bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Takıntılı Tüketim: Tek Ürüne Yönelik Kompulsif Satın Alma Davranışı
Authors: ALİÇAVUŞOĞLU Çiğdem , BOYRAZ Elif
Published: April 2019

Tüketiciler satın alma süreçlerinde
rasyonellikten ziyade duygusal dürtülerle hareket ederek kompulsif satın alma
davranışında bulunmaktadır. Kompulsif satın alma davranışında satın alma isteği
tüketicinin hayatını ele geçirmiş ve bir bağımlılık halini almıştır. Kompulsif
satın alımlarda ihtiyaç ürüne değil kontrol edilemeyen dürtüyü gidermeye
yöneliktir. Satın alma sonrasında tüketici maddi ve manevi olarak zor duruma
girmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı pazarlama literatüründe nadir rastlanan
konulardan biri olan kompulsif satın alma davranışını ve tüketicilerin
takıntılı olduğu ürünleri incelemektir. Bu amaç kapsamında yüzyüze anket
yöntemi ile kolayda örneklemeyle belirlenen 268 tüketiciden veri toplama yoluna
gidilmiştir. Elde edilen verilerin analizinde açıklayıcı faktör, bağımsız iki
örneklem t testi, tek yönlü varyans analizinden faydalanılmıştır. Açıklayıcı
faktör analizi sonucunda kompulsif satın alma davranışı alışveriş zevki için
alışveriş, bütçeyi aşan alışveriş, olumsuz sosyalleşme, hipnotize alışveriş ve
pişmanlık olmak üzere beş faktör altında toplanmıştır. Tüketicilerin giyim,
aksesuar ve elektronik ürünlerinde diğer ürün gruplarına kıyasla daha çok
kompulsif satın alımlarda bulunduğu tespit edilmiştir.
Öğretmen Atama Kriterlerine İlişkin Pedagojik Formasyon Eğitimi Öğrencilerinin Görüşleri
Authors: POLAT Hakan , ÖZDEMİR Tuncay Yavuz , DEMİRKOL Murat
Published: April 2019

Bu araştırmada öğretmen atama kriterlerine
ilişkin pedagojik formasyon öğrencilerinin görüşleri incelenmiştir. Araştırmada
nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olgu bilim deseni kullanılmıştır. çalışma
grubunu Fırat Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesinde pedagojik formasyon eğitimi alan
çeşitli fakültelerden öğrencilerin oluşturduğu 52 kişi oluşturmaktadır. Elde
edilen veriler üzerinde içerik analizi uygulanmış ve çalışmada katılımcıların
örnek görüşlerine yer verilmiştir. Araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre; öğrenciler
KPSS’nin öğretmen atamaları için yeterli bir ölçme aracı olmadığını, bu sınavla
akademik başarının dikkate alındığını Öğretmen adaylarının alan bilgilerinin
ölçülmesi açısından alan sınavının gerekli olduğunu ifade etmişlerdir. Sözlü
sınavın adam kayırma ve adaletsizliğe neden olduğunu, bu nedenle gereksiz
olduğunu ifade etmişlerdir. Atanacak öğretmenlerde anlatım becerisi, alan
bilgisi, kişilik özellikleri ve iletişim becerilerinin dikkate alınması
gerektiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
Üstün Yetenekli Öğrenciler ile Normal Gelişim Gösteren Öğrencilerin Fen Öz-Yeterliklerinin Sınıf Düzeyine Göre İncelenmesi
Authors: SARAÇOĞLU Sibel , ŞENGÜL YILDIRIM Kübra , BEKTAŞ Oktay
Published: April 2019

Araştırmada normal gelişim gösteren ve üstün yetenekli ortaokul
öğrencilerinin fen özyeterliklerine sınıf düzeyinin etkisi incelenmiştir.
Çalışmaya normal gelişim gösteren 443 (111 beşinci sınıf, 112 altıncı sınıf,
112 yedinci sınıf, 108 sekizinci sınıf) 
ve üstün yetenekli 191 (49 beşinci sınıf, 30 altıncı sınıf, 68 yedinci
sınıf, 44 sekizinci sınıf) öğrenci olmak üzere toplam 634 öğrenci katılmıştır.
Veri toplama aracı olarak Fen Bilimleri Özyeterlik Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Sınıf
düzeyinin üstün yetenekli ve diğer ortaokul öğrencilerinin fen bilimleri
özyerlikleri üzerindeki etkisinin incelenmesi için Tek Yönlü Varyans Analizi
(ANOVA) ve Tukey testi kullanılmıştır. Analizler sonucunda normal gelişim
gösteren ortaokul öğrencilerinin fen özyeterliklerinin sınıf düzeyi ile
farklılaştığı (F(3-439)=23.1, p<.05), beşinci sınıf
öğrencilerinin özyeterliklerinin altı, yedi ve sekizinci sınıf öğrencilerine
göre, altıncı sınıf öğrencilerinin özyeterliklerinin yedi ve sekizinci sınıf
öğrencilerine göre anlamlı düzeyde daha yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. Yedinci ve
sekizinci sınıf öğrencilerinin özyeterlikleri arasındaki fark anlamlı değildir.
Yapılan araştırmada normal gelişim gösteren öğrenciler açısından sınıf
düzeyinin öğrencilerin fen bilimleri özyeterlikleri üzerinde anlamlı düzeyde
etkisi olduğu belirlenmiştir (ƞ2=0.14). 
Üstün yetenekli öğrencilerde ise sınıf düzeyi ile fen bilimleri
özyeterlikleri  arasındaki farklılaşma
sadece altıncı ve yedinci sınıflar arasında anlamlı olup altıncı sınıf
lehinedir. Diğer grupların özyeterlikleri arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı
bir farklılık bulunmamıştır (F(3-187)=2.57, p>.05). Ayrıca üstün
yetenekli öğrenciler açısından sınıf düzeyi öğrencilerin özyeterlikleri
üzerinde düşük etki büyüklüğüne sahiptir (ƞ2=0.04). Bu sonuçlar normal gelişim gösteren
öğrencilerde sınıf düzeyi arttıkça öğrencilerin özyeterliklerinde bir düşüş olduğunu,
üstün yetenekli öğrencilerde ise altıncı sınıflar hariç olmak üzere
özyeterliklerinin sınıf düzeyi ile anlamlı düzeyde değişmediğini
göstermektedir.
Yabancı Dil Öğrenme Zorlukları Ölçeğinin Geçerlik ve Güvenirlik Çalışması
Authors: BAYIR Murat , YEŞİL Rüştü
Published: April 2019

