bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and Cytokine Storms for More Effective Treatments from an Inflammatory Pathophysiology
Authors: Yokota Shumpei , Miyamae Takako , Kuroiwa Yoshiyuki , Nishioka Kusuki
Published: February 2021

The Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept the world and caused a global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 seems to have originated from bats as their reservoir hosts over time. Similar to SARS-CoV, this new virus also exerts its action on the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. This action causes infections in cells and establishes an infectious disease, COVID-19. Against this viral invasion, the human body starts to activate the innate immune system in producing and releasing proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α, and other chemokines, such as G-CSF, IP10 and MCPl, which all develop and increase the inflammatory response. In cases of COVID-19, excessive inflammatory responses occur, and exaggerated proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines are detected in the serum, resulting in cytokine release syndrome or cytokine storm. This causes coagulation abnormalities, excessive oxidation developments, mitochondrial permeability transition, vital organ damage, immune system failure and eventually progresses to disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ failure. Additionally, the excessive inflammatory responses also cause mitochondrial dysfunction due to progressive and persistent stress. This damages cells and mitochondria, leaving products containing mitochondrial DNA and cell debris involved in the excessive chronic inflammation as damage-associated molecular patterns. Thus, the respiratory infection progressively leads to disseminated intravascular coagulation from acute respiratory distress syndrome, including vascular endothelial cell damage and coagulation-fibrinolysis system disorders. This condition causes central nervous system disorders, renal failure, liver failure and, finally, multiple organ failure. Regarding treatment for COVID-19, the following are progressive and multiple steps for mitigating the excessive inflammatory response and subsequent cytokine storm in patients. First, administering of favipiravir to suppress SARS-CoV-2 and nafamostat to inhibit ACE2 function should be considered. Second, anti-rheumatic drugs (monoclonal antibodies), which act on the leading cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6) and/or cytokine receptors such as tocilizumab, should be administered as well. Finally, melatonin may also have supportive effects for cytokine release syndrome, resulting in mitochondrial function improvement. This paper will further explore these subjects with reports mostly from China and Europe.
Mechanical and FEA-Assisted Characterization of Fused Filament Fabricated Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Structures
Authors: Kladovasilakis Nikolaos , Tsongas Konstantinos , Tzetzis Dimitrios
Published: February 2021

This paper investigates the mechanical behavior of additive manufactured Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) structures, such as Gyroid, Schwarz Diamond and Schwarz Primitive. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) technique was utilized in order to fabricate lattice structures with different relative densities, at 10%, 20% and 30%, using Polylactic acid (PLA). The test specimens were formed by structural TPMS unit cells and they were tested under quasi-static compression. A finite element analysis (FEA) was performed in order to predict their stress-strain behavior and compare with the experimental results. The results revealed that each architecture influences the mechanical properties of the structure differently depending on the impact of size effect. The structures were designed as sandwich structures (with a top and bottom plate) to avoid significant deterioration of the mechanical behavior, due to the size effect and this was achieved at high relative densities. The Schwarz Diamond structure demonstrated the highest mechanical strength compared with the other architectures, while the Gyroid structure also revealed a similar mechanical performance. In addition, Schwarz Primitive structure showed increased energy absorption especially during plastic deformation. The overall results revealed that the integrity of the mechanical properties of the studied TPMS FFF printed structures deteriorates, as the relative density of the structures decreases.
Approaching Sea-Level Rise (SLR) Change: Strengthening Local Responses to Sea-Level Rise and Coping with Climate Change in Northern Mozambique
Authors: Mucova Serafino Afonso Rui , Azeiteiro Ulisses Miranda , Filho Walter Leal , Lopes Carina Lurdes , Dias João Miguel , Pereira Mário Jorge
Published: February 2021

Mean sea-level is expected to rise significantly by 2100 in all scenarios, including those compatible with the objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement. Global sea level rise projections indicate devastating implications for populations, ecosystem services and biodiversity. The implications of the sea-level rise (SLR) on low-lying islands and coastal regions and communities are substantial and require deep-rooted coping measures. In the absence of adequate responses for coping, Mozambique is expected to record huge losses, with an impact on the economy and development in many sectors of its coastal regions mainly in northern Mozambique. This research aimed to perform projections on SLR in Mozambique, and to understand its role and implications on the north coast of the country. SLR was estimated through the analysis of model outputs that support the global estimates of the fifth IPCC report near the Mozambican coast, for each of the four representative concentration pathways (RCPs) scenarios. Regional coastline retreat and coastal erosion were estimated through the results of global sandy coastlines projections developed by Vousdoukas. Mean sea-level rise projections indicate that regional estimates for the Mozambican coast are relative higher than global estimates (~0.05 m) for all representative concentration pathways (RCPs). Yet, we highlight significant differences in sea-level rises of 0.5 m, 0.7 m or 1.0 m by 2100 compared to the global mean. It is expected that with the increase in the mean sea level in the northern part of the Mozambican coast, erosive effects will increase, as well as the retreat of the coastline until 2100. With this, the tourism sector, settlements, ecosystem services and local populations are expected to be significantly affected by 2050, with increased threats in 2100 (RCP4.5, RCP8.5). Local responses for coping are proposed and properly discussed for the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios through 2100.
Characterization of a Yellow Laccase from Botrytis cinerea 241
Authors: Radveikienė Ingrida , Vidžiūnaitė Regina , Meškienė Rita , Meškys Rolandas , Časaitė Vida
Published: February 2021

