Core Building Research Articles

Load bearing investigations on silane coupling grafted PET core and pineapple leaf fibre-vinyl ester sandwich composite building material

Load bearing investigations on silane coupling grafted PET core and pineapple leaf fibre-vinyl ester sandwich composite building material

Computational Design of 3D Lantern Organic Framework.

This study employed a computational approach, particularly Density Functional Theory at B3LYP-D3/6-31+G(d) level to design two new classes of three-dimensional (3D) Lantern Organic Frameworks (LOFs) materials based on trisilasumanene and porphyrin core building units. Particularly, we detail strategies for transitioning from 1D-LOF nanowires to extended 3D structures: first by connecting planar-molecule base units of trisilasumanene or porphyrin using benzene-based linkers, and then connecting silicon anchoring atoms on the bases with other bases that are vertically stacked by sp3-hydrocarbon chains. The 3D-LOF structures are designed to have different pore sizes through the use of various bases, bridges, and linkers. Comparisons of electronic properties of these 3D structures lead to one designing rule. That is, the gap between highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of the 3D materials depends only on its base and is nearly independent of the stack size or the length of the sp3-hydrocarbon bridges. Additionally, connecting base units with linkers also extends π-electron conjugation system leading to a reduction in HOMO-LUMO gap. For instance, linking two trisilasumanene molecules significantly narrows HOMO-LUMO gap by 1.75 eV while stacking these bases vertically and connecting them by linear pentane-based bridges yield insignificant change to the gap.

Polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives crosslinked by hydroxyl fatty acids form the core structure of rape sporopollenin.

Sporopollenin, a critical innovation in the evolution of terrestrial plants, is the core building brick for the outer wall of land-plant spores and pollen. Despite its significance, the basic structure of sporopollenin remains elusive due to its extreme chemical inertness. In this study, we used ethanolamine to completely dissolve rape sporopollenin and successfully identified a total of 22 components, including fatty acids, p-coumaric acid, sterols and polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives. After that, using NaOH treatment and partial dissolution, alongside Arabidopsis mutants analysis and spectroscopic methods, we determined that polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives crosslinked by hydroxyl fatty acids serve as the core structure of sporopollenin. The free hydroxyl groups and carboxyl groups of the polymeric phenylpropanoid derivatives can be modified by other fatty acids (C16:0, C18:0 and C18:3) as well as alcohols/phenols (for example, naringenin, β-sitosterol), resulting in a structure that protects pollen from terrestrial stresses. This discovery provides a basis for further exploration of sporopollenin's role in plant reproduction and evolution.

Kiln–House Isomorphism and Cultural Isomerism in the Pavilions of the Yuci Area: The Xiang-Ming Pavilion as an Example

The pavilion is a time-honored architectural form in the Chinese silhouette with strong regional characteristics. Its appearance and technical means are often adaptively combined according to the characteristics of local architecture. The “kiln–house isomorphism” is a unique construction technology of the Shanxi construction type in China. Therefore, the “kiln–house isomorphism” is generally adopted for the construction of pavilions in Shanxi. This study focuses on Xiaonanzhuang Village, Yuci District, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. Taking the Xiang-ming Pavilion, the core building of the village, as an example, we analyze the architectural characteristics of the “kiln–house isomorphism” in the pavilion in this area, describe the general construction rules of the region, and conduct a deep investigation of the five “cultural isomerism” factors of the pavilions in the region, namely, geomancy, etiquette and music, beliefs, clans, and cultivation and study. The results of this research will enrich the regional knowledge of such pavilions and add new objects for the protection of local architectural heritage, providing a theoretical basis for the contemporary adaptive reuse of pavilions in the Yuci area from a cultural perspective.

