bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Best of Both Worlds? The Potentials and Challenges of Implementing Sustainable and Smart Urban Mobility
Authors: Schröder Carolin
Published: June 2022

In recent years, many academic and technical discussions about cities have been shaped by two topics: sustainability and smartness. While these two areas are evolving, there are definitely common grounds to be found in discourses on sustainability and smartness. First of all, this is the realization that any comprehensive transformation of long-term, complex processes requires governance and integration of topics and institutions, and second, that there can be no uniform approach to successfully becoming more sustainable or smarter. However, different directions of development can be identified that may—or may not—go together. Urban mobility has to deal with different definitions of and approaches to sustainability and smartness too. A specific format developed during the transdisciplinary project “Neue Mobilität Berlin” (New Mobility Berlin, http://neue-mobilitaet.berlin/) addresses these questions. Research results suggest, for one, that there are very practical technical issues that complicate a transition from existing mobility systems toward more sustainable and smart ones. For another, the results suggest that a comprehensive sustainable and smart urban mobility system will need more integration and coordination. This contribution takes off from project findings and discusses implications for the implementations of and discourses on smart and sustainable urban mobility.
Relationships Between Sports Club Participation and Health Determinants in Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Barbry Alexis , Carton Annie , Ovigneur Hervé , Coquart Jérémy
Published: June 2022

Physical fitness is a powerful marker of health in adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to measure the relationships between age, sex, body mass index, and sports club participation on physical fitness. The population included 49,988 participants (23,721 girls and 26,267 boys) who were divided into five age groups (11–12, 13–14, 15–16, 17–18, and 19–21 years). Body mass index was calculated. Physical fitness was assessed with the Diagnoform® Tonic battery. Sports club participation was also documented. The practiced sport was collected. The effects of age, sex, body mass index class, and sports club participation were tested. Boys' PF increased with age at a faster rate and was better than that of girls, except for flexibility (p < 0.001). For girls, a decrease was observed in endurance, speed and flexibility at 17-18 years. Sports club participation was greater for boys at every age. Obese participants had the lowest physical fitness and sports club participation. Sports club participation increased physical fitness. Team sports seemed best for improving physical fitness, except flexibility. The study shows that sports club participation may be a key element for building health in adolescents. Preventive healthcare projects that promote sports club are needed to target sports club dropouts (obese adolescents and girls). Bridges should be built between physical education classes and sports clubs in adolescence to improve the health status of young people.
Building Resilient Maize Production Systems With Stress-Adapted Varieties: Farmers' Priorities in Western Kenya
Authors: Marenya Paswel Phiri , Wanyama Rosina , Alemu Solomon , Woyengo Vincent
Published: June 2022

Maize cropping systems in Kenya, as is true in many other places in Africa, face multiple biotic and abiotic stressors not least climatic ones. Guided by farmers' priorities, maize breeding programs can contribute to the needed resilience against these changes by developing and mainstreaming new generations of maize varieties adapted to these challenges. Using data from 1,400 farmers and applying a multi-criteria choice analysis, this study reports on smallholder farmers' relative valuation of stress tolerance traits. The results showed that farmers were willing to pay significant premiums for tolerance to drought, striga, low nitrogen (nitrogen use efficiency) and fall army worm infestation, in that order. Large scale incorporation of these traits in legacy varieties as well as new ones, can contribute to enhancing maize system resilience and adaptation to changing growing conditions. For seed systems development, these traits can provide the basis for making strong business cases for the replacement of old varieties with new, stress-adapted ones.
Dietary High Dose of Iron Aggravates the Intestinal Injury but Promotes Intestinal Regeneration by Regulating Intestinal Stem Cells Activity in Adult Mice With Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Colitis
Authors: Zhang Yitong , Yin Lanmei , Zeng Xianglin , Li Jun , Yin Yuebang , Wang Qiye , Li Jianzhong , Yang Huansheng
Published: June 2022