Typical laccases have four copper atoms, which form three different copper centers, of which the T1 copper is responsible for the blue color of the enzyme and gives it a characteristic absorbance around 610 nm. Several laccases have unusual spectral properties and are referred to as yellow or white laccases. Only two yellow laccases from the Ascomycota phylum have been described previously, and only one amino acid sequence of those enzymes is available. A yellow laccase Bcl1 from Botrytis cinerea strain 241 has been identified, purified and characterized in this work. The enzyme appears to be a dimer with a molecular mass of 186 kDa. The gene encoding the Bcl1 protein has been cloned, and the sequence analysis shows that the yellow laccase Bcl1 is phylogenetically distinct from other known yellow laccases. In addition, a comparison of amino acid sequences, and 3D modeling shows that the Bcl1 laccase lacks a conservative tyrosine, which is responsible for absorption quenching at 610 nm in another yellow asco-laccase from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. High thermostability, high salt tolerance, broad substrate specificity, and the ability to decolorize dyes without the mediators suggest that the Bcl1 laccase is a potential enzyme for various industrial applications.
The Interplay between Board Characteristics, Financial Performance, and Risk Management Disclosure in the Financial Services Sector: New Empirical Evidence from Europe
Authors: Noja Gratiela Georgiana , Thalassinos Eleftherios , Cristea Mirela , Grecu Irina Maria
Published: February 2021

This paper empirically evidences the role played by board characteristics (skills, diversity, structure, independence) in supporting risk management disclosure and shaping the financial performance of European companies operating in the financial services sector. We exploit data selected from Thomson Reuters Eikon database in 2020 for the last fiscal year 2019 (FY0) on a longitudinal sample of 144 companies with the head offices in Europe (25 countries). Following an original empirical approach based on two modern financial econometric techniques, namely structural equation modelling (SEM) and network analysis through Gaussian graphical models (GGMs), the research endeavor outlines the decisive importance of an optimal board size, enhanced management skills, upward gender diversity (encompassed by women participation on board management), and structure (mainly a two-tier type, one management board, and a distinctive supervisory board) as fundamentals of risk management strategies, leading to improved financial achievements and a higher profitability for the analyzed companies.
Calcium Phosphate Modified with Silicon vs. Bovine Hydroxyapatite for Alveolar Ridge Preservation: Densitometric Evaluation, Morphological Changes and Histomorphometric Study
Authors: Cadenas-Vacas Guillermo , Martínez-Rodríguez Natalia , Barona-Dorado Cristina , Sánchez-Labrador Luis , Cortés-Bretón Brinkmann Jorge , Meniz-García Cristina , Martínez-González José María
Published: February 2021

After tooth extraction, the alveolar bone undergoes a physiological resorption that may compromise the future placement of the implant in its ideal position. This study evaluated bone density, morphological changes, and histomorphometric results undergone by alveolar bone after applying a new biomaterial composed of calcium phosphate modified with silicon (CAPO-Si) compared with hydroxyapatite of bovine origin (BHA). Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) was performed in 24 alveoli, divided into a test group filled with CAPO-Si and a control group filled with BHA. Three months later, the mineral bone density obtained by the biomaterials, horizontal and vertical bone loss, the degree of alveolar corticalization, and histomorphometric results were evaluated. Both biomaterials presented similar behavior in terms of densitometric results, vertical bone loss, and degree of alveolar corticalization. Alveoli treated with CAPO-Si showed less horizontal bone loss in comparison with alveoli treated with BHA (0.99 ± 0.2 mm vs. 1.3 ± 0.3 mm), with statistically significant difference (p = 0.017). Histomorphometric results showed greater bone neoformation in the test group than the control group (23 ± 15% vs. 11 ± 7%) (p = 0.039) and less residual biomaterial (5 ± 10% vs. 17 ± 13%) (p = 0.043) with statistically significant differences. In conclusion, the ARP technique obtains better results with CAPO-Si than with BHA.
An Efficient Computation Offloading Strategy with Mobile Edge Computing for IoT
Authors: Fang Juan , Shi Jiamei , Lu Shuaibing , Zhang Mengyuan , Ye Zhiyuan
Published: February 2021

