bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of a 3D-Printed Hand Exoskeleton Based on Force-Myography Control for Assistance and Rehabilitation
Authors: Esposito Daniele , Centracchio Jessica , Andreozzi Emilio , Savino Sergio , Gargiulo Gaetano D. , Naik Ganesh R. , Bifulco Paolo
Published: January 2022

Voluntary hand movements are usually impaired after a cerebral stroke, affecting millions of people per year worldwide. Recently, the use of hand exoskeletons for assistance and motor rehabilitation has become increasingly widespread. This study presents a novel hand exoskeleton, designed to be low cost, wearable, easily adaptable and suitable for home use. Most of the components of the exoskeleton are 3D printed, allowing for easy replication, customization and maintenance at a low cost. A strongly underactuated mechanical system allows one to synergically move the four fingers by means of a single actuator through a rigid transmission, while the thumb is kept in an adduction or abduction position. The exoskeleton’s ability to extend a typical hypertonic paretic hand of stroke patients was firstly tested using the SimScape Multibody simulation environment; this helped in the choice of a proper electric actuator. Force-myography was used instead of the standard electromyography to voluntarily control the exoskeleton with more simplicity. The user can activate the flexion/extension of the exoskeleton by a weak contraction of two antagonist muscles. A symmetrical master–slave motion strategy (i.e., the paretic hand motion is activated by the healthy hand) is also available for patients with severe muscle atrophy. An inexpensive microcontroller board was used to implement the electronic control of the exoskeleton and provide feedback to the user. The entire exoskeleton including batteries can be worn on the patient’s arm. The ability to provide a fluid and safe grip, like that of a healthy hand, was verified through kinematic analyses obtained by processing high-framerate videos. The trajectories described by the phalanges of the natural and the exoskeleton finger were compared by means of cross-correlation coefficients; a similarity of about 80% was found. The time required for both closing and opening of the hand exoskeleton was about 0.9 s. A rigid cylindric handlebar containing a load cell measured an average power grasp force of 94.61 N, enough to assist the user in performing most of the activities of daily living. The exoskeleton can be used as an aid and to promote motor function recovery during patient’s neurorehabilitation therapy.
Demonstration and Assessment of Purification Cascades for the Separation and Valorization of Hemicellulose from Organosolv Beechwood Hydrolyzates
Authors: Nitzsche Roy , Etzold Hendrik , Verges Marlen , Gröngröft Arne , Kraume Matthias
Published: January 2022

Hemicellulose and its derivatives have a high potential to replace fossil-based materials in various high-value-added products. Within this study, two purification cascades for the separation and valorization of hemicellulose and its derived monomeric sugars from organosolv beechwood hydrolyzates (BWHs) were experimentally demonstrated and assessed. Purification cascade 1 included hydrothermal treatment for converting remaining hemicellulose oligomers to xylose and the purification of the xylose by nanofiltration. Purification cascade 2 included the removal of lignin by adsorption, followed by ultrafiltration for the separation and concentration of hemicellulose. Based on the findings of the experimental work, both cascades were simulated on an industrial scale using Aspen Plus®. In purification cascade 1, 63% of the oligomeric hemicellulose was hydrothermally converted to xylose and purified by nanofiltration to 7.8 t/h of a xylose solution with a concentration of 200 g/L. In purification cascade 2, 80% of the lignin was removed by adsorption, and 7.6 t/h of a purified hemicellulose solution with a concentration of 200 g/L was obtained using ultrafiltration. The energy efficiency of the cascades was 59% and 26%, respectively. Furthermore, the estimation of specific production costs showed that xylose can be recovered from BWH at the cost of 73.7 EUR/t and hemicellulose at 135.1 EUR/t.
Graphene as a Piezoresistive Material in Strain Sensing Applications
Authors: Irani Farid Sayar , Shafaghi Ali Hosseinpour , Tasdelen Melih Can , Delipinar Tugce , Kaya Ceyda Elcin , Yapici Guney Guven , Yapici Murat Kaya
Published: January 2022

High accuracy measurement of mechanical strain is critical and broadly practiced in several application areas including structural health monitoring, industrial process control, manufacturing, avionics and the automotive industry, to name a few. Strain sensors, otherwise known as strain gauges, are fueled by various nanomaterials, among which graphene has attracted great interest in recent years, due to its unique electro-mechanical characteristics. Graphene shows not only exceptional physical properties but also has remarkable mechanical properties, such as piezoresistivity, which makes it a perfect candidate for strain sensing applications. In the present review, we provide an in-depth overview of the latest studies focusing on graphene and its strain sensing mechanism along with various applications. We start by providing a description of the fundamental properties, synthesis techniques and characterization methods of graphene, and then build forward to the discussion of numerous types of graphene-based strain sensors with side-by-side tabular comparison in terms of figures-of-merit, including strain range and sensitivity, otherwise referred to as the gauge factor. We demonstrate the material synthesis, device fabrication and integration challenges for researchers to achieve both wide strain range and high sensitivity in graphene-based strain sensors. Last of all, several applications of graphene-based strain sensors for different purposes are described. All in all, the evolutionary process of graphene-based strain sensors in recent years, as well as the upcoming challenges and future directions for emerging studies are highlighted.
Graphitisation of Waste Carbon Powder with Femtosecond Laser Annealing
Authors: Lum Lucas , Tan Chong-Wei , Siah Chun Fei , Liang Kun , Tay Beng Kang
Published: January 2022

