bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reply to Hammer, M.R. A Response to Punti and Dingel’s Critique of the Validity of the Intercultural Development Inventory for BIPOC Students. Comment on “Punti, G.; Dingel, M. Rethinking Race, Ethnicity, and the Assessment of Intercultural Competence in Higher Education. Educ. Sci. 2021, 11, 110”
Authors: Punti Gemma , Dingel Molly
Published: March 2022

Hammer claims that the IDI has been validated for BIPOC in the US, but after careful re-examination of the data we presented, we reiterate that there is no evidence of this validation. The studies provided by Hammer reveal how the development of the IDI instrument and its validation focused on international cultural experiences not on cultural diversity within the US. There was no validity testing done on a racially diverse sample of U.S. Americans, and our qualitative data questions the validity for BIPOC individuals from the US.
ICT Motivation in Sixth-Grade Students in Pandemic Times—The Influence of Gender and Age
Authors: Dúo-Terrón Pablo , Moreno-Guerrero Antonio-José , Marín-Marín José-Antonio
Published: March 2022

Information and communication technology (ICT) is being immersed in people’s daily lives at an increasingly younger age. It has been key for adolescents to pursue distance education, and their use and mastery of technological means and tools with Internet access has increased. In this study, the motivation, specifically in the interest, digital competence, autonomy, and social interaction, generated by ICTs in the daily lives of adolescents during the pandemic caused by COVID-19 was analyzed. In the study, the objective was to study the motivation, use and commitment generated by ICTs in these students in relation to their gender and age after their confinement to the classroom caused by the first wave of incoming students. An experimental method of descriptive and correlative design was used along with a quantitative method to analyze the data. The data were obtained in the year 2020 through a validated questionnaire committed to the ICT scale used by PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment). A total of 924 students from the sixth grade of primary education in the autonomous city of Ceuta (Spain), aged between 10 and 13, participated in the sample. The results reveal that the motivation and commitment to ICT in these age groups were medium in relation to the total mean of results on a Likert-5 scale. Boys scored higher in all the variables analyzed, and both age and gender show correlations, in addition to the factor of prediction. In conclusion, students in the sixth year of primary education, after the confinement period, were medium-high in their use and engagement of ICT. In addition, gender and age affected ICT use and engagement.
Resilient Consensus for Multi-Agent Systems in the Presence of Sybil Attacks
Authors: Dong Xiaochen , Wu Yiming , Xu Ming , Zheng Ning
Published: March 2022

This paper investigates the problem of resilient consensus control for discrete-time linear multi-agent systems under Sybil attacks. We consider a node to be a Sybil node if it can generate a large number of false identities in the graph as a way of gaining disproportionate influence on the consensus performance of the network. Such attacks can easily invalidate existing resilient consensus algorithms that assume an upper bound on the number of malicious nodes in the network. To this end, we first built a new attack model based on the characteristics of the Sybil nodes. In addition, a quantized-data-based transmission scheme was developed for identifying and resisting Sybil nodes in the network. Then, an attack-resilient consensus algorithm was developed, where each normal node sends the quantitative data information with a specific label, which is generated by truncated normal distribution sampling to their neighbors. We give sufficient graphical conditions for attack models considering limited energy to ensure the consensus of linear multi-agent systems. Finally, numerical simulation examples are provided to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Robust Terminal Sliding Mode Control on SE(3) for Gough–Stewart Flight Simulator Motion Platform with Payload Uncertainty
Authors: Xie Binhai , Dai Shuling
Published: March 2022

This work proposes a robust terminal sliding mode control scheme on Lie group space SE(3) for Gough–Stewart flight simulator motion systems with payload uncertainty. A complete dynamic model with geometric mechanical structures and a computer dynamic model built in the MATLAB/Simulink package are briefly presented. The robust control strategy on the Lie group SE(3) is applied at the workspace level to counteract the effects of imperfect compensation due to model simplification and payload uncertainty in flight simulator application. With exponential coordinates for configuration error and adjoint operator on Lie algebra se(3), the robust control strategy is designed to guarantee almost global finite-time convergence over state space through the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, a describing function and a step acceleration response to characterize the performance of a flight simulator motion base are employed to compare the robustness performance of the proposed controller on SE(3) with the conventional terminal sliding mode controller on Cartesian space. The comparison experimental results verify that the proposed controller on SE(3) provides better robustness than the conventional controller on Cartesian space, which means higher bandwidth in two degrees of freedom and faster response with smaller tracking error in six degrees of freedom.
Performance Investigation of Power Inverter Components Submersed in Subcooled Liquid Nitrogen for Electric Aircraft
Authors: Hassan M. S. , Asano Tanemasa , Shoyama Masahito , Dousoky Gamal M.
Published: March 2022