The effects of excessive dietary iron intake on the body have been an important topic. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high-dose iron on intestinal damage and regeneration in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model mice. A total of 72 8-week-old adult C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into two dietary treatment groups: the basal diet supplemented with 45 (control) and 450 mg/kg iron (high-iron) from ferrous sulfate. The mice were fed different diets for 2 weeks, and then 2.5% DSS was orally administered to all mice for 7 days. Samples of different tissues were collected on days 0, 3, and 7 post administration (DPA). High-iron treatment significantly decreased the relative weight of the large intestine at 7 DPA but not at 0 DPA or 3 DPA. High dietary iron increased the jejunal villus width at 0 DPA, decreased the villus width and the crypt depth of the jejunum at 3 DPA, and decreased the number of colonic crypts at 7 DPA. Meanwhile, high dietary iron decreased the number of goblet cells in the jejunal villi and the Paneth cells in the jejunal crypts at 0 DPA, increased the number of goblet cells per crypt of the colon at 3 DPA, and the number of Paneth cells in the jejunal crypts, the goblet cells in the colon, the Ki67-positive proliferating cells in the colon, and the Sex-determining region Y-box transcription factor 9+ (SOX9) cells in the jejunum crypts and colon at 7 DPA. The organoid formation rate was increased by high-iron treatments at 3 DPA and 7 DPA. High dietary iron treatment decreased the mRNA level of jejunal jagged canonical Notch ligand 2 (Jag-2) at 0 DPA and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (Bmp4) and neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated 8 (Nedd8) in the jejunum and colon at 7 DPA, whereas it increased the mRNA expression of the serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (Sgk1) in the colon at 3 DPA. The results suggested that a high dose of iron aggravated intestinal injury but promoted intestinal repair by regulating intestinal epithelial cell renewal and intestinal stem cell activity in adult mice with colitis.
The Prevalence of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus in Hungary—A Geographically Representative, Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Fogarasi András István , Benczik Márta , Moravcsik-Kornyicki Ágota , Kocsis Adrienn , Gyulai Anikó , Kósa Zsigmond
Published: June 2022

Background: The estimated age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer in Hungary are substantially higher than the European average. In many countries, human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is the first-line method of cervical cancer screening in women >30 years. According to the European guidelines, evidence-based improvement of a national prevention strategy requires the monitoring of representative data.

Methods: ThinPrep cervical samples were collected over a period of 8 months at 84 sampling sites, including 4,000 eligible samples with valid laboratory results from the screening target population of females aged 25–65 years, with addresses in the representative geographic area (19 counties and four major settlement types). Genotyping of high-risk HPV (hrHPV) was performed using the Confidence HPV-X (Neumann Diagnostics) and Linear Array HPV Genotyping (Roche) tests. Demographic data were collected using a questionnaire, enabling the analysis of hrHPV genotype distribution by age, geography, education, and HPV vaccination.

Results: Overall, 446 samples were hrHPV-positive, showing a prevalence of 11.15% (9.73% age-representative), similar to the world average, higher than the European average, and lower than the Eastern-European average. After age standardization, no significant geographic differences were found, except for low hrHPV prevalence in villages (p = 0.036) and in those with elementary education (p = 0.013). Following genotypes 16 and 31, in order of frequency, certain non-vaccine hrHPV genotypes (HPV51, 66, 56) showed unexpectedly higher prevalence than international data.

Conclusion: Our study provides the first geographically representative genotype-specific hrHPV prevalence baseline database in Hungary to support policy-making efforts. Significant correlations with demographic data have transferable conclusions.
Proximate Chemical Composition, Amino Acids Profile and Minerals Content of Meat Depending on Carcass Part, Sire Genotype and Sex of Meat Rabbits
Authors: Gál Robert , Zapletal David , Jakešová Petra , Straková Eva
Published: June 2022

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of the sire genotype, sex and carcass part on the composition of the meat of rabbits, which were fattened under conditions where no synthetic drugs were used. As for carcass parts, the higher content of both total amino acids (AA) and all essential AA (EAA) monitored was found in the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle as compared to hind leg meat (p ˂ 0.001). Significant effects of the rabbit sire genotype and the genotype x sex interaction on proportions of some AA in meat were found (p ˂ 0.001). Crossbreeding of the Mecklenburger Schecke (MS) sires with a commercial dam line of HYLA rabbits resulted in a lower proportion of the total AA and all EAA monitored in meats of MS sired males as compared to MS sired females and HYLA rabbits (p ˂ 0.05). The sex-related effect on AA profile was not so noticeable in final commercial crossbreds of HYLA rabbits when compared to MS sired progeny. These findings point to a possible risk of alterations in the nutritional quality of meat proteins when using different rabbit sire genotypes than those originally intended for the specific commercial crossbreeding scheme. However, on the contrary, higher contents of magnesium (p ˂ 0.05), manganese (p ˂ 0.001) and zinc (p ˂ 0.05) were found in meats of MS sired progeny as compared to HYLA rabbits.
Temporal Changes of Fish Diversity and Driver Factors in a National Nature Reserve, China
Authors: Luo Dongmei , Wan Ziwei , Jia Chenchen , Zhu Yiqiu , Zou Qin , Ye Fangfei , Feng Yan , Zhang Mi , Wu Xiaoping , Liu Xiongjun , Ouyang Shan
Published: June 2022

