bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biochar Sebagai Penyimpan Karbon, Perbaikan Sifat Tanah, dan Mencegah Pemanasan Global : Tinjauan
Authors: Sarwono Rakhman
Published: July 2018

Terjadinya pemanasan global disebabkan karena makin tingginya konsentrasigas rumah kaca (GRK) di atmosfir. Pemanasan global akan memberidampak yang buruk terhadap kehidupan mahluk hidup di bumi ini. GRKyang sangat berpengaruh terhadap naiknya temperatur atmosfir bumi adalahgas CO2 [karbon dioksida], NOx, metan dan freon. Salah satu GRK yangmenjadi perhatian adalah gas CO2, karena gas CO2 kebanyakan dari kegiatanmanusia seperti pembakaran bahan bakar fossil yang jumlahnya selalumeningkat setiap tahunnya. Sejak revolusi industri sampai sekarang terjadiakumulasi gas CO2 di atmosfir yang semakin besar, dengan konsentrasi CO2sebesar 390 ppm. Hal ini ditengarai sebagai penyebab terjadinya pemanasanglobal dan perubahan iklim. Untuk menahan laju penambahan konsentrasigas CO2 di atmosfir perlu adanya cara untuk mengurangi karbon di atmosfir.Salah satu cara untuk mengurangi karbon dioksida CO2 di atmosfir adalahdengan mengkonversi biomasa menjadi biochar dan selanjutnya biochardimasukkan kedalam tanah sebagai pemuliaan tanah agar kelestarianpertanian bisa berlanjut. Bila biochar bisa diproduksi dalam jumlah yangbesar yang setara dengan jumlah karbon yang masuk ke atmosfir, maka akanterjadi keseimbangan antara gas CO2 yang masuk dan keluar atmosfir.Penyimpanan karbon sebesar 1 gigaton pertahun selama 40 tahun akanmenghambat penambahan konsentrasi gas CO2 di atmosfir. Sehingga lajupenambahan gas rumah kaca bisa dicegah.
Synthesis and cytotoxicity assay using Brine Shrimp Lethality Test of Cinchonidine Isobutyrate Ester
Authors: Mario Mario , Lotulung Puspa Dewi , Primahana Gian , Prima Sylvia Rizky , Hanafi Muhammad
Published: July 2018

This research was aimed to synthesize cinchonidine isobutyrate ester and conduct a preliminary assay for anticancer agent using cytotoxicity assay to Artemia salina Leach larva, or also known as brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT). Cinchonidine, a compound that has quinoline rings and quiniclidine ring, is a quinine analogue and stereoisomer of cinchonine. Cinchonidine is predicted to have anticancer activity. Synthesized ester was aimed to gain higher lipophilicity. Higher lipophilicity makes it easier for the compund to pass through cell membrane. The esterification process used DMAP as a catalyst, DCC as an activator, and isobutyric acid as a carboxilyc acid. Isobutyric acid is a type of short chained fatty acid that usually acts as an anticancer prodrugs. The product is identified by ESI-MS, FT-IR, 1H-NMR, dan 13C-NMR. Ester cinchonidine isobutyrate is gelatinous and colourless with yield of 21,77%. BSLT result showed that cinchonidine isobutyrate ester had LC50 value of 75.16 ppm which was more toxic than cinchonidine that had LC50 value of 99.2 ppm. It was proved that higher lipophilicity could increase pharmacology activity
Effect of initial inoculum on growth and fatty acid content as an α-glucosidase inhibitor in Colletotrichum sp. TSC13 mycelium that cultures under shake and static conditions
Authors: Artanti Nina , Kardono Leonardus B.S. , Tachibana Sanro
Published: July 2018

Colletotrichum species were reported producing various bioactive compounds that may potentially be used in the development of anti-microbial, antioxidant, anticancer and anti-diabetes drugs. Our previous studies showed that the methanol extracts of mycelia from Colletotrichum sp. TSC13, an endophytic fungus isolated from Taxus sumatrana (Miq.) de Laub., were found to have α-glucosidase inhibitory activities. The aim of present study was to examine the effects of initial inoculum on growth and the content of fatty acids as an α-glucosidase inhibitor in Colletotrichum sp. TSC13 that grew under shake and static condition. The results showed that shake and static conditions had more effect compared to the initial inocculum on growth and glucose consumption in growth and glucose consumption. However in terms of fatty acids contents and α-glucosidase inhibitor activities the initial inoculum showed more effect than shake and static conditions
Degradation of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) in Super-Critical Organic Solvents Affecting the Chemicals Distribution of Bio-Oil
Authors: Sarwono Rakhman , Saepulloh Saepulloh , Brayen Brayen , Andreas Andreas , Maryani Yeyen
Published: July 2018

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) in different organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, toluene and hexane) to produce bio-oil were comparatively investigated. Experiments were carried out in an autoclave at different temperature of 300, 350 and 400 oC with a fixed solid/liquid ratio of 4 gram in 50 mL solvent, without catalysts and reaction time of 5 hours. The liquid products were analyzed using GCMS to determine the chemical composition. Result showed that the chemical compositions were greatly affected by the solvent types. Each solvent has a major component in bio-oil products. The major compounds resulted from methanol and ethanol solvent were ketones/others. The major compounds resulted from toluene and hexane solvents were organic acid, which favoured high temperature. Meanwhile, esters and organic acid were the major products from acetone solvents. Temperature operation resulted more variations in the chemical composition and the percentages of the bio-oil.
Emerging Environmental Ethics for Living with Novel Fire Regimes in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Authors: Fowler Cynthia T.
Published: July 2018

