bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Associations of Prenatal Androgen Exposure on Sleep Physiology, Circadian Proteins, Anthropometric Parameters, Hormonal Factors, Quality of Life, and Sex Among Healthy Young Adults: Protocol for an International, Multicenter Study
Authors: Kuczyński Wojciech , Wibowo Erik , Hoshino Tetsuro , Kudrycka Aleksandra , Małolepsza Aleksandra , Karwowska Urszula , Pruszkowska Milena , Wasiak Jakub , Kuczyńska Aleksandra , Spałka Jakub , Pruszkowska-Przybylska Paulina , Mokros Łukasz , Białas Adam , Białasiewicz Piotr , Sasanabe Ryujiro , Blagrove Mark , Manning John
Published: April 2021

Background

The ratio of the second finger length to the fourth finger length (2D:4D ratio) is considered to be negatively correlated with prenatal androgen exposure (PAE) and positively correlated with prenatal estrogen. Coincidentally, various brain regions are sensitive to PAE, and their functions in adults may be influenced by the prenatal actions of sex hormones.

Objective

This study aims to assess the relationship between PAE (indicated by the 2D:4D ratio) and various physiological (sex hormone levels and sleep-wake parameters), psychological (mental health), and sexual parameters in healthy young adults.

Methods

This study consists of two phases. In phase 1, we will conduct a survey-based study and anthropometric assessments (including 2D:4D ratio and BMI) in healthy young adults. Using validated questionnaires, we will collect self-reported data on sleep quality, sexual function, sleep chronotype, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. In phase 2, a subsample of phase 1 will undergo polysomnography and physiological and genetic assessments. Sleep architecture data will be obtained using portable polysomnography. The levels of testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, prolactin, melatonin, and circadian regulatory proteins (circadian locomotor output cycles kaput [CLOCK], timeless [TIM], and period [PER]) and the expression levels of some miRNAs will be measured using blood samples. The rest and activity cycle will be monitored using actigraphy for a 7-day period.

Results

In Poland, 720 participants were recruited for phase 1. Among these, 140 completed anthropometric measurements. In addition, 25 participants joined and completed phase 2 data collection. Recruitment from other sites will follow.

Conclusions

Findings from our study may help to better understand the plausible role of PAE in sleep physiology, mental health, and sexual quality of life in young adults.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/29199
A User-Centered Chatbot (Wakamola) to Collect Linked Data in Population Networks to Support Studies of Overweight and Obesity Causes: Design and Pilot Study (Preprint)
Authors: Asensio-Cuesta Sabina , Blanes-Selva Vicent , Conejero J Alberto , Frigola Ana , Portolés Manuel G , Merino-Torres Juan Francisco , Rubio Almanza Matilde , Syed-Abdul Shabbir , Li Yu-Chuan (Jack) , Vilar-Mateo Ruth , Fernandez-Luque Luis , García-Gómez Juan M
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

Obesity and overweight are a serious health problem worldwide with multiple and connected causes. Simultaneously, chatbots are becoming increasingly popular as a way to interact with users in mobile health apps.

OBJECTIVE

This study reports the user-centered design and feasibility study of a chatbot to collect linked data to support the study of individual and social overweight and obesity causes in populations.

METHODS

We first studied the users’ needs and gathered users’ graphical preferences through an open survey on 52 wireframes designed by 150 design students; it also included questions about sociodemographics, diet and activity habits, the need for overweight and obesity apps, and desired functionality. We also interviewed an expert panel. We then designed and developed a chatbot. Finally, we conducted a pilot study to test feasibility.

RESULTS

We collected 452 answers to the survey and interviewed 4 specialists. Based on this research, we developed a Telegram chatbot named Wakamola structured in six sections: personal, diet, physical activity, social network, user's status score, and project information. We defined a user's status score as a normalized sum (0-100) of scores about diet (frequency of eating 50 foods), physical activity, BMI, and social network. We performed a pilot to evaluate the chatbot implementation among 85 healthy volunteers. Of 74 participants who completed all sections, we found 8 underweight people (11%), 5 overweight people (7%), and no obesity cases. The mean BMI was 21.4 kg/m2 (normal weight). The most consumed foods were olive oil, milk and derivatives, cereals, vegetables, and fruits. People walked 10 minutes on 5.8 days per week, slept 7.02 hours per day, and were sitting 30.57 hours per week. Moreover, we were able to create a social network with 74 users, 178 relations, and 12 communities.

