bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tailoring of Durable Conductive and UV-Shielding Properties on Cotton and Polyester Fabrics by PEDOT:PSS Screen-Printing
Authors: Ojstršek Alenka , Gorgieva Selestina
Published: October 2020

In the present study, cotton (Co) and polyester (PES) fabrics were screen-printed with a conductive poly3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene:polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) printing paste along with a commercially-available screen-printing binder (SFXC) or waterborne polyurethane resin (WPU), in order to enhance wash and wear durability, and to improve some functional properties, without essentially influencing the physical–mechanical properties of the base material, as well as the introduced fabrics’ conductivity. The application of a conductive polymer coating reduced transmittance in the whole UV region drastically, indicating good UV-shielding ability in the treated fabrics. Moreover, the employed binders improved the fabrics’ protection against harmful solar UV radiation significantly, depending on the type of fibre and binder. Furthermore, the SFXC binder intensified the hydrophobicity of Co as compared to the WPU binder, and, on the other hand, WPU reduced the hydrophobicity of PES. Finally, the screen-printed fabrics were washed up to 20 cycles and rubbed up to 20,000 cycles, and characterised by means of mass loss determination and electrical resistivity measurement. Both binders enlarged polymer stability against the effect of washing and rubbing, depending on the number of cycles, the type and amount of employed binder, the type of fibres, and the thickness and uniformity of coatings.
Structural Characterization and Antioxidant Potential of Chitosan by γ-Irradiation from the Carapace of Horseshoe Crab
Authors: Pati Siddhartha , Chatterji Anil , Dash Bisnu Prasad , Raveen Nelson Bryan , Sarkar Tanmay , Shahimi Salwa , Atan Edinur Hisham , Binti Abd Manan Teh Sabariah , Jena Paramananda , Mohanta Yugal Kishore , Acharya Diptikanta
Published: October 2020

Natural product extraction is ingenuity that permits the mass manufacturing of specific products in a cost-effective manner. With the aim of obtaining an alternative chitosan supply, the carapace of dead horseshoe crabs seemed feasible. This sparked an investigation of the structural changes and antioxidant capacity of horseshoe crab chitosan (HCH) by γ-irradiation using 60Co source. Chitosan was extracted from the horseshoe crab (Tachypleus gigas; Müller) carapace using heterogeneous chemical N-deacetylation of chitin, followed by the irradiation of HCH using 60Co at a dose-dependent rate of 10 kGy/hour. The average molecular weight was determined by the viscosimetric method. Regarding the chemical properties, the crystal-like structures obtained from γ-irradiated chitosan powders were determined using Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. The change in chitosan structure was evident with dose-dependent rates between 10 and 20 kGy/hour. The antioxidant properties of horseshoe crab-derived chitosan were evaluated in vitro. The 20 kGy γ-irradiation applied to chitosan changed the structure and reduced the molecular weight, providing sufficient degradation for an increase in antioxidant activity. Our findings indicate that horseshoe crab chitosan can be employed for both scald-wound healing and long-term food preservation due to its buffer-like and radical ion scavenging ability.
Chiral 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (TBD)-Catalyzed Stereoselective Ring-Opening Polymerization of rac-Lactide: High Reactivity for Isotactic Enriched Polylactides (PLAs)
Authors: Mahmood Qaiser , Xu Guangqiang , Zhou Li , Guo Xuanhua , Wang Qinggang
Published: October 2020

Chiral 4,8-diphenyl-1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene (DiPh-TBD) was synthesized and applied to a ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide (rac-LA). The chiral DiPh-TBD promoted the synthesis of isotactic enriched polylactides (PLAs) with controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distributions under mild, metal-free conditions. When the [rac-LA]/[Cat.] ratio was 100/1, full monomer conversion was achieved within only 1 min and a moderate probability of 0.67 meso dyads (Pm) was obtained at room temperature. A chain-end control mechanism (CEC) was found to be responsible for the isoselectivity based on the homodecoupled 1H NMR spectrum, the chiral HPLC measurement, and kinetic studies.
A Constitutive Model of High-Early-Strength Cement with Perlite Powder as a Thermal-Insulating Material Confined by Caron Fiber Reinforced Plastics at Elevated Temperatures
Authors: Li Yeou-Fong , Sio Wai-Keong , Yang Tzu-Hsien , Tsai Ying-Kuan
Published: October 2020

A parabolic stress–strain constitutive model for inorganic thermal-insulating material confined by carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) exposed to a surrounding elevated temperature was proposed in this paper. The thermal-insulating material used in this study was composed of high-early-strength cement (HESC) and perlite powder. The compression strengths of four kinds of perlite powder composition ratios of thermal-insulating materials cylindrical specimens which were confined by one, two, and three-layer CFRP composite materials were acquired. The experimental results showed that the compression strength was enhanced as the amount of perlite substitute decreased or as the number of CFRP wrapping layers increased. The Mohr–Columb failure criteria were adopted to predict the maximum compressive strength of CFRP-confined inorganic thermal-insulating material. The strain at the maximum compressive strength was found from the experimental results, and the corresponding axial strain at the maximum compressive strength in the constitutive model was determined from the regression analysis. Furthermore, the compressive strengths of the four different perlite composites of thermal-insulating materials were obtained when heating the specimens from ambient temperature to 300 °C. The compressive strength decreased with an increase in temperature, and a thermal softening parameter model was proposed; the thermal softening parameter was determined from the experimental maximum compressive strength at an elevated temperature. Combining the above two models, the constitutive model of HESC with perlite powder additive as a thermal-insulating material confined by CFRP under elevated temperature was proposed.
Kappa-Carrageenan-Based Dual Crosslinkable Bioink for Extrusion Type Bioprinting
Authors: Lim Wonseop , Kim Gyeong Jin , Kim Hyun Woo , Lee Jiyeon , Zhang Xiaowei , Kang Min Gyeong , Seo Jeong Wook , Cha Jae Min , Park Hyun Jin , Lee Min-Young , Shin Su Ryon , Shin Seon Young , Bae Hojae
Published: October 2020

