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Appl. Sci., Volume 11, Issue 12 (June-2 2021) – 446 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): The chemical systems that allow for quantitative and irreversible transformations are of considerable interest in numerous fields of science and technology. Contrarily, theoretical methods of quantum chemistry are rarely utilized by experimental chemists to plan and track back their work since it is a complex time-consuming endeavor. This contribution is devoted to the study of the tandem Mannich–electrophilic amination reaction, which involves ‘spring-loaded’ substrates, i.e., pyrido-isoxazolones, and iminium salts derived from secondary amines and formaldehyde. The investigated processes lead to permanently ionized and UV-fluorescent triazolinium salts. The paper aims to explore theoretical mapping of the studied chemical reactivity and identification of factors that limit this chemical transformation. View this paper
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20 pages, 7690 KiB  
Article
A Machine Learning Method Based on 3D Local Surface Representation for Recognizing the Inscriptions on Ancient Stele
by Sheriff Murtala, Ye-Chan Choi and Kang-Sun Choi
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5758; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125758 - 21 Jun 2021
Viewed by 1995
Abstract
It is challenging to extract reliefs from ancient steles due to their rough surfaces, which contain relief-like noise such as dents and scratches. In this paper, we propose a method to segment relief region from 3D scanned ancient stele by exploiting local surface [...] Read more.
It is challenging to extract reliefs from ancient steles due to their rough surfaces, which contain relief-like noise such as dents and scratches. In this paper, we propose a method to segment relief region from 3D scanned ancient stele by exploiting local surface characteristics. For each surface point, four points that are apart from the reference point along the direction of the principal curvatures of the point are identified. The spin images of the reference point and the four relative points are concatenated to provide additional local surface information of the reference point. A random forest model is trained with the local surface features and, thereafter, used to classify 3D surface point as relief or non-relief. To effectively distinguish relief from the degraded surface region containing relief-like noise, the model is trained using three-class labels consisting of relief, background, and degraded surface region. The initial three-class result obtained from the model is refined using the k-nearest neighbors algorithm, and, finally, the degraded region is re-labeled to background region. Experimental results show that the proposed method performed better than the state-of-the-art, SVM-based method with a margin of 0.68%, 3.53%, 2.25%, and 2.36%, in accuracy, precision, F1 score, and SIRI, respectively. When compared with the height- and curvature-based methods, the proposed method outperforms these existing methods with accuracy, precision, F1 score, and SIRI gains of over 4%, 20%, 11%, and 12%, respectively. Full article
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16 pages, 692 KiB  
Article
3D Volumetric Tensor Velocity Imaging with Low Computational Complexity Using a Row-Column Addressed Array
by Kseniya Chetverikova, Jørgen Arendt Jensen, Marie Sand Traberg and Matthias Bo Stuart
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5757; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125757 - 21 Jun 2021
Viewed by 1968
Abstract
A method for volumetric Tensor Velocity Imaging employing row-column (RC) addressed array with low computational complexity is investigated in simulations. An interleaved and non-interleaved sliding aperture sequence with 11 rows and 11 columns emissions by a 62 + 62 RC addressed array was [...] Read more.
A method for volumetric Tensor Velocity Imaging employing row-column (RC) addressed array with low computational complexity is investigated in simulations. An interleaved and non-interleaved sliding aperture sequence with 11 rows and 11 columns emissions by a 62 + 62 RC addressed array was used. The 3D velocities were estimated by a transverse oscillation (TO) cross-correlation estimator. Parabolic profiles at six different orientations corresponding to combinations of 0, 45 degrees azimuth angles and 90, 75, 60 beam-to-flow angles were investigated with 5 kHz pulse repetition frequencies. The Field II simulations were performed at a depth of 30 mm with peak velocity of 0.3 m/s. Across all vessel orientations, the relative mean bias varied from 2.3% to −14.26%, and the relative standard deviation varied from 0.43% to 5.5%. The best and worst performance was found at beam to flow angles of 90 degrees with 0 degrees rotation angle and 60 degrees beam-to-flow angle with 45 degrees rotation angle respectively. Due to the low channel count of the RC array and the low computational complexity, real-time implementation is feasible on conventional ultrasound systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Medical Image Analysis)
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21 pages, 19532 KiB  
Article
Skeleton Tracking Accuracy and Precision Evaluation of Kinect V1, Kinect V2, and the Azure Kinect
by Michal Tölgyessy, Martin Dekan and Ľuboš Chovanec
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5756; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125756 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 8047
Abstract
The Azure Kinect, the successor of Kinect v1 and Kinect v2, is a depth sensor. In this paper we evaluate the skeleton tracking abilities of the new sensor, namely accuracy and precision (repeatability). Firstly, we state the technical features of all three sensors, [...] Read more.
The Azure Kinect, the successor of Kinect v1 and Kinect v2, is a depth sensor. In this paper we evaluate the skeleton tracking abilities of the new sensor, namely accuracy and precision (repeatability). Firstly, we state the technical features of all three sensors, since we want to put the new Azure Kinect in the context of its previous versions. Then, we present the experimental results of general accuracy and precision obtained by measuring a plate mounted to a robotic manipulator end effector which was moved along the depth axis of each sensor and compare them. In the second experiment, we mounted a human-sized figurine to the end effector and placed it in the same positions as the test plate. Positions were located 400 mm from each other. In each position, we measured relative accuracy and precision (repeatability) of the detected figurine body joints. We compared the results and concluded that the Azure Kinect surpasses its discontinued predecessors, both in accuracy and precision. It is a suitable sensor for human–robot interaction, body-motion analysis, and other gesture-based applications. Our analysis serves as a pilot study for future HMI (human–machine interaction) designs and applications using the new Kinect Azure and puts it in the context of its successful predecessors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction (HRI))
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13 pages, 879 KiB  
Article
A Pilot Proteomic Study of Normal Human Tears: Leptin as a Potential Biomarker of Metabolic Disorders
by Mungunshur Byambajav, Cristina Arroyo-del Arroyo, Amalia Enríquez-de-Salamanca, Itziar Fernández, Eilidh Martin and Suzanne Hagan
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5755; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125755 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2334
Abstract
The concentrations of insulin, leptin, active ghrelin, C-peptide and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and their inter-day variations were examined in normal human tears. In addition, correlations between the concentrations of these metabolic proteins and ocular surface parameters were determined. Subjects with healthy ocular [...] Read more.
