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The construction industry has been trying to enhance the level of digitalization and autonomy by adopting various communication and information technologies (ICT), e.g., augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), robotics, drones, or building information modeling (BIM). However, improvement of the safety and productivity in their domains is still a struggle. One of the main reasons for failing to accelerate their digital transformation is ignoring the deep understanding of the concept of digital twin, its usage, and the potential benefits of digital twins in the construction industry. Therefore, this paper investigated the impacts and potentials of digital twins on the construction industry through a quantitative systematic review assisted by the text mining method. The study presented the potential usability of digital twins, leading and core technologies, and applications, revealing their benefits and potential for optimizing project planning, execution, and management process. Through this comprehensive literature review, this study elucidated the distinctive features, advantages, and immense potential that digital twins bring to the construction field. The findings highlight the transformative impact of digital twins, providing critical insights for their broader adoption and groundbreaking applications in the industry. By addressing the challenges of adopting this technology, the article provided valuable insights for advancing research and the broad implementation of digital twins in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding climatic effect on wildlife is essential to prediction and management of climate change's impact on the ecosystem. The climatic effect can interact with other environmental factors. This study was aimed to determine effects of climate and altitude on Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus activity in temperate forests of South Korea. We conducted camera trapping to investigate roe deer's activity level from spring to fall. Logistic regressions were used to determine effects of diel period, temperature, rain, and altitude on the activity level. A negative relationship was noted between temperature and the activity level due to thermoregulatory costs. Roe deer activity exhibited nocturnal and crepuscular patterns during summer and the other seasons, respectively, possibly due to heat stress in summer. In addition, the effect of temperature differed between high‐ and low‐altitude areas. In low‐altitude areas, temperature affected negatively the activity level throughout the study period. Conversely, in high‐altitude areas, temperature affected activity level only in summer and early fall. Lower temperatures in higher altitudes favoured roe deer activity, resulting in roe deer's preference towards higher altitude areas. However, roe deer's movement toward lower altitudes was observed in summer. Reduced heat stress by changing activity pattern allowed them to access lower altitude areas with greater resource availability during summer. This study revealed how roe deer activity varied across seasons and altitudes, considering the interactions among weather, microclimate and resource availability. It provides insight into how montane species adapt to various climatic conditions, and this could have important implications for wildlife management and conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource selection is fundamental to understanding the ecology of a species because it is directly related to its survival and reproduction. The scale-dependent process for the habitat use of Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) was investigated in temperate forest to determine their resource priorities. Since imperfect detectability of fecal pellet count method can lead to false zeroes and overdispersion issues, we accounted for these issues using a zero-inflated model. The abundance of roe deer was constant between the deciduous forest and larch plantation. This might be due to the high productivity of temperate forest in the study area. However, the microhabitat use by roe deer differed between the forest types because of resource availability. Roe deer exhibit consistent pattern of microhabitat use in the larch plantations, while they exploited higher food quality in deciduous forests. Due to high resource availability, including food and covers, in larch plantation, habitat use of deer may not be limited by spatial variation on the resources. Moreover, we con- firmed that weather, forest type, and ground conditions affected spatiotemporal variation in fecal pellet detection on a habitat and microhabitat scale. The zero-inflated model could make the fecal pellet count method more efficient and reliable without additional field surveys by correcting the detectability of fecal pellets. This simple statistical model can facilitate future research on ungulate and lagomorph populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus is known for enhancing peripheral nerve regeneration through targeting nerve growth factor (NGF) neurotrophic activity. Here, we purified and identified biologically new active compounds from H. erinaceus, based on their ability