Bioink based 3D bioprinting is a promising new technology that enables fabrication of complex tissue structures with living cells. The printability of the bioink depends on the physical properties such as viscosity. However, the high viscosity bioink puts shear stress on the cells and low viscosity bioink cannot maintain complex tissue structure firmly after the printing. In this work, we applied dual crosslinkable bioink using Kappa-carrageenan (κ-CA) to overcome existing shortcomings. κ-CA has properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, shear-thinning and ionic gelation but the difficulty of controlling gelation properties makes it unsuitable for application in 3D bioprinting. This problem was solved by synthesizing methacrylated Kappa-carrageenan (MA-κ-CA), which can be dual crosslinked through ionic and UV (Ultraviolet) crosslinking to form hydrogel using NIH-3T3 cells. Through MA substitutions, the rheological properties of the gel could be controlled to reduce the shear stress. Moreover, bioprinting using the cell-laden MA-κ-CA showed cell compatibility with enhanced shape retention capability. The potential to control the physical properties through dual crosslinking of MA-κ-CA hydrogel is expected to be widely applied in 3D bioprinting applications.
Enhancing Functionality of Epoxy–TiO2-Embedded High-Strength Lightweight Aggregates
Authors: Lim Taekyung , Lee Jeong Hui , Mun Ju-Hyun , Yang Keun-Hyeok , Ju Sanghyun , Jeong Sang-Mi
Published: October 2020

With the increasing trend of high-rise, large-scale, and functional modern architectural structures, lightweight aggregate (LWA) concrete that exhibits excellent strength and high functionality has garnered active research attention. In particular, as the properties of concrete vary considerably with the raw materials and the proportions of aggregates in the mix, in-depth research on weight reduction, strength improvement, and functional enhancements of aggregates is crucial. This study used the negative pressure coating of a mixed solution comprising epoxy (mixture of epoxy resin and crosslinker), hyper-crosslinked polymer, and titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles on the LWA, and achieved an improvement in the strength of the LWA as well as a reduction in air pollutants such as NOx and SOx. Compared to a normal LWA with an aggregate impact value (AIV) of 38.7%, the AIV of the proposed epoxy–TiO2-embedded high-strength functional LWA was reduced by approximately half to 21.1%. In addition, the reduction rates of NOx and SOx gases resulting from the photocatalytic properties of TiO2 nanoparticles coated with epoxy were approximately 90.9% and 92.8%, respectively. Epoxy–TiO2, embedded in LWAs through a mixture, exhibited stability, high strength, and a reduction in air pollutant characteristics, despite repeated water washing. The LWA proposed herein offers excellent structural and functional properties and is expected to be used in functional lightweight concrete that can be practically applied in high-rise and large-scale architectural structures.
Enhanced Bioactivity of Micropatterned Hydroxyapatite Embedded Poly(L-lactic) Acid for a Load-Bearing Implant
Authors: Kim Sae-Mi , Kang In-Gu , Cheon Kwang-Hee , Jang Tae-Sik , Kim Hyoun-Ee , Jung Hyun-Do , Kang Min-Ho
Published: October 2020

Poly(L-lactic) acid (PLLA) is among the most promising polymers for bone fixation, repair, and tissue engineering due to its biodegradability and relatively good mechanical strength. Despite these beneficial characteristics, its poor bioactivity often requires incorporation of bioactive ceramic materials. A bioresorbable composite made of PLLA and hydroxyapatite (HA) may improve biocompatibility but typically causes deterioration in mechanical properties, and bioactive coatings inevitably carry a risk of coating delamination. Therefore, in this study, we embedded micropatterned HA on the surface of PLLA to improve bioactivity while eliminating the risk of HA delamination. An HA pattern was successfully embedded in a PLLA matrix without degeneration of the matrix’s mechanical properties, thanks to a transfer technique involving conversion of Mg to HA. Furthermore, patterned HA/PLLA’s biological response outperformed that of pure PLLA. These results confirm patterned HA/PLLA as a candidate for wide acceptance in biodegradable load-bearing implant applications.
A Robust INS/SRS/CNS Integrated Navigation System with the Chi-Square Test-Based Robust Kalman Filter
Authors: Gao Guangle , Gao Shesheng , Hong Genyuan , Peng Xu , Yu Tian
Published: October 2020