Graphitisation of structural characteristics and improvement in electrical conductivity was reported onto waste carbon powder through femtosecond laser annealing. Raman spectroscopy on the carbon powder pre- and post-annealing showed a shift from amorphous-like carbon to graphitic-like carbon, which can be explained by the three-stage model. Electrical I-V probing of the samples revealed an increase in conductivity by up to 90%. An increase in incident laser power was found to be correlated to an increase in conductivity. An average incident laser power of 0.104 W or less showed little to no change in electrical characteristics, while an average incident laser power of greater than 1.626 W had a destructive effect on the carbon powder, shown through the reduction in powder. The most significant improvement in electrical conductivity has been observed at laser powers ranging from 0.526 to 1.286 W. To conclude, the graphitisation of waste carbon powder is possible using post-process femtosecond laser annealing to alter its electrical conductivity for future applications.
A Circularly Polarized Implantable Rectenna for Microwave Wireless Power Transfer
Authors: Xu Chao , Fan Yi , Liu Xiongying
Published: January 2022

A circularly polarized implantable antenna integrated with a voltage-doubled rectifier (abbr., rectenna) is investigated for microwave wireless power transfer in the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band of 2.4–2.48 GHz. The proposed antenna is miniaturized with the dimensions of 7.5 mm × 7.5 mm × 1.27 mm by etching four C-shaped open slots on the patch. A rectangular slot truncated diagonally is cut to improve the circular polarization performance of the antenna. The simulated impedance bandwidth in a three-layer phantom is 30.4% (1.9–2.58 GHz) with |S11| below −10 dB, and the 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth is 16.9% (2.17–2.57 GHz). Furthermore, a voltage-doubled rectifier circuit that converts RF power to DC power is designed on the back of the antenna. The simulated RF-to-DC conversion efficiency can be up to 45% at the input power of 0 dBm. The proposed rectenna was fabricated and measured in fresh pork to verify the simulated results and evaluate the performance of wireless power transfer.
Sodium-Ion Conductivity and Humidity-Sensing Properties of Na2O-MoO3-P2O5 Glass-Ceramics
Authors: Foucaud Mallaurie , Renka Sanja , Klaser Teodoro , Popović Jasminka , Skoko Željko , Mošner Petr , Koudelka Ladislav , Šantić Ana
Published: January 2022

A series of glass-ceramics were prepared by heat-treatments of 40Na2O-30MoO3-30P2O5 (in mol%) glass in a temperature range from 380 (Tg) to 490 °C (Tc) and for 1–24 h. The prepared glass-ceramics contain from 2 to 25 wt.% of crystalline NaMoO2PO4. The sodium-ion conductivity in these materials decreases up to one order of magnitude with an increase in the degree of crystallization due to the immobilization of sodium ions in crystalline NaMoO2PO4. The transport of sodium ions in these materials occurs primarily through the dominant continuous glassy phase, and it is weakly affected by the sporadically distributed crystalline grains. However, the prepared glass-ceramics exhibit high proton conductivity in a humid atmosphere and remarkable humidity-sensing properties; this could be related to crystalline NaMoO2PO4, which provides sites for water adsorption. The glass-ceramic prepared at 450 °C for 24 h shows the best humidity-sensing performance among all samples, showing an increase in proton conductivity for more than seven orders of magnitude with the increase in relative humidity from 0% to 95%. Under a highly humid atmosphere (95% relative humidity and 25 °C), the proton conductivity of this glass-ceramic reaches 5.2 × 10−3 (Ω cm)−1. Moreover, the electrical response of these materials on the change in the relative humidity is linear and reversible in the entire range of the relative humidity, which indicates that they are novel promising candidates for application as humidity sensors.
The Relationship between Body Composition, Dietary Intake, Physical Activity, and Pulmonary Status in Adolescents and Adults with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Scully Kevin J. , Jay Laura T. , Freedman Steven , Sawicki Gregory S. , Uluer Ahmet , Finkelstein Joel S. , Putman Melissa S.
Published: January 2022