Kajian Eksistensi Bangunan Cagar Budaya Di Jl. Dr. Cipto Kota Semarang

The city of Semarang is rich in a multitude of cultural heritage. In accordance with the Decree of the Mayor of the Regional Head of Level II Semarang No. 646/50/TAHUN/1992 concerning Building Conservation, Ancient/Historic Buildings in the Semarang Level II Regional Municipality Area, several Cultural Heritage Buildings have been designated. The types of buildings determined consist of socio-cultural buildings, religious buildings and business buildings. Jl. Dr. Cipto was the development of the Dutch city area after the Old City was full so that Dutch and Chinese people living in Semarang began to occupy this area along with the emergence of supporting buildings. Research related to the existence of cultural heritage buildings cannot be separated from the role of trusted sources who understand or understand the object being studied. This research aims to obtain comprehensive facts, data and information related to the existence of Cultural Heritage Buildings which are the object of research. The primary survey in this research was carried out to obtain primary data or information, namely data or information obtained directly from the field. Field survey with an argumentative and persuasive approach to dig up information to strengthen institutional data and complement existing data. The technique for obtaining this data is observation, measurement and interviews. Apart from that, the survey was carried out using literature studies, reports related to previous Cultural Heritage Building data. The analysis results show that the Cultural Heritage Building on Jalan Dr. Most of this Cipto has strong characteristics of modern architecture, a style that was popular at the beginning of the 20th century. Some of the buildings are not multi-storey, and there are parts of the core building that resemble multi-storey towers. The building orientation tends to be west. The foundation of a building made of stone that supports the main structure. Until now, the building still looks sturdy and well maintained. The existence of cultural heritage buildings in the Old City area, especially on Jl. Dr. Cipto Semarang has an important meaning in supporting the existence of the region from its inception until today. The existence of a cultural heritage building on Jl. Dr. Cipto demonstrated the consistency of function and transformation of the building's function according to the needs of the time but did not change the shape/facade of the existing building. The role of building managers needs to continue to be improved by increasing cooperation between the Government, Building Management Organizations, Building Owners and Investors. The Semarang City Government needs to continue to play an active role in efforts to maintain the existence of cultural heritage buildings in the Jl. Dr. Cipto is mainly related to policies to support the existence of cultural heritage buildings so that they continue to exist.

O-arylation reaction over lanthanide metal–organic framework: Synthesis, structure and catalytic reaction

Two novel lanthanide based two-dimensional metal-organic framework (MOF) compounds [Tb(NDC)(NO3)(DMA)2]n (MOF-1) and [Ho(NDC)(NO3)(DMA)2]n (MOF-2) [H2NDC=2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and DMA=N,N-dimethylacetamide] have been synthesized following solvothermal route and structurally characterized. Structural analysis reveals that both the compounds are crystallized in the orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pbca. MOFs feature a “paddle-wheel” (PW) type core building units which are constructed via carboxylato oxygen coordination with lanthanide atoms. 2D lanthanide based MOFs consist of paddle-wheel building block are rare in the literature. MOF-1 and MOF-2 possess an octa-coordinated metal center. Apart from carboxylato groups, oxygen atoms of DMA and NO3− ions are also coordinated to metal centers. Paddle-wheel cores are interconnected to each other to give rise to layered network structure in both the cases. 2D layers are propagated parallel to bc plane and layers are stacked one upon another along the crystallographic a axis. Notably, both MOF-1 and MOF-2 are capable to catalyze O-arylation reaction efficiently under heterogeneous medium. However, amongst them, catalytic efficacy of MOF-1 towards O-arylation reaction is found to be better than that of MOF-2.