In order to achieve a highly autonomous and reliable navigation system for aerial vehicles that involves the spectral redshift navigation system (SRS), the inertial navigation (INS)/spectral redshift navigation (SRS)/celestial navigation (CNS) integrated system is designed and the spectral-redshift-based velocity measurement equation in the INS/SRS/CNS system is derived. Furthermore, a new chi-square test-based robust Kalman filter (CSTRKF) is also proposed in order to improve the robustness of the INS/SRS/CNS navigation system. In the CSTRKF, the chi-square test (CST) not only detects measurements with outliers and in non-Gaussian distributions, but also estimates the statistical characteristics of measurement noise. Finally, the results of our simulations indicate that the INS/SRS/CNS integrated navigation system with the CSTRKF possesses strong robustness and high reliability.
Path Planning for Multi-Arm Manipulators Using Deep Reinforcement Learning: Soft Actor–Critic with Hindsight Experience Replay
Authors: Prianto Evan , Kim MyeongSeop , Park Jae-Han , Bae Ji-Hun , Kim Jung-Su
Published: October 2020

Since path planning for multi-arm manipulators is a complicated high-dimensional problem, effective and fast path generation is not easy for the arbitrarily given start and goal locations of the end effector. Especially, when it comes to deep reinforcement learning-based path planning, high-dimensionality makes it difficult for existing reinforcement learning-based methods to have efficient exploration which is crucial for successful training. The recently proposed soft actor–critic (SAC) is well known to have good exploration ability due to the use of the entropy term in the objective function. Motivated by this, in this paper, a SAC-based path planning algorithm is proposed. The hindsight experience replay (HER) is also employed for sample efficiency and configuration space augmentation is used in order to deal with complicated configuration space of the multi-arms. To show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, both simulation and experiment results are given. By comparing with existing results, it is demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms the existing results.
Analyzing the Performance of a Miniature 3D Wind Sensor for Mars
Authors: Domínguez-Pumar Manuel , Kowalski Lukasz , Jiménez Vicente , Rodríguez Ivette , Soria Manel , Bermejo Sandra , Pons-Nin Joan
Published: October 2020

This paper analyzes the behavior of a miniature 3D wind sensor designed for Mars atmosphere. The sensor is a spherical structure of 10 mm diameter divided in four sectors. By setting all the sectors to constant temperature, above that of the air, the 3D wind velocity vector can be measured. Two sets of experiments have been performed. First, an experimental campaign made under typical Mars conditions at the Aarhus Wind Tunnel Simulator is presented. The results demonstrate that both wind speed and angle can be efficiently measured, using a simple inverse algorithm. The effect of sudden wind changes is also analyzed and fast response times in the range of 0.7 s are obtained. The second set of experiments is focused on analyzing the performance of the sensor under extreme Martian wind conditions, reaching and going beyond the Dust Devil scale. To this purpose, both high-fidelity numerical simulations of fluid dynamics and heat transfer and experiments with the sensor have been performed. The results of the experiments, made for winds in the Reynolds number 1000–2000 range, which represent 65–130 m/s of wind speed under typical Mars conditions, further confirm the simulation predictions and show that it will be possible to successfully measure wind speed and direction even under these extreme regimes.
New Method and Portable Measurement Device for the Calibration of Industrial Robots
Authors: Icli Caglar , Stepanenko Oleksandr , Bonev Ilian
Published: October 2020

This paper presents an automated calibration method for industrial robots, based on the use of (1) a novel, low-cost, wireless, 3D measuring device mounted on the robot end-effector and (2) a portable 3D ball artifact fixed with respect to the robot base. The new device, called TriCal, is essentially a fixture holding three digital indicators (plunger style), the axes of which are orthogonal and intersect at one point, considered to be the robot tool center point (TCP). The artifact contains four 1-inch datum balls, each mounted on a stem, with precisely known relative positions measured on a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). The measurement procedure with the TriCal is fully automated and consists of the robot moving its end-effector in such as a way as to perfectly align its TCP with the center of each of the four datum balls, with multiple end-effector orientations. The calibration method and hardware were tested on a six-axis industrial robot (KUKA KR6 R700 sixx). The calibration model included all kinematic and joint stiffness parameters, which were identified using the least-squares method. The efficiency of the new calibration system was validated by measuring the accuracy of the robot after calibration in 500 nearly random end-effector poses using a laser tracker. The same validation was performed after the robot was calibrated using measurements from the laser tracker only. Results show that both measurement methods lead to similar accuracy improvements, with the TriCal yielding maximum position errors of 0.624 mm and mean position errors of 0.326 mm.
Sensors and Sensing Technologies for Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation
Authors: Potortì Francesco , Palumbo Filippo , Crivello Antonino
Published: October 2020

The last 10 years have seen enormous technical progress in the field of indoor positioning and indoor navigation; yet, in contrast with outdoor well-established GNSS solutions, no technology exists that is cheap and accurate enough for the general market. The potential applications of indoor localization are all-encompassing, from home to wide public areas, from IoT and personal devices to surveillance and crowd behavior applications, and from casual use to mission-critical systems. This special issue is focused on the recent developments within the sensors and sensing technologies for indoor positioning and indoor navigation networks domain. The papers included in this special issue provide useful insights to the implementation, modelling, and integration of novel technologies and applications, including location-based services, indoor maps and 3D building models, human motion monitoring, robotics and UAV, self-contained sensors, wearable and multi-sensor systems, privacy and security for indoor localization systems.
Magnetic Field Measurements during Magnetic Pulse Welding Using CMR-B-Scalar Sensors
Authors: Stankevic Voitech , Lueg-Althoff Joern , Hahn Marlon , Tekkaya A. Erman , Zurauskiene Nerija , Dilys Justas , Klimantavicius Jonas , Kersulis Skirmantas , Simkevicius Ceslovas , Balevicius Saulius
Published: October 2020

