bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Cardiac Sequelae in Patients Referred into a Diagnostic Post-COVID-19 Pathway: The Different Impacts on the Right and Left Ventricles
Authors: Pelà Giovanna , Goldoni Matteo , Cavalli Chiara , Perrino Felice , Tagliaferri Sara , Frizzelli Annalisa , Mori Pier Anselmo , Majori Maria , Aiello Marina , Sverzellati Nicola , Corradi Massimo , Chetta Alfredo
Published: November 2021

Most patients who had COVID-19 are still symptomatic after many months post infection, but the long-term outcomes are not yet well defined. The aim of our prospective/retrospective study was to define the cardiac sequelae of COVID-19 infection. This monocentric cohort study included 160 consecutive patients who had been discharged from the ward or from the outpatient clinic after a diagnosis of COVID-19 and subsequently referred for a follow-up visit. Clinical features’ data about the acute phase along with information about the follow-up visit, including ECG and Echocardiographic parameters, were recorded. At an average follow-up of 5 months, echocardiography showed morpho-functional characteristics of both right (RV) and left (LV) ventricles, such as RV dilation, increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation, and bi-ventricular systolic–diastolic dysfunction. When examined using multivariate analysis, independent of age, sex, and co-morbidities, RV and LV changes were significantly associated with chest High-Resolution computed tomography score and hemodynamic Instability (HI), and with C-reactive protein, respectively. Our results suggest that COVID-19 may impact RV and LV differently. Notably, the extent of the pneumonia and HI may affect RV, whereas the inflammatory status may influence LV. A long-term follow-up is warranted to refine and customize the most appropriate therapeutic strategies.
Immunological Trajectories of White Blood Cells from Adolescence to Adulthood: Description and Determinants
Authors: Barroso Isaac , Guimarães João Tiago , Severo Milton , Craveiro Vanda , Ramos Elisabete
Published: November 2021

Background: The immune system gradually matures early in life in the face of internal and external stimuli. Whether the immune responses are lasting and stable during the course of life is still unclear. Methods: As part of the EPITeen cohort, 1183 adolescents were prospectively evaluated at the ages of 13, 17, 21, 24 and 27. Sociodemographic, behavioral and clinical data were collected by self- and face-to-face-administered questionnaires, along with a physical examination comprising anthropometric measurements and blood sample collections. Mixed-effects models were used to identify individual trajectories of white blood cells (WBC) and finite Gaussian mixture models were used to identify the clusters of individual trajectories. Results: Participants were allocated into six clusters based on the individual trajectories of WBC distribution. Higher Inflammatory Activation Cluster (11.4%) had the highest total WBC count and neutrophils percentage, as well as the lowest percentage of lymphocytes. These participants had significantly higher odds of being overweight [OR = 2.44, 95%CI:1.51–3.92]. Lowest Levels of WBC Cluster (24.1%) had the lowest total WBC count, being characterized by a higher participation on sports [OR = 1.54, 95%CI:1.12–2.13]. Highest Proportion of Eosinophils Cluster (20.1%) had the highest eosinophils percentage and the highest likelihood of having been diagnosed with a chronic disease [OR = 2.11, 95%CI:1.43–3.13], namely “asthma or allergies” [OR = 14.0 (1.73, 112.2]. Lowest Proportion of Eosinophils Cluster (29.1%) had the lowest percentage of eosinophils and basophils, as well as the highest lymphocyte proportion. Participants in the Undefined Cluster (13.8%) showed the highest percentage of monocytes and basophils and were also characterized by significant lower odds of having parents with 7–9 years of schooling [OR = 0.56, (0.32, 0.99]. Conclusions: In this study we identified distinct immunological trajectories of WBC from adolescence to adulthood that were associated with social, clinical and behavioral determinants. These results suggest that these immunological trajectories are defined early in life, being dependent on the exposures.
Designing a User-Centered Interaction Interface for Human–Swarm Teaming
Authors: Divband Soorati Mohammad , Clark Jediah , Ghofrani Javad , Tarapore Danesh , Ramchurn Sarvapali D.
Published: November 2021

A key challenge in human–swarm interaction is to design a usable interface that allows the human operators to monitor and control a scalable swarm. In our study, we restrict the interactions to only one-to-one communications in local neighborhoods between UAV-UAV and operator-UAV. This type of proximal interactions will decrease the cognitive complexity of the human–swarm interaction to O(1). In this paper, a user study with 100 participants provides evidence that visualizing a swarm as a heat map is more effective in addressing usability and acceptance in human–swarm interaction. We designed an interactive interface based on the users’ preference and proposed a controlling mechanism that allows a human operator to control a large swarm of UAVs. We evaluated the proposed interaction interface with a complementary user study. Our testbed and results establish a benchmark to study human–swarm interaction where a scalable swarm can be managed by a single operator.
Using Entropy to Evaluate the Impact of Monetary Policy Shocks on Financial Networks
Authors: Caraiani Petre , Lazarec Alexandru
Published: November 2021

