bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Particulate matter(s!) – Evaluation of a learning environment regarding scientific investigations by data exploration
Authors: Schubatzky T , Bock B , Haagen-Schützenhöfer C
Published: June 2021

How students plan and conduct experimental inquiry has been a major focus in science education research. However, experimental inquiry is not representative for all scientific investigations. So, a focus on experimental inquiry can cause the impression that there is a “single scientific method”. We are currently developing learning environments that focus on another type of inquiry using environmental data from an online data repository. We call this scientific investigation by data exploration. Due to the increased variability in environmental data, ideas of inferential statistics are of extreme importance because causal relationships cannot be directly derived. Hence, the focus of our learning environment is to support students’ skills which are relevant for performing scientific investigations by data exploration. The main goal during the intervention for the students is to identify factors influencing the particulate matter concentration in an Austrian city. In this article, we report the evaluation of our intervention with a cohort of 27 secondary school students. The evaluation shows that students regard particulate matter as a highly interesting. Furthermore, students self-report a high intrinsic motivation during the intervention and feel more informed about the environmental issue of particulate matter after the intervention. However, a few starting points for further improvement of the learning environment were identified and are discussed in this article.
Basic physics course with MATLAB’s symbolic toolbox and live editor
Authors: Bräuer K
Published: June 2021

The course offers a compact presentation of the basic content of classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, interaction and chaos theory. In 26 MATLAB Live scripts, the basic physical laws are presented, and examples are solved. Since it is assumed that the reader already has basic knowledge of physics and mathematics, a more modern view of physics, mathematics and calculation can be chosen. The dynamic laws, uniform throughout the course, stem from the concepts of invariance and continuity. Throughout the course, ground vectors and metric are used instead of basis vectors. The use of symbolic computer software enables more complicated problems, vivid graphics, and lots of animation. Students like it because they are play-like. Even students who major in mathematics, computer science and similar subjects have gained a good understanding of the basic physical principles.
Reconsidering Physics Education for better understanding of modern physics
Authors: Giliberti Marco , Organtini Giovanni
Published: June 2021

Most current educational presentations of quantum physics still propose the same difficulties that emerged in the early twentieth century, often as a mean to engage students. Those difficulties emerged among physicists mostly because the lack of a suitable meaning of what “reality” has to be considered. Instead of engaging students, those difficulties leave them confused because they lack the awareness of what a physical theory is and its relationship with the experiments. We will discuss this problem, both from the epistemological and the educational point of view and give indications to provide an increasingly solid foundation for the educational reconstructions of quantum physics starting from classical physics that must be reconsidered in view of the final objective rather than opposing it to modern physics.
A path to build basic Quantum Mechanics ideas in the context of light polarization and learning outcomes of secondary students
Authors: Michelini Marisa , Stefanel Alberto
Published: June 2021

There is consensus on the goal to introduce Quantum Mechanics in secondary school curricula for its paradigmatic role in the modern physics. In literature a wide spectra of proposals were developed and tested. With the goal to approach the basic ideas of quantum theory by means of active learning, we design a research based educational path in the context of light polarization, offering an open software environment for ideal experiments. Several Intervention Modules with secondary school students were performed, monitoring the learning paths by means of tutorials and pre-post-test for total about 900 students. Here a homogenous sample of 126 students is considered. Qualitative/quantitative data analysis shows coherent line of reasoning developed by students along the quantum concepts, coherent in some case with a hidden variables approach.
Phantasy and reality-teleportation versus quantum computing
Authors: Nagy Peter , Tasnádi Peter
Published: June 2021

Application of quantum theory in informatics and the creation of quantum information devices have revolutionary changed our idea about the information systems. It seems to us that the only question is that quantum computers will be introduced in the next decade or in some years later. Anyhow, we should prepare to teach a radically new paradigm, the quantum algorithms, in informatics. Quantum algorithm can be demonstrated with quantum simulators. The present paper shows an educational material, which facilitates the teaching of this new field. Besides summarising the basic concepts and methods of quantum informatics, the working of a quantum algorithm on a quantum simulator will be also illustrated with the discussion of an exciting quantum physical phenomenon (the teleportation).
Density with Cubes
Authors: Dvořáková Irena
Published: June 2021

The article deals with an inquiry-based approach to teaching density to the age group 12-13. The whole methodological sequence is presented, including necessary equipment, worksheet for pupils, an example of results measured by pupils, reflection of the lesson, etc. Also, the experience of the implementation of the lessons is mentioned.
An experiment-based module for building quantum mechanics concepts using Mach-Zehnder interferometry
Authors: Daffara Claudia , Monti Francesca
Published: June 2021

