bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MODEL PENGEMBANGAN KEMAMPUAN PRA-MEMBACA-MENULIS BERBASIS KARAKTER
Authors: Barokah Widuroyekti  , Sulistiyono Sulistiyono
Published: January 2020

The article draws on research that aims to develop a model of the development of pre-reading-writing ability of a character-based education in kindergarten. The study was used the Research and Development method involving teachers and children at three kindergartens in Jombang. The procedure consists of two phases study, the preliminary studies and model development. Data collected by observation, interviews, documentation, questioner techniques, validation testing experts, and the results are analyzed with qualitative analysis techniques. The results showed that teachers require manual and development model's to pre-reading-writing ability of a character-based, as well as scenario development activity. The model of development gives the possibility for children to develop the ability to recognize text and pre-reading-writing through story. Development model cantains character values on planning, include: objectives, materials, and activities, as well as the implementation, include: introduction, core, and closing activities.

Artikel ini disusun berdasarkan penelitian yang bertujuan mengembangkan model pengembangan kemampuan pra-membaca-menulis berbasis pendidikan karakter di TK. Penelitian dilakukan menggunakan pendekatan penelitian pengembangan melibatkan guru-guru dan anak-anak di tiga TK Kabupaten Jombang. Prosedur penelitian terdiri atas dua tahap, yakni studi pendahuluan dan pengembangan model. Data dikumpulkan dengan teknik observasi, wawancara, dokumentasi, kuesioner dan uji validasi pakar, serta hasilnya dianalisis dengan teknik analisis kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa guru membutuhkan panduan dan model pengembangan kemampuan pra-membaca-menulis berbasis karakter, serta skenario kegiatan pengembangan. Model pengembangan yang dihasilkan memungkinkan anak mengenal tulisan dan mengembangkan kemampuan pra-membaca-menulis melalui cerita. Model pengembangan memuat nilai karakter pada komponen perencanaan, meliputi: tujuan, materi, dan kegiatan, serta pada pelaksanaan meliputi: pendahuluan, inti, dan penutup.
MEDIA BONEKA TANGAN DALAM METODE BERCERITERA UNTUK MENANAMKAN KARAKTER POSITIF KEPADA SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR
Authors: Joko Sulianto  , Mei Fita Asri Untari  , Fitri Yulianti
Published: January 2020

The purpose of teaching process is on the way of developing students positive characters. The students need something they like to learn, understand, and apply those characters. Hand-puppets can be chosen as the media. The puppets characters (or the actors) are created based on the selected story which can gain students positive characters. It is an R and D research. It was conducted on 6 steps of research activities: collecting data, planning, developing draft of product, testing, revising the result, and developing final product. This research will be finished in 2 years. The results of the first year research were: hand-puppets profiles, hand-puppets actors, and experts judgments. The students and the teachers explained that they needed story books and hand-puppets as their teaching supporting media using story-telling method. Hand-puppets which were made of colorful flannel and cotton fabric should be presented in colorful, eye-catching figures to attract the students attention.

Pembelajaran harus mengutamakan pengembangan kemampuan dan pembentukan karakter (character building) serta akhlak mulia (akhlaqul karimah) siswa. Siswa akan lebih tertarik dan mudah dalam belajar jika penanaman akhlak mulia disampaikan melalui hal-hal yang mereka sukai, contohnya dengan boneka tangan. Media ini disesuaikan bentuk dan karakter tokoh-tokohnya dengan isi cerita yang digunakan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian pengembangan (R and D) yang dilaksanakan dalam 6 (enam) langkah penelitian, yaitu: pengumpulan data, perencanaan, pengembangan draf, pengujicobaan awal, perevisian hasil uji coba, dan penyempurnaan produk. Penelitian ini direncanakan akan dilaksanakan selama 2 tahun. Hasil yang diperoleh di tahun pertama berupa profil media boneka tangan yang cocok dalam kegiatan berceritera, tokoh-tokoh boneka tangan, dan penilaian dari ahli (experts judgments). Siswa dan guru menginginkan media pendukung dalam kegiatan bercerita berupa buku cerita beserta tokoh-tokohnya dalam bentuk boneka tangan. Media boneka ini dibuat dari kain katun dan atau flannel berwarna cerah untuk menarik perhatian dan minat siswa.
PROFIL KINERJA GURU PENDIDIKAN JASMANI SD NEGERI (PENILAIAN TEMAN SEJAWAT DAN SISWA TERHADAP KOMPETENSI PEDAGOGIK GURU PENJAS SD DI UPT PURWOREJO, BANYUURIP, DAN KUTOARJO)
Authors: Triyono Triyono
Published: January 2020