We analyze the changes in the financial network built using the Dow Jones Industrial Average components following monetary policy shocks. Monetary policy shocks are measured through unexpected changes in the federal funds rate in the United States. We determine the changes in the financial networks using singular value decomposition entropy and von Neumann entropy. The results indicate that unexpected positive shocks in monetary policy shocks lead to lower entropy. The results are robust to varying the window size used to construct financial networks, though they also depend on the type of entropy used.
Ensemble Neuroevolution-Based Approach for Multivariate Time Series Anomaly Detection
Authors: Faber Kamil , Pietron Marcin , Zurek Dominik
Published: November 2021

Multivariate time series anomaly detection is a widespread problem in the field of failure prevention. Fast prevention means lower repair costs and losses. The amount of sensors in novel industry systems makes the anomaly detection process quite difficult for humans. Algorithms that automate the process of detecting anomalies are crucial in modern failure prevention systems. Therefore, many machine learning models have been designed to address this problem. Mostly, they are autoencoder-based architectures with some generative adversarial elements. This work shows a framework that incorporates neuroevolution methods to boost the anomaly detection scores of new and already known models. The presented approach adapts evolution strategies for evolving an ensemble model, in which every single model works on a subgroup of data sensors. The next goal of neuroevolution is to optimize the architecture and hyperparameters such as the window size, the number of layers, and the layer depths. The proposed framework shows that it is possible to boost most anomaly detection deep learning models in a reasonable time and a fully automated mode. We ran tests on the SWAT and WADI datasets. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first approach in which an ensemble deep learning anomaly detection model is built in a fully automatic way using a neuroevolution strategy.
A Seismological and Geophysical Database of Kos Island: 10 Years of Digital Records
Authors: Moshou Alexandra
Published: November 2021

A ten-year complete seismological database is evaluated in the present work. These data are provided for events with magnitude ML ≥ 1.0, which have occurred in Eastern Greece and, more specifically, in Kos Island. Several selection criteria are applied and, hence, a catalog of the seismological records is compiled. Detailed big data (seismological, tide gauge, geodetic stations, accelerometers, etc.) of this region are used and processed in this work. The database consists of approximately 35,000 three-component broadband seismograms from 1198 digitally recorded events. It covers the last ten years of measurements, including records from the 20 July 2017, ML 6.2, Kos Island, Greece event. The seismological communities can either use this database to conduct new research or improve already existing seismic hazard studies in the region.
Optimal Sizing and Cost Minimization of Solar Photovoltaic Power System Considering Economical Perspectives and Net Metering Schemes
Authors: Rauf Abdul , Al-Awami Ali T. , Kassas Mahmoud , Khalid Muhammad
Published: November 2021

In this paper, economic feasibility of installing small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) system is studied at the residential and commercial buildings from an end-user perspective. Based on given scenarios, the best sizing methodology of solar PV system installation has been proposed focusing primarily on the minimum payback period under given (rooftop) area for solar PV installation by the customer. The strategy is demonstrated with the help of a case study using real-time monthly load profile data of residential as well as commercial load/customers and current market price for solar PVs and inverters. In addition, sensitivity analysis has also been carried out to examine the effectiveness of net metering scheme for fairly high participation from end users. Since Saudi Arabia’s Electricity and Co-generation Regulatory Authority (ECRA) has recently approved and published the net metering scheme for small-scale solar PV systems allowing end users to generate and export energy surplus to the utility grid, the proposed scheme has become vital and its practical significance is justified with figures and graphs obtained through computer simulations.
IoT and Cloud Computing in Health-Care: A New Wearable Device and Cloud-Based Deep Learning Algorithm for Monitoring of Diabetes
Authors: Nasser Ahmed R. , Hasan Ahmed M. , Humaidi Amjad J. , Alkhayyat Ahmed , Alzubaidi Laith , Fadhel Mohammed A. , Santamaría José , Duan Ye
Published: November 2021