The concentrations of insulin, leptin, active ghrelin, C-peptide and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and their inter-day variations were examined in normal human tears. In addition, correlations between the concentrations of these metabolic proteins and ocular surface parameters were determined. Subjects with healthy ocular surfaces attended three visits, with 7-day intervals. Tear evaporation rate (TER) and non-invasive tear break-up time (NITBUT) were assessed, and a total of 2 µL tears were collected from all subjects. Tear fluid concentrations of insulin, leptin, active ghrelin, C-peptide and GIP were measured by multiplex bead analysis. Insulin was the most highly expressed metabolic protein, followed by leptin, C-peptide, active ghrelin and GIP. Of these, only active ghrelin had a significant inter-day variation (p < 0.05). There was no inter-day variation in the mean concentrations of the other metabolic proteins. Leptin had a strong intra-class reproducibility. No correlation was detected between tear metabolic protein concentrations and ocular surface parameters. This pilot study shows, for the first time, that active ghrelin and GIP are detectable in healthy tears. The strong intra-class reproducibility for leptin shows that it could be used as a potential tear fluid biomarker and, possibly, in determining the effects of metabolic disorders on the ocular surface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Potential Biomarkers in Tears)
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18 pages, 8092 KiB  
Article
Human–Robot Collaborative Assembly Based on Eye-Hand and a Finite State Machine in a Virtual Environment
by Xue Zhao, Ye He, Xiaoan Chen and Zhi Liu
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125754 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3510
Abstract
With the development of the global economy, the demand for manufacturing is increasing. Accordingly, human–robot collaborative assembly has become a research hotspot. This paper aims to solve the efficiency problems inherent in traditional human-machine collaboration. Based on eye–hand and finite state machines, a [...] Read more.
With the development of the global economy, the demand for manufacturing is increasing. Accordingly, human–robot collaborative assembly has become a research hotspot. This paper aims to solve the efficiency problems inherent in traditional human-machine collaboration. Based on eye–hand and finite state machines, a collaborative assembly method is proposed. The method determines the human’s intention by collecting posture and eye data, which can control a robot to grasp an object, move it, and perform co-assembly. The robot’s automatic path planning is based on a probabilistic roadmap planner. Virtual reality tests show that the proposed method is more efficient than traditional methods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic New Frontiers in Industry 4.0)
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18 pages, 1951 KiB  
Article
Obtaining Forest Biomass for Energy Purposes as an Enterprise Development Factor in Rural Areas
by Kamil Roman, Michał Roman, Monika Wojcieszak-Zbierska and Monika Roman
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5753; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125753 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2052
Abstract
This article presents how selected factors related to forest biomass affect enterprise development in rural areas. The study used a multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), as well as the AHP operational research method. The following factors were selected for analysis: conifer timber harvesting, [...] Read more.
This article presents how selected factors related to forest biomass affect enterprise development in rural areas. The study used a multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), as well as the AHP operational research method. The following factors were selected for analysis: conifer timber harvesting, sales of renewable fuel in the form of briquettes to selected customers, and the number of the given company’s regular customers. Their selection was determined by the fact that using plant material for energy purposes has become significantly more popular in recent years. This particularly includes forest biomass, which is increasingly used as an energy commodity in the Polish heating industry. Forest biomass is a biodegradable raw material generated in the form of waste during wood production and processing, as well as during sanitation cutting. The study was conducted using a diagnostic survey method with a survey questionnaire in the first quarter of 2020. It included 614 owners of small and medium-sized enterprises operating in various rural areas across all of Poland’s voivodeships. The study was conducted using the CATI method. Analyses defining the dependence of specific factors on the examined parameters and supporting the priority nature of the given actions may show the development of particular pro-ecological actions in a given area. In one case, the critical level of significance determining the assignment of the analyzed factor to a specific homogeneous group was below 0.05. This means that there was a correlation between the sales of renewable fuel in the form of briquettes to selected customers and the number of enterprises in the voivodeship. Therefore, due to the sales of renewable fuel in the form of briquettes to selected customers, the greatest development prospects for wood industry companies existed in the Małopolskie, Mazowieckie, Śląskie and Wielkopolskie Voivodeships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Research and Applications)
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17 pages, 5989 KiB  
Article
Development of Scott Transformer Model in Electromagnetic Transients Programs for Real-Time Simulations
by Choongman Lee, Gyu-Jung Cho and Joorak Kim
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5752; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125752 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3863
Abstract
This paper presents a Scott transformer model to be applied in electromagnetic transients (EMT) programs, particularly in the absence of a detailed Scott transformer model for performing real-time simulations (RTS). Regarding a Scott transformer, a common topology for converting a three-phase network into [...] Read more.
This paper presents a Scott transformer model to be applied in electromagnetic transients (EMT) programs, particularly in the absence of a detailed Scott transformer model for performing real-time simulations (RTS). Regarding a Scott transformer, a common topology for converting a three-phase network into two single-phase networks, the transformer model in EMT programs is essential to simulate large-scale electric railway systems. A code-based model has been developed to simulate the transformer in RTS directly and contain the transformer’s actual impedance characteristics. By establishing a mathematical foundation with the current injection method, we presented a matrix representation in conjunction with a network solution of EMT programs. The proposed model can handle more practical parameters of Scott transformers with a relatively low computational load. Thus, it supports the flexible computation of real-time simulators with a finite number of processor units. The accuracy of the model is verified by simulating it and comparing the simulation results with an industrial transformer’s certified performance. Furthermore, a case study involving a comparison of the results with the field measurement data of an actual Korean railway system demonstrated the efficacy of the model. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering)
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19 pages, 13211 KiB  
Article
Depth-Integrated Two-Phase Modeling of Two Real Cases: A Comparison between r.avaflow and GeoFlow-SPH Codes
by Seyed Ali Mousavi Tayebi, Saeid Moussavi Tayyebi and Manuel Pastor
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5751; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125751 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 3262
Abstract
Due to the growing populations in areas at high risk of natural disasters, hazard and risk assessments of landslides have attracted significant attention from researchers worldwide. In order to assess potential risks and design possible countermeasures, it is necessary to have a better [...] Read more.