This article focuses on anthropogenic fire as a form of disturbance that is having an unusually strong influence on landscapes in the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. One series of significant disturbance incidents was the Blue Ridge Complex, which was a dense cluster of wildfires that occurred during the fall of 2016. This article contains ethnographic information that I collected when the Blue Ridge Complex fires were burning and thereafter through the use of participant observation at community gatherings, land management events, and recreational activities. I have also conducted one-on-one interviews with residents of the fire-affected region, land managers, and firefighters. In community gatherings and in conversations with others, people living in the Blue Ridge Complex zone produced a collective ethical assemblage for living in a burning and burned landscape. The spatial and temporal patterns of burning in the fall of 2016 were so distinct from previous years that they may have redefined the Blue Ridge bioregion’s fire regimes. The proliferation of wildfires during the fall of 2016 also generated occasions for people to formulate their values related to one another, to their nonhuman co-residents, to fire, and to the overall mountainous landscape.
Experimental Stand for Investigations of Insulator Degradation and Electrode Erosion in High-current Breaker
Authors: Budin A. V. , Pinchuk M. E. , Leontev V. V. , Leks A. G. , Kurakina N. K. , Kiselev A. A. , Simakova J. V. , Frolov V. Ya.
Published: July 2018

An experimental stand for studies of electric arc, electrode erosion and insulator degradation processes in high-current circuit breakers and some preliminary experimental data is described. The setup includes a discharge chamber, a capacitive energy storage with capacitance of 0.11 F, voltage up to 10 kV, and all necessary diagnostic techniques. The stand is designed for modeling current pulse with amplitude of 3–150 kA and duration of the first half period of 1.0–3.0  ms during the process of disconnecting the ring and the pin contacts. The arc is cooled by transverse gas blowing at pressure in the chamber of 0.5–3 MPa. Acquired experimental data can be used for verification of the modelling results of the heat transfer processes in the discharge chamber. At the stand, advanced composite materials based on carbon and iron-copper pseudoalloy are studied.
Rotating Constricted Switching Arcs Burning in Gas and in Vacuum
Authors: Baron D. , Ettingshausen S. , Koletzko M. , Lawall A. , Rettenmaier T. , Wenzel N.
Published: July 2018

The method of controlling high-current switching arcs by transverse magnetic fields (TMF) forcing the constricted arc to rotate in a contact system is being applied successfully to improve the breaking capability of vacuum interrupters and gas circuit breakers. We describe the behavior of magnetically driven switching arcs in vacuum and in gas environment. We report on experiments using high-velocity videography, magnetic probes, and spectroscopy; they deliver the velocity, the temperature and the voltage of an arc. We present models and simulations of the moving constricted arc burning in metal vapor and in air. And we describe a particular switching application of TMF arc control and explain a scaling law of the contact size with the current interruption capability.
Modeling of Perfluorocarbons Decomposition in Nitrogen Thermal Plasma
Authors: Chau S. W. , Chen S. H.
Published: July 2018

This paper develops an axisymmetric flow model to predict the flow field inside a directcurrent plasma torch reactor, where the magneto-hydrodynamic equations, including the continuity, momentum, energy and current continuity equations as well as turbulence transport equations are solved with a finite volume discretization in a segregated manner. The thermodynamic and transport coefficients of thermal plasma are obtained from the condition of local thermal equilibrium, whereas a kinetics model is employed to consider the production and destruction of species due to the chemical reactions in a decomposition process. Species transport phenomena arising in the decomposition process are described by the transport equations for different species. The perfluorocarbons decomposition characteristics in a well-type, non-transferred nitrogen torch reactor are analyzed by the proposed numerical model to disclose the influence of working parameters on the decomposition efficiency.
Instytucjonalne dylematy transatlantyckich stosunków bezpieczeństwa: Unia Europejska partnerem Stanów Zjednoczonych czy prymat NATO?
Authors: PODRAZA ANDRZEJ
Published: July 2018

Celem artykułu jest analiza dwóch układów instytucjonalnych, które rozwinęły się w ramach transatlantyckich stosunków bezpieczeństwa. Po pierwsze, jest to NATO, które powstało w 1949 r. jako sojusz wojskowy, którego pierwotnym celem było przeciwdziałanie zagrożeniu ze strony Związku Radzieckiego i kontrola Niemiec dzięki zakotwiczeniu Stanów Zjednoczonych na kontynencie europejskim. Od tego czasu, a w szczególności od końca zimnej wojny, NATO przeszło proces transformacji, ale szereg pierwotnych funkcji nadal ma ogromne znaczenie. Poszczególne teorie stosunków międzynarodowych (neorealizm, neoliberalny instytucjonalizm, konstruktywizm społeczny) w odmienny sposób interpretują zmiany w NATO. Po drugie, alternatywnym układem instytucjonalnym dla NATO mogą być relacje w dziedzinie bezpieczeństwa i obrony pomiędzy Unią Europejską a Stanami Zjednoczonymi. Ma on bardziej charakter potencjalny, gdyż nadal Unia ma problemy ze swoją podmiotowością w polityce międzynarodowej.
Promocja demokracji przez Zachód we wschodniej części Europy w XXI wieku
Authors: ZIĘBA RYSZARD
Published: July 2018