Bu araştırmanın amacı, yabancı dil öğrenmede üniversite öğrencilerinin yaşadıkları öğrenimsel zorlukları belirlemede kullanılabilecek geçerli ve güvenilir bir ölçek geliştirmektir. Araştırma nicel ve betimsel bir çalışma özelliği taşımaktadır. Araştırmanın örneklemi, Kırgız-Türk Manas Üniversitesi Yabancı Dil Hazırlık Eğitimi alan 495 öğrenciyi kapsamaktadır. Veriler 36 maddeyi içeren taslak ölçek formu ile toplanmıştır. Araştırma sonunda 5 faktör altında toplanmış 29 maddeyi içeren beşli likert tipi bir ölçek geliştirilmiştir. Ölçeğe “Yabancı Dil Öğrenme Zorlukları Ölçeği (YDÖZÖ) adı verilmiştir. Ölçeğin KMO değeri 0,937; Bartlett Testi değerlerinin x2=5707,914; sd=46; p<0,001’dir. Ölçeğin geçerlik özelliği açımlayıcı faktör analizi ve ayırt edicilik analizi ile incelenmiştir. Ölçek maddelerinin faktör yükleri 0,45 ve üzerindedir. Açıklanan toplam varyans miktarı ise %54,821’dir. Madde toplam korelasyonu katsayıları p<,001 düzeyinde anlamlıdır. Ölçeğin güvenirlik incelemesi kapsamında ise tutarlık ve kararlılık özelliği incelenmiştir. Ölçeğin Cronbach alpha güvenirlik katsayısı 0,923 olarak belirlenmiştir. Kararlılık analizi ise iki ölçüm arasındaki ilişki incelenerek test edilmiştir. Analiz sonunda her bir madde ve faktörlere ilişkin kararlılık katsayılarının p<,001 düzeyinde anlamlı olduğu belirlenmiştir.
Difusi Adopsi Teknologi Pendederan Ikan Patin pada Kelompok Pembudidaya Ikan di Kabupaten Purwakarta
Authors: Hanan Abdul
Published: April 2019

Tujuan penelitian adalah menganalisis kecepatan penerapkan probiotik (Bakteri Lactobacillus) sebagai suatu inovasi pada pendeder ikan patin ditinjau dari aspek atribut inovasi dan atribut adopster. Difusi inovasi terkait dengan factor sugesti (pengaruh/kepercayaan), identifikasi (penelaahan) serta faktor imitasi (peniruan), dan ciri-ciri dari inovasi yang disampaikan, serta gencarnya promosi dari inovasi tersebut. Hasil kaji terap sebagai atribut inovasi pH 7,84 dan DO 5,61, panjang ikan 7,81 cm, dengan berat 3,90, dengan SR 99,8%, sedangkan tanpa probiotik panjang 5,17 cm dengan berat 1,16 gr, dengan SR 75%. Sedangkan atribut pengadopsi ingkat peniruan oleh sasaran pada minggu ke 9 sejak diperkenalkan inovasi terdapat 10 orang, pada tarap kepercayaan 0,05 berkorelasi dengan pengalaman usaha (0,399*) dan keinovatifan sasaran (0,395*) pada tarap nyata 0,05. Faktor pendifusi berkotrelasi dengan kredibiltas (0,367*) serta daya tarik (0,389*)
Pengaruh Pengunaan Probiotik Lactobacillus brevis dan Prebiotik Oligosakarida (Fructooligosakarida-Galaktoologosakarida) Terhadap Gambaran Darah Patin Siam (Pangasionodon Hypophtalmus) yang Diinfeksi Aeromonas Hydrophila
Authors: Eliyani Yuke , Widanarni Widanarni , Wahjuningrum Dinamella
Published: April 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemberian probiotik Lactobacillus brevis, prebiotik oligosakarida (Fructooligosakarida- Galaktooligosakarida) terhadap nilai hemoglobin, hematokrit serta diferensial leukosit patin siam (Pangasionodon hypophthalmus) yang diinfeksi bakteri Aeromonas hydrophila. Uji yang dilakukan meliputi persiapan bakteri probiotik dan A.hydrophila, analisis prebiotik (oligosakarida), uji in vitro, dan uji in vivo. Parameter uji yang diamati selama penelitian adalah hemoglobin, hematokrit, serta diferensial leukosit. Penelitian terdiri dari lima perlakuan dengan masing-masing tiga ulangan, yaitu kontrol (+), kontrol (-), pemberian probiotik (Pro), pemberian prebiotik (Pre), pemberian probiotik ditambah prebiotik (Sin). Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dengan satu faktor. Data dianalisis dengan sidik ragam (ANOVA) pada selang kepercayaan 95%. Perbedaan antar perlakuan dilanjutkan dengan uji Duncan menggunakan program Xl-stat. Hasil pengamatan pada parameter hemoglobin, hematokrit, serta diferensial leukosit, berbeda nyata (p<0.05) dengan kontrol pada beberapa waktu pengamatan.
Perkembangan Karir Terhadap Kepuasan Kerja Penyuluh Perikanan di Badan Ketahanan Pangan Pelaksana Penyuluhan Pertanian Perikanan dan Kehutanan Kabupaten Bogor
Authors: Sobariah Sobariah
Published: April 2019