To introduce the fundamental concepts and formalism of Quantum Mechanics at the base of Quantum Calculus and Quantum Cryptography we developed an experiment-based module centered on the use of a Mach-Zehnder laser interferometer equipped with linear polarizers. By analyzing the constructive and destructive interference, students are guided to understand the meaning of mutual exclusivity and incompatibility of polarization states (H, V) and (45°, 135°). A MATLAB simulation allows the understanding of the experimental results in terms of single photons. The module was tested as a pilot intervention on a group of Computer Science PhD students at the University of Verona.
Education of Physics Teachers in the 21st Century
Authors: Holubova Renata
Published: June 2021

Education in the 21st century requires a new design of educational programs for all types and levels of schools. The pre-graduate physics teacher education faces new requirements from the learning school environment. Now we need to answer the key question, if our university is able to prepare students for their further practice at schools. This paper will present the outcomes of our research aimed at the pedagogical content knowledge of the pre-graduate science teachers. The main goal of the research was to compare the competences of experienced practical teachers and students specialized in teaching during their contiguous teaching practice. Based on the research results the evaluation of the science teacher education program at the Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, was realized.
Investigating the impact of a tutorial approach in physics teacher education
Authors: Seebacher Robert , Haagen-Schützenhöfer Claudia
Published: June 2021

Recently, teacher education in Austria has undergone major changes. Among other factors, profound content knowledge is essential for the professionalisation of teachers and the later quality of their instruction at school. First evaluation findings of our physics teacher education program revealed year two students’ deficits in the conceptual understanding of introductory mechanics. Since conceptual difficulties hinder meaningful learning of advanced topics and the development of pedagogical content knowledge, we adapted courses by integrating parts of tutorials of the University of Washington into the existing courses without changing the entire teaching mode. We used a pre-post-test design to investigate the impact of these short phases of the tutorial approach. The results indicate that this kind of learning opportunities supports students’ conceptual understanding in the field of mechanics. It shows a positive impact on content knowledge and self-efficacy. Students’ feedback on the tutorial approach shows that most students of the intervention groups appreciated this approach and its usefulness. In addition, all students pleaded for continuing the tutorial approach in the calculus-based mechanic course.
Quantum Physics Course for future secondary school teachers: active learning approach and visualization tools
Authors: Koupilová Zdeňka
Published: June 2021

This contribution describes aims and implementation of the Quantum Physics course specially designed for future physics teachers at secondary and high schools. Although the course syllabus is the same as for the courses for future physicists, emphasis is placed on understanding of basic concepts and students’ ability to discuss about them. The active learning methods and various means of graphical representations are used to meet this goal. The course has been tuned to its present form for about ten years and reaches very positive feedback from students.
An overview of physics and physics teaching in Brazil: Physicists, physics teachers and physics licensure programs
Authors: Nardi Roberto , Alcântara Rodolfo
Published: June 2021

This paper is part of a study that aims to present a panorama of the teaching of physics in Brazil, contributing to the memory of physics teaching in this country. It also aims to support research of greater amplitude, to be carried out in the future in other member countries of IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics). In this part of the study, data from several sources were considered, among others, Brazilian Society of Physics (BSP), the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the Nacional Institute of Pedagogical Studies (INEP) and the Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC). Due to the wide range of information obtained and the multiple possibilities of analysis, we chose to explore and interpret part of the data here and, for that matter, we used documentary analysis only. The data analyzed allowed us to establish, for example, relationships between the number of students attending high school in Brazilian public schools, the number of licensed teachers who work in these schools in each state of the country. These data also allowed us to link with data from the literature on the subject, which consider the causes of teaching avoidance and undergraduate courses in Physics, aggravating factors for the precarious situation of the medium level physics teaching in the country.
Structural health monitoring of splice joint in a steel beam
Authors: Aastha  , Singh RR
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, steel sections are extensively used in various constructions because of its lesser erection time and higher reliability. These members are connected either by welding or bolts. As time goes on, the structure degrades due to various reasons. In our study, the degradation of joints with bolted connections is presented. In reality, joints are damaged frequently when compared to the other parts of the structure. As bridges are generally of long spans, splicing is done to ensure the continuity of the spans and this splicing is done with the help of welding or bolts. Loosening of bolts is the most common damage that occurs in bolts, making the joint act like a semi-rigid joint. We have considered a bridge model consisting of two beams connected by splicing with bolts’ help, and this entire modelling is done in ABAQUS 6.13. Our intention to study the behaviour of the joint in both damaged and undamaged case. Loosening of bolts is considered as damage, and deflection of the joint is considered as the extent of the damage. We have performed a static analysis of the model. Theoretical validation is also done by developing an elemental stiffness matrix with semi-rigid connections using fixity factors.
Investigation of electric properties of flax reinforced polypropylene/strontium titanate composite for multilayer dielectric applications
Authors: Prashanth PVS Hari , Jayamani Elammaran , Soon Kok Heng
Published: June 2021