Państwa zachodnie i ich instytucje międzynarodowe (Unia Europejska i NATO), kierując się liberalną ideologią kontynuowały w XXI wieku politykę promowania demokracji, rządów prawa, praw człowieka i gospodarki rynkowej wobec byłych państw socjalistycznych na terenie Bałkanów Zachodnich oraz byłego ZSRR. Największe przeszkody stawia ich polityce Rosja, która uważa, że państwa zachodnie w rzeczywistości realizują cele poszerzania strefy swoich wpływów i narażają na uszczerbek jej interesy bezpieczeństwa. Do największej konfrontacji między Zachodem a Rosją doszło w 2014 roku na Ukrainie, kiedy UE i USA wsparły prozachodnie aspiracje nowych władz tego państwa, wyłonione w wyniku kilkumiesięcznych demonstracji ulicznych w Kijowie. Kryzys ukraiński spowodował trudności we współpracy międzynarodowej i pogarszanie się stanu bezpieczeństwa międzynarodowego w strefie euroatlantyckiej.
Międzynarodowa pozycja Unii Europejskiej w warunkach niestabilności południowego i wschodniego sąsiedztwa
Authors: PODRAZA ANDRZEJ , STĘPNIEWSKI TOMASZ
Published: July 2018

Unia Europejska boryka się z licznymi kryzysami o charakterze wewnętrznym i zewnętrznym, które mogą wpłynąć na jej funkcjonowanie w przyszłości. Ich skutki mogą podważyć obecny model integracji i doprowadzić nawet do znaczącej transformacji UE oraz wpłynąć na jej międzynarodową pozycję. U podstaw obecnych kryzysów leżą poważne różnice zdań pomiędzy państwami członkowskimi co do radzenia sobie z wyzwaniami tak wewnętrznymi, jak i zewnętrznymi stojącymi przed Unią Europejską. Do najważniejszych można zaliczyć kryzys w strefie euro, stosunek do uchodźców i migrantów z Bliskiego Wschodu i Afryki oraz zróżnicowane podejście do Rosji w związku z aneksją Krymu i konfliktem we wschodniej Ukrainie. Wszystkie one są ilustracją głębokich podziałów nie tylko pomiędzy państwami członkowskimi, ale również w ramach poszczególnych państw.
On developing ICC: EFL teacher-educator’s reflections
Authors: Siek-Piskozub Teresa
Published: July 2018

On developing ICC: EFL teacher-educator’s reflections
Larva, pupa, imago: próba redefinicji pojęcia wizerunku politycznego w ujęciu komunikologicznym
Authors: Urbaniak Artur
Published: July 2018

Larva, pupa, imago: próba redefinicji pojęcia wizerunku politycznego w ujęciu komunikologicznym
Natural and cultural layers of communicating selves in the discursive becoming of language
Authors: Wąsik Zdzisław
Published: July 2018

Natural and cultural layers of communicating selves in the discursive becoming of language
Theoretische Phasen der (West)deutschen Germanistik in der Nachkriegszeit
Authors: Papiór Jan
Published: July 2018

Theoretische Phasen der (West)deutschen Germanistik in der Nachkriegszeit
Tożsamość a wizerunek i reputacja przedsiębiorstwa na przykładzie koncernu Monsanto
Authors: Wąsikiewicz-Firlej Emilia
Published: July 2018

Tożsamość a wizerunek i reputacja przedsiębiorstwa na przykładzie koncernuMonsanto
Quantitative analysis of the mitochondrial proteome in human ovarian carcinomas
Authors: Li Na , Li Huanni , Cao Lanqin , Zhan Xianquan
Published: July 2018

Mitochondria play important roles in growth, signal transduction, division, tumorigenesis and energy metabolism in epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOCs) without an effective biomarker. To investigate the proteomic profile of EOC mitochondrial proteins, a 6-plex isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) proteomics was used to identify mitochondrial expressed proteins (mtEPs) in EOCs relative to controls, followed by an integrative analysis of the identified mtEPs and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data from 419 patients. A total of 5115 quantified proteins were identified from purified mitochondrial samples, and 262 proteins were significantly related to overall survival in EOC patients. Furthermore, 63 proteins were identified as potential biomarkers for the development of an EOC, and our findings were consistent with previous reports on a certain extent. Pathway network analysis identified 70 signaling pathways. Interestingly, the results demonstrated that cancer cells exhibited an increased dependence on mitophagy, such as peroxisome, phagosome, lysosome, valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation and fatty acid degradation pathways, which might play an important role in EOC invasion and metastasis. Five proteins (GLDC, PCK2, IDH2, CPT2 and HMGCS2) located in the mitochondrion and enriched pathways were selected for further analysis in an EOC cell line and tissues, and the results confirmed reliability of iTRAQ proteomics. These findings provide a large-scale mitochondrial proteomic profiling with quantitative information, a certain number of potential protein biomarkers and a novel vision in the mitophagy bio-mechanism of a human ovarian carcinoma.
Family caregiver of older adults and Cultural Care in Nursing care
Authors: Couto Alcimar Marcelo do , Caldas Célia Pereira , Castro Edna Aparecida Barbosa de
Published: July 2018