The possibility of applying CMR-B-scalar sensors made from thin manganite films exhibiting the colossal magnetoresistance effect as a fast-nondestructive method for the evaluation of the quality of the magnetic pulse welding (MPW) process is investigated in this paper. This method based on magnetic field magnitude measurements in the vicinity of the tools and joining parts was tested during the electromagnetic compression and MPW of an aluminum flyer tube with a steel parent. The testing setup used for the investigation allowed the simultaneous measurement of the flyer displacement, its velocity, and the magnitude of the magnetic field close to the flyer. The experimental results and simulations showed that, during the welding of the aluminum tube with the steel parent, the maximum magnetic field in the gap between the field shaper and the flyer is achieved much earlier than the maximum of the current pulse of the coil and that the first half-wave pulse of the magnetic field has two peaks. It was also found that the time instant of the minimum between these peaks depends on the charging energy of the capacitors and is associated with the collision of the flyer with the parent. Together with the first peak maximum and its time-position, this characteristic could be an indication of the welding quality. These results were confirmed by simultaneous measurements of the flyer displacement and velocity, as well as a numerical simulation of the magnetic field dynamics. The relationship between the peculiarities of the magnetic field pulse and the quality of the welding process is discussed. It was demonstrated that the proposed method of magnetic field measurement during magnetic pulse welding in combination with subsequent peel testing could be used as a nondestructive method for the monitoring of the quality of the welding process.
Sex Differences in the Association between Household Income and Children’s Executive Function
Authors: Assari Shervin , Boyce Shanika , Bazargan Mohsen , Caldwell Cleopatra Howard
Published: October 2020

The study aimed to investigate sex differences in the boosting effects of household income on children’s executive function in the US. This is a cross-sectional study using data from Wave 1 of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Wave 1 ABCD included 8608 American children between ages 9 and 10 years old. The independent variable was household income. The primary outcome was executive function measured by the stop-signal task. Overall, high household income was associated with higher levels of executive function in the children. Sex showed a statistically significant interaction with household income on children’s executive function, indicating a stronger effect of high household income for female compared to male children. Household income is a more salient determinant of executive function for female compared to male American children. Low-income female children remain at the highest risk regarding poor executive function.
Comparative Gate-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment for the Alkali and Acid Pre-Treatment Step in the Chemical Recycling of Waste Cotton
Authors: Rosson Lucas , Byrne Nolene
Published: October 2020

The development of textile recycling solutions is an area of intense research and commercialization. Chemical recycling solutions are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to separate complex blends and retain or improve the value of the original fiber. The chemical recycling of cotton requires a pre-treatment step to reduce the degree of polymerization (DP). The DP can be reduced in a variety of ways, and here, the environmental footprints of two different pre-treatment approaches are examined using life cycle assessment (LCA); sodium hydroxide pre-treatment and sulphuric acid pre-treatment. We find that the acid pre-treatment has a significantly lower environmental footprint across all impact categories calculated. This is attributed to the lower treatment times required and the lower material and energy requirements for the manufacture of chemicals. The results were normalized to show the most significant impact categories for each pre-treatment, and further environmental implications of the pre-treatments are discussed. The findings will aid academia and industry in implementing the most environmentally benign processes in chemical cotton recycling.
On Iteration Sn for Operators with Condition (D)
Authors: Ciobanescu Cristian , Turcanu Teodor
Published: October 2020

A recently introduced nonexpansive-type condition is subjected to an in-depth analysis. New examples are provided to highlight the relationship with Suzuki-type mappings. Furthermore, a convergence survey is conducted based on the iteration procedure Sn. Issues related to data dependence and the stability of this iterative process are also being studied. Our study is performed in the framework of Banach spaces, in which the symmetry of the associated metric is a fundamental axiom and plays a key role while proving many results of this paper.
Research on the Mechanism of Action of a Citrinin and Anti-Citrinin Antibody Based on Mimotope X27
Authors: Li Yanping , Hu Yucheng , Tu Zhui , Ning Zhenqiang , He Qinghua , Fu Jinheng
Published: October 2020

Immunoassays are developed based on antigen–antibody interactions. A mimotope is an effective recognition receptor used to study the mechanism of action of antigens and antibodies, and is used for improving the sensitivity of the antibody. In this study, we built a 3D structure of the citrinin (CIT) mimotope X27 and anti-CIT single-chain antibody fragment (ScFv) through a “homologous modeling” strategy. Then, CIT and X27 were respectively docked to anti-CIT ScFv by using the “molecular docking” program. Finally, T28, F29, N30, R31, and Y32 were confirmed as the key binding sites in X27. Furthermore, the result of the phage-ELISA showed that the mutational phage lost the binding activity to the anti-CIT ScFv when the five amino acids were mutated to “alanine”, thereby proving the correctness of the molecular docking model. Lastly, a site-directed saturation strategy was adopted for the sites (T28, F29, N30, R31, and Y32). Eighteen different amino acids were introduced to each site on average. The activities of all mutants were identified by indirect competitive ELISA. The sensitivities of mutants T28F, T28I, F29I, F29V, N30T, and N30V were 1.83-, 1.37-, 1.70-, 2.96-, 1.31-, and 2.01-fold higher than that of the wild-type, respectively. In conclusion, the binding model between the CIT and antibody was elaborated for the first time based on the mimotope method, thereby presenting another strategy for improving the sensitivity of citrinin detection in immunoassays.
Influenza A Virus Inhibits RSV Infection via a Two-Wave Expression of IFIT Proteins
Authors: Drori Yaron , Jacob-Hirsch Jasmine , Pando Rakefet , Glatman-Freedman Aharona , Friedman Nehemya , Mendelson Ella , Mandelboim Michal
Published: October 2020