Electrical properties such as dielectric constant, dissipation factor, capacitance, and conductivity are some of the properties that are required to be investigated when a novel composite is fabricated. This research aims to achieve a low dielectric constant (less than 4.2), lowered dissipation factor, lowered conductivity by fabricating a novel natural fiber reinforced polymer composite and investigating its properties. In this research, polypropylene with 14 wt% of strontium titanate, 8 wt% of treated flax fibers was fabricated using compression molding and tested for their dielectric and conductive properties. The capacitance and dielectric constant were significantly higher (43 percent) than that of pure PP or PP-flax, and a gradual decrease was observed as the frequency was increased. The dissipation factor and conductivity were found to be higher for pure PP. However, the full composite exhibited moderate conductivity showing that delays in charge losses could occur, making it an ideal composite for dielectric multilayer applications.
Discussion and analysis of different in-situ methods for fabrication of Aluminium-TiB2 composite
Authors: Pathak Ruchi , Sanbigrahi Pritha , Singh Rajeev
Published: June 2021

In this study, different in-situ phase development techniques in the aluminium matrix are analyzed based on results obtained by using these methods. Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of aluminium-matrix composites reinforced by in situ titanium diboride (TiB2) have been analyzed in this paper. During the study, it is found that using in-situ methods for phase development in aluminium-based composites is more appropriate than other ex-situ methods. The interfaces between titanium diboride (TiB2) reinforcement and aluminium (Al)matrix are clean, and enhanced mechanical characteristics can be achieved.
Optimization and fabrication of pure poly lactic acid (PLA) using hot press compression moulding
Authors: Kamran M J , Jayamani E , Soon K H , Wong Y C
Published: June 2021

Biodegradable poly lactic acid (PLA) samples were optimized and fabricated for flexural, tensile, hardness, and dielectric testing, according to the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM). In order to achieve the highest value of tensile strength, flexural strength, and hardness, hot pressing compression molding was utilized to optimize PLA. Furthermore, not enough research was available regarding the preparation of PLA samples or composites using hot press compression molding. However, different processing variables such as temperature, pressure, compression time, holding and cooling time played huge roles. Each of these variables were investigated in order to optimize the PLA properties. Composites samples were also produced using the optimized processing parameters. These samples were then tested for tensile strength, which was 2.2 Mpa, flexural strength, 7.6 Mpa, Rockwell hardness C scale, 59, and dielectric constant/loss. The highest dielectric constant value achieved was 1.07810 at 1kHz frequency, and the highest amount of dielectric loss was 0.14910 at 2MHz frequency.
Experimental study on mechanical properties of polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete with silica fume
Authors: Yandrapati Aravind Sai , Anil Kumar M.
Published: June 2021

In this research, the mechanical properties of polypropylene and silica fume are examined with the 0.40% water-cement ratio of M40 grade concrete. The synthetic polypropylene fibers of length 12mm short fibers. in this study, the polypropylene fibers are used up to 0.3% (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%). And the silica fume is being utilized as a substitute for cement with a 4% mass of cement in all the mix proportions. The addition of silica fume to the cementitious matrix strengthened fiber scattering, resulting in a substantial decrease in the absorbency of the polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete(PPFRC). Superplasticizer is also added to these concrete mixes to increase workability. The concrete samples are prepared and cured for 7, 28 days. After completing the curing duration, samples were tested. After That finally, the mechanical properties, as comp. strength, split tensile, bending strength and mode of failure and ultimate load are determined and all proportions of the mix are compared to traditional concrete.
Artificial neural network (ANN) based prediction of process parameters in additive manufacturing
Authors: Sondagar Hardik , Bhadauria S S , Sharma V S
Published: June 2021

In recent years, selective laser melting (SLM), a part of additive manufacturing (AM) is one of the most encouraging ones that permit fabricating metallic parts from metal powder with complex geometry. Diversities in thesecycle boundaries become an imperative system to improve the nature of the outcome.Cycleboundaries, for example, laser power, scan speed, hatch spacing, layer height used as input parameters and have a significant impact on the mechanical property taken as an output parameter of the manufactured part. The Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model includes a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) learning algorithm named as Levenberg-Marquardt and tangent sigmoid function consider as preparing and testing functions respectively utilizing MATLAB toolkit. Ideal cycle boundaries are attained dependent on the mean square error function (MSE) and correlation coefficient(R2).
Influence of layer thickness and build orientation on compressive strength of 3D printed scaffolds prototypes
Authors: Sahu Kiran Kumar , Modi Yashwant Kumar
Published: June 2021