CONCLUSIONS

The Telegram chatbot Wakamola is a feasible tool to collect data from a population about sociodemographics, diet patterns, physical activity, BMI, and specific diseases. Besides, the chatbot allows the connection of users in a social network to study overweight and obesity causes from both individual and social perspectives.
Exploring the Association Between Physical Activity and Risk of Mental Health Disorders in Saudi Arabian Adults: Cross-sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Althumiri Nora A , Basyouni Mada H , BinDhim Nasser F
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

The relationship between physical activity and mental health, especially the symptoms of major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), has received increasing attention in recent years.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to explore the association between fulfilling the World Health Organization (WHO) global recommendations on physical activity and the risk and symptoms of MDD and GAD in the Saudi population.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of data from a large nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via phone interviews in June and July 2020. In this study, a proportional quota sampling technique was used to obtain an equal distribution of participants, stratified by age and gender, across the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. The main mental health screening tool used for the risk of MDD was the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Risk of GAD was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. Participants self-reported whether they fulfill the WHO global recommendations on (1) moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity (MIPA) and (2) vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity (VIPA). The results were then analyzed based on the following two categories: fulfilling the WHO global recommendations or not.

RESULTS

The data analysis included 8333 participants recruited in the main study between June and July 2020. The response rate was 81.45% (8333/10,231). Of them, 50.3% (4192/8333) were female, and the mean age was 36.5 years, with a median age of 36 years and a range from 18 to 90 years. The average total PHQ-9 score was 5.61, and the average total GAD-7 score was 4.18. For men, the average total PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were associated with fulfilling recommendations for MIPA; however, there were no associations for VIPA in both sexes. Fulfilling the WHO’s recommendations for MIPA was associated with considerably fewer depressive symptoms in six of the nine items in the PHQ-9. Moreover, fulfilling recommendations for MIPA was associated with considerably fewer anxiety symptoms in six of the seven items in the GAD-7. However, fulfilling recommendations for VIPA was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms in one of the PHQ-9 items (“Thoughts that you would be better off dead or thoughts of hurting yourself in some way;” P<.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has shown that fulfilling guidelines on MIPA is associated with less overall risk of MDD and GAD in males and fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms generally in a nonclinical population. In the general population, an increase in MIPA may improve well-being and general mental health.
Machine Learning Applications in Mental Health and Substance Use Research Among the LGBTQ2S+ Population: Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Kundu Anasua , Chaiton Michael , Billington Rebecca , Grace Daniel , Fu Rui , Logie Carmen , Baskerville Bruce , Yager Christina , Mitsakakis Nicholas , Schwartz Robert
Published: April 2021

BACKGROUND

A high risk of mental health or substance addiction issues among sexual and gender minority populations may have more nuanced characteristics that may not be easily discovered by traditional statistical methods.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to identify literature studies that used machine learning (ML) to investigate mental health or substance use concerns among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) population and direct future research in this field.

METHODS

The MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, IEEE Xplore, and Summon databases were searched from November to December 2020. We included original studies that used ML to explore mental health or substance use among the LGBTQ2S+ population and excluded studies of genomics and pharmacokinetics. Two independent reviewers reviewed all papers and extracted data on general study findings, model development, and discussion of the study findings.

RESULTS

We included 11 studies in this review, of which 81% (9/11) were on mental health and 18% (2/11) were on substance use concerns. All studies were published within the last 2 years, and most were conducted in the United States. Among mutually nonexclusive population categories, sexual minority men were the most commonly studied subgroup (5/11, 45%), whereas sexual minority women were studied the least (2/11, 18%). Studies were categorized into 3 major domains: web content analysis (6/11, 54%), prediction modeling (4/11, 36%), and imaging studies (1/11, 9%).

CONCLUSIONS

ML is a promising tool for capturing and analyzing hidden data on mental health and substance use concerns among the LGBTQ2S+ population. In addition to conducting more research on sexual minority women, different mental health and substance use problems, as well as outcomes and future research should explore newer environments, data sources, and intersections with various social determinants of health.

CLINICALTRIAL
DEFINE Synthesis Report: DEFINE - Development of an Evaluation Framework for the Introduction of Electromobility
Authors:   IHS - Institute for Advanced Studies, Michael Miess , Schmelzer Stefan , Lichtblau Günther , Stix Sigrid , Gerbaulet Clemens , Schill Wolf-Peter , Gerhard Totschnig , Markus Litzlbauer , Ščasný Milan , Weinzettell Jan , Máca Vojtěch , Zvěřinová Iva , Czajkowski Mikolaj
Published: April 2021

The project DEFINE – Development of an Evaluation Framework for the Introduction of Electromobility – was conducted by the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Vienna, in cooperation with the Environment Agency Austria (EAA), the Vienna University of Technology (TUW), Austria; the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin), the Institute for Applied Ecology (Oeko-Institut), Germany; and with the Center for Social and Economic Research (CASE), Poland.
FROM GLOBAL TO SPATIALLY RESOLVED IN LOW-REDSHIFT GALAXIES
Authors: Sánchez S. F. , Walcher C. J. , Lopez-Cobá C. , Barrera-Ballesteros J. K. , Mejía-Narváez A. , Espinosa-Ponce C. , Camps-Fariña A.
Published: April 2021