Investigating the performance of power electronics devices and thus power inverters at cryogenic temperatures for electric aircraft systems are of great interest. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to examine the inverter circuit technologies used in cryogenically-cooled electric aircraft applications from three perspectives: inverter topologies, power capabilities, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) that may occur. At a cryogenic temperature, the characteristics of five power semiconductor switches with different technologies (Si MOS, SiC MOS, and GaN HEMT) used in cryogenically-cooled electric aircraft inverters were tested and the results were presented. Furthermore, the low-temperature performance of three types of capacitors commonly used in power electronics inverters was investigated. The research findings provide crucial considerations for the research and development of power inverters cooled by sub-cooled liquid nitrogen for modern electric aircraft.
Reputation-Based Sharding Consensus Model in Information-Centric Networking
Authors: Shi Jia , Zeng Xuewen , Li Yang
Published: March 2022

The various integration systems of blockchain and information-centric network (ICN) have been applied to provide a trusted and neutral approach to cope with large-scale content distribution in IoT, AR/VR, or 5G/6G scenarios. As a result, the scalability problem of blockchain has been an increasing concern for researchers. The sharding mechanism is recognized as a promising approach to address this challenge. However, there are still many problems in the existing schemes. Firstly, real-time processing speed trades off security of validation. Secondly, simply randomly assigning nodes to the shards may make nodes located very far from each other, which increases the block propagation time and reduces the efficiency advantage brought by the sharding mechanism. Therefore, we optimize a reputation-based sharding consensus model by multi-dimension trust and leverage the affinity propagation (AP) algorithm for gathering consensus nodes into shards. Given the minimal possibility to be at fault in the security of validation, clients can achieve real-time processing speed with assurance. The evaluation results show that the normalized mean square error (NMSE) between the estimated reputation value and the real reputation value of our reputation scheme is less than 0.02. Meanwhile, compared with the classical sharding scheme Omniledger, TPS performance can achieve 1.4 times promotion in the case of a large-scale blockchain network of 1000 nodes.
A Smart Information System for Passengers of Urban Transport Based on IoT
Authors: Estrada-Esquivel Hugo , Martínez-Rebollar Alicia , Wences-Olguin Pedro , Hernandez-Perez Yasmin , Ortiz-Hernandez Javier
Published: March 2022

Several developed countries have implemented smart systems for public transport that provide mobility services for citizens. Most of these systems use special infrastructures to determine the location of citizens and public buses. However, the implementation of these systems does not take into account the poor infrastructure of developing countries. In Mexico, Urban Passenger Transport has insufficient transport units to meet the demand of passengers who move throughout the day, and these do not consider hardware infrastructure. Our solution is focused on inexpensive devices that are accessible to citizens, such as mobile phones. In this research work, a smart information system for passengers of urban transport is presented that allows passengers to know the expected arrival times and also to know the availability of seats on the bus that is heading towards their position. The solution was evaluated with real routes, and the results are promising for a pilot project to be put in practice.
Numerical Modeling of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Slanted Axial-Flow Urban Drainage Pumps at Shut-Off Condition
Authors: Tong Zheming , Yang Zhongqin , Huang Qing , Yao Qiang
Published: March 2022

Increasing extreme rainfall events caused by global climate change have had a significant impact on urban drainage systems. As a critical component of a pumping station, a large-scale slanted axial-flow pump (SAFP) featuring high specific speed plays a critical role in mitigating urban flooding and waterlogging. In this study, to reveal the transient characteristics of a SAFP at shut-off conditions, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based approach with dynamic mesh was proposed. Multiple shut-off conditions with various shut-down speeds of the sluice gate (SG) were modeled. Our analysis demonstrated that both the shut-off conditions and the slanted structure have conspicuous impacts on the hydrodynamic performance of a SAFP. Reducing the shut-down speed leads to a greater reverse flow rate and higher runner speed. The water hammer effect was simulated with different shut-down speeds, increasing the water head by 5.07–10.42 m, the axial force by 163.46–297.06 kN∙m, and the axial moment by 116.05–224.01 kN∙m. Compared with the axial direction, moments in the radial directions were found with more obvious oscillation as a result of stronger rotor–stator interaction. Due to the gravitational effect of the slanted structure, the fluctuation of the runner in vertical direction presented an off-axis characteristic compared with the horizontal one. As the SG speed increased, pressure fluctuations gradually decreased at various locations across the SAFP.
Wooden Additional Floor in Finland
Authors: Soikkeli Anu , Ilgın Hüseyin Emre , Karjalainen Markku
Published: March 2022

One of the most effective ways to cover real estate development and renovation processes by improving functionality and energy efficiency is wooden additional floor construction. This entry maps out, organizes, and collates scattered information on the current state of the art and the benefits of this practice including its different stages, focusing on the case of Finland. The entry presents this topic in an accessible and understandable discourse for non-technical readers. By highlighting the benefits and opportunities of this sustainable application, the entry will contribute to increasing the awareness of wooden additional floor construction, which has many advantages, and therefore to gain more widespread use in Finland and other countries.
An Analysis of Adriatic Ichthyofauna—Ecology, Zoogeography, and Conservation Status
Authors: Lipej Lovrenc , Kovačić Marcelo , Dulčić Jakov
Published: March 2022

