bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unprecedented Insights on Chemical and Biological Significance of Euphorbia cactus Growing in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Hamoud Gadah A. , Fantoukh Omer I. , Amina Musarat , Nasr Fahd A. , Musayeib Nawal M. Al , Ahmed Mohammad Z. , Noman Omar M. , Al-Sharidah Reem E. , Alasmari Fawaz , Alqahtani Ali S.
Published: March 2022

Euphorbia cactus Ehrenb ex Boiss. is a plant species reported from central Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, belonging to the family of Euphorbiaceae. The plant has ethnobotanical values and is well-known for its milky latex, which has been turned into medicine to treat various ailments. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no literature reports available on phytochemical constituents and antiproliferative mechanism of E. cactus. In the current study, the phytochemical investigation of E. cactus methanolic extract (ECME) resulted in the isolation and characterization of four secondary metabolites, which are reported for the first time from this plant species. In addition, the results of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•) and ferrous ion chelating (FIC) assays expressed maximum antioxidant activity by ECME and the isolated phytochemicals. Furthermore, ECME exerted a promising antiproliferative effect against different cancer cell lines, and the A549 lung cancer cells were the most sensitive with an IC50 value of 20 µg/mL. The antiproliferative action of ECME in A549 cells was associated with cell accumulation in the G2/M phase and an increase in early and late apoptosis. In addition, RT-PCR and western blot analysis revealed that ECME decreased the anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) expression, while the expression of pro-apoptotic (Bax) and caspase-3 were increased. This study provides the first insight into the phytochemical constituents and the antiproliferative mechanism of ECME, implying that it could be exploited as a promising natural source for developing new cancer therapies. Further preclinical research is warranted to support the current results.
Changes in the Invasion Rate of Prosopis juliflora and Its Impact on Depletion of Groundwater in the Northern Part of the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Howari Fares M. , Sharma Manish , Nazzal Yousef , El-Keblawy Ali , Mir Shajrat , Xavier Cijo M. , Salem Imen Ben , Al-Taani Ahmed A. , Alaydaroos Fatima
Published: March 2022

Prosopis species were introduced to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) region for desert greening. However, the species now pose a great threat to the native plant diversity. This study used high-resolution satellite imagery (1990–2019) to understand the history and current distribution of Prosopis species and their impact on fresh groundwater. The results show that the Prosopis invasion in the study area reached its maximum expansion rate in 2019 and covered an area of about 16 km2 compared to 0.2 km2 in 1990. The areas near Sharjah Airport, Umm Fannan, and Al Talla, located at a lower elevation of the sand dune area, are heavily invaded. Prosopis groundwater requirement derived using evapotranspiration shows that groundwater consumption has changed drastically after 2010 and consumed about 22.22 million m3 of groundwater in 2019, which is about a 7372% increase in groundwater consumption from the year 1990 to 2019. The results can be useful for setting up a management plan for the sustainable use of this species in the UAE region in particular and other similar countries in the arid land regions that are suffering from freshwater depletion because of Prosopis invasion.
The Bacillus cereus Strain EC9 Primes the Plant Immune System for Superior Biocontrol of Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Madriz-Ordeñana Kenneth , Pazarlar Sercan , Jørgensen Hans Jørgen Lyngs , Nielsen Tue Kjærgaard , Zhang Yingqi , Nielsen Kai Lønne , Hansen Lars Hestbjerg , Thordal-Christensen Hans
Published: March 2022

Antibiosis is a key feature widely exploited to develop biofungicides based on the ability of biological control agents (BCAs) to produce fungitoxic compounds. A less recognised attribute of plant-associated beneficial microorganisms is their ability to stimulate the plant immune system, which may provide long-term, systemic self-protection against different types of pathogens. By using conventional antifungal in vitro screening coupled with in planta assays, we found antifungal and non-antifungal Bacillus strains that protected the ornamental plant Kalanchoe against the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum in experimental and commercial production settings. Further examination of one antifungal and one non-antifungal strain indicated that high protection efficacy in planta did not correlate with antifungal activity in vitro. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the non-antifungal strain EC9 lacked the biosynthetic gene clusters associated with typical antimicrobial compounds. Instead, this bacterium triggers the expression of marker genes for the jasmonic and salicylic acid defence pathways, but only after pathogen challenge, indicating that this strain may protect Kalanchoe plants by priming immunity. We suggest that the stimulation of the plant immune system is a promising mode of action of BCAs for the development of novel biological crop protection products.
Role of Melatonin in Apple Fruit during Growth and Ripening: Possible Interaction with Ethylene
Authors: Verde Antía , Míguez Jesús M. , Gallardo Mercedes
Published: March 2022

