bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Topographic and Landcover Influence on Lower Atmospheric Profiles Measured by Small Unoccupied Aerial Systems (sUAS)
Authors: Prior Elizabeth M. , Miller Gretchen R. , Brumbelow Kelly
Published: September 2021

Small unoccupied aerial systems (sUASs) are increasingly being used for field data collection and remote sensing purposes. Their ease of use, ability to carry sensors, low cost, and precise maneuverability and navigation make them a versatile tool for a field researcher. Procedures and instrumentation for sUASs are largely undefined, especially for atmospheric and hydrologic applications. The sUAS’s ability to collect atmospheric data for characterizing land–atmosphere interactions was examined at three distinct locations: Costa Rican rainforest, mountainous terrain in Georgia, USA, and land surfaces surrounding a lake in Florida, USA. This study aims to give further insight on rapid, sub-hourly changes in the planetary boundary layer and how land development alters land–atmosphere interactions. The methodology of using an sUAS for land–atmospheric remote sensing and data collection was developed and refined by considering sUAS wind downdraft influence and executing systematic flight patterns throughout the day. The sUAS was successful in gathering temperature and dew point data, including rapid variations due to changing weather conditions, at high spatial and temporal resolution over various land types, including water, forest, mountainous terrain, agriculture, and impermeable human-made surfaces. The procedure produced reliably consistent vertical profiles over small domains in space and time, validating the general approach. These findings suggest a healthy ability to diagnose land surface atmospheric interactions that influence the dynamic nature of the near-surface boundary layer.
A Single-Copter UWB-Ranging-Based Localization System Extendable to a Swarm of Drones
Authors: Steup Christoph , Beckhaus Jonathan , Mostaghim Sanaz
Published: September 2021

This paper presents a single-copter localization system as a first step towards a scalable multihop drone swarm localization system. The drone was equipped with ultrawideband (UWB) transceiver modules, which can be used for communication, as well as distance measurement. The location of the drone was detected based on fixed anchor points using a single type of UWB transceiver. Our aim is to create a swarm localization system that enables drones to switch their role between an active swarm member and an anchor node to enhance the localization of the whole swarm. To this end, this paper presents our current baseline localization system and its performance regarding single-drone localization with fixed anchors and its integration into our current modular quadcopters, which was designed to be easily extendable to a swarm localization system. The distance between each drone and the anchors was measured periodically, and a specially tailored gradient descent algorithm was used to solve the resulting nonlinear optimization problem. Additional copter and wireless-specific adaptations were performed to enhance the robustness. The system was tested with a Vicon system as a position reference and showed a high precision of 0.2 m with an update rate of <10 Hz. Additionally, the system was integrated into the FINken copters of the SwarmLab and evaluated in multiple outdoor scenarios. These scenarios showed the generic usability of the approach, even though no accurate precision measurement was possible.
Background Invariant Faster Motion Modeling for Drone Action Recognition
Authors: Kotecha Ketan , Garg Deepak , Mishra Balmukund , Narang Pratik , Mishra Vipul Kumar
Published: September 2021

Visual data collected from drones has opened a new direction for surveillance applications and has recently attracted considerable attention among computer vision researchers. Due to the availability and increasing use of the drone for both public and private sectors, it is a critical futuristic technology to solve multiple surveillance problems in remote areas. One of the fundamental challenges in recognizing crowd monitoring videos’ human action is the precise modeling of an individual’s motion feature. Most state-of-the-art methods heavily rely on optical flow for motion modeling and representation, and motion modeling through optical flow is a time-consuming process. This article underlines this issue and provides a novel architecture that eliminates the dependency on optical flow. The proposed architecture uses two sub-modules, FMFM (faster motion feature modeling) and AAR (accurate action recognition), to accurately classify the aerial surveillance action. Another critical issue in aerial surveillance is a deficiency of the dataset. Out of few datasets proposed recently, most of them have multiple humans performing different actions in the same scene, such as a crowd monitoring video, and hence not suitable for directly applying to the training of action recognition models. Given this, we have proposed a novel dataset captured from top view aerial surveillance that has a good variety in terms of actors, daytime, and environment. The proposed architecture has shown the capability to be applied in different terrain as it removes the background before using the action recognition model. The proposed architecture is validated through the experiment with varying investigation levels and achieves a remarkable performance of 0.90 validation accuracy in aerial action recognition.
Crucial Development: Criticality Is Important to Cell-to-Cell Communication and Information Transfer in Living Systems
Authors: Hunt von Herbing Ione , Tonello Lucio , Benfatto Maurizio , Pease April , Grigolini Paolo
Published: September 2021