Freshwater-fish diversity declined rapidly due to multiple anthropogenic disturbances. The loss of fish diversity often manifested itself in taxonomic homogenization over time. Knowledge of multi-faceted diversity (i.e., species, functional, and phylogenetic diversity) perspectives is important for biodiversity assessment and conservation planning. Here, we analyzed the change of the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of fish in 2008 and 2021 as well as explored the driver factors of the biodiversity patterns in the Lushan National Nature Reserve. The results showed that the species diversity and phylogenetic diversity of fish have declined from 2008 to 2021, with five species lost over time. We found an overall homogenization trend in the fish fauna of the study area, with a 4% increase in taxonomic similarity among the rivers. Additionally, we found that community structure of fish was significantly different among the rivers, and environmental filtering was the main contributor to the phylogenetic diversity of fish in 2008 and 2021. This study provides new insight into the patterns and drivers of fish-biodiversity change in the broader Yangtze River basin and informs management efforts.
A Smart and Mechanized Agricultural Application: From Cultivation to Harvest
Authors: Kiani Farzad , Randazzo Giovanni , Yelmen Ilkay , Seyyedabbasi Amir , Nematzadeh Sajjad , Anka Fateme Aysin , Erenel Fahri , Zontul Metin , Lanza Stefania , Muzirafuti Anselme
Published: June 2022

Food needs are increasing day by day, and traditional agricultural methods are not responding efficiently. Moreover, considering other important global challenges such as energy sufficiency and migration crises, the need for sustainable agriculture has become essential. For this, an integrated smart and mechanism-application-based model is proposed in this study. This model consists of three stages. In the first phase (cultivation), the proposed model tried to plant crops in the most optimized way by using an automized algorithmic approach (Sand Cat Swarm Optimization algorithm). In the second stage (control and monitoring), the growing processes of the planted crops was tracked and monitored using Internet of Things (IoT) devices. In the third phase (harvesting), a new method (Reverse Ant Colony Optimization), inspired by the ACO algorithm, was proposed for harvesting by autonomous robots. In the proposed model, the most optimal path was analyzed. This model includes maximum profit, maximum quality, efficient use of resources such as human labor and water, the accurate location for planting each crop, the optimal path for autonomous robots, finding the best time to harvest, and consuming the least power. According to the results, the proposed model performs well compared to many well-known methods in the literature.
Extended Reality Application Framework for a Digital-Twin-Based Smart Crane
Authors: Yang Chao , Tu Xinyi , Autiosalo Juuso , Ala-Laurinaho Riku , Mattila Joel , Salminen Pauli , Tammi Kari
Published: June 2022

Industry 4.0 is moving forward under technology upgrades, utilizing information technology to improve the intelligence of the industry, whereas Industry 5.0 is value-driven, aiming to focus on essential societal needs, values, and responsibility. The manufacturing industry is currently moving towards the integration of productivity enhancements and sustainable human employment. Such a transformation has deeply changed the human–machine interaction (HMI), among which digital twin (DT) and extended reality (XR) are two cutting-edge technologies. A manufacturing DT offers an opportunity to simulate, monitor, and optimize the machine. In the meantime, XR empowers HMI in the industrial field. This paper presents an XR application framework for DT-based services within a manufacturing context. This work aims to develop a technological framework to improve the efficiency of the XR application development and the usability of the XR-based HMI systems. We first introduce four layers of the framework, including the perception layer with the physical machine and its ROS-based simulation model, the machine communication layer, the network layer containing three kinds of communication middleware, and the Unity-based service layer creating XR-based digital applications. Subsequently, we conduct the responsiveness test for the framework and describe several XR industrial applications for a DT-based smart crane. Finally, we highlight the research challenges and potential issues that should be further addressed by analyzing the performance of the whole framework.
A Grasshopper Plugin for Finite Element Analysis with Solid Elements and Its Application on Gridshell Nodes
Authors: Haakonsen Sverre Magnus , Dyvik Steinar Hillersøy , Luczkowski Marcin , Rønnquist Anders
Published: June 2022

Linking architectural models to structural analyses can be demanding and time-consuming, especially when the architectural models cannot be accurately analysed using readily available one- or two-dimensional finite elements. This paper presents a tool for finite element analysis using solid elements developed as a plugin for Grasshopper 3D® that enables designers to include analyses of complex objects within the same software as the design exploration. A benchmark using the tool on a cantilever beam is compared with both ANSYS® and the theoretical solution, before the versatility of the tool is demonstrated by analyzing the metal part in timber gridshell nodes. The results were satisfying and the tool can prove especially useful for early phase design and collaboration between diciplines.
Black-Box Mathematical Modeling and Heuristic Optimizing of Hampson-Linde Cycle Based on Joule-Thomson Effect and Ohm’s Law for Thermal Circuits
Authors: Covaci Mihnea Antoniu , Szolga Lorant Andras
Published: June 2022