The paper presents an analysis of biogeographic and habitat distribution patterns, and the conservation status data of Adriatic fishes, based on the last published checklist and evidence-based critical analyses of species presence. The total number of species recorded in the Adriatic is 449. The Adriatic has 58.8% of Mediterranean species richness, 76.1% of its families, and 87.8% of its orders. Among species discovered in the Adriatic after 2010, twelve species were attributed to biological invasion, mostly Atlantic immigrants or alien species, and ten species were attributed to improved research on the native ichthyofauna of the Adriatic area. About 58% of species are native species of Atlanto-Mediterranean origin, 21% are native species of wider global occurrence, 15% are Mediterranean or Mediterranean and Black Sea endemics and 5% originated outside Mediterranean Sea. The majority of species inhabit the benthic environment (71.9%), while others occur in the pelagic environment (20.7%) or are euryhaline (7.3%). The benthic littoral species are the most numerous Adriatic fishes, representing 40% of all species richness, whereas pelagic fishes are mainly eurybathic or epipelagic; only 3.6% of species are deep pelagic species. A Red Book of marine fishes of the Adriatic Sea is urgently needed to assess their conservation status, covering the entire Adriatic Sea and reviewing all fish species to assess their conservation status.
Computational Methods for Fluid-Structure Interaction Simulation of Heart Valves in Patient-Specific Left Heart Anatomies
Authors: Le Trung Bao , Usta Mustafa , Aidun Cyrus , Yoganathan Ajit , Sotiropoulos Fotis
Published: March 2022

Given the complexity of human left heart anatomy and valvular structures, the fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulation of native and prosthetic valves poses a significant challenge for numerical methods. In this review, recent numerical advancements for both fluid and structural solvers for heart valves in patient-specific left hearts are systematically considered, emphasizing the numerical treatments of blood flow and valve surfaces, which are the most critical aspects for accurate simulations. Numerical methods for hemodynamics are considered under both the continuum and discrete (particle) approaches. The numerical treatments for the structural dynamics of aortic/mitral valves and FSI coupling methods between the solid Ωs and fluid domain Ωf are also reviewed. Future work toward more advanced patient-specific simulations is also discussed, including the fusion of high-fidelity simulation within vivo measurements and physics-based digital twining based on data analytics and machine learning techniques.
Harmonic Response Analysis of Tank Design Effect on Ultrasonic Cleaning Process
Authors: Phophayu Suchada , Kliangklom Ketmanee , Thongsri Jatuporn
Published: March 2022

Several ultrasonic cleaning tanks (UCTs) had a problem: a manufacturer complained that there were damages to cleaning objects, they were unclarified, and it needed to be abruptly solved. To investigate and solve the problem, a small UCT filled with 3.92 L of water, with a frequency of 28 kHz, two horn transducers, and a total power of 100 W was built for simulation and experiment. A built tank body material of UCT can be adjustable to acrylic, glass, and stainless steel. Since the cavitation causing the cleaning relates to acoustic pressure, harmonic response analysis (HRA) in ANSYS software was employed to calculate the acoustic pressure inside the UCT for different designs such as mentioned materials, power, thickness, volume, and frequency. The HRA results revealed uneven acoustic pressure depending on the tank designs, consistent with foil corrosion and power concentration experiments. Furthermore, using the tank body material with acrylic, glass, and stainless steel provided the highest, moderate, and lowest acoustic pressure levels, respectively. The uneven acoustic pressure resulted from the differences in material transmission coefficients. In addition, the damage occurred because of improper tank design, resulting in excessive acoustic pressure. Therefore, the tank design is indispensable in designing high-efficiency UCTs to reduce damage and meet customer requirements.
Research Progress and Trends of Phenylethanoid Glycoside Delivery Systems
Authors: Huang Jin , Zhao Dandan , Cui Chaojing , Hao Jianxiong , Zhang Zhentao , Guo Limin
Published: March 2022

Background: Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are obtained from a wide range of sources and show strong biological and pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antibacterial and neuroprotective effects. However, intestinal malabsorption and the low bioavailability of PhGs seriously affect their application. Delivery systems are an effective method to improve the bioavailability of active substances. Scope and approach: In this article, the biological activities of and delivery systems for PhGs are introduced. The application statuses of delivery systems for echinacoside, acteoside and salidroside are reviewed. Finally, the problems of the lack of uniform standards for delivery systems and the poor targeted delivery accuracy of PhGs in the current research are proposed and suggestions for future research are put forward based on those problems. Key findings and conclusions: Although there are still some problems in the delivery system of phenylethanoside, such as inconsistent standards and inaccurate delivery, phenylethanoside itself has been proven to have a variety of physiological activities. Therefore, the action mechanism and application of phenylethanoside and its delivery system should be studied further.
The Effect of Irrigation-Initiation Timing on the Phenolic Composition and Overall Quality of Cabernet Sauvignon Wines Grown in a Semi-Arid Climate
Authors: Drori Elyashiv , Munitz Sarel , Pinkus Ania , Stanevsky Maria , Netzer Yishai
Published: March 2022