In the fourth paper of this Special Issue, we bridge the theoretical debate on the role of memory and criticality discussed in the three earlier manuscripts, with a review of key concepts in biology and focus on cell-to-cell communication in organismal development. While all living organisms are dynamic complex networks of organization and disorder, most studies in biology have used energy and biochemical exchange to explain cell differentiation without considering the importance of information (entropy) transfer. While all complex networks are mixtures of patterns of complexity (non-crucial and crucial events), it is the crucial events that determine the efficiency of information transfer, especially during key transitions, such as in embryogenesis. With increasing multicellularity, emergent relationships from cell-to-cell communication create reaction–diffusion exchanges of different concentrations of biochemicals or morphogenetic gradients resulting in differential gene expression. We suggest that in conjunction with morphogenetic gradients, there exist gradients of information transfer creating cybernetic loops of stability and disorder, setting the stage for adaptive capability. We specifically reference results from the second paper in this Special Issue, which correlated biophotons with lentil seed germination to show that phase transitions accompany changes in complexity patterns during development. Criticality, therefore, appears to be an important factor in the transmission, transfer and coding of information for complex adaptive system development.
A Comprehensive Diagnosis Method of Rolling Bearing Fault Based on CEEMDAN-DFA-Improved Wavelet Threshold Function and QPSO-MPE-SVM
Authors: Wang Yi , Xu Chuannuo , Wang Yu , Cheng Xuezhen
Published: September 2021

A comprehensive fault diagnosis method of rolling bearing about noise interference, fault feature extraction, and identification was proposed. Based on complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA), and improved wavelet thresholding, a denoising method of CEEMDAN-DFA-improved wavelet threshold function was presented to reduce the distortion of the noised signal. Based on quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO), multiscale permutation entropy (MPE), and support vector machine (SVM), the QPSO-MPE-SVM method was presented to construct the fault-features sets and realize fault identification. Simulation and experimental platform verification showed that the proposed comprehensive diagnosis method not only can better remove the noise interference and maintain the original characteristics of the signal by CEEMDAN-DFA-improved wavelet threshold function, but also overcome overlapping MPE values by the QPSO-optimizing MPE parameters to separate the features of different fault types. The experimental results showed that the fault identification accuracy of the fault diagnosis can reach 95%, which is a great improvement compared with the existing methods.
Self-Adaptive Learning of Task Offloading in Mobile Edge Computing Systems
Authors: Huang Peng , Deng Minjiang , Kang Zhiliang , Liu Qinshan , Xu Lijia
Published: September 2021

Mobile edge computing (MEC) focuses on transferring computing resources close to the user’s device, and it provides high-performance and low-delay services for mobile devices. It is an effective method to deal with computationally intensive and delay-sensitive tasks. Given the large number of underutilized computing resources for mobile devices in urban areas, leveraging these underutilized resources offers tremendous opportunities and value. Considering the spatiotemporal dynamics of user devices, the uncertainty of rich computing resources and the state of network channels in the MEC system, computing resource allocation in mobile devices with idle computing resources will affect the response time of task requesting. To solve these problems, this paper considers the case in which a mobile device can learn from a neighboring IoT device when offloading a computing request. On this basis, a novel self-adaptive learning of task offloading algorithm (SAda) is designed to minimize the average offloading delay in the MEC system. SAda adopts a distributed working mode and has a perception function to adapt to the dynamic environment in reality; it does not require frequent access to equipment information. Extensive simulations demonstrate that SAda achieves preferable latency performance and low learning error compared to the existing upper bound algorithms.
On Selection Criteria for the Tuning Parameter in Robust Divergence
Authors: Sugasawa Shonosuke , Yonekura Shouto
Published: September 2021

Although robust divergence, such as density power divergence and γ-divergence, is helpful for robust statistical inference in the presence of outliers, the tuning parameter that controls the degree of robustness is chosen in a rule-of-thumb, which may lead to an inefficient inference. We here propose a selection criterion based on an asymptotic approximation of the Hyvarinen score applied to an unnormalized model defined by robust divergence. The proposed selection criterion only requires first and second-order partial derivatives of an assumed density function with respect to observations, which can be easily computed regardless of the number of parameters. We demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed method via numerical studies using normal distributions and regularized linear regression.
A Refutation of Finite-State Language Models through Zipf’s Law for Factual Knowledge
Authors: Dębowski Łukasz
Published: September 2021

We present a hypothetical argument against finite-state processes in statistical language modeling that is based on semantics rather than syntax. In this theoretical model, we suppose that the semantic properties of texts in a natural language could be approximately captured by a recently introduced concept of a perigraphic process. Perigraphic processes are a class of stochastic processes that satisfy a Zipf-law accumulation of a subset of factual knowledge, which is time-independent, compressed, and effectively inferrable from the process. We show that the classes of finite-state processes and of perigraphic processes are disjoint, and we present a new simple example of perigraphic processes over a finite alphabet called Oracle processes. The disjointness result makes use of the Hilberg condition, i.e., the almost sure power-law growth of algorithmic mutual information. Using a strongly consistent estimator of the number of hidden states, we show that finite-state processes do not satisfy the Hilberg condition whereas Oracle processes satisfy the Hilberg condition via the data-processing inequality. We discuss the relevance of these mathematical results for theoretical and computational linguistics.
Academic Research, Higher Education, and Peripheral Development: The Case of Israel
Authors: Degani Gad , Levanon Dan , Yom Din Gregory
Published: September 2021