With the rapidly development of mobile cloud computing (MCC), the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence (AI), user equipment (UEs) are facing explosive growth. In order to effectively solve the problem that UEs may face with insufficient capacity when dealing with computationally intensive and delay sensitive applications, we take Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) of the IoT as the starting point and study the computation offloading strategy of UEs. First, we model the application generated by UEs as a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to achieve fine-grained task offloading scheduling, which makes the parallel processing of tasks possible and speeds up the execution efficiency. Then, we propose a multi-population cooperative elite algorithm (MCE-GA) based on the standard genetic algorithm, which can solve the offloading problem for tasks with dependency in MEC to minimize the execution delay and energy consumption of applications. Experimental results show that MCE-GA has better performance compared to the baseline algorithms. To be specific, the overhead reduction by MCE-GA can be up to 72.4%, 38.6%, and 19.3%, respectively, which proves the effectiveness and reliability of MCE-GA.
Agroecological Service Crops Drive Plant Mycorrhization in Organic Horticultural Systems
Authors: Trinchera Alessandra , Testani Elena , Roccuzzo Giancarlo , Campanelli Gabriele , Ciaccia Corrado
Published: February 2021

Mycorrhizal symbiosis represents a valuable tool for increasing plant nutrient uptake, affecting system biodiversity, ecosystem services and productivity. Introduction of agroecological service crops (ASCs) in cropping systems may determine changes in weed community, that can affect the development of the mycorrhizal mycelial network in the rhizosphere, favoring or depressing the cash crop mycorrhization. Two no-till Mediterranean organic horticultural systems were considered: one located in central Italy, where organic melon was transplanted on four winter-cereals mulches (rye, spelt, barley, wheat), one located in southern Italy (Sicily), where barley (as catch crop) was intercropped in an organic young orange orchard, with the no tilled, unweeded systems taken as controls. Weed “Supporting Arbuscular Mycorrhiza” (SAM) trait, weed density and biodiversity indexes, mycorrhization of coexistent plants in the field, the external mycelial network on roots were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, crop P uptake, yield and quality were evaluated. We verified that cereals, used as green mulches or intercropped, may drive the weed selection in favor of the SAM species, and promote the mycelial network, thus significantly increasing the mycorrhization, the P uptake, the yield and quality traits of the cash crop. This is a relevant economic factor when introducing sustainable cropping practices and assessing the overall functionality of the agroecosystem.
Microbial Interkingdom Biofilms and the Quest for Novel Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Van Dyck Katrien , Pinto Rita M. , Pully Durgasruthi , Van Dijck Patrick
Published: February 2021

Fungal and bacterial species interact with each other within polymicrobial biofilm communities in various niches of the human body. Interactions between these species can greatly affect human health and disease. Diseases caused by polymicrobial biofilms pose a major challenge in clinical settings because of their enhanced virulence and increased drug tolerance. Therefore, different approaches are being explored to treat fungal–bacterial biofilm infections. This review focuses on the main mechanisms involved in polymicrobial drug tolerance and the implications of the polymicrobial nature for the therapeutic treatment by highlighting clinically relevant fungal–bacterial interactions. Furthermore, innovative treatment strategies which specifically target polymicrobial biofilms are discussed.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis Small RNA MTS1338 Confers Pathogenic Properties to Non-Pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Bychenko Oksana , Skvortsova Yulia , Ziganshin Rustam , Grigorov Artem , Aseev Leonid , Ostrik Albina , Kaprelyants Arseny , Salina Elena G. , Azhikina Tatyana
Published: February 2021

Small non-coding RNAs play a key role in bacterial adaptation to various stresses. Mycobacterium tuberculosis small RNA MTS1338 is upregulated during mycobacteria infection of macrophages, suggesting its involvement in the interaction of the pathogen with the host. In this study, we explored the functional effects of MTS1338 by expressing it in non-pathogenic Mycobacterium smegmatis that lacks the MTS1338 gene. The results indicated that MTS1338 slowed the growth of the recombinant mycobacteria in culture and increased their survival in RAW 264.7 macrophages, where the MTS1338-expressing strain significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the number of mature phagolysosomes and changed the production of cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TGF-β, and TNF-α compared to those of the control strain. Proteomic and secretomic profiling of recombinant and control strains revealed differential expression of proteins involved in the synthesis of main cell wall components and in the regulation of iron metabolism (ESX-3 secretion system) and response to hypoxia (furA, whiB4, phoP). These effects of MTS1338 expression are characteristic for M. tuberculosis during infection, suggesting that in pathogenic mycobacteria MTS1338 plays the role of a virulence factor supporting the residence of M. tuberculosis in the host.
The Transcriptional Regulatory Network of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Authors: Parise Doglas , Teixeira Dornelles Parise Mariana , Pinto Gomide Anne Cybelle , Figueira Aburjaile Flávia , Bentes Kato Rodrigo , Salgado-Albarrán Marisol , Tauch Andreas , Ariston de Carvalho Azevedo Vasco , Baumbach Jan
Published: February 2021