Measures of body fat and lean mass may better predict important clinical outcomes in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) than body mass index (BMI). Little is known about how diet quality and exercise may impact body composition in these patients. Dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) body composition, 24-h dietary recall, and physical activity were assessed in a cross-sectional analysis of 38 adolescents and adults with CF and 19 age-, race-, and gender-matched healthy volunteers. Compared with the healthy volunteers, participants with CF had a lower appendicular lean mass index (ALMI), despite no observed difference in BMI, and their diets consisted of higher glycemic index foods with a greater proportion of calories from fat and a lower proportion of calories from protein. In participants with CF, pulmonary function positively correlated with measures of lean mass, particularly ALMI, and negatively correlated with multiple measures of body fat after controlling for age, gender, and BMI. Higher physical activity levels were associated with greater ALMI and lower body fat. In conclusion, body composition measures, particularly ALMI, may better predict key clinical outcomes in individuals with CF than BMI. Future longitudinal studies analyzing the effect of dietary intake and exercise on body composition and CF-specific clinical outcomes are needed.
Focus on Nutritional Aspects of Sarcopenia in Diabetes: Current Evidence and Remarks for Future Research
Authors: Göbl Christian , Tura Andrea
Published: January 2022

Sarcopenia has been defined as a progressive and generalized loss of muscle mass that can be observed after the age of 40 years, with a rate of deterioration of about 8% every ten years up to 70 years, and 15–25% thereafter [...]
Self-Reported Dietary Choices and Oral Health Care Needs during COVID-19 Quarantine: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Paszynska Elzbieta , Cofta Szczepan , Hernik Amadeusz , Otulakowska-Skrzynska Justyna , Springer Daria , Roszak Magdalena , Sidor Aleksandra , Rzymski Piotr
Published: January 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the healthcare system, including dentistry. However, it is not entirely clear whether affected patients’ willingness for regular dental visits and preventive behaviors with regards oral hygiene and diet. This is essential to understanding the potential effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the acceleration of dental issues in the future. It was aimed at checking the level of dental visit avoidance, self-reported oral health needs, and dietary changes. This cross-sectional questionnaire study conducted in Poland (n = 2574; mean age 44.4 ± 15.6; female 56.3%) assessed nutritional habits and dental care changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. As demonstrated, nearly half of the responders (47.1%) avoided regular dental visits, while only 0.5% used online consultations. Fears related to potential cross-contamination in dental offices dropped from 25% to 11.4% and were associated with increased BMI and age (p < 0.05). Sweet snacking/drinking confirmed 19.1%/33.2% subjects. Self-reported oral health care needs (tooth stain, calculus, gingivitis, loss of fillings) were related to frequent snacking and poor oral hygiene (p < 0.05). The study highlights that pandemic periods are covered by eating and drinking changes combined with inadequate hygiene and dental care impose health complaints in the oral cavity. This can magnify both nutritional and interrelated oral health issues, highlighting the need to implement preventive and mitigation measures.
Extraction and Fractionation of Bioactives from Dipsacus fullonum L. Leaves and Evaluation of Their Anti-Borrelia Activity
Authors: Saar-Reismaa Piret , Bragina Olga , Kuhtinskaja Maria , Reile Indrek , Laanet Pille-Riin , Kulp Maria , Vaher Merike
Published: January 2022

Lyme disease (LD) is a tick-borne bacterial disease that is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Although acute LD is treated with antibiotics, it can develop into relapsing chronic form caused by latent forms of B. burgdorferi. This leads to the search for phytochemicals against resistant LD. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the activity of Dipsacus fullonum L. leaves extract (DE) and its fractions against stationary phase B. burgdorferi in vitro. DE showed high activity against stationary phase B. burgdorferi (residual viability 19.8 ± 4.7%); however, it exhibited a noticeable cytotoxicity on NIH cells (viability 20.2 ± 5.2%). The iridoid-glycoside fraction showed a remarkable anti-Borrelia effect and reduced cytotoxicity. The iridoid-glycoside fraction was, therefore, further purified and showed to contain two main bioactives—sylvestrosides III and IV, that showed a considerable anti-Borrelia activity being the least toxic to murine fibroblast NIH/3T3 cells. Moreover, the concentration of sylvestrosides was about 15% of DE, endorsing the feasibility of purification of the compounds from D. fullonum L. leaves.
Mitochondria-Targeted Drug Delivery
Authors: Kopecka Joanna
Published: January 2022

Mitochondria, organelles surrounded by a double membrane and with their own small genome, are the cells’ energy centres [...]
Apple Fruit Growth and Quality Depend on the Position in Tree Canopy
Authors: Kviklys Darius , Viškelis Jonas , Liaudanskas Mindaugas , Janulis Valdimaras , Laužikė Kristina , Samuolienė Giedrė , Uselis Nobertas , Lanauskas Juozas
Published: January 2022