The role of melatonin during the growth and ripening of apple fruit was studied using local varieties. The evolution of the growth and ripening parameters, including fruit size and weight, firmness, color change, sugar content, and ethylene production, was different in the five varieties studied, with yellow apples (Reineta and Golden) initiating the ripening process earlier than reddish ones (Teórica, Sanroqueña, and Caguleira). Changes in the melatonin and melatonin isomer 2 contents during growth and ripening were studied in Golden apples, as was the effect of the melatonin treatment (500 µM, day 124 post-anthesis) on the apple tree. Melatonin content varied greatly, with higher value in the skin than in the flesh. In the skin, melatonin increased at day 132 post-anthesis, when ethylene synthesis started. In the flesh, melatonin levels were high at the beginning of the growth phase and at the end of ripening. Melatonin isomer 2 was also higher once the ripening started and when ethylene began to increase. The melatonin treatment significantly advanced the ethylene production and increased the fruit size, weight, sugar content, and firmness. The data suggest that melatonin stimulates fruit ripening through the induction of ethylene synthesis, while melatonin treatments before ripening improve the final fruit quality.
In Vivo Biocompatibility of an Innovative Elastomer for Heart Assist Devices
Authors: Zawidlak-Węgrzyńska Barbara , Fray Miroslawa El , Janiczak Karolina , Kustosz Roman , Gonsior Małgorzata , Grabarek Beniamin Oskar
Published: March 2022

Cardiac surgical approaches require the development of new materials regardless of the polyurethanes used for pulsatile blood pumps; therefore, an innovative biomaterial, a copolymer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and dimer fatty acid (dilinoleic acid) modified with D-glucitol, hereafter referred to as PET/DLA, has been developed, showing non-hemolytic and atrombogenic properties and resistance to biodegradation. The aim of this work was to evaluate in vivo inflammatory responses to intramuscular implantation of PET/DLA biomaterials of different compositions (hard to soft segments). Two copolymers containing 70 and 65 wt.% of hard segments, as in poly(ethylene terephthalate) and dilinoleic acid in soft segments modified with D-glucitol, were used for implantation tests to monitor tissue response. Medical grade polyurethanes Bionate II 90A and Bionate II 55 were used as reference materials. After euthanasia of animals (New Zealand White rabbits, n = 49), internal organs and tissues that contacted the material were collected for histopathological examination. The following parameters were determined: peripheral blood count, blood smear with May Grunwald–Giemsa staining, and serum C-reactive protein (CRPP). The healing process observed at the implantation site of the new materials after 12 weeks indicated normal progressive collagenization of the scar, with an indication of the inflammatory–resorptive process. The analysis of the chemical structure of explants 12 weeks after implantation showed good stability of the tested copolymers in contact with living tissues. Overall, the obtained results indicate great potential for PET/DLA in medical applications; however, final verification of its applicability as a structural material in prostheses is needed.
Model Test on Approaching the Construction of Multi-Line Overlapping Shield Tunnels for Up- and Down-Crossing
Authors: Liu Shangge , Wang Yuanhai , Zhou Hui , Sun Changzhong , Lin Dongfei
Published: March 2022

Multi-line overlapping shield tunnels have a complicated layout in the underground space, and the interaction mechanism between tunnels is very complicated. Based on the construction formation of multi-line overlapped shield tunnel with short-distance up- and down-crossing, indoor model tests were conducted to analyze ground settlement (caused by excavation unloading and stratum loss) and the longitudinal deformation law of existing tunnels based on the drainage method, according to the characteristics and control requirements of the short-distance construction of shield tunnels. The results show that as long as the construction strategy of first-down and then-up crossing is adopted, no sudden change in ground settlement would occur. Furthermore, neither the changes in transient settlements nor the final ground settlement would be too large, which is different from the strategy of first-up and then-down crossing; the first-up and then-down crossing strategy generally increases the curvature of the deformation curve of the existing tunnel, and the deformation of the existing tunnel will cause obvious repeated vibrations. This provides theoretical guidance for the design and construction of multi-line overlapped tunnels.
Preventive and Regenerative Effect of Glutamine and Probiotics on Gastric Mucosa in an Experimental Model of Alcohol-Induced Injury in Male Holtzman Rats
Authors: Lozada-Urbano Michelle , Pitot Christian , Recoba-Obregón Paulo , Paredes-Inofuente Diego , Cáceres Cristina , Rivera-Lozada Oriana , Inga-Berrospi Fiorella , Bonilla-Asalde Cesar
Published: March 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to measure the preventive and regenerative effect of glutamine and probiotics induced by alcohol injury in Holtzman rats. Methods: Analytical, experimental and prospective study. The population consisted of 56 male rats between 300 and 350 g, distributed in three experimental phases: Pre-pilot phase PPP (6 rats), Pilot phase PP (10 rats), and Experimental phase EP (40 rats). In the pilot phase, 10 rats were subjected to damage with 8.5% ethanol, which was given intragastrically. The dosage was calculated for 10 rats in two groups: the first with 7.5 mL/kg in 5 rats and the second with 8.5 mL/kg in 5 rats. The experimental phase was performed in 40 rats divided into 6 groups, the negative control group (healthy), positive control group (injured), preventive experimental group (glutamine and glutamine with probiotic) and regenerative experimental group (glutamine and glutamine with probiotic). At the end of each phase, the rats were sacrificed with sodium pentobarbital (Halathal) and a portion of their stomachs was stored in formol. Results: The evaluation of stomach tissue samples (desquamation, erythema, hyperemia) showed that in the preventive phase, glutamine shows effectiveness in comparison to glutamine with probiotic. In the regenerative phase, glutamine and glutamine with probiotic did not show significant differences. Conclusions: Glutamine and probiotics can potentially serve as a therapy for the treatment for gastritis.
Defining Fragmentation Patterns of Archaeological Bone Remains without Typologies: A Landmark-Based Approach on Rodent Mandibula
Authors: Durocher Marine , Grouard Sandrine , Nicolas Violaine , Maestri Renan , Evin Allowen
Published: March 2022

