bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colorless and Transparent Polyimide Microporous Film with Excellent Physicochemical Property
Authors: Kim Jong Won , Lee Seon Ju , Choi Moon Young , Chang Jin-Hae
Published: April 2021

4,4′-(4,4′-isopropylidenediphenoxy)bis(phthalic anhydride) (BPADA) as a dianhydride and bis(3-aminophenyl) sulfone (APS) and bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone (APS-OH) as diamines were used to synthesize two types of poly(amic acid) (PAA). Varying amounts (0–5.0 wt%) of water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were mixed with PAA, and the resulting blend was heat-treated at different stages to obtain the colorless and transparent polyimide (CPI) blend films. The synthesized blended film completely removed water-soluble PVA in water. The possibility as a porous membrane according to the pore size varied according to the amount of PVA was investigated. The dispersibility and compatibility of CPI containing APS-OH monomer were higher than those of the APS monomer. This could be attributed to the hydrogen-bonding interactions between the CPI main chains and PVA. Scanning electron microscopy was conducted to characterize the material. The results revealed that the pore size of the CPI blend film increased as the PVA concentration increased. It was confirmed that uniform pores of μm-size were observed in CPI. The thermal stabilities, morphologies, optical properties, and solubilities of two CPIs obtained using APS and APS-OH monomers were investigated and their properties were compared with each other.
Free-Standing Composite Films Based on Thiol-Ene and PEDOT: PSS Layers for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Abakevičienė Brigita , Guobienė Asta , Jucius Dalius , Lazauskas Algirdas
Published: April 2021

Free-standing composite films were fabricated by combining the plane parallel layers of thiol-ene based on pentaerythritol tetrakis(3-mercaptopropionate)-1,3,5-triallyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-trione (PETMP-TTT) UV curable polymer and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) conductive polymer. A systematic analysis was performed with the focus on mechanical performance of the free-standing composite films. The PEDOT:PSS/PETMP-TTT composite exhibited higher values of adhesion force compared to the free-standing PETMP-TTT film due to hydrophilic nature of the PEDOT:PSS layer. The composite was found to be highly transparent in the range of 380–800 nm. The Young’s modulus and tensile strength of PETMP-TTT were found to be 3.6 ± 0.4 GPa and 19 ± 3 MPa, while for PEDOT:PSS/PETMP-TTT to be 3.5 ± 0.3 GPa and 20 ± 3 MPa, respectively. The sheet resistance values of the PEDOT:PSS layer in the composite film were found to be highly stable after a number of bending iterations with slight increase in sheet resistance from 108 to 118 ± 2 Ω/□. The resultant PEDOT:PSS/PETMP-TTT composite can be further used in optoelectronic applications.
Advances in Liquid Crystalline Epoxy Resins for High Thermal Conductivity
Authors: Hong Younggi , Goh Munju
Published: April 2021

Epoxy resin (EP) is one of the most famous thermoset materials. In general, because EP has a three-dimensional random network, it possesses thermal properties similar to those of a typical heat insulator. Recently, there has been substantial interest in controlling the network structure of EP to create new functionalities. Indeed, the modified EP, represented as liquid crystalline epoxy (LCE), is considered promising for producing novel functionalities, which cannot be obtained from conventional EPs, by replacing the random network structure with an oriented one. In this paper, we review the current progress in the field of LCEs and their application to highly thermally conductive composite materials.
Correction: Roato et al. A Novel Method to Optimize Autologous Adipose Tissue Recovery with Extracellular Matrix Preservation. Processes 2020, 8, 88
Authors: Roato Ilaria , Mussano Federico , Reano Simone , Boriani Filippo , Margara Andrea , Ferracini Riccardo , Adriani Ezio , Sabry Omar , Fiorini Mauro , Fattori Paolo
Published: April 2021

The authors wish to remove every commercial reference reported in the discussion of the published paper in Processes [...]
Curcumin Reinforces MiR-29a Expression, Reducing Mesangial Fibrosis in a Model of Diabetic Fibrotic Kidney via Modulation of CB1R Signaling
Authors: Hsu Yung-Chien , Chang Pey-Jium , Lin Shih-Jiun , Liaw Chia-Ching , Shih Ya-Hsueh , Chen Lee-Wen , Lin Chun-Liang
Published: April 2021