Modern apple orchard systems should guarantee homogeneity of fruit internal and external qualities and fruit maturity parameters. However, when orchards reach productive age, a variation of these parameters takes place and mostly it is related to uneven light distribution within the tree canopy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the canopy position’s effect on fruit internal and external quality parameters. This is the first study where all the main fruit quality and maturation parameters were evaluated on the same trees and were related to the light conditions and photosynthetic parameters. Four fruit positions were tested: top of the apple tree, lower inside part of the canopy, and east and west sides of the apple tree. Fruit quality variability was significant for fruit size, blush, colour indices, total sugar content, dry matter concentration, accumulation of secondary metabolites and radical scavenging activity. Fruit position in the canopy did not affect flesh firmness and fruit maturity parameters such as the starch index, Streif index and respiration rate. At the Lithuanian geographical location (55°60′ N), significantly, the highest fruit quality was achieved at the top of the apple tree. The tendency was established that apple fruits from the west side of the canopy have better fruit quality than from the east side and it could be related to better light conditions at the west side of the tree. Inside the canopy, fruits were distinguished only by the higher accumulation of triterpenic compounds and higher content of malic acid. Light is a main factor of fruit quality variation, thus all orchard management practices, including narrow two-dimensional tree canopies and reflecting ground covers which improve light penetration through the tree canopy, should be applied.
Role of Autophagy in Haematococcus lacustris Cell Growth under Salinity
Authors: Zharova Daria A. , Ivanova Alexandra N. , Drozdova Irina V. , Belyaeva Alla I. , Boldina Olga N. , Voitsekhovskaja Olga V. , Tyutereva Elena V.
Published: January 2022

The microalga Haematococcus lacustris (formerly H. pluvialis) is able to accumulate high amounts of the carotenoid astaxanthin in the course of adaptation to stresses like salinity. Technologies aimed at production of natural astaxanthin for commercial purposes often involve salinity stress; however, after a switch to stressful conditions, H. lacustris experiences massive cell death which negatively influences astaxanthin yield. This study addressed the possibility to improve cell survival in H. lacustris subjected to salinity via manipulation of the levels of autophagy using AZD8055, a known inhibitor of TOR kinase previously shown to accelerate autophagy in several microalgae. Addition of NaCl in concentrations of 0.2% or 0.8% to the growth medium induced formation of autophagosomes in H. lacustris, while simultaneous addition of AZD8055 up to a final concentration of 0.2 µM further stimulated this process. AZD8055 significantly improved the yield of H. lacustris cells after 5 days of exposure to 0.2% NaCl. Strikingly, this occurred by acceleration of cell growth, and not by acceleration of aplanospore formation. The level of astaxanthin synthesis was not affected by AZD8055. However, cytological data suggested a role of autophagosomes, lysosomes and Golgi cisternae in cell remodeling during high salt stress.
Durability of Lubricated Icephobic Coatings under Various Environmental Stresses
Authors: Donadei Valentina , Koivuluoto Heli , Sarlin Essi , Vuoristo Petri
Published: January 2022

Icephobic coatings interest various industries facing icing problems. However, their durability represents a current limitation in real applications. Therefore, understanding the degradation of coatings under various environmental stresses is necessary for further coating development. Here, lubricated icephobic coatings were fabricated using a flame spray method with hybrid feedstock injection. Low-density polyethylene represented the main coating component. Two additives, namely fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil and paraffinic wax, were added to the coating structure to enhance coating icephobicity. Coating properties were characterised, including topography, surface roughness, thermal properties, wettability, and icephobicity. Moreover, their performance was investigated under various environmental stresses, such as repeated icing/deicing cycles, immersion in corrosive media, and exposure to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. According to the results, all coatings exhibited medium-low ice adhesion, with slightly more stable icephobic behaviour for cottonseed oil-based coatings over the icing/deicing cycles. Surface roughness slightly increased, and wetting performances decreased after the cyclic tests, but chemical changes were not revealed. Moreover, coatings demonstrated good chemical resistance in selected corrosive media, with better performance for paraffin-based coatings. However, a slight decrease in hydrophobicity was detected due to surface structural changes. Finally, paraffin-based coatings showed better resistance under UV irradiation based on carbonyl index and colour change measurements.
The Employee Spirituality Scale as a Measure of Employees’ Spirituality
Authors: Wnuk Marcin
Published: January 2022

The aim of the study was to assess the psychometric properties of the employee spirituality scale. The employee spirituality scale was found to be a reliable measure with good internal consistency. The internal consistency of this instrument, measured with Cronbach’s α coefficient, was 0.94. Factor analysis confirmed the two-dimensional structure of this measure, the dimensions being: relationship to a Higher Power (God) and attitude towards workmates and employer. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between employee spirituality and job satisfaction, as well as age, and a negative correlation was found with their intent to leave their organization. According to expectation, the relationship to a Higher Power (God) as a religious dimension of employee spirituality was strong, positively related to religious practices and attitude towards workmates and employer, and a secular dimension of employee spirituality did not correlate with religious measures. Gender did not differentiate participants in terms of employee spirituality. The presented results provide evidence that the employee spirituality scale has good psychometric properties and is therefore recommended for use by researchers studying employee spirituality in Polish organizations.
A Comparison of Convective and Stratiform Precipitation Microphysics of the Record-breaking Typhoon In-Fa (2021)
Authors: Wu Zuhang , Zhang Yun , Zhang Lifeng , Zheng Hepeng , Huang Xingtao
Published: January 2022