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the experiences of family caregivers of dependent older adults, who show performance overload and emotional distress, using the Theory of Culture Care. Method: Qualitative study with nine caregivers of home care dependent older adults, based on Grounded Theory. Results: The findings allowed the identification of potentialities and frailties in the context of family home care and subsidizing the construction of a theoretical scheme resulting from the analysis of possibilities of the nursing care practice according to the culture, through the three modes of action: maintenance, adjustment and repatterning of cultural care. Final considerations: Respecting the cultural values and family beliefs, the nurse can help to institute mutually established changes, promoting a better quality in the nursing care relationship and a relief to the strain of the role of the caregiver.
The Development of Students’ Mathematical Argumentation in a Primary Classroom
Authors: Lin Pi-Jen
Published: July 2018

Abstract: The use of valid argument does not come naturally. It is acquired only through practice. This study was accomplished to provide students intended opportunities of engaging activities for launching argumentation in primary classrooms. The focus of the paper is how argumentation was evolved when students engaged in the conjecturing incorporated into regular mathematics instruction over two consecutive years. Working with a group of 6 teachers was to develop conjecturing tasks and pedagogical strategies to support them in teaching, and then to enhance the quality of students’ argumentation when 24 students were in grades 3 and 4. The collected data mainly consisted of conjecturing tasks, audio - and video - taped recordings of classroom observations, and students’ worksheets. Results indicate that the evolution of argumentation was identified in two aspects: the characteristics and the quality of the argumentation.
Rerepresenting and Restructuring Domain Theories: A Constructive Induction Approach
Authors: Donoho S. K. , Rendell L. A.
Published: July 2018

Theory revision integrates inductive learning and background knowledge by combining training examples with a coarse domain theory to produce a more accurate theory. There are two challenges that theory revision and other theory-guided systems face. First, a representation language appropriate for the initial theory may be inappropriate for an improved theory. While the original representation may concisely express the initial theory, a more accurate theory forced to use that same representation may be bulky, cumbersome, and difficult to reach. Second, a theory structure suitable for a coarse domain theory may be insufficient for a fine-tuned theory. Systems that produce only small, local changes to a theory have limited value for accomplishing complex structural alterations that may be required. Consequently, advanced theory-guided learning systems require flexible representation and flexible structure. An analysis of various theory revision systems and theory-guided learning systems reveals specific strengths and weaknesses in terms of these two desired properties. Designed to capture the underlying qualities of each system, a new system uses theory-guided constructive induction. Experiments in three domains show improvement over previous theory-guided systems. This leads to a study of the behavior, limitations, and potential of theory-guided constructive induction.
Decidable Reasoning in Terminological Knowledge Representation Systems
Authors: Buchheit M. , Donini F. M. , Schaerf A.
Published: July 2018

Terminological knowledge representation systems (TKRSs) are tools for designing and using knowledge bases that make use of terminological languages (or concept languages). We analyze from a theoretical point of view a TKRS whose capabilities go beyond the ones of presently available TKRSs. The new features studied, often required in practical applications, can be summarized in three main points. First, we consider a highly expressive terminological language, called ALCNR, including general complements of concepts, number restrictions and role conjunction. Second, we allow to express inclusion statements between general concepts, and terminological cycles as a particular case. Third, we prove the decidability of a number of desirable TKRS-deduction services (like satisfiability, subsumption and instance checking) through a sound, complete and terminating calculus for reasoning in ALCNR-knowledge bases. Our calculus extends the general technique of constraint systems. As a byproduct of the proof, we get also the result that inclusion statements in ALCNR can be simulated by terminological cycles, if descriptive semantics is adopted.
Logarithmic-Time Updates and Queries in Probabilistic Networks
Authors: Delcher A. L. , Grove A. J. , Kasif S. , Pearl J.
Published: July 2018

Traditional databases commonly support efficient query and update procedures that operate in time which is sublinear in the size of the database. Our goal in this paper is to take a first step toward dynamic reasoning in probabilistic databases with comparable efficiency. We propose a dynamic data structure that supports efficient algorithms for updating and querying singly connected Bayesian networks. In the conventional algorithm, new evidence is absorbed in O(1) time and queries are processed in time O(N), where N is the size of the network. We propose an algorithm which, after a preprocessing phase, allows us to answer queries in time O(log N) at the expense of O(log N) time per evidence absorption. The usefulness of sub-linear processing time manifests itself in applications requiring (near) real-time response over large probabilistic databases. We briefly discuss a potential application of dynamic probabilistic reasoning in computational biology.
Least Generalizations and Greatest Specializations of Sets of Clauses
Authors: Nienhuys-Cheng S. H.
Published: July 2018