Due to the growing populations in areas at high risk of natural disasters, hazard and risk assessments of landslides have attracted significant attention from researchers worldwide. In order to assess potential risks and design possible countermeasures, it is necessary to have a better understanding of this phenomenon and its mechanism. As a result, the prediction of landslide evolution using continuum dynamic modeling implemented in advanced simulation tools is becoming more important. We analyzed a depth-integrated, two-phase model implemented in two different sets of code to stimulate rapid landslides, such as debris flows and rock avalanches. The first set of code, r.avaflow, represents a GIS-based computational framework and employs the NOC-TVD numerical scheme. The second set of code, GeoFlow-SPH, is based on the mesh-free numerical method of smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) with the capability of describing pore pressure’s evolution along the vertical distribution of flowing mass. Two real cases of an Acheron rock avalanche and Sham Tseng San Tsuen debris flow were used with the best fit values of geotechnical parameters obtained in the prior modeling to investigate the capabilities of the sets of code. Comparison of the results evidenced that both sets of code were capable of properly reproducing the run-out distance, deposition thickness, and deposition shape in the benchmark exercises. However, the values of maximum propagation velocities and thickness were considerably different, suggesting that using more than one set of simulation code allows us to predict more accurately the possible scenarios and design more effective countermeasures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Numerical Simulations in Geotechnical Engineering)
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11 pages, 275 KiB  
Perspective
Agriculture 4.0: Is Sub-Saharan Africa Ready?
by Nugun P. Jellason, Elizabeth J. Z. Robinson and Chukwuma C. Ogbaga
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5750; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125750 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 6731
Abstract
A fourth agricultural revolution, termed agriculture 4.0, is gradually gaining ground around the globe. It encompasses the application of smart technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, the internet of things (IoT), big data, and robotics to improve agriculture and the sustainability of food [...] Read more.
A fourth agricultural revolution, termed agriculture 4.0, is gradually gaining ground around the globe. It encompasses the application of smart technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, the internet of things (IoT), big data, and robotics to improve agriculture and the sustainability of food production. To date, narratives around agriculture 4.0 associated technologies have generally focused on their application in the context of higher-income countries (HICs). In contrast, in this perspective, we critically assess the place of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) in this new technology trajectory, a region that has received less attention with respect to the application of such technologies. We examine the continent’s readiness based on a number of dimensions such as scale, finance, technology leapfrogging, institutions and governance, education and skills. We critically reviewed the challenges, opportunities, and prospects of adopting agriculture 4.0 technologies in SSA, particularly with regards to how smallholder farmers in the region can be involved through a robust strategy. We find that whilst potential exist for agriculture 4.0 adoption in SSA, there are gaps in knowledge, skills, finance, and infrastructure to ensure successful adoption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Agriculture 4.0 – the Future of Farming Technology)
24 pages, 11245 KiB  
Article
On Characteristics of Ice Ridges and Icebergs for Design of Ship Hulls in Polar Regions Based on Environmental Design Contours
by Bernt J. Leira, Wei Chai and Gowtham Radhakrishnan
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5749; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125749 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2151
Abstract
Ice ridges and icebergs generally pose a major threat to both ships and offshore facilities that operate in Polar regions. In many cases these features will govern the structural design loads associated with the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and the Accidental Limit State [...] Read more.
Ice ridges and icebergs generally pose a major threat to both ships and offshore facilities that operate in Polar regions. In many cases these features will govern the structural design loads associated with the Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and the Accidental Limit State (ALS). In general, a large number of load cases must be considered in order to ascertain an adequate structural resistance. Alternatively, conservatively high values of the relevant design parameters can be applied, which implies cost penalties. Accordingly, it is natural to consider methods that can serve to reduce the number of relevant load cases. Based on relevant information about the statistical properties of the parameters that characterize ice ridges and icebergs, the most likely combinations of these parameters for design purposes are highly relevant. On this background, the so-called environmental contour method is applied. Probabilistic models of the key parameters that govern the ship and ice interaction process are introduced. Subsequently, the procedure referred to as inverse reliability methods (IFORM) is applied for identification of the environmental contour. Different forms (i.e., dimensions) of environmental contours are generated to reflect the characteristics of the interaction process. Furthermore, the effect of an increasing correlation between the basic parameters is studied. In addition, the increase of the design parameter values for increasing encounter frequencies is illustrated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances on Safe Maritime Operations under Extreme Conditions)
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10 pages, 560 KiB  
Article
Cephalometric Changes Following Maxillary Expansion with Ni-Ti Leaf Springs Palatal Expander and Rapid Maxillary Expander: A Retrospective Study
by Valentina Lanteri, Andrea Abate, Davide Cavagnetto, Alessandro Ugolini, Francesca Gaffuri, Alessandro Gianolio and Cinzia Maspero
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5748; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125748 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2028
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare, through bidimensional cephalometry, skeletal and dental changes obtained from a rapid maxillary expander (RME) and a Ni-Ti leaf spring expander (Leaf) and compare them with an untreated control group. Methods: Records consisted [...] Read more.
Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare, through bidimensional cephalometry, skeletal and dental changes obtained from a rapid maxillary expander (RME) and a Ni-Ti leaf spring expander (Leaf) and compare them with an untreated control group. Methods: Records consisted of lateral cephalograms obtained before and after maxillary expansion of patients that underwent orthodontic treatment at the Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences. The Leaf expander group consisted of 9 males (mean age = 7.5 ± 0.9 years old) and 11 females (mean age = 8.2 ± 0.6 years old). The RME group of the present study was composed of 11 males (mean age = 7.8 ± 0.6 years old) and 12 females (mean age = 8.1 ± 0.5 years old). Digital cephalograms were traced using Dolphin Imaging software v.11.1 (Dolphin Imaging and Management Solutions; Los Angeles, CA, USA), which calculated all reported measurements. Each subject was assigned a random identification number, and the examiner was blinded to the subject when measuring. The difference between the two experimental times in all groups was evaluated using the Student’s t-test for dependent variables. The difference between the two evaluation times in each group for all the variables was used to perform a one-way ANOVA test between the three groups. Results: No statistically significant difference was noted, apart from the angle between the upper incisor and the SN and PP planes, which showed an average decrease of 3.25 and 2.55, respectively, and the angle between the lower incisors and the mandibular plane, which showed an average increase of 2.85 degrees. The one-way ANOVA showed no statistically significant difference between the three groups. Conclusions: It appears that the leaf expander and the RME present similar effects such as dental and skeletal changes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Developments in Orthodontics on Craniofacial Orthopedics)
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12 pages, 5217 KiB  
Article
Research on Rotary Parts Vibration Suppression Based on Coaxiality Measurement and Unbalance Constraint
by Yongmeng Liu, Ruirui Li, Chuanzhi Sun, Ze Chen, Yingjie Mei, Pinghuan Xiao, Xiaoming Wang and Chengtian Li
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5747; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125747 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1842
Abstract
To suppress the vibration of rotary parts, this paper established an unbalanced vibration response control model of rotary parts based on rotating axis coordinate system. This model considered the stacking transformation of geometric parameter errors and mass parameter errors of single stage rotor. [...] Read more.