Fragmentation is a recurring feature of archaeological faunal material, and impacts many aspects of zooarchaeological studies from taxonomical identification to biometric studies. It can result from anthropic and natural actions that occurred respectively before and/or after bone deposit. While several bone fragmentation typologies have been described, they are currently based on both macroscopic observations and researcher subjectivity and lack the universality necessary for inter-study comparisons. To fulfill this need we present a standardized landmark-based protocol for the description and quantification of mandibular fragmentation patterns, using two insular rodents of different sizes as models. The rice rats (Oryzomyini tribe) and the agouti (Dasyprocta) from the Lesser Antilles were abundant during the pre-Columbian Ceramic Age (500 BCE-1500 CE). Their mandibles’ shapes were quantified using the coordinates of 13 2D-landmarks. We show that landmark-based measurements can be used to:—assess the preservation differences between taxa of the same taxonomic group (e.g., rodents),—estimate the level of preservation of a skeletal part (e.g., mandible),—describe fragmentation patterns without pre-existing typologies and—facilitate the application of geometric morphometric methods to fragmented archaeological material. Our novel approach, leveraging fragmentation analyses and establishing specific fragmentation patterns, frees itself from existing typologies and could be systematically applied to future research.
Application of Electrodialysis for the Selective Lithium Extraction Towards Cobalt, Nickel and Manganese from Leach Solutions Containing High Divalent Cations/Li Ratio
Authors: Gmar Soumaya , Chagnes Alexandre , Lutin Florence , Muhr Laurence
Published: March 2022

The present work aims at investigating the potentialities of implementation of electrodialysis for the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries. In this work, the use of highly-selective membrane toward lithium(I) in electrodialysis was investigated to recover selectively lithium(I) toward cobalt(II), nickel(II) and manganese(II) by means of monovalent ion-selective membranes. It was shown that the presence of divalent cations in the leach solution is responsible for a significant decrease of the limiting current despite an increase in ionic conductivity. Therefore, monitoring the ionic conductivity was not sufficient to operate electrodialysis under optimal conditions, especially when highly selective membranes were used. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the current has to be lower than the limiting current to avoid metal hydroxide precipitation into the membrane porosity by monitoring the limiting current over time.
Calculation of the Rub’ al Khali Sand Dune Volume for Estimating Potential Sand Sources
Authors: Almutlaq Fahad , Nahas Faten , Mulligan Kevin
Published: March 2022

The Rub’ al Khali desert (or Empty Quarter) is the largest and perhaps most significant sand sea in the world. Located on the southern Arabian Peninsula, the dune field has remained largely unexplored owing to the harsh clime and difficult terrain. This study takes advantage of geospatial technology (interpolations, supervised classification, minimum focal statistic) to extract information from the data contained in global Digital Elevation Model (DEM)s, satellite imagery. The main objective here is to identify and map different dune forms within the sand sea, estimate the volume of sand and explore probable sources of sand. The analysis of dune color strongly suggests that the sand is not completely reworked and intermixed. If this is true, a spatial variability map of the mineral composition of the sand could be very revealing. The red sand is quite pronounced, the largest volume of sand (~36%) is associated with the yellow color class. Yellow sand covers most of the western part of the dunes field and seems to be a transitional color between red and white sand in the eastern part of the dune field. This suggests that the yellow sand might be derived from both local and regional sources, or it might be less oxidized, reworked, or have a different composition that represents a combination of red and white sand.
Estimating Next Day’s Forest Fire Risk via a Complete Machine Learning Methodology
Authors: Apostolakis Alexis , Girtsou Stella , Giannopoulos Giorgos , Bartsotas Nikolaos S. , Kontoes Charalampos
Published: March 2022