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular, pathogenic bacterium that infects several different hosts, yielding serious economic losses in livestock farming. It causes several diseases including oedematous skin disease (OSD) in buffaloes, ulcerative lymphangitis (UL) in horses, and caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) in sheep, goats and humans. Despite its economic and medical-veterinary importance, our understanding concerning this organism’s transcriptional regulatory mechanisms is still limited. Here, we review the state of the art knowledge on transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of this pathogenic species, covering regulatory interactions mediated by two-component systems, transcription factors and sigma factors. Key transcriptional regulatory players involved in virulence and pathogenicity of C. pseudotuberculosis, such as the PhoPR system and DtxR, are in the focus of this review, as these regulators are promising targets for future vaccine design and drug development. We conclude that more experimental studies are needed to further understand the regulatory repertoire of this important zoonotic pathogen, and that regulators are promising targets for future vaccine design and drug development.
Luminescent Ink Based on Upconversion of NaYF4:Er,Yb@MA Nanoparticles: Environmental Friendly Synthesis and Structural and Spectroscopic Assessment
Authors: Cao T. M. Dung , Le T. T. Giang , Turrell Sylvia , Ferrari Maurizio , Lam Quang Vinh , Tran T. T. Van
Published: February 2021

NaYF4:Er,Yb upconversion luminescent nanoparticles (UCNPs) were prepared by hydrothermal methods at 180 °C for 24 h. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM (transmission electron microscopy) images show that the resulting 60 nm UCNPs possess a hexagonal structure. In this work, maleic anhydride (MA) was grafted on the surface of UCNPs to induce hydrophilic properties. The photoluminescence spectra (PL) show upconversion emissions centered around 545 nm and 660 nm under excitation at 980 nm. The luminescent inks, including UCNPs@MA, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), deionized water (DI), and ethylene glycol (EG), exhibit suitable properties for screen printing, such as high stability, emission intensity, and tunable dynamic viscosity. The printed patterns with a height of 5 mm and a width of 1.5 mm were clearly observed under the irradiation of a 980 nm laser. Our strategy provides a new route for the controlled synthesis of hydrophilic UCNPs, and shows that the UCNPs@MAs have great potential in applications of anti-counterfeiting packing.
Lattice Defects Engineering in W-, Zr-doped BiVO4 by Flame Spray Pyrolysis: Enhancing Photocatalytic O2 Evolution
Authors: Stathi Panagiota , Solakidou Maria , Deligiannakis Yiannis
Published: February 2021

A flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) method has been developed, for controlled doping of BiVO4 nanoparticles with W and Zr in tandem with the oxygen vacancies (Vo) of the BiVO4 lattice. Based on XPS and Raman data, we show that the nanolattice of W-BiVO4 and Zr-BiO4 can be controlled to achieve optimal O2 evolution from H2O photocatalysis. A synergistic effect is found between the W- and Zr-doping level in correlation with the Vo-concentration. FSP- made W-BiVO4 show optimal photocatalytic O2-production from H2O, up to 1020 μmol/(g × h) for 5%W-BiVO4, while the best performing Zr-doped achieved 970 μmol/(g × h) for 5%Zr-BiVO4. Higher W-or Zr-doping resulted in deterioration in photocatalytic O2-production from H2O. Thus, engineering of FSP-made BiVO4 nanoparticles by precise control of the lattice and doping-level, allows significant enhancement of the photocatalytic O2-evolution efficiency. Technology-wise, the present work demonstrates that flame spray pyrolysis as an inherently scalable technology, allows precise control of the BiVO4 nanolattice, to achieve significant improvement of its photocatalytic efficiency.
Chaperonins: Nanocarriers with Biotechnological Applications
Authors: Pipaón Sergio , Gragera Marcos , Bueno-Carrasco M. Teresa , García-Bernalt Diego Juan , Cantero Miguel , Cuéllar Jorge , Fernández-Fernández María Rosario , Valpuesta José María
Published: February 2021

Chaperonins are molecular chaperones found in all kingdoms of life, and as such they assist in the folding of other proteins. Structurally, chaperonins are cylinders composed of two back-to-back rings, each of which is an oligomer of ~60-kDa proteins. Chaperonins are found in two main conformations, one in which the cavity is open and ready to recognise and trap unfolded client proteins, and a “closed” form in which folding takes place. The conspicuous properties of this structure (a cylinder containing a cavity that allows confinement) and the potential to control its closure and aperture have inspired a number of nanotechnological applications that will be described in this review.
Multidimensional Disadvantages of a Gluten-Free Diet in Celiac Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Marciniak Martyna , Szymczak-Tomczak Aleksandra , Mahadea Dagmara , Eder Piotr , Dobrowolska Agnieszka , Krela-Kaźmierczak Iwona
Published: February 2021

A gluten-free diet is the mainstay method of treatment and the prevention of celiac disease complications. However, an inadequately balanced gluten-free diet can increase the risk of obesity, negatively affect glucose and lipid metabolism, and increase the risk of the metabolic syndrome. Therefore, an adequate nutritional counselling is necessary for patients diagnosed with celiac disease in order to prevent and treat the components of the metabolic syndrome.
Communicative and Discursive Perspectives on the Medication Experience
Authors: Glinert Lewis H.
Published: February 2021