The aims of this study are to identify possible socioeconomic impacts of MIGAL (Galilee Research Institute) and TH (Tel Hai Academic College) on the peripheral northeast’s development. We discuss the effects of academic research and institutions of higher education on mitigating differences between the center and the periphery of the country. MIGAL is a regional R&D center in the northeast peripheral region of Israel. An internationally recognized applied research institute, MIGAL specializes in biotechnology, computational sciences, plant sciences, precision agriculture, and environmental sciences, as well as food, nutrition, and health. Most of MIGAL’s researchers serve as the core faculty at TH. Despite the country’s small surface area, socioeconomic inequality in Israel is high by OECD standards, with wage differences between rich and poor regions reaching up to 400%. In this article, a new type of dataset for the study of the socioeconomic impact of academic research and higher education on peripheral development is proposed—the regional socioeconomic indices (SEIs). Data for MIGAL, TH, and the northeastern peripheral region were collected from the yearly reports of the two institutions and the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. MIGAL was found to serve as a link between research, academic teaching, and socioeconomic development in the northeast periphery. Several variables related to this link and describing MIGAL–TH and northeastern periphery development were analyzed over time: MIGAL’s budget, total number of employees and number of employees with PhDs; number of TH graduate students; and the socioeconomic index (SEI) of the northeastern periphery and its position on the Israeli list of regional SEIs. The signs and significance levels of most of the trends indicate a potential socioeconomic impact of academic research and higher education on peripheral development in the northeast of the country. Research budgets and the creation of jobs for academics living in the region are just a few examples of this impact. The results of the study are useful for academics and policymakers in improvement of the contribution of academic research and higher education to the country’s economic and innovation development.
The Twin Deficit Hypothesis in the MENA Region: Do Geopolitics Matter?
Authors: El-Khishin Sarah , El-Saeed Jailan
Published: September 2021

This paper examines the relationship between fiscal and external balances in MENA oil versus non-oil countries in the context of the twin deficits hypothesis (TDH) using Panel Vector Autoregression- Generalized Methods of Moments PVAR GMM estimation, Granger Causality and IRFs. The essence of this analysis is to assess the vulnerability of fiscal and external balances to oil price dynamics and regional geopolitics in the region. Results show that a twin-deficit problem exists in MENA oil-rich countries only while the problem does not exist in non-oil ones. This affirms the hypothesis that oil dependence results in high fiscal vulnerability to geopolitical shocks that automatically transmits to external balances. While a TDH isn’t proven to exist in non-oil countries, fiscal and external balances problems result from longstanding structural factors. A high reliance on tourism revenues and remittances as main sources of foreign currency receipts (together with poor tax administration and enlarged current spending bills) makes those countries more vulnerable to domestic and external shocks; reflected in both growing fiscal and current account deficits. A large imports sector and relatively poor exporting capacity also contribute to weakening external accounts. The main policy recommendations for MENA oil-rich countries rely in the importance of strengthening the non-oil sector in order to diversify domestic sources of revenues. Adopting flexible exchange rates is recommended to decrease the vulnerability of the external shocks to oil price dynamics. For non-oil MENA regions, fiscal consolidation, reforming current spending and strengthening tax administrations are crucial to improve fiscal performance. Export-led growth strategies and inclusive growth policies would also contribute to improving external accounts in the examined economies.
Mapping of Scientific Production on Blended Learning in Higher Education
Authors: Castro-Rodríguez Mª Montserrat , Marín-Suelves Diana , López-Gómez Silvia , Rodríguez-Rodríguez Jesús
Published: September 2021

Blended learning is a set of pedagogical strategies and practices that are closely related to the emergence of new technologies in society and in higher education. They are characterized by a combination of face-to-face and online learning that integrates a variety of materials in the teaching and learning process. The aim of our research was to analyze scientific production on this topic using two prestigious international databases: Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). A bibliometric study was conducted on 508 papers, and content analysis was performed on 119 openly accessible publications. Results show that blended learning is being applied in all scientific and professional spheres. This learning model is praised for its positive impact on motivation and learning effectiveness, as well as for promoting student autonomy. With respect to content, it is worth noting that many authors observe that methodological success is related to cultural context and access to devices and materials. Furthermore, it is suggested that greater methodological diversity is preferable to a single hegemonic approach. In short, the present paper contributes to the educational community by shedding light on how blended learning is being implemented and its impact on higher education.
Objective Analysis of Corrosion Pits in Offshore Wind Structures Using Image Processing
Authors: Khodabux Waseem , Brennan Feargal
Published: September 2021