to promote neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons. N‐de phenylethyl isohericerin (NDPIH), an isoindoline compound from this mushroom, together with its hydrophobic derivative hericene A, were highly potent in promoting extensive axon outgrowth and neurite branching in cultured hippocampal neurons even in the absence of serum, demonstrating potent neurotrophic activity. Pharmacological inhibition of tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) by ANA‐12 only partly prevented the NDPIH‐induced neurotrophic activity, suggesting a potential link with BDNF signaling. However, we found that NDPIH activated ERK1/2 signaling in the absence of TrkB in HEK‐293T cells, an effect that was not sensitive to ANA‐12 in the presence of TrkB. Our results demonstrate that NDPIH acts via a complementary neurotrophic pathway independent of TrkB with converging downstream ERK1/2 activation. Mice fed with H. erinaceus crude extract and hericene A also exhibited increased neurotrophin expression and downstream signaling, resulting in significantly enhanced hippocampal memory. Hericene A therefore acts through a novel pan‐neurotrophic signaling pathway, leading to improved cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The body mass of animals is directly or indirectly affected by multiple ecological factors. However, the effects of ecological factors on the body mass are controversial, and a comprehensive study dealing diverse ecological factors is rare. This study was performed to determine the effects of ecological factors on the body mass of small rodents in a natural deciduous forest located on Mt Gariwang, Pyeongchang and Jeongseon, South Korea from May 2019 to October 2020. We classified ecological factors into topographic, climatic, cover and demographic factors. Three forest‐dwelling small rodent species, striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius, Korean field mouse A. peninsulae and red‐backed vole Myodes regulus, were captured using the capture–mark–recapture method. The findings showed that the body mass of three rodent species was not regulated by topographic factors. In addition, a high ambient temperature resulted in a heavy body mass for A. agrarius and A. peninsulae, and the A. agrarius body mass was negatively affected by extreme rainfall. The body mass of each rodent species had a specific response to the cover factors: ground vegetation, understory vegetation or downed trees. The three species showed sexual dimorphism and two Apodemus species competed each other. This study reveals that ecological factors affecting body mass differ among species. Our findings contribute to enhancing the understanding of variation in the body mass of animals, particularly small rodents, in response to diverse ecological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the development of mountain areas has recently increased in Korea, existing roads are being renovated, and new highways are being constructed, which increases driving speeds in mountainous areas. However, the mountainous region in northeastern Korea is more likely to form black ice due to higher humidity, frequent fog, and hillshade, depending on the terrain, which can cause serious traffic pileups. In this study, therefore, we present a method to build a more effective black ice prediction and warning system by linking spatial information to the existing road management system that estimates the road surface temperature based on real-time weather information. The spatial information enabled a prediction to be made of the risk level of black ice formation for each time zone by simulating changes in the shadow area based on precise 3D terrain information. Moreover, this information also presented slope and curvature information of the road to estimate the risk zone. The spatial information was integrated with weather data to predict road surface temperature. The proposed system was tested in two mountainous regions with weather data accumulated from 2017 to 2018. As a result, the proposed system anticipated 71% of traffic accidents caused by black ice during the testing period. The results show that the system can contribute significantly to preventing black-ice-related traffic accidents by providing reasonable predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effects of altitudinal gradients on small-rodent populations and microhabitat conditions. We selected three altitudinal bands: lowland, mid-land, and highland. We captured three small-rodent species, the striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius), the Korean field mouse (A. peninsulae), and the red-backed vole (Myodes regulus). A. agrarius preferred microhabitats with dense ground vegetation and sparse mid-story vegetation, basal area, downed trees, and stone coverage. A. peninsulae utilized ground vegetation, overstory vegetation, and downed trees. M. regulus occupied microhabitats with abundant stone coverage and little ground vegetation coverage. Ground vegetation coverage was higher in the mid-land. The lowland was characterized by high understory vegetation, bulky downed trees, and high stone coverage. A. agrarius mostly occupied the mid-land, whereas A. peninsulae and M. regulus mainly inhabited