The research on fabrication of customised porous bone scaffolds through additive manufacturing has been gaining momentum since last couple of years. This paper presents an analysis of compressive strength (CS) of two slightly different calcium sulfate based proprietary materials namely, Zp150 and VisiJet PXL Core. The comparison is performed on different layer thickness (LT) and builds orientation (BO) of ZPrinter ®450 using full factorial design approach. Initially, a computer aided design (CAD) model of the porous scaffold with designed porosity is prepared in a CAD modelling software and then additive manufacturing is done on four different LT (0.089 mm, 0.101 mm, 0.112 mm and 0.125 mm) and three BO (along x-axis, y-axis and z-axis) of ZPrinter ®450. Analysis of CS reveals that prototypes made of VisiJet PXL Core material have shown a better strength in comparison with their Zp150 counterparts for similar LT and BO. In general, prototypes of both the materials printed along x-axis posses better CS for all the LT. Moreover, the prototype of VisiJet PXL Core material fabricated along x-axis on layer thickness 0.089 mm possesses highest (1.17 MPa) CS among all the prototypes.
Biomechanical matrix-multibody coupled human body model for seat to head transmissibility
Authors: Desai Raj , Guha Anirban , Seshu P.
Published: June 2021

Health hazards of human body to whole body vibrations (WBV) have been linked with the incidence of spinal ailments within the drivers of vibrating moving equipment. The investigations on the biodynamic responsiveness of body segments; thus, it is relevant for a profound understanding of prospective impairment anticipations and design refinements. Current research work concentrates on seated body biodynamic direct and cross axis responses to seat induced vertical vibration, and establishment of an analytical model for the prediction of human anatomy comfort parameters. In the course of WBV vibrations of the human anatomy in a seated position (driver or passenger), the movement of the head is affected by the backrest forces transmitting to the lumbar section of the spinal column. Accordingly, it is crucial to reflect backrest assistance while building the human body model to captivate direct and cross axis seat to head transmissibility. Thus, the model results should accurately represent the internal forces, power absorbed, body acceleration accurately. The human anatomy is viewed as a biodynamic system of interconnected masses. A two-dimensional nine degree of freedom (DoF) matrix-multibody coupled backrest supported seated human anatomy model is established and validated to depict vertical and fore-aft head motion. Multi-objective genetic algorithm-based optimization has been used for model parameter identification by minimizing the error difference separating the experimental and model-derived seat to head transmissibility.
Review on various design aspects of the modern bicycle
Authors: Baviskar D , Bhosale A , Baswa A , Kulkarni K
Published: June 2021

In today’s world where we are surrounded by the smoke emitting vehicles, we must come up with more effective and sustainable solutions for transport. One of which is electric vehicles and other being bicycle.Since the innovation of bicycles till date a lot of improvements are done in its design, utility, and applications. Bicycle riding is one earliest modes of transport. Being so, it is the cleanest way of transportation as does not create any waste out of it. Bicycle riding is also considered as one the most effective ways of exercising. Bicycles find the largest market in the vehicle industry as it attracts small kids right from the age of 4yrs to senior citizen. The advancement in the field of ergonomics plays vital role in doing so.The developments on design and power transmissions have also up lifted the bar for utility. Due to this the application of bicycles now is not limited to simple exercising, racing, or travelling but also in the field of adventure sports, mountain climbing etc.
Improvement in engineering properties of clay soil using waste demolished material
Authors: Jain Gaurav , Pandit Prem Prakash , Narwariya Manoj
Published: June 2021

Expansive soil contain the highly active clay mineral in the form of montmorillonite due to which expensive soil swell upto 7% upon adding 1% of water, which may lead to unequal settlement of subsoil. The primary characterisation of clayey soil is which possess very poor shear strength with high shrinkage & swelling. This research paper represent a complete framework to overcome this drawback of highly expansive soil by adding waste material like fly ash and brick waste to clay soil in order to improve it’s engineering properties. Fly ash can be easily obtained from coal combustion plants while brick waste is easily available at demolition area. In this research fly ash is added in different percentages 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, 16% and brick waste is added 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% by weight of soil. The results of test shown that the addition of fly ash and brick waste reduces the liquid limit, plastic limit value, plasticity index value, optimum moisture content value, percentage free swell index value and increases the unconfined compressive strength value and California bearing ratio value.
Characterization of waste plastic in flexible pavement
Authors: Rajput Balram Singh , Singh Rajawat Sachindra Pratap , Jain Gaurav
Published: June 2021

The degree of waste plastic in metropolitan strong waste (MSW) is escalating because of growth in populace, urbanization, improvement exercises and way of life changes that have prompted far reaching finishing. Since, these aren’t orchestrated deductively and believability to make ground water source defilement. This plastic waste material midway substituted the standard material to enhance needed mechanical ascribes designed for explicit road mixture. In the standing research made methodologies to utilize waste plastic for improvement inspiration driving roads and versatile black-tops has explored. In standard road construction, majorly bitumen is utilized as folio. For the top most layer of flexible black top bitumen can be modified with bitumen blend and lavish plastic pieces. This waste plastic altered bitumen mixture shows improved limiting properties, sufficiency, thickness and impenetrable to water.
Experimental study on dimensional accuracy of freeform fabricated thermoplastic polyurethane
Authors: Bhardwaj Tarun , Jain Pradeep , Singh Devendra
Published: June 2021