In July 2021, Typhoon In-Fa attacked eastern China and broke many records for extreme precipitation over the last century. Such an unrivaled impact results from In-Fa’s slow moving speed and long residence time due to atmospheric circulations. With the supports of 66 networked surface disdrometers over eastern China and collaborative observations from the advanced GPM satellite, we are able to reveal the unique precipitation microphysical properties of the record-breaking Typhoon In-Fa (2021). After separating the typhoon precipitation into convective and stratiform types and comparing the drop size distribution (DSD) properties of Typhoon In-Fa with other typhoons from different climate regimes, it is found that typhoon precipitation shows significant internal differences as well as regional differences in terms of DSD-related parameters, such as mass-weighted mean diameter (Dm), normalized intercept parameter (Nw), radar reflectivity (Z), rain rate (R), and intercept, shape, and slope parameters (N0, µ, Λ). Comparing different rain types inside Typhoon In-Fa, convective rain (Nw ranging from 3.80 to 3.96 mm−1 m−3) shows higher raindrop concentration than stratiform rain (Nw ranging from 3.40 to 3.50 mm−1 m−3) due to more graupels melting into liquid water while falling. Large raindrops occupy most of the region below the melting layer in convective rain due to a dominant coalescence process of small raindrops (featured by larger ZKu, Dm, and smaller N0, µ, Λ), while small raindrops account for a considerable proportion in stratiform rain, reflecting a significant collisional breakup process of large raindrops (featured by smaller ZKu, Dm, and larger N0, µ, Λ). Compared with other typhoons in Hainan and Taiwan, the convective precipitation of Typhoon In-Fa shows a larger (smaller) raindrop concentration than that of Taiwan (Hainan), while smaller raindrop diameter than both Hainan and Taiwan. Moreover, the typhoon convective precipitation measured in In-Fa is more maritime-like than precipitation in Taiwan. Based on a great number of surface disdrometer observational data, the GPM precipitation products were further validated for both rain types, and a series of native quantitative precipitation estimation relations, such as Z–R and R–Dm relations were derived to improve the typhoon rainfall retrieval for both ground-based radar and spaceborne radar.
Estimation of Soil Salinization by Machine Learning Algorithms in Different Arid Regions of Northwest China
Authors: Jiang Xiaofang , Duan Hanchen , Liao Jie , Guo Pinglin , Huang Cuihua , Xue Xian
Published: January 2022

Hyperspectral data has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to its high accuracy in monitoring soil salinization. At present, most existing research focuses on the saline soil in a single area without comparative analysis between regions. The regional differences in the hyperspectral characteristics of saline soil are still unclear. Thus, we chose Golmud in the cold–dry Qaidam Basin (QB–G) and Gaotai–Minghua in the relatively warm–dry Hexi Corridor (HC–GM) as the study areas, and used the deep extreme learning machine (DELM) and sine cosine algorithm–Elman (SCA–Elman) to predict soil salinity, and then selected the most suitable algorithm in these two regions. A total of 79 (QB–G) and 86 (HC–GM) soil samples were collected and tested to obtain their electrical conductivity (EC) and corresponding hyperspectral reflectance (R). We utilized the land surface parameters that affect the soil based on Landsat 8 and digital elevation model (DEM) data, selected the variables using the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), and built SCA–Elman and DELM from the hyperspectral reflectance data combined with land surface parameters. The results revealed the following: (1) The soil hyperspectral reflectance in QB–G was higher than that in HC–GM. The soils of QB–G are mainly the chloride type and those of HC–GM mainly belong to the sulfate type, having lower reflectance. (2) The accuracies of some of the SCA–Elman and DELM models in QB–G (the highest MAEv, RMSEv, and Rv2 were 0.09, 0.12 and 0.75, respectively) were higher than those in HC–GM (the highest MAEv, RMSEv, and Rv2 were 0.10, 0.14 and 0.73, respectively), which has flatter terrain and less obvious surface changes. The surface parameters in QB–G had higher correlation coefficients with EC due to the regular altitude change and cold–dry climate. (3) Most of the SCA–Elman results (the mean Rv2 in HC-GM and QB-G were 0.62 and 0.60, respectively) in all areas performed better than the DELM results (the mean Rv2 in HC–GM and QB–G were 0.51 and 0.49, respectively). Therefore, SCA–Elman was more suitable for the soil salinity prediction in HC–GM and QB–G. This can provide a reference for soil salinization monitoring and model selection in the future.
Ground Target Tracking Using an Airborne Angle-Only Sensor with Terrain Uncertainty and Sensor Biases
Authors: Mitra Dipayan , Balachandran Aranee , Tharmarasa Ratnasingham
Published: January 2022