The main operations in Inductive Logic Programming (ILP) are generalization and specialization, which only make sense in a generality order. In ILP, the three most important generality orders are subsumption, implication and implication relative to background knowledge. The two languages used most often are languages of clauses and languages of only Horn clauses. This gives a total of six different ordered languages. In this paper, we give a systematic treatment of the existence or non-existence of least generalizations and greatest specializations of finite sets of clauses in each of these six ordered sets. We survey results already obtained by others and also contribute some answers of our own. Our main new results are, firstly, the existence of a computable least generalization under implication of every finite set of clauses containing at least one non-tautologous function-free clause (among other, not necessarily function-free clauses). Secondly, we show that such a least generalization need not exist under relative implication, not even if both the set that is to be generalized and the background knowledge are function-free. Thirdly, we give a complete discussion of existence and non-existence of greatest specializations in each of the six ordered languages.
MUSE CSP: An Extension to the Constraint Satisfaction Problem
Authors: Helzerman R. A. , Harper M. P.
Published: July 2018

This paper describes an extension to the constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) called MUSE CSP (MUltiply SEgmented Constraint Satisfaction Problem). This extension is especially useful for those problems which segment into multiple sets of partially shared variables. Such problems arise naturally in signal processing applications including computer vision, speech processing, and handwriting recognition. For these applications, it is often difficult to segment the data in only one way given the low-level information utilized by the segmentation algorithms. MUSE CSP can be used to compactly represent several similar instances of the constraint satisfaction problem. If multiple instances of a CSP have some common variables which have the same domains and constraints, then they can be combined into a single instance of a MUSE CSP, reducing the work required to apply the constraints. We introduce the concepts of MUSE node consistency, MUSE arc consistency, and MUSE path consistency. We then demonstrate how MUSE CSP can be used to compactly represent lexically ambiguous sentences and the multiple sentence hypotheses that are often generated by speech recognition algorithms so that grammar constraints can be used to provide parses for all syntactically correct sentences. Algorithms for MUSE arc and path consistency are provided. Finally, we discuss how to create a MUSE CSP from a set of CSPs which are labeled to indicate when the same variable is shared by more than a single CSP.
Exploiting Causal Independence in Bayesian Network Inference
Authors: Zhang N. L. , Poole D.
Published: July 2018

A new method is proposed for exploiting causal independencies in exact Bayesian network inference. A Bayesian network can be viewed as representing a factorization of a joint probability into the multiplication of a set of conditional probabilities. We present a notion of causal independence that enables one to further factorize the conditional probabilities into a combination of even smaller factors and consequently obtain a finer-grain factorization of the joint probability. The new formulation of causal independence lets us specify the conditional probability of a variable given its parents in terms of an associative and commutative operator, such as ``or'', ``sum'' or ``max'', on the contribution of each parent. We start with a simple algorithm VE for Bayesian network inference that, given evidence and a query variable, uses the factorization to find the posterior distribution of the query. We show how this algorithm can be extended to exploit causal independence. Empirical studies, based on the CPCS networks for medical diagnosis, show that this method is more efficient than previous methods and allows for inference in larger networks than previous algorithms.
Identifying Hierarchical Structure in Sequences: A linear-time algorithm
Authors: Nevill-Manning C. G. , Witten I. H.
Published: July 2018

SEQUITUR is an algorithm that infers a hierarchical structure from a sequence of discrete symbols by replacing repeated phrases with a grammatical rule that generates the phrase, and continuing this process recursively. The result is a hierarchical representation of the original sequence, which offers insights into its lexical structure. The algorithm is driven by two constraints that reduce the size of the grammar, and produce structure as a by-product. SEQUITUR breaks new ground by operating incrementally. Moreover, the method's simple structure permits a proof that it operates in space and time that is linear in the size of the input. Our implementation can process 50,000 symbols per second and has been applied to an extensive range of real world sequences.
A Complete Classification of Tractability in RCC-5
Authors: Drakengren T. , Jonsson P.
Published: July 2018

We investigate the computational properties of the spatial algebra RCC-5 which is a restricted version of the RCC framework for spatial reasoning. The satisfiability problem for RCC-5 is known to be NP-complete but not much is known about its approximately four billion subclasses. We provide a complete classification of satisfiability for all these subclasses into polynomial and NP-complete respectively. In the process, we identify all maximal tractable subalgebras which are four in total.
Synthesizing Customized Planners from Specifications
Authors: Srivastava B. , Kambhampati S.
Published: July 2018

Existing plan synthesis approaches in artificial intelligence fall into two categories -- domain independent and domain dependent. The domain independent approaches are applicable across a variety of domains, but may not be very efficient in any one given domain. The domain dependent approaches need to be (re)designed for each domain separately, but can be very efficient in the domain for which they are designed. One enticing alternative to these approaches is to automatically synthesize domain independent planners given the knowledge about the domain and the theory of planning. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of using existing automated software synthesis tools to support such synthesis. Specifically, we describe an architecture called CLAY in which the Kestrel Interactive Development System (KIDS) is used to derive a domain-customized planner through a semi-automatic combination of a declarative theory of planning, and the declarative control knowledge specific to a given domain, to semi-automatically combine them to derive domain-customized planners. We discuss what it means to write a declarative theory of planning and control knowledge for KIDS, and illustrate our approach by generating a class of domain-specific planners using state space refinements. Our experiments show that the synthesized planners can outperform classical refinement planners (implemented as instantiations of UCP, Kambhampati & Srivastava, 1995), using the same control knowledge. We will contrast the costs and benefits of the synthesis approach with conventional methods for customizing domain independent planners.
Dynamic Non-Bayesian Decision Making
Authors: Monderer D. , Tennenholtz M.
Published: July 2018