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is the prominent additive manufacturing (AM) process used for fabrication of customized parts using layer-by-layer approach by fusing the filament. The challenge in FFF AM process is to improve the dimensional accuracy of parts. To overcome this challenge, the aim of this research article is to enhance the dimensional accuracy of FFF Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) parts by optimizing the various process parameters settings. In this research, process parameters affecting the dimensional accuracy are examined utilizing the Taguchi based design of experiment (DOE) approach. Main effect plots for mean and SN ratio are drawn to investigate the effect and dominance of each parameter. This study helps to fabricate the TPU using FFF with high dimensional accuracy.
Analysis of BIM application trends in construction industry for waste reduction and sustainable outcomes
Authors: Vadlamudi Narmada , Sai Ratnamala Bommareddy Sesha , Lakshmi V Sree
Published: June 2021

The examination has built up a structure for BIM-based authoritative abilities advancement for upgraded appropriation and compelling utilization of Building Data Demonstrating (BIM) inside the Indian engineering associations. In the past examination, a requirement for changing the conventional practices in Indian development area has been more than once communicated. A near concern has moreover been showed up to advocate for the use of lean and sustainable concepts to boost productivity and lead a group of development projects in India; to minimise flaws in the exercises and increase the hold subsidises related to capital, electricity, and cost. As a result, this review aids the plan partnership by recommending the use of BIM as a system that encourages them to consider lean and sustainable changes.BIM was identified as an empowering agent and a cycle for achieving lean and sustainable results on development projects in order to meet the examination objective. Examination was led through a successive blended technique method zeroing in on gathering and breaking down together subjective and quantifiable information. The examination was isolated in quaternion stages: Poll study information assortment and experimental investigation of information including partial Least Square (PLS-SEM) examination to comprehend the ebb and flow status of BIM selection, its drivers, inhibitors and suggestions inside compositional associations in India; Semi- organized meeting and centre gatherings for interpretive examination of local BIM capacities and BIM abilities through Interpretive structural modelling(ISM); broad writing audit to contemplate and recognize the lean and sustainable results; and contextual investigations examination through quantitative comparative analysis (QCA) to approve the proposed structure. The exploration discoveries demonstrate that BIM appropriation venture for designers is in experimentation phase and the contemporary use of BIM which is not investigated to maximum capacity. Structure was created by way of a component of this investigation bequeath empower design associations to effectively accept BIM on tasks headed for acquiring sustainable and lean advantages.
Electronic waste: overview, recycling and metal extraction methods
Authors: Sree Lakshmi V , Rahul Satya C H , Aravind D Nikhil
Published: June 2021

Water pollution and contamination is a major environmental issue throughout the world. As the world is urbanizing rapidly at an increasing rate the water bodies are getting toxic. Rivers, canals, and even groundwater are getting contaminated by various manmade activities. One of the major issues of water pollution is disposing and dumping waste into the water bodies. It is considered one of the most polluting anthropogenic activities. Out of all the different types of waste, e-waste is recorded as a rapidly growing waste stream in the world. Many electronic scrap materials that contain potentially harmful materials are dumped into the water bodies. It contains mainly raw materials like iron, copper, steel, etc. Every year electronic waste of 50 million tones is being generated globally. According to the estimate given by EPA, only 20% of the e-waste is recycled and the remaining waste is sent to incinerators or dumped into landfills and water bodies. E-waste is increasing due to the swift changes and high usage of technology, falling prices, and the invention of new devices, and the outdating of old processors. Over 50% of the e-waste consists of ferrous materials and it can be processed and extracted by mechanical shredding, hydrometallurgical methods, and bioleaching, etc. In this study, with the help of these methods, we can extract valuable metals like Cu, Al, Ag, Au, converting e-waste pollution threats into metal resources thereby increasing the revenue and economy of the country. Sustainable e-waste management practices can reduce waste contamination and the health risk from different harmful materials like dioxins, cadmium, chromium, radioactive isotopes, etc.
Design optimisation of air filters using ANSYS fluent
Authors: Agrawal Sandeep , Chauhan Premanand S , Pandit Prem Prakash
Published: June 2021