Nowadays, due to recent global climate changes, replacing non-environmental friendly technology with more sustainable energy is desired. Thus, researchers are designing new, environmentally friendly products, for which some use the black box modeling method. Therefore, the presented work represents a Hampson-Linde cryogenic cooler model based on Joule-Thomson Effect and Ohm’s Law for thermal circuits, optimized using a parallel “Particle Swarm Optimization” (PSO) algorithm. An innovative feature of this model is that it uses two translations—from electrical to the thermal domain and a simplifying time domain—and is implemented to provide results using less demanding computational resources and simulation time. Furthermore, a possibility for superconductive states is presented for commonly used category II superconductors. Last, but not least, based on the predicted output temperature, models of more complex processes could be developed, such as a model for the Hyperloop concept.
Building Information Modeling-Embedded Building Energy Efficiency Protocol for a Sustainable Built Environment and Society
Authors: Wang Chen , Cui Benben , Wu Meng , Tang Yutong , Yap Jeffrey Boon Hui , Zhang Huibo , Li Heng
Published: June 2022

In order to accurately analyze the building energy consumption and identify the problem of building energy consumption in advance, this study carries out the energy consumption analysis based on BIM (Building Information Modeling). The research object is a four-story college student dormitory in Beijing, and this set of BIM-based energy consumption simulation data was obtained using standard operating procedures (SOP). This operating procedure can start energy consumption analysis in the conceptual design stage, and developers can participate in real-time through the use of a three-dimensional information model, without additional design required. Then, comparing this study with the traditional energy consumption analysis, we see that the SOP of this research result has the following advantages: SOP function analysis is more professional, and the visual display method is more popular and intuitive; due to the flexible file format of the SOP, when data exchange is required between different software, the SOP can realize more convenient operation, and users can identify problems in the early stage of design through the SOP, correcting the scheme according to the simulation results, which is conducive to the development of the construction process. Finally, this study puts forward the analysis and estimation of energy consumption in different stages of the building life cycle, so as to provide researchers with ideas for improvement.
Image Style Transfer via Multi-Style Geometry Warping
Authors: Alexandru Ioana , Nicula Constantin , Prodan Cristian , Rotaru Răzvan-Paul , Voncilă Mihai-Lucian , Tarbă Nicolae , Boiangiu Costin-Anton
Published: June 2022

Style transfer of an image has been receiving attention from the scientific community since its inception in 2015. This topic is characterized by an accelerated process of innovation; it has been defined by techniques that blend content and style, first covering only textural details, and subsequently incorporating compositional features. The results of such techniques has had a significant impact on our understanding of the inner workings of Convolutional Neural Networks. Recent research has shown an increasing interest in the geometric deformation of images, since it is a defining trait for different artists, and in various art styles, that previous methods failed to account for. However, current approaches are limited to matching class deformations in order to obtain adequate outputs. This paper solves these limitations by combining previous works in a framework that can perform geometric deformation on images using different styles from multiple artists by building an architecture that uses multiple style images and one content image as input. The proposed framework uses a combination of various other existing frameworks in order to obtain a more intriguing artistic result. The framework first detects objects of interest from various classes inside the image and assigns them a bounding box, before matching each detected object image found in a bounding box with a similar style image and performing warping on each of them on the basis of these similarities. Next, the algorithm blends back together all the warped images so they are placed in a similar position as the initial image, and style transfer is finally applied between the merged warped images and a different chosen image. We manage to obtain stylistically pleasing results that were possible to generate in a reasonable amount of time, compared to other existing methods.
Landslide Displacement Prediction during the Sliding Process Using XGBoost, SVR and RNNs
Authors: Xu Jiancong , Jiang Yu , Yang Chengbin
Published: June 2022

In order to promptly evacuate personnel and property near the foot of the landslide and take emergency treatment measures in case of sudden danger, it is very necessary to select suitable forecasting methods for conduct short-term displacement predictions in the slope-sliding process. In this paper, we used Python to develop the landslide displacement-prediction method based on the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm, and optimized the hyperparameters through a genetic algorithm to solve the problem of insufficient short-term displacement-prediction accuracy for landslides. We compared the deviation, relative error (RE) and median of RE of predicted values obtained using XGBoost, SVR and RNNs, and the actual value of landslide displacement. The results show that the accuracies of slope displacement prediction using XGBoost and SVR are very high, and that using RNNs is very low during the sliding process. For large displacement values and small numbers of samples, the displacement-prediction effect of XGBoost algorithm is better than that of SVR and RNNs in the sliding process of landslide. There are generally only fewer data samples collected during the landslide sliding process, so RNNs is not suitable for displacement prediction in this scenario. If the number of data samples is large enough, using RNNs to predict the long-term displacement of the slope may also have a much higher accuracy.
Restricted Anthropogenic Activities and Improved Urban Air Quality in China: Evidence from Real-Time and Remotely Sensed Datasets Using Air Quality Zonal Modeling
Authors: Rahaman Saidur , Jahangir Selim , Chen Ruishan , Kumar Pankaj
Published: June 2022