The model of a non-Bayesian agent who faces a repeated game with incomplete information against Nature is an appropriate tool for modeling general agent-environment interactions. In such a model the environment state (controlled by Nature) may change arbitrarily, and the feedback/reward function is initially unknown. The agent is not Bayesian, that is he does not form a prior probability neither on the state selection strategy of Nature, nor on his reward function. A policy for the agent is a function which assigns an action to every history of observations and actions. Two basic feedback structures are considered. In one of them -- the perfect monitoring case -- the agent is able to observe the previous environment state as part of his feedback, while in the other -- the imperfect monitoring case -- all that is available to the agent is the reward obtained. Both of these settings refer to partially observable processes, where the current environment state is unknown. Our main result refers to the competitive ratio criterion in the perfect monitoring case. We prove the existence of an efficient stochastic policy that ensures that the competitive ratio is obtained at almost all stages with an arbitrarily high probability, where efficiency is measured in terms of rate of convergence. It is further shown that such an optimal policy does not exist in the imperfect monitoring case. Moreover, it is proved that in the perfect monitoring case there does not exist a deterministic policy that satisfies our long run optimality criterion. In addition, we discuss the maxmin criterion and prove that a deterministic efficient optimal strategy does exist in the imperfect monitoring case under this criterion. Finally we show that our approach to long-run optimality can be viewed as qualitative, which distinguishes it from previous work in this area.
Acceso y deserción en las universidades. Alternativas de financiamiento
Authors: Sinchi Elvis Roberto , Gómez Ceballos Gliceria Petrona
Published: July 2018

At present, the dynamics of accessing to the universities in Ecuador is growing. From the implementation of the Organic Law of Higher Education, changes were introduced to favor this process and influence the increase of quality; nevertheless, barriers continue to exist. The purpose of this article is to analyze the causes that hinder access and cause desertion and financing alternatives, which could contribute to mitigate these. The deduction induction method was mainly used, collecting information from primary and secondary sources; for this, a sample was selected based on the student population of the universities located in Cuenca, (6854). The size was 364 and the technical questionnaire was applied to 383 students. Information was complemented with interviews and documentary reviews. As main results the causes that originate the problem are validated, these are the high costs of tuition and the loss of materials, which are identified ways to decrease the dropout. It is evident that these are few and a little diverse, which is aggravated by the ignorance of the students about the benefits offered by these institutions; in response to this, a proposal to establish policies linked to the increase of these alternatives and improve the communication process between the various institutions that offer financial services and/or scholarships to students is given.
Atributos químicos e físicos de um latossolo em diferentes sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária
Authors: Ferreira J. P. , Andreotti M. , Pascoaloto I. M. , Costa N. R. , Augusto J. G.
Published: July 2018

Com o grande destaque dado para as mudanças climáticas nas últimas décadas, a busca por sistemas de cultivo sustentáveis e equilibrados tem crescido junto com a busca pela conservação do solo e redução do uso de insumos agrícolas inorgânicos. Ã€ vista disso, este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a influência de diferentes culturas consorciadas e em sucessão nos atributos físico-químicos de um Latossolo argiloso em condições de Cerrado. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 x 2 e com quatro repetições: semeadura de milho em espaçamento de 0,45 m ou 0,90 m, consorciado com capim-xaraés ou capim-tanzânia, seguido da manutenção da pastagem das forrageiras na área adubadas ou não com 250 kg/ha de N (parcelados em 5 aplicações), e sucedido por soja. Foram determinados os atributos químicos e físicos do solo, resistência mecânica à penetração, umidade gravimétrica e estoque de carbono do solo em quatro épocas: antes da instalação dos consórcios, após a colheita do milho, após a dessecação das pastagens e após a colheita da soja. As parcelas com maior produtividade de matéria seca foram as que resultaram em aumento no teor de matéria orgânica e estoque de carbono do solo e maior ciclagem de nutrientes das camadas mais profundas. Não houve influência do espaçamento do milho nos atributos físicos e químicos do solo. O uso de diferentes espécies simultaneamente na área resulta em redução na resistência mecânica a penetração e aumento da porosidade do solo pelo crescimento diferenciado das raízes.
Rib fracture treatment and management
Authors: Alzahrani Yasser , Alhazmi Mohammad , Al Ibrahim Mohammed , Alzahrani Hani , Calacattawi Abdullah , Alosaimi Amirah , Alkahtani Abdullah , Aljumah Mohammad , Surrati Abdulmalik , Saan Ibrahim
Published: July 2018

Simple rib fractures are the most common injury sustained following blunt chest trauma, accounting for more than half of thoracic injuries from non-penetrating trauma. Severe blunt injury to the chest continues to be one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in both young and old trauma victims. We conducted the current meta-analysis using a comprehensive search of EMBASE, MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials till 01 February 2018 for randomized controlled trials that compared operative-to-non-operative administration in flail chest patients. We identified 6 studies that could be included in the meta-analysis. In total, there were 129 patients receiving operative management compared to 152 patients in the non-operative management group. A positive effect of surgical rib fracture fixation was observed for pneumonia rate [ES 0.43, 95% CI 0.29, 0.72], duration of ICU stay [ES −4.54 days 95% CI (−6.02, −1.89) p>0.0001]. No significant difference was noted in mortality rate [ES 0.55, 95% CI (0.14, 2.44)] between the two treatment strategies. Operative management of flail chest might, therefore, be a promising treatment strategy that could not only improve patient’s outcome, but also lower treatment costs. These observations might be of value for surgeons treating patients with flail chest.
O auxílio administrativo das autoridades tradicionais na administração pública local em Moçambique: uma herança do Estado colonial * The administrative assistance of traditional authorities in the local public administration in Mozambique: a heritage of the colonial State
Authors: Campos Luciana Martins
Published: July 2018