Upaya meningkatkan kepuasan kerja penyuluh perikanan banyak factor yang perlu mendapat perhatian, yaitu pengembangan karier dari penyuluh tersebut. pengembangan karir dapat meningkatkan kepuasan kerja bagi penyuluh perikanan sebagai tenaga fungsuional dibidangnya. sehingga berdampak positif dalam lingkungan ekternal instansi tersebut yakni peningkatan kepercayaan masyarakat dalam pemberian penyuluhan dan transfer teknologi bidang pertanian umumnya dan perikanan khususnya.berdasarkan hal tersebut, dilakukan penelitian tentang pengembangan karir dan kepuasan kerja penyuluh. adapun tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui sejauhmana pengaruh pengembangan karir terhadap kepuasan kerja penyuluh perikanan di badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann kabupaten bogor, dengan menggunakan metode deskriptif eksploratif. berdasarkan penelitian yang dilakukan mengenai pengaruh pengembangan karier terhadap kepuasan kerja di badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann terhadap 51 orang penyuluh perikanan dari 209 orang pegawai dan hasil pengolahan data terhadap variabel bebas pengembangan karier (x) serta variabel terikat kepuasan kerja (y) badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann diperoleh data hitung yang dapat diambil beberapa kesimpulan sebagai berikut: 1. hasil uji t variabel pengembangan karier (x) terhadap kepuasan kerja (y) pada badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann menunjukkan bahwa nilai thitung sebesar 8,407 dan ttabel sebesar 1,,588 pada level significants 0,05 dan probabilitas 0,000. hal ini berarti thitung = 8,407 > ttabel = 1,588, maka h0 ditolak dan ha diterima, berarti terdapat pengaruh pengembangan karier (x) terhadap kepuasan kerja (y) pada badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann kabupaten bogor. koefisien korelasi pengembangan karier (x) secara bersama-sama terhadap kepuasan kerja (y) pada badan ketahanan pangan pelaksana penyuluhan perikanan dan kehutanann adalah 0,876 sehingga diperoleh nilai koefisien determinasi sebesar 0,,876 atau 87,6%. hal ini berarti bahwa faktor-faktor lain di luar yang tidak diteliti namun berpengaruh juga adalah sebesar 12,4%.
Karakteristik dan Aktivitas Penyuluh Perikanan Swadaya (PPS) di Kabupaten Bogor
Authors: Susilawati Tuti
Published: April 2019

Kajian Identifikasi karakteristik dan Aktivitas penyuluh perikanan swadaya (PPS) di Kabupaten Bogor, dilaksanakan pada bulan Januari-Maret 2014. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis karakteristik dan aktivitas PPS di Kabupaten Bogor, dan menganalisis hubungan keduanya. Metode penelitian yang digunakan survei dan wawancara, yang merupakan sensus terhadap 31 orang responden PPS. Hasil analisis uji Pearson Chi Square dengan taraf kepercayaan σ=0.05 menunjukkan bahwa karakteristik internal/ pribadi dan karakteristik eksternal PPS secara parsial berhubungan nyata dengan aktivitas PPS.
The “rule of three” and the “callback”: How Comic Form in The Merry Wives of Windsor 4.1 May Help To Date Its Folio Text
Authors: Sokol B. J.
Published: April 2019

An analysis is undertaken of the comic techniques employed in Shakespeare's humorous portrayal of a private language lesson in The Merry Wives of Windsor. This reveals that this Folio-only Scene (4.1) teases and amuses by means of subtly and rhythmically combining several differing comedic modes and tactics. This combination makes its comic construction exceedingly complex. A private language lesson is also portrayed in Scene 3.4 of Shakespeare's King Henry V. There, just as in The Merry Wives 4.1, audiences meet incongruous misidentifications of only-apparently ribald bi-lingual cognates. The Henry V tutorial scene is however much less complex in its dramatic and comedic construction than the Merry Wives scene. It is next proposed that when he later revisited similar themes Shakespeare typically improved on his former handling of those materials. Combining that with the contrasting complexity of treatment in two similar tutorial scenes suggests that at least Scene 4.1 in The Merry Wives was composed later than Henry V, which would be in 1600 or later. This “corroborates” the proposals in other independent arguments to the same effect. There is finally a brief discussion of applications of the principle whereby probabilistic inductive arguments are bolstered when there is a “consilience” between independent lines of enquiry.
Palestine's Absent Cities: Gender, Memoricide and the Silencing of Urban Palestinian Memory
Authors: Hasan Manar
Published: April 2019