To suppress the vibration of rotary parts, this paper established an unbalanced vibration response control model of rotary parts based on rotating axis coordinate system. This model considered the stacking transformation of geometric parameter errors and mass parameter errors of single stage rotor. First of all, the centroid transfer model based on the actual rotation axis was established, and the unbalanced excitation force vector of each stage of the rotor was studied. Secondly, the unbalanced excitation force vector of each stage of the rotor is substituted into the model of assembly vibration control based on the double constraints optimization strategy. Finally, the simulation analysis and the vibration experiment of three-stage rotor stacking assembly is carried out. The results show that the vibration of the engine rotor can be effectively suppressed by adjusting the assembly phase of the rotors, and the vibration amplitude of the combined rotor assembled by the double constraint optimization assembly strategy is 22.5% less than the vibration amplitude assembled by the direct assembly strategy. Besides, the coaxiality and the unbalance are reduced by 44.1% and 78.4%, which fully shows the advantages of the double constraint optimization assembly strategy. Full article
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11 pages, 4447 KiB  
Article
Hierarchical Electrode Switching Device Design for Distributed Single-Channel Electrical Resistivity Tomography System
by Xin Xia, Yu-Ying Pan, Xiao-Lei Liu and Yong-Gang Jia
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5746; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125746 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1696
Abstract
An electrode switching device (ESD) is one of the most important components of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). It is a ligament and relay between a testing circuit and testing electrodes. Existing ESD uses a plane structure to realize the interconnection between ports and [...] Read more.
An electrode switching device (ESD) is one of the most important components of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). It is a ligament and relay between a testing circuit and testing electrodes. Existing ESD uses a plane structure to realize the interconnection between ports and testing electrodes. Taking Wenner testing as an example, each electrode needs four additional switches. In this report, a new hardware saving ESD (HESD) is made with a hierarchical structure for a single-channel distributed ERT. HESD has two-layered switches to realize the conversion process. The first layer of 16 switches can realize four pairs of unrepeated connection between four ports—AMNB and four Lines—L1–L4. The second layer establishes the non-overlapping joints between four lines—L1–L4 and four testing electrodes. Each electrode only needs one switch for an 1D test, which has been wildly used in soil science, ocean probing, and contaminated surveys, and an odd number layer test. With the newly designed HESD, three fourths of the cost of hardware (switch) was saved compared with the conventional ESD. In addition, with two more switches, HESD was able to complete a 2D survey. The new two-layer HESD saves hardware costs and shows advantages in maintenance, system tests, and miniaturization, especially when many electrodes are required in an ERT system, which is very common in practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering)
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14 pages, 1619 KiB  
Article
Effects of Air Route Alternation and Display Design on an Operator’s Situation Awareness, Task Performance and Mental Workload in Simulated Flight Tasks
by Hao Chen, Liping Pang, Xiaoru Wanyan, Shuang Liu, Yufeng Fang and Da Tao
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5745; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125745 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2319
Abstract
Air route alternation caused by unexpected events in abnormal or emergency situations often produces adverse consequences on an operator’s cognition and behavior in flight tasks. Under such a circumstance, it is especially necessary to examine the utility of the interaction displays usually designed [...] Read more.
Air route alternation caused by unexpected events in abnormal or emergency situations often produces adverse consequences on an operator’s cognition and behavior in flight tasks. Under such a circumstance, it is especially necessary to examine the utility of the interaction displays usually designed based on the routine environment. This study was aimed to investigate the effects of air route alternation and display design on operators’ situation awareness (SA), task performance and mental workload during simulated flight tasks. Twenty-four participants attended an experiment where they were instructed to perform simulated flight tasks with three types of display designs in both air-route-as-planned and air-route-altered conditions. Subjective measures, behavioral measures and eye movement measures were adopted to assess the participants’ SA, task performance and mental workload. The results show that unexpected air route alternation increases mental workload as well as deteriorates the SA and task performance due to the gap between attention resource demand and supply. Reducing the demand of the operator’s attention resource should be the focus when coping with unexpected events in abnormal situations. In addition, reasonable information layout, such as a center-layout design of the critical decision-making information, is more important than information salience for improving the SA and task performance in abnormal situations. Nevertheless, indicators with a high-salience design, such as a more open window design and immersive design, are still worth recommending. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Industrial Engineering and Management)
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11 pages, 1617 KiB  
Article
Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Research on the Adjustment for Pre-Stress Deviation of the Cable-Bar Tensile Structures
by Lianmeng Chen, Yijie Liu, Yihong Zeng, He Zhang and Yiyi Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5744; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125744 - 21 Jun 2021
Viewed by 1589
Abstract
Construction errors are unavoidable in actual cable-bar tensile structures. Construction error analysis, evaluation, and especially adjustment theories were still in their infancy. For the improvement of the situation, based on the equilibrium equation, physical equation, and geometric equation for pin-joint structures, the member [...] Read more.