In semi-arid areas, vineyards grown for winemaking are usually mildly irrigated by drip irrigation systems in a manner maintaining drought stress. This practice ensures the proper development of vegetative and reproductive organs on the one hand, and on the other, the development of high-quality grapes which can be hampered by overly abundant water application. In previous work, we have developed and demonstrated an irrigation model suitable for high-quality grape production in semi-arid areas. Here, we tackle the question of proper irrigation initiation dates—should one wait for vines to develop drought stress before the initiation of irrigation, or rather commence irrigation earlier? Our results show that vines which undergo initial irrigation late in the growing season tend to develop a lower midday stem water potential even after irrigation initiation. In addition, these vines tend to produce a lower number of bunches per vine and smaller berry size, leading to lower yields. The wine produced from the late-irrigated treatments had a higher phenolic content, primarily due to higher levels of catechin and epicatechin. Their levels increased as irrigation initiation dates were delayed, while caffeic acid levels showed an opposite trend. Late irrigation also led to higher color intensities compared to those of irrigation at earlier stages, due to higher levels of most anthocyanins. Finally, we show that the overall wine sensory score, representing its overall quality, was approximately five points higher for wines made from delayed irrigation treatments compared to wines made from early season irrigation treatments.
Consensus of Fractional-Order Double-Integral Multi-Agent System in a Bounded Fluctuating Potential
Authors: Chen Xi , Luo Maokang , Zhang Lu
Published: March 2022

At present, the consensus problem of fractional complex systems has received more attention. However, there is little literature on the consensus problem of fractional-order complex systems under noise disturbance. In this paper, we present a fractional-order double-integral multi-agent system affected by a common bounded fluctuating potential, where the protocol term consists of both the relative position and velocity information of neighboring agents. The consensus conditions of the presented system in the absence of noise are analytically given and verified by a numerical simulation algorithm. Then, the influences of the system order and other system parameters on the consensus of the presented system in the presence of bounded noise are also analyzed. It is found that when compared with the classical integer-order system, the presented fractional-order system has a larger range of consensus parameters and has more rich dynamic characteristics under the action of random noise. Especially, the bounded noise has a promoting effect on the consensus of the presented fractional-order system, while there is no similar phenomenon in the corresponding integer-order system.
Multi-Donor Fecal Microbial Transplantation for Critically Ill Patients: Rationale and Standard Operating Procedure
Authors: Řehořová Veronika , Cibulková Ivana , Soukupová Hana , Duška František
Published: March 2022

Patients in the intensive care unit often lose a considerable fraction of their gut microbiome due to exposure to broad-spectrum antibiotics and other reasons. Dysbiosis often results in prolonged diarrhea and increase occurrence of multi-drug resistant pathogens in the colon with clinical consequences not yet well understood. Restoring the microbiome by fecal microbial transplantation (FMT) is a plausible therapeutic possibility, so far only documented in case reports and case series using very heterogeneous methodologies. Before FMT with critically ill patients can be tested in randomized controlled trials, there is a burning need to describe a standardized operating procedure (SOP) of the whole process, respecting the specifics of the critically ill population, such as the risk of the disrupted intestinal barrier and time-critical nature of the procedure. We describe the SOP that has been developed for experimental use in critically ill patients by a multidisciplinary team of intensivists, gastroenterologists, and microbiologists based on feedback from regulatory authority (State Institute for Drug Control of the Czech Republic). The hallmarks of these SOPs are multi-donor freshly frozen transplants guaranteed for 2 months consisting of seven aliquots from seven unrelated healthy donors and administered by a rectal tube. In this paper we discuss the rationale for this SOP and the process of its development in detail and release the full proposed SOP is in the form of an online appendix.
PCL/Sodium-Alginate Based 3D-Printed Dual Drug Delivery System with Antibacterial Activity for Osteomyelitis Therapy
Authors: Lee Ji-Hyun , Park Jung-Kyu , Son Kuk-Hui , Lee Jin-Woo
Published: March 2022

Chronic osteomyelitis is mostly caused by bacteria such as S. aureus, and is often treated with oral antibiotics or injections to suppress the bacteria. In severe cases, however, surgical treatment using antibiotic beads and metal supports may be required. In these surgeries, bacterial attachment to the metal may lead to biofilm formation and reduce antibiotics’ penetration to the bacteria. Reoperation must be performed to prevent bacterial inflammatory reactions and antibiotic resistance. Thus, in this study, we developed a dual-drug-releasing PCL/sodium-alginate-based 3D-printed scaffold to effectively treat osteomyelitis by removing the biofilm. We proposed an antibiotic-loaded biodegradable polymer scaffold using 3D printing, which was encapsulated by a second antibiotic-containing hydrogel. Then, we successfully established a dual-drug-based scaffold that consisted of a cefazolin (CFZ)-containing polycaprolactone 3D scaffold and a rifampicin (RFP)-loaded alginate hydrogel encapsulating the 3D scaffold. Our scaffold showed a synergistic effect, whereby biofilm formation was inhibited by RFP, which is an external drug, and bacterial activity was inhibited by CFZ, which is an internal drug that increases antibacterial activity. We also confirmed that the dual-drug-based scaffold did not affect the proliferation of human osteoblasts. Our findings suggest that this dual drug delivery system may serve as a new therapeutic treatment for osteomyelitis that overcomes the limitations of individual drugs.
Versatility of Hydrogels: From Synthetic Strategies, Classification, and Properties to Biomedical Applications
Authors: Ahmad Zubair , Salman Saad , Khan Shahid Ali , Amin Abdul , Rahman Zia Ur , Al-Ghamdi Youssef O. , Akhtar Kalsoom , Bakhsh Esraa M. , Khan Sher Bahadar
Published: March 2022