Renal fibrosis is a hallmark event in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Considerable evidence now supports that multiple intracellular signaling pathways are critically involved in renal fibrosis. Previously, our studies have shown that dysregulation of the MicroRNA 29a (miR-29a)- or cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1R)-mediated signaling cascade in renal glomeruli substantially contributes to diabetic renal fibrosis. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether curcumin, a natural polyphenolic compound with potential renoprotective activity, could modulate the miR-29a/CB1R signaling axis to attenuate renal fibrosis. In this study, rat renal mesangial cells cultured in high glucose (HG) and the diabetic db/db mice were used as an in vitro and in vivo model of diabetes, respectively. Our results showed that in rat renal mesangial cells, curcumin treatment substantially counteracted HG-induced changes in the expressions of miR-29a, CB1R, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), and a profibrotic marker type IV collagen (collagen IV), as assessed by quantitative Real-Time Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Furthermore, in the db/db mouse model, administration of curcumin markedly lowered urinary albumin excretion, and reduced deposition of extracellular matrices including collagen IV in renal tissues. Importantly, quantitative RT-PCR, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemical analysis revealed that curcumin treatment consistently blocked diabetes-induced downregulation of miR-29a and upregulation of CB1R in renal glomeruli. Collectively, our study provides novel evidence showing that curcumin can rescue the dysregulated miR-29a/CB1R signaling pathway in glomerular mesangium to ameliorate diabetic renal fibrosis.
Comparison of Potential Environmental Impacts and Waste-to-Energy Efficiency for Kitchen Waste Treatment Scenarios in Central Taiwan
Authors: Shih Meng-Fen , Lin Chiu-Yue , Lay Chyi-How
Published: April 2021

Taiwan has a sound solid waste recycling system, and waste-to-energy is attractive under the encouragement policy and economic feasibility, especially in central and southern regions with vast agricultural wastes. The four scenarios evaluated in this study relating to current use or under consideration for kitchen waste treatment strategy in Taiwan were incineration, landfill, composting, and anaerobic digestion. These scenarios were compared through life cycle assessment to obtain the most preferable treatment solution. The analysis was based on a functional unit, i.e., 1 metric ton of kitchen waste treated, and considered all impact categories through the CML_IA baseline 2000 method. It has shown that energy recovery had enormous effects on all scenarios with the anaerobic digestion having the highest environmental performance change. A comparison between actual electricity consumption and estimated electricity generation by kitchen waste treatment through anaerobic digestion indicates that decentralized electricity generation was suitable for central Taiwan and could be considered as the energy solution in a short-term context. This study provides an experience in selecting a proper waste-to-energy method with the most negligible environmental impact.
Assessing Deep Convolutional Neural Networks and Assisted Machine Perception for Urban Mapping
Authors: Shao Yang , Cooner Austin J. , Walsh Stephen J.
Published: April 2021

High-spatial-resolution satellite imagery has been widely applied for detailed urban mapping. Recently, deep convolutional neural networks (DCNNs) have shown promise in certain remote sensing applications, but they are still relatively new techniques for general urban mapping. This study examines the use of two DCNNs (U-Net and VGG16) to provide an automatic schema to support high-resolution mapping of buildings, road/open built-up, and vegetation cover. Using WorldView-2 imagery as input, we first applied an established OBIA method to characterize major urban land cover classes. An OBIA-derived urban map was then divided into a training and testing region to evaluate the DCNNs’ performance. For U-Net mapping, we were particularly interested in how sample size or the number of image tiles affect mapping accuracy. U-Net generated cross-validation accuracies ranging from 40.5 to 95.2% for training sample sizes from 32 to 4096 image tiles (each tile was 256 by 256 pixels). A per-pixel accuracy assessment led to 87.8 percent overall accuracy for the testing region, suggesting U-Net’s good generalization capabilities. For the VGG16 mapping, we proposed an object-based framing paradigm that retains spatial information and assists machine perception through Gaussian blurring. Gaussian blurring was used as a pre-processing step to enhance the contrast between objects of interest and background (contextual) information. Combined with the pre-trained VGG16 and transfer learning, this analytical approach generated a 77.3 percent overall accuracy for per-object assessment. The mapping accuracy could be further improved given more robust segmentation algorithms and better quantity/quality of training samples. Our study shows significant promise for DCNN implementation for urban mapping and our approach can transfer to a number of other remote sensing applications.
Assessing the Effects of Spatial Scales on Regional Evapotranspiration Estimation by the SEBAL Model and Multiple Satellite Datasets: A Case Study in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone, Northwestern China
Authors: Li Xuliang , Xu Xuefeng , Wang Xuejin , Xu Shaoyuan , Tian Wei , Tian Jie , He Chansheng
Published: April 2021

Evapotranspiration (ET) estimation is important for understanding energy exchanges and water cycles. Remote sensing (RS) is the main method used to obtain ET data over large scales. However, owing to surface heterogeneities and different model algorithms, ET estimated from RS products with different spatial resolutions can cause significant uncertainties, whose causes need to be thoroughly analyzed. In this study, the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) model was selected to explore spatial resolution influences on ET simulations. Three satellite datasets (Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)) were selected to independently estimate ET in SEBAL model to identify the influence of the spatial scale on ET estimation, and analyze the effects and causes of scale aggregation. Results indicated that: (1) the spatial distributions of ET estimated from the three satellite datasets were similar, with the MODIS-based ET having the largest uncertainty; and (2) aggregating input parameters had limited changes in the net radiation and soil heat fluxes. However, errors in the sensible heat and latent heat fluxes were relatively larger, which were caused by changes in the selection of hot and cold pixels and the NDVI and surface albedo parameters during scale aggregation. The scale errors caused by the model mechanisms were larger than those caused by the land use/cover pattern in the SEBAL model. Overall, this study highlights the impact of spatial scale on ET and provides a better understanding of the scale aggregation effect on ET estimation by RS.
Time-Lagged Correlation between Soil Moisture and Intra-Annual Dynamics of Vegetation on the Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Na Li , Na Risu , Bao Yongbin , Zhang Jiquan
Published: April 2021

