations than the Ordinary Kriging (OK) dose. The data-driven approach estimates an annual groundwater recharge of approximately 1.40 billion tons, representing 37% of the yearly precipitation. The correlation between groundwater levels and groundwater recharge exhibits low or negative correlation zones in the groundwater basin. These zones might have resulted from multipurpose pumping activities and the river and drainage networks in the area. The event-based precipitation and groundwater level have shown strong recharge behavior in the low-land area of the basin. Artificial weir operations at the high-land mountain pass might considerably influence the groundwater and surface water interactions.