Construction errors are unavoidable in actual cable-bar tensile structures. Construction error analysis, evaluation, and especially adjustment theories were still in their infancy. For the improvement of the situation, based on the equilibrium equation, physical equation, and geometric equation for pin-joint structures, the member length deviation was adopted as the variable, and the relationship between the pre-stress deviation and member length deviation was determined. On this basis, an adjustment method was devised for the pre-stress deviations under three different conditions, and an evaluation of the effectiveness for pre-stress deviation adjustment was proposed. Finally, a 5-m diameter cable-bar tensile structure model was designed and constructed for simulation. The research results demonstrated that the adjusted pre-stress deviations of measuring points can be effectively corrected, and the theoretical results generally coincided with the experimental results. The adjustment effects of pre-stress deviation varied with the number of adjustment cables, and the adjustment effectiveness gradually decreased with the reduction of the number of adjustment cables. Different adjustment schemes produced different structural deformations, and it was necessary to prioritize the adjustment scheme that resulted in lower peak values of internal forces and shape changes during the adjustment process. The research results indicated that the correctness and validity of the proposed error analysis and adjustment method of pre-stress deviation, and its practical application in the guidance of construction errors analysis, pre-stress deviation adjustments, and evaluation of adjustment results of actual pretension structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Civil Engineering)
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13 pages, 333 KiB  
Article
Compositional Distributional Semantics with Syntactic Dependencies and Selectional Preferences
by Pablo Gamallo
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5743; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125743 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2215
Abstract
This article describes a compositional model based on syntactic dependencies which has been designed to build contextualized word vectors, by following linguistic principles related to the concept of selectional preferences. The compositional strategy proposed in the current work has been evaluated on a [...] Read more.
This article describes a compositional model based on syntactic dependencies which has been designed to build contextualized word vectors, by following linguistic principles related to the concept of selectional preferences. The compositional strategy proposed in the current work has been evaluated on a syntactically controlled and multilingual dataset, and compared with Transformer BERT-like models, such as Sentence BERT, the state-of-the-art in sentence similarity. For this purpose, we created two new test datasets for Portuguese and Spanish on the basis of that defined for the English language, containing expressions with noun-verb-noun transitive constructions. The results we have obtained show that the linguistic-based compositional approach turns out to be competitive with Transformer models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rich Linguistic Processing for Multilingual Text Mining)
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29 pages, 9910 KiB  
Review
Synthetic Transformations and Medicinal Significance of 1,2,3-Thiadiazoles Derivatives: An Update
by Ali Irfan, Sami Ullah, Ayesha Anum, Nazish Jabeen, Ameer Fawad Zahoor, Hafza Kanwal, Katarzyna Kotwica-Mojzych and Mariusz Mojzych
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5742; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125742 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3579
Abstract
The 1,2,3-thiadiazole moiety occupies a significant and prominent position among privileged heterocyclic templates in the field of medicine, pharmacology and pharmaceutics due to its broad spectrum of biological activities. The 1,2,3-thiadiazole hybrid structures showed myriad biomedical activities such as antifungal, antiviral, insecticidal, antiamoebic, [...] Read more.
The 1,2,3-thiadiazole moiety occupies a significant and prominent position among privileged heterocyclic templates in the field of medicine, pharmacology and pharmaceutics due to its broad spectrum of biological activities. The 1,2,3-thiadiazole hybrid structures showed myriad biomedical activities such as antifungal, antiviral, insecticidal, antiamoebic, anticancer and plant activators, etc. In the present review, various synthetic transformations and approaches are highlighted to furnish 1,2,3-thiadiazole scaffolds along with different pharmaceutical and pharmacological activities by virtue of the presence of the 1,2,3-thiadiazole framework on the basis of structure–activity relationship (SAR). The discussion in this review article will attract the attention of synthetic and medicinal researchers to explore 1,2,3-thiadiazole structural motifs for future therapeutic agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Heterocyclic Compounds with Potential Biological Activity: From Synthesis to Application)
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17 pages, 9170 KiB  
Article
Vision-Based Path Guidance to Achieve Dies-Free Roller Hemming Process
by Yi-Ping Huang, Bor-Tung Jiang, Chia-Hung Wu and Jen-Yuan Chang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5741; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125741 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2837
Abstract
Due to its high production flexibility, roller hemming has become the mainstream process for forming and joining metal sheets in the automotive industry. The traditional roller hemming process requires specific dies to support sheet metal parts and repeated offline manual adjustment of hemming [...] Read more.
Due to its high production flexibility, roller hemming has become the mainstream process for forming and joining metal sheets in the automotive industry. The traditional roller hemming process requires specific dies to support sheet metal parts and repeated offline manual adjustment of hemming routes, resulting in high die costs, high time consumption, and excessive labor inputs. The universal platform presented in this paper could replace specific dies to effectively reduce costs and expand production flexibility. To reach this objective, a vision-based automatic compensation path to achieve a dies-free roller hemming process is proposed and investigated in this paper. Hand–eye sensor modules assisted by multi-coordinate synchronization calibration for the roller hemming were designed to reconstruct three-dimensional (3-D) shape data of the incoming materials. Results from the proposed system were validated with experimental measurements for the sheet offset and the compensation of the arm hemming position, showing that the single-axis error can be reduced to ≤0.1 mm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Forming)
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18 pages, 4178 KiB  
Article
Affinity-Based Task Scheduling on Heterogeneous Multicore Systems Using CBS and QBICTM
by Sohaib Iftikhar Abbasi, Shaharyar Kamal, Munkhjargal Gochoo, Ahmad Jalal and Kibum Kim
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5740; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125740 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2363
Abstract
This work presents the grouping of dependent tasks into a cluster using the Bayesian analysis model to solve the affinity scheduling problem in heterogeneous multicore systems. The non-affinity scheduling of tasks has a negative impact as the overall execution time for the tasks [...] Read more.
This work presents the grouping of dependent tasks into a cluster using the Bayesian analysis model to solve the affinity scheduling problem in heterogeneous multicore systems. The non-affinity scheduling of tasks has a negative impact as the overall execution time for the tasks increases. Furthermore, non-affinity-based scheduling also limits the potential for data reuse in the caches so it becomes necessary to bring the same data into the caches multiple times. In heterogeneous multicore systems, it is essential to address the load balancing problem as all cores are operating at varying frequencies. We propose two techniques to solve the load balancing issue, one being designated “chunk-based scheduler” (CBS) which is applied to the heterogeneous systems while the other system is “quantum-based intra-core task migration” (QBICTM) where each task is given a fair and equal chance to run on the fastest core. Results show 30–55% improvement in the average execution time of the tasks by applying our CBS or QBICTM scheduler compare to other traditional schedulers when compared using the same operating system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Parallel Computing)
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19 pages, 41887 KiB  
Article
Building Information Modeling Methods for Post-Earthquake Retrofitting Visualization of Buildings Using Augmented Reality
by Zhansheng Liu and Wenyan Bai
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5739; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125739 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3656
Abstract
The post-earthquake retrofitting and repair process of a building is a key factor in improving its seismic capability. A thorough understanding of retrofitting methods and processes will aid in repairing post-earthquake buildings and improving seismic resilience. This study aims to develop a visualization [...] Read more.