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can affect human health negatively when the glucose levels in the blood are elevated over the creatin range called hyperglycemia. The current devices for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) supervise the glucose level in the blood and alert user to the type-1 Diabetes class once a certain critical level is surpassed. This can lead the body of the patient to work at critical levels until the medicine is taken in order to reduce the glucose level, consequently increasing the risk of causing considerable health damages in case of the intake is delayed. To overcome the latter, a new approach based on cutting-edge software and hardware technologies is proposed in this paper. Specifically, an artificial intelligence deep learning (DL) model is proposed to predict glucose levels in 30 min horizons. Moreover, Cloud computing and IoT technologies are considered to implement the prediction model and combine it with the existing wearable CGM model to provide the patients with the prediction of future glucose levels. Among the many DL methods in the state-of-the-art (SoTA) have been considered a cascaded RNN-RBM DL model based on both recurrent neural networks (RNNs) and restricted Boltzmann machines (RBM) due to their superior properties regarding improved prediction accuracy. From the conducted experimental results, it has been shown that the proposed Cloud&DL-based wearable approach achieves an average accuracy value of 15.589 in terms of RMSE, then outperforms similar existing blood glucose prediction methods in the SoTA.
Assessment of the Readiness of Industrial Enterprises for Automation and Digitalization of Business Processes
Authors: Krakovskaya Irina , Korokoshko Julia
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this article is to identify the promising areas of digitalization in the work of industrial enterprises at the national and regional level. The study was conducted on the basis of industrial enterprises of the Republic of Mordovia using the methods of a systematic approach, comparative and strategic analysis, mathematical statistics, etc. As a result, we assessed the impact of the digital transformation of the economy on the development of industrial enterprises in Russia and the Republic of Mordovia, changes in the efficiency of enterprises associated with the expansion of the use IT, the degree of satisfaction of enterprises with the use of specific tools of information and communication technologies, etc. Spearman’s rank linear correlation demonstrates positive and negative effects of ICT using the industrial enterprises. The novelty and practical value of the obtained results consists in the fact that confirmed research hypotheses reflect both specific regional factors and systemic nationwide problems of digitalization of the Russian industry, automation of business process, allow us to outline the priority areas of digital transformation of business models not only of the studied enterprises industry of the region, but also the non-resource sector of the industry in general.
A Robust Framework for MADS Based on DL Techniques on the IoT
Authors: Talal Hussah , Zagrouba Rachid
Published: November 2021

Day after day, new types of malware are appearing, renewing, and continuously developing, which makes it difficult to identify and stop them. Some attackers exploit artificial intelligence (AI) to create renewable malware with different signatures that are difficult to detect. Therefore, the performance of the traditional malware detection systems (MDS) and protection mechanisms were weakened so the malware can easily penetrate them. This poses a great risk to security in the internet of things (IoT) environment, which is interconnected and has big and continuous data. Penetrating any of the things in the IoT environment leads to a penetration of the entire IoT network and control different devices on it. Also, the penetration of the IoT environment leads to a violation of users’ privacy, and this may result in many risks, such as obtaining and stealing the user’s credit card information or theft of identity. Therefore, it is necessary to propose a robust framework for a MDS based on DL that has a high ability to detect renewable malware and propose malware Anomaly detection systems (MADS) work as a human mind to solve the problem of security in IoT environments. RoMADS model achieves high results: 99.038% for Accuracy, 99.997% for Detection rate. The experiment results overcome eighteen models of the previous research works related to this field, which proved the effectiveness of RoMADS framework for detecting malware in IoT.
Thermal Performance of Cemented Paste Backfill Body Considering Its Slurry Sedimentary Characteristics in Underground Backfill Stopes
Authors: Huan Chao , Zhang Sha , Zhao Xiaoxuan , Li Shengteng , Zhang Bo , Zhao Yujiao , Tao Pengfei
Published: November 2021

The combined mine backfill–geothermal (CMBG) system can be used to effectively extract geothermal energy by installing a heat exchange tube (HET) in the underground backfilled stopes of mines, which can be used as the heat supply for buildings in mines and the surrounding areas. The efficient performance of this system strongly depends on the thermal exchange process between the HET and its surrounding cemented paste backfill body (CPB). In this study, a validated simulation model is established to investigate the heat exchange performance of CPB, in which the nonuniformly distributed thermal properties in CPB are fully considered. The results indicate that the increase in the porosity has a negative effect on the heat exchange performance of CPB. With the increase in the porosity, the decreased rate of the conductive heat transfer in CPB could be up to approximately 18%. In conditions with seepage flow, the heat transfer capacity of CPB could be effectively improved. Generally, a higher hydraulic conductivity corresponds to a higher heat transfer performance of CPB. When the seepage velocity rose from 2 × 10−6 to 6 × 10−6 m/s, the thermal conductivity of CPB achieved a 114% increase from 1.843 to 3.957 W/(m·K). Furthermore, it was found that the thermal energy accumulates along the seepage flow direction, enhancing the thermal influencing radius of the HET in this direction. Thus, the arrangement of HETs should fully take into account the seepage flow effect. This proposed simulation model could provide a reference for parameter determination and optimization of CMBG systems.
Exploring the Political Discursive Lock-Ins on Sustainable Aviation in Sweden
Authors: Kulanovic Aneta , Nordensvärd Johan
Published: November 2021