the lowland. Our results show that each small-rodent species had its own strategy for utilizing the key habitat factors in altitudinally affected microhabitats and for reducing competition among the populations. This finding contributes to improving knowledge of the ecological altitudinal features of microhabitat conditions, as well as the altitudinal distributions and abundances of three small-rodent species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the sett characteristics and habitat variables of the Asian badger Meles leucurus in a temperate forest in South Korea. Logistic regression models were utilized to explain the effects of habitat variables on the location of badger setts. The presence of rocks and trees nearby and of dense ground vegetation and sub-overstory vegetation were correlated positively with sett location. Abundance of setts was higher in deciduous forest compared with coniferous forest, mixed forest and non-forest. The animals showed a preference for a steeper slope of sett location, which likely allows for easier removal of soil during sett settling, as well as improved drainage in that area. In low and high altitudinal areas disturbed by humans, a lower abundance of setts was found. Thus, selection of sett location was strongly influenced by structures around the setts, vegetation cover, forest type, slope and altitude. These variables should be considered and handled carefully though forest management for the conservation of the mammals and their habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forestry practices can lead to changes in wildlife habitat that could have lasting effects on the distribution of species. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of forestry practices on habitat variables and habitat use by mammals in three different stands (control, clear-cut and clear-cut with reserves) in a Japanese larch Larix kaempferi plantation from April to October in 2016 and 2017. We recorded the presence of field signs for the following six mammal species: Korean hare Lepus coreanus, raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, Eurasian badger Meles meles, water deer Hydropotes inermis, roe deer Capreolus pygargus and wild boar Sus scrofa. Habitat variables significantly differed among three stands. Field sign (feces, foot prints and feeding signs) abundances of mammals showed significant differences between the control and clear-cut stands. Moreover, field sign abundances of all species were highest in the clear-cut with reserves stand. We calculated the impact of clear-cutting on habitat use by mammals using GLMMs. Both clear-cutting in the models were significant and had positive coefficients on habitat use by Korean hare, raccoon dog, deer and wild boar. In Eurasian badger models, only clear-cutting with reserves show positive impacts on habitat use. Habitat selection by forest edge species such as Korean hare and deer showed dependence on understory structure. Abundant understory in the clear-cut with reserves stand may not only provide vegetative food and cover for herbivores but also small prey species for omnivores and carnivores. The results of our study show that forest understory is one of the most instrumental factors mitigating the effects of clear-cutting on habitat use by mammal and it should, therefore, be given due importance in forestry practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we set out to determine the cascade effects of slope gradient on ground vegetation and small-rodent populations in a forest ecosystem. We focused on two forest-dwelling small rodents with different habitat requirements, the striped field mouse Apodemus agrarius (preferring dense ground vegetation) and the Korean field mouse A. peninsulae (dense forest and woodland). The study area comprised natural deciduous forests and Japanese larch Larix kaempferi plantations in South Korea. The abundance of A. agrarius but not that of A. peninsulae was related to slope gradient. There was a negative effect of slope gradient on ground vegetation coverage and a positive effect of ground vegetation on A. agrarius populations. Our results highlight that the population of A. agrarius was indirectly influenced by the negative effects of slope gradient on ground vegetation. Slope gradient can, therefore, be a limiting factor in the microhabitats occupied by small rodents. This study reveals a critical role for slope gradient since it can modify not only microhabitat conditions, but also small-rodent populations, and this finding can contribute to improved microhabitat management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviewed efficient bridge management using UAVs (Unmanned Arial Vehicles) that have much potential for facility maintenance such as the possibility of regular inspection on inaccessible parts of bridges, easy operation regardless of the operators' specialty, and economic maintenance. For this study, images were obtained from a UAV and a 3D viewer was created with them for the work efficiency of bridge inspectors, so that the inspectors can see and check inaccessible areas regardless of inspector's location. It compared various existing inspection methods for problems such as cracks, efflorescence and leakage