Influenza viruses and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are respiratory viruses that primarily circulate worldwide during the autumn and winter seasons. Seasonal surveillance has shown that RSV infection generally precedes influenza. However, in the last four winter seasons (2016–2020) an overlap of the morbidity peaks of both viruses was observed in Israel, and was paralleled by significantly lower RSV infection rates. To investigate whether the influenza A virus inhibits RSV, human cervical carcinoma (HEp2) cells or mice were co-infected with influenza A and RSV. Influenza A inhibited RSV growth, both in vitro and in vivo. Mass spectrometry analysis of mouse lungs infected with influenza A identified a two-wave pattern of protein expression upregulation, which included members of the interferon-induced protein with the tetratricopeptide (IFITs) family. Interestingly, in the second wave, influenza A viruses were no longer detectable in mouse lungs. In addition, knockdown and overexpression of IFITs in HEp2 cells affected RSV multiplicity. In conclusion, influenza A infection inhibits RSV infectivity via upregulation of IFIT proteins in a two-wave modality. Understanding the immune system involvement in the interaction between influenza A and RSV viruses will contribute to the development of future treatment strategies against these viruses.
Environmental Flow Releases for Wetland Biodiversity Conservation in the Amur River Basin
Authors: Nikitina Oxana I. , Dubinina Valentina G. , Bolgov Mikhail V. , Parilov Mikhail P. , Parilova Tatyana A.
Published: October 2020

Flow regulation by large dams has transformed the freshwater and floodplain ecosystems of the Middle Amur River basin in Northeast Asia, and negatively impacted the biodiversity and fisheries. This study aimed to develop environmental flow recommendations for the Zeya and Bureya rivers based on past flow rate records. The recommended floodplain inundation by environmental flow releases from the Zeya reservoir are currently impracticable due to technical reasons. Therefore, the importance of preserving the free-flowing tributaries of the Zeya River increases. Future technical improvements for implementing environmental flow releases at the Zeya dam would improve dam management regulation during large floods. The recommendations developed for environmental flow releases from reservoirs on the Bureya River should help to preserve the important Ramsar wetlands which provide habitats for endangered bird species while avoiding flooding of settlements. The results emphasize the importance of considering environmental flow during the early stages of dam planning and the need to enhance the role of environmental flow in water management planning.
Age of Water Particles as a Diagnosis of Steady-State Flows in Shallow Rectangular Reservoirs
Authors: Dewals Benjamin , Archambeau Pierre , Bruwier Martin , Erpicum Sebastien , Pirotton Michel , Adam Tom , Delhez Eric , Deleersnijder Eric
Published: October 2020

The age of a water particle in a shallow man-made reservoir is defined as the time elapsed since it entered it. Analyzing this diagnostic timescale provides valuable information for optimally sizing and operating such structures. Here, the constituent-oriented age and residence time theory (CART) is used to obtain not only the mean age, but also the water age distribution function at each location. The method is applied to 10 different shallow reservoirs of simple geometry (rectangular), in a steady-state framework. The results show that complex, multimodal water age distributions are found, implying that focusing solely on simple statistics (e.g., mean or median age) fails to reflect the complexity of the actual distribution of water age. The latter relates to the fast or slow pathways that water particles may take for traveling from the inlet to the outlet of the reservoirs.
Potential Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic through Changes in Outbound Tourism on Water Demand: The Case of Liège (Belgium)
Authors: Bich-Ngoc Nguyen , Teller Jacques
Published: October 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to many countries closing their borders, and numerous people spending their holidays at home instead of traveling abroad. This sudden reduction in travel activities, and other ‘new normals’, might have influenced people’s water usage. Hence, using Liège as a case study, this study aims to address the potential effect of outbound tourism on water consumption and how the current situation might affect the total water demand. Statistical models were developed and validated using the total daily volume of 23 municipalities in the Liège conurbation, the monthly total number of outbound trips, and other meteorological data. Results suggest significantly lower water demand in the months with high numbers of outbound travel activities. Though the projected risk of increased water needs due to fewer people traveling is moderate, the threat becomes much higher during long periods of dry and hot weather.
A Systematic, Automated Approach for River Segmentation Tested on the Magdalena River (Colombia) and the Baker River (Chile)
Authors: Nardini Andrea , Yépez Santiago , Mazzorana Bruno , Ulloa Héctor , Bejarano María , Laraque Alain
Published: October 2020