Taking the ‘medication experience’ in the broad sense of what individuals hear and say about their medication, as well as how they experience it, this paper explores diverse research on medication information available to patients and their modes and capacities for interaction, including personal circles, doctors and pharmacists, labeling and promotion, websites, and the patient’s own inner conversations and self-expression. The goal is to illustrate, for nonspecialists in communication, how the actors, messages, mediums, genres, and contextual factors within a standard ethnographic and social semiotic model of discourse and communication are operating, not always effectively or beneficially, to mediate or construct a patient’s medication experience. We also suggest how disparate insights can be integrated through such a model and might generate new research questions.
Heat Generation in Irradiated Gold Nanoparticle Solutions for Hyperthermia Applications
Authors: Gu Xi , Li Darson D. , Yeoh Guan H. , Taylor Robert A. , Timchenko Victoria
Published: February 2021

Gold nanoparticles (GNP) aided hyperthermia has demonstrated promising results in the treatment of cancer. However, most existing investigations focus only on the extinction spectra of GNP solutions, few reported the actual heat generation capability of these solutions to estimate their real potential in in-situ hyperthermia treatment. In this study, the impact of GNP clustering on the optical properties and heating capability of GNP aggregates in acidic solutions have been investigated. It was found that localized heat generation could be significantly enhanced (to up to 60.0 °C) when acidic solutions were illuminated by a near infrared light source at 1.7 W/cm2. In addition, infrared thermography imaging can only detect the surface temperature during thermal treatment, leaving the localized temperature distribution inside the tissues unknown. To overcome this limitation, in this study, the absorbed energy during NIR irradiation in GNP solutions was obtained computationally by coupling the P1 approximation with the DDA calculation to predict the localized temperature change in the solutions. It was demonstrated that due to the accumulation and dissipation of heat, some local areas showed higher temperature increase with the hot spots being connected and merged over time.
Optimal Channel Structure for Remanufacturing under Cap-and-Trade Regulation
Authors: Teng Ying , Feng Binggang
Published: February 2021

In recent years, carbon cap-and-trade has been promoted by many national governments aiming to limit, or cap, total carbon dioxide emissions. Such a mechanism impacts manufacturers’ remanufacturing decisions, as it increases the cost of carbon emissions. The current literature has recognized the importance of carbon cap-and-trade regulations; however, little attention has been paid to what effect such regulations have on manufacturer’s remanufacturing with the flexibility to engage it in-house or outsource it to third-party remanufacturers. To fill this gap, we develop two theoretical models that, under the carbon cap-and-trade mechanism, allow the manufacturer to engage in remanufacturing operations in-house (Model H) or outsource them to an independent remanufacturer (Model R). The primary goal of this paper is to understand what effects carbon cap-and-trade regulations have on green supply chain management when producing new and remanufactured products. In particular, we find that although the manufacturer has a higher incentive to reduce the carbon emissions per remanufactured unit in Model H, the total carbon emissions may be higher than the value in Model R, because the sales volume effect dominates in that case. As such, our analysis suggests that environmental groups and agencies should not only take effective measures to stimulate the incentive of reducing the carbon emissions per unit but must also take care regarding the supply chain structure to limit the volume effect.
Extraction of Spectral Information from Airborne 3D Data for Assessment of Tree Species Proportions
Authors: Bohlin Jonas , Wallerman Jörgen , Fransson Johan E. S.
Published: February 2021

With the rapid development of photogrammetric software and accessible camera technology, land surveys and other mapping organizations now provide various point cloud and digital surface model products from aerial images, often including spectral information. In this study, methods for colouring the point cloud and the importance of different metrics were compared for tree species-specific estimates at a coniferous hemi-boreal test site in southern Sweden. A total of three different data sets of aerial image-based products and one multi-spectral lidar data set were used to estimate tree species-specific proportion and stem volume using an area-based approach. Metrics were calculated for 156 field plots (10 m radius) from point cloud data and used in a Random Forest analysis. Plot level accuracy was evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation. The results showed small differences in estimation accuracy of species-specific variables between the colouring methods. Simple averages of the spectral metrics had the highest importance and using spectral data from two seasons improved species prediction, especially deciduous proportion. Best tree species-specific proportion was estimated using multi-spectral lidar with 0.22 root mean square error (RMSE) for pine, 0.22 for spruce and 0.16 for deciduous. Corresponding RMSE for aerial images was 0.24, 0.23 and 0.20 for pine, spruce and deciduous, respectively. For the species-specific stem volume at plot level using image data, the RMSE in percent of surveyed mean was 129% for pine, 60% for spruce and 118% for deciduous.
Optimising the Complex Refractive Index Model for Estimating the Permittivity of Heterogeneous Concrete Models
Authors: Zadhoush Hossain , Giannopoulos Antonios , Giannakis Iraklis
Published: February 2021