Before the Nakba a significant process of urbanisation had occurred in Palestine, leading to substantial changes in gender relations and women's status. However, following the 1948 war, the existence of a vibrant urban social and gendered reality in Palestine was dismissed and erased, by both Palestinian and Zionist narratives; it was replaced by exclusively rural memory. This article analyses how Palestinian society in Israel accepted the Zionist version of history, according to which the modernisation of Arab society in Israel, especially gendered modernity, resulted from Jewish proximity and steps adopted by the state.
Current State of Art of Diaminomalenonitrile Based Synthetic Receptors for Ion Sensing With Bio Applications: Mechanistic, Sensing and Photophysical Aspects
Authors: Kaloo Masood Ayoub , Bhat Bilal A
Published: April 2019

To the best of our knowledge, only a few number of single molecule based receptors
synthesized from Diaminomalenonitrile (DAMN) have been explored and developed as
highly selective and sensitive recognition motifs for cations and anions in a organic,
aqueous or mixed solvent system. The interaction between such receptors and ions has
been reported with remarkable alteration in absorption and fluorescence properties of the
molecule. The signal transduction is prompt, and attributed to the modulation of Internal
Charge Transfer (ICT) and/or Photo Induced Electron Transfer (PET) processes within
the molecule. In this review, we have compiled whole literature about recognition of
ions via DAMN based molecular receptors possessing biological applications including
live cell imaging. Emphasis has been diverted to summarize and briefly discuss signal
response, operation of solvent, selectivity, binding affinity and detection limit. In addition
to this, some of the crucial design considerations, such as choice of fluorophore, tuning
of electronic effects and mechanism of operation are momentarily discussed.
Lysine Methylation of Non-Histone Proteins
Authors: Baron Byron
Published: April 2019

Proteomics, or the large-scale study of protein structure and function, has
contributed greatly to our understanding of cellular biology and disease. Over time,
it has become apparent that the proteome is spatially, temporally, and chemically
dynamic allowing for the same protein to perform very different functions and fufill
completely unrelated roles in a cell through small chemical changes. This can be
described as epiproteomics (just as epigenetic are changes to DNA not encoded in the
DNA sequence) and mainly covers Post-Translational Modifications (PTMs) such as
phosphorylation, ubiquitination, acetylation or methylation, among over 200 or more.
Synthesis and Characterization of Te Doped ZnO Nanosheets For Photocatalytic Application
Authors: Shanmugam N , Suthakaran S , Kannadasan N , Sathish kumar K
Published: April 2019

In this paper, we report the synthesis of tellurium (Te) doped ZnO nanocrystals for photocatalytic applications. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infrared, photoluminescence and field emission scanning electron microscope are the techniques employed to characterize the properties of the prepared products. The photocatalytic activities of the undoped and doped ZnO are analyzed by the degradation of brilliant green (BG). The results of the degradation reveal that ZnO doped with Te has higher photocatalytic performance than undoped ZnO.
Spectrofluorimetric Study on Inclusion Interaction of β- Cyclodextrin with Bimatoprost: Challenging to Green Analytical Applications
Authors: I Walash Mohammed , Toubar Safaa , AbouEl-Alamin Maha M , A Elabd Maha , N Salama Nahla
Published: April 2019

Fluorescence study on inclusion interaction of bimatoprost in absence and presence of β-cyclodextrin shows significant increase in native fluorescence of bimatoprost in the presence of β-cyclodextrin. Fluorescence spectroscopy of host-guest interaction between bimatoprost and β-cyclodextrin shows formation of inclusion complex with 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. The changes of native fluorescence of bimatoprost on inclusion in the hydrophobic β-cyclodextrin cavity is used to calculate the association constant.The fluorimetric method was used for determination of bimatoprost in absence and presence of 1% (w/v) β-cyclodextrin. The studied drug shows native fluorescence at λem 285 after excitation at λex 217 nm in water. The quantum yield [QY] was calculated in absence and presence of β-CD and it was found to be increased from 0.26 to 0.31. The different experimental parameters affecting the fluorescence of the drug was carefully studied and optimized. Linearity was over the range of 25 – 250 ng/mL and 5 – 50 ng/mL in absence and presence of β-CD, respectively with detection limits of 0.05 and 0.006 ng/mL, and quantitation limits of 0.18, and 0.02 ng/mL in absence and presence of β-CD, respectively. The proposed methods were validated as per ICH guidelines, and were effectively applied to analysis of studied drug in its ophthalmic formulation. The results obtained were statistically compared with the reported method revealing high accuracy and good precision. The proposed methods are challenging to green. Qualitative and quantitative metrics revealed excellent eco-friendly fluorimetric method for application in QC laboratories.
Seasonal Variation in Diurnal Photosynthesis and Chlorophyll Fluorescence of Four Genotypes of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) under Irrigation Conditions in a Tropical Savanna Climate
Authors: Santanoo Supranee , Vongcharoen Kochaphan , Banterng Poramate , Vorasoot Nimitr , Jogloy Sanun , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Theerakulpisut Piyada
Published: April 2019