Hydrogels are three-dimensional, cross-linked, and supramolecular networks that can absorb significant volumes of water. Hydrogels are one of the most promising biomaterials in the biological and biomedical fields, thanks to their hydrophilic properties, biocompatibility, and wide therapeutic potential. Owing to their nontoxic nature and safe use, they are widely accepted for various biomedical applications such as wound dressing, controlled drug delivery, bone regeneration, tissue engineering, biosensors, and artificial contact lenses. Herein, this review comprises different synthetic strategies for hydrogels and their chemical/physical characteristics, and various analytical, optical, and spectroscopic tools for their characterization are discussed. A range of synthetic approaches is also covered for the synthesis and design of hydrogels. It will also cover biomedical applications such as bone regeneration, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. This review addressed the fundamental, general, and applied features of hydrogels in order to facilitate undergraduates, graduates, biomedical students, and researchers in a variety of domains.
87Sr/86Sr Ratios and Atmospheric Noble Gases in Theistareykir Geothermal Fluids: A Record of Glacial Water
Authors: Pinti Daniele Luigi , Haut-Labourdette Marie , Poirier André , Saby Marion , van Hinsberg Vincent J. , Berlo Kim , Castro Maria Clara , Gautason Bjarni , Sigurðardóttir Ásgerður K.
Published: March 2022

The determination of the current and past recharge sources, as well as the reconstruction of the timing of the recharge in geothermal reservoirs, is required in order to correctly assess the resource potential of these systems. Theistareykir is a newly developed geothermal field close to the well-known exploited fields of Krafla and Námafjall in NE Iceland. In this study, the 87Sr/86Sr ratios measured in deep geothermal fluids are presented and, together with the Cl and noble gas signatures, are used to place constraints on the fluid sources. The Cl/Sr and 87Sr/86Sr ratios show a peculiar and unique composition among Icelandic geothermal fluids. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios range from 0.70355 to 0.70671, suggesting the presence of a significant seawater component—possibly marine aerosols added to rain or snowfall—as well as an additional source of Sr leached from local basalts. Moreover, a correlation between the atmospheric noble gas (ANGs) elemental ratios Ne/Ar, Kr/Ar and Xe/Ar, and the 87Sr/86Sr ratios is observed. The latter results from the mixing of meteoric water with Sr leached from local basalts, meteoric water containing unrelated Sr from seawater, and recharge water with ANGs derived from trapped air bubbles in snow. We suggest that the combined ANGs and Sr seawater signatures are representative of a glacial water source derived from the melting of compacting snow.
Electrical Properties and Anisotropy of Schists and Fault Rocks from New Zealand’s Southern Alps under Confining Pressure
Authors: Kluge Emma-Katherine , Toy Virginia , Lockner David
Published: March 2022

Magnetotelluric models spanning the Pacific–Australian Plate boundary in New Zealand’s South Island indicate a localized zone of low electrical resistivity that is spatially coincident with the ductile mid-crustal part of the Alpine Fault Zone (AFZ). We explored the source of this anomaly by measuring the electrical properties of samples collected from surface outcrops approaching the AFZ that have accommodated a gradient of systematic strain and deformation conditions. We investigated the effects of tectonite fabric, fluid saturated pore/fracture networks and surface conductivity on the bulk electrical response and the anisotropy of resistivity measured under increasing confining pressures up to 200 MPa. We find that porosity and resistivity increase while porosity and the change in anisotropy of resistivity with confining pressure (δ (ρ‖/ρ⊥)/δ (peff)) decreases approaching the AFZ, indicating the electrical response is controlled by pore fluid conductivity and modified during progressive metamorphism. Conversely, Alpine mylonites exhibit relatively low resistivities at low porosities, and lower δ (ρ‖/ρ⊥)/δ (peff) than the schists. These findings indicate a transition in both the porosity distribution and electrical charge transport processes in rocks that have experienced progressive grain size reduction and mixing of phases during development of mylonitic fabrics due to creep shear strain within the AFZ.
Structure Monitoring with BIM and IoT: The Case Study of a Bridge Beam Model
Authors: Scianna Andrea , Gaglio Giuseppe Fulvio , La Guardia Marcello
Published: March 2022