A situação de hibridismo institucional caracterizada pela abertura dada pelo Estado moçambicano para a atuação jurídica e administrativa das autoridades tradicionais, é frequentemente compreendida como a perpetuação da administração indireta [indirect rule] do período colonial no Estado democrático atual. A distinção jurídica e administrativa entre as áreas urbanas e rurais do Estado colonial gerou uma herança de bifurcação institucional que parece ser reabilitada a partir do reconhecimento do auxílio administrativo das autoridades tradicionais pelos decretos 15/2000 e 11/2005. Avaliaremos os desafios que essa realidade impõe a partir de um conceito weberiano de Estado, tendo em vista o atual contexto de descentralização política e/ou administrativa e o paradigma da governação descentralizada e democrática.
Representações da mulher na obra de Marina Núñez del Prado (1908-1995) * Representations of woman in the work of Marina Núñez del Prado (1908-1995)
Authors: Mazza Giovanna Pezzuol
Published: July 2018

Marina Nuñez del Prado (1908-1995), escultora boliviana, iniciou seus estudos na Academia Nacional de Bellas Artes de La Paz, na qual se tornou a primeira professora, em 1930. Em diálogo com o movimento indigenista em sua vertente artística, grande parte de sua produção mobiliza aspectos das tradições indígenas bolivianas. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar três vertentes da obra da artista, relacionadas à representação da mulher em sua produção escultórica. A partir da análise de peças selecionadas, pretende-se demonstrar como Núñez del Prado transitou entre as temáticas da “maternidade”, da “natureza” e da “sexualidade”, que são relevantes para se pensar os papéis sociais da mulher boliviana e, no limite, latino-americana, da primeira metade do século XX.
Field characterization of endemic wild Vigna accessions collected from biodiversity hotspots of India to identify promising genotypes for multiple agronomic and adaptive traits
Authors: Pratap Aditya , Malviya Nupur , Gupta Sanjeev , Tomar Rakhi , Pandey Vankat Raman , Prajapati Umashanker
Published: July 2018

Wild Vigna species possess a reservoir of useful genes that have potential to be utilized in improvement of cultivated mungbean and urdbean. The level of genetic diversity in representative accessions of cultivated and wild Asiatic Vigna species collected from diversity-rich endemic areas of India was investigated using morphological descriptors. Data were recorded on 27 qualitative and quantitative traits in 44 wild and cultivated accessions belonging to 12 Vigna species grown over 2 years and analyzed to compute mean and variances for each trait. Cluster analysis following unweighted pair group method based on arithmetic mean grouped accessions into five clusters with cluster I accommodating most of the accessions. The different accessions showed variation at species level based on morphological descriptors. 3 accessions viz., IC251424 and IC251425 of V. radiata and IC331436 of V. trilobata were superior for multiple traits viz., number of seeds/pod, seed quality and early maturity. Likewise for seed size, IC 298665 of V. unguiculata and PRR 2008-2 of V. umbellata were identified as promising donors while for earliness, 3 accessions of V. trilobata (IC 331545, IC 349701 and JAP/10-7), 1 of V. radiata (IC 251427) and 1 each of V. mungo (IC 251385) and V. unguiculata (IC 298665) were identified as maturing significantly early and therefore, could be used in hybridization programme for introgression of these traits. This evaluation and characterization study on endemic Vigna species provides useful information for improving mungbean and urdbean cultivars through recombination breeding.
Salinity stress phenotyping for soybean (Glycine max L.) for Middle East Asia
Authors: Khan Faheema
Published: July 2018

The present study was conducted to evaluate the differences in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant enzyme activity among two genotypes of soybean (Glycine max L.) in response to salinity stress. Ten-day-old seedlings, grown hydroponically, were treated with 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 mM NaCl for 7 days and analysed for the traits as biomarkers for identification of salt-tolerant soybean genotype. It was observed that NaCl stress caused severe impairments in photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll fluorescence and chlorophyll content in both the genotypes, but the damage were much more pronounced in salt-sensitive genotype VL SOYA-47. Moreover, chlorophyll fluorescence measurements showed higher non-photochemical quenching in genotype VL SOYA-47 and lower in genotype VL SOYA-21. The antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase) was observed much higher in VL SOYA-21 than in VL SOYA-47 at various levels of NaCl treatments. From the results, it could be suggested that VL SOYA-21 is the salt tolerant and VL SOYA-47 is a salt sensitive soybean genotype. The tolerance capacity of VL SOYA-21 against NaCl stress can be related with the ability of this genotype in possessing vital photosynthetic system and ROS scavenging capacity.
A comparative biochemical evaluation of in vivo and in vitro propagated Alhagi maurorum:
an important medicinal plant
Authors: Malik Ashish , Sehrawat Krishan , Ahlawat Anil , Sehrawat Anita R.
Published: July 2018