Our understanding of the structure, composition and evolution of galaxies hasstrongly improved in the last decades, mostly due to new results based on large spectro-scopic and imaging surveys. In particular, the nature of ionized gas, its ionization mech-anisms, its relation with the stellar properties and chemical composition, the existence ofscaling relations that describe the cycle between stars and gas, and the corresponding evo-lution patterns have been widely explored and described. More recently, the introduction ofadditional techniques, in particular integral field spectroscopy, and their use in large galaxysurveys, have forced us to re-interpret most of those recent results from a spatially resolvedperspective. This review is aimed to complement recent efforts to compile and summarizethis change of paradigm in the interpretation of galaxy evolution. To this end we replicatepublished results, and present novel ones, based on the largest compilation of IFS data ofgalaxies in the nearby universe to date.
Experimentally friendly approach towards nonlocal correlations in multisetting N-partite Bell scenarios
Authors: Barasiński Artur , Černoch Antonín , Laskowski Wiesław , Lemr Karel , Vértesi Tamás , Soubusta Jan
Published: April 2021

In this work, we study a recently proposed operational measure of nonlocality by Fonseca and Parisio [Phys. Rev. A 92, 030101(R) (2015)] which describes the probability of violation of local realism under randomly sampled observables, and the strength of such violation as described by resistance to white noise admixture. While our knowledge concerning these quantities is well established from a theoretical point of view, the experimental counterpart is a considerably harder task and very little has been done in this field. It is caused by the lack of complete knowledge about the facets of the local polytope required for the analysis. In this paper, we propose a simple procedure towards experimentally determining both quantities for N-qubit pure states, based on the incomplete set of tight Bell inequalities. We show that the imprecision arising from this approach is of similar magnitude as the potential measurement errors. We also show that even with both a randomly chosen N-qubit pure state and randomly chosen measurement bases, a violation of local realism can be detected experimentally almost 100% of the time. Among other applications, our work provides a feasible alternative for the witnessing of genuine multipartite entanglement without aligned reference frames.
Seasonal changes in environmental conditions are not driving migration in seabirds
Authors: Lambert Charlotte , Fort Jérôme
Published: April 2021

Migration is often thought to be driven by poor environmental conditions
during one season and to permit avoidance of harsh weather or resource
shortage and tracking of more favourable conditions. Here, we tested
this hypothesis in seabirds at the global scale by quantifying niche
occupancy during the breeding and non-breeding periods over multiple
marine ecoregions and exploring whether the niche dynamics reflects
changes in environmental conditions at the breeding and non-breeding
grounds. We demonstrate that migratory species exhibit more divergent
seasonal niches than resident and dispersive ones. In most cases,
migratory status was not related to unavailability of favourable
conditions at the breeding or non-breeding grounds, suggesting that
niche availability is not the main driver of migration. We hypothesize
that this unexpected pattern might arise from strong constraints imposed
on seabirds by scarcity of suitable sites breeding which constrain the
range of environments available for optimizing reproductive success.
Repurposing of FDA-approved Drugs against Active Site and Potential Allosteric Drug Binding Sites of COVID-19 Main Protease
Authors: Yuce Merve , Cicek Erdem , İnan Tuğçe , Dağ Aslıhan Başak , Kürkçüoğlu Özge , Sungur Fethiye Aylin
Published: April 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute
respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) still has serious
negative effects on health, social life, and economics. Recently,
vaccines from various companies have been urgently approved to control
SARS-CoV-2 infections. However, any specific antiviral drug has not been
confirmed so far for regular treatment. An important target is the main
protease (Mpro), which plays a major role in replication of the virus.
In this study, Gaussian and residue network models are employed to
reveal two distinct potential allosteric sites on Mpro that can be
evaluated as drug targets besides the active site. Then, FDA-approved
drugs are docked to three distinct sites with flexible docking using
AutoDock Vina to identify potential drug candidates. 14 best molecule
hits for the active site of Mpro are determined. 6 of these also exhibit
high docking scores for the potential allosteric regions. Full-atom
molecular dynamics simulations with MM-GBSA method indicate that
compounds docked to active and potential allosteric sites form stable
interactions with high binding free energy (∆Gbind) values. ∆Gbind
values reach -52.06 kcal/mol for the active site, -51.08 kcal/mol for
the potential allosteric site 1, and -42.93 kcal/mol for the potential
allosteric site 2. Energy decomposition calculations per residue
elucidate key binding residues stabilizing the ligands that can further
serve to design pharmacophores. This systematic and efficient
computational analysis successfully determines ivermectine, diosmin and
selinexor currently subjected to clinical trials, and further proposes
bromocriptine, elbasvir as Mpro inhibitor candidates to be evaluated
against SARS-CoV-2 infection
Analítica de la percepción de docentes y estudiantes sobre el uso de metodologías de enseñanza tradicionales e innovadoras en educación superior
Authors: Morales Sierra María Eugenia , Molano-Cardeño Hans , Cardona-Valencia Daniel , Delgado-Cadavid Daniela
Published: April 2021