The diffusion of Building Information Modelling (BIM) as a reference methodology, applied to the world of construction, leads to important changes in the design and the management of big constructions and infrastructures. However, although the BIM approach is necessary for managing the entire life cycle of a construction, today, this methodology is still rarely adopted beyond the design phase. This represents a major flaw because the management of every phase of the life cycle of buildings needs accurate preliminary planning. Certainly, one of the most complex and important phases of the life cycle of a construction is the monitoring phase, which represents a fundamental aspect for the maintenance and the safe fruition of buildings or civil constructions. Considering this, the multidisciplinary approach of merging BIM methodology with real-time monitoring, using low-cost IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, seems to be an interesting topic to develop. In this paper, we will propose an example of a connection between an IoT system and a BIM model for monitoring the deflection of a bridge beam at the centerline using a schematic scale model reproduced in the laboratory and modelled in BIM. The developed system allows the real-time connection between the real model and its digital twin through the use of a relational database management system (RDBMS), to which the data detected by the sensor are transmitted, allowing the risk assessment of the real structure. This solution gives the possibility to remotely monitor, in real time, the behaviour of the structure visualised in the BIM model.
3D Modeling of Individual Trees from LiDAR and Photogrammetric Point Clouds by Explicit Parametric Representations for Green Open Space (GOS) Management
Authors: Suwardhi Deni , Fauzan Kamal Nur , Harto Agung Budi , Soeksmantono Budhy , Virtriana Riantini , Murtiyoso Arnadi
Published: March 2022

The development and management of green open spaces are essential in overcoming environmental problems such as air pollution and urban warming. 3D modeling and biomass calculation are the example efforts in managing green open spaces. In this study, 3D modeling was carried out on point clouds data acquired by the UAV photogrammetry and UAV LiDAR methods. 3D modeling is done explicitly using the point clouds fitting method. This study uses three fitting methods: the spherical fitting method, the ellipsoid fitting method, and the spherical harmonics fitting method. The spherical harmonics fitting method provides the best results and produces an R2 value between 0.324 to 0.945. In this study, Above-Ground Biomass (AGB) calculations were also carried out from the modeling results using three methods with UAV LiDAR and Photogrammetry data. AGB calculation using UAV LiDAR data gives better results than using photogrammetric data. AGB calculation using UAV LiDAR data gives an accuracy of 78% of the field validation results. However, for visualization purposes with a not-too-wide area, a 3D model of photogrammetric data using the spherical harmonics method can be used.
Uncertainty of Historic GLAD Forest Data in Temperate Climates and Implications for Forest Change Modelling
Authors: Price Clare , Elsner Paul
Published: March 2022

Forest loss and degradation are central problems in the context of climate change and biodiversity conservation. The identification of areas of loss relies on accurate base maps. Central datasets in this context are the products of the Global Land Analysis & Discovery (GLAD) project. Although the GLAD forest cover products are primarily intended to serve as a near real-time flag for areas of forest loss, its historic datasets are increasingly also being used in ways that go beyond this initial focus. To date, very little information is available on the performance of GLAD data in temperate regions. This study aims to address this research gap by comparing the GLAD baseline forest cover maps for the years 2000 and 2010 with UK national forest datasets. The results showed substantial commission errors, which highlight potential problems when deviating from the GLAD datasets’ intended use. GLAD data appear to be less useful in regions with a high proportion of medium to low-density canopy cover. In such cases, its application in forest models should only be used in conjunction and cross-calibration with good quality reference data.
Research on Anti-Occlusion Correlation Filtering Tracking Algorithm Based on Adaptive Scale
Authors: Guo Xifeng , Tohti Turdi , Ibrayim Mayire , Hamdulla Askar
Published: March 2022

Target tracking has always been an important research direction in the field of computer vision. The target tracking method based on correlation filtering has become a research hotspot in the field of target tracking due to its efficiency and robustness. In recent years, a series of new developments have been made in this research. However, traditional correlation filtering algorithms cannot achieve real-time tracking in complex scenes such as illumination changes, target occlusion, motion deformation, and motion blur due to their single characteristics and insufficient background information. Therefore, a scale-adaptive anti-occlusion correlation filtering tracking algorithm is proposed. First, solve the single feature problem of traditional correlation filters through feature fusion. Secondly, the scale pyramid is introduced to solve the problem of tracking failure caused by scale changes. In this paper, two independent filters are trained, namely the position filter and the scale filter, to locate and scale the target, respectively. Finally, an occlusion judgment strategy is proposed to improve the robustness of the algorithm in view of the tracking drift problem caused by the occlusion of the target. In addition, the problem of insufficient background information in traditional correlation filtering algorithms is improved by adding context-aware background information. The experimental results show that the improved algorithm has a significant improvement in success rate and accuracy compared when with the traditional kernel correlation filter tracking algorithm. When the target has large scale changes or there is occlusion, the improved algorithm can still keep stable tracking.
Using Adaptive Logics for Expression of Context and Interoperability in DL Ontologies
Authors: Louge Thierry , Karray Mohamed Hedi , Archimède Bernard
Published: March 2022