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hasil penilaian teman sejawat dan siswa terhadap kinerja guru pendidikan jasmani (Penjas) SD Negeri di Kabupaten Purworejo, Banyuurip dan Kutoarjo terkait dengan kompetensi pedagogik, profesional, kepribadian dan sosial. Artikel ini hanya membahas kompetensi pedagogik dari guru penjas tersebut. Desain penelitian adalah survey dengan teknik pengumpulan data melalui penyebaran kuesioner kepada teman sejawat dan siswa. Populasi adalah seluruh guru penjas di SD di Wilayah Purworejo, Banyuurip dan Kutoarjo dengan sampel sebanyak 200 guru yang diambil dengan teknik random sampling. Penelitian dilakukan mulai tanggal 31 Maret 2012 sampai dengan akhir Oktober 2012. Kuesioner yang kembali sebanyak 164 eksemplar. Data yang terkumpul kemudian dianalisis dengan menggunakan teknik persentase untuk memudahkan pemaparan dan mendeskripsikannya secara naratif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa hampir sebagian besar teman sejawat menilai bahwa kompetensi pedagogik guru Penjas di SD di Wilayah Purworejo, Banyuurip dan Kutoarjo sudah baik (88%) atau sangat baik (29,2%). Sedangkan siswa menilai kompetensi pedagogik guru Penjas mereka dengan sangat baik 33,9%, baik 16,8% dan cukup baik 14,8 %. Rekomendasi berdasarkan hasil penelitian ini adalah bahwa guru Penjas di SD di Wilayah Purworejo, Banyuurip, dan Kutoarjo harus terus meningkatkan kemampuannya dalam segala hal terutama kompetensi pedagogiknya karena penilaian siswa masih belum optimal.
IMPLENTASI KEBIJAKAN SD-SMP NEGERI 4 SATU ATAP DI DESA PONGKAR KECAMATAN TEBING KABUPATEN KARIMUN
Authors: Sawirdi Sawirdi
Published: January 2020

The study aims to describe and analyze the implementation of ‘two schools under one-roof’policy which integrate primary and secondary schools in Pongkar Village, Tebing, Karimun District. The research informants consists the principals, teachers, administrative staff, school committees, and students at the Under One roof schools at Pongkar Village, and of  the officials of the Karimun District Education Office. Methods of data collection are interview, observation and documentation study. The results showed that the policy of one-roof SD-SMPN 4 in Pongkar Village has been run in accordance with the objectives of its establishment, indicated from the standard and the policy objectives that have been achieved, the inter-organization communications went smoothly, and the activities to ensure the implementation of the policy went well. Conducive socio-economic and political conditions support the implementation of the under-one-roof school policy. Inhibiting factors that occur are insufficient facilities and infrastructure, the insufficient number of teachers, low motivation of some communities to send their children to this school, and geographical conditions. Attempts to overcome obstacles in implementing the policy includes obtaining special funding assistance from the Karimun District Education Office, empowering teachers to make learning more effective, better arranging school schedules, and socializing the policy and the school to the community.

 

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dan menganalisis: (1) pelaksanaan kebijakan SD-SMP satu atap di Desa Pongkar Kecamatan Tebing. Informan penelitian adalah pejabat Dinas Pendidikan Kabupaten Karimun, kepala sekolah, guru, pegawai tata usaha, komite sekolah, dan siswa. Lokasi penelitian di sekolah satu atap di Desa Pongkar Kecamatan Tebing Kabupaten Karimun. Metode pengumpulan data dengan wawancara, observasi dan studi dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kebijakan SD-SMPN 4 satu atap di Desa Pongkar telah berjalan sesuai dengan tujuan pendiriannya, terlihat dari standar dan tujuan kebijakan yang telah tercapai, komunikasi interorganisasi berjalan dengan lancar, dan aktifitas pengukuhan berjalan dengan baik. Kondisi sosial ekonomi dan politik yang kondusif mendukung pelaksanaan sekolah satu atap. Faktor-faktor penghambat yang terjadi adalah sarana dan prasarana yang belum memadai, jumlah tenaga pendidik dan kependidikan belum cukup, motivasi sebagian masyarakat untuk menyekolahkan anaknya masih rendah, serta kondisi geografis. Usaha untuk mengatasi hambatan dalam pelaksanaan kebijakan SD-SMP Negeri 4 satu atap di antaranya adalah memperoleh bantuan dana khusus dari Dinas Pendidikan Kabupaten Karimun, memberdayakan guru-guru agar pembelajaran lebih efektif, pengaturan jadwal sekolah yang lebih baik, dan melakukan sosialisasi kepada masyarakat.
PENGARUH PEMBELAJARAN KOOPERATIF TIPE THINK-PAIR-SHARE (TPS) DAN NUMBERED-HEADS-TOGETHER (NHT) TERHADAP MOTIVASI DAN HASIL BELAJAR MATEMATIKA
Authors: Maryoto Gunawan
Published: January 2020

This quasi – experimental research aims to determinethe effect of cooperative learning model Think Pair Share (TPS) and Numbered Heads Together (NHT) on students' mathematics achievement, and the effect ofcooperative learning model TPSand NHT on student motivation.Three classes were randomly selected for experiment and control groups, each class consists of 32 students. A questionnaire of 26 items is used to measure motivation test, and a test consisting of nine questions is used for measuring mathematics achievement. T-test was used for data analysis. The findings show that there is significant effect of both cooperative learningTPS model and NHT model onstudent mathematics achievement. However, the effect of  TPS and NHT models on student motivation to learn mathematics is not significant.

