Integrity Measurement Research Articles

No fences, good neighbors: measuring and explaining integration in European cross-border regions

ABSTRACT EU cross-border regions are defined as living laboratories of European integration by scholars and EU institutions. Nonetheless, on the research agenda of EU studies, the study of integration in cross-border regions is not central. Moreover, the dearth of explanatory research has hampered a comprehensive understanding of the determinants of cross-border integration. This article fills these gaps conceptually, theoretically, and empirically. It introduces a new conceptualization anchored in classic integration theories and a new measurement of integration in all 2014–2020 Interreg A programmes. Furthermore, by drawing on a post-functionalist framework and based on multiple linear regression analysis, the study shows that identity pressures, particularly linguistic proximity and a pro-European sentiment, and contextual effects, notably regional authority, are significantly positively correlated with cross-border integration, all other things being equal. The paper thus not only reveals to what extent cross-border regions are integrated but also which explanatory factors are associated with cross-border integration.

Radon Concentration Assessment in Urban Romanian Buildings: A Multistory Analysis

Radon (Rn 222) is a significant contributor to natural radiation exposure in residential environments such as single-family houses and multistory buildings. This study monitored radon activity concentration (RAC) in 455 apartments in 30 multistory buildings in Buzău, Romania. Integrated measurements of the RAC using CR-39 nuclear track detectors were conducted for a period of 3 to 4 months. The results revealed that the RAC varies between buildings, with an annual average between 33 and 77 Bq/m3. This variation may be attributed to poor ventilation and the chimney effect in common ventilation ducts, which may facilitate radon displacement vertically. Also, apartments with low occupancy or inadequate ventilation showed higher radon levels of up to 285 Bq/m3. The study highlights the potential risk of increased radon exposure in energy-efficient buildings due to poor ventilation, emphasizing the need for special attention to radon mitigation measures in building design. The results emphasize that the RAC is influenced by building characteristics, room use, and ventilation, with significant implications for health risks in urban residential environments.

Long-Term Afterglow Measurement of Scintillators after Gamma Irradiation

The long-term afterglow of scintillators is an important aspect, especially when the light signal from a scintillator is evaluated in the current mode. Scintillators used for radiation detection exhibit an afterglow, which usually comes from multiple components that have different decay times. A high level of afterglow usually has a negative influence on the detection parameters for the energy resolution in spectrometry measurements or X-ray and neutron imaging. The paper deals with the long-term afterglow of some types of scintillators, which is more significant for integral measurement when the current is measured in a photodetector. The range of decay times studied was in the order of tens of seconds to days. Seven types of scintillators were examined: BGO, CaF2(Eu), CdWO4, CsI(Tl), LiI(Eu), NaI(Tl), and plastic scintillator. The scintillators were excited by gamma-ray radiation. After irradiation, the detection unit, along with the scintillator, was moved to a laboratory where the anode current of the photomultiplier tube was measured using a picoammeter for at least a day. The measurements showed that CdWO4 and plastic scintillators have relatively low long-term afterglow signals in comparison to the other scintillators studied.

IMPMH, direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy for detection of water vapour under “Optically thick Condition”

Water vapour plays a crucial role in atmospheric processes. Hence, monitoring the altitude-related variations in water vapour properties is important to decipher atmospheric processes. Direct tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (dTDLAS) measures the concentration and temperature of gas molecules by scanning the rotation-vibration absorption lines using a high-spectral-resolution laser. In this study, we devised an integrated measurement and data processing method (integrative measurement and processing method for hygrometry, IMPMH) to enhance the in-situ airborne measurement capability of dTDLAS. We measured a wide range (240–18,000 ppm) of water vapour concentrations, aiming for atmospheric measurements in a highly water-saturated regime, called the “optically thick condition”. For recovering the full absorption spectra, the “integrative area” was defined and a difference factor D, which is the distance between two spectral regions with width corresponding to the half width of half maximum of the Voigt profile, was used to calculate the area. From the data, the low-bound concentration was measured to be 244 ppm. At D = 1.8, the transition concentration to the “optically thick condition” was measured to be 5,800 ppm. By increasing D from 1.8 to 2.8, the measurable upper-bound concentration increased to 17,993 ppm. IMPMH was applied to the measured data to estimate the final absorber density or water vapour concentration. The estimation was well-fitted with the measured detector signal with signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of ∼ 300 of the residual spectrum, promising its applicability to in-situ airborne measurements. To validate IMPMH, the water vapour concentration range was divided into two regimes: (1) optically thick (5,800 < c < 18,000 ppm) and (2) optically thin (c < 5,800 ppm) conditions. Under the optically thick condition, IMPMH was validated by comparing the results between the short and long-path cells. In the optically thin condition, IMPMH was validated through comparison with the general dTDLAS method. Lastly, long-term stability of the dTDLAS system was validated by measuring 10 different concentrations (240–18,000 ppm) for 1000 s by characterising the precision and SNRs of the residual. The results demonstrate that IMPMH significantly enhances the in-situ airborne measurement capability of dTDLAS under both optically thick and thin conditions. Furthermore, requirements for the implementation of IMPMH in airborne measurement were investigated considering four aspects—sampling, low-pressure measurement, accuracy and precision, and multiplex detection. The results were examined with regard to atmospheric implications.