The study aims to examine the major atmospheric air pollutants such as NO2, CO, O3, PM2.5, PM10, and SO2 to assess the overall air quality using air quality zonal modeling of 15 major cities of China before and after the COVID-19 pandemic period. The spatio-temporal changes in NO2 and other atmospheric pollutants exhibited enormous reduction due to the imposition of a nationwide lockdown. The present study used a 10-day as well as 60-day tropospheric column time-average map of NO2 with spatial resolution 0.25 × 0.25° obtained from the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office, NASA. The air quality zonal model was employed to assess the total NO2 load and its change during the pandemic period for each specific region. Ground surface monitoring data for CO, NO2, O3, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 including Air Quality Index (AQI) were collected from the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (MEPC). The results from both datasets demonstrated that NO2 has drastically dropped in all the major cities across China. The concentration of CO, PM10, PM2.5, and SO2 demonstrated a decreasing trend whereas the concentration of O3 increased substantially in all cities after the lockdown effect as observed from real-time monitoring data. Because of the complete shutdown of all industrial activities and vehicular movements, the atmosphere experienced a lower concentration of major pollutants that improves the overall air quality. The regulation of anthropogenic activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic has not only contained the spread of the virus but also facilitated the improvement of the overall air quality. Guangzhou (43%), Harbin (42%), Jinan (33%), and Chengdu (32%) have experienced maximum air quality improving rates, whereas Anshan (7%), Lanzhou (17%), and Xian (25%) exhibited less improved AQI among 15 cities of China during the study period. The government needs to establish an environmental policy framework involving central, provincial, and local governments with stringent laws for environmental protection.
ImmunoDisk—A Fully Automated Bead-Based Immunoassay Cartridge with All Reagents Pre-Stored
Authors: Johannsen Benita , Baumgartner Desirée , Karkossa Lena , Paust Nils , Karpíšek Michal , Bostanci Nagihan , Zengerle Roland , Mitsakakis Konstantinos
Published: June 2022

In this paper, we present the ImmunoDisk, a fully automated sample-to-answer centrifugal microfluidic cartridge, integrating a heterogeneous, wash-free, magnetic- and fluorescent bead-based immunoassay (bound-free phase detection immunoassay/BFPD-IA). The BFPD-IA allows the implementation of a simple fluidic structure, where the assay incubation, bead separation and detection are performed in the same chamber. The system was characterized using a C-reactive protein (CRP) competitive immunoassay. A parametric investigation on air drying of protein-coupled beads for pre-storage at room temperature is presented. The key parameters were buffer composition, drying temperature and duration. A protocol for drying two different types of protein-coupled beads with the same temperature and duration using different drying buffers is presented. The sample-to-answer workflow was demonstrated measuring CRP in 5 µL of human serum, without prior dilution, utilizing only one incubation step, in 20 min turnaround time, in the clinically relevant concentration range of 15–115 mg/L. A reproducibility assessment over three disk batches revealed an average signal coefficient of variation (CV) of 5.8 ± 1.3%. A CRP certified reference material was used for method verification with a concentration CV of 8.6%. Our results encourage future testing of the CRP-ImmunoDisk in clinical studies and its point-of-care implementation in many diagnostic applications.
Selective Probiotic Treatment Positively Modulates the Microbiota–Gut–Brain Axis in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism
Authors: Pochakom Angela , Mu Chunlong , Rho Jong M. , Tompkins Thomas A. , Mayengbam Shyamchand , Shearer Jane
Published: June 2022

Recent studies have shown promise for the use of probiotics in modulating behaviour through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. In the present study, we assessed the impact of two probiotic strains in mitigating autism-related symptomology in the BTBR T+ Itpr3tf/J mouse model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Male juvenile BTBR mice were randomized into: (1) control, (2) Lr probiotic (1 × 109 CFU/mL Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus HA-114), and (3) Ls probiotic groups (1 × 109 CFU/mL Ligilactobacillus salivarius HA-118) (n = 18–21/group), receiving treatments in drinking water for 4 weeks. Gut microbiota profiling by 16S rRNA showed Lr, but not Ls supplementation, to increase microbial richness and phylogenetic diversity, with a rise in potential anti-inflammatory and butyrate-producing taxa. Assessing serum and brain metabolites, Lr and Ls supplementation produced distinct metabolic profiles, with Lr treatment elevating concentrations of potentially beneficial neuroactive compounds, such as 5-aminovaleric acid and choline. As mitochondrial dysfunction is often observed in ASD, we assessed mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. No differences were observed for either treatment. Both Lr and Ls treatment reduced behavioural deficits in social novelty preference. However, no changes in hyperactivity, repetitive behaviour, and sociability were observed. Results show Lr to impart positive changes along the microbiota–gut–brain axis, exhibiting beneficial effects on selected behaviour, gut microbial diversity, and metabolism in BTBR mice.
Experimental Study on the Bond-Slip Behavior of Steel-Steel Fiber Recycled Aggregate Concrete
Authors: Ren Rui , Xu Xinjiang , Li Dongbo , Fan Li , Liu Qinlong , Liu Xiguang
Published: June 2022