Soil moisture is a reliable water resource for plant growth in arid and semi-arid regions. Characterizing the interaction between soil moisture and vegetation is important for assessing the sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. This study explores the spatiotemporal characteristics of four soil moisture layers (layer 1: 0–7 cm, layer 2: 7–28 cm, layer 3: 28–100 cm, and layer 4: 100–289 cm) and the time-lagged correlation with the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for different vegetation types on an intra-annual scale on the Mongolian Plateau (MP). The most significant results indicated that: (1) the four layers of soil moisture can be roughly divided into rapid change (layers 1 and 2), active (layer 3), and stable (layer 4) layers. The soil moisture content in the different vegetation regions was forest > grassland > desert vegetation. (2) The soil moisture in layer 1 showed the strongest positive correlation with NDVI in the whole area; meanwhile, the soil moisture of layers 2 and 3 showed the strongest negative correlation with the NDVI mainly in grassland and desert, and layer 4 showed the strongest negative correlation with the NDVI in the forest. (3) Mutual responses of NDVI and deep layer soil moisture required a longer time compared with the shallow layer. In the annual time scale, the NDVI was affected by the change in soil moisture in most of the study area, except for coniferous forest and desert vegetation regions. (4) Under the different stages of vegetation change, the soil moisture changes advance than NDVI about 3 months during the greening stage, while the NDVI changes advance than soil moisture by 0.5 months during the browning stage. Regardless of the stage, changes in soil moisture are initiated from the shallow layer and advance to the deep layer. The results of this study provide deep insight into the relationship between soil moisture and vegetation in arid and semi-arid regions.
Earth Observation for Sustainable Infrastructure: A Review
Authors: Song Yongze , Wu Peng
Published: April 2021

Infrastructure is a fundamental sector for sustainable development and Earth observation has great potentials for sustainable infrastructure development (SID). However, implementations of the timely, large–scale and multi–source Earth observation are still limited in satisfying the huge global requirements of SID. This study presents a systematical literature review to identify trends of Earth observation for sustainable infrastructure (EOSI), investigate the relationship between EOSI and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and explore challenges and future directions of EOSI. Results reveal the close associations of infrastructure, urban development, ecosystems, climate, Earth observation and GIS in EOSI, and indicate their relationships. In addition, from the perspective of EOSI–SDGs relationship, the huge potentials of EOSI are demonstrated from the 70% of the infrastructure influenced targets that can be directly or indirectly derived from Earth observation data, but have not been included in current SDG indicators. Finally, typical EOSI cases are presented to indicate challenges and future research directions. This review emphasizes the contributions and potentials of Earth observation to SID and EOSI is a powerful pathway to deliver on SDGs.
A Comprehensive Study on the Improved Radio-Frequency Magnetic Field Measurement for the Initial Upward Leader of a Negative Rocket-Triggered Lightning Flash
Authors: Shi Tao , Lu Gaopeng , Fan Yanfeng , Li Xiao , Zhang Yang
Published: April 2021

The spectrum analysis of the lightning current in the experiment campaign of 2019 reveals that the lightning current waveform contains rich medium-frequency (MF) radiation signals in the initial stage. However, there is a lack of resolution for MF signals by using conventional magnetic sensors. The bandwidth of radio-frequency magnetic field measurement is improved by extending to 20 kHz–1.2 MHz in the Guangdong Comprehensive Observation Experiment on Lightning Discharge (GCOELD). During the previously noticed “quiet period” that can only maintain the upward propagation with relatively small-scale breakdown, magnetic pulses of quiet period (MPQPs) are discerned more clearly than the previous experiment in GCOELD. Aided by the improvement of a magnetic sensor, this paper captures richer magnetic field signals radiated from the weak discharge of the precursory phage than previous experiments in GCOELD. The analysis shows that both aborted UPLs and UPLs are caused by weak discharge pulses called initial precursor pulses (IPPs), which are very similar to the amplitude of the streamer discharge obtained in the laboratory. In summary, the signals detected by an improved magnetic sensor will provide an important reference for exploring the pulse characteristics of the whole discharge process and formation mechanism of the UPL in the initial stage of triggered lightning.
Mapping the Forest Canopy Height in Northern China by Synergizing ICESat-2 with Sentinel-2 Using a Stacking Algorithm
Authors: Jiang Fugen , Zhao Feng , Ma Kaisen , Li Dongsheng , Sun Hua
Published: April 2021