La valoración de las variables cualitativas en estrategias de enseñanza-aprendizaje es un factor clave en el desarrollo de las estrategias educativas que fortalezcan el aprendizaje, apoyado en las TIC. Este fortalecimiento incluye aplicar metodologías innovadoras y actividades didácticas, que logren de una mejor manera la transmisión y recepción del conocimiento. El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar un modelo de aceptación tecnológica (TAM) a partir de un cuestionario dirigido a docentes y estudiantes de los campos disciplinares económico y financieros de instituciones públicas y privadas de educación superior en Medellín, Colombia, para determinar el nivel de incidencia de las variables: actitud, utilidad percibida, facilidad de uso, intención y confianza, frente a las metodologías didácticas. Se presenta una investigación de tipo descriptivo, apoyada en técnicas y métodos de validación como la prueba de Bartlett, KMO, Alfa de Cronbach y la validación convergente y discriminante para los constructos del modelo. Como resultado se evidencia una asociación positiva entre las variables estudiadas y se valida la pertinencia de las metodologías para el grupo de estudio con alto grado de aceptación en estrategias como exámenes, talleres y juegos como prácticas académicas.
 
Se logra validar la pertinencia de las metodologías de enseñanza-aprendizaje tanto innovadoras como tradicionales para el grupo de estudio y se obtiene una alta aceptación; asimismo, se halla un alto grado de aceptación en el uso de exámenes, talleres y juegos, los cuales sugieren que en la actualidad se aplican efectivamente como herramientas de aprendizaje.
Physiochemical Characterization and Potential of Synthesis Gas Production from Rubber Wood Biomass by Using Downdraft Gasifier
Authors: Sultan Syed Haseeb , Palamanit Arkom , Techato Kua-Anan , Amin Muhammad , Baloch Khurshid Ahmed
Published: April 2021

Bioenergy has gained great interest in the recent years for being environmentally friendly and renewable energy resource. Southern Thailand is well-known for agro-industry including rubber tree plantations and processing, which provide biomass that could be applied to produce bioenergy. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the energy potential of Rubber Wood Chips (RWC), Rubber Wood Pellets (RWP), Unburned Char (UBC) from rubber wood, blended RWC:UBC (50:50%) and blended RWP:UBC (50:50%). The physiochemical properties including bulk density, proximate composition, ultimate composition, heating value, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and lignocellulose content were determined for the biomass samples. The thermochemical conversion of biomass to syngas was performed using a downdraft gasifier operated at equivalence ratio 0.3. The results showed that the biomass was rich in carbon (content ranging from 44.77 to 58.54%) making it suitable for use as a solid fuel for gasification or combustion. The moisture contents of the biomass samples were below 10%. The contents of volatile matter in RWC and RWP were 74.40 and 75.40%, respectively. The UBC had a high fixed carbon content (50.60%) and comparatively low volatile matter (19%). The bulk densities of RWC, RWP and UBC were 193, 555 and 177 (kg/m3), respectively. The TGA showed the maximum weight loss of RWC and RWP around 400 °C, but this was at 800 °C for UBC. The higher heating values of RWC, RWP and UBC were 17.8 MJ/kg, 17.4 MJ/kg and 19.3 MJ/kg, respectively. The RWC and RWP had high cellulose and hemicellulose contents while UBC was rich in lignin. The syngas obtained from any of these biomass samples was mainly CO (10.81-22.67%) and CH4 (0.06-3.16%) with the lower heating value ranging from 2.78 to 4.72 MJ/Nm3. These results indicate that rubber wood biomass in various forms has relatively high potential for bioenergy applications via gasification, and it can help to support the renewable energy sector in Thailand.
Arsenic (III) Removal from Aqueous Water by Indigenous Iron Ore Adsorbent from Balochistan Province of Pakistan
Authors: Bhatti Zulfiqar Ali
Published: April 2021

The work focuses on the removal of Arsenic-III (As(III)) from water sample by an indigenous iron ore from Balochistan by adsorption method. Three iron ore samples were analyzed by X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) and a sample from Shikarap containing iron 36.2% was selected because it contained the highest amount of hematite. The batch study was conducted to examine the adsorption by iron ore and maximum adsorption was observed at pH 6, 1/2 g dose per 50 mL solution, contact time 2 hr and shaking speed 150 rpm. At the optimized conditions, the removal was 89% when monitored at 50μg L-1 initial concentration of arsenic. The arsenic removal was monitored by Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS) using hydride generation. Dubinin - Radushkevich (D-R), Freundlich and Langmuir's isotherms were examined. The highest adsorption capacityof iron ore for As(III) removal was observed 13.67 μg g-1 by Langmuir model and Freundlich isotherm indicated good adsorption intensity with value n = 1.512. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that adsorption was exothermic and physisorption. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX)techniques were applied to scan the surface morphology and the percentage elemental composition of samples respectively. SEM results demonstrated that Shikarap mineral grains are an oval shape and these were changed after the uptake of As(III). The EDX spectra of Shikarap mineral confirm the As(III) adsorption on particles as As 4.19%.
Parametric Optimization of Butt Welded Polycarbonate using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Imtiaz Abid , Tariq Adnan , Janjua Ajaz Bashir , Sarfraz Fahad , Khawaja Amar ul Hassan
Published: April 2021