Airborne angle-only sensors can be used to track stationary or mobile ground targets. In order to make the problem observable in 3-dimensions (3-D), the height of the target (i.e., the height of the terrain) from the sea-level is needed to be known. In most of the existing works, the terrain height is assumed to be known accurately. However, the terrain height is usually obtained from Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED), which has different resolution levels. Ignoring the terrain height uncertainty in a tracking algorithm will lead to a bias in the estimated states. In addition to the terrain uncertainty, another common source of uncertainty in angle-only sensors is the sensor biases. Both these uncertainties must be handled properly to obtain better tracking accuracy. In this paper, we propose algorithms to estimate the sensor biases with the target(s) of opportunity and algorithms to track targets with terrain and sensor bias uncertainties. Sensor bias uncertainties can be reduced by estimating the biases using the measurements from the target(s) of opportunity with known horizontal positions. This step can be an optional step in an angle-only tracking problem. In this work, we have proposed algorithms to pick optimal targets of opportunity to obtain better bias estimation and algorithms to estimate the biases with the selected target(s) of opportunity. Finally, we provide a filtering framework to track the targets with terrain and bias uncertainties. The Posterior Cramer–Rao Lower Bound (PCRLB), which provides the lower bound on achievable estimation error, is derived for the single target filtering with an angle-only sensor with terrain uncertainty and measurement biases. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is verified by Monte Carlo simulations. The simulation results show that sensor biases can be estimated accurately using the target(s) of opportunity and the tracking accuracies of the targets can be improved significantly using the proposed algorithms when the terrain and bias uncertainties are present.
Cyclic Behavior of Masonry Shear Walls Retrofitted with Engineered Cementitious Composite and Pseudoelastic Shape Memory Alloy
Authors: Tabrizikahou Alireza , Kuczma Mieczysław , Łasecka-Plura Magdalena , Noroozinejad Farsangi Ehsan
Published: January 2022

The behavior of masonry shear walls reinforced with pseudoelastic Ni–Ti shape memory alloy (SMA) strips and engineered cementitious composite (ECC) sheets is the main focus of this paper. The walls were subjected to quasi-static cyclic in-plane loads and evaluated by using Abaqus. Eight cases of strengthening of masonry walls were investigated. Three masonry walls were strengthened with different thicknesses of ECC sheets using epoxy as adhesion, three walls were reinforced with different thicknesses of Ni–Ti strips in a cross form bonded to both the surfaces of the wall, and one was utilized as a reference wall without any reinforcing element. The final concept was a hybrid of strengthening methods in which the Ni–Ti strips were embedded in ECC sheets. The effect of mesh density on analytical outcomes is also discussed. A parameterized analysis was conducted to examine the influence of various variables such as the thickness of the Ni–Ti strips and that of ECC sheets. The results show that using the ECC sheet in combination with pseudoelastic Ni–Ti SMA strips enhances the energy absorption capacity and stiffness of masonry walls, demonstrating its efficacy as a reinforcing method.
Let the Cat out of the Bag: Popular Android IoT Apps under Security Scrutiny
Authors: Chatzoglou Efstratios , Kambourakis Georgios , Smiliotopoulos Christos
Published: January 2022

The impact that IoT technologies have on our everyday life is indisputable. Wearables, smart appliances, lighting, security controls, and others make our life simpler and more comfortable. For the sake of easy monitoring and administration, such devices are typically accompanied by smartphone apps, which are becoming increasingly popular, and sometimes are even required to operate the device. Nevertheless, the use of such apps may indirectly magnify the attack surface of the IoT device itself and expose the end-user to security and privacy breaches. Therefore, a key question arises: do these apps curtail their functionality to the minimum needed, and additionally, are they secure against known vulnerabilities and flaws? In seek of concrete answers to the aforesaid question, this work scrutinizes more than forty chart-topping Android official apps belonging to six diverse mainstream categories of IoT devices. We attentively analyse each app statically, and almost half of them dynamically, after pairing them with real-life IoT devices. The results collected span several axes, namely sensitive permissions, misconfigurations, weaknesses, vulnerabilities, and other issues, including trackers, manifest data, shared software, and more. The short answer to the posed question is that the majority of such apps still remain susceptible to a range of security and privacy issues, which in turn, and at least to a significant degree, reflects the general proclivity in this ecosystem.
Augmented Humanity: A Systematic Mapping Review
Authors: Guerrero Graciela , da Silva Fernando José Mateus , Fernández-Caballero Antonio , Pereira António
Published: January 2022

Augmented humanity (AH) is a term that has been mentioned in several research papers. However, these papers differ in their definitions of AH. The number of publications dealing with the topic of AH is represented by a growing number of publications that increase over time, being high impact factor scientific contributions. However, this terminology is used without being formally defined. The aim of this paper is to carry out a systematic mapping review of the different existing definitions of AH and its possible application areas. Publications from 2009 to 2020 were searched in Scopus, IEEE and ACM databases, using search terms “augmented human”, ”human augmentation” and “human 2.0”. Of the 16,914 initially obtained publications, a final number of 133 was finally selected. The mapping results show a growing focus on works based on AH, with computer vision being the index term with the highest number of published articles. Other index terms are wearable computing, augmented reality, human–robot interaction, smart devices and mixed reality. In the different domains where AH is present, there are works in computer science, engineering, robotics, automation and control systems and telecommunications. This review demonstrates that it is necessary to formalize the definition of AH and also the areas of work with greater openness to the use of such concept. This is why the following definition is proposed: “Augmented humanity is a human–computer integration technology that proposes to improve capacity and productivity by changing or increasing the normal ranges of human function through the restoration or extension of human physical, intellectual and social capabilities”.
Investigation of Multi-Frequency SAR Data to Retrieve the Soil Moisture within a Drip Irrigation Context Using Modified Water Cloud Model
Authors: Ayari Emna , Kassouk Zeineb , Lili-Chabaane Zohra , Baghdadi Nicolas , Zribi Mehrez
Published: January 2022