This paper proposes a systematic procedure to identify river reaches from a geomorphic point of view. Their identification traditionally relies on a subjective synthesis of multi-dimensional information (e.g., changes of slope, changes of width of valley bottom). We point out that some of the attributes adopted to describe geomorphic characters of a river (in particular sinuosity and confinement) depend on the length of reaches, while these latter are not yet identified; this is a source of ambiguity and introduces, at least conceptually, an unpleasant, implicit, iterative procedure. We introduce a new method which avoids this difficulty. Furthermore, it is simple, objective, and explicitly defined, and as such, it is automatable. The method requires to define and determine a set of intensive attributes, i.e., attributes that are independent of the segment length. The reaches are then identified by the intersection of the segmentations induced by such attributes. We applied the proposed procedure in two case studies, the Magdalena River (Colombia) and the Baker River (Chile), and investigated whether the adoption of the traditional approach for the definition of reaches would lead to a different result. We conclude that there would be no detectable differences. As such, the method can be considered an improvement in geomorphic river characterization.
Development and Application of a Multi-Objective-Optimization and Multi-Criteria-Based Decision Support Tool for Selecting Optimal Water Treatment Technologies in India
Authors: Sadr Seyed M. K. , Johns Matthew B. , Memon Fayyaz A. , Duncan Andrew P. , Gordon James , Gibson Robert , Chang Hubert J. F. , Morley Mark S. , Savic Dragan , Butler David
Published: October 2020

Despite considerable efforts to improve water management, India is becoming increasingly water stressed due to multiple factors, including climate change, increasing population, and urbanization. We address one of the most challenging problems in the design of water treatment plants: how to select a suitable technology for a specific scenario or context. The process of decision making first requires the identification of feasible treatment configurations based on various objectives and criteria. In addition, the multiplicity of water quality parameters and design variables adds further complexity to the process. In this study, we propose a novel Decision Support Tool (DST), designed to address and support the above challenges. In this user-friendly tool, both Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) and Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) methods are employed. The integration of MCDA with MOO facilitates the generation of feasible drinking water treatment solutions, identifies optimal options, and ultimately, improves the process of decision making. This implemented approach has been tested for different contexts, including for different types of raw water sources and system implementation scales. The results show that this tool can enhance the process of decision making, supporting the user (e.g., stakeholders and decision makers) to implement the most suitable water treatment systems, keeping in view the trade-offs.
Wave Force Characteristics and Stability of Detached Breakwaters Consisting of Open Cell Caissons Interlocked via Crushed Stones
Authors: Lee Byeong Wook , Jung Jae-Sang , Park Woo-Sun , Yoon Jae-Seon
Published: October 2020

The maximum external force acting on a long continuous harbor structure can be reduced by controlling the phase difference of forces acting longitudinally. This strategy can be used to increase the structural stability of breakwaters consisting of caissons. Breakwaters have been developed using interlocking caissons to effectively respond to the constant increase in wave height due to climate change. In this study, we investigated the wave force characteristics and stability of a detached breakwater consisting of open cell caissons interlocked via crushed stones. We performed wave basin experiments and compared the results with analytical solutions of linear diffraction waves. The results revealed that the maximum wave force acting on the front of the breakwater decreased as the incident angle increased, reducing by as much as 79% for an incident angle of 30°. Although the variability of the maximum wave force for each caisson is large owing to the influence of the diffracted waves, the maximum wave force acting on the entire detached breakwater was not significantly affected by this variability. The analytical solutions based on linear wave theory agreed with the experimental results, indicating that the findings can be applied to actual designs. The structural stability of the breakwater was enhanced, even for low incident wave angles, compared to that of a single integral structure, as the frictional resistance produced by the sliding structure increased due to the shear resistance between the filled crushed stones and the rubble mound.
A Detailed Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan, and Suitability for Future Development
Authors: Jawadi Hussain Ali , Sagin Jay , Snow Daniel D.
Published: October 2020

Kabul is one of the most populated cities in Afghanistan and providing resources to support this population in an arid climate presents a serious environmental challenge. The current study evaluated the quality of local Kabul Basin groundwater to determine its suitability water for drinking and irrigation purposes now and into the future. This aim was aided through groundwater parameter assessment as well as determination of Water Quality Index (WQI) developed from 15 observation points near the city. The results of our physicochemical analysis illustrate that groundwater in the majority of areas of the Kabul Basin is not generally suitable for human consumption, and in some cases the concentrations of many contaminants are higher than accepted health standards or water quality benchmarks. The aquifer underlies an arid landscape, and because of this 85% of the samples tested are very hard while just over 13% are classified as hard. Groundwater in the Kabul Basin is typically high in calcium and magnesium and overall classified as a calcium bicarbonate water type. Overall, more than 60% of the analyzed samples had concentrations higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of total dissolved solids (TDS), 10% in total hardness (TH), about 30% in turbidity and more than 90% in magnesium. The results show that based on WQI, without treatment, roughly 5% of groundwater in the studied area is unsuitable for human consumption, while 13.3% is very poor and 40% is poor quality water. Approximately 40% of the assessed groundwater has good quality and could be used as drinking water for future development. Groundwater in some areas shows evidence of pollution and high dissolved solids content, rendering these sources unsuitable for either drinking or irrigation purposes.
Spirometry and FeNO testing for asthma in children in UK primary care: a prospective observational cohort study of feasibility and acceptability
Authors: Lo David , Beardsmore Caroline , Roland Damian , Richardson Matthew , Yang Yaling , Danvers Lesley , Wilson Andrew , Gaillard Erol A
Published: October 2020

Background

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends the use of spirometry and measuring the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) as part of the diagnostic work-up for children with suspected asthma, and spirometry for asthma monitoring, across all care settings. However, the feasibility and acceptability of these tests within primary care are not known.