AsymUNet: An Efficient Multi-Layer Perceptron Model Based on Asymmetric U-Net for Medical Image Noise Removal

With the continuous advancement of deep learning technology, U-Net–based algorithms for image denoising play a crucial role in medical image processing. However, most U-Net-based medical image denoising algorithms typically have large parameter sizes, which poses significant limitations in practical applications where computational resources are limited or large-scale patient data processing are required. In this paper, we propose a medical image denoising algorithm called AsymUNet, developed using an asymmetric U-Net framework and a spatially rearranged multilayer perceptron (MLP). AsymUNet utilizes an asymmetric U-Net to reduce the computational burden, while a multiscale feature fusion module enhances the feature interaction between the encoder and decoder. To better preserve the image details, spatially rearranged MLP blocks serve as the core building blocks of AsymUNet. These blocks effectively extract both the local and global features of the image, reducing the model’s reliance on prior knowledge of the image and further accelerating the training and inference processes. Experimental results demonstrate that AsymUNet achieves superior performance metrics and visual results compared with other state-of-the-art methods.

Research on visual experience evaluation of fortress heritage landscape by integrating SBE–SD method and eye movement analysis

Urbanization has led to homogenizing heritage site landscapes, and the protective measures have become disconnected from public needs. Additionally, the complex and diverse overall characteristics of heritage sites and the uneven distribution of values across different areas are related to the lack of landscape experience assessment. The “subjective + objective” cognitive evaluation and visual perception framework that adopts the Scenic Beauty Estimation Procedure-Semantic Differential (SBE–SD) method and eye-tracking analysis can compensate for the limitations of a single evaluation method by integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis. This research takes the Yi’an Fortress in Zhangpu County, Fujian Province, as the object and examines the visual experiences of different areas and types of landscapes within the Yi’an Fortress. The findings reveal several key insights: (1) Significant differences were found in the landscape experiences of different areas within the heritage site. The visual experience score of the core building area of Yi’an Fortress is (1.01) > the heritage entrance area (0.897) > the residential area (0.841) > the natural ecological area (0.784), indicating that the natural ecological area should be the focus of future protection and development efforts, with a particular emphasis on enhancing the ‘landscape aesthetic’ and ‘landscape cultural’ aspects. (2) The landscape experience scores can be used to understand the reasons for the differences in participants’ experiences of different landscapes. The architectural heritage landscape of the Yi’an Fortress scored highest in the experience evaluation due to its superior performance in terms of ‘landscape form’ factors. The cultural decorative landscape scored next, while the garden greening landscape scored the lowest, due to their poorer performance in terms of ‘landscape form’ and ‘landscape aesthetics’. (3) The eye-tracking data was consistent with the results of the subjective evaluation, validating the “subjective + objective” cognitive evaluation and visual perception framework, employing the SBE–SD method and eye-tracking analysis is a scientific and effective method for assessing the visual experience of heritage landscapes. These results provide a scientific basis for the heritage planners and managers of the Yi’an fortress to improve the landscape environment, better meet public needs, and preserve the unique character of this vital cultural resource. Furthermore, this study offers a new research method and approach for the protection of other heritage landscapes.

Hydrogen and Hydrocarbon Fuels from Abundant Resources and Solar Energy: Current Activities and Perspectives in DLR’s Institute of Future Fuels

Abstract Chemical energy carriers, centralized around Hydrogen products, will play an essential role in the energy system of the future. The advantages of comparable power density and reliability to fossil fuels, as well as their versatile applications, make them an important component of the energy transition. DLR is conducting research on technologies that ensure the efficient production of chemical energy carriers. De-carbonizing the energy system and of industry needs not only electricity from carbon-neutral sources but also green fuels. DLR’s Institute of Future Fuels steps in at that point by developing and investigating production methods for hydrogen and synthetic hydrocarbon fuels. Those are mostly based on the utilisation of concentrated sunlight but in additionally also on other renewable resources. The development goes all along the way of identifying and qualifying suitable functional materials, over integrating them in specific components allowing to introduce renewable energy into the process, towards the demonstration of a representative overall process along the chain from raw materials to the targeted fuel. Hydrogen plays a key role in this context, either as the fuels itself or as a core building block of synthetic hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals. The institute has a specific focus on thermochemical processes, in particular for water and CO2 splitting, but also on air separation, thermochemical heat storage and upgrading of biomass and other hydrocarbons.