Corrosion in the marine environment is a complex mechanism. One of the most damaging forms of corrosion is pitting corrosion, which is difficult to design and inspect against. In the North Sea, multiple offshore wind structures have been deployed that are corroding from the inside out. One of the most notable corrosion mechanisms observed is pitting corrosion. This study addresses the lack of information both in the literature and the industry standards on the pitting corrosion profile for water depth from coupons deployed in the North Sea. Image processing was therefore conducted to extract the characteristics of the pit, which were defined as pit major length, minor length, area, aspect ratio, and count. The pit depth was measured using a pit gauge and the maximum pit depth was found to be 1.05 mm over 111 days of exposure. The goal of this paper is to provide both deterministic models and a statistical model of pit characteristics for water depth that can be used by wind farm operators and researchers to inform and simulate pits on structures based on the results of a real field experiment. As such, these models highlight the importance of adequate corrosion protection.
Bass Diffusion Model Adaptation Considering Public Policies to Improve Electric Vehicle Sales—A Brazilian Case Study
Authors: Bitencourt Leonardo , Abud Tiago , Santos Rachel , Borba Bruno
Published: September 2021

The global fleet of electric vehicles (EV) has been rising in recent years, and public policies can play an important role in this scene. The objective of this work is to evaluate the impact of public policies in the diffusion of EVs in Brazil, based on Beck’s adaptation for the Bass diffusion model. This modification on the Bass model allows the estimation of EV diffusion, taking into account the direct and indirect economic influence of the main EV incentive instruments used worldwide. In addition, this work conducts a forecast of the total passenger cars in Brazil through a regression model, considering macroeconomic and social indicators. The results indicate that EV high prices may still be the major barrier for EV diffusion in Brazil over the studied horizon, keeping them inaccessible to the majority of the population. Therefore, policies aimed at subsidizing EVs may be more effective in stimulating EV sales.
Inductive Power Transfer Link at 13.56 MHz for Leadless Cardiac Pacemakers
Authors: Mohanarangam Krithikaa , Palagani Yellappa , Cho Kunhee , Choi Jun-Rim
Published: September 2021

Inductive power links are most viable for the long-term powering of cardiac pacemakers. Designing an inductive power link without surpassing the specific absorption rate (SAR) for modern leadless cardiac pacemakers (LCPs) remains a challenging task because of its size and implantation depth. The inductive power link employed in the conventional works is either designed at a high frequency or based on the size, shape, weight, and implantation depth of conventional cardiac pacemakers. Here, a 3-coil inductive power transfer link with a circular transmitter coil and solenoidal receiver coil is designed at 13.56 MHz to provide uninterrupted power to the modern LCPs. Considering the food and drug administration approved term for implant size of modern LCP, the receiver coil is designed with 6 mm diameter and 6.5 mm length. The performance of the link has been verified through simulations and measurements under perfect alignment, lateral and/or angular misalignments, and distance variation between the coils. At a 50 mm horizontal distance between transmitter and receiver coils, the transmission coefficient is −30.9 dB. The maximum simulated average SAR at heterogeneous phantom is 0.30 W/kg, which is lower than the limit set by the Federal Communications Commission for radiation threshold exposure. Experiments conducted on pork’s heart verified the reliability of the simulated results. At a 50 mm distance between the coils, the measured transmission coefficient is −34 dB, and at an input power of 1 W, the power delivered to the load is 0.7 mW.
Zigzag Multirod Laser Beam Merging Approach for Brighter TEM00-Mode Solar Laser Emission from a Megawatt Solar Furnace
Authors: Costa Hugo , Almeida Joana , Liang Dawei , Catela Miguel , Garcia Dário , Tibúrcio Bruno D. , Vistas Cláudia R.
Published: September 2021

An alternative multirod solar laser end-side-pumping concept, based on the megawatt solar furnace in France, is proposed to significantly improve the TEM00-mode solar laser output power level and its beam brightness through a novel zigzag beam merging technique. A solar flux homogenizer was used to deliver nearly the same pump power to multiple core-doped Nd:YAG laser rods within a water-cooled pump cavity through a fused silica window. Compared to the previous multibeam solar laser station concepts for the same solar furnace, the present approach can allow the production of high-power TEM00-mode solar laser beams with high beam brightness. An average of 1.06 W TEM00-mode laser power was numerically extracted from each of 1657 rods, resulting in a total of 1.8 kW. More importantly, by mounting 399 rods at a 30° angle of inclination and employing the beam merging technique, a maximum of 5.2 kW total TEM00-mode laser power was numerically extracted from 37 laser beams, averaging 141 W from each merged beam. The highest solar laser beam brightness figure of merit achieved was 148 W, corresponding to an improvement of 23 times in relation to the previous experimental record.
A Review of Recent Developments and Advanced Applications of High-Temperature Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: Hooshyari Khadijeh , Amini Horri Bahman , Abdoli Hamid , Fallah Vostakola Mohsen , Kakavand Parvaneh , Salarizadeh Parisa
Published: September 2021