Aim

To investigate the feasibility, acceptability, training, and capacity requirements of performing spirometry and FeNO testing in children managed for asthma in UK primary care.

Design and setting

Prospective observational study involving 10 general practices in the East Midlands, UK, and 612 children between 2016 and 2017.

Method

Training and support to perform spirometry and FeNO in children aged 5 to 16 years were provided to participating practices. Children on the practice’s asthma registers, and those with suspected asthma, were invited for a routine asthma review. Time for general practice staff to achieve competencies in performing and/or interpreting both tests, time to perform the tests, number of children able to perform the tests, and feedback on acceptability were recorded.

Results

A total of 27 general practice staff were trained in a mean time of 10.3 (standard deviation 2.7) hours. Usable spirometry and FeNO results were obtained in 575 (94%) and 472 (77%) children respectively. Spirometry is achievable in the majority of children aged ≥5 years, and FeNO in children aged ≥7 years. All of the staff and 97% of families surveyed provided positive feedback for the tests.

Conclusion

After training, general practice staff obtained quality spirometry and FeNO data from most children tested. Testing was acceptable to staff and families. The majority of general practice staff reported that spirometry helped them to manage children’s asthma better.
ANALISIS PERBANDINGAN PRINSIP PENGHITUNGAN BUNGA TABUNGAN PADA BANK KONVENSIONAL DENGAN BAGI HASIL TABUNGAN MUDHARABAH PADA BANK SYARI’AH
Authors: Lutfiati Anis
Published: October 2020

Bank syariah adalah bank yang beroperasi sesuai dengan prinsip-prinsip Islam, yaitu bank dengan tata cara dan operasinya mengikuti ketentuan-ketentuan syariah. Bank syariah didirikan dengan tujuan untuk mempromosikan dan mengembangkan penerapan prinsip-prinsip Islam, syariah dan tradisinya kedalam keuangan dan perbankan serta bisnis lain yang terkait.  Salah satu prinsip utama di bank syariah adalah adanya pelarangan riba. Riba dalam perbankan identik dengan bunga bank. Bunga bank dilarang dalam Islam karena mengandung pengambilan tambahan yang batil dan sangat bertentangan dengan prinsip muamalah dalam Islam.

Bank konvensional dan bank syariah itu memiliki kesamaan dalam hal penerimaan uang, mekanisme transfer, teknologi komputer yang digunakan, syarat-syarat umum memperoleh pembiayaan seperti KTP, NPWP, proposal, laporan keuangan dan lain sebagainya. Tetapi banyak sekali perbedaan yaitu menyangkut aspek legal, struktur organisasi, usaha yang dibiayai dan lingkungan kerja. Selain itu juga terdapat perbedaan mengenai prinsip bunga pada bank konvensional dengan bagi hasil pada bank syariah.

Pendistribusian bagi hasil tabungan mudharabah dilakukan oleh PT. BPRS Kota Bekasi pada tiap akhir bulan tanpa ada potongan pajak atau zakat. Distribusi bagi hasil tabungan mudharabah dibagikan kepada nasabah dengan menambahkan pada saldo tabungan milik nasabah.

Dalam penentuan perolehan bagi hasil tabungan mudharabah, PT. BPRS Kota Bekasi tidak membatasi jumlah hari dalam menginvestasikan dana dari nasabah. Namun PT. BPRS Kota Bekasi hanya member standar minimal saldo tabungan sebesar Rp 25.000, nasabah akan langsung mendapatkan bagi hasil pada akhir bulan pendistribusian pendapatan. Namun, perolehan besarnya bagi hasil disesuaikan dengan jangka waktu transaksi (saldo akhir  tabungan).

Dengan penerapan distribusi hasil seperti di atas, maka dalam hal ini nasabah lebih diuntungkan, keuntungan yang dirasakan oleh nasabah adalah tidak adanya batasan jumlah hari dalam penentuan dapat/tidaknya bagi hasil. Sedangkan bagi PT. BPRS Kota Bekasi, meskipun uang yang ditabung nasabah pada akhir bulan masih belum tersalurkan ke produk pembiayaan, namun nasabah tetap mendapatkan bagi hasil. Oleh karena itu secara otomatis karyawan PT. BPRS Kota Bekasi harus bekerja lebih ekstra untuk menyalurkan dana pihak ketiga dalam memperoleh keuntungan.
ANALISIS TINGKAT KEPUASAN PELANGGAN TERHADAP KINERJA
Authors: Arisandi Devy , Thaha Atifah , Chusnah Chusnah
Published: October 2020