Next day wildfire prediction is an open research problem with significant environmental, social, and economic impact since it can produce methods and tools directly exploitable by fire services, assisting, thus, in the prevention of fire occurrences or the mitigation of their effects. It consists in accurately predicting which areas of a territory are at higher risk of fire occurrence each next day, exploiting solely information obtained up until the previous day. The task’s requirements in spatial granularity and scale of predictions, as well as the extreme imbalance of the data distribution render it a rather demanding and difficult to accurately solve the problem. This is reflected in the current literature, where most existing works handle a simplified or limited version of the problem. Taking into account the above problem specificities, in this paper, we present a machine learning methodology that effectively (sensitivity > 90%, specificity > 65%) and efficiently performs next day fire prediction, in rather high spatial granularity and in the scale of a country. The key points of the proposed approach are summarized in: (a) the utilization of an extended set of fire driving factors (features), including topography-related, meteorology-related and Earth Observation (EO)-related features, as well as historical information of areas’ proneness to fire occurrence; (b) the deployment of a set of state-of-the-art classification algorithms that are properly tuned/optimized on the setting; (c) two alternative cross-validation schemes along with custom validation measures that allow the optimal and sound training of classification models, as well as the selection of different models, in relation to the desired trade-off between sensitivity (ratio of correctly identified fire areas) and specificity (ratio of correctly identified non-fire areas). In parallel, we discuss pitfalls, intuitions, best practices, and directions for further investigation derived from our analysis and experimental evaluation.
Frequency-Domain sEMG Classification Using a Single Sensor
Authors: Stefanou Thekla , Guiraud David , Fattal Charles , Azevedo-Coste Christine , Fonseca Lucas
Published: March 2022

Working towards the development of robust motion recognition systems for assistive technology control, the widespread approach has been to use a plethora of, often times, multi-modal sensors. In this paper, we develop single-sensor motion recognition systems. Utilising the peripheral nature of surface electromyography (sEMG) data acquisition, we optimise the information extracted from sEMG sensors. This allows the reduction in sEMG sensors or provision of contingencies in a system with redundancies. In particular, we process the sEMG readings captured at the trapezius descendens and platysma muscles. We demonstrate that sEMG readings captured at one muscle contain distinct information on movements or contractions of other agonists. We used the trapezius and platysma muscle sEMG data captured in able-bodied participants and participants with tetraplegia to classify shoulder movements and platysma contractions using white-box supervised learning algorithms. Using the trapezius sensor, shoulder raise is classified with an accuracy of 99%. Implementing subject-specific multi-class classification, shoulder raise, shoulder forward and shoulder backward are classified with a 94% accuracy amongst object raise and shoulder raise-and-hold data in able bodied adults. A three-way classification of the platysma sensor data captured with participants with tetraplegia achieves a 95% accuracy on platysma contraction and shoulder raise detection.
Energy-Efficient Monitoring of Fine Particulate Matter with Tiny Aerosol Conditioner
Authors: Baek Sung Hoon
Published: March 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM) is associated with an increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Fine PM absorbs water molecules at high relative humidity, and then their size grows. Such hygroscopic growth causes a large error when monitoring PM concentrations. To lower the relative humidity, monitors use an indirect heating device, which is large and consumes large amounts of power. The problem with conventional particle separators is that their efficiency depends on temperature and humidity, and their traditional structure, which lets air flow downward. As such, this paper addresses these problems and presents a PM monitor with a new type of dryer that is free from these problems. The proposed monitor requires less energy and has an efficient dehumidifier and a new structure in which air flows upward. The presented experiments were conducted to compare the proposed device with a reference monitor managed by a governmental institute, and to evaluate the effect of the dehumidifier, the relative precision of the proposed devices, and the correlation with the reference monitor. The experimental results showed that the proposed monitor satisfies the U.S. EPA indicators for class III monitors.
An Aggregated Data Integration Approach to the Web and Cloud Platforms through a Modular REST-Based OPC UA Middleware
Authors: Habib Kaiser , Saad Mohamad Hanif Md , Hussain Aini , Sarker Mahidur R. , Alaghbari Khaled A.
Published: March 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) empowers the development of heterogeneous systems for various application domains using embedded devices and diverse data transmission protocols. Collaborative integration of these systems in the industrial domain leads to incompatibility and interoperability at different automation levels, requiring unified coordination to exchange information efficiently. The hardware specifications of these devices are resource-constrained, limiting their performance in resource allocation, data management, and remote process supervision. Hence, unlocking network capabilities with other domains such as cloud and web services is required. This study proposed a platform-independent middleware module incorporating the Open Platform Communication Unified Architecture (OPC UA) and Representational State Transfer (REST) paradigms. The object-oriented structure of this middleware allows information contextualization to address interoperability issues and offers aggregated data integration with other domains. RESTful web and cloud platforms were implemented to collect this middleware data, provide remote application support, and enable aggregated resource allocation in a database server. Several performance assessments were conducted on the developed system deployed in Raspberry Pi and Intel NUC PC, which showed acceptable platform resource utilization regarding CPU, bandwidth, and power consumption, with low service, update, and response time requirements. This integrated approach demonstrates an excellent cost-effective prospect for interoperable Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication, enables remote process supervision, and offers aggregated bulk data management with wider domains.
Privacy Preserving Multi-Party Key Exchange Protocol for Wireless Mesh Networks
Authors: Roy Amit Kumar , Nath Keshab , Srivastava Gautam , Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Lin Jerry Chun-Wei
Published: March 2022