 

Penelitian ini dimaksudkan untuk menganalisis  pengaruh pembelajaran kooperatif tipe TPS dan tipe NHT terhadap motivasi dan hasil belajar matematika. Penelitian ini melibatkan 3 kelas experimen dan kelas control, masing-masing terdiri dari 32 siswa. Instrumen yang digunakan berupa tes motivasi yang terdiri dari 26 indikator, dan tes matematika yang terdiri dari 9 pertanyaan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat pengaruh yang signifikan penggunaan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe TPS terhadap hasil belajar matematika siswa, demikian pula penggunaan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe NHT juga berpengaruh positif terhadap hasil belajar matematika siswa.  Namun tidak ada perbedaan signifikan hasil belajar matematika menggunakan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe TPS dengan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe NHT. Di samping itu ditemukan pengaruh yang signifikan penggunaan model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe TPSdan Tipe NHT terhadap motivasi belajar matematika siswa.
THE AFFORDANCES OF TECHNOLOGY IN BUILDING THE ASEAN COMMUNITY THROUGH GRADUATE EDUCATION
Authors: Saludadez Jean A
Published: January 2020

This paper highlights the affordances of technology in building the ASEAN community through graduate education. Specifically, the paper shall focus on the development and the delivery of the ASEAN Studies Graduate Program being offered online by the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). The program hopes to develop graduates who can contribute to an enhanced and heightened ASEAN community’s consciousness and awareness of its ties of history, culture and bound by a common regional identity but celebrating diversity. The paper shall share the development of the program structure and of the course materials that was accomplished through the collaboration of five open universities in the ASEAN region bound by a philosophy that the commonly shared ASEAN aspiration and dynamics could only be well understood by the ASEAN peoples themselves through a system of knowledge and body of research and repository of data and information on the region in its individual member nations and in its collective character as a regional entity. Further the paper shall share the delivery of the program that is framed by the Open and Distance eLearning or ODeL philosophy characterized by openness, inclusion, resource sharing, access and equity of open learning and learner-centeredness, flexibility, active learning, interactivity, ubiquity, connectivity and constructivism view of e-learning. The paper shall conclude with the challenges of a graduate program within an ODeL framework.
IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PENGELOLAAN PENGURUS KELOMPOK BELAJAR SKEMA BARU DI UNIVERSITAS TERBUKA
Authors: Kristanti Dwi
Published: January 2020

The learning system at the Open University, both abroad and in Indonesia, there is a learning program that really demands student independence. This study aims to analyze the implementation of management policies of the management of the new scheme of study groups at the Open University of UPBJJ-UT Bengkulu and UPBJJ-UT Padang. The number of respondents in this study were 445 Bengkulu students and in Padang. The research data analysis used was the independent sample t-test. The collected data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16.0 for Windows. The results of the first study, show that obtained F-count value 42,808 and sig value. 0,000 < 0,005. Second, the implementation of management policies has a t-count value of 6.872 and a sig value. 0,000 < 0,005. And finally, the implementation of management policies has a t-count value of 7.404 and a sig value. 0,000 < 0,005. Based on the results of the study indicate that the two regions still need supervision of the performance of the study group administrators at the Open University. Student satisfaction is considered to be lacking in POKJAR's performance. But in the category often and very often the UT Padang region is bigger than the UT Bengkulu region, this also shows that the oversight is still more than the Bengkulu Open University entity in carrying out its duties and authority as the management of the study group so that service to students is not constrained and students understand Open University procedures.
Unstructured Uncertainty Based Modeling and Robust Stability Analysis of Textile-Reinforced Composites with Embedded Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Keshtkar Najmeh , Röbenack Klaus
Published: January 2020

This paper develops the mathematical modeling and deflection control of a textile-reinforced composite integrated with shape memory actuators. The mathematical model of the system is derived using the identification method and an unstructured uncertainty approach. Based on this model and a robust stability analysis, a robust proportional–integral controller is designed for controlling the deflection of the composite. We showed that the robust controller depends significantly on the modeling of the uncertainty. The performance of the proposed controller is compared with a classical one through experimental analysis. Experimental results show that the proposed controller has a better performance as it reduces the overshoot and provide robustness to uncertainty. Due to the robust design, the controller also has a wide operating range, which is advantageous for practical applications.
Quantitative Estimation of the Nutrient Uptake Requirements of Peanut
Authors: Xie Mengmeng , Wang Zhongqiang , Xu Xinpeng , Zheng Xing , Liu Hanyu , Shi Puxiang
Published: January 2020

Understanding the characteristics of the balanced nutrient requirements for peanut to achieve target yields is paramount when formulating fertilizer management strategies to increase yields and avoid fertilizer loss. Nutritional requirement estimation models can provide effective alternatives for the estimation of the optimum crop balanced nutrient requirements under varied agricultural conditions which are less time consuming and expensive. In the present study, the quantitative estimation of the optimum crop balanced nutrient requirements of peanut in China were obtained using quantitative evaluation of fertility of tropical soils (QUEFTS) model. The database covered the main agro-ecological region for peanut crops in China between 1993 and 2018. The predicted results of the QUEFTS model indicated that nutrient uptake requirements increased linearly with increasing pod yields until the yields had reached approximately 60% to 70% of the potential pod yields. It was found that with the increasing pod yields during the nutrient linear absorption stage, the plants had required 38.4 kg N, 4.3 kg P, and 14.0 kg K in total to produce 1000 kg of pods, and the corresponding internal efficiencies were 26.0 kg N/kg, 235.0 kg P/kg, and 71.6 kg K/kg, respectively. In addition, the balance rates of the removal nutrient in the pods were determined to be 29.4 kg N, 2.9 kg P, and 4.9 kg K per 1000 kg of pod yield, or approximately 76.5%, 67.4%, and 34.7% of N, P, and K in the total plants, respectively. This study’s field validation experiments verified the applicability and accuracy of the QUEFTS model. Therefore, it was considered to be an effective alternative for the estimation of the optimal balance N, P, and K uptake requirements for peanut crops. These findings will potentially be helpful when making future decisions regarding fertilizer recommendations for peanut crops in China.
Can Trichoderma-Based Biostimulants Optimize N Use Efficiency and Stimulate Growth of Leafy Vegetables in Greenhouse Intensive Cropping Systems?
Authors: Visconti Donato , Fiorentino Nunzio , Cozzolino Eugenio , Woo Sheridan Lois , Fagnano Massimo , Rouphael Youssef
Published: January 2020