Increasing public awareness about the health of the strong competition in the business world, especially the health of their field laboratorium.Never measurement of customer satisfaction, this is the basic of this research is finding a match between the interest rate the elements of service according to the customer with the work done by the company. The study was conducted in the Clinical Laboratory Westerindo Jakarta with 340 respondents. Data collected through questionnaires covered. Analyses were performed using methods Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) and Importance Performance Analysis (IPA). The result of CSI is 0723, where the value is in the category "Satisfied" on the performance conducted by the Clinical Laboratory Westerindo. Analysis of customer satisfaction was less satisfied with Tangible indicators (-0.58). Result from IPA respectively each mapped attribute in the Cartesian Diagram which 9 attributes located in quadrant I (20%) less satisfied, 13 attributes located in quadrant II (28.9%) very satisfied, 15 attributes located in quadrant III (33.3%) quite satisfied, 8 attributes located in quadrant IV (17.7%) satisfied. Recommendations addressed to the Clinical Laboratory Westerindo to pay attention to the gap and the weak attributes in each quadrant.
PENGARUH ECONOMIC VALUE ADDED DAN PROFITABILITAS TERHADAP RETURN SAHAM PADA PERUSAHAAN SUBSEKTOR PERDAGANGAN RITEL YANG TERDAFTAR DI BEI PERIODE 2013-2017
Authors: Hendayana Yayan , - Nurlina
Published: October 2020

This study aims to determine the effect of profitability as measured by Economic Value Added, Return on Assets, and Return on Equity on Stock Returns in retail trading sub-sector companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange 2013-2017 period. 10 companies have been selected as samples based on predetermined criteria. The approach taken in this research is associative. The data collection technique in this research is the documentation technique. Hypothesis testing uses panel data regression analysis using the Eviews 9 program. Based on the results of the regression coefficient and t-test it shows that partially Economic Value Added and Return on Equity have a significant positive effect on stock returns, while Return on Assets has a significant negative effect on stock returns.
System Usability Scale (SUS) Untuk Pengujian Usability Pada Pijar Career Center
Authors: Yusuf M , Astuti Yuli
Published: October 2020

– PT Pijar Inovasi Nusantara merupakan perusahaan yang menciptakan aplikasi Pijar Career Center. Aplikasi pijar career center dibuat untuk memenuhi kebutuhan dari BKK SMK dalam mendistribusikan informasi lowongan pekerjaan. Dalam meningkatkan kepuasan pengguna aplikasi diperlukan untuk mengetahui sejauh mana tingkat usability pada aplikasi Pijar Career Center, maka diperlukan Tes kegunaan.Tes kegunaan ini menggunakan metode System Usability Testing (SUS) yang memberikan hasil yang memadai berdasarkan pertimbangan jumlah sampel yang kecil, waktu dan biaya. Hasil dari perhitungan SUS akan memberikan informasi aplikasi yang dibuat layak atau tidak layak untuk diterapkan. Nilai yang diperoleh untuk aplikasi yang dibuat adalah 79, nilai tersebutkan memberikan informasi bahwa aplikasi pijar career center layak untuk digunakan.
Mengungkap fenomena anggaran perubahan dan partisipasi masyarakat akibat Pandemi Covid 19
Authors: Grediani Evi
Published: October 2020

This study aims to reveal the phenomenon of budget changes and community participation in the Pakualaman District due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualitative research and analysis was carried out by interpreting, organizing data, making memos, and interpreting interview. The research results show that the impact of the pandemic has stopped spending or zero spending (except certain shopping). The community participates independently and independently to immediately move together in activities to prevent the spread of COVID-19, even though the revised budget from the APBD cannot be realized for handling the spread of COVID-19. Pandemic conditions have brought together citizens to work together without much material government intervention.

Abstrak

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengungkap fenomena anggaran perubahan dan partisipasi masyarakat wilayah Kecamatan Pakualaman akibat pandemi COVID-19. Jenis penelitian kualitatif dan analisis dilakukan dengan intepretasi, pengorganisasian data, membuat memo, dan pemaknaantranskrip wawancara dari enam informan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dampak pandemi COVID-19 menghentikan belanja atau nol belanja (kecuali belanja tertentu). Masyarakat berpartisipasi secara swadaya dan mandiri  untuk segera bergerak bersama dalam kegiatan pencegahan penyebaran COVID-19, walaupun anggaran perubahan dari APBD belum dapat direalisasikan untuk penanganan penyebaran COVID-19. Kondisi pandemi telah menyatukan warga untuk bergotong-royong bersama tanpa banyak intervensi pemerintah secara materi.
Deskripsi Penggunaan Multimedia Interaktif pada Pembelajaran Matematika Bangun Ruang Sisi Lengkung Tabung
Authors: Diu Arianto A. , Mohidin Abdul Djabar , Bito Nursiya , Ismail Sumarno , Resmawan Resmawan
Published: October 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan penggunaan multimedia interaktif pada pembelajaran matematika bangun ruang sisi lengkung. Bangun ruang sisi lengkung yang dibahas, difokuskan pada topik tabung dengan siswa SMP Negeri 2 Gorontalo sebagai subjek penelitian. Data penelitian diperoleh melalui observasi proses pembelajaran dan melalui angket respon peserta didik. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penggunaan multimedia interaktif pada pembelajaran matematika bangun ruang sisi lengkung tabung mencapai kategori “sangat baik”, dengan indikator: kemampuan guru dalam menggunakan multimedia interaktif dalam pembelajaran sebesar 84%, aktifitas peserta didik dalam pembelajaran menggunakan multimedia interaktif sebesar 84%, dan respon positif peserta didik terhadap multimedia interaktif sebesar 85%.