To study the bond–slip behavior of steel–steel fiber recycled aggregate concrete, push-out tests of 16 specimens were carried out using steel fiber volume ratio, steel fiber aspect ratio, steel protective layer thickness and steel embedded length as the design parameters. In addition, the crack patterns, steel strain distribution, and load–slip curves were studied, in addition to the bond strengths of the interface between the steel–steel fiber and recycled aggregate concrete. The results showed that the fracture cracks of the specimens mainly included bond cracks and expansion cracks. For the load increase stage, the maximum strain of the steel flange was near the loading end of the steel and decreased toward the free end, while the strain changed linearly for the load descending stage. The bond–slip process between the steel–steel fiber and recycled aggregate concrete included five stages, which consisted of slight-slip, slow-slip, accelerated-slip, the sharp-slip and load-steep-drop stage, and gentle-slip stage. Additionally, the influencing factors of bond strength were analyzed, where the bond strength increased first and then decreased with increasing steel fiber volume and steel fiber aspect ratios, and the bond strength increased with increasing steel protective layer thickness. The ultimate bond strength decreased slightly with increasing steel embedded length. Finally, the equation for calculating the characteristic bond strength of the steel–steel fiber recycled aggregate concrete was established, which showed that the calculation results were in good agreement with the test results.
Visual Relationship-Based Identification of Key Construction Scenes on Highway Bridges
Authors: Wang Chen , Lv Jingguo , Geng Yu , Liu Yiting
Published: June 2022

Highway bridges play an important role in traffic construction; however, accidents caused by bridge construction occur frequently, resulting in significant loss of life and property. The identification of bridge construction scenes not only keeps track of the construction progress, but also enables real-time monitoring of the construction process and the timely detection of safety hazards. This paper proposes a deep learning method in artificial intelligence (AI) for identifying key construction scenes of highway bridges based on visual relationships. First, based on the analysis of bridge construction characteristics and construction process, five key construction scenes are selected. Then, by studying the underlying features of the five scenes, a construction scene identification feature information table is built, and construction scene identification rules are formulated. Afterward, a bridge key construction scene identification model (CSIN) is built; this model comprises target detection, visual relationship extraction, semantic conversion, scene information fusion, and identification results output. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified experimentally. The results show that the proposed method can effectively identify key construction scenes for highway bridges with an accuracy rate of 94%, and enable the remote intelligent monitoring of highway bridge construction processes to ensure that projects are carried out safely.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) Capabilities in the Operation and Maintenance Phase of Green Buildings: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cao Yu , Kamaruzzaman Syahrul Nizam , Aziz Nur Mardhiyah
Published: June 2022

In recent years, green buildings have gradually become a worldwide trend. Compared with traditional buildings, green buildings have advanced requirements and standards in their operation and maintenance phase. In such a context, some studies proposed that building information modeling (BIM) is an effective method to improve green buildings’ operation and maintenance quality. The aim of this study is to perform a comprehensive review of the BIM capabilities in the operation and maintenance phase of green buildings through a systematic literature review. To achieve this aim, the PRISMA protocol was used to perform this systematic review. The whole systematic review was conducted between January 2022 and April 2022: 128 articles were included. In the process of study, Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus were adopted as bibliographic repositories. Through this study, it can be determined that BIM capabilities can be utilized in the facility management of the green building in the following aspects: safety and emergency management, maintenance and repair, energy management, security, retrofit and renovation, space management, and asset management. Secondly, these BIM capabilities were discussed, and the challenges and shortcomings of BIM capabilities in the operation and maintenance phase of green buildings were reviewed. Finally, a comprehensive overview of BIM capabilities in the facility management of green buildings was developed, and suggestions for future study were provided.
Venetoclax Decreases the Expression of the Spike Protein through Amino Acids Q493 and S494 in SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Chen Chih-Chieh , Zhuang Zhi-Jie , Wu Chia-Wei , Tan Yi-Ling , Huang Chen-Hsiu , Hsu Chia-Yi , Tsai Eing-Mei , Hsieh Tsung-Hua
Published: June 2022

The new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been reported and spread globally. There is an urgent need to take urgent measures to treat and prevent further infection of this virus. Here, we use virtual drug screening to establish pharmacophore groups and analyze the ACE2 binding site of the spike protein with the ZINC drug database and DrugBank database by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Screening results showed that Venetoclax, a treatment drug for chronic lymphocytic leukemia, has a potential ability to bind to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. In addition, our in vitro study found that Venetoclax degraded the expression of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 through amino acids Q493 and S494 and blocked the interaction with the ACE2 receptor. Our results suggest that Venetoclax is a candidate for clinical prevention and treatment and deserves further research.
Accidental Choices—How JVM Choice and Associated Build Tools Affect Interpreter Performance
Authors: Lambert Jonathan , Monahan Rosemary , Casey Kevin
Published: June 2022