This review summarizes the current status, operating principles, and recent advances in high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes (HT-PEMs), with a particular focus on the recent developments, technical challenges, and commercial prospects of the HT-PEM fuel cells. A detailed review of the most recent research activities has been covered by this work, with a major focus on the state-of-the-art concepts describing the proton conductivity and degradation mechanisms of HT-PEMs. In addition, the fuel cell performance and the lifetime of HT-PEM fuel cells as a function of operating conditions have been discussed. In addition, the review highlights the important outcomes found in the recent literature about the HT-PEM fuel cell. The main objectives of this review paper are as follows: (1) the latest development of the HT-PEMs, primarily based on polybenzimidazole membranes and (2) the latest development of the fuel cell performance and the lifetime of the HT-PEMs.
Simulation Modeling of a Photovoltaic-Green Roof System for Energy Cost Reduction of a Building: Texas Case Study
Authors: Kim Sojung , Aydin Burchan , Kim Sumin
Published: September 2021

This study aims at introducing a modeling and simulation approach for a green roof system which can reduce energy cost of a building exposed to high temperatures throughout the summer season. First, to understand thermal impact of a green roof system on a building surface, a field-based study has been conducted in Commerce, Texas, U.S., where the average maximum temperature in summer is 104 °F (40 °C). Two types of analyses were conducted: (1) comparison of temperature between different plant type via Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and (2) polynomial regression analysis to develop thermal impact estimation model based on air temperature and presence of a green roof. In addition, an agent-based simulation (ABS) model was developed via AnyLogic® University 8.6.0 simulation software, Chicago, IL, U.S., in order to accurately estimate energy cost and benefits of a building with a photovoltaic-green roof system. The proposed approach was applied to estimate energy reduction cost of the Keith D. McFarland Science Building at Texas A&M University, Commerce, Texas (33.2410° N, 95.9104° W). As a result, the proposed approach was able to save $740,325.44 in energy cost of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HAVC) system in the subject building. The proposed approach will contribute to the implementation of a sustainable building and urban agriculture.
A GIS-Based Procedure for Estimating the Energy Demand Profiles of Buildings towards Urban Energy Policies
Authors: Ferrari Simone , Zagarella Federica , Caputo Paola , Dall’O’ Giuliano
Published: September 2021

Assessing the existing building stock’s hourly energy demand and predicting its variation due to energy efficiency measures are fundamental for planning strategies towards renewable-based Smart Energy Systems. However, the need for accurate methods for this purpose in the literature arises. The present article describes a GIS-based procedure developed for estimating the energy demand profiles of urban buildings based on the definition of the volumetric consistency of a building stock, characterized by different ages of construction and the most widespread uses, as well as dynamic simulations of a set of Building Energy Models adopting different energy-related features. The simulation models are based on a simple Building Energy Concept where selected thermal zones, representative of different boundary conditions options, are accounted. By associating the simulated hourly energy density profiles to the geo-referenced building stock and to the surveyed thermal system types, the whole hourly energy profile is estimated for the considered area. The method was tested on the building stock of Milan (Italy) and validated with the data available from the annual energy balance of the city. This procedure could support energy planners in defining urban energy demand profiles for energy policy scenarios.
Influence of the Advancement in the LED Lighting Technologies on the Optimum Windows-to-Wall Ratio of Jordanians Residential Buildings
Authors: Albatayneh Aiman , Juaidi Adel , Abdallah Ramez , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: September 2021

Based on recent developments and the predicted future advancement of lighting technologies, researchers are now questioning the extent to which daylight is effective in lowering the overall energy consumption of buildings. As light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires are highly energy efficient, the amount of power consumed for lighting purposes can be reduced, even in situations where the lighting system is at its full power. It has already been demonstrated that LED-lighting technologies can facilitate significant energy savings through minimizing window size (the main source of heat loss in buildings), and there is considerable potential for developing the LEDs’ source efficacy and lighting-product efficiency to ultimately achieve levels of efficacy of approximately 350 lumens per Watt (lm/W). For building designs to be sustainable in the future, it is critical that the windows-to-wall ratio (WWR) is optimized to minimize both heating and cooling loads, as well as the total energy consumed by the building for lighting, according to the efficiency of the LED, while still maintaining a suitable lighting level for occupants. This research examines the influence of the WWR on the total amount of energy consumed by standard buildings in Jordan using various LED luminaires (existing and projected efficiencies). DesignBuilder software was utilized to analyze the effect of LED-technology development on optimizing the WWR for a typical residential structure in Jordan. The research presents beneficial recommendations with respect to optimizing the WWR for primary decision-makers in the design of residential buildings with enhanced energy efficiency, considering the losses and gains associated with solar heat and light to capitalize on solar energy with no adverse impacts by windows size. The outcomes suggest a WWR of 17% could be achieved by typical residential buildings in Jordan that have extremely efficient LED lighting systems (350 lm/W), which is more than 50% less than the existing level of 40% recommended by multiple standards. Additionally, this study highlighted that when the efficiency of LED technologies increases, the energy demand of the building will be reduced because of lower energy usage combined with heat gain resulting from the LED efficiency.
Selected Issues on Material Properties of Objects in Computer Simulations of Floodlighting
Authors: Krupiński Rafał , Wachta Henryk , Stabryła Wojciech Maciej , Büchner Cedric
Published: September 2021