The objective of this paper was to estimate soil moisture in pepper crops with drip irrigation in a semi-arid area in the center of Tunisia using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Within this context, the sensitivity of L-band (ALOS-2) in horizontal-horizontal (HH) and horizontal-vertical (HV) polarizations and C-band (Sentinel-1) data in vertical-vertical (VV) and vertical-horizontal (VH) polarizations is examined as a function of soil moisture and vegetation properties using statistical correlations. SAR signals scattered by pepper-covered fields are simulated with a modified version of the water cloud model using L-HH and C-VV data. In spatially heterogeneous soil moisture cases, the total backscattering is the sum of the bare soil contribution weighted by the proportion of bare soil (one-cover fraction) and the vegetation fraction cover contribution. The vegetation fraction contribution is calculated as the volume scattering contribution of the vegetation and underlying soil components attenuated by the vegetation cover. The underlying soil is divided into irrigated and non-irrigated parts owing to the presence of drip irrigation, thus generating different levels of moisture underneath vegetation. Based on signal sensitivity results, the potential of L-HH data to retrieve soil moisture is demonstrated. L-HV data exhibit a higher potential to retrieve vegetation properties regarding a lower potential for soil moisture estimation. After calibration and validation of the proposed model, various simulations are performed to assess the model behavior patterns under different conditions of soil moisture and pepper biophysical properties. The results highlight the potential of the proposed model to simulate a radar signal over heterogeneous soil moisture fields using L-HH and C-VV data.
Climate Adaptability Based on Indoor Physical Environment of Traditional Dwelling in North Dong Areas, China
Authors: Zhang Fupeng , Shi Lei , Liu Simian , Shi Jiaqi , Ma Qian , Zhang Jinyue
Published: January 2022

In this study, climate-responsive solutions used in traditional dwellings in the North Dong region of China were identified, and the impact of these solutions on the indoor physical environment and energy consumption was analysed. First, over the course of a year, sample dwellings and short-term on-site indoor physical environment measurements were selected from the local climate. Then, three building materials, namely, brick, wood, and rammed earth, and different structural forms were selected to simulate the indoor thermal environment, ventilation conditions, and energy consumption of traditional dwellings. The study also summarised the advantages and disadvantages of the physical environment of traditional dwellings in response to climate characteristics. The results showed that the fluctuation in indoor temperature and humidity of typical dwellings in the North Dong region is approximately 5 °C, which is 14% lower than that outdoors. Traditional Dong dwellings have good indoor conditioning abilities. Traditional wood structure dwellings can save 26% and 39% of energy per year compared with those of raw earth and brick wood, respectively. Traditional dwellings in the Dong region are well adapted to the local climate in terms of form, materials, and structure and contribute to climate-responsive buildings in the harsh climatic conditions of the region. The solutions used in these dwellings can also be used to design new climate-responsive buildings; however, the indoor thermal comfort is not entirely satisfactory. We proposed an effective adaptation strategy for Dong traditional dwellings.
Analysis of the Economic Sustainability of the Supply Chain Sector by Applying the Altman Z-Score Predictor
Authors: Alcalde Roberto , Alonso de Armiño Carlos , García Santiago
Published: January 2022

This paper fills the gap in the financial perspective of supply chain performance measurement, related to the lack of a bankruptcy probability indicator, and proposes a predictor which is the eighth-model of the Altman Z-Score Logistic Regression. Furthermore, a bankruptcy probability ranking is established for the companies’ supply chains, according to the industry to which they belong. Moreover, the values are set to establish three categories of companies according to predictor. The probability of bankruptcy is analysed and studied for the supply chain of different industries. The building industry is revealed to have the highest probability of bankruptcy.
Is ESG Relevant to Electricity Companies during Pandemics? A Case Study on European Firms during COVID-19
Authors: Boldeanu Florin Teodor , Clemente-Almendros José Antonio , Tache Ileana , Seguí-Amortegui Luis Alberto
Published: January 2022

The electricity sector was negatively impacted by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with considerable declines in consumption in the initial phase. Investors were in turmoil, and stock prices for these companies plummeted. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the significant negative influence of the pandemic on abnormal returns for the electricity sector, specifically for traditional and renewable companies and the influence of ESG scores, using the event study approach and multi-variate regressions. Our results show that the pandemic indeed had a negative impact on the electricity sector, with renewable electricity companies suffering a sharper decline than traditional ones. Moreover, we find that ESG pillar scores affected electricity companies differently and are sector-specific. For renewable electricity companies, the returns were positively influenced by the environmental ESG scores and negatively by governance ESG scores.
Did Industrial Centralization Strategy in Shanghai’s Suburbs Lead to Economic Growth?
Authors: Yang Qianqian , Shi Yishao , Zhou Liangliang
Published: January 2022