Photosynthesis performance during early vegetative growth is an important physiological trait determining yield of cassava, but limited information is currently available for the tropical savanna climate of Asia. Diurnal photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence of the three-month-old plants of four commercial cassava genotypes (Rayong 9, RY9; Rayong 11, RY11; Kasetsart 50, KU50 and CMR38-125-77) grown under irrigation, were investigated in three seasons i.e., rainy, cool and hot. The mean daily net photosynthetic rate (Pn) across genotypes in the rainy season (11.75 µmolCO2/m2/s) was significantly lower than that in the cool season (14.60 µmolCO2/m2/s). Daily mean Pn in the hot season was 14.32 µmolCO2/m2/s. In the rainy season, maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) and effective quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII) were significantly higher than the other seasons, while electron transfer rate (ETR) and non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) were significantly lower. Genotypic variation was observed during the hot season in which RY11 had the highest and CMR38-125-77 the lowest mean daily Pn. The prominent mechanism to avoid damages from stress during afternoon in the hot season was to reduce leaf temperature by enhancing transpiration for RY11; to close stomata early for RY9, and to increase NPQ for CMR38-125-77.
Low-Temperature Plasma Nitriding of Mini-/Micro-Tools and Parts by Table-Top System
Authors: Aizawa Tatsuhiko , Morita Hiroshi , Wasa Kenji
Published: April 2019

Miniature products and components must be surface treated to improve their wear resistance and corrosion toughness. Among various processes, low-temperature plasma nitriding was employed to harden the outer and inner surfaces of micro-nozzles and to strengthen the micro-springs. A table-top nitriding system was developed even for simultaneous treatment of nozzles and springs. A single AISI316 micro-nozzle was nitrided at 673 K for 7.2 ks to have a surface hardness of 2000 HV0.02 and nitrogen solute content up to 10 mass%. In particular, the inner and outer surfaces of a micro-nozzle outlet were uniformly nitrided. In addition, the surface contact angle increased from 40° for bare stainless steels to 104° only by low-temperature plasma nitriding. A stack of micro-nozzles was simultaneously nitrided for mass production. Micro-springs were also nitrided to improve their stiffness for medical application.
Compressed Learning of Deep Neural Networks for OpenCL-Capable Embedded Systems
Authors: Lee Sangkyun , Lee Jeonghyun
Published: April 2019

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have been quite successful in solving many complex learning problems. However, DNNs tend to have a large number of learning parameters, leading to a large memory and computation requirement. In this paper, we propose a model compression framework for efficient training and inference of deep neural networks on embedded systems. Our framework provides data structures and kernels for OpenCL-based parallel forward and backward computation in a compressed form. In particular, our method learns sparse representations of parameters using ℓ 1 -based sparse coding while training, storing them in compressed sparse matrices. Unlike the previous works, our method does not require a pre-trained model as an input and therefore can be more versatile for different application environments. Even though the use of ℓ 1 -based sparse coding for model compression is not new, we show that it can be far more effective than previously reported when we use proximal point algorithms and the technique of debiasing. Our experiments show that our method can produce minimal learning models suitable for small embedded devices.
Application of the Non-Contact Video Gauge on the Mechanical Properties Test for Steel Cable at Elevated Temperature
Authors: Du Yong , Gou Zhang-ming
Published: April 2019

As the limit of traditional contact measurement, it is difficult to precisely measure the steel cables twisted by a branch of wires especially at elevated temperature. In this paper the strain-stress relationships of S355 and S690 structural steel, 1860 MPa steel cable twisted by seven wires have been measured by the strain gauge, extensometer and non-contact video gauge at ambient temperature and elevated temperature, respectively. Comparison of the stress-strain curves gotten by different measuring technology, it indicates that the non-contact video gauge can provide a more efficient and reliable database than the strain gauge as well as extensometer, especially at an elevated temperature. It is worth noting that the non-contact video gauge can capture not only the full range of stress-strain curves of steel cables, but is also efficient for the specimens with a complex shape.
Antihypertensive Peptide Activity in Dutch-Type Cheese Models Prepared with Different Additional Strains of Lactobacillus Genus Bacteria
Authors: Garbowska Monika , Pluta Antoni , Berthold-Pluta Anna
Published: April 2019

The objective of this study was to determine the proteolytic activity of bacterial strains from the genus Lactobacillus and their capability in producing peptide inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in cheese models prepared with their addition. After 5 weeks of ripening, all cheese models studied were characterized by a high ability of angiotensin convertase inhibition which exceeded 80%. The use of the adjunct bacterial cultures from the genus Lactobacillus contributed to lower IC50 values compared with the value determined for the control cheese model. The proteolytic activity of model cheeses varied in their increase through the period of ripening, with changes in values dependent on the adjunct lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain used for cheesemaking. Starting from the first week of ripening, the lowest proteolytic activity was demonstrated for the control cheese models, whereas the highest activity throughout the ripening period was shown for the cheese models with the addition of Lb. rhamnosus 489.
An Improved SPEA2 Algorithm with Local Search for Multi-Objective Investment Decision-Making
Authors: Liu Xi , Zhang Dan
Published: April 2019

Enterprise investment decision-making should not only consider investment profits, but also investment risks, which is a complex nonlinear multi-objective optimization problem. However, traditional investment decisions often only consider profit as a goal, resulting in an incorrect decision. Facing the high complexity of investment decision-making space, traditional multi-objective optimization methods pay too much attention to global search ability because of pursuing convergence speed and avoiding falling into local optimum, while local search ability is insufficient, which makes it difficult to converge to the Pareto optimal boundary. To solve this problem, an improved SPEA2 algorithm is proposed to optimize the multi-objective decision-making of investment. In the improved method, an external archive set is set up separately for local search after genetic operation, which guarantees the global search ability and also has strong local search ability. At the same time, the new crossover operator and individual update strategy are used to further improve the convergence ability of the algorithm while maintaining a strong diversity of the population. The experimental results show that the improved method can converge to the Pareto optimal boundary and improve the convergence speed, which can effectively realize the multi-objective decision-making of investment.
A New Clear-Sky Method for Assessing Photosynthetically Active Radiation at the Surface Level
Authors: Wandji Nyamsi William , Blanc Philippe , Augustine John A. , Arola Antti , Wald Lucien
Published: April 2019