This paper is based on the current status of research and development in the high performance air filters segment. This can be done by choosing an appropriate filter and operating it under optimized conditions. The present paper details the applicability of filters used in conjunction with metal screen for the purpose of classifying aerosol. In this paper, the analysis on applicability of centrifugal force for achieving enhanced collection efficiency without increasing the pressure drop has also been done. This paper endorses the proposition that the quality of air filters can be improved remarkably and suggests a methodology for achieving the same. The Hepa filter can capture with extraordinary efficiency of 0.01 ×10 -9 meter sized particles. The size of the Corona Virus Covid-19 is 125 nm. The preliminary study shows that covid-19 can become aerosolized and can remain in the air for hours. After analysis, the flow rate has been increased from an initial value of 21 E 4 m 3/s ( thickness 0.15 mm) to the optimized value of 92E4 m 3/s (thickness 0.91 mm) which is a significant increase of 338% i.e. 3.38 times from initial value. For optimizing the material porosity, it has been found that the filter shows the maximum performance at a porosity value of 0.95.
A Modeling of Lead-Acid Battery for Electric Vehicles and Simulation Utilizing C MEX S-Function in Matlab/Simulink
Authors: Kheirisko A D , Yusivar F
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, the need for better performance of batteries as an energy source is increasing following the growth of electrical vehicles (EVs). Therefore, modeling the battery system is important to analyze how the battery is able to perform better so that further increases the EV’s performance. This study is addressed to analyze and simulate circuit modeling of lead-acid battery into a pretty complex RLC circuit, voltage source of battery itself, and a connected load with provided conditions for obtaining varying parameters which are used by the battery with a permanent initial state of charge (SoC). This circuit is simulated using C/C++ programming where it is implemented to some connected C MEX S-Function blocks in Simulink. The result of the study is proved that series circuits increase their voltage and parallel circuits increase their ampere. For satisfying the EV’s specs such as V
ou t = 400 V and the capacity = 100 Ah, arranging batteries in 400 series since n = 15 produce around 13 V.
Information Communication and Technology in the Industry
Authors: Anggadini S D , Ula M H , Darmawan H Y , Yulianti L
Published: June 2021

This research aims at finding out the role of technology and information in the company. Generally, information and communication technology aims at providing a general understanding of information and communication technology equipment. This research aims to examine the importance of the application of information technology for a government to obtain the value chain of information technology, which is beneficial for all aspects of efforts to improve efficiency and effectiveness. The research method used in this research is a qualitative descriptive method through the socialization of questionnaires and interviews to employees of the Bandung City Government to get more in-depth information. The results prove that information technology has a very important impact on employee performance because it will facilitate all activities to be faster, precise, and accurate, including in the Bandung government. It is because it has utilized modern information technology in managing government management. In conclusion, this research is important to improve the understanding that information technology is necessary and beneficial for the government and win the competition with the private sector. The government must have advantages, core competitiveness, strategies, and innovations, especially in information technology.
Designing Digital Certificate Issuance Information System
Authors: Albar D , Perdana B F F
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, some training and webinars are conducted frequently. Especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, online training and webinars became rational choices in the education sector. Evidence of participation from training and webinars is usually a digital certificate. Manual digital certificate creation will usually take a lot of time. It will be easier if the process is made systematically. This research aims to design a website-based application that can publish digital certificates that event participants can download. The method used in designing and making this website is descriptive. It is expected to present a complete picture of the subjective or objective of the related phenomena. The result of this research is a website-based application design to make it easier to issue digital certificates. Automation of the system can help simplify work and broad accessibility due to the website platform’s use. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that by using this application, making certificates utilizing the system is more efficient than the manual method and can reduce the amount of paper usage. With this application, it is hoped that it will make it easier for the event committee to process the issuance of digital certificates and make it easier for participants to get their certifications.
Retraction: An Approach to Develop a Sustainable Preference Index for Self Compacting Concrete (IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng.
998 012058)
Authors: Vanga Renuka
Published: June 2021

This article has been retracted by IOP Publishing following an investigation in which the paper was found to be very similar to a previously published paper [1]. This investigation was conducted according to COPE guidelines and it is agreed the paper should be retracted on the basis of redundant publication. The author does not agree with this retraction.

[1] A. Suchith Reddy, P. Rathish Kumar, P. Anand Raj, Development of Sustainable Performance Index (SPI) for Self-Compacting Concretes, Journal of Building Engineering, Volume 27, 2020, 100974, ISSN 2352-7102, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2019.100974

Retraction published: 21 June 2021
Thermoelectric properties of Spark plasma sintered PbTe synthesized without any surfactant and organic solvent
Authors: Sharma Pradeep Kumar , Senguttuvan T D , Sharma V K , Gupta N K , Saravanan M , Chaudhary Sujeet
Published: June 2021