Estimating the permittivity of heterogeneous mixtures based on the permittivity of their components is of high importance with many applications in ground penetrating radar (GPR) and in electrodynamics-based sensing in general. Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM) is the most mainstream approach for estimating the bulk permittivity of heterogeneous materials and has been widely applied for GPR applications. The popularity of CRIM is primarily based on its simplicity while its accuracy has never been rigorously tested. In the current study, an optimised shape factor is derived that is fine-tuned for modelling the dielectric properties of concrete. The bulk permittivity of concrete is expressed with respect to its components i.e., aggregate particles, cement particles, air-voids and volumetric water fraction. Different combinations of the above materials are accurately modelled using the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. The numerically estimated bulk permittivity is then used to fine-tune the shape factor of the CRIM model. Then, using laboratory measurements it is shown that the revised CRIM model over-performs the default shape factor and provides with more accurate estimations of the bulk permittivity of concrete.
On the Utility of High-Resolution Soil Moisture Data for Better Constraining Thermal-Based Energy Balance over Three Semi-Arid Agricultural Areas
Authors: Ait Hssaine Bouchra , Chehbouni Abdelghani , Er-Raki Salah , Khabba Said , Ezzahar Jamal , Ouaadi Nadia , Ojha Nitu , Rivalland Vincent , Merlin Olivier
Published: February 2021

Over semi-arid agricultural areas, the surface energy balance and its components are largely dependent on the soil water availability. In such conditions, the land surface temperature (LST) retrieved from the thermal bands has been commonly used to represent the high spatial variability of the surface evaporative fraction and associated fluxes. In contrast, however, the soil moisture (SM) retrieved from microwave data has rarely been used thus far due to the unavailability of high-resolution (field scale) SM products until recent times. Soil evaporation is controlled by the surface SM. Moreover, the surface SM dynamics is temporally related to root zone SM, which provides information about the water status of plants. The aim of this work was to assess the gain in terms of flux estimates when integrating microwave-derived SM data in a thermal-based energy balance model at the field scale. In this study, SM products were derived from three different methodologies: the first approach inverts SM, labeled hereafter as ‘SMO20’, from the backscattering coefficient and the interferometric coherence derived from Sentinel-1 products in the water cloud model (WCM); the second approach inverts SM from Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data based on machine learning algorithms trained on a synthetic dataset simulated by the WCM noted ‘SME16’; and the third approach disaggregates the soil moisture active and passive SM at 100 m resolution using Landsat optical/thermal data ‘SMO19’. These SM products, combined with the Landsat based vegetation index and LST, are integrated simultaneously within an energy balance model (TSEB-SM) to predict the latent (LE) and sensible (H) heat fluxes over two irrigated and rainfed wheat crop sites located in the Haouz Plain in the center of Morocco. H and LE were measured over each site using an eddy covariance system and their values were used to evaluate the potential of TSEB-SM against the classical two source energy balance (TSEB) model solely based on optical/thermal data. Globally, TSEB systematically overestimates LE (mean bias of 100 W/m2) and underestimates H (mean bias of −110 W/m2), while TSEB-SM significantly reduces those biases, regardless of the SM product used as input. This is linked to the parameterization of the Priestley Taylor coefficient, which is set to αPT = 1.26 by default in TSEB and adjusted across the season in TSEB-SM. The best performance of TSEB-SM was obtained over the irrigated field using the three retrieved SM products with a mean R2 of 0.72 and 0.92, and a mean RMSE of 31 and 36 W/m2 for LE and H, respectively. This opens up perspectives for applying the TSEB-SM model over extended irrigated agricultural areas to better predict the crop water needs at the field scale.
Rapid Manufacturing of Multilayered Microfluidic Devices for Organ on a Chip Applications
Authors: Paoli Roberto , Di Giuseppe Davide , Badiola-Mateos Maider , Martinelli Eugenio , Lopez-Martinez Maria Jose , Samitier Josep
Published: February 2021

Microfabrication and Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft-lithography techniques became popular for microfluidic prototyping at the lab, but even after protocol optimization, fabrication is yet a long, laborious process and partly user-dependent. Furthermore, the time and money required for the master fabrication process, necessary at any design upgrade, is still elevated. Digital Manufacturing (DM) and Rapid-Prototyping (RP) for microfluidics applications arise as a solution to this and other limitations of photo and soft-lithography fabrication techniques. Particularly for this paper, we will focus on the use of subtractive DM techniques for Organ-on-a-Chip (OoC) applications. Main available thermoplastics for microfluidics are suggested as material choices for device fabrication. The aim of this review is to explore DM and RP technologies for fabrication of an OoC with an embedded membrane after the evaluation of the main limitations of PDMS soft-lithography strategy. Different material options are also reviewed, as well as various bonding strategies. Finally, a new functional OoC device is showed, defining protocols for its fabrication in Cyclic Olefin Polymer (COP) using two different RP technologies. Different cells are seeded in both sides of the membrane as a proof of concept to test the optical and fluidic properties of the device.
Learning-Based Autonomous UAV System for Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) Device Inspection
Authors: Feng Yurong , Tse Kwaiwa , Chen Shengyang , Wen Chih-Yung , Li Boyang
Published: February 2021