The present study addresses the effects of Trichoderma-based biostimulants and nitrogen (N) fertilization levels on agronomic performance and functional quality of two important greenhouse leafy vegetables: lettuce and rocket. A factorial analysis of the relative effects of Trichoderma-based biostimulants (Trichoderma harzianum strain T22 and Trichoderma virens strain GV41) and N fertilization levels (sub-optimal, optimal, and supra-optimal) was carried out to evaluate crop productive behavior (marketable and unmarketable yields, leaf dry matter content, and biomass production), nitrogen nutrition (N uptake, apparent N recovery, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE)) as well as phytochemical qualitative components (antioxidant activity and total polyphenols). The soil plant analysis development (SPAD) index in both leafy vegetables and leaf colorimetry only in rocket were mainly affected by N fertilization levels but not by Trichoderma-based biostimulants. The contribution of native mineral N was 60 and 100 kg N ha−1 of the total uptake in lettuce and rocket, respectively, and N surpluses were observed in both crops, even under optimal fertilization conditions. Trichoderma virens GV41-based biostimulant increased lettuce marketable yield and biomass production, both under optimal and sub-optimal fertilization. In addition, the same treatment increased NUE up to 116% under recommended N fertilization, that was also associated to an increase in phenol content and antioxidant activity. Rocket showed a clear effect of the Trichoderma virens GV41 treatment, only in absence of fertilization, demonstrating an increase in marketable yield and N uptake. Thus, the inoculation of rocket with this Trichoderma biostimulant can be considered as a useful management tool in leafy vegetable cropping systems for the efficient use of residual fertilizers from previous crops, enhancing NUE within the crop rotations. Nevertheless, the application of microbial biostimulant treatments requires good monitoring of soil N fertility in order to avoid an overexploitation of soil N supplying potential.
Chromosome Engineering in Tropical Cash Crops
Authors: Bolaños-Villegas Pablo
Published: January 2020

Tropical and subtropical crops such as coffee, cacao, and papaya are valuable commodities, and their consumption is a seemingly indispensable part of the daily lives of billions of people worldwide. Conventional breeding of these crops is long, and yields are threatened by global warming. Traditional chromosome engineering and new synthetic biology methods could be used to engineer new chromosomes, facilitate the transmission of wild traits to improve resistance to stress and disease in these crops, and hopefully boost yields. This review gives an overview of these approaches. The adoption of these approaches may contribute to the resilience of agricultural communities, lead to economic growth and secure the availability of key resources for generations to come.
A Comparative Study of Field Nematode Communities over a Decade of Cotton Production in Australia
Authors: Knox Oliver , Backhouse David , Gupta Vadakattu
Published: January 2020

Soil nematode populations have the potential to indicate ecosystem disturbances. In response to questions about nematode interactions with soilborne diseases and whether genetically modified cotton altered nematode populations, several fields in the Namoi cotton growing area of Australia were sampled between 2005 and 2007. No significant interactions were observed, but nematodes numbers were low and postulated to be due to the use of the nematicide aldicarb. Aldicarb was removed from the system in 2011 and in 2015 funding allowed some fields to be resampled to determine if there had been a change in the nematode numbers following aldicarb removal. No significant changes in the total nematode numbers were observed, implying that the removal of aldicarb had little impact on the total nematode population size. However, an increase in plant parasitic nematodes was observed in both fields, but the species identified and the levels of change were not considered a threat to cotton production nor driven solely by altered pesticide chemistry. Additionally, greater numbers of higher order coloniser-persisters in the 2015 samples suggests that the current cotton production system is less disruptive to the soil ecosystem than that of a decade ago.
Trends in Primary Antibiotic Resistance in H. pylori Strains Isolated in Italy between 2009 and 2019
Authors: Saracino Ilaria Maria , Fiorini Giulia , Zullo Angelo , Pavoni Matteo , Saccomanno Laura , Vaira Dino
Published: January 2020