The forest canopy height (FCH) plays a critical role in forest quality evaluation and resource management. The accurate and rapid estimation and mapping of the regional forest canopy height is crucial for understanding vegetation growth processes and the internal structure of the ecosystem. A stacking algorithm consisting of multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), and random forest (RF) was used in this paper and demonstrated optimal performance in predicting the forest canopy height by synergizing Sentinel-2 images acquired from the cloud-based computation platform Google Earth Engine (GEE) with data from ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2). This research was conducted to achieve continuous mapping of the canopy height of plantations in Saihanba Mechanical Forest Plantation, which is located in Chengde City, northern Hebei province, China. The results show that stacking achieved the best prediction accuracy for the forest canopy height, with an R2 of 0.77 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.96 m. Compared with MLR, SVM, kNN, and RF, the RMSE obtained by stacking was reduced by 25.2%, 24.9%, 22.8%, and 18.7%, respectively. Since Sentinel-2 images and ICESat-2 data are publicly available, this opens the door for the accurate mapping of the continuous distribution of the forest canopy height globally in the future.
Proposing 3D Thermal Technology for Heritage Building Energy Monitoring
Authors: Adán Antonio , Pérez Víctor , Vivancos José-Luis , Aparicio-Fernández Carolina , Prieto Samuel A.
Published: April 2021

The energy monitoring of heritage buildings has, to date, been governed by methodologies and standards that have been defined in terms of sensors that record scalar magnitudes and that are placed in specific positions in the scene, thus recording only some of the values sampled in that space. In this paper, however, we present an alternative to the aforementioned technologies in the form of new sensors based on 3D computer vision that are able to record dense thermal information in a three-dimensional space. These thermal computer vision-based technologies (3D-TCV) entail a revision and updating of the current building energy monitoring methodologies. This paper provides a detailed definition of the most significant aspects of this new extended methodology and presents a case study showing the potential of 3D-TCV techniques and how they may complement current techniques. The results obtained lead us to believe that 3D computer vision can provide the field of building monitoring with a decisive boost, particularly in the case of heritage buildings.
Responding to Large-Scale Forest Damage in an Alpine Environment with Remote Sensing, Machine Learning, and Web-GIS
Authors: Piragnolo Marco , Pirotti Francesco , Zanrosso Carlo , Lingua Emanuele , Grigolato Stefano
Published: April 2021

This paper reports a semi-automated workflow for detection and quantification of forest damage from windthrow in an Alpine region, in particular from the Vaia storm in October 2018. A web-GIS platform allows to select the damaged area by drawing polygons; several vegetation indices (VIs) are automatically calculated using remote sensing data (Sentinel-2A) and tested to identify the more suitable ones for quantifying forest damage using cross-validation with ground-truth data. Results show that the mean value of NDVI and NDMI decreased in the damaged areas, and have a strong negative correlation with severity. RGI has an opposite behavior in contrast with NDVI and NDMI, as it highlights the red component of the land surface. In all cases, variance of the VI increases after the event between 0.03 and 0.15. Understorey not damaged from the windthrow, if consisting of 40% or more of the total cover in the area, undermines significantly the sensibility of the VIs to detecting and predicting severity. Using aggregational statistics (average and standard deviation) of VIs over polygons as input to a machine learning algorithm, i.e., Random Forest, results in severity prediction with regression reaching a root mean square error (RMSE) of 9.96, on a severity scale of 0–100, using an ensemble of area averages and standard deviations of NDVI, NDMI, and RGI indices. The results show that combining more than one VI can significantly improve the estimation of severity, and web-GIS tools can support decisions with selected VIs. The reported results prove that Sentinel-2 imagery can be deployed and analysed via web-tools to estimate forest damage severity and that VIs can be used via machine learning for predicting severity of damage, with careful evaluation of the effect of understorey in each situation.
In and Al Schottky Contacts Comparison on P-Type Chlorine-Doped CdTe
Authors: Vasylchenko Igor , Grill Roman , Betušiak Marián , Belas Eduard , Praus Petr , Moravec Pavel , Höschl Pavel
Published: April 2021

The performance of the CdTe radiation detectors heavily relies on the method of contact preparation. A convenient research method addressing this problem is the laser-induced transient current technique. In this paper, we compare the performance of two CdTe crystals which underwent different metallization processes. We showed that appropriately designed Au/Al contacts induce much less bulk polarization than commercial Pt/In electrodes under the same working conditions and can thus provide a convenient alternative to the industry standard. The comparison was based on the monitoring of the time-dependent sensor polarization measuring transient currents excited by above-bandgap laser illumination complemented by the Am 241 gamma spectroscopy. The theoretical analysis of current waveforms and radiation spectra enabled us to determine the charge carrier mobility, mobility-lifetime products of electrons and holes, and temporal and bias dependence of the space charge formation.
IoT Micro-Blockchain Fundamentals
Authors: Anagnostakis Aristidis G. , Giannakeas Nikolaos , Tsipouras Markos G. , Glavas Euripidis , Tzallas Alexandros T.
Published: April 2021