We report a systematic investigation on structural and thermoelectric properties of Spark plasma sintered Lead telluride synthesized by hydrothermal route and a low temperature aqueous chemical route without using any organic solvent and surfactant. The as-synthesized powder samples obtained from these two different synthesis routes were identically subjected to spark plasma sintering. The size of nanocubes formed by the hydrothermal method, as evident from TEM-HRTEM images, is 50 nm; however, the samples synthesized by aqueous chemical route shows mixed morphology with particle size < 50 nm. The thermoelectric properties of spark plasma sintered bulk nanostructured samples have been measured from RT to 700K. Notably, large Seebeck coefficient and small electrical resistivity values are observed in the sample synthesized by the hydrothermal route, which is ascribed to the charge carrier energy filtering effect. A maximum reduction of ∼38% and ∼58% has been observed in the sample synthesized by the hydrothermal route and aqueous chemical route, respectively, compared to the bulk ingot. The maximum figure of merit attained is 0.18 at 673 K in the lead telluride sample synthesized by the hydrothermal route.
Green synthesis of AgNPs, characterization as an effective wound healing agent in the wound care after anorectal surgery
Authors: Yu Rongrong , Li Wei , Cao Jing , Du Yuluo , Ye Hongxing , Shan Wenhao , Chen Xiaokai , Huiping Wu , Cai Suli , Yang Shuxia , Yang Ning
Published: June 2021

Thuja occidentalis is well-known for its ability to treat skin disorders. Although the plant extract of T. occidentalis has been shown to possess promising activity on skin infection, there is no report on T. occidentalis-based nanoparticles for wound-healing therapy. Therefore, the present study was conducted to synthesize nanoparticles from T. occidentalis in a simple, facile and green method and to assess the ability of formulated nanoparticles in wound care management. The characterization of fabricated AgNPs revealed the particle size range of 40–80 nm, The UV-vis absorption peak at 443 nm and a zeta potential value of −24 mV, confirmed the development of stabilized AgNPs. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis carried out on MCF-7 and Vero cells through MTT assay revealed the cytotoxic effect in cancer cells. LD50 greater than 3000 mg kg−1 unveiled the less-toxic nature of fabricated nanoparticles. Furthermore, the phytosynthesized AgNPs were assessed for the wound healing property based on the size of lesions calculated form patients endured surgery (those who surpassed anorectal surgery). The injury site was found to be completely healed on 17th day on the AgNPs treated cases. The findings suggest that T. occidentalis-based AgNPs could be a better wound dressing material for chronic wounds. On the other hand, the obtained nanoparticles were found to be safe, efficient, non-toxic and eco-friendlier. However, this study is limited to the molecular mechanisms.
Interactions among multiple selective pressures on the form–function relationship in insular stream fishes
Authors: Diamond Kelly M , Lagarde Raphaël , Griner J Gill , Ponton Dominique , Powder Kara E , Schoenfuss Heiko L , Walker Jeffrey A , Blob Richard W
Published: June 2021

Relationships between body shape and escape performance are well established for many species. However, organisms can face multiple selection pressures that might impose competing demands. Many fishes use fast starts for escaping predator attacks, whereas some species of gobiid fishes have evolved the ability to climb waterfalls out of predator-dense habitats. The ancestral ‘powerburst’ climbing mechanism uses lateral body undulations to move up waterfalls, whereas a derived ‘inching’ mechanism uses rectilinear locomotion. We examined whether fast-start performance is impacted by selection imposed from the new functional demands of climbing. We predicted that non-climbing species would show morphology and fast-start performance that facilitate predator evasion, because these fish live consistently with predators and are not constrained by the demands of climbing. We also predicted that, by using lateral undulations, powerburst climbers would show escape performance superior to that of inchers. We compared fast starts and body shape across six goby species. As predicted, non-climbing fish exhibited distinct morphology and responded more frequently to an attack stimulus than climbing species. Contrary to our predictions, we found no differences in escape performance among climbing styles. These results indicate that selection for a competing pressure need not limit the ability of prey to escape predator attacks.
Comparative scale morphology in the adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from Lake Tanganyika
Authors: Viertler Alexandra , Salzburger Walter , Ronco Fabrizia
Published: June 2021