The inspection of electrical and mechanical (E&M) devices using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has become an increasingly popular choice in the last decade due to their flexibility and mobility. UAVs have the potential to reduce human involvement in visual inspection tasks, which could increase efficiency and reduce risks. This paper presents a UAV system for autonomously performing E&M device inspection. The proposed system relies on learning-based detection for perception, multi-sensor fusion for localization, and path planning for fully autonomous inspection. The perception method utilizes semantic and spatial information generated by a 2-D object detector. The information is then fused with depth measurements for object state estimation. No prior knowledge about the location and category of the target device is needed. The system design is validated by flight experiments using a quadrotor platform. The result shows that the proposed UAV system enables the inspection mission autonomously and ensures a stable and collision-free flight.
Learning to Have a Civil Aircraft Take Off under Crosswind Conditions by Reinforcement Learning with Multimodal Data and Preprocessing Data
Authors: Liu Feng , Dai Shuling , Zhao Yongjia
Published: February 2021

Autopilot technology in the field of aviation has developed over many years. However, it is difficult for an autopilot system to autonomously operate a civil aircraft under bad weather conditions. In this paper, we present a reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm using multimodal data and preprocessing data to have a civil aircraft take off autonomously under crosswind conditions. The multimodal data include the common flight status and visual information. The preprocessing is a new design that maps some flight data by nonlinear functions based on the general flight dynamics before these data are fed into the RL model. Extensive experiments under different crosswind conditions with a professional flight simulator demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively control a civil aircraft to take off under various crosswind conditions and achieve better performance than trials without visual information or preprocessing data.
Shape Sensing of a Complex Aeronautical Structure with Inverse Finite Element Method
Authors: Oboe Daniele , Colombo Luca , Sbarufatti Claudio , Giglio Marco
Published: February 2021

The inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM) is receiving more attention for shape sensing due to its independence from the material properties and the external load. However, a proper definition of the model geometry with its boundary conditions is required, together with the acquisition of the structure’s strain field with optimized sensor networks. The iFEM model definition is not trivial in the case of complex structures, in particular, if sensors are not applied on the whole structure allowing just a partial definition of the input strain field. To overcome this issue, this research proposes a simplified iFEM model in which the geometrical complexity is reduced and boundary conditions are tuned with the superimposition of the effects to behave as the real structure. The procedure is assessed for a complex aeronautical structure, where the reference displacement field is first computed in a numerical framework with input strains coming from a direct finite element analysis, confirming the effectiveness of the iFEM based on a simplified geometry. Finally, the model is fed with experimentally acquired strain measurements and the performance of the method is assessed in presence of a high level of uncertainty.
The Importance of Low Daily Risk for the Prediction of Treatment Events of Individual Dairy Cows with Sensor Systems
Authors: Post Christian , Rietz Christian , Büscher Wolfgang , Müller Ute
Published: February 2021

The prediction of health disorders is the goal of many sensor systems in dairy farming. Although mastitis and lameness are the most common health disorders in dairy cows, these diseases or treatments are a rare event related to a single day and cow. A number of studies already developed and evaluated models for classifying cows in need of treatment for mastitis and lameness with machine learning methods, but few have illustrated the effects of the positive predictive value (PPV) on practical application. The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of low-frequency treatments of mastitis or lameness for the applicability of these classification models in practice. Data from three German dairy farms contained animal individual sensor data (milkings, activity, feed intake) and were classified using machine learning models developed in a previous study. Subsequently, different risk criteria (previous treatments, information from milk recording, early lactation) were designed to isolate high-risk groups. Restricting selection to cows with previous mastitis or hoof treatment achieved the highest increase in PPV from 0.07 to 0.20 and 0.15, respectively. However, the known low daily risk of a treatment per cow remains the critical factor that prevents the reduction of daily false-positive alarms to a satisfactory level. Sensor systems should be seen as additional decision-support aid to the farmers’ expert knowledge.
Displacement Estimation Based on Optical and Inertial Sensor Fusion
Authors: Ursel Tomasz , Olinski Michał
Published: February 2021

This article aims to develop a system capable of estimating the displacement of a moving object with the usage of a relatively cheap and easy to apply sensors. There is a growing need for such systems, not only for robots, but also, for instance, pedestrian navigation. In this paper, the theory for this idea, including data postprocessing algorithms for a MEMS accelerometer and an optical flow sensor (OFS), as well as the developed complementary filter applied for sensor fusion, are presented. In addition, a vital part of the accelerometer’s algorithm, the zero velocity states detection, is implemented. It is based on analysis of the acceleration’s signal and further application of acceleration symmetrization, greatly improving the obtained displacement. A test stand with a linear guide and motor enabling imposing a specified linear motion is built. The results of both sensors’ testing suggest that the displacement estimated by each of them is highly correct. Fusion of the sensors’ data gives even better outcomes, especially in cases with external disturbance of OFS. The comparative evaluation of estimated linear displacements, in each case related to encoder data, confirms the algorithms’ operation correctness and proves the chosen sensors’ usefulness in the development of a linear displacement measuring system.
Elucidating the Quenching Mechanism in Carbon Dot-Metal Interactions–Designing Sensitive and Selective Optical Probes
Authors: Noun Farah , Jury Evelyne Anastasia , Naccache Rafik
Published: February 2021