In this paper we investigate the essential minimum functionality of the autonomous blockchain, and the minimum hardware and software required to support it in the micro-scale in the IoT world. The application of deep-blockchain operation in the lower-level activity of the IoT ecosystem, is expected to bring profound clarity and constitutes a unique challenge. Setting up and operating bit-level blockchain mechanisms on minimal IoT elements like smart switches and active sensors, mandates pushing blockchain engineering to the limits. “How deep can blockchain actually go?” “Which is the minimum Thing of the IoT world that can actually deliver autonomous blockchain functionality?” To answer, an experiment based on IoT micro-controllers was set. The “Witness Protocol” was defined to set the minimum essential micro-blockchain functionality. The protocol was developed and installed on a peer, ad-hoc, autonomous network of casual, real-life IoT micro-devices. The setup was tested, benchmarked, and evaluated in terms of computational needs, efficiency, and collective resistance against malicious attacks. The leading considerations are highlighted, and the results of the experiment are presented. Findings are intriguing and prove that fully autonomous, private micro-blockchain networks are absolutely feasible in the smart dust world, utilizing the capacities of the existing low-end IoT devices.
From Offline to Real-Time Distributed Activity Recognition in Wireless Sensor Networks for Healthcare: A Review
Authors: Baghezza Rani , Bouchard Kévin , Bouzouane Abdenour , Gouin-Vallerand Charles
Published: April 2021

This review presents the state of the art and a global overview of research challenges of real-time distributed activity recognition in the field of healthcare. Offline activity recognition is discussed as a starting point to establish the useful concepts of the field, such as sensor types, activity labeling and feature extraction, outlier detection, and machine learning. New challenges and obstacles brought on by real-time centralized activity recognition such as communication, real-time activity labeling, cloud and local approaches, and real-time machine learning in a streaming context are then discussed. Finally, real-time distributed activity recognition is covered through existing implementations in the scientific literature, and six main angles of optimization are defined: Processing, memory, communication, energy, time, and accuracy. This survey is addressed to any reader interested in the development of distributed artificial intelligence as well activity recognition, regardless of their level of expertise.
Are the Assioma Favero Power Meter Pedals a Reliable Tool for Monitoring Cycling Power Output?
Authors: Rodríguez-Rielves Víctor , Lillo-Beviá José Ramón , Buendía-Romero Ángel , Martínez-Cava Alejandro , Hernández-Belmonte Alejandro , Courel-Ibáñez Javier , Pallarés Jesús G.
Published: April 2021

This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the recently developed Assioma Favero pedals under laboratory cycling conditions. In total, 12 well-trained male cyclists and triathletes (VO2max = 65.7 ± 8.7 mL·kg−1·min−1) completed five cycling tests including graded exercises tests (GXT) at different cadences (70–100 revolutions per minute, rpm), workloads (100–650 Watts, W), pedaling positions (seated and standing), vibration stress (20–40 Hz), and an 8-s maximal sprint. Tests were completed using a calibrated direct drive indoor trainer for the standing, seated, and vibration GXTs, and a friction belt cycle ergometer for the high-workload step protocol. Power output (PO) and cadence were collected from three different brand, new pedal units against the gold-standard SRM crankset. The three units of the Assioma Favero exhibited very high within-test reliability and an extremely high agreement between 100 and 250 W, compared to the gold standard (Standard Error of Measurement, SEM from 2.3–6.4 W). Greater PO produced a significant underestimating trend (p < 0.05, Effect size, ES ≥ 0.22), with pedals showing systematically lower PO than SRM (1–3%) but producing low bias for all GXT tests and conditions (1.5–7.4 W). Furthermore, vibrations ≥ 30 Hz significantly increased the differences up to 4% (p < 0.05, ES ≥ 0.24), whereas peak and mean PO differed importantly between devices during the sprints (p < 0.03, ES ≥ 0.39). These results demonstrate that the Assioma Favero power meter pedals provide trustworthy PO readings from 100 to 650 W, in either seated or standing positions, with vibrations between 20 and 40 Hz at cadences of 70, 85, and 100 rpm, or even at a free chosen cadence.
Upper Limb Rehabilitation Tools in Virtual Reality Based on Haptic and 3D Spatial Recognition Analysis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kim Eun Bin , Kim Songee , Lee Onseok
Published: April 2021

With aging, cerebrovascular diseases can occur more often. Stroke cases involve hemiplegia, which causes difficulties in performing activities of daily living. Existing rehabilitation treatments are based on the subjective evaluation of the therapist as the need for non-contact care arises; it is necessary to develop a system that can self-rehabilitate and offer objective analysis. Therefore, we developed rehabilitation tools that enable self-rehabilitation exercises in a virtual space based on haptics. Thirty adults without neurological damage were trained five times in a virtual environment, and the time, number of collisions, and coordinates were digitized and stored in real time. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the time and distance similarity changes revealed that as the number of rounds increased, no changes or increases occurred (p ≥ 0.05), and the collisions and paths were stable as the training progressed (p < 0.05). ANOVA showed a high correlation (0.90) with a decrease in the number of crashes and time required. It was meaningful to users when performing rehabilitation training more than four times and significantly impacted the analysis. This study analyzed the upper limb and cognitive rehabilitation of able-boded people in three-dimensional space in a virtual environment; the performance difficulty could be controlled through variations in rehabilitation models.
A Brief Review of Multipath TCP for Vehicular Networks
Authors: Chao Luomeng , Wu Celimuge , Yoshinaga Tsutomu , Bao Wugedele , Ji Yusheng
Published: April 2021