This paper addresses issues with computer simulation involved in designing illumination for architectural structures. In particular, the reflectance and transmittance of materials were studied with respect to their influence on luminance values, thus directly the power levels for luminaires applied under particular projects. Raster images derived from digitally processed daytime pictures were used to precisely define material properties. Bitmaps were tested with regard to measuring and editing materials with a widely used graphic application. A real architectural object, the Basilica of the Dormition in Jerusalem, served as the test object. A floodlighting design was performed following a complete analysis of all electrical and photometric parameters. Luminance distributions were analysed comprehensively. Hence, the data allowed for an assessment of the lighting design compliance with guidance given by International Commission on Illumination (CIE) for floodlighting objects and its required standards. The floodlighting utilization factor of the lighting solution developed was also verified, as it is the input parameter for evaluating not only the energy efficiency for the installed lighting system, but also the impact it has on the surroundings, in this case, the project that is to be implemented.
A Robust Optimization Approach for Optimal Power Flow Solutions Using Rao Algorithms
Authors: Gupta Saket , Kumar Narendra , Srivastava Laxmi , Malik Hasmat , Anvari-Moghaddam Amjad , García Márquez Fausto Pedro
Published: September 2021

This paper offers three easy-to-use metaphor-less optimization algorithms proposed by Rao to solve the optimal power flow (OPF) problem. Rao algorithms are parameter-less optimization algorithms. As a result, algorithm-specific parameter tuning is not required at all. This quality makes these algorithms simple to use and able to solve various kinds of complex constrained optimization and engineering problems. In this paper, the main aim to solve the OPF problem is to find the optimal values of the control variables in a given electrical network for fuel cost minimization, real power losses minimization, emission cost minimization, voltage profile improvement, and voltage stability enhancement, while all the operating constraints are satisfied. To demonstrate the efficacy of Rao algorithms, these algorithms have been employed in three standard IEEE test systems (30-bus, 57-bus, and 118-bus) to solve the OPF problem. The OPF results of Rao algorithms and the results provided by other swarm intelligence (SI)/evolutionary computing (EC)-based algorithms published in recent literature have been compared. Based on the outcomes, Rao algorithms are found to be robust and superior to their competitors.
Multi-Point Shape Optimization of a Horizontal Axis Tidal Stream Turbine
Authors: el Sheshtawy Hassan , el Moctar Ould , Natarajan Satish
Published: September 2021

A method was developed to perform shape optimization of a tidal stream turbine hydrofoil using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. A bezier curve parameterized the reference hydrofoil profile NACA 63815. Shape optimization of this hydrofoil maximized its lift-to-drag ratio and minimized its pressure coefficient, thereby increasing the turbines power output power and improving its cavitation characteristics. The Elitist Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) was employed to perform the shape optimization. A comparative study of two- and three-dimensional optimizations was carried out. The effect of varying the angle of attack on the quality of optimized results was also studied. Predictions based on two-dimensional panel method results were also studied. Predictions based on a two-dimensional panel method and on a computational fluid dynamics code were compared to experimental measurements.
Productivity of Eucalyptus pellita in Sumatra: Acacia mangium Legacy, Response to Phosphorus, and Site Variables for Guiding Management
Authors: Hardiyanto Eko , Inail Maydra , Nambiar E.
Published: September 2021