The morphology of fish scales has been investigated for > 200 years, but research on evolutionary patterns of scale morphology is scarce. Here, we study scale morphology and its evolution in the adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes from Lake Tanganyika, which are known for their exceptional diversity in habitat use, feeding ecology and morphology. Based on a geometric morphometric approach on eight scales per specimen (covering different body regions), we quantify scale types and morphology across nearly all ~240 species of the cichlid adaptive radiation in Lake Tanganyika. We first show that scale type, shape and ctenii coverage vary along the body, which is probably attributable to adaptations to different functional demands on the respective scales. Our comparative analyses reveal that flank scale size is tightly linked to phylogeny, whereas scale shape and ctenii coverage can be explained only in part by phylogenetic history and/or our proxy for ecology (stable isotopes and body shape), suggesting an additional adaptive component. We also show that our measured scale characteristics can help to assign an individual scale to a taxonomic group or ecotype. Thus, our data may serve as a valuable resource for taxonomic studies and to interpret fossil finds.
Genomic Epidemiology and Transmission Dynamics of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Congregate Healthcare Facilities in Santa Clara County, California
Authors: MacCannell Tara , Batson Joshua , Bonin Brandon , Astha K C , Quenelle Rebecca , Strong Betsy , Lin Wen , Rudman Sarah L , Dynerman David , Ayscue Patrick , Han George , Kistler Amy , Villarino Margarita Elsa ,   Chan Zuckerberg Biohub COVIDTracker Consortium and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department’s Special Investgations Group, Khoshabian Rensen , Diep Melanie , Castillo Daniel , Afable Dante , Iqbal Syeda , Boghos Maro , Yeddulla Nagateja , Munoz Omar , Yamamoto Emiko , Medrano Doug , Ludman Carrie , Khomych Snizhana , Chan Annie , Pham Quynh-Nh , Medina Maite , Ponce Stephany , Hs Yilei , De Aguinaga Ann Morales , Phanthavone Evanthia , Ponce Stephany , Orona Julia , Bhatt Karan D , Chan Lienna , Castañeda Gloria R , Mann Sabrina , Vanaerschot Manu , Kumar G Renuka , Ratnasiri Kalani , Crawford Emily D , Neff Norma , Tan Michelle , Detweiler Angela , Sit Rene , Kamm Jack , Pisco Angela Oliveira , McGeever Aaron , Logan Phoenix , Hao Samantha , Webber James T , Li Lucy M , Zheng Tina , Mwakibete Lusajo , Phelps Maira , Ahyong Vida , Axelrod Shannon , Tung Tony , Sheu Jonathan , Zhang Mark , DeRisi Joe
Published: June 2021

Background

Outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) cause significant morbidity and mortality. Mapping viral transmission within and between facilities by combining genomic sequencing with epidemiologic investigations enables targeting infection-control interventions.

Methods

We conducted weekly surveillance of residents and staff in LTCFs in Santa Clara County, California, with ≥1 confirmed COVID-19 case between March and July 2020. Positive samples were referred for whole-genome sequencing. Epidemiological investigations and phylogenetic analyses of the largest outbreaks (>30 cases) were carried out in 6 LTCFs (Facilities A through F).

Results

Among the 61 LTCFs in the county, 41 had ≥1 confirmed case during the study period, triggering weekly SARS-CoV-2 testing. The 6 largest outbreaks accounted for 60% of cases and 90% of deaths in LTCFs, although the bed capacity of these facilities represents only 11% of the LTCF beds in the county. Phylogenetic analysis of 196 whole-genome sequences recovered from those facilities showed that each outbreak was monophyletic, with staff and residents sharing a common viral lineage. Outbreak investigations revealed that infected staff members often worked at multiple facilities, and in 1 instance, a staff member infected while working in 1 facility was the likely index case in another.

Conclusions

We detected a pattern of rapid and sustained transmission after a single introduction of SARS-CoV-2 in 6 large LTCF outbreaks, with staff playing a key role in transmission within and between facilities. Infection control, testing, and occupational policies to reduce exposure and transmission risk for staff are essential components to keeping facility residents safe.
The daily effect is more important than the diurnal effect when shaping photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPEs) communities in Lake Taihu at a small temporal scale
Authors: Lei Jin , Liu Changqing , Zhang Min , Yang Jinsheng , Wu Fan , Ren Mingdong , Wu Qinglong , Shi Xiaoli
Published: June 2021

As major primary producers in aquatic systems, the diversity and community composition dynamics of photosynthetic picoeukaryotes (PPEs) have been investigated in recent years. Here, we explored the 3-day diurnal succession of the PPE community in a highly eutrophic lake in early spring using a combination of flow cytometric sorting and high-throughput sequencing. Our results showed that the PPEs were the dominant group of autotrophic picophytoplankton, although they had relatively low diversity and were dominated by the Stephanodiscaceae family in early spring in Lake Taihu. Furthermore, PPE abundance was significantly higher at night than during the day, probably due to their high specific rate of carbon uptake during the day and rapid proliferation at night. Several environmental variables had a significant influence on the PPE community composition, and the daily effect was more important than the diurnal effect when shaping the PPE community in Lake Taihu at a temporal scale of 3 days. Furthermore, based on the variation partitioning analysis (VPA), the relative importance of abiotic factors (deterministic processes) to short-term succession was low, explaining only 20.44% of the PPE community variation. We therefore conclude that stochastic processes determined PPE community assembly over a short temporal scale based on a neutral community model (NCM).