This article analyses the political discourse about governing the future of the aviation industry in Sweden and how a polarized and entrenched discursive path dependency around aviation makes it difficult to invest into aviation’s possible futures as a sustainable transport. We find three different politically merged frames in the political discussion about governing the road to sustainable aviation: (1) Neoliberal sustainable aviation, (2) Green Keynesian sustainable aviation and (3) National environmentalists’ aviation. We can see a discrepancy between two merged frames that believe sustainable aviation will be possible with more or less government support and steering (Neoliberal sustainable aviation and Green Keynesian sustainable aviation) whereas the third merged frame (National environmentalists’ aviation) argues that aviation is bound to be environmentally inferior to trains and, therefore, all focus should go to the later. We can see that there is not just a path dependency in the merged frame of National environmentalists’ aviation that discounts the possibility that both the role of aviation or its sustainability can change as the technology changes. There is here a static perceived view of technology as being forever clean or dirty. Another path dependency is the linkage of aviation transport with particular political parties where the green party, for instance, oppose aviation while the conservative party wants to support aviation and innovation in aviation. This polarization is actually the largest and most important aspect of the discursive lock-in as this undermines any compromises or large-scale future investments in sustainable aviation.
Reliability Assessment of Aircraft Commutators
Authors: Wawrzyński Wojciech , Zieja Mariusz , Tomaszewska Justyna , Michalski Mariusz
Published: November 2021

The article describes the method of predicting the reliability and durability of an aircraft commutator, which is a primary source of electric energy in helicopters. Tests were conducted for 10 starter-generators. From this research it follows that the technical condition of brushes and bearings has a significant impact on the reliability of starter-generators. The reliability of starter-generators was determined based on the method consisting of two stages that was adopted: the first stage involved determining the density function of changes in diagnostic parameter depending on the operating time, but the second stage included the assessment of the reliability of bearings of the starter-generator taking into account the real flight profile. The first stage of the adopted method consisted of defining the dynamic model of changing the length of the starter-generator’s brush, which became the probabilistic model. Subsequently, based on differential equations, Fokker–Planck partial differential equation was derived, which describes the process of increasing the brush wear in a probabilistic way. This method enables the prediction of the residual durability of the helicopter’s starter-generator due to the change in a diagnostic parameter which is the wear of brushes during starter-generator operation. The second stage of this method allows determining the durability of starter-generator’s bearings building upon the average helicopter’s flight profile. Owing to the difficulty in measuring the wear of bearings, the relation between the durability of bearings and the temperature of surroundings can be applied by replacing the flight altitude with temperature. The reliability of the helicopter’s starter-generator was determined based on the serial-type reliability structure.
A Method to Analyze the Performance of Geocooling Systems with Borehole Heat Exchangers. Results in a Monitored Residential Building in Southern Alps
Authors: Belliardi Marco , Cereghetti Nerio , Caputo Paola , Ferrari Simone
Published: November 2021

Geothermal heat is an increasingly adopted source for satisfying all thermal purposes in buildings by reversible heat pumps (HP). However, for residential buildings located in moderate climates, geocooling, that implies the use of geothermal source for cooling buildings without the operation of HP, is an efficient alternative for space cooling not yet explored enough. Geocooling allows two main benefits: to cool the buildings by high energy efficiencies improving summer comfort; to recharge the ground if space heating is provided by HP exploiting the geothermal source (GSHP). In these cases, geocooling allows to avoid the decreasing of the performances of the GSHP for space heating over the years. To explore these issues, a method has been developed and tested on a real case: a new residential building in Lugano (southern Switzerland) coupled with 13 borehole heat exchangers. The system provides space heating in winter by a GSHP and space cooling in summer by geocooling. During a 40 months monitoring campaign, data such as temperatures, heat flows and electricity consumptions were recorded to calibrate the model and verify the benefits of such configuration. Focusing on summer operation, the efficiency of the system, after the improvements implemented, is above 30, confirming, at least in similar contexts, the feasibility of geocooling. Achieved results provides knowledge for future installations, underlining the replication potential and the possible limits.
Energy and Environmental Effects of Human Habits in Residential Buildings Due to COVID-19 Outbreak Scenarios in a Dwelling near Rome
Authors: Palladino Domenico , Di Turi Silvia Di , Nardi Iole
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting containment measures have shown that energy consumption in buildings is linked to several factors, such as living habits, occupancy profiles, and heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. This paper addresses the influences of such factors on energy consumption in a residential building, analysing different scenarios (pre-COVID-19, lockdown, post-COVID-19), in terms of discomfort and energy needs, through the new hourly calculation method (UNI EN ISO 52016). Energy and environmental effects were studied in a real case study near Rome by varying occupancy profiles, lighting and appliance schedules, and HVAC systems. Results show that, during the heating period, the lockdown scenario led to the lowest hours of discomfort (−29% on average), but the highest in the cooling period (up to +154%, +28% on average). The same scenario led to reasonable reduction of energy needs for heating (−14%), but also highlighted a significant increase (+60%) for the cooling period. This study underlines how the pandemic has influenced the energy and environmental behaviours in buildings. Moreover, the new hourly calculation method points out the importance of analysing HVAC systems, in terms of hours of discomfort, which could provide results that are more reliable.
Pressure Swing-Based Reactive Distillation and Dividing Wall Column for Improving Manufacture of Propylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether Acetate
Authors: Chaniago Yus Donald , Nhien Le Cao , Naquash Ahmad , Riaz Amjad , Kim Gwang Sik , Lim Hankwon , Lee Moonyong
Published: November 2021

Propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) is a commonly used solvent in the rapidly developing semiconductor industry. Ultra-high purity PGMEA is required for this ultra-precision industry and to satisfy the current strict waste management regulations. The traditional PGMEA production process consumes considerable energy and has a high production cost. In this study, a novel heat integrated and intensified design, which applies a dividing wall column, reactive distillation, and pressure swing techniques, was proposed for improving the energy efficiency and reducing the cost of PGMEA production. Heat integration was applied to maximize the heat recovery of the process. All processes were simulated using the commercial simulator Aspen Plus V11. The economic and environmental parameters of the process alternative were assessed for a fair comparison with the conventional process. The results showed that heat integration of the optimal pressure swing-based reactive distillation and dividing wall column processes could reduce the energy requirement and TAC by 29.5%, and 20.8%, respectively, compared to that of the optimal conventional process. The improved design provides a strong basis for achieving more sustainable PGMEA production.
Feasibility Conditions for Demonstrative Peer-to-Peer Energy Market
Authors: Kontani Reo , Tanaka Kenji , Yamada Yuji
Published: November 2021

Distributed energy resources (DERs) play an indispensable role in mitigating global warming. The DERs require flexibility owing to the uncertainty of their power output when connected to the power grid. Recently, blockchain technology has actualized peer-to-peer (P2P) energy markets, promoting efficient and resilient flexibility in the power grid. This study aimed to extract insights about the contribution of the P2P energy markets to ensuring flexibility through analyzing transaction data. The data source was a demonstration project regarding the P2P energy markets conducted from 2019 to 2020 in Urawa-Misono District, Japan. The participants in the project were photovoltaic generators (PVGs), convenience stores (CSs), and residences equipped with battery storage as the only flexibility in the market. We quantitatively analyzed the prices and volumes ordered or transacted by each participant. The execution prices purchased by the residences were lower than those purchased by CSs; the differences between execution prices and order prices of the residences were narrower than those of PVGs and CSs; the lower state-of-charge (SoC) in the storage battery induced the higher purchasing prices. Thus, P2P energy markets, where holding flexibility resulted in the advantageous position, can promote installing flexibility through market mechanisms.
Numerical Study on the Performance and NOx Emission Characteristics of an 800cc MPI Turbocharged SI Engine
Authors: Kim Seungmin , Sim Jaesam , Cho Youngsoo , Sung Back-Sub , Park Jungsoo
Published: November 2021

The main purpose of this study is to optimize engine performance and emission characteristics of off-road engines with retarded spark timing compared to MBT by repurposing the existing passenger engine. This study uses a one-dimensional (1D)-simulation to develop a non-road gasoline MPI turbo engine. The SI turbulent flame model of the GT-suite, an operational performance predictable program, presents turbocharger matching and optimal operation design points. To optimize the engine performance, the SI turbulent model uses three operation parameters: spark timing, intake valve overlap, and boost pressure. Spark timing determines the initial state of combustion and thermal efficiency, and is the main variable of the engine. The maximum brake torque (MBT) point can be identified for spark timing, and abnormal combustion phenomena, such as knocking, can be identified. Spark timing is related to engine performance, and emissions of exhaust pollutants are predictable. If the spark timing is set to variables, the engine performance and emissions can be confirmed and predicted. The intake valve overlap can predict the performance and exhaust gas by controlling the airflow and combustion chamber flow, and can control the performance of the engine by controlling the flow in the cylinder. In addition, a criterion can be set to consider the optimum operating point of the non-road vehicle while investigating the performance and exhaust gas emissions accompanying changes in boost pressure With these parameters, the design of experiment (DoE) of the 1D-simulation is performed, and the driving performance and knocking phenomenon for each RPM are predicted during the wide open throttle (WOT) of the gasoline MPI Turbo SI engine. The multi-objective Pareto technique is also used to optimize engine performance and exhaust gas emissions, and to present optimized design points for the target engine, the downsized gasoline MPI Turbo SI engine. The results of the Pareto optimal solution showed a maximum torque increase of 12.78% and a NOx decrease of 54.31%.
A Study and Proposal for Applying Cooling Effect of Hybrid Ventilation to the Monthly Energy Demand Calculation Method in Korea
Authors: No Sangtae
Published: November 2021