A clear–sky method to estimate the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) at the surface level in cloudless atmospheres is presented and validated. It uses a fast and accurate approximation adopted in several radiative transfer models, known as the k-distribution method and the correlated-k approximation, which gives a set of fluxes accumulated over 32 established wavelength intervals. A resampling technique, followed by a summation, are applied over the wavelength range [0.4, 0.7] µm in order to retrieve the PAR fluxes. The method uses as inputs the total column contents of ozone and water vapor, and optical properties of aerosols provided by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service. To validate the method, its outcomes were compared to instantaneous global photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) measurements acquired at seven experimental sites of the Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD) located in various climates in the USA. The bias lies in the interval [−12, 61] µmol m−2 s−1 ([−1, 5] % in values relative to the means of the measurements at each station). The root mean square error ranges between 37 µmol m−2 s−1 (3%) and 82 µmol m−2 s−1 (6%). The squared correlation coefficient fluctuates from 0.97 to 0.99. This comparison demonstrates the high level of accuracy of the presented method, which offers an accurate estimate of PAR fluxes in cloudless atmospheres at high spatial and temporal resolutions useful for several bio geophysical models.
Regional Climatic Features of the Arabian Peninsula
Authors: Patlakas Platon , Stathopoulos Christos , Flocas Helena , Kalogeri Christina , Kallos George
Published: April 2019

The climate of the Arabian Peninsula is characterized by significant spatial and temporal variations, due to its complex topography and the large-scale atmospheric circulation. Furthermore, the role of dust in the formation of regional climate is considered to be crucial. In this work, the regional climatology for the Arabian Peninsula has been studied by employing a high resolution state of the art atmospheric model that included sophisticated physical parameterization schemes and online treatment of natural aerosol particles. The simulations covered a 30-year period (1986–2015) with a temporal resolution of 3 h and a spatial distance of 9 km. The main focus was given to the spatial and temporal variations of mean temperature and temperature extremes, wind speed and direction, and relative humidity. The results were evaluated using in situ measurements indicating a good agreement. An examination of possible climatic changes during the present climate was also performed through a comprehensive analysis of the trends of mean temperature and temperature extremes. The statistical significant trend values were overall positive and increased over the northwestern parts of the examined area. Similar spatial distributions were found for the daily minimum and maximum temperatures. Higher positive values emerged for the daily maxima.
Curcuma raktakanda Induces Apoptosis and Suppresses Migration in Cancer Cells: Role of Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Mishra Shruti , Verma Sumit Singh , Rai Vipin , Awasthee Nikee , Arya Jayadev S. , Maiti Kaustabh K. , Gupta Subash C.
Published: April 2019

Although over 100 species of Curcuma are reported, only Curcuma longa is extensively studied. Curcuma raktakanda, a poorly studied species, is most commonly distributed in the Kerala state of India. For the first time, we examined the efficacy of different fractions (acetone, hexane, and ethyl acetate) of C. raktakanda against glioma, cervical, and breast cancer cell lines. As determined by mitochondrial reductase activity assay, the viability of cancer cells was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by the three fractions. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC-50) values after the treatment of C-6 glioma cells for 48 h was found to be 32.97 µg/mL (acetone extract), 40.63 µg/mL (hexane extract), and 51.65 µg/mL (ethyl acetate extract). Of the three fractions, the acetone fraction was more effective. The long-term colony formation of cancer cells was significantly suppressed by the acetone fraction. Analyses using DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining, AO/PI (acridine orange/propidium iodide) staining, DNA laddering, and sub-G1 population revealed that the acetone extract induced apoptosis in glioma cells. The extract induced reactive oxygen species generation and suppressed the expression of cell survival proteins. The migration of cancer cells was also suppressed by the acetone extract. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis indicated that tetracontane, dotriacontane, hexatriacontane, pentacosane, hexacosane, and eicosane are the major components in the acetone extract. Collectively, the extract from C. raktakanda exhibited anti-carcinogenic activities in cancer cells. We are exploring whether the phytoconstituents, individually, or collectively contribute to the anti-cancer activities of C. raktakanda.
Attention Network in Interpreters: The Role of Training and Experience
Authors: Nour Soudabeh , Struys Esli , Stengers Hélène
Published: April 2019

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship found between interpreting training and experience and the attentional network components: Alerting, orienting, and executive attention using the Attention Network Test (ANT). In the current study we tested three groups of interpreting students, translation students, and professional interpreters as specific forms of multilingual expertise. The student groups were tested longitudinally at the beginning and the end of their Master’s programme. The professional interpreters were tested only one point in time. The results showed different attention network dynamics for the interpreting students compared to the translation students regarding alertness and executive network. First, the interpreting students showed a higher conflict effect when the alert cue was presented as well as a reduced accuracy compared to translation students. Second, the interpreting training had less effect on alerting than the translation training. Finally, two student groups showed a faster response time in conflict effect than the professional interpreters. In contrast, the professional interpreters scored a higher accuracy than two-student groups specifically in an incongruent alert condition, which confirms that they used a different responding strategy.
The Rise of Office Design in High-Performance, Open-Plan Environments
Authors: Candido Christhina , Chakraborty Prithwi , Tjondronegoro Dian
Published: April 2019