Medicinal plants are of great interest in the field of biotechnology as most of the drug industries depend in part on plants for production of pharmaceutical compounds. Biological activities of the phyoconstituents in plants could be enhanced by manipulation of the culture conditions. In the present investigation leaves and nodal segments of Alhagi maurorum were cultured on MS medium with BAP, Kinetin, NAA and other adjuvants. MS medium with BAP (1.0 and 2.0 mg/l) alone and in combination with NAA (0.1 mg/l was good for initiation of calli and bud formation. BAP (2.0 and 5.0mg/l) with NAA(0.1mg/l) plus kinetin 0.25mg/l with ascorbic acid 50mg/l and adenine sulphate, citric acid and arginine 25mg/l each was found to be the best for bud proliferation and shoot multiplication. Best rooting was found on MS medium supplemented with IAA and IBA (0.5mg/ leach). Cultured materials at different growth phase were evaluated for their biochemical estimation of primary metabolites quantitatively. Maximum content of carbohydrates, total proteins and amino acids were noticed in leaves of field grown plants and shoots of regenerated plantlets. It is further concluded that Alhagi maurorum serve as a rich source of primary metabolites which can be used as raw materials in industry.
OPTIMALISASI PENERAPAN KONSEP ANDRAGOGI DALAM PENDIDIKAN DAN LATIHAN APARATUR PEMERINTAH SEBAGAI UPAYA PENINGKATAN MUTU LULUSAN
Authors: Hiryanto Hiryanto
Published: July 2018

The Government could perform its functions and tasks if it has qualified personnel. To improve its personnel’s competence, the Government has been conducting several kinds of training which have not brought satisfactory results. This research aimed at exploring the possibility of implementing andragogic concept in a training model to improve the training graduates’ competence. This case study was conduced in The Education and Training Center of Yogyakarta Province and found an andragogy-based training model with detailed steps. Anticipating some hindrances that could be faced by the trainers in implementiation of this model, this research recommended some alternative solutions.
New Method of Plague Agent Lipopolysaccharide Obtaining
Authors: Polunina T. A. , Guseva N. P. , Kuz’Michenko I. A. , Devdariani Z. L. , Zadnova S. P. , Stepanov A. V. , Kireev M. N.
Published: July 2018

Put forward are two alternatives of a new method for optimization of conditions of LPS obtaining and purification from Y. pestis strains; as well as for avoiding application of poisonous and hard-to-remove reagents; for simplification and cost-cutting of the technique; and for rationalization of production waste management. This method involves preliminary salt-water extraction of bacteria, for elimination of easy-dissolving substances, with the subsequent fracturing using ultrasound in lysing buffer (0,1 M Tris-HCl, pH 8,0; 10 mmol of EDTA, 1 % Triton X-100). The first alternative for deproteinization of non-purified endotoxin is the commercial preparation of proteinase K (Sigma), the second one - an enzyme complex - proteovibrin, isolated from waste material accumulated in the process of cholera chemical bivalent vaccine production. Apart from this, introduced has been a phase of sample acidification by applying glacial acetic acid up to pH 3,2-3,4 to decontaminate LPS from nucleic acids. These two variations of the method provide for enhancement of LPS preparation quality as compared to prototype method, and for obtainment of plague agent endotoxin that is hardly distinguishable in physical-chemical properties, homogeneity, immunochemical activity and specificity from the antigen, manufactured by means of water-phenol extraction following Westphal O. technique.
Application of Freeze-Dryers of Chamber Type in the Collections of Pathogenic Microorganisms
Authors: Chervyakova N. S. , Valova T. V. , Osin A. V.
Published: July 2018

By the example of Martin Christ Epsilon 2-6D device carried out was assessment of the possibility to use freeze-dryers of the chamber type for conservation of pathogenic microorganisms collection strains. Elaborated was algorithm of lyophilisation of the III-IV pathogenicity groups bacteria, which incorporated conditions of freeze-drying and biological safety provision of this process. Indices of viability and survivability were defined for freeze-dried cells of pathogenic bacteria strains. Using thermostability test calculated were predicted timelines of storage of collection strains preparations freeze-dried in the flasks in Martin Christ Epsilon 2-6D. It was determined that in the collections of pathogenic microorganisms freeze-dryers of the chamber type could be used most prospectively for the III-IV pathogenicity groups bacteria conservation requiring mass reproduction and not intended for long storage. At the same time their application for freeze-drying of the strains of the I-II pathogenicity groups bacteria intended for a long storage, requires further adaptation of these devices as regards biological safety provision and prolongation of the shelf life.
Application of Cytokines and Synthetic Peptides for Increase in Immunogenicity of Melioidosis Antigens
Authors: Dem’Yanova O. B. , Zhukova S. I. , Zankovich A. A. , Khrapova N. P. , Rotov K. A. , Sintyurina N. N. , Snatenkov E. A.
Published: July 2018

B. pseudomallei 100 resistance (61.5 % of survived animals). It was concluded that it is a good practice to include bestim in the schedule of complex immunization against melioidosis.