Presently, lightweight devices such as mobile phones, notepads, and laptops are widely used to access the Internet throughout the world; however, a problem of privacy preservation and authentication delay occurs during handover operation when these devices change their position from a home mesh access point (HMAP) to a foreign mesh access point (FMAP). Authentication during handover is mostly performed through ticket-based techniques, which permit the user to authenticate itself to the foreign mesh access point; therefore, a secure communication method should be formed between the mesh entities to exchange the tickets. In two existing protocols, this ticket was not secured at all and exchanged in a plaintext format. We propose a protocol for handover authentication with privacy preservation of the transfer ticket via the Diffie–Hellman method. Through experimental results, our proposed protocol achieves privacy preservation with minimum authentication delay during handover operation.
Deep Learning for Smart Healthcare—A Survey on Brain Tumor Detection from Medical Imaging
Authors: Arabahmadi Mahsa , Farahbakhsh Reza , Rezazadeh Javad
Published: March 2022

Advances in technology have been able to affect all aspects of human life. For example, the use of technology in medicine has made significant contributions to human society. In this article, we focus on technology assistance for one of the most common and deadly diseases to exist, which is brain tumors. Every year, many people die due to brain tumors; based on “braintumor” website estimation in the U.S., about 700,000 people have primary brain tumors, and about 85,000 people are added to this estimation every year. To solve this problem, artificial intelligence has come to the aid of medicine and humans. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most common method to diagnose brain tumors. Additionally, MRI is commonly used in medical imaging and image processing to diagnose dissimilarity in different parts of the body. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive review on the existing efforts for applying different types of deep learning methods on the MRI data and determined the existing challenges in the domain followed by potential future directions. One of the branches of deep learning that has been very successful in processing medical images is CNN. Therefore, in this survey, various architectures of CNN were reviewed with a focus on the processing of medical images, especially brain MRI images.
Wireless Communication Test on 868 MHz and 2.4 GHz from inside the 18650 Li-Ion Enclosed Metal Shell
Authors: Marsic Vlad , Amietszajew Tazdin , Igic Petar , Faramehr Soroush , Fleming Joe
Published: March 2022

As the RF communication on 18650 Li-ion cell level has not been reported due to its challenges and constrains, in this work, a valid wireless data link is demonstrated in an enclosed empty metal shell at 868 MHz and 2.4 GHz based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The experimental tests are carried out using two generic unturned radiative structures, a wire loop fitted inside a cell shell, and an open terminal sub miniature version A (SMA), subsequently oriented vertically and horizontally relative to the ground plane. Based on signal strength indicator, bit error rate, and packet error rate, the test characterized a payload of 120 bytes at the highest speed of 150 kbps and 250 kbps supported by the IEEE 802.15.4 for the two communication frequencies. A MATLAB simulation is used in parallel to determine the three-dimensional radiative pattern of the two structures, whereas a three-ray model for multipath range propagation is implemented to complete the empirical experiments. It was demonstrated through testing communication of up to 10 m for both operating frequencies, proving the concept of wireless cell communication within short ranges, an essential feature for monitoring the health of each cell inside future electric vehicles (EVs).
Blockchain Based Authentication and Cluster Head Selection Using DDR-LEACH in Internet of Sensor Things
Authors: Amjad Sana , Abbas Shahid , Abubaker Zain , Alsharif Mohammed H. , Jahid Abu , Javaid Nadeem
Published: March 2022

This paper proposes a blockchain-based node authentication model for the Internet of sensor things (IoST). The nodes in the network are authenticated based on their credentials to make the network free from malicious nodes. In IoST, sensor nodes gather the information from the environment and send it to the cluster heads (CHs) for additional processing. CHs aggregate the sensed information. Therefore, their energy rapidly depletes due to extra workload. To solve this issue, we proposed distance, degree, and residual energy-based low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (DDR-LEACH) protocol. DDR-LEACH is used to replace CHs with the ordinary nodes based on maximum residual energy, degree, and minimum distance from BS. Furthermore, storing a huge amount of data in the blockchain is very costly. To tackle this issue, an external data storage, named as interplanetary file system (IPFS), is used. Furthermore, for ensuring data security in IPFS, AES 128-bit is used, which performs better than the existing encryption schemes. Moreover, a huge computational cost is required using a proof of work consensus mechanism to validate transactions. To solve this issue, proof of authority (PoA) consensus mechanism is used in the proposed model. The simulation results are carried out, which show the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed system model. The DDR-LEACH is compared with LEACH and the simulation results show that DDR-LEACH outperforms LEACH in terms of energy consumption, throughput, and improvement in network lifetime with CH selection mechanism. Moreover, transaction cost is computed, which is reduced by PoA during data storage on IPFS and service provisioning. Furthermore, the time is calculated in the comparison of AES 128-bit scheme with existing scheme. The formal security analysis is performed to check the effectiveness of smart contract against attacks. Additionally, two different attacks, MITM and Sybil, are induced in our system to show our system model’s resilience against cyber attacks.
(Non-)Politicized Ageism: Exploring the Multiple Identities of Older Activists
Authors: Blanche-T. Daniel , Fernández-Ardèvol Mireia
Published: March 2022