The post-earthquake retrofitting and repair process of a building is a key factor in improving its seismic capability. A thorough understanding of retrofitting methods and processes will aid in repairing post-earthquake buildings and improving seismic resilience. This study aims to develop a visualization framework for the post-earthquake retrofitting of buildings which builds models based on building information modeling (BIM) and realizes visualization using augmented reality (AR). First, multi-level representation methods and coding criteria are used to process the models for a damaged member. Then, an information collection template is designed for integrating multi-dimensional information, such as damage information, retrofitting methods, technical solutions, and construction measures. Subsequently, a BIM model is presented in three dimensions (3D) using AR. Finally, the visualization process is tested through experiments, which demonstrate the feasibility of using the framework to visualize the post-earthquake retrofitting of a building. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings Operation and Maintenance)
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16 pages, 354 KiB  
Article
Antimicrobial Properties, Cytotoxic Effects, and Fatty Acids Composition of Vegetable Oils from Purslane, Linseed, Luffa, and Pumpkin Seeds
by Spyridon A. Petropoulos, Ângela Fernandes, Ricardo C. Calhelha, Youssef Rouphael, Jovana Petrović, Marina Soković, Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira and Lillian Barros
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5738; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125738 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4332
Abstract
In the present study, the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, as well as the fatty acids composition in vegetable seed oils from linseed, purslane, luffa, and pumpkin were evaluated. For this purpose, two linseed oils and one luffa oil were commercially obtained, while purslane [...] Read more.
In the present study, the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities, as well as the fatty acids composition in vegetable seed oils from linseed, purslane, luffa, and pumpkin were evaluated. For this purpose, two linseed oils and one luffa oil were commercially obtained, while purslane and pumpkin oils were obtained from own cultivated seeds. The results showed a variable fatty acids composition among the tested oils, with α-linolenic, linoleic, oleic, palmitic, and stearic acid being the most abundant compounds. In regards to particular oils, linseed oils were a rich source of α-linolenic acid, luffa and pumpkin oil were abundant in linoleic acid, while purslane oil presented a balanced composition with an almost similar amount of both fatty acids. Luffa oil was the most effective against two of the tested cancer cell lines, namely HeLa (cervical carcinoma) and NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer), while it also showed moderate toxicity against non-tumor cells (PLP2 cell line). Regarding the antibacterial activity, linseed oil 3 and pumpkin oil showed the highest activity against most of the tested bacteria (especially against Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli) with MIC and MBC values similar to the used positive controls (E211 and E224). All the tested oils showed significant antifungal activities, especially luffa and pumpkin oil, and for most of the tested fungi they were more effective than the positive controls, as for example in the case of Aspergillus versicolor, A. niger, and Penicillium verrucosum var. cyclopium. In conclusion, the results of our study showed promising antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties for the studied seed oils which could be partly attributed to their fatty acids composition, especially the long-chain ones with 12–18 carbons. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antimicrobial Substances in Plants: Discovery of New Compounds, Properties, Food and Agriculture Applications, and Sustainable Recovery)
16 pages, 7048 KiB  
Article
Research on the Processing Method of Acoustic Focusing Cavities Based on the Temperature Gradient
by Liqun Wu, Yafei Fan, Hongcheng Wang, Linan Zhang, Yizheng Sheng, Yajing Wang and Yaxing Wang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5737; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125737 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1714
Abstract
Aiming at the key factors affecting the quality and efficiency of high-energy in-beam machining, this paper studies the broadband acoustic focusing effect based on a discrete temperature gradient. Firstly, the basic theory and mathematical model of temperature-controlled acoustic focusing are established. Secondly, the [...] Read more.
Aiming at the key factors affecting the quality and efficiency of high-energy in-beam machining, this paper studies the broadband acoustic focusing effect based on a discrete temperature gradient. Firstly, the basic theory and mathematical model of temperature-controlled acoustic focusing are established. Secondly, the acoustic focusing effect is achieved by combining the design of metasurfaces and discrete temperature. Then, the acoustic pressure and intensity distribution of acoustic focusing under a discrete temperature gradient are simulated and experimentally studied. The results show that the phase delay of transmission and reflection of acoustic wave covers the 2π interval by changing the temperature in different transmission units, which provides a theoretical basis for the processing of the acoustic focusing cavity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Acoustics and Vibrations)
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62 pages, 5092 KiB  
Review
Complex Systems, Emergence, and Multiscale Analysis: A Tutorial and Brief Survey
by Jianbo Gao and Bo Xu
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5736; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125736 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5781
Abstract
Mankind has long been fascinated by emergence in complex systems. With the rapidly accumulating big data in almost every branch of science, engineering, and society, a golden age for the study of complex systems and emergence has arisen. Among the many values of [...] Read more.
Mankind has long been fascinated by emergence in complex systems. With the rapidly accumulating big data in almost every branch of science, engineering, and society, a golden age for the study of complex systems and emergence has arisen. Among the many values of big data are to detect changes in system dynamics and to help science to extend its reach, and most desirably, to possibly uncover new fundamental laws. Unfortunately, these goals are hard to achieve using black-box machine-learning based approaches for big data analysis. Especially, when systems are not functioning properly, their dynamics must be highly nonlinear, and as long as abnormal behaviors occur rarely, relevant data for abnormal behaviors cannot be expected to be abundant enough to be adequately tackled by machine-learning based approaches. To better cope with these situations, we advocate to synergistically use mainstream machine learning based approaches and multiscale approaches from complexity science. The latter are very useful for finding key parameters characterizing the evolution of a dynamical system, including malfunctioning of the system. One of the many uses of such parameters is to design simpler but more accurate unsupervised machine learning schemes. To illustrate the ideas, we will first provide a tutorial introduction to complex systems and emergence, then we present two multiscale approaches. One is based on adaptive filtering, which is excellent at trend analysis, noise reduction, and (multi)fractal analysis. The other originates from chaos theory and can unify the major complexity measures that have been developed in recent decades. To make the ideas and methods better accessed by a wider audience, the paper is designed as a tutorial survey, emphasizing the connections among the different concepts from complexity science. Many original discussions, arguments, and results pertinent to real-world applications are also presented so that readers can be best stimulated to apply and further develop the ideas and methods covered in the article to solve their own problems. This article is purported both as a tutorial and a survey. It can be used as course material, including summer extensive training courses. When the material is used for teaching purposes, it will be beneficial to motivate students to have hands-on experiences with the many methods discussed in the paper. Instructors as well as readers interested in the computer analysis programs are welcome to contact the corresponding author. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Complexity Research in Earth Sciences and Geography)
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20 pages, 27234 KiB  
Article
Present Tectonic Dynamics of the Geological Structural Setting of the Eastern Part of the Adriatic Region Obtained from Geodetic and Geological Data
by Marko Pavasović, Almin Đapo, Marijan Marjanović and Boško Pribičević
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5735; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125735 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2584
Abstract
The Adriatic microplate has always attracted scientific attention, and various studies on the geodynamics of this area have been performed over the years. With the development of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology in the last 30 years, most significant research in this [...] Read more.