This study aimed to identify key drivers behind workers’ satisfaction, perceived productivity, and health in open-plan offices while at the same time understanding design similarities shared by high-performance workspaces. Results from a dataset comprising a total of 8827 post-occupancy evaluation (POE) surveys conducted in 61 offices in Australia and a detailed analysis of a subset of 18 workspaces (n = 1949) are reported here. Combined, the database-level enquiry and the subset analysis helped identifying critical physical environment-related features with the highest correlation scores for perceived productivity, health, and overall comfort of the work area. Dataset-level analysis revealed large-size associations with spatial comfort, indoor air quality, building image and maintenance, noise distraction and privacy, visual comfort, personal control, and connection to the outdoor environment. All high-performance, open-plan offices presented a human-centered approach to interior design, purposely allocated spaces to support a variety of work-related tasks, and implemented biophilic design principles. These findings point to the importance of interior design in high-performance workspaces, especially in relation to open-plan offices.
Dysregulation of Gap Junction Function and Cytokine Production in Response to Non-Genotoxic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an In Vitro Lung Cell Model
Authors: Romo Deedee , Velmurugan Kalpana , Upham Brad L. , Dwyer-Nield Lori D. , Bauer Alison K.
Published: April 2019

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), prevalent contaminants in our environment, in many occupations, and in first and second-hand smoke, pose significant adverse health effects. Most research focused on the genotoxic high molecular weight PAHs (e.g., benzo[a]pyrene), however, the nongenotoxic low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs are emerging as potential co-carcinogens and tumor promoters known to dysregulate gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), activate mitogen activated protein kinase pathways, and induce the release of inflammatory mediators. We hypothesize that inflammatory mediators resulting from LMW PAH exposure in mouse lung epithelial cell lines are involved in the dysregulation of GJIC. We used mouse lung epithelial cell lines and an alveolar macrophage cell line in the presence of a binary PAH mixture (1:1 ratio of fluoranthene and 1-methylanthracene; PAH mixture). Parthenolide, a pan-inflammation inhibitor, reversed the PAH-induced inhibition of GJIC, the decreased CX43 expression, and the induction of KC and TNF. To further determine the direct role of a cytokine in regulating GJIC, recombinant TNF (rTNF) was used to inhibit GJIC and this response was further enhanced in the presence of the PAH mixture. Collectively, these findings support a role for inflammation in regulating GJIC and the potential to target these early stage cancer pathways for therapeutics.
Dysregulation of Natural Killer Cells in Obesity
Authors: O’Shea Donal , Hogan Andrew E.
Published: April 2019

Natural killer (NK) cells are a population of lymphocytes which classically form part of the innate immune system. They are defined as innate lymphocytes, due to their ability to kill infected or transformed cells without prior activation. In addition to their cytotoxic abilities, NK cells are also rapid producers of inflammatory cytokines such as interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and are therefore a critical component of early immune responses. Due to these unique abilities, NK cells are a very important component of host protection, especially anti-tumour and anti-viral immunity. Obesity is a worldwide epidemic, with over 600 million adults and 124 million children now classified as obese. It is well established that individuals who are obese are at a higher risk of many acute and chronic conditions, including cancer and viral infections. Over the past 10 years, many studies have investigated the impact of obesity on NK cell biology, detailing systemic dysregulation of NK cell functions. More recently, several studies have investigated the role of NK cells in the homeostasis of adipose tissue and the pathophysiology of obesity. In this review, we will discuss in detail these studies and focus on emerging data detailing the metabolic mechanisms altering NK cells in obesity.
Cross-Kingdom Small RNAs among Animals, Plants and Microbes
Authors: Zeng Jun , Gupta Vijai Kumar , Jiang Yueming , Yang Bao , Gong Liang , Zhu Hong
Published: April 2019

Small RNAs (sRNAs), a class of regulatory non-coding RNAs around 20~30-nt long, including small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), are critical regulators of gene expression. Recently, accumulating evidence indicates that sRNAs can be transferred not only within cells and tissues of individual organisms, but also across different eukaryotic species, serving as a bond connecting the animal, plant, and microbial worlds. In this review, we summarize the results from recent studies on cross-kingdom sRNA communication. We not only review the horizontal transfer of sRNAs among animals, plants and microbes, but also discuss the mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) signal transmission via cross-kingdom sRNAs. We also compare the advantages of host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) and spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) technology and look forward to their applicable prospects in controlling fungal diseases.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Review of Methodologies and Report of Our Experience as a Regional Reference Laboratory
Authors: Liao Chun-Hua , Chang Ming-Yuh , Ma Gwo-Chin , Chang Shun-Ping , Lin Chi-Fang , Lin Wen-Hsiang , Chen Hsin-Fu , Chen Shee-Uan , Lee Yi-Chung , Chao Chi-Chao , Chen Ming , Hsieh Sung-Tsang
Published: April 2019