Countries around the world develop and use software based on the monthly calculation method of DIN V 18599:2007 and EN ISO13790 for building energy performance evaluations. The purpose of this study is to propose a method that can consider the effect of reducing cooling energy demand by hybrid ventilation outdoor air cooling in monthly calculation method-based software. For ventilation simulation, some representative floor plans and area types of Korean residential buildings were established through literature research. A number of dynamic energy simulations were performed for various building orientations, heights, and opening factors. Based on the simulation results, a nomograph that can calculate the cooling energy demand reduction factor according to hybrid ventilation that can be applied to the ventilation heat transfer coefficient is proposed.
Trust as an Element of the Functioning of the Information System in Management in Conditions of Forced Remote Work
Authors: Lis Tomasz , Ptak Aleksandra , Lis Marek
Published: November 2021

Information management, an important element of which is the information system, has a direct impact on the functioning of a company, including its competitive position. Information management is related to the shape of the organizational culture, represented, inter alia, by the context of trust, relationship, and communication. The shape of the organizational culture, including the functioning of the information system, is particularly influenced by factors (usually external) that appear in a sudden and unpredictable manner. This impact increases with the intensity and scale of their influence. The recent COVID-19 pandemic should undoubtedly be considered such a factor. As a result, many enterprises suddenly had to switch to remote work. The aim of this paper is to analyze the essence and recognize the impact of the forced transition to a remote form of work on trust as a shaping and effective factor in the functioning of the company’s information system. To achieve this goal, the results of qualitative research conducted by the authors during the period March 2020–February 2021 and quantitative research conducted in February 2021 were used. In connection with the conducted research, it was found that trust is a very important factor influencing the efficiency and quality of employees’ work. It was also found that the forced need to switch to remote work mode was a problem for most people. This was influenced by both the time of the pandemic, as well as technical and organizational problems. As a result of observations, own experiences, interviews, and a questionnaire survey, the authors state that the necessity to switch from traditional to remote work resulted in an increase in the costs of functioning of people, including employees.
Delamination-Free In-Air and Underwater Oil-Repellent Filters for Oil-Water Separation: Gravity-Driven and Cross-Flow Operations
Authors: Shrestha Bishwash , Ezazi Mohammadamin , Kwon Gibum
Published: November 2021

Separating oil-water mixtures is critical in a variety of practical applications, including the treatment of industrial wastewater, oil spill cleanups, as well as the purification of petroleum products. Among various methodologies that have been utilized, membranes are the most attractive technology for separating oil-water emulsions. In recent years, selective wettability membranes have attracted particular attention for oil-water separations. The membrane surfaces with hydrophilic and in-air oleophobic wettability have demonstrated enhanced effectiveness for oil-water separations in comparison with underwater oleophobic membranes. However, developing a hydrophilic and in-air oleophobic surface for a membrane is not a trivial task. The coating delamination process is a critical challenge when applying these membranes for separations. Inspired by the above, in this study we utilize poly(ethylene glycol)diacrylate (PEGDA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl acrylate (F-acrylate) to fabricate a hydrophilic and in-air oleophobic coating on a filter. We utilize methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MEMO) as an adhesion promoter to enhance the adhesion of the coating to the filter. The filter demonstrates robust oil repellency preventing oil adhesion and oil fouling. Utilizing the filter, gravity-driven and continuous separations of surfactant-stabilized oil-water emulsions are demonstrated. Finally, we demonstrate that the filter can be reused multiple times upon rinsing for further oil-water separations.
Assessment of the National Test Strategy on the Development of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Denmark
Authors: Busk Peter Kamp , Kristiansen Thomas Birk , Engsig-Karup Allan
Published: November 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Denmark has pursued a mass testing strategy culminating in the testing of 12.167 individuals per 100,000 inhabitants per day during the spring of 2021. The strategy included free access to COVID-19 testing, and since 2021, compulsory documentation for negative tests or vaccination has been required for access to workplace, educational institutions, restaurants, and many other places. Testing and subsequent isolation if testing was positive were voluntary. The present study provides an analysis of whether testing frequency in Denmark showed any correlation to hospitalizations throughout the relevant stages of the pandemic. Mass testing was found not to correlate significantly with the number of hospitalizations during the pandemic. Interestingly, during the highest level of testing in spring 2021 the fraction of positive tests increased slightly; thus, the Danish mass testing strategy, at its best, failed to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19. Furthermore, the relationship between positives in antigen testing and in rt-PCR testing indicated that many patients were not tested early in their infection when the risk of transmission was at the highest. In conclusion, the Danish mass testing strategy for COVID-19 does not appear to have a detectable correlation to the number of hospitalizations due to COVID-19.
Effects of Food Deprivation Duration on the Behavior and Metabolism of Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii)
Authors: Shen Fengyuan , Zhang Zonghang , Fu Yiqiu , Zhang Zhen , Sun Xin , Dong Jianyu , Ding Xiayang , Chen Muyan , Zhang Xiumei
Published: November 2021