Background and aims: the increasing prevalence of strains resistant to antimicrobial agents is a critical issue for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. This study aimed to evaluate, in Italian naïve patients, H. pylori antibiotic resistance trends and their potential predictive factors during the last decade. Methods: consecutive Italian naïve H. pylori positive patients, referred from General Practitioners to our Unit from January 2009 to January 2019 to perform an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE), were considered. Each patient underwent 13C-urea breath test (13C-UBT) and UGIE with multiple biopsies to perform rapid urease test (RUT), culture/susceptibility test (vs. clarithromycin, metronidazole, levofloxacin), and histopathological examination. H. pylori status was assessed through CRM (composite reference method: at least two tests positive or only culture positive). Results: between 2009 and 2014, 1763 patients were diagnosed as H. pylori positive, 907 were naïve with antibiogram available. Between 2015 and 2019, 1415 patients were diagnosed as H. pylori positive, antibiotic susceptibility test was available in 739 naïve patients. H. pylori primary antibiotic resistance rates in the first and second five-year period were, respectively, clarithromycin 30.2% (95% CI 27.2–33.3), 37.8% (95% CI 34.2–41.4); metronidazole 33.3% (95% CI 30.2–36.5), 33.6% (95% CI 30.2–37.1); levofloxacin 25.6% (95% CI 22.8–28.5), 33.8% (95% CI 37.4–47.4), double resistance clarithromycin-metronidazole 18.9% (95% CI 16.4–21.6), 20.7% (95% CI 17.8–23.8). The increase of the resistance rates to clarithromycin and levofloxacin in naïve patients was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Although eradication rates for sequential therapy in the 10 years considered were 93.4% (95% CI 92–94.6) and 87.5% (95% CI 85.7–89) at per-protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, respectively, they showed a significant decrease in the second five-year period. Conclusions: this data highlights an increase in primary H. pylori antibiotic resistance and strongly suggests the importance of drug susceptibility testing also in naïve patients.
Neuroprotective and Neuromodulatory Effects Induced by Cannabidiol and Cannabigerol in Rat Hypo-E22 cells and Isolated Hypothalamus
Authors: di Giacomo Viviana , Chiavaroli Annalisa , Orlando Giustino , Cataldi Amelia , Rapino Monica , Di Valerio Valentina , Leone Sheila , Brunetti Luigi , Menghini Luigi , Recinella Lucia , Ferrante Claudio
Published: January 2020

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG) are non-psychotropic terpenophenols isolated from Cannabis sativa, which, besides their anti-inflammatory/antioxidant effects, are able to inhibit, the first, and to stimulate, the second, the appetite although there are no studies elucidating their role in the hypothalamic appetite-regulating network. Consequently, the aim of the present research is to investigate the role of CBD and CBG in regulating hypothalamic neuromodulators. Comparative evaluations between oxidative stress and food intake-modulating mediators were also performed. Methods: Rat hypothalamic Hypo-E22 cells and isolated tissues were exposed to either CBD or CBG, and the gene expressions of neuropeptide (NP)Y, pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and fatty acid amide hydrolase were assessed. In parallel, the influence of CBD on the synthesis and release of dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) was evaluated. The 3-hydroxykinurenine/kinurenic acid (3-HK/KA) ratio was also determined. Results: Both CBD and CBG inhibited NPY and POMC gene expression and decreased the 3-HK/KA ratio in the hypothalamus. The same compounds also reduced hypothalamic NE synthesis and DA release, whereas the sole CBD inhibited 5-HT synthesis. Conclusion: The CBD modulates hypothalamic neuromodulators consistently with its anorexigenic role, whereas the CBG effect on the same mediators suggests alternative mechanisms, possibly involving peripheral pathways.
Tomato as Potential Source of Natural Additives for Meat Industry. A Review
Authors: Domínguez Rubén , Gullón Patricia , Pateiro Mirian , Munekata Paulo E. S. , Zhang Wangang , Lorenzo José Manuel
Published: January 2020

Tomato industry produces huge amounts of by-products that represent an environmental and economic problem. However, these by-products contain multiple bioactive compounds, which would make them a renewable source for obtaining natural antioxidants and colourants (carotenoids). This is in line with the preferences of the current consumer who demands more natural and healthy products. However, the lipophilic character of carotenoids means that their extraction must be carried out using toxic organic solvents. To overcome environmental and health problems of organic solvents, the application of supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) for the extraction of lipophilic compounds such as lycopene was used successfully, achieving yields similar to those obtained with conventional techniques. Nonetheless, the extraction conditions must be carefully selected, to obtain high yields and at the same time maintain a high antioxidant capacity. On the other hand, the use of tomato and tomato extracts as natural additives in meat products are reduced in comparison with other natural antioxidant/colourant extracts. However, different researches conclude that the use of tomato improved nutritional quality, reduced lipid oxidation and increased stability during the shelf-life period of meat products, while retaining or increasing sensory properties and overall acceptability, which converts tomato by-products into a promising source of natural additives.
The Seepage and Soil Plug Formation in Suction Caissons in Sand Using Visual Tests
Authors: Xie Liquan , Ma Shili , Lin Tiantian
Published: January 2020