Considering the large number of optimisation techniques that have been integrated into the design of the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) over the last three decades, the Java interpreter continues to persist as a significant bottleneck in the performance of bytecode execution. This paper examines the relationship between Java Runtime Environment (JRE) performance concerning the interpreted execution of Java bytecode and the effect modern compiler selection and integration within the JRE build toolchain has on that performance. We undertook this evaluation relative to a contemporary benchmark suite of application workloads, the Renaissance Benchmark Suite. Our results show that the choice of GNU GCC compiler version used within the JRE build toolchain statistically significantly affects runtime performance. More importantly, not all OpenJDK releases and JRE JVM interpreters are equal. Our results show that OpenJDK JVM interpreter performance is associated with benchmark workload. In addition, in some cases, rolling back to an earlier OpenJDK version and using a more recent GNU GCC compiler within the build toolchain of the JRE can significantly positively impact JRE performance.
Parametric Analyses of the Influence of Temperature, Load Duration, and Interlayer Thickness on a Laminated Glass Structure Exposed to Out-of-Plane Loading
Authors: Galić Mirela , Grozdanić Gabrijela , Divić Vladimir , Marović Pavao
Published: June 2022

One of today’s most-used glass products is a composite made of at least two glass panels connected with a soft polymeric interlayer—laminated glass. The mechanical properties of such elements are influenced by interlayer properties and the type of glass used. In this work, experimental and numerical analyses of laminated glass panels exposed to four-point bending are performed to observe and compare the stresses and displacements caused by different parameters, such as temperature, load duration, the thickness and type of the interlayers, as well as the symmetrical and nonsymmetrical disposition of the glass plates’ thickness. The numerical analysis was verified by four-point bending experimental tests. After validation, a parametric study on these influences was performed. To obtain the relationship between the load duration, temperature, and thickness of the interlayer compared to the maximal displacement (as a measure of flexural stiffness) and tension stress in the bottom glass plate, an analytical polynomial of a sixth total order is proposed. Isosurfaces are created, showing the dependence of stresses and displacements on the specified parameters as well as clearly showing differences in the behavior of laminated glass panels for the same conditions but with different interlayers. Based on the findings of the parametric study, conclusions are derived about the flexural stiffness and stress distribution in two-plate laminated glass with PVB and ionoplast interlayers.
Multi-Methodological Investigation of the Biersdorf Hillslope Debris Flow (Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany) Associated to the Torrential Rainfall Event of 14 July 2021
Authors: Hagge-Kubat Teemu , Fischer Peter , Süßer Philip , Rotter Philipp , Wehinger Ansgar , Vött Andreas , Enzmann Frieder
Published: June 2022

The investigation of mass movements is of major interest in mountain regions as these events represent a significant hazard for people and cause severe damage to crucial infrastructure. The torrential rainfall event that mainly occurred on the 14 July 2021 in western Central Europe not only led to severe flooding catastrophes (e.g., Meuse, Ahr and Erft rivers) but also triggered hundreds of mass movements in the low mountain range. Here, we investigate a hillslope debris flow that occurred in Biersdorf in the Eifel area (Rhenish Massif, Rheinland-Pfalz) using a comprehensive geomorphological–geophysical approach in order to better understand the triggering mechanisms and process dynamics. We combined field studies by means of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), Direct Push Hydraulic Profiling (HPT) and sediment coring with UAV-generated photogrammetry, as well as debris flow runout modelling. Our results show that for the Biersdorf hillslope debris flow, the geomorphological and geotectonic position played a crucial role. The hillslope debris flow was triggered at a normal fault separating well-draining limestones of the Lower Muschelkalk, from dense weathered clay and sandstones of the Upper Buntsandstein. The combination of a large surface runoff and strong interflow at the sliding surface caused a transformation from an initial translational slide into the high-energy and widespread hillslope debris flow. We further created and validated a stand-alone model of the debris flow on a local scale achieving promising results. The model yields a 97% match to the observed runout area as well as to deposition spreads and heights. Thus, our study provides a pathway for analyzing hillslope debris flows triggered by torrential rainfall events in low mountain ranges. General knowledge on hillslope debris flows, risk assessment and hazard prevention were improved, and results can be transferred to other regions to improve risk assessment and hazard prevention.
An Observation Related to the Pressure Dependence of Ionic Radii
Authors: Tschauner Oliver
Published: June 2022