Fish often undergo food shortages in nature, especially for juveniles that are relatively vulnerable in most aspects. Therefore, the effects of food deprivation on fish behavior and physiology are worth exploring. Here, we investigated the behavioral and metabolic adaptations of the juvenile black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii to different durations of food deprivation. In this study, three treatments were set: control group, short-term food deprivation (STFD) group, and long-term food deprivation (LTFD) group. The rearing lasted for six weeks. During this period, videos were recorded three times per week to assess the locomotor activity and aggression. After this, the fishes’ boldness, neophobia, and aggressiveness were assessed using different behavioral assessment devices, while the standard metabolic rate (SMR) was measured by flow-type respirometry. In general, the values of the four indicators (swimming time, the number of turns, movement number, and attack number) for the STFD group were significantly higher than those for the control and LTFD group during the same period of rearing. In a subsequent personality assessment, the STFD group was observed to be significantly bolder in an assessment measuring boldness than the control and LTFD group (indicated by time in the circle, swimming time, number of times through the circle, and frequency in the circle). The LTFD group was observed to be more exploratory in the assessment of neophobia (indicated by duration in the exploratory area, distance from novelty item, and frequency of stay in the exploratory area). Indeed, the LTFD group was observed to be significantly less aggressive in the assessment of aggressiveness than the control and STFD group (indicated by attack number, attack range frequency, first attack, and winner). SMR was noted to be significantly higher in the STFD group than in the control and LTFD group. In conclusion, this study firstly reported the effects of food deprivation duration on the personalities of black rockfish, as well as the behavioral and physiological mechanisms. Thus, we hope to provide insights into the work of stock enhancement.
Factors Influencing and Contributing to Perceived Safety of Passengers during Driverless Shuttle Rides
Authors: Luger-Bazinger Claudia , Zankl Cornelia , Klieber Karin , Hornung-Prähauser Veronika , Rehrl Karl
Published: November 2021

This study investigates the perceived safety of passengers while being on board of a driverless shuttle without a steward present. The aim of the study is to draw conclusions on factors that influence and contribute to perceived safety of passengers in driverless shuttles. For this, four different test rides were conducted, representing aspects that might challenge passengers’ perceived safety once driverless shuttles become part of public transport: passengers had to ride the shuttle on their own (without a steward present), had to interact with another passenger, and had to react to two different unexpected technical difficulties. Passengers were then asked what had influenced their perceived safety and what would contribute to it. Results show that perceived safety of passengers was high across all different test rides. The most important factors influencing the perceived safety of passengers were the shuttle’s driving style and passengers’ trust in the technology. The driving style was increasingly less important as the passengers gained experience with the driverless shuttle. Readily available contact with someone in a control room would significantly contribute to an increase in perceived safety while riding a driverless shuttle. For researchers, as well as technicians in the field of autonomous driving, our findings could inform the design and set-up of driverless shuttles in order to increase perceived safety; for example, how to signal passengers that there is always the possibility of contact to someone in a control room. Reacting to these concerns and challenges will further help to foster acceptance of AVs in society. Future research should explore our findings in an even more natural setting, e.g., a controlled mixed traffic environment.
Accounting for Selection Bias and Redshift Evolution in GRB Radio Afterglow Data
Authors: Dainotti Maria , Levine Delina , Fraija Nissim , Chandra Poonam
Published: November 2021

Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) are highly energetic events that can be observed at extremely high redshift. However, inherent bias in GRB data due to selection effects and redshift evolution can significantly skew any subsequent analysis. We correct for important variables related to the GRB emission, such as the burst duration, T90*, the prompt isotropic energy, Eiso, the rest-frame end time of the plateau emission, Ta,radio*, and its correspondent luminosity La,radio, for radio afterglow. In particular, we use the Efron–Petrosian method presented in 1992 for the correction of our variables of interest. Specifically, we correct Eiso and T90* for 80 GRBs, and La,radio and Ta,radio* for a subsample of 18 GRBs that present a plateau-like flattening in their light curve. Upon application of this method, we find strong evolution with redshift in most variables, particularly in La,radio, with values similar to those found in past and current literature in radio, X-ray and optical wavelengths, indicating that these variables are susceptible to observational bias. This analysis emphasizes the necessity of correcting observational data for evolutionary effects to obtain the intrinsic behavior of correlations to use them as discriminators among the most plausible theoretical models and as reliable cosmological tools.
Older Public Housing Tenants’ Capabilities for Physical Activity Described Using Walk-Along Interviews in Montreal, Canada
Authors: Saint-Onge Kadia , Bernard Paquito , Kingsbury Célia , Houle Janie
Published: November 2021