The Adriatic microplate has always attracted scientific attention, and various studies on the geodynamics of this area have been performed over the years. With the development of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology in the last 30 years, most significant research in this field has used it as the primary source of data on geodynamic movements. However, apart from a few global positioning system (GPS) campaigns conducted in the 1990s, the measurements had a low spatiotemporal density. Therefore, the eastern side of the Adria region or the territory of the Republic of Croatia was usually omitted from the results presented in the various published papers. A study of this literature concluded that the territory of Croatia represents a kind of scientific gap and that denser measurement data from GPS/GNSS stations could be used to supplement the geodynamic picture of the area in question. Thus, GPS/GNSS measurements from 83 stations (geodynamic, reference, and POS’ GPS/GNSS) all over Croatia and neighboring countries for a period of almost 20 years (1994–2013) were collected and processed with Bernese software to obtain a unique database of relative velocities. From the geological perspective, the most important and latest insights on the recent geological structural setting, tectonic movements, most active faults, and relationships and movements of structures were taken into account. It was important to compare the geodetic and geological data, observe the present tectonic dynamics of the geological structural setting, and determine the causes of the obtained directions of movement. The research presented in this paper, based on a combination of geodetic and geological data, was conducted to broaden the current knowledge of the present tectonic dynamics of the geological structural setting of the eastern part of the Adriatic region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Earth Sciences)
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12 pages, 10291 KiB  
Article
Complementary Metaresonator Sensor with Dual Notch Resonance for Evaluation of Vegetable Oils in C and X Bands
by Ammar Armghan
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5734; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125734 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1967
Abstract
This paper investigates the effect of complementary metaresonator for evaluation of vegetable oils in C and X bands. Tremendously increasing technology demands the exploration of complementary metaresonators for high performance in the related bands. This research probes the complementary mirror-symmetric S resonator (CMSSR) [...] Read more.
This paper investigates the effect of complementary metaresonator for evaluation of vegetable oils in C and X bands. Tremendously increasing technology demands the exploration of complementary metaresonators for high performance in the related bands. This research probes the complementary mirror-symmetric S resonator (CMSSR) that can operate in two bands with compact size and high sensitivity features. The prime motivation behind the proposed technique is to utilize the dual notch resonance to estimate the dielectric constant of the oil under test (OUT). The proposed sensor is designed on a compact 30×25 mm2 and 1.6 mm thick FR-4 substrate. A 50 Ω microstrip transmission line is printed on one side, while a unit cell of CMSSR is etched on the other side of the substrate to achieve dual notch resonance. A Teflon container is attached to CMSSR in the ground plane to act as a pool for the OUT. According to the simulated transmission spectrum, the proposed design manifested dual notch resonance precisely at 7.21 GHz (C band) and 8.97 GHz (X band). A prototype of complementary metaresonator sensor is fabricated and tested using CEYEAR AV3672D vector network analyzer. The comparison of measured and simulated data shows that the difference between the first resonance frequency is 0.01 GHz and the second is 0.04 GHz. Furthermore, a mathematical model is developed for the complementary metaresonator sensor to evaluate dielectric constant of the OUT in terms of the relevant, resonant frequency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Technologies for Microwave and Wireless Sensors)
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23 pages, 382 KiB  
Review
Whole-Body Vibration Exercise: A Possible Intervention in the Management of Post COVID-19 Complications?
by Danúbia C. Sá-Caputo, Ana Carolina Coelho-Oliveira, Juliana Pessanha-Freitas, Laisa Liane Paineiras-Domingos, Ana Cristina Rodrigues Lacerda, Vanessa Amaral Mendonça, Anelise Sonza, Redha Taiar, Alessandro Sartorio, Adérito Seixas and Mario Bernardo-Filho
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5733; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125733 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4419
Abstract
COVID-19 infection frequently leaves the infected subjects with impairments of multi-organs, the so-called post COVID-19 syndrome, which needs to be adequately addressed. The perspective of this narrative review is to verify the possible role of whole-body vibration exercise in the post-COVID-19 rehabilitation of [...] Read more.
COVID-19 infection frequently leaves the infected subjects with impairments of multi-organs, the so-called post COVID-19 syndrome, which needs to be adequately addressed. The perspective of this narrative review is to verify the possible role of whole-body vibration exercise in the post-COVID-19 rehabilitation of these patients. Publications reporting the use of WBV exercises to counteract fatigue, muscle weakness, neurological manifestations, pain, quality of life, quality of sleep, lung commitments, and mental conditions in different clinical conditions were selected. Considering all the findings described in the current review, it seems that WBV exercise might be potentially useful and effective in the rehabilitation of post COVID-19 syndrome, being able to positively influence fatigue, muscle weakness, and quality of life without any side-effects. Controlled studies are mandatory to define the best protocols to be proposed, which need to be tailored to the individual and clinical characteristics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue COVID-19: Impact on Human Health and Behavior)
16 pages, 1612 KiB  
Article
The Logopedic Evaluation of Adult Patients after Orthognathic Surgery
by Anna Lichnowska and Marcin Kozakiewicz
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5732; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125732 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2600
Abstract
Orthodontists correct dental malocclusion, but major facial skeleton deformations (skeletal malocclusion) are often subject to surgical correction. Several speech pathologies are associated with both of the occlusal anomalies mentioned above. The majority of articulation disorders and primary functions cannot be improved without skeletal [...] Read more.