Industrial centralization is an important policy choice in the industrial economy era. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the overall performance and the influential effects of the industrial centralization strategy in the suburbs of Shanghai. The results show that (1) the strategy of industrial concentration in the suburbs of Shanghai effectively promoted economic growth; (2) on different spatial scales, there are visible differences in the impact of industrial concentration on the performance of industrial land; (3) industrial concentration has significantly improved industrial energy utilization efficiency; and (4) industrial concentration has narrowed the gap of economic development among the suburbs, but it has not resulted in a corresponding narrowing of the urban-rural gap. The main recommendations are to pay more attention to the high-end and centralization of urban industries in the central city, promote the interactive development of manufacturing and service industries as well as the integrated development of industry and city, moderately control the scale and speed of industrial suburbanization and residential suburbanization, promote the transformation of the traditional industrial land into “industry + R&D + business and office + exhibition” and further narrow the income gap between and within regions.
The Press as a Resource for Promoting Sustainability Competencies in Teacher Training: The Case of SDG 7
Authors: Chuliá-Jordán Raquel , Vilches Peña Amparo , Calero Llinares María
Published: January 2022

Given the seriousness of the socio-environmental situation we are facing, this study aims to contribute to the involvement of teachers in education for sustainability through the use of non-formal education, particularly the press. The main objectives of the present study are to analyse the use of the press in science education, as well as the design, implementation and evaluation of tools aimed at teachers and trainee researchers in order to encourage and promote attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and more specifically SDG 7 (clean and affordable energy for all) in science education. The proposals are carried out using a constructivist methodology in sessions structured in small collaborative groups. The initial results show that attention to the press is still insufficient, but that, nevertheless, the strategies designed contribute to raising awareness of the importance of SDG 7 and to the classroom treatment of the energy issue among the participants in the study who attend a Master’s degree program in secondary education teacher training (specialising in physics and chemistry) and a Master’s degree program in research in specific didactics (specialising in experimental sciences).
Enhancing Doubly Fed Induction Generator Low-Voltage Ride-through Capability Using Dynamic Voltage Restorer with Adaptive Noise Cancellation Technique
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed Adel , Kandil Tarek , Ahmed Emad M.
Published: January 2022

Some of the major challenges facing micro-grids (MGs) during their connection with the utility grid are maintaining power system stability and reliability. One term that is frequently discussed in literature is the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) capability, as it is required by the utility grid to maintain its proper operation and system stability. Furthermore, due to their inherent advantages, doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) have been widely installed on many wind farms. However, grid voltage dips and distortion have a negative impact on the operation of the DFIG. A dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) is a commonly used device that can enhance the LVRT capability of DFIG compared to shunt capacitors and static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). DVR implements a series compensation during fault conditions by injecting the proper voltage at the point of common coupling (PCC) in order to preserve stable terminal voltage. In this paper, we propose a DVR control method based on the adaptive noise cancelation (ANC) technique to compensate for both voltage variation and harmonic mitigation at DFIG terminals. Additionally, we propose an online control of the DC side voltage of the DVR using pulse width modulation (PWM) rectifier to reduce both the size of the storage element and the solid-state switches of the DVR, aiming to reduce its overall cost. A thorough analysis of the operation and response of the proposed DVR is performed using MATLAB/SIMULINK under different operating conditions of the grid. The simulation results verify the superiority and robustness of the proposed technique to enhance the LVRT capability of the DFIG during system transients and faults.
Methodology for Interactive Labeling of Patched Asphalt Pavement Images Based on U-Net Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Dan Han-Cheng , Zeng Hao-Fan , Zhu Zhi-Heng , Bai Ge-Wen , Cao Wei
Published: January 2022

Image recognition based on deep learning generally demands a huge sample size for training, for which the image labeling becomes inevitably laborious and time-consuming. In the case of evaluating the pavement quality condition, many pavement distress patching images would need manual screening and labeling, meanwhile the subjectivity of the labeling personnel would greatly affect the accuracy of image labeling. In this study, in order for an accurate and efficient recognition of the pavement patching images, an interactive labeling method is proposed based on the U-Net convolutional neural network, using active learning combined with reverse and correction labeling. According to the calculation results in this paper, the sample size required by the interactive labeling is about half of the traditional labeling method for the same recognition precision. Meanwhile, the accuracy of interactive labeling method based on the mean intersection over union (mean_IOU) index is 6% higher than that of the traditional method using the same sample size and training epochs. In addition, the accuracy analysis of the noise and boundary of the prediction results shows that this method eliminates 92% of the noise in the predictions (the proportion of noise is reduced from 13.85% to 1.06%), and the image definition is improved by 14.1% in terms of the boundary gray area ratio. The interactive labeling is considered as a significantly valuable approach, as it reduces the sample size in each epoch of active learning, greatly alleviates the demand for manpower, and improves learning efficiency and accuracy.