The increase in ageing populations has spurred predictions on the growth of a politically powerful old-age bloc. While their protest mobilizations have risen to reach youth standards, there is scarce scholarly evidence of the role of multiple identities in older activists’ involvement. We address this gap by interviewing activists in Iaioflautas, an older adults’ social movement emerging from the heat of the protest cycles in Spain in 2011. In-depth interviews with 15 members of varying levels of involvement revealed the paramount role of the movement in the identity construction of its participants. Iaioflautas endows a strong sense of collective identity based on intergenerational solidarity and enables to counter the culturally devalued identity of older adults and retirees. Whereas perceptions of widespread ageist stereotypes against older adults abound in this group, they omit to view the movement through an old-age identity politics lens. Furthermore, they reproduce ageist attitudes against age peers refraining from active involvement. This paradox suggests that the non-politicization of ageism restrains the development of a collective identity based on old age. We highlight how an increase in ageing populations might advance this issue in future research.
A Conceptual Model for Assessing the Relationship between Urban Morphology and Sustainable Urban Form
Authors: Mobaraki Abdollah , Oktay Vehbi Beser
Published: March 2022

The built environment witnessed rapid transformation after the industrial revolution. This transformation came along with some negativities, which gave rise to the concept of sustainability in urban form. In this regard, the current study aimed to assess and validate the reciprocal relationship between urban morphology and sustainable urban form. This study proposes a conceptual model which integrates and presents the holistic correlation between sustainable urban form and urban morphology, by using qualitative grounded theory as the research methodology. The model was developed by introducing analytical tools to evaluate sustainability, along with integrating typo-morphology and the concept of scale hierarchy. The findings of this study reveal that every single component of sustainable urban form interacts significantly with the typo-morphology approach. Consequently, the outcomes help urban planners to get more informed decisions about the geometric analysis of urban morphology from a sustainability point of view.
Challenges and Strategies for Employee Retention in the Hospitality Industry: A Review
Authors: Ghani Bilqees , Zada Muhammad , Memon Khalid Rasheed , Ullah Rezwan , Khattak Afraseyab , Han Heesup , Ariza-Montes Antonio , Araya-Castillo Luis
Published: March 2022

Despite the issues that the hospitality industry encounters in retaining talented employees, little attention has been paid to the development of retention strategies, resulting in poor organizational performance and sustainable growth. The current study, therefore, aims to review and discuss the employee retention strategies in the hospitality industry in order to keep talented employees for a longer period of time. The study is based on past literature and peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2020. The databases Web Knowledge, Emerald, Google Scholar, and Science Direct were used to find the relevant papers using the key words such as “Hospitality Industry”, “employee retention”, “employee turnover”, and “employees”. The findings of this study suggest that employee retention is contingent on employee satisfaction, which is comprised of four factors: sustainable positive work environment; sustainable growth opportunities; sustainable & effective communication; and sustainable & effective recruitment and selection practices. The paper contributes to a comprehensive review of the literature on employee retention strategies in the hospitality context. The study proposes a model for the hospitality industry to revamp its recruitment and selection practices in order to retain its employees. Furthermore, the study provides a focused directions that will aid in the establishment of employee retention strategies and practices. It was concluded that satisfied employees are less likely to leave their current job, while unsatisfied employees are expected to leave their current job for a better career opportunity. Managerial implications were also discussed.
Aesthetic Aerogel Window Design for Sustainable Buildings
Authors: Carroll Mary , Anderson Ann , Mangu Sri , Hajjaj Zineb , Capron Margeaux
Published: March 2022