Ontologies are logical theories that are used in computer science for describing different items such as web services, agents in multi-agent systems, or domain knowledge. Many ontologies exist, expressing various domains of knowledge with different abstraction levels (domain ontologies, top-level ontologies, and task ontologies are the usual categories). The conceptualization of the knowledge contained in an ontology is subject to change, whether because the context of its use changes, because the domain evolves, or because an ontology needs to interoperate with other elements using other ontologies. Change in logical theories is a form of defeasible reasoning, in which some formulas need to be added or removed from a knowledge base. Adaptive Logics (AL) is a logic managing defeasible reasoning that we investigate in this paper for managing change in ontologies expressed with Description Logics (DL). The adaptation of AL for DL will help express the context in which formulas remain valid or can be added to a DL knowledge base, and ease the interoperability between ontologies.
Modeling Subcutaneous Microchip Implant Acceptance in the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Survey about Concerns and Expectations
Authors: Shafeie Shekufeh , Chaudhry Beenish Moalla , Mohamed Mona
Published: March 2022

Despite the numerous advantages of microchip implants, their adoption remains low in the public sector. We conducted a cross-sectional survey to identify concerns and expectations about microchip implants among potential users. A total of 179 United States adults aged 18–83 years responded to two qualitative questions that were then analyzed using the thematic analysis technique. The identified codes were first categorized and then clustered to generate themes for both concerns and expectations. The prevalence of each theme was calculated across various demographic factors. Concerns were related to data protection, health risks, knowledge, negative affect, ease of use, metaphysical dilemmas, monetary issues, and negative social impact. Expectations included medical and non-medical uses, dismissal of microchips, technical advances, human enhancement, regulations, and affordability. The prevalence of concerns and benefits differed by immigration status and medical conditions. Informed by our findings, we present a modification to the Technology Acceptance Model for predicting public’s behavioral intention to use subcutaneous microchips. We discuss the five newly proposed determinants and seven predictor variables of this model by surveying the literature.
The Historical and Cultural Value of RC Constructions and the Main Critical Issues for Rehabilitation
Authors: Vona Marco , Manganelli Benedetto
Published: March 2022

In recent years, the preservation strategies of cultural heritage have become an element of considerable importance. Unfortunately, research has often been conducted in an excessively mono-sectoral or disaggregated manner. Moreover, there is a significant number of reinforce concrete (RC) buildings and engineering works that are of historical interest and play a key role during the earthquakes. An urban center, its historical structures and infrastructures or single buildings, if well managed, preserved, protected, recovered and enhanced can represent an excellent source of income and induce a considerable economic development in the neighboring areas. On the other hand, a lack of value appreciation and/or incorrect management represent a significant economic loss in the long-term, but an immediate loss after earthquakes. In this work, the historical and cultural value of these RC structures and infrastructures is discussed and the main critical issues are identified, outlining the fundamental requirements for conservation.
Identifying the Genetic Distance Threshold for Entiminae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Species Delimitation via COI Barcodes
Authors: Ma Zhuo , Ren Jinliang , Zhang Runzhi
Published: March 2022

The subfamily Entiminae is the largest group in the family Curculionidae, and it has long represented a challenge in traditional and molecular classification. Here, we analyzed intra- and interspecific genetic distances of 621 public COI barcode sequences (658bp) from 39 genera and 110 species of Entiminae, to determine parameters most congruent in retaining established species. We found that the mean intraspecific genetic distance (3.07%) was much smaller than the mean interspecific one (21.96%), but there is a wide range of overlap between intra- and interspecific genetic distances (0.77–18.01%), indicating that there is no consistent, universal barcoding gap. Specifically, DNA barcoding gap analysis for morphospecies revealed that 102 of 110 morphospecies had barcoding gaps, and 9.18% was the optimum threshold of genetic distances for 97 species delimitation. We further confirmed this threshold with barcodes from 27 morphologically identified specimens (including 21 newly reported barcodes) sequenced from five genera and seven species. We also identified thresholds to delimit congeneric species within 14 selected genera (species > 2), which varied from 7.42% (Trichalophus) to 13.48% (Barypeithes). We herein present optimal parameters for species identification in the Entiminae. Our study suggests that despite no universal genetic distance threshold value in subfamily Entiminae, 9.18% is optimal for most species. We recommend a wider sampling of geographic populations to better account for intraspecific distance variation, and that genetic distance thresholds for species delimitation should be refined at the genus level.
Correlation between Platelet Count and Lung Dysfunction in Multiple Trauma Patients—A Retrospective Cohort Analysis
Authors: Greve Frederik , Mair Olivia , Aulbach Ina , Biberthaler Peter , Hanschen Marc
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: Current findings emphasize the potential contribution of platelets to the immunological response after severe trauma. As clinical relevance remains unclear, this study aims to analyze the correlation between platelets and lung dysfunction in severely injured patients. (2) Methods: We retrospectively enrolled all multiple trauma patients presenting to our level 1 trauma center from 2015 to 2016 with an Injury-Severity Score (ISS) ≥ 16. Apart from demographic data, platelet counts and PaO2/FiO2 as an approximate indicator for lung physiology were analyzed and correlated on subsequent days after admission. (3) Results: 83 patients with a median ISS of 22 (IQR 18–36) were included. Compared to day 1, platelet counts were decreased on day 3 (p ≤ 0.001). Platelet counts were significantly lower on day 3 in patients with an ISS ≥ 35 (p = 0.011). There were no differences regarding PaO2/FiO2 index. Correlation analysis revealed a positive link between increased platelet counts and PaO2/FiO2 index on day 1 only in severely injured patients (p = 0.007). (4) Conclusions: This work supports the concept of platelets modulating the posttraumatic immune response by affecting lung dysfunction in the early phase after multiple trauma in dependence of injury severity. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the impact of platelets on systemic processes in multiple trauma patients.
Raman Spectroscopic Study of Amyloid Deposits in Gelatinous Drop-like Corneal Dystrophy
Authors: Acri Giuseppe , Micali Antonio , D’Angelo Rosalia , Puzzolo Domenico , Aragona Pasquale , Testagrossa Barbara , Aragona Emanuela , Wylegala Edward , Nowinska Anna
Published: March 2022