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is a solid-state joining process for metals, non-metals and polymers. It is carried out with the help of a specially designed, non-consumable tool. The heat required, for creating a softened region at the faying surfaces, is generated by rotation of tool against the work piece material. Being a solid-state welding process, it offers several advantages like inducing minimum effect on the mechanical properties of base material, reduced shrinkage and distortion, no spatter or Ultra Violet (UV) radiations etc. However, developing a sound weld requires an appropriate combination of several process parameters e.g. the design of tool, its rotational and traversing speeds etc. To substantiate this aspect, an approach based on Response Surface Methodology (RSM) is presented during this paper that optimizes the combination of process parameters while investigating their effect on the mechanical properties of a friction stir welded butt joint configuration of Polycarbonate. To minimize the total number of combinations a Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) is used with three factors and two levels. The results have shown that the butt joints fabricated at a traverse speed of 14 mm/min, rotational speed of 1700 RPM and with simple cylindrical conical tool geometry yielded the maximum ultimate tensile strength of 51.299 MPa.
Manchar Lake’s Hypothetical Restoration and Willingness of Fishing Communities to Switch Back To Fishing
Authors: Azeem Muhammad , Memon Junaid Alam , Mari Fateh Muhammad
Published: April 2021

Environmental and anthropogenic changes in lakes have implications for fishers’ livelihoods in form of their forced migration and occupational change. Those advocating lake restorations often face a dilemma whenasked if lake restoration will also restore the lost livelihoods. Answering such questions are difficult because most people are not programmed for frequent changes in their livelihood structures. Using the case study of Manchar Lake fishers who seemingly have faced such transition, this study brings insights on this broad question. We developed an in-person survey based on Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to study 300 fishers’ responses to a hypothetical situation whereby they were asked to “Switch Back” to Manchar Lake assuming that it has been restored to provide various ecosystem services. Results show that complete transformation in the livelihoods of fishing communities has taken place with remarkable variation in their access to assets and livelihood outcomes. Despite increase in their access to physical capital such as school, hospital, roads, and markets, the communities are still vulnerable to income shocks and rarely enjoy privileges such as house ownership. The comparative state of current and past livelihoods and asset possessions determine ones’ willingness to switch back to fishing in Manchar Lake. Those who may have performed better in the said transition are less likely to return to their erstwhile occupations even if the lake is restored and vice-versa. We conclude that satisfaction with current livelihood outcomes is low and willingness to switch back to fishing in Manchar Lake is high since many had been poor performers in the transition. While the environmental rationale for the Manchar Lake’s ecological restoration already exists, this study suggests that there also exists a socioeconomic rationale albeit in a way that restoration also supports contemporary ecological services such as tourism.
Investigation of Performance of Solar Flat and Curved Plate Collectors through Numerical Simulations
Authors: Pirzada Luqman Ahmed , Wu . Xiaoli , Ali Qaiser , Khateeb . Asif
Published: April 2021

Solar energy is radiant light as a form of thermal heat energy which can be obtained and used by means of a variety of solar apparatus. As apparatus the flat and curved plate solar collector is specifically designed for assembling solar energy as a solar water heater system. The designing potency of this collector lone can generate medium level hot water from radiant sunlight source via absorbed plates. Standard type flat and curved plates solar collector plates are mostly used in remote coldest regions of the world where hot water is consumed for commercial and domestic purposes. These types of solar collector Plates can cheaply be manufactured compared to other solar panels like solar Shingles, Polycrystalline Solar Panels, Mono-crystalline Solar Panels, and Thin Film Solar Panels. For future work, this proposed pre-design is recommended for fabrication. A numerical study was carried-out on eight city locations in China by tracing their horizontal and vertical longitudinal, latitudinal lines noting the date, time and sunlight feeding of temperatures in the Celsius scale with the help of simulation and modeling tools like CFD, ANSYS FLUENT software, mesh geometry tools, and by using the Navier-Stokes and Continuity equations by fluid flow discharge rate, mass flow, water temperature and dropping of temperature, radiation working mechanisms, dimensions of water flowing tubes and absorber plates, density, the velocity of water as the working fluid, the viscosity of water in a cold and hot state as a process of Pre-design. Work also focuses on the comparison between flat plate collector and curved plate collector radiant sunlight absorption, As end result it is found the Curved plate collector produces 22% more elevated heat of outgoing water than flat plate collector.
Effect of Climatic Conditions on Treatment Efficiency of Wastewater Stabilization Ponds at Chokera, Faisalabad
Authors: Ali Hafiz Qasim , Farooq Amir , Farooq Amir , Ahmed Mohammad Laeeque , Akhtar Muhammad
Published: April 2021