Multipath TCP (MPTCP) is one of the most important extensions to TCP that enables the use of multiple paths in data transmissions for a TCP connection. In MPTCP, the end hosts transmit data across a number of TCP subflows simultaneously on one connection. MPTCP can sufficiently utilize the bandwidth resources to improve the transmission efficiency while providing TCP fairness to other TCP connections. Meanwhile, it also offers resilience due to multipath data transfers. MPTCP attracts tremendous attention from the academic and industry field due to the explosive data growth in recent times and limited network bandwidth for each single available communication interface. The vehicular Internet-of-Things systems, such as cooperative autonomous driving, require reliable high speed data transmission and robustness. MPTCP could be a promising approach to solve these challenges. In this paper, we first conduct a brief survey of existing MPTCP studies and give a brief overview to multipath routing. Then we discuss the significance technical challenges in applying MPTCP for vehicular networks and point out future research directions.
Object Detection Combining CNN and Adaptive Color Prior Features
Authors: Gu Peng , Lan Xiaosong , Li Shuxiao
Published: April 2021

When compared with the traditional manual design method, the convolutional neural network has the advantages of strong expressive ability and it is insensitive to scale, light, and deformation, so it has become the mainstream method in the object detection field. In order to further improve the accuracy of existing object detection methods based on convolutional neural networks, this paper draws on the characteristics of the attention mechanism to model color priors. Firstly, it proposes a cognitive-driven color prior model to obtain the color prior features for the known types of target samples and the overall scene, respectively. Subsequently, the acquired color prior features and test image color features are adaptively weighted and competed to obtain prior-based saliency images. Finally, the obtained saliency images are treated as features maps and they are further fused with those extracted by the convolutional neural network to complete the subsequent object detection task. The proposed algorithm does not need training parameters, has strong generalization ability, and it is directly fused with convolutional neural network features at the feature extraction stage, thus has strong versatility. Experiments on the VOC2007 and VOC2012 benchmark data sets show that the utilization of cognitive-drive color priors can further improve the performance of existing object detection algorithms.
A Survey on Distributed Fibre Optic Sensor Data Modelling Techniques and Machine Learning Algorithms for Multiphase Fluid Flow Estimation
Authors: Arief Hasan Asy’ari , Wiktorski Tomasz , Thomas Peter James
Published: April 2021

Real-time monitoring of multiphase fluid flows with distributed fibre optic sensing has the potential to play a major role in industrial flow measurement applications. One such application is the optimization of hydrocarbon production to maximize short-term income, and prolong the operational lifetime of production wells and the reservoir. While the measurement technology itself is well understood and developed, a key remaining challenge is the establishment of robust data analysis tools that are capable of providing real-time conversion of enormous data quantities into actionable process indicators. This paper provides a comprehensive technical review of the data analysis techniques for distributed fibre optic technologies, with a particular focus on characterizing fluid flow in pipes. The review encompasses classical methods, such as the speed of sound estimation and Joule-Thomson coefficient, as well as their data-driven machine learning counterparts, such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) algorithms. The study aims to help end-users establish reliable, robust, and accurate solutions that can be deployed in a timely and effective way, and pave the wave for future developments in the field.
Enhanced Adsorption Capacities of Fungicides Using Peanut Shell Biochar via Successive Chemical Modification with KMnO4 and KOH
Authors: Lee Yong-Gu , Shin Jaegwan , Kwak Jinwoo , Kim Sangwon , Son Changgil , Kim Geon-Youb , Lee Chang-Ha , Chon Kangmin
Published: April 2021

This study explored the effects of peanut shell biochar (PSB) on the adsorption capacities of fungicides with and without successive chemical modifications, using KMnO4 and KOH (PSBOX-A), in order to provide a valuable understanding of their adsorption mechanisms and behaviors. To this end, the physicochemical properties of PSB and PSBOX-A were examined by using the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The effects of temperature, ionic strength, and humic acids on the adsorption of fungicides, using PSB and PSBOX-A, were estimated through batch experiments. Furthermore, adsorption kinetics, isotherms, and thermodynamics were studied. The maximum adsorption capacities of fungicides by PSBOX-A were estimated to be more notable (Qmax of carbendazim = 531.2 μmol g−1, Qmax of pyrimethanil = 467.7 μmol g−1, and Qmax of tebuconazole = 495.1 μmol g−1) than PSB (Qmax of carbendazim = 92.6 μmol g−1, Qmax of pyrimethanil = 61.7 μmol g−1, and Qmax of tebuconazole = 66.7 μmol g−1). These findings suggest that successive chemical modification using KMnO4 and KOH could potentially be used to effectively fabricate PSB to remove fungicides in water-treatment processes.
The Glass Ceiling in the Sport Industry: Spanish Version of the Women as Managers Scale (WAMS)
Authors: Gallardo-Pérez Jana , Romero-Moraleda Blanca , Paredes-Hernández Víctor , León-Quismondo Jairo
Published: April 2021