The rapid development of offshore wind energy in China is becoming increasingly relevant for movement toward green development. This paper presents the results of visual tests of a suction caisson used as foundation for offshore wind turbines. The distribution of hydraulic gradients of sand at the mudline in the caisson was obtained to find out the relationship with the heights of soil plugs. The relationship equation was proposed and obtained by using quadratic regression, guiding project designs, and construction. It was found that there was no soil plug in the caisson when small suction was applied during the suction penetration. The relationship between the heights of the soil plugs and the hydraulic gradient of the soil was proposed and obtained by using quadratic regression to predict (roughly) the height of soil plugs in suction caissons in sand during suction penetration. The influence of settlement outside caissons on the soil plug was found to decrease as the buried depth rose.
Value of Information (VoI) for the Chloride Content in Reinforced Concrete Bridges
Authors: Zambon Ivan , Santamaria Ariza Monica Patricia , Campos e Matos José , Strauss Alfred
Published: January 2020

The corrosion of reinforcement caused by chloride ingress significantly reduces the length of the service life of reinforced concrete bridges. Therefore, the condition of bridges is periodically inspected by specially trained engineers regarding the possible occurrence of reinforcement corrosion. Their main goal is to ensure that the structure can resist mechanical and environmental loads and offer a satisfactory level of safety and serviceability. In the course of assessment, measuring the chloride content, through which corrosion could be anticipated and prevented, presents a possible alternative to visual inspections and corrosion tests that can only indicate already existing corrosion. It is hard to determine the cost-effectiveness and actual value of chloride content measurements in a simple and straightforward way. Thus, the main aim of the paper was to study the value of newly gained information, which is obtained when a chloride content in reinforced concrete bridges is measured. This value was here analyzed through the pre-posterior analysis of the cost of measurement and repair, taking into account different types of exposure and material properties for a general case. The research focus was set on the initiation phase in which there are no visible damages. A relative comparison of costs is presented, where the cost of possible reactive/proactive repair was compared with the maximum cost of measurement, while the measurement is still cost effective. The analysis showed a high influence of the initial probability of depassivation on the maximum cost of the cost-effective measurement, as well as a nonreciprocal relation of the minimum cost of cost-effective reactive repair with the measurement accuracy.
Early Intervention Using Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Combined with Probiotics Influence the Growth Performance, Diarrhea, and Intestinal Barrier Function of Piglets
Authors: Xiang Quanhang , Wu Xiaoyu , Pan Ye , Wang Liu , Guo Yuwei , Cui Chenbin , Hu Lingling , Zhu Lingling , Peng Jian , Wei Hongkui
Published: January 2020

Early intervention with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) improves the growth performance and intestinal barrier function of piglets. Accelerating intestinal oxygen concentration is beneficial for symbiotic bacterial colonization. Saccharomyces boulardii (SB) is an aerobic fungus, which may contribute to the colonization of anaerobic symbiotic bacteria by competing for oxygen. Clostridium butyricum (CB) improves intestinal barrier function and performance, via regulating the gut microbiota composition of piglets. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB on growth performance, diarrhea, and intestinal barrier function in piglets. A total of 77 litters of neonatal piglets assigned to one of six treatments, which treated with antibiotics (AB), placebo (CON), and FMT (FMT), FMT-added CB (FMT+C), FMT-added SB (FMT+S), and FMT-added CB and SB (FMT+C+S), respectively. FMT+C+S treated piglets had higher body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) both in weaning and finial period, and it significantly increased the levels of fecal mucin-2 (MUC2), fecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and relative abundance of fecal Lactobacillus spp., and Bifidobacterium genus. Moreover, early intervention with FMT+C+S reduced the diarrhea rate during the experiment. FMT+C+S also decreased the level of plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate (D-LA), and relative abundance of fecal E. coli during the suckling period. In summary, early intervention with FMT combining CB and SB improved the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, fecal SCFAs concentration, and fecal Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium of piglets.
Motion Planning of Robot Manipulators for a Smoother Path Using a Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient with Hindsight Experience Replay
Authors: Kim MyeongSeop , Han Dong-Ki , Park Jae-Han , Kim Jung-Su
Published: January 2020

In order to enhance performance of robot systems in the manufacturing industry, it is essential to develop motion and task planning algorithms. Especially, it is important for the motion plan to be generated automatically in order to deal with various working environments. Although PRM (Probabilistic Roadmap) provides feasible paths when the starting and goal positions of a robot manipulator are given, the path might not be smooth enough, which can lead to inefficient performance of the robot system. This paper proposes a motion planning algorithm for robot manipulators using a twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3) which is a reinforcement learning algorithm tailored to MDP with continuous action. Besides, hindsight experience replay (HER) is employed in the TD3 to enhance sample efficiency. Since path planning for a robot manipulator is an MDP (Markov Decision Process) with sparse reward and HER can deal with such a problem, this paper proposes a motion planning algorithm using TD3 with HER. The proposed algorithm is applied to 2-DOF and 3-DOF manipulators and it is shown that the designed paths are smoother and shorter than those designed by PRM.
Editorial on Special Issue “Textile-Reinforced Cement Composites: New Insights into Structural and Material Engineering”
Authors: Tysmans Tine , Wastiels Jan
Published: January 2020