Orthodontists correct dental malocclusion, but major facial skeleton deformations (skeletal malocclusion) are often subject to surgical correction. Several speech pathologies are associated with both of the occlusal anomalies mentioned above. The majority of articulation disorders and primary functions cannot be improved without skeletal correction. This study aimed to investigate the outcome of the multimodal and logopaedics treatment of Polish adults affected by skeletal malocclusion and speech-language pathology. A total of 37 adults affected by skeletal Class II and III malocclusion were included, along with the relationship between the malocclusion and speech deficiency (20 phonemes tested) in the subjects before and after surgical correction. The impact of surgery on pronunciation improvement and types of Polish phonemes most often misarticulated by Polish adults were also examined. Patients underwent combined treatment and received a full speech pathology examination. The treatment improved speech (p < 0.05), but the study did not prove that a specific surgery type was associated with pronunciation improvement. Some patients were provided with speech therapy during childhood, yet most had some minor difficulties with lip and tongue movements. Palatal, alveolar (p < 0.05), fricatives (p < 0.05), and labiodental consonant pronunciation (p < 0.05) improved. The surgical correction of malocclusion leads to better articulation of Polish consonants in adults and improves some primary functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Challenges of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery)
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14 pages, 514 KiB  
Article
Concerto: Dynamic Processor Scaling for Distributed Data Systems with Replication
by Jinsu Lee and Eunji Lee
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5731; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125731 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1816
Abstract
A surge of interest in data-intensive computing has led to a drastic increase in the demand for data centers. Given this growing popularity, data centers are becoming a primary contributor to the increased consumption of energy worldwide. To mitigate this problem, this paper [...] Read more.
A surge of interest in data-intensive computing has led to a drastic increase in the demand for data centers. Given this growing popularity, data centers are becoming a primary contributor to the increased consumption of energy worldwide. To mitigate this problem, this paper revisits DVFS (Dynamic Voltage Frequency Scaling), a well-known technique to reduce the energy usage of processors, from the viewpoint of distributed systems. Distributed data systems typically adopt a replication facility to provide high availability and short latency. In this type of architecture, the replicas are maintained in an asynchronous manner, while the master synchronously operates via user requests. Based on this relaxation constraint of replica, we present a novel DVFS technique called Concerto, which intentionally scales down the frequency of processors operating for the replicas. This mechanism can achieve considerable energy savings without an increase in the user-perceived latency. We implemented Concerto on Redis 6.0.1, a commercial-level distributed key-value store, demonstrating that all associated performance issues were resolved. To prevent a delay in read queries assigned to the replicas, we offload the independent part of the read operation to the fast-running thread. We also empirically demonstrate that the decreased performance of the replica does not cause an increase of the replication lag because the inherent load unbalance between the master and replica hides the increased latency of the replica. Performance evaluations with micro and real-world benchmarks show that Redis saves 32% on average and up to 51% of energy with Concerto under various workloads, with minor performance losses in the replicas. Despite numerous studies of the energy saving in data centers, to the best of our best knowledge, Concerto is the first approach that considers clock-speed scaling at the aggregate level, exploiting heterogeneous performance constraints across data nodes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Intelligence, Soft Computing and Communication Networks for Applied Science II)
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17 pages, 3343 KiB  
Article
Quality-Aware Resource Model Discovery
by Minsu Cho, Gyunam Park, Minseok Song, Jinyoun Lee and Euiseok Kum
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5730; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125730 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1861
Abstract
Context-aware process mining aims at extending a contemporary approach with process contexts for realistic process modeling. Regarding this discipline, there have been several attempts to combine process discovery and predictive process modeling and context information, e.g., time and cost. The focus of this [...] Read more.
Context-aware process mining aims at extending a contemporary approach with process contexts for realistic process modeling. Regarding this discipline, there have been several attempts to combine process discovery and predictive process modeling and context information, e.g., time and cost. The focus of this paper is to develop a new method for deriving a quality-aware resource model. It first generates a resource-oriented transition system and identifies the quality-based superior and inferior cases. The quality-aware resource model is constructed by integrating these two results, and we also propose a model simplification method based on statistical analyses for better resource model visualization. This paper includes tooling support for our method, and one of the case studies on a semiconductor manufacturing process is presented to validate the usefulness of the proposed approach. We expect our work is practically applicable to a range of fields, including manufacturing and healthcare systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Big Data and AI for Process Innovation in the Industry 4.0 Era)
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19 pages, 9541 KiB  
Article
Selection of Vertiports Using K-Means Algorithm and Noise Analyses for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in the Seoul Metropolitan Area
by Junyoung Jeong, Minjun So and Ho-Yon Hwang
Appl. Sci. 2021, 11(12), 5729; https://doi.org/10.3390/app11125729 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4511
Abstract
In this study, a combination of well-established algorithms and real-world data was implemented for the forward-looking problem of future vertiport network design in a large metropolitan city. The locations of vertiports were selected to operate urban air mobility (UAM) in the Seoul metropolitan [...] Read more.
In this study, a combination of well-established algorithms and real-world data was implemented for the forward-looking problem of future vertiport network design in a large metropolitan city. The locations of vertiports were selected to operate urban air mobility (UAM) in the Seoul metropolitan area based on the population of commuters, and a noise priority route was created to minimize the number of people affected by noise using Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) software. Demand data were analyzed using survey data from the commuting population and were marked on a map using MATLAB. To cluster the data, the K-means algorithm function built in MATLAB was used to select the center of the cluster as the location of the vertiports, and the accuracy and reliability of the clustering were evaluated using silhouette techniques. The locations of the selected vertiports were also identified using satellite image maps to ensure that the location of the selected vertiports were suitable for the actual vertiport location, and if the location was not appropriate, final vertiports were selected through the repositioning process. A helicopter model was then used to analyze the amount of noise reduction achieved by the noise priority route, which is the route between the selected K-UAM vertiports compared to the shortest distance route. As a result, it was shown that the noise priority route that minimized the amount of noise exposure was more efficient than the business priority routes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Air Mobility/Advanced Air Mobility Using eVTOL Aircraft)
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