We report on experimental studies conducted in South Sumatra with interrelated objectives to (i) examine the trends in production covering 30 years, including three rotations of Acacia mangium followed by Eucalyptus pellita which replaced A. mangium for managing the widespread threat of diseases; (ii) understand the effects of inter-rotation slash and litter management applied to acacia (legacy effects) on E. pellita growth; (iii) assess the long term changes in the top soil layer arising from above; (iv) evaluate, through a network of experiments, across the landscape, the nature and extent of growth responses to additional phosphorus. This data was also used to explore some of the critical site and stand variables which determine the variations in productivity and responses to management. The current growth rates of E. pellita are lower than those achieved in A. mangium. The management-legacy effects by conserving site resources provides a sustainable base for the growth of E. pellita, but for further increase in productivity, additional management actions are necessary. Changes in soil pH, carbon, N and extractable P were relatively small after four rotations. Supply of P at planting gave wood volume gains at harvest, ranging from 16 to 66% across sites. The plinthite layer in the soil profile was related to productivity, with higher growth rates of E. pellita occurring when the plinthite was at deeper layers. There is much scope for increasing productivity per unit area in this landscape, and available knowledge can be synthesized into a package of best practices for application. Management should aim to improve the quality of inter-rotation management to ensure more than 90% survival, and fast growth rates during the first 2 years. We provide a framework for further research and for refining management to produce the much needed additional domestic wood supply for the local industry.
Viscoelastic Thermovibrational Flow Driven by Sinusoidal and Pulse (Square) Waves
Authors: Lappa Marcello , Boaro Alessio
Published: September 2021

The present study aims to probe the role of an influential factor heretofore scarcely considered in earlier studies in the field of thermovibrational convection, that is, the specific time-varying shape of the forcing used to produce fluid motion under the effect of an imposed temperature gradient. Towards this end, two different temporal profiles of acceleration are considered: a classical (sinusoidal) and a pulse (square) wave. Their effects are analyzed in conjunction with the ability of a specific category of fluids to accumulate and release elastic energy, i.e., that of Chilcott–Rallison finitely extensible nonlinear elastic (FENE-CR) liquids. Through solution of the related governing equations in time-dependent, three-dimensional, and nonlinear form for a representative set of parameters (generalized Prandtl number Prg=8, normalized frequency Ω=25, solvent-to-total viscosity ratio ξ=0.5, elasticity number ϑ=0.1, and vibrational Rayleigh number Raω=4000), it is shown that while the system responds to a sinusoidal acceleration in a way that is reminiscent of modulated Rayleigh–Bénard (RB) convection in a Newtonian fluid (i.e., producing a superlattice), with a pulse wave acceleration, the flow displays a peculiar breaking-roll mode of convection that is in between classical (un-modulated) RB in viscoelastic fluids and purely thermovibrational flows. Besides these differences, these cases share important properties, namely, a temporal subharmonic response and the tendency to produce spatially standing waves.
Rheological and Microstructural Properties of Oil-in-Water Emulsion Gels Containing Natural Plant Extracts Stabilized with Carboxymethyl Cellulose/Mango (Mangiferaindica) Starch
Authors: Mieles-Gómez Luis , Lastra-Ripoll Santander E. , Torregroza-Fuentes Edilbert , Quintana Somaris E. , García-Zapateiro Luis A.
Published: September 2021

Emulsion gels are an alternative to developing food products and adding bioactive compounds; however, different stabilizers have been employed considering natural ingredients. In this work, stabilization of emulsion gels with blends of carboxymethylcellulose and kernel mango starch was performed with the addition of mango peel extracts, evaluating their physical, rheological and microstructural properties. Phenolic extract from mango peels (yields = 11.35 ± 2.05% w/w), with 294.60 ± 0.03 mg GAE/100 g of extract and 436.77 ± 5.30 µMol Trolox/g of the extract, was obtained by ultrasound-assisted extraction (1:10 peel: Ethanol w/v, 200 W, 30 min), containing pyrogallol, melezitose, succinic acid, γ-tocopherol, campesterol, stigmasterol, lupeol, vitamin A and vitamin E. In addition, mango kernel starch (yields = 59.51 ± 1.35% w/w) with 27.28 ± 0.05% of amylose was obtained, being the by-product of mango (Mangiferaindica var fachir) an alternative to producing natural food ingredients. After that, stable emulsions gels were prepared to stabilize with carboxy methylcellulose–kernel mango starch blends and mango peel extracts. These results provide an ingredient as an alternative to the development of gelled systems. They offer an alternative to elaborating a new multifunctional food system with bioactive properties with potential application as a fat replacement or delivery system in the food industry.
Chemical and Antimicrobial Effects of Air Non-Thermal Plasma Processing of Fresh Apple Juice with Focus on Safety Aspects
Authors: Tarabová Barbora , Tampieri Francesco , Maran Elisabetta , Marotta Ester , Ostrihoňová Andrea , Krewing Marco , Machala Zdenko
Published: September 2021