with the UAV inspection method to analyze the work efficiency as well as sustainable economic benefit. The main purpose of this study was to figure out whether the proposed inspection using the images from the UAV and 3D viewer can replace the existing inspection methods that cannot be performed easily and analyze the economic benefit of the new method. The study result showed that the UAV image-based bridge maintenance and inspection is possible even though it was found inefficient when images of uneven quality were provided depending on operation of the UAV. Therefore, a UAV operation manual that can help generate images of even quality must be produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the influence of tree thinning on the abundance of mammals in a Japanese larchLarix kaempferiplantation in Mt Gariwang, Pyeongchang, South Korea. In 2014 and 2015, from April to October, we recorded the presence of tracks as a proxy for abundance, for the following seven mammalian species: Korean hareLepus coreanus, raccoon dogNyctereutes procyonoides, Siberian weaselMustela sibirica, Eurasian badgerMeles meles, water deerHydropotes inermis, roe deerCapreolus pygargus, and wild boarSus scrofa. We also assessed how the intensity of tree thinning affected vegetation cover; there were significant differences in number of standing trees, basal area, coverage of vegetation layers, and number and volume of downed trees among the control, moderately thinned, and intensively thinned stands. We found significant differences in the abundance of tracks among the stands for three mammal species. In four mammal species, the abundance of track was significantly correlated with volume of downed trees, coverage of ground vegetation, number of downed trees, and number of standing trees, according to stepwise analysis. The presence and abundance of mammals is linked to habitat variables and forest managers should consider how habitat modifications will affect wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

GNSS signal multipath occurs when the GNSS signal reflects of objects in the antenna environment and arrives at the antenna via multiple paths. A bridge environment is one that is prone to multipath with the bridge structure, as well as passing vehicles providing static and dynamic sources of multipath. In this paper, the Wavelet Transform (WT) is applied to bridge data collected on the Machang cable stayed bridge in Korea. The WT algorithm was applied to the GNSS derived bridge defection data at the mid-span. Up to 41% improvement in RMS was observed afterwavelet shrinkage de-noisingwas applied.Application of this algorithm to the torsion data showed significant improvement with the residual average and RMS decreased by 40% and 45% respectively. This method enabled the generation of more accurate information for bridge health monitoring systems in terms of the analysis of frequency, mode shape and three dimensional defections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat germ is rich in quinones that exist as glycosides. In this study, we used Celluclast 1.5L to release the hydroxyquinones, which turn into benzoquinone, and prepared the water extract from enzyme-treated wheat germ (EWG). We investigated whether enzyme treatment altered the anti-inflammatory activity compared to the water extract of untreated wheat germ (UWG). UWG inhibited the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin (IL)-12 and induced the production of IL-10 and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. Enzyme treatment resulted in greater inhibition of iNOS and IL-10 and induction of HO-1 compared to UWG, possibly involving the modulation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB, activator protein 1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2). Mice fed UWG or EWG had decreased serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and increased serum IL-10 levels after intraperitoneal injection of LPS, with UWG being more effective for IL-10 and EWG more effective for TNF-α. Hepatic HO-1 gene was only expressed in mice fed EWG. We provide evidence that enzyme treatment is a useful biotechnology tool for extracting active compounds from wheat germ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four compounds, hericerin (1), isohericerinol A (2), N -de-phenylethyl isohericerin (3) and corallocin A (4) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Hericium erinaceus, a lion's mane mushroom (Hericiaceae). Among them, isohericerinol A (2) was newly reported in nature. Further investigation of the neurotrophic effect of isolated compounds demonstrated that isohericerinol A (2) strongly increased the nerve growth factor (NGF) production in C6 glioma cells followed by corallocin A (4) and hericerin (1). Increased NGF production by these compounds promoted the neurite outgrowth in N2a neuronal cells. Western blot analysis also showed the increased protein expression of NGF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and synaptophysin (SYP) in C6-N2a cells. Taken together, our present study characterized the neurotrophic constituents of H. erinaceus , which may support the potential use of memory improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]