Influence of pre-torsion strengthening on the fatigue properties of 45 CrNiMoVA ultra-high strength steel

Aiming at the demand for fatigue life improvement of 45CrNiMoVA ultra-high strength steel shaft parts, a pre-torsion strengthening process using a combination of two different angles before and after was proposed based on the mechanisms of strain hardening, fine grain strengthening and dislocation strengthening. Through surface integrity measurement, torsional fatigue test and fatigue fracture characterization of the specimens, the main surface integrity factors affecting the fatigue life of the pre-torsion strengthening were analyzed. The results indicated that the grain size was refined and the plastic deformation was increased by the two-angle pre-torsion strengthening compared with the single-angle pre-torsion strengthening. The obtained surface residual compressive stress σx was the main factor affecting the fatigue life of pre-torsion strengthening, and the change in pre-torsion angle results in a significant secondary strengthening layer in the subsurface layer of the material. In summary, the study of the pre-torsion strengthening process with different combinations of angles has a guiding significance for improving the fatigue life of ultra-high strength steel.

Ion sensors based on organic semiconductors acting as quasi-reference electrodes

Thin-film devices that transduce the chemical activity of ions into electronic signals are essential components in various applications, including healthcare diagnostics and environmental monitoring. Combinations of organic semiconductors (OSCs) and ion-selective materials have been explored for developing solution-processable ion sensors. However, the necessity of reference electrodes (REs) and operational stability in ion-permeable OSCs have posed questions regarding whether reliable measurements with thin-film components are attainable with OSCs. Herein, we report electric double-layer transistors (EDLTs) with OSCs in single-crystal forms for ion sensing. Our EDLTs demonstrated high operational stability, with a one-to-one relationship between the source electrode potential and device resistance, and served as quasi-REs (qRE). When our EDLT is served as qRE, its drift was as small as 0.5 mV/h and comparable to that of commonly employed REs. In our system, the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is self-passivated by the alkyl chains of OSCs in single-crystal structures, with the two-dimensional transport layer appearing unaltered upon gating. EDLT arrays with ion-selective and nonselective liquid junctions enable ion concentration sensing without a conventional RE. These findings provide opportunities to develop thin-film devices based on OSCs for easy integration and reliable measurements.

Comparison of feed-forward control strategies for simplified vertical hopping model with intrinsic muscle properties

To analyse walking, running or hopping motions, models with high degrees of freedom are usually used. However simple reductionist models are advantageous within certain limits. In a simple manner, the hopping motion is generally modelled by a spring-mass system, resulting in piecewise smooth dynamics with marginally stable periodic solutions. For a more realistic behaviour, the spring is replaced by a variety of muscle models due to which asymptotically stable periodic motions may occur. The intrinsic properties of the muscle model, i.e. preflexes, are usually taken into account in three complexities-constant, linear and Hill-type. In this paper, we propose a semi-closed form feed-forward control which represents the muscle activation and results in symmetrical hopping motion. The research question is whether hopping motions with symmetric force-time history have advantages over asymmetric ones in two aspects. The first aspect is its applicability for describing human motion. The second aspect is related to robotics where the efficiency is expressed in term of performance measures. The symmetric systems are compared with each other and with those from the literature using performance measures such as hopping height, energetic efficiency, stability of the periodic orbit, and dynamical robustness estimated by the local integrity measure (LIM). The paper also demonstrates that the DynIn MatLab Toolbox that has been developed for the estimation of the LIM of equilibrium points is applicable for periodic orbits.