This special issue presents the latest advances in the field of Textile-Reinforced Cement Composites, including Textile-Reinforced Concrete (TRC), Textile-Reinforced Mortar (TRM), Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM), etc. These composite materials distinguish themselves from other fibre reinforced concrete materials by their strain-hardening behaviour under tensile loading. This Special Issue is composed of 14 papers covering new insights in structural and material engineering. The papers include investigations on the level of the fibre reinforcement system as well as on the level of the composites, investigating their impact and fatigue behaviour, durability and fire behaviour. Both strengthening of existing structures and development of new structural systems such as lightweight sandwich systems are presented, and analysis and design methods are discussed. This Special Issue demonstrates the broadness and intensity of the ongoing advancements in the field of Textile-Reinforced Cement composites and the importance of several future research directions.
Variance of the Gait Parameters and Fraction of Double-Support Interval for Determining the Severity of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Keloth Sana M. , Arjunan Sridhar P. , Kumar Dinesh K.
Published: January 2020

The aim of this study was to determine the gait features that are most suitable for the quantified assessment of the severity of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study computed the mean and variance of the four phases of gait intervals, i.e., stride, swing, stance and double-support intervals, and lateral difference to determine the difference between three groups, i.e., control subjects and PD patients with two severity levels (early and advanced stage) of the disease, PD1 and PD2. Data from 31 subjects were used in the study. The data were obtained from the public database (16 control healthy subjects, 6 Parkinson’s disease patients with early stages, and 9 Parkinson’s disease patients with advanced stages based on the Hoehn and Yahr scale). The main outcome measure of the study was the group difference of the four gait interval parameters and the statistical significance of this difference. The results show that there was a significant increase in the variance of the four gait intervals with the severity of the disease. However, there was no significant difference in the mean values between the three groups. It was also observed that the fraction corresponding to the double-support interval was significantly higher for PD patients. This study has shown that the variance of the gait parameters and the fraction of double-support interval are associated with the severity of PD and may be suitable measures for a quantified evaluation of the disease.
Experimental and Numerical Simulation Investigation on Deep Drawing Process of Inconel 718 with and without Intermediate Annealing Thermal Treatments
Authors: Ulibarri Unai , Galdos Lander , Sáenz de Argandoña Eneko , Mendiguren Joseba
Published: January 2020

The aeronautical industry is moving from high-capacity large-airplane construction to low-capacity small-airplane construction. With the change in the production volume, there is a need for more efficient manufacturing processes, such as stamping/deep drawing. However, the streamlined shape and exotic materials of airplanes pose a challenge to accurate numerical simulation of the manufacturing processes. In the case of the Inconel 718 material, researchers previously proposed numerical models; however, these models failed to take account of some key parameters, such as the degradation of the elastic modulus and intermediate annealing thermal processes. The aim of the present study was to characterize the Inconel 718 material, with and without intermediate annealing thermal treatment (TT) and to propose a suitable model. To evaluate the accuracy of the proposed model, a U-drawing benchmark test was used.
Effects of Gas-Volume Fractions on the External Characteristics and Pressure Fluctuation of a Multistage Mixed-Transport Pump
Authors: Li Chenhao , Luo Xingqi , Feng Jianjun , Zhu Guojun , Xue Yangang
Published: January 2020

In the petroleum industry, multiphase transport pumps are a crucial technology for petroleum extraction. Therefore, the pressure fluctuation and internal-flow characteristics of multiphase transport pumps with different inlet-gas-volume fractions (IGVFs) have become an important research topic. Studying the pressure fluctuation and its effects on the performance of mixed-transport pumps under different IGVFs is significant for improving the running stability of pumps. In this work, steady and transient flow with different IGVFs was solved using the Navier–Stokes equation applied to a structured grid and the Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence model. The effects of IGVFs on the pressure pulsation and the performance of a three-stage, mixed-transport pump were studied. Results indicated that the numerical calculation results agreed well with the experimental data. The numerical method could predict the gas and liquid two-phase flow in the mixed-transport pump accurately. The pressure increase of this pump decreased with the increased flow quantity and the IGVFs. The efficiency improvement of the pump was limited by the increasing the flow rate. Under the rated-flow condition, a quantitative relationship was established between the relative discharge of the IGVF and the decrease in the pump head; when the IGVF exceeded 15%, the pressurization capacity decreased by more than 30%. Along the blade centerline direction, the pressure fluctuation amplitude near the suction surface of the impeller blade head gradually increased. Numerical simulation results showed that the dominant frequency of the pressure fluctuation of the impeller and diffuser was ten and seven times that of the rotation frequency, respectively. Thus, the IGVFs greatly influenced the dominant frequency of the pressure fluctuation. The air in the impeller primarily piled up at the suction surface of the blade head near the front cover. Under a centrifugal force, water was pushed to the back cover plate, making the gas-volume fraction near the front cover plate higher. Consequently, the distribution of gas content in the impeller became uneven. On the blade suction surface near the front cover plate, a low-velocity area caused by flow separation was generated, which further affected the pressure pulsation in the impeller. There were obvious vortices in the diffuser, and the vortex position had a tendency to move toward the inlet of the diffuser with an increased gas content. The flow pattern in the impeller was consistent, which indicated the great transport performance of this pump. In conclusion, through numerical simulation and experimental research, this study revealed the effects of the IGVFs on the performance and pressure pulsation of a mixed-transport pump under a gas–liquid two-phase flow condition. Our findings may serve as a guide for the optimization of a multiphase pump.
Research on Heat Transfer Performance of Micro-Channel Backplane Heat Pipe Air Conditioning System in Data Center
Authors: Zeng Liping , Liu Xing , Zhang Quan , Yi Jun , Liu Xianglong , Su Huan
Published: January 2020