Wastewater management is one of the biggest challenges in the world due to increase in population and industrialization. In Faisalabad (FSD), wastewater treatment is being done through Wastewater Stabilization Ponds (WSPs) at Chokera, which is one of the most economical methods of Wastewater Treatment (WWT). Various parameters were examined to check wastewater treatment efficiency of the ponds under diverse climatic conditions. These included Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Turbidity, Copper, Total Solids (TS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and Lead. Six locations which were selected for monitoring treatment efficiency, included inlet and outlet of treatment plant, influent of anaerobic ponds, effluent of anaerobic ponds, effluent of facultative ponds, and Pharang drain before and after blending with treated sewage. The testing was performed in two seasons (i.e. Winter 2015 and Summer 2016) in Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Lahore, Pakistan. BOD5 removal efficiency of the treatment plant was found 30.08% in winter and 51.74% in summer against designed value of 90% removal. Most of the parameters of the effluent were not meeting the Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS). The reasons of low efficiency are; variation in climatic conditions (i.e. less solar heat intensity, wind speed and ceased microbial activity in winter), lack of funds by government, increased population, mixing of industrial sewage with domestic sewage and less attention being paid to maintain the performance of Ponds. The study was carried out to assess and compare the efficiency of treatment plant with PEQS in two climatic conditions.
Petrography and Geochemical Characteristics of Nari Sandstone in Lower Indus Basin, Sindh, Pakistan
Authors: Shar Abdul Majeed
Published: April 2021

Pakistan has been suffering from severe energy crisis for decades. Discovering new oil and gas fields plays significant role in alleviating the energy deficit. Exploitation and development of new fields for the country is very challenging due to economic, technological, social and environmental concerns. Hence, it is essential to assess the potential of hydrocarbon bearing formations using integrated analysis techniques in order to explore the resources efficiently. In this paper, we have analyzed Nari sandstone reservoir potential of the country. The key objectives of the study are to characterize petrographic, mineralogical and microstructural data through laboratory study on Oligocene strata of Nari sandstone in the lower Indus Basin. For this purpose, we collected several exposed outcrop samples from different stations in the onshore areas of Nari Sandstone formation. The work performed includes, the integrated study of petrography using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) along with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) application. In addition, Quantitative X-Ray Diffraction (QXRD) analysis was performed. The results revealed that these sandstones were mainly composed of quartz grains, which are surrounded by calcite cement. EDS elemental sequence shows Calcium (Ca), Carbon (C),Silicon (Si), Iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (AI) and K (Potassium) in variable intensities in the samples indicating the presence of different minerals within these rocks such as quartz, calcite, clay and ferruginous cement. This study is the comprehensive collection of data of Nari sandstones that is essential to assess the potential of hydrocarbon bearing formations.
Unified Evaluation of Consolidation Parameters for Low to High Plastic Range of Cohesive Soils
Authors: State Zia ur Rehman , Farooq Khalid , Mujtaba Hassan , Khalid Usama
Published: April 2021

Knowing the engineering properties of geomaterials is imperative to make the right decision while designing and executing any geotechnical project. For the economical and safe geotechnical design, quick characterization of the compressibility properties of the cohesive soil is often desirable; these properties are indeed tedious to determine through actual tests. Therefore, correlating the consolidation parameters of the soils with its index properties has a great significance in the geotechnical engineering field. Several attempts have been made in the past to develop correlations between the consolidation parameters and index properties of the cohesive soils, within certain limitations. However, there is still a need to develop such correlations based on the extensive database, composing of unified plasticity range of soils, i.e., low to high plasticity. In the current study, 148 undisturbed soil specimens were obtained from different areas of Pakistan. Out of which 120 samples were utilized to develop correlations, and 28 samples were used to check the validity of the developed correlations. In order to enhance the index properties database, 30 more bentonite mixed soil samples were prepared and tested accordingly. Correlations to envisage different consolidation parameters such as compression index, compression ratio and coefficient of volume compressibility were developed using 150 cohesive soil samples of low to high plasticity. In addition, the performance of these developed correlations was verified on a set of 40 soil samples and compared with the performance of different correlations available in the literature. The percentage deviation in the prediction of compressibility characteristics through developed correlations in the present study was found to be very less, which endorsed the excellent reliability of the developed correlations.
Study of Multi-Model Ensemble High-Resolution Projections of Major Climatic Variables Over the Indus River Basin and Pakistan
Authors: Dars Ghulam Hussain , Sattar Mehran , Tauseef Muhammad , Strong Courtenay , Najafi Muhammad Raza
Published: April 2021