The pace of women’s access to leadership positions is very different from country to country. With 69.4 out of 100 points, Spain ranks fourth in the European Union (EU) on social power, first measured in the 2020 edition of the Gender Equality Index. However, a need of deepening the reasons for gender inequalities remains. The Women As Managers Scale (WAMS) is a useful tool that allows for the measurement of the attitudinal factors that hinder access to managerial positions. The aim of this study was to validate the Spanish version of the WAMS among sport managers through three factors: acceptance of women in key positions, features for business success, and barriers to access to managerial positions. For that purpose, a questionnaire—as is the original WAMS—was distributed to 401 managers working within sports organizations in the community of Madrid, Spain. Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Student’s test were performed to analyze the stability of the scores. The internal consistency of the scales was assessed through Cronbach’s alpha, the Homogeneity Index, and Discriminability Index. The construct validity was completed through exploratory factor analysis using principal components. The results show that the WAMS serves as a reference for use as a measure of attitudinal factors that hinder access to an executive position. Therefore, this work generates an instrument with adequate properties in the Spanish context.
Understanding Public Intentions to Participate in Protection Initiatives for Forested Watershed Areas Using the Theory of Planned Behavior: A Case Study of Cameron Highlands in Pahang, Malaysia
Authors: Empidi Arlixcya , Emang Diana
Published: April 2021

The heavy emphasis on land-use changes to meet the needs for gross domestic product growth often causes deforestation, affecting forests’ capability to function as watershed areas properly. While land-use changes generate socioeconomics success, they also lead to environmental deterioration that puts public welfare at greater risk. This study employs the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to evaluate the public’s behavioral intentions towards participation in the protection initiatives for the forested watershed areas in the mountainous region of Cameron Highlands in Pahang, Malaysia. Survey data were used to analyze the effects of TPB constructs on the public’s behavioral intentions. The results show that the public demonstrated readiness to comply with governmental rules concerning environment protection and were motivated to participate in the protection initiatives when there is social encouragement. This study finds that attitude significantly influences the public’s behavioral intention. This, therefore, indicates the importance of creating conditions to encourage the public’s behavioral beliefs towards protection initiatives that would ensure the sustainability of forested watershed areas. Overall, this study offers information on public participation that is useful to be integrated into a meaningful institutional framework when addressing challenging environmental issues caused by land-use changes that could imperil public welfare.
An Approach to the Operation Modes and Strategies for Integrated Hybrid Parabolic Trough and Photovoltaic Solar Systems
Authors: López-Álvarez José A. , Larrañeta Miguel , Pérez-Aparicio Elena , Silva-Pérez Manuel A. , Lillo-Bravo Isidoro
Published: April 2021

Concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) solar systems can be hybridized, creating synergies: on one hand procuring dispatchability by storing thermal energy, and on the other hand generating electricity at a highly competitive prize. In this paper, we present an approach to the operation strategies and modes for integrated hybrid CSP + PV systems. We focus on parabolic trough (PT) solar plants, especially those operating in the south of Spain. Our study consists in the definition of suitable states for each of the subsystems that constitute a hybrid solar plant. We then propose modes from the combination of suitable states and establish the conditions for the transition between modes depending on the operation strategy. We propose two operation strategies: demand coverage and base load production. The results of this paper can be used in decision making for hybrid solar system simulation programs.
Does One Decade of Urban Policy for the Shrinking City Make Visible Progress in Urban Re-Urbanization? A Case Study of Bytom, Poland
Authors: Kantor-Pietraga Iwona
Published: April 2021

Planning and managing the declining fortunes of shrinking cities are essential in shaping urban policy in post-industrial urban societies, especially in Central and Eastern European states. Many studies emphasize city management and redevelopment as important policy constituencies for driving revitalization. However, there is still a lack of knowledge about policy-making and the underlying political and socio-economic disagreements that impact successful measures to reverse urbanization and regenerate post-industrial cities. This paper provides a case of urban policy-making for Bytom—a severely shrinking city in southern Poland. This article aims to clarify the mismatch between the city’s policy and the socio-economic situation Bytom after 2010. This discrepancy could have weakened effective policy to address shrinkage and revitalization. Statistical and cartographic methods (choropleth maps) helped analyze the socio-economic changes in Bytom and its shrinking. The issues related to the city’s policy were based primarily on free-form interviews and the analysis of municipal and regional documents concerning Bytom. The conducted research shows the need for concerted and coordinated policy direction that considers the real possibilities of implementing pro-development projects. Such expectations also result from the opinions of local communities. Finding a compromise between the idea of active support for projects implemented in a shrinking city and an appropriate urban policy is expected. Such an approach also requires further strengthening of social and economic participation in local and regional governance.
Introduction: FDI and Institutional Quality: New Insights and Future Perspectives from Emerging and Advanced Economies
Authors: Jimenez Alfredo , Lee Jeoung Yul , Ordeñana Xavier
Published: April 2021