How digital platforms can be leveraged to enable closed material loops – An example of the steel supply chain

Increasing demands for limited natural resources accelerate rethinking their usage and processing. A focal point of interest lies in the steel industry, given its substantial contribution to emissions and the notable attribute of steel being fully recyclable. Hence, closing material loops to ensure the preservation of material value and supply security is of substantial importance. Yet, until today, supply chains are still characterized by interrupted information streams that prevent circular material flows. Digital platforms are attributed to overcoming these shortcomings due to their ability to moderate ecosystems and render technological connectivity. However, industrial companies lack knowledge of how digital platforms can be used to design closed material loops. Therefore, this paper is built on a longitudinal case study of a joint venture between a recycling and steel melting plant company aiming at creating a digital platform to close the material flow of steel. Six design priorities, structured along the three core building blocks of digital platform ecosystems and the four core dimensions of collective action theory (CAT), have been derived to guide managers in designing digital platforms for the CE-specific context. This study presently contributes to understanding the relationship between digital platforms and CE.

Using the ACE framework to enforce access and usage control with notifications of revoked access rights

The standard ACE framework provides authentication and authorization mechanisms similar to those of the standard OAuth 2.0 framework, but it is intended for use in Internet-of-Things environments. In particular, ACE relies on OAuth 2.0, CoAP, CBOR, and COSE as its core building blocks. In ACE, a non-constrained entity called Authorization Server issues Access Tokens to Clients according to some access control and policy evaluation mechanism. An Access Token is then consumed by a Resource Server, which verifies the Access Token and lets the Client accordingly access a protected resource it hosts. Access Tokens have a validity which is limited over time, but they can also be revoked by the Authorization Server before they expire. In this work, we propose the Usage Control framework as an underlying access control means for the ACE Authorization Server, and we assess its performance in terms of time required to issue and revoke Access Tokens. Moreover, we implement and evaluate a method relying on the Observe extension for CoAP, which allows to notify Clients and Resource Servers about revoked Access Tokens. Through results obtained in a real testbed, we show how this method reduces the duration of illegitimate access to protected resources following the revocation of an Access Token, as well as the time spent by Clients and Resource Servers to learn about their Access Tokens being revoked.

Load bearing investigations on lightweight rubber seed husk cellulose–ABS 3D-printed core and sunn hemp fiber-polyester composite skin building material

Load bearing investigations on lightweight rubber seed husk cellulose–ABS 3D-printed core and sunn hemp fiber-polyester composite skin building material

Philosophical paradigms in information technology research

Having been in existence for nearly 30 years, information technology has revolutionized how human beings carry out their day-to-day life. Its use and adoption have brought about many philosophical issues that need to be reviewed. There are ethical issues concerned with the use of information technology ranging from fake news, autonomous systems, biasedness in AI systems and data privacy among others. As research is being carried out to answer some of these concerns, it will be important to look at the core building blocks of a paradigm and some of the research paradigms that can be used in this field. This paper introduces the field of information technology, where its definition and notable contributions are highlighted. Then it goes on to do a review of existing research paradigms with an emphasis on key components of a research paradigm and the types of research paradigms. Lastly, the paper reviews philosophical issues that exist within information technology with an emphasis on ethical issues. With an understanding of this, it will be easier for researchers in this field to choose a paradigm within the area of information technology that best suits their research.

Innovative synthesis of drug-like molecules using tetrazole as core building blocks.