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has become a crucial approach in helping carriers of inherited disorders to give birth to healthy offspring. In this study, we review PGD methodologies and explore the use of amplification refractory mutation system quantitative polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-qPCR) and/or linkage analysis for PGD in neurodegenerative diseases that are clinically relevant with typical features, such as late onset, and which are severely debilitating. A total of 13 oocyte retrieval cycles were conducted in 10 cases with various neurodegenerative diseases. Among the 59 embryos analyzed, 49.2% (29/59) were unaffected and 50.8% (30/59) were affected. Of the 12 embryo transfer cycles, three resulted in pregnancy, and all pregnancies were delivered. The implantation rate and livebirth rate were 23.1% (3/13) per oocyte retrieval cycle and 25.0% (3/12) per embryo transfer cycle. Allele dropout (ADO) was noted in two embryos that were classified as unaffected by ARMS-qPCR but were evidenced as affected after prenatal diagnosis, rendering the false negative rate as 6.3% (2/32). Four among the 13 cycles underwent PGD by ARMS-qPCR coupled with linkage analysis, and all were correctly diagnosed. We conclude that PGD by ARMS-qPCR and/or linkage analysis is a feasible strategy, whereas ADO is a concern when ARMS-qPCR is used as the sole technology in PGD, especially in autosomal dominant diseases.
Teacher Experience of Integrating Tablets in One-to-One Environments: Implications for Orchestrating Learning
Authors: Kim Hye Jeong , Choi Jiyoung , Lee Suyoun
Published: April 2019

We investigated teachers’ perceptions and behaviors regarding the integration of tablets into their activities in the one-to-one classroom. The use of tablets in classroom instruction can enrich the pedagogical quality of students’ collaborative activities, enhance classroom engagement, and facilitate various classroom activities. Seven focus group interviews were conducted with 37 teachers from seven rural public schools in Korea. Data were mostly generated using semi-structured interviews and were then analyzed using content analysis. Our results show that teachers made efforts to incorporate various interactive activities into the classroom using tablets. With technology tailored to one-to-one environments, interactive instruction was based on teachers’ perceptions of the unique advantages of the tablets and relevant technologies. The teachers reported that instruction using one-to-one technology could enhance each student’s engagement. However, the teachers faced multiple challenges in using tablets in terms of meeting their instructional objectives or teaching goals in the context of classroom teaching. In tablet-integrated classes, the teachers reported curriculum completion issues and the need for a longer period of teacher training before tablet integration. This study is valuable because few studies discuss the role of teachers with regard to their pedagogical experiences with tablet-integrated classrooms in the context of one-to-one computing activities.
Modulation Strategy with a Minimal Number of Commutations for a Five-Level H-Bridge NPC Inverter
Authors: Becker Florent , Jamshidpour Ehsan , Poure Philippe , Saadate Shahrokh
Published: April 2019

In this paper, a so-called OPTimized Pulse Width Modulation (OPT-PWM) strategy with a minimal number of commutations for a multilevel converter (MC) is proposed. The principle is based on the reduction of the number of switch commutations by removing the unnecessary ones for each voltage level transition. The OPT-PWM strategy is applied to a five-level H-Bridge Neutral Point Clamped (HB-5L-NPC) inverter. A specific block based on a state machine is added to conventional modulation techniques to perform the transitions from a given voltage level to another one via the best trajectory with a minimal number of commutations. The principle of this additional block can be applied to any modulation technique. In this paper, the proposed strategy is validated first by simulation and then through experimental tests.
Characterization of Pore Throat Size Distribution in Tight Sandstones with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and High-Pressure Mercury Intrusion
Authors: Xu Hongjun , Fan Yiren , Hu Falong , Li Changxi , Yu Jun , Liu Zhichao , Wang Fuyong
Published: April 2019

Characterization of pore throat size distribution (PTSD) in tight sandstones is of substantial significance for tight sandstone reservoirs evaluation. High-pressure mercury intrusion (HPMI) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are the effective methods for characterizing PTSD of reservoirs. NMR T2 spectra is usually converted to mercury intrusion capillary pressure for PTSD characterization. However, the conversion is challenging in tight sandstones due to tiny pore throat sizes. In this paper, the linear conversion method and the nonlinear conversion method are investigated, and the error minimization method and the least square method are proposed to calculate the conversion coefficients of the linear conversion method and the nonlinear conversion method, respectively. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of these two different conversion methods are discussed and compared with field case study. The research results show that the average linear conversion coefficients of the 20 tight sandstone core plugs collected from Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin of China is 0.0133 μm/ms; the average nonlinear conversion coefficient is 0.0093 μm/ms and the average nonlinear conversion exponent is 0.725. Although PTSD converted from NMR spectra by the nonlinear conversion method is wider than that obtained from linear conversion method, the nonlinear conversion method can retain the characteristic of bi-modal distribution in PTSD.
Edge Computing: A Survey On the Hardware Requirements in the Internet of Things World
Authors: Capra Maurizio , Peloso Riccardo , Masera Guido , Ruo Roch Massimo , Martina Maurizio
Published: April 2019

In today’s world, ruled by a great amount of data and mobile devices, cloud-based systems are spreading all over. Such phenomenon increases the number of connected devices, broadcast bandwidth, and information exchange. These fine-grained interconnected systems, which enable the Internet connectivity for an extremely large number of facilities (far beyond the current number of devices) go by the name of Internet of Things (IoT). In this scenario, mobile devices have an operating time which is proportional to the battery capacity, the number of operations performed per cycle and the amount of exchanged data. Since the transmission of data to a central cloud represents a very energy-hungry operation, new computational paradigms have been implemented. The computation is not completely performed in the cloud, distributing the power load among the nodes of the system, and data are compressed to reduce the transmitted power requirements. In the edge-computing paradigm, part of the computational power is moved toward data collection sources, and, only after a first elaboration, collected data are sent to the central cloud server. Indeed, the “edge” term refers to the extremities of systems represented by IoT devices. This survey paper presents the hardware architectures of typical IoT devices and sums up many of the low power techniques which make them appealing for a large scale of applications. An overview of the newest research topics is discussed, besides a final example of a complete functioning system, embedding all the introduced features.