Life Cycle Integration of Building Information Modeling in Infrastructure Projects

Building Information Modeling (BIM) can provide solutions to many challenges of asset management, such as missing data, incompatible software, and an unclear business process. However, current implementation of BIM in infrastructure projects has only considers limited factors, such as technology application and digital information delivery, while issues of system compatibility and information needs are still missing. Different aspects of a business are interdependent and an incompatible development of various factors might result in different levels of BIM implementation or even project failure. Comprehensive research is needed to explore the key factors and challenges of BIM implementation in infrastructure projects. This study conducted interviews and surveys with key stakeholders of infrastructure projects to explore the challenges and potential solutions of BIM implementation. Interviews were conducted with 37 professionals and surveys were conducted with 102 professional stakeholders, including owners, designers, contractors, and software vendors. Four main factors, challenges, and potential solutions were identified from content analysis of the interviews and further validated by the surveys. These factors include process factor (when), technology factor (how), people factor (who), and information factor (what). Corresponding solutions are proposed to refine the current workflow and practices

Life Cycle Integration of Building Information Modeling in Infrastructure Projects

Building Information Modeling (BIM) can provide solutions to many challenges of asset management, such as missing data, incompatible software, and an unclear business process. However, current implementation of BIM in infrastructure projects has only considers limited factors, such as technology application and digital information delivery, while issues of system compatibility and information needs are still missing. Different aspects of a business are interdependent and an incompatible development of various factors might result in different levels of BIM implementation or even project failure. Comprehensive research is needed to explore the key factors and challenges of BIM implementation in infrastructure projects. This study conducted interviews and surveys with key stakeholders of infrastructure projects to explore the challenges and potential solutions of BIM implementation. Interviews were conducted with 37 professionals and surveys were conducted with 102 professional stakeholders, including owners, designers, contractors, and software vendors. Four main factors, challenges, and potential solutions were identified from content analysis of the interviews and further validated by the surveys. These factors include process factor (when), technology factor (how), people factor (who), and information factor (what). Corresponding solutions are proposed to refine the current workflow and practices

Evaluation of Infrastructure-based Warning System on Driving Behaviors-A Roundabout Study

Smart intersections have the potential to improve road safety with sensing, communication, and edge computing technologies. Perception sensors installed at a smart intersection can monitor the traffic environment in real time and send infrastructure-based warnings to nearby travelers through V2X communication. This paper investigated how infrastructure-based warnings can influence driving behaviors and improve roundabout safety through a driving-simulator study - a challenging driving scenario for human drivers. A co-simulation platform integrating Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) and Webots was developed to serve as the driving simulator. A real-world roundabout in Ann Arbor, Michigan was built in the co-simulation platform as the study area, and the merging scenarios were investigated. 36 participants were recruited and asked to navigate the roundabout under three danger levels (e.g., low, medium, high) and three collision warning designs (e.g., no warning, warning issued 1 second in advance, warning issued 2 seconds in advance). Results indicated that advanced warnings can significantly enhance safety by minimizing potential risks compared to scenarios without warnings. Earlier warnings enabled smoother driver responses and reduced abrupt decelerations. In addition, a personalized intention prediction model was developed to predict drivers' stop-or-go decisions when the warning is displayed. Among all tested machine learning models, the XGBoost model achieved the highest prediction accuracy with a precision rate of 95.56% and a recall rate of 97.73%.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figure

FDDM1 and FDDM2, Two SGS3-like Proteins, Function as a Complex to Affect DNA Methylation in Arabidopsis

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification required for the specific regulation of gene expression and the maintenance of genome stability in plants and animals. However, the mechanism of DNA demethylation remains largely unknown. Here, we show that two SGS3-like proteins, FACTOR OF DNA DEMETHYLATION 1 (FDDM1) and FDDM2, negatively affect the DNA methylation levels at ROS1-dependend DNA loci in Arabidopsis. FDDM1 binds dsRNAs with 50 overhangs through its XS (rice gene X and SGS3) domain and forms a heterodimer with FDDM2 through its XH (rice gene X Homology) domain. A lack of FDDM1 or FDDM2 increased DNA methylation levels at several ROS1-dependent DNA loci. However, FDDM1 and FDDM2 may not have an additive effect on DNA methylation levels. Moreover, the XS and XH domains are required for the function of FDDM1. Taken together, these results suggest that FDDM1 and FDDM2 act as a heterodimer to positively modulate DNA demethylation. Our finding extends the function of plant-specific SGS3-like proteins

A novel electrode with multifunction and regeneration for highly efficient and stable symmetrical solid oxide cell