Tetrazole is widely utilized as a bioisostere for carboxylic acid in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug development, enhancing the drug-like characteristics of various molecules. Typically, tetrazoles are introduced from their nitrile precursors through late-stage functionalization. In this work, we propose a novel strategy involving the use of diversely protected, unprecedented tetrazole aldehydes as building blocks. This approach facilitates the incorporation of the tetrazole group into multicomponent reactions or other chemistries, aiding in the creation of a variety of complex, drug-like molecules. These innovative tetrazole building blocks are efficiently and directly synthesized using a Passerini three-component reaction (PT-3CR), employing cost-effective and readily available materials. We further showcase the versatility of these new tetrazole building blocks by integrating the tetrazole moiety into various multicomponent reactions (MCRs), which are already significantly employed in drug discovery. This technique represents a unique and complementary method to existing tetrazole synthesis processes. It aims to meet the growing demand for tetrazole-based compound libraries and novel scaffolds, which are challenging to synthesize through other methods.

Interpretable representations in explainable AI: from theory to practice

Interpretable representations are the backbone of many explainers that target black-box predictive systems based on artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. They translate the low-level data representation necessary for good predictive performance into high-level human-intelligible concepts used to convey the explanatory insights. Notably, the explanation type and its cognitive complexity are directly controlled by the interpretable representation, tweaking which allows to target a particular audience and use case. However, many explainers built upon interpretable representations overlook their merit and fall back on default solutions that often carry implicit assumptions, thereby degrading the explanatory power and reliability of such techniques. To address this problem, we study properties of interpretable representations that encode presence and absence of human-comprehensible concepts. We demonstrate how they are operationalised for tabular, image and text data; discuss their assumptions, strengths and weaknesses; identify their core building blocks; and scrutinise their configuration and parameterisation. In particular, this in-depth analysis allows us to pinpoint their explanatory properties, desiderata and scope for (malicious) manipulation in the context of tabular data where a linear model is used to quantify the influence of interpretable concepts on a black-box prediction. Our findings lead to a range of recommendations for designing trustworthy interpretable representations; specifically, the benefits of class-aware (supervised) discretisation of tabular data, e.g., with decision trees, and sensitivity of image interpretable representations to segmentation granularity and occlusion colour.

Perylene Diimide-Based Dimeric Electron Acceptors with Molecular Conformations for Perovskite Solar Cells.

This paper reports five novel PDI dimer type electron transport materials (ETMs) employing o-indoloquinoxaline (o-Iq), m-indoloquinoxaline (m-Iq), and cibalackrot (Ci) groups as the core building blocks and presents the twisted structures of PDI dimers coded as PDI-NHR-o-Iq, PDI-o-Iq, PDI-NHR-m-Iq, PDI-m-Iq and PDI-NHR-Ci dyes (see Scheme 1 and 2). We have systematically compared their photophysical, electrochemical, and optoelectronic properties with respect to the reference dye (2PDI-NHR), which is directly connected of two PDI planes. Their calculated HOMO-LUMO energy levels are sufficient for charge transfer to the perovskite material so that structure-photovoltaic performance relationship of synthesized ETM dyes can be evaluated. When the binding position of indoloquinoxaline group between PDI rings are changed from o- to m- positions, most of the photophysical and electrochemical properties of PDI dimer are dramatically changed, finally improving the photovoltaic performances.

Ergonomic Risk Identification and Postural Analysis in Electrical Transformers Manufacturing Company located in Southern India

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders are the major factors resulting in discomfort at work in manufacturing industries to workers and these conditions contribute to the poor health of the workforce, subsequently to lower productivity. Therefore, the design of a workstation based on Ergonomic principles is becoming significant to reduce the effects of MSD. This study aimed to identify and assess the ergonomic risks associated with the work tasks in the company through posture analysis and develop recommendations for reducing those risks. Methods: About 36 manufacturing workers from five sections were randomly selected for the cross-sectional study. The chosen team members were from Core building, Core winding, Assembly, Tanking and Tank fabrication sections with experience of more than two years. The presence of MSDs was assessed using a Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire. For postural analysis, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) were utilized. Few selected postures were analysed using CATIAV5 software and improvements reducing the risks of postures were recommended. Results: All of the 36 workers selected for the study were male with a mean age of 32 years and, average experience of 10 years, and 75% of workers had normal body mass index. The MSD questionnaire indicated discomfort of 86% mostly in the lower back portion of the body. The combined findings of RULA and REBA showed that about 44% of postures were in the high-risk group. Conclusion: Well-defined ergonomic interventions such as redesigning the workstation are suggested to reduce awkward postures and manual handling risks, leading to improvement in job performance and productivity.