Transport of heat through windows accounts for more than 25% of heating and cooling losses in residential buildings. Silica-based aerogels are translucent with extremely low thermal conductivity, which make them attractive for incorporation into the interspaces of glazing units. Widespread incorporation of monolithic-silica-aerogel-based windows could result in significant energy savings associated with the heating and cooling of buildings. However, monolithic silica aerogels do not have the optical clarity of vision glass, due to light scattering by the solid matrix, and often have surface imperfections, both of which render these materials less appealing for glazing applications. Here, we demonstrate a variety of approaches to preparing aesthetically pleasing monolithic silica aerogel by a rapid supercritical extraction method for incorporation into glazing units, including: (1) process improvements that result in monoliths with higher visible light transmission; (2) innovative mold design for the preparation of uniform aerogel monoliths; (3) glazing designs that use thinner monoliths; and (4) the incorporation of artistic effects using dyes and laser etching to prepare glazing units with mosaic- or stained-glass-like patterns in which surface imperfections are perceived as features of the design rather than flaws.
Perspective of Life-Cycle Cost Analysis and Risk Assessment for Airport Pavement in Delaying Preventive Maintenance
Authors: Babashamsi Peyman , Khahro Shabir Hussain , Omar Hend Ali , Al-Sabaeei Abdulnaser M. , Memon Abdul Muhaimin , Milad Abdalrhman , Khan Muhammad Imran , Sutanto Muslich Hartadi , Yusoff Nur Izzi Md
Published: March 2022

Airport pavements deteriorate with age due to the impacts of environmental factors and air traffic. There is a dearth of studies on the scheduling of airport pavement maintenance and the importance of assessing the different scheduling strategies using Life-Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). An analysis of the cost–benefit study of a delay in maintenance alternatives should be done to determine whether a one-year delay is beneficial. This study concerns airport pavement management systems and the significance of a delay in several maintenance and preservation strategies depending on the analysis of inputs and outputs based on data from the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport in Jefferson County, United States. Herein, four preventive maintenance strategies were reviewed: three of the strategies involve crack treatment, namely crack sealing, patching, and a slurry seal, while the review of surface treatment only looks at the overlay method, which is done based on two Pavement Condition Indices (PCI 90 and PCI 80), and the resulting improvement in service life. The novel integrated LCCA + LCA program, namely PAVECO, is introduced in this research to compare alternatives from perspectives that are not purely economic, by considering direct costs, indirect costs, and salvage values. Results show that a one-year delay in preventive maintenance increases the deterministic life cycle cost by 16%. Based on the sensitivity analysis of the discount rate, the total cost shows more than a 10% decrease as the discount rate increased by 1%. Additionally, the uncertainty in PCI 80 is higher than that in PCI 90. The probabilistic model provides stakeholders with the opportunity to consider the alternative which is most suited to the allocated budget. It can be concluded that, based on the simulation of the effects of maintenance activities during the pavement life-cycle, preventive maintenance should start when the roads are in good condition to prompt managers and stakeholders to analyze the costs during the life-cycle. Postponing the preventive maintenance of airport pavement could raise the cost by 50%. The maintenance of airport pavements in developing countries is still one of the main challenges of pavement management due to the maintenance only being done when it is necessary.
Material Inventories and Garment Ontologies: Advancing Upcycling Methods in Fashion Practice
Authors: Bigolin Ricarda , Blomgren Erika , Lidström Anna , Malmgren de Oliveira Stefanie , Thornquist Clemens
Published: March 2022

This study seeks to advance upcycling methods in fashion practice with the specificity of design methods that centre on revaluation and resignification of waste materials. The development of three key approaches to upcycling were tested for future application as design briefs and pedagogies in practice and education. These were developed through the acquisition, sorting and selection of a large sample of secondhand, consumer waste materials across fashion and textiles sectors. Practice-based experiments and the use of different forms of photo documentation examined and explored distinct ways to creatively understand waste material properties, conditions and potential. Fashion and material studies frameworks of object biographies, wardrobe studies, waste, secondhand material economies and art practice approaches of reclaimed materials expanded and refined the approaches. “Material Inventories” is proposed as a creative and analytical method to identify, sort and annotate pre- and post-consumer waste materials. “Garment ontologies” delineates how traditionally “design” in fashion practice is separate from materials and production. These methods enable a deeper investigation into material qualities, conditions, and reuse potential for extended life cycles. This experimental study presents novel and relevant findings with a compelling material sample and practice-based methods adjacent to scholarship in this area that are predominately theoretical- or case study-based.
Thinking Critically through Key Issues in Improving the Effectiveness of Waterlogging Prevention and Control System in China’s Historic Districts
Authors: Si Shuai , Li Junqi , Wang Yuzhen , Liu Lian
Published: March 2022