Overexposure to metals has significant adverse effects on human and animal health coupled with nefarious consequences to the environment. Sensitive tools to measure low contaminant levels exist, but often come at a high cost and require tedious procedures. Thus, there exists a need for the development of affordable metal sensors that can offer high sensitivity and selectivity while being accessible on a global scale. Here, carbon dots, prepared in a one-pot synthesis using glutathione and formamide, have been developed as dual fluorescent metal sensing probes. Following extensive characterization of their physico-chemical properties, it is demonstrated that dual fluorescence can be exploited to build a robust ratiometric sensor with low-ppb detection sensitivity in water. This investigation shows that these optical probes are selective for Pb2+ and Hg2+ ions. Using steady-state and dynamic optical characterization techniques, coupled with hard and soft acid-base theory, the underlying reason for this selective behavior was identified. These findings shed light on the nature of metal-carbon dot interactions, which can be used to tailor their properties to target specific metal ions. Finally, these findings can be applicable to other fluorescent nanoparticle systems that are targeted for development as metal sensors.
Application of the Socio-Ecological System Framework to Forest Fire Risk Management: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Vigna Ingrid , Besana Angelo , Comino Elena , Pezzoli Alessandro
Published: February 2021

Although increasing concern about climate change has raised awareness of the fundamental role of forest ecosystems, forests are threatened by human-induced impacts worldwide. Among them, wildfire risk is clearly the result of the interaction between human activities, ecological domains, and climate. However, a clear understanding of these interactions is still needed both at the global and local levels. Numerous studies have proven the validity of the socioecological system (SES) approach in addressing this kind of interdisciplinary issue. Therefore, a systematic review of the existing literature on the application of SES frameworks to forest ecosystems is carried out, with a specific focus on wildfire risk management. The results demonstrate the existence of different methodological approaches that can be grouped into seven main categories, which range from qualitative analysis to quantitative spatially explicit investigations. The strengths and limitations of the approaches are discussed, with a specific reference to the geographical setting of the works. The research suggests the importance of local community involvement and local knowledge consideration in wildfire risk management. This review provides a starting point for future research on forest SES and a supporting tool for the development of a sustainable wildfire risk adaptation and mitigation strategy.
Generation Z Food Waste, Diet and Consumption Habits: A Finnish Social Design Study with Future Consumers
Authors: Kymäläinen Tiina , Seisto Anu , Malila Roosa
Published: February 2021

This article presents a Finnish social design study that was targeted at future Generation Z consumers. The main objective was to gain understanding of the target group’s attitudes, routines and skills relating to food consumption, diets and food waste within their households. The sustainability framework studied the Generation Z experience, obstacles and opportunities relating to behavior patterns, in addition with current habits—with respect to planning, shopping, cooking, eating and storing—and future motivations. The aim of the social design investigations was to provide contributions to the design outcome: a behavior change application that steered young consumers’ behavior patterns towards a more sustainable direction. The design framework was applied in two case studies that focused on 17–26-year-old consumers in Finland. The main method was qualitative online focus group discussions. Based on the results, the most important behavior change opportunities related to social aspects, the role of company sponsoring, localization and context-awareness potential in young consumers’ close environment and the need to engage wider sustainability aspects—such as carbon footprint, comparison of diets and financial savings—to the behavior change framework. Based on the results, the participants took the climate change challenge associated with food waste and biased diets very seriously.
Sustainable Development Goals and Education: A Bibliometric Mapping Analysis
Authors: Prieto-Jiménez Esther , López-Catalán Luis , López-Catalán Blanca , Domínguez-Fernández Guillermo
Published: February 2021

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at improving life in all its dimensions, covering all sectors, with a particular emphasis on education. The study presented here focuses on universities as priority organisations and agents of change within the sphere of their social commitment. We thus conducted an analysis of the related scientific production as well as a bibliometric mapping, identifying the main publications indexed in the Web of Science, within its main collection. Focusing on scientific production, we examine the types of documents published, the evolution of the number of publications, the countries of origin of the publications, the most cited sources and articles, together with the most productive authors and a co-citation analysis. Regarding the bibliometric mapping analysis, the five core clusters included in the study were: SDGs in general; SDG 4 on Quality Education; Education for Sustainable Development; Higher Education; and Education Management. Among the main conclusions reached, we would emphasise the need for a change in role and function of university education to tackle sustainable development.