Morphing cholinesterase inhibitor amiridine into multipotent drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

The search for novel drugs to address the medical needs of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an ongoing process relying on the discovery of disease-modifying agents. Given the complexity of the disease, such an aim can be pursued by developing so-called multi-target directed ligands (MTDLs) that will impact the disease pathophysiology more comprehensively. Herewith, we contemplated the therapeutic efficacy of an amiridine drug acting as a cholinesterase inhibitor by converting it into a novel class of novel MTDLs. Applying the linking approach, we have paired amiridine as a core building block with memantine/adamantylamine, trolox, and substituted benzothiazole moieties to generate novel MTDLs endowed with additional properties like N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor affinity, antioxidant capacity, and anti-amyloid properties, respectively. The top-ranked amiridine-based compound 5d was also inspected by in silico to reveal the butyrylcholinesterase binding differences with its close structural analogue 5b. Our study provides insight into the discovery of novel amiridine-based drugs by broadening their target-engaged profile from cholinesterase inhibitors towards MTDLs with potential implications in AD therapy.

Efficient characterization of blinking quantum emitters from scarce data sets via machine learning

Single photon emitters are core building blocks of quantum technologies, with established and emerging applications ranging from quantum computing and communication to metrology and sensing. Regardless of their nature, quantum emitters universally display fluorescence intermittency or photoblinking: interaction with the environment can cause the emitters to undergo quantum jumps between on and off states that correlate with higher and lower photoemission events, respectively. Understanding and quantifying the mechanism and dynamics of photoblinking is important for both fundamental and practical reasons. However, the analysis of blinking time traces is often afflicted by data scarcity. Blinking emitters can photo-bleach and cease to fluoresce over time scales that are too short for their photodynamics to be captured by traditional statistical methods. Here, we demonstrate two approaches based on machine learning that directly address this problem. We present a multi-feature regression algorithm and a genetic algorithm that allow for the extraction of blinking on/off switching rates with ⩾85% accuracy, and with ⩾10× less data and ⩾20× higher precision than traditional methods based on statistical inference. Our algorithms effectively extend the range of surveyable blinking systems and trapping dynamics to those that would otherwise be considered too short-lived to be investigated. They are therefore a powerful tool to help gain a better understanding of the physical mechanism of photoblinking, with practical benefits for applications based on quantum emitters that rely on either mitigating or harnessing the phenomenon.

Readiness, resilience, and engagement: Analyzing the core building blocks of online education

AbstractContemporary educational research has increasingly highlighted the necessity and significance of online education and its effects on student engagement and academic success. However, it’s noteworthy that there is still a gap in the growing literature regarding the student-related factors that influence individuals’ engagement and achievement in online education. This study sought to investigate the effects of students’ online learning readiness in online learning engagement with the mediating role of academic resilience in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey design was employed based on the data from a total of 3550 undergraduates studying at state universities in six provinces across the eastern, central, and western regions of Türkiye. Structural equation modeling was conducted to estimate the complex relationships proposed in the model through AMOS 26. The findings demonstrated that students’ online learning readiness has a moderate but statistically significant direct effect on engagement in online learning, as well as had a significant and moderate effect on academic resilience. Furthermore, the results indicated that academic resilience plays a crucial role as a significant mediator in the relationship between students’ online learning readiness and online learning engagement. The current study also confirmed the conceptual model built on the variables that have notable impacts on students’ academic achievement. This research, one of the first in its field, furnishes empirical evidence on a conceptualized set of relationships and offers insights for policy makers, curriculum developers and practitioners to consider the significant student-related factors in terms of design, development, and delivery of online courses.