The genetic and histopathological features of the cornea of a Polish patient with Gelatinous Drop-like Corneal Dystrophy (GDCD) and the molecular composition with Raman spectroscopy of corneal deposits were examined. A 62 year-old Polish woman was diagnosed with GDCD and underwent penetrating corneal transplant. A blood sample was collected, and genetic analysis was performed. The cornea was processed for light microscopy and Raman analysis. The genetic exam revealed a previously undescribed homozygous 1-base pair deletion in exon 1 of TACSTD2 gene (c.185delT), resulting in a frame shift causing a premature stop codon. When compared with a control cornea, in GDCD cornea stained with PAS evident deposits were present over the anterior stroma, with apple green birefringence under polarized light. Raman spectroscopy showed peculiar differences between normal and GDCD cornea, consisting in peaks either of different height or undetectable in the normal cornea and related to amyloid. The possible causative role of the novel mutation was discussed and Raman spectroscopy as a further morphological tool in the evaluation of corneal dystrophies, characterized by the deposition of abnormal materials, was suggested.
A Computational Text Mining-Guided Meta-Analysis Approach to Identify Potential Xerostomia Drug Targets
Authors: Beckman Micaela F. , Brennan Elizabeth J. , Igba Chika K. , Brennan Michael T. , Mougeot Farah B. , Mougeot Jean-Luc C.
Published: March 2022

Xerostomia (subjective complaint of dry mouth) is commonly associated with salivary gland hypofunction. Molecular mechanisms associated with xerostomia pathobiology are poorly understood, thus hampering drug development. Our objectives were to (i) use text-mining tools to investigate xerostomia and dry mouth concepts, (ii) identify associated molecular interactions involving genes as candidate drug targets, and (iii) determine how drugs currently used in clinical trials may impact these genes and associated pathways. PubMed and PubMed Central were used to identify search terms associated with xerostomia and/or dry mouth. Search terms were queried in pubmed2ensembl. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks were determined using the gene/protein network visualization program search tool for recurring instances of neighboring genes (STRING). A similar program, Cytoscape, was used to determine PPIs of overlapping gene sets. The drug–gene interaction database (DGIdb) and the clinicaltrials.gov database were used to identify potential drug targets from the xerostomia/dry mouth PPI gene set. We identified 64 search terms in common between xerostomia and dry mouth. STRING confirmed PPIs between identified genes (CL = 0.90). Cytoscape analysis determined 58 shared genes, with cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction representing the most significant pathway (p = 1.29 × 10−23) found in the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG). Fifty-four genes in common had drug interactions, per DGIdb analysis. Eighteen drugs, targeting the xerostomia/dry mouth PPI network, have been evaluated for xerostomia, head and neck cancer oral complications, and Sjögren’s Syndrome. The PPI network genes IL6R, EGFR, NFKB1, MPO, and TNFSF13B constitute a possible biomarker signature of xerostomia. Validation of the candidate biomarkers is necessary to better stratify patients at the genetic and molecular levels to facilitate drug development or to monitor response to treatment.
Rethinking Resistant Hypertension
Authors: Bourque Gabrielle , Hiremath Swapnil
Published: March 2022

Resistant hypertension is common and known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events, including stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality, as well as adverse renal events, including chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease. This review will discuss the definition of resistant hypertension as well as the most recent evidence regarding its diagnosis, evaluation, and management. The issue of medication non-adherence and its association with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension will be addressed. Non-pharmacological interventions for the treatment of resistant hypertension will be reviewed. Particular emphasis will be placed on pharmacological interventions, highlighting the role of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists and sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors and device therapy, including renal denervation, baroreceptor activation or modulation, and central arteriovenous fistula creation.