Water resources managers and policy-makers need reliable projections of hydro-climatic conditions to develop sound water management policies. Global Climate Models (GCMs) are the primary basis for projecting howthe climate may change over the coming decades. However, GCMs have low spatial resolution and inherentbiases that limit their direct utility for understanding localized climate change impacts. These limitations are particularly pronounced in mountainous areas, where the terrain exhibits variations at scales much finer than the GCM grid spacing. The main goal of this study is to downscale precipitation and mean temperature simulations from an ensemble of 10 GCMs that participated in the Coupled Model Inter-comparison ProjectPhase-5 (CMIP5) under two Representative Concentration Pathways – RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The simulations were bias corrected using quantile mapping and downscaled to a 30 arc second spatial resolution (approximately 1 km) through using the delta method over the Indus River Basin and Pakistan for 2040-2070. The GCM processing was carried out using the Global Climate Data (GCD) package. The results show that for all seasons and most of the Indus River Basin (IRB) and Pakistan, future precipitation will be highly uncertain except UIB wherein mean annual precipitation is projected to increase by 8% under RCP 4.5 and 14% under RCP 8.5. However, the models are highly confident about increase in the temperature for this region. Relative to the baseline period (1960-1990), the annual mean temperature in the IRB is projected to increase by 2°C under RCP 4.5 and 2.6°C under RCP 8.5 for 2040-2070.
Optimal Seeking Surface Roughness and Material Removal Rate Responses of Hardened AISI 4340 High Strength Low AlloySteel in Dry Sustainable Environment
Authors: Khawaja Amar ul Hassan , Jahanzaib Mirza , Zaka Shahzad
Published: April 2021

The aim of this research is to study the machinability aspects of hardened AISI 4340 High Strength Low Alloy (HSLA) steel (50 ± 2 HRC (Hardness Rockwell C)). The experimental investigation using coated carbide inserts is carried out during the dry hard milling process in a sustainable environment. The input parameters in the study are speed, feed rate and depth of cut and the responses are Average surface Roughness (Ra) and Material Removal Rate (MRR) that are selected through screening. Central Composite Design (CCD) in response surface methodology has been utilized as the experimental design technique with twenty experiments. Analysis of variance has been employed to examine the momentous machining parameters and responses. A mathematical model has been developed to optimize the surface roughness and material removal rate. It has been observed that the most significant factor for Ra is feed rate while for MRR depth of cut is the most significant factor. The results show that the minimum value of Ra ~ 0.098 μm is achieved at speed ~ 1000 RPM, feed rate ~ 300 mm/min and depth of cut ~ 0.2 mm while the maximum value of MRR ~ 6.35 cm3/min is attained at feed rate ~ 500mm/min and depth of cut ~ 0.4 mm regarding less or no effect of speed ~ 500-1000 RPM. The average forecast error for the validation information has been observed to be 3.35%. for Ra and 3.2% for MRR. Further, it is investigated that good surface finish like grinding and dimensional accuracy can be achieved with coated carbide tools.
A Comparison between Dedicated and Flexible Manufacturing Systems: Optimization and Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Khan Abdul Salam , Naeem Khawer , Khan Raza Ullah
Published: April 2021

An abrupt change requires a robust and flexible response from a manufacturing system. Dedicated Manufacturing System (DMS) has been a long practiced taxonomy for mass production and minimum varieties. In contrast, Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) has been introduced for responding to quantity as well as variety issues. This study considers both production taxonomics by using a multi objective model of cost and time. An Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulation is presented and subsequently validated. The analysis procedure is administered in two phases. In the first phase, comparison of production cost and process time in DMS and FMS is presented. The model is implemented by using an exact solution approach and results show that FMS is a viable option, compared to DMS, according to the criteria of cost, time, and productivity. In the second phase, sensitivity analysis is performed by using several FMS (n) and the impact of cells selection on the performance of system is studied. It is concluded that n=1 (single cell-based FMS) is more relevant for cost minimization; however, n = 6 is a suitable candidate for producing more quantity in given time horizon (process time minimization). Lastly, key findings are reported, and future research avenues are provided.
A Hybrid H∞ Control Based ILC Design Approach for Trajectory Tracking of a Twin Rotor Aerodynamic System
Authors: Saleem Faisal , Ali Ahsan , Shaikh Inam ul Hasan , Wasim Muhammad
Published: April 2021

This paper investigates the trajectory tracking problem for a Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) Twin Rotor Aerodynamic System (TRAS) using a hybrid architecture based on an H∞∞∞∞ controller and Iterative Learning Control (ILC). TRAS is a fast, nonlinear coupled system and therefore it is a challenging task to design a control system that ensures the tracking for fast changing trajectories. The controllers proposed in the literature for the TRAS through linear approaches tend to have a large control effort, while the ones designed using the nonlinear approaches track only for smooth input trajectories. Both issues are important from control point of view. In this paper, these issues are addressed by designing a feedback H∞∞∞∞ control that stabilizes the system and a feedforward ILC which reduces the control effort. The H∞∞∞∞ controller achieves the tracking for input trajectories with sharp edges, but the control effort required for tracking is large. With the proposed hybrid approach, tracking is achieved by the H∞∞∞∞ controller whereas the required control effort is reduced in each subsequent iteration by ILC. After a few iterations, accurate tracking at a minimized control effort is achieved. The simulations have been performed using MATLAB software and the controller designed through the proposed approach has been validated on nonlinear model of the system. The results of the proposed technique, compared with the flatness-based and back-stepping control strategies, show that the proposed controller ensures accurate tracking at the reduced control effort.
A Novel Hybrid Technique of Frequency Control for Distributed Energy Resources
Authors: Khan Hasham
Published: April 2021