This paper deals with the heat transfer performance of a micro-channel backplane heat pipe air conditioning system. The optimal range of the filling rate of a micro-channel backplane heat pipe air conditioning system was determined in the range of 65–75%, almost free from the interference of working conditions. Then, the influence of temperature and air volume flow rate on the heat exchange system were studied. The system maximum heat exchange is 7000–8000 W, and the temperature difference between the inlet and outlet of the evaporator and the condenser is almost 0 °C. Under the optimum refrigerant filling rate, the heat transfer of the micro-channel heat pipe backplane system is approximately linear with the temperature difference between the inlet air temperature of the evaporator and the cooling distribution unit (CDU) inlet water temperature in the range of 18–28 °C. The last part compares the heat transfer characteristics of two refrigerants at different filling rates. The heat transfer, pressure, and refrigerant temperature of R134a and R22 are the same with the change of filling rate, but the heat transfer of R134a is lower than that of R22. The results are of great significance for the operational control and practical application of a backplane heat pipe system.
Study on Milling Temperature of Titanium Alloy with Micro-Textured Ball End Milling Cutter under Radius of Blunt Edge
Authors: Yang Shucai , Su Shuai , Liu Xianli , Han Pei
Published: January 2020

A high temperature is produced in the process of precision milling of titanium alloy, and the cutting temperature can be effectively reduced by placing a micro-texture on the tool surface. In order to study the milling temperature of micro-textured ball-end milling cutter in milling titanium alloy under the combined action of a blunt radius with different edges and a micro-texture with different parameters, a new method based on micro-element theory and the generation and transmission of cutting heat has been established. At the same time, the influence of different radii of blunt edges on the milling temperature is simulated by the finite element method and experimentally verified to explore the influence of different radii of a blunt edge and micro-texture parameters on the milling temperature. Taking the milling temperature as the evaluation index, the optimum parameters of micro-circular pit texture are as follows: the diameter of micro-circular pit is 40 micron, pit spacing is 225 micron, distance from cutting edge is 100 microns, and radius of the blunt edge is 60 microns.
Graphene Quantum Dots Doped PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT) Fiber Film with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Zhang Fubao , Yang Chen , Wang Xiao-Xiong , Li Ru , Wan Zhong , Wang Xianming , Wan Yong , Long Yun-Ze , Cai Zhongyu
Published: January 2020

We report the fabrication of polyvinylidene fluoride (tetrabutyl titanate)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone ((tetrabutyl titanate))-graphene quantum dots [PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-GQDs] film photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic performance. The polyvinylidene fluoride (tetrabutyl titanate)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone ((tetrabutyl titanate)) [PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)] film was first prepared with a dual-electrospinning method and then followed by attaching graphene quantum dots (GQDs) to the surface of the composite film through a hydrothermal method. Later, part of the PVP in the composite film was dissolved by a hydrothermal method. As a result, a PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-GQDs film photocatalyst with a larger specific surface area was achieved. The photocatalytic degradation behavior of the PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-GQDs film photocatalyst was examined by using Rhodamine B as the target contaminant. The PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-GQDs photocatalyst showed a higher photocatalytic efficiency than PVDF(TBT)-H2O, PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-H2O, and PVDF(TBT)-GQDs, respectively. The enhanced photocatalytic efficiency can be attributed to the broader optical response range of the PVDF(TBT)/PVP(TBT)-GQDs photocatalyst, which makes it useful as an effective photocatalyst under white light irradiation.
MAP-Vis: A Distributed Spatio-Temporal Big Data Visualization Framework Based on a Multi-Dimensional Aggregation Pyramid Model
Authors: Guan Xuefeng , Xie Chong , Han Linxu , Zeng Yumei , Shen Dannan , Xing Weiran
Published: January 2020

During the exploration and visualization of big spatio-temporal data, massive volume poses a number of challenges to the achievement of interactive visualization, including large memory consumption, high rendering delay, and poor visual effects. Research has shown that the development of distributed computing frameworks provides a feasible solution for big spatio-temporal data management and visualization. Accordingly, to address these challenges, this paper adopts a proprietary pre-processing visualization scheme and designs and implements a highly scalable distributed visual analysis framework, especially targeted at massive point-type datasets. Firstly, we propose a generic multi-dimensional aggregation pyramid (MAP) model based on two well-known graphics concepts, namely the Spatio-temporal Cube and 2D Tile Pyramid. The proposed MAP model can support the simultaneous hierarchical aggregation of time, space, and attributes, and also later transformation of the derived aggregates into discrete key-value pairs for scalable storage and efficient retrieval. Using the generated MAP datasets, we develop an open-source distributed visualization framework (MAP-Vis). In MAP-Vis, a high-performance Spark cluster is used as a parallel preprocessing platform, while distributed HBase is used as the massive storage for the generated MAP data. The client of MAP-Vis provides a variety of correlated visualization views, including heat map, time series, and attribute histogram. Four open datasets, with record numbers ranging from the millions to the tens of billions, are chosen for system demonstration and performance evaluation. The experimental results demonstrate that MAP-Vis can achieve millisecond-level query response and support efficient interactive visualization under different queries on the space, time, and attribute dimensions.