Pre-natal and early life lead exposure and childhood inhibitory control: an item response theory approach to improve measurement precision of inhibitory control

BackgroundNeurodevelopmental performance tasks are often separately analyzed, even when they tap into a similar construct. This may yield mixed findings for associations of an exposure-neurobehavioral outcome. We develop an item response theory (IRT) approach to integrate multiple task variables together to improve measurement precision of the underlying construct. We apply this approach to create an integrative measure of childhood inhibitory control, and study impacts of pre/post-natal lead exposure.MethodsUsing data from a prospective cohort based in Mexico (N = 533), we created an inhibitory control scale that integrates accuracy and reaction time information from four inhibitory control tasks (Go/NoGo Letter, Go/NoGo Neutral, Go/NoGo Happy, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS) Color-Word Interference Test, Condition 3). Using a generalized partial credit item response theory model, we estimated an inhibitory control index for each participant. We then assessed adjusted associations between umbilical cord blood and 4-year lead and childhood inhibitory control. We developed a resampling approach to incorporate error estimates from the inhibitory control variable to confirm the consistency of the lead-inhibitory control associations. We modeled time-varying associations of lead with each inhibitory control measure separately.ResultsParticipants had a median age of 9 years; 51.4% were males. Umbilical cord blood [-0.06 (95% CI: -0.11, -0.01)] and 4-year lead [-0.07 (95% CI: -0.12, -0.02)] were associated with inhibitory control index at 8–10 years. A resampling approach confirmed that 4-year lead was consistently associated with childhood inhibitory control index. Umbilical cord blood and 4-year lead were each associated with 3 out of 8 measures in separate models.ConclusionThis is the first application of IRT in environmental epidemiology to create a latent variable for inhibitory control that integrates accuracy and reaction time information from multiple, related tasks. This framework can be applied to other correlated neurobehavioral assessments or other phenotype data.

Can We Succeed with Inclusive Education for Sámi Pupils?

Since Norwegian compulsory education increasingly recognises Sámi rights and the Sámi as an Indigenous people, the question of how we can provide inclusive education for Sámi pupils by recognising Sámi culture in teaching remains. I argue in this literary research, that inclusive education, both as a concept and as a practice in school, stems from a pathological field, targeting individual needs, and therefore misses the target when educating pupils with an Indigenous cultural belonging. Inclusion as a concept centres on practices such as fellowship, participation, equal access, quality, equity and justice, but its legacy is anchored in individual needs, influencing how we think about inclusion and implementing inclusive measures. This way of thinking still guides the national strategy for inclusive education but will not be sufficient for Sámi pupils, since they, as a group, are not disabled. So-called inclusive measures will rather enhance the integration of Sámi pupils into the Norwegian framework of schooling defined by the majority’s expectations for fellowship, participation and so forth. While Indigenous inclusion takes integrative measures which uphold the status quo, thus dependent on a majority perspective, indigenising has an Indigenous baseline. I argue that non-Sámi society needs to re-contextualise itself towards the Sámi society if we want an education for all.

Increasing the Growth of Bridal Tears Flower Stem Cuttings (Antigonon leptopus) by providing Plant Growth Regulators and Planting Media

It is imperative to implement integrated control measures for Oil Palm Leaf-Eating Caterpillars (UPDKS), as continual chemical management can result in pest resistance and environmental degradation. Utilizing natural enemies for biological control involves the utilization of predators, pest-consuming animals, as well as parasites or bacteria with pathogenic properties against pests. Examples of predators, including Sycanus leucomesus and Eocanthecona furcellata, egg parasitoids, such as Trichogrammatidea thoseae, and larval parasites, such as Chaetexorista javana, are a few of the many types of organisms that can have an impact on the populations of their prey. These indigenous predators sustain themselves by feeding on host plants within their natural habitat. The bridal tears flower (Antigonon leptopus) is considered to be one of the host plants. Thus, it is imperative to promote the growth of Antigonon leptopus in order to provide a habitat for the natural predators of the UPDKS pest. The objective of this research was to identify the components of the planting medium and to establish the most effective concentration of growth regulators for propagating bridal tears stem cuttings (Antigonon leptopus). The research was conducted at the Indonesian Palm Oil Technology Institute (ITSI) Practice Garden in Medan, North Sumatra. The research was conducted over three months, from February to April 2024. The Factorial Randomized Block Design (RAK) method was employed, with the first factor, namely S (Planting Media), comprising three levels: Top Soil without solid, Top Soil with 20% Solid, and Top Soil with 40% Solid. The second factor, namely Plant Growth Regulators, was also treated with three levels: without plant growth regulators, concentration of 100 Mg/l, and concentration of 200 Mg/l. Thus, the study comprises nine treatment combinations, each with four replications. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) table is employed to assess the significance of the observed differences, with the Duncan multiple range test (DMRT) conducted at a 5% level of significance when warranted.The findings from the research indicated that the manipulation of the planting medium composition (S) had a notable impact on the number of leaves, number of roots, and fresh weight of the roots. Additionally, it was found to have a highly significant influence on the height of the shoots. The optimal composition of the planting medium was identified as S2. The manipulation of growth regulators (R) concentration had a notable impact on shoot height and root fresh weight, as well as a highly significant effect on the number of leaves and roots. R2 exhibited the most optimal concentration of growth regulators. The growth of Antigonon leptopus stem cuttings was not affected by the combination of planting medium composition (S) and growth regulator concentration (R) in a non-interacting manner.

Virtual screening reveals fluorescent probes for detecting Pan-Zinc center activity in serum MMPs: A potential biomarker for early tumor screening

Early tumor screening is pivotal for enhancing tumor treatment efficacy and patient survival rates, yet identifying reliable biomarkers for early detection remains a challenge. Previous studies have explored different isoforms of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in serum for their predictive value in tumor, but their results have been inconsistent. Herein, we introduce a novel fluorescent probe, C9 (N-oxide-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid), designed to specifically label the pan zinc center activity of MMPs (PZCA-MMPs), which in a sense represents the overall MMPs activity in serum. The rational design of fluorescent probe C9 is based on its ability to bind the zinc ions in the structure of MMPs, facilitated by the oxides on hydroxyl (–OH) and nitro oxide (N→O) groups present in C9, as supported by theoretical calculations such as Gaussian and Schrödinger. Experimental validation confirmed its efficacy for detecting PZCA-MMPs in vitro and for fluorescence imaging of MMPs’ zinc ions in cellular contexts, validated through absolute integrated fluorescence intensity measurements at 510 nm. We also demonstrated through in vitro fluorescent analysis that neither metal ions nor abundant serum proteins such as albumin (BSA) and other metalloproteins interfere with the signal response of C9. Notably, in comparative analysis of serum samples from healthy controls and breast tumor patients, PZCA-MMPs showed a highly discriminatory area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.9377, surpassing established tumor biomarkers such as CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, and CA72-4. In particular, for tumor patients, PZCA-MMPs can effectively distinguish between metastatic and non-metastatic patients (*P<0.05). Therefore, this provides a potential alternative biomarker for tumor screening. Future studies aim to further elucidate the clinical utility of PZCA-MMPs using a broader spectrum of clinical samples.

Could the Early Detection of Atrial Fibrillation Reduce the Risk of Developing Dementia?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and dementia are major global public health issues and share common risk factors, especially after the age of 65 and regardless of the presence of stroke. Despite accounting for potential confounders, AF appears to be an independent risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia. The mechanisms are likely to be multifactorial and may include AF-related ischemic stroke, cerebral hypoperfusion, microbleeds, systemic inflammation, genetic factors, and small vessel disease, leading to brain atrophy and white matter damage. The early aggressive management of AF and comorbidities may reduce the risk of dementia. Indeed, the early detection of AF-related cognitive impairment should allow for the early implementation of measures to prevent the development of dementia, mainly through integrative approaches involving the correction of risk factors and maintenance of rhythm control. Well-designed prospective studies are needed to determine whether early detection and AF treatment can prevent dementia and identify whether optimal integrative measures are effective in preventing cognitive impairment and dementia.

Supply chain integration capability: A three-stage circular model of visibility, agility, and flexibility

This paper presents supply chain capabilities in a three-stage circular model. Different from most studies exploring supply chain integration (SCI) from the perspective of processes, this paper studies SCI from a holistic approach. By applying dynamic capability view (DCV), this study develops a measurement of SCI capability based on the three-stage circular model. The scale items were drawn from existing literature. A survey study gathered 187 responses from firms in New Zealand. Factor analysis was conducted to validate the measurement of supply chain integration in the New Zealand businesses. The paper defines the SCI capability as a second-order construct including several well-studied dynamic capabilities such as visibility, agility, and flexibility. The three-stage circular model enables firms to learn, response, and reconfigure to achieve rapid continuous improvement in supply chains. This paper provides new insights and practical implications in SCI and supply chain capability studies and practices in the Industry 4.0 era.

Integrative Proteomics-Metabolomics of In Vitro Degeneration of Cardiovascular Cell Lines.

Long-term cell culture is an important biological approach but is also characterized by degeneration in cellular morphology, proliferation rate, and function. To explore this phenomenon in a systematic way, we conducted an integrative proteomics-metabolomics measurement of two cardiovascular cell lines of AC16 and HUVECs. The 18th culturing passages, i.e., G18, showed as the turning points by cell metabolism profiles, in which the metabolomic changes demonstrated the dysfunction of energy, amino acid, and ribonucleotide metabolism metabolic pathways. Although active protein networks showed mitochondria abundance AC16 and oxidative/nitrative sensitive HUVECs indicated the different degeneration patterns, the G18 and G30 proteomics evidenced the senescence by processes of signal transduction, signaling by interleukins, programmed cell death, cellular responses to stimuli, cell cycle, mRNA splicing, and translation. Some crucial proteins (RPS8, HNRNPR, SOD2, LMNB1, PSMA1, DECR1, GOT2, OGDH, PNP, CBS, ATIC, and IMPDH2) and metabolites (L-glutamic acid, guanine, citric acid, guanosine, guanosine diphosphate, glucose 6-phosphate, and adenosine) that contributed to the dysregulation of cellular homeostasis are identified by using the integrative proteomic-metabolomic analysis, which highlighted the increased cellular instability. These findings illuminate some vital molecular processes when culturing serial passages, which contribute holistic viewpoints of in vitro biology with emphasis on the replicative senescence of cardiovascular cells.

Evaluating the performance of farmer-managed fruit trees in participatory homestead trials of semi-arid Ethiopia: the case of East Shoa Zone, Oromia

ABSTRACT The growth of farmer-managed tree seedlings (FMTS) is pramount to impact agroforestry technology adoption. This paper presents the performances of FMTS of 3 avocado varieties (Hass, Ettinger and Fuerte) and one papaya variety (Solo) in three districts (Dugda, Adamitulu, and Lome). Thirty-six trials were established (12 trials per district) in 36 homsteads selected purposively. Each homestead was considered as a block in RCBD. Watering frequency was found higher in Dugda than the remaining districts. Seedling survival exhibited significant differences (α<0.05) among varieties with in and across districts. Survival of Solo papaya was significantly higher (α<0.05) at Dugda (91%) than in Adamitulu and Lome. Hass avocado reveled significantlly higher survival (91%) at Dugda than Ettinger and Fuerte across districs. Significant differences in Plot Volume Index (PVI, an integrative growth measurement) among varieties within and across districts indicated that seedling growth was influenced by variety, planting site and, watering fequency. PVI of Hass at Dugda was significantly higher (by 35% and 110%) than that of Ettinger and Fuerte, respectively. PVI of Solo Papaya at Dugda was significantly higher (α<0.05). Hass was found promising avocado variety for planting locations considered, and frequent watering was found crucial for good growth of the tested plant varieties.

Pulsed Wire Method for Field Integral Measurement at SSRF

Pulsed Wire Method for Field Integral Measurement at SSRF

Ferroelectric Al0.85Sc0.15N and Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Domain Switching Dynamics.

The capability to reliably program partial polarization states with nanosecond programming speed and femtojoule energies per bit in ferroelectrics makes them an ideal candidate to realize multibit memory elements for high-density crossbar arrays, which could enable neural network models with a large number of parameters at the edge. However, a thorough understanding of the domain switching dynamics involved in the polarization reversal is required to achieve full control of the multibit capability. Transient current integration measurements are adopted to investigate the domain dynamics in aluminum scandium nitride (Al0.85Sc0.15N) and hafnium zirconium oxide (Hf0.5Zr0.5O2). The switching dynamics are correlated to the crystal structure of the films. The contributions of domain nucleation and domain wall motion are decoupled by analyzing the rate of change of the time-dependent normalized switched polarization. Thermally activated creep domain wall motion characterizes the Al0.85Sc0.15N switching dynamics. The statistics of independently nucleating domains and the domain wall creep motion in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 are associated with the spatially inhomogeneous distribution of local switching field due to polymorphism, absence of preferential crystallite orientation, as well as defects and charges that can be located at the grain boundaries. The c-axis texture, single-phase nature, and strong likelihood of less fabrication process-induced defects contribute to the homogeneity of the local switching field in Al0.85Sc0.15N. Nonetheless, defects generated and redistributed upon bipolar electric field switching cycling result in Al0.85Sc0.15N domain wall pinning. The wake-up effect in Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 is explained thorough the continuous addition of switchable regions associated with two independent distributions of characteristic switching times.

Prevalence of hypertension, blood pressure control and influencing factors in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu Province

Objective: To understand the prevalence, blood pressure control, and influencing factors of hypertension in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu Province, and provide data support and basis for hypertension prevention and treatment. Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was adopted to conduct community population surveys in 22 districts and counties in 12 prefectures in Jiangsu from 2021 to 2022. A total of 123 531 permanent residents aged 35-75 years were included in the study. The questionnaire survey collected the information about the demographic characteristics, disease history, lifestyle, and control of hypertension of study subjects. Statistical software SPSS 23.0 was used for χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and Joinpoint 4.9.1.0 software was used to evaluate the trend of age change. Results: The standardized prevalence of hypertension in study subjects was 46.60%, the prevalence was higher in men than in women, and in rural residents than in urban residents, and the standardized blood pressure control rate was 11.24%, and it was lower in men than in women and in rural residents than in urban residents. The hypertension prevalence and control rates showed increasing trends with age (both P<0.001). The multivariate analysis results showed that being man, older age, being rural resident, higher frequency of alcohol consumption, marital status of being separated and widowed, overweight and obese, abdominal obesity and stroke, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemic diseases histories, and family history of hypertension were risk factors for hypertension, and being man, being rural resident, living north area, higher frequency of alcohol consumption, and obesity were risk factors for blood pressure control. Conclusions: The prevalence of hypertension in residents aged 35-75 years in Jiangsu was high, and the rate of blood pressure control was low. It is suggested to take integrated intervention measures, especially in in rural residents and people with low levels of education to reduce the disease burden of the patients.

Intelligent carbon-based TRC as self-strain sensor

Abstract: This study investigates the monitoring capabilities of a carbon yarn embedded in a cementitious matrix as an intelligent strain sensor by means of a gauge factor (GF). In the proposed configuration, the yarn simultaneously functions as the structural system and as the sensory platform, yielding efficient and intelligent concrete elements. The concept of the smart self-sensory system is based on monitoring changes in the electrical properties of the carbon yarn, namely: resistance, inductance, or impedance, and correlating them to the structural health. These capabilities were investigated in carbon yarns that were inserted within textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) structural elements, in which the correlation yielded important information in the macro-structural level. The integrative measurements were used to estimate the structural state associated with cracking and straining along the element. Yet, to fully understand the structural-electrical mechanism and to further enhance the development of the smart carbon-based sensor, it is essential to explore the electrical-micro-structural mechanism at the component level. Therefore, the study offers to explore the correlation between straining and cracking at the component level by means of GF. Separately investigating strained or cracked zones at the yarn’s level will provide vital information on the monitoring capabilities of the carbon yarn. To answer these goals, the study will perform an experimental investigation of carbon-based TRC elements subjected to a designated pull-out test based on a uniaxial tensile setup. The proposed setup aims to correlate between changes in the electrical properties characterizing the carbon yarn and the micro-structural mechanism associated with the degradation of the structural health associated with the propagation of the crack. The outcomes of this study aim to enhance the understanding of the structural-electrical correlation, which paves the way for the development of intelligent strain sensors for TRC structures.

Understanding Economic Integration in Immigrant and Refugee Populations: A Scoping Review of Concepts and Metrics in the United States

In an increasingly mobile world, the integration of immigrants and displaced individuals is an important factor in creating cohesive and inclusive societies. Integration has different dimensions; this scoping review examines the conceptualization and measurement of economic integration among immigrants and refugees in the United States. Quantitative peer-reviewed journal papers measuring or conceptualizing the economic integration of first-generation documented adult immigrants or refugees in the United States, as well as relevant conceptual or theory papers on this topic, were included in the review. The search strategy included an online search of the Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts (ASSIA), and EconLit. Additional search strategies included scanning the reference lists of studies identified as relevant in the initial database search. An analysis of 72 studies included in the review using a data extraction table reveals seven key domains of economic integration: income and economic security, employment and occupational categories, assets and use of financial services, neighborhood and housing, health, education, and use of public assistance. Income and economic security emerged as the most common indicators of integration in the reviewed studies. Notably, less than half of the reviewed publications had a multidimensional approach to defining or measuring economic integration, and the majority of studies were focused on immigrants, with a smaller proportion dedicated to refugees. This review emphasizes the need for comprehensive frameworks in assessing economic integration among immigrants and refugees, reflecting the multifaceted nature of their economic integration experiences.