The rapid increase in the population and fastest development in the industrial sector has increased the energy demand throughout the world. Frequent outages and load shedding has seriously deteriorated the efficiency of the electrical power distribution system. Under such circumstances, the implementation of Distributed Generation (DG) is increasing. Small hydel generators are considered as the most-clean and economical for generating electrical energy. These are very complex nonlinear generators which usually exhibits low frequency electromechanical oscillations due to insufficient damping caused by severe operating conditions. These DGs are not connected to the utility in many cases because, under varying load, they cannot maintain the frequency to the permissible value. This work presents detailed analysis of operating characteristics and proposes a hybrid frequency control strategy of the small hydel systems. The simulation and testing is performed in MATLAB, the results verified the improved performance with the recommended method. The proposed method conserves half of the power consumption. The control scheme regulates the dump load by connecting and disconnecting it affectively. The application of presented methodology is convenient in the deregulated environment, especially under the severe shortage of energy. The proposed model keeps the frequency of system at desired level. It reduces the noise, thereby improving the response time of the designed controller as compared to conventional controllers. The innovative scheme also provides power for small scale industrial, agricultural and other domestic application of far-off areas where the supply of utility main grid is difficult to provide. The recommended scheme is environmental friendly and easy to implement wherever small hydel resources are available.
Optical Braille Blocks for Visually Impaired Elementary Education
Authors: Baqai Attiya , Jan Maria , Maher Rafay Rasheed
Published: April 2021

Learning through play has always proved its effectiveness in elementary education and has yielded prolific results. Although there are trained instructors, special schools, specific toys and facilities for Visually Impaired (VI), yet the communication between tutors and special children holds a significant gap. Also, tools in market are either too expensive or available in limited quantity in underdeveloped countries. This paper presents a cost effective solution for visually impaired children to play and learn via Braille blocks. These blocks are designed by embossed motives representing numbers, alphabets, shapes and mathematical operators with Infra-Red (IR) tags. The blocks transmit Infrared codes when come in contact with the system. The Braille Blocks System consists of a battery, optical detectors and controller which performs detection and processing of selected IR pattern. This system comprises of three different learning modules namely Words Game, Shapes Game and Math Game. These modules are further divided into several sub-game sections so that the children can learn and improve their communication and academic skills. The presence of audio feedback elevates a child’s capabilities to memorize and concentrate on self-learning and spatial coordination in a fascinating way. The designed system was tested on 20 blind children in “National Special Education Complex” Karachi, Pakistan and an assessment was conducted on basis of different types of errors encountered by children. The suitability of the system was also evaluated by taking feedback from blind students through a questionnaire, proving its effectiveness with 79% of blind children giving either good or very good feedback.
Reverse engineering models of software interfaces
Authors: Bera Debjyoti , Schuts Mathijs , Hooman Jozef , Kurtev Ivan
Published: April 2021

Cyber-physical systems consist of many hardware and software components. Over the lifetime of these systems their components are often replaced or updated. To avoid integration problems, formal specifications of component interface behavior are crucial. Such a formal specification captures not only the set of provided operations but also the order of using them and the constraints on their timing behavior. Usually the order of operations are expressed in terms of a state machine. For new components such a formal specification can be derived from requirements. However, for legacy components such interface descriptions are usually not available. So they have to be reverse engineered from existing event logs and source code. This costs a lot of time and does not scale very well. To improve the efficiency of this process, we present a passive learning technique for interface models inspired by process mining techniques. The approach is based on representing causal relations between events present in an event log and their timing information as a timed-causal graph. The graph is further processed and eventually transformed into a state machine and a set of timing constraints. Compared to other approaches in literature which focus on the general problem of inferring state-based behavior, we exploit patterns of client-server interactions in event logs.
FPGA implementation of fuzzy medical decision support system for disc hernia diagnosis
Authors: Sustersic Tijana , Peulic Miodrag , Peulic Aleksandar
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to create a decision support system for disc hernia diagnostics based on real measurements of foot force values from sensors and fuzzy logic, as well as to implement the system on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). The results show that the created fuzzy logic system had the 92.8% accuracy for pre-operational diagnosis and very high match between the Matlab and FPGA output (94.2% match for pre-operational condition, and 100% match for the post-operational and after physical therapy conditions). Interestingly enough, our system is also able to detect improvements in patient condition after the surgery and physical therapy. The main benefit of using FPGAs in this study is to create an inexpensive, portable expert system for real time acquisition, processing and providing the objective recommendation for disc hernia diagnosis and tracking the condition improvement.