Solving the problem of waterlogging is of great significance to the protection of historic districts and urban renewal. To solve the problem of waterlogging, it is necessary to comprehensively consider technical aspects such as the “Major-Minor-Micro” drainage system and the connection of urban/watershed flood control systems. At the same time, attention should be paid to the role of management in the entire system. However, there are a series of problems in the current waterlogging prevention and control system in China’s historic districts. The effectiveness improvement plan of the waterlogging prevention and control system is not sufficiently targeted. The various subsystems in the waterlogging prevention and control system play a role in poor coordination. The waterlogging prevention and control system does not work closely with the flood control system. Different management departments have weak coordination in the prevention and control of waterlogging. Aiming at the problems in the waterlogging prevention and control system in historic districts, this paper proposed a series of countermeasures. The waterlogging prevention and control system in historic districts should make full use of the current advanced concepts and practical experience of stormwater management. In order to enhance the role of the waterlogging prevention and control system in historic districts, specific issues should be analyzed in detail. The waterlogging prevention and control system in historic districts needs to be divided into different levels. The waterlogging prevention and control system should be aligned with historic attributes and be highly pertinent. The waterlogging prevention and control system should be closely coordinated with the larger-scale flood control system. At the same time, the intelligent management platform should be used to increase the supervision of the whole process of waterlogging in historic districts.
Smart Agricultural Futures Market: Blockchain Technology as a Trust Enabler between Smallholder Farmers and Buyers
Authors: Kumarathunga Malni , Calheiros Rodrigo N. , Ginige Athula
Published: March 2022

Smallholder farmers produce over 70% of the world’s food needs. Yet, the socioeconomic conditions of the smallholder farmers are substandard. One of the primary reasons for this unpropitious situation is that they generate modest income by selling their harvest due to the lack of trusted buyers and organized markets. This research explores how technology can enable the trust to reduce transaction-related risks, empowering unknown parties to transact. Blockchain technology has the potential of mitigating transaction-related risks and promoting trust with a tamper-proof history of transactions and automatic execution of smart contracts. Based on blockchain technology to promote trust, this research has discovered a novel approach for smallholder farmers to conduct exchanges by generating social capital as an individual and using that social capital as collateral for financial exchanges when establishing contracts. This approach empowers farmers to trade smart futures contracts on behalf of the expected harvest at a better rate to receive some cash in advance to be used in the cultivation process to produce a high-quality harvest that attracts better rates. It also enables them to perform aggregated marketing with enhanced market linkages that, in turn, assist in increasing margins made by the farmer.
Combined Searches of Chinese Language and English Language Databases Provide More Comprehensive Data on the Distribution of Five Pest Thrips Species in China for Use in Pest Risk Assessment
Authors: Xu Bingqin , Teulon David A. J.
Published: March 2022

Background: Globally, China and the USA are thought to present the greatest biosecurity threat from invasive species given the invasive species they already contain and their trade patterns. A proportion of Chinese scientific publications are published in Chinese language journals in Chinese characters, thus, they are not easily available to the international biosecurity community. Information in these journals may be important for invasive species biosecurity risk assessment. Methods: To assess the need for retrieving information from non-international databases, such as Chinese databases, we compared quantitative and qualitative information on the presence and distribution of five invasive pest thrips species (Frankliniella schultzei, Selenothrips rubrocinctus, Scirtothrips dorsalis, Thrips hawaiiensis, and Thrips palmi) in China, retrieved from an international English language database (Web of Science/WOS) and a Chinese language database (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure/CNKI). Such information is necessary for climate matching models which are used regularly for pest risk assessment. Results: Few publications on Frankliniella schultzei were found in either database. For the other species, more publications were sourced from CNKI than WOS. More publications on the provincial distribution of S. rubrocinctus and S. dorsalis in China were found in CNKI than the Crop Protection Compendium (CPC); the two sources had equivalent publications on T. palmi and T. hawaiiensis. The combined provincial distributional data from WOS, CNKI and CPC for the four species provided distribution records at a higher latitude than a recently published checklist—information that is important for optimised climate matching. Additionally, CNKI provided sub-provincial distributional data not available in CPC that will enable a more refined approach for climate matching. Data on the relative proportion of publications found in different databases were constant over time. Conclusions: This study, focusing on pest distributional data, illustrates the importance of searching in Chinese databases in combination with standard searches in international databases, to gain a comprehensive understanding of invasive species for biosecurity risk assessment.
An Empirical Evaluation of Customers’ Adoption of Drone Food Delivery Services: An Extended Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Waris Idrees , Ali Rashid , Nayyar Anand , Baz Mohammed , Liu Ran , Hameed Irfan
Published: March 2022

A single technological advancement in the business sector tremendously changed customers’ lifestyles and consumption behavior. Drone technology is one of the main revolutions that increase business efficiency at a lower cost. However, the acceptance of emerging technologies is not rapid in developing markets. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate customers’ adoption of drone technology in the context of food delivery services. This study has used an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) to assess customers’ behavior. Product processing innovativeness, information processing innovativeness, and subjective norms have been added as additional constructs into TAM. The data of 354 customers from five different cities of Pakistan have been collected and analyzed through partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results of the study revealed that all proposed hypotheses, except the positive influence of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness, were accepted. Further, the results depict that perceived usefulness, subjective norms, and attitude were the major predictors of customers’ adoption of drone food delivery services. In addition to this, customers’ word of mouth has a greater influence and reach than other forms of marketing communication. Therefore, practitioners and marketers may consider hosting competition programs to experiment with drone food delivery systems to enhance the acceptance of this technology among the masses.