Here it is shown that the crystal radii of ions are represented by a simple relation rcryst = rB3√(10 m)/N, where m and N are small integer numbers determined by the principal and orbital quantum numbers and valence, and rB is the Bohr radius. The relation holds to within 5%. This finding elucidates that despite their original definition crystal- and ionic radii are not classical but represent the limiting case of spherically symmetric spatial averages of the valence electron states and, therefore, are able to reflect changes in the valence electron configuration with pressure and temperature. The relation is used to show general pressure-effects on the radii, in particular the increase of bond coordination with pressure and metallization as limiting state. The pressure-effect is exemplified for the elements Mg and Si as major constituent cations in the Earth’s mantle, and for Ba as a large ionic lithophile element. It is found that at least to about 140 GPa the radii depend linearly on pressure. Further, if a generalization is permitted for just three elements, the pressure-dependence is lesser the higher the charge of the ion. The three elements exhibit a much weaker pressure-dependence than previously calculated non-bonding radii. For mantle geochemistry this finding implies that elements incompatible in the upper mantle remain so for the main lower mantle minerals bridgmanite and periclase and are hosted by davemaoite.
Estimation of Urban Housing Vacancy Based on Daytime Housing Exterior Images—A Case Study of Guangzhou in China
Authors: Yue Xiaoli , Wang Yang , Zhao Yabo , Zhang Hongou
Published: June 2022

The traditional methods of estimating housing vacancies rarely use daytime housing exterior images to estimate housing vacancy rates (HVR). In view of this, this study proposed the idea and method of estimating urban housing vacancies based on daytime housing exterior images, taking Guangzhou, China as a case study. Considering residential quarters as the basic evaluation unit, the spatial pattern and its influencing factors were studied by using average nearest neighbor analysis, kernel density estimation, spatial autocorrelation analysis, and geodetector. The results show that: (1) The urban housing vacancy rate can be estimated by the method of daytime housing exterior images, which has the advantage of smaller research scale, simple and easy operation, short time consumption, and less difficulty in data acquisition. (2) Overall, the housing vacancy rate in Guangzhou is low in the core area and urban district, followed by suburban and higher in the outer suburb, showing a spatial pattern of increasing core area–urban district–suburban–outer suburb. Additionally, it has obvious spatial agglomeration characteristics, with low–low value clustered in the inner circle and high–high value clustered in the outer suburb. (3) The residential quarters with low vacancy rates (<5%) are distributed in the core area, showing a “dual-core” pattern, while residential quarters with high vacancy rates (>50%) are distributed in the outer suburb in a multi-core point pattern, both of which have clustering characteristics. (4) The results of the factor detector show that all seven influencing factors have an impact on the housing vacancy rate, but the degree of impact is different; the distance from CBD (Central Business District) has the strongest influence, while subway accessibility has the weakest influence. This study provides new ideas and methods for current research on urban housing vacancies, which can not only provide a reference for residents to purchase houses rationally, but also provide a decision-making basis for housing planning and policy formulation in megacities.
A Follow-Up to the Geographical Distribution of Anopheles Species in Malaria-Endemic and Non-Endemic Areas of Honduras
Authors: Escobar Denis , Archaga Osman , Reyes Allan , Palma Adalid , Larson Ryan T. , Vásquez Gissella M. , Fontecha Gustavo
Published: June 2022

Anopheles species are the vectors of malaria, one of the diseases with the greatest impact on the health of the inhabitants of the tropics. Due to their epidemiological relevance and biological complexity, monitoring of anopheline populations in current and former malaria-endemic areas is critical for malaria risk assessment. Recent efforts have described the anopheline species present in the main malaria foci in Honduras. This study updates and expands knowledge about Anopheles species composition, geographical distribution, and genetic diversity in the continental territory of Honduras as in the Bay Islands. Outdoor insect collections were carried out at 25 sites in eight municipalities in five departments of Honduras between 2018 and 2021. Specimens were identified using taxonomic keys. Partial COI gene sequences were used for molecular species identification and phylogenetic analyses. In addition, detection of Plasmodium DNA was carried out in 255 female mosquitoes. Overall, 288 Anopheles mosquitoes were collected from 8 municipalities. Eight species were morphologically identified. Anopheles albimanus was the most abundant and widely distributed species (79.5%). A subset of 175 partial COI gene sequences from 8 species was obtained. Taxonomic identifications were confirmed via sequence analysis. Anopheles albimanus and An. apicimacula showed the highest haplotype diversity and nucleotide variation, respectively. Phylogenetic clustering was found for An. argyritarsis and An. neomaculipalpus when compared with mosquitoes from other Neotropical countries. Plasmodium DNA was not detected in any of the mosquitoes tested. This report builds upon recent records of the distribution and diversity of Anopheles species in malaria-endemic and non-endemic areas of Honduras. New COI sequences are reported for three anopheline species. This is also the first report of COI sequences of An. albimanus collected on the island of Roatán with apparent gene flow relative to mainland populations.