The influence of institutional quality on the economic environment has been long acknowledged by researchers, notably as a main driver of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) [...]
Psychological Profile and Consumption of Healthcare Resources in Actively Employed People, Pre-Retirees, and Retirees
Authors: Taboada-Vazquez Antonio , Gonzalez-Rodriguez Ruben , Gandoy-Crego Manuel , Clemente Miguel
Published: April 2021

Research on personality variables and consumption of health services in actively employed people or retirees has been extensive, but the group of pre-retirees has hardly been studied. This work attempts to determine the mental health and use of health resources of the three groups, hypothesizing that, as the group of pre-retirees does not receive the social stigma of work exclusion, it will present better mental health. A sample of 1332 Spanish participants aged between 51 and 69 years was randomly chosen, and various personality tests were applied, and consumption of healthcare resources was determined. Pairwise analysis of the three work situations using binary logistic regressions showed that pre-retirees present better mental health, although there were no differences in the consumption of healthcare resources. The implications of this study for the creation of health promotion policies targeting older people, depending specifically on their employment status, are discussed.
Parametric Study on Residential Passive House Building in Different Chinese Climate Zones
Authors: Li Xing , Deng Qinli , Ren Zhigang , Shan Xiaofang , Yang Guang
Published: April 2021

With the increasing of building energy consumptions, the related issues of energy crisis and environmental pollution become more and more prominent. As an effective energy-saving technology, the passive house (PH) has been widely applied in China to reduce the building energy utilization. However, the design and application of PH vary with different climate conditions. Therefore, it is significant to conduct the parameterization of PH and propose a suitable design zoning of PH in China. In our study, a comprehensive feasibility analysis of the implementation of PH is performed, which chooses 31 representative cities covering 5 climatic regions. The sensitivity analysis firstly filters the key parameters that heavily affect energy consumption. The results indicate that the key parameters include external wall heat transfer coefficient (WU), basement ceiling heat transfer coefficient (BCU), solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC), glass G value (UG), heat recovery efficiency (HERE) and humidity recovery efficiency (HURE). Then, with the multiple regression approach, the values of key parameters are optimized. Based on the determined values of sensitive parameters, the design zoning of PH in China is finally proposed, which can guide the design of PH as well as enhance the application of PH in China.
Safety Analysis of Young Pedestrian Behavior at Signalized Intersections: An Eye-Tracking Study
Authors: Gruden Chiara , Ištoka Otković Irena , Šraml Matjaž
Published: April 2021

Smartphones have become an integral part of our everyday lives and keep us busy while doing other primary activities such as driving, cycling or walking in traffic. The problem of digital distraction among drivers has been largely addressed, and interest is growing also on vulnerable road users as well. In fact, high percentages of pedestrians and cyclists are accustomed to checking their devices while moving in traffic. This research links to the presented theme and aims to investigate the extent to which digital distraction in the form of social media app checking influences pedestrian behavior. The focus of the study is specifically on signalized intersections. An outdoor, eye-tracking experiment was conducted on a specific route consisting of various elements typical of urban areas. Participants were asked to walk the predefined route twice, encountering three signalized intersections: the first time they were asked to walk with their smartphone in hand, the second time without. The recordings of each participant’s route were then analyzed, examining reaction time, crossing time and speed, fixations and gaze paths. The results show a clear impact of digital devices on pedestrians’ attention by increasing their reaction and crossing times and decreasing crossing speeds. In addition, the analysis of fixations found that 82.54% of the time was devoted to the smartphone, while interest in other street elements decreased from 16.64% to 4.03%.
Examining the Use of Serious Games for Enhancing Community Resilience to Climate Risks in Thailand
Authors: Marome Wijitbusaba , Natakun Boonanan , Archer Diane
Published: April 2021

This paper presents the ‘Kin Dee You Dee’ (Thai for ‘Eat well, live well’) toolkit, which comprises three sets of serious games aimed at facilitating discussions and transformative learning on resilience to urban low-income communities. The first stage of the toolkit creates awareness of key concepts related to resilience, the second stage allows participants to map individual and community assets and identify risks associated with them, and the final stage encourages participants to reflect upon potential threats and to create a strategic plan in response. The study examines the toolkit’s potential in increasing meaningful community engagement and participation, and enhancing disaster risk awareness through the application of the toolkit in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region and Udon Thani province, which are areas that are highly exposed to climate risks. This paper presents the concepts, development and application of the ‘Kin Dee You Dee’ toolkit, concluding that it is a useful tool that can allow policymakers and other involved stakeholders in city development projects to engage with communities and increase risk awareness.