Freshly squeezed apple juice was subjected to air non-thermal plasma treatment to investigate the capability of this processing method to inactivate microorganisms and to evaluate its safety when applied to liquid food products. Two different configurations of a transient spark discharge in ambient air were tested: an electrospray system with the juice flowing directly through the high voltage needle electrode, and a batch system, where the discharge was generated onto the surface of the juice. The key physico-chemical parameters of the juice, such as pH, conductivity, color, transmittance, and Brix degree, did not significantly change upon treatment. The concentration of nitrate ions formed by the plasma was safe, while that of nitrite ions and hydrogen peroxide was initially higher than the safety limits, but decreased within 24 h post treatment. The plasma effect on individual natural components of the juice, such as sugars, organic acids, and polyphenols, treated in water solutions led to their partial or substantial decomposition. However, when these compounds were plasma-treated altogether in the juice, they remained unaffected. The antimicrobial effect of the plasma processing was evaluated via the inoculation of model microorganisms. A stronger (6 log) decontamination was detected for bacteria Escherichia coli with respect to yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Plasma processing led to a substantial extension of the juice shelf-life by up to 26 days if refrigerated, which represents a promising application potential in food technology.
Real-Time Gauging of the Gelling Maturity of Duck Eggs Pickled in Strong Alkaline Solutions
Authors: Cheng Ching-Wei , Lai Kun-Ming , Liu Wan-Yu , Li Cheng-Han , Chen Yu-Hsun , Jeng Chien-Chung
Published: September 2021

Although many ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared transmission spectroscopy techniques have been applied to chicken egg studies, such techniques are not suitable for duck eggs because duck eggshells are much thicker than chicken eggshells. In this study, a high-transmission spectrometer using an equilateral prism as a dispersive element and a flash lamp as a light source was constructed to nondestructively detect the transmission spectrum of duck eggs and monitor the pickling of eggs. The evolution of egg transmittance was highly correlated with the albumen during pickling. The transmittance exponentially decays with time during this period, and the decay rate is related to the pickling rate. The colors of the albumen and yolk remain almost unchanged in the first stage. A multiple linear regression analysis model that realizes a one-to-one association between the days of pickling and the transmission spectra was constructed to determine the pickling duration in the second stage. The coefficient of determination reached 0.88 for a single variable, wavelength, at 590 nm. This method can monitor the maturity of pickled eggs in real time and does not require the evolution of light transmittance.
Improving the Sensory, Nutritional and Physicochemical Quality of Fresh Meat
Authors: Munekata Paulo
Published: September 2021

This Special Issue titled “Improving the Sensory, Nutritional and Physicochemical Quality of Fresh Meat” is comprised of six studies that explored different strategies to improve the quality of fresh meat, as well as some aspects related to its further processing [...]
Promoting Healthier Drinking Habits: Using Sound to Encourage the Choice for Non-Alcoholic Beers in E-Commerce
Authors: Rodríguez Brayan , Arroyo Christian , Reyes Luis H. , Reinoso-Carvalho Felipe
Published: September 2021

Important institutions, such as the World Health Organization, recommend reducing alcohol consumption by encouraging healthier drinking habits. This could be achieved, for example, by employing more effective promotion of non-alcoholic beverages. For such purposes, in this study, we assessed the role of experiential beer packaging sounds during the e-commerce experience of a non-alcoholic beer (NAB). Here, we designed two experiments. Experiment 1 evaluated the influence of different experiential beer packaging sounds on consumers’ general emotions and sensory expectations. Experiment 2 assessed how the sounds that evoked more positive results in Experiment 1 would influence emotions and sensory expectations related to a NAB digital image. The obtained results revealed that a beer bottle pouring sound helped suppress some of the negativity that is commonly associated with the experience of a NAB. Based on such findings, brands and organizations interested in more effectively promoting NAB may feel encouraged to involve beer packaging sounds as part of their virtual shopping environments.
Chocolate as Carrier to Deliver Bioactive Ingredients: Current Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Faccinetto-Beltrán Paulinna , Gómez-Fernández Andrea R. , Santacruz Arlette , Jacobo-Velázquez Daniel A.
Published: September 2021

Consumer demand for healthier foods with improved taste and convenience has urged the food industry to develop functional foods added with bioactive ingredients that can supplement basic nutrition (food supplement) or exert a pharmacological effect (nutraceuticals). Chocolate could be used as an ideal carrier to deliver bioactive ingredients, mainly due to its high acceptability by consumers. However, a drawback of using chocolate as functional food is its high sugar content, which impedes its commercialization with the diabetic population. Therefore, there is need to develop sugar-free chocolate formulations added with bioactive ingredients. Nevertheless, sugar replacement and bioactive ingredients addition is a major technological challenge that affects texture, rheology, and sensory properties of chocolate. This review is designed as a practical guide for researchers and food industries to develop the next generation of functional chocolates. Different functional chocolate formulations, including sugar-free, are reviewed as potential carriers for the delivery of bioactive compounds. The physicochemical properties and sensory acceptability of the functional chocolates presented are also highlighted. Finally, future perspectives, such as the use of nanotechnology to improve the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of active ingredients, as well as the need for clinical trials to validate the pharmacological effect of functional chocolates, are also discussed.