Older public housing tenants experience various factors associated with physical inactivity and are locally dependent on their environment to support their physical activity. A better understanding of the person-environment fit for physical activity could highlight avenues to improve access to physical activity for this subgroup of the population. The aim of this study was to evaluate older public housing tenants’ capabilities for physical activity in their residential environment using a socioecological approach. We conducted individual semi-structured walk-along interviews with 26 tenants (female = 18, male = 8, mean age = 71.96 years old). Living in housing developments exclusively for adults aged 60 years or over in three neighborhoods in the city of Montreal, Canada. A hybrid thematic analysis produced five capabilities for physical activity: Political, financial, social, physical, and psychological. Themes spanned across ecological levels including individual, public housing, community, and government. Tenant committees appear important to physical activity promotion. Participants called for psychosocial interventions to boost their capability for physical activity as well as greater implication from the housing authority and from government. Results further support a call for intersectoral action to improve access to physical activity for less affluent subgroups of the population such as older public housing tenants.
Association between Exposure to Particulate Matter during Pregnancy and Multidimensional Development in School-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study in Italy
Authors: Girardi Paolo , Lanfranchi Silvia , Mastromatteo Libera Ylenia , Stafoggia Massimo , Scrimin Sara
Published: November 2021

Air pollutants can potentially affect the development of children. However, data on the effect of exposure to air pollution during pregnancy and developmental outcomes in school children are rare. We investigated the link between prenatal exposure to particulate matters smaller than 10 microns (PM10) and the development of school-age children in multiple domains. Cross-sectional data were collected in Italy between 2013 and 2014. Children aged between 5 and 8 years (n = 1187) were assessed on cognitive, communication, socio-emotional, adaptive, and motor developmental domains using the Developmental Profile 3 questionnaire. The monthly average concentration of PM10 during the entire fetal period was linked to the municipality of residence of the children. The increase in the prenatal PM10 was associated with a decrease in the cognitive score during the second (+13.2 µg/m3 PM10 increase: −0.30 points; 95%CI: −0.12–−0.48) and third trimesters of pregnancy (−0.31 points; 95%CI: −0.11–−0.50). The communicative domain was also negatively influenced by PM10 increases in the second trimester. The development of cognitive and communicative abilities of children was negatively associated with the exposure to PM10 during the period of fetal development, confirming that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy can potentially hinder the development of the brain.
Hospital Admission Trends Due to Viral Infections Characterised by Skin and Mucous Membrane Lesions in the Past Two Decades in England and Wales: An Ecological Study
Authors: Naser Abdallah Y. , Alrawashdeh Hamzeh Mohammad , Alwafi Hassan , AbuAlhommos Amal Khaleel , Jalal Zahraa , Paudyal Vibhu , Alsairafi Zahra Khalil , Salawati Emad M. , Samannodi Mohammed , Sweiss Kanar , Aldalameh Yousef , Alsaleh Fatemah M. , Abusamak Mohammad , Shamieh Ahmad , Tantawi Eyad I. , Dairi Mohammad S. , Dairi Motaz
Published: November 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the trends in hospital admissions due to viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions in England and Wales between 1999 and 2019. Methods: This is an ecological study using publicly available databases in England and Wales; the Hospital Episode Statistics database in England and the Patient Episode Database for Wales. Hospital admissions data were collected for the period between April 1999 and March 2019. Hospital admissions due to viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions were identified using the tenth version of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases system, diagnostic codes B00–B09. The trend in hospital admissions was assessed using a Poisson model. Results: Hospital admissions for different causes increased by 51.9% (from 25.67 (95% CI 25.23–26.10) in 1999 to 38.98 (95% CI 38.48–39.48) in 2019 per 100,000 persons, trend test, p < 0.01). The most prevalent viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions hospital admissions causes were zoster (herpes zoster), varicella (chickenpox), herpesviral (herpes simplex) infections, and viral warts, which accounted for 26.9%, 23.4%, 18.7%, and 17.6%, respectively. The age group below 15 years accounted for 43.2% of the total number of admissions. Females contributed to 50.5% of the total number of admissions. Hospital admission rate in males increased by 61.1% (from 25.21 (95% CI 24.59–25.82) in 1999 to 40.60 (95% CI 39.87–41.32) in 2019 per 100,000 persons). The increase in females was 43.2% (from 26.11 (95% CI 25.49–26.72) in 1999 to 37.40 (95% CI 36.70–38.09) in 2019 per 100,000 persons). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates an evident variation in hospital admission of viral infections characterized by skin and mucous membrane lesions based on age and gender. Efforts should be directed towards vaccinating high-risk groups, particularly the elderly and females. Moreover, efforts should be focused on vaccinating the young population against varicella, particularly females who are more susceptible to acquiring the infection. Further observational and epidemiological studies are needed to identify other factors associated with increased hospital admission rates.