Authors acknowledge financial support from National Key Research & Development Project (2016YFE0126900), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51672095, U1910209), and China Scholarship Council (201806160178). The work is also partially supported by State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mould Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (P2019-004).Symmetrical solid oxide cells (SSOCs) have been extensively recognized due to their simple cell configuration, low cost and reliability. High performance electrode is the key determinant of SSOCs. Herein, a multifunctional perovskite oxide La0.6Ca0.4Fe0.8Ni0.2O3-δ (LCaFN) is investigated as electrode for SSOCs. The results confirm that LCaFN shows excellent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2-RR) and hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) catalytic activity. In SOFC mode, the SSOCs with LCaFN achieve good electrochemical performance with maximum power density of 300 mW cm−2 at 800 °C. For pure CO2 electrolysis in SOEC mode, polarization resistance of 0.055 Ω cm2 and current density of 1.5 A cm−2 are achieved at 2.0 V at 800 °C. Besides, the cell shows excellent stability both in SOFC mode and SOEC mode. Most importantly, SSOCs with symmetrical LCaFN electrodes show robust and regenerative performance under anodic or cathodic process during the switching gas, showing the great reliability of the SSOCs. The results show that this novel electrode offers a promising strategy for operation of SSOCs.PostprintPeer reviewe

Achieving strong coherency for a composite electrode via one-pot method with enhanced electrochemical performance in reversible solid oxide cells

We greatly appreciate the financial support from the National Key Research & Development Project (2020YFB1506304, 2017YFE0129300), National Natural Science Foundation of China (52072135), and China Scholarship Council (201806160178).The oxygen electrode with a fast oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and sufficient durability plays a pivotal role in reversible solid oxide cells (RSOCs). Here, we demonstrate a NdBa0.5Ca0.5Co1.5Fe0.5O5+δ@Gd0.1Ce0.9O2−δ (NBCCF@GDC) composite oxygen electrode via a one-pot method for exhibiting strong coherency, which result in boosting the electrochemical performance of RSOCs. The NBCCF@GDC electrode yields a very low polarization resistance (0.106 Ω-cm2 at 800 °C), high electrolysis current density (1.45 A cm–2 with 70 vol % absolute humidity at 1.3 V), and high power density (∼1.3 W cm–2 at 800 °C) and shows excellent reversibility and stability. Notably, strong coherency in these NBCCF@GDC composite materials was successfully revealed by HT-XRD, XPS, STEM, and EELS. The phase contiguity and interfacial coherence between NBCCF and GDC increase the Co oxidation state and the number of active sites, which enhanced the electrocatalytic activity for perovskites. Overall, this work demonstrates a highly desirable strategy for the production of functionalized electrodes for next-generation reversible solid oxide cells.PostprintPeer reviewe

Boosting CO2 electrolysis performance : via calcium-oxide-looping combined with in situ exsolved Ni-Fe nanoparticles in a symmetrical solid oxide electrolysis cell

Financial support from National Key Research & Development Project (2016YFE0126900), National Natural Science Foundation of China (51672095), Hubei Province (2018AAA057) and the EPSRC Capital for Great Technologies Grant EP/L017008/1. We are grateful to the China Scholarship Council for funding (201806160178).The electrocatalysis of CO2 to valuable chemical products is an important strategy to combat global warming. Symmetrical solid oxide electrolysis cells have been extensively recognized for their CO2 electrolysis abilities due to their high efficiency, low cost, and reliability. Here, we produced a novel electrode containing calcium oxide-looping and in situ exsolved Ni–Fe nanoparticles by performing a one-step reduction of La0.6Ca0.4Fe0.8Ni0.2O3−δ (LCaFN). The CO2 captured by CaO was electrolyzed in situ by the Ni–Fe nanocatalysts. The cell with this special cathode showed a higher current density (0.632 A cm−2vs. 0.32 A cm−2) and lower polarization resistance (0.399 Ω cm2vs. 0.662 Ω cm2) than the unreduced LCaFN cathode at 800 °C with an applied voltage of 1.3 V. Use of the developed novel electrode offers a promising strategy for CO2 electrolysis.PostprintPeer reviewe

Ten golden rules for optimal antibiotic use in hospital settings: the WARNING call to action

Antibiotics are recognized widely for their benefits when used appropriately. However, they are often used inappropriately despite the importance of responsible use within good clinical practice. Effective antibiotic treatment is an essential component of universal healthcare, and it is a global responsibility to ensure appropriate use. Currently, pharmaceutical companies have little incentive to develop new antibiotics due to scientific, regulatory, and financial barriers, further emphasizing the importance of appropriate antibiotic use. To address this issue, the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery established an international multidisciplinary task force of 295 experts from 115 countries with different backgrounds. The task force developed a position statement called WARNING (Worldwide Antimicrobial Resistance National/International Network Group) aimed at raising awareness of antimicrobial resistance and improving antibiotic prescribing practices worldwide. The statement outlined is 10 axioms, or “golden rules,” for the appropriate use of antibiotics that all healthcare workers should consistently adhere in clinical practice

A Novel Digital Closed Loop MEMS Accelerometer Utilizing a Charge Pump

This paper presents a novel digital closed loop microelectromechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer with the architecture and experimental evaluation. The complicated timing diagram or complex power supply in published articles are circumvented by using a charge pump system of adjustable output voltage fabricated in a 2P4M 0.35 µm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process, therefore making it possible for interface circuits of MEMS accelerometers to be integrated on a single die on a large scale. The output bitstream of the sigma delta modulator is boosted by the charge pump system and then applied on the feedback comb fingers to form electrostatic forces so that the MEMS accelerometer can operate in a closed loop state. Test results agree with the theoretical formula nicely. The nonlinearity of the accelerometer within ±1 